Apple today announced that several of its TV shows have been nominated for the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards. Popular series Slow Horses has been nominated for Best Drama, while Disclaimer, a psychological thriller miniseries starring Cate Blanchett, has been nominated for Best Limited Series.
Slow Horses stars Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden have been nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama, while Disclaimer's Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline have been nominated for best actor awards for a limited series.
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, the stars of hit comedy Shrinking, have been nominated for best comedy performance and best supporting role, respectively. Jake Gyllenhaal, star of Presumed Innocent, has also been nominated for best actor in a TV drama.
The Golden Globe winners are set to be announced on January 5, 2025. Apple previously won Golden Globes for Killers of the Flower Moon and Black Bird, and its original TV shows, movies, and documentaries have earned a total of 535 wins and 2,402 award nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, and more.
Apple TV+ is priced at $9.99 per month in the United States, and it is available in more than 100 countries and regions. Customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac can get three months of Apple TV+ for free.
Ugreen caught my attention earlier this year when it launched a new line of "Uno" accessories that are equipped with LED screens that can display fun emoji faces. The Uno range has everything from wireless chargers to power banks, and I've spent several months testing the products to see how they perform.
Everything in the Uno line was designed with a "robot-inspired" aesthetic, according to Ugreen, which equates to a boxy style with an LED screen that can display emoji-like faces. The emoji faces are amusing and bring some fun to accessories that are typically boring, but they're also useful and can change based on power level and other factors.
Ugreen Uno Magnetic Wireless Power Bank
Priced at $45, the Magnetic Wireless Power Bank looks like a lot of other power banks on the market at first glance, featuring a rectangular design that mirrors the shape of the iPhone. An LED screen and an attached stand that happens to look like a set of headphones set it apart, though.
The power bank is made from a smooth, metallic plastic material, with a soft silicone on the back where it attaches magnetically to a MagSafe iPhone. It feels relatively lightweight, but it is a bit over 3/4ths of an inch thick, so it does add some bulk to the iPhone. It comes in black, which looks similar to Apple's space black, and a light purple shade. Though it's a bit thick, it is pocketable, measuring in at 4.2 inches by 2.8 inches. The plastic material feels a little cheap, but it's light and I don't expect too much more for the price.
The LED display protrudes slightly which does indeed give it a distinctly robot-like look, and it often displays an emoji face that corresponds to power level. I say "often" because a lot of the time, it actually shows a percent reading of the exact power level. I don't know what triggers the emoji face to show up, and I wish there was a button to toggle between the power percent and the face.
You need to turn the power bank on by pressing the side button when it is attached to an iPhone, which initiates charging. More than once, I've attached it to my iPhone and forgotten to activate it, but having a sleep state seems to preserve battery level when it's not in use. The button has other functions as well, and a single press will turn on the LCD, while a double press will turn it off.
When the power is on, it displays a "Hi" message, and when it's powering down, it shows a "bye" message. The emoji face that's displayed changes based on power level. At 100 percent, the face shows heart eyes, and at 99 to 80 percent, it changes to a happy face with smiling eyes. At 79 to 21 percent, it's a happy face with a more neutral eye expression, and 20 percent or below, there's a sad face. Each face animates slightly, with the eyes and mouth changing position.
This is a Qi2 charger, so it can charge MagSafe iPhones at up to 15W. 15W is no longer the maximum charging speed because iPhone 16 models support 25W MagSafe charging, but it is equivalent to the original 15W MagSafe charging. It has a 10,000mAh capacity, which is standard for smaller chargers these days.
In an hour-long test, it charged my iPhone 16 Pro Max from one percent to 39 percent, and there was 67 percent of the battery left. After charging my iPhone to 80 percent (the maximum I have set), the power bank had 20 percent power remaining.
I've tested several times, and I am able to reliably get one full charge of the 16 Pro Max from the power bank, and I've had no issues with it during my testing. My iPhone does sometimes get warm, but it does that with any MagSafe power bank that I use.
Along with Qi2 charging, there is a USB-C port that can be used for charging iPhones and other accessories, plus it's used for charging the power bank. The USB-C port is 20W, so you can get faster iPhone charging using a USB-C to USB-C cable (included) or a USB-C to Lightning cable depending on which iPhone you have. 20W can also charge an iPad at a reasonable speed, but it's not enough for fast charging. Passthrough charging is supported, so you can charge the power bank via USB-C while also charging an attached iPhone.
There is an included stand on the power bank that flips down from the top. It holds an iPhone in an ideal position for FaceTime calls or watching videos, and it's sturdy. The stand has multiple positions so the viewing angle is adjustable, and it can be used in landscape or portrait mode. When not in use, it folds up at the top of the power bank and looks like a set of headphones.
Ugreen Uno 30W Power Bank
The $38 10,000mAh Ugreen Uno USB-C Power Bank is similar to the Magnetic Wireless Power Bank in design, but it doesn't have wireless charging. Instead, it offers 30W charging over USB-C, and it has a built-in USB-C cable.
All the emoji faces are the same and the build quality is identical, but the power bank is slightly slimmer and taller at 4.6 inches by 2.8 inches. This model is a little over a half inch thick, and does not magnetically attach to an iPhone.
While it has the same headphone-like design at the top, there is no stand. Instead, one side of the "headphones" features a power button for turning the power bank on and off.
Along with the built-in USB-C cable, there are additional USB-C and USB-A ports at the top, so more than one device can be charged at once. The flat USB-C cable tucks into a slot at the back of the charger, and it feels well-attached. I couldn't get it to budge by pulling on it, but there's always a danger that attached cables will break.
30W is fast charging for an iPhone, and my iPhone 16 Pro Max charged from one percent to 54 percent in a 30-minute period when testing, which is in line with fast charging tests using standard 30W power adapters. I was able to get one full charge out of the power bank before exhausting the battery.
Because it has a built-in USB-C cable, this model is best for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models that have USB-C ports, but since it has an extra USB-C and USB-A port, it can be used with a Lightning cable, too.
For charging at fast speeds, the USB-C Uno power bank is the better pick over the Qi2 model, and it's nice not to have to carry a USB-C cable around.
100W USB-C Charger
Ugreen's $48 100W USB-C Uno Charger is probably my favorite of the bunch, and it has the most robot-like design. It's a square-shaped charger but there's an LED display that shows emoji faces, a headphone-like band at the top, and a set of feet that cover the plug at the bottom.
The feet detach so that you can plug the Uno Charger into an outlet, and it's best suited as a desktop charger because of the position of the prongs. If you plug it into a standard wall outlet, the face will be either up or down, but it can definitely be used that way. I haven't lost the little feet yet, and they do have a magnet inside that can attach to a laptop when the charger is plugged in if it's being used while on the go.
This charger is surprisingly compact and heavy, and it's made from the same black plastic material as the power banks.
When plugged in, the LCD face is continually active. I have the charger on top of my desk, and it sits and blinks at me all day. If you have this in your line of sight, it might get annoying. When something is charging, there are three faces, including one with shining eyes and an eating face. When a device is fully charged, there's a face with sunglasses.
There are four ports at the top of the charger, including three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Since this is a 100W charger, it can charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro and anything below that. To get the fastest charging with a MacBook Pro (the full 100W), you'll need to plug it in by itself in one of the top two ports.
With multiple devices charging, the power is split up between the ports. When two devices are plugged in, the split is 65W/30W with the USB-C ports, or 65W/22.5W with one USB-C and one USB-A port.
The three port split has 45W/30W/20W, 45W/30W/22.5W, and 80W/7.5W/7.5W options, while four ports in use will split the power to 45W/30W/7.5W/7.5W. The manual that comes with the charger has more specific information on how power is divided to each port.
Ugreen says that the charger has overvoltage, overcurrent, overload, and temperature protections, and I haven't run into any issues using the charger.
There's also a 65W version that comes in white/purple and blue/pink shades, and it's nice to see options that aren't the standard black.
USB-C Cable
Ugreen has an $8 Uno USB-C to USB-C 100W PD cable that has little emoji eyes on it, and it's a good companion to the 100W charger. It's braided nylon and feels like a good quality cable.
The base cable is 1.6 feet, but there are more expensive 3.3 foot, 6.6 foot, and 10 foot models. For data transfers, it supports speeds up to 480Mb/s.
2-in-1 Wireless Charger
Ugreen's $49 Uno 2-in-1 Wireless Charger is also Qi2, with support for up to 15W charging on MagSafe iPhones. It has a fold-out design with a charging puck for the iPhone and a second 5W charging space for the AirPods Pro. The iPhone charger can be adjusted to different angles, and an iPhone can be placed in either landscape or portrait mode, so you can use StandBy.
The square-shaped 2-in-1 Wireless Charger looks like the other Uno products, and it's made from the same black plastic material. It has an LCD face at the front, and the headphone-style design at the top. The face isn't as animated as other models, but it does show two happy eyes when turned on and in standby mode, and a happy face with a mouth when a device is charging.
Ugreen includes a USB-C cable that plugs into the back, but you'll need to supply your own power adapter. You can also buy an optional Apple Watch charger to add to the side so you can charge three devices at once.
The charger is relatively compact, so it doesn't take up much space on a desk at all, but it's weighted so it's not going to tip over.
Uno 6-in-1 Hub
Ugreen's final product in the Uno line is the 6-in-1 USB-C Hub, which is $18. This is a cheap hub, but it's serviceable for passthrough charging and connecting accessories to your Mac. Design wise, it has the black plastic that Ugreen uses for most of the Uno line, and an LCD face that displays different emoji animations.
The build quality of the hub feels cheap, and I wasn't impressed with it. It's the same plastic as Ugreen's other products, but the hub feels so lightweight and almost flimsy. The emoji faces were also less useful on the hub, featuring only separate idle faces and charging faces.
There are three USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and an HDMI port that supports up to 4K/60Hz. It offers 85W passthrough charging for a Mac, with 15W available for connecting peripherals. 85W is generally fine for all Mac notebooks, but you're not going to get maximum charging speed for the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
I've had some issues with data transfers using this hub, with a transfer stopping in the middle. I'm not sure why, but multiple ports were affected. I doubt this is a problem with all models, but I don't like the size or the utility of this hub, and I think there are better options out there.
Bottom Line
If you're looking for an accessory that's brings a little more fun to your desk than the standard power adapter or power bank, I think Ugreen's Uno line is well worth checking out. I especially liked the 100W USB-C charger and the Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Charger, though everything but the hub performed well.
Ugreen's Uno products also make for fun gifts, and I think a power bank with a little emoji face would go over well with anyone that has an iPhone. I do want to note that the Qi2 Charger seems to be iPhone only, as some of the reviews mentioned that it does not work with Android devices.
Sonos is hosting a new holiday sale, where you can find multiple all-time low Black Friday prices return for popular Sonos products. This includes the new Sonos Ace headphones, Arc soundbar, Roam 2 portable speaker, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
All discounts in this sale have been automatically applied, so you don't need to enter a coupon code in order to see the final sale prices. We've collected all of the deals in the list below, but you can also find a few bundle discounts on sale on the Sonos website.
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 today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a public release should no notable bugs be found.
Alongside the release candidate versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded new visionOS 2.2, tvOS 18.2, and HomePod Software 18.2 RCs.
With iOS 18.2 and its sister updates, Apple is continuing to test the next phase of Apple Intelligence, with several new features available for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Image Playground
Image Playground is Apple's image generation app, and it can create images based on prompts. You can enter a description of what you want or use the built-in suggestions and concepts that Apple provides. Apple will suggest costumes, locations, items, and more to add to an image, and these concepts are intelligent and can draw inspiration from a Messages thread or content in the Notes app.
There are options to create characters that resemble your friends and family, and you can choose a photo for Image Playground to use as inspiration to create a related image. Elements added to Image Playground creations are previewed, and there is a preview history so you can undo a change and go back to a prior version.
While Image Playground is a standalone app, it is also integrated into Messages. Image Playground does not make photorealistic images and is instead limited to animation or illustration styles.
Image Wand
Image Wand is an Image Playground-related feature that's available in the Notes app. You can draw a rough sketch with the Apple Pencil or circle a blank space or a key phrase in a note to have Image Wand generate an appropriate image.
Genmoji
Genmoji are custom emoji characters that you can create based on descriptions and phrases. Like Image Playground creations, you can base them on your friends and family, with the data pulled from the People album in Photos. You can also make characters using basic elements, and you'll get multiple Genmoji suggestions to choose from. You can create Genmoji using the emoji keyboard.
Siri ChatGPT Integration
Siri can integrate with ChatGPT for certain requests, but only with user approval. If Siri is unable to provide an answer to a query, Siri will hand the request over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answer will then be provided by Siri.
ChatGPT can be used to create content from scratch, including text and images. No account is required to use ChatGPT integration, and Apple and OpenAI do not store requests.
Visual Intelligence
iPhone 16 users have access to Visual Intelligence, a feature that provides information about what's around you. If you open the camera and point it at a restaurant, for example, you'll see opening hours and reviews.
Some other Visual Intelligence capabilities include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing text. There is an option to search Google for where to buy a specific item that you see, and you can also point the camera at something and then get more information about it from ChatGPT.
Apple plans to expand this feature to include more functionality over time.
Writing Tools
Apple is enhancing the Writing Tools feature to add an option to make more open-ended changes. In iOS 18.1 and its sister updates, Writing Tools can only be used to change the tone to friendly, professional, and a more simplified version. In iOS 18.2, you can describe the tone or content change that you want to make, such as adding more action words, or turning an email into a poem.
More Languages
Apple Intelligence has gained support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the U.K., in addition to U.S. English.
Wait List
If you've already been testing Apple Intelligence and are opted in, you will have access to Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence automatically.
There is a secondary waiting list for early access to use Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand. You can sign up to get access in Image Playground or in the areas where you access Genmoji or Image Wand.
When you request access, you are added to a wait list for all three capabilities and you'll get a notification when the features are available for you to use. Apple is rolling out access to the new image generation features over the coming weeks.
Availability and Compatibility
The iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 are available on all devices, but the Apple Intelligence features require a device capable of Apple Intelligence. Apple is still working on refining the new Apple Intelligence tools, and the company warns that Genmoji, Image Wand, and Image Playground can sometimes give you results you weren't expecting. Apple is collecting feedback on these experiences and will refine them over time.
Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 model, an iPad with an M-series chip or an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M-series chip.
Release Date
Apple is expected to release the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and visionOS 2.2 updates later this week.
Amazon has Apple's 10th generation iPad (64GB Wi-Fi) for $279.00 in three colors, down from $349.00. Stock has begun dwindling on Amazon for some colors, with delivery estimates starting to creep closer to Christmas day.
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.
Although this is not an all-time low price on the iPad, it's a solid second-best price and it may be your last opportunity to get any discount on the tablet with a guaranteed Christmas Day delivery from Amazon. You'll also find the 256GB Wi-Fi model on sale for $70 off.
This iPad features Apple's A14 Bionic processor, a 10.9-inch display, 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, 12-megapixel rear camera, and Touch ID. 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 plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia.
The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's Dynamic Island to the Mac for system alerts, such as for low battery life.
A notch-less MacBook Pro would have more visible pixels on the display, which could slightly increase the macOS menu bar's usable area. The removal of the notch would also make the display look more seamless overall.
Previous rumors have indicated that the first MacBook Pro models with OLED displays will be released in 2026, so Omdia's roadmap corroborates the timeframe shared by other sources. The switch to OLED technology is expected to be part of the MacBook Pro's first redesign since 2021, with a thinner design and other changes likely.
Compared to current MacBook Pro models with mini-LED screens, benefits of OLED technology would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, improved power efficiency for longer battery life, and more. The switch to OLED displays could also contribute to future MacBook Pro models having a thinner design.
In the interim, the MacBook Pro is not expected to receive any major changes. Unsurprisingly, next year's models are expected to get a spec bump to M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips, but no redesign is expected until the switch to OLED displays.
Meanwhile, the MacBook Air will continue to have a notch through 2028, according to Omdia.
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report.
ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of next year. Foxconn and Cowell Electronics are also said to be contributing camera parts.
The current iPhone 16 uses a rear 48-megapixel Wide Angle lens, which Apple refers to as a "Fusion" lens, so-called because of its ability to be used for both standard photos and cropped-in 2x zoom photos. The iPhone 16 also features a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, suggesting the fourth-generation iPhone SE could include the same camera setup, just minus the additional Ultra Wide camera.
The iPhone SE 4 is rumored to have an all-display design similar to the iPhone 14, featuring Face ID instead of Touch ID, a 6.06-inch display, OLED display technology instead of LCD, a USB-C port, the iPhone 14 battery, 8GB RAM to support Apple Intelligence, and perhaps a multi-purpose Action button to replace the mute switch. The iPhone SE 4 is also expected to be the first device that is equipped with an Apple-designed 5G chip.
Apple announced the existing third-generation iPhone SE on March 8, 2022, while the successor device could well debut around March 2025, according to reports.
Apple's upcoming third-generation HomePod will feature a 6- to 7-inch OLED display, according to a new report by Korean outlet SE Daily.
MacRumors concept render
Citing industry insiders, the Korean-language report claims that Apple will use Tianma, a Chinese display manufacturer ranked fourth domestically after BOE and CSOT, to supply the OLED panels for the new HomePod, set to be released next year.
There have been rumors about a HomePod with a display since 2021, and Apple actually seems to have several related smart-home products in the works that feature displays. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested Apple is developing several HomePod variants with screens, including one with an iPad-like display and built-in camera, and another featuring a screen mounted on a robotic arm.
Gurman had indicated these devices were unlikely to launch before 2025. However, a report last week from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed a new HomePod with display is expected to launch after WWDC 2025, likely in the third quarter of the year (a shift from Kuo's earlier prediction of a 2024 release). Kuo said he also believes Tianma will be the panel supplier, but he did not mention that it would be an OLED panel. Until now, the going assumption was that a new HomePod would use a lower-quality LCD panel.
The new HomePod will reportedly emphasize smart home functionality more than current models, suggesting a strategic repositioning of the product line. The idea that Apple is aggressively targeting the smart home market follows a recent report by Gurman about Apple developing an all-in-one home management hub with a square-shaped display, thick bezels, and a hemispherical base similar to the iMac G4.
Initial shipment expectations for the new HomePod are relatively modest, with Kuo forecasting approximately 500,000 units in the second half of 2025.
Apple is likely to introduce a new iPad mini with an OLED display as soon as 2026, market research firm Omdia claims.
According to Omdia's latest long-term OLED display adoption forecast, the iPad mini will get the technology in 2026 or 2027, followed by the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air in 2027-2028. These devices will apparently use single-stack 60Hz OLED panels.
As for Macs, Omdia believes Apple will apply 120Hz OLED two-stack panels to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models as early as 2026, followed by 13.8-inch and 15.5-inch MacBook Air models with 120Hz single-stack panels in 2028. Two-stack panels have two emission layers, which doubles brightness and quadruples display lifespan.
Meanwhile, Omdia predicts that Apple will launch an 18.8-inch foldable device with a 120Hz single-stack panel in 2028 or later.
Commenting on the forecast, shared on X (Twitter) by leaker @Jukanlosreve, oft-accurate Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) CEO Ross Young suggested that his own predictions largely align with Omdia's predictions, barring subtle differences, such as his firm expectation that the OLED MacBook Air will use an oxide backplane and not LPTO.
OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility. All of Apple's flagship iPhones use OLED panels, and in May the company brought the display technology to the iPad Pro for the first time.
Apple is facing a lawsuit seeking $1.2 billion in damages over its decision to abandon plans for scanning iCloud photos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to a report from The New York Times.
Filed in Northern California on Saturday, the lawsuit represents a potential group of 2,680 victims and alleges that Apple's failure to implement previously announced child safety tools has allowed harmful content to continue circulating, causing ongoing harm to victims.
In 2021, Apple announced plans to implement CSAM detection in iCloud Photos, alongside other child safety features. However, the company faced significant backlash from privacy advocates, security researchers, and policy groups who argued the technology could create potential backdoors for government surveillance. Apple subsequently postponed and later abandoned the initiative.
Explaining its decision at the time, Apple said that implementing universal scanning of users' private iCloud storage would introduce major security vulnerabilities that malicious actors could potentially exploit. Apple also expressed concerns that such a system could establish a problematic precedent, in that once content scanning infrastructure exists for one purpose, it could face pressure to expand into broader surveillance applications across different types of content and messaging platforms, including those that use encryption.
The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, filing under a pseudonym, said she continues to receive law enforcement notices about individuals being charged with possessing abuse images of her from when she was an infant. The lawsuit argues that Apple's decision not to proceed with its announced safety measures has forced victims to repeatedly relive their trauma.
In response to the lawsuit, Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz underlined the company's commitment to fighting child exploitation, stating that Apple is "urgently and actively innovating to combat these crimes without compromising the security and privacy of all our users." Apple pointed to existing features like Communication Safety, which warns children about potentially inappropriate content, as examples of its ongoing child protection efforts.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Norwegian payment service Vipps has become the world's first company to launch a competing tap-to-pay solution to Apple Pay on iPhone, following Apple's agreement with European regulators to open up its NFC technology to third parties.
Starting December 9, Vipps users in Norway can make contactless payments in stores using their iPhones. The service initially supports customers of SpareBank 1, DNB, and over 40 other Norwegian banks, representing approximately 70% of Norwegian bank customers.
"We have fought for years to be able to compete on equal footing with Apple, and it feels almost surreal to finally be able to launch our very own solution," said Rune Garborg, CEO of Vipps MobilePay, in a statement on the company's website.
The launch follows the European Commission's July 2024 acceptance of legally binding commitments from Apple to open its mobile payments system to competitors. Under the agreement, Apple must provide free access to iPhone NFC functionality for third-party mobile wallets and allow users to set alternative payment apps as their default option.
Vipps' solution currently works with terminals that accept BankAxept cards, Norway's national payment system, covering more than 90% of payment terminals in the country. The company plans to expand support for Visa and Mastercard cards in the coming months, enabling worldwide payment capabilities before summer 2025.
The service allows users to make payments by holding their iPhone near a payment terminal, with authentication via Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode. iPhone users can set Vipps as their default payment app and activate it by double-clicking the Side button, just as they would if they were using Apple Wallet and Apple Pay.
Vipps MobilePay, which emerged from a merger of Vipps from Norway and MobilePay from Denmark, plans to extend the tap-to-pay solution to Denmark, Finland, and Sweden in 2025, potentially paving the way for similar implementations by other payment providers across Europe.
Apple today announced that its online store will launch in Saudi Arabia in summer 2025. The online store will allow customers in the country to order Apple's full range of products directly from the company for the first time.
Apple also said that it plans to open several flagship retail stores in Saudi Arabia starting in 2026. One of the stores will be in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site located just on the outskirts of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia.
"We're excited to be expanding here in Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Apple Store online next year, and the first of several flagship Apple Store locations starting in 2026, including an iconic store at the stunning site of Diriyah coming later," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Saudi Arabia already has hundreds of Apple Authorized Reseller locations, but this will be Apple's first direct retail presence in the country.
Apple also announced that it will be opening a new store in the United Arab Emirates city of Al Ain next year, expanding its retail presence there. Apple has four other stores in the country, and its online store launched there in 2011.
In both of the press releases, Apple touted its various commitments and ongoing investments in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Cook spent the past few days in the United Arab Emirates, per his social media posts. He met with app developers, watched a Formula 1 race, and more.
Cook also visited a women's developer academy in Riyadh.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
A few days ago, Woot kicked off a massive sale on the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, and not only are most of these deals still live, but Woot has added even more bands to the sale. All bands are in brand new condition and come with a one year Apple limited warranty.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the Solo Loop for just $19.99 ($29 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off) in this sale. Additionally, if you purchase multiple bands and your order exceeds $39, you can use the code APPLEBANDS to get an extra 15 percent off your order. Woot has extended the sale into next week, but it'll probably end sooner when stock runs out, so make your purchases soon if you're interested.
Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.
The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
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Apple and Sony are collaborating to bring support for PlayStation VR2 hand controllers to the Vision Pro, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
Sony PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the partnership has been in development for several months and would introduce Sony's VR controllers as an optional accessory for Vision Pro users. Gurman notes that PS5 and Xbox controllers are already supported by Vision Pro, but they aren't optimized for virtual reality experiences, lacking the six degrees of freedom (6DOF) needed for precise VR gaming controls.
Given that Sony's VR2 controllers are currently bundled with the PlayStation VR2 headset, Sony would need to begin selling them as standalone accessories, and that would likely happen through Apple's retail and online stores.
Beyond gaming, the controllers could enhance productivity tasks and media editing in visionOS, says Gurman. This would allow users to navigate the operating system using the controller's thumb stick and directional pad for scrolling, while the trigger button could replace the finger pinch gesture for selection.
The timing of the announcement remains uncertain, and the companies have already postponed their initially planned reveal. The partnership comes as Apple faces challenges with Vision Pro adoption, with Gurman reporting that fewer than 500,000 units have been sold since its February launch, according to his sources.
Apple's AirPods Max were announced four years ago today, marking the company's first push into the high-end over-ear headphones market under its own brand name.
Rumors about Apple's work on a pair of high-end headphones, at the time believed to be called the "AirPods Studio," heated up throughout 2020. They were announced abruptly via a somewhat unexpected press release on December 8, 2020 and went on sale the same day. Orders started arriving to customers one week later on Tuesday, December 15.
The AirPods Max offer many popular AirPods features such as the H1 chip, easy pairing, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, automatic switching, and Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, but in a premium over-ear design for the first time. They also offer a headband made of a flexible mesh canopy, replaceable magnetic earcups, a Digital Crown for physical volume controls, a button for switching between ANC and Transparency, and a Smart Case for storage and to put the headphones into a low power state.
Demand for the AirPods Max was high immediately after launch, with shipping estimates that stretched out several months. Initial reviews of AirPods Max were favorable, applauding the headphones for being "more than enough to compete with other high-end headphones." While the recommended retail price remains at $549, the AirPods Max are often available with discounts of over $100.
Earlier this year, Apple refreshed the AirPods Max's selection of color options and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C, but there were no other changes. Since the changes were so minor, Apple does not seem to consider the "new" model a second-generation. There are currently no rumors about a true, second-generation AirPods Max model, so the current version is likely to stick around for a while longer despite its age.
Amazon introduced a significant discount on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation a few days ago, and they are still available this weekend for $138.99, down from $179.00. Stock on the AirPods 4 has remained stable the past few days, and the earbuds can still be shipped in time for the Christmas holiday.
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Compared to the deal we saw over Black Friday, this weekend's sale is about $25 cheaper than that price. If you are looking for the model without ANC, Amazon has it for $119.00, down from $129.00.
In addition to Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on this model, the AirPods 4 also feature a redesigned earbud for increased comfort, the H2 chip for improved audio performance, up to 30 hours of battery life, and an IP54 rating for dust, water, and sweat resistance.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
2024 is rapidly drawing to a close, but Apple isn't quite done with releases for the year as iOS 18.2 and related operating system updates are arriving very shortly. Apple Intelligence is a major focus for these updates, but there are some other tweaks and improvements arriving for all users.
Looking toward hardware rumors, discussion continues around Apple's work on a foldable iPhone, an expanded push into the smart home market, and M5 chips for future Macs, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration
We're expecting Apple to release iOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, and other updates on Monday, and that's looking like a pretty good bet at this point as Apple this week seeded release candidate versions of all of the updates to beta testers.
For compatible devices, the updates bring a number of new Apple Intelligence features including Image Playground, Image Wand, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration with Siri, and more. Users of other devices will also see plenty of improvements and bug fixes, so be sure to check out the full iOS 18.2 release notes for all of the details.
Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Could Reinvigorate Stalling Market
Apple has been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone for a number of years, but while the company reportedly hasn't been happy enough with the results to yield a product worth releasing, that may be changing in a couple of years.
A new report claims Apple is aiming to debut a foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026, and it could help reinvigorate an overall foldable smartphone market that has been stagnating after an initial surge of interest in models from Samsung and other manufacturers.
The MacRumors Show: Apple's Foldable iPhone and Smart Home Plans
Speaking of that foldable iPhone, Dan and Hartley discussed the topic in this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, tackling the pros, cons, and use cases for such a device.
Apple's apparent plans to move more aggressively into the smart home market were also a topic of discussion, as it looks like Apple may be working on several smart home hubs, a first-party HomeKit camera, and more.
Apple Orders M5 Chips From TSMC Ahead of Late 2025 Production
Apple launched the M4 chip family earlier this year in the iPad Pro and just recently expanded it to the Mac while adding more powerful M4 Pro and M4 Max versions, but the company is already moving full-speed ahead on their successors.
Apple CEO Tim Cook Opens Up About AI Plans, Vision Pro Future, and More in New Interview
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sat down with WIRED's Steven Levy for an in-depth interview regarding Apple's AI ambitions and concerns, the future of the Apple Vision Pro headset, and more.
The interview also covered Apple's ongoing effort to bring medical technology tools to consumers, as well as Cook's tenure at Apple and how much longer he might remain in his position as CEO.
Apple Music's Full Replay 2024 Experience and Year-End Charts Now Out
Apple has launched Apple Music Replay for 2024, giving subscribers early access to their personalized music listening statistics and trends for the year.
iPhone users on iOS 18.1 or later can now access the Replay 2024 experience directly in the Apple Music app, from the Home, New, and Search tabs. Users with previous iOS versions can still access the experience at replay.music.apple.com.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
In 2025, Apple is planning to debut a thinner version of the iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This iPhone 17 "Air" will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so an iPhone 17 that is 2mm thinner would come in at around 6.25mm. At 6.25mm, the iPhone 17 Air would be Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. The thinnest iPhone we've seen so far was the iPhone 6, which measured in at 6.9mm. iPhones got thicker with the iPhone X and beyond, as Apple increased thickness to provide more space for the battery, camera lenses, Face ID hardware, and more.
Apple will equip the iPhone 17 Air with its own custom-designed 5G modem chip, and that chip is smaller than 5G modem chips from Qualcomm. Gurman says that Apple focused on making the chip more integrated with other Apple-designed components to save space within the iPhone, and that space savings is what allowed it to create the slimmed down iPhone 17 Air without sacrificing battery life, the camera, or the display quality.
Prior rumors have also suggested that the iPhone 17 Air will be somewhere between 5mm and 6mm thick, and the ~6mm thickness has now been proposed by multiple reliable sources. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a display that's around 6.6 inches in size, and it will also feature a single-lens rear camera.
The iPhone 17 Air will be one of three devices that are set to get a custom Apple modem chip in 2025, with Apple also bringing the chip to the iPhone SE early in the year and a low-cost iPad.
As Apple improves its modem chip design, the saved space could allow for "new designs" such as a foldable iPhone. According to Gurman, Apple is continuing to explore foldable iPhone technology. Apple is aiming to phase out Qualcomm modems across a three-year period as Apple introduces increasingly more powerful modem chips.
Eventually, Apple could debut a system-on-a-chip that includes a processor, modem, Wi-Fi chip, and other parts, which would save additional space and allow for tighter integration between hardware components.
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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.
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.
