Apple's Secret Robotics Team Gets New Leadership
Apple is removing another project from AI chief John Giannandrea, and he will no longer oversee Apple's secret robotics division, according to Bloomberg. After Apple failed to deliver promised Apple Intelligence Siri features on time under Giannandrea's leadership, Apple asked Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell to oversee the ‌Siri‌ team and future ‌Siri‌ development instead. Now the robotics team will make a similar move, transitioning to the hardware division where robotics development will be overseen by Apple senior vice president John Ternus instead of Giannandrea. Giannandrea continues to head up Apple's AI and machine learning efforts, and changing the robotics team leadership will give his team more time to focus on new artificial intelligence features. Giannandrea has hundreds fewer engineers to manage, and the shift is a clear indication that Apple leadership does not feel that he can lead multiple teams. Apple is making major management changes in order to further prioritize ‌Apple Intelligence‌, as it needs to catch up with Google, OpenAI, Perplexity, and other AI companies that are leagues ahead in AI development. Kevin Lynch, who oversaw the development of the Apple Watch and Apple's now-canceled car, is leading the robotics team. Apple has several robotics projects in the works, and a tabletop robot with an arm that can move around an iPad-style display could be the first device to come from the robot team. Apple is also planning for a more mobile robot that would be more like an iPad on wheels able to carry out simple tasks, place calls, and answer queries. Ternus is a top Apple exec and he has worked on some of Apple's biggest products, overseeing the hardware engineering of the iPhone, ‌iPad‌, Mac, and other devices. He already oversees another hardware engineering team working on robotics and smart home technologies, and Bloomberg suggests that Apple's move to merge the two robotics teams could indicate that Apple is ramping up robot development.Tags: Apple Robot, Bloomberg, John GiannandreaThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Explains How AI-Generated App Store Review Summaries Work in iOS 18.4
With the launch of iOS 18.4, Apple introduced a new App Store feature that summarizes multiple user reviews to provide an at-a-glance summary of what people think of an app or a game. In a new blog post on its Machine Learning Research blog, Apple provides some detail on how ‌App Store‌ review summaries work. Apple is using a multi-step large language model (LLM) system to generate the summaries, with the aim of creating overviews that are inclusive, balanced, and accurately reflect the user's voice. Apple says that it prioritizes "safety, fairness, truthfulness, and helpfulness" in its summaries, while outlining some of the challenges in aggregating ‌App Store‌ reviews. With new app releases, features, and bug fixes, reviews can change, so Apple's summarizations have to dynamically adapt to stay relevant, while also being able to aggregate both short and long reviews. Some reviews also include off-topic comments or noise, which the LLM needs to filter out. To begin with, Apple's LLM ignores reviews that have spam, profanity, or fraud. Remaining reviews are then processed through a sequence of LLM-powered modules that extract key insights from each review, aggregating themes that reoccur, balancing positive and negative takes, and then generating a summary that's around 100 to 300 characters in length. Apple uses specially trained LLMs for each step in the process, ensuring that the summaries are an accurate reflection of user sentiment. During the development of the feature, thousands of summaries were reviewed by human raters to assess factors like helpfulness, composition, and safety. Apple's full blog post goes into more detail on each step of the summary generation process, and it is worth checking out for those who are interested in the way that Apple is approaching LLMs.Tag: App StoreThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management, and the addition of a macOS-like menu bar would certainly align with that overall plan. In a blog post today, the leaker also claimed that iPadOS 19 will enhance Stage Manager, the feature that lets you use multiple apps at once on an external display. The leaker said that Stage Manager will work more seamlessly, but they did not provide any specific details about the alleged improvements. They also said that iOS 19 will enable at least a basic version of Stage Manager on iPhone models with a USB-C port. The first beta of iPadOS 19 should be available after the WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, but some new features are not enabled until later betas. Majin Bu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors, with some hits and some misses.Related Roundup: iOS 19Tags: Magic Keyboard, Majin BuThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iOS 19 Rumored to Add Stage Manager Support to USB-C iPhones
A leaker known as Majin Bu today claimed that iOS 19 will enable support for at least a limited version of Stage Manager on iPhone models with a USB-C port. In a blog post citing sources, the leaker said that when an iPhone with a USB-C port is connected to an external display, users will be able to take advantage of a Stage Manager-like interface with multiple apps open at once on the screen. However, he said that there might be more limitations compared to Stage Manager on iPads. iPhone models with a USB-C port include all iPhone 15 models and newer. iPhones with both Lightning and USB-C ports can already be connected to external displays, but only for basic screen mirroring. The first developer beta of iOS 19 should be available immediately after the WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, and the software update is expected to be released to the general public in September. It is unclear if Stage Manager support on USB-C iPhones would be available in the first beta, or enabled later in the iOS 19 software cycle. Samsung offers a similar feature called DeX on its Galaxy smartphones. Majin Bu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors, with some hits and some misses. They were one of the sources who accurately claimed that the device succeeding the iPhone SE would be named the iPhone 16e, but they also inaccurately claimed that the device would have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch. They also accurately leaked the redesigned Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Desert Titanium color name for iPhone 16 Pro models, several iPhone cases, and much more.Related Roundup: iOS 19Tags: Majin Bu, Stage ManagerThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. To receive the pin, simply visit an Apple Store and ask an employee about it. We were able to receive the pin without having our Activity rings closed yet today, so that does not appear to be a requirement, but your mileage may vary. Here is what Apple said about the pin in a press release:To celebrate Global Close Your Rings Day, customers can obtain a special pin inspired by the award. Customers can pick up a pin at Apple Store locations worldwide starting April 24, while supplies last.The original Apple Watch launched 10 years ago today, on April 24, 2015. Here is what Apple Watch chief Jeff Williams said about the 10-year anniversary:Apple Watch has changed the way people think about, monitor, and engage with their fitness and health. A decade ago, we introduced Activity rings — and since then, Apple Watch has grown to offer an extensive set of features designed to empower every user. People write to us almost every day sharing how Apple Watch has made a difference in their life, from motivating them to move more throughout the day, to changing the trajectory of their health.If you received the pin, feel free to share a photo in our forums.Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10Tag: Activity ChallengeBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 16 Ad Highlights a Key Advantage Over Android Smartphones
Apple today shared a new ad that highlights a key advantage that iPhone 16 models have over Android smartphones: the Ceramic Shield. Apple says the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max displays are all protected by the latest-generation Ceramic Shield material, which is advertised as being "2x tougher than glass on any other smartphone." In the new "Trust Issues" ad, a father hands his iPhone to a stranger and asks them to take a photo of his family at a carnival. Unfortunately, the stranger drops the iPhone, leading to a moment of suspense given the device might have been damaged. However, the display glass remains intact due to the Ceramic Shield. "Relax, it's iPhone 16," the video description concludes. Of course, your mileage may vary. Apple introduced the Ceramic Shield on all iPhone 12 models, and it has continued to improve the glass-ceramic material's formulation over the years.Related Roundup: iPhone 16Tags: Apple Ads, Ceramic ShieldBuyer's Guide: iPhone 16 (Neutral)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a single speaker, and an A19 chip instead of a more powerful A19 Pro chip. While there have been some concerns that the iPhone 17 Air's thin design could result in limited battery life, the device might end up beating expectations. There are three rumored features for the iPhone 17 Air that could contribute to longer battery life than one might imagine, including a higher-density battery, Apple's power-efficient C1 modem, and the lack of an Ultra Wide camera providing more internal space for a larger battery. Below, we recap 16 key rumors for the iPhone 17 Air as of April 2025:The thinnest iPhone ever, measuring just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, but possibly up to 9.5mm with the rear camera bump included 6.6-inch OLED display with Face ID and a Dynamic Island ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate A19 chip instead of A19 Pro chip A single 48-megapixel rear camera on an all-new elongated camera bar A 24-megapixel front camera A single speaker in the earpiece, no bottom speaker Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip Apple-designed C1 modem for cellular connectivity eSIM only, no physical SIM card slot worldwide USB-C port High-density battery Camera Control button Action button MagSafe Newly reported today: 12GB of RAM, exceeding the minimum for Apple IntelligenceBookmark our iPhone 17 Air roundup to stay up to date with more rumors in the coming months.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 17 Air Now Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM Like the Pro Models
The rumored ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to the latest word from Ming-Chi Kuo. In a blog post today, the well-known Apple supply chain analyst said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. He previously only expected the iPhone 17 Pro Max to have 12GB of RAM, so this is good news for customers who will be purchasing the other models. Kuo said even the base-model iPhone 17 might be equipped with 12GB of RAM, but only if supply chain shortages can be overcome. All of the models in the iPhone 16 lineup are equipped with 8GB of RAM, so the jump to 12GB would be a significant increase. Increased RAM can contribute to improved performance for Apple Intelligence and multitasking. Even if the base-model iPhone 17 sticks with 8GB of RAM, Kuo said he expects all models in the iPhone 18 lineup to have 12GB of RAM. Kuo said the increased RAM will primarily benefit Apple suppliers Micron and SK Hynix. Apple should announce the iPhone 17 series in September.Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 ProTag: Ming-Chi KuoThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Watch SE Hits $169.97 Low Price on Amazon
Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.97 today, down from $249.00. This is just a few cents away from the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options. 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. Amazon has four 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE at this price, including multiple sizes of the Sport Band model. Most are in stock and available to be delivered by the end of April. $79 OFFApple Watch SE (40mm GPS) for $169.97 Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at the low price of $199.97 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is available in Midnight and Starlight Aluminum colors, and in both Sport Loop and Sport Band options. $79 OFFApple Watch SE (44mm GPS) for $199.97 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 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Watch SE Hits $169.97 Low Price on Amazon
Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.97 today, down from $249.00. This is just a few cents away from the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options. 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. Amazon has four 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE at this price, including multiple sizes of the Sport Band model. Most are in stock and available to be delivered by the end of April. $79 OFFApple Watch SE (40mm GPS) for $169.97 Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at the low price of $199.97 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is available in Midnight and Starlight Aluminum colors, and in both Sport Loop and Sport Band options. $79 OFFApple Watch SE (44mm GPS) for $199.97 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 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Watch Launched 10 Years Ago Today
Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the original Apple Watch launching in the United States and eight other countries around the world. The original Apple Watch launched in stores and began arriving to customers on April 24, 2015, after being announced in September 2014. "Apple Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology and we think our customers are going to love it," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a press release announcing availability of the device. "We can't wait for people to start wearing Apple Watch to easily access information that matters, to interact with the world, and to live a better day by being more aware of their daily activity than ever before," he added. "Apple Watch merges hardware and software like never before," said Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive, in the same press release. Impressively, the Apple Watch has helped to save countless lives over the past decade, thanks to health and safety features like heart rate measuring, the ECG app, fall detection, sleep apnea notifications, Emergency SOS, crash detection, and more. These features have alerted many people to conditions like atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea, and even cancer, allowing them to seek medical attention earlier than they would have otherwise. In several interviews over the years, Cook has said that Apple's greatest contribution to the world will be in the health space, and the Apple Watch is a testament to that. Over the next decade, we can expect even more health features on the Apple Watch, such as blood pressure measuring and potentially even non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. It's not marketing hype to say that the Apple Watch has made a profound impact on humankind, and it is exciting to see what the next decade holds.Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of so-called "gatekeeper" companies. According to the Commission, Apple violated the DMA by restricting developers from informing users about alternative payment options outside the App Store and by preventing the distribution of iOS apps through competing app marketplaces. Speaking to Reuters, a spokesperson for the White House condemned the EU's actions, signaling growing transatlantic tensions over regulation of U.S. technology firms:This novel form of economic extortion will not be tolerated by the United States. Extraterritorial regulations that specifically target and undermine American companies, stifle innovation, and enable censorship will be recognized as barriers to trade and a direct threat to free civil society. Apple said it plans to appeal the decision. The company called it "another example of the commission unfairly targeting the company" with actions that are "bad for the privacy and security of our users." The penalties represent approximately 0.1% of each company's annual revenue, which is significantly below the potential maximum fine of 10% allowed under the DMA. The ruling comes amid ongoing trade negotiations between the EU and the U.S., which could potentially add another layer of complexity to transatlantic tech regulations.Tags: Apple Antitrust, European Commission, European Union, United StatesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 16e Sales Outperform SE in First Quarter YoY, Pro Models Decline
New data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests Apple's iPhone 16e is off to a strong start, capturing 7% of U.S. iPhone sales in its first partial quarter of availability. The new mid-range offering outperformed the iPhone SE's share from the same quarter last year. The entire iPhone 16 lineup, now consisting of five models with the addition of the 16e, accounted for 74% of total U.S. iPhone sales in the March 2025 quarter. It's a marked increase from the 68% share held by the four iPhone 15 models during the same period in 2024. While the 16e drove much of this growth, CIRP's data shows some surprising shifts across the lineup. The standard iPhone 16 saw a decent boost, climbing to 20% of sales compared to just 14% for the iPhone 15 in the previous year's quarter. Meanwhile, Apple's high-end models had an unexpected decline. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max together accounted for 38% of iPhone sales, down from 45% for the iPhone 15 Pro models a year earlier. The iPhone 16 Pro specifically dropped from 22% to 17% market share. The numbers suggest Apple's strengthening of its mid-range offerings may be working overall, with more buyers choosing the standard iPhone 16 over the pricier Pro models. At the same time, the 16e appears to be wooing customers who previously might have opted for older models. Legacy iPhones – defined as models more than a year old – fell to 26% of U.S. sales, down from 32% the year before. The decline coincides with Apple's streamlining of its iPhone lineup, which included discontinuing the iPhone SE and the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus during the quarter.Tag: CIRPThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Partner TSMC Unveils Advanced 1.4nm Process for 2028 Chips
Apple chipmaker TSMC at the North America Technology Symposium has teased its next-generation A14 process node that will enter planned production in 2028. The cutting-edge A14 node will allow for highly advanced 1.4nm chips that are likely to be utilized for future generations of Apple silicon. Compared to TSMC's N2 node, A14 promises up to 15% faster performance at the same power or up to 30% power savings at the same performance. A14 also boasts over 20% logic density improvement. TSMC said it is also evolving its TSMC NanoFlex standard cell architecture to NanoFlex Pro, enabling greater performance, power efficiency, and design flexibility. From the company's press release: "Our customers constantly look to the future, and TSMC's technology leadership and manufacturing excellence provides them with a dependable roadmap for their innovations," said TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei. "TSMC's cutting-edge logic technologies like A14 are part of a comprehensive suite of solutions that connect the physical and digital worlds to unleash our customers' innovation for advancing the AI future."It's not known which of TSMC's clients will stand to benefit first from the new 1.4nm chips, but given the close partnership between the company and Apple, it's a good bet that the latter will be at the front of the queue to place orders. TSMC's industry-leading 2nm process is set to enter volume production later this year. Apple is not expected to introduce devices using TSMC's 2nm (N2) process node until 2026, suggesting that the iPhone 18 series will be first to adopt the technology in Apple's A20 chip. Both the iPhone 17 and the upcoming M5 chip for Macs and iPads are expected to continue to utilize TSMC's 3nm process, specifically the third-generation N3P node. This decision is primarily due to the high costs and limited production capacity associated with the 2nm process at this time.Tag: TSMCThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Perplexity's New iOS Voice Assistant Works Where Siri Still Can't
Perplexity has updated its iOS app with a new Voice Assistant feature, bringing conversational AI capabilities to Apple devices, including older iPhones and iPads that don't support Apple Intelligence. The update allows iPhone users to interact with Perplexity's AI assistant through voice commands even when navigating away from the app. The Voice Assistant can perform various tasks such as the following, given the requisite user permissions: Drafting and sending emails Sending messages and making calls Controlling smart home devices Providing Apple Maps directions and traffic updates Setting reminders Booking Ubers Scheduling and editing Calendar events Playing Podcasts, including search and subscribe Playing music and videos Answering general knowledge questions Making reservations via booking sites Voice Assistant can browse the web and perform multi-app actions to complete these functions directly from the Perplexity iOS app. Introducing Perplexity iOS Voice AssistantVoice Assistant uses web browsing and multi-app actions to book reservations, send emails and calendar invites, play media, and more—all from the Perplexity iOS app.Update your app in the App Store and start asking today. pic.twitter.com/OKdlTaG9CO— Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) April 23, 2025 The update includes a shortcut for Voice Assistant that can be added to the Lock Screen or assigned to an iPhone's Action button, making Perplexity a viable substitute for some of Apple Intelligence's delayed conversational AI enhancements for Siri, which are still likely months away from release. Perplexity leverages the power of large language models like OpenAI's GPT-4.1, Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and xAi's Grok-2. The iOS app currently lacks the screen sharing capability found in the Android version of Perplexity, where the assistant can see and interact with content on the user's screen. Perplexity syncs across devices and is a free download with in-app subscriptions from the App Store. [Direct Link]This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker camera bar area – making it the thinnest ‌iPhone‌ to date. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are rumored to be around 8.725mm thick, and as you can see, it's really noticeable up close. Impressively, the slimmer device is almost as thin as the buttons on the sides. Rumors suggest that Apple will use a titanium and aluminum chassis for the ‌iPhone‌ to ensure it's strong enough not to bend. No-one wants another iPhone 6 Plus "bendgate" scenario – least of all Apple. Initially, Apple had designs on making the iPhone 17 Air bigger than its expected 6.6-inch size, but reportedly decided against it because the larger display would make it prone to bending. It suggests Apple has really gone the extra mile in terms of the device's durability. To achieve this level of thinness, Apple is believed to have settled on a single rear camera to preserve space for the battery, and it is embracing eSIM worldwide to do away with the sim slot. The handset will also use Apple's ultra-efficient custom-designed C1 modem that recently debuted in the iPhone 16e. Altogether, we're expected battery life to equal that of current iPhone models. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 series around its usual mid-September timeframe, likely alongside new AirPods Pro 3 earbuds.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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When Will iOS 18.5 Be Released?
Apple is testing an iOS 18.5 update with developers and public beta testers, and we've had three betas so far. There aren't any notable changes so far, but the update will still bring important bug fixes and security improvements. So when can we expect it? Based on historical release timelines for x.5 updates, iOS 18.5 and its sister updates are likely to launch in May. Here's when we saw updates in prior years: iOS 17.5 - May 13 iOS 16.5 - May 18 iOS 15.5 - May 16 iOS 14.5 - April 26 iOS 13.5 - May 20 Many of Apple's x.5 updates are released around the middle of the month, so the week of May 12 is a solid guess, though the week of May 19 is also a possibility. Though we've only had three betas so far, there are so few new features in iOS 18.5 that we probably won't need too many more betas for it to be ready to launch. Apple's x.5 updates have historically had fewer features than earlier releases, because Apple is often already transitioning much of its new development to the next-generation version of iOS. We're just a couple of months way from when iOS 19 will be introduced at WWDC, so Apple is working to get it ready to go. iOS 18.5 won't be the last update to iOS 18, and we'll likely see at least one more major point update before ‌iOS 19‌ rolls out this fall.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Max Cracking Down on Password Sharing With New 'Extra Member' Feature
Following in the footsteps of Netflix and Disney+, streaming service Max is starting to crack down on password sharing between multiple households. Max this week debuted a new Extra Member Add-On feature, which is designed to allow users to pay a fee to share a Max subscription with someone who does not live in the same home. Extra Member Add-On is priced at $7.99 per month, on top of the base subscription price. Max with ads is $9.99 per month, while the Standard plan is $16.99 per month and the Premium plan with 4K streaming is $20.99 per month. Extra members are provided with their own account, password, and single profile, and add-on members can only watch Max on one device at a time. Max subscribers are only able to add one additional member to an account. Only those who subscribe to Max through WarnerMedia are able to access the Extra Member Add-On feature, and it is not available to those who have the Disney+, Hulu and Max bundle, or those who subscribe through third-party providers like app stores and TV providers. $7.99 per month for the Extra Member Add-On is only $2 cheaper than an ad-supported plan, but the Extra Member feature has the benefit of sharing the plan of the main subscriber. So if the main subscription is the 4K Premium plan, the Extra Member can access 4K streaming and other Premium benefits for the $7.99 price. Max will likely prohibit password sharing between multiple households in the near future, and will prompt users who attempt to use an account from more than one location to sign up for the Extra Member feature or to pay for a separate subscription.Tag: HBO MaxThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Stops Signing iOS 18.4
Apple is no longer signing iOS 18.4, a little over a week after releasing the iOS 18.4.1 update. Since iOS 18.4 is not signed anymore, iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 18.4.1 are not able to downgrade to iOS 18.4. It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing an older version of iOS after releasing an update, and the process keeps ‌iPhone‌ users from installing outdated versions of iOS. "Signing" refers to a server-side verification check that's done when versions of iOS are downloaded onto an ‌iPhone‌. Only software that passes the verification check is able to be installed. Preventing downgrading ensures that customers have the latest security improvements and are not vulnerable to known attacks or security holes. The iOS 18.4.1 update addresses an issue with wireless CarPlay and fixes several security updates, including one known to be actively exploited, so it is a good idea to install the software if you have not done so already.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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YouTube TV Getting Interface Update With Customizable Multiview
To celebrate YouTube's 20th anniversary, the YouTube team today announced that YouTube TV is getting an interface update in the near future. Starting in the next few weeks, YouTube TV members will be able to build their own multiview with select non-sports content. A small group of popular channels will be available to begin with, though access will be expanding in the coming months. Later this year, the YouTube app for TVs will be redesigned, with YouTube aiming to introduce easier navigation, playback, quality tweaks, and streamlined access to comments, channel info, and subscribing. The YouTube app for TV sets hasn't seen notable updates for several years now, but a sneak peek suggests that YouTube is aiming for a more Netflix-like design with rows of shows and content from paid services. YouTube says the YouTube app for TVs will be updated sometime this summer. Other YouTube changes available as part of YouTube's 20th anniversary celebration include 4x playback speed for YouTube Premium members, a new temporary YouTube logo, and birthday-themed animations.Tags: YouTube, YouTube TVThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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All Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Users Get Live Translation, Live A Coming Soon
Meta today announced that it is rolling out a new live translation feature to all Ray-Ban Meta glasses users, providing wide access to functionality that was previously only available to early access users in a beta capacity. Live translation supports English, French, Italian, and Spanish, allowing users to translate between those languages in real-time while having a conversation. As long as a particular language pack has been downloaded in advance, no Wi-Fi or cellular connection is required to use the feature. When you're speaking to someone in one of those languages, you'll hear what they say in your preferred language through the glasses in real time, and they can view a translated transcript of the conversation on your phone. To get started, just say, "Hey Meta, start live translation." Live translate will translate what the person speaking in another language is saying, while responses can be seen on a connected smartphone. In the near future, Meta plans to introduce live AI, a feature where the Meta smart glasses can see whatever the wearer sees through the built-in camera, allowing for real-time AI conversations. Meta says the glasses will be able to provide hands-free help with meal prep, gardening, exploring, and more. Questions can be asked without the need to say a wake word, and the AI can understand context between requests for referencing prior queries. Meta's smart glasses should be of interest to Apple users because they provide some insight into what we might see from Apple in the future. Rumors suggest that Apple is considering developing smart glasses that are similar to Meta's Ray-Bans. Apple glasses could feature AI, microphones, and cameras, though there wouldn't be augmented reality capabilities.Tag: MetaThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Working on visionOS Support for Godot Game Engine
Apple engineers have offered to contribute Vision Pro support to the Godot engine, which is a free, open source game engine that's available to game creators as an alternative to Unity and Unreal. Godot is cross-platform and supports PCs, mobile devices, the web, and more at the current time, but with Apple's contributions, games made with Godot could run natively on the Vision Pro. On GitHub, a member of the visionOS engineering team said that Apple wants to help bring Vision Pro integration to Godot, with the aim of developing a visionOS VR plugin. Apple engineers have already started contributing to the project, and have pledged to continue development based on community feedback. First, I'd like to mention that we're really excited to be working with the Godot community on adding visionOS support. We've attempted to follow Godot's coding standards and a high-quality bar for our contributions. We hope that our contributions align with Godot's goals. Lastly, even though we have tried to split the changes into smaller self-contained PRs, we acknowledge that some of these PRs can be of considerable size. We're very happy to iterate on our PRs after receiving feedback and suggestions from the community. The Vision Pro has so far seen lackluster sales and waning interest from Apple users, both due to the high cost and the lack of content. By providing free tools that would let Godot developers create immersive visionOS experiences, Apple could grow the number of games on the platform. Apple is working on future versions of the Vision Pro, so laying the groundwork for development early will benefit the headset's longer term prospects.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Ads in Threads Expand to More Users
Threads users in more than 30 countries will start seeing ads on the social network as of today, according to Instagram lead Adam Mosseri. Threads parent company Meta is rolling ads out to additional locations after testing them with a limited number of users in the United States. On Threads, Mosseri said that ads are expanding more broadly, and that the company's goal is for them to "enhance your overall experience." Ads will show up in the Threads feed between posts on Threads, and will be delivered in select markets to begin with, before rolling out to additional markets in the future. Meta has so far tested ads with a limited number of advertisers, but now all advertisers globally will be able to display ads on Threads. "People come to Meta's apps for a personalized experience that helps them discover businesses and content they love—ads are an essential part of enabling this. To help people deepen connections with businesses they love, we are expanding ads in Threads to all eligible advertisers globally," reads Meta's blog post on the ad expansion.Tag: ThreadsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Amazon Discounts M4 MacBook Air to New Low Prices, Plus Switch 2 Pre-Orders Coming Tonight
Amazon today introduced a few new all-time low prices across Apple's M4 MacBook Air lineup, offering up to $112 off select models of the computer. Additionally, anyone who's preparing to stay up tonight to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 can find more information in our dedicated section on the console below. M4 MacBook Air 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. Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has up to $102 off all three of the new configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $912.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,097.00 for the 16GB/256GB model and $1,307.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. $87 OFF13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $912.00 $102 OFF13-inch M4 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB) for $1,097.00 $92 OFF13-inch M4 MacBook Air (24GB/512GB) for $1,307.00 Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,297.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,487.00. $82 OFF15-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $1,117.00 $102 OFF15-inch M4 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB) for $1,297.00 $112 OFF15-inch M4 MacBook Air (24GB/512GB) for $1,487.00 Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Nintendo's newest console, the Nintendo Switch 2, is going up for online pre-orders in the United States at 12 a.m. Eastern Time on April 24 at select retailers. If you plan to stay up for pre-orders, we've got all the information you need to purchase the new console shared below. All of the usual U.S.-based retailers will have the console available for pre-order tonight, including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. You can also head to Nintendo's website and enter your email to register for a chance to purchase the console. Customers aren't expected to get responses from Nintendo until early May, so if you want to guarantee yourself a Switch 2, your best bet will still be shopping at a retailer below as soon as possible. Walmart Nintendo Switch 2 System - $449.00 Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle - $499.00 Donkey Kong Bananza - $69.00 Mario Kart World - $79.00 Nintendo Switch 2 Camera - $54.00 Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller - $84.00 Joy-Con 2 (left and right) - $94.00 Target Nintendo Switch 2 System - $449.99 Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle - $499.99 Donkey Kong Bananza - $69.99 Mario Kart World - $79.99 Nintendo Switch 2 Camera - $54.99 Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller - $84.99 Joy-Con 2 (left and right) - $94.99 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 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Video Review: The AirPods Max in 2025
Apple hasn't introduced a major update for the AirPods Max since the headphones came out in 2020, but last year there was a minor refresh with new color options and an upgrade to USB-C charging. With no additional new features on the horizon, we thought we'd take a look at whether the ‌AirPods Max‌ are worth picking up in 2025. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The transition to USB-C didn't upgrade any other internal hardware, so reviews from 2020 about Active Noise Cancellation and sound quality are still valid. The ‌AirPods Max‌ sound great even after five years, but nothing has improved in terms of the overarching listening experience, and with no design updates, the ‌AirPods Max‌ are still on the heavy side for ANC over-ear headphones, and some people find them uncomfortable. USB-C charging is definitely more convenient than the Lightning-based charging from the prior model, but there is one other change that could draw audiophiles to the ‌AirPods Max‌. With a USB-C wired connection, the ‌AirPods Max‌ support 24-bit 48kHz lossless audio and ultra-low latency, which means you can listen to music the way the artist intended it to sound in the studio. The latency improvement is notable if you want to use your ‌AirPods Max‌ for things like gaming or editing with a Mac, because there's no longer a Bluetooth listening delay. Unfortunately, you need the USB-C version of the ‌AirPods Max‌ to use these new features, so if you have older Lightning-based ‌AirPods Max‌ that you bought sometime in the last five years, you won't get the lossless and latency improvements. ‌AirPods Max‌ are still stylish and you get Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, which go a long way toward improving the listening experience, plus the ANC is still competitive with other brands. If you can get the ‌AirPods Max‌ on sale so you're not shelling out over $500, the USB-C model is worth considering, but make sure you like the fit.Related Roundup: AirPods MaxBuyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Microsoft 365 Copilot: Built for the era of human–agent collaboration
Copilot is now your window into the world of agents, with new capabilities that lay the foundation for this next phase. The post appeared first on Microsoft 365 Blog.

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Introducing Researcher and Analyst in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Introducing two, first-of-their-kind reasoning agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot. The post appeared first on Microsoft 365 Blog.

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A Two Parter! – The TouchArcade Show #613
We have a sponsor for this episode! We are eternally grateful for Tursiops Studios, who you may remember as the … Continue reading ""

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The Reports of Our Death Have Been Mildly Exaggerated – The TouchArcade Show #612
Hark, a new podcast is afoot? ‘Tis true, and it has been A WHILE, friends. Ten weeks to be exact. … Continue reading ""

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Emerging Service Issue – LAX
Apr 24, 17:57 UTCUpdate - We are continuing to investigate this issue.Apr 24, 17:57 UTCInvestigating - Our team is investigating an emerging service issue affecting all services in the LAX. We will share additional updates as we have more information.

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Emergency Network Maintenance – AP-West (Mumbai)
Apr 24, 17:05 UTCIn progress - Scheduled maintenance is currently in progress. We will provide updates as necessary.Apr 24, 17:04 UTCScheduled - We will be performing an emergency network maintenance in our AP-West (Mumbai) data center beginning 24 April 2025 17:00 (UTC) until 24 April 2025 21:00 (UTC). During this time, users with resources in the AP-West (Mumbai) region may experience intermittent issues when attempting to take actions like creating, updating, and deleting resources within this region

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Some users are unable to publish Zap drafts with the error: “Failed to publish new version”
Apr 24, 07:44 PDTIdentified - We have identified an issue beginning on April 11, 2025, which is causing some users to be unable to publish their Zap drafts. This issue is unrelated to the configuration of the Zaps. The error message being displayed when attempting to publish a draft is: "Failed to publish new version. Zapier timed out while saving this version. Please try again."We appreciate your patience as we work towards a resolution. If you are encountering this issue and need further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at https://zapier.com/app/get-help. We will provide updates on this incident as soon as we have more information.

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Network Performance Issues in Chicago and Ashburn
Apr 24, 14:39 UTCIdentified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.Apr 24, 14:34 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating issues with Network Performance in Chicago (ORD) and Ashburn (IAD).Customers might experience an elevated number of 5xx errors due to congestion.We are working to analyze and mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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Emergency Network Maintenance – AP-South (Singapore)
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 24, 17:00 - 21:00 UTCApr 24, 12:36 UTCScheduled - We will be performing an emergency network maintenance in our AP-South (Singapore) data center beginning 24 April 2025 17:00 (UTC) until 24 April 2025 21:00 (UTC). During this time, users with resources in the AP-South (Singapore) region may experience intermittent issues when attempting to take actions like creating, updating, and deleting resources within this region

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Increased HTTP 500 Errors in TPE colo
Apr 24, 08:15 UTCResolved - This incident has been resolved.Apr 24, 08:01 UTCIdentified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.Apr 24, 07:52 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating an increased level of HTTP 500 errors in TPE colo. We are working to analyse and mitigate this problem. More updates to follow shortly.

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Egypt SMS Carrier Maintenance – Vodafone
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 24, 14:30 - 16:30 PDTApr 23, 22:07 PDTScheduled - The Vodafone network in Egypt is conducting a planned maintenance from 24 April 2025 at 14:30 PDT until 24 April 2025 at 16:30 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Vodafone Egypt handsets.We are aware of the short notice and are working with our Carrier Partners to provide earlier notification where possible.

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Connectivity Issue – Asia Data Centers
Apr 23, 19:42 UTCResolved - We haven’t observed any additional connectivity issues in our Asia region data centers and will now consider this incident resolved. The third party has addressed the underlying issues, resulting in improved performance and stability. If you continue to experience problems, please open a Support ticket for assistance.Feb 25, 19:44 UTCUpdate - The third-party continues working on a fix for this issue, and due to the complexity of this problem, it will take longer to mitigate it completely. In the meantime, we continue monitoring our systems. If you are still experiencing issues, please open a Support ticket for assistance.Jan 27, 10:16 UTCMonitoring - At this time we have been able to correct the issues affecting connectivity from our Asia to Europe Data Centers. We will be monitoring this to ensure that it remains stable. If you are still experiencing issues, please open a Support ticket for assistance.Jan 25, 16:49 UTCIdentified - Our team has identified a third-party issue affecting connectivity from our Asia to Europe Data Centers between ~02:10 to ~14:58 UTC on January 25, 2025. During this time, users may have experienced latency and potential congestion on some providers between Asia and Europe. If you are still experiencing issues and unable to open a Support ticket, please call us at 855-454-6633 (+1-609-380-7100 Intl.), or send an email to support@linode.com.

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Cloudflare Dashboard Errors
Apr 23, 17:03 UTCIdentified - Cloudflare is aware of and actively in the process of fixing an issue where users may be experiencing a numbers of 403 errors within the Cloudflare Dashboard.

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Delay in Processing Webhooks
Apr 23, 09:46 PDTInvestigating - We are currently investigating an issue with a delay with Zaps that use an Instant Trigger. The team is working on finding the root cause of the issue and appreciate your patience. We'll continue to post updates and information here as it becomes available. If you have any concerns or questions, please reach out to our Support team here: https://zapier.com/app/get-help.

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CMH (Columbus) on 2025-04-23
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 23, 16:00 UTC  -  Apr 24, 21:00 UTCApr 23, 13:58 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in CMH (Columbus) datacenter between 2025-04-23 16:00 and 2025-04-24 21:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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AMS (Amsterdam) on 2025-04-24
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 24, 00:00 - 03:00 UTCApr 23, 09:16 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in AMS (Amsterdam) datacenter on 2025-04-24 between 00:00 and 03:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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SSL Certificate Provisioning Delays
Apr 23, 09:12 UTCInvestigating - Cloudflare is investigating delays in provisioning SSL certificates with Google Trust Services. SSL certificates already in production remain unaffected and are operating normally.

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Pakistan SMS Carrier Maintenance – Telenor
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 23, 13:00 - 20:00 PDTApr 23, 01:14 PDTScheduled - The Telenor network in Pakistan is conducting a planned maintenance from 23 April 2025 at 13:00 PDT until 23 April 2025 at 20:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Telenor Pakistan handsets.We are aware of the short notice and are working with our Carrier Partners to provide earlier notification where possible.

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Thailand SMS Carrier Partner Maintenance
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 23, 13:00 - 20:00 PDTApr 22, 23:55 PDTScheduled - Our SMS carrier partner in Thailand is conducting a planned maintenance from 23 April 2025 at 13:00 PDT until 23 April 2025 at 20:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Thailand handsets.We are aware of the short notice and are working with our Carrier Partners to provide earlier notification where possible.

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Some customers may be experiencing issue in viewing support cases on the Cloudflare dashboard
Apr 23, 04:27 UTCInvestigating - . Customer will still be able to create ticket and receive response from support team via email.In the meanwhile, you may want to try to access the following link directly in the browser to get access to the support cases after login in to the dashboard:https://www.support.cloudflare.com/s/case/Case/Default

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Emerging Service Issue – Network Connectivity – US – Central (Dallas)
Apr 23, 02:32 UTCInvestigating - Our team is investigating an emerging service issue affecting network connectivity in US Central (Dallas). We will share additional updates as we have more information.

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Intermittent Failures in Browser Isolation
Apr 22, 23:49 UTCInvestigating - Some users are experiencing intermittent failures to acquire a remote browser. The team is investigating.

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BLR (Bangalore) on 2025-04-23
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 23, 21:00 UTC  -  Apr 24, 01:00 UTCApr 22, 22:32 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in BLR (Bangalore) datacenter between 2025-04-23 21:00 and 2025-04-24 01:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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Zero Trust Dashboard Maintenance
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 23, 15:00 - 17:00 UTCApr 22, 21:55 UTCScheduled - The Zero Trust dashboard (one.dash.cloudflare.com) will be undergoing some maintenance for a planned migration. Some users may experience degradation of service. There are no anticipated service outages as a result, but some functionality in the dashboard may not operate as expected. We will update as soon as this maintenance window expires.

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