2025 iPad Air: Everything you need to know about the M3 iPad Air

Macworld Apple updated the iPad Air with an M2 processor in May 2024, more than two years after the launch of the M1 model. Apple didnt change the design much, though it did introduce a larger 13-inch model for the first time. It looks like the wait wont be so long for the next modelless than a year later, rumors of a new iPad Air are already flying, and weve collected everything we know here. 2025 iPad Air release date: When will the new iPad Air launch? Spring 2025 (expected) February 19 (possible) Apples CEO Tim Cook teased on Twitter that there will be a Apple product launch on Wednesday February 11. This is widely expected to be a replacement for the iPhone SE, but there could also be a new iPad launched at the same time. One iPad is long overdue an update: the standard iPad, which currently doesnt even support Apple Intelligence, is expected to get an update to become the 11th gen iPad . But the iPad Air may also be getting a surprise update. And if Apple is releasing details of a new iPhone on February 19, perhaps it will slip in news of these two iPads at the same time. There is one reason why Apple may not update the iPad Air on February 19. The company is currently running its Higher Education Offer 2025 in Australia until March 15, where they are offering an Apple Pencil with iPad Air and iPad Pro. Apple is unlikely to change the specs of a device currently in a promotion. However, in October 2024, Bloombergs Mark Gurman reported that Apple will release an iPad Air update at the same time as the new iPhone SE . In January 2025, Gurman reiterated that the iPad Air would become available this spring. The current M2 iPad Air was released in May 2024, so a spring 2025 release for a new iPad Air would be short of a year later. Heres when the past five iPad Air models launched: iPad Air (M2) : May 2024 iPad Air (5th generation) : March 2022 iPad Air (4th generation) : October 2020 iPad Air (3rd generation) : March 2019 iPad Air 2 : October 2014 2025 iPad Air price: How much will the new iPad Air cost? The iPad has remained at $599 since its 2020 redesign. The price may also be affected by component prices, plus unfavourable exchange rates may mean the iPad costs more where you are. The current 11-inch M2 iPad Air starts at $599/599 while the 13-inch model starts at $799/799. 2024 was the first year Apple offers the iPad Air in two sizes. Its not unprecedented for Apple to raise prices. When Apple released the M4 iPad Pro in May 2024 , it raised the prices by $100/100. That price hike was accompanied by a new tandem OLED display, which the iPad Air is unlikely to receive. However, its possible Apple will increase the price of the 2025 iPad Air in places where the local currency has fallen against the dollar. This is something it has done in the past. 2025 iPad Air features: What specs will we see in the new iPad Air? A new chip is the main upgrade Other major upgrades are unlikely With the 2024 iPad Air release, Apple revamped the iPad Air lineup. In addition to creating two sizes (11- and 13-inches), Apple upgraded the chip from an M1 to an M2 and moved the front-facing camera to the landscape edge. Apple made a few smaller changes, such as upgrading Bluetooth to 5.3, Wi-Fi to 6E, and the Smart HDR implementation in the camera to HDR 4. The 2025 iPad Air is expected to be a chip upgrade without much else. What that new chip will be, however, is in question. When Apple upgraded the iPad Air in 2024 it used the older M2 chip while the iPad Pro jumped to the M4 due to numerous issues with the M3 . In mid-January 2025, Bloombergs Mark Gurman said that he wouldnt be terribly surprised if the 2024 iPad Air jumped to the M4. The M5 iPad Pro update isnt expected until later in 2025. Tthe 2025 iPad Air will feature an M3 or M4 chip. Petter Ahrnstedt A private post by leaker Evan Blass in January claims to show what is supposedly an official Apple document that identifies the new iPad Air as with an M3 chip, not an M4. However, that document also contained an image of the iPhone SE 4 with a Dynamic Island, which has been largely debunked. Well update this article as more information becomes available. Until then, you should check out our best iPad Air deals , our best 10th-gen iPad deals and best iPad deals roundups to see if you can find a bargain on the current range.

Will Apple hold a spring event in 2025? What we expect

Macworld Expectations are high that Apple is planning a number of new product releases in the spring 2025 time frame, but will the company hold a spring event, and if it does, when will Apples spring event take place. Apple doesnt always hold a spring event, but when it does, it usually takes place in March or April with the exception of 2024, when Apple surprised us all by issuing invites to an event on May 7. This year Apple has announced that there will be an event-free product launch on February 19. Does this mean that there will be no spring event in 2025? We investigate below. In this article, we explain what you need to know about Apples spring event, including whether Apple will hold a spring event in 2025, and, if it does, when it might be held, how to watch it, and what products you can expect to be unveiled. Will Apple hold a spring event in 2025? In the past ten years Apple has held seven spring events, with the exception of 2023, 2020 and 2017 (and there would undoubtedly have been one in 2020 if it wasnt for the pandemic). Apples spring event is one of the three or four big events in Apples yearly cycle of announcements. Theres the big iPhone/Mac software announcements at WWDC in the summer, the iPhone launch in September, sometimes we see Apple make Mac and iPad announcements in October or November, and (most years) we get some hardware reveals at a spring event in March or April. At these events Apple executives hit the stagewhether real or virtualand boast about some recent successes, before revealing what new products are about to launch. For more detail on Apples calendar of events, read When is the next Apple event? But will there be an event in spring 2025? It is unlikely. Apple has indicated that a new product will launch on Wednesday February 19, but this will be a product launch via a press release to the media, and not an event. This is the same approach that Apple used in October 2024 when it issued press releases regarding M4 series of MacBooks, iMac, and Mac mini. These Mac announcements could certainly have been made at an event if Apple had wished: the new M4 Pro and M4 Max were worthy of attention, as was the new design of the Mac mini. But Apple settled on press releases spread over a few days. This could be the start of a trend to avoid the immediacy of an event, where smaller news gets dwarfed by the big stories, in favor of a more controlled, staggered release. Is the era of the Apple event is over ? What will Apple launch in February 2025? The new iPhone SE (or iPhone 16E) is expected to launch on February 19, bringing Apple Intelligence and a brand news design to the entry-level iPhone. Heres how to get Apple Intelligence on your iPhone if you have a compatible model. Apple may also launch the long overdue update to the standard iPad. The 11th-gen iPad needs an update to enable support for Apple Intelligence. There are also rumors that Apple may soon issue an update to the iPad Air . While we are also awaiting a new MacBook Air with M4 chip , its not thought that Apple will launch it in February. That launch could happen later in the spring. The MacBook Air probably wont be launched at an event, unless Apple surprises us with a Mac update that also includes the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, but those product launches are expected at WWDC in June . When is the Spring Apple event 2025? So it is increasingly unlikely that there will be a Spring Apple Event in 2025, but, if Apple surprised us all when could such an event happen? We can make some educated guesses based on when the event has been held in the past, and other events happening around that time. Its typical for Apple to hold events (other than WWDC) on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. If Apple holds the event on March 11, 18 or 25 it could be selling the new products before its second quarter ends on March 30. Alternatively, If Apple waits until April we wouldnt expect the event to fall too close to the Easter time frame, so April 8 or April 29 would be the most likely dates. Apple previously held a Spring event on the following dates: 2024: Tuesday May 7: (Let Loose): 11 & 14-inch iPad Pro M4, 11 & 14-inch iPad Air M2, Apple Pencil Pro 2023: no event 2022, Tuesday March 8: (Peek Performance, virtual): New iPhone SE, new iPad Air, Mac Studio and Studio Display, and new iPhone color options 2021, Tuesday April 20: (Spring Loaded, virtual): New iPad Pro and iMac, Apple TV 4K, AirTags, new iPhone color options and iOS 14.7 2020: no event 2019, Monday March 25: (Its show time): Apple Card, and the News+, TV+, and Arcade subscription services 2018, Tuesday March 27: (Lets take a field trip): New iPad and education announcements 2017: no event 2016, Monday March 21: (Let us loop you in): iPad Pro, iPhone SE, and software updates 2015, Monday March 9: (Spring Forward): Apple Watch, a new MacBook, and iOS 8.2 2014: no event 2013: no event 2012, Wednesday March 7: (We have something you really have to see. And touch): 3rd-gen Apple TV and 3rd-gen iPad You can still watch the spring 2024 event on YouTube. What time will Apples spring event start? Apples events generally start at 10 am in local (California, PT) time, but in May 2024 the event started at 7am PT. Heres what that time translated to in various locations around the world: U.K.: 3 pm (BST) Central Europe: 4 pm (CEST) U.S.: 7 am (PT), 8 am (MT), 9 am (CT), 10 am (ET) Canada: 7 am (PT), 8 am (MT), 9 am (CT), 10 am (ET) India: 7.30 pm (IST) Singapore and China: 11 pm Japan: next day at 2 am (JST) Australia: 11 pm (AWST), 11.30 pm (ACST), midnight (AEST) New Zealand: next day at 2 am (NZST) If Apple holds the event at the usual time of 10am PT the timing will be as follows (allow for daylight saving time changes, which happen at different times around the world). U.S.: at 10 am (PST/PDT), 11 am (MST/MDT), noon (CST/CDT), 1 pm (EST/EDT) Canada: as above, and 2 pm (AST/ADT) U.K.: at 6 pm (GMT/BST) Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST), 8 pm (EET/EEST) India: at 10.30 pm (IST) Australia: Next day at 1 am (AWST/AWDT), 2.30 am (ACST/ACDT), 3 am (AEST/AEDT) New Zealand: Next day at 5 am (NZST/NZDT) Apple events generally last between one and two hours. What will Apple announce in spring 2024? Weve mentioned the iPhone SE a couple of times, but there are other Apple products due an update: iPhone SE Its expected that the new iPhone SE will support Apple Intelligence, which means we will see a processor jump that takes it beyond the iPhone 14 and 15 models still on sale. Rumor has it that this will be known as the iPhone 16 SE. Read: iPhone SE rumors . 11th-gen iPad The 10th-gen iPad launched back in October 2022 and is the only model that doesnt support Apple Intelligence, so an update to the same A17 Pro chip as the iPad mini seems likely. See: 11th-gen iPad rumors . New iPad Air Its already running on an M2 chip, which is more than capable of running Apple Intelligence, but apparently Apple is going to update the iPad Air. If it does the M3 chip is expected to appear in that device, which is a surprise because apparently the M3 has been quite a challenge for Apple. Read about the 2025 iPad Air . M4 MacBook Air The MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac mini already have M4 chips so its time that the MacBook Air got upgraded to the M4. More here: MacBook Air M4 rumors . Other new products We could also see some updates to the Home products. There have been rumors of a faster version of the Apple TV, a HomePod with screen , or a product that combines the two products. Well probably be waiting until WWDC in June for the Mac Pro and Mac Studio M4 updates . What is the spring event tagline and what does it mean? When Apple announces the tagline for a spring event there is usually a lot of speculation as to what it might indicate about the product announcements. For the May 2024 event the tagline was Let Loose, a phrase that suggested freedom and the idea that creativity will be let loose. The image accompanying the invite was of an Apple Pencil drawing. So when a new range of iPads and a new Apple Pencil were launched it was no real surprise. The February 19 product launch was announced with a tweet from Tim Cook that many said reminded them of an AirTag. How to watch Apples spring event live The best way to watch an Apple event if there is one would be to get an invite to attend in person, but most of us wont be so lucky. Fortunately, Apple will also live stream the presentation so everyone can watch along. The first place to try is right at the top of this article where we will have embedded Apples YouTube stream. You can also watch on Apples events page , which will have the live stream on the night. Indeed, the main Apple.com home page usually shows the presentation while it is happening. If youve got an iPhone, an iPad, an Apple TV, or a Macassuming the device has sufficiently up-to-date softwareyou can watch the stream on the TV app. PC owners can also watch, but will need to visit Apples site as mentioned above. After the event is finished, it will also be available to rewatch in the Podcasts and TV apps, and on Apples website . Finally, Apple has for certain events in the past held broadcast events in Apple Stores, so it may be worth contacting your nearest outlet to see if they have anything planned. More information about watching the event here: How to watch Apples event. Apple What has Apple launched in past spring events? Heres what Apple has announced at previous spring events: 2024: Tuesday May 7: New iPad Air (M2) and iPad Pro (M4) models. Updates to Magic keyboards for iPads and new Apple Pencil Pro. Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro updates. 2023: no event 2022, Tuesday March 8: (Peek Performance, virtual): New iPhone SE, new iPad Air, Mac Studio and Studio Display, and new iPhone color options 2021, Tuesday April 20: (Spring Loaded, virtual): New iPad Pro and iMac, Apple TV 4K, AirTags, new iPhone color options and iOS 14.7 2020: no event 2019, Monday March 25: (Its show time): Apple Card, and the News+, TV+, and Arcade subscription services 2018, Tuesday March 27: (Lets take a field trip): New iPad and education announcements 2017: no event 2016, Monday March 21: (Let us loop you in): iPad Pro, iPhone SE, and software updates 2015, Monday March 9: (Spring Forward): Apple Watch, a new MacBook, and iOS 8.2 2014: no event 2013: no event 2012, Wednesday March 7: (We have something you really have to see. And touch): 3rd-gen Apple TV and 3rd-gen iPad What happens at an Apple event? Like most tech-company launch events, it will feature both fluff and substance. Expect some tedious bragging at the beginning; this may cover such topics as operating system adoption rates, hardware customer reviews, and eco-friendly manufacturing policies. But Apple wouldnt hold an event if there wasnt something worth hearing, and we should get into proper announcements within 10 minutes or so. Generally, you can expect multiple separate announcements at an Apple event.

Logitech MX Creative Console review: Dream toolkit for creatives

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros High-quality finish Customizable Cons A few software driver errors Keypad only has nine fields Our Verdict The MX Creative Console will delight beginners and intermediates with its excellent price-performance ratio. Whether video editing or image processing, the dialpad in particular feels good in the hand and the software allows simple and flexible customization to your needs. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed $199.99 Best Prices Today: Logitech MX Creative Console Retailer Price $169.95 View Deal $199.99 View Deal $199.99 View Deal $199.99 View Deal Logitech $200 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket For creative professionals, the standard keyboard and mouse/trackpad configuration isnt a model that promotes efficiency. The need to frequently access options and to fine-tune settings in creative pro software means these input devices arent ideal. What works are knob controllers and keypads that allow for precise control and quick access, like Logitechs MX Creative Console. The MX Creative Console consists of two parts plus configuration software. The most striking part is the dialpad with a large rotary knob, four buttons, and a roller. Depending on the application, the dial can be used to set volume or adjust exposure. The roller can be used to scroll through documents. For a quick start, the setup wizard already configures the buttons for some programs and the Finder. These settings can be adopted, customized, or extended later. A large number of commands for each individual program are available in a library, and profiles can be downloaded later from the Marketplace. There is already a large selection to start with, which should increase over time. For example, there are profiles with commands for Ableton Live, Adobe Photoshop, Capture One, Twitch, and Zoom Meeting. Predefined key commands for important creative apps, free programming of the keys, the creation of new programs, and the direct transfer of text passages to ChatGPT are just some of the practical functions. For beginners, however, I would like to see more ready-made profiles that make it easier to get started. A rotary control like this is only useful if it runs smoothly thats exactly what the dial on the dialpad does. The lack of overtravel is a little unusual. Both dials, the large round one and the small roller, stop immediately when released. This is unusual when scrolling, but is an advantage when selecting and controlling. The fact that the dialpad has no cable also has a positive effect, allowing it to be used more flexibly when editing, for example. Thomas Bergbold The action ring is a very special function. It is called up by pressing a button and organizes eight commands around the mouse pointer position. By default, it is easily accessible for each program on the button to the right below the rotary knob. For example, eight commands from image optimization are displayed. If you move the cursor over the Brightness command, the brightness value can be adjusted directly using the rotary knob. This is a practical function for quick editing, especially in image processing. A real highlight that sets the MX Creative Console apart from its competitors is the Action Ring. This now works in most programs and is particularly helpful when optimizing images in Adobe Lightroom and Capture One. Unfortunately, there are still a few bugs in Capture One: instead of changing the values, it can happen that turning the wheel jumps to the next image. The second part of the MX Creative Console is the keypad with nine illuminated buttons and two buttons for changing pages. Up to 15 pages can be created in the configuration software. The buttons are complemented by large graphics that show either the command such as play/pause or the program icon. There is a stand for the keypad, which improves the legibility of the keys. When using the keypad, you first have to struggle with the stubborn cable. That is, until you insert the stand mount. The cable guide allows the keypad to be positioned better and the keys are also easier to read. The large, rubberized base provides reliable protection against slipping. Thomas Bergbold The MX Creative Console is available in light grey and graphite. A small contribution to environmental protection is the use of low-carbon aluminum, recycled plastic, and environmentally friendly paper packaging. Should you buy the Logitech MX Creative Console? All in all, Logitech has created an excellent tool that can be recommended to digital creatives. It is more affordable than other control knobs and keypads, which makes it appealing to aspiring image and video editors.

Deciding when to buy a Mac is about to get a lot easier

Macworld When Apple released the M4 iPad Pro last May, it threw an already uncertain schedule into upheaval. Half of Apples Mac lineup was still running M2 chips, and Apple had only just updated the MacBook Air to an M3 just two months prior. For the first time ever, an iPad had a faster chip than the entire Mac range. It would be another six months before the first Mac received an M4 chip, and two months into 2025, two M2 models, the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, are still using 2023 chips, the MacBook Air has an M3, and three have M4s (the Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro). Buying a Mac right now requires intimate knowledge of spec sheets, timelines, and rumors, lest you get a model thats essentially obsolete before you walk out of the Apple Store. But it looks like thats about to change. According to Mark Bloombergs latest Power On newsletter , Apple will update the MacBook Air with an M4 chip in a few weeks, followed closely by the Mac Studio and Mac Pro with the M4 Ultra. That will bring the whole Mac lineup up to date with the latest generation of chips, and prepare the ground for the transition to the M5. It will also mark the first time since the Apple silicon transition arrived that every Mac is running a version of the same chip. The Mac Pro skipped the M1; the iMac skipped the M2; the Mac Studio, Mac mini, and Mac Pro skipped the M3. But apparently, the fourth times the charm for Apple silicon. Gurman reports that, unlike the M4, the M5 transition will begin with the Mac rather than the iPad Pro: And once those are released, the M5 chip transition will beginalongside new MacBook Pro models in the fall. Then we should get an M5 iPad Pro by the first half of 2026. In other words, the M4 and M5 chip transitions will see their release orders flipped, with the M5 coming to the Mac before the iPad Pro. By debuting the M5 in the Mac, Apple is setting up an annual cadence that could look something like this: November: MacBook Pro/Mac mini March: MacBook Air/iMac June: Mac Studio/Mac Pro Not every model needs to be updated every year, but establishing a proper timeline for Mac updates and expectations for releases will make choosing when to buy a Mac much easier for consumers. The Mac is the only product that doesnt have a clear identifier to let people know what generation it is, so a schedule will help give the lines some much-needed predictability.

Apples political turn is leading it down a sketchy road

Macworld In a clearing in a forest, near the magical river where the gnomes harvest mushrooms and the fairies argue over an editorial in the latest issue of Teen Vogue, sits a Macalope on a stump, hunched over a keyboard. Is it ergonomic? No. Its a forest. How is it going to be ergonomic? Magic? Magic is surprisingly un-ergonomic. There isnt even a power outlet. Thank god for the M-series processors low power consumption. There is Wi-Fi, though, because the centaurs set up an open network for their late-night MMORPG sessions. They are loud and anger the nymphs, who have to be up early to dance in the glade. Its a whole thing. But lets return to the lone Macalope. Hes trying to think of what to write for this weeks column. Theres going to be an Apple event this week . He could write about that. But its probably just the new iPhone SE, maybe with a new name . Nice, but its not exactly huge news. He could write about Apple Intelligence and the companys rumored struggles getting Siri to be smarter. But theres only so many times you can write about AI without your head exploding. The thing is, he knows what he should write about, he just doesnt want to. The Macalope doesnt want to write about politics. These days, he doesnt even want to think about politics. Have you seen politics? Ugh. Blech. It was never good on a good day. But now And writing about politics on a technology website is the very definition of a Kobayashi Maru . Except without the Klingons. And spaceships. So, not the very definition, but you know what the Macalope means. People will yell Stay in your lane, mythical beast! Just shut up and be funny about Apple! First of all, thats an oxymoron. Unless the Macalope is supposed to do a funny interpretive dance about Apple and he wouldnt even know where to start with something like that. Julliard? Could he even get in at his age? Second, though, believe the Macalope when he says he would love to just be funny about Apple. But its getting harder and harder to do. IDG And the Macalope isnt the one who started it. Apple was conspicuously non-political for years, not having its own political action committee while almost all of its U.S.-based competitors did. Okay, sure, it hired a few famous former members of Democratic administrations. But it also took on the Department of Justice during a Democratic administration over privacy concerns. The first thing that drew attention to Apples new game was in January when Tim Cook made an unprecedented $1 million donation to the incoming administrations inaugural fund. The Macalope says unprecedented because hed never done it before. All of a sudden hes really into the transition of power. Sure, Tim. Now, Apple has decided to resume advertising on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Lets remember the reason Apple stopped advertising on that site in the first place: The move follows Musks endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories as well as Apple ads reportedly being placed alongside far-right content. Axios, November 17, 2023 And its not like hes apologized . Still, at least since then, hes stayed out of the spotlight and only gone on to [pretends to put on glasses and read a piece of paper] be the unelected, unconfirmed, unqualified auditor-in-chief of the entire U.S. government. Huh. Dont remember that in that Schoolhouse Rock song. Guess he got the gig by doing such a bang-up job with Twitter . Its little wonder that people are upset with Apple . The company has clearly decided to buy itself access, no matter what the cost to its reputation and, yeah, gonna say it, the rest of us. You picked a really bad time to start being political, Apple. And we see you. Plus, youre apparently never going to make a phone in a size the Macalope likes again, either. So theres also that. If youd like to receive regular news and updates to your inbox sign up for our newsletters , including The Macalope and Apple Breakfast , David Prices weekly, bite-sized roundup of all the latest Apple news and rumors.

When is the best time to buy an iPhone?

Macworld In this article, we answer all of your questions about when you should and shouldnt buy a new iPhone including advice on when Apple is likely to discount the price of older iPhone handsets. There are certain times of the year when buying a new iPhone is a bad idea, and there are certain times of the year when you can get a bargain on a new handset. The trick is knowing when you should buy a new iPhone. Luckily we are here to help. Looking for to buy a new iPhone? Apple is about to launch a replacement for the iPhone SE. Normally we would say hold off until the new iPhone launch but that depends on which phone you want to buy. Read on for more information. Should I buy a new iPhone right now? If you want to buy an iPhone 16 series handset our advice is to buy now. If you want to buy an iPhone 15 you may find that the replacement for the iPhone SE could be a better choice as it is likely to support Apple Intelligence, which the iPhone 15 doesnt support. However, prices for some or all iPhones could increase, at least outside the U.S. following this iPhone SE update. There are certain times of the year when you can get the best deals on a new iPhone, these are during the Amazon Prime Sales in July and October, and Black Friday. Those in the market for a new handset are probably wondering whether now is a good time to buy a new iPhone. Is there any danger that a new model will be released in the near future? Will prices drop or increase? To answer that question, a replacement for the iPhone SE is expected on Wednesday, February 19. If you want to buy a new iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, but is cheaper than the iPhone 16, this will be the iPhone to buy. If you dont want to buy the soon-to-launch iPhone SE, you may think that there isnt a bad time to buy one of the older iPhones. Normally, when a new iPhone launches Apple reduces prices of the predecessors and discontinues some models. So it can be best to wait until after a new iPhone launches to get the best price for the previous generation. However, in the case of the iPhone SE replacement we expect Apple to shake up the iPhone lineup somewhat . The iPhone 14 and current iPhone SE are already off-sale in Europe where Apple isnt allowed to sell iPhones with a lightning port. As a result, you can expect that the $599 iPhone 14 will no longer be sold. If the new iPhone SE costs $599 that would already be a higher price than the current iPhone SE that costs $429. With the $699 iPhone 15 not supporting Apple Intelligence, Apples AI features it has been making a lot of noise about, it is also possible that the company could discontinue that handset. Should Apple do so the line up may well start with a $599 iPhone SE (which may be known as the iPhone 16E). Or the iPhone 15 price could fall and the iPhone 16E may slot in above it. So, waiting may mean spending more to buy your iPhone and it may mean you have less choice. Although just because Apple doesnt sell an iPhone doesnt mean you cant buy it. Check out our round up of the Best iPhone deals that includes all iPhones. After that the next new iPhone launch will probably be in September. The iPhone 16, 16 Plus, Pro and Pro Max were launched at an Apple Event in September 2024. In September 2025 you can expect the iPhone 17 line up to be revealed. Apple Should I buy an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus? Apple iPhone 16 Read our review Price When Reviewed: $799 Best Prices Today: $829 at Apple | $829.99 at Best Buy The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus were Apples new standard iPhones for 2024. They went on sale on September 20, 2024. We have reviewed both handsets and recommend them. If you want an Apple iPhone capable of supporting Apple Intelligence these were the only iPhones currently on sale that could although that will change with the launch of the new iPhone SE (or iPhone 16E if that is what Apple calls it). There are already deals on that handset. If you want to get the best price or find the best contract deal, we track the Best iPhone 16 deals in the U.S. and the best iPhone 16 deals in the U.K . these include both carrier deals and discounts on unlocked iPhones. Should I buy an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max? Apple iPhone 16 Pro Read our review Price When Reviewed: $999 Best Prices Today: $999 at Apple | $999 at Apple | $999.99 at Best Buy The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max were Apples new pro iPhones for 2024. They also went on sale on September 20, 2024. They are good, but so are the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, so this year you dont have to opt for Pro to get a great iPhone. Should I buy a iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus? Apple iPhone 15 Read our review Price When Reviewed: From $699 (Was $799) Best Prices Today: $729 at Apple | $729.99 at Best Buy When Apple introduced the iPhone 16 it dropped the price of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, which were introduced in September 2023. If you want to save some money and dont mind not having the latest iPhone it is a good time to get the 2023 model. However, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus do not support Apple Intelligence , Apples AI features. You may find that in time this is a real disadvantage. Should I buy a iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max? Apple iPhone 15 Pro Read our review Price When Reviewed: Was $999 (Discontinued) Best Prices Today: $899.99 at Best Buy When Apple introduced the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max it discontinued these models. You may still be able to find the 2023 Pro models on sale though, and if you find them at a good price then they will still be a good purchase. Should I buy an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus? Apple iPhone 14 Read our review Price When Reviewed: 599 (was 699) Best Prices Today: $629 at Apple | $829 at Visible You might be considering buying the cheaper iPhone 14 or 14 Plus which also saw a price drop in September 2024. These are two year old iPhones, so whether you consider it a good purchase will depend on how much money you are prepared to spend on a new iPhone. With Apple set to launch a new iPhone that will support Apple Intelligence, at what may be a lower price than the iPhone 14 is currently, we wouldnt recommend buying an iPhone 14 now. It is likely that Apple will stop selling these handsets after February 19, and it has already stopped selling the iPhone 14 in Europe. Should I buy an iPhone SE? Apple iPhone SE (2022) Read our review Price When Reviewed: $429 (64GB) | $479 (128GB) | $579 (256GB) Best Prices Today: $429 at Amazon | $429 at Apple | $429 at Apple United States The iPhone SE is Apples smallest phone and the only iPhone with a Home button. If you want small and a home button you need to buy one now because Apple is about to replace this handset with a brand new iPhone on February 19. Read about Apples plans for the iPhone SE 4. When is the best time to buy an iPhone? It is always worth waiting for the big sales if you can, we often find some good deals on older iPhone handsets, though not usually the newest models. There are two Amazon Prime Day sales one in July and one in October every year at which we may see some savings on iPhones, and at the end of November even more stores cutting the prices of iPhones for Black Friday . Apple doesnt drop the price of iPhones, but over Black Friday it offers vouchers alongside qualifying purchases in an Black Friday offer . Sometimes Amazon does a spring sale as well. We do see good deals all year round though, so take a look at our round-up of the best iPhone deals this month. We have also collected the Best iPhone 16 deals in the U.S. and the best iPhone 16 deals in the U.K. ,as well as the best deals for the iPhone 15-series in the U.K. and the best deals for the iPhone 15-series in the U.S. in separate articles. Also read: iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro deals and Best iPhone SE deals . Before you buy a new iPhone find out if Apples due to hold an event. Foundry Its easier to say when the worst time to buy a new iPhone is. That is without a doubt in the months leading up to September. So dont buy a new iPhone in August, unless you want to be kicking yourself a month later when the price of that model drops and a new model arrives. The only reason to buy an iPhone in the run-up to an Apple Event is if it is likely to be discontinued. Apple tends to discontinue the Pro and Pro Max models of the previous generation when it introduces the next generation, so if you want to buy one of those models you may want to buy one while you still can. However, wed suggest that it would be wise to wait for the next-gen version which is likely to present you with more for your money. Or take advantage of discounts as vendors sell off old stock after the new models arrive. The best time to buy an iPhone isnt necessarily when a new model launches either unless youre desperate to have the very latest hardware. You might be happy to wait a month or two after the launch and wait for supply to catch up with demand, and for any problems with the new phones to be identified and (hopefully) fixed. The other advantage of buying around the October/November time frame is that is when shopping events, like Black Friday , take place, but as we said above, we dont tend to see the newest iPhone models discounted much, or at all, at these events. Wed say that its fine to buy a new iPhone at any time within nine months of it launching, but if you are hoping to save some money on your purchase wed recommend waiting a few more months. When does Apple update the iPhone? Chris Martin / Foundry Knowing when the latest iPhones came out should help when making a judgment on whether there will be an update soon. See when is the next Apple event to find out if an Apple event is imminent. Apple usually updates the iPhone range at an Apple Event in September . The iPhone 16 will be followed in 2025 by the iPhone 17 . However, the iPhone SE is on a different schedule, with Apple introducing the iPhone SE models during the spring months. Read our iPhone buying guide and comparison of every iPhone available to buy today . When do iPhone prices drop? We know based on past experience that Apple is very unlikely to drop the price of an iPhone in the first year of sales. However, Apple does tend to reduce the price of the previous years iPhone when it introduces the new model so expect Apple to discount its handsets in September (and potentially in the spring if it introduces a new iPhone SE handset at that time). How much do prices drop when a new iPhone comes out? Foundry When Apple introduces new iPhones it usually keeps the prices the same, at least in the U.S. Prices for the iPhone 16 range are the same in the U.S. and U.K as the previous generation, but the price in Euros is less. In 2023 Apple dropped prices for the iPhone 15 range compared to the previous year in the U.K. In 2025 we may see prices rise due to higher component prices and global economic headwinds. At the same time as Apple introduces a new iPhone, it also reduces the price of existing models. Apple reduced the price of the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus by $100/100 in September 2024 when the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus were introduced. The price of the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus dropped in September 2023 and again in September 2024. Apples not the only place you can buy an iPhone and it certainly isnt the only one to discount the handsets. From time to time you will see deals from other resellers. We track these in our Best iPhone Deals round-up , so check that page regularly. Will there be Black Friday iPhone discounts? The earliest you could expect to get a discount on the newest iPhones is around Black Friday at the end of November, so you might be planning to hold out until then. However, the deals we tend to see, if any, are usually for older handsets so if you are hoping for a discounted iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro following their launch you will probably be disappointed. Nor should you expect to get a discount in an Apple Black Friday sale . Apples Black Friday sale usually only takes the form of vouchers with select product purchases, rather than a discount, and it is unlikely that the newest iPhone would qualify as in previous years new iPhones havent been included. See our round-up of Best Black Friday iPhone deals to see what could be in store. Note that while shopping events like Black Friday gets all the attention, thats not the only time you can get discounts on Apple products: we see discounts all the time. Another event where we see good iPhone deals is Prime Day, which happens in July and October every year. So take a look at the iPhone deals for Amazon Prime Day sale to see what you might be able to save. In our experience, we dont tend to see discounts on the newest handset until the springand these are always from third-party resellers, never from Apple. In fact, we dont tend to see the iPhone discounted in the U.S. very often, most of the discounts we see are in the U.K. where unlocked iPhones are often sold off-contract at a good discount. Conclusion: Is now a good time to buy a new iPhone? The worst time to buy is usually between July or August, mainly because with new iPhones on the horizon the price of the older handsets are likely to drop very soon. In 2025 an additional new iPhone is expected in February, so we would also avoid shopping at that time, unless you want to buy an iPhone before it is discontinued, or to spend your money before any possible price hikes. If you want the newest iPhones then the best deals dont tend to come before the spring and summer months. If you are happy to buy an older iPhone then you will probably see decent deals around Prime Day and Black Friday but deals happen all year round. We hope this article has proved helpful in reaching an informed buying decision. Remember that good prices can be found all year round, if a retailer is feeling generous and you know where to look: read our guide to the best iPhone deals for more on that. Wondering how long Apple supports iPhones for? Read How long do iPhones last.

Alogic Edge 34 and 40 Ultrawide QHD Monitor review: one monitor to match two

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros 34401440 ultrawide screen Accurate color Apple-sensitive styling Built-in USB hub Cons Low pixel density Our Verdict With its ultrawide display, the Alogic Edge offers a remarkable amount of working screen space for a single monitor to maximize viewable multitasking apps and documents. Picky creatives may prefer a higher pixel density but for general productivity users the 34- to 40-inch screen is even more spacious than having two monitors side by side. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed $999.99 Best Prices Today: Alogic Edge 40 Ultrawide QHD Monitor Retailer Price Alogic $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Adding more screen space by connecting two or more external monitors to your MacBook, Mac mini or Mac Studio can enhance your productivity by having multiple applications, documents or websites open side by side and therefore more accessible. With more screen space its easier to switch between tasks without cluttering your screen or desk-based workspace. But two monitors swallow up physical desk space and require multiple video portsoften meaning you need to use a MacBook docking station . Instead of having two monitors, why not choose one large displayto recreate the breadth of two monitors side by side, a widescreen display makes the most sense. One wide rather than two monitors is also a more ergonomic design, with the broader field of view potentially reducing neck pain by providing a productive workspace in a tighter space. We look at more differences between a two-monitor setup vs one ultrawide screen further down this review. Alogic is the maker of one of our favorite ranges of 4K displays, the Clarity, which has 27-inch and 32-inch models. At home I have two of these 27-inch Clarity displaysone a touchscreen modelhooked up to my M2 Pro Mac mini. I was therefore intrigued by the possibilities of Alogics latest displays: 34-inch and 40-inch ultrawide (UWD) 4K screens. Could one of these do the same job as the two existing monitors while saving me precious desk space and offering further single-screen benefits? I tested the larger of the two new displays, the Edge 40 Ultrawide QHD Monitor, but include details of the smaller but still ultrawide 34-inch Edge. See how these Ultrawide QHD Monitor compare to other displays we have reviewed in our Best Mac monitors round up. 40-inch Edge (top) and 34-inch Edge (bottom). Alogic Features Both 34-inch and 40-inch models support up to a 34401440-pixel resolution. This is known as UltraWide Quad HD or an unpronounceable UWQHD. The screen uses In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology that can deliver great color accuracy when being viewed from different angles with minimal diminishment of image quality. Screen specs Maximum Resolution: 3,4401,440 pixels Refresh Rate: 60Hz or 100Hz Response Time: 14ms (34); 8ms (40) Pixel Density: 110ppi (34); 93ppi (40) Aspect Ratio: 21:9 Viewing Angle: 178(H) / 178(V) Brightness: 370 nits (34); 400 nits (40) Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (34); 1200:1 (40) Color Saturation (NTSC): 91% (34); 89% (40) Color Saturation (DCI-P3): 90% (34); 97% (40) Color Saturation (SRGB): 95% (34); 99% (40) Color Saturation (Adobe RGB): 92% (34); 94% (40) Most ultrawide monitors, often aimed at gamers, are curved. A flat 40-inch ultrawide display is more appropriate to productivity jockeys. The ultrawide aspect ratio makes it ideal for multitasking and working comfortably with multiple windows open in one view. Standard monitors, like Alogics own 27-inch Clarity displays, have an aspect ratio of 16:9. The ultrawide Edge has an aspect ratio of 21:9, so is much longer horizontally. That extra width is perfect for keeping lots of things onscreen in the same view and not layered under each other. Normally, youd need a couple of monitors side by side to achieve this. We have also tested the Mobile Pixels Geminos Dual Vertical FHD Monitor , which unusually stacks two screens vertically. Ultrawide monitors have slightly lower resolutions than more standard monitors, which is worth bearing in mind if you are a professional digital creative. My graphic-designer wife was impressed with the Edges color gamut (the range of colors it can generate), but less so with the crispness of the text. As a result of the 40-inch screen size combined with the 3,4401,440 resolution, pixel density is lower than youll find on smaller displays. The 40-inch Edge supports 93 pixels per inch (ppi), compared to the shaper 110ppi for the 34-inch Edge. In comparison, the 27-inch Clarity screen is the crispest of all the Alogic displays at 163ppi. The Edge pixel density is greater than an HD screen (82ppi) but nowhere near as cystal as a 5K display such as the 218ppi Apple Studio Display. A close rival to the 40-inch Edge is the Monoprice 44394 40-inch Crystal Pro that offers the same resolution and pixel density. We much prefer the Edges more flexible and better-looking stand, but gamers will fancy the Monoprices screens superior 144Hz refresh rate . While many ultrawide monitors are used by gamers, the refresh rates on offer with the Edge monitors (6-Hz or 100Hz) are too low for that crowd. With up to an 100Hz option, the refresh rates are higher than the 60Hz supported by most 4K displays and is all you need for web browsing and other productivity tasks. For general productivity tasks I didnt find this lower pixel density a problem for my eyes at least. Even a spreadsheet full of large numbers in tiny cells was clearly legible. This lack of crispness is, however, noticeable on very small text. Simon Jary / Foundry And, boy, does an ultrawide screen favor the longest Excel sheetsyou can keep so much data in view without endless scrolling back and forth. The 40-inch width allowed me to fit almost four A4-wide Word docs side by side. Alogic Hub and connections That ultrawide resolution matches the working comfort that I get from my two 27-inch displays, but I need only one connection from my Mac mini to the single monitors hub. Hub specs 1x USB-C to Host Connection with 90W Charging and Data 1x HDMI 2.0 port 1x DisplayPort 1.4 port 2x USB-C ports (USB 2.0, 5W Charging) 1x 3.5mm Audio Output 1x Gigabit Ethernet port The two USB-C ports are primarily for charging purposes as the data-transfer speed is USB 2.0s measly 480Mbps rather than the USB-C to host connections 5Gbps speed. They will be fine for connecting a wired keyboard and mouse or giving power to low-input devices. The 5Gbps USB-C connection to host is underpowered compared to the Macs own 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 so if you need multiple fast ports you should invest in a premium dock or more affordable hub. See Macworlds recommended best Mac docking stations and best Mac USB-C hubs . Importantly, the Edges hub is powerful enough for the most important video connection, and you can choose between USB-C, HDMI or DisplayPort. Edge doesnt require the extra bandwidth DisplayPort can offer over HDMI, so users can connect with either cable knowing theyre getting the full visual experience. Both options are included to make connection simple regardless of what input devices users have. Using USB-C means you can power your laptop by up to 90W, which is enough for most MacBooks, and take advantage of the ports in the hub at the back of the Edge display, such as the wired Gigabit Ethernet connection. The Edge includes built-in 3W speakers that are fine for video/voice calls but not what youd enjoy using to listen to music or a movie. Theres a 3.5mm audio port that can be used to attach wired headphones or speakers, but not an audio-in microphone. Left: the Silver 40-inch Edge. Right: the Space Gray 34-inch Edge. Alogic Design The 40-inch Edge that we tested measures between an adjustable 57.5cm (22.6in) to 69cm (27.2in) tall, 94.1cm (37in) wide and 24.5cm (9.6in) deep. It weighs 11.6kg (25.6lbs) with stand. The smaller 34-inch Edge measures up to 64.1cm (25.2in) tall, 81.4cm (32in) wide and 24.5cm (9.6in) deep. It weighs 10.1kg (22.3lbs) with stand. Like its Clarity monitor siblings the Alogic Edge displays look fantastic, and in keeping with an Apple aestheticalthough at a far more affordable price than Apples Studio Displays. It is available in either Silver or Space Gray to match your Mac. The Edges frame is fine at just 8mm thick, or should that be 8mm thin? The back of the screens tempered glass looks great, too, if its not facing a wall. Setup is simple. The machined aluminum stand design is a two-piece that you can quickly put together with a single thumb screw and it then clicks into the rear of the display. The stand is heavy and offers sturdy support for the display, with less wobble than youll find with lighter monitor stands. As you might expect, width is something you should consider before purchasing an ultrawide display. The 40-inch screen is almost a meter wide (94.1cm), so check it will fit your work space. If you are replacing two 27-inch monitors, even the larger screen will free up desk space while still allowing multiple docs open in the same view. The stand is just under a foot deep as well, so youll need some space for sure. The base is about as wide as a full-size Apple keyboard. Its one of the best stands weve tested, offering both tilt and height adjustment: 10 degrees Up/Down, and 45 degrees Left/Right. One ultrawide monitor vs two monitors A typical two-monitor setup. Foundry If you want to boost your screen productivity both ultrawide and dual-monitor setups are viable options, each with their own advantages. Two side-by-side monitors provide a natural separation if you are managing multiple applications. The pixel density on each of the separate displays is also likely to be better than with one ultrawide screen. However, with one ultrawide screen there is less of an issue with matching specs, meaning you avoid potential color, brightness, and display quality discrepancies if the two monitors have different specifications. This simplifies the management of display settings compared to a dual monitor setup. Theres also no bezel gap between the two monitors, and less cable clutter with just one connection between the computer and screen. Ultrawide monitors also offer the advantage of viewing movies in full size without letterboxing. The Alogic Illuminate Light Bar is a $149 accessory offering adjustable lights and webcam. Alogic Lights, webcam, action The Edge monitors dont ship with a built-in webcaminstead Alogic encourages interested customers to pair the monitor with its $149.99 / 119.99 Illuminate USB-C Light Bar that includes a 12-megapixel 4K autofocus webcam. This lightbar sits on top of the display and is powered via USB-Cmost conveniently to one of the spare USB-C slots in the monitors hub if you are connected to the computer by USB-C. The Illuminate Light Bars adjustable LEDs and the clever touch-sensitive wireless remote-control dial let you control of your workspace with warm or neutral lighting, including brightness and color temperature. On the lightbar itself you can dim or turn the lights on and off, and adjust color temperature. Alternatively you can use the well-designed remote dial, which looks like as smart home thermostat. A lightbar on top of your computer allows the light beam to be focused and narrow enough that no light spills glaringly onto the display, but still throws enough light downward to illuminate the desk surface. It can even out the brightness between the screen and your desk, and it does this without taking up precious desk space. The flexible mount allows you to tilt the angle for the best light and frame your face in the webcams view. Because the Edge monitor doesnt drop on its stand as low as the companys Clarity monitor does, this leaves a lot of space above your head in the webcams frame of view. Alogic explained to me that the stand cant go as low as Claritys due to the internal mechanics. I would therefore prefer a more flexible separate webcamsee our roundup of the best webcams for Mac . The Illuminates webcam includes a neat snap-on magnetic cover to maintain your privacy. Alogic 40-inch Edge rear in Space Gray. Alogic Price The 34-inch Edge is priced at $799.99 / 699.99 , and the 40-inch Edge at $999.99 / 799.99 . Compared to buying two displays, this is an affordable price for the screen real estate on offer. At $549.99, the alternative Monoprice 40-inch Crystal is certainly cheaper, but doesnt look as great and comes with a more basic, cheap-looking stand. Alogic would also like to tempt you into buying its $149.99 Illuminate Light Bar , and offers a Bundle that includes the 40-inch Edge, Illuminate USB-C Light Bar, Echelon Keyboard, Apex Mouse, and felt desk mat for $1,099.99 / 969.95 (34) and $1,299.99 / 1,069.95 (40). Alogic Edge 34 Ultrawide QHD Monitor Price When Reviewed: $799.99 Best Prices Today: $801 at Alogic Alogic Edge 40 Ultrawide QHD Monitor Read our review Price When Reviewed: $999.99 Best Prices Today: $999.99 at Alogic Alogic 40-inch Edge rear in Silver.. Alogic Should you buy the Alogic Edge Ultrawide QHD Monitor? With its ultrawide display, the Alogic Edge offers a remarkable amount of convenient and ergonomic working screen space for a single monitor to maximize viewable multitasking apps and documents without the bezel gap and setting complications you get with a dual-monitor setup. Picky creatives may prefer a higher pixel density but for general productivity users the 34- to 40-inch screen is even more spacious than having two monitors side by side.

Tired of losing your wallet? Next time, slide one of these next to your library card

Macworld Ever misplaced your wallet or struggled to find your ID at the worst possible moment? It feels like the worst thing in the world, but its also pretty avoidable with a little help from good ol technology. The KeySmart SmartCard is kind of like an AirTag that got pancaked into the shape of a credit card. Its razor thin, works with the Apple Find My app, and a pack of three of them is on sale for $79.97 (instead of $119). Heres how it works: add the SmartCard to your Find My app to unlock features like sound alerts to help you track it down nearby or location updates from the Apple network. Worried about leaving your wallet in a restaurant or stepping out the door without it? No worries. The app sends notifications straight to your iPhone or even your AirPods. And if its truly lost, Lost Mode allows anyone who finds it to contact you, giving you peace of mind. At just under 2mm thick, the KeySmart SmartCard slides effortlessly into your wallet without adding bulk. Its also built to last with a five-month battery life, Qi wireless charging, and an IPX8 waterproof rating, making it perfect for anyone on the go. Whether youre trekking through the rain, heading into the office, or just trying to keep your life together, this card has your back. So why would you need three of them if you only have one wallet? Well, you arent limited to just wallets with these trackers. Slip one into your backpack, computer case, purse, or even hide one on your e-bike. Because theyre so thin, theyre really easy to tuck almost anywhere. You have until March 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get a three-pack of KeySmart SmartCards on sale for $79.97. KeySmart SmartCard Works with Apple Find My (3-Pack) $79.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

The new, improved Siri might take even longer to arrive

Macworld Its been nearly three weeks since Apple released iOS 18.3 and we still dont have the much-anticipated iOS 18.4 beta, which has long been expected to include the first look at the new and improved Siri. Well, according to a new report, were going to have to wait a bit longer to see any Siri-related progress. Bloombergs Mark Gurman dropped a bombshell on Friday: the Siri overhaul that Apple is working on has faced engineering problems and bugs, threatening Apples plans to issue a Siri overhaul this April with iOS 18.4. Hence, the new Siri may not arrive until May or later with the iOS 18.5 update. The major Siri overhaul involves a heavy dose of Apple Intelligence, which brings the ability to read whats on your screen and plug into third-party apps. Apple is testing the new Siri internally and has found inconsistent performance and with the iOS 18.4 beta expected next week, Apple has to make decisions on its ability to deliver. Besides delaying Siri, another option, Gurman says, is to include the enhanced Siri in iOS 18.4 but have it turned off by default until 18.5. The Siri setback is a major one for Apple. The company is already paying catch-up with its AI implementation, and Siri will be at the core of the rumored smart home push, which will reportedly include a new iPad-like home hub , a new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K, and other accessories. So a Siri delay could cause a domino effect that delays those products as well. From a user standpoint, however, weve already been waiting for years for Siri to improve and be useful. Whats a few more months of waiting so that Apple gets it right?

Hades 2 review: Now with native support for M-series Macs

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Cons Our Verdict Hades 2 is a lot of fun and a worthy successor to the original Hades, and itll be nice treat for anyone that enjoys challenging arcade action. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed $29.99 Best Prices Today: Hades 2 Retailer Price Steam $29.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Hades was a huge hit when it first appeared back in 2020, so a sequel was pretty much inevitable and Hades II was released as an Early Access game for Windows PCs almost a year ago. However, the game received a big update at the end of 2024 that added native support for Macs with Apple Silicon. The bad news is that the game requires macOS 12 or later and unlike the original Hades Hades 2 wont run on Macs with Intel processors. Take a look at our favourite games on the Mac, see: Best Games for Mac . The first game cast you in the role of Zagreus, the son of Hades the god of death from Greek mythology as he attempted to escape from his fathers underworld and eventually reach the home of the gods on Mount Olympus. This time around its Zagreus sister, Melino, who takes centre-stage, and faces an even greater challenge as she attempts to find and defeat Chronos, the ancient god who was father of Hades and is now waging war on Olympus itself. Foundry Hades was one of the few roguelike games that have been released for the Mac in recent years, and Hades 2 follows that formula. Roguelike games dont allow you save the game as you go along and then simply reload when you die, so each death means that you have to go right back to the beginning and start again. That can be frustrating, but you can find new weapons and learn new skills as you progress through the game, as well as earning boons from the gods that make you more powerful. You also get to keep these skills and upgrades even after you die, so each time you start again youre a little bit more powerful and should be able to fight further into the game and beat stronger enemies. And, if that gets too frustrating, or if you simply prefer to focus on the story that unfolds as you encounter the various gods of Olympus throughout the game, then theres a God Mode that gives you a power boost right from the start, making it easier for you to plough through your enemies with fewer deaths to slow you down. But while Hades 2 follows the same basic formula as its predecessor, there are still some important differences that give this sequel its own distinct flavour. Even in Early Access, the developers at SuperGiant Games say that Hades 2 provides more areas to explore, and more gods and monsters for you to encounter than the previous game. More important is the fact that Melino is a sorceress with powerful magical abilities, whereas Zagreus was essentially a hack-and-slash melee kind of guy. Melino can use melee weapons such as daggers and axes, so hand-to-hand combat is still an option if thats how you prefer to play, but she also has a wide range of magical abilities available too, casting long-range and area-of-effect spells against her enemies from a distance. Screenshot Foundry Melino uses mana to power her spells, so resource management also becomes more important in this game as you now have a mana bar to keep an eye on, as well as the all-important health bar. This magical element also means that crafting is more important in Hades 2, as you can collect various herbs and minerals to upgrade your weapons and skills. I dont really have the reflexes for sword-swinging melee combat, so I quickly felt more comfortable with the long-range magical skills of Melino, and the magic and crafting elements also add a touch of Diablo to the roguelike format as well. We would recommend a games controller, though casting spells is fairly straightforward as long as you have a two-button mouse, but the movement controls feel a little awkward when using a keyboard. Foundry Should you play Hades 2? Although Hades 2 is still in Early Access and looks likely to remain that way for most of 2025 its pretty solid and stable, with no noticeable bugs during my time with the game. The hand-drawn graphics style looks great too, but the relatively simple 2D shaded graphics mean that you dont need a particularly powerful Mac to run it and I was able to get 60fps using High graphics settings, even at 4K resolution using a MacBook Pro with M2 processor. Roguelike games dont suit everyone, but even in Early Access Hades 2 is a lot of fun and a worthy successor to the original Hades, and itll be nice treat for anyone that enjoys challenging arcade action.

Say goodbye to boring language lessons and hello to fluency

Macworld Learning a new language sounds awesome until you realize you dont have hours to spend memorizing vocabulary or grammar rules. Thats where Babbel comes in. With 10- 15-minute lessons you can fit into your lunch break or between meetings, youll be chatting away in 14 languages before you know it. Pay $129.99 just once for lifetime access to Babbel for $129.99 until February 17 with code LEARN40 . And, youre not stuck using it on your phone Babbel works on desktop too, and your progress syncs across all your devices, as well as offline if you choose to download lessons beforehand. Whether youre picking up Spanish for your next trip, learning French to impress someone, or diving into Swedish just because you can, Babbel focuses on real-life conversations . Youll learn how to navigate restaurants, shop like a pro, and ask for directions without pulling out Google Translate. Plus, Babbels speech-recognition technology helps you perfect your pronunciation so you dont sound like a total tourist. Time to finally cross learn a new language off your bucket list. Until February 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT, use promo code LEARN40 to get a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning for $129.99 (reg. $599), you can learn up to 14 languages without stepping foot in a classroom. Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $169.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

CASETiFY launches new Impact Lite Case with a major design change

Accessory maker CASETiFY announced its new Impact Lite case, which features an updated ring design. This new model joins the companys ever-growing list of case The post CASETiFY launches new Impact Lite Case with a major design change appeared first on BGR .

Leak reveals iPhone 17 Pros bizarre redesigned camera module

Macworld With seven months to go before the launch of Apples next generation of flagship smartphones (and a new budget iPhone likely to appear long before then), were already getting a good idea of what to expect from the iPhone 17. For a start, according to the latest report, were pretty sure that Apple is going to drastically change the design of the rear camera module on the Pro models, and in what way. We just dont know why. The camera module on the Pro iPhones has remained essentially the same (other than a slight size increase from 12 Pro to 13 Pro) for six generations in a row: a square with rounded corners housing a trio of lenses in a familiar triangular configuration. But of late, pundits have formed a shaky consensus that 2025 will be the year when it finally changes in a more noticeable way. Spot the difference. Apple Since around the turn of the year, the main theory has been that the three lenses will instead be arranged in a horizontal line like the Google Pixel 9 Pro, with the camera module switching to a long centered bar stretching across the top of the rear of the phone. But this theory is entirely mistaken, according to the YouTube personality and tech leaker Jon Prosser, who claims in his latest video that the internal layout of the Dynamic Islands components means this is not possible. Some may say impossible. That leaves two options, he argues. Apple could press on with the horizontal configuration, but bring it down lower on the rear of the chassis so it doesnt clash with the Dynamic Island. Or it could keep the triangular design, which he says was originally conceived to keep out of the way of the notch on the iPhone 11 Pro. But that would mean a seventh generation of design stagnation, which the company is keen to avoid. The current leading solution at Apple Park, according to Prosser, is to keep the triangular arrangement of lenses but expand the module in which they sit so it spans the full width of the phone. This wont be a thin bar: it will be the same height as the module on the 16 Pro, stretched to roughly twice the width. Thats a big and very noticeable change that will ensure everyone knows youre using an iPhone 17 Pro. But other than giving your friends serious FOMO and upgrade envy, would this redesigned camera module provide any actual benefits? Perhaps, but Prosser for one cant see what they are. At the moment it feels like a solution that helps Apples marketing department, not iPhone customers. No doubt the September launch event will make the benefits a lot clearer. Its worth stressing at this point that none of this should be taken as proven fact; these remain theories, albeit ones with coherent reasoning and sources. Plans could change between now and the fall and Prosstradamus could just have got this wrong. He has form. And throwing some cold water on the whole thing is a post from Mark Gurman , who claims Prossers renders appear to be based in a fake late January sketch. To keep up with the latest news and rumors related to Apples late-2025 phone launches, we recommend bookmarking our regularly updated iPhone 17 superguide. And if you cant wait that long, pick up a bargain on the current range with our roundup of the best iPhone deals .

Best U.S. iPhone 16, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max deals this month

Macworld If youre anxious to get your hands on a new iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus,iPhone 16 Pro, or iPhone 16 Pro Max, you can buy from Apple directly , either in-store or online, but there are some great deals and promotions offered by popular retailers and carriers. Heres a summary of some of the best deals and promotions offered by retailers and carriers in the U.S. to help you get the best deal on your new iPhone.If youre looking for other models, check out our Best iPhone deals . If you arent sure which new iPhone to buy , we compare every iPhone in a separate article. Is the iPhone 16 out now? The iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max handsets were announced at Apples iPhone event on September 9. Pre-orders on Apples website started on Friday, September 13 and the phones went on sale on Friday, September 20 . iPhone 16 U.S. prices The price of the iPhone 16-series is the same as the iPhone 15 series, in each case if you want to buy an unlocked iPhone from Apple it costs $30 more. iPhone 16 prices : 128GB: $799 / 256GB: $899 / 512GB: $1,099 iPhone 16 Plus price : 128GB: $899 / 256GB: $999 / 512GB: $1,199 iPhone 16 Pro prices : 128GB: $999 / 256GB: $1,099 / 512GB: $1,299 / 1TB: $1,499 iPhone 16 Pro Max prices : 256GB: $1,199 / 512GB: $1,399 / 1TB: $1,599 In the U.S., Apple is partnering with carriers to offer discounts on theiPhone 16 range. Above are the prices you pay if you buy a phone activated on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile. Apple lists the price of the iPhone 16 with the carrier-activated discount applied, if you want to buy an unlocked iPhone you pay $30 more. Best Phone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Max carriers and contract deals If you want to buy the latest iPhone for less than the full retail price, youre probably going to need to get it from a carrier or mobile provider, and there will often be significant strings attached. These deals can be complicated, so be sure to read the fine print. You can purchase directly from Apple with activation on a carrier to get special carrier deals, though you may have more options if you buy from one of the carriers below. Verizon You can get up to $1,000 off on if you have the Unlimited Ultimate plan, up to $830 off with the Unlimited Plus plan, and up to $415 off with the Unlimited Welcome plan. Must trade in a phone. AT&T Offering up to $830 off iPhone 16 or $1,000 off iPhone 16 Pro, as bill credits over 36 months, you have to trade in an eligible phone, and you have to have a qualifying postpaid unlimited voice and data plan. T-Mobile Offers up to $830 off iPhone 16 or $1,000 off iPhone 16 Pro, as bill credits over 24 months, with Go5G Next or Go5G Business Next plan. Must trade in phone for iPhone 16 Pro offer. Boost Infinite Get $1,000 off the iPhone 16 lineup with Boost Mobiles $65/month Infinite Access plan. No trade-in required. A full year of FREE Boost Mobile wireless service when purchasing the iPhone 16 at full price with the $25/mo Unlimited plan, or apply the offer to the $50/mo Unlimited+ or $60/mo Unlimited Premium plans. Best Buy Best Buy will sell you an iPhone with AT&T or Verizon. Best contract deals for iPhone 16 Best contract deals for iPhone 16 Plus Best contract deals for iPhone 16 Pro Best contract deals for iPhone 16 Pro Max Best Unlocked iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Max deals If you want to buy an unlocked iPhone 16 in the U.S. you have to buy it from the Apple Store. Buying direct fromApple is one of the few ways to buy an unlocked, SIM-freeiPhone 16oriPhone 16 Plus , and its the go-to place to join the iPhone Upgrade Program , which from $39.50 a month will get you a new iPhone every year including AppleCare+ coverage. Order an iPhone 16 Pro from Apple U.S. here Order an iPhone 16 from Apple U.S. here Apple will let you trade in your old iPhone and get up to $650 in credit toward a new purchase. You can also trade an old iPhone with Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. We cover how to sell or trade in your old iPhone separately. If the iPhone 16 is available from any other retailers you will see their best deals below. 128GB iPhone 16, MSRP: $799 locked, $829 unlocked New Refurbished Retailer Price $829 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 128GB Black Unlocked eSIM $717 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB Ultramarine Unlocked eSIM $749 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB Pink Unlocked eSIM $750 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 128GB iPhone 16 Plus, MSRP : $899 locked, $929 unlocked New Refurbished Retailer Price $929 View Deal $929.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 Plus 128GB White Unlocked eSIM $799 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB Black Unlocked eSIM $840.43 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB Teal Unlocked eSIM $888 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 128GB iPhone 16 Pro, MSRP : $999 locked, $1,029 unlocked New Refurbished Retailer Price $999 View Deal Apple $999 View Deal $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 Pro 128GB Natural Titanium Unlocked eSIM $879 View Deal iPhone 16 Pro 128GB Desert Titanium Unlocked eSIM $909 View Deal iPhone 16 Pro 128GB Black Titanium Unlocked eSIM $939.99 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 256GB iPhone 16 Pro Max, MSRP : $1,199 locked, $1,129 unlocked New Refurbished Retailer Price $1199 View Deal $1199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB Desert Titanium Unlocked eSIM $1119 View Deal iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB Natural Titanium Unlocked eSIM $1145 View Deal iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB Black Titanium Unlocked eSIM $1155.61 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Where to get refurbished iPhone 16 deals If you havent already, you may want to consider buying a refurbished iPhone 16 to save money (and the environment). Refurbished devices are thoroughly tested and repaired to work and look just like new. In the case of official Apple refurbished iPhones, you get a brand-new body and screen, box, accessories, battery, and warranty. Its almost indistinguishable from buying a new iPhone. See our full guide tobuying refurbished or second-hand iPhones for more. The first place to shop for a refurbished iPhone is at the Apple Refurbished Store . It will be a while before Apple offers refurbished iPhone 16 models for salethey usually start showing up when the next model is released. Rest assured, the Apple Refurbished Store is where you can get the highest quality of refurbished iPhones. Since it will take so long for Apple to offer refurbished iPhone 16 models, or if you just want to look for a better deal, you can check these resellers instead: Where to get refurbished iPhone 16 deals If you havent already, you may want to consider buying a refurbished iPhone to save money (and the environment). Refurbished devices are thoroughly tested and repaired to work and look just like new. In the case of official Apple refurbished iPhones, you get a brand-new body and screen, box, accessories, battery, and warranty. Its almost indistinguishable from buying a new iPhone. See our full guide tobuying refurbished or second-hand iPhones for more. The first place to shop for a refurbished iPhone is on the Apple Refurbished Store . However, Apple is unlikely to offer refurbished iPhone 16 models for sale until the iPhone 17 is released. Since it will take so long for Apple to offer refurbished iPhone 16 models, or if you just want to look for a better deal, you can check these resellers instead: BackMarket Best Buy Refurb.me Gazelle Reboxed

iPhone 17: Everything we know so far about the 2025 iPhone

Macworld It doesnt take long for iPhone rumors to circulate. Its one of the most iconic and influential tech gadgets of all time, and everyone wants to know whats coming next. That Apple is so secretive only heightens the appeal of iPhone rumors and leaks. So it should come as little surprise that iPhone 17 rumors, leaks, and info started to circulate months before the iPhone 16 was even formally announced. Heres everything we know so far, but dont take any of it as solid info: even when early rumors are accurate, plans can change, and nothing is ever certain until Apple announces it. Updated Feburary 13: Another leaker claims the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a smaller dynamic island. iPhone 17: Release date Heres something we do know: The new iPhone lineup is almost always announced in Septemberusually on a Tuesday in the second week of September, to be specific. So we would expect the iPhone 17 line to be announced on or around September 9, 2025. Heres when the most recent models were released: iPhone 15: September 12, 2023 iPhone 14: Sepember 7, 2022 iPhone 13: Sepember 14, 2021 i Phone 12: October 13, 2020 (delayed due to Covid) Historically, preorders for the iPhone begin on the Friday after the announcement, and the phones ship a week later. On occasion, some specific models may ship a couple of weeks later than the others due to production issues. iPhone 17: Price We havent yet heard if the iPhone 17 line will cost the same as the iPhone 16 line. One rumor from a popular leaker on Weibo contends that the Plus model will be replaced by the new Slim model that costs more than the Pro Max, though it wont have the same processor and RAM and the Pro models. The supposed pricing would be: iPhone 17 : 6.27-inch LTPO display, A19/8GB ($799) iPhone 17 Pro : 6.27-inch LTPO display, A19 Pro/12GB ($1,099) iPhone 17 Pro Max : 6.86-inch LTPO display, A19 Pro/12GB ($1,199) iPhone 17 Slim : 6.65-inch LTPO display, A19/8GB ($1,299) This would mean a significant upward shift in overall iPhone pricing, with the Pro model jumping up $100 and a new model replacing the Plus with a price of $100 more than the Pro Max. iPhone 17: Colors We havent yet heard anything about what colors to expect from the iPhone 17 line. The iPhone 16 comes in five colors including Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White and Black.While the iPhone 16 Pro comes in Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium and Black Titanium, which are reminiscent of the classic gold and space gray options. There were rumors that the iPhone 16 would also come in purple, so perhaps thats in the pipeline for 2025. iPhone 17: New slimmer iPhone 17 Air model The iPhone 17 is expected to have an ultra-thin model like the M4 iPad Pro. Petter Ahrnstedt Several analysts have reported that the existing Plus model will be replaced by a new Slim model with a larger screen size and a much thinner body. Analyst Jeff Pu was the first to report this change (in May 2024), and in the same month, The Information reported on the Slim model , stating that it would be a new even-higher-end model that sits above Pro Max in the lineup and would have a centered rear camera and a smaller Dynamic Island. A video by Jon Prosser in August 2024 surmises that the slim iPhone will be called the iPhone Air (we agree that makes sense) and will not be the most expensive in the lineup (its been rumored for years that Apple is planning to launch a new model with higher-end features above the Pro Max), but rather be a mid-priced model that prioritizes form and design over specs, much like the MacBook Air. Additionally, a report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg in August 2024 claimed the new model will fit between the standard iPhone and the Pro: If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhonebut dont really need the performance, screen size, or cameras of a Pro modelyou can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone. A report from Jeff Pu in November 2024 claims that the iPhone 17 Air/Slim will be around 6mm thick . Thats thinner than any iPhone so far. The iPhone 16, for context, is 7.8mm thick. The thinnest new iPad Pro is 5.1mm thick. According to Koreas Sisa Journal in January 2025, the so-called iPhone 17 Air will be 6.25mm thick and cost in the same price range as the iPhone 16 Plus (starting at $899 U.S.). A medium post from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the thinnest part of the new ultra-slim iPhone is just 5.5mm thick , but its difficult to know what that means without more context. In October 2024 Pu said he expects the phone to have an A19 chip (not A19 Pro), 8GB of RAM, around a 6.6-inch display, an aluminum body, and a single 48MP rear camera. Another report (in July 2024) suggested that Apple wont use resin-coated copper components on the mainboard due to quality issues with the supplier. This was one of the ways Apple planned to reduce internal space requirements, so its unclear if it will have an impact on the iPhone 17 slim models overall thickness or not. A leaked image in January reportedly showed the case of the new iPhone 17 Air, with prominent camera bar design. Majin Bu/X iPhone 17: Rumored specs and features All iPhone 17 models have been rumored to feature a 24MP front-facing camera and the always-on display is supposed to finally be available on the non-Pro models . Some believe that ProMotion will come to the non-Pro models too, since the same LPTO technology that enables the always-on display is what makes ProMotion possible, in Apples iPhone implementation. If true, it would be the first time Apple has offered ProMotion on a non-Pro device. The iPhone 17 Pro Max may have a smaller dynamic island . Rumors have changed back and forthJeff Pu said the dynamic island (or rather, the hardware pill that the island surrounds) will be smaller in the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Then Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said it will be the same size as current models. Then leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo said it will indeed be smaller. Some iPhone 17 models (maybe even all of them) will have a new camera bump , a wide rectangular raised area that stretches across the phone similar in style to Googles Pixel line. According to a leaked image of one iPhone 17 aluminum frame (we dont know from which model), it will be substantial in size. Apple is also said to be working with Corning on a new anti-glare and scratch-resistant glass for the iPhone 17 lineup. All iPhone 17 models are expected to have aluminum frames and bodies (with glass), rather than steel frames or titanium bodies in the Pro models today. A report from The Information in July 2024 claims that at least one model will feature a mechanical aperture , which would be new for iPhones but has been seen in a handful of Android phones so far. We dont know much about what chips will power the iPhone 17 line, but we expect the high-end models (Pro and possibly Slim) will get an A19 Pro , while the non-Pro models may get a standard or cut-back version of the A19, or perhaps a more souped up variant of the A18. Since Apple bumped every iPhone 16 model to 8GB of RAM due to the demands of Apple Intelligence, rumors have suggested Apple will increase the memory in the iPhone 17 Pro models to 12GB . An October 2024 research note from analyst Jeff Pu corroborated these claims, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro would feature a 48MP telephoto camera along with a new 24MP front camera . When it comes to wireless, the cellular modem is likely to still be supplied by Qualcomm; Apples own efforts to produce a top-tier 5G modem seem to be stalled and likely wont be ready in time for next years iPhone 17 line. Wi-Fi 7 support seems likely, too. iPhone history The iPhone 16 range and the iPhone SE 3 are the current-generation models available from Apple. In addition to this SE 4 model were also expecting iPhone 17 to launch in 2025. Below you can find links below to our reviews of all iPhone models, including the latest generation. Learn more about all the new Apple products coming this year and when is the next Apple event . You might also want to check out our advice on when is the best time to buy a new iPhone , our iPhone buying guide , and our comparison of every iPhone that is available to buy today . Original iPhone (2007) review iPhone 3G (2008) review iPhone 3GS (2009) review iPhone 4 (2010) review iPhone 4s (2011) review iPhone 5 (2012) review iPhone 5c (2013) review iPhone 5s (2013) review iPhone 6 (2014) review iPhone 6 Plus (2014) review iPhone 6s (2015) review iPhone 6s Plus (2015) review iPhone SE (1st generation; 2016) review iPhone 7 (2016) review iPhone 7 Plus (2016) review iPhone 8 (2017) review iPhone 8 Plus (2017) review iPhone X (2017) review iPhone XR (2018) review iPhone XS (2018) review iPhone XS Max (2018) review iPhone 11 (2019) review iPhone 11 Pro (2019) review iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) review iPhone SE (2nd generation; 2020) review iPhone 12 (2020) review iPhone 12 Mini (2020) review iPhone 12 Pro (2020) review iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) review iPhone 13 (2021) review iPhone 13 mini (2021) review iPhone 13 Pro (2021) review iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) review iPhone SE (3rd generation; 2022) review iPhone 14 (2022) review iPhone 14 Plus (2022) review iPhone 14 Pro (2022) review iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) review iPhone 15 (2023) review iPhone 15 Plus (2023) review iPhone 15 Pro (2023) review iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) review iPhone 16 & 16 Plus review iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max review

Best VPN for Mac 2025: Reviews and buying advice for Mac users

Macworld If you are concerned about your privacy and security online using a VPN could give you some reassurance. Apple provides various measures in macOS that make Macs more secure , but if you want to ensure that the connection between your Mac and the internet is protected, rather than the computer itself, you need a VPN. Using a VPN essentially makes you invisible on the webyour data is encrypted, your IP address is hidden, and you can even make it look like you are surfing from another country. This latter reason is the main reason many people use a VPN: they want to access services that are locked to a particular region, such as accessing U.S. Netflix from the U.K or BBC iPlayer from the U.S. If you are looking for a VPN to protect your privacy and security online, and to grant you a way to access content as if you are in a different country, we are here to help. There are a lot of VPN providers vying for your business, which can make finding the best one to suit your needs difficult. To help you sort out the right provider for you, weve committed to extensive research and testing of VPN services that cater to Mac owners in our guide to the top VPN services for Mac. Best VPNs for Mac: Reviewed & Ranked Our top choice right now is NordVPN , which we feel stands out in many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. Get NordVPN here Below you will find the VPN services for Mac that we recommend based on our tests. Most of these will cost less than $3/3 per month if you sign up for a one- or two-year deal. However, once the deal period ends the price often jumps, so its worth setting a reminder to shop around a month before your subscription runs out so you can search for a better deal, alternatively, you could cancel and sign up with another email address. You may be able to save money if you take a look at our round-up of VPN deals . ProtonVPN has a free tier . All of these VPNs will also work on your iPhone and iPad as well, and many with Apple TV, but you might want to check out our separate guides to the best VPNs for iPhone and best VPNs for iPad . February 2025: Update our review of Surfshark and added a review of Mullvad VPN. 1. NordVPN Pros Easy to use Impressive WireGuard speeds Lots of servers Cons Two separate apps can be confusing Price When Reviewed: Basic plan from $3.39 a month for two years. Usually $12.99. Basic 2-Year Plan $3.39 a month Basic 1-Year Plan $4.99 a month Basic Monthly Plan $12.99 a month 5,300 servers 10 simultaneous connections NordVPN is one of the biggest and best-known VPN services. Its a fully featured VPN option thats secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. There are cheaper options, with unlimited connections and more in-depth VPN features, but NordVPN is our top choice right now because it stands out in so many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. Nord has an up-to-date independent audit. It also has specialty servers for specific purposes. There are more than 5,300 servers (none of which are virtual) available across 60 countries, which sounds great. You probably only care about the servers where you want to unblock content, but the more servers the better as it means you have a better chance of finding one thats not overloaded. You wont have to figure out which one to choose thanks to the handy Quick connect feature that picks the server best suited to your needs. Connections are fast and reliable, and NordVPN unblocks popular streaming services around the world including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can connect up to six devices simultaneously including your Apple TV. Nord has added support for the faster WireGuard protocol in NordLynx, making it one of the fastest VPN services out there. However, its only available on the IKE version of the app, which only offers a permanently enabled kill switch. To have more control, youll need to download the OpenVPN version, albeit with slightly slower speeds. Nord frequently has deals on offer that save money on the usual monthly price if you take advantage of the two-year plan . NordVPN offers three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate. You can get Plus features (data breach scanner and password manager) or the Ultimate tier adds cloud storage and insurance options. Prices change all the time, so take a look at the prices and plans at NordVPN.com . Read our full NordVPN review 2. Surfshark Pros Simple to use No device limits Great for streaming services Cons Expensive to renew Price When Reviewed: Starter plan from $2.19 a month for two years + 3 free months. Usually $15.45 a month. Starter 2-Year Plan (+ 3 free months) $2.19 a month Starter 1-Year Plan (+ 3 free months) $3.19 a month Starter Monthly Plan $15.45 a month 3,200 servers in 100 countries Unlimited simultaneous connections Surfshark is a reliable, affordable option with more than 3000 servers spread across 100 countries. Surfsharks network is one of the widest and most varied of any VPN. Its apps, which work with Macs, iPhones, and even Apple TV, as well as other devices, are easy to use. The macOS app offers light and dark modes, and you can opt to have it shown in the dock or the menu bar. The iOS version of SurfShark offers features like MultiHop and Dedicated IP its not a watered-down versions of their desktop VPN. SurfShark offers three tiers of features at varying price points. SurfShark Starter offers VPN functionality as well as an ad blocker and the option to generate a proxy email address and personal details. SurfShark One adds email and payment detail breach alerts, as well as personal data security reports, antivirus and other malware protection. And the One+ plan adds data removal from company databases and people search sites. When we reviewed Surfshark previously we had some performance issues, but this time around things were a lot better. With WireGuard, SurfShark is the slickest VPN around, removing very little speed from my connection. OpenVPN, where we had problems previously, was much swifter this time around. Whichever protocol we used, we were able to flick between streaming libraries with ease. Those protocols also offer varying degrees of encryption to keep your data secure. The Kill Switch feature is billed as a safety net, Itll shut down your connection if your VPN connection falters, preventing personal data from sneaking out to bad actors. Surfshark is is headquartered in the Netherlands and has a privacy-minded no-logs policy thats regularly audited. Surfsharks process means it logs a small amount of data thats then scrubbed from its servers with 15 minutes of closing the connection. For even more security, the Antivirus Scan feature (available with Surfshark One and One+) can run scheduled background scans if you leave the app open. Ransomware Shield and Webcam Protection can stop your personal folders and hardware camera from falling into the wrong hands respectively, and the app will constantly look to update its database of viruses to cross-reference files. Sign up to Surfshark here. Read our full Surfshark review 3. ExpressVPN Pros Easy-to-use Broad device support Excellent speeds Cons Illusive ExpressVPN team Expensive Price When Reviewed: From $4.99 a month for 2 years + 6 free months 1-Year Plan (+ 3 free months) $6.67 a month 6-Month Plan $9.99 a month Monthly plan $12.95 a month 2,000 servers 8 simultaneous connections If you want to circumnavigate geoblocking to get access to content not available where you live, protect your data while browsing the web from a public network, and keep your web browsing habits private, ExpressVPN, with its server locations across 105 countries, can do just about all of this with two or three clicks. ExpressVPN is remarkably easy to use, but if you have any difficulties the 24-hour live chat means you can be connected to a real human to discuss issues within minutes. There are native apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Android and Windows. Plus you can use it on eight devices at once (the limit was five previously). Like all VPNs there is some speed loss because you are routing via a server in another country, but ExpressVPN does well to mitigate this, dropping less than 13% of download speed in our testing. NordVPN remains faster with a 12% loss in our tests, but ExpressVPNs 13% is still better than most. ExpressVPN offers no fewer than six different choices for protocol. Lightway, the companys own option, is rapid. For improved compatibility you can switch to another version of Lightway or OpenVPN things slowed down with 24% of speed loss with the latter. Theres no Malware protection with ExpressVPN, but you can install a password manager called ExpressVPN Keys. The company is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, so its free from the majority of intelligence-sharing agencies jurisdiction. While it also operates a no-log policy, it doesnt have PureVPNs always-on audit process, but it undergoes audits each year. ExpressVPNs more expensive than many of its contemporaries and doesnt allow access from unlimited devices (just eight). But you get a solid, speedy connection with minimal fuss, and you dont have to tie-in for a two-year deal to get the best value. That latter point is important because VPN legislation can change regularly. See ExpressVPN subscription plans here . Read our full ExpressVPN review 4. ProtonVPN Pros Simple to use Free plan Great speed Cons Setup on macOS was a little fiddly Price When Reviewed: From $4.49 a month for two years. Usually $9.99 a month. 2-Year Plan $4.49 a month 1-Year Plan $4.99 a month Proton VPN Free Free account, 1 device 6,500+ servers in 100+ countries (access servers in 5 countries on free plan, on one device) 10 simultaneous connections ProtonVPN s free tier of membership helps to set Proton VPN apart from some of its rivals. Its naturally limited, with US, Japan, and Netherlands as the server locations and some speed drop but its still pretty usable If you pay for the service it offers a sleek interface, impressive connection speeds and just about enough features to improve your day-to-day web experience without throwing too many complex concepts at new users. Proton VPN Plus offers a host of features, including an ad and tracker blocker and speed of up to 10 Gbps, as well as a 10-device limit. Theres Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, as well as a Kill Switch for disconnecting should the VPN drop out. Some VPN services offer features like dark web data notifications. Proton VPN sticks to the basics and does so very well. The companys no-logs policy confirms it doesnt track sites, IP addresses, communications, or session lengths, nor does it track location-based information. Proton is Swiss-based, and only Swiss court orders can request data from the company, but since it doesnt log data theres very little it can offer to law enforcement. For the privacy-minded, Secure Core, routes traffic through one of the companys Secure servers, minimizing the potential of a data leak. These secure servers are owned by Proton and are located in more than 90 countries. Proton VPN does increase latency, but only by about 29% in our testing on a modest 60 Mbps broadband. In fact, its only about 7% slower when downloading and 5.5% slower when uploading, making it one of the slicker VPNs weve tested. In terms of included VPN protocols, Smart will be ideal for most users, automatically setting the right protocol for your current usage, but WireGuard, WireGuard (TCP), IKEv2 and Stealth are also offered. Proton VPN is an easy recommendation both for new and experienced users. Read our full ProtonVPN review 5. FastestVPN Pros Great pricing, including lifetime plan Impressive speeds and features Cons Fewer servers than some rivals Price When Reviewed: Lifetime special deal: $40, usually $600 1 month $5 1 year $19.95 Lifetime subscription $30 (often $40) See all plans & pricing at FastestVPN 800+ servers in 49+ countries 10 simultaneous connections FastestVPN packs impressive VPN performance, but thats only one facet of what makes it worth a look. Its also relatively cheap compared to many rivals, and has seen a bunch of improvements since we took a look in 2021. The app is sleek and easy to use and offers 10 simultaneous connections. FastestVPN is headquartered in the Cayman islands and has undergone a third-party audit from Altius to confirm its no-logs policy. Since the last time we looked at it its gained a number power user features like multi-hop connections. It also now features an Internet Kill Switch to shut down all traffic if your VPN drops for any reason. You can also use Smart Tunneling to ensure certain apps go via a VPN while others dont. Will FastestVPN help you get around geoblocks? Yes, in fact, FastestVPN highlights certain streaming-focused servers to help get around geoblocking. Youll find a variety of VPN protocols to choose from, with Wireguard, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP options) and IKEv2 available, and Servers have recently been updated to 10 Gbps options, but despite the name, its not the fastest around. However, its so affordable that its hard not to recommend, with a lifetime price of $40 (normally $600), which weve even seen reduced to just $30! FastestVPN does a great job and for a lot less than others. FastestVPN has more than 800 servers, which is a lot but in context, thats dramatically less than NordVPN or ExpressVPN. Rivals do offer a larger server count, but the ease of use, and low barrier of entry, make FastestVPN one of our best VPN picks in 2025. FastestVPN is available on Mac as well as Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and plenty more apps. Read our full FastestVPN review 6. Mullvad VPN Pros Privacy-focused sign-up Great for getting around geoblocks Great pricing Cons 5 connections is lower than some rivals Price When Reviewed: $5.26 a month (5) 1 month 5/mo ($5.26) 1 year 5/mo ($5.26) 1 decade 5/mo ($5.26) See all plans & pricing at Mullvad 700+ servers 5 connections Mullvad doesnt offer recurring plans, you pay 5 a month whether you sign up for a month, a year or longer. The only price change will be dependent on the exchange rate from euros at that time. This way you arent caught up in a recurring subscription and Mullvad doesnt store your personal information a great example of its privacy-first mindset. You can even buy prepaid cards if you dont want to log payment information, which makes Mullvad the ideal VPN service for anyone looking to leave a minimal digital footprint. Split Tunnelling, multihop connections and even an AI-focused defence mechanism called DAITA are included. Performance is excellent and there are plenty of features that would be paid additions elsewhere. For example, the Kill Switch to cut traffic if the VPN drops, and a Lockdown Mode that forces the user to reconnect via Mullvad if the connection drops. Multihop will bounce your connection via multiple servers, and split tunnelling is available so you can send some traffic via the VPN and ignore it for others. There is also an ad blocker. Its available on Mac, Windows, iOS, iPadOS, and Android. Its accessed exclusively from the menu bar on Mac. The iPhone and iPad apps pack plenty of power user features that in some services are limited to desktop, like multihop connections and the DAITA protection. DAITA (Defence against AI-guided Traffic Analysis) will add network noise so data packets are all the same size. The main disadvantages are the five device limit, which is lower than many VPNs, and. a lower server count. It has 700, but this is still lower than the likes of NordVPN with over 7,000. Mullvads servers are all real, not virtual, servers though. Connection speeds are impressive. Mullvad is a fantastic VPN service thats about as privacy-minded as can be. It might not have the most servers, but thats a small price to pay for the service on offer. Read our full Mullvad review 7. Private Internet Access Pros Lots of servers Fast WireGuard speeds Split tunneling works well Unblocks BBC iPlayer Cons Clunky Mac app Based within 14-eyes Price When Reviewed: From $2.03 a month for two years + 4 free months. Usually $11.99 a month. Unlimited devices. 2-Year Plan (+4 free months) $2.03 a month 6-Month Plan $7.50 a month Monthly plan $11.99 a month 35,000+ servers, 91 countries Unlimited connections Private Internet Access (PIA) is a powerful VPN designed for savvy users, offering power user tools and features such as custom DNS, connection rules, split tunnelling, and more at a lower cost than many competitors. The PIA Mac app offers pretty much everything its Microsoft counterpart does. The app can be used on any device and offers servers in 91 countries. In my testing, the auto setting did a good job of picking servers that balanced speed and privacy. The main window provides information on performance graphs, download and upload speeds, and quick settings for tools like Light Mode, Port Forwarding, and LAN connections. While you can use PIA for getting around geoblocked content on your streaming services, PIA is more privacy-focused than other VPNs, with features like the Advanced Kill Switch, Split Tunnelling, port forwarding, and Multi-Hop server obfuscation. PIA also offers customizable features like automation setup and DNS options. Private Internet Access cant beat the speeds of NordVPN and Surfshark, and its stablemate CyberGhost VPN offers more impressive speeds, but at the cost of some power features. In our testing, we saw a reasonable drop of around 8% on Mac while using the PIA VPN. Upload speeds dropped considerably by around 25%, which may be an issue if you do a lot of uploading. Its zero-log policy has been verified by Deloitte Audit Romania. Despite inconsistent speeds, Private Internet Access is a great VPN for all budgets with a wealth of features for privacy-inclined users. Read our full Private Internet Access review 8. ClearVPN Pros Nice design. Great for getting around geo-blocks. Cons Lacks some features like split tunneling. Not the fastest. Price When Reviewed: Three day trial. Currently $44.99 a year, usually $119.88 a year ($9.99 a month). 1-Year Plan (6 devices) $44.99 a year (usually $119.98) Monthly Plan (6 devices) $9.99 a month More than 50 servers Six device limit MacPaws ClearVPN service is a VPN that lacks many more advanced features offered by its rivals, but on the other hand, its one of the easiest to use. With a nice UI and easy-to-use features its thoughtfully designed for VPN newcomers. It really is as simple as hitting a button to connect. In the settings are options to block ads, keep ClearVPN in the dock, and a Kill Switch so that you can cut traffic from your device if the connection to the VPN is broken. Its all pretty basic stuff, but its offered in such an easy-to-use way that its hard not to appreciate the simplicity. There are also handy keyboard shortcuts to move around the app. There are more than 50 servers, which sounds like a lot, but its dwarfed by many rivals to the tune of thousands of servers. That means your choices are limited, but at least ClearVPN lets you filter between Optimal Location or jumping straight to something like Disney Plus US or UK. One of the more common power user features for VPNs is split tunneling, which lets some traffic go through the VPN while some goes around it. Thats not supported here. Sadly, MacPaws VPN speeds also need some work. We saw considerable speed drops across multiple servers even closer ones. We saw drops of around 20 to 30 percent in download speed, and around 50 percent for upload speed. Its still fast enough to use Netflix, but its slower than the majority of alternatives out there. Most VPN companies use external auditors to verify that theyre not recording user or session data, but ClearVPN hasnt undergone one at the time of writing. This shouldnt mean anything untoward as the company is headquartered in Ukraine, which falls outside of various surveillance alliances, so it cant be asked to share your data. ClearVPN is priced affordably, but prices and the deals on offer change all the time with VPNs. Look out for low monthly prices that dont lock you in for too long. Theres a six-device limit. If youre new to using a VPN service, ClearVPN makes a compelling case to be your first choice, and stress-free access to Netflix around the globe, its a great starter option. Still, the speed drop and lack of common features like split tunneling likely mean power users should look elsewhere. You can save money by paying for the first year up front, but you can also pay monthly. See full ClearVPN pricing here . Read our full ClearVPN review 9. PureVPN Pros Easy to use Works on multiple devices Additional power user features Cons Obtuse pricing model. Caused many websites to question whether we were human Price When Reviewed: Standard plan from $2.14 a month for two years + 3 free months, $58.05 a year (usually $349.65). 2-Year Plan (+ 3 free months) $2.14 a month 1-Year Plan $3.99 a month 1 Month Plan $12.95 a month 6,500 servers, 78 countries 10 simultaneous connections If youre looking for a flexible VPN service that will get around geoblocking and is easy to use, PureVPN is well worth a look. The basic plan includes the VPN service and nothing more, but you can add a Password Manager and File Encryption tools in the Plus plan. The Max plan adds a Digital Privacy Manager that requests your records be scrubbed by data brokers, blocks web trackers, and recommends ways to maximize your privacy. Whichever plan you opt for youll be able to connect 10 devices at once. PureVPN will run on your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, and is easy to use on each to let you connect to over six thousand servers. As far as getting around geo-blocks, we found PureVPN to be as easy as any other service to use. Select a location, load your streaming service or app of choice, and youre off. PureVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands, which is more privacy-friendly than Hong Kong where it operated previously. PureVPN offers one of the more impressive no-logging policies, with an ongoing always-on audit process whereby an auditor can request confirmation of that policy at any time. PureVPN has been winding down its virtual servers, of which it has less control. There are still 23 such servers, but PureVPN is transparent about which servers are virtual and which are physical you can see a small v next to each virtual server on the PureVPN website . At the time of writing PureVPN is offering more than a whopping 80% off its plans if you sign up for 24 months. Two years is a long time in the world of VPNs, but at least means the full monthly pricing wont kick in twelve months time. See PureVPN offers here . Read our full PureVPN review 10. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN Pros Killswitch and other advanced features Decent speeds Cons Fewer servers than some rivals Inconsistent geoblocking Price When Reviewed: $39.99 a year for one device 1-Year Plan $39.99 a year 2-Year Plan $79.99 for two years However, it offers a pretty compelling package of features and Malwarebytes VPN is available just about anywhere, Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, with Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and plenty more apps. More than 245 servers 32 countries Malwarebytes is probably best known for antivirus software and advice (see our review of Malwarebytes Premium for Mac ), but it also offers a standalone VPN service called Malwarebytes Privacy VPN . Its an easy to use app with the right kind of privacy promises as youd expect. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN is easy to use and offers speeds that are better than many of its rivals for both downloads and uploads. It also has split-tunnelling via its Connection rules, and a Kill Switch to cut all traffic if the VPN drops out. There are some caveats namely that it features fewer server locations than its rivals, and getting around geoblocks for different versions of streaming services can be a tad inconsistent. Theres no multi-hop server jumping, but the company does have a verified no-logs policy in place which means information isnt held about a users activity. See full Maywarebytes pricing here Read our full Malwarebytes Privacy VPN review 11. CyberGhost Pros Simple to use Decent speeds Plenty of servers Cons Two-year plans are much cheaper Lacking some power user features Price When Reviewed: $2.03 a month for two years + 4 free months. Usually $12.99 a month. 2-Year Plan (+ 4 free months) $2.03 a month 6-Month Plan $6.99 a month Monthly Plan $12.99 a month 11,000+ servers in 100 countries 7 simultaneous connections CyberGhost is a user-friendly app that connects to numerous servers worldwide, making it ideal for streaming Netflix from different countries and routing traffic away from untrustworthy open Wi-Fi networks. It offers core features like kill switch support, split tunnelling, and no bandwidth restrictions. CyberGhosts no-logging audit history is thorough, and there is a 45-day free trial available. CyberGhost apps can be downloaded for various platforms, including Chrome extension and game consoles (we tested on Mac and iPhone). The app offers a simple click and go connection process, with a list of server nations and multiple locations. Encryption is standard across servers, and split tunnelling prioritizes traffic where needed. An automated kill switch can cut connections if the VPN drops out, while Block content blocks DNS domains for ads, trackers, and malware. The app does not offer anything like Proton VPNs Secure Core or additional features like a Password Manager, but subscription tiers are based on adding a dedicated IP address. The VPN has over 9,000 servers located in over 100 countries, with plans to expand in South America and Asia in late 2023. CyberGhost VPN has an impressive no-logs policy, meaning no one can access records of your activity while connected to the VPN. The app does not offer the Dark Web monitor offered by NordVPN, but it does have an automated kill switch to cut connections if the VPN drops out. The DNS blocking feature is easy to use but doesnt allow you to choose what to block. CyberGhost offers a compelling package with just one main plan and a 45-day money-back guarantee. Its an excellent VPN for newcomers, with impressive audits, an array of servers, decent speeds, and easy-to-use apps. Read our full CyberGhost review 12. Norton Ultra VPN Pros Antivirus protections Cloud Backup and Password Manager Email tracking quarantine Cons Slower than rival VPNs Inflexible payment options Price When Reviewed: First year is from $39.99 Norton Secure VPN; $49.99 Norton Ultra VPN; $59.99 Norton Ultra VPN Plus. Renews at a higher price of $79.99/$109.99/$129.99. Norton VPN Standard $39.99 first year Norton VPN Plus $49.99 first year Norton VPN Ultimate $59.99 first year Servers in 32 countries Norton has decades of experience protecting devices from cyber threats (read our review of Norton 360), but what or its VPN? Nortons VPN plans are, outside of the basic tier, tied into its security software to help offer real-time protection from bad actors. It comes with a password manager, dark web monitor, and cloud storage, but the VPN side of things is a little lacking. Perhaps its from testing so many of the best VPN services that weve grown used to a certain set of non-negotiables. Chief among them is browser extension options to allow for quick switching, but at the time of writing, theres no such offering from Norton. Still, if youre looking for real-time protection it remains a good security-focused option, but with geoblocking being inconsistent in our testing, you might want to look elsewhere for your international Netflix fix. Nortons VPN does include plenty of accoutrements that other VPNs either dont have or charge extra for. You can install the app on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and all three platforms have apps that work well and run nicely in the background. Norton offers Browser Protection, which scans sites as you browse. Norton also scans files before they land on your device. This worked well in testing, with barely added any additional time to the length of downloads. Theres a password manager, but its tied to the middle subscription tier and above. One thing that was interesting was how it monitors trackers on emails. As a journalist, I receive a lot of press releases and pitches, and while Ive always assumed many of them use some kind of tracking to see when theyre opened, Norton offered to quarantine so many that I was quite taken aback. VPNs naturally decrease your internet speeds as your signal is fired across the globe, and Norton has servers in 32 countries a steep drop from the 111 in NordVPNs portfolio but it does offer four protocols to choose from. IKEv2, OpenVPN and WireGuard are pretty commonly found across the board of rivals, but Norton has its own Mimic protocol which is intended to be ideal for unblocking international streaming services. Sadly, testing on a 70 Mbps connection saw a consistent speed drop-off. As for Mimic, Nortons own VPN protocol, I was disappointed to find some international streaming services simply werent able to be unblocked with it. Norton clarified that Mimic is specifically designed for customers with special use cases who are unable to use WireGuard. We did have more luck with the more standardized protocols. VPNs worth their salt should always focus on privacy as their primary concern, and Norton does a good job, having undergone an audit from VerSprite, a security firm. Its not a bad VPN, and if youre looking for an option that packs a whole host of cyber-security tools into one easy-to-use package, its a great option. Its disappointing that there is only a pay yearly option, where other VPNs have the option to pay monthly. Added to that is a steep jump in price for the second year. See full Norton Ultra VPN pricing here Read our full Norton Ultra VPN review 13. Hide.me Pros Fast WireGuard speeds Dedicated streaming servers Impressive free tier Only VPN that offers Split Tunnelling in Big Sur and beyond Cons Slightly clunky UI No recent independent audit Premium plans are expensive Price When Reviewed: From $3.84 a month for 2 years + 2 free months. Usually $9.95 a month. 2-Year Plan (+ 2 free months) $3.84 a month 1-Year Plan $6.67 a month Monthly plan $9.95 a month 2,600+ servers in 90 countries 10 simultaneous connections Hide.me is another VPN service that has improved considerably in recent years. As well as offering a completely free version (which none of its rivals here do), it has also added WireGuard, which is considerably faster than other encryption protocols. Other key features include a customizable kill switch and split tunneling. Hide.me is the only VPN to offer Split Tunnelling in macOS. They state on their website: hide.me VPN for macOS supports split tunneling. You can configure it in the clients settings. Hide.me also offers Stealth Guard, which stops selected apps from running without the security of a VPN connection. It can unblock Netflix and allows you to access BBC iPlayer from outside the UK. Theres also solid device support, with up to 10 simultaneous connections permitted. Malaysia-based, in recent years it has expanded the number of servers and doubled the number of countries it covers. Unfortunately, the third-party audit hasnt been updated since 2015 However, the user interface on Mac is a bit clunky, and were still waiting for an update to the 2015 no-logs policy certification. Read our full hide.me VPN review 14. VyprVPN Pros Fast WireGuard speeds Very easy to use Unblocks Netflix and BBC iPlayer Low starting price Cons Comparatively few servers Not clear which servers are virtual Patchy support experience Price When Reviewed: From $3 a month for two years. Usually $10 a month. 2-Year Plan $3 a month 1-Year Plan $5 a month Monthly plan $10 a month 70 servers 5 simultaneous connection VyprVPN offers everything most people are looking for in a VPN, without needing to spend much money. You get fast WireGuard speeds, alongside separate protocols focused on reliability, anti-censorship and ease of use. Its also excellent at unblocking geo-restricted content, whether thats local versions of Netflix or BBC iPlayer & ITV Hub from outside the UK. Premium features such as split tunneling and a kill switch are here too, even if the latter cant be customised. VyprVPNs no-logs policy has been independently audited, and the service adheres to a strict Privacy Policy from parent company Golden Frog. More than 700 servers in over 70 countries should be plenty for most people, although theres often only one per country. Its also not clear which of these are physical and virtual. Nonetheless, its still speedy, reliable and affordable. See full VyprVPN pricing here Read our full VyprVPN review Best Free VPNs for Mac There are also a number of free VPNs available, but beware that some severely restrict which servers (and therefore countries) you can connect to and the amount of data you can download through those servers. You may be able to save money if you take a look at our round-up of VPN deals . Its also important to read the terms and conditions before using a free VPN, as in rare cases they sell your data to third parties to offset the cost of you using it without paying. Its a bigger problem on iPhones and Android where unscrupulous companies try to cash in on the VPN gold rush and offer up poorly put together apps. Stick with our recommendations and youll be safe from these, though. Do Macs need a VPN? There is a big question. Do Mac users even need a VPN? Since Apple introduced iOS 15 and macOS Monterey in 2021 the company has offered a handy private relay service. iCloud Private Relay acts a bit like a VPN because it encrypts your web-browsing traffic and sends it through a relay to hide your location, IP, and any information about what you were browsing. iCloud Private Relay solves part of the problem that Mac users have used VPNs for in the pastit means that companies cannot build a clear picture of you on the web, thereby protecting your privacy. iCloud Private Relay has some disadvantages: it only works when you are using Safari, you have to be a subscriber to iCloud, and you cant use it to pretend to be surfing from another country in order to access content that is locked to a particular region. Read more here: iCloud+ Private Relay explained . If you are a subscriber to iCloud, and only use Safari, then iCloud Private Relay will provide you with some anonymity when you are surfing the web. You may therefore be thinking that this means you dont need a VPN to hide your location and identity. However, iCloud Private Relay does not allow you to choose an IP address or a region, and you wont be able to make it look like youre coming from another location. So you cant watch geographically locked Netflix content, for example. How we test VPNs For each VPN service we review, we conduct tests at three different times of the day: morning, afternoon, and evening, using Ookla Speedtest . We start by measuring the speed of our unprotected internet connection before testing the upload/download speeds of the VPN service. These tests are conducted to servers located in North America, the UK, Europe, Oceana, and Asia over an ethernet connection with a service provision of 100Mbps. To test upload and download speeds, we close down all background internet processes on the Mac, using TripMode. The only traffic on the system able to upload or download any data is Ookla. We use this setup to ensure that the numbers that Ookla produced were not stymied by anything else that the computer may have been doing at the time. The speeds Ookla captured were then averaged, providing us with a final numeric score. We then use those scores to calculate a percentage of difference in speeds, which is what youll see in our reviews. Since internet speeds change constantly based on server load, how fast your connection is, and a gazillion other factors, we feel this provides a better picture of what you can expect from a service, on the whole, than merely quoting the exact upload/download speeds we encountered during testing. Speed isnt the only quantifiable metric that we look at. The number of countries that a VPN offers servers in, total number of servers worldwide, and how much itll cost you to connect to those servers on a monthly or annual basis are also taken into consideration when recommending a VPN service to you. Additionally, we conduct hours of research into the VPN providers to find out who owns them, where theyre based, what they do with subscriber information, and whether the provider has a track record of questionable business practices. Whats a VPN? VPN stands for virtual private network . If youre not using a VPN, when your computer connects to the internet, it does so through the local gateway provided by your internet service provider (ISP). Doing this allows you to connect to all of the online services you use everyday. However, connecting this way also allows an ISP to know your physical location based on where you access the internetbe it at home, at work, in a cafe, or at a public Wi-Fi hotspot.This information is often sold to marketers and other parties interested in getting to know more about you and your browsing habits. Worse still, if you connect to the internet through an access point with weak security, such as at an airport, mall, or local library, hackers connected to the same network could intercept personal information like your social media passwords or banking credentials through whats called a man-in-the-middle attack . A VPN service can help prevent all of that. A VPN creates an encrypted digital tunnel between your computer and the server of the VPN service you choose to use. Once this tunnel has been established, your web searches, the sites you access, and the information you submit online will be hidden from prying eyes. This means that your ISP cant log or sell your information and hackers using the same network as you will find it difficult to initiate an attack on you. Almost no one will have any idea of what information youre accessing. For our recommendations of Mac Antivirus Software that we have tested see: Best Antivirus for Mac 2024: Top Security Software Compared . VPN apps are very easy to install and use but for a step-by-step guide, read how to set up a VPN on a Mac . What a VPN cant do A VPN cant protect you from viruses, malware, or ransomware attacks if you choose to download an infected file, or a visit site designed to inject your computer with malignant code. It wont keep spoofed sites from stealing your personal information, if you happen to visit one. So, youll want to bone up on online security best practices . You should know that while using a VPN will allow you to anonymously engage in peer-to-peer file-sharing/torrenting, some service providers may cancel your VPN subscription or turn over your information to the authorities if they catch you trading copyrighted material with others. Is it legal to use a VPN? While accessing locked content is a bit of a gray area, due to licensing agreements, we dont blame anyone who is desperate to watch the latest season of their favorite program when it airs in the U.S. rather than waiting for it to come to their country. Paying to watch a streaming service thats not available in your country has to be less morally wrong than actual piracy! For more information on the legalities and whether it is safe to use a VPN read: Is a VPN safe for Mac? What to look for in a VPN A clear privacy policy. A good VPN should offer an easy-to-understand privacy policy that outlines what, if any, information the company collects from its users. Its important that this policy details what they do with this information. Some VPN providers, especially those that offer their services for free, sell their user information to advertisers and other interested parties, just like an ISP does. Choose a provider that offers a level of privacy that suits you. Know where the provider is based. Many countries have no laws demanding that VPN providers maintain logs of their users activity. This makes maintaining your privacy more assurable than it would be if you use a VPN located in a country that requires that user-activity records be maintained. Some companies, in an effort to make their network of servers look bigger or more varied than it actually is, spoof the locations of their servers . The more servers, the merrier. Choosing a VPN provider with a ton of servers around the world is important for a couple of reasons. First, having a multitude of servers to choose from means that you wont be forced to connect to an overpopulated server where the data flows like mud. Second, having a wealth of servers to choose from both at home and internationally means more opportunities for spoofing your location, allowing you to hide where you are or access region-locked content with ease. Multiple payment options. Its a vicious circle. Paying for a VPN with a credit card online before you have access to a VPN could allow your financial information to fall into the wrong hands. Look for providers that offer alternative payment options such as PayPal, Bitcoin, AliPay, or via the Mac App Store. An easy-to-use interface. It takes a lot of digital wizardry to connect to a VPN. Some people want to see how their VPN operates, behind the scenes. Using an open source VPN client like Tunnelblick is great for this. Most folks, however, just want their VPN to work with minimal frustration. Look for a VPN service that offers a Mac client with an easy-to-use interface. Protection for all of your devices. A good VPN service will offer licenses for multiple devices to protect your loved ones computers as well as your personal smartphone and tablet. To this end, before investing in a VPN subscription, make sure that it provides software clients for all of the devices you own.

Apple to unveil newest member of the family on February 19

Macworld If youve been waiting for Apple to kick off its 2025 hardware releases, you wont have to wait much longer. On Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted a tease on X about the newest member of the family making its debut on February 19. While you cant tell by the static image weve posted here, Cooks post is actually an animation where the Apple logo looks like it has chrome flowing through it. Tim Cook/X Macworlds David Price points out that the image looks like an AirTag, which has a polished aluminum cap with an Apple logo on it. A new AirTag isnt completely out of the question; last November , we found out that Apple had been running manufacturing tests on a new AirTag, so it could be the product being referred to by Cook. But its unlikely a $29 accessory would garner such a teaser from Apples CEO. Or perhaps the X image can be interpreted as the Apple logo on the back of an iPhone. The iPhone SE was thought to debut this week, but Bloombergs Mark Gurman said last Tuesday that it should be announced by next week. Its also entirely possible Apple could release a new iPhone SE and a new AirTag, though Cooks reference to newest member is in the singular (if you get pedantic about it). Cooks phrasing suggests a redesign and rebranding for the iPhone SE, both of which have been heavily rumored. Apples new budget phone is expected to feature a new iPhone 14-style design with a USB-C port and support for Apple Intelligence. Apple might also change the name of the phone to iPhone 16E to bring it in line with the current models. Another product with a polished aluminum logo is the MacBook Air. Gurman has reported that the M4 MacBook Air will be released within weeks. The new Air would arrive 11 months after the M3 MacBook Air . Apple is also expected to unveil the 11th-generation iPad , but there have been few reports of it in the rumor mill. The current 10th-gen iPad was released in October 2022, so its update is due. Apples releases in 2025 so far have been software (and Apple TV+ shows and OS updates). On Wednesday, the Apple TV Android app was made available in the Google Play store. Last week, the Invites app was released. Earlier this month, Apple released the Black Unit Collection (which includes a commemorative Apple Watch band) to celebrate Black History Month. Apple kicked off 2025 with new Fitness+ content . For more information about what we could see next week, check out the following: iPhone SE 4: Everything you need to know about Apples next budget phone A new AirTag is coming next year with enhanced privacy, security features (Nov. 2024) M4 MacBook Air: Everything you need to know 11th-gen iPad: Everything you need to know about the 2025 refresh

The new MacBook Air is coming to end Apples M3 nightmare once and for all

Macworld According to the latest reports, the new M4 MacBook Air is due to arrive within weeks and for Apple, it may not be soon enough. Its not that theres anything wrong with the current M3 MacBook Airits Apples best laptop . It offers a great combination of performance, portability, and price for the customer. The issue is with the M3 chip itselfagain, theres nothing wrong with it from a user standpoint. But behind the scenes, the M3 caused major issues with Apples Mac lineup, with the shortest lifespan of any Apple silicon chip. Its expensive to produce The A17 Pro and M3 were Apples first 3nm chips. 3nm doesnt define a chips physical size but rather the fabrication process used to create the chips. Its a general term used to refer to a chips transistor density, speed, and power efficiency, and smaller is better. 3nm was a milestone for TSMC, which manufactures Apples chips, but as a first-gen chip, there were issues with the initial process. It was costly, and yields (the number of viable chips in a semiconductor production wafer) werelowerthan those ofprevious processes. Thats not ideal for Apple, a company that needs high volume and does everything to maintain steady profit margins. When it was released , the M3 MacBook Air was priced the same as the M2 MacBook Air, so the company likely took a hit on its margins. Since then, TSMC has implemented its enhanced 3nm fabrication process, which cut costs and produced higher yields. The enhanced 3nm process is used to make Apples M4 chips , which means the M4 MacBook Air will be cheaper to makeand Apple wont have the same yield issues. Skipping a beat The M3s cost and yield issues most certainly came into play when Apple decided how to implement the chip throughout its products. For example, the release of the iPad Pro in May 2024 wasnt a surprise, but its M4 chip was. The previous iPad Pro had an M2, and the M3 MacBook Air had arrived just a couple of months earlier, so it was easy to conclude that the M3 would succeed the M2 in the iPad Pro. Apple also upgraded the M3 iMac to an M4 after just 12 months, quicker than its usual cadence. The M4 iPad Pro serves as proof that Apple wanted to move off the M3 as soon as possible and move to a chip that has a better production value. The M3 issue was so pressing that the company was willing to disrupt its pattern of introducing new M-series chips in the MacBook Prolikely a one-time hiccup that the company was willing to accept. Making the iPad Pro the first M4 product also allows TSMC to ramp up production of the chip at a moderate pacedemand for iPads isnt as high as for MacBooks. With the release of the first M5 Macs later this year, Apple will be back on track. The M5 is a 3nm chip but will be made using a new process that TSMC started testing last year . The M4 made its debut in the iPad Pro likely because the M3 is too costly. Brady Snyder / Foundry Apples remaining updates Apple still uses the base-level M2 chip in the iPad Air and the Apple Vision Pro. The iPad Air is reportedly going to be updated soon with an M4 chipanother product that skips the M3. The Vision Pro is reportedly skipping both the M3 and M4 , going with an M5 upgrade that may not happen until late this year or in 2026. The Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro also all skipped the M3 entirely and we never even got an Ultra version of the chip. The M2 chip is also used in Apples cheapest laptop, the $999 M2 MacBook Air. Bloombergs Mark Gurman brought up this particular laptop in his recent report on Apples 2025 release schedule , and it appears that Apple will still offer this model for another year rather than moving to the similar M3 model. Apple moved the $999 model from the M1 to the M2, but like everything else, the M3 is chip non grata. The M2 is an enhanced 5nm chip, and since that chip is still going to be used in the Vision Pro, Apple the M2 MacBook Air justifies the M2 chips production. This also means that the $999 MacBook Air wont get upgraded until the M4 MacBook Air gets its chip upgrade to the M5 in 2026. At that time, Apple will discontinue the M2 model and move the base M4 MacBook Air to the $999 price point. What about the A17 Pro? The A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max was actually Apples first 3nm chip; it was released a month before the M3. The A-series and M-series chips are basically the same, with the A chips used in the iPhone and low-end iPads, and the M chips in Macs and high-end iPads. Like the M3, the A17 Pro is made using TSMCs standard 3nm process. The current iPad mini has an A17 Pro and the upcoming 11th-gen iPad is rumored to get the same chip. If the A17 Pro is made with the same 3nm process, where are the chips for these new products coming from, if Apple is moving away from 3nm? The current iPad mini uses a binned A17 Pro. Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Thats where chip binning comes into play. Remember those low yields during the standard 3nm process? Binning is where those rejected chips are taken and made useful by disabling processing cores, slowing down speeds, and other methods. Apple is likely using binned A17 Pros for these products. For example, the iPad minis A17 Pro has a 5-core GPU, which is a binned version of the iPhone 15 Pros A17 Pro that had a 6-core GPU. Binned chips are perfectly good chips, so theres no need to worry about performance. Also, it puts them to use instead of wasting them in the trash or figuring out a way to recycle them. These binned chips will be the last remnants of a chip cycle Apple is eager to move on fromand users benefit with better performance and power efficiency from the newer processes. So expect the iPad mini and 11th-gen iPad to get updates sooner than later as Apple puts the whole M3 nightmare behind it for good.

Best cheap VPN Deals: The cheapest VPNs for Mac, iPhone or iPad

Macworld If you want to unblock regional content on streaming services like Netflix, iPlayer, and Prime, or access websites that arent available in your region, a VPN is an essential tool. VPN services can also give you online privacy as well as letting you securely connect to open Wi-Fi networks in cafes, hotels, airports and other places. We can help you find the cheapest VPN to suit your needs. Choosing which VPN service to subscribe to can be difficult and this is compounded by the fact that there are so many offers and discounts. Thats where we come in. All of the services youll find below are ones wed use ourselves and we do so daily. Well let you know the latest prices and best deals so you can find the VPN that suites you at the best price. Read How to use a VPN on a Mac for more information, and if you still arent sure why you need a VPN read: Should I use a VPN on my Mac/iPhone? Best VPN deals right now All these deals save a significant amount compared to paying for each of these services on a rolling monthly subscription. VPN providers tend to offer year-round discounts, however there are some deals that mean you wont be locked into a monthly fee, or at least not one that will expire soon. Here are two of the best examples: One deal to take a look at is FastestVPNs Lifetime plan which with 93% off makes it an absolute bargain as you pay once and have access to the VPN for life. Its a one-off $40 (approx 33) and the company says that the full price would be $600. We have plenty more deals for shoppers in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia below. Note that many of the deals lock you in for a year or two years after which you can end up paying a lot more, so check out the advertised monthly price. We recommend setting a reminder in your calendar to cancel and look for a new deal to replace the one you had at the end of the contract period. For our recommendations of Mac Antivirus Software that we have tested see: Best Antivirus for Mac 2024: Top Security Software Compared . We also evaluate the Best VPN for iPad and Best VPN for iPhone . Best free VPN There are a few free VPNs on offer but our advice is usually to be very cautious about them. Companies that give stuff away will be making money somehow, and you cant be sure they arent selling your data. One decent VPN that does offer a free tier is Proton VPN (read our review) . You can use Proton VPN for nothing, as long as youre happy with U.S., Japan, and Netherlands as your server locations. Its also limiting in that you can only connect a single device, and speeds are slower than the paid plans, but the free version is available on all platforms and if you like it you can always subscribe to get the whole package which will unblock a host of features, including an ad and tracker blocker and improved speed of up to 10 Gbit, as well as an expanded 10-device limit. Theres Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, as well as a Kill Switch for disconnecting should the VPN drop out. Get Proton VPN free Best cheap VPNs for Mac Were reviewed all these services in our round-up of the best VPNs for Mac . Below you will find details of the best deals available in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada currently for each of the major VPN providers these deals change all the time. Most VPNs cost less than $5/5 per month, with some less than $3/3 a month. There are even some free VPNs, but these are usually very limited and could be collecting data about you. The ones we share here are generally around $3/3 a month or less. Here are our top recommendations for the cheapest Mac VPNs: NordVPN 72% off Private Internet Access 85% off Surfshark 86% off CyberGhost 82% off As we said above, just remember to take a note of the renewal date when you start a subscription so that you can cancel it before you get charged the full price. Best VPN deals: Save money on a VPN for your Mac 1. NordVPN Pros Incredibly easy to use Plenty of server options Price When Reviewed: Basic plan from $3.39 a month for two years. Usually $12.99. Basic 2-Year Plan $3.39 a month Basic 1-Year Plan $4.99 a month Basic Monthly Plan $12.99 a month NordVPN is a fully featured VPN option thats secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. Prices change all the time. NordVPNs Basic plan is currently $2.99/2.59/CA$4.69/A$ a month for 2 years. Read our full NordVPN review 2. Surfshark Pros Simple to use No device limits Price When Reviewed: Starter plan from $2.19 a month for two years + 3 free months. Usually $15.45 a month. Starter 2-Year Plan (+ 3 free months) $2.19 a month Starter 1-Year Plan (+ 3 free months) $3.19 a month Starter Monthly Plan $15.45 a month SurfShark is a great VPN option thats as easy to use as the best of them, while maintaining security across an unlimited number of devices something we dont see often. Right now Surfsharks Starter plan is $1.99/1.69 a month for 2 years + 3 free months. Read our full Surfshark review 3. Private Internet Access Pros Lots of power features Privacy-minded Great value Price When Reviewed: From $2.03 a month for two years + 4 free months. Usually $11.99 a month. Unlimited devices. 2-Year Plan (+4 free months) $2.03 a month 6-Month Plan $7.50 a month Monthly plan $11.99 a month Private Internet Access (PIA) offers a robust feature set that makes it one of the more impressive VPNs out there. Right now PIA Has a deal that means you pay $2.03/1.69 a month for two years and get two months free. Read our full Private Internet Access review 4. CyberGhost Pros Simple to use Decent speeds Plenty of servers Price When Reviewed: $2.03 a month for two years + 4 free months. Usually $12.99 a month. 2-Year Plan (+ 4 free months) $2.03 a month 6-Month Plan $6.99 a month Monthly Plan $12.99 a month CyberGhost takes a lot of the complexity out of VPN usage, for better and for worse. On the one hand, some users may want more power-user features. At the moment you can get 82% off at Cyberghost . This is $2.19/1.92 a month for 2 years with 2 free months. Its fully refundable for 45 days, according to the company. Read our full CyberGhost review 5. hide.me VPN Pros Dedicated streaming servers Impressive free tier Cons Slightly clunky UI Price When Reviewed: From $3.84 a month for 2 years + 2 free months. Usually $9.95 a month. 2-Year Plan (+ 2 free months) $3.84 a month 1-Year Plan $6.67 a month Monthly plan $9.95 a month Hide.me is a solid VPN with a great free tier, but the UI isnt particularly intuitive. Hide.mes deal means you pay $3.84/3.84 a month for 26 months. Read our full hide.me VPN review 6. ProtonVPN Pros Simple to use Free plan Great speed Cons Setup on macOS was a little fiddly Only sells in $, and Swiss Franks Price When Reviewed: From $4.49 a month for two years. Usually $9.99 a month. 2-Year Plan $4.49 a month 1-Year Plan $4.99 a month Proton VPN Free Free account, 1 device Proton VPNs free tier, ease of use, and impressive speeds put it right near the top of our VPN recommendations. There is a free tier of Proton VPN , but if you want a bit more flexibility and a few more features prices start at $4.49/4.49 a month for two years. Usually $9.99/9.99 a month. The Swiss-based company doesnt seem to like pounds, so its dollars or euros, unfortunately. Read our full ProtonVPN review How to find the best VPN deal for Mac VPN subscriptions typically work out cheaper if you commit for a year or longer, which saves a lot of money. Prices rarely exceed $6/6 per month with multi-year subscriptions and are often closer to $2/2 or even less. Many major VPN providers offer discounts through the year, and sometimes even offer permanent discounts. These discounts can look impressive at first. Its not uncommon to see a countdown timer telling you when the deal ends but these are almost always to induce FOMO the fear of missing out in order to persuade you to sign up immediately. Large discounts are par for the course with VPN services, especially when youre subscribing for several years. This makes it all the more important to look into the various providers and what each has to offer, before jumping into a long-term commitment. All VPNs weve tested offer cross-device coverage too, so you can use them on your Mac, iPhone, iPad and more. Weve separately rounded up the best iPhone VPNs and iPad VPNs .

Any case can protect your iPad. This one protects you when you die

Macworld When the tech world talks about end-of-life, it usually means obsolete devices losing support for repair and security updates. But this end-of-life iPad case isnt concerned with Genius Bar supportits worried about what happens when the user goes to the eternal Apple Store in the sky. Of course, device protection after death isnt a totally outrageous concern. There are legitimate complaints from bereaved next-of-kin who cant access their loved ones devices and online accounts, which means they have no way to shut down profiles or access personal information thats locked away. But In Case of Death Case is less about securing your digital livelihood than protecting your digital reputation: The case will brick your iPad moments after your heart stops, so your embarrassing secrets will go with you to the grave. We know what youre thinking, but its not a joke. It comes from iPad case maker Zugu, which offers the package for a mere $1,500. You get quite a bit for your money, including a $999 11-inch iPad Pro in space black, a case, a smart ring with pulse detection, a proprietary In Case of Death app, and a catchy slogan, Peace of mind, so you can rest in peace.It all works together to track your vitals until, well, theres nothing to track anymore. Zugu says the ring continually measures heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, blood oxygen levels, and body temperature just like an Apple Watch. Meanwhile, the monitoring app on the iPad looks for a gradual reduction in temperature, coupled with a heart rate stoppage.(When there is an immediate cessation of heart rate and a plunge in temperature, the app is smart enough to know that the ring has been removed, since actual death, they argue, delivers a more gradual temperature reduction.) The setup also requires an iPhone, which acts as the control hub for the app, managing the connection and communications to and from the ring. Thats not included in the $1,500 price tag. The iPad Pro case is the least important part of Zugus In Case of Death Case. Zugu Before we delve into the practical problems with diagnosing death based solely on the readings from one finger on one hand, lets look at what happens if the app concludes that the user has met the Grim iReaper. During initial installation, the user can choose from several options about what they want the app to do if it determines death. Option one is to destroy the default browser and remove it and its history. However, the app doesnt actually delete anything. It merely hides the browser from view and disables it from opening. The second option is to erase all the data from the iPad and effectively brick the iPad. Though this isnt exactly true either, since it merely resets the iPad to factory settings. The tablet should still work fine, but the users information will be gone. The other options are decidedly less serious. Theres Rickroll My Loved Ones, which triggers the iPad to play a never-ending video loop of Rick Astley. The final option is Tweet My Followers, which sends the following message: Going offline permanently, bestie. Literally. Dont forget to like and subscribe to my obituary #LastPost #NoFilter #NoHeartBeat #RIPme. Since weve established this is not a joke, what about the ability of a single third-party smart ring to reliably determine death? Depending on the option, Zugu CEO Tim Angel said, an incorrect death diagnosis can be easily reversed. We also asked whether the existence of iCloud backups would make wiping the iPad irrelevant, at least in terms of preventing the data from being seen, Angel admitted that it does somewhat undercut the point of wiping the iPad. But if you outlive the M4 iPad Pros own shelf life, youre out of luck and will need to purchase a whole new kit since theres no path for upgrading to an M7 down the road. But the In Case of Death Case is a serious project and not a joke, Angel insists. This product was created for a very specific customer whos often thought to themselves, When Im gone, I definitely dont want anyone seeing whats on my iPad. Weve seen millions of people post messages like that on social. Im so embarrassed by my browser history. Hope no one sees it after Im dead.

How does print collation in macOS work? We explain

Macworld Collating pages used to be an intensely manual process. A printera human being, not a devicewould produce many copies of the same pages and workers would collate or gather those into the right order for final assembly, whether to become a book or a stapled stack. Collating via printing software is a lot easier. But its also a little murky since the term doesnt describe an act most of us remain familiar with. In Apples Print dialog, the Collation option under Print Handling has a precise meaning when you choose to print two or more copies: print the entire document from start to finish for each copy before starting the next. If you disable Collation, each page is printed the number of times you specified in order from start to finish. If you have a five-page document and print three single-sided copies, heres how that differs: Collation on: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Collation off: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5 Theres an asterisk required for the Collation order, however: with some printers, outputting pages 1 to 5 in order would result in the wrong order, with 1 on the bottom of a stack and 5 on the top. Apple provides a separate function to handle whether a printer outputs face down or face up: Sheet Order. The three options for Sheet Order are Automatic (the default), Normal, and Reverse. macOS determines face up or face down from the printer driver, so leaving Sheet Order set to Automatic should correctly print collated pages in the order 1 to 5 for face-down printing and 5 to 1 for face-up. With face-down printing, you pick up the stack and turn it over, and the pages are in the correct order; with face-up printing, taking the stack off the printers output tray is all thats needed to see them in the correct order. If your Mac doesnt correctly collate to your printer, the following more elaborate set of manual options can help you sort out what to pick: Collation on, Sheet Order set to Normal (face down): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Collation on, Sheet Order set to Reverse (face up): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Collation off, Sheet Order set to Normal (face down): 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5 Collation off, Sheet Order set to Reverse (face up): 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1 Left: For a face-down printer, pages come out 1 to 5, flip over, and theyre in the right order (Collation on, Sheet Order set to Normal); right: for a face-up printer, pages print 5 to 1 (Collation on, Sheet Order to set to Reverse) Glenn Fleishman If your printer offers two-sided (duplex) printing, Collation will handle that, too. However, if its very slow at that task (as my old printer is) or you have a single-sided printer, first print collated with Sheets to Print set to Odd Only, then flip the stack, put it back in with the unprinted side facing the print head, and choose Even Only. Ask Mac 911 Weve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, were always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com , including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered; we dont reply to emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

Macworld Podcast: Powerbeats, AirPods, and more

Macworld Apples smallest products are actually some of the biggest in its lineup. Todays show discusses the state of Apples AirPods lineup, the new Powerbeats Pro 2, and more. Be sure to listen in! This is episode 921 with Jason Cross , Michael Simon , and Roman Loyola . Watch episode 921 on YouTube Listen to episode 921 on Apple Podcasts Listen to episode 921 on Spotify Get info For more information about the topics discussed on the show, click on the links below. Powerbeats Pro 2 review: The best fitness earbuds groove to their own (heart) beat New AirPods guide: Whats next for AirPods, AirPods Pro and Max Subscribe to the Macworld Podcast You can subscribe to the Macworld Podcastor leave us a review! right here in the Podcasts app . The Macworld Podcast is also available on Spotify and on the Macworld Podcast YouTube channel . Or you can point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader at: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/macworld To find previous episodes, visit Macworlds podcast page or our home on MegaPhone . Apple Powerbeats Pro 2 Price When Reviewed: $249 Read our full Powerbeats Pro 2 review Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) Price When Reviewed: $179 with Active Noice Cancelation Best Prices Today: New Refurbished Retailer Price $148.99 View Deal $149.99 View Deal $149.99 View Deal $149.99 View Deal $169.99 View Deal $179 View Deal $179 View Deal $179 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Apple AirPods 4th gen (2024) Wireless (USB-C) Charging case $148.67 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket $148.99 at Amazon $149.99 at Best Buy $149.99 at Target Read our full Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) review Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) Price When Reviewed: $129 without Active Noise Cancelation Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal $113.95 View Deal $129 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $99.99 at Amazon $99.99 at Best Buy $99.99 at Target AirPods Pro 2 USB-C Price When Reviewed: $249 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $165.95 View Deal $228 View Deal $249 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $165.95 at B&H $228 at Amazon $249 at Apple Read our full AirPods Pro 2 USB-C review Apple AirPods Max (USB-C, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $549 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $477 View Deal $479.99 View Deal $479.99 View Deal $479.99 View Deal $539 View Deal $549 View Deal $549 View Deal $549.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $477 at Walmart $479.99 at Amazon $479.99 at Best Buy

If your keys are playing hide-and-seekthis tracker helps you win the game

Macworld If your keys seem to have a mind of their own, its time to outsmart them. This 2-pack of smart trackers for $34.99 (reg. $69) works with Apple Find My to help you locate your essentials in seconds whether theyre hiding in the couch cushions or left behind at the coffee shop. Unlike other trackers that require extra accessories, these come with key rings included. Clip them onto your keys, wallet, backpack, or even your pets collar, and youre good to go. The Bluetooth connection syncs effortlessly with your iPhone or iPad , while the Ethos companion app gives you step-by-step directions to track down whatevers gone missing. Worried about leaving things behind? The customizable alerts will nudge you if youre about to head out the door without your essentials. And with a long-lasting CR2032 battery, you wont be replacing it every other week. Theyre even splash-resistant with an IP23-waterproof rating, so a little rain wont slow them down. Stay organized, stress-free, and always one step ahead of your forgetful side and you wont have to buy separate key rings like you would with an AirTag. At $34.99 for two, this set of smart trackers offers an affordable alternative. Smart Tracker Includes Key Ring Works with Apple Find My App (2-Pack/Black) $34.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Apple TV is now on Android, so your friends can now watch Severance and talk about it

Macworld Lets say your best buddywell call him Pietrouses an Android phone. To each his own, you say. The problem is, Pietro, who doesnt own a TV and watches shows on his phone (like I said, to each his own) doesnt subscribe to Apple TV+ because theres no Android app for that. This means when you excitedly call Pietro after watching the latest episode of Severance that dropped on Friday, you cant talk about it. Instead, you have to ask him hows he doing, how the kids are, what he had for dinner, whatever. Ho hum. But today is your (or Pietros) lucky day. Apple has released the Apple TV app on Android and its now available on the Google Play store . It provides access to all Apple TV+ content, as well as MLS Season Pass . A subscription is required for Apple TV+, which costs $9.99/9.99 per month; MLS Season Pass is an additional subscription fee, but does not require an Apple TV+ subscription ( learn more about MLS Season Pass ). Apple TV+ also offers TV shows and movies available to rent or buy but The Verge reports that you cannot access the store from within the Android app. Users on Reddit say that previously purchased shows cant be accessed, either. The Verge also points out that the Apple TV app for Android is optimized for foldable phones, which Pietro loves to brag about (Crease? Thats not a crease, he likes to say). Googles Dan Seifert posted that the app also has a themeable app icon, picture-in-picture support, as well as offline downloads. So your Android-using buddy really has no excuse for missing out on one of the best shows of the year and a bunch of other great Apple TV+ content . Unless the lack of casting support in the app is a dealbreaker. Then youre just going to have to go back to chatting about the weather. thrilled to see Apple TV land on Android devices today!it's an excellent Android citizen too:themeable app icon: PIP support: offline downloads: foldable posture support: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.atve.androidtv.appletv dan seifert (@dcseifert.bsky.social) 2025-02-12T21:40:07.642227Z

The A17 Pro iPad mini with Apple Intelligence is $100 off right now

Macworld Apples newest iPad mini version is the perfect companion with an 8.3-inch screen and support for Apple Intelligence, and its even better when its on sale. Especially when its at all-time low Amazon is selling the A17 Pro iPad Mini for $399 , a savings of $100 off its MSRP and matching the best price weve ever seen. When we reviewed the new iPad mini , we gave it a four-star rating, loving the new fast CPU and graphics, as well as the fact that it supports Apple Intelligence. The iPad mini is still a great tablet, perhaps the best at its size and better than larger, non-Apple tablets, we concluded. Its not a huge upgrade from the prior generation other than Apple Intelligence, but if you have an older model or are looking for something smaller, its a fantastic option. The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display looks as gorgeous as weve become accustomed to from Apple. The colors are vibrant and bright, the details are sharp, and its perfect for reading, streaming content, and playing games. This model also now comes with a baseline storage of 128GB, which means you actually get to install a bunch of apps without worrying about space all the time. The A17 Pro iPad Mini A17 Pro works with either the Apple Pencil Pro ( on sale for $99 ) and the USB-C Apple Pencil, so if you have an older model youll need to upgrade. Since weve never seen the A17 Pro iPad Mini for less , its a great time to splurge and get yourself a great versatile tablet. Buy now at Amazon

Best Mac Cleaner software: Boost performance and disk space with a Mac cleaner app

Macworld Is your Mac is slowing down, frequently freezing, regularly running out of RAM or just not behaving like it used to? Are you short of space on your Mac? Have you spotted the immense amount of room taken up by System Data and are now looking for a safe way to delete some of that data. What you need is a Mac cleaner app that will delete the clutter and digital debris from your system and free your RAM from memory hogs. Thankfully, there are a wealth of tools available to rectify that can clean up your Mac and get it working properly again. Weve picked some of the best Mac cleaning software below so you can find one that suits you. The apps included in the list below all offer free trial versions. Some of these trials will merely show you how much space you can free up, but several are essentially free Mac Cleaners that will allow you to clean your Mac for free, albeit for a limited period. These include the trials for CleanMyMac , DaisyDisk , Parallels ToolBox and MacCleaner Pro featured below. February 2025: Updated with refreshed reviews of Parallels Toolbox and Cleaner One Pro. PROMOTION Boost your Mac performance with CleanMyMac Featuring six key modules, a smart assistant, and over 25 powerful tools, this CleanMyMac efficiently removes junk files, boosts your Mac performance, and replaces multiple utility tools. It frees up storage, boosts performance, and simplifies maintenance, making it an efficient tool for system optimization. Try 7 days free For more information about why a Mac cleaner app could be useful read: Why your Mac needs a cleaner app. We also discuss Tips for cleaning up your Mac . For more ways to squeeze the most out of your system read our How to speed up a slow Mac guide and How to delete Other on a Mac . We also look at How to delete System storage and How to clear cache on a Mac. Best Mac Cleaner 2025 1. MacPaw CleanMyMac Pros Improved interface and ease of use Wide range of cleaning tools Subscription or one-time purchase Cons Limited malware features Some technical knowledge still needed Price When Reviewed: $39.95/a year for 1 Mac, $119.95 for 1 Mac (one time purchase) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price MacPaw (first year, 1 device) $39.95 View Deal MacPaw (one time purchase) $117.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $39.95 at MacPaw (first year, 1 device) $117.95 at MacPaw (one time purchase) Few cleanup apps are as comprehensive as CleanMyMac from MacPaw, which has been updated to version 5.0 (and dropped the X from its name). CleanMyMacs tools fall into five main categories that focus on different tasks: Cleanup, Protection, Performance, Applications and My Clutter. A new Smart Care feature gives your Mac a quick check-up and summarises the result of its scans for all five categories. The Cleanup tools focus on deleting junk. The Protection tools can scan for malware, detecting and quarantining threats. CleanMyMac isnt a dedicated antivirus program like those featured in our Best Antivirus for Mac round-up, but its a nice addition. The Performance tools help with routine maintenance, such as clearing out DNS cache, or re-indexing Spotlight and Mail to speed up search results.The Applications tools help you delete unwanted applications and left over installation files. My Clutter can scan either individual folders or your entire Mac drive to locate old files. Version 5 adds the ability to identify duplicate files, or photos that look very similar, so that you can delete them. There are also some new diagnostic tools, including the ability to identify apps that are using a lot of battery power. Version 5.0 also sports a redesigned interface that simplifies things by displaying the results of its scans as a series of tiles that give you a quick summary of each scan. You can buy CleanMyMac from MacPaws ownwebsite, or from theMac App Store, although the version sold on the Mac App Store omits a few features. You can choose from an annual subscription of $39.95/30.95, or you can buy it for a one-time fee of $119.95/101.95. Its not the cheapest cleanup app, but it provides dozens of different tools for deleting old files and data. Theres a free version available to download and a free trial version available on MacPaws website , but it restricts the app to only remove files up to a maximum of 500MB and in the middle of deleting files it will demand you pay the license fee for the app. You can download that limited version and scan your Mac to see just now much space you can save before committing to buying the app. MacPaw is currently running a 30% discount for students submit your university email address and receive a download code here . You can get CleanMyMac here . Read our full CleanMyMac review 2. Parallels Toolbox Pros Full suite of Mac tools including excellent cleaners Fully featured free trial Cons May be more than you require Price When Reviewed: $24.99 per year Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Parallels Toolbox Free 14-day Trial Free View Deal Parallels (1 year, 1 Mac) $24.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Free at Parallels Toolbox Free 14-day Trial $24.99 at Parallels (1 year, 1 Mac) Parallels Toolbox offers more than 50 tools and among them are some real gems like the Clipboard History and video download tools, but in this round up of Mac Cleaners, we are most interested in the tools to free memory and the drive cleaner, among other utilities. Mac cleaning tools provided in Parallels Toolbox include Clean Drive, Uninstall Apps, Find Duplicates, and Free Memory. The Clean Drive tool can locate unnecessary files that are taking up space on your Mac, and also find duplicate files that you may no longer need. It offers easy notifications and access as to whats eating drive space (i.e., log files, cache files, trash, browser data, mail cache, mobile apps, iTunes temp files, iOS device backups, and old updates) and offers a nice level of control as to clearing them out. Clean Drive also offers quick access to the macOS Storage pane, which tends to be overlooked, and allows you to adjust your storage preferences on the fly. The Free Memory tool notifies you as to where your Macs RAM/Unified Memory is going, which applications are using the majority of it, and allows you to mark the amount of free memory in macOS Menu Bar. The Uninstall tool can fully uninstall Mac apps, along with any related files that may be scattered around your Macs drive. You can go through a list of installed applications on your Mac, pick and choose what to remove, and reliably strip out both the app and its support files. It can also highlight large files that are taking up a lot of space, such as games that you may not need anymore. You can also run Find Duplicates to dig out any identical files even ones that have different file names. Parallels Toolbox is included free of charge along with Parallels Desktop but you can also purchase it as a standalone product for both Mac and Windows, with an annual subscription fee of $24.99/20.99 a year. Theres also a free 7-day trial that will actually delete files, free memory and do all those other useful things without you buying the app! You can get Parallels Toolbox here . Read our full Parallels Toolbox review 3. Cleaner One Pro for Mac Pros Quick, stable performance Excellent Dropbox Scanner utility Good value Cons The Menu Baris a bit awkward Some UI elements could be tightened and improved Price When Reviewed: $19.99 a year for 1 device (usually $24.99) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Trend Micro (1 year, 1 Mac) $19.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $19.99 at Trend Micro (1 year, 1 Mac) Cleaner One Pro for Mac is easy to download and install. The software requires is available in both free and paid subscription-based tiers. For the free tier, the software offers basic scanning and no user limits while requiring no credit or debit card to be stored with Trend Micro. The Basic tier, requires a payment method to be stored with Trend Micro, offers support for one device, access to additional tools, and easy uninstallation if desired. The Advanced tier requires a payment method to be stored with Trend Micro, and offers support for five devices, macOS and Windows support, quick uninstallation, and access to additional tools. Cleaner One Pro is designed around an assortment of modules including Smart Scan, which looks over your storage, diagnostics, and applications, Junk Files, Big Files, Disk Map, Startup Manager, Duplicate Files, Similar Photos, App Manager, and File Shredder. The modules performed well during testing, and were able to locate large files and duplicates to be disposed of. The Smart Scan, as expected, goes through a general overview of storage, diagnostics, and applications to suss out garbage files and make recommendations as to what tools to use. The Junk Files module found a variety of unused disk images and installers. The Disk Map module worked as expected, offering a nice layout and concise display of whats eating up your Macs hard drive. The Startup Manager offered an excellent peek under your Macs hood, especially in terms of launch agents, the module allowing you to activate or deactivate individual components File Shredder allows you to drop in files and folders to be securely deleting. The Dropbox Scanner tool, which hooked into my Dropbox account, compared files and file sizes, and offered a quick means of cleaning up larger files, which helped clear dozens of gigabytes of space and proved to be pretty unique as a feature. Cleaner One Pro is useful, lives up to its description, and offers an elegant and easy to navigate user interface that lets you prune your Mac down effectively. This useful set of Mac cleaning tools comes at a good price, and if youre looking for something reliable in this field, its worth your consideration. Theres also an iOS version on the iOS App Store. You can get Cleaner One Pro here . Read our full Cleaner One Pro for Mac review 4. MacCleaner Pro Pros Impressive set of tools Good tutorials Good configuration Cons Occasionally awkward user interface Price When Reviewed: $29.95/a year for 1 Mac, or $74.95 for 1 Mac (one time purchase) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Nektony (1 year, 1 Mac) $29.95 View Deal Nektony (one time purchase, 1 Mac) $74.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $29.95 at Nektony (1 year, 1 Mac) $74.95 at Nektony (one time purchase, 1 Mac) MacCleaner Pro from Nektonyis divided into a core app and several module apps, namely App Cleaner & Uninstaller, Disk Space Analyzer, Duplicate File Finder, Memory Cleaner, and Funter.The core app can perform an overall disk cleaning and help free up storage space by eliminating extraneous files. The App Cleaner & Uninstaller module works well, and allows you to see the app youre removing as well as its support files. This module has been improved compared to version 3, and now offers you easier access to startup programs and extension files, allowing you to enable, disable, or remove them. A Remaining Files feature allows you to chase down loose files, while an Open With feature lets you assign applications to open certain file types. With Duplicate File Finder its easy to specify file types to look for, such as audio and photo files, with an impressive level of precise control. Memory Cleaner module offers an easy interface to show which applications and processes are consuming the most RAM. Funter module finds hidden files within your operating system. The Fast Cleanup option was able to clear up 11.4GB of drive space, most of these being application cache files, while the Deep Cleanup feature helped reclaim 65.4GB of drive space. We did have some peculiar instances in which a reminder poped up advising us to clear disk space for a macOS Sonoma (which was already installed).On another occasion when we paused scanning after half an hour we saw a request for full access to the hard drive. MacCleaner Pro is easy to install, runs well and has a good feature base. You can buy it on an annual or monthly subscription or as a one-time purchase. The free trial version is fully functioning for two days and will actually perform some of the tasks you need to do, rather than ask you to buy the full version. You can get MacCleaner Pro here . Read our full Nektony MacCleaner Pro review 5. Onyx Pros Excellent utility Good customization Reliable bug fixes and updates Cons Scheduling feature needs refinement Intimidating Price When Reviewed: Free Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Titanium Software (Donationware) Free View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Free at Titanium Software (Donationware) Onyx , which presently stands at version 4.7.1, is one of the best utilities on the market, and its free! OnyX is Donationware, with users asked to send along whatever they believe the program is worth. It provides easy access to the powerful underlying tools within the macOS operating system. You can run powerful sets of customizable scripts to perform functions such as checking volume structures, getting low-level system specifications, repairing permissions, cleaning up system databases, and sorting out under-the-hood level system details. its easy to access complex system functions such as security, login options, Display Calibrator, Keychain Access and so on., Our only criticism would be that the Scheduling feature is a bit vague and seems to only function around specific days, hours, and minutes. And a set of tutorial videos would be useful. Users have complained that support is slow in getting back to them but this is donationware, so, to be fair, its understandable. You can get Onyx here . Read our full Onyx review 6. Daisy Disk Pros Quickly scans storage and finds large files Graphical representation File name previews Can check cloud storage Cons Some user-interface quirks Price When Reviewed: $9.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Software Ambience (One time purchase) $9.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $9.99 at Software Ambience (One time purchase) DaisyDisk incorporates a clean, fun, interesting user interface via which it sets out to help you visualize the data on your Mac and its local, network, and cloud-based volumes, map it out, see which files are taking up the most space, and help you free up gigabytes of drive space. DaisyDisk supports a number of file formats and file systems, as well as network volumes, virtual elements and disk images, and can mount and scan just about anything as long as the volume itself is operational. It can also mount cloud-based services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and Box so you can find ancient files to be deleted. I was able to clear up dozens of gigabytes of space in the process. See our round-up of the best cloud backups for Mac . We did have some difficulties with Google Drive, which refused to allow DaisyDisk access, stating that the app was blocked and tried to access sensitive info in your Google Account. To keep your account safe, Google blocked this access. This appears to be a conflict between DaisyDisks developers and Google and hopefully it will be sorted out soon. DaisyDisk users are also currently unable to add and sort through Apples iCloud Drive accounts given Apples sandboxing of the environment. You can scan a local copy of your iCloud Drive contents using the Scan Folder button but not the web-based data, which is frustrating. In addition to being able to scan entire volumes at once, you can click the Select Folder button and navigate to a custom folder. With DaisyDisk its entirely up to your own discretion as to which files and folders to delete, with nothing more than a five-second countdown clock and time period in which to cancel the decision. Apples Disk Utility app can be accessed from the Menu bar to perform disk repairs on the fly. Unlike so many apps you dont have to sign up for a subscription package: the app retails for a one off fee of $9.99/9.99, which is excellent value. You can get Daisy Disk here . Read our full Daisy Disk review 7. Intego Washing Machine Pros Reclaim drive space and remove duplicate files Good customization, filters, and settings Cons Annoying pop-ups Installation difficult Price When Reviewed: $19.99 for one Mac for first year (usually $49.99) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Intego (1 year, 1 Mac, 60% off) $19.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $19.99 at Intego (1 year, 1 Mac, 60% off) Integos Washing Machine X9 is a handy cleaning utility for the Mac that focuses on reclaiming disk space via the Reclaim tool, removing duplicate files on your Macs hard drive with the Duplicates tool, and organizing folders using the Organize tool. As is standard, the software (compatible with macOS 13 High Sierra or later) requires that you grant it full access to your hard drive though your Macs Privacy and Security settings. Less standard was that we had to locate the Intego Washing Machine X9 app in the Applications folder and drag it into Full Disk Access in Privacy and Security settings to get it to function. It is more common that an installer will add an easy icon that can be dragged into the macOS Full Disk Access pane to complete the installation. Theres a good level of customization. Like similar applications, the Reclaim tool can chase after caches, downloads, language files, logs, and trash files to help clean up disk space. The initial run cleared approximately 24GB of drive space from my M2 MacBook Pros SSD. The Duplicates tool took about five hours to create an initial index for my 1TB SSD. It offered control over duplicates that can be selected and specific options and naming filters. The Organize feature can help organize messy folders into a Snapshot folder for reorganization later. This tool can work with specific folders such as the ever-messy Desktop folder, your Home folder, and macOS Smart Folders, and help pull things into order. This Organize feature does feel like slapping a band-aid on the larger problem of a folders disorganization though. The Scheduling option only allows for a specific week or month to be chosen, and it would have been nice to be able to schedule a process for a few minutes from now, as is common with similar software. While its nice to be able to reclaim a few dozen gigabytes of drive space and have control over the duplicate files on your Mac, Washing Machine offers nothing groundbreaking. With the current discounts and its attractive user interface its worth a look though. Alternatively, Integos Washing Machine X9 is bundled with Integos larger security suite so you could take advantage of that and get a Mac Cleaner with Integos Antivirus solution. The Mac Premium Bundle costs from $84.99/84.99 (currently discounted to $39.99/33.99) and includes VirusBarrier, NetBarrier, Content Barrier, and Personal Backup solutions. You can get Washing Machine here . Read our full Intego Washing Machine X9 review 8. MacPaw Gemini Pros Capable of finding multiple duplicate types Excellent search customization Handy preferences and options Cons Lack of additional filters makes sorting located duplicates tedious Needs a scheduling feature Price When Reviewed: From $19.95 for 1 Mac, annually Best Prices Today: Retailer Price MacPaw (1 year, 1 Mac) $19.95 View Deal MacPaw (one time purchase, 1 Mac) $44.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $19.95 at MacPaw (1 year, 1 Mac) $44.95 at MacPaw (one time purchase, 1 Mac) Though not strictly a Mac cleaner, like other apps in this round-up, MacPaws Gemini 2 can certainly help you get back some disc space. It is a duplicate removal tool that focuses specifically on reducing the thousands of duplicate photos in your Photos library. It also hunts down duplicate files within Apple Music and across the macOS operating system. The app is available through Apples App Store and MacPaws SetApp application, which grants access to Gemini and other apps for $9.99 (7.60) a month. It is easy to install and offers a seven-day free trial in exchange for either your credit or debit card information. The app includes scripts for easy scanning of the Photos library and your Music library, as well as custom folders and external volumes that can be chosen from a menu or dragged, dropped, and quickly scanned. Other features include Menu Bar elements, whitelists that can be created that are exempt from being scanned, and a Duplicate Monitor feature that helps compare files and heads off duplicates before they begin to pile up. In testing, Gemini 2 quickly sought out duplicates, offered the option to remove them, and eradicated them from our hard drive. This also applies to music files and other document types, and the Duplicate Monitor warns you about possible duplicates that have been carried over to your hard drive. However, there are some caveats, such as confusion about account registration and permissions after downloading and installing Gemini 2 from the App Store. MacPaw is urging its clients towards SetApp subscriptions, which offer full access to the companys apps for a given rate per month. While Gemini 2 runs well, a scheduling feature for folder or volume scans would not go amiss. An improved filter for locating duplicate items would be more helpful. Despite some minor hurdles, Gemini 2 is well-written, sharp, helpful, fast, works well with all kinds of duplicates, and lends a good feature set to the macOS operating system without being overbearing. It hones in on its tasks and performs them well enough to earn the trust of users. You can get MacPaw Gemini 2 from MacPaw here . Read our full MacPaw Gemini review 9. Nektony App Cleaner & Uninstaller Pros Simple user interface Free (with Pro upgrade) Cons Not as full-featured as alternatives Price When Reviewed: $14.95 a year for 1 Mac Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Nektony (1 year, 1 Mac) $14.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $14.95 at Nektony (1 year, 1 Mac) Also from Nektony, is the simple and easy to use App Cleaner & Installer . This lightweight app is actually bundled with MacCleaner Pro ( above ), but this version focuses on clearing out the broken links, files, and other gubbins that get left behind when apps are uninstalled. It also, as the name suggests, allows you to uninstall apps cleanly from the get-go, and set which ones launch at start up. There is a free version that does most of these tasks, but if you pay $9.99/9.99 for the Pro upgrade youll also be able to remove system extensions, executable parts of files, and uninstall apps, plus the ads that adorn the free version disappear. Easy to recommend due to both its price and quality. You can get App Cleaner & Uninstaller here . You may also like to consider: Cleanup Premium for Mac . $29.88/24.99 a year. Disk Doctor , $2.99/2.99 a year. Gemini 2 , $19.95/15.95 a year. Cleaner One Pro ,$19.99 a year. Tuneup for Mac , $65.99/54.99 a year. We have also looked at MacBooster, find out why we dont recommend it here: MacBooster Review: its no surprise people think its malware.

iPhone SE 4: Everything you need to know about Apples next budget phone

Macworld Apple last updated its entry-level iPhone in March 2022, adding a few nips and tucks here and there along with a quiet price increase. It kept the iPhone 8 design with its Home button and small form factor that appeals to some, but the aging design and minimal upgrades meant the new iPhone SE was coolly received by the masses. The iPhone SE is in desperate need of a big upgrade, and if you are wondering will there be new iPhone SE? it looks like a new iPhone SE maybe with a brand new name could arrive as early as February 2025. Updated Feb 12, 2025: The new iPhone SE could be about to launch! New iPhone SE release date: When is the new iPhone SE coming out? Rumors suggest that the iPhone SE 4 could launch on February 18! Otherwise, a launch at a Spring Apple Event is expected. It looks like a release is imminent, rumor monger extraordinaire, Bloombergs Mark Gurman, who initially said the iPhone SE would launch in the week of February 10, is now saying we can expect the new iPhone SE to launch in the week of February 17, 2025. Gurman is saying that the iPhone SE will be included in product briefings being organised by Apple that week. Gurman may be correct, if not, there is precedence for Apple to launch the iPhone SE in March or April, which is what everyone had been anticipating. Apples iPhone SE doesnt follow the same predictable annual release schedule as the standard iPhone line, and it doesnt tend to have its release party in September like that handset. There tend to be much longer intervals between updates too. But one thing seems sure: The iPhone SE tends to be updated in March or April. Heres when the three models released so far made their debut: iPhone SE (3rd gen) : March 2022 iPhone SE (2nd gen) : April 2020 iPhone SE (1st gen) : March 2016 Apples current budget phone, the iPhone SE launched in 2022. Dominik Tomaszewski What will the new iPhone SE be called? SE 4 or iPhone 16E? While we assumed Apple would continue the iPhone SE for another generation, a rumor in January 2025 claims that Apple will introduce a new name : iPhone 16E. That name would align it with the current generation and also could indicate an annual upgrade cycle. It may also mean that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 are removed from the line up, or that the price of the iPhone 16E is more than the iPhone 15. New iPhone SE price: How much will the iPhone SE 4 cost? While the iPhone SE is Apples cheapest iPhones, it is possible we could see pricing increase with the arrival of the new model. Pricing has steadily increased across the three existing generations, no doubt influenced by the global cost of components and distribution (and no doubt additional costs from importing components from China and elsewhere will drive up costs for consumers). When the iPhone SE (3rd generation) was released, Apple added a chunk onto the cost, making the current model somewhat less desirable than previous iterations, especially when you factor in the measly amount of storage that comes with the baseline model. At launch the prices were even higher in the U.K. but, in September 2023, after adjusting for inflation, Apple dropped the U.K. price back to match the U.S. price. Apple did the same thing for prices in euros in September 2024. With the current economic uncertainties, price hikes seem likely. Heres how they line up: iPhone SE (3rd gen, 2022): 64GB: $429/429 (was 449 at launch) 128GB: $479/479 (was 499 at launch) 256GB: $579/579 (was 609 at launch) iPhone SE (2nd gen, 2020): 64GB: $399/419 128GB: $449/469 256GB: $549/569 iPhone SE (1st gen, 2016): 32GB: $399/379 128GB: $499/449 Higher component pricing and the effect of higher import duties is likely to lead to higher prices for consumers wishing to purchase the new iPhone SE. However, the iPhone SE needs to be inexpensive relative to other iPhones, and wed be surprised to see the price increase too much with the next generation, even with several rumored upgrades. Some rumors claim the 4th-gen iPhone SE could start at $499, which while more than the current price, would still be less expensive than any other new iPhone Apple sells. However, with Apple tending to have a $100 jump between handsets, with the iPhone 16 starting at $799 and the iPhone 15 at $699. If the iPhone SE replaces the iPhone 14 in the line up, it could mean a $599 starting price. Thats assuming that the new iPhone SE doesnt replace the iPhone 15 at a $699 starting price. Hopefully Apple wont push up the price that much. Bloombergs Mark Gurman claims the next model is intended to help Apple compete with low-end Android phones in China , so a low price would be necessary to achieve this plan. New iPhone SE design: What will the new iPhone SE look like? Will the iPhone SE get a long-overdue design revamp? Rumors suggest that we could see a move away from the iPhone 8 chassis to something more like modern iPhones, with Face ID and a full-screen display. That could be good or bad news, depending on your viewpoint. Some people prefer the Home button as a means to interact with their iPhone, for some older people and those who are less dexterous it is helpful to have a physical button. Rumors have long claimed the iPhone SE 4 will be based on the iPhone 14, the last iPhone to have a notch. However, there are suggestions that the new iPhone SE could take its design lead from the iPhone 15 and feature a Dynamic Island. Touch ID or Face ID? It looks very likely that the new iPhone SE will use Face ID. That means Touch ID, which has been a staple of the SE line since its debut, will go away. A notch or not? No Home button is likely to mean a notch (where the Face ID gubbins resides), but it could also mean a Dynamic Island. A report on January 21, 2025 by leaker Evan Blass states that the new iPhone SE will have a Dynamic Island and not a notch. Apple first introduced the notch with the iPhone 14 Pro followed by the iPhone 15 a year later. But, a later X post on January 29, 2025, this time from Ross Young, a displays analyst, stated Notch like iPhone 14 is correct.Young has a very strong track record for display rumors as he relies on supply chain reports rather than leaks. Read: The new iPhone SE will have a notch after all . A rumor back in July 2024 suggested Apple will change course with the iPhone SE 4 and instead use the same body as the iPhone 16 , making it a true budget version of the latest iPhone lineup. New iPhone SE camera: One of two? One of the defining features of the iPhone SE is a single camera on the back. This is probably not going to change, although if the new iPhone SE does adopt the chassis of an iPhone 14 or 16 it is possible. Rumors suggest a single 48 megapixel camera, which would at least give the iPhone SE 4 a good 2x optical zoom mode using the center 12MP of the sensor, as the iPhone 16 does. If Apple chooses to use the chassis of the iPhone 16 rather than the iPhone 14 that could allow the best alignment of two camera lenses for talking videos for the Vision Pro. But that would mean that the iPhone SE would have two cameras on the back, rather than just one, as it does currently. It would also make it hard to differentiate between models, pushing some users who might otherwise consider the iPhone 16 to buy the iPhone SE 4 at a lower price. We got our first look at what a dummy model for the new iPhone SE in January from leaker Sonny Dickson, and it definitely looks like an iPhone 14 with a single rear camera. Sonny Dickson/X iPhone SE 4 specs: Will Apple Intelligence be supported? The iPhones launched in 2024 were all about Apple Intelligence AI features, which first arrived with iOS 18.1 and will continue to get new features in iOS 18 updates . It is therefore likely that when the new iPhone SE (or iPhone 16E) launches, it will support Apple Intelligence. In fact, one of the biggest new features, a massive expansion of Siri capabilities, is due for release in iOS 18.4 around the same time the iPhone SE 4 is expected to be released. Processor & RAM To run Apple Intelligence an iPhone requires an A17 Pro or A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. There is some expectation that the iPhone SE 4 could meet these requirements. It is common for the iPhone SE to have the same processor as the latest non-Pro iPhone but skimp on other features to differentiate itself, so we expect the iPhone SE 4 to have the A18 processor. Modem The iPhone SE 4 might be the first iPhone to feature Apples own 5G modems (codenamed Sinope). It will offers sub-6 support but no mmWave, and lower performance than Qualcomms best 5G modems but better power efficiency. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Apple is also about to switch over to its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip , codenamed Proxima. The rumors say this chip will actually appear first in a refreshed HomePod mini and Apple TV, but theres a chance it could be used in the iPhone SE 4. Storage With the iPhone 13 range moving to a baseline of 128GB (and the 14-series handsets following suit), its hoped that the new iPhone SE might do likewise, as 64GB isnt enough for most users anymore, especially since system files take up more than 10GB (and you can add a multi-gigabyte Apple Intelligence model to that). However, there have been reports that iPhone users are opting to use iCloud, rather than spending more on an iPhone with more storage. So it may still be the case that 64GB is adequate. And by keeping the 64GB version Apple may still be able to offer an iPhone SE for $499. See: Study: Fewer iPhone users are springing for storage upgrades . There are no good rumors one way or the other about the minimum storage for the iPhone SE 4. However, since Apple has upped the entry-level storage in the iPad mini from 64GB to 128GB it may follow suit with the iPhone SE 4 (we hope so). USB-C We expect the iPhone SE 4 to feature a USB-C port for charging, as all new iPhones do, and IP68 water resistance. The current SE is one of the last remaining Apple devices to still have a Lightning port . Apple has been forced to stop selling the iPhone SE and 14 and 14 Plus in the EU because of the use of the Lightning port, so it would be illogical if it had anything other than USB-C. Action Button An alleged leak of an iPhone SE 4 case shows a cutout for the mute switch rather than an Action Button, and of course there will be no Camera Control buttonif the iPhone SE 4 had these features there would be little reason for anyone to buy an iPhone 16! iPhone history The iPhone 16 range and the iPhone SE 3 are the current-generation models available from Apple. In addition to this SE 4 model were also expecting iPhone 17 to launch in 2025. Below you can find links below to our reviews of all iPhone models, including the latest generation. Learn more about all the new Apple products coming this year and when is the next Apple event . You might also want to check out our advice on when is the best time to buy a new iPhone , our iPhone buying guide , and our comparison of every iPhone that is available to buy today . Original iPhone (2007) review iPhone 3G (2008) review iPhone 3GS (2009) review iPhone 4 (2010) review iPhone 4s (2011) review iPhone 5 (2012) review iPhone 5c (2013) review iPhone 5s (2013) review iPhone 6 (2014) review iPhone 6 Plus (2014) review iPhone 6s (2015) review iPhone 6s Plus (2015) review iPhone SE (1st generation; 2016) review iPhone 7 (2016) review iPhone 7 Plus (2016) review iPhone 8 (2017) review iPhone 8 Plus (2017) review iPhone X (2017) review iPhone XR (2018) review iPhone XS (2018) review iPhone XS Max (2018) review iPhone 11 (2019) review iPhone 11 Pro (2019) review iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) review iPhone SE (2nd generation; 2020) review iPhone 12 (2020) review iPhone 12 Mini (2020) review iPhone 12 Pro (2020) review iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) review iPhone 13 (2021) review iPhone 13 mini (2021) review iPhone 13 Pro (2021) review iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) review iPhone SE (3rd generation; 2022) review iPhone 14 (2022) review iPhone 14 Plus (2022) review iPhone 14 Pro (2022) review iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) review iPhone 15 (2023) review iPhone 15 Plus (2023) review iPhone 15 Pro (2023) review iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) review iPhone 16 & 16 Plus review iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max review

Cleaner One Pro Review: one of the best Mac cleaners

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Quick, stable performance combined with a handy user interface made navigation and customization easy. The modules work as advertised, and handle duplicate files and cleanup well. Excellent Dropbox Scanner utility, which helps make it unique. Cons Some UI elements could be tightened and improved upon The Menu Bar option offers access to tools that the standard interface doesnt (namely the Dropbox Scanner tool), which is a bit awkward. Our Verdict Cleaner One Pro proves a handy utility wherein the included modules do their jobs well, while the unique Dropbox Scanner tool helps scrounge through and remove dozens of gigabytes of Dropbox file crud, making you wish this utility was available for other cloud-based services. Theres something good here, the price is right, and outside of a few user interface tweaks that could be perfected, this is worth downloading, installing, and looking into. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed $19.99 a year for 1 device (usually $24.99) Best Prices Today: Cleaner One Pro for Mac Retailer Price Trend Micro (1 year, 1 Mac) $19.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Cleaner One Pro for Mac is easy to download and install: just snag either the free copy or sign up for the tiered subscription, install the software, give it permission to access your hard drive, and youre set. See how Cleaner One Pro compares to other Mac Cleaners in our round-up of the Best Mac Cleaner software . The software requires Mac OS 10.12 (Sierra) or later to install and run, and is available in both free and paid subscription-based tiers. For the free tier, the software offers basic scanning and no user limits while requiring no credit or debit card to be stored with Trend Micro. The Basic tier, which currently retails for $19.99/19.99 a year (then $24.99/24.99 a year) requires a payment method to be stored with Trend Micro, offers support for one device, access to additional tools, and easy uninstallation if desired. The Advanced tier retails for $29.99/29.99 a year currently (then $59.99/46.99), requires a payment method to be stored with Trend Micro, and offers support for five devices, macOS and Windows support, quick uninstallation, and access to additional tools. There is a version on the Mac App Store that retails at $19.99/19.99 or $29.99/30.99 on a yearly subscription. Theres also an iOS version . Cleaner One Pros handy menu-based information tab offers a quick view of useful system information. Foundry Once installed and run, a clean, animated user interface invites you in. Like similar tools, Cleaner One Pro is designed around an assortment of modules along with its overarching Smart Scan, which looks over your storage, diagnostics, and applications, while the other modules (Junk Files, Big Files, Disk Map, Startup Manager, Duplicate Files, Similar Photos, App Manager, and File Shredder) attend to their own tasks when activated. The modules, in turn, performed well during testing, and were able to locate large files and duplicates that could be disposed of. The Smart Scan, as expected, goes through a general overview of storage, diagnostics, and applications to suss out garbage files and make recommendations as to what tools to use. 6.66GB of duplicate photos were just deleted via the Similar Photos module. Foundry The Junk Files module hunts down the usual system logs, uninstalled application leftovers, language files, unused disk images, installer packages, browser caches, broken login items, old updates, and document old versions, but in this case surprised me in locating about a dozen World War II Online update installers thatd been cached and helped clear 40.3GB of drive space. The Disk Map module worked as expected, offering a nice layout and concise display of whats eating up your Macs hard drive. The Startup Manager offered an excellent peek under your Macs hood, especially in terms of launch agents, the module allowing you to activate or deactivate individual components. The application also offers an interesting Adware Startup Items option, which picks out potential adware that might need to be deactivated. The Duplicate Files, App Manager, and File Shredder modules work as expected, File Shredder allowing you to drop files and folders in as needed and securely deleting them, even if theres no way to gauge exactly how secure the delete process happened to be. If there was one element that caught my eye, it was the Dropbox Scanner tool, which hooked into my Dropbox account, compared files and file sizes, and offered a quick means of cleaning up larger files, which helped clear dozens of gigabytes of space and proved to be pretty unique as a feature. Other nice touches included easy access to technical support to quickly file a ticket, report a bug, or suggest a new feature, and the Smart Scan feature helpfully points out whether or not a macOS update is available for download and installation, which is a helpful add-on. Customizing the Smart Scan module and choosing which tests to perform. Foundry Yes, there are a few things that could stand to be improved upon in Cleaner One Pro, and the application doesnt quite know if it wants to be primarily accessed through the macOS Menu Bar or the standard home screen. The impressive Dropbox Scanner tool proves accessible only through the Menu Bar, which is a bit of an odd choice. I would have liked to have seen some user interface changes, such as a Select All checkbox to quickly encapsulate a vast number of files that need to be removed. It may be a feature or a bug, but the activation key, once purchased, cant be copied and pasted and needs to be entered manually. An actual free trial would be nice to see as opposed to a promised 30-day money-back guarantee, but Trend Micros tech support got back to requests quickly when reached out to, which is a bit more personal attention than expected from a giant software company. Finally, the More Tools module simply hooks into advertising for Trend Micros additional utilities (Antivirus One, Unzip One, Trend Micro VPN, and AdBlock One), which feels like necessary baggage but still a bit irksome. Should you buy Cleaner One Pro for Mac? Trend Micro has created an excellent utility that achieves its goal of standing out in a crowded Mac utility marketplace. Whats present with Cleaner One Pro is useful, lives up to its description, and an elegant user interface makes it easy to navigate the program, customize settings, quickly view extraneous apps, files, and login items, and prune your Mac down more effectively. Its also to Cleaner One Pros credit that the application doesnt try to make itself a mega-suite and do everything under the sun, including antiviral scanning and protection or act as a VPN, although Trend Micro readily advertises those products for sale. Cleaner One Pro offers a useful set of Mac cleaning tools for a good price, and if youre looking for something reliable in this field, its worth your consideration.

Bring Siri home with this super rare HomePod mini $20 discount

Macworld If you want a smart speaker with great sound and a small footprint, you cant go wrong with a HomePod mini even at its full $99 MSRP. But today its an even better value: Best Buy is selling the HomePod mini for $80 , savings of $20. This HomePod mini rarely ever goes on sale, so if youve been waiting for a price drop to get one, nows the time to do it. Apples compact smart speaker is a great way to bring Siri into your homewhich is quite likely the main reason youre looking into getting one of theseallowing the smart assistant to play music for you, set timers, look up things online, send messages, make calls, and so on, even when your iPhone is across the house. If youre looking for an everyday music player, weather forecaster, simple question answerer, and light switch, itll work a bit better than one of the super-low-priced alternatives, especially if youre already invested in the Apple universe, our review reads. We gave the speaker a 3.5-star rating in our review, appreciating its design and size, decent audio, and excellent volume. We would have given it a higher score had similar speakers not been a lot more affordableand this price cut helps out a lot there. So get Siri home with the HomePod mini for $80 at Best Buy , an extremely rare discount. Buy now at Best Buy

U.S. iPhone users can no longer find the Gulf of Mexico on Apple Maps

Macworld The body of water previously known in the U.S. as the Gulf of Mexicoand still known as that in many other parts of the worldwill henceforth be labeled as Gulf of America for U.S. users of Apple Maps. The jingoistic decision to rename the gulf was made by President Donald Trump on January 20 amid a slew of executive orders. However, the presidents powers to rename geographic features are limited. He is able merely to direct federal agencies to adopt the new name, while official international usage lies outside his purview, and individuals and companies throughout the world can continue to call the gulf whatever they like. Under such circumstances, the proprietors of major mapping services may be unsure how to proceed. Apple Maps, Google Maps, MapQuest and so on have millions of overseas users who will be baffled and dismayed by such a change and are not bound to follow the presidents whim when applying geographic labels. At the same time, U.S.-based corporations are understandably reluctant to alienate either the governing party or the large sections of the populace who voted for it. Ideally tech giants would love to stay out of political squabbles entirely and avoid offending anyone. One approach would be to simply have the names on digital maps reflect data provided by an official body: follow, for example, the usage of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and its Geographic Names Information Service (GNIS). On that basis, it was understood that Apple Maps and Google Maps wouldnt change the name of the gulf until the GNIS did so first, which could take months. Well, things seem to have sped up. The GNIS has been updated to reflect the presidents order, and earlier this week Google responded by changing the label in Google Maps. Users of the service in the U.S. now see the label Gulf of America, while users in Mexico see Gulf of Mexico. Everyone else sees the old name with the new name in brackets. (If that seems like contemptible fence-sitting, do note that it isnt unprecedented. Mapping services have long done a similar balancing act for places like Taiwan.) For a U.K. viewer, Google Maps currently shows both names. David Price / Foundry While MapQuest and Bing Maps have not changed the label at time of writing, Apple quickly followed Googles and the GNISs lead and switched to the usage Gulf of America for U.S. users, as first spotted by Bloomberg . Sources report, however, that Cupertino is embracing the new name more fully than Google, and at some point in the future intends to make the change for international users too. For now, here in the U.K., a search for Gulf of America takes me to the place in question but still shows a label referencing Mexico. An interesting wrinkle is that, while the GNIS has updated its database, the USGS maps are still catching up. These still say Gulf of Mexico, albeit with a note at the top of the page saying Per Secretarial Order 3423, the Gulf of Mexico has been renamed to the Gulf of America. The display map for the Gazetteer application is in the process of being updated to reflect this name change. It seems that Google and Apple have both rushed to follow Trumps orders quicker than his own federal agencies. Or perhaps they simply have more advanced mapping systems. David Price / Foundry Such enthusiastic compliance may be disappointing from a company widely perceived to embody progressive values, but nobody can be surprised. Tim Cook contributed $1 million of his personal fortune to Trumps inauguration fund and appeared in several photos as an attendee of the inauguration. Hes not about to let ideological differences sour Apples relationship with the White House and put its prospects in jeopardy, especially when the threat of tariffs looms over everything Apple sells. And lets not forget, the current regime is not above taking petty revenge on those who oppose even its smallest edicts.

Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Powerful buds that monitor your heart rate

Beats currently has its best-ever lineup of audio products. To keep building momentum, the Los Angeles-based company wants to make sure no one is forgotten, The post Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Powerful buds that monitor your heart rate appeared first on BGR .

Powerbeats Pro 2 review: The best fitness earbuds groove to their own (heart) beat

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Lighter and smaller with the same secure ear hook design Greatly improved sound quality Heart rate monitor Impressive battery life Cons Missing some AirPods Pro features it should have Heart rate monitor is limited if you use an Apple Watch Our Verdict These are now our hands-down favorite earbuds for exercising and athletics. Our only reservations are that the heart rate monitor always defers to Apple Watch if you have both and that AirPods Pro features like conversation awareness, personalized volume, and adaptive audio should be supported. Software updates could fix all of this. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed $249 The Powerbeats Pro have been a tremendously successful product, arguably the most popular fitness-oriented earbuds of all time. The iconic ear hooks and b logo are found in gyms and tracks everywhere. After five years its time for an upgrade. What has Beats done for an encore? Theyve improved just about every aspect of these buds, and even thrown in a brand-new technology not even found on Apples latest AirPods Pro. There are a few items on my software update wishlist if these are to reach their full potential, but the Powerbeats Pro 2 are easily my new favorite earbuds for working out. PowerBeats Pro 2: Smaller, lighter, sleeker Its not as if the original Powerbeats Pro were large , but theyre showing their age. Powerbeats Pro 2 are significantly sleeker, without giving up the physical controls we love from the last model. You can still press the b for standard play/pause/back or press and hold it to toggle noise canceling and transparency mode. And the little physical rocker switch along the top edge is a much easier way to tune your volume than running your finger along an AirPods stem hoping it registers without knocking the earbud out. Of course, the earhook is what makes a Powerbeats product what it is. The hooks are 50 percent smaller now, but certainly keep everything locked in place while out for a run or working out at the gym just as well as before. The earhook is the signature Powerbeats thing, and the new smaller hook is an improvement. Foundry Compared to something like AirPods, its always a little tricky to put on a pair of Powerbeats as you try to position the hook behind your ear and nestle the tip into your ear canal. The smaller hooks have made that process just a tiny bit more frustrating, but once youve got them on, theyre more comfortable. Wearing them with glasses is improved as well, though still not ideal. We noted that the charging case on the original Powerbeats Pro was too big to pocket easily, but it had to be that way to fit the ear hooks. With smaller hooks comes a smaller case; 33 percent smaller, in fact, which makes it still considerably bigger than an AirPods case but much easier to stuff in your pocket. Smaller hooks mean a smaller case, but they added wireless charging, too. Foundry In total, the lighter weight, smaller size, and sleeker build make for an overall more comfortable experience thats less likely to snag on your clothes when, say, taking off your hoodie. You also get IPX4 water resistance, which means theyre not going to be bothered by some sweat or a run in the rain. PowerBeats Pro 2: Better specs, new features Powerbeats Pro were pretty advanced back in 2019 with Apples H1 chip, and thats true once again in 2025. Upgraded with the H2 chip, you get a lot of the same improvements and features you find on AirPods Pro 2. Theres better sound quality (from the chips processing as well as a slew of other acoustic improvements), greatly improved noise reduction, and a transparency mode that sits right up there with AirPods Pro 2 as the most natural-sounding on the market. These buds support ultra-low-latency lossless audio when used with Apple Vision Pro, just as the newer USB-C AirPods Pro 2 do. You get personalized spatial audio and Adaptive EQ, too. The charging case gets a few upgrades too, including USB-C, wireless charging (Qi, but not MagSafe or Qi2), and a speaker for pairing and Find My sounds. True to the Beats line, Android users get a much better set of features than they would with AirPods: One-touch pairing, firmware updates in the Beats app, switching listening modes, and Find My Beats location service.) Naturally, you get all the expected basic Apple stuffone-touch pairing, Find My, quick pairing with other devices through iCloud, automatic firmware updates and integration into your iPhone/iPad/Mac settings, and hands-free Siri. But with the H2 chip and all the other improvements in drivers and mics, its a wonder why the Power Beats Pro 2 are missing some of the best features you find on AirPods Pro 2. There are no hearing health features (hearing test/aid, hearing assistance, hearing protection). No personalized volume. No conversation awareness. No adaptive audio (the self-adjusting transparency/ANC mode). No head gestures for accepting or declining notifications. Surely the hardware is there to do nearly all of this? I can see regularly approval being a reason why the hearing aid and related features would be absent at launch, but they havent been announced for a later date. And theres no real reason why conversation awareness or adaptive audio, two of my favorite AirPods Pro 2 features, shouldnt be there. The cynic in me feels like these were intentionally withheld by Apple because they belong only on AirPods branded productswhich is silly, because Beats is an Apple brand, and theyre using lots of other Apple hardware and software features. Powerbeats Pro 2: Fitness first with great battery life After a few workouts, a run, and some indoor listening sessions, Im ready to proclaim Powerbeats 2 as my favorite fitness-oriented earbuds, even if Im not quite ready to ditch my AirPods Pro 2 yet. Music playback quality is not quite on par with AirPods Pro 2, sounding perhaps a little too bright (a strange criticism to make of famously bass-heavy Beats headphones, but its what I hear). Still, they sound appropriate clear, and punchy for earbuds in this price range. You can certainly find better-sounding earbuds, but you usually have to stretch to higher prices for them. Voice quality on phone calls is better too, thanks to improved microphones and voice isolation. Powerbeats Pro 2 comes with five tip sizes (Medium are pre-installed). Foundry Battery life is greatly improved over the old Powerbeats Pro, and quite respectable for modern wireless earbuds. Beats claims 10 hours for the buds in normal playback, which gets cut down to 8 hours if you use ANC or transparency mode. The charging case holds another 3.5 full charges worth of power, and offers, fast charging, now standard in this class of earbuds. Five minutes of charging is said to give dead earbuds enough juice to run for 1.5 hours (without ANC or transparency). I didnt time out multiple full charge/discharge cycles, but judging from the power drain I experienced over several days, the specs from Beats seem fairly accurate. PowerBeats Pro 2: (Limited) heart-rate monitoring There have been rumors for quite a while of a new AirPods Pro 3 coming as early as this year, with heart rate monitoring as a major new feature. Imagine our surprise when Apple introduced it first in its Beats line! Its a real feat of engineering to miniaturize an optical heart rate sensor to fit in earbuds this small, and Beats made a big deal in its marketing materials about just how incredibly accurate it is. The inside of your ear is highly vascular with thin skin and is relatively close to your heart and major arteries. It makes sense as a prime location for measuring heart rate with an optical sensor. But there are certainly some tradeoffs. That little thing is an optical heart rate sensor! Foundry The first is battery life, which drains a lot faster when using the heart rate monitor. Thats to be expected, of course. Your Apple Watch has a much bigger battery. It takes sporadic heart rate measurements throughout the day, and then continuously when youve started a workout (on the watch itself or in a supported app). To preserve battery life, Powerbeats Pro 2 only measures your heart rate when youve started an active workout in a supported app. The bigger issue is that whole supported app thing. Beats has worked with Nike Run Club, Runna, Open, Slopes, Ladder, Peloton, and YaoYao to integrate support for heart rate monitoring. For those apps, it basically works as though you had one of those third-party chest-strap Bluetooth heart rate monitors on. Support in other apps will likely come over time. The same goes for select gym cardio equipment. If you go to a fancy gym, you may have bikes or treadmills that can connect to Bluetooth heart rate monitors, and you can press and hold the b button on Powerbeats Pro 2 to sync up. Unfortunately, if you have an Apple Watch, your iPhone and its apps will always prefer heart rate data from that. And while you can start a Fitness+ workout video in the Fitness app on your iPhone without an Apple Watch, all of the other regular workout types (running, biking, hiking, strength training) are initiated from Apple Watch. Heart rate monitoring works with third-party apps, but not if youre using your Apple Watch at the same time. Foundry So for iPhone users to use the heart rate monitoring of their new Powerbeats Pro 2, you have to not wear your Apple Watch, and start your workout in a supported third-party app or play a Fitness+ workout video. The Fitness app will not display your metrics during a Fitness+ workout as it does with the Apple Watch, but your heart rate will be recorded in your Health app. This feels like a huge own goal by Apple. A simple options toggle in Settings or in the Watch app to prefer heart rate data from the Watch or Powerbeats Pro 2 during workouts would let you get the allegedly more accurate data from Powerbeats Pro while still using your Watch. For Android users, the heart rate monitor does not directly interface with Google Fit, but it does work in all the aforementioned apps just as a chest trap monitor would. Should you buy the PowerBeats Pro 2? For all the great things the Powerbeats Pro 2 do, it feels like theyre missing some features they should probably have. You get all the basic Apple stuff: one-touch pairing, audio sharing, Find My, Personalized Spatial Audio, pairing with multiple devices through iCloud, and hands-free Siri. You even get the low-latency lossless audio pairing with Apple Vision Pro . And of course, if youre into actual color, you wont find it on AirPods, but you can get Powerbeats Pro 2 in Jet Black, Quick Sand, Hyper Purple, and Electric Orange. The price is $249, the same as the launch price of the original Powerbeats Pro and the current AirPods Pro 2. As much as I love wearing these to work out, and I have no reservations recommending them to Apple users who want fitness- or sports-tailored earbuds, I think theyre a couple of software updates away from true greatness. Letting those with an Apple Watch choose to use the Powerbeats Pro 2 heart rate monitoring at will is a no-brainer, and adding features like adaptive audio and conversation awareness are obvious areas for improvement.

This $12 Baseus MagSafe battery pack will double your iPhones battery life

Macworld When youre out and about for long hours and your phone battery levels start giving you anxiety, the last thing you want to do is find a plug and an outlet. Thats why one of these tiny Baseus MagSafe power banks will be just what you need, especially when you can get one for just $12 , a savings of 40 percent off the MSRP. (To claim this deal, you can with either click the Redeem button or apply promo code 74XFLB4J at checkout.) This isnt a power bank with an absolutely massive capacity, but its still perfectly capable of recharging your iPhone fully once. With 6,000mAh, you can definitely get through a full heavy day of use with this battery in your pocket. As soon as you snap it on itll start charging wirelessly at 7.5W or you can plug in a a USB-C cable for 20W charging. This deal is only available on the white model, but since its tiny, thin, and magnetic, youll still want to leave it on all day. So go ahead and get your own 6,000mAh MagSafe Baseuse power bank for just $12 while the deal is still available over at Amazon. Buy now at Amazon

iOS versions: Every version of iOS from the oldest to the latest

Macworld iOS is at the heart of the iPhone experience. Its the operating system on which everything else sits, while also delivering plenty of features and dedicated apps built by Apple itself. Every year Apple adds new features to compatible iPhones, and through the months that follow more features arrive. If you want to know what the latest version of iOS is, or if youve ever wondered about when versions came out and what features they brought, we will answer your questions. We also show you how to check which iOS youre currently using and how to update to the latest iteration. February 2025: iOS 18.3.1 arrived on February 10 2025 and provides important security fixes relating to an extremely sophisticated security flaw relating to A physical attack [that] may disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device. iPadOS 18 .3.1 and iPadOS 17.7.5 were released at the same time addressing the same flaw. This followed iOS 18.3 on January 27 which brought improvements related to Apple Intelligence (that is now on by default for compatible phones). iOS version history iOS made its debut in 2007 alongside the first iPhone. However, when Steve Jobs held the little device aloft revealing it to the world for the first time, it wasnt running iOS 1. Instead, it was reported by Apple to be powered by OS X , the software for the Mac. Over time it was called iPhone OS, until finally gaining its now legendary name in the fourth generation of the software when it was shortened to iOS in 2010. Significant milestones are scattered across the iOS timeline, with the first being the introduction of the App Store in iPhone OS 2 in 2008. iOS 4 saw the iPad joining the scene and using the operating system alongside the iPhone. iOS 5 was introduced along with the iPhone 4S in 2011, which saw the debut of Siri as a built-in part of the operating system. Sadly, this was the last version of the software to be released when Apple CEO and Founder Steve Jobs was still alive. Steve Jobs holding the first iPhone at the launch in 2007. Apple Things changed significantly in iOS 11 in 2017 as it brought the first touch and gesture interface, allowing the first iPhone without a Home buttonthe iPhone X. Another major shift was with iOS 13 in 2019, as it marked the bifurcation of Apples mobile operating systems, with iPhones staying on iOS but the newly announced iPadOS powering the new iPads. This would continue through to the present day, although the version numbers have stayed in sync, with the latest ones being iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 are the latest versions of the software and launched in September 2023. You can install iOS 17 and get iPadOS 17 now. Coming in September 2024 are iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 . List of iOS versions and latest versions Heres a breakdown of all the versions of iOS that have been released, when they were released, when they were last updated, and the latest iOS version. iPhone OS 1 Released June 29, 2007 (Latest 1.1.5 July 15, 2008) iPhone OS 2 Released July 11, 2008 (Latest 2.2.1 January 27, 2009) iPhone OS 3 Released June 17, 2009 (Latest 3.2.2 August 11, 2010) iOS 4 Released June 22, 2010 (Latest 4.3.5 July 25, 2011) iOS 5 Released October 12, 2011 (Latest 5.1.1 May 7, 2012) iOS 6 Released September 19, 2012 (Latest 6.1.6 February 21, 2014) iOS 7 Released September 18, 2013 (Latest 7.1.2 June 30, 2014) iOS 8 Released September 17, 2014 (Latest 8.4.1 August 13, 2015) iOS 9 Released September 16, 2015 (Latest 9.3.6 July 22, 2019) iOS 10 Released September 13, 2016 (Latest 10.3.4 July 22, 2019) iOS 11 Released September 19, 2017 (Latest 11.4.1 July 9, 2018) iOS 12 Released September 17, 2018 (Latest 12.5.7 January 23, 2023) iOS 13 Released September 19, 2019 (Latest 13.7 September 1, 2020) iOS 14 Released September 17, 2020 (Latest 14.8.1 October 26, 2021) iOS 15 Released September 24, 2021 (Latest iOS 15.8.3 July 29, 2024) iOS 16 Released September 12, 2022 (Latest iOS 16.7.10 August 7, 2024) iOS 17 Released September 18, 2023 (Latest iOS 17.7.2 November 19, 2024) iOS 18 Released September 16, 2024 (Latest iOS 18.3.1 February 10, 2025) List of iPadOS versions While iOS was the initial operating system for iPad, this changed with the release of iPadOS 13 in 2019. Since then, iPads have had their own platform, enabling Apple to better harness the power of its larger devices. Heres the short release history of iPadOS: iOS 12 Released September 17, 2018 (Latest 12.5.7 January 23, 2023) iPadOS 13 Released September 24, 2019 (Latest 13.7 September 1, 2020) iPadOS 14 Released September 16, 2020 (Latest 14.8.1 October 26, 2021 ) iPadOS 15 Released September 20, 2021 (Latest 15.8.3 July 29, 2024) iPadOS 16 Released October 24, 2022 (Latest 16.7.10 August 7, 2024) iPadOS 17 Released September 18, 2023 (Latest iPadOS 17.7.5 February 10, 2025) iPadOS 18 Released September 16, 2024 (Latest iPadOS 18.3.1. February 10, 2025) Also see: How long does Apple support iPads? Which iOS versions are currently supported? In terms of new features, only iOS 18 is currently supported by Apple. For those with iPhones that only run older versions of iOS, Apple supports iOS 17 and, potentially iOS 16 with security updates (although as of December 2024, it is yet to update iOS 16 since the arrival of iOS 18). When iOS 18 arrived Apple stopped support for iOS 15 leaving the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhones 7 and 7 Plus vulnerable. Support for iOS 16 and the iPhones 8 and 8 Plus is likely to continue until September 2025. Luckily, many iPhones are able to run supported versions of iOS. See: How long does Apple support iPhones? We run through which iPhone supports which version of iOS in a separate article: iOS compatibility: Find out the latest version your iPhone can run. How to tell which version of iOS your iPhone is running If youre not sure which version of iOS youre currently using, its very easy to find out. Just go to Settings > General > About and look for the iOS Version number. Its the same steps for iPadOS. Foundry How to install the latest version of iOS Updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS is simple, so long as your device is compatible. This doesnt require much detective work though, as your iPhone will know whether it is eligible for the upgrade or not. To find out, go to Settings > General > Software Update , and your iPhone will check to see if there are any available. You may also see a notification on the Settings page that says Software Update Available, which you can click to go straight to the update page. iPadOS works the same way. Foundry If there are no updates, youll see a message along the lines of iOS is up to date. Should there be one available, it should tell you on the screen and give you the option to Download and Install. Do this and your iPhone will automatically apply the update and bring your software to the latest version. You can also read our tutorial on how to update iOS on iPhone for more details. So, there it is. A potted history of iOS. Want to know about all the versions of macOS? Read: Mac OS X and macOS: Every version released so far . You can also find out what the latest version of macOS is .

Latest macOS versions: A complete list of every macOS and Mac OS X release

Macworld Wondering what the name of the latest macOS version is? Want to know what the next version of macOS will be called? Curious about the versions of Mac OS X that came before? Here well fill you in on the names of the different versions of the Mac operating system in order: from the newest macOS to the first version of Mac OS X and the codenames that Apple used for them. Well also show you how you can check which version of macOS you are running and find out what the latest version of macOS is. The latest version of macOS is called macOS Sequoia after Sequoia National Park located in Californias Sierra Nevada mountain range. That version of macOS launched to the general public in September 2024, following a macOS beta program that is still underway as Apple develops more new features. If you are looking for help installing Sequoia read: How to update macOS and Fixes for Macs that wont update. Update February 2025: The latest version of macOS Sequoia is macOS Sequoia 15.3.1 which brings an important security fix. Prior to that macOS 15.3 added Gemoji support, updates to the Calculator and Image Playground apps, and enabled Apple Intelligence by default on compatible Macs. What operating system does the Mac use? All Macs run macOS, previously known as Mac OS X, and have done so since the introduction of the first version of Mac OS X in 2001. Before that, Macs ran Mac OS 9 which came out in October 1999 and received updates until December 2001. Mac OS X was based on technology from NeXT Computer, which was another company founded by Steve Jobs. Jobs brought the technology back to Apple with him when he was reinstated as Apple CEO. The operating system is Unix-based. macOS Version History Mac OS X was launched more than two decades ago on March 24, 2001. Theres been a lot of change over those two decades: good and bad. From the problems with the first edition (it was slow and didnt run important apps like Microsoft Word) Mac OS X has evolved through various iterations and various designs to what we know today. Weve seen tight integration with iOS devices, the incorporation of the cloud, and the arrival of excellent and helpful features including integrated Time Machine backups, Quick Look which lets you see a preview of a document without opening the application, and innovations like Expose and Spaces and Desktop Stacks to help you work more efficiently. For an overview of the features of the various versions of the Mac operating system, showing how it has developed over time, take a look at our video above. If you want to know the names Apple assigned to Mac OS X over the years, and the codenames that were used internally, read on. List of macOS version names and latest versions Heres an overview of every version of macOS and Mac OS X Apple has released. Youll find a complete list of the latest release of each version of OS X and macOS, along version code names, along with internal code names (if available): OS X 10 beta: Kodiak September 13, 2000 OS X 10.0: Cheetah March 14, 2001 (Latest: 10.0.4) OS X 10.1: Puma September 15, 2001 (Latest: 10.1.5) OS X 10.2: Jaguar August 14, 2002 (Latest: 10.2.8) OS X 10.3 Panther (Pinot) October 24, 2003 (Latest: 10.3.9) OS X 10.4 Tiger (Merlot) April 29, 2005 (Latest: 10.4.11) OS X 10.4.4 Tiger (Chardonnay) January 10, 2006 (for Intel Macs) (Latest: 10.4.11) OS X 10.5 Leopard (Chablis) October 26, 2007 (Latest: 10.5.8) OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard August 28, 2009 (Latest: 10.6.8) OS X 10.7 Lion (Barolo) July 20, 2011 (Latest: 10.7.5) OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (Zinfandel) July 25, 2012 (Latest: 10.8.5) OS X 10.9 Mavericks (Cabernet) October 22, 2013 (Latest: 10.9.5) OS X 10.10: Yosemite (Syrah) October 16, 2014 (Latest: 10.10.5) OS X 10.11: El Capitan (Gala) September 30, 2015 (Latest: 10.11.6) macOS 10.12: Sierra (Fuji) September 20, 2016 (Latest: 10.12.6) macOS 10.13: High Sierra (Lobo) September 25, 2017 (Latest: 10.13.6) macOS 10.14: Mojave (Liberty) September 24, 2018 (Latest: 10.14.6, July 2021) macOS 10.15: Catalina (Jazz) October 7, 2019 (Latest: 10.15.7, Security Update 2022-005, July 2022) macOS 11: Big Sur (GoldenGate) November 12, 2020 (Latest: 11.7.10, September 11, 2023) macOS 12: Monterey (Star) October 25, 2021 (Latest: 12.7.6, July 29, 2024 ) macOS 13: Ventura (Rome) October 24, 2022 (Latest: 13.7.3, January 27, 2025) macOS 14: Sonoma (Sunburst) September 26, 2023 (Latest: 14.7.3, January 27, 2025) macOS 15: Sequoia (Glow) September 18, 2024 (Latest: 15.3.1, February 10, 2025) We have a full list of which Macs run which versions of macOS here . You can install a beta version of Sequoia and test new features that havent yet launched. If you want to install the latest beta of macOS read about joining Apples beta program . macOS Sequoia isnt even released yet and Apple is already working on macOS 16, which is codenamed Cheer, according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg in his June 30, 2024 newsletter. Foundry Mac OS X and macOS names As you can see from the list above, with the exception of the first OS X beta, all versions of the Mac operating system from 2001 to 2012 were named after big cats, from Cheetah to Panther to the final release, Mountain Lion. But while the public-facing builds were named after big cats, internally, they were named after wines (aside from OS X 10.6 which had no codename). Even after Apple switched public-facing code names to places in California back in 2013, it carried on naming them after wines internally until 2014. In 2015, Apple decided to change the theme of internal code names from wines to types of apples. Original. In 2016, Apple took the plunge to unify the branding of its operating systems by rebranding Mac OS X to macOS, which sits nicely alongside iOS, tvOS, and watchOS and paved the way for macOS 11, the successor to Mac OS X, which arrived twenty years after the first beta of Mac OS X. Which versions of macOS are still updated? Apple still supplies regular features and security updates to the most recent version of macOS. Right now this is Sequoia, also known as macOS 15. The previous two versions of macOS also receive security updates and bug fixes. If you are running macOS 14 Sonoma or macOS 13 Ventura you will still get security updates. Since the arrival of Sequoia, Apple no longer supports macOS 12 Monterey which arrived in 2021 (and with the arrival of Sonoma in 2023 it stopped support for macOS Big Sur, which arrived in 2020). See: How long do Macs and MacBooks last? Apple also issues updates to its Safari web browser. The latest version of Safari for Mac is Safari 18 (as of September 2024) and it requires Ventura, Sonoma or Sequoia. Foundry How to tell which macOS version you are running You can tell which version of macOS you are running by clicking on the Apple logo in the top left and choosing About This Mac. It will clearly show which version of macOS you are running along with the most recent version that your Mac has installed Its easy to find out which version of macOS is running on a Mac. Foundry How to install the latest version of macOS If you want to update your Mac to a newer version of macOS the method will be determined by the version of macOS you are running. Very old versions of Mac OS X came on a disk and any security updates came via Software Update. Since the arrival of the Mac App Store in 2011 (as an update to Snow Leopard) versions of Mac OS X and macOS have been available to download via the Mac App Store. However, that changed with Mojave, which arrived in 2018. Now operating system updates come in via Software Updates which is either located in System Settings > General > Software Update or in System Preferences > Software Update (pre-Ventura). One of the benefits of this is that your Mac can be set to automatically download the latest updates and install them, keeping your Mac up-to-date with minimum effort on your part. Incidentally, you can still find the macOS software on the Mac App Store. Some Macs will be set to update macOS automatically. If you want your Mac to update automatically follow these steps: In Ventura or later: Open System Settings. Click on General . Click on Software Update . Click on the i beside Automatic Updates and make sure that Check for updates , Download new updates when available , and Install macOS updates are selected. This way your Mac will automatically update to the latest version. If you would prefer not to have your Mac do this automatically you can deselect these options. In Monterey, Big Sur, Mojave, or Catalina: Open System Preferences. Click on Software Update . Check the box beside Automatically keep my Mac up to date (or Download new updates when available ). Now select the box Install macOS updates . In High Sierra or earlier: Open System Preferences. Click on App Store . Check the box beside Automatically check for updates it should have a tick in it as should the four options below that Now deselect the box beside Download newly available updates in the background . Read all about how to update your Mac here . We also have a list of every version of iOS where you can see the latest versions and how long Apple supports iPhones for .

Apple research video offers a glimpse into its tabletop robot tech

Macworld Apple does a lot of research into fundamental computer problems, and some of that results in real features of the products we buy. We can only hope the tech featured in the latest report published by their machine learning team is one of them. A new research paper and video posted to Apples Machine Learning site showcases the benefits of expressive robot movements vs. pure functional movements. The hypothesis of the paper is simple: Robots can move in a purely functional way, taking the shortest or most efficient motion from one state to the next. Or, they can move expressively, showcasing the robots intention, attention, attitude, and emotions. To test the two against each other, Apple built a non-anthropomorphic robota tabletop lampthat can see with computer vision, feel touch, understand gestures and verbal commands, and use its laser projector to display images. It moves via six articulated joints. The similarities to the Pixar mascot Luxo Jr. are striking. It moves and it reacts to the point where it appears to have a distinct personality. The video is worth watching , as it demonstrates just how much more fun, but also more useful the expressive motion is. You can tell when the robot is paying attention to the users gestures or commands because of the way it moves the lamp to look, as a person would look at you. The functional robot is paying attention too, but it simply performs the action. The expressive robot gives users confidence of knowing if the robot is working or not. Apple Fail states show the robot indicating that it is trying before failing, while the functional robot simply stops. Ask the weather and the expressive robot looks outside first. When the functional robot reminds the user to have water, it shines a light on it. When you see the expressive robot move the light back and forth between the users book and the cup, and then lean down to nudge the cup toward her , you will instantly want one of these in your life. Apple And you may have the chance. Its not quite a smart lamp, but Apple is rumored to be working on a tabletop robot that could have some of the features explored here. The alleged feature set claims it combines a HomePod speaker, an iPad-like display, and an articulating armature so it can move around. It is said to be a sort of smart home command center (not unlike the HomePad that may launch much earlier), video conferencing tool, and media device. We werent too interested in the project based on rumors, but seeing Apples research into making robots that use expressive gestures to imbue them with personality makes it so much more appealing. Even if they dont even need a fancy iPad-like screen, everyone will want to buy one of its any bit as expressive as this lamp.

Apples magic robot lamp is coming to save us all

Macworld You know how you see a concept car from an auto manufacturer and you think Wow! Thats so cool! I cant wait to drive that! and then their next car comes out and it looks like a Dodge Stratus? Okay, look, the Dodge Stratus was a fine car. ( Is it a fine car? The Macalope really has no idea and hes not going to look it up for the purposes of this column.) But it was a modest-looking sedan. It wasnt exactly breaking new ground. Unless you run it off the road, Jeff. Concepts are sometimes impractical. A space-aged car might look great, and then you realize those swoops make for huge blind spots and a glass roof is a tremendous safety hazard. Some changes are understandable. Changes requested by middle managers who think the company should just keep making the kind of cars its been making all along, however, can suck all the wonder out of a product. Apple recently showed off a concept that the Macalope very much hopes will become a real product someday and, if the rumors are true, it seems like it might. Dubbed ELEGNT , the prototype is an adorable lamp that moves in response to user commands and cues. The device can perform assistive functionssuch as shining its light somewhere or projecting a videoin either a solely functional manner or in an expressive one, where it pauses to look at the user, dances to music, or otherwise performs human-like behaviors. Apple has published a paper and video showing off some of the research it has done with robotics. Apple Presumably, these do not include non-desirable ones like incessant humming, reheating fish in the break room microwave, or, well, homicide. The video never shows the lamp wielding a knife so fingers crossed. Joking aside (dont worry, just for a second) the video is fairly delightful. Apple has a real chance now to take this concept and bring it to market without sucking all the joy out of it. Bloombergs Mark Gurman has been saying for months now that Apple is working on a desktop device that moves in reaction to the user but has a screen attached to an arm rather than a lamp. And while the ELEGNT lamp does look amazingly like Pixars mascot , the Macalope thinks a screen is probably going to be more useful than a light bulb. The Macalopes pal Dan Moren recently opined on this very site that Apple should embrace its weird side. The Macalope agrees and it will be interesting to see how much of this demonstration makes it into a final product. Anyone whos worked in IT has probably heard the term computer magic before. Just do it with computer magic. Oh, just like that? If its that easy, why dont you do it with managerial magic , Chad? Thats what I thought . IDG Computer magic is not a thing. But Apple has always succeeded by making things that seem like magic. Swipe to unlock. The thinness of the MacBook Air. Rebuilding the desktop. Wait, not that last one. How did that get in there? Apples magical items dont have to work right all the time, but they need to work right almost all the time and in ways that surprise and delight you. For the Macalopes money, AirPods are a prime example of this. Tiny headphones that (usually) automatically know which device youre using and switch contexts for you. Not magic but pretty magical. In an age when we are constantly promised artificial assistants who will give us the help we need and they routinely fail to do so, Apple might do well to tone down the expectation on intelligence and turn up the expectation on whimsey. Get it to do what it needs to do almost all the time, but in a way that makes you not care about those few times when it doesnt. Thats Apples sweet spot. Okay, fine, the Macalope checked: Dodge no longer makes the Stratus. If youd like to receive regular news and updates to your inbox sign up for our newsletters , including The Macalope and Apple Breakfast , David Prices weekly, bite-sized roundup of all the latest Apple news and rumors.

Your Adobe Acrobat subscription is so yesterdayown this PDF editor instead

Macworld Did you know you dont need to keep paying a pesky recurring fee for Adobe just to edit your PDFs? Yup, Adobe Acrobats been keeping a major secrettheres a way to edit, merge, convert, sign, and do so much more with your PDFs without paying a monthly fee. All you need is PDF Reader Pro , the Mac-compatible app that works just like Adobe Acrobat. A one-time payment of $39.99 (reg. $59.99) is all thats needed to get lifetime access to these all-in-one PDF management tools. PDF Reader Pro really is yours for life once youve paid, and youll be able to manage PDFs effortlessly with just one app. Check out what you can do: Edit the original text and images on your PDFs. Organize, rearrange, crop, merge, and delete PDF pages as needed. Compare PDFs side by side and leave comments or annotations. Convert PDFs to and from files like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, HTML, etc . Customize your PDFs with watermarks, headers, and footers (batch adding is also available). This PDF tool also hasOCR capabilities that recognize text, making your PDFs searchable, and you can even password-protect sensitive files and add digital and legally binding signatures for contracts, leases, and tax forms. Why cut a check to Adobe Acrobat every month? Own this PDF Reader Pro subscription forever for only$39.99 while supplies last. PDF Reader Pro Premium License For Mac: Lifetime Subscription Only $39.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change.

macOS 15 Sequoia superguide: macOS Sequoia 15.3.1 now available

Macworld macOS Sequoia has been available for compatible Macs since September 2024, but further updates to Sequoia are expected over the next few months, with the latest major update being macOS 15.3, which arrived on Monday, January 27. Apple released macOS 15.3.1 on Monday, February 10. If you want to know what the new features are, whether you will be able to enjoy all of them, and if your Mac is even compatible with Sequoia, read on. We are also tracking any problems, the latest updates, and whats new in the beta. The new version of macOS is called Sequoia, named after the Californian National Park and, more specifically, the worlds largest trees. Among the new features coming to Macs in Sequoia are iPhone mirroring, which puts your iPhone screen on your Macs display and lets you interact with it via your mouse and keyboard, a new Video conferencing presenter preview, and changes to Safari. In addition, developers will be easily able to port games between iPhone, Mac, and iPad. The free software update brings a raft of interface tweaks, bug fixes, and new features. In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about macOS 15 Sequoia including how to download it. We also link to various tutorials about how to use the new features. Some features will only work on Macs with an M-series chip, including several Apple Intelligence features that will offer help with writing, creating images, editing photos, and more. Some people have been running Sequoia for some time thanks to Apples beta testing program, which is continuing as Apple develops more new features for Sequoia. In this article, we also discuss whats new in the developer and public beta as Apple continues work on the development of the operating system. Update February 10 : The macOS Sequoia 5.3.1 update is now available. This follows the macOS Sequoia 15.3 release to the general public on January 27. macOS Sequoia: Latest version macOS 15.3.1: February 10, 2025 Apple released the macOS 15.3.1 update on February 10. The update does not include any detailed release notes and the Apple security release webpage states that this update has no published CVE entries, which means that it does not address any security issues filed with the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures database. On January 27, Apple released macOS 15.3. It offers Gemoji support, updates to the Calculator and Image Playground apps, and tweaks to the Notification summaries. It also includes bus fixes and security patches. This update also enables Apple Intelligence by default. Apple released macOS 15.2 on December 11. It has a slew of Apple Intelligence updates including Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, advanced Writing Tools, and more. Additionally, there are a few tweaks and bug fixes, and various performance improvements and security updates. Version 15.2 also brought Apple Intelligence features to the U.K. and some other locations, although those features still arent available in the E.U. The update also included a fix for a System Integrity Protection vulnerability . macOS 15.1.1 arrived in early December as an emergency update necessary to patch flaws in JavaScript and WebKit that Apple says may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems. There is no release for Macs running macOS Sonoma 14.7.1 or Ventura 13.7.1 , yet, but that update is likely to come soon. macOS 15.1 arrived on October 28. This major update brings the first raft of Apple Intelligence features to Macs with the M-series chip. Initially Apple Intelligence features were only available in the U.S. but they arrived in some other locations with macOS 15.2. macOS 15.0.1 was released on October 3, 2024. It did not contain new features, but it did include two important bug fixes. One bug fix corrected the error that led Messages to quit when replying to a message that shared an Apple Watch face. The other fix was for compatibility with third-party security software. When was macOS Sequoia released? Apple released macOS Sequoia to the public earlier than usual, alongside iOS 18 on Monday, September 16. iOS 18 , watchOS and iPadOS 18 were released at the same time. The next major update to Sequoia will be macOS 15.1 which is expected by the end of the month. For information about what is coming in the next version look at the latest version of the Sequoia beta section below. Next update: When will the next macOS Sequoia update be released? Sequoia 15.3 was released on January 27, 2025. There is no indication what the next beta version will be, but it could be 15.3.1 or 15.4. Whats new in macOS Sequoia 15.4? Apple has not released the macOS 15.4 beta. It is expected within the next two weeks. Whats new in macOS Sequoia 15.3? Release date: January 27, 2025 On January 27, Apple released macOS 15.3. It offers Gemoji support, updates to the Calculator and Image Playground apps, and tweaks to the Notification summaries. It also includes bus fixes and security patches. Apple Intelligence Apples Apple Intelligence features, which until now have required the user to turn them on in System Settings, will be on by default in iOS 18.3. Gemoji Ability to create Gemoji using Apple Intelligence. Calculator app The return of repeat operation capability when you keep pressing the equals (=) key (a feature that was lost in the iOS 18 update). Notification summaries Enable or disable summaries for an app, notification summaries get italicized text. Notification summaries disabled for News & Entertainment apps for now. Bug fixes and security updates. Whats new in macOS Sequoia 15.2 Release date: December 11, 2024 On December 11, 2024 Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.2. This update brought the second round of Apple Intelligence features including improvements to Writing Tools, generative AI Image Playground, ChatGPT integration for Siri and Writing Tools, including: Writing Tools updates more options. Genmojji new emoji you can create. Image Playground ability to generate images based on text prompts. Image Wand uses Apples image generation tools to create an image and add as context to a note. ChatGPT integration use ChatGPT with Siri. Mail AI-powered auto-categories to help manage your Inbox. macOS Sequoia 15.2 brought Apple Intelligence features to the U.K., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Apple Intelligence still isnt available in the E.U. due to regulatory problems. What was new in macOS Sequoia 15.1 Screenshot Foundry macOS Sequoia 15.1 includes a number of new AI features that work on M-series Macs, although only to those in U.S., or with their system set to U.S. Outside the U.S. it was necessary to wait for Sequoia 15.2 for Apple Intelligence features to arrive (and even then only in certain locations). Writing Tools offering spelling and grammar support and helping you edit or summarize text. These features can be used around the operating system. Siri new design and Type To Siri. (Type to Siri isnt a new feature, but Apples making it more obvious for those of us who hate talking to Siri). Siri will be better at maintaining context while you ask related questions. Reduce Interruptions a new AI Focus Mode that will filter out unimportant notifications. Smart Reply youll be able to use these in Messages and Mail. Photos Memory Movie will create slideshows based on a text description. You can also use a Clean Up tool to remove unwanted elements of a photo. Improvements to photo search. Summaries Safari will be able to summarize articles. iPhone Mirroring Drag files from iPhone to Mac and back. Audio transcriptions You can get audio transcriptions of your audio recordings in Notes. macOS Sequoia: Problems & bugs Several third-party security tools have reported issues with the new version of the Mac operating system. Read more here: Hold off on updating to macOS Sequoia if youre using cybersecurity tools . CrowdStrike referenced changes in the network stack in an alert sent to its customers and has held off on support for the new OS. ESET indicated that there is a problem is with ESET Cyber Security version 6, an older version that will be End of Life soon. Firefox apparently has firewall-related issues with Sequoia. Messages could quit if a message including an Apple Watch face was replied to (fixed in macOS 15.0.1) Compatibility with third-party security software was addressed in macOS 15.0. Resizing windows is a new feature in macOS Sequoia but it can get a little annoying. Read: How to stop macOS Sequoia from resizing windows to fill your screen. Having problems with Sequoia? Read: How to downgrade macOS Sequoia to Sonoma macOS Sequoia Beta: Latest developer and public betas Apple released Sequoia 15.3 on January 27, 2025. At this writing, a new beta for a future version has not been released. Apples beta testing program for developers and public testers has been running since June/July 2024 and will continue into 2025 as Apple adds more new features to macOS Sequoia. If you want to install the beta on your Mac, check out our guide to how to install the Mac beta . Sequoia beta 15.2. Foundry If you want to run the developer beta, you need to be a registered Apple software developer, which has both free and paid ($99/79) versions. Since June 2023 Apple has opened the beta to all registered developersso now everyone can get the earliest possible access to the macOS beta without paying a penny. Anyone can sign up for the Public Beta, which should be more stable than the developer beta, but it may still be unstable. By nature, beta software is not as stable as the final versionfeatures may be implemented and then withdrawn, or they may not work properly, UI can change, and third-party app compatibility isnt guaranteed. Once registered, when you go to System Settings > General > Software Update on your Mac, youll see a new tab for Beta Updates , which will list the version of the beta youre running. For example, if you want to install the developer beta select macOS 15 Public Beta, alternatively, if its the public beta you want, select macOS 15 Public Beta. We explain How to join Apples beta program separately, including details of how to get a free developer account. If you want to install the beta, follow our macOS beta installation guide . If you then want to uninstall it, we have a guide for that: How to remove macOS beta . The beta testing will continue even after Apple releases macOS Sequoia to the general public as Apple develops new features unavailable at launch. Read How to join Apples beta program for more advice . macOS Sequoia compatibility: Which Macs can run macOS 15? Screenshot Foundry The following Macs get support for macOS 15. iMacfrom 2019 and later MacProfrom 2019 and later iMacProfrom 2017 MacStudiofrom 2022 and later MacBookAirfrom 2020 and later Macminifrom 2018 and later MacBookProfrom 2018 and later There are two 13-inch MacBook Air models from 2018 and 2019 running Sonoma that wont be able to install Sequoia. So if your MacBook Air was purchased before 2020 you are out of luck. The compatibility list is becoming a pressing concern for users of Intel Macs. After Apple introduced its M-series Macs, the company said it would continue to support Intel Macs for several years, but it did not offer specifics. The clock is ticking on Intel Macs, but the last generation of Intel Macs remains on the macOS 15 compatibility list with a few Intel Macs that can run macOS Sequoia . However, only Macs with an M1, M2, or M3-series chip will support the new AI features referred to as Apple Intelligence. That includes the following: iMac from 2021 and later Mac Pro from 2023 Mac Studio from 2022 and later MacBook Air from late 2020 and later Mac mini from late 2020 and later MacBook Pro from late 2020 and later If your Mac cant be updated to Sequoia that doesnt mean you are completely abandoned by Apple. Apple will provide security updates for some Macs that dont run macOS 15. Generally, Apple provides software updates for the past two versions of macOS. See: How long does Apple support Macs ? On average, Macs get 6.6 years of macOS updates . To find out which version of macOS and older Mac can run take a look at our macOS compatibility list . macOS Sequoia: Should I install Sequoia? As long as your Mac can run it, we recommend updating to Sequoia. The new featuresall of which we discuss belowlook enticing enough. We address how macOS Sequoia compares to Sonoma ? in a separate article. We also run through 6 reasons why you need to upgrade to macOS Sequoia . However, its wise to wait a week or so for the inevitable issues with the early release to be addressed: despite the beta program, there are often issues once the software update gets out into the wide Mac world. Its also wise to wait because the download will likely take a lot longer if you try soon after it becomes available. Refer to the problems and bugs section above to see if any of the identified issues might affect you. macOS Sequoia: How to install Installing macOS Sequoia is a breeze. Open System Settings and go to General > Software Update ; macOS will check for any available updates and guide you through the process of installing them. You simply have to follow the instructions, which we explain in our macOS updating guide . And its easier still if youve turned on Automatic Updates, which you can do from the same screen. However, if you do encounter problems the following may be useful: How to install macOS Sequoia on your Mac How to get your Mac ready for macOS Sequoia How to fix macOS installation problems macOS Sequoia: All the features in macOS Sequoia Many new features arrived in macOS 14 Sonoma in 2023 including changes to Widgets, a new Game Mode, the ability to easily turn web pages into web apps, and fun additions to video conferencing apps. Rumors suggested that there wouldnt be many new features in macOS 15, with AI-related improvements in iOS 18 taking most of the development focus. However, some AI improvements are coming alongside iPhone mirroring on your Mac display, a new Presenter Preview for video conferencing apps, and Game Porting Toolkit 2 for porting games between Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Apple has announced numerous new features for the update which we will describe below. Not all the new features will be available at launch though. Some new features will come later this year in a subsequent software update. iPhone mirroring iPhone mirroring is a new development of Continuity. Continuity is a feature that has existed on Macs for a number of years that means you can use your Mac together with other devices in a seamless way, making cut and paste, screen sharing and mouse and keyboard sharing possible across devices. With the new ability to mirror an iPhone on a Macs display, it will be possible for a Mac to connect to an iPhone and display the iPhone screen on the Macs display. This way a user will be able to control their iPhone from their Mac, using the keyboard and mouse to interact. Drag and drop between the Mac and iPhone will also be possible. Users can also mirror the iPhone in a window on the Mac. It will also be possible to launch their iPhone apps via their Mac. Any audio from the iPhone will play through the Macs speakers. During any manipulation of the iPhone via the Mac, the iPhone will remain locked so nobody can see what is being done. It will also be possible to use the phone normally while it is connected to the Mac. Users will also be able to receive iPhone notifications on a Mac. They will appear alongside Mac notifications. These can be interacted with even when the iPhone isnt nearby. Click on a notification and be taken into the app on your iPhone via the Macs display. Read: How iPhone Mirroring lets you access your iPhone on your Mac in macOS Sequoia Apple Window Tiling macOS Sequoia will bring a new, neater, way to arrange windows. When a user drags a window to the edge of the screen it will show a place on the desktop that you can slot that window into. This will make it easy to quickly arrange tiles side-by-side so that more apps are in view. There will be new keyboard and menu shortcuts to help users organize tiles even faster. Read: Why you dont want to ditch your tiling window manager just yet and How to stop macOS Sequoia from resizing windows to fill your screen for when you get frustrated because macOS keeps changing the window size and you dont know why! Apple Video conferencing A new presenter preview will show users what theyre about to share before they share it. This feature will work with Zoom and other apps, as well as FaceTime. It will also be possible to apply built-in backgrounds with color gradients and wallpapers. Users will also be able to upload their photos. These Background replacements can be applied in various video calling apps, even mid-call. Apple Safari 18 Safari 18 will include several new features including a new Highlights feature which will help users discover information. The Reader feature is also getting a redesign to minimize distractions when you are reading an article. Joining the more streamlined version of the article that can already be accessed, users will see a summary and a table of contents for longer articles. If there is a video on the page it will be placed front and center and the user will have access to playback controls and picture-in-picture playback will also be possible. Other rumored features included a Web Eraser, and a new page controls menu. An update in 2025 is also said to be bringing an AI enhancement to Visual Lookup not just in Safari, but throughout the OS, although we are awaiting confirmation. Read: How to use Distraction Control to remove ads and This new Safari feature lets you snap away annoying ads . Apple New Passwords app Apple is bringing the iCloud Keychain into the 21st century. Apple says the new Passwords app will make it even easier to access passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and other credentials all in one place. It will seamlessly syncs between both Apple devices and Windows with the iCloud for Windows app. Apple Calculator It had been rumored that Apple is working on a new Calculator app. It may be redesigned to resemble the iOS version, with new features including a history tape, revamped conversions, and a resizable window. Apple did reveal that it will be possible to see previous calculations with a history feature. Calendar and Reminders The Calendar app will allow users to manage Reminders. Users will be able to view events and tasks from Reminders in the Calendar. An updated Month View will also be available and both apps will see UI changes. Other new features iCloud Apple is adding a Keep Downloaded option that prevents the file from being moved to iCloud and keeps the file on the device. Read about the new Keep Downloaded option . Installing apps Apple is removing the double free space requirement to download and install an app. Read: macOS Sequoia makes it easier to install large apps . Security & Privacy The beta indicates that macOS Sequoia will require regular permission checks when using certain apps . Gaming improvements In 2023 Apple introduced the Game Porting Toolkit to help developers bring their games to Apple devices faster than ever. Now Game Porting Toolkit 2 adds the most-requested capabilities from game developers. In addition, improvements to Game Mode on the Mac will unlock smoother frame rates, and advanced power management features boost performance across the Mac lineup. Apple proudly shared details of several gaming titles that will be coming to the Mac, including: Assassins Creed Shadows Control Ultimate Edition Frostpunk 2 Palworld RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard RESIDENT EVIL 2 RoboCop: Rogue City Sniper Elite 4, Ubisoft Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown World of Warcraft: The War Within (coming later this year). Wuthering Waves Apple noted that they are leveraging powerful software technologies like MetalFX Upscaling to accelerate performance and deliver high-quality visuals across the Mac lineup and that they are taking advantage of the latest M3 family of chips to deliver breathtaking visuals with ray tracing. Personalized Spatial Audio will result in significantly reduced audio latency with AirPods Pro (2nd generation). Apple Intelligencefeatures Several reports over the past few months have indicated that Apple is doing a lot of work towards AI, and that generative AI (using AI to create content) will have a big role in macOS. Those reports werent wrong. Apples new personal intelligence system is coming to Mac, iPhone, and iPad with macOS Sequoia, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18. Apple Intelligence will only be supported by Macs with an M-serieschip though, so Intel Macs will not offer these new features. Read: Apple Intelligence FAQ: What it is, what it does, and when youll get it Writing Apple Intelligence will help users enhance their writing and communications. Writing Tools are built in systemwide that will offer to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text in writing-focused apps such as Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps. Apple Images New image capabilities will also come to M-series Macs. In Image Playground, users will be able to create images in three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Photos A new Memories in Photos feature will create a video from photos and videos based on a description provided by the user. Apple Intelligence will pick out the photos and videos, develop a storyline based on the photos, and arrange them into a movie. In addition, a new Clean Up tool will identify and remove unwanted objects from the background of a photo. Siri Siri is also getting some AI updates and ChatGPT is integrated into Siri. Because some queries will be handled off-device Apple is introducing Private Cloud Compute so that when data is sent to server-based models for processing it is not stored or made accessible to Apple One of the simplest changes to Siri is that it will be easier to type to Siri rather than having to speak to the on-device assistant. Apple may have finally twigged that people dont always want to talk to their phones. Next version of macOS Since Apple stopped using the names of jungle cats with macOS 10.9 Mavericks, its used California places to identify its annual OS updates. The last several years have been Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and Catalina. Apple has trademarked several other place names, including Condor, Mammoth, Redwood, and Sequoia. But its anyone guess which Californian location macOS 16 will be named after. But what next in terms of software? Expect even more Apple Intelligence features to come in the late 2025 update to macOS and expect that iOS, iPadOS and macOS will be closer than ever. In the recent past, the release has come several weeks after the new version of iOS ships . Here are the release dates for the previous five versions of macOS: macOS 15 Sequoia: September 16, 2024 macOS 14 Sonoma: September 26, 2023 macOS 13 Ventura: October 24, 2022 macOS 12 Monterey: October 25, 2021 macOS 11 Big Sur: November 12, 2020 macOS 10.15 Catalina: October 7, 2019 macOS 10.14 Mojave: September 24, 2018

Todays a great day to save big on the AirPods 4 and AirPods Max

Macworld If youre on the fence about trying Apple Music for $2.99 after watching Kendrick Lamars Super Bowl Halftime show last night, this deal might push you over: The AirPods 4 are $29 off right now, bringing their price just below $100, while you can save $70 on the USB-C AirPods Max , the best prices weve ever seen. If youd rather get earbuds over headphones, the new AirPods 4 are a fantastic option. We reviewed the ANC version of the AirPods 4 and gave them a near-perfect score, loving the great audio quality and battery life. (If you want the higher-end version, theyre also available for $30 off ). Meanwhile, Apples newest AirPods Max with a USB-C port instead of Lightning are on sale for $70 off for the first time. As you can tell by the price, these headphones are much higher-end than the AirPods 4. When we reviewed the AirPods Max , we gave them a four-star rating and appreciated the pleasing sound quality and the industry-leading active noise canceling. The main thing we didnt like was the price, which this deal definitely helps with. So whether you want AirPods earbuds or AirPods headphones , go grab a pair and start rocking out to your favorite tunes. AirPods 4 for $100 Buy now at Amazon AirPods Max for $480 Buy now at Amazon

The iPhone SE deserves a party, not a press release

Macworld Good news, everyone! The next version of the iPhone SE is set to arrive sooner than expected. The latest report now puts the launch at sometime in February (it could even be announced today, ruining this articles shelf life), rather than March or early April thats more usual for products that dont fit in Apples fall and summer slates. Given that weve been waiting since March 2022 it feels a little presumptuous to call this early , but lets at least try to be positive and say that our long national nightmare is almost over. If Apple has chosen to bring forward the launch, we dont have to look far for reasons. One is the companys need to increase usage of its AI platform, which makes it vital to get an Apple Intelligence-ready mass-market smartphone in stores. The other is the companys failure to prepare for incoming EU regulations, resulting in it having no budget iPhone on sale across numerous markets since the start of this year. Apple needs the next SE, and soon. I do wonder, though, whether Apple really grasps the importance of the SE to its mission. For one thing, up until this recent injection of urgency, the product has followed a truly glacial upgrade cycle. Since the first model came out in March 2016, almost nine years ago, Apple has managed two further models, neither of which have done much to evolve the form factor. I appreciate that budget buyers are less demanding when it comes to state-of-the-art technology, but you hit a snag when a phone has a dated design and then doesnt change for three years. You cant take customers for granted. Another clue to Apples priorities is the likely lack of fanfare surrounding this launch. Mark Gurman, the leaker who last week predicted the phone would come out in a matter of days, says it wont be unveiled at an event, so were probably looking at a website update and email. It doesnt quite compare to Lana Del Rey at the 2018 iPad Pro unveiling. But why would Apple bother to generate hype for a product it doesnt believe in? The iPhone SE is the sort of product that Apples customers like, but Apple hates. Its profit margin is scant compared to flagship iPhone models, and its more basic design and feature set means it has far less capacity to dazzle an owners friends (or infuriate their enemies) and evangelize the Apple lifestyle. Cupertino is notorious for wanting to control the user experiencethe fact that this is lessening is due to political and regulatory pressure and is in no way a reflection of changed prioritiesand a major reason behind this is a desire to present products, even after being sold, at their very best. Apples customers are its most numerous and frequently most enthusiastic salespeople, and you cant sell effectively if you havent got a top-of-the-line kit. But the tech world is changing, and the philosophies that have brought Apple to this point may not serve it well in the second half of this decade. The days of shifting millions of expensive smartphones may be numbered, as the improvements become less and less worthwhile and each generation blends into the next. Last week I talked about Apples commitment to the long-term pivot away from dependence on the iPhone and towards related products, services, AI, and so on. But it doesnt yet seem to understand the corollary of that plan: that in the future, the number of iPhone owners will be more important than the amount of money they each paid. The iPhone SE, like the 10th-gen iPad now and the iPod long ago, has the power of accessibility. Its easy to use and (relatively) cheap to buy, making it perfect for bringing new customers (and new markets) into the fold and keeping existing customers loyal in periods of economic uncertainty. Given its many benefits, and the three-year gap since the last model, the least Apple could do for the launch of the next SE is throw a party. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories Having lost its passion for risk-taking , Apple needs to re-discover its weird side . Apples M3 nightmare is coming to an end . Can we still trust Apple? A few recent events give Peter Mller pause . Apple is doomed because it cant see the future , reckons the Macalope. Theres a magical iPhone feature hiding in your new Mac that you need to try ! Apple has launched a brand-new Invites app infused with AI and it Invites copycat criticism . Apple killed the wrong Vision Pro project ! Stylish smart glasses are the way forward. Apple shares a secret MacBook tip that power users will love . If you owned an early-gen Apple Watch , you could be getting $50 . Podcast of the week AI is all the rage, and Apple Intelligence is supposed to change how we use our Apple devices. But has it? We discuss this question on the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on Spotify , Soundcloud , the Podcasts app , or our own site . Reviews corner Clicks for iPhone 16 review : Clever iPhone keyboard case (not) for everyone. Parallels Toolbox review : Dozens of fun, handy utilities . Ugreen CM850 USB4 Enclosure review: Fast 40Gbps with any NVMe SSD. The rumor mill A calm month for once? Heres everything we expect from Apple in February 2025 . Or maybe not so calm. The new iPhone SE launch might be just days away Forget the M4, the M5 iPad Pro and Macs are on track for release this year. Apple reportedly ends its Mac-connected Augmented Reality glasses project. Software updates, bugs, and problems I received the worst iPhone text scam ever . Thanks, Apple! Hackers are using AI to attack your Mac and its only going to get worse . Apple rolls out mysterious iOS update for a single iPhone model . And with that, were done for this weeks Apple Breakfast. If youd like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters , including our new email from The Macalopean irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow uson Facebook , Threads , Bluesky , or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.

Your clunky office scanner is so yesterdaythis iOS scanner app has replaced it

Macworld Why lose desk space to a physical scanner when you can get an app that does the same job, only better? iScanner is an iOS app that can digitize practically anything, and a lifetime subscription is on sale for $24.99 with code SCAN, but not for much longer (reg. $199). What can iScanner do? This app can scan everything from contracts and receipts to handwritten notes and ID cards, saving them as PDFs, JPGs, and more. Its packed with smart features like automatic border detection and page straightening, so your scans always look clean and professional. The app goes beyond scanning, offering a full PDF editor to sign, annotate, and even secure your documents with a PIN. There are even some clever extra tools. You can use iScanner to solve math problems, count objects, or even measure a space. Its your own point-and-shoot multitool. iScanner is only available for iOS devices. With lifetime access and regular updates, iScanner is built to keep up with you. Its a simple, ad-free way to stay organized, no matter where you are. Use code SCAN at checkout to get a lifetime subscription to iScanner for $24.99you wont find this discounted price anywhere else. Sale ends February 23at 11:59 p.m. PT. iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription Only $24.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change.

Youre wasting your life scrolling on TikTokquit your phone addiction with this app

Macworld Be honest with usdo your iPhones screen time notifications make you question how youre spending your free time? Youre not alone in this. We all could develop better phone usage habits , but not without help from Zario AI. This iOS app is designed to help you break your phone addiction and improve your focus and productivity. You could just save over 1.5 hours a day with Zario AI, at least when you grab a lifetime subscription for $39.99 (reg. $299). Instead of breaking your promise not to scroll on TikTok before bed every night, Zarios AI grants and denies access to all your apps. But dont worryit doesnt completely block everything. It has pause screens and (mostly) lighthearted roasts thatll make you think twice about stalking your ex on Instagram. If youre really struggling with doomscrolling, activate Strict Mode to lock TikTok, Reddit, or Facebook . Need to focus on work? Set up a focus schedule with times when you can scroll or not. You can also set up a timer for your social media apps and create a healthier relationship with your phone. Make 2025 the year you finally quit mindlessly scrolling on your phone for good. Grab lifetime access to Zario AI for just $39.99 (reg. $299) while supplies last. Zario AI Screen Time App Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription Only $39.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change.

You might be using ChatGPT wrong

Macworld There might be more to ChatGPT than you think. AI doesnt have to just work with simple prompts. You can use it to enhance your creativity, create content in bulk, or even help plan a vacation. Want to know how? Check out the 2025 ChatGPT Skills and Creativity Bundle . Its only $29.99 right now (reg. $249). This bundle has five courses showing you more advanced ways to use the AI tools you already have at your fingertips. Freelancers and business owners can learn advanced prompts to generate high-quality copy. Dont have design skills? No worries. Theres a course that shows you how to use Canva and ChatGPT to create data graphics, social posts, and even emails. Its not all work and no play. You can also find some pro-level tips on using ChatGPT to plan your vacation, whether you need help picking a destination, making a travel itinerary, budgeting, or finding affordable flights. Get the 2025 ChatGPT Skills and Creativity Bundle while its still on sale for $29.99. The 2025 ChatGPT Skills & Creativity Bundle $29.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

UK demands backdoor to Apples encrypted cloud storage, putting everyone at risk

Macworld Privacy and security have been central themes for Apple for years now, and the company sees itself as a market leader in making sure your data is shielded from prying eyes. While encryption and privacy are important issues for many tech companies, Apple has gone much further than most to make sure that your data is only accessible to you , unless you explicitly say otherwise. A new secret government order in the U.K. seeks to absolutely destroy that for every Apple user around the world. Thats right: over 2 billion Apple users globally would have their privacy and security obliterated by an undisclosed order from the British government. The Washington Post got tipped off by insiders about the order, issued last month, from the office of the Home Secretary. Called a technical capability notice and calling on powers afforded to the office by the U.K. Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, the British Government has secretly ordered Apple to create a back door allowing them to retrieve all the content any Apple user worldwide has uploaded to the cloud, according to the Post. What the U.K. government is asking for is the ability to access the encrypted cloud data for every Apple user around the world . That is, frankly, a comically authoritarian and draconian order and well beyond the jurisdiction of any individual government. According to The Washington Posts sources, Apple can appeal the decision to a technical board, but it is not permitted to delay compliance while the appeal is underway. As a result, the company is likely to stop offering encrypted cloud storage in the U.K. (a huge problem in itself) or remove other iCloud services. But even those extreme measures wouldnt satisfy the requirements handed down by the U.K. government. As bad as the order is, it is just as worrying that it was made in secret and that Apple is legally forbidden from even acknowledging that it has received the order at all. The law makes it a criminal offense to even reveal that one has received such an order. The encryption built into every iCloud account is at risk due to the U.K.s new rule. Apple What is at stake By default, many Apple cloud services are encrypted, but they are encrypted in transit and on the server, so Apple has the encryption key. Photos, Notes, Reminders, iCloud Mail, and Calendar contacts are examples of this data that Apple can decrypt. The company has done so many times in the past when issued a lawful order from law enforcement. However, Health data, Home data, Messages in iCloud, and other types of data are end-to-end encrypted, with the encryption key stored on your Apple device and locked to your passcode or biometric (Face ID and Touch ID). Apple has no way of decrypting this data even if it wanted to. In 2022, Apple began offering the Advanced Data Protection option, which brings end-to-end encryption to nearly all Apple cloud services. If enabled (go to Settings > Your account > iCloud and look for the Advanced Data Protection option), only iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendars will be stored encrypted with the key in Apples hands. Apple has a support document with a table showing which data is end-to-end encrypted and which Apple has the key to, for both standard and Advanced Data Protection settings. The U.K. rule essentially demands that all data that Apple stores for its cloud services be retrievable not just by Apple, but by the U.K. governmentno longer requiring a legal process to request that Apple provide targeted dataand for this to apply to every Apple user in the world . Of course, if a government has access to a back door to your data, it is only a matter of time before that backdoor escapes the bounds of a government agency, and is in the hands of outside agencies, governments, criminals, or even sold on the black market. It is far too valuable a thing to believe that it would stay confined to a security agency within the U.K. and that they would only use it sparingly and when absolutely necessary. In short, there is no such thing as a secure back door. On its face, if fully complied with, the security of cloud storage for every Apple user in the world (estimated at around 2.2 billion) would be not only diminished but basially nonexistent. A less strict interpretation may allow Apple to get away with only ruining the privacy of its users in the U.K., or halting valuable and popular cloud services for all of them. What is not at risk, from our understanding of the reporting on this issue, is the sanctity of your Apple devices themselves and their storage. The order apparently only applies to cloud data and does not require a backdoor to access your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any other device or the data stored locally on it. Apple is surely not the only recipient of such an order. Googles encrypted backups for Android phones, WhatsApps encrypted messaging data, and other similar cloud services would be as big or bigger targets for the U.K. government. Again, if these companies have gotten orders to make this encrypted data accessible to the U.K. government, and whether or not they have complied with it, it would be a criminal offense to even let it be known. We are at the mercy of whistleblowers and leakers to know if our privacy is being secretly, globally, violated.

Take $300 off the Apple Studio Display and upgrade your Mac desktop in style

Macworld Apples Studio Display is as expensive as it is beautiful, so were always on the lookout for deals. Today weve got one of the best ever: The Apple Studio Display is down to $1,300 at Amazon , a savings of $300 and just a few dollars away from its all-time low. When we reviewed the Studio Display , we loved its gorgeous design and the good image quality, as well as an impressive sound system with spatial audio, which isnt something we find often in monitors. Theres no question as to the quality of the Studio Displayits a great all-around display thats well-suited for general use and production environments alike, our review reads. While we truly appreciate Apples sleek designs, its the fact that this 27-inch monitor delivers 5K visuals that really captures our attention. That means images will be incredibly sharp and detailed, which makes this monitor perfect for work, creating images, video editing, and even gaming. The monitor also features a 12MP ultrawide camera with Center Stage so it will always keep the focus on you even if you move out of frame. So go ahead and get your own Apple Studio Display for $300 off at Amazon while the deals still available. Buy now at Amazon

Forget flowers, this right-priced Apple charger is just what your Valentine wants

Macworld Valentines Day is coming and if youre tired of giving your sweetie chocolate and flowers, this deal is just what youre looking forApples 35W dual USB-C power adapter is on sale for $39 right now , a savings of $20 on its $59 MSRP and within pennies of its all-time low. With a sleek design and a pair of USB-C ports, this power adapter will fit right in with the rest of your Apple gear. Its also travel-ready, thanks to the foldable prongs, which means it wont snag onto fabrics inside your backpack or luggage, and it wont scratch the screens of your gadgets. It has 35W of power, which is more than enough power to fast charge most of your Apple devices, from iPhones to iPads and even Apple Watches. It can even charge a MacBook Air (though not a MacBook Pro). Go ahead and save 35% on this Apple power adapter while its still on sale for $39 and get your Valentine something theyll really love. Save $20 on this dual-port Apple charger Buy now at Amazon

I received the worst iPhone text scam ever. Thanks, Apple

Macworld Last month, we covered a new SMS phishing scam specifically targeting iPhone users. The idea behind the scheme is to trick the recipient into replying to a text in order to activate a link, which would then be clicked, either purposefully or inadvertently, and activate a piece of malware. Messages in iOS 18 has a feature that turns off hyperlinks when receiving a text from a number thats not in your Contacts list. That extra bit of security makes it difficult for scammers to trick you into clicking their linksunless you then reply, which unlocks the link. The idea is that the original text tricks you into replying with something as simple as a Y or N so the link will become clickable.Its usually a question or some kind of opt-out trick to get you to respond. But the one I received on Thursday was neither clever nor tricky. The first tip-off was the senders name, which was too long to even display on the screen:hanwen.zhanyi.1991_zhongweicong-yulunchui@musician.org. The second clue was the message text, which told me my car had an unpaid toll and asked me to settle properly to avoid excessive late fees. Foundry After all that scary text was a web address without a hyperlink because the number was unknown. Instead of trying to trick me into responding, however, the rest of the message read: Please reply Y, then exit the SMS and reopen to activate the link, or copy the link to your Safari browser and open it. Thats about as obvious as a smishing attempt can get. I suppose its possible that an unsuspecting user could unwittingly follow those instructions and open their phone to malware, but mostly its just an advertisement for Apples excellent security measures to prevent attacks before they can even start. So sorry,hanwen.zhanyi.1991_zhongweicong-yulunchui@musician.org, maybe next time try an Android user.

Ugreen CM850 USB4 Enclosure review: Fast 40Gbps with any NVMe SSD

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Fastest external enclosure outside of Thunderbolt 5 Super affordable for 40Gbps USB4 Handsome, easy-access design with silicon jacket Cons Thermal issues under super heavy load with jacket on Our Verdict UGreens solid, good-looking CM850 USB4 enclosure outperforms everything except Thunderbolt 5, and gives that more than a run for its money in real-world transfers. it also does so for significantly less cash. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed $90 Best Prices Today: Ugreen CM850 USB4 NVMe enclosure Retailer Price $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If youve shopped Thunderbolt in your quest for fast external Mac storage, youll know that sticker shock is often a pitfall of the process. You can reduce the monetary jolt by switching your search to USB4, which, being an outgrowth of Intels PCIe over-a-wire technology is just as fast as Thunderbolt 4. And its significantly cheaper than Thunderbolt, especially if you roll your own with something such as the UGreen CM850 NVMe M.2 enclosure. The CM850 is a more affordable version of the Ugreens CM642 that uses the same ASMedia ASM2464PD chip. Its a gun-metal gray aluminum enclosure thats approximately 4.75 by 2.1 by 0.6 inches and weighs 4.4 ounces. Its heft is nice, as is the top panel that pops off to reveal the internal M.2/NVMe slot that supports 2230 (22mm wide, 30mm long) to 2280 SSDs secured by a captive screw. The panel doesnt have small screws to deal with (or lose). The CM850s interior M.2 slot. Note the fan underneath the screw thats used to secure the NVMe SSD. Your options on the Mac for 20Gbps/40Gbps performance are Thunderbolt 3, 4, or 5, all of which involve significantly pricier enclosures, and are not supported on the majority of Windows machines. That can be important if you work in a mixed environment. Adding an NVMe SSD to the CM850 will cost you anywhere from $40 (256GB) to $650 (8TB), with the sweet spot being the 1TB ($60) to 2TB ($160) range. Note that USB4 (or Thunderbolt for that matter) cant use the extra bandwidth provided by PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 SSDs. PCIe 3.0 SSDs are quickly disappearing, but the point is, dont overbuy. Beyond that, avoid QLC SSDs if you regularly write large amounts of data, and buy a DRAM design if youre going to run an operating system off the drive or want top random performance. The best bang for the buck however will be cheaper TLC host memory buffer (HMB) drives. The CM850 with its silicone jacket in place. Artistically lit as well Ugreen CM850: Performance The CM 850 is darn fast. In fact, in the aggregate, its the fastest external SSD weve tested. Take that with several grains of salt, however, as I populated the CM850 with the super-fast 8TB WD850X for my testing. Also, the Thunderbolt 5 OWC Envoy Ultra was significantly faster in Mac synthetic benchmarks, though its real-world transfers were little faster than SSDs with less haughty benchmark results. The charmingly simple, but generally quite accurate Disk Speed Test from Blackmagicdesign shows the 3GBps plus you get both reading and writing with the CM850given a suitably fast NVME SSD inside. The charmingly simple, but generally quite accurate Disk Speed Test from Blackmagicdesign shows the 3GBps plus you get both reading and writing with the CM850 given a suitably fast NVME SSD inside. AmorphousDiskMark (a port of the original CyrstalDiskMark) also shows well over 3GBps transfers. AmorphousDiskMark (a port of the original CyrstalDiskMark) also shows well over 3GBps transfers. ATTO Disk Benchmark says that the CM850 is perfectly capable of utilizing much of the performance any NVMe SSD will deliver. Within the confines of 40Gbps that is. PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 SSDs can go much faster than the 3GBps USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 allow. ATTO Disk Benchmark says that the CM850 is perfectly capable of utilizing much of the performance any NVMe SSD will deliver. Within the confines of 40Gbps that is. PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 SSDs can go much faster than the bus allows. I also ran the CM850 through PCWorlds battery of tests, which is how that fastest claim is substantiated. The following are the results from CrystalDiskMark 8, as well as PCWorlds 48GB transfers and 450GB write. These are all run on the PCWorld storage test beds Thunderbolt 4 ports, not a Mac. Theyre still indicative of superior performance given a superior NVMe SSD inside of course. Overall, the CM850 is number one among all external SSDs tested on that platform, with the CM642 finishing a very close second. That said, the Adata SE920 and OWC Express 1M2 are still both very fast drives that didnt have the uber fast WD 8TB SN850X to help out. The UGreen siblings give their pre-populated rivals more than a run for their money. Keep in mind the super fast WD SN850X was inside. Longer bars are better. In both CrystalDiskMark 8s sequential (above), and random (below) performance tests, the CM850 did very well. The UGreen siblings didnt dominate in the 4K tests, but the results are still very good. Again, the super fast WD SN850X inside helped. Longer bars are better. The CM850, again with the aid of the WD SN850X was the fastest external enclosure weve tested with our 48GB transfers. The CM850 and its cousin bested both their rivals in our 48GB transfers, though the difference is within the margin of error. Shorted bars are better. The CM850 turned in the fastest 450GB write weve seen from an external drive. Bear in mind that the CM642 had the same 8TB WD SN850X inside. The WD SN850X allowed the UGreen enclosures to finish number 1 and 2 in our all time 450GG write times. Shorter bars are better. I did run into an issue with the CM850. While performing the 450GB write in the PCWorld testing, the drive would disappear with the sleeve on. No doubt due to thermal issues, internal fan or no. Removing the silicone jacket allowed it to finish, as did running a fan over it. Other than that, I was absolutely delighted with the CM850s performance. (Who other than PCWorld writes 450GB files on a regular basis?) Should you buy the Ugreen CM850? The CM850 (or its pricier CM642 cousin) is an absolutely fantastic way to add 40Gbps storage to your Mac without paying that heavy Thunderbolt surtax. If you already have an NVMe SSD great, if you dont, buy one and have at it. Good job, Ugreen.

Leicas new iPhone accessory is everything the Camera Control will never be

I dislike the iPhone 16s Camera Control functionality. BGR readers know I tried it over the past few months, but it isnt for me. However, The post Leicas new iPhone accessory is everything the Camera Control will never be appeared first on BGR .

Google Drive doesnt let you customize your brands cloud storage, but hits white-label platform does

Macworld As much as wed like to deny it, first impressions actually matter, and that applies to how your cloud storage looks for your clients. Any business owner knows branding and logos can make a major difference, so why are you still using Google Drive to share assets and files with your clients? Ditch Google Drive for Cloudbrand, a white-label cloud storage platform that lets you customize your cloud with company branding and logos for the ultimate client experience. Grab lifetime access while its available for $89.99 (reg. $588) for a little while longer. With this plan, youll get 250GB of white-label space and the ability to create up to 25 custom portals. Are you building a custom site for a client? Set up a specific client cloud portal for them, and customize it with your domain, email, logo, and colors so theyll see them each time they open up the link to review your designs. Another bonus of Cloudbrand? Your clients dont need to create an account to download their files. They can access it independently, and the platform lets you invite clients to join your specific branded cloud storage portal. Personalize your cloud with Cloudbrands white-label storage , now $89.99 for life while supplies last. Cloudbrand Team Cloud Storage: Custom Lifetime Subscription Only $89.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change.

dbrand just made the ugliest Apple Vision Pro cover ever and I love it

Sometimes, a joke can become a million-dollar idea or an Apple Vision Pro cover. Last year, a former AR designer at Snap named Kyle Goodrich The post dbrand just made the ugliest Apple Vision Pro cover ever and I love it appeared first on BGR .

This unlocked 512GB iPhone 15 is more than $300 off right now

Macworld Finding an unlocked iPhone for cheap is rarer than a can of dandelion and burdock, but if youre looking for one, todays your lucky day: Amazons Woot is selling an unlocked iPhone 15 in black with 512GB of storage for $670 (512GB), a savings of $329 off Apples already reduced price and the best price weve ever seen. The iPhone 15 isnt able to run Apple Intelligence, but its ready for everything else iOS 18 has to offer, with an A16 processor, 6.1-inch OLED display, and Apples innovative Dynamic Island. Youll also get an excellent camera system with a 48MP main lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. It doesnt have a telephoto camera like the Pro models, but Apples computational advancements allow it to have 2x zoom enabled by quad-pixel sensor. And of course, youll get years of updates. We gave the iPhone 15 4 stars in our 2024 review , calling it another example of Apples straightforward excellence. And our opinion hasnt changed a year later. Since this iPhone isnt brand new, its not eligible for AppleCare, but its not refurbished either. Woot promises that the phone is in Pristine condition and has never been in customer hands. It will have a test sticker showing100% battery life and insidea sleek custom black box,not the original retail packaging. It comes with a one-year warranty from Apple but again, its not eligible for AppleCare. So if you want a great iPhone at a great price without needing to jump through carrier hoops, go grab this deal before its gone forever. Buy it now

How to type euro symbol, pound sign, , , #, @, & @ on a Mac

Macworld Whether you have just switched from a PC to a Mac and have discovered that the and @ keys arent where you were expecting, you cant find the euro sign, pound sign, or hash key on your Mac keyboard , or you need to type some unusual characters or accents and dont know how, are here to help. The first problem is that the location of the special characters may depend on where you are based in the world: keyboard layout differs by country, with certain characters getting more prominence on the keyboards of the people who use them more. Youll find QWERTY keyboards for English speakers, while French speakers get a AZERTY keyboard, and Germans get QWERTZ, for example. Keyboards have completely different key layouts depending on the country, so weve included the location of these special keys for a variety of keyboards. Even U.S. and U.K. keyboards have a number of surprising differences in terms of key placement. Australians tend to use the American keyboard layout. Another source of confusion is the fact that some Mac keyboards label the Alt key Option while others call the Option key Alt (depending on your viewpoint). On a Mac keyboard the key has a symbol that looks like this: This means that some guides you will read will talk about an Option or Alt key you cant see on your Mac. The key is one and the same. See: Where is the Option key . And if you are using a PC keyboard with your Mac the Alt key will do the job of the Option key, while the Windows key will do the job of Command, and you will no doubt be very confused. How to type $@# and Thats not a concealed swear word! Those are all symbols that you may find yourself needing to type again and again, and yet they are hidden from view on your Mac keyboard. Dont worry though, well let you know what you need to do to type them. Before we begin, this is a handy overview of the hidden characters that you can type using Alt. The first example is the U.S. keyboard, the second is a U.K. keyboard. If you want to see an overview of a different keyboard on your screen well include the steps to see it below. The hidden keys on a U.S. Apple keyboard. Foundry The hidden keys on a U.K. Apple keyboard Foundry How to type Euro symbol on a Mac keyboard On a U.S. keyboard to type euro you need to press: Alt/Option-Shift-2 = On a U.K. keyboard to type euro you should press: Alt/Option-2 = European keyboards give more prominence to the Euro sign, but the location of the euro key, and the combination of keys required, depends on the country. On French Apple Magic Keyboards youll find the Euro sign (and dollar sign) next to the return key. On German, Italian, Swiss and Spanish keyboards the euro sign is typed by pressing option/alt and the E key. Portuguese keyboards have the Euro sign on the number 3: press option/Alt and that key. For Norwegians and the Danish the euro is typed by pressing option/Alt and the number 4. And Dutch keyboards have the euro on the number 2. How to type the pound sign on a Mac keyboard Not only is typing a pound sign tricky because the location of the key will differ depending on the keyboard, but also the word itself has a different meaning depending on where you are. For U.K. residents the word pound represents the currency: . However, some countries call the hashtag or hash key a pound. If you are in the U.K. the hashtag sign shares the 3 key with the pound sign () but on other countrys keyboards the U.K. sign is found elsewhere (well get to that next). How to type a # (hash) On a U.S. keyboard to type # you need only press Shift-3 = # On a U.K. keyboard to type # you should press Alt/Option-3 = # The hash sign on French keyboards is found to the left of the number 1. German keyboards have the hash key beside the return key. Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and Portuguese keyboards have the hash key on number 3. Italian keyboards have the hash key (cancelletto) just above the lower right shift key. How to type a (pound sign) Well mention the UK Pound sign here for everyone who is using a non-U.K. keyboard as its location on a U.K. keyboard is no mystery (ok if you are still looking its on the 3 key). On a U.S. keyboard you need to type you need to press Alt/Option-3 = The key may not even be illustrated on the U.S. keyboard! On French and Swiss keyboards, the is found above the right-hand shift key, beside the enter/return key. Italian keyboards have the on the number 3, like U.K. keyboards. How to type at @ This @ key is a point of confusion for PC users coming to Mac keyboards because the key and @ key switch places. On a U.S. or U.K. keyboard youll find the @ key on the 2 key. You need to press Shift-2 = @. Spanish and Swedish keyboards also have the @ on the 2. On Danish, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Swiss keyboards the @ key is next to the return key, above the right-hand shift key. French keyboards have the @ sign to the left of 1. German keyboards have the @ key on L. Italian keyboards also have the @ next to the L. Where is the key? On a U.S. or U.K. keyboard youll find the key will be down on the right where the key is located. On German, Danish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, Swedish and Italian keyboards the key is on the 2. French keyboards have the on 3. and The various copyright and trademark signs can be commonly used in certain lines of work. Luckily there is an easy way to type them on a Mac keyboard. You might think that logically the Copyright sign would be hidden on the C key, but youd be wrong. The C key is the home of various accented Cs. If you want to type a you need to press Alt/Option and G. Alt/Option-G = If you want to type the Registered Trademark symbol less Option/Alt and R: Alt/Option-R = As for the how you type depends on the keyboard: On a U.S. keyboard to type you need to press: Alt/Option-2 = On a U.K. keyboard to type you should press: Shift-Alt/Option-2 = Want to type the Pi () symbol? We have a tutorial that explains how to do that here: How to type the Pi () symbol on a Mac or iPhone . This one was popularised by Elon Musk and Grimes when they named their child A-12 Musk. If you want to type just press and hold the A key. Youll see a range of options appear in a box just select the one you want or press 5. Degrees If its getting hot where you are you might want to tell someone. In which case a degree sign could be handy. Heres how to type a Shift-Alt/Option8 = You might wonder what circumstances would cause you to need to type an Apple logo, but with Apple naming a few products with the Apple symbol if might be that you need to type TV or Watch. If you do, the key combination is as follows: Shift-Alt/Option-K Read: How to type on an iPhone. A check mark or tick This is a handy one the V almost looks like a tick or check mark, add an Option/Alt and thats what you get. Option/Alt-V = Other keys There are a few keys that are hidden in plain sight. Well mention them here just in case you are struggling to find them: ~ (aka the Tilde sign) Its on the left by the Shift key / on the right by the Shift key on the right above the Shift key | press shift and (beside enter/return) Typing accents on a Mac keyboard If you are trying to type accents on an English keyboard if can be a bit daunting if you are using a keyboard thats designed for that language it will be considerably easier to type accents, for obvious reasons. To type an accented letter all you need to do is press and hold the relevant key. When you do so a menu will appear with the various accented characters to choose from. For example, if you press and hold the E key then you will eventually see this menu pop up. You can choose the version with your pointer, or by pressing the corresponding number. Youll find accents associated with the following keys: e, y, u, i, o, a, s, l, z, c, n. Typing emoji on a Mac You might think that emoji are restricted to iPhones and iPads, but they arent. Its possible to access emoji on your Mac. When you are using a word processor or similar program you can press Control-Command-Space to bring up the Emoji pallet. Read our guide to using Emoji on the Mac here . Typing other characters on a Mac You may recall the Character Viewer a tool which you could expand to find various characters to be added to text documents. It predated Emoji and since Emoji arrived it seems to have been hidden away, but its still there. As above, press Control-Command-Space to bring up the Emoji pallet then click on the icon in the top right of the Emoji box to bring up the Character Viewer. Here youll find more than Emoji: there are also Arrows, other currency symbols, Maths Symbols, and more. This is where you will find currency symbols such as Maths symbols such as xxx There are also some pictographs that predate emoji including all of these How to see the Keyboard overview on your screen #id67a4adb6be92d .jw-wrapper::before { content: \ !important; } To see the keyboard overview for any language follow these steps: If you have a symbol indicating US/UK or another language in the menu at the top of your screen (next to the spotlight icon) click on that. You will see options to Show Emoji & Symbols and Show Keyboard Viewer. Click on Show Keyboard Viewer. You can click on the Option key (the key next to the Command key) on that overlaid keyboard to see what characters will appear when you press that in conjunction with another key. If you press the shift and option keys you will other options available to you. If you dont see the symbol in your menu go to System Setting > Keyboards and make sure Show Input menu in menu bar is selected. A bonus is the fact that when you type with this keyboard viewer on view you will see various suggested autocomplete words that you might want to use. If you find yourself using different characters often you might like to try an app like PopChar X from Ergonis . The app makes it really easy to access the various characters that are available in the different fonts on your Mac. You can purchase it here for $29.99/30.85. Wondering how to copy and paste on a Mac? You may also find our iPhone keyboard typing tips useful.

Apple Events 2025: When is the next Apple Event?

Macworld Apple doesnt participate in big industry-wide events such as CES or E3. The most valuable company in the world holds itsown events, thank you very much. Several times a year, Apple invites the press and industry professionals to Apple Park to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these events, andstreams them live online to millions of watchers. In 2024, Apple held three events: one on Tuesday, May 7, at which it launched new iPads, a keynote to kick off WWDC on June 10, where the features coming in the new operating systems iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia were revealed, and an event on September 9 at which Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16 , Apple Watch Series 10 and the new AirPods 4 . In October 2024 there was no event, but Apple did announce new products (iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro) via press release. In 2023 there were three such events: WWDC in June, an iPhone event in September, and Apples second fall event on October 30 (or after midnight on October 31 if you werent in the U.S.). Similarly, in 2022 Apple held three events: a spring event on March 8, WWDC on June 6, and the iPhone 14 launch on September 7. In other years Apple has held four events though and it may do so in 2025. Read on to find out what events and new Apple product launches the company has in store for 2025. When is Apples next event? Its not confirmed, but there are expectations that Apple will hold a spring event in 2025 . If it does then, based on previous spring events, we expect that the event will be held in late March or early April, although in 2024 the spring event was in May. What time will the next Apple event start? Apple keynotes usually start at 10 am PT. That translates to the following times in the countries where most of our readers live: U.S.: at 10 am (PST/PDT), 11 am (MST/MDT), noon (CST/CDT), 1 pm (EST/EDT) Canada: as above, and 2 pm (AST/ADT) U.K.: at 6 pm (GMT/BST) Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST), 8 pm (EET/EEST) India:at 10.30 pm (IST) Australia: Next day at 1 am (AWST/AWDT), 2.30 am (ACST/ACDT), 3 am (AEST/AEDT) New Zealand: Next day at 5 am (NZST/NZDT) Timings may be slightly different if Apple holds the event during the period of a couple of weeks when the clocks have changed in the U.S. but not elsewhere (thats between March 9 and March 30). Sometimes Apple holds events at different times, for example, in October 2023 the event was held in late afternoon in San Francisco, which meant it was midnight in the U.K. How long does an Apple event last? Apple keynotes usually last between one and two hours and feature CEO Tim Cook along with various other Apple executives. WWDC and the September event tend to be longer keynotes; the spring and late-fall events can be slightly shorter. The September 2024 event was 1 hour 38 minutes. When does Apple usually hold events? Apple holds three or four live or live-streamed events throughout the year. During these events, the company unveils its latest products and plans during a keynote address. They are usually held during similar times of the year: March/April: Spring event (in 2024 this was held in May) June: WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) September: Fall event (aka iPhone and Apple Watch launch event) October/November: Late-fall event(s) This event calendar is by no means set in stone, though, with the spring and October events being less regular. Some years, Apple doesnt hold a spring event at all, as was the case in 2023. The summer and September events are more predictable, with software coming at WWDC in June and iPhones and Apple Watches in September. The October event often sees Apple launch new Macs, but this is another one that changes from year to year. Apple launched the new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro in September 2022. Apple What Apple events will take place in 2025? Here are the events we expect to see in 2025, and what could launch. Spring event 2025 Here are the dates of the past seven Apple spring events, as you can see, its not a regular occurrence, but a Spring event is held slightly more often than not. 2024: Tuesday May 7 2023: No event 2022: Tuesday March 8 2021: Tuesday April 20 2020: No event 2019: Monday March 25 2018: Tuesday March 27 2017: No event 2016: Monday March 21 2015: Monday March 9 2014: No event 2013: No event 2012: Wednesday March 7 As for what could be coming, there are rumors that Apple could launch an 11th gen iPad and a HomePod with a screen , but most exciting are rumors that Apple may update the iPhone SE . It is also probable that an M4 MacBook Air may also arrive in the spring so we could see this launch at a spring event. For more information about Apples spring events read: Apple Spring event: Date, time, product launch rumors. WWDC keynote 2025 WWDC 2024 took place from June 10-14 with the Apples keynote kicking the conference off at 10am on June 10, 2024. Expect similar timings for 2025. Apple uses WWDC each year to unveil details of the latest versions of its operating systems, so in 2025 well get a preview of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, and tvOS 19, and an update to Apples realityOS. Apple sometimes announces new hardware at WWDC, usually the high end models targeted at power users, so we could see new Macs. In fact, we may still be waiting for the following: M4 Mac Studio M4 Ultra Mac Pro M4 Pro 32-inch iMac Pro Following the keynote on the Monday, developer events and sessions will run throughout the week. Dates for WWDC: WWDC 2024: June 10-14 WWDC 2023: June 5-9 WWDC 2022: June 6-10 WWDC 2021: June 7-11 WWDC 2020: June 22-26 WWDC 2019: June 3-7 WWDC 2018: June 4-8 WWDC 2017: June 5-9 We are certain to get a preview of the new software, but what about hardware? Any of the Macs that dont launch in October 2024 are likely to have been announced by June 2024, but if not, this is where we will see them. You can read more about WWDC date, times and everything you need to know in a separate article. September iPhone event 2025 Apple always holds an event in September, and almost always uses this to announce a new iPhone and Apple Watch. (The only exception in recent memory was in 2020, as a result of Covid-related production issues. That year the iPhone was announced in October, but there was still a September event.) In 2025 we expect that Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 , Apple Watch 11, a new Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch SE. We may also see the M5 arrive in the iPad Pro. Here are the past few Apple September event dates: 2024: Monday, September 9 2023: Tuesday, September 12 2022: Tuesday, September 13 2022: Wednesday, September 7 2021: Tuesday, September 14 2020: Tuesday, September 15 2019: Tuesday, September 10 2018: Wednesday, September 12 2017: Tuesday, September 12 For more information about Apples September events read: Apples September iPhone event: Date, time, and what will launch. October event 2025 There was no October event in 2024, with Apple making product announcements via press release. Despite the lack of event in 2024 though, Apple has a president of updating certain Macs in the October time frame, so this may be when we see new Macs running M5 chips. In the past, Apple has held a second fall event on the following dates: 2024: No event 2023: Monday, October 30 2022: No event 2021: Monday, October 18 2020: Tuesday, October 13 and Tuesday, November 10 2019: No event 2018: Tuesday, October 30 2017: No event 2016: Thursday, October 27 2015: No event 2014: Thursday, October 16 2013: Tuesday, October 22 2012: Tuesday, October 23 2011: Tuesday, October 4 Apple may update certain Macs to M5 chips at this event, including the M5 MacBook Pro . For more information about Apples October events read: Apples October Event: Date, time and what will launch.

Apples M3 nightmare is coming to an end

Macworld The new M4 MacBook Air is coming relatively soon and for Apple, it may not be soon enough. Its not that theres anything wrong with the current M3 MacBook Airits Apples best laptop . It offers a great combination of performance, portability, and price for the customer. The issue is with the M3 chip itselfagain, theres nothing wrong with it from a user standpoint. But behind the scenes, the M3 caused problems with Apples Mac lineup, which is why the M3 was the shortest cycle of the M-series chips. Its expensive to produce The M3 was a 3nm chip. 3nm refers to the fabrication process to create the chips; it doesnt define a chips physical size, its a general term used to refer to a chips transistor density, speed, and power efficiency. TSMC, which manufactures Apples chips, referred to the initial 3nm process as N3B, which had its issues. It was costly, and yields (the number of viable chips in a semiconductor production wafer) werelowerthan those ofprevious processes. Thats not ideal for Apple, a company that does everything it can to maintain its profit margins. When it was released , the M3 MacBook Air was priced the same as the M2 MacBook Air, so the company took a hit on its margin. Since then, TSMC has implemented its N3E fabrication process, which improved upon N3B by cutting costs and producing higher yields. N3E, which is referred to as an enhanced 3nm process, is used to make Apples M4 chips , which means the M4 MacBook Air should be cheaper to makewhich Apple will surely appreciate. Skipping a beat The M3s cost and yield issues most certainly came into play when Apple decided how to implement the chip throughout its products. For example, the release of the iPad Pro in May 2024 wasnt a surprise, but its M4 chip was. The previous iPad Pro had an M2, and the M3 chip made its debut in the MacBook Air just a couple of months earlier, so it was easy to conclude the that M3 would succeed the M2 in the iPad Pro. Apple also upgraded the iMac to an M4 after just 12 months, quicker than its usual cadence. The M4 iPad Pro serves as proof that Apple wanted to move off the M3 as soon as possible and move to a chip that has a better production value. The M3 issue was so pressing that the company was willing to disrupt its pattern of introducing new M-series chips in the MacBook Prolikely a one-time hiccup that the company was willing to accept. Making the iPad Pro the first M4 product also allows TSMC to ramp up production of the chip at a moderate pacedemand for iPads isnt as high as for MacBooks. With the release of the first M5 Macs later this year, Apple will be back on track. The M5 is a 3nm chip but will be made using a new N3P process that TSMC started testing last year . The M4 made its debut in the iPad Pro likely because the M3 is too costly. Brady Snyder / Foundry Apples remaining updates Apple still uses the M2 chip in the iPad Air and the Apple Vision Pro. The iPad Air is reportedly going to be updated soon with an M4 chipanother product that skips the M3. The Vision Pro is skipping both the M3 and M4 , going with an M5 upgrade that may not happen until late this year or in 2026. The Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro also all skipped the M3 entirely. The M2 chip is also used in Apples cheapest laptop, the $999 M2 MacBook Air. Bloombergs Mark Gurman brought up this particular laptop in his recent report on Apples 2025 release schedule , and it appears that Apple will still offer this model for another year rather than moving to the similar M3 model. Apple moved the $999 model from the M1 to the M2, but like everything else, the M3 is chip non grata. The M2 is an enhanced 5nm chip, and since that chip is still going to be used in the Vision Pro, Apple the M2 MacBook Air justifies the M2 chips production. This also means that the $999 MacBook Air wont get upgraded until the M4 MacBook Air gets its chip upgrade to the M5 in 2026. At that time, Apple would discontinue the M2 model and move the base M4 MacBook Air to the $999 price point. What about the A17 Pro? The A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max was actually Apples first 3nm chip; it was released a month before the M3. The A-series and M-series chips are basically the same, with the A chips used in the iPhone and low-end iPads, and the M chips in Macs and high-end iPads. Like the M3, the A17 Pro is made using TSMCs N3E process. The current iPad mini has an A17 Pro and the upcoming 11th-gen iPad is rumored to get the same chip. If the A17 Pro is made with the same N3E process, where are the chips for these new products coming from, if Apple is moving away from N3E? The current iPad mini uses a binned A17 Pro. Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Thats where chip binning comes into play. Remember those low yields during the N3E process? Binning is where those rejected chips are taken and made useful by disabling processing cores, slowing down speeds, and other methods. Apple is likely using binned A17 Pros for these products. For example, the iPad minis A17 Pro has a 5-core GPU, which is a binned version of the iPhone 15 Pros A17 Pro that had a 6-core GPU. Binned chips are perfectly good chips, so theres no need to worry about performance. Also, it puts them to use instead of wasting them in the trash or figuring out a way to recycle them. These binned chips will be the last remnants of a chip cycle Apple is eager to move on fromand users benefit with better performance and power efficiency from the newer processes. So expect the iPad mini and 11th-gen iPad to get updates sooner than later as Apple puts the whole M3 nightmare behind it for good.

Complete list of Mac viruses, malware and trojans

Macworld Despite Apples best efforts, Mac malware does exist, we describe some cases below. However, before you panic, Mac malware and viruses are very rarely found in the wild. From time to time you will hear of big profile trojans, malware, and ransomware that is targeting the Windows world, very rarely is this a threat to Macs. For example, the worldwide WannaCry/WannaCrypt ransomware attack that hit back in May 2017 was only targeting Windows machines and therefore no threat to Macs. Luckily Apple has various measures in place to guard against such threats. For example, macOS shouldnt allow the installation of third-party software unless its from the App Store or identified developers. You can check these settings in System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll to the Security section, or, if you are using Monterey or older, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General. You can specify whether only apps from the Mac App Store can be installed, or if you are happy to allow apps from identified developers too. If you were to install something from an unknown developer Apple would warn you to check its authenticity. In addition, Apple has its own built-in anti-malware tool. Apple has all the malware definitions in its XProtect file which sits on your Mac, and every time you download a new application it checks that none of those definitions are present. This is part of Apples Gatekeeper software that blocks apps created by malware developers and verifies that apps havent been tampered with. For more information read: How Apple protects you from malware .We also discuss whether Macs need antivirus software separately. While its safe to say that Macs are safer than Windows machines , Macs are not completely safe from attacks. Even Apples Craig Federighi has admitted there is a problem, saying in May 2021 that: We have a level of malware on the Mac that we dont find acceptable. To stay safe, we recommend you read our best Mac security tips and our round-up of the best Mac antivirus apps, in which we highlight Intego as our top pick . Another thing to note is that Apples own M-series chips that it has been using in Macs since November 2020 are considered more secure than Intel processors . However, malware, dubbed Silver Sparrow , was found on the M1 Mac soon after launch so even Apples own chips are not immune. Curious to know what Mac viruses are out there, perhaps because you were thinking you might spy some suspicious processes or malware names in Activity Monitor on your Mac? In this article, we will endeavor to give you a complete list. PROMOTION Antivirus Deal: Intego Mac Premium Bundle Get Integos Mac Premium Bundle X9 with antivirus, firewall, backup and system performance tools for just $29.99 (down from $84.99) for the first year. Get Deal Can Macs get viruses? Before we run through the malware thats been spotted on Macs we need to address this question. The word virus gets used a lot more than it should be a more accurate word would be malware. A computer virus is so-called because it is capable of replicating itself and spreading. A virus is only one type of malware of which there are many, and unfortunately there have been cases on the Mac. Malware includes the following: Adware : Once this malicious software is installed on a Mac it will show advertisements and pop-ups for software most likely for Potentially Unwanted Programs like those we will discuss next. According to Malwarebytes: macOS built-in security systems have not cracked down on adware and PUPs to the same degree that they have malware, leaving the door open for these borderline programs to infiltrate. Cryptocurrency miners : Criminals have attempted to use Macs to mine bitcoin and the like as in the case of LoudMiner (aka Bird Miner). macOS Stealers : This is a increasingly common kind of malware which Malwarebyteshighlighted in its 2025 State of Malware report and security expert Patrick Wardle has written about in his Mac Malware of 2024 round up. macOS Stealers, or Info Stealers are a kind of malware that is designed to find information such as authentication cookies, credit card numbers, passwords, and more. One example of this is Atomic Stealer, which has been used in several attacks. Phishing : Weve all received phishing emails and we all know the dangers, but as criminals get more sophisticated (and maybe even learn to spell) can we be sure we wont fall for a phishing attempt to gain our data or login details? You may think that you will never fall for a phishing attempt, but could you be as confident about your parents? Potentially Unwanted Programs (or PUPs) : Famous examples include Advanced Mac Cleaner, Mac Adware Remover, and Mac Space Reviver. These apps tend to hound users, which is part of their downfall, as due to the bad reputations of some of these apps the number of Macs affected has fallen, according to Malwarebytes. So it seems that people are at least wising up to these dodgy programs. Ransomware : Ransomware has been detected on Macs but the Mac has never faced any widespread ransomware threats. To date, ransomware on the Mac users hasnt been ready for prime time, as Patrick Waddle puts it, but we should still be concerned. Spyware : Our data is incredibly valuable to criminals and spyware is designed to obtain this information. One example of this would be the Pegasus spyware that was known to have infected some iPhones . This was enough of an issue for Apple to announce that they will warn users of spyware attacks like Pegasus (more on that below). Trojan Horse : A Trojan is a kind of malware that is hidden, or disguised in software. There are various kinds of Trojans. A Trojan could, for example, give hackers access to our computers via a backdoor so that they can access files and steal your data. Essentially the name Trojan describes the method by which the malware gets onto your computer. USB/Thunderbolt hack : There have also been cases where malware has been installed on Macs via a modified USB cable. There have even been security flaws associated with Thunderbolt which are discussed in this article: How to protect your Mac from the Thunderbolt security flaw . Also read: Can Macs be hacked? Its clear from these cases that there is a threat from malware on the Mac, and there are likely to be more cases in the future. Even the M1 Macs were targeted shortly after they were introduced in November 2020: the Silver Sparrow malware targeted both M1 Macs and Macs that use Intel processors. One good thing is that Adobe ended support for Adobe Flash on 31 December 2020. At least this should reduce the number of cases of Mac malware disguised as the Flash Player arriving on the Mac. Mac malware in 2024 Before you get to worried, many of these attacks are not going to relate to you, unless you live in China, North Korea, or have a lot of money tied up in cryptocurrency. But they do emphasise the growing numbers of malware targeting Macs. Patrick Wardle has published information about all the malware mentioned here . Unnamed Downloader When: December 2024. This one was discovered by the Moonlock Lab. Its not signed so it shouldnt run on macOS. HiddenRisk When: November 2024. More North Korean malware, this one is used in cryptocurrency attacks. RustyAttr When: November 2024. macOS downloader using a novel way to hide malicious shell scripts. Linked to North Korea. DPRK Downlader When: November 2024. macOS downloader built using Flutter (the open source software development kit from Google) and discovered by Jamf Threat Labs. VShell Downloader When: October 2024. A fake Cloudflare authenticator from China. InletDrift When: October 2024. This macOS downloader was used in the Radiant Capital hack which lead to the theft of $50 million digital coins and was linked to North Korea. Cthulhu When: August 2024. A macOS stealer that can steal credentials relating to cryptocurrency wallet and games. ToDoSwift When: August 2024. A macOS downloader that is disguised as a PDF. Its a Swift-based malware and is linked to North Korea. BeaverTail When: July 2024. This macOS stealer targets users via a trojanized meeting app and is used by North Korean hackers to steal data and deploy additional payloads. Banshee When: July 2024. Another macOS stealers that targets cryptocurrency wallets was identified in July 2024. The Banshee Mac malware that attackers use to gain access to web browser data, such as login information and browser history. A new version known as Banshee Stealer arrived in January 2025 and this had encryption that allowed it to sneak past Apples XProtect. Read: New Mac malware can bypass Apples XProtect security scanner. Poseidon (aka Rodrigo) When: May 2024. Another macOS stealers that targets cryptocurrency wallets. Discovered by researchers at MacPaws Moonlock Lab. CloudChat When: April 2024. This is a macOS stealers that targets cryptocurrency wallets and keys. Known to monitor the clipboard. SnowLight When: April 2024. Another macOS downloader linked to China. LightSpy When April 2024: This exploit thought to come from China targets macOS, but also iOS, Android and Windows. It can exfiltrate browsing history, SMS messages and more and is used for espionage. (April 2024) HZ Rat Another backdoor targeting users in China. This one gives attackers complete control over the infected macOS device.It originated as a Windows malware. EvasivePanda When: March 2024. Discovered by ESET this macOS downloader targeted Tibetans and was linked to China. Activator When: February 2024. This is a downloader that installs a backdoor and crypto-stealer. Discovered by Kaspersky. RustDoor (aka ThiefBucket) When: February 2024. macOS backdoor with possible ties to a Windows ransomware group. Identified by Bitdefender. PyStealer When: February 2024. A macOS stealers that targets cryptocurrency wallets. Discovered by MacPaws Moonlock Lab. NotLockBit Ramsonware that encrypts victims files while also implementing some basic stealer functionality. Discovered by TrendMicro. SpectralBlur When: January 2024. North Korean backdoor that could perform basic functions such as download, upload and execute capabilities. Zuru When: January 2024. Jamf discovered this backdoor malware disguised as popular macOS apps in January 2024. It was thought that it may be a new version of malware from 2021. Distributed through pirated software hosted in China. More here: Jamf discovers new malware disguised as popular macOS apps. Mac malware in 2023 Downfall vulnerability When: August 2023. What: While not malware, this is a serious vulnerability affecting Intel processors, so if you have an Intel-based Mac from 2015 or later (or the iMac released in late 2015), your CPU is almost certainly affected by Downfall, a vulnerability that can exploit a flaw in the AVX vector extensions of every Intel CPU. It is likely that Apple will push out a macOS update to update the processor microcode. M-series Macs are unaffected. Read more here: Are Macs affected by that scary Intel Downfall vulnerability? Exploit HVNC When: August 2023: What: New malware that can be used by hackers to remotely gain control of an insecure Mac. The malware uses HVNC (Hidden Virtual Network Computing) to gain access to and remotely control a Mac, without the target user being aware. Reported by Security firm Guards. More here: New malware can give a hacker control of your Mac . ShadowVault When: July 2023. What: ShadowVault can grab usernames and password, credit card info, data from cypto wallets, and more. Reported by Security firm Guards. More here: New ShadowVault macOS malware steals passwords, crypto, credit card data JokerSpy When: June 2023. An attacker can gain control of the system and, via a backdoor, can run further exploits, monitor users behavior, steal login credentials or cryptocurrency wallets, according to Intego . Atomic macOS Stealer (AMOS) When: April 2023. What: targets macOS and steals important, private information, such as keychain and macOS user account passwords, system information, and files on the Desktop and Documents folder. AMOS is spread through unsigned disk image files (.dmg). Reported by Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL). More here: New AMOS Mac malware targets passwords, personal files, crypto wallets . RustBucket When: April 2023. What: An AppleScript file that masquerades as a PDF Viewer application, activated if you view a particular PDF file with the app. Can only be activated if Gatekeeper is overridden. Reported by Jamf Threat Labs. MacStealer When: March 2023. What: The MacStealer malware can get passwords, cookies, and credit card data from Firefox, Google Chrome, and Brave browsers, including being able to extract the KeyChain database. Who: Macs running macOS Catalina or later, with either Intel or Apple M-series chips. For more information read: Scary MacStealer malware goes after iCloud passwords and credit card data . XMRig When: February 2023. What: Crypto-mining software attached to pirated copies of Final Cut Pro that are downloaded from unauthorized distribution points on the internet. XMRig is actually a legitimate, open-source utility, but in this illegitimate use it is running in the background mining, which affects the performance of the Mac. Mined cryptocurrency is sent to the attackers wallet. The malware can avoid detection by Activity Monitor app by stopping running when Activity Monitor launches and relaunching when the user quits Activity Monitor. Apple says it has updated macOSs Xprotect to catch this malware. Who: People who download pirated versions of Final Cut Pro using a torrent client. More here: Pirated copies of Final Cut Pro may infect your Mac . Mac malware in 2022 Alchimist When: October 2022. What: Provides a backdoor onto the target system. Targeting a vulnerability in a 3rd party Unix tool. Who: Very specific target as pkexec is rarely found on Macs. Lazarus When: August 2022. What: Malware disguised as job postings. Who: Targeting Coinbase users and Crypto.com. VPN Trojan When: July 2022. What: VPN app with two malicious binaries: softwareupdated and covid. CloudMensis/BadRAT When: July 2022. What: Spyware downloader that uses public cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Yandex Disk and pCloud. Exploited CVE-2020-9934 which was closed macOS Catalina 10.5.6 in August 2020. CrateDepression When: May 2022. What: Supply chain attack with screencapture, keylogging, remote file retrieval. Who: Targeted the Rust development community. Pymafka When: May 2022. What: Hoping that users might mistype and download the malware instead of legitimate pykafka. Who: Targeting PyPI registry. oRAT When: April 2022. What: Distributed via a Disk Image masquerading as a collection of Bitget Apps. Who: Targeting gambling websites. Gimmick When: March 2022. What: Distributed as a CorelDraw file that was hosted on a Google Drive. Who: Targeting protest groups in Asia. DazzleSpy When: January 2022. What: Included code for searching and writing files, dumping the keychain, running a remote desktop and more. Read more here: Patched Mac malware sheds light on scary backdoor for hackers . Who: Targeting supporters of democracy in Hong Kong. ChromeLoader When: January 2022. What: Chrome browser extension that could steal information, hijack the search engine queries, and serve adware. Mac malware in 2021 macOS.Macma When: November 2021. What: Keylogger, screen capturer, screen capturer and backdoor. Who: Targetting supporters of pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong. OSX.Zuru When: September 2021. What: Trojan that spread disguised as iTerm2 app. Microsofts Remote Desktop for Mac was also trojanized with the same malware. Who: Spread via sponsored web links and links in the Baidu search engine. XCSSET Updated When: May 2021 (originally from August 2020). What: Used a zero-day vulnerability in Safari. See: macOS 11.4 patches flaws exploited by XCSSET malware . Who: Aimed at Chinese gambling sites. XLoader When: July 2021. What: The XLoader malware was one of the most prevalent pieces of Windows malware to have been confirmed to run on macOS. XLoader is a variant of Formbook, a program used to steal login credentials, record keystrokes, and download and execute files. WildPressure When: July 2021. What: New multi-platform version of Milum Trojan embedded in a Python file. Who: Targeting Middle East activists. XcodeSpy When: March 2021. What: A Trojan hidden in Xcode projects in GitHub had the potential to spread among the Macs of iOS developers. Once installed a malicious script runs that installs an EggShell backdoor. Once open the Macs microphone, camera and keyboard can be hyjacked and files can be send to the attacker. The malware was found in a ripped version of TabBarInteraction. Read more here: New Mac malware targets iOS developers . Who: Attack on iOS developers using Apples Xcode. Silver Toucan/WizardUpdate/UpdateAgent When: February 2021. What: Adload dropper that was notarized by Apple and used a Gatekeeper bypass. Pirri/GoSearch22 When: February 2021. What: Based on Pirri and known as GoSearch22 infected Macs would see unwanted adverts. More information here: M1 Macs face first recorded malware. Silver Sparrow When: January 2021. What: Malware targeting Macs equipped with the M1 processor. Used the macOS Installer Javascript API to execute commands. According to Malwarebytes, by February 2021 Silver Sparrow had already infected 29,139 macOS systems in 153 countries, most of the infected Macs being in the US, UK, Canada, France and Germany. More details here: What you need to know about Silver Sparrow Mac malware . Foundry OSAMiner When: January 2021 (but first detected in 2015). What: Cryptocurrency miner distributed via pirated copies of popular apps including League of Legends and Microsoft Office. ElectroRAT When: January 2021. What: Remote Access Trojan targeting multiple platforms including macOS. Who: Targeting cryptocurrency users. Mac malware in 2020 GravityRAT When: October 2020. What: GravityRAT was an infamous Trojan on Windows, which, among other things, had been used in attacks on the military. It arrived on Macs in 2020. The GravityRAT Trojan can upload Office files, take automatic screenshots and record keyboard logs. GravityRAT uses stolen developer certificates to bypass Gatekeeper and trick users into installing legitimate software. The Trojan is hidden in copies of various legitimate programs developed with .net, Python and Electron. We have more information about GravityRAT on the Mac here . XCSSET When: August 2020. What: Mac malware spread through Xcode projects posted on Github. The malware a family of worms known as XCSSET exploited vulnerabilities in Webkit and Data Vault.Would seek to access information via the Safari browser, including login details for Apple, Google, Paypal and Yandex services. Other types of information collected includes notes and messages sent via Skype, Telegram, QQ and Wechat. More information here . ThiefQuest (aka EvilQuest) When: June 2020. What: ThiefQuest, which we discuss here: Mac ransomware ThiefQuest/EvilQuest could encrypt your Mac , was Ransomware spreading on the Mac via pirated software found on a Russian torrent forum. It was initially thought to be Mac ransomware the first such case since 2017 except that it didnt act like ransomware: it encrypted files but there was no way to prove you had paid a ransom and no way to subsequently unencrypted files. It turned out that rather than the purpose of ThiefQuest being to extort a ransom, it was actually trying to obtain the data. Known as Wiper malware this was the first of its kind on the Mac. Mac malware in 2019 NetWire and Mokes When: July 2019. What: These were described by Intego as backdoor malware with capabilites such as keystoke logging and screenshot taking. They were a pair of Firefox zero-days that targeted those using cryptocurrancies. They also bypassed Gatekeeper. backdoor malware LoudMiner (aka Bird Miner) When: June 2019. What: This was a cryptocurrency miner that was distributed via a cracked installer for Ableton Live. The cryptocurrency mining software would attempt to use your Macs processing power to make money. OSX/NewTab When: June 2019. What: This malware attempted to add tabs to Safari. It was also digitally signed with a registered Apple Developer ID. OSX/Linker When: May 2019. What: It exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Gatekeeper to install malware. The MacOS X GateKeeper Bypass vulnerability had been reported to Apple that February, and was disclosed by the person who discovered it on 24 May 2019 because Apple had failed to fix the vulnerability within 90 days. Who: OSX/Linker tried to exploit this vulnerability, but it was never really in the wild. CookieMiner When: January 2019. What: The CookieMiner malware could steal a users password and login information for their cyberwallets from Chrome, obtain browser authentication cookies associated with cryptocurrency exchanges, and even access iTunes backups containing text messages in order to piece together the information required to bypass two-factor authentication and gain access to the victims cryptocurrency wallet and steal their cryptocurrency. Unit 42, the security researchers who identified it, suggest that Mac users should clear their browser caches after logging in to financial accounts. Since its connected to Chrome we also recommend that Mac users choose a different browser. Find out more about CookieMiner Mac malware here . Mac malware in 2018 SearchAwesome When: 2018. What: OSX.SearchAwesome was a kind of adware that targets macOS systems and could intercept encrypted web traffic to inject ads. Mac Auto Fixer When: August 2018. What: Mac Auto Fixer was a PiP (Potentially Unwanted Program), which piggybacks on to your system via bundles of other software. Find out more about it, and how to get rid of it, in What is Mac Auto Fixer? OSX/CrescentCore When: June 2018. What: This Mac malware was found on several websites, including a comic-book-download site in June 2019. It even showed up in Google search results. CrescentCore was disguised as a DMG file of the Adobe Flash Player installer. Before running it would check to see if it inside a virtual machine and would looks for antivirus tools. If the machine was unprotected it would install either a file called LaunchAgent, an app called Advanced Mac Cleaner, or a Safari extension. CrescentCore was able to bypass Apples Gatekeeper because it had a signed developer certificate assigned by Apple. That signature was eventually revoked by Apple. But it shows that although Gatekeeper should stop malware getting through, it can be done. Again, we note that Adobe ended support for Adobe Flash on 31 December 2020, so this should mean fewer cases of malware being disguised as the Flash Player. Mshelper When: May 2018. What: Cryptominer app. Infected users noticed their fans spinning particularly fast and their Macs running hotter than usual, an indication that a background process was hogging resources. OSX/Shlayer When: February 2018. What: Mac adware that infected Macs via a fake Adobe Flash Player installer. Intego identifed it as a new variant of the OSX/Shlayer Malware, while it may also be refered to as Crossrider. In the course of installation, a fake Flash Player installer dumps a copy of Advanced Mac Cleaner which tells you in Siris voice that it has found problems with your system. Even after removing Advanced Mac Cleaner and removing the various components of Crossrider, Safaris homepage setting is still locked to a Crossrider-related domain, and cannot be changed. Since 31 December 2020 Flash Player has been discontinued by Adobe and it no longer supported, so you can be sure that if you see anything telling you to install Flash Player please ignore it. You can read more about this incident here . MaMi When: January 2018. What: MaMi malware routes all the traffic through malicious servers and intercepts sensitive information. The program installs a new root certificate to intercept encrypted communications. It can also take screenshots, generate mouse events, execute commands, and download and upload files. Meltdown & Spectre Foundry When: January 2018. What: Apple confirmed it was one of a number of tech companies affected, highlighting that: These issues apply to all modern processors and affect nearly all computing devices and operating systems. The Meltdown and Spectre bugs could allow hackers to steal data. Meltdown would involve a rogue data cache load and can enable a user process to read kernel memory, according to Apples brief on the subject. Spectre could be either a bounds check bypass, or branch target injection according to Apple. It could potentially make items in kernel memory available to user processes. They can be potentially exploited in JavaScript running in a web browser, according to Apple. Apple issued patches to mitigate the Meltdown flaw, despite saying that there is no evidence that either vulnerability had been exploited. More here: Meltdown and Spectre CPU flaws: How to protect your Mac and iOS devices. Mac malware in 2017 Dok When: April 2017. What: macOS Trojan horse appeared to be able to bypass Apples protections and could hijack all traffic entering and leaving a Mac without a users knowledge even traffic on SSL-TLS encrypted connections. OSX/Dok was even signed with a valid developer certificate (authenticated by Apple) according to CheckPoints blog post. It is likely that the hackers accessed a legitimate developers account and used that certificate. Because the malware had a certificate, macOSs Gatekeeper would have recognized the app as legitimate, and therefore not prevented its execution. Apple revoked that developer certificate and updated XProtect. OSX/Dok was targeting OS X users via an email phishing campaign. The best way to avoid falling foul to such an attempts is not to respond to emails that require you to enter a password or install anything. More here . X-agent When: February 2017. What: X-agent malware was capable of stealing passwords, taking screenshots and grabbing iPhone backups stored on your Mac. Who: The malware apparently targeted members of the Ukrainian military and was thought to be the work of the APT28 cybercrime group, according to Bitdefender. MacDownloader When: February 2017. What: MacDownloader software found in a fake update to Adobe Flash. When the installer was run users would get an alert claiming that adware was detected. When asked to click to remove the adware the MacDownloader malware would attempt to transmit data including the users Keychain (usernames, passwords, PINs, credit card numbers) to a remote server. Who: The MacDownloader malware is thought to have been created by Iranian hackers and was specifically targetted at the US defence industry. It was located on a fake site designed to target the US defence industry. Word macro virus When: February 2017. What: PC users have had to contend with macro viruses for a long time. Applications, such as Microsoft Office, Excel, and Powerpoint allow macro programs to be embedded in documents. When these documents are opened the macros are run automatically which can cause problems. Mac versions of these programs havent had an issue with malware concealed in macros because since when Apple releasedOffice for Mac 2008 it removed macro support. However, the 2011 version of Office reintroduced macros, and in February 2017 there was malware discovered in a Word macro within a Word doc about Trump. If the file is opened with macros enabled (which doesnt happen by default), it will attempt to run python code that could have theoretically perform functions such as keyloggers and taking screenshots. It could even access a webcam. The chance of you being infected in this way is very small, unless you have received and opened the file referred to (which would surprise us), but the point is that Mac users have been targeted in this way. Fruitfly When: January 2017. What: Fruitfly malware could capture screenshots and webcam images, as well as looking for information about the devices connected to the same network and then connects to them. Malwarebytes claimed the malware could have been circulating since OS X Yosemite was released in 2014. Mac malware in 2016 Pirrit When: April 2016. What: OSX/Pirrit was apparently hidden in cracked versions of Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop found online. It would gain root privileges and create a new account in order to install more software, according to Cybereason researcher Amit Serper in this report . Safari-get When: November 2016. What: Mac-targeted denial-of-service attacks originating from a fake tech support website. There were two versions of the attack depending on your version of macOS. Either Mail was hijacked and forced to create vast numbers of draft emails, or iTunes was forced to open multiple times. Either way, the end goal is to overload system memory and force a shutdown or system freeze. KeRanger When: March 2016. What: KeRanger was ransomware (now extinct). For a long time ransomware was a problem that Mac owners didnt have to worry about, but the first ever piece of Mac ransomware, KeRanger, was distributed along with a version of a piece of legitimate software: the Transmission torrent client. Transmission was updated to remove the malware, and Apple revoked the GateKeeper signature and updated its XProtect system, butnot before a number of unlucky users got stung. We discuss how to remove Ransomware here . Older Mac malware SSL, Gotofail error When: February 2014. What: The problem stemmed from Apples implementation of a basic encryption feature that shields data from snooping. Apples validation of SSL encryption had a coding error that bypassed a key validation step in the web protocol for secure communications. There was an extra Goto command that hadnt been closed properly in the code that validated SSL certificates, and as a result, communications sent over unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots could be intercepted and read while unencrypted. Apple quickly issued an update to iOS 7, but took longer to issued an update for Mac OS X, despite Apple confirming that the same SSL/TSL security flaw was also present in OS X. Who: In order for this type of attack to be possible, the attacker would have to be on the same public network. Read more about the iPad and iPhone security flaw here . OSX/Tsnunami.A When: October 2011. What: OSX/Tsnunami.A was a new variant of Linux/Tsunami, a malicious piece of software that commandeers your computer and uses its network connection to attack other websites. More information here . OSX.Revir.A When: September 2011. What: Posing as a Chinese-language PDF, the nasty piece of software installs backdoor access to the computer when a user opens the document. More here . Flashback trojan When: September 2011. What: Flashback is thought to have been created by the same people behind the MacDefender attack and could use an unpatched Java vulnerability to install itself. Read more here: What you need to know about the Flashback trojan . Who: Apparently more than 500,000 Macs were infected by April 2012. MacDefender When: May 2011. What: Trojan Horse phishing scam that purported to be a virus-scanning application. Was spread via search engine optimization (SEO) poisoning. BlackHole RAT When: February 2011. What: More of a proof-of-concept, but a criminal could find a way to get a Mac user to install it and gain remote control of the hacked machine. BlackHole was a variant of a Windows Trojan called darkComet. More information here: Hacker writes easy-to-use Mac Trojan . For more information about how Apple protects your Mac from security vulnerabilities and malware read: Do Macs need antivirus software and How to protect your Mac against attack and disaster to avoid getting infected.

Do Macs need antivirus software?

Macworld Do Macs get viruses? Do Macs need antivirus software? The answers to these questions arent as simple as they might seem. In this article, we look at the dangers faced by Mac users, and the pros and cons of using Mac antivirus software. Historically, the Mac has been considered safe and secure for a number of reasons that we will go into below, but in recent years the consensus has fluctuated. The number of Mac viruses is growing each year. In 2021, according to security expert Patrick Wardle , eight new Mac malware families were identified. Then, in 2022, 13 new Mac malware families were discovered. That number grew again in 2023, when a total of 21 new Mac-targetting malware families were discovered. And in 2024 22 new Mac malware families were seen. That might not doesnt sound a lot, compared to the world of Windows, but the number is growing and that is a good reason not to ignore it. Indeed, with the advent of AI the threat of malware is only going t get worse. In its 2025 State of Malware report , Malwarebytes highlights that the next iteration of AI (agentic AI) will be able to act autonomously to solve complex, multi-tiered problems, removing the need for human labor and scaling up the number and speed of attacks. On the other hand, Agentic AI may be a line of defence against malware attacks as these autonomous agents can proactively check for vulnerabilities, monitor systems, and ensure that security patches are in place. More here: Hackers are using AI to attack your Mac and its only going to get worse. We list the various Mac malware instances in our log of all the Mac viruses . According to Malwarebytes 2025 State of Malware report, in recent times there has been an increase in macOS Stealers, malware that is designed to find information such as authentication cookies, credit card numbers, passwords, and more. The Atomic Stealer malware (which emerged in 2023) continues to be updated by its creators and has been used in attacks. Even Apple software boss Craig Federighi acknowledged (back in May 2021) that Mac malware is a problem, although its worth bearing in mind that at the time he was trying to make the case for iOSs very different approach to security. He said: We have a level of malware on the Mac that we dont find acceptable, Federighi revealed that 130 different cases had been documented since May 2020, and that one of these had affected more than 300,000 Macs. He even admitted that members of his family had got malware on their Macs. When the judge asked about the fact that Mac users can purchase and download software from various places on the Mac, rather than being limited to the Mac App Store, Federighi said: Yeah, its certainly how weve done it on the Mac and its regularly exploited on the Mac. iOS has established a dramatically higher bar for customer protection. The Mac is not meeting that bar today. Federighi noted that Mac users dont download as much software as iOS users, and argued that if iOS was as open to third-party downloads there would be a real problem for that platform. If you took Mac security techniques and applied them to the iOS ecosystem, with all those devices, all that value, he said, it would get run over to a degree dramatically worse than is already happening on the Mac. Do I need antivirus for Mac? So should Mac users start panicking? No. Mac malware does pose a risk that users should be aware of, but it doesnt follow that Mac users must arm themselves with antivirus software. Such products have their advantages and you may choose to install one for more peace of mind, but we dont view them as essential for the Mac. For one thing, there are measures put in place by Apple at the operating system level that should protect Mac users from the worst malware threats. Macs come with antivirus and other built-in security features make attacking a Mac particularly challenging. They include Gatekeeper, which blocks software that hasnt been digitally approved by Apple from running on your Mac without your agreement, and XProtect, which is Apples own antivirus built into macOS and inspects every app for malware. Apple goes to great lengths to protect you from malware by making it almost impossible to install it. Before you can install an app, your Mac will check it against a list of malware, and even if there is no reason for concern it will not make it easy for you to open an application from a developer that hasnt been approved by Apple. Additionally, Apple does a pretty good job of keeping on top of vulnerabilities and exploits; if your Mac needs to be protected from these, a patch will quickly be pushed out over auto-update. These features and other protections built into macOS (which we will discuss in more detail below) mean its not an essential requirement to install antivirus software on your Mac. However, as good as these protections are, there have been occasions when malware has managed to infiltrate the Mac platform, and times when Apple hasnt responded to a threat as quickly as Mac users might hope. If you want the very best protection from threats, therefore, consider adding a dedicated Mac security suite such as our top pick Intego Mac Internet Security . Youll find Intego in our roundup of the best antivirus for Mac , among other free and paid-for antivirus apps that might give you some peace of mind, including McAfee and Norton . Get Intego Mac Security X9 here Read on to find out more about how Apples security measures workand why they may not be enough to keep your Mac secure. How Apple protects Macs from viruses Macs are generally safer than PCs, but with threats to the Mac growing due to the platforms increasing popularity, Apple has had to build in protections for macOS and the Mac hardware itself. In this section, we will look at the built-in protections in macOS to establish whether they are enough, or if you should also install antivirus software on your Mac. Gatekeeper and XProtect are two elements of Apples macOS security. How XProtect works Apple has its own antivirus software built in. The Macs malware scanning tool, XProtect, works invisibly and automatically in the background and requires no user configuration. Apple has a list of malicious applications that it checks against when you open downloaded applications. XProtect isregularly updated by Apple, and it updates in the background, so you should always be protected. The presence of XProtect is similar to having antivirus software from a third-party software developer running on your Mac, with the bonus of being written into the operating system and therefore not hampering performance. With XProtect running, if you download and try to open files contaminated with malware, you may see an explicit warning that the files will damage your computer, along with a reference to the type of malware. In that case, you should delete the file immediately. This is great news for Mac users, but is it enough? How does XProtect compare to the antivirus solutions out there? Well, XProtect may not be as up-to-date as some third-party products and it tends to focus on known malware threats and doesnt look for as many strains of malware. But updates to XProtect do happen regularly to include cover to macOS malware, for example on October 12, 2023 Apple updated XProtect adding cover for Atomic Stealer and Adload malware. There was another update to XProtect Remediator in October 2024. This is why it is important to keep your Mac software up-to-date. macOS checks for new updates every day and starts applying them in the background, it will send you a notification to confirm that the update is ready to install so make sure you do Read our roundup of the Best Mac antivirus apps for an in-depth evaluation of the options out there. How Gatekeeper works Gatekeeper on your Mac ensures that all apps from the internet have already been checked by Apple for known malicious code.Thanks to Gatekeeper, macOS blocks downloaded software that hasnt been digitally signed, a process whereby Apple approves the developer and issues a certificate. This certificate tells Apple who the developer is and if its blacklisted, and if the software has been tampered with since leaving the developer for distribution.If you try to install unsigned software you will see the message: [This app] cant be opened because it is from an unidentified developer. One change to Gatekeeper that arrived in macOS Catalina a few years back was that software is checked for malware and other issues every time it runs, rather than just the first time you install it. For maximum protection, GateKeeper can be set to only allow software to be installed if it was downloaded from the Mac App Store. Or you can set it to allow you to install software from the web, but from verified developers only. You can adjust these settings via the Privacy & Security section of System Settings (previously System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General): Open System Settings. Select Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the Security section. Choose from the options underneath Allow Applications Downloaded From. Choose App Store or App Store and Identified Developers. The safest option is App Store only, but if you also want to be able to install legitimate software from the web then App Store and Identified Developers is the best plan. There used to be a further option to disable the feature by choosing Anywhere, but this option is no longer available. All software downloaded via the App Store is signed, but should you attempt to open an app youve downloaded from the web that isnt signed, youll see a Gatekeeper warning like the one below: This may mean youve almost installed malware. On the other hand, of course, it may be a legitimate app. In which case (and if youre sure) you can bypass Gatekeepers protection and install it. To do so, go to the Finder and locate the app there. Now hold down Ctrl when you click on the app, and then select Open. This will mark it as being trusted. For more details, read how to open an app from an unidentified developer . Being able to download unsigned software might sound like a benefit, but it essentially enables you to bypass the protections offered by Gatekeeper. Thats a mixed blessing, and more and more malicious apps are instructing users to do exactly this when they are installed. Lockdown Mode Lockdown Mode is a feature that arrived in macOS Sonoma in 2023 that makes it easy to protect your Apple devices and your data if you are the victim of a cyberattack. Just activate Lockdown Mode and all your Apple devices will be protected and the hacker will find it a lot harder to steal your data. Youll find Lockdown Mode in the Security section of System Settings > Privacy & Security. Read: How to turn on Lockdown Mode and protect your iPhone or Mac from a cyber attack. Foundry Sandboxing and related protections Software that is approved by Apple is also sandboxed. App sandboxing isolates apps from the critical system components of your Mac, your data and your other apps, so they shouldnt be able to modify other apps without permission. It doesnt protect you from malware getting into the system, but it does limit the extent of what the malware can do once its in there. The main problem here is that while apps sold on the Mac App Store have to be sandboxed, other Mac apps dont. Another issue with Sandboxing was highlighted in August 2023 when software developer Jeff Johnson released details about a flaw in App Management that involves the Sandbox . App Management is a security feature introduced in macOS Ventura that is intended to prevent malicious software modifications by keeping an eye out for attempts by software to modify other apps on the Mac. Should this happen, App Management will block the modification and alert the user. The concern was that users could grant permission for such a change without being warned that it is a sandboxed app, thereby bypassing a check by App Management. Since macOS 10.15 Catalina arrived in 2019 it has been a requirement for all Mac apps to get your permission before they can access your files. macOS will also ask for your permission before an app can access the camera or microphone, or log what you type. A potential issue here is that users see these alerts so frequently it becomes second nature to approve them without consideration. Another change that arrived with macOS Catalina is that macOS itself is now stored on a separate disk volume. This means that your important system files are all completely separate and therefore more challenging to access. Apps cant get to your system files where they could cause problems. Background Task Manager With macOS Ventura in October 2022, Apple added Background Task Manager, a tool used by macOS to monitor for persistent software and notify the user of any suspicious activity. In August 2023, Mac security researcher Patrick Wardle criticized the tool suggesting that it can easily be bypassed so that malicious software can run without the user knowing it. Wardle discovered ways to disable the notifications that Background Task Manager sends to the user when a persistence event is recognized. One method requires root access, which means that the threat agent needs full control of the Mac to disable the alert, but Wardle found two other methods that can be deployed remotely. So an attacker could disable the notifications and allow the malware to run unnoticed. Wardle wrote: [Background Task Manager is] a good thing for Apple to have added, but the implementation was done so poorly that any malware thats somewhat sophisticated can trivially bypass the monitoring. Security updates Apple regularly issues security updates for the Mac. While these can serve to demonstrate that the Mac isnt infallible, with Apple all too frequently having security flaws pointed out to it, they are generally issued promptly. These security updates have generally been issued as part of a larger macOS update: for example, macOS Monterey 12.2.1 closed a security vulnerability in WebKit that would have made it possible to execute malicious code. Because these security fixes were issued as part of a macOS update, which often requires the computer to reboot during the installation process, Mac users may be less likely to install the update promptly, even though these updates can be set to install automatically. Since the launch of Ventura, however, Apple has started separating out the security updates from wider macOS updates and rolling them out automatically. This way the update can happen in the background, without a restart. Generally, Apple can respond quickly as it makes the software and the hardware. But the problem is more prevalent when Apple has less control over the issue, as with Intels Downfall processor vulnerability that affected Macs with Intel chips built between 2016 to 2020. Intel patched the issue, but released that its Downfall patch could slow some CPUs. If you have a Mac that uses Apple Silicon (an M1 or M2-based processor), you have nothing to worry about. Its a good reason to consider upgrading if you have an Intel-powered Mac. This is why it is important to instal updates from Apple but not just Apple. Its important to install updates for all your apps regularly. Developers fix security issues via updates. The Mac App Store usually does a good job of keeping apps updated automatically, but we recommend checking at least once a month for any updates that might not have been installed. When it comes to apps youve downloaded from outside the App Store, you need to check for updates in the apps menu bar option. Password protection and Passkeys Apples iCloud Keychain is a password manager that was introduced in 2011 with Mac OS X Mavericks (and iOS 7). It was an evolution of Apples Keychain software for managing passwords and login information that arrived with MacOS 8.6 in 1999, but brought this capability to all Apple devices, allowing for passwords to be synced and used across devices. So password management is nothing new on the Mac. However, Apple is moving it up a notch in macOS Sequoia. The main change that arrived with Sequoia is how easy it will be to find your passwords. Currently users have to look in Settings: go to System Settings (System Preferences) > Passwords. There it is possible to unlock with the main password to see every other password ever used. (View this same information on an iPhone in Settings > Passwords.) With the arrival of Sequoia (and iOS 18) users will see a dedicated app for password management, rather than it being hidden in Settings (which will probably help some people discover it). The benefit of iCloud Keychain and the Password app is that it is only necessary to remember one password to unlock all the passwords you need. No need to memorize a lot of different passwords or more likely use one easy-to-remember (and crack) password for everything. Apple will also help you create a strong password and will warn you if your password is easy to hack, if you have reused a password, and if it has appeared in a leak. If it ever detects a security concern, Password Monitoring will alert you. Over the years Apples password protections have improved. For example, in Monterey a new authenticator was added, so you can set up verification codes instead of using an authentication app. To add a setup key you need to click on a password and then choose Enter Setup Key, which you should be able to obtain from the provider. Once input the 2FA verification codes should automatically fill. In macOS Ventura Apple introduced Passkeys. Apple explains: Passkeys use iCloud Keychain public key credentials, eliminating the need for passwords. Instead, they rely on biometric identification such as Touch ID and Face ID in iOS, or a specific confirmation in macOS for generating and authenticating accounts. Passkeys are more secure, according to Apple. Essentially your device will hold one part of a cryptographic key pair and the other part will be stored by the website or service youre logging into. Your device will authenticate you biometrically (with Touch ID or Face ID) and log you in. For more information, read How to use Passkeys . In macOS Sonoma, Apple simplified the use of 2FA. Safari automatically fills in the code you are sent (as a text or email) and automatically deletes the email or text afterwards. Another new feature added in Sonoma is a simplification of the process for sharing passwords with friends and family. Users can create a group and share a set of passwords to that group. Its end-to-end encrypted. Recording alerts In macOS Monterey Apple added a Recording indicator in the menu bar so youll know if an app is recording you. A bit like the light that indicates the mic is in use on your iPhone. Pasteboard alerts Similarly, as of macOS Ventura, any app that wants access to your pasteboard has to request permission. Safari protections Anti-phishing technology in Safari will detect fraudulent websites. It will disable the page and display an alert if you visit a suspect website. Anti-phishing isnt the only way that Safari protects you when youre surfing. Apple also allows users to prevent advertisers tracking them around the web. You can see a Privacy Report including details of all the cross-site trackers Apple has stopped from profiling you. Youll also notice that plug-ins such as Silverlight, QuickTime, and Oracle Java wont run if they arent updated to the latest version, another way of ensuring your Mac is safe. And of course now that Adobe has discontinued Flash people should hopefully no longer fall for malware hidden in Flash Player. Safari will also flag up weak passwords and make strong password suggestions when you open an account on a website. This strong password will be saved in your iCloud Keychain so you wont have to remember it. Its a lot safer than using the same password you always use. For more on this subject, read about How Apple plans to retire passwords . In the past, one issue with Apples suggested passwords has been that sometimes they dont match the websites requirements. For example, a website may require one upper-case letter, one special character, one number and so on. As of the launch of Ventura, macOS allows users to edit suggested passwords so they meet these requirements. New in Safari 15 were improvements to the Intelligent Tracing Prevention that arrived in Safari 14. Now web trackers wont be able to see your IP address so they wont be able to create a profile about you. Check this by choosing Safari from the Safari menu > Preferences > Privacy > Hide IP address from trackers. The Safari Private Browsing feature improved with macOS Sonoma. You can set a new Private Browsing Lock to appear on the screen to stop onlookers from viewing your screen when you arent present. Private Browsing also stops web-based trackers from recording data about you via tracking codes by removing those codes. Tracking information is even removed if you links via Messages or Mail. Photo privacy A few years ago there was a lot of bad publicity for Apple when celebrities reported that their iCloud photos had been stolen. (For more on this, read How to stop photo hacks on iPhone .) There have been a number of security enhancements in iCloud since this happened, and Apple has given users other ways to protect their photo privacy: for example, the ability to hide photos and albums. In Ventura, Apple expanded this so that hidden albums, and the Recently Deleted album, are locked by default, and only authenticated by Touch ID or Face ID. Mail protections macOS Monterey brought a new feature in Mail on the Mac. Mail Privacy Protection improves privacy for users. For example, it stops email senders from being able to track whether youve opened an email, or even determine your location from your IP address. Check that the feature is working for you by opening Mail > Click on Mail in the menu > choose Preferences > Privacy > and make sure Protect Mail Activity is selected. It should be by default. There are additional Mail protections if youre an iCloud subscriber. Hide My Email allows you to create an alternative email address that you can give out. The email will still be delivered to your inbox, but you can easily delete the alternative email later. You can turn this on in System Preferences > click on Apple ID > and select Private Relay (currently in Beta). In Ventura Hide My Email was extended to third-party apps. iCloud+ protections If youre an iCloud subscriber , youll be interested in a feature that arrived in Monterey (part of the upgrade from iCloud to iCloud+) called Private Relay. Its a bit like a VPN in that it encrypts your network traffic and routes your DNS lookup requests through two servers, one of which is not controlled by Apple. However, its not a VPN, because it only works in Safari and obviously it lacks the other usual features of a VPN. (If you want a VPN, by the way, check out our roundup of the best VPNs for Mac . You may even be able to save some money if you take a look at our roundup of VPN deals , or try one of these free VPNs .) You can manage your Private Relay settings in System Preferences > Apple ID > click on Options beside Hide my email. Here you will see any fake email addresses youre using; just click on Turn Off if you want to stop those emails arriving. You can also change which email address they are forwarded to. Safety Check A new feature in macOS Ventura is Safety Check, a feature that will allow anyone who is concerned that they are in danger from a person known to them to revoke any access they have granted to that person. So, for example, that person wont be able to access their location, their photos, or anything else that could help them to be traced. File encryption with FileVault FileVaultApples name for full-disk encryptionmakes sure your data is safe and secure by encrypting it. Intel Macs that featured the T2 Security Chip and all M-series Apple silicon Macs have encryption built in at the bottom level of macOS. The startup internal volume isalwaysencrypted, and you cant turn it off. FileVault also encrypts external volumes. With FileVault on your Macs drive is completely encrypted and encryption keys (protected by your account password) are required to unlock it. If your Mac is encrypted with FileVault, an attacker will be locked out, macOS wont even unlock your drive for access at startup without a valid account password or an associated Recovery Key (just be aware that if someone hacked your Apple ID they could potentially gain access to the Recovery Key and unlock your Macs drive). The main problem is that without that Recovery Key you are also locked out and wont be able to access your data, so do look after it. See How to find your FileVault recovery key in macOS. Read our tips for keeping your Mac secure , of which using FileVault is one. Warnings about spyware Apple announced in November 2021 that it would warn its users of state-sponsored espionage attacks, such as the well-publicized Pegasus spyware, on their iPhones, iPads and Macs. The notification will come via email or a message. The same warning will be displayed on the users Apple ID page at appleid.apple.com . The warning will offer advice about how affected users can protect themselves against attack. Theres more information on Apples site . Find My Not every threat to your data comes from malware. Sometimes a criminal might get hold of your Mac, in which case Apples Find My service will come into its own. The Find My app can relay the location of your lost or stolen Mac back to you. If youre concerned that it might not be recoverable, you can wipe the contents of the Mac so that your data cant be accessed. For more on this, read How to find a lost or stolen iPhone . In addition, every Mac with an M1-series, M2-series, or T2 chip has an Activation Lock feature which means they can be erased remotely and only you can reactivate the Mac. Siri, ID and Apple Intelligence There are new AI features coming to macOS Sequoia and iOS 18. There may be concerns about how this will affect privacy and security as, while in most cases the processing will be done on the device, in some situations tasks that need more processing power will be sent to Apples servers. During WWDC 2024 Apple explained that this will all be done securely and that the data will never be accessible to anyone, including Apple. Apples Craig Federighi said: Private Cloud Compute uses your data only to fulfill your request, and never stores it, making sure its never accessible to anyone, including Apple. And weve designed the system so that independent experts can verify these protections. When Apples security measures arent enough The security measures detailed above are great, but unfortunately, there have been cases when they havent been enough. Gatekeeper, for example, has occasionally been bypassed because malware has got an approved developer signature. For example, OSX/CrescentCore was signed by a certificate assigned by Apple to a developer. It took Apple a few days to retract that certificate. In the case of OSX/Linker, meanwhile, a zero-day vulnerability in Gatekeeper was exploited. Apple normally reacts quickly to such threats, although there have been cases where the company has ignored an identified vulnerability; on one occasion a teenager reported a flaw in the group FaceTime feature that meant someone could listen in to a call, and Apple failed to act. Intel-based Macs released between 2018 and 2020 with the T2 security chip had a security flaw that was never fixed.Researchers found a vulnerability in the security chip that could allow someone with physical access to the computer to potentially bypass security features. Silicon Macs do not suffer the T2 vulnerability, but theyre not flawless. The Augury and GoFetch flaws in M-series chips are hardware issues that cannot be patched without serious performance hits. Nobody has actively exploited these vulnerabilities, and as long as nobody gets their hands on your Mac, you should be safe but it does emphasis the importance of looking after your Mac, for example, not leaving it on a table in a coffee shop while you visit the bathroom. When Apple is made aware of a threat the company usually issues a security update to the latest version of macOS and to the two versions prior. This way Apple will protect users from vulnerabilities and flaws that could be exploited by hackers. Normally our advice would be to install security-related updates immediately. However, on occasion, these can themselves cause difficulties. A Sierra and High Sierra security update in July 2019, for example, had to be pulled after people experiences problems after installing it. How Apple responds to security threats Apple has its own security research team, but it depends on users and independent researchers to help by reporting any flaws they find in Apple products. To this end, Apple has an incentive program that rewards such discoveries with payments of up to $200,000, depending on the seriousness of the flaw. But it was the last major tech company to set up such a scheme. (Microsoft set up its own bug-reporting incentive program in 2013, and was itself criticized at the time for leaving it so late.) On August 4, 2016, Apple security boss Ivan Krstic announced the Apple Security Bounty Program.Weve had great help from researchers in improving iOS security all along, Krstic said. [But] weve heard pretty consistently that its getting increasingly difficult to find some of those most critical types of security vulnerabilities. So the Apple Security Bounty Program is going to reward researchers who actually share critical vulnerabilities with Apple. The top reward of $200,000 is given to those who discovervulnerabilities in Apples secure boot firmware components; for less critical flaws the bounties drop through a series of smaller figures to a bottom tier of $25,000. Wired has the details. We imagine most Mac users will be pleased to hear that Apple has an incentive program to encourage more widespread reporting of its vulnerabilities. Incentivizing security researchers to let Apple know about a flaw instead of passing it on to hackers (which may still, sadly, be more lucrative ) makes Apple products safer for everyone. One such flaw was the High Sierra root bug, discovered on November 28, 2017. This flaw in macOS 10.13 could allow access to settings on a Mac without the need for a password. Apple immediately issued a statement confirming that it was working on a fix and that an update should be issued within days. How to keep your Mac safe from malware Apple does a lot to keep your Mac safe, but you have to do your bit: by installing updates when they arrive, not clicking on suspicious links in emails, not installing Flash, and so on. There are also some third-party antivirus apps you could try. We have a complete guide to the best antivirus for Mac . Here are a few of the things you should do: 1) Keep macOS up to date To reduce the impact of these risks, you should keep regular backups and install security updates as soon as possible. Apple addresses Mac flaws and vulnerabilities by issuing updates to the operating system. Its therefore important to keep your Mac up to date. Checking regularly for OS updates is a key part of a sound security strategy. You can find out about the latest version of macOS here: macOS Ventura latest version information . You can set your Mac to automatically update as soon as a new version of the operating system is made available. Follow these instructions to set that up: How to automatically install macOS updates Open System Settings. Click on General. Click on Software Update. Click on the (i) beside Automatic Updates. Make sure that the options are selected. Foundry On older versions of macOS you needed to go to System Preferences > Software Update and you could be able to click on Advanced and select precisely which actions you want to happen automatically from Check for updates, Download new updates when available, Install macOS updates, and Install app updates from the App Store. How to manually install macOS software updates If youd rather not let your Mac automatically update, you should periodically check to see if there is an update to your version. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update and your Mac will check to see if there is an update to install. In macOS Mojave and older the Software Update pane was found in System Preferences and in macOS High Sierra and earlier updates were via the Mac App Store. For our in-depth guide to updating Mac operating systems, see How to update macOS . 2) Be careful about where you download from Downloading software from places like GitHub and other download sites could be a risk. Its safer to download from the Mac App Store as Apple has vetted software made available there. If you prefer not to use the Mac App Store, then buy software directly from the developer and theirs website. 3) Dont connect to public Wi-Fi networks Beware of connecting to a public Wi-Fi network as there may be someone spying who could gain access to your passwords and other private information, or you could have your session hijacked. Snoopers can set up their own Wi-Fi hotspot, pretending to be your hotel or coffee shop, then once you have connected they can grab any data you send over it. 4) Dont install Flash Adobe discontinued Flash on 31 December 2020 with good reason. Intego, Malwarebytes and other security companies have recommended that you shouldnt install Flash Player, because fake Flash Player updates have often been used to trick people into installing malware. You might be looking to download a popular movie or TV series for free, for example, and see a search result that leads to a request to update Flash Player in order to view the content. This is unlikely to be legitimate. There is simply no need to install Flash Player now that HTML5 has made Flash obsolete. Our advice is simple: Dont use Flash! 5) Keep Java up to date on your Mac If you must use Java (which is also problematic) then make sure its up to date. Vulnerabilities in Java have highlighted the fact that there are cross-platform threats that even Mac users need to be aware of. Apple blocks Java by default, leaving it up to the user to decide whether to install those tools. If you do need to update them, be very careful where you download updates from! 6) Avoid falling foul of phishing emails Protect yourself from phishing attacks by not responding to emails that require you to enter a password or install something. You could also use free software such as BlockBlock . That way, even if you were to carry out the steps to launch the malware, it would not be able to write files or mark itself as launching on startup. 7) Dont fall for Facebook and other social network scams Facebook scams are usually designed to harvest data. If it seems like it might be too good to be true, it probably is, and youd be wise not to share it on Facebook. At best youll look silly and those scammers will start to target you with more scams; at worst they may succeed in accessing your personal data and that of your friends. Dont click on a link just because a friend shared it, and definitely dont give out your personal data on Facebook. Why you need to protect Windows users Macs are pretty safe from malware, but one reason to run an antivirus is to protect your Windows-using friends and colleagues. An unprotected (and carelessly used) Mac could become a sort of Typhoid Maryof Windows viruses; in other words, you could be harboring viruses that wont affect you, but could be problems for Windows users. How to tell if a Mac has a virus Look out for the following signs that your Mac has been infected with malware: Aggressive web page banners and browser pop-ups recommending software. Web page text turning into hyperlinks. Programs appearing that you havent authorized. Mac crashes. Mac runs hot. Mac speeds up for no reason. If you think something suspicious is happening, open Activity Monitor and click on the CPU tab. Check what software is running, especially if something is hogging a lot of your resources. We discuss how to identify and deal with Mac viruses in a separate article: How to remove a virus from a Mac . We also recommend reading How to protect your Mac against attack for more advice on avoiding digital infections.

Best 10th-gen iPad deals

Macworld Apple sells four kinds of iPad: the iPad Pro; the iPad Air; the iPad mini; and the standard, cheapest iPad. In this roundup, weve got all the best deals on Apples cheapest iPad, which is currently the 10th-gen model from 2022. The standard iPad is the only model not to have been updated in 2024, and the only one not compatible with Apple Intelligence , the new AI features Apple is making quite a fuss about. We expect that Apple will update the standard iPad in spring 2025 so that it will be able to run these new features. Read our rumors about the new 11th-gen iPad . For that reason, you might want to wait before purchasing the 10th-gen iPad. However, once Apple updates it there is a possibility that the price will rise from $349/329, so this may still be the best time to grab a bargain (unless you wait for the new model to launch and then buy a discounted 10th-gen iPad). If you dont want to wait until then, you can find deals on a 10th-gen iPad right now if you know where to look. Weve checked all the best places to pick up the iPad at the best price for you so that you can get a bargain. If youd like to see the best prices for the standard iPads more expensive siblings, including iPad Air , iPad mini and iPad Pro , click those links for dedicated deals roundups. Also, have a look at our iPad buying buide if youre not sure which model you want. You may also like to read our best iPad for kids , best iPad for students , and best iPad for seniors guides. You can also check out our roundup of the best Apple deals . Best standard iPad deals right now While there are deals on the 10th-gen iPad, we arent seeing huge discounts, probably because its already the cheapest iPad and recently received a large price cut. But you may be able to save some money and get the discontinued 9th-gen model on clearance at some stores. U.S. Amazon, 10th gen iPad (64GB) : $279 ($70 off, MRSP $349) Amazon, 10th-gen iPad (256GB) : $429 ($70 off, MSRP $499) U.K. John Lewis, 10th-gen iPad (64GB) : 309 (20 off, RRP 329) Amazon, 10th-gen iPad (256GB) : 449 (30 off, RRP 479) John Lewis, 9th-gen iPad (2021, 64GB) : 279 (90 off, RRP was 369, now discontinued) Check below to see other deals that are available, including the cellular models. Best deals for 10th-gen iPad The 10th-gen iPad , with its larger 10.9-inch display, launched in October 2022. 10th-gen iPad (64GB, Wi-Fi): $349/329 New Refurbished Retailer Price $279 View Deal $279 View Deal $292.95 View Deal $299 View Deal $299 View Deal $339 View Deal $349.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad 10.9 (2022) 64GB Silver (WiFi) $315 View Deal $Not Available View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 10th-gen iPad (256GB, Wi-Fi): $499/479 New Refurbished Retailer Price $429 View Deal $429 View Deal $469 View Deal $479 View Deal $499 View Deal $499.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad 10.9 (2022) 256GB Blue (WiFi) $429 View Deal iPad 10.9 (2022) 256GB Silver (WiFi) $449 View Deal iPad 10.9 (2022) 256GB Silver (WiFi) with Nano-texture glass $504.95 View Deal $Not Available View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 10th-gen iPad (64GB, cellular): $499/479 New Refurbished Retailer Price $429 View Deal $429 View Deal $469 View Deal $489 View Deal $499 View Deal $499 View Deal $499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad 10.9 (2022) 64GB Blue (Wi-Fi + 5G) $359.27 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 10th-gen iPad (256GB, cellular): $649/629 Retailer Price $469 View Deal $579 View Deal $604 View Deal $609 View Deal $639 View Deal $649 View Deal $649 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best price for 10.2-inch iPad (9th gen) Below are the best prices weve seen on the 9th-gen iPad from a variety of retailers. Since this iPad has been on sale since 2021 there are more in the way of deals, but since its always been such a cheap model the discounts dont tend to be as big as you might see on other iPads. 9th-gen iPad (64GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP was $329/369 (now discontinued) You can check out the lowest current prices from a range of major retailers in the automated tables below. New Refurbished Retailer Price $197.99 View Deal $249 View Deal $258 View Deal $279.99 View Deal $289.5 View Deal $329.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad 10.2 (2021) 64GB Silver (WiFi) $184.92 View Deal iPad 10.2 (2021) 64GB Space Gray (WiFi) $211.33 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 9th-gen iPad (256GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP was $479/549 (now discontinued) New Refurbished Retailer Price $287.99 View Deal $399.99 View Deal $449 View Deal $449 View Deal $459.99 View Deal $464 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad 10.2 (2021) 64GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi + LTE) $185.80 View Deal iPad 10.2 (2021) 64GB Silver (Wi-Fi + LTE) $239.95 View Deal iPad 10.2 (2021) 256GB Space Gray (WiFi) $299 View Deal $319.99 View Deal iPad 10.2 (2021) 256GB Silver (WiFi) $323 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices 9th-gen iPad (64GB, cellular): MSRP was $479/519 (now discontinued) Retailer Price $464 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 9th-gen iPad (256GB, cellular): MSRP was $609/699 (now discontinued) New Refurbished Retailer Price $599 View Deal $609.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPad 10.2 (2021) 256GB Space Gray (Wi-Fi + LTE) $349.95 View Deal iPad 10.2 (2021) 256GB Silver (Wi-Fi + LTE) $359 View Deal $439.99 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Where to buy the iPad (10th gen and 9th gen) In 2021 the 9th-gen iPad suffered from stock shortages, so half the challenge was finding a retailer that has one in stock. Hopefully this wont also be the case with the 10th-gen iPad, but if it is you might find a unit at one of these major retailers: U.S. retailers Apple Amazon Best Buy Costco Target Walmart U.K. retailers Apple Amazon Argos Currys John Lewis KRCS Very Apple has a number of Apple Premium Resellers who stock iPads in the U.K., and also offer other services, try the following: KRCS , often the first to discount new products iStore Select Western Computer Where to buy the iPad on contract If you want to buy the iPad on contract you could try these networks: U.S. network carriers AT&T Verizon T-Mobile U.K. network carriers EE O2 Sky Vodafone Virgin Media Three Best refurbished iPad deals The deals you will see above are generally from Apple resellers rather than Apple itself, which very rarely drops the prices. Apple does, however, sell reconditioned iPads in its refurbished store. So you might be able to grab a bargain. The iPads in Apples refurbished store may be ex-display stock, or they may have been returned to Apple due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a full years warranty. Its not like buying secondhand. The U.S. refurbished store has a selection that includes: Standard iPad (8th and 9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th and 5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) Compared to the original price, you can save as much as $320 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Get a refurbished iPad at Apple's refurbished store (U.S.) In the U.K. youll find a similar selection of iPads available from Apples refurbished store. Youll find the following: Standard iPad (9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) There are savings of 480 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, compared to the original price. Get a refurbished iPad at Apple's refurbished store (U.K.) Another place to look is BackMarket US and BackMarket UK , which sells refurbished Macs and other Apple products. Amazon also has a certified refurbished store for Apple products, but we would advise against buying any products that are older than five years. Most of the products we see on the Amazon refurbished store are unfortunately very old. There is a large refurbished market for the iPad. Wed recommend taking a look at these refurbished resellers for iPad offers: Amazon AWD Big Phone Store eBay Envirofone Affordable Mac Tech Trade 4Gadgets Handtec Laptops Direct Music Magpie Preloved Smartfone Store

If youre ready to get all your shopping done in one place, join BJs

Macworld You want the best prices for groceries, home decor, and other necessities, but that usually means youre hitting multiple shops. Does it feel like you spend more time on the road than you should? Join BJs Wholesale Club to enjoy one-stop shopping and find the savings youve been looking for. Youll need to join as a member to shop, but you can join for one year with The Club Card for $20and it comes with Easy Renewal and a $20 reward after you spend $60 in 30 days. BJs has a whole lot to offer, so try not to leave with the entire store. You can find farm-fresh produce (some are locally grown), meats, deli, baked goods, and frozen goods. You could save 25% on what youd normally buy at a regular supermarket. If you have some room in your cart, take a peek into BJs aisles of household staples, garage essentials, electronics, decor, and more. Skip the checkout line using the BJs mobile app to scan your items and pay. Or, you can order online and select curbside pickup to restock without setting foot in BJs. Dont forgetto swing by BJs Gas on the way out to fuel your car for less without making another pitstop. Locations may vary, but there may be a station at a BJs Wholesale Club near you. Discover incredible value and one-stop shopping by grabbing this one-year BJs The Club Card Membership with Easy Renewal for $20 . $20 for a 1-year The Club Card Membership with BJs Easy Renewal Only $20 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change.

These Beats Pro headphones are better than AirPods Max and nearly half-off right now

Macworld If you want headphones that are better and (a lot) more affordable than the AirPods Max, the fantastic Beats Studio Pro are 49% off at Amazon . That means you can get them for $180 rather than their regular $350. In our 4.5-star review of the Studio Pro , we gave the headphones our Editors Choice award, appreciating how lightweight they are, the excellent battery life, and the clean audio. Even if they werent $200 cheaper, wed recommend these over the AirPods Max, reads the review. These headphones were built to deliver rich audio with a deep bass. They also come with Adaptive Noise Cancellation so you can block out the world around you and focus on work reading, or whatever it is youre doing. You can also switch to Transparency mode to hear your surroundings, which is useful when youre in public, crossing the street, or you have to mind your safety. The Beats Studio Pro can keep you company for up to 40 hours of play time, which means you wont have to charge them up very often. If you have a portable power bank on you, you can even charge them on the go if need be. A 10-minute charge will give you another four hours of playback. Dont miss out on the chance to get yourself one of the best headphones out there, especially when theyre as low as $180 at Amazon . Jam out with Beats Get it at Amazon

Apple launches brand-new Invites app infused with AI

Macworld Apple has launched a new in-house iPhone app designed to help users organize social gatherings. Its called Apple Invites, and its out now. As the name suggests, the first duty of the app is to create custom event invitations. You can use one of your own images as the main illustration, or choose one from a curated library themed around various occasions. You can also, inevitably, get Apple Intelligence involved, using Image Playground to generate original images tailored to the event and the people in attendance or Apple Intelligences writing tools to craft the perfect text. The invites feature directions and a weather forecast (thanks to integration with Apple Maps and Weather) and allow invitees to RSVP and view attendees based on RSVPs already submitted. Apple says you need to be an iCloud+ subscriber to create invitations using the app, but anyone, even those without an Apple device or account, can RSVP to one. However, the app has a larger scope than just creating and sending out the invitation. Guests can also upload photos and videos of the event to a Shared Album contained within the invite, and (if they subscribe to Apple Music) contribute to collaborative playlists. It isnt clear if there will be any ability to upload playlists from Spotify or other services in the future but for now, at least the app directs you to Apple Music only. David Price / Foundry Given that its a software-only release with no hardware supply chain to leak out details ahead of the launch, Apple may have hoped that Invites would come as a surprise. But details were spotted in beta code in January and last Sunday Bloombergs Mark Gurman said the app could arrive as early as this week . The only thing he seems to have got wrong is that he persistently and pointedly referred to it as a service, not the app it has turned out to be (though its linked to iCloud+). Good news for Gurman, then, and seemingly good news for Apple and its customers. But as is often the case with a new Apple app, there are losers too, because Invites appears to fill a niche previously occupied by third-party app developers. Apple is notorious for Sherlocking its software partners in this way, bringing features they previously offered as independent apps within its own ecosystem and thereby putting them out of a job. Developers of apps such as Evite will have received the news of this launch with dismay. Apple Invites is available right now (for the iPhone only; theres no sign of an iPad version) on the App Store . App Store search, never the most efficient, didnt seem to have gotten the memo when I started writing this article, but after updating to iOS 18.3 and waiting half an hour Im finding that its showing up fine. Im not sure if the update or the wait made the crucial difference.

Best iPad Air deals this month

Macworld If you want a new iPad Air at a discounted sale price, youve come to the right place. Were looking at all the best deals and prices for the iPad Air right nowincluding contract plans. The Air remains incredibly popular and is an excellent halfway house between the entry-level iPad and high-end iPad Proideal for those who need some extra power but dont want to spend hundreds on a device that may not replace their laptop. In May 2024 Apple introduced a new iPad Air, equipped with the M2 processor and available in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches. Read our review of Apples iPad Air M2 and find out how it compares to the 2024 iPad Pro in our iPad Air (M2) vs iPad Pro (M4) comparison. Have a look at our iPad buying guide if you arent sure which model you want. You may also like to read: best iPad for kids , best iPad for students and best iPad for seniors . Best M2 iPad Air deals right now U.S: Amazon, 11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB): $549 ($50 off, MSRP $599) Amazon, 11-inch M2 iPad Air (512GB): $799 ($100 off, MSRP $899) B&H, 13-inch M2 iPad Air (256GB) : $699 ($100 off, MSRP $799) U.K: John Lewis, 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB) : 559.97 (39.03 off, RRP 599) Amazon, 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 256GB) : 654.97 (44.03 off, RRP 699) John Lewis, 13-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB) : 749.97 (49.03 off, RRP 799) Amazon, 13-inch iPad Air (M2, 256GB) : 842.97 (56.03 off, RRP 899) Best M2 iPad Air deals The M2 iPad Air models launched in May 2024. Look through the tables below to find the best discounts. These tables will always be up-to-date with the latest prices for each iPad Air. For even bigger savings, the previous generation of iPad Air models can be found in the section below this one. 11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $599/599 Retailer Price $539 View Deal $559 View Deal $569 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 11-inch M2 iPad Air (256GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $699/699 New Refurbished Retailer Price $596.95 View Deal $649 View Deal $649 View Deal $680.99 View Deal $699 View Deal $699 View Deal $699 View Deal $699 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 13 (2024) 256GB Space Gray (WiFi) $899 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 11-inch M2 iPad Air (512GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $899/899 Retailer Price $789 View Deal $844 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 11-inch M2 iPad Air (1TB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $1,099/1,099 Retailer Price $1,024 View Deal $1024 View Deal $1069 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $799/799 Retailer Price $739 View Deal $749 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (256GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $899/899 New Refurbished Retailer Price $799 View Deal $829 View Deal $887.99 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 256GB Purple (WiFi) $659 View Deal iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 256GB Starlight (WiFi) $659 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (512GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $1,099/1,099 New Refurbished Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999 View Deal $1014 View Deal $1079.99 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 512GB Blue (WiFi) $849 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (1TB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $1,299/1,299 New Refurbished Retailer Price $1,259 View Deal $1259 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 1000GB Space Gray (WiFi) $736.51 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best M1 iPad Air deals Below are the best prices we have seen for the previous generation of iPad Air, the M1 model from 2022. This has been discontinued by Apple, but may still be available from other vendors. Browse to find the model you want at the best price. Just beware that some prices may be for used iPads, so pay attention to the details. iPad Air (2022, 64GB, Wi-Fi) MSRP was $599/669 New Refurbished Retailer Price $359.99 View Deal $431 View Deal $599 View Deal $599.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPad Air (2014) 64GB Silver (WiFi) $126.79 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB Space Gray (WiFi) $353.95 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB Starlight (WiFi) $374.99 View Deal iPad Air (2020) 256GB Green (WiFi) $379 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB Blue (WiFi) $389 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB Purple (WiFi) $439.58 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices iPad Air (2022, 256GB, Wi-Fi) MSRP was $749/849 New Refurbished Retailer Price $449.99 View Deal $699 View Deal $738 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPad Air (2022) 256GB Space Gray (WiFi) $640 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Where to buy the new iPad Air If you want to buy the iPad Air directly from Apple, you can order on the Apple US or Apple UK site. There wont be any discounts available, though Apple does offer occasional carrier deals and trade-ins. Of course, Apple isnt the only place you can buy an iPad Air, the usual resellers around the world will also be stocking the new model including the following. You can see the best prices at these resellers in live price comparison boxes below. US retailers Amazon Best Buy Target Walmart Adorama BH Photo Video Looking for other ways to save money. Find out if you can save money buying Apple products from another country . UK retailers Amazon AO Apple Argos check stock by post code EE/BT Shop Box Currys eBuyer John Lewis Laptops Direct Very Apple has a number of Apple Premium Resellers who stock iPads in the UK, and also offer other services, try the following: KRCS often is the first to discount new products iStore Select Western Computer iPad Air education discounts Apple offers students and staff in higher education discounts on the iPad Air in its Education Store . Apple isnt the only retailer that offers student discounts, however. In the U.K., KRCS offers up to 10 percent off for qualifying students. University students and teachers can also save on the iPad Air with Apples Education pricing. See our full guide on to how to get an education discount. Or head directly to Apple UK or Apple US to get the educational discount. iPad Air carrier deals If youre after the cellular model and want to buy it on contract, heres where to look: U.S. carrier deals Verizon: Save $100 with an Unlimited plan and up to $200 when you buy with an iPhone. U.K. carrier deals O2 : Get up to 6 months of Disney Plus (or another streaming service); plans start at 28.56 per month, 20 upfront for 1GB data Vodafone : Starting from 27 per month, 30 upfront for 1GB data (but check the details carefully; thats a 48-month tablet contract and prices will go up) EE : Get 5GB data for 45 per month, with nothing to pay upfront Sky : Get 3GB of data for 28 per month and 12 upfront iPad Air refurbished deals The deals you will see above are generally from Apple resellers rather than Apple itself; the company rarely reduces prices. Apple does, however, sell reconditioned iPads in its refurbished store. So you can grab a bargain that way. The iPads in Apples refurbished store may be ex-display stock, or they may have been returned to Apple due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a full years warranty. Its not like buying secondhand. The U.S. refurbished store has a selection that includes: Standard iPad (8th and 9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th and 5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) Compared to the original price, you can save as much as $320 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Get a refurbished iPad at Apple's refurbished store (U.S.) In the U.K. youll find a similar selection of iPads available from Apples refurbished store . Youll find the following: Standard iPad (9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) There are savings of 480 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, compared to the original price. There is a large refurbished market for the iPad Air. Wed recommend taking a look at these refurbished resellers for iPad Air offers: Amazon AWD Big Phone Store eBay Envirofone Affordable Mac Tech Trade 4Gadgets Handtec Laptops Direct Music Magpie Preloved Smartfone Store See our full guide to buying a refurbished iPad . If youre interested in one of the other iPads, or just want the best deal, were also tracking the best iPad deals if you want to see other top offers. Also, check out our best Apple deals .

Apple killed the wrong Vision Pro project

Macworld After Apple kickstarted the spatial computing era with the high-priced Vision Pro mixed-reality headset last year, it seemed to be a first step toward a future all-day wearable device. However, it turns out that might not be the case. A report by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg claims that Apple is moving in the other direction after canceling its most promising augmented reality glasses project after hitting several roadblocks and focusing instead on the next-gen Vision Pro headset. Apples got it completely backward: Apple should kill Vision Pro 2 and pour more resources into its smart glasses project. More is less Im not undermining the Vision Pros advanced technology and capabilities. Its objectively one of the highest-end consumer headsets on the market, featuring sharp displays, a dozen sensors, a slew of well-designed apps, and seamless integrations with the Apple ecosystem. Its $3,499 price tag, however, acts as the first hurdle barring mass adoption. Beyond its outrageous price tag, the Vision Pro is the first in its product line, and, naturally, its filled with imperfections and limitations. Reviewers almost unanimously agree that it is too heavy and causes neck discomfort with extended use. Thats not to mention its relatively short battery life and lack of outdoor use. visionOS is essentially an immersive iPadOS/macOS hybrid that runs in users fields of view. But, what if we dont want all of these overpriced complexities? A pair of smart glasses would be a fantastic addition to the Apple ecosystem. Foundry Ray of light While Meta has long catered to gamers and VR enthusiasts with its Quest headset (that costs one-tenth of a Vision Pro), its $299 Ray-Ban glasses are a different animal. For one, theyre not much more expensive than a Meta-less pair of Ray-Bans, but more importantly, theyre not catered to a niche tech-first category of customers. First, to make its device appealing to wear, Meta collaborated with Ray-Banone of the most popular sunglasses brands. Sometimes people are embarrassed to wear nerdy accessories in public. So, having the Ray-Ban branding instantly takes away that stigma. Also Meta didnt shoot for the moon like Apple did. Instead, Meta built in just a few useful perks to keep its glasses simple and cheap. The temple tips house discreet open-ear speakers for music streaming on the go, so you dont need a separate pair of earbuds. It has a set of AirPods-like controls built right into the arms. But most importantly, the glasses feature a forward-facing camera instead of a screen, which offers a window into the world for Metas AI bot to analyze what it sees and report back. And it also lets wearers take quick photos and videos for direct posting to Instagram Stories. Unlike the Vision Pro, the IPX4-certified Ray-Ban Meta are meant to be used away from home. So, users can put them on like any regular pair of sunglasses, which is great for family picnics, concerts, and influencers. Help wanted Its clear that Apple is currently focused on the flagship headset line, as the Vision Pros successor could launch as soon as next year. In my opinion, Apple shouldnt kill the glasses project but should leverage its own ecosystem advantage to create lightweight spectacles that rely on other devices to do the heavy lifting. A pair of Apple smart glasses could take some cues from the AirPods. Foundry The AirPods, for example, can announce notifications. Similarly, the Apple Watch packs exclusive perks unavailable to rivaling smartwatch brands, such as auto Mac unlock. So, Apple is in a position to create the best smart glasses for iOS users, as no other manufacturer has access to the underlying ecosystem infrastructure. Plus there are plenty of people who just dont trust Meta. A pair of Apple glasses doesnt need to have a Vision Pro-like interface. Like the early Apple Watches, they could piggyback on a paired iPhones processor and internet connection to offer some handy shortcuts. Like the AirPods, they could handle Siri requests, announce notifications, and accept calls. And with an embedded camera, Apples new Visual Intelligence feature could come alive. The smart glasses would transmit what they see to the connected iPhone, which would then analyze the content with ChatGPT and send the response back to the shades. Other potential features could include snapping quick shots and clips that users can view in the iPhones Photos app. It could also integrate with FaceTime, letting the caller enjoy the scenic route youre taking while you talk. The possibilities are endless even without incorporating any of the current Vision Pro features. Vision Pro is too advanced to shrink down to a pair of glasses. Thiago Trevisan/Foundry Short-sighted Vision By putting the Apple Glasses on the back burner, the company is missing the smart glasses train. Meta is actively developing more advanced iterations of the Ray-Bans, while Apple seemingly has no plans to announce a competitor anytime soon. By the time the Apple glasses potentially debut, theyre going to have tremendous competition, and with Apple insisting on high-end features, it could be years before anything comes to market. Even if the Vision Pro 2 addresses most of its predecessors shortcomings, which is unlikely, its clear that the general public isnt interested in this form factor. So, maybe Apple should study whats actually working instead of trying to repair whats inherently broken.

Apple rolls out mysterious iOS 18.3 update for iPhone 11 only

Macworld While iOS 18.3 was not as momentous as some of Apples previous x.3 iPhone updates, it brought a number of significant changes , mostly affecting Apple Intelligence . Now, however, the company has released another version of iOS 18.3 focused on a group of devices that dont support its AI platform. As reported by MacRumors , an update with build number 22D64as distinct from 22D63, which rolled out last weekhas been released for iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max only. Those arent the oldest devices that can run iOS 18 (that title is held by the iPhone XS and XR) but theyre close to the bottom of the list and could miss out when iOS 19 is announced this summer. With their A13 chips they arent remotely close to meeting Apple Intelligences hardware requirements: an A17 or later found in the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and the iPhone 16 range. Apple hasnt released a special version of iOS 18.3 for iPhone 12, 13, 14, or 15 handsets, or for that matter the XS and XR, suggesting that this update is addressing specific flaws in the iPhone 11. It seems counterintuitive that the iPhone 11 would need iOS 18.3 at all, but the update does contain some new features that arent related to Apple Intelligence. Of the five features we picked out as noteworthy, for example, there is one for the Calculator app, restoring a pre-iOS 18 ability to continually tap the equals sign in order to repeat the last operation. And the Home app gains support for HomeKit- and Matter-compatible robot vacuums. The focus of the update, however, is more likely to be bug fixes. We already know of two fixes in the general iOS 18.3 release: one tackles an Apple Music problem that caused songs to complete playback even if you closed the app, while another deals with the keyboard disappearing when typing a Siri request. But 22D64 is likely to contain a patch for a bug specific to the late-2019 handsets. To install the update, which we would recommend, you should open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General > Software Update and follow the instructions. Read our iOS 18 superguide for more information about the latest iPhone software.

Apple is doomed because it cant see the future

Macworld More bad news for people who get attached to rumored Apple products as Bloombergs Mark Gurman reports that the company has canceled one of its headset projects: Apple Scraps Work on Mac-Connected Augmented Reality Glasses . Quick side note: if you do find yourself becoming attached to a rumored Apple product, thats probably a good time to close the laptop and go outside and stare at a tree or something for a while. Pet a dog. Do whatever it is people do with cats. Getting attached to rumored Apple product lines is not healthy. This now dead as a doornail one is, of course, not the Vision Pro but a potential new type of glasses that Gurman reported on last year. This project apparently went from Maybe if we offload the processing to an iPhone. to Oof. Thats not gonna work. How about offloading it to a Mac? to AR glasses you can wear while sitting at a desk? Why are we doing this again? to canceled. Hey, it happens. Just the other day the Macalope was thinking of going out for a nice lunch. Then time got away from him and he thought maybe hed make a nice lunch at home. Then he ended up eating Reeses Peanut Butter Cups at his desk. Thats pretty much the same thing. The Macalope will not be taking questions. Gizmodos take on this turn of events is the most pointing and LOL-ing the Macalopes seen. Heres their subhead: Apple is lacking vision for where to go following the Vision Pro tanking. Gizmodo , January 31, 2025 Get it? Because Vision. Yeah, you got it. Copy editors are such scamps. The first part seems fairly true, based on the available rumors at least. Apples current status with its Vision efforts seems positively Titan-esque, which aint great. But did the Vision Pro tank? Apple certainly didnt sell a lot of them, thats for sure, but its questionable whether or not it sold fewer than it really expected. And if youre comparing it to other Apple product lines, its worth remembering that youre comparing it to some of the most successful consumer electronics products ever. By ditching the augmented reality glasses, Apple is tacitly admitting that it just cannot crack the VR/AR space. Gizmodo , January 31, 2025 That, however, is not exactly what Mark Gurmans piece said. Despite the project being shuttered, Apple is still working on underlying technologies that could be used in AR glasses down the road, including custom microLED-type screens, Bloomberg News reported this week. Bloomberg , January 31, 2025 So much of Apples analysis relies on reporting done by Mark Gurman. It seems to the Macalope that if youre going to use Gurmans work as the basis for your views, you should use all of it instead of just the parts that support your thesis. He knows its less fun that way. Also, while Apple is ditching the offloading glasses, it has not ditched the Vision Pro itself. Its still in there swinging. Maybe not connecting a lot, but still swinging. IDG To Gizmodos point, it really isnt at all clear that Apple has a viable development path for the Vision line. While you could probably have said that about the Apple Watch back in 2015, too, those two products arent exactly comparable. One is priced at a consumer level and the other is priced more at an I have a backup yacht level. Of course, youre gonna wanna keep the Vision Pro on the main yacht, just in case you want to show it to another of your yacht friends. Who probably also have their own Vision Pros. So maybe do keep it on your backup yacht? Honestly, the Macalope doesnt really know how yacht provisioning works. The Macalopes been wrong before but he doesnt believe for a minute that Apple is done with AR/VR headsets. While the Vision Pro isnt a sales hit, there is definitely enough neat technology there that can be steered into a product that might one day be a hit. It doesnt seem like its going to be real soon, however.

Test your Macs performance using one of these benchmark and speed-test tools

Macworld Is your Macs performance not as good as it once was? Wondering if there might be a problem with your software or if one of the components has failed? Or perhaps its your web connection thats bothering you, but you arent sure if its just that your broadband connection is really poor, or if theres something else going on with your Mac. We share plenty of advice on how to update your Mac, and speed up a slow Mac , but how do you tell if there is really a problem with your Mac rather than you just being inpatient with it? One way to get an idea of how well your Mac is working is to run benchmarks and a set of performance tests on your MacBook or Mac desktop. Several benchmarking apps will help you find out how fast your Mac is, you can test your GPU and your CPU as well as your Wi-Fi internet speed and even ethernet speed. In this article well run through the best Mac performance test apps, including some free options you can find online. If you are thinking of buying a new Mac, running benchmarks on your current machine and then comparing them to our benchmarks of the newer models weve reviewed will give you an idea of the kind of boost you can expect. (Check our Mac reviews section for the latest Mac benchmarks .) In this article, well recommend the variety of (usually free) apps we use to evaluate a Macs performance (and more specifically, the performance of its components) in a range of scenarios.Carry on reading to find out how to benchmark the CPU, GPU, hard drive, and more, of your Mac desktop or laptop. How to run Mac speed tests Want to find out how fast your Mac is (and confirm your belief that its been slowing down)? You can run various tests to find out your processor speed, which would give you an insight into how powerful your Mac is. We also recommend checking the speed of your SSDor hard drive, if you Mac is older. Before running any of the tests below, we recommend closing any apps on your Mac as they might affect how well the machine performs. Restarting to make sure that any RAM is freed up is also advisable. How to benchmark your Macs CPU To check your processor speed we recommend Geekbench from Primate Labs. Geekbench is free to use and you can get it on the Mac App Store here . You can also download it from Primate Labs website here . Geekbench 6 (updated from Geekbench 5 in February 2023) is the most popular tool for gauging how powerful the latest processors are, and because it works for Macs and PCs, as well as iOS and Android you can get a good idea of how your processor compares to another. It is our go-to benchmark tool when reviewing the latest Macs, iPhones and iPads here at Macworld. Geekbenchs CPU test runs through various tests to stress the CPU and then calculates an overall scorethe higher the better. Tests include file compression, rendering web pages and PDFs, running developer scripts, and doing machine-learning tasks like object detection and background blur. Running these tests could be useful if you think something is wrong with your Mac; you can compare the score to similar Macs and processors. You can view recent Geekbench scores for various Mac processors here . Foundry How to benchmark your CPU with Geekbench The main draw of Geekbench is that its incredibly easy to use and requires little technical knowledge. Heres how to use it: Download the app from the Mac App Store here or Primate Labs website here . We recommend that you restart your Mac before running the test. Close any other apps that are running on your Mac. Open Geekbench. Youll see a Welcome to Geekbench message and a request to Upgrade or Enter License. You dont need to do either of these things. Just click on Later . Click Run CPU benchmark. Foundry Geekbench will then measure the performance of your CPU when performing everyday tasks designed to simulate real-world applications and can take 10 minutes or more to complete, depending on the speed of your CPU. Once its done, the results will be displayed. You might initially be overwhelmed byall the information on offer, from the Processor ID to the Motherboard hardware, but the only two numbers you need to concentrate on are at the top: single-core score and multi-core score. The single-core score helps give a sense of how fast the Mac performs under certain situations when only a single processing core is handling everything. Many applications have their performance limited by a single main thread, so single-core CPU performance will determine how fast they run. Other applications are designed to be multi-threaded so that lots of processes can run at the same time. The multi-core results show you how well your Mac can perform when pushed to its absolute limits, as itll use multiple processing cores at once to handle the strain. Think of it as your Macs top-end performance. You can take these results and compare them to other benchmark tests on the Geekbench Browser , allowing you to see how your Mac compares to the latest generation of Macs, and even its competitors from other manufacturers. It should give you an idea of how well your computer is performing at the moment, and whether the upgrade youre considering is worth it in terms of raw processing power. Foundry How to check your Macs disk speed One way we used to check how fast the storage inside our Mac was used to be to copy and paste a 4GB folder and then time how long it took to duplicate. That is no longer an effective measure because, since Apple introduced APFS (Apple File System) the folder is no longer duplicated, all you are really doing is creating an alias to the original file. Therefore the only way to really make a judgment about the speed of the storage inside your Mac is to use a tool such as the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test (free from the Mac App Store here ), or the AJA System Test Lite (free from the Mac App Store here) to measure the read/write speeds of your hard drive or SSD. How to benchmark your SSD with Blackmagic Disk Speed Test The free Blackmagic Disk Speed Test was designed for video editors to help determine whether their hard drives canhandle large files. If youre not a video editor, dont fret. the data is still very helpful to gauge performance. Download Blackmagic Disk Speed Test . We recommend that you restart your Mac before running the test. Open the app. For improved accuracy, and as with all other benchmark tests, its best to make sure that no other apps are running. Select your target drive if your Mac has more than one hard drive (this is done by clicking the gear cog) and click start to begin the benchmark. While theres a bunch of data showcased in the Will it Work? and How Fast? charts, thats mainly for video editors. The numbers you want to focus on are displayed in the big gauges at the top. The write speed is on the left and the read speed on the right, giving you an idea of how fast things will be written to the drive and how fast apps and files will load respectively. Blackmagic Disk Speed works by running a write test and the Write gauge will eventually stop with a result. Then, it will do the same with a Read test. Then, it starts the process over again with a test of a different file size and will continue to go back and forth between tests until you click the Stop button. You can record any results you see while the gauge is stopped. Youll find that the results between test iterations are similar. How to check GPU performance on Mac Finally, lets talk about graphical performance. For this, we usually opt for two main benchmark tools: Geekbenchs Compute tests and Maxons Cinebench . How to use Cinebench to benchmark your Macs GPU Cinebench 2024, which you can download here , is another free piece of software that, in addition to testing your Macs CPU (much like Geekbench without the ability to compare with other results online), will use an OpenGL and Metal test to benchmark your graphics card. Cinebench tests the CPU and/or GPU by creating a 3D engine with Maxons Redshift render engine. On M3 and later MAcs, Cinebench supports the GPU-accelerated Metal RT hardware ray tracing. After the tests have run youll see the frames per second (fps) result and a score, with the higher the result the better. Youll see some of the best results following the test, but Maxon doesnt have an easy-to-search database for different models like Geekbench does. Maxon To perform the test, install the app (Its called Cinebench R24), open it, and click Start next to the GPU test in the top-left corner of the app. Itll take you through the test, and your final result will be displayed next to the Start button. A test can take 10 minutes or longer. How to use Geekbench to benchmark your Macs GPU Geekbench doesnt measure 3D graphics rendering performance like the Cinebench test above. Instead, it uses the GPU to handle computational tasks like edge detection on images, applying a gaussian blur to a 24-megapixel photo, or detecting faces in photos. That is how it measures GPU Compute tasks. For that reason we would suggest that if you want to measure 3D graphics performance you are better off using Cinebench (above). Geeknech Compute is a good general-purpose GPU benchmark. To measure the GPU using Geekbench download the app from the Mac App Store here or Primate Labs website here . We recommend that you restart your Mac before running the test. Close any other apps that are running on your Mac. Open Geekbench. Youll see a Welcome to Geekbench message and a request to Upgrade or Enter License. You dont need to do either of these things. Just click on Later . Click on Compute in the sidebar on the left. Choose between OpenCL or Metal in the GPU API section. On a Mac, Metal is the most important score; on iPhones and iPads, the only supported API is Metal. Click Run GPU Benchmark . Having benchmarked your Mac you will have a better idea of whether it is performing as well as should be expected, or if there might be something wrong. Our first suggestion would be to update your software, but if your Mac is just suffering from old age and you decide to look for a new Mac, take a look at our Mac buying guide and be sure to check out the best prices for a new Mac in our various Mac deals round ups: Best Mac mini deals this month Best MacBook Air deals this month Best Mac Studio deals available now Best MacBook Pro deals this month Best iMac deals this month

Burned through all the content on Apple TV? This documentary streamer is here to fill the void

Macworld Why does the ever-flowing content stream make us feel like we live in a desert? If youve watched everything on Max, Hulu, or whatever new streaming service popped up last week, MagellanTV is an established alternative to mindless binge-watching . And this week, a lifetime subscription is 30% off with code SAVE30 . Not your average streaming service This award-winning documentary streamer offers thousands of hours of ad-free content across history, science, crime, nature, and more. Whether youre looking for something more profound or need something interesting playing in the background, MagellanTV has you covered. Unlike traditional streaming services, MagellanTV offers a rich library of growing content that keeps you hooked. Explore shows like Diving with Sharks, The Last Secrets of the Titanic, and JFK: Making of a President. Or, dive into exclusive playlists like Wild Weather, The Stay-at-Home Travel Guide, and Mysteries of the Universe, Whether exploring ancient civilizations, unsolved crimes, or the wonders of the natural world, youll always find something new and fascinating. MagellanTV isnt just for solo watching stream across up to five devices and share your subscription with family and friends with no additional fees. Get your lifetime access to MagellanTV for just $139.97 (Reg. $199) and save 30% with code SAVE30 at checkout. MagellanTV Documentary Streaming Service: Lifetime Subscription $199.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Run out of space? Free up your iPhone storage with these tips

Macworld Storage shortage is a reality for many iPhone owners: whether the culprit is apps, music, Messages or (most commonly) photos and videos, most of us have run out of space at a key moment. Perhaps just as you are trying to update the operating system, or as you were trying to install a hot new app. Unfortunately, you cant upgrade an iPhones internal storage. But all is not lost. We have a few tips for managing and optimizing the storage available on your iPhone, getting the most out of every last gigabyte and freeing up space for new apps and photos. As an aside, please note that even though you cant upgrade the internal storage, you can supplement an iPhones capacity with external storage accessories and you can use iCloud storage to extend your capacity to 2TB and beyond. PROMOTION EaseUS MobiMover | Transfer iPhone data and free up space EaseUS MobiMover is a free iPhone transfer software to figure out whats taking up the most space on your iPhone/iPad, backup and move iPhone data to a computer or new iPhone/iPad, clear the clutters to solve iPhone storage running low problems and get a less overloaded, more organized iPhone/iPad. Now 25% OFF Exclusive Code: MACWORLD25 MOBIMOVER FOR MAC MobiMover for Windows 1. Find out what is taking up space and delete the biggest culprits Foundry The first thing to do is find out what is taking up the space on your iPhone. Luckily there is a simple way to do this. Open Settings. Go to General. Tap on iPhone Storage. This will take you to a screen where you can see what is taking up the space on your iPhone. Youll need to be patient while it calculates how much storage is being used and by what. Eventually, you will see a bar chart divided up into Photos, Apps, Messages, iOS, System Data, and other types of files. System Data (which used to be called Other in older versions of iOS) can often run to tens of GB of storage, leaving many to wonder how to delete Other or System Data on an iPhone . Scroll down to see which of your apps are taking up the most space. In images above you can see Photos is using more than 49GB, Messages nearly 20GB. There are ways to manage these apps and how much they store that we will discuss below. If you scroll through the various apps taking up space (they are sorted so that the largest are at the top) you will be able to quickly locate the ones that are worth removing. The figures include any media stored in the app, so expect your Photos, Music, and Messaging apps to be near the top. This view also shows when you last used an app, so you can confidently delete an app you probably wont use any time soon. Dont worry, once youve bought something its tied to your Apple ID so Apple knows you own it and youll be able to download it again. Scroll through the list and be ruthless. If an app you rarely use is taking up 300MB of space then delete it. You can always download it again for free if you want to. Find an app you want to delete. Swipe from right to left on it. Choose Delete App. Alternatively, you could choose Offload App, which will delete the app but keep any documents and data so that if you download it again you can access the data you had in it. Theres another way to delete apps that we will discuss next. Once an app has been deleted you will see it in this list with a download icon beside it, so this is a good place to go if you ever want to re-download something. 2. Delete apps from the Home screen Foundry There is another way to delete apps that might be slightly quicker if you just want to free up some space in a hurry. You can delete an app from the Home screen, including the App Library. How this works depends on the version of iOS you are using. In the most recent iOS versions, press and hold on an icon until the menu comes up. Then tap Remove App . Youll then see a window pop up to confirm you want to delete the app. Choose Delete App to remove it from your iPhone. On older versions of iOS you could tap and hold on its icon and wait for it (and the other icons too) to start jiggling about this means youre in Edit Mode. Then tap on the X in the left corner to delete the app. You can still hold your finger down until youre in Edit model and tap the (-) in the corner of the app icon to delete it, if you wish. There is more advice about deleting apps here: How to delete apps on iPhone & iPad . 3. Work through Apples recommendations Foundry When youre in Settings > General > iPhone Storage, youll see some recommendations for optimizing your storage. You will probably see two, as well as an option to Show All so you can see more recommendations. The reason why we didnt start with this is that, although a great way to manage storage in the future, its not the quickest way to recover a bit of storage in a hurry. However, it will stand you in good stead if you take Apples advice and put the various storage management suggestions into play. One option you will see here (if you havent already set it up) is to use iCloud Photo Library . This will store your photos and videos in the cloud. iCloud Photo Library is a great solution if you want to have access to all your photos on all your devices, just make sure that Apple stores optimized versions of the photos on your device, rather than full res versions. Another option is to Auto Delete Old Conversations from the Messages app. We havent done this primarily because we dont want to lose access to old messages from people long gone, but its a great way to reduce the amount of storage given to messages. Because of the images and videos stored in Messages, this can often free up several gigabytes. In a similar vein, the Review Large Attachments allows you to delete photos, videos and other media shared in attachments. So if you have a habit of sharing images via Messages expect to find lots of photos or videos here which you can delete if you know you have them in your Photos app. You could also choose to Review Downloaded Videos . If its an option for you tap on the arrow beside it and delete any downloads you see here that you dont need to keep. Tap Edit > Tap the red circle beside the program you want to delete > Tap Delete. You may also see the to Offload Unused Apps . Here Apple volunteers to automatically offload apps that are rarely used when you start to run out of storage. Offloading deletes the app itself, which is easy to replace by redownloading. But it keeps the documents and data, which are likely to be irreplaceable. You can also find the option to Offload Unused Apps under Settings > App Store. Make sure that Automatic app downloads is not selected here, so that apps done automatically download when you add them to other devices. iOS will tell you how much storage you stand to gain from enabling these suggestions. 4. Delete app data and cache Foundry Apple offers to remove the app while preserving the data, but perhaps its the data you want to delete. Maybe you have old videos and books you no longer plan to watch taking up space in an app you still want to use. Some apps will have a lot of data associated with them that you could delete without having to remove the app itself. To look deeper into the storage being taken up by apps, return to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and click on the arrow beside one of the apps listed there. This way you can see how much data is used by the app itself, and how much additional space is being used by documents and data. Video apps tend to be a big culprit here, but the Review Downloaded Videos above should have solved that for you. Another place to look is your video editing apps, and book reading apps like Kindle and Books. To delete the data you will need to go to the app itself. Well walk through how to delete data from a number of apps below, including Books, Notes, and Messages. Other places to look include: Google Maps: Tap your profile and select Offline Maps to see if theres any map data you dont need to store locally. Prime Video/Netflix/Disney+ etc: Open the app and view your downloads. You should be able to select the ones you wish to delete. Another way to free up space is to clear your browser cache. To delete Safari cache follow these steps: Open Settings. Scroll down and click on Safari. Click on Clear History and Website Data. If you use Chrome you have to remove the cache from inside Chrome. In that case, follow these steps: Open Chrome. Tap on Options. Tap Settings. Tap Privacy. Now tap on Clear Browser Data. Select what you want to delete. Tap Clear Browsing Data. 5. Delete text messages Foundry As we mentioned above, you could choose to auto-delete conversations from the Messages app, which would free up a lot of space. But you might not want to do that if you have messages you want to keep for sentimental reasons. You can still delete, en masse, a lot of the Messages on your phone while keeping the ones you dont want to lose. Swipe from right to left on any message that you want to delete. Choose Delete. A better way to filter out messages that are safe to delete and then mass delete them is to filter your messages by Unknown Senders. Tap Filters in the upper left of the main Messages screen. Tap on Unknown Senders. Once in the Unknown Senders view tap on the three dots at the top. Choose Select Messages. Tap on Select all. Double-check that you arent deleting anything you might need. Deselect those messages. Tap Delete. If you dont have any reason to keep messages you have two choices. You can delete messages over a year old or you can delete messages that are just 30 days old. To do this follow these steps: Open Settings. Scroll to Messages and tap. Scroll to Message History and tap on Keep Messages. Now choose between 30 days, 1 Year, and Forever. 6. Delete photos you dont need Foundry If your photos are taking up a considerable amount of space on your iPhone you might want to consider deleting a few of the ones that you have no desire to keep. Perhaps, like us, you often take screenshots of train times when you are commuting. If you want to delete screenshots from your phone you can do so really easily by opening the Photos app and, under Media Types, look for Screenshots. In there, you can find the screenshots you no longer want to keep and delete them. Or you take a ton of photos just to get the perfect shot. There is no need to keep these shots. We try to get into the habit of deleting these extra shots close to the time we take them, or at least favoriting one of the collections so we can easily go back and delete lots at a later date. (If youre not in this sensible habit, a free app may be able to help. See How to delete duplicate photos on iPhone .) Weve tried a free option called Remo Duplicate Photos Remover , but there are plenty more you can try such as the paid-for Duplicate Photos Fixer . In the Utilities category there is a Duplicates folder. If you select it, you can see all your identical photos and choose which to merge into a single photo. Similarly, if youve been using Burst Mode you may have hundreds of near-identical images you really dont need taking up space on your iPhone. To remove extra shots from Burst Mode find the Bursts folder under Media Types, and remove all the unwanted images. 7. Delete images from Messages Foundry Another way to save a ton of space on your iPhone is to delete images that have been shared via Messages. Again you might have images here you want to keep for sentimental reasons, so beware. This is a good option if you dont want to mass delete a lot of images, as you can free up space by just deleting the space-hogging images or videos associated with iMessages. Open a conversation. Tap and hold an image within the thread. Youll see a menu below the image. Tap More, and youll see little circles next to each message and image. (The one you tapped and held will have this pre-ticked.) You can now select as many images (or other files) as you wish, then tap the bin icon at the bottom left to delete them. If there are likely to be a few images you want to delete you might want to go straight to the images library associated with that message. To do this follow these steps: Click on the name or group at the top of the message. Now scroll down the page to the Photos section. Tap on See All. Now tap Select. You can tap on any images you want to delete now. Once they are deleted tap on Delete. You can also show just Screenshots, which might help you filter out the things you are most likely to want to delete. Unfortunately, you cant select all here though. 8. Beware of iCloud Photos Foundry Signing up for iCloud Photos can save you a lot of space if you have gigabytes and gigabytes of photos, reducing the space they take up on your iPhone to something much less greedy, so its definitely worth turning this one on. However, a lot of people have a misunderstanding of what iCloud Photos will do for them. Its a useful service that lets you automatically upload and store your entire photo library in iCloud so you can access photos and videos on all your devices. iCloud Photo is not a way to back up the images on your iPhone so you can delete them from your iPhone. If you were looking for a way to back up your photos so you could delete them iCloud Photos is not it. You cannot delete the images from your iPhone once they are in iCloud because deleting any image will delete it from all your devices. We have a separate article on backing up your Apple photo library and we recommend you read that for tips if thats what you want to do. We also explain How to move photos to iCloud to save space on an iPhone in another article. If you do use iCloud Photos you also need to make sure you choose Optimize iPhone Storage to ensure that if you lack space your iPhone will only keep small versions of images on the device, thereby saving space. Alternatively, you could select Download and Keep Originals, but that would take a lot of space up! 9. The movie rental trick Foundry This tip can create space on your iPhone (from 1/2MB to over 1GB sometimes) using magic. Not really, but were not quite sure how its done, only that it works if your iPhone is almost at maximum capacity. And no, your iPhone doesnt need to be jailbroken, nor does it void the warranty. Before we begin, head to Settings > General > About and make a note of how much storage you have. Then, head to the TV app and find a large title we recommend The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers at a whopping 6.83GB. Once youve found a suitable movie, tap the Rent button twice (dont worry, you wont actually end up renting it) and dismiss the popup informing you that theres not enough space to download the movie. Now, head back to the About section of the Settings menu and take a look at your available storage. If all has gone well, you should see a difference of a few hundred megabytes, possibly more. While it wont work for everybody, users on Reddit report that following the steps several times allowed them to keep freeing up more storage. Were not quite sure what Apple is deleting when it does this, as its not apps, photos or other important data. We assume itll be clearing out caches and other areas that make up the Other section on your iOS storage breakdown. 10. Sign up for iTunes Match or Apple Music Foundry You dont have to store every Music track you could ever possibly need to listen to on your iPhone. If you sign up for iTunes Match (for $24.99/21.99 a year) or Apple Music ($10.99/10.99 a month) and you will then have every track you own available to you via the cloud. Therefore you can delete your music from your iPhone knowing that every song you may wish to listen to is but a download away. Heres how to sign up for iTunes Match and heres our guide to Apple Music . Once you have signed up for either of these Apples services, all your music on all your Apple devices will be uploaded to iCloud (even tracks you have imported from CD). This means you can download any track you fancy listening to on your iPhone whenever the mood takes you. You can download a track or a whole album, or a whole playlist. Just click on the iCloud download icon beside the title. If you then want to delete the track from your iPhone, just swipe left on it, to delete. It will still be available to download from iCloud another time. 11. Remove Books youre not reading Foundry Have you got any iBooks downloaded on your iPhone? Do you need them to be there? If you delete them they will still be available in iCloud to download again, so why not save yourself a few MB by removing the novel youre reading on your iPad from your iPhone. Our Books app is 35.5MB, but carries 1.65GB of data. Using the Books example, to delete the data you need to open the Books app. Open Books. Go to Library. Tap on Edit. Look through the books on your device any that arent currently stored on the iPhone will have a cloud logo beside them. Now tap on any book you wish to remove from your device. Then tap on the Trash in the bottom left to delete it. Tap on Remove Downloads to remove it from your device. You can choose to Delete This Copy, rather than delete it from all your devices. Also, check Settings > Books and make sure you deselect Automatic Downloads so that when you buy a book on another device it doesnt automatically download to your iPhone too. 12. Record video at a lower resolution Foundry Newer iPhones offer you the option to reduce the quality of the videos you record. As the screenshot shows, a minute of video can take up 400MB of space on your iPhone if you record it at 4K, so you probably wont want to be doing that. The iPhone should default to 1080p HD at 60 fps, but you could economize further by recording at 720p HD and 30fps: just 40MB for a minute, rather than 90MB. You can change the settings in Settings > Camera > Record Video. 13. Check your other photo-editing apps Foundry There are photo-editing features in Photos, but you may use separate apps for photo editing. Those apps could have some old images lurking within that you could delete. Check apps like Instagram, Snapchat and the like for images stored in the app itself. 14. Spring-clean your Notes Foundry If you use your iPhones Notes app fairly heavily you may be wondering how much space you could save by deleting old notes. To see how much storage the app is taking up, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, then find and tap on the entry for Notes. This will show separate entries for the app itself (a paltry 12MB) and the documents and data it holds (a slightly less paltry 64.2MB, in our case). To be honest, this still isnt a massive number, and its unlikely to make a huge difference. We deleted a fair few notes and didnt notice any change at all in our phone memory; it doesnt strike us as worth the effort. But if youre desperate (and prepared to be drastic), or if you use Notes to store attachments and other media, then it may make a crucial difference. 15. Optimize storage using a third-party app Foundry If the free tips above arent for you, there are myriad third-party apps available thatll make the process simpler and quicker. Here one of our top suggestions: iMyFone Umate This is an app for Mac and Windows that can free up a huge amount of space on your iPhone. Plug in your iPhone and run a scan. The app will tell you how much free space you could potentially gain by clearing out temporary and junk files, backing up photos, and deleting large files, then showcases your app collection for rapid (but selective) deletion. Interestingly, the app offers the ability to compress your photos instead of completely deleting them. It backs the original photos up to your Mac or PC, then will compress your entire library to free up extra space (up to 75 percent, according to the company). You can grab a trial of iMyFone Umate for free, or you can pay $19.95 (around 15) for the full app.

How to clear Safaris cache and cookies on Mac

Macworld There are a handful of situations when clearing Safaris cookies or cacheone of the places where Safari stores website data to avoid having to download it afresh each time you access a sitecan help improve your browsing experience. The first is when websites simply stop working when you access them on Safari. Perhaps Facebook stops updating with new posts, for example, or the images on a site dont appear as they should. If this happens, its likely the cache has become corrupted. Alternatively, if you find that personal info automatically completed on sites isnt correct, deleting cookies can help. These are small files sites use to save data about you and what you do on the site. Even if none of these problems affect you, periodically cleaning browser data can help protect your privacy from snoops who want to discover what youve been up to online. Therefore, this article explains how to clear Safaris cache and cookies on Mac. We also have an article that explains How to clear cache on a Mac. How to clear Safari cookies and cache for websites Cleaning cookies and the cache data for individual sites can be done via Safaris Settings/Preferences. Open Safari Click on Safari in the menu at the top of the screen. Click on Settings or Preferences (depending on the version of macOS you are running). Go to the Privacy tab. Click on Manage Website Data . Choose Remove All or select websites individually to remove. Foundry After the data is loaded youll probably see a long list of websites. You can choose to Remove All or just select individual websites you want to remove from this list. If you want to select several different sites, you can click on one and then press and hold the Command key to select a second, third, fourth, and so on. We recommend that you dont select hundreds this way; its better to delete in batches just in case you have to start over. If you would prefer to select all and then deselect the ones you want to keep you can do so. Use Command+A to select all, then press and hold Command while clicking on any website you are happy to keep in this list. Just click Remove afterwards, not Done, as that will just undo all your hard work. Theres also a search field you can use to track down individual sites. Bear in mind that deleting cookies might remove autocompleted login usernames and passwords for sites, and will almost certainly log you out of that site if youve configured it to automatically log in each time you visit. How to clear Safari cache The hidden Safari Developer menu can be used to clear just the cache, leaving cookies and the browser history in place. This is a very useful diagnostic step to take before removing those two items if a website behaves badly. If you just want to clear all your cache you can do so by following these steps: Open Safari. Click on Safari in menu bar at top of screen and select Settings / Preferences (depending on the version of macOS you are running). Click on the Advanced tab. Check the box beside Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar or Show features for web developers . Now there will be a new Develop tab in the menu at the top of your screen. Click on this. Click on Empty Caches . Alternatively click on Option+Command + E. Close any open Safari windows and select Empty Caches on the Develop menu. Then click File > New Window to start Safari with a clean cache. Foundry How to remove autocomplete data from AutoFill Safaris AutoFill tool can fill in username and password details on websites as well as credit card details and other elements like your address and email details. This can be really useful, but it can also be annoying if the data it fills in is incorrect or out of context. Its also a problem when AutoFill enters old or incorrect passwords or emails and addresses. You can change this data, or delete it by following these steps: Open Safari. Click on the Safari menu. Click on Settings / Preferences . Choose the AutoFill tab. Here you can edit contact information, usernames and passwords, credit cards and other data. Click on Edit beside the category you want access to. Youll need to enter your password or use Touch ID to gain access. Foundry Delete incorrect data: If you are finding that Safari is autofilling incorrect data about you (your address, for example), click Edit beside Using information from my contacts. This will open up your Contacts app. Your card will be at the top or under My Card. You can add and amend data about yourself here. Delete incorrect passwords and site logins: In versions of Safari before 18.2, you can manage site passwords within Safari. If you want to delete incorrect passwords, you can click on the Passwords tab. If you know which password you want to remove search for the website or service and then find the older password option (if there is more than one) and select it and then click on the - below the column to remove it. You can then select Delete Password. If that means there is no password saved for that website, you can then recreate the entry for the site by clicking the Add button. Youll first need to provide the URL of the site (that is, something like https://facebook.com ), and then type the username and password alongside (hit the Tab key to move from field to field). If you are using macOS Sequoia or later, website passwords are now managed in the new Passwords app. You need to open this app to delete incorrect passwords. Learn more about the Passwords app (the linked review is about the iPhone version, but it is the same as macOS). Well also cover the Passwords app in the section below. See: How to autofill passwords, bank cards, names and addresses for more. Delete logins and passwords system-wide If you are using a version of macOS before Sequoia , site logins can also be accessed via the Keychain Access app, which youll find in the Utilities folder of the Applications list in Finder, although you should be very careful using this app because it pretty much controls the entire security operation of your Mac! However, by removing errant username and password entries here youll stop virtually all of your Mac apps using them, and not just Safari. Just type the name of the site into the Search field, and look in the list of results for entries of the kind Web Form Password . Right-click the entry and select Delete . Foundry For macOS Sequoia or later, Apple introduced a new Passwords app. You can find it in the Applications folder. (The Keychain Access app still exists, but it is hidden. You can find it by doing a Spotlight search for Keychain Access but when you open it, youll get a notification stating that Passwords is the preferred way to manage passwords.) Type the name of the site in the search field, and look at the list of sites that appear. Click on the one you want to modify and click Edit in the upper right to modify the password, or Control-click the website and select Delete in the pop-up menu to delete it. Foundry If you want to delete your Chrome or Firefox cache, cookies or browsing history read: How to delete your Mac browsing history . For alternative web browsers take a look at: Best web browser for Mac.

Apples new Invites service could launch as soon as this week

Macworld At the start of the year, eagle-eyed reporters spotted references in iOS code to a new Apple app (or possibly a feature within another app). Referred to as Apple Invites, it appeared to be a way to manage and invite people to parties and other events while offering integration with iCloud and Calendar. Based on the apps basic feature set and the fact that it disappeared and then reappeared during the progression from iOS 18.2 beta and iOS 18.2 final release to iOS 18.3 beta, the prospects of an imminent launch seemed remote if it was going to happen at all. Apple Invites, we thought, could be part of iOS 19 when it was unveiled in the summer, or it might turn out to be an experiment that went nowhere. But a new report claims it will launch, and considerably sooner than initially expected. In the latest installment of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reveals firstly that Apple Invites has been dubbed Confetti within the company, and secondly that its tied to iOS 18.3 , not iOS 19. Given that iOS 18.3 is already out, we can expect the app/feature to launch sooner rather than later; Gurman says it could be as early as this week. Notably, Gurman refers to Invites not as an app, but as a service and an initiative; he implies it may lie within Calendar. Its not clear whether the service is free or whether it ties into Apple intelligence at all. For years, Apple has been seeking to revamp its calendar app, he writes,and this new initiative could be the beginning of a broader effort. What that broader effort will entail remains a mystery for now, but the launch of Invites means we should get an idea pretty soon.

Clicks for iPhone 16 review clever iPhone keyboard case (not) for everyone

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Pleasant typing feel Many clever shortcuts Backlit keyboard More space on the screen Cons Very unwieldy on the iPhone 16 Pro Max Lengthy setup Considerable battery Consumption Our Verdict The Clicks for iPhone is one of the most interesting accessory products for the iPhone in recent years. The combination of iPhone case and keyboard brings physical buttons to the Apple mobile phone and creates more space on the screen for content, as the on-screen keyboard is no longer needed, and being able to assign shortcuts to certain key combinations is an incredibly clever trick. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed From $139 Best Prices Today: Clicks case for iPhone 16 Retailer Price Clicks $139 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Clicks is the only keyboard case for the iPhone on the market. It is one of those accessories that will inevitably divide opinion. The concept itself isnt stupid, its just a bit out of date, because the era of smartphones with keyboards came to an end with the demise of Blackberry at the latest. Maybe Im just susceptible to such concepts, after all I belong to the (probably relatively small) group of people who spent quite a while with keyboard smartphones and look back longingly in moments of weakness. The small company has launched a revised version of the keyboard case that works with the iPhone 16. Not only was the fit adapted to the two new devices, but changes were also made to both the keyboard and the workmanship. Eugen Wegmann Design & finish Three colors Good workmanship Apart from the keyboard at the bottom, Clicks is a standard iPhone case that comes in three colours: Surf, Spice and Onyx (aka blue, ochre and black). Clicks is not explicitly marketed as a protective case, but its design offers a certain degree of protection for your iPhone. The frame is made of a relatively rigid silicone, and the back is made of a piece of hard plastic in which magnets for MagSafe are embedded in a circle. On the inside, they are covered with a microfiber fabric, similar to the original Apple covers. The buttons are made of aluminum and therefore have a very high-quality feel, while the designers have opted for a simple cut-out for the camera control. So far, so normal. But then theres the USB-C port on the lower edge of the inside, which you use to connect the Clicks to your iPhone and which is extended through the keyboard to the lower end so that you can also charge your iPhone and connect it to Carplay. Eugen Wegmann The eye-catcher and main function is of course the keyboard with its 37 black, optionally illuminated keys. In the interests of ergonomics, these are slightly dented and tilted slightly to the left on the left-hand side and slightly to the right on the right-hand side. All main keys are double and sometimes triple-keyed, with the most important special characters printed on the respective key. There are also three additional buttons in the bottom line: one for voice input (or for the backlight), one to switch the virtual iPhone keyboard on and off as required and a third click button for special shortcuts such as shortcuts. This cover conceals all the technology, but also weights. Eugen Wegmann On the back of the keyboard is a cover covered with a piece of artificial leather, behind which the technology is housed. If you want to know what it looks like inside, you can take a look at the last quarter of the video on the Jerryrigeverything YouTube channel , where the device is taken apart. See more options in our roundup of the best case for iPhone 16 . The recommended handling: two-handed. Eugen Wegmann Ergonomics & haptics Great haptic feedback Pro-Max version unwieldy Requires two-handed operation Key fetishists get their moneys worth with Clicks. The pressure point is pleasant, as is the clicking noise. The key size and spacing are large enough, unless you have really big fingers. Even with the best will in the world, your thumb will not reach the opposite side, and if you want to press a button and still hold the iPhone securely in your hand, it will be very tight. Eugen Wegmann Due to its size, however, it brings with it two not insignificant problems. The lesser of these is that it makes one-handed operation of your iPhone practically impossible and forces you to hold the iPhone in two hands. This is actually very necessary, because the much bigger problem, at least with the Clicks variant for the iPhone Pro Max (and probably also for the Plus), is the weight distribution. With the Clicks, the already long iPhone models become even longer and their leverage increases when you hold them at a typical angle of 20 to 70 degrees to the ground. Even the best typing feel cant change the fact that your wrists start to hurt after a while. Size comparison: Clicks for iPhone 16 Pro Max next to an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Eugen Wegmann The developers of the Clicks have already done a lot to bring the center of gravity as close as possible to the hands: In addition to the buttons and all the technology, there are also a few weights behind the artificial leather flap on the back. It is possible that the Clicks is more comfortable for the normal iPhone or the Pro iPhone without Max, but I can only speculate due to my lack of such a variant to test. Functions & software Keyboard shortcuts for shortcuts Clicks app for customizations and updates USB-C passthrough In addition to the actual physical keyboard, the secret superpower of Clicks is the ability to assign shortcuts to every single key. However, this requires a relatively high level of effort, as everything has to be set up. Clicks uses a function in the accessibility options to assign shortcuts, which makes it possible to control the iPhone with an external keyboard. The setup is not complicated, but lengthy. There is also a video (in English) that explains everything step by step (step by step). Fortunately, Clicks has now expanded the associated app so that some basic shortcuts can be set up easily. Beyond that, however, you will have to search for the corresponding shortcuts elsewhere or create them yourself. Unfortunately, this is not entirely trivial, because although the shortcut app is versatile, it is also confusing and for non-experts. One shortcut that I had to set up myself opens the Control Center, which has only been possible on the system side since iOS 18.1. The shortcuts that Clicks suggests in the app include starting Instagram, calling a specific contact, activating a focus mode, calculating a tip in the calculator and many more. In the app, you can also configure the behavior of some other buttonssuch as whether the Enter key sends a message or inserts a line breakwhether and when the Clicks goes into standby mode and whether and how strong the button illumination is. If you use your iPhone via cable in the car for Carplay, you have to switch from keyboard mode to data mode either in the app or via a key combination (123 space bar), as USB-C on the iPhone cannot do both at the same time. Nevertheless, the iPhone can also be charged with a case. Battery life As the Clicks connects to the iPhone via USB-C, it does not need its own battery but is powered by the iPhone. This has consequences for the iPhones battery life, although the manufacturer assures us that the effects are negligible. In my tests, Clicks consumed between 20 and 25 per cent of the battery throughout the day according to the iOS battery consumption. On one of my test days, only Slay the Spire came close to this consumption, but in a much shorter time. There are two settings in the Clicks app to reduce the cases power consumption: the key illumination and the power-saving mode. It makes the most sense to switch the keyboard backlight off completely and only switch it on when needed, as it is usually the biggest power guzzler. Even in the dark, the screen glows brightly enough for the white letters on the keyboard to still be recognizable. Power-saving mode, on the other hand, is a double-edged sword. The clicks are simply switched off after a certain period of time, which initially seems to make perfect sense. However, this has the disadvantage that it always takes a really strangely long moment for Clicks to switch on again and connect to the iPhone. This is particularly annoying if you pick up the iPhone after a while, want to quickly execute a short command and press the button combination three or four times before anything happens at all. So youre trading a slightly longer battery life for an annoying inconvenience. Which one you choose is up to you. (I recommend switching off the power-saving mode) Price & availability The Clicks for iPhone is only available for the entire iPhone 15 series and iPhone 16 series. For the iPhone 14, Clicks only supports the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. The price depends on the size of your iPhone: $139/109 if you have a standard or iPhone Pro, $159/129 if Plus or Pro Max. Buy Clicks for iPhone Eugen Wegmann Who should buy the Clicks keyboard case? Ill be completely honest: For the average persons everyday use, the Clicks keyboard case wont appeal. The keyboard case is an absolute niche product and is aimed at productivity junkies who write a lot of long texts on their iPhone, execute a handful of shortcuts at the touch of a button and, ideally, also want to attract a little attention with their accessories in public. Clicks is also aimed at people who have never really got over the fact that smartphones with keyboards no longer exist. If you belong to either group, the Clicks is the perfect accessory for you. Clicks is one of the more interesting accessories to hit the market for the iPhone in recent years, and the ability to assign shortcuts to all the buttons has incredible potential if you have the leisure to spend a few hours with it and set it up.

Heres everything we expect from Apple in February 2025

Macworld February tends to be a pretty slow month for official Apple releases. The big fourth quarter is over, and any new Spring hardware usually launches in March or April. Theres an outside chance that Apple direct to the website launches the M4 MacBook Air this month, ahead of other springtime products were not expecting until March or April, but other than that, the new iOS/macOS betas and scrutiny on Siri is going to be what February is all about. New hardware releases Weve heard for some time now that the new M4MacBook Air is in production and should ship soon. Bloombergs Mark Gurman suggested Apple could launch the new laptop as a standalone release in February, but might hold it for a bigger event in March to go along with other expected spring products like the iPhone SE 4 , new iPads, and maybe that mysterious new HomePad thing we keep hearing about. This is expected to be a relatively minor update, just upgrading the processor to an M4 and probably the camera to the 12MP Ultra Wide Center Stage FaceTime camera like you find in the M4 MacBook Pro. Apps and software updates Apple just released iOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3 (and related updates), but as January closed out, Apple hasnt yet released the first iOS 18.4 or macOS 15.4 betas. We expect them soon (possibly this week) because they will need lots of testing. There will probably be a few minor tweaks, but the big component is the big Siri update. When Apple announced Apple Intelligence at WWDC last June, it showed a coming in a later update Siri that would build a personal profile of you based on the information on your phone, so it can understand your requests and perform actions while understanding your own individual personal context. It also could take actions within apps, thanks to a huge increase in developer hooks called App Intents. Getting this in the hands of developers so they can update their apps to use these new App Intents is critical, so this is probably going to be a long beta test that goes into wide release in April (Apple has already announced that additional language support for Apple Intelligence is coming in April. Just as importantly, it will be our first look at a new smarter Siri, and lets face it, Siri needs big improvements . Apple is also rumored to release an update to the Calendar app that lets you keep track of event invites. It was hidden in the iOS 18.3 beta and could be released this month. Services Apple TV+ Here are the shows, series, and movies we expect to release on Apple TV+ in TK. If you want to know whats coming later, check our full guide to upcoming Apple TV+ content . Love You to Death (A muerte): Tells the story of the cautious Ral, who reconnects with free-spirited and newly pregnant Marta following his heart cancer diagnosis. They resume a friendship that began in childhood, and in a relationship brought together by fate, begin to test their beliefs about love. February 5 The Gorge: Two highly-trained operatives are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. February 14 Surface (season 2): Sophie is a woman who has suffered a traumatic head injury that has left her with extreme memory loss, believed to be a result of a suicide attempt. As Sophie embarks on a quest to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of her husband and friends, she begins to question whether or not the truth she is told is in fact the truth she has lived. February 21 Berlin ER: A German-language drama about managing a chaotic emergency room in the toughest and most overcrowded hospital in Berlin. February 26 Apple Arcade Apple releases most Apple Arcade games on the first Friday of each month. Check our Apple Arcade FAQ for a full list of Apple Arcade games and more details on the service. Occasionally, games are released with no forewarning, but youll usually see next months releases listed in the Coming Soon section. Doodle Jump 2+: The classic endless jumper returns. February 6 My Dear Farm+: A youth-oriented cute garden farming game. February 6 PGA Tour Pro Golf: A high-end, realistic golf sim with PGA licensing. February 6

Apples post-iPhone plan is working so far

Macworld How long can Apple keep relying on the iPhone? Nobody knows, because theres never been another product quite like it. But the plumpest golden goose in history isnt going to keep laying eggs forever. Apple, to its credit, is fully aware of this. With its enthusiastic hyping of the latest cautious iPhone update, the company might occasionally sound faintly deluded: a little like the man in the old joke who falls out of a building and says to the people on each floor as he passes, Everythings fine so far! But Apple is doing its best to find a cushion to land on. In the companys latest financial results , we got an idea of how the cushion hunt is going, and the answer is pretty well. Tim Cook named Q1 2025 as Apples best quarter ever, with record revenue of $124.3 billion despite a small year-on-year dip in the iPhones fortunes. Who needs the iPhone when you have consistent growth in services to make up for any shortfalls? Its certainly gratifying for the company to record its highest-ever quarterly revenue after launching one of its most boring iPhones (which didnt even have its flagship feature at launch). But there are concerns we should discuss before we break out the champagne. One is that regardless of growth in other areas, the iPhone remains Apples most important product by an unhealthy margin. That burgeoning Services division, a portmanteau category combining various tenuously related revenue streams, brought in a total of $26.3 billion, compared to the iPhones $69.1 billion. Wearables, Home, and Accessories brought in a combined $11.7 billion, the iPad just $8.1 billion, and Macs $7.8 billion. In first place, theres the iPhone. In second place is daylight. And only then do we get to the other products. In that light, it becomes a little clearer that simply growing services isnt the straightforward solution to the iPhones eventual decline that it might sound like. This quarter, solid growth in services and iPads was just about enough to make up for a tiny drop for the iPhone. Were still at a point where if the iPhone sneezes, Apple catches a cold. This wasnt a sneeze. It was barely the first Aaahh At some point, the iPhone will suffer a real setback, and we dont yet know how Apple will handle that. Last week, research found that buyers of premium iPhones are becoming less inclined to pay extra for more storage, which could become a headache if it turns into a long-term trend. Apple has historically made a lot of money from iPhone storage upgrades, but with the rise of music streaming and cloud photo storage, there doesnt seem to be quite the same demand. For a company of Apples size, it isnt easy to pivot, and it should be applauded for trying its best to do so. By building a mixed-reality headset and an AI platform Apple has positioned itself for two possible post-smartphone futures, and by growing Apple TV+ and its other subscription services it has shored up revenues in the short to medium term. These are all positive steps. But the pivot hasnt yet been tested. Dip or not, this was another epic quarter from the iPhone, and we dont yet know what will happen when the good times finally come to an end. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories DeepSeek is making everyone look silly except Apple, reckons the Macalope . Have you restarted your MacBook this week? You should , pleads Michael Simon. Stephan Wiesend explains why your VPN isnt as secure as you think . Your next iPhone and Mac might cost a whole lot more thanks to political factors. Apples push into the smart home is a decade late but right on time . Apple should smarten up the HomePod mini 2 with these 5 upgrades . This MacBook Pro was too busted for even AppleCare+ to repair! Apple honors Black History Month with color-morphing Apple Watch band . Podcast of the week Apple released an update to iOS, so what should you expect? In the latest episode of the Macworld podcast we take a look at whats in iOS 18.3 , plus talk about the latest Apple news. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on Spotify , Soundcloud , the Podcasts app , or our own site . Reviews corner Mullvad review : A VPN thats all about privacy . Mac Backup Guru review : A utility worth looking into . LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 review : Blazing back-up performance . The rumor mill New leak gives us a clear look at the iPhone SE 4 with a notch. It seems rumors of a Dynamic Island were mistaken . Software updates, bugs, and problems SLAP and FLOP browser vulnerabilities threaten nearly every Apple device since 2021. Whoops! Apple accidentally breaks watchOS updates on older devices. The latest iPhone update patches a security flaw exploited since 2023 . We round up 5 small (but still kinda big) changes coming to your iPhone in iOS 18.3 . On which subject, some iPhone users will soon get a secret addition after upgrading to iOS 18.3 . The latest iPhone update patches a security flaw exploited since 2023 . And with that, were done for this weeks Apple Breakfast. If youd like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters . You can also follow uson Facebook , Threads , or Twitter for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.