MacRumors

Samsung in February launched the Galaxy S23 Ultra, its newest flagship smartphone. The S23 Ultra is a lot like the S22 Ultra, but it has a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera lens that supports 8K video capture. Given that the S23 Ultra is a direct competitor to Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max, we thought we'd take a look at both smartphones to see how they compare.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a 6.8-inch smartphone with an OLED display, so it's fairly similar to the 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max. Samsung is using a pinhole cutout for the front-facing camera, though, so there is more available display area on the S23 Ultra since it doesn't have a notch. Both support 120Hz maximum refresh rates, but the smoothing looks more dramatic on the S23 Ultra

Samsung is using a more squared off design with slim bezels, so these two smartphones don't look much alike. It has less curve on the display than the prior-generation model, and even though it's large, the flat display and the straight frame make it comfortable to hold. There's also an S-Pen stylus that can be used with it, which Apple does not offer. The S-Pen is handy for note taking, but it's more of a niche feature than something that is widely appealing to all users.

At the back, there's a triple-lens camera setup and Samsung has introduced a 200-megapixel wide-angle lens while the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max has a 48-megapixel lens. With high-end smartphones, it's often difficult to choose a clear winner in terms of image quality, and it comes down to a preference for the color temperature and built-in editing that smartphone manufacturers do.

When it comes to video quality, Apple's iPhones usually win out, but Samsung has made some improvements this year. The 8K video is impressive, and there are notable boosts in stabilization on the Galaxy S23. It's much harder to tell the difference in video quality between the two smartphones with the S23 Ultra.

Main lens photos look fantastic on both phones in good lighting conditions, despite the difference in megapixels. You can choose from 50 or 200 megapixels when using the S23 Ultra, and you'll get more detail, but at the cost of storage space. The ultra wide lenses are also comparable, but Samsung is the clear winner when it comes to zoom capabilities. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom, though it stops looking great after about 30x. Apple's ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max tops out at 3x optical zoom, though that's set to change with the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Portrait mode on both smartphones is impressive. The S23 seems to do better with details in shots with people and it has better background blur, but it can be too soft. The iPhone is better at skin tone.

At the end of the day, operating system preference matters much more than feature set for smartphones at this level. If you're an iOS user, you're probably not going to want to swap over to Android, and vice versa, regardless of how many eye-catching features are offered.

What do you think of Samsung's S23 Ultra? Which smartphone photos do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple's rumored 15-inch MacBook Air is still on track to launch in April, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants. Young has a very good track record with display-related information about future Apple products.

Last month, Young said Apple's supply chain had started production of display panels for a new 15-inch MacBook Air, which would be the largest display size ever offered for the laptop. At the time, Young said he expected this MacBook Air to be released in early April, and he reiterated that timeframe in a brief tweet today.

If the 15-inch MacBook Air launches in April, there is still a chance of an announcement and pre-orders being sooner. Apple often announces new products in March, but it did hold an April event in 2021, so both months are possibilities.

The existing 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip launched in July 2022 after being announced at WWDC a month earlier. It's still not entirely clear if the 15-inch model would be equipped with the M2 chip or the M3 chip, as rumors have conflicted. Last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that a 15-inch MacBook with M2 and M2 Pro chip options would be released in the second quarter of 2023, potentially without Air branding.

Apple has normally reserved larger display sizes for the MacBook Pro, so a 15-inch MacBook Air could provide customers with more screen real estate at a lower price point. The laptop would also have a larger chassis, allowing for a bigger battery.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models to launch between late spring and summer.

In 2021, Apple introduced a feature that lets residents of participating U.S. states add their driver's license or ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age.

Unfortunately, states have been slow to adopt the feature since it was first announced in September 2021, with Wallet app IDs only supported in Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland so far. Apple shared a list of additional states committed to supporting the feature in the future, but none of the states in the list have revealed any plans yet.

Which U.S. states support the feature?

• Arizona (as of March 2022)
• Maryland (as of May 2022)
• Colorado (as of November 2022)

Which U.S. states are committed to supporting the feature?

In March 2022, Apple said the additional nine states listed below would "soon" allow residents to add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app, but it's unclear exactly when each state plans to roll out support for the feature.

• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Mississippi
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Utah

Apple said the feature would also be supported in Puerto Rico.

In 2021, Apple Wallet VP Jennifer Bailey said the company was "already in discussions with many more states" and working to offer the feature nationwide in the future. Apple has yet to announce any plans to expand the feature to other countries.

Note that some states like Florida and Louisiana offer iPhone driver's licenses through their own state-operated apps, separate from this Wallet app feature.

Where can IDs in the Wallet app be used?

Driver's licenses and state ID cards stored in the Wallet app can currently be used at select TSA checkpoints within select U.S. airports:

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)

Apple says travelers should refer to TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability of the feature.

For more details about IDs in the Wallet app, read our previous coverage.

Apple today released tvOS 16.3.3, a bug fix update for the tvOS 16 operating system that originally came out in September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and ‌Apple TV‌ HD, tvOS 16.3.3 comes almost a month after tvOS 16.3.2.

The tvOS 16.3.3 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌tvOS 16.3.3 automatically. Note that this update is only for the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K.

tvOS updates are usually minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. According to Apple's release notes, this update fixes an issue that could cause the Siri Remote to not work with the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K.

This update fixes an issue where the Siri Remote can become unresponsive on Apple TV 4K (3rd generation).

Apple shares information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.

Apple today released a Rapid Security Response update that is available for those running the iOS 16.4 beta, marking the launch of the fourth RSR update since the feature was introduced in iOS 16.

The Rapid Security Response Update is designed to provide iOS 16.4 beta users with bug fixes without the need to install a full update, and this is likely a test update given the small file size.

iOS Security Response 16.4 (b) is available through the standard Software Update mechanism in the Settings app, but is a quick update, requiring just a couple of minutes to download the update and then a quick restart for the install process.

Once the Rapid Security Response update is installed, iOS 16.4 users will see an updated version of iOS 16.4 (b), and tapping on the version in the About section of Settings will display information about the installed iOS version and the Rapid Security Response update. Those who want to disable Rapid Security Response updates can do so by following our how to.

Update: Apple has also released a second rapid security response update for macOS 13.3 Ventura beta users.

Samsung has kicked off a new sale on monitors, memory, and storage, which is set to end on March 12. During this event you'll find discounts on 4K Samsung monitors, as well as a few internal and external SSDs.

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.

These sales have been applied automatically and do not require any coupon codes in order to see the discounts. Samsung is focusing on gaming monitors for this event, including the curved 49-inch Odyssey monitor and the smaller 32-inch Odyssey Neo G8 curved monitor.

Monitors

• 32-inch ViewFinity 4K UHD Monitor - $289.99, down from $339.99
• 43-inch 4K UHD Smart Monitor M7 - $379.99, down from $499.99
• 49-inch Odyssey QLED Curved Monitor - $899.99, down from $1,199.99
• 32-inch Odyssey 4K UHD Curved Monitor - $1,299.99, down from $1,499.99
• 49-inch Odyssey Quantum Mini-LED Monitor - $1,699.99, down from $2,299.99

Storage

• 870 EVO SATA 2.5" SSD 1TB - $64.99, down from $109.99
• Portable SSD 2TB - $149.99, down from $199.99
• 980 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD 2TB - $169.99, down from $249.99

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.

Microsoft today announced that its Outlook app for Mac is now free to use, eliminating the need for a Microsoft 365 subscription or license.

Outlook supports multiple email providers, including Outlook.com, Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo Mail, and others, with a unified inbox and universal search functionality available. As noted by The Verge, the app has been optimized for Macs with Apple silicon chips.

Microsoft redesigned Outlook on macOS in 2020, and the app supports Notification Center widgets, Handoff between macOS and iOS, and more.

Outlook for Mac is available for free on the Mac App Store.

Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available to over 700,000 additional businesses across the U.S., marking a major expansion of the feature.

Starting today, businesses with an online store built on the Wix.com platform can accept in-person payments with Tap to Pay on iPhone. Launched in 2022, the feature allows for iPhone-to-iPhone contactless payments, with no additional point-of-sale hardware from companies like Square or Clover required for the transactions.

At checkout, a customer can tap their iPhone or Apple Watch, credit card, or other contactless payment option on the business owner's iPhone, and the payment will be securely completed using the same NFC technology behind Apple Pay.

Businesses can accept payments with Tap to Pay on iPhone using the Wix Owner app on the iPhone XS and newer after setting up the feature.

Wix.com said over 700,000 online stores used its platform as of 2021.

Apple has heavily invested in developing its own MicroLED technology for almost a decade to break away from Samsung as a supplier, The Information reports.

Apple's MicroLED displays have reportedly taken much longer to develop than expected, forcing it to deepen its ties with Samsung until the technology is ready. MicroLED offers better durability, efficiency, brightness, dynamic range, and viewing angles compared to existing technologies like OLED.

Apple apparently planned to use MicroLED rather than OLED for 2017's ‌iPhone‌ X, but its high manufacturing cost and potential for defects led to the switch to the new display technology being pushed further down the pipeline. Apple still purportedly plans to introduce its first MicroLED displays on the Apple Watch next year, with the panels likely set to be supplied by LG and Sharp, rather than Samsung. The company originally planned to introduce the first Apple Watch with a MicroLED display this year, but it again faced difficulties bringing the technology to market.

Despite the launch of the first MicroLED Apple Watch next year, Apple employees are reportedly concerned that the next-generation display technology will not be ready for larger devices like the ‌iPhone‌ and iPad anytime soon. Some future Apple products, such as the mixed-reality headset and foldable ‌iPad‌, are set to be supplied by companies like Sony, LG, and BOE in an effort to break free of Samsung, but some devices like next year's OLED iPad models and high-end ‌iPhone‌ models will still be reliant on Samsung for the foreseeable future.

Apple has reportedly struggled to reduce its dependence on Samsung due to its manufacturing and technological edge, leading to an unusual relationship where Apple has less power than it does over other suppliers, having to settle for secretive practices, inferior quality, defects, and little visibility over the manufacturing process. Samsung is said to be highly distrustful of Apple, barring Apple engineers and security officials from its facilities, and often refuses to answer questions related to its technology.

The report goes on to cite numerous examples of Apple and Samsung's disagreements, such as when the Korean supplier reportedly refused to accept Apple's request to clean the iPhone 14 Pro's screens despite the presence of debris and residue caused by the process of making cutouts for the Dyanmic Island. Apple has apparently been forced to undertake intense testing of Samsung displays during product development to detect any defects or issues.

Amazon is back with solid discounts on Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro notebooks this week, offering up to $699 off select models. The highlight of the sale is a new all-time low price on the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB), and you'll also find a 14-inch model on sale below.

16-Inch MacBook Pro

First is the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB), which is on sale for $1,999.97 in Silver, down from $2,699.00. This is the lowest we've ever seen the 16-inch MacBook Pro drop, and right now only Amazon has the sale.

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

You can also get the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Max, 1TB) for $2,999.99, down from $3,499.00. Amazon has this sale available in Silver and Space Gray, and it's a match of the lowest price we've ever tracked on this model of the 2021 MacBook Pro.

14-Inch MacBook Pro

Lastly, the 14-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) is on sale for $1,999.97, down from $2,499.00. This is the same deal price as the 16-inch model mentioned above, and both the 14-inch and 16-inch models share the same specs, but if you need the 14-inch version it's still a great sale.

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.

Samsung plans to rival Apple silicon by developing its own custom processors for future smartphones and personal computers in an effort to develop more advanced chips.

According to Business Korea, Samsung has already formed an internal team dedicated to CPU core development and has recruited Rahul Tuli, a former AMD developer, to lead the group.

Samsung has traditionally relied on British chip company Arm for its Exynos advanced processors, but developing the chips in-house would allow it to take full control of the design and optimization process, similar to Apple's transition away from Intel.

The first application processor (AP) is said to be dubbed Galaxy Chip, and could be available in 2025. However, this chip will likely have a CPU based on Arm technology, since Samsung has only just initiated development of its own CPU core.

"Samsung Electronics will be able to boost completion level of its Galaxy Chip if it successfully develops a CPU core," Korean outlet Pulse News quoted an unnamed industry official as saying. "It will be able to load its own CPU in 2027 if development is carried out as planned."

This isn't the first time that Samsung has developed its own CPU. The company has been building its own development team and investing in technology since the early 2010s to build its own design capabilities.

However, Samsung folded the project because its CPU cores were deemed inferior to those of competitors such as Qualcomm in terms of power efficiency, heat generation, and multi-core efficiency. In 2019, the company officially scrapped the project and laid off more than 300 developers at the Samsung Austin Research Center (SARC).

Since 2020, Apple has been working to transition away from Intel chips, instead using its own Apple silicon chips. Apple's custom chips are Arm-based and are similar to the A-series chips used in iPhones and iPads, and Apple unveiled the first Apple silicon Macs in November 2020.

Apple's chips bring a whole new level of performance with more powerful Macs that are also more energy-efficient. With Apple designing its own chips for iOS devices and Macs, there is a common architecture across all Apple product lines, which also makes it easier for developers to write and optimize software that runs on all Apple products.

Apple has almost completed its transition away from Intel to Apple silicon, with one Intel Mac computer still waiting to be updated: The Mac Pro. Apple is said to be testing a new Mac Pro with Apple silicon, with a view to releasing it in the summer.

Apple partner BOE will supply the OLED displays for the fourth-generation iPhone SE, which is expected to be released next year, according to The Elec.

China-based BOE reportedly missed the initial volume of OLED panels destined for this year's iPhone 15 series due to production issues, with Samsung and LG claiming the majority of orders. Now it is looking to make up for it by focusing on OLED panel production for the low-cost iPhone SE 4. The volume of OLED panels for the iPhone SE 4 is estimated to be around 20 million next year.

Rather than applying new specifications, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to use OLED inventory originally put in place for 2021's iPhone 13 or 2022's iPhone 14. "It makes sense for Apple to optimize by leveraging component inventory, as it is an entry-level product," adds the machine language-translated Korean report.

Apple has restarted development of a fourth-generation iPhone SE with a 6.1-inch OLED display and an Apple-designed 5G chip, according to the information shared by reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last month.

Kuo said the new iPhone SE will be similar to the standard iPhone 14, which features a 6.1-inch OLED display with thinner bezels. The current iPhone SE is equipped with a 4.7-inch LCD display with thicker bezels.

Following the report on Kuo, reputable display analyst Ross Young said he had heard that the iPhone SE 4 will use an OLED panel from BOE, and today's report corroborates this information.

iPhone case and Apple Watch band color options are often refreshed on a seasonal basis, and it appears that trend will continue this spring.

Twitter account Majin Bu today claimed that Apple plans to make its Leather Case available in two additional colors for the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, as part of an upcoming spring collection. The added colors would be Deep Violet and Golden Brown, both of which Apple has offered in the past. Existing color options for the case include Umber, Forest Green, Ink, Midnight, and Orange.

Deep Violet was a color option for the iPhone 12 series of Leather Cases, while Golden Brown remains an option for the iPhone 13 series of Leather Cases. Apple also offered the iPhone Leather Wallet and AirTag Leather Key Ring in Golden Brown.

Apple has recycled iPhone case colors in the past, so this rumor is plausible. For example, one of the current iPhone 14 Leather Case color options is Forest Green, which was previously available for the iPhone 11 Leather Case. Majin Bu has accurately leaked some iPhone case colors in the past, although their track record is not perfect.

Apple introduced new spring color options for iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands on Tuesday, March 8 last year, so new color options could be announced as early as this week if Apple sticks to the same schedule this year.

A rumored Yellow edition of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus could be announced around the same time as the new cases and bands.

While the iPhone 15 lineup is still around six months away, front glass panels for the devices were allegedly leaked today in a pair of videos shared on Chinese websites Bilibili and Douyin. The videos were later posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro and Unknownz21.

As previously rumored, the videos appear to confirm that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature even thinner bezels around the display compared to the previous generation, but the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus bezels do not appear to have any noticeable changes. The bezels on all four iPhone 15 models are also expected to be slightly curved around the edges, similar to the iPhone 11 series.

The videos also appear to confirm that the Dynamic Island will be expanded to all four iPhone 15 models, marking the end of the notch on Apple's higher-end iPhones. The Dynamic Island is currently limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models.

ShrimpApplePro said they were able to confirm with a source that the front glass panels are authentic parts for the iPhone 15 lineup.

With even thinner bezels around the display, the iPhone 15 Pro models could have a similar appearance as the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8. Rumors suggest the Pro models will also feature a titanium frame instead of stainless steel, and solid-state volume, mute, and power buttons that do not physically move when pressed.

Apple is expected to announce its next iPhone lineup in September as usual. For the latest rumors, read our iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro roundups.

Apple will likely launch both an updated 13-inch MacBook Air and a larger 15-inch MacBook Air "between late spring and summer," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, he said the chips these models will use is a "big remaining question."

Gurman said it is "plausible" that at least the next 13-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with the as-yet-unannounced M3 chip, which will reportedly be manufactured based on TSMC's latest 3nm process for improved performance. The current 13-inch model was released in July 2022 and is powered by the M2 chip, which is based on a 5nm process.

Gurman did not reveal if the 15-inch MacBook Air will also be equipped with the M3 chip. He said a 15-inch model with an M2 chip "may still excite consumers," but would "quickly become outdated" given the M3 chip is on the horizon. Last month, Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes claimed the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with the M2 chip, but the website has a mediocre track record with Apple rumors.

Apple's supply chain started production of display panels for a new 15.5-inch MacBook Air in February, according to display industry analyst Ross Young, who has a solid track record with display-related rumors. This model would be the largest-ever MacBook Air, as the notebook has only ever been offered in 13-inch and 11-inch sizes.

All in all, there is still chip uncertainty surrounding the new MacBook Air models, but it is noteworthy that Gurman expects both 13-inch and 15-inch models to be released by the summer. He also continues to expect a new Mac Pro desktop tower with an M2 Ultra chip and the same design as the 2019 model to launch by the summer, and an updated 24-inch iMac to be released in the second half of this year at the earliest.

Apple's next iMac has reached an "advanced stage of development," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his newsletter today, Gurman said the new iMac will have the same 24-inch display size and color options as the current model.

The new iMac will likely include Apple's upcoming M3 chip, internal design changes, and a new manufacturing process for the stand, according to Gurman. The M3 chip will reportedly be manufactured based on Apple chipmaking partner TSMC's latest 3nm process for additional performance and power efficiency improvements.

Apple last updated the iMac in April 2021 with the M1 chip and an ultra-thin enclosure available in seven colors, including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. It is currently the only iMac in Apple's lineup, as the Intel-based 27-inch iMac and iMac Pro were both discontinued within the past two years. Gurman previously claimed that a larger iMac could return, but he did not share any new info about that possibility today.

Gurman expects the new iMac to be released in the second half of 2023 at the earliest.

It looks like we could be seeing another Apple product introduction as soon as next week, and based on rumors and the timing, it appears it might be a new iPhone color.

We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 15 lineup coming later this year and even a fourth-generation iPhone SE, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

Sources: Apple Planning Product Briefing Next Week as iPhone 14 Rumored to Launch in Yellow

A rumor from Chinese microblogging site Weibo claims that Apple is intending to launch the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in yellow as a mid-cycle addition, and we've heard that Apple is planning media briefings next week, so it's possible those could be for the launch.

For reference, Apple launched its mid-cycle green iPhone 13 colors on March 8 last year, so the timing does line up for a new iPhone color, but the subject of next week's briefing has yet to be revealed.

Kuo: New iPhone SE With 6.1-Inch OLED Display and Apple's 5G Chip Planned

On-again, off-again rumors about the future of Apple's budget iPhone SE are back on, with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claiming Apple has restarted development of an upcoming fourth-generation model, though it's unlikely it will be released until next year.

According to Kuo, the next-generation iPhone SE will be similar to the current iPhone 14, including a 6.1-inch OLED display. It could also adopt Apple's in-house 5G chip that has been under development for a number of years as Apple has sought to break free from Qualcomm as its cellular chip supplier.

iPhone 15 USB-C Cables Without MFi Badge May Have Data Transfer and Charging Speed Limits

While Apple is expected to replace the Lightning port with a USB-C port on the iPhone 15 lineup later this year, the company may still limit the functionality of cables and accessories that aren't certified under its MFi program.

Apple's MFi program uses a special authentication chip in approved accessories to ensure their authenticity and reassure customers that the products are safe to use with their Apple devices. The authentication could, however, also be used to limit the functionality of non-MFi accessories such as with data transfer and/or charging speeds.

According to leaker "ShrimpApplePro," Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is already moving forward with mass production on USB-C cables and accessories under Apple's MFi program.

Everything New in iOS 16.4 Beta 2: Apple Books Changes, Apple Music Classical Mentions, Apple Pay in South Korea and More

Apple this week released the second developer and public beta versions of an upcoming iOS 16.4 update, and we've discovered some additional changes since the first beta.

One of the most notable changes is a return of the "curl" page-turning animation in Apple Books that was removed in iOS 16.0. Code in the new beta also hints that Apple is getting closer to launching its promised Apple Music Classical app, while there are some additional tweaks in the Settings app under AppleCare device coverage and Always On Display.

iPhone 15 Pro Max Could Have Thinner Camera Bump and Smaller Footprint

The iPhone 15 Pro Max will be thicker than its predecessor despite having a slightly reduced height and width, but it could offer a less protrusive camera rear array, according to newly shared CAD renders and dimensions.

According to dimensions from leaker "Ice Universe," the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max's footprint is approximately 1 mm smaller both in terms of height and width compared to the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max, but it is 5% thicker. The CAD renders and accompanying dimensions suggest that the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max will have a less protrusive camera bump than previously expected, being 0.59 mm shallower than that of the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max.

Apple Reportedly Has Secretive 'Startup' Team Working on Experimental Technologies for Future Devices

While we learned last week that a secretive "Exploratory Design Group" within Apple has had success with non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week shared more information about how this group known as "XDG" operates.

XDG includes only a few hundred people and operates as a "startup" working on a number of different projects. Group members are organized by skill set and may work on multiple projects simultaneously, but XDG members are not permitted to discuss their work with others in the group who are not working on that specific project.

The group is said to be working on next-generation display technology, artificial intelligence, low-processor technologies, next-generation batteries for smartphones, and health features for headset devices to help people with eye diseases.

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.

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The calendar has turned to March and Apple is rumored to have at least three product announcements planned between now and the end of April, including a 15-inch MacBook Air, a new Mac Pro tower, and a new iPhone 14 color option.

Below, we have recapped what to expect from Apple this March and April based on rumors. This story was originally published in February and has been updated with new information based on the latest rumors and reporting.

15" MacBook Air

Apple's supply chain started production of display panels for a new 15.5-inch MacBook Air in February, according to display industry analyst Ross Young, who has a very good track record with rumors about future Apple products over the past few years.

Young expects the new MacBook Air to launch in early April, but an announcement and pre-orders could certainly take place sooner. Apple often announces new products in March at an event or with press releases on the Apple Newsroom website, but it did hold an April event in 2021 to introduce a new iMac, iPad Pro, Apple TV, and the AirTag, along with a new Purple color option for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.

A new 15-inch display size option would be the largest ever for the MacBook Air. The current MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display, and the laptop was offered in an 11-inch size many years ago. The new MacBook Air is still expected to be equipped with an LCD panel, as the first model with an OLED display is not expected to launch until 2024.

Like the 13-inch MacBook Air, the 15-inch model will reportedly be available with the M2 chip. Apple says the M2 chip has up to an 18% faster CPU, up to a 35% faster GPU, and up to a 40% faster Neural Engine compared to the M1 chip.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year claimed that a 15-inch MacBook with M2 and M2 Pro chip options would be released in the second quarter of 2023 or later. Interestingly, Kuo said this MacBook might not have Air branding. On a purely speculative basis, it is possible that Apple could release a 15-inch MacBook that is positioned between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but Apple's plans remain to be seen.

New Mac Pro

The next Mac Pro will be available with Apple's upcoming M2 Ultra chip, which would make it the fastest Mac ever, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He expects the new Mac Pro to have the same design as the 2019 model, but lack user-upgradeable RAM. A higher-end "M2 Extreme" chip for the computer was apparently cancelled.

In January, Gurman said Apple was internally testing a new Mac Pro running macOS 13.3, which will be publicly released this spring, according to Apple. Given this, it is possible that Apple could release both the Mac Pro and macOS 13.3 around March or April, but there is still no definitive timeframe for the computer's release this year, so there remains a chance that the new Mac Pro is announced at WWDC 2023 in June or later in the year.

New iPhone Color

Apple often releases at least one new iPhone color in March or April, and a recent rumor suggests that tradition could continue this year.

Apple plans to make the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus available in Yellow this spring, according to a Weibo post shared by Japanese blog Mac Otakara. Apple last offered a Yellow color option for the iPhone 11 in 2019 and the iPhone XR in 2018. It's unclear if Apple plans to release a new color for the iPhone 14 Pro models.

At its March 2022 event, Apple introduced a new Alpine Green color for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and a new Green color for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. In April 2021, Apple made the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini available in Purple.

In earlier years, Apple released a new (PRODUCT)RED color for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 series.