MacRumors

Accessory makers have been adopting the new Qi2 standard in recent months because it offers the benefits of MagSafe without the need to license ‌MagSafe‌ technology from Apple. Mophie launched its first Qi2 devices in May, debuting a car charger, a 3-in-1 charger, and a battery pack.

All of Mophie's new accessories charge an iPhone at up to 15W, the same as ‌MagSafe‌. The first version of Qi limited wireless charging to 7.5W, but Qi2 supports 15W, and it also includes the same magnetic connection that Apple uses for ‌MagSafe‌. For context, Apple contributed to Qi2's development, providing insight into the Magnetic Power Profile that's included in the Qi2 standard.

iPhones that support ‌MagSafe‌ also work with Qi2, so you can use Mophie's chargers with the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models, ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, ‌iPhone‌ 14 models, and iPhone 15 models. With the exception of the iPhone 12 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini (which are limited to 12W charging), iPhones will charge at up to 15W with Qi2.

Snap+ Powerstation Mini with Stand

Priced at $70, the Snap+ Powerstation Mini is a battery pack that's designed to charge the ‌iPhone‌ while on the go. It has a 5,000mAh battery inside, and it snaps right on to the back of an ‌iPhone‌ like Apple's now-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack.

At about 4 inches long and 2.75 inches wide, the Powerstation Mini fits well on the back of an ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max. With the magnetic ring, it pops on to the ‌iPhone‌ and stays in place. The Powerstation Mini is 0.25 inches thick and it weighs close to half a pound, so I didn't find this to be the most svelte charging option available. It adds a good amount of bulk to the back of the ‌iPhone‌, but it's still small enough to tuck into a bag so you have an extra battery when needed.

At the back of the Powerstation Mini, there's a fold-out stand that you can use to prop the ‌iPhone‌ upright for FaceTime calls, gaming, watching videos, and more. It works in either landscape or portrait mode, so you can use it with StandBy.

The Powerstation Mini's body is made from a black plastic, but the stand component is made from aluminum. The front of the device has a soft silicone material that won't scratch an ‌iPhone‌ when it's charging, and the overall design is what you might expect from a battery pack. There are four LED lights so you can see the charge level and monitor charging, and a USB-C port that's used for recharging.

During my testing, I had one of the PowerStation Mini battery packs outright fail after a few days of use. I couldn't get it to charge no matter what I tried, and I ultimately sent it back to Mophie and they sent me another one for testing. Mophie says that this isn't a problem that it's seen before, and the new Powerstation Mini has been working as expected with no failure.

In my testing, the Powerstation Mini was able to charge my ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max to 38 percent in an hour, and that's about the same charging speed I get from a ‌MagSafe‌ charger. It charged to 59 percent in two hours, but it maxed out at a 61 percent charge, which was starting from a dead ‌iPhone‌.

That means it adds 61 percent battery life to an ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, which is what I'd expect from a 5,000mAh battery pack. Depending on which ‌iPhone‌ you have, you could get more out of it, but it's not a full charge on Apple's largest ‌iPhone‌.

When my ‌iPhone‌'s battery was low, the Powerstation Mini did feel warm to the touch, but it didn't get hot.

For the price, I don't think the Powerstation Mini is a good option for the larger ‌iPhone‌ models. It's not going to provide a full charge, and I'd rather spend that money on a bigger battery pack with charging over USB-C (Mophie has a 10,000mAh battery pack for $60, and there are options from other brands that are even cheaper). You're definitely paying a premium for the stand, so I'd avoid that unless you need that functionality.

For iPhones that have smaller battery capacities, I think the Powerstation Mini makes more sense because you can get more out of it.

Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount

Mophie's Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount is available for $70 as well, and it's a good option for charging in the car. There's a magnetic charging pad where the ‌iPhone‌ attaches, a rotating pivot point for changing the angle, and a ring that attaches to the vents in a vehicle.

The mount attaches to a vent using adjustable clips, and I had a surprisingly hard time getting the charger situated and adjusted properly. You need to slide the metal hook between the vent blades and then tighten it up. It feels more secure than rubber clips, but setup is a little more involved and if you want to take the charger off of your vents, it's difficult.

I don't think that's a dealbreaker, but it's not the one I would get if I wanted to regularly remove the mount from the vent. On the plus side, the hook is adjustable, so it should fit well in just about any vehicle.

There's an optional extension arm on the charger so you can change the angle to be above or below the vent, or position it to the left or the right. It's nice to have the add-on arm to get an ideal viewing angle, plus you can further refine with the ball joint that tilts the phone forward or backward a bit.

Mophie includes a 1.5m USB-C cable and a 30W USB-C car adapter, so this is ready to go right out of the box. You just need to pop it out of the box, decide whether you need the adjustable arm, and then attach it to your vent and it's ready to go. There are even two adhesive cable management clips so you can route the cable neatly from the vent to the car charging port.

The Snap+ Charging Vent Mount charges at up to 15W, and the magnetic attachment is strong enough that the ‌iPhone‌ feels stable and unlikely to come loose while the vehicle is in motion. I had no issues with Mophie's vent mount, aside from needing to fuss with it a few times to make sure it was staying at the proper angle. It charged and worked as expected, and I think it's a good option if you've had trouble with the fit or functionality of other in-car mounting options.

Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand

Mophie's Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand is priced at $130, and it's my favorite of Mophie's new Qi2 products. It's made from a sturdy white plastic, and it's compact in size thanks to the design.

There's a magnetic ‌iPhone‌ charging pad at the front, an Apple Watch charger behind that, and a small AirPods charging surface at the bottom. It's one of the more streamlined 3-in-1 charging designs that I've seen, and I appreciate how little space it takes up on my desk.

The charger measures in at about four inches wide and six inches tall, and with the angled design of the arm that holds the ‌iPhone‌ charger, the Apple Watch charger is about flush with the back. The Apple Watch charger is upright rather than sideways so you can't charge an Apple Watch in Nightstand mode, but the ‌iPhone‌ can be charged in either portrait or landscape orientation, so it does support StandBy.

You can change the tilt of the ‌iPhone‌ charger, angling it up or downward to get it at an ideal viewing angle, but the arm itself does not fold so this isn't a charger that's great for travel. At the bottom, there's a built-in Qi charger with a shallow depression for the AirPods. You can get a second ‌iPhone‌ to charge there, but the fit is not ideal because of the indentation and the charging is slow.

The Qi2 ‌iPhone‌ charging pad charges an ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W, while the Apple Watch charger charges at 7.5W, so you're getting the fastest wireless charging speeds for the ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch (that is fast charging for fast charge-compatible Apple Watch models). The AirPods charge at 5W. A power adapter and charging cable are included.

In my testing, the Snap+ 3-in-1 charged my ‌iPhone‌ from 1 percent to 39 percent in an hour period. The second time around, it charged from 1 percent to 34 percent in an hour, which is a bit of an outlier. The third test was closer to the first test at 38 percent. These are the same charging speeds that I get with ‌MagSafe‌.

Bottom Line

One of the assumptions about Qi2 was that it would make wireless chargers more affordable because there would be no need to pay Apple to license ‌MagSafe‌ technology, but so far that hasn't been reflected in the pricing of Qi2 accessories.

Maybe Qi2 prices will go down in the future as the standard is more widely adopted, but there isn't much in the way of savings compared to ‌MagSafe‌, which is disappointing. Mophie's Qi2 devices are solid and Mophie is a trustworthy brand, but I wish these products were more affordable. On the plus side, there is a back to school sale right now, with a 25 percent discount available site wide.

How to Buy

The Snap+ PowerStation Mini with Stand, Snap+ Charging Vent Mount, and Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand can be purchased from the Mophie website.

Note: Mophie provided MacRumors with a its Qi2 chargers for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

A new survey released last week by J.D. Power shows that U.S. consumers continue to prefer vehicles with support for Apple CarPlay.

The market research firm's annual U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study found overall satisfaction with in-vehicle infotainment systems to average 805 on a 1,000-point scale. However, satisfaction was higher among owners who use Android Auto (832), and even higher for those who use CarPlay (840).

The study is based on responses from 99,144 owners of new 2024 model-year vehicles in the U.S. who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership, according to J.D. Power. The study was conducted from July 2023 through May 2024.

CarPlay has routinely fared well in vehicle satisfaction studies since launching in 2014, so this latest one is no surprise. However, it comes after General Motors last year controversially decided to stop offering CarPlay and Android Auto in its new electric vehicles, in favor of its own software system. Electric vehicle maker Rivian also prefers its own software over CarPlay. J.D. Power's study reinforces that these automakers are betting against a consumer preference, and it remains to be seen if they will ever reverse course.

The next-generation version of CarPlay that Apple announced in 2022 has yet to become available in any vehicles, but Apple's website says the rollout will begin this year. Next-generation CarPlay will be more deeply integrated across multiple screens in a vehicle, offer a built-in FM radio app and climate controls, and more. It will also be highly customizable, allowing automakers to tailor the design of the system to uniquely match their vehicles.

iPhone and Apple Watch users in Ohio are now able to add their digital IDs and driver's licenses to the Wallet app on the ‌iPhone‌, providing a convenient alternative to a physical card.

Ohio is the fifth state to add support for digital IDs in the Wallet app, following Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, and Georgia.

Apple announced plans to add support for digital IDs way back in September 2021, but the feature requires states to implement support, and so far, the rollout has been quite slow.

Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Utah are also supposedly working on support for adding a driver's license or ID to the Wallet app, but it has been over two years and none of these states have added the feature. In 2021, Apple said that it was in "discussions with many more states" and was hoping Wallet IDs would be available nationwide in the future.

IDs and licenses stored in the Wallet app can be used in select U.S. airports at TSA checkpoints.

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Wallet app IDs can also be used for showing proof of age or identity at certain businesses and venues, but adoption of this functionality is also limited. Ohio says that businesses and organizations with "compliant mobile ID readers" can accept digital IDs.

Apple will report its earnings results for the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal year on Thursday, August 1 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the results on a conference call with analysts a half hour later.

Keep reading for some key things to know about the quarter, including a recap of new products announced, revenue expectations, and more.

New Products During Quarter

The quarter ran from March 31 through June 29, according to Apple's fiscal calendar. The following products launched during this period:

• 11-inch iPad Pro with M4 chip
• 13-inch iPad Pro with M4 chip
• 11-inch iPad Air with M2 chip
• 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip
• Apple Pencil Pro
• Vision Pro pre-orders in eight additional countries

Revenue Expectations

Apple has not provided formal revenue guidance since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the average Wall Street estimate for Apple's third quarter revenue is $84.5 billion, according to data compiled by Yahoo Finance. This would be around a 3% increase over the $81.8 billion revenue the company reported in the year-ago quarter.

This would be in line with the outlook that Apple's CFO provided on last quarter's earnings call:

We expect our June quarter total company revenue to grow low-single-digits year-over-year in spite of a foreign exchange headwind of about 2.5 percentage points.

Conference Call

Cook and Maestri will hold a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday to discuss the company's quarterly earnings results. The call should last around one hour, and it will include a Q&A segment with analysts.

A live audio stream of the conference call will be available on Apple's Investor Relations page, and a recording will be available later in the day for replay.

What's Next

Apple's current quarter runs through September 28, and the company has yet to announce any new products during this period.

AAPL is trading for around $223 as of writing, down from a 52-week high of $237.23.

Version 7.0 of the popular system monitoring tool iStat Menus is now available, bringing a comprehensive redesign and range of new features.

The redesign of iStat Menus 7.0 includes an updated interface with new menu bar modes, such as stacked labels and values, and new menu bar items, such as the Wi-Fi network name and GPU frames per second. For users of Apple silicon Macs, the update brings frequency monitoring and additional sensor support. Users can now choose from more theme options and menu background colors. Fan speeds can be controlled with greater precision, allowing for gradual ramp-up and complete control over the speed curve.

The time menu has been enhanced with 7-day and 14-day rolling calendar modes, providing users with flexible scheduling options. The combined mode has undergone a major overhaul, allowing any item to be displayed in the menu bar with unique settings and more menu sections available in the dropdown menu.

Weather monitoring has also seen improvements, offering a detailed view of current conditions, hourly forecasts, and weekly overviews. Users can access information such as temperature, wind speed and direction, chance of rain, humidity, UV index, and more, with data available for their current location or almost anywhere in the world.

iStat Menus 7.0 offers more extensive notification capabilities, allowing users to set alerts for a wide range of events related to CPU, GPU, memory, disks, network, sensors, battery, power, and weather. Notifications can be customized to inform users about changes such as public IP updates, internet connection issues, CPU usage spikes, low disk space, and more.

The app also provides detailed CPU information, including usage for individual cores, history graphs, load averages, uptime, and CPU frequency. GPU monitoring covers processor usage, memory, temperature, and frequency. Memory statistics include usage, history, memory pressure, compressed memory, swap, and a list of apps using the most memory.

Disk usage and activity monitoring are also enhanced, showing used space, free space, and disk activity. S.M.A.R.T. status monitoring and detailed per-app disk usage are now available. Network monitoring features include history graphs, current bandwidth usage, a bandwidth breakdown for top apps, detailed connection info, IP addresses, and an internet connectivity indicator.

Battery and power information is extensive, providing detailed current state information and configurable menu items that change based on whether the device is draining, charging, or fully charged. Battery levels for Bluetooth devices like AirPods, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad are also displayed. Real-time sensor listings include temperatures, fan speeds, voltages, current, and power, with customizable fan speed control based on temperature and battery state.

The date and time features are highly customizable, with menu bar clocks, a calendar with upcoming events, and world clocks that include detailed sun and moon information. Each world clock can be given a custom name, making it easier to track time for colleagues or family members in different time zones. Combined mode is particularly useful for laptops, allowing multiple items to be combined into a single menu bar item to save space while still providing access to all relevant information.

iStat Menus 7.0 is available for download with a 14-day free trial, allowing users to explore its new features and enhancements before committing to a purchase. Additionally, it is available via Setapp, a subscription service that offers access to iStat Menus and over 250 other Mac apps for $9.99 per month, with no additional fees or ads.

Today we're tracking a large collection of discounts on the 2024 M4 iPad Pro at Best Buy, which includes multiple all-time low prices on both 11-inch and 13-inch models. The majority of these deals will only be available to My Best Buy Plus/Total members, but there are a few instances of record low prices being matched at Amazon.

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

11-Inch

For the smaller 11-inch M4 iPad Pro, Best Buy has introduced a new best-ever price on the entry-level 256GB Wi-Fi tablet, available for $899.00 for members, down from $999.00. Best Buy has every model of the 11-inch iPad Pro on sale right now, including both Wi-Fi and cellular versions, and you'll find steeper discounts for members.

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $899.00 for Best Buy members, down from $999.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,099.00 for Best Buy members, down from $1,199.00 [matched at Amazon]
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,349.99 at Amazon, down from $1,599.00
• 1TB Wi-Fi (Nano-Texture Glass) - $1,549.00 for Best Buy members, down from $1,699.00
• 2TB Wi-Fi - $1,849.00 for Best Buy members, down from $1,999.00
• 2TB Wi-Fi (Nano-Texture Glass) - $1,949.00 for Best Buy members, down from $2,099.00

13-inch

Similar to the 11-inch models, Best Buy has every Wi-Fi and cellular version of the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro on sale this week. Prices start at $1,199.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi tablet, and totals up to $150 off these devices. Amazon is also matching the prices of quite a few 13-inch iPad Pro models without the need for a special membership.

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 for Best Buy members, down from $1,299.00 [matched at Amazon]
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,389.00 for Best Buy members, down from $1,499.00 [matched at Amazon]
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,749.00 for Best Buy members, down from $1,899.00 [matched at Amazon]
• 1TB Wi-Fi (Nano-Texture Glass) - $1,839.00 at Amazon, down from $1,999.00
• 2TB Wi-Fi - $2,149.00 for Best Buy members, down from $2,299.00
• 2TB Wi-Fi (Nano-Texture Glass) - $2,249.00 for Best Buy members, down from $2,399.00

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

LG and Samsung have prototyped micro-OLED displays with tandem OLED technology, according to Korean publication Sisa Journal, paving the way for a future model of Apple's Vision Pro mixed-reality headset to potentially adopt the technology.

The report said it is unclear if or when LG and Samsung will begin mass production of tandem micro-OLED displays, but with a second-generation Vision Pro not expected to be released until late 2026 at the earliest, there is still time for the two companies to commercialize the technology for potential inclusion in the next model.

Earlier this year, Apple released new iPad Pro models with tandem OLED displays, which have two organic light-emitting layers stacked together for increased brightness, improved power efficiency, and longer longevity compared to single-layer OLED displays. These same benefits would extend to a future Vision Pro that adopts the technology.

Here is how Apple described the iPad Pro's tandem OLED technology:

The Ultra Retina XDR display features state-of-the-art tandem OLED technology that uses two OLED panels and combines the light from both to provide phenomenal full-screen brightness. The new iPad Pro supports an incredible 1000 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, and 1600 nits peak for HDR. No other device of its kind delivers this level of extreme dynamic range. Tandem OLED technology enables sub-millisecond control over the colour and luminance of each pixel, taking XDR precision further than ever. Specular highlights in photos and video appear even brighter, and there's more detail in shadows and low light than ever before on iPad — all while delivering even more responsiveness to content in motion.

The current Vision Pro is equipped with two 4K micro-OLED displays supplied by Sony.

All in all, the technology now exists for the next-generation Vision Pro to feature even brighter and more power efficient displays in a few years from now.

In the latest macOS 15.1, iOS 18.1, and iPadOS 18.1 betas, Apple has introduced a new "Rate Your Experiences" feature in its Feedback Assistant app that lets users rate the generative content served by Apple Intelligence across apps, with the aim of using the feedback to refine and train Apple's generative models.

Apple describes the new feature like so:

Help improve Apple products and services! Content such as your emails from the Mail app and messages from the Messages app will be displayed to you, along with content generated from them for Apple Intelligence features. This data always remains on your device unless you choose to submit it to Apple, after rating your experience.

In the new section, users are asked to "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" recent generated content to indicate their level of satisfaction with the results. If the "experience" shown was not good, users are invited to optionally offer more details for submission to Apple. This can be done by choosing from pre-defined feedback presented as a checkmark list, and by providing additional typed information for context.

In the case of a summarized email in the Mail app, for example, users can choose from the following issues:

• Hard to understand
• Missed key detail
• Incorrect attributions
• Too long
• Irrelevant additions
• Stereotyping or bias
• Overly suggestive or sexual
• Vulgar or offensive
• Other

There are similar pre-set feedback options for other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features such as Smart reply, Notifications summary, prioritized emails, Image Playground, Writing Tools, and more. The new section also includes a scoring system that lets users level up their score by providing feedback to Apple, although it's not explained what any points earned could be used for.

Apple introduced the first version of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer betas. While the betas include some useful ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features like Writing Tools, some of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ additions won't be coming until later.

Several iPhone 16 Pro rumors have suggested that Apple will eliminate the Blue Titanium option that it used for the iPhone 15 Pro devices and replace it with a rose or gold color. Now, the latest claim is that the new color is actually bronze or has a bronze-like appearance.

According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed focus digital," a new iPhone 16 Pro Max color resembles a "bronze hue," while the surrounding frame has a titanium-like appearance. Earlier this month, another Chinese leaker suggested that the color code for the new iPhone 16 Pro color is simply "Rose," not the previous "Rose Gold" color that Apple first offered back in 2015 for the iPhone 6S.

It could well be that the two claims are not contradictory and are in fact referring to the same color, but as seen under different lighting conditions. It's worth mentioning that today's leaker only mentions the iPhone 16 Pro Max in relation to the new color, but it is reasonable to assume that it will come to both Pro models. Other colors that the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max are expected to be available in include black, white or silver, and gray or "Natural Titanium."

Another rumor suggests that Apple plans to use an improved process for finishing and coloring titanium, which will result in a glossier look than the brushed aluminum finish of the iPhone 15 Pro models. The glossy finish could look much more like the stainless steel that Apple used in prior years, but it will be more resistant to scratches.

Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about six weeks out from the launch of the iPhone 16 series. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models, but with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max handsets getting slightly bigger display sizes. You can learn about plenty of other rumored design differences and new features by following the link.

OpenAI today said that it has started to roll out Advanced Voice Mode to a small number of paid ChatGPT users, allowing them to test out more natural, real-time conversations.

Advanced Voice Mode allows ChatGPT to provide real-time responses that can be interrupted, plus it is able to sense and respond to humor, sarcasm, and more. The new model does not need to convert your speech to text and back again as the current ChatGPT voice does, leading to lower latency interactions.

OpenAI demonstrated Advanced Voice Mode back in May, showing off an AI voice called Sky that sounded remarkably similar to Scarlett Johansson. The voice was created and used without Johansson's permission, and she ended up releasing a statement on the situation. She said that she turned down multiple offers from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who wanted Johansson to be the voice of ChatGPT. She said she was "shocked, angered, and in disbelief" that Altman created a voice that sounded "eerily similar" to her own voice. OpenAI claimed that the Sky voice was not intended to resemble the voice of Johansson, but it was removed after she hired legal counsel.

OpenAI says that since it demoed Advanced Voice Mode, it has been working to improve the safety and quality of voice conversations. Advanced Voice Mode speaks in four preset voices and is built to block outputs that differ from those voices, preventing it from mimicking celebrity voices. OpenAI has also "implemented guardrails" to block requests for violent or copyrighted content, and the early tests will be used to improve the feature before a wider launch.

Users who have been granted access to Advanced Voice Mode will receive an email with instructions, with OpenAI planning to add more people on a rolling basis. Everyone on Plus will have access to Advanced Voice Mode in the fall.

AI wearables like the Rabbit R1 and the AI Pin have attempted to capitalize on the popularity of artificial intelligence and have largely flopped, but that isn't stopping the creator of a new wearable device called Friend.

Friend is an AI necklace that is meant to serve as a personal companion, and in a video that could be the start to an episode of Black Mirror, it's shown providing support, encouragement, and companionship to the wearer.

The hardware component of Friend connects to an iPhone via Bluetooth, continually listening to all interactions around the wearer. Pressing a button on the necklace allows the user to speak to Friend, with a message sent to the ‌iPhone‌ in response. Friend is also able to send messages without a conversational prompt, responding to what the wearer is doing.

The Friend and its "memories" are stored on the necklace, with nothing uploaded to cloud servers. Friend creator Avi Schiffmann said in a blog post that the device is an "expression of how lonely" he's felt. In an interview with The Verge, Schiffmann said that Friend is designed to be supportive, validating, and able to encourage ideas. "It's a great brainstorming buddy," he said. "You can talk to it about relationships, things like that."

Friend is available for pre-order for $99, and it is set to launch in January 2025.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney today commented on Apple's Find My service, referring to it as "super creepy surveillance tech" that "shouldn't exist."

Sweeney went on to explain that several years ago, "a kid" stole a Mac laptop out of his car. Years later, Sweeney was checking ‌Find My‌, and as the Mac was still connected to his Apple ID account, it showed him the location where the thief lived.

Sweeney's take is curious, because providing the location of a lost or stolen device is exactly what the ‌Find My‌ service is meant to do. Apple devices remain tied to a user's account if not removed, a feature that is meant to thwart theft.

After confusion from his Twitter followers over his comments, Sweeney said that the location of a device in someone's possession can't be tracked without tracking the person, and "people have a right to privacy." He claims that detection and recovery of a lost or stolen device should be "mediated by due process of law" and not exposed to the device owner "in vigilante fashion."

When Sweeney saw how ‌Find My‌ worked, he said he turned off the feature on all of his devices.

While Apple's AirTag item trackers have been criticized for their use by stalkers, the ‌Find My‌ service has not been the target of similar complaints. ‌Find My‌ and Activation Lock have been important theft deterrents, cutting down on iPhone theft. Apple recently expanded Activation Lock to include iPhone components to prevent them from being disassembled for parts.

Emergency SOS via satellite expanded to Japan with the iOS 17.6 update that was released yesterday, according to Apple. Japanese customers with an iPhone 14 or an iPhone 15 can use Emergency SOS via satellite to get in touch with emergency services even when a Wi-Fi or cellular connection is unavailable.

Apple first introduced Emergency SOS via satellite in 2022 alongside the ‌iPhone‌ 14 models, but it was initially limited to the United States and Canada. Apple has been working to bring it to additional countries since then.

Japan has several different emergency contact numbers, and all of them work with Emergency SOS via satellite, including 119 for contacting fire and ambulance services, 110 for contacting the police, and 118 for contacting the coast guard. Satellite connectivity can also be used for updating Find My location when out of range of cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. The feature works for people living in Japan, as well as visitors to the country.

Emergency SOS via satellite works through a partnership with Globalstar, with ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone 15‌ models able to connect to Globalstar satellites in countries where the feature has launched. The service is free for two years after activating an ‌iPhone‌ 14 or ‌iPhone 15‌. Apple has not announced pricing for Emergency SOS via satellite after the two-year period expires.

Emergency SOS via satellite is available in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Apple released iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas for developers yesterday, introducing an early version of Apple Intelligence. Not all of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features are implemented yet, but we thought we'd go through what's available and see just what kind of changes AI will bring to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

With ‌Apple Intelligence‌, you can use Writing Tools to proofread text for spelling and grammar errors, or rewrite what you've written to change the tone. There are also options for summarizing any text, and Writing Tools are available across the operating system. You can use them anywhere you can write text.

Siri has a new design with a glow around the edges of the display when active, and there is a Type to ‌Siri‌ option so you don't need to talk to ‌Siri‌. ‌Siri‌ is able to maintain context between requests and follow along if you stumble over words, plus ‌Siri‌ can answer all kinds of questions about your devices thanks to the integration of Apple's product knowledge and support database.

Phone calls can be recorded, transcribed, and summarized, there are Smart Replies for Mail and Messages, Photos has a Memory Maker feature, and there's a Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that intelligently filters out notifications you don't need to see right away.

If you want a more in-depth rundown of all of the features that are available, we have a dedicated guide that highlights what's in the beta now. There are several Apple Intelligence features coming later, including Image Playground, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, and the smarter version of ‌Siri‌ that has onscreen awareness and can do more in and across apps. You won't find these features in the current iOS 18.1 beta, but Apple plans to roll them out across 2024 and 2025.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is limited to developers at the current time, with Apple working to refine the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features and eliminate bugs. A beta version of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will be available for all users later this fall, after iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ launch. You will need an iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or later or an Apple silicon Mac or ‌iPad‌ to use ‌Apple Intelligence‌ due to the processor requirements.

Amazon today is discounting a collection of Apple's AirPods, including the AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. All of these deals represent the best prices we've tracked since Prime Day, and are overall solid second-best prices on most models.

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.

The AirPods 2 is available for $69.99, down from $129.00, and the AirPods 3 is on sale for $129.99, down from $169.00. Amazon also has the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C for $179.99, down from $249.00. The AirPods 2 deal is a match for the all-time low price, while the other two are just about $10 higher than their previous record low prices.

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

The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are "widely expected" to support Wi-Fi 7, according to Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes.

Wi-Fi 7 support would enable the devices to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 is expected to offer peak theoretical data transfer speeds of over 40 Gbps, a 4× increase over Wi-Fi 6E.

Wi-Fi 7 support for iPhone 16 Pro models was previously rumored by supply chain analyst Jeff Pu. The devices should be released in September.

iPhone 15 Pro models gained support for Wi-Fi 6E, while all iPhone 11 through iPhone 14 models support standard Wi-Fi 6.

Apple's Vision Pro headset can now be controlled using only thoughts, thanks to integration with neurotechnology startup Synchron's brain-computer interface (BCI).

The company today announced that Apple Vision Pro has been successfully used by a patient through direct brain control facilitated by Synchron's brain-computer interface technology. Mark, a 64-year-old man suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), demonstrated the integration.

With this technology, Mark controlled the cursor on the Vision Pro to play Solitaire, watch Apple TV, and send text messages without using his hands, which he can no longer move due to his condition. The Vision Pro's reliance on hand gestures would otherwise pose a barrier for users like Mark who have lost upper limb functionality.

Mark has been practicing different skills and functions with his BCI twice a week since his implantation in August 2023. He noted that using the BCI to control the Vision Pro is similar to using it for his iPhone, iPad, and computer. Apple's suite of accessibility features across its platforms has been recognized for its excellence, which is why Synchron initially focused on integrating its BCI with Apple devices.

Synchron's brain-computer interface allows individuals with severe physical limitations to control digital devices with their thoughts. The BCI is implanted in the blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex via a minimally invasive endovascular procedure. The device detects motor intent from the brain and wirelessly transmits these signals to external devices, enabling hands-free control. Tom Oxley, CEO and Founder of Synchron, said:

BCI is a platform to re-connect people with injury or disease back to the fast-moving consumer technology landscape. Vision Pro is a powerful system, but it relies on the use of hand gestures to exert control over the UI. We are sending control signals directly from the brain to replace the need for hand gestures. We are moving towards a new Bluetooth standard for Human Computer Interactions that do not require touch or speech. This is a critical unmet need for millions of people with paralysis.

Synchron is preparing for larger-scale clinical studies to expand the reach of its BCI technology. It has implanted its BCI in six patients in the United States and four in Australia. The company continues to seek approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to commercialize its technology.

Apple used Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) developed by Google instead of Nvidia's widely-used graphics processing units (GPUs) to construct two critical components of Apple Intelligence.

The decision is detailed in a new research paper published by Apple that highlights its reliance on Google's cloud hardware (via CNBC). The paper reveals that Apple utilized 2,048 of Google's TPUv5p chips to build AI models and 8,192 TPUv4 processors for server AI models. The research paper does not mention Nvidia explicitly, but the absence of any reference to Nvidia's hardware in the description of Apple's AI infrastructure is telling and this omission suggests a deliberate choice to favor Google's technology.

The decision is noteworthy given Nvidia's dominance in the AI processor market and since Apple very rarely discloses its hardware choices for development purposes. Nvidia's GPUs are highly sought after for AI applications due to their performance and efficiency. Unlike Nvidia, which sells its chips and systems as standalone products, Google provides access to its TPUs through cloud services. Customers using Google's TPUs have to develop their software within Google's ecosystem, which offers integrated tools and services to streamline the development and deployment of AI models.

In the paper, Apple's engineers explain that the TPUs allowed them to train large, sophisticated AI models efficiently. They describe how Google's TPUs are organized into large clusters, enabling the processing power necessary for training Apple's AI models. Apple has announced plans to invest over $5 billion in AI server enhancements over the next two years, which should bolster its AI capabilities and reduce its dependence on external hardware providers.

In addition to detailing its use of Google's TPUs, the paper addresses ethical considerations in AI development. Apple emphasized its adherence to responsible data practices, claiming that no private user data was used in training its AI models. The company relied on a mix of publicly available, licensed, and open-sourced datasets for training purposes. Apple added that its training data set, which includes publicly available web data and licensed content, was curated to protect user privacy.