Apple today added a Classical Top 100 chart to Apple Music Classical, the classical music streaming service that it introduced in early 2023.
The list features the most popular classical music albums that are streamed globally, combining five data sources from more than 165 countries. Top 100 comes from Apple Music Classical streams, Apple Music streams, iTunes downloads, iTunes song sales, and Shazam tags.
According to Apple, the Classical Top 100 list is the most comprehensive classical music chart available. The first number one album is Bach: Keyboard Concertos with Chinese pianist Tianqi Du and the Academy of St Martins in the Fields conducted by Jonathan Bloxham. The top five albums feature artists from Canada, China, Brazil, Latvia, Norway, and the UK, and encompass everything from full orchestral symphonies to solo guitar.
Apple plans to update the Apple Classical Top 100 list each Monday, and it can be found on the Apple Music Classical Home tab. Each chart includes activity from the prior week.
Apple Music Classical is a standalone music app designed for classical music lovers and musicians. It has the world's largest classical music catalogue, and it can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple today updated its Sports app for iPhone with some changes related to Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball.
The release notes for version 1.5 of Apple Sports indicate that the app now supports Leagues Cup matches between MLS and Liga MX clubs, and the latest version also features an indicator in MLB box scores for pitcher statistics.
The release notes:
• Follow live as every MLS and Liga MX club competes for the Leagues Cup. • Added an indicator to MLB box scores for pitcher wins, losses, and saves.
Released in February, the Apple Sports app shows scores, schedules, stats, and more for a variety of leagues, such as the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and Premier League. The app also displays real-time play-by-play information for ongoing games.
Samsung is hosting a new "Black Friday in July" sale, which includes big discounts on multiple product lines sitewide. The popular ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor and new Smart Monitor M80D are both discounted during this sale, but you'll also find sales on storage, audio, TVs, smartphones, and home appliances.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Smart Monitor M80D was announced at CES in January and launched in early June. The display retains key features of the previous model, like USB-C charging connectivity, AirPlay 2 support, an integrated webcam, and several smart TV features that enable it to be used when not connected to a PC. It's on sale today for $499.99, which is a new all-time low price and beats the previous deal from earlier in the month by about $50.
In terms of new features, the M80D includes a Multi Control feature that allows images and text to be moved between the display and a Galaxy Book, Tablet, or Phone. You can also pair Galaxy Buds to the monitor for a spatial audio experience with head tracking, as well as guided workouts when paired with a Galaxy Watch.
You can also get the 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor for $899.99, down from $1,599.99. At $700 off this is an all-time low price on the 2023 display, which has a matte display, modular 4K SlimFit camera, and support for Thunderbolt 4.
We've rounded up a few more discounts below on TVs, monitors, and Galaxy products, but remember that this sale is sitewide and you can save on many more devices, including household appliances and more.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE will offer a series of major upgrades over the current model, the leaker known as "Ice Universe" claims.
The information was listed in a post on Weibo, which also detailed the specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup. As previously rumored, the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature Face ID and USB-C, marking a major upgrade from current and previous models that have all featured a Touch ID Home button and a Lightning port.
The device's display will apparently grow in size from 4.7 inches to 6.06 inches and feature an OLED panel for the first time. The new iPhone SE is also expected to tout an A18 chip like the iPhone 16 lineup, 6GB to 8GB of LPDDR5 memory, an aluminum chassis, and a single rear 48-megapixel camera. The fourth-generation iPhone SE will apparently launch between March and May of 2025 with a price point of $499 to $549. The current model launched in March 2022 for $429.
Apple's high-end AirPods Max headphones have dropped to a new record low price today on Amazon, available for $382.70 in Pink, down from $549.00. This deal is only available in the Pink colorway right now, and it beats the Prime Day price by about $12.
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.
Prime members can get the AirPods Max delivered as soon as July 24, while most other customers can expect a delivery by this Sunday, July 28. AirPods deals were very popular last week during Prime Day, but now the AirPods Max is the only model with a deal that beats those prices, although you can find some solid second-best prices on AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro 2 on Amazon this week.
Apple is scaling back its Hollywood spending after investing over $20 billion in original programming with limited success, Bloomberg reports.
This shift comes after the streaming service, which launched in 2019, struggled to capture a significant share of the market, accounting for only 0.2% of TV viewership in the U.S., compared to Netflix's 8%. Despite heavy investment, critical acclaim, and numerous award nominations, Apple TV+ purportedly generates less viewing in one month than Netflix does in a single day.
Over the last five years, the Apple TV+ has had only four series make Nielsen's weekly list of the ten most popular original streaming shows. While Ted Lasso was the most-watched streaming show of 2023, Apple TV+ still accounts for a smaller share of top ten hits than any streaming service except Paramount+.
Apple's initial foray into streaming was marked by lavish spending on high-profile projects and talent, including deals with big names like Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Jennifer Aniston. The company's Hollywood operation, led by studio chiefs Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, positioned itself as a talent-friendly destination, reminiscent of HBO, offering creators seemingly unlimited financial resources.
Apple spent more than $500 million combined on movies from directors Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, and Matthew Vaughn, and upwards of $250 million on the World War II miniseries Masters of the Air. Despite the strong reviews and awards nominations, these projects have not yielded the viewership that Apple apparently hoped for.
The company's new strategy is said to involve tighter budget controls and a more cautious approach to spending. This includes paying less upfront for shows, being quicker to cancel underperforming series, and delaying productions to manage costs better. For instance, the production of the sci-fi series Foundation was postponed to prevent budget overruns caused by delays related to the 2023 actors and writers strikes.
The cost of the second season of Severance surged to over $20 million per episode due to pandemic-related delays, internal conflicts, and additional expenses such as hiring House of Cards creator Beau Willimon for script contributions. Management has asked the producers of Severance to reduce the budget for future seasons, emphasizing the need for financial sustainability.
Apple has also become more selective in acquiring new projects, declining to buy some shows that sellers believe the company would have accepted just a few years ago. The company allegedly wants to shed the image of being Hollywood's biggest spender and bring more discipline and strategy to its content investments.
While still willing to invest heavily in certain high-profile projects, such as The Morning Show, where cast salaries alone exceed $50 million for the upcoming season, Apple TV+ is becoming more fiscally conservative. The Morning Show stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon will each earn more than $2 million per episode. This recalibration comes at a time when other major studios like Disney, Warner Bros., and Paramount are similarly cutting back on streaming budgets due to mounting losses.
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices.
Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting above the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the lineup. The latest information from Ice Universe, shared yesterday on Weibo, corroborates this and claims that the alleged display sizes and price points will be as follows:
iPhone 17: 6.27-inch LTPO display ($799)
iPhone 17 Pro: 6.27-inch LTPO display ($1,099)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.86-inch LTPO display ($1,199)
iPhone 17 "Slim": 6.65-inch LTPO display ($1,299)
Notably, all four iPhone 17 models will apparently feature LTPO displays for the first time, enabling ProMotion for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. To date, ProMotion displays have been exclusive to Apple's "Pro" devices, so the iPhone 17 may be the first time that the technology expands to a lower-cost device.
The iPhone 17 "Slim" is said to become the new iPhone flagship with a price tag of approximately $1,299, making it the most expensive iPhone model to date. It will allegedly feature a 6.65-inch display, placing it between the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in size.
The iPhone 17 Pro models will purportedly feature 12GB of memory, a triple 48-megapixel rear camera system, and an A19 Pro chip fabricated with TSMC's N3P process, whereas the standard model will feature a separate A19 chip. This contrasts with the iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to feature the same A18 chip across the board.
The post also suggests that the iPhone 17 "Slim" will feature an A19 chip, a dual dear camera system, an aluminum chassis, and 8GB of memory, but it is not clear if this is accurate. It is possible that this information has simply been assumed based on its replacement of the "Plus" model and it seems potentially strange for the new high-end model to have inferior specifications to the Pro models. The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to be introduced in September 2025.
OWC this week knocked the price of the popular 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock down to $99.99, from its original price of $279.99, and this deal is still around this weekend. This is a match of the all-time low price on the accessory, which we last tracked way back in April.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with OWC. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Besides this dock, you'll find a large collection of accessories on sale at this time on OWC, including USB-C hubs, external drives and enclosures, and internal memory upgrade kits for Mac.
In regards to the 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock, this accessory features two Thunderbolt 3 ports, five USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port, one Mini DisplayPort port, one gigabit Ethernet port, one S/PDIF digital audio output port, and one 3.5mm stereo audio input/output port. There are also two memory card slots for microSD and SD cards.
All of the devices listed below are in new condition at OWC, although the retailer does provide various item condition options for anyone who might want to save money by purchasing open box items. Be sure to visit OWC's sale landing page to browse the full sale, which also features deals on cables, Mac accessories, keyboards, and headphones.
The public betas of iOS 18 and other upcoming major operating system updates are finally here! Apple has spent the past month refining the betas through developer testing, and it's now time to open them up for broader access ahead of a full public launch several months from now.
We also got a surprise hardware update this week, but it was one of the most minor updates imaginable – swapping out the Space Gray color of the HomePod mini for a new version in an extremely similar Midnight color. This week also saw us taking a look ahead at the upcoming iPhone 16 and Apple Watch lineups that should now be less than two months way, while we went hands-on with Samsung's new earbuds that have some striking similarities to Apple's AirPods Pro, so read on below for all the details!
Apple Releases First iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 Public Betas
The first public beta of iOS 18 is now available for the iPhone, allowing anyone to test the update for free. We recommend installing the beta on a secondary iPhone, rather than the one that you use daily, as there are often bugs and other issues with pre-release software.
iOS 18 features more Home Screen and Control Center customization options, a completely redesigned Photos app, the ability to use any emoji as a Tapback in the Messages app, an option to lock apps behind Face ID or Touch ID, and much more. The tentpole feature of iOS 18 is Apple Intelligence, which is Apple's new suite of generative AI features coming to iPhone 15 Pro models and newer later this year.
There does not appear to be any other changes to the HomePod mini, which continues to start at $99 in the United States. In fact, Midnight looks nearly identical to Space Gray, so there is little reason for any existing HomePod mini owners to purchase the new color option.
iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know
Apple's next-generation iPhone 16 series is just two months away from being unveiled, and there are already many rumors for the devices.
2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting
Alongside the iPhone 16 series later this year, we can expect the next-generation Apple Watch lineup, including so-called Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 models.
Earlier this week, we rounded up key changes to expect from the next Apple Watch lineup, including larger display sizes for some models. As is often the case, new health features like sleep apnea detection have also been rumored.
iOS 18 Passwords App: All the Features
iOS 18 features a standalone Passwords app from Apple that surfaces some of the iCloud Keychain functionality built into the Settings app on previous versions of iOS for more convenient access.
Apple's AirPods Pro 2 vs. Samsung's Galaxy Buds3 Pro
Samsung last week introduced its latest earbuds, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro, which look quite a bit like Apple's AirPods Pro 2. Given the similarities, we thought we'd compare Samsung's new earbuds to the AirPods Pro.
Check out our hands-on video that goes through the design similarities and differences, performance comparisons, and other features to get an idea of how they match head-to-head. Apple users will almost certainly want to stick with AirPods Pro while Android users would want to opt for the Galaxy Buds, but it's always good to see what the competition is up to.
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.
Apple is expanding how its cross-platform Continuity features work in 2024, introducing an iPhone Mirroring option in macOS Sequoia and iOS 18. As the name suggests, iPhone Mirroring lets you control your iPhone with your Mac by mirroring your iPhone's display to your Mac's display. You can manage your iPhone from your Mac with iPhone Mirroring, using your mouse, keyboard, and trackpad with iPhone apps, notifications, and more.
This guide walks through all of the iPhone Mirroring features and explains how it works.
iPhone Mirroring Basics
After upgrading to iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, there's a new iPhone Mirroring app in the Dock, and that's how you start an iPhone Mirroring session.
From your Mac's Dock, click on the iPhone Mirroring app.
Click on Continue at the pop-up informational screen.
Select the iPhone that you want to use if you have more than one iPhone.
Unlock your iPhone with a passcode to allow the connection.
Click on Get Started.
Use Touch ID on the Mac to authenticate (alternatively, enter your password).
When you start up iPhone Mirroring for the first time, you can opt to have it require authentication with every connection or to allow a connection automatically. If you choose automatic authentication, you will not need to authenticate with Touch ID or a password to use iPhone Mirroring when your Mac is unlocked.
Otherwise, you will need to authenticate on your Mac each time you want to use iPhone Mirroring. Note that an iPhone needs to be locked while an iPhone Mirroring session is in progress, so you can't use your iPhone while it's being mirrored to your Mac.
If your iPhone is not locked and you attempt to initiate iPhone Mirroring from your Mac, you will get a warning that the iPhone is in use.
There is no option for launching an iPhone Mirroring session from an iPhone -- it needs to be done from a Mac. While the iPhone Mirroring app icon should be in the Dock, if it's not there, you can get to it from the Launchpad or the Applications folder, because it is treated as a standard app.
iPhone Mirroring Interface
Your full iPhone interface is shown as a dedicated app on the Mac, with your wallpaper and app icons all visible and accessible. You can click in to any of your apps and use it on the Mac just like you would on the iPhone.
You can get to your Home Screen by clicking on the bottom bar, and swap between pages with the trackpad or with a click and drag gesture using a mouse. There are menu options for getting to the Home Screen and for bringing up the app switching interface, but most control is done within the iPhone Mirroring window.
iPhone Mirroring Requirements
To use iPhone Mirroring, you need a Mac that runs macOS Sequoia and that has an Apple silicon chip (M1 or later) or a T2 security chip. Macs with T2 security chips are Intel-based and include the following machines:
Your iPhone and Mac need to be signed into the same Apple ID, and two-factor authentication must be enabled for the iPhone Mirroring feature to work. You will also need to turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and the two devices will need to be near each other.
During an iPhone Mirroring session, your Mac and your iPhone need to be close to one another, essentially in the same room.
Privacy and Security
You need to be signed into the same Apple ID on your iPhone and your Mac for iPhone Mirroring to work. While iPhone Mirroring is active, your iPhone does not need to be unlocked.
Your iPhone can remain tucked away in a pocket or a bag while you control it from your Mac, so no one can access it or see what you're doing with it. You do need to have your iPhone close enough to your Mac for there to be a Bluetooth connection, likely for security purposes.
Using a Mouse and Keyboard with iPhone
Your Mac's keyboard, trackpad, and mouse can be used with your iPhone, which is useful if you need to type something lengthy in an iPhone app.
Audio, Camera, and Microphone
If you play a video on your iPhone while iPhone Mirroring is enabled, the audio comes through your Mac. You can't turn on the Camera app or use the microphone, though.
iPhone Notifications on Mac
With iPhone Mirroring turned on, incoming iPhone notifications show up right alongside your Mac notifications in the Notification Center at the upper right hand corner of the Mac's display.
iPhone notifications are denoted with a small iPhone icon, but they otherwise look like native Mac notifications.
You can click on a notification and open up the app on your iPhone, interacting with it directly from the Mac.
StandBy
While your iPhone is being mirrored to your Mac, it can be on a charger and in StandBy mode, displaying the time and other information.
Drag and Drop
Later this year, Apple plans to add iPhone Mirroring's best feature, file transfers. You will be able to transfer files, photos, and videos from your Mac to your iPhone and vice versa using drag and drop gestures.
Apple says that it will work just like dragging files from one Mac app to another.
While drag and drop has yet to be implemented, you can sort of work around this by using AirDrop to move photos and files from your iPhone to your Mac, initiating AirDrop from the iPhone without having to unlock it.
Resizing
There are three size options for iPhone Mirroring. You can have it mirror the display size of your iPhone or set it to be one size bigger or one size larger, with these options available from the iPhone Mirroring settings options.
If an app or a game is displayed in landscape orientation, the window will shift into landscape.
Home Screen Management
You can click and hold on an area of the iPhone's Home Screen while iPhone Mirroring is activated to bring up jiggle mode, which allows you to then rearrange your iPhone apps, delete them, and add and manage widgets.
iPhone Mirroring Limitations
iPhone Mirroring will not work if the Mac is using AirPlay to stream music or video content to another device, or if Sidecar is enabled with an iPad. Continuity Camera cannot be enabled either, so if you're using your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac, you can't use iPhone Mirroring at the same time.
Attempting to watch movies and TV shows from some apps like Hulu and Netflix does not work, with the iPhone Mirroring app showing just a blank black screen, likely due to DRM restrictions.
You cannot access the Control Center or the Notification Center with iPhone Mirroring, nor can you manage the Lock Screen.
Apple this week updated the Apple Maps app in Paris in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which are set to begin on Friday, July 26. All permanent venues, such as the Parc de Princes and Centre Aquatique Olympique, are displayed as custom, hand-built 3D landmarks.
Iconic sites like Gare de l'Est, Pont d'Iéna, and Place de la Madeleine are also rendered with more detail, and for the first time, the Maps app is displaying pop up locations that include temporary venues, souvenir shops, and public gathering sites. support for pop up locations will help attendees find important places for the summer games.
All game locations and ceremony sites have special icons to help visitors find where they need to be, and Apple says that Maps displays all of the latest updates on road closures and advisories due to the games to help users navigate the city. There are curated Maps Guides for restaurants, hotels, and shopping, with dozens of new Guides from Le Bonbon, Le Fooding, Radio France, Madame Figaro, and My Little Paris.
Along with the Maps updates, Apple plans to feature stories spotlighting popular events like gymnastics and swimming in the App Store, and it recommends that people download the official Paris 2024 Olympics app to follow along. Sports-themed mobile games and health and fitness apps will be highlighted as well.
Full coverage of Olympic events will be available through the Peacock and NBC Sports apps, which can be downloaded from the App Store. A daily Olympic recap will be available on Peacock for fans in the U.S., offering customized playlists of highlights from relevant events from the prior day.
There is a dedicated NBC Olympics Hub in the Apple TV app for quick access to NBC coverage.
Apple Podcasts will feature shows and episodes celebrating sports and the power of gathering together in Paris, while Apple Newswill have curated coverage of the events and the stars of the games along with a schedule of events. Apple Music also plans to publish a Guide to French Music, which is an in-depth editorial feature of all the musical genres in France. It will go live later this week.
The Summer Olympics will begin next Friday with an Opening Ceremony that begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time or 7:30 p.m. Paris time. Soccer games will begin on July 24, with badminton, handball, rowing, volleyball, fencing, field hockey, shooting, diving, and gymnastics set to begin on July 27. Events will continue until August 11.
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we revisit the experience of using Apple Vision Pro and talk through our first impressions of the iOS 18 public beta.
Apple's Vision Pro headset is now available in the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, prompting renewed interest in the spatial computing device. We discuss our thoughts on the best aspects of the Vision Pro, such as immersive video, spatial photos and video, gestures, and UI design, as well as its shortcomings, such as weight and comfort, video passthrough in dark environments, limited content, and general usefulness.
Earlier this week, Apple released the first public beta of iOS 18, bringing the new software to the general public for the first time since the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Apple has seeded three developer betas so far, and the first public beta includes the same content that's in the third developer beta. We talk over our thoughts on iOS 18's new Home Screen and Control Center customization features, the redesigned Photos app, and more.
Let us know what you think about the experience of using the Vision Pro headset and the iOS 18 beta in the comments. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Amazon Prime Day took place earlier this week, and it introduced huge discounts on a wide variety of Apple products, including AirPods Max, MacBook Pro, and iPad Pro. Even though Prime Day has ended, we're still tracking quite a few of these record low prices as we head into the weekend, so if you missed out be sure to check out the deals below before they're gone for good.
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.
As is usual during big discount events, some of the best deals this week could be found on Apple's AirPods, and most of them are still available right now on Amazon. You'll find the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max at all-time low prices today on Amazon, and the AirPods 2 at a solid second-best price.
Amazon has the Apple Pencil Pro for $109.99, down from the regular price of $129.00. This is a new record low price for the accessory, beating the previous sale price by $10. The Apple Pencil 2 is also at an all-time low price of $79.00 right now on Amazon.
Best Buy's and Amazon's deals include all-time low prices on the 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro, and the best discounts will be found on the larger screen computers. The 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro is currently discounted by $500 for all customers on Best Buy, but if you have a My Best Buy Plus/Total membership, you can add up to an extra $200 off select models.
Amazon and Best Buy are taking $200 off the previous generation M2 MacBook Air this week, starting at $799.00 for 256GB and rising to $999.00 for 512GB. Both of these are all-time low prices for the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air.
M4 iPad Pro
What's the deal? Take up to $385 off the new M4 iPad Pro
Amazon this week had all-time low prices on a few models of the 11-inch and 13-inch M4 iPad Pro, and most are still available. Prices start at $919.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi model, and also include multiple cellular tablets. Our original post has the full list of tablets on sale.
Amazon is taking $50 off the Wi-Fi models of the 2022 iPad, starting at $299.00 for 64GB Wi-Fi. You'll also find both cellular devices on sale this weekend.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China.
According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to be released in September. The iPhone SE 4, meanwhile, is expected to arrive in the spring.
The latest claim casts doubt on a previous rumor suggesting Apple would use a modified iPhone 14 chassis as the basis for a fourth-generation iPhone SE. In November 2023, MacRumors learned from a source close to Apple's manufacturing process that the dimensions of the iPhone SE 4 "perfectly matched" those of the base model iPhone 14 in its current stage.
While it's still unclear what may have led to the change, it's possible that Apple chose to adopt its newer rear chassis process for the more affordable SE model to achieve economy of scale at the point of production as the manufacture of iPhone 14 models winds down towards retirement.
However, it could also indicate a change to the camera system on the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Unlike the iPhone 14, the iPhone SE 4 was previously rumored to include a single 48-megapixel rear camera with a custom backplate for the device to account for the design change.
In contrast, for the iPhone 16 models, Apple is planning a new vertical camera lens arrangement that is a departure from the diagonal lens setup found on iPhone 15 models. The new orientation will presumably allow the standard iPhone 16 models to capture Spatial Video for the Vision Pro headset. Adopting the same backplate for the iPhone SE 4 would seem to suggest it will feature the same dual camera setup, although we haven't heard any rumors specifically claiming that this is in Apple's plans.
Apple is said to be targeting a sub-$500 starting price for its fourth-generation iPhone SE model, despite a raft of rumored upgrades coming to the more affordable device. Touch ID and the Home button will be replaced by Face ID and a display notch, while the display size will increase from 4.7 inches to 6.1 inches. Other features expected for the next iPhone SE include a USB-C port and an Action button.
The third-generation iPhone SE was released in March 2022, so there is likely pent-up demand for a new model that includes some of the latest features of Apple's flagship iPhone models. For everything else we know about the iPhone SE 4, be sure to check our dedicated roundup.
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery cycles.
The cause of the failure has been identified as an update to CrowdStrike Falcon antivirus software installed on Windows 10 PCs, but Mac and Linux machines running the same cybersecurity software have been spared. CrowdStrike, which specializes in endpoint security protection for corporate networks, has just released the following statement:
"CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts.
"Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack.
"The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.
"We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website.
"We further recommend organisations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels.
"Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers."
Unfortunately, the nature of the problem means that fixing it isn't as simple as installing a patch. The workaround to break the infinite boot cycle on affected Windows machines involves manually booting into safe mode, navigating to the CrowdStrike directory, and deleting the system file that caused the problem. As such, it could be a while before all services impacted by the content update are back up and running.
For those who have a Windows machine that has succumbed to the botched update (now rolled back), CrowdStrike has outlined the following steps system admins need to take to get back up and running:
Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment.
Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory.
Locate the file matching 'C-00000291*.sys', and delete it.
Boot the host normally.
As expected, Apple's system status webpage shows no issues with its services, however there have been scattered reports of problems with contactless payments across some businesses, which could prevent Apple Pay transactions from being processed.
Smart home company Eve Systems today announced the launch of a new version of the Eve Weather that offers Matter support. With Matter, the new Eve Weather can be added to HomeKit or smart home setups from other companies.
Eve Weather is a small cube-shaped accessory that is designed to provide outdoor weather temperature, humidity, and the local 12-hour weather trend. A display at the front allows you to see temperature and humidity at a glance, but the data also syncs to the Eve app.
With HomeKit integration, Siri can be used to provide details on the outdoor weather conditions, and the data can be used to trigger HomeKit automations. Eve Weather offers IPX4 water resistance so it can be kept outdoors year-round and displayed anywhere.
Eve Weather can be purchased from the Eve website or from Amazon.com for $80. Eve is continuing to sell the HomeKit version of the device as well for those who do not have a Matter-enabled hub, which includes the HomePod and latest Apple TV.
Netflix has gained more than 8 million global paid subscribers since April, according to new subscriber information included in the company's second quarter earnings results [PDF]. With the jump in paid subscriptions, Netflix now has a total of 277.65 million paid subscribers around the world, marking 16.5 percent year-over-year growth.
Ad tier memberships increased 34 percent quarter-over-quarter, thanks to Netflix pushing its ad-supported tier. Netflix eliminated its cheapest ad-free "Basic" subscription tier last year, and earlier in July, the company began warning customers in the UK and Canada that they would need to move to a new plan.
In the United States, the Basic plan was priced at $9.99 per month, but the cheapest ad-free Netflix plan is now priced at $15.49 a month. Netflix had been allowing customers that were already on the Basic plan to continue using it, but that is being phased out. Ad tier memberships grew 34 percent from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2024.
Netflix with ads is priced at $6.99 per month, and it includes between four and five minutes of ads per hour. Ads vary in length from 15 to 30 seconds and play before and during TV shows and movies. The company says that it will soon test an in-house ad tech platform in Canada, with plans to launch it broadly in 2025.
Netflix saw 17 percent growth in revenue year-over-year, and it is expecting overall 2024 growth to be at 14 to 15 percent. Netflix is expecting ad memberships to increase in 2025 and beyond, with ad revenue becoming a more meaningful contributor to its business.
Most iPhone-connected smart home products are more for convenience than fun, but Bird Buddy, a bird feeder that sends pictures to your iPhone, is definitely in the latter category. When I first came across the Bird Buddy, I thought it would be an interesting novelty product to give as a gift, but it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite smart devices.
Design and Components
Made from a sturdy plastic material, the Bird Buddy comes in either blue or yellow. The housing is designed around a camera, which is placed front and center to capture images of birds that come by to eat from the feeder. A tray holds the seed, and there's a small perch for birds to stand on to eat. There's a seed reservoir at the back to replenish what's in the tray as it's consumed, and a roof protects the seed from the elements.
There are two versions of the Bird Buddy, one with a solar roof for charging the camera and one with a standard plastic roof. If you have a semi-sunny spot for the Bird Buddy, I recommend the solar roof. I have my feeder in a spot that gets several hours of sun per day, and I've never had to take the camera out to charge it. A family member also has the solar model (that I gifted), and it is in a much shadier spot. With the shade cover, the Bird Buddy needs to be charged every month to every other month.
Both of these feeders see multiple visits per day, though the one located in the shade that needs charging more often has an almost constant stream of bird visitors. Without a solar roof, Bird Buddy says that the battery lasts for 5 to 15 days, so the solar roof does eliminate the hassle of frequent charging.
The Bird Buddy disassembles into its component pieces for charging and cleaning. You can remove the camera module and bring it into the house, but doing so requires taking the feeder down, opening up the back, and pulling the camera out. It charges with USB-C, and takes two to four hours to charge to full. With the solar roof, you connect the USB-C port on the Bird Buddy to the USB-C port on the solar charger, so you could do the same thing with a DIY setup, adding your own solar panel. Alternatively, you could use an extension cord and keep it plugged in all the time, though Bird Buddy only recommends this for protected areas like a balcony.
Setup wasn't difficult, but the lights on the Bird Buddy are super hard to see, so when you need a blinking red light to pair, it's hard to tell that it's blinking. I didn't have issues other than that, and with the solar version, it's a little tricky getting the camera plugged in. You need to connect the USB-C cable from the solar panel to the Bird Buddy camera, routing the cable through a small spot a the top of the feed bin. I was worried about this set up, but it's held up to heavy rain and the cabling has not gotten wet.
Along with the solar roof, camera module, and feeder housing, the Bird Buddy comes with a seed scoop for adding bird seed, a hanger, and a pole mount, so there are multiple options for mounting. I bought a pole from Wild Birds Unlimited that I read on the internet was compatible with the mount, but it was not, so I hung it up. If you want to mount the Bird Buddy on a pole, you will need a pole with a 0.97-inch inner diameter (a common size).
Size wise, the Bird Buddy is comparable to smaller bird feeders on the market, and it holds about four cups of seed in the reservoir and tray. In my experience, that's about a pound of bird seed. Adding and refilling seed can be done by opening up the back hatch and using the seed scoop to pour it in. I only need to refill around once every two weeks or so because I have other bird feeders, but that will vary based on how many visitors you're getting.
You need to make sure the Bird Buddy is in range of your Wi-Fi router because it does need a constant Wi-Fi connection and a 2.4GHz band.
Add-Ons
The size of the seed tray and the small size of the included perch will likely limit most visits to smaller birds like finches and sparrows, but Bird Buddy sells a perch extender for $24. I did go ahead and pick this up, and I like it because it gives the birds more space to perch.
There's also a 3-in-1 nutrition set for $29, but I wasn't a fan of it. It includes an add-on seed/water dish that you can use for seeds or jelly, or attach to an included water bottle. There's also a set of prongs where you can add an orange or another fruit if you want to attract orioles. You can only use one of these at a time, and while the tray itself was fine, the water bottle took up too much perch space and blocked the camera.
For $14, you can get a suet ball holder too, which can attract more types of birds. The suet ball also blocks the camera somewhat, so it's a bit of a tradeoff. If you want to mount the Bird Buddy to the wall, you'll need the $24 Wall Mount, which is not included with the base purchase.
If you have access to a 3D printer, I have seen several Bird Buddy STLs for add-on perches and seed holders, plus neat options like a fence to keep birds from perching and eating out of view.
There is no built-in protection from squirrels, raccoons, and other critters on the Bird Buddy, which is a downside. You either need to have a setup that puts the feeder out of range of these creatures or you need to accept them as visitors. The pole that I use has a baffle that blocks squirrels from climbing it, and it seems to be far enough away from nearby surfaces so the squirrels can't leap to the feeder. Bird Buddy does not sell poles or baffles at this time, though it looks like there's going to be a pole setup released later this year.
While Bird Buddy sells birdseed, any kind of bird food can go in the device. There are some limitations, like full-sized in-shell peanuts likely wouldn't fit because of the opening size, but any kind of bird seed or meal worm mix should work. I have not tried the Bird Buddy bird seed, as I've just bought seed locally from a nearby bird store.
Bird Visits
It took a good two weeks for birds to start visiting my Bird Buddy after I set it up, and there are placement considerations to take into account. Bird Buddy's website has instructions and tips on attracting birds. In addition to being positioned to keep squirrels and similar critters away, the Bird Buddy will be more successful near a water source like a bird bath and with trees and bushes that birds can hide in to escape predators.
I don't have the Bird Buddy in the most ideal location because I wanted it near a window where my cat can watch it, but it's still attracting birds, so there's some wiggle room. I have a cohort of house finches that dominate my bird feeders right now, but I have seen a goldfinch a few times and a wren. There are robins and a ton of other birds around, but the combination of nearness to my windows, a nearby resident hawk, and the finches are keeping them away.
A family member who has a Bird Buddy much further than the house near a forested area gets frequent cardinal, dove, and sparrow visits, plus we've seen bluebirds, nuthatches, chickadees, and towhees.
You could probably put it anywhere and have good luck on bird visits, though the most variety will come with offering the best conditions and food options.
Bird Buddy App
The Bird Buddy is just a bird feeder with a camera, and there are many on the market, but it's the app that elevates the experience and sets it apart. Bird Buddy is able to recognize the birds that are visiting your feeder, letting you know what kind of bird you're getting, so it becomes a fun game trying to attract new birds. I was thrilled when I recently had visits from a pair of goldfinches.
It's a lot of fun to get an alert about a new type of bird, and you can collect snapshots of your favorites so you can keep a log of the species that you've seen.
The Bird Buddy app is entirely free to download and use, and you can even use it to view Bird Buddy feeds if you don't have your own. I downloaded the app and used it to watch a family member's bird feeder well before I set up my own Bird Buddy.
Though you have the option to view a livestream of the Bird Buddy, it's mostly set up to take snapshots when birds visit and then send "postcards" to you various times throughout the day. Postcards include several photos and a video of the visit, and they are limited to the best images captured so that Bird Buddy doesn't send an excessive number of notifications. Multiple people can receive these postcards, as long as they're connected to the same bird feeder.
I get between two and four notifications a day, usually a couple visit notifications and then a wrap-up notification at the end of the day. Bird Buddy will also sometimes send notifications for a feeding frenzy so you can tune in and watch live. In the app, there are notification customization settings. Smart push notifications (the default) alert you to only the most "essential and intriguing updates" with an end-of-day recap, but there is an option to get all push notifications.
There are separate battery preserving options that change how many postcards you get, so at max, you'll see more recordings. You can also ignore mystery visitors (where a bird can't be identified), or ignore a certain type of bird if you see the same thing over and over again. Notifications can also be paused for a set period of time, so there's a lot of control over what the app is sending.
In addition to viewing your own Bird Buddy, you can be invited to receive postcards from other Bird Buddy owners, and you can invite people to see yours. You can invite three people to view your Bird Buddy feed in total. You can also choose to join popular bird feeders for a 72-hour period, where you receive postcards from that feeder. Pictures that you get from the Bird Buddy app can be saved to your smartphone, shared with other people, and shared on social media.
Bird Buddy has a "BB TV" feed where you can see videos from all around the world, swiping through them to swap to a new video, sort of like birdie TikTok. It's a fun way to see different birds, and to get a look at what kinds of birds might be in your own area that you can attract. You can save postcards, and tap into the Collection section of the app to see your images.
Viewing an image in the Collection provides information on that bird species, such as their favorite foods, where they're found, fun facts, personality traits, and lifespan. There are even recordings of their songs and calls.
The Bird Buddy app is free to download and use, and you do not need a subscription to connect a Bird Buddy, get postcards, and/or watch up to three feeds. Once you buy a Bird Buddy, there are no additional fees to pay to use it. The app does, however, include some "Pro" features that are available as an upgrade for those who are interested.
Pro lets you invite more people to your own feeder, view more remote feeders, ignore select bird species (possibly one of the most useful options), see higher-resolution video recordings, and get more postcards with frenzy mode. There are also new AI options that are still in the early stages of development. Bird Buddy can alert you to sick birds and hide their images, but since turning it on, it's been telling me every bird with a messy food beak is ill, which is inaccurate. I ultimately had to turn it off.
There's also a feature for "naming" frequent visitors, which I've been testing. I've named several of the house finches that come by, but Bird Buddy can't really tell them apart, which is not surprising because I'm not sure I can either. It will send a notification asking if a bird is a certain one that you've named, but it's up to you to confirm by comparing photographs. I have three female finches that I've named, but it only ever asks about one, so it's not a feature I've found particularly useful. You can get alerts about non-bird spottings like squirrels and lizards with Pro, and connect to Amazon Alexa devices to see images and hear bird sounds to bring the outdoors inside.
Other standard app features include notifications for cleaning and charging, assembly and maintenance documents, and Bird Buddy support.
Note that you need the Bird Buddy app to use the feeder and view the feed. It is not available for viewing on the web, and there is no Mac/PC version of the app.
Bottom Line
The Bird Buddy is a lot of fun. I initially got one as a gift for someone who is hard to shop for, and it turned out to be a hit. We have regular conversations about bird visits, bird food, and thwarting squirrels. I'd definitely recommend it for that kind of situation, and any nature lover or gardener would likely be thrilled with it.
I enjoy my daily postcard recap and checking out the birds that have visited over the course of the day, even when it's a bird I've seen dozens of times (aka house finches). There are bird squabbles, messy eating videos, acrobatics, and other activity to get into. I've found myself searching for the optimal bird food, adding additional bird feeders, and researching birds nearby, so it can get a little involved.
On the downside, the Bird Buddy is expensive (definitely wait for a sale), and there are no size options if you want to attract bigger birds or use other kinds of feeders with the camera. The subscription features are a little hit or miss, and some of the new AI additions are very much in the early stages of development.
There are a lot of bundle options, but I'd recommended the solar roof model and the add-on extended perch over the other add-ons.
How to Buy
The Bird Buddy can be purchased from the Bird Buddy website or from Amazon. It is priced at $239 for the standard model and $299 for the model with a solar roof, though there are often sales.
Note: Bird Buddy provided MacRumors with a Smart Bird Feeder with Solar Roof for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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