MacRumors

Emergency dispatch centers continue to complain about Apple's new Crash Detection feature triggering an influx of false 911 calls from skiers and snowboarders.

A report today from the New York Post notes that New York's Greene County and Pennsylvania's Carbon County have experienced a burdensome increase in false 911 calls from local ski resorts due to Crash Detection. The feature allows the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models to detect a severe car crash and automatically call emergency services if the user is unresponsive, but it is also activating when some skiers and snowboarders take a tumble.

Given that emergency dispatchers respond to all calls out of an abundance of caution, the influx in false alarms has put a strain on some call centers and could divert personnel and resources away from real emergencies. There have been several reports about the issue in other popular ski resort areas like Colorado, Minnesota, Utah, and British Columbia, Canada since Apple introduced the feature last year.

In response to the report, an Apple spokesperson told the Post that the company was collecting feedback from emergency call centers that have experienced an increase in automated 911 calls due to the feature, but declined to comment further.

Crash Detection is enabled by default on all iPhone 14 models and the latest Apple Watch models, including the Series 8, Ultra, and second-generation SE. When a crash is detected, the iPhone or Apple Watch displays an alert, which users have 10 seconds to act on. If the user is unresponsive, the device begins another 10-second countdown while sounding an alarm and vibrating/tapping, and then calls emergency services. Due to loud surroundings and thick outerwear, however, some users may be unaware that the feature was triggered.

Apple says the feature relies on sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope in the iPhone and Apple Watch, along with "advanced Apple-designed motion algorithms trained with over a million hours of real-world driving and crash record data" for increased accuracy. As with rollercoasters, the iPhone and Apple Watch may be mistaking the abrupt movement of skiing and snowboarding as a car crash in some situations.

Apple released iOS 16.1.2 in late November with unspecified Crash Detection optimizations for iPhone 14 models, followed by watchOS 9.2 in mid-December with Apple Watch optimizations. It's unclear if these optimizations have led to a reduction in false 911 calls from skiers and snowboarders; in any case, it will likely take some time before all users update their iPhone or Apple Watch to the latest software versions.

Despite this issue, there have already been several reports about the life-saving feature alerting first responders to actual car crashes.

These days Apple is associated with the iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook – game-changing products so wildly successful that they have changed the way we live. But even the most valuable company in the world has had its fair share of marketing missteps and hardware blunders.

Apple wasn't always as profitable as it is today, and the failure of some of its earlier products would have doomed most other tech companies to the annals of history. Here we take a look back at some of Apple's most infamous hardware flops. See if you agree, and let us know in the comments of any other questionable Apple devices that you think deserve to be named and shamed.

Apple III

The Apple III was the result of a project initiated in 1978 after Apple became concerned that the popularity of its Apple II, launched in 1977, would eventually wane. Originally built with hobbyists in mind, the Apple II was surprisingly popular with small businesses, but Apple was aware that IBM was working on a personal computer specifically aimed at business users, which only made Apple more eager to consolidate its hold on the market. The Apple III therefore had to be the complete system – all things to all users – and a cost-effective addition to any office or home.

A committee of engineers was assigned to the Apple III project, making it the first Apple computer not designed by Steve Wozniak. As it turned out, everyone had their own ideas about what features the Apple III should have, and all of them were included. The project was supposed to be finished in 10 months, but ended up taking two years as a result.

In November 1980 the Apple III finally launched, starting at an eye-watering $3,495, and offering twice the performance as the Apple II and twice as much memory (128KB of RAM). It was the first Apple computer to have a built-in floppy drive, and ran a new operating system called Apple SOS, featuring an advanced memory management system and a hierarchical file system.

Unfortunately, none of these innovations could save the Apple III from its flawed chassis design, and Apple was forced to recall the first 14,000 machines produced due to serious overheating issues, caused in part by Steve Jobs' insistence on not including a fan in the case. The problem was so bad that thermal expansion would often cause the chips to pop out of place. Apple even told customers to lift their machine several inches above their desks and then drop it to reseat them. A revised model under the name Apple III Plus was eventually released in 1983 that addressed the widespread failures, but the damage to the computer's reputation had already been done.

The Apple III was discontinued in April 1984, while its successor was dropped from Apple's product line in September 1985. The company sold an estimated 65,000–75,000 Apple III computers, with the Apple III Plus taking the total up to around 120,000. Jobs later said that the company lost "infinite, incalculable amounts" of money on the Apple III, and its poor reception caused thousands of US businesses to buy IBM PCs instead.

Apple Lisa

Released in 1983, Lisa officially stood for "Local Integrated Software Architecture," but was actually a backronym invented later to fit the name of Steve Jobs' daughter, Lisa. Apple positioned it as a business computer and an alternative to the Apple II. While previous computers relied on text-based interfaces and keyboard input, Lisa was the first personal computer to feature a graphical UI and mouse, interface innovations both first seen in action by Jobs during a visit to Xerox Parc's research lab in Silicon Valley.

Despite this, starting at just shy of ten grand (around $29,905 by today's standards), the Lisa was prohibitively expensive for all but the wealthiest of households, and the computer was a flop. By 1986, Apple had only managed to sell around 100,000 units, and the entire Lisa platform was discontinued. Apple was even forced to dispose of some 2,700 Lisas in a landfill in Utah. Fewer than 100 Lisa computers are believed to exist today.

Looking back, Jobs felt that Apple had lost its way. "First of all, it was too expensive — about ten grand," he said in an interview with Playboy in 1985. "We had gotten Fortune 500-itis, trying to sell to those huge corporations, when our roots were selling to people." Jobs actually got kicked off the Lisa project in September 1980 because of his volatile temperament, but as fate would have it, he subsequently joined the team that ended up developing the first Macintosh.

Apple Newton

In May 1992, Apple CEO John Sculley unveiled the Newton MessagePad to a rapt CES audience. He called the sleek black handheld gadget, which was about the size of a VHS cassette, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The Newton PDA, he said, was a completely new category of device. It came with a stylus and could be used to take notes, store contacts, and manage calendars – standard functions of any modern-day smartphone, but revolutionary in 1993. Users could take it out, send a fax, and return it to their pocket, without ever going near a desktop computer.

The truly killer feature, however, was its handwriting recognition. Or at least, that was Apple's original plan. What the audience didn't know was that it barely worked. Apple shipped the first Newton MessagePad 14 months later for $900, but by that time other companies had already rushed rival PDAs to market, and the Newton still had big problems translating handwritten notes into text. After the negative reviews, it was widely derided in the media – the comic strip Doonesbury dedicated a whole week to lampooning its handwriting recognition issues, and the device even became the butt of a joke in The Simpsons.

Apple battled to make successive versions of the Newton a success, and with the release of Newton OS 2.0 in March 1996 the handwriting recognition had been substantially improved. But it was too little, too late. The brand just couldn't shake its abysmal debut performance. Worse, Steve Jobs hated it, for two reasons: It came with a stylus ("God gave us ten styluses," Jobs would say, "Let's not invent another.") and it had been Sculley's pet project. Upon his return to Apple in 1997, Jobs pushed for the product line be killed off. It was discontinued a year later.

Newton went through eight versions of the hardware, with Apple spending $100 million on its development. Only an estimated 200,000 were ever sold. But it wasn't all a waste. The same thinking behind the PDA would eventually bring us the ‌iPhone‌.

Macintosh TV

In an age where watching streaming video on your phone or PC doesn't even raise an eyebrow, Apple's original computer-television hybrid now seems like a solution in search of a problem. But when it launched in 1993, the idea of watching TV on your Mac was completely ahead of its time.

The black chassis of the Macintosh TV was essentially an LC 520 fused with a 14-inch Sony Trinitron CRT. It came with a CD-ROM drive and remote control, while a built-in tuner card with connecting coax cable allowed broadcasts to be displayed in 16-bit color. Unfortunately, users had to choose to either watch TV or use their Mac. It couldn't display TV in a window (Picture in Picture hadn't been invented yet) and it was impossible to capture video, although users could save still frames of broadcasts as PICT files.

On the face of it, the Macintosh TV offered faster performance than the standalone LC 520, thanks to a 32MHz Motorola 68030 processor. In reality though it was bottlenecked by a 16MHz bus. Also, the 5MB of RAM was only upgradeable to 8MB, whereas the LC 520 could max out at 36MB. Costing $2,099 at launch, Apple's TV-Mac mashup was not cheap, and it failed to catch on. It was discontinued in 1995, two years after its release, by which time Apple had shipped just 10,000 units.

Pippin

Launched in 1996 with the help of Japanese game company Bandai, the Pippin was Apple's infamous stab at a CD-ROM based game console, but it was badly marketed, poorly supported, and vastly overpriced. The Pippin arrived at the height of the console wars, a time when home computers had yet to become commonplace. Apple's ill-fated plan was to shift the market dynamic with a hybrid computing/gaming device.

On the face of it, the Pippin was just that, boasting some unique features that all other console rivals lacked. Based on Macintosh architecture from the early-to-mid '90s, the Pippin ran a simplified version of Mac OS 7, making it faster than other consoles. It was also equipped with a veritable selection of ports, supporting not only modem and printer connections, but also offering users the ability to connect external peripherals like keyboards and mice.

Unfortunately, Apple's intention to give Pippin users a computer-like experience in a console form factor was partly the reason for its downfall. Costing $650, the Pippin was around $400 more expensive than leading rivals such as the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. And despite Pippin's fast performance, competing consoles had the edge in terms of software, with many sporting extensive games catalogs, whereas only 25 titles were released for Pippin owing to poor third-party developer support on the part of Bandai, a relatively unknown name among the gaming community.

Apple didn't plan to release Pippin on its own, intending to make the platform an open standard by licensing the technology to third parties, similar to its licensed Mac clone program in the late '90s. However, when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he canned the company's clone efforts and subsequently shut down Pippin development, leading Bandai to halt the production of all models of Pippin by mid-1997. Apple had hoped to ship half a million consoles a year, but only sold a total of around 42,000 in the device's short lifespan.

20th Anniversary Macintosh

Released in March 1997 to mark Apple's 20th year in business rather than the anniversary of the Mac, the "20th Anniversary Macintosh," or TAM as it became known, might look odd by today's standards, but it was a unique machine in its own right.

Its strikingly thin and upright "all-in-one" design housed several novel features, including a built-in 12.1-inch LCD flat-screen display, vertically mounted CD-ROM and floppy drives, and an integrated TV/FM tuner. The TAM ran a modified version of Mac OS 7.6.1 to control these features, while a 250MHz PowerPC 603e CPU and 64MB of RAM ensured performance was nothing to sniff at. It even had a custom Bose sound system with two accompanying speakers and a subwoofer built into the external power supply.

Delivered to customers via a direct-to-door service undertaken by tuxedoed concierges, the TAM was marketed as an executive machine, but at $7,500, the executive pricing proved too much of a turn-off, and sales were poor. In the final weeks of its availability, Apple slashed the price of the TAM to $2,000, but this only served to anger people who had paid full price, and Apple was forced to reimburse early adopters with a new PowerBook.

Only 12,000 TAMs were made, many of which were never sold. The system lasted barely 12 months in Apple's product lineup and was discontinued a year later in March 1998, shortly before the launch of the iMac G3, which offered similar specs but a larger screen, and all for just $1,299.

Power Mac G4 Cube

Unveiled on July 19, 2000, the Power Mac G4 Cube was an engineering marvel and a statement piece of Apple industrial design. At less than one fourth the size of most PCs available at the time, the fanless machine represented an entirely new class of computer, featuring a powerful G4 PowerPC processor, discrete Nvidia video card, AirPort card for Wi-Fi, and a DVD burner, all packed neatly into an elegant eight-inch cube suspended inside a transparent molded acrylic case. Steve Jobs called it "simply the coolest computer ever," and going on first impressions, it was hard to disagree.

But the Cube was doomed almost from the start. Upgradability was limited – a handle in the bottom of the Cube allowed users to pull the innards out of the case, providing access to three RAM slots and space to insert an AirPort card, but there were no PCI slots and the proprietary video card was shrunken down to fit into the tightly enclosed space. It was also too expensive, even by Apple's standards. The lowest-priced model cost $1,799, which was $200 more than the far more upgradeable Power Mac G4.

Apple sold fewer than 150,000 units in 349 days, and on July 3, 2001, Apple announced it was suspending production of the Cube indefinitely. "Cube owners love their Cubes," said Phil Schiller, Apple's then vice president of product marketing. "But most customers decided to buy our powerful Power Mac G4 minitowers instead." Apple CEO Tim Cook would later describe the G4 Cube as "a spectacular failure."

Apple has been rumored to be working on iPads with even larger displays since mid-2021, but amid reports of the 14-inch model being cancelled, what is going on with the company's larger tablet plans?

The Rumors So Far

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to float the rumor of Apple designers and engineers exploring iPads with bigger screens that could further "blur the lines" between a tablet and a laptop. In January 2022, this was followed by the news that multiple suppliers, including BOE and LG, were converting factories to be able to supply Apple with OLED displays around 15-inches in size suitable for future iPad models.

The leaker known as "Majin Bu" then claimed that Apple was working on an ‌iPad‌ with a 14.1-inch display and the M2 chip – a rumor corroborated by oft-accurate display industry analyst Ross Young, who added that the device would have a mini-LED display but no ProMotion for variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. In July last year, he amended his forecast, saying that Apple had switched to an LCD display for the device, the likes of which are used on the iPad mini and iPad Air.

In October, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that Apple is developing a 16-inch iPad that it hopes to release in the fourth quarter of 2023. The prospective device would have approximately the same screen size as a 16-inch MacBook Pro, providing users with a significantly larger canvas to work with.

Finally, Young said in December that Apple had shelved its plans to launch a 14.1-inch ‌iPad‌. Any larger ‌iPad‌ models were also missing from ‌Mark Gurman‌'s latest Apple device roadmap for this year, saying that there will be no significant ‌iPad‌ hardware updates in 2023.

What Sort of Larger iPad Is Apple Envisioning?

At least one of the larger ‌iPad‌ models that Apple was working on last year was explicitly rumored to not have ProMotion technology, suggesting that it was not an iPad Pro model. An LCD display without ProMotion would have put the 14.1-inch ‌iPad‌ well below the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ in terms of specifications, indicating that it would have been more akin to the ‌iPad Air‌.

The device could have been imagined as a larger ‌iPad Air‌ option, or even part of a whole new ‌iPad‌ product line with different priorities from anything we've seen before. At minimum, it seems plausible that such a device would be geared toward creative professionals such as graphic artists and designers who could make good use of the large touchscreen surface.

While larger ‌‌iPad‌‌ display sizes could bring the ‌‌iPad‌‌ closer the Mac than ever before, there would likely also need to be further software improvements to properly take advantage of the larger display. Despite the launch of Stage Manager in iPadOS 16, some users have continued to complain about the ‌iPad‌'s multitasking experience and inability to take full advantage of its hardware, making it more challenging to replace a conventional computer than it could be.

Can We Still Expect Larger iPad Models?

Despite the tumultuous state of rumors about larger ‌iPad‌ models, it appears that Apple is seriously interested in the prospect of launching bigger tablets in the future.

The biggest iPads that have been available since 2018 have been the 11-inch and 12.9-inch ‌‌iPad Pro‌‌. This means that the largest iPads are still smaller than the smallest MacBooks, the M1 MacBook Air and M2 ‌MacBook Pro‌, which feature 13.3-inch displays. Since the 12.9-inch ‌‌iPad Pro‌‌ is already in a similar range to the 13.3-inch MacBooks and is rumored to increase to 13-inches next year, it seems like just a matter of time before Apple offers even bigger ‌iPad‌ models.

• Will Apple Launch Any New iPads in 2023?

Bloomberg has repeatedly discussed Apple's interest in bigger iPads and although the 14.1-inch ‌iPad‌ model that was in the works is now believed to be canceled, the 16-inch model last reported by The Information could still be in active development.

2023 is expected to be a quiet year for new ‌iPad‌ hardware, with only very minor updates to the ‌iPad mini‌, ‌iPad Air‌, and entry-level ‌iPad‌ expected at best. Rumors suggest that the 16-inch ‌iPad‌ could arrive toward the end of the year, but it is possible that this could slip into 2024 – in which case the first larger ‌iPad‌ model could join redesigned ‌iPad Pro‌ models with OLED displays.

The holidays are clearly over, with the Apple rumor mill back into full swing as we hit the midpoint of January. This week saw an array of both near-term and longer-term rumors ranging from Apple's mixed-reality headset, Apple silicon Mac Pro, iPhone 15, and iOS 17 later this year to new technology potentially coming to Apple devices over the next several years.

We covered a lot of the latest rumors in this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, so make sure to tune in for more there after you read on below for an overview!

iPhone 15 Pro Now Widely Rumored to Feature Titanium Frame

It was a very busy time for Apple product rumors this week, starting with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman corroborating that iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a titanium frame, compared to a stainless steel frame currently. Titanium is also used for the Apple Watch Ultra.

iPhone 15 Pro models are also expected to feature solid-state volume and power buttons with haptic feedback.

Gurman added that the Dynamic Island will be available on all four iPhone 15 models launching later this year, as display industry analyst Ross Young claimed last year. Currently, the feature is exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Apple Reportedly Working on Touchscreen Macs, Including MacBook Pro With OLED Display

Despite years of resistance, Apple is working on adding touchscreens to future Macs, according to Gurman. His report claimed that a new MacBook Pro with an OLED display could be the first Mac with support for touch input like an iPhone or iPad.

Apple has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a touchscreen Mac over the years, so this would be a major reversal in philosophy for the company if it moves forward with these plans.

iOS 17 Rumored to Have 'Fewer Major Changes Than Originally Planned'

While we are still around five months away from Apple unveiling iOS 17 at WWDC in June, a report this week claimed that the software update may have "fewer major changes than originally planned."

The report said that Apple's focus on the "xrOS" operating system for its upcoming AR/VR headset has drawn away resources from the iPhone's software. As of now, here is is everything that we know so far about iOS 17.

Apple's 'Reality Pro' Headset Said to Debut Before WWDC, Ship in the Fall

Apple's long-awaited AR/VR headset is expected to be announced this spring and become available to purchase later in the year. Rumors suggest the headset could be named "Reality Pro."

In the meantime, more references to "xrOS" and "Reality OS" were discovered in the upcoming Apple Devices app for Windows. Apple is expected to provide more details about the headset's operating system at WWDC.

New Mac Pro With M2 Ultra Chip Might Launch This Spring Alongside macOS 13.3

The long-awaited Mac Pro with Apple silicon could be announced this spring, with the computer's launch potentially tied to macOS 13.3.

The new Mac Pro is expected to feature Apple's new M2 Ultra chip, but a higher-end "M2 Extreme" chip was reportedly canceled. The high-end desktop tower will apparently have the same design as the 2019 model, but lack user-upgradeable RAM this time around.

Apple to Design Custom Displays, Starting With MicroLED for Apple Watch Ultra

Apple reportedly plans to fully design and develop its own displays for devices in house, starting with a microLED display for a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024. The displays would still be manufactured by an outside supplier, with LG reportedly on board.

While the Apple Watch Ultra is expected to transition away from OLED technology, another rumor this week indicated that MacBooks will start switching to OLED next year.

MacRumors Newsletter

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

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Apple released the second beta of iOS 16.3 earlier this week, and so far only one new feature and two other minor changes have been discovered in the software update. It's possible that iOS 16.3 will also include various bug fixes and security updates.

iOS 16.3 should be publicly released within the next month or so, and it is possible that more features will be added in later beta versions. In the meantime, we have provided additional details about the three changes discovered so far below.

Security Keys for Apple IDs

The first iOS 16.3 beta enabled a new Security Keys for Apple ID feature that Apple said will be available globally in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to further protect their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthens Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.

Apple does not plan to release its own hardware security keys. The feature will rely on third-party security keys available from brands like Yubico, such as the YubiKey 5Ci, which has both Lightning and USB-C connectors for use with iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

HomePod Handoff Prompt

As noted by Max Weinbach on Twitter, the first iOS 16.3 beta added a new prompt to transfer/hand off music from an iPhone to a HomePod. Only the prompt itself is new, as the HomePod audio handoff feature already existed.

Emergency SOS Settings Rewording

In the second beta of iOS 16.3, Apple has tweaked the wording for some Emergency SOS options in the Settings app to be even clearer.

"Call with Hold" is now "Call with Hold and Release," "Call with 5 Presses" is now "Call with 5 Button Presses," and "Countdown Sound" is now "Call Quietly." The descriptions for each have also been updated. "Call Quietly" is toggled off by default, which is equivalent to "Countdown Sound" being toggled on.

Apple's custom-designed microLED displays for future Apple Watch models will be made by LG, according to display analyst Ross Young.

In a tweet, Young explained that LG Display is constructing a small production line to supply Apple with microLED displays destined for an Apple Watch model due to launch in 2025. The facility will reportedly supply microLED backplanes and assemble Apple's displays, opening in the second half of 2024. Earlier this week, Young said that Apple will introduce an Apple Watch with a microLED display in spring 2025.

The latest clarification appears to be a response to a report from Bloomberg that said Apple will transition to its own custom displays starting with a microLED display for the Apple Watch Ultra at the end of 2024, with the long-term goal of reducing reliance on display suppliers like Samsung and LG. According to Young, Apple will continue to depend on such partners to some extent. "Apple won't do the full process," he added.

Earlier this month, analyst Jeff Pu said a new high-end Apple Watch will adopt a larger, 2.1-inch micro-LED display, providing increased brightness compared to current Apple Watch models with OLED displays. This model would presumably be a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra, which launched last September and has a 1.92-inch display.

microLED technology features microscopic LEDs that form pixels, offering more accurate color, high contrast for improved HDR and viewing in suboptimal lighting conditions, support for wider viewing angles, reduced chance of screen burn-in, low latency for higher refresh rates, and improved efficiency.

Amazon today is hosting a new Gold Box sale on Beats headphones, including best-ever prices on the Beats Studio Buds, Beats Fit Pro, Powerbeats Pro, and more. All of the discounts below are available on Amazon and in stock today.

Starting with earbuds, Amazon has the Beats Studio Buds in Moon Gray for $89.99, down from $149.95. This is the only color on sale at this all-time low price, and all other colors are a little higher at $99.95.

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.

The Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones are on sale for $149.95, down from $249.95. This sale is available in Navy, Black, and Ivory, with all three in stock and ready to ship today.

Both versions of the Beats Fit Pro are discounted on Amazon right now: the regular Beats Fit Pro are $159.95 ($40 off) and the Beats Fit Pro x Kim Kardashian are $179.95 ($20 off). In both cases you'll find all colors available at these discounted prices.

Finally, the over-ear Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones are available for $199.99, down from $349.95. This one is available in four colors: Matte Black, Blue, Midnight Black, and Shadow Gray.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we take a look at some of the major rumors about Apple's upcoming products that have emerged since the start of the new year.

Moving into 2023, the rumor cycle is already ramping up in anticipation of all of the new devices Apple is expected to launch this year. Over just the past two weeks, we have heard reports of the next-generation MacBook Pro models being delayed, the Apple silicon Mac Pro having non-user-upgradable memory and the same design as the 2019 model, and Apple working on Macs with touchscreens and OLED displays.

There have also been rumors about the iPhone 15 Pro having a titanium frame and solid state buttons and the second-generation AirPods Max being delayed until late 2024, as well as a highly detailed report about what to expect from Apple's mixed-reality headset later this year. In addition, we reflect on this year's CES and some of the standout devices revealed there.

Listen to The MacRumors Show using apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for a discussion about Apple's best and worst moments of 2022 with Jon Prosser and Sam Kohl.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, Andru Edwards, and Mark Gurman. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Chinese brand LeEco has launched a new smartphone that can only be described as a shameless knockoff of the iPhone 14 Pro series, right down to the triple-lens rear camera design and Dynamic Island. But look closer and there are some unwelcome hidden surprises.

Called the LeEco S1 Pro and costing 899 Yuan ($135), the copycat device is certainly more affordable than Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models starting at $999, but as you might imagine, the makers have cut several corners when it comes to the specifications.

For starters, the 6.5-inch display uses an LCD panel rather than OLED, while the resolution is 1600 x 728 with a 60Hz refresh rate. Compare that to the 2556 x 1179 resolution and variable 120Hz refresh rate on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, and it's already clear that we're comparing apples and oranges.

The Dynamic Island-like pill shape at the top of the display houses a 5MP selfie camera, but alas, no Face ID (there's a fingerprint sensor on the side of the handset) although the cutout is said to be fully interactive. But any remaining hope that this could work as a like-for-like substitute for Apple's premium offering falls flat when you consider the rear of the device, which comes with a whopping functionality caveat.

The triple-lens housing on the back actually contains only a single working 13MP camera – the other two holes are entirely redundant. Still, onlookers would be none the wiser, and clearly that's the point: Owners get to show off the premium aesthetic of an ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, just without the costly hardware or features that underpin its premium status.

The handset comes in titanium black and blue. Powered by a Zhanrui T7510 chipset, the LeEco S1 Pro comes in a single configuration featuring 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and support for 5G connectivity, courtesy of Huawei Mobile Services.

Apple has acknowledged that iPhone 14 Pro Max users may see flashing horizontal lines on their display when the device is being turned on.

Last month, MacRumors reported that a growing number of ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro customers described seeing green and yellow horizontal lines flash on their ‌iPhone‌ display when the device is being turned on. The exact details at the time, including whether or not Apple was looking into the issue or whether it was a hardware or software problem, were unknown.

Now, in a new memo, Apple has acknowledged the issue and put at ease concerns it stems from a hardware defect, confirming it's being investigated and an iOS update to address it will be released soon. ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro customers may "report that when they power on or unlock their phone, they briefly see horizontal lines flash across the screen," the memo seen by MacRumors says. "Apple is aware of the issue and a software update is coming soon that will resolve the issue," the memo adds.

iOS 16.3 is currently undergoing testing with developers and members of the public beta program, but that update is not expected to launch for at least several more weeks. More imminently, Apple could release iOS 16.2.1, following the release of iOS 16.2 last month, to address this and other bugs being experienced by users.

Apple CEO Tim Cook's total compensation was $99.4 million in 2022, according to the company's proxy statement released today. His compensation included a $3 million salary, roughly $83 million in stock awards, and $13.4 million in other forms of compensation. Cook's total compensation in 2021 was $98.7 million.

Cook will be taking a substantial pay cut in 2023, as noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on shareholder feedback and Cook's recommendation to adjust his compensation in light of the feedback, the filing indicates that his target compensation for 2023 will be $49 million, which is over 40% less than his target compensation in 2022.

Despite the pay cut, Apple's Compensation Committee said the company had "exceptional performance" in 2022 under the leadership of Cook, who has served as CEO since 2011. The proxy statement indicates that the percentage of performance-based RSUs granted to Cook was increased from 50% to 75% of his 2023 target equity award.

Ahead of Apple's annual shareholders meeting on March 10, Cook shared a message to shareholders reflecting on the past year, with an excerpt below:

The global challenges with us all today — from inflation, to war in Eastern Europe, to the enduring impacts of the pandemic — make this a time for deliberate and thoughtful action. But it is not a time to retreat from the future. We’ve always run Apple for the long-term, and that means continuing to invest in innovation, in people, and in the positive difference we can make in the world.

Today, we have the strongest lineup of products and services we’ve ever had, and our technology has never shown up for our users in more ways. And our latest innovations are helping so many of us harness our creativity, connect with loved ones, find entertainment and joy, and live safer, healthier lives.

The full letter can be found on page six of the proxy statement linked above.

Apple's annual shareholders meeting is set to take place Friday, March 10 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, according to an SEC filing released today.

Those who want to attend, vote, and submit questions during the annual meeting can visit the virtual meeting website and enter a control number included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials provided to shareholders. Apple states online access will open approximately 15 minutes before the start of the meeting, but questions can be submitted in advance through Thursday, March 9 at 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Voting is open to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 9, 2023.

Items of business will include voting to re-elect the Board of Directors, ratifying Ernst & Young LLP as Apple's public accounting firm, approving executive compensation, voting on shareholder proposals, and more.

Apple's shareholders meetings are typically not very interesting to the public, as the company's executives often give vague answers and avoid discussing future products. However, the meetings can occasionally reveal a few interesting tidbits. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meetings were held in person at Steve Jobs Theater.

A future version of the Apple Store app will offer an augmented reality feature that allows customers to point their iPhone toward a product like a Mac in an Apple Store and instantly receive more information about pricing and specifications in an overlay on their screen, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his newsletter this week, Gurman said Apple has been working on the feature since at least 2020 and has been testing it at stores in recent months, but it's unclear when it will be made available to the public. He said Apple plans to release an accompanying API for developers so that other retail stores could use the feature too.

"If the service debuts in the near future, it would be one of Apple's most significant AR-related launches to date — and a taste of what's to come with the headset," wrote Gurman, in reference to Apple's long-awaited AR/VR headset expected to launch this year.

Earlier this week we shared deals on nearly every model of Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro, with the exception of the 10-Core M1 Max, 1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro. Today, Amazon has introduced a new all-time low price on this model.

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.

You can get the M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro for $2,999.99, down from $3,499.00. At $499 off, this is the best price we've ever tracked on this high-end model of the 2021 MacBook Pro, and only Amazon is offering this deal in Silver.

For more MacBook Pro deals, be sure to visit our article form earlier in the week, but note that some of these sales have since expired. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Mass shipments of second-generation AirPods Max and more affordable AirPods will likely begin in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, according to the latest information shared by Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a series of tweets today, Kuo said Apple is aiming for a $99 price for the more affordable standard AirPods. Currently, the $129 second-generation AirPods are the cheapest option from Apple, while the third-generation AirPods are priced at $169 with a Lightning charging case and at $179 with a MagSafe case. This is the second time lower-priced AirPods have been rumored in as many weeks following a prediction from analyst Jeff Pu.

Kuo did not offer any additional details about the new AirPods Max. Apple's premium over-ear noise canceling headphones were first released in December 2020 for $549, and we've previously outlined new features that would make sense for the next-generation pair, such as a USB-C port instead of Lightning, improved noise cancelation, longer battery life, new color options, a U1 chip for Precision Finding in the Find My app, and more.

Apple's next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips were slated to hit the market in "early 2023," but the laptops are now expected to be "delayed once again," according to Taiwanese publication DigiTimes.

The report does not offer a revised launch timeframe for the new MacBook Pros. In his newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release the laptops in the first half of this year and said they will have the same designs and features as the current models, but with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. Gurman said those chips will offer only marginal performance improvements over the current M1 Pro and M1 Max.

In late October, Gurman said Apple planned to release the new MacBook Pros in the first quarter of 2023 and had tied the launches to an upcoming macOS 13.3 release, but it's unclear if those plans have changed since then. Based on Gurman's latest timeframe of the first half of 2023, the new MacBook Pros should finally be released by Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June at the latest, but hopefully sooner.

Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC started mass production of 3nm chips in late December, but reports have conflicted as to whether the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips will be 3nm or remain 5nm like the M1 Pro and M1 Max.

The rest of the report is focused on how MacBook shipments will likely decline 40% to 50% sequentially in the first quarter of 2023, citing unnamed supply chain sources. The report claims that Apple "adjusting its shipment ratios" by adding Wingtech as a MacBook assembler is the primary reason for the substantial decline.

A short time ago, preview versions of Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps for Windows were discovered in the Microsoft Store, and it turns out one of those apps is hiding references to Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset operating system.

The Apple Devices app is intended to allow users to manage various Apple devices on Windows machines, functionality that was traditionally handled in iTunes but which has migrated to Finder on macOS. Windows users continue to use iTunes to manage Apple devices if needed, but with Apple working on standalone apps like ‌Apple Music‌ for Windows, it appears iTunes for Windows is nearing the end of its life and a replacement for device management functions is needed.

Upon investigating the new Apple Devices Preview app for Windows, Twitter user @aaronp613 discovered references to both "Reality OS" and "xrOS," two names that have appeared in repeated rumors as being in reference to Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had reported for quite some time that Apple was planning to call its headset platform "realityOS" or "rOS," but last month he revealed that Apple has updated its plans and will call the platform "xrOS". The name refers to "extended reality" to encompass both virtual reality and augmented reality experiences.

Over the weekend, Gurman reported that while Apple had been aiming to introduce the headset this month, the company is now planning for an introduction around its traditional spring media event time. A more complete introduction for developers will then come at WWDC in June ahead of the actual product launch later in the year.

With that introduction time frame rapidly approaching, it's no surprise that Apple is preparing its other apps and platforms to integrate with the headset and ‌xrOS‌, but the references in the new Apple Devices Preview app for Windows are likely an accidental slip-up by Apple.