Remember those Siri ads starring Bella Ramsey that promoted the iPhone 16 by showing off all the cool new Siri features Apple announced at WWDC in 2024? The Siri features that never shipped? Remember those?

Well, someone filed a class action lawsuit about those very ads, and Apple has agreed to a $250 million settlement rather than taking it to court. As always, a bunch of that sum will go toward legal and administrative fees, but if you bought an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16, you could have as much as $95 coming your way.

If you bought an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max or any iPhone 16 between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025, anywhere in the United States, you’re eligible to collect at least $25 and as much as $95, depending on how many people claim their portion of the settlement. Eligible users will be notified will need to provide proof that they’re part of the eligible group. That could be a receipt, serial number, Apple Account information, phone number, or other information, depending on exactly how and where you purchased your iPhone.

The settlement received preliminary approval today, and noticed should be sent within the next 45 days.

In a statement sent to media outlets, Apple said:

Since the launch of Apple Intelligence, we have introduced dozens of features across many languages that are integrated across Apple’s platforms, relevant to what users do every day, and built with privacy protections at every step. These include Visual Intelligence, Live Translation, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Clean Up and many more.

Apple has reached a settlement to resolve claims related to the availability of two additional features. We resolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users.

TL;DR: These MacBook Pros are only $430 until they sell out (MSRP $1,999).

You don’t need a brand-new MacBook Pro—you just need one that works like new. But with current prices pushing close to $2,000, upgrading can feel out of reach. This refurbished MacBook Pro 2020 offers a smarter path, with strong specs, near-mint condition, and a track record of 5-star reviews.

This 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 quad-core processor that runs at 2.0GHz, so everyday work like browsing, video calls, and document editing feels smooth. It has 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, which is plenty of space for apps, photos, and big project files, and it helps the system stay responsive when you have a lot open at once.

The 13.3-inch Retina display runs at 2560×1600 resolution with True Tone, so text looks sharp, and colors are vivid while the screen adjusts to the lighting in your room. Intel Iris Plus graphics handle streaming, light creative work, and general use without drama. The backlit Magic Keyboard is comfortable for long typing sessions, and the Touch Bar and Touch ID give you quick shortcuts and fingerprint login.

You get four Thunderbolt 3 ports that handle charging, external displays, and fast storage through USB-C. Wireless connections use 802.11ac Wi Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 for modern routers and accessories.

This grade “A” refurbished unit should arrive in near-mint condition, with only minor signs of use. It weighs about 3.1 pounds, comes with a charger, and includes a limited third-party warranty.

Get a MacBook Pro while they’re on sale for $430.

We have fewer than 50 left in stock.

Apple Macbook Pro (2020) 13″ i5 2GHz Touchbar 16GB RAM 1TB SSD Space Gray (Refurbished)See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The Digital Markets Act, or DMA, is a piece of EU legislation created with the stated aim of fostering competition and user choice, principally by forcing larger companies to make their products and platforms more accommodating to and interoperable with those made by the smaller ones. Unsurprisingly, it proved unpopular with the tech giants, but despite significant pushback, it came into force in May 2023 and continues to operate to this day.

Apple is particularly unhappy about the DMA, which makes it difficult to cultivate digital monopolies and “walled gardens,” such as the iOS app ecosystem. The legislation has consistently pushed Apple towards allowing “sideloading,” or the installation on the iPhone of apps from non-official sources, and thanks to the DMA, users in the EU can even delete the official App Store app.

In March 2025, the EU cited the DMA in ordering Apple to open up iOS connectivity features, a decision Apple decried as “bad for our products and for our European users.” Then, in April of the same year, the company was fined roughly $570m after its contract terms concerning alternative app distribution were found to breach the DMA.

All in all, the legislation has proved deeply inconvenient for Apple. European regulators, unsurprisingly, do not feel the same. And in the European Commission review of the DMA’s first two years, published at the end of April, it was praised in lavish terms:

The DMA has already had a positive impact on the contestability and fairness of digital markets during the short period it has been in application. The DMA has significantly changed the conduct, technical design choices, and contractual arrangements of gatekeepers, which has begun to open up new opportunities for business users and competitors. The DMA has also strengthened end-user autonomy and agency in several key areas by empowering citizens to take back control over their data and make their own choices.

All very complimentary. But Apple has now hit back. Speaking in an interview with German-language Handelsblatt, spotted by AppleInsider, Kyle Andeer, Apple’s chief compliance officer and VP of corporate law, accused the review of being “self-serving.”

“We had hoped that the review would prompt some sober reflection for the EU,” he said (via Google Translate). But instead, what emerged was “a kind of self-serving defense… After all, they were evaluating their own work.”

In the interview, Andeer insisted that the DMA has not yet caused any loss of revenue for Apple, with the key word being yet. But he repeatedly referred to the company’s frustration with the legislation and its fears that users are being put at risk.

He pointed out, for example, that the DMA’s interoperability requirements could allow Meta or another social media company to access the Wi-Fi login details of an iOS user, and thereby build a highly tailored user profile without permission. “This is a vulnerability that threatens privacy,” Andeer said, adding that Apple had raised the issue with the EU, but that “they seem to be ignoring it.”

Despite Apple’s displeasure, the EU currently appears highly unlikely to kill the DMA. The company has had better luck in its home country; however, only last week we reported on its success lobbying to death a similar bill in California in “little more than a month.”

A report released by Bloomberg on Tuesday states that Apple is in “exploratory talks” with Intel and Samsung to produce chips in the U.S. However, the talks have yet to result in an actual deal between the companies, and the possibility remains that Apple may decide to abandon the idea.

Last December, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Intel could serve as a secondary chip supplier to Apple. Apple currently relies on TSMC for its chip manufacturing, but is interested in finding additional manufacturing options. However, Bloomberg states that Apple is concerned about using non-TSMC technology, which will affect the decision on whom to partner with.

Intel has struggled in the past few years as it has been slow to adjust to the shift in chip demand from CPUs to GPUs, and its own CISC chip technology has proven to be outdated as RISC-based chips by competitors have proven to provide better performance and efficiency. Intel is exploring the possibility of being a chip foundry for other companies, such as Apple, to expand its revenue streams. Samsung is also interested in growing its foundry operations.

The current supply chain problems have caused Apple to investigate options to alleviate the constraints. Finding another manufacturer is challenging, and Apple is concerned that Intel and Samsung “can’t reliably offer the type of production and scale” that TSMC provides, reports Bloomberg. Apple already sources several components, including displays and RAM, from Samsung.

Bloomberg also states that an Apple/Intel deal could also provide political benefits, since the current presidential administration views Intel “as a national champion.” Apple is currently working with TSMC to establish a plant in Arizona, which could provide Apple with 100 million chips annually.

During Apple’s Q2 2026 financial results announcement, CEO Tim Cook stated that “the primary constraint is the availability of the advanced nodes our SoCs are produced on, not memory,” which has resulted in short supply of devices, including the Mac mini. Cook stated that it could “take several months to reach supply/demand balance” and that the supply issues are not “going to end anytime soon.”

Best Prices Today: Razer Viper V4 Pro

Slowly but surely, Razer is bringing more of its high-end gaming gear to the Mac. The Pro Click V2 was a rare exception, designed for productivity rather than gaming, but the Viper V4 Pro marks a clear return to form. This lightweight, high-performance mouse is aimed squarely at serious gamers who demand speed and accuracy – and that focus comes at a cost, with a price of $159.99/£159.99, higher than comparable options from Apple or Logitech. Still, Razer’s Synapse app (currently in beta on Mac) adds versatility by allowing you to reprogram buttons for a wide range of software.

Built for fast-paced gaming, the Viper V4 Pro prioritises speed and precision above all else. That makes it overkill for casual users who just need a basic mouse for everyday tasks, but its flexible connectivity, strong battery life, and extensive customisation options may also appeal to power users and creative professionals.

Main drawbacks

The Viper V4 Pro’s biggest issue is its high price, which puts it well above mainstream alternatives from brands like Logitech or Apple. Practical annoyances add up too: the included charging cable uses USB-A, meaning many modern Mac users will need an adaptor, and there’s no Bluetooth option—only Razer’s proprietary dongle. The Synapse app, while powerful, is overly complex and still in beta on Mac, limiting ease of use and compatibility. Finally, the design is strictly right-handed, which excludes a chunk of potential users.

Performance and design: how fast and precise is it?

• Latency: 0.204ms response time
• Sensor: 50,000 DPI optical sensor
• Polling rate: Up to 8,000Hz
• Weight: ~49–50g ultra-light design
• Durability: Up to 100 million clicks
• Scroll wheel: Optical sensor (claimed 3.3× more reliable)
• Battery life: ~45–180 hours depending on settings

At first glance, the Viper V4 Pro looks fairly unassuming. Available in black or white – but only for right-handed users – it looks like most conventional mice, with left and right buttons, a clickable scroll wheel, and two thumb buttons on the side. Razer refers to it having a ‘symmetrical design’, but that ignores the thumb buttons on the left-hand side of the mouse, which are obviously only suitable for right-handed use. 

The lightweight plastic casing feels a little flimsy at first, but the Viper is designed to be as light as possible so that you can quickly move it around with just a gentle flick of your fingers (although, oddly, Razer says that the black version weighs 49g, while the white version is 50g). It’s sturdier than it seems though, and Razer states that the buttons are designed to last for ‘up to a 100 million click lifecycle’, while the scrolling wheel uses an optical sensor that it claims is 3.3 times more reliable than conventional mechanical wheels.

And, of course, it’s precise too, with Razer claiming that the Viper V4 Pro provides a latency (response time) of just 0.204 milliseconds, while the 50,000 dpi optical sensor in the base of the mouse provides a degree of precision and accuracy that should satisfy even the most trigger-happy gamers. And, for those of us with slower reflexes, there’s a button underneath the mouse that allows you to cycle through a series of different speed settings so that you can find one that feels comfortable. You can also fine-tune these settings in more detail by using the Mac version of Synapse – and when we plugged the Viper in to our Mac Mini we were pleased to see that Synapse offered us a three-month free subscription to Apple Arcade, which is available until June 11^th.

How does it connect (and what’s missing)?

Most high-end mice can be connected to a Mac or PC in wired mode using a USB cable, as well as providing both a Bluetooth wireless connection and a separate USB adaptor – generally referred to as a ‘dongle’ – that provides a more reliable wireless connection using a 2.4GHz radio signal. The Viper V4 Pro does things a little differently, though. It has a USB-C port for charging, and the USB charging cable included in the box also allows you to use the mouse with a wired connection. Annoyingly, though, the cable uses USB-A to connect to a Mac or PC, so you’ll need a USB-C adaptor for Macs that only have USB-C. Thankfully, though, the USB port is on the front of the mouse, so you can easily continue to use it while the mouse is charging (unlike Apple’s Magic Mouse). Battery life is good too, lasting for around 45 hours when using the highest sensitivity settings, or up to 180 hours with lower settings. 

There’s no Bluetooth option though, as Razer prefers to use its own specialised HyperSpeed dongle to provide a high-speed wireless connection. Instead of a conventional dongle that plugs straight into a USB port, the HyperSpeed is a small hemispherical device that sits on your desk. It has its own USB-C port, and then uses the Viper’s charging cable for its power supply (although, as already mentioned, this cable has a USB-A interface for connecting to your Mac, so you’ll need a USB-C adaptor for most recent Macs). 

The HyperSpeed dongle has three status lights on the front, with the first two indicating the strength of the wireless connection, and the battery level of the mouse. The third light indicates the ‘polling rate’, which is the number of times per second that the mouse reports its movement and button presses to the dongle. This can be as high as 8,000Hz for maximum speed and precision but, again, you can adjust the polling rate and select different settings in the Synapse app. 

How Well Does It Work With Macs?

As mentioned, the Mac version of Razer’s Synapse app is still in its beta ‘preview’ stage. It works well though, with no obvious bugs evident during our testing, and its main limitation is simply that it currently only works with a handful of Razer’s latest products, such as the Viper V4 Pro and Pro Click mice. It also requires macOS 15 with Apple Silicon to run properly.

Synapse allows you to customise the button controls on the Viper to perform a variety of different commands. Admittedly, Synapse is rather complicated, and isn’t as easy to use as the Options+ app that Logitech provides for its MX range of mice. However, it does provide a wide range of commands that you can assign to the various mouse buttons, and we were pleased to find that the Mac version of Synapse also includes a number of Mac-specific shortcuts and commands, such as using a button on the mouse for Copy/Paste, launching Spotlight, or even Force Quit.

Should You Buy The Razer Viper V4 Pro?

If you’re serious about gaming then the Viper V4 Pro is hard to beat, especially for Mac users who don’t have a lot of choice in the gaming arena. It’s too expensive for routine office work or casual use at home, but its good battery life and programmable buttons may appeal to some non-gamers as well. 

Price When Reviewed

$299.99

Best Prices Today: Kensington SD5000T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station

Is the SD5000T5 worth it for Mac users?

This simpler Kensington EQ dock joins the company’s flagship docking station, the EQ Pro Thunderbolt 5 Dock for MacBook (SD7100TS), as an entry-level solution for Macs sporting the latest and fastest 80/120Gbps connectivity standard.

The $449/£329 EQ Pro has 19 ports and a dedicated SSD slot for you to add extra storage, plus special Mac hot keys for easy iPhone photo backup and a Focus Mode. The more affordable $299/£299 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station (SD5000TS) has 11 ports but might offer all you need for your speedy desktop setup.

What ports do you actually get (and what’s missing)?

• One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps, 140W)
• Two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 15W)
• One downstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps, 60W)
• One USB-A port (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
• Ethernet (2.5Gb)
• UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
• UHS-II microSD card reader (312MBps)
• One 3.5mm combo audio In/Out jack (front)
• 180W power supply

Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) is backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and 3, so even if your Mac isn’t yet built for TB5, you can rest assured that it will work with earlier Thunderbolt versions and be ready for your eventual TB5 Mac upgrade.

Thunderbolt 5 Macs get 80Gbps data-transfer rates and up to 120Gbps in Bandwidth Boost mode for top-end video demands.

One TB5 port is “upstream”, meaning it connects to your Mac. The other three are “downstream” for connecting other devices such as monitors and storage drives.

Kensington has, in my mind, wisely decided against swapping one of the potential Thunderbolt 5 ports for a dedicated video port such as HDMI or DisplayPort. Several top dock makers think they know best when giving you a DisplayPort in place of the third downstream Thunderbolt port—reasoning that the user will almost certainly use the dock to connect to at least one external display and as all good monitors have a DisplayPort connection then why not have the same on the dock.

On a dock with extra USB-C ports, a video-only port might make sense, but on a dock with only 11 ports and no extra USB-C on top of the Thunderbolt ports the video-only port could end up unused and a wasted opportunity to replace it with another flexible Thunderbolt port. That’s because not all good monitors have a DisplayPort connection on their back. The Apple Studio Display, to take a high-profile example, has four Thunderbolt ports and no DisplayPort. BenQ’s excellent MA range of monitors each has dual HDMI ports and no DisplayPort.

If the dock maker had stuck with the chipset’s available three downstream Thunderbolt ports, rather than switch one for a DisplayPort, the Studio Display or BenQ user would have an extra high-speed port to play with rather than a wasted DisplayPort. Ugreen recently made this error on its Maxidok 10-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station—and as you can read in our review, we didn’t like that decision at all.

So, breathe a sigh of relief that Kensington offers you the full roster of Thunderbolt 5 ports for you to decide how to use. If you must connect via DisplayPort, then simply buy a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter cable. If not, you have an extra Thunderbolt port that the poor Ugreen user does not.

How good is the 60W Thunderbolt 5 port in practice?

As an even greater bonus the Kensington has bestowed upon its extra downstream Thunderbolt 5 port the ability to charge a connected device at 60W. The upstream Thunderbolt 5 port can deliver 140W to a connected laptop—enough to fast-charge Apple’s top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro. The other two TB5 ports each supports 15W of power output as well as their 80/120Gbps data prowess.

There are three legacy USB-A ports (at a speedy 10Gbps), which I think is overkill for the old standard, but dock makers continue to heap USB-A on us. The front-facing USB-A port can charge at 7.5W, with the two at the back a little weaker at 4.5W output.

Also at the front of the dock are two card readers: both the SD and MicroSD readers works at the fast 312MBps UHS-II standard, which is faster than Apple’s 250MBps SDXC card reader on its Pro MacBooks.

What are the main drawbacks?

• Front-facing upstream TB5 port concern
• Front-facing 60W port clutter concern
• Limited number of ports (11 total)
• 180W power supply limitation (you can pull the key point from the “Power” section or summarise it here)

Design: Is the design practical for everyday use?

Before we delve deeper into the technical detail, now would be a good time to discuss the dock’s design. Up to this point I have been a fan of the SD5000TS but I have a couple of grumbles on the port layout.

Two of the Thunderbolt ports are situated on the front of the dock, including the upstream port that connects to the Mac. If you are frequently connecting and disconnecting your Mac from the docking station—say in a hot-desking office—having the upstream port on the front might make sense if you have to make a quick dash or connect in 0.5 seconds.

However, I would prefer to have all the Thunderbolt ports at the back, keeping trailing cables neatly out of the way. Having the upstream port at the front used to be all the rage but recently it has been pushed out of sight to the rear panel. It’s not a deal-breaker and you may love the positioning.

The 60W TB5 port is the other Thunderbolt port at the front. I can see why this might be handy—making it easy to locate when charging other devices—but to reduce cable clutter I’d still stick it at the back.

The card readers are certainly where they should be, at the front, and having one of the USB-A ports there is also sensible for memory sticks, for example, as is the audio port.

Aside from the port layout the dock is a good-looking silvery gray box with some ridges on one side of the top. The front and rear and darker in black. It measures 8.9 x 3.8 x 1.6 inches (226 x 97 x 40mm) and weighs 2.15lbs (nearly 1kg).

Network: Is 2.5Gb Ethernet fast enough for your setup?

With many office networks moving to faster speeds, the 2.5Gb Ethernet will be appreciated—2.5 times faster than the standard 1Gb Gigabit Ethernet that has been the mainstay of docking stations until recently.

2.5GbE is backwards compatible with Gigabit Ethernet so—like Thunderbolt 5—is a good way of future-proofing your system even if you don’t yet work with the faster network standard.

The very top docking stations—such as the CalDigit TS5 Plus and iVanky FusionDock Ultra—boast 10GbE. USB-C adapters can be purchased if you later need that fastest of networking standards.

Power: Does it deliver enough power for a full setup?

Like Kensington’s flagship EQ Pro Thunderbolt 5 dock, the simpler EQ feels a little under-powered with its max 180W power supply. Both can supply up to 140W (PD 3.1) to a connected laptop so there’s not much left to play with if your other devices all require power.

There’s a highly useful 60W Thunderbolt 5 port at the front that you can use to fast charge an iPhone or iPad or hook up a second MacBook for recharging. That 180W power supply will therefore feel the pinch at full pelt.

The other two downstream Thunderbolt ports are rated at 15W, with the two back-mounted USB-A ports offering just 4.5W and the one at the front 7.5W.

The upstream power delivery of 140W is as capable as any other Thunderbolt 5 dock—enough to fast-charge the top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Storage: What storage options do you get?

While the top-end Kensington EQ Pro featured an SSD slot that allowed you to add up to 8TB of fast storage, the EQ has just the two front-facing card readers.

These are a great way of adding affordable and super-portable storage, with 1TB cards selling for around $200 at the time of writing. Given the at-time-of-purchase cost of internal storage charged by Apple, you can flexibly add your own quite cheaply.

In addition to its UHS-II SD/MicroSD card reader slots, the EQ Pro featured a CompactFlash card slot for digital photographers. This is quite niche and not missed on the entry-level TB5 EQ.

Displays: How many displays can it run on a Mac?

The Kensington SD5000T5 EQ calls itself a “Triple 4K Docking Station” but this is true only for Windows computers (using Thunderbolt 5) or Macs with an M5 Pro or M5 Max chip.

While Thunderbolt 4 docks continue to be capped at two external displays on the Mac, the latest top-end M5 Pro and M5 Max chips support up to three external displays with a Thunderbolt 5 dock. The M5 Max can handle four but as there aren’t enough ports on the SD3000T5 to hang so many monitors off, you’ll need to daisy-chain the fourth screen from the third.

Lesser Mac processors—right up to the base M5 and speedy M4 Pro/Max—are stuck at a limit of two external displays due to Apple’s lack of support for Multi-Stream Transport (MST) on macOS. You can get round this limitation by employing a DisplayLink dock but the SD5000TS is not one of those. At the time of writing there were no Thunderbolt 5 DisplayLink docks.

Two monitors are plenty for most users, however. A Mac with an M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro or Max chip can support two 6K displays at 60Hz. Even a base M4 Mac can support 2x 6K/60Hz but only if the Mac has Thunderbolt 5.

Any of the M4 chip Macs will support a single 8K display at 60Hz, while M1/M2/M3 Pro or Max Macs can run a single 6K/60Hz monitor.

A base M3 MacBooks can run up to two displays (1x 6K and 1x 6K) with its lid closed. Base M1/M2 Macs are limited to one 4K/60Hz display, but these Macs are probably not the target for a Thunderbolt 5 dock unless you are buying for the future.

Price

The Kensington SD5000T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station is priced at $299.99 or £299.99, which is the expected cost for an entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock.

Other options worth considering are the similarly priced Plugable Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station (11 ports), WAVLINK Thunderbolt 5 Dock (12 ports) and OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock (11 ports). There’s little between these docks. The WAVLINK has an extra USB-A port and a 230W power supply. But the Kensington’s 60W TB5 port might swing it if your charging needs require it.

You’ll need to find at least an extra hundred bucks to jump up a level: the CalDigit TS5 has 15 ports but lacks a downstream port with the charging power of the Kensington.

Read our reviews of the best Thunderbolt 5 docks for Mac for the full range available.

Should you buy Kensington EQ Thunderbolt 5 Dock?

The Kensington SD5000T5 is a great entry-level Thunderbolt 5 dock with enough top-rated ports for most users, including three downstream Thunderbolt 5 (one rated at a useful 60W), that puts it at the front of the line at this price point.

If you’re looking for a great pair of over-ear noise-canceling headphones in the Apple ecosystem, you can either drop $549 on a new pair of AirPods Max or go the more sensible route and pick up a pair of Beats Studio Pro for hundreds less. Today at Amazon, you can get a new pair of Beats Studio Pro for just $170, half off the original $350 MSRP and the deepest discount we’ve ever seen.

The Beats Studio Pro are absolutely killer. In fact, when we reviewed them, we said they’re “better than AirPods Max and a lot more affordable,” and that’s still true even with the launch of the AirPods Max 2. We found the headphones to be lightweight, have great compatibility with both Apple and other devices, fabulous sound, and great battery life, leading to a 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award.

The Beats Studio Pro are known for delivering rich and immersive sound, and you can even experience true lossless audio if you connect the headphones to your device with a USB-C cable. The fully-adaptive Active Noise Cancelling will efficiently block out external distractions. The Transparency mode will make it easy to stay aware of your surroundings for your safety, too. They also have fantastic 40 hours of battery life, too, which is amazing. A quick 10-minute recharge gives you four hours of playback, so if that’s all the time you have before leaving home, it’ll be enough.

Don’t miss out on this chance to get the Beats Studio Pro for a great price. It’s not the absolute best deal we’ve seen, but it’s not that far off.

Good news for anyone finding it difficult to wait for Apple’s upcoming foldable smartphone, the iPhone Ultra: a popular YouTuber has revealed and thoroughly explored its design in a new video, which you can watch below.

Before you get too excited, however, we should note that, of course, this isn’t the official device, nor even an officially sanctioned prototype. Unbox Therapy has instead made a “hands-on” video with a dummy mockup provided by an unidentified company in China, presumably one that makes iPhone accessories or has connections to Apple’s supply chain. (He says such models are sent in every year around this time.) The final design of the Ultra may therefore be different, either because the dummy maker’s sources were mistaken or because Apple chooses to make a last-minute tweak.

With all that said, the mockup is probably pretty accurate. For one thing, it aligns closely with the rumors and leaks we’ve seen already (including CAD designs and other dummies). For another, the hardware designs of Apple’s new products frequently leak ahead of launch because its supply chain is so large and difficult to police. It’s not implausible at all for a company to have obtained the details in this way.

Unbox Therapy spends plenty of time playing with the iPhone Ultra mockup and talking about the pros and cons of what he considers to be a highly unusual design. He describes it as “weird,” “so strange,” “stubby,” and “a little shorty!” Will such a novel format, which he says is like a passport or “an iPad nano,” and which a commenter compares to a Nintendo DS, sell well? He isn’t sure.

But the unusual design was chosen for a reason. The reduced height means it fits better in the pocket than taller rivals, the YouTuber says, and means it’s less top-heavy when used in the unfolded format. Apple wanted to include a powerful camera array, he speculates, and had to reduce the height in order to accommodate that without making the device unstable.

Speaking of the camera… the module is “enormous,” Unbox reports. The Ultra is 11mm thick when closed, if you measure at the thinnest point, but the bump is 16.6mm. That’s a huge differential between body and bump and means it has absolutely no hope of lying flat on the table. “It might be a wobble champion,” the YouTuber laughs. “Look at that ramp creation.”

Ultimately, Unbox concludes that Apple appears to have prioritized the unfolded format over the folded one. When it’s opened out, he says, “That’s the magic happening there.” Perhaps Apple wants the Ultra to be more like an iPad than an iPhone.

There’s sure to be plenty more leaks and rumors between now and the fall. We expect the iPhone Ultra to be launched in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. You can keep up with all the latest news with our regularly updated iPhone Ultra megaguide.

John Ternus hasn’t taken over from Tim Cook yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start creating problems for him. One of Ternus’s biggest challenges is going to be navigating the perilous gap between how the AI industrial complex views its offering and how the rest of us do.

“Stanford report highlights growing disconnect between AI insiders and everyone else”

…a majority (73%) of experts felt positive about AI’s impact on how people do their jobs, compared with just 23% of the public.

Well, that’s weird. Wonder what could account for tha-

“Anthropic warns fully AI employees are a year away”

That was a year ago, and, as John Gruber points out, that did not happen at all, but it wasn’t supposed to happen; it was just a free advertising campaign Anthropic scored for itself. Say something big and scary, get press. Mission accomplished.

But this is kind of the problem in a nutshell. Anthropic orchestrated free advertising for itself by saying, “AI is going to put people out of work!” That ad was obviously not for us; it was for CEOs looking to lay off ever more employees.

And now you wonder why people don’t love AI? Do you even hear yourselves?

Well, surely that article is an outlier and-

“Silicon Valley has forgotten what normal people want”

Why is it so hard for the Macalope to get through sentences in his own column? That doesn’t even make any sense!

Within recent memory…

No, no, fine, just go ahead with the pull quote. The Macalope will wait.

…people who made software and hardware understood their job was to serve their customers. It was to identify a need and then fill it. But at some point following the financial crisis, would-be entrepreneurs got it into their heads that their job was to invent the future, and consumers’ job was to go along with that invented future.

The horny one isn’t going to blame Steve Jobs for saying, “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” because the problem isn’t Steve Jobs; the problem is people who misinterpreted Jobs. Instead of finding out what people really want that they simply can’t articulate, the current crop of tech overlords believes you can force people to want what you want to sell them.

Or at least force them to pay for it. They don’t have to like it. They don’t care about that part. Clearly.

“The more young people use AI, the more they hate it”

Using AI to these young people seems increasingly like being asked to train the unpaid intern who is going to replace you.

The fear that chatbot tools will lead to a permanent loss of critical thinking skills ranks high among the worries held by young people about the technology. It’s also backed up by data: A recent study from the MIT Media Lab found that EEG scans of the brain showed decreased activity in people who have been writing essays using AI tools.

That may be well and good for college students into drooling troglodytes but what can we do to get the brains of grade schoolers running out of their ears?

Good news! Senator Adam Schiff (D – Venture Capital) glibly announced on Bluesky that he was reaching across the aisle in order to shove AI into K-12 classrooms because god knows that’s where public schools needed funding, not teachers’ salaries or reducing class sizes or just getting them pencils and paper or getting the rats out of the rest rooms.

Look, kids aren’t going to get addicted to AI on their own.

If it’s any consolation, Schiff’s post was ratioed into the Stone Age, which, ironically, is where kids’ IQs are about to go as well. (Yes, yes, the Macalope knows this is reductive about the collected intelligence of our stone age ancestors, just go with it.)

Scan through any technology news site, and most of the coverage is not going to be on new gadgets; it’s going to be on AI getting stuffed into yet another thing like a nutria being crammed into a turkey. This is not done because people have asked for it or secretly want it, but just don’t know that they want it. It’s done to increase the return on investment in AI (just like Schiff’s proposed legislation). Period.

Meanwhile, not only has AI made it hard for people to get anything else new by sucking up all the oxygen in the boardrooms, causing brain damage and drooling, zombie-like groupthink that can only process where to stuff AI next instead of making new features or gadgets, it’s made it hard for people to just buy new computers.

“Apple discontinues base Mac mini, now starts at $799 with 512GB storage”

Not only have memory costs increased because of AI, but now the cheapest desktop Macs have all been scooped up to run AI and agentic tools. You want to do some web surfing, send some emails, and maybe play a game? Sorry, some weirdo somewhere needs to remove the clothes from non-consenting adults.

While AI has many uses, the backlash to the ham-fisted efforts by companies to use the one hammer it has a huge financial interest in on screws, bolts, china cups, and, yes, the occasional nail is not dying down. It’s getting worse. Ternus enthusiastic comments about AI’s potential are pretty much what every technology executive feels they have to say in this environment, which is fine, but if his Apple doesn’t deliver things customers really want instead of are being told to buy, things might start getting awkward.

Ever since its 2023 price cut, the entry-level iPad has been one of Apple’s easiest products to recommend. It was affordable, powerful enough for most tasks, and, more importantly, positioned as an alternative to budget laptops for students and casual users.

But now, with the recent introduction of the MacBook Neo, Apple has quietly created a problem for the base model iPad. It no longer seems like the best deal, and many consumers are beginning to wonder if it’s really still worth it. At this point, it seems the iPad really needs its own “MacBook Neo” moment.

When the numbers stop making sense

On paper, the A16 iPad still starts at an appealing price of $349. That’s quite affordable for an Apple tablet that lets you run pretty much any of the apps you can run on a more expensive iPad. For most people who just want a good tablet for casual web browsing, editing documents, or watching movies, this is the iPad to go for.

For $349, you get an 11-inch iPad with 128GB of storage, but no keyboard, trackpad, or Apple Pencil. For many people, this setup is fine. Again, this iPad is aimed at people who just want to use it as a regular tablet. But when you start adding things like more storage and accessories, the picture changes completely.

Let’s say you want your iPad to double as a laptop. The 256GB model costs $449. Then you buy a Magic Keyboard Folio, which costs $249. That brings the total price of the iPad to just under $700. At that point, you’re essentially paying the same price as a higher-tier MacBook Neo configuration ($699) but getting less storage.

And you’re getting even less for your money. The base-model iPad still runs on the A16 chip introduced in 2022, while the MacBook Neo is powered by the significantly more advanced A18 Pro chip. That difference shows up in performance, longevity, and support for the latest features, including Apple Intelligence.

And let’s not forget that a $599 MacBook Neo can run full-fledged desktop software. But if you spend that same amount on an iPad with a keyboard and trackpad, you’ll be limited to using iPad apps available in the App Store.

The Magic Keyboard Folio is excellent, arguably one of the best keyboard cases on the market for the iPad. But at $249, it dramatically changes the value proposition of the base iPad. This iPad is meant to be affordable, but at the same time, Apple is trying to sell you a keyboard that practically doubles the price of the device.

Many people who buy the entry-level iPad end up opting for third-party accessories because they’re cheaper. But again, this only underscores how Apple’s pricing strategy for the entry-level iPad no longer makes sense. And in that comparison, the MacBook simply makes more sense for most people.

Og course, there’s no denying that the iPad still has some advantages over the Mac. It’s the only Apple device that offers a touchscreen, Apple Pencil support, and a flexible form factor for taking notes and drawing. If that’s what you need, there’s no question about it. The iPad is still the best choice.

But Apple blurred these lines by setting the iPad up as a laptop alternative. That strategy worked when the iPad was clearly cheaper. Now, that advantage is gone.

If you want an iPad for browsing the web, writing, or using pro-level apps, the MacBook Neo outshines the entry-level iPad in almost every way. Yes, you can do those things on an iPad, but you’ll end up spending more and facing more limitations than if you bought a Mac.

An iPad Neo could be the answer

The MacBook Neo isn’t just the newest laptop in Apple’s lineup. It redefines what an entry-level product is. At $599, with a modern chip, 13-inch display, and 256GB of storage, Apple has finally aligned price and value in a way that’s easy to understand.

Now the iPad needs the same treatment. Yes, the entry-level iPad is already cheap, but it could use some meaningful upgrades.

First, this iPad needs more frequent updates with the latest chips. The A16 isn’t bad, but it’s already quite outdated by today’s standards. Luckily, as reported by Macworld, Apple is planning to launch a new base iPad with the A19 chip later this year.

A storage upgrade from 128GB to 256GB on the base model would also be very welcome. The company recently did this with the iPhone 17e, and that would be the right path to take with the iPad. After all, many people use their iPads to download photos, songs, videos, and games.

A significant price reduction on accessories, especially the Magic Keyboard Folio, is also long overdue. The iPad’s starting price of $349 isn’t the problem. But it has become hard to justify the cost of upgrades and accessories.

Perhaps the Neo brand, or at least its spirit, could give the iPad the boost it needs? Maybe it could even have a slightly larger display to better compete with the MacBook Neo. A bigger display would make the iPad feel more like a true laptop alternative.

If there’s one thing the MacBook Neo has shown us, it’s that Apple can deliver a decent entry-level product even in its base configuration with the right compromises. The Neo isn’t the most powerful or advanced Mac, but it’s extremely capable in its own right.

Right now, the base iPad doesn’t have that same clarity. It’s still a great tablet, but the moment you try to turn it into something more, the value starts to fall apart. Apple doesn’t need to reinvent the iPad, but it does need a realignment—and the MacBook Neo is a great place to start.

TL;DR: A $34.99 adapter turns your wired CarPlay/Android Auto into a wireless setup—no cables, no hassle.

If your car already has factory-wired Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you’re halfway there. The only thing holding you back? That charging cable you plug in every single time you get in the car.

This Mini Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto Adapter upgrades your existing system into a fully wireless setup for just $34.99 (MSRP $59.99). No stereo swap. No complicated install. Just plug it in once, pair via Bluetooth, and you’re done. After that, it reconnects automatically within three seconds every time you start the car.

Thanks to dual-band 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz chips, you get fast, stable performance that feels OEM-level. Navigation, music streaming, calls, messaging, Siri, Google Assistant—it all works exactly as it should. Even better, it supports your factory touchscreen, steering wheel buttons, and voice commands.

It’s over 50% smaller than standard adapters, designed to sit flush and stay out of sight. Compatible with 1,000+ vehicle models, iPhone 6+ and Android 11+, it’s built to handle heat, surges, and real-world driving conditions.

This may be the easiest way to modernize your ride without touching your dashboard.

Pick up the Mini Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto Adapter for $34.99 (MSRP $59.99).

Mini Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto AdapterSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you’re going to get a mouse these days, you probably want something light, comfortable, and customizable. The legendary Logitech G703 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse is a solid 40 percent off at Amazon, which means it can be yours for $60, the cheapest it’s been since it was a few dollars lower over Black Friday.

This is a super speedy mouse that features the highly advanced HERO 25K sensor, delivering 25,600DPI. Using the Lightspeed wireless connection ensures that it has a seamless connection to your device, essential during fast-paced gaming sessions. If you want to get the best gaming experience, the game also has an optional 10-gram weight that makes it possible to customize the balance of the mouse to your exact needs. The six buttons are also perfectly easy to customize.

In short, this is one of the best mice out there. Our friends at PCWorld reviewed the G703 Lightspeed and gave it a 4-star rating, finding that it’s super comfortable to use for long hours, delivering a flawless wireless experience. They also loved that it’s compatible with Powerplay pads for continuous recharging.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get your hands on the Logitech G703 Lightspeed while it’s still down to $60.

A new report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg sheds a little more light on a previously-rumored feature coming to iOS 27 later this year.

The feature, called “Create a Pass,” will let users turn their physical tickets, passes, and membership cards into digital cards in Apple Wallet. According to the report, the process will involve pressing the same “+” button to add a card, much like you do today. But instead of just debit/credit or transit cards, you’ll have a new Create a Pass option.

Today, passes are added to Wallet primarily through third-party apps via Apple’s wallet frameworks. This new feature will let you scan a QR code on a physical pass or enter the details manually. You’ll be able to customize image, colors, style, and text for the Wallet passes, but they’ll each have an overall color to denote their type: membership cards in blue, event passes in purple, and orange for all other kinds of passes and tickets (perhaps a coupon or discount code).

iOS 27 is expected to be light on major new features and design changes, instead focusing on cleaning up code for better efficiency and reliability. The big exception is the new Siri and it’s associated AI features throughout Apple apps. The new OS will be unveiled at WWDC on June 8.

The 26.4 updates brought with them a number of improvements across the various operating systems and Apple’s included apps. But they didn’t bring the expected, long overdue improvements to Siri: A new foundation model, on-screen awareness, personal context, and actions across apps. And we’re not getting those in iOS 26.5 either. Instead, this is a relatively minor release.

Updated May 4, 2026: Apple has released the release candidate for iOS and iPadOS 26.5, along with watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and others. The wide release is expected within the next week.

iOS 26.5 release notes

This update brings ads and suggestions to Apple Maps, along with a beta of end-to-end encryption in RCS messages.

This update includes the following enhancements:

• End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time. For more information visit: https://support.apple.com/109526
• Pride Luminance wallpaper that dynamically refracts a spectrum of colors, is available for download
• Suggested Places in Maps displays recommendations based on what’s trending nearby and your recent searches

iOS 26.5 beta: How to install

If you want to test the iOS 26 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps:

1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
2. Log in to the Beta Software Program.
3. Click Enroll your iOS device.
4. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
5. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta.

It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.

iOS 26.5: How to install the developer beta

You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app:

1. Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store.
2. Open the app.
3. Tap on Account.
4. Sign in using your usual Apple ID.

Find out everything you need to know about iOS 26 in our iOS 26 superguide.

As it does every year, Apple has announced a new Apple Watch collection to celebrate Pride month that includes a new Apple Watch face and a special-edition Apple Watch band to buy. There’s also a matchinfg Pride Luminance wallpaper for iPhones and iPads.

The 2026 Pride Collection this year includes a Sport Loop band ($49) with bright rainbow stripes along the length, along with a matching Pride Luminance watch face designed in “two geometric patterns: radial, featuring rays of color that align with the hour marks, and vertical, reflecting the colorful linear stripes of the weaving pattern.” iPhone and iPad users can also download a matching Pride Luminance wallpaper for their devices.

The new watch face and wallpapers will be available for everyone in iOS/iPadOS/watchOS 26.5, which will be available in May. The Sport Loop band is available for purchase now online or in the Apple Store app, and will be in retail locations later this week.

In just about a month, Apple will unveil the newest version of its operating systems at WWDC, and we’ll get a look at the new features and functionality Apple has cooked up over the past 12 months. But while iOS and macOS are sure to be packed with new stuff, watchOS 27 might not be all that different.

It’s no secret that Apple’s smartwatch has hit something of an innovation roadblock. Ever since the Apple Watch Ultra arrived in 2022, Apple’s annual updates have been more iterative than innovative, with watchOS only bringing minor upgrades and underwhelming new features. According to a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this year looks to be more of the same.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that one of watchOS 27’s signature features will be a take on the Apple Watch Ultra’s Modular watch face that’s “simplified” for smaller screens. Gurman describes the face:

It has the same large clock as the Ultra face but removes the option for a big complication in the center, the row of three smaller complications above the time, and information placed around the bezel. The result is a large clock that fills the top two-thirds of the display, with a row of three smaller complications beneath it.

Adding new faces to watchOS updates isn’t a new development—last year’s watchOS 26 update brought Flow, Exactograph, and WayPoint—but Gurman makes it sound like this will get a bit more attention. Apple was so proud of the Modular Ultra face that it got its own section in the Apple Watch Ultra 2 press release.

Apple introduced the Modular Ultra watch face in 2023 with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to take advantage of the watch’s larger display, “using the outermost edge to present real-time data, including seconds, altitude, or depth,” and offering “the most complications of any Apple digital watch face to customize for sports, outdoor adventures, and ocean and water activities.”

Gurman reports that the new face is ”aimed at bringing a version of the Modular Ultra experience to standard Series watches, offering something less dense and more approachable while still giving customers useful information at a glance.” But for many Apple Watch users, it’ll just be a recycled face and another year of waiting for something new worth using.

Mother’s Day is less than a week away, and we’ve got the perfect gift for your mom. Forget flowers and candy, and give her her very own pair of AirPods 4 this year: At Amazon right now, you can get a pair of AirPods 4 for just $99, a savings of $30, and the best price we’ve seen all year.

AirPods 4 aren’t Apple’s newest earbuds, but they’re still the best option you can get at their price. They’re pretty basic and don’t come with noise cancellation, but they still do offer personalized spatial audio and are resistant to both sweat and water when in the rain or on the treadmill or exercise bike. The H2 chip inside helps the buds deliver great sound and call quality with stellar voice isolation when you’re taking on calls. With reduced background noise and great isolation, whoever she’s talking to will hear every word she has to say.

Of course, AirPods 4 offer excellent battery life, with up to 5 hours of listening time and another 25 hours when using the USB-C charging case. And with easy pairing, hands-free Siri support including nodding and shaking for “yes and no” gestures, and quick sharing, she’ll never have to call to ask how to use them. So snag the AirPods 4 for $99 and make mom’s special day even more special this year.

If you’re looking for the cheapest desktop Mac, you’ll have to spend a little more than last week. On Apple.com, you can no longer buy the M4 Mac mini with 256GB of storage. No, it’s not simply out of stock, nor does it have extended delivery times (as has been the case for a while). It’s just gone. It’s not an option on the Apple store any longer.

This is what the storage section of the configuration page looks like now:

Though Apple hasn’t increased the cost of the 512GB model (or other options and variations), this still effectively makes the Mac mini more expensive. You used to be able to get one for $599, and now you have to pay $799, even though you get double the storage. The MacBook Neo and iMac are now the only Macs that still have a 256GB option.

In Apple’s earnings call yesterday, Tim Cook said he was looking at “a range of options” to deal with the massive increase in memory costs. This is one tactic—Apple charges an incredible price premium for RAM and storage upgrades, asking customers to pay several times more than the going rate for these components. By effectively forcing consumers to buy an “upgraded” model, it can absorb the memory chip price increase while maintaining a high profit margin.

It’s not clear if that’s exactly what is happening here, or if Apple will use the same tactic on other products to raise the average selling price and profit margin of some products while not technically raising prices. Apple made this change to the Mac mini configurations without comment or announcement, so we can only guess as to the reason for the change.

It seems as though 2026 is going to be the year of Ultra, when Apple introduces the Apple Watch and chip branding for the iPhone and MacBook. Which sounds interesting and leads to pedantic arguments over what constitutes an Ultra product. But it’s Apple, it can define “Ultra” however it sees fit.

Which leads me to the gaping hole in the proposed Ultra lineup: a desktop Mac. (Settle down, iPad fans; CEO-in-the-wings John Ternus has been working on what sounds like an iPad Ultra, though it has an uncertain status.) It just seems like if Apple is going down this Ultra road, it has to have a Mac Ultra. After all, of all of Apple’s products, the desktop Mac is the one best suited to go all out and truly hold up the “Ultra” branding.

The Mac Pro had its day

The Mac Pro seemed like the most fitting computer to be rebranded as a Mac Ultra. The tower form factor allows Apple to go hog wild with its components, fitting it with an M-series Ultra chip, installing a ton of RAM, installing the fastest SSD, and using the latest specifications with Thunderbolt, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. Apple could redesign the tower so it doesn’t have as many expansion slots.

There’s a reason why Apple discontinued the Mac Pro, however. Apple just doesn’t sell enough towers to make it worthwhile, and even a redesigned, smaller tower probably wouldn’t sell in the numbers Apple would like.

As much as I would love to see Apple create a “hot rod” Mac, it doesn’t fit in Apple’s product methodology. The Mac Pro–actually, the tower Mac, to be more specific–is no longer a supported Apple form factor.

iMac Ultra: iMac Pro reborn

Of all the desktop Macs, the iMac is the most likely candidate for an Ultra version. Would it be the fastest, most powerful Mac available? No, but Apple isn’t necessarily defining “Ultra” that way. “Ultra” applies to the product in a particular line that goes above and beyond a typical feature set in some way, like an iPhone that folds or a MacBook with an OLED touchscreen.

An iMac Ultra could fill a demand for an all-in-one with a larger display. As someone who has reviewed the M1, M3, and M4 iMacs, I get a lot of reader feedback stating that the 24-inch display isn’t big enough, with some saying that if it’s not at least 30 inches, it’s not worth their time. After all, the iMac Pro was 27 inches, and that was 10 years ago, so an Ultra iMac would need to be bigger than that.

An iMac Ultra could have a 32-inch display, which will surely satisfy those users. It could be a 6K display, too. Basically, Apple could take the panel from the old Pro Display XDR. (I know the execution isn’t as simple as that, but it’s the right size and the design would be perfect.)

As for the chip, Apple could go with a Pro or Max chip to set it apart from the standard model and preserve the Mac Studio’s status as the top-end Mac. But a Pro or Mac chip is a significant upgrade from the base chip in the current iMac.

The larger display would be the key component of the iMac Ultra. Much of the other features could mirror those of the current iMac: Thunderbolt ports (upgraded to Thunderbolt 5 for the iMac Ultra), Ethernet through the power adapter, etc. And of course, Apple can make it in Space Black as an ode to the old iMac Pro and include the black Magic Mouse or black Magic Trackpad.

Would it sell?

Admittedly, an iMac Ultra would address a niche that’s even smaller than the current iMac’s. But it seems like it would be bigger than that of the Mac Pro, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the demand exceeded that of the upcoming iPhone Ultra.

Price would be the key factor in its ability to sell. The iMac with four Thunderbolt ports is $1,499, the M4 Pro MacBook Pro starts at $2,199, and the Pro Display XDR was $4,999. That $4,999 XDR price, however, did not change from its original release in 2019, so it stands to reason that a panel like the one it used is much more affordable now. So perhaps the iMac Ultra would start in the $2,799 range. I think a lot of people would buy it at that price. I know I would.

Was Vision Pro a success? That depends on your definition. It hasn’t sold many units–perhaps a few hundred thousand, compared to 50 million or so iPhones in the last three months alone–but it has raised public awareness of a new product category and established Apple as one of that category’s major players. In other words, the product laid the groundwork for a cheaper and more widely accessible follow-up… the only problem being that Apple appears to have cancelled it.

Vision Pro, then, will probably go down in history as one of the least successful projects of the Tim Cook era. However, it shows that sales alone are not the be-all and end-all, particularly for first-generation products. And it offers a glimpse of a possible and perhaps even likely future for the iPhone Ultra: one in which it sells badly, and Apple doesn’t mind. Or doesn’t mind too much, anyway.

The sales part of the equation certainly looks ominous. If early leaks are accurate, the iPhone Ultra is going to face many of the same hurdles as last year’s iPhone Air: namely hardware compromises (two rather than three rear camera lenses, no MagSafe), and perceived question marks over durability (the hinge, the crease), with the added complication of a massive price tag and a form factor that will be completely alien to Apple fans. It’s like the Air, only more so. And while the Air may not have been the total flop we feared at first, it still didn’t set the house on fire, sales-wise.

There are some positives to the Ultra, of course. For one thing, the spec list should be a little better than that of the Air; two lenses is a major upgrade on the Air’s one, and there’s likely to be more battery capacity. MagSafe would be a painful omission for me, but I get the impression that other iPhone users don’t care quite as much.

More importantly, the Fold’s unorthodox and compromise-necessitating design is in service of actual functionality rather than just being thin and light: having a foldable chassis means more screen space and more portability, the dream combo. Then again, truly transformative designs bring problems of their own. My expectation is that only wealthy early adopters will be willing to pay so much for such an unfamiliar device, and you have to remember that most of them just bought an iPhone Air. Logically, we should expect sales numbers to be low.

That, in fact, has been the experience of all the companies that have released foldable products so far. It’s a tiny market, so tiny, in fact, that in August last year, folding smartphones accounted for just 1–2 percent of total sales globally, according to a TrendForce analyst. Those numbers are growing, but slowly, at least for now. The arrival of the Ultra, like the Vision Pro in the mixed-reality headsets market, is sure to give things a jolt.

In Q1 2026, Apple earned $85 billion from its iPhone lineup, or about 80 million units. While a cautiously trend-beating 3 percent of that might seem like a lot, we’d be looking at somewhere between 2 million and 2.5 million individual sales of the iPhone Ultra, which would hardly be counted as a success by Apple’s commercial standards. Extrapolating from speed-testing data, the Air looks to have reached a share of more than twice that, and that would still leave it as the least popular of the late-2025 models.

But would 2 million sales be a disaster? I would say not. For one thing, given the scale of the competition, the Ultra could sell far fewer units than any other late-2026 iPhone and still dominate its niche. Apple reportedly wants incoming CEO John Ternus to be the face of foldables, and the iPhone Ultra will almost certainly be the market’s most visible product. All of that attention will be a mixed blessing for other manufacturers, which may see their own numbers rise by association but will struggle to get customers excited about their offerings.

The iPhone Ultra’s primary job is not to make money. Its job is to make a splash: to show everyone that Apple is here with the first foldable to do things right. If that means a generation of the Ultra being a highly desirable niche product that gives its few lucky owners immense cachet, that’s okay. Unlike the Vision Pro, the iPhone Ultra has obvious places to go next; the iPhone has a natural and familiar upgrade path. Future versions can add a third camera lens or MagSafe. The processor will get faster, the display better, and battery performance will become more optimised. It might even drop in price.

Best of all, the foldable phone will be normalised by the existence of the iPhone Ultra in a way that Vision Pro never managed to achieve for the bulky mixed-reality headset (a far more difficult assignment, admittedly). Fears about the hinge and the crease will likely be allayed, and the first-gen launch will give Apple’s engineers a chance to test and iron out any issues with the physical design. People will see their friends walking around with Ultras, try them out, and want to try it. And all that fame and envy can then be leveraged into a bigger-selling iPhone Ultra 2 the following year.

I don’t expect the Ultra to break many records this year, but relatively low sales won’t make it a failure. The original iPhone sold roughly four million units across its first two quarters, and that’s gone on to be reasonably successful. Sometimes you have to start small, and see where the future takes you.

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 it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too.

Trending: Top stories

The first thing Apple’s new CEO needs to change about the Mac has nothing to do with the Mac itself. Please, John Ternus, bring back the Mac event!

Felipe Esposito dumped Adobe for Apple and got everything he needs for less.

The Macalope is surprised to discover that Apple is doomed because John Ternus isn’t Elon Musk.

Tim Cook and John Ternus got all the attention two weeks ago, but Apple’s biggest win made the fewest headlines.

While PC makers have raised prices and struggled to meet demand due to exploding memory costs, Apple was ready for the RAM crisis.

FaceTime like a pro with these 7 hidden features.

Podcast of the week

Apple has announced that Tim Cook will no longer serve as Apple’s CEO and John Ternus will have the job starting on September 1. In the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast, we talk about the announcement and what it could mean.

You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site.

The rumor mill

In yet another Macworld exclusive, Felipe Esposito reveals Apple’s ‘Ultra’ roadmap. The iPhone Ultra, MacBook Ultra, and many more are on the way.

Drop MagSafe from the iPhone? No, Apple’s smarter than that.

Report: 3 new AI-powered photo editing features are coming to iPhones.

Apple’s next innovation might be a ‘Liquid Glass’ iPhone.

Video of the week

@macworld.com

Apple’s Ultra Era #apple #iphone

♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld

The iPhone Ultra is only the start: we’re entering Apple’s Ultra Era. All is revealed in our latest short video. Follow us on TikTok and Instagram for more.

Software updates, bugs, and problems

A new ‘Siri mode’ is reportedly coming to the iPhone Camera app in iOS 27.

And with that, we’re done for this week’s Apple Breakfast. If you’d like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters, including our new email from The Macalope–an irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.