"The last new Apple app, Apple Sports, already felt out of place in iOS 18," wrote Ortolani. "It has a more visionOS or watchOS-like design language utilizing colorful backgrounds, glassy floating UI elements, expanding buttons, and lots of layered shapes. Apple Invites takes it all even further. It's got big beautiful cards, translucent cells, big bold buttons, and an emphasis on content. It feels so clearly like a hint of what is to come in a future iOS update."
It seems like a reasonable possibility that this "glassy" design could extend to other iOS 19 apps and interfaces, although this is purely speculation for now.
Apple should announce iOS 19 at WWDC 2025 in June.
Foldable display technology could be the next major design change that Apple introduces for the iPhone, and we've been hearing rumors about an iPhone that folds in half for over eight years now. Rumors have been all over the place as Apple has experimented with different prototypes, and now one questionable source claims to have new details on Apple's plans.
The information, said to be sourced from "foldable iPhone supply chain research," comes from "zwz," and was highlighted by leaker Jukanlosreve. We are not familiar with zwz, some of the measurements are wrong, and the details don't match with other recent rumors we've heard, so the claims should be viewed with skepticism. Here's what's rumored, along with our commentary.
Folding Mechanism
There is supposedly a "large folding mechanism on the left rear side, and the device opens like a book with a horizontal fold." 2024 rumors from The Information suggested Apple is working on a clamshell iPhone that folds vertically, like Samsung's Z Flip.
Sizing
The rumor suggests that the internal (opened) display would be comparable to two 6.1-inch iPhones, "resulting in a total size of over 12 inches." Two 6.1-inch iPhones side by side would have a diagonal size of around 7.5 inches. A total size over 12 inches would be an iPad Pro folded in half, which would make for an enormous smartphone. There are rumors of a large foldable iPad-like device, but that is distinct from the rumored foldable iPhone.
The report even mentions a 2027 launch for a foldable iPad and MacBook, so there is no confusion over which device the source is talking about. It also says that "progress on small foldable phones is minimal," with focus on "large foldable phones."
Thickness
The report says the foldable iPhone will have a 4.6mm thickness when unfolded, and a 9.2mm thickness when folded. That's perhaps unrealistically thin. Samsung has been making foldable smartphones for six years and the current Z Fold is 5.6mm thick when unfolded. The thinnest device Apple has made to date is the 5.1mm iPad Pro, and that device doesn't have any kind of hinge mechanism.
Display Supplier
Apple will allegedly use displays developed and supplied by Samsung, but another rumor from last week suggested Apple had not yet selected a display supplier, and would not do so until late February or early April.
There have been other rumors about Samsung supplying foldable displays to Apple, but Apple is also rumored to be working with LG Display.
Cameras
The foldable iPhone will supposedly have an ultra-thin front camera that uses Meta Lens technology. This is technology that was rumored to be coming to the iPhone 17 lineup, but recent information suggests it's been scrapped for that device.
There are also supposedly Main and Ultra Wide cameras for a dual-lens rear camera setup.
Battery
The foldable iPhone will allegedly use two "stainless steel-cased batteries" with a combined capacity of 5,000mAh.
Launch Date
The foldable iPhone is said to be coming in fall 2026, which is not too far off from other rumors we've heard. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Jeff Pu, The Information, and The Wall Street Journal have all targeted late 2026 or early 2027.
A team of robotics researchers at Apple have designed and prototyped a lamp-like robot with lifelike movements, according to a blog post and accompanying video published last month on the Apple Machine Learning Research website. The lamp, which reminds us of the cute Pixar mascot Luxo Jr., may hint at Apple's future plans.
The video shows the robot interacting with a person in a lifelike manner. For example, the person asks the robot what the weather is like that day, and the robot looks out the window before responding with the forecast. The person says they will probably go for a hike that day, but the robot looks sad when it finds out it is not invited.
In a different scenario, the robot responds to the person's hand gestures by moving to provide desired lighting for iPhone photography.
In another, the robot pushes a mug on a desk towards the person to remind them to drink water.
Later in the video, the robot observes the person building a 3D printer and projects a relevant tutorial video on the wall.
And finally, the robot plays music and dances along to it as a social companion.
The team of researchers includes Yuhan Hu, Peide Huang, Mouli Sivapurapu, and Jian Zhang. They found that these lifelike, expression-driven movements "significantly enhance user engagement" with the robot over traditional "function-driven" movements.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last year reported that Apple was developing a tabletop robot with an "iPad-like display" attached to a "robotic limb," so Apple's research in this area could hint at the future device's functionality. Barring any setbacks, he said Apple was aiming to announce the device as early as 2026 or 2027.
The tabletop robot would be primarily controlled with Siri and Apple Intelligence, according to Gurman. He said the device could respond to commands such as "look at me," which would position the screen on the user's face during a FaceTime video call. The device would also understand different voices, he said.
The tabletop robot could become a higher-end version of Apple's rumored smart home hub, which is expected to launch this year. Apple is aiming for a price of around $1,000, according to Gurman, but the plans could change.
In 2023, Apple agreed to pay $35 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit alleging that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were prone to audio issues due to a defective chip in the devices, and those who submitted a claim have started to be paid this month.
The deadline to submit a claim passed last year, so if you are only finding out about this lawsuit now, it is too late to receive a payout.
The lawsuit's class included any U.S. resident who owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023, so long as they reported audio issues covered by the settlement to Apple, and/or paid Apple out of pocket to have their iPhone repaired or replaced as a result of the covered audio issues.
$349 was the maximum payout for those who paid Apple to have the relevant issues repaired.
Apple was sued over the issue in multiple U.S. states in 2019, with the complaints alleging that the company violated consumer protection laws and breached warranties. Despite agreeing to a settlement, Apple denied any wrongdoing.
Some customers might report that after they've updated to iOS 11.3, the microphone on their iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus doesn't work and the speaker button is grayed out when they make or receive a call.
Symptoms: - The speaker button is grayed out during calls - Other people are unable to hear the customer on cellular or FaceTime calls - If a customer plays back a video or voice memo that they've made after installing iOS 11.3, there is no sound
The defect is informally known as "Loop Disease" online.
As far as an underlying cause, the class action lawsuit alleged that "the materials used in the iPhone's external casing are insufficient and inadequate to protect the internal parts," eventually resulting in the audio chip losing electrical contact with the logic board due to "flexion" of the device's external casing during regular use. It's unclear how many iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus units were affected in total.
Apple initially said its service providers could request a "warranty exception" for affected iPhones, which resulted in free repairs for at least some customers, but that abruptly ended in July 2018 after Apple deleted the document. Afterwards, some customers had to pay an out-of-warranty fee of around $300 in the U.S. for a fix.
Anker this week debuted a new Valentine's Day sale, offering the chance for you to buy one Anker accessory and get another for 50 percent off. In addition to the BOGO offer, there are a few regularly discounted Anker devices in this sale.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In regards to the BOGO offer, you'll need to purchase one regularly priced item, and then when you add a second to your cart the lower-priced item will get a 50 percent markdown. You can activate this offer with multiple items in your cart, and as long as there are pairs of two accessories the lower-priced items will be eligible for a 50 percent discount.
This sale also features some matching Amazon discounts, including a low price on the popular 60,000 mAh Power Station with Smart Digital Display and Retractable Lighting. You can get this accessory for just $89.99 with an on-page coupon this week, down from $139.99.
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 is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks.
iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and entertainment apps are temporarily disabled on iOS 18.3 due to issues with inaccurate summaries, but it is unclear if they will be turned back on in iOS 18.3.1, or in a later update.
A newer iPhone feature that makes it easier to share the location of AirTag-equipped baggage at airports has been adopted by more airlines.
iOS 18.2 added a new feature to the Find My app that allows you to temporarily share the location of an AirTag-equipped item with others, including employees at participating airlines. This way, if you have put AirTags inside your bags, the airline can better help you find them in the event they are lost or delayed at the airport.
Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings this week rolled out support for the feature. Other airlines that already offered the feature include Delta, United, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, and more.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 or later can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a web page with a location of the item on a map. The page will automatically update with the item's latest known location.
Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link is "limited to a small number of people," and airport employees are required to "authenticate" to view the link by signing into their Apple Account or partner email address.
The item's location stops being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or automatically expires after seven days.
iOS 18.2 was released in December, and Apple said that additional airlines will implement this feature over the coming months.
Leica today introduced the Leica LUX Grip, a MagSafe-compatible iPhone camera grip designed to provide photographers with a more tactile and precise shooting experience, incorporating physical controls and modes inspired by classic Leica cameras.
Leica is best known for its high-end cameras and optics. The LUX Grip is its first dedicated photography product for the iPhone. It attaches to compatible iPhones via MagSafe in both portrait and landscape, and integrates with the Leica LUX app via Bluetooth. Unlike the native iPhone camera app, Leica LUX offers advanced manual controls, lens simulations, and color science based on Leica's photographic heritage.
The LUX Grip aims to recreate the tactile experience of a traditional Leica camera. It features a mechanical two-stage shutter button, a control dial, and two customizable function buttons. The two-stage shutter allows photographers to half-press for focusing before fully pressing to capture an image. The dial can be assigned to adjust key settings such as zoom, shutter speed, aperture, or exposure compensation, while the customizable buttons can be configured for frequently used functions within the Leica LUX app.
A built-in battery provides up to 1,000 shots and recharges via USB-C in approximately two hours. The grip is made of aluminum and weighs 130 grams (4.6 ounces), with Leica emphasizing its durability and usability for both left- and right-handed photographers. A tripod thread is integrated into the base.
The latest version of the LUX app introduces additional Leica lens simulations and a new black-and-white film preset. According to Leica, this update is part of the company's ongoing efforts to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, the first mass-produced 35mm camera. Among the new features is a 50mm lens simulation, as well as a monochrome preset designed to replicate the look of early 20th-century photography. Leica LUX users can also now apply film grain effects to their images for a more analog aesthetic.
In 2023, Leica acquired Fjorden, a Norwegian company known for its iPhone camera grip. Fjorden's grip featured similar physical controls and concepts that have now been incorporated into the LUX ecosystem.
The LUX Grip is available now for $329, with an optional leather case with an AirTag holder available for $50. The Leica LUX app is free, but full access requires a subscription priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually. Users who purchase the LUX Grip receive a complimentary Pro subscription for one year.
ChatGPT's search engine feature can now be accessed by anyone, OpenAI announced on Wednesday. Previously, users needed an account to use ChatGPT search, but the sign-in requirement has now been removed.
ChatGPT Search is available on the ChatGPT website and in the desktop and mobile apps. Searches can be initiated based on what you ask or by clicking on the web search icon in the ChatGPT interface.
With ChatGPT Search, you can ask a question using conversational language and get web information, along with more details through follow-up questions. ChatGPT maintains context, so the entire conversation can be used to get a tailored answer to a query.
OpenAI has partnered with news and data providers to offer up-to-date information for categories like weather, stocks, sports, news, and maps. Searches with ChatGPT include links to sources, while a sources button below the response provides a sidebar with all of the references used.
A recent ChatGPT search update gives it a more traditional search engine feel, displaying a map, images of local attractions, and brief descriptions for each result. If you're fed up with Google's algorithms, it could be worth a try.
macOS stealers are becoming an increasingly common type of malware on the Mac, according to the 2025 State of Malware report that Malwarebytes shared this week.
Most Mac malware has historically been VSearch adware or the Genieo browser hijacker, but more malicious malware is on the rise, and 2024 saw a new wave of information stealing malware hit the Mac.
Stealers are designed to locate credit card information, authentication cookies, cryptocurrency, passwords, and other valuable data that criminals can use to make money.
Malicious apps that steal information are typically installed when a Mac user searches for a legitimate software product and then uses a malicious Google or Bing search ad to download an infested replica version of the software they sought. Attackers are able to deliver targeted ads for malicious software based on location, operating system, software, and search terms.
Atomic Stealer (AMOS), an information stealer that surfaced in 2023, is used regularly, and a version of AMOS referred to as Poseidon has becoming increasingly popular with criminals. Poseidon is advertised as being able to steal cryptocurrency from more than 160 wallets as well as passwords from web browsers and select password managers. Poseidon downloads have masqueraded as legitimate Mac apps like the Arc Browser, tricking unsuspecting Mac users into installing the malware.
Malwarebytes warns that macOS stealers like Poseidon allow criminals to access sensitive resources, steal credentials, and create convincing social engineering attacks.
To avoid this kind of attack, it is important to verify where software is being downloaded from, ensuring that it comes from a legitimate developer and not an imitation website.
Disney+ lost 700,000 subscribers worldwide in recent months, according to Disney's earnings results for the first quarter of 2025.
Disney said it now has 124.6 million Disney+ subscribers, a decrease of 0.7 million compared to its subscriber numbers in the fourth quarter of 2024. The drop in subscribers comes after Disney+ prices increased in the fall. Disney+ with Ads went from $7.99 to $9.99, while Disney+ Ad-Free went from $13.99 to $15.99.
Disney also began cracking down on Disney+ password sharing in September, introducing a "Paid Sharing" plan in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe. The system restricts account usage to members of a single household, ending support for use across multiple households unless the primary subscriber pays an additional fee.
Q1 2025 marked the first quarter where Disney+ lost subscribers since the service launched, but Disney CEO Bob Iger said during an earnings call discussing the results that the subscriber churn was not as bad as expected.
For the second quarter of 2025, Disney expects Disney+ subscriptions to see another decline. While Disney+ subscriptions were down, Hulu gained 1.6 million subscribers, during the quarter, reaching 53.6 million total paid subscribers.
Disney's overall revenue grew 4.8 percent during the quarter, largely thanks to Moana 2, which earned more than $1 billion in theaters.
Following widespread criticism over the app's buggy interface and missing features, Sonos temporarily suspended development on hardware products and focused all of its effort on app improvements. It took months for the company to add functionality that had been removed with the revamp, and revenue declined 16 percent in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024.
Then Sonos CEO Patrick Spence penned an apology and outlined the steps Sonos was taking to fix the app in July, but he ultimately stepped down earlier this year. Spence was replaced with interim CEO Tom Conrad, who founded music service Pandora and has been a longtime Sonos board member.
Conrad told employees that Sonos has been "mired in too many layers that have made collaboration and decision-making harder than it needs to be," which is why the company is restructuring. Going forward, Sonos will have a simpler organization with groups for hardware, software, design, quality, and operations, rather than separate groups for different product categories.
Amazon today sent out invites for an AI-focused event that will be held on February 26, and according to Reuters, the company plans to introduce its next-generation Alexa generative AI service.
Since Amazon introduced Alexa in 2014, it has become one of the most widely available voice assistants, but it has been falling behind with the proliferation of generative AI products like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Revamping Alexa into a generative AI service will mark the biggest change Amazon has made to the product since its launch. Alexa will be able to hold complex, context-aware conversations with users, and will be able to handle multi-faceted requests.
Amazon is using AI models from Anthropic's Claude rather than relying solely on its in-house AI technology, as early versions of Amazon AI had trouble responding in a timely manner. Amazon initially planned to roll out the updated version of Alexa last year, but ended up pushing the debut back.
It is important for Amazon to get changes to Alexa right, because there are more than 100 million active Alexa users and over 500 million Alexa-enabled devices have been sold. Amazon is aiming to convert some of those Alexa users into paying customers, with plans to eventually charge a subscription fee for the new Alexa. At launch, Amazon will test the new Alexa with a small number of users and won't charge for it.
The new version of Amazon Alexa will come just ahead of when we are expecting Apple to begin testing a new iteration of Siri that's equipped with new Apple Intelligence capabilities. Apple says that Siri is going to be updated with on-screen awareness, personal context, and the ability to do more in and with apps, all of which are expected to allow Siri to do more for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.
Next year, rumors suggest Apple will roll out an updated version of Siri trained using large language models, so Siri will be able to better compete with ChatGPT and chatbots.
Malware that includes code for reading the contents of screenshots has been found in suspicious App Store apps for the first time, according to a report from Kaspersky.
Dubbed "SparkCat," the malware includes OCR capabilities for sussing out sensitive information that an iPhone user has taken a screenshot of. The apps that Kaspersky discovered are aimed at locating recovery phrases for crypto wallets, which would allow attackers to steal bitcoin and other cryptocurrency.
The apps include a malicious module that uses an OCR plug-in created with Google's ML Kit library to recognize text found inside images on an iPhone. When a relevant image of a crypto wallet is located, it is sent to a server accessed by the attacker.
According to Kaspersky, SparkCat has been active since around March 2024. Similar malware was discovered in 2023 that targeted Android and PC devices, but it has now spread to iOS. Kaspersky located several App Store apps with OCR spyware, including ComeCome, WeTink, and AnyGPT, but it is not clear if the infection was a "deliberate action by the developers" or the "result of a supply chain attack."
The infected apps ask for permission to access a user's photos after being downloaded, and if granted permission, use the OCR functionality to sort through images looking for relevant text. Several of the apps are still in the App Store, and seem to be targeting iOS users in Europe and Asia.
While the apps are aimed at stealing crypto information, Kaspersky says that the malware is flexible enough that it could also be used to access other data captured in screenshots, like passwords. Android apps are impacted as well, including apps from the Google Play Store, but iOS users often expect their devices to be malware resistant.
Apple checks over every app in the App Store, and a malicious app marks a failure of Apple's app review process. In this case, there does not appear to be an obvious indication of a trojan in the app, and the permissions that it requests appear to be needed for core functionality.
Kaspersky suggests that users should avoid storing screenshots with sensitive information like crypto wallet recovery phases in their Photo Library to stay safe from this kind of attack.
A full list of iOS frameworks that are infected is available on the Kaspersky website, along with more information about the malware.
Google today announced updates to Gemini, the company's AI product that competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Apple Intelligence.
Starting today, Gemini app users can access Google's 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental model, which is trained to break down prompts into a series of steps to improve its reasoning capabilities. The new model shows its reasoning process, giving users insight into why it responds the way that it does.
There is a version of 2.0 Flash Thinking that is able to interact with apps that include YouTube, Search, and Google Maps, with Google working to determine how the new reasoning capabilities can help users do more with Google apps.
An experimental version of Gemini 2.0 Pro is also now available, and Google says it is the best model yet for coding performance and answering complex prompts. Gemini 2.0 Pro is available in Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, and the Gemini app for Gemini Advanced subscribers.
A Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite model is available for Google AI Studio as well, and Google says that it is the most cost-efficient model to date.
Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental and 2.0 Pro Experimental are rolling out to the Gemini web and mobile app. They can be selected in the Gemini dropdown menu when interacting with the AI.
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming.
The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for an update. Apple doesn't design chips specifically for the Apple TV, and it instead uses chips from the iPhone.
If Apple wants to bring Apple Intelligence features to the Apple TV, the next-generation model will have the A17 Pro or better along with at least 8GB RAM.
Apple Intelligence makes sense for the Apple TV given that part of Apple Intelligence is a new, smarter version of Siri. Siri has always been a specific focus on the Apple TV, with Apple encouraging users to ask Siri to find content to watch.
The A17 Pro would also allow for higher-quality console-style games because it supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The iPhone and iPad can support console games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, and those games are also likely to be playable on the next Apple TV.
Wi-Fi 6E
Apple is expected to use a custom Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for the Apple TV 4K. The chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, which will allow the Apple TV to connect to faster 6GHz networks when available.
Right now, Apple offers both a Wi-Fi only Apple TV 4K and a Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, and that could continue with the next-generation model. We could also see the next Apple TV adopt Bluetooth 5.3.
The Apple TV is expected to continue to offer Thread integration and support for Matter when used as a home hub for smart home products. Wi-Fi 6E could theoretically improve connectivity for smart home products because the 6GHz band typically has reduced signal interference and more bandwidth.
Design
It's looking like Apple has no plans to redesign the Apple TV. We're not expecting form factor updates, and the next-generation Apple TV will continue to feature the same slimmed-down black plastic body that the current model uses.
Pricing
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been saying that Apple might debut a cheaper Apple TV, and that under $100 would be the "sweet spot." Apple may lower prices on the new model, but it's more likely that the current version will stick around and be sold at a discount.
The current Apple TV starts at $129 for 64GB of storage.
Launch Date
We're expecting the Apple TV to see a refresh sometime in late 2025, likely in September or October.
Apple this week added parts and tools for all M4 Macs to its self-service repair store in the U.S. and many European countries. This includes parts for MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with M4, M4 Pro, and/or M4 Max chips.
Since launching in 2022, Apple's self-service repair program has given customers access to the same genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals used by the Genius Bar at Apple Stores and at Apple Authorized Service Providers, allowing for do-it-yourself repairs. Repair manuals for M4 Macs are available on Apple's website.
Depending on the model, repair parts that can be ordered for M4 Macs include displays, logic boards, speakers, trackpads, top cases with a keyboard and battery, SSD modules, USB-C ports, fans, Wi-Fi antennas, and more.
The self-service repair store also offers parts for various iPhone models and the Studio Display, as well as replacement batteries for the Beats Pill speaker. Apple says the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices," and the repair manuals include important safety information.
Amazon today has up to $175 off a collection of Apple's M4 iMac computers, and it's matching a few all-time low prices on multiple models. The cheapest M4 iMac available is the 8-core/16GB RAM/256GB 24-inch iMac at $1,149.99 with an on-page coupon, down from $1,299.00.
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.
You'll also find the 512GB models on sale, and each configuration has multiple colors available at these discounts. For the steepest markdown, Amazon has the 10-core/24GB RAM/512GB 24-inch iMac for $1,724.00 in Blue, down from $1,899.00.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
Some of these deals will require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at checkout. This is mainly regarding the entry-level 8-core/256GB iMac, but a few color options from the other configurations will also require a coupon to be clipped.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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.
