The American Innovation and Choice Online Act could ban major tech firms like Apple from favoring their products over competitors. Aimed to shake up the competition, tech lobbyists claim the bill, which allows sideloading, could harm popular consumer products.

more…

The post US Senate backs off Big Tech regulation bill as Apple again criticizes impacts of sideloading appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Earlier this week, Apple revealed the latest additions to its annual collection of in-house Pride Watch bands. Delivering two new styles to your wearable, the bands are now available via Apple Stores and the first orders are arriving to buyers. Now we’re taking a hands-on look at the two new offerings, which blend the usual premium build with some added flair to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. 

more…

The post Hands-on with special edition Apple Watch Sport Loop Pride bands appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Imagine a tiny Macintosh smiling at you while charging your iPhone. Well, you don’t have to since SHARGEEK plans to launch its Retro 35 GaN Charger that can charge up to a notebook at high speed – and it’s incredibly adorable.

more…

The post Power your iPhone with this tiny light-up Macintosh appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Ahead of WWDC 2022 taking place on June 6, Apple is updating the Apple Developer app with everything developers will need during the Worldwide Developers Conference starting 11 days from now.

more…

The post Apple Developer update to include WWDC 2022 session videos, digital lounges, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

In 19 pages of comments for a federal agency’s report on the app ecosystem, Meta is once again slamming Apple’s overwhelming market power. These comments are to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in a report on competition in the mobile app ecosystem. This report is part of the Biden Administration’s effort to crack down on tech giants’ power.

more…

The post Meta just can’t get over Apple in 19-page comment to US over app ecosystems [U] appeared first on 9to5Mac.

If you’ve been having problems using Instagram today, it’s not just you. A number of reports have surfaced on social media from users who are facing problems using Instagram DMs, loading new posts, and viewing and uploading Instagram stories. Head below for the full details.

more…

The post PSA: Having issues with Instagram today? It’s not just you appeared first on 9to5Mac.

A bit less than a year since the acclaimed Psychonauts series got its second installment on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, Microsoft has launched Psychonauts 2 on Mac.

more…

The post Microsoft’s popular platform adventure ‘Psychonauts 2’ launches on Mac appeared first on 9to5Mac.

As is always the case ahead of WWDC, speculation is in full gear regarding potential new features and changes. One of the biggest questions every year is whether that year’s iPadOS update will finally be the one to unleash the full power of the iPad hardware.

Ahead of WWDC 2022 kicking off on June 6, recent changes to WebKit hint at big changes that could be coming to the iPad in regards to window resizing…

more…

The post iPadOS 16 window resizing? This clue suggests it could come at WWDC appeared first on 9to5Mac.

All of today’s best deals are now up for the taking, with official Apple Watch Leather Link Bands at new all-time lows leading the way. That’s alongside a collection of refurbished Philips Hue HomeKit gear from $16 and a Twelve South 20% off Memorial Day sale. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

more…

The post Deals: Apple Watch Leather Link Bands $89, Twelve South 20% off Memorial Day sale, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

A report from early this week suggested Apple and its suppliers were struggling with iPhone 14 production due to COVID-19 lockdowns in China. In addition, an analyst said iPhone 14 Plus/Max production was delayed by three weeks. Now, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that despite that, Apple’s shipping plan for iPhone 14 models is still on track.

more…

The post Will the iPhone 14 lineup face delays? Kuo weighs in appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has donated $100,000 to help his alma mater’s band program to purchase new instruments for students. Cook has a special connection to the group as he was a trombone player in Robertsdale High School’s band in Alabama.

more…

The post Tim Cook supports his high school’s band in Alabama with $100,000 donation appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Want to play your favorite PlayStation titles from wherever? Well, eventually you’ll have more options than ever to play on your iPhone. Sony is apparently making efforts to expand its PlayStation titles on PC and mobile by 2025. These details come from an investor day presentation, according to The Verge.

more…

The post Sony wants to double the number of PlayStation titles on iPhone by 2025 appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Some state privacy laws use wording written by tech companies and their lobbyists, says a new report today. A formerly Apple-backed lobbying group has previously been cited as pushing for weaker privacy protection based on this wording.

Tech giants are aiming to push through weak privacy legislation in order to fend off more meaningful requirements, with one state senator admitting that the text of a privacy bill he put forward was supplied by a tech lobbyist …

more…

The post State privacy laws are being written by tech companies to minimize protections appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Millions of children who used remote learning apps during the pandemic have had their personal data – and even behavioral information – shared with advertisers, says a new report.

This includes apps which students were required to use by their schools, says Human Rights Watch …

more…

The post Remote learning apps sent kids’ data and behavioral information to advertisers appeared first on 9to5Mac.

“The app store is not a service. The app store is a disservice to developers,” says Epic CEO Tim Sweeney in his latest interview with The Financial Times. In his never-ending battle against the so-called Apple App Store (and Google) monopoly, the owner of Fortnite tackles the Cupertino policy and calls Facebook an ally on the metaverse.

more…

The post Epic CEO calls the App Store ‘a disservice’ for developers, says Facebook is his metaverse ally appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple’s iPhone production plans for 2022 are said to be around 220 million units – some 20M lower than the consensus estimates of analysts. It would also represent zero growth on 2021.

The Cupertino company is facing a perfect storm of obstacles in the run-up to the launch of this year’s iPhone lineup …

more…

The post iPhone production plans said to be 20M down on consensus expectations appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple Store pay is to be significantly increased as part of the company’s fight against unionization of retail store employees. Starting pay is being increased by almost 50% over 2018 levels.

The move follows an aggressive anti-union video by retail chief Deirdre O’Brien. The video, lasting over six minutes, was almost entirely focused on anti-union messaging …

more…

The post Apple Store pay increasing, as video dramatically steps up anti-unionization fight appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Nikkei Asia reported this week that Apple and its suppliers are struggling with iPhone 14 production due to COVID-19 lockdowns in China. Now analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities has brought more detail to this story by saying that iPhone 14 Max production is delayed by three weeks.

more…

The post Report: iPhone 14 Max production delayed by three weeks due to COVID-19 lockdown appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Whether it’s someone you know, someone you don’t, or just a scam message, unwanted text messages can be a pain. Follow along for how to block texts on iPhone as well as how to report scam messages to Apple and your carrier.

more…

The post Here’s how to block texts on iPhone in a few taps appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Twitter this month officially launched its “Circle” close friends feature to the public, so that users can have an “alternative timeline for trusted friends.” While Circle was only available in Twitter’s mobile app and website, the feature has now arrived in the Mac version of Twitter’s app.

more…

The post Latest Twitter for Mac update adds support for ‘Circle’ feature appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Amid ongoing speculation that Apple is nearing a deal (or has already inked a deal) for the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, the NFL is also planning its own “NFL Plus” streaming service. A new report from Sports Business Journal now indicates that NFL Plus could ultimately be bundled with the Sunday Ticket package if sold to Apple.

more…

The post Apple could offer ‘NFL Plus’ streaming service alongside Sunday Ticket package appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Earlier this year, 9to5Mac discovered that Apple had been working to rebrand iTunes Pass as “Apple Account Card” in the Wallet app with iOS 15.5. Although there was no mention of this feature in the official release notes for iOS 15.5, the Apple Account Card is now live and available to users running the latest version of the operating system.

more…

The post New ‘Apple Account Card’ now available in the Wallet app for iOS 15.5 users appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Twitter has been going through a lot of internal changes recently, but this is only part of the company’s crisis. The US government on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Twitter as it claims that the company misled and failed to tell its users how their data was used for advertising.

more…

The post US government sues Twitter as it claims company misled users about data privacy appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Twitter will look a bit different on the inside from now on. Co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey has stepped down from the company’s board of directors.

more…

The post Jack Dorsey steps down from Twitter’s board amid Elon Musk deal appeared first on 9to5Mac.

iPhone and Apple Watch provide some really useful features when it comes to health and fitness and they also include important tools to get help in case of an accident, injury, and more. Follow along for how to make sure your Medical ID is set up or up to date, along with how to customize and use iPhone SOS and Apple Watch SOS.

more…

The post iPhone SOS and Medical ID: How to customize and use safety features appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple earlier this month announced that the iPod touch was officially discontinued, but it would remain available in stores “while supplies last” – which didn’t last long. In another step to put an end to the iPod, the company has now removed the iPod touch marketing page from its website.

more…

The post iPod touch now removed from Apple website as old URL redirects users to Apple Support appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple TV+ is working on a new live-action series based on the popular manga show, Speed Racer. J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions will produce this series.

more…

The post ‘Speed Racer’ live-action series from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot coming to Apple TV+ appeared first on 9to5Mac.

One week after releasing tvOS 15.5 to the public, Apple has a new bug fix update available to Apple TV, HomePod, and HomePod mini users. The company is now rolling out tvOS 15.5.1, which is a small update and addresses some issues Apple TV and HomePod users have been experiencing since the release of tvOS 15.5.

Apple says tvOS 15.5.1 for Apple TV and HomePod addresses an issue where music could stop playing after a short time.

more…

The post Apple releases tvOS 15.5.1 with bug fixes for Apple TV and HomePod appeared first on 9to5Mac.

As unionization efforts proceed at Apple Stores across the country, a fourth location has begun forming a union. The Apple Store at Oxmoor Center Mall in Louisville, Kentucky, has announced it is organizing a campaign, reported by Bloomberg Law.

more…

The post Apple Store union effort reaches fourth location with Kentucky workers organizing appeared first on 9to5Mac.

At this point, we all can assume what the iPhone 14 Pro will look like. New renders, which include specific dimensions, used leaked schematics previously covered here and more. These renders give a deeper look at the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro series – rumors now suggest the phone will also come in a new purple color.

more…

The post Here’s how the rumored purple iPhone 14 Pro will probably look appeared first on 9to5Mac.

ProtonMail, the world’s largest encrypted email service and popular iOS Mail app, has rebranded itself as Proton. In this rebrand, the company is bringing together ProtonMail with its other services, Proton VPN, Proton Calendar, and Proton Drive. While there aren’t major upgrades to the mail service, this integration will be the world’s first privacy-by-default ecosystem.

more…

The post ProtonMail has a new name and deeper integration with VPN, calendar, and drive features appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple has lost yet another member of the Project Titan team working on its ambitious plans for a fully self-driving electric car. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Christopher (CJ) Moore has departed Apple after less than a year on the job. Prior to his short stint at Apple, Moore served as a director of Tesla’s Autopilot team.

more…

The post Apple Car self-driving expert takes talents to autonomous sensor firm after six months on the job appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Headlining all of Wednesday’s best deals, Apple’s M1 MacBook Air is in stock at $99 off. That’s alongside a WD and SanDisk storage Gold Box sale and 15% off Belkin Memorial Day event. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

more…

The post M1 MacBook Air is $99 off in Wednesday’s best deals, plus WD storage Gold Box, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Two months after officially releasing all iOS 15 features promised during WWDC 2021, Digital IDs are coming to Maryland. With that, iPhone users in the state will be able to add their driver’s licenses to the iPhone’s Wallet.

more…

The post iPhone’s Digital IDs feature expanding to Maryland and possibly Mississippi, here’s how to add appeared first on 9to5Mac.

While WWDC22 is set for a mostly virtual experience, Apple is holding a special in-person viewing event for the keynote. Now Apple has shared new details that those invited to Apple Park to kickoff WWDC will be invited to a full day of planned activities including breakfast and lunch, an Apple Developer Center open house, three special tour options, and more.

more…

The post WWDC 2022 in-person attendees granted special access to tour Apple Park hills, fitness center, or Caffè Macs appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Yesterday, Apple announced new Apple Watch Pride bands and faces. While the Pride bands were supposed to go officially on sale tomorrow, it appears a lucky customer in Italy already got the Pride Loop Solo and Nike Loop Solo bands 2022 edition.

more…

The post Latest Apple Watch Pride bands and faces shown off in early hands-on appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple Maps has released a new step-by-step walking guide in augmented reality (AR) in Tokyo, found by Ata Distance. This feature gives you in-depth details on how to get to your destination by walking.

more…

The post Explore Tokyo with newly available Apple Maps step-by-step walking guidance in AR appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple tax increases in Ireland and elsewhere were expected to take effect in 2023, but will now likely be delayed until 2024 as a result of slow progress on agreeing a global digital tax deal.

The delay is good news for Apple, whose European headquarters is based in Ireland, where it currently pays a tax rate of just 12.5% …

more…

The post Apple tax increases delayed until 2024, as OECD says global tax deal behind schedule appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Super Evil Megacorp, the company behind the popular Vainglory game, teased earlier this year its new battleground game Catalyst Black. Now the game is officially available for iOS and Android users around the world.

more…

The post Catalyst Black battleground game now available for iOS and Android appeared first on 9to5Mac.

DuckDuckGo is known for its privacy-first commitment to users on iOS, Android, browsers, and soon with its own Mac app. Now, a report puts in check the company’s privacy focus due to a search agreement with Microsoft that let the Redmond company continue tracking users on the browser.

more…

The post DuckDuckGo caught giving Microsoft permission for trackers despite strong privacy reputation appeared first on 9to5Mac.

IKEA has launched a number of smart home products over the last eight years including blinds, lights, and more powered by its HomeKit-compatible TRÅDFRI gateway. Now the company has announced it has an all-new smart home hub with Matter support plus a redesigned “Home” app on the way.

more…

The post IKEA unveils smart home hub with Matter support, revamped ‘Home’ app appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Microsoft has revealed what looks very much like an M1 Mac mini clone during its developer conference, Build 22. The device is known as Project Volterra.

The resemblance is more than skin-deep: the machine is ARM-based, and effectively plays the same role as Apple’s Developer Transition Kit (DTK), offered back in 2020 …

more…

The post Mac mini clone offered to developers as Microsoft embraces ARM chips appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple on Wednesday published the results of two independent studies showing the impacts of the App Store Small Business Program, which allows developers to qualify for a commission rate of 15% if they earn up to $1 million. Based on the analysis, the program has been contributing to the creation of new jobs around the world.

more…

The post Research details how App Store Small Business Program is creating new jobs around the world appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Way back in 2017, a security researcher created a fake apple.com website where the URL looked completely correct. The trick was that the domain he registered used a unicode character that looks like an “a” but is in fact a Cyrillic character.

Browsers were updated to detect this kind of fakery, but it’s far from a simple process – as a new video (below) illustrates …

more…

The post See how hard browsers have to work to identify a fake apple.com website appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Released last summer, Beats Studio Buds just got a new special edition, this time in partnership with the Amsterdam clothing brand Daily Paper. In this version, the Buds have a graffiti-looking case with white earbuds and a Daily Paper sign in red.

more…

The post Beats Studio Buds get special edition with Daily Paper collab appeared first on 9to5Mac.

iPhone 14 availability is at risk in the worst-case scenario, says a new report today, as preparatory work for production has fallen behind schedule.

Apple and its suppliers are said to be working hard to make up for lost time, but this is proving “challenging” given COVID-19 shutdowns in China …

more…

The post iPhone 14 availability at risk as production prep falls behind schedule – Nikkei appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple on Tuesday released the 2022 edition of its traditional Apple Watch Pride bands. Although in the past the company discontinued the old Pride bands after launching a new one, this time Apple is still selling the 2021 Pride Braided Solo Loop band for Apple Watch.

more…

The post PSA: Apple still selling 2021 Apple Watch Pride Braided Solo Loop band appeared first on 9to5Mac.

iOS has many ways to help you discover new songs, including the built-in Shazam integration. But what about when you can’t play that song at that moment for some reason? With the new MusicBox app, users can finally keep track of songs they want to listen to later.

more…

The post Keep track of the songs you want to listen to later with ‘MusicBox’ appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Apple last year announced a change in the App Store guidelines that would require all apps that support account creation to offer an in-app option for letting users delete their accounts. However, this requirement has been delayed twice. Now the company has set a new deadline for developers to update their apps according to the new guideline.

more…

The post Apple sets new deadline for in-app account deletion requirement appeared first on 9to5Mac.

*Content Warning: This article contains information that may not be suitable for all readers.

One woman credits iPhone SOS with saving her life after a terrifying night at the beach, according to Wavy.

more…

The post iPhone SOS credited with saving woman during assault attempt – Here’s how to set it up appeared first on 9to5Mac.