9to5Mac Happy Hour

Benjamin and Chance react to all the announcements out of the spring ‘Let Loose’ event, including the radically thin new iPad Pro, the new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air lineup, what to expect from the M4 chip, and how the event compared to their expectations going in overall.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin and Chance reflect on how they feel the video event format is performing for Apple, and whether it makes sense for the com...

Benjamin and Chance assess the final iPad rumors ahead of next week’s ‘Let Loose’ event. Beats launches an incredibly compelling new addition to their headphones lineup, the Beats Solo Buds. At the same time, Apple fails to acknowledge what happened with people getting locked out of their Apple IDs over the weekend, in the same week as it releases a statement promising to fix an issue with iPhone alarms. 

And in Happy Hour Plus...

Benjamin and Chance get hyped for the just-announced Apple event, entitled ‘Let Loose’ set for May 7, in which we expect Apple to finally update the iPad hardware lineup. There’s also rumors that Apple is preparing to end FineWoven case production, and a weird curio that the iPhone 17 Plus screen may get slightly smaller. Elsewhere, AirPlay for hotels finally arrives and Apple is nearing a deal to exclusively stream the 2025 FIFA ...

Benjamin and Chance discuss the latest in Apple news, including Web Distribution for EU users launching in iOS 17.5 beta 2, we get our first sense of the M4 Mac release scheduled and the company opens up its third-party repair policies further. Also, the Humane Ai Pin debuts to a very mixed critical response.

And in Happy Hour Plus, we talk about our multitasking and window management habits on macOS. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/j...

Benjamin and Chance delve into the latest rounds of iOS 18 rumors, including a curious discovery of a new ‘Safari browser assistant’ in development. Apple has also changed the rules surrounding game emulators in the App Store, with somewhat unclear implications. Apple News+ adds a new Quartile word puzzle, and the wait for the new iPad Pro continues.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Chance considers his smart home strategy ahead of the ...

Benjamin and Chance discuss the bizarre idea that Apple is interested in making a humanoid robot to help with household chores, as its “next big thing”. Also, Apple launches the first ever sports ‘film’ shot in Immersive Video, and releases Spatial Personas for all Vision Pro users.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin discusses the frustrations of driving theory test iPhone apps. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Benjamin and Chance go deep on the Department of Justice vs. Apple suit, in which the DOJ alleges Apple’s iPhone monopoly is illegally maintained. In happier news, Apple announced the dates for WWDC 2024 where we expect to see major AI announcements as part of iOS 18, and much more.

And in Happy Hour Plus, we rank our favorite WWDC invite artwork from the last decade. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Benjamin and Chance react to the news that Apple is partnering with Google to use their Gemini models to power some AI features coming in iOS 18. Also, there’s more details about the two new AirPods models set to debut later this year. There’s also rumors about anti-reflective matte screens for iPhone and iPad, and Walmart announces that it is selling Macs for the first time, starting with the cut-price $699 M1 MacBook Air.

In ...

Benjamin and Chance analyze the latest round of Apple’s changes to appease the EU, get hyped for the impending 2024 iPad Pro features, and news that Apple is testing an AI platform for advertising.

Apple Arcade is the topic in Happy Hour Plus, as we discuss how the service stacks up today compared to how it was presented in 2019.

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Benjamin and Chance analyze what’s new in the just-announced M3 MacBook Air and praise the MacBook Air lineup as it stands today, iOS 17.4 brings a whole host of changes to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act, and Apple TV+ launches a limited time catalog of movies to watch. Chance also gives us a one-month check in on the Vision Pro. 

And in Happy Hour Plus, Chance explains why he has decided to delete TikTok from his phone...

Benjamin and Chance react to the shock news of the cancellation of the long-gestating Apple Car project, and Mark Gurman details some of the future wearables Apple is pondering including smart glasses, rings, and AirPods earbuds with integrated cameras. We are also anticipating some design changes in iOS 18, but recognize Apple has likely learned the painful lessons of the iOS 6 -> iOS 7 transition. 

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The Apple news cycle continues apace this week, with the company launching a brand new app, Sports, for sports scores. The iPhone 15 battery is now rated for twice as many charge cycles, along with a redesigned Battery UI in iOS 17.4. Apple is reportedly planning new AI features for both Spotlight search and Xcode code completion, and the EU readies a $500 million fine for Apple’s anticompetitive behavior in music streaming market...

Benjamin and Chance discuss the tantalizing references to a HomePod with some kind of screen found in iOS 17.4 beta 3, the App Store Review process has an embarrassing week, and The Information reports Apple is still working on foldable iPhone prototypes. Chance also bought the developer strap for the Apple Vision Pro, while some other launch day buyers opt to return their units within the two-week window.

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Chance has had his Apple Vision Pro for about one week, and we all have a lot of thoughts about Apple’s brand new platform. A truly new Apple product doesn’t come along very often, and this is a particularly special one. We go deep on the Vision Pro hardware, comfort, what it’s like using Vision Pro for media and productivity, Personas, FaceTime, real-world battery life, and so much more.

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Benjamin and Chance deep dive into all the App Store changes announced in response to the EU Digital Markets Act, and debate whether anyone is incentivized to make the leap. Also, the first Apple Vision Pro reviews have dropped ahead of its Friday release, and iOS 17.4 brings some fun new features and code references look ahead to iOS 18's AI integration.

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Benjamin and Chance talk about all the latest Apple news from this week, including some new iPhone 16 rumors on tech specs and capabilities of the new Capture Button, incentives for artists to produce Spatial Audio music, and the latest installment in the Apple Watch ban saga. Plus, Ford has some CarPlay announcements in the same week that Apple’s ambitions for Project Titan have been scaled back significantly, as the company now ...

Chance talks about his second time going hands-on with the Apple Vision Pro, including trying the newly announced Disney+ experiences. We also discuss the preorder process, and the newly released tech specs and accessories for Apple’s upcoming headset. There’s also an ongoing debacle about exactly what third party apps, if any, will be available on visionOS at launch.

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Benjamin and Chance discuss Apple’s announcement of Vision Pro pre-orders and launch dates, and dive into what we still don’t know. Also, Ming-Chi Kuo has some details on future iPhone camera upgrades, Apple’s anti-trust concerns continue, and the latest Apple TV+ news. 

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Benjamin and Chance are back from the holidays. Chance retells his experience using CarPlay and EV routing in Apple Maps, the Apple Watch is (temporarily?) back on shelves, Apple is reportedly in talks with news publishers about licensing content for its AI systems, and all signs point to an impending Vision Pro release.

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