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Search results for: “AI”

  • Apple’s AI delays spark worry among leaders

    Apple’s AI delays spark worry among leaders

    Apple made big promises about its new AI features, called Apple Intelligence, when it launched the iPhone 16. However, those tools didn’t show up as planned. Months have passed, and the company keeps pushing back the release. Now, Apple’s top leaders, including Craig Federighi, are growing anxious.

    Recently, Apple shared that its upgraded Siri and other AI features won’t arrive until at least 2026—long after the iPhone 17 hits stores. This means the iPhone 16 won’t have the full experience Apple hyped up. Some tools, like summarizing notifications and editing photos, did launch, but they’re clunky and underwhelming. It seems Apple rushed them out to keep up with the AI trend, and the results have grabbed attention for all the wrong reasons.

    The company’s bosses aren’t happy. Craig Federighi, who leads Apple’s software team, and other executives are speaking up after the latest delay news. This mess has turned into a huge headache for Apple’s image. Fans and the media are frustrated—even loyal Apple users complain online, saying the iPhone 16 feels unfinished.

    Apple Intelligence was meant to transform how people use their iPhones and other devices. It promised to fetch info fast and organize your day like a smart buddy. Instead, users are stuck with weak tools that don’t stack up to competitors. Rumors are swirling that Apple might ditch its current AI plans and start over. If that’s true, the 2026 goal could slip even further.

    This isn’t just about broken promises—it’s about timing. By the time Apple gets its AI ready, other companies might be miles ahead. For now, iPhone 16 buyers are left waiting for features they expected while Apple scrambles to fix its AI stumble.

  • Apple’s MacBook Air gets a fresh look and fixes an annoying issue

    Apple’s MacBook Air gets a fresh look and fixes an annoying issue

    Apple recently unveiled its latest MacBook Air, and it’s turning heads for the right reasons this time. Before the new sky blue M4 MacBook Air arrived, there was another color that grabbed attention—but not in a good way.

    Back in July 2022, the M2 MacBook Air debuted with a dark, almost-black shade called midnight. Its sleek aluminum finish was the closest thing to a black laptop Apple had ever made. But it came with a big downside: the surface picked up fingerprints and skin oils like a magnet.

    Even if you handled it with care, the midnight M2 MacBook Air quickly ended up covered in smudges. For many, it was a trade-off worth making for such a stylish, dark design. Fast forward nearly two years, and Apple tackled the issue. With the M3 MacBook Air, they announced a special “anodization seal” to cut down on fingerprints for the midnight color. It worked pretty well—for that model, at least.

    The catch? The fix didn’t cover every MacBook Air. Apple kept selling the older midnight M2 version for $100 less than the M3. If smudges drove you crazy, that cheaper option was still a headache. Now, things have changed. This week, Apple stopped offering any midnight MacBook Air without the fingerprint-fighting seal.

    Messy, smudge-covered laptops are mostly history. In their place, Apple rolled out the M4 MacBook Air. It comes with a cool new sky-blue shade, an improved midnight finish, and a starting price of $999. The new lineup replaces both the M2 and M3 models, giving fans a cleaner, fresher choice.

  • Apple Watch avoids import ban after winning legal fight against AliveCor

    Apple Watch avoids import ban after winning legal fight against AliveCor

    Apple recently won a big legal victory against AliveCor, a company that sued it in 2021. A federal appeals court agreed with a decision to cancel three patents AliveCor said Apple broke with its Apple Watch. This means the court also threw out a ruling from the International Trade Commission (ITC) that could have stopped Apple Watches from being brought into the U.S.

    In a message to MacRumors, Apple thanked the court and said it would keep working on new health tools for the Apple Watch. “We’re grateful to the Federal Circuit for their thoughtful review. Our teams have spent years creating top-notch health, wellness, and safety features that help people, and we’re excited to keep going,” Apple shared.

    The trouble started when AliveCor took Apple to court, claiming Apple misused its heart rate and ECG tech ideas. At first, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) said Apple was in the wrong. But after Apple asked the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board to take another look, the board decided those patents weren’t valid, hurting AliveCor’s case.

    Even so, the ITC had suggested banning some Apple Watch sales, which Apple fought since the patents were no longer valid. While both sides appealed, the ban was paused. Now, the appeals court has backed the decision to cancel the patents, so no import ban will happen in this case.

    AliveCor told MacRumors they’re upset with the ruling and feel the court ignored key details the ITC found convincing. “This won’t stop our business or our drive to keep creating for our millions of customers,” they said. They argue this fight is about protecting small companies and future ideas from big players like Apple. AliveCor plans to keep exploring legal steps to prove their patents are valid and that Apple crossed a line.

    Last year, AliveCor lost another lawsuit against Apple about unfair competition, and they’re appealing that too. Meanwhile, Apple’s facing a separate challenge with Masimo over blood oxygen tech, where an import ban still affects U.S. Apple Watch sales. For now, Apple has turned off that feature in watches sold here and is working to fix it.

  • Apple’s new MacBook Air fixes a tiny but annoying keyboard flaw

    Apple’s new MacBook Air fixes a tiny but annoying keyboard flaw

    Apple has made a small change to its latest MacBook Air that might not grab big attention but will make picky Mac fans happy. After 26 years, the company has finally fixed a little keyboard mix-up that’s been around since 1999.

    The Mute key, which first showed up on the PowerBook G3 ‘Lombard,’ has been updated on the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip. According to iCulture, it now has a simple speaker icon with a line through it. This matches the symbol you see on your screen when you press it in macOS, making things clearer.

    For years, the old Mute key just showed a plain speaker symbol. It didn’t hint that it turns off your sound. Then, when you pressed it, a different image—a speaker with a slash—popped up on the screen. Sure, the key could mute and un-mute, but the new design makes its job obvious, kind of like the mute button on an Apple TV Remote.

    This tiny tweak ends a weird design mismatch that stuck around through tons of Mac keyboards over the years. The updated Mute key isn’t just for the MacBook Air. The new iPad Air’s Magic Keyboard has it, too. For iPad fans, this feels extra nice since older Magic Keyboards didn’t even have function keys.

    This change shows how Apple pays attention to the little things, even if it took the company over 25 years to get it right. Looking ahead, it’s a safe bet that all new Macs will use this improved Mute key. The next big release, likely a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip coming around October, will probably have it, too. It’s a small fix, but it’s one more way Apple keeps making their stuff better.

  • Apple wins case over claims it copied a journalist’s book for “Tetris” film

    Apple wins case over claims it copied a journalist’s book for “Tetris” film

    Apple recently won a lawsuit that claimed its Apple TV+ movie Tetris copied a book by tech writer Dan Ackerman. According to Reuters, U.S. District Judge Katherine Failla ruled that the book and the film weren’t close enough to back up Ackerman’s accusations.

    Ackerman, who used to lead Gizmodo and now runs Micro Center, started the lawsuit in 2023. He said the “Tetris” film was very similar to his 2016 book, “The Tetris Effect.” He took legal action against Apple, the film’s writer, Noah Pink, Marv Studios, the Tetris Company, and others.

    Here’s what happened: Ackerman shared an early copy of his book with the Tetris Company in July 2016. But the company’s CEO, Maya Rogers, reportedly told her team not to let Ackerman use the Tetris name or image for any TV or movie projects. Later, the Tetris Company sent a warning letter to Ackerman’s agent, saying they’d sue if he kept trying to sell his book for a show or film.

    The lawsuit claimed the Tetris Company then began working on its movie, using Ackerman’s book as the foundation for the script. When the “Tetris” trailer came out in March 2023, Ackerman spotted big similarities to his work. He sent a letter demanding the movie be stopped until legal matters were cleared up. Even though Apple knew about the letter, they released the film on Apple TV+ a week later.

    Judge Failla, however, said Ackerman’s book was non-fiction, so the filmmakers could use its facts as long as they didn’t copy his way of telling the story. She ruled in Apple’s favor.
    You can read Judge Failla’s full decision online. The “Tetris” movie, out since 2023, has been a hit on Apple TV+, earning an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Check it out on Apple TV+ if you haven’t already!

  • iPhone 17 Air and 17 Pro Max: Same size, different thickness

    iPhone 17 Air and 17 Pro Max: Same size, different thickness

    Apple’s upcoming super-slim iPhone 17 Air is said to match the iPhone 17 Pro Max in size, except for how thick each phone is, according to a tip from leaker Ice Universe.

    Comparing iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Air

    On their Weibo page, the Chinese leaker shared that the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max have the same length, width, screen size, and edges. “The only thing that’s different is the thickness,” they explained. “The iPhone 17 Air is just 5.5mm thick, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 8.725mm thick.”

    If this is true, it also means the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be quite a bit thicker than the current iPhone 16 Pro Max. We’ve heard about the iPhone 17 Air’s slim 5.5mm body before, but Ice Universe’s info shakes things up compared to older rumors. Last year, screen expert Ross Young said the iPhone 17 Air would have a 6.55-inch display, or about 6.6 inches when rounded up.

    However, YouTube creator Jon Prosser disagreed last month, saying the iPhone 17 Air will come with a bigger 6.7-inch screen. (Young later stuck to his 6.55-inch prediction.) If Prosser’s right, that still doesn’t match the 6.9-inch screen expected for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple bumped up the screen sizes for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max last year, and they’re likely staying the same for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Ice Universe added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s frame is unchanged, “just like the iPhone 16 Pro Max.”

    iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Air

    • Thickness: 8.73mm vs. 5.55mm
    • Height: 163mm vs. 163mm
    • Width: 77.6mm vs. 77.6mm
    • Screen: 6.9″ (174mm) vs. 6.9″ (174mm)
    • Edge: 1.15mm vs. 1.15mm

    Ice Universe has a good track record, correctly leaking iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max sizes in the past. Still, we’re keeping a cautious eye on this rumor until more people back it up. Apple should reveal the iPhone 17 family around mid-September, as usual.

  • New MacBook Air boasts huge speed boost over Intel model, but check the details

    New MacBook Air boasts huge speed boost over Intel model, but check the details

    Apple is making a bold statement about its latest MacBook Air, powered by the M4 chip. They claim it’s up to 23 times faster than the older Intel-based version. Sounds amazing, right? But there’s more to the story, so let’s break it down.

    First, Apple tested a 2025 MacBook Air with a 10-core M4 chip and 32GB of memory against a 2020 model with a 4-core Intel Core i7 and 16GB of memory. Both had top-notch 2TB storage. This means they compared the new laptop to the best Intel MacBook Air ever made, which makes sense for a fair test.

    Next, the huge 23x speed jump comes from one specific task: using a feature called Super Resolution in Pixelmator Pro, an app Apple now owns. This tool uses smart tech to make a 4.4MB image sharper and clearer. So, that impressive speed claim is tied to this one job, not everything you might do on a laptop.

    Apple’s detailed note says they ran this test in January 2025 on pre-release 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs with the M4 chip, comparing them to the Intel model. The results show how the new MacBook Air performs in this unique situation.

    What about everyday tasks? Apple shared more examples:

    • Crunching numbers in Excel is up to 4.7x faster than the top Intel model and 1.6x faster than the M1 MacBook Air.
    • Editing videos in iMovie is up to 8x quicker than the Intel version and 2x faster than the M1.
    • Fixing photos in Photoshop is up to 3.6x speedier than Intel and 2x faster than M1.
    • Browsing the web is up to 60% quicker than a similar Intel PC, with tougher tasks up to 2x faster.

    These numbers feel more practical for most people. While the 23x claim might sound like a stretch, it’s clear that any MacBook Air with an M1 chip or newer leaves Intel models in the dust. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, this could be your moment. You can order the new MacBook Air now on Apple’s website, with deliveries starting March 12.

  • How fast is the new iPad Air with Apple’s M3 Chip? Here’s the Scoop

    How fast is the new iPad Air with Apple’s M3 Chip? Here’s the Scoop

    Everyone’s buzzing about Apple’s super-speedy M3 Ultra chip for the Mac Studio, but we’re still waiting on those test results. For now, let’s check out the first scores for the new iPad Air with the M3 chip.

    M3 iPad Air Performance

    The early Geekbench 6 scores for the iPad Air with the M3 chip aren’t shocking, but that’s okay—steady news can be great news! Since Macs already use the M3 chip, we know it’s about 20% quicker than the M2 chip when handling lots of tasks at once (that’s multi-core CPU speed, for the tech fans). The new iPad Air shows the same kind of boost, which is just what we hoped for.

    So far, there are three test results for the M3 iPad Air, giving it an average multi-core score of 11,605. Compare that to the last iPad Air with the M2 chip, which scored 9,817 on average. That means the M3 is roughly 18% faster than the M2 in the iPad Air, based on these first numbers. That’s a pretty solid improvement!

    This is nice to see, but it’s not the big headline we’re waiting for. The real excitement will come when we find out how the M3 Ultra stacks up against the M4 Max chip. Those test scores should pop up soon, so keep an eye out for that update. For now, the M3 iPad Air is proving it’s a step up—faster and ready for whatever you throw at it. More speed news is on the way!

  • iPhone 17 Air might get a super-packed battery

    iPhone 17 Air might get a super-packed battery

    In a recent blog, Ming-Chi Kuo, an expert on Apple’s supply chain, shared some exciting news. He said the upcoming iPhone 17 Air will come with a “high-density” battery, which could mean better power for this super-slim phone.

    Kuo mentioned that this new iPhone, expected to fold, will use the same kind of battery as the ultra-thin iPhone 17. These high-density cells pack more energy into a small space. He didn’t give exact numbers for how much power they’ll hold, though.

    People have worried that the iPhone 17 Air’s thin design might mean a weak battery. After all, a smaller body leaves less room for a big battery. But it looks like Apple’s got some tricks up its sleeve! Three rumored features could help this phone last longer than expected. First, there’s that high-density battery. Second, Apple’s new C1 modem chip saves energy. And third, skipping the Ultra Wide camera frees up space inside for a bigger battery.

    Apple is likely to show off the iPhone 17 Air in September. Kuo says it’ll be just 5.5mm thick at its slimmest spot, making it one of the thinnest iPhones ever. With these smart design choices, the iPhone 17 Air might surprise us all with how long it can go between charges.

  • Affordable new Magic Keyboard unveiled for iPad Air with cool upgrades

    Affordable new Magic Keyboard unveiled for iPad Air with cool upgrades

    Apple recently launched the M3 iPad Air and iPad 11, and now it’s introduced a neat new accessory to go with them. The Magic Keyboard for iPad Air has been updated with some awesome features borrowed from the M4 iPad Pro’s version. Let’s check out what’s new!

    iPad Air’s Magic Keyboard Gets a Fresh Look

    According to Apple:

    The redesigned Magic Keyboard for iPad Air makes it easier to get things done, all at a lower price. It has a bigger trackpad that’s super accurate for tricky tasks, plus a new row of 14 keys for quick controls like adjusting brightness or sound. It snaps on magnetically, and the Smart Connector instantly links it up for power and data—no Bluetooth needed. There’s also a sturdy aluminum hinge with a USB-C port for charging. Starting at just $269 for the 11-inch size and $319 for the 13-inch, this keyboard keeps its sleek floating style and comes in white. This updated Magic Keyboard for iPad Air picks up some of the best tricks from the M4 iPad Pro’s keyboard, which I adore.

    Here’s what they share:

    • A larger trackpad for easier use
    • A handy row of shortcut keys

    One small difference? The iPad Air version doesn’t have the fancy trackpad vibration feedback. It also skips the aluminum area near the trackpad. But overall, the two keyboards are pretty similar. Both come in 11-inch and 13-inch options. While it’d be cool to have just one Magic Keyboard for all iPads, the super-slim iPad Pro probably needs its special fit.

    Pricing and Which iPads Work with It

    The iPad Air’s Magic Keyboard is cheaper since it skips a couple of extras:

    • 11-inch: $269 (compared to $299 for iPad Pro’s)
    • 13-inch: $319 (compared to $349 for iPad Pro’s)

    It works with these iPads:

    • iPad Air 11-inch (M3, M2, 5th, and 4th gen)
    • iPad Air 13-inch (M3, M2)

    You can grab it now from Apple’s online store, with delivery by Wednesday, March 12.

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