Top Stories: iOS 17.5.1 Fixes Concerning Photos Bug, All-New iPhone 17 Model Rumored, and More

It's been quite a week of Apple news and rumors, ranging from a concerning bug with deleted photos reappearing on users' devices to hot rumors about a new high-end iPhone model for 2025 and a MacBook with a foldable screen coming as soon as 2026.

top stories 25may2024
Other news and rumors this week included fresh expectations for iOS 18 features and new headphones from Sonos to compete head-to-head with AirPods Max, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Releases iOS 17.5.1 With Fix for Concerning Photos Bug

Apple released iOS 17.5.1 for the iPhone this week, and the software update includes a fix for a concerning bug that caused deleted photos to reappear in the Photos app for some users. iPadOS 17.5.1 and tvOS 17.5.1 were also released with the same fix for those devices.

iOS 17
"This update provides important bug fixes and addresses a rare issue where photos that experienced database corruption could reappear in the Photos library even if they were deleted," explained Apple, in the release notes for the iOS 17.5.1 update. Apple has since explained that the issue was a result of corrupted local database entries. The issue did not involve iCloud syncing and Apple never had access to the deleted photos.

iPhone 17 Lineup Rumored to Feature All-New Slim Model Above Pro Max With 'Major Redesign'

The Information last week reported that Apple plans to release an all-new, high-end iPhone 17 model next year that sits above the Pro Max model.

iPhone 17 Plus Feature
The device will allegedly feature a "major redesign" akin to the iPhone X, and this is said to include a "significantly thinner" chassis and a narrower Dynamic Island. In addition, the rear cameras might be relocated from the top-left corner of the device to the "top center," the report said. Dan and Hartley discussed the developments and other topics on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.

18.8-Inch MacBook With Nearly 'Crease-Free' Foldable Screen Rumored

Apple is developing a MacBook with a foldable screen that is "as crease-free as possible," according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The device is rumored to be released as early as 2026.

space black mbp
This new MacBook model would be equipped with around an 18.8-inch screen, according to display industry expert Ross Young. Kuo expects the device to be powered by an M5 chip, which Apple has yet to announce.

iOS 18 to Use AI to Summarize Notifications, Add to Calendar, and More

iPhones running iOS 18 will be able to auto-summarize notifications and auto-populate calendar entries, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. These features will be two of the many widely-rumored AI capabilities coming with iOS 18, which will be unveiled during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10.

Apple Silicon AI Optimized Feature Siri 1
We recently shared a list of more than 15 Apple apps that are rumored to gain new AI features on iOS 18.

Hands-On With the New Sonos 'Ace' Headphones

Move aside AirPods Max, you've got competition.

sonos ace headphones
The popular speaker brand Sonos this week unveiled its first-ever headphones. The over-ear Sonos Ace feature active noise cancellation, support for lossless audio and spatial audio, up to 30 hours of battery life per charge, a USB-C charging port, and more. Watch our hands-on video to learn more about the headphones, which launch in the U.S. on June 5 for $449.

iPad 10 vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Is the $250 Difference Worth It?

One of our latest buyer's guides compares the new sixth-generation iPad Air to the tenth-generation entry-level iPad, which now starts at $349.

iPad 10 vs Air Feature
Is it worth spending an extra $250 to buy the new iPad Air instead of the iPad 10? Find out.

Also, check out our guide comparing the new iPad Pro models with the M4 chip to the new iPad Air models.

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

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Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
20 months ago
People keep posting these variations of "use case", "what problem does this solve", etc but the answer to all such confusion(?) is simple: more screen is places to see more/do more/get more done. Try switching from an expansive desktop or laptop screen with something like a Pages file TO an iPhone screen and carry on your work with the same Pages file. You should immediately feel "cramped" and less productive. As screens shrink, there has to be more scrolling/flipping or similar vs. doing the same on a bigger screen. Larger screens are bigger canvases on which to do/see/watch/work.

All these efforts in various forms- fold/roll/projector/virtual-spatial- are all trying to deliver a MOBILE screen(s) without having to fatten up a physical form too much and/or add lots of weight. Here's a rumor of an 18"-20" MB. It's likely going to be HEAVIER than any other MB and obviously it's going to be bigger/thicker... for only a few more inches of screen. There will probably NEVER be a 27" MB or a 34" or a 40" or an 80". Why? Because in physical forms, the "mobile" part gets onerous with too much size or weight. A desire for "even bigger" is always there... but the difficult problem is how to deliver it AND retain the easy mobility.

So everyone is experimenting with fold/roll/projector/virtual in search of a way to give a market that wants greater MOBILE productivity a way to have their "big screen" cake and eat it too.

On a personal note: I had a little window of time where my main workhorse- iMac 27"- finally conked, so I had to step down to 16" MB to keep my work train rolling. That was relatively miserable, as the productivity drop from that loss of screen space was very noticeable. It's one thing to roll with a laptop for temporary travel situations. It's another when one accustomed to a bigger screen is trying to use it daily as main machine. Since I was going separates, I ordered my replacement monitor while waiting on a BTO desktop Mac Studio to arrive. The monitor is a 40" ultra-wide ('https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-ultrasharp-40-curved-thunderbolt-hub-monitor-u4025qw/apd/210-bmdp/monitors-monitor-accessories'). Why did I choose that? Much more screen R.E. is space to see/do/watch more. Once I could hook the "temp" MB to that screen, productivity spiked again.

In that moment, I gained tremendous appreciation for even the ONE SINGLE USE (virtual screen of any size) in a product like Vpro. One little bundle of tech could let me bring an even bigger screen on the road and have it available anywhere I want to do laptop things... even in cramped airline seats while flying. This "smaller" 40" ultra-wide would not be able to hit the road nearly as easily.

Now I could NEVER go back to an iMac 27", 30", 32" 16:10/16:9 screen even if Apple offered to give me one. So- for me anyway- it's very easy to see why companies are experimenting with folds/rolls/projector/virtual screen computing tech. And anyone asking why can easily answer their own question by trying to work on any productive task starting on a bigger screen and then switching to a small one and seeing their own productivity drop.

While I think the virtual screen approach is probably the very best way to go here (as that option is always the same fixed weight & size for ANY size screen), it's good to see companies experimenting in search of other ways to deliver more screen R.E. too, for those who prefer physical forms even if they come with added size & weight. Bring it all on!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yamcha Avatar
20 months ago
The phone looks like a Google Pixel
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigBellyBelcher Avatar
20 months ago

People keep posting these variations of "use case", "what problem does this solve", etc but the answer to all such confusion(?) is simple: more screen is places to see more/do more/get more done. Try switching from an expansive desktop or laptop screen with something like a Pages file TO an iPhone screen and carry on your work with the same Pages file. You should immediately feel "cramped" and less productive. As screens shrink, there has to be more scrolling/flipping or similar vs. doing the same on a bigger screen. Larger screens are bigger canvases on which to do/see/watch/work.

All these efforts in various forms- fold/roll/projector/virtual-spatial- are all trying to deliver a MOBILE screen(s) without having to fatten up a physical form too much and/or add lots of weight. Here's a rumor of an 18"-20" MB. It's likely going to be HEAVIER than any other MB and obviously it's going to be bigger/thicker... for only a few more inches of screen. There will probably NEVER be a 27" MB or a 34" or a 40" or an 80". Why? Because in physical forms, the "mobile" part gets onerous with too much size or weight. A desire for "even bigger" is always there... but the difficult problem is how to deliver it AND retain the easy mobility.

So everyone is experimenting with fold/roll/projector/virtual in search of a way to give a market that wants greater MOBILE productivity a way to have their "big screen" cake and eat it too.

On a personal note: I had a little window of time where my main workhorse- iMac 27"- finally conked, so I had to step down to 16" MB to keep my work train rolling. That was relatively miserable, as the productivity drop from that loss of screen space was very noticeable. It's one thing to roll with a laptop for temporary travel situations. It's another when one accustomed to a bigger screen is trying to use it daily as main machine. Since I was going separates, I ordered my replacement monitor while waiting on a BTO desktop Mac Studio to arrive. The monitor is a 40" ultra-wide ('https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-ultrasharp-40-curved-thunderbolt-hub-monitor-u4025qw/apd/210-bmdp/monitors-monitor-accessories'). Why did I choose that? Much more screen R.E. is space to see/do/watch more. Once I could hook the "temp" MB to that screen, productivity spiked again.

In that moment, I gained tremendous appreciation for even the ONE SINGLE USE (virtual screen of any size) in a product like Vpro. One little bundle of tech could let me bring an even bigger screen on the road and have it available anywhere I want to do laptop things... even in cramped airline seats while flying. This "smaller" 40" ultra-wide would not be able to hit the road nearly as easily.

Now I could NEVER go back to an iMac 27", 30", 32" 16:10/16:9 screen even if Apple offered to give me one. So- for me anyway- it's very easy to see why companies are experimenting with folds/rolls/projector/virtual screen computing tech. And anyone asking why can easily answer their own question by trying to work on any productive task starting on a bigger screen and then switching to a small one and seeing their own productivity drop.

While I think the virtual screen approach is probably the very best way to go here (as that option is always the same fixed weight & size for ANY size screen), it's good to see companies experimenting in search of other ways to deliver more screen R.E. too, for those who prefer physical forms even if they come with added size & weight. Bring it all on!
This is spot on. Using my 16mbp without external displays feels so limiting and is something just for on the go usage. For a time I used my 16"mb with a 27" external display and have since switched to 2 external displays as the 16" felt so limiting.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jb310 Avatar
20 months ago
The "foldable screen" MacBook is one of those things where I'm not sure if I should be excited for it or just mystified at why this is a thing. ?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)