Native Union Launches Find My-Compatible Tag and Card

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:29:02 PDT

Native Union today debuted the Find It Card and the Find It Tag, two new products that work with Apple's Find My functionality.


Priced at $40, the Find It Card is meant to fit in a wallet, and it measures in at 1.7mm thick. For comparison's sake, a standard credit card is about 0.76mm, so Native Union's card is about two credit cards in thickness. There's a hole in the center where a metal keychain wire attaches, so it can also be attached to items like backpacks.

There is a rechargeable battery inside that can be charged using a MagSafe charger or a Qi-based charger, and the battery is able to last for up to six months.

The $20 Find It Tag is shaped like an AirTag, featuring a round body and a replaceable CR2032 battery that lasts for up to a year. The Find It Tag has an attached loop that can be added to a keychain or connected to other items for tracking purposes.


The Find It Card and Find It Tag are both compatible with the ‌Find My‌ app, and can be added to the Items tab to be tracked alongside Apple devices like the iPhone. All of the ‌Find My‌ features are included, and you can get notifications when an item is left behind or play a loud sound to locate an item that's close enough to detect over Bluetooth.

When an item is out of Bluetooth range, the Find It Card and Find It Tag can take advantage of the ‌Find My‌ Network, leveraging nearby Apple products to relay location information back to you.

The Find It Card and the Find It Tag can be purchased from the Native Union Website.
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iPhone 17 Has Another Rumor Reversal

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:51:42 PDT

The base model iPhone 17 will have an A19 chip after all, according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu.


A few months ago, Pu said the device would have an A18 chip, but he has now reversed course.

"We now expect the iPhone 17 model to be equipped with A19 (vs. earlier expectation of A18)," Pu said today, in an investor note with equity research firm GF Securities. He also expects the iPhone 17 Air to have an A19 chip, and he said the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be powered by an A19 Pro chip.

Even still, there are some conflicting rumors about the chips for the iPhone 17 series.

Last week, a Weibo account known as Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with an A19 Pro chip, instead of an A19 chip. However, the account said the A19 Pro chip will have a 5-core GPU in the iPhone 17 Air, whereas he expects the chip to have a 6-core GPU in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

At least rumors agree on the base model iPhone 17 having an A19 chip now.

Just two months to go until the iPhone 17 series is official.
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Transcend Launches SSD With MagSafe Compatibility

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:22:15 PDT

Transcend today announced the launch of the ESD420, a portable SSD that includes a magnetic attachment designed to work with MagSafe iPhones.


The ESD420 can be attached to the back of a MagSafe-compatible iPhone and connected using the appropriate cable, such as a USB-C to USB-C cable. It supports ‌iPhone‌ video recording features that require an external SSD, such as 4K ProRes video recording.

Transcend designed the SSD to be compact and portable, and it weighs 48 grams. Transcend says that it offers military-grade drop resistance so that it can withstand shocks and falls, and it is meant to match the ‌iPhone‌ with gold and space gray color options available. Because there is a magnet inside, the SSD can also be attached to other magnetic surfaces for storage purposes.

The ESD420 comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities. It supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it comes formatted in the exFAT file system. More information is available on Transcend's website.
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Apple Lists Products Eligible for Tax-Free Holidays in Nine U.S. States

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:16:04 PDT

Apple recently updated its website with a list of products eligible for upcoming 2025 sales tax holidays in select U.S. states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.


The tax-free holidays will occur in late July to early August, with the exact dates per state and other details outlined on Apple's website.

Sales tax holidays provide a limited-time opportunity to purchase select Apple products online or in stores without paying sales tax. Apple says tax savings may not appear during checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

Apple products that are eligible for the tax-free holidays vary by state, and there are also price limits in some states. The most common eligible products include Macs, iPads, and related accessories, but the iPhone and Apple Vision Pro are also eligible in a few states, and some states allow any item up to a certain price limit.

Sales tax holidays are especially beneficial to students, as the tax savings can be combined with Apple's ongoing Back to School promotion, which offers students a free or discounted accessory like AirPods 4 with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad.
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HomePod Mini 2 Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 11:30:50 PDT

Apple released the HomePod mini nearly five years ago, so you may be wondering when a new version of the speaker will finally arrive.


Below, we recap rumors about a next-generation HomePod mini.

HomePod mini: Timeline

• October 2020: Apple announces the HomePod mini during its iPhone 12 event.


• November 2021: HomePod mini gains blue, orange, and yellow color options.


• January 2023: Apple enables the inactive temperature and humidity sensor in the ‌HomePod mini‌ with a software update.


• July 2024: Apple replaces the HomePod mini's space gray color with a midnight color.

HomePod mini 2: Rumors

In January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was aiming to release a new HomePod mini "toward the end of the year." If that timeframe remains accurate, the HomePod mini 2 will likely be released in September, October, or November this year.

The new HomePod mini will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Gurman. He said the chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, which is much faster and has lower latency compared to the current HomePod mini's Wi-Fi 4.

No other features or changes have been rumored yet, but improved sound quality and a newer processor are safe bets. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. The speaker could also be updated with Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which debuted in iPhone 15 models.

New color options are likely as well.
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Apple Seeds Third Betas of visionOS 2.6, tvOS 18.6, and watchOS 11.6

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:45:06 PDT

Apple today provided developers with the third betas of upcoming visionOS 2.6, tvOS 18.6, and watchOS 11.6 updates for testing purposes. The software comes two weeks after Apple released the second betas.


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

There's no word on what's included in the beta updates at this time and no features were discovered in the first two beta rounds, but we'll update this article if anything new is found.
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:33:13 PDT

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the second ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6 beta.


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.

There's no word yet on what's included in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6, and no new features were discovered in the first two betas. Apple's work on ‌macOS Sequoia‌ is winding down as it focuses on macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's coming in the fall.
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 18.6 to Developers

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:27:12 PDT

Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming two weeks after Apple seeded the second betas.


iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

No notable new features were found in the first two iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 betas, so it's not clear what might be added in the update, though there are some changes to the App Store in the EU due to the DMA. Rumors suggest that Apple wanted to expand Apple Intelligence to China with iOS 18.6, but regulatory hurdles have delayed the launch.

iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 likely focus on smaller changes and bug fixes, and we'll update this article should anything new be found in the third beta.

Apple is winding down work on iOS 18 and is focusing on iOS 26. ‌iOS 26‌ is in beta testing right now and is set to launch in September alongside new iPhone 17 models.
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iPhone's Car Key Feature Set to Improve as Apple Tests Digital Key 4.0

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:09:33 PDT

In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start compatible vehicles with select iPhone and Apple Watch models. The feature is based on the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC)'s Digital Key specification, which will be receiving an upgrade soon, according to an announcement today.


Digital Key version 3.0 was released in 2021, adding support for Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology alongside Bluetooth LE. Four years later, it appears that the CCC is currently in the process of readying Digital Key version 4.0. In a press release today, the CCC said that Apple and other CCC members will be conducting real-world testing of Digital Key version 4.0 this week at an event hosted by Apple in Cupertino, California. In an email, a CCC spokesperson said the event is taking place at Apple Park.

Unfortunately, the CCC has not shared many details about Digital Key version 4.0 at this time. All it said is that the latest specification will "further improve cross-platform interoperability and cross-version compatibility" of digital car keys.


Digital Key version 4.0 should enhance the iPhone's car key feature in various ways, but we will have to wait for specific details and a timeframe.

We recently shared a list of vehicles that offer iPhone car keys, including select models from Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, RAM, Volvo, and others. During its WWDC 2025 keynote last month, Apple listed other brands that will soon offer the feature, including Acura, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Porsche, Rivian, and more.
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Amazon Takes $120 Off Huge Collection of Apple Watch Series 10 Models

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 08:20:55 PDT

Amazon is offering numerous all-time low prices on Apple Watch Series 10 devices today, including both GPS and cellular models at $120 off original prices. These deals were introduced last week during Prime Day and have stuck around, so if you missed them you still have a chance to get them this week.

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.

Amazon has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $279.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $309.00, down from $429.00. Both of these are record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and they're available in numerous case colors and band styles, all of which you can find in the lists below.

42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $279.00, down from $399.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Loop - $279.00, down from $399.00

46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (M/L) - $309.00, down from $429.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $309.00, down from $429.00

42mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (S/M) - $379.99, down from $499.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band (S/M) - $379.99, down from $499.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum with Plum Sport Loop - $379.99, down from $499.00

46mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $409.99, down from $529.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $409.99, down from $529.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (M/L) - $409.99, down from $529.00

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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Sky Blue Color Now Rumored for iPhone 17 Air Instead of iPhone 17 Pro

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 08:02:23 PDT

iPhone 17 color rumors continue to surface. The latest word is that Apple plans to expand the MacBook Air's new Sky Blue finish to the rumored iPhone 17 Air later this year, according to a leaker known as Majin Bu.


Majin Bu initially claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models would be available in Sky Blue, but today they said that Apple has ultimately decided to limit the color option to the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.

iPhone 17 Pro models could still be available in a darker blue shade, according to a separate rumor. An image of alleged camera lens covers for the iPhone 17 Pro models suggests that Apple might reintroduce the Blue Titanium color that it offered for the iPhone 15 Pro models, after skipping that finish for the iPhone 16 Pro models.

iPhone 16 Pro models are available in four colors: Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.

As for the iPhone 17 Air, other rumored color options besides Sky Blue include Black, Silver, and Gold, according to Majin Bu. The leaker was most recently accurate about iPadOS 26 adding a Mac-like menu bar to iPads, but they were seemingly wrong about iOS 26 expanding the iPad's Stage Manager feature to iPhones.
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Get Apple's M2 MacBook Air for $699 at Best Buy

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:17:51 PDT

Best Buy today has Apple's M2 13-inch MacBook Air on sale for $699.00, down from $799.00. This deal is available in Starlight and Midnight color options, with both pickup and delivery options.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with 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 MacBook Air is a previous-generation model that launched in 2022, featuring Apple's M2 chip and 16GB of memory with a 256GB SSD. Although a few years old, the M2 MacBook Air is still a great option for anyone looking for a day-to-day laptop, especially at this low price.



The M2 MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch display with a notch, MagSafe charging, a 1080p camera, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. When it debuted in the summer of 2022, pricing for the MacBook Air started at $1,199.00.

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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iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Have All-New Unique Color Option

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:01:56 PDT

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models may have a new copper-like orange color option, according to Sonny Dickson.


In a social media post today, Dickson shared images of alleged lens covers for the rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, with the following five color labels: black, gray, silver, dark blue, and orange.

The black, gray, and silver colors likely correspond with the existing Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, and White Titanium finishes for the iPhone 16 Pro models, while the presence of a dark blue lens cover suggests that Apple might reintroduce the Blue Titanium color option that it offered for the iPhone 15 Pro models.

The orange lens cover is the most notable one, as it could point to an all-new copper color that Apple has never offered for any iPhone models before.


It is unclear if the images are authentic, or if Apple finalized these color options.

Dickson has routinely shared images of dummy models, cases, CAD files, and other components related to future iPhone models over the years, and these images have often accurately depicted new color options or design changes.

Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, so we will find out if these colors are the real deal in just two more months.
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Apple Expected to Win Rights to Formula 1 With $150M Bid

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:00:15 PDT

Apple is expected to win the rights to stream Formula 1 races on Apple TV+ in the United States thanks to a $150 million bid, Business Insider reports.


The rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the United States are currently held by Disney's ESPN. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Disney is apparently unwilling to match or beat Apple's offer. It pays around $85 million per year for its current rights, just over half of Apple's latest bid.

Interest from other suitors, such as Netflix, was also reportedly "muted," leaving Apple as the leading bidder for the U.S. rights to show the races. As a result, Apple is likely to have another sport to stream on ‌Apple TV‌+ next year, alongside Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

Apple's move to gain the rights to stream Formula comes amid the success of "F1: The Movie," which is Apple's first major box office hit, earning over $300 million globally already. It is expected to become available on ‌Apple TV‌+ later in 2025.
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Samsung Could Kill Its Plus Model, Just Like Apple

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:39:14 PDT

Samsung may mirror Apple's iPhone 17 lineup model positioning by eliminating its own "plus" model next year, according to rumors coming out of Asia.


This year, Apple is expected to remove the "Plus" model from the latest iPhone lineup due to low sales, replacing it with an all-new, super-thin "Air" model. As a result, the lineup will move from the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max to the ‌iPhone 17‌, 17 Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.

Currently, Samsung's rival lineup consists of the Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Edge, and S25 Ultra. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," Samsung could next year replace its plus model with the super-thin Edge, just like Apple. The new lineup would be formed of the Galaxy S26, S26 Edge, and S26 Ultra.

Both the S25+ and S25 Edge share a 6.7-inch display, Snapdragon 8 chip, 50-megapixel main camera, and more; there is significant overlap between the devices. Key differences include the Galaxy Edge's move to titanium instead of aluminum, its lack of a telephoto camera, and its ultra-thin design.

Earlier this year, Samsung beat Apple in launching a super-thin smartphone; the S25 Edge is just 5.8mm thick. Apple's iPhone 17 Air could be even thinner at 5.5mm. It is expected to launch alongside the other ‌iPhone 17‌ models in the fall.
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iPhone 17 May See 'Significant' Dynamic Island Changes

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:11:48 PDT

The iPhone's Dynamic Island experience is set to undergo "significant evolution" over the next few years, according to a new rumor.


Earlier this month, a report suggested that the iPhone 17 lineup will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, but little else was explained about the software changes. Now, the leaker known as "Majin Bu" appears to have corroborated this, commenting in a new interview:

I can reveal that the Dynamic Island is set for a significant evolution in the coming years. Apple appears committed to making it more functional and integrated, turning it into a key element of the user experience. This development could mark a step forward in device interaction, but for now, I'll keep further details under wraps. Stay tuned to see how this innovation unfolds.

Overall, it sounds like there is a decent chance that the ‌Dynamic Island‌ will change in some way on ‌iPhone 17‌ models, for the first time since the feature was introduced on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models in 2022. Apple is now expected to unveil the ‌iPhone 17‌ series during the week of September 8, 2025.
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Apple Breaks Into Most-Watched Shows of 2025

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 23:18:49 PDT

Apple has secured a top-five spot in the most-watched streaming series with its original programming for the first time, Bloomberg reports.


According to data from Nielsen, Apple TV+ claimed one of the five most-viewed original streaming titles in the United States during the first half of 2025. While Netflix maintained three of the top four positions and Amazon's Reacher performed strongly in second place, Apple emerged alongside those longstanding competitors for the first time with the second season of Severance.

Nielsen's rankings are based on total minutes viewed and represent U.S. audiences only, combining viewership across connected TVs and select devices. The most-watched shows in the United States in the first half of 2025 are as follows:

• Squid Game (Netflix), 15,074 million minutes


• Reacher (Prime Video), 13,313 million minutes


• The Night Agent (Netflix), 12,219 million minutes


• Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), 10,201 million minutes


• Severance (‌Apple TV‌+), 9,275 million minutes


• 1923 (Paramount+), 8,536 million minutes


• The Pitt (Max), 8,227 million minutes


• The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), 8,165 million minutes


• You (Netflix), 8,097 million minutes


• Landman (Paramount+), 7,826 million minutes

Apple's rise in the rankings coincides with a broader trend; Netflix's share of the most-watched streaming titles declined from more than 80% in 2021 to just under 50% in the first half of 2025. The figures reflect increasing competition from rivals such as Amazon, HBO, Hulu, Paramount+, and ‌Apple TV‌+, all of which have placed shows in the top 10 so far this year. Disney+, by contrast, has not had a single original series appear in Nielsen's top 10 to date.

While Netflix remains the most consistent producer of hits overall, with a larger number of top-performing series than any other service, its share of total streaming viewership has plateaued. Nielsen reported that total streaming consumption in the U.S. grew by 6% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, but Netflix's share of that growth remained flat. Free ad-supported platforms, such as YouTube, Tubi, and the Roku Channel, are increasingly capturing viewers from traditional TV and paid subscription services alike.

Apple does not disclose subscriber figures for ‌Apple TV‌+, but Ampere Analysis estimated in May that the service has surpassed 60 million paying users globally, with the strongest growth occurring in North America and Western Europe over the past 12 months. Apple has renewed Severance for a third season.

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iPhone 17 Lineup Likely to Be Announced in Week of September 8

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 22:57:25 PDT

Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely dates.


The anticipated timing of the iPhone 17 event was outlined in the latest "Power On" newsletter from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. According to Gurman, Apple traditionally schedules its ‌iPhone‌ unveilings for the week following Labor Day in the United States. In 2025, Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1, placing the target week between Monday, September 8, and Friday, September 12.

Apple has consistently avoided holding major product announcements on Fridays, eliminating September 12 from consideration. The company has also refrained from scheduling events on September 11 in recent years. Based on these constraints, Monday, September 8, Tuesday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 10 are the most plausible dates for the event. Gurman believes Tuesday, September 9 or Wednesday, September 10 is most likely.

Gurman's projections are supported by an analysis of Apple's event history over the past decade. Of the ten most recent ‌iPhone‌ launch events, five were held on a Tuesday and three on a Wednesday.

Only one occurred on a Monday, in 2024, making that day a less likely candidate despite its theoretical availability in the calendar. The majority of Apple's fall ‌iPhone‌ events also took place during the second week of September, with the only major deviation being in 2020, when the event was delayed until October due to pandemic-related production issues.

This year's event is expected to see the announcement of the ‌iPhone 17‌, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The company typically issues press invitations roughly one week in advance.


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Apple's Tim Cook and Eddy Cue Attend 2025 Sun Valley Conference

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 22:38:45 PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue are attending the 2025 Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, joining an exclusive gathering of global leaders from the technology, media, finance, and political sectors (via Fortune).


Held annually each July since 1983 in Sun Valley, Idaho, the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference is a private, invitation-only retreat hosted by the investment bank Allen & Co. The event is widely regarded as a discreet venue where high-level strategic discussions take place, often laying the groundwork for significant industry deals. Historically, major acquisitions such as Disney's 1996 purchase of ABC, Jeff Bezos' 2013 acquisition of The Washington Post, and Verizon's 2017 deal for Yahoo can be traced back to discussions held at Sun Valley.

‌Tim Cook‌ has been a frequent attendee at the conference over the last two decades. This year, he returns accompanied by ‌Eddy Cue‌, who oversees Apple's Services division, including Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, the App Store, and Apple TV+.

The week-long conference draws executives, founders, investors, and political figures, offering a setting for informal meetings amid hiking, golfing, and rafting excursions. Attendees include:

• ‌Tim Cook‌, Apple


• ‌Eddy Cue‌, Apple


• Sundar Pichai, Google


• Mark Zuckerberg, Meta


• Satya Nadella, Microsoft


• Andy Jassy, Amazon


• Sam Altman, OpenAI


• David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery


• Bob Iger, Disney


• Spencer Neumann, Netflix


• Ted Sarandos, Netflix


• Brian Roberts, Comcast


• Mike Cavanagh, Comcast


• Mary Barra, General Motors


• Hiroki Totoki, Sony


• Ravi Ahuja, Sony


• Daniel Ek, Spotify


• Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber


• Brian Armstrong, Coinbase


• John Donahoe, PayPal


• Tobias Lütke, Shopify


• Neal Mohan, YouTube


• Jim Lanzone, Yahoo


• Jerry Yang, Yahoo


• Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn


• Robert Thomson, News Corp.


• Jeffrey Katzenberg, WndrCo


• Sheryl Sandberg, Meta


• Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard


• Michael Eisner, Disney


• Michael Ovitz, Disney


• Casey Wasserman, Wasserman Media Group


• Barry Diller, IAC and Expedia Group


• Robert Kraft, New England Patriots


• Gayle King, CBS Mornings


• Roland Fryer, Harvard University


• Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund


• Ivanka Trump, former White House advisor


• Jared Kushner, former White House advisor

Cook and Cue's presence comes at a time when Apple is under scrutiny from both political and industry entities, facing competitive pressures in artificial intelligence, supply chain strategy shifts, and ongoing regulatory attention.
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iPhone 17 Manufacturing Reaches Key Milestone as Launch Nears

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 20:26:57 PDT

Foxconn has begun importing iPhone 17 parts from China to India for trial production, marking a significant step ahead of the device's expected launch in September.


According to customs data reviewed by The Economic Times, Foxconn, Apple's primary contract assembler, began receiving shipments of critical components such as display assemblies, cover glass, mechanical housings, and integrated rear camera modules at its Indian facilities in June. These components account for approximately 10% of Foxconn's total imports from China for the month, with the remainder allocated to other iPhone models, including the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and iPhone 16.

Industry experts cited by The Economic Times interpret the scale of the shipments as indicative of early-stage trial production. Mass production is apparently scheduled to begin in August, in time for launch in September.

India has already begun to participate in Apple's New Product Introduction (NPI) process, which governs the early stages of new model development and previously took place exclusively in China; it joined the NPI process for the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus in 2024. This allowed production to begin nearly simultaneously in both countries, a significant shift from the ‌iPhone‌ 14, when manufacturing in India began six weeks after the China ramp-up.

For the ‌iPhone 17‌, Apple is reportedly targeting same-day production starts in both China and India for the first time. Sources cited by DigiTimes suggest that Apple intends to deepen its manufacturing footprint in India as part of its plan to diversify its supply chain, with Foxconn playing a central role under India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

However, the effort has encountered challenges. Recent reports have pointed to the recent mass departure of Chinese engineers from Foxconn's Indian facilities. These individuals were responsible for factory design, precision machining, and employee training, which are essential functions during the early phases of ‌iPhone‌ assembly. An executive quoted by The Economic Times said:

Chinese engineers are crucial because iPhone 17 manufacturing involves complex precision machining of many small parts, and even a 1mm difference can cause a product to fail quality testing. They are needed to train employees on the intricate assembly processes and specific molds for components.

Despite these complications, the Indian government apparently remains optimistic. A source quoted by the Press Trust of India (PTI) said that the return of Chinese technical staff to China will have "no impact" on the production of the ‌iPhone 17‌.

The source added that Apple continues to scale production according to plan and noted that import bottlenecks for machinery and equipment needed for large-scale manufacturing have begun to ease. The entire ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup is expected to launch in the fall.
This article, "iPhone 17 Manufacturing Reaches Key Milestone as Launch Nears" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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