Some Chinese users began seeing Apple Intelligence features listed as available and active in the Settings app on their iPhones, but Apple made no formal announcement. Gurman says that Apple is not planning to launch the feature imminently, and that its availability was a mistake. Apple has since removed the Apple Intelligence features.
Gurman claims that Apple would not launch AI features in China without an announcement, nor would it launch AI in China in the middle of the night local time. The feature also currently uses Google reverse image search, and Google is banned in China.
Apple has not been able to launch Apple Intelligence features in China because the country restricts foreign AI technology. Apple is partnering with Alibaba to power Apple Intelligence capabilities, but Apple needs regulatory approval from China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC). The CAC has to test and approve all AI models before AI services are able to launch in China, and there have been ongoing delays with that process.
It is unclear when Apple Intelligence features will come to China, but Apple is eager to launch in the country. Chinese smartphone makers like Huawei and Xiaomi have a variety of AI features available to customers, which puts Apple far behind in the AI race.
The iOS 26.5 beta that Apple released today includes no new Apple IntelligenceSiri functionality, which suggests we're going to be waiting until iOS 27 to see any of the promised Siri features.
Apple was initially targeting iOS 26.4 for new Siri capabilities, but in February, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the company wasn't going to make that goal due to ongoing accuracy issues. He said that Apple could postpone some or all of the new Siri features until iOS 26.5 and iOS 27.
At the time, Apple engineers were apparently using iOS 26.5 for internal Siri testing, and the employees said the update included all of the Apple Intelligence Siri features that Apple promised back at WWDC 2024, but there are no signs of those additions to Siri now that the beta is available to developers.
It's possible that Siri features could come in a later beta of iOS 26.5, but that's looking less and less likely as we get closer to June and the iOS 27 WWDC debut.
Last week, Gurman said that iOS 27 would include a standalone Siri chatbot app and all of the Apple Intelligence Siri features, indicating members of the public won't get a smarter Siri until iOS 27 launches in September 2026.
When Apple introduced Apple Intelligence Siri in June 2024, it said the feature set would launch in an update to iOS 26 coming in 2025. When spring 2025 rolled around, Apple announced a delay and said that Siri was not ready and needed more time. After that setback, Apple made no promise other than saying the revamped version of Siri would launch in 2026.
Behind-the-scenes rumors suggested Apple was targeting iOS 26.4 and development was further delayed, but Apple never publicly mentioned the iOS 26.4 update. As long as Apple launches the new Siri features before December 2026, it will be on track to deliver what it promised.
The version of Siri that Apple has planned for iOS 27 will go above and beyond what was demonstrated at WWDC 2024. Siri is turning into a full chatbot, with a standalone Siri app and feature set that will put the personal assistant on par with Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI chatbots.
Apple tested end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users in the iOS 26.4 beta, but Apple made it clear the functionality was not going to launch in the iOS 26.4 update.
E2EE for RCS was removed before iOS 26.4 was released, but the feature is back in the iOS 26.5 beta as Apple continues testing it.
In the Messages section of the Settings app, the End-to-End Encryption toggle is back in the RCS options, and like before, it is turned on by default.
End-to-end encryption ensures that messages sent between devices cannot be intercepted and read by a third party. Right now, RCS messages sent between Android and iPhone users do not have E2EE, but RCS messages between Android users do. iMessages exchanged between iPhone users have always had end-to-end encryption.
E2EE is in beta and is not available to all devices or carriers in iOS 26.5. Conversations that are encrypted have a lock symbol.
Amazon's Big Spring Sale is set to end tomorrow, March 31, so you still have a little while to shop some of the best prices of the year so far on AirPods, MacBooks, and much more. In this article we're recapping all of the best deals you can still get before the event ends, including a few accessory sales.
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.
AirPods
The best current AirPods deal during the Big Spring Sale is the AirPods Pro 3 for $199.00, down from $249.00. You can also get a pre-order discount on the brand new AirPods Max 2.
Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. We first started tracking the return of these deals last month, but this sale has now expanded with many more options on both 42mm and 46mm GPS models.
You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find four of the 42mm GPS models on sale at this all-time low price, and four of the 46mm GPS models on sale as well.
Amazon is taking up to $100 off the brand new M4 iPad Air during its Big Spring Sale this week. Specifically, Amazon has up to $80 off the 11-inch M4 iPad Air and up to $100 off the 13-inch M4 iPad Air. All of these discounts have been automatically applied and do not require a coupon code or a Prime membership.
The new iPad Air features the M4 chip, C1X modem, and N1 networking chip, which brings support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of design, the 2026 models are identical to the 2025 iPad Air tablets, with an edge-to-edge display, slim bezels, and aluminum chassis.
M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro
Amazon is offering new all-time low prices on Apple's M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro, with up to $149 off select models without the need of a membership or clipping a coupon.
We're also tracking similar steep discounts on the 16-inch models, including a few M5 Max options. These discounts reach up to $199 off original prices, and as of writing we're only tracking these deals on Amazon.
Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $104.99 during the Big Spring Sale, down from $149.99, with no need for a coupon. This accessory just launched last month, and Amazon's sale today represents a new all-time low price.
The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe iPhone charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's MagSafe charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 MagSafe chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.
There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including the Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock back at its all-time low price of $339.99, down from $399.99. Anker's popular 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube is also down to a new all-time low price of $79.03, down from $129.99.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple today provided the first beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming six days after Apple launched macOS Tahoe 26.4.
Developers can download the macOS Tahoe 26.5 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.
macOS Tahoe 26.5 could introduce some Apple IntelligenceSiri features, though recent rumors suggest the new capabilities will be held until iOS 27.
The beta is limited to developers right now, but a public beta is expected in the next week or two.
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4.
Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.
It's possible iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 will include new Apple IntelligenceSiri features, but it's sounding like those capabilities are going to be held until iOS 27.
Apple is planning to implement end-to-end encrypted RCS messages at some point, so that functionality could come in iOS 26.5, plus Apple has been planning to implement notification forwarding and proximity pairing for third-party wearables in the EU.
It's not known what other features might be included in iOS 26.5, but we'll provide updates when we've installed the new software.
Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple launched the 26.4 versions of each platform.
The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.
There's no word on what's in the software as of yet. watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS often get few features in each new beta, with updates primarily focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements.
Apple will likely provide public beta testers with access to the tvOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5 betas in April, but visionOS 26.5 will remain limited to developers.
Apple has not publicly commented on removing the 512GB of RAM option, but it was likely because of the ongoing memory chip shortage, which has resulted in the price of RAM chips skyrocketing. It is possible that Apple could allow the Mac Studio to be configured with 512GB of RAM again one day, once supply catches up to demand.
14-inch MacBook Pro with 512GB of Storage
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips start with at least 1TB of storage, and Apple also decided to bump the minimum storage for the lower-end 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip to 1TB.
This means the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip and 512GB of storage was discontinued.
Keep in mind that the 14-inch MacBook Pro now starts at $1,699, whereas a configuration with 512GB of storage previously started at $1,599.
Released alongside the 2019 Mac Pro, the Pro Display XDR featured a 32-inch screen with LED backlighting, 6K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, P3 wide color, up to 1,600 nits of brightness, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., the monitor started at $4,999, but the optional Pro Stand cost $999 extra.
The Studio Display XDR has a lot of superior features compared to the Pro Display XDR, including mini-LED backlighting, a 120Hz refresh rate, up to twice as much display brightness, speakers, a camera, Thunderbolt 5 support, and a lower $3,299 starting price that includes a stand. However, it has a smaller 27-inch screen.
More
Of course, Apple also discontinued previous-generation versions of the iPad Air, MacBook Air, and many other products this month, as we already listed.
New images of an alleged iPhone 18 Pro prototype and screen protectors have emerged from multiple sources, adding weight to earlier reports that Apple plans to significantly shrink the Dynamic Island later this year.
An X user called @earlyappleleaks recently shared an image purportedly showing a prototype iPhone 18 Pro with a noticeably smaller Dynamic Island. In the picture, the flashlight of another iPhone is held over the corner of the display, revealing a small circular punch-hole cutout under the display, which is presumably a relocated Face ID sensor.
Moving TrueDepth camera components under the display would allow the Dynamic Island cutout itself to shrink considerably, and multiple earlier reports suggested Face ID will be the first component Apple plans to move beneath the screen. "Early Apple" is a relatively new account of unknown origin with no established track record, so the image should be taken with caution.
iPhone 18 series bezel are the same as iPhone 17 and iPhone 16. But all three iPhone 18 reduce the width of Dynamic Island. pic.twitter.com/g50BKPPiws
— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) March 27, 2026
Separately, the leaker known as "Ice Universe," who has a decent track record for Apple leaks, shared an image of an alleged iPhone 18 Pro screen protector showing dramatically smaller cutouts compared to the current design. The protector images appear to corroborate the alleged prototype photo, and similar images have since been proliferating across Chinese social media.
The leaker known as "Majin Bu," citing the accumulating evidence, claims the Dynamic Island is set to shrink by as much as 35% compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. The fact that these accessories are starting to be produced suggests that manufacturers have a high level of confidence that the upcoming device will feature a smaller Dynamic Island.
Leaks about the iPhone 18 Pro have just appeared online, showing that the dynamic island has shrunk by 35% compared to previous models. pic.twitter.com/DFHbcig9sJ
— Majin (@MajinBuofficia) March 29, 2026
There has been some disagreement among sources on the smaller Dynamic Island, with some reports casting doubt on the rumors, but most of the evidence now appears to support the change.
Ice Universe previously reported that the smaller Dynamic Island would be adopted across the full iPhone 18 lineup, not just the Pro models, while bezels on next-generation devices will apparently remain identical to those on the iPhone 17 series.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro models alongside its first foldable iPhone this fall, with the standard iPhone 18 arriving early next year as part of a new split-cycle launch strategy.
Just a few days after the iPhone Air received a big discount on Amazon in the United Kingdom, Best Buy today is offering customers in the United States a chance to get up to $200 off the smartphone.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. 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 256GB iPhone Air for $799.99 ($200 off) if you activate the device through Verizon or AT&T. The retailer is also offering an unlocked version of the 256GB iPhone Air for $899.99 ($100 off).
These deals are available in Light Gold, Sky Blue, and Space Black for the 256GB model. You can also find similar discounts at up to $200 off the 512GB and 1TB models on Best Buy.
This is Best Buy's deal of the day for today, so we only expect it to be around until later tonight. 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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? 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 Irish subsidiary has been fined £390,000 ($516,110) by the UK government for making payments to a sanctioned Russian streaming platform in 2022.
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) said that Apple Distribution International Ltd. (ADI), the Republic of Ireland-based entity Apple uses to pay App Store developers, made two payments totaling £635,618 to Okko LLC, a Russian video streaming platform, in June and July 2022, at a time when Okko was subject to UK sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The payments were routed through UK banks.
ADI voluntarily disclosed the payments to OFSI, and the agency confirmed that no breach had been attributed to Apple Inc. itself, only to the subsidiary. In a statement, Apple said:
We follow the laws in the countries where we operate and take sanctions compliance extremely seriously. After identifying two payments to a developer that days earlier had become affiliated with a sanctioned entity, we promptly and proactively reported our finding to the UK government. We are constantly working to enhance our already robust compliance protocols, which are consistent with industry standards.
OFSI said Apple had relied on corporate affiliates to handle payment processing, sanctions screening, and due diligence, but that companies are ultimately responsible for ensuring their own compliance with financial sanctions rules.
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 is preparing to launch an iMac featuring an OLED panel with higher brightness, according to ZDNet Korea.
Apple has apparently requested that Samsung Display, LG Display, and other suppliers produce 24-inch OLED panel samples suitable for a future iMac model using their mass-production facilities. This would be the biggest ever OLED display offered on an Apple device.
Specifically, Apple asked suppliers for 24-inch OLED panels with 600 nits of brightness and around 218 pixels-per-inch (PPI).By comparison, the current iMac features a 24-inch LCD display with 500 nits of brightness and 218 PPI.
Samsung Display is expected to respond first, planning to produce 220 PPI samples on its large-format Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) production lines and ship them to Apple in the second half of 2026. This would be a considerable step up from the 160 PPI QD-OLED panels it currently mass-produces for monitors. SEMES announced earlier this month that it had shipped inkjet printing equipment to Samsung capable of supporting the higher pixel density.
LG Display's samples are expected to follow those of Samsung, and may not be as bright due to using color filters rather than a quantum dot color conversion layer. Instead of using its existing 4-stack W-OLED panels, the company reportedly plans to compete using a still-in-development 5-stack design that adds a green layer for better brightness. LG Display is also developing "eLEAP" technology, referred to internally as "fLEAP," which eliminates the need for Fine Metal Masks (FMM), for a selection of future Apple device displays, including the iMac and MacBook.
Apple purportedly wants to launch the OLED iMac in 2029 or 2030. For now, the iMac is due an upgrade to the M5 chip. Apple last refreshed the machine with the M4 chip and a 12MP Center Stage camera in October 2024.
This month, tech columnist David Pogue launched a new book called "Apple: The First 50 Years." On Amazon, you can get the new book for $33.80 in hardcover, down from $50.00, the best price we've seen so far on the book.
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 book explores the first five decades of Apple's history, including interviews with 150 key people who shaped Apple into what it is today, like Steve Wozniak, John Sculley, Jony Ive, and more. The book is launching to coincide with Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026.
Amazon's sale is on the hardcover version of the book, and provides an estimated April 3 delivery date for free delivery.
We've collected all of the best deals you can find during Amazon's Big Spring Sale in our dedicated article. 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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Amazon is offering new all-time low prices on Apple's M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro, with up to $149 off select models without the need of a membership or clipping a coupon. This deal is part of Amazon's ongoing Big Spring Sale, which has major discounts on AirPods, iPads, and more.
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.
Starting with the 14-inch models, you can get the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro for $2,049.99, down from $2,199.00. This deal, along with all of the others we're tracking in this article, represent new best-ever prices on the brand new M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro.
We're also tracking similar steep discounts on the 16-inch models, including a few M5 Max options. These discounts reach up to $199 off original prices, and as of writing we're only tracking these deals on Amazon.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting surprise performances and other events around the world over the past few weeks, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed details about the company's grand finale.
In a social media post, Gurman said Apple's celebrations will conclude this week with a finale at its Apple Park headquarters for employees.
A special guest will perform, according to Gurman. He hinted at Paul McCartney.
"Let me just say he's still going strong, was part of the British Invasion and [Steve] Jobs would've been ecstatic," Gurman said about the headliner.
As spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, the Apple Park Visitor Center is closing early at 3 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, March 31. However, it is our understanding that Apple's final celebration will not have a public component, with the event likely to be limited to Apple's corporate employees and other invitees.
It is unclear if any of Apple's retail employees will be invited to the event.
Apple turns 50 on April 1. It is unclear if the final celebration will be happening on March 31 or on April 1, but it should be quite the party.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has high expectations for Apple's first foldable iPhone.
In his Power On newsletter today, he said the foldable iPhone will be "the most significant overhaul in the iPhone's history."
"iPhone 4, iPhone 6 and iPhone X were clearly a big deal, but this is a whole new design," he said.
Like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone will reportedly open up like a book, providing users with a large inner screen for watching videos, playing games, and multitasking. iOS 27 is expected to be optimized for the foldable iPhone, allowing for apps to be open side-by-side and for other iPad-like multitasking functionality.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the foldable iPhone to have two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID.
Apple will likely unveil the foldable iPhone in September this year, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. However, according to analyst Tim Long and Gurman, the foldable iPhone might ship later than the Pro models.
In the U.S., it has been estimated that the foldable iPhone may start at or above $1,999.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman discussed Apple's upcoming AI plans in more detail. As he reported last week, this will apparently include a Siri app with a so-called "Extensions" feature across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.
With the Siri app, the report said that iPhone, iPad, and Mac users would be able to interact with Apple's assistant in both text and voice modes. The app would also provide users with access to their past conversations with Siri. Overall, the Siri app would function similarly to the ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude apps.
"Extensions allow agents from installed apps to work with Siri, the Siri app and other features on your devices," reads fine print in the Settings app on an internal, pre-release version of iOS 27, according to Gurman. The first developer beta of iOS 27 should be available in June, ahead of a wide release to all users in September.
In his newsletter, Gurman said the App Store will have a dedicated "Extensions" section.
"It will be a marketplace of sorts for third-party AI integrations," he wrote.
That fine print also seemingly confirms that Apple is indeed testing a Siri app.
It is unclear if the Siri app will be available on all iPhone models compatible with iOS 27, or if it will require an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with Apple Intelligence support.
Beyond supporting more third-party chatbots, Siri will receive a major overhaul on iOS 27, according to Gurman. He expects Siri to have a redesigned interface, which may involve the Dynamic Island, and there will apparently be a systemwide "Ask Siri" button in Apple's apps and a "Write with Siri" button above the keyboard.
Amazon today has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $199.00 during its Big Spring Sale, down from $249.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 3, and one of the best all-around deals you can get during the Amazon's springtime Prime Day.
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 model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.
You can also get the AirPods 4 for $99.99 in the Big Spring Sale, down from $129.00, which is a solid second-best price. You can find all of the best discounts going on during this event in our dedicated post, which highlights discounts on AirTag, iPads, MacBooks, and more.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. 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 Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
