MacRumors

Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location.

Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017.

Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the company.

"At Apple, we're always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers," said Apple. "With the evolving redevelopment plans at Northbrook Court Mall and the departure of several retailers, we have made the difficult decision to close our store there. We've loved serving the Northbrook community for nearly 20 years, and our valued team members will continue their roles at Apple. We look forward welcoming customers at one of our eight Chicagoland locations, as well as on Apple.com and the Apple Store app."

The news was first reported by Crain's Chicago Business.

Northbrook Court is considered to be a dying mall, as it has lost several major retailers over the past few years, including Lululemon last month.

Apple also permanently closed its Infinite Loop and Royal Hawaiian stores early last year, but it has also opened several new stores around the world since then, including at the Miami Worldcenter, The Exchange TRX in Malaysia, and elsewhere. Apple also announced that it will soon be opening a store in Downtown Detroit.

Humane today informed customers that it is discontinuing its $700 Ai Pin at the end of February, with the device set to be taken offline less than a year after it launched in April 2024.

The Ai Pin will work until 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time on February 28, which is just 10 days from now. At that point, Ai Pin features like calling, messaging, AI queries and responses, and cloud access will stop being available. Humane recommends that Ai Pin users sync their devices over Wi-Fi to download stored pictures, videos, and notes before February 28 because data will be deleted after that.

The sudden discontinuation of the Ai Pin comes as Humane is being sold to HP for $116 million. HP is purchasing Humane's CosmOS AI platform and more than 300 patents and patent applications, plus HP will be hiring Humane's employees.

Humane does not plan to provide the majority of customers with a refund, even though the Ai Pin worked for under 12 months. Refunds are only available to customers who are within their 90-day return period. Customers who purchased an Ai Pin on or after November 15, 2024 will get a refund, but other users are out the full $700. Note that all refunds must be submitted by February 27.

Humane recommends that customers recycle their Ai Pin through an e-waste recycling program, as no online features will remain functional and it will only be able to provide offline information like battery level.

Additional information about the Ai Pin's discontinuation is available on the Humane website.

Apple is expected to announce a new entry-level iPhone model tomorrow, and it is increasingly likely that the device will be named iPhone 16E.

Most rumors have referred to the device as a new iPhone SE, since it will succeed the iPhone SE (3rd generation), but there is mounting evidence that the device will be named iPhone 16E instead of iPhone SE (4th generation).

As a refresher, the iPhone 16E name was first mentioned in December by Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Later that month, a leaker known as Majin Bu on X also cited a source who claimed that the next iPhone SE will actually be named iPhone 16E.

In a follow-up post today, Majin Bu cited a source who has apparently seen an iPhone box with the name iPhone 16E on it. In addition, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Apple CEO Tim Cook's teaser post about a "new member of the family" being announced this Wednesday suggests that the device will indeed have a new name. And last, there are several Amazon listings for so-called iPhone 16E cases, although that could be guesswork.

The device is rumored to feature a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, an A18 chip, a USB-C port, Apple Intelligence support, an Apple-designed 5G modem, and more. Apple should reveal pricing and a release date tomorrow.

iPhone and iPad users in the European Union now have access to another alternative app store with the official launch of Aptoide, a gaming marketplace.

Aptoide has been around for quite some time as an app marketplace on Android devices, but the company began working on an iOS marketplace when Apple added support for sideloading apps last year. The marketplace has been in testing in a beta capacity since June 2024, but it is now available to all EU users.

"This full launch marks a major milestone in game distribution on iOS and Aptoide's commitment to an open and unrestricted app distribution ecosystem. Apple users now have access to newfound freedoms, but there's a huge amount of work still to be done to continue opening up iOS globally and reduce friction for users, and game developers."

Aptoide is a free alternative app store that's available on iPhones and iPads for those who are located in the European Union. It is unique among app marketplaces because it adds support for App Versions, so users are able to install and play older versions of iOS games.

The option to install older versions of games is useful on older iPhones that can't run newer software updates, or for those who simply prefer an older version of a game. Apptoide's game selection can be found on the Aptoide website.

Those hoping for significantly faster wired charging speeds with the iPhone 17 lineup this year might be disappointed, if the latest rumor is true.

In a note with investment firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all support up to 35W wired charging speeds.

Last year, ChargerLAB found that the iPhone 16 Pro models achieved maximum sustained charging speeds of around 30W. In one image, the website showed the iPhone 16 Pro Max reaching a peak charging speed of 37W with Apple's 140W USB-C power adapter, but it is unclear how long the device kept charging at that speed.

PhoneArena saw similar results with the standard iPhone 16. In its review last year, it said that device reached a peak charging speed of 38W when it was "under extremely heavy loads such as benchmark testing or playing games." The website said the iPhone 16 achieved a sustained charging speed of closer to 20W.

All in all, with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models already reaching peak wired charging speeds in the 35W range, it sounds like there will be no significant improvement to wired charging speeds with any of the iPhone 17 models.

Pu did not reveal wireless MagSafe charging speeds for any iPhone 17 models. iPhone 16 models can charge at up to 25W with MagSafe.

Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models.

In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with aluminum frames. Interestingly, though, he expects Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air model to have a titanium frame.

This would be a notable change for the Pro models, as all of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have titanium frames, resulting in the devices weighing less than iPhone 14 Pro models with heavier stainless steel frames.

Aluminum frames were already rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models once before.

Pu said Apple plans to use aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro models due to environmental considerations. Aluminum generally has a lower carbon footprint compared to titanium, and Apple is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality for all of its products and supply chain by 2030. Following in the footsteps of the Apple Watch, and the latest Mac mini, perhaps some iPhone 17 models will be advertised as Apple's first carbon-neutral iPhones.

It is unclear why the iPhone 17 Air would have a titanium frame, as aluminum is lighter than titanium, which would be fitting for the device's thin and light design. We may have a partial explanation, though. Last year, fellow Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air's frame would use a mix of titanium and aluminum, with a lower amount of titanium compared to the iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple surely has its reasons here, so hopefully we will find out more details before the iPhone 17 series is unveiled in September.

Apple is expected to announce the fourth-generation iPhone SE as soon as tomorrow, potentially with improved long-term value retention, according to analysis by SellCell.

Despite its lower price point, the ‌iPhone‌ SE has historically struggled with resale value compared to Apple's higher end smartphones. According to SellCell's depreciation analysis, previous SE models have seen significantly faster value loss than standard iPhones. The third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE lost 42.6% of its value within the first month and 57.8% after six months, compared to the iPhone 15 lineup, which saw a decline of 28.8% in the first month and 27.8% after six months.

A similar pattern was seen with the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE, which experienced a 50.8% drop in value within six months, whereas the ‌iPhone‌ 14 series saw a 31.1% decrease over the same period. This is likely due to the ‌iPhone‌ SE's lower starting price, use of older designs, and lower overall demand in the second-hand market.

However, it is worth noting that some smaller and lower-cost iPhones have managed to retain their value more effectively. For example, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini held its value significantly better than the SE models. The device lost only 19.2% of its value in the first month, compared to 42.6% for the third-generation SE, and after 12 months, it had depreciated by 46.1%, compared to 64.4% for the third-generation SE. Even at 24 months, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini had lost just 53% of its original value, positioning it closer to flagship models than to SE devices.

As the new ‌iPhone‌ SE is expected to adopt a more modern design with significantly upgraded specifications, it could potentially alter the depreciation trend that has defined previous ‌iPhone‌ SE models. The shift to an ‌iPhone‌ 14-style design could improve long-term demand, and if Apple equips it with a considerably more high-end chipset and camera system as expected, as well as Apple Intelligence support, it may retain value more effectively than its predecessors because it will remain competitive in the lineup for longer.

Like other devices, the ‌iPhone‌ SE sees continued depreciation following the launch of a successor. The second-generation SE saw an additional 4% drop in value within 12 weeks of the third-generation SE's release. They tend to see accelerated depreciation after their initial launch window, meaning those looking to upgrade should do so quickly after launch to maximize resale value.

Pricing will also be a key factor in determining the fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE's long-term value retention. Reports suggest the device may start at up to $499 in the United States, marking a slight increase from the current model's $429 price. While this could keep the new ‌iPhone‌ SE a compelling option for budget-conscious customers, it also raises expectations for hardware improvements that justify the price increase.

Apple's decision to delay the launch of the fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE beyond its usual two-year upgrade cycle has also created a larger gap in its lineup, leaving fewer affordable options with up-to-date hardware. This may result in increased demand for the new ‌iPhone‌ SE when it launches, particularly if it offers substantial upgrades over previous models as expected.

Apps that have not complied with the trader requirement in the European Union have been removed from the App Store, Apple informed developers today. The apps that have been removed will not be allowed back in the ‌App Store‌ until trader status is provided and verified by Apple.

Disclosing trader status is a requirement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in the EU. Developers who distribute apps in the European Union need to share information with customers that includes address, phone number, and email address, with that data listed in the EU ‌App Store‌.

Apple warned developers several times that apps without verified trader status would be removed from the ‌App Store‌ on February 17, 2025, and that has now happened. Apple has required new apps and app updates to include trader information for quite some time now, so most apps should have been updated. Trader status information can be added through ‌App Store‌ Connect.

The DSA requires Apple to verify and display contact details for all "traders" who are distributing apps on the ‌App Store‌ in the European Union. Developers who make money from the ‌App Store‌ through an upfront purchase price or through in-app purchases are considered traders, regardless of size.

Independent developers and small companies may not have dedicated business addresses and phone numbers to provide to customers, so some developers have been unhappy with the EU's requirement. Developer contact information will be displayed on the ‌‌App Store‌‌ product page when an app is distributed in any of the 27 territories in the EU.

More information on determining who is a trader and who needs to provide contact details can be found on Apple's website.

Nomad today announced the launch of an updated version of its ChargeKey portable charger, with the new model gaining support for 240W charging and 10Gb/s data transfer speeds.

The USB-C to USB-C ChargeKey can fast charge an iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, Android device, and more at up to 240W. The prior version of the ChargeKey was limited to 60W charging speeds and USB 2.0 data transfer speeds, so the new model offers notable improvements for MacBook users and those who need a portable cable for data transfers.

Like the previous ChargeKey, the 240W model has a braided nylon cable with electroplated zinc cable housings. It's compact and small enough to fit on a keychain, and the two cable tips attach to one another magnetically when not in use.

Nomad is selling the ChargeKey for $25, and it is available from the Nomad website starting today.

Today we're tracking a few iPad discounts on Amazon, including low prices on the M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro. These deals include multiple all-time low prices on Apple's tablets, matching the prices we tracked over the holiday season in many cases.

M2 iPad Air

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Amazon has nearly every model of Apple's M2 iPad Air on sale this week at $100 off, all of which are matching the record low prices for each tablet. You'll also find Best Buy matching these discounts, and you don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus/Total member to get the deals.

Delivery estimates have slipped into March for many of these iPad Air models on Amazon. In general, you'll get better estimates from Best Buy for these tablets, and you'll find those matching deals below as well.

11-inch iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $499.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $599.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $999.00 ($100 off) [only at Best Buy]

13-inch iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $699.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $799.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $899.00 ($200 off) [only at Amazon]
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]

M4 iPad Pro

Similar to the iPad Air tablets, both Amazon and Best Buy are providing record low prices on Apple's M4 iPad Pro this week. For the 11-inch models, on Amazon you'll need to clip an on-page coupon to see the final sale price, and on Best Buy you'll need to be a My Best Buy Plus/Total member.

The same stipulations don't apply to 13-inch models, which are available without coupons or the need of a membership. Every price listed below is the match of an all-time low price on each iPad Pro model.

11-Inch iPad Pro - Wi-Fi

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $849.00 ($150 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,049.00 ($150 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,449.00 ($150 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]

13-Inch iPad Pro - Wi-Fi

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $1,099.00 ($200 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,299.00 ($200 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,699.00 ($200 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 1TB Wi-Fi with Nano-Texture Glass - $1,799.00 ($200 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• 2TB Wi-Fi - $2,099.00 ($200 off) [matched at Best Buy]

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

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The rear cameras on iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to be housed in a new rectangular bar with rounded corners. A similar design change has also been rumored for the iPhone 17 Air, but the lowest-end iPhone 17 might miss out.

According to Jon Prosser, who runs YouTube channel Front Page Tech, the standard iPhone 17 will have the same overall design as the standard iPhone 16.

If so, the iPhone 17 would have two vertically-aligned rear cameras in a pill-shaped bump.

This means the standard iPhone 17 would be the most unchanged new model launching this year, in terms of appearances. However, customers who are not fans of the new camera bar might be relieved to know that a more familiar design might remain available for at least one more year. Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September.

Major League Soccer returns for its 30th season this coming weekend, with all 30 clubs set to take the field on Saturday and Sunday.

To celebrate the league's 30th season, Apple today announced that the left sleeve of every MLS club's jersey will feature a bespoke Apple TV patch throughout the season. There are 30 custom Apple TV jersey patches in total, with each inspired by the given club's "distinctive crest, color palette, and visual identity," according to Apple.

Here is what the new Apple TV jersey patch looks like for Inter Miami CF:

TechRadar's Jacob Krol today shared more details about the jersey patches. He also spoke with Apple's global head of sports marketing, Emeka Ofodile.

MLS jerseys already had an Apple TV patch for the past few seasons, but the logo previously had a generic design in white or black.

2025 marks the third year of a 10-year Apple-MLS partnership. In the Apple TV app, you can subscribe to MLS Season Pass to watch all regular season and playoff matches. In the U.S., MLS Season Pass is priced at $14.99 per month, or $99 for the full season. Apple TV+ subscribers can subscribe for $12.99 per month, or $79 per season.

New this season, Apple TV+ subscribers can watch a featured MLS match every Sunday evening, even if they do not subscribe to MLS Season Pass. The inaugural Sunday Night Soccer matchup will see the league's newest franchise, San Diego FC, make its debut against the reigning MLS champions LA Galaxy, on Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

In related news, the Apple TV app launched on Android smartphones last week, complete with access to MLS Season Pass.

Amazon this week has introduced a coupon for the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, bringing the price of the earbuds down to $148.99, down from $179.00. To see the sale price, you'll just need to clip the coupon on the sale page and then head to checkout.

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.

As of writing, we aren't tracking a low price on the base model without ANC.

In addition to Active Noise Cancellation, AirPods 4 with ANC feature Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness, and they come in a wireless charging case with a speaker for Find My support. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Nanoleaf today announced the launch of a SmarterLife Pricing Initiative that will see the company permanently lowering the prices on all of its most popular products. Nanoleaf is aiming to make smart lighting more accessible to customers, with lower costs for the Shapes, Lines, Elements, Blocks, and Skylight modular lighting options.

The discount has been in the works for some time, and Nanoleaf says that it worked with its manufacturing and supply chain teams over the last two years to reexamine, rework, and reoptimize manufacturing processes, materials, and structures with the goal of cutting costs.

Nanoleaf says that it is able to cut down on costs without compromising product quality or design, and prices have been reduced up to 36 percent.

The base Triangle Smarter Kit, for example, is now $150, down from $200. The kit with 16 triangles is now $300, down from $410, and Skylight pricing now starts at $200, down from $250. Price cuts are applicable to most of the multi-piece kits that Nanoleaf sells, along with expansion packs and bundles.

The updated pricing is available today from the Nanoleaf website, and will be rolling out to retailers like Amazon and Best Buy soon.

All iPhone 17 models in Apple's upcoming flagship iPhone 17 series will use Samsung's high performance "M14" OLED display panel, according to the Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital.

Samsung's "M" series of OLED panels are made for flagship smartphones, while "14" refers to the number of high-performance materials used to produce them. The "M14" panel was used in last year's Apple's iPhone 16 Pro models, and delivers a 30% increase in brightness along with improved longevity compared to the previous M13 panel, thanks to improvements in the efficiency of the blue-emitting layer.

Oddly, Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 Ultra uses an improved version of the older M13 panel, so it looks like the regular iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air could well have an objectively better display in at least some respects.

Apple's use of the M14 panel for all models makes sense, as Apple intends to expand ProMotion to all iPhone 17 models to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. Previously, only "Pro" models in Apple's iPhone lineup have had the feature.

Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that can show the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.

• 14 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Last year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max got bigger display sizes, going from 6.12- and 6.69-inches to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For 2025, Apple is also expected to bring the larger 6.27-inch display size to its standard ‌iPhone‌ model, while the iPhone 17 Air – replacing the Plus model – is rumored to have a 6.6-inch display, which means it will be larger than the iPhone 17 but smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI on Tuesday announced Grok-3, and Musk is making some bold claims. The new AI model is said to have more than ten times the computing power of its predecessor and outperforms leading competitors, including OpenAI's GPT-4o and Google's Gemini.

The latest iteration of xAI's flagship model introduces new "reasoning" capabilities through two distinct modes: "Think," which displays the AI's reasoning process while resolving requests, and "Big Brain" for handling more computationally intensive tasks.

Alongside the model update, xAI announced Deep Search, which the company describes as a "next generation search engine." The new feature is designed to analyze information from the internet and X (Twitter) to provide comprehensive answers to user queries.

Grok-3 will be available to X Premium Plus subscribers, which now costs $40 per month, up from $22 – the second such price hike in as many months. The company is also launching a new subscription tier called SuperGrok, priced at $30 per month, offering "the most advanced capabilities and earliest access to new features."

Musk said that Grok-3 is designed to be a "maximally truth-seeking AI," even when such truth might conflict with political correctness. The model has faced previous criticism for spreading election misinformation and having fewer restrictions on text-to-image generation.

Grok-3's reasoning capabilities are available in the Grok app. In the future, xAI says it plans to add synthesized voice capabilities to the Grok chatbot and intends to make the previous version, Grok-2, open source in the coming months.

Apple has stopped signing iOS 18.3, preventing iPhone owners who have upgraded to iOS 18.3.1 from downgrading to that version of iOS. Apple released iOS 18.3.1 a week ago, two weeks after the company released iOS 18.3.

Apple often stops signing an older version of iOS, usually within a week or two after a new version is released. When an update is no longer signed, it can't be installed on an ‌iPhone‌ due to a server-side software verification check.

This policy encourages users to keep their operating systems up to date. By preventing customers from downgrading to older versions of iOS, Apple ensures that devices have the newest security improvements.

Apple's iOS 18.3.1 update included bug fixes and security updates. One of those fixes addressed a vulnerability that was actively exploited in the wild, demonstrating why it is important to keep iOS software up to date.

Is this what the iPhone 17 Pro model looks like in Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series? Front Page Tech's 3D artist Asher on Tuesday shared this image of the alleged design of the iPhone 17 Pro, offering perhaps the most polished example yet of Apple's next-generation premium smartphone, should it turn out to be accurate. The image is based on increasingly consistent reports that Apple is adopting an oblong camera bump right across the top of the rear shell, similar to the Google Pixel 9 Pro.

The camera bar is considerably larger than many earlier concepts circulating online have depicted. The camera lenses retain their triangular arrangement and are located on the left side of the bar, while the LED flash, rear microphone, and LiDAR Scanner are lined up vertically on the right side. Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, who claims to have seen the device, says the iPhone 17 Pro has a two-tone finish, with the camera bar looking darker than the rest of the rear shell.

Questions remain about the accuracy of the renders. For instance, the flash and the LiDAR sensor are typically located close to camera lenses to maximize function and accuracy. It's not clear if the new camera bar designs are meant to be a functional change or a purely aesthetic choice made by Apple to refresh the look. It's worth noting that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Front Page Tech's renders are based on a fake CAD drawing, but the larger camera bump has been previously reported by other sources, including Chinese leakers with alleged contacts within Apple's supply chain.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a similar redesigned camera module, but that seems likely given Apple's tendency to maintain design consistency across Pro models. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Air, which replaces the Plus model in the upcoming series, is expected to adopt a narrower camera bar housing a single camera on the left side and a microphone and LED flash horizontally lined up on the right side. Whether the regular iPhone 17 will adopt a similar design signature for the camera bump is as yet unknown.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series around its typical mid-September time frame. What do you think of the alleged Pro model redesign? Let us know in the comments.