iPhone users from Illinois will soon be able to add their driver's licenses and IDs to the Apple Wallet app on iPhone and Apple Watch, the Illinois Secretary of State announced today [PDF].
An Illinois state law that went into effect on January 1 legalizes mobile IDs and allows places of business to accept digital driver's licenses in lieu of physical licenses.
As of right now, Illinois does not have a mobile license program, and the state is in the beginning process of developing digital driver's licenses. The Secretary of State plans to establish standards of security and conduct "rigorous testing" to make sure data from Illinois residents is kept private. Illinois is aiming to bring driver's licenses and IDs to Apple Wallet by the end of 2025, but that may be ambitious with nothing in place just yet.
Like in other states that have adopted Wallet integration for digital IDs, mobile IDs will be a companion to physical IDs instead of a replacement. Banks, police, and more can still ask for a physical ID.
Select airports in the United States accept digital licenses in the Wallet app instead of requiring a physical version.
Apple first announced Wallet support for digital IDs in 2022, and states have been slowly adopting the feature since then. So far, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Hawaii, California, Ohio, Iowa, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico have implemented support.
In addition to Illinois, Connecticut, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Utah, Montana, and West Virginia are working to implement the feature.
Any typical search for a consumer Mac monitor inevitably leads to the Apple Studio Display – a seamless but prohibitively expensive option for most users at $1,599. That's where BenQ's MA270U steps in, offering Mac-native features at a much more palatable $459.99.
Unlike typical PC monitors that often feel retrofitted for Mac compatibility, this is a 27-inch 4K display that arrives ready for MacBook use out of the box, complete with built-in color matching, keyboard integration, and even Focus mode support. But can a third-party monitor truly deliver Apple-like integration without the Apple price tag?
Key Display Specifications
27-inch IPS panel with Nano Matte coating
3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution
400 nits peak brightness
1200:1 native contrast ratio
99% sRGB, 95% P3 color gamut
60Hz refresh rate
5ms response time
HDR10 with VESA Display HDR 400 certification
178° viewing angles
Design and Build Quality
Peeling the protective material off the "Nano Matte" IPS panel reveals a thin black bezel around the top and sides, and a slightly thicker chin with the BenQ logo centered in an inoffensive, almost hidden black finish. The rear of the display is plastic with a metallic finish that curves outwards slightly, while the stand is a brushed metal pipe about 2.5 inches in diameter.
Assembly is extremely simple and requires no tools. You just click the neck of the stand to the back and then use the key-screw to fasten on the rectangular base, which includes a rubber strip along the front for placing accessories.
Once the monitor was set up alongside my Apple Studio Display, BenQ's design perhaps inevitably looked a little dated. The monitor sports clean lines and thin bezels, but its predominantly plastic construction lacks Apple's signature sophistication. The aluminum-effect back cover tries to bridge this gap, though it can't match Apple's minimalist refinement and keen eye for curves and lines.
That said, build quality impresses where it matters. The steel neck provides rock-solid stability, while the soft-touch area on the base is a nice afterthought. While it won't win any design awards in my book, the construction feels reassuringly robust.
Connectivity and Setup
Connectivity-wise, the monitor is fairly well-accommodated round the back. The 90W USB-C port connects and provides power to your Mac, while an additional 15W USB-C port and one 7.5W USB-A port offer options for connecting other devices (in my case, a Bluetooth receiver for my mouse, and an external USB hard drive).
Crucially, the hub can provide power even when the display is off, so you can keep your MacBook and whatever else plugged in and charging regardless. There are also two HDMI 2.0 ports (sadly not 2.1), plus a headphone jack and an extra 7.5W USB-A port located under the panel, next to a glowing power button and a physical toggle to manually set brightness, volume, and display output.
Getting started couldn't have been easier. I plugged in the supplied USB-C cable and my MacBook Air instantly recognized the display and began drawing 90W of power from it. I also tried connecting to an M4 Mac mini, both directly and via a Ugreen Thunderbolt 4 dock, and had zero issues.
As I got comfortable with the setup, I was impressed by the flexibility of the MA270U's stand, offering a range of adjustments that make it easy to find your ideal viewing position. The height adjustment provides a generous 115mm of vertical travel, while the tilt mechanism allows the screen to move from -5° backward to 20° forward. Paired with 15° of swivel in each direction, you can fine-tune the display's position to minimize glare and maximize comfort. The robust stand keeps the display stable at any position, and the smooth pivot function rotates 90 degrees in either direction for portrait orientation viewing.
The built-in 3W speakers are adequate for system sounds but won't replace dedicated audio solutions – you won't be surprised to learn that they're noticeably inferior to MacBook speakers, and the less said about them the better.
Display Performance and Color Accuracy
Here's where the MA270U excels. The 60Hz panel's 3,840 x 2,160 resolution delivers crisp, vibrant visuals, while the 5ms response time is perfectly adequate (unless you're a hardcore FPS gamer). Colors pop without appearing oversaturated, and BenQ's color-matching technology is impressive – the difference between my MacBook Air's display and the MA270U was barely perceptible when using the recommended color profile. I even swapped out my Air for a MacBook Pro with a Liquid Retina XDR display, and only the brightness difference was visible. The monitor maintained consistent color reproduction across its 400 nits brightness range. Indeed, I was impressed with how good it looked alongside my Studio Display.
The Nano Matte panel handles glare admirably under normal conditions. However, direct sunlight remains challenging. It's not quite as effective as Apple's nano-texture glass option in this respect, but remember – that's a $300 upgrade on the Studio Display, which also boasts a higher 600 nits of brightness. One other thing worth mentioning is how fast the MA series monitor wakes from sleep – it impressively matched the speed of my Mac and the Studio Display.
Display Pilot 2 Software
The Display Pilot 2 software deserves special mention, as it's clear BenQ has put serious effort into making this feel like a natural extension of the Mac experience. I never had to use the physical toggle on the bottom of the display to change settings via the OSD – the menu bar app effectively replaced it, offering native control of the MA270U. You can adjust these settings independently for each connected display, with options to sync them if desired, and you can customize which settings appear in the interface. For color management, Display Pilot 2 provides quick access to different color modes including M-Book (designed to match MacBook displays), Display P3, and sRGB. You can switch between them with a single click when dealing with color-critical work, and you can assign specific color modes to launch automatically with different applications – a nice touch that you'd usually only expect when using a reference monitor.
On the other hand, the Display Pilot software feels like it's half-baked in some respects, and some of the functions work better than others. I found the HDR option so-so – it blew out the colors when viewing my desktop, and only vaguely improved the movie-watching experience. The app also enables features like automatic display rotation and desktop partitioning, though macOS Sequoia's built-in window management makes the latter a little redundant. Meanwhile, the Low Blue Light mode seemed to have almost no effect. However, credit where credit is due: The Mac keyboard integration works seamlessly – adjusting the brightness and volume of the external panel from your MacBook feels natural, and the syncing is seamless. The ICCSync feature ensures the monitor's colors stay perfectly matched with your MacBook's display, and I particularly appreciated the Brightness Sync feature, which automatically matches the brightness levels between your MacBook and the MA270U.
FocuSync connects with macOS Focus modes to adjust display settings automatically based on your selected Focus state, while the B.I.+ Gen2 feature uses the monitor's ambient light sensor (located at the top of the panel) to adjust brightness and color temperature based on your environment. FocuSync isn't something I would ever use, but it worked as advertised once I granted the necessary permissions. The same can't be said for BenQ's Brightness Intelligence feature, which often made everything overly dim and washed out in normal lighting conditions.
You can adjust the resolution in the app with a slider, but I found this wanting. In my experience, the native 3,840 x 2,160 resolution made text too small to read comfortably for any length of time, though the 32-inch model may fare better in this regard. My biggest bugbear is that the scaled options were too few and far between for me to find an optimal setting, so I ended up using the Better Display app instead, settling on 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, which paired well alongside the Studio Display (a 5K panel scaled to 2,560 x 1,440). Sat back normally and looking at both monitors, I got a decently uniform picture from them, with only the superior brightness of the Studio Display making the difference. Of course, in most contexts, comparing a 4K panel to a 5K panel is like comparing apples to oranges, but macOS scaling is so good these days that I genuinely can't tell the difference unless my nose is almost touching the screen.
Summing Up
The BenQ MA270U delivers where it counts – 4K display quality and Mac integration. While its design may not match Apple's aesthetic, its performance-to-price ratio is compelling. The 32-inch MA320U offers higher brightness (550 nits vs 400 nits) and a slightly better color gamut, but the core features remain identical.
This monitor should suit Mac users seeking a quality external display without Studio Display pricing (so long as you bring your own webcam and external speakers). It's especially appealing for productivity work, content consumption, and even light creative tasks, thanks to its excellent color reproduction. Professional creators might prefer BenQ's Thunderbolt PD series or the brighter image of a Apple's 5K Studio Display, but for everyone else, the MA270U represents excellent value.
Where to Buy
The BenQ MA270U is available from BenQ's website and authorized retailers for $459.99/£449.99. The 32-inch MA320U retails for $599.99/£549.99.
Note: BenQ provided MacRumors with a 27-inch MA270U 4K monitor for the purpose of the review. No other compensation was received.
Amazon this week is providing record low prices on multiple models of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. Best Buy is also matching every one of these deals.
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.
Amazon has three colors of the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 on sale at this all-time low price, and it's the first time in 2025 that we've seen any deal on the new tablet. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.99, both $100 discounts and available in multiple colors.
Deals on cellular models are a bit rarer on Amazon, with one color of the 128GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $549.00, down from $649.00. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy, remember that the retailer is matching all of these sales on the iPad mini 7.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
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Sonos CEO Patrick Spence has stepped down after eight years, following widespread criticism over the company's failed app redesign (via Bloomberg).
The company has appointed board member and former Snap and Pandora executive Tom Conrad as interim CEO, effective immediately, while the search for a permanent replacement is conducted. The catalyst for the leadership shake-up was the May 2024 launch of a redesigned Sonos app, which sought to modernize the software and alongside adding support for the company's first headphones, the Sonos Ace, which were positioned to compete with Apple's AirPods Max.
The app rollout was marred by widespread technical issues and the removal of features such as sleep timers, alarms, and key accessibility options. Users reported connectivity problems, interface confusion, and lag, with some older Sonos systems rendered effectively unusable.
The company's revenue subsequently declined by 16% in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2024, with analysts projecting a further 15% drop for the critical holiday period. Sonos's stock price fell approximately 13% following the app update's release.
Sonos made efforts to address the new app's issues, including restoring some removed features and committing to fixing lingering bugs. Spence issued a public apology to customers, acknowledging the company's failings and outlining a timeline for improvements, but the damage to the company's reputation proved difficult to repair.
The company also faced internal struggles, including the postponement of new products, the cancellation of projects such as an Apple TV-style set-top box, and the layoff of approximately 100 employees in August 2024.
Tom Conrad has served on the Sonos board since 2017 and now steps into the role of interim CEO. Conrad was a co-creator of the Pandora music service and a vice president at Snap.
In an email to employees, he said: "When it doesn't work, our customers are taken out of the moment and are right to feel that we've let them down. I think we'll all agree that this year we've let far too many people down... Getting back to basics is necessary, but clearly not enough to unlock the future we all envision for Sonos," suggesting that he wants to expand the company "well beyond" home speaker equipment.
A new social engineering tactic is being used by cybercriminals to trick iPhone users into disabling iMessage's built-in phishing protection, in a bid to expose them to malicious links and scams, according to BleepingComputer.
The scam exploits a security feature in iMessage that automatically disables links from unknown senders. Apple told the outlet that when users reply to these messages or add the sender to their contacts, the links become clickable – a behavior that scammers are now actively exploiting, according to the report. The deceptive messages often masquerade as notifications from trusted organizations like USPS or toll road authorities.
Scammers are apparently looking to exploit the familiar "reply STOP" or "reply NO" that often appears at the end of messages from authentic businesses or services, as there's been a surge in SMS phishing (smishing) attacks that specifically ask recipients to reply "Y" to "activate" supposedly legitimate links.
By getting users to respond, attackers not only enable the previously disabled links but also identify active phone numbers that are more likely to engage with future scams.
Tech-savvy users are likely to easily identify these as phishing attempts, but the main concern is that older or less experienced users will be particularly vulnerable to the tactic. Needless to say, the best way to ensure that you never fall for the scam is to never reply to suspicious messages from unknown senders.
SMS phishing attacks with disabled links (Image credit: BleepingComputer)
Another line of defense is to enable message filtering on your iPhone or iPad. Message filtering sorts messages from people who are not in your contacts into a separate list, where you can more easily view them in the Messages app. To filter messages from unknown senders, open Settings and go to Apps ➝ Messages, then toggle on the switch next to Filter Unknown Senders.
Bear in mind that the feature can filter legitimate messages – from couriers or your bank, for example – so don't automatically assume that a filtered message is dodgy. And, as mentioned above, you can't open links in a message from an unknown sender until you add them to your contacts or reply to the message, but that's by design.
Apple is heading to court in London on Monday to defend against a class-action lawsuit seeking £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) in damages over alleged anti-competitive App Store practices in the UK.
Filed by King's College London academic Dr. Rachael Kent, the lawsuit claims Apple has violated UK and European competition laws by requiring iOS users to download apps exclusively through the App Store while charging developers a commission of up to 30% on purchases.
The legal action represents around 19.6 million UK iPhone and iPad users who may have been overcharged for apps and in-app purchases between October 2015 and November 2024. Under UK law, affected users are automatically included in the claim unless they opt out.
Kent argues that while the App Store was initially "a brilliant gateway" for services, it has become "the only gateway" for millions of consumers, with Apple acting as a monopolist by blocking access to alternative platforms that could offer better deals.
Apple has firmly rejected the allegations, calling the lawsuit "meritless," and says that its App Store commission rates are "very much in the mainstream" compared to other digital marketplaces. The company says that 85% of apps on the App Store are free, and many developers qualify for a reduced 15% commission rate.
The trial at the Competition Appeal Tribunal is expected to last seven weeks and is one of several legal challenges Apple faces globally regarding its App Store practices.
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's global smartphone market share declined to 18% in 2024, down from 19% the previous year, while Chinese manufacturers expanded their presence in the global market, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.
The iPhone maker saw a 2% decline in year-over-year sales, despite the broader smartphone market seeing 4% growth, as Chinese brands like Xiaomi showed remarkable growth of 12% during the same period.
The absence of Apple Intelligence features, particularly in China, appears to have impacted iPhone 16 sales. "Apple's iPhone 16 series was met with a mixed response, partly due to a lack of availability of Apple Intelligence at launch," noted Counterpoint research director Tarun Pathak. Despite this setback, Apple maintained strong growth in emerging markets like Latin America.
While overall sales declined, Apple saw increased demand for its premium models. Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam reported that consumers are increasingly choosing ultra-premium devices, with Pro and Pro Max models gaining significant traction in China. The share of these high-end models is expected to surpass 50% in the Chinese market for Q4 2024.
Samsung maintained its lead in the global smartphone market, buoyed by strong demand for its AI-equipped S24 series and A-series devices. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers Huawei, Honor, and Motorola emerged as the fastest-growing brands among the top 10 smartphone makers.
Apple has been rolling out Apple Intelligence features since October via software updates, but there are indications that this is not pushing people to upgrade their devices. A report just last week from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested Apple Intelligence "appeal has significantly declined" compared to cloud-based services like ChatGPT.
Meanwhile, a December survey suggested that many iPhone users feel Apple Intelligence has added little or no value to their iPhone experience, but that could always change as Apple Intelligence matures. There are still Apple Intelligence features that have not been implemented, including major changes to Siri that are rumored to be coming in April.
Apple may choose to refresh its iPad Air models in the spring with an M4 chip, skipping the M3 generation for the lineup entirely, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested.
Apple released the M2 iPad Air in 11-inch and 13-inch screen sizes in May of last year, and the going assumption, backed by rumors, was that Apple would refresh the iPad Air this year with an M3 chip upgrade.
However, writing in his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Gurman said he "wouldn't be terribly surprised" if Apple opts for the M4 chip instead. From the report:
The new iPad Airs — code-named J607, J608, J637 and J638 — will be more about specification upgrades than design changes. The current version, introduced last year, has the M2 chip. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if the 2025 models get bumped up to the M4, matching the iPad Pro. That would mean the Pro has less of an edge over the Air, but that shouldn't be too shocking. Most Macs rely on the same chip family, and iPads could do the same.
Gurman's claim runs counter to previous rumors that indicated Apple plans to keep the iPad Air one step behind the iPad Pro in terms of processor generations. However, Apple surprised many when it announced M4 iPad Pro models in May 2024. Those devices were expected to feature the M3 chip right up until the last minute of their unveiling but skipped the generation entirely, and there's no hard and fast rule that says the company won't do the same thing for the iPad Air.
No design changes are expected for the next-generation iPad Air, but it could include Apple's upcoming custom 5G modem, which will also be introduced in the iPhone SE, low-cost iPad, and iPhone 17 Air in 2025.
Apple is also developing a new version of the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air. It isn't expected to have an aluminum top case like the iPad Pro, but it could have a function row of keys and some other features from the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard.
Apple's long-rumoured smart home hub or "command center" may not arrive in the spring as previously expected, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
We've heard various rumors and reports about Apple developing an all-in-one smart home management hub. The device is said to feature a square-shaped 7-inch display, a FaceTime camera and speakers, and a new homeOS operating system with support for several Apple apps. Rumors suggest users will be able to mount it on a wall, but Apple is also designing a dock that will let it sit on a table or desk.
Apple originally planned to introduce the home hub in March 2025. However, writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the device "may take longer to reach consumers," owing to the operating system's heavy reliance on App Intents features that won't be ready until iOS 18.4 and iOS 19. This in itself means "it's plausible that the hardware itself will ship later," adds Gurman.
Gurman's prediction lines up with a December 2024 report by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo about a so-called "HomePod with a display" in the works with support for Apple Intelligence. Kuo said the device had been delayed and would arrive in the third quarter of 2025.
At the time of Kuo's report, it wasn't clear if the products being discussed were completely different devices (Gurman himself has said Apple is developing several HomePod variants with screens, including one with an iPad-like display and another featuring a screen mounted on a robotic arm). However, the alignment of the two timeframes are beginning to suggest they are one and the same thing. Like Gurman over the weekend, Kuo had said the delay could be attributed to software development challenges, rather than hardware issues.
As a result, Apple could still unveil the smart home hub with an announcement in March, with the actual hardware arriving later in the year, sometime after WWDC 2025. Apple this spring is also expected to announce a next-generation, entry-level iPad with support for Apple Intelligence, an iPhone SE 4, and new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with M4 chips.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is currently aiming to launch the new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year."
That timeframe suggests the devices will be released at some point from September through November, rather than in March-April or at WWDC 2025 in June.
The new HomePod mini and Apple TV will be part of Apple's revamped smart home roadmap, which reportedly also includes an all-new home hub this year, followed by a Face ID doorbell/lock and a security camera as early as next year.
Both devices will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, Gurman previously reported. He said the chip supports Wi-Fi 6E, which extends the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 to the 6 GHz with a compatible router. This can contribute to faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency compared to Wi-Fi 6.
Other potential changes coming with the next Apple TV include a newer A-series chip that offers faster performance than the current A15 Bionic chip, a starting price as low as $99 in the U.S., and a built-in camera for FaceTime video calls.
As for the HomePod mini, likely upgrades include a newer S-series chip for faster performance, improved sound quality, and fresh color options. The current HomePod mini was released in November 2020, and it uses the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip.
A third-generation Apple Watch SE will be released later this year, and it will have a "new look" of some kind, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman mentioned the redesigned Apple Watch SE as one of many new products that Apple plans to launch in 2025, but he did not share any specific design details at this particular time.
In September, Gurman said the next Apple Watch SE could have a plastic casing, like the colorful iPhone 5c from a decade ago. At the time, he said Apple had faced some "cost and quality challenges" with shifting the casing from aluminum to plastic, but he believed the project was still moving forward. He did not mention plastic today.
An affordable Apple Watch SE with a colorful plastic design could be appealing to parents who are looking to purchase an Apple Watch for a child.
The current Apple Watch SE was released in September 2022. In the U.S., it starts at $249.
In addition to the design changes, the next Apple Watch SE is likely to offer a new chip, for faster performance compared to the current model.
You can expect the Apple Watch SE 3 to launch in September.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the iPad 11 will have two upgrades that enable Apple Intelligence, including an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM. That would make the iPad 11's chip and unified memory on par with the latest iPad mini.
Gurman expects the iPad 11 models to be released this "spring," so a March or April launch is likely based on that timeframe.
iPad 11 models are not expected to have any major design changes compared to the iPad 10.
Apple unveiled the iPad 10 in October 2022, with pricing starting at $449 at the time. Apple lowered the iPad 10's starting price to $349 in the U.S. in May 2024. It is unclear if the iPad 11 will start at $349, or if pricing will return to a higher level.
iPad 10 models have an A14 Bionic chip and 4GB of RAM.
Once the iPad 11 launches, Apple Intelligence will be available on all current-generation iPads. The features require an iPad Pro or iPad Air with an M1 chip or newer, an iPad mini with the A17 Pro, or soon an iPad 11 with the A17 Pro.
This week saw notable discounts on a few Apple products, including the AirPods Pro 2 and AirTag 4-Pack at Amazon. For accessories, if you're on the hunt for Apple Watch bands or USB-C charging accessories, we're also still tracking big deals from Woot and Anker today.
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.
Woot brought back its big Apple Watch band sale this week, with up to 70 percent off Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop band styles. You can find the full list of bands on sale in our original post.
Anker this week introduced new high-power chargers and they're already available with a $10 discount. You can also find a big collection of Anker devices marked down in the New Year's sale, including the popular Power Station with Display and Lantern for $89.99 on Amazon.
Samsung kicked off a big winter sale this week with savings on monitors, storage, smartphones, home appliances, and more. During this event, you can also sign up to receive a $50 credit to be applied to the upcoming Galaxy smartphones by entering your name and email on this landing page.
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.
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Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple's slate of 2025 products look to be dominated by a large number of low-cost and entry-level devices. Here's what to expect.
With advancements like Apple Intelligence and all-new in-house chip designs, Apple is reportedly looking to enhance many of its budget-friendly offerings, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly crowded market. These updates also indicate a slight shift in Apple's approach to low-cost devices, moving beyond entry-level hardware to introduce features once reserved for premium models, such as OLED displays, Face ID, and advanced wireless technology.
Indeed, Apple's first custom modem and Bluetooth chip is coming to entry-level devices first. Similarly, the company is focusing on lower-end smart home devices such as the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and Command Center, before devoting attention to higher-end models. We're expecting a total of eight new or refreshed low-cost Apple devices this year:
The MacBook Air will finally be upgraded to the M4 chip, delivering up to 25% faster multi-core CPU performance than the current model. It could also gain support for two external displays and a 12MP webcam with Center Stage. Launching in spring 2025, the new models will likely maintain their current starting price of $1,099. All models now start with 16GB of memory as standard.
The iPhone SE 4 is rumored to feature a design similar to the iPhone 14, including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, and a 48MP rear camera. It will likely be powered by the A18 chip with 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence and will debut Apple's first in-house 5G modem. Expected to launch in March 2025, the new iPhone SE is expected to be priced between $400 and $500, with a slight increase from the current $429 due to significant upgrades.
The 11th-generation iPad will retain the 10.9-inch display and Touch ID power button but will likely upgrade to an A17 Pro or A18 chip with 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence. Expected in spring 2025, the device may continue to start at $349, with the possibility of a base storage upgrade to 128GB.
The AirTag 2 will include an upgraded Ultra Wideband chip for a threefold increase in tracking range, better Vision Pro integration, and a tamper-proof speaker for enhanced anti-stalking measures. Launching in mid-2025, it is expected to maintain the current $29 price point.
Apple's Command Center will serve as an all-new smart home hub product with a 7-inch display, built-in speakers, a camera for FaceTime, and proximity sensors for dynamic interface adjustments. It will run a new "homeOS" with widget-focused controls and Siri integration. Expected to launch around March 2025, the price is yet to be confirmed but is expected to be competitive with similar products like Amazon's Echo Show, which is priced at $90. A higher-end version of the device on a robotic arm is expected to debut in 2026, so the initial Command Center is likely to be an entry-level device akin to the HomePod mini.
The second-generation HomePod mini is expect to gain a new in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip supporting Wi-Fi 6E, improved audio quality, and a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for better handoff. Likely to launch in mid-2025, the device will likely retain its $99 price point.
A new Apple TV 4K is rumored to feature an updated A-series chip, likely the A16 or newer, Wi-Fi 6E support, and possibly a built-in camera for FaceTime. Expected to launch in 2025, the device could see a starting price drop to $99 from the current $129, aligning better with competitors like Amazon's Fire Stick.
The Apple Watch SE 3 will likely feature larger displays, a faster chip, the S10 or S11 chip, and may adopt a more affordable plastic casing. The current model will be three years old this fall. Expected in late 2025, the device could maintain its $249 starting price or potentially decrease slightly to compete with rival devices and appeal to parents purchasing for children.
If you have regular access to an iPhone charger during the day and a healthy battery, you probably don't need to worry much about extending your iPhone's battery. For days when you're away from home for long periods of time, though, you might need to take some steps to make sure you get the most out of your battery.
We've rounded up 10 tips that will help ensure your battery lasts all day.
1. Disable iPhone Mirroring
iPhone Mirroring lets you control your iPhone from your Mac, and when it's turned on, you'll get iPhone notifications on your Mac display even when your iPhone is tucked away.
When it's in active use it can be helpful, but there is a connection between the Mac and the iPhone to relay notifications. Notifications can show up on the Mac even when the iPhone Mirroring app is closed, and there is anecdotal evidence from MacRumors readers suggesting this can be a notable battery drain.
If you're not using iPhone Mirroring, it's worth turning it off. To do so, go to Settings > General > AirPlay and Continuity and tap on Edit. From there, delete the Macs that your iPhone connects to.
In a test, a little over an hour of making emojis with the Genmoji feature drained an iPhone 16 Pro Max's battery 50 percent, so keep that in mind. If you're in a situation where your battery needs to last for a long time, stay away from generating images with Apple Intelligence.
3. Use Dark Mode When Possible
On OLED iPhone displays, activating Dark Mode preserves battery life because there's less power draw when darker colored pixels are displayed. Activating Dark Mode when outside on a sunny day can save you a ton of battery, according to a 2021 Purdue study.
Lower levels of brightness in Light Mode use the same battery as higher levels of brightness in Dark Mode, so Dark Mode can save battery even when brightness is turned up when you're in a sunny location.
When you're somewhere that has dimmer lighting and screen brightness is lower, turning on Dark Mode won't save as much battery life, but it still draws a bit less power.
As of iOS 18, you can set a Dark option for your icons that turns them darker when Dark Mode is enabled (or all the time, if you prefer). Dark icons are easier on the eyes when Dark Mode is on, and it might save just a little extra battery life.
Along with Dark Mode, keep your screen brightness as low as is comfortable, because that's also going to preserve battery. You can quickly adjust brightness using the Control Center.
4. Connect to Wi-Fi When It's Available
This tip is straight from Apple. Whenever you're somewhere that has a Wi-Fi connection available, it's a good idea to use it over cellular.
Wi-Fi uses less power than cellular, and a cellular connection can be one of the biggest battery drains.
When in a place with low signal that's constantly cutting out or no signal, go even further and turn on Airplane mode. When your iPhone is constantly searching for a better cellular signal, it impacts battery life.
5. Turn Off Haptic Keyboard Feedback
Haptic feedback on the iPhone's keyboard is satisfying to feel when you tap on the on-screen keys, but it does drain your battery.
You can turn it off by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggling off Haptic.
6. Set Up Focus Modes and Scheduled Summary
Most of us have tons of notifications coming in throughout the day, and constantly getting alerts and activating the iPhone's display can cost you battery life.
If you haven't already, it's a good idea to set up Focus modes to tailor the notifications you're getting to what you need for any given activity. If you're at home, for example, you can set up a "Personal" mode that filters work notifications, or at work, a mode that filters notifications from games and other apps you don't need while working.
Focus modes are entirely customizable, so you can choose which apps and people can contact you in each mode, and there are even options for filtering out select emails, messages, calendars, and more.
On iPhones that support Apple Intelligence, Apple added a "Reduce Interruptions" Focus mode that intelligently filters what's not important while delivering what you need to see immediately. If you don't want to hassle with Focus modes, this is a good option.
Note that when you use a Focus mode, you'll still get all of your notifications when the Focus mode ends, but in a single alert rather than multiple. Focus modes can be set up in the Focus section of the Settings app.
On a related note, set up Scheduled Summary for any app that sends you unimportant notifications. Scheduled Summary aggregates all of your notifications and sends them to you just once or twice a day.
You can toggle on Scheduled Summary for apps in the Notifications section of the Settings app.
7. Use Offline Maps
In an off-grid area or a place with low cellular signal, Offline Maps can be a real help. When driving or hiking somewhere where signal is low, download a map so you can have full maps access and turn-by-turn directions without a cellular connection.
Offline Maps is a good option to pair with Airplane mode in areas where cellular signal is hit or miss.
8. Automate Low Power Mode
Turning on Low Power Mode is the most obvious way to preserve battery life on your device, and it's a good idea to automate it so it can be set to turn on at a specific battery percentage.
Apple will prompt you to turn on Low Power Mode when your battery is at 20 percent, but it's often helpful to turn it on even earlier. To set up a Low Power Mode shortcut, open up the Shortcuts app, and create a new Automation. From there, search for Battery Level and choose a target battery percentage. Hit the "Next" button, search for Low Power Mode, and select it. That will cause Low Power Mode to activate automatically when your battery hits your target level.
9. Turn Off Fitness Tracking
Your iPhone has a Fitness Tracking feature that stores motion data to estimate your body movements, mobility, step counts, stairs climbed, and more. If you have an Apple Watch or another fitness tracker, you don't need this setting and it could be contributing to unnecessary battery usage.
To turn it off, open up the Settings app and go to Privacy and Security > Motion and Fitness and then toggle off the Fitness Tracking setting.
10. Check App Access Settings
Many apps request access permissions that they don't need and probably shouldn't have access to. Apps that don't need but use Bluetooth or Location can drain your battery life, so it's best to check all of your app settings for both battery preservation and privacy purposes.
Location - Settings > Privacy and Security > Location Services.
Bluetooth - Settings > Privacy and Security > Bluetooth.
In each of these sections, toggle off access for apps that don't need this data. An app that connects to something in your home via Bluetooth does need Bluetooth, but apps like Waze, Facebook, and YouTube often don't need it.
It's also a good idea to turn off background refresh for apps that don't need to be updating in the background. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to check your settings.
Have a useful battery saving tip that we didn't mention here? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple CEO Tim Cook earned $74.6 million in 2024, up from $63.2 million in 2023, Apple said in its annual proxy filing.
Cook's earnings included a $3 million base salary, $58 million in stock awards, $12 million in performance-based awards, and $1.5 million in other compensation, such as 401(k) contributions, life insurance premiums, vacation cash-out, security expenses, and personal air travel expenses. Cook is required by Apple to use private aircraft for both business and personal travel.
Apple set a target compensation of $59 million for Cook, but Cook earned more through the cash incentive payout that executives receive when Apple performs well.
Though Cook's 2024 compensation exceeded what he earned in 2023, it was still down from the $99 million that he was awarded in 2022. Cook and the Board of Directors opted to decrease Cook's total compensation after his 2022 earnings reached almost $100 million.
Other Apple executives, including Luca Maestri, Kate Adams, Deirdre O'Brien, and Jeff Williams, earned $27.2 million.
Apple's 2025 shareholders meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 25 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, according to an SEC filing that was released today.
Apple shareholders of record as of January 2, 2025 can attend, vote, and submit questions during the meeting by logging in to Apple's virtual meeting website 15 minutes before it kicks off. A control number included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials that's provided to shareholders is required to join.
At the meeting, shareholders will vote to re-elect the Board of Directors, approve executive compensation, and ratify Ernst & Young LLP as Apple's public accounting firm. There will also be votes on shareholder proposals.
Most of Apple's shareholder meetings are not of interest to the public. Tim Cook and other executives share little about Apple's future plans at these meetings, but sometimes there are a few interesting tidbits. Last year, for example, Tim Cook spoke about the potential of artificial intelligence before Apple Intelligence features were highlighted in June 2024.
Woot has brought back a massive sale on the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, which we last tracked before the Christmas holiday. All bands are in brand new condition and come with a one year Apple limited warranty.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. 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 Solo Loop for just $19.99 ($29 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off) in this sale. Woot says the sale will run through January 17, but it'll probably end sooner when stock runs out, so make your purchases soon if you're interested.
Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.
The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.
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.
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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.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
