Friday is here, and with it we are tracking some notable price drops on Apple gear as we head into the weekend. Joining a new Amazon all-time low on Apple’s 2024 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 starting from just over $1,200, we also have even lower prices on the latest M3 iMac. You can now score the 24-inch Apple desktop machine at $150 off the going rate, and be sure to scope out our exclusive discount down below on the new Burton Goods leather iPhone 15 case. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

more…

Authorities in Vermont are warning residents to check for hidden AirTags after traveling to Canada. According to law enforcement, there have been multiple cases of people in the northeast finding hidden AirTags on the car after road tripping it to Canada, a scheme that is believed to play a role in criminals eventually stealing those cars.

more…

A recent report suggested we might be seeing some form of Apple Pencil for Vision Pro, and that idea appears to be supported by an Apple patent application published this week.

The lack of a physical surface to press against means that things like drawing and handwriting can be tougher in a virtual environment, and Apple describes a couple of interesting solutions to this …

more…

A new supply-chain report suggests that Apple is seeking to be an early player in what some believe will be the next big thing in chip development: printed circuit boards (PCBs) made from glass substrates.

While that might not sound exciting, it offers the prospect of an entirely new way of mounting and packaging chips, which could offer much better thermal performance, allowing processors to run at maximum power for longer periods …

more…

If you’re shooting spatial video on your iPhone 15 Pro – and there can be good reasons for doing so, even if you don’t own a Vision Pro – then you may want to invest in a $3 iPhone app.

While Apple’s native camera app only shoots spatial video in 1080p at 30fps, Spatialify lets you record in 4K at the same frame rate …

more…

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 …

more…

A new report claims that Apple has developed a new finish for the titanium frame of the iPhone 16 Pro models, with the brushed look of the iPhone 15 Pro replaced by “a more polished material.”

The switch from stainless steel to titanium frame in the iPhone 15 Pro brought three benefits, but not everyone is a fan of the rather dull-looking finish, and that’s something Apple may have addressed …

more…

If your car has factory-installed CarPlay or Android, then the wireless vehicle entertainment experts at Ottocast want to turbocharge your in-car entertainment.

For a limited time, 9to5Mac readers can take advantage of an exclusive 30% discount on some of Ottocast’s best CarPlay products by using code “TM30” at checkout.

more…

As reported on Tuesday, Apple today notified the winners of the 2024 Swift Student Challenge. For those unfamiliar, the competition encourages developers to show off their coding skills by creating playground projects. This year, some of the winners will attend an in-person WWDC 2024 event at Apple Park.

more…

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts...

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.

• Sponsored by LinkedIn Jobs: LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/HAPPYHOUR.
• Sponsored by Fast Growing Trees: Fast Growing Trees makes it easy to order online, and your plants are shipped directly to your door in 1-2 days. Get an additional 15% off with code HAPPYHOUR at checkout.

more…

The Android website has added a new landing page for Google Messages that talks about the first-party messaging experience, while also noting that RCS on the iPhone is coming in fall 2024.

more…

Apple is planning to release its new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in “early May,” according to a new report from Bloomberg. The news comes as Apple’s “overseas suppliers have ramped up production” of the new devices.

more…

Apple has filed a lawsuit against Andrew Aude, a former iOS Software Engineer, accusing him of leaking “information about more than a half-dozen different Apple policies and products.” The leaks included details about Apple’s then-unreleased Journal app, Apple’s “development of products within the spatial computing space,” and more.

“Mr. Aude often took and saved screenshots of his communications on his Apple-issued work iPhone to preserve them for posterity,” the lawsuit alleges.

more…

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.

more…