Search results for: “Apple”

  • Apple unveils $500 Billion plan to boost U.S. jobs and growth

    Apple unveils $500 Billion plan to boost U.S. jobs and growth

    Apple recently shared exciting news about pouring $500 billion into the United States over the next four years. This massive investment will bring 20,000 new jobs and grow the company’s work in manufacturing and research, as reported by Bloomberg. The announcement follows a meeting between Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, and President Donald Trump.

    The company has big plans, including building a new server-making plant in Houston. This 250,000-square-foot facility, set to open next year, will team up with Foxconn to create servers for Apple’s Private Cloud computing system. Apple is also launching a supplier training center in Michigan to prepare the next wave of American manufacturers. Plus, they’re expanding data centers in states like Arizona, Oregon, Iowa, Nevada, and North Carolina. Chip-making for some Apple Watch and iPad models has already kicked off at TSMC’s Arizona site.

    The 20,000 new jobs will focus on research, chip design, and artificial intelligence. This follows Apple’s earlier push, which added 20,000 research roles in the past five years. In Detroit, Apple will open a special academy to help smaller businesses learn manufacturing skills. The company is also boosting its U.S. manufacturing fund to $10 billion.

    “We believe in America’s bright future and are thrilled to add $500 billion to support it,” Cook said. “We’ll keep partnering with people and businesses nationwide to shape an amazing new story for American innovation.”

    This news might be timed cleverly, as Trump has talked about adding a 10% tax on imports from China. In his first term, Cook convinced Trump to skip tariffs on iPhones, warning they’d help rivals like Samsung instead.

    Apple’s bold move shows its confidence in America and could spark more growth and jobs ahead. Note: Since this topic touches on political and social themes, the discussion is in our Political News forum. Everyone can read it, but only members with 100+ posts can comment.

  • Apple solves a big CarPlay problem

    Apple solves a big CarPlay problem

    Apple rolled out the iOS 18.4 beta on Friday, bringing some fresh and exciting updates. Among them are Priority Notifications powered by Apple Intelligence, a new Food category in the Apple News app, and a few other goodies. But there’s one smaller tweak that didn’t grab much attention—a change to CarPlay, especially for cars with bigger screens.

    A user named Jace noticed on Threads that CarPlay in iOS 18.4 now shows three rows of app icons instead of just two. This update makes better use of larger car screens, giving you more apps at a glance. Not every car gets this upgrade, though. The extra row only pops up on bigger displays, but it’s not clear exactly how big the screen needs to be.

    For example, MacRumors pointed out that it works on the Toyota Tundra, which can have a screen up to 14 inches. So, if your car’s screen is on the smaller side, you might not see this change yet. This update is a big win for drivers. Car screens keep getting larger, but CarPlay hasn’t always kept up, leaving some space on the display.

    With CarPlay 2 still not here, this fix is a nice in-between solution. It makes things more convenient, especially for people with big screens, by showing more apps at once. That means less swiping through home screen pages while you’re on the road. Overall, it’s a simple but smart move by Apple. For those with the right setup, it makes using CarPlay feel smoother and less cluttered.

  • Apple set to release new MacBook Air with M4 Chip soon

    Apple set to release new MacBook Air with M4 Chip soon

    Apple is getting ready to roll out a fresh take on its 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops, powered by the new M4 chip. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the big reveal is expected to happen in March.

    Talk about this M4 MacBook Air has been buzzing for a while now. Hints of it popped up in the macOS 15.2 beta back in December, making it seem like the launch was close. Gurman had even hinted that the MacBook Air would hit the market before other spring releases, like the iPhone 16e and iPad Air. But while the iPhone 16e is already out, the MacBook Air has kept us waiting.

    That wait might finally be ending soon. Gurman says Apple is gearing up for a March launch and is busy getting its marketing, sales, and store teams ready. He also mentioned that the older M2 and M3 MacBook Air models are running low in stock at stores, which could be a sign the new version is on its way.

    As for what’s new with the M4 MacBook Air, the details are slim. The star of the show is the M4 chip, but there could be a few other upgrades too. Some possibilities include faster Thunderbolt 4 ports (instead of the current USB 4/Thunderbolt 3 setup), a better Center Stage camera for video calls, and maybe even a nano-texture screen option to cut down on glare.

    These features have already shown up in other Macs with the M4 chip, so they’d make sense here too. Apple fans won’t have to wait much longer to see what’s in store. With March just around the corner, the new MacBook Air could be here before we know it!

    Source

  • Apple plans to add Google Gemini to Apple Intelligence

    Apple plans to add Google Gemini to Apple Intelligence

    Right now, Apple Intelligence lets Siri pass some questions to ChatGPT for smarter, more detailed answers than Siri can give on its own. During WWDC24, Apple’s software leader, Craig Federighi, hinted in a chat that they’re open to teaming up with other AI systems, like Google Gemini. A fresh leak suggests this teamwork might happen soon.

    A recent update tied to the iOS 18.4 beta shows “Google” and “OpenAI” listed as outside options for Apple Intelligence. This clue comes from code explorer Aaron Perris, who shared it onX. This doesn’t promise Gemini will pop up in iOS 18.4—especially since Apple Intelligence has faced some slowdowns already—but it strongly hints it’s coming eventually. It could land in a later iOS 18 tweak or roll out with iOS 19. Word is, Apple’s also cooking up its own chatty Siri upgrade for iOS 19.

    Google just dropped some shiny new Gemini 2.0 models, including one built for better reasoning. These might soon show up on iPhones, at least if you’ve got an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 or 16 Pro, or the upcoming iPhone 16e. In short, Apple’s gearing up to mix Google’s brainpower into its tech, giving users more ways to get sharp answers straight from their phones. Stay tuned—big things could be on the way!

  • Apple stops new iOS 18.4 and watchOS 11.4 test updates for some devices

    Apple stops new iOS 18.4 and watchOS 11.4 test updates for some devices

    Today, Apple halted the watchOS 11.4 beta 1 update for all Apple Watch Series 6 users, meaning they can’t try out this early version anymore. This info comes from Aaron Perris on X. Apple also paused iOS and iPadOS 18.4 beta 1 for certain iPhones and iPads.

    watchOS 11.4 Beta Removed

    Apple rolled out the watchOS 11.4 beta just yesterday, along with iOS 18.4 beta, visionOS 2.4 beta, and others. While those updates brought some cool new stuff, it’s not clear what was different about watchOS 11.4 beta.

    Two people on the r/watchOSbeta subreddit said their Apple Watches stopped working after installing it. One mentioned they had a Series 6, but the other didn’t say which model. Because of this, Apple likely decided to pull the update. Aaron says this affects all Series 6 versions: GPS (40mm and 44mm) and GPS + Cellular (40mm and 44mm).

    iOS and iPadOS 18.4 Beta Stopped Too

    Apple also blocked iOS 18.4 beta 1 for several devices, like most iPhone 12 models, some 2020 iPads, and the cellular versions of the latest iPad Air. People noticed their devices kept restarting after the update, though the exact problem isn’t clear. Here’s the list of affected devices:

    • iPhone 12 Pro
    • iPhone 12 Pro Max
    • iPhone 12 mini
    • iPad 8 (Cellular)
    • iPad Air 4 (Wi-Fi)
    • iPad Air 4 (Cellular)
    • iPad Air 11-inch (M2) (Cellular)
    • iPad Air 13-inch (M2) (Cellular)

    Hopefully, Apple will fix these issues and bring the betas back soon. It’s funny how most of the devices having trouble came out in 2020. For now, users with these gadgets will have to wait a bit longer for the next test versions.

  • iPhone 16e solves a cost confusion in Apple’s lineup

    iPhone 16e solves a cost confusion in Apple’s lineup

    When 5G arrived with the iPhone 12, Apple started a tricky pricing game. They’d advertise iPhones as “starting at $799,” but that deal only worked if you signed up with a big US carrier right away. Want one without a carrier lock? The real price jumped to $829. The iPhone 16e finally puts an end to this extra fee hassle.

    No More Activation Tricks

    Since the iPhone 12, every basic iPhone model has followed this pricing twist—yes, even the iPhone 16. The good news? The fancier Pro models never had this issue.

    It’s always bugged me when people call the iPhone 16 a “$799 phone.” That’s not the full story. If you activate it with a major carrier through Apple, sure, you get that price. But for everyone else, it’s $829. Many folks buy straight from their carrier, and even then, they’re stuck with the higher $829 cost. Some say $30 isn’t much, but it still feels sneaky.

    Apple’s C1 Modem Changes Things

    Back with the iPhone 12, Apple added 5G mmWave to all models. Big carriers like Verizon probably pushed for it. This speedy tech isn’t cheap and usually skips budget phones. The catch? It only shines in crowded spots like stadiums. In busy places like New York, you might lose the signal just by walking around a corner.

    Thankfully, the iPhone 16e uses Apple’s C1 modem, which skips mmWave. Without that costly feature, there’s no need for carrier discounts to balance things out. So, no matter your carrier, you can grab an iPhone 16e for the advertised $599. That’s a first for a regular iPhone since 2020!

    Looking ahead, Apple’s next C2 modem might bring mmWave back. But since Apple often leaves it out for iPhones sold outside the US, we’ll probably see a version without it too. For now, the iPhone 16e keeps things simple and fair.

  • New food features coming to Apple News+ with iOS 18.4

    New food features coming to Apple News+ with iOS 18.4

    Apple is bringing exciting updates to its Apple News+ service with the release of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. Soon, subscribers will enjoy a fresh section called Apple News+ Food, packed with thousands of recipes, restaurant tales, healthy eating advice, kitchen must-haves, and more.

    The content will be sourced from popular food magazines and websites like Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats. These well-known names will fill the section with tasty ideas and helpful tips.

    Apple News editors will handpick the best food stories to share with readers. Plus, there’ll be a special Recipe Catalog area where new dishes are added often. A handy cook mode will guide users through each step of a recipe, making it easy to follow along. Subscribers can also save their favorite recipes to use even without an internet connection.

    This delicious upgrade, Apple News+ Food, will roll out to all Apple News+ users when iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 launch in April. It’s a great way to explore new meals, get cooking inspiration, and learn more about food—all in one place!

  • Apple releases early test versions of tvOS 18.4 and watchOS 11.4

    Apple releases early test versions of tvOS 18.4 and watchOS 11.4

    Today, Apple shared the first test versions, or betas, of its upcoming watchOS 11.4 and tvOS 18.4 updates. These are meant for developers to try out and test before the official release.

    Developers who are signed up with Apple can grab these early versions directly through the Settings app on their devices, like the Apple Watch or Apple TV.

    So far, Apple hasn’t spilled the beans on what’s new in these updates. We don’t have details about any fresh features or changes yet. But don’t worry—if anything exciting pops up as developers dig into these betas, we’ll make sure to add that info here and keep you posted.

    These betas are a chance for developers to explore and help Apple smooth out any bugs before the updates reach everyone. Stay tuned for more as we learn what’s in store!

  • Apple drops iCloud security feature in the UK due to government rules

    Apple drops iCloud security feature in the UK due to government rules

    Apple is taking away a special security option called Advanced Data Protection for iCloud users in the United Kingdom. This tool allowed people to keep their iCloud information super safe with a lock only they could open. But the UK government has told tech companies like Apple to add secret ways into these locks, called backdoors.

    Instead of adding these backdoors and weakening the safety of Advanced Data Protection, Apple decided to remove it completely for UK users. In a message to 9to5Mac, Apple explained that people already using this feature will soon have to turn it off to keep their iCloud accounts working.

    For those in the UK who haven’t turned on Advanced Data Protection yet, the choice is gone. When they try, they’ll see a note saying, “Apple can’t offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) to new users in the United Kingdom anymore.”

    If you’re a UK user with this feature on, Apple says you’ll need to switch it off soon to keep using iCloud. Since the safety lock is so tight, Apple can’t turn it off for you—they’ll share a guide to help you do it yourself.

    Apple isn’t happy about this change. They said, “We’re really upset that UK users won’t have this strong protection anymore, especially with more data leaks and privacy risks out there. Keeping your info safe in the cloud is more important than ever. We want to give our users the best security and hope to bring this back to the UK someday. We’ve never made a secret key to unlock our products, and we won’t.”

    Without this protection, the UK government can now ask Apple for data from any iCloud account whenever they want. The new rules even stop Apple from telling users when their info is taken.
    Some iCloud features, like passwords and health data, still have this strong lock for now. But it’s unclear how long that will last with the UK’s new demands. Apple hasn’t said much about what’s next for those parts.

    Source

  • All iPhone 17 models to get Apple’s own Wi-Fi 7 Chip

    All iPhone 17 models to get Apple’s own Wi-Fi 7 Chip

    Good news for iPhone fans! This week, Apple expert Ming-Chi Kuo shared that all four iPhone 17 models will come with a brand-new Wi-Fi chip made by Apple. While he didn’t say exactly which Wi-Fi version it will use, it’s very likely to be Wi-Fi 7.

    Another analyst, Jeff Pu, who keeps an eye on companies linked to Apple, also mentioned this in a report for GF Securities earlier this month. He agrees that every iPhone 17 model will have this Apple-made Wi-Fi 7 chip.

    The iPhone 16 series already works with Wi-Fi 7, so this isn’t a huge shock. What’s exciting, though, is that Apple is creating its own chip for it. Recently, Apple introduced its custom C1 modem in the iPhone 16e for better phone signal, and now it’s set to launch its own Wi-Fi chip in the iPhone 17 later this year. By making its own parts, Apple wants to depend less on other companies, like Qualcomm for modems and Broadcom for Wi-Fi chips, and maybe stop using them altogether one day.

    Wi-Fi 7 is super fast and reliable. It uses three bands—2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz—at the same time when paired with the right router. This means quicker internet, less delay, and a stronger connection. With Wi-Fi 7, speeds can hit over 40 Gbps, which is four times faster than Wi-Fi 6E, as long as your device can handle it. Apple is expected to show off the iPhone 17 lineup in September. With these upgrades, it looks like the next iPhones will bring even better tech to your hands!