News - page 129

Apple gave the iPad Air a significant size increase at its “Let Loose” event Tuesday. You can get the new 2024 model with a 13-inch display in addition to the familiar smaller size, now 11 inches instead of 10.9. But no matter the size, the tablet runs an Apple M2 processor and features a front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera on the landscape edge and beefed-up speakers.

“Inspired by iPad Pro, where about half the users choose a larger screen, we created a 13-inch model of the new iPad Air, as well,” said Melody Kuna, Apple’s director of iPad Product Design. “[It] has 30% more screen real estate than the 11-inch Air.”

Apple’s online store has gone down ahead of its “Let Loose” event later today. Rumors suggest the company will announce new OLED iPad Pros and Apple Pencil Pro at the event.

Additionally, the 12.9-inch iPad Air might also make its debut at the event.

Sonos’ first headphones and its AirPods Max competitor, the upcoming Sonos Ace, have leaked online. The slip-up revealed the headphones’ design and the array of buttons on both earcups.

Like other Sonos products, the Ace also appears to have a premium design, which should help it stand out.

An AI-powered “Clean Up” feature reportedly coming soon to the Apple Photos app could let users eliminate unwanted objects from images. If true, Apple could showcase the rumored image-editing feature Tuesday at its “Let Loose” event.

During the prerecorded product launch, Apple should show off new iPads alongside some updated accessories, like Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.

Gorgeous new iPad Pro and iPad Air models are expected to be the highlights of Apple’s “Let Loose” product event on May 7. Tablet accessories are on the agenda, too.

But there also could be big news for those who don’t use an iPad. Apple might surprise us with the M4 processor, a first glimpse at upcoming AI features, and maybe even a Mac Studio upgrade. Plus more.

Add Apple Pencil Pro to the list of products expected at Apple’s May 7 “Let Loose” event. A reference to the stylus turned up on the Japanese version of Apple’s website.

It’s for iPad but might also work with Vision Pro.

Coming soon to Apple Arcade are five exciting new games, the iPhone giant said Monday. You can look forward to Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse, Return to Monkey Island+, Tomb of the Mask+, Fabulous – Wedding Disaster+ and Vision Pro spatial title Where Cards Fall.

It starts on May 30 with the arrival of 3D puzzle game Where Cards Fall. The other four titles follow on June 6.

If you’ve read much of Cult of Mac’s computer setups coverage, you know we love good audio. And we love it more when it’s high-value, where the sound is great despite affordable pricing. Edifier R1280T speakers meet that mark.

Edifier is a brand that has long lived in that space. And today’s MacBook Pro and PC laptop setup makes good use of a pair of powered Edifier bookshelf speakers that even MacBook Pro’s fine set of six can’t really compete with (outside of portability).

The first iPhone with a folding screen will go into production in 2026, according to an analyst. This is the second such report in recent months, and could be a sign that Apple is really ready to move ahead with the product.

A MacBook with a 20-inch folding screen reportedly will launch the year before.

Apple shined a light on LGBTQ+ communities Monday with its new Pride Collection. It includes a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop plus a matching watch face and dynamic iOS and iPadOS wallpapers. In a first, you can customize the watch face and wallpapers by choosing colors.

You can order the new Apple Watch band starting May 22. The watch face and dynamic wallpapers for iOS and iPadOS arrive with an upcoming software update, Apple said.

A MacBook with a 20.3-inch folding screen will hit the market earlier than expected, according to an analyst. The folding Mac supposedly will go into production in late 2025.

And a folding iPhone allegedly will follow the next year.

Apple reportedly plans some big design changes for next year’s iPhone 17 lineup. The changes include a smaller Dynamic Island and a “more complex” aluminum design. The company might even revamp its lineup with the addition of the iPhone 17 Slim.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With Apple’s “Let Loose” event just days away, it’s time for one of our favorite endeavors — trying to predict what, exactly, Tim Cook & Co. will trot out. This time, it looks like the event will be all about new iPads (plus iPad accessories like Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard). But whose predictions will prove most accurate?

Erfon, Griffin and I go on the record with our “Let Loose” event predictions (and talk plenty of trash). Plus, for the first time, listeners can download their own scoresheets and play along.

Let the crystal-balling begin!

Also on The CultCast:

• The European Union is on a technocratic rule-making rampage. Now Brussels is targeting the iPad.
• We chew on some big changes reportedly coming in iOS 18.
• And finally, don’t miss our exclusive deal for Cult of Mac readers (and CultCast listeners): Get an exceptional iPhone charger with MagSafe battery pack for just $44.99. This 60% deep discount ends soon!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Casetify partnered with Lucasfilm to release an exclusive collection of iPhone cases and other accessories in honor of Star Wars Day. It’s all about the Dark Side of the Force, with a range of styles featuring Darth Vader, the Death Star, stormtroopers and more.

These are limited editions so don’t procrastinate about ordering.

The action-comedy romance film Argylle stayed near the top of streaming popularity charts for a third week. The Apple TV+ spy-vs-spy thriller is chock full of celebrities.

Plus, the dark, gritty series Sugar continues to pull in big audiences on Apple’s streaming service for another week, too. It features Colin Farrell as a private investigator solving a mystery.

iPad shipments declined 8.5% year-over-year in the first quarter of the 2024, according to a market research firm. The drop can be partially chalked up to the complete lack of new models for the last 18 months.

But it demonstrates Apple’s dominance of the global tablet market that it’s still on top despite a hefty decline during winter quarter.

A new Find Your Friends ad Apple dropped Friday connects the Find My universe with the Star Wars universe, as Boba Fett uses his iPhone 15 in the video to locate fellow Mandalorians in a crowded mall. Or wait, maybe it’s a convention center.

Yeah, it’s a guy in homemade Mandalorian battle gear going off to find like-minded nerds at a raucous Star Wars convention. It’s pretty funny.

Another Mac and PC computer setup stands in the spotlight today — this time a MacBook Pro and PC laptop driving a 4K display and an array of peripherals through an Orico Thunderbolt 3 dock bristling with 15 ports.

The setup emphasizes gaming, too, with a PlayStation 5 mounted under the desk. We’ll take a look at that, too.

CEO Tim Cook is very enthusiastic about the artificial intelligence features coming to iPhone, Mac and iPad. On Thursday, he spoke glowingly about Apple’s unique advantages in this area, and talked about the “transformative power and promise of AI.”

iOS 18, macOS 15 and iPadOS 18 are all expected to include new AI features when they launch this autumn.

Apple saw its revenue drop 4% year over year in the first quarter, the company reported Thursday. But revenue and earnings dropped less than analysts had expected, setting off a surge in the share price.

In a conference call with investors and analysts after the financial results had been announced, CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri talked about this being the quarter of the “challenging compare,” were upbeat about iPhone sales in China, bragged about the M3 MacBook Air, and fended off questions about the company’s AI plans.

Apple responded to protests about the Core Technology Fee it charges European developers every time one of their applications is installed. It removed the requirement for apps that generate “no revenue whatsoever.”

Currently, the CTF is only charged in the EU, but it has the potential to expand globally so prudent developers should pay attention to any changes no matter where they live.

The new SoundLink Max Portable Speaker adds a bit of heft and a bunch of powerful sound to the Bose line of SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, the company said Thursday.

“This all-new portable speaker has lasting power, rugged durability, and delivers incredible sound for its size,” Bose noted. “Now you can set the vibe with your favorite playlist no matter where you go.”

For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) qualified a digital technology — Apple Watch’s AFib History feature — for a special research program. AFib, or atrial fibrillation, is a type of abnormal heart beat associated with heart attacks.

Apple Watch’s AFib History now qualifies for FDA’s stringent Medical Device Development Tools (MDDT) program. The program says which tools research sponsors can choose from to help develop and evaluate medical devices.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, due to launch this year, will have “almost no” hardware upgrades. The claim comes from reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Last year’s Apple Watch Ultra 2 packed modest improvements over its predecessor. Apple will seemingly follow the same trend with this year’s model.

Google paid Apple $20 billion for Google to remain the default search engine across all Apple devices. This figure came to light through court documents submitted in the US Justice Department’s lawsuit against Google.

During the course of the hearing, Google and Apple tried their best not to reveal the amount publicly.