Elon Musk’s xAI filed a lawsuit on Monday against Apple and OpenAI claiming they’re conspiring to stifle competition in artificial intelligence apps.
This comes two weeks after Musk took to social media to complain that the No. 1 Top Free App in the iPhone App Store at the time was OpenAI’s ChatGPT, not the Grok app from xAI, an AI startup that the billionaire owns.
The iPhone 17 is less than a month away, and early rumors are already stirring excitement. It may be Apple’s basic model, but it’s still expected to get a better, larger screen, enhanced selfie camera, as well as a faster processor and a new range of color options.
Those interested in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max should read our roundup of rumors describing those premium models. And we have an iPhone 17 Air rumor roundup, too. Plus one for the budget iPhone 17e.
AirPods Pro 3 could reach customers this fall, according to a reliable source. Earlier rumors said Apple’s next-generation premium wireless earbuds might not be out until 2026.
Expect at least one new health-related feature in the new version.
Add Google Gemini to the list of AIs that might go into the promised revamp of the Siri voice assistant if Apple can’t develop the tech itself.
Apple is working hard on its own large language models to provide Siri with a much-needed intelligence boost. But Cupertino is reportedly covering its bases by talking to other companies about using their AI instead. Google joined the list, according to an unconfirmed report published Friday.
Forget about the old 15W limitation on wireless charging. Belkin took the wraps off a trio of iPhone stands on Friday that support the new Qi2 25W standard, offering a 66% increase in speed.
The new models include the UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock for use in the office, plus a pair of multidevice wireless chargers for travel.
The Twelve South PlugBug wall charger includes a feature that every travel accessory should have: Apple Find My support. So not only can it power two devices at up to 50W, you can be sure you won’t accidentally leave it in your hotel room.
To make the accessory even more enticing, a deal knocks 30% off the usual cost, dropping it below $50.
★★★★★
The Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger for iPad Pro/Air helps solve the irritating problem of limited iPad ports. It clings to the back of Apple tablets and charges them without taking up the computer’s sole USB-C port. It also reduces wear on the port.
I put the 35W charger through testing in my home office and came away quite satisfied.
And it’s on sale: 20% off!
The price for streaming Ted Lasso season 4 and other hits from Apple TV+ took a considerable jump on Thursday. The U.S. monthly fee went to $12.99, up from $9.99.
While that’s a 30% increase, it’s also the first to the streaming service in two years.
The newly announced Google Pixel 10 includes Pixelsnap, a system that lets wireless chargers and other accessories cling magnetically to the back of the phone. If that sounds familiar, that’s because Pixelsnap is another name for Apple’s MagSafe system for iPhones.
But this is not yet another example of Google stealing a good idea from Apple. Instead, Apple helped make MagSafe into the Qi2 standard so other companies would build it into their handsets. And that’s what Google did, though it felt the need to rebrand Qi2 as Pixelsnap. Whatever the name, the more handsets with Qi2, the more iPhone users benefit.
Apple released iOS 18.6.2, macOS Sequoia 15.6.2 and iPadOS 18.6.2 on Wednesday, warning that the updates close security vulnerabilities already exploited by hackers.
While the patches include no new features, they are nevertheless highly recommended for iPhone, Mac and iPad users.
There’s an unexpected benefit to Action mode in the iPhone camera. A feature intended for taking exciting video also benefits those who can’t hold the camera still because of Parkinson’s.
A video Apple released Tuesday demonstrates the benefits, and a follow-up video explains how those with hand tremors can take advantage of Action mode.
August 20, 2019: The Apple Card launch brings the titanium credit card to U.S. consumers for the first time. It gives them a new option for payments when Apple Pay isn’t available.
The iPhone’s Wallet app handles statements and payments. And the innovative card is “designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life,” according to Apple. Surveys show the card soon becomes beloved.
“We’re thrilled with the overwhelming interest in Apple Card and its positive reception,” says Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay, in a press release. “Customers have told us they love Apple Card’s simplicity and how it gives them a better view of their spending.”
iPadOS 26 brings the most profound changes to the iPad ever, making the tablet far more Mac-like. And you can go ahead and install the massive upgrade, even though it’s still in beta testing.
I’ve thoroughly tested the most recent beta version, and I find it quite stable. It’s not perfect, but if you don’t need your tablet in life-or-death situations, you could dive in and try the revamped iPad multitasking system, Liquid Glass and other enhancements.
Montana became the eleventh U.S. state or territory to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch on Tuesday.
The major advantage is speeding up the process of moving through security checkpoints at airports, though there are other uses, too.
Professionals who need an SSD with terabytes of storage and crazy-fast data transfers have a new option: the OWC Express 1M2 80G. The drive offers up to 8TB of capacity, and because it uses Thunderbolt 5, the SSD offers 48GBps real-world data transfers.
It’s available in a range of storage capacities, or users can insert their own NVMe M.2 SSD.
★★★★☆
Rolling Square claims, “Supertiny is the smallest 65W GaN Charger ever.” It’s definitely very small, but can still quickly power up a MacBook or other full-size computer.
I put the claims to the test and came away impressed. I do have one caution, though.
The United Kingdom government gave up its demand for a backdoor into encrypted Apple iCloud accounts.
Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. director of national intelligence, announced the change late Monday. The DNI had been fighting the attempt to violate the privacy of Americans since word of the U.K.’s plan first came to light.
Viewers keep rallying behind the action-packed historical drama series Chief of War starring Jason Momoa. High ratings put it among the most popular series on streaming for a second week, according to two different ratings trackers.
And that’s not the only hit this week for Apple TV+. The second season of the comedy Platonic earns good ratings, too.
★★★★☆
The Winmaxle Mobdel B1 can be a physical keyboard for typing on your iPhone, harking back to the days of the BlackBerry. And because it’s also a motion-sensitive mouse, you can use it with your iPad, too. Either way, it’s a handy little gizmo.
I found multiple uses for the wireless keyboard while I was testing it. But I also ran into a limitation that made it not as useful with my iPad as I hoped.
Apple released new system software for iPhone and Apple Watch on Thursday to return blood oxygen sensing to all Apple Watch users, removing a limitation that irritated many in the United States. Americans missing the feature can install iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 now.
There’s also an iPadOS 18.6.1 update, but there are no fresh updates to macOS, tvOS or visionOS.
A redesigned blood oxygen measurement capability will arrive Thursday for Apple Watch models that lost access to the feature due to a patent dispute.
Apple found a workaround that involves the Apple Watch testing the user’s blood oxygenation level, then displaying the reading on a paired iPhone.
Update: Apple released iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 with the promised workaround.
There’s skepticism about the low-cost MacBook that’s reportedly launching soon because it reportedly will run on an Apple A18 processor — the same one in current iPhones. But this chip is more powerful than you might realize.
I compared the performance of the A18 to Apple’s M-series Mac chips, and I think you’ll be surprised by how well the iPhone processor performed.
You can be excused if you don’t know off the top of your head how many external monitors your MacBook supports. The number varies by model, processor version, and even whether the laptop is open or closed. Still, there’s a good chance it’s more than you think.
Now that notebooks with the new M4 family of processors are available, here’s an updated guide to how many external screens you can attach to your MacBook.
Don’t set your heart on a MacBook Pro with a speedy new Apple M5 processor under the Christmas tree this year. A growing body of evidence indicates the next version of Apple’s premier laptop won’t arrive until 2026.
But the M5 processor should be available before then.
Plugable created the TBT-UDM Thunderbolt 4 dock with Apple users in mind. It offers more than a dozen ports — including dual 4K HDMI — in an aluminum chassis intended to blend into Mac setups.
Just as importantly, it launched Tuesday at a price lower than usual for a Thunderbolt dock.