MacRumors

Apple on Thursday addressed concerns about its use of AI training data, following an investigation that revealed Apple, along with other major tech companies, had used YouTube subtitles to train their artificial intelligence models.

The investigation by Wired earlier this week reported that over 170,000 videos from popular content creators were part of a dataset used to train AI models. Apple specifically used this dataset in the development of its open-source OpenELM models, which were made public in April.

However, Apple has now confirmed to 9to5Mac that OpenELM does not power any of its AI or machine learning features, including the company's Apple Intelligence system. Apple clarified that OpenELM was created solely for research purposes, with the aim of advancing open-source large language model development.

On releasing OpenELM on the Hugging Face Hub, a community for sharing AI code, Apple researchers described it as a "state-of-the-art open language model" that had been designed to "empower and enrich the open research community." The model is also available through Apple's Machine Learning Research website. Apple has stated that it has no plans to develop new versions of the OpenELM model.

The company emphasized that since OpenELM is not integrated into ‌Apple Intelligence‌, the "YouTube Subtitles" dataset is not being used to power any of its commercial AI features. Apple reiterated its previous statement that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ models are trained on "licensed data, including data selected to enhance specific features, as well as publicly available data collected by our web-crawler."

The Wired report detailed how companies including Apple, Anthropic, and NVIDIA had used the "YouTube Subtitles" dataset for AI model training. This dataset is part of a larger collection known as "The Pile," which is compiled by the non-profit organization EleutherAI.

If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis.

When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works through "carefully mechanized components" that make direct contact with the Digital Crown on Apple Watch.

The TinyPod website suggests that a cellular version of the Apple Watch could be placed inside the TinyPod and used as a miniature phone, without the need to carry an iPhone. The case leaves the back of the Apple Watch exposed, but it is worth noting that actually using an Apple Watch this way would be frustrating because it uses skin contact for authentication.

If the TinyPod were tucked away in a pocket, the Apple Watch would need to be unlocked with a passcode every time it was used, since there is no Face ID or Touch Id. The alternative would be leaving the watch unlocked without a passcode, but that's not particularly secure.

Using TinyPod requires turning off wrist detection, which is the feature that keeps the Apple Watch unlocked with skin contact. TinyPod positions this as a bonus that allows for longer multi-day battery life, but at the same time highlights Apple Pay and Name Drop, features that would require authentication via passcode. With the back of the Apple Watch exposed, charging can be done with a standard Apple Watch charging puck.

TinyPod is available in 40/41mm, 44/45mm, and 49mm sizes to fit all Apple Watch models. It is compatible with the Series 4 and later, as well as the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra.

TinyPod's creators introduced it earlier this year, but the device is now available for purchase. It can be ordered from the TinyPod website for $80, with a lite model that does not feature a click wheel available for $30.

With iPadOS 18, Apple added some useful iPad-specific features in the Notes app, including Smart Script and Math Notes. Both of these additions are designed to work with the Apple Pencil, and they're some of the neater new features on Apple's tablets. Apple product manager Ty Jordan and engineering manager Jenny Chen recently did an interview with Chris Lawley to discuss the work that went into the iPadOS 18 updates.

Smart Script is one of the ways that Apple is using machine learning in iPadOS 18. It refines handwritten text, making your handwriting look neater without losing the personal flare that makes it your handwriting rather than generic writing. Smart Script learns your handwriting style, which Jordan said makes it as useful as typed text.

You'll notice that as soon as you start writing words, it refines your handwriting. You'll notice that it spell checks, so if you make a spelling mistake, it'll be underlined. It can also do some really cool things with reflowing your text, so if you tap and hold your Pencil, you can move words around, and you'll see that it reflows in your paragraph so you can get some more space.

You can even paste typed text as your own handwritten text right in the middle of a paragraph, so a lot of things that we take for granted with typed text, you can now do with handwritten text.

Smart Script learns continually and while it is designed to work quickly, it will get better over time as you write more, especially for features such as paste as handwriting. Recognition does not persist from note to note, however. Apple wanted the feature to feel personal and not like a font, which is why it refines dynamically with each note.

It's very contextual. So, for example, if you were to go to a previous paragraph where you had some band handwriting, we're going to match the handwriting that was refined there and not sort of try to replicate what you've had in other notes.

As for Math Notes, Jordan said that Apple took the time to "really reimagine" the calculator feature could be designed for the iPad's interface. If you're unfamiliar with the feature, Math Notes on ‌iPad‌ lets you write out equations with the ‌Apple Pencil‌, with the Notes app solving the equation automatically when an equals sign is added.

It sort of works like magic. It combines the natural input of a pencil with the amazing on-device machine learning models that Jenny and her teams work on. You just write math like on a piece of paper and like magic, it just gives you the answer. It's so simple and intuitive.

Math Notes is able to recognize variables and the numbers associated with them. So if you define variables like price and area in one part of the note, and then write "price x area," Math Notes is able to provide an answer using the numbers specified earlier. Jordan explains:

I'll do my best shot and go back to high school. So a variable is just a named value, right? So you probably know a lot of them from school, like X and Y, and you could declare a variable with that [...] but you can do this with any word that you want.

I've personally loved using it for natural experiences, where I might declare like drinks equal something and food equals something else, and then I can just say that plus that and divided by the number of people, and I get an answer. So it just creates this very natural way to work with your math.

Math Notes is intelligent enough to understand the difference between separate variables in a note, so if you have multiple math problems with the same variable like X, it won't get confused. You can have graphs added automatically in Math Notes if an equation can be grafted, which Chen says uses the work that Apple has previously done for the Swift Charts API.

If you're interested in more context on the new Notes features in iPadOS 18, the full video is well worth watching. Both Math Notes and Smart Script are available in the iPadOS 18 beta, which developers and public beta testers can download. The new features will launch in the fall.

Amazon Prime Day is coming to a close later today, so we're quickly recapping all of the best Apple deals that are still live on Amazon right now. Since many of these products have been on sale for a few days, shipping may be delayed, but they're all at some of the lowest prices we've ever seen.

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

You will need an active Amazon Prime subscription to see these deals. You can get one month of Amazon Prime for free when signing up this week, and afterwards the service will renew at $14.99 per month or $139 per year.

AirPods

Amazon had huge discounts on AirPods this Prime Day, with all-time low prices hitting every current model at some point during the event. As of today, we're still tracking great low prices on AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max.

Apple Watch

Prime Day this year included new best-ever prices on both the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE, and both are still available to purchase today. This includes $120 off Series 9 models and $80 off SE models, plus $99 off Ultra 2 for anyone looking for a high-end wearable.

M3 MacBook Air

Amazon this week introduced $250 discounts across the board on the new M3 MacBook Air, with the cheapest model now priced at just $849.00, down from $1,099.00. You'll find these $250 discounts on both 13-inch and 15-inch still available today on Amazon.

13-inch M3 MacBook Air

• 8GB RAM 256GB SSD - $849.00, down from $1,099.00
• 8GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 16GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,249.00, down from $1,499.00 (matched at Best Buy)

15-inch M3 MacBook Air

• 8GB RAM 256GB SSD - $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 8GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,249.00, down from $1,499.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 16GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,449.00, down from $1,699.00 (matched at Best Buy)

M2 MacBook Air

Best Buy and Amazon this week have Apple's 256GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Air for the record low price of $799.00, down from $999.00. You'll find all four colors on sale at this price, including Midnight, Silver, Space Gray, and Starlight.

10th Gen iPad

Amazon is taking $50 off the Wi-Fi models of the 2022 iPad, starting at $299.00 for 64GB Wi-Fi. This model was down to a lower price at the start of Prime Day, but that deal quickly expired and today's is still a solid second-best price.

iPad mini

All-time low prices have also hit Apple's iPad mini 6, starting at $379.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model and increasing to $529.99 for the 256GB Wi-Fi model.

If you're on the hunt for more Prime Day discounts, be sure to visit our big Prime Day post where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the event. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for Prime on Amazon if you don't have the service yet.

Prime Day (and Prime Day adjacent) deals are coming to an end later today, so we're once again highlighting massive discounts that you can get on Apple's M3 MacBook Pro at both Amazon and Best Buy. If you're shopping at Best Buy, it'll be required to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership for many of the deals in this article.

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

Best Buy's and Amazon's deals include all-time low prices on the 14-inch and 16-inch models, and the best discounts will be found on the larger screen computers. The 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro is currently discounted by $500 for all customers on Best Buy, but if you have a My Best Buy Plus/Total membership, you can add up to an extra $200 off select models.

In regards to the 16-inch MacBook Pro, stock at Amazon appears to be dwindling and many are marked as temporarily out of stock. You can still lock in these ultra-low prices now before they disappear and Amazon will ship out the computers when stock returns.

14-inch MacBook Pro

• M3 512GB - $1,399.00 ($200 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]
• M3 Pro 512GB - $1,699.00 ($300 off) [matched at Best Buy]
• M3 Pro 1TB - $2,099.00 ($300 off) [only at Best Buy]
• M3 Max 1TB - $2,899.00 ($300 off) [matched at Best Buy]

16-inch MacBook Pro

• M3 Pro, 18GB RAM, 512GB - $1,899.00 ($600 off) [only at Best Buy for members]
• M3 Pro, 36GB RAM, 512GB - $2,299.00 ($600 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]
• M3 Max, 36GB RAM, 1TB - $2,799.00 ($700 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]
• M3 Max, 48GB RAM, 1TB - $3,299.00 ($700 off) [matched at Best Buy for members]

If you're on the hunt for more Prime Day discounts, be sure to visit our big Prime Day post where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the event. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for Prime on Amazon if you don't have the service yet.

Popular accessory brand Ugreen has built up a veritable lineup of portable power banks and chargers in the last few years, with several options to serve the needs of gadget users on the road. It can be hard to work out what kind of unit will meet your particular requirements, but if you are looking for a compact USB-C/A bank that has enough juice to fully recharge your smartphone and laptop and then some, Ugreen's Nexode 100W power bank could be worth considering.

I've been testing out the Nexode for a few weeks now, and I've come away impressed enough that it's become an ever-present accessory in my laptop bag, and I don't leave the house without it when I'm working away from home.

Normally priced at $79.99 (and sometimes quite a lot cheaper if you shop around online), it's a compact, unassuming unit that weighs about 513 grams. While it's almost three times as heavy as an iPhone 15 Pro, its dimensions are pretty similar, and it's around 1.5x as thick as Apple's smartphone, which makes it pocketable if you're wearing a coat.

The flame-retardant plastic case is black on the back and painted in metallic grey on one side and around the edges. It's soft to the touch, but its smoothness suggests it will scratch easily, which is why I keep it in the supplied draw-string velvety pouch when it's not in use. The included USB-C to USB-C cable is around 18 inches long, and also fits snugly inside.

On one side of the unit is a button that when pressed illuminates a simple LCD readout that tells you the percentage of charge left in its five 21700 battery cells, which together total 20,000mAh capacity. The power bank itself supports fast charging at a maximum 65W. With a charger that takes advantage of that, the unit reaches 50% capacity in about 50 minutes, and full capacity in about 110 minutes, so you can basically look at the LCD percentage readout to get a fairly good idea of how its progressing. The bank is also capable of charging your devices while being charged itself.

On one side of the bank are three ports: The IN1/OUT1 is a USB-C port that's used to charge the Nexode, but it's also the connector to use if you want to charge a device at the maximum 100W output. Then there's secondary USB-C and USB-A ports, allowing you to charge up to three devices simultaneously.

I've been charging my M3 MacBook Air 13-inch using the maximum 100W fast charging speed, and from 10% battery it can bring my laptop up to a 50% charge in around 25 minutes, and fully charge it in about an hour, with around 10% of juice in the bank to spare. When I plug in my iPhone 15 Pro when it's hovering around 10%, it hits 60% charge in half an hour, and fully charges in under an hour, with enough left in the power bank's tank to fully recharge the iPhone from almost dead more than twice over.

Those charge times, while swift, do depend on nothing else being connected to the power bank, because that's when the variable output changes. With more than one device plugged in, the 100W port is limited to 65W, which still isn't bad, but the wait time obviously goes up. On their own, the second USB-C port maxes out at 30W, while the USB-A port can handle 22.5W, both of which are good for AirPods or an Apple Watch (if both gadgets are connected, pressing the unit's button three times in succession activates a small-current mode).

That said, if all three ports are active, the two secondary ports share 20W, although that doesn't affect the 100W rate, which feels reasonable for a power bank on a single charge. Regardless, the overall capacity of the unit means that I've been able to work away from home all day without having to worry if I'll have access to a power outlet – even if my MacBook hasn't been charged to full overnight.

Similarly, heading out for a weekend away with a fully charged MacBook and iPhone, it's easily met my needs, even when I've not had easy access to power. All in all, the Ugreen Nexode 100W hasn't let me down. There may be no bells and whistles to speak of, but that helps keep the price reasonable.

As an Amazon Prime Day deal, the Ugreen Nexode 100W 20000mAh Power Bank is available from Amazon and the Ugreen website, priced at $54.39 (down from the regular $79.99 list price).

Note: Ugreen provided MacRumors with the Nexode 100W 20000mAh Power Bank for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 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.

Apple no longer plans to use resin-coated copper for logic boards in iPhone 17 models next year, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.

Kuo said resin-coated copper failed to meet Apple's "high-quality requirements," leading to the company scrapping its plans to adopt the material for iPhone 17 models. It is unclear if Apple will revisit resin-coated copper for iPhone 18 models or later, but it appears that the material is at least a few years away from being used in iPhones.

Resin-coated copper is a thin layer of copper foil coated with a resin, such as an epoxy. The material would allow for a thinner logic board, which in turn would provide more internal space for other components and sensors in future iPhones.

It was also rumored that at least one new Apple Watch would use resin-coated copper this year, but it is unclear if that plan has been delayed too.

Yesterday we highlighted some of the best Apple-related product discounts that you can find on Amazon during Prime Day, and now we're focusing on third-party accessory markdowns during the event. In this article you'll find all the best accessories for charging, smart homes, smartphones, and more.

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.

Shoppers should remember that Prime Day sales are typically time sensitive, so purchase quickly if you're interested. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Prime on Amazon if you're a new customer; afterwards the service runs for $14.99/month or $139/year.

Anker

Prime Day deals have hit Anker's most popular portable batteries, Bluetooth speakers, wall chargers, USB-C hubs, and portable power stations. We've collected some of the best Anker discounts in the list below, but be sure to browse Amazon for even more sales.

Audio

• Soundcore Motion 300 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - $59.99, down from $79.99

Portable Batteries

• MagGo Power Bank 10,000 mAh - $64.99, down from $89.99
• Nano Power Bank with Built-In USB-C Cable - $35.99, down from $49.99
• Prime Power Bank 20,000 mAh with 100W Charging Base - $129.99, down from $184.99

Wireless Chargers

• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $71.99, down from $99.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Folding Charging Station - $87.99, down from $109.99

Power Stations

• Portable Power Station with Smart Display + Retractable Light - $104.99, down from $149.99
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Cube - $112.46, down from $149.99
• SOLIX C800 Power Station with Camping Lights - $449.00, down from $649.00
• SOLIX C1000 Power Station - $499.00, down from $999.00
• SOLIX C1000 Power Station with Solar Panel - $799.00, down from $1,549.00
• SOLIX F2000 Power Station - $1,099.00, down from $1,999.00
• SOLIX F2000 Power Station with 200W Solar Panel - $1,299.00, down from $2,549.00
• SOLIX F2000 Power Station with 400W Solar Panel - $1,599.00, down from $2,899.00
• SOLIX F3800 Power Station with 400W Solar Panel - $3,099.00, down from $4,899.00

Wall Chargers

• 20W USB-C Charger - $9.99, down from $16.99
• 100W 3-Port USB-C Charger - $42.99, down from $74.99
• 6-in-1 Nano Charging Station - $45.99, down from $65.99
• Prime 67W 3-Port Charger - $39.99, down from $65.99

Hubs

• 4-Port USB-C Hub - $9.99, down from $19.99
• 10-in-1 USB-C Hub - $45.99, down from $149.99

Jackery

Jackery's Prime Day deals include a large selection of portable power stations at big discounts.

• Explorer 100 Plus with Solar Panel - $169.00, down from $229.00
• Solar Generator 240 with Mini Solar Panel - $249.00, down from $349.00
• Solar Generator 300 Plus with Solar Panel - $398.98, down from $499.00
• Expansion Battery Pack 1000 Plus - $479.00, down from $599.00
• Solar Generator Explorer 500 - $479.00, down from $799.00
• Explorer 1000 Power Station - $599.00, down from $799.00
• Expansion Battery Pack 2000 Plus - $999.00, down from $1,599.00
• Explorer 2000 PRO Power Station - $999.00, down from $1,899.00
• Explorer 2000 Plus + Expandable Battery + Solar Panel - $2,599.00, down from $4,999.00

Beats

There's a big collection of Beats headphones discounted for Prime Day this year, starting with the Beats Studio Buds for $79.00, down from $149.95. The newer Beats Studio Buds+ are on sale for $129.99, down from $169.95.

The Beats Studio Pro are on sale for $169.99, down from $349.99, which is a new record low price. You can also get the Beats Solo 4 Headphones for $119.99, down from $199.99 and the Beats Fit Pro for $149.99, down from $199.99.

Monitors

Samsung's popular 32-inch Smart Monitor M8 (Model M80D) is down to the best price we've ever seen it on Amazon, available for $499.99, down from $699.99. This is the newest model of the Smart Monitor M8, and it beats the first discount we tracked last week by $50.

In addition to the Smart Monitor M8, Amazon has a wide array of monitors and PCs on sale from HP, Acer, Samsung, and more for Prime Day. One of the highlights is Samsung's 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Monitor for $899.99, down from $1,599.99.

TVs

• 50-inch Vizio 4K Smart TV - $449.99, down from $629.99
• 55-inch TCL 4K Smart TV - $498.00, down from $699.99
• 55-inch The Frame 4K TV - $997.99, down from $1,499.99
• 65-inch LG G3 OLED 4K TV - $1,846.99, down from $2,799.99
• 65-inch Samsung Quantum HDR Smart TV - $1,797.99, down from $3,297.99

Amazon Devices

Of course, some of the best discounts can be found on Amazon's own line of products. This includes Kindle e-readers, Blink security cameras, Fire tablets, and more.

• Echo Dot - $24.99, down from $49.99
• Echo Show 8 - $84.99, down from $149.99
• Kindle - $84.99, down from $99.99
• Kindle Scribe - $259.99, down from $369.99
• Fire HD Kids Tablet - $109.99, down from $189.99
• Ring Video Doorbell - $49.99, down from $99.99
• Blink Outdoor 4 Camera - $159.99, down from $399.99

Google Nest Thermostat

Amazon has the Google Nest Thermostat for $84.99, down from $129.99 during Prime Day. This is one of the lowest prices we've seen for the Nest Thermostat, and it's available at this price in two colors.

More Sales

• Belkin - Save on headphones, chargers, and more
• Eufy - Save on smart home products
• iVANKY - Save on USB docks for Macs
• Flexispot - Save on standing desks

If you're on the hunt for more Prime Day discounts, be sure to visit our big Prime Day post where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the event. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for Prime on Amazon if you don't have the service yet.

Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Writing in his latest investor note on Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company will mass produce the CCMs in Vietnam, and provide a complete imaging system integrated into a compact form factor for the new laptops.

The primary suppliers of camera modules for MacBooks are currently LG InnoTek and Sharp. In Apple's optical component supply chain, only Sunny Optical can simultaneously supply CCM and lenses in a single package, which gives the company the advantage of vertical integration. If shipments for the MacBooks go smoothly, Kuo predicts that Sunny Optical could also become the new CCM supplier for future iPhone and iPad models.

Apple plans to update the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip as soon as late 2024, and we could perhaps see a refresh before the end of the year. The high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to see a late 2024 refresh with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

Apple is working on a thinner version of the MacBook Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The ultrathin 2024 iPad Pro serves as a model for Apple's upcoming design philosophy, with the company planning to offer "the thinnest and lightest products" in each category across the tech industry.

It's not clear when a thinner MacBook Pro might come out, since no design changes are rumored for the 2024 refresh, but it's possible that 2025 could be the year that Apple debuts redesigned laptops based on its M5 chip. Apple is also rumored to be working on Face ID for the Mac, and it's likely that the MacBook Pro will be one of the first Macs to get Face ID, but there are no concrete details about when that might happen.

Apple has made a macOS 15 Sequoia beta available for its public beta testing group, letting public beta testers try out the software before it launches this fall. Keep reading to learn whether you should install it on your Mac, and if so, how to go about it.

Signing up to get the macOS Sequoia beta is simple, and can be done by enrolling a Mac in Apple's free Apple Beta Software Program. The steps you need to complete to install the software on your device are provided towards the end of this article, but before you jump ahead, here are a few things worth considering.

Should I Install macOS Sequoia Public Beta?

Before downloading the update, it's worth noting that Apple does not recommend installing the macOS Sequoia Beta on your main Mac, so if you have a secondary Mac that has no important data on it, use that. This is beta software, which means there are often bugs and issues that pop up that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems.

With that caveat in mind, the steps in the remainder of this article show you how to get the macOS 15 beta on your Mac. First though, check that you have a compatible Mac.

Will macOS Sequoia run on My Mac?

macOS 15 Sequoia works with the same Macs as macOS 14 Sonoma other than the 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air. They include:

• MacBook Air (2020 and later)
• MacBook Pro (2018 and later)
• iMac (2019 and later)
• Mac Mini (2018 and later)
• iMac Pro (2017 and later)
• Mac Pro (2019 and later)
• Mac Studio (2022 and later)

You can check your Mac's model by clicking the Apple in the menu bar and choosing About This Mac.

Don't Forget to Back Up Your Mac

Be sure to back up your Mac using Time Machine before installing the software using the method, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to the previous version of macOS if things go wrong.

How to Download macOS Sequoia Public Beta

1. On your Mac, open up Safari and navigate to the Apple Beta Software Program website.
2. Tap the Sign up button and enter your Apple ID credentials, or sign in with your Apple ID if you've signed up to beta test a previous update.
3. Agree to the Apple Beta Software Program terms and conditions if required.
4. After signing in, you'll see a main screen that's a Guide for Public Betas. Click on macOS.
5. Read through Apple's instructions carefully, and then using the link in the "Get Started" section, select enroll your Mac.
6. Make sure to make a backup of your current version of macOS using Time Machine by following Apple's instructions. This will allow you to downgrade back to your earlier version of macOS if necessary and is crucial if you don't enjoy the macOS Sequoia testing experience.
7. If your Mac is running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later, go to System Settings -> General -> Software Update and click the Info button next to "Beta updates." Then choose the macOS beta you'd like to install. If your Mac is running macOS Ventura 13.3 or earlier, download Apple's macOS Beta Access Utility and run the installer. Then follow the onscreen instructions to complete installation. Note that your Mac must be signed in with the same Apple ID you used to enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program.

Installation of the macOS beta is manually chosen in System Settings -> General -> Software Update. If a newly released beta is not available when you check, you will receive a notification when it is available to download.

macOS Sequoia Features

macOS Sequoia's standout feature is iPhone Mirroring, enabling you to control your iPhone from your Mac using your keyboard and mouse. This includes viewing notifications and using iPhone apps even when the device is tucked away and locked. Later this year, you'll also be able to drag and drop apps between your Mac and iPhone.

Window tiling has been enhanced for easier management of multiple windows. Safari now offers webpage summaries and highlights, while the Messages app supports message scheduling and Tapback reactions with any emoji. A new Passwords app simplifies managing passwords, logins, and passkeys. The Photos app has a redesigned interface, and the Notes app now includes audio transcription and summarization, along with automatic equation solving.

macOS Sequoia incorporates all new Apple Intelligence features coming to iOS 18, providing various quality of life improvements. These include writing tools for proofreading and polishing your text across apps, the Image Playground for creating unique images, and Genmoji for designing custom emojis. The Photos app features a Clean Up tool for removing unwanted images, and Siri has improved AI for better language understanding and contextual relevance, even consulting ChatGPT for complex queries.

Additional features are also coming to macOS Sequoia. More details are available in our dedicated roundup.

Apple today updated the Apple Store app to introduce a more personalized For You experience, which offers up more relevant product and service suggestions along with more information on what you can do with your existing devices.

The entire navigation bar has been refreshed, replacing Shop with Products and Sessions with Go Further. The For You tab provides relevant offers and suggestions such as free Apple Music and Apple TV+ trials, while the Products tab lets you see new products and also shop for accessories for your devices.

The "Go Further" tab shows nearby Today at Apple sessions, provides help with device setup, and offers support for your devices. For these new changes, Apple has a new opt-in data collection feature. Apple says that it collects data about your shopping activity, subscriptions, and more to make suggestions, but there is an option to not provide this information to Apple.

To create a personalised shopping experience, we'll collect and use data about your device, Apple account, Apple Store shopping activity and Apple subscriptions.

Privacy is important, and we want to be clear about what we're collecting and how we will use it. You can modify these at any time in Account Settings.

The updated version of the ‌Apple Store‌ app also includes a new Today at Apple video series with short videos that you can watch to get tips on device features.

Apple's full release notes for the refreshed ‌Apple Store‌ app are below.

• A fresh, more curated experience that makes it easier to quickly find the most relevant content on the For You tab, shop the latest on the Products tab, and make the most of the devices you already own on the Go Further tab.
• Check out the new video series from Today at Apple with featured guests that will inspire you to do more with your devices.
• New options to customize your privacy settings and preferences give you enhanced control over how Apple will use the data you share with us.

The ‌Apple Store‌ app can be downloaded for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Amazon today has $250 off every model of Apple's 2024 M3 MacBook Air for Prime Day, including both the 13-inch and 15-inch models. All of these discounts require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price, and it's worth mentioning that Best Buy is matching these prices for My Best Buy Plus/Total members.

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 $849.00 for the 8GB RAM/256GB SSD 13-inch MacBook Air, which is down from $1,099.00. For the bigger model, prices start at $1,049.00 for the 8GB RAM/256GB SSD 15-inch MacBook Air, down from $1,299.00.

With the addition of the $50 on-page coupon, these are now the lowest price we've ever seen on the brand new M3 MacBook Air, and they're among the overall best Apple-related deals you can find during Prime Day.

13-inch M3 MacBook Air

• 8GB RAM 256GB SSD - $849.00, down from $1,099.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 8GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 16GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,249.00, down from $1,499.00 (matched at Best Buy)

15-inch M3 MacBook Air

• 8GB RAM 256GB SSD - $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 8GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,249.00, down from $1,499.00 (matched at Best Buy)
• 16GB RAM 512GB SSD - $1,449.00, down from $1,699.00 (matched at Best Buy)

If you're looking to spend a little less, and are fine with investing in a previous generation model, Amazon also has great deals on the 2022 13-inch M2 MacBook Air. You can get the 256GB model for $799.00 (matched at Best Buy) and the 512GB model for $999.00 (also matched at Best Buy), and they're both $200 off and all-time low prices.

If you're on the hunt for more Prime Day discounts, be sure to visit our big Prime Day post where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the event. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for Prime on Amazon if you don't have the service yet.

Sonos today has opened up its own Prime Day inspired sale, offering steep discounts on select home theater audio equipment. This includes low prices on the Sonos Roam 2 portable speaker, as well as various discounted bundles, all of which are rare deals we haven't tracked since earlier in the summer.

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

This sale has a good balance between individual Sonos products and bundles that should help elevate your home theater setup with various soundbars, subwoofers, and speakers. Highlights of the event include the Sonos Roam 2 for $143 and Sonos Era 100 Smart Speaker for $199, both of which are all-time low prices.

We've accumulated a few of the devices in the sale below, but be sure to browse this landing page on the Sonos website for everything being discounted.

Speakers

• Roam 2 Portable Speaker - $143, down from $199
• Roam 2 Charging Set - $192, down from $228
• Era 100 Smart Speaker - $199, down from $249

Bundles

• 2 Room Set with Era 100 - $398, down from $498
• Arc + Move 2 Speaker Bundle - $1,208, down from $1,348
• Arc + Sonos Ace Headphones Bundle - $1,280, down from $1,348
• Beam + Sub Bundle - $1,168, down from $1,298
• Arc + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle - $1,257, down from $1,397
• Arc + Sub Bundle - $1,528, down from $1,698
• Beam + Sub + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle - $1,566, down from $1,796

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

As Prime Day continues today, we're highlighting all of the best Apple deals you can get for under $100 on Amazon. This includes AirPods, Apple Pencil 2, AirTags, iPhone cases, USB-C 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.

You can find every Apple deal available during Prime Day in our dedicated post. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals, and you can sign up for Prime on Amazon if you don't have the service yet.

$30 Or Under

In the cheapest category, you can get Apple's 20W USB-C Power Adapter for $14.99, down from $19.00 and the AirTag 1 Pack for $23.99, down from $29.00

$50 Or Under

For accessories priced between $30 and $50, there are a few sales on Amazon for Prime Day. You can get the 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter for $44.99, down from $59.00, as well as discounts on iPhone 15 cases.

$100 Or Under

Lastly, we're tracking a few deals on Apple products that are just under $100 for Prime Day. You can get an AirTag 4-Pack for $74.98 ($24 off), an Apple Pencil 2 for $79.00 ($50 off), and AirPods 2 for $69.00 ($60 off).

If you're on the hunt for more Prime Day discounts, be sure to visit our big Prime Day post where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the event. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for Prime on Amazon if you don't have the service yet.

Apple recently updated its website with a list of products eligible for upcoming 2024 sales tax holidays in select U.S. states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Sales tax holidays provide a limited-time opportunity to purchase select Apple products online or in stores without paying sales tax. Eligible products and price limits vary from state to state, with complete details outlined on Apple's website. Apple says tax savings may not appear during checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

The tax-free holidays run from July 19 through August 11, with the exact dates varying by state. Some other U.S states are offering tax-free holidays this summer, but they are not listed on Apple's website at this time.

Sales tax holidays are especially beneficial to students, as the tax savings can be combined with Apple's ongoing Back to School promotion, which offers students up to a $150 Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, as well as 20% off AppleCare+ plans. This is in addition to Apple's standard educational discounts on select products.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.6 update to developers, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third beta.

Registered developers can opt-in to the beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. Note that an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

We don't yet know what might be included in macOS Sonoma 14.6, and no new features have been discovered in the betas so far.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with software coming a week after the third iOS and iPadOS 17.6 betas were released.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Developer Beta. An Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

The features Apple promised for iOS 17 have all been implemented, so it is not clear what will be included in iOS 17.6, and no major new additions have been discovered in the betas so far.

With Apple focusing on iOS 18, it is likely that iOS 17.6 will include bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements.