Just a few weeks ahead of Apple unveiling the iPhone 16 series, we potentially have an early look at a new color option for the Pro models.
9to5Mac today shared a mockup image of the rumored gold finish for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, based on information provided by a previously-accurate source. The publication believes this image is "likely" accurate.
iPhone 15 Pro models were the first highest-end iPhones to not be available in gold since the iPhone X. The devices are offered in four finishes, including Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium. The addition of a gold color option for iPhone 16 Pro models would mark a return to the norm.
There have been many rumors about the iPhone 16 Pro models being offered in a gold or bronze option, which is expected to replace Blue Titanium. Apple's event on September 9 is fast approaching, so we'll find out for sure soon.
Labor Day deals have kicked off this week, and as we head into the long weekend you can still find great discounts on AirPods Max, MacBook Air, Sonos speakers, and more. We're also tracking fresh markdowns on iPhone 15, the 10th gen iPad, M3 MacBook Pro, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Labor Day Deals
What's the deal? Save on AirPods, MacBook Air, and more this weekend
Where can I get it? Amazon, Best Buy, Sonos, and more
Labor Day is coming up on September 2, and many retailers have kicked off sales that you can shop over the long weekend. You can find the full list of the sales in our original article, but we've collected a few of the best sales below as well.
AT&T is offering up to $1,000 off iPhone 15 models ahead of the launch of the next generation devices in September. You'll find offers on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Plus for new and existing AT&T customers.
We're tracking one of the first notable discounts in weeks on the 10th generation iPad at both Amazon and Best Buy. Prices start at $299.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, and include both cellular devices as well.
MacBook Pro
What's the deal? Take up to $700 off M3 MacBook Pro
Best Buy and Amazon have a match of the all-time low price on the 512GB M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro right now, available for $1,499.00, down from $1,999.00. This beats the previous low price by $100, and is available to all Best Buy shoppers without the need of a membership. You can find multiple 14-inch and 16-inch models on sale right now at both retailers.
Samsung Monitor
What's the deal? Take $800 off 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Monitor
Earlier in the week, we began tracking a low price on Samsung's 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Monitor. This deal has gotten even better today, now available for $800.60, down from $1,599.99, marking a new all-time low price on the monitor.
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.
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's recently announced "It's Glowtime" event for September 9 and what we're expecting from this year's M4 Mac models.
Apple this week sent out invitations for the "It's Glowtime" event that it is set to host on Monday, September 9. It is highly likely to unveil the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods 4. We take a look at the event invite that clearly hints at Apple Intelligence's prominent presence at the event and weigh up what sort of role it could play in each of the devices that are set to be revealed.
We also look at the upcoming M4 Mac models expected to launch this year: an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip, new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, a new iMac with the M4 chip, and a completely redesigned Mac mini with the M4 and M4 Pro chips. With the exception of the new Mac mini, these devices are expected to be minor refreshes that focus on chip upgrades, but they could come with 16GB of memory as standard across the board for the first time. Some of these machines are now believed to be in mass production, so while they probably won't be announced at Apple's "Glowtime" event, launch is likely to take place soon.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Best Buy and Amazon have introduced major discounts on the M3 MacBook Pro today, offering up to $1,000 off select models. This includes an all-time low price on the entry-level M3 512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro at $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00, and a massive $1,000 discount on the high-end 16-inch model exclusively for Best Buy members.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Across the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro lineup you'll find $300-$500 off every model on Best Buy and Amazon. In regards to the Best Buy discounts, most of these do not require a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership and are available to all customers. The only exceptions are the higher-end M3 Pro 1TB and M3 Max 1TB models, which have an extra $100 discount exclusively for Best Buy members.
If you're shopping for the 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro, you'll find the steepest discounts at Best Buy. The biggest savings will be found on the M3 Max, 48GB RAM, 1TB SSD model at Best Buy, which is being discounted by $500 for all shoppers, and an extra $500 exclusively for My Best Buy members. This adds up to a massive $1,000 discount on the high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro, at the new record low price of $2,999.00.
LG today announced that it will be offering a three-month free trial of Apple TV+ on select smart TV models from September 9 through November 17.
The offer will be available to new and "qualified" returning subscribers in both the Apple TV app and LG Streaming app in over 90 countries on 2018-2024 models of LG's 4K and 8K smart TVs, including StanbyME and StanbyME Go models.
The offer is part of LG Streaming Week.
Apple TV+ typically offers a free one-week trial, or a one-month trial with an Apple One package.
Apple TV+ is priced at $9.99 per month or $99 per year in the U.S. as an individual subscription. The streaming service provides access to Apple's library of original series and films, including hits such as The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, Silo, and Severance.
Apple is expanding its selection of spatial and immersive experiences for the Vision Pro headset with a series of new games, apps, and video content.
Among the newly introduced experiences is a spatial version of "Castle Crumble," a physics-based puzzle game that lets players interact in a 3D environment. Players can use their hands to precisely target the castles' weak points with a variety of powerful explosives, mystical spells, and unlockable boosts. Castle Crumble is available now on the App Store.
"Puzzle Sculpt," another spatial game, is set to release on September 5. Developed by Schell Games, an award-winning studio known for pioneering gameplay with emerging technologies, "Puzzle Sculpt" offers a relaxing, 3D puzzle-solving experience. The game invites players to interact with a variety of puzzles in a fully immersive spatial environment.
Meanwhile, "Immersion Golf" from Tag Heuer takes golf enthusiasts to the next level with detailed 3D maps of nearly 40,000 courses worldwide. The app allows players to preview course layouts and obstacles, providing a comprehensive tool for planning their game strategy.
"Sandblox: The Marble Game" allows players to create and share physics-based puzzles and marble runs using intuitive hand tracking. The game encourages both solo and collaborative play, with users able to build complex structures and share their creations online. "Pinball Nation" transforms living spaces into a virtual 1980s pinball arcade, complete with life-sized virtual tables and realistic gameplay, while "Beat Slash - Mixed" offers a high-energy rhythm game where players use swords to slash beats in time with the music.
Starting September 6, Vision Pro users will also have access to new films and series captured in Apple Immersive Video. This includes the premiere of "Elevated," an aerial travel series that provides viewers with breathtaking views from staggering heights. Available exclusively to U.S. users, "Elevated" aims to transport audiences to iconic vistas around the world. Another notable addition is "4 Minutes Inside Super Bowl LVIII," a short film that offers an immersive glimpse into the intense atmosphere of the Super Bowl LVIII, where the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the San Francisco 49ers. This film will be available to a global audience.
On the same day, Vision Pro users worldwide will also be able to watch the first episode of "Boundless," titled "Hot Air Balloons," and the second episode of "Wild Life," focusing on elephants.
Popular Vision Pro apps are also receiving significant updates. The PGA TOUR app now features SharePlay support, enabling users to watch every hole, follow the leaderboard, and examine every shot in 3D. Meanwhile, "Synth Riders," available on Apple Arcade, has been enhanced with a new Adrenaline Pack, adding high-energy punk and ska music to its existing eclectic mix.
Amazon is set to release a revamped version of its Alexa voice assistant this October that will be powered by AI models from Anthropic's Claude, rather than Amazon's in-house AI technology, reports Reuters.
Amazon's Echo device with Alexa
The decision to use Claude's AI models comes after Amazon's internal software reportedly struggled with performance issues during initial testing. Sources who spoke to Reuters claim that early versions using Amazon's own AI had difficulty responding promptly, sometimes taking up to 6-7 seconds to acknowledge and reply to prompts.
This new AI-enhanced "Remarkable" Alexa is expected to offer more advanced capabilities compared to the current version. Users will reportedly be able to engage in more complex, context-aware conversations with the assistant.
Some potential features include providing shopping advice for specific scenarios like vacation clothing recommendations, aggregating news stories, executing multi-step tasks from a single prompt such as ordering food or drafting emails, and enhanced home automation with improved ability to remember and apply user preferences.
Amazon plans to offer this upgraded "Remarkable" Alexa as a paid subscription service, with pricing anticipated to be between $5 to $10 per month. In other words, it won't be included in existing Prime memberships. The existing "Classic" Alexa service will remain available for free.
The move to partner with Anthropic for AI technology contrasts with Amazon's typical strategy of relying on in-house developments, but similar partnerships such as Microsoft and Apple's collaborations with OpenAI for ChatGPT integration indicate a broader shift in the tech industry.
Amazon has invested $4 billion in Anthropic, which may have influenced this decision, but the full details of the agreement between the two companies regarding the use of Claude in Alexa have not been disclosed.
Industry analysts estimate that there are approximately 100 million active Alexa users. If 10% of these users opt for the paid version, it could potentially generate at least $600 million in annual revenue for Amazon, assuming the lower end of the expected price range.
The launch of this new Alexa comes at a critical time for Amazon's voice assistant division. Despite Alexa's widespread adoption, with Amazon claiming 500 million Alexa-enabled devices sold, it has struggled to generate significant revenue. Amazon's leadership has reportedly emphasized that 2024 is a crucial year for Alexa to demonstrate its ability to drive meaningful sales.
While Amazon has confirmed its use of various AI models, including its own Titan model and those from partners, it has not specifically commented on the use of Claude for the new Alexa. The official unveiling of the new AI-powered Alexa is expected to take place at Amazon's annual devices and services event, typically held in September.
Spotify says users on iPhone will no longer be able to control the volume of connected devices using their physical volume buttons after Apple "discontinued" the technology that enables the functionality. The change impacts Spotify Connect, a feature that allows users to control Spotify playback on various devices like speakers, game consoles, and smart TVs.
The streaming giant claims that the previous method had become unstable, leading to issues such as volume spikes during playback. As a result, iPhone users will now have to resort to an in-app slider to adjust volume, a change that Spotify is calling a "workaround," reports The Verge.
To use the new volume control, iPhone owners will need to tap a notification that appears when they press the physical volume buttons. This notification will prompt them to use the in-app slider. Spotify claims that the new solution will provide "persistent, high-quality" volume control, despite the extra steps involved for users. The change is set to take effect on September 3, but some users are reportedly already seeing it.
Spotify claims that Apple is refusing to grant access to the same technology that allows Apple Music to play on third-party devices. In a continuation of long-held tensions between the two companies, the streaming service has gone as far as suggesting that this could violate the EU's Digital Markets Act, which requires major platforms to open up to third-party services.
"We've made requests to Apple to introduce a similar solution to what they offer users on HomePod and Apple TV for app developers who control non-Apple media devices," Spotify said in its update. "Apple has told us that they require apps to integrate into HomePod in order to access the technology that controls volume on iPhones."
Spotify's volume control workaround for Spotify Connect
Apple actually offers an API for third-party music services to stream directly to HomePods, but for whatever reason Spotify has chosen not to implement it. Fortunately, iPhone users running iOS 17 can still start an AirPlay session on HomePod using a Siri command (e.g. "Siri, play Fleetwood Mac on Spotify"). It's worth noting that this change only affects Spotify Connect on iOS. Spotify users controlling volume via Bluetooth or AirPlay will not be impacted.
For over two decades, the MacRumors Buyer's Guide has served as a valuable resource for keeping track of when Apple products were last updated.
Below, we have highlighted five current-generation Apple products that have not received hardware upgrades in several years. We also provide some purchasing recommendations based on both rumors and our own opinions.
This list excludes previous-generation Apple products still sold, such as the iPhone 13, along with various accessories and cables.
Pro Display XDR
Apple released the Pro Display XDR in December 2019, so it will be five years old later this year. The high-end monitor starts at $4,999 and features a 32-inch screen size with 6K resolution, but it lacks a built-in camera and speakers.
In December 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was working on multiple new external monitors, including an updated version of the Pro Display XDR that will be equipped with an Apple silicon chip, just like the Studio Display with the A13 chip. However, it's unclear when the new Pro Display XDR will be released or what other new features it will have.
Age: 4 years and 8 months
Recommendation: Given how expensive the Pro Display XDR is, it is worth waiting for the next model at this point. Also consider the Studio Display, which is over two years newer, more affordable, and has a built-in camera and speakers.
HomePod mini
Released in November 2020, the HomePod mini is also nearly four years old. The smaller Siri-enabled smart speaker has not received any hardware updates since launching, although it did get Blue, Orange, and Yellow color options in November 2021, and Space Gray was replaced with a virtually-identical Midnight finish a few months ago.
In February 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass shipments of a second-generation HomePod mini would begin in the second half of 2024, but it is unclear if that info is still accurate, as there have not been any recent HomePod mini rumors.
Age: 3 years and 9 months
Recommendation: Given there was a rumor that a new HomePod mini might be released later this year, it might be best to hold off for three to four more months to see if that happens. However, given the HomePod mini is a modest $99, there is not too much harm in purchasing one now if you don't want to wait.
AirPods Max
Released in December 2020, the AirPods Max will turn four years old later this year. Apple's over-ear headphones have not received any hardware updates since, and remain priced at $549 on Apple's online store, with five color options available.
Age: 3 years and 8 months
Recommendation: We recommend waiting for the AirPods Max with a USB-C port to launch later this year, but the headphones will still more or less be four years old beyond that change, so you may wish to consider newer competing options, such as the Sony XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Sonos Ace. Amazon does have the AirPods Max on sale for $399 if you are interested in purchasing them now at a discount.
iPad mini
Apple released the current iPad mini in September 2021, with new features at the time including a larger 8.3-inch display, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power button, the A15 Bionic chip, 5G support on cellular models, a 12-megapixel rear camera with Center Stage support, compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and more.
In November 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of the next iPad mini would begin in the second half of 2024. More recently, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said inventory of the current iPad mini was starting to dwindle at Apple Stores, which could be a sign that the device will be updated in the near future.
Rumored features for the next iPad mini include a newer chip, upgraded cameras, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, new color options, and a fix for the so-called "jelly scrolling" effect on the current model's display.
Age: 2 years and 11 months
Recommendation: At this point, we suggest waiting for the new iPad mini that is rumored to launch later this year.
AirPods 3
Released in October 2021, the third-generation AirPods are nearly three years old.
Two new fourth-generation AirPods models are expected to be unveiled at Apple's special event on September 9, with both options rumored to feature a tweaked design with better fit in the ear, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C port. The higher-end AirPods 4 are also said to feature active noise cancellation, and a speaker in the charging case that can play a sound for Find My location tracking.
Age: 2 years and 10 months
Recommendation: Do not buy! Apple is expected to announce the fourth-generation AirPods in less than two weeks.
Apple is in talks to invest in artificial intelligence company OpenAI, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The report did not indicate how much money Apple would be investing in OpenAI, or provide any additional details about the discussions, but it said this latest fundraising round would value the ChatGPT maker above $100 billion.
Apple previously announced that ChatGPT integration is coming to Siri on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia before the end of the year.
With user permission, Siri will be able to show ChatGPT answers directly in response to questions and other prompts. ChatGPT will also be an option for Apple's system-wide Writing Tools feature, allowing users to generate text and images. Apple said ChatGPT will be powered by OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model on its platforms.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will be able to use ChatGPT for free, without creating an account, and ChatGPT Plus subscribers will be able to connect their accounts to access paid features on these devices. Apple said OpenAI will not store ChatGPT requests made from its devices, and it said users' IP addresses will be obscured.
Apple Intelligence features started rolling out to developers for testing in the iOS 18.1 beta last month, but ChatGPT integration is not available yet.
Apple Intelligence features require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, or a Mac or iPad equipped with an M1 chip or newer. The device's language must be set to U.S. English, with support for additional languages to roll out over the next year.
Microsoft is also planning to further invest in OpenAI, the report said.
Apple today announced several new features and changes coming to its Sports app on the iPhone.
Starting with iOS 18 and watchOS 11, the Apple Sports app will offer Live Activities for all teams and leagues available in the app, according to Apple. Live Activities provides live scores and play-by-play information at a glance on the iPhone's Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island on newer models, and on the Apple Watch.
Apple added that Live Activities will no longer be available in the Apple TV app with iOS 18.
Apple said the Sports app has also been optimized for the latest NFL and college football seasons. The app now offers "quick access to scoring drives presented alongside the view of every game play," along with a new dynamic drive tracker that "lets fans visualize where the ball is on the field at any time," the press release said.
In addition, Apple said the app will be updated later this year with a new drop-down navigation and enhanced search functionality.
Apple Sports provides scores and more for the following leagues:
NFL
NCAAF
MLS
MLB
NBA
WNBA
NCAA basketball (men's and women's)
NHL
NWSL
Premier League
Bundesliga
LaLiga
Liga MX
Ligue 1
Serie A
Apple said additional leagues will become available in the app over time, including Champions League and Europa League.
Beyond the future smart displays and new speaker, Apple is working on revamping its TV box. A new version with the current design is in the works for the first half of next year with a faster processor, the people said.
The first half of 2024 passed by without a new Apple TV, so that rumor has expired, and there have been no credible rumors about the device since. As such, it is currently unclear when the next Apple TV will be released.
Apple recently announced that it will be holding a special event on September 9, but the only products firmly rumored to be unveiled then include new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, with no expectation of a new Apple TV so far.
Here is when the previous five Apple TV models were announced:
Third-generation Apple TV 4K: October 2022
Second-generation Apple TV 4K: April 2021
First-generation Apple TV 4K: September 2017
Apple TV HD: September 2015
Third-generation Apple TV: March 2012
Whenever it comes out, the next Apple TV is rumored to feature a faster processor than the current A15 Bionic chip, and even lower pricing. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that the next Apple TV could have a sub-$100 starting price. The current Apple TV starts at $129 in the U.S. with 64GB of storage, and a 128GB model is available for $149.
Both the second-generation (2010) and third-generation (2012) models of the Apple TV were priced at $99 in the U.S. at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the third-generation model to $69, so there is precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV that would better compete with low-priced streaming devices sold by the likes of Amazon and Roku.
No major design changes have been rumored for the next Apple TV specifically, but Gurman said Apple has considered adding a built-in camera to a future model. tvOS 17 added a FaceTime app to the Apple TV, allowing for users to have video calls by using the rear camera on a connected iPhone or iPad. If the Apple TV gained a built-in camera, users would no longer need to rely on an external device for video calls on the TV.
Apple in the latest iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas no longer requires users to set their device region to the United States, so now it's just the US English language requirement that remains.
In previous betas, users not only had to change Siri's language to the US to access Apple Intelligence, but they also had to change both their device region and language to the US as well.
However, as per the latest release notes and spotted by 9to5Mac, the requirement to change device region to US appears to have been dropped, which means things like measurement system, temperature, and calendar formatting can remain unchanged with Apple Intelligence enabled.
In other words, users running the third betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 only have to ensure that English is their preferred language in Settings ➝ General ➝ Language & Region, and that English (United States) is the set Siri language in Settings ➝ Apple Intelligence & Siri.
With those two settings in place, users outside of the US can opt to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist, which in most cases gets accepted in just a few minutes. Note that Apple Intelligence remains unavailable in China, while users in the EU must still have a device signed in with a US App Store ID.
Apple Intelligence encompasses a range of capabilities, including composing text and emails, automating actions across various apps, generating images, summarizing documents and texts, and more.
These features require a lot of on-device computing power, so before you do anything, it's worth checking if your device is compatible. iPhone users need either an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max to run Apple Intelligence, while only iPads and Macs powered by M1 or later Apple silicon processors are compatible.
If Kuo is correct, it means the smaller iPhone 17 Pro, the base iPhone 17, and the all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" will stick with the 8GB figure rumored for the entire iPhone 16 lineup this year. The fourth-generation iPhone SE expected in early 2025 will reportedly also carry 8GB of RAM.
The amount of RAM in Apple's devices is currently of increased importance, as Apple has judged that 8GB is the minimum required for the Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS 18, which means only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max of Apple's current phones will support them. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus carry only 6GB of RAM.
While a move to 8GB across the board starting with next month's iPhone 16 lineup will enable all new iPhones to support Apple Intelligence going forward, a further bump to 12GB would likely allow for even more powerful AI capabilities, but it now appears that may be limited to Apple's highest-end model in 2025.
Aside from the increased 12GB of RAM, Kuo says the iPhone 17 Pro Max will also have an exclusive cooling system combining vapor chamber technology with graphite sheets. The other new iPhone models launching in 2025 will rely solely on graphite sheets for cooling.
Today marks the 15th anniversary of Apple releasing Mac OS X Snow Leopard, which became available to purchase for $29 on August 28, 2009.
After advertising Mac OS X Leopard as having "over 300 new features" in 2007, Apple previewed Snow Leopard at WWDC 2008. Notably, during that year's "State of the Union" session, Apple showed a presentation slide that said the update had "0 new features," as Apple opted to focus on under-the-hood performance and stability improvements.
"We've built on the success of Leopard and created an even better experience for our users from installation to shutdown," said Apple's former software engineering chief Bertrand Serlet. "Apple engineers have made hundreds of improvements so with Snow Leopard your system is going to feel faster, more responsive and even more reliable than before."
With Snow Leopard, Apple said it refined 90% of the foundational "projects" that were built into Mac OS X. Apple pitched the update as offering a more responsive Finder app, an improved Mail app that loads emails up to twice as fast as before, up to 80% faster Time Machine backups, and a 64-bit version of Safari that was up to 50% faster than the previous version. Snow Leopard also took up around half as much disk space as Leopard.
You can watch Serlet speak more about Snow Leopard at WWDC 2009 below.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed Safari Technology Preview to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.
Safari Technology Preview 202 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, Editing, JavaScript, Media, Rendering, SVG, Web Animations, Web API, Web Assembly, and WebDriver.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is compatible with machines running macOS Sonoma and the macOS Sequoia beta. Set to launch this fall, macOS Sequoia is the newest version of macOS that Apple is working on.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
Apple's Beats brand is partnering with Japanese graphic artist Verdy for a limited edition collectible art figure that doubles as a holder for the new Beats Pill speaker. The $500 hyper-limited drop includes a matte black Beats Pill and a cream-colored bear named Vear that holds the speaker between its paws.
Beats has a tradition of fun characters associated with the Beats Pill, including ad campaigns and speaker stands for previous models centered around the Beats Pill Characters or "Dudes" in various colors. Apple revived the Dudes for the launch of the updated Beats Pill this year, so the new Vear character fits right into that theme even though it won't be seeing a wide release.
The Vear and Beats Pill bundle will be available to order this Friday, August 30, exclusively through Complex, with shipping following in two to three weeks.
Apple today provided developers with the third beta of iOS 18.1, and it adds Clean Up, a new Apple Intelligence tool created for the Photos app. With Clean Up, you can remove unwanted objects from your photos, but its performance is hit or miss right now.
When you tap into any of your photos and then tap on the edit button, you'll see a new "Clean Up" tool that has an eraser icon. Tap on that, and if there's something obvious that can be removed from the image, it'll be automatically highlighted.
You can tap on the highlighted object to remove it, and it works like magic. If there isn't something automatically highlighted, don't worry, you can circle or scribble on any object in the photo to use Clean Up on it.
With the automatically highlighted objects, Clean Up works well. Apple has already done all the work in the background to find depth information and to calculate the fill the object should be replaced with. When you're selecting your own objects, it can be a little more difficult to get a clean look.
Clean Up works best when there's a clear, uncluttered background behind the object that you want to remove, and the smaller the object the better. Trying to remove a whole person from the foreground of image (such as in a group shot) with a lot going on in the background doesn't work super well, but it's really more designed for small, unwanted objects in the background of images anyway.
You can go through multiple iterations of Clean Up to try to get it to look better, and to remove small areas, just zoom in and then circle.
Clean Up can't be used on Live Photos, and when you use Clean Up, it turns off Live Photos. You can turn Live Photos back on, but then you lose the Clean Up edit. You also can't use Clean Up on videos, but it does work on all other kinds of images, including screenshots, old photos, and photos you didn't take with your iPhone.
For quick edits on an iPhone, Clean Up works well. It's not on par with some other desktop tools at this time, but Apple will undoubtedly make improvements going forward. Also, when you use Clean Up, a note is added to the metadata that lets you know that an AI edit has been made, so people will be able to see that it's been modified.
All Clean Up edits are reversible, so if you want to get back to your original image, you can revert at any time.
Other New Features in iOS 18.1 Beta 3
Along with Cleanup, iOS 18.1 beta 3 adds a couple of other features. The notification summary feature that was previously working for Mail and Messages now works for all of your apps, so you can see summaries of both multiple incoming messages and single notifications, giving you more information at a glance.
Also, in the Messages app, you can now use third-party stickers in-line like emoji. This was a feature in prior betas, but it only worked with stickers from Apple apps and stickers you created from photos.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
