Everything New in the iOS 18.5 Beta

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:54:02 PDT

Apple today provided developers with the first beta of an upcoming iOS 18.5 update for testing purposes. Work on iOS 18 is starting to wind down with iOS 19 set to be introduced in a couple of months, so iOS 18.5 has just a handful of minor new features.


We've rounded up what's new so far, but Apple could add additional features in upcoming betas.

Mail

If you tap on the three dots icon in the upper right corner of the Mail app, you can now toggle Contact Photos on and off directly from this interface. There's also an option to turn off Group By Sender.


Both of these options are in iOS 18.4, but the toggles are buried in the Mail section of the Settings app. They're easier to get to with iOS 18.5 for those who want the Mail app to look more like the pre-iOS 18 Mail app.

You can still access these toggles in the Settings app, too.

AppleCare Info

In the Settings app, if you go to General and tap on AppleCare and Warranty, there's now a banner with an ‌AppleCare‌ logo and an option to learn more about ‌AppleCare‌ coverage. There was no banner before.


If you go to your Apple Account and tap on a device in your device list, you'll now see a new ‌AppleCare‌ option that you can tap into to get info on your ‌AppleCare‌ coverage. There's also an option to Manage Plan from this interface if you have a renewing ‌AppleCare‌ plan.

More Features

Know of something new in iOS 18.5 that we left out of this article? Let us know in the comments below.

Release Date

For the last three years, the x.5 updates have come out in May, specifically the second week of May. It's likely Apple will stick to that same general release timeline, providing iOS 18.5 to the public in May.
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Apple Stock Falls as Trump Tariffs Target Supply Chain

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:26:39 PDT

Apple's efforts to diversify its supply chain may have been for naught with the Trump administration's new tariffs that target multiple countries where Apple sources components for its iPhones, iPads, and Macs.


Apple has worked to move some of its manufacturing to countries like India, Vietnam, and Thailand, all of which are facing steep tariffs in addition to China and Taiwan. There is a minimum 10 percent tariff for all U.S. trading partners, and "reciprocal tariffs" on several countries where Apple suppliers are located. Some of the tariffs:

• Vietnam - 46%


• Thailand - 36%


• China - 34%


• Taiwan - 32%


• India - 26%


• Japan - 24%


• Malaysia - 24%


• EU - 20%

As The New York Times notes, Apple is already contending with a 20 percent tariff in China, which is set to increase significantly. Taiwan, where Apple sources the Apple silicon chips that go into all of its devices, is facing a 32 percent tariff.

The last time Trump was in office, Apple was able to get tariff exemptions or avoid tariffs entirely for some products, but Trump claims that he will not provide exemptions this time around. Morgan Stanley estimates that devices imported from China will cost Apple an additional $8.5 billion annually without exemptions, though it is not clear if Apple would pass those costs to consumers with price increases.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said in the past that the United States is not able to compete with China and other countries when it comes to manufacturing due to a lack of skilled workers with expertise in advanced tooling.

Apple stock is down 7.5 percent in after hours trading after the tariff announcements. The tariffs will go into effect on April 9, according to Trump.
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Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Max With Lossless Audio Support

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:40:15 PDT

Apple today released new 7E101 firmware for the AirPods Max with USB-C, addressing an issue that made the previously released firmware unable to be downloaded.


Apple yesterday seeded out ‌AirPods Max‌ firmware with a version number of 7E99 to enable lossless audio support, but it turned out that ‌AirPods Max‌ users were not able to download the firmware.

The new 7E101 firmware should now be available to all Apple users who have ‌AirPods Max‌ with USB-C, and the update brings lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to the headphones.

The USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌ now support 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio, which is designed to allow listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio. Apple says lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio offer a "more sonically accurate, uncompressed, and immersive experience."

With lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio support, music creators are able to use the ‌AirPods Max‌ to create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking, with just a USB-C cable and a Mac with Logic Pro or other music creation software.

Lossless audio and ultra-low latency is only available for the USB-C ‌AirPods Max‌, as lossless quality requires a USB-C connection to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The headphones need to be running the latest firmware and need to be paired with a device running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS Sequoia 15.4.

Firmware can be installed by putting the ‌AirPods Max‌ in Bluetooth range of an ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi, and then plugging them in to charge. It can take up to 30 minutes for firmware to update.

You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the ‌AirPods Max‌ when they are connected to an ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Sells Stock Worth $24 Million

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:30:29 PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook today earned over $24 million selling Apple stock, according to a filing with the SEC. Cook sold 108,136 shares that he received on April 1 when restricted stock units vested.


The RSUs that vested yesterday were part of a time-based stock award that Cook was granted back in 2020. One-third of the shares vested in 2023, one-third in 2024, and the final third vested in 2025. The shares that were sold today were put in Cook's trust.

Restricted stock units are given to Cook regularly as bonus compensation, encouraging him to stay on as Apple's CEO. Cook has served as CEO since August 2011, and now that his RSUs have vested, Apple may give him another grant to keep him at the company for an even longer period. Cook also regularly receives RSUs that vest based on Apple's performance, with that award typically happening in October.

Apple executives that include Jeff Williams and Katherine Adams also received and sold stock worth $7,950,684 and $8,664,682, respectively.
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The Apple Store That Never Was

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:52:42 PDT

In 2019, Apple canceled plans to open a flagship store at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia, due to public opposition. Specifically, many local residents were upset about Apple's plan to demolish the existing Yarra Building on the site, in order to make room for the new store. The local heritage authority Heritage Victoria ultimately decided that the building could not be torn down due to its cultural significance.


Six years later, graphic designer Filip Chudzinski has envisioned what Apple Federation Square could have looked like, based on a design proposal by architectural firm Foster + Partners. Given the proposal is now outdated, Chudzinski added in some modern touches, such as an Apple Pickup station for customers to collect online orders.

Chudzinski created more than two dozen beautiful 3D renders of the Apple Federation Square store that never was, offering a closer look at its multi-level pavilion design. The impressive store would have overlooked the nearby Yarra River.


Chudzinski has an Instagram account dedicated to Apple retail. He also created the Bandbreite app, which catalogs Apple Watch bands.
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Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Sequoia 15.5

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 10:12:07 PDT

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two days after Apple released ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.4.


Registered developers can opt-in to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

We don't yet know what's included in the macOS 15.5 update, but we are waiting on new Apple Intelligence features. It's not clear if that functionality will be in the beta, but there isn't much else that Apple hasn't added to ‌macOS Sequoia‌.

Apple will soon start transitioning to macOS 16, which is set to be unveiled at WWDC in June.
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Apple Seeds First Beta of iOS 18.5 to Developers

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 10:11:14 PDT

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming just two days after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.


iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

We don't yet know what Apple is introducing in the iOS 18.5 update, but we are still waiting on new Siri Apple Intelligence features. That functionality may not be coming until next year, though, so it's unclear if we'll get any new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ tools in the beta.

Once we download the beta and discover that's included, we'll update this article with details.

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Apple Seeds First Betas of visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 10:10:00 PDT

Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a day after Apple released the visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 software.


The betas are available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on each device.

As of right now, there is no word on what's included in any of the betas, but should new features be found, we'll update this article.
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Amazon Makes Last Minute Offer for TikTok as Ban Looms

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 09:48:26 PDT

Retail giant Amazon today made an offer to acquire TikTok just days ahead of when TikTok must be sold off or face a ban, reports The New York Times. Unspecified participants involved in the TikTok talks "do not appear to be taking Amazon's bid seriously," and multiple interested parties are scrambling to plead their cases for a TikTok purchase.


As of January 19, the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act that bans TikTok from operating in the U.S. under Chinese control has been in effect, but U.S. President Donald Trump gave TikTok a reprieve by ordering the Department of Justice to not enforce the law for a 75-day period. That window is set to expire on Saturday, April 5, and a sale of TikTok's U.S. operations must be arranged by that time or the app will be shut down again.

The Trump administration has been considering offers from companies like Oracle and Perplexity, along with individuals like Jimmy Donaldson (also known as MrBeast), Shark Tank host Kevin O'Leary, Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, and billionaire Frank McCourt. Trump plans to meet with White House officials on Wednesday to discuss what will happen with TikTok, and he has maintained that he will make the final decision on the app's future.

It is possible that Trump will decide on a deal that includes bringing on multiple U.S. investors, including Oracle and private equity firm Blackstone. Such a deal would not be a formal sale, and may not meet the requirements of the law.

TikTok parent company ByteDance has said that it will not sell TikTok, but it is not clear if that is still the case with a ban on the horizon. While the law is set to go back into effect on April 5, Trump could opt for another deadline extension.
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Apple Hit With $5 Billion Class Action Lawsuit Over eBooks Availability

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:22:04 PDT

A lawsuit filed against Apple in California this week accuses the company of violating the state's false advertising law and other consumer laws, by intentionally misleading customers into thinking that they are purchasing digital e-books from the Apple Books app in perpetuity, when instead they are only purchasing revokable licenses to the books.


The proposed class action complaint explains that Apple is required to pull a digital book or audiobook from the Apple Books app if and when it loses a license to that content, resulting in the content no longer being available in the app's store. As a result, the complaint alleges that some customers have unexpectedly found that digital books they previously purchased were no longer available to re-download, despite having paid for them. Apple removes books without warning, and without providing refunds, the complaint adds.

As noted in the complaint, the purchase screen in the Apple Books app does not include a link to any terms of service or licensing information. However, in order to set up and use an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device, users are required to agree to Apple's various software license agreements, which all state the following:

By using this software in connection with an Apple Account, or other Apple Services, you agree to the applicable terms of service, such as the latest Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions […]

In the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions, Apple states the following:

Purchased Content will generally remain available for you to download, redownload, or otherwise access from Apple. Though it is unlikely, subsequent to your purchase, Content may be removed from the Services and become unavailable for further download or access from Apple (for instance, because Apple loses its right from the Content provider to make it available). To ensure your ability to continue enjoying Content, we encourage you to download all purchased Content to a device in your possession and to back it up.

The lawsuit, Morehouse et al v. Apple, Inc., was filed in a U.S. district court in San Jose on Tuesday. The plaintiffs are seeking up to $5 billion in damages, with the proposed class being all individuals who purchased a digital book or audiobook from the Apple Books store within the to-be-determined class period. A judge has yet to be assigned to the case, and it remains to be seen if the class action lawsuit is certified and proceeds to trial.

The complaint was filed by law firm Siri & Glimstad LLP.
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Get the 13-Inch M2 MacBook Air for the Low Price of $749

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:00:11 PDT

Amazon and Best Buy are discounting Apple's 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage down to $749.00 in a few colors. This is a $250 discount on the previous generation M2 MacBook Air, and a solid second-best price.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Amazon currently has this deal available only in Silver, while Best Buy has the computer at this price in Silver, Space Gray, Midnight, and Starlight. Each discount has been applied automatically and does not require any coupon codes or memberships in order to see the final deal price.



Although this is a previous generation device, it will work great for anyone who doesn't need the performance gains introduced with the newer Apple silicon chips, especially at this discounted price. Apple just announced the new M4 MacBook Air, and anyone shopping for those models can get up to $60 off a few configurations on Amazon.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple Reportedly Hasn't Given Up on Haptic Buttons for a Future iPhone

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 06:27:28 PDT

Apple is still exploring solid-state buttons with haptic feedback for a future iPhone, according to a new report from a known Weibo leaker.


In a new post, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" said that Apple's work on solid-state buttons for the ‌iPhone‌ is ongoing. They said that production cost is not the project's main issue, but rather "mistouches," since a correct response is apparently not "perfectly guaranteed."

Apple is said to currently be adjusting the "tactile design" of its solid-state buttons and working on their long-term reliability, especially for mass production. Apple's current button design is integrated directly into the frame, with no rebound when clicked, but the company is apparently seeking to more closely replicate the experience of a traditional mechanical button.

The advantages of the design are simplicity and reducing mechanical wear, while enabling users to differentiate between a light press and a firm press to trigger different functions. The project is purportedly now "on hold," with the company determining that the current market is more interested in display and battery technology advancements.

It was widely reported that Apple was intending to bring solid-state buttons to the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023 as part of "Project Bongo," but it canceled the plan at a late stage. They were then rumored to come to the iPhone 16 Pro, before being shelved indefinitely. The feature is not expected to arrive in the iPhone 17 lineup, but the latest report suggests that they're likely to appear someday in the future.
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New Plex Mobile App With Streamlined Interface Rolling Out to Users

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 04:59:36 PDT

Plex is rolling out a new version of its mobile app, and it's a fairly major redesign that features expanded artwork, streamlined navigation, and a dedicated tab for centralized media libraries designed for "personal media pros."


Plex said in a forum post that the updated app is being fully deployed over the course of the week, and introduces several key improvements based on user feedback received during its preview testing phase. If you installed the beta version of the app, which was made available via TestFlight in November, then you'll know what to expect.

Among the changes, users will notice new title artwork for movies and shows, a dedicated spot for the Watchlist feature in the top navigation, and a simplified user menu. Performance enhancements include improved load times, better scrolling performance, and added support for portrait mode, according to Plex.

For those who use Plex to manage personal media collections, the update adds TV show shuffle options, improved library reordering, and enhanced access to item context menus via a long press.

Several other changes have been made that Plex wants existing users to be made aware of. The company says pre-existing downloads will lack some metadata after updating, which can be fixed by re-downloading content. The new version also removes music and photo functionality from the main app, as Plex has developed dedicated companion apps – Plexamp and Plex Photos – for these media types.

The mobile update arrives just weeks before Plex implements its previously announced subscription price changes. Starting April 29, the company will increase the cost of its Plex Pass to $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually, up from $4.99 and $39.99 respectively, marking its first price hike in a decade.

Plex also noted that a new app for TV platforms, including Apple TV, will follow the mobile update "soon," continuing the company's refresh of its entire app ecosystem. The redesigned app is still in beta, but it is already available for testing on the Apple TV.
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New AirPods Max Firmware Unavailable Due to iOS 18.4 Bug, Apple Says Update 'Coming Soon'

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 03:59:11 PDT

AirPods Max users have been left unable to download Apple's new firmware update bringing lossless and low-latency audio support to the headphones, owing to a software bug with iOS 18.4, MacRumors can confirm.


Apple officially announced the new feature support for AirPods Max last week. Then on Monday, Apple released an AirPods Max (USB-C) firmware update version 7E99 in tandem with the rollout of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 software updates for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. However, since then, AirPods Max owners have not been able to successfully update their devices due to an unspecified conflict with the firmware and Apple's latest software.

The AirPods Max firmware was supposed to enable lossless and low-latency audio support as part of the broader software releases. "With this update, AirPods Max will unlock 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio, preserving the integrity of original recordings and allowing listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio," said Apple in a press release. "Lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio enable music creators to fully utilize AirPods Max throughout their entire professional workflow on Logic Pro and other music creation apps."

However, after Apple indicated the firmware was available for download, user reports of problems slowly began to trickle in. As it stands, there's no sign that anyone has been able to install the firmware.

It's still not clear what Apple has done in iOS/iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4 to cause the issue, but all the indications are that Apple will need to release a point update to its platforms to correct the bug. On its AirPods firmware support page, Apple currently lists the unobtainable firmware version 7E99 for AirPods Max as "coming soon."
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Apple Is Still Obsessed With the Idea of an All-Glass iPhone

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 03:20:12 PDT

If you think the rumored glassy redesign of iOS 19 could be a game-changer, check out Apple's latest granted U.S. patent detailing all-glass enclosures for future devices including the iPhone, Apple Watch, and even Mac Pro.


The patent envisions devices where all external surfaces (front, back, and sides) are made of glass, creating a seamless, transparent appearance with a roving interface that can be used from any angle.

Beyond aesthetics, the glass enclosures would introduce new interactive capabilities, according to the patent. Apple describes touch- and force-sensitive areas extending to the sides and back of devices, essentially creating multi-sided interfaces that could adapt based on how the user holds or orients the device. The embodiments also include mechanisms to take apart the devices for repairs.


For iPhones, the patent illustrates a six-sided glass design where displays could appear on any surface, with accommodations for components such as speakers and microphones. The user interface would dynamically shift depending on the device's orientation, allowing for contextual interactions regardless of which side faces the user.

The filing also includes concepts for other Apple products, including a glass Mac Pro tower with an octagonal prism shape, and an Apple Watch constructed almost entirely from transparent glass (a concept that we resurfaced last week).


Some designs feature deformable sides, enabling users to trigger actions by applying pressure, such as squeezing the sides of an iPhone to control media playback or adjust volume. Certain ideas also have echoes of Apple's previous experimentation with force-sensitive inputs like 3D Touch.

Apple's exploration of glass enclosures isn't exactly new. The company has been investigating this technology for over a decade – and former design chief Jony Ive famously wanted to create an iPhone out of a single seamless slab of glass.


Of course, patents don't guarantee we will actually see the products as consumer devices, but they do offer an insight into Apple's potential long-term vision for more immersive, interactive device designs across its product lines.

(Via Patently Apple.)
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iOS 18.4 Bug Seemingly Resurrects Previously Deleted iPhone Apps

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 01:26:14 PDT

Apple's latest iOS 18.4 software update appears to be causing long-deleted apps to reappear on some users' iPhones, based on corroborating reports on forums and social media.


Several Reddit threads (1,2,3,4) and posts on Apple's Community Support pages over the last 24 hours are filled with reports from users who, after having updated to iOS 18.4, immediately discovered third-party apps and/or games installed on their device that were not there before.

Going on the reports, the iOS 18.4 update has manifested a bug that is causing apps to reappear – since in most cases it appears that the apps had been deleted by the users months or even years ago and long forgotten. Apple released iOS 18.4 on Monday.

The behavior doesn't seem to be related to Apple's Automatic Downloads option either. The setting enables automatic downloads of apps purchased on other Apple devices. However, many affected users say they do not own another Apple device.

Likewise, the bug is impacting users with devices that have never been jailbroken and have never used an alternative marketplace outside of the App Store.

It's not clear how prevalent the glitch is, but not everyone is affected, suggesting it could be related to location or device model. As it stands, the current solution for affected users is just to re-delete the reappearing app while we await further details around the issue.

(Thanks, Tanner!)
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Visa and American Express Vying to Win Apple Card Deal in 'Fierce' Fight

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 13:50:09 PDT

Visa wants to pay Apple approximately $100 million to be the new payment network for the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. As of right now, the ‌Apple Card‌ is on the Mastercard payment network, but that is set to change because Apple is ending its partnership with Goldman Sachs.


Both American Express and Visa are vying to replace Mastercard as Apple's card services provider, while Mastercard is aiming to retain its position. Apple apparently plans to choose a new ‌Apple Card‌ network before it selects a partner to replace Goldman Sachs as the ‌Apple Card‌'s issuing bank, and competition is intense. Visa is offering Apple a $100 million upfront payment, while American Express is "in the mix" and Mastercard is "fiercely trying" to retain its role.

Apple and Goldman Sachs have been working to dissolve their partnership since 2023, with Goldman Sachs planning to exit the consumer banking market. JPMorgan Chase and Synchrony Financial are in talks with Apple to take over for Goldman Sachs, but American Express has also been aiming to become the issuer and network of the ‌Apple Card‌. Apple needs both an issuing bank for the ‌Apple Card‌ and a payment network that facilitates transactions.

Goldman Sachs and Apple have worked together on the ‌Apple Card‌ since its 2019 launch, and have also teamed up for the high-yield Apple Savings account. Apple has not been happy with Goldman Sachs because of customer service issues caused by long wait times for disputed ‌Apple Card‌ transactions and savings account withdrawals.

The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even launched an investigation into Goldman Sachs due to the customer complaints, which led to tension, so both companies are eager to end their relationship.

The ‌Apple Card‌ has over 12 million users in the United States, with approximately $20 billion in balances.
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Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:34:15 PDT

Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.


watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

With watchOS 11.4, Apple has added an option for a Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode, so you can have your Apple Watch make a sound in addition to haptic tapping when a morning alarm goes off. There's also support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners in the Home app.

This update includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be added to the Home app as well as used in scenes, automations, or simply say "Siri, clean the living room."
- An option to allow Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode
- An issue where face selection may become unresponsive when switching faces
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

More of the features available in watchOS 11 can be found in our watchOS 11 roundup.
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Amazon Takes Up to $60 Off New M4 MacBook Air, Available From $949

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:24:49 PDT

Amazon today has all-time low prices on the new M4 MacBook Air, with up to $60 off the 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the computer. Right now these discounts are only available on Amazon, and most of them have estimated delivery windows of early April.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This time around, there is one 13-inch configuration on sale and one 15-inch configuration on sale, reaching up to $60 off the original price. You can get the 256GB 13-inch M4 MacBook Air for $949.00, down from $999.00, and the 256GB 15-inch M4 MacBook Air for $1,139.00, down from $1,199.00. Both of these deals are available in two colors on Amazon.




We aren't currently tracking any notable deals on the 512GB models of the M4 MacBook Air. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Mac Studio Buyer's Guide: All Models Compared

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 08:15:00 PDT

Apple has now refreshed the Mac Studio twice since its introduction in 2022, so should you upgrade your unit and is an older model still worth buying?


The new ‌Mac Studio‌'s main upgrade is its chip, moving from the M2 Max and ‌M2‌ Ultra to the M4 Max and M3 Ultra. Compared to its predecessor, the new ‌Mac Studio‌ is up to 75% faster with 2x faster graphics. It also now features up to 512GB of memory of 16GB of storage, as well as Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

See the breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with the latest ‌Mac Studio‌ compared to its predecessors:

‌Mac Studio‌ (2022)	‌Mac Studio‌ (2023)	‌Mac Studio‌ (2025)
Apple M1 Max or M1 Ultra chip	Apple ‌M2‌ Max or ‌M2‌ Ultra chip	Apple M4 Max or M3 Ultra chip
M1 Max: 10-core CPU (8 performance cores, 2 efficiency cores) M1 Ultra: 20-core CPU (16 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores)	M2 Max: 12-core CPU (8 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores) M2 Ultra: 24-core CPU (16 performance cores, 8 efficiency cores)	M4 Max: Up to 16-core CPU (12 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores) M3 Ultra: Up to 32-core CPU (24 performance cores, 8 efficiency cores)
M1 Max: Up to 32-core GPU M1 Ultra: Up to 64-core GPU	M2 Max: Up to 38-core GPU M2 Ultra: Up to 76-core GPU	M4 Max: Up to 40-core GPU M3 Ultra: Up to 80-core GPU
		Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
		AV1 decode
M1 Max: 16-core Neural Engine (11 TOPS) M1 Ultra: 32-core Neural Engine (22 TOPS)	M2 Max: 16-core Neural Engine (15.8 TOPS) M2 Ultra: 32-core Neural Engine (31.6 TOPS)	M4 Max: 16-core Neural Engine (38 TOPS) M3 Ultra: 32-core Neural Engine (76 TOPS)
M1 Max: Video decode engine M1 Ultra: Two video decode engines	M2 Max: Video decode engine M2 Ultra: Two video decode engines	M4 Max: Video decode engine M3 Ultra: Two video decode engines
M1 Max: Two video encode engines M1 Ultra: Four video encode engines	M2 Max: Two video encode engines M2 Ultra: Four video encode engines	M4 Max: Two video encode engines M3 Ultra: Four video encode engines
M1 Max: Two ProRes encode and decode engines M1 Ultra: Four ProRes encode and decode engines	M2 Max: Two ProRes encode and decode engines M2 Ultra: Four ProRes encode and decode engines	M4 Max: Two ProRes encode and decode engines M3 Ultra: Four ProRes encode and decode engines
M1 Max: 32GB or 64GB memory M1 Ultra: 64GB or 128GB memory	M2 Max: 32GB, 64GB, or 96GB memory M2 Ultra: 64GB, 128GB, or 192GB memory	M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 128GB memory M3 Ultra: 96GB, 256GB, or 512GB memory
M1 Max: 400GB/s memory bandwidth M1 Ultra: 800GB/s memory bandwidth	M2 Max: 400GB/s memory bandwidth M2 Ultra: 800GB/s memory bandwidth	M4 Max: Up to 546GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Ultra: 819GB/s memory bandwidth
512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD storage	M2 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD storage M2 Ultra: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD storage	M4 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD storage M3 Ultra: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB, or 16TB SSD storage
M1 Max: Four Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB-C ports M1 Ultra: Six Thunderbolt 4 ports	M2 Max: Four Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB-C ports M2 Ultra: Six Thunderbolt 4 ports	M4 Max: Four Thunderbolt 5 ports and two USB-C ports M3 Ultra: Six Thunderbolt 5 ports
HDMI 2.0 port	HDMI 2.1 port	HDMI 2.1 port
Support for up to four Pro Display XDRs and one 4K display	Support for up to eight 4K displays, six 6K displays, or three 8K displays	Support for up to eight 4K displays, eight 6K displays or four 8K displays
3.5mm headphone jack	3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones	3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6	802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6E	802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Released March 2022	Released June 2023	Released March 2025

Only those 2022 ‌Mac Studio‌ users who consistently push their machines to the limit with tasks like 3D rendering, video editing in high resolutions, machine learning workflows, or large-scale software development should consider upgrading to the 2025 model. The 2025 ‌Mac Studio‌ introduces a considerable leap in performance, particularly with the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips, offering substantially better GPU performance, more powerful GPUs with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a significantly faster Neural Engine, and support for up to 512GB of memory and Thunderbolt 5. These improvements dramatically improve workflows that demand extreme parallel processing, faster memory access, or broader external display setups. If your current 2022 ‌Mac Studio‌ ever feels like a bottleneck, or if you are preparing to work with increasingly complex projects over the next few years, the upgrade is likely to be worth it. However, for users whose workloads remain well within the capabilities of the ‌M1 Max‌ or ‌M1 Ultra‌, especially those focused on less GPU-intensive tasks, the gains may not justify the cost at this time.

Upgrading from the 2023 ‌Mac Studio‌ to the 2025 model is likely to be worth it for far fewer users, simply because the performance gains, while significant on paper, will make less of a real-world difference for most professionals already using the ‌M2‌ Max or ‌M2‌ Ultra chip because the 2023 model is still exceptionally capable. However, there are a few edge cases where the upgrade may be justified—particularly for users working with local large language models or intensive AI workloads, where the vastly improved Neural Engine in the M4 Max or M3 Ultra can offer major benefits. Similarly, users who rely on extremely high memory capacity or bandwidth, or those building systems around Thunderbolt 5 and AV1 decode support, might see tangible improvements that justify the cost. Still, for the vast majority of users, especially those in video production, app development, or general pro workflows, the 2023 ‌Mac Studio‌ remains more than sufficient for the foreseeable future, making the 2025 upgrade more of a luxury than a necessity.

The 2022 and 2023 ‌Mac Studio‌ models are still very much worth buying, especially if found refurbished or second-hand at a good price. Both models offer excellent performance that remains highly competitive even in 2025, with the ‌M1 Ultra‌ and ‌M2‌ Ultra still delivering substantial CPU and GPU power, high memory bandwidth, and dedicated media engines that easily handle demanding tasks like video editing, music production, 3D rendering, and software development. While they lack newer features like Thunderbolt 5, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, or the enhanced Neural Engine performance found in the 2025 models, those are largely beneficial only to users with very specific, future-facing workloads. For most professionals and power users, especially those upgrading from Intel Macs or base M1 systems, the 2022 and 2023 models remain an outstanding value—and often represent the best balance between performance and cost when purchased refurbished or pre-owned.
This article, "Mac Studio Buyer's Guide: All Models Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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