MacRumors

Apple's 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is just a few days away, kicking off on Monday, June 10 with a keynote event at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple plans to introduce iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, tvOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, and HomePod Software 18. No hardware is expected this year, with the focus set to be on software.

We've rounded up all of the rumors about the software features that Apple will unveil at WWDC, but there will still be plenty of surprises given the scope of the updates.

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18

All of Apple's software updates will include a wide range of new features powered by artificial intelligence, but we've heard the most about ‌iOS 18‌. The AI additions in ‌iOS 18‌ are expected to make this the biggest software refresh that we've had in years, with Apple set to call its AI features "Apple Intelligence."

All of Apple's AI additions will be introduced in a beta capacity so that Apple can test them before revealing them as full features, and everything will be opt-in, so people can decide not to use AI. Some features will be handled on-device, while some will be handled in the cloud, with Apple set to tout the security and privacy of the hardware that it's using for its cloud servers.

Siri and Spotlight

Apple is expected to use large language models (LLMs) to train Siri, which will theoretically result in major improvements to the personal assistant. LLMs are the backbone of popular AI offerings like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Rumors suggest that ‌Siri‌ will have a more casual, conversational feel, with a more natural voice. ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more than before, taking into account people, companies, calendar events, locations, and dates. Apple plans to give ‌Siri‌ control over individual features in apps, so ‌Siri‌ will be able to perform specific functions in apps that aren't possible today. ‌Siri‌ will, for example, be able to open specific documents, move files from one folder to another, delete an email, edit a photo, and summarize messages, notifications, and articles.

To enable these capabilities, Apple had to rearchitect ‌Siri‌'s underlying software. While Apple will likely show off these features at WWDC, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman does not believe the updated ‌Siri‌ experience will launch with the first version of ‌iOS 18‌ in September. Instead, it will come in a future version of ‌iOS 18‌ in 2025.

The ‌Siri‌ update will be accompanied by a refreshed version of Spotlight search on iPhones and iPads, with more intelligent results and improved sorting.

OpenAI Deal

Apple has inked a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT technology into ‌iOS 18‌, because Apple does not plan to build its own chatbot at this time. ChatGPT will be an opt-in feature for ‌iOS 18‌ and iPadOS 18 users.

Some Apple executives have had reservations about integrating a chatbot into the operating system, but Apple moved forward with it because customers may be expecting that kind of AI technology given its prevalence. OpenAI technology will also power some of the other AI features that Apple plans to introduce.

New App Features

Apple is bringing AI features to many of its built-in apps, and the additions that we've heard about so far are listed below. There are likely to be other AI features that haven't made it to the rumor mill.

• Safari - Safari will get an "Intelligent Search" option that will use AI to identify key topics and phrases on a web page, offering a summary. Apple will refresh the quick access menu, adding some features currently in the Share Sheet, and there may also be a "Web Eraser" tool that lets users hide unwanted portions of webpages that persist across visits.
• Mail - The Mail app will be able to suggest replies to incoming emails through a "Smart Replies" feature, plus it will have improved search and an option for summarizing long email threads. Mail will also be reorganized and will automatically sort incoming messages into categories, similar to Gmail.
• Apple Maps - The Maps app could gain support for custom routes, allowing users to input self-selected routes rather than being limited to the options that Apple provides. Apple could also add support for topographic maps, a feature introduced last year in watchOS 10.
• Photos - There will be an AI-based feature for removing unwanted objects from images.
• Apple Music - Auto-generated playlists created by AI may be an option, and Apple will improve song transitions with an adjustable crossfade duration.
• Notes - Notes will support recording voice memos directly in the app, with a transcript available. Mathematical notation will be improved so more kinds of equations can be added to notes, and the app will also provide AI-generated summaries of key points in notes and audio recordings.
• Voice Memos - As with the Notes app, the Voice Memos app will be able to provide transcripts and summaries of content that is recorded.
• Calendar - The Calendar app is expected to get Reminders integration, allowing reminders to be viewed directly in the Calendar app.
• Calculator - Apple will bring the Calculator app to the iPad with iPadOS 18.
• iWork - Apple's iWork apps will include new AI features. Keynote will have an option for automatically generating slides, and Pages will get a feature for generating text.
• Shortcuts - Shortcuts will better integrate with ‌Siri‌, allowing for the automation of complex tasks with less effort.
• Health - The Health app will get improved blood pressure data management ahead of when Apple Watch models gain hypertension detection, along with more tailored data, such as improved cycle tracking if a person is pregnant. Apple also plans to add a new hearing test feature linked to the AirPods.
• Settings - Apple plans to streamline the Settings app, adding a reorganized UI with a cleaner layout to make it easier to navigate. Search in the Settings app is also set to improve.

Home Screen and Control Center

‌iOS 18‌ isn't going to get a total design overhaul, but the Home Screen, Control Center, and some in-app elements will be refreshed.

Apple will introduce a more customizable ‌Home Screen‌, with app icons that can be arranged in new ways. Apple plans to stick to an invisible grid, but blank spaces, rows, and columns will be able to be placed between app icons for organizational options not currently available.

Users will be able to change the colors of app icons in ‌iOS 18‌, with icon color no longer restricted to the colors that developers choose.

Apple has tested a customizable Control Center layout for ‌iOS 18‌, and if adopted, it will feature a drag-and-drop interface that lets some of the controls be reorganized. Apple is also planning to add a new Apple Music widget and improved controls for HomeKit products.

Apps overall could get a more visionOS-inspired design refresh, with more of a focus on translucency for buttons and other UI elements.

Passwords

‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, and ‌macOS 15‌ will include a standalone Passwords app that essentially offers all of the functionality that's currently available in the Passwords section of Settings, such as one-time passcodes and password generation.

The app includes logins and passwords for websites, Wi-Fi network passwords, and Passkeys, a feature that uses Face ID or Touch ID to log into websites instead of a password. Data from the app can be automatically inserted into websites and apps when a user logs in, and it uses iCloud Keychain to sync across devices.

Apple plans to allow customers to import passwords from third-party apps, and there will be a way to access passwords on the Vision Pro and on PCs.

Messages

Multiple useful AI features are rumored to be coming to the Messages app. AI will be used to offer better suggested replies for quicker responses to incoming texts, and ‌Siri‌ will be able to summarize longer messages for you.

An auto-generated emoji feature will let users generate emojis based on the content of a message. The emoji will be created using AI, and will be all-new rather than pulled from the existing emoji catalog.

For Tapbacks, aka the reactions you can add to incoming messages, Apple is adding colorful new icons and support for emoji for the first time. Users will be able to press on a message and reply with an emoji character.

iMessages will support new text effects, allowing individual words to be animated in a message rather than the entire message as is possible now, and there will be a feature for scheduling a text message to be sent later.

Along with these features, Messages is going to get a major under-the-hood overhaul that will improve communications with Android users. Apple is set to adopt Rich Communication Services (RCS) as a standard to replace the current SMS/MMS standard. iMessage will be the method of communication for iPhone to ‌iPhone‌ conversations, but ‌RCS‌ will make it so "green bubbles" don't ruin chats.

‌RCS‌ supports higher resolution photos and videos, larger file sizes and file sharing, audio messages, cross-platform emoji reactions, real-time typing indicators, improved group chats, and read receipts. All of these features will be available in iPhone-to-Android text messaging threads.

With ‌RCS‌, messages can be sent over cellular or Wi-Fi, and there is no cost to send an ‌RCS‌ message over Wi-Fi. That will be an improvement over SMS, which only works over cellular connections.

Notifications

With ‌iOS 18‌, Apple plans to add smarter recaps that will summarize the notifications that you've missed while in a Focus mode. The feature will make it easier to catch up with and skip over notifications that are not useful.

Accessibility

Apple already announced several new accessibility features that are coming to ‌iOS 18‌.

Vehicle Motion Cues is meant to cut down on motion sickness when looking at an ‌iPhone‌ in a moving vehicle as the passenger. The feature adds animated dots on the edge of the display that indicate real-time changes in motion, cutting down on the sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel, which can be an issue in a moving vehicle.

Eye Tracking lets users navigate the ‌iPhone‌ with only their eyes. It uses AI and the front-facing camera to determine where a user is looking, and it can be used to activate buttons, swipes, and other gestures.

Music Haptics will let the Taptic Engine play taps, textures, and refined vibrations that correspond to the audio of the music. It works across millions of songs in ‌Apple Music‌.

Hearing Aid Mode

With ‌iOS 18‌, the AirPods Pro 2 could gain a hearing aid mode. Apple can't market the ‌AirPods Pro‌ as offering hearing help for those who are hearing impaired, but the FDA does allow for over-the-counter hearing aids designed for non-hearing impaired customers.

Compatibility

‌iOS 18‌ is expected to run on all iPhones that are capable of running iOS 17. Some on-device AI features might be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and later, however.

We have more on the features that Apple will add to ‌iOS 18‌ in our dedicated iOS 18 roundup.

macOS 15

‌macOS 15‌ will get many of the same AI features that are coming to ‌iOS 18‌, given the feature parity that Apple introduces across its devices. The new additions in apps like Messages, Mail, Photos, Notes, Calendar, Calculator, and ‌Apple Music‌ will also be introduced on the Mac, and the ‌Siri‌ features will be in ‌macOS 15‌ eventually as well.

We've heard a limited amount about Mac-specific features, but the Calculator is expected to get an overhaul inspired by the ‌iPhone‌ calculator app with rounded buttons and an enhanced unit conversion system, and System Settings will be reorganized in a way that puts the most used features at the top of the app.

Macs, iPhones, and iPads are all set to get new wallpaper packs, and on the Mac, the wallpapers will reference "old school icons and slogans," and Xcode will include an AI coding feature similar to GitHub's Copilot tool.

Apple is expected to pick another California landmark name for ‌macOS 15‌. Of the names that Apple has trademarked over the past decade, those yet to be used include Redwood, Grizzly, Sequoia, Mammoth, Pacific, Rincon, Farallon, Miramar, Condor, Diablo, and Shasta.

More on what's coming in ‌macOS 15‌ can be found in our macOS 15 roundup.

watchOS 11

The improvements that Apple plans to make to ‌Siri‌ on ‌iPhone‌ will also trickle down to the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch is expected to get a version of ‌Siri‌ that is optimized for on-the-go tasks, resulting in a personal assistant that is able to do more from the wrist.

The ‌Siri‌ interface will "uniquely format responses depending on the type of query," according to Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌. Apple also plans to introduce changes to some apps, such as Fitness.

tvOS 18

AI ‌Siri‌ features will be cross platform, so we can expect some new ‌Siri‌ functionality on the Apple TV eventually. We haven't heard specific rumors about any of the features that are coming to tvOS 18, and tvOS updates are often much more minor in scale than other operating system updates.

visionOS 2

‌visionOS‌ 2 will introduce dedicated Vision Pro versions of Apple apps that did not make it into the first version of the software, such as Home, Apple News, Reminders, Voice Memos, and Calendars. Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ says that Apple will also add other "missing features," without specific details.

Apple in May said that it will bring Live Captions to FaceTime in ‌visionOS‌, plus it will add an option for moving captions in Apple Immersive Video experiences.

Code found by MacRumors indicates that the Mindfulness app could get a respiration tracking feature, and the Apple Vision Pro may also gain support for the Apple Pencil Pro with ‌visionOS‌ 2.

How to Watch

Apple will live stream the WWDC keynote event at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. If you're curious what time that is in your local time zone, we have a dedicated guide.

The keynote will be available on YouTube, on Apple's website, in the ‌Apple TV‌ app, and in the Apple Developer app.

For those who are unable to watch or who would prefer to follow along with a text version of what's happening, we'll provide live coverage on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Father's Day falls on Sunday, June 16 this year, and with just over a week to go before the holiday we're tracking notable discounts on Apple products and Apple-related accessories. These sales include AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, Sonos speakers, and other products that could make good gifts for Father's Day.

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

All of the deals listed in this article have already begun, and most of them will last until Sunday, June 16, unless otherwise stated. With eight days to go until Father's Day, most orders placed today should make it in time for the 16th.

Best Father's Day Deals

• Sonos Father's Day deals on speakers, subwoofers, and more
• Samsung's new 2024 monitors - Save 10% when you buy 2, or 15% when you buy 3
• Eufy SmartTrack Link 4-Pack for $48.99, down from $69.99
• Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station for $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• AirPods 3 for $139.99 at Amazon ($29 off)
• Apple Watch Series 9 for $299.99 at Amazon ($100 off)
• AirPods Max for $449.00 at Amazon ($100 off)
• 11-inch M2 iPad Pro for $699.00 at Best Buy ($200 off)
• 13-inch M3 MacBook Air for $899.00 at Amazon ($200 off)
• 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro for $1,399.00 at Best Buy ($200 off)

AirPods

AirPods deals are in abundance this week, perfectly timed for anyone who wants to pick up a pair for Father's Day. The rarest discount is $100 off the AirPods Max, but you'll also find steep markdowns on AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro 2, all on Amazon.

Apple Watch

Similar to AirPods, we're tracking discounts across the entire Apple Watch lineup this week, including the Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. These deals can all be found on Amazon this time around, and although some color and band combinations are delayed beyond Father's Day, most should arrive in time for the 16th.

M2 iPad Air

Amazon has up to $80 off the M2 iPad Air this weekend, starting at $569.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Air, down from $599.00. These models just launched last month, and included the M2 chip, Touch ID, a Retina display, and more.

11-inch

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $569.00, down from $599.00
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $659.00, down from $699.00
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,034.00, down from $1,099.00

13-inch

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $754.00, down from $799.00
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $849.00, down from $899.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,034.00, down from $1,099.00
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,219.00, down from $1,299.00

M1 iPad Air

Over at Best Buy, you can find $200 off the previous generation M1 iPad Air in every color of every configuration. Prices start at $399.99 for 64GB Wi-Fi, and include both Wi-Fi and cellular models.

M2 iPad Pro

Similar to the M1 iPad Air, Best Buy also has great discounts on the previous generation M2 iPad Pro at up to $500 off select tablets. You'll find steep markdowns on both 11-inch and 12.9-inch models, with the majority of the deals focused on Wi-Fi models.

11-inch

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $699.00, down from $899.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $1,099.00

12.9-inch

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $899.00, down from $1,199.00

M3 MacBook Pro

Switching to MacBook deals, we're tracking a collection of discounts on the M3 and M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro at Best Buy and Amazon. Shoppers should note that the Best Buy deals do require a My Best Buy Plus/Total membership in order to see the all-time low prices.

M3 MacBook Air

Deals on the M3 MacBook Air are mainly focused on 13-inch models, at both Amazon and Best Buy. Amazon has the best deal on the 256GB entry-level model, down to just $899.00 this week and $200 off the original price.

M2 MacBook Air

Just like the M3 MacBook Air, deals on the previous generation model are focused on the 13-inch sizes. Amazon has $170 off every model in every colorway, starting at $829.00 for 256GB and rising to $1,029.00 for 512GB.

Sonos

Sonos began its Father's Day sale last week, and it's still going on this weekend. In this sale, you can find steep discounts on select home theater audio equipment. This includes record low prices on the Sonos Arc soundbar ($719), as well as various discounted bundles, all of which are rare deals we haven't tracked since earlier in the year.

This sale has a good balance between individual Sonos products and bundles that should help elevate your home theater setup with various soundbars, subwoofers, and speakers. Highlights of the event include the Sonos Arc for $719 ($180 off) and Sonos Sub Gen 3 for $639 ($160 off), which are rarely discounted outside of holiday events like this one.

Speakers and Soundbars

• Era 100 Smart Speaker - $199, down from $249
• Move 2 Smart Speaker - $336, down from $449
• Era 300 Smart Speaker - $359, down from $449
• Beam (Gen 2) Soundbar - $399, down from $499
• Sub (Gen 3) Subwoofer - $639, down from $799
• Arc Soundbar - $719, down from $899

Bundles

• Arc + Wall Mount Bundle - $798, down from $978
• Arc + Move 2 Speaker Bundle - $1,055, down from $1,348
• Arc + Sonos Ace Headphones Bundle - $1,168, down from $1,348
• Beam + Sub Bundle - $1,038, down from $1,298
• Arc + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle - $1,117, down from $1,397
• Arc + Sub Bundle - $1,358, down from $1,698
• Beam + Sub + 2x Era 100 Speakers Bundle - $1,436, down from $1,796

Charging Accessories

Amazon this weekend has a large collection of discounts from Anker, Eufy, and Jackery, including a wide array of wall chargers, Bluetooth trackers, and other USB-C accessories. Some of these deals will require you to clip an on-page coupon then head to the checkout screen before you see the final sale price, and some require a Prime membership.

Eufy

• SmartTrack Link 1-Pack - $13.99, down from $19.99
• SmartTrack Link 2-Pack - $29.88, down from $35.99
• SmartTrack Link 4-Pack - $48.99, down from $69.99
• SmartTrack Card - $16.98, down from $29.99

Anker

Audio

• Soundcore Motion 300 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - $64.99, down from $79.99

Portable Batteries

• MagGo Power Bank 10,000 mAh - $69.99, down from $89.99
• Nano Power Bank with Built-In USB-C Cable - $38.24 with on-page coupon, down from $49.99
• Prime Power Bank 20,000 mAh with 100W Charging Base - $149.99, down from $184.99

Power Stations

• MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station - $69.99 with on-page coupon, down from $99.99
• MagGo 3-in-1 Folding Charging Station - $93.49, down from $109.99
• 3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Cube - $112.46, down from $149.99
• SOLIX F2000 Portable Power Station - $1,299.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,999.00

Wall Chargers

• 20W USB-C Charger - $13.99, down from $16.99
• 100W 3-Port USB-C Charger - $42.99 for Prime members, down from $74.99
• 6-in-1 Nano Charging Station - $49.49 with on-page coupon, down from $65.99
• Prime 67W 3-Port Charger - $59.99, down from $65.99

Hubs

• 4-Port USB-C Hub - $9.99, down from $19.99
• 10-in-1 USB-C Hub - $59.99, down from $149.99

Jackery

• Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station - $99.99, down from $149.00
• Explorer 600 Plus Portable Power Station - $419.00 with on-page coupon, down from $499.00
• Solar Generator 300 Plus Portable Power Station - $499.00, down from $579.00
• Expansion Battery Pack for 1000 Plus - $509.00 with on-page coupon, down from $799.00
• Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station - $619.00, down from $999.00
• Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station - $1,299.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,899.00
• Expansion Battery Pack for 2000 Plus - $1,199.00 with on-page coupon, down from $1,599.00
• Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station - $2,149.00, down from $2,799.00

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

WWDC is right around the corner! All eyes will be on Cupertino next week as Apple takes the wraps off the next major updates to iOS, macOS, and other platforms.

Artificial intelligence is the hottest buzzword in technology these days, and Apple will be getting on that train with Monday's announcements, pushing beyond its existing machine learning features to deploy more sophisticated AI capabilities across its operating systems and apps.

In addition to the WWDC excitement, this week also saw some fresh news and rumors about the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, the just-released iPad Air, and the Vision Pro, so read on below for all the details!

Everything We're Expecting to See at the WWDC 2024 Keynote

While we're not expecting any new hardware at Monday's keynote, it should still be a jam-packed affair with lots of software news to be discussed and a big focus on AI.

As is tradition, we've rounded up an extensive list of rumors about the software features that Apple will unveil at WWDC, but there will still be plenty of surprises given the scope of the updates.

How to Watch Apple's WWDC 2024 Keynote on June 10

There will be several ways to watch Apple's opening keynote at WWDC next week.

A live stream of the presentation will be available on the Apple Events website and YouTube, and in the Apple TV and Apple Developer apps, while MacRumors will also have live coverage of the event.

We shared a guide that outlines how to watch the WWDC keynote on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices.

iPhone 16 Pro Could Break Record for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone

The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models could have the thinnest bezels surrounding the display on any smartphones ever.

Leaked dimensions for the iPhone 16 Pro models this week revealed that the bezels on the devices could be 25% to 30% thinner than on the iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple will reportedly achieve this feat by using so-called "Border Reduction Structure" technology.

Apple Says iPad Air Performance Details Are Accurate Despite 9-Core GPU Mistake

An embarrassing mixup was revealed this week: Apple accidentally listed the new iPad Air models with the M2 chip as featuring a 10-core GPU, when they in fact have a 9-core GPU.

Apple has since corrected the mistake on its website, and it said that the performance claims that it made when announcing the new iPad Air models are still accurate, despite the error in the tech specs for the devices.

Apple Vision Pro Likely to Launch Internationally in July

After launching in the U.S. in early February, it appears that Apple's Vision Pro headset will soon be available in additional countries.

A source familiar with the matter told MacRumors that the Vision Pro is scheduled to launch internationally in July. This timeframe suggests that Apple might announce international availability details for the headset during its WWDC keynote on June 10.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Apple today shared a funny new ad that focuses on the Double Tap feature available on the Apple Watch. In the spot, a man catches a giant fish and while he attempts to wrangle it, he is able to use Double Tap to trigger the Apple Watch to take a photo on a connected iPhone.

The Apple Watch has a dedicated Camera Remote app, and when opened, it activates the camera on the ‌iPhone‌. Focusing can be done with a tap on the display, and an image can be captured with either the timer button in the Apple Watch app or the Double Tap gesture.

Double Tap is available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It allows several Apple Watch functions to be activated with one hand by tapping a thumb and index finger together twice. The feature uses sensors in the Apple Watch to detect minute movements and blood flow to recognize the gesture.

Apple will likely use this short ad on its social media networks and YouTube.

Apple TV enthusiast Sigmund Judge has modded an iPad Pro into a portable Apple TV. The project involved modifying an Apple TV for USB-C power, routing the Apple TV's HDMI signal onto the iPad with a USB video capture device, and more.

Judge even created a custom Magic Keyboard with a silver enclosure and black keys to match the design of the Apple TV's Siri Remote.

The modded device is called the Apple TV Go, and Judge published a story on MacStories today with complete details about the project for those interested in learning more about the complex steps that were involved in building it.

Amazon had one of the week's best Apple deals, with $100 off a huge collection of Apple Watch Series 9 models. While some of these have since expired, there are still plenty of aluminum and stainless steel models on sale at this steep discount, and you'll also find discounts on AirPods, MacBook Air, and the Apple Studio Display.

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

Apple Watch Series 9

• What's the deal? Get $100 off Apple Watch Series 9
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

It's been a while since we last tracked a sale on Apple Watch Series 9 models, but this week Amazon returned with a massive collection of the wearables at $100 off. This includes both GPS and cellular models, in aluminum and stainless steel variants.

While some of the models we shared earlier in the week have now gone out of stock, many are still available. You can find the full list in our original post.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Get $170 off M2 MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon kicked off the week with a new all-time low price on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air from 2022, providing $170 off both the 256GB and 512GB models. You can still get these computers in all four colorways this weekend.

AirPods

• What's the deal? Get up to $100 off AirPods
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

The notable AirPods discount this week is on the AirPods 3 with the Lightning Charging Case, priced at $139.99 on Amazon, down from $169.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on this model.

Apple Studio Display

• What's the deal? Get $299 off the Studio Display
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

The Apple Studio Display returned to its record low price of $1,299.99 on Amazon this week, down from $1,599.00. This is the Standard Glass model with a tilt-adjustable stand, but you can also find the VESA mount adapter model at the same price on Amazon.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Apple's new M4 iPad Pro models and a Lululook Magnetic Stand to go along with it.

Lululook has several quality stand options for Apple's latest iPads, including the $130 360 Rotating Foldable Magnetic iPad Charging Stand. This stand uses the Smart Connector on the back of the iPad for charging purposes, so it works a lot like a MagSafe charger for an iPhone. The stand is plugged in at the back, and then you can simply put your ‌iPad‌ on the magnetic surface to both charge it and have it at an ideal viewing angle for work, movies, and more.

The ‌Smart Connector‌ provides 18W of power, and it is able to fast charge an ‌iPad‌. You can tilt the stand to any viewing angle, and rotate it around if you want to show your display to someone sitting at another desk. Both portrait and landscape mode are supported too, which means you get maximum versatility with this setup. Everything folds down, too, so you can bring it with you on the go.

You'll need to provide your own charger and cable for the Charging Stand, and Lululook has a range of options, including the 100W USB-C charger with four ports. It'll charge up your ‌iPad‌, Mac, and other devices with power distributed logically depending on what you have plugged in.

If you don't want the added charging capability, the 360 Rotating Foldable Magnetic Stand has the same setup and feature set without the charging port at the back. It's $30 cheaper at $199, and it's available in Space Gray aluminum like the charging version.

Have a Mac and not an ‌iPad‌? Lululook makes Mac stands as well. The $70 360 Rotating Foldable Laptop Stand can be adjusted to any angle and rotated around for screen sharing purposes. A ledge holds the MacBook safely in place, and it is able to work with any machine that's up to 16 inches in size. A heat vent at the bottom improves airflow to keep your laptop cool, and the aluminum design also dissipates heat.

Lululook also has a range of other accessories created for Apple products, including Apple Watch Bands, several other desk stands, and chargers for iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

We have an 11-inch 256GB ‌iPad Pro‌ and matching Lululook Stand for one MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

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The contest will run from today (June 7) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 14. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after June 14 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Best Buy today has introduced massive discounts on the previous generation M2 iPad Pro, including record low prices for both 11-inch and 12.9-inch models. These deals are mainly focused on Wi-Fi models, but you can find a few cellular tablets on sale as well.

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

11-inch M2 iPad Pro

For 11-inch iPad Pro tablets, prices start at $599.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $799.00. In total, you can get up to $300 off these iPad Pros right now on Best Buy, and you don't need a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership to see these deals.

12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro

If you're looking for a larger display model, Best Buy has the 12.9-inch iPad Pro from $799.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, down from $1,099.00. Best Buy is taking up to $300 off the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and just like the 11-inch models every one of these deals represents an all-time low price on the tablets.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Rumors continue to surface about changes planned for Control Center on iOS 18, which Apple is set to unveil during its WWDC keynote on Monday.

The latest word comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who today confirmed our report from earlier this week that said users will be able to rearrange controls directly within Control Center. Gurman also revealed a new detail: the more customizable Control Center will allow for controls to be spread across multiple pages for the first time.

Gurman also reiterated that the revamped Control Center will include a new music widget. We have learned that the widget will likely span the full width of Control Center, and include more visual elements like album art in its default view.

As previously reported, more customization is also expected for the Home Screen on iOS 18. Two notable changes have been rumored, including the ability to place icons anywhere on the Home Screen, and the option to change the color of app icons so that they all match. For example, Gurman said all finance-related app icons could be set to green. Hopefully black is also an option, which could allow for a Dark Mode of sorts on the Home Screen.

The first beta of iOS 18 should be available immediately after the WWDC keynote, and the update will likely be widely released in September.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we take a look at Apple's upcoming software updates beyond iOS 18, including macOS 15, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, and visionOS 2.

Like ‌iOS 18‌, ‌macOS 15‌ is expected to receive a range of AI features. Apple reportedly plans to integrate AI features across several built-in apps, including Photos, Notes, Messages, and Mail. Siri is also expected to undergo significant enhancements with the ability to handle complex tasks such as summarizing articles, moving files between folders, and creating multi-step workflows. ‌macOS 15‌ is also rumored to feature a redesigned Calculator app and enhanced Safari capabilities with an "Intelligent Search" option.

watchOS 11 is similarly due to bring new AI-powered features to the Apple Watch, such as a more advanced version of ‌Siri‌ that is better at handling on-the-go tasks. New workout types and additional watch faces are also expected. The update will likely drop support for the Apple Watch Series 4.

‌visionOS‌ 2 may address some of the gaps from the initial release of the Vision Pro, such as the introduction of native versions of several Apple apps, such as Books, Calendar, and Maps. ‌visionOS‌ 2 is also expected to feature systemwide Live Captions for improved accessibility, the ability to reorder apps on the Home screen, and respiration tracking in the Mindfulness app.

iPadOS 18 will be closely aligned with ‌iOS 18‌, bringing new AI features to the iPad. These likely include enhanced ‌Siri‌ capabilities, AI-assisted writing, and smart content summaries. The update will introduce a long-awaited native Calculator app to the ‌iPad‌ along with improvements to Notes, Voice Memos, and more. The Home screen is expected to be more customizable with the ability to place icons and widgets freely and change app icon colors. The Control Center may also benefit from design improvements and accessibility will be enhanced with eye tracking input.

Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 10. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about latest iOS 18 rumors, including deeper Home Screen customization, AI-generated emojis, and more.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

Apple today started selling refurbished versions of the M3 MacBook Air models that were initially released in March, providing discounts on the new machines for the first time.

Pricing on the refurbished 13-inch M3 MacBook Air starts at $929, down from $1,099, while pricing on the refurbished 15-inch M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ starts at $1,099, down from $1,299.

Apple has many ‌MacBook Air‌ configurations available in both sizes at the current time, with upgraded options for additional memory and storage. Stock will naturally fluctuate as Apple sells refurbished machines and restocks with new devices, but there are plenty to choose from if you've been holding out for a discounted M3 ‌MacBook Air‌.

The 2024 MacBook Air models do not feature design updates, with the refresh focused on the improved M3 chip that is up to 30 percent faster than the prior-generation M2 chip.

Apple's refurbished Macs are close to identical to new products. They are subject to a refurbishment process that includes full functionality testing, with any defective modules replaced, as well as a thorough cleaning and inspection. Refurbished products are eligible for AppleCare+ and have the same 14-day return period as new Apple devices.

Amazon today has taken $200 off the 256GB 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, now available for $899.00 in Starlight, down from $1,099.00. Only Amazon has this deal, and it has an estimated delivery date of June 10 for most residences in the United States.

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

Apple updated the MacBook Air back in March, coming in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes and with faster M3 chips. We aren't tracking as many discounts on the 15-inch version of the M3 MacBook Air this week, but there is a solid $200 markdown on the high-end 16GB RAM/512GB model on Amazon.

In regards to other 13-inch M3 MacBook Air models, Amazon has the 16GB RAM/512GB 13-inch MacBook Air for $1,329.00 in Space Gray, down from $1,499.00. This is another new all-time low price on the notebook, and it's also only available in one color at this time.

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

iOS 18 will introduce at least two changes to the Tapback feature in the Messages app on the iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Introduced with iOS 10, Tapback icons are the heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, "HA HA" symbol, exclamation marks, and question mark that can be added to messages. In a report outlining his WWDC expectations, Gurman said these icons will look more colorful on iOS 18, whereas they currently have very basic designs.

More significantly, he said the Tapback system will work with any emoji starting on iOS 18, providing users with hundreds of new options to choose from. This means the Messages app would finally support in-line emoji reactions, a feature that other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram have offered for a long time. Currently, the Messages app only allows emoji to be added to messages as stickers.

It is unclear if the revamped Tapback system will also work with the AI-generated emoji feature previously reported to be coming with iOS 18.

Another much-requested feature coming to the Messages app with iOS 18 is the ability to schedule a message to be sent later, according to Gurman.

Apple will unveil iOS 18 and other major software updates for its platforms during its WWDC keynote, which will be live streamed via the Apple Events website, YouTube, Apple TV app, and Apple Developer app on June 10 starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. The new Messages features would extend to the iPad and Mac.

Apple is rumored to be on the verge of integrating OpenAI's ChatGPT technology into iOS 18. We're expecting to learn more about the partnership at WWDC on June 10, but until then, here's a way to interact with ChatGPT on your iPhone, whatever you're doing on it.

Last year, OpenAI launched its free-to-use ChatGPT app for iPhone and iPad. Using the app, you can interact with the AI chatbot via text input and voice, allowing you to make the most of its generative artificial intelligence to get answers to questions and receive advice on all manner of subjects. OpenAI says that ChatGPT can help with all of the following:

• Instant answers: Get precise information without sifting through ads or multiple results.
• Tailored advice: Seek guidance on cooking, travel plans, or crafting thoughtful messages.
• Creative inspiration: Generate gift ideas, outline presentations, or write the perfect poem.
• Professional input: Boost productivity with idea feedback, note summarization, and technical topic assistance.
• Learning opportunities: Explore new languages, modern history, and more at your own pace.

History is synced across devices, so you can see your ChatGPT interactions both on the web and on iOS devices, and it integrates the Whisper speech recognition system.

One of the lesser known features in the app is its Background Conversations feature. Basically, it allows ChatGPT to continue processing and responding to your queries even when the app is not actively open on the screen. This means you can switch to other apps or perform other tasks on your iPhone without interrupting the conversation. Here's how to fire it up.

Talk With ChatGPT in the Background on iPhone

1. Download the ChatGPT app for iPhone.
2. Launch the app, then log in to your OpenAI account or create a new one.
3. When the main screen appears, tap the headphones icon in the bottom-right corner to enter Voice Mode.
4. Allow ChatGPT to connect to Voice. After that, you can start interacting right away. There are manual controls which allow you to pause, resume, and exit the voice conversation. When you want to do something else on your iPhone, simply swipe out of the app to enable Background Conversations mode.

ChatGPT is now actively listening in the background, and all you need to do is start speaking to pick up where you left off. If you have an iPhone with Dynamic Island, you'll see the ChatGPT symbol and a microphone icon, indicating that it's listening and ready to chat.

If you lock your iPhone, Background Conversations mode will remain active, and it will appear as a Live Activity card on your Lock Screen. This means that you can continue to talk with ChatGPT while you're busy doing something else, as long as your iPhone is nearby. OpenAI says the Background Conversations feature is designed to be battery-efficient, and minimizes the impact on battery life by optimizing background processes and reducing unnecessary usage.

Change the Voice

Voice chat was created with a range of voice actors (perhaps you heard about the recent ScarJo controversy) and there are a handful to choose from if the current voice doesn't jibe with you.

1. Tap the sidebar icon in the top-left corner of the main ChatGPT window.
2. Tap your account profile to open Settings.
3. Under the "Voice Mode" section, tap Voice.
4. Choose from Breeze, Juniper, Ember, and Cove. You'll get a sample of the voice when you tap it.
5. Hit Confirm to confirm your voice choice.

Assign Voice Mode to iPhone Action Button

If you have an iPhone with an Action Button (iPhone 15 Pro models, for example) you can easily assign ChatGPT's Voice Mode to it for quick access.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Action Button.
3. Swipe to the Shortcut option, then tap the action selector.
4. Search for "ChatGPT," then select the Start voice conversation shortcut.

That's all there is to it. Now you can simply long press the Action button on your iPhone to begin a voice conversation, whether you're in another app or if your device is locked.

If you have privacy concerns about the feature, but still want to use the ChatGPT app, there's good news: This week, OpenAI quietly deployed a new option to turn off Background Conversations. You can find the toggle in Settings under the "Voice Mode" section. You'll know that it's disabled because the orange dot indicating mic activity won't be visible in the top-right corner of your iPhone's screen.

Voice Mode Is About to Get Better

Some exciting features in GPT-4's voice mode are on the horizon but haven't gone live yet. These include advanced controls for changing the emotion and tone of responses, making interactions feel even more natural. While you can already customize voices to some extent, the full integration of voice and visual inputs, which promises richer and more interactive experiences, is still in the works.

OpenAI also says developers will soon get access to a wider range of APIs to better tailor voice interactions for their needs, enhancing applications like customer service. Enhanced support for different accents and dialects is also coming, making the system more accessible globally. Finally, more detailed privacy controls for managing and reviewing voice data are being rolled out gradually. All in all, these updates will make GPT-4's voice mode even more versatile and user-friendly.

As the countdown to WWDC 2024 continues, Apple today highlighted the tools and programs that it makes available to developers, and announced an update to the Apple Developer Forums.

Apple says that the updated forums will connect developers with more experts and with other developers for timely responses to technical questions. Apple engineers will provide code-level support, plus the forums have been reorganized into a layout of topics, subtopics, and tags to make it easier to find information.

Apple's Newsroom article delves into how many developers are using some of the programs that Apple offers, such as meeting with Apple engineers in person and attending developer academies. Meet with Apple Experts saw close to 50,000 developer engagements online and in person in 2023. The Apple Vision Pro developer labs in cities that include Cupertino, New York, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo, were attended by 6,000 developers who worked with Apple experts on visionOS apps.

"It's an honor and a privilege for our teams to work directly with developers at every stage of their journeys, from students and hobbyists, to budding entrepreneurs and coding professionals," said Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. "We're always looking for new ways to support this amazing community as they bring their visions to life and push the boundaries of what is possible."

More than 1,900 students attended Apple Developer Academies, and more than 1,800 went through an Apple Foundation Program in 2023, plus Apple also hosted five Entrepreneur Camp sessions. Apple in May debuted Pathways, which are easy-to-navigate collections of videos, documentation, and resources for developers. Since launch, more than 40,000 developers have accessed content on Pathways.

Apple also reminded developers that ‌WWDC 2024‌ sessions and videos will be shared on YouTube through the new Apple Developer channel. Apple has always made WWDC videos available through the Developer app and website, but this is the first year the company will also be sharing the content on YouTube.

‌WWDC 2024‌ is set to begin next Monday with a keynote event that will take place at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Developers will be given access to Apple's newly announced software directly after the event in order to begin work on integrating new features into their apps.

Apple will announce its new AI feature set for Apple devices at WWDC on June 10, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that it will be officially called "Apple Intelligence."

The AI capabilities will be coming to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. The features will be opt-in, meaning Apple won't make users adopt them if they don't want to.

The processing requirements of AI will mean that users need an iPhone 15 Pro or one of the iPhone 16 models coming out this year to use it. For those using iPads or Macs, models will need an M1 chip at least. Apple's AI features will be powered by its own technology and tools from OpenAI, but there will also be a partnership with OpenAI that powers a ChatGPT-like chatbot.

Apple Intelligence is expected to handle basic AI tasks, and it will work mostly on-device. In other words, the model is powered by the device's onboard processor, rather than in the cloud. It's not clear what the criteria for a basic task will be, but Apple Intelligence is said to include code that determines if a request can be processed on device or requires Apple's servers.

Here are some of the key new AI-related features and changes rumored or previewed for iPhones, iPads, and Macs that we've covered so far:

• Apple Music: Auto-generated playlists and smarter song transitions.
• Apple News: AI-generated news article summaries.
• Health: New features powered by AI, but no specific details are known yet.
• Keynote and Pages: AI-powered features for auto-generating slides in Keynote, writing faster in Pages, and more.
• Mail: Incoming email categorization, and suggested replies to emails, as well as email thread summaries and text composition assistance.
• Messages: Suggested replies, custom emoji, message recaps.
• Notes: A built-in audio recording tool and audio transcriptions.
• Notifications: AI-generated notification summaries.
• Photos: AI-powered photo retouching.
• Safari: Browsing assistant that can summarize web pages.
• Siri: A smarter ChatGPT-inspired version of Siri with more per-app controls (in 2025).
• Spotlight: More intelligent search results and improved sorting.
• Voice Memos: Audio transcriptions.

Gurman says that The AI features will account for about half of Apple’s WWDC keynote presentation, which starts at 10 a.m. Pacific time on June 10.

For those unable to watch the live stream, or who prefer to read a text version of the announcements, we'll have live coverage both here on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive X (Twitter) account, so make sure to follow.

One of the major factors that contributed to Apple's heavy focus on artificial intelligence in iOS 18 was an experience that software chief Craig Federighi had with GitHub Copilot, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In a report on Apple's AI ambitions, WSJ says that Federighi became an AI "convert" after testing the Copilot coding tool introduced by Microsoft-owned GitHub. Copilot, which uses OpenAI technology, was created to help programmers write, troubleshoot, and translate code into different programming languages.

After "playing around" with GitHub Copilot in December of 2022, Federighi explained that he had "come to appreciate" generative AI, and he reportedly tasked engineering employees with creating new ways to integrate AI features into Apple's apps and features. Prior rumors have suggested that Apple is aiming to integrate AI into as many apps as possible with ‌iOS 18‌ and future software updates.

Apple accelerated development on internal generative AI development, even recruiting some former Apple Car employees to work on the technology, but it has also held discussions with OpenAI and Google and is expected to rely on both its internal AI models and external partnerships.

Rumors about features coming in ‌iOS 18‌ indicate that Federighi has been successful in incorporating AI into the operating system in a number of ways, with Apple planning to add AI features to Messages, Mail, Photos, and other key apps. Siri will also be overhauled with generative AI, making the personal assistant smarter and more capable.

A rundown of all of the new features rumored for ‌iOS 18‌ can be found in our roundup.

Netflix is testing a redesigned version of its TV app, reports The Verge, marking the first major overhaul to the app in the last decade. The new design is a notable departure from the current look, but it is more modern and puts more information about content front and center.

Customers were reportedly performing "eye gymnastics" looking around to different parts of the home screen in an attempt to find a show or movie to watch, so Netflix wanted to simplify the navigation experience. "We really wanted members to have an easier time figuring out if a title is right for them," Netflix senior director of product Pat Flemming told The Verge.

The static tiles for TV shows and movies are being replaced with tiles that extend when the remote lands on them, making information like the trailer and description more centralized. Right now, when scrolling through content, show or movie information is displayed at the top of the screen. With the updated interface, that information is shown in the middle of the display, and tiles for other shows are pushed to the side.

Hovering over a TV show or movie for an extended period of time will cause a short preview to automatically start playing.

Netflix plans to replace the left side navigation menu with a top bar menu that features search, home, shows, movies, and My Netflix, with the menu accessible by pressing the back button on the remote. The current Categories and New and Popular tabs will be removed, but New and Popular will be replaced with the My Netflix recommendations, and Categories will be available from the search tab.

The new design is being tested with a small group of subscribers to begin with, but it will be expanded to additional Netflix users in the coming months if it proves to be a popular change.