MacRumors

Apple Vision Pro owners will be able to watch live basketball games in the Apple Immersive format starting on Friday, January 9, Apple said today.

Apple is partnering with Spectrum to air Los Angeles Lakers games in 3D in the Spectrum SportsNet and NBA apps. The Apple Immersive basketball games will be available to Vision Pro users in the Lakers' regional broadcast territory, which includes Southern California, Hawaii, and parts of southern Nevada. Viewers will need Spectrum internet or a provider with a package that includes Spectrum SportsNet.

For ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ users in other areas, Apple Immersive replays and highlights will be available nationwide and in select international markets where the Vision Pro is available (Canada, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan will not have access). The first game replay will be available on Sunday, January 11. Replays are watchable by any ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ user with a free NBA ID.

Apple says that the Spectrum Front Row Apple Immersive experience features a feed of up to 150Mb/s with seven unique viewing angles. Views include the scorer's table, the area beneath each basket, a high-and-wide view of the arena, the player tunnel, the broadcast booth, and a roaming courtside perspective for interviews and commentary from Mark Rogondino and former Lakers forward Danny Green.

Viewers will be able to watch each pass, shot, and block up close, with in-game graphics like player rosters, shot clocks, and scores in 3D as if they're floating right in front of the viewer. Spatial Audio will make viewers feel as if they're watching right from the court.

Apple Immersive Lakers games will air on January 9, February 5, February 20, March 5, March 10, and March 30, with times and a full schedule available on Apple's website.

2026 could finally be the year that the Apple Card receives a new financial partner, and this could lead to some changes for cardholders.

As a refresher, the Apple Card launched in 2019, and it remains available in the U.S. only. The credit card can be managed in the iPhone's Wallet app, with key benefits including color-coded spending summaries, no fees, and Daily Cash cash back paid out daily. Apple Card holders can also open a high-yield savings account.

In July, The Wall Street Journal reported that Chase Bank parent company JPMorgan was in "advanced talks" with Apple about replacing Goldman Sachs as the Apple Card's partner bank. Goldman Sachs has been gradually winding down its consumer lending business, following billions of dollars in losses, and Apple is reportedly willing to let them out of a contract that is otherwise supposed to run until 2030.

Barclays and Synchrony were also reportedly in talks to become the Apple Card's new financial partner, but it is unclear if those companies are still in the running. As for the Apple Card's payment network, it had been reported that Visa and American Express had expressed interest in taking over for Mastercard.

If the Apple Card does get a new financial partner, there could be updates to the card's features, policies, interest rates, customer service processes, and more.

Chase Bank does not currently offer a high-yield savings account, so it is unclear what would happen to the Apple Card's savings account if they take over the credit card. Apple Card holders are currently being offered a 3.65% APY.

You can apply for an Apple Card on Apple's website.

Anker today announced several new charging options that are set to start rolling out to customers in January. There are three products in the Nano family, along with a new Anker multi-device charging station designed for the iPhone and Apple Watch.

The $150 Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station offers 25W Qi2 fast charging for supported iPhone models, matching the speeds delivered through MagSafe. It can charge an iPhone 17 to 80 percent in 55 minutes. There is an included airflow cooling system that's meant to keep temperatures low to make charging more efficient, and the charger has a foldable design for travel. It is able to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

Anker says its new $40 45W Nano Charger is able to identify an iPhone model and then provide the appropriate amount of power for fast charging while protecting battery health. The special charging reduces phone battery temperature by nine degrees compared to other 45W chargers. It has a built-in smart display and a 180-degree foldable plug for travel and to ensure the screen always faces you regardless of plug orientation.

The $70 Anker Nano Power Strip features six AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports, with 70W max available from either of the USB-C ports. Anker says that the power strip is meant to keep desks clutter-free thanks to the hidden AC outlets that tuck under a desk.

Anker's $150 Nano Docking Station has a built-in removable hub so some of the functionality is available while on the go. It supports three displays with up to a 4K resolution over DisplayPort and HDMI, and it offers 100W charging and 10Gb/s data transfer.

There are two USB-C ports, three USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, a DisplayPort, an SD card slot, a microSD card slot, an audio jack, and two HDMI ports.

The Nano Docking Station is available now from the Anker website. The 45W Nano Charger and Nano Power Strip will launch in late January, while the Prime Wireless Charging Station will launch in the first quarter of 2026.

Anker is showing off a long list of new products under its Eufy and Soundcore brands at CES 2026, ranging from new camera options to new sleep buds.

The $300 Matter-enabled Smart Lock E40 is able to integrate with Apple Home, and it offers 3D face recognition for unlocking a door with a facial scan. It includes a 2K HD camera so it doubles as a security camera complete with night vision and wide-angle coverage. There is a 15,000 mAh main battery in the E40, and an 800 mAh backup battery.

The $280 Video Doorbell S4 is equipped with OmniTrack technology to detect and track people, adjusting the zoom to keep visitors in frame as they approach the door. It features a 180-degree horizontal and vertical field-of-view for panoramic surveillance, and the 3K camera allows for monitoring from up to 26 feet away.

Eufy's $200 Solar Wall Light Cam S4 offers 4K color night vision and an f/1.6 lens for clear images even in low light. The camera can be adjusted vertically by up to 45 degrees to eliminate blind spots, and it can be charged with a 2W solar panel or a 10,000 mAh battery. Multiple lighting modes are available, including daily lighting, security lighting, and festive lighting.

Under the Soundcore brand, Anker is debuting the $180 AeroFit 2 Pro, which it describes as dual-form earbuds that allow for open-ear listening and Active Noise Cancellation in one product. The earbuds are designed to cut down on noise in loud environments while still allowing users to remain aware of their surroundings.

The $200 Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds feature a triple noise reduction system that blends Active Noise Cancellation, passive isolation, and adaptive snore masking to cut down on sleep interruptions. Anker is partnering with Calm to make Calm Sleep Stories available through the Soundcore app.

Anker's AeroFit 2 Pro and Sleep A30 Special earbuds are available from the Soundcore website starting today.

The Smart Lock E40 is launching in the first quarter of 2026 at Home Depot, while the Video Doorbell S4 and the Solar Wall Light Cam S4 will be available from the Eufy website in the first quarter.

Amazon and Best Buy have a few discounts on the iPad mini 7 for the New Year, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.

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.

Additionally, you can get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00, both $100 discounts and available in multiple colors. These sales are all solid second-best prices on the iPad mini 7.

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 and a few colors of the 256GB cellular iPad mini 7 on sale for $649.00, both $100 off. Best Buy has more options for cellular models, with nearly every device on sale at $100 off this week.

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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Amazon today discounted the Apple Pencil Pro to $92.97, down from $129.00. This is a new record low price on the Apple Pencil Pro that beats the previous low by about $2.

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.

The Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with the M4 and M5 iPad Pro, M2 and M3 iPad Air, and the A17 Pro iPad mini. Right now, only Amazon is providing this best-ever price on the stylus accessory, and it could disappear fast so be sure to check it out if you didn't pick one up over the holidays.

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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Withings has announced the Body Scan 2, a new smart scale that the French health tech company says can track over 60 longitudinal biomarker measurements that enable the early detection of health issues and can even predict longevity.

Unveiled at CES 2026, the Body Scan 2 builds on its 2023 predecessor by adding several advanced features including Impedance Cardiography (ICG) to monitor heart pumping efficiency, and Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) to assess cellular health and metabolic function. This version of the device also adds hypertension risk notifications.

Withings says the all-in-one "longevity station" gets around the need for blood tests to track metabolic health, instead using foot sweat stimulation and cellular membrane analysis, though the company is keen to note that the features are meant to be early warning signs rather than being diagnostic.

Body Scan 2 users receive a Health Trajectory score that synthesizes all of this biomarker data into a single metric representing predicted years of healthy life. The scale also tracks heart age, patterns of glycemic dysregulation – a potential precursor toward prediabetes – and artery elasticity. Users can customize what to monitor, and the tracking then happens automatically when they step on the scale, though the most extensive scans can take up to 90 seconds.

One notable design change from the original moves the color display from the scale's base into the retractable handle, which houses four electrodes. Combined with eight EKG-capable electrodes on the scale's glass surface, the device creates a full-body circuit for what Withings claims are more accurate measurements than typical foot-only smart scales.

The Body Scan 2 costs $600 and will launch in the second quarter of 2026, pending FDA clearance for its hypertension risk and atrial fibrillation detection features, with a launch also planned in the U.K., Australia and Europe. The original Body Scan remains available at $399. Withings says the device complies with GDPR and HIPAA privacy standards, with all health data encrypted.

In time for CES 2026, gaming company 8BitDo is teasing a new controller designed for smartphone users who want to play games exclusively in portrait mode.

The FlipPad connects to iOS and Android devices via the USB-C port, and snaps onto the bottom half of the screen via a hinge mechanism, reminiscent of a classic flip phone keyboard.

The controller features a black D-Pad, red ABXY buttons, Start and Select buttons, and six white buttons along the top and on the bottom corners that are likely to be custom-assignable.

8bitDo says the FlipPad is "officially supported by Apple" and will arrive in the summer, though the company has not yet revealed pricing information.

Last month, 8bitDo teased the unveiling of a new "Pro" controller at CES 2026, so we might also get more details about the FlipPad in the coming week as the tech event in Las Vegas gets underway.

Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users.

The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging speeds, modular designs, and broader device compatibility. Most of the products are scheduled to launch across the first half of 2026. The key product announcements included:

• UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring ($99.99): A compact 10,000 mAh power bank supporting up to 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging and 30W wired USB-C charging simultaneously, featuring a secondary magnetic ring that allows accessories like wallets, grips, or stands to remain attached while charging. Includes pass-through charging, a built-in kickstand, and a digital display. Launches February 2026.
• UltraCharge Modular Charging Dock ($64.99): A Qi2.2-powered 3-in-1 charging dock that wirelessly charges a phone at up to 25W, earbuds on a secondary pad, and a smartwatch using a bring-your-own charging puck system with included spacers for the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Google Pixel Watch models. Powered by a 45W USB-C adapter and designed for compact travel use. Launches Q1 2026.

• BoostCharge Slim Magnetic Power Bank with Stand (5K) ($59.99): An ultra-slim magnetic power bank delivering up to 15W Qi2 wireless charging and 20W via USB-C, with a built-in stand for hands-free viewing, pass-through charging support, and a pocket-friendly design. Launches Q2 2026.
• BoostCharge Slim Magnetic Power Bank with Stand (10K) ($84.99): A higher-capacity slim magnetic power bank offering up to 15W Qi2 wireless charging and 30W USB-C output, while maintaining a thin, travel-ready form factor with an integrated stand and soft-touch exterior. Launches Q2 2026.
• UltraCharge Pro Laptop Power Bank 27K ($149.99): A high-capacity 27,000 mAh portable battery delivering up to 240W of total output, including a single USB-C output capable of up to 140W for fast-charging laptops such as a MacBook Pro, alongside an integrated braided USB-C cable, smart battery display, and airline-compliant design. Launches March 2026.

• UltraCharge Pro 2-in-1 Convertible Charger ($99.99): A compact, foldable wireless charger that powers an iPhone at up to 25W via Qi2 while simultaneously fast-charging an Apple Watch using an integrated MFi-certified watch puck, with a 45W power adapter and 5 ft. USB-C cable included. Launches March 2026.
• ConnectAir Wireless HDMI Display Adapter ($149.99): A plug-and-play wireless HDMI solution that allows USB-C devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs that support DisplayPort Alt Mode, to mirror or extend displays at 1080p/60Hz with under 80ms latency, without requiring Wi-Fi, apps, or drivers. Supports up to eight transmitters for multi-user screen sharing. Launches Q1 2026.
• Connect 8-Port Dual Display USB-C Hub ($99.99): A productivity-focused USB-C hub for MacBooks and other laptops, supporting up to 100W power delivery passthrough, Ethernet, USB peripherals, and external displays, with dual 4K output on Windows or a single 4K display on macOS, plus a built-in monitor privacy button for instant screen disabling. Launches Q2 2026.

Availability will vary by market, and several products will ship in stages through the first and second quarters of 2026. Belkin says further details on regional availability and compatibility will be provided closer to launch via its website and retail partners.

Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week.

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.

This includes the AirPods 4 for $99.00, down from $129.00, the AirPods Pro 3 for $219.99, down from $249.00, and the AirPods Max for $449.99, down from $549.00. Most of these AirPods will arrive around January 9 with free shipping options, but Prime members should see delivery dates within the next few days in most cases.

It's also worth noting that if you prefer to shop at Best Buy, you'll find all of these sales being matched at that retailer right now. 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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Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light.

The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281 trillion colors, and it supports 1000K to 10000K light temperature range.

LuminBlend+ is a color management system that offers accurate, true-to-life colors across any setting thanks to proprietary Gamma calibration. It supports an ultra-wide spectrum of lighting moods, and will be coming to additional Govee lights in 2026.

Govee's 21-inch Matter-compatible Ceiling Light Ultra has a 616-LED matrix that can render detailed patterns and scenes. Visuals can be created with up to eight distinct layers of motion, color, and shapes, plus there are 20+ presets to choose from. Govee says that it provides sufficient illumination for family areas while also offering a natural, true-to-life appearance across objects and skin tones. The light offers 5000 lumen brightness for spaces between 200 and 300 square feet, and there is a 2700K to 6500K tunable white range that can shift throughout the day.

The 21-inch Sky Ceiling Light is meant to mimic natural daylight using a custom-engineered LED and gradient illumination to recreate sky tones from daytime blue to warm sunset gradients. It offers calming blue light that Govee says feels like looking up into a clear sky, with edge-mounted LEDs so that it looks like an architectural skylight. The light provides up to 5200 lumens of brightness, and it is designed to light spaces between 200 and 300 square feet. Like Govee's other lights, it supports Matter so it can be added to the Apple Home app.

Govee is also announcing AI Lighting Bot 2.0, which uses generative models to create lighting that is more "expressive, intuitive, and emotionally responsive." Light strips and permanent lights are able to react to mood or context in real-time and learn behaviors.

Graphic lighting can use AI Lighting Bot 2.0 to generate animated visuals, with the AI capabilities available across a range of Govee products.

A new DaySync circadian lighting feature is also being incorporated into Govee lights. DaySync matches indoor lighting to the time of day with preset options that automatically adjust brightness, color, and color temperature for more natural home lighting.

More information is available on Govee's website, with pricing and availability of the new devices set to be announced at a later date.

Amazon this weekend has the Apple Watch SE 3 on sale at all-time low prices, starting at $199.00 for the 40mm GPS model. These prices are matching the Black Friday discounts we tracked in November, but stock is low, particularly on the 40mm GPS model.

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

You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 on sale for $229.00, down from $279.00. The 44mm GPS device is available in Midnight and Starlight Aluminum at this price, while the 40mm GPS model is only available in Starlight.

In addition to the Apple Watch SE 3 discounts, Amazon has $100 off the Apple Watch Series 11 right now, which are record low prices on the wearables. 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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Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2026 with a look at everything we're expecting to see from Apple this year, including several new product categories, although hopefully Apple also has some surprises in store for us.

We also went hands-on with a speculative 3D-printed mockup of one of those key new products, the so-called "iPhone Fold," while this week also saw Fitness+ updates for those New Year's resolutions, some unreleased early prototype AirPods cases in fun colors, and more, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Top Stories

Everything Apple Is Releasing in 2026: iPhone Fold, LLM Siri, Low-Cost MacBook and More

If rumors are accurate, 2026 is going to be a huge year for Apple. We're expecting the first foldable iPhone, an all-new home hub device, updated displays, and possibly, the first OLED MacBook Pro and the first AI smart glasses.

Apple will split its iPhone launches, introduce a low-cost MacBook, and debut a much smarter, LLM-based version of Siri. In our 2026 guide, we've outlined everything we know about the new products coming from Apple this year, based on current rumors.

Got a New iPhone 17? How to Use All the New Features

Apple's iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max have been available to buy since September, and a fair few will have been gifted over the holidays.

If you're the proud owner of one of these devices, then make sure to check out our overview of key features available in Apple's latest iPhone models. Whether you're upgrading from an older iPhone or completely new to the devices, our summary of how-tos will help you get the most out your new ‌iPhone‌.

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the ‌iPhone‌ was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an "iPhone Fold" design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones.

The foldable ‌iPhone‌ is going to be smaller than any current ‌iPhone‌ when it's closed, and it'll be shorter than Samsung's Galaxy foldables. Rumors suggest it'll be somewhere around 5.4 inches, which would make it as small as the now-discontinued ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini.

When unfolded, the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ Fold will be bigger than any ‌iPhone‌ to date, and not too far off in size from the original iPad mini. The current ‌iPad mini‌ has an 8.3-inch screen size, but the first models had a 7.9-inch display.

This new form factor will necessitate some updates to iOS to optimize the user experience, but there are still many unknowns including whether or not the device will support the Apple Pencil.

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account this week teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+.

On Friday, Apple announced a series of updates for Fitness+ and Apple Watch activity tracking, including a New Year's activity challenge, a "Quit Quitting" challenge in the Strava app, new multi-week Fitness+ programs to help users stick to their fitness resolutions for 2026, new artist spotlights for workouts, and new Time to Walk episodes.

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases.

The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interiors of the charging cases and the earbuds themselves remain white.

They seem close to some of the color options offered for the ‌iPhone‌ 5c, which came in blue, green, pink, yellow and white. Apple has only ever released AirPods in white.

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues.

The speculative report argues that market sentiment toward AI spending is beginning to show signs of skepticism, with questions emerging over whether large investments by the likes of OpenAI, Google, and Meta can be justified by near-term revenue. Against that backdrop, Apple's decision to limit AI-specific capital expenditures has left it with more than $130 billion in cash and marketable securities, giving the company the option to pursue acquisitions or partnerships if valuations of AI startups fall.

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 is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far.

Size

Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 inches in size. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a 13.6-inch display, so the more affordable MacBook will likely be slightly smaller. It's sounding like it won't be too far off from the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, though.

There are no details on how thick it might be, but Apple probably won't prioritize a thin design for a machine optimized for a low price, even though some people are hoping that it will also be ultra thin. Ultra thin usually means more engineering work and higher-cost components for the display and other parts, but it can also sometimes be achieved by removing features. A thinner enclosure isn't entirely out of the question if Apple cuts features to reduce costs, but at the same time, reducing size leads to lower battery life, and Apple probably wants to have decent battery to compete with or outmatch cheap Windows laptops.

Since the ‌MacBook Air‌ can run fine with an M-series chip and no fan in an enclosure that's 0.44 inches thick, there's no real reason for the MacBook to be any thicker than that, unless Apple wants to add a bigger battery.

Design and Display

The low-cost MacBook will have a standard LCD display with no mini-LED technology or ProMotion refresh rate. It won't be able to compete with higher-end laptops in terms of brightness or HDR support. It's probably best to think of it like the low-cost iPad, which offer excellent performance but uses much older display technology.

Apple could make the low-cost MacBook in bright colors like the iMac to appeal to children and to clearly position it as a lower-cost device. There are no rumors of this, but it would also make some sense for Apple to return to the plastic casing of some of its original MacBook models.

Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook Pro could come in colors like silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

A-Series Chip

Apple is planning to use its A18 Pro chip in the MacBook, which is a chip that was first used in the iPhone 16 Pro. The A18 Pro is built on Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer process, featuring 8GB RAM and support for Apple Intelligence.

It's fast and efficient, and more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offers single-core CPU performance scores at the level of the M3 Ultra, and multi-core performance scores higher than the M1 chip that Apple used in the first Apple silicon ‌MacBook Air‌. Metal scores that measure GPU performance are also similar to the ‌M1‌ chip Metal scores.

The A18 Pro will be equivalent to the ‌M1‌ for some tasks, and faster for other tasks. Apple no longer sells the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ from its own store, but it has offered the machine through Walmart at a $599 price point.

Capabilities

With the A18 Pro chip, the low-cost MacBook would be able to do anything that can be done on an ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro. It would be a suitable replacement for the low-cost ‌iPad‌ paired with a keyboard, and it would also support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

As of now, an ‌iPad‌ is essentially the only option for a low-cost portable device that can serve as a computer, but the low-cost MacBook will add a solution that runs macOS instead of iPadOS.

Tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, creating documents, editing photos, and even light video editing would be no problem. A low-cost MacBook with A18 Pro chip could play all of Apple's ‌iPad‌ and iPhone games, including Apple Arcade titles, but it would not work well with high-end system intensive games.

It would also likely run apps like Final Cut Pro, but speeds for things like exporting video would not be as quick as with a more powerful Mac.

Apple probably won't go all out on ports, and the MacBook is likely to get just a single USB-C port, though two like the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also possible.

The A18 Pro chip is efficient, and there's a lot of space inside a 13-inch enclosure for a battery, so we could be looking at MacBook Air-level battery life or better. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s battery lasts for up to 18 hours when watching videos, or 15 hours when browsing the web.

Price

There are no specific details on price as of yet, but Bloomberg claims it will cost "well under $1,000." The ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced starting at $999, so the MacBook will need to be priced lower than that.

Apple has a 13-inch iPad Air that has a display in the same range rumored for the low-cost MacBook, and it's priced at $799. The ‌iPad Air‌ has a higher-end M-series processor though, so the low-cost MacBook could be priced below the ‌iPad Air‌.

The closest ‌iPad‌ approximation for the chip is the iPad mini, which has an A17 Pro and is priced at $499. A price somewhere between $499 and $799 could make sense looking at Apple's existing product lineup.

Launch Timing

Apple is expected to launch the low-cost MacBook in the first half of 2026. Updates are planned for the ‌MacBook Air‌ in early 2026, and the low-cost model could launch sometime in that same timeframe.

If you're thinking about picking up a computer for lightweight tasks like document editing, web browsing, watching videos, and doing homework, you might want to wait to see what Apple has in store before buying a ‌MacBook Air‌, an ‌iPad‌, or a more affordable Windows machine or Chromebook.

Read More

For more information on Apple's cheap MacBook, we have a dedicated guide.

Pebble today announced that it is bringing back the Pebble Time Round, one of its most iconic smartwatches from a decade ago. The new Pebble Round 2 builds on the Pebble Time Round, eliminating some of the compromises that had to be made with the original model.

The Pebble Round 2 features a bezel-free 1.3-inch color e-paper display, and it comes in matte black, brushed silver, and rose gold. Advances in Bluetooth technology mean that it lasts for up to two weeks before needing to be recharged, and it remains as thin as the original.

The device runs the open-source PebbleOS operating system, and it is designed to work with iOS and Android smartphones. It supports basic sleep tracking and activity tracking, but it is not a fitness watch, so there is no heart rate tracking.

Pebble creator Eric Migicovsky brought back the Pebble brand earlier this year after Google released the source code for PebbleOS. After going bankrupt in 2016, Pebble was sold to Fitbit, and then Fitbit was bought by Google.

Migicovsky has been vocal about how Apple's restrictions for third-party smartwatches limit how the Pebble works with an iPhone. He has complained that Apple makes it "nearly impossible" for third-party wearable developers to create an experience that mirrors the Apple Watch experience.

The Pebble Round 2 can be pre-ordered from the rePebble website for $199, and it is set to ship out to customers in May.

Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines.

According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option.

Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that the feature cannot be used to display ads or promotions. From Apple's developer website:

Don't use a Live Activity to display ads or promotions. Live Activities help people stay informed about ongoing events and tasks, so it's important to display only information that's related to those events and tasks.

Apps that violate Apple's interface guidelines can be pulled from the App Store.

We were not able to replicate the Live Activity ad, so it's possible that Duolingo stopped displaying it after user complaints.

Birdfy today debuted two new products, the Birdfy Feeder Vista and the Birdfy Hum Bloom, which join the company's line of camera-equipped accessories designed for bird watching.

The Birdfy Feeder Vista is a 360-degree smart bird feeder that features two cameras able to capture 14-megapixel panoramic images and record 6K HD video. The Vista is a pole-based camera option that offers a bottom-up feeding system. There's an air pump that feeds seed into a sealed lower container to the feeding tray, so there is no seed hopper that blocks the view of the camera.

Users are able to switch between the 360-degree perspective and a more traditional wide-angle view. As with other Birdfy feeders, the AI will identify birds that visit, but the Vista includes 120-fps slow-motion video for bird landings and flights. The camera is triggered via weight sensors instead of motion, so bird visits aren't missed. The Vista uses an LLM-powered AI that uses contextual understanding and biological reasoning to identify birds with greater accuracy.

Birdfy says that the included air pump feeding system is able to control feed speed and portion size to cut down on waste and encourage healthier feeding habits. Seed is stored in an antibacterial seed container to minimize contamination and to cut down on refill frequency. The feeder is made from a high-strength nylon that is reinforced with glass fiber, and there is a snap-on modular system for adding accessories to attract more kinds of birds.

Along with the Vista, Birdfy is debuting the Birdfy Hum Bloom, a feeder designed for hummingbirds. The feeder is able to capture 8-megapixel images or 120 fps slow-motion videos, and like the Vista, the Hum Bloom is designed not to obstruct the camera's view.

A flower-shaped nectar bulb delivers nectar in a shape that's familiar to birds, with no visible feeding tray in images. Included sensors can track nectar level, sending an alert when a refill is needed. There's an included ant moat, and a solar panel for continuous power.

Birdfy says that the feeder uses an AI model that's trained specifically on hummingbirds, a feature that sets it apart from other camera-equipped hummingbird feeders.

More information about the feeders will be coming later this year.

It's 2026, and we're kicking off the New Year with all of the best Apple-related discounts you can find online this week. Many of these are matching the low prices we saw over the holidays, including AirTags, Apple Pencil Pro, and Apple Watch Series 11.

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.

Apple Watch

• What's the deal? Take up to $100 off Apple Watch SE 3 and Series 11
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

The New Year is a great time to invest in an Apple Watch and all of its activity tracking features, and this week Amazon has record low prices on multiple Apple Watch Series 11 models.

AirTag

• What's the deal? Take up to $34 off AirTag
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's AirTag 4-Pack returned to the low price of $64.98 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. If you're shopping for a single AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $19.00, down from $29.00.

Jackery and Anker

• What's the deal? Take up to 65 percent off Jackery and Anker accessories
• Where can I get it? Jackery and Anker
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Anyone shopping for portable power stations can find up to 65 percent off Anker and Jackery's best accessories this week. Each retailer is hosting a New Year's sale for its most popular charging accessories, with major savings on these high-priced power stations that match Black Friday prices in many cases.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Take $34 off Apple Pencil Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon

Apple Pencil Pro is still available for its all-time low holiday price of $94.97 this week on Amazon, down from $129.00. This has been one of the more consistent deals of the holiday season, and we aren't sure how long it will stick around into the new year.

Samsung

• What's the deal? Save sitewide on Samsung TVs, monitors, and more
• Where can I get it? Samsung
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Samsung is holding a New Year's sale this week, introducing great deals on monitors, storage accessories, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

TVs

• 55-inch QLED QEF1 Smart TV - $359.99, down from $599.99
• 55-inch QLED Q7F Smart TV - $399.99, down from $529.99
• 55-inch QLED Q8F Smart TV - $699.99, down from $749.99
• 55-inch OLED S95F Smart TV - $1,999.99, down from $2,299.99
  

• 75-inch The Frame Pro - $1,999.99, down from $3,199.99
• 85-inch Neo QLED QN90F Smart TV - $2,999.99, down from $4,499.99

Monitors

• 27-inch Odyssey OLED G6 Gaming Monitor - $649.99, down from $899.99
• 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor - $777.99, down from $1,299.99
• 55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen - $1,299.99, down from $2,699.99
• 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99

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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