Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company today confirmed to TechCrunch that it recently suffered a data breach. TSMC is responsible for creating all of the A-series and M-series chips used in Apple devices.
A TSMC spokesperson said that a "cybersecurity incident" caused data "pertinent to server initial setup and configuration" to leak, but TSMC customer information was not impacted.
"Upon review, this incident has not affected TSMC's business operations, nor did it compromise any TSMC's customer information. After the incident, TSMC has immediately terminated its data exchange with this concerned supplier in accordance with the Company's security protocols and standard operating procedures."
Data from TSMC was listed on the LockBit ransomware gang's website on Thursday, with LockBit demanding $70 million to prevent it from publishing the stolen data. LockBit has attacked pharmaceutical companies, the UK's Royal Mail, U.S. government websites, and more.
LockBit says that if TSMC does not pay up, it will also publish passwords and logins. The data was stolen from Kinmax Technology, a company that provides IT services like networking, cloud computing, storage, and database management. Kinmax was working with TSMC, and on Thursday, told TSMC that its "internal specific testing environment was attacked," leading to the leak of "system installation preparation."
Other Kinmax partners include Microsoft, Cisco, and VMware, and it is not known if those companies were also impacted.
Smart home accessory company Eve Systems has been updating its range of HomeKit devices with Thread support to improve reliability and connectivity, and the Eve Flare smart light is one of the latest products to get Thread support.
The Eve Flare is a product that Eve Systems has had around for years now, and I reviewed it four years ago in 2019. I wanted to see what, if any, difference Thread would make compared to the prior Bluetooth-only connectivity, hence the review update.
There have been no notable design changes to the Eve Flare that I can see. The look, size, and functionality are exactly the same as they were in 2019. Eve Flare is a sphere-shaped accent light, and I want to emphasize accent. The Eve Flare does not put off enough light to be used as the sole light source in a room, unless you just want a nightlight or enough light for watching TV, listening to music, or other activities that don't require bright lighting.
This is a fun indoor/outdoor lamp that you can take with you anywhere because it is battery powered and has a built-in handle at the bottom. The light is made from a durable plastic material, and it is all one piece, so you can't get to the inside. It's water resistant so it can be out in the rain, next to the pool, or next to the bathtub for ambient lighting.
I've had the original Eve Flare for four years. I've taken it from room to room, it's been in water, it's survived a move and being tucked away in boxes for months, and it's still working the same as it did when it was new. With the handle, it can be hung upside down indoors or out, and I'm a big fan of the battery power because it's a light that doesn't go out in a power outage and can go anywhere that I need an extra bit of mood lighting.
The metal handle is not the most comfortable and the size makes it a little bit hard to transport, but since the weight is so low, it's not inconvenient to carry. The battery usually lasts for somewhere around five to six hours, and longer if you have the brightness low. It charges through a docking station so it can be used as a stationary light and then grabbed to take elsewhere when needed.
Eve Flare's draw is the range of colors that can be selected. You can use the Eve app, the Home app, or Siri voice commands to turn it any color and change the brightness level. The updated version of the Eve Flare and the old version are nearly indistinguishable in color, but the old model seems to be just a touch more saturated for some colors. In almost every aspect, it's hard to tell the two apart. If I put the original Eve Flare and the new Eve Flare side by side, I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference. I kept them carefully separated during this review to avoid mixing them up.
What's different between the two is internal. While the original Eve Flare connects to your HomeKit setup using Bluetooth, the new version offers Thread and Bluetooth support. Thread is a mesh networking protocol that a lot of smart home product manufacturers are adopting right now because it was built specifically for IoT devices. Thread devices can interface with one another, so they're less likely to lose connection and have faster response times, especially at longer ranges.
Thread is similar in function to Zigbee, which is used by the Philips Hue line of lights, but no specific hub is required because Thread uses device-to-device communication. Eve Flare is a Minimal Thread Device, so to notice a difference, you do need a Thread border router like a HomePod mini, but it also helps to have one or more always-on plugged-in Thread devices that are classified as Full Thread Devices (like a smart plug). To put it simply, Thread works best when you have multiple devices using Thread, and if Eve Flare were your only Thread device, you wouldn't notice a performance difference compared to the Bluetooth-only model.
I have a few Thread devices and multiple Thread border routers (HomePod minis and Apple TV) and I can sometimes get the Eve Flare with Thread support to respond faster, mostly when I am in another room. It's still not super quick, and response times are not instantaneous. If I'm in the same room with the original Eve Flare and the new model, they both respond about as quickly to color change requests and update within a couple of seconds. As I adopt more Thread devices, I might see improvements with the new Eve Flare. Even with the original, I have had no connectivity problems, and I expect the same performance from the updated Thread model.
There's no reason to upgrade to the Thread-based Eve Flare if you have the original (unless you want two), but it is a nice update for those who are new to the product. The Eve Flare makes for an attractive mood light or room decoration when it's stationary, and the option to carry it around and use it anywhere just adds to the utility.
Bottom Line
The Eve Flare is a versatile, fun mood light that's nice to have around for ambiance and situations where a little extra light is warranted, but at $100, it's on the pricier side. For Siri integration, portability, decent battery life, and reliability, I think the cost is worth it, but it might be worth waiting for a sale.
I've used the original Eve Flare for multiple years now and I've never had a problem with connection or function, so I don't hesitate to recommend the Eve Flare to those who are interested in what it can do.
Apple's brand-new 256GB 15.3-inch MacBook Air is back down to $1,199.00 on Amazon today, from its original price of $1,299.00. We've seen this sale one time previously in the middle of June, and it remains the best deal tracked yet on the latest MacBook Air.
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.
This sale is available in three of the four colors: Midnight, Space Gray, and Starlight. All three models are in stock, but there are varying delivery dates among them. Midnight and Space Gray have the fastest delivery estimates of around July 2, although Space Gray stock is dwindling. Starlight models are currently being quoting delivery of around July 9–11.
This time around, we aren't tracking any notable discounts on the 512GB models. 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.
We discuss our wish lists, including some plausible ideas like a foldable iPhone, Apple TV soundbar, task manager and Notion-like productivity app, and even an Apple Books e-reader, as well as some outlandish devices like an Activity Rings fitness band and specific HomeKit appliances. Let us know what your dream Apple devices and apps are in the comments.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, listen to our discussion about our experiences after spending two weeks using the beta versions of watchOS 10, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and tvOS 17.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with GRID Studio to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 15-inch MacBook Air. For those unfamiliar with GRID Studio, it is a company that acquires vintage Apple products, disassembles them, and turns them into art for Apple fans.
Each piece features a deconstructed Apple device with the components artfully displayed behind a glass frame that can be hung on the wall to enhance an office space, living room, or other area. Pricing on GRID artwork starts at around $40, and goes up based on complexity.
The GRID 1 is one of GRID Studio's most popular offerings because it showcases the original iPhone, an important piece of Apple's history. Priced at $400, the GRID 1 features the internal parts of an iPhone, with each component separated out and labeled so you can see everything that made the original iPhone special at a glance. The iPhone's shell is displayed next to the power button, headphone socket, speaker, logic board, circuit board, ear piece, and more. Real batteries are not included because of the hazard of using that component, but stand-ins are available.
GRID Studio doesn't just focus on iPhones, with other devices available as well. If you're an iPad fan, a disassembled version of the original iPad is available for $400. Like the iPhone version, the GRID iPad features the casing of the first iPad along with an array of the internals, all labeled and aesthetically arranged.
Fans of Apple's chip work can get the GRID Apple A Series Mobile Processors set, a $99 piece of art that features actual Apple A-series chips arranged in a timeline so you can see the improvements over the years. The piece includes everything from the 2010 A4 chip to the A14 Bionic released in 2020.
GRID Studio has started branching out beyond device teardowns and has a fun Apple badge collection that features a frame filled with pins representing Apple products over the years.
The $500 Apple Badge Collection includes 80 badges that start with the 1976 Apple I and run through the 2022 Studio Display. Each pin is highly detailed, and there are also sets that focus just on the iPhone and iPad or the Mac.
GRID Studio also sells deconstructed Android phones, disassembled Nintendo devices, art featuring consoles from Sony and Microsoft, and more. The company is hosting a summer sale right now, with discounted prices on many of its products. Some frames are discounted up to 55 percent, and the sale will run through July 15.
We have a 15-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage from GRID Studio to give away to one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (June 30) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 7. The winner will be chosen randomly on July 7 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
More than two years after Apple announced plans to invest over $1 billion in North Carolina with over half of that investment going towards a new engineering and research center in the Research Triangle area of Raleigh and Durham, the company has finally filed development plans for the first phase with local authorities.
Assemblage of seven properties in Research Triangle Park owned by Apple
As shared by the Triangle Business Journal, the 41-acre initial phase at Research Triangle Park will include six buildings and a parking garage totaling 700,000 square feet of office space, 190,000 square feet of accessory space, and almost 3,000 parking spaces.
Among the structures in the first phase are three office buildings with the largest coming in at around 242,000 square feet and the other two measuring just over 230,000 square feet each. All three buildings are listed as having heights of 73 feet.
Three smaller accessory buildings will join a parking garage for the initial phase, which does not yet have a disclosed starting date for construction. A starting date does appear to be close, however, as Apple has begun some initial site preparations and is moving forward on obtaining various approvals.
While this initial phase covers 41 acres, Apple owns a total of 281 acres at the site and the company's filed plans allude to future phases. Apple had said in its announcement about the North Carolina investment that it will eventually create at least 3,000 new jobs in "machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and other cutting-edge fields" with average salaries ultimately approaching $200,000.
At full buildout, Apple's Research Triangle Park campus is likely to become one of the company's largest employment centers in the United States after its Silicon Valley headquarters area and a major existing campus in Austin, Texas, that is itself seeing significant investment and expansion. Other major Apple employment centers in the U.S. include Southern California, the Seattle area, and New York City.
As Apple prepares to construct its major new campus in Research Triangle Park, the company has already been building up its presence in the region with temporary space, headlined by a takeover of one building of a three-building complex in neighboring Cary that had been built for insurance company MetLife.
Amid the rise in remote work, MetLife was recently able to consolidate operations into two buildings of the complex, freeing up the third to be used by Apple. Apple has also been working to acquire additional temporary space in the area as it will be several more years before its own campus is ready.
We're still a little over a week away from Prime Day, but this week we began tracking some early deals on Amazon products including Fire Tablets, Echo Dot, Fire TVs, and more. Below you'll also find solid deals on AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Max, Anker products, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.
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.
Early Prime Day Deals
Last week, Amazon announced the return of Prime Day, which will run this summer from July 11 through July 12. In anticipation of the big deal event, Amazon is already offering a few early Prime Day deals, mainly focusing on Amazon-branded products like Kindles and Fire TVs.
Like previous years, you'll need to be an Amazon Prime member to take part in Prime Day. If you aren't, you can join Prime and get a free 30-day trial to participate in this year's Prime Day. Anyone who chooses to keep Prime after the free trial will pay $14.99/month or $139/year; students pay $7.49/month or $69/year.
AirPods
What's the deal? Take up to $99 off AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max
Amazon's popular discount on the AirPods Pro 2 is still available as we head into July, with the headphones on sale for $199.00, down from $249.00. We're also now seeing the AirPods Max return to the best price of the year so far at $449.99, down from $549.00.
Anker
What's the deal? Save on Anker's chargers and more
Anker opened up new discounts on some of its popular charging and organization accessories this week on Amazon. Highlights include the 12-in-1 Docking Station + Monitor Stand at $37 off, Eufy SmartTrack Card at $10 off, and the PowerHouse 757 Portable Power Station at $500 off. For the full list of items on sale, check out our original post.
Towards the end of the week, we tracked notable $199 discounts on Apple's M1 MacBook Air and M2 13-inch MacBook Pro. These sales represent all-time low prices on these notebooks, starting as low as $799.99 for the MacBook Air.
Apple today adjusted its estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Android smartphone models in the United States, with some devices slightly increasing in value and others seeing decreases.
Trade-in values increased by $10 or $20 for many newer devices, including the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the latest iPad Pro, iPad mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models. Apple Watch SE values rose by up to $10, while Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 5, and 12-inch MacBook values increased by up to $5.
Some older Apple devices saw their trade-in values decrease by up to $10, such as the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus, while Android smartphone values declined more steeply. Mac Studio values decreased by up to $75 following the launch of the second-generation model with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips earlier this month.
Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website or at an Apple retail store, and the credit can be applied to the purchase of a new Apple product or placed on an Apple gift card. Apple's trade-in page offers a complete list of values for devices.
Apple's market capitalization has once again hit $3 trillion as the company's shares opened at $191.78 this morning, up just over 1% compared to yesterday's closing price. It has been nearly 18 months since Apple very briefly hit the milestone in January 2022 before declining along with the overall market.
At the beginning of this year, Apple's value dipped below $2 trillion, but the company's shares have risen 53% so far this year, pushing them back to all-time highs in recent days. Reaching the $3 trillion market capitalization milestone again has required a slightly higher share price than it did 18 months ago as Apple has continued to aggressively buy back its stock, reducing the overall share count of the company.
Apple saw very strong revenue growth during the pandemic as its products and services were in particularly high demand as more people worked, learned, and connected with others from home. The company's momentum slowed along with iPhone production issues and general economic concerns in 2022, but optimism around the company has returned in 2023.
Update: Apple shares officially closed trading today at $193.97, giving the company a market cap of $3.05 trillion.
Apple today added the original 12-inch MacBook to its obsolete products list, meaning the laptop is no longer eligible for repairs or service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers.
Introduced in March 2015, the 12-inch MacBook featured a thin and light design that weighed just two pounds. With prices starting at $1,299, the original model's standard specs including a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor, integrated Intel HD 5300 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.
"Apple has reinvented the notebook with the new MacBook," said Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller in a March 2015 press release. "Every component of the MacBook reveals a new innovation. From its fanless design, ultra-thin Retina display and full-size keyboard that's 34 percent thinner, to its all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and breakthrough terraced battery design, the new MacBook is the future of the notebook."
The 12-inch MacBook was also the first MacBook model to feature Apple's infamous butterfly switch keyboard design, which was prone to failure and eventually dropped from the entire MacBook lineup after years of complaints and lawsuits. Apple last updated the 12-inch MacBook in June 2017, and it was discontinued in July 2019.
Apple classifies a product as technologically obsolete once more than seven years have passed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. The original 12-inch MacBook was discontinued in April 2016 upon the release of a second-generation model with improved specs, so the laptop recently crossed that seven-year mark.
In addition to the original 12-inch MacBook becoming obsolete, Apple has classified the stainless steel models of the Apple Watch Series 2 as vintage. Aluminum Series 2 models were previously classified as vintage last November.
The vintage products list features devices that Apple stopped distributing for sale more than five years ago and less than seven years ago. Apple provides service and parts for vintage devices for up to seven years, or as required by law, but repairs are subject to parts availability.
Sonnet this week announced its latest Thunderbolt 4 dock, the Echo 20, and one of its key features is an internal enclosure for an M.2 NVMe SSD. This allows the dock to double as an external storage drive for a Mac.
Accessible from the bottom of the dock, the enclosure can hold up to an 8TB SSD and supports data transfer speeds up to 800 MB/s, according to Sonnet.
The dock is also equipped with an upstream Thunderbolt 4 port that provides up to 100W of pass-through charging to a connected Mac, two downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, four USB-C ports with up to 10 Gbps speeds, four USB-A ports with up to 10 Gbps speeds, one HDMI 2.1 port, one 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, one 3.5mm combo audio jack, one 3.5mm microphone jack, left and right RCA line out jacks, and one SD card slot.
The dock is designed for use with devices equipped with Thunderbolt ports, including all of Apple's latest Mac and iPad Pro models, providing expanded connectivity for external displays, USB accessories, and other peripherals.
The Echo 20 is available to order on Sonnet's website for $299.99 in the United States and will be available at additional retailers soon. The dock has an external power supply and ships with a 0.7-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable in the box. Sonnet has a similar Thunderbolt dock that supports dual SSDs for up to 16TB of storage, but it has fewer ports.
A factory sealed original 2007 iPhoneis going up for auction starting tomorrow, and it is expected to sell for up to $100,000. While other original iPhones have been sold off in recent months, this is the first model that has 4GB of storage rather than 8GB.
As auction site LCG Auctions explains, the iPhone was originally sold with either 4GB or 8GB of storage when it launched 16 years ago on June 29, 2007. The 8GB model was far more popular, leading Apple to discontinue the 4GB model after just a few months in favor of a higher 16GB capacity.
Because the 4GB original iPhone was only available for a limited amount of time, it is the rarest of the first-generation iPhone models. "Based upon our recent record-setting sales and the fact that the 4GB model is probably 20-times rarer than the 8GB version, we would not be surprised if it establishes a new record sale price," said LCG Auctions founder Mark Montero.
The person selling the iPhone was part of the original engineering team when the iPhone launched, according to LCG Auctions, and it comes with a letter of provenance. The 4GB model was sold for $499, while the 8GB version cost $599.
LCG Auctions is also selling an 8GB original iPhone and a 16GB original iPhone, both of which are factory sealed. The auctions begin on June 30 and run through July 16.
Alongside iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, Apple is also introducing watchOS 10, and it brings some of the biggest updates we've seen to watchOS in years. We've got five reasons why it's going to be worth installing watchOS 10 when it launches this fall.
Redesigned Apps - Apple has overhauled almost all of the stock watchOS apps with a new design language that takes up more of the screen and offers more information at a glance. The Activity app, for example, has new views that show in-depth information on calories burned, workout minutes, and more. The Heart Rate app has a pulsating heart and your current BPM, and the Weather app makes it easier to see the temperature and other conditions you care about. Photos, Podcasts, News, Music, Mail, Calendar, App Store, and tons more apps got updates.
Smart Stack - Widgets are a major focus in watchOS 10, with Apple offering a new "Smart Stack" of widgets that can be accessed by turning the Digital Crown. The Smart Stack displays widgets that are relevant to your day, and you can customize what's there too. The Smart Stack gives quick access to everything from Activity and Calendar to Reminders, the Music app, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Workout.
Control Center - In addition to Smart Stack for quick access to the functions you need most, Apple made it easier to get to the Control Center. Just press on the Side Button to open up Control Center in an app or at the Home Screen.
Watch Faces - There are two new watch faces, including Palette and Snoopy. Palette shifts through different colors throughout the day with a customizable color palette, and Snoopy features characters from the popular Peanuts cartoon like Snoopy and Woodstock. Snoopy is one of Apple's most sophisticated watch faces to date, with Snoopy and Woodstock interacting with the hands of the watch and animating in different positions based on the time of day, weather, and other factors.
Mood Tracking - Both watchOS 10 and iOS 17 support a new mood tracking feature. On the Apple Watch, you can open up the Mindfulness app and choose the "State of Mind" option to log how you're feeling either at a specific moment during the day or for the overall day. You can scroll to select a mood like Pleasant, Neutral, or Unpleasant, and then you can narrow down the emotion you're feeling with Apple providing suggestions. From there, you can select what's impacting your mood, like relationship, work, community, friends, hobbies, and more. Information is aggregated in the Health app so you can see your mood over time and what influences how you feel.
There are also new Workout app features for hikers and cyclists, along with quite a few other additions. To see a full rundown of what's available in watchOS 10, we have a dedicated watchOS 10 roundup.
Amazon has a few deals on various MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models today, starting at just $799.99 for the M1 MacBook Air. Most of these sales include all-time low prices on these notebooks, and all are in stock and ready to ship out this week.
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.
M1 MacBook Air
Starting with the 2020 M1 MacBook Air (256GB), Amazon has all three colors at $799.99, down from $999.00. This matches the previous all-time low price on this version of the MacBook Air, which is a solid option for anyone who needs a computer for basic tasks like checking e-mail and browsing online.
We're also tracking deals on the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro right now on Amazon, starting at $1,099.99 for the 256GB model, down from $1,299.00. Amazon has both the Silver and Space Gray available at this price, with delivery as soon as June 30 if you order soon.
You can also get the 512GB model of the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro on sale for $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00. This one is a second-best price, and it's also available for delivery as soon as June 30 for Prime members.
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. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always significant, new features begin to stack up over multiple generations. For this reason, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a four-year-old iPhone 11 Pro.
The list below includes major iPhone changes introduced since 2019, as well as new features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro
A17 chip vs. A13 chip: The 5nm-based A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro is already up to 72% faster than the A13 chip in the iPhone 11 Pro, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro is expected to be equipped with an A17 chip manufactured based on TSMC's latest 3nm process for even faster performance and improved power efficiency compared to previous chips.
USB-C port: With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple is finally expected to switch from Lightning to a USB-C port. This change will provide a more universal charging standard and allow for faster wired data transfer speeds.
Titanium frame: Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have a titanium frame instead of stainless steel. The back glass and display bezels are also expected to have slightly curved edges.
Action button: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra. The button would replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. Users would likely be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent, Do Not Disturb, Flashlight, Low Power Mode, and more.
Larger display: iPhone 11 Pro is equipped with a 5.8-inch display, while the 15 Pro is expected to have a 6.1-inch display.
Brighter display: Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the 15 Pro's display should have at least 200 nits higher peak brightness.
ProMotion: Introduced on the iPhone 13 Pro, ProMotion allows for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother appearing content and scrolling.
Dynamic Island: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple replaced the notch with the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped area surrounding the Face ID sensors and front camera. The Dynamic Island displays system alerts and supports the Live Activities feature for live sports scores, the status of an Uber ride, and more.
Always-on display option: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple introduced an always-on display option that dims the entire Lock Screen, but still shows the time and date, widgets, wallpaper, and notifications. Once you raise the iPhone, tap the screen, or press the side button, the display returns to normal brightness.
Ceramic Shield: Introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro, Apple said the Ceramic Shield front cover increased drop performance by 4x compared to the 11 Pro.
Thinner bezels: Similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have ultra-thin bezels around the display.
Flat edges: While the iPhone 11 Pro's stainless steel frame has round edges, Apple switched to flat edges with the 12 Pro and newer.
Longer battery life: Already, the iPhone 14 Pro lasts up to 23 hours for offline video playback, compared to 18 hours for the iPhone 11 Pro. With components like the A17 chip and the LiDAR Scanner expected to be more power efficient this year, the iPhone 15 Pro could have even longer battery life.
Camera improvements: iPhone 11 Pro users upgrading to the 15 Pro will gain access to a wide range of camera upgrades added over the years, including a 48-megapixel main lens, an upgraded front camera with autofocus, sensor-shift image stabilization, a 3x optical zoom option, Action mode, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, ProRAW photos, ProRes video, Night mode portraits and time lapses, and much more. Up to 5-6x optical zoom is expected for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
eSIM only in U.S.: Apple removed the physical SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S., meaning the devices work with eSIMs only. The devices are still compatible with SIM cards in other countries, but rumors suggest that iPhone 15 models might be eSIM-only in France, and perhaps some other countries.
Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, compared to 4GB for the iPhone 11 Pro. Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously without reloading.
Wi-Fi 6E: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to support Wi-Fi 6E, which supports the 6GHz band for faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference compared to standard Wi-Fi 6.
Emergency SOS via Satellite: iPhone 14 models can connect to Globalstar satellites, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years after activation, and is currently available in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the U.K., Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and select other countries.
Crash Detection: New for the iPhone 14 series, Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes and contact emergency services via Emergency SOS if the user does not respond. The feature is enabled by default.
5G: While the iPhone 11 Pro is limited to LTE, the iPhone 12 and newer support 5G for faster cellular data speeds, where available.
MagSafe: iPhone 12 and newer models feature MagSafe, a system that lets you magnetically attach accessories to the back of the iPhone, such as Apple's own MagSafe Charger, MagSafe Wallet, and MagSafe Battery Pack.
Increased storage: iPhone 11 Pro started with 64GB of storage, but the 15 Pro should have at least 128GB of base storage.
LiDAR Scanner: Introduced on the iPhone 12 Pro, the LiDAR Scanner is situated next to the rear camera and offers faster augmented reality experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light photos and videos, according to Apple.
Improved water resistance: Apple says the iPhone 11 Pro is water resistant up to a depth of four meters for up to 30 minutes, while the 12 Pro and newer are water resistant up to a depth of six meters for up to 30 minutes.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in September, and the devices could have additional features that have yet to be rumored.
Popular third-party Reddit app Apollo was updated today with an option for users to decline a refund for their remaining subscription time ahead of the app shutting down. Users who do not exercise this option will automatically receive a pro-rated refund.
"If you've been happy with the service I've provided over the years, please consider declining the refund as they are refunded out-of-pocket," said Apollo developer Christian Selig, who previously estimated that the refunds could cost him around $250,000. "It's been the pleasure of a lifetime building Apollo for you over the last nine years. I thank you so much for your kindness, input, and generosity over the years."
Starting on July 1, Reddit plans to begin charging for its main API, which provides third-party apps like Apollo with access to the website's data, like posts and comments. Selig said it is understandable for Reddit to begin charging for the API, but he said the pricing is prohibitively expensive and that he was given minimal time to prepare for the change. For these reasons, Apollo is shutting down and will stop working on June 30.
"Reddit recently announced some very, very expensive API prices for developers, and in combination with only providing 30 days to enact the changes, Apollo won't be able to afford continuing beyond Reddit's cutoff date," said Selig.
The latest version of Apollo also includes a new "Goodbye Apollo" wallpaper pack that can be unlocked with a donation, which Selig said will help with refund costs.
"If you want to remember Apollo for years to come after its shut down date, and support its creator one last time, consider checking out the incredible set of Apollo themed wallpapers, created by talented designers who have built Apollo icons over the years," said Selig. There are over 20 wallpapers in the set.
Reddit's decision to begin charging expensive fees for its API has been controversial. Thousands of subreddits were marked as private or restricted earlier this month in protest of the upcoming changes, and some moderators on the site continue to criticize the plans. Despite the backlash, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has refused to reverse course, and Reddit has threatened to take action against moderators who are uncooperative.
Apollo launched in 2017 and has been downloaded over two million times, according to Selig, who previously interned at Apple. The app closely adheres to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and is highly regarded for its polished design.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview 173 adds functionality that is included in Safari 17, coming with macOS Sonoma. There are Feature Flags that replace the Experimental Features section of the Develop menu, and the Develop menu itself has been revamped. Responsive Design Mode has been updated to focus on the responsiveness of a page's design at any height or width.
Available features on macOS Sonoma include Profiles for separating browsing data like History and Favorites, web apps, and improved private browsing mode. Features for all operating systems include Live Text support for vertical text recognition in images and videos, HEIC support, and JPEG XL, a new image format with an improved compression algorithm for better image quality at smaller file sizes than JPEG.
The browser also includes updates for Web Inspector, CSS, Media Queries, Rendering, Editing, JavaScript, Popover, Images, Media, Web API, and SVG.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is compatible with machines running macOS Monterey 12.3 or later, macOS Ventura, and macOS Sonoma, the latest version of macOS that Apple is beta testing right now.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
The Photos app in iOS 17 can identify a wide range of symbols, including the laundry symbols that you see on clothing tags. As noted by MacStories' Federico Vittici, if you take a photo of a tag with laundry symbols, it is highlighted through the Visual Look Up feature, and can be tapped for a symbol translation.
The iPhone will provide an explanation for each symbol that is on the tag, with a tap on the explanation able to provide more information from the website that Apple is sourcing. Apple is getting information for laundry instructions from the Online Browsing Platform that is run by the International Organization for Standardization.
Visual Look Up appears to recognize all of the laundry symbols that we tested with, including washing machine temperatures, bleaching recommendations, dryer restrictions, ironing temperatures, and more. It should recognize almost any laundry tag, but note that the image does need to be fairly zoomed in for the iPhone to detect the symbols.
Visual Look Up is also able to detect car symbols on vehicle dashboards, so it looks like Apple has quietly added Visual Look Up support for many of the common symbols that you might come across in your day to day life.
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Assemblage of seven properties in Research Triangle Park owned by Apple
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