We're still two months away from the unveiling of iOS 18 at WWDC, so Apple is pushing forward with the first beta of new iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 updates likely to be officially released next month. These updates are smaller in scale than the recent 17.4 updates, but we're still finding some interesting changes in them.
Meanwhile, the wait for new iPads continues, and it appears we've got around another month before we'll see them released. Other news this week included a iPhone 16 display rumor, details on upcoming Beats Solo 4 headphones, and the release of more immersive spatial Personas for Apple Vision Pro, so read on below for all the details!
The first iPadOS 17.5 beta includes several new references to a Battery Health menu on the iPad, but the feature is not actually visible yet, and it may be exclusive to upcoming iPads. The menu is expected to show an iPad battery's maximum remaining capacity and cycle count.
In a recent video on our YouTube channel, we tested the new spatial Personas, which "break out of the familiar FaceTime tile and feel more present" in the visionOS space compared to the standard Personas that have been available since day one, according to Apple.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
With the Apple Car canceled, Apple is exploring new markets where it might be able to find new revenue streams, and personal robotics is apparently one area the company is investigating.
This guide highlights everything we know about Apple's interest in robotics, and we'll update it with new rumors going forward.
The Robot Rumors
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is looking for its "next big thing," and robotics are one area of focus. Apple has engineering teams working on various in-home robotic devices and the AI software and functionality that might be able to make a home robot useful.
Apple's work on robotics takes place in the hardware engineering division and in its AI and machine learning group under AI chief John Giannandrea.
Table-Top Robot
Apple is working on a tabletop robotic device. Apple is said to be prioritizing development of the device, and its development is being overseen by Keven Lynch, who has also worked on the Apple Watch. Apple is already tapping suppliers for the tabletop robotic device.
It has a 9-inch iPad-like display that's mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that lets the display tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360 degrees. The tabletop device would serve as a "home command center," a videoconferencing machine for FaceTime calls, and a home security monitoring tool. Using a pivoting base, it will reposition itself to face whoever is talking in the room, and some people within Apple have taken to referring to it as the "Pixar Lamp."
The robot will serve as a more interactive version of an iPad or an iPhone that Apple sees as a person-like AI-based companion. Apple is designing a new version of Siri for the device that will be able to remember information and engage in conversation. It will feature a "visual personality," with Apple testing an animated version of the Finder logo for Siri's look.
Apple wants the robot to act like a person in the room, interrupting conversations to suggest useful information or engaging in back and forth conversations for things like trip planning.
Apple is said to be aiming to launch the device in 2027, and the company wants to get the price down to around $1,000.
Mobile Robot
Apple is considering a mobile robot that would follow users around the home, presumably serving as something like an iPad on wheels. A robot would likely be able to place FaceTime calls, monitor the home and the people in it, carry out simple tasks, and answer queries.
Apple is said to be exploring AI algorithms that would be used to help robots navigate cluttered spaces in homes, and while Apple wants to design a robot that would clean and do chores much like Rosey in the Jetsons, it's too complicated for now. Gurman says that such a robot is unlikely this decade due to "extraordinarily difficult engineering challenges."
Secret House Facility
Apple reportedly has a secret facility that is designed to look like the inside of a home, and that's where it is testing future home products.
Other Home Devices
There are some more realistic products that are in the works, with rumors suggesting that Apple is developing an iPad-like home hub device that would serve as a central way to control smart devices. Apple has also been rumored to be working on a version of the Apple TV that integrates HomePod speakers and a camera, and there have been rumors of a HomePod with a display.
Apple's Hiring Efforts
Apple's work on home robotics is ramping up, with the company adding new hires to its robotics research and engineering teams. Apple is seeking robotics specialists that will have "the opportunity to work with a small team of highly skilled engineers and scientists to bring new experiences to Apple products."
Robot Research
An Apple research paper from Apple provided some insight into Apple's robotics work. Apple showcased a lamp-like robot prototype with lifelike movements. The robot was depicted interacting with people, responding to weather inquiries, providing lighting for iPhone photography, offering reminders, and dancing to music.
Apple's Competition
Amazon has a $1,600 "Astro" robot that it sells by invitation. Astro is able to navigate the home and remotely check specific rooms, people, and things when the user is away from home.
The robot is able to send an alert if an unrecognized person is detected, or if there are sounds like an alarm. Astro has a built-in display and can be used for watching TV, placing calls, setting reminders, sending messages, and more. Astro uses Alexa, and Amazon suggests that it can be used to "remotely care for aging loved ones."
Astro is also able to carry "a variety of accessories" such as a Ziploc container, a blood pressure monitor, and a Furbo Dog Camera that provides treats for a pet.
Sony has experimented with robots, and is best known for the Aibo robotic dog. Priced at $2900, Aibo is designed to act like a real dog with dynamic movements, lifelike expressions, curiosity, and an interest in human interaction. Aibo is able to learn tricks, play with toys, and listen to commands.
There are a number of other home robots on the market, but the best known may be the wide range of robot vacuums like the Roomba that are able to navigate the home to automatically clean up dust, dirt, pet fur, and other debris.
Robot Launch Date
Apple is planning to introduce a home hub with AI integration in 2026, and the tabletop robot could follow as soon as 2027.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive have officially teamed up to design an AI-powered personal device and are seeking funding, reports The Information.
Little is known about the AI device at this time, but it won't look like a smartphone. Altman is a major investor in the Humane AI pin, a wearable AI device that does not have a screen, so it's possible he will create a similar product with Ive.
News of a possible partnership between Ive and Altman first surfaced last fall, but talks were in the early stages and nothing was official then. Ive and Altman's unnamed startup is now sourcing funds from major venture capitalists, with Ive aiming to raise up to $1 billion in funding.
OpenAI could own a piece of the business, and the duo has also been in talks with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. Potential investors include Thrive Capital, an OpenAI investor, and Emerson Collective, a venture capital firm and philanthropic organization founded by Laurene Powell Jobs.
Ive left his role as Apple design chief in 2019, and while he still worked with the Cupertino company as a consultant for several years after through his firm LoveFrom, Ive and Apple stopped working together entirely in 2022.
Disney plans to start cracking down on Disney+ password sharing starting in June, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in an interview with CNBC earlier this week. Iger said that Disney needs to turn its streaming business into a growth business, and one way to do that is to force households that are sharing passwords to sign up for their own accounts.
"In June, we'll be launching our first real foray into password sharing," said Iger. "Just a few countries and a few markets, but then it will grow significantly with a full rollout in September."
Iger did not clarify where the password sharing lockdown will start, but it sounds like it will be largely worldwide when September rolls around.
Disney+ competitor Netflix put a stop to multi-household password sharing in 2023, and it ended up being a major revenue driver for the company. Netflix saw strong subscriber growth, gaining 8.8 million new subscribers in Q3 2023 after cracking down on password sharing.
Iger said that he admires what Netflix has done, calling the company the "gold standard in streaming."
Netflix is the gold standard in streaming. They've done a phenomenal job in a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they've accomplished. If we can only accomplish what they've accomplished, that would be great.
Disney+ launched in 2019, and since then it has grown into the number two streaming service in terms of subscribers after Netflix. Prior to when Iger returned to Disney 2022, Disney+ was bleeding money as Disney focused on subscriber growth. Disney+ will see its first profitable quarter in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 under Iger's leadership.
Disney's streaming service has more than 110 million subscribers worldwide, and it has been integrating Hulu content into Disney+ in order to boost customer engagement. Disney+ is now priced at $10.99 per month for an ad-free subscription, or $7.99 for a subscription with ads.
Apple agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models ("batterygate"), and eligible customers can now submit a claim for payment.
Apple's settlement received court approval on March 4, and the claims period began today, according to law firm Rochon Genova LLP. To submit a claim, visit the settlement website, select "Submit a Claim" in the top menu, and follow the steps. A serial number for an eligible iPhone is required. The deadline to submit a claim is September 2.
Each affected customer will receive a payment of between $17.50 (CAD) and $150 (CAD) from Apple per valid claim submitted, with the exact payout amount to be dependent on the total number of claims submitted.
To be eligible, you must be a current or former resident of Canada (excluding Québec) who owns or owned an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and/or iPhone SE with iOS 10.2.1 or later installed or downloaded, and/or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with iOS 11.2 or later installed or downloaded, before December 21, 2017.
Apple has denied all of the allegations as described in the lawsuit, and the settlement does not represent an admission of fault. The settlement allows for Apple to avoid the additional time and costs involved with continued litigation.
Apple was sued in multiple Canadian provinces over iPhone battery throttling in 2018, including Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. The cases were filed shortly after Apple revealed that it had started throttling the maximum performance of some iPhone models with "chemically aged" batteries, when necessary, to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. Apple introduced this power management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it initially failed to mention the change in that update's release notes, leading to public outcry. Apple eventually apologized about its lack of transparency, and temporarily lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements to $35 (CAD) until the end of 2018.
Apple today updated its App Store guidelines to comply with an anti-steering mandate levied by the European Commission. Music streaming apps like Spotify are now permitted to include a link or buy button that leads to a website with information about alternative music purchasing options, though this is only permitted in the European Economic Area.
Music Streaming Services Entitlements: music streaming apps in specific regions can use Music Streaming Services Entitlements to include a link (which may take the form of a buy button) to the developer's website that informs users of other ways to purchase digital music content or services. These entitlements also permit music streaming app developers to invite users to provide their email address for the express purpose of sending them a link to the developer's website to purchase digital music content or services. Learn more about these entitlements.
In accordance with the entitlement agreements, the link may inform users about where and how to purchase those in-app purchase items, and the price of such items. The entitlements are limited to use only in the iOS or iPadOS App Store in specific storefronts. In all other storefronts, streaming music apps and their metadata may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase.
The European Commission in March fined Apple $2 billion for anti-competitive conduct against rival music streaming services. The fine also came with a requirement that Apple "remove the anti-steering provisions" from its App Store rules, which Apple has now done. Apple is restricted from repeating the infringement or adopting similar practices in the future, though it is worth noting that Apple plans to appeal the decision.
Apple has accused Spotify of manipulating the European Commission to get the rules of the App Store rewritten in its favor. "They want to use Apple's tools and technologies, distribute on the App Store, and benefit from the trust we've built with users - and pay Apple nothing for it," Apple complained following the ruling.
In addition to updating its streaming music rules, Apple today also added games from retro game console emulator apps to the list of permitted software allowable under guideline 4.7. Guideline 4.7 permits apps to offer HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, game emulators, and plug-ins.
Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these Guidelines and all applicable laws.
Game emulators have managed to sneak onto the App Store several times over the years by using hidden functionality, but Apple has not explicitly permitted them until now. The rule change that allows for game emulators is worldwide, as is support for apps that offer mini apps and mini games.
If you've ever wondered what it might be like to use AirPods with a display, well, a Chinese manufacturer made a fake version of the AirPods complete with a screen that we decided to test out. Would a touchscreen actually be worthwhile on AirPods?
The display on the fake AirPods activates when the case is opened up. It shows connectivity status, the time, the battery level of each earbud, noise control options, "Find My" settings, and equalizer presets. Other additions include customizable wallpaper, a flashlight, and a feature for controlling the iPhone's camera.
You're basically only able to control settings with the display, which is mildly useful. Actual AirPods need to be controlled through an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, with some options available through the Control Center/Status Bar and others buried in the settings app.
The touchscreen on the fake AirPods is, to put it politely, garbage. It doesn't register touches some of the time, the sound is mediocre, there are non-functional buttons, and the equalizer settings just make everything sound worse.
So why did we buy these earbuds? Apple patented a similar concept back in 2021, describing a set of AirPods with a built-in touchscreen display that can be used to manage settings and also control playback. In Apple's patent description, there are options for adjusting volume, favoriting songs, playing and pausing, skipping songs, and more.
Apple suggested that the touchscreen could offer tactile feedback and provide a more convenient way to control wireless earbuds.
We don't recommend counterfeit products, of course, so you should not go out and buy these. The fake AirPods do give us some idea of the utility of a touchscreen and how it could be used, which is interesting to imagine. Would you want an AirPods case with a touchscreen? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple is reportedly looking into personal robotics, such as a "mobile robot" that would "follow users around their homes" and an "advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around." In the long term, Apple apparently wants to create machines that can "handle chores, like cleaning dishes in a sink," but the robotics projects are said to be in the very early stages of research, and it is unclear if any of them will ever be released.
We also talk through the Beats Solo 4 headphones and Apple's upcoming iOS 17.5 update, which introduces web distribution in the EU, a color-changing Apple Podcasts widget, hints about next-generation iPad battery monitoring features and an upcoming Apple Pencil model, and third-party item tracker alerts. The MacRumors Show is now on its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips going forward:
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about all of the rumors surrounding WWDC 2024 and iOS 18.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
"The Apple Developer channel is where coders, students, and creatives of all kinds stay up to date on the latest Apple software, technologies, and platforms," says Apple. "Subscribe and watch our latest videos from the Worldwide Developers Conference and beyond."
Apple has already uploaded a collection of WWDC 2023 videos to the channel in up to 4K quality.
WWDC 2024 runs from June 10 through June 14, and the session videos will also continue to be shared on the Apple Developer website and app. During the event, Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 and many other software updates.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook this week sold 196,410 shares of the company's stock, which had a total value of approximately $33.2 million based on the average sale price of the transactions, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. After taxes, Cook netted nearly $16.4 million from the sales.
Cook received all of the shares that he sold this week as a performance-based stock award. Like other senior executives at Apple, he has a predetermined trading plan to sell company stock in accordance with insider trading laws.
Cook still owns nearly 3.3 million shares of Apple's stock following the sales, according to the filing. He has served as Apple's CEO since 2011.
In 2015, Fortunereported that Cook planned to "give away all his wealth."
This week's best deals include the year's best price so far on AirPods 2 and iPad Air, as well as ongoing discounts on OWC's wide collection of Thunderbolt docks. Additionally, you'll find up to $125 off the new M3 MacBook Air at Amazon.
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.
The best AirPods deal of the week can be found on Amazon, which has the AirPods 2 for just $89.00. This is the best price of the year so far on the entry-level AirPods 2.
Last weekend, OWC had a steep $180 markdown on the popular 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock. While this all-time low price is no longer around, you can still get the dock for a solid second-best price of $129.99, which is $150 off the original price. You'll find this deal and more in OWC's April sale.
Amazon has the fifth generation iPad Air at all-time low prices this week, with $150 off the 64GB Wi-Fi models. You can get these tablets for $449.00, down from $599.00, and all colors are on sale except Starlight.
MacBook Air
What's the deal? Get up to $125 off 15-inch M3 MacBook Air
We saw Apple's 15-inch M3 MacBook Air hit multiple new all-time low prices this week, and they're all still available on Amazon. The cheapest you'll find is the 256GB notebook for $1,204.00, down from $1,299.00, and there are a few 512GB models on sale as well.
MacBook Pro
What's the deal? Get $300 off 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro
Amazon has a new record low discount on Apple's 14-inch 1TB M3 MacBook Pro, available for $1,499.00, down from $1,799.00. This is a massive $300 markdown on the computer, and the best price that we've ever tracked on this 8GB RAM/1TB model.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Starting on July 1, 2024, it will no longer be possible to spend an Apple ID balance in Singapore, according to an Apple support document spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Apple did not provide an explanation for this decision, but it appears to relate to new regulations introduced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. In general, gift cards are frequently involved in scams that defraud people.
Apple says that any App Store & iTunes gift cards added to an Apple ID balance before July 1 can still be used toward digital purchases until that deadline.
Apple will issue refunds to customers with a remaining Apple ID balance after the deadline:
After spending your balance is no longer possible, Apple will begin to automatically issue refunds for any remaining Apple ID balance to users in Singapore. If you have a balance, your money will be refunded to the default credit or debit card on file as a payment method for your Apple ID. You'll receive a confirmation email when Apple has processed your refund. Afterwards, it might take up to 30 days for your financial institution to show the refund in your account.
Apple already stopped selling gift cards in Singapore last year, and discontinuing Apple ID balances appears to be a related decision.
Apple Store gift cards are unaffected by this change, and they can continue to be used at the three Apple Store locations in Singapore.
Yesterday, two unreleased Apple devices were discovered in Indian regulatory filings. A further two models have now been spotted ahead of the expected announcement of new iPad models next month.
The second wave of listings, spotted by MySmartPrice, appears in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) database with the model numbers A2898 and A2899. This joins the two models seen yesterday with the model numbers A2836 and A2837. All four model numbers do not correlate with any existing Apple devices, but four new iPad models are expected to launch next month: A 10.9-inch iPad Air, a 12.9-inch iPad Air, an 11.1-inch iPad Pro, and a 13-inch iPad Pro.
It is not clear whether A2898 and A2899 are new iPad Air or iPad Pro models, but both product lines are expected to be refreshed in May following repeated delays. The appearance of new Apple devices in regulatory filings typically indicates that their release is fairly imminent.
Apple this week filed a required notice with the state of California, confirming plans to permanently lay off more than 600 employees. Under California law, employers must give employees and state representatives a 60-day notice before a mass layoff event.
The employees listed are located in several Apple-occupied buildings around Santa Clara, California, which is close to Apple's Cupertino headquarters. Several of these locations were rumored to be associated with Apple Car development in the past, so it is likely that these layoffs are related to Apple's decision to stop work on the car project.
Apple officially ended development on the Apple Car in March. Approximately 2,000 employees working on the Apple Car were told that the project was winding down at that time, and Apple began the process of moving some of them to work on artificial intelligence under John Giannandrea and in other relevant departments.
Other employees were given 90 days to apply for open positions within the company, but Apple hired hardware engineers and car designers while working on the Apple Car, and these employees may not have had skills applicable to other projects.
Apple also recently ended development on in-house microLED displays, so some of the layoffs might also be related to the decision to discontinue that work.
Apple today updated its Apple Arcade gaming service to add a selection of new games to play. The main new addition is Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, a game in Sega's popular Puyo Puyo series.
In Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, players match up Puyos of the same color to clear the board and cause damage to opponents. As with Tetris, Puyo pieces fall from the top of the screen and can be rotated and moved to make matches.
The game has a storyline to uncover by progressing through the levels, and there are 24 playable characters to unlock, with many from prior Puyo Puyo games. Different rule sets can be used, including options from Puyo Puyo 2 and Puyo Puyo Fever, and there is also an endless mode.
There is a single player mode to play, but there are also multiplayer battles. Up to four players can join through Game Center.
Super Monsters Ate My Condo, also new today, is a classic iOS game that's making a reappearance on Apple Arcade. The idea is swipe to feed condos to monsters, while also making color matches for high scoring combos.
The third game available on Apple Arcade is Sago Mini Trips+, which is designed for children.
Later this month, Apple plans to release Crossy Road Castle and Solitaire Stories, games that will be available on the Vision Pro headset.
Apple Arcade is priced at $6.99 per month for up to six people, and it features more than 200 titles.
Apple today announced that its next quarterly earnings conference call will be held on Thursday, May 2 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.
On the call, which will be streamed live on Apple's investor website, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the company's earnings results for the second quarter of the 2024 fiscal year. During the quarter, which ran from December 31, 2023 through March 30, 2024, Apple launched the Vision Pro headset in the U.S., and it updated the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with its latest M3 chip.
Apple has not provided formal guidance since early 2020, but analysts expect the company to report quarterly revenue of $90.6 billion on average, according to Yahoo Finance. Apple reported $94.8 billion revenue in the year-ago quarter.
AAPL closed at $168.82 today, down from a 52-week high of $199.62.
On Monday, June 10, Apple plans to hold a keynote viewing party for select students and developers, allowing them to watch the pre-recorded unveiling of new software updates. Apple accepted applications for the event until yesterday, and now emails are going out to developers who have been selected by the lottery process.
The event will include "exciting new programming," an opportunity to meet with Apple experts, and other WWDC-related "special activities."
At last year's WWDC event, developers and students were provided with refreshments in the morning, followed by the keynote event. The Platforms State of the Union followed, and there were two Apple Park tours to choose from. The day ended with the Apple Design Awards and an evening dinner.
Boom! I got a golden ticket for the #WWDC24 special event at Apple Park! 🤩 Check your inboxes, folks – see you there? 💫 pic.twitter.com/A3F0JLe9rq
— Paul Hudson (@twostraws) April 4, 2024
Prior to 2020, the Worldwide Developers Conference was an in-person event that was hosted in San Jose, California. Developers were required to pay $1,599 to purchase a ticket to attend, and space was limited. Starting in 2020, Apple turned WWDC into an online event open to all developers, but there have been small in-person events at Apple Park since 2022.
There will be a reception event at Apple's Infinite Loop campus on Sunday, June 9, where attendees can pick up their badges early.
Apple extended invitations to Current Apple Developer Program members, Apple Developer Enterprise Program members, Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni, and Swift Student Challenge winners from 2022 to 2024. Attendees were chosen by random selection.
While there is no cost to attend the Apple Park special event, Apple does not cover transportation or lodging. Out-of-state attendees will need to purchase airfare, hotel accommodations, and transportation to Apple Park.
WWDC 2024 is set to take place from June 10 to June 14. Developers not selected to attend the special event can watch the keynote, interface with Apple engineers, and watch WWDC sessions online.
Popular accessory company Satechi offers a wide variety of docks and hubs compatible with Apple's Mac lineup, and I've recently spent some time testing out the company's $150 USB-C Dual Dock Stand that adds a significant amount of connectivity to your Mac while remaining tucked out of sight and even giving your laptop a bit of extra breathing room.
Perhaps the most noteworthy design aspect of the USB-C Dual Dock Stand is right in the name, and that's the fact that it serves as a stand to elevate your Mac laptop on a desk, allowing for extra airflow to help keep things cool and giving a couple extra inches of height to the display to bring it a little closer to eye level and perhaps make for a bit more comfortable typing position if you're using your MacBook's keyboard.
The dock measures right around 12 inches (30 cm) wide, and its wedge-shaped form factor sits nicely under the rear portion of a Mac laptop. Rubber feet on the dock help with stability, and there's a raised rubber ridge on the top surface of the dock for your Mac to sit on without scratching either the Mac or the dock. Openings on the front and back bottom edges of the dock provide some ventilation for the dock itself, but I didn't notice anything getting significantly warm.
The dock is largely constructed of space gray aluminum with a black top, and there's some clean Satechi branding in white on the top, though all of this will be essentially invisible if you've got your Mac sitting on top of it. A 7.5-inch integrated dual cable sticks out one end of the dock, terminating in USB-C connectors for hooking the dock up to your computer. There's a space gray collar around the two connectors that spaces them perfectly to connect to adjacent USB-C ports on recent Macs with a single motion, or if you've got a compatible machine with different port spacing, the collar can slide back to give you more wiggle room with the individual connectors.
Most of the dock's other features are along the rear side, allowing you to route cables out of sight off the back of your desk. In addition to a color-coded sliding power switch and a white LED that confirms whether the dock has power, the USB-C Dual Dock Stand includes nine ports along the back side. There are two USB-C ports (one supporting up to 10 Gbps and one up to 5 Gbps), two USB-A ports (similarly with one at up to 10 Gbps and one at up to 5 Gbps), and a Gigabit Ethernet port if you need a wired data connection. For display compatibility, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports each supporting up to a 4K display at 60Hz, plus a DisplayPort 1.4 port also supporting up to 4K60Hz.
Depending on your Mac, the USB-C Dual Dock Stand can support up to two external displays, with either both connected via HDMI or one via HDMI and one via DisplayPort. The USB-C ports on the dock do not support video, so you can't connect external displays via that method. If you're running an Apple silicon Mac, you'll need one of the higher-level Pro or Max chips to support dual external displays in addition to the built-in display on your laptop. If your machine has a base M3 chip, you can run two external displays with the laptop lid closed, while machines with the base M1 or M2 chip are limited to one external display.
In addition to Apple silicon Macs, select Intel-based MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models are also supported, as are a handful of Windows machines such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop Studio, Lenovo Yoga 6 and 7i, Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra, and Dell XPS 15.
There's one final port on the rear of the dock, and that's a USB-C port for accepting incoming power. The dock can be bus-powered from the connected Mac, but performance under heavy load will be hampered. Using an external power adapter, which isn't provided in the box but should be readily available to most users, the dock can draw up to around 15 watts while providing up to 75 watts of passthrough power to the connected Mac, ensuring you only need one connection to your Mac for everything. I used the 140-watt Apple power adapter that came with my MacBook Pro, and it provided all the power the dock needed while I also saw 69 watts of power going to my Mac, which was plenty to refuel it quickly and keep it charged up during use.
Beyond all of the rear ports. the USB-C Dual Dock Stand has one more trick up its sleeve, and that's a built-in SSD bay, letting you add some external storage (sold separately) to your Mac for backups or extra storage space without taking up any additional physical space. The enclosure accepts M.2 SATA and NVMe SSDs at up to 6 Gbps for SATA drives and 10 Gbps for NVMe drives. SSD sizes of 2242, 2260, and 2280 are all supported, and I used a fast 2 TB WD_BLACK NVMe drive in a 2280 size for my testing.
Installation was fairly simple, requiring easy removal of a cover on the bottom of the dock to access the drive bay and installation of an adhesive thermal pad to prepare for adding the SSD. From there, it was just a matter of sliding the SSD into the socket in the bay, pressing it flat, and securing it with the provided screw and screwdriver. Getting the tiny screw in the proper position down in the drive bay was a little bit of a finicky process, but it only took a couple of minutes to get everything assembled.
With the SSD installed in the dock, the drive mounts when the dock is connected to the Mac giving you easy to access to however much additional storage you've added. My testing showed write speeds of 975 MB/s and read speeds of 880 MB/s, and while there are certainly external enclosures out there that can support faster speeds with this drive, the performance was quite solid.
USB ports proved to be a bit more of a mixed bag. The ports on this dock are intended to be primarily for data use, so they don't provide significant charging capabilities. They offer enough power to support most low-demand accessories like a thumb drive or even my Stream Deck, but they struggle more with higher-power devices like bus-powered external SSDs. One of my test enclosures worked fine when connected to the 5 Gbps USB-C port on the dock, but my Mac threw up an error about drawing too much power when I connected the enclosure to the 10 Gbps USB-C port. So just be aware that while this dock provides some nice flexibility for USB connectivity, you won't be able to connect high-powered peripherals like Apple's SuperDrive or quickly recharge an iPhone.
Display connectivity is as you would expect, and I had no issues driving a pair of 4K external displays in either the dual HDMI or the HDMI/DisplayPort configuration. Displays hooked up via the dock looked good and I experienced no connectivity glitches. It's worth emphasizing that with no support for USB-C/Thunderbolt displays and a maximum of 4K supported over HDMI and Thunderbolt, you won't be able to use higher-resolution displays like the Apple Studio Display with this dock. But the popularity of 4K options means many users will already be using displays that do work.
I did notice that physically plugging and unplugging some of the beefier connectors like HDMI and DisplayPort from the dock could be a bit tricky as the dock tucked under my MacBook Pro tended to slide around a bit, but I got the hang of stabilizing the dock on its two ends while manipulating the connectors. Fortunately, one of the main points of a dock is to allow all of your peripherals to remain connected, so you shouldn't need to be plugging and unplugging both things very frequently.
Overall, Satechi's USB-C Dual Dock Stand offers a nice set of features for those looking to beef up their MacBook desk setup. It offers enough ports to provide some extra connectivity, plus the onboard SSD bay is a nice inclusion. The dock's form factor means it can be tucked cleanly out of the way while also offering some minor ergonomic benefits. And while it's around a foot long, the fact that it can include an onboard SSD and runs off of either bus power or the USB-C power adapter you probably have in your bag already, it's fairly portable.
The dock is missing a few features like support for USB-C display connections and an SD card reader, but if its feature set meets your needs, it's worthy of consideration. While you can find some USB-C hubs with dual 4K display support for less, $150 really isn't a bad price considering the extra features this dock brings. Just remember you'll need to spend a bit more for the SSD to go inside it if you want to take advantage of that feature.
Note: Satechi provided MacRumors with the USB-C Dual Dock Stand for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Satechi and B&H Photo. 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 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.
