MacRumors

Apple has been forced to make "drastic cuts" to production forecasts for its Vision Pro mixed reality headset due to the complexity of its design and difficulties in production, reported the Financial Times on Monday.

Apple's $3,500 headset is set to go on sale early next year, but analysts have suggested the lengthy gap between its unveiling at WWDC in June and official launch could be more to do with supply chain problems than a way to give developers time to create apps for the device.

According to the paywalled report, Apple is said to have been unhappy with the productivity of manufacturing partners tasked with supplying the two micro-OLED displays for the wearer's eyes and the outward-facing curved lenticular lens. The micro-OLED displays were reportedly supplied by Sony and TSMC for the prototypes, but it is not known who is supplying them at scale.

As a result of production challenges, Apple is preparing to make fewer than 400,000 units in 2024, according to the report, citing sources close to Apple and Luxshare, the Chinese contract manufacturer that will initially assemble the device. Meanwhile, two China-based sole suppliers of certain components for the Vision Pro reportedly said Apple was only asking them for enough for 130,000 to 150,000 units in the first year.

"Both projections imply a significant cut to production from an earlier, internal sales target of 1mn units in the first 12 months," wrote the FT. "The forecasts for low volumes reflect Apple's lack of confidence in being able to scale production, according to analysts and industry experts, following years of missed deadlines in launching the device," the report added.

Meanwhile, Apple is said to have pushed back plans to launch a more affordable version of the headset that it hopes will appeal to the mass market. Apple is reportedly working with Korean display makers Samsung and LG on the second-generation headset, and has explored using mini-LED for the displays to drive the price lower. However, FT's sources claimed Apple was insisting on using micro-OLED even for the non-Pro headset, despite suppliers failing to match expectations.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple plans to launch a more affordable version of its Vision Pro headset by the end of 2025, likely to be called "Apple Vision One," or more simply, "Apple Vision."

iPhone users in Australia can now receive next-hour precipitation forecasts and notifications from the Weather app, according to an updated Apple support document.

"Next-hour precipitation forecasts and precipitation notifications are available for Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States," the document says. "The information is provided by Apple using data from national weather services."

Apple says next-hour precipitation forecasts are "hyperlocal" and "down to the minute." The Weather app can send iPhone users a push notification if it is going to rain in the next hour, and shows how much rainfall is expected by the minute. The feature has been available in the U.S. since the release of iOS 14 in 2020.

Apple revamped its Weather app with several new features after acquiring weather app Dark Sky in 2020. Apple shut down Dark Sky on January 1, and it has a support document explaining how former users can switch to the Weather app.

"Dark Sky's features have been integrated into Apple Weather," says Apple. "Apple Weather offers hyperlocal forecasts for your current location, including next-hour precipitation, hourly forecasts for the next 10 days, high-resolution radar, and notifications."

Apple's Vision Pro headset made the big splash at WWDC last month, but the company clearly has a lot more in its pipeline as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week outlined well over a dozen products coming over the next year or so.

In other Apple news this week, iCloud+ subscribers in many countries will be seeing a price increase, while we took deeper dives into some of the major watchOS 10 changes and the new interactive widgets in macOS Sonoma, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Product Roadmap 2023–24: Over 15 New Devices in Development

Apple is working on at least a dozen new devices set to launch between late 2023 and early 2024, according to an updated product roadmap shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman explained that Apple is planning to launch two Apple Watch Series 9 models and a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra alongside the iPhone 15 lineup this fall. He also listed various M3 Macs in the pipeline and said that Apple has started early work on a larger iMac with over a 30-inch display.

Apple Reportedly Developing Larger iMac With Over 30-Inch Display

Apple is in the early stages of developing a new iMac with over a 30-inch display, according to Gurman. He said this iMac remains "further out," suggesting that it might be at least a year or two away from launching.

Excluding refurbished models, the iMac is currently only available in a 24-inch size, as Apple discontinued the Intel-based 27-inch iMac and iMac Pro over the last few years. Despite occasional rumors about the iMac Pro making a comeback, there is still no larger iMac with Apple silicon available.

Apple Hikes iCloud+ Subscription Prices in Many Countries Around the World

Apple has increased the price of iCloud storage in many countries around the world, including the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others.

The price hikes apply to the 50GB, 200GB, and 2TB storage plans for iCloud. All paid ‌iCloud‌+ storage plans include additional features like ‌iCloud‌ Private Relay, Hide My Email, and Custom Email Domains.

watchOS 10: Top Five New Features

watchOS 10 is one of the biggest software updates ever for the Apple Watch. In a recent post and YouTube video, we highlighted five of the top new features introduced with watchOS 10, including the Smart Stack, which lets you scroll through widgets.

watchOS 10 will be released later this year for the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, and the update is currently available in beta for users with an Apple developer account.

Here's How Interactive Widgets Work in macOS Sonoma

In macOS Sonoma, Apple has changed the widgets landscape. No longer do widgets have to be hidden offscreen and largely forgotten in the Notifications Center panel. Now they live right on your desktop – and they're interactive, too.

In a recent blog post, we explained how interactive widgets work in macOS Sonoma. The software update is currently in beta and will be released later this year.

iPhone 13 Pro vs. 15 Pro: What to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always significant, new features begin to stack up over multiple generations. For this reason, the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a two-year-old iPhone 13 Pro.

Here's what to expect from the iPhone 15 Pro if you still have an iPhone 13 Pro. We have also shared comparisons to the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro.

MacRumors Newsletter

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

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

Apple introduced several new safety-focused features in iOS 17, including measures to keep you safe when you're traveling and to prevent you from seeing images you don't want to see.

This guide highlights all of the safety functions that Apple added to iOS 17, and it accompanies our iOS 17 privacy and security guide.

Sensitive Content Warnings

With Sensitive Content Warnings, incoming files, videos, and images are scanned on-device and blocked if they contain nudity. It is a function that will put a stop to unsolicited nude photos and similar content.

The opt-in blurring can be applied to images in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters for the Phone app, FaceTime messages, and third-party apps. This is separate from the Communication Safety features implemented for children, and is designed for people of all ages.

All nudity will be blocked by default if the feature is enabled, but it can be viewed by tapping on the "Show" button. Sensitive Content Warnings can be enabled in the Settings app.

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Choose Privacy & Security.
3. Tap on Sensitive Content Warning.
4. Tap to toggle on Sensitive Content Warning.

You can turn on Sensitive Content Warnings for specific services, including AirDrop, Messages, and Video Messages. All detection of images is done on device, and there are Safety Resources that can be accessed.

Messages Check In

Messages Check In is a feature that lets you inform other people when you're going somewhere so they can keep tabs on you and make sure that you get to that location safely.

It tells a friend or family member your destination and the time that you're meant to be there, and if you don't check in at the proper time, they can ping you to see what's going on and get access to your location in case of emergency. Here's how to use it:

1. Open up the Messages app.
2. Open the conversation with the person you want to use Check In with.
3. Tap on the "+" button next to the text input bar.
4. Tap on More.
5. Tap on Check In.
6. Tap on Continue.
7. Follow the prompts to start the feature.

With Check In, a friend or family member will be notified of your destination and approximate travel time, with another automatic notification sent when you reach your destination. So if you're going from a friend's house to your house late at night, you can set up Check In and your friend will get an alert when you make it home.

If you are not making progress toward your destination, you'll be prompted and will have 15 minutes to respond on your iPhone. If you don't respond, your friend will get an alert.

There are two data sharing options for Check In. With "Limited," current location, details about battery level, and network signal for your ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch are shared. With "Full" data selected, all of that information will be shared along with route traveled and location of last ‌iPhone‌ unlock and Apple Watch removal.

Check In requires your friends or family members to be running iOS 17 in order to get your alerts.

Communication Safety

Apple last year introduced Communication Safety, an opt-in feature that warns children when sending or receiving photos that contain nudity. It blurs nude photos and provides children with helpful resources and suggests that they get in touch with a trusted adult.

Communication Safety in iOS 17 is expanding worldwide, so it will be available in more countries than it was previously. It will be turned on by default for children under the age of 13 who are signed in to their Apple ID and who are part of a Family Sharing group.

Parents can enable it for older teens as well, with the option to turn it on available in the Settings app under Screen Time.

In addition to being available worldwide, Communication Safety's protections will expand to AirDrop, the systemwide photo picker, ‌FaceTime‌ messages, and third-party apps in addition to the Messages app.

Offline Maps

The Maps app works offline in iOS 17, providing access to turn-by-turn directions and information for the area that you're in even if you do not have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

Offline Maps is useful if you're planning to travel somewhere remote, such as when hiking or traveling in rural areas. Downloading a map can be done by putting in a location, tapping on the "More" button, and then choosing the "Download Map" option.

You can select the size of the area that you want to save, and multiple areas can be downloaded. You can manage Map downloads by opening up the Maps app, tapping on your profile picture, and selecting Offline Maps.

Maps can be updated, deleted, renamed, and resized, and you can download new maps from this interface too. Downloads can be set to automatically update, and there is an option to use offline maps even when a connection is available.

Follow Up Medication Reminders

The Medications section in the Health app can send a follow up reminder if you haven't marked a medication as taken 30 minutes after the initial notification.

Apple has also added a Critical Alerts feature for important medications, ensuring that notifications appear on the Lock Screen and play a sound even if the ‌iPhone‌ is muted or a Focus mode is turned on.

Read More

More information on the additions in the iOS 17 update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.

Goldman Sachs does not want to continue its partnership with Apple, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. Apple has teamed up with Goldman Sachs for the Apple Card credit card in the United States, Apple Pay Later, and the Apple Savings account that ‌Apple Card‌ users can opt for.

The banking company wants to cut back on its consumer business, and is now in talks with American Express (or Amex) about a potential takeover. A deal would see Goldman Sachs offloading its credit card partnerships to another company, which would include the ‌Apple Card‌ and other credit cards like one it offers for General Motors.

American Express has not yet established an agreement with Goldman Sachs, and a deal is not "imminent or assured," according to people who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

Goldman Sachs recently extended its partnership with Apple through the end of the decade. Apple would have to agree to a transfer, and is aware of the talks that Goldman Sachs has been having with Amex.

Apple and Nokia have signed a long-term patent license agreement that will give Apple access to patented Nokia inventions in 5G and other technologies, Nokia announced today.

The two companies had a prior licensing deal that was set to expire at the end of 2023, and the new deal will replace the one that is ending. Nokia and Apple have not announced the terms of the deal, but Nokia will be receiving payments from Apple.

Nokia owns more than 20,000 patents, including 5,500 patents that are related to 5G technology. Nokia offers its patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms because many of them are considered essential. This means that companies can license Nokia technologies for a reasonable price, but there are sometimes disputes over the definition of reasonable.

Back in 2017, Apple and Nokia established a new patent licensing agreement following a heated legal dispute, and that 2017 agreement was set to expire in 2023. Revenues related to Nokia and Apple's latest deal will be reflected in Nokia's Q1 2024 earnings.

Popular third-party Reddit app Apollo is set to shut down after today as Reddit will be implementing its paid API changes tomorrow. Apollo's shuttering was announced earlier in June after developer Christian Selig was unable to work out a deal with Reddit to keep the app functional.

Reddit as of tomorrow will be charging third-party developers who use its API. Every 1,000 API calls will be priced at $0.24, with 50 million available for $12,000. With the number of users that Apollo has and the average API calls used per person, Selig calculated that he would need to pay $1.7 million per month or $20 million per year to keep Apollo functional, a price point that he was not able to work with.

Selig was only given 30 days notice to implement changes before Reddit would begin charging for API access, which he said was not enough time to change Apollo's business model and make the necessary updates to accommodate the fees. Apollo has free tier users, those who pay by month, lifetime subscription users, and yearly subscribers, a complicated mix that would leave Selig without sufficient monthly revenue to pay for the API usage within Reddit's timeline.

Apollo's yearly subscribers will receive a refund for the time remaining on their subscriptions, but those who have enjoyed Apollo during the time that it was available have the option to decline the refund. Selig estimates that he will need to pay around $250,000 to refund subscribers. "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," Selig wrote yesterday.

Customers who do not want a refund can log into the Apollo app and turn it down, otherwise the refunds are automatic. Selig plans to shut down Apollo in the hours ahead of July 1 to avoid Reddit's fees. Other Reddit apps like Reddit is Fun will also be shutting down prior to tomorrow.

Apollo today received one last update ahead of the app's shutdown, with Selig implementing a feature that allows Apollo users to transfer their Pixel Pals to the official Pixel Pals app. [Direct Link]

Twitter appears to be adopting support for picture-in-picture mode on the iPhone and iPad, with some Twitter users reporting access to a feature that allows them to watch Twitter videos while doing other tasks on the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌.

Starting a video in Twitter and then swiping out of the app leaves the video player open, so Twitter users can use other apps while continuing to watch video content from the social network.

Twitter has had an in-app picture-in-picture option previously, but the new feature allows Twitter video to be watched while using other apps, similar to how YouTube and other video content apps work on iPhones and iPads.

Not all Twitter users have access to the picture-in-picture feature as of yet, which suggests that Twitter is still in the process of rolling out support. Accessing the feature requires the latest version of the Twitter app on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌.

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.

How to Buy

The Eve Flare can be purchased from the Eve website or from Amazon.com for $99.95.

Note: Eve provided MacRumors with an Eve Flare for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

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.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we ponder some of the devices and apps we wish Apple would make.

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.

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

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, 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.

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

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 MacRumors Facebook 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.

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
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

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
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

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.

MacBooks

• What's the deal? Take $199 off M1 MacBook Air and M2 13-inch MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

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.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple 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.