Apple previewed its unusual new retail location in Shanghai Monday. Apple Jing’an, located near Jing’an Temple and Jing’an Park, opens Thursday. Encircled by a plaza, Apple Jing’an store in Shanghai will be a community gathering place and “a one-of-a-kind shopping destination,” the iPhone giant said.
Wait for OLED iPad Pro might stretch into April
Apple is reportedly still working on the version of iPadOS needed for the first iPad Pro with a OLED screen. The software development process might delay the launch until well into April.
Previous leaks previously pointed at a March debut, and that’s still possible. But those eager for Apple’s next premium tablet should also be prepared to wait as much as another month.
Fraggles get frantic in Back to the Rock season 2 trailer
Jim Henson’s Fraggles learn to adapt to change and stick together after a dust storm in the season 2 trailer for Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock.
The Emmy Award-winning kids musical comedy series returns to Apple TV+ March 29. Season two cast includes the return of Daveed Diggs plus new guest stars Ariana DeBose, Brett Goldstein, Catherine O’Hara, Adam Lambert and K-pop group aespa.
M1 MacBook Air drops to all-time low price of $649
Apple discontinued the M1 MacBook Air following the debut of the M3 Airs earlier this month. But you can still get your hands on the first Apple silicon laptop for as low as $649.
Right now, Best Buy’s deal makes this very capable laptop insanely more affordable.
Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs gets hitched
March 18, 1991: Steve Jobs marries 27-year-old Stanford MBA Laurene Powell.
The couple’s friends and family attend the wedding, which takes place at Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park in central California.
Lawsuit claiming AirTag is a stalker tool gets judge’s go-ahead
A U.S. federal judge gave a go-ahead to a class action lawsuit accusing Apple’s AirTag of being “the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.”
Apple argues that it designed the product to discourage stalkers.
Pro Display XDR completes powerful MacBook Pro rig [Setups]
In the computer setup arms race over bigger and better external displays, one monitor reigns supreme (with a price tag to match) — Apple’s phenomenal Pro Display XDR. Today’s M3 Max MacBook Pro rig just added one to its two other displays, including the oddly square LG DualUp.
Look through visionOS App Store when considering Apple AR headset
Apple made the visionOS App Store available for anyone to look through. The change will give anyone thinking about buying the Vision Pro AR headset a preview at what software is available.
Previously, the list of available app was only viewable by those who already owned the cutting-edge computer that launched in the United States in February.
EarFun’s first over-ear headphones claim hi-res sound, 80-hour playback
Known for high-quality earbuds that don’t break the bank, EarFun released a set of over-ear cans Monday for the first time — Earfun Wave Pro Hi-Res ANC Wireless Headphones.
Introduced at CES 2024, the new noise-canceling EarFun Wave Pro cans claim high-resolution audio, hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) and a stalwart 80 hours of playback. And all that comes at a cost of just $80. Actually, even less for early-bird buyers.
iOS 18’s generative AI features might use Google Gemini
Apple could use Google Gemini to power the generative AI features reportedly coming this year in iOS 18. Apple and Google are reportedly in “active negotiations” about the possibility, but have not yet finalized a deal. If it happens, it would be the first time in years that the two tech giants have collaborated so closely.
Apple also held talks with OpenAI and considered using ChatGPT, according to Bloomberg’s report.
Today in Apple history: Microsoft gets sued for ripping off Mac OS
March 17, 1988: Apple sues Microsoft for allegedly stealing 189 different elements of its Macintosh operating system to create Windows 2.0.
The incident, which causes a deep rift between Apple and one of its top developers, paves the way for an epic battle between the two companies that will rage for years.
Apple Watch Series 10 could finally offer blood pressure monitoring
A new report says Apple is on track to build into Apple Watch Series 10 a feature that been a bit of a holy grail for the wearable: blood pressure monitoring.
But the feature reportedly will be limited at first, and require new hardware.
Get ready for ‘the biggest AirPods launch to date’
Apple suppliers are reportedly preparing for “the biggest AirPods launch to date.” The company is supposedly planning to produce between 20 million and 25 million units of AirPods 4, a significant jump from previous models.
Apple could launch the AirPods 4 in two flavors later this year: one with ANC and another without. Alongside updated internals, the new earbuds purportedly will sport a sleeker new design.
7 reasons to become James Bond and battle Spectre in Cypher 007 stealth adventure game
Blofeld, the criminal mastermind and head of Spectre, is once again scheming to defeat James Bond in Cypher 007 from Tilting Point LLC.
I’m a fan of RPGs so I loaded the action game on my iPhone. It’s also playable on a range of other Apple devices.
Today in Apple history: iPad gets an eye-dazzling Retina display
March 16, 2012: Apple introduces the third-generation iPad, its first tablet to come with a Retina display. Marketed as simply “the new iPad,” it’s widely known as the “iPad 3.”
Boasting that beautiful screen and Apple’s then-swanky A5X chip with a quad-core graphics processor, the third-gen iPad quickly becomes a big success. Disappointingly for customers, it will only hang around until October 2012. That’s the shortest lifespan of any iOS product in history, at just seven months.
Soundcore adds better noise-masking, longer battery life to sleep earbuds
Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds with improved noise-masking, longer battery life and soft ear tips are coming to help you sleep through all the racket, parent company Anker said Friday — aka World Sleep Day.
You can sign up now for Super Early Bird pricing at $60 off in the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the Sleep A20 earbuds, which launches April 16.
Today in Apple history: iTunes tops 50 million songs downloaded
March 15, 2004: The iTunes Music Store hits a musical milestone, having sold an astonishing 50 million songs in less than a year. The achievement cements Apple’s place at the center of the rapidly changing music business — at least for the moment.
“Crossing 50 million songs is a major milestone for iTunes and the emerging digital music era,” Steve Jobs says in a statement. “With over 50 million songs already downloaded and an additional 2.5 million songs being downloaded every week, it’s increasingly difficult to imagine others ever catching up with iTunes.”
Misleading talk about iPhone demand in China costs Apple $490 million
Apple reportedly settled a class-action lawsuit that accused the company of hiding news of declining iPhone demand in China. It concerns comments made by CEO Tim Cook during an investor call back in 2018.
The iPhone-maker allegedly will pay out a $490 million settlement, according to a preliminary settlement filed Friday with the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California.
Powerful speakers flank smart TV display [Setups]
High-quality speakers in MacBooks and Studio Displays and the like are all well and good. But if you want great sound in your computer setup, you’re better off with studio monitor speakers like those in today’s MacBook Pro setup. They’re IK Multimedia iLoud MTM speakers.
The powered pair of studio monitor speakers pump out 100 watts of sound apiece. And right now they’re 25% off at $300 each. Find them in the gear list below if you want to level up your setup’s sound.
Apple Pencil (2nd gen) gets a sweet 11% discount
If you take notes or draw on your iPad, consider investing in an Apple Pencil. It will greatly enhance your experience your note-taking and doodling experience.
While the Apple Pencil (2nd gen) is expensive at $129, Amazon is discounting it by 11% to $115. This makes the useful iPad stylus a bit more affordable.
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Folding iPhone could be 2 years away
Apple may have decided that 2026 is the right year to launch a folding iPhone.
Cupertino has been tinkering with prototype handsets with foldable displays for a long time. An analyst predicted Thursday that the company will finally have something to offer in a couple of years.
OLED iPad Air might be on hold until 2028
While the first iPad Pro with an OLED display is expected any day now, iPad Air fans will have a much longer wait. Possibly until 2028. That’s what an analyst predicted, anyway.
However, this contradicts a previous report that said an OLED iPad Air would be out in 2026.
AI designed this insane $326,700 iPhone case
A new iPhone case designed by an AI that apparently doesn’t grasp the value of the dollar will set you back a cool $326,700. The “uber-exclusive” case for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models, from French luxury accessories company Labodét, is made of “genuine alligator and exclusive Himalayan crocodile leathers.”
Obviously, it comes festooned in diamonds and features 18K gold detailing. Dust off your titanium Apple Card and hit the link below to snap one up!
Apple acquires fundamental AI smarts by buying DarwinAI
Apple reportedly purchased DarwinAI, a small startup previously based in Waterloo, Ontario. The company developed software that might make artificial intelligence systems running on an iPhone or other computer more efficient.
Apple promised that it’ll have big AI-related announcements later this year, and the acquisition will help the company build the necessary software.
Wild Black Panther caper inspires Apple TV+ series The Big Cigar
Apple TV+ unveiled a first look Thursday at The Big Cigar, an upcoming limited drama series starring André Holland as Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton. The show traces his wild escape from the FBI to Cuba.
The Big Cigar debuts on May 17 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through June 14. “It’s all true,” Apple TV+ said. “Mostly.”