MacRumors

Apple is developing 11.1-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Pro models that will come out in the first quarter of 2024, display analyst Ross Young today confirmed to MacRumors.

Young has previously mentioned new OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models planned for 2024, but this is the first time that we've heard about updated 11.1 and 13-inch display sizes. With larger 11.1 and 13-inch screen sizes planned for the OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models, we could see slimmed down bezels rather than an overall change in the size of the device.

At the current time, Apple sells a 12.9-inch mini-LED ‌iPad Pro‌ and an 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ with a traditional LCD display, as mini-LED has continued to be reserved for the higher-end ‌iPad Pro‌ model. With the 2024 update, Apple could return to feature parity between the two ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

Apple refreshed the 11 and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models in October 2022, adding the M2 chip, so it would not be a surprise not to see another update until 2024. It is not yet clear if there is an intermediate update coming ahead of the transition to OLED, but Apple does not have plans to release a mini-LED 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, and will instead move directly to OLED for the smaller tablet.

Other sources like The Elec and DigiTimes have confirmed that Apple is developing OLED panels for larger devices like iPads and MacBook models, and the technology is expected to be ready in 2024.

Young previously said that Apple would introduce a 14.1-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ in 2023, but he walked that back today and said that such a device is no longer in the works. That said, larger iPads are still a future possibility, as The Information believes Apple is designing a 16-inch iPad and Bloomberg has confirmed Apple's interest in bigger iPads.

The Apple Watch can accurately predict stress levels, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada (via MyHealthyApple).

Using the Apple Watch Series 6's ECG sensor, the researchers found that there was a close association between ECG data, including heart acceleration and deceleration capacity, and participants' reported stress levels at the time the readings were taken. Machine learning algorithms were then developed using this information to create a prediction model.

The stress models are said to have a "high level of precision," but lower recall. The study concludes that the Apple Watch has "promising" potential for stress prediction, and proposes that since the device collects additional health information such as sleep and activity information, even more data points could be integrated into stress models to increase their predictive accuracy.

The researchers postulate that the Apple Watch could be used to aid mental health care, offering activities such as breathing exercises to offset stress signals, responding early to changes in mental health. Competing devices from Samsung, Fitbit, and Garmin have offered a stress score feature for some time, but Apple has yet to implement such a feature in its Health app.

Apple is no longer planning to launch a 14.1-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display in early 2023, a shift from plans earlier in the year.

In June, reliable display analyst Ross Young reported that a 14.1-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ with a mini-LED display was slated to launch in the first quarter of 2023. Now, Young says Apple is no longer planning to launch the new 14.1-inch form factor. Young suggests the device has been canceled entirely or significantly delayed. In July, Ross followed-up to say the device could feature a LCD display instead of mini-LED.

A 14.1-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ would have been the largest iPad to date, beating the current 12.9-inch size. The development of a larger-sized ‌iPad Pro‌ was first shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in June 2021. Gurman said Apple engineers were looking into the possibility of larger ‌iPad Pro‌ sizes that could "hit stores a couple of years down the road at the earliest."

One of Apple's leading mini-LED suppliers says demand for displays in consumer products is shrinking while demand for mini-LED in other use cases is rising as Apple eyes a transition to move its iPad and MacBook line to OLED displays in the coming years.

A new report from DigiTimes today cites industry sources within Epistar, which has been providing mini-LED displays to Apple for some time, saying that demand for mini-LED displays for use in consumer electronic devices is decreasing and that it expects demand for mini-LED displays for use in dashboards and displays for vehicles to spike in 2023.

A report last week suggested Samsung is now prioritizing the development of specific types of OLED displays that Apple plans to use in upcoming iPad Pro models. According to reports, Apple is expected to announce the first iPad Pro with an OLED display in 2024, which has sparked mini-LED suppliers to eye other applications for its displays, according to DigiTimes.

Alongside an OLED ‌iPad Pro‌, Apple is also rumored to launch a 13-inch MacBook Air with an OLED display in 2024. Apple is also considering using an OLED panel in an upcoming iPhone SE refresh, but the company is debating between using an LCD or OLED display, according to reliable display analyst Ross Young.

To create the iPhone 14 Pro's display with the pill-shaped cutout at the top, Apple requested that Samsung, the company's leading display supplier, use a more advanced production method that would protect the surrounding display from possible damage and loss of image quality, according to a new report by The Elec.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are the first iPhones to feature a cutout directly within the display, unlike other iPhones, which have a notch protruding downward from the top bezel. The report says Apple asked Samsung to use additional inkjet equipment when producing its high-end iPhone displays to create the cutout while preserving the surrounding OLED panel.

To create the pill-shaped cutout within the display, Samsung must drill the pill-shaped hole directly within the OLED panel, but doing so means there is a possibility the surrounding pixels and panels could get damaged and, if so, exposed to moisture and oxygen. To prevent possible exposure to moisture and oxygen, the report says Samsung built a dam that separated the pill-shaped cutout from the surrounding pixels. From a machine-translated copy of the report:

This is because of the first hole display applied to the iPhone 14 Pro lineup. To make a hole for the front camera lens, etc, at the top of the OLED screen, a hole must be drilled in the post-process (module process). If the thin film encapsulation is damaged, the OLED is exposed to moisture and oxygen, and the life span of the product is drastically shortened.

For this reason, Samsung Display is known to have used inkjet equipment to build a dam that separates the hole from the rest of the area after making thin film encapsulation and touch electrodes in the iPhone 14 Pro lineup OLED, and to flatten areas with uneven heights. Samsung Display was able to carry out this process using a laser rather than inkjet equipment, but it is said that Apple preferred the inkjet method.

Samsung has extensive experience in producing displays, including those with cutouts. The company's own line of smartphone feature single hole-punch cutouts that house the front-facing camera. With the iPhone 14 Pro, however, the report suggests Apple took extra care with the production of the displays for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max to ensure the cutout wouldn't interfere with the surrounding pixels and degrade image quality.

The Elec says LG Display, Apple's other display supplier, also used the same method for its batch of displays for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature the same display notch as previous iPhones, but the lower-end models of next year's iPhone lineup are rumored to feature the same pill-shaped cutout for Dynamic Island as the iPhone 14 Pro.

Apple seems to be testing multiple different ideas for future feature additions for the HomePod smart speaker, so we thought we'd highlight all of the different speaker rumors that we've heard so far.

At least one ‌HomePod‌ update is expected in 2023, though we may be waiting longer for some of the more fantastical functionality that we've seen rumored.

Larger-Sized HomePod (2023)

Apple in 2021 discontinued the original full-sized HomePod in order to focus on the more popular HomePod mini, but rumors suggest that Apple is once again ready to try selling a larger ‌HomePod‌ speaker.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in 2020 that Apple is working on a ‌HomePod‌ that would be larger than the ‌HomePod mini‌ and closer in size to the original ‌HomePod‌. It could be between the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ in size, sound quality, and cost, offering an option for those who want something bigger than the mini but not as expensive as the first ‌HomePod‌.

Such a speaker could be priced somewhere around $150 to $200, which would exceed the price of the $99 ‌HomePod mini‌, but would be more affordable than the $299 ‌HomePod‌.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in May 2022 said that Apple is designing a new ‌HomePod‌, but he did not provide specifics on sizing and he said there "may not be much innovation in hardware design" for the new ‌HomePod‌. It's possible that he was talking about the same middle-tier ‌HomePod‌ that Gurman has mentioned, but with a design similar to the ‌HomePod‌.

The new ‌HomePod‌ could feature a multi-touch display on the top for physical control purposes, along with an S8 processor, the same processor that's in the Apple Watch Series 8.

Kuo said that the new ‌HomePod‌ could come out in late 2022 or early 2023, while Gurman says the larger ‌HomePod‌ is on track for a 2023 launch.

With 2022 out now that the year is close to over, it's sounding like we could see some kind of new ‌HomePod‌ option in the first quarter of the year, if the rumors are accurate. Apple could, perhaps, pair a new speaker announcement with the launch of Apple Music Classical, a new ‌Apple Music‌ feature that was slated for 2022 but did not come out.

New HomePod Mini (2023)

Alongside the larger ‌HomePod‌ that's in the works, Apple could do a simple refresh of the ‌HomePod mini‌. New features are not expected, nor are design changes, but updated colors would be easy enough for Apple to debut. If a new ‌HomePod‌ is slated for 2023, it's likely that a minor refresh to the ‌HomePod mini‌ would come at the same time.

Apple TV and HomePod Hybrid

Apple in the future could combine the Apple TV and the ‌HomePod‌ into one device, creating a set-top box with high-end audio capabilities, according to Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌.

This ‌HomePod‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ hybrid device could feature a camera for video calls, with a connected TV serving as the screen. It would function like an ‌Apple TV‌, offering gaming, support for streaming content, and music playback.

The project was described as being in the early stages in 2021, and it is not yet clear if Apple will move forward with it, but it is a design idea that makes a lot of sense because the ‌HomePod mini‌ and the ‌Apple TV‌ both run the same operating system and are often used for some of the same purposes.

iPad and HomePod Hybrid

Apple has been experimenting with future ‌HomePod‌ designs that could include a screen of some kind, akin to the Google Nest Hub Max, the Echo Show, and the Facebook Portal.

Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ has described the device that Apple is working on as a high-end ‌HomePod‌ speaker connected to an iPad using a robotic arm. The arm would be able to rotate and move, following a user around the room when on a video call, for a more advanced version of the Center Stage video feature that Apple has added to some of its products.

The ‌iPad‌/‌HomePod‌ hybrid has been described as a device that is in the conceptualization stages, so there is a good chance that this one might never see the light of day. If it does come out, it could launch in the form of deeper integration between a future ‌HomePod‌ and ‌iPad‌, along with an optional accessory arm to connect the two.

Apple has experimented with deeper integration between products for the past few years. The ‌iPad‌ and the Mac can link together to be controlled with one mouse or trackpad and one keyboard, for example, and the iPhone can link to a Mac to serve as its camera, so it would not be out of the question for Apple to pair the ‌HomePod‌ and ‌iPad‌ in new ways in the future.

While the Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite features in the iPhone 14 have been making headlines for helping accident victims, simpler and more universal iPhone functions can also be helpful in deadly situations.

On Sunday night after a Christmas gathering, a woman was involved in a car crash in San Bernardino, California, falling 200 feet down a hill on the side of the road. Her iPhone did not notify emergency services, presumably because she did not have an iPhone 14. Her family, though, noticed that she did not make it home and was not responding, so they used the Find My feature to track down her location.

When they saw the car was in a location over the side of the highway on the map, they contacted emergency services to get her help. The story was relayed by the San Bernardino County Fire Department (via AppleInsider) in a Facebook post. As it turned out, the woman was severely injured and had spent the night in the vehicle after the crash.

Firefighter-paramedics used advanced life support interventions and a rope system to raise the woman and her rescuers from the hill and back up to the road, after which she was taken to a hospital.

The patient had likely been in her crashed vehicle overnight after leaving a family gathering. Family members became concerned after not speaking with her this morning and utilized Apple's "Find my iPhone" feature to track her whereabouts. Upon investigating the phone's location they found the vehicle over the side & called 911.

Unlike Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite, ‌Find My‌ is almost universally available on iPhones. In this situation, the woman was sharing her location with her family, which is what allowed them to locate her. Such a rescue would not have been possible if she had not enabled the ‌Find My‌ sharing features.

Apple's iPhone 14 lineup is better for getting help in a serious emergency as the Crash Detection feature is able to contact rescue services automatically in the event of a crash, and Emergency SOS via Satellite can be used in remote locations where no cellular or WiFi signal is available. Both features have made headlines in recent weeks, with Emergency SOS via Satellite responsible for the rescue of an Alaskan man who was stranded in the wilderness and Crash Detection able to help two victims who fell into a remote canyon.

At WWDC 2022 in June, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more.

Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others. Ahead of time, we have recapped five key features to expect from the new version of CarPlay.

Multi-Display Support

The new version of CarPlay will be able to appear across all of the displays in a vehicle, providing a consistent experience across the infotainment system, instrument cluster, and any additional screens on the dashboard. Apple says CarPlay will be tailored to each new vehicle model to accommodate unique screen shapes and layouts.

Instrument Cluster Integration

The new CarPlay experience will provide integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster, including the speedometer, tachometer, odometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and more. Apple says drivers will be able to choose from several gauge cluster designs and layouts, including brand‑specific options.

Climate Controls

You'll be able to access your vehicle's climate controls directly within the new version of CarPlay, allowing you to adjust the temperature of the A/C or heat, fan speed, heated seats, heated steering wheel, and other options.

Widgets

Widgets will be a key part of the new CarPlay experience, offering at-a-glance information such as trip duration, fuel economy, distance traveled, calendar events, weather, phone calls, the status of a HomeKit-enabled garage door, and more. It will also be possible to view and scroll through the widgets within the instrument cluster.

FM Radio App

The new version of CarPlay will include an all-new Radio app that allows you to easily control the FM radio in your vehicle, such as to change the station.

2022 is coming to an end, and as with years past we're tracking a few sales that are offering solid year-end discounts on Apple-related accessories. In this article, we've rounded up the best sales you can find online for Apple accessories from companies like Nomad, Speck, Brydge, Belkin, JBL, ZAGG, 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.

Sale duration varies from site to site, but for a large portion of them, you'll have until New Year's Eve to take advantage of the discounts.

ZAGG

ZAGG is marking the end of 2022 with a 35 percent off sitewide sale through December 29. As usual, this includes all ZAGG brands: Mophie, Gear4, and Invisible Shield.

Belkin

Belkin is offering 15 percent off your entire order for its big New Year's sale, just enter the code NY23 at checkout.

Belkin has many Apple accessories, including MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers, screen protectors, headphones, iPhone mounts for cars, and more.

Brydge

Brydge's New Year's sale includes savings across its line of iPad keyboards and MacBook Pro docks. These are some of the best prices of the year on Brydge's accessories.

Hyper

Hyper's end of the year sale has big savings on USB hubs, portable batteries, cables, wall chargers, and much more.

JBL

JBL typically has some of the steepest discounts during its holiday sales, and this year's New Year's event is no different. You can get up to 50 percent off the company's popular Bluetooth speakers and wireless headphones for a limited time.

Nimble

Nimble is offering up to 60 percent off sitewide to celebrate the end of 2022. This event includes savings on Nimble's portable chargers, wireless chargers, charging cables, and more.

Nomad

Nomad is hosting an Outlet Sale that has up to 70 percent off charging accessories, AirTag loops, MagSafe-compatible chargers, AirPods cases, iPhone cases, and more.

Shoppers should note that all of Nomad's Outlet Sale products are final sale and can not be returned.

Pad & Quill

Pad & Quill has 25 percent off sitewide with savings on iPad folios, Apple Watch bands, desktop accessories, and more. No coupon code is needed for this event as all sale prices have been applied automatically.

1Password

Popular password management service 1Password is offering our readers a chance to get their first full year of 1Password Individual at half the price. This offer is only available to new customers, and no promo code is needed. You can find the offer waiting for new customers to create an account on this landing page.

More Sales

• Adorama - Save up to 50% on photography equipment, computers, and more
• B&H Photo - Save on computer monitors, laptops, and more
• Casetify - Buy 2 get 23% off with code NewYear23
• Casely - Get 23% off with code FRESHSTART
• Moment - Up to 60% off photography equipment and more
• Speck - Get 25% off sitewide

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

Apple recently shared ten useful tips and tricks for iPhone users, helping customers make the most out of their device and teaching new iPhone users some features and tips they may have previously not known about.

In a video on its Apple Support channel, Apple shared ten tips and tricks for new features in iOS 16, such as the newly redesigned and customizable Lock Screen, the ability to select and lift subjects out of photos, and more. The video, under six minutes long, was posted on Christmas Day as people get accustomed to their new iPhones.

1. If you tap and hold on a subject inside of a photo in the Photos app on iOS 16, you can lift the subject from the photo and place it into another app.
2. The new Lock Screen on iOS 16 allows users to customize different elements, including the color and style of the time and date, add widgets, and more.
3. Within Settings -> Wi-Fi, you can select a saved Wi-Fi access point to discover and copy and paste its password.
4. If you often write the same thing time and time again, such as your email or address, you can create a text replacement within Settings -> General -> Keyboard -> Text Replacement.
5. If you're running low on battery or want to save some battery life when you won't have access to a charger, you can add the Low Power Mode toggle to Control Center for easy access. Head into Settings -> Control Center and add it to the list of Included Controls.
6. If you want to share or move multiple photos into another app, simply tap and hold on a photo, move it away, and proceed to tap on the other photos. You'll then be able to drag and drop all of the photos into other apps or places in iOS.
7. If you want to quickly open the camera, tap and hold on the Camera shortcut in the bottom right-hand corner of your iPhone's Lock Screen.
8. With iOS 15 and later, you can now use Live Text to automatically translate text in the camera app or inside of a photo. In the camera app, point the camera to some text and tap on the Live Text that appears in the right-hand corner, then select translate in the options shown. This can also work for photos already taken in the ‌Photos‌ app.
9. Using the Notes app, you can easily scan a piece of paper and create a digital copy of it. The Notes app will automatically properly crop and edit the image so the document appears legible with no glare.
10. If you're curious about what your first photo is in your photo library, you can easily discover it with one tap. In the ‌Photos‌ app, simply tap on the top edge of your iPhone to jump to the first photo in any specific library, album, or search result.

For even more tips and tricks, check out our dedicated guide.

Apple is rumored to be planning to launch an all-new external display within a matter of months, featuring a host of advanced capabilities that surpass the company's two existing monitors.

The display, which is rumored to arrive in early 2023, is expected to sit somewhere between the $1,599 Studio Display and the $4,999 Pro Display XDR – but more exact information about the device's positioning and price point is as yet unknown.

While little is known about the design of the display, it seems likely that it will look similar to the ‌Studio Display‌ and the Pro Display XDR. According to rumors from over the past year, there are at least five key features rumored to be offered on the new display.

27-Inch Panel

The monitor is expected to feature a display size of 27-inches. This would be the same as the ‌Studio Display‌ and five inches smaller than the Pro Display XDR.

The 27-inch display size has been a preferred option for Apple for many years, previously being offered on the Thunderbolt Display, iMac, and UltraFine 5K monitor that the company collaborated with LG on. While it may not be suitable for some creative professionals that require a larger monitor like the Pro Display XDR, the 27-inch size will likely be highly accessible for a large number of users.

The rumor that the monitor will feature the same display size as the ‌Studio Display‌ is yet another indication that it will have to offer more advanced features to command a higher price point.

Mini-LED Technology

Apple's upcoming monitor will be the first to feature a mini-LED panel, according to insightful Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young. Mini-LED technology would offer substantially better contrast and deeper blacks than the ‌Studio Display‌.

Apple's first mini-LED display was 2021's 12.9-inch iPad Pro, before it expanded the technology to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models later that year. Offering a mini-LED display of this size could be extremely useful to creative professionals who work with HDR content and need high contrast, and provide a consistent experience when paired with these other mini-LED machines.

ProMotion Support

Adopting another feature that already exists on the ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌, Apple's upcoming external display is rumored to support ProMotion, allowing for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.

Like mini-LED, this feature would provide a consistent experience when using the display with a 14- or 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, but it could also offer advantages for other specific activities such as gaming.

Thunderbolt Ports

Sitting at a higher price point than the ‌Studio Display‌, which features a single Thunderbolt port, it is possible that the new display could feature additional Thunderbolt ports.

It is not an option to daisy chain Studio Displays since they feature a single Thunderbolt port each, but since Apple's next display is expected to be a more high-end device, daisy chaining may be a feature that Apple wants to provide, especially as professional users are more likely to want to use multiple monitors. If so, it will need to offer more than one Thunderbolt port – which could also be used to attach other demanding, high-bandwidth peripherals.

Apple Silicon Chip

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently suggested that Apple's upcoming external monitors will be powered by Apple silicon chips.

The ‌Studio Display‌ was the first Apple monitor to feature a custom silicon chip, the A13 Bionic, which was introduced in the iPhone 11 lineup and is now used in the ninth-generation iPad. The chip enables the monitor to run a version of iOS, receive software updates, and offer features like Center Stage that are processed on-device. It is not known exactly what chip the new monitor will feature, but the A13 Bionic seems like the most likely option since it is already being used in the ‌Studio Display‌, and better performance and efficiency is not noticeably advantageous for this class of device.

Launch Date

Ross Young initially expected Apple to introduce the display in June at WWDC, but he said in May that its launch had been delayed until October because of design issues. Apple was unable to meet the October objective, and Young believes the company is now aiming for early 2023 – a time frame he first mentioned on the The MacRumors Show podcast in July.

Throughout 2022, Apple has been forced to contend with with supply constraints across products that include Macs and its displays, which may be a reason contributing to the launch delay.

Young recently narrowed down his expected time frame for the launch of Apple's new high-end external monitor to the first quarter of 2023, which falls from January to March. Apple is also expected to release new MacBook Pro models in the first quarter of 2023, so the company could announce the new monitor alongside those machines – especially if they compliment each other with mini-LED displays with ProMotion support.

Apple is reportedly "seriously" concerned over the sales performance of the iPhone 14 Plus, the 6.7-inch non-Pro variant of the iPhone 14 lineup. As a result, it is considering ways to restrategize its iPhone lineup for next year.

The iPhone 14 Plus is the newest addition to the iPhone lineup and replaces the 5.4-inch mini iPhone. The iPhone 14 Plus features the same design, cameras, and performance as the standard iPhone 14 but with a larger display and battery. According to a post by yeux1122 on Naver, who has shared both accurate and inaccurate information in the past, Apple is thinking of ways to reevaluate how it treats pro and non-pro iPhones for the iPhone 15.

The post outlines two possible strategies reportedly under consideration at Apple, with the first being to further differentiate the pro and non-pro iPhones, which was previously rumored by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Secondly, Apple is considering reducing the price of the Plus model of the lineup, which starts at $899, according to the post, which cites supply chain and industry sources. A price reduction of the Plus model means the standard ‌iPhone‌, which starts at $799, could also see a price decrease unless Apple wants to shrink the pricing gap between the two models.

In the last few years, Apple has shifted and reevaluated its iPhone lineup a few times. Starting with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple began offering small and large-sized iPhones before branching out and offering four models, two standard and two high-end models, with different materials, colors, and camera features. Starting with the iPhone 13 Pro, for example, Apple began to offer the same camera systems on the 6.1-inch Pro and 6.7-inch Pro Max model, unlike in previous years where more advanced camera features were reserved for only the largest iPhone.

With the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, Apple chose to offer two standard and two high-end models with matching sizes: two 6.1-inch models and two 6.7-inch models. Both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max feature the same cameras and designs, the only difference being a physically bigger battery in the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 15 is still a year away, so it's too early to know what strategy Apple will use. In one sign, however, that it's looking to unify the entire lineup, Dynamic Island is expected to come to all iPhone 15 models. For a complete rundown of everything we know so far about the iPhone 15, check out our roundup.

Apple has enlisted Luxshare to assemble the iPhone 15 Pro Max alongside Foxconn next year, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. It's unclear what percentage of orders Luxshare will fulfill, but the move will help to reduce Apple's risks of relying on a single manufacturer following workplace issues at Foxconn in recent months.

Rumors suggest that there will be increased differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. As a result, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Pro Max could potentially be renamed the iPhone 15 Ultra, like the Apple Watch Ultra.

Last month, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Luxshare and Pegatron had each obtained about 10% of iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max orders from Foxconn, but he noted that mass shipments would not begin until late December at the earliest. TrendForce said this will serve as a trial run for Apple diversifying its iPhone production partners.

Foxconn has experienced "significant strain" since October due to COVID-19 outbreaks at its factory in Zhengzhou, China, resulting in significantly reduced production capacity for iPhone 14 Pro models, according to TrendForce. The research firm said China's supply chain has also started to experience a labor shortage this month as the Chinese government eased COVID-19 restrictions, leading to increased spread of the virus.

Due to the production issues and economic headwinds, TrendForce has lowered its iPhone shipments forecast for the first quarter of 2023 to 47 million units, which would be a year-over-year decline of 22%, according to the research firm.

Indian brand Pebble plans to release a new smartwatch that looks like a blatant Apple Watch Ultra ripoff. The watch has virtually the exact same design as the Apple Watch Ultra and even looks like it will be available with a knockoff Ocean Band.

Priced at the equivalent of just $48, the Pebble Cosmos Engage is obviously made with lower-quality materials than the Apple Watch Ultra. For example, the watch is advertised as having an LCD display with up to 600 nits of brightness, while the Apple Watch Ultra has an OLED display with up to 2,000 nits of brightness. Unsurprisingly, the watch also doesn't run watchOS, but it does appear to offer knockoff Apple Watch faces and features like heart rate monitoring, voice assistance, and Bluetooth calling.

Pebble already sells a copycat version of the standard Apple Watch and other generic smartwatches. The brand does not appear to have any relation with the former smartwatch company Pebble, which was acquired by Fitbit in 2016.

The actual Apple Watch Ultra was released in September and is priced at $799.

Anker is heading into the new year with even more sales on its best charging and power accessories, all of which can be found on Amazon. Below you'll find deals on USB-C cables, wall chargers, portable batteries, MagSafe-compatible wireless 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.

Shoppers should note that many of these sales require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discount at the checkout screen, so be sure to watch out for those when browsing on Amazon.

Cables

• Nylon USB-C to USB-C Cable (2-Pack) - $11.98, down from $15.99
• USB-C to Lightning Cable + 30W GaN Charger - $28.49 with on-page coupon, down from $37.99

Wall Chargers

• Nano Pro Compact Fast Charger - $12.74 with on-page coupon, down from $17.99
• USB-C Foldable Fast Charger - $18.39 with on-page coupon, down from $22.99
• 3-Port 65W USB-C and USB-A Charger - $44.99, down from $59.99
• 3-Port 100W USB-C and USB-A Charger - $59.99, down from $79.99
• 3-Port 120W USB-C and USB-A Charger - $75.99 with on-page coupon, down from $94.99

Portable Chargers

• PowerCore 5,000 mAh Magnetic Portable Charger - $34.99, down from $39.99
• 45W Wall Charger + 5,000 mAh Portable Charger - $45.49, down from $69.99
• PowerCore Solar 20,000 mAh - $48.99, down from $69.99
• Powerhouse 100W + 24,000 mAh - $129.99, down from $199.99

Miscellaneous

• Magnetic Desktop Charging Station - $74.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• PowerWave Magnetic 2-in-1 Stand - $31.99 with Prime membership, down from $39.99
• 7-in-1 USB-C Hub - $29.74 with on-page coupon, down from $34.99
• USB-C to HDMI Adapter - $15.29 with on-page coupon, down from $17.99
• PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock - $179.99, down from $199.99
• Portable Power Station - $799.99 with on-page coupon, down from $999.99

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

Now that Christmas has come and passed, many people have opened up a brand new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch over the past few days. In this article we've rounded up the current best deals on official Apple iPhone cases, Magic Keyboards, MagSafe accessories, and more, which should all be helpful for new Apple device owners. The sales below will be found at Amazon and Verizon.

iPhone 14 Cases

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.

iPhone 14

• Clear Case - $34.99, down from $49.99
• Silicone Case - $34.99, down from $49.00
• Leather Case - $41.99, down from $59.99

iPhone 14 Plus

• Clear Case - $34.99, down from $49.99
• Silicone Case - $34.99, down from $49.00
• Leather Case - $41.99, down from $59.99

iPhone 14 Pro

• Clear Case - $34.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $34.99, down from $49.99
• Leather Case - $41.99, down from $59.99

iPhone 14 Pro Max

• Clear Case - $34.99, down from $49.99
• Silicone Case - $34.99, down from $49.00
• Leather Case - $41.99, down from $59.99

Apple TV 4K

If you got a new TV for the holidays, you can pair it with Apple's streaming box at a solid discount this week. Amazon has the 64GB Apple TV 4K (2021) for $99.97, which is down from its original price of $199.00. Overall, this is a match for the best price we've ever tracked on this version of the Apple TV 4K.

MagSafe Chargers

Verizon's Christmas deal prices on MagSafe Chargers remain available this week, with all three accessories at all-time low prices. Verizon offers free two-day shipping and you can also choose to pick up your order in store to get it even faster.

Specifically, you can get the MagSafe Charger for $29.99, down from $39.00. The MagSafe Battery Pack is down to $74.24, from $99.00, and the MagSafe Duo Charger is down to $96.74, from $129.00.

Other Accessory Sales

• Siri Remote (2nd Gen) - $54.49, down from $59.00
• Magic Trackpad - $114.99, down from $129.00
• Magic Mouse - $74.00, down from $79.00
• Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro - $209.00, down from $299.00
• Smart Keyboard for iPad (9th Gen) - $115.68, down from $159.00

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Apple is working on a new version of the iPad mini, with mass shipments expected to start towards the end of 2023 or in the first half of 2024, according to the latest information shared by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a series of tweets today, Kuo said a new processor/chip will be the main selling point of the new iPad mini, suggesting that the device will receive only a spec bump. The current iPad mini was released in September 2021 and features an 8.3-inch display, A15 Bionic chip, USB-C port, Touch ID power button, 5G support on cellular models, and more, with pricing starting at $499 in the U.S. with 64GB of storage.

Kuo did not share additional details about the new iPad mini, but he did say that Apple is unlikely to replace the iPad mini with a foldable iPad through 2025 at least, as he believes that a foldable iPad would have a markedly higher price than an iPad mini.

The first season of hit Apple TV+ shows, including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Bad Sisters, and others, will be free to watch on the streaming service until January 3.

In the United States, users who are not subscribed to ‌Apple TV‌+ will be able to watch the first season of Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Trying, Prehistoric Planet, and Bad Sisters for free in the ‌Apple TV‌+ app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the ‌Apple TV‌. The promotion will last until January 3 and was first spotted by 9to5Mac.

‌Apple TV‌+ costs $6.99 per month and comes with a free seven-day trial for new subscribers. Users can also subscribe to ‌Apple TV‌+ through an Apple One bundle or through the three-month free trial offered with the purchase of a new Apple device.