All posts tagged: Mark Gurman

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Published by skeptic

Apple is “exploring” the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was “already underway” to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is “giving this notion more thought” again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to start engineering work, so ads in the Apple Maps app may still be a ways away. Ads in the Apple Maps app would not be the traditional banner ads that you see on websites, but rather paid search results. For example, a fast food chain could pay Apple to appear near the top of the results when a user searches for “burgers” or “fries.” Many similar apps already offer search ads, including Google Maps, Waze, and Yelp. Apple already displays search ads in the App Store, allowing developers to pay to promote their apps to users who search for relevant keywords. Ads in the Apple Maps …

Powerbeats Pro 2 Coming Soon: Apple to Announce Them ‘Imminently’

Powerbeats Pro 2 Coming Soon: Apple to Announce Them ‘Imminently’

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In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and it appears the wireless earbuds are coming very soon. Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are “due imminently.” In addition to Apple filing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in regulatory databases last month, Gurman said Apple is planning to hold product briefings with the media “in a week or so” to go over the new features of the wireless earbuds. Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks for a secure fit. Apple’s teaser video last year showed MLB star Shohei Ohtani wearing the Powerbeats Pro 2, revealing a more vertical, slimmer design compared to the original Powerbeats Pro, which are now discontinued. MLB star Shohei Ohtani wearing the Powerbeats Pro 2 We previously reported that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will offer heart rate monitoring during workouts. Based on our iOS 18 code findings, you will be …

New MacBook Air Models With M4 Chip Expected to Launch ‘Earlier’ Than iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11

New MacBook Air Models With M4 Chip Expected to Launch ‘Earlier’ Than iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11

Published by skeptic

Apple is rumored to have many product announcements planned for the first half of next year, including updated MacBook Air models, an iPad 11, an iPhone SE 4, the AirTag 2, updated iPad Air models, and potentially more. In a social media post today, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reiterated that the iPad 11, iPhone SE 4, and updated iPad Air models will be coming in the “spring” next year. Notably, he said the updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip will be announced “earlier” than those other devices, but he did not provide a specific timeframe. This likely means that the updated MacBook Air models will be announced in a press release on the Apple Newsroom website at some point from January through March, whereas the other devices might be announced at Apple’s usual spring event in March or April. Apple would be getting the minor MacBook Air update out of the way early. Apple earlier this month released macOS 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models …

Report: Apple Intelligence Delayed to iOS 18.1 in October

Report: Apple Intelligence Delayed to iOS 18.1 in October

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Apple Intelligence will miss its initial expected launch date to give Apple more time to fix bugs, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports. According to individuals with knowledge about Apple’s plans, the company now plans to start rolling out Apple Intelligence in software updates by October, arriving several weeks after the launch of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. This means that Apple Intelligence will now effectively be split out of the initial launch of the new software updates. The reason for the delay is said to be concern about the stability of Apple Intelligence features and need for developers to have sufficient testing time. Apple Intelligence will still be made available to software developers for the first time as soon as next week with the first betas of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which would be extremely unusual as the company does not normally release previews of follow-up software updates until the first version has been released. Gurman notes that the new release strategy for Apple Intelligence means that the iPhone 16 lineup will likely …

Apple to Power AI Features With M2 Ultra Servers

Apple to Power AI Features With M2 Ultra Servers

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Apple plans to power some of its upcoming iOS 18 features with data centers that use servers equipped with Apple silicon chips, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. M2 Ultra chips will be behind some of the most advanced AI tasks that are planned for this year and beyond. Apple reportedly accelerated its server building plans in response to the popularity of ChatGPT and other AI products, and future servers could use next-generation M4 chips. While some tasks will be done on-device, more intensive tasks like generating images and summarizing articles will require cloud connectivity. A more powerful version of Siri would also need cloud-based servers. Privacy has long been a concern of Apple’s, but the team working on servers says that Apple chips will inherently protect user privacy. Gurman previously claimed that all of the coming ‌iOS 18‌ features would run on-device, but it sounds like some capabilities coming this year will in fact use cloud servers. Apple plans to use its own servers for now, but in the future, it may also rely on servers …

Report: Five Things Apple Won’t Announce at Its Event Next Week

Report: Five Things Apple Won’t Announce at Its Event Next Week

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Apple is holding at least five announcements for later in the year that will not arrive at the company’s “Let loose” special event next week, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. In a report detailing his expectations for Apple’s upcoming event, Gurman noted that there are a total of five things that the company is holding for later in the year: AI features: While Apple may tease new AI capabilities with the next-generation iPad Pro, Apple will not “formally unveil” the features until WWDC in June where iPadOS 18 will be previewed. Lower-cost entry-level iPad: Apple is apparently working on a version of the 10th-generation iPad introduced in 2022 with a lower price. The current model is $449, sitting in the lineup above the $329 ninth-generation ‌iPad‌ that remains in the lineup. The company is likely to phase out this older model and bring the price down of the redesigned model, but Gurman says this “isn’t expected until the end of the year at the earliest.” Seventh-generation iPad mini: A refreshed iPad mini is said to …

Gurman: No Apple Vision Pro 2 Launch Planned Before End of 2026

Gurman: No Apple Vision Pro 2 Launch Planned Before End of 2026

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Apple does not plan to launch a second-generation version of its Vision Pro headset until the end of 2026, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports. Writing in the latest edition of his “Power On” newsletter, Gurman said Apple’s latest Vision Pro roadmap “doesn’t currently call for a second-generation model until the end of 2026.” In February 2024, he said that the device was “at least 18 months away.” According to Gurman’s sources, Apple is still trying to figure out a way to bring a cheaper version to market before then, although the company remains “flummoxed” by how exactly to bring down the cost. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in February said he believes new Vision Pro models with significant changes to the specification may not enter mass production until 2027. At the time, Kuo said he did expect a modified Vision Pro to enter mass production in late 2025 to early 2026, with Apple focused on improving costs and production. However, this leads him to believe that the “user experience will not differ from the current model.” Indeed, …

iOS 18 Rumored to ‘Overhaul’ Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness Apps

iOS 18 Rumored to ‘Overhaul’ Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness Apps

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Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman today said that iOS 18 will “overhaul” many of Apple’s built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness. Gurman did not reveal any specific new features planned for these apps. It was previously rumored that the Notes app will gain support for displaying more math equations, and a built-in option to record voice memos, but this is the first time we have heard about updates planned for the Mail, Photos, and Fitness apps. Gurman also corroborated our exclusive MacRumors report last week about Apple finally planning a Calculator app for iPadOS 18. A recap of iOS 18 rumors: Smarter Siri: iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and more. These features are expected to be powered by Apple’s on-device large language model (LLM), but Apple has reportedly also discussed partnerships with companies like Google, OpenAI, and Baidu. More Customizable Home Screen: One of the design changes rumored for iOS 18 is a more customizable Home Screen, including the …

Apple Event Rumors: iPad Pro With M4 Chip and New Apple Pencil With Haptic Feedback

Apple Event Rumors: iPad Pro With M4 Chip and New Apple Pencil With Haptic Feedback

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In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman outlined some of the new products he expects Apple to announce at its “Let Loose” event on May 7. First, Gurman now believes there is a “strong possibility” that the upcoming iPad Pro models will be equipped with Apple’s next-generation M4 chip, rather than the M3 chip that debuted in the MacBook Pro and iMac six months ago. He said a key new feature of the M4 chip will be an upgraded Neural Engine that boosts performance for AI tasks, and he believes Apple will market the next iPad Pro as an AI-powered device. Second, he said that the new Apple Pencil that is expected to be announced at the event will feature haptic feedback for the first time. While he did not provide any details about how this will work, perhaps the Apple Pencil will have a small Taptic Engine that vibrates when switching between drawing tools, and using the rumored “squeeze” gesture that MacRumors previously discovered within the iPadOS 17.5 beta’s code. Third, he …

iPad Air Stock Running Low Ahead of New Model Introduction

iPad Air Stock Running Low Ahead of New Model Introduction

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Retail stock of the current iPad Air is starting to dwindle ahead of the widely anticipated arrival of new models early next month, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports. Citing sources at multiple retail stores in the latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman said that inventory levels of the ‌iPad Air‌ are diminishing in Apple stores, a typical indicator that new versions are soon to be released. Unlike the ‌iPad Air‌, the iPad Pro apparently remains abundantly available, which suggests that Apple might be planning to sell through its current stock even after introducing an upgraded model. Historically, Apple has managed its inventory to align with the release cycles of its products, reducing shipments of older units to make room for the latest offerings. Expected changes coming to the next-generation ‌iPad Air‌ include the more powerful M2 chip and an additional 12.9-inch display size option, while the ‌iPad Pro‌ is rumored to receive OLED display technology, the M3 chip, and new accessories. The refreshed ‌iPad Air‌ and ‌iPad Pro‌ models are now expected to be announced during the …