MacRumors

Microsoft today announced the rollout of new Bing, Skype, and Edge apps for the iPhone and the iPad, all of which feature the chat-based AI-powered search capabilities that the company unveiled earlier in February.

The redesigned Bing mobile app has an overhauled look and a new chat experience. Tapping on the Bing icon at the bottom of the app opens up a chat session, where users can ask the Bing chatbot questions that range from simple to complex. Answers can be displayed as bullet points, text, or simplified responses.

Like the desktop version of Bing, the mobile version allows for complex searches that can help with things like planning a trip itinerary or researching a television to buy. Microsoft allows users to refine their searches by asking for more details, clarity, and ideas. Bing is also able to perform creative tasks like writing an email, crafting a poem, creating a quiz for trivia night, providing prep for a job interview, and more.

The Bing app also includes voice-based search capabilities, plus the Bing experience is available from the homepage of the Microsoft Edge mobile app.

Along with AI updates for the Bing and Microsoft Edge apps, Microsoft is revamping the Skype app for iOS to add AI-powered Bing search. Microsoft says that Bing integration will add "helpful and fun new scenarios and capabilities."

As an example, a group of Skype users can add Bing to their group and answer questions and provide information to the entire group, useful for travel planning. When catching up with friends, Bing can provide information from the web, with text able to be displayed in multiple ways.

Updated Bing, Skype, and Microsoft Edge apps are available worldwide in a preview capacity for those who are on the Bing preview experience. Microsoft says that there could be hiccups related to bandwidth for a few days, but it is working on a fix.

Microsoft is still rolling out Bing preview access "as fast as possible" and there is a waitlist available.

Images said to depict the standard iPhone 15 model were today provided to MacRumors and shared on Twitter by leaker Unknownz21, giving us our first look at the ‌iPhone 15‌'s design in full.

The images show off the USB-C port at the bottom of the iPhone, which is replacing the Lightning port that Apple has used for every ‌iPhone‌ since 2012. The entire ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup will transition to USB-C due to charging port laws implemented in the European Union.

The front of the ‌iPhone 15‌ is also visible, and as this is the entry-level ‌iPhone 15‌, there are no major design changes to the chassis compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 14. Rumors have indicated that the Dynamic Island that was introduced with the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and Pro Max will come to the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, in addition to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models. Note that the published images have been edited to be lower quality as requested by the original source that shared the photos, as it makes the origin more difficult to trace. The device in the images is an early ‌iPhone 15‌, which Apple calls D37, and while it is unlikely that there have been changes to the design, it is a possibility.

Earlier this month, Unknownz21 shared an image of the iPhone 15 Pro chassis, but that was limited to the USB-C port. Still, that image provided details on some of the design changes that Apple is making to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro lineup, such as deeper curves. These changes are not expected for the ‌iPhone 15‌. In addition to an ‌iPhone‌ 14-style design, it will be equipped with an A16 chip, Wi-Fi 6, and a Qualcomm X70 modem.

For more on the features we can expect to see from the ‌iPhone 15‌, we have a dedicated iPhone 15 roundup.

Apple in 2024 may introduce a new high-end iPhone 16 "Ultra" that would be sold alongside the ‌iPhone 16‌, iPhone 16 Pro, and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max as a more expensive, feature rich option.

This guide highlights everything we've heard about the possibility of an iPhone Ultra.

Feature Set

An ‌iPhone 16‌ Ultra would be Apple's most expensive and feature rich ‌iPhone‌, offering options beyond those available with the Pro models. We don't have too much insight into what new additions Apple might reserve for an Ultra model, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared some possibilities.

He says that the ‌iPhone‌ Ultra could include additional camera improvements, a faster chip, a bigger display, and perhaps even a portless design without a Lightning or USB-C port.

The ‌iPhone‌ Ultra would presumably be modeled after the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple's high-end Apple Watch option. Like that device, the ‌iPhone‌ Ultra could have unique and niche features that set it apart and make it worth a more premium price tag.

Pricing

If Apple ends up unveiling an ‌iPhone 16‌ Ultra, it will be even more expensive than the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max, which is priced starting at $1,099. It is expected to be sold alongside ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and Pro Max devices rather than replacing one.

Launch Timeline

The earliest that Apple would introduce a higher-end Ultra ‌iPhone‌ is 2024, which would make it part of the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup. As 2024 is the soonest that we'll see the model, there is a possibility that it could be delayed until the iPhone 17 lineup or beyond.

iPhone 15 Ultra?

Back in September 2022, Gurman speculated that Apple might introduce an iPhone 15 Ultra that would replace the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max in the 2023 ‌iPhone‌ lineup, but it no longer appears that an ‌iPhone 15‌ Ultra is going to happen. Instead, we are expecting an ‌iPhone 15‌, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max.

Renders

Designer Jonas Daenert in February shared some conceptual images of what an ‌iPhone 16‌ Ultra could look like, with some of the design ideas taken from the Apple Watch Ultra. He imagines a thicker 12mm ‌iPhone‌ with a titanium chassis, rounded edges, protruding buttons, and orange accents.

This is in no way what Apple's ‌iPhone‌ Ultra will look like as there haven't been design rumors as of yet, but it is a fun concept to look at.

Rovio this week announced that it is renaming Rovio Classics: Angry Birds to "Red's First Flight" on the iPhone and the iPad, due to the "impact" that the "Classics" name and title was having on its wider games portfolio.

Rovio did not go into specifics on how the game is affecting its other titles, but Rovio Classics: Angry Birds is a paid app with no in-app purchases, unlike Angry Birds Friends, Angry Birds Journey, and Angry Birds 2, three other Rovio games that encourage microtransactions. Development resources for the Classic game could be used on other apps that bring in more money.

Customers who go to search for Angry Birds in the App Store will now be encouraged to download one of the newer titles with in-app purchase options rather than shown the paid $0.99 Classics option.

The Angry Birds Classics title will be unlisted from the Google Play Store on Thursday, and it will be renamed on the ‌App Store‌. Customers who have already paid for and downloaded Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will be able to continue to play it after the app has been unlisted/renamed.

Rovio said that this is "sad news" for fans and the team that worked on Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, but the company hopes fans will transition to its other titles.

Angry Birds is one of the most well-known mobile games, and it has been around since 2009. The franchise has spawned multiple titles, two movies, books, comics, theme park attractions, and merchandise. Rovio Classics: Angry Birds was introduced just about a year ago after Rovio took the time to rebuild it with a new game engine.

Apple has made notable progress on noninvasive blood glucose monitoring technology, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Planned as a future Apple Watch feature, Apple wants to use the function to allow diabetics and others to test their blood glucose levels without needing to prick the skin for blood testing.

To test glucose levels without blood, Apple is developing a silicon photonics chip that uses optical absorption spectroscopy to shine light from a laser under the skin to determine the concentration of glucose in the body. The technology is in a "proof-of-concept" stage that is viable, but needs to be condensed to a size that can fit into a wearable.

At the current time, the prototype device is sized similarly to an iPhone and can be attached to a person's arm. That is smaller than a prior version that was big enough that it required a tabletop.

TSMC developed the main chip to power the prototype, but Apple previously worked with Rockley Photonics to create sensors and chips for glucose monitoring. Rockley Photonics in 2021 unveiled a digital sensor system that it said could monitor body temperature, blood pressure, glucose trends, hydration, alcohol, lactate, and more. Rockley Photonics made it clear that Apple was its biggest customer in regulatory filings, but Apple ultimately ended the relationship.

Apple has hundreds of engineers in its Exploratory Design Group (XDG) working on the project, but the technology is still years off. According to Bloomberg, the XDG is akin to Google's X research and development project, and it is Apple's most secretive undertaking. Apple has spent hundreds of millions of dollars developing noninvasive glucose monitoring.

Apple initially started work on alternative glucose monitoring after purchasing RareLight in 2010 under the instruction of Steve Jobs. For many years, Apple used a startup called Avolante Health LLC to work quietly on the project in a secret facility before it was transitioned to the XDG.

The under-skin glucose detection technology has been undergoing human trials for the past 10 years, with Apple using a test group of people who have prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, as well as those who have not been diagnosed as diabetic.

Apple wants to be able to warn people if they're prediabetic, enabling lifestyle changes before full-blown diabetes is developed. Apple's regulatory team is holding early discussions about getting government approval for the technology.

Apple this week filed a new listing in the Bluetooth Launch Studio database, a move that sometimes foreshadows the launch of new products. The filing does not mention any specific products, but it lists the latest Bluetooth 5.3 standard and references a prior macOS-related listing, suggesting the filing could be related to upcoming Macs.

Apple is rumored to be planning new versions of the MacBook Air and the Mac Pro for release in the first half of 2023. The new MacBook Air is expected to feature a larger 15-inch display and the M2 chip, while the new Mac Pro is expected to have the same design as the 2019 model with a new M2 Ultra chip. Both new Macs could be announced as early as March or April, potentially alongside the release of macOS 13.3. However, there remains a possibility that the new Macs will not be announced until WWDC in June or later.

Bluetooth 5.3 offers benefits such as improved reliability and power efficiency, according to the Bluetooth SIG, the organization behind the standard. Apple has added Bluetooth 5.3 to several recent products, including the iPhone 14 series, the latest Apple Watch models, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and more.

Apple typically goes back and adds new products to existing Bluetooth Launch Studio listings once they have launched. It's still unclear if Apple plans to hold a March or April press event this year or if new products would be announced via press releases.

Apple already updated the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip in July 2022, while the Mac Pro has not been updated since December 2019 and remains the last Intel-based Mac that Apple sells brand new. The new MacBook Air and Mac Pro could be the last models in the M2 series, as Apple is expected to transition to the M3 chip later in the year.

Apple's previous-generation iPad is seeing a few solid discounts today on Amazon, including both Wi-Fi and cellular models. This is Apple's 10.2-inch iPad that came out in 2021 and includes the A13 Bionic chip and lacks the full-screen design of the 2022 models.

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.

Starting with the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad, you can get the silver version for $269.00 on Amazon, down from $329.00. Compared to past sales, this is a good second-best price on the 2021 iPad. It's been months since we've seen any deal on this iPad, much less an all-time low price, so this is a good opportunity to save on the tablet.

Moving to the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad, this model is on sale for $399.00 in both silver and space gray, down from $479.00. This sale is a record low price on this version of the iPad, and each model will ship in early March.

Lastly, Amazon has the 256GB cellular iPad for $529.99, down from $609.00. This is another all-time low price on the iPad, and it's only available in Silver.

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.

Apple has reportedly secured all available orders for N3, TSMC's first-generation 3-nanometer process that is likely to be used in the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro lineup as well as new MacBooks scheduled for launch in the second half of 2023.

According to a paywalled DigiTimes report, Apple has procured 100% of the initial N3 supply, which is said to have a high yield, despite the higher costs involved and the decline in the foundry's utilization rate in the first half of 2023. Mass production of TSMC's 3nm process began in late December, and the foundry has scaled up process capacity at a gradual pace with monthly output set to reach 45,000 wafers in March, according to the report's sources.

Apple is widely expected to adopt TSMC's 3nm technology this year for the A17 Bionic chip likely to power the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. The 3nm technology is said to deliver a 35% power efficiency improvement over 4nm, which was used to make the A16 Bionic chip for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

The latter two iPhone models were the first smartphones to feature chips built on the 4nm process, and it looks like Apple is again attempting to be first to market with models based on the latest cutting-edge semiconductor technology.

Apple plans to release a new MacBook Air in the second half of 2023, and it may be equipped with a 3nm chip, according to a January report from DigiTimes. However, display industry analyst Ross Young in December claimed that a 15-inch MacBook Air would be released in the first half of 2023. If DigiTimes' outlook turns out to be accurate, then perhaps both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs with M3 chips based on 3nm technology will launch in the second half of 2023 instead.

Looking further ahead, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros coming in 2024 will feature M3 Pro and ‌M3‌ Max chips that are built on TSMC's 3nm process. MacBook Pro models with the ‌M3‌ Pro and ‌M3‌ Max chips will go into mass production in the first half of 2024, according to Kuo.

The 3nm technology will offer improved performance and better power efficiency compared to the current chips manufactured on a 5-nanometer process, including the M2 Pro found in Apple's current high-end Mac mini and the M2 Pro and ‌M2‌ Max used in its latest 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

TSMC is poised to move to N3E – an enhanced version of N3, its first-generation 3nm technology – to commercial production in the second half of this year, and Apple will be the first customer to adopt the process, according to another report this week from DigiTimes. Nikkei Asia reported in September that Apple could adopt N3E for devices launching as soon as this year, but we've not seen any other reports corroborating this roadmap.

Uber today announced it is updating its iPhone app with Live Activities support in over 1,200 cities around the world following several months of testing. The new version of the app will be available on the App Store starting this morning.

Live Activities is an iOS 16 feature that allows iPhone users to stay on top of real-time events right on the Lock Screen on all iPhones and in the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The feature will make it easier for iPhone users to track the live progress of an Uber ride at a glance without opening the app, including the latest ETA, the trip status, and the vehicle's description and license plate number.

Apple announced that Uber would support Live Activities back at WWDC 2022, and the feature has been in testing in select countries since late last year. With the latest update to the Uber app, the feature is available around the world.

Live Activities will also be supported by the Uber Eats app for food deliveries "in the coming months," according to a company spokesperson.

Other popular third-party apps that support Live Activities include Flighty for flight tracking, Citymapper for public transit, ParkMobile for parking, CARROT Weather for weather forecasts, and soon Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation.

Twitter in February 2023 announced that text message two-factor authentication (2FA) is set to become a premium feature for Twitter Blue accounts. Here's why the company's logic behind the decision doesn't make any sense from a security perspective, and why you don't need the feature anyway.

Twitter has said that it will soon be removing text message-based 2FA from non-paying accounts and turning it into a feature that will only be available to subscribers of its premium Twitter Blue offering, which costs $8 per month. This means that any users who don't pay for a Blue subscription and rely on Twitter to send them an SMS text message code to complete the login process will have the feature turned off and removed from their accounts by March 20. Their account password will become the only barrier to access.

Aside from purely financial reasons (presumably it costs Twitter to send you a text), making text-based 2FA a paid-for perk is an odd decision on Twitter's part.

Twitter has justified the policy change by saying, rightly, that SMS 2FA can be abused by bad actors. And there have indeed been "SIM swap attacks" where hackers convinced cell providers to assign a victim's phone number to a device they control, and by taking control of a person's phone number, the hacker can impersonate the victim, as well as receive text message codes to their account. But making SMS 2FA available only to Twitter Blue subscribers simply makes them more susceptible to attacks of this nature.

Twitter says that it is "committed to keeping people safe and secure on Twitter," and it's true that SMS 2FA is better than no 2FA at all, but its policy does nothing to encourage users to switch to a more secure form of 2FA – perhaps because doing so means paying Twitter absolutely nothing.

Switching to App-Based 2FA is the Solution

Rather than rely on SMS-based 2FA, Twitter users should be using a mobile authentication app, like Duo, Authy, or Google Authenticator, or the password authenticator built-in to iOS. App-based 2FA is a far more secure alternative, as it never leaves your device and doesn't involve you receiving a code sent to your phone via text message.

To use this method to secure your Twitter account, first ensure that you have your authenticator app of choice installed on your iPhone. Then follow these steps:

1. Launch the Twitter app or log in to the Twitter website.
2. Go to your account's Settings and privacy, found in the Settings and Support dropdown menu.
3. Select Security and account access -> Security.
4. Select Two-factor authentication.
5. Check the mark next to Authentication app.
6. Follow the prompts, entering your account password when requested.

When you've completed the above steps, you should be able to log in to your Twitter account using your password, accompanied by a code generated by your authenticator app. Just be sure to keep a backup of your codes – if you don't have one and you lose your phone, you'll find it a lot harder to access your 2FA accounts.

The Biden administration has declined to overrule a U.S. International Trade Commission decision that the Apple Watch infringes patents from medical device company AliveCor, potentially paving the way for an import ban on Apple's smartwatch depending on how the appeals process pans out.

California-based AliveCor said in a statement that it was informed the Biden administration would not overrule a December decision from the ITC that found the Apple Watch infringed AliveCor health monitoring patents related to electrocardiogram technology. From AliveCor's press release:

"We applaud President Biden for upholding the ITC's ruling and holding Apple accountable for infringing the patents that underpin our industry-leading ECG technology," said Priya Abani, CEO of AliveCor. "This decision goes beyond AliveCor and sends a clear message to innovators that the U.S. will protect patents to build and scale new technologies that benefit consumers."

In the December ruling, the ITC recommended a limited exclusion order and a cease-and-desist order for Apple Watch models with ECG features. Were it to be enforced, Apple would no longer be able to import new Apple Watch models that support the ECG app. Apple plans to appeal the ITC's decision in a federal courthouse.

While the ITC decision could end up in an Apple Watch ban, the US Patent and Trademark Office in December also invalidated some of AliveCor's patents, which the medical tech company says it will appeal. At the time, Apple said the ITC's decision confirms that the patents AliveCor asserted in the ITC against Apple cannot be infringed.

AliveCor and Apple are embroiled in several legal battles, as AliveCor has also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and Apple has sued AliveCor for patent infringement. Apple is also battling a patent infringement case brought by medical technology company Masimo, which asserts Apple Watch models that use light sensors to measure blood oxygen levels infringe its pulse oximeter patents.

With almost every iOS and macOS update, Apple includes a host of security improvements to address major vulnerabilities. iOS 16.3 and macOS Ventura 13.2, released back in January, were no exception. Both updates included fixes for a long list of issues, including two that were highlighted today in a report from Trellix.

Trellix Advanced Research Center discovered a new class of privilege execution bugs within iOS and macOS, which could be exploited to delve into an iPhone or Mac user's messages, location data, photos, call history, and more.

In a blog post highlighting how the bug was found, Trellix explains how mitigations that Apple introduced for the FORCEDENTRY zero-click exploit in September 2021 could by bypassed, allowing for a "huge range of potential vulnerabilities."

Trellix found its first vulnerability in the coreduetd process, which could be used to give an attacker access to a person's calendar, address book, and photos. Vulnerabilities in OSLogService and NSPredicate were able to be exploited to achieve code execution within Springboard, providing attackers access to the camera, microphone, call history, and more.

Data about these vulnerabilities was relayed to Apple, and the company fixed the exploits in iOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 Ventura. Security support documents for both updates were refreshed yesterday to reflect the addition of the patches.

Trellix is credited with two vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-23530 and CVE-2023-23531) that Apple patched with improved memory handling. Trellix said that it thanks Apple for working quickly to fix the issues.

Apple's AirPods 2 have dropped to $99.00 today on Amazon, down from $129.00. Amazon is expecting a delivery estimate of late February for most locations in the United States as of writing.

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 is an overall second-best price on the AirPods 2, but we of course haven't tracked record low deals since the holidays. If you're shopping for a cheaper pair of AirPods in 2023, this will be your best bet.

This model of the AirPods comes with the Lightning Charging Case. We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

Following leaks earlier this month, Apple's Beats by Dre brand is today announcing three new colors of its popular Beats Fit Pro earphones: Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, and Coral Pink. Originally launched in late 2021, Beats Fit Pro are an alternative to Apple's AirPods Pro which offer many of the same features such as active noise cancelation (ANC) and an H1 chip for Apple-specific features like "Hey Siri" and Find My support and automatic device switching, but in a more fitness-focused design.

As part of the refreshed color launch coming this Thursday, February 23, Beats is debuting a new "LOCK IN. WORK OUT." marketing campaign featuring singer/songwriter Chlöe Bailey and tennis player Frances Tiafoe.

Rather than the iconic stems of AirPods, Beats Fit Pro offer a lower-profile look that emphasizes an in-ear design but includes flexible wingtips on top for increased stability. With no stems for force sensors like on AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌, Beats Fit Pro controls are on the main body of each earbud with essentially the entire outer surface of each bud being a clickable button with the "b" Beats logo on it.

The onboard buttons offer the standard set of audio controls, with a single press allowing for play/pause for audio or answer/hang up for phone calls. A double press skips forward to the next audio track, while a triple press skips backward.

Each earbud also supports a press-and-hold function that can be configured independently for each side, such as using one side to activate ‌Siri‌ if you don't wish to use the "Hey ‌Siri‌" trigger phrase and the other side to cycle through listening modes (ANC, Transparency, and off). Alternatively the press-and-hold function can be used for onboard volume control with one bud raising the volume and the other lowering it.

Battery life for Beats Fit Pro checks in at around six hours with ANC or Transparency mode turned on and up to seven hours with those features turned off. The USB-C charging case lets you carry another 21 hours of battery life with you.

Overall, Beats Fit Pro have proven very popular with users, as many find the buds more comfortable to wear than ‌AirPods Pro‌, especially when working out or otherwise being active, and they offer solid sound quality and ANC. For more on Beats Fit Pro, be sure to check out our original hands-on coverage.

Offered at the same $199.99 pricing as other colors, the three new Beats Fit Pro colors join the existing Stone Purple, Sage Gray, Beats White, and Beats Black options that were part of the original launch, as well as the neutral skin-tone Moon, Dune, and Earth colors launched last August in collaboration with Kim Kardashian. Orders placed through Apple can be personalized with free engraving on the charging case.

The next-generation iPhone 15 series will feature RAM improvements, according to a new report from Taiwanese research firm TrendForce.

Apple will "bump up the capacity and specifications" of RAM for iPhone 15 models, the report claims. Based on this wording, there could be improvements to both RAM amounts and speeds across the iPhone 15 series, but no specific details were provided.

TrendForce previously said iPhone 15 Pro models would likely be equipped with 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB for iPhone 14 Pro models. The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will likely remain at 6GB of RAM, but it is possible these models could be upgraded to faster LPDDR5 RAM, as iPhone 14 Pro models were last year.

Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously. Together with the rumored A17 Bionic chip for iPhone 15 Pro models, the RAM improvements would boost overall performance.

If the iPhone 15 Pro is bumped up to 8GB of RAM, it would be the first increase since the iPhone 12 Pro was released with 6GB of RAM.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series at a September press event as usual. For more details about the devices, read our iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro roundups linked below, which are updated regularly with the latest rumors.

Younger Americans prefer Apple over rival companies by significant margins, driving a generational shift toward Apple devices and social pressure, the Financial Times reports.

According to the report, younger consumers are concerned about being socially ostracised for not having an iPhone – a phenomenon that is driving young people to buy other Apple products and services, leading to growing market share across multiple product categories.

Those born after 1996, also known as Gen Z, compose 34 percent of all ‌iPhone‌ owners in the U.S., compared to just 10 percent for Samsung. For older generations, there is a relatively even split between ‌iPhone‌ and Android users. The ramifications of this shift toward Apple devices among younger people extends beyond iPhones, with these users being much more likely to purchase AirPods, Apple Watches, and Macs.

For every 100 iPhones Apple sells around the world, it also sells 26 iPads, 17 Apple Watches, and 35 pairs of AirPods, according to research by Canalys. For Samsung, every 100 smartphone sales leads to fewer than 11 tablets, six smartwatches, and six pairs of wireless earbuds being sold. This is in spite of the fact that the average selling price of an ‌iPhone‌ is almost three times that of an Android device.

Researchers who advise companies about the preferences of Gen Z consumers told the Financial Times that these customers are the most online of any age group, spending up to six hours a day on their smartphones. As a result, Apple's ecosystem is shaping social decision-making, with particular emphasis on the importance of iMessage as a social signal, necessitated by inferior experiences messaging and using group chats via SMS.

In Europe, where iMessage is less prevalent and Android has a bigger market share, the same trend is similarly visible. Canalys research indicates that 83 percent of Apple users in western Europe under 25 years old plan to keep using an ‌iPhone‌. As Gen Z gets older, this trend is likely to grow and further entrench Apple's market share, making it increasingly difficult for rival companies to capture new customers and make inroads.

Popular speaker company Sonos is preparing to launch new high-end "Era" smart speakers to compete with Apple's HomePod range, and The Verge has obtained marketing images of the products as well as some rough pricing information ahead of their release next month.

The Era 300, shown in the picture above, will be the new Sonos flagship speaker, designed to highlight music in spatial audio. Other features will include USB-C line-in, Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth playback, and AirPlay 2 support. The Verge's Chris Welch says the Era 300 is expected to be priced "in the ballpark of $450."

The size of the Era 300 is said to fall in between the Sonos One and Sonos Five, and includes a total of six drivers that direct sound forward, left, right, and up. A stereo pair of Era 300s, when used with either the Arc or second-generation Beam, will deliver rearward surround sound including upward-firing audio.

Despite the Era 300 being designed for spatial audio, the Dolby Atmos songs in the Apple Music catalog are "unlikely to be supported at this time," according to Welch, which suggests that Apple and Sonos have yet to reach an agreement. "This could always change in the coming weeks or by the time the Era 300 hits shelves," he adds.

The Era 100, shown below, has a rounder shape and won't come with upward-firing drivers, as it's not geared for spatial audio like the other product. Welch calls the new speaker "an evolved Sonos One with (ideally) better performance," thanks to the addition of a second tweeter for true stereo sound and an enlarged mid-woofer for more bass.

Like the other new speaker, the Era 100 features Wi-Fi streaming, ‌AirPlay‌ 2, Bluetooth, and USB-C. The Era 100 is expected to cost around $250 and is likely to replace the Sonos One, which currently sells for $219.

Both speakers are expected to include Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa voice assistants, but support for Google Assistant may be lacking. Welch says Sonos will separately sell a line-in adapter for USB-C audio and a "combo adapter" for plugging in over Ethernet, as there's no built-in jack on either speaker.

Sonos has reportedly set a late March release schedule for both speakers, which will be available in white and black colors, while the company is also said to be planning to launch a device in a brand new product category by the end of the year.