Verizon is providing a great deal on Apple's AirPods Pro 2 in the lead-up to Christmas, priced at $199.99, down from $249.00. This deal price remains just about $2 away from the best price we ever tracked on the accessory.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
With the Christmas holiday just over one week away, we doubt any other retailer will be matching this deal on the AirPods Pro 2 in time for them to arrive before the 25th. This makes Verizon's discount still your best chance to get the AirPods Pro 2 at nearly their best-ever price in time for the holidays with Verizon's free two-day shipping.
Quinn has created Apple and consumer tech videos for his popular YouTube channel, "Snazzy Labs," since 2008. See his work on the Snazzy Labs YouTube channel and follow him on Twitter @SnazzyQ.
In this episode, we initially discuss some of the standout features in iOS 16.2, including Apple Music Sing, the Freeform app, and Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, before moving on to the biggest iPhone 15 rumors to date, including the switch to an "Ultra" title for the "Pro Max" model, a titanium chassis with curved rear edges, adding a USB-C port in place of Lightning, and an all-new 6x optical zoom periscope telephoto camera lens. We also look at some of the most likely impending controversies regarding the devices, such as USB 2.0 speeds on the standard iPhone 15 models despite the switch to USB-C and the potential problems brought on by moving to solid-state volume and power buttons.
If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for an in-depth discussion on how and why we use our Apple devices.
If you're shopping for last-minute holiday gifts, small tech accessories make for great presents and typically ship faster than bigger and pricier products. With that in mind, Amazon is holding a sale on a variety of Anker accessories this week, with notable discounts on USB-C cables, wall chargers, portable batteries, wireless chargers, and more.
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.
Shoppers should note that many of these sales require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discount at the checkout screen, so be sure to watch out for those when browsing on Amazon. You can find all of the Anker accessories on sale below, most of which have guaranteed delivery dates before December 25.
Back in July, Apple agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over the faulty butterfly keyboards that were used in MacBook machines between 2015 and 2019, and now emails about the settlement are going out to MacBook Pro owners eligible for a payment.
Dear MacBook Owner,
You are receiving this email because you previously reached out to our firm regarding your MacBook laptop. On November 28, 2022, the Court granted preliminary approval of $50 million nationwide settlement that would benefit MacBook purchasers who had their "Butterfly" keyboard repaired. You can find more information about the settlement, eligibility, the approval process, and your options at www.KeyboardSettlement.com.
MacBook Pro owners who had at least two topcase replacements from Apple within four years of purchase are considered Group 1 Settlement Class Members and will be receiving an automatic payment as well as an email about the settlement.
MacBook Pro owners who had a single topcase replacement will need to submit a claim form to get compensation, and they are considered Group 2 Settlement Class Members. Those who had a keycap replacement can also submit a claim form to get a small settlement as part of the third group of Settlement Class Members.
Monetary awards will be based on the number of repairs required, with amounts up to $395 provided to those who had two or more topcase replacements. Mac owners who fall in to this category will be receiving their class notices this month. Claims will be accepted through March 6, 2023, and a final approval hearing will take place on March 16, 2023.
The lawsuit dates back to 2018, when a group of customers sued Apple over the butterfly keyboard, claiming that the company concealed the defect from consumers in order to continue to sell Macs.
Butterfly keyboards were used in Macs between 2015 and 2019, and while Apple iterated on the design several times to try to improve durability, a design flaw made the butterfly mechanism prone to failure. Throughout those four years, thousands of customers had problems with repeating keys, sticky keys, and full keyboard failures.
Apple launched a keyboard repair program in June 2018, covering MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models for four years after purchase. Apple was only replacing butterfly keyboards with another butterfly keyboard, so there was no real fix.
Apple ultimately did away with the butterfly mechanism and swapped back to a scissor switch mechanism, and today, all Macs use a scissor switch keyboard that is much more durable and able to stand up to small crumbs and dust.
Samsung today shared another ad in its anti-Apple "On the Fence" series that encourages iPhone users to switch over to Samsung devices.
In the spot, a man sits on a literal fence while a woman using a Galaxy Z Flip 4 starts a conversation. "I used to be you," she says. "Sitting on the fence between Apple and Samsung." The man laments on how he wants to switch to a Samsung device, but he's worried about what his iPhone-using friends will think. She goes on to explain that he should be, because his friends will be jealous.
"When you pull out your new Galaxy Z Flip 4, people are going to lose it," she says. "They'll never leave you alone." After that, she hands him one of the Z Flip 4 smartphones, and people immediately start popping up around him commenting on how cool the Samsung phone is. "I could get used to this," he says, jumping off of the fence to the Samsung side.
Unlike Apple, Samsung has a habit of naming and shaming Apple devices in its ads. Just this morning, a World Cup-themed ad from Samsung mocked Apple for not offering a foldable smartphone option.
Samsung in November launched the first ad in the On the Fence series, and many of its recent ad spots have been making fun of Apple for its lack of a foldable iPhone. There continues to be no word on when Apple might debut a foldable device, but reliability, durability, and cost could be holding the Cupertino company back.
Belkin is expanding its line of MagSafe-compatible Continuity Camera mounts with the launch of the Belkin iPhone Mount for Mac Desktops, which is able to attach to iMac models and different displays.
Priced at $40, the Belkin iPhone Mount for Mac Desktops joins Belkin's existing Continuity Camera mount that's available for Mac notebooks like the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. The mount is designed to attach to the top of an iMac or external display, and then a compatible MagSafe iPhone can be placed on the MagSafe mount.
When attached to a Mac through the mount, the iPhone can be used as a webcam for FaceTime and other video apps. Both landscape and portrait mode are available, and the mount enables all Continuity Camera features including Center Stage and Desk View.
The mount is listed as being compatible with most external displays and monitors, and it also works with a standard 1/4" tripod screw.
There is a new Belkin iPhone Mount for use with Continuity Camera available to order at Apple now. This should be great for use on Studio Displays, Pro Display XDR, and more. Can’t wait to try it out. https://t.co/CYejxtqg7ipic.twitter.com/l5uaCKBBvt
— Aaron Zollo (@zollotech) December 15, 2022
Belkin's iPhone Mount for Mac Desktops is listed on Apple's online store, but it is not yet available for purchase. It initially launched with late January delivery, but is now listed as unavailable.
Apple today released a Rapid Security Response update for the macOS Ventura 13.2 beta, marking the first time we've seen the feature used for the Mac. Rapid Security Response is an iOS 16 and macOS Ventura feature that allows Apple to provide security fixes to users without requiring a full update.
macOS Rapid Security Response 13.2 (a) is applied to the Mac automatically upon restart, and it is also added to Safari when the Safari app is exited and then reopened.
Apple has previously released iOS 16 Rapid Security Responses, but in a test capacity. It is possible that this update for the Mac is also a test before real Rapid Security Response updates begin rolling out to Mac users.
Apple today seeded the first beta of macOS Ventura 13.2 to its public beta testing group, letting the general public try out the new features ahead of the software's release. The public beta comes one day after Apple provided the beta to developers.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.2 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.
macOS Ventura 13.2 introduces support for protecting an Apple IDwith a physical security key, such as a Yubikey. The physical security key is used for two-factor authentication when signing into your Apple ID on a new device, on iCloud, or on other Apple websites, and it replaces device codes.
Apple says that physical security keys offer an additional layer of protection for those who are concerned about their Apple IDs being accessed.
Apple today seeded the first beta of upcoming iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 updates to public beta testers, providing the new software to the general public for the first time. The public betas come one day after Apple provided the beta to developers.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's free beta testing program can download the iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 betas over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website.
So far, iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 appear to be more minor updates than the iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 releases. The software includes support for physical Security Keys for adding an additional layer of protection to an Apple ID.
With this feature, a physical FIDO certified security key can be used in lieu of device authentication when signing into an Apple ID on iCloud or a new device.
The update also includes a more streamlined process for transferring a song to a HomePod from an iPhone and vice versa, with Apple providing additional detail on how it works. No other major changes have been found in the beta as of yet.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week reported that Apple is preparing to allow alternative app stores on the iPhone and iPad in the European Union, as part of an effort to comply with the Digital Markets Act, which goes into full effect in 2024. The report said Apple is aiming for the changes to be introduced as part of iOS 17.
In a research note this week, a trio of analysts at investment bank Morgan Stanley argued that third-party app stores and sideloading would pose a "limited risk" to both App Store revenue and Apple's overall revenue given that iPhone users have "long prioritized the security, centralization, and convenience that the App Store brings."
Importantly, the proposed changes in the Digital Markets Act (DMA) are regulator-driven, not consumer-driven. From the consumer perspective, we see very little demand for alternatives to the App Store given the unmatched security, ease of use (centralization), and reliability the App Store provides. According to our Fall 2022 Smartphone survey, less than 30% of iPhone owners are extremely likely to purchase a mobile app directly from a developer website vs. the App Store.
In an implausible worst case scenario where Apple somehow lost the entirety of its App Store revenue in Europe as a result of competition from third-party app stores, the analysts estimated this would equate to just a 4% hit to Apple's services revenue and a 1% hit to Apple's total revenue. If third-party app stores are allowed globally, the analysts forecast around a 9% hit to services revenue and around a 2% hit to total revenue.
In reality, the impact on Apple's revenue could be far less, as the analysts believe it's likely Apple would still receive a commission on purchases made through third-party app stores. In the Netherlands, for example, Apple's standard 30% commission is reduced by only 3% for dating apps using third-party payment systems.
While there are still a lot of question marks surrounding third-party app stores and sideloading, Morgan Stanley believes that the reported changes do not present material risk to App Store revenue/growth or the long-term performance of Apple's stock.
Last week, we shared a list of exclusive deals that our readers can browse to wrap up their holiday shopping. Among the retailers in that list was Nomad, and our exclusive 20 percent sitewide discount will end tomorrow, December 16.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To get the discount, all you need to do is shop on Nomad's website and add items to your cart. Once you head to the checkout screen, enter the code MRHOLIDAY in the discount code box and click "apply" to get 20 percent off your order.
Nomad promises that all orders placed by 12:00 p.m. PST on December 19 will arrive in time for December 24, but you may need to pay for expedited shipping. Nomad offers free standard shipping on all orders placed in the United States that surpass $150.
This discount code will only work on in stock and full priced items. The sale has one more day left, and it will officially expire on the night of December 16.
In a new World Cup themed ad, Samsung has poked fun at Apple's lack of a flippable iPhone while promoting its own Galaxy Z Flip4.
In the ad posted on one of Samsung's Weibo accounts, Galaxy Flip phones can be seen as fans in a soccer stadium, themed after the 2022 World Cup. While the Galaxy Flip phones are cheering and flipping in the stands, a few smartphones, clearly resembling iPhones, remain in the audience, standing still with sad emojis shown on their displays as they look around at the sea of Galaxy Flip phones. Text at the end of the commercial reads, "it's time to fold together."
This is not the first time Samsung has made fun of Apple and its lack of a foldable and flippable phones. In an ad last month, Samsung made fun of how Apple users are always waiting for new features, "because that's what we do. We wait," the ad mocks a fake Apple employee as saying.
Apple is developing a 15.5-inch MacBook Air that could launch in the spring of 2023, according to display analyst Ross Young. In a tweet shared with super followers, Young said that production on panels designed for the MacBook Air will start in the first quarter of 2023.
A 15.5-inch MacBook Air will be sized between the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, and it will be the largest MacBook Air to date. The current model measures in at 13.6 inches. While Young now says that the display will be 15.5 inches, he previously said it would be around 15.2 inches.
Apple's rumored 15-inch MacBook Air is expected to feature the same general design as the 13-inch MacBook Air that was released in 2022 with flat edges, a large Force Touch trackpad, a keyboard with function keys, and more. It will also likely include a MagSafe charging port, upgraded speaker system, and a 1080p camera.
As for chips, the larger-screened MacBook Air could be available with M2 and M2 Pro chip options, and in comparison to the MacBook Pro models, it is not expected to feature the same mini-LED display or ProMotion technology.
Apple today announced that its revamped Maps app is rolling out in the Netherlands, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. The new experience provides more detail, improved navigation, custom-designed 3D models of popular landmarks, immersive turn-by-turn walking directions powered by augmented reality, and more.
A before and after look at Apple Maps in Switzerland
Look Around is also expanding to all of these countries starting today, offering high-resolution street-level imagery in the Maps app. The feature is similar to Google's Street View, but with smoother transitions when panning and zooming.
As noted by Apple Maps expert Justin O'Beirne and our readers, the redesign has also gone live in Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The revamped Apple Maps experience first launched in the U.S. in 2019 and has since expanded to the U.K., Ireland, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, France, Germany, and select other countries and territories.
Apple's AirPods Max launched over two years ago, but rumors about a successor remain thin on the ground, so what exactly can we expect from AirPods Max 2?
After months of rumors, the AirPods Max began arriving with customers two years ago today, but the device now seems to be showing its age, with the second-generation AirPods Pro adding a range of technological innovations that the AirPods Max lack, such as Adaptive Transparency, IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance, skin-detect sensors, and the U1 chip for Precision Finding with Find My.
While it seems likely that the next-generation AirPods Max will gain many of the above features, there have been surprisingly few rumors about the device. In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was not actively working on second-generation AirPods Max, and previous talk of a color options refresh for the first-generation seems to have diminished.
New Features
The most recent mention of the second-generation AirPods Max's features was Gurman's claim in October that the next version will feature USB-C and launch "by 2024." Beyond this single feature, we do not have any concrete rumors from reliable sources about what the new model could offer – but there is some evidence that could provide some interesting indications about what to expect.
In 2020, Gurman said that the AirPods Max, thought at the time to be called "AirPods Studio," had suffered from several development challenges, such as problems with the headband being too tight, leading to multiple delays and scaling back of functionality. It seems plausible that after several more years to iterate on the aspects that did not make it into the first version of the device, the second-generation AirPods Max could introduce some of these initially scrapped features.
It was originally believed that AirPods Max would offer unique customizability with interchangeable headbands and earcups, much like Apple Watch bands. Amid these delays and development issues, Bloomberg predicted that Apple would drop the concept of a replaceable headband to accelerate production.
Evidence of this concept can be seen in the final AirPods Max design. Users can easily remove the headband from AirPods Max without any disassembly of the headphones. To do this, users simply need to remove the magnetic ear cushions, fold the earcups flat, and insert a SIM card ejector tool into a small hole above the speaker.
Once the earcups are removed, the spokes on either side of the headband reveal a small Lightning-style connector for transferring power, and potentially data, between the earcups. It is possible that this system for removing the headband is a remnant of the original, more modular approach to AirPods Max. The earcups are magnetically removable and can easily be swapped out for a different color.
Moreover, it was believed that AirPods Max would have left and right ear detection so users could reverse the headphones' orientation, as well as touch pads on the earcups for controls. This appears to have been replaced by the Digital Crown from the Apple Watch in the final product.
Rumors also suggested that the AirPods Max would be available in two varieties, including a more affordable sports-oriented model. Leaker Jon Prosserrepeatedly said that AirPods Max would come in a "sport-like variant" for $350 and a "luxury variant" for $599. While Prosser's $599 price tag was not far off the eventual $549 AirPods Max retail price, the cheaper $350 "sport variant" has yet to emerge. Apple could still launch this lower-end version of the AirPods Max some time in the future.
Based on the above information, the second-generation AirPods Max could conceivably offer some of these features:
Rumored for AirPods Max 2 Specifically
USB-C port instead of Lightning
New color options
Rumored for Original AirPods Max But Omitted
Interchangeable headband for more visual customization options
At least one new AirPods product has launched every year since 2019. To date, Apple seems to wait two and a half to three years to update each AirPods device and, since 2019, a different AirPods product line has been updated each year. According to this pattern, AirPods Max should be the next AirPods device to receive a refresh, perhaps somewhere between June and November 2023.
AirPods (first-generation): September 2016
AirPods (second-generation): March 2019 (two years and six months after previous generation)
AirPods Pro (first-generation): October 2019
AirPods Max: December 2020
AirPods (third-generation): October 2021 (two years and six months after previous generation)
AirPods Pro (second-generation): September 2022 (two years and 11 months after previous generation)
AirPods Max (second-generation): June to November 2023?
Apple could, of course, wait even longer to update the device. Past launch dates do not always indicate Apple's future plans, but they can provide insights into the patterns to be expected from the company. Most recently, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the second-generation AirPods Max will launch in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025. There is even the slim chance that there are no plans to update the AirPods Max, with the product potentially meeting the same fate as the HomePod. It is simply too early in the rumor cycle to say at the current time.
Apple is offering $75 in Daily Cash to customers who open a new Apple Card through February, but they must open the account through a referral page at apple.co/referdailycash and make their first purchase within 30 days in order to qualify.
The $75 in Daily Cash is applied to the new Apple Card account's Apple Cash balance after the first transaction posts to the account, according to Apple.
Apple has run similar limited-time promotions several times in the past. For example, in September, Apple offered a higher $100 in Daily Cash to customers who opened a new Apple Card through the referral page at the time. This latest promotion began on November 30, 2022 and runs until February 28, 2023.
Apple previously announced that customers who sign up for an Apple Card between December 1 and December 25 are eligible for an increased 5% Daily Cash on Apple products purchased with the card between those dates at Apple Stores and on Apple.com.
Accessory company Native Union today announced the launch of the Belt Cable Duo, a dual-headed charging cable that offers both Lightning and USB-C charging ports, so it can be used with all of your devices.
These types of cables are not uncommon, but charging options that include both Lightning and USB-C chargers are generally USB-A cables, rather than USB-C. The Belt Cable Duo has an MFi-certified Lightning charging connector, a USB-C charging connector, and a USB-C connector to plug into a power adapter rather than a USB-A connector. Native Union says this is an "impossible" cable design that was not previously available until the launch of the Belt Cable Duo.
Though the cable has two heads, it is meant for charging a single device, so it is not a dual charging cable. It can charge a USB-C device or a Lightning device, and the cable can be used to provide up to 60W, so it can be used to fast charge the iPhone and iPad with an appropriate charger.
The cable has a braided design for durability, and a leather strap for winding it up when it is not in use. Available in black/white, black, and a gold shade, the cable is priced at $50 and it can be ordered from the Native Union website.
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 release 160 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, CSS, Rendering, Web Animations, SVG, Media, JavaScript, WebAssembly, Service Workers, Accessibility, Editing, and Web API.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is version 16.4 and is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Monterey.
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.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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