MacRumors

Apple today launched a new page that highlights content from popular music artists, actors, and athletes across three of its biggest services.

The new "Snapshot on Apple" page has a scrolling carousel of celebrities, including Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Brie Larson, Shohei Ohtani, Lionel Messi, Stephen Curry, Serena Williams, and many others. There are also pages for the bands Coldplay and BTS.

Each page includes some basic details about the person or band, and showcases their related content across the Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts apps. For example, Billie Eilish's page highlights her songs in Apple Music, her Apple TV+ documentary from 2021, and her appearances on a variety of podcasts.

"Your favorites, at a glance," the page says. "Discover more about the artists, actors, and athletes you love across Apple."

A tipster alerted us to the page's existence today, and we can confirm that snapshot.apple.com is a new address. Unfortunately, the page currently has a very basic design, with no search functionality. Apple has yet to officially announce the page, and it is unclear how or where the company plans to promote it.

Apple's Pro Display XDR has now been on the market for over five years, and while persistent rumors hint at a second-generation model, surprisingly little definitive information has emerged about Apple's plans for its premier external monitor. Here's everything we know so far.

In December 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was developing an updated iteration of the Pro Display XDR, this time incorporating an Apple silicon chip, presumably to enable additional functionality. The Studio Display contains an A13 Bionic chip to power its built-in webcam, spatial audio, and always-on Siri.

Since the original Pro Display XDR lacks any of these smart capabilities, it stands to reason that its successor could gain a built-in camera, microphone array, high-fidelity speakers, and perhaps even support for new software features like Center Stage video framing, Face ID for Mac, or automatic color calibration based on ambient lighting conditions.

Hardware improvements are also expected. A second-generation Pro Display XDR could feature a higher refresh rate, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity for faster data throughput, and even a shift to OLED or hybrid OLED/QD-OLED panels. OLED technology would offer significantly better contrast ratios, deeper blacks, and lower power consumption, making it even better at professional color work.

In July 2023, Gurman reaffirmed that Apple was continuing development on several next-generation external monitors, but cautioned that releases were unlikely before late 2024 at the earliest.

In November 2024, a report from Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young said that the next Pro Display XDR may adopt the same quantum-dot display technology now seen in the latest MacBook Pro models. According to Young, these newer quantum-dot films offer an equal or better color gamut and superior motion performance compared to the older KSF phosphor film used in the current Pro Display XDR and previous ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Young's report suggested that the Pro Display XDR 2 could boast even more precise color accuracy, faster response times, and better consistency.

Earlier this year, Gurman noted that a new Pro Display XDR was currently "less of a priority" for Apple, given its niche market and premium price tag. Nonetheless, he revealed in March that Apple is actively developing a new display codenamed J527, intended to launch alongside a second-generation ‌Studio Display‌. This mystery monitor could turn out to be the long-awaited Pro Display XDR successor.

Since then, no further leaks about the device have surfaced. While the launch timeline remains uncertain, it is plausible that Apple could unveil the second-generation Pro Display XDR alongside refreshed high-end Macs—particularly a new Mac Pro model. The current Pro Display XDR was released alongside the 2019 Mac Pro.

Amazon kicked off a ton of steep discounts on Apple products earlier this week, and they include the AirPods Pro 2 for $169.00, down from $249.00. Free delivery options provide an estimated delivery date of around May 4, while Prime members should get the headphones sooner in most cases.

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

Compared to past sales, this is a match of the best price we've tracked so far in 2025 and it's an overall solid second-best price on the AirPods Pro 2. Amazon also has the AirPods 4 available for $99.99 during this sale, an all-time low price.

Other Amazon discounts include record low prices on 11th generation iPad, Apple Watch Series 10, M4 MacBook Air, and M3 iPad Air. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple's iPhone 18 lineup will introduce a major leap in memory performance, according to new information shared today by Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. Apple is reportedly planning to equip the 2026 models with a high-capacity six-channel LPDDR5X memory configuration, significantly upping the memory bandwidth for future AI features and multitasking.

Expanding the memory bandwidth should enable faster app switching, smoother multitasking, and significantly improved AI capabilities – all areas Apple would likely to heavily invest in as part of its broader Apple Intelligence strategy. Paired with the A20 Pro chip, which will reportedly be built using TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, the iPhone 18 Pro models would stand to benefit the most.

The Weibo account Digital Chat Station has a decent track record with Apple product rumors, and they have previously shared accurate information about unreleased hardware from the broader semiconductor supply chain. Still, Apple's precise hardware plans could still evolve ahead of the iPhone 18's launch late next year.

Before then, if supply chain shortages can be overcome, the iPhone 17 series is expected to see a move to 12GB of RAM as standard across all models. That transition is likely to set the stage for the more aggressive hardware upgrades rumored for 2025.

OpenAI has announced several updates to ChatGPT, including a suite of shopping-focused tools that turn the chatbot into a full-featured product discovery and comparison engine.

The update brings visual search results, personalized recommendations, and improved product filtering to the existing ChatGPT interface. Users can browse and compare products from across the web by simply describing what they're looking for.

Queries like "best 4K monitor under $500" now return cleaner, scrollable product cards complete with images, star ratings, pricing, and summaries pulled from user reviews. Tapping on a product brings up more details, along with a direct link to the retailer's website for purchase.

OpenAI says the results are organic and free from advertising or affiliate influence, wherease traditional search engines and shopping aggregators typically prioritize sponsored listings. Product suggestions are tailored based on user preferences, such as budget, style, and category interests, although OpenAI notes that certain personalization features may be restricted in countries with stricter privacy rules, like the UK and EU.

The update also includes a new "Ask about this" button that lets users dig deeper into specific products directly from search results.

The new features are available for all ChatGPT users, including those on the free tier, with no account required to try them. OpenAI says the rollout is global and should be visible across platforms, including web and mobile apps.

In addition to the shopping search features, ChatGPT can now include multiple citations for a given response, allowing users to learn more or verify information across more sources. OpenAI says users can also now search faster with trending searches and autocomplete suggestions.

Lastly, WhatsApp users can now send a message to 1-800-ChatGPT (+1-800-242-8478) to get up-to-date answers and live sports scores.

Apple supplier Pegatron has warned that U.S. stores could face "empty shelves" within two months due to ongoing uncertainty around tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

Pegatron chairman T.H. Tung told Reuters that the on-again, off-again nature of the levies has created confusion for U.S. retailers and disrupted supply chain decisions.

"Within two months, shelves in the United States might resemble those in third-world countries, where people visit department stores and markets only to find empty shelves, all because everyone is waiting and seeing," Tung said.

The Taiwan-based manufacturer, which assembles MacBooks, iPads, and Apple Watches, explained that U.S. importers are hesitant to ramp up shipments during the current tariff pause because they're uncertain whether the 10% levy might eventually be repealed.

This comes after the Trump administration recently paused some tariffs targeting countries where Pegatron has manufacturing bases, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. However, a 10% levy on nearly all goods imported into the U.S. remains in effect.

Despite the challenges, Tung said that Pegatron won't alter its long-term manufacturing plans based on short-term tariff fluctuations.

"Just because Trump raises tariffs doesn't mean the rest of the world will do the same. Taiwanese contract manufacturers are sticking to their overseas plans," he said. "We won't immediately adjust our long-term plans just because of two or three months of tariff changes."

Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly had a phone call with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to explain how tariffs would cause iPhone prices to increase. Cook's efforts appeared to pay off when the Trump administration exempted iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches, iPads, and other electronics from the bulk of tariffs on Chinese goods.

However, the exemption may only be temporary. The day after the announcement, Trump stated that there was "no tariff exception" and that no one would be "getting off the hook," suggesting that Apple and other tech companies will be "moving to a different tariff bucket."

Apple has been diversifying its manufacturing locations away from China since Trump's first term, and has recently ramped up plans to build out its iPhone manufacturing base in India and manufacture U.S.-bound devices in the country by the end of 2026.

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.

All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station.

The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM.

Kuo also said even the base-model iPhone 17 could be equipped with 12GB of RAM, but it will depend on whether supply chain shortages can be overcome. He said that Apple will make a final decision on the amount of RAM it will offer in the regular iPhone 17 model by May. Even if the base-model iPhone 17 sticks with 8GB of RAM, Kuo said he expects all models in next year's iPhone 18 lineup to have 12GB of RAM.

Currently, all iPhone 16 models come with 8GB of RAM, so going to 12GB would be a major increase. More RAM enables larger and more capable AI models to run locally, improving the speed, responsiveness, and complexity of tasks without relying heavily on cloud services. A fifty percent increase in allocable RAM would also allow for smoother multitasking, with AI processes operating in the background without slowing down active apps.

Apple is expected to release the iPhone 17 lineup around its usual September timeframe.

On April 28, 2003, Apple introduced the iTunes Store, its iconic digital marketplace for downloading music. 22 years later, most of us don't purchase songs and albums individually anymore, and the iTunes Store doesn't exist as it once did, but played a major role in Apple history.

Early Years

When it launched, the iTunes Store was only for the Mac, but it expanded to Windows PCs before the end of 2003. It was a one-stop shop for music that could be loaded onto an iPod, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs inked deals with a number of different record labels to get it up and running.

In the first 18 hours following the launch of the iTunes Store, Apple sold ~275,000 tracks, with songs priced at $0.99 at the time. Less than a week after launch, Apple sold 1 million songs, and at the two week mark, Apple was at 2 million songs sold.

By 2008, five years after the iTunes Store launched, Apple's iTunes Store was the biggest music vendor in the United States. In 2010, it was the largest music seller in the world, bringing in over a billion dollars.

Pricing

The iTunes Store sold songs for $0.99 in the United States, though some were more expensive at $1.29. Albums were priced at $9.99 by default, but distributors were able to set higher prices. Apple regularly offered iTunes promotions, including weekly free songs.

Beyond Music

Before the App Store launched in 2008, the iTunes Store also housed apps, plus it was home to digital books before the launch of the iBooks Store. Apple also used the iTunes Store for distributing podcasts, TV shows, and movies.

The Rise of Streaming Music

In the 2010s, interest in streaming music started to pick up, cutting into music purchases. Streaming services like Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, and Pandora launched earlier in the decade, but more people became interested in streaming music when Spotify launched in the United States in 2011.

Beats Music launched in 2014, and was quickly purchased by Apple when Apple acquired the Beats brand. Apple ended up turning Beats Music into Apple Music, a Spotify competitor that launched on June 30, 2015. By 2016, just 24 percent of the music industry's revenue came from digital music sales, with streaming services bringing in over 50 percent of total revenue.

The iTunes Store Today

You'll still find the iTunes Store app on your iPhone, but it's a little harder to find on the Mac. It's available as a dedicated section in the Apple Music app for those who still purchase music.

TV shows and movies were split out into the TV app, while podcasts were split into the Podcasts app as part of changes made in macOS Catalina back in 2019. The Windows version of the iTunes Store stuck around longer, but in 2024, Apple launched dedicated ‌Apple Music‌, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps for Windows users to replace iTunes.

Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.

Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard anything else about an upgraded display coating since then, and it's sounding like that's because it didn't work out.

Apple planned to use the anti-reflective coating for the higher-end ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max models, which would have made them the first iPhones with an anti-reflective display. Apple ran into problems scaling up the display coating process, and it is currently no longer a planned feature for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models.

The process for adding the anti-reflective coating to the iPhone display was too slow when taking into account the millions of devices that Apple produces, so even though it was only planned for the Pro models, it still seems that it wasn't feasible this year.

Current iPhone models have a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, but Apple hasn't focused heavily on anti-reflective technology. For the Mac and iPad Pro, Apple offers a nano-texture display that cuts down on glare, but that's not something that has been expanded to the iPhone. It's possible Apple pivoted to nano-texture or a simpler coating, but it's also possible it's just been scrapped entirely for now.

With the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung debuted a Gorilla Glass Armor display panel, which cuts down on reflections by up to 75 percent. The technology improves contrast in bright lighting conditions and makes colors seem more true to life even in the sun or in rooms with bright lights.

If the iPhone 17 models don't end up with the planned anti-reflective display properties, Apple could introduce the display improvement in a future iPhone as the manufacturing process improves.

Amazon is kicking off the week with discounts across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup, offering $100 off these tablets. Prices start at $499.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board, these are all new all-time low prices on the M3 iPad Air.

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.

Every deal has been automatically applied and does not require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final sale price. We've rounded up every discount available on Amazon in the lists below, and they include both 11-inch and 13-inch models.

Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $100 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $649.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $849.00, both $100 discounts.

11-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $499.00, down from $599.00
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $599.00, down from $699.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $899.00
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $999.00, down from $1,099.00

13-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $699.00, down from $799.00
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $899.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $999.00, down from $1,099.00

Amazon is offering similarly major discounts on other Apple devices this week, including AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, 11th generation iPad, Apple Watch Series 10, and M4 MacBook Air. 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 provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5 updates for testing purposes. The software is available a week after Apple seeded the third betas.

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

No notable new features have been found in any of the software updates so far, suggesting Apple is focusing on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third macOS Sequoia 15.5 beta.

Registered 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.

macOS Sequoia 15.5 appears to be a minor update so far, and no notable new features were found in the first three betas.

Work on new features for macOS Sequoia is winding down, as Apple will soon transition to macOS 16. The next-generation version of macOS is set to be unveiled at WWDC in June.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third betas.

iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

So far, iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 are relatively minor updates, introducing just a few new design changes. There are more options for reverting the Mail app back to the prior design, including removing contact photos, and AppleCare info is easier to find. The update also likely has bug fixes and performance improvements that are less obvious.

Apple is transitioning to iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, which are set to be previewed in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.

The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to follow before the devices enter mass production.

This is a routine but key milestone for Apple to have achieved ahead of the iPhone 17 series launching in the usual month of September.

Following the EVT stage, there is still a window for Apple to make some smaller iPhone spec changes, if necessary. For example, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that Apple would make a final decision on whether to include 8GB or 12GB of RAM in the iPhone 17 base model by May. At a minimum, Kuo expects the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max to be equipped with 12GB of RAM.

Read our iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro roundups to learn more about the upcoming devices and their rumored feature sets.

Amazon has been offering a string of great discounts over the past day, introducing low prices on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, 11th generation iPad, and Apple Watch Series 10. Today, it's continuing this trend with new record low prices across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with $150 off every model in every color available on 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.

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has up to $150 off all three of the new configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $849.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,049.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,249.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. All of these are new all-time low prices, beating the previous lows by more than $50.

Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,249.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,447.00. Similar to the 13-inch models, these are all new record low prices.

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

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Apple's Beats brand is launching its Beats Pill speaker in two new colors today: Navy Blue and Blush Pink. The colors join the original Matte Black, Statement Red, and Champagne Gold colors that debuted last June. Beats introduced special-edition Light Gray and Dark Gray versions in a collaboration with Kim Kardashian back in October, but those have since been discontinued.

The catch with the latest Beats Pill colors is that they are retailer exclusives, with Navy Blue being available only from Walmart and Blush Pink only from Target in the United States. The Blush Pink model will be coming to John Lewis in the UK and Walmart in Canada this summer, but it appears the Navy Blue model will remain U.S.-only.

Compared to the previous Beats Pill+ that was discontinued in 2022, the revamped Beats Pill features a redesigned speaker system with a 20º upward tilt for better sound projection, a removable lanyard, USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity, up to 24 hours of battery life, and IP67 water and sweat resistance.

Amplify Mode and Stereo Mode let you sync up two Beats Pill speakers for either bigger overall sound or separate left and right channels, while USB-C support means you can charge a recent iPhone or other devices from the speaker. The Beats Pill can also be used as a speakerphone for connected devices, with a noise-learning algorithm and full duplex support ensuring high-quality calls.

As part of the launch of the new colors for the Pill, Beats is introducing a pair of new "Pill People" shorts featuring WNBA star Angel Reese as the pink Pill Person and former F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo as the blue Pill Person.

The new Navy Blue Beats Pill from Walmart and Blush Pink Beats Pill from Target are available starting today at the same $149.99 price point as the standard colors.

Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold" new iPhone Pro model that makes greater use of glass in its design.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the new models are "extraordinarily complex" and will involve "new parts and production techniques" that are best supported by Apple's established manufacturing hubs in China. The facilities have the experience and infrastructure required for the advanced engineering challenges the anniversary models will likely present.

The report comes amid Apple's ongoing efforts to diversify its manufacturing footprint. Last week, The Financial Times reported that Apple plans to assemble all U.S.-bound iPhones in India by the end of 2026, in response to escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China and the Trump administration's latest round of tariffs.

However, shifting production of the 20th anniversary models to India appears unlikely. As Gurman points out, Apple has never launched a major new product design outside of China during its first cycle, and there is little indication that will change in the near term.

The foldable iPhone is rumored to feature a book-like design that folds horizontally, revealing an internal display similar in size to an iPad mini. Reports suggest the device could have a premium price tag upwards of $2,000. Details about the anniversary iPhone are scarcer, but it could take the form of an all-screen design featuring an under-screen camera system.

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.

Following in the wake of great deals on AirPods and Apple Watch, Amazon today also introduced $50 discounts on nearly every model of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices now start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a new record low price.

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.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00, both $50 discounts and new all-time low prices.

There are also numerous discounts on cellular models, starting at $449.00 for the 128GB model. Amazon is providing an estimated delivery of early may for free shipping, while Prime members should be able to get the tablets before the end of April.

The 11th generation iPad is mainly a spec bump for the tablet line, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage, with the same design as the 10th generation iPad. The new ‌iPad‌ starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. The previous model was only available in 64GB and 256GB configurations.

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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