MacRumors iPhone and iPad Blog: Apps, News, and Rumors

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple today that details how new brushing and polishing tools could be used to finish a wireless charging station. While the application covers general polishing techniques for cylindrical and contoured surfaces, Patently Apple notes that the patent also details ways to create a space for an inductive charging coil,...

Apple has lowered the price of the iPhone SE with 64GB of storage from $499 to $449 in the U.S. following its iPhone 7 event yesterday. Likewise, the monthly installment price now starts at a lower $18.71 per month through carrier financing. The 16GB model remains $399. Apple released the iPhone SE in March 2016 as a low-cost successor to the iPhone 5s, much to the delight of customers who...

Along with the reveal of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple yesterday briefly mentioned that the previous generation of iPhone -- the 6s and 6s Plus -- have both gotten updates to storage capacities and price drops. In solidarity with the iPhone 7's omission of the low-tier 16GB option, anyone interested in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will now have two storage tiers to choose from: 32GB...

Facebook marketing lead Lindsey Shepard recently posted a blog sharing new details of the company's celebration of Star Trek's 50th anniversary, taking place today. After updating the "Like" button to a set of emotional reactions earlier in the year, the social network is temporarily giving each reaction a Star Trek themed makeover to celebrate the franchise's premiere on September 8, 1966. In ...

Smart thermostat company Nest today announced three new colors for its flagship product, the Nest Learning Thermostat, now coming in white, black, and copper, in addition to the traditional stainless steel variant. The new colors are said to be available for a limited time only, but Nest didn't specify for how long they'd continue to go on sale. The purpose of introducing more colors and finishes ...

Anyone tuning in to watch Apple's iPhone 7 event on Wednesday may have been mildly surprised and somewhat amused to witness Apple CEO Tim Cook taking part in a special episode of "Carpool Karaoke" along with Pharrell Williams. Far from being an off-the-wall, last-minute inclusion, the video introduction makes sense for Apple, which recently purchased the segment from "The Late Show With James...

Photo sharing app Instagram is set to become one of the first platforms specifically designed to take advantage of the iPhone 7's powerful new camera features. Details of the upcoming update were shared by Instagram's head of design Ian Spalter during yesterday's Apple event in San Francisco, where he demonstrated how the app would make use of several of the new phones' capabilities....

T-Mobile has announced that it will offer a free 32GB iPhone 7 during pre-order to new or existing customers when they trade in their iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus or 6s Plus. The offer is for a limited time and will be available at T-Mobile.com when pre-orders are live and T-Mobile retail stores. The offer partially extends to other iPhone 7 models. For example, the 32GB iPhone 7 Plus is available...

While Beats announced three new wireless headphones equipped with Apple's new W1 wireless chip earlier today, it also quietly released the new Beats EP wired headphones with a 3.5mm headphone plug. The new on-ear headphones are built to deliver "premium" sound in a "tough" and lightweight frame. The headphones are battery-free, allowing unlimited playback with a hassle-free fixed cable. They ...

While the iPhone 7 Plus introduced today saw a general $20 increase compared to the iPhone 6s Plus it will replace, customers in some countries are finding prices on both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and other products increasing by even more due to fluctuations in exchange rates. One country significantly affected by the changes is the United Kingdom, where off-contract prices for the iPhone 7...

Apple Pay is expanding to three new countries this fall, including New Zealand, Russia, and Japan. Apple today confirmed its plans to bring Apple Pay to Japan on stage at its iPhone 7 event, while the Russia and New Zealand Apple Pay sites were updated with info on an imminent launch. As was previously reported, Apple Pay in Japan will be implemented through a partnership with Sony and an...

Along with a slew of new collections for the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2, Apple today introduced new first-party bands into its pre-existing band categories, including ones for the Sport Band, Woven Nylon, and Classic Buckle. Elsewhere, Apple has decided to minimize colorways for bands like Modern Buckle and Leather Loop, but it's kept the same silver and space black options for the...

Apple's latest iPhones, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, are the company's first iPhones that have been advertised as "water and dust resistant" with an official IP67 rating under International Electrotechnical Standards, a uniform way of determining water and resistance ratings across a wide range of devices. IP67 is actually two numbers, one that refers to the dust resistance rating and...

One of the key new features of the Apple Watch Series 2 is an improved water resistance rating of up to 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010, which by definition means the watch can be used for shallow-water activities such as swimming in a pool or ocean, white water rafting, and fishing without risking water damage. These activities are in addition to the previous IPX7 splash resistance...

During today's big media event, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 2, with an emphasis on the wearable's swimproof and activity tracking features. To a lesser degree, the company mentioned the casing materials -- aluminum, stainless steel, and now ceramic -- and detailed new versions of its bands created with collaborator Hermès. Interestingly, it didn't divulge any of the new versions of ...

Despite rumors suggesting the Apple Watch Series 2 models would feature longer battery life than the original Apple Watch models, technical specifications for the new devices shared by Apple suggest the Apple Watch Series 2 will continue to offer up to 18 hours of battery life -- the same as Apple Watch Series 1. Part leaks indicate the Apple Watch Series 2 may indeed have a larger battery...

Apple has shared five new videos on YouTube today that promote healthy and active lifestyle choices, emphasizing the importance of a regular sleeping pattern, proper nutrition, taking moments to calm your mind, and staying active. The fifth video explains how these healthy habits are all connected. Apple Health - Sleep promotes the natural rhythm of going to bed at the same time and getting...

Apple today announced the debut of a new Ceramic Apple Watch, which is positioned as the high-end "Apple Watch Edition." With the introduction of the new glossy white Ceramic Apple Watch, Apple has discontinued the previous-generation 18-karat Gold and Rose Gold Apple Watch Edition models. Gold Apple Watch Edition models are no longer available for purchase from the Apple Online Store....