MacRumors

Apple has put iMessage at the center of its promotional materials for WWDC next week, hinting that the company's popular messaging service could be seeing substantial upgrades.

iMessage appears to be a central theme in the marketing for this year's WWDC. For example, the placeholder for WWDC's live stream on YouTube, which is already live, features iMessage bubbles, Tapback, and iMessage's full-screen laser effect. Similarly, the Twitter hashflag to promote WWDC this year is an iMessage thumbs-up Tapback bubble.

The iMessage stickers and official WWDC attire and pins for this year also features iMessage bubbles, Tapback reactions, and emojis, but this is not necessarily uncommon for Apple's yearly conference-related outerwear.

Reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman had previously reported that iOS 15 will feature improvements to iMessage, which appears to mirror the theme from Apple's promotional materials. Specifically, Gurman explained that there will be new options for automatic replies, statuses, and notifications:

There will also be an option to set automatic replies to messages depending on their status. That will be an improvement over the current auto-reply feature, which is only currently available while driving. Apple has added some unique notifications features such as Do Not Disturb and Sleep Mode, but this will mark the first time the company offers a systemwide feature for changing notifications depending on a user’s status.

The company is also working on upgrades to iMessage with the eventual goal of acting as more of a social network and better competing with Facebook Inc.'s WhatsApp. Those changes are still early in development and could come later, the people said.

The changes are reportedly in line with a broader strategy to make iMessage more of a social network that can better compete with WhatsApp.

Last year, MacRumors found evidence that Apple was internally testing the ability to retract sent messages, typing indicators in group chats, the ability to mark the last message of a conversation as unread after opening it, and an expansion of the "/me" command for sharing status updates, a feature that has been available on the Mac since the iChat days. Apple has also patented a number of as-yet unreleased iMessage features, such as the ability to edit sent messages.

The extent of the upgrades to iMessage at this year's WWDC are not yet clear, but given the wealth of evidence that iMessage has a significant role to play in this year's WWDC and a flurry of rumors around new messaging features, some kind of update seems to be highly likely.

WWDC 2021 begins next Monday, June 7 with a Keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple is expected to unveil major new software updates, including iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15. See our WWDC 2021 roundup for more information.

Nanoleaf, known for its range of smart lighting panels, today announced the launch of the Elements Wood Look Hexagons. The Nanoleaf Elements are a new lighting product designed to offer a more natural lighting experience in the home with modular wood-styled panels that glow with shades of white light.

Nanoleaf's standard lighting panels, which are available in Hexagon and Triangle shapes, are made from a white plastic material and are designed to change colors, with users able to select from millions of color options. The Elements Wood Look Hexagons have a wood grain-like texture, which may appeal to those who do not like the plastic look of the standard panels when they're not activated.

When turned off, the Nanoleaf Elements look like decorative wood panels on the wall, and when on, various shades of yellow and white light can be used to add ambient lighting to a room. The Nanoleaf Elements do not get as bright as standard Nanoleaf Hexagons and can be set to temperatures ranging from 1500K to 4000K. Nanoleaf has designed the panels to glow from the back for a double-lit effect that enhances the lighting effects.

The neutral wood-like color is meant to better fit into home decor than the standard panels. The Nanoleaf Elements are unique because there are LEDs in in the corners of each panel that can be controlled separately, a feature that Nanoleaf says adds organic motions able to better resemble embers in a fireplace, fireflies, clouds, and more.

When creating a scene in the updated Nanoleaf app, you can paint each Hexagon corner with light in different temperatures for a unique look that's not possible with other Nanoleaf panels. Nanoleaf has created 11 preset lighting scenes for the Nanoleaf Elements, and if you use scenes created for standard panels, they'll be converted into shades of white lighting using Nanoleaf-designed mapping technology.

In addition to a offering a unique wood-style finish and lighting features, the Nanoleaf Elements include all of the classic Nanoleaf functions like Rhythm Music Sync, Schedule options, Touch capabilities that turn the color of the panels when you tap them, and Circadian Lightning that changes over the course of the day. Panels are controlled through the Nanoleaf app and are also HomeKit-compatible, so Siri integration is available.

Nanoleaf Elements Smarter Kits include seven light panels for $299.99, and there are expansion packs that include three additional panels for $99.99. Nanoleaf Elements are available from the Nanoleaf store as of today, and will be coming to Apple stores later this year.

Google today introduced its latest wire-free earbuds, the Pixel Buds A-Series, which at $99, are $60 cheaper than the standard AirPods and $100 cheaper than the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case.

The Pixel Buds A-Series are the most affordable Pixel Buds Google has released to date, and they offer the same sound quality as prior versions of the Pixel Buds. Reviews have corroborated Google's claims on sound quality, suggesting they sound the same as the 2020 Pixel Buds.

Google has also updated the design of the Pixel Buds A-Series to create a good seal in the ears while ensuring a comfortable fit. Google says they've been designed with a "gentle seal" and a spatial vent to reduce in-ear pressure.

There's no noise cancellation as in the AirPods Pro, but Google has added an Adaptive Sound function that increases or decreases the volume of the headphones based on your surroundings.

For calls, there are beamforming microphones to focus on voice and reduce outside noise, and there's built-in Google Assistant connectivity with real-time language translation and other "Hey Google" features.

Pixel Buds A-Series come in white and dark olive and feature up to five hours of listening time on a single charge or up to 24 hours with the included charging case, which is similar to the AirPods battery life. They're IPX4 water resistant and Google says they can be worn during a sweaty workout or in the rain.

Google's Pixel Buds A-Series likely won't be as appealing to most iPhone users as AirPods because AirPods have a lot of built-in integrations that are missing with Pixel Buds, but the significant price drop could perhaps inspire Apple to make its own earbuds more affordable in the future to compete.

Pixel Buds A-Series are available for preorder in the United States and Canada and will be arriving to customers starting on June 17.

Apple is widely rumored to be planning new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, each with a mini-LED display and an improved iteration of the M1 chip. The notebooks are expected to feature a new design with a flatter top and bottom and more ports, including the return of an HDMI port, SD card slot, and a magnetic power cable. Rumors also suggest the Touch Bar will be retired in favor of physical Fn keys.

Lending further credence to these plans, MacRumors has potentially discovered the next-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro in a Chinese regulatory database. The listing, filed on April 14 by Apple supplier Sunwoda Electronic, is for a battery with an Apple-like model identifier A2527 rated at 8,693 mAh/11.45V. This is similar to the current 16-inch MacBook Pro's battery, which is rated at 8,790 mAh/11.36V, according to iFixit.

Sunwoda Electronic is the same supplier that filed the alleged iPhone 13 battery capacities that were spotted in the same Chinese database earlier this week.

If the filing is accurate, the next 16-inch MacBook Pro would have a slightly lower battery capacity than the existing model, potentially due to the notebook's rumored flatter design. However, any potential impact on battery life would likely be mitigated by the 16-inch MacBook Pro transitioning from Intel processors to more power-efficient Apple silicon. In fact, battery life could still end up being longer than the current generation.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the redesigned MacBook Pro models will be unveiled as early as this summer, with leaker Jon Prosser expecting the MacBook Pro announcement to be part of WWDC next week. Some other sources have suggested the new MacBook Pro models will not be announced until the second half of 2021.

WWDC kicks off with Apple's Keynote on Monday, June 7 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

Update 9:45 a.m.: We've also found an entry for what seems likely to be the upcoming 14-inch MacBook Pro.

The listing for this battery, also from Sunwoda, was filed on March 30 and carries model identifier A2519. The battery is rated for 6,068 mAh at 11.47V. That's a bit higher than the 5,103 mAh rating of the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, but the redesigned chassis for the larger 14-inch display size will likely leave room for a larger battery. We saw a similar increase in battery capacity for the larger MacBook Pro when it moved from 15 inches to 16 inches.

Despite its impressive performance, the new 24-inch iMac powered by the M1 Apple silicon chip, a new project shows that upgrading a previous-generation 21.5-inch ‌‌iMac‌‌ with an Intel Core i9 processor can deliver similar or even better performance.

The new 24-inch ‌iMac‌ is up to 56% faster than the previous generation 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ with an Intel processor, which it is replacing. The current highest-end 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ available features an Intel Core i5 processor, but the desktop computer was previously offered with an Intel Core i7.

Now, taking matters into his own hands, Apple YouTuber Luke Miani, in his latest video, decided to outfit the previous generation 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ with Intel's latest Core i9 processor. A configuration never offered by Apple officially.

Out of the box, the 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ featured the Intel Core i3 8100 processor, 8GB of RAM, the Radeon Pro 555X graphics card, and 256GB of SSD storage. Miani himself upgrades the ‌iMac‌ to include the Intel Core i9 9900 and 32GB of RAM. All in all, including the upgrades, the 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ costs $1,250. In contrast, the baseline 24-inch ‌iMac‌ with 8GB of RAM used in the comparison costs $1,299.

In initial tests focused on graphics, such as Geekbench 5, the ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ outperforms the custom 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ with a score of 7,700, compared to the Intel Core i9 scoring 7,400. In Geekbench tests for computing, the ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ scores 20,000 compared to the 21.5-inch ‌‌iMac‌‌ featuring the Radeon Pro 555X, receiving a score of 15,789.

In more computing-centric tests, such as Cinebench, the Intel Core i9 scores 9,214, compared to the roughly 7,500 scores for the ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌. In a Blender render test, the ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ takes around six minutes to render a sample project, while the custom-built 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ completes the render in three minutes and thirty seconds. It's worth noting, however, that Blender on ‌M1‌ is running through Rosetta emulation, meaning there is a slight drawback in performance.

The full video by Miani is a great watch for those interested in possibly upgrading their own ‌iMac‌ with improved RAM, and a more powerful processor.

Twitter has today announced "Twitter Blue," a new subscription service that features the ability to undo and bookmark Tweets, a reader mode, color theme options, and more.

Twitter describes the new subscription as giving "access to exclusive features and perks that will take their experience on Twitter to the next level." Twitter Blue currently features:

• Bookmark Folders: A way to manage and organize saved Tweets.
• Undo Tweet: The ability to preview and revise a Tweet before it goes live. Users can set a customizable timer of up to 30 seconds to click "undo."
• Reader Mode: A "more beatiful" reading experience for long threads, turning them into easy-to-read text for a more seamless view.
• Visual Customization: The ability to select a custom app icon for a device's home screen and a range of in-app color themes.
• Dedicated Customer Support: Access to dedicated subscription Twitter customer support.

Twitter explained that it "will be listening to feedback and building out even more features and perks for our subscribers over time." There is also a new @TwitterBlue account for keeping up to date with features and sharing feedback.

Starting today, Twitter Blue rolls out in Canada and Australia for the monthly price of $3.49 CAD or $4.49 AUD.

The company says that this initial phase will help it "gain a deeper understanding of what will make your Twitter experience more customized," ahead of launching in other countries.

Based in Florida, BlackBrook Case makes a range of high-quality leather goods, including cases for the iPhone, AirPods, iPad, and AirTag, as well as Apple Watch bands. One of BlackBrook's latest products is a case solution for AirPods Max, which works both with and without Apple's own Smart Case and seeks to address some of the criticisms that have been leveled at protecting Apple's over-ear headphones.

BlackBrook offers three different cases for ‌AirPods Max‌. This review takes a look at two of BlackBrook's ‌AirPods Max‌ cases, the "Danny" case and the "Tommy" case. The Danny case is slightly more compact with flat sides and a rear pocket, while the Tommy case is slightly larger, has beveled edges, and no rear pocket. Overall, the designs are very similar and there is no real reason to choose one over the other beyond aesthetics.

The other "Hannah" case is not made specifically for ‌AirPods Max‌, but rather it works with any headphones both as a storage pouch and a desk stand.

My Danny case is in "Golden Brown" and my Tommy case is in "Burnished Tan," but both cases are also available in "Pebble Black," "Dark Chocolate," and "Distressed Antique Coffee." Each case has a high-quality textured finish with rich colors that make the best of the choice of materials.

The exterior leather of the cases is sturdy and supported by a hard shell inside for added protection. The Tommy case feels spongier on the outside than the Danny case, presumably due to some extra padding, but both feel very durable. I am confident that the design and tough exterior do a good job of protecting my ‌AirPods Max‌.

At the top, there is a useful carrying handle that makes walking around with the stowed ‌AirPods Max‌ much easier. It can also be used to hook or fasten the ‌AirPods Max‌ elsewhere if necessary.

The Danny case features a moderately sized zip-up pocket on the rear. Unfortunately, the leather is pulled so tightly to the rigid interior that it is virtually impossible to use it for anything practical.

It may be possible to slide something as thin as a credit card or a receipt inside, but I would be concerned that I would not be able to retrieve it since I can barely even get my fingers inside. BlackBrook says that the pocket is a feature of the case, but really I think it is more decorative.

There is no passthrough area to charge the headphones with a Lightning cable while they are zipped up inside the case, but users can simply use both of the zips to close around either side of a charging cable instead if need be.

The zippers are a brassy color to compliment the hues of the cases. The zippers themselves are sturdy and do not snag too much, but they are not quite as smooth as I feel they could be.

When open, the design of the Tommy case allows the clamshell design to open fully, while the Danny case stops at about 135 degrees. While it is not particularly important, I prefer the fuller opening of the Tommy case since it reduces the chances of me scratching my ‌AirPods Max‌ on the zipper.

The interior of the cases features a soft microfiber material to prevent scratching or scuffing your headphones. Despite having slightly different designs, the internal space of both cases is effectively the same.

Unlike Apple's Smart Case, the BlackBrook cases cover the entirety of ‌AirPods Max‌ for much better overall protection. The design is space-efficient and as compact as you would need. The angular profile of the case closely matches the form of the headphones it is protecting, while giving a distinctive shape and character.

Inside, there is a generously sized elasticated pocket to store a cable or a power adapter. Unlike the rear pocket of the Danny case, this pocket is very easy to access and more than big enough to store a couple of accessories. The inside pocket of the Tommy case is slightly smaller due to its shape.

BlackBrook's ‌AirPods Max‌ cases contain a pair of magnets, arranged in a "butterfly," with one magnet inside each of two flaps of leather sewn into the middle of the case. This allows you to either snap them together to sit in between each earcup, or lay them flat when you want to keep the ‌AirPods Max‌ in their Apple Smart Case.

Just like Apple's Smart Case, the magnet butterfly can put the headphones into their ultra-low power mode to preserve battery life when placed in the middle of the earcups.

When snapped together, it is almost effortless to align the butterfly in between the earcups. Using the case in this formation makes it possible to avoid using Apple's Smart Case entirely.

If you want to stow your ‌AirPods Max‌ in the Apple Smart Case, but also want some added protection, BlackBrook's case design allows for this. You simply decouple the magnet butterfly to lay it flat, and the ‌AirPods Max‌ fit perfectly along with the Smart Case.

My only criticism of this system for regular use is that the butterfly seems to prefer to be snapped together than lay flat, so when putting the ‌AirPods Max‌ in their Smart Case into the BlackBrook case, you may need to smooth them flat again. Even so, the butterfly works well and adds versatility to the case.

Bottom Line

Overall, BlackBrook's ‌AirPods Max‌ cases are both good alternatives and additions to Apple's Smart Case. There is no question that BlackBrook's cases protect ‌AirPods Max‌ much better than Apple's Smart Case alone, providing proper all-around protection.

Inside, I appreciated the soft-touch material, versatile butterfly magnet system for putting the headphones into their ultra-low power mode, and the large pocket.

It feels like the case has been made to last and will age well, but it does feel a little bit too expensive to me at $149. It is a high-quality and well-designed product, but not so luxurious I feel that I personally would be comfortable paying this price. The only other minor bugbear for me was the virtually inaccessible pocket on the back of the Danny case.

Whether the case is used for everyday use as an alternative to the Smart Case, or occasionally for peace of mind when traveling, the BlackBrook ‌AirPods Max‌ cases present functional and premium options for any potential buyer.

How to Buy

The BlackBrook "Danny" and "Tommy" ‌AirPods Max‌ cases can be purchased from the BlackBrook Case website for $149, and they are available in "Golden Brown," "Burnished Tan," "Pebble Black," "Dark Chocolate," and "Distressed Antique Coffee."

BlackBrook is also currently offering a free ‌AirTag‌ keychain case with any ‌AirPods Max‌ case order.

Note: BlackBrook provided MacRumors with ‌AirPods Max‌ cases for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Satechi today announced the launch of the Aluminum Stand & Hub for iPad, which is designed to combine the portability of a tablet with the capabilities of a desktop in a unique foldable form factor.

There are six available ports in the Aluminum Stand & Hub, including a 4K HDMI port that supports up to 60Hz, a USB-C PD charging port, a USB-A data port, an SD card reader, a micro SD card reader, and an audio jack.

The Aluminum Stand & Hub is meant to elevate the iPad Pro off of a desk, turning it into a functional workstation with multiple viewing angle options. Attached to the stand, the ‌iPad‌ can be used as a main screen, a secondary screen, a drawing canvas, or a hub for FaceTiming friends and family.

Like all Satechi products, the Aluminum Stand & Hub has an aluminum design that's meant to match the aluminum of Apple devices for a streamlined desktop look. When not in use, it folds down for storage or for transport.

The Aluminum Stand & Hub for ‌iPad‌ can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Amazon.com for $99.99. Those purchasing directly from Satechi can get 20 percent off through June 6 by using promo code IPADPRO at checkout.

Internal Apple emails have revealed that the company discussed offering a Mac tablet, a 15-inch MacBook Air model, an iPod "Super nano," and more.

An email shared by the Twitter account Internal Tech Emails, disclosed as part of Epic Games' legal dispute with Apple, shows an Apple executive team meeting agenda written by Steve Jobs from August 2007, just two months after the launch of the original iPhone. The document sets out discussion points for a number of Apple products that were never released.

The agenda refers to a 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ model for 2008. The ‌MacBook Air‌ that actually debuted in 2008 was a 13-inch model, and in 2010 the company introduced an 11-inch version. The 15-inch display size was kept for the MacBook Pro only and never came to the ‌MacBook Air‌, but there is now concrete evidence that the company was seriously considering a larger ‌MacBook Air‌ variant.

Rumors about a 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ model recently resurfaced, with Apple reportedly looking once again at offering a larger screen size on its ultra-thin laptop.

The document also refers to a Mac tablet. This device may simply have been a precursory concept to the iPad, which was introduced in 2010, but it is of note that the company specifically considered a tablet form factor for the Mac at first.

The agenda mentions an iPod "Super nano," priced at $199 and seemingly set to launch in 2008. This price point is $50 more expensive than the 4GB base model third-generation iPod nano that was released just one month after this email was sent. The iPod Super nano appears to be a distinctly different device to the third-generation iPod nano, but it is possible that it could have been an alternative name and price point for this device instead.

Finally, the email mentions a "new iPod shuffle" for 2008, but this model was seemingly never released. The second-generation iPod shuffle launched in 2006, and the third-generation iPod shuffle launched in 2009. There were two new series of colors released in February and September 2008, but no new model. It is possible that Apple originally planned to launch the third-generation of the device in 2008, but after delays it may have been pushed to the following year.

Following the success and popularity of the Apple TV+ original series Ted Lasso, official merchandise related to the series will go on sale next month, according to an interview with showrunner Bill Lawrence.

As reported by 9to5Mac, Bill Lawrence, in an interview on the "Fake Doctors, Real Friends" podcast, says that official Ted Lasso merchandise will go on sale later this month, but notes that official kits for the show, such as Richmond jerseys, won't come out until September.

On the podcast ‘Fake Doctors, Real Friends’ Ted Lasso show-runner Bill Lawrence said that an official trailer for season two of the show is coming in about three weeks.

He also said that the first merch items (‘initial stuff’) will go on sale at the same time later this month. However, if you have been holding out to get your hand on a Richmond jersey, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Lawrence said Premier League official name kits will come out in September, which will be in the middle of the season two run.

Ted Lasso has grown in popularity, winning and being nominated for multiple awards. The show has quickly become one of the most popular on ‌Apple TV‌+. The second season of the show, which Apple CEO Tim Cook previewed during the company's April event, will premiere on July 23. You can watch the official trailer for the upcoming season on YouTube.

In an interview with WABetaInfo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the popular messaging app will soon be rolling out multi-device capability, allowing users to use their WhatsApp account on up to four different linked devices even when their main smartphone is not connected to the internet.

According to Zuckerberg, Facebook has faced "a big technical challenge" in getting "all your messages and content to sync properly across devices even when your phone battery dies." However, Zuckerberg says that Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, has found "an elegant" solution to the issue and that "it'll be the best solution out there." In addition, WhatsApp head Will Cathcart says that multi-device support will be rolling out in a public beta.

Specifically targeting the prospect of a future native iPad app for WhatsApp, Cathcart says that the company would "love to support" the ‌iPad‌ and hints that the roll-out of multi-device support will "make it possible for us to build things like that."

Other features confirmed to be coming soon to WhatsApp include "disappearing mode," which will turn on disappearing messages for all chat threads, making users WhatsApp accounts "ephemeral," according to Zuckerberg. Additionally, Zuckerberg confirmed that WhatsApp will soon roll out "view once" mode for photos and videos, where similar to Snapchat and Instagram, users will only be able to view received content once.

Signify today announced the launch of a redesigned version of the Philips Hue app for controlling Hue lighting setups. The fourth iteration of the Hue app was rebuilt from scratch to improve functionality and to enhance communication with Hue bulbs, lamps, and accessories.

A reimagined Home tab offers access to each room in the home so you can get to your Hue lights by room with a tap. Drilling down into a room shows available your lights and scenes all in one easy access tiled view. Prior to now, setting scenes required switching tabs, so this is a more streamlined way of controlling lights in a room together or individually.

The Home tab also houses the Hue Scene Gallery, a feature that existed before but should now be easier to get to. For those that have multiple bridges, there's now a toggle to swap between them to access different lights in the home.

Routines have been eliminated in favor of Automations, accessible through the Automations tab. Automations support more advanced actions than before, including multi-user geofencing. With this feature, if a Coming Home or Leaving Home automation is used, the Hue app will check to see if anyone else is home before running the automation, so the lights don't get turned off when someone is still in the house.

Automations that run at sunrise or sunset have been improved with options to end a scene after a set time or to activate a scene at a time before or after sunrise/sunset rather than right at sunrise/sunset.

Signify says that more than a hundred other small and large improvements have been added to streamline the design of the Hue app. The design of the Home tab, for example, makes it easier to configure your setup from multiple places, and if you have an Entertainment Area set up it's easier to customize with a revamped isometric 2.5D view. There continue to be widgets and shortcuts available, as well as Hue Labs features to play with.

Later this year, Signify will further enhance the Hue app with dynamic scenes, which will let the lights in a set Room or Zone transition through different colors of a scene, allowing for all new lighting effects.

The Hue app is available from the iOS App Store for free, and Hue lights can be purchased from the Hue website. Updating to the new app will require migrating settings and scenes, a process that should be hassle-free.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 13 lineup could include some models, such as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max being offered with as much as 1TB of internal storage; in addition, all models of the lineup are set to feature LiDAR, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said today in an investors note seen by MacRumors.

Ives made headlines in March with an initial prediction that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 would include 1TB storage options. Apple leaker Jon Prosser had previously predicted the eventuality of a 1TB iPhone. The 1TB option would be double the current highest 512GB offering for the ‌iPhone‌ and bring the ‌iPhone‌ lineup in more parity with the iPad Pro, which is offered in both 1TB and 2TB configurations.

With the ‌iPhone‌ 12, Apple introduced ProRaw, a new format that combines RAW images with ‌iPhone‌ image processing. ProRAW files can be anywhere between 10 to 12 times larger than typical HEIF or JPEG files. For more professional users, such as photographers using the ‌iPhone‌ as one of their daily drivers, the prospect of having a 1TB ‌iPhone‌ could be attractive.

Ives also reaffirms Wedbush's reporting that all models of the ‌iPhone‌ 13, ranging from the lowest-end ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, will feature LiDAR sensors. LiDAR use case is rather limited in its current form, only being used in low-light photography and for augmented reality. Apple has been focusing more on AR in the last few years, and the expansion of LiDAR to all ‌iPhone‌ models could be part of Apple's plan to make AR and the underlying technology needed for it more mainstream.

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, believes that the LiDAR sensor will remain exclusive to the higher-end iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

In the same investors note today, Ives also reported that Apple plans to announce the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple silicon at WWDC.

Apple plans to announce its long-rumored 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple silicon at WWDC, taking place in less than five days, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives.

In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, Ives says alongside the normally expected announcement of new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, Apple is planning a "few surprises," including the announcement of the new MacBook Pros. The analyst, who has made predictions regarding event announcements in the past, says the M1 Apple silicon chip will power the new MacBook Pros; however, that's unlikely to be the case.

The upcoming MacBook Pros, which are already rumored to include several new changes such as the removal of the Touch Bar, a more flat-edged design, the return of the HDMI port, an SD card slot, and MagSafe magnetic charging, are likely to feature a more powerful iteration of the ‌M1‌ chip, or even possibly M2. Apple announced the ‌M1‌ chip last November, and since its initial debut in the low-end ‌MacBook Pro‌, MacBook Air, and Mac mini, the chip has expanded to a new 24-inch iMac and the iPad Pro.

The new MacBook Pros, which reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman believes could be announced as soon as early this summer, will be the highest-end Macs featuring Apple silicon to date. Apple formally announced its transition to its own silicon at WWDC last year, stating it would take a total of two years. Apple leaker Jon Prosser also believes that the new MacBook Pros, presumably the new 14-inch and updated 16-inch models, will launch at WWDC.

In his note today, Ives also reiterated previously reported predictions, including Wedbush's belief that the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup will feature 1TB storage capacity options, double the current highest 512GB models. In addition, the analyst also reaffirmed the belief that Apple plans to announce its AR glasses being dubbed "Apple Glasses" at WWDC in 2022, followed by the Apple Car in 2024.

Apple corporate employees will be returning to the office for three days a week starting in early September, Apple CEO Tim Cook told workers today in a memo that was seen by The Verge.

"For all that we've been able to achieve while many of us have been separated, the truth is that there has been something essential missing from this past year: each other," Cook said in the memo. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."

Most employees will be asked to return to their offices on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with the option of working remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. Teams that require in-person work will return to the office for four to five days a week.

Employees will also be able to work entirely remotely for up to two weeks every year, but the remote work requests will need to be approved by managers.

Cook wrapped up the memo by saying that he's looking forward to seeing employee faces. "I know I'm not alone in missing the hum of activity, the energy, creativity and collaboration of our in-person meetings and the sense of community we've all built," he wrote.

Apple employees are likely expecting to be required to return to Apple campuses and offices around the world, as Apple has always heavily focused on the importance of in-person collaboration. Back in March, Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that he couldn't wait for employees to return to work, and he said that Apple would implement a "hybrid environment" for the return.

Apple today introduced a new mini website that's dedicated to the Wallet app on the iPhone, highlighting the benefits and features that are available.

Apple explains that debit and credit cards can be added to the Wallet app "with no added effort," making them available for Apple Pay. The site also promotes Apple Cash and Apple Card, both Wallet app features, as well as transit cards that can be added to Wallet.

The Wallet app also supports airline boarding passes, loyalty cards, movie tickets, student IDs, and car keys (BMW only), plus content added to ‌iPhone‌ is mirrored on Apple Watch.

The Wallet app lives right on your iPhone. It's where you securely keep your credit and debit cards, transit cards, boarding passes, tickets, car keys, and more -- all in one place. And it all works with iPhone or Apple Watch, so you can take less with you but always bring more.

The Wallet webpage was first noticed by 9to5Mac, and it comes right alongside redesigned Apple Pay and Apple Cash sites that highlight the benefits of the two payment features, which include ease of use, security, privacy, and wide acceptance in the U.S.

Apple Pay is the one way to pay. It replaces your physical cards and cash with an easier, safer, more secure, and private payment method -- whether you're in a store, online, or sending cash to friends or family. It's money, made modern.

Apple Cash works a lot like a debit card. Make secure, contactless purchases -- both in stores and online. Send and receive money with just a text. Share funds with your kids on their own Apple Cash card. No matter how you use Apple Cash, you get simplicity and safety you can put money on.

All of the new pages include Wallet and ‌Apple Pay‌ FAQs and options to "Add a card" to the Wallet on ‌iPhone‌ or iPad or the Wallet section of the System Preferences on Mac.

Apple today overhauled its Artists.Apple.com website, which is designed for artists who are creating content for Apple Music.

The updated site is meant to be a centralized location that will let artists access the ‌Apple Music‌ tools and services that are available to them. Artists.Apple.com will serve as the home for all artist activity on ‌Apple Music‌, and it will act as an entry point into what the Apple ecosystem has to offer.

Apple has guidance for using tools like Voice Memos, GarageBand, Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, MainStage, and more, along with links to music distributors for getting songs out in the wild. Published artists can access instructions for updating artist info, adding lyrics, creating cover art, and developing press kits.

There are tools for creating Apple Music-branded marketing assets, earning money through the ‌Apple Music‌ Affiliate Program, and accessing ‌Apple Music‌ analytics. Apple has also added walkthroughs and support document help for new features, such as Spatial Audio.

‌Apple Music‌ for Artists is available for every artist on ‌Apple Music‌, offering up stream data, Shazam info, sales numbers, and all of the new features introduced today. New content and resources for artists will be added to the site over time.