Apple's iPhone 17 models are its most popular iPhones to date, Apple CFO Kevan Parekh told the Financial Times. Both Parekh and Apple CEO Tim Cook attributed Apple's stellar Q2 2026 performance to iPhone sales.


"The ‌iPhone 17‌ family is now the most popular line-up in our history... we believe we gained market share during the quarter," said Parekh. Cook told Reuters that iPhone demand was "off the charts," and that supply was constrained despite the impressive sales.

"And there's just a little less flexibility in the supply chain at the moment for getting more parts," Cook said. Apple's iPhone sales were held back by the A19 and A19 Pro chips that it gets from TSMC, as TSMC also manufactures AI chips.

Parekh said that memory had an "increasing impact" between the first and second quarters of 2026.

Issues with chip supply and increasing problems acquiring RAM could potentially have an impact on the iPhone 18 lineup that Apple is expected to introduce this September. The lineup will include Apple's first foldable iPhone.

The current ‌iPhone 17‌ family includes the ‌iPhone 17‌, iPhone 17 Pro, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Air.
This article, "iPhone 17 Is Apple's Most Popular Lineup Ever" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced financial results for the second fiscal quarter of 2026, which corresponds to the first calendar quarter of the year.


For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $111.2 billion and net quarterly profit of $29.6 billion, or $2.01 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $95.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $24.8 billion, or $1.65 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Services revenue again reached an all-time high during the quarter, while company revenue, earnings per share, and iPhone revenue all set March quarter records.

Gross margin for the quarter was 49.3 percent, compared to 47.1 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple's board of directors also authorized an additional $100 billion for share repurchases and declared an increased dividend payment of $0.27 per share, up from $0.26 per share. The dividend is payable May 14 to shareholders of record as of May 11.

"Today Apple is proud to report our best March quarter ever, with revenue of $111.2 billion and double-digit growth across every geographic segment," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "iPhone achieved a March quarter revenue record, fueled by such extraordinary demand for the iPhone 17 lineup. During the quarter, Services achieved yet another all-time record, and we were excited to introduce remarkable new products to our strongest lineup ever. That included the addition of the iPhone 17e and the M4-powered iPad Air, along with the launch of MacBook Neo, which is captivating customers all around the world."

Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q2 2026 financial results conference call at 2:00 pm Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference call recap ahead...



1:39 pm: Apple's share price is currently down approximately 0.5% in after-hours trading following the earnings release, after rising by around 0.5% in regular trading today.

1:39 pm: "Our strong business performance during the March quarter generated over $28 billion in operating cash flow and drove new March quarter records for both operating cash flow and EPS," said Kevan Parekh, Apple's CFO. "Continued strong customer demand for our products and services once again helped us achieve a new all-time high for our installed base of active devices across all major product categories and geographic segments."

1:42 pm: All five of Apple's revenue categories saw year-over-year increases in the quarter: iPhone up 21.7%, Services up 16.3%, iPad up 8.0%, Mac up 5.7%, and Wearables, Home and Accessories up 5.0%.

1:44 pm: All five of Apple's geographic segments also saw year-over-year increases: Americas up 11.9%, Europe up 14.7%, Greater China up 28.1%, Japan up 15.1%, and Rest of Asia Pacific up 25.3%.

1:58 pm: In a few minutes, Apple's quarterly earnings call and Q&A with analysts will begin. Typically, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh host, but we could get an appearance from incoming CEO John Ternus. He takes over for Cook in September.

2:01 pm: The call is beginning with standard boilerplate about forward-looking statements from Investor Relations head Suhasini Chandramouli.

2:01 pm: On the call is Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌. John Ternus will join for a "brief set of remarks" followed by CFO Kevan Parekh.

2:03 pm: "Good afternoon everyone, and thanks for joining the call. Before we get into the quarter, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the transition we recently announced."

2:03 pm: This is Tim's 89th earnings call.

2:03 pm: Tim: "I'll always be proud of the impact Apple has had on our users' lives, and I can't begin to express how grateful I am for our amazing teams. It's because of them that there is no company like Apple, and I truly believe there never will be."

2:04 pm: Tim: "This moment for the transition is the right one for a number of reasons. First, our business has been performing extremely well. The first half of this year was very strong, growing double digits year over year. Second, our road map is incredible. And most importantly, we have the right leader ready to step into the role."

2:04 pm: Tim: "As I have said, There is no one on this planet I trust more to lead Apple into the future than John Ternus. John is a brilliant engineer, a deep thinker, a person of remarkable character and a born leader. I know he will push us to go further than we think is possible in order to deliver the greatest products and services for our users I have been so proud to call him a colleague and a friend and I will be even more proud to call him Apple CEO."

2:05 pm: Tim: "Over the coming months, John and I will be working closely together to make sure this transition is perfectly smooth. I very much look forward to stepping into the role of executive chairman on September 1... I will be here to support him in any way he needs and in any way I can. I am incredibly optimistic about Apple's future, and I know we have the right team in place to deliver on the promise of this company."

2:05 pm: Tim: "I also want to take just a moment to share my profound gratitude for our shareholders, especially our long term shareholders, for believing in Apple and for your support over the years. It means a great deal to all of us."

2:06 pm: John Ternus, making his first remarks: "In my view, Tim is one of the greatest business leaders of all time. Stepping into the role of CEO is an incredible honor, and it means a great deal to me to have Tim's trust and confidence. I want to echo Tim's sentiment about our shareholders, especially those who have been with us for many years. Thank you so much for your confidence in our company."

2:06 pm: Ternus: "As you know, one of the hallmarks of Tim's tenure has been a deep thoughtfulness, deliberateness and discipline when it comes to the financial decision making of the company. And I want you to know that is something Kevan and I intend to continue when I transition into the role in September. This is an especially exciting moment for Apple. As Tim mentioned, we have an incredible roadmap ahead. And while you're not going to get me to talk about the details of that roadmap, suffice it to say this is the most exciting time in my 25 year career at Apple to be building products and services. There are so many opportunities before us, and I couldn't be more optimistic about what's to come for now, let me simply say I am deeply grateful to Tim, to the executive team and to everyone at Apple, and I look forward to all of the important work ahead."

2:07 pm: Tim is back: Apple revenue grew 17% from a year ago, to a March quarter record and above the high end of the guidance range. Grew despite supply constraints, with a March quarter record on iPhone, an all-time record on Services, and a March quarter record earnings per share of $2.01, up 22% year over year.

2:08 pm: Tim: "We recently marked Apple's 50th anniversary with celebrations in our retail stores and with users around the world. It was a special moment for us to reflect on the incredible journey we've shared with our users, to thank everyone who's been a part of it, and to look forward to writing the next chapter in our story of innovation. We have always believed that people who think different can change the world and we have been proud to build tools and technologies that allow them to do just that."

2:09 pm: Starting with iPhone, generating $57 billion in revenue, despite supply constraints. Launched the iPhone 17e during the quarter. "The most powerful, capable and versatile iPhone family we've ever created."

2:11 pm: Tim is talking about Apple's current iPhone lineup, noting that the iPhone 17 family is the most popular lineup in its history, and mentioned that the Artemis II astronauts took photos and videos with the iPhone 17 Pro Max during their trip around the moon.

2:12 pm: Moving to the Mac, revenue was $8.4 billion, up 6% from a year ago. Set March quarter records for upgraders and customers new to the Mac. "Tremendous enthusiasm for MacBook Neo."

2:13 pm: Turning to ‌iPad‌, revenue was $6.9 billion, up 8% year over year.

2:13 pm: "Today, our ‌iPad‌ lineup is stronger than ever, led my the M4-powered iPad Air. It raises the bar for what users can do on ‌iPad‌."

2:14 pm: Wearables, Home and Accessories revenue came in at $7.9 billion, up 5% from a year ago.

2:15 pm: He's touting the various Apple Watch and AirPods in the lineup.

2:16 pm: Tim: "What truly sets Apple apart is how Apple intelligence is woven into the core of our platforms powered by Apple silicon and designed from the ground up to deliver intelligence that is fast, personal and private, this is not AI as a standalone feature but AI as an essential, intuitive part of the experience across our devices."

2:17 pm: "It builds on years of innovation from the neural engine to advanced on device processing, enabling capabilities that are not only incredibly powerful, but also respectful of user privacy. Increasingly, that same foundation is drawing developers and researchers to our products as powerful platforms for building and running agentic AI thanks to the unique combination of performance, efficiency, and on device capabilities."

2:17 pm: Moving to Services, generated $31 billion in sales, with double-digit growth across developed and emerging markets, with all-time revenue records across most Services categories.

2:18 pm: Apple Retail set a March quarter revenue record, with very high levels of store traffic throughout the quarter.

2:19 pm: Tim: "At Apple, we believe powerful innovation and uncompromising quality can go hand in hand with sustainability. Over the last year, we've reached new milestones in the environment, including the use of recycled content in 30% of the materials and all of our products, shipped in 2025, the most we've ever had. That includes the use of 100% recycled cobalt in all Apple design batteries and 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. We've also achieved our goal of removing plastic from packaging with every Apple product now shipping in fiber based packaging."

2:20 pm: Tim: "We're also making great progress in advancing American Supply Chain Innovation as part of our $600 billion commitment to the US. We were pleased to share recently that Mac mini production is coming to America later this year, expanding our factory operations in Houston with a brand new facility. In March, we were thrilled to welcome four new companies to our American manufacturing program to help manufacture essential materials and components for Apple products sold worldwide."

2:20 pm: Tim: "These include sensors that support key iPhone features like camera stabilization and integrated circuits, essential for features like crash detection and activity tracking. These efforts build on the progress we've made in the American manufacturing program, including the work we're doing to advance an end to end silicon supply chain across the US."

2:21 pm: Tim: "These efforts build on the progress we've made in the American manufacturing program, including the work we're doing to advance an end to end silicon supply chain across the US. At TSMC's Arizona facility, for example, Apple is on track to purchase well over 100 million advanced chips."

2:22 pm: Tim: "Whether around the world or in our own backyard, we're proud of the difference Apple has made to enrich lives and support the communities we serve. Looking ahead, we're delighted to welcome developers back to Apple Park for WWDC 26. We can't wait to share what we've been working on, from AI advancements to exciting new software and developer tools, it's going to be an incredible week."

2:22 pm: Tim: "As always, we remain in relentless pursuit of even more powerful innovations, guided by our North Star, our users, as we celebrated 50 Years of Apple, we are even more excited and more optimistic about the next 50 years and beyond."

2:23 pm: Kevan: Saw strong performance with revenue records in every geographic segment. FX was 2.5 percentage point tailwind to the March quarter growth rate. We believe if you remove the favorable benefit from foreign exchange and add back the unfavorable impact from supply constraints, we would have had a higher growth rate for total company revenue.

2:23 pm: Products revenue was $80.2 billion, up 17% year over year. Company gross margin was 49.3%, up 110 bp sequentially. Products gross margin was 38.7%, down 200bp. Services GM was 76.7% up 20bp sequentially.

2:24 pm: Net income was $29.6 billion, and diluted earnings per share of $2.01, with $28.7 billion in operating cash flow.

2:24 pm: iPhone revenue was $57 billion, up 22% year over year, driven by the ‌iPhone 17‌ family. iPhone grew double-digits in the majority of markets tracked.

2:24 pm: iPhone active install base grew to an all-time high, and set a March quarter record for iPhone upgraders. iPhone was the top-selling model in the US, urban China, the UK, Australia and Japan.

2:25 pm: Customer sat for ‌iPhone 17‌ family was recently measured at 99% by 451 Research.

2:25 pm: Mac revenue was $8.4 billion, driven by the strength of recent product launches and up 6% year over year. In the US, customer sat was 97%.

2:26 pm: ‌iPad‌ revenue was $6.9 billion, up 8% year over year. All-time high for the install base, with more than half of ‌iPad‌ customers new to the product. Emerging markets revenue grew by double digits including in India, Mexico and Thailand. Customer sat of ‌iPad‌ was 98% in the US.

2:27 pm: Wearables, Home and Accessories was $7.9 billion, up 5% year over year, driven by Wearables and Accessories. More than half of Apple Watch buyers were new to the product. Customer sat of Apple Watch was 96%.

2:27 pm: Services revenue hit $31 billion, up 16% year over year, with all-time records in both developed and emerging markets, and all-time revenue records in most Services categories. More than 2.5 billion active devices, and transacting and paid accounts reached all-time highs in the quarter.

2:28 pm: Apple is touting its improvements in business and enterprise, especially for AI development.

2:29 pm: Kansas City Public Schools are switching their high school students from Windows laptops and Chromebooks to ‌MacBook Neo‌, moving to an all-Apple district.

2:31 pm: Apple has $147 billion in cash, reflecting $5.8 billion in debt maturities, commerical paper at $2 billion, and Apple has $85 billion in total debt, with net cash of $62 billion. Returned $15 billion to shareholders, with $3.8 billion in dividends and $11 billion in open market repurchases of 42 million Apple shares.

Moving ahead, we will no longer provide "net cash neutral" as a formal target. Apple has reduced net cash by over $100 billion since 2018.

2:33 pm: Color on forward-looking statements, assumes that global tariffs and policies stay in effect. Revenue to grow 14-17% year over year, with constrained supply and an A16-powered ‌iPad‌ compare from last year. Services revenue to grow similarly to the March quarter year over year, with FX tailwinds removed. Gross margin between 47.5% and 48.5%. OpEx between $18.8b and $19.1b. OINE around $250 million, tax rate around 17%.

2:33 pm: Tim and Kevan are taking questions, not John Ternus.

2:35 pm: Q: How much did demand outpace supply for iPhone and Mac in the quarter, and did June reflect supply constraints for those segments?

A: The constraints were primarily driven by the availability of the advanced nodes our SOCs are produced on. The constraints will be primarily on several Mac models given the high levels of demand we're seeing and we have less flexibility in the supply chain than we would normally have.

On ‌Mac mini‌ and Mac Studio, both are amazing platforms for AI and agentic tools, and the customer recognition of that is happening faster than what we predicted so we have higher than expected demand. Customer response to ‌MacBook Neo‌ has been off the charts, and March quarter record for customers new to the Mac partly due to the Neo. Looking forward, the ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ may take several months to reach supply demand balance.

2:37 pm: Q: Re net cash neutral not being a formal target, are we thinking about different types of capital return policy, it doesn't seem so but can you give some more detail about investments, is that organic vs inorganic?

A: Our goal of net cash neutral has served us well and has been a valuable framework for us. We're evaluating cash and debt independently and to make optimal economic decisions around how we best utilize debt and cash to support the business. We believe we can do this while being very efficient and remaining disciplined. We remain committed to returning excess cash to shareholders. We look to invest in the business. We've returned over a trillion dollars to shareholders, $850 billion through share repurchases. Added a new $100 billion buyback authorization, so capital return is something very important to us.

2:39 pm: Q: There's been some commentary around an agentic smartphone, I don't even know what that means, but comment about AI on the edge and that agents could catalyze smartphones, but also shift the smartphone form factor. With the rise of agents, how would you like us to think about that? Are new products coming of a totally new form factor or anything high level about that trend or non-trend?

A: You know we don't get into our future roadmap so I don't want to give too much info there, but we're thrilled with how the iPhone is doing, growing 22% in the quarter, followed from an incredible Q1, having the strongest cycle that we've ever had in our history from the launch through the March quarter, we could not be happier with it.

2:41 pm: Q: To the question around constraints and whatnot, I'll try to do it nicely given my age, the big concern out there is how margins go after the June quarter given the components and trends and whatnot and all these constraints. Is there some kind of overarching philosophy that you want us to think about? Is 47-48 a range you think you can stay in or is there no visibility beyond June to answer this question? Any comfort there would be so helpful.

A: Let me talk about memory specifically which I think is the root of the question. I'll go back to December for a moment. In the December quarter, we had a minimal impact due to memory and you can see that in the gross margin results. We said it would be a bit more in the March quarter and we did see higher memory costs, partially offset by benefit from carry-in inventory. For June, and what's embedded in the guidance, we expect significantly higher memory costs. They are also partly offset by the benefit of carry-in inventory. Where we don't give color beyond June, beyond the June quarter, we believe memory costs will drive an increasing impact on our business. We will continue to evaluate this and we will look at a range of options.

2:43 pm: Q: Given success of ‌MacBook Neo‌, can you talk about how it's driven penetration with new customer segments with education, value or emerging markets, and how do you think about opportunities in underpenetrated markets more broadly and how will the future product roadmap inform that?

A: We are supply constrained, we were very bullish on the product before announcing it, but we undercalled the level of enthusiasm that would be with it. It's very much focused on getting the Mac to even more people than we were reaching before. We're very focused on customers new to the Mac and customers that have been holding onto their Mac a very long period of time. We're doing well with both of those. As Kevan alluded to, we're seeing school systems that are switching from Chromebooks and Windows PCs to the ‌MacBook Neo‌ and hearing anecdotally of those kinds of stories happening at the school system level and at the consumer level. We could not be happier with how things are going at the moment.

2:45 pm: Q: Has new ad inventory on the App Store been a noteworthy improvement to Services revenue on the store, and also adding ads to Maps this summer?

A: We did see year-over-year growth in ads, we did introduce additional ads to the ‌App Store‌ search results on platforms that users trust. This summer in the US and Canada, Apple Maps will feature ads during key search and discovery moments. We believe it's possible to help business of all sizes to grow while preserving the user experience and letting people preserve their fundamental right to privacy.

2:46 pm: Q: You noted higher memory costs in the June quarter; you have a lot of supply chain efficiencies, relationships, relative to your competitors. Do you think that in times of such dislocation, Apple would be more focused on share gain or potentially you don't raise pricing and lower ends of the portfolio where competitors are struggling or more focused on profitability?

A: We will look at a range of options with memory costs increasing and I don't really want to go beyond that at this point.

2:47 pm: Q: How is Apple thinking about the broader monetization, what parts of the AI stack do you think Apple will be focused on internally versus leveraging your partners, early looks into where you're developing relationships? Where will Apple invest more heavily over the next several years, and does this relate to your net cash comments as we enter an AI-centric world?

A: We are investing more and you can see that in the OpEx numbers, and if you look at R&D you'll see that that is accelerating much higher than the company is, we're investing in products and services and see opportunities in both of those and could not be more excited in both of those. From the start we believe AI is a very important investment for Apple.

2:49 pm: Q: Going back to iPhone performance, you've had 20%+ growth despite supply constraints and that may continue into June. What are the levers driving this impressive growth despite constraints and what's the durability of the growth?

A: It's the ‌iPhone 17‌ family driving it, that is as you point out, despite the supply constraints that we're experiencing, the things that are driving people to the 17 are people loving the design, the performance, the durability, they love the camera, Center Stage and that Apple Intelligence is integrated across the platform. From where we're seeing the growth, we're seeing double-digit growth across the markets we track, and set a new March quarter record for upgraders as well. What's driving all this is that customer satisfaction for ‌iPhone 17‌ family in the US is 99%, these numbers are unheard of. We're thrilled with how things are going.

2:51 pm: Q: What advice are you giving John to build on Apple's trends while shaping up the next chapter for hte company?

A: Steve's advice to me lifted a huge burden and that advice did well to me for 15 years. My advice is, one of the most important decisions he'll make is where to spend his time, and to spend it where the biggest benefit to the company and the users are. Remember the North Star to the company, making the best products in the world that really enrich other people's lives, and if you keep focusing on that and make your decisions around that, it will produce a great business and we'll be able to build more products and do it all over again.

2:53 pm: Q: Re supply constraints and your ability to acquire SOC and also memory?

A: The primary constraint in the March and June quarter is the availability of the advanced nodes our SOCs are produced on, not memory. I don't want to predict on our ability for supply and demand to match. If I look at ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌, I think it will take several months to reach supply / demand balance. We're not at the point where we're saying this is going to end anytime soon. We just undercalled the demand. There are lead times to this, and it takes a while to correct that. The primary constraint from a product point of view, or the majority of it for this quarter, will be on the Mac. It's ‌Mac mini‌, ‌Mac Studio‌ and ‌MacBook Neo‌.

2:54 pm: Q: To the product mix within Services that are asymptotically difficult to scale that business from a profitability perspective, is there still low-hanging fruit in terms of value and leverage?

A: We have a wide range of businesses within the Services business, with different models and profitability, look at Q2, Services margin was up 20bp, but that was driven by mix. Some services improve in profitability as we scale, but we have a wide portfolio that grows in different rates at different times but we're encouraged by the overall trajectory that we've seen.

2:55 pm: Q: Your foundational models and the collaboration with Google, do you feel like you need to double down and invest more to balance those two priorities?

A: We're investing more, you can see that in the OpEx numbers, the collaboration with Google is going well, we're happy with where things are and happy with the work that we're doing independently as well.

2:58 pm: Q: For sequential moderation in gross margin is relatively muted compared to what we've seen over the last few year, was it mix?

A: Product margin dropped by 200bp, driven by seasonal loss of leverage and higher memory. Overall performance, sequential gross margin up 150bp was driven by FX, favorable mix, lower tariff costs, offset by seasonal loss of leverage and higher memory costs.

For March quarter, gross margin of 49.3% did include the impact of tariff-related costs, but tariffs in March vs December were lower because we had lower product volume sequentially from Q1 to Q2 and the full-quarter benefit in the reduction in the IEEFA tariff rates and the Section 122 tariffs. In filing a refund, we're following the processes and we plan to reinvest any amount we receive back into US innovation and advanced manufacturing. These would be new investments, and would be in addition to our prior commitments in the US.

3:00 pm: Q: What are you seeing specifically in China? From a competitive perspective, are you seing advantages from supply constraints impacting competitors?

A: First half of the year grew 33%, March quarter up 28%. The performance is driven by iPhone, which was also a March quarter record. If you look at the individual products, iPhone was the top-selling model in Urban China, ‌Mac mini‌ was the top desktop, MacBook Air was the top laptop model. The traffic in our stores grew by double digits, we were celebrating Apple's 50th anniversary there and it's amazing to be a part of the community there. I'm really happy with how things have gone the first half of this year.

3:01 pm: Q: The same question for the India market, how are you seeing the market in India evolve around the base of iPhones and the opportunities of the rising middle class, the overall opportunity set in that market?

A: It's a huge opportunity for us, we've been focused on this for a while. It's the 2nd largest phone market and the 3rd largest PC market, we still have a modest share and I think that really speaks to the opportunity that we have. There are a lot of people moving into the middle class there and we've got some great products for them, both currently and coming. If you look at the majority of customers in all of our categories, from the iPhone to the Mac to the ‌iPad‌ to the Watch are new to that product there, it speaks very well to growing the install base there. Net net, I'm over the moon excited about India.

3:01 pm: That wraps the call, and leaves ‌Tim Cook‌ with one more earnings call before he moves from CEO to Executive Chairman.
This article, "Apple Reports Record-Breaking 2Q 2026 Results: $29.6B Profit on $111.2B Revenue" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Discover is planning to eliminate some of the Apple Wallet integrations that it introduced in 2023, according to letters that cardholders are receiving. As of June 4, 2026, Discover users will no longer be able to see their total card balance and transaction history in the iPhone's Wallet app, or use the Pay with Rewards feature in Apple Pay.


Apple has a Connected Cards feature that allows credit cards from participating companies to display balances and recent transactions when they're added to the Wallet app. Discover has supported the feature for nearly three years, as have many UK banks, but other credit card companies in the U.S. did not add support.

Pay with Rewards, which is also being eliminated, allows Discover cardholders use their cashback bonuses toward ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases.

Discover says that while several ‌Apple Pay‌ features are being eliminated, Discover users will still be able to use the Discover card to make ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases in retail locations and online. Here's a full list of the changes Discover is making:

• Enrollment Cancellation - If applicable, your enrollment in Connected Account and Pay with Rewards with ‌Apple Pay‌ from Discover will be canceled on June 4, 2026.


• Access to Information - You will continue to have full access to your account, rewards, balances, transactions and payments on Discover.com, the Discover mobile app, and on your monthly statements. Starting June 4, 2026, you will no longer have access to such details within your Apple Wallet. You will continue to see your ‌Apple Pay‌ transactions in your wallet.


• Pay with Rewards - Starting June 4, 2026, you will no longer be able to use rewards to cover an ‌Apple Pay‌ purchase directly at digital checkout. Your options for redeeming your Discover rewards otherwise remain the same.


• Terms - Connected Accounts and Pay with Rewards with ‌Apple Pay‌ cancellation does not affect any other terms of your Discover accounts and agreements. Eligibility, service, and cancellation are subject to the ‌Apple Pay‌ terms.

It is not clear if these features are being eliminated because Apple is ending the integrations, or because Discover is opting out. The changes will go into effect on June 4, 2026.
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Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 3. The firmware has a version number of 8B40, up from 8B39.



There is no word on what's included in the new firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance improvements.

To get the updated firmware, make sure your AirPods Pro are in range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and are connected via Bluetooth.

From there, connect your Apple device to Wi-Fi, put your AirPods in the Charging Case, and connect the Charging Case to power. Keep the case closed and wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware update to install. After that, check the version number and repeat the process if the update hasn't been installed.
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Porsche today announced a new collaboration with Apple that will see two Porsche 963 vehicles outfitted with an Apple Computer-inspired wrap in round four of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca. The event is set to take place on Sunday, May 3.


Porsche says that the one-time design is meant to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Porsche Motorsport and the 50th anniversary of Apple's founding. The wrap pays homage to the Porsche 935 K3, which competed in the 1980 season and raced at Le Mans.


In a statement, Apple Music, Sports, and Beats Vice President Oliver Schusser said that Apple is proud to once again partner with Porsche.

We've enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Porsche, going back to 1980 when a Porsche race car first carried the Apple logo. That moment marked the beginning of a shared passion for innovation and creativity that continues to define our collaboration today. As Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary, we're proud to once again partner with Porsche on a design that pays tribute to that original 1980 livery.

Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach said Porsche and Apple are both "icons that stand for innovation and continuous development by experts in Zuffenhausen, Weissach and Cupertino."


The Laguna Seca Raceway is located 80 miles south of the Apple Park campus, and the fourth round is set to last for two hours and 40 minutes. The No. 6 Porsche 963 will be shared by France's Kévin Estre and Belgium's Laurens Vanthoor, while the No. 7 car will be shared by France's Julien Andlauer and Brazil's Felipe Nasr. The No. 7 vehicle currently leads the IMSA championship standings after winning the opening two rounds at Daytona and Sebring.

Earlier this year, Porsche featured an Apple Music-themed livery for the third round of the IMSA Championship at Long Beach.

(Thanks, Greg!)
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Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday, May 10, and for those who want to order flowers, Apple has a $20 discount available.


Apple Pay users in the U.S. can get $20 off a purchase from 1-800-Flowers when spending $49.99 or more on a Mother's Day flower bouquet and other select merchandise. The discount is available through May 9 with the promo code APPLEPAY.

To get the deal, iPhone users will need to make a purchase on the 1-800-Flowers website and pay with ‌Apple Pay‌.

Apple also has a Mother's Day gift guide on its website with suggestions for those who want to get their mom a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or AirPods.
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Earlier this week, 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo reported on an apparent charging issue affecting at least some of Apple's latest iPhone models.


In short, Mayo said that when he attempted to charge his iPhone Air with a USB-C cable just seconds after the device ran out of battery, it failed to turn on and did not display the usual red battery icon that indicates charging is occurring.

Mayo subsequently realized that several users have posted about this issue across websites such as Reddit and iFixit Answers, but it is unclear what the root cause is or how widespread it is. Apple has yet to publicly comment on the matter, and the issue does not appear to be fixed in the latest iOS 26.4.1 and iOS 26.4.2 software releases.

As far as I can tell, I also experienced this issue with my iPhone 17 Pro Max earlier this month. While staying at a hotel, I accidentally forgot to charge the device one night, leading it to shut off on me when I woke up the next morning. Naturally, I plugged in a USB-C cable, but the screen remained black with no battery icon for many minutes. At the time, I thought that maybe the hotel's outlets were not working correctly, but I knew something was up after I tried a variety of different outlets and chargers without success.

Just like Mayo, I was eventually able to get my iPhone to turn on by placing it on a MagSafe charger and waiting about 10 to 15 minutes. In my case, it was a MagSafe battery pack from Anker that I carry with me while traveling.

A few Reddit users said the standard iPhone 17 model is also impacted.

All in all, it would appear that the new iPhones have a hit-or-miss charging problem when they fully run out of battery, but there is no guarantee that everyone will experience it. With the issue now receiving attention on 9to5Mac and MacRumors, hopefully Apple is made aware and provides a fix in an upcoming iOS version.
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In a social media post this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Apple is planning to release new AirPods with cameras "for Siri."


Last month, Gurman said these AirPods will likely be priced above the current AirPods Pro 3, which Apple sells for $249. As a result, he said Apple is likely considering using "AirPods Ultra" branding for the camera-equipped AirPods.

"AirPods Ultra" would not have typical cameras for capturing photos and videos. Instead, Gurman previously reported that the earbuds will be equipped with infrared cameras that use computer vision to feed data about a user's surroundings to Siri. The cameras should help to enhance the Visual Intelligence feature on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer.

This would be similar to the infrared camera built into the Face ID system on iPhones.

In June 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said AirPods with cameras would potentially enable "in-air gesture control." In his post this week, however, Gurman said he does not expect the AirPods to support hand gestures.

It was initially rumored that the camera-equipped AirPods would be a higher-end AirPods Pro 3 configuration, much like the AirPods 4 are available in variants with or without active noise cancellation. However, it is increasingly sounding like the earbuds will instead be "AirPods Ultra" positioned above the AirPods Pro entirely.

Macworld's Filipe Espósito recently reported that Apple plans to release an "iPhone Ultra" and a "MacBook Ultra" within the next year, so "AirPods Ultra" would be part of a trio of new "Ultra" devices. Apple already uses "Ultra" branding for the Apple Watch Ultra, CarPlay Ultra, and the M1 Ultra to M3 Ultra series of chips.

It is not entirely clear when the "AirPods Ultra" will arrive, but September of this year is a possibility if Apple plans to announce them alongside the "iPhone Ultra," its long-rumored foldable iPhone. A redesigned "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display and touch-screen capabilities is expected to follow by early 2027.
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Apple remains the top manufacturer of satellite-capable smartphones globally, with such devices projected to reach 46% of all smartphone shipments by 2030, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research.


The firm's Smartphone Satellite Connection Report finds that Apple kickstarted the satellite phone trend when it partnered with Globalstar to bring Emergency SOS via satellite to the iPhone 14 in 2022 and has maintained a clear lead since. Samsung leads the Android ecosystem, while Huawei and Google also follow a proprietary approach. Other Android players, including Xiaomi, OPPO, HONOR, and vivo, have aligned with the 3GPP non-terrestrial network (NTN) standard to enable broader scalability and interoperability.

The market is currently dominated by the premium segment, with the lack of compelling everyday use cases limiting broader adoption. 3GPP Release 17 supports only SOS messaging and basic location sharing. Release 18 is expected to expand adoption further across premium brands, but mass-market penetration in the mid-price segment is not anticipated until Release 19.

Qualcomm leads among Android vendors with its Snapdragon X80 and X85 modems, with MediaTek, Samsung, Google, and Huawei all increasing competition. North America is the leading region for adoption, driven by carrier partnerships including T-Mobile with SpaceX, AT&T with AST Mobile, and Rogers with SpaceX, alongside Apple's Globalstar arrangement. Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar is seen as a notable development, potentially opening new connectivity-as-a-service revenue streams.

Counterpoint expects Apple, Google, and Samsung to lead in overall market penetration toward 2030, with Android brands targeting entry-level and mid-range price points seeing slower uptake. Apple recently agreed a new satellite deal with Amazon following its acquisition of Globalstar, and has several new satellite features in development, including Maps via satellite, photos in Messages via satellite, and a satellite API for third-party apps.
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Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with up to $130 off numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes nearly every aluminum model of the Series 11 on sale at a record low price, plus new steep markdowns on cellular models.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find four of both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models on sale at these all-time low prices.




A new highlight of Series 11 deals is on the 46mm cellular model, which has hit $399.00, down from $529.00. This is a big $130 discount on the cellular Apple Watch, and it's available in three colors. You'll also find $100 off the 42mm cellular model right now.




Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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Apple's AirTag item tracker turns five years old today, with the $29 accessory having spent half a decade as the best-selling item tracker in the world.



The ‌AirTag‌ launched on April 30, 2021, alongside the M1 iMac, a new iPad Pro, and a new Apple TV 4K. The coin-shaped accessory has a polished stainless steel back, IP67 water resistance, and a U1 Ultra Wideband chip that powers Precision Finding, a feature that combines haptic, visual, and audio feedback to guide users to a lost item's precise location with the iPhone 11 and later.

Setup works by bringing the tag close to an iPhone, with each ‌AirTag‌ appearing in the Items tab of the Find My app. The ‌Find My‌ network, which relies on Bluetooth signals from nearby Apple devices to relay location data, allows a lost item to be tracked even when out of direct range. The ‌AirTag‌ is priced at $29 for a single tag or $99 for a four-pack, with free engraving available.

Reports of the AirTag being misused for stalking and vehicle theft surfaced within months of launch, with its small size, low price, and the breadth of the ‌Find My‌ network making it an attractive tool for bad actors. Apple released a statement in February 2022 saying incidents of misuse were "rare; however, each instance is one too many," and introduced setup warnings making clear that using an ‌AirTag‌ to track people without consent is a crime in many regions.

A class-action lawsuit filed in California in December 2022, later expanded to include more than three dozen plaintiffs, alleged that the product's accuracy and affordability made it well-suited for misuse, and a federal judge allowed certain claims to move forward in March 2024. Apple and Google later aligned on cross-platform specifications so that Android users receive automatic unwanted tracking alerts alongside iPhone users.

Despite the controversy, Apple says the ‌AirTag‌ became its best-selling item tracking accessory, citing user stories of recovering lost luggage, bicycles, and bags in the years since launch.

Apple released the second-generation AirTag in January 2026. The updated model features a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip with Precision Finding working from up to 50% farther away, an upgraded Bluetooth chip, and a speaker 50% louder than the original. For the first time, Precision Finding also works with Apple Watch Series 9 models and later. A teardown revealed that the speaker magnet is more firmly secured in the second-generation model, making it harder to remove, a modification that had previously been used to silence unwanted tracking alerts. Pricing remains $29 for a single tag and $99 for a four-pack.
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YouTube's picture-in-picture mode on the iPhone and iPad is expanding to more users worldwide, YouTube said today. Picture-in-picture (PiP) will be rolling out globally, so it will no longer be limited to those in the U.S. and Premium subscribers.


Non-Premium users worldwide will be able to use PiP for longform, non-music content on iOS and Android. This has already been available in the U.S. and to Premium subscribers globally, so there will be no change for those users.

Premium Lite members can still use PiP for longform, non-music content, and Premium members can use PiP for music and non-music content.

Picture-in-picture shrinks a video into a small player that can be used alongside other apps. To use PiP, swipe up to exit the YouTube app, and the video will continue to play in a small window that can be moved anywhere on the display.

The PiP changes are rolling out "in the coming months," according to YouTube.
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Google Photos is getting a new wardrobe planning feature that will help you decide what to wear. AI will pull in images of clothing from the Google ‌Photos‌ library, organizing clothing items into a digital closet. You will be able to put items together to create outfits, and even virtually try them with a digital avatar on to see how they'll look.


The Google ‌Photos‌ app will show all items of clothing in a new Wardrobe section in the Collections tab. Clothing can also be viewed in specific categories like tops or bottoms. Items of clothing can be mixed and matched to create outfits, and the results can be shared with friends or saved to a digital moodboard.


In the popular 1995 comedy Clueless, main character Cher Horowitz has an iconic digital wardrobe that Google seems to be making a reality with Google ‌Photos‌. Cher uses a touchscreen computer to swipe through the clothes in her wardrobe, pairing different tops and bottoms to create an outfit. A built-in "Dress Me" button tells her if two items go together, and if they do, she can preview the clothes on a digital version of herself.

Google's version of the Clueless virtual wardrobe will be coming to Google ‌Photos‌ this summer. Google says it will be available to Android users first, and then iOS users.
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Apple is developing a set of AI smart glasses to rival products like the Meta Ray-Bans, and MacRumors has learned a few more details about Apple's work on the device from an inside source.


The AI glasses will include two cameras. A high-resolution camera will be included for capturing photos and videos that can be shared on social media and used like iPhone photos. A second lower-resolution wide-angle lens will read hand gestures and provide visual input for Siri.

Apple uses hand gesture-based input for the Vision Pro, and rumors suggest the AirPods Pro will be updated with low-resolution cameras and support for gestures as well. Apple appears to be leaning into gesture support, and it's an ideal input method when no screen is available to interact with.

While future versions of the smart glasses could include an integrated display for augmented reality features, the first version will have no display at all. Apple will not include a screen, LiDAR, 3D cameras, or other similar technology because such features are too energy-intensive.

Battery life is a major constraint because Apple needs to keep the glasses slim and lightweight. Battery size is the bottleneck behind the hardware decisions that Apple is making, and it's why Apple is opting for a stripped-down feature set.

According to recent rumors, Apple is testing multiple styles for the smart glasses, with plans to use acetate. Acetate is a lightweight plant-based material that's more flexible than plastic.

Apple's smart glasses will incorporate the smarter version of ‌Siri‌ that Apple plans to introduce in iOS 27. The device will be able to take photos, record video, and make phone calls, plus users will be able to interact with ‌Siri‌ to ask questions about what's around them. The feature set will be similar to the features available in the Meta Ray-Bans that Apple is aiming to compete with.

Rumors suggest Apple could preview the glasses later this year, with a launch to follow in 2027, though it's also possible we won't see them announced until 2027.
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Apple has all but given up on the Vision Pro after the M5 model failed to revitalize interest in the device, MacRumors has learned. Apple updated the Vision Pro with a faster M5 chip and a more comfortable band in October 2025, but there were no other hardware changes, and consumers still weren't interested.


The Vision Pro has been criticized for its high price tag and its uncomfortable weight. The device is over 1.3 pounds, and even with the more comfortable Dual Knit Band that Apple added to redistribute weight, it continues to be hard to wear for long periods of time. The M5 chip added a 120Hz refresh rate, 10 percent more rendered pixels, and around 30 additional minutes of battery life, but the price tag stayed at $3,499, and it ended up not selling well.

The Vision Pro has been unpopular since it first launched, and Apple only sold around 600,000 units in total. Insider sources told MacRumors that Apple has received an unusually high percentage of returns, far exceeding any other modern Apple product.

Apple has apparently stopped work on the Vision Pro and the Vision Pro team has been redistributed to other teams within Apple. Some former Vision Pro team members are working on Siri, which is not a surprise as Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell has been leading the Siri team since March 2025.

There have been mixed rumors about a new Vision Pro over the last couple of years, with Apple rumored to be working on a lighter-weight Vision Air that's much cheaper, but the project was stopped last year. If Apple finds a way to create a much cheaper, more comfortable VR headset in the future, the Vision Pro line could be revived, but right now, the company has no plans to launch a new model. Apple has not discontinued the Vision Pro and is continuing to sell the M5 model.

Instead of continuing to experiment with virtual reality, Apple is working on smart glasses that will eventually incorporate augmented reality capabilities, but the first version will be similar to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with AI and no integrated display.

Apple has not been able to use the technology developed for the Vision Pro in its smart glasses because that tech draws too much power for a smaller, lighter device.
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Apple has reportedly abandoned plans for a foldable "iPad Ultra" following years of disappointing sales performance for the iPad Pro.


The claim predominantly comes from the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," who posted the remark in response to a question about whether the ‌iPad‌ would join a rumored "Ultra" series of Apple devices. Instant Digital listed the Apple Watch Ultra, M-series Ultra chips, "iPhone Ultra," and "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display as products in the pipeline, but explicitly excluded the ‌iPad‌ from that group, citing weak market performance for the ‌iPad Pro‌. They added that Apple now has "no plans" to release an ‌iPad‌ Ultra.

The ‌iPad Pro‌'s sales struggles are well documented. In October 2024, it was reported that shipment projections for the M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ had been significantly cut after weaker-than-expected demand following its launch earlier that year. DSCC analyst Ross Young lowered his full-year 2024 forecast from up to 10 million units to just 6.7 million, with shipments of the 13-inch model projected to fall by more than 50% and 90% in the third and fourth quarters respectively.

Young attributed the sluggish reception in part to the high price point, with the 11-inch model starting at $999 and the 13-inch at $1,299, levels that deter buyers who view tablets as secondary devices alongside a smartphone or laptop. ‌iPad‌ revenue has declined for three consecutive years, and the category accounted for just 6.73% of Apple's total revenue in 2025.

In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple has been developing a 20-inch foldable ‌iPad‌, describing the project as a priority for Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering and future Apple CEO John Ternus. Gurman noted, however, that the device "may end up being a wacky experiment that doesn't see the light of day, according to several people who have worked on it."

The rumored foldable ‌iPad‌ has a long and troubled development history. Last October, it emerged that engineering challenges tied to weight, features, and display technology had pushed Apple's target launch from 2028 to 2029 or later. The device was reportedly being developed with a large Samsung OLED display, with Apple focused on minimizing the visible crease, just like the upcoming foldable iPhone.

Prototype units reportedly weighed around 3.5 pounds, making them heavier than a 14-inch MacBook Pro and nearly three times the weight of a 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. The device could have been priced as high as $3,900, roughly triple the $1,299 starting price of the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.

There has also been uncertainty about how the product would be categorized. In March, Gurman noted that a "gigantic" foldable ‌iPad‌ would challenge Apple's tradition of keeping the Mac and ‌iPad‌ as separate product lines, with some internally describing it as a foldable ‌iPad‌ and others as an all-display MacBook. When closed, the device reportedly resembles a Mac, with an aluminum shell and no exterior display. The design is said to be similar to Huawei's MateBook Fold, an 18-inch foldable tablet currently priced at $3,400.

The reports come against a backdrop of Apple's rumored plans to expand its "Ultra" branding across multiple product lines. At least three Ultra devices are believed to be in the pipeline for this year alone: a foldable ‌iPhone Ultra‌ priced at around $2,000, AirPods Ultra with cameras for Visual Intelligence, and a MacBook Ultra featuring a touch-enabled OLED display priced up to 20% above the current ‌MacBook Pro‌ lineup. A source speaking to Macworld subsequently corroborated the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ and MacBook Ultra names.

Apple already applies the "Ultra" moniker to Apple Watch Ultra, M-series Ultra chips, and CarPlay Ultra. An ‌iPad‌ Ultra might seem like a natural fit for a family of higher-end, more experimental hardware at the top of each lineup, but with the ‌iPad Pro‌ already struggling to find buyers at its current price point, the question of whether sufficient demand exists for an even more expensive ‌iPad‌ may be answering itself.
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Apple is planning to integrate Apple Intelligence and Siri into more of its apps in iOS 27, including the Camera app, reports Bloomberg. The ‌iOS 27‌ Camera app will have a dedicated ‌Siri‌ mode that will be available alongside the existing Photo, Video, Portrait, and Panorama modes. When in ‌Siri‌ mode, the existing Camera app shutter button will feature the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ logo, letting users know the ‌Siri‌ features are available.


‌Siri‌ mode will incorporate Visual Intelligence, making the feature more accessible. Right now, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ is activated by long pressing the Camera Control button, and it is a gesture that many people may not even be aware of.

In addition to being relocated to the Camera app with ‌Siri‌ branding, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ is also being updated with new features. It will be able to scan a nutrition label on food items to log the dietary information, plus users will be able to use it to add contact details for someone directly to the Contacts app.

MacRumors first discovered signs of the ‌Visual Intelligence‌ features in Apple code in mid-April. Here's a bit more on what we found:

• Nutrition - Users will be able to scan nutrition labels on food packaging for calorie and macronutrient tracking using the Health app.


• Contacts - ‌Visual Intelligence‌ will let users scan phone numbers and addresses on business cards and other print media, adding the information to the Contacts app.


• Wallet - In the Wallet app, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ will capture information from physical event tickets and membership cards, generating digital versions.

Existing ‌Visual Intelligence‌ features will continue to be available, and it will be able to identify objects like plants and animals, add events to the Calendar app, and send visual information to ChatGPT and Google image search. Users will also be able to access the revamped ‌Visual Intelligence‌ through the Camera Control button, but it will open up to the ‌Siri‌ interface in the Camera app instead of the standalone ‌Visual Intelligence‌ experience that we have now.

Apple will introduce ‌iOS 27‌ at the Worldwide Developers Conference that's set to begin on June 8, 2026.
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A leaker claims Apple is currently embroiled in an internal debate over whether MagSafe should remain a standard iPhone feature.


The Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" says that when ‌MagSafe‌ was first introduced, the mood inside Apple was reportedly aggressive about its expansion. ‌MagSafe‌ for the iPhone was introduced with the iPhone 12 lineup in 2020, bringing a ring of magnets to the back of the device for snap-on charging and accessory attachment. The ecosystem has since expanded significantly, with dozens of third-party wallets, cases, stands, and chargers built around the standard.

There were purportedly even plans to bring built-in ‌MagSafe‌ magnets to the iPad lineup, something the leaker previously hinted at, though those plans never materialized. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman first reported in 2021 that Apple was testing a glass-backed iPad Pro that would support wireless charging, specifically noting that MagSalfe was under consideration. A follow-up report in early 2022 suggested Apple had prototyped an iPad Pro with a large glass Apple logo that would serve as the wireless charging area, an approach aimed at avoiding the fragility of an all-glass back. Neither design made it to a shipping product. The rumors resurfaced in late 2023, with reports suggesting that the then-upcoming iPad Pro could include MagSafe support, based on information from sources familiar with Apple's magnet suppliers. The redesigned M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ that launched in 2024 still shipped without the feature.

Now, Instant Digital claims that confidence around ‌MagSafe‌ has given way to uncertainty. The leaker says Apple is weighing the costs of including ‌MagSafe‌ magnets in the iPhone against the strength of the accessory ecosystem that has grown up around the feature, though the nature of the debate and what any change might look like remains unclear.

The iPhone 16e launched without ‌MagSafe‌, making it the first new iPhone in years to omit it. Many iPhone 16e owners, as well as users of older iPhones without built-in magnets, turned to third-party cases with embedded magnet rings as a workaround, though the experience is generally considered to be inferior to native ‌MagSafe‌ support. The decision nonetheless drew criticism, and Apple reversed course with the iPhone 17e, restoring ‌MagSafe‌ support when the device launched earlier this year.

There is no indication that ‌MagSafe‌ is at imminent risk of disappearing from the iPhone lineup. However, the upcoming foldable "iPhone Ultra" may be a different story. Dummy models of the device show no visible indentations for the internal magnet array that ‌MagSafe‌ requires, suggesting the feature could be absent at launch. The iPhone Ultra is rumored to be just 4.5mm thin when unfolded, and it is thought that the device may simply be too slim to accommodate the magnets. If that proves accurate, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ would be both the most expensive iPhone ever, with a starting price rumored at around $2,000, and the first new high-end model to ship without ‌MagSafe‌ since the iPhone 11 Pro.

While the wording of Instant Digital's post is somewhat ambiguous, it raises the possibility that Apple could be at least considering pulling ‌MagSafe‌ from its standard iPhone models, potentially making it exclusive to higher-end devices. Recent reports suggest that the standard iPhone 18 is being downgraded to cut costs.

An alternative scenario could see Apple scale back its in-device ‌MagSafe‌ implementation, relying more heavily on cases with embedded magnets to provide compatibility, as many iPhone 16e users already do. Given that Qi2, the open wireless charging standard now widely adopted across the industry, is built directly on ‌MagSafe‌'s magnet ring specification, a full removal of the feature from the entire iPhone lineup seems unlikely.
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Amazon this week has multiple discounts on the M4 iPad Air, providing up to $100 off these brand new models.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Specifically, Amazon has up to $90 off the 11-inch M4 iPad Air and up to $100 off the 13-inch M4 iPad Air. All of these discounts have been automatically applied and do not require a coupon code or a Prime membership.




The new iPad Air features the M4 chip, C1X modem, and N1 networking chip, which brings support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of design, the 2026 models are identical to the 2025 iPad Air tablets, with an edge-to-edge display, slim bezels, and aluminum chassis.

11-inch M4 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $556.50 ($43 off)


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $644.99 ($55 off)


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $834.00 ($65 off)


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,009.00 ($90 off)

13-inch M4 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $741.50 ($58 off)


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $821.66 ($78 off)


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,001.72 ($98 off)


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 ($100 off)

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple will not be able to delay a district court battle over fee calculations while it waits to hear whether the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on the latest developments in its long-running dispute with Epic Games.


On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier decision letting Apple keep its current zero-fee link-out commission structure in place while it appeals to the Supreme Court. The reversal means Apple now has to return to a lower court to work out what fees it can charge developers who steer customers to outside payment options.

Apple won the pause earlier this month by arguing that it shouldn't have to overhaul its fee structure twice if the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in its favor. Apple stopped collecting commissions from links to external purchase options in U.S. apps when ordered to do so last year, and the company wanted to keep the no-commission setup while waiting on the Supreme Court.

In response, Epic Games immediately filed two motions: one said it hadn't been given time enough to prepare a response to Apple's stay request, and another asking the court to reject the original request.

The three-judge panel granted Epic's motion for reconsideration. The judges said Apple hadn't shown that the Supreme Court was likely to take the case, and pointed out that the high court already chose not to hear Apple's challenges once back in 2024. They also rejected Apple's claim that being forced into lower-court hearings would cause real harm.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney shared the news in a post on X, adding that "Apple's delaying tactics have come to an end!"


The case now heads back to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in California, who will determine what commission Apple can collect on purchases made through external links, if any. Apple can still petition the Supreme Court while those proceedings move ahead.

The dispute traces all the way back to the original Epic Games trial, which Apple largely won. However, one exception was a 2021 ruling from Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordering Apple to relax its "anti-steering" rules and let developers point users to outside payment options.

Apple complied with the ruling, but only slightly lowered its fees, which led few developers to even bother adding links. Epic subsequently returned to court, and the judge found Apple in willful violation of the original injunction. Consequently, it barred Apple from collecting any commission on external links.

Apple appealed and dropped the link fees while the case moved forward, arguing that the ruling was unconstitutional and that it should receive compensation for its technology. In December 2025, the appeals court delivered a mixed ruling: Apple had violated the injunction, but the company should still be able to charge something reasonable for its technology. That sent the question of what that fee should look like back to the district court.

Apple is now hoping the Supreme Court will go further and throw out the district court's ruling altogether, but in the meantime, Apple will head back to court to determine the reasonable fee that it will be able to charge for purchases made using external links in apps.
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Memory could account for as much as 45 percent of an iPhone's component costs by 2027, up from around 10 percent today, according to a JPMorgan analysis cited by the Financial Times ($).


Apple buys memory for roughly 250 million iPhones a year and has historically been one of the largest customers in the category. But Apple has reportedly now gone from a position where it could set terms to one where it now has to compete with rivals for supply.

The principal reason is the heavily subsidized AI build-out that's underway.

In a race to make data centers that can handle more compute for frontier AI models, AI infrastructure buyers like Nvidia are now reportedly outbidding consumer electronics makers for limited supply from the likes of Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Meanwhile, cloud companies are reportedly making upfront payments worth billions of dollars to secure capacity.

It's a marked break from the industry norm of committing to volumes with suppliers first and negotiating prices later.

The pressure is already reshaping Apple's product plans, and the rumored split-launch cycle for the iPhone 18 series is said to be part of that new reality. Apple is expected to stagger the iPhone 18 launch, holding the lower-priced model until spring 2027 rather than shipping the full lineup in the usual fall window. Instead, only the iPhone 18 Pro models will be launched in September, with a foldable iPhone expected to be unveiled around the same time.

Apple hardware engineering chief John Ternus takes over from Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, and Cook will transition to his new role as Apple's first executive chair, where he is expected to take a direct role in day-to-day operations. Meanwhile, Ternus's first big decision will be whether Apple absorbs the increasing cost of memory or passes it onto consumers.

Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan reckons the decision could come down to whether Apple holds prices to please consumers or accepts a margin hit, especially in markets like India and China where it competes with local smartphone makers. "By the time September rolls around, Apple has two choices: one, they reprice [products] higher, or two, they say 'let's go ahead and gun for market share,'" Mohan told the FT. He thinks there is a decent chance that Apple will opt for market share.
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The popular Notepad++ coding editor is now available as a native macOS app, following an unofficial open-source community port of the original Windows codebase. The Notepad replacement runs as a universal binary, so it works on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.


Notepad++ has been one of the most popular text editors on Windows for more than 20 years. Until now, Mac users who switched from Windows, or who worked across both platforms, had to choose between giving up the editor and running it through a Wine or CrossOver compatibility layer. Now those users have no such dilemma.

The editing experience is identical to the Windows version, right down to the Scintilla engine, tabbed editing, syntax highlighting for 80+ languages, search and replace, macro recording, and plugin support. The only difference is that the menus, dialogs, file pickers, keyboard shortcuts, and windowing all use native macOS Cocoa APIs.

Notepad++ for macOS is maintained by Andrey Letov, who wrote the Objective-C++ Cocoa UI that replaces Notepad++'s Win32 front-end. The unofficial app is available to download from the Notepad++ for Mac website. It's completely free and released under the GNU General Public License, so there are no ads, subs, or hidden costs.

(Thanks, Mike!)
This article, "Notepad++ Code Editor Comes to Mac After 20-Year Wait" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Several major U.S. cities support the Apple Pay for transit feature that Apple has rolled out, providing a simple way for those who use public transportation to pay for rides.


‌Apple Pay‌ for transit works in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

Some of these cities have supported ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit purposes for several years, and in others like Atlanta, support is new as of 2026. Atlanta launched its tap-to-pay MARTA contactless system in March 2026, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to tap to pay their fares at rail station fare gates using the Apple Wallet app.

Cities that support ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit allow iPhone owners to turn on Express Mode to pay for transit fares without needing to unlock their device and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID. A card for Express Transit can be selected by opening up the Wallet and ‌Apple Pay‌ section of the Settings app and tapping on the Express Transit Card option to make a selection.

When a credit or debit card is associated with Express Mode, it can be used to pay for transit automatically with no authentication. On iPhone models that support power reserve, transit payments can also be made when the iPhone is out of battery. Power reserve works for up to five hours after an iPhone dies, and it is available on the iPhone XS and later.

Some cities support adding a credit or debit card to the Wallet app for transit, while others require a specific transit card to be added to the Wallet app. The Bay Area works with the Clipper app or a credit card. Chicago's system only works with the Ventra card, LA's transit works with the TAP card, and Portland's transit system works with the Hop card.

In some locations, there's also support for fare capping. With New York's OMNY system, for example, subway and local bus fares are capped at $35 per week. As long as you use the same device each time you tap pay for a ride, rides after the $35 cap will be free for the rest of the seven-day period. LA's TAP system and OC's Wave system also support fare capping for ‌Apple Pay‌.

The iPhone 6s and 2016 iPhone SE and later all support Express Mode with ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit purposes. Express Mode also works on the Apple Watch Series 1 or later as long as watchOS 5.2.1 or later is installed.

‌Apple Pay‌ for transit also works in several cities around the world, including London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Toronto, Beijing, and Shanghai.

When traveling, you will need to look into how transit works in the city you're in, but it is a simple way to use public transportation because there's no need to pre-purchase travel tickets at a kiosk. Apple has a website where the different transit systems are explained.
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Anthropic today updated Claude with new connectors aimed at creative professionals, adding integrations for Ableton, Adobe, Affinity, Autodesk Fusion, Blender, Resolume Arena and Wire, SketchUp, and Splice.


Connectors are tools that Claude can use to access other platforms and help with completing tasks. Anthropic says that Claude can open up new ways for creatives to work and take on larger-scale projects.

• Ableton - Allows users to ask questions about the official product documentation for Live and Push.


• Adobe - More than 50 tools across Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop, Premiere, and Express are available.


• Affinity - The Affinity connector lets users automate repetitive production tasks and generate custom features.


• Autodesk Fusion - Fusion subscribers can create and modify 3D models through conversations with Claude.


• Blender - The Blender connector adds a natural-language interface for the Python API. Users can analyze and debug Blender scenes, build custom scripts to batch-apply changes to objects, and add new tools to the Blender interface. Blender's documentation is also available.


• Resolume Arena and Wire - Visual artists can control Arena, Avenue, and Wire in real time with natural language.


• SketchUp - Users can describe an idea to Claude as a starting point for a 3D model and then open it in SketchUp for further revision.


• Splice - Music producers can search Splice's catalog of royalty-free samples.

Anthropic suggests that Claude can be helpful for multiple creative tasks, offering tutoring for complex tools, writing scripts and plugins for software, translating formats and restructuring data, and completing repetitive production work.
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YouTube is testing a new search feature that it says is meant to feel more like a conversation than a search interface. Users are able to ask complex questions in natural language, receive results that include video and text, and then ask follow-up questions.


The new search option is part of YouTube Labs, an opt-in program that lets YouTube Premium subscribers gain early access to experimental features and prototypes. YouTube Labs is available to U.S. users, and subscribers sign up on the YouTube Labs website.


According to YouTube, subscribers who opt in to try the new search can enter a prompt in the search bar, like "plan a 3-day road trip between San Francisco and Santa Barbara," and then select the Ask YouTube option to get the results. Search results include AI summary text, short videos, and long videos, with relevant segments in videos highlighted.

The Ask YouTube search interface suggests some search prompts, such as "unique ideas for a backyard water feature," "plan a living room redesign using thrifted items," and "how to make a traditional French omelet."


Other YouTube Labs features in testing right now include Beyond the Beat AI details when listening to radio and mixes in the YouTube Music app, and VibeCheck, an AI coaching feature that provides tips on Shorts videos before they're published.

The updated search feature will be in testing until June 8.
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Apple will add new Apple Intelligence photo editing tools to the Photos app in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, reports Bloomberg.


On-device ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will be able to make subtle changes to image quality, positioning, and focus, with the new capabilities joining Clean Up, the sole AI editing feature that Apple has released to date.

The ‌Photos‌ app in ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and ‌macOS 27‌ will have an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ Tools section when editing an image. Options will include Extend, Enhance, and Reframe.

• Extend - Extend generates additional image content beyond the original frame of the photo, filling in scenery when changing the crop of an image. This tool will support expanding the edges of an image with zoom gestures.


• Enhance - Uses AI to automatically tweak color, lighting, and other image parameters, similar to how the auto editing feature works now.


• Reframe - When used with spatial photos, Reframe will let users change the perspective of an image after it's captured.

Apple apparently hasn't gotten the tools working perfectly, so Extend and Reframe could be delayed or scaled back. Clean Up, Apple's existing AI tool, still has issues even a year and a half after launching. It is able to remove unwanted objects from an image, but it is not as good at filling in missing information as other AI tools from smartphone makers like Samsung and Google.

More on the features coming in ‌iOS 27‌, including Siri updates, can be found in our iOS 27 roundup. ‌iOS 27‌ will be previewed at the WWDC 2026 keynote that's set to take place on June 8, 2026.
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If you've noticed the Apple Weather app isn't loading weather data right now, you're not alone. The app appears to be experiencing an outage.


According to Apple's System Status page, the Weather app may be slow or unavailable for some users. The problem started at 11:36 a.m. Eastern Time and is ongoing.

Reports on social media suggest that the Weather app is slow to load for some, and is not loading data for others. We'll update this article when the issue has been resolved.

Update: Apple says the issue is fixed as of 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time,
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Apple CEO Tim Cook met with United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Monday. The U.S. Department of Commerce shared details on the meeting on social media, and said that Lutnick wished Cook well, commending his "remarkable leadership and lasting contributions to American technology."


Last week, Apple announced that Cook would be stepping down from his role as CEO on September 1, 2026, with current hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take over. Cook's visit with Lutnick was his first high-level Trump administration meeting since last week's transition news.

Cook does not plan to leave Apple, and will instead transition to executive chairman, where he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."

In a letter to employees, Cook said that he is healthy and that he plans to be at Apple "for a long time" in his new role. "Apple will be my top priority," he said. "It's who I am at my core, and I can't imagine it any other way."

Cook told employees that he believes he can help strengthen Apple's global relationships. Cook has navigated two Trump presidencies so far, maintaining a positive relationship with the Trump administration and earning tariff exemptions for Apple.

Cook personally donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund in 2025, and he presented Trump with a custom gift featuring a glass plaque with a 24-karat gold base after promising Apple would invest a total of $600 billion in the U.S. over a four-year period.

Trump last week said that he has "always been a big fan" of Cook, and that the two had a "long and very nice relationship." Trump said he was pleased with Cook's outreach efforts. "I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to 'kiss my ass,'" said Trump. According to Trump, he solved a "fairly large problem" for Cook during his first term, and he said he would help Cook where possible when Cook is not "too aggressive" in what he asks for.

Ahead of announcing his transition to a new role, Cook said in an early April interview that the Trump administration was "very accessible," and willing to "engage." Cook explained that he felt engagement and communication were important values, giving some insight into how he is approaching his new position.

But engagement for me, not just in the U.S. but around the world, is so important because it is very complex, working through local laws, local customs, local culture, local regulations. Every country is its own story. Everybody looks at things differently.

The only way you get a feel for that is to sit before someone and communicate and engage. If you went in my conference room, you would see the Teddy Roosevelt quote 'It is not the critic who counts.' I've never believed that just yelling from the sideline about plus or minus was a good strategy. Your voice just goes into the wind.

So you'll see me everywhere, and you'll wonder 'oh, he's meeting with somebody that has a different view than him.' I think that's good. I think it's good. I think a problem in the world right now is that it's so polarized and different views aren't shared or discussed. They just become hardened. And I don't think that's good.

With Cook taking on communication with policymakers around the world, incoming CEO John Ternus will be able to spend more time focusing on Apple's growth, and he won't be exposed to the same criticism that Cook has faced for his relationship with Trump and other world leaders.

Cook is still in Washington and he attended today's State Arrival Ceremony for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who began their four-day state visit on Monday. Cook may also attend the State Dinner this evening.
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Apple last month announced a new MacBook Air, introducing the M5 chip, faster wireless connectivity, double the base storage, and a more capable charger, while simultaneously discontinuing the M4 model. So how does the new machine compare?


The M5 MacBook Air starts at $1,099 for the 13-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-inch, a $100 increase over the equivalent M4 models. In exchange, base storage doubles from 256GB to 512GB, and Apple says the new SSD delivers twice the read and write speeds of the previous generation. Education pricing is also available directly from Apple and typically shaves at least $100 off the price.

The main upgrade between the two models is the chip. Compared to the M4, the M5 delivers:

• Up to 15% faster multithreaded CPU performance


• Up to 30% faster overall graphics performance


• Up to 45% faster ray tracing performance


• 27.5% higher unified memory bandwidth

In addition to these general performance claims, Apple published a set of specific real-world workload results showing measurable gains in AI-driven applications:

• 4×+ peak GPU compute performance for AI


• 3.6× faster time to first token (LLM)


• 1.8× faster Topaz Video Enhance AI processing


• 1.7× faster Blender ray-traced rendering


• 2.9× faster AI speech enhancement in Premiere Pro

Beyond raw performance, the M5 introduces several meaningful architectural changes. The GPU includes a dedicated Neural Accelerator in every core, a hardware addition absent from the M4, and Apple is exposing this via new Metal 4 developer APIs with Tensor capabilities.

The ray tracing engine advances to its third generation, and dynamic caching moves to its second generation. Memory bandwidth rises from 120 GB/s to 153 GB/s, enabled by the move from TSMC's second-generation 3nm process (N3E) to its third-generation ‌3nm‌ process (N3P).

The M5 ‌MacBook Air‌ also gains Apple's N1 wireless chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 in place of the M4 model's Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

‌MacBook Air‌ (2025)	‌MacBook Air‌ (2026)
Apple M4 chip	Apple M5 chip
Based on A18 chip from 2024's iPhone 16	Based on A19 Pro chip from 2025's iPhone 17 Pro
4 performance + 6 efficiency cores	4 super cores + 6 efficiency cores
Made with TSMC's second-generation ‌3nm‌ node (N3E)	Made with TSMC's third-generation ‌3nm‌ node (N3P)
No integrated Neural Accelerators	Integrated Neural Accelerator in every GPU core
Metal 3 developer APIs	Metal 4 developer APIs with Tensor APIs to program GPU Neural Accelerators
Second-generation ray tracing engine	Third-generation ray tracing engine
First-generation dynamic caching	Second-generation dynamic caching
Shader cores	Enhanced shader cores
PCIe NVMe Gen 3 SSD	PCIe NVMe Gen 4 SSD (2× faster read/write speeds)
120 GB/s memory bandwidth	153 GB/s memory bandwidth
	Apple N1 chip
Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 6
Support for up to two external displays when the lid is open	Support for up to two external displays simultaneously over a single Thunderbolt port; one display up to 8K at 60Hz or 5K at 120Hz
30W USB-C Power Adapter	40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max
256GB base storage, up to 2TB	512GB base storage, up to 4TB
Introduced in March 2025	Introduced in March 2026
Started at $999 (13-inch), $1,199 (15-inch)	Starts at $1,099 (13-inch), $1,299 (15-inch)

For users whose workloads include on-device AI inference, complex 3D rendering, or other GPU-bound and memory-intensive tasks, the jump from M4 to M5 is significant. The combination of per-core Neural Accelerators, higher memory bandwidth, and the new GPU architecture produces multi-fold speed-ups in specific AI operations. In environments where time-to-result directly affects workflow such as local LLMs, diffusion models, video enhancement, or ray-traced production, the M5 represents a meaningful step-change. The Gen 4 SSD, which delivers approximately twice the read and write speeds of the M4 Air's Gen 3 drive, further compounds these gains for storage-intensive workflows.

For typical day-to-day usage including browsing, office work, media playback, and basic editing, the difference is highly unlikely to be perceptible in any way. The M4 was already a high-performance chip that routinely exceeded the demands of normal Mac workloads, and for the overwhelming majority of M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ owners, there is clearly no general-purpose reason to upgrade.

For new buyers choosing between the two models, the M5 is the more straightforward long-term choice. The doubled base storage alone changes the value calculus, and when you consider that Apple previously charged $200 to upgrade the M4 Air from 256GB to 512GB, the M5 effectively costs $100 less than a comparably configured M4 model would have at launch. If future-proofing is a priority and you intend to keep the machine for many years, the M5 model will be better equipped to handle increasingly prevalent on-device AI workloads as they mature.
This article, "M4 vs. M5 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Vision Pro has hit another medical-use milestone, with a New York ophthalmologist becoming the first surgeon to perform cataract surgery using the spatial computing headset.


Dr. Eric Rosenberg of SightMD completed the initial procedure in October 2025 and has since performed hundreds of additional cases using ScopeXR, a surgical platform he co-developed for Apple's mixed reality device.

ScopeXR streams live feeds from 3D digital surgical microscopes directly into the Vision Pro, which lets the surgeon view the operative field in stereoscopic 3D while overlaying preoperative diagnostic data. The platform also supports real-time remote collaboration, allowing surgeons to virtually join procedures and see exactly what the operating surgeon sees.

"We are now able to bring the world's best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet," said Dr. Rosenberg in a company press release. "From residents performing their first cases to surgeons facing unexpected complications, this technology democratizes access to expertise and that will save vision."

It's another example of Apple's move toward enterprise and professional use cases for Vision Pro, with widespread consumer adoption beleaguered by the headset's $3,499 starting price and bulky form factor. Apple has increasingly leaned into specialized applications in fields like medicine, aviation training, and industrial design - markets where the device's capabilities can justify its cost, in other words.

The headset was never expected to be mass-market from day one, according to Apple. Even so, enthusiasm is said to have cooled far faster than anticipated. Based on the latest reports, there are now no Apple Vision headsets in active development, with the company's focus pivoting to lightweight smart glasses, where Meta has already seen success. Last October, Apple introduced an updated Vision Pro model featuring the M5 chip, the first hardware revision of the device.
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