MacRumors

Apple is working on "Apple GPT" artificial intelligence projects that could rival OpenAI's ChatGPT, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Work on AI has become a priority for Apple over the course of the last few months, as chatbot services and AI functions in apps have proliferated.

The Cupertino company has developed an "Ajax" framework for large language models like ChatGPT, Microsoft's Bing, and Google's Bard, and it has developed its own internal chatbot that some engineers refer to as "‌Apple GPT‌," a play on ChatGPT. Apple does not yet have a "clear strategy" for creating a product for consumers, says Gurman.

Given the popularity of AI chatbots, Apple is worried that it is lagging behind on new AI-based technologies that will change the way that people interact with smartphones. Apple employees must get special access to access the chatbot app that Apple is working on, and its output cannot be used to develop new product features for customers. It is being used for product prototyping and can answer questions based on the data that Apple used to train it.

The Ajax platform is built on Google's Jax machine learning framework, running on Google Cloud. Apple reportedly considered signing a contract with OpenAI and trialed OpenAI's technology for its corporate teams, but ultimately did not do so.

Apple has several teams working on artificial intelligence and attempting to solve problems like privacy concerns. Even with its Siri personal assistant, Apple has always been more cautious than competitors, aiming to put privacy ahead of functionality. Apple has been criticized for ‌Siri‌'s shortcomings in comparison to competing products from Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Amazon, and others.

During Apple's May earnings call, Tim Cook said there are a "number of issues that need to be sorted" with AI, and that it's important to be "deliberate and thoughtful" in the development approach. Cook also said that Apple views AI as "huge," and plans to "continue weaving it in products on a very thoughtful basis."

There is no word as of yet on when or if Apple might release some kind of consumer-facing chatbot, but the company continually improves machine learning-based features in its products with each new software iteration. In iOS 17, for example, predictive text functionality has improved, and Apple has introduced new features around Visual Lookup and photo identification.

Apple could be planning to make a "significant" AI announcement in 2024, but has no concrete plans as of yet. Apple's AI head John Giannandrea and software engineering chief Craig Federighi are heading up Apple's AI efforts, but as with many of Apple's emerging technologies, there are reportedly disagreements over product development that the company will need to overcome.

In iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, Apple has added a new Siri ability that means you can get the virtual assistant to read web articles aloud to you just like an audiobook, even if your device is locked. Keep reading to learn how it's done on iPhone and iPad.

If you tend to be put off by the thought of reading long-form articles on the web on a small screen, we have good news for you. In iOS 17, Siri can read them out loud for you, meaning all you have to do is listen.

How It Works

There are a few things to keep in mind when you want Siri to read web content out loud for you. First, you need to be using Apple's Safari when browsing webpages, otherwise it won't work. As it stands, Siri won't respond to read requests in third-party browsers.

Second, the webpage you want read to you needs to be compatible with Reader View. Almost all news articles on modern websites are compatible with Safari's Reader View, which strips away images, ads, and any other extraneous webpage content, leaving you looking at a clean page of legible text.

You can tell which pages support Reader View by looking for the words "Reader Available" and the document icon that briefly appears in the address bar when a webpage is loading. If you tap the aA icon that eventually replaces it, the Show Reader option will also be available (i.e. not grayed out) to indicate compatibility.

The last thing to be aware of is that if the article you want read to you is just one of many articles in a feed, such as on the MacRumors.com front page, you need to tap through to the individual article in question. Then you can do one of two things.

Method 1:

One way to get Siri to read the selected article to you is to hold your iPhone's side button (or top button on iPad) which will activate Siri. Then say "Read this to me." Alternatively, simply say "Siri, read this to me," hands-free. (In iOS 17, you don't even have to prefix a command with "Hey" to invoke Siri any more.)

Siri will then begin reading the article to you out loud, and a media player panel will appear in the upper section of the screen, allowing you to rewind, fast-forward, adjust the volume, and even AirPlay the spoken audio to another device.

Method 2:

Another way to get Siri talking is to tap the Aa icon in the address bar, then choose the Listen to Page option in the pop-up menu. Siri will immediately begin reading the page to you.

The only difference with this method is that, unless you lock your device while Siri is reading, you won't see a media control panel on the screen. If the article is still open in Safari, you can stop Siri reading it by tapping the Pause Listening option that replaces the "Listen to Page" option in the Aa pop-up menu.

If you pause Siri, it will be replaced by a Resume Listening option, and the option will remain even if you navigate away from the page and return to it later.

So there you have it. With iOS 17, now almost any article on the web can be read to you via Siri while you're doing something else, even if your iPhone is locked and tucked away in your purse or pocket.

Beats is introducing an updated version of its Studio over-ear headphones today, with the fourth-generation models dubbed Beats Studio Pro. The $350 headphones come 15 years after Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine debuted the original Studio headphones that launched the Beats brand into prominence.

Beats has maintained the iconic look of the Studio headphones since their original debut, and that remains true with the new Studio Pro. But that iconic look now comes with completely overhauled performance focused on five areas: sound quality, voice performance, comfort/durability, connectivity, and ecosystem compatibility.

When it comes to sound quality, Beats Studio Pro adopt most of Apple's latest technology including support for Personalized Spatial Audio with built-in motion accelerometer and gyroscope for dynamic head tracking, adaptive Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) with a dedicated processor and upgraded microphones plus playback correction to remove any ANC artifacts before the audio hits your ears, and a new proprietary transducer design with custom 40mm driver that delivers 80% lower distortion compared to the previous-generation Studio headphones.

In our early testing of the Studio Pro, we found solid audio quality with bass performance unsurprisingly a bit on the heavy side as Beats is known for, with very good Spatial Audio performance that tracked head movements well to keep audio anchored to the source device.

Enhanced call performance is achieved with a combination of all-new digital microphones and machine learning, leading to a 27% increase in clarity compared to the previous Studio 3 headphones.

Beats Studio Pro support three different connectivity options, including Class 1 Bluetooth, USB-C audio that supports both lossless audio and the ability to listen and charge simultaneously, and 3.5mm analog for compatibility with a broad array of audio devices including inflight systems and game controllers.

When connected over USB-C, Beats Studio Pro offer the ability to switch between three different audio profiles: a tonally balanced Beats Signature profile, an Entertainment profile for movies and games, and a Conversation profile that removes some of the bass and is tuned to voice for phone calls, podcasts, and other spoken content.

The design of the Beats Studio Pro will be familiar to anyone who has used Studio headphones in the past, with a cushioned headband, a folding design for portability, and padded ear cups. The Studio Pro feature upgraded leather UltraPlush ear cups with memory foam for comfort and durability. The majority of the exterior remains primarily plastic, which reduces weight but delivers a less premium feel than the AirPods Max, although they're also priced $200 lower than Apple's over-ear option.

While not officially rated for sweat- or water-resistance, Beats says it's confident the Studio Pro will stand up to workouts and similar potential exposures.

Basic on-ear controls are primarily handled on the left ear cup, with a large Beats "b" button offering the usual single press for play/pause and answering calls, double press advancing tracks and hanging up calls, and triple press skipping backwards. A long press activates Siri if you don't want to use "Hey ‌Siri‌" voice activation, while volume can be adjusted by pressing above or below the "b" button.

The right ear cup includes a small button that serves to power the headphones on and off, while holding it for three seconds enters pairing mode. Double pressing the button will switch between ANC and Transparency modes, or rotate between the available sound profiles if you're connected via USB-C. A 5-LED array below the power button provides feedback on battery level with a press but also blink while in pairing mode and in USB-C will light up to reflect which sound profile is currently active.

In order to deliver as much parity as possible across Apple and Android ecosystems, Beats Studio Pro do not feature a dedicated Apple audio chip, but Beats has worked with Apple's engineers to deliver most of that functionality via a custom Beats chip. One-touch pairing is supported on both iOS and Android with automatic setup for all devices on your iCloud or Google account. Support for Apple's Find My and Google's ‌Find My‌ Device services is included, while Apple users can use "Hey ‌Siri‌" to easily access Apple's voice assistant.

One feature Apple users won't get at this time is automatic switching as you change devices. Google users will get a similar Audio Switch feature among Android, Chromebook, and other compatible devices, but Beats is still investigating how it might be able to add ‌iCloud‌ automatic switching in the absence of an Apple chip.

Battery life for the Beats Studio Pro is rated at 24 hours with ANC or Transparency turned on and 40 hours with those features turned off. If you're running low on battery, a Fast Fuel feature will give you up to four hours of battery life from a 10-minute charge.

Beats Studio Pro come with a new compact zippered carrying case made of a semi-rigid woven fabric, with an integrated exterior loop to carry them by a finger or to add a clip or carabiner. Interior pockets help keep your USB-C and 3.5mm cables organized, and a zippered interior pocket can hold additional small items. The headphones also come in new 100% fiber-based packaging.

The new Beats Studio Pro headphones are priced at $349.99 and are available to order from Apple, Best Buy, and Amazon with shipments an in-store availability beginning tomorrow in the United States, Canada, France, and Germany. Color options include Black, Deep Brown, Navy, and Sandstone.

Amazon today has a pair of all-time low discounts on the 16-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro, all of which are in stock and ready to ship today. Most computers have a delivery date of July 25 for orders placed in the United States.

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 512GB 12-core M2 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, you can get this model for $2,249.00, down from $2,499.00. It's available in both Silver and Space Gray, and this is a record low discount for the model and now the cheapest 2023 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The 1TB 12-core M2 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro is on sale for $2,449.00, down from $2,699.00. This one is also available in both Silver and Space Gray, and it's another best-ever price on the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Unity's "PolySpatial" development platform for visionOS is available in beta as of today, providing a way for developers to create and port over 3D experiences like games to Apple's Vision Pro headset.

PolySpatial has been developed in collaboration with Apple and was announced at WWDC earlier this year, offering familiar workflows to those who have already used the Unity Engine to reduce friction in the development process. Unity's authoring and simulation capabilities are combined with RealityKit's managed app rendering to ensure that content feels familiar. PolySpatial provides access to technologies like pass-through and Dynamic Foveated Rendering, as well as popular Unity features like AR Foundation and XR Interaction Toolkit. Unity Create general manager Marc Whitten told TechCrunch:

We had to work, ground up, to make sure we could make it easy for our creators to unlock capabilities. Primarily that's things like Unity application existing in a shared space with other applications, being able to integrate with Reality Kit and the visionOS. It's not just "you can put Unity up in the slate" (which is supported on day one), but you can actually put it inside of real space and with other experiences at the same time — whether they're Unity, Reality Kit or other Apple experiences.

Most importantly, PolySpatial can be used to port existing games to visionOS. For example, the crowdfunded Apple Arcade game "What the Golf?" is already being ported to visionOS using PolySpatial. Apple vice president of the Vision Products Group Mike Rockwell commented:

We know there is a huge community of developers who have been building incredible 3D experiences using Unity’s robust authoring tools, and we're so excited for them to build apps for Apple Vision Pro. Unity-based apps and games run natively on Apple Vision Pro, so they have access to groundbreaking visionOS features, including low latency pass-through and high-resolution rendering. This enables Unity developers to take full advantage of the powerful and unique capabilities of Apple Vision Pro. We can't wait to see what incredible experiences are created.

Unity has not yet offered a time frame for the public release of PolySpatial, but developers who signed up for the beta are being given early access in waves starting today. See Unity's spatial webpage for more information.

Spectre, the long-exposure AI-powered iPhone camera app made by the developers of the popular Halide photography app, is now free.

For those unfamiliar with Spectre, the app uses a computational shutter to take hundreds of photos over the course of a few seconds to create an up to 3-second long exposure.

Because it's taking hundreds of images instead of one continuous shot, users can hold their phone while taking long exposure images with Spectre, no tripod necessary.

Previously $1.99, the app's switch to freeware marks the introduction of a new paid-for Pro version, which includes additional 15- and 30-second exposure modes, plus a new Pro icon.

Spectre Pro is a free upgrade to existing users, while new users can unlock the Pro version for a $4.99 one-time purchase. The app works on the iPhone 6S and newer and requires iOS 15 and later, and is available to download from the App Store.

Apple today shared a humorous new video on its YouTube channel that dramatizes many of the security features available when using Apple products at work.

Titled "Swiped," the spot opens with a design team that is shortly about to give a "game-changing" presentation to a client, only for the MacBook Air on which the presentation exists to be swiped by thieves in the street when the team leader turns her back.

The eight-minute video follows the team's attempt to retrieve the stolen Mac in time for the crucial presentation before the bumbling thieves can pawn it off.

The film showcases several Apple security features that aid the team and thwart the thieves, including Notify When Left Behind, Find My location tracking, Touch ID and Face ID, passwords and passkeys, Secure Enclave, end-to-end encryption, MDM Remote Lock and Remote Wipe, remote Erase This Device, and more.

The Underdogs are back in action. This time they're on a mission to save a missing Mac. Thankfully they've got Apple’s powerful security features on their side. Great news for them. Bad, bad news for the bumbling thieves.

This is Apple at Work.

The short comes after similar "Apple at Work" videos that Apple published in 2019 and 2020 featuring the same actors. Other highlighted products and features in the video include Apple Maps, Group FaceTime, Calendar, Messages, Apple Music, Apple CarPlay, Keynote, Apple Pay on Apple Watch, Do Not Disturb, Reminders, Workout Detection with Apple Watch, and more.

Apple has listed products eligible for upcoming sales tax holidays in select U.S. states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Some other states will also be holding sales tax holidays, such as Massachusetts, New Mexico, and South Carolina, but they have yet to be added to Apple's list.

Sales tax holidays provide a limited-time opportunity to purchase select Apple products online or in stores without paying sales tax. Eligible products and price limits vary from state to state, with complete details outlined on Apple's website. Apple says tax savings may not appear during checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

The tax-free holidays begin in late July to early August. Depending on the state, eligible Apple products may include Macs, iPads, iPhones, and/or accessories.

Sales tax holidays are especially beneficial to students, as the tax savings can be combined with Apple's ongoing Back to School promotion, which offers students up to a $150 Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, as well as 20% off AppleCare+ plans. This is in addition to Apple's educational discounts on select products.

The Threads social network from Meta today received its first significant update that introduces a range of new features that improve the functionality of the social network. Updates include a tab for seeing who follows you so you can follow them back, an option to subscribe to unfollowed users, improvements to activity feed loading times, and translation option to translate posts that are in a different language.

Instagram software engineer Cameron Roth shared a full list of new features on Threads.

- 👓 translations!
- 👥 follows tab on activity feed
- 🔔 subscribe to unfollowed users
- ❤️ activity feed scrolling + loading improvements
- 👀 following + on thread replies page
- 👆 tappable reposter labels
- 📸 open the IG followers list
- 🔧 a few small crash fixes. we're now at 0.02%📉
- 🔪 more binary size cuts
- 🐞 a handful of other small bugs

While there is a Threads update available in the App Store, the updates are being pushed server-side. To see the new features, users may need to restart their app and also wait some time for the features to be fully released to everyone. Full availability of the new features may be delayed until tonight for some users.

Threads saw more than 100 million downloads during the first week after launch, and while the number of daily active users has since fallen, it still has millions of users less than two weeks after it debuted. Instagram head Adam Mosseri over the weekend said that "growth, retention, and engagement" are ahead of where he expected, and that the focus now is on "building new features, dialing in performance, and improving ranking."

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg similarly said that "10s of millions of people now come back daily" and for the rest of the year, the company plans to focus on "improving the basics and retention."

Threads can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌ for free. [Direct Link]

Note: A prior version of this story suggested that the follows tab was to see posts from people you followed. Cameron Roth has clarified that this is incorrect, and that the "follows tab" is simply a place to see who you are following on threads.

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of macOS Ventura 13.5 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta introduced a week after the release of the fifth beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

No notable features have been found in macOS 13.5, so it's not yet clear what's included in the update.

With macOS Sonoma now in development and slated for launch this fall, Apple's work on macOS 13 will soon be wrapping up. macOS 13.5 is likely to be one of the final updates to macOS Ventura.

Apple today seeded the release candidates (RCs) of upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the fifth betas. RCs precede a public launch and mark the final version of the software that will be provided to iPhone and iPad users.

Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 includes unspecified bug fixes and security improvements.

Apple today seeded release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 9.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming a week after the release of the fifth beta. The RC marks the final version of the software that will be provided to the public.

To install the watchOS 9.6 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.6 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

It is not yet known if there are new features in the watchOS 9.6 update, but we did not find anything in the first beta. This is expected to be one of the final updates to the watchOS 9 operating system as Apple has shifted its work to watchOS 10, the next-generation version of watchOS.

Mophie's 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe has been temporarily removed from the Apple online store due to ongoing charging issues. You also can no longer purchase the accessory directly from ZAGG's website.

Beginning in late June, users in Apple's discussions community began pointing out an issue where an iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods placed on the charger would fail to get a consistent charge. The devices would constantly ping as they disconnected and reconnected to the charging source.

Many of the users in the thread on Apple's discussions community mentioned that they had owned the Travel Charger for over a year with no problems, and all began having the same issue around the same date. Apple has now recalled the accessory, so if you purchased it at an Apple Store or on Apple's website you can contact them for a full refund.

In a response on its website, ZAGG noted that it is aware of the issue with the Travel Charger, "which can cause intermittent charging with your device." The company said it has identified the issue and will release a firmware update to the accessory soon. It's unclear when the Travel Charger will return to the ‌Apple Store‌ and ZAGG store.

Mophie originally launched the Travel Charger in January 2022 at a price of $150. It's a MagSafe-compatible accessory that provides simultaneous charging to an ‌iPhone‌, Apple Watch, and AirPods. It includes a USB-C wall adapter and USB-C cable in the box.

(Thanks, James!)

Launched in 2022, AppleDB is a helpful resource that provides a database of Apple devices, software updates, firmware releases, and more. The website was recently updated with all macOS releases and beta versions dating back to Mac OS X Tiger in 2005.

AppleDB catalogs over 4,000 software and firmware versions for a wide range of Apple products, along with model numbers, model identifiers, tech specs, release dates, and other information. This includes iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and HomePod software releases, along with firmware for accessories like AirPods, Beats, the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, the AirTag, MagSafe accessories, and more.

The database also lists bridgeOS versions for the T1 and T2 security chips in Intel-based Macs, Xcode versions, Safari Technology Preview releases, and more.

AppleDB is worth bookmarking if you are an Apple enthusiast, and the database will be updated with additional information over time, such as software releases for PowerPC-based Macs. The public can contribute to the database by making a pull request on GitHub, with all information subject to review. The website has a Discord server and a Twitter account where users can chat with the community and read the latest updates.

Anker has further sweetened its deals on the Eufy brand of Bluetooth trackers this week, with the SmartTrack Card available for $16.99, down from $29.99. You can also get the SmartTrack Link in various packs, starting at $13.99 for a 1-pack, $26.99 for a 2-pack, and $48.99 for a 4-pack.

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.

These trackers work with Apple's Find My app and are perfect for keeping track of luggage and other necessities while traveling. This time around, all of the deals have been applied automatically on Amazon so you won't need any coupon codes. Compared to previous sales, these are some of the best prices we've tracked on the Bluetooth trackers, particularly for the SmartTrack Link 1-pack and SmartTrack Card.

Another highlight of the sale is Anker's Docking Station + Monitor Stand, which includes 12 ports and support for wireless charging. It's priced at $199.99, down from $249.99. You can also save on a pair of 3-in-1 MagSafe Chargers, with support for iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch charging, starting at $110.49, down from $139.99.

One final highlight is the PowerCore Reserve 60,000 mAh with Retractable Light, which is available for $119.99, down from $169.99. This is lower than the deal price we tracked during Prime Day earlier in the month, and a new best-ever price on this accessory.

Bluetooth Trackers

• SmartTrack Link (1-Pack) - $13.99, down from $19.99
• SmartTrack Card - $16.99, down from $29.99
• SmartTrack Link (2-Pack) - $26.99 with on-page coupon, down from $35.99
• SmartTrack Link (4-Pack) - $48.99 with on-page coupon, down from $69.99

Cables and Wall Chargers

• USB-C to USB-C Cable (6ft 2-Pack) - $9.99 with on-page coupon, down from $16.99
• 100W USB-C Charger - $26.99, down from $35.99
• 100W USB-C Power Adapter (2-Port) - $32.19, down from $45.99
• Nano 65W USB-C Charger (3-Port) - $39.09 with on-page coupon, down from $55.99
• Compact Power Strip - $63.99, down from $99.99

Portable Batteries

• PowerCore 24,000 mAh with Smart Digital Display - $129.99 with on-page coupon, down from $159.99
• PowerCore Reserve 60,000 mAh with Retractable Light - $119.99 with on-page coupon, down from $169.99

Hubs and Charging Stations

• 7-in-1 USB-C Power Strip - $41.99, down from $65.99
• 11-in-1 USB-C Hub - $62.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe Charging - $127.46 with on-page coupon, down from $149.95
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Station - $110.49 with on-page coupon, down from $139.99
• 12-in-1 Docking Station + Monitor Stand - $199.99, down from $249.99

Bluetooth Speakers

• Soundcore Boost - $49.99, down from $59.99
• Soundcore Motion Boom Plus - $149.99 with on-page coupon, down from $179.99

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max could be the first to feature a super telephoto periscope camera for dramatically increased optical zoom, according to a new report coming out of Asia.

The information comes from the Weibo account "Digital Chat Station," which has provided accurate information about Apple's plans in the past. The label of "super" or "ultra" telephoto is usually afforded to cameras with a focal length over 300mm, drastically magnifying and pulling in distant subjects. The iPhone 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models' telephoto camera has a focal length of equivalent to 77mm, so a focal length in excess of 300mm on the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max would be a very large increase.

Super telephoto cameras are often used for sports and wild animal photography, but the extremely soft backgrounds they create also make them useful for portrait photography, providing there is enough distance between the subject and the photographer.

The change is seemingly facilitated by Apple's upgrade to a periscope telephoto camera system, starting with the iPhone 15 Pro Max later this year. With next year's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models, Apple is reportedly planning to bring the telephoto camera to both of the "Pro" models, apparently enabled by increasing the smaller model's size. As such, giving the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max a super telephoto periscope would enable Apple to maintain differentiation between the two "Pro" devices next year.

The Weibo user also reiterated their previous claim that the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will feature a 12% larger camera sensor that is 1/1.14-inches in size. The ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max currently feature a 1/1.28-inch sensor and no sensor size increase is expected for this year's ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max. A larger sensor could improve the main ‌iPhone‌ camera's dynamic range and background blur. It could also substantially enhance low-light photography capabilities since a bigger surface area can capture more light with the same shutter speed and aperture.

In their latest post on the matter, the Weibo user did not explicitly state which devices the rumor relates to in the iPhone 16 lineup, it is believed to relate specifically to the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max due to their previous remarks. The same user shared similar camera information earlier this year, claiming that they had obtained industry insider information.

Apple Pay is launching in Morocco today, based on backend code discovered by Apple researcher Aaron613 and subsequent confirmation by one of the country's banks.

CIH Bank is launching ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ in the country as of Tuesday, according to the bank's Twitter account. It's not clear if other banks in Morocco will be coming on board with support for Apple's digital payment method, but it's likely.

The support means that CIH Bank's customers will be able to add their Mastercard credit cards and bank cards to the Wallet app by tapping the plus button in the top-right corner. Apple has yet to update its regional website to officially confirm the launch.

Ever since its launch in the United States in 2014, ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ has slowly expanded to more countries worldwide while at the same time expanding the list of financial institutions that support the feature. ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌‌ can be used anywhere contactless payments are accepted with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. It is also accepted by select apps and websites.