Following a request from the Chinese government, Apple has reportedly pulled WhatsApp and Threads from China’s App Store. Other Meta apps, like Facebook and Instagram, are still available for download in the country.

The Cyberspace Administration of China asked Apple to take down the two Meta apps, citing national security concerns.

Sunny, a mystery thriller with a darkly comic bent, will premiere on Apple TV+ this summer. The series will star Rashida Jones and a robot.

The two will work together in an attempt to locate the woman’s missing family.

Whether you read to unwind, learn or simply keep yourself entertained, finding time to cross books off your reading list can be challenging while dealing with everyday life. If you can’t invest time to cuddle up with a good book, a book summary service like 12min can keep you up to speed with your reading goals. It serves up microbooks in multiple genres that you can plow through in just 12 minutes!

These book summaries let you absorb big ideas and key concepts from bestsellers at a rapid pace. And for a limited time, you can get lifetime access to 12min for just $34.99 (regularly $362.97).

The Zagg Desk Mat with Wireless Charging keeps your iPhone and other gear juiced up while also acting as a nonslip workspace, mousepad and stylus holder.

I put one in my home office and tested it with my iPhone and other accessories. Here’s how it went.

The new Elgato Neo range of devices — condenser microphone, webcam, LED key light, capture card and stream deck — simplifies video calls, content creation and video streaming for newbies, the company said Thursday. The gear also looks good doing it, with a unified white design across all five devices.

All the Neo products are compatible with iPad, making them an excellent choice for creators who use their tablets for content creation.

The long wait for easy access to AirPlay in hotel rooms is over. Sort of. Apple announced Thursday that a hotel chain is supporting the feature that allows iPhone and iPad users to wirelessly stream content to hotel TVs.

It’s a limited rollout, so travelers are left hoping there’ll be wider adoption.

The first third-party app marketplace, AltStore PAL, launched in the European Union on Wednesday. The App Store alternative comes from Riley Testut, the developer who got his Delta retro-game emulator into the iPhone App Store on the same day.

A radio might feel old-fashioned, but it’s still a great way to stay connected with the world without needing an internet connection. A good multiband radio can play music riding the airwaves from other countries or tune into emergency broadcasts when the power goes out and the internet goes dark.

The Eton Elite Executive may be small, but it’s a great radio to have on hand. And right now, this leather-clad beauty is on sale for 40% off.

Apple said Wednesday it has tripled its use of clean energy since 2020, among other benchmarks of progress toward its goal to reach carbon neutrality across its supply chain by 2030. And on Thursday, the iPhone giant released its full 2024 Environmental Progress Report.

“Clean energy and water are foundational to healthy communities and essential building blocks for a responsible business,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives.

“We’re racing toward our ambitious Apple 2030 climate goal while taking on the long-term work to transform electrical grids and restore watersheds to build a cleaner future for all.”

UPDATE: Ahead of Earth Day on April 22, on Thursday Apple released its much more detailed 2024 Environmental Progress Report, laying out its progress on environmental initiatives related to Apple 2030. For example, the iPhone giant said its greenhouse gas emissions are down 55% since 2015.

The 2025 iPhone 17 Plus could sport a smaller screen than previous Plus models. This could make the phone more compact and fit better in Apple’s lineup.

Apple currently uses a 6.7-inch OLED panel on the iPhone 15 Plus. This is the same display size as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, albeit the latter uses a superior 120Hz panel.

The Nintendo Switch is a great on-the-go gaming experience, yet the standard Joy-Con controllers can leave a lot to be desired. Fortunately, you don’t need to continue gaming with the stock controller. This RGB Nintendo Switch controller can light up your gaming with extra flair and turbo buttons.

While these controllers typically cost $42, you can now grab them for only $30.99.

The new Delta retro game emulator is now on the iPhone App Store. Not only can it handle ROMs originally for the classic Game Boy handheld console, but it also emulates NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS.

It’s a launch that fans of classic games have long awaited.

Apple TV+ renewed its hit alternative-history sci-fi show For All Mankind Wednesday for a fifth season. And, while it was at it, it threw in a whole new spinoff series! For All Mankind spinoff Star City will delve further into secrets of the Soviet space program.

A recent report that the Apple M4 Mac processor will launch this fall — only a year after the debut of the M3 — met with some surprise and skepticism. But it shouldn’t have — Apple’s goal to refresh the chip line every year is ambitious but achievable.

Just because Intel can’t bring out new generations of its processors annually doesn’t mean Apple and TSMC can’t.

WhatsApp is rolling out Chat Filters to make it easier to follow up on unread conversations. These filters allow you to swiftly go through your inbox based on unread messages or group conversations.

As WhatsApp has grown in popularity, so has the number of people and brands reaching out to you on the service. This means you’re more likely to miss out on an important message, which Chat Filters can help avoid.

Multi-display computer setups with asymmetrical placements — aka, screens oriented in landscape and portrait orientations — are so popular that even vintage Apple displays are getting in the action. Today’s featured rig uses a modern MacBook and vintage displays. A M1 Pro MacBook Pro from 2021 drives a Cinema Display and Thunderbolt Display from many years earlier.

Apple CEO Tim Cook told the president of Indonesia Wednesday the company will “look at” manufacturing in the country, according to reports.

Such a move would make for another expansion of Apple’s push to diversify manufacturing sites outside of China, as it has done in Vietnam and India.

If you’re planning an international vacation this year, and don’t know the local language(s), you might want to pack a translator. The Mymanu Clik S translation earbuds make it easy to talk to new people you meet in their language.

They look and work like ordinary high-quality wireless earbuds, but they double as instant translators for 37 languages. And right now, you can get a pair of these translation earbuds for only $89.97 (regularly $157).

World of Warcraft looks and performs very well on Mac. It’s a standout option for gamers frustrated that few other big-name games come to macOS.

Blizzard’s perennially popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game offers constantly evolving content so you won’t get bored. And you don’t need a PC to play.

Bimmy, a NES emulator for the iPhone, joined App Store on Tuesday. It was the first retro game emulator approved by Apple and proof that the company really has removed restrictions on this type of software.

However, the developer himself quickly removed the app “out of fear.” That said, more are likely to follow, including Game Boy emulators.

Fans of darkly comedic spy thriller series Slow Horses rejoice! Another of Mick Herron’s acerbic novels, Down Cemetery Road, is coming to Apple TV+. The show will star Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, the streaming service said Tuesday.

“‘Down Cemetery Road’ has all the hallmarks of Mick Herron’s funny and acerbic writing, and I’m delighted we will be bringing it to life for Apple TV+ with such a stellar cast,” said Jay Hunt, creative director, Europe, Apple TV+. “Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson will make it an unmissable companion piece for ‘Slow Horses’ on our service.”

Bose could be about to launch SoundLink Max, a bigger and brawnier version of the popular and portable SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker, according to a leak and an FCC filing.

That will put another HomePod competitor on the market, and it may be a worthy one with quality sound plus portability.

Amazon just offered 40mm Apple Watch SE (2nd Generation) for $189.00. Not far from an all-time low, that’s $60 off the regular price of $249.00. And you can get a similar Apple Watch SE 2 bargains on other versions of the wearable, too.

Apple highlights its decision to discontinue leather iPhone cases and Watch bands in a new video released Tuesday. The company instead went with a new material it calls “FineWoven.” Trouble is, months after Apple made the change, FineWoven continues to elicit strong complaints.

Rebecca Ferguson, star of hit sci-fi series Silo on Apple TV+, just laid out the show’s possible future in an interview. So Silo continues on Apple TV+, and perhaps not just the second season we already knew about. That’s good news for the show’s many fans wondering what’s next, after that acclaimed first season.

Not only is season 2 filming finally complete after delays. There are reasons to hope third and fourth seasons are coming, too.