Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000
Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
MacRumors rendering of a similar device based on the G4 iMac
The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a videoconferencing machine such as for FaceTime calls, and a home security monitoring tool.
Siri and Apple Intelligence, allowing it to respond to an array of verbal commands, recognize different voices, and automatically orient the display to face users in the room.
While Apple has been toying with the idea for some time, Gurman says Apple has recently prioritized development of the device, putting it under the purview of Kevin Lynch, Apple's vice president of technology who has overseen such projects as the Apple Watch and Apple's defunct self-driving car venture.
Tags: Bloomberg, Mark Gurman
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Apple Studio Display Gets All-Time Low Discounts on Amazon, Available From $1,299.99
Amazon today has the Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.00, which is a match of the all-time low price on the monitor. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and Amazon also has a few other models on sale as well.
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.
$1,299.99, while the tilt- and height-adjustable stand model is available for $1,599.00, down from $1,999.00. Both of these are record low prices on the display.
$299 OFF
Standard Glass Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99
$1,599.00, down from $1,899.00, which is a second-best price on the Studio Display with nano-texture glass.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.
Apple Deals roundup.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Apple Studio Display Gets All-Time Low Discounts on Amazon, Available From $1,299.99
Amazon today has the Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.00, which is a match of the all-time low price on the monitor. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and Amazon also has a few other models on sale as well.
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.
$1,299.99, while the tilt- and height-adjustable stand model is available for $1,599.00, down from $1,999.00. Both of these are record low prices on the display.
$299 OFF
Standard Glass Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99
$1,599.00, down from $1,899.00, which is a second-best price on the Studio Display with nano-texture glass.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.
Apple Deals roundup.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Apple Studio Display Gets All-Time Low Discounts on Amazon, Available From $1,299.99
Amazon today has the Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.00, which is a match of the all-time low price on the monitor. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and Amazon also has a few other models on sale as well.
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.
$1,299.99, while the tilt- and height-adjustable stand model is available for $1,599.00, down from $1,999.00. Both of these are record low prices on the display.
$299 OFF
Standard Glass Apple Studio Display for $1,299.99
$1,599.00, down from $1,899.00, which is a second-best price on the Studio Display with nano-texture glass.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.
Apple Deals roundup.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Halide 2.15 Lets Users Take Shots With Zero Computational Processing
Award-winning iPhone camera app Halide was today updated to version 2.15, which includes a new feature that allows users to take photos devoid of all image processing for a more natural look.
Halide's new image processing pipeline is called "Process Zero," which uses "zero AI, no computational photography whatsoever – offering photographers a counter to the increasingly AI-heavy processing and tooling on smartphones," according to app developer Lux Optics.
Process Zero uses a fast process based on a single exposure RAW file. The file itself is a 12 megapixel image plus a RAW DNG file for additional editing.
"Process Zero is fast, capturing at anywhere from 10 — 25× the speed of a ProRAW capture. Much like film, it can feature natural sensor grain, slight color aberrations, and is much less usable in low light. This makes for its natural look, like taking photos on an older classic digital camera," explain the developers.
Halide 2.15 still allows photographers the choice of process before or during shooting – users can choose processing at setup, or while shooting, picking from ProRAW, standard iPhone photo processing, reduced image processing, or Process Zero.
In addition, the Halide update includes a dial in the app's new Image Lab which lets users re-develop the RAW file with Process Zero for different exposure levels.
Lux Optics is eager to stress that many of Apple's image processing features still benefit users, but with Process Zero they can see exactly what images look like when it's completely taken away.
Halide 2.15 is available today from the App Store with a limited 1-week discount on all new Halide memberships for $11.99 per year (usual price is $19.99). There is also a 1-week free trial with a membership, or users can opt for a lifetime purchase of $59.99.
Tag: Halide
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iOS 18: Make Your iPhone Home Screen Icons Dark
In iOS 18, currently in beta, iPhone apps have both Light and Dark color options, making it possible to match the color of your icons when you have Dark mode enabled. Keep reading to learn how it works.
Apple's built-in apps have both Light and Dark color options in iOS 18, and third-party apps will likely provide their own Light and Dark icon alternatives to match your preferred aesthetic when iOS 18 is released to the public, but until then your iPhone will happily generate dark versions of them, too.
Dark Mode setting. In addition, it's possible to turn on Dark icons independently of having Dark Mode enabled, so you can leave Light mode on while using the Dark icon option if you prefer.
To go along with the Dark Mode icons, Apple also introduced a toggle that makes your wallpaper darker. The following steps explain how to switch your icon colors to match Light or Dark mode.
Press and hold a space on the Home Screen or an app page to enter jiggle mode.
Tap Edit in the top-left corner.
Select Customize in the dropdown menu.
Choose Dark, Light, or Automatic in the customization panel. (Automatic will lighten or darken the icons depending on whether Light or Dark mode is enabled.)
Tap anywhere outside the customization panel to close it and exit jiggle mode.
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Samsung's Back To School Sale Includes Big Discounts on Monitors and More
Samsung is hosting a new back to school sale, which includes notable savings on multiple product lines sitewide. The popular ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor and new Smart Monitor M80D are both discounted during this sale, but you'll also find sales on storage, audio, TVs, smartphones, and wearable tech.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
$899.99, down from $1,599.99. At $700 off this is a match of the all-time low price on the 2023 display, which has a matte display, modular 4K SlimFit camera, and support for Thunderbolt 4.
$700 OFF
27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor for $899.99
$549.99, down from $699.99, which is a second-best price on the monitor. The display retains key features of the previous model, like USB-C charging connectivity, AirPlay 2 support, an integrated webcam, and several smart TV features that enable it to be used when not connected to a PC.
In terms of new features, the M80D includes a Multi Control feature that allows images and text to be moved between the display and a Galaxy Book, Tablet, or Phone. You can also pair Galaxy Buds to the monitor for a spatial audio experience with head tracking, as well as guided workouts when paired with a Galaxy Watch.
Monitors
34-inch ViewFinity HDR10 Curved Monitor - $599.99, down from $699.99
49-inch Odyssey G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $899.99, down from $1,299.99
34-inch OLED Curved Smart Gaming Monitor - $799.99, down from $1,199.99
49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,199.99, down from $1,799.99
55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,799.99, down from $2,999.99
TVs
The Frame TV - Save up to $1,700
70-inch QLED 4K QE1C TV - $989.99, down from $1,799.99
55-inch Neo QLED 4K Smart TV - $1,099.99, down from $1,499.99
55-inch Samsung Neo QLED 4K TV - $1,099.99, down from $1,999.99
65-inch OLED S90C TV - $1,599.99, down from $2,599.99
85-inch Samsung Neo QLED 4K Smart TV - $2,599.99, down from $4,799.99
Galaxy Products
Galaxy Z Fold6 - Save up to $1,500 with trade-in credit
Galaxy Z Flip6 - Save up to $800 with trade-in credit
Galaxy Watch Ultra - Save up to $350
Galaxy Buds3 Pro - Save up to $130
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Apple Shares New 'Designed for Every Body' Ad Ahead of 2024 Paralympic Games
Apple today shared a new ad titled "The Relay" focused on athletic accessibility with the tagline "designed for every body."
Shared ahead of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, the ad shows some of the routines, training, and competitions undertaken by disabled athletes across a wide range of sports, assisted by Apple devices. It emphasizes inclusivity and the universality of competitive sport, regardless of one's physical disabilities.
Apple products are designed for every body. Whether you're a sprinter, wheelchair racer, track cyclist, or swimmer, features like the Workout app on Apple Watch, sleep metrics, and daily exercise goals — along with the ability to record and analyze your performance on iPad and Mac — ensure that all athletes have what they need to train and compete at their best.
Apple's accessibility website.
Tag: Apple Ads
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Apple Allows Spotify to Show Pricing Info to EU Users in iPhone App
Spotify says it has received approval from Apple to display pricing information in its iOS app for users in the European Union, following its years-long legal struggle with the company.
Spotify says that from Wednesday, iPhone users in the EU will be informed of pricing information in the app and the fact that they can go to the company's website to purchase items directly.
updated blog post. "They'll also finally be able to see how much a Premium plan of their choosing costs once the promotion ends."
complicated new business rules under the Digital Markets Act, but is instead taking advantage of Apple's "entitlement" for music streaming services – a result of the European Commission's decision on March 4 which found that Apple violated the EU's antitrust laws and fined them over €1.8 billion.
A consequence of this approach is that Spotify is still not able to let users click a lick to make purchases from outside the App Store. Spotify could have done so if it had opted in to Apple's new developer terms, but it would also have had to give Apple a cut of any off-platform sales, and the company does not see that as a viable option.
"Unfortunately, Spotify and all music streaming services in the EU are still not able to freely give consumers a simple opportunity to click a link to purchase in app because of the illegal and predatory taxes Apple continues to demand, despite the Commission's ruling.
Spotify has been in a legal spat with Apple in the EU since 2019, when it filed an antitrust complaint over App Store rules. As recently as March Spotify complained to the Commission that Apple was failing to approve a Spotify update that adds information on subscription pricing and links its website.
Tags: Spotify, European Union, Apple Antitrust
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Apple Still Developing a Bigger iMac With Over 30-Inch Display
Apple is still working on a larger iMac with over a 30-inch display, but the development stage and potential release schedule for the all-in-one computer still remains largely unknown.
Following the launch of the new Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display in March 2022, Apple discontinued the Intel-based 27-inch iMac. The company had already consigned the iMac Pro to its discontinued products list the previous March. Then in November 2023, Apple put paid to hopes of a future 27-inch iMac when it confirmed to several publications that it had no plans to release such a machine.
persistent rumors of a larger-screened iMac in the works that has a display that's over 30 inches in size. The machine was said to be in the early stages of development in mid-2023, but until recently the rumor mill had gone all but quiet about its progress.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has offered a ray of hope for fans of a larger model. "A larger iMac remains something Apple is exploring," he wrote in his latest weekly report. However, Gurman still says it is unclear if the device will use Apple's latest M4 processor. Apple plans to update its 24-inch iMac to an M4 processor later this year, but Gurman's comments suggest that this could be too early for the larger model, given its current development phase.
M4 MacBook Pro, iMac, and Redesigned Mac Mini Coming This Year
June 2023 reported that Apple was in the early stages of developing a new iMac with over a 30-inch display, and that it was further out, suggesting that it might be at least a year or two away from launching. Then in October 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected a 32-inch iMac with a mini-LED 32-inch display to come out in 2025. Kuo did not specify, but such a machine could be positioned as an "iMac Pro" to replace the 2017 model that Apple discontinued in 2021.
So it seems Apple could still release a larger M4 iMac in 2025, alongside planned processor upgrades the MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio next year. Another possibility is that Apple will hold out for its M5 chip, which could see the bigger iMac arrive in 2026 or later.
When to Expect New M4 MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro Models
Related Roundup: iMac
Tag: Mark Gurman
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Neutral)
Related Forum: iMac
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Google Touts Pixel 9's Gemini AI Capabilities That Don't Require 'Hand-off to AI Providers You May Not Know or Trust'
When introducing the new Pixel 9 models today, Google didn't miss an opportunity to denigrate Apple Intelligence. All of the new Pixel 9 devices are integrated with Google's AI technology, Gemini, and there are a host of new AI features that Google introduced.
Like Apple Intelligence, Gemini works using on-device processing power, but Google made sure to point out that Gemini is capable enough to answer complex queries without handing a task off to another AI service. The comment was a dig at Apple's plan to add ChatGPT integration to Siri, as ChatGPT will be able to do things that Siri can't. From Google:
Gemini is deeply integrated with Google apps and Android and can handle complex queries without hand-off to third-party AI providers you may not know or trust.
Apple will use ChatGPT for things like generating text from scratch, something that Apple Intelligence doesn't do. Apple did add Writing Tools, but it is limited to rewriting content that you've already written to change the tone or style. ChatGPT will also be able to generate images that Image Playground cannot, such as photorealistic content, and it will handle requests like generating meal recipes.
iPhone users for free.
Rumors suggest that Apple also plans to add Gemini integration to the iPhone, allowing iPhone users to choose their preferred AI service. It's not quite clear if Apple Intelligence is incapable of handling full text generation and photorealistic image creation, or if these are capabilities that Apple feels are a little too questionable to touch given the sentiment about AI-created content.
Google's new Pixel devices have several interesting AI features, including Pixel Studio, a new image generator that uses an on-device diffusion model. It will generate stickers and images using text prompts, similar to Image Playground.
AI will be able to edit photos to add objects that weren't originally in the image, plus Google plans to use it for custom weather reports. The camera app has an option to merge two photos together so that the person taking a group photo can be in the picture, and it can catalog and remember information from screenshots. There's also a feature called Call Notes, which mimics Apple's call recording feature by recording and summarizing phone calls.
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iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 Now Supports Jiggle Mode for Managing Home Screen
With the latest betas of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, Apple added new functionality to iPhone Mirroring, the feature that lets you control your iPhone from your Mac. When iPhone Mirroring first debuted in the betas, there was no support for managing the Home Screen, but that's now changed.
Apple added an option to get into jiggle mode, as noted by 9to5Mac. After activating the iPhone Mirroring app, you can click and hold on the iPhone's Home Screen to activate jiggle mode. In this mode, you can do everything you can in jiggle mode on the iPhone itself, from deleting and rearranging apps to managing widgets.
You can add widgets, change widget sizes, activate app long press functionality, turn on dark mode icons, or opt into icon tinting. There is no option to get to the Lock Screen or Control Center, though, and notifications can only be viewed through the Mac notification center.
Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia
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National Parks Apple Watch Activity Challenge Coming on August 25
Apple will host its annual National Parks Apple Watch activity challenge on Saturday, August 25. The event is designed to celebrate national parks across the United States.
Apple Watch owners can earn an Apple Watch activity award by doing a workout that lasts for 20 minutes or more on August 25, 2024.
As with all of the activity challenges, the award will come with animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.
Apple often offers other national parks-themed content in August, including an Apple Pay donation program, Apple TV+ content, Apple Music songs, books, podcasts, and more.
Tag: Activity Challenge
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Google Launches New Pixel 9 Smartphones With Gemini AI
Google today announced the launch of several new smartphones in its Pixel lineup, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL, all of which have new Gemini-powered AI capabilities. There's also a new Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds.
Google is offering two sizes of its Pro model for the first time, with the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL available in 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch sizes, respectively. The standard Pixel 9 has a 6.3-inch display, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a 6.3-inch cover display that unfolds into an 8-inch display.
The Pixel 9 models have a redesigned rear camera bar that's centered at the back of the device. Other design details include a matte glass back and polished metal sides, and Google says the new devices are twice as durable as the Pixel 8 smartphones. The Fold has a thinner chassis, a fluid-friction hinge, and a rectangular camera setup on one half of the device.
Google is using new OLED displays that it calls "Super Actua" for the Pro, Pro XL, and Fold, and all three are brighter than prior-generation models. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is 80 percent brighter than the Pixel Fold. Google is also using Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The new Pixel smartphones are equipped with the Google Tensor G4, which Google says was custom built for AI like Gemini. It is faster and more power efficient than Google's prior processor, with Google also adding more RAM (12GB for the Pixel, 16GB for the Pixel Pro models). There are also improvements to battery life and camera technology across the board, with the Pixel 9 Pro models adopting a 5x telephoto lens with 20x Super Res Zoom.
Gemini is the AI assistant on the Pixel smartphones, and it is "deeply integrated" into Google apps with support for Gemini Live on the Pro models. Gemini Live requires a Gemini Advanced subscription and offers a "mobile conversational experience" for "free-flowing conversations" with the AI. Pixel users can communicate with Gemini using text, images, or voice. Pixel Studio is a new app that features an on-device image generator that creates stickers and images using text-based prompts.
There are several photographic capabilities available, such as Add Me, a feature that uses augmented reality and AI to add the photographer into the shot by combining multiple images together. Auto frame allows images to be reframed for better composition, Zoom Enhance fills in missing pixels so you can zoom in further after taking a shot, and the Magic Editor supports editing photos with text prompts. Google says you can do things like adding wildflowers to an open field.
iPhone since 2022, is now available on the Pixel 9 smartphones.
Find My Device integration, Clear Calling for cutting down on ambient noise, and Conversation Detection for disabling ANC when someone speaks.
The Pixel Watch 3 with circular design comes in two sizes, including 41mm and a new larger 45mm option, with smaller bezels for larger display sizes. Both are more power efficient thanks to new display technology that's also brighter than before.
watchOS 11.
All of Google's new devices can be pre-ordered today. The Pixel 9 starts at $799, the Pixel 9 Pro starts at $999, the Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,099, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are priced at $229, and the new Pixel Watch 3 is priced starting at $349.99.
Tag: Google
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Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 11 Public Beta With Vitals App and More
Apple today released the fourth beta of watchOS 11 to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to give the new features a try ahead of when the software launches this fall. The fourth beta comes two weeks after the third beta.
watchOS 11 can be downloaded after signing up on Apple's beta software website and upgrading your iPhone to the public beta version of iOS 18. You'll need to open up the Watch app on iPhone, go to General, select Software Update, and choose the watchOS 11 Public Beta option under Beta Updates.
With watchOS 11, Apple added a new Vitals app that can be used to give you a daily overview of your health metrics, letting you know if anything is out of the ordinary. It compares information collected at night like heart rate, sleep, respiratory rate, and oxygen level to your levels over the previous weeks.
Smart Stack has new widgets like Translate and Shazam, plus it's smarter because it is able to suggest widgets based on time, date, location, and daily routine. Interactive widgets let you access app features from the Smart Stack, and it also supports Live Activities.
Training Load is a new way of measuring how the intensity and duration of workouts impact the body over time, with Apple providing an effort level for cardio-based workouts to help you know when to rest and when to push harder.
You can now customize your Activity Ring requirements for different days of the week, and Apple added support for rest days. Taking a break from activity will no longer ruin a streak because you can pause for a day, a week, a month, or more.
Photos watch face, improvements to Double Tap, and more, with additional information available in our watchOS 11 roundup.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater
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Amazon Discounts Portable Power Stations From Anker and Jackery
Today we're tracking a big selection of discounts on Anker's and Jackery's best portable power stations on Amazon, with as much as $1,750 in savings on these devices. These accessories are high-capacity portable batteries that can provide backup power to a wide variety of devices, from laptops to RVs.
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.
For the Anker deals, you'll need to have a Prime membership in order to see some of these discounted prices, while others require an on-page coupon to be clipped before you see the final deal price. In regards to the Jackery discounts, only one requires an on-page coupon and all of the others have been automatically applied.
Jackery
Explorer 100 Plus Power Station with Solar Panel - $179.99, down from $229.00
Solar Generator 240 with Mini Solar Panel - $269.00, down from $349.00
Solar Generator 300 Plus with Solar Panel - $419.00, down from $499.00
Explorer 1000 Plus Expansion Battery Pack - $509.00 with on-page coupon, down from $599.00
Explorer 1000 Power Station (version 2) - $599.00, down from $799.00
Explorer 2000 Pro Power Station - $999.00, down from $1,899.00
Explorer 3000 Pro Power Station - $2,149.00, down from $2,799.00
Anker
SOLIX C800 Power Station with Camping Lights - $449.00 with on-page coupon, down from $649.00
SOLIX C1000 Power Station - $549.00 with on-page coupon, down from $999.00
SOLIX C1000 Power Station with Solar Panel - $899.00 for Prime members, down from $1,549.00
SOLIX F2000 Power Station - $1,199.00 for Prime members, down from $1,999.00
SOLIX F2000 Power Station with 400W Solar Panel - $1,599.00 for Prime members, down from $2,899.00
SOLIX F2000 Power Station with 200W Solar Panel - $2,399.00, down from $2,549.00
SOLIX F3800 Power Station - $2,699.00 with on-page coupon, down from $3,999.00
SOLIX F3800 Power Station with 400W Solar Panel - $3,149.00 for Prime members, down from $4,899.00
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.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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Apple Music With Spatial Audio Now Available in Rivian Vehicles
Apple Music with spatial audio is now available in Rivian electric vehicles as part of the company's Connect+ subscription.
Rivian's latest software update brings a unique, built-in Apple Music app to the company's electric vehicles, such as the R1T truck and R1S SUV. The Apple Music app allows users to access a library of over 100 million songs, 30,000 curated playlists, and global live-streaming radio stations as part of a fully-integrated experience in Rivian's infotainment system.
Rivian's Connect+ subscription is required to access streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify. The subscription is priced at $14.99 per month or $149.99 annually and enables other features such as Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities, satellite imagery, and enhanced voice commands via Alexa.
Vehicles equipped with Rivian's Premium Audio system, which includes an 18-speaker, 960-watt surround sound setup, can also play Dolby Atmos Apple Music songs with spatial audio, enabling music to be experienced in a more three-dimensional space in the vehicle. Rivian is offering a two-month free trial of Connect+ starting today.
recently explained that the company has no plans to introduce support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, remarking that "we just believe that it is such an important piece of real estate, the digital ecosystem, that it was something we want to retain" and "we have taken the view of the digital experience in the vehicle wants to feel consistent and holistically harmonious across every touchpoint."
Tags: Apple Music, Dolby Atmos, Rivian
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iPhone SE 4 Likely to Feature 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence
Next year's iPhone SE 4 will almost certainly come with 8GB of RAM, up from 4GB in the 2022 model, due to the hardware requirements of Apple Intelligence.
Currently in Apple's smartphone lineup, only the iPhone 15 Pro models support Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of AI features coming in iOS 18.1, because the features require a minimum of 8GB of RAM. There is only 6GB RAM in the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, so they will miss out.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, and he says "you can bet that it will have Apple Intelligence."
So unless Apple discontinues the iPhone 15 models this year when the iPhone 16 series debuts, this will leave Apple's smartphone lineup in an unusual position, with a sub-$500 device in the iPhone SE 4 able to run Apple's latest AI features while the standard iPhone 15 models cannot.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is rumored to feature an iPhone 14-like design, Face ID instead of Touch ID, a USB-C port, an Action button, an Apple-designed 5G modem, and an all-screen look that does away with the Home Button. The device's display is expected to grow in size from 4.7 inches to 6.06 inches and use OLED for the first time.
Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Tag: Apple Intelligence
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone
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How to Get Apple Intelligence in the EU
With the release of iOS 18.1 beta 2, Apple has apparently opened up access to Apple Intelligence for English speakers located in the European Union, something that was not possible in previous versions.
One of the reasons Apple initially limited region access to Apple Intelligence was that it only supported US English, but in the second 18.1 beta, Apple Intelligence localization options now include Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Singapore, the U.S., UK, and Australia.
regulatory issues related to the Digital Markets Act. On the face of it, those issues still remain, and it's still not clear whether they will be resolved by the time iOS 18.1 is released in October. But at least for now, there doesn't seem to be anything stopping users in the EU from testing out Apple Intelligence in the beta if their device supports it.
Supported Devices
Apple Intelligence encompasses a range of capabilities, including composing text and emails, automating actions across various apps, generating images, summarizing documents and texts, and more. However, these features require a lot of on-device computing power, so before you do anything, it's worth checking if your device is compatible. iPhone users need either an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max to run Apple Intelligence, while only iPads powered by M1 or later Apple silicon processors are compatible.
Install Beta Software
If your device is supported, the first thing you need to do is install the developer beta for your device. Once you've followed the instructions provided in the linked article and your device is up and running with the latest beta, follow these steps on your iPhone or iPad.
Open Settings, then tap through to General ➝ Language & Region.
Tap Add Language.. and choose English (US).
Tap Region and choose United States. (Note that this won't affect your App Store regions or purchases.)
Return to the main Settings menu and tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.
Tap Language and choose English (United States).
You will now be able to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist, which in most cases gets accepted in just a few minutes. Under the Apple Intelligence header text, tap Join Waitlist.
After what should hopefully be a short wait, the message will change to Turn On Apple Intelligence. Tap it, and a welcome message should appear, indicating you have sucessfully enabled the AI features on your device.
here about all of the Apple Intelligence features available in the second iOS 18.1 developer beta. Note that some of the Apple Intelligence additions won't be coming until later next year.
Tags: European Union, Apple Intelligence
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TikTok Rolls Out Group Chats With Up to 32 Users
TikTok is rolling out new direct messaging features including "highly requested" group chats with support for up to 32 people, the company has announced.
Group chats allow users aged 16 and over to share and comment on TikTok videos with friends and family members without having to open a separate messaging app like WhatsApp or Messenger.
Starting a group chat can be done in a couple of ways. Users can tap a Chat button at the top of the TikTok inbox and select the names of people they want to include, or they can tap Start Group Chat when sharing a post with several people.
TikTok says it has built safety into the design of group chats for teens, and taken steps to block communication with strangers. Like regular direct messages, group chats are not available to users aged between 13 and 15.
Additionally, users in the next 16-17 age bracket can only join a group chat if they have at least one mutual friend included. If they create a group chat, they have to review and manually approve anyone new who joins.
support page does not provide further details on when that may change.
Tag: TikTok
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