MacRumors

In what was simultaneously a surprise and not a surprise, Apple this week announced it has discontinued the iPod touch after almost 15 years and seven generations, bringing the entire iPod lineup to an end.

Other news this week saw rumors about both the iPhone 14 Pro (slightly larger displays!) and iPhone 15 (USB-C instead of Lightning?), as well as a report that Apple is planning to launch the AirPods Max in new colors later this year, so read on for details on these stories and more!

Apple Discontinues iPod Touch

Apple this week announced that it is discontinuing the iPod touch, which remains available while supplies last. The device is already listed as "sold out" on Apple's online store in the United States, and inventory is quickly depleting in other countries and at third-party resellers as well.

First introduced in October 2001, the iPod was one of Apple's most iconic products, but the device's discontinuation became inevitable over time given the wide array of Apple products that can play music, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod mini, and more.

The End of an Era: What Was Your Favorite iPod?

With the last iPod now discontinued, it's the end of an era. iPod models released over the years included the original iPod (later known as the iPod classic), iPod mini, iPod photo, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and iPod touch.

What was your favorite iPod model? Let us know in the MacRumors forums and be sure to share any photos of your iPod collection.

iPhone 14 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Slightly Larger Screen Sizes

Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models will feature marginally larger screen sizes compared to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, according to display industry consultant Ross Young.

Young said the screen size differences are due to the iPhone 14 Pro models having slightly narrower bezels around the display compared to iPhone 13 Pro models and a new pill-and-hole design replacing the notch.

iPhone 15 Rumored to Switch From Lightning to USB-C

Apple plans to release at least one new iPhone 15 model with a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman concurs that USB-C iPhones are in testing and that Apple is also planning an adapter that will let them work with current Lightning-based accessories.

If this rumor proves to be true, we'll still have to wait a while for the first USB-C iPhone. Kuo expects the Lightning connector to stick around for the iPhone 14 lineup launching later this year, with the switch to USB-C expected to occur with the iPhone 15 in 2023. Gurman similarly says the switch won't happen until 2023 at the earliest.

New AirPods Max Colors Reportedly in the Works

Apple plans to release its high-end AirPods Max headphones in new colors in the future, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Released in December 2020, the AirPods Max are currently available in five colors, including space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and pink. It's unclear which new colors would be introduced.

Gurman said Apple also plans to release second-generation AirPods Pro in the fall.

Five Things You Still Can't Do With a MacBook Pro

In October 2021, Apple released redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, a wide range of ports, and more.

While the new models have crowd-pleasing features, we've put together a list of five things you still can't do with a MacBook Pro, such as take advantage of SD cards with faster UHS-III speeds. Check out the full list to see which features and capabilities are still missing.

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 earlier this week announced the discontinuation of the iPod touch, and because it was the last iPod still available for purchase, its sunsetting effectively marks the end of the entire iPod lineup.

To send the iPod on its way, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the most notable iPod releases over the last 21 years.

Original iPod (2001)

Introduced in October 2001, the original iPod was introduced as a device that put 1,000 songs in your pocket. It became one of Apple's most iconic and well-known products, and is one of the devices responsible for skyrocketing Apple back to success.

The original iPod offered a hard drive with 5GB of storage space and a Scroll Wheel that physically turns, and it remains the only iPod with this design. It also featured a FireWire port to connect to a Mac, and it sold for $399. Apple followed the original iPod with an almost identical second-generation model in 2002 that featured a capacitive-sensing Touch Wheel with click buttons around the sides, and a third-generation model added an even more refined Touch Wheel with buttons above. The third-generation iPod also added a Dock Connector.

With the fourth-generation model that came out in 2004, Apple introduced the Click Wheel, an iteration of the Touch Wheel that also incorporated the buttons. The fourth-generation model is notable because Apple continued to use the Click Wheel for years to come.

The iPod photo with its color display followed the fourth-generation model later in 2004, and Apple expanded the color display to all models in 2005 with the iPod with color display. Both of these were considered part of the fourth-generation lineup.

Apple added video capabilities in 2005 with the fifth-generation iPod, and this was also the first iPod that came in black aside from the special black and red U2 edition of the iPod.

After the iPod video, Apple introduced the iPod classic, and several versions came out in 2007, 2008, and 2009, all of which were similar in design. The 2009 iPod classic was Apple's final iPod at the size, and it featured a 160GB hard drive, a Click Wheel, and a widescreen color display. It stuck around until it was discontinued in 2014.

iPod mini (2004)

Apple's first iPod mini came out in 2004, and it was much smaller in size than the standard iPod. It came in several fun colors that include yellow, blue, pink, and gold, and it had a standard Click Wheel.

The iPod mini didn't stick around for long, and while there was a second-generation version in 2005, it was discontinued after that in favor of the iPod nano.

iPod nano (2005)

Replacing the iPod mini, the iPod nano is one of Apple's most interesting iPods because of the many major design iterations that it saw over the years.

Apple started out with a slim black or white iPod nano with a Click Wheel, a color screen, and flash memory that allowed Apple to cut down on the size. The original nano was actually recalled due to a battery overheating issue, and it was replaced in 2006 with the second-generation version that had more rounded edges, a smaller form factor, and bright aluminum colors.

For the third-generation iPod nano that came out in 2007, Apple went in an entirely different direction, and this nano was colloquially known as the iPod nano "fatty." It had a wider, squatter body with a wider display, and it came in several color options.

The nano fatty only lasted for one year before being replaced with the once-again slimmed down fourth-generation iPod nano, which came in a whole rainbow of colors. It got a taller screen, a curved front, and an accelerometer for the "Shake" feature that let you shake an iPod to shuffle songs.

Apple's 2009 fifth-generation iPod nano was similar to the fourth-generation model, but had a taller screen and it gained a camera and a microphone. It also came in glossier colors, but Apple kept the wide array of color options.

The nano got a major design overhaul in 2010 with the sixth-generation version that was just a screen in a square-shaped body. It used a multi-touch display instead of a Click Wheel, and this is the version that people attached watch straps to, making it something of a precursor to the Apple Watch.

Apple changed the design in 2012 with the seventh-generation iPod nano, reverting to the rectangular shape but leaving the multi-touch display in place. The nano from this era looked similar to a tinier iPod touch, featuring a Home button and support for multiple apps. The seven-generation iPod nano got new colors in 2015 before being discontinued in 2017.

iPod shuffle (2005)

Apple's first iPod shuffle was introduced in 2005 ahead of the second-generation iPod mini, and it looked a lot like an Apple TV Remote. It was Apple's first iPod with no display, featuring nothing but a control pad in order to keep the size down, plus it doubled as a flash drive.

The second-generation iPod shuffle got a significant redesign in 2006, and Apple shrunk it to about half the size of the original and added a belt clip. It was advertised as the world's smallest MP3 player at the time, and there was even a little iPod shuffle dock for charging it up through the headphone jack. It launched in silver, but Apple eventually came out with additional colors like pink, blue, green, and orange.

The iPod shuffle got yet another redesign in 2009, with Apple adding a voice feature that let it speak the names of songs and albums aloud using text-to-speech. This is the model where Apple did away with the on-device controls, instead using headphones with an attached remote for playback.

In 2010, Apple decided no on-device controls was a bad idea, introducing the fourth-generation iPod shuffle. The fourth-generation model was the last iPod shuffle, featuring bright colors, a smaller chassis, and the return of the Control Pad.

The iPod Shuffle didn't receive any other design updates, though Apple did introduce new colors in 2015. It was ultimately discontinued in 2017.

iPod touch (2007)

The first iPod touch came out in 2007 alongside the iPhone, and it was a more affordable ‌iPhone‌ alternative that did not have cellular capabilities. It looked a lot like an ‌iPhone‌ with a 3.5-inch multi-touch display, and it came with WiFi support, Safari integration, and apps like YouTube, Mail, Maps, and Weather.

The second and third-generation iPod touch models had the same design, but when the ‌iPhone‌ 4 came out in 2010, Apple also redesigned the iPod touch to have a similar look. It included a front-facing FaceTime camera, a rear camera, and support for iMessage, plus it came in black or white.

Apple redesigned the iPod touch again in 2012, and the fifth-generation model had a larger display and a thinner body, plus it was the first iPod touch to come in bright colors. It was released alongside the ‌iPhone‌ 5 as a pocketable computer with an A5 chip.

After the fifth-generation iPod touch, the design didn't change, but Apple introduced a sixth-generation model in 2017 and a seventh-generation model in 2019, both with updated chips. After the 2019 release of the seventh-generation iPod touch, the device went without an update for three years until its discontinuation earlier this week.

iPod Replacements

Apple said that it decided to sunset the iPod lineup because the iPod's capabilities are now built into every Apple device, from the ‌iPhone‌ and the iPad to the Mac, ‌Apple TV‌, HomePod, and Apple Watch.

Almost every modern Apple device supports the Apple Music service that Apple introduced in 2015, and it is also available on the web, on Android devices, and more, making the iPod superfluous. Apple is selling the iPod touch while supplies last, but it is already sold out in the United States.

You may still be able to find an iPod touch from a third-party retailer, but make sure to act quick because they're selling out quickly as people aim to get one of the last available iPods.

Apple CEO Tim Cook today delivered the commencement address at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., which is the only university in the world where Deaf and hard of hearing students live and learn bilingually in American Sign Language and English.

During his speech, Cook told undergraduates that his one piece of advice is to lead with your values throughout life.

"What does it take to build a life that provides meaning and fulfillment?" said Cook. "No one can answer that question for you, and that includes me. There is no iPhone feature that can come to the rescue. AI is good, but it's not that good. Still, I have one important piece of advice I want to share — so important, that it's the only piece of advice I'm going to share today. And that is this: whatever you do, lead with your values."

Cook said that Apple's purpose has always been to create technology that enriches peoples' lives, adding that the company is only able to achieve that goal by having a relentless focus on its values, such as making technology accessible to all, ensuring that privacy is a fundamental human right, and environmental responsibility.

The commencement was streamed live on YouTube:

Cook's commencement address came after Apple TV+ film "CODA" won an Academy Award for Best Picture. The film revolves around a young woman named Ruby, the sole hearing member of a Deaf family. Using sign language, Ruby acts as an interpreter for her parents while working for her family's struggling fishing boat business.

Apple is indeed testing iPhones that are equipped with USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple does not plan to make the switch from Lightning to USB-C until 2023 at the earliest, with this year's iPhones continuing to offer a Lightning port.

We first heard about a potential swap to USB-C from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier this week said that Apple was planning to abandon the Lightning port in favor of a USB-C port in the 2023 iPhone 15 models.

There have been endless rumors about Apple adopting USB-C ports over the years, especially after Apple started using USB-C for the iPad lineup, but so far, Apple has stuck with Lightning for the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple may be planning to swap because of legal requirements that could be implemented in Europe. The European Union is working on legislation that would require Apple to use USB-C technology across its product lineup, on iPhones, iPads, and AirPods.

All devices sold in Europe would need to have a universal USB-C port should the legislation be passed, so Apple would need to ship special USB-C iPhone models in Europe or simply make the swap to USB-C worldwide.

USB-C ports would allow for faster charging speeds and quicker data transfers, plus it would bring the ‌iPhone‌ in line with the Mac and ‌iPad‌ models that already use USB-C.

If Apple does transition to USB-C, Gurman says that the company will come out with an adapter that would let USB-C iPhones connect to accessories that have Lightning ports.

Apple plans to launch a new version of the Apple TV in the second half of 2022, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a tweet today, Kuo said the new Apple TV will have an improved cost structure, suggesting that the device could have a lower price that is more competitive with other streaming media players like Google's Chromecast line, Amazon's Fire TV line, and the Roku line.

Released in April 2021, the current Apple TV 4K model is priced at $179 with 32GB of storage and at $199 with 64GB of storage, while the previous-generation Apple TV HD remains available for $149 with 32GB of storage. By comparison, there are Chromecast and Roku streaming sticks available for under $50, and many other options under $100.

Both the second-generation (2010) and third-generation (2012) models of the Apple TV were priced at $99 at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the third-generation model to $69, so there is precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV.

Apple TV+ is already available on platforms like Fire TV and Roku, but a more competitively priced Apple TV model could still spur sales of the device and help to draw more subscribers to the streaming service, which competes with the likes of Netflix and Disney+.

The second-generation Apple TV 4K was the first new Apple TV generation in over three and a half years when it was released last April, with key new features including a redesigned Siri Remote, a faster A12 Bionic chip, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 6.

This week we saw a rare all-time low price on the Apple TV 4K, and in this article we're recapping this markdown and more, all of which are still available to purchase today.

Apple TV 4K (2021)

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• What's the deal? Take $29 off Apple TV 4K
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon knocked the price of the 32GB Apple TV 4K down to $149.99 earlier in the week, from $179.00. This is the best price we've ever tracked on this accessory, and you can also save a bit of money on the 64GB model as well.

iPod touch

• What's the deal? Take up to $9 off iPod touch
• Where can I get it? Walmart
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This one's getting a bit tricky, as Apple discontinued the iPod touch on Tuesday and it is quickly running out of stock just about everywhere as availability is changing rapidly.

Apple and Amazon have sold out, while a few other retailers still have select colors available. For example, at the time of writing, Walmart has Space Gray and Pink available for a slightly discounted price of $189.99, down from $199.00.

Target has Blue and Space Gray available for the regular $199.99 price at the moment, while some other sellers are marking up prices on their remaining stock to $220, $250, or even more.

AirPods

• What's the deal? Take up to $74 off AirPods
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Classic discounts on the AirPods and AirPods Pro returned this week, starting with the AirPods 2 for $99.99, down from $129.00. The AirPods Pro with MagSafe are priced at $174.99, down from $249.00. Both of these discounts are the best prices that we've tracked for each pair of AirPods so far in 2022.

M1 iMac

• What's the deal? Take up to $199 off iMac
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

A trio of solid deals on the 24-inch iMac hit Amazon this week, marking these models down by as much as $199. Prices start at $1,149.99 for the 7-core GPU/256GB model ($149 off), then increase to $1,349.00 for the 8-core GPU/256GB model ($150 off), and finally to $1,499.99 for the 8-core GPU/512GB model ($199 off).

Each of these deals is offering an all-time low price on the M1 iMac, but not all colors are on sale. Shoppers should also note that the 8-core GPU/512GB model will not see its sale price reflected until you reach the checkout screen and a coupon worth $150 is applied.

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.

Rumors have suggested Apple could soon release an iPhone without a physical SIM card slot, and it turns out that if that's accurate, Apple would be realizing Steve Jobs' vision for the original ‌iPhone‌, according to former iPod VP Tony Fadell.

Fadell was recently interviewed by journalist Joanna Stern for a special event at the Computer History Museum to promote his new book Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making, and during the conversation Fadell revealed that Steve Jobs wanted the ‌iPhone‌ to be a seamless device that didn't include a SIM card slot.

Instead of relying on GSM cellular technology, Jobs was apparently more interested in using CDMA to connect iPhones to cell towers and cited Verizon's nascent use of the technology, which allows supporting phones to link directly to the carrier's network.

Fadell said he had to show Jobs market data to convince the former Apple CEO that CDMA adoption was too low for it to be a feasible option for the ‌iPhone‌.

In fact, Apple did eventually release a SIM-less ‌iPhone‌, but not until midway through the normal ‌iPhone‌ release cycle in January 2011, when it launched a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 for the Verizon network. The SIM card slot returned on the CDMA-equipped ‌iPhone‌ 4S, but the slot wasn't supported by Verizon.

Late last year, Brazilian website Blog do ‌iPhone‌ claimed that ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models might not have a physical SIM card slot in at least some countries and regions.

Soon after the story broke, MacRumors received a seemingly legitimate document from an anonymous tipster indicating that Apple had advised major U.S. carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM-only smartphones as soon as September 2022.

Given the alleged September 2022 deadline, it is possible that Apple might remove the physical SIM card slot on some ‌iPhone‌ 14 models, rather than some ‌iPhone‌ 15 models as originally rumored, but nothing is definitive at this point.

One obstacle is that eSIM functionality is not available in all countries, so iPhones sold in some areas will need to continue to offer a nano-SIM slot. In countries where a SIM-free ‌iPhone‌ is available, it may be optional, with consumers still able to choose a version with a SIM. There are more than 60 countries that support eSIM, with a list available on Apple's website.

Apple is expected to introduce the ‌iPhone‌ 14 models at an event that's likely to be held in September 2022, if Apple follows previous launch timelines.

(Via 9to5Mac.)

Elon Musk is putting his $44 billion takeover of Twitter "temporarily on hold" after the company claimed that less than 5% of its users are spam or fake accounts.

The Tesla chief tweeted on Friday that the deal was being frozen while he waited for details backing up Twitter's claim:

"Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users."

Musk linked his decision to a May 2 Reuters report referring to a filing with the US financial regulator, in which Twitter asserted that fake and spam accounts represented less than 5% of its daily average users:

We have performed an internal review of a sample of accounts and estimate that the average of false or spam accounts during the first quarter of 2022 represented fewer than 5% of our mDAU during the quarter. The false or spam accounts for a period represents the average of false or spam accounts in the samples during each monthly analysis period during the quarter. In making this determination, we applied significant judgment, so our estimation of false or spam accounts may not accurately represent the actual number of such accounts, and the actual number of false or spam accounts could be higher than we have estimated.

Following Musk's announcement in April that he was offering to buy Twitter, the Tesla CEO said that he wanted to make the social media platform "better than ever" with new product features that will defeat spam bots and authenticate all humans.

As Friday's story broke, Twitter's share price fell by as much as 25% in pre-market trading, and is currently down around 15%.

Update 4:53 a.m.: In a follow-up tweet, Musk says he is "still committed to the acquisition."

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 has started sending out emails letting developers know if they've been chosen to attend the special WWDC viewing event that is set to take place at Apple Park on Monday, June 6.

Apple began taking applications for the viewing event on Monday, and said that developers would be informed if they were selected by 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time tonight. Those picked are receiving emails right now, and will need to RSVP by May 18 at 6:00 p.m. to confirm their attendance.

Only a small number of developers are being invited to the ‌Apple Park‌ campus to watch the WWDC 2022 keynote and the Platforms State of the Union. Apple says that it will be an all-day experience at ‌‌‌Apple Park‌‌‌, with developers also be invited to explore the new Developer Center that Apple has built. Apple last year said that it was building a dedicated Developer Center on the ‌‌‌Apple Park‌‌‌ campus, though few details have been provided about it.

We're hosting a special all-day experience at Apple Park on June 6 to kick off WWDC22. Gather with others in the developer community to watch the keynote and State of the Union videos alongside Apple engineers and experts, explore the all-new Developer Center, and so much more. We can't wait to connect in person.

The ‌‌‌Apple Park‌‌‌ event is free, and all members of the Apple Developer Program and Apple Developer Enterprise Program were invited to apply. Though the event is free, those picked will need to travel to Cupertino, California.

WWDC is set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Monday, June 6.

Apple Music is experiencing an outage at the current time, which is causing the streaming music service not to function as expected for some subscribers.

According to Apple's System Status page, ‌Apple Music‌ has been experiencing issues since 1:17 p.m. Pacific Time, with the page suggesting that some users may be "experiencing intermittent issues" with the service.

iTunes Match and Radio also appear to be having problems at this time. We'll update this article when the outage has resolved.

Update: ‌Apple Music‌ is once again working as intended and the outage has been addressed, according to Apple's System Status page.

Universal Control is no longer a "beta" feature, with the beta labeling removed in the macOS Monterey 12.4 and iPadOS 15.5 release candidate versions that were seeded to developers and public beta testers earlier today.

Apple in March released Universal Control as part of macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, and since launch, it has had a beta label as Apple has worked to iron out bugs and clear up any minor issues.

Under System Preferences > Displays > ‌Universal Control‌, the beta labeling next to the ‌Universal Control‌ options has been removed. Likewise, there is no longer a beta label on the iPad under System Preferences > AirPlay > Handoff > Cursor and Keyboard.

‌Universal Control‌ is designed to allow you to use a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads, with the feature designed to work automatically with macOS Monterey 12.3 and later and iPadOS 15.4 or later.

Though ‌Universal Control‌ has been available in a beta capacity, it has worked well for users, which is why Apple has been able to remove the beta labeling just a couple months after the feature first launched.

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Monterey 12.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new update coming a week after the release of the fourth macOS Monterey 12.4 beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

When paired with a Studio Display, macOS Monterey 12.4 supports new 15.5 Studio Display firmware, which improves the quality of the webcam on the machine. According to Apple's release notes, the Studio Display firmware refines camera tuning, offering improved noise reduction, contrast, and framing.

There's also an update for the Podcasts app, with Apple adding a setting that limits the number of episodes stored on a Mac and automatically deletes older ones.

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, with the new software coming one week following the release of the fourth betas.

Developers can download iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad. Public beta testers can get the profile from Apple's beta testing website.

iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 are minor updates compared to prior iOS 15 point releases, and there are a limited number of changes. Apple may be releasing an Apple Classical app at some point in the near future and there are references to it in the beta, but it is not yet available. Apple is using the iOS 15.5 update to lay the groundwork for functionality that will let developers of "reader" apps add a link to an external website for the purpose of signing up for and managing accounts outside of the App Store.

There are also minor changes to Apple Pay Cash, with Apple adding Request and Send options, and Apple is making some changes to the iTunes Pass that used to be available in the Wallet app. Apple's official release notes for the update are below:

iOS 15.5 includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Wallet now enables Apple Cash customers to send and request money from their Apple Cash card
- Apple Podcasts includes a new setting to limit episodes stored on your iPhone and automatically delete older ones
- Fixes an issue where home automations, triggered by people arriving or leaving, may fail
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

iOS 15.5 will likely see a public launch next week.

Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 8.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the release of the fourth beta.

To install ‌‌‌watchOS 8‌‌‌.6, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌‌‌watchOS 8.6 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌.

The watchOS 8.6 update expands ECG functionality and irregular heart rhythm detection to Mexico, according to Apple's release notes.

Sony's flagship WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones have been among the best on the market for some time, and today Sony announced its fifth-generation WH-1000XM5 headphones, boasting a new design and several improvements over the previous model.

The redesigned headphones replace the shrouded arms that swivel on the XM4's with an exposed arm that has a single contact point at the earcups, which are slightly bigger than on the previous generation, and aim to lower wind noise when out and about. The headphones weigh 250g (versus the XM4's 254g), and a click-less slider is included in the synthetic leather headband to help wearers get the right fit.

Like the previous model, the XM5's provide up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge with active noise cancelation on, 40 hours with ANC off (10 hours more than the XM4's), and the headphones will reach a full charge in 3 hours. The XM5's also support Power Delivery, and will give users three hours of playback from just three minutes on a charger.

There are eight microphones (four more than the previous model) which have been moved into a more optimal position for noise canceling – Sony says this makes them better at cutting out high frequency noise. Meanwhile four beamforming mics are built in for better voice call quality, and an NC/Ambient button replaces the "Custom" button found on the XM4's, although the button remains reprogrammable to activate voice assistants including Siri.

A new 30mm driver provides the sonics, and the headphones use LDAC to deliver the high-resolution audio, given the correct source device, while SBC and AAC are also supported, as is DSEE Extreme upscaling for compressed audio. Sony's 360 Reality Audio spatial sound effect is also on board.

Sony has ditched the collapsible foldaway mechanism seen on the XM4's that tuck one cup inside the other, so the rigid XM4 carry case has been replaced with a larger one. The XM5's also come with a 3.5mm heaphone jack cable.

Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones cost $399 – $50 more than the XM4's – and come in white, silver and black colors. They will be available to buy online at Amazon and other electronics retailers from from May 20. Stay tuned to MacRumors for a review of the headphones including a full comparison with Apple's AirPods Max.

While there are as yet no concrete rumors related to which devices iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will support, the discontinuation of the iPod touch earlier this week may be an indication that as many as nine devices could be about to lose support for Apple's upcoming operating systems.

iOS and iPadOS 13, 14, and 15 support all of the same devices, with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, seventh-generation iPod touch, iPad Air 2, fifth-generation iPad, iPad mini 4, and first-generation iPad Pro being the oldest supported iPhones and iPads.

While Apple could simply drop support for the oldest iPhones and iPads that still receive the latest updates, memory is likely to be a key deciding factor about which devices iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. When Apple introduced iOS 13, it dropped support for all devices with less than 2GB of memory. This wiped out support for a large number of A7- and A8-based devices, such as the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the first-generation iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and sixth-generation iPod touch. This is also why the iPad mini 4, which features 2GB of memory, has continued to be supported by iOS 13, 14, and 15, even though it has the A8 chip.

It seems plausible that if iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 require 3GB of memory, nine devices with the A9 and A10 Fusion chips could lose support. Even though the iPhone 7 Plus and seventh-generation iPad contain the A10 Fusion chip, both devices feature 3GB of memory, meaning that they are more likely to retain support when Apple next drops support for older devices.

• 20+ New iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 Features and Improvements Rumored to Arrive at WWDC 2022

There is also little evidence to suggest that Apple will support the seventh-generation iPod touch, an A10-based device with 2GB of memory, simply because it continued to sell it until now. Apple discontinued the sixth-generation iPod touch in May 2019 and it was excluded from receiving iOS 13, which was released just four months later. The company could repeat this pattern with the seventh-generation iPod touch, discontinuing it in May 2022 before excluding it from iOS 16 support just months later. Indeed, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that watchOS 9 will drop support for the Apple Watch Series 3 later this year, even though it is still on sale.

If Apple chooses to make 3GB of memory and the A10 chip or newer a requirement to run iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, the following devices could be supported:

This would make the iPhone 7 Plus the oldest supported iPhone, and the third-generation iPad Air, seventh-generation iPad, fifth-generation iPad mini, and first-generation iPad Pro the oldest supported iPad models. That being said, Apple could look to avoid any confusion about why the iPhone 7 Plus is supported while the iPhone 7 is not by dropping support for both devices simultaneously, regardless of the iPhone 7 Plus's added memory. Moreover, the iPhone 8 also contains 2GB of memory, while the iPhone 8 Plus contains 3GB of memory, but neither of these devices are likely to lose support any time soon.

It is important to note that iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 could continue to support all of the same devices as iOS and iPadOS 13, 14, and 15. Nevertheless, it seems like just a matter of time before Apple drops support for some older devices, be it this year or next. When that does occur, it seems probable that only the above devices will retain support.

In line with previous years, Apple will introduce major updates to all of its operating systems at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022. iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 are rumored to offer a large number of features and improvements, including enhanced notifications, car crash detection, a new multitasking interface for iPad, the Apple Classical app, and more.

Amazon is offering low prices on the Apple Watch SE in multiple color and size options this week. Prices start at $229.00 for the 40mm GPS model with the Silver Aluminum Case, down from $279.00.

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.

Compared to past sales, this is a match of the 2022 record low price on the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE. This model is shipped and sold by Amazon, with stock available today in three color options.

You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE for $259.99 on Amazon, down from $309.00. This model is also available in three colors (note that Gold Aluminum has an on-page coupon), but overall it's a second-best price on this model.

There are also cellular versions of the Apple Watch SE on sale today, starting at $279.99 for the 40mm model, down from $329.00; and rising to $309.99 for the 44mm model, down from $359.00. There are more case and band styles on sale for the cellular models, including Space Gray Aluminum with Tornado/Grey Sport Loop and Silver Aluminium with Abyss Blue/Moss Green Sport Loop.

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