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For years in the 2000s and 2010s, Apple sold Wi-Fi routers called AirPort base stations. They came in three types: the basic AirPort Express, the fancier AirPort Extreme with extra networking tricks, and the AirPort Time Capsule, which also worked as a backup drive for Macs using Time Machine. Apple stopped making these routers in 2018, but there’s a chance they might come back in a surprising form.

In December, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared that Apple is working on a new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. This chip will show up in updated Apple TV and HomePod mini devices later this year. He says it’s so powerful that it could turn these gadgets into Wi-Fi hotspots. But don’t get too excited yet—it’s not certain Apple will go that route.

Apple seems eager to grow in the smart home world. Rumors suggest they’re building a brand-new smart home hub for release this year. There’s also talk of a HomeKit smart camera that pairs with the hub, creating a simple home security setup. If future Apple TVs or HomePods could act as Wi-Fi routers, too, that’d be another win for Apple in the smart home game.

Gurman says this new chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, a step up from the Wi-Fi 5 in the last AirPort models. However, analyst Jeff Pu thinks it might even handle Wi-Fi 7, which is even faster. For now, it’s unclear if Apple TV and HomePod will turn into routers. Still, Apple is cooking up tech that could make it happen. Whether they bring back the AirPort idea in this fresh way, only time will tell.

American Airlines has joined a handy iPhone feature that lets travelers share the location of their AirTag-tracked bags at airports, as reported by View from the Wing.

AirTags Make Bag Tracking Simple

With the iOS 18.2 update, the Find My app now includes a tool to share the location of an AirTag attached to your luggage with others, like airline staff. If your bags go missing or get delayed, this feature helps the airline find them faster—just pop an AirTag in your suitcase!

American Airlines started using this tool this week, a spokesperson confirmed. Other airlines, such as Delta, United, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and Lufthansa, already support it too.

Here’s what an American Airlines spokesperson shared with View from the Wing:

“We’ve added a simple and safe way for customers to share the location of their AirTag or Find My accessory with us. If a bag is delayed on a trip to or from a U.S. airport, customers can create a link using Apple’s Share Item feature on iOS 18.2 or later and send it to us. At the baggage office, they scan a QR code to file a claim and add their details.”

How the Share Item Tool Works

If you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2 (or newer), you can make a “Share Item Location” link in the Find My app. Share it with someone, and they’ll see a webpage with a map showing where your item is. The map updates as the item moves. Apple teamed up with airlines to keep this private and secure. Only a few authorized staff can see the link, and they must log in with their Apple Account or work email to view it.

When Sharing Stops

The location sharing ends as soon as you get your bag back or after seven days—whichever comes first. Released in December, iOS 18.2 kicked off this feature, and Apple says more airlines will add it soon.

Pegasus spyware, created by NSO, is a danger to iPhone users’ privacy. This sneaky program can take over your phone without you doing anything. It grabs almost all your info and some versions can even turn on your camera and microphone. Pegasus uses secret flaws in iPhones that Apple hasn’t found yet. Still, Apple has a plan to catch it.

Apple’s Efforts to Find Pegasus

Apple built special tools into iOS to spot when spyware sneaks into an iPhone, even if they don’t know how it got there. When they think a phone’s been hit, they warn the owner and start hunting for the weak spot Pegasus used. Last summer, for example, Apple sent alerts to users in nearly 100 countries.

Apple has told tons of people in 98 countries that “mercenary spyware” might have attacked their phones, risking nearly all their private data. They admit they’re not always 100% sure, but they’re pretty confident and tell users to take the warning seriously.

Here are some past cases:

• Apple tipped off a Polish prosecutor her phone might be hacked by NSO.
• Apple warned pro-democracy activists in Thailand about a Pegasus attack.
• Apple alerted an Indian opposition leader about a possible iPhone hack.

Only Half of Infected Phones Caught

A new study says Apple is only finding about half of the phones hit by Pegasus. This info comes from iVerify, a mobile security company. They made a $1 app last year that lets you check your phone and send the results to them. You pay once and can scan monthly.

From those scans, iVerify figured out how common Pegasus is and checked if Apple warned the infected users. After big news coverage, 18,000 more people used the app and found 11 new Pegasus cases in December alone. Now, iVerify estimates about 1.5 out of every 1,000 scanned phones have Pegasus.

With more scans, they’re sure of this number. They also noticed that not just big shots as politicians get hit—regular folks in jobs like government, finance, logistics, and real estate do too. Some were tracked for years with different Pegasus types.  Surprisingly, Apple didn’t warn about half of these victims. Without verifying, they’d never know their phones were hacked. iVerify says they only counted phones they were sure were infected.

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Apple just revealed its budget-friendly iPhone 16e, and now everyone’s curious about what’s next. This spring, we’re expecting some exciting updates from Apple. Let’s dive into the products we’re pretty sure will get a refresh before the season ends. Plus, there’s a chance Apple might surprise us with something new!

M4 MacBook Air

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops are getting a boost with the speedy M4 chip. Don’t expect a new look—the focus is all about power. Tech insider Mark Gurman says these refreshed MacBook Airs are “almost here,” likely hitting stores later this spring. With stock running low in Apple stores, the launch could be super close!

iPad Air

The iPad Air is up for an upgrade, possibly with an M3 or M4 chip. It might also come with a cheaper Magic Keyboard made for affordable iPads. Rumors are mixed—some say it’ll get the M3 (a bit older than the iPad Pro’s M4), while Gurman hints it could jump to the M4. A trusted source from January backs the M3 idea. No big design changes are expected, and Gurman says it’s coming soon.

Budget-Friendly iPad

Apple’s working on an 11th-generation iPad with a faster chip and Wi-Fi 6E support. It’ll likely include the new C1 modem chip from the iPhone 16e. Gurman reports it’ll run on the A17 Pro chip—found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPad mini 7. This chip powers Apple Intelligence, so the iPad should have at least 8GB of RAM to handle those cool AI features. Shipments reportedly started in December, so it’s on the way!

Smart Home Hub

Apple’s cooking up a gadget to control your smart home, like a central “Command Center.” This iPad-style device might launch as early as 2025, per Gurman. But he also warns it could slip to later in the year because it needs updates from iOS 18.4 or iOS 19. Analyst Kuo predicts a release in mid-to-late 2025. For now, Gurman says it’s still a few months off. Spring’s shaping up to be a big season for Apple fans—stay tuned!