Apple TV+ will be available to stream for free starting on Friday, January 3, with the promotion set to last through Sunday, January 5. For the first time, Apple is providing unlimited access to its catalog of TV shows and movies with no subscription fee.
The Apple TV+ streaming service can be accessed from any web browser and on any device that has an Apple TV app. The Apple TV app is available on all iOS and macOS devices and also Android devices, select smart TVs, consoles, and more.
Apple's free viewing event will begin on Friday evening, starting at 5:00 p.m. local time in countries where Apple TV+ is available. In Europe, the UK, and countries in Asia, the Apple TV+ promotion has already started.
To watch Apple TV+ for free, all that's needed is an Apple ID to log in. Viewers will not need to subscribe to a free trial or worry about canceling a subscription after the free weekend ends.
Apple is offering the free Apple TV+ viewing event ahead of the release of the second season of hit thriller Severance. For those new to Apple TV+, Severance is a good choice for a show to check out. Other recommendations include Silo, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, The Morning Show, Dickinson, For All Mankind, Black Bird, and Bad Sisters.
There are also several movies to watch, like Coda, Killers of the Flower Moon, Fly Me to the Moon, and more.
Apple TV+ is priced at $9.99 per month, and up to six members of a Family Sharing group are able to watch content at that price point. It is also available in the various Apple One subscription bundles, starting at $19.95 per month.
Apple refreshed the Mac mini back in November, adding M4 chips and increasing the base memory. We did a hands-on impressions video at the time, but we thought we'd follow that up with a more in-depth review now that we've had more time to spend with Apple's cheapest desktop machine.
Priced starting at $599, the Mac mini offers the most affordable way to get access to Apple's new M4 chip, plus the machine got a design overhaul with the 2024 refresh. The Mac mini now measures in at 5 inches by 5 inches, and it's more than two inches smaller than the prior-generation model. It takes up much less space on a desk, and while it isn't quite as small as the Apple TV, it offers impressive performance in a super compact package.
With Apple Intelligence and the M4 chip, Apple stopped using 8GB as the base amount of memory that Macs ship with, and upped it to 16GB. The $599 Mac mini has an M4 chip and 16GB of RAM as a result, and it is an excellent deal for a desktop machine. Of course, you're going to need to supply your own display, keyboard, and mouse, but it's so small that you can easily move it between desktop setups at home and work.
The base Mac mini comes with an M4 chip, but there is an option to upgrade to the faster M4 Pro for those who need more power. The M4 models have three Thunderbolt 4 ports, but choosing the M4 Pro nets you three Thunderbolt 5 ports with faster transfer speeds. There are also two USB-C ports with 10Gb/s transfer speeds at the front of each machine. Compared to the prior-generation M2 Mac mini, the M4 models are up to 55 percent faster in terms of CPU speed.
If you're looking for a desktop Mac, the base Mac mini is the best deal that you're going to get. The performance is more than enough for day to day tasks and even gaming, photo editing, and video editing, and that $599 price tag really can't be beat.
To celebrate the Lunar New Year that starts on January 29, Apple is releasing limited edition AirPods 4 that are engraved with a special Year of the Snake icon.
Apple's Year of the Snake AirPods 4 are available for purchase in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore at the current time.
The AirPods are identical to the standard AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and are available for the same price, but there is a unique engraving on the USB-C case of the device. Released earlier this year, the AirPods 4 are Apple's first earbuds that offer Active Noise Cancellation without silicone ear tips. The AirPods 4 feature adaptive audio, transparency mode, support for spatial audio, and more.
Customers can place orders for the special edition AirPods 4 as of today, with deliveries set to begin on January 8. Apple is limiting each customer to two of the Year of the Snake AirPods.
Creating special edition AirPods is a tradition for Apple, though in past years, Apple has customized AirPods Pro rather than standard AirPods. There have been limited edition AirPods to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, Year of the Ox, Year of the Tiger, and Year of the Rabbit.
Along with special edition AirPods, Apple is holding a New Year sale in China, dropping the price of the iPhone 16 models by 500 yuan, and discounting other devices like the AirPods, Macs, iPads, and accessories. Apple is also offering Year of the Snake themed Today at Apple sessions from January 4 to February 14.
It's the first week of 2025, and if you're trying to stay on track with any fitness-related New Year's resolutions there are a few deals you might be interested in this week. This includes a $70 discount on Apple Watch Series 10, as well as $59 off the AirPods Pro 2.
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.
Apple Watch Series 10
What's the deal? Take $70 off Apple Watch Series 10
Amazon is hosting a big New Year's sale across the Apple Watch Series 10 lineup, with $70 off numerous models of the 42mm and 46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10.
Amazon has a few AirPods discounts available to kick off 2025, and the best one is on the AirPods Pro 2 at $189.99, down from $249.00. Of course, there was a better deal on this model during Black Friday last year, but if you missed out on those holiday deals and want the AirPods Pro 2 in the new year, this is the best discount.
Amazon has three models of the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad for $279.00 this week, down from $349.00. Although this was cheaper around the Black Friday season last year, this $279.00 price point has been a more common deal since and it's still a solid second-best price.
Finally, this week at Amazon you can get the M4 iMac (16GB RAM, 256GB) for $1,194.00, down from $1,299.00, which is a new record low price on the desktop.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple is widely rumored to be planning an ultra-thin iPhone 17 model for release later this year, and a new report offers a few purported details.
South Korea's Sisa Journal today reported that Apple is aiming for the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" to be 6.25mm thick. If that measurement ends up being accurate, the device would become the thinnest iPhone ever, topping the current 6.9mm record set by the iPhone 6. It also means the device would be around 20% thinner than the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, and around 25% thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The report said the ultra-thin iPhone 17's price will be similar to that of the iPhone 16 Plus, which starts at $899 in the United States. Apple is not expected to release an iPhone 17 Plus, and the "iPhone 17 Air" will effectively be its replacement.
Samsung is also planning to release a substantially thinner smartphone this year, according to the report. Similar to the "iPhone 17 Air," the so-called "Galaxy S25 Slim" will apparently have a thickness in the mid-6mm range.
There have been conflicting rumors about "iPhone 17 Air" design details and specifications, but most sources have agreed that the device will have around a 6.6-inch display. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expects the device to have a standard A19 chip, a Dynamic Island, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G modem. The device is expected to be equipped with 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support.
Overall, the device would have some compromises compared to the Pro models in order to achieve a much thinner and lighter design.
Apple should release all iPhone 17 models in September, and additional rumors will likely surface about the "iPhone 17 Air" between now and then.
Apple today announced that Apple Fitness+ is set to gain new workout programs, breath meditation, Strava integration, and more.
Strava users will be able to share a Fitness+ workout directly to the Strava app, which will display rich details such as episode image and number, trainer name, and metrics to show to their Strava community. Celebrated Strava athletes will also join the Fitness+ trainer team as special guests in workouts throughout 2025. New and existing Strava subscribers can now redeem up to three months of Fitness+ at no additional cost.
An all-new progressive strength training program will help guide users through the process of building and maintaining strength. The program is three weeks in duration and targets every major muscle group with 12 30-minute workouts, and it is designed for repeatability so users can add weight as they grow stronger. Week one focuses on progressive load, week two focuses on time under tension, and week three focuses on dynamic power.
A new pickleball program is designed to improve strength, endurance, and agility with a mix of exercises. It features pickleball champion Catherine Parenteau, who has been ranked No. 1 in the world in both singles and doubles.
Yoga Peak Poses are new workshop-style sessions that spotlight a single pose to help users build confidence and skill, featuring a 10-minute prep flow and a corresponding 10 minute practice session.
A new Introduction to Breath Meditation program teaches users how to use simple meditation techniques to enhance focus, increase energy, and reduce stress. There are five 10-minute meditations to choose from. Breath is also now a meditation theme in Fitness+, joining Calm, Sleep, and Sound.
The new Apple Fitness+ content will be available starting Monday, January 6. A new limited-edition Apple Watch award is available for users who close all three activity rings for seven days in a row in January.
New episodes of Time to Walk are set to debut on January 13 with Adam Scott, Steve Aoki, Lana Condor, Tiffany Haddish, Rita Ora, Daddy Yankee, and Maddie Ziegler. Artist Spotlights also continue with new workout playlists dedicated to individual artists, including Janet Jackson, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, and Kendrick Lamar.
Telegram today announced the launch of a new feature that will allow official third-party services to assign extra verification icons to user accounts and chats. The added verification is meant to cut down on scams and reduce misinformation.
While Telegram already has a verification process for public figures and organizations, trusted third-party services will be able to provide additional verification options. A chat or account that has a third-party verification will be marked with a small logo before their name, and opening the associated profile will show a more detailed explanation of the account's status and what it means.
Third-party verification is separate from the verified checkmarks that Telegram provides to public figures and organizations. A service that wants to provide third-party verification to others must first be verified by Telegram and must complete an application.
According to Telegram, third-party verification will make it easier for users to independently confirm the people they contact and services they interact with.
Along with the new verification option, Telegram added support for collectible gifts, reactions for service messages, extra message search filters, and more.
Telegram says that its first major update of 2025 was actually supposed to come in on the last day of 2024, but it was "sadly delayed by a lack of attention from Apple's review team."
Apple will pay $95 million to settle a proposed class action lawsuit involving Siri spying accusations, reports Reuters. The lawsuit alleges that Apple recorded conversations captured with accidental Siri activations, and then shared information from those conversations with third-party advertisers.
Two plaintiffs claimed that after speaking about products like Air Jordan shoes and Olive Garden, their devices showed ads for those products, while another said he received ads for a surgical treatment after discussing it privately with his doctor.
The lawsuit dates back to 2019, after a report outed the private conversations that contractors were privy to when Siri was accidentally activated. Apple was using contractors to evaluate Siri recordings to make improvements to the service, and employees claimed to have heard confidential medical information, drug deals, intimate moments, and other private data.
Apple was never secretive about the fact that some Siri recordings were analyzed by humans, but the company's privacy terms at the time did not explicitly state that there was human oversight of Siri. The customers that filed the lawsuit said that Apple did not inform consumers that they are "regularly being recorded without consent," and they claimed they would not have purchased Apple devices had they known about the Siri recordings.
While the lawsuit initially focused on Apple's lack of disclosure, the first filing was dismissed in February 2021 because it did not include enough concrete data about the recordings that Apple allegedly collected. An amended complaint that focused on Siri recordings used for "targeted advertising" was refiled in September 2021, and that was allowed to move forward.
There has been no evidence that Apple ever provided Siri recordings or information from Siri recordings to advertisers, and Apple's privacy policies have long made it clear that any data collected from Siri for the purpose of improving the feature is anonymized and not associated with a specific user.
In the settlement filing, Apple says that it "continues to deny any and all alleged wrongdoing and liability, specifically denies each of the Plaintiffs' contentions and claims, and continues to deny that the Plaintiffs' claims and allegations would be suitable for class action status." Apple is settling to avoid further costs of litigation.
The settlement has received preliminary approval from the court. According to the filing, all current or former owners or purchasers of a Siri device in the United States whose confidential or private communications were obtained by Apple between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024 are considered class members and could be eligible for a payment.
A settlement website will be set up to identify those eligible to participate within 45 days, with Apple required to share contact information for customers who purchased a device with Siri capabilities. Claim information will be collected until May 15, 2025, after which time the settlement will be finalized and payments will go out to eligible customers. Each class member will be able to submit claims for up to five Siri devices, receiving up to $20 for each one. The actual settlement payment will depend on the total number of valid claims that are submitted.
After the 2019 scandal about contractors listening to accidental Siri recordings, Apple temporarily suspended its Siri evaluation program, stopped using contractors, and implemented options that allow users to delete Siri recordings and block them from being listened to. In later updates, Apple moved some Siri processing on-device, reducing the content that's uploaded to its servers.
Update: In a statement provided to MacRumors, Apple made it clear that Siri data has never been used for marketing purposes or sold to any company for any reason.
Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning. Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose. Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private.
Apple aims to do as much Siri processing on-device as it can, and in these situations, no data is uploaded anywhere. Reading a message aloud, for example, is done on-device with no content sent to Apple's servers. Data that is processed on Apple's servers, such as a request that requires location information, is assigned a random identifier and is not tied directly do an Apple Account.
Transcripts of Siri conversations can be used to improve Siri, Dictation, and Search, but any audio sharing is opt-in and has been since 2019, plus transcripts can be deleted at any time.
Amazon is kicking off the year with numerous all-time low prices on Apple Watch Series 10, perfect timing for anyone looking for a smartwatch to help fulfill any New Year's health and fitness resolutions. You'll find $70 off both 42mm and 46mm GPS Series 10 models in multiple case colors and band styles, and this time the deals do not require any coupon codes.
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.
Every price listed below is a match of the record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and in some cases delivery is slipping into February. If you've been eyeing an Apple Watch Series 10 as a way to help keep up with your New Year's resolutions, and didn't get one for the holidays, now is the time to purchase one at these best-ever prices.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced that Apple has added a warning label to the AirTag's box that says to keep its coin-cell battery out of reach of children due to the severe risk of injury or death if the battery is ingested. Apple added a corresponding warning symbol inside the AirTag's battery compartment too.
Apple made these changes at some point after "Reese's Law" went into effect in March 2024, according to the announcement. The CPSC did not indicate if the warnings were added to the AirTag in the U.S. only or worldwide.
"Reese's Law" aims to prevent injuries and deaths caused by the tiny, circular coin-cell batteries. The law was named after Reese Hamsmith, a baby who died in 2020 after swallowing a coin-cell battery that was inside of a remote control.
Given that many AirTags without these warnings had already been sold, the CPSC said Apple now displays a warning about the hazards of coin-cell batteries in the Find My app each time a user is prompted to change the AirTag's battery.
Apple is expected to release an AirTag 2 this year with longer range for item tracking. It is also rumored that the AirTag 2's built-in speaker will be more difficult to remove compared to the original AirTag, as an anti-stalking measure.
It's nearly the end of the road for the Apple Watch Series 4, which was added to Apple's public-facing vintage products list today.
All aluminum and stainless steel 40mm and 44mm models of the Apple Watch Series 4 are now considered vintage worldwide. Apple considers a device to be vintage once five years have passed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers may offer repairs for vintage devices if parts remain available.
Apple Watch Series 4 models launched in 2018, ushering in a major new design with a thinner case and a 30% larger display than before.
Apple also added the final 15-inch MacBook Pro model to the vintage products list today. This particular model launched in May 2019, and it was pretty quickly succeeded by the first 16-inch MacBook Pro in November of that year.
Apple has announced rare direct discounts on its flagship iPhone models and other products in China, signaling an effort to counter mounting competition and fluctuating consumer demand in one of its largest markets.
Between January 4 and January 7, Apple will provide discounts of up to 500 yuan (approximately $68) on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models through its website and Apple Stores in mainland China. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will be discounted by 400 yuan, while iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models will receive markdowns of up to 300 yuan. Other products, including the MacBook Air, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Pencil, will also see price reductions, with the MacBook Air eligible for a discount of up to 800 yuan. The promotional items are available in limited quantities, with only 29,300 iPhones included in the sale. The promotion is tied to specific payment methods, such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.
Apple rarely offers direct discounts on its latest products, particularly its flagship iPhone models. Such promotions are usually handled by third-party retailers in China, especially during major shopping events like Singles Day, when platforms like Alibaba's Tmall and Pinduoduo slash prices to drive sales. For instance, during the last Singles Day shopping festival in November, iPhone 16 models were discounted by as much as 1,600 yuan on Tmall. The timing of the latest promotion comes as Apple faces heightened competition from Huawei and other Chinese brands, although the company did offer a similar promotion last year.
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
Below, we outline which U.S. states and territories offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in the future. 2025 just began, and many of the states listed below will likely roll out the feature throughout the year.
Apple said the following states have "signed on" to adopt the feature in the future:
Montana
West Virginia
Connecticut
Kentucky
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Utah
The feature will also work with Japan's My Number Card in the future, according to Apple.
Participating Airports
Apple Wallet app IDs can be used at select TSA checkpoints within select U.S. airports:
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
Los Angeles International (LAX)
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)
Lea County Regional Airport (HOB)
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
Apple says travelers should refer to TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability of the feature, and the TSA's website offers more details.
In addition to participating TSA checkpoints, Apple in September announced that users would soon be able to present an Apple Wallet ID for CLEAR member enrollment at airports. Apple Wallet IDs can also be used to show proof of age or identity at select businesses and venues in the U.S., although Apple does not maintain a list of specific locations for this.
One of Apple's first product announcements of 2025 will likely be updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip.
Below, we recap rumors about the next MacBook Air models.
New Features
Expected
The new MacBook Air models are expected to be equipped with Apple's already-released M4 chip, which has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU.
Apple already updated the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini with M4 chips a few months ago. Geekbench 6 results showed that the M4 chip is up to 25% faster than the M3 chip in terms of multi-core CPU performance, while the chip's power efficiency improvements should contribute to the MacBook Air getting longer battery life.
Apple recently increased the minimum RAM included in all MacBook Air models from 8GB to 16GB, so expect 16GB of RAM for base 2025 configurations.
Apple last redesigned the MacBook Air in 2022. No major external design changes have been rumored for the next MacBook Air models.
Likely
Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Pro, the next MacBook Air models will likely have an upgraded 12-megapixel camera with support for Center Stage, a feature that automatically keeps you centered on video as you move around. The camera will likely also support Desk View, which shows an overhead view of your desk.
Center Stage is available in video calling apps like FaceTime and Zoom. The feature was previously limited to newer iPad models and Macs connected to Apple's external Studio Display. The new MacBook Pro and iMac models were the first Macs to support Center Stage without needing to rely on a Studio Display.
The new MacBook Air models will likely be equipped with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, whereas the current models have two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The new models will likely support up to two external displays, even when the lid is open.
Possible
The latest MacBook Pro and iMac models can be configured with a nano-texture display, which has a special coating that better scatters light to further minimize glare on the screen. It is possible that Apple will extend this option to the new MacBook Air models, unless it opts to keep the option exclusive to the MacBook Pro among its laptops.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently said the new MacBook Air models will be announced "earlier" than some other devices rumored to launch this spring, such as a new iPhone SE. This likely means the new MacBook Air models will be announced in a press release on the Apple Newsroom website at some point from January through March, whereas the other devices might be announced at Apple's usual spring event in March or April. Apple would be getting the minor MacBook Air update out of the way early.
Based on rumors and historical product release information, 2025 is going to be an exciting year for Apple. As we outlined in our annual What to Expect Guide, Apple is redesigning the iPhone, jumping into new smart home tech, and preparing to launch new Apple-designed chips.
Early in the year, we're expecting to get the iPhone SE 4, a low-cost iPad, M4 MacBook Air models, and a new iPad Air, then later, we'll get a new smart home "Command Center," a whole new iPhone 17 lineup, new Apple Watch models, the Mac Pro and Mac Studio, plus a bunch more.
While we know what's likely to launch based on rumors and past release information, we want to hear from the MacRumors community. What are you hoping to see Apple release this year?
Are you looking forward to a new version of Siri? New iPhone features? A more cohesive smart home strategy? What do you want to see in iOS 19 and macOS 16?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and take a look at our What to Expect guide for an overview of the current rumors. We'll be hearing a lot more about Apple's 2025 plans in the coming months, and as always, we'll have in-depth coverage at MacRumors.com.
If you want to discuss Apple's upcoming products, our MacRumors forums are an excellent resource, plus they're a great place to get help on current Apple products, software, and just to find like-minded folks in the Apple community.
A big thank you to our readers and our forum members for continuing to make MacRumors the number one source for Apple news, rumors, and advice. MacRumors celebrated its 24th birthday this year, thanks to our dedicated supporters. We're looking forward to another year of rumors and product launches in 2025. Happy New Year!
Apple recently announced it will be opening a new retail store at the MixC Hefei shopping mall in Hefei, China on January 18 at 10 a.m. local time.
To celebrate the store's upcoming grand opening, Apple has shared both a special wallpaper and Apple Watch face featuring a custom-designed Apple logo.
The wallpaper is available for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Ahead of the Chinese New Year later this month, Apple will be running a promotion in China that offers savings on select products. The promotion runs from January 4 through January 7, and details are available on Apple's online store.
The device succeeding the third-generation iPhone SE will be named the iPhone 16E, according to a December 13 post from Fixed Focus Digital, an account with over two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. On December 31, another leaker known as Majin Bu on X also cited a source who said the device's name will be iPhone 16E.
It is unclear if the name would use a capital E, or if the name would end up being iPhone 16e, or iPhone 16 with an E inside a square. Or perhaps iPhone 16 SE? Or, this rumor is simply wrong and Apple sticks with iPhone SE branding.
"Fixed Focus Digital" doesn't have a very established track record with Apple rumors yet. The account accurately claimed the iPhone 16 Pro models would be available in a new bronze finish, which ended up being Desert Titanium, but the color had already been rumored at the time. On the other hand, the account was wrong about the number of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus color options that would be available. The account's make-or-break moment will mostly come down to whether its claims about the iPhone SE's successor using the same chassis as the iPhone 16 and being named iPhone 16E prove to be accurate.
In any case, the device is said to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, which is similar to the base iPhone 16. Rumored features 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, and the first Apple-designed 5G modem. It is not 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 likely for the next model.
Apple's website still says the first vehicle models with support for next-generation CarPlay would "arrive in 2024," but that did not happen.
At this point, it is unclear if next-generation CarPlay will ever launch. Apple has not publicly commented on its plans in quite a long time, but it continued to make preparations behind the scenes throughout 2024. In November, for example, a few redesigned next-generation CarPlay icons appeared within iOS 18.2's code.
Apple did not respond to our several requests for comment about next-generation CarPlay throughout 2024. It would not be surprising if the timeframe listed on Apple's website is quietly updated to 2025 over the coming days.
It is unclear if Apple needs more time to finish developing next-generation CarPlay, or if car makers have decided not to adopt the system, or something else. Apple first previewed next-generation CarPlay at WWDC 2022, more than two and a half years ago. Just over a year ago, Aston Martin and Porsche previewed next-generation CarPlay instrument cluster designs, but neither brand has rolled out the system.
Apple said other committed car makers included Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Renault, and Volvo.
Apple promised that next-generation CarPlay would have deep integration with the instrument cluster and climate controls, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, a dedicated FM radio app, customizable widgets, and more. The interface would be tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's brand identity.
Here is how Apple describes it:
This next generation of CarPlay is the ultimate iPhone experience for the car. It provides content for all the driver's screens including the instrument cluster. This ensures a cohesive design experience that is the very best of your car and your iPhone — with designs for each automaker that express your vehicle’s character and brand. Vehicle functions like radio and temperature controls are handled right from CarPlay. And personalization options ranging from widgets to selecting curated gauge cluster designs make it unique to the driver.
Next-generation CarPlay is expected to be available in new vehicles only, if it ever launches. It is not an update to the standard CarPlay software.
Will next-generation CarPlay eventually launch, or will it become vaporware? We don't know, but it certainly did not "arrive in 2024" as planned.
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.
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.
