MacRumors

Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event went live today in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, which lasts until December 2, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product.

In the UK, for instance, Apple is including gift cards worth between £20 and £160 with the purchase of an eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPods, Beats headphones and speakers, and select accessories.

The gift card values for the U.S. are as follows:

$25 Apple Gift Card:

$50 Apple Gift Card:

$75 Apple Gift Card:

$100 Apple Gift Card:

$150 Apple Gift Card:

$175 Apple Gift Card:

$200 Apple Gift Card:

Apple's Black Friday deals are available through its online store, app, and retail locations, but they don't apply to refurbished items or education pricing. This is one of Apple's few direct discount events, but third-party retailers like Amazon typically offer better deals. Apple isn't offering gift cards on the new MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac models unveiled last month, or any other products not listed above. Apple's terms and conditions provide more details.

The gift cards being offered work across Apple's entire products and services ecosystem, from hardware purchases to digital services like Apple Music, App Store content, and iCloud+ storage. But for deal-hunters, checking authorized resellers may yield bigger savings on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and accessories than going directly through Apple.

The upcoming tvOS 18.2 update adds a rotation of Snoopy screen savers to 2021 and newer Apple TV models, but it seems that an additional "TV and Movies" category of screen savers has been canceled, or at least postponed. These screen savers were expected to be based on various Apple TV+ series and movies.

As spotted by the Dutch blog iCulture, Apple removed all references to the "TV and Movies" screen savers on its website in mid-November, including a preview of a new screen saver based on the Apple TV+ series "Foundation."

Apple also updated fine print on its website, although only in the U.S. for now. Apple often takes longer to update its regional websites for other countries.

The previous fine print:

Snoopy and TV and Movies screen savers coming late 2024.

The current fine print:

Snoopy screen saver coming late 2024.

Snoopy is technically Apple TV+ content now, but it looks like additional Apple TV+ screen savers will not be coming any time soon.

We expect tvOS 18.2 to be released to the public in December. The rotating Snoopy screen saver is already available in the third beta version of the update.

Other screen saver categories on the Apple TV include Aerials and Memories, along with a Portraits option with clocks added in tvOS 18.0.

Black Friday deals are rolling in today, and one of the all-around best is on Apple's 10th generation iPad. You can get the entry-level 64GB Wi-Fi model for $249.99 with an on-page coupon, which is $99 off the original price and an all-time low price.

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

This sale is available in the Blue and Silver colors, while Pink and Yellow are currently sitting at solid second-best prices of $259.00. If you want the all-time low price, remember you'll have to clip the on-page coupon worth $9.01 in order to see the final sale price at checkout.

Amazon also has the 256GB Wi-Fi model for the record low price of $409.99 in three colors, down from $499.00. If you're shopping for the cellular tablets, both Amazon and Best Buy are providing the year's best prices on these tablets.

Apple's 10th generation iPad might not be the most powerful of the lineup, but the A14 Bionic chip is more than powerful enough for daily Internet browsing, streaming content, and checking email. If you want to save even more money, and you're okay with an older iPad, the 9th gen model is just $199.99 for Black Friday.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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Black Friday is tomorrow, and big discounts are in full swing across the Internet and in select retail locations. In this article, we're focusing on Apple accessories like the Apple Pencil, AirTag, iPhone 16 cases, MagSafe chargers, and more.

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

Apple Pencil

In regards to the Apple Pencil Pro, Amazon today has the accessory for $94.99, down from $129.00. This is the first time in a few weeks that we're seeing any discount on the accessory, and it's an overall second-best price. Amazon also has a new low price on the Apple Pencil 2, available for $79.99, down from $129.00.

Update: The Apple Pencil Pro deal has been fluctuating today, and is currently gone. If you check back later it might return, but this one has been hard to track so it may also be gone for good until a later date.

AirTag

If you're shopping for AirTag, Amazon has the 4-pack at a solid price of $72.99 for Black Friday, down from $99.00. This is just about $3 higher compared to the all-time low price.

iPad Pro Magic Keyboards

Moving to the new 2024 iPad Pro Magic Keyboards, you can get the 11-inch model in Black for $249.99, down from $299.00. This is a new all-time low price on this version of the accessory, and it beats the previous deal price by about $10.

Amazon also has the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro Magic Keyboard on sale, available for $274.99 in White, down from $349.00. This is another record low price on the Magic Keyboard.

MagSafe Charger

Amazon has the 1-meter MagSafe Charger for $29.00 and 2-meter model for $34.99, both $10 off and all-time low prices.

The new MagSafe Chargers provide overall faster charging speeds with compatible iPhone models. When paired with a 30W power adapter, iPhone 16 models can charge at up to 25W wirelessly over MagSafe, which is 10W faster than a regular non-MagSafe Qi2 wireless charger.

iPhone 16 Cases

Lastly, Amazon has quite a few discounts on Apple's official MagSafe cases for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. You can find every case listed below by model, and many are seeing multiple colors hitting record low prices.

iPhone 16

• Clear Case - $37.00, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $22.00, down from $49.00

iPhone 16 Plus

• Clear Case - $34.00, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $22.00, down from $49.00

iPhone 16 Pro

• Clear Case - $34.00, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $34.00, down from $49.00

iPhone 16 Pro Max

• Clear Case - $37.00, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $37.00, down from $49.00

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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Today and into tomorrow, Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis. However, while that sometimes signals that new products are incoming, do not get your hopes up this time around.

Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. As of writing, the store already went down and came back online in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, and the gift card offer is now live there. No other surprises.

Every year around this time, we receive many emails from readers alerting us about the store going down, so hopefully this helps to clear up the situation ahead of it going down across Europe, the U.S., and Canada soon.

In case you missed the earlier announcement, Apple is offering a free gift card with the purchase of an eligible product in select countries, from November 29 through December 2. In the U.S., the gift card values range between $25 and $200.

Black Friday is one of the few occasions per year when Apple directly offers deals on its products, but better deals are often available through resellers like Amazon, so make sure to check out our Black Friday deals coverage for the latest discounts on iPads, Macs, AirPods, Apple Watches, accessories, and more.

Apple today shared its annual holiday season ad, and it's a tearjerker. The video is titled "Heartstrings" and highlights the new hearing aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 with a heartwarming father-and-daughter moment on Christmas morning.

"For so many of us, sound and how we hear shape how we connect to the world around us," said Apple, in the video description. "Yet, people with hearing loss wait an average of 10 years before getting their hearing tested and fitted for hearing aids. Leaving millions unaware they're living with hearing loss and without the assistance they need."

Apple's clinical-grade hearing aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 is still rolling out around the world. It is currently available in the U.S., Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and select other countries. The feature requires AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or newer, paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad running iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1 or later.

AirPods Pro 2 also gained hearing test and hearing protection features in select countries.

Black Friday is almost here, and Amazon has one of the best deals of the year available to purchase right now. You can get the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) for just $153.99, down from $249.00.

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.

This sale beats the previous all-time low price by nearly $40 and is overall one of the best deals we're tracking for Black Friday 2024. The AirPods Pro 2 were updated in 2023 with USB-C, and also feature Active Noise Cancellation, Apple's H2 chip, and Spatial Audio.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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With Apple Intelligence, Apple is aiming to make Siri smarter than ever before. The personal assistant is going to be able to learn more about you, do more in apps, and hand over the reins to a smarter virtual assistant when needed.

Some new ‌Siri‌ features are available now, while some won't be coming until 2025. This guide highlights everything that's new with ‌Siri‌ thanks to ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Updated Siri Design

‌Siri‌ has a refreshed design on devices that support ‌Apple Intelligence‌. Rather than the small wavelength that used to show when activating ‌Siri‌, there's now a pink/purple/blue/orange variegated glow that wraps around the entire iPhone, with the colors shifting as ‌Siri‌ listens to a command.

Better Language Understanding

‌Siri‌ can better understand conversational language and requests, so if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence, ‌Siri‌ can still follow what you're saying.

‌Siri‌ is also able to maintain context between requests, so you can refer to something in a previous request, and ‌Siri‌ will understand what you're talking about. So if you use ‌Siri‌ to create a calendar event, you can then just ask "What will the weather be like there?" and ‌Siri‌ knows where "there" is.

Improved Voice

‌Siri‌ has a new, more natural sounding voice.

Type to Siri

There is a built-in Type to ‌Siri‌ feature so you don't need to speak to ‌Siri‌ to interact with the personal assistant. To use it, double tap on the bottom of the iPhone or iPad to bring up a text bar, and then from there, just type in your request.

Type to ‌Siri‌ can be used in the same way as speaking to ‌Siri‌, and ‌Siri‌ is able to provide information without speaking aloud. It is a useful feature for public situations where you're not able to speak and do not want to have ‌Siri‌ speaking back to you.

• iOS 18.1: How to Type to Siri

Siri on the Mac

While this guide focuses on the iPhone and the ‌iPad‌, the new, smarter ‌Siri‌ is also available on the Mac. Type to ‌Siri‌ can be enabled in the Settings app, and it can be assigned to a shortcut, such as pressing the Command button twice.

Apple Product Knowledge

Apple taught ‌Siri‌ about all of its products, so if you want to know how to use a feature or how to complete a task, you can ask ‌Siri‌ for help. ‌Siri‌ can provide step-by-step directions on using iPhone, ‌iPad‌, and Mac features.

ChatGPT Integration (iOS 18.2)

In iOS 18.2, ChatGPT integration is available with ‌Siri‌. If a user asks something that ‌Siri‌ is not capable of handling, ChatGPT can provide a response instead, so long as the user gives permission.

‌Siri‌ can tap into ChatGPT, and then relay ChatGPT's response with no need to switch apps or use other tools.

The ‌Siri‌ ChatGPT integration can essentially be used to do anything you can do with the ChatGPT app or ChatGPT on the web, it's simply an easier way to get to ChatGPT.

Object Identification

For anything on your screen, such as an image, you can ask ‌Siri‌ a question about it. If you have a photo of a plant, for example, asking "What is this?" will prompt ‌Siri‌ to send a screenshot over to ChatGPT, and ChatGPT will attempt to provide context.

This works with images on the web, your photos, the something you're viewing through the Camera app, text, and more.

ChatGPT can be used to describe a scene, which is useful for people who might have issues with sight. Opening the Camera app, activating ‌Siri‌, and asking "What is this?" will provide a detailed description of whatever is in front of you.

The option to send images to ChatGPT from screenshots is distinct from the ‌Siri‌ onscreen awareness feature that Apple plans to implement in the future.

Info From Documents

For emails, documents, PDFs, and more, ChatGPT can provide a summary. When you ask "Can you summarize this?" ‌Siri‌ will send a screenshot or the entire document, which includes full PDFs. It's a useful feature for getting a quick overview of the content of a long document.

For long PDFs or documents, you'll want to tap on the arrows to make sure the full document is sent to ChatGPT rather than just a screenshot.

Rather than asking for a summary, you can instead ask a specific question about a document. If you're looking at an insurance policy, you can ask "What are the limits of this policy?" or "What are the exclusions?" to get more tailored information.

Checking Spelling and Grammar

If you've written an email, rather than selecting it and using Writing Tools to check it for spelling and grammar errors, you can ask ‌Siri‌ to take a look, and ‌Siri‌ will send a screenshot to ChatGPT. "Can you look this over for errors?" works as a command for this feature.

ChatGPT can also be used for rewriting and refining what you've written, but note that this is not the same as Apple's own Writing Tools.

Generating Text and Images

ChatGPT can generate text from scratch based on prompts that it is given. You can, for example, ask ‌Siri‌ to ask ChatGPT to write a poem or compose a polite letter to a friend, and ChatGPT will create something from scratch.

Some sample requests you can use:

• Write me a poem about Apple
• Create a song about Google
• Help me write a letter to my friend
• Write three paragraphs about orange cats
• Write me a social media post about Thanksgiving
• Rewrite this to be more concise
• Create a bedtime story about a dragon

If you have ChatGPT write something for you, you can tap on the copy icon to copy it to the clipboard to paste it into Notes, Messages, a document, or an email.

You can also create images. Using the Dall-E 3 engine, ChatGPT can make realistic AI-generated images, something that can't be done with ‌Apple Intelligence‌. For image requests, it's easiest to tell ‌Siri‌ to "Tell ChatGPT to make an image of [thing you want an image of]," because if you just ask ‌Siri‌ to make an image or generate an image, it will often bring up web images.

Answering Questions

One of the best use cases for ChatGPT through ‌Siri‌ is getting answers for queries that are just a bit too complex for ‌Siri‌. Questions that ‌Siri‌ can't handle will be handed over to ChatGPT with your permission, but you can also force ‌Siri‌ to use ChatGPT instead of the internal ‌Siri‌ engine by amending questions with "Ask ChatGPT."

For example, a question about what battery an Xbox controller uses will source Wikipedia and not ChatGPT, but specifically "Ask ChatGPT what battery an Xbox controller uses" will prompt ‌Siri‌ to present the question to ChatGPT.

ChatGPT's answers can sometimes be more informative. Asking ‌Siri‌ how to replace eggs in a recipe just gives you alternatives, but ChatGPT's answer for the same question provides the amount of an ingredient you might want to add to equate to an egg.

Some example queries that ‌Siri‌ will automatically consult ChatGPT on:

• What are five types of edible mushrooms in North Carolina?
• What should I pack for a beach trip in winter?
• What are must see places in Paris?
• What should I do this weekend?
• I want a recipe for banana bread
• Give me instructions on cutting a mango
• When is avocado season?
• Suggest good songs for a quiet Friday night
• What's a good indoor activity to do when it's raining?

Other Things You Can Ask ChatGPT To Do

• Write code
• Debug code
• Get help with homework
• Do calculations, translations, conversions, and more
• Generate gift ideas
• Come up with names for businesses, pets, characters, and more
• Create trivia questions or riddles
• Plan trips
• Create meal plans
• Get recipes for ingredients you have
• Generate jokes
• Suggest movies, TV shows, and books based on specific parameters
• Summarize TV shows and movies
• Generate drawing/writing prompts

While ‌Siri‌ can do all of these things with ChatGPT's help, the lack of continuity with the ‌Siri‌ version of ChatGPT makes it difficult to complete tasks that are not one-off requests. Creating a meal plan, for example, works better with the actual ChatGPT interface because you can have more of a conversation rather than relying on a single request.

ChatGPT Settings and Privacy

ChatGPT integration has to be turned on, and after that, each request requires user permission. There is an option to turn off the extra permission by toggling off the "Confirm ChatGPT Requests" option.

The toggle can be accessed by opening up the Settings app, choosing ‌Apple Intelligence‌, and then tapping on ChatGPT. With the feature disabled, ‌Siri‌ will not ask each time before sending information to ChatGPT.

‌Siri‌ will, however, always ask permission before sending a file to ChatGPT even with the confirm requests feature turned off.

As for privacy, no login is required to use ChatGPT, and neither Apple nor OpenAI log your requests. But if you sign in with a paid account, ChatGPT can keep a copy of requests.

ChatGPT - Free vs. Paid

ChatGPT integration includes a limited number of requests that use ChatGPT-4o, the latest version of ChatGPT, for free. After those are used up, ChatGPT integration uses 4o Mini, which is less advanced and takes up less resources.

ChatGPT Plus subscribers get more ChatGPT-4o requests. ChatGPT Plus is priced at $20 per month, and iPhone users who don't already have ChatGPT Plus can sign up right from the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ section of the Settings app.

Apple users essentially have access to ChatGPT's basic plan, so requests that use advanced capabilities reset every 24 hours. With this plan, two images per day can be generated.

ChatGPT vs. Apple Intelligence

There is overlap between what's possible with ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and what you can do with ChatGPT integration, but there are some distinctions. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ has Writing Tools for rewriting and editing what you've already written, but ChatGPT can write content from scratch.

Image Playground, Image Wand, and Genmoji allow you to generate images, but ‌Apple Intelligence‌ won't generate realistic looking images. Instead, styles are limited to those that look animated or sketched. ChatGPT will generate lifelike images, though.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ can be used to summarize documents, but only when you select text and select the Summarize option from Writing Tools. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ can't answer more specific questions about PDFs and documents, so ChatGPT does have an edge for that kind of query.

ChatGPT Limitations

When you ask ChatGPT a question through ‌Siri‌, you need to make sure to read the answer right away because it doesn't stay on the screen long. Apple does not keep a record of it, either.

If you're logged into ChatGPT, there is a history in your OpenAI account, but if you're not logged in, there's no way to save information that you've received from ChatGPT, and there's no log.

Other Chatbots

Apple has only added ChatGPT integration right now, but support for Google Gemini is planned in the future.

Siri Apple Intelligence Features Coming in 2025

There are several ‌Siri‌ features that are still in development, with Apple planning to add these capabilities to ‌Siri‌. Timing isn't concrete yet, but rumors suggest we'll see them in the iOS 18.5 update around May.

Personal Context

‌Siri‌ will be able to keep track of your emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.

• Show me the files Eric sent me last week.
• Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.
• Find the books that Eric recommended to me.
• Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?
• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

‌Siri‌ will be able to tell what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, for example, you can tell ‌Siri‌ to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask ‌Siri‌ to do it for you.

Deeper App Integration

‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what ‌Siri‌ will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.

• Moving files from one app to another.
• Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.
• Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.
• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

The Next Siri Phase

After all of the ‌Siri‌ ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features have been implemented in iOS 18, Apple plans to unveil the next-generation ‌Siri‌, which will rely on large language models. An LLM version of ‌Siri‌ is already in development, and it will be able to better compete with chatbots like ChatGPT.

LLM ‌Siri‌ will be able to hold ongoing conversations, and it will be more like speaking with a human. Large language model integration will let ‌Siri‌ perform more complex tasks, and in the future, ‌Siri‌ likely won't need to rely on ChatGPT.

The updated version of ‌Siri‌ will replace the current version of ‌Siri‌ in the future. Apple is expected to announce LLM ‌Siri‌ in 2025 alongside the introduction of iOS 19, but the update likely won't launch until spring 2026.

Apple Intelligence Privacy

‌Apple Intelligence‌ was designed with privacy in mind, and many requests are handled on-device. All personal context learning, for example, is done with on-device intelligence and nothing leaves your iPhone or ‌iPad‌.

For requests that need the processing power of a cloud server, Apple is using Private Cloud Compute on Apple silicon machines to handle complex tasks while preserving user privacy. Apple promises that data is not stored and is used only for user requests.

Apple Intelligence Compatible Devices

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is available on the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, all iPhone 16 models, the iPad mini with A17 Pro chip, all iPads with an Apple silicon chip, and all Macs with an Apple silicon chip.

Read More

We've shared detailed guides on ‌Genmoji‌ and ‌Image Playground‌ already, plus we have an overall guide on the full set of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

• Genmoji in iOS 18.2
• Image Playground in iOS 18.2
• Apple Intelligence Image Wand: All the New Features in iOS 18.2
• Everything You Need to Know About Apple Intelligence
• Everything New in iOS 18.2

Release Date

iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 with ‌Image Wand‌ integration will be coming in December, with Apple likely planning for a December 9 software release.

It's been just over a month since Apple released the iPad mini 7, refreshing its smallest tablet with a new Apple Intelligence-capable A17 Pro chip. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using the ‌iPad mini 7‌ as a replacement for the iPad Pro for the last several weeks, and he has some thoughts to share on Apple's latest iPad.

For a travel companion alongside a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air, the 8.3-inch iPad mini is the ideal size. It fits well into a bag, but in a pinch, it also tucks into a coat pocket. On a flight, it's a good size for content consumption like watching movies or TV shows, but it's a hard to get work done on such a small screen.

Apple doesn't make a small keyboard for the ‌iPad mini‌, so unless you have a third-party accessory like a Bluetooth keyboard, typing needs to be done with the on-display keyboard. Adding a keyboard does help the situation, but you're still working with a smaller-sized display.

For playing games, using social media apps, checking email, and browsing the web, the ‌iPad mini‌ is perfect. The A17 Pro chip means that it's ideal for any mobile game you want to play, and even though the small screen might be a downside, it's powerful enough for Final Cut Pro. The A17 Pro supports Apple Intelligence, plus there's 8GB RAM, so you get all of the latest AI features. With support for the Apple Pencil Pro, note taking, drawing, and sketching are great on the ‌iPad mini 7‌.

The ‌iPad mini‌ is essentially almost as powerful as Apple's other, larger iPads, and it is just as capable, so there's little compromise other than screen size when choosing it. It's a great travel companion and daily use tablet, but it might be frustrating if you need something to use to get work done.

While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch for 10 more months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.

Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far:

• Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a stainless steel frame. The back of the devices will supposedly have a new "part-aluminum, part-glass" design.
• Rectangular camera bump: On a related note, the devices are expected to have a "larger rectangular camera bump" made of aluminum.
• A19 Pro chip: iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to use Apple's next-generation A19 Pro chip, which will reportedly be manufactured with TSMC's newer third-generation 3nm process. Like usual, expect modest year-over-year performance gains and power efficiency improvements compared to the current iPhones.
• Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip: At least one iPhone 17 model is rumored to get a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple rather than Broadcom.
• 24-megapixel front camera: All four iPhone 17 models are said to feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, whereas all iPhone 16 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera.
• 48-megapixel rear Telephoto camera: An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto camera is rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, up from the 12-megapixel Telephoto camera on iPhone 16 Pro models.
• 12GB of RAM: An increased 12GB of RAM was initially rumored exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but later the iPhone 17 Pro as well. This upgrade should help to improve the performance of Apple Intelligence and multitasking. All four iPhone 16 models have 8GB of RAM.
• A smaller Dynamic Island for iPhone 17 Pro Max: A change rumored exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a "much narrowed Dynamic Island," as a result of Apple adopting a "metalens" for the Face ID system.

Bookmark our iPhone 17 roundup to stay up to date with more rumors over the coming months.

At $99 in the U.S., the HomePod mini is a more affordable gift option for Apple enthusiasts. However, the speaker was released just over four years ago, so you may be wondering if it is still worth purchasing or if you should hold off.

Below, we outline three things to take into consideration.

First, there have been rumors about a HomePod mini 2, but none of them are recent.

The firmest rumor came from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Back in February 2023, he said mass shipments of a new HomePod mini would begin in the second half of 2024. However, heading into the final month of the year, it is unclear if that production has actually started or if it will soon. There has been no talk about a HomePod mini 2 being imminent, so a launch seems unlikely until 2025 at the earliest, barring a surprise announcement.

Kuo did not reveal any new features planned for the next HomePod mini, but potential upgrades could include a newer chip for improved audio, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for a lower-latency Handoff experience, and new color options. The current HomePod mini is equipped with an S5 chip and a U1 chip.

While the HomePod mini has received no major hardware upgrades since it was released in November 2020, Apple has refreshed its color options a few times. The speaker was released in Blue, Orange, and Yellow in November 2021, and Space Gray was replaced with a virtually-identical Midnight finish in July of this year.

The second thing to take into consideration is that Apple reportedly plans to release an all-new smart home hub as early as March 2025. The hub is expected to feature around a 6-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, so the device could essentially be a more useful alternative to the HomePod mini. It has been predicted that the hub could be priced in the $199 to $299 range, so an Apple gift card that someone could use towards that device next year is another idea to consider.

Third, Siri is widely considered to be an inferior digital assistant compared to the likes of Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant. It's something to keep in mind depending on how much your giftee plans to use voice commands.

If you do go ahead with gifting a HomePod mini this year, that is a fine choice too. The speaker is a bit outdated now, but it remains an adequate speaker for its price, and it will continue to serve its purpose for several years.

We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, and Peacock.

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

Disney+ and Hulu

Starting with the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, you can get Hulu (with ads) and Disney+ (with ads) for $2.99 per month for an entire year, down from the regular $10.99 per month price. This offer is valid for new and eligible returning Hulu/Disney+ subscribers.

As usual, this offer will revert to the regular $10.99 per month price (or then-current regular monthly price) at the end of your first year. Shoppers have until 11:59 p.m. PST on December 2 to take advantage of this offer.

Additionally, if you just want Hulu (with ads), you can get it for $0.99 per month for a year, down from $9.99 per month.

Paramount+

You can get either Paramount+ Essential or Paramount+ with Showtime for $2.99 per month for your first two months this Black Friday. Paramount+ Essential is typically priced at $7.99 per month, while Paramount+ with Showtime is typically priced at $12.99 per month.

Shoppers should remember that this deal is only for the first two months of your Paramount+ subscription, and after that period it will return to its regular pricing structure. Paramount+ is only focusing on monthly plans this Black Friday, and there are no deals on annual plans.

Peacock

Peacock has one of the best all-around streaming deals this week. You can get a full year of Peacock (premium annual plan) for $19.99, down from $79.99. You can also opt to pay $1.99 per month for six months. This plan includes ads.

This sale will run through December 2, and is available to new and select returning customers.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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In the U.S., the Apple Card offers a high-yield savings account option, allowing you to earn far more interest on your money compared to the average bank's basic savings account. Apple's account offers an APY of 4.1% as of writing, and while that is a competitive rate, it is not the absolute best offer available at this time.

The chart below compares the Apple Card saving account's rate to some other popular high-yield savings accounts in the U.S., as of writing.

Provider	APY*
Ally	3.85%
Discover	3.9%
American Express	3.9%
Capital One	3.9%
Citizens Bank	3.9%
Apple Card Savings	4.1%
Marcus by Goldman Sachs	4.1%
Barclays	4.1%
Synchrony	4.1%
PNC Bank	4.15%
SoFi	4.2%
Betterment	4.25%
Wealthfront	4.25%
UFB Direct	4.31%
Fierce	4.5%
CIT Bank	4.55% (on $5,000+)
Openbank by Santander	5%
Pibank	5.5% (dropping to 5% starting December 2)

* Advertised APYs as of November 27, 2024, excluding promotional rates and affiliate bonuses. Minimum balance requirements and other conditions vary per account. APYs can change at any time, so we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the rates listed above.

Apple launched its savings account in April 2023, in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The account can be opened and managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone, and it has no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. You must have an Apple Card, be a U.S. resident, and be at least 18 years old to open an account.

The account allows Apple Card holders to earn interest on their Daily Cash cashback balance, and on funds deposited via a linked bank account or an Apple Cash balance. The maximum balance allowed is now $1 million, up from $250,000.

When the account first became available, Apple and Goldman Sachs offered an APY of 4.15%, but the rate has fluctuated in line with U.S. Federal Reserve benchmark rate changes. The rate increased three times, reaching a peak of 4.5% in early 2024, but it has since been cut three times and has stood at 4.1% since early October. Apple has yet to change the rate after the Federal Reserve's latest rate cut in early November.

To open a savings account in the Wallet app, tap on your Apple Card, tap on the circle with three dots at the top of the screen, tap Daily Cash, and select Set Up Savings.

Goldman Sachs reportedly plans to end its consumer lending partnership with Apple, but it is unclear if this will have any impact on Apple Card holders. JPMorgan, owner of Chase Bank, reportedly could take over as Apple's financial partner.

Apple experienced minimal iPhone growth in 2024 despite a significant rebound in the global smartphone market, according to new data published by IDC. Worldwide smartphone shipments increased 6.2% to reach 1.24 billion units, but iPhone shipments grew by just 0.4% during the same period.

The tepid performance underlines Apple's challenges in key markets like China, where domestic rivals are gaining ground through aggressive pricing and technological innovation. Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Huawei are investing heavily in hardware and software development as well as custom processor designs, with Huawei recently launching its new Mate 70 phone featuring its own home-grown chips.

Elsewhere, Android device makers collectively drove the market's recovery, achieving 7.6% growth mostly through strong performance in emerging markets across Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. These manufacturers appear to have succeeded by offering more affordable devices, with an average selling price of $295 compared to Apple's $1,000-plus premium iPhone positioning.

Despite the slower growth, Apple maintained its position as the industry's profit leader through its premium pricing strategy. According to IDC, the Apple's prospects may improve in 2025, with a forecast of 3.1% growth for iOS devices compared to 1.7% for Android smartphones.

Overall, the broader smartphone market's recovery was driven by pent-up demand for device upgrades in regions with lower smartphone penetration. However, IDC analysts noted that even heavily marketed features like generative AI have failed to significantly impact consumer demand or drive early upgrades, which doesn't bode well for the impact of Apple Intelligence on iPhone sales going into 2025.

Yesterday we shared a collection of discounts on Apple's M4 iPad Pro at Best Buy, and today we're shifting focus to the M2 iPad Air. Best Buy has $100 off nearly every model of this tablet, and you won't need a My Best Buy Plus/Total membership to see the deals.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. 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 $499.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Air. This sale has both 11-inch and 13-inch models at record low discounts, and there are cellular devices discounted as well.

11-inch iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $499.00 ($100 off)
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $599.00 ($100 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00 ($100 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $999.00 ($100 off)

13-inch iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $699.00 ($100 off)
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $799.00 ($100 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $999.00 ($100 off)

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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Since 2006, Apple has partnered with the (RED) brand to raise money for The Global Fund, an organization that aims to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in Africa. Through this partnership, Apple has long offered a (PRODUCT)RED color option for some products, but it has scaled back this effort over the past few years.

The only current-generation (PRODUCT)RED product that Apple sells new is the iPhone SE 3, which is expected to be discontinued in March. Beyond that, its only remaining (PRODUCT)RED products are the iPhone 14 and a handful of older iPhone cases.

Apple did not offer any iPhone 15 models in (PRODUCT)RED, and that trend has continued with iPhone 16 models so far. It did offer the aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 in (PRODUCT)RED last year, but that device has since been discontinued, and the color option is not available for the Apple Watch Series 10. Apple also discontinued the (PRODUCT)RED version of the Sport Band that was available alongside the Series 9.

In addition, Apple has used different branding for newer Beats products available in red, such as Statement Red and Transparent Red.

Does this mean Apple is slowly phasing out the (PRODUCT)RED brand? It's hard to say for sure yet, as the color could return from time to time more selectively. The number of products available in (PRODUCT)RED has certainly dwindled over the past two years, though, so the future of the color seems to be in jeopardy.

Apple continues to support The Global Fund through its annual Apple Pay donation program, which returns from November 29 through December 8.

Apple today announced that it will again donate $5 for every purchase made using Apple Pay on Apple.com, through the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria from November 29 through December 8. Apple said its donation this year will be capped at $3 million.

The Global Fund aims to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria throughout the developing world. Apple says its donation to the organization will continue to "help fund critical health programs that save lives."

Apple runs this donation campaign ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1 each year.

Apple has supported The Global Fund for 18 years through its partnership with the (RED) brand, co-founded by U2 singer Bono. Apple offers some products in a (PRODUCT)RED color, and a portion of the proceeds from every one of these products sold by Apple goes to The Global Fund. Apple said it has raised more than $250 million to date.

Amazon is taking $99 off a collection of Black Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatches this week, now priced at $699.99, down from $799.00. You will need to clip an on-page coupon in order to see these discounts at checkout.

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.

This sale beats the previous all-time low price by about $20, and Amazon has most of the new Black Apple Watch Ultra 2 models on sale at this price. This includes models with the Ocean Band, Trail Loop, and Alpine Loop. If you're interested in the model with the Milanese Loop, it's on sale for $819.00.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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