Apple TV+ is hemorrhaging money amid a broader stall in Apple's services, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma.
The paywalled report reveals that Apple TV+ is the only Apple subscription service that is not profitable. While its subscriptions grew to around 45 million last year, it is still losing more than $1 billion annually. The company has spent more than $5 billion a year on content since the service launched in 2019, but this was reduced by $500 million in 2024 in response to a push for cutbacks from Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives.
Cook apparently raised questions last year about several movie deals with Apple TV+ executives, including for the spy action-comedy film "Argylle." The movie stars Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa, and cost $200 million to produce. Cook reportedly complained that the movie had not found a significant audience or generated more subscribers for Apple TV+.
The report explains that "the audience for Apple TV+ remains relatively small," constituting less than 1% of total U.S. streaming service viewing. Netflix and Amazon represented 8.2% and 3.5% of total viewing in February.
Apple's initial business plan for Apple TV+ predicted losses of between $15 billion and $20 billion over its first decade. While major losses are normal in the streaming industry, it represents a major departure for Apple which normally exercises fiscal discipline.
Executives such as Eddy Cue initially shielded Apple TV+ executives from budget scrutiny and rejected a proposal to increase oversight of programming costs. Apple did not have internal data on whether Apple TV+ would tempt customers to buy Apple devices.
Despite successes such as "CODA" winning an Oscar for best picture, Cook began closely scrutinizing Apple TV+'s financial performance from 2022 and advocated more oversight. The use of private jet travel for stars at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per flight came under particular scrutiny, and led Apple to ask executives to negotiate better deals with flight-chartering companies.
Apple's overall corporate profits are so significant that it can easily absorb the losses from its streaming service, but it continues to forgo widespread appeal.
Apple Music, Arcade, News+, and Fitness+
Services is Apple's fastest and most profitable category, with gross margins exceeding 75%, compared to just under 40% for hardware. In its most recent fiscal year, services revenue rose 13% to more than $96 billion. However, other than iCloud+, Apple's other services are said to be in poor health.
Apple Music's growth has reportedly virtually stopped and it remains "only marginally profitable." Since it pays artists and labels more than 70% of its revenues, it has a single-digit–percentage gross margin. Cue apparently told some colleagues privately that he doesn't believe the service will ever reach 100 million paying subscribers. Moreover, overall iTunes Store sales are now actively shrinking.
Apple News+, Fitness+ and Apple Arcade are said to be struggling with low usage and profits. Apple Arcade only had two million users during its first year of operation, with roughly 25% of them on free trials.
Similarly, Apple News+ purportedly suffers with low engagement and the number of monthly active users is in the low single-digit millions. Apple Books and Apple News+ was subject to layoffs in 2024 due to weak performance.
Longtime Apple services executive Peter Stern, who oversaw platforms including Apple TV+, abruptly departed the company in early 2023, claiming he was unable to run the streaming service in the way he needed to amid pressure to increase subscriber numbers. Apple subsequently reshuffled his former group, separating Apple TV+, Apple Music, and international content from News+, Fitness+, Apple Books, and iCloud+.
Apple One
The report adds that most users do not sign up directly for Apple's services, instead opting for an Apple One bundle, which inflates the perceived interest in each service. Many who sign up to Apple One are motivated to subscribe so primarily because of iCloud+ rather than other services. Without Apple One, Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+ would not be profitable.
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?"
That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs, performance issues, frequent warning dialogs, polarizing design changes, and several other problems.
Evans said Apple stumbled with the Vision Pro headset, which he believes was not ready to launch. Then, it previewed personalized Siri features at WWDC last year that were merely conceptual, and are now delayed.
"This is a concern," said Evans.
His thoughts on the Vision Pro:
The Vision Pro is a concept, or a demo, and Apple doesn't ship demos. Why did it ship the Vision Pro? What did it achieve? It didn't sell in meaningful volume, because it couldn't, and it didn't lead to much developer activity ether, because no-one bought it. A lot of people even at Apple are puzzled.
He said the personalized Siri delay is a "mirror image" of the Vision Pro situation:
Apple showed a demo, and it only does demos when things are nearly done, and it said it would ship 'later this year' and it never misses deadlines like that. So we should be using it, today.
And now we find that we didn't really see a demo, only a mock-up of a great concept, and that this product won't ship until maybe late 2025, and possibly (going by the rumour-mill) 2026, or even 2027.
All of this led to his "Vista-like" comment:
The failure of Siri 2 is by far the most dramatic instance of a growing trend for Apple to launch stuff late. The software release cycle used to be a metronome: announcement at WWDC in the summer, OS release in September with everything you'd seen. There were plenty of delays and failed projects under the hood […] but public promise were always kept. Now that seems to be slipping. Is this a symptom of a Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?
Nevertheless, Evans acknowledged that critics have been claiming that Apple is no longer innovative since at least the 1980s, and that the company has historically continued to deliver more innovative and category-defining products over the years. Still, he said he is left wondering if that Apple still exists today.
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar.
Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the bottom of the chassis. Dickson says this is "where the glass will change."
According to Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital, the iPhone 17 Pro models will use a combination of materials — specifically, a glass section for the logo area integrated into an overall metal chassis. This explains the red areas on the iPhone 17 Pro models we saw in a previous CAD image.
According to The Information, Apple has chosen a half glass, half aluminum build for its high-end devices to increase durability. The glass would allow wireless charging to continue to be available, but a partial aluminum frame would be less prone to breakage.
Apple's current iPhone 16 Pro models feature a titanium chassis – a change Apple touted as a key upgrade when it debuted with the iPhone 15 Pro. With the introduction of the iPhone 17 lineup, Apple is reportedly planning to bring the entire selection of devices back to aluminum.
Consistent with rumors and previous CAD images, the dummies depict Apple's embrace of an elongated horizontal camera module along the top of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models and the iPhone 17 Air, but not on the regular model. The dummies also appear to have a smoother transition between the edges of the camera bump and the back cover, reportedly owing to Apple's use of a new glass-and-metal splicing material process.
Today's dummies also indicate that all iPhone 17 models – including the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air – will feature MagSafe. The new design will constitute one of the most significant visual changes to Apple's high-end iPhone models in recent years. The new lineup is expected to arrive in September.
Are you watching blurry YouTube videos? You're not alone. YouTube has acknowledged that some users are experiencing issues with videos playing back at unexpectedly low quality.
According to a YouTube support page, affected users are seeing videos default to 144p or 360p resolution, despite having strong internet connections.
We're aware some of you are experiencing lower than usual video quality when trying to watch Videos and Shorts.
Here's what you might be seeing:
YouTube streaming at 144p or 360p despite strong internet connection.
Buffering when changing to higher quality.
Video quality could be impacted on IOS mobile, desktop, or Smart TV.
Rest assured, we're actively looking into this!
When attempting to manually increase the resolution, many users report that videos begin buffering. It sounds like the issue is pretty widespread, but Android users appear to have been spared for the most part.
YouTube hasn't provided a timeline for a fix, but we'll update this article with any new information as it becomes available.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the North County Transit District (NCTD) are now accepting Apple Pay with Express Transit Mode, according to local transport agencies.
Express Transit is an Apple Pay feature that allows for tap-and-go payment at ticket barriers, eliminating the need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. The device does not need to be wakened or unlocked to use Express Transit.
"Today marks an exciting step forward in making public transit in San Diego more seamless and convenient," said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Council member. "Whether you're heading to a Padres game, a concert, or simply commuting to your next destination, paying with Apple Pay empowers riders to hop onboard faster."
All SDMTS buses and trolleys, along with NCTD COASTER, SPRINTER, BREEZE and FLEX will now accept Express Transit payment.
Meta has announced the rollout of its AI chatbot across Europe starting this week. The AI assistant will appear across WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger platforms in 41 European and 21 overseas territories.
Meta AI launched in the United States in 2023, but the company paused a planned rollout in Europe due to regulatory concerns. Meta's AI suite of features offer users several capabilities, but Europe is only getting the text-based assistant in six languages for now. The company said it plans to "find parity with the US" and expand its AI offering over time.
No more hopping from tab to tab to find the information or content you need! Meta AI will now make it easier to discover content that is relevant to you and your interests. With an advanced understanding of what you're looking for, you can now use Meta AI to generate results across a range of content – from reels or posts from your friends and followers. Planning a holiday to Canada and need some inspiration? Simply type "show me Vancouver Island content" and kickstart your wanderlust.
Our Meta AI chat feature will also include access to information from the web, making it an easy and efficient way to get the information you need all in one place – with added context and conversation.
The AI chatbot can also be invoked by using "@MetaAI" in group chats, starting with WhatsApp. Meta says the feature will also roll out across Messenger and Instagram Direct Messaging soon.
Late last year, Meta added some of the features to its Ray-Ban smart glasses, including live translation and live AI. Soon, the company also plans to release a standalone AI app to compete with products like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Microsoft's Copilot.
While Meta AI will be free as it is now, Meta is expected to test a paid subscription service that could have more advanced capabilities.
In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone can RSVP to an invite, even if they do not have an Apple Account or an Apple device, but creating an invitation is a perk available only to iCloud+ subscribers.
iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already came with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and the ability to create invites in the Apple Invites app is the latest perk.
In its press release last month for the Invites app, Apple highlighted other iCloud+ perks:
- Expanded storage allows users to keep large libraries of original, high-resolution photos, videos, and files safe in iCloud, and easily accessible across all of their devices and the web. - Private Relay keeps browsing in Safari entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. - Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. - HomeKit Secure Video allows users to capture and review home security footage in an end-to-end encrypted format. - Custom email domains enable users to personalize their iCloud email address. - Family Sharing allows users to share their iCloud+ subscription with up to five people at no extra cost.
To learn more about the Apple Invites app, watch our hands-on video.
Siri launched on the iPhone 4S all the way back in 2011, and yet it still struggles to answer some of the most basic questions.
Daring Fireball's John Gruber today highlighted a recent post from a Reddit user who asked Siri what month it is, only for Siri to respond that it does not understand. This is a frustrating experience that many iPhone users are all too familiar with, as evidenced by the dozens of replies to the post that provide similar examples of Siri being useless.
Apple recently delayed the more personalized version of Siri that it previewed at WWDC last year, with the reported reason being that the new features did not work reliably enough. But, the regular Siri that we already have is frustratingly bad, so perhaps Apple should focus on fixing that core before adding new features on top.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently cracked down on an international crime ring that targeted expensive electronics like the iPhone, with the workings of the complex crime system detailed in a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Thirteen members of an international network worked to steal FedEx shipments of iPhones from people's porches, using automated scripts to scrape data from FedEx tracking systems and also bribing corrupt employees from AT&T. The employees took payments to share confidential customer information from a company order tracking system, snapping images of customer names, addresses, and tracking numbers.
Some members of the criminal network obtained and sold delivery information, while others, called runners, purchased that info and physically stole the iPhone packages from doorsteps just minutes after they were delivered.
Three of the criminals had a location in the Bronx neighborhood of New York where they received a steady stream of stolen devices, while another had a location in Brooklyn for receiving bulk deliveries of stolen devices from around the United States. Thefts occurred in multiple states, and the stolen devices were shipped and sold overseas.
At one point, two of the runners involved went to a FedEx store to send a package and claimed that there were baby clothes inside. FedEx security inspected the package, located stolen iPhones, and confiscated them. When the package arrived empty, one of the men complained to FedEx customer service that his iPhones had been stolen.
Both FedEx and AT&T worked with law enforcement officials to locate all of the criminals involved. In a statement, FedEx said that it has been proactively working with law enforcement to "address the rise of porch piracy," while AT&T said that it regularly updates its processes and employee training to thwart criminal tactics.
All of the people who participated in the criminal scheme have been charged, with some of them facing up to 20 years in prison.
Apple introduced satellite connectivity for iPhones back in 2022, and since then, satellite messaging options have become the new must-have feature for carriers and other smartphone manufacturers.
Verizon today announced the launch of its satellite-based text service, which is available for select Android smartphone users through a partnership with Skylo. Skylo uses licensed mobile satellite spectrum that avoids interference with terrestrial signals to provide coverage in remote areas where there isn't traditional cellular signal.
Satellite texting through Verizon is only available for Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9 smartphones, and unlike T-Mobile's Starlink integration, Verizon isn't able to expand the Skylo satellite texting option to iPhone users because it requires specific smartphone hardware.
iPhone users with an iPhone 14 or later already have access to satellite-based texting as of iOS 18 using the iPhone's built-in satellite connectivity available through Globalstar, but the option to connect to satellites from a second satellite company could increase the chance of being able to communicate in remote and rural areas.
Apple added Starlink support to T-Mobile iPhones with iOS 18.3, and T-Mobile subscribers are able to connect to Starlink for satellite-based texting thanks to a public beta test that T-Mobile is offering. Compared to Apple's built-in satellite option, Starlink has more available satellites and smartphones can connect automatically without needing to hold a device up to the sky.
While Verizon's Skylo satellite texting isn't available on the iPhone right now, Verizon is working on other satellite technology. The company is partnering with AST SpaceMobile to offer customers direct-to-cellular AST SpaceMobile service when terrestrial mobile networks are unavailable. When Verizon's AST SpaceMobile satellite partnership is ready, Verizon will likely be able to offer satellite texting for both iPhone and Android users.
AST SpaceMobile and Verizon plan to provide satellite connectivity that supports text, voice, and video calling capabilities. AST SpaceMobile currently has FCC approval to test five commercial BlueBird satellites with smartphones.
iOS 18.4 includes a new Safari feature that puts your searches front and center, showing your recent search history whenever you open up a new Safari tab and tap into the search field.
When the feature first came out in the iOS 18.4 beta, there was no option to disable it, but Apple rectified that with the fourth beta update. In the Safari section of the Settings app, there is now a "Show Recent Searches" option that can be toggled off.
Disabling Show Recent Searches returns the Safari search interface to its iOS 18.3.2 behavior, where recent searches are not shown when tapping into the search window of a new tab.
Apple appears to have added the option to toggle off the search feature after receiving feedback during the iOS 18.4 beta testing period.
While some users may like the option to have recent searches readily available when opening up a new Safari tab, having searches so visible may not be desirable for those who sometimes need to hand over their iPhones and iPads to someone else.
iOS 18.4 is still being beta tested, with Apple aiming for an early April launch date. The update also includes new emoji characters, Apple Intelligence Priority Notifications, Visual Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Pro, a Vision Pro app, and more. All of the features in the update are listed in our iOS 18.4 beta guide.
Media platform Plex today announced that it is raising prices for the Plex Pass subscription service, marking the first price increase that Plex has introduced in a decade.
Starting on April 29, the Plex Pass will cost $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, with a lifetime purchase option available for $249.99. Right now, the lifetime Plex Pass costs $120, while the monthly option is $4.99 and the annual option is $39.99.
Plex says that it needs to raise prices to keep up with rising costs, and that the added funds will ensure that Plex is able to keep developing new features.
Along with increasing prices, Plex is no longer going to offer remote playback for personal media as a free service. Plex users who want to be able to stream content that's not on the same local network as the server will have two options.
A Plex Pass will allow server owners to provide remote media streaming to friends and family members without an additional charge, so only the server owner needs the Plex Pass, not the users streaming the content. Alternatively, if the server owner does not have a Plex Pass, remote streaming will still be available if the person accessing the server has a Plex Pass or a new Remote Watch Pass.
Plex is introducing a new Remote Watch Pass subscription option aimed at those who want to stream media without hosting a server. It allows individual users to remotely stream media from any personal media server they have access to, even if the owner of that server does not have a Plex Pass.
The Remote Watch Pass is priced at $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year, and it will be available starting on April 29.
Plex users who have a Plex Pass already will continue to be able to use remote playback from any Plex Media Server after the changes are implemented, as will users who have access to their servers. Plex Pass lifetime subscribers will see no change, but monthly and yearly subscribers will see prices go up in April.
As remote streaming is becoming a paid feature on Plex, Plex is removing the one-time activation fee that removes playback limitations in the Plex iOS and Android apps, and there will no longer be a one-minute playback limitation.
The changes to personal media streaming do not impact viewing on the same local network. Free, ad-supported streaming of movies, shows, and live TV on Plex will also remain free.
While Anker is known for a broad array of charging accessories, the Anker Prime family features some of the company's most advanced technology and feature sets to deliver a premium experience.
I've been testing out a few Anker Prime travel accessories over the past few months, including some of Anker's most compact yet powerful multi-port wall chargers, a multi-port power bank, and a high-end USB-C charging cable to help keep even Apple's most power-hungry products charged up.
Anker Prime Wall Chargers
First up are a pair of triple USB wall chargers in 67-watt and 100-watt varieties optimized for travel with folding prongs and GaN technology to ensure the most compact size possible. And while these chargers are surprisingly hefty for their size due to the density of the GaN technology packed inside, they definitely slip easily into a bag or even a large pocket.
Each of these chargers offers a pair of USB-C ports and a USB-A port to help keep all of your devices charged up, and they have nearly identical designs, with the main differences being their output power and thus their overall sizes.
The 67W version is 51% smaller than Apple's 67-watt adapter that has come with some MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models in recent years, measuring in at around 1.5 inches (~40 mm) square by 1.9 inches (50 mm) deep and weighing 4.78 ounces (135.7 grams).
It can deliver up to 67 watts of charging power when either of its two USB-C ports is used alone, while the USB-A port can deliver up to 22.5 watts on its own. When using two ports simultaneously in any combination, the charger will intelligently divide up to 65 watts of power between the two ports, and if all three ports are in use it will divide up to 64.5 watts accordingly. Of the two USB-C ports, the upper one is labeled with a computer icon while the lower one is labeled with a phone icon, indicating that the upper port will be prioritized for heavier loads when multiple ports are in use.
While 67 watts is enough for most Apple laptops other than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the fact that this is a multi-port charger means you're probably buying it to charge multiple devices at the same time. That works if you're only trying to charge something like an iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch, but anything more and you may start to bump up against the charger's wattage ceiling.
A MacBook Air drawing up to 35 watts is fine if you want to also charge an iPhone, for example, but if you're trying to charge a MacBook Pro and other devices simultaneously, you're going to need more power and that's where Anker's 100W model comes in.
The 100W model is unsurprisingly a bit larger and heavier than its sibling, measuring about 1.5 inches (39 mm) by 1.7 inches (44 mm) and about 2.3 inches (60 mm) deep and weighing 6.4 ounces (183.3 grams).
As with the 67W model, the 100W model includes two USB-C ports that are each capable of delivering the full wattage to a connected device if used in solo mode. The USB-A port can similarly deliver up to 22.5 watts on its own. In a two-device charging configuration involving both USB-C ports, the upper one will deliver up to 65 watts, while the lower one will deliver up to 35 watts, ideal for charging something like a MacBook and an iPad or iPhone simultaneously. Using either of the USB-C ports with the USB-A port will split the power 76 watts and 22.5 watts respectively.
If you need to charge three devices simultaneously, the upper USB-C port will provide up to 46 watts and the lower USB-C port will support up to 30 watts, with the USB-A port offering up to 22.5 watts.
None of these configurations will allow you to fast charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro, even if it's being charged on its own, but it should be largely sufficient for most users. Only if you're looking to charge multiple power-hungry devices will you likely want to look for something a bit more powerful, and therefore bulkier and probably more expensive. With the wide variety of chargers available on the market, it's always a balance of size/weight, power, and cost, so it's important to carefully weigh your priorities when considering a purchase.
The 67W model is normally priced at $59.99, but a $20 on-page coupon on Anker's site currently brings it down to $39.99, a deal that is also available at Amazon. The beefier 100W version is currently priced at $84.99 with no discounts available either on Anker's site or at Amazon, so you may want to keep your eye out for a sale if that's the one you're interested in.
Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank
As a lower-power and cheaper alternative to the Alogic Ark Pro I recently reviewed, Anker's 9.6K Prime Power Bank is a handy multi-device charging solution for on the go. Its 9,600 mAh internal battery is only about a third the size of the Ark Pro's, so you won't be able to come close to fully charging something like a MacBook Pro and it can only deliver 65 watts of total charging power, but for smaller devices it could be a solid option for many users.
While the power bank is rated for 9,600 mAh of capacity, Anker notes that users should only expect about 65% of that to end up in the device being charged, due to various battery and circuitry inefficiencies. As a result, Anker says users should expect about 5,200 to 6,700 mAh to be delivered to a connected device, and that's about what I found in my testing. The power bank was able to fully charge an iPhone 16 Pro Max equipped with a 4,685 mAh battery and still have around 20% of the power bank's capacity remaining.
One of the most notable features of the Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is its folding prongs, allowing it to be plugged directly into a wall to recharge its internal battery, act as a wall charger by providing passthrough power to devices connected to its USB ports, or both. It's a simpler, travel-friendly solution than having to use one of the power bank's USB ports, a separate cable, and potentially another power adapter to charge up the power bank.
The Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank features two USB-C ports, with either of them able to deliver up to 65 watts when used on its own. If both ports are used, the lower port will deliver up to 45 watts while the upper port will deliver up to 20 watts.
The power bank includes a handy display to keep an eye on charging state with a button on the side to activate the display only when you need it, thus saving power. When charging up the power bank, the display reports the current battery level and the estimated time remaining until it's fully charged, and if it's being used to charge other devices either while plugged in or not, it reports the output currently going to each of the USB-C ports.
The display also lets you access a stats page with information like battery health, the number of charge cycles, and current battery temperature. A long press on the side button lets you cycle through several settings for the power bank including how long the display should stay on for once activated with the button (30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 30 minutes), low and high options for the display brightness, and whether the lower C1 USB-C port can be used solely for output or if you can also recharge the power bank through it in addition to through the folding prongs.
Measuring around 1.7 inches (43 mm) square by 4.5 in chess (115 mm) high and weighing 10.76 ounces (305 grams), the Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is plenty small and light enough to toss in a bag for travel, and it gives you peace of mind to be able to charge up your devices either from a wall outlet or while on the go. A small lanyard gives you a little something extra to grip or the ability to hang it on a carabiner or clip to keep it accessible in or on a larger bag, but it's not large enough to fit around a wrist. The power bank also comes with a 1-meter Anker 333 USB-C to USB-C cable and a soft carrying pouch with a drawstring closure.
The brick-like profile of the power bank means it won't fit easily in a pocket unless you have a bulky coat, so that's something worth considering if you're planning on carrying it on your body. If all you're looking for is something to charge up a phone, you might look to another option like the much slimmer and lighter Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K, Slim) that can easily slide into even a pants or shirt pocket. Or for a similar but slightly thicker and heavier form factor but with a display, Qi2 support, and a kickstand, there's Anker's latest 10K MagGo Power Bank. But if you need something with a little more versatility and dual USB-C ports, the Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is a solid option.
The Anker Prime 9.6K Power Bank is normally priced at $89.99, but a $15 on-page coupon at Anker currently brings the price down to $74.99. It's also available at Amazon for the same discounted price.
Anker Prime 240W Braided USB-C to USB-C Cable
As a companion to these various charging options, I've also been testing out Anker's 3-foot Prime USB-C to USB-C braided cable with support for 240-watt charging, which offers premium specs to ensure you're charging at the fastest possible speeds. With devices like the last couple of generations of the 16-inch MacBook Pro now supporting fast charging over USB-C, you'll need to make sure you have a 240-watt cable if you want to take advantage of those speeds, and this Anker cable fits the bill.
The cable has a premium feel with an attractive braided design that offers excellent durability. Anker says it's tested the cable to survive over 300,000 bends and stand up to 220 pounds of force, while being made of recycled nylon. Anker also includes a handy silicone cable wrap to keep things tidy when you're not using the cable.
Importantly, this cable prioritizes charging speed with its ability to deliver up to 240 watts of power for supported devices, and thus it only supports 480 Mbps USB 2.0 speeds for data transfer. That's enough for lower-end needs, but if you're looking to move large amounts of data quickly such as for backups or screen mirroring/video output, you'll need to look at other options supporting flavors of USB 3, USB 4, or Thunderbolt.
The 240W Anker Prime USB-C to USB-C cable is available in a 3-foot length for $29.99 or a 6-foot length for $34.99, although an on-page coupon currently available on Anker's site brings those prices down to $25.99 and $29.99 respectively. Amazon also currently has them available at the discounted prices.
Note: Anker provided MacRumors with the Anker Prime charging accessories for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Android smartphone maker Nothing recently came out with the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, just a little after Apple launched the iPhone 16e. Since Nothing's smartphone is targeting roughly the same group of smartphone buyers as the iPhone 16e, we thought we'd do a comparison.
The iPhone 16e is priced at $599, which is higher than any other budget smartphone that Apple has released to date, while the 3a Pro is quite a bit more affordable at $459. The 3a Pro has some bells and whistles you won't get with the iPhone 16e like extra cameras and a larger display, but the Qualcomm chip in the 3a Pro really can't compete with the A18 in the iPhone 16e. It's not even close.
While the iPhone 16e has a 6.1-inch display, the 3a Pro has a larger 6.8-inch display, and it's notably larger and heavier. It has a brighter OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the 16e display is limited to 60Hz. In terms of design, the 16e has a classic, understated iPhone look with a single camera, while the 3a Pro has a large rear camera circle, a stylized mechanical look, and a ring of LED lights at the back that serve as notification alerts.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has an eye-catching design for sure, but it might also be a bit much for some people. There's a single 48-megapixel Wide camera in the iPhone 16e, but the 3a Pro has a trio of cameras, including a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel Telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera.
Battery life is about the same between the two, and the 3a Pro has no wireless charging feature while the 16e supports slow Qi-based wireless charging. The 3a Pro does charge faster though, because it supports up to 50W wired charging.
Nothing hasn't gone all in on AI like Apple, but there is a dedicated AI button that opens up the Essential Space, which is an AI-powered hub for notes, ideas, and inspirations. There are no image generation features or custom emoji, but it is a truly useful feature.
Of course, the major difference between the two is iOS vs. Android, so while the 3a Pro is a solid value with a good feature set, it's probably not going to lure iPhone users out of Apple's ecosystem.
What do you think of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro? Let us know in the comments below.
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates.
The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to competing companies and devices, and Apple is really unhappy about it.
We will be publishing an in-depth overview of all of the requirements, but in the meantime we have highlighted some key items below.
Third-party smartwatches must be able to display and interact with iOS notifications by the end of 2025, which likely means iOS 19.2 or earlier.
Apple must make its automatic audio switching feature available to third-party headphones by June 1, 2026, which likely means iOS 19.4 or earlier. This is the feature that allows most AirPods and select Beats to automatically switch connection between Apple devices, such as a Mac and an iPhone.
Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirDrop alternatives by June 1, 2026.
Apple must make changes to iOS that allow for third parties to offer equivalent AirPlay alternatives by iOS 20, or the end of 2026. iOS 20 is expected to be released to the general public in September 2026.
Apple has until iOS 20 to meet specific aspects of some of the requirements.
"Today's decisions wrap us in red tape, slowing down Apple's ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies who don't have to play by the same rules," said Apple, in a statement.
iOS 19 will be announced at WWDC 2025 this June, and iOS 20 will follow a year later.
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The iPhone 16e includes Apple's first custom-designed C1 modem, and since it's a new chip category for Apple, there have been questions about how the C1 measures up to the Qualcomm modems that Apple has been using for years. As it turns out, the iPhone 16e performs almost as well or better than the iPhone 16 in many speed tests that compare sub-6GHz performance, but it does vary by network.
According to cellular performance data shared by Ookla, Verizon and AT&T iPhone 16e users saw better median download speeds than iPhone 16 users, but T-Mobile users saw slightly higher median download speeds with the iPhone 16 than the iPhone 16e.
When looking at the highest speeds across carriers, the iPhone 16 wins out over the iPhone 16e because the iPhone 16e does not have mmWave 5G support. The iPhone 16e cannot connect to the fastest mmWave 5G networks, and it is limited to sub-6GHz connectivity. mmWave is found in urban areas and is less widespread than sub-6GHz.
In situations where connectivity was poor, the iPhone 16e outperformed the iPhone 16.
Ookla's test revealed that T-Mobile users with an iPhone 16e saw median download speeds of 264.71 Mb/s, while users with an iPhone 16 saw median download speeds of 357.47, a 24 percent increase in speed. According to Ookla, the iPhone 16e's underperformance on the T-Mobile network could be due to T-Mobile's 5G standalone network and advanced features like carrier aggregation.
For Verizon users, download speeds were low for both the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16, which seems to be a network issue. iPhone 16e users saw median download speeds of 140.77 Mb/s on Verizon. iPhone 16 download speeds were even lower at 124.4 Mb/s.
As for AT&T users, median download speeds for the iPhone 16e were at 226.9 Mb/s, and 146.49 for the iPhone 16.
The iPhone 16e outperformed the iPhone 16 in upload speeds across all carriers, with the most notable difference on the Verizon and AT&T networks. T-Mobile was the fastest network overall for both the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 in download and upload speeds.
With the C1 modem, Apple was able to increase efficiency, and it draws less power than Qualcomm modems. Apple says the C1 is the most efficient modem that's ever been used in an iPhone, and the iPhone 16e does indeed have longer battery life than the iPhone 16.
The C1 modem is Apple's first step toward independence from Qualcomm, and Apple has long been aiming to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm technology. Apple is already working on the C2 modem for future devices, and it is expected to include mmWave 5G support.
Amazon has introduced a new all-time low price on the Apple Studio Display, available for $1,249.00, down from $1,599.00. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and right now it's the only model on Amazon at a record low price.
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Compared to past sales, this is $50 under the previous all-time low price and as of writing only Amazon has the deal. There's an estimated delivery window of late March for most residences in the United States.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.
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 today introduced the Pixel 9a, its latest lower-priced smartphone. The device is launching in April, and it will compete with Apple's new iPhone 16e.
In terms of specs and pricing, the Pixel 9a tops the iPhone 16e in at least four ways.
First, the Pixel 9a's 6.3-inch OLED display is larger than the iPhone 16e's 6.1-inch screen.
Second, the Pixel 9a's display supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and content, while the iPhone 16e is limited to 60Hz.
Third, while both the Pixel 9a and the iPhone 16e are equipped with a 48-megapixel main rear camera, the Pixel 9a also has an Ultra Wide camera.
Fourth, the Pixel 9a starts at $499 in the U.S., while the iPhone 16e starts at $599.
Of course, the Pixel 9a runs Android, which is simply a dealbreaker for many iPhone users who prefer the Apple ecosystem or feel too locked in to bother switching platforms. But, increased competition is always good to see.
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