MacRumors

Amazon today has one of the first $99 discounts on Apple's AirPods Max since February, available for $449.99 in four colors, down from $549.00. Most models can deliver as soon as May 18 with Prime delivery, and May 21 for regular shipping.

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

On Amazon, colors being discounted include Space Gray, Sky Blue, Silver, and Pink. AirPods Max deals above $50 have been very rare in 2024, with this deal being just the second time we've tracked a $99 discount so far this year. This isn't quite the all-time low price seen on the headphones, but it's still a solid discount if you've been waiting for something more notable to come along for the high-end AirPods.

Apple is rumored to be updating the AirPods Max sometime in 2024, and the new models should be getting a USB-C port and new color options. There is only one other AirPods deal happening right now on Amazon: you can get the the AirPods 2 for $79.99 ($49 off).

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Apple has discontinued the iOS Developer University Program as of May 15, according to a notice on its website and an email sent to program members.

The program allowed university professors and other eligible instructors to create a development team with up to 200 students, who could create and test apps without needing to pay the usual $99 annual fee for Apple Developer Program membership.

Apple says accredited educational institutions can still enroll in the Apple Developer Program at no cost by submitting a fee waiver request.

Thanks, Nicolás Álvarez!

The first M4 iPad Pro bend tests are in, and the initial consensus appears to be that Apple has managed to make its thinnest device ever just as durable as the previous generation M2 iPad Pro that it replaces.

Two approaches were taken in bend tests by prominent tech YouTubers. JerryRigEverything for example forcibly applied pressure by bending the new device with his hands, while MobileReviewsEh took a different tack by placing the iPad under a force meter and applying gym weights on top to exert pressure within a limited contact area.

When bending the iPad Pro from the back in the horizontal position, JerryRigEverything found that the device held up "surprisingly well," as if "suspicious levels of black magic structural integrity" were going on.

When forcibly bent from the back, the glass screen eventually rippled away from the frame, yet the display and operating system continued to function normally. When it came to putting pressure on the device vertically, however, it was a different story, and the iPad Pro quickly suffered a catastrophic split up the middle, originating from the USB-C port.

JerryRigEverything then removed the display to reveal and remove the internals, including the new metal cowling that runs down the middle of the device. "If Apple could add another more perpendicular spine running width-wise near the charging port, this thing probably would have survived," he added.

JerryRigEverything concluded that the central spine of the new iPad Pro is "definitely providing enough structure for horizontal bends," and should stand up to everyday use in a backpack or luggage. In his own AppleTrack test, Sam Kohl agreed: "Is [its thinness] a durability risk? The answer is no. The spine that Apple put along the logic board is very good unless you are bending the corners in."

After placing in excess of 70 pounds of weight on the center of the iPad Pro display until complete structural failure, MobileReviewsEh concluded that the new iPad Pro is "just as tough if not a little bit tougher" than the one it replaces, despite being 18-20% thinner than the M2 iPad Pro.

All in all, another "bendgate" looks unlikely. For those unfamiliar with the controversy, Apple in 2019 admitted to shipping its then-new models with a "very slight bend in the aluminum chassis," which it blamed on a "side effect of the manufacturing process."

Despite videos indicating that the 2018 iPad Pro models bent more easily than other models, Apple said the bend did not worsen over time or negatively affect the iPad's performance, and that concerns over the device's durability were unfounded. Nevertheless, some iPad owners were understandably upset to find defects in devices that cost hundreds of dollars.

This year's upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to get a boost in overall size from 6.7-inches to 6.9-inches, and a new image gives us a good idea of how the current iPhone 15 Pro Max compares to what could be Apple's largest ever iPhone.

The image above, posted on X by ZONEofTECH, shows a dummy model representing the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max alongside an actual iPhone 15 Pro Max. Dummy units are designed to take the place of real devices for display or testing purposes, and therefore seek to match the dimensions and design changes of yet-to-be-released iPhones.

With the increase in size of Apple's larger premium model rumored to be in the region of 0.2 inches, the difference is visually noticeable, but whether it will be all that significant for users in real-world use is another question.

The smaller ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ is expected to increase from 6.1- to 6.3-inches, and with both iPhone 16 Pro models expected to be larger, they are also expected to be taller and wider than the iPhone 15 Pro models. While thickness will remain the same, the weight is likely to increase slightly due to the larger size.

Note that Apple is also rumored to be using Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology for the iPhone 16 Pro models, which is expected to result in slimmer bezel sizes, subsequently allowing for more display space within the confines of those dimensions.

In addition, the iPhone 16 Pro's display could be up to 20% brighter for typical SDR content, featuring up to 1,200 nits of typical SDR brightness. Taken together, those changes could add up to a substantially improved screen viewing experience.

Meanwhile, the ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus are expected to stay at 6.1- and 6.7-inches like their predecessors. If Apple sticks to its typical annual iPhone launch timing, the iPhone 16 lineup will be released sometime around mid-September.

iPhone users often find themselves toggling between different keyboard layouts to type messages, emails, or fill out forms. This can slow down communication and disrupt your flow. But there are ways to streamline the process. If this quick tip is new to you, it could revolutionize the way you type on your iPhone and save you precious time.

Switching away from the alphabetic keyboard layout when you need to type a number or symbol is an all-too-often occurrence on ‌iPhone‌, so here's a quick tip for making the transition super-swift.

Rather than tap the "123" key in the bottom-left corner to switch to the number/symbol keyboard, hold down on the key and then slide your finger over to the number/symbol that you want to type, then let go.

This single action types the number/symbol and automatically switches you right back into the alphabetical layout, avoiding the need to perform three separate taps to achieve the same result.

So next time you find yourself needing to insert a number or symbol, remember this trick and you can type away without pause.

Samsung has sought to capitalize on the fallout of Apple's controversial "Crush!" ad for iPad Pro by releasing a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra ad that includes the tagline "Creativity cannot be crushed."

When Apple last week introduced the new M4 iPad Pro models, it showed a video of a hydraulic press crushing creative tools, including musical instruments, electronic equipment, arcade games, paint and brushes, computers, cameras, and more, with the aim of demonstrating how the iPad represents all of the tools condensed into a single device.

This imagery sparked significant backlash from the creative community and the social media-using public, who interpreted it as a metaphor for Big Tech's destructive impact on creative industries and individual creativity.

The negative reception was so strong that Apple decided to cancel planned TV spots for the ad and publicly apologized, acknowledging that the ad "missed the mark" by not aligning with their intention to celebrate and empower creatives​.

Seizing on a perceived marketing opportunity, Samsung has now released an ad of its own, in which a musician walks through the destructive wake of the hydraulic press and picks up a damaged guitar. The musician then sits beside an easel holding a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra with musical notation on the screen, and proceeds to perform the piece of music. The video was shared on X (Twitter) by Samsung with the accompanying caption, "We would never crush creativity."

Samsung mocking Apple in its ads is nothing new. The company has mocked Apple for everything from design decisions such as the iPhone's removal of the headphone jack (which it also eventually removed) to Apple's lack of a foldable smartphone lineup.

Apple has new Smart Folio cases for its latest M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models that boast a wider range of viewing angles, and thanks to Marques Brownlee, we now know how it's done.

With the help of some magnet paper, MKBHD reveals that Apple has added bigger, more cubic magnets to the M4 iPad Pro that align with a new longer rail of stripe magnets in the Folio Case, thereby achieving a wider range of viewing angle adjustment.

The magnet paper also reveals that, because of how thin the new iPad Pro is compared to the previous generation model, Apple has had to use flatter, more circular speaker drivers, which appear to be closer to the top of the device.

Apple is selling the new Smart Folio for the 11-inch iPad Pro in Denim, Black, and White. There's also a Smart Folio for the 13-inch iPad Pro in the same color options.

Similarly, you can get the Smart Folio for 11-inch iPad Air in Light Violet, Charcoal Gray, Sage, and Denim. There's also the Smart Folio for the 13-inch iPad Air in the same color options.

The 11-inch and 13-inch versions of the Smart Folio case for iPad Pro and iPad Air are priced at $79 and $99, respectively.

Netflix's ad-supported streaming tier has 40 million global monthly active users, up 35 million from a year ago, Netflix said today at its Upfront advertising presentation. Netflix has 270 million total subscribers worldwide, so the majority of its users are still on the ad-free tiers.

Netflix resisted implementing an ad-supported tier for many years, but confirmed in 2022 that it had plans to implement a cheaper option in order to boost revenue. The Standard with ads plan launched in late 2022, and it has grown more popular as Netflix has increased the pricing of its ad-free tiers.

In the United States, the Standard with ads plan is priced at $6.99 per month for HD streaming on up to two devices at one time, with all but a "few movies and TV shows available." The basic ad-free plan is $15.49 per month, while the premium plan is $22.99 per month. Netflix's ad-supported plan does not include the option to download content for offline viewing, nor does it support spatial audio.

According to Netflix, more than 40 percent of all signups in the countries where the ad-supported plan is available are for the ads plan. More than 70 percent of Netflix's ad-supported members watch Netflix content for more than 10 hours per month, and Netflix says subscribers are twice as likely to respond to an ad compared to subscribers of other streaming services.

Since Netflix launched its ad-supported tier, it has partnered with Microsoft for ads, but in 2025, it will launch an in-house ad platform.

In addition to boosting revenue through a cheaper ad-supported option, Netflix has also cracked down on password sharing. After putting an end to multi-household account use, Netflix saw strong subscriber growth and an increase in revenue.

With Apple's decision to allow game emulators on the App Store, several popular emulators like Delta have now launched for iPhone and iPad. RetroArch is the latest emulator to come to the ‌App Store‌, allowing gamers to play games from a wide range of systems.

RetroArch supports multiple versions of Atari and Commodore systems, as well as the Nintendo DS, Game Boy, NES, SNES, and Virtual Boy. Multiple Sega and Sony systems are also included, as are the NEC PC Engine and Neo Geo Pocket.

RetroArch is free to download, has no ads, and is open source. It supports save states, cheats, custom overlays, fast forward and rewind, AI translations, and RetroAchievements. RetroAchievements adds trophies to all manner of classic games, providing incentives to unlock new content and top leaderboards.

RetroArch is fairly well-known because it was previously available on PC and Mac, it just was not able to be released for iOS devices until Apple's rule change. RetroArch is also the first console emulator that works on the Apple TV, allowing games to be played with an MFi controller on a larger screen.

RetroArch can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌ for free. [Direct Link]

Popular note taking app Goodnotes today announced new features that are designed to work with the Apple Pencil Pro that launched alongside the 2024 iPad Pro models. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro supports a squeeze gesture with haptic feedback, as well as a barrel roll for better control over shaped pen and brush tools.

Palette is a set of tools that pops up in Goodnotes with a squeeze of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro. It allows users to swap between essential tools, undo, and change ink stroke, thickness, and color. Normally these features would need to be accessed through a tool panel, but the Palette makes it much quicker to swap between options without interrupting a workflow.

Goodnotes' Fountain Pen now includes Dynamic Ink with an ink flow that is able to respond to the rotation of the ‌Apple Pencil‌. Instead of just responding to pressure sensitivity, the Fountain Pen is able to make thinner or thicker lines based on the orientation of the ‌Apple Pencil‌, for a more natural pen-like feel.

Strokes will vary with calligraphic flourishes as a physical fountain pen would, which Goodnotes says can bring more personal expression to digital writing. Rolling the barrel of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro can also provide more precise control over stroke thickness, and stroke preview is available using ‌Apple Pencil‌ hover.

Goodnotes 6 can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but it costs $9.99 per year after a free trial. [Direct Link]

Astropad today confirmed that its updated version of Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Rock Paper Pencil is a screen protector and Apple Pencil tip duo designed to mimic the feel of writing on paper with a pen.

Rock Paper Pencil combines a removable screen protector with a unique ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip to replicate the feel of writing on paper. The NanoCling Screen Protector adheres to the iPad's display using static cling, and it can easily be put on and taken off when it's not needed, with no adhesive residue.

The Pencil tip can hold up to heavy daily use with a wear-resistant copper alloy core and palladium coating. The tip is equivalent to a standard 0.7mm ballpoint pen for a pleasant note taking experience. The kit includes two pencil tips and a protective storage sleeve for the screen protector.

Rock Paper Pencil is priced at $40 and can be purchased from the Astropad website. The 13-inch version is compatible with the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌iPad Air‌, while there are separate versions for the 11-inch ‌iPad Air‌ and the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.

The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) today sent a cease and desist letter to Spotify, accusing the music streaming service of using its members' copyrighted content without appropriate licensing. The letter was shared by Billboard, and it suggests that Spotify is "hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts."

Spotify has been asked to remove the unlicensed content from its platform or face a "copyright liability" for its continued use. The NMPA is a trade association that represents music publishers and songwriters in the U.S., and the group focuses on protecting music copyrights.

The NMPA claims that while Spotify has mechanical and public performance licenses, the use of lyrics and music in videos and podcasts requires rights that must be negotiated directly with rightsholders.

It has come to our attention that Spotify displays lyrics and reproduces and distributes music videos and podcasts using musical works without the consent of or compensation to the respective publishers and/or administrators (our members) who control the copyrights in the musical compositions. As such, these uses of musical works on the Spotify platform are not licensed or will soon become unlicensed.

U.S. copyright law generally grants copyright owners the exclusive right to, among other things, reproduce, distribute, display, perform publicly, and create derivative works from their copyrighted works under 17 U.S.C. Sn. 106. Violation of these exclusive rights constitutes copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. Sn. 501.

Spotify thus appears to be engaged in direct infringement by hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts, and by distributing unauthorized reproductions, synchronizations, displays, and derivative uses of these musical works to its users. Making matters worse, Spotify profits from such infringement.

Accordingly, on behalf of our members, NMPA demands that unlicensed lyrics, music videos, and podcasts be removed from the platform or Spotify will face copyright liability for continued use of these works.

A spokesperson for Spotify told Billboard that the letter is a "press stunt filled with false and misleading claims." Spotify went on to say that it paid a "record amount" to songwriters in 2023, and is on track to surpass that amount in 2024.

Ubisoft today announced plans to release Assassin's Creed Shadows, the next game in the Assassin's Creed franchise, on November 15. It will be available on Macs with Apple silicon through the Mac App Store, as well as Windows PCs, the Xbox Series X or Series S, and the PlayStation 5.

Assassin's Creed Shadows takes place in 16th century Japan, with players set to take on the role of Naoe, a shinobi assassin from the Iga Province and Yasuke, a powerful samurai. Each character offers a different playstyle, progression path, skills, weapon options, and stats. Naoe focuses on stealth skills, while Yasuke excels at combat.

The game has a vast open world to explore, and Ubisoft says players can expect a variety of landscapes that have evolving weather and seasons. There will be castle towns, bustling ports, pastoral landscapes, and peaceful shrines.

As with past Assassin's Creed games, players will need to hunt down targets and build spy networks, with the game featuring a customizable hideout and recruitable allies.

The standard version of the game will be priced at $70, but there are more expensive Gold, Ultimate, and Collector's Edition options that include additional unlocks and merchandise. Pre-orders are available from the Mac App Store starting today.

Apple's previous generation M1 iPad Air has dropped further in price this week on Amazon, now available at $399.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, down from $599.00. These price drops follow just one week after Apple unveiled the new M2 iPad Air.

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

You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi M1 iPad Air on sale for $599.00, down from $749.00. Both of these deals are new all-time low prices on the 2022 tablet, and right now only Amazon has the discounts.

Additionally, both cellular models are on sale right now on Amazon. The 64GB cellular model has hit $599.00, down from $749.00, while the 256GB cellular model is available for $749.00, down from $899.00. Stock on the cellular models is far more sparse compared to the Wi-Fi tablets, so be sure to order soon if you're interested.

There are numerous differences between the M1 and M2 iPad Air, mainly including display sizes and the various internal upgrades that the M2 chip introduced in the 2024 models. Our buyer's guide has a more detailed breakdown of these two iPad Air models and should help make any buying decision a bit easier.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Apple discontinued the ninth-generation iPad with a Lightning port last week, meaning that its entire iPad lineup now uses USB-C. However, the company still sells a handful of devices and accessories with Lightning for now.

The list of products that Apple still sells with a Lightning port or connector includes some older iPhone models, the standard AirPods, the over-ear AirPods Max, the first-generation Apple Pencil, and a trio of Magic accessories for the Mac:

• iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and iPhone SE
• Second-generation and third-generation AirPods
• AirPods Max
• First-generation Apple Pencil
• Magic Keyboard
• Magic Mouse
• Magic Trackpad

Apple has been gradually switching most of its products to USB-C, including the entire iPhone 15 series and the second-generation AirPods Pro last year, and AirPods Max with a USB-C port are rumored to launch later this year. Apple also discontinued the MagSafe Battery Pack and the MagSafe Duo Charger, which charge via Lightning.

Apple first introduced the Lightning port on the iPhone 5 in 2012.

Today is the official launch day of the new iPad Pro models, and these updated tablets mark the biggest feature and design refresh that we've seen for the ‌iPad Pro‌ in several years. We picked up one of the new 13-inch models to check out everything new.

When it comes to design, Apple is still offering 11-inch and 13-inch size options and the look hasn't changed a whole lot, but the bezels are slimmer and the iPads themselves are super thin. The 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ is the thinnest device Apple has made to date at 5.1mm, while the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ is 5.3mm.

With the 13-inch model weighing in just over a pound, the decrease in weight and size is noticeable and makes it feel much more portable. The 11-inch model is under a pound, so it's even easier to carry around. This is a design change that you'll feel if you've used a 2018 or later ‌iPad Pro‌.

The OLED display is, unsurprisingly, super nice. It's bright, the colors are vibrant, the blacks are incredibly black, and the contrast is much improved. The mini-LED display of the prior-generation 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ was good, but this is better. Still, if you have that one, it's probably not worth upgrading for OLED. Nano-texture, an add-on option for higher-end models, cuts down on glare, but it also diminishes the OLED display a bit because of the matte finish.

Apple moved the camera to the landscape edge of the ‌iPad Pro‌, which makes a lot of sense because most people are probably using it in that orientation. Video calls no longer require turning the iPad into an awkward position if you have a keyboard attached. Note that Apple did pull the Ultra Wide camera, so there's just a single Wide lens and a LiDAR sensor.

The M4 chip is incredibly fast, fast enough that it's likely most people purchasing an ‌iPad Pro‌ aren't going to be able to take full advantage of its capabilities. It's going to be hard to max this chip out, and it'll handle audio and video editing with ease. Apple is focusing heavily on AI with its new operating system updates, so those AI will be able to take advantage of that processing power, and it'll come in handy for future proofing.

If you want to use the ‌iPad Pro‌ for anything that involves typing, the Magic Keyboard is a must. It's priced starting at $299, but it's thin, light weight, and the aluminum hand rest makes it feel Mac-like. It's got good key travel and the glass trackpad is a major improvement.

For Apple Pencil users, the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro's haptic feedback is the most noticeable change. With the squeeze gesture, you can swap tools more quickly and have more feedback when creating sketches and art. Barrel roll also lets you use the ‌Apple Pencil‌ more like an actual writing or drawing implement. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ charges magnetically, and pairs automatically, like prior versions.

The only real downside to the ‌iPad Pro‌ is the software that it's running. iPadOS is still so limited compared to macOS, especially for multitasking and app functionality. Federico Viticci's recent writeup on the iPadOS basics that Apple gets wrong is well worth a read. Still, there are some workflows that are adaptable to the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's a great portable machine. If you're a person who can make use of a tablet, this is the best one you can get.

One of the new iOS 18 accessibility features that Apple previewed today is a Reader Mode in the Magnifier app, which will convert words in images to uniform lines of text. Apple did not provide any specific details about the feature, but it shared a screenshot showing that users will be able to change the font and have the text read aloud.

Apple also revealed that iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to easily launch the Magnifier app's Detection Mode with the Action button, which debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro models and is rumored to expand to the entire iPhone 16 lineup later this year. Detection Mode can identify and read aloud all text within an iPhone camera's field of view.

It is already possible to set the Action button to open the Magnifier app in general, so this will be an expansion of the app's integration with the button.

iOS 18 is expected to be unveiled at Apple's developers conference WWDC on June 10, and the update should be widely released in September.

Apple today previewed new accessibility features coming with iOS 18 later this year, and this includes some new options for CarPlay.

Apple highlighted three new features coming to CarPlay:

• Voice Control: This feature will allow users to navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice.
• Color Filters: This feature will make the CarPlay interface visually easier to use for individuals with color blindness.
• Sound Recognition: This feature will enable drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing to receive notifications on CarPlay for driving-related sounds, such as car horns and sirens.

All three of these features are already available on the iPhone and iPad.

iOS 18 is expected to be unveiled at Apple's developers conference WWDC on June 10, and the update should be widely released in September.