Apple in March permanently shut down its retail stores in Charlotte, North Carolina, after the mall where it’s located suffered at least three shootings in recent months. At the time, Apple’s website stated, “In preparation for a new store we plan to open in the Charlotte area early next year, we will be permanently closing Wednesday, March 1st at 4pm.” Apple Northlake Mall : Tech giant Apple Inc. is bringing a retail store to Huntersville’s Birkdale Village. The town’s planning department confirmed today that a permit for an Apple Store there has been filed and approved. The Birkdale Village location stands to replace the Apple Store that abruptly shuttered at Northlake Mall earlier this year. Construction has kicked off on…

A long-requested improvement is finally coming to iOS 17: interactive widgets. Here is what it’s like to use the new feature on an iPhone. (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Macworld Apple updated its entry-level iPhone in March 2022, adding a few nips and tucks here and there along with a quiet price increase. It kept the Home button and small form factor that appeals to some, but the aging design and minimal upgrades meant the new iPhone SE was coolly received by the masses, with many looking forward to the next generation and reviewers hoping Apple was planning a more radical overhaul of the device. Right on cue, rumors are now starting to appear about what that might look like. In this article we’ve gathered together everything we know so far, and what we can reasonably speculate, about the iPhone SE 4. Update 06/21/23: Echoing previous reports, Barclays analysts…

Apple today announced it has enhanced the search functionality of its Podcasts app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV by adding nine additional subcategories to the Search tab. This makes it easier to discover new shows across various genres and topics. The new subcategories:Mental Health Relationships Self-Improvement Personal Journals Entrepreneurship Documentary Parenting Books Language LearningThe new subcategories are available now, with no software update required. "Each subcategory has its own charts, which display the Top Shows and Top Episodes available in a listener's market," says Apple. "For example, a listener in the U.S. can browse the charts for Mental Health, which display the top 200 shows and top 200 episodes available in the U.S. based on a mix…

Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsFun transparent design (other colors are available)Improved ANC and sound qualityGood battery lifePriced wellConsDon’t sound as good as AirPods ProMissing a few Apple ecosystem featuresNo wireless chargingOur VerdictPriced similarly to 3rd-gen AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds+ have a more usable design, ANC, and better sound quality. But they’re missing a few Apple ecosystem perks and 2nd-gen AirPods Pro have more features and sound better. Best Prices Today: Beats Studio Buds+ Retailer Price $169.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide In our review of the original Beats Studio Buds, we found they outclassed AirPods Pro in several ways but lacked some Apple-specific features. That, along with mediocre noise canceling, made them less desirable…

In a pair of support documents, Apple has listed various external display combinations that can be used with the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro. For example, both Macs support up to eight 4K displays at 60Hz when configured with the M2 Ultra chip. The new Mac Studio has an HDMI 2.1 port, and the new Mac Pro has two. These ports each support an 8K display at 60Hz, or a 4K display at 240Hz. Apple says the M2 Ultra chip also supports up to six Pro Display XDRs. The previous Mac Studio supported up to five external displays when configured with the M1 Ultra chip, so the new model supporting up to eight is a considerable improvement. Apple silicon…