Amazon this week has a huge collection 10th generation iPads on sale, with the sole exception of a few colors of the cellular models not being discounted. These deals have been automatically applied and do not require an on-page coupon to be clipped.
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.
Prices start at $279.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi tablet for $429.00, down from $499.00. These $70 discounts are solid second-best prices on the iPad and all four colors are available on sale for each model.
If you're shopping for cellular models, Amazon has the 64GB cellular iPad for $429.00 and the 256GB cellular iPad for $579.00. These are also $70 discounts, but this time they're all-time low prices on the iPad. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy, you'll find many of these prices on the iPad are being matched at the retailer this week.
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!
iOS 18.2.1 will be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or addresses security vulnerabilities, but it is unclear which specific issues might be resolved.
There are no developer or public betas for minor updates like iOS 18.2.1.
iOS 18.3
iOS 18.3 has been in beta for developers and public beta testers since mid-December, and so far it is shaping up to be another minor update.
The only potential new feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18.3 so far is robot vacuum support in the Home app, but this functionality is not yet live. Apple is laying the groundwork for the feature, according to new lines of code added in the iOS 18.3 beta, but it is unclear if it will be available by time iOS 18.3 is released to the public.
When available, this feature will allow you to control key functions of your robot vacuum in the Home app, and with Siri voice commands.
Here is how Apple describes the feature:
The Home app now supports the core functionality of robot vacuum cleaners, such as power control, cleaning mode, vacuum, mop, and charge status. They can also participate in automations and scenes, and respond to Siri requests. So you can add them to your cleaning routines — or tell Siri to do some spot cleaning in the living room.
Beyond that, iOS 18.3 only has very minor change so far, such as a slightly tweaked Image Playground icon and bug fixes.
Apple has only seeded one beta of iOS 18.3 so far, so additional new features and changes could be added in later betas. However, it is typical for Apple software updates that are in beta testing during the holiday season to be minor, as Apple's software engineers are off from work for many days and critical issues need to be avoided.
iOS 18.3 will likely be released in late January or early February.
iOS 18.4
Things will finally get more interesting again with iOS 18.4, which is expected to include several new Apple Intelligence enhancements for Siri.
Apple has been internally testing iOS 18.4 for many months, and the update should be a big one. On the iPhone 15 Pro models and all iPhone 16 models, Siri is expected to gain several new capabilities, including on-screen awareness, deeper per-app controls, and better understanding of personal context. However, a truly conversational ChatGPT-like version of Siri is not expected to launch until iOS 19.4 in March or April of 2026.
Over the next year or so, Apple Intelligence will eventually be available in additional languages, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others. Support for some of these languages could be added starting with iOS 18.4.
Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April.
India is set to implement a series of subsidies and tariff reductions designed to lower production costs for Apple and other smartphone manufacturers as part of its broader effort to become a global electronics manufacturing hub (via Bloomberg).
India is proposing $2.7 billion in financial incentives and tariff adjustments targeting the electronics sector, particularly benefiting smartphone makers such as Apple. The measures are intended to bolster the production of critical components like batteries, camera modules, and microprocessors, which are currently largely imported from countries such as China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government previously rolled out several initiatives, including the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which drew major companies like Apple and Samsung to set up or expand their production facilities in India. The focus of the new proposal is more granular, specifically targeting the establishment of a domestic supply chain for components.
Apple has been steadily increasing its production footprint in India. The company began assembling iPhones in India in 2017, initially focusing on older models. More recently, Apple has ramped up its operations, with India-produced iPhones now accounting for roughly 15% of the company's global output. Notably, the iPhone 16 saw its production in India commence just weeks after its global launch.
The proposed subsidies could further accelerate Apple's plans to localize production, potentially enabling simultaneous launches and production of future models, such as the iPhone 17, in both India and China. A final decision on the measures is expected to be announced during the upcoming federal budget in February.
Apple today launched a new Shazam Fast Forward 2025 website that will spotlight 50 music artists who are poised to have a breakthrough year.
The list of artists will be revealed on a genre-by-genre basis over the next five days, starting with dance/electronic artists today. Rising artists in the Latin, Country/Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B genres will follow later this week.
"With more than 300 million global monthly users and over 100 billion global song recognitions since its launch, Shazam's unique ability to accurately predict the next breaking artist is unparalleled," said Apple, in an email.
Artists are selected based on Shazam's "uniquely predictive data and algorithms," coupled with the "expertise of Apple Music's global editorial team."
Apple said two-thirds of the artists who were in Shazam's predictions list last year went on to be in Apple Music's Daily Top 100 list in 150 countries.
OWC has introduced two new active optical USB4 cables offering extended lengths and high-speed connectivity at more competitive prices than Apple's only long Thunderbolt 4 cable offering. The cables are available in 3-meter (approximately 10 feet) and 4.5-meter (15 feet) lengths, priced at $98.99 and $129.99 respectively.
Both cables support data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps, matching the maximum throughput of Thunderbolt 4. The 3-meter version delivers up to 240W of power delivery, while the 4.5-meter cable supports up to 60W charging capabilities, according to OWC.
Intel only guarantees Thunderbolt 4 performance over cables up to 2 meters in length, so while these cables aren't officially certified as Thunderbolt 4, they do maintain compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 and 4 devices, including docks and hubs.
OWC says it achieves the extended length capabilities through fiber optic technology, which provides better immunity to electromagnetic interference compared to traditional copper cables. The technology is reminiscent of the Light Peak project that Intel and Apple initially developed before settling on copper-based Thunderbolt solutions.
The release presents a more affordable alternative to Apple's 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable, which is priced at $159. Like Apple's offering, the OWC cables feature a braided nylon covering for durability and flexibility.
Also from today, OWC's previously announced Thunderbolt 5 hub is now available to purchase, having been on pre-order since November. Priced at $189.99, OWC's hub is one of the first accessories to support Intel's latest Thunderbolt standard, and offers Thunderbolt 5 compatibility with Apple's latest Mac mini and MacBook Pro Models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. The new cables and hub are available to order directly from the OWC website.
Apple is once again under scrutiny after its AI-powered notification system generated false news summaries on Friday, including an erroneous claim about a darts player winning a championship and a fabricated story about tennis star Rafael Nadal.
BBC News reported that Apple Intelligence incorrectly notified users that Luke Littler had won the PDC World Championship before the final match had even taken place. In a separate incident on the same day, the system falsely claimed that Rafael Nadal had come out as gay, misinterpreting a story about a Brazilian tennis player.
These latest mishaps follow previous concerns raised by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which called for Apple to remove the AI summary feature last month after it generated misleading headlines about a high-profile murder case. The journalism organization warned that such AI-generated summaries pose "a danger to the public's right to reliable information."
The BBC has demanded urgent action from Apple, claiming that the recurring issue threatens the credibility of trusted news organizations. "It is essential that Apple fixes this problem urgently - as this has happened multiple times," a BBC spokesperson said.
Apple Intelligence is available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 models, and select iPads and Macs running iOS 18.1 or later. Amongst other things, the AI features aim to simplify notification management by condensing multiple alerts into brief summaries. The feature includes a reporting mechanism for inaccurate summaries, but Apple has not publicly addressed the ongoing concerns or disclosed the number of reports it has received.
Apple supplier LG Display is adjusting its main OLED production line over concerns about lower-than-expected OLED iPad Pro demand, with the company now planning to repurpose the facility to manufacture iPhone displays, according to The Elec.
The production line currently manufactures OLED panels for tablets and PCs, but has been experiencing reduced operation rates due to sluggish demand for Apple's OLED iPad Pro models. As a result, LG Display plans to adapt it for iPhone OLED panel production.
Released in May of this year, the 11-inch and 13-inch devices marked Apple's first use of OLED technology in larger screens and were initially projected to ship up to 10 million units in 2024. However, market research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) in October significantly lowered that forecast to just 6.7 million units.
The move by LG Display means it can expand iPhone OLED panel production capacity without investing in an entirely new production line, which would cost around 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion). The existing OLED line, which cost 3.4 trillion won to build, can be adapted with minimal modifications.
The benefits of OLED technology include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, and improved power efficiency for longer battery life. The main technical difference between iPad and iPhone OLED panels lies in their construction: iPad displays use glass substrates with thin film encapsulation (TFE), while iPhone panels utilize a polyimide substrate with TFE and feature a single emission layer instead of two.
According to the Taiwanese report, LG Display aims to maintain sufficient iPad OLED inventory through February while seeking Apple's approval for the production line modification. The company has set an ambitious target to supply 70 million iPhone OLED panels in 2024, up from mid-60 million units last year and 51.8 million units in 2023.
Apple is said to be working on an OLED version of the iPad Air, with a potential release in 2026. However, due to sluggish sales of OLED iPad Pro models, the iPad Air's switch from LCD to OLED could be delayed by more than a year, according to DSCC. Apple's 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are expected to switch from mini-LED to OLED as early as 2026.
Apple Fitness+ introduced new workout programs today. The previously announced lineup of content includes a new progressive strength training program designed to take the guesswork out of putting together the perfect routine, along with a conditioning program for pickleball.
Apple describes the new strength training course in its press release as follows:
Fitness+ unveils an all-new progressive strength program that guides users through the process of building and maintaining strength, with a focus on efficiency. The three-week guided program targets every major muscle group with 12 30-minute workouts: Progressive Overload (Week One), Time Under Tension (Week Two), and Dynamic Power (Week Three). Designed for results and repeatability, this foundational fitness routine is one that users can return to, adjusting weights as they grow stronger.
Alongside strength training, Apple has also introduced a new pickleball program designed to improve strength, endurance, and agility, as well as new workshop-style sessions called Yoga Peak Poses, which spotlight a single pose to help users build confidence and skill. There's also a new Introduction to Breath Meditation program. (Note that Breath is now a meditation theme in Fitness+, joining Calm, Sleep, and Sound.)
The new content is available to Apple Fitness+ subscribers from today on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Also starting Monday, Strava users can now share a Fitness+ workout directly to the Strava app, which will display rich details such as episode image and number, trainer name, and metrics to show to their Strava community.
The design of this year's next-generation iPhone 17 will allegedly feature a smoother transition between the edges of the camera bump and the back cover, owing to Apple's use of a new glass-and-metal splicing material process. That's according to the Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital.
In a post on Monday, the Chinese leaker claimed that suppliers say the iPhone 17 is adopting a "process overhaul," suggesting that Apple has developed new manufacturing techniques to create smoother transitions between different materials. "The key point is that the connection area between the body's deco [camera bump] and the back cover is a slope rather than a step," said the leaker, based on a machine translation. The "slope" likely refers to the smooth aesthetic transition between the camera bump and the rear – or where the protruding aluminum lens module meets the back cover.
For the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is allegedly planning to eliminate the titanium frame, instead going back to aluminum. Along with an aluminum frame, the iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to include a half-aluminum, half-glass backing, rather than an all-glass back. The top half of the back will be made from aluminum, while the bottom half will continue to be made from glass to support wireless charging functionality.
It's unclear whether Fixed Focus Digital is referring specifically to the iPhone 17 Pro models or the iPhone 17 series per se. Less is known about the design of the standard iPhone 17 model, while the Plus model is expected to be replaced by an iPhone 17 "Air" featuring a completely new slimmer design.
On the iPhone 17 Pro models, Apple is also believed to be planning for a larger "rectangular" camera bump that is made from aluminum rather than glass. Supply chain leaks have backed up a report by The Information about a camera design change. Leaks coming out of China suggest that the module is an "elongated oval shape," rather than a rectangular shape. The iPhone 17 series is expected to arrive around the usual mid-September time frame.
Last week, the account Fixed Focus Digital claimed that the fourth-generation iPhone SE will be named the iPhone 16E, echoing claims from other sources.
Lutron today announced the launch of new Caséta Smart Shades that are able to integrate with HomeKit and other smart home platforms. Priced at $399, the Caséta shades can be controlled using schedules, in-wall controls, remotes, the Lutron app, the Home app, or Siri voice commands.
These are the first smart shades that are available under the Caséta brand, and they are more affordable than Lutron's prior smart shade options. Lutron says that the Caséta shades have been designed to move quietly in near-perfect unison and have been tested to perform for more than 10 years.
Caséta Smart Shades can be used with Caséta lights and smart switches to control natural light alongside light from lamps and overhead fixtures. The shades come in roller or honeycomb styles and can be purchased in white or gray.
All shades up to 48 inches wide and 80 inches high are $399, with larger custom sizes in widths up to 96 inches and lengths up to 104 inches are available at an extra cost. There's also an option to add blackout functionality for an additional $30.
Popular accessory maker Belkin today introduced several upcoming products that will launch in the early months of 2025. There are three new charging options, including the affordable $20 Qi2 BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad.
The Charging Pad is able to charge an iPhone at up to 15W, and it comes with a pop-up kickstand and a 2.2m USB-C cable. A power adapter can be purchased alongside for an extra $10, with Belkin planning to introduce the charger in April 2025.
Belkin also has a new BoostCharge Compact USB-C Charger in 45W and 65W options for $30 and $40, respectively. The power adapter is super compact with foldable prongs, making it ideal for travel. The USB-C Charger will launch in March 2025.
Belkin's final charging product is the BoostCharge Power Bank 20K with Integrated Cable, which is priced at $50 and is able to fast charge a connected device like an iPhone 16 at 30W. Along with a built-in USB-C cable, it has an additional USB-C port and a USB-A port for multi-device charging. It comes in black, white, blue, and pink, and it will ship in April 2025.
Several of Belkin's existing charging products will be updated this year with new housings that include 85 to 90 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) material, furthering Belkin's environmental goals. Over the past two years, Belkin has replaced more than 432 metric tons of virgin plastic with PCR materials.
Starting in Q2 2025, these accessories will be updated:
45W Dual USB-C Wall Charger
65W Dual USB-C Wall Charger
70W GaN Wall Charger w/ interchangeable tips
100W GaN Wall Charger w/ interchangeable tips
15W Wireless Charger w/ Qi2
Charging cables
Additional accessories will get updated housing later in 2025.
For content creators, Belkin plans to offer a new Stage Creator Bundle that will include a durable tripod, a magnetic phone mount with adjustable angle, wearable clip-on microphones with a 100m transmission range, and a 6-inch USB-C cable. The all-in-one kit is designed to help users capture hands-free images and photos.
Belkin is also working on the Stage PowerGrip, which combines a 10,000mAh power bank with an ergonomic phone grip. The Stage Creator Bundle and Stage PowerGrip will launch in May 2025, and pricing has not been announced.
Belkin has two new audio products, the SoundForm Isolate and the SoundForm Anywhere. The SoundForm Isolate are Belkin's first over-ear headphones with Active Noise Cancellation, and at $60, they are affordable. The headphones include CloudCushion earcups for comfort, and there is a built-in "Relaxation" track that plays ocean wave sounds to tune out ambient noise. The headphones are available for purchase now.
Later this year, Belkin plans to launch the SoundForm Anywhere, a set of semi open-ear earbuds with a flat form factor. The earbuds are meant to stay locked in place during workouts or when the wearer is lying down, which makes them ideal for sleep.
The SoundForm Anywhere offer 27 hours of battery life with the included case, and there are ENC microphones in each earbud to actively reduce background noise during calls. The earbuds will launch in the second quarter of 2025 and pricing has not yet been announced.
Today we're tracking the return of an all-time low price on Apple's AirTag 4-Pack, which has hit $69.99 on Amazon, down from $99.00. This deal was first introduced during Black Friday back in November, and we've only seen it return twice so far since then.
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.
Amazon provides an estimated early January delivery date for most residences in the United States, and you won't need to clip an on-page coupon in order to see this deal. If you're shopping for just one AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $22.99, which is about $3 higher compared to that model's record low price.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
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!
Apple plans to hold its first earnings call of 2025 on Thursday, January 30, according to the company's Investor Relations website.
During the call, Apple CEO Tim Cook and new chief financial officer Kevan Parekh will provide insight into Apple's performance during the 2024 holiday quarter spanning from October to December. Apple's Q4 2024 earnings call was the last for former Apple CFO Luca Maestri, who has now transitioned to a new role as vice president of corporate services.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Apple released new iPad mini, Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and iMac models, so we will get our first look at how these devices performed, as well as some insight into Apple device sales during the holiday period.
Apple in Q1 2024 posted revenue of $119.6 billion and net quarterly profit of $33.9 billion. Apple said last quarter that revenue is expected to grow low to mid single digits year-over-year.
Apple's earnings call will take place at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on the 30th, just after the company's Q1 2025 earnings release.
Apple started making Siri more capable with Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, but there are additional Siri updates that are set to come in 2025 with iOS 18 and iOS 19. By this time next year, Siri should be much smarter, if Apple's planned changes live up to what the company says is coming.
Features Coming in iOS 18
The best new Siri features haven't been added yet, but Apple previewed them at WWDC when Apple Intelligence was first announced. We're expecting these changes to come in iOS 18.4 in the spring.
Personal Context
With personal context, Siri will keep track of your emails, messages, files, photos, and more. If it's on your device, Siri will know where it is and where it came from.
Using this information, Siri will be be able to help you better find something that you're looking for, whether it's a flight number in an email you received, a file you downloaded, or a photo that someone sent you.
Siri will use personal context to learn more about you too, which means Siri will be able to better help you complete tasks and keep track of everything on your device.
Some examples Apple has provided:
Play that podcast that Jamie recommended.
When is mom's flight landing?
Onscreen Awareness
Siri will know what's on your screen, so when you make a request, you can reference what you're looking at. If someone sends you an address via text, for example, you'll be able to tell Siri to add "this" to your contacts, and Siri will know what you're talking about.
Onscreen awareness will essentially allow Siri to perform actions related to whatever information is on your iPhone or iPad's display.
In iOS 18.2, Siri is able to send a screenshot of your display to ChatGPT and ChatGPT can perform some of this same functionality, but Apple has clarified that the ChatGPT integration is not the same thing as the future onscreen awareness feature coming to Siri.
App Integration
Siri is gaining deeper integration with apps, and it's going to allow the personal assistant to perform hundreds of new actions in and across both Apple apps and third-party apps. This feature is so wide-ranging that it's going to cover a lot of new functions, but Apple has provided examples like using Siri to bring up articles from the Safari Reading List, or sending photos from a specific location to someone, e.g. "send the photos from the party on Friday to Eric."
Siri will be able to complete multi-step tasks too, such as editing a photo that you take and then sending it to someone all with one command.
Features Rumored for iOS 19
All of the features above are part of iOS 18 and are going to come in an iOS 18 update, but rumors suggest that Apple has a next-generation version of Siri in development for iOS 19.
Siri in iOS 19 will rely on large language models, or LLMs. LLMs are what power ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and other AI chatbot services. An LLM version of Siri will be able to hold ongoing conversations, and it will be more like speaking with a human. Siri will be able to perform more complex tasks, and will be able to better compete with ChatGPT.
Apple plans to replace the current version of Siri with LLM Siri in the future. So far, it sounds like it's going to be announced in iOS 19, but the actual functionality might not come until an iOS 19 update that Apple releases in 2026, much like how Apple Intelligence features have been spread over iOS 18 updates.
We'll hear about iOS 19 features in June at WWDC, and it's possible we could get at least some new Siri functionality when iOS 19 launches in September 2025.
When to Expect the New Siri Features
The features that Apple has planned for iOS 18 are expected in iOS 18.4, and it looks like that's an update that will come out in April. Apple will release iOS 18.3 in late January, and then we'll get the iOS 18.4 beta. iOS 18.4 will be beta tested for a couple months before it is released to the public.
iOS 19 features will be introduced in June and the update will launch in September, but we may not get everything at once and some features could come as updates to iOS 19 later in 2025 and in 2026.
More on Siri's Capabilities in iOS 18 and Beyond
We have a full Apple Intelligence Siri guide on all of the Siri features that have been introduced in iOS 18, iOS 18.1, and iOS 18.2, as well as a look at what to expect in the future.
Apple CEO Tim Cook plans to donate $1 million to Donald Trump's inauguration fund, reports Axios. The donation will be a personal donation directly from Cook rather than a donation from Apple.
Following Trump's win, Cook congratulated him on social media site X, and in December, Cook had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Cook aimed to maintain a relationship with Trump during Trump's first term as president, and it appears Cook plans to continue on with that plan going forward.
Sources that spoke to Axios said that Cook is donating to the inauguration "in the spirit of unity." Apple is not expected to make a donation.
Trump is taking office as Apple faces regulatory pressure both in the United States and in other countries. In March 2024, Apple was sued by the United States Department of Justice for allegedly violating antitrust law in multiple ways with its platforms. The Apple vs. DoJ legal battle will play out during Trump's term.
Amazon, Meta, Uber, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Coinbase, Toyota, Ford, GM, AT&T, Black & Decker, and Charter Communications are also making donations to Trump's inauguration fund.
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 TV+ will be available to stream for free starting on Friday, January 3, with the promotion set to last through Sunday, January 5. For the first time, Apple is providing unlimited access to its catalog of TV shows and movies with no subscription fee.
The Apple TV+ streaming service can be accessed from any web browser and on any device that has an Apple TV app. The Apple TV app is available on all iOS and macOS devices and also Android devices, select smart TVs, consoles, and more.
Apple's free viewing event will begin on Friday evening, starting at 5:00 p.m. local time in countries where Apple TV+ is available. In Europe, the UK, and countries in Asia, the Apple TV+ promotion has already started.
To watch Apple TV+ for free, all that's needed is an Apple ID to log in. Viewers will not need to subscribe to a free trial or worry about canceling a subscription after the free weekend ends.
Apple is offering the free Apple TV+ viewing event ahead of the release of the second season of hit thriller Severance. For those new to Apple TV+, Severance is a good choice for a show to check out. Other recommendations include Silo, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, The Morning Show, Dickinson, For All Mankind, Black Bird, and Bad Sisters.
There are also several movies to watch, like Coda, Killers of the Flower Moon, Fly Me to the Moon, and more.
Apple TV+ is priced at $9.99 per month, and up to six members of a Family Sharing group are able to watch content at that price point. It is also available in the various Apple One subscription bundles, starting at $19.95 per month.
Apple refreshed the Mac mini back in November, adding M4 chips and increasing the base memory. We did a hands-on impressions video at the time, but we thought we'd follow that up with a more in-depth review now that we've had more time to spend with Apple's cheapest desktop machine.
Priced starting at $599, the Mac mini offers the most affordable way to get access to Apple's new M4 chip, plus the machine got a design overhaul with the 2024 refresh. The Mac mini now measures in at 5 inches by 5 inches, and it's more than two inches smaller than the prior-generation model. It takes up much less space on a desk, and while it isn't quite as small as the Apple TV, it offers impressive performance in a super compact package.
With Apple Intelligence and the M4 chip, Apple stopped using 8GB as the base amount of memory that Macs ship with, and upped it to 16GB. The $599 Mac mini has an M4 chip and 16GB of RAM as a result, and it is an excellent deal for a desktop machine. Of course, you're going to need to supply your own display, keyboard, and mouse, but it's so small that you can easily move it between desktop setups at home and work.
The base Mac mini comes with an M4 chip, but there is an option to upgrade to the faster M4 Pro for those who need more power. The M4 models have three Thunderbolt 4 ports, but choosing the M4 Pro nets you three Thunderbolt 5 ports with faster transfer speeds. There are also two USB-C ports with 10Gb/s transfer speeds at the front of each machine. Compared to the prior-generation M2 Mac mini, the M4 models are up to 55 percent faster in terms of CPU speed.
If you're looking for a desktop Mac, the base Mac mini is the best deal that you're going to get. The performance is more than enough for day to day tasks and even gaming, photo editing, and video editing, and that $599 price tag really can't be beat.
To celebrate the Lunar New Year that starts on January 29, Apple is releasing limited edition AirPods 4 that are engraved with a special Year of the Snake icon.
Apple's Year of the Snake AirPods 4 are available for purchase in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore at the current time.
The AirPods are identical to the standard AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and are available for the same price, but there is a unique engraving on the USB-C case of the device. Released earlier this year, the AirPods 4 are Apple's first earbuds that offer Active Noise Cancellation without silicone ear tips. The AirPods 4 feature adaptive audio, transparency mode, support for spatial audio, and more.
Customers can place orders for the special edition AirPods 4 as of today, with deliveries set to begin on January 8. Apple is limiting each customer to two of the Year of the Snake AirPods.
Creating special edition AirPods is a tradition for Apple, though in past years, Apple has customized AirPods Pro rather than standard AirPods. There have been limited edition AirPods to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, Year of the Ox, Year of the Tiger, and Year of the Rabbit.
Along with special edition AirPods, Apple is holding a New Year sale in China, dropping the price of the iPhone 16 models by 500 yuan, and discounting other devices like the AirPods, Macs, iPads, and accessories. Apple is also offering Year of the Snake themed Today at Apple sessions from January 4 to February 14.
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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.
