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Apple today released iPadOS 17.7.8, an update that is designed for iPad users who are not able to install the latest iPadOS 18 update.

iPadOS 17.7.8 comes a few days after Apple stopped signing iPadOS 17.7.7, the prior version of iPadOS that was available on older iPads. iPadOS 17.7.7 was preventing some users from being able to log into their apps, and iPadOS 17.7.8 presumably addresses the issue.

According to Apple's release notes, the update includes security fixes.

This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

iPadOS 17.7.8 is available for the sixth-generation ‌iPad‌, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and the second-generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. It can be downloaded by going to the Software Update section in the Settings app on eligible devices.

Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report.

Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn ‌Siri‌ into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent versions of ChatGPT. Apple is also apparently discussing giving ‌Siri‌ the ability to access the internet to gather and synthesize data from multiple sources, just like ChatGPT.

The report added that Apple now has artificial intelligence offices in Zurich, where employees are working on an all-new software architecture for ‌Siri‌. This "monolithic model" is entirely built on an LLM engine that will eventually replace ‌Siri‌'s current "hybrid" architecture that has been incoherently layered up with different functionality over many years. The new model will make ‌Siri‌ more conversational and better at synthesizing information.

Google's Gemini is expected to be added to iOS 19 as an alternative to ChatGPT in ‌Siri‌, but Apple is also apparently in talks with Perplexity to add their AI service as another option in the future, for both ‌Siri‌ and Safari search.

Peacock is offering new subscribers a chance to get a full year of its premium plan for just $24.99 for your first year, down from the regular price of $79.99 per year. This is only a $5 difference when compared to Peacock's Black Friday discount from last year, making it one of the service's best offers so far in 2025.

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

Peacock's premium annual plan is the ad-supported tier of the streaming service. This offer excludes current paying subscribers of Peacock, and after it ends the service will return to the regular $79.99 per year price (or then-current price, if a price hike happens).

If you do already have a Peacock account, but you're not a paid subscriber, you can sign in and enter the code SPRINGSAVINGS to redeem this offer. This sale will run through the end of the month and expire on May 30.

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's primary iPhone manufacturer Foxconn has invested $1.5 billion into India, signaling a significant acceleration in Apple's efforts to shift ‌iPhone‌ production away from China, Bloomberg reports.

The investment was disclosed in a stock exchange filing by Foxconn, which has been actively expanding its manufacturing footprint in southern India in recent years. The company is also increasing its investment in the United States.

The move comes as Apple continues to diversify its production base away from China, which has long served as the cornerstone of its ‌iPhone‌ manufacturing. India has emerged as Apple's most critical alternative manufacturing hub.

Apple reportedly assembled $22 billion worth of iPhones in India during the 12 months ending in March 2025, a nearly 60% increase over the previous year. Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron now operates facilities in India focused on ‌iPhone‌ manufacturing. Apple is apparently aiming to manufacture the majority of iPhones sold in the United States in India by the end of 2026.

Amazon is kicking off the week with the return of record low prices on every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.

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.

Compared to past sales, this is a match of the best price we've ever tracked on the tablet, and it's available in all four colors. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.99, both $100 discounts and available in all colors.

Deals on cellular models are a bit rarer on Amazon, with one color of the 128GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $549.00 and a few colors of the 256GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $649.00, both $100 off.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

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Apple is likely to keep discussion of Siri to a minimum at WWDC 2025 as it focuses on other Apple Intelligence enhancements, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett.

Apple will apparently focus on improving existing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities and adding some new ones, such as an AI-optimized battery management mode and a virtual health coach. Google Gemini is also on track to be added as a ChatGPT alternative for ‌Siri‌ in iOS 19.

Other upgrades to ‌Siri‌, including the ones announced a year prior that include personal context and the ability to complete complex, multi-step actions, are "unlikely to be discussed much." The features are still "months away" from being released.

Apple is also reportedly planning to "separate the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ brand from ‌Siri‌ in its marketing," owing to concerns that users' negative experience with ‌Siri‌ is harming opinions about ‌Apple Intelligence‌ as a whole.

To help improve existing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features, users' iPhones now apparently help improve Apple's synthetic data, the report explains. A set of artificial data is assessed and enhanced by comparing it to the language from users' iPhones to provide real-world reference points for AI training, without feeding in actual user information.

Similarly, in Texas, Spain, and Ireland, thousands of analysts are purportedly reviewing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ summaries for accuracy by comparing its output against the source material. The company wants to determine how often the system is producing the distorted or inaccurate responses.

Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote is scheduled for Monday, June 9, where the company will preview iOS 19, macOS 16, and other major software updates and features for its devices.

Apple will introduce a new calligraphy pen for Apple Pencil users that will allow them to digitally write in Arabic script, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple plans to offer a "highly advanced bi-directional keyboard" for moving between Arabic and English on iPhones and iPads, alongside a "virtual reed calligraphy pen" for Apple Pencil users on iPad.

Gurman said that the two upcoming new features, expected to arrive in iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, "play into Apple's ambitions for the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and India," where the company has been recently expanding its retail footprint.

Gurman has previously reported on a few other features coming with iOS 19, including battery optimization powered by AI and cross-device sharing of public captive Wi-Fi network details.

Apple in iOS 19 will update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons, with plans to simplify navigation and control. Gurman has described the design change as the biggest update to iOS since iOS 7. Apple is expected to preview the new software updates at WWDC, which takes place June 9-13 this year.

Twenty-four years ago today, Apple embarked on what many industry experts considered a risky venture that would ultimately transform not just the company's fortunes, but retail itself. On May 19, 2001, Apple opened its first retail store at Tysons Corner Center in Virginia, with Steve Jobs personally showing the press around the revolutionary space.

Some 500 eager visitors lined up before dawn to experience the store's hardwood floors, bright lighting, and clean lines. The aesthetic drew comparisons to trendy clothing retailer Gap. Not surprising, given that Gap CEO Mickey Drexler had been on Apple's board for two years at that point.

The decision to enter brick-and-mortar retail came at a precarious time for Apple. With a market share hovering around 2.8%, the company was struggling to effectively showcase its products through third-party retailers, where Macs were often relegated to corners and staffed by clerks with minimal product knowledge.

Jobs believed Apple would never shed its "cult" image unless it could control the entire customer experience, right down to the moment of purchase. In Walter Isaacson's eponymous biography of the former Apple CEO, Jobs said: "Unless we could find ways to get our message to customers at the store, we were screwed."

On Target

To lead this vision, Jobs recruited Ron Johnson, who had transformed Target's image with his designer merchandise line. Together, they crafted the store concept in a secret warehouse prototype, refining every detail from the single-entrance layout to the revolutionary Genius Bar, inspired by Johnson's experiences at Ritz-Carlton hotels.

Apple's board initially balked at the idea, especially after Gateway had just closed 40 of its own stores and Apple's sales had dropped 29% the previous year. Industry analysts were even more skeptical: Channel Marketing analyst David Goldstein famously predicted Apple would be "turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake" within two years.

Instead, by 2003, Apple recorded $3 million in profit per store, per quarter, with approximately 60,000 visitors at each location. In 2004, Apple Retail hit $1.2 billion, breaking the record for the fastest billion-dollar milestone in retail history.

Today, Apple operates 534 stores across 27 countries, with each location generating approximately $5,500 per square foot annually – among the highest in the retail industry. What began as a controversial gamble has become a cornerstone of Apple's success and a blueprint for experiential retail that competitors continue to emulate.

OWC today announced its new Thunderbolt 5 Dock, a high-performance connectivity hub designed for creative professionals and power users who need expanded port options for their setups.

The dock features three Thunderbolt 5 ports offering bi-directional data speeds up to 80Gb/s and up to 120Gb/s for display needs. It can power up to three 8K displays or dual 6K displays on Macs, making it suitable for the latest M4 MacBook Pro models that support Thunderbolt 5.

With 11 ports in total, the dock includes two USB-A 10Gb/s ports, one USB-A 5Gb/s port, 2.5GbE Ethernet, microSD and SD card slots, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack. It delivers up to 140W of power, enough for the most energy-hungry notebooks.

• Thunderbolt 5 in New Macs: Features, Benefits, and Is It Needed?

The $329.99 dock includes a certified Thunderbolt 5 cable and external power supply. It's available for pre-order now from the OWC website, with shipping expected in early July. OWC will showcase the dock at COMPUTEX TAIPEI from May 20-23.

Epic Games on Friday filed a court motion asking District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to order Apple to approve Fortnite for the US App Store, in another escalation of the ongoing legal battle between the two companies.

In the filing, Epic claims Apple is in contempt of the judge's April order that restricted Apple from rejecting apps over their use of outside payment links. Epic argues that Apple's refusal to review its Fortnite submission until after a pending Ninth Circuit ruling amounts to retaliation for its legal challenges.

According to a letter from Apple shared by Epic, Apple stated it "won't take action on the Fortnite app submission until after the Ninth Circuit rules on our pending request for a partial stay of the new injunction." Epic contends this delay violates Apple's previous assurances to both Epic and the court that it would approve Fortnite if the app complied with Apple's guidelines.

The dispute has already affected Fortnite's availability globally. Epic claims its game disappeared from the EU App Store on Friday because of Apple's decision to block its US submission. Apple countered by asking Epic to resubmit the app without including the US storefront "so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies."

Epic is seeking enforcement of the court's injunction, a contempt ruling against Apple, and a requirement that Apple "accept any compliant Epic app, including Fortnite, for distribution on the U.S. storefront of the App Store."

The case hinges on whether Judge Gonzalez Rogers will find Apple in contempt again, as she did in her April 30 ruling where she expressed frustration with Apple's compliance efforts.

The Trump administration is scrutinizing Apple's partnership with Chinese tech giant Alibaba to bring AI features to iPhones in China, according to a new report from The New York Times.

Washington officials are concerned the collaboration could help Chinese AI providers collect data to improve their models, potentially benefiting China's military. Defense Department and intelligence officials are reportedly examining Alibaba's ties to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi called the lack of transparency about the agreement "extremely disturbing," questioning why Apple would choose to work with Alibaba given its alleged connections to the Chinese government.

The administration has discussed whether Alibaba and other Chinese AI companies should be placed on a list prohibiting them from doing business with U.S. companies, according to sources familiar with the deliberations cited by NYT.

Apple hasn't publicly acknowledged the AI partnership, though Alibaba's chairman confirmed it in February. The deal comes as Apple works to bring its Apple Intelligence features to the Chinese market, where the company has seen its smartphone market share decline.

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.

Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now.

According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight of approximately 145 grams, while the battery capacity is 2,800mAh. The details allegedly originate from a "mass production confirmed sample." The blog has previously offered accurate insights into Apple's component strategy.

The claimed weight is similar to an iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 13 mini, which are 148 grams and 141 grams, respectively. As for the battery, the capacity figure is not unlike the iPhone 12, which has a 2,815mAh battery. However, the leaker's post does note that there remains a possibility that Apple will use a high-density battery in the iPhone 17 Air, which could increase its "actual capacity" by 15-20%.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March that device will have a "high-density" battery. More recently, a report out of Asia has suggested that the iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Apple supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.

Having said that, reports have been mixed regarding the iPhone 17 Air's potential battery performance. The Information's Wayne Ma claimed the device will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models.

In internal testing, Apple apparently determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For other iPhone models, the report said that metric is apparently between 80% and 90%.

To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.

On the other hand, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has offered a more optimistic outlook, stating that battery life would be "on par with current iPhones" thanks to hardware and software optimizations.

The 5.5mm-thin device is also rumored to incorporate Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and lack an Ultra Wide camera, which could potentially provide more internal space for a larger battery. We'll know for sure when the device replaces the "Plus" model in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to launch around mid-September, per Apple's typical fall release schedule.

Apple is working on a lighter version of AirPods Max that will enter mass production in 2027, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo shared the prediction on X (Twitter). He provided no additional details on the weight reduction that Apple plans to make to its over-ear noise-canceling headphones.

Apple updated the AirPods Max in September, receiving a USB-C charging port instead of Lightning, and new color options. Bloomberg reported in November that Apple currently has "no concrete plans" to update the headphones again "in a meaningful way."

AirPods Max weigh 13.6 ounces (386.2 grams). Apple says the headband is designed to distribute weight and reduce on-head pressure, but some users find that the stainless steel and aluminum design puts weight on the ears that can become uncomfortable after longer periods of wear.

In the same post, Kuo said that AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026, when he expects IR camera-equipped AirPods to enter mass production.

Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today.

This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more personalized version of Siri, which will be powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple first previewed the promised Siri upgrades during its WWDC 2024 keynote, and at the time it said the features would be available within the following year.

Apple also missed its promised 2024 timeframe for launching next-generation CarPlay, which it first announced all the way back at WWDC 2022. The company finally announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra last week, with the software system rolling out in high-end Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada this month.

Apple is planning to give users in the EU the ability to set a default voice assistant other than Siri, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett.

In a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today, Gurman and Bennett said Apple plans to introduce this change across multiple software platforms, which likely means the iPhone, iPad, and Mac at a minimum.

Presumably, this means that users in the EU will be able to set options like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as their default voice assistant on Apple devices.

Apple is working on this change in response to expanding EU regulations, the report said.

Apple already lets iPhone users in the EU set third-party apps as the default option for browsing and messaging, navigation, and much more.

Amazon is hosting a big collection of discounts across multiple Apple products this week, including notable deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, Apple Pencil Pro, and MacBook Air.

AirPods

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 USB-C AirPods Max for $479.99 in Starlight, down from $549.00. This is a solid second-best price on the headphones, and it's been a few months since we last tracked an all-time low price, so if you've been waiting for a deal this is a good time to buy.

Similarly, the AirPods Pro 2 are on sale on Amazon for $188.56, which is another second-best price.

Apple Watch

For Apple Watches, you can get $100 off two models of the Series 10. This sale was much more extensive earlier in the month, but there are still a few discounts remaining on both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models.

iPad

The new 11th generation iPad is available for up to $55 off this weekend on Amazon, starting at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model.

Apple Pencil Pro

Amazon has the Apple Pencil Pro for the low price of $99.00 right now, down from $129.00.

MacBook Air

There are a few big discounts across the M4 MacBook Air lineup on Amazon, including up to $171 off both 13-inch and 15-inch models.

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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Amazon this weekend is discounting a collection of Beats headphones and speakers, including an all-time low price on the Powerbeats Pro 2. You can get this new 2025 model for $199.95 in four colors, down from $249.99. This deal on the Powerbeats Pro 2 is being matched at Best Buy, along with a few other Beats deals.

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.

This sale also includes major discounts on products like the Beats Pill, which has hit $99.95 on Amazon, down from $149.95. This discount is available in five colors of the Bluetooth speaker.

Additionally, Amazon has the Beats Studio Buds+ for $99.95, down from $169.95. These have up to 9 hours of playback (up to 36 hours with charging case), USB-C, active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance.

You'll also find a few steep discounts on over-ear headphones, like the Beats Studio Pro at $169.95, down from $349.99. Many of these deals are matches for the record low price on each pair of headphones.

• Beats Studio Buds+ - $99.95, down from $169.95
• Beats Pill - $99.95, down from $149.95
• Beats Solo 4 - $129.99, down from $199.95
• Beats Studio Pro - $169.95, down from $349.99
• Powerbeats Pro 2 - $199.95, down from $249.99

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

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Apple surprised us this week with the official launch of its more advanced "CarPlay Ultra" feature to provide greatly expanded functionality in cars, while the company also released iOS 18.5 and related operating system updates.

This week also saw Apple's annual announcement of upcoming accessibility features for its products while we looked ahead to what else is coming at WWDC next month, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Nearly three years after Apple announced the next-generation version of CarPlay with deeper vehicle integration, CarPlay Ultra is finally here — if you can afford an Aston Martin. Many other brands, including new additions Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, are working on support, however, so availability should significantly expand over time.

‌CarPlay‌ Ultra is designed to bring a consistent look and feel to the entire driving experience. It integrates more directly with the vehicle to provide information on all of the driver's screens, featuring real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster with options for the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and more. Drivers can choose to display information from the iPhone, such as maps and media, alongside information from the vehicle, such as advanced driver assistance systems and tire pressure.

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

As expected, Apple this week released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, relatively minor updates with only a few changes, feature additions, and bug fixes.

Related macOS Sequoia 15.5, watchOS 11.5, tvOS 18.5, and visionOS 2.5 updates were also released this week, and we're expecting at least one more round of x.6 updates to the current major operating system versions as Apple prepares to unveil iOS 19 and friends at WWDC next month.

Apple Preparing to Launch Mind-Control Support for iPhones

It sounds like science fiction, but Apple is indeed working with neurotechnology startup Synchron to allow users with severe motor impairments to control their devices via neural signals detected by an implantable brain-computer device called the Stentrode.

The news comes as Apple has announced a wide range of new accessibility features coming to its products later this year. Based on previous patterns, most of these new and improved features will come with iOS 19 and related updates.

Top Five Announcements to Look Forward to at WWDC 2025

Time sure flies, and we're now less than a month away from the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference where Apple will introduce new software updates. Rumors are picking up ahead of the event, so we thought we'd highlight some of the updates that we're looking forward to learning more about.

WWDC 2025 will begin with a keynote event on June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will have a live stream available, but we'll also be providing coverage here on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account for those who aren't able to watch.

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing recently spotted by French blog MacGeneration.

Mayday Labs had developed an AI-powered calendar, task manager, and scheduling assistant for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The all-in-one app used AI to automatically schedule your events and tasks at ideal times, and it could learn your scheduling preferences and daily patterns over time to further optimize your calendar.

It would be reasonable to assume that some of Mayday's features and technologies could be added to Apple's Calendar app across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, under the Apple Intelligence umbrella.

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to ‌Apple Music‌.

The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document.

Apple is partnering with SongShift for the new ‌Apple Music‌ feature. SongShift is an app that transfers music playlists across streaming platforms, but by working with Apple, the functionality has been integrated directly in the ‌Apple Music‌ app.

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