Key new features of the Kishi V2 include a more "ergonomic" design, "console-quality controls" with improved responsiveness for the A/B/X/Y buttons and d-pad, two programmable multifunction buttons (L4/R4), and an "extendable bridge" for compatibility with the iPhone 6s and newer, including all iPhone SE models.
The controller has a built-in Lightning connector for a direct, low-latency connection to an iPhone, which it draws power from. An additional Lightning connector on the bottom of the controller allows for pass-through charging of the iPhone itself.
The new Kishi V2 controller is available to order now on Razer's website, with pricing set at $99.99 in the United States. There is also a version of the Kishi V2 for Android smartphones that was released in June for the same price.
Another popular iPhone game controller is the Backbone, while iPhones have also supported PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controllers via Bluetooth since the release of iOS 14.5 last year and gained compatibility with Nintendo's Joy-Cons with iOS 16.
We're six days away from the launch of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, and as is almost typical, there has been a flurry of new rumors and reports in the last few days about the upcoming iPhones. To make things easier for MacRumors readers, we've compiled the latest rumors about the upcoming iPhones below so you can get all caught up.
Two Cutouts Turn Into One
Apple is expected to replace the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro lineup with a pill-shape and hole-punch cutout, as has been rumored repeatedly. One major new detail of the notch replacement that surfaced this week is that when the iPhone 14 Pro is in use, the pill-shape and hole-punch holes will digitally merge into one longer pill-shaped cutout, according to a post on the MacRumors Forum citing an Apple engineer.
Concept of the iPhone 14 Pro cutouts based on information from an Apple engineer shared on the MacRumors Forums
According to the post, Apple will digitally black out the space between the two physical holes and use that space to showcase iOS privacy indicators currently shown in the top right-hand corner of the iPhone. Additionally, according to the post, Apple will use the extra space at the top of the display to rearrange controls in the Camera app.
iPhone 14 Max Turns Into iPhone 14 Plus
While we were expecting Apple to name the 6.7-inch low-end iPhone 14 the "iPhone 14 Max," it could turn out to be the "iPhone 14 Plus." Apple last used the Plus name with the iPhone 8 Plus, since reverting to "Pro Max" for its largest iPhone model. The 6.7-inch "iPhone 14 Plus" will be one of two 6.7-inch iPhone models in the 2022 iPhone lineup, with the other "iPhone 14 Pro Max" sitting at the highest end of the lineup.
Unlike the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which will feature a new hole-punch and pill-shape notch replacement, a 48MP camera, and an always-on display, the "iPhone 14 Plus" will retain the same notch and processor as the iPhone 13 but in a larger form-factor.
No More Sierra Blue and More
A rumor this week suggested that Sierra Blue, a color option introduced with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, will not be available with the iPhone 14 Pro series. Instead, Apple will replace the blue with a new green and purple color in the lineup, according to the rumor. That rumor also listed out other expectations for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, including:
Pro iPhone models to start with 256GB of storage, not 128GB like before
No high-end titanium iPhone model, despite Apple having tested the new material
A new "exclusive MagSafe battery pack" to accompany the stronger MagSafe system
Improved performance and heat management thanks to the A16 Bionic chip
Conclusion
Apple is widely expected to announce the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, the Apple Watch Series 8, the Apple Watch "Pro," and a new Apple Watch SE during an event planned for Wednesday, September 7. Stay tuned to MacRumors for full coverage of Apple's event set to take place in a little over six days.
Today on Amazon you can get the all-new M2 MacBook Air (256GB) for $1,099.00, down from $1,199.00. Only the Space Gray color is on sale at this price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
At $100 off, this is a match of the all-time low price on this version of the MacBook Air. Current shipping estimates provide a window between September 3 and 6 for most places in the United States.
You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
Update: this deal has now expired. Update x2: it appears the MacBook Air is back in stock.
Twitter has officially started testing an edit button for Twitter Blue subscribers, allowing users to edit their tweets for typos and mistakes even after they've already been published, according to a tweet from the company's official account today.
Twitter had previously confirmed it was working on an edit button but offered no details on when it may be available to users for testing. According to a Twitter blog post, the new edit button will be available to small groups of Twitter Blue subscribers later this month following "internal testing" at Twitter.
Tweets that have been edited will be clearly marked as edited, and users will be able to see past versions of the tweet. Tweets will remain editable for up to 30 minutes after they've been tweeted.
For this test, Tweets will be able to be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication. Edited Tweets will appear with an icon, timestamp, and label so it's clear to readers that the original Tweet has been modified. Tapping the label will take viewers to the Tweet's Edit History, which includes past versions of the Tweet.
Twitter says testing of the edit button will be "localized to a single country at first" and will expand over time. The company notes it will pay close attention to how the new functionality will "impact the way people read, write, and engage with Tweets."
Smartphone manufacturers supplying the EU will be required to provide spare parts for at least five years from the date of a device's introduction and ensure longer battery life, according to new draft proposals published by the European Commission.
The Financial Times reports that the proposals would require at least 15 different component parts to be made available and that batteries should survive at least 500 full charges without deteriorating to below 83 percent of their capacity.
Phones sold in the EU would also have to display an energy efficiency label, similar to those used for washing machines and dishwashers, showing expected battery life and other characteristics such as the device's drop resistance.
The draft regulations cover tablets and mobile phones, and are based on the claim that by making hardware more repairable and recyclable, the energy consumption involved in a device's production and use would be cut by a third.
Currently, owners of iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac or Apple TV products can obtain a service and parts from Apple service providers, including Apple Retail Stores and Independent Repair Providers, for a minimum of five years from when Apple last distributed the product for sale.
After five years, iPhones are typically classified by Apple as "vintage" and Apple can still service these devices if it has the parts. After seven years, devices are classed as "obsolete" and hardware servicing is no longer available.
Apple in April launched its own Self Service Repair program, which allows users to complete their own repairs via a new online store dedicated to parts and tools, but the service is currently only available in the United States, although it will be expanding to additional countries, including Europe, later in 2022.
The new proposals also cover software, and require manufacturers to provide security updates for five years after devices leave the market and functionality updates for three years. Apple has typically offered software support to iPhones for almost a decade after they are released, but owners of Android phones typically receive only a few years of software updates, so the regulations are likely to greatly impact Google.
Smartphone makers critical of the draft proposals have argued that making more parts available actually increases the consumption of plastic, resulting in wasted resources, but the EU has warned that products which do not meet its sustainability requirements "will go off the market."
The latest draft EU proposals follow a requirement introduced in June for smartphones to use a standardized charger by 2024, despite years of opposition from Apple.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple will designate several iPod models, including the last iPod nano, select models of the last iPod shuffle, and models of the fifth-generation iPod touch as obsolete later this month, marking the end of eligible hardware service repairs worldwide.
In a memo sent to authorized service providers obtained by MacRumors, Apple says that the late 2012 model of the iPod shuffle, alongside the seventh-generation iPod nano and the fifth-generation model iPod touch, will be marked as obsolete on September 30. The 16GB variant of the fifth-generation iPod touch is already marked as obsolete, with Apple looking to add the 32GB and 64GB options to the list later this month.
Apple discontinued the iPod nano and iPod shuffle entirely in 2017, while the iPod touch remained available until earlier this year.
When the iPod touch was discontinued, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak said the "spirit of iPod lives on" across other Apple products, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and HomePod mini.
Seagate brand LaCie has announced two new mobile hard drives, the LaCie Mobile Drive and LaCie Mobile Drive Secure, offering Mac and iPad users up to 5TB of portable capacity.
Encased in an all-new design by Neil Poulton, each drive is made of strong aluminum and features one-click automatic backup, as well as a 130 MB/s transfer rate through USB-C, while the Secure variant includes hardware encryption and a lock/unlock feature.
The LaCie Mobile Drives come pre-loaded with LaCie Toolkit software for on-demand and scheduled backups, and a one-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan is included. Both devices also include a three-year limited warranty and three-year Rescue Data Recovery.
The LaCie Mobile Drive costs $74.99 (1TB), $99.99 (2TB), and $144.99 (4TB), while the LaCie Mobile Drive Secure is priced at $99.99 (2TB), $144.99 (4TB), and $164.99 (5TB). Both drives will be available from online resellers later this month.
HomeKit accessory maker Eve Systems today added several products to its smart home lineup. The Eve Light Switch with Thread support, which debuted in Europe last April, is set to expand to North America in October.
Eve Light Switch joins 14 other Thread-enabled products, all of which will also support smart home standard Matter when it launches in the fall. The third-generation version of the Eve Light Switch is able to replace both single-pole and 3-way switches to allow for smart lighting solutions for any lighting setup. Eve Light Switch is able to serve as a router node in the Thread network, interacting with and supporting other Thread devices.
In Europe, Eve is also introducing new options for the Eve MotionBlinds, offering motors for Venetian blinds and Honeycomb shades in addition to the existing motor for Roller blinds. Eve MotionBlinds for Venetian support tilting and lifting wooden and aluminum blinds.
Also exclusive to European customers, Eve is debuting the Eve Shutter Switch, a controller that's designed to work with motorized roller shutters and blinds. Eve Shutter can convert an existing in-wall shutter switch into an automated shading solution.
Finally, Eve is introducing the Eve Outdoor Cam in white, adding to the existing version that comes in black. The Eve Outdoor Cam is otherwise identical to the original, offering HomeKit Secure Video capabilities with end-to-end encryption and live and recorded video.
Eve Light Switch will be priced at $50 when it launches in October, while the Eve Outdoor Cam will be available in December for $250. The Eve Shutter Switch will also launch in November in Europe and it will be priced at 100 euros.
The Philips Hue line of HomeKit-connected smart lights is today gaining three fresh bulb styles in a new "Lightguide" line that's meant to complement contemporary home decor.
Available in three shapes that include large globe, ellipse, and triangular, the Lightguide bulbs have an inner tube that offers diffuse light in white or one of sixteen million colors, similar to other Philips Hue color bulbs. The Lightguide bulbs are being sold alongside a pendant cord and metal holder that's available in either black or white and that can be used for a single Lightguide bulb.
There's also a new Philips Hue Filament candle bulb that comes in White ambiance, and it joins the existing White and Color ambiance bulb option. A Philips Hue slim downlight with a more slender profile is available for ceiling installations in areas with limited space. The downlight offers 1200 lumens and can be dimmed for an ideal lighting setup.
For PC gamers, there's a Philips Hue gradient lightstrip that is designed to connect to a monitor. It comes in 24/27-inch and 32/34-inch sizes for single monitor setups, plus there is a longer strip for three monitor-setups that use 24 to 27-inch displays. The lightstrip is designed to flash, dim, and brighten to match gameplay.
Later this year, the Philips Hue sync app used for the Philips Hue Sync Box will merge with the main Hue app for an all-in-one management experience. The app is also gaining a Mimic Presence automation that's designed to make it look like someone's home by automatically turning lights on and off at their regular times.
The Philips Hue Lightguide bulbs will be available in the fourth quarter of 2022 and they will be priced between $75 and $90. The Lightguide pendant cords will be priced at $50.
The Philips Hue White ambiance Filament candle bulbs will be available on September 13 and will be priced at $45 or $65 for a two-pack. The Philips Hue Play lightstrip for PC will also be available on September 13 and will be priced at $170 for the 24/27-inch strip, $190 for the 32/34-inch strip, and $280 for the 24/27 three-screen strip. The Philips Hue slim downlight will be available on September 1 for $70.
Apple's rumored plans to transition to OLED technology for future iPad models could involve using "hybrid" OLED technology that combines both rigid and flexible OLED panel materials, according to The Elec (original Korean-language version).
The report claims that Apple is reluctant to rely solely on the flexible OLED technology it uses in its iPhone models, as the panels have a tendency to "crumple" and the effect is more noticeable as displays get larger.
From a machine translation of the original Korean-language report:
When it became known that Apple plans to apply hybrid OLED to the first OLED iPad, the industry has assumed that the cause was cost reduction.
However, it is understood that there is a reason why Apple preferred hybrid OLED other than this cost reduction. An official from the parts industry said, "Apple hated the fact that a part of the product screen could look wrinkled to the user's eyes when using a flexible OLED." He said, "iPhone OLED has a 5-7 inch screen, so these characteristics are not well revealed, but it is relatively noticeable in large-screen (10-20 inch) IT products. he explained.
While the hybrid OLED technology has yet to be perfected and will take at least a year to become commercially viable before it could be incorporated into an OLED iPad by around 2024, the report says both Samsung and LG are pursuing ultra-thin glass substrates measuring just 0.2 mm thick to be used with the technology, down from the current standard of around 0.5 mm.
The report does say that Apple may still elect to use flexible OLED panels in iPad models if the shortcomings can be addressed, but at least for now, it appears hybrid panels may be a better option as they are thinner than rigid panels and cheaper than flexible panels.
The large pill-shaped combination cutout that's planned for the iPhone 14 Pro models will display privacy indicators for the microphone and the camera, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums.
Apple is planning to replace the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro models with two separate pill-shaped and hole-punch cutouts that will house the TrueDepth camera system hardware for Face ID, but as we learned today, the cutouts will be combined together using software, appearing as a single long, pill-shaped cutout when the iPhone is in use.
The space between the two cutouts will apparently be used to show the orange and green dots that indicate when the camera or the microphone has been activated by an app. At the current time, these indicators are shown to the right of the notch when the hardware is actively engaged, but putting them front and center on the iPhone's display will make it more apparent when the camera and the microphone are in use.
Having the green dot front and center when the camera is active will make the experience of using an iPhone similar to using a Mac. On a Mac, when the webcam is in use, there is a green indicator light that cannot be disabled, with the light located right next to the camera.
Apple will apparently let users tap on the green and orange dots to receive more information about what apps are using the iPhone's hardware. Right now, that data is provided in Control Center, with Apple listing apps that have recently used the camera, microphone, and location.
The forums source claims that Apple will also redesign the Camera app, moving most of the controls to the top of the display to provide users with a larger view of the camera preview, but this change is "still not entirely locked in."
When the privacy indicators are not engaged, the space between the two cutouts on the iPhone 14 Pro models will be blacked out so that it appears as a single cutout. iPhone 14 models will use a standard notch and will therefore likely continue to feature the same hardware indicators that are available on the iPhone 13 models.
The iPhone 14 Pro models have long been rumored to include a notch replacement that consists of a pill-shaped cutout and a separate hole-punch cutout for the Face ID system, but pre-event rumors this morning suggested that the cutouts will be combined into one wider cutout using software.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has now confirmed that this is true, and he says that the two separate cutouts will look like "one wide pill shaped cutout" as distinct cutouts would "look odd" when the iPhone is in use.
This is true. It looks like one wide pill shaped cutout. Having that separation would look odd during use. https://t.co/SrAtYQsENx
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) August 31, 2022
Apple is expected to combine the pill and hole cutouts into one single cutout for a more streamlined visual experience. The new pill-shaped cutout will not connect to the top of the device, but it will, as a result, look similar to the notch. Apple will deactivate the pixels in the dead space between the two cutouts to emulate a unified cutout.
The original source of the rumor that we shared this morning has also claimed that Apple will expand the blacked-out areas around the cutouts for content purposes. Apple might, for example, make the area wider to fit status icons on the left and right sides, or extend it downward into a large square for certain notifications.
It is only the iPhone 14 Pro models that are getting the new pill-shaped cutout, as the standard iPhone 14 models will continue to use a notch.
"In the last six months, macOS malware protection has changed more than it did over the previous seven years," writes Oakley in a blog post published this week. Malware detection on the Mac is now "fully pre-emptive" and as active as "many commercial anti-malware products."
Specifically, at around the time that macOS 12.3 Monterey was launched, Apple quietly introduced a new XProtect Remediator tool for its XProtect service that checks for malware in the background. XProtect Remediator more frequently looks for malware and fixes it if malware is detected.
Apple previously used the Malware Removal Tool (MRT) and XProtect, but XProtect was limited to checking apps and code against a list of known malware and MRT ran infrequently. Apple's new solution is more aggressive and offers more protection. Xproduct Remediator is available on Macs running macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina, but it is not available on Macs running older versions of macOS.
The new XProtect feature is updated regularly and it runs at least once per day, but sometimes even more frequently. For some malware checks, it runs as often as every hour or two, and it is able to identify a range of malware, such as Adload, DubRobber, Pirrit, SnowDrift, Trovi, and more.
Scans are most likely to take place when the Mac is awake but not in active use, and is primarily doing background tasks like backups and receiving email. Oakley says that the new malware protections represent a "big step forward" for those who are running the most recent versions of macOS, with more information available in Oakley's full blog post.
With the updated T-Mobile app, customers can sign up for Network Pass, which uses the iPhone's eSIM functionality. T-Mobile's service can be tested right alongside an existing carrier's service, and T-Mobile says there are tools for viewing network performance and comparing a typical customer's average 5G experience in a given area so users can decide whether to switch to T-Mobile.
Network Pass provides potential customers with unlimited data, including 5G, for the three-month period. Customers who use more than 50GB of data per month may see reduced speeds until the next monthly cycle due to data prioritization. During the trial period, video streams in SD quality, and tethering is not available.
Network Pass is available to individual users and businesses who are not subscribed to T-Mobile, Sprint, or Metro by T-Mobile and who have not been T-Mobile customers within the past 90 days.
T-Mobile previously had a "Test Drive" program for testing the T-Mobile service, but it was limited to 30 days or 30GB of high-speed data. eSIM compatible iPhones that work with Network Pass include the iPhone XS and newer.
T-Mobile is also adding an Easy Switch option so people can switch to T-Mobile with a current unlocked eSIM-compatible smartphone in as little as five minutes. Up to five lines can be swapped over using Easy Switch in the T-Mobile app without the need to visit a T-Mobile location.
All of the new app features are available on iPhone devices starting today.
Apple is expected to announce four new iPhone 14 models at its September 7 event, including a standard 6.7-inch model that has been widely referred to as the "iPhone 14 Max" in rumors. However, the device could actually end up having a different name.
According to a photo of an alleged iPhone case from Apple, shared by Twitter user "Tommy Boi," the new 6.7-inch model might actually be named the "iPhone 14 Plus" instead. This would result in the lineup consisting of a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Of course, a photo like this could easily be photoshopped, but the "iPhone 14 Plus" name is still a possibility even if the leak is fake. The name "iPhone 14 Plus" could help to distinguish the device from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and make it clear that the device is not a maxed-out model in terms of specs despite having a large 6.7-inch display.
Apple last used "Plus" branding for the iPhone 8 Plus in 2017. Since then, Apple has used "Max" branding for its largest-sized iPhones, including the iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
An argument can still be made in favor of the "iPhone 14 Max" name, as Apple selling an iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max alongside an iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would certainly provide some consistency. We'll ultimately have to wait and see which names Apple announces at its event just seven days from now.
Devices that cannot be updated past iOS 12 include the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6, original iPad Air, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3.
Devices that seek to imitate the iPhone 14 Pro are already available in China, mimicking several of the device's design elements in an effort to fool unsuspecting customers or provide a low-cost way for some to buy a device that looks like the latest iPhone.
The clones, which seemingly began emerging several weeks ago on Chinese social media platforms, attempt to mirror the iPhone 14 Pro's rumored larger rear camera array and "pill and hole-punch" display cutouts that replace the iPhone 13 Pro's notch. Even the box seeks to closely emulate what iPhone customers have come to expect, down to the barcodes, adhesive pull-tabs, and accessories.
The devices seem to run a heavily-skinned version of Android that simply looks like iOS, but clearly cannot replicate a genuine experience with an Apple device. This extends to the hardware, which bears some significant differences to what can actually be expected from real iPhone 14 Pro models, such as a large "chin" bottom bezel and some artificial rear cameras. A video from YouTube channel "Amazing Unboxing" provides a closer look at the clones.
Earlier this year, counterfeit iPhone 14 cases began to go on sale in China, with varying levels of accuracy compared to real Apple accessories. The proliferation of fake Apple products coming from China related to the iPhone 14 lineup may indicate how confident some manufacturers are about the exact design of this year's new devices.
Update: Well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has since corroborated this rumor, saying the cutouts on the iPhone 14 Pro will look like "one wide pill."
It's been almost 12 months since rumors first suggested that Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models will feature both hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts near the top of the display. While this design detail has since been corroborated by respected analysts, what has remained less clear is how Apple's software will accommodate the cutouts when the iPhone display is active. Today, we may well have been given another piece of the puzzle.
According to information provided to MacRumors by an anonymous tipster, the discrete pill and hole cutouts are not visually separated when the display is powered on, but in fact appear as one contiguous, longer pill shape.
Rather than stick with the uneven aesthetic, the suggestion is that Apple has chosen to turn off the pixels in the "dead space" between the cutouts in order to create the appearance of a unified pill shape that is less distracting when viewing content on the screen.
In another intriguing twist, the tipster also claims that Apple intends to visually expand the blacked-out areas around the cutouts to host content. For example, Apple could make the area slightly wider to fit status icons on the left and right sides, or even extend it downward into a large rounded square when delivering certain notifications.
Image depicts visual difference of cutouts with display off (left) versus on.
MacRumors has discovered chatter across Chinese social media networks, purportedly originating from Foxconn employees involved in iPhone 14 Pro assembly, suggesting the same unified pill software implementation. Like the original tipster, these sources have not been verified and we are only presenting the information up front to our readers with the usual caveats as a topic for discussion.
We'll know for sure whether this last-minute rumor turns out to be true next Wednesday, September 7, when Apple holds its "Far Out" media event, where it will unveil the new iPhone 14 series. We are expecting a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.7-inch iPhone Max, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. There will be no 5.4-inch iPhone "mini" this year, with Apple instead opting for larger devices.
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OLED technology comparison table 
