Macworld StandBy, one of a number of appealing new features in this year’s iOS 17 software update, enables iPhones to act as smart displays when plugged in and not otherwise in use. This means they can serve a secondary function as a reduced-brightness (or red-tinted) digital alarm clock with a few useful widgets while charging overnight. But based on a new report, Apple is considering a similar feature for the Mac. Of course, your Mac is less likely to be sitting beside your bed during the night, so the analogy isn’t exact. But there’s considerable merit to the idea of the screen automatically transitioning into a more general info hub when it would otherwise be sleeping (and assuming battery conservation…

Apple has been forced to make “drastic” cuts to production forecasts for its Apple Vision Pro spatial computer, Financial Times reports. The complexity of the headset design and difficulties in production are reportedly behind the scaling back of targets. Apple Vision Pro features a pair of advanced, custom micro‑OLED displays deliver more pixels than a 4K TV to each eye — for stunning clarity. Qianer Liu, Patrick McGee, and Kana Inagaki for Financial Times: [P]lans for a more affordable version of the device have had to be pushed back, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the manufacturing process. Two people close to Apple and Luxshare, the Chinese contract manufacturer that will initially assemble the device, said it was…

Apple is working on a new external monitor for Macs that also functions as a kind of smart home display while not in use, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Writing in the subscriber version of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says 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. If Gurman's claim is accurate, it would not be the first time Apple silicon has been used in an external display. Apple already includes a dedicated A13 chip in its existing 27-inch Studio Display, but its functionality is limited…

Apple is likely to release a USB-C case for AirPods Pro alongside the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup this fall, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said the shift was in line with the same switch from Lightning to USB-C that is expected to happen across the iPhone 15 series this year. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in March that Apple would release a second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case later this year. Kuo said it was unclear if any other hardware changes are planned for AirPods Pro in 2023. Gurman's report suggests not. Meanwhile on the software side, Gurman said Apple is developing a new hearing test feature for…

Apple has been forced to make "drastic cuts" to production forecasts for its Vision Pro mixed reality headset due to the complexity of its design and difficulties in production, reported the Financial Times on Monday. Apple's $3,500 headset is set to go on sale early next year, but analysts have suggested the lengthy gap between its unveiling at WWDC in June and official launch could be more to do with supply chain problems than a way to give developers time to create apps for the device. According to the paywalled report, Apple is said to have been unhappy with the productivity of manufacturing partners tasked with supplying the two micro-OLED displays for the wearer's eyes and the outward-facing curved lenticular…

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.