Apple's inventory of iPad Air and MacBook Air models is running low at its retail stores, indicating that refreshes for the devices are likely just around the corner.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple's stock of both products is "dwindling," as the company gears up to launch new updates. Apple is expected to launch a MacBook Air with its faster M4 chip, along with updated iPad Air models during the first half of 2025.
Some rumors have suggested the iPad Air will have the M3 chip that's a step behind the M4 in the iPad Pro, but Gurman said in January that Apple could opt for the M4 instead. A leaker who has provided reliable information in the past also said in January that the iPad Air 7 will use the M3 chip, not the M4 chip. No other major hardware or design changes are expected.
Apple is also developing a new version of the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air. It will not have an aluminum top case like the iPad Pro, but it could have a function row of keys and some other features from the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard.
Apple is also believed to be working on a new 11th-generation entry-level iPad. Gurman has said Apple will use the A17 Pro chip – the same one that's in the iPhone 15 Pro models and the iPad mini 7. The A17 Pro chip supports Apple Intelligence, so presumably that means the new iPad will come with at least 8GB of RAM, which is the minimum requirement for Apple's suite of AI features.
Gurman's inventory stock check was mentioned in a report claiming that Apple could announce the new iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week via a press release, with a launch to follow later in February. Gurman suggests that Apple will unveil its new low-cost iPhone the same time as the new PowerBeats Pro 2 earbuds, which Apple plans to unveil as soon as February 11. However, he also said the new MacBook Air and iPads are "coming soon," suggesting they are likely to arrive later in the spring.
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post.
The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before seen in any other democratic country.
The spying order came by way of a "technical capability notice," a document sent to Apple by the Home Secretary, ordering it to provide access under the sweeping UK Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) of 2016. Critics have labeled the legislation the "Snooper's Charter," as it authorizes law enforcement to compel assistance from companies when needed to collect evidence.
An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the revelation, though the law actually makes it a criminal offense to reveal that the government even made such a demand. Likewise, the Home Office told the publication that its policy was not to discuss any technical demands. "We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices," a spokesman said.
One of the people briefed on the situation, a consultant advising the United States on encryption matters, said Apple would be barred from warning its users that its most advanced encryption no longer provided full security. The person deemed it shocking that the UK government was demanding Apple's help to spy on non-British users without their governments' knowledge. A former White House security adviser confirmed the existence of the British order.
Apple May Drop UK iCloud Services Over Secret Encryption Access Order
Apple is likely to stop offering encrypted storage in the UK, rather than break the security promises it made to its users, people familiar with the matter told the publication. However, that would not affect the UK order for backdoor access to the service in other countries, including the United States. Apple has previously said it would consider pulling services such as FaceTime and iMessage from the UK rather than compromise future security.
The order would compromise Apple's Advanced Data Protection, which the company launched in 2022. The feature gives users the option to end-to-end encrypt many additional iCloud data categories, including Photos, Notes, Voice Memos, Messages backups, device backups, and more, making their data inaccessible to anyone else – including Apple.
Google has enforced default encryption for Android phone backups since 2018. When asked by The Post whether any government had requested a backdoor, Google spokesman Ed Fernandez did not provide a direct answer but suggested none exist: "Google cannot access Android end-to-end encrypted backup data, even with a legal order," he stated.
The IPA was updated in 2023 to allow the Home Office to outlaw certain encrypted services using a technical capability notice. Apple at the time called the then proposed amendments "an unprecedented overreach by the government," saying that if the update was enacted, "the UK could attempt to secretly veto new user protections globally preventing us from ever offering them to customers."
Apple CEO Tim Cook has consistently insisted that providing back-door access past its encryption for authorities would open the door for "bad guys" to gain access to its users' data. Cyber security experts agree that it would only be a matter of time before bad actors discover such a point of entry. Apple's stance was enhanced in 2016 when it successfully fought a US order to unlock the iPhone of a shooter in San Bernardino, California.
US law enforcement's longstanding objections to encryption have recently taken a backseat to concerns over large-scale cyber intrusions attributed to Chinese state-backed hackers. The attackers infiltrated major telecommunications providers, granting them unfettered access to private phone calls. During a December press conference alongside FBI officials, a Department of Homeland Security representative cautioned Americans against assuming traditional phone networks offer privacy, instead advising them to use encrypted communication whenever feasible.
That same month, the FBI, National Security Agency, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a joint advisory detailing numerous countermeasures against the Chinese cyber campaign. Among their recommendations: "Ensure that traffic is end-to-end encrypted to the maximum extent possible."
In a statement, privacy campaigner Big Brother Watch said: "This misguided attempt at tackling crime and terrorism will not make the UK safer, but it will erode the fundamental rights and civil liberties of the entire population."
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Sonos, known for its range of high-end speakers, considered developing a speaker that would connect to the iPhone via MagSafe, reports The Verge.
Engineers at the company prototyped a tiny, iPhone-compatible speaker that would attach directly to the device, with music that would play over a Bluetooth connection. According to The Verge, the prototype speaker had a square shape, and it was similar to the look of Apple's now-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack, but thicker.
Some employees thought the speaker product would resonate with Gen Z, and expected it to deliver good sound regardless of the compact size. Sonos ended up scrapping the project, though, due to "technical limitations, questionable appeal, and a limited target market."
Apple continues to have no close competition in the tablet market, earning 42.3 percent of the global tablet market share in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a new report from Canalys.
Apple shipped an estimated 16.9 million iPads during the quarter, up from 14.8 million in Q4 2023. The company's closest competitor was Samsung, with 7 million tablets shipped in Q4 2024 for 17.8 percent of the market. Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi were third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.
For all of 2024, Apple shipped an estimated 57 million iPads for 38.6 percent of the market. Apple shipped over twice as many tablets as Samsung in 2024, with Samsung shipping just 27.8 million.
Apple refreshed its high-end iPad Pro with an M4 chip in 2024, plus it revamped the iPad mini with an A17 Pro chip and added an M2 chip to the iPad Air. In 2025, Apple plans to refresh the low-cost iPad and update the iPad Air yet again.
If you haven't had enough of AI apps, there's yet another to download and try out as of today. European company Mistral's Le Chat chatbot can now be used through a dedicated iOS app.
Mistral is a French AI company founded by engineers from Google and Meta. It creates its own open-weight large language models, and is aiming to compete with OpenAI. Le Chat has been available on the web, but the app will make it better able to compete with ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Gemini, and other options.
Like many competing chatbots, Le Chat supports natural language conversations, real-time web search, document analysis, and image generation.
LeChat is free to use, but access to the highest performing models is limited. A $14.99 per month fee unlocks a Pro tier with unlimited web browsing, extended access to news, and unlimited messaging.
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release.
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of the current iPhone SE. When the iPhone SE 4 launches, it will mark the end of Touch ID in the iPhone lineup.
Apple is planning to unveil its custom in-house modem in the iPhone SE 4, and it will be the first iPhone to get the new modem chip. While Apple's modem chip won't be as advanced as Qualcomm's modem chips, it will be Apple's first step toward cutting down on its reliance on Qualcomm.
The iPhone SE 4 will support Apple Intelligence, and it will be equipped with the same A18 chip that's in the iPhone 16 and 8GB RAM. It will also have a USB-C port, allowing it to be sold in Europe again, and it is expected to feature a single-lens 48-megapixel rear camera.
While the current iPhone SE is priced at $429, Apple could increase the price of the new model due to the inclusion of the faster chip, Face ID, and other features. Pricing is expected to remain below $500 though, so that the iPhone SE 4 is competitive with lower-end smartphones from Samsung and Google.
Gurman suggests that Apple will unveil the iPhone SE 4 around the same time as the new PowerBeats Pro 2 earbuds, which Apple plans to unveil as soon as February 11.
Information on new "SparkCat" malware infesting a small number of iOS apps was shared yesterday by Kaspersky, and shortly after the report came out, Apple said that it pulled the offending apps from its App Stores in various countries.
Some of the apps that had hidden malware included ComeCome, WeTink, and AnyGPT. 11 apps were removed in total, but when removing the apps, Apple says that it found another 89 with the same code that had been previously rejected or removed from the App Store for violating Apple's fraud policies. When an app is removed for fraud, Apple terminates the associated developer account.
As outlined by Kaspersky, the apps used a malicious framework with OCR capabilities designed to suss out sensitive information in images and screenshots stored on iPhones. Recovery phrases for crypto wallets were a specific target, with attackers aiming to steal bitcoin and other cryptocurrency, but the malware could target other phrases like passwords.
By default, Apple blocks access to a user's photos, so the apps would have needed express user consent to operate. If given permission to access a Photo Library, the apps could scan through the images to look for key phrases outlined by the attackers. If an image with a relevant phrase was found, it was uploaded to a remote server. Kaspersky found that the malware was likely targeting iOS users in Europe and Asia.
It is worth noting that Apple added granular control over the images that an app is able to access back in iOS 14, and there is an option to provide access to a limited number of images rather than an entire library. It is a good idea to avoid apps that seem sketchy, and to refrain from giving an app access to all of your images.
Apple also provides an App Privacy Report that outlines all of the instances when an app accesses sensitive data like location, images, camera, and microphone. The App Private Report can be found in the Privacy section of the Settings app.
Following a price increase in the United States and Canada earlier this year, Netflix is raising its prices in the UK as well. According to Cord Busters, all of Netflix's plans are going to be more expensive going forward.
The Standard plan with Ads is £1 more expensive at £5.99 per month, while the Standard plan is now priced at £12.99 per month, a £2 increase. The high-end premium plan costs £18.99 per month, up £1 from the prior £17.99 per month price.
The UK price hike is in line with the price increases that Netflix made in the United States. The Standard with Ads plan is $7.99 (up $1), the Standard plan is $17.99 per month (up $2), and the Premium plan is $24.99 per month (up $2).
When raising prices in the United States, Netflix said that it will use the money to provide more value to subscribers. "As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix."
Netflix's price increases and crackdowns on password sharing have been successful for the company. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Netflix gained 19 million new subscribers and saw 16 percent revenue growth. Netflix has more than 300 million paying subscribers, and it is expecting continued growth in 2025.
Google this week announced that the Google app for iOS now supports Auto Dark Mode on compatible iPhones and iPads.
Auto Dark Mode will ensure that dark mode is on regardless of the website that you're browsing using the app's built-in browser, but Google warns that the quality of the conversion to dark mode can vary. Websites with an existing dark theme will default to that instead of using Google's new dark mode option.
With Auto Dark Mode activated, the Google app will automatically swap over to the dark theme for websites whenever Dark Mode on your Apple device is activated.
The feature was previously available through Search Labs, but it is now rolling out to all users. The option can be activated by tapping on the three dots in the upper right corner when visiting a website.
"The last new Apple app, Apple Sports, already felt out of place in iOS 18," wrote Ortolani. "It has a more visionOS or watchOS-like design language utilizing colorful backgrounds, glassy floating UI elements, expanding buttons, and lots of layered shapes. Apple Invites takes it all even further. It's got big beautiful cards, translucent cells, big bold buttons, and an emphasis on content. It feels so clearly like a hint of what is to come in a future iOS update."
It seems like a reasonable possibility that this "glassy" design could extend to other iOS 19 apps and interfaces, although this is purely speculation for now.
Apple should announce iOS 19 at WWDC 2025 in June.
Foldable display technology could be the next major design change that Apple introduces for the iPhone, and we've been hearing rumors about an iPhone that folds in half for over eight years now. Rumors have been all over the place as Apple has experimented with different prototypes, and now one questionable source claims to have new details on Apple's plans.
The information, said to be sourced from "foldable iPhone supply chain research," comes from "zwz," and was highlighted by leaker Jukanlosreve. We are not familiar with zwz, some of the measurements are wrong, and the details don't match with other recent rumors we've heard, so the claims should be viewed with skepticism. Here's what's rumored, along with our commentary.
Folding Mechanism
There is supposedly a "large folding mechanism on the left rear side, and the device opens like a book with a horizontal fold." 2024 rumors from The Information suggested Apple is working on a clamshell iPhone that folds vertically, like Samsung's Z Flip.
Sizing
The rumor suggests that the internal (opened) display would be comparable to two 6.1-inch iPhones, "resulting in a total size of over 12 inches." Two 6.1-inch iPhones side by side would have a diagonal size of around 7.5 inches. A total size over 12 inches would be an iPad Pro folded in half, which would make for an enormous smartphone. There are rumors of a large foldable iPad-like device, but that is distinct from the rumored foldable iPhone.
The report even mentions a 2027 launch for a foldable iPad and MacBook, so there is no confusion over which device the source is talking about. It also says that "progress on small foldable phones is minimal," with focus on "large foldable phones."
Thickness
The report says the foldable iPhone will have a 4.6mm thickness when unfolded, and a 9.2mm thickness when folded. That's perhaps unrealistically thin. Samsung has been making foldable smartphones for six years and the current Z Fold is 5.6mm thick when unfolded. The thinnest device Apple has made to date is the 5.1mm iPad Pro, and that device doesn't have any kind of hinge mechanism.
Display Supplier
Apple will allegedly use displays developed and supplied by Samsung, but another rumor from last week suggested Apple had not yet selected a display supplier, and would not do so until late February or early April.
There have been other rumors about Samsung supplying foldable displays to Apple, but Apple is also rumored to be working with LG Display.
Cameras
The foldable iPhone will supposedly have an ultra-thin front camera that uses Meta Lens technology. This is technology that was rumored to be coming to the iPhone 17 lineup, but recent information suggests it's been scrapped for that device.
There are also supposedly Main and Ultra Wide cameras for a dual-lens rear camera setup.
Battery
The foldable iPhone will allegedly use two "stainless steel-cased batteries" with a combined capacity of 5,000mAh.
Launch Date
The foldable iPhone is said to be coming in fall 2026, which is not too far off from other rumors we've heard. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Jeff Pu, The Information, and The Wall Street Journal have all targeted late 2026 or early 2027.
A team of robotics researchers at Apple have designed and prototyped a lamp-like robot with lifelike movements, according to a blog post and accompanying video published last month on the Apple Machine Learning Research website. The lamp, which reminds us of the cute Pixar mascot Luxo Jr., may hint at Apple's future plans.
The video shows the robot interacting with a person in a lifelike manner. For example, the person asks the robot what the weather is like that day, and the robot looks out the window before responding with the forecast. The person says they will probably go for a hike that day, but the robot looks sad when it finds out it is not invited.
In a different scenario, the robot responds to the person's hand gestures by moving to provide desired lighting for iPhone photography.
In another, the robot pushes a mug on a desk towards the person to remind them to drink water.
Later in the video, the robot observes the person building a 3D printer and projects a relevant tutorial video on the wall.
And finally, the robot plays music and dances along to it as a social companion.
The team of researchers includes Yuhan Hu, Peide Huang, Mouli Sivapurapu, and Jian Zhang. They found that these lifelike, expression-driven movements "significantly enhance user engagement" with the robot over traditional "function-driven" movements.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last year reported that Apple was developing a tabletop robot with an "iPad-like display" attached to a "robotic limb," so Apple's research in this area could hint at the future device's functionality. Barring any setbacks, he said Apple was aiming to announce the device as early as 2026 or 2027.
The tabletop robot would be primarily controlled with Siri and Apple Intelligence, according to Gurman. He said the device could respond to commands such as "look at me," which would position the screen on the user's face during a FaceTime video call. The device would also understand different voices, he said.
The tabletop robot could become a higher-end version of Apple's rumored smart home hub, which is expected to launch this year. Apple is aiming for a price of around $1,000, according to Gurman, but the plans could change.
In 2023, Apple agreed to pay $35 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit alleging that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were prone to audio issues due to a defective chip in the devices, and those who submitted a claim have started to be paid this month.
The deadline to submit a claim passed last year, so if you are only finding out about this lawsuit now, it is too late to receive a payout.
The lawsuit's class included any U.S. resident who owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023, so long as they reported audio issues covered by the settlement to Apple, and/or paid Apple out of pocket to have their iPhone repaired or replaced as a result of the covered audio issues.
$349 was the maximum payout for those who paid Apple to have the relevant issues repaired.
Apple was sued over the issue in multiple U.S. states in 2019, with the complaints alleging that the company violated consumer protection laws and breached warranties. Despite agreeing to a settlement, Apple denied any wrongdoing.
Some customers might report that after they've updated to iOS 11.3, the microphone on their iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus doesn't work and the speaker button is grayed out when they make or receive a call.
Symptoms: - The speaker button is grayed out during calls - Other people are unable to hear the customer on cellular or FaceTime calls - If a customer plays back a video or voice memo that they've made after installing iOS 11.3, there is no sound
The defect is informally known as "Loop Disease" online.
As far as an underlying cause, the class action lawsuit alleged that "the materials used in the iPhone's external casing are insufficient and inadequate to protect the internal parts," eventually resulting in the audio chip losing electrical contact with the logic board due to "flexion" of the device's external casing during regular use. It's unclear how many iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus units were affected in total.
Apple initially said its service providers could request a "warranty exception" for affected iPhones, which resulted in free repairs for at least some customers, but that abruptly ended in July 2018 after Apple deleted the document. Afterwards, some customers had to pay an out-of-warranty fee of around $300 in the U.S. for a fix.
Anker this week debuted a new Valentine's Day sale, offering the chance for you to buy one Anker accessory and get another for 50 percent off. In addition to the BOGO offer, there are a few regularly discounted Anker devices in this sale.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In regards to the BOGO offer, you'll need to purchase one regularly priced item, and then when you add a second to your cart the lower-priced item will get a 50 percent markdown. You can activate this offer with multiple items in your cart, and as long as there are pairs of two accessories the lower-priced items will be eligible for a 50 percent discount.
This sale also features some matching Amazon discounts, including a low price on the popular 60,000 mAh Power Station with Smart Digital Display and Retractable Lighting. You can get this accessory for just $89.99 with an on-page coupon this week, down from $139.99.
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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Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks.
iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and entertainment apps are temporarily disabled on iOS 18.3 due to issues with inaccurate summaries, but it is unclear if they will be turned back on in iOS 18.3.1, or in a later update.
A newer iPhone feature that makes it easier to share the location of AirTag-equipped baggage at airports has been adopted by more airlines.
iOS 18.2 added a new feature to the Find My app that allows you to temporarily share the location of an AirTag-equipped item with others, including employees at participating airlines. This way, if you have put AirTags inside your bags, the airline can better help you find them in the event they are lost or delayed at the airport.
Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings this week rolled out support for the feature. Other airlines that already offered the feature include Delta, United, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, and more.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 or later can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a web page with a location of the item on a map. The page will automatically update with the item's latest known location.
Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link is "limited to a small number of people," and airport employees are required to "authenticate" to view the link by signing into their Apple Account or partner email address.
The item's location stops being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or automatically expires after seven days.
iOS 18.2 was released in December, and Apple said that additional airlines will implement this feature over the coming months.
Leica today introduced the Leica LUX Grip, a MagSafe-compatible iPhone camera grip designed to provide photographers with a more tactile and precise shooting experience, incorporating physical controls and modes inspired by classic Leica cameras.
Leica is best known for its high-end cameras and optics. The LUX Grip is its first dedicated photography product for the iPhone. It attaches to compatible iPhones via MagSafe in both portrait and landscape, and integrates with the Leica LUX app via Bluetooth. Unlike the native iPhone camera app, Leica LUX offers advanced manual controls, lens simulations, and color science based on Leica's photographic heritage.
The LUX Grip aims to recreate the tactile experience of a traditional Leica camera. It features a mechanical two-stage shutter button, a control dial, and two customizable function buttons. The two-stage shutter allows photographers to half-press for focusing before fully pressing to capture an image. The dial can be assigned to adjust key settings such as zoom, shutter speed, aperture, or exposure compensation, while the customizable buttons can be configured for frequently used functions within the Leica LUX app.
A built-in battery provides up to 1,000 shots and recharges via USB-C in approximately two hours. The grip is made of aluminum and weighs 130 grams (4.6 ounces), with Leica emphasizing its durability and usability for both left- and right-handed photographers. A tripod thread is integrated into the base.
The latest version of the LUX app introduces additional Leica lens simulations and a new black-and-white film preset. According to Leica, this update is part of the company's ongoing efforts to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, the first mass-produced 35mm camera. Among the new features is a 50mm lens simulation, as well as a monochrome preset designed to replicate the look of early 20th-century photography. Leica LUX users can also now apply film grain effects to their images for a more analog aesthetic.
In 2023, Leica acquired Fjorden, a Norwegian company known for its iPhone camera grip. Fjorden's grip featured similar physical controls and concepts that have now been incorporated into the LUX ecosystem.
The LUX Grip is available now for $329, with an optional leather case with an AirTag holder available for $50. The Leica LUX app is free, but full access requires a subscription priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually. Users who purchase the LUX Grip receive a complimentary Pro subscription for one year.
When Apple released iOS 18.2, it introduced a major change to the Mail app with its new Categories and priority messages features. Categories automatically sorts your emails into four distinct sections: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. The change also adds contact photos and business logos for conversations in your inbox, but if you don't like how they look, it's easy enough to make them go away.
Contact photos have been added to the Mail app in an effort to make it easier to identify the senders of all the emails you receive. However, if Apple can't recognize a business, or a contact doesn't have an associated photo, it can end up making your inbox look a bit of a mess.
Fortunately, you can easily turn off the little pictures completely by following these steps:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Swipe to the bottom of the menu and tap Apps.
Search for or scroll to Mail in the list of apps.
Under "Message List," toggle off the switch next to Show Contact Photos.
That's all you need to do. To reinstate the contact pictures, simply turn on the same option in Settings. If your unhappiness with the new-look Mail app extends to Apple's categorization feature, you can disable this element too. Follow the link to learn how it's done.
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