MacRumors

Apple will partner with Samsung to produce next-generation image sensor chips for upcoming iPhone models at a facility in Texas, marking a major departure from its exclusive reliance on Sony, according to the Financial Times.

As part of its announcements surrounding its $600 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing yesterday, Apple said:

Apple is also working with Samsung at its fab in Austin, Texas, to launch an innovative new technology for making chips, which has never been used before anywhere in the world. By bringing this technology to the U.S. first, this facility will supply chips that optimize power and performance of Apple products, including iPhone devices shipped all over the world.

According to the Financial Times, the chips in question are three-layer stacked image sensors, which enable higher pixel density and improved low-light performance by vertically stacking multiple sensor layers. Stacked sensor architecture also allows for faster readout speeds, reduced power consumption, and higher dynamic range.

This manufacturing process has not previously been deployed at a commercial scale. Sources familiar with the matter said that the sensors are to be supplied by Samsung's System LSI division and mass-produced by its foundry division.

The image sensors to be produced in Texas are expected to appear in next year's iPhone 18 lineup. Apple typically begins final component validation and volume manufacturing well in advance of launch, suggesting that the Austin facility is already ramping up preparations for initial production tests.

This will be the first time Apple will move away from Sony for ‌iPhone‌ image sensors and make the component in the United States. Today, Sony is the sole supplier of ‌iPhone‌ image sensors; they are produced in Japan and delivered via TSMC.

Apple has hemorrhaged around a dozen artificial intelligence staff to rivals since January, making it one of the prime victims in Silicon Valley's fierce AI talent war, reports the Financial Times.

The exodus of staff from Apple's AI team over the last seven months has seen senior researchers leave variously for Meta, OpenAI, xAI, Cohere, and others. The most notable recent departure was that of Ruoming Pang, head of Apple's Foundational Models team, who joined Meta last month after being lured by CEO Mark Zuckerberg with a $200 million pay package.

Key departures from Apple's AI team this year include:

• Brandon McKinzie (OpenAI)
• Dian Ang Yap (OpenAI)
• Liutong Zhou (Cohere)
• Ruoming Pang (Meta)
• Mark Lee (Meta)
• Tom Gunter (Meta)
• Bowen Zhang (Meta)
• Shuang Ma (Meta)
• Floris Weers (stealth startup)

Several of the individuals who have left were contributors to research papers on AI models that Apple released last year. Apple's core Foundation Models team is made up of just 50 to 60 people, so each departure is particularly damaging for the company.

FT reports that industry recruiters see the departures as "a crisis of confidence" around Apple's AI future. Aaron Sines from recruiting firm Razoroo said companies now view elite AI talent as "strategic assets," on par with intellectual property or even entire business units.

"There are really only a thousand, maybe two thousand people in the world who have real foundational model experience and what it takes to develop and deploy foundational models," he told the newspaper.

The talent drain coincides with Apple's struggle to update Siri by integrating large language models (LLMs). A chatbot-like version of the virtual assistant was one of the key Apple Intelligence features that Apple promoted at last year's WWWDC, but it has yet to arrive.

Apple has reportedly established AI offices in Zurich, where teams are developing a completely new software architecture for Siri. This new approach – called a "monolithic model" – is built entirely on an LLM engine. It's designed to replace Siri's existing "hybrid" system, which has become fragmented over the years as different features were added in layers. The new architecture aims to make Siri more conversational and significantly better at understanding and synthesizing information.

During Apple's recent earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is "making good progress on a more personalized Siri" that is powered by Apple Intelligence, and he reiterated that the features will be available next year. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls.

Apple Maps has expanded the availability of cycling routes in East Asia by adding support for Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Apple first added cycling directions to ‌‌Apple Maps‌‌ in iOS 14, providing specific directions for bike riders with bike lanes, bike paths, and bike-friendly routes that highlight steep inclines, stairs, and other obstacles.

Prior to this expansion, cycling directions in ‌Apple Maps‌ were primarily available in select countries and major cities across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. As for East Asia, the feature was previously limited to mainland China and Japan, so the addition of Taiwan and Hong Kong significantly enhances its coverage in the subregion.

Apple typically rolls out new features gradually, so users across in the new locations may see the cycling directions become available in stages. The company has not provided details about coverage within the country, but it is expected to include major urban areas and popular cycling routes. Apple maintains a list of all of the areas where cycling directions are available on its website, but Taiwan and Hong Kong have not yet been added.

Apple will launch its first MacBook Pro models with OLED displays in late 2026, according to a new report out of Korea discussing the supply of OLED panels.

Dealsite.co.kr reports that Samsung Display will be the sole supplier of OLED panels for the new MacBook Pro models, thanks to its heavy investment in Gen 8.6 OLED production lines.

Gen 8.6 lines use larger glass substrates conducive with laptop and monitor panels, and combine oxide TFT technology for low power consumption and scalability, while reducing manufacturing costs. The investment means Samsung is expected to comfortably meet Apple's demand next year for OLED MacBook panels.

Several previous rumors have indicated that Apple is developing MacBook Pro models with OLED displays. Last month, Omdia doubled down on its 2026 timeframe for the first MacBook models with OLED displays. That report did not mention the "Pro" moniker, but it is widely expected that OLED displays will debut in Apple's higher-end MacBook Pro models before coming to MacBook Air models.

When the MacBook Pro moves from mini-LED to OLED display technology, it will gain several advantages – brighter screens, deeper blacks with higher contrast, improved power efficiency that can extend battery life, and other enhancements.

The switch to OLED is expected to accompany the MacBook Pro's first major redesign since 2021. Apple is reportedly focusing on delivering the thinnest possible device without compromising on battery life or major new features.

It has also been reported that the OLED MacBook Pro could feature a pill-shaped or hole-punch cutout in the display instead of a notch. This rumor is from December 2024, so it is unclear if it remains accurate, or if the change remains on Apple's roadmap.

Last month, some uncertainty emerged around whether the first OLED MacBook Pro would launch in 2026, after Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported – without offering a reason – that Apple doesn't plan to update any Macs with M5 chips in 2025. However, Gurman noted that the timeline is still subject to change.

The current M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models were announced in October 2024 and released in November 2024, so pushing the M5 models back to 2026 would see Apple skipping a yearly refresh.

If Apple planned to launch the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in 2026, that could see the OLED model pushed to 2027. Alternatively, Apple could debut the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ in early 2026 and the OLED version with M6 chips in late 2026, but that would be unusual. Gurman has so far kept quiet on whether the redesigned OLED MacBook Pro timeline has shifted as well, but hopefully there's an update coming from him soon that will corroborate this latest report.

In iOS 26, currently in beta, creating a new task for Apple's Reminders app is now a much faster process, thanks to the introduction of a "New Reminder" control that lets you create tasks without ever opening the app.

Whether you assign it to Control Center, your Lock Screen, or the Action button (on iPhone 15 Pro models and newer), this simple addition should make it a lot easier to record your reminders.

How the New Reminder Control Works

When you activate the New Reminder control, the Reminders app isn't actually opened. Instead, iOS 26 displays a compact popup panel that includes everything you need to create a task: you can select the Reminders List, add a note, the date, location, and a flag.

The interface also recognizes natural language for adding a due date, so you can append your reminder with "tomorrow at 3pm," and iOS will recognize it and suggest the appropriate reminder time in the Siri suggestions bar above the keyboard.

Basically, you can create detailed reminders containing all the necessary info without navigating through multiple screens in the full Reminders app.

Adding the Control to Control Center

To add the New Reminder control to Control Center, swipe down from the corner of the screen, long press a blank space, then tap Add Control. You'll find it in the Reminders section (it's the only control there).

Setting Up Lock Screen Access

For Lock Screen access, touch and hold your Lock Screen, tap Customize, then remove one of the two Lock Screen controls by tapping it. Tap the plus button left in its place, then select New Reminder from the available controls.

Assigning to the Action Button

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, the Action button provides the fastest access to new reminders. To set it up:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Action Button.
3. Swipe to Controls and choose New Reminder from the list of available actions.

That's all there is to it. Granted, it's an extremely simple addition, but the New Reminder control goes a long way to eliminate the friction usually involved in creating a task. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26 to supported iPhones in September.

Disney is eliminating the standalone Hulu app, reports Variety. Rather than separate Hulu and Disney+ apps, Disney plans to offer a unified streaming app that includes both services.

The new app will debut in 2026, and while it will include both Disney+ and Hulu, customers will still able to buy standalone subscriptions to each service.

"The company is taking major steps forward in streaming with the upcoming launch of ESPN's direct-to-consumer service, our just-announced plans with the NFL, and our forthcoming integration of Hulu into Disney+, creating a truly differentiated streaming proposition that harnesses the highest-caliber brands and franchises, general entertainment, family programming, news, and industry-leading sports content," Disney CEO Bob Iger said of the plan during the company's third quarter earnings call.

Iger claims the combined app will provide an "improved consumer experience" and new opportunities for advertising revenue.

Disney+ and Hulu have a combined 183 million paid subscriptions, up 2.6 million since last quarter.

Social network Instagram today announced several new features designed to help people "better connect" with their friends. There's a "Reposts" feed for reposting public reels and posts, which Instagram says will make it simpler for people to share interests with their friends.

Content that an Instagram user Reposts will be featured in a new Reposts tab that's on the profile page, and Reposts will be shared with friends and followers. Reposts are credited to the original creator, improving post reach.

Instagram is also adding an "Instagram Map," which appears to be similar to the Snapchat map feature. Instagram users can choose to share their last active location with friends, and can look at the map to see what content creators are sharing from "interesting or fun locations." The map can be used for exploring location-based content, and any content tagged with a location can show up on the map.

Location sharing is an opt-in feature, and Instagram users can choose who to share their location with. There are also options for not sharing location in specific places, or with specific people.

Finally, Instagram is adding a Friends tab to Reels, where users can find public content that their friends have interacted with. The Friends tab is located at the top of the Reels interface.

Sonos plans to raise prices for some of its products later this year because of tariff costs, the company said in its third fiscal quarter earnings presentation [PDF].

Sonos manufactures its devices in Vietnam and Malaysia, and the countries are facing tariffs of 20 percent and 19 percent, respectively. In the third fiscal quarter, tariffs cost Sonos $2.1 million, and the company estimated that costs would increase to $5 million in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2025. Sonos said that the estimate for 4Q 2025 reflects the prior 10 percent tariff rate on in-transit inventory that will arrive during the quarter, and future quarters "may differ."

To minimize the impact of tariffs, Sonos says that it will raise prices across its portfolio of products. Sonos also plans to invest in diversifying its geographic footprint to drive growth in the future.

Sonos did not outline which products will see price hikes, but said that the increases will come later in 2025.

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.

Medical technology company Masimo has been facing off with Apple in court since 2020, and while Masimo has scored some wins, it's been an expensive endeavor.

In its quarterly earnings reports, Masimo outlines how much it has spent on litigation. The way Masimo's spending is reported has changed over the last five years, but looking at earnings reports and information from Masimo executives gives a look at how much legal fights can cost.

Masimo's ITC case against Apple began in 2021, and it ultimately led to an Apple Watch import ban. Apple was forced to remove blood oxygen monitoring from Apple Watches sold in the U.S. in December 2023. Masimo spent $5.5 million on litigation expenses in 2021, followed by $28.7 million in 2022. The company spent over $40 million in 2023, and $70 million in 2024.

In the first quarter of 2025, Masimo spent $19.7 million, and in its second quarter earnings results shared this week, Masimo said it spent $24 million on litigation. Masimo could be on track to spend more in 2025 than it did in 2024, based on its legal costs in the first and second quarters. It is worth noting that these litigation figures include all of Masimo's legal spending, and not just Apple-related costs. Masimo has other expenses, which includes the recent ousting of former Masimo CEO Joe Kiani.

Still, Masimo's legal expenditures have not been inconsequential, according to Masimo. In December 2023, then Masimo CEO Joe Kiani told The Wall Street Journal that the legal battle against Apple had cost Masimo around $100 million. In the two years since, legal costs could have significantly exceeded that figure, but Masimo's quarterly reports do not break down what portion of total litigation expenses are Apple-specific.

Right now, Masimo is embroiled in the appeals process with Apple, as Apple launched an appeal in late 2023. Most recently, Apple argued its appeals case to a three-judge panel, though no decision has been made as of yet.

U.S. President Donald Trump today said that there will be a 100 percent tariff on chips and semiconductors imported into the United States, but with a major exception.

Companies that are building in the United States, or that have made a commitment to build in the U.S., will not have to pay the tariffs. Since Apple pledged to spend $600 billion on U.S. manufacturing, the company will presumably be exempted from the planned chip tariffs.

"If you're building in the United States, or made a commitment to build or are in the process, there's no charge," Trump said. He added that if companies promise to bring manufacturing to the U.S. and don't follow through, tariffs will be "added up" and "charged at a later date."

The Trump administration exempted semiconductors and derivative products like the iPhone from reciprocal tariffs in countries like China and India, but Trump has been promising to levy high fees on chip imports.

Apple sources its chips from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), and there were fears that chip tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple's costs as a result. For now, it looks like Apple is going to avoid any additional tariffs on the chips that it uses for its devices. Trump made the announcement during a White House press event with Apple CEO Tim Cook, where Cook announced an additional U.S. manufacturing investment. There is no word on when semiconductor tariffs will be put in place.

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 today said that it would increase its investment in U.S. manufacturing to $600 billion, pledging an additional $100 billion on top of the $500 billion it promised to spend in the U.S. across four years earlier this year.

"Today, we're proud to increase our investments across the United States to $600 billion over four years and launch our new American Manufacturing Program," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we're grateful to the President for his support."

Apple is establishing the American Manufacturing Program (AMP), which the company says is dedicated to bringing advanced manufacturing to the United States. AMP partners include Corning, Coherent, GlobalWafers America, Applied Materials, Amkor, Texas Instruments, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, and Broadcom.

Apple plans to use $2.5 billion of the AMP funding to expand its partnership with Corning. Corning and Apple are working together to create the "world's largest and most advanced smartphone class production line" in Corning's Kentucky factory. Apple says that 100 percent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch models sold worldwide will be made in the U.S. "soon." Apple and Corning are also going to open an "Apple-Corning Innovation Center" that will develop advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing platforms.

Apple is also working with several other companies to expand U.S. manufacturing, with a full list available on Apple's website.

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.

In the fifth beta of iOS 26, Apple appears to have subtly upgraded AirPods charging. Code in ‌iOS 26‌ says that the AirPods Charging case "now more clearly indicates charging status," and that the AirPods will remind you when it's time to charge.

A screenshot shared on social media shows an AirPods splash screen with the same wording and an image of what the light on the AirPods charging case means. There are two different shades of amber for Charging and Charge Case, along with a green for Charged status.

The AirPods charging case already uses an amber light when the case is charging and a green light when it's at full charge. When the AirPods case is open and the AirPods are inside, there's a green light that means the AirPods are fully charged and an amber light that means there is less than one full charge remaining.

It may be that the amber light indicating that the AirPods charging case needs to be topped up will show up even when the case is closed, since Apple's wording does suggest that there's something new in ‌iOS 26‌.

In prior ‌iOS 26‌ betas, Apple introduced an iPhone notification that alerts you when the AirPods are in need of a charge. The notification is sent even if the AirPods aren't in active use, so you can charge them up for later.

Apple today announced that its hit original film F1: The Movie will be re-released in select IMAX theaters around the world, due to popular demand. Tickets are on sale now for select IMAX theaters and showtimes beginning this Friday, August 8, and the film will expand to even more IMAX theaters on Friday, August 15.

F1: The Movie is a racing movie with a classic underdog story. In the film, Brad Pitt stars as an F1 driver who was an up-and-coming talent in the 1990s, until an accident nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he is invited to join a former teammate's struggling F1 team, in a last-shot bid to save the team and become the best in the world.

The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who is known for other popular action films, including "Tron: Legacy" and "Top Gun: Maverick."

Apple said that the film has grossed more than $550 million at the global box office since its release in late June, making it the highest-grossing film that Pitt has ever been cast in. IMAX viewers can watch the entire film in an ultra-wide aspect ratio.

Standard showings of the film are still ongoing at many theaters too.

F1: The Movie will be available to stream on Apple TV+ at a later date. In the U.S., Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month, or $99 per year. The streaming service is available through the Apple TV app on a wide variety of devices, and on the web at tv.apple.com, with a free seven-day trial available. Apple TV+ is also included in all Apple One bundles.

The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.

Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:

• A slightly larger display
• Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable
• 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2
• Likely a wide-angle OLED display that is brighter when viewed from an angle, and offers a higher refresh rate for the always-on display mode
• S10 chip or newer for faster performance
• Blood pressure monitoring has been rumored, but it might not be ready in time for the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Last year, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 received a black titanium case option, but otherwise the Ultra model has not received any hardware upgrades since 2023.

After a two-year wait, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 should be unveiled in September.

U.S. President Donald Trump is increasing the tariff on goods from India to 50 percent starting on August 27, but Apple's manufacturing in the country won't be affected.

Semiconductors and derivative products like iPhones are already exempt from the existing 25 percent reciprocal tariffs that are in place. According to CNBC, the executive order increasing the tariff rate doubles the 25 percent reciprocal tariff rate to 50 percent, and semiconductors will continue to be exempt.

Apple is already unaffected by the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs in India that were put in place on August 1, and it looks like that's not going to change if and when tariffs increase to the 50 percent mark later in August.

Apple has been shifting a significant portion of its manufacturing from China to India for supply chain diversification and because of U.S.-China trade tensions. Apple partners like Foxconn and Pegatron have established factories in India for assembling the iPhone, and all five iPhone 16 models are assembled in the country for Indian customers and for export to countries like the U.S.

The order that exempts Apple from paying reciprocal tariffs is temporary, and exemptions could change at Trump's whim. Trump has said that no one is "getting off the hook," and that his administration is working on specific semiconductor levies that could impact Apple devices.

Apple is working hard to convince Trump not to subject it to additional tariffs. The company promised to invest $500 billion in U.S. manufacturing earlier this year, and today, Trump is announcing another $100 billion Apple investment in the form of a new U.S.-based Apple manufacturing program. Apple CEO Tim Cook will be present for the announcement.

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.

The iPhone 17 Pro could start with 256GB of storage as part of a $50 price increase across the lineup this year, a Weibo leaker has suggested.

In a new post, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" reiterated rumors that the iPhone 17 lineup will be announced on Tuesday, September 9 with a $50 price hike across the board, and pondered whether the increase could come hand-in-hand with a storage bump.

Today, the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, and 16 Pro start with 128GB of storage, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts with 256GB of storage. The four models are priced starting at $799, $899, $999, and $1,199, respectively.

In July, Jefferies said that Apple will implement a $50 price increase across the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup to offset rising component costs and China tariffs. This means the ‌iPhone 17‌, 17 Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max will likely be priced at $849, $949, $1,049, and $1,249, if the company's positioning and pricing trends continue.

It's possible that Apple could increase the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s base storage to 256GB, bringing it in line with the Pro Max, to help justify its $50 price increase. That would represent an effective price cut of $50 over today's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ with 256GB of storage and help to simplify the lineup.

Likewise, The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Apple was considering raising prices for its upcoming ‌iPhone 17‌ models. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to tariffs.

If you are planning to head to the Apple Park Visitor Center this month, be aware that the rooftop terrace will be temporarily closed.

Apple says the rooftop terrace will be receiving some unspecified "improvements," and it will be closed until Monday, September 1 as a result.

The notice was added to the Apple Park Visitor Center page within the past 24 hours.

When open, the rooftop terrace offers a partial view of Apple Park, and there are tables and chairs for sitting around. It can be reached via stairs or an elevator, and there is also a bathroom on that level. It is unclear what changes are planned.

Tourists headed to the Apple Park Visitor Center still have plenty to do. They can try out the latest Apple products, purchase Apple merchandise, grab a coffee at the on-site Caffè Macs, view a 3D model of the Apple Park campus, get creative with free "Today at Apple" sessions, and stroll through the adjacent "Mirage" public art installation.

Apple Park Visitor Center opened in November 2017. It is located directly across the street from Apple Park, in Cupertino, California.

Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!

Apple is planning to launch a "Liquid Silicone" line of cases for iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a hit-or-miss leaker known as "Majin Bu."

In a blog post today, the leaker shared images of the alleged cases, with some having a ripple effect on the back near the MagSafe charging area. The cases also have multiple cutouts for attaching a lanyard, which may be sold separately.

iOS 26 has a new Liquid Glass design. The leaker said the "Liquid Silicone" cases will have a "Liquid Glass effect" of some kind, but it is not entirely clear what that means.

AirPods Pro 2 charging cases also have a cutout for attaching a lanyard, and the iPod touch once had a built-in mechanism for attaching a lanyard.

The cases are described as "official samples," but we are not entirely convinced that they are actually designed by Apple. Some of the cases shown look rather bulky and low quality, so some skepticism is absolutely warranted here.

Sketchy rumors about iPhone cases are nothing new, and sometimes they do turn out to be at least partially true. There was some skepticism about the "FineWoven" name when it first leaked a few years ago, and the name ended up being real, so we are reporting on the "Liquid Silicone" name just in case that name happens to be the real deal.

"Majin Bu" has a mixed track record with Apple rumors. They were most recently accurate about iPadOS 26 adding a Mac-like menu bar to iPads.

Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series and cases in just over a month from now, so we will not have to wait much longer for official details.