MacRumors

While it was a relatively quiet week for Apple news and rumors, we did learn that the first Macs with the as-yet-unannounced M3 chip could be just three months away from being unveiled, providing us all with something to look forward to.

Other top stories this week included the release of Apple's new Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones, the possibility of iPhone 15 Pro models being in low supply at launch due to a display-related manufacturing issue, and more.

Apple's First M3-Powered Macs Likely to Launch in October

In his Power On newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the first Macs with an M3 chip could launch as early as October of this year. The first models with the M3 chip will likely be the next 13-inch MacBook Pro, 13-inch MacBook Air, and 24-inch iMac.

The M3 chip is widely expected to be fabricated with TSMC's 3nm process for significant performance and power efficiency improvements compared to the 5nm-based M2 chip in the existing 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Beats Studio Pro Debut With Improved Sound Quality, Spatial Audio, USB-C, and More

Apple this week released new Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones, which succeed the previous Beats Studio3 launched in 2017.

Key new features of the Beats Studio Pro compared to the Studio3 include a USB-C port for charging and audio, improved sound quality, longer battery life, a redesigned carrying case, and more. The headphones are priced at $349.99 and are available in four color options.

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max Supplies Could Be Constrained at Launch Due to Display Manufacturing Issues

The upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are rumored to feature thinner bezels around the display, but this change is reportedly causing manufacturing issues that could lead to the devices being in short supply when they launch later this year.

While a Bank of America analyst claimed that iPhone 15 models could be delayed until October, the latest report indicated that a September launch is still likely.

iOS 17: Over 10 New Features in Messages App

iOS 17 includes over 10 new features and changes in the Messages app on the iPhone, so be sure to check out our list to learn all about them.

iOS 17 is currently available as a public beta (here's how to install it on your iPhone), and should be released to all users in September. The software update is compatible with the iPhone XS and newer.

Read our in-depth iOS 17 roundup to learn about other new features.

Next AirPods Max Could Adopt These Five Features From Beats Studio Pro and AirPods Pro

While rumors about new AirPods Max have been slim so far, there are a handful of features that the over-ear headphones could adopt from the new Beats Studio Pro and the second-generation AirPods Pro.

We've rounded up five features that the next AirPods Max are likely to adopt from the Studio Pro and AirPods Pro. However, rumors suggest that the headphones might not be updated until late 2024 to early 2025.

Apple Experimenting With 'Apple GPT' AI Tool, No Launch Planned Yet

Apple employees are testing an internal ChatGPT-like chatbot, but the company does not yet have any plans to make the tool available to the public, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple has lagged behind companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google in terms of generative AI systems like ChatGPT, but the company has said that it wants to be thoughtful and deliberate with how it implements AI.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Apple's iOS 17 upgrade brings notable new communication features, adding functionality to the Phone app and the FaceTime app. The Phone app lets you customize what people see when you call them, while ‌FaceTime‌ gains video messages and the option to take ‌FaceTime‌ calls on the Apple TV.

This guide highlights everything new with the Phone and ‌FaceTime‌ apps in iOS 17.

Phone

Contact Posters

Apple started letting you choose the name and photo that you want to share with others in the Messages app, and now sharing extends to the Phone app. You can create a Contact Poster that other people see when they call you.

Contact Posters are created in the Contacts app by tapping on your own name, selecting the Contact Photo & Poster option, and tapping on the Edit button.

You can choose to share a photo, a Memoji, or just your initials, and this is what people will see when you call them. To go along with the photo, you can also customize font size, style, and color. Note that you cannot change your name from this interface - that needs to be done by changing your contact info.

There are several filters that can be applied to images, including black and white, duotone, and color wash in the color of your choice. You can edit the crop of the photo, and customize your Contact Poster independently of your shared Messages image.

Contact Posters can be shared with your contacts automatically, or you can be prompted to share with anyone who calls you so no one sees your custom imagery without your permission.

Contacts App

To account for Contact Posters, the design of the Contacts app has been tweaked. When you tap on a contact, you'll now see that their contact image, Memoji, or initials take up a much larger portion of the screen. This also counts for contacts where you've assigned an image.

You'll have an option to tap on the Contact Photo and Poster option underneath the person's name to choose to update to the latest info automatically when your contact changes something like their profile photo, or turn on manual updates so you're prompted for the update.

Live Voicemail

Live Voicemail is a new feature that allows the iPhone to transcribe a voicemail as it's being left, so you can pick up the phone if it turns out to be something important.

The voicemail is displayed right on your Lock Screen as the person on the other end speaks, which can help you avoid missed calls if it turns out an unknown number is a call from your doctor or another important person.

Live Voicemail can be somewhat confusing to people who are not familiar with the feature. Apple's default Live Voicemail wording tells people that "the person you're calling may pick up," which has led to instances where people have called iOS 17 users and waited for several minutes for the person with Live Voicemail to answer. It's essentially not clear that it's a standard voicemail sequence.

This can be avoided with a custom greeting recorded by opening up the Phone app, tapping on Voicemail, and then tapping on Greeting to make a new recording.

Live Voicemail can also be turned off in the Settings app by going to Phone > Live Voicemail and toggling it off.

Updated Call Log

A small but useful update to the call log lets you know if a missed call resulted in a voicemail. If so, you can tap that voicemail from the Recents interface.

Dual-SIM Upgrades

Those who use the Dual-SIM feature now have an option to create different ringtones for each SIM, and choose a SIM when calling back an unknown number. There's also an option to sort incoming messages based on SIM.

FaceTime

Audio and Video Messages

When you ‌FaceTime‌ someone and they aren't able to answer, you can leave a video or audio message depending on the call method you used. If you were using ‌FaceTime‌ video, you can leave a video message, and if you were using ‌FaceTime‌ audio, you can leave an audio message.

After the missed call, you'll see a "Record Video" option, which will allow you to create a message. You'll see a preview of your video, and the option to re-record if it didn't turn out well. Once sent, the video message is in the ‌FaceTime‌ missed call log, where the person can watch the video and call you back.

Note that there is an option for people to save video messages to their Camera Roll, so keep that in mind when sending a video to someone.

FaceTime Reactions

The Messages app has had reactions that trigger with certain words for some time now, and in iOS 17, Apple is bringing reactions to ‌FaceTime‌. Rather than being triggered by words, though, the reactions are triggered by gestures.

Gestures trigger on-screen effects like hearts, balloons, confetti, fireworks, and more, with the effects flooding the display over the ‌FaceTime‌ window.

• Heart - Heart emoji
• Thumbs up - Thumbs up emoji
• Two thumbs up - Fireworks
• Single thumbs down - Thumbs down emoji
• Two thumbs down - Cloud
• Peace sign with one hand - Balloons
• Peace sign with two hands - Confetti
• "Rock on" sign with two hands - Laser

While the reactions are triggered with gestures, you can also long press on your picture in ‌FaceTime‌ to bring up a list of options.

These reactions work by default in ‌FaceTime‌, and third-party apps can adopt the effects as well.

FaceTime on Apple TV

With iOS 17 and tvOS 17, you can use ‌FaceTime‌ on the ‌Apple TV‌. There's a new ‌FaceTime‌ app on tvOS 17, but to use it, you need an iPhone running iOS 17 or an iPad running iPadOS 17 to serve as the camera because the ‌Apple TV‌ doesn't have its own camera.

You can start a ‌FaceTime‌ call on the ‌Apple TV‌ or start one on the iPhone and hand it off to the ‌Apple TV‌. It's basically the same as ‌FaceTime‌ on an iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or Mac, but with a much larger display. The iPhone will need to be placed near the TV for capturing your video, and the person you're FaceTiming with will be shown on the TV.

Center Stage is available to keep you in the frame as you move around, and you can handoff a call from the ‌Apple TV‌ to an iOS device if you need to move to another room, and vice versa.

Read More

More information on all of the new features in the iOS 17 update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.

Apple is gearing up to provide developers with resources to create apps and experiences for the Apple Vision Pro headset, and yesterday, the company pushed out new backend assets for the Vision Pro.

Code for updating the battery pack that powers the Vision Pro has been introduced, along with other visionOS assets needed for test versions of the device. Apple appears to have three different model numbers for Vision Pro batteries, including A2781, A2988, and A2697. It is not clear why there are three separate numbers when Apple has only announced two-hour battery life for the device, but there could be multiple battery packs in development or there could be additional battery options that will be used solely in Apple Stores for testing.

The code additions come ahead of when Apple plans to introduce development kits to select developers. Apple on its developer website says that it plans to introduce ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ developer kits and other developer tools starting in July, and there are less than two weeks left in the month.

Developer kits will help developers bring their creations to life directly on Vision Pro, according to Apple, providing the tools to quickly build, iterate, and test apps. Developers will be able to apply to get a kit.

Apple last offered a developer kit ahead of the launch of Apple silicon chips in 2020. Apple provided developers with a Mac mini that had an A-series chip so that developers could transition from Intel to Apple silicon. The ‌Mac mini‌ machines were priced at $500, and the Apple Developer Kits will also likely require a payment from developers.

Along with ‌‌Apple Vision Pro‌‌ developer kits, Apple says that it will offer ‌‌Apple Vision Pro‌‌ compatibility evaluations for existing apps and opportunities for developers to visit a Vision Pro developer lab that provides demonstrations of ‌visionOS‌, iPadOS, and iOS apps running on the headset. Labs will be available in Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Apple previously released the first visionOS beta in June, and Unity earlier this week released beta versions of Vision Pro game development tools. Apple is partnering with Unity on the "PolySpatial" development platform for visionOS that will allow developers to create and port 3D experiences to the Vision Pro headset.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we catch up on some of the latest major rumors about Apple's upcoming iPhone, iPad, and Mac models.

We talk over what upgrades Apple could bring to the next-generation iPad Air, when it will launch, the ‌iPad‌ lineup as a whole, and the current state of working with iPadOS. The first Macs with the M3 chip, including a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro model, are now actively rumored to launch starting in October and we discuss what other machines we could expect to see. We also look at the rumor that the iPhone 15 lineup could be the first to feature stacked battery technology.

Next year's iPhone 16 Pro Max is now rumored to feature a super telephoto camera with a focal length beyond 300mm in addition to a 12% larger sensor, so we discuss the implications of these changes. We also review the new Beats Studio Pro headphones and how they compare to the AirPods Max.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, where we discuss the new 24- and 32-inch iMac models that Apple is rumored to launch starting this year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Popular farming adventure game Stardew Valley+ is now available on Apple Arcade, with ‌Apple Arcade‌ subscribers able to play the title for free. Stardew Valley+ features the same open-ended farming gameplay as the original, with more than 50 hours of content plus mobile features like autosave and touch controls.

Stardew Valley lets players improve upon an abandoned, overgrown plot of land, turning it into a thriving farm with crops, animals, and goods that generate money. Players can form relationships with the townspeople, solving villager quests and attending seasonal festivals.

There are caves to explore for resources, and monsters that drop treasure. Other features include dating events, fishing, clothing and hats to unlock, pets, and more. The ‌Apple Arcade‌ version of the game includes all of the content from recent updates.

Several other ‌Apple Arcade‌ games are getting new content today, with updates for MasterChef, SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit, Squiggle Drop, Illustrated, and Garden Tails.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is priced at $4.99 per month, and all members of a family sharing group can access ‌Apple Arcade‌ content at that price. ‌Apple Arcade‌ has more than 100 titles to play, none of which include any add-on purchases.

Google in May unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the Pixel Fold. We picked up a Pixel Fold and thought we'd check it out to see how it compares to Apple's latest iPhones.

The Pixel Fold has a display size of 7.6 inches when it is unfolded, but when collapsed, the cover display measures in at 5.8 inches. Both displays feature a refresh rate up to 120Hz, like the latest Pro iPhones. It has a strong hinge that works at any angle, and when closed, there's no gap in the hinge.

Size wise, the Pixel Fold is the perfect size for day to day use when folded thanks to the cover screen, and it's sized like the iPhone X for reference. At 7.6 inches unfolded, it's bigger than any smartphone but smaller than an iPad mini, so it is a nice in-between size that's neither too small nor too big.

There's a Google Tensor G2 processor inside, Google's analogue to the A-series chips that Apple designs. It features 12GB RAM and starts with 256GB of storage and a 4821mAh battery, so the hardware is not too far off of what Apple's offering. As for software, Google has been working on Android for foldable smartphones, but developers have not all adapted their Android apps for the form factor and it's noticeable.

Google included a 48-megapixel rear camera, the same as Apple's 14 Pro and Pro Max, which is okay, but nothing spectacular. It also has 10.8-megapixel telephoto and ultrawide cameras, along with a 9.5-megapixel front-facing camera and an 8-megapixel inner camera.

Rumors have suggested that Apple is experimenting with foldable smartphone technology, but so far work on such a device has not moved out of the early prototyping stage. There is no word on when Apple might come out with a folding iPhone, but with the launch of the Pixel Fold, the major Android manufacturers all offer foldable smartphones.

The Pixel Fold is priced at $1,800, which is much higher priced than anything Apple offers. The steep price point for foldables may be one reason why Apple has yet to enter the market.

The week's best deals included all-time low prices on the M1 MacBook Air, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and iPad Air, and they're all still available to purchase right now. You can also save on a collection of Anker's best Bluetooth trackers, 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.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take $249 off M1 MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

The best overall deal of the week is on the 256GB M1 MacBook Air, which is still available at its record low Prime Day price of $749.99 on Amazon, down from $999.00. All three colors of Gold, Silver, and Space Gray are on sale at this price.

Anker

• What's the deal? Save on Anker's best charging accessories
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

There are also still quite a few Anker discounts available on Amazon as we head into the weekend, including low prices on Eufy SmartTrackers, portable batteries, USB-C accessories, and more. Be sure to visit our original post for the full list.

MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Take $250 off 16-inch MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Later in the week, Amazon introduced fresh all-time low prices on Apple's M2 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro at $250 off select models. Prices start at $2,249.00 for the 512GB model and increase to $2,449.00 for the 1TB model.

iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take $99 off iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has a few solid deals on Apple's iPad Air, with $99 discounts on both the 64GB Wi-Fi ($499.99) and 256GB Wi-Fi ($649.99) models. Both sales require you to add the tablets to your cart and head to checkout in order to see the deal price appear.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple supplier TSMC has been working on building a chip manufacturing plant in Arizona where it plans to manufacture chips for Apple, but mass production is set to be delayed because of a worker shortage.

According to The Wall Street Journal, TSMC is finding it difficult to hire people with expertise in building semiconductor factories in the United States. TSMC may have to bring in experienced technicians temporarily from Taiwan, which would delay production of the first 4nm chips until 2025.

"We are now entering a critical phase of handling and installing the most advanced and dedicated equipment. However, we are encountering certain challenges," said TSMC Chairman Mark Liu.

Reports in November suggested that TSMC would use its Arizona plant to begin manufacturing 4-nanometer chips for Apple as soon as it opened in 2024. Apple and other suppliers are eager to be able to source chips from the United States, so the manufacturing delay could potentially impact Apple's 2024 device plans.

After manufacturing 4-nanometer chips, TSMC plans to build an adjacent facility that will produce more advanced 3-nanometer chips for Apple. Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 models and its future M3-series chips are expected to be built on TSMC's 3-nanometer node, but initial chips will come from Taiwan factories.

Apple is currently running a summer-themed promotion where customers can save on purchases made at Ray-Ban, Sonic, Gymboree, HotelTonight, Sunglass Hut, PacSun, and select other retailers when they pay with Apple Pay. The offers are available through July 26, so there is around one week remaining to take advantage of the discounts.

The offers are available on each participating retailer's website or app on Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Most of the discounts require entering promo code APPLEPAY at checkout, and more details can be found on Apple's website.

"Enjoy exclusive online offers on summer styles, hotels, events, and more when you shop with Apple Pay," says Apple. Some of the offers available include 30% off custom Ray-Ban sunglasses, 10% off a hotel reservation placed in the HotelTonight app, and a half-priced SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger in the Sonic app.

Apple Pay is available in over 80 countries and territories, including Vietnam starting today, but most of these discounts are valid in the U.S. only.

Apple is running into difficulties with iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max display manufacturing, which could lead to a limited number of devices being available at launch in September.

Rumors have suggested that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will have slimmer bezels than the iPhone 14 Pro models, and it is this decrease in bezel size that is creating issues.

According to The Information, Apple suppliers are using a new display manufacturing process to shrink the bezel size, and it is causing problems with displays made by LG Display. Apple had a similar problem with the Apple Watch Series 7 display size increase in 2019, and that device was delayed by about a month.

The LG displays are failing reliability tests during a process where the display is fused to the metal shell. Apple is tweaking the design of the LG display so it can pass the tests, and it still has displays from Samsung that it can use for assembly.

The Information does not believe that Apple will delay the launch of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but will instead have fewer units available at launch, leading to shortages. The manufacturing issue will hit the iPhone 15 Pro Max the hardest, and it sounds like it will be the device that will be most difficult to get at launch.

It is not unusual for at least one iPhone model to be in short supply, and there have been launch situations where the iPhone models sell out entirely and people are left waiting for months for Apple to ramp up production and meet demand. In this situation, Apple will likely see its profit margins impacted and its holiday quarter revenue lower than expected.

Earlier today, a report from Bank of America global securities analyst Wamsi Mohan suggested that Apple's iPhone 15 devices could be delayed by a "few weeks," but he did not provide a reason for the delay. It sounds like he heard hints of the display manufacturing issue and figured it would lead to a delayed October launch, but The Information thinks Apple will still launch in September as expected.

The Information claims that the iPhone 15 Pro models are now at the "risk ramp" manufacturing stage at Foxconn, with the company testing how reliably the devices can be built without defects. Mass production is expected to begin in August.

Popular accessory maker Nomad today announced the reintroduction of the ChargeKey, a classic Nomad product that has been updated with a new look and with 2023 performance standards.

The ChargeKey is a pocketable charger that attaches to a keychain. It features magnetic tips that connect to one another when the ChargeKey is not in use, and then when needed, the two halves fold out into a small charging cable with a durable, braided design. When folded, the ChargeKey is 7.6cm long, and when unfolded, it is 12cm.

There's a USB-C version of the ChargeKey with two USB-C connectors for charging an iPad, Mac, or future USB-C iPhone with a USB-C power adapter, and there's also a Lightning version with a Lightning connector for the iPhone and a USB-C end that connects to a computer or power adapter. It can fast charge an iPhone up to 20W with an appropriate power adapter.

Back when Nomad launched in 2013, the ChargeKey was one of its first products. The old version was available with Lightning and microUSB, compared to the new version with USB-C connectivity. We were able to test out the ChargeKey ahead of launch, and it is an ideal portable charger for use when you need a cable on the go. It should stand up well to abuse with its braided cable.

Nomad's Lightning ChargeKey is priced at $35, and the USB-C ChargeKey is priced at $25.

Apple will likely release the second-generation HomePod and the HomePod mini in Israel soon, as the iOS 16.6 Release Candidate adds Hebrew support for Siri on the HomePod, according to Israeli website The Verifier. Apple does not have an online store or retail stores in Israel, so the speakers would be sold at authorized resellers in the country.

The website notes that Apple has been allowing select users in Israel to test Hebrew support for Siri on HomePods, which is something it has done before in some other countries where the speakers eventually launched. It's unclear exactly when HomePods will launch in Israel, but availability will likely begin in the coming months.

Apple first released the HomePod mini in October 2020 in the U.S. and select other countries, and the speaker and has not received any major hardware upgrades since. New color options launched in November 2021, and the speaker's temperature and humidity sensor was enabled earlier this year. The second-generation HomePod launched in January, nearly two years after Apple had discontinued the original full-sized model.

Apple launched the HomePod and HomePod mini in Chile, Singapore, and Denmark earlier this year, and in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and South Africa late last year.

After speaking with supply chain companies in Asia, Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley believe that Apple is no longer planning to launch a fourth-generation iPhone SE in 2024. In a research note today, the analysts said the device was expected to feature an Apple-designed 5G modem, but the plans appear to be delayed.

Apple has reportedly been planning its own modem since at least 2018, and acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business in 2019 to bolster these efforts. However, the analysts said Qualcomm could remain Apple's modem supplier for both the iPhone SE and the iPhone 16 lineup through next year, as it appears Apple's modem is not ready yet.

In February, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the next iPhone SE would have a similar design as the standard iPhone 14, suggesting that the device would have a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, and flat edges. However, since the new iPhone SE has reportedly been pushed back, Apple's plans for the device could change over time.

Kuo and multiple other sources do not expect the next iPhone SE to launch until 2025 at the earliest, so it would appear that the current model remains a safe buy for now. Released in March 2022, the third-generation iPhone SE features a 4.7-inch LCD display, Touch ID, 5G, a 12-megapixel rear camera, and the A15 Bionic chip. The device starts at $429 in the U.S., making it the most affordable iPhone model in Apple's lineup.

Last week during Prime Day, Amazon introduced a new all-time low price on the 2020 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air. This deal has been unavailable since the event ended, but today Amazon brought back the record low price of $749.99 for the 256GB M1 MacBook Air, down from $999.00.

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

You can get the notebook in all three colors of Gold, Silver, and Space Gray at this price. They all have an estimated delivery date of July 21 for Prime members, and this sale has been automatically applied so no coupon codes are necessary this time around.

There are many internal and external differences between the 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air and the newer 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch M2 MacBook Air models, but as an entry-level computer the M1 device should work great for common tasks, especially at this all-time low pricing. You can read our guide to get a better look at all the similarities and differences between the generations.

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

Apple plans to add Wi-Fi 6E support to some of its latest iPhones, according to a research note today from Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley. Wi-Fi 6E is rumored to be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are expected to stick with regular Wi-Fi 6.

Wi-Fi 6E will allow for faster and more reliable wireless connectivity on iPhone 15 Pro models. Below, we have shared more details about the standard.

What is Wi-Fi 6E?

Wi-Fi 6 operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while Wi-Fi 6E also works over the 6GHz band for increased bandwidth. Wi-Fi 6E offers faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference, so long as a supported device is connected to a Wi-Fi 6E router, which are available from brands like TP-Link, Asus, and Netgear.

Apple has a support document with some additional details about Wi-Fi 6E.

Apple Devices With Wi-Fi 6E

Apple has already added Wi-Fi 6E to a handful of iPad Pro and Mac models since last year:

• 11-inch iPad Pro (2022)
• 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (2023)
• 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023)
• Mac mini (2023)
• Mac Studio (2023)
• Mac Pro (2023)

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max would be the first iPhones with Wi-Fi 6E support, as the iPhone 14 lineup is limited to regular Wi-Fi 6.

Apple says it will pull services including FaceTime and iMessage in the UK if plans to amend surveillance legislation that would require tech companies to make major security and privacy changes go ahead (via BBC News).

The UK government is planning to update the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), which came into effect in 2016. The Act of Parliament allows the British Home Office to force technology companies to disable security features like end-to-end encryption without telling the public. The IPA also enables storage of internet browsing records and authorises the bulk collection of personal data in the UK. Due to the secrecy surrounding these demands, little is known about how many have been issued and complied with.

Currently, this process involves independent oversight via a review process and tech companies can appeal before having to comply. Under the proposed update to the IPA, disabling security features without informing the public would have to be immediate.

The UK government started an eight-week consultation process on the proposed amendments to the IPA open to professional bodies, interest groups, academia, and the wider public. Apple has submitted a nine-page-long document condemning many of the changes.

The company opposes the requirement to inform the Home Office of any changes to product security features before they are released, the requirement for non-UK-based companies to comply with changes that would affect their product globally, and having to take action immediately if a request to disable or block a feature is received from the Home Office without review or an appeals process.

Apple also highlighted that some requested feature changes would require a software update, so could not be implemented without public knowledge. The proposals "constitute a serious and direct threat to data security and information privacy" that would affect people outside the UK, Apple claims.

The company added that it would not make changes to security features specifically for one country that would weaken a product for all users, suggesting that services like ‌FaceTime‌ and iMessage will simply be removed in the UK if the amendments proceed.

Apple, WhatsApp, and Signal also oppose a clause in the UK's proposed Online Safety Bill that would allow its communications regulator to require companies to install technology to scan for CSAM in encrypted messaging apps and other services. Signal has threatened to leave the UK over the matter.

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.

In Apple's iOS 17 beta, two new "British" Siri voices have been discovered that can be selected from the Settings app by going to ‌‌Siri‌‌ & Search and then selecting ‌‌Siri‌‌ Voice. The new voices are the third and fourth options, which join the original two "British" ‌‌Siri‌‌ voices.

The two new "British" voices, which sound more natural than the existing two, are the only voices that have so far been added to iOS 17. It's not clear whether they were added in the third beta, or if they were included in previous betas, but they were uncovered prior to the latest updated third beta by MacRumors forum member MegaBlue.

In iOS 17, other ‌Siri‌ updates include an option to drop "Hey" from the "Hey Siri" invocation, the ability to get Siri to read web articles to you out loud, and the ability to interrupt ‌‌Siri‌‌ and make back-to-back requests without reactivation.

(Thanks, Jack!)

Apple's launch of the iPhone 15 series could be delayed by a "few weeks," pushing the debut of the company's next-generation smartphone lineup beyond its usual September timeframe, according to Wamsi Mohan, a global securities analyst at Bank of America.

Mohan shared his prediction in a research note obtained by Barrons after conducting channel checks in Apple's supply chain. Mohan said the launch looked like it could slip into the fourth quarter, which runs through October to December, and he was concerned that guidance for the third quarter could disappoint Wall Street analysts as a result of the possible delay.

Mohan now sees September quarter revenue of $87.1 billion, well below consensus at $91.6 billion, even with a 2.5% tailwind in the quarter from favorable foreign-exchange rates. The analyst said he expects sales of 48 million iPhone units in the September quarter, below the Street consensus forecast at 51 million.

Mohan, who frequently participates in Apple earnings calls, did not give a reason for the alleged iPhone 15 launch delay, and there have been no other indicators from other sources suggesting that Apple's next flagship iPhone lineup might not arrive in September, so his prediction should be taken with caution.

Last year, Apple announced the iPhone 14 series on September 7. The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and Pro Max subsequently went on sale on September 16, but the iPhone 14 Plus did not launch until October 7 reportedly due to production disruptions caused by Chinese lockdowns at manufacturing sites.

Apple this year is expected to stick with its four iPhone lineup strategy, debuting an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, with the iPhone 15 Pro models again expected to include features that are not available in the more affordable iPhone 15 devices.

Looking near term, with Apple's latest earnings now just two weeks out, Mohan said that the company's June quarter results are likely to be "mostly inline" with Street estimates, although he expects every Apple hardware category to show year-over-year sales declines in the quarter.