Apple Says Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air Now Supports Bluetooth 5.3

While the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip initially supported Bluetooth 5.0 when it was released in July 2022, the laptop now supports the faster and more reliable Bluetooth 5.3 standard, according to Apple's tech specs.


Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Air's tech specs page to say Bluetooth 5.3 after introducing the 15-inch MacBook Air with Bluetooth 5.3 at WWDC earlier this month. The latest standard offers faster and more reliable connectivity with Bluetooth accessories, and improved power efficiency, which can contribute to longer battery life. More details about Bluetooth 5.3 are available on the Bluetooth website.

All new Mac, iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models released since September 2022 support Bluetooth 5.3, as do the second-generation AirPods Pro.

Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air remain limited to Wi-Fi 6, while other new Macs support Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity over the 6GHz band.
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Goldman Sachs Wants to End Apple Partnership, American Express Might Take Over

Goldman Sachs does not want to continue its partnership with Apple, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. Apple has teamed up with Goldman Sachs for the Apple Card credit card in the United States, Apple Pay Later, and the Apple Savings account that ‌Apple Card‌ users can opt for.


The banking company wants to cut back on its consumer business, and is now in talks with American Express (or Amex) about a potential takeover. A deal would see Goldman Sachs offloading its credit card partnerships to another company, which would include the ‌Apple Card‌ and other credit cards like one it offers for General Motors.

American Express has not yet established an agreement with Goldman Sachs, and a deal is not "imminent or assured," according to people who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

Goldman Sachs recently extended its partnership with Apple through the end of the decade. Apple would have to agree to a transfer, and is aware of the talks that Goldman Sachs has been having with Amex.
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The MacRumors Show: What New Devices Should Apple Make?

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we ponder some of the devices and apps we wish Apple would make.


We discuss our wish lists, including some plausible ideas like a foldable iPhone, Apple TV soundbar, task manager and Notion-like productivity app, and even an Apple Books e-reader, as well as some outlandish devices like an Activity Rings fitness band and specific HomeKit appliances. Let us know what your dream Apple devices and apps are in the comments.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, listen to our discussion about our experiences after spending two weeks using the beta versions of watchOS 10, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and tvOS 17.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.
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First Phase of Apple's New North Carolina Campus Will Total 900,000 Square Feet

More than two years after Apple announced plans to invest over $1 billion in North Carolina with over half of that investment going towards a new engineering and research center in the Research Triangle area of Raleigh and Durham, the company has finally filed development plans for the first phase with local authorities.


As shared by the Triangle Business Journal, the 41-acre initial phase at Research Triangle Park will include six buildings and a parking garage totaling 700,000 square feet of office space, 190,000 square feet of accessory space, and almost 3,000 parking spaces.

Among the structures in the first phase are three office buildings with the largest coming in at around 242,000 square feet and the other two measuring just over 230,000 square feet each. All three buildings are listed as having heights of 73 feet.

Three smaller accessory buildings will join a parking garage for the initial phase, which does not yet have a disclosed starting date for construction. A starting date does appear to be close, however, as Apple has begun some initial site preparations and is moving forward on obtaining various approvals.

While this initial phase covers 41 acres, Apple owns a total of 281 acres at the site and the company's filed plans allude to future phases. Apple had said in its announcement about the North Carolina investment that it will eventually create at least 3,000 new jobs in "machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and other cutting-edge fields" with average salaries ultimately approaching $200,000.

At full buildout, Apple's Research Triangle Park campus is likely to become one of the company's largest employment centers in the United States after its Silicon Valley headquarters area and a major existing campus in Austin, Texas, that is itself seeing significant investment and expansion. Other major Apple employment centers in the U.S. include Southern California, the Seattle area, and New York City.

As Apple prepares to construct its major new campus in Research Triangle Park, the company has already been building up its presence in the region with temporary space, headlined by a takeover of one building of a three-building complex in neighboring Cary that had been built for insurance company MetLife.

Amid the rise in remote work, MetLife was recently able to consolidate operations into two buildings of the complex, freeing up the third to be used by Apple. Apple has also been working to acquire additional temporary space in the area as it will be several more years before its own campus is ready.
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iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Apple today released iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1 for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, respectively, and it's a good idea to install them as soon as you can because all three updates include important security fixes.


According to Apple's security support documents for iOS and macOS, the new software includes fixes for two separate vulnerabilities, both of which were known by Apple to have been actively exploited in the wild.

The IOSurfaceAccelerator vulnerability could allow an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple addressed the out-of-bounds write issue with improved input validation. The WebKit vulnerability could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code. Apple fixed this issue with improved memory management.

Google's Threat Analysis Group and Amnesty International's Security Lab are credited with finding and reporting both issues to Apple.

Apple has also released a new Safari 16.4.1 update for macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur, which likely addresses the WebKit vulnerability.
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Apple Releases macOS 13.3.1 With Fix for Apple Watch Unlock

Apple today released macOS Ventura 13.3.1, a minor update to the ‌macOS Ventura‌ operating system released last October. ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3.1 comes almost two weeks after the launch of macOS Ventura 13.3.


The ‌‌‌‌macOS Ventura‌‌‌‌ 13.3.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

According to Apple’s release notes for the update, it introduces a fix for a bug that could cause Auto Unlock with Apple Watch not to work, plus it includes a fix for an issue that caused the pushing hands emoji not to show skin tone variations.

macOS Ventura 13.3.1 provides important bug fixes and security updates for your Mac including:

- Pushing hands emoji does not show skin tone variations
- Auto Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch may not work

Apple is already beta testing ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.4, an update that will follow ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3 and should see a release in the next month or so.
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The MacRumors Show: Product Designer Marcus Kane Envisions What Apple's AR/VR Headset Could Look Like

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the design of Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset with professional product designer Marcus Kane.


Marcus is an industrial designer and UX consultant who uses virtual and augmented reality headsets on a daily basis to support his workflow. He recently created detailed concept renders of what he expects Apple's mixed-reality headset will look like with YouTuber David Lewis based on rumors, Apple patent filings, and his own expertise.


We talk through Marcus's approach to the design and what existing Apple products inspired him, looking at some of the key aspects that Apple will have had to consider with the device. We also discuss the broader user experience with the headset, including its rumored waist-mounted battery pack – which Marcus has envisioned as enclosed in a pouch on a shoulder-strap that also contains a cable to power the device, potential restriction to indoors use only, and real-world passthrough with a "reality dial."


Since Marcus uses existing headset products to support his design work, we learn about some of practical use-cases for this category of device, where Apple could compete, and what key software features the company could deliver. See more of Marcus's work over in David Lewis's latest video, and follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

We also discuss some of this week's latest Apple news, including the rumor that watchOS 10 will include significant UI changes, iOS 17's purported Control Center redesign, display changes for 2025's iPhone lineup, and more.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about WWDC 2023 and whether Apple's headset will finally emerge at the event.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Andru Edwards, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, and Mark Gurman. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.
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Apple Directs Users Not to Hang Up on Operators in Accidental Crash Detection Calls

With the iPhone 14 models, Apple introduced a Crash Detection feature that is designed to contact emergency services automatically should a collision be detected. Crash Detection has already saved lives, but there have also been a number of complaints about the option accidentally triggering at ski resorts, amusement parks, and in other non-emergency high-activity situations.


Apple has introduced Crash Detection optimizations in the last several iOS 16 updates to try to cut down on false calls, and now the company has new recommendations for users that accidentally activate the crash detection feature. In an updated Crash Detection support document, Apple directs users not to hang up if an accidental call is placed, and to instead explain to the emergency responder that help is not required.

If the call has been made, but you don't need emergency services, don't hang up. Wait until a responder answers, then explain that you don't need help.

Apple also removed a line in the support document that suggested users cancel a call during the timer period. "If you don't need to contact emergency services, tap Cancel and confirm that you don't need emergency services," read the sentence that has been pulled from the document.

The Crash Detection support site continues to suggest that users should dismiss an alert if they are able to do so, but Apple appears to want to put a stop to iPhone users canceling or hanging up on an already-started emergency call and leaving emergency responders wondering what happened.

Emergency dispatchers around ski slopes have been particularly unhappy with the number of accidental calls that are being received from Crash Detection. Skiing and snowboarding tumbles are able to trigger Crash Detection, and with the heavy clothing worn with these activities, ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch users sometimes don't notice that an emergency call has been placed.

In Colorado's Summit County, for example, 185 accidental Crash Detection calls were received in a week in January, wasting time and resources needed for actual emergencies. Summit County emergency services director Trina Dummer said in February that the situation threatens to "desensitize dispatchers and divert limited resources from true emergencies."

Apple in response sent four representatives to Summit County to observe the emergency call center, and further optimizations have since been added.

Crash Detection is available on the ‌iPhone 14‌ models and the latest Apple Watch models. Using sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope, it can detect a severe car crash and automatically call emergency services if a user does not respond to an alert within 20 seconds.
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The MacRumors Show: Christopher Lawley Talks iPadOS 17 and Next-Gen iPad Pro

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, Christopher Lawley joins us to discuss iPadOS 17 and the next-generation iPad Pro.


Christopher is a YouTuber dedicated to the iPad, automation, and productivity. He was a full-time ‌iPad‌ user for several years, conducting all of his content creation, including video editing and podcasting, from the device, before feeling forced to switch back to the Mac due to the direction of iPadOS.

We get his insights on Apple's upcoming iPadOS 17 update and the areas he feels Apple should focus on this year, with particular attention to some of the key issues he believes Apple needs to address with Stage Manager. We also touch on the need for "Pro" apps like Final Cut Pro and Xcode, a Notification Center and Control Center redesign, Lock Screen customization, and more.

In addition, we talk through some of the most important information around the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ models, which are rumored to sport 11.1-inch and 13-inch OLED displays, thinner and lighter designs, the M3 chip, and wireless charging. We also briefly discuss the rumored price rises that are planned for the device owing to its more costly OLED display components – meaning that the 11.1- and 13-inch models could start at approximately $1,500 and $1,800, respectively.

As usual, we look at some of the week's biggest rumors, including the iPhone 15 Pro's slimmer bezels and new mute button, as well as the delay of Apple's first HomePod with a display. See more of Christopher's work on his YouTube channel and follow him on Mastodon @ChrisLawley.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about some of the key health and fitness features rumored to come to future AirPods models.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Frank McShan, David Lewis, Andru Edwards, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, and Mark Gurman. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.
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macOS 13.3 Coming Soon With Fix for Network File Sharing

Since the release of macOS 13.2 in late January, some Mac users have complained about network file sharing via SMB not working anymore. Fortunately, with the upcoming macOS 13.3 update, it appears that Apple has fixed the issue.


Several users who were affected by the issue have noted that network file sharing is functional again as of the third beta of macOS 13.3 and later, with one user saying that Apple confirmed a fix was implemented. macOS 13.3 is in the final stages of beta testing and is expected to be publicly released as soon as next week.

Users complained about macOS 13.2 breaking network file sharing across the MacRumors Forums, Apple Support Community, Reddit, and Twitter.

File Sharing can be enabled in System Settings → General → Sharing and allows for a Mac's files to be accessed remotely over a local network. For example, a user may have a Mac mini set up as a server and enable File Sharing on that computer in order to remotely access files from their primary computer, such as a MacBook Pro.

(Thanks, Todd Willbur!)
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Apple 'Tracking Employee Attendance' in Crackdown on Remote Working

Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer.


Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least three days per week.

Employees are required to be in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with most able to work remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. However, it appears that Apple is doubling down on this strategy as it looks for ways across the company to cut costs.

In a post on Twitter, Schiffer said that Apple is now actively tracking in-person attendance using badge records and will give employees "escalating warnings" if they don't come in the required three times per week.

According to Schiffer, some Apple offices have even warned staff that failure to comply could result in job termination, although that "doesn't appear to be a company-wide policy."

The development follows a recent report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in which he outlined several cost-cutting measures being newly enacted by Apple, including managers becoming "as strict as ever" about office attendance, with some staff believing it to be a harbinger of Apple firing employees who don't meet the requirement.

In this regard, Gurman has also reported an overlap in retail stores, with Apple taking a closer look at work attendance and hours, and the company ditching its "special sick time" for time missed due to Covid, asking staff to use their normal sick time instead.

According to the report, Apple isn't always filling positions when employees leave, suggesting the crackdown on staff who do not fulfill the in-person work requirements is at least in part one aspect of its wider strategy to cut costs while avoiding the sort of mass layoffs that have recently befallen other tech giants, including Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
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Apple's Work on Touchscreen Macs: What We Know So Far

Some Apple fans have long wanted Apple to combine the functionality of the iPad with the Mac, and it appears that it's finally going to happen. Apple is rumored to be working on touchscreen Mac technology, and we could see the first touchscreen Mac in just a couple of years.


This guide highlights everything that we know so far about Apple's work on a touchscreen Mac.

Possible Models

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple engineers are "actively engaged" in the development of a Mac with a touchscreen, and one of the first Macs with a touchscreen could be an OLED version of the MacBook Pro.

How Touchscreen Macs Will Work

The first touchscreen Mac is expected to continue to feature a traditional laptop design, complete with a trackpad and a keyboard.

While a standard notebook design will continue to be used, the machine will feature a display that supports touch input like an iPhone or an ‌iPad‌.

Operating System

Gurman says that the first touchscreen Macs are likely to use macOS, the operating system that runs on the Mac. Apple is not looking to combine iPadOS and macOS at this time, though the lines have blurred between the operating systems with the launch of Apple silicon Macs.

‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ apps are already able to run on Macs with Apple silicon chips, unless a developer opts out of the cross platform functionality.

Touchscreen Mac History

Apple executives have said many times over the years that Apple does not have plans to release a touchscreen Mac. In 2021, for example, Apple hardware engineering chief John Ternus said that the best touch computer is an ‌iPad‌, with the Mac "totally optimized for indirect input" rather than touch. "We haven't really felt a reason to change that," he said.

Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi in 2020 said that Apple believed Mac ergonomics require the hands to be rested on a surface, claiming that "lifting your arm up to poke a screen" is "fatiguing." Touchscreen laptops from other companies were also not compelling to Apple. "I don't think we've ever looked at any of the other guys to date and said, how fast can we get there?"

Later in 2020, Federighi said that a touch-based interface was not considered for the Mac and that Apple had no secret plans to change the way the Mac works. Apple has been dismissing claims of a touchscreen Mac for almost a decade at this point.

The Competition

Almost all PC manufacturers make some kind of touch-based tablet/laptop hybrid device, many of which are positioned as all-in-one or convertible machines.


HP, Lenovo, Dell, Asus, Microsoft, Google, and Samsung all have notebook options with touch displays. Major Apple competitor Samsung, for example, offers the Galaxy Book, which has a traditional keyboard and trackpad paired with a touchscreen.

Release Date

The first touchscreen Mac could come out as soon as 2025, but there is time for Apple to change its plans.
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The MacRumors Show: Frank McShan Talks Yellow iPhone 14 and Apple's Color Options

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, Frank McShan joins us to discuss Apple's Yellow iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus, as well as the range of new Apple Watch bands and AirTag accessories.


Frank is a MacRumors alumnus and Apple-focused content creator on TikTok with over two million followers. He had a first-hand look at the Yellow ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus earlier this week. We talk through our thoughts on Apple's current selection of color options across its devices and accessories in detail and discuss some of the latest news, including the official announcement of the Apple Music Classical app, as well as the redesigned HomePod with a 7-inch display that is rumored to arrive in the first half of next year. Visit Frank's TikTok to see more of his work.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion on some of the top features and changes we would like to see in iOS 17.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like David Lewis, Andru Edwards, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, and Mark Gurman. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.
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Apple Overhauling International Sales to Focus More on India

Apple is changing the way that its international businesses are managed in order to focus more attention on India, reports Bloomberg.


India is set to be its own sales region within Apple, which will give the country "increased prominence" within the company. India has become more important at Apple over the last few years due to the growing demand for Apple products. Though most people in India use Android devices, it is the second largest smartphone market in the world and Apple has the potential to make inroads with more affordable product options.

Apple is planning to move India to its own sales region following the retirement of Hughes Asseman, the vice president in charge of India, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, East Europe, and Africa. Ashish Chowdhary will become head of India, and will report directly to Apple's head of product sales. Though India will become more of a focus within Apple, regional sales reports will continue to group India with Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Apple has started producing some iPhone models in India, including the iPhone 14, as it looks to diversify beyond China. Apple supplier Foxconn has invested $500 million in the country to boost production capabilities.

There are no physical Apple retail locations in India right now, but Apple has been working to open stores in Mumbai and New Delhi for years now. Apple stared hiring for the stores in January, which suggests they could open in the near future.

Customers in India can purchase Apple devices online, as Apple has been operating an online store in India since 2020.
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Apple Releases Third Public Beta of macOS Ventura 13.3

Apple today seeded the third beta of macOS Ventura 13.3 to its public beta testing group, letting the general public test out the features ahead of the software's release. The public beta comes one week after Apple provided the second public beta.


Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.3 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

As with iOS 16.4, ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3 adds new emoji characters that include shaking head, pink heart, blue heart, gray heart, donkey, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, pea pod, ginger, fan, comb, flute, maracas, left hand, and right hand.

The update supports updating to the new HomeKit architecture that Apple has reintroduced after the update was pulled from iOS 16.2. The Messages app also offers content previews for shared Mastodon links, and there are new options in Shortcuts for creating workflows that include Siri notification announcements.

Apple says that ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3 will be released in the spring, a timeline that ranges from March 20 to June 20.
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of macOS Ventura 13.3 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of macOS Ventura 13.3 to developers for testing purposes, with the new software update coming a week after the release of the second macOS 13.3 beta.


Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3 adopts the same new emoji characters that are in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, including pink heart, light blue heart, left and right hand, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, pea pod, finger, and more.

The update adds the new HomeKit architecture that was initially removed from iOS 16.2 and its sister updates, and the revised version should have fewer bugs that affect ‌HomeKit‌ setups.

‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.3 will go through multiple rounds of beta testing, with Apple planning to release it in the spring.
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of watchOS 9.4 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming one week after launch of the second beta.


To install the watchOS 9.4 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.4 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

watchOS 9.4 gains support for new emoji characters that include donkey, goose, black bird, shaking head, hyacinth, pea pod, and more, with 31 new characters available in total.

Through iOS 16.4, the update adds support for Web Push notifications that are sent to an ‌iPhone‌, with the notifications able to be set up for a website that is added to the ‌iPhone‌'s Home Screen.

watchOS 9.4 will go through several rounds of beta testing, and it is expected to see a launch in the spring alongside iOS 16.4.
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New MacBook Airs and 13-Inch MacBook Pro Will Reportedly Feature M3 Chip

Apple's next-generation 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models will both be equipped with an M3 chip, according to 9to5Mac sources. The report claims that Apple is also planning to release an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 chip.


The unannounced M3 chip will have an 8-core CPU like the M2 chip, according to the report, but the chip is expected to be manufactured based on TSMC's latest 3nm process for further performance and power efficiency improvements. The M2 chip and its higher-end Pro and Max variants are built on TSMC's second-generation 5nm process.

The report doesn't indicate when the trio of MacBooks will be announced, but speculates that WWDC 2023 in June would be an ideal time for Apple to announce the M3 chip and the first Macs powered by the chip. Apple introduced the existing MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro alongside the M2 chip at WWDC 2022 last year.

On Sunday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said it was "plausible" that at least the new 13-inch MacBook Air would be equipped with the M3 chip. He said that Apple would likely launch both the 13-inch and 15-inch models "between late spring and summer."

There have been conflicting reports about whether the new MacBook Airs will be equipped with the M2 chip or the M3 chip and when they will be released. Just hours ago, display industry analyst Ross Young reiterated his expectation that the 15-inch MacBook Air will launch in April, but timing remains a question mark at this point.
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Apple Rumored to Announce 15-Inch MacBook Air and More in March to April

The calendar has turned to March and Apple is rumored to have at least three product announcements planned between now and the end of April, including a 15-inch MacBook Air, a new Mac Pro tower, and a new iPhone 14 color option.


Below, we have recapped what to expect from Apple this March and April based on rumors. This story was originally published in February and has been updated with new information based on the latest rumors and reporting.

15" MacBook Air

Apple's supply chain started production of display panels for a new 15.5-inch MacBook Air in February, according to display industry analyst Ross Young, who has a very good track record with rumors about future Apple products over the past few years.

Young expects the new MacBook Air to launch in early April, but an announcement and pre-orders could certainly take place sooner. Apple often announces new products in March at an event or with press releases on the Apple Newsroom website, but it did hold an April event in 2021 to introduce a new iMac, iPad Pro, Apple TV, and the AirTag, along with a new Purple color option for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.

A new 15-inch display size option would be the largest ever for the MacBook Air. The current MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display, and the laptop was offered in an 11-inch size many years ago. The new MacBook Air is still expected to be equipped with an LCD panel, as the first model with an OLED display is not expected to launch until 2024.

Like the 13-inch MacBook Air, the 15-inch model will reportedly be available with the M2 chip. Apple says the M2 chip has up to an 18% faster CPU, up to a 35% faster GPU, and up to a 40% faster Neural Engine compared to the M1 chip.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year claimed that a 15-inch MacBook with M2 and M2 Pro chip options would be released in the second quarter of 2023 or later. Interestingly, Kuo said this MacBook might not have Air branding. On a purely speculative basis, it is possible that Apple could release a 15-inch MacBook that is positioned between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but Apple's plans remain to be seen.

New Mac Pro

The next Mac Pro will be available with Apple's upcoming M2 Ultra chip, which would make it the fastest Mac ever, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He expects the new Mac Pro to have the same design as the 2019 model, but lack user-upgradeable RAM. A higher-end "M2 Extreme" chip for the computer was apparently cancelled.

In January, Gurman said Apple was internally testing a new Mac Pro running macOS 13.3, which will be publicly released this spring, according to Apple. Given this, it is possible that Apple could release both the Mac Pro and macOS 13.3 around March or April, but there is still no definitive timeframe for the computer's release this year, so there remains a chance that the new Mac Pro is announced at WWDC 2023 in June or later in the year.

New iPhone Color

Apple often releases at least one new iPhone color in March or April, and a recent rumor suggests that tradition could continue this year.

Apple plans to make the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus available in Yellow this spring, according to a Weibo post shared by Japanese blog Mac Otakara. Apple last offered a Yellow color option for the iPhone 11 in 2019 and the iPhone XR in 2018. It's unclear if Apple plans to release a new color for the iPhone 14 Pro models.

At its March 2022 event, Apple introduced a new Alpine Green color for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and a new Green color for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. In April 2021, Apple made the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini available in Purple.

In earlier years, Apple released a new (PRODUCT)RED color for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 series.
This article, "Apple Rumored to Announce 15-Inch MacBook Air and More in March to April" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The MacRumors Show: iOS 17 Wishlist – What Do We Want to See?

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss some of the top features and changes we would like to see in iOS 17.


Apple is expected to unveil iOS 17 at WWDC in June this year, offering a range of enhancements and new features, such as a next-generation CarPlay experience, changes to Siri, support for sideloading and alternate app stores, support for Apple's mixed-reality headset, and more. We talk through some of the areas where we feel Apple could bring meaningful changes and improvements to the iPhone, with particular attention to generative AI, Spotlight, Siri, Shortcuts, notifications, Apple Music, the Health app, Apple Fitness+, and Control Center.

We also discuss some of the latest news, including the rumored "in-air" typing experience on Apple's mixed-reality headset, the two second-generation headset models that seem to be in the pipeline, and the gradual transition to under-display technologies on the ‌iPhone‌.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion on the state of AirPods, HomePod, and ‌Apple Music‌ in 2023 and where they could go in the next few years with YouTuber and audio aficionado David Lewis.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Andru Edwards, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, and Mark Gurman. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: iOS 17 Wishlist – What Do We Want to See?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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