MacRumors

Apple failed in its attempt to get the antitrust lawsuit that the U.S. Department of Justice filed against it dismissed, reports Reuters. U.S. District Judge Julien Neals, who is overseeing the case, today denied Apple's motion for dismissal.

Apple asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit in August of last year, arguing that the DOJ's complaint failed to demonstrate anticompetitive conduct, harm to consumers, or that Apple has a monopoly over the U.S. smartphone market.

The government's antitrust case against Apple will take years to play out, but it will now move forward. It is not unusual for a case to fail to be dismissed, because when filing for a dismissal, there are limits on the information that can be provided and cases often go in favor of the plaintiff.

The DOJ accused Apple of a smartphone monopoly in the United States, citing Apple's restriction of third-party access to Apple services and features and claiming that consumers are "locked" into Apple's ecosystem. Apple argues that the DOJ is attempting to force it to spend money on enriching its competitors, and that it is not a monopolist because it faces competition from companies like Samsung and Google.

Apple will now file an answer to the DOJ's initial complaint, and a discovery period will begin where Apple and the DOJ provide documents, expert testimony, and depositions. After that, there will be a summary judgment with additional arguments, and finally, a trial. The case is unlikely to make it to trial until 2028 or even later.

For a reminder about the DOJ's antitrust claims against Apple, we have a dedicated guide that explains the details in the U.S. vs. Apple legal fight.

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 may fix its Siri failings by partnering with ChatGPT creator OpenAI or Claude creator Anthropic, reports Bloomberg. Apple has been meeting with OpenAI and Anthropic to discuss a potential deal that would see a third-party large language model used as the backbone for ‌Siri‌.

Both companies are training versions of their models that would work with Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, and Apple is running tests, but hasn't made a final decision on whether to abandon ‌Siri‌. So far, Apple has found that Anthropic's AI models are the best fit for ‌Siri‌, and Apple and Anthropic have already discussed some preliminary financial terms. Bloomberg says that Anthropic is asking for a multibillion-dollar annual fee that increases over time, which is why Apple is also considering partnering with other companies like OpenAI.

Apple has been training a large language model for a future version of ‌Siri‌, but it is no secret that Apple has been struggling with AI. Apple previewed several new ‌Siri‌ capabilities at the June 2024 WWDC keynote and advertised the iPhone 16 models with the functionality, but ultimately wasn't able to develop the technology in time.

In March, Apple said that the Apple Intelligence ‌Siri‌ features would be delayed until 2026, sparking customer outrage and spurring several lawsuits. Apple now plans to introduce those features in an update to iOS 26.

Apple's work on an LLM version of ‌Siri‌ is separate from the personalized ‌Siri‌ features that are coming in iOS 26. LLM ‌Siri‌ is planned as a follow up to the new features coming in ‌iOS 26‌, and it will presumably debut in iOS 27 in the fall of 2026.

Partnering with Anthropic or OpenAI would give Apple time to work on its own AI models while still delivering modern AI features that customers have come to expect. Apple already partners with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into ‌Siri‌, and iOS 18 users are able to have ‌Siri‌ pass requests on to ChatGPT for more detailed answers.

Apple is officially ending support for the prior version of Apple Home this year, and the company has been encouraging users to update to the new HomeKit architecture by that time to avoid interruptions with accessories and automations.

So far, Apple has warned that support for the current version of Apple Home is ending soon and asked users to upgrade, but it appears some homes that have yet to transition to the updated architecture will be moved over automatically.

In the latest beta of iOS 18.6, there is code that says automatic upgrades are coming.

Support for your current version of Apple Home will end this fall. Some homes will be automatically updated at that time, but others need to be updated manually. You can update now to avoid interruptions with your accessories, automations, and critical alerts.

Prior versions of this message did not mention the possibility of an automatic upgrade, but it makes sense for Apple to ensure that ‌HomeKit‌ users who aren't checking the Home app settings won't experience an interruption in service when iOS 26 rolls out this fall. Apple does not clarify the criteria for the automatic upgrade, so it's not clear who will need to do the manual update.

Apple first introduced the updated ‌HomeKit‌ architecture in December 2022, but users ran into issues with missing devices, home sharing invitations that didn't work, and problems with HomeKit Secure Video, so Apple pulled the update. It then rolled out again in March 2023 alongside iOS 16.4, and it has been stable since then.

The new ‌HomeKit‌ architecture does not work on devices that are running older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, so this fall, some users will be unable to control their ‌HomeKit‌ setups on Apple products that aren't able to run at least iOS 16 or macOS Sonoma.

Apple's ‌HomeKit‌ upgrade adds support for guest access, robot vacuum cleaners, and Activity History. It also offers faster, more reliable performance for smart homes with a lot of ‌HomeKit‌ and Matter accessories installed.

If you haven't upgraded to the new architecture, it can be installed in the Home app by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and selecting Software Upgrade.

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

Developers can opt-in to the macOS Sequoia beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

There's no word yet on what's included in macOS Sequoia 15.6, and no new features were discovered in the first beta. Apple's work on macOS Sequoia is winding down as it focuses on macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's coming in the fall.

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

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

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

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

Apple is winding down work on iOS 18 and is focusing on iOS 26. ‌iOS 26‌ is in beta testing right now and is set to launch in September alongside new iPhone 17 models.

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

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

There's no word on what's included in the beta updates at this time and no features were discovered int he first betas, but we'll update this article if anything new is found.

Apple today updated Pixelmator Pro, the drawing and photo editing app that it acquired last year. The new version of Pixelmator Pro incorporates Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools and Image Playground.

‌Image Playground‌ integration allows Pixelmator Pro to generate original images based on a photo, description, or people from the Photos library. There's an Add to Playground feature to recreate image layers or drawings in animation, illustration, or sketch styles, plus created images can be inserted as separate layers. Apple says that when using Pixelmator Pro's templates or mockups, placeholder images can be replaced with ‌Image Playground‌ creations.

Writing Tools integration lets users proofread, summarize, rewrite, and modify the tone of any text that is incorporated into a Pixelmator Pro creation. Compose with ChatGPT is an available option, and using the tools can be done by control clicking highlighted text and clicking Writing Tools.

Other improvements include support for RAW images from OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II cameras, improved VoiceOver support, and an option to hover over items in the Tools sidebar to display names in a larger size with Hover Text.

Pixelmator Pro is priced at $50 and it can be downloaded from the Mac App Store.

Today we're tracking an all-time low price for the Apple Pencil Pro at Amazon and a solid deal on the AirTag at Best Buy. Amazon also has matching deals on the AirTag, but prices have been unreliable today, with frequent fluctuations between all-time lows and higher prices.

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.

Starting with the Apple Pencil Pro, you can get this accessory for $99.00, down from $129.00. This is a match for the record low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, and it's a deal that doesn't typically stick around long on Amazon, so if you've been waiting for it to return, be sure to check it out soon.

Secondly, Best Buy has the AirTag 1-Pack on sale for $22.99, down from $29.00, which is a match of the all-time low price on the accessory. You can also get the AirTag 4-Pack for $74.99, down from $99.00.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Google has released a new Apple Watch app for Google Calendar, bringing its native calendar and task functionality to watchOS for the first time.

As of version 25.24.1, users can now access a dedicated Apple Watch app that displays a simplified overview of upcoming events and Google Tasks directly on their wrist. The app presents a week's worth of schedule information in a list format, with each entry appearing as a color-coded card. Each card includes the scheduled time, title of the event or task, and associated location.

Tapping an item reveals additional event details, although the app does not currently support the creation or editing of events from the watch itself. A message within the app prompts users to open the Google Calendar iPhone app to view more.

Alongside the app, Google has also introduced two new complications compatible with watchOS watch faces and the Smart Stack. The first, labeled "What's next," is available in circular and rectangular formats and displays the user's upcoming appointment. When tapped, the complication opens the Google Calendar watch app and displays the corresponding event's details. The second complication, "Today's date," shows the current day and date in a small circular format and also serves as a launch point for the app.

Prior to this release, only Google Maps, YouTube Music, and Google Keep had dedicated watchOS apps. Version 25.24.1 of Google Calendar with Apple Watch support is now available on the App Store.

Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors.

Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

MacRumors can now reveal that it first spotted evidence of such a device in backend code related to Apple Intelligence last summer, and subsequently confirmed its use of the A18 Pro chip. The machine features the identifier "Mac17,1."

This would be the first Mac powered by an ‌iPhone‌ chip. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series chips, which offer higher core counts, support for larger amounts of memory, and better external display support. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year.

According to Kuo, the new MacBook is expected to enter mass production late in the fourth quarter of 2025 or early in the first quarter of 2026, which situates launch in the first half of next year.

Apple users can now back up and access their iPhone photos directly via Xiaomi Cloud, following a new update to the Xiaomi app for iOS.

Version 1.7.2 of the Xiaomi Interconnectivity app introduces full cloud photo album support for iPhone and iPad users running iOS 14.0 or later. Apple device users can now sync their entire photo libraries directly to Xiaomi Cloud, Xiaomi's proprietary cloud storage platform. This marks the first time native photo backup support has been made available on Apple devices for Xiaomi's cloud services.

Previously, the Xiaomi Interconnectivity app for iOS primarily featured basic tools such as file transfer and device discovery between Apple and Xiaomi hardware using the same Xiaomi account. The latest version changes that, enabling users to upload, browse, and manage their iPhone photos via Xiaomi Cloud and then access them from other Xiaomi devices, including those running HyperOS.

Xiaomi describes the functionality as a "cloud album" feature that mirrors the experience available on Xiaomi devices natively. This includes automatic photo backup, synchronization across devices, and full-resolution image access from within the app. The feature is designed to streamline workflows for users managing data across multiple operating systems.

Version 1.7.2 of the Xiaomi Interconnectivity app is available now on the App Store.

Apple will delay bringing some features to users in the European Union because regulations are making it increasingly difficult for it to do so, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Speaking at a workshop with EU officials and developers in Brussels earlier today, Apple's vice president of legal, Kyle Andeer, said, "We've already had to make the decision to delay the release of products and features, we announced this month for our EU customers." Users' security could be compromised if the company is obliged to open up its ecosystem to competitors, he added.

Tools such as "visited places" in the Maps app will not be available in the EU when iOS 26 is released later this year. Apple said it is still determining which features may not be available in the EU, and is working to find solutions to deliver them as swiftly as possible.

Apple has to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is designed to curb the market power so-called "gatekeeper" technology companies by opening up their platforms. Apple profusely disagrees with the implementation of the DMA and argues that it degrades the quality of its products, exposes users to security and privacy risks, and makes rolling out updates in the EU more complicated.

Andeer said that the changes Apple has had to make to bring its products into compliance with the rules "create real privacy, security, safety risks to our users." An EU official present at the meeting apparently said the regulator and Apple disagree on the reach of the DMA and potential security risks.

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.

As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history.

The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to ‌Apple Music‌, but now, Replay All Time shows a comprehensive list of the top 100 songs across all subscriber years. Since ‌Apple Music‌ has now been available for a decade, long-standing ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers will be able to get a picture of their long-term listening habits for the first time.

Replay All Time appears in the ‌Apple Music‌ Home tab and will continue to be updated dynamically updated based on the user's full listening history.

Apple may reposition the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro for the first time in six years, according to a new leak that points to the redesigned top camera system potentially requiring the visual shift.

The claim originates from the leaker known as "Majin Bu," who posted an image and description of the alleged change on social media and their personal blog. According to Bu, the Apple logo will move to be noticeably lower on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, closer to the bottom-center of the device's rear. The shift is apparently necessitated by the new, full-width camera bar that is expected to span the entire width of the back of the device. The camera design is as a significant departure from the current module layout, with both the flash and LiDAR scanner moving to the right edge of the device.

This is the first report to link the anticipated top camera redesign with a repositioning of the Apple logo, but the change could make sense. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ is expected to move to a new aluminum frame that encompasses almost the entire rear, with a cutout for a glass squircle below the full-width aluminum camera bump to enable wireless charging. As a result, it could make sense for the Apple logo to be centered within that glass cutout.

However, moving the Apple logo could cause some amount of confusion among users or require changes to the way MagSafe-compatible accessories are designed. This is because since its introduction with the iPhone 12, the Apple logo has indicated where users should align MagSafe accessories, with the magnets embedded beneath the center of the back panel around the logo.

Majin Bu added that a company which makes accessories for Apple devices has begun adapting their case production based on this new logo placement. In one image shared on his website, Majin Bu shows a transparent case with a break in the circular ‌MagSafe‌ ring to expose the repositioned Apple logo. This suggests that Apple may not be altering the internal placement of the ‌MagSafe‌ magnet array, which would otherwise require extensive changes to a broad range of accessories. Accessory manufacturers are said to be watching the situation closely.

Leaker Sonny Dickson has since corroborated the rumor with digital schematics, suggesting that iPhone 17 accessories will move to a new design with a break in the circular ‌MagSafe‌ ring to expose the repositioned Apple logo:

Apple has made notable changes to the placement and styling of the rear logo in the past. From the original iPhone through the iPhone X, the logo was placed higher up on the back, and a small "iPhone" inscription appeared toward the bottom. With the iPhone 11 lineup, Apple removed the "iPhone" wordmark entirely and centered the Apple logo on the rear for visual balance with the new square camera bump. This layout has remained consistent across all subsequent models, including the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro.

Amazon today has the USB-C AirPods Max on sale for $479.99 in all colors except Purple, down from $549.00. This is an overall second-best price on the headphones.

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.

Colors available on sale include Blue, Midnight, Orange, and Starlight. All colors have an estimated delivery date of early July, with most providing a delivery estimate around July 5 for free shipping options. Prime members in certain cities should be able to see same-day delivery options.

It's also worth noting that Best Buy is matching these prices and has every color on sale, if you prefer shopping at that retailer. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple today announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art studio complex in Los Angeles and a series of special programs to mark the 10th anniversary of Apple Music.

The new facility is located in Culver City, California and spans three stories and over 15,000 square feet. The space is designed to support the creation of artist-driven content, immersive audio innovation, and connection between musicians and their audiences through various forms of media.

Described as a "creative campus," the new studio includes two advanced radio studios equipped with immersive Spatial Audio playback, as well as modular configurations that can accommodate live interviews, informal conversations, and spontaneous performances. Apple added that the Los Angeles location will serve as the anchor point in a broader network of ‌Apple Music‌ studios operating in cities including New York, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, and Nashville.

To mark the 10-year anniversary, ‌Apple Music‌ Radio is hosting a day-long programming event today. The schedule begins with a retrospective segment titled "Don't Be Boring: The Birth of ‌Apple Music‌ Radio with Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden" airing from 6 to 8 a.m. Pacific Time. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT, ‌Apple Music‌ 1 will air "10 Years of ‌Apple Music‌," featuring highlights from artist interviews, exclusive song premieres, and milestone cultural events hosted on the platform. The day concludes with a live event from 4 to 7 p.m. PT titled "Live: 10 Years Of ‌Apple Music‌," hosted by Lowe and Darden, with a lineup of artists who have played significant roles in the platform's trajectory.

Apple also announced a multi-day programming block that begins on July 1, during which ‌Apple Music‌ Radio will count down the 500 most-streamed songs in the streaming service's history. The countdown will cover 100 songs per day, ending with the top 100 on July 5. On the same day, the company will release the complete "10 Years of ‌Apple Music‌: Top Songs" playlist for streaming.

In addition, ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers can now access a new personalized playlist called "Replay All Time." Expanding on the company's annual Replay feature, which provides listeners with a retrospective of their most-played tracks each year, Replay All Time aggregates and ranks songs that users have streamed most frequently since first joining the service. The playlist appears in the ‌Apple Music‌ Home tab and is dynamically updated based on the user's full listening history.

Chinese display manufacturer BOE is aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain.

In May 2022, Apple halted BOE's inclusion in the iPhone 13's supply chain after detecting unauthorized design modifications. The crisis began when BOE, facing component shortages and yield issues, expanded the circuit width of thin-film transistors in its panels without Apple's approval. When Apple discovered this, Apple instructed BOE to halt production.

Since then, BOE has gradually sought to return to Apple's good graces. The company was later granted approval to resume supplying OLED panels for the iPhone 14, albeit in limited quantities. According to data published in UBI Research's latest China Display Trend Report (via ZDNet Korea), the Chinese supplier intends to play a major role in iPhone production in the future and grow its share of Apple's highly competitive display supply chain.

BOE has concentrated its iPhone panel production capacity at its B11 fabrication plant in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The facility has been under continuous expansion and now includes 26 Apple-only OLED module lines. Of these, 11 are reported to be in mass production, while an additional three are used solely for development. With each line capable of producing 350,000 panels per month, BOE's output capacity for iPhone displays now totals approximately 8 million units per month. At a 90% utilization rate and an 85% yield, this equates to an annual output of at least 100 million panels.

Today, Apple sources the majority of its OLED panels for iPhones from South Korea-based Samsung Display and LG Display. The reintroduction of BOE into Apple's main iPhone production plans is expected to put price pressure on Samsung Display and LG Display, giving Apple much more negotiation power on unit prices. BOE is also planning to narrow the gap with Samsung and LG in terms of panel brightness, efficiency, and long-term durability.

BOE's presence in Apple's panel supply chain still remains contingent upon meeting strict quality and reliability standards. BOE has been gradually increasing its supply share over successive iPhone generations, but its participation in the initial shipments of new iPhone models remains limited. For the iPhone 16 lineup, BOE did not play a significant role during the early stages of the launch cycle, and a similar outcome is expected for the iPhone 17. As a result, a major increase in supplier share may not occur until the iPhone 18 next year.

Apple held off on announcing two iOS 26 features that it still plans to release this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Apple did not want to risk repeating WWDC 2024, where it announced an array of features that were ultimately delayed by months or still haven't arrived. As a result, at least two ‌iOS 26‌ features were not shown at WWDC, but are still apparently scheduled to arrive as part of ‌iOS 26‌ this year.

The first of these is live translation of conversations using AirPods. If an English speaker with AirPods is talking to someone who is speaking Spanish, the ‌iPhone‌ will detect the audio, translate the speech, and relay it back in English to the person wearing AirPods. The person speaking English will then be able to respond and have their response translated to Spanish and spoken aloud by the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple's ‌iPhone‌ Translate app can already be used for conversations like this, but having the function included in the AirPods will streamline the exchange. Apple announced a wide range of language translation features at WWDC this year, but the widely rumored AirPods live translation feature was noticeably absent.

The second feature is the ability to sync public network login information across devices. The system will allow users to enter login details for captive Wi-Fi networks, commonly found in hotels, airports, and coffee shops, just once, and then automatically sync that information across their iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. The time-saving feature should eliminate the frustration of repeatedly logging into the same network portal across multiple Apple devices.

"When you go to a new hotel, office building or gym, you're often asked to fill out a web form on all your devices before you can access the internet," Gurman said in May. "This new feature will let you enter that information on one device and have it synched to your other products."

‌iOS 26‌ is set to officially release as a free update for the iPhone 11 or newer in the fall.

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