MacRumors

MacRumors is pleased to announce our Fifteenth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive, throughout the month of May 2024. Let's save lives together by encouraging donations of blood, platelets, and plasma. While most blood drives are specific to a geographic location, our blood drive is online and worldwide. Anyone can participate.

Over the past 14 years, MacRumors Blood Drives have recorded donations of 1,305 units of blood, platelets, and plasma, cheered for donors, and celebrated new signups for the organ donor and bone marrow registries. We've heard from hundreds of forum members who donate or whose lives were saved by the donations of strangers.

This year's featured donor is user Neil.gtis, a three-year forum member from England. Neil is a regular donor who has made 98 blood donations to date, and will reach his 100th donation this year. Whether you're a regular donor like Neil.gtis or someone overcoming apprehension to donate for the very first time, we congratulate you.

How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive

1. If you are an eligible donor (e.g., U.S. eligibility rules), schedule a blood, platelet, or plasma donation (FAQ) at any donation center near you. Post in the MacRumors 2024 Blood Drive! thread to tell us about it. Also post if you register as an organ donor or register for the bone marrow registry (FAQ). We'll add all donors and registrants to our Honor Roll.
2. If you aren't eligible to donate, such as for medical reasons, please encourage someone else to make a donation, and let us know. If they donate, you'll both be added to our Honor Roll. The FDA has changed the U.S. donor eligibility rules, by removing the blanket ban on MSM donors, so there are more eligible donors than ever before.
3. Share our message with friends, relatives, and followers. Thank the forum members who post in the MacRumors 2024 Blood Drive! thread.

After the MacRumors Blood Drive ends on May 31, please record your blood, platelet, and plasma donations on our Team MacRumors 2024-2025 page (see instructions). We'll tally your donations and count them for the MacRumors 2025 Blood Drive next May.

Amazon today has the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE for $189.00, down from $249.00. This is just $10 higher compared to the all-time low price on the wearable, and it's available in the Silver, Midnight, and Starlight Aluminum Case options.

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 can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE on sale right now, available for $219.00 on Amazon, down from $279.00. This is another near all-time low price that's just $10 away from the lowest price on the Apple Watch SE, and it's available in Midnight and Starlight Aluminum options.

Additionally, both cellular models have hit record low prices this week on Amazon. The 40mm cellular Apple Watch SE is on sale for $239.00, down from $299.00, and the 44mm cellular model is on sale for $269.00, down from $329.00. You can find these all-time low prices available in multiple colors right now on Amazon.

This model of the Apple Watch SE launched in September 2022 and remains Apple's most affordable Apple Watch. The Apple Watch SE lacks some of the upgraded features you'll find in some Series 9 or Ultra 2 models, like temperature sensing and ECG functionality, but it will otherwise provide you with all key Apple Watch features, and at the cheapest price possible.

If you're shopping for the Apple Watch Series 9, there are a few options on Amazon right now as well. You can get the 45mm GPS model for $329.00 in (PRODUCT)RED, down from $429.00. The 41mm cellular model is available for $399.00 and the 45mm cellular model is available for $429.00, both of which are $100 off and all-time low prices.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

LG has updated its Apple Music app to support Dolby Atmos, making it the first smart TV manufacturer to do so (via FlatpanelsHD).

The change allows users to experience immersive audio that enhances the spatial perception of sound, previously achievable only with external hardware. The feature was confirmed to be operational on the LG GX OLED TV from the 2020 lineup, with expectations that it will work on all LG TVs that are compatible with Dolby Atmos from 2020 onwards.

While the TV's built-in speakers can utilize this new capability, LG suggests that the best audio experience is achieved with a compatible surround sound system, which can take advantage of the Dolby Atmos technology more effectively.

The update to the ‌Apple Music‌ app on LG TVs circumvents the necessity for additional Apple hardware. Before this update, ‌Apple Music‌'s Dolby Atmos support was available on TVs singularly through the Apple TV 4K, paired with either Apple's HomePods or Sonos speakers connected through the Sonos app. Other smart TV manufacturers are likely to follow suit and add support for Dolby Atmos in their own ‌Apple Music‌ apps.

Just over six months ago, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the likelihood of a new Apple Watch Ultra being released in 2024 was "decreasing," but it now sounds like there will be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year after all.

In a direct message shared with MacRumors today, Kuo said that while the Apple Watch Ultra will be updated this year, the new model will have "almost no" hardware upgrades compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Kuo did not reveal any specific changes planned for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which will presumably launch in September.

A third-generation Apple Watch SE is also a possibility this year if Apple sticks to a two-year upgrade cycle for that model, but the successor to the Apple Watch Series 9 is not entirely clear. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported about a redesigned "Apple Watch X" with a thinner case and magnetic bands, but he said it would be released "in 2024 or 2025," so it is not clear if it will launch this year or next year.

In any case, Gurman previously said the model that succeeds the Apple Watch Series 9 will offer blood pressure sensing and sleep apnea detection, and these features would almost certainly extend to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

The original Apple Watch was unveiled in September 2014, and launched in April 2015, so the device is approaching its tenth anniversary.

An in-depth Bloomberg report today resurfaced General Motors' decision to replace Apple CarPlay with its own software.

Last year, GM announced that it planned to forgo Apple ‌CarPlay‌ in its new electric vehicles, starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV. Instead, the automaker introduced a proprietary infotainment platform, aiming to control and customize the digital experience within its vehicles. This transition is part of GM's strategic pivot toward enhancing its software capabilities and establishing a stronger digital services revenue stream. However, the change has not been without its hurdles, with numerous customers and automotive reviewers reporting technical issues and a steep learning curve associated with the new system.

‌CarPlay‌ has become a staple of most new vehicles, offering drivers a familiar interface that mirrors their iPhone's functionality onto the vehicle's dashboard. Apple reported in 2022 that 79% of car buyers in the U.S. insisted on ‌CarPlay‌ support when considering a new vehicle purchase.

GM's new in-house system, Ultifi, is envisioned as a comprehensive digital platform that offers a range of services such as navigation and media streaming, enhanced by subscription-based add-ons to drive revenue. Despite these aspirations, the rollout of Ultifi has encountered significant obstacles such as software malfunctions that dealerships have struggled to resolve.

GM's move is driven by a wish to reclaim customer connections and data insights from third parties, but customer resistance to abandoning a familiar and popular system like ‌CarPlay‌ that directly integrates with their iPhone poses a significant challenge to GM's strategy.

The outcome of GM's decision could influence future industry practices significantly. If GM can refine Ultifi into a robust, user-friendly platform that rivals or surpasses ‌CarPlay‌'s functionality, it may set a precedent for other automakers to follow suit. Conversely, if consumers continue to prefer established systems like ‌CarPlay‌, automakers may find themselves in a difficult position, needing to balance their corporate interests with consumer preferences.

See Bloomberg's full article for more insights into GM's move to abandon Apple ‌CarPlay‌.

Apple today dropped the price of the MLS Season Pass for the rest of the 2024 Major League Soccer season, which is about a third of the way through.

MLS in the U.S. now costs $69, down from $99 when the season began in February. For Apple TV+ subscribers, the pass is now just $59.

The MLS Season Pass offers access to every live Major League Soccer match, including Leagues Cup, and All-Star games. Apple offered a similar discount last year, but it came later in the season in September.

The 2024 Major League Soccer season will run through October 19, and the MLS Season Pass also includes live coverage of the playoffs that are expected to start in mid-October. The MLS Season Pass is available in the TV app on Apple devices and on ‌Apple TV‌ 4K.

TikTok appears to be quietly showing some users an option to purchase "coins" on the web instead of through in-app purchases, circumventing the commission that Apple receives on digital purchases.

As noted by David Tesler (via TechCrunch) TikTok has been offering a limited number of TikTok app users an option to purchase coins on TikTok.com instead of in the app. "Try recharging on tiktok.com to avoid in-app service fees," reads the text. "You can save the service fee and get access to popular payment methods."

Following through and opting to purchase from TikTok.com brings up an interface for using payment options such as PayPal or a credit/debit card. "Save around 25% with a lower third-party service fee," the app suggests. The purchase workflow can be completed entirely in the TikTok app with no requirement to use in-app purchase.

TikTok's coins are used as a way for users to provide "Gifts" to creators. Users pay real money for a certain number of coins, and those coins are used for little gift emoji that can be provided to creators. TikTok says that gifts are used to determine the number of "diamonds" awarded to content creators, and diamonds can be redeemed for money. A TikTok coin is worth about half a diamond, and 100 diamonds is worth 50 cents, so TikTok is collecting quite a bit of money during the conversion.

Apple requires in-app purchase to be used for digital goods and services, and TikTok's "coins" presumably count as a digital good. If TikTok is indeed offering customers a way to purchase coins without in-app purchase as suggested by the screenshots from Tesler, then TikTok is breaking Apple's App Store rules.

TikTok coins would likely be considered tips, and Apple has forced other major social networks like Facebook to use in-app purchase for a creator tipping feature. What TikTok is doing is actually similar to the direct purchase options that Epic Games added to the Fortnite app back in 2020, a move that ultimately led to the banning of the Fortnite app and a multi-year legal battle.

Most TikTok users are only able to purchase coins through the in-app purchase interface, and the option to purchase direct from TikTok with a credit or debit card is allegedly a feature showing up only for a small number of users. The option is perhaps being limited to those who have spent a lot of money on coins in the past.

With iOS 17.5, Apple is adding a "Repair State" feature that is designed to allow an iPhone to be sent in for service without deactivating Find My and Activation Lock. The fourth iOS 17.5 beta that came out today adds a "Remove This Device" option for all devices in ‌Find My‌, and using it with an iPhone puts that iPhone into the new Repair State.

Right now, sending an iPhone to Apple to be repaired requires turning off Find My, and Apple says that it "might not" be able to repair devices that have ‌Find My‌ activated. Turning off ‌Find My‌ disables Activation Lock, an important anti-theft security feature that prevents an iPhone from being used with another Apple ID.

Apple currently uses ‌Find My‌ and Activation Lock as a way to ensure that a person sending a device in for repair actually owns that device, and that it's not stolen. An iPhone sent in for repair with ‌Find My‌ disabled cannot be tracked, and it is not protected from theft, so if it is lost or stolen at some point in transit during the repair process, there is no recovery method available. Removing ‌Find My‌ also has a hitch with Stolen Device Protection, as there is an hour wait when turning off ‌Find My‌, which can be inconvenient for repair purposes.

The new repair state leaves ‌Find My‌ turned on, so Activation Lock remains enabled, and the iPhone continues to be trackable with the ‌Find My‌ app while it is being repaired. When enabled, the device in the repair state has a "Ready for Repair" label. "This device remains fully functional in the repair state," reads the text.

In the list of devices, an iPhone put into a repair state has a small stethoscope icon, and it can be marked as lost. While in repair state, the iPhone is fully functional.

As of right now, using the "Remove This Device" option in ‌Find My‌ to enable a repair state appears to be limited to the iPhone. Using it on other devices like an iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch shows a warning that the feature will remove the device from the ‌Apple ID‌ account, allowing it to be used by someone else. Note that an iPhone must be online and trackable through ‌Find My‌ for the repair state option to pop up. An iPhone that is offline will display the standard removal text. It is also worth noting that repair state cannot be disabled at the current time.

Repair state is a feature that is still in development, so it might work with other devices when iOS 17.5 and its sister updates launch in May.

Apple today released a firmware update for the USB-C Apple Pencil that came out last year. The new firmware has a version number of 10M6060, up from 10M5164. On device, the updated firmware version number will be 37377.37377.16.0.

There is no word on what features, fixes, or updates might be included in the new firmware, and Apple does not offer release notes for ‌Apple Pencil‌ software releases.

The USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌ is nearly identical in design to the ‌Apple Pencil‌ 2, but it is shorter and has a hidden USB-C port for charging and pairing. It cannot wirelessly charge, and it lacks some of the features available with the more expensive ‌Apple Pencil‌ models such as pressure sensitivity.

Apple does not have an established procedure for updating ‌Apple Pencil‌ hardware, but in the case of the USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌, connecting it to an iPad with a USB-C cable and powering on the ‌iPad‌ should be enough to spur the update to download.

Apple will report its earnings results for the second quarter of its 2024 fiscal year on Thursday, May 2 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the results on a conference call with analysts a half hour later.

Keep reading for some key things to know about the quarter, including a recap of new products announced, revenue expectations, and more.

New Products During Quarter

The quarter ran from December 31, 2023 through March 30, 2024, according to Apple's fiscal calendar. The following products launched during this period:

• Apple Vision Pro
• 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip
• 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip

Revenue Expectations

Apple has not provided formal revenue guidance since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the average Wall Street estimate for Apple's second quarter revenue is $90 billion, according to Zacks Investment Research. This would be around a 5% decline compared to the $94.8 billion revenue the company reported in the year-ago quarter.

Maestri provided the following commentary on Apple's earnings call last quarter:

As a reminder, in the December quarter a year ago, we faced significant supply constraints on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max due to COVID-19 factory shutdowns. And in the March quarter a year ago, we were able to replenish channel inventory and fulfill significant pent-up demand from the constraints. We estimate that this impact added close to $5 billion to the March quarter's total revenue last year. When we remove this impact from last year's revenue, we expect both our March quarter total company revenue and iPhone revenue to be similar to a year ago.

Conference Call

Cook and Maestri will hold a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday to discuss the company's quarterly earnings results. The call should last around one hour, and it will include a Q&A segment with analysts.

A live audio stream of the conference call will be available on Apple's Investor Relations page, and a recording will be available later in the day for replay.

What's Next

Apple's current quarter runs through June 29. Apple has yet to announce any new products during the quarter, but it is expected to unveil new versions of the iPad Pro, iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and Magic Keyboard at its "Let Loose" event on May 7.

AAPL is trading above $172 as of writing, down from a 52-week high of $199.62.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, and new features have already been rumored for many apps, including Apple Music, Apple Maps, Calculator, Messages, Notes, Safari, and others.

Below, we recap iOS 18 rumors on a per-app basis, based on reports from MacRumors, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and others:

• Apple Maps: At least two new Apple Maps features are expected on iOS 18, including custom routes and topographic maps. Custom routes would allow users to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, while topographic maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking. Topographic maps were added to the Apple Watch with watchOS 10.
• Apple Music: With iOS 18, Apple Music will reportedly be able to auto-generate playlists.
• Calculator: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 are rumored to feature a revamped Calculator app with several new features, including a sidebar that lists recent calculations, an improved interface for converting units, integration with the Notes app, and more. That means the Calculator app will finally be available on iPads.
• Calendar: Two other apps rumored to be integrated on iOS 18 are Calendar and Reminders.
• Freeform: iOS 18 is rumored to add a new "Scenes" option to Apple's drawing app Freeform. This feature would allow users to select specific sections ("scenes") on the canvas for easier navigation.
• Health: Apple is reportedly planning new AI-powered features for its Health app, but no specific details are known yet.
• Keynote, Numbers, and Pages: Alongside iOS 18, Apple reportedly plans to update its iWork suite of productivity apps with new generative AI features for auto-generating slides in Keynote, writing faster in Pages, and more.
• Mail, Photos, and Fitness: These apps will reportedly be "overhauled" with iOS 18, but no specific details are known yet.
• Messages: iOS 18 is expected to add RCS support to the Messages app, which will improve the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices by allowing for higher-resolution photos and videos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, Wi-Fi messaging, and more. It has also been rumored that the Messages app will use generative AI to auto-complete sentences more effectively.
• Notes: With iOS 18, the Notes app is expected to be able to display mathematical notation, allowing users to include more types of algebraic equations and formulas in notes. The app is also rumored to gain a built-in audio recording tool, eliminating the need to switch over to the Voice Memos app.
• Safari: iOS 18 is likely to add a browsing assistant to Safari, which could summarize web pages and more. A new "Web Eraser" feature that would allow users to remove certain elements from web pages has also been rumored.
• Shortcuts: With iOS 18, users will reportedly be able to automate complex tasks more easily with the Shortcuts app.

While they are not dedicated apps, it has also been rumored that generative AI technology will allow the iPhone's virtual assistant Siri and built-in search tool Spotlight to respond to more complex questions and search queries.

For even more rumors, read our iOS 18 roundup.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third betas.

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.

Most of the features that Apple promised would be coming in iOS 17 have now been released, but iOS 17.5 adds additional app ecosystem changes in the European Union. App developers can offer apps for download on the iPhone directly from their websites, in addition to through app marketplaces.

There are also code changes that hint at new Apple Pencils and a Battery Health feature for the iPad, with more information on what's new available in our iOS 17.5 beta features post.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Sonoma 14.5 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 is included in macOS Sonoma 14.5, and no new features were found in the first three developer betas. Fresh release candidate versions of macOS Ventura 13.6.7 and macOS Monterey 12.7.5 have also been seeded to developers.

Apple today released the fourth beta of an upcoming visionOS 1.2 update to developers, allowing them to test new features ahead of the software seeing a public launch. The fourth visionOS 1.2 beta comes one week after the release the third beta.

The visionOS beta can be downloaded by going to the Settings app on the device and toggling on developer betas. A registered developer account is required, and Apple recommends making a backup before installing new software.

Apple may make further improvements to Personas, EyeSight, and other features with visionOS 1.2, but no major new additions were found in the first three betas.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 10.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the release of the third beta.

To install the ‌watchOS 10.5 update, developers need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10.5 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

We don't yet know what's included in watchOS 10.5, and there were no new features found in the first three beta updates.

Ubisoft today announced that Assassin's Creed Mirage will be available in the App Store starting June 6 for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as iPad Air and iPad Pro models equipped with the M1 chip or newer.

Assassin's Creed Mirage can now be pre-ordered on the App Store, but it shows a June 10 release date as of writing, rather than June 6 as Ubisoft's announcement states. Ubisoft says the game will be free to play for 90 minutes, and users will be able to unlock the full version across the iPhone and iPad with a single $49.99 in-app purchase.

Ubisoft says the iPhone and iPad versions of Assassin's Creed Mirage offer the same experience as the console version, but with touch-based controls.

The game's description in the App Store:

In Assassin's Creed® Mirage, you are Basim, a cunning street thief with nightmarish visions, seeking answers and justice. After an act of deadly retribution, Basim flees Baghdad and joins an ancient organization – The Hidden Ones. As he learns their mysterious rituals and powerful tenets, he will hone his unique abilities, discover his true nature, and come to understand a new Creed – one that will change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.

Assassin's Creed Mirage was first released for Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows in October.

With the A17 Pro chip, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max support hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, allowing for improved graphics rendering in games. This hardware upgrade has allowed for more AAA games on the iPhone, such as multiple Resident Evil titles and Death Stranding Director's Cut.

Safari will gain a series of AI-powered features and UI enhancements in iOS 18, AppleInsider reports.

Safari will apparently receive a range of visual tweaks alongside several new tools to improve the browsing experience, including:

• An "Intelligent Search" browser assistant tool that leverages Apple's on-device AI technology to identify key topics and phrases on webpages for summarization purposes.
• A "Web Eraser" tool that allows users to remove unwanted portions of webpages easily. Erasure is persistent, remaining even when revisiting a site unless changes are reverted.
• A new, quick-access menu emerging from the address bar that consolidates page tools, bringing over some functions that currently sit in the Share Sheet and placing them alongside the new tools.

The iPadOS and macOS versions of Safari are also expected to align further. These new features are purportedly undergoing evaluation alongside internal builds of iOS 18 and macOS 15 ahead of their unveiling at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in June. Earlier this month, backend code on Apple's servers suggested that a new Safari browsing assistant is in the works, corroborating this report.

Farther in the future, Apple is said to be working on a more powerful version of Visual Look Up that allows users to obtain information on products when browsing through images. The feature is expected to be released sometime in 2025.

Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 18 will "overhaul" many of Apple's built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness. Apple's next-generation operating systems are almost certain to be previewed during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10, and the updates should be widely released in the fall.