Apple has launched a special limited-time offer for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad trade-in that offers customers additional credit when trading in their only device for a new one.
The offer is being run in several countries including the US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, India, and France. In the UK, Apple is offering up to £50 of extra trade-in credit for specific iPhone and iPad models and up to £30 for certain Mac and Apple Watch models. Apple is automatically applying for the additional trade-in credit during the process.
As always, exact trade-in values will depend on the model of the device and other factors like its condition. Apple earlier this week cut down on the base trade-in value of some its devices, but with the offer that runs until May 31, the losses should be less for customers trading devices.
Update 7:15 a.m.: The bonus is now also showing as available in the United States with bonuses of up to $50 on iPhone and iPad, up to $40 on Apple Watch, and just $10 on Mac.
Apple will ditch its proprietary Lightning port and switch to USB-C on all or possibly some models of the iPhone 15 lineup destined to launch in the second half of 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.
Since the iPhone 5, Apple has kept the Lightning port on the iPhone, despite much of the industry moving to USB-C. In a tweet today, Kuo said that the latest supply chain survey indicates that Apple will ditch Lightning in favor of USB-C in 2023. Kuo noted that USB-C would improve transfer speeds on the iPhone and improve charging speeds.
Kuo had previously said that Apple would be sticking with Lightning on the iPhone for the "foreseeable future," saying that switching to USB-C would be harmful to Apple's MiFi business and has lesser waterproof specification. Now, Apple has reportedly changed its tone. One possible reason for Apple's change in heart is pressure being placed upon it by the EU.
The EU continues to move forward with passing new legislation that would force Apple to adopt USB-C on all iPhones, iPads, and AirPods sold in Europe. Such legislation, if passed, would require Apple to either ship specially designed USB-C equipped models of its products to Europe while keeping the rest of the world stuck with Lightning or adopt USB-C for all of its products globally.
Most of Apple's iPad lineup already features USB-C for faster transfer speeds from accessories such as cameras. For photographers and cinematographers, a demographic Apple has been keen to target with its high-end iPhones, the Lightning port represents a bottleneck for transferring large video and photo files. A move to USB-C would ease that workflow, make it easier to transfer files and be supported by a broader ecosystem of USB-C accessories.
Initial speculation was that Apple would keep the Lightning port on the iPhone until it's ready to go entirely port-less, relying simply on MagSafe to charge and transfer files. MagSafe was first introduced on the iPhone with the iPhone 12 in 2020, so it's still a relatively new technology to the iPhone. The pressure being placed by the EU may have forced Apple to reconsider its timeline for moving entirely portless, requiring it to comply with possible upcoming regulations and move the iPhone to USB-C.
The European Commission is set to release a draft law this week that could require tech companies like Apple and Google to identify, remove and report to law enforcement illegal images of child abuse on their platforms, claims a new report out today.
According to a leak of the proposal obtained by Politico, the EC believes voluntary measures taken by some digital companies have thus far "proven insufficient" in addressing the increasing misuse of online services for the purposes of sharing child sexual abuse content, which is why the commission wants to make detection of such material mandatory.
After months of lobbying, groups representing tech companies and children's rights organizations are said to be waiting to see how stringent the rules could be, and how they will work without tech companies having to scan the gamut of user content – a practice deemed illegal by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2016.
Apart from how identification of illegal material would operate within the law, privacy groups and tech companies are worried that the EU executive could result in the creation of backdoors to end-to-end encrypted messaging services, the contents of which cannot be accessed by the hosting platform.
The EC's Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson has said technical solutions exist to keep conversations safe while finding illegal content, but cybersecurity experts disagree.
"The EU shouldn't be proposing things that are technologically impossible," said Ella Jakubowska, speaking to Politico. Jakubowska is policy adviser at European Digital Rights (EDRi), a network of 45 non-governmental organizations (NGOs.)
"The idea that all the hundreds of millions of people in the EU would have their intimate private communications, where they have a reasonable expectation that that is private, to instead be kind of indiscriminately and generally scanned 24/7 is unprecedented," said Jakubowska.
MEPs are far from aligned on the issue, however. Reacting to the leak of the proposal, centrist Renew Europe MEP Moritz Körner told Politico the Commission's proposal would mean "the privacy of digital correspondence would be dead."
The heated debate mirrors last year's controversy surrounding Apple's plan to search for CSAM (child sexual abuse material) on iPhones and iPads.
Apple in August 2021 announced a planned suite of new child safety features, including scanning users' iCloud Photos libraries for CSAM and Communication Safety to warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos. The latter, and arguably less controversial, feature is already live on Apple's iMessage platform. Apple's method of scanning for CSAM has yet to have been deployed.
The majority of criticism was leveled at Apple's planned on-device CSAM detection, which was lambasted by researchers for relying on dangerous technology that bordered on surveillance, and derided for being ineffective at identifying images of child sexual abuse.
Apple initially attempted to dispel some misunderstandings and reassure users by releasing detailed information and sharing interviews with company executives in order to allay concerns. However, despite Apple's efforts, the controversy didn't go away, and Apple decided to delay the rollout of CSAM following the torrent of criticism.
Apple said its decision to delay was "based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others... we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features."
In December 2021, Apple quietly nixed all mentions of CSAM from its Child Safety webpage, suggesting its controversial plan to detect child sexual abuse images on iPhones and iPads hanged in the balance following significant criticism of its methods.
However, Apple says its plans for CSAM detection have not changed since September, which suggests CSAM detection in some form is still coming in the future.
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.
AT&T today announced the launch of a new location-based routing system for emergency calls in the United States, with the system designed to transmit wireless 911 calls to the appropriate 911 call centers based on a device's GPS location.
According to AT&T, this is the first-ever nationwide location-based routing initiative, which it is launching in partnership with Intrado. AT&T says that the "Locate Before Route" feature will allow AT&T to identify where a 911 call is coming from within 50 meters of a device's location.
The GPS-based routing is an improvement over prior 911 call routing that relied on the location of cell towers, which can cover up to a 10-mile radius, resulting in slower emergency response times. With calls directed to the appropriate 911 call centers, first responders can get to the correct location more quickly.
AT&T is paving the way to create safer communities and is the only carrier to provide the most accurate solution to reduce wireless 9-1-1 call transfers beyond what the FCC is requiring carriers today. This is especially important in an emergency when lives are on the line.
AT&T has started rolling out the GPS-based routing system, and it is live in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Guam. It will be coming to additional regions over the next several weeks, and the nationwide rollout is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.
Throwboy, known for its lineup of plush pillows modeled after classic Apple products, today announced the launch of a new set of high-end woven blankets that are designed with Mac fans in mind.
Created in collaboration with the Mineola Knitting Company and priced at $160, the throw blankets come in three designs. There's a multi-colored iMac version that features the iMac G3 in a series of bright colors, an Icon version that's modeled after the original Mac Finder icon, and an iPod version that features iPods dripping different colors.
Each blanket measures in at 50 inches by 60 inches, and they are individually woven from recycled cotton and recycled polyester materials. Throwboy says that the blankets are stretchy, soft, and have a comfortable, slightly weighted feel.
All of the blankets can be purchased from the Throwboy website, and for those who want a Mac-themed blanket but don't want to shell out so much money, Throwboy also has a line of more affordable fleece blankets.
Apple today announced the official discontinuation of the iPod touch, the last remaining device in the iPod lineup. The sunsetting of the iPod touch marks the end of a 21-year era, that all started with the 2001 iPod.
Over the years, Apple introduced multiple iterations of the iPod, including iPod mini, multiple versions of the iPod nano, the iPod shuffle, and the iPod touch. We want to hear from you - what was your favorite iPod? Let us know in the comments below, and share your iPod photos with us.
Apple said that it is discontinuing the iPod because the iPod's capabilities have been built into the entire Apple product lineup, from the Mac to the iPhone to the Apple Watch.
Apple plans to continue selling the iPod touch on its website and in retail stores while supplies remain, but once it sells out, it will be gone for good. The iPod touch is priced starting at $199.
Apple today released a new 4E71 firmware update for the AirPods 2, AirPods Max, and AirPods Pro, up from the 4C165 firmware that was released back in December. Apple has also released new 4E71 firmware for the AirPods 3, up from the 4C170 firmware that was released in January.
Apple does not offer information on what's included in refreshed firmware updates for the AirPods, so we don't know what improvements or bug fixes the new firmware brings.
There is no standard way to upgrade the AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the AirPods are connected to an iOS device. Putting the AirPods in the case, connecting the AirPods to a power source, and then pairing the AirPods to an iPhone or an iPad should force the update after a short period of time.
You can check your AirPods or AirPods Pro firmware by following these steps:
Connect your AirPods or AirPods Pro to your iOS device.
Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap About.
Tap AirPods.
Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."
If we find notable changes after the firmware updates are installed, we'll share details, but the software likely includes performance improvements and bug fixes.
A more affordable, ad-supported Netflix plan could be introduced before the end of 2022, Netflix told employees in an internal letter (via The New York Times).
Netflix is currently planning to introduce the new ad-supported tier in the final three months of the year, with the plan aimed at attracting new subscribers who find the current pricing unaffordable.
The company has been steadily raising its prices for the last few years, and enacted a significant increase at the beginning of 2022. The basic streaming plan is now priced at $9.99, up from $8.99, and the standard plan that allows for HD streaming is priced at $15.49, up from $13.99 per month.
The highest-tier 4K Ultra HD streaming plan now costs $19.99, a $2 increase over the prior $17.99 price point. Netflix continues to be the only streaming service that prices by streaming quality, with other options like Disney+, Hulu, and Apple TV+ offering more straightforward pricing.
Netflix has long resisted implementing an ad-supported tier and has said multiple times in the past that the streaming service would never show ads, but it is hemorrhaging subscribers. Netflix in April said that it lost subscribers in the first quarter of the year, and it marked the first subscriber loss for Netflix in more than a decade. Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers, and expects to lose two million more next quarter.
The subscriber loss has been partially attributed to account sharing, which Netflix has said that it is going to crack down on. Netflix told employees in the letter that it plans to cut down on password sharing by restricting access to subscribers who share a household. Netflix estimates that 222 million paying households are sharing with an additional 100 million households that are not being monetized.
Netflix started testing an extra payment for those who share their Netflix accounts with people outside their households in March. In Netflix's current test markets of Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, customers can pay an extra fee to share their accounts with two people outside of their household. When the test was launched, Netflix said that it was working to "understand the utility of these two features" before making changes in other countries.
All four iPhone 15 models slated for release next year will feature a pill-and-hole display design that replaces the notch, according to display industry consultant Ross Young, who has a respectable track record with display-related information.
In a tweet, Young shared a roadmap that indicates both standard and Pro models of the iPhone 15 will feature the pill-and-hole layout, which refers to a pill-shaped cutout for Face ID sensors and a hole for the front camera. By comparison, only iPhone 14 Pro models are expected to switch to the pill-and-hole design this year, with the standard iPhone 14 models expected to retain the same notch as iPhone 13 models.
Young believes that Apple's end goal is to move Face ID sensors and the front camera completely under the display. If development is successful, he expects this transition to begin with under-screen Face ID on iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024, followed by under-screen Face ID and an under-screen front camera on iPhone 18 Pro models in 2026.
Based on the technical challenges remaining for under panel cameras to meet discerning brands quality requirements as well as panel manufacturers' cost requirements, I still believe this roadmap makes sense for the iPhone. pic.twitter.com/3ck5X3sVcL
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 10, 2022
Young said the pill-and-hole design will result in iPhone 14 Pro models having slightly larger screen sizes compared to iPhone 13 Pro models.
Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 14 lineup in September, barring any major supply chain disruptions. For the Pro models, an upgraded 48-megapixel rear camera is expected to enable 8K video recording, up from 4K currently.
Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, has in the past accurately revealed that the sixth-generation iPad mini would feature an 8.3-inch display and that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models would feature ProMotion.
Apple just announced the discontinuation of the iPod touch, and with the end of this product's lifecycle you can expect to see stock quickly begin to dwindle at all retailers. For this reason, we're highlighting the last best deals you'll find on the iPod touch.
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.
Amazon has the 32GB iPod touch in Space Gray for $184.00, down from $199.00, and that's the lowest price currently available and overall the second best price we've ever tracked. All other colors can be found priced at $189.99.
The 128GB iPod touch is available for $289.99 in Silver, down from $299.00. This is another second best price, and only Silver is seeing this markdown on Amazon at this time.
There is currently no deal on the 256GB iPod touch among the major Apple resellers online, but stock is already beginning to dwindle for many colors on Amazon. Remember that once all of these iPod touch models sell out on Amazon and at other retailers, the only other place to purchase them will be in used condition from third-party resellers like on eBay.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple today announced that it is officially discontinuing the iPod touch, an out of date accessory that has been replaced by other devices like the iPhone and the iPad. Apple says that it is eliminating the iPod touch because its capabilities are available across Apple's product lineup.
The iPod touch is the last remaining device in the iPod lineup, and it has not been updated since May 2019, three years ago. In a statement, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak said that the "spirit of the iPod lives on" in other Apple products.
"Music has always been part of our core at Apple, and bringing it to hundreds of millions of users in the way iPod did impacted more than just the music industry -- it also redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Today, the spirit of iPod lives on. We've integrated an incredible music experience across all of our products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and across Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. And Apple Music delivers industry-leading sound quality with support for spatial audio -- there's no better way to enjoy, discover, and experience music."
Apple introduced the first iPod 21 years ago in October 2001, and at the time, it was a revolutionary music device that put thousands of songs in the pockets of Apple fans. Apple introduced many iterations of the iPod, including the iPod Shuffle, the iPod nano, and the iPod touch, but all have since been phased out and discontinued.
The iPod touch will still be available for purchase through Apple's website, Apple retail stores, and through Apple Authorized Resellers while supplies last.
The seventh-generation iPod touch is priced starting at $199 and it features a 4-inch display with thick bezels, a standard Home button with no biometric unlocking mechanism, and an A10 Fusion chip. It is available in Pink, (PRODUCT)RED, Space Gray, Silver, Gold, and Blue.
Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models will feature slightly larger screen sizes compared to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, according to information shared by display industry consultant Ross Young.
When measured as a standard rectangular shape, Young said the iPhone 14 Pro will have a 6.12-inch screen, compared to a 6.06-inch screen on the iPhone 13 Pro. Likewise, Young said the iPhone 14 Pro Max will have a 6.69-inch screen, which would be marginally larger than the 6.68-inch screen on the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Young said the slightly larger screen sizes are due to narrower bezels around the display and a new pill-and-hole design replacing the notch. The pill-shaped cutout is expected to house Face ID sensors, with the hole being for the front camera.
iPhone 13 Pro - 6.06" iPhone 14 Pro - 6.12" iPhone 13 Pro Max - 6.68" iPhone 14 Pro Max - 6.69"
Differences due to pill + hole replacing the notch and narrower bezels.
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 10, 2022
Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, has a respectable track record with regards to display-related information about future Apple products. He accurately revealed that the sixth-generation iPad mini would feature an 8.3-inch display and that the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models would feature ProMotion.
Pillonel told The Verge that he managed to design a custom flexible PCB that allowed him to fit the necessary USB-C charging hardware inside the AirPods case, and he plans to open source the project so that others can attempt the project themselves.
He shared a short video of the USB-C AirPods on YouTube and plans to release a full-length video with more details in the coming weeks.
Apple has opposed proposed EU legislation that would require the company to offer a USB-C port on devices like the iPhone. Apple does offer USB-C ports on some devices, such as the latest MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini models.
Samsung is in the final stage of developing a 200-megapixel camera for use on its next-generation Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone, which is expected to be announced in early 2023, according to South Korea's ETNews.
Like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which has a 108-megapixel main camera, the S23 Ultra would likely use pixel binning, which merges data from multiple smaller pixels on the camera's image sensor into one "super pixel." Pixel binning is beneficial because simply increasing a smartphone camera's megapixels while maintaining the same image sensor size results in smaller pixels, which generally capture less light.
On the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the main camera shoots 12-megapixel photos by default, with a toggle available in the camera app for shooting 108-megapixel photos. The default setting is ideal for most users, as high-resolution photos can have very large file sizes.
iPhone 14 Pro models would likely utilize pixel binning as well. In a research note last year, tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPhone 14 Pro models may support both 48-megapixel and 12-megapixel output as a result. Kuo also said the 48-megapixel camera would enable iPhone 14 Pro models to support 8K video recording, up from 4K currently.
Adobe today announced new features for Photoshop for iPad, including Content-Aware Fill, Remove Background, and Select Subject Portrait, all features that continue to bring the iPad app more in line with the desktop version of Photoshop.
Content-Aware Fill is designed to allow users to take any selection and use AI to fill the contents based on the surrounding image, and it is a quick way to get rid of distracting elements in the background of a photo.
The Remove Background tool is designed to be a one-click option for removing the background from an image non-destructively, and Select Subject Portrait lets users select the people in an image and refine details like wisps of hair and edges of clothes. Other new Photoshop for iPad features include a font browser and auto-tone, color, and contrast.
Along with an update to Photoshop for iPad, Adobe is also updating its Fresco drawing and painting app with a Liquify for distorting images, Magic Wand for selecting a colored area, and new Accessibility features.
Adobe Photoshop for iPad and Adobe Fresco can be downloaded from the App Store. Photoshop for iPad is available for $9.99 per month as part of Adobe's Photography plan, and Fresco is also priced at $9.99 per month.
DJI today announced the Mini 3 Pro, the newest drone in its Mini series. The Mini 3 Pro weighs in at 249 grams, which means that in the United States, it does not need to be registered with the FAA, and it is compliant with drone policies in many countries in addition to being safe because of its low weight.
The Mini 3 Pro is portable and it is able to fold down like other DJI drones, which means it is ideal for taking on trips because it packs down into a small bag. DJI says that the Mini 3 Pro has a new structural design with arms and propellers that have been adjusted for a more aerodynamic flight, resulting in longer flying time. It also features forward and backward dual-vision sensors for safer flight.
A successor to the Mini 2, the Mini 3 Pro has features that were previously limited to DJI's higher-end Mavic and Air drones. It has improved flight performance, a better camera, improved battery life, and upgraded AI capabilities. It can shoot 4K 60fps video and it has a redesigned gimbal for more camera angles like tilt-up shots and true vertical shooting for images in portrait mode.
The Mini 3 Pro is the first drone in the Mini series to offer Tri-Directional Obstacle sensing with forward, backward, and downward visual sensors. The sensors enable Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems that are able to detect safer paths around obstacles during flight, plus they work with FocusTrack for selecting a subject that the drone keeps in the center of the frame while in flight.
There's a 1/1.3-inch camera with an f/1.7 aperture that can shoot up to 48-megapixel images. In addition to 4K 60fps video, it can capture HDR video at 30fps, and there's up to 4x digital zoom depending on resolution. Low light performance has been improved compared to the Mini 2.
DJI's Mini 3 Pro offers 34 minutes of flight time per charge, and there is an extended flight battery option that allows for a maximum flight time of 47 minutes. It can be used with the DJI RC, a lightweight remote controller that has a 5.5-inch touchscreen and integration with the DJI Fly app.
With no remote, the DJI Mini 3 is priced at $669. The DJI Mini 3 Pro with RC-N1 remote is priced at $759, and the DJI Mini 3 Pro with DJI RC is priced at $909. There are also upgrade kits that include additional batteries, propellers, and other accessories. The DJI Mini 3 Pro can be pre-ordered from the DJI website starting today.
Today we're tracking a return of record low prices across all three 24-inch iMac models on Amazon. Only select colors are available in each configuration, but all models shared in this article are in stock and ready to ship out today from 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.
Starting with the 7-core GPU/256GB iMac, this model is available at $1,149.99, down from $1,299.00. This sale is available in the Blue and Pink color options, and it's a new all-time low price for the entry-level M1 iMac on Amazon.
Secondly, the 8-core GPU/256GB iMac is down to $1,349.00 in Orange and Yellow, from $1,499.00. Last month we saw every color of this iMac hit this record low price, so while more colors may return to sale soon, right now your best bet for savings is on these two color options.
Lastly, we're tracking the 8-core GPU/512GB iMac with a price of $1,499.99, down from $1,699.00. This one is only available in Silver and Blue, and it is the steepest discount we've ever tracked on this higher-end model of the 24-inch iMac.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
Shoppers should note that for the 7-core GPU/256GB (Pink) and 8-core GPU/512GB iMac models, you won't see the deal price until you head to the checkout screen. At that point Amazon will automatically apply a coupon code to the order and bring these iMacs down to their all-time low prices.
You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.
Apple has started developing thinner OLED panels that could be used for foldable displays in the future, a new report out of Korea suggests.
According to The Elec, Apple is developing OLED panels without polarizers, which are typically included to allow only lights in certain directions to pass through, thereby improving the visibility of the display.
One drawback of polarizer films is that they tend to reduce brightness and, in turn, the luminance efficiency of the panel. To offset this, manufacturers usually increase the power consumption delivered to the panel, but this can reduce their lifespan.
By removing the polarizer, Apple will be able to make the panels significantly thinner, making them more optimal for foldable panels, claims the report, citing supply chain sources. Apple could also theoretically apply different technology with an equivalent effect to that of a polarizer but which avoids the aforementioned trade-offs.
Samsung has already utilized OLED panels without polarizers for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, according to The Elec, incorporating its "Eco Square" technology which increases light transmittance while reducing power consumption.
A report from The Elec last month claimed Apple is working with LG to develop a foldable OLED display panel with ultra-thin cover glass for future iPad and MacBook models, although in that instance the website said the panel that would be used would incorporate an ultra-thin cover glass instead of polyimide, which most other foldable displays currently use.
A recent report from display analyst Ross Young said that Apple is exploring all-screen foldable notebooks with displays around 20-inches in size. Young believes these devices could form a whole new product category for Apple and result in a dual-use product, potentially able to work as a notebook with a full-size on-screen keyboard when folded and as a monitor when unfolded and used with an external keyboard.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also believes Apple is testing a device with a 9-inch foldable OLED display with a PPI somewhere between the iPhone and iPad. Kuo believes that Apple's foldable product development is initially focusing on medium-sized devices, followed by devices with larger displays, before finally expanding to small devices like the iPhone.