Indonesia seeks a Temu App Store ban
The government of Indonesia has requested Apple to remove the Temu app from the App Store. Temu is a Chinese retail company specializing in online shopping. Due to its low price of goods, the government thought it would harm small businesses. The request extended to Google as well, pleading with both firms to block the […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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You can now delete or change primary email with iOS 18.1
iOS 18.1 will allow users to change or delete their primary email address within the iCloud platform. Apple previously did not allow such changes in me.com, mac.com, or iCloud.com accounts. The only alternative was to create another email address for other functions. When iOS 18.1 comes out, users will have the ability to change their […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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iPhone SE 4 cases leaked online
An online leak reveals the possible cases for the upcoming iPhone SE 4. Sonny Dickson recently posted images of several cases that he believes will be for the iPhone SE 4. Currently, the 2022 iPhone SE 3 cases have a rear cutout for the flash and single camera lens, and the same is revealed for […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple shares season two trailer for sci-fi series Silo
Apple today released the season two trailer for Silo, the hit sci-fi series on Apple TV+. Based on the , the show sees Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) in a world where everyone is living underground, in a silo that is shrouded in mystery. Silo became Apple’s most viewed drama when the first season debuted last year, in May 2023. And season two picks up right where the season one finale lefts off, with Juliette exploring the world outside … more…

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Amazon drops M4 iPad Pro to $899, Apple Pencil Pro to $89.99
A Monday price war on Apple's M4 iPad Pro has developed at Amazon and B&H, with 11-inch and 13-inch models up to $207 off. Plus, grab the lowest price in 30 days on the Apple Pencil Pro.Save on Apple's M4 iPad Pro line.We're keeping tabs on the best iPad deals this October and today's top offers include markdowns on Apple's latest iPad Pro, along with a fresh price drop on the complementary Apple Pencil Pro.Pick up the standard 2024 11-inch iPad Pro this Monday for just $899, a discount of $100 off retail. This Standard Glass spec with 256GB capacity and Wi-Fi connectivity is eligible for the reduced price at both Amazon and B&H Photo in your choice of Space Black or Silver. Continue Reading on AppleInsider

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Cleaner One Pro Review: one of the best Mac cleaners
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Quick, stable performance combined with a handy user interface made navigation and customization easy. The modules work as advertised, and handle duplicate files and cleanup well. Good value for the asking price. Cons Page up and page down keys can’t be used in the app for quick navigation. No free trial to test the software out/certain software elements require a subscription-based account to run. The app seems slathered in advertising for Trend Micro’s other products. Our Verdict Cleaner One Pro offers a useful set of Mac cleaning tools for a good price, and if you’re looking for something reliable in this field, it’s worth your Consideration. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$24.99 a year for 1 device (currently $19.99); or $59.99 a year for 5 devices (currently $29.99) Best Prices Today: Cleaner One Pro for Mac Retailer Price Trend Micro $24.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Cleaner One Pro for Mac is easy to download and install: just snag either the free copy or sign up for the tiered subscription, install the software, give it permission to access your hard drive, and you’re set. See how Cleaner One Pro compares to other Mac Cleaners in our round-up of the Best Mac Cleaner software. The software requires Mac OS 10.12 (Sierra) or later to install and run, and is available in both free and paid subscription-based tiers. For the free tier, the software offers basic scanning and no user limits while requiring no credit or debit card to be stored with Trend Micro. The Basic tier, which currently retails for $19.99/£19.99 a year (then $24.99/£24.99 a year) requires a payment method to be stored with Trend Micro, offers support for one device, access to additional tools, and easy uninstallation if desired. The Advanced tier retails for $29.99/£29.99 a year currently (then $59.99/£46.99), requires a payment method to be stored with Trend Micro, and offers support for five devices, macOS and Windows support, quick uninstallation, and access to additional tools. There is a version on the Mac App Store that retails at $19.99/£19.99 or $29.99/£30.99 on a yearly subscription. There’s also an iOS version. Cleaner One Pro’s handy menu-based information tab offers a quick view of useful system information. Cleaner One Pro’s handy menu-based information tab offers a quick view of useful system information.Foundry Cleaner One Pro’s handy menu-based information tab offers a quick view of useful system information.Foundry Foundry Once installed and run, a clean, animated user interface invites you in. Like similar tools, Cleaner One Pro is designed around an assortment of modules along with its overarching Smart Scan, which looks over your storage, diagnostics, and applications, while the other modules (Junk Files, Big Files, Disk Map, Startup Manager, Duplicate Files, Similar Photos, App Manager, and File Shredder) attend to their own tasks when activated. The modules, in turn, performed well during testing, and were able to locate large files and duplicates that could be disposed of. 6.66GB of duplicate photos were just deleted via the Similar Photos module. 6.66GB of duplicate photos were just deleted via the Similar Photos module.Foundry 6.66GB of duplicate photos were just deleted via the Similar Photos module.Foundry Foundry The Junk Files module found a nice variety of unused disk images and installers I’d forgotten about and didn’t need, and an interface along the Menu Bar tracked memory usage, CPU usage, network usage, and hooked into Dropbox to help put files up on the cloud, which was useful. Other nice touches included easy access to technical support to quickly file a ticket, report a bug, or suggest a new feature, and the Smart Scan feature helpfully points out whether or not a macOS update is available for download and installation, which is a helpful add-on. Customizing the Smart Scan module and choosing which tests to perform. Customizing the Smart Scan module and choosing which tests to perform.Foundry Customizing the Smart Scan module and choosing which tests to perform.Foundry Foundry Still, there are some elements that could require some attention. First, and as helpful as it may be, the free version of Cleaner One Pro feels like a living ad for the subscription-based tiers, the interface being slathered in advertising encouraging you to unlock the full feature set. This advertising, of course, disappears once you sign up for the service, but the “More Tools” module leads to a screen offering access to Trend Micro’s antivirus, VPN, decompression, and ad blocking utilities. Yes, this can be argued from both sides and a company has every right to advertise its full set of wares, but this still seems excessive once you click into the “More Tools” window. You can’t navigate through module windows using the page up and page down keys, and are instead limited to the mouse, which seems like an odd feature to leave out. This and the fact that once an activation key has been purchased, it can’t be copied and pasted from the Trend Micro website or your email, and has to be entered in by hand, shows security overlapping ease of use, even if it is for a one-time thing like entering the activation code you just paid for. Finally, a lack of communication from Trend Micro itself for product and technical questions raised my eyebrows a bit, and I’m curious as to whether others have experienced this, or have had quick, speedy communication with the company. Should you buy Cleaner One Pro for Mac? What’s present with Cleaner One Pro is useful, lives up to its description, and an elegant user interface makes it easy to navigate the program, customize settings, quickly view extraneous apps, files, and login items, and prune your Mac down more effectively. It’s also to Cleaner One Pro’s credit that the application doesn’t try to make itself a mega-suite and do everything under the sun, including antiviral scanning and protection or act as a VPN, although Trend Micro readily advertises those products for sale. A free trial for Cleaner One Pro would not go amiss, and if Trend Micro could find a way to keep its customers informed of its offerings while easing up a bit on its in-app advertising, the experience would be that much better. Still, Cleaner One Pro offers a useful set of Mac cleaning tools for a good price, and if you’re looking for something reliable in this field, it’s worth your consideration.

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Google TV Streamer compare, hacked robovacs, & iOS 18.1 looms on HomeKit Insider
On this episode of the HomeKit Insider Podcast we take a look at the Google TV Streamer, examine the ghost hub issue, and talk about cursing robovacs.HomeKit Insider PodcastKicking things off on the episode we talk about a story surrounding robotic vacuum cleaners. Apparently, several users have had their accounts "hacking," giving others access to to their bots.One user reported their Ecovacs robotic vacuum driving around the house on its own and screaming obscenities. These devices can also include cameras. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Button-less case leak spills key details of next iPhone SE
Macworld With around five months to go until Apple unveils the next version of the iPhone SE, we’re starting to get a strong idea of what to expect. Rumors have been coming thick and fast since the launch of the iPhone 16 last month and a new case leak this weekend appears to have revealed the fundamentals of the new phone’s design. On Saturday the reputable leaker Sonny Dickson posted to Twitter/X a photo of what he labels as a case for the (as yet unannounced) iPhone SE 4. It looks like the standard silicone case design Apple makes for its phones, in plain black. pic.twitter.com/cAySCuE1cz— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) October 12, 2024 If the case is genuine–and based on the iPhone SE 4’s final design, rather than a prototype that could change before launch–it gives away some important details. There’s a cutout, for example, for the mute switch, which means the handset won’t have an Action button. (The official silicone case for the iPhone 16 Plus doesn’t have a cutout there: you just press the Action button through a raised section of silicone.) It’s less clear-cut, but the photos also suggest that the next SE won’t gain the Camera Control that was introduced last month with the 16-series iPhones. The Camera Control doesn’t get a full cutout on the 16 Plus case, admittedly, but it does have a separate thinner section above it that you press through; this would probably be noticeable in the photos. Finally, as 9to5Mac points out, the cutout for the rear-facing camera points to a single lens, as was the case in 2022, rather than twin lenses to match the iPhone 14 which the new SE is expected to be based on. That might seem counterintuitive–the cutout is bigger than a single lens, and could plausibly accommodate a pair of lenses in a horizontal alignment–but that’s how cases for the 2022 iPhone SE are made at the moment, with an opening for the flash next to the single lens. Whereas the iPhone 14 has its twin lenses arranged diagonally in a larger square camera module, and this case design would not accommodate that. Lots of negatives, then: no Camera Control, no Action button, and no second rear-facing camera lens. But there’s still time for plans to change, and Apple may yet surprise us in the spring. To keep up with the latest news and rumors, check out our regularly updated iPhone SE 4 superguide. If you can’t wait until the spring, find the lowest prices on the current models with our roundup of the best iPhone deals.

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Oppo previews Find X8’s shutter button, works just like iPhone 16 Camera Control [Video]
Oppo is adding a new feature to its upcoming Find X8, with a shutter button that works exactly like Apple’s new “Camera Control” feature on iPhone 16. more…

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Get 256GB of durable, portable storage with this $43.99 SSD
The Mini Ultra Portable SSD is a mobile home for your vital data. Take this affordable 256GB SSD anywhere for easy file transfers. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Feature-packed Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro earbuds make a great choice for most [Review] ★★★★☆
Our hands-on Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro earbuds review finds tons of cool features, including great sound and an intriguing charging case. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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iPhone 16 Pro Max demand high, everything else match iPhone 15
Availability of the iPhone 16 range is gradually improving five weeks post-launch, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max's slower than expected change indicating there's more demand for the premium option.iPhone 16 Pro modelsThe fifth week of the J.P. Morgan Apple Product Availability Tracker has observed minor changes from the fourth week across all monitored regions:iPhone 16 moved from 4 days in week 4 to 3 days in week 5, Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple Events 2024-2025: Next Apple Event could be last week of October
Macworld Apple doesn’t participate in big industry-wide events such as CES or E3. The most valuable company in the world holds its own events, thank you very much. Several times a year, Apple invites the press and industry professionals to Apple Park to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these ‘events,’ and streams them live online to millions of watchers. So far in 2024, Apple has held three events: one on Tuesday, May 7, at which it launched new iPads, a keynote to kick off WWDC on June 10, where the features coming in the new operating systems iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia were revealed, and an event on September 9 at which Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and the new AirPods 4. In 2023 there were three such events: WWDC in June, the Wonderlust iPhone event in September, and Apple’s second fall event on October 30 (or after midnight on October 31 if you weren’t in the U.S.). Similarly, in 2022 Apple held three events: a spring event on March 8, WWDC on June 6, and the iPhone 14 launch on September 7. In other years Apple has held four events though, and 2024 looks like it will be a four-event year for Apple. Read on to find out what events and new Apple product launches the company has in store for 2024 and beyond. When is Apple’s next event? It’s not confirmed, but there is a possibility that Apple will hold an October event in 2024. If it does then, based on previous October events, we expect that the event will be held around 22 or 28 October. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg has indicated that new Macs might ship on November 1, leading to the expectation that the event could take place in October on Tuesday 29th or Wednesday 30th. He has also indicated that iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 could arrive on Monday 28 October, making that day feasible for an event. What time will the next Apple event start? Apple keynotes usually start at 10 am PT. That translates to the following times in the countries where most of our readers live: U.S.: at 10 am (PST/PDT), 11 am (MST/MDT), noon (CST/CDT), 1 pm (EST/EDT) Canada: as above, and 2 pm (AST/ADT) U.K.: at 6 pm (GMT/BST) Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST), 8 pm (EET/EEST) India: at 10.30 pm (IST) Australia: Next day at 1 am (AWST/AWDT), 2.30 am (ACST/ACDT), 3 am (AEST/AEDT) New Zealand: Next day at 5 am (NZST/NZDT) Sometimes Apple holds events at different times, for example, the October 2023 event was held at midnight in the U.K. If an October event is held around the time that clocks change it could mean that some of the above times are different. Also, with the clocks changing at different times in the U.S. and the U.K and Europe, the timing could be even more different. How long does an Apple event last? Apple keynotes usually last between one and two hours and feature CEO Tim Cook along with various other Apple executives. WWDC and the September event tend to be longer keynotes; the spring and late-fall events can be slightly shorter. The September 2024 event was 1 hour 38 minutes. When does Apple usually hold events? Apple holds three or four live or live-streamed events throughout the year. During these events, the company unveils its latest products and plans during a keynote address. They are usually held during similar times of the year: March/April: Spring event (in 2024 this was held in May) June: WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) September: Fall event (aka iPhone and Apple Watch launch event) October/November: Late-fall event(s) This event calendar is by no means set in stone, though, with the spring and October events being less regular. Some years, Apple doesn’t hold a spring event at all, as was the case in 2023. The summer and September events are more predictable, with software coming at WWDC in June and iPhones and Apple Watches in September. The October event often sees Apple launch new Macs, but this is another one that changes from year to year. Apple launched the new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro in September 2022. Apple launched the new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro in September 2022.Apple Apple launched the new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro in September 2022.Apple Apple What Apple events will take place in 2024? Here are the events we expect to see in the remainder of 2024, and what could launch. October 2024 Event There could be iPad and Mac events in October and/or November 2024. We are expecting updates to the iPad mini and standard iPad. Apple is also rumored to have a number of M4 Macs in the pipeline including M4 iMac, M4 Mac mini and M4 MacBook Pro updates: We may see the following: New iPad mini 11th gen iPad M4 Mac mini M4 MacBook Pro M4 iMac In the past, Apple has held a second fall event on the following dates: 2023: Monday, October 30 2022: No event 2021: Monday, October 18 2020: Tuesday, October 13 and Tuesday, November 10 2019: No event 2018: Tuesday, October 30 2017: No event 2016: Thursday, October 27 2015: No event 2014: Thursday, October 16 2013: Tuesday, October 22 2012: Tuesday, October 23 2011: Tuesday, October 4 For more information about Apple’s October events read: Apple’s October Event: Date, time and what will launch. What Apple events will take place in 2025? Here are the events we expect to see in 2025, and what could launch. Spring event 2025 Here are the dates of the past seven Apple spring events, as you can see, it’s not a regular occurrence, but a Spring event is held slightly more often than not. 2024: Tuesday May 7 2023: No event 2022: Tuesday March 8 2021: Tuesday April 20 2020: No event 2019: Monday March 25 2018: Tuesday March 27 2017: No event 2016: Monday March 21 2015: Monday March 9 2014: No event 2013: No event 2012: Wednesday March 7 As for what could be coming, there are rumors that Apple could launch a HomePod with a screen and it may be time for the iPhone SE to be updated. If Apple doesn’t introduce the 11th gen iPad in October expect to see it in the spring. There is a suggestion that the M4 MacBook Air may also arrive in the spring. For more information about Apple’s spring events read: Apple Spring event: Date, time, product launch rumors. WWDC keynote 2025 WWDC 2024 took place from June 10-14 with the event, kicking the conference off at 10am on June 10, 2024. Expect similar timings for 2025. Apple uses WWDC each year to unveil the latest versions of its operating systems, so in 2025 we’ll get a preview of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, and tvOS 19, and an update to Apple’s realityOS. Apple sometimes announces new hardware at WWDC, so we could see new Macs. In fact, we may still be waiting for the following: M4 Mac Studio M4 Ultra Mac Pro M4 Pro 32-inch iMac Pro Following the keynote on the Monday, developer events and sessions will run throughout the week. Dates for WWDC: WWDC 2024: June 10-14 WWDC 2023: June 5-9 WWDC 2022: June 6-10 WWDC 2021: June 7-11 WWDC 2020: June 22-26 WWDC 2019: June 3-7 WWDC 2018: June 4-8 WWDC 2017: June 5-9 We are certain to get a preview of the new software, but what about hardware? Any of the Macs that don’t launch in October 2024 are likely to have been announced by June 2024, but if not, this is where we will see them. You can about WWDC date, times and everything you need to know in a separate article. September iPhone event 2025 Apple always holds an event in September, and almost always uses this to announce a new iPhone and Apple Watch. (The only exception in recent memory was in 2020, as a result of Covid-related production issues. That year the iPhone was announced in October, but there was still a September event.) In 2025 we expect that Apple will unveil the iPhone 17, Apple Watch 11, a new Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch SE. Here are the past few Apple September event dates: 2024: Monday, September 9 2023: Tuesday, September 12 2022: Tuesday, September 13 2022: Wednesday, September 7 2021: Tuesday, September 14 2020: Tuesday, September 15 2019: Tuesday, September 10 2018: Wednesday, September 12 2017: Tuesday, September 12 For more information about Apple’s September events read: Apple’s September iPhone event: Date, time, and what will launch.

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Intel vs. AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm: What the Hell Happened?
Let’s examine how Intel's trajectory has changed over the past two decades, tracing the key missteps and missed opportunities that allowed AMD, Nvidia, and Qualcomm to surpass it. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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M4 iMac: Everything you need to know
Macworld With the M4 chip making its debut in the iPad Pro earlier in 2024, it’s won’t be long before it makes its way into the Mac. The M3 iMac was released nearly a year ago in October 2023, and there are rumors indicating that Apple will soon upgrade it with an M4. M4 iMac: Release date The M1 iMac–the first iMac to feature Apple’s M-series chip–made its debut in May 2021. This was followed by the M3 iMac in November 2023. The 30 months between upgrades is not typical but not unusual for Apple. In this case, Apple’s chip production process was still recovering from the effects of the Covid pandemic. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in August that Apple is planning to release the M4 Macs in the fall of this year, including a new iMac. Gurman has indicated again, in numerous weekend newsletters, that there will be M4 Macs coming soon. In early October Gurman claimed that an announcement will be made at the end of October, with “at least some” new Macs shipping on November 1. It is thought that the new Macs will include the M4 (Pro/Max) MacBook Pro, M4 (Pro) Mac mini, and M4 iMac. We would love to see an M4 Pro iMac, but this still seems some way off. Back in August 2024, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed that a large-screen iMac “remains something Apple is exploring.” Adding that it’s “unclear” whether the model will have an M4 chip or “something that comes the following year or later.” When Apple does fall Mac releases, it usually does it in October or November. Apple is expected to hold an event in October, but new Apple products launch throughout the year – see when is the next Apple event to learn more about the company’s product launch plans. M4 iMac: Price It is likely that outside the U.S. the price for the M4 iMac will drop, but we expect to see the same price in the U.S. This is based on the fact that Apple has, in recent years, adjusted pricing following fluctuations in exchange rates. Over the past couple of years, prices of nearly all Apple products have come into line using Apple’s calculation that sees, for example, the M3 MacBook Air cost $1,099/£1,099. We therefore anticipate that the U.K. price will follow the U.S. price, with a £100 drop. Here are the standard configuration prices of the current M3 iMac lineup for reference. $1,299/£1,399: M3 with an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD, 2 Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, Magic Keyboard (Expected: £1,299) $1,499/ £1,599: M3 with an 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD, 2 Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, 2 USB 3 ports, gigabit ethernet port, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (Expected: £1,499) $1,699/ £1,799: M3 with an 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 8GB unified memory, 512GB SSD, 2 Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, 2 USB 3 ports, gigabit ethernet port, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (Expected: £1,699) If Apple adds an M4 Pro option as rumored, there could be a new higher tier. M4 iMac: Design We haven’t heard anything about changes to the iMac. The current design is going on its fourth year and third revision, so Apple may introduce some new colors and other design tweaks, but it’s unlikely to see any major changes. The higher-priced M4 iMac will likely be available with two USB 3 ports and two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports.Foundry M4 iMac: Specs and features Processor M4: Up to 10 cores CPU and 10-core GPU using “next generation GPU architecture” and “fastest Neural Engine ever”, according to Apple. The main change that will happen with the upcoming iMac is with its chip. The iMac should continue to have the base M chip–in this case, it’ll be a base M4 like the one that is in the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro’s M4 has a 9-core CPU with 3 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores; Apple could add another performance core to make it a 10-core M4. The M4 ismade using the 3-nanometer process introduced with the M3. The 3nm process allows more transistors to fit on a chip, which should provide a performance boost. We also expect AI enhancements with a larger Neural Engine. RAM 8GB as standard expected, but there is a rumor that Apple could boost RAM at the entry-level. We hope to see more unified memory to help with the AI features, but we may still be waiting for the base M4 to offer more unified memory than the standard 8GB. Apple insists that 8GB is an adequate baseline amount of RAM and will likely not change this with the M4 iMac, especially since 8GB is enough to run Apple Intelligence. This also helps keep the prices down for the standard configurations. Customers have the option to upgrade to 16GB or 24GB of memory when ordering. However, Boomberg’s Mark Gurman has suggested that the M4 Macs could feature 16GB as standard, rather than the 8GB option that’s been the baseline for years. Ports and connectivity The M3 model gained Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Apple could opt to include Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-FI 7 in the new model. There is a rumor that the Mac mini could lose its USB-A ports, so it is possible the same could be seen on the iMac. The other features of the iMac should remain basically the same. That means few if any changes to speakers, SSD sizes, and display.

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After years of no’s, Apple needs to start saying yes more
Macworld Apple has lots of sayings. “It’s better to be a pirate than join the navy.” “Think different.” “Don’t hold it that way.” And, perhaps most grammatically divisive, “A thousand no’s for every yes.” Some of them are just marketing spiels, but that last one is key to understanding the company’s approach to product development. And the areas where it is at risk of going astray. Now, I will concede that Apple is good at the first part of the equation—it says no a lot. It said no to cars. It said no to TVs. It said no to overheating multi-device chargers (eventually). It said no to foldable smartphones, I would imagine, roughly 10 times per quarter. About the only thing it says yes to is “another smartphone/smartwatch/tablet/laptop that’s just like the last one, only with an extra button.” And Vision Pro, I suppose. That was a fairly big yes. Still, I worry that worthwhile product launches are getting lost in the deluge of noes. (Please note the absence of an apostrophe in that plural.) Earlier this month it emerged that, according to Mark Gurman’s sources, Apple now has no plans to make the smart ring it was understood to be working on earlier this year. Maybe that’s the right decision; after all, the smart ring market hasn’t taken off yet, and the classic Cupertino stratagem is to wait for other companies to lead the way before swooping in and grabbing the revenue. But all the ingredients are there, and surely it would be worth a try? I speak, as you may have guessed, as someone who has written an opinion piece on this subject and been roundly ignored. I argued back in February that a smart ring is an uncannily natural fit for the Apple ecosystem. It could be an additional controller for Vision Pro, a biometric unlock key for the Mac, or a data source for Health and Fitness+. And it could offer the same proposition as the Apple Watch—a miniature connection to your other Apple products–on a still smaller scale. It’s the logical extrapolation of the Apple Watch concept: the smallest possible device with which to access notifications and gather health, fitness, and sleep data. But now it seems the Apple Ring won’t happen. Well, fair enough. But what happens if—and this is starting to look a bit more likely—the smart ring market does take off? As we’ve seen with AI, it’s not always straightforward to sit back and then join the party later. And as we’ve seen with foldables, sometimes Apple sits back for so long that it has to accept it can no longer catch up. Better hope that foldables and smart rings don’t turn out to be the next big things. Focus is good. Focus makes sense in the world of technology, where projects cost a fortune to develop and the price of failure is steep. But it’s possible to go too far the other way and lock yourself out of markets whose future value isn’t yet apparent. Not every project absolutely has to involve millions of dollars of ad spend and a dedicated area in the Apple Store. You could always roll out a smart ring as an experimental beta product to a select user base and see how it gets on. You could always try to leave your options open for the future. So sure, I can see why Apple believes in saying no a thousand times for every time it says yes. But if you do that, you’d better be sure that when the right opportunity comes along, you answer correctly. How confident are you, Tim Cook, that mixed reality is going to be a hit, and smart rings are not? That people are going to buy premium tablets, and not foldable smartphones? Because your devotion to focus means the stakes are horrifyingly high. And if you get the question wrong, the cost will be Apple’s relevance in the technology landscape of the future. Foundry Foundry Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories Annual updates are killing the iPhone, reckons Mahmoud Itani. I upgraded to the iPhone 16 Plus–and I have thoughts. A riddle from the Macalope: Is it really a wearable if you shouldn’t be wearing it? If iMessage is so great, ponders Jason Snell, why is the Messages experience so terrible? The M4 MacBook Pro may be the entry-level laptop that gets everything right. Apple’s iPad Pro troubles return as demand for OLED panels craters. Podcast of the week We review the new Apple Watch Series 10 and the AirPods 4. Are these new devices worth your money? We talk about what we like, dislike, and more! You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site. Reviews corner Apple Watch Series 10 review: Modest improvements to a proven formula. AirPods vs AirPods Pro: How they compare. Best antivirus for Mac 2024: Top security software compared. The rumor mill Get ready! The M4 Mac era starts on November 1. Report: Apple Intelligence to finally arrive on October 28. Apple is reportedly moving away from annual launches. Software updates, bugs, and problems macOS Sequoia’s iPhone mirroring feature could expose personal data at work. And with that, we’re done for this week’s Apple Breakfast. If you’d like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, or Twitter for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.

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Scammers use AI to create scarily convincing phishing calls
A security expert has recounted how close he came to being fooled by a new AI-based scam call that aimed to get his Gmail account details.Scammers tried to gain control of a security expert's Gmail accountThere were already scam ChatGPT apps on the App Store, but now artificial intelligence has been deployed by scammers in what expert Sam Mitrovic describes as "super realistic.""People are busy and this scam sounded and looked legitimate enough that I would give them an A for their effort," wrote Mitrovic in a blog post. "Many people are likely to fall for it." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple cancels permit for company’s self-driving car testing process
Apple’s self-driving car project may be coming to an end. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has canceled the company’s permit for self-driving vehicles. The move comes at Apple’s request, and could indicate that its years-long effort to create a self-driving car may be in doubt. Apple had a permit for testing autonomous vehicles on […] Source

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Study Done By Apple AI Scientists Proves LLMs Have No Ability to Reason
Slashdot reader Rick Schumann shared this report from the blog AppleInsider: A new paper from Apple's artificial intelligence scientists has found that engines based on large language models, such as those from Meta and OpenAI, still lack basic reasoning skills. The group has proposed a new benchmark, GSM-Symbolic, to help others measure the reasoning capabilities of various large language models (LLMs). Their initial testing reveals that slight changes in the wording of queries can result in significantly different answers, undermining the reliability of the models. The group investigated the "fragility" of mathematical reasoning by adding contextual information to their queries that a human could understand, but which should not affect the fundamental mathematics of the solution. This resulted in varying answers, which shouldn't happen... The study found that adding even a single sentence that appears to offer relevant information to a given math question can reduce the accuracy of the final answer by up to 65 percent. "There is just no way you can build reliable agents on this foundation, where changing a word or two in irrelevant ways or adding a few bit of irrelevant info can give you a different answer," the study concluded... "We found no evidence of formal reasoning in language models," the new study concluded. The behavior of LLMS "is better explained by sophisticated pattern matching" which the study found to be "so fragile, in fact, that [simply] changing names can alter results." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Apple likely to unveil these four products later this month
Apple is expected to hold their next keynote in October, probably towards the end of the month. Theres four major products we’re expecting to see this time around, and they’re expected to be released on November 1st. more…

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Crime blotter: Ferrari thief busted by AirPods, Oklahoma iPhone porch pirates, more
In the latest Apple Crime roundup, thieves steal from a Canadian Apple Store, a man uses an AirTag to bust tool thieves, and a woman chases an iPhone thief and posts about it on TikTok.The Mapleview Shopping Centre Apple Store in Ontario The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, exploring the world of Apple-related crime. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Today in Apple history: Bono’s (Product) Red iPod nano fights HIV/AIDS
On October 13, 2006, Apple teamed with U2 singer Bono to launch a (Product) Red Special Edition iPod nano to help fight AIDS in Africa. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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What to expect from the speedy M4 MacBook Pro
Get ready for the MacBook Pro with upgraded Apple M4 processor. Find out what to expect from this highly anticipated macOS notebook. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple’s cheaper Vision Pro might remain out of budget for most
Apple's cheaper Vision Pro might arrive as soon as next year for around $2,000. The second-gen headset will only arrive in 2027. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Cheaper Apple Vision headset rumored to cost $2000, arriving in 2026
A new report claims that both a successor to the Apple Vision Pro and a different, less expensive Apple Vision headset are likely to launch within the next two years.Work continues on a successor to the Apple Vision Pro, alongside a less-expensive version.Rumors suggest that the lower-end Apple Vision headset would likely cost around $2,000, compared to the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro. It would allegedly use a less-powerful chip and lower-resolution screens than the higher-end model.Bloomberg's report suggests the lower-end headset would drop some technology seen in the Apple Vision Pro, such as the Eyesight feature. That required a lenticular display on the outside of the headset, allowing others to "see" the wearer's eyes. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Get the newest iPad mini for cheaper than Apple’s website
Cult of Mac Deals has a refurbished iPad mini 6 for $429.99 that's even less than Apple’s certified refurbished store. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Get the newest iPad mini for cheaper than Apple’s refurb website
Cult of Mac Deals has an iPad mini refurbished for $429.99 -- that's even less than Apple’s certified refurb store. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple Smart Glasses, AirPods with cameras could finally arrive in 2027
Apple's fabled smart glasses may still be on the way, with a launch in 2027 on the cards alongside AirPods with added cameras.A visualisation of Apple GlassThe Apple Vision Pro is not the company's ultimate vision for the future of head-mounted displays or spatial computing. While there has been talk about smart glasses in the past, we may actually see a pair come out from Cupertino in a few years time.The Vision Project Group, which is currently developing new headset products along the lines of the Apple Vision Pro, is apparently considering bringing out smart glasses. Sunday's newsletter from Bloomberg claims the team are planning a launch for the device in 2027. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Gurman: Apple smart glasses and AirPods with cameras possibly launching in 2027
Apple is preparing some additional vision based products, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. We’re expecting smart glasses, similar to Meta’s collaboration with Ray-Ban, as well as AirPods with cameras. These products won’t launch until at least 2027, if they do at all. more…

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Report: Cheaper ‘Apple Vision’ headset to cost around $2000; drop EyeSight
According to the latest edition of Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple is still on track to launch the lower end Apple Vision headset as early as next year. He says it’ll cost around $2000. more…

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