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Sony this week launched the updated version of its premium flagship noise-canceling headphones. If your only interest is how the $400 WH-1000XM5 from Sony stack up against Apple's $549 AirPods Max, be sure to check out our direct comparison. The following is a standalone review of Sony's latest headphones.

Since they launched in August 2020, Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones have been among the best cans on the over-ear noise-canceling market, which is probably why Sony has chosen to keep them in its lineup despite the release of this latest iteration. You can still buy the XM4's for $349, while the XM5's retail for $399. But does paying the extra $50 get you a better listening experience? The short answer is yes, but the performance gains are less than groundbreaking, and any decision to upgrade is likely to be dictated by the overhauled design.

While the XM5's still come in black or silver (off-white) color options, Sony has overhauled the look and feel of its flagship WH-1000 series headphones. Where XM4's have shrouded arms that cradle the ear cups on both sides, the XM5's have exposed arms with a single stem attached to the cups, which are slightly wider and more padded than on the previous generation.

Elsewhere, Sony has moved the microphone holes closer to the wearer's head with the aim of lowering wind noise when out and about. The headband has also been made a little thinner, and these changes make for a cleaner style that's vaguely reminiscent of Bose's 700. The headphones' weight hasn't gone down much (250 grams versus the XM4's 254 grams) but Sony's cans are still far lighter than Apple's ‌AirPods Max‌ (384 grams).

Overall the XM5's look more plasticky than their predecessors, but they do feel more robust in the hand. This could be due to the fact that there are fewer pivot points and therefore fewer potential points of weakness, but either way the differences instill confidence when adjusting the cups, and they do feel exceedingly comfortable even after wearing them for several hours straight.

One glaring consequence of the redesign is that the headphones don't fold like they do on the XM4's, which has forced Sony to come up with a larger, less portable carry case. Without overblowing the difference in size, it has to be said that this feels like a downgrade, especially when you're used to stowing your XM4's in a small compartment and not the main section of your bag. Regardless of how many people intend to keep these headphones at home, there's no getting away from the fact that noise-canceling cans are made for travel/commuting, as Sony's marketing indeed suggests.

In terms of sonics, Sony has switched out the 40mm drivers of the XM4's and replaced them with 30mm drivers. The difference is hard to notice, and you have to give over your full attention to tell them apart, but the low bass frequencies on the XM5's sound more fleshed out, while the mid-range remains wonderfully balanced, the highs still sparkle on instrumental tracks, and the whole experience retains that spacious, detailed soundstage that XM4 owners will be familiar with.

As before, the headphones use LDAC to deliver the high-resolution audio, given the correct source device, while SBC, aptX/aptX HD, and AAC codecs are all supported, as is DSEE Extreme upscaling for compressed audio. Sony's 360 Reality Audio spatial sound effect is also on board, and the effect is clear and enveloping, for those who like that sort of thing. Purists also have the option of plugging in the supplied cable into the 3.5mm jack.

As for noise canceling, Sony has kept with the same QN1 processor that it uses in the XM4's, which means you still have the full repertoire of adaptive NC options at your fingertips. Fire up the Sony Headphones Connect app and you can manually drag a slider that changes the degree of noise-cancelation, allowing you to select maximum isolation, wind noise reduction, or choose from among 20 levels of varying ambient attenuation.

It's great for finding your ideal NC range while you're stationary, but you can also switch to adaptive sound control when you're on the move and the built-in QN1 processor will do just as good a job, automatically adjusting its corresponding inverted frequencies to block out whatever environmental sounds come your way.

What's more, Sony has increased the number of microphones to eight (four more than the previous model) and moved them into what Sony says is a more optimal position to attenuate high-frequency noises, and they'd be right. Low-frequency sounds like jet engines and traffic melt away just like before, but the XM5's are better at cutting out background chatter in a busy coffee shop or on a commute.

There's also reduced ambient noise on voice calls, which are decent enough for over-ear headphones. I didn't have a pair of ‌AirPods Max‌ on hand to directly compare the XM5's NC chops, but the Transparency mode on AirPods Pro is a little better than Sony has managed. Otherwise, these noise-canceling cans are definitely up there with the best of them.

One thing that's missing from the XM5's that the previous model had is the optimize button, which handled the personal NC optimizer feature that samples ambient noise and cancels out a wider range of sounds with corresponding inverted frequencies. Enabling the feature on the XM4's makes the headphone speakers emit a series of tones that bounce back and forth between the mics to analyze the shape of your head, work out whether you have big hair, wear glasses, and so on. Sony says this is now all done automatically and in the background, and I can't say I missed its manually enabled incarnation.

When it comes to battery life, Sony impresses by eking out the same 30 hours of wireless battery life with ANC on that the XM4's do, and 40 hours with ANC off (10 more than the previous model). In addition, Sony has upped the ante in the Power Delivery stakes, and you can now get three hours of playback from just three minutes on the supplied USB-C charger. The XM5's also support multipoint, so you can connect to two devices at once, but as with the XM4's you can't use the feature and LDAC at the same time for some reason.

Like previous cans in the WH-1000X range, the two buttons on the left ear cup control power and noise-canceling/ambient sound features. As before, the power button can be quickly pressed for a battery level update, and a long press activates the pairing sequence. The right ear cup has a touch-sensitive back that responds to taps and swipes to control music playback, skip tracks, change volume, and invoke your preferred virtual assistant. Like most modern headphone gesture pads, it can also be used to take calls.

Bottom Line

Sony didn't have to redesign the XM5's, but the fact is these headphones look more in keeping with the current zeitgeist – slick, slimline cans that look stylish while retaining the audio performance that Sony's flagship headphones have become famous for. Overall, the design overhaul is a positive, but if you're a frequent traveler, the added bulk that comes with not being foldable might be enough to put you off.

If you already have a pair of XM4's, the difference between them and the XM5's isn't enough to necessitate an upgrade (I for one am satisfied with mine). However, Sony has built on the previous model's success without too much compromise, and if you're in the market for a solid pair of high-performance noise-canceling headphones with sonics to match, I can only recommend them.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are available to order today from the Sony website and on Amazon for $399.

Note: Sony provided MacRumors with the WH-1000XM5 headphones for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Amazon is kicking off the long weekend with the return of a few all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 7, starting as low as $329.99 for the 41mm GPS models. These sales reach up to $70 off, and in every model listed below you'll find record low discounts. Below we focus on the aluminum versions of the Apple Watch, but Amazon is also offering discounts on a few stainless steel models.

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.

41mm GPS Aluminum

The cheapest available Apple Watch Series 7 model is the 41mm GPS device, on sale for $329.00 in three colors, down from $399.00. Although we've seen one color (Green) at a cheaper price during a rare discount a few months ago, for most colors this is an all-time low price.

• (Product)Red with (Product)Red Sport Band - $329.00, down from $399.00
• Green with Clover Sport Band - $329.00, down from $399.00
• Midnight with Midnight Sport Band - $329.00, down from $399.00

45mm GPS Aluminum

Only two colors are on sale for the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7, and both are at a record low price for this model, which is $359.00, down from $429.00. Only the (Product)Red and Green Aluminum colors are seeing this all-time low discount right now.

• (Product)Red with (Product)Red Sport Band - $359.99, down from $429.00
• Green with Clover Sport Band - $359.99, down from $429.00

41mm Cellular Aluminum

For the Cellular aluminum models of the Apple Watch Series 7 you'll find similarly solid discounts today. The 41mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7 is priced at $429.00, down from $499.00, and coming in about $20 under the previous record low discount.

• (Product)Red with (Product)Red Sport Band - $429.00, down from $499.00
• Midnight with Midnight Sport Band - $429.00, down from $499.00
• Green with Clover Sport Band - $429.00, down from $499.00
• Blue with Abyss Blue Sport Band - $429.00, down from $499.00

45mm Cellular Aluminum

Finally, Amazon has every aluminum model of the 45mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7 at $459.00, down from $529.00. Similar to the other sales, this price beats the previous best deal by about $20 and only Amazon is offering the sale.

• Green with Clover Sport Band - $459.00, down from $529.00
• Midnight with Midnight Sport Band - $459.00, down from $529.00
• (Product)Red with (Product)Red Sport Band - $459.00, down from $529.00
• Blue with Abyss Blue Sport Band - $459.00, down from $529.00
• Starlight with Starlight Sport Band - $459.00, down from $529.00

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.

The "A16" chip for the iPhone will reportedly be manufactured with the same process as the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic, with Apple saving a bigger performance leap for the "M2" chip designed for its next-generation Macs. Meanwhile, the company is working on a "final" M1 chip variant that uses more powerful cores from the A15, according to the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro."

In a thread on Twitter, ShrimpApplePro shared information from "a fairly reliable source" that purports to reveal Apple's chip plans for the upcoming A16 and M2 chips, as well as the "final" variant in the M1 family of chips.

The A16 will reportedly be based on TSMC's 5nm process, just like the A14, A15, and M1 chips. Previous reports have been unclear about whether the A16 will be fabricated with TSMC's more advanced 4nm process, with an ambiguous report from DigiTimes claiming that Apple plans to use TSMC's 4nm N4P process – but N4P is in fact an enhanced, third-generation version of the 5nm process. On the other hand, ShrimpApplePro said that the A16 will use TSMC's N5P process. This suggests that the A16 may be less of a substantial upgrade than previously thought.

According to the information, the A16's improvements will instead come from minor enhancements to the CPU, GPU, and memory. Mirroring a report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, ShrimpApplePro said that the A16 will specifically feature LPDDR 5 memory. LPDDR 5 memory is up to one and a half times faster and up to 30 percent more power-efficient than the LPDDR 4X memory paired with the A15 chip in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.

The M2 chip will apparently be the first Apple chip to make the jump to TSMC's 3nm process, skipping 4nm entirely. The M2 is believed to be Apple's first custom ARMv9 processor.

Apple is also said to be working on the "final SoC of M1 series," featuring updated cores. The M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra chips use energy-efficient "Icestorm" cores and high-performance "Firestorm" cores – just like the A14 Bionic chip. Apple's final M1 variant will instead allegedly be based on the A15 Bionic, featuring "Blizzard" energy-efficient cores and "Avalanche" high-performance cores.

This final chip in the M1 family could be offered in the next-generation Mac Pro, which Apple explicitly teased earlier this year. Currently, Apple's most powerful chip is the M1 Ultra, which is effectively a doubled-up version of the M1 Max with a 20-core CPU and a 64-core GPU. With the first Apple silicon Mac Pro, Apple is believed to be working on a chip that is even more powerful than the M1 Ultra. The M1 Ultra in the Mac Studio is already faster than the 28-core Intel Xeon chip, so the Mac Pro will need to boast an even more extreme advance in performance.

Alternatively, if it is not for the Mac Pro, this new chip could be a variant of the standard M1 chip. Kuo said earlier this year that the 2022 MacBook Air would retain the M1 chip rather than feature the M2, so it is possible that ShrimpApplePro's rumor relates to the entry-level M1 rather than the top-tier M1 variant in the Apple silicon Mac Pro, or something else entirely. Offering devices with an iteration of the standard M1 chip could help Apple buy time before releasing Macs with the M2 chip.

Other reports claim that the A16 chip will debut exclusively in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max sticking with the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic, while the M2 chip is mostly rumored to be introduced with a redesigned MacBook Air later this year, before spreading to a wave of new Macs and potentially the next-generation iPad Pro.

ShrimpApplePro was unsure about the final naming of the "A16," "M2," and the final M1 chip variant and said that the rumor should be taken with a pinch of salt.

We're only a few days away from Memorial Day in the United States on Monday, May 30, and numerous retailers have opened up major discounts on Apple-related products as we head into the long weekend. Below you'll find markdowns from popular accessory companies like Nomad, Hyper, JBL, Casely, Belkin, Brydge, 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.

Twelve South

Everything on Twelve South's website is 20 percent off during its Memorial Day sale this weekend. This deal has been applied automatically, so you can shop sitewide on Twelve South and add an item to your cart to see the markdown.

Twelve South sells accessories that exclusively focus on Apple products, including ergonomic stands for the iMac, cases for the MacBook, folios for the iPhone, protective cases for the AirPods, and much more.

Satechi

Satechi's Memorial Day discount code MD15 is taking 15 percent off your order, while MD20 is taking 20 percent off if your order exceeds $100. These codes work sitewide on Satechi's website.

Satechi is known for its Apple-compatible charging accessories, including USB-C hubs, iPhone stands, Lightning cables, keyboards, and more.

Casely

Casely is offering 40 percent off sitewide this year for Memorial Day, when you use the code MDW40 at checkout.

Casely offers a wide range of colorful Apple-compatible accessories, including cases for iPhone and AirPods.

eBay

You can get 15 percent off select tech and home products on eBay right now, when you use the code MEMDAY150FF at checkout.

This code is only compatible at select eBay storefronts, mainly focusing on tech, home, fashion, and outdoor products. You'll have until May 30 to use the code as well.

Hyper

Hyper has 20 percent off select accessories this week with the code MEMO20 used at checkout.

Items in this sale include USB-C hubs, docks, battery packs, chargers, cables, and more.

JBL

JBL is taking up to 50 percent off Bluetooth speakers, headphones, and other audio products this week.

You won't need a coupon code for this sale, as each deal has been applied automatically.

Nomad

Nomad is offering $15 off any order that exceeds $50 with the code MEMORIAL15 and it works sitewide.

Additionally, Nomad began a new Outlet Sale this week offering up to 90 percent off accessories like Apple Watch Bands, Lightning cables, iPhone cases, and more. Nomad's Outlet Sale items are final sale once purchased.

Other Sales

• Adorama - Save on photo gear, computers, video equipment, gaming accessories, and more.
• Belkin - Save on charging accessories.
• Brydge - Save on iPad keyboards and MacBook docks.
• Moment - Use code #mobile to get 15 percent off mobile gear.
• Newegg - Take up to 55 percent off computer gear.
• OtterBox - Take 15 percent off Defender Series cases.
• Tile - Save on Tile's Bluetooth trackers.

Google has announced long-omitted support for using keyboard shortcuts to cut, copy, and paste files in Google Drive on the web – but only if you're accessing the service through its Chrome browser.

In what may come as a surprise to some, Google Drive on the web has never offered access to clipboard functions, despite providing keyboard shortcuts to perform several actions on selected items.

The new support for ⌘ + C (or Ctrl + C on PC), ⌘ + X, and ⌘ + V to copy, cut and paste Google Drive files should save users time by allowing them to copy one or more files and move them to new locations in Drive – and across multiple Chrome tabs – with fewer clicks.

Google says a link to the file and its title is now captured when copying a file, which allows users to paste them into a document or an email. In addition, copying a file and pressing ⌘ + Shift + V key creates shortcuts for organizing files in multiple locations without necessarily creating duplicate files.

Lastly, Chrome users can now open files or folders in a new tab using ⌘ + Enter, which should make it easier to view multiple files at once, or use different tabs to more easily organize files between two different folder locations.

Earlier this month, Google Docs gained an additional new feature that allows users to select multiple sections of text and apply actions such as delete, copy, paste, or format to all selections at the same time.

In news that could weigh heavily on the future success of Apple TV, Microsoft has confirmed it is working to bring an affordable streaming device to market that would allow users to play Xbox games without the need for a full-blown console.

It has been suggested for years that Microsoft wants to make gaming accessible to more people by cutting out the need to invest in a pricey console. The Xbox Cloud Gaming platform, which works on many devices including iPhone and iPad, is the company's software-based answer to that challenge, but it appears Microsoft isn't stopping there.

Speaking to Windows Central, Microsoft revealed it is actively working on new Xbox hardware. Codenamed "Keystone," the streaming device sounds similar to Chromecast and Google Stadia in that it will connect to any TV or monitor via HDMI, allowing users to tap into Microsoft's vast games catalog, as well as any other streaming content it chooses to host.

The company didn't provide any more details about the dongle or a potential launch date, but said that it had recently taken the decision to "pivot away" from its original vision for the device, which would allow it to "deliver Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players around the world in the future."

• How to Play Fortnite on iPhone and iPad

Along with access to triple-A console games, Microsoft's device is likely to double as a set-top box on which users can access popular streaming services as well as the company's own media apps like Microsoft Movies & TV.

Apple at one point was working on a low-cost ‌Apple TV‌ dongle, but those plans have been abandoned. Apple is now planning to launch a new version of the Apple TV in the second half of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo believes that the new ‌Apple TV‌ will have an improved cost structure, which suggests a lower price point than the current ‌Apple TV‌ (from $179) that is more competitive with other streaming media players.

Whatever the next iteration of ‌Apple TV‌ looks like, Apple's subscription-based gaming platform Apple Arcade will struggle to compete with a Microsoft dongle that can stream titles including Fortnite, Halo, Need for Speed, The Sims, and many other popular Xbox games.

Apple is preparing for the Worldwide Developers Conference that's set to kick off in less than two weeks, and today updated the Apple Developer app with information about the 2022 event.

The Apple Developer app has details on session videos, Digital Lounges, labs, coding challenges, and more for WWDC 2022, allowing developers to sign up to participate directly within the app.

Developers can watch WWDC content together over FaceTime using the SharePlay function that has been added to the Apple Developer app.

Apple says that there are several enhancements, including improved search, keyboard shortcuts for iPadOS, and more. Full release notes for the update are below:

Thank you for your feedback! New in this release:
- Explore all WWDC22 has to offer, including session videos, Digital Lounges, 1-on-1 labs, Coding & Design Challenges, and more.
- Sign up for interactive activities like Digital Lounges and labs directly inside the Developer app.
- Watch videos together using SharePlay.
We've also fixed bugs and added various other enhancements:
- We've rebuilt our search to be more extensive and to support quoted phrases.
- We've added more keyboard shortcuts for iPadOS.
- We now list your downloads in the order that you started the download.

The Apple Developer app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. It is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. [Direct Link]

There appear to be ongoing issues with Instagram, based on a number of complaints from Instagram users who are unable to use the social network as normal.

Some users have been logged out of the app and are not able to access it at all, while others are seeing blank image posts or are having issues loading images.

Still others are seeing older images in the timeline that were originally posted weeks or months ago, or are unable to load Stories and comments.

Meta has not yet commented on the outage, but there are numerous reports on the Downdetector website from users who are having problems.

Senator Amy Klobuchar last night introduced a revised version [PDF] of the American Choice and Innovation Act, as the U.S. government continues to work toward legislation that targets major tech companies and that would mandate sideloading on the iPhone.

There are few changes to the bill that would alleviate Apple's concerns about it, and the Cupertino company provided a statement to MacRumors.

We created the iPhone and the App Store to be a safe and trusted place for users to download the apps they love and a great business opportunity for developers everywhere. The result has been an unprecedented engine for economic growth, which has enabled competition and innovation and made it possible for any developer with a great idea to reach Apple customers around the world.

We remain concerned that this legislation threatens to break this model and undermine the privacy and security protections our users depend on. Governments and international agencies worldwide have explicitly advised against sideloading requirements, which would empower bad actors who want to target users--including children--with malware and scams, and make it easier for data-hungry companies to track users without their consent. At the end of the day, the changes made to the bill are a recognition that the legislation, as originally drafted, created unintended privacy and security vulnerabilities for users. We believe the proposed remedies fall far short of the protections consumers need, and urge lawmakers to make further changes to avoid these unintended consequences.

POLITICO this morning reported that some Senate Democrats are pushing back on the bill, but Democratic leaders are aiming for a vote by this summer. Democratic senators have reportedly expressed "deep reservations" about voting for the bill in its current form, as it could be too contentious for an election year, which has led Klobuchar to introduce a new version.

The revised bill is designed to address some of the concerns Senators have raised about the sweeping tech industry changes the legislation would introduce, but Apple maintains that the changes do not go far enough. The company says that the tweaks prove that the original legislation results in "unintended privacy and security vulnerabilities" for users, and that lawmakers need to make further changes to protect user privacy.

The updates make it easier for Apple to defend privacy changes that it implements, but Apple would still be required to demonstrate that each change is "reasonably tailored and reasonably necessary" and that it could not be achieved in another "materially less discriminatory" way. There are no changes to the requirement for Apple to allow for sideloading.

Under the wording of the bill, apps would be able to be installed on iPhones outside of the App Store, making iOS much more similar to the Android platform. Companies like Facebook would be able to work around the privacy protections on the ‌iPhone‌ through sideloading, and would not be subject to Apple's rules against tracking. The bill targets U.S. tech companies that include Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google, but it places no restrictions on non-U.S. companies like Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, and other smartphone manufacturers that compete with Apple, which could be problematic in the future.

Apple has previously said that enabling sideloading would result in a flood of new attacks on ‌iPhone‌ users from bad actors eager to access the sensitive data stored on consumer devices. Predators and scammers would be able to "side-step Apple's privacy and security protections completely," with the bill allowing "malware, scams, and data-exploitation to proliferate."

Apple CEO Tim Cook in November said that consumers who want to sideload apps should look to Android rather than to ‌iPhone‌. "If that is important to you then you should buy an Android phone," he said in an interview. "From our point of view, it would be like if I were an automobile manufacturer telling [a customer] not to put airbags and seat belts in the car."

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.

In addition to online ordering, the new Pride Edition Sport Loop and Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop for the Apple Watch are now available for purchase at select Apple Store locations around the world. In-store availability varies, with some locations offering pickup starting today and others offering pickup as late as June 1.

Apple said it released the bands in celebration of Pride month this June and in support of the global LGBTQ+ community and equality movement.

This year's Pride Edition Sport Loop has a lighter design and features the word "pride" woven directly into the band, while the Nike Sport Loop version is darker and does not have any inscription. Both bands are compatible with any Apple Watch model, with pricing set at $49 for each in the United States.

A new Pride watch face is also available for the Apple Watch Series 4 or newer. The watch face's colorful threads automatically move as the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch is rotated, the display is tapped, or the wearer's wrist is raised.

Last year's Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop remains available for $99.

The iPhone 14 Max is currently behind schedule by around three weeks, according to Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu.

Yesterday, Nikkei Asia reported that at least one ‌iPhone‌ 14 model was three weeks behind schedule due to the impact of lockdowns on Apple's supply chains in China, but it was not clear which ‌iPhone‌ 14 model this related to. Now, Pu has clarified that the model in question is the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max, Apple's upcoming ‌iPhone‌ that is expected to bring a larger, 6.7-inch display size to its non-Pro line of smartphones.

Pu explained that the delay for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max has specifically been caused by Pegatron stopping production during Shanghai's latest lockdown. The ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max is not expected to enter mass production until late August, likely just weeks before the new ‌iPhone‌ lineup is unveiled at a September Apple event.

Currently, all four ‌‌iPhone‌ 14‌ models are believed to be in the engineering verification test (EVT) phase of development, according to Nikkei's sources. Normally, all new ‌‌iPhone‌‌ models complete the EVT and move on to the verification stage by the end of June. Following the development phase of new iPhones, Apple's main assemblers, Foxconn and Pegatron, enter a phase known as new product introduction (NPI) during which the manufacturing process is sketched out for the latest designs. NPI is followed by several final verification processes before mass production begins.

The ‌iPhone‌ 14, ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max are still on schedule to reach mass production in early August, weeks ahead of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max, according to Pu. It is unclear whether the delay will translate to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max shipping later than the other ‌iPhone‌ 14 models, or simply being in short supply upon launch. Nikkei's sources suggested that the timeframe is still dependent on how much the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max's development process can be accelerated.

Apple reportedly told suppliers to speed up product development efforts to make up for the lost time before the delay affects the typical manufacturing schedule, which could impact initial production volumes of the ‌‌iPhone‌ 14‌ lineup more broadly. Similarly, it emerged earlier this month that Apple told Foxconn to start recruiting workers to assemble iPhone 14 models earlier than usual amid fears that China's lockdowns could lead to short supply or delays later in the year.

---

Update: After this article was published, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple has not changed the shipping plan for the iPhone 14 models in spite of lockdowns in China. He reiterated that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Max is indeed behind schedule, but the situation is reportedly under control and suppliers are able to work overtime to catch up. He believes that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup's challenges "will come from the demand side rather than the supply side."

Amazon is offering sales on Apple's 10.2-inch iPad and 8.3-inch iPad mini tablets this week, with as much as $90 off these devices.

iPad mini

Every color of Apple's 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 is down to $409.00 on Amazon, from $499.00. Although not an all-time low price, this deal is a good second-best offer and just about $10 higher than the lowest price we've ever tracked.

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.

Similarly, the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini is seeing a second-best price of $549.00, down from $649.00. Stock has begun to dwindle on the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini, but you can lock in the sale price now ahead of its early June delivery estimates.

10.2-inch iPad

Amazon has the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad for $309.00, down from $329.00. This is about $10 higher than the best price we've ever tracked, so it's a solid second-best discount.

Additionally, the 256GB Wi-Fi model is on sale for $429.00, down from $479.00. Both Silver and Space Gray are available at this price, and in stock with delivery estimated for as soon as next week. This is an all-time low price on this version of the iPad.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Google is said to have delayed the launch of its first foldable smartphone yet again, due to the device reportedly failing to meet the company's expectations.

According The Elec, the company had planned to launch the device during the fourth quarter of this year, but Google has now chosen to delay its release. The outlet's sources said the delay was likely because the product is "not as complete as Google wishes."

The report didn't say when the foldable Pixel was now expected to launch, but well-connected Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young revealed on Twitter that multiple sources in the supply chain have told him the device has been delayed until next spring.

This is the second time Google has postponed the launch of its rumored Pixel Fold, or "Pixel Notepad," as some have called it. Documents leaked in 2020 suggested Google planned to release a in-folding smartphone in late 2021, but that didn't happen.

Google didn't even mention foldable devices at its recent I/O developer conference, leaving some Pixel fans wondering if the device had been canned. Minds were immediately cast back to 2019, when Google revealed it was developing technology that could be used in a foldable but admitted in the same breath that it didn't see "a clear use case yet."

The Samsung OLED panels that Google is believed to have chosen for the device are said to include a 5.8-inch outer screen and a folding 7.6-inch inner screen, similar to the Oppo Find N. The phone is also rumored to feature an ultra-thin glass (UTG) cover, also supplied by Samsung.

Previous rumors have claimed that Google's device was lagging behind Samsung's Fold series. However, Young believes it is not a problem with the display that is behind the delay, but more probably the emergence of software innovations or a new chipset that Google wants to incorporate into the device.

Apple has been known to be working on foldable display technology for some years now, filing multiple patents regarding the technology. Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ said in September that Apple will introduce the first foldable ‌iPhone‌ in 2024. However, Young more recently reported that Apple's long-rumored foldable ‌iPhone‌ has been delayed until 2025. News of the delay came after discussions with supply chain sources, suggesting Apple is in no hurry to enter the foldable market.

According to leaker Dylandkt, Apple is experimenting with multiple foldable iPhone prototypes, but that doesn't necessarily mean a foldable ‌iPhone‌ is coming in the near future.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has called Apple's App Store, which has helped app makers earn over $260 billion since its launch, a "disservice to developers" that forces them to treat their apps as "sub-par."

Sweeney made the comments in an exclusive interview with the Financial Times, where he repeated ‌Epic Games‌' previous talking points about Apple and how it is "anti-competitive" and "monopolistic." Sweeney said that Apple has "won fairly" in persuading customers to buy its hardware products but claims that forcing customers to use the ‌App Store‌ is unfair.

The problem here is a classic monopoly tie. You start with hardware. Apple make smartphones and they profit from their smartphones — and they deserve to. But then they force all buyers of their smartphones to use their app store exclusively for obtaining digital content. They prevent all other app stores from competing with them on hardware that's owned by a billion end users. That's the first tie and that completely obstructs all competition and market forces that would shape better app stores and better deals for consumers.

According to Sweeney, Apple uses its fair advantage in hardware to "gain an unfair advantage over competitors and other markets. And that breaks all the competitive dynamics that kept the tech industry healthy in the past."

Sweeney criticized the ‌App Store‌ as a platform itself, saying that despite Apple's attempt to market it as a service, it's actually a "disservice to developers." "The app store is not a service. The app store is a disservice to developers. The app store forces developers to treat their software in a sub-par way to give customers a sub-par experience to charge uncompetitive handling and processing fees to inflate the price of digital goods," the CEO of ‌Epic Games‌ said.

Apple has said that the ‌App Store‌ since its launch has helped developers earn over $260 billion and has fostered an iOS app economy that has created over 2.2 million jobs in the U.S. alone.

‌Epic Games‌‌ has been embroiled in a massive lawsuit against Apple, concerning the ‌‌App Store‌‌, that started in 2020 and is now entering its second year. The suit and its history may be confusing for some, but we have all the details in our guide.

Apple plans to produce roughly 220 million iPhone units in 2022, a production target that is mostly unchanged from the previous year despite supply chain constraints and expected high demand for new iPhones this fall, Bloomberg reports.

Apple has reportedly told its suppliers that it still wants to make up to 220 million ‌iPhone‌ units this year, a target that is less than what market experts were expecting. Driven largely by the new ‌iPhone‌ 14 models expected in the fall, analysts were expecting a production target closer to 240 million units, according to the report.

The company is asking suppliers to assemble roughly 220 million iPhones, about the same as last year, according to people familiar with its projections, who asked not to be named as they’re not public. Market forecasts have hovered closer to 240 million units, driven by an expected major update to the iPhone in the fall. But the mobile industry has gotten off to a difficult start to the year and production estimates are down across the board.

The unchanged target from 2021 comes despite Apple's struggles with meeting the demand for existing products. Multiple products, including the company's latest Macs, remain back-ordered for several weeks if not months due to supply chain woes fueled by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

This fall, Apple is planning to unveil the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup with an updated design, better cameras, performance, and more. The 2022 iPhones are expected to be a larger update than the ‌iPhone‌ 13 series this past fall, which brought minor updates to the cameras, improved display technology, and a new chip. Learn more about what Apple has planned for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 with our roundup.

Apple today notified employees that it is increasing starting pay for hourly workers to a minimum of $22 per hour, and higher in certain markets, reports The Wall Street Journal. The move comes as the company seeks to deal with inflation, a tight labor market, and recent unionization efforts.

The new starting wage represents a 45% increase compared to 2018 and will most prominently affect retail workers. Salaried positions are also expected to see starting increases.

“Supporting and retaining the best team members in the world enables us to deliver the best, most innovative, products and services for our customers,” an Apple spokesman said in a statement. “This year as part of our annual performance review process, we’re increasing our overall compensation budget.”

Apple retail workers have started looking to unionize in a small number of stores, seeking higher pay and expanded benefits such as increased vacation time and improved retirement options.

Just today, Apple's head of retail Deirdre O'Brien sent a video message to retail store employees to address those efforts, arguing that while it is workers' right join a union, there could be downsides for workers if they choose to do so.

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.

Apple appears to have recently updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID.

If you receive an App Store or Apple Store gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that was previously visible in the ‌App Store‌ and ‌Apple Store‌ apps. As of today, the Apple Account balance can also be added to a new card in the Wallet app.

To add the card, open up the Wallet app and under "Available Cards," tap on "Add Apple Account." As long as you have an Apple Account balance, you'll be able to add the card.

Once added, you can view your Apple Account balance right from the Wallet app and use it to purchase Apple products, apps, games, and music. It works in the same way as any other card in the Wallet app when at an ‌Apple Store‌. The Apple Account Card replaces the iTunes Pass that used to be available quite some time ago.

The Apple Account Card can be added on devices running iOS 15.5 or later.

(Thanks, Jacob!)