AI is everywhere. Tech companies not talking about AI are hard to find. When compared to players leading in this space like OpenAI and Google, Apple is generally seen as being “behind.”

But despite AI being everywhere, in many ways it’s also still a fringe technology for the average person. It’s not truly mainstream. Sure it’s accessible to anyone with access to the web, but the number of people actually using services like ChatGPT is still relatively small compared to the total population of users with a smartphone or computer.

This is why next month’s WWDC presents Apple with tremendous opportunity. iOS 18 has the potential to truly bring AI to the masses.

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It seems like there’s a LEGO set for everything these days, as the popularity of LEGO continues to cross generational divides. There are LEGO sets for all kinds of popular movies, video games, and iconic locations, but if you’re looking for an Apple-themed LEGO set, you’re out of luck.

LEGO user @legotruman hopes to change that, as they have collaborated with @2A2A to create a LEGO Apple Store. And it’s a thing of beauty.

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Apple just published a new Press Release:

• Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference to kick off June 10 with Keynote address
  

AirPods firmware updates. Where do they come from? What do they do? We don’t need the answers to those questions to tell you that updated  firmware was just released.

The newly pushed AirPods Pro (2nd generation) firmware is labeled version 6.5.7 (6F7) and belongs to the same build train. It’s available for both the Lightning and USB-C version of AirPods Pro 2.

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Apple has revealed the next Apple Watch Activity Challenge: Running Day. Here are all the details on how to earn this special award on June 5 along with some exclusive stickers.

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The iOS Shortcuts app offers countless ways to make automations. One handy option is to create an iPhone Lock Screen Shortcut that can be valuable for a number of use cases. Here’s how it works and what you can do with it.

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Today alongside confirming the details for WWDC 2024’s keynote and other offerings, Apple has announced its Apple Design Award finalists for the year.

As per tradition, Apple annually recognizes some of the best apps on the App Store across a variety of categories. The finalists this year consist of 42 apps and games across a total of seven categories, with three apps and three games in each category. Brand new this year: a Spatial Computing category highlighting six Vision Pro apps.

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Apple is preparing to launch its second Beats Pill product since acquiring the audio brand nearly a decade ago. After being bought by Apple in 2014, introduced the Beats Pill+ that sold from 2015 to 2020. While it was discontinued without a replacement in sight, the forthcoming Beats Pill has been showing up everywhere from celebrity sightings to regulatory listings.

Seeing the unreleased Beats Pill is an effective tease, but it doesn’t tell us what’s different this time around aside from an apparent integrated lanyard for toting it. However, 9to5Mac has learned through sources what features and specifications will accompany the new Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker when it officially launches.

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Macworld

The new iPad Pro is Apple’s first large-screen device to use OLED tech, but. according to a new report, the rest of Apple’s high-end big-screen devices won’t be far behind. According to a market analyst Omdia, Apple is “highly likely” to replace the mini-LED displays in the MacBook Pro with OLED screens as soon as 2026.

The report explains that Apple is a key contributor to the growth of demand for OLED displays, fueled by production for the new iPad Pro. However, while the iPad Air and iPad mini will eventually get OLED displays, Omdia says the surge in demand isn’t limited to iPads and iPhones and extends to Apple’s other devices as well:

Apple is highly...

While there are still a number of hangover Memorial Day Apple deals floating around in our massive roundup you’ll find right here, some new offers have popped up this morning as well. First up, we have a straight up $50 price drop on Apple’s new 13-inch M2 iPad Air with 256GB of memory joined by the Alpine Loop Apple Watch Ultra 2 configurations dropping to $714 shipped. But if Apple’s more high-end gear isn’t for you right now, the...

Macworld

If there’s something I hate a lot nowadays, it is seeing the battery life draining away, as I know for sure I won’t be able to reach my charger before it all shuts off. One thing that can help is the Baseus for MagSafe Portable Charger, which is available at a fantastic price of $27, down from its usual price of $46. This compact charger will ensure your phone stays powered up wherever you are.

The Baseus charger has a powerful magnetic suction that effortlessly attaches to your iPhone. Designed specifically for iPhones, it won’t block your camera lens and fits snugly with a width of 2.77 inches and a thickness of 0.72 inches. It’s small enough...

Macworld

When Apple unveiled the new iPad Pro and iPad Air at its Let Loose event in early May, the most notable change was the new location for the front camera. Following the 10th-gen iPad’s lead, Apple finally moved the camera to the longer “landscape” edge, making FaceTime calls much more natural when docked.

However, while the camera placement is an obvious nod to users favoring the iPad as a landscape device, Apple didn’t change the orientation of the Apple logo on the back of the device, which is the same as it has been since the original iPad launched in 2010. However, a new report from French-language site...

Apple just published a new Press Release:

• Apple Hearing Study shares preliminary insights on tinnitus
  

Apple’s Latest Hearing Study Reveals Alarming Stats

Apple’s latest Hearing Study has revealed some startling facts about tinnitus. The study details how people suffer from tinnitus and the fact that it is more common than perceived. Tinnitus is when the affected person suffers from ringing in the ears. It affects the person’s quality of life. The study conducted by the University of […]

This post Apple’s Latest Hearing Study Reveals Alarming Stats appeared first on The Mac Observer

As our devices become increasingly more capable and powerful, our Macs can fill up faster than we expect. Follow along for five tips and tricks to free up Mac storage and hidden space including native and third-party advanced options.

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It’s this morning been announced that T-Mobile is buying most of US Cellular, in a deal said to be worth a total of $4.4B.

T-Mobile says that the buyout will enable it to provide better rural coverage to its existing customers, and that US Cellular subscribers will get full access to the country’s fastest 5G network …

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Falling sales led Apple to offer significant official iPhone discounts in China, and a new report today suggests that this tactic is paying off.

Official government data indicates that Apple successfully turned around its declining sales in the country, with shipments bouncing back with a 52% increase last month …

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Macworld

In less than two weeks, Apple will kick off WWDC with a wide-ranging keynote that previews all of the new features coming in iOS 18 and macOS 15. It’s no surprise that AI will be a big component of the announcements and one of the major new features could be something we all use every day.

According to...

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In this episode of Apple @ Work, I talk with Alcyr Araujo about their new MSP program for Apple MSPs.

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AI will take center stage in Apple’s upcoming operating systems, and per Bloomber’d Mark Gurman, an array of new features will be demoed at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month. In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman noted that Apple will apparently use AI to perform the following tasks in the operating systems: Apple […]

Source

Macworld

Ever tried to repaint a wall without knowing the exact shade? Then you know that “close enough” doesn’t cut it. If you want to get an exact match for a particular color, use what the professionals use: a quality color sensor like the Nix Mini 2.

This tiny gadget weighs less than an ounce (just 0.6oz), but it’s outfitted with its own highly calibrated LED to block out ambient lighting. Its ultra-precise sensor will then scan surfaces like walls, vinyl, leather, upholstery, etc.

Hold it up against the surface that’s struck your fancy...

Apple Eyes Dual AI Deal: Google & OpenAI After OpenAI Hierarchical Turbulence

Apple is gearing up for its annual developer conference, WWDC, and AI is set to be a major theme, as it has been for some time for the industry, especially tech rivals Google and Microsoft.  A new suite of AI tools, Project Greymatter, will be integrated into core iPhone apps. This project is said to use […]

This post Apple Eyes Dual AI Deal: Google & OpenAI After OpenAI Hierarchical Turbulence appeared first on The Mac Observer

When Apple Vision Pro was announced last year, some developers demonstrated their apps and games coming to the platform – this was the case with the popular VR role-playing game “Demeo.” The good news is that Demeo is now available on the visionOS App Store.

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8 Proven Ways To Fix iPhone 14 Making Random Calls

Is your iPhone 14 making random calls on its own? It might sound crazy, but multiple iPhone users have been reporting this strange issue where their phone dials numbers all by itself. In the Apple Community, one user even shared that: “I have an iPhone 14 with iOS 16 and recently it’s been calling my […]

This post 8 Proven Ways To Fix iPhone 14 Making Random Calls appeared first on The Mac Observer

Improves the capture of audio played to secondary devices by VoIP applications. ($19 new, free update, 24.5 MB, macOS 14.4+)

Adds support for variable fonts and a new QR Code Tool to all three apps. (Various prices new, free update, various sizes, macOS 10.15+)

Airbnb’s policy change to ban all indoor cameras at listed properties highlights the scourge of tiny cameras used for snooping. Here’s how to discover if you’re being watched in a rental, hotel, or elsewhere.

There’s no sugar coating it: The iPhone’s camera is a drastically better camera for video meetings over the Mac’s webcam. Even as Apple has upgraded the Mac’s webcam in recent years, it still doesn’t hold a candle to the iPhone. allows you to mount your iPhone to your Mac easily.

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Adam Engst explores how you can use generative AI chatbots and artbots productively by helping you identify good uses such as brainstorming, programming, summarizing lengthy PDFs, and drafting difficult email messages. He also examines the utility of AI in Internet searches.

If you’re looking for an iPhone wireless mic, there’s no shortage of options out there, ranging from the cheap-and-cheerful to the sophisticated. The Saramonic Blink 500 B2+ aims to bridge the gap between the two – and in my view, succeeds.

For around half the price of similar systems from Røde and DJI, you get a twin-mic setup that connects to standalone cameras, Macs, iPads, iPolder iPhones with a Lightning socket, and current iPhones with a USB-C port …

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An unreleased iPod Tetris game has been found on a prototype of a 3rd-gen model, controlled by the scroll wheel …

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A little over a year ago, Apple announced a landmark deal with French cable provider Canal+, which bundled Apple TV+ content at no additional charge. At that time, the way to access the free movies and shows was through Canal’s app.

Fast forward a year, and now Apple and Canal have expanded their partnership further. You can now link your Apple ID with your Canal+ subscription, and unlock the Apple TV+ channel in the Apple TV app itself.

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Macworld

Have you ever gone to a historic landmark like the Alamo or Colonial Williamsburg and learned about those destinations with audio stories? You can now experience something similar while driving around with Autio.

Whether you’re driving to the beaches of South Carolina or have a weekend trip to New England planned this summer, Autio can keep you entertained while driving with its professionally-narrated and location-based stories. Now, plans are discounted at half off or more.

Make road trips more fun...

[Solved] Stop System Data From Taking All Your iPhone Storage

On iPhone, System Data is a storage category that houses the caches and temporary files that iOS processes use. It speeds up loading times by making it easier to retrieve frequently accessed data. Caching should barely be noticeable. System Data only takes up around 5 to 10 GB, and if storage usage is too large […]

This post [Solved] Stop System Data From Taking All Your iPhone Storage appeared first on The Mac Observer

Google Chrome for iPhone Will Soon Let You Group Multiple Tabs Within Tab Grid

There’s a familiar frustration for iPhone users who use Chrome for their web browsing: the lack of tab groups. This feature, already available on Chrome for Android and iPads, lets users organize their open tabs into groups for better management. You can now group multiple tabs under a specific tab group. For instance, you can create a […]

This post Google Chrome for iPhone Will Soon Let You Group Multiple Tabs Within Tab Grid appeared first on The Mac Observer

After reports of deleted photos resurfacing years later following the installation of iOS 17.5, Apple released iOS 17.5.1 last week to address the issue. But what caused it in the first place? Thanks to some clever reverse engineering by researchers, we have a glimpse at the rare bug responsible.

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and...

In the latest edition of Mark Gurman’s newsletter for Bloomberg, he reports that Apple’s highly-anticipated AI features for iOS 18 and its other operating systems may be released with a ‘beta’ or ‘preview’ designation.

This is perhaps another sign that Apple was caught off-guard by the AI revolution, and its planned features for this cycle aren’t yet reliable or good enough to launch unqualified, without a beta label.

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As reported by Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, iOS 18 will give users more customization of their iPhone’s home screen. As well as being able to place icons freely, rather than confined to the current fixed aligned grid, Apple will also be unlocking app icon customization as a first-party feature for the first time.

Specifically, Gurman reports that iOS 18 will allow users to “change the color of app icons”. For instance, they could make all their social networking apps have a blue color, and all their finance apps have a blue color.

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Macworld

Whether you’re a small business owner, a professional, or an online seller or buyer, you could benefit from a secondary phone number. Your personal line likely gets busy as is, and it could be more efficient (and less head-inducing!) to separate specific calls.

For all those reasons and more, a lifetime subscription to a Hushed Private Phone Line is incredibly practical and could keep your personal phone number hidden from different threats. Ahead of Memorial Day, lifetime access is $19...

Jeff and Fernando share their impressions of the new iPad Pro, Apple Pencil Pro, and Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. Fully edited on iPad Pro!

9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts. You can also watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more.

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"Apple's done a fantastic job of really innovating on the Mac," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told the Wall Street Journal in a video interview this week. .

Then he said "We are gonna outperform them" with the upcoming Copilot+ laptops from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung that have been completely reengineered for AI — and begin shipping in less than four weeks.

Satya Nadella: Qualcomm's got a new [ARM Snapdragon X] processor, which we've optimized Windows for. The battery lab, I've been using it now — I mean, it's 22 hours of continuous video playback... [Apple also uses ARM chips in its MacBooks]. We finally feel we have a very competitive product between Surface Pro and the Surface laptops. We have essentially the best specs when it comes to ARM-based silicon and performance or the NPU performance.

WSJ: Microsoft says the Surfaces are 58% faster than the MacBook Air with M3, and has 20% longer battery life.

The video includes a demonstration...

Memorial Day Apple deals are here folks. Memorial Day weekend is upon us and that means we are tracking more than just a few price drops across the entire arsenal of current-generation Apple gear. While there are still some hold-outs that might come around on Monday, the deals on Apple’s latest M4 iPad Pros and M2 iPad Airs have arrived alongside new all-time low pricing on iPad 10th Gen. From there, you’ll find hundreds of dollars in savings on the latest MacBook Pro (M3 and M3 Pro) as well as various configurations of the M3 MacBook Air, HomePod deals, Apple Pencil 2, other accessories, and more all waiting below in our collection of Memorial...

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.

One of the news stories that has dominated the 2024 news cycle is Apple, the EU, and third-party app stores. We recently published a hands-on with Setapp Mobile, and it’s a...

Incident began at 2024-05-24 11:20 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).

For more service information please follow

https://www.google.com/appsstatus/dashboard/incidents/qPG3UXdDaYVhcA9DT8zG

Affected products: Google Sheets

Incident began at 2024-05-24 11:20 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).

Summary:

Google Drive users are unable to load Apps Script UI.

Description:

We are experiencing an issue with Google Drive beginning on Friday, 2024-05-24 16:20 US/Pacific.

Our engineering team has identified a mitigation strategy and is currently rolling it out for all impacted users.

We will provide an update by Friday, 2024-05-24 21:00 US/Pacific with current details.

We apologize to all who are affected by the disruption.

Customer Symptoms:

Customers may not be able to load Drive UI, they would encounter error messages while trying to do so.
.
This issue may also impact users trying to access Apps Script UI.

Workaround:

None at this time.

Affected products: Google Drive

Following a brief outage that affected most of Meta’s services last week, Instagram is down again for some users. While some people can still access parts of the app, others are reporting that the platform is entirely down this Friday.

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