News - page 12

Google can continue its search deal to pay Apple billions of dollars a year for a prime spot as Safari’s default search engine, as long as it’s not an exclusive placement, a court ruled Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta said the proposed banning of such payments — which amounted to $26 billion to Apple and others in 2021, and likely grew since then — would actually help Google. Such a move also posed a “substantial risk of harm” to Apple, consumers and Google’s other partners, he said.

“Google will not be barred from making payments or offering other consideration to distribution partners for preloading or placement of Google Search, Chrome, or its GenAI products,” Mehta wrote in the 226-page ruling released Tuesday. “Cutting off payments from Google almost certainly will impose substantial — in some cases, crippling — downstream harms to distribution partners, related markets, and consumers, which counsels against a broad payment ban.”

Apple must have heard the complaints about the cost and weight of the Vision Pro AR headset, because it’s reportedly working on a Vision Air that will be half as expensive and almost half the weight. That’s the word coming Tuesday from a source who’s built a reputation by often being accurate in predictions about future Apple products.

It’ll take Apple a while to develop the new product, though.

The new Komutr earbuds from Artronic Designs do a trick that any Apple AirPods user can envy. Their charging case uses MagSafe, so it magnetically attaches to the back of an iPhone.

“They’re almost impossible to lose,” boasts Artronic.

There is a significant drawback to the Komutr’s design, though.

Apple may ditch the physical SIM card in more countries with the iPhone 17. A report points to the company going eSIM-only with its upcoming iPhones in Europe this year.

Apple dropped the physical SIM slot entirely in the US starting with the iPhone 14 in 2022.

Invasion season 3 is the most popular show on Apple TV+ and among the most watched series on any streaming service, according to a company that tracks ratings. New episodes resumed last week for the epic alien onslaught.

Speaking of sci-fi, the Apple TV+ adaptation of Foundation also found a large audience last week.

Apple looks poised to unveil its highly anticipated AirPods Pro 3 at its Awe Dropping event on September 9, marking the first major update to the premium noise-canceling earbuds since 2022. Multiple sources suggest the third-generation model will bring significant hardware upgrades alongside Apple’s continued software feature rollouts. Check out all the AirPods Pro 3 rumors below.

This week, invites are out for the “awe dropping” iPhone event! Also: Touch ID and bumper cases making a comeback like it’s 2013, how to combine emojis, the first ergonomic dual-ultra-widescreen setup, Twitter versus Mastodon and Leander’s review of PowerBeats Pro 2!

The United Kingdom government is reportedly still demanding a secret backdoor into encrypted Apple iCloud accounts, despite the Trump administration stating recently that the demand had been dropped.

Apple’s attempt to block the U.K. Home Office efforts to violate the privacy of Americans is headed for court.

A proposed Lego set for Apple’s iconic iMac G3 needs your vote. If enough people support the suggestion, it could be turned into a real Lego product.

The set is an homage to the original desktop iMac, with translucent Bondi Blue parts, and even the controversial mouse.

Apple dropped a teaser video for Powerbeats Fit, wireless earbuds the company has not yet formally announced, on Thursday. Details remain sketchy, but video of athletes wearing the in-ear audio devices revealed a bit about the hardware.

The video promises that Powerbeats Fit will be “fit for every move” when they launch this fall.

The just-launched Zagg Slim Book mini acts as a protective case for the latest iPad mini, but that’s only the start. It also adds a detachable keyboard that makes the tablet ready for serious productivity.

“With the Slim Book mini, we’ve taken the performance and typing experience people expect from a full-size laptop and packed it into a sleek, portable keyboard built specifically for the iPad mini,” said Brad Bell, SVP of global marketing for Zagg.

The graphic in the invitation to Apple’s upcoming “Awe dropping” product launch event looks like a thermal image, and that set off furious speculation Tuesday about whether it’s a hint about a feature coming to one of the many products expected to debut that day.

Could it refer to a way to cool the iPhone 17 Pro? Or a new Apple Watch sensor? Something else?

Apple sometimes uses its event invitations to hint about what it will announce, so it’s possible the company is clueing us in.

Apple Music Radio expanded its reach beyond its own app for the first time, partnering with digital radio platform TuneIn to distribute six curated radio stations to 75 million monthly active listeners starting Wednesday, according to a new report.

Two new Bluetooth trackers offer big improvements over the company’s previous models while maintaining compatibility with Apple’s Find My network, Chipolo said Wednesday. The Loop and Card trackers, both priced at $39, add rechargeable batteries and double their previous Blueooth range to 400 feet.

Wrap the brand-new GameSir X5s around your iPhone to play high-end games. But that’s only the start — the controller also works with iPad, Nintendo Switch, PC and Android.

It’s lightweight with a portable design but includes Hall Effect sticks and triggers, a gyroscope and rumble motors.

Even better, the GameSir X5s costs under $50.

Invitations went out Tuesday for a much-anticipated Apple press event on September 9. The theme is “Awe dropping,” and the unveiling of the iPhone 17 series should be the highlight.

Also likely on the agenda are the launch of Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Accessory maker Plugable just launched a collection of USB-C data-blocker charging cables. The cables transfer only power, not data, and therefore prevent “juice jacking” attacks at public charging ports.

The cables handle up to 240W and come in variety of lengths. Plus, a launch deal drops the prices!

With the launch of Apple Watch Series 11 likely just weeks away, rumors about what to expect remain surprisingly rare. Still, we know a fair amount about what’s coming, based on watchOS 26 and Apple’s usual moves. Additionally, some rumored Apple Watch Ultra 3 features might arrive on the regular model, too.

So, will Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 bring only minor upgrades, as in the last few years? Or will 2025 be the year Apple recaptures the buzz surrounding its smartwatch, adding exciting new features?

Here’s what we know about Apple Watch Series 11 so far.

Apple significantly expanded availability of its Apple Music migration tool, bringing the service to the United States and eight other major markets this week after months of limited testing. It helps users transfer their music libraries from competing streaming services like Spotify.

As rumors continue to swirl about Apple’s potential entry into the smart glasses market, xMEMS Labs plans to unveil innovations that could address some of the biggest challenges facing next-generation wearable devices, the company said Tuesday. At September events it will roll out new xMEMS Labs smart glasses prototypes featuring ultra-thin speakers and active cooling technology that promise to make AI-powered eyewear more comfortable and practical for everyday use.

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.

Apple internally tested launching an iPhone 4-style bumper case for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, according to an unconfirmed report. The slim case would have covered the phone’s edges, leaving the back exposed.

Such a thin case would highlight the iPhone 17 Air’s super-thin design. However, it’s unclear whether Apple will launch the case.

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.

The first folding iPhone reportedly will utilize Apple’s in-house C2 modem, switch to an advanced display technology to improve touch accuracy and make the screen crease less visible, and bring back a classic feature: Touch ID.

Codenamed V68, the book-style foldable is on track to debut in 2026