Apple appears to be facing an uphill battle to reverse falling iPhone sales in China, with last year's double-digit decline projected to deepen through 2024 owing to strong interest in Huawei's latest home-grown lineup, according to analyst expectations (via Bloomberg).
Huawei Mate 60 Pro
In an investor note on Sunday citing industry checks, Jeffries analyst Edison Lee said Apple in December suffered a 30% year-on-year decline in iPhone sales in the country while the rest of the market grew, with Huawei seeing the fastest growth thanks to its latest Mate 60 lineup.
Jefferies estimates Huawei shipped 35 million smartphones last year, with only supply constraints preventing it from hitting even bigger heights spurred by a "patriotic fervor" surrounding the phone.
Released in September just weeks before the iPhone 15, Huawei's Mate 60 Pro uses a new China-made 7-nanometer processor tailored for the local market, showcasing the kind of advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities that US sanctions were originally designed to prevent.
Jeffries forecasts Apple will see a similar double-digit fall in iPhone sales for 2024, indicated by discounts on Apple's smartphone lineup across various online merchants, which are expected to cut into the average selling price without stimulating volume growth.
Apple's efforts to counter the slump are also likely to be hampered by China's decision last year to ban iPhones from the offices of multiple government agencies and state companies. China has a huge number of state-owned enterprises in power generation, seaport construction, mining, manufacturing, education, and investment markets.
Meanwhile, Huawei's comeback is predicted to continue, with the Chinese company continuing to develop and extend its own operating system, HarmonyOS, designed to rival iOS and Android.
At CES this week, Belkin is making a number of Apple-related announcements, including confirmation that several wireless chargers based on the new Qi2 standard derived from MagSafe are just about ready to come to market. Belkin is also making announcements about several wired charging products with GaN technology and an innovative iPhone stand that keeps you in the camera frame as you move.
Belkin's initial Qi2 chargers were announced In August and have been working their way through Qi2 certification among the first products supporting the standard. These products include the BoostCharge Convertible Qi2 Wireless Pad to Stand and the BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2, as well as a similar 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad without the Apple Watch charger. As Qi2 chargers, all of these devices support up to 15-watt charging for iPhones, just like with MagSafe.
BoostCharge Convertible Qi2 Wireless Pad to Stand
The Convertible Qi2 Wireless Pad to Stand collapses to a flat pad for convenience and travel, but can then be extended to a stand mode at adjustable angles for easy viewability such as with StandBy mode. It comes with a 5-foot USB-C cable and a 20-watt USB-C power adapter.
The BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2 is a flat charging pad with one 15-watt Qi2 spot for charging an iPhone and a second 5-watt Qi spot for another phone or AirPods. A detachable Apple Watch charging puck offers fast charging on supported Apple Watch models, and a 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable is included along with a 30-watt USB-C power adapter on most SKUs.
BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2
The BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2 offers a similar setup with a flat design, a 15-watt Qi2 pad, and a 5-watt Qi pad for AirPods or another device, but does not include an Apple Watch charging puck. A 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable is included, as is a 30-watt power adapter on most SKUs.
BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad with Qi2
In addition to the previously announced Qi2 chargers, Belkin is announcing a few more products in its Qi2 lineup at CES, including a tree-style 3-in-1 stand that's very similar to other 3-in-1 chargers Belkin has been offering for a number of years. The new BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Stand includes a flat base with a charging spot for AirPods, and then an elevated arm with a Qi2 pad for charging an iPhone at up to 15 watts and an Apple Watch puck with fast charging support.
BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Stand
Unlike Belkin's past tree-style chargers, this new one includes swivel support on the Qi2 pad to allow you to easily adjust the angle of your phone while it's on the charger. This stand will be priced at $149.99 and is launching in March.
Finally for the Qi2 family, there's the BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank, which will be available in a 5,000 mAh model for $59.99, an 8,000 mAh model for $79.99, and a 10,000 mAh model for $99.99 starting in March. All three models include Qi2 support for up to 15 watts of wireless charging, with passthrough charging to simultaneously recharge the power bank and an attached phone.
BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Banks
The power banks also include a kickstand to make it easy to prop your phone up while watching video, reading, or chatting. USB-C ports are included for both recharging and for wired charging from the power banks.
In addition to Qi2 wireless charging products, Belkin is also announcing a pair of wired charging products that use GaN technology for more efficient charging in compact designs. First up is the BoostCharge Pro 4-Port USB-C GaN Charger 200W, which includes four USB-C ports to recharge a variety of high-power devices. Two of the ports support up to 140 watts of charging power while the other two support up to 60 watts, but the maximum total output at any given time is limited to 200 watts. This charger will be priced at $129.99 and is launching in March.
BoostCharge Pro 4-Port USB-C GaN Charger 200W
Second, Belkin is introducing the 6-in-1 Core GaN Dock, which it says is 50% smaller than other 6-in-1 solutions. It includes an HDMI port with support for up to a 4K display, a pair of USB-A ports for legacy devices, a pair of USB-C ports (one with 96-watt power delivery), and a Gigabit Ethernet port. It's priced at $139.99 and it is available to order today with a launch coming soon.
6-in-1 Core GaN Dock
And finally, Belkin is announcing what it says is the world's first accessory to take advantage of Apple's DockKit framework introduced in iOS 17 for face and object tracking. The Auto Tracking Stand Pro is a MagSafe charging stand for your iPhone that includes a motorized base which supports full 360º swivel and up to 90º tilt. Once paired with your iPhone via NFC, the DockKit framework allows your phone and the stand to work together to register your face and then automatically track to keep you in frame as you move.
Auto Tracking Stand Pro
It works in both portrait and landscape orientations and with both front and rear cameras, and it supports FaceTime, the native Camera app, and other videoconferencing apps. The stand has a built-in rechargeable battery that allows it to operate for up to five hours while on the go for vlogging and other scenarios where you may not have ready access to fixed power. While connected to wall power, it can charge your phone via MagSafe at up to 15 watts, keeping everything powered up.
The Auto Tracking Stand Pro will be priced at $179.99 and Belkin is currently listing it as "coming soon" with customers able to sign up to be notified about availability.
Withings, known primarily for its lineup of iPhone-connected smart scales, today debuted the BeamO, a 4-in-1 home health checkup device.
The BeamO "multiscope" combines ECG, pulse oximeter, stethoscope, and thermometer sensors into a single device. According to Withings, the BeamO is the "thermometer of the future," able to not only measure temperature, but also provide feedback on heart and lung health.
There are electrodes along the side of the BeamO that allow it to detect blood oxygen levels and heart rate, while also performing a 1-lead ECG (similar to the Apple Watch ECG function).
A temperature scanner detects body temperature from the temporal artery, and with a Piezoelectric disc, it is able to capture chest or back acoustic soundwaves that can be provided to a physician during a telehealth appointment.
Withings says that the BeamO can provide a body checkup in under a minute, alerting users to fever, infection, and possible cardiovascular issues like atrial fibrillation.
BeamO is set to launch in June 2024, and it will cost $250.
Canadians may soon be eligible to receive a payment from Apple following the company's iPhone battery throttling controversy in 2017.
Apple has agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models, and the British Columbia Supreme Court will decide whether to approve the proposed settlement on January 29, according to a website set up for the case.
If the settlement is approved, those eligible will be able to submit a claim for a payment of up to $150 (CAD) per affected iPhone from Apple. The exact payout amount will depend on the total number of claims that are submitted. Apple has denied the allegations described in the lawsuit, and the settlement does not represent an admission of fault.
The class includes any current or former resident of Canada (excluding Quebec) who owned and/or purchased an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and/or iPhone SE with iOS 10.2.1 or later installed or downloaded, and/or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with iOS 11.2 or later installed or downloaded, before December 21, 2017.
More information about submitting a claim will be provided on the settlement's website if it is approved — no action is required at this time for those who wish to pursue this option. Those who wish to opt out of the class action to retain their rights to sue Apple over these allegations must do so by no later than January 10.
Apple was sued in multiple Canadian provinces over iPhone battery throttling in 2018, including Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. The cases were filed shortly after Apple revealed that it had started throttling the maximum performance of some iPhone models with "chemically aged" batteries, when necessary, to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. Apple introduced this new power management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it initially failed to mention the change in that update's release notes, leading to public outcry. Apple eventually apologized about its lack of transparency, and temporarily lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements to $29 until the end of 2018.
Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million (USD) to settle a similar class action lawsuit in the U.S., and payments of $92.17 per claim started going out this week to those who submitted claims in that case, marking the end of the so-called "batterygate" saga there.
Apple is working on a new Mac Studio that is likely to launch in the second half of 2024, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes.
Gurman mentioned the details in this weekend's edition of the "Power On" newsletter. He explained that the new Mac Studio is likely to be offered with the as-yet-unannounced fourth variant of the M3 chip. This will, like previous generations, double the components of the "Max" version, meaning that it will feature up to 32 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores.
Taiwanese research firm TrendForce believes that Apple will launch a new Mac Studio featuring the M3 Ultra chip at WWDC in June, just as it did with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra Mac Studio last year. Prior to the launch of these models in 2023, Gurman reported that Apple was already working on two follow-up machines.
Gurman also believes, contrary to suggestions earlier in the week, that Apple is likely to refresh the Mac Pro with this new high-end chip. He does not believe that Apple is likely to again abandon the machine after only one year.
He added that while upcoming devices such as the M3 MacBook Air could be popular if marketed properly, the Mac roadmap for 2024 is looking "otherwise muted," suggesting some skepticism about Apple's ability to turn the Mac's underperforming sales around.
Apple's Vision Pro headset is on the brink of launch as retail stores are beginning final preparations for the device to go on sale, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the Vision Pro is now shipping in small quantities to warehouses across the United States ahead of direct distribution to Apple retail stores. While the company has not yet announced its release date, it apparently believes there will be sufficient stock ready in the country by the end of January to launch in February. Interestingly, Gurman expects Apple to make a Vision Pro-related announcement "in the next week or so" to "take some of the spotlight away from CES," which starts on Tuesday, January 9.
On January 21, all Apple Stores in the United States will hold an unusual three-hour long meeting for all employees that will likely involve training and explanation of the sales procedure related to the device. Further training sessions are apparently planned for the subsequent days, followed by the reception of new inventory racks and backroom equipment.
Gurman also noted that Luxshare, the Chinese assembler of the Vision Pro, held a delivery ceremony last month to mark the first official shipments of the completed product, and Apple has now purportedly filed design patents "for every hardware and software element of the device," which further suggests that launch is likely to be very soon.
It remains unclear whether the Vision Pro will be immediately available via online pre-order. Apple may initially only offer an online reservation for an appointment at an Apple Store that would involve light seal and headband fitting.
Gurman believes that the launch of Vision Pro in other countries around the world will not "actually be that much later" than its release in the United States. Apple is said to be considering the United Kingdom, Canada, and China as the next markets to receive the product.
Apple is on schedule to announce a series of generative AI-based tools at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reaffirmed and expanded upon previous comments related to Apple's plans to announce a series of new tools based on generative AI at WWDC as part of iOS 18, including a revamped version of Siri.
The company has reportedly been testing its "Ajax" large language model since early 2023 and is considering using it to add auto-completion and auto-summarizing features to its core apps, as well as its productivity suite including Pages and Keynote. A new version of Xcode will apparently feature AI for code completion. It is also looking at integrating AI into Apple Music to automate playlist creation, in addition using the technology for troubleshooting problems with AppleCare.
However, Gurman believes that "the totality of Apple's generative AI vision will take at least into 2025 to fully scale," suggesting that not all planned features will arrive this year, and competitors like Samsung will do everything they can to highlight Apple's current "deficiency" in the AI space in the coming months.
The website for the so-called "batterygate" settlement said payments would likely start to be distributed this January, and payouts have began on schedule. MacRumors readers Ken Strand and Michael Burkhardt are among the individuals who have received payments of $92.17 per claim from Apple as part of the settlement.
The lawsuit was filed in December 2017, shortly after Apple revealed that it throttled the maximum performance of some iPhone models with "chemically aged" batteries when necessary to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. Apple introduced this power management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it initially failed to mention the change in that update's release notes. Apple apologized about its lack of transparency, and temporarily lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements to $29 in 2018.
Despite apologizing over the way it communicated the change, Apple repeatedly denied all allegations and never admitted to any legal wrongdoing. Apple said it agreed to the settlement only to "avoid burdensome and costly litigation."
The class included any U.S. resident who owned an affected iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and/or iPhone SE that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later, and/or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus that ran iOS 11.2 or later, before December 21, 2017. The deadline to submit a claim for a payment was in October 2020.
Happy New Year! 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for Apple, with its Vision Pro headset perhaps being the first big launch of the year in just a few weeks' time if the latest rumors are accurate.
This week also saw an issue with a new iOS 17.3 beta that forced Apple to temporarily pull the update, the latest rumors on not only this year's iPhone 16 lineup but also next year's iPhone 17, and more, so read on below for all the details!
Vision Pro Rumored to Launch in Final Week of January
Apple's long-awaited Vision Pro headset could launch in the U.S. around Friday, January 26, according to a sketchy rumor from a Chinese investor news service. Apple promised that the headset would launch in early 2024, but it did not provide a specific timeframe.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he has also heard the January 26 date floating around, and he reiterated that the Vision Pro will have a retail launch by February.
Apple Pulls iOS 17.3 Beta 2 Due to Boot Loop Issue
Apple made the second beta of iOS 17.3 available to developers for testing earlier this week, but it quickly pulled the software after some iPhone users who installed it experienced a boot loop issue.
As of writing, Apple has yet to re-release the second beta of iOS 17.3, but it has released the second public betas of macOS 14.3 and watchOS 10.3.
Apple is expected to update the entire iPad lineup throughout 2024, including the iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, and the entry-level iPad. The next Pro models are widely rumored to feature OLED displays, and faster chips are expected for all models.
Here's What the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max Will Look Like
Along with slightly larger displays, there's a new Capture button on the right side for quickly taking video, while the Action button appears to have the same design as on the current iPhone 15 Pro models even though Apple had been experimenting with making some changes to it.
Kuo: iPhone 17 to Feature 24MP Front-Facing Camera
While the iPhone 16 lineup is still over eight months away, rumors are already circulating about the iPhone 17 lineup coming in 2025.
According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17's front camera will feature a 24-megapixel sensor, up from a 12-megapixel sensor on current iPhones. He said this upgrade will significantly improve the front camera's image quality.
Apple Still Selling These Old and Often Forgotten Products
While the majority of Apple's product lineup has been updated over the past few years, there are a handful of devices and accessories that are quite old.
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.
The United States Justice Department is in the "late stages" of an antitrust investigation into Apple that could soon lead to an antitrust lawsuit, reports The New York Times. The DoJ could be ready to file a "sweeping" antitrust case in the first half of 2024, with the agency considering how Apple's control over hardware and software locks consumers into the Apple ecosystem and makes it difficult for rivals to compete.
Apple officials have met with the DoJ several times during the investigation, which has covered everything from iMessage to the Apple Watch. Some of the topics looked at:
How the Apple Watch works better with iPhone than other smart watches do.
How Apple locks competitors out of iMessage.
How Apple blocks other financial firms from offering tap-to-pay services similar to Apple Pay on the iPhone.
Whether Apple favors its own apps and services over those provided by third-party developers.
How Apple has blocked cloud gaming apps from the App Store.
How Apple restricts the iPhone's location services from devices that compete with AirTag.
How App Tracking Transparency impacted the collection of advertising data.
In-app purchase fees collected by Apple.
Apple competitors like Tile, Beeper, Basecamp, Meta, and Spotify have talked with antitrust investigators, as have banks that have wanted access to the iPhone's NFC capabilities.
The Department of Justice has not yet made a final decision about whether a lawsuit should be filed, and Apple has not yet had a chance to have a final meeting to plead its case before a lawsuit is filed.
Apple and Microsoft are the only "big five" companies not currently facing U.S. lawsuits over their business practices. Google, Amazon, and Meta are all facing off against the DoJ or the FTC.
Over the last several years, Apple has defended itself against antitrust accusations in the U.S. In 2020, the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee said that Apple, Meta, Google, and Amazon have the "kinds of monopolies" last seen in "the era of oil barons and railroad tycoons."
Apple has argued that it does not have a dominant market share in any category where it does business, and the company also often cites the opportunities and jobs provided by the App Store. If the DoJ does opt to file an antitrust lawsuit, it will likely lead to a multi-year legal battle.
Though Apple has so far avoided regulatory action in the United States, it has been struggling against antitrust rules put in place in the European Union. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) could soon force Apple to make significant chances to the App Store, Siri, Messages, FaceTime, and other services. Apple is, for example, already working to add support for sideloading apps to iPhones in Europe, functionality that we are expecting to see sometime later this year.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
2024 is shaping up to be a very busy year for Apple, likely kicking off with the launch of the Vision Pro headset around February. Redesigned iPad Pro models with larger display and OLED technology, the M3 chip, and new accessories are expected to follow in March, as well as next-generation iPad Air models with a new, 12.9-inch size option. watchOS 11, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, visionOS 2, and tvOS 18 will likely be previewed in June at WWDC, potentially alongside the M3 Ultra Mac Studio. A refreshed Apple TV 4K with a faster chip could also launch in the first half of the year.
September will likely see the introduction of the iPhone 16, featuring Spatial Video capture and the Action button, and the iPhone 16 Pro, touting larger displays, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, and a new "Capture button." The "Apple Watch X," fourth-generation AirPods, and refreshed AirPods Max with USB-C are also expected to emerge around September.
Apple could close out the year with the seventh-generation iPad mini, the 11th-generation iPad, and a new Mac mini with the M3 and M3 Pro chips. We could also see new MacBook Pros with M4 series chips, but the timing of these devices is more unclear.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
If you're looking to find a few products to help stick to your fitness-related New Year's resolutions, this week's deals should help. You'll find a record low price on the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, as well as solid $50 markdowns across the Apple Watch lineup. Additionally, there are steep discounts on the iPad, MacBook Air, and AirTag as we close out the first week of 2024.
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.
AirPods Pro
What's the deal? Take $60 off AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C
For the first week of 2024, Amazon has brought back an all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. You can get these earbuds for $189.00, down fro $249.00, with delivery available as soon as January 9.
If you want to upgrade your fitness tracking in the New Year, Amazon is also discounting a huge collection of Apple Watches right now. You can get $50 off the Apple Watch Series 9 (from $349.00), the Apple Watch SE (from $199.00), and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (from $739.99).
Amazon has nearly every model of Apple's 10th generation iPad on sale this week, as well as nearly every color. Prices start at $349.00 for 64GB Wi-Fi and $499.00 for 256GB Wi-Fi, and also include cellular options. Every price listed is an all-time low price for these iPads, matching the best deals we tracked during the holidays.
MacBook Air
What's the deal? Take $250 off M1 13-inch MacBook Air and M2 15-inch MacBook Air
In terms of MacBooks, the best New Year's deals can be found on the older M1 13-inch MacBook Air and the new M2 15-inch MacBook Air, both of which are $250 off original prices. For the M1 model, this is a match of the all-time low Black Friday pricing.
Finally this week, Amazon is beating an all-time low holiday sale we saw last season, discounting the AirTag 4-Pack to $78.99 with an on-page coupon, down from $99.00.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
Following the Apple Card savings account's recent rate increase to 4.35%, we have put together this guide comparing the annual percentage yields (APYs) of some popular high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) available to U.S. residents.
Apple's rate now matches that of popular HYSAs offered by the likes of American Express, Capital One, and Discover, but there are a handful of other options that offer even higher APYs in the 4.5% to low 5% range, such as Marcus by Goldman Sachs and Wealthfront. Balance limits and other requirements vary.
There are many other HYSAs not listed in our chart, so be sure to do your research before deciding which option is best suited for you.
Provider
Advertised APY*
Apple (Goldman Sachs)
4.35%
American Express
4.35%
Ally
4.35%
Barclays
4.35%
Capital One
4.35%
Discover
4.35%
Citizens Bank
4.5%
Marcus (Goldman Sachs)
4.5%
SoFi
4.6%
PNC Bank
4.65%
CIT Bank
4.65% to 5.05%
Betterment
4.75%
Synchrony
4.75%
Wealthfront
5%
UFB Direct
5.25%
* Advertised APYs as of January 5, 2024. APYs may vary.
Ordinary savings accounts at popular banks such as Bank of America and Chase typically offer APYs of only 0.01% or slightly higher.
Apple launched its savings account in April 2023, in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The account can be opened and managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone, and it has no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. You must have an Apple Card, be a U.S. resident, and be at least 18 years old to open an account.
The account allows Apple Card holders to earn interest on their Daily Cash cashback balance, and on funds deposited via a linked bank account or an Apple Cash balance. The maximum balance allowed is $250,000, which is lower than some HYSAs, and balances are fully insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
To open a savings account in the Wallet app, tap on your Apple Card, tap on the circle with three dots at the top of the screen, tap Daily Cash, and select Set Up Savings.
Goldman Sachs will reportedly be ending its partnership with Apple within the next year or so, but it is unclear how this might impact the Apple Card.
Apple CEO Tim Cook will meet the European Union's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, next week amid a series of disputes with the organization (via Reuters).
Vestager is also set to meet the chief executives of Alphabet, Broadcom, and Nvidia, as well as senior executives from OpenAI. The meetings will take place in San Francisco and Palo Alto on Thursday and Friday next week, and will focus on European competition policy and digital regulation.
In December, Apple reportedly floated the ability for Apple Pay rivals to access the iPhone's NFC technology for contactless payments in the EU. The offer is designed to settle an ongoing antitrust dispute and avoid a potential fine. The European Commission is believed to be seeking feedback from rivals and customers before accepting the offer, so it is highly likely that this matter will be discussed.
Apple is also facing several other challenges in the EU that will almost certainly be the subject of discussion, such as a $14 billion tax dispute. Most strikingly, new EU rules such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) designate major tech companies as "gatekeepers" and compel them to open up their various services and platforms to other companies and developers. The DMA is expected to force Apple to make significant changes to the way the App Store, FaceTime, and Siri work in Europe. For example, Apple will next year be obliged to allow users to install third-party app stores and sideload apps, as well as give developers the ability to promote their offers outside the App Store and use third-party payment systems.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple will be reopening its Bay Street retail store in Emeryville, California on Monday, January 8 at 10 a.m. local time, according to the company's website.
The store had been closed for renovations since early September, according to Tabletops, a weekly newsletter about Apple retail published by Michael Steeber. However, it is currently unclear if the store will have any public-facing changes when it reopens, or if the renovations are limited to the backroom area for staff members.
The store originally opened in 2002, becoming Apple's 50th retail location in the U.S., and moved to its current location on Bay Street in 2016.
Steeber recently released a major update for Facades, an app that provides comprehensive information about Apple's retail stores around the world. Users can now explore the history and grand opening of any store, track multiple store visits, and more. The app is available for free on the App Store for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
A new Mac Studio model with the M3 Ultra chip—which could be more powerful than expected—will launch in mid-2024, according to a new report.
The report comes from Taiwanese research firm TrendForce citing ICsmart. The current Mac Studio, which contains M2 Max and M2 Ultra chip options, was introduced at WWDC in June 2023. With TrendForce forecasting another mid-year update for the Mac Studio, a repeat appearance at WWDC seems likely this year.
The Mac Pro is the only other Mac model that contains an "Ultra" Apple silicon chip, so its absence from today's report discussing the M3 Ultra is noticeable. While, logically, the Mac Pro should receive an update to add the M3 Ultra chip alongside the Mac Studio, just like it received the M2 Ultra chip last year, there have been no rumors to suggest this will be the case again this year as of yet.
Interestingly, TrendForce claims that the M3 Ultra chip will be fabricated with TSMC's N3E node, just like the A18 chip that is expected to debut in the iPhone 16 lineup later in the year. This means it would be Apple's first N3E chip. The M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips are fabricated with TSMC's N3B process, just like the A17 Pro. N3E is an enhanced version of TSMC's 3nm process, offering slightly better performance and higher production yield.
It would be somewhat odd for Apple to make the M3 Ultra its first N3E chip, since Apple's "Ultra" chips comprise two "Max" chips linked via its UltraFusion chip interconnect technology, meaning that an N3E M3 Ultra would effectively be two M4 Max chips. To date, each generation of Apple's custom silicon chips have used the same fabrication process across the lineup, since the chip architecture is simply scaled up. Using different nodes in the same family of chips, especially on the "Ultra" chip variant, would be an unprecedented move.
The only explanation if Apple does opt for this route would be that the company plans to introduce the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips sooner rather than later, perhaps in late 2024, and would want to ensure that the M3 Ultra Mac Studio remains competitive with the newer chips. Even so, in this instance, it would surely be more straightforward to brand the chip "M4 Ultra" and skip the M3 Ultra entirely.
As a result, this part of the report should be treated with some skepticism. Nevertheless, a mid-year time frame for the launch of a new Mac Studio seems likely.
Apple today increased the Apple Card savings account's APY to 4.35%, according to a notification sent to cardholders, including MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.
This is the second increase to the savings account's APY in as many months, after Apple raised it from 4.15% to 4.25% in December. Apple's rate now matches that offered by popular high-yield savings accounts from American Express and Discover, but there are still some other options that offer even higher APYs up into the 4.5% to low 5% range in the U.S., such as Marcus by Goldman Sachs and Wealthfront.
Apple launched the high-yield savings account in April 2023, in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The account can be opened and managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone, and it has no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. You must have an Apple Card, be a U.S. resident, and be at least 18 years old to open an account.
The account allows Apple Card holders to earn interest on their Daily Cash cashback balance, and on personal funds deposited via a linked bank account, or from their Apple Cash balance. The maximum balance allowed is $250,000, and balances are fully insured by the U.S. government's Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The rate increase comes after The Wall Street Journal in November reported that Goldman Sachs is looking to terminate its Apple Card partnership, as part of its broader exit from the consumer lending business. The partnership is expected to end within the next year or so, but it's unclear how this might affect the Apple Card in the future.
BlackBerry fans that miss having a physical keyboard on their smartphones may want to check out Clicks, a company that has developed a keyboard case that's designed for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models.
Clicks is showing off its keyboard accessories ahead of CES, and the iPhone 14 Pro version of its keyboard will be ready to ship out in February. The keyboard is priced at $139, with an iPhone 15 Pro version coming in mid-March and a $159 iPhone 15 Pro Max version set to release in the spring.
The Clicks Creator Keyboard is available in "BumbleBee" yellow and "London Sky" gray, and it adds a small physical keyboard to the bottom of an iPhone. Clicks says that the case design is meant to "feel like a natural extension" of the iPhone, and the keys have been designed for ideal click resistance and feedback for fast and accurate typing.
The standard QWERTY keyboard features keys for activating dictation, accessing emoji, and activating shortcuts like returning to the Home screen and scrolling. At night, a built-in backlight can be turned on.
An iPhone connects to the keyboard via Lightning (iPhone 14 Pro) or USB-C (iPhone 15 Pro), and passthrough charging is supported. The case also supports wireless charging capabilities, though it does not have MagSafe.
The iPhone 15 Pro version of the Clicks keyboard measures in at 188.45mm, so it is 41.85mm longer than the 146.6mm iPhone 15 Pro. That is equivalent to 1.65 inches, so expect an iPhone equipped with this keyboard to be over an inch and a half longer. It's a little over 3mm wider than the iPhone, and 2.50mm thicker. The case weighs in at 62 grams, a little under half of the 187 gram weight of the iPhone 15 Pro.
Dimensions are similar for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, so the keyboards do add some considerable bulk to the iPhone. Clicks says that the keyboard is easy to put on and remove, and while in use, it does serve as a hardware-based keyboard, so you won't see the software keyboard on the display.
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