Anker is still providing solid deals across a variety of charging accessories on Amazon this week, with discounts we first started tracking earlier in January. You'll find markdowns on USB-C wall chargers, portable batteries, hubs, and cables. Additionally, we're tracking discounts on the new Siri Remote and a USB-C hub from Satechi.
Anker
Starting with Anker, the bulk of the savings can be found on wall chargers. Amazon has a good collection of Anker's best chargers on sale, and most of these require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discount at checkout. Otherwise, you'll find portable chargers, USB-C hubs, and USB-C cables on sale as well on Amazon.
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.
Satechi today has its new Pro Hub Slim at 20 percent off with the code SLIM20, which you'll need to enter at the checkout screen to see this discount. The Pro Hub Slim is priced at $64.00 with this sale, down from $79.99.
This accessory is designed for the M2 MacBook Air, but is compatible with all USB-C based MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks. It features a USB4 pass-through port, 4K HDMI port, 2x USB-A ports, USB-C port, and SD/MicroSD card readers.
Siri Remote
Over at Woot, the second-generation Siri Remote (with Lightning) is on sale for $49.99, down from $59.00. We typically track prices on this accessory down to around $55, so Woot's sale today is one of the lowest we've ever seen for the Siri Remote.
The Siri Remote is in new condition and does not come in bulk packaging. Woot estimates an early February delivery if you place your order soon.
When the original HomePod launched in 2018, it was discovered that the speaker can leave white rings on some wooden surfaces. Now, well-known YouTuber Marques Brownlee has confirmed that the issue persists to a lesser extent with the new HomePod.
In a side-by-side test, he showed that the white second-generation HomePod left a white ring on the wooden surface that he placed the speaker on, although the stain was fainter and took longer to appear than the one under the original HomePod.
In a support document first published in 2018, Apple acknowledged that speakers with vibration-damping silicone bases can leave mild marks on some wooden surfaces as a result of oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface:
It is not unusual for any speaker with a vibration-damping silicone base to leave mild marks when placed on some wooden surfaces. The marks can be caused by oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface, and will often go away after several days when the speaker is removed from the wooden surface. If not, wiping the surface gently with a soft damp or dry cloth may remove the marks. If marks persist, clean the surface with the furniture manufacturer's recommended cleaning process. If you’re concerned about this, we recommend placing your HomePod on a different surface.
Apple has yet to update the support document to mention the second-generation HomePod. The issue does not affect the HomePod mini.
Check out our HomePod review roundup for additional impressions of the speaker ahead of its launch on Friday. Most reviews said the new HomePod sounds very similar or virtually equal to the original model, and noted that many of Siri's shortcomings when the HomePod first launched in 2018 have since been resolved. Nevertheless, Siri still lags behind competitors like Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant in some areas.
Apple's second-generation HomePod will start arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the smart speaker have been shared by select media publications and YouTube channels.
Priced at $299, the new HomePod features a virtually identical design as the full-size HomePod that Apple discontinued in March 2021, but with two fewer tweeters and microphones. The Siri-powered speaker is also equipped with a four-inch high-excursion woofer, an S7 chip for computational audio, and a U1 chip for handing off music from an iPhone. The speaker supports Matter for smart home accessories and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.
A new sensor in the HomePod can measure temperature and humidity in indoor environments, and this feature was also enabled on the existing HomePod mini with a recent software update. Sound Recognition will also be coming to the new HomePod with a software update this spring, allowing the speaker to listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send a notification to the user's iPhone if a sound is identified.
The new HomePod can be pre-ordered on Apple's online store, with white and midnight color options available. In-store availability and deliveries to customers will begin Friday, February 3 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, and 11 other countries and regions.
After several days of listening to the new HomePod (both solo and in a stereo pair), I still think its sound signature remains true to the original HomePod. If you were a fan of that speaker, you’ll be satisfied with the second-gen version. Sure, you can hear subtle differences in how music is rendered when comparing both generations side by side with the same track. The newer HomePod might bring out a guitar solo with slightly more emphasis than the original. But the central traits are the same.
The updated HomePod looks a lot like its discontinued predecessor—and sounds similar, too. I tested the new HomePod, as a single unit and grouped as a stereo pair, in a room that’s roughly 370 square feet. For most tracks, keeping the volume at 30% was enough to fill the space.
If you look at spec sheets comparing the old and new HomePods, you might scratch your head. The new one has a fast processor but fewer built-in microphones and speakers, and supports an older Wi-Fi standard. But in person, the new HomePod sounds and performs the same as the original.
In terms of hardware, there are five tweeters, a "high-excursion woofer" capable of moving an impressive 20mm, and a four-microphone array. It's a slightly different setup to the original HomePod - that had seven tweeters for starters - but the performance is equally excellent. Make no mistake, the HomePod (2nd generation) sounds fantastic.
In the midrange, you get vocals that are detailed, crisp and crystal clear, while at the lower end, the HomePod packs in plenty of bass. It's lovely and deep for its size, while still offering expression and punch. It's not as bassy as the Sonos Five - which is a bigger and more expensive speaker - and HomePod is arguably a little more muddled in the mid-range when playing tracks like Skrillex's Rumble compared to the Five, but it is still very impressive overall - and that is a pretty tricky track to keep up with anyway. You can reduce the bass in the Home app, though we didn't find this necessary.
Engadget's Billy Steele said that while Siri had several shortcomings when the original HomePod was released in 2018, the voice assistant has improved over the years. He also said the new HomePod's two fewer microphones compared to the original did not impact Siri's ability to detect his voice — even in a noisy room:
When we reviewed the original HomePod in 2018, one of our biggest gripes was with Siri’s limited abilities. Sure the speaker sounded good, but the lack of polish with the voice assistant made it seem like a work in progress. Apple has done a lot to improve Siri over the last five years, so a lot of those issues with the original have been fixed.
First, the HomePod, like Siri on your iPhone, is capable of recognizing multiple users. Personal Requests can allow it to peek at your Calendar, Notes, Reminders, Messages, Find My and more when you ask. Plus, HomePod can give each member of your family (up to six people) their unique responses from certain iPhone apps. What’s more, Siri can create recurring home automations without you having to pick up your phone and swipe over to the appropriate app.
Even with fewer microphones to pick up your voice, the new HomePod doesn’t suffer any performance setbacks. It’s just as capable as ever at picking out your voice even in a noisy room.
A fantastic song to test out spatial audio is also one of my favourite tracks for karaoke, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. It sounds decent at first, but after the “I see a little silhouette of a man” section of the song, the 2nd-Gen HomePod takes it to a whole other level, perfectly utilizing Dolby Atmos’ surround sound and spatial audio with harmonies and melodies to create an epic concert in the entertainment space. This was definitely my favourite song I tested out, and one I showed to several friends.
The most significant design change lives up top and involves the screen. While there isn’t really new information being shown and the dream of a HomePod with a true display contains to be just that a dream, the top surface is larger. It gives one more control with tapping to play or pause among other controls and it can glow brighter, and larger in different colors.
Rather than having the volume controls appear after a touch like on the original HomePod, the “+” and “-” are now etched into this backlit touch surface which makes it easier to adjust the volume at a moment's notice. When playing back music, the HomePod’s top will glow in colors that resemble the album artwork of what you’re listening to and when communicating with Siri it will glow with all of the colors you’d expect.
Start a song with Apple Music on your iPhone, hold it near the HomePod and it will start playing there, accompanied by a satisfying haptic fist bump. Move the phone near the speaker again and you can transfer it back. I really like this feature. It’s a good example of how nicely hardware can play together if you make your own devices, software and chips. It’s also surprisingly receptive. In fact, I found myself having to disable it while the HomePods are on my desk, otherwise it will accidentally trigger when I’m using the iPhone two feet from the speakers.
Nothing's Phone (1) did not get an official U.S. release when it launched in July 2022, but that is set to change for the second version of the company's popular transparent Android handset, according to CEO and co-founder Carl Pei.
Speaking to Inverse, Pei said that the U.K.-based company will make the U.S. market its number one priority for the Phone (2), which is set to be released later this year.
"We're developing a smartphone that's more premium than the Nothing Phone (1) and software will be a big focus area for us," said Pei. "When you make a smartphone for the U.S. you need to work with the carriers on certification and adapting some of their features into your OS. We didn't have the resources for that before and now we do."
Nothing has sold over 1 million products globally, with its Ear (1) earbuds selling 600,000 units and the Phone (1) reaching 500,000 shipments. According to Pei, about one-third of its Earbuds (1) sales come from the U.S., and by not launching its next phone in the country, "we're leaving potentially a third of the volume on the table."
A recent IDC report indicated that annual smartphone shipments had their biggest decline year-on-year over the holiday quarter, and while supply chain constraints and inflation played a major part, the Nothing CEO sees a lack of innovation as a contributing factor.
According to Pei, the company's research indicates that "[U.S.] consumers as a whole are quite bored and indifferent [with existing phones]" and "foot traffic into the stores for people checking out new phones hasn't increased."
"From a business point of view, [Apple and Samsung] shouldn't go very niche and try something completely different because they might alienate current users. That's where smaller companies like us can come in and try and do something different. It's not that we're smarter or that they can't, but it just doesn't make sense for them to do it."
Pei believes Nothing's hardware design is the primary reason for iPhone users "switching back to Android via our brand." However, with iOS becoming more and more dominant in the U.S., Pei has acknowledged that it won't be easy for his company to compete with Apple on its own turf.
Nevertheless, Nothing's mobile team has grown in a year from five engineers to close to 100 people, and the CEO now believes the company's software innovations will eventually catch up with its hardware. "It's going to take some time; it's going to be step by step, so we're not going to see the entire vision unfold immediately."
The Crash Detection feature in the iPhone 14 was able to alert police immediately after an early morning accident occurred in Tasmania, getting help for victims within minutes.
According to Australia's ABC News, a four-wheel drive truck towing a horse float collided with a tree stump in Tasmania at 1:45 a.m. on Monday. Crash Detection alerted nearby police, who were able to get to the scene within eight minutes, even though the passengers were unconscious.
Five people ranging in age from 14 to 20 were taken to the hospital, and one person with serious injuries was transported to Melbourne by air ambulance. In accidents with life-threatening injuries, immediate help can make a major difference. "In a case where people had lost consciousness in a crash like this, it is certainly something that alerts police quickly," said Tasmania Police Inspector Ruth Orr. Officers had also already been in the area, which helped with the response time.
Apple's iPhone 14 models have only been out for four months, but the Crash Detection feature has already helped multiple accident victims, as has the Emergency SOS via Satellite function that can contact police in emergency situations where WiFi and cellular service are unavailable.
Unfortunately, Crash Detection can also trigger false positives, which can be frustrating for emergency responders around amusement parks and ski resorts. In November, Summit County dispatchers in Utah said they had seen a major uptick in accidental 911 calls, and just this week, a report from The Japan News said that the Kita-Alps Nagano Fire Department had received a total of 134 false calls primarily triggered by Crash Detection, with those calls occurring between December 16 and January 23.
Japanese firefighters do not recommend turning off Crash Detection, despite the inconvenience. "It's an effective function in the event of a really serious accident, so we can't ask users to turn it off," they said.
Apple has already adjusted Crash Detection, optimizing it with the iOS 16.1.2 update to cut down on false positives, but reports in December suggested that 911 dispatchers were still getting a number of accidental calls. Utah Summit County Sheriff Jamie FitzSimons said in December that Apple is aware of the problem, and that more refinement is needed. "We are communicating with Apple to get them to pay more attention to this, but it feels like we are trying to turn a battleship in a bathtub," said FitzSimons.
Apple violated United States labor laws when it sent out an email warning employees about leaking confidential information about the company, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said today in a ruling shared by Bloomberg.
Rules that Apple has established around leaks "tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees" from the exercise of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act, says the NLRB, as do statements from "high-level executives."
The NLRB's decision references an employee email that was sent out by Apple CEO Tim Cookin November 2021. Cook said that people who leak confidential information about Apple "do not belong" at the company, whether they were discussing "product IP or the details of a confidential meeting." At the time, he threatened that Apple was doing "everything in [its] power to identify those who leaked." From Cook's email:
I'm writing today because I've heard from so many of you were incredibly frustrated to see the contents of the meeting leak to reporters. This comes after a product launch in which most of the details of our announcements were also leaked to the press.
I want you to know that I share your frustration. These opportunities to connect as a team are really important. But they only work if we can trust that the content will stay within Apple. I want to reassure you that we are doing everything in our power to identify those who leaked. As you know, we do not tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether it's product IP or the details of a confidential meeting. We know that the leakers constitute a small number of people. We also know that people who leak confidential information do not belong here.
Cook's email wasn't referencing a product leak, but was instead aimed at employees who had shared details about a meeting focused on pay equity, working from home, COVID vaccinations, and more.
According to the NLRB, Cook violated worker rights with his statements, and as a result, Apple will need to settle with the NLRB to avoid a complaint. The NLRB is not able to act on its own to punish companies for violations, but NLRB complaints are reviewed by administrative law judges and can head to federal court where policy changes can be enacted.
Last year, the NLRB also said that Apple violated federal law by holding mandatory anti-union meetings and interrogating and coercing employees at its Atlanta and New York store locations.
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.
AirTags may be a convenient way for tracking dogs that might get off leash or otherwise lost, but there are dangers associated with the practice, as outlined by a report from The Wall Street Journal.
At 1.26 inches in diameter, AirTags are able to fit easily on a dog's collar, but that size also makes the tracking devices small enough to swallow, at least for a medium to large-sized dog, and a quick internet search indicates multiple incidents where dogs gobbled up an AirTag.
Dog owner Colin Mortimer told The Wall Street Journal that the AirTag on his dog Sophie's collar went missing. He tracked it with the Find My app and was able to get it to play a sound, with the beeping coming from the stomach of his other dog, Sassy. Sassy was able to throw the still-functioning AirTag up, but sometimes these incidents can require surgery.
This dog came to AMC's ER after ingesting a foreign object. 🔎 Can you tell what he ate based on this x-ray?
⬇️ Guess in the comments and we will reveal the answer tomorrow!
(The object was endoscopically removed and the pup is feeling better. 😌) pic.twitter.com/B9XlYEWpAa
— The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (@amcny) June 30, 2022
Over on Reddit, a user's doberman swallowed an AirTag, while another user reported watching a dog at the dog park eat an AirTag. A MacRumors reader also saw a swallowing incident with a dog and an AirTag, suggesting accidental AirTag consumption by dogs is not super rare. In fact, a Louisiana vet told The Wall Street Journal that he had treated six dogs that had swallowed an AirTag in the last 18 months, and in each case, the AirTag had initially been attached to the dog's collar.
Apple does not recommend that AirTags be used for tracking pets or children, and in fact, has said that it is not something that people should do, as AirTags were designed for tracking items rather than living creatures. AirTags that are swallowed may pass safely through a pet's digestive system, but there can be complications if the AirTag should come apart.
There is a CR2032 battery inside the AirTag, and if damaged, some batteries can leak a caustic substance that can damage a pet's stomach or mouth, if the battery is chewed, or lead to poisoning. Ann Hohenhaus, a senior veterinarian at the Schwarzmann Animal Medical Center in New York said that if a dog eats an AirTag, it needs to come out "as quickly as possible."
Dog owners who do attach an AirTag to a pet collar should look for one that is as secure as possible, with no hanging component that a dog is able to reach or chew through, such as the TagVault from Elevation Lab. There are many AirTag dog collar options on the market, but there is no oversight for these products nor does Apple recommend any of them, so they should be used with caution.
Apple Tice's Corner in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey will be temporarily closed for renovations starting Tuesday, January 31, according to Michael Steeber, who writes a weekly newsletter about Apple's retail stores. A reopening date has yet to be announced.
The closure is notable given that Apple Tice's Corner is the company's only remaining retail store with an original 2001 storefront design, which consists of a black facade with two backlit Apple logos bookending the entrance. Steeber said the scope of the upcoming renovations is unclear, so it remains to be seen if the facade will be updated.
Apple Tice's Corner originally opened in November 2001, just months after Apple's first retail stores opened in Tysons, Virginia and Glendale, California. The latter two stores have already had their facades updated during past renovations.
Apple operates over 520 retail stores around the world and is preparing to open its first locations in India and Malaysia over the coming months.
Samsung's SmartThings app for the iPhone and iPad was today updated to add support for Matter devices. For those unfamiliar with SmartThings, it is a smart home platform that is a subsidiary of Samsung, and it is akin to Apple HomeKit.
The SmartThings platform was updated with Matter support back in October, with Samsung rolling out Matter integration to SmartThings hubs last year. With the app update, Matter-enabled smart home devices that are connected to a SmartThings hub are able to be controlled with an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
Prior to now, Matter accessories connected to a SmartThings hub were only able to be controlled with an Android device, but now either Apple or Android devices can be used, which is useful in multi-platform households.
Matter is a smart home standard that is designed to integrate with all major smart home platforms from Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and more. A Matter home accessory can connect to both HomeKit and SmartThings, for example, and as long as an appropriate hub is available, it can be controlled through either smart home platform.
The SmartThings app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple Music subscribers can now listen to their "Replay 2023" playlist as of today. As in previous years, this playlist ranks all of the music you've been listening to on Apple Music from 1 to 100, updating weekly so you can keep track of your most-streamed songs of the year as 2023 progresses.
"Replay 2023" will update every Sunday with the newest order of your favorite music on Apple Music. By the time December rolls around, you'll have an overall list of your 100 favorite songs on Apple Music saved in the playlist.
Once you've listened to enough music to generate the playlist, you'll find it at the bottom of the Listen Now tab in Apple Music on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. There's also a more detailed version of the data tracking feature on Apple Music for the web, including most streamed artists and albums, and statistics for detailed play counts and hours listened.
Apple has been making its yearly Replay playlists available since 2019. Spotify Wrapped has been dominating this area of the music streaming business for a few years now, mainly thanks to its easily shareable infographics that come out in early December. In addition to Replay playlists, last year Apple introduced a "Highlight Reel" feature with more statistics about each users' listening history at the end of the year.
Head to the Apple Music app or Apple Music on the web to add the Replay 2023 playlist to your library. If you haven't listened to enough music yet in 2023, the playlist may not appear in your Apple Music app. Once you do listen to more music, you should see your Replay 2023 playlist appear as usual in the Listen Now tab.
Apple is continuing on with its Apple TV+ ad campaign starring actor Timothée Chalamet, today sharing a new spot where Chalamet praises Apple's taste and laments that the TV+ streaming service is "missing someone" while staring at a portrait of himself.
Chalamet uses an iPad to longingly look through various Apple TV+ shows and movies, naming the high-profile actors and actresses that star in the TV+ content. "Alright Apple, clearly you have taste," says Chalamet, and the spot eventually ends with him asking Apple to "talk."
The ad is similar to a "Call Me" spot that Apple shared earlier in January, where Chalamet expressed his desire to star in an Apple TV+ show. Apple's ad campaign is clearly leading up to announcement of an Apple TV+ series or movie starring Chalamet, as the company did something similar with Jon Hamm before he was announced as a cast member of "The Morning Show."
Numerous models of Apple's 2022 iPad Air have hit all-time low prices today on Amazon, with prices starting at $499.99 for the 64GB model. In total, you'll find up to $99 off these tablets, with record low prices available for nearly every version of the latest 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.
The 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air is available in four total colors at $499.99 on Amazon, which is down from $599.00. As of writing, shipping on this version of the tablet is delayed, with the earliest available for delivery around February 16. Given this is an all-time low price, you can lock in this deal today ahead of those slightly delayed arrival dates.
Secondly, the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air has hit $649.99 on Amazon, down from $749.00. This is another record low price, and it's available in three colors: Space Gray, Blue, and Purple. Shipping dates are slightly improved for this model as well, with the earliest estimated for February 11.
Moving to cellular models, the 64GB cellular iPad Air is priced at $649.99, down from $649.00. This is the only model currently with every color on sale, and some colors are available to deliver as soon as this Thursday, February 2.
Lastly, the 256GB cellular iPad Air is on sale for $799.99, down from $899.00. Only Blue is available at this price, and stock has begun to dwindle on Amazon so be sure to place your order soon if you're interested in this all-time low price on the iPad Air.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models feature a considerably smaller heatsink due to supply chain issues, teardowns suggest.
Top: M1 Pro logic board with larger heatsink. Bottom: M2 Pro logic board with smaller heatsink (via iFixit).
The new MacBook Pro's revised thermal architecture appears to be caused by the reduced overall footprint of the M2 Pro and M2 Max SoCs inside the device, as noted by iFixit and Max Tech. The M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models contained two, large memory modules, but the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models contain four slimmer memory modules. Even though the M2 Pro and M2 Max dies are physically larger than those of the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the SoCs as a whole take up less space.
Left: M1 Pro SoC. Right: M2 Pro SoC (via iFixit).
This means that the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models do not require a heatsink as large as the one used for the previous generation. It is not clear if this significantly impacts thermal efficiency.
The reason for the use of four smaller memory modules appears to be supply chain issues. The entire SoC is mounted on a substrate, so four smaller modules allow Apple to use a smaller substrate, making a saving on materials and reducing complexity as a result. Dylan Patel, Chief Analyst at SemiAnalysis, told iFixit:
ABF substrates were in very short supply when Apple made the design choice. By using four smaller modules rather than two larger ones, they can decrease routing complexity within the substrate from the memory to the SoC, leading to fewer layers on the substrate. This allows them to stretch the limited substrate supply further.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max deliver up to 20 percent better CPU performance and 30 percent better GPU performance than their predecessors, but since the chips continue to be based on TSMC's 5nm process, some users have noted that Apple may have made thermal tradeoffs in order to deliver improved performance.
Today we're tracking a few deals on cases for the iPhone and iPad. Specifically, this includes the Magic Keyboard case for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, as well as Clear, Silicone, and Leather cases for the iPhone 14 family of smartphones.
iPad Keyboards
Starting with the 11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, Amazon has this accessory for $249.99 in White and Black, down from $299.00. This is a second-best price on the 11-inch Magic Keyboard, and only Amazon has this price.
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.
Additionally, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard is on sale for $299.99 on Amazon, down from $349.00. This is another second-best price for the Magic Keyboard, and for the 12.9-inch size only White is available.
Other than iPad keyboard cases, Amazon also has a notable sale on nearly every official Apple case for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lineup. You'll find up to 25 percent off Clear, Silicone, and Leather cases on Amazon, all of which we've collected below. These include some of the lowest prices we've ever tracked on these accessories.
A U.S.-based Apple supplier has begun making components for AirPods in India, marking a significant step in the tech giant's push to expand production in the country, reports Bloomberg.
According to the news outlet, the Indian unit of Florida-based electronics manufacturer Jabil has begun shipping plastic AirPods enclosures to China and Vietnam, making the earbuds the second Apple product after iPhones to be made in India.
The move is part of Apple's plan to reduce its production reliance on China, where lockdown disruptions and US trade restrictions have made manufacturing more risky.
According to Jabil's website, the company operates a 858,000 square foot (80,000 square meter) facility employing more than 2,500 workers in Pune, western India.
Meanwhile, Apple's China-based suppliers are still waiting for the Indian government's approval to begin manufacturing there, with The Economic Timesreporting that 14 Chinese companies have so far been granted only initial clearance.
The rush to gain approval follows news that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is drawing up plans to offer financial incentives to companies that produce wireless earphones and smartwatches locally.
Apple reportedly wants to triple its iPhone production capacity in India within the next two years. According to Bloomberg's sources, shipments of India-made iPhones to Europe and the Middle East are set to reach $2.5 billion by March 2023, almost doubling the $1.3 billion worth of iPhones the country exported in the year through March 2022.
The news outlet last year reported that it would take around eight years to move just 10% of Apple's production capacity out of China, where about 98% of iPhones are still made.
Apple will launch a new iPad mini next year with mass production set to begin in the first quarter, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a series of tweets, Kuo said there may be no new iPad releases in the next nine to 12 months, since "the iPad mini refresh is more likely to begin mass production in 1Q24."
Kuo in December said he expected mass shipments of an updated iPad mini to start towards the end of 2023 or in the first half of 2024, so his latest tweets indicate the analyst no longer believes it will launch before the end of this year.
In his previous thoughts on the subject, Kuo said a new processor will be the main selling point of the new iPad mini, suggesting that the device will receive only a spec bump.
The current iPad mini released in September 2021 features an 8.3-inch display, A15 Bionic chip, USB-C port, Touch ID power button, and 5G support on cellular models.
An unreliable rumor from a Korean leaker previously suggested that the next-generation version of the iPad mini will feature ProMotion display technology, allowing for a maximum 120Hz refresh rate.
In a series of tweets, Kuo said he expects an "all-new design foldable iPad" to be the next big product launch in the iPad lineup, with no other major iPad releases in the next nine to 12 months. The analyst said he was "positive" that the foldable device would arrive in 2024, but did not provide a more specific timeframe.
The analyst's latest survey indicates that a carbon fiber material will be used for the iPad's kickstand to make it light and durable. Chinese polishing and bonding supplier Anjie Technology will reportedly be the new beneficiary of the foldable iPad.
Based on Apple's iPad plans, Kuo said he was taking a "cautious approach" to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a year-on-year decline of around 10-15 percent. However, he expects the 2024 foldable model to "boost shipments and improve the product mix."
This isn't the first time we have heard rumors of Apple planning to launch a foldable iPad. An October 2022 report from analysts at CCS Insight claimed Apple plans to use a foldable iPad in 2024 as a practice run for foldable technology before adopting it on the iPhone.
Apple is testing a foldable iPad display that's around 20-inches in size, according to reliable display analyst Ross Young, however Young expects the device to hit the market a lot later in 2026 or 2027.
(4/4) Thus, I'm taking a cautious approach to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a YoY decline of 10-15%. Nevertheless, I'm positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 30, 2023
Apple is said to be working with LG to create an ultra-thin cover glass that could be used on the company's foldable products, although it's not clear whether the material would be used in an iPhone or iPad.
Update: Since Kuo made his prediction, Ross Young has said that he is expecting multiple OLED iPads in 2024, but he has heard nothing about a foldable iPad in the same year.
Update 2:Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also weighed in on Kuo's prediction, saying he has not heard anything about a foldable iPad in 2024, which he expects to be a year of OLED iPad Pro models and spec bumps for the entry-level iPad and iPad mini.
Following last week's hardware announcements, this week saw the actual release of several of the new products as well as operating system updates bringing new features and bug fixes across Apple's platforms.
This week also saw some fresh rumors about the iPhone 15 lineup and Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset, while we shared some tips to help you get the most of your macOS experience, so read for all the details on these stories and more!
Everything New in iOS 16.3 for Your iPhone
iOS 16.3 was released to the public this week following around six weeks of beta testing. The software update is relatively minor, but there are still a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone, so make sure to check out our list of everything new in iOS 16.3.
The thinner bezels are said to be similar to those on the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8. The display glass itself and the rumored titanium frame are both expected to remain flat on the iPhone 15 Pro.
Some New MacBook Pro and Mac Mini Models Have Slower SSD Speeds Than Previous Models
While the new Mac mini with the M2 chip has a lower $599 starting price, the base model with 256GB of storage has slower SSD read and write speeds compared to the equivalent previous-generation model. The same is true for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with 512GB of storage.
The issue results from some new Mac configurations having fewer NAND storage chips than previous models.
10 macOS Tips to Boost Your Productivity
When it comes to working on your Mac, there are so many handy time-saving tricks hidden away in macOS that there's a good chance you're missing at least one or two. Here are 10 quick tips, any of which could be key to turbo-charging your productivity.
The list assumes you're using a Mac running the latest macOS Ventura software, but most of these tips also work in earlier versions of the operating system.
Apple's Mixed Reality Headset to Feature iOS-Like Interface, Advanced Hand Tracking, and More
Gurman said key features of Apple's headset will include advanced hand and eye tracking, an iOS-like software interface with a grid of apps, a Digital Crown-like control knob, and more. He also said the headset will be able to serve as an external display for a Mac.
Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, Macs, and More
After announcing new Mac and HomePod models last week, Apple adjusted its trade-in values for select devices, including the iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and Android smartphones. iPad trade-in values were not changed this time around.
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
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Left: M1 Pro SoC. Right: M2 Pro SoC (via 
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