Earlier today, we reported on a proven leaker's claim that a new iPhone SE and iPad 11 would be released alongside iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Just minutes later, however, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman put the kibosh on that rumor.
In a follow-up social media post, Gurman said an iPhone SE replacement and new iPads are "being developed on the iOS 18.3 train," but that "doesn't mean" the software updates and the devices will launch simultaneously. Instead, Gurman said Apple is aiming to release the devices "by April," at some point "before iOS 18.4" is released.
So, there you have it. Sometimes one rumor quickly leads to another, and now we have a clearer timeframe for the launch of these devices.
CES 2025 is in full swing, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera is back with another video showcasing new and upcoming tech products. Today's video highlights a range of Apple accessories, including power banks, hubs, Qi2 chargers, Find My devices, and more.
Anker had a 25,000mAh power bank that can charge a MacBook at up to 165W, and it includes a retractable USB-C cable. Retractable cables are a popular accessory add-on this year, and we're seeing quite a few manufacturers adding convenient cables to their products.
Satechi has new Qi2 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 compact travel charging options in fun colors, along with matching Qi2 power banks. Satechi was also showing off its M4 Mac mini hub that adds USB-A ports, an SD card slot, and easy access to the power button to the Mac mini.
Moft had new wallets with built-in Find My support, and an iPad Pro case with a built-in iPhone holder for a dual-screen setup. Aukey had a 6-in-1 magnetic charger with added ports for powering multiple phones, an Apple Watch, and other accessories, along with a 3-in-1 charger with active cooling technology.
SanDisk had a MagSafe SSD for content creators, Flic Duo showed off a button with gesture-based controls for HomeKit devices, and OWC was demoing its Thunderbolt 5 SSD and hub. Scosche also had a Find My-enabled card tracker, a car charger with Find My so you can keep tabs on your car, and a a blood glucose monitor. Lockly had a Secure Pro lock with UWB for hands-free door unlocking with an iPhone, and Plantaform showed off an indoor gardening machine that looks like a Keurig for plants.
The 2025 Swift Student Challenge that's taking place ahead of WWDC is set to begin on Monday, February 3, Apple announced today on its developer website.
With the Swift Student Challenge, students from around the world can showcase their coding skills and creativity by developing app concepts using Swift Playgrounds or Xcode. The contest also provides students with the chance to learn real-world skills that can be used in their future careers.
Apple plans to host an online session that will provide students and educators with more information on participating in the Swift Student Challenge. The session will explore the elements of great apps with an Apple engineer, provide tips from a former Challenge winner, and offer inspiration for app playgrounds. Apple has also updated Develop in Swift Tutorials to help students learn the foundations of coding.
Apple said it will select 350 winners based on "innovation, creativity, social impact, or inclusivity." 50 of the winners will be invited to spend three days at Apple Park in Cupertino, California this summer. The trip generally coincides with Apple's annual WWDC event, which is often held in June.
Back in October, Apple gave students a heads up that the Swift Student Challenge would take place in February, but exact dates weren't provided at the time. Submissions will open on February 3, 2025, and will remain open for a three-week period.
Anker this week debuted a pair of new charging accessories, including a 25,000 mAh portable battery and 140W wall charger. Although these "high-power" Anker devices just went up for purchase today, you can already save $10 on each product when purchased on Anker's website.
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.
Starting with the 25,000 mAh Anker Power Bank ($89.99 with coupon or at Amazon), this accessory features two built-in USB-C cables and can charge up to four devices at once. The 4-Port Anker Wall Charger ($79.99 with coupon or at Amazon) can also charge four devices at once and comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Additionally, we're still tracking big discounts in Anker's New Year's sale, which still has a few days left and will end on January 15. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more.
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.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
Anker's deals all have on-page coupons that will be applied automatically when you head to the checkout screen. There are some products listed in the New Year's sale without deals, but you can get these marked down when purchasing two at the same time to get 20 percent off, or three for 25 percent off.
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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iOS 15.3, iOS 16.3, and iOS 17.3 were all released in late January over the past three years, so iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 will likely be released later this month if that trend continues. If so, that means the new iPhone SE and iPad 11 could also be released this January, assuming that the leaker is accurate about these releases being coupled.
As requested, we have not linked to the leaker's private account, but they have proven to be a reliable source over the past few years.
All three iPhone SE models released to date were announced in March or April over the years, so a January announcement of an iPhone SE 4 would be earlier than usual. Another rumored name for the device is iPhone 16E.
There is one potential reason why it would make sense for the new iPhone SE to launch this January. Apple recently stopped selling the current iPhone SE with a Lightning port in the EU, due to a USB-C regulation there. The new iPhone SE is expected to have a USB-C port, and by releasing it this month instead of in March or April, Apple would be getting the iPhone SE back on sale in the EU a few months sooner.
The new iPhone SE is said to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14. Rumored features for the device include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a newer A-series chip and 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, and the first Apple-designed 5G modem. It is not entirely clear if the device will have an Action button, which debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Apple announced the current iPhone SE during an online event in March 2022. The device looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. In the U.S., the iPhone SE currently starts at $429, but at least a slight price increase seems probable for the next model.
As for the iPad 11, it has been said that the device should support Apple Intelligence. That means it would have a newer A-series chip compared to the iPad 10, and an increased 8GB of RAM, to power those features. At this point, no major design changes have been rumored for the device. Apple announced the iPad 10 in October 2022.
Gurman recently said new MacBook Air models would be announced before the new iPhone SE and iPad 11, so perhaps the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air will receive their rumored upgrade to the M4 chip this month as well.
Update: In a follow-up social media post, Gurman said these alleged iPhone SE 4 launch details are "completely untrue."
Apple today provided developers with the second beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.3 update, with the second beta coming three weeks after Apple released the first beta.
Registered developers can opt-in to the macOS Sequoia beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.
macOS Sequoia 15.3 brings Genmoji to the Mac, a feature that was previously limited to the iPhone and iPad. With Genmoji, Mac users can create custom characters with a text-based prompt, similar to how Image Playground works.
Genmoji characters behave just like emoji on devices running iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later, but on earlier versions of iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and Android devices, Genmoji are sent as images. Genmoji can be added from the emoji interface, and image generation is done on-device.
All macs with an Apple silicon chip support Genmoji and other Apple Intelligence features.
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming three weeks after Apple released the first betas.
iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software update.
There are no new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, and the updates are available to all compatible iPhone and iPad models. The update is expected to bring support for robot vacuums in HomeKit, but there were no notable changes found in the first beta.
iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 will likely focus primarily on bugs and small software refinements, with additional Apple Intelligence Siri functionality coming in later iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates.
While iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 testing is starting in December, these updates will likely be released sometime in the next few weeks.
Apple today provided developers with the second betas of upcoming watchOS 11.3, tvOS 18.3, and visionOS 2.3 updates for testing purposes.
The betas are available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the settings app on each device.
There were no notable new features found in the updates, but code suggests that Apple will add support for robot vacuums to HomeKit, which means it will be a supported category in the Home app in visionOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
tvOS 18.3 code suggests we won't be getting new TV and Movies and Soundscapes screen savers, which Apple had announced back in June. References to these screen savers have now been eliminated.
Apple also plans to add a new notice about digital movie and TV show sales in tvOS 18.3.
We are expecting tvOS 18.3, watchOS 11.3, and visionOS 2.3 to be released sometime in late January alongside iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3.
Nanoleaf, known for its popular HomeKit-connected light panels, today announced the launch of several new Nanoleaf devices and an expansion into a new product category.
The new Nanoleaf LED Light Therapy Face Mask is a skincare device that uses LEDs to deliver Near Infrared Light (NIR) to treat skin concerns that include fine lines, acne, and uneven skin tone. Along with red light, which studies have suggested can help with skin firming, Nanoleaf's mask also provides light in other colors that include blue, white, cyan, green, and yellow.
There are seven modes that Nanoleaf says target specific skin concerns, with the mask designed to ergonomically fit the contours of the face. The LED Light Therapy Mask is priced at $150 and it can be pre-ordered from the Nanoleaf website starting today.
Nanoleaf's new $100 Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp has a design similar to the Hue Signe. Like the Nanoleaf light panels, the Floor Lamp connects to the Nanoleaf app and to HomeKit over Matter. It supports more than 16 million colors and offers music syncing and color gradients with Nanoleaf's in-app scenes.
The Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp can be pre-ordered from the Nanoleaf website today.
For PC users and TV owners, Nanoleaf has two new lightstrips that can better fit onto the contours of a screen. A zig-zag design allows it to fit correctly around corners, and the design is more flexible and bendable. The PC Screen Mirror Lightstrip can mirror the colors of games and movies for a dynamic watching experience (no Mac compatibility), and the same is true of the 4D V2 when it's connected to a TV.
With the 4D V2, there is an included camera that picks up the colors on the screen to change the color of the lightstrip in real-time. Both the PC Lightstrip and the 4D V2 for TVs will launch in the second quarter of 2025.
Along with these new devices, Nanoleaf announced Nanoleaf Premium, a software subscription service that is designed for the Nanoleaf Desktop app that works with PCs. Nanoleaf Premium includes Orchestrator for detecting specific songs and creating animations tailored to each track, and it offers Scenescapes, a feature that combines lighting effects and soothing sounds. Nanoleaf Premium is available today and it is priced at $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year.
The Apple Vision Pro headset will soon support NVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming platform, the company today announced.
NVIDIA announced at CES 2025 that it is collaborating with Apple to bring GeForce NOW to the Vision Pro using Safari, with updates to the platform expected to roll out later this month. This will enable users to access AAA titles with the power of NVIDIA's RTX technologies that leverage technologies like ray tracing and DLSS.
Apple Vision Pro owners will gain access to NVIDIA's extensive library of over 2,100 supported titles via the cloud, including upcoming AAA games such as Avowed and DOOM: The Dark Ages, without the need for local processing or a downloaded library. Using Safari eliminates the need for a Progressive Web App (PWA) installation, which has previously been a requirement on other Apple platforms.
GeForce NOW support on the Apple Vision Pro is set to debut later this month, with the rollout of GeForce NOW app version 2.0.70. Users will be able to stream games through Safari on the Vision Pro by navigating to the platform's website, play.geforcenow.com, once the update becomes available. In addition to the Vision Pro, GeForce NOW will soon support other mixed-reality headsets, including the Meta Quest 3 and Pico devices.
Apple this week began selling refurbished iPhone 15 models for the first time in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, offering the prior-generation iPhones at a discount for the first time since their 2023 launch.
The iPhone 15 is available in the above countries with a 15% discount compared to the equivalent brand new models. Currently only 128GB and 256GB versions are available, but more are likely to arrive soon. The iPhone 15 Plus is also expected to become available in the coming days, as are the discontinued iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, since these models are now listed in the sidebar of the regional refurb stores but are currently greyed out.
All refurbished iPhones from Apple are unlocked and compatible with any carrier. Each refurbished iPhone is equipped with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a USB-C to USB-C cable, making them virtually indistinguishable from brand-new devices.
Refurbished iPhones also come with Apple's standard one-year warranty, and buyers have the option to extend coverage with AppleCare+.
With the launch of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max in September 2024, Apple discontinued the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple continues to sell new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models on its main online storefront.
Swippitt has introduced an innovative charging solution at CES that aims to eliminate the need to manually plug in your iPhone. The system consists of a bread bin-style hub that automatically swaps depleted battery packs with fresh ones through specially designed phone cases.
The Swippitt Hub houses five 3,500mAh battery packs and works with compatible cases for iPhone 14, 15, and 16 series devices. When a phone's external battery runs low, users simply insert their phone into the hub, which automatically removes the depleted battery and replaces it with a fully charged one in seconds.
Each battery pack provides between 50-90% additional charge depending on the iPhone model. Users can also manage charging preferences through a companion app, including options to limit battery charging to 80% for longevity and schedule specific charging times.
The system is designed to accommodate future phone models, even as devices potentially increase in size, according to the company. For example, the startup says it plans to expand support to Samsung Galaxy S series devices by the end of 2025. However, it's hard not to imagine incremental changes in phone designs could end up making things difficult for Swippitt as it rushes to mould cases for successive models.
Swippitt's complete system carries a premium price tag, with the hub and five batteries priced at $450, while individual phone cases cost $120. The company is currently offering a 30% discount on all January pre-orders on its website. The system is expected to begin shipping in June 2025.
LG has shown off a new Ultrafine 6K monitor at CES 2025. The 32-inch display is the first of its kind to support Thunderbolt 5, which Apple introduced late last year with the launch of new Mac mini and MacBook Pro models powered by M4 Pro chips.
Details are scant, but we do know that the LG UltraFine 6K monitor (model 32U990A) features a Nano IPS Black panel, delivering a wide color gamut covering 99.5% of Adobe RGB and 98% of DCI-P3. LG has not revealed the exact resolution, but a good comparison is Apple's Pro Display XDR, whose 32-inch Retina 6K display outputs over 6016 x 3384 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 218 pixels per inch.
Another thing that's unclear is whether this is a 60Hz or 120Hz display. Thunderbolt 5 supports 80Gb/s of bi-directional bandwidth and 120Gb/s in one direction with Bandwidth Boost enabled, while DisplayPort 2.1 support enables three 4K monitors running at 144Hz or two 8K displays at 60Hz. In other words, a 6K resolution panel running at 120Hz should be technically feasible over TB5, but LG has not said one way or the other if this model supports it.
In terms of UltraFine displays past, perhaps the most obvious change is the XDR-esque design. The monitor features a height-adjustable stand similar to the one on Apple's Studio Display, while the bezel-less screen provides a stark contrast to the experience offered by the original LG UltraFine 5K display.
Whether this is a direct competitor to Apple's XDR Display will be dictated by the price, which LG has not revealed, although the use of an IPS Black panel could make it more affordable than Apple's XDR display. For reference, Dell's UltraSharp 32-inch 6K monitor, which also uses an IPS Black panel, starts from $2,479.99, while Apple's Pro Display XDR starts from $4,999. LG has yet to provide a release date for its new monitor, but we'll bring you all the details when we have them.
Dell on Monday announced an overhaul of its PC branding strategy with a simplified naming scheme that bears a striking resemblance to Apple's iPhone nomenclature.
The computer manufacturer is retiring its long-standing product names like XPS and Inspiron in favor of three straightforward tiers: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max – a clear copy of Apple's iPhone naming convention, which has used "Pro" and "Pro Max" to distinguish its higher-end models since the iPhone 11 was introduced in 2019.
The announcement reportedly raised eyebrows at Dell's press briefing ahead of CES. "Your branding sounds a lot like Apple. Aren't you just following them?" one audience member asked Dell executives, according to Bloomberg.
"Customers really prefer names that are easy to remember and easy to pronounce," Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke responded to reporters. Buyers shouldn't have to spend time "figuring out our nomenclature, which at times has been a bit confusing," he said.
Clarke went on to claim that the new naming strategy was supported by research involving "tens of thousands of customers," and argued that no company owns common words like "pro" or "max." The new naming system will "make it easier for our customers to do business with us," added Dell founder and CEO, Michael Dell.
Kevin Terwilliger, a vice president of Dell's PC business, explained that the rebrand aims to simplify product recognition for customers, similar to Apple's approach of anchoring products to a single brand name. The gaming-focused Alienware brand, which Dell acquired in 2006, will retain its existing branding.
The Dell CEO framed the rebranding as part of a broader strategy to capitalize on the aging PC market, particularly as AI capabilities become more important in computing. Many of the new Dell-branded devices will include neural processing units optimized for AI tasks.
PC manufacturers are seeking to reinvigorate sales following a post-pandemic slump, with Dell, HP, and Lenovo all exploring various strategies to encourage upgrades. For what it's worth, Apple isn't the only consumer electronics company to use "pro" in its product names. Microsoft has its Surface Pro tablets, for example, but it's hard to imagine the latter attempting to justify the introduction of a "Surface Pro Max" while maintaining a straight face.
Apple plans to scale up its News app by adding new countries to the platform beyond the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia, according to the Financial Times.
The plans reportedly include building its locally focused news coverage in the UK, as well as bringing its puzzles section to the country which is currently limited to the US and Canada.
Apple News and Apple News+, the app's free and subscription-based versions, provide a blend of curated and personalized content, including stories from magazines and newspapers, as well as games, podcasts, and newsletters. The free service makes money purely through advertising, while the subscription service costs $12.99 a month in the US and £12.99 in the UK.
The renewed push comes alongside Apple's efforts to improve its advertising effectiveness, and aims to grow Apple's role as a source of revenue for publishers. Apple News currently reaches about 125 million people every month and feeds into the company's growing services business that includes Apple TV+ and Apple Pay, which is collectively worth about $96 billion a year.
The move comes amid significant drops in digital revenues across media groups, following Meta's decision to downplay news coverage as well as changes to Google's algorithms, which has decreased traffic from search, alongside the impact of AI summaries of news and search requests.
According to FT's sources, Apple's own research has shown that Apple News reaches a different audience to the readers for most publishers. The audience tends to trend towards a more wealthy demographic, one media boss told the newspaper, adding that it was "well read in the corridors of power in Westminster and Washington."
But the impact of Apple News has been a mixed blessing for publishers. Some groups have received significant business through the platform. However, attempts to monetise articles have been made more difficult by Apple's strict data protection rules that prevent advertisers from targeting readers using third-party data or IP addresses.
Samsung today announced that it will hold its next major "Unpacked" smartphone event on Wednesday, January 22 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The company claims that it will introduce the "next evolution" of Galaxy AI, which will change the way people interact with the world, setting a new bar for mobile AI experiences.
Samsung first showed off Galaxy AI in July when it introduced the Galaxy ZFold6 and the ZFlip6, demoing features like a sketch feature that turns drawings into images, a Notes app with translation and compose features, Google Gemini integration, text suggestions, real-time call translation, and AI photo tools like Portrait Studio for creating portrait styles for images.
The Unpacked event will see the launch of new S series smartphones that are designed to compete with Apple's flagship iPhone 16 models. This year, Samsung will debut the Galaxy S25 series with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chips.
Rumors suggest the new smartphones will have larger displays and a more curved design with rounded edges, though much of the focus is expected to be on AI features. Samsung is also working on an Android-based mixed reality headset that will run Google's Android XR operating system, and it's possible Samsung will show it off at the event. Samsung's upcoming headset will compete with the Apple Vision Pro, but it is not expected to be as expensive.
Birdfy, a company that makes smart cameras for bird watching, today introduced several updated products that give bird lovers new, more advanced views of the birds in their yard.
The Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo is an upgrade to the current Birdfy feeder options, offering a three-lens camera setup that can capture visiting birds from multiple angles, rather than just a single angle. The Birdfy camera connects to Wi-Fi and images that are captured are sent to an iPhone app for viewing anywhere. The app is able to identify and catalog different bird species, providing real-time notifications when there are visits.
There's a dual-lens front camera able to capture wide-angle views and bird portraits, and a side camera that provides another angle. The cameras offer 1080p quality with auto-tracking and full color night vision.
Birdfy's new multi-camera feeder is made from recycled ABS plastic for durability, and it has a solar panel that allows it to be placed anywhere in the yard without needing to be regularly recharged. IP66 waterproofing keeps it safe even in rain.
There's also a Birdfy Bath Pro, which provides a water source for birds while also capturing images of birds bathing and playing. There's a wide-angle camera that can take photos and video clips, and the lens is able to zoom in to take close-up portraits. An integrated solar panel allows for a continuous power source, and there's an optional stand that can be purchased.
For hummingbird fans, there's a new Hum Feeder, a more compact, lightweight, and affordable version of the company's original hummingbird feeder. The Hum Feeder has a flower-shaped design with a swivel feeding port, a 14oz nectar capacity, and a built-in 1080p camera.
The Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo is priced at $360 and it is available for pre-order now. It is set to be delivered to customers starting on January 22. The Birdfy Bath Pro is priced at $200, and it is also available for pre-order with orders set to arrive in March 2025.
Schlage today unveiled a new Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt that's able to connect to smart home platforms like HomeKit using Matter-over-Thread. The device has no key hole as it is exclusively designed to be unlocked with a smartphone.
The Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt supports hands-free unlocking over NFC and it integrates Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology. The lock is able to unlock right when a user reaches their door by measuring distance, speed, and trajectory with UWB.
Schlage's lock will be one of the first to support hands-free unlocking using the Ultra Wideband chip in the iPhone. Apple added an "Express Mode" hands-free unlocking feature to iOS 18, but it requires smart locks to have a UWB chip and there are no locks on the market with the functionality as of right now.
The lock also supports tap to unlock over NFC and it includes a keypad for access with an entry code.
To go along with the Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt, Schlage is working on a new Schlage Home app that has a more user-friendly interface and allows for remote lock management.
Schlage has not provided pricing for the Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt, but it will be available for purchase later in 2025.
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