The Democratic Republic of Congo is accusing Apple of using illegally exploited minerals sourced in the eastern regions, involving violence, child labor and other human rights violations.

This allegation disagrees with Apple’s published Conflict Minerals Report, that states it found no connection between its smelters and refiner partners, and the armed groups of the DRC, as of December 31, 2023.

Apple launched its range of and Apple Watch bands last fall to much fanfare, as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the leather accessories. However, buyers quickly complained the material was prone to attracting dirt, scuffs and other durability issues. FineWoven also simply felt far less premium than the leather lineup it replaced, albeit Apple charging the same prices.

According to Twitter leaker Kosutami, Apple is giving up on the effort and the production lines for FineWoven are being shuttered. The company will probably try again with a different leather alternative option, .

As indicated by much of the research material Apple has been publishing in recent months, the company is investing heavily in all sorts of artificial intelligence technologies. Apple will announce its AI strategy in June at WWDC, as part of iOS 18 and its other new OS versions.

In the latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman says to expect the new iPhone AI features to be powered entirely by an offline, on-device, large language model developed by Apple. You can expect Apple will tout the privacy and speed benefits of this approach.

For a limited time, Microsoft is partnering with Apple to offer Xbox owners a free 3-month trial of Apple TV+, Apple’s video streaming service. To redeem the offer, simply open the TV app on your Xbox console.

The EU commission is set to approve Apple’s previously-announced policy changes regarding access to the NFC chip on the iPhone, with the view of increasing competition in the contactless payments market. The commission’s decision will be officially announced in the coming weeks, via Reuters.

With these changes, apps will be allowed to become the default wallet app that appears when users double-click the side button or hold their phone near a payment terminal. However, the relaxation of policy only applies to apps available inside the European Union, not worldwide.

Beginning today, more than sixty IHG Hotels & Resorts locations will support the new iOS 17 AirPlay feature, allowing guests to easily stream to the TV in their hotel with no additional hardware required.

Just like you would stream to an Apple TV at home, guests are able to seamlessly select their hotel TV as the AirPlay output to watch videos, view photos and stream music from their iPhone or iPad.

Apple has an ambitious goal to create a fully carbon neutral value chain for its products by 2030, and every year it charts its progress in its annual Environmental Progress Report. The 2024 report published today highlights a milestone achievement for emissions.

Apple says its overall greenhouse gas emissions have more than halved since 2015, down 55%. However, there is still more work to be done as the company will need to attain a 75% reduction to meet its 2030 targets.

Over the weekend, the first handheld console game emulator hit the App Store, following a relaxation in App Store Review Guidelines the week prior.

Fast forward 24 hours and the app is gone, pulled from the App Store. However, we aren’t sure why. It might be that ROM-loading emulators are actually not allowed, and this one slipped through. Or, it may be that iGBA was simply a clone of the open-source project GBA4iOS, and was pushed to the store without permission or appropriate licensing.

Update: The app has now been removed from the App Store. Original story below.

Apple changed the App Store rules last week to seemingly permit game emulators on the iPhone for the first time.

Following that policy change, the first emulator apps are now appearing on the store. iGBA is a free Game Boy game emulator for iPhone and iPad, which can indeed load and play ROMs downloaded to the device — a category of application that Apple would have unequivocally rejected a fortnight ago.

From director Matthew Vaughn, the new spy thriller movie Argylle is now streaming on Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming service for original TV shows and movies.

The film features a star-studded cast including Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, Dua Lipa and more. It’s a twisty action spy narrative which sees author Elly Conway (played by Howard) wrapped up in espionage plot of her own design.

Apple is alerting users to a new instance of an identified mercenary spyware attack on the iPhone. Possible victims have been sent an email from Apple describing how the attack could “remotely compromise the iPhone”. Victims are being notified in India and 91 additional countries, via Reuters.

Mercenary attacks of this nature typically cost millions of dollars, and are often useless once discovered by security researchers and patched by iOS security updates. They are often believed to be state-sponsored, due to the high cost of development to craft such complex and sophisticated attacks. However, in a notable change of language, Apple no longer says this explicitly in its threat notifications.

In the latest edition of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that he is hearing Apple is gearing up to launch the new iPad Pro and iPad Air during the week of May 6.

The launch will include new 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Pro models, a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air, as well as refreshed Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil accessories.

The AI boom has sprung up a mini-economy for content repositories, which AI companies want access to in order to train their models.

Companies like OpenAI initially trained their models by scraping data from the web. However, with the legal overhang of copyright looming, companies are looking to strike deals to formally license content going forward. Apple is one such participant. Reuters reports that Apple struck a deal to license millions of images owned by Shutterstock, a stock image site.

Colin Farrell stars in a new drama series ‘Sugar‘, streaming now on Apple TV+. Farrell plays the titular John Sugar, who is a private detective tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the daughter of a famous Hollywood producer.

The series takes much of its style and flair from the neo-noir film genre. The standard mystery plot takes a wild turn about halfway through the series, which may prove divisive. At least right now, Sugar is critically acclaimed with 87% on Rotten Tomatoes …

Update: More new iPad model identifiers are being registered; this time ‘A2898’ and ‘A2899’. That makes for a total of four, possibly reflecting two sizes of iPad Pro and iPad Air each.

As spotted by 91mobiles, two new iPad model identifiers have been registered on the Indian BIS certification database. It’s been a long time since new iPad model identifiers have been introduced as Apple last released a new iPad model almost eighteen months ago, the biggest gap ever between Apple tablet generations.

The database unfortunately does not really reveal any other details about the products, but they likely correspond to either the upcoming iPad Pro or iPad Air models. Bloomberg previously reported that Apple is readying new OLED iPad Pro and iPad Air models for an early May debut.

There’s a lot coming to Apple TV+ in April. From detective dramas to historical fiction to political documentaries, and more, here’s what to watch on Apple’s streaming service this month.

Now streaming on Apple TV+, the life and career of Steve Martin is profiled in a new documentary, which is unusually split into two feature-length parts …

Today, Apple is releasing its first ever sports film shot in Immersive Video format, which gives Apple Vision Pro users an engrossing 180-degree 3D video experience with Spatial Audio.

The short film features highlights from the 2023 Major League Soccer Cup playoffs. Apple Vision Pro owners can watch the film for free in the TV app, beginning at 6 PM Pacific Time today.

Alongside the WWDC 2024 announcement, Apple has refreshed the apple.com homepage. The updated look features a minor design change with the use of rounded rectangle shapes for the ‘learn more’ and ‘buy’ buttons on the various product tiles.

More significantly, there’s an entirely new row at the bottom of the featured products grid. Below the carousel for TV+ originals, there’s a new slider featuring content from Apple’s other content services: Apple Music, Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+.

In today’s edition of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman writes that users should expect updates to the iPhone home screen as part of iOS 18. Although light on details, he says iOS 18 will make the home screen “more customizable”. Update: MacRumors says one of the changes will mean that iPhone users will be able to place app icons freely on the grid, making gaps on the screen possible for the first time.

Apple apparently believes iOS 18 will be its biggest update ever. AI will be a key focus, with artificial intelligence powered features integrated across the operating system. Apple may also integrate chatbot functionality via Google’s Gemini.

Earlier this week, news broke that Apple was in talks with Google to license its Gemini models to be used to power some generative AI features in the upcoming version of iOS, iOS 18, for the iPhone. It was also said to have spoken with OpenAI about a possible deal.

Today, the Wall Street Journal says Apple also held talks with Baidu, to license its models. This would likely be intended to serve AI requests to Apple customers in China, as Chinese law requires models to be approved by its regulator before they are allowed to be used.

Apple and the MLS are running a new promotion to offer a one-month free trial of MLS Season Pass, available to new sign-ups. Interested fans can access the promotion by following the link on Lionel Messi’s Instagram page.

We’ve heard a lot recently about how the EU commission has been cracking down on big tech companies like Apple, with the Digital Markets Act causing sweeping changes to how the iPhone works, at least in the EU.

But stateside, Apple is also facing regulatory pressure. Bloomberg reports today that the Department of Justice is readying a formal lawsuit against Apple to be filed as soon as tomorrow. The suit will claim Apple broke antitrust laws by restricting access to iPhone software and hardware features.

Apple’s latest star-studded drama series, Palm Royale, is now streaming on Apple TV+. Featuring Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Carol Burnett, Ricky Martin and many more names, the series basks in 1960’s Palm Beach, as we see Maxine Simmons (Wiig’s character) attempt to break into the exclusive Palm Royale club.

Via Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Apple suppliers are gearing up to begin mass production of the new AirPods, starting in May. will be replaced by a new lineup of two models.

The new AirPods models represent a new two tier lineup for the non-Pro buds. They will both get an updated design, improved fit and charge via USB-C. The higher-end of the pair will also sport active noise cancellation and Find My locating for the case, similar to AirPods Pro.

Masters of the Air concludes today with episode nine, the finale of Apple TV+’s hit limited series from the creators of Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

To celebrate the release, Apple has also dropped a new 1-hour documentary special entitled The Bloody Hundredth, which reveals more about the real stories of the 100th Bomb Group. You can stream it now on Apple TV+.

You won’t need an MLS Season Pass subscription to watch soccer this weekend. Apple has announced that all matches on March 16 and March 17 will be available to watch for free on the Apple TV app.

Usually, Apple has a couple free games each weekend for non-subscribers, but making the whole weekend free is not the norm. An active subscription to MLS Season Pass (available monthly or $99 per season) is usually needed to tune in to all MLS games with no blackouts or geographic restrictions.

Apple didn’t win the streaming rights for the Eras Tour movie, but it has collaborated to promote tomorrow’s launch on Disney+.

The App Store app is currently featuring an exclusive never-before-seen clip from the film: you can watch it here. The clip is a snippet of the song ‘cardigan’, which is new addition to the streaming version of the movie.

Apple is said to be testing an AI-powered ads platform with a select group of partners, via Business Insider.

The AI tool chooses where to place ads in the various App Store promoted ad placement slots. Right now, this is seemingly being used to improve advertiser campaign performance for App Store Search Ads. However, Business Insider speculates the technology could eventually be used elsewhere as Apple gradually expands its offering of ad-supported services.

iOS 17.4 introduces support for alternative app stores (alternative app marketplaces) in the European Union, in compliance with the Digital Markets Act.

Apple explained earlier this week how these features are made available, based on the Apple ID region and geolocation of the device. It previously said there was a ‘grace period’ in which users could travel outside the EU for a short time and continue using alternative app marketplaces. The company has now clarified exactly how long that is …

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There was a bunch of Apple TV+ related announcements today. Firstly, Apple shared the first trailer for its highly-anticipated upcoming drama series Sugar, in which Colin Farrell stars as a Hollywood private investigator. The show premieres in April …

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Apple’s stock price has been taking a beating in the last few weeks, hitting a low for the year today, closing at $170.12.

Investors are pessimistic on the company’s outlook for a variety of reasons. Following a year of negative revenue growth in 2023, Apple executives forecast only meek growth guidance at its February earnings call. In the key Chinese market, there were more indications today that a recent streak of hot iPhone sales has come to an end. And investors are reeling from the EU’s $2bn fine for ‘illegal’ App Store policies, which threatens future Services revenue growth.

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With iOS 17.4 in the EU, iPhone users can install apps from outside of the App Store for the first time. While Apple says that apps from its App Store meet all of its standards for quality, privacy and security, legally the company is not allowed to curate the availability of apps in third-party app marketplaces.

Apple warns that apps from outside the App Store may include hate speech, extreme violence, encourage consumption of illegal drugs, pornography and more. The iOS Parental Controls system allows parents to choose whether family members can install apps from alternative app market places — here’s how …

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iOS 17.4 in the European Union brings Apple’s first operating system release that complies with the regulatory framework of the Digital Markets Act. This includes support for alternative app stores — or as Apple calls them, ‘alternative app marketplaces’ — which allows iPhone users to download apps from outside the walls of the Apple App Store for the first time.

The availability of functionality is geo-restricted to the EU only, and Apple has detailed for the first time how it detects this. But perhaps more surprisingly, it also turns out that existing app marketplaces you have downloaded to your device will stop working if you leave the EU for too long.

Apple today announced its next-generation range, in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes. The new models are available to order today, and will start shipping March 8.

The new laptops feature the M3 chip with faster CPU and GPU performance, an upgraded Neural Engine, and up to 2x faster Wi-Fi. The chip now also supports connecting up to two external displays at once, finally making up for one of the few feature regressions in the transition from Intel to Apple Silicon … sort of.

The EU commission today announced that it is fining Apple 1.8 billion euros, or about $2 billion USD, for abusing its dominant position in the market for distribution of music streaming services, with ‘abusive’ App Store rules. Specifically, the EU says Apple’s anti-steering provisions prevented Spotify and other Apple Music competitors from telling customers about alternative ways to subscribe.

Apple rejects the findings and will appeal the decision, as indicated by its just-published strongly worded press release. Apple says the EU has found no evidence of consumer harm, and “ignores the reality of a market that is thriving, competitive and growing fast”. In a statement, Spotify welcomed the judgement and its effective implementation.

You can now watch Napoleon on Apple TV+ today. Following an exclusive theatrical run and VOD window, the Ridley Scott epic is now streaming free with an Apple TV+ subscription.

In the film, Joaquin Phoenix stars as Napoleon Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby plays his wife Josephine. The film charts Napoleon’s relationship and military career, from his big victories to his ultimate demise.

Apple TV+ has launched a limited time collection of movies to stream for free as part of your Apple TV+ subscription. The company has done this occasionally in the past to coincide with the themed release of new originals, but this is by far the biggest drop. Unfortunately, it is only available to subscribers in the US.

The collection includes big name titles like The Wolf of Wall Street, Saving Private Ryan, Mad Max: Fury Road and more.

Apple today expanded its Self Service Repair Program to include the latest Mac models, the M3 MacBook Pro and M3 iMac introduced in October 2023. This allows customers to order Apple-certified parts and conduct repairs on these machines themselves, without needing to go to an Apple Store or another repair shop.

Next month, Apple will also roll out Apple Diagnostics app support so users can assess performance of their machines, and an update to System Configuration will mean users can perform Mac repairs fully independently, without needing to contact the Self Service Repair support team to run the final steps.

Apple Pay Later, the feature where you can spread an Apple Pay purchase across four equal installments with zero interest, is leading the way when it comes to consumer credit transparency.

Experian and Apple announced today they are working together to include Apple Pay Later pay-in-4 loans in a consumer credit report. Apple is the first major BNPL provider to provide loan and payment history directly to a credit reporting agency.

Apple Music has launched a new personalized playlist feature today, with users noticing a new ‘Heavy Rotation’ mix in their Made for You section.

Heavy Rotation features the songs you are listening to a lot, and the mix is a great way to blast some of your recent favorites. The list of tracks is updated daily.

In today’s edition of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that Apple is working on redesigning iOS and macOS.

It sounds less drastic than the visual changes seen in the iOS 6 to iOS 7 transition, though. He writes “the company is indeed working to update the design of iOS as early as this year, but I don’t believe it will be a total overhaul that mirrors visionOS”. While Gurman says we can expect to see changes in iOS 18 this summer, the work on macOS has only just started and won’t be ready until 2025 or 2026.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman writes that Apple is exploring various form factors for future wearable products.

That includes smart glasses similar to the Amazon Echo Frames or the Meta Ray-Bans, which offer some smart audio and AI features (able to ship much earlier in than the goal of full augmented reality glasses that can supplant the Vision Pro). Apple is also investigating how to add cameras to the AirPods earbuds, potentially obviating the need for a separate smart glasses product altogether.

Apple Search Ads is launching soon in more countries, expanding into the Latin America region. Ads will soon start appearing in the App Store for Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Paraguay.

That means app developers will be able to market in more than 70 countries through Apple Search ads. With “Search Ads”, ads can be targeted to show up in the Today app, at the bottom of app product pages, at the top of search results and in the Search tab’s “Suggested” section.

The Major League Soccer season starts today, and once again Apple is your exclusive streaming home of all the games. Watch with an MLS Season Pass subscription priced at $99 for the whole season, or discounted to $79 for Apple TV+ subscribers.

MLS Season Pass includes live and VOD streams of all MLS 2024 regular season and playoff matches, broadcasted in English and Spanish. Watch on the Apple TV app on Apple devices and third-party platforms like Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox and more. You can also watch in a web browser at tv.apple.com.

Apple today launched a new free app for the iPhone, called Apple Sports. As the name suggests, it is a dedicated destination for users to keep up-to-date with scores and stats for their favorite teams.

Apple Sports is available to download now for iPhone users in the US, UK and Canada. At launch, it covers MLS, NBA, NCAA basketball, NHL, Premier League, and more …

The new documentary Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend is streaming now on Apple TV+. It covers the latter part of the football legend’s career, with five chances at taking home the trophy, until he finally prevailed in Qatar 2022. Here’s how to watch.

Apple today updated the Apple Music Replay experience, available at replay.music.apple.com, with visualizations of your favorite music habits by month, rather than just by year. You can see how many minutes you listened to in each month, as well as top songs, albums and artists.

The yearly recap Apple Replay Mix playlist for 2024 is also available starting today for users to see everything they’ve been loving this calendar year.

The new limited series Masters of the Air, the highly-anticipated sequel to the Band of Brothers and The Pacific franchise, is setting records for Apple TV+.

The streamer told Variety that the show received more viewers in its debut weekend than any original premiere to date, beating previous heavyweights like The Morning Show and Hijack. And it’s having a halo effect on Apple’s programming worldwide.

Apple is about to be hit with its first-ever fine from the EU commission, according to a report this morning from the Financial Times. The fine will be in the region of 500 million euros (about $538 million dollars). The fine will be part of a conclusion of the case that began in 2019 after Spotify filed a formal complaint.

Specifically, the EU believes Apple acted illegally in blocking music streaming apps like Spotify from telling customers about other ways to subscribe to their services, and thereby evade Apple’s commission on in-app purchases. These are usually referred to as the App Store’s anti-steering provisions.