Get some AirPods Gen 2 for $99

The AppleInsider crew combs the web for unbeatable deals at online retailers to develop a list of high-quality bargains on popular tech products, including discounts on Apple products, TVs, accessories, and other gadgets. We share the top deals every morning to help you save money.

Read more…

The next iPhone launch is also just two months away now, and we’re continuing to hear rumors about what to expect from the next-generation models, while we’ve heard more this week about a rumored iPhone SE 4 and an upcoming external Mac monitor that could double as a smart home display.

Finally, Meta this week launched its Twitter competitor known as Threads, and it’s seen rapid uptake thanks to its integration with Instagram. Read on for all the details on this week’s biggest stories!

Everything New in iOS 17 Beta 3

Apple this week seeded the third beta of iOS 17 to developers for testing. The latest beta includes a few smaller changes for the iPhone, so be sure to check out our recap of everything new.

The first public beta of iOS 17 will be available later this month, according to Apple, and the software update will be released for all users with an iPhone XS and newer in September. Read our in-depth iOS 17 roundup to learn more about the update and new features.

Apple also released the third developer betas of iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17 this week.

iPhone 15 Pro Expected to Come in Blue

The iPhone 15 Pro models set to be introduced this September will be available in a unique dark blue color that has a gray tone, according to leaker Unknownz21.

Available in a new titanium material, the blue shade will have a brushed finish that is unlike the stainless steel Apple has used in the past. The color is similar to the blue Apple used for the iPhone 12 Pro models, but it appears to be darker and with more gray to better complement the titanium finish. Check out our article for renderings we created to demonstrate the new color.

iPhone 15 Pro Max Predicted to Be More Expensive Than Previous Model

The high-end iPhone 15 Pro Max will be more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which starts at $1,099, according to tech analyst Jeff Pu.

One reason the Pro Max might be more expensive this year is the device’s rumored periscope lens, which is expected to enable up to 5-6x optical zoom, compared to the current limit of 3x. The regular 15 Pro is not expected to have a periscope lens.

Meta’s Twitter Alternative ‘Threads’ Now Available

Facebook’s parent company Meta this week launched a new iPhone app called Threads that competes with Twitter. Thanks to Instagram integration, the app amassed over 30 million users as of Thursday morning, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

MacRumors is on Threads, as are several of our staff members, so be sure to follow us to keep up with the latest Apple news and rumors.

Apple Reportedly Working on Mac Monitor That Becomes a Smart Home Display When Idle

Apple is working on a new external monitor for Macs that also functions as a smart home display while not in use, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple is developing multiple new monitor offerings, some of which are likely to be successors to its Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, and one that could have smart standby features powered by an onboard iOS chip.

iPhone SE 4: Here’s What the Latest Rumors Say

Rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE have been circulating since just months after the current model launched in 2022. This week, we recapped rumors about the device and potential launch timing.

The latest word about the fourth-generation iPhone SE comes from UBI Research analyst Dae-Jeong Yoon, who this week said that mass production of the device has been delayed until some point in 2025.

Top Five New Features in iPadOS 17

While iPadOS 17 has adopted almost all of the features that are available in iOS 17, there are also several additions designed specifically for the larger display of the iPad. In a recent video on our YouTube channel, we highlighted the best new features available for the ‌iPad‌ in the ‌iPadOS 17‌ update.

For more details about the update and new features, read our in-depth iPadOS 17 roundup.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we’ve covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

This article, "Top Stories: iOS 17 Beta 3, Meta Launches Twitter Rival, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Save on Samsung & LG TVs

The AppleInsider crew combs the web for unbeatable deals at online retailers to develop a list of high-quality bargains on popular tech products, including discounts on Apple products, TVs, accessories, and other gadgets. We share the top deals every morning to help you save money.

Read more…

The Financial Times is reporting this morning that Apple has significantly cut its targets for Apple Vision Pro unit shipments. Down from an expected million units per year, Apple will now only make around 400,000 Vision Pro headsets in 2024.

This is due to manufacturing issues arising from the headset’s complex design. Plans for a more affordable second-generation headset have also been delayed, according to the report.

more…

The post Apple reportedly slashes Vision Pro headset shipment targets appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Whether you celebrate the “Fourth” or not, Independence Day weekend is oft considered one of the best times of the year to save on everything from TVs and laptops to the humble Toyota Camry. That’s still the case, however, with Amazon Prime Day kicking off in a little over a week, we expect many of this weekend’s best discounts to hang around just a bit longer than they might have otherwise.

Take our first deal of the day, as an example. Right now, you can pick up Nanoleaf’s Shapes Ultra Black Triangles at Amazon and Best Buy for $199.99 ($20 off), which matches the lowest price we’ve seen on the nine-panel kit since it made its debut last year. The modular light panels are nearly identical to the originals aside from the fact they appear all-black when dormant, meaning they can still display 16 million colors and work with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Assistant. Plus, they’re outfitted with Wi-Fi and Thread radios, meaning they can also act as a Thread Border Router — a vital component of the new Matter smart home standard.

While I’d like to think most students aren’t thinking about going back to school quite yet — the school year only just ended in many parts of the country, after all — I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Dell’s XPS 13 is seeing one of its steepest discounts to date. Right now, the school-ready laptop is on sale at Dell for $849 ($250 off) with 16GB of RAM, a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U processor, 512GB of storage, and a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter for those times when a shoddy pair of wireless headphones just won’t cut it.

As one of our top suggestions for both high school and college students, the XPS 13 has a lot going for it. The ultraportable Windows laptop remains one of the best alternatives to Apple’s MacBook Air thanks to its price-to-performance ratio, not to mention its gorgeous chassis, its 16:10 display, and the kind of lightweight build that makes it a dream to tote around from class to class. All the aforementioned specs also render it a great daily driver, even if you’re not someone who is planning on taking a freshman composition class come the fall.

Read our Dell XPS 13 (2023) review.

Mosquitos are a seasonal fact of life, whether you live in the South or you’re a Northwest city dweller like me. Thankfully, Thermacell’s E90 Mosquito Repeller is nearly matching its best price to date at Amazon, where you can currently pick it up for $39.96 ($10 off).

The straightforward, rechargeable device is a welcome alternative to the Deet- and- butane-heavy products of yesteryear, and should allow you to thwart pesky bugs within a 20-foot radius for up to nine hours at a time thanks to its built-in battery. Keep in mind that the repeller comes with a single, nine-hour repellent cartridge, though there is a 40-hour cartridge available if you really need to keep ‘em at bay for longer.

A few more cool, summer savings

• The Ember Mug 2 continues to be one of our guilty pleasures, one that’s on sale at Woot right now starting at $97.99 ($52 off). The app-controlled smart mug doesn’t do anything other than keep your drink warm, but there’s a small comfort in knowing your coffee is going to be the exact temperature you set it to any time you reach for it in the morning.
• iOttie’s wireless car charger — one of our favorite car gadgets — is currently on sale at Amazon for $34.99 ($15 off), which is just $1 shy of its all-time low. Not only is the handy, Qi-equipped mount wide enough to accommodate pretty much any iPhone or Android phone on the market, but it also features a one-touch design that lets you easily snap your phone in place. It’s a steal of a price if you’re okay with basic charging speeds, especially since the few Apple-approved MagSafe mounts still cost north of $100. Ouch.
• Anker’s Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are currently seeing their first discount, dropping them to just $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon or to the same price at Anker with offer code WSCPXLFXWN. Although we haven’t tested them yet, Anker’s newest earbuds look to be an excellent value thanks to features like adaptive noise cancellation and ear detection, the latter of which automatically pauses what’s playing when you take them out. We were big fans of the Liberty 3 Pro, and while I imagine the new earbuds might not be on par with the Pro model when it comes to sound, they still off a few features that are rare at this price point.
• Apple’s ninth-gen iPad is on sale at Amazon at checkout for $249.99 ($79.01 off) in the 64GB base configuration, matching its lowest price to date. The entry-level model remains a great kid-friendly pick if you’re looking for something less expensive than the latest iPad Air or Pro models, especially since it still packs a 10.2-inch screen, a robust selection of apps, and an A13 Bionic chip that’s still plenty fast enough for most people’s needs. Read our iPad buying guide.

At the beginning of this year, Apple’s value dipped below $2 trillion, but the company’s shares have risen 53% so far this year, pushing them back to all-time highs in recent days. Reaching the $3 trillion market capitalization milestone again has required a slightly higher share price than it did 18 months ago as Apple has continued to aggressively buy back its stock, reducing the overall share count of the company.

Apple saw very strong revenue growth during the pandemic as its products and services were in particularly high demand as more people worked, learned, and connected with others from home. The company’s momentum slowed along with iPhone production issues and general economic concerns in 2022, but optimism around the company has returned in 2023.

This article, "Apple's Market Valuation Returns to $3 Trillion After Almost 18 Months" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums