2026-04-17 23:37:48
Photos have been making the rounds on Chinese social media today showing an Honor-branded advertising truck parked directly in front of Apple Canton Road store in Hong Kong, promoting the company's new Honor 600 series smartphone.
The truck's ad features the slogan "It's our HONOR" alongside the phrase "orange to orange," which appears to be a play on the English idiom "apples to apples" – referring to a like-for-like comparison. The slogan is paired with an image of the Honor phone, in a finish that bears more than a passing resemblance to the iPhone 17 Pro's Cosmic Orange.
It's a brazen stunt for a brand that spun off from Huawei in 2020 before being sold off to another entity to bypass U.S. sanctions. Using Apple's retail store as a backdrop to pitch your rival device with a similar color is one thing, but when the design is arguably a shameless copy, you're definitely out of ideas.
Apple is unlikely to make a big stink about such guerrilla marketing, as it would only amplify it. And as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
2026-04-17 23:03:17
China's smartphone shipments fell 4% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from Counterpoint Research, with Apple delivering the strongest growth among the top six brands.
Counterpoint's Market Monitor Tracker attributed the decline primarily to a high base effect from last year's government subsidy program and rising component costs. Counterpoint noted that February's Lunar New Year promotions provided a slight boost, but said the "magnitude of these discounts was hampered by a sharp increase in memory costs." Rising costs are already driving up retail prices on both new and used devices, and the pressure is expected to continue through the second quarter.
Apple rose to second place in the market with shipments up 20% year over year, driven by strong iPhone 17 series demand, promotional price cuts, and government subsidies. Counterpoint says Apple is best positioned among manufacturers to navigate the ongoing global memory crunch, supported by its premium product portfolio and supply chain management. The firm expects Apple to absorb rising costs internally in the near-to-medium term and expand its market share as a result. The first quarter result extends a strong run for Apple in China; the company reclaimed the top spot in the country in the fourth quarter of 2025 with shipments up 28% year over year, and recorded a 23% sales increase in the first nine weeks of 2026.
Huawei led with a 20% market share, its highest since the fourth quarter of 2020, with shipments up 2% year over year, aided by domestic supplier relationships that cushion the impact of rising memory costs. OPPO ranked third following the reintegration of realme, with OnePlus rising 53% year over year on the Ace 6 and Turbo 6 series, though OPPO's decision to raise prices on older models in March has weighed on demand. vivo grew 2% year over year on mid-to-low-end strength, while Xiaomi was the sharpest decliner, falling 35% year over year as its core models underperformed the previous generation.
Counterpoint warned that manufacturers broadly face a "double hit" of shrinking shipments and thinning margins, and forecast that China smartphone shipments will decline 9% for the full year. Apple, by contrast, is expected to use the cost pressure to its advantage, absorbing memory price increases internally while rivals are forced to raise prices and cede ground.
2026-04-17 22:45:26
Apple plans to release iPad mini and MacBook Pro models with OLED displays this year, according to industry sources who spoke to South Korea's ETNews.
The current iPad mini and MacBook Pro models have LCD displays with either LED or mini-LED backlighting. The move to OLED technology would result in improved image quality, thanks to richer colors and higher contrast ratio with true blacks.
Samsung will supply the OLED displays for both devices, the report said.
All of the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad Pro models that Apple sells today are already equipped with OLED displays, excluding refurbished models.
Other new features rumored for the next iPad mini include an A19 Pro or an A20 Pro chip, a vibration-based speaker system, and a water-resistant design. Apple will likely announce the device in September or October this year.
For the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, other new features rumored include M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. Apple reportedly plans to release the laptops towards the end of 2026, although there is a chance that the launch will not happen until early 2027.
The report said the iPad Air will also receive an OLED display next year.
2026-04-17 21:16:46
This week we saw some heavy-hitter Apple deals arrive for the M5 MacBook Air and AirPods Pro 3, with record low prices still available for both of these devices on Amazon. Below, you'll also find great deals on Apple Watch Series 11 and the new AirPods Max 2.
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.
2026-04-17 20:18:15
Stan Ng, Apple's vice president of product marketing for Apple Watch, AirPods, Health, and Home, has retired after 31 years at the company (via Bloomberg).
Ng publicly announced his departure on LinkedIn on Thursday, sharing an image of the sunrise at Apple Park. "After 31 years at Apple, today was my last day," he wrote. "It was a joy to work at Apple and I truly loved what I did." Apple's latest stock vesting date took place on Wednesday, and many employees who retire or leave tend to do so around that time.
Ng joined Apple in 1995 as a senior systems engineer, before Steve Jobs had returned to the company. He later moved into product roles for the Mac before becoming one of the key marketing executives behind the original iPod. He also appeared in product launch videos, including the iPod touch reveal in 2007, and went on to oversee marketing for the iPhone and Apple Watch before Home initiativesmarketi were added to his remit in 2021.
Within Apple's marketing organization, Ng reported to Bob Borchers, who oversees product marketing under senior vice president Greg Joswiak. Marketing leaders at Apple go beyond traditional marketing roles, playing an active role in shaping the products themselves. Erik Treski, Apple's worldwide product marketing executive for AirPods and Home, who was referenced in last month's AirPods Max update announcement, will assume part of Ng's responsibilities. It is not yet known how the rest of his responsibilities will be divided up.
Ng's exit is the latest in a wave of senior departures that has accelerated in recent months. John Giannandrea, Apple's longtime artificial intelligence chief, was also reported to be leaving this week. Former COO Jeff Williams retired last year, design chief Alan Dye departed for Meta Platforms at the end of 2025, environment and government affairs head Lisa Jackson retired earlier this year, and general counsel Katherine Adams is set to leave later in 2026.
Ng is also the third executive closely tied to Apple's health and fitness push to exit in quick succession. Williams had overseen those groups until his retirement, while Jay Blahnik, head of Fitness+, is departing following an investigation and lawsuit related to allegations about his behavior. Apple's health initiatives were recently brought under Eddy Cue as part of a broader organizational reshuffle following Williams' retirement.
This article, "iPod Marketing Veteran Stan Ng Retires After 31 Years at Apple" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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2026-04-17 18:50:39
A source said to be familiar with Apple's supply chain today revealed the color options Apple is planning for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the upcoming foldable iPhone.
Image via Macworld.
