2025-12-03 18:34:57
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17e is set to feature slimmer display bezels while retaining the iPhone 14–based OLED panel used in the 16e, according to a new report from The Elec.
Citing supply chain sources, the Korean-language report says BOE will again produce most of the panels for the second generation of Apple's more affordable "e" iPhone model, with Samsung Display and LG Display supplying the rest. However, the report does not claim that the iPhone 17e will feature a Dynamic Island, as has previously been rumored.
In August, Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station claimed that the iPhone 17e will gain upgrades including the Dynamic Island and the A19 chip. The current iPhone 16e features a notch at the top of the display, similar to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, and an A18 chip. Apple introduced the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models.
As things stand, slimmer bezels are more believable than claims that the device will gain Dynamic Island. Apple could slim down the bezels without changing the display panel itself, since bezel size is largely determined by the frame and how tightly the screen fits into the chassis.
If Apple is reusing the mass-produced OLED panel from the iPhone 14 to keep costs down, it can still refresh the look of the device by tweaking the frame and reducing the border around the display. It's the kind of update that would deliver a noticeable design improvement without adding much to manufacturing costs.
Dynamic Island, however, is harder to implement. Apple can't simply add the feature to an older notch-based display. The pill-shaped cutout requires a reworked TrueDepth camera layout, revised sensor placement, and updated display masking.
Adopting Dynamic Island would mean scrapping several of the components and production efficiencies Apple is reportedly trying to reuse for the 17e. Bringing in new tooling and redesigned sensor modules would therefore seem to defeat the cost-saving strategy that defines Apple's "e" line. Retaining the notch on the second version also differentiates the lower-cost device from Apple's premium flagship iPhone 17 models.
Today's report also backs claims that the iPhone 17e will retain a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. BOE has not yet been able to reliably produce low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panels for iPhone 17 models, but it can produce low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) TFT panels, which the iPhone 16e uses. LTPS panels can't support the variable refresh rate that iPhone 17 models tout.
Reliable sources such as Ming-Chi Kuo, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and The Elec agree that the iPhone 17e is on schedule to launch early next year.
2025-12-03 07:30:27
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic.
Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation, and model behavior like speed and reliability.
Google debuted Gemini 3 Pro in November, and it outperforms ChatGPT on several benchmarking tests. Google has been luring users with its Nano Banana AI image generator and Anthropic's Claude is popular with business customers.
OpenAI's plan to start showing customers ads leaked earlier this week, but Altman told employees that ads are now on the backburner. Work on advertising, shopping AI agents, and a more proactive and personalized version ChatGPT assistant called Pulse has been delayed. OpenAI has been testing several kinds of ads, including ads that would be shown during online shopping requests, but introducing ads could push users to other chatbots.
Following the employee memo, ChatGPT lead Nick Turley announced that OpenAI would focus on "making ChatGPT more capable, continue growing, and expand access around the world -- while making it feel even more intuitive and personal."
OpenAI is not profitable, and it has to rely on its user numbers for investments. If it loses a significant number of users to Google, it could run into financial trouble.
OpenAI will ship a new reasoning model next week, which Altman said is ahead of Gemini 3 in internal evaluations.
2025-12-03 06:33:17
Germany is evaluating Apple's proposed changes to address antitrust concerns over App Tracking Transparency (ATT), reports Reuters. Apple plans to tweak the text and formatting of the ATT consent prompt, while aiming to preserve the main privacy benefits of the feature.
Apple will add neutral consent prompts for its own services and for third-party apps, aligning the wording, content, and visual design of the messages. Apple also plans to simplify the consent process to make it easier for developers to get user permission for ad-related data processing.
Germany is asking for feedback from publishers, media groups, and regulators to determine if Apple's changes will address complaints about the limited amount of user data available to app publishers.
Earlier this year, Apple said that it might have to remove ATT from the EU. "Intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy and other countries in Europe may force us to withdraw this feature to the detriment of European consumers," Apple said.
Germany first launched a probe into App Tracking Transparency in 2022 after complaints from advertisers, and in February 2025, the German Federal Cartel Office preliminarily decided that Apple abused its market power, giving itself preferential treatment. According to German regulators, Apple's restrictions made it "far more difficult" for developers to access user data relevant for advertising.
Introduced in 2021, App Tracking Transparency lets iPhone and iPad users decide whether to allow apps to track their activity across other apps and websites for advertising purposes. Users can choose to allow apps to ask for permission, or turn off tracking entirely.
ATT prevents apps from accessing the advertising identifier of Apple devices without express consumer permission, so apps can't track what users do and use that data for ad targeting. ATT has been unpopular with advertisers and data brokers, but Apple has pledged to work to convince Germany and other EU countries to allow it to continue to offer ATT to consumers.
2025-12-03 05:43:14
Apple is not going to be able to escape a class-action antitrust lawsuit over anticompetitive App Store fees in the Netherlands, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) said today. The decision could see Apple facing millions of euros in damages, and it sets a precedent for similar lawsuits in other European countries (via Reuters).
Apple could ultimately have to pay up to an estimated 637 million euros to address the damage suffered by 14 million iPhone and iPad users in the Netherlands.
The lawsuit dates back to 2022, when two Dutch consumer foundations (Right to Consumer Justice and App Store Claims) accused Apple of abusing its dominant market position and charging developers excessive fees. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Dutch iPhone and iPad users, and it claimed that Apple's 30 percent commission inflated prices for apps and in-app purchases.
Apple argued that the Dutch court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case because the EU App Store is run from Ireland, and therefore the claims should be litigated in Ireland. Apple said that if the Dutch court was able to hear the case, it could lead to fragmentation with multiple similar cases across the EU, plus it argued that customers in the Netherlands could have downloaded apps while in other EU member states.
The District Court of Amsterdam ended up asking the CJEU if it had the jurisdiction to hear the case, and the CJEU said yes. The court decided that the App Store in question was designed for the Dutch market, and it offers Dutch apps for sale to people with an Apple ID associated with the Netherlands, giving Dutch courts jurisdiction.
Apple told Reuters that it disagrees with the court's ruling, and that it will continue to vigorously defend itself. The District Court of Amsterdam expects to hear the case toward the end of the first quarter of 2026.
The civil App Store fee case that Apple is now facing in the Netherlands is separate from the dating app case that was levied against Apple by ACM, the Dutch competition authority. That case involved regulatory action that led to new alternative purchase options for Dutch dating apps. Apple has also been fighting that antitrust case, and racked up fines of 50 million euros.
2025-12-03 04:38:34
Apple today released new firmware for the iPhone Air's MagSafe battery accessory. The firmware has a version number of 8B25, up from the prior 8A351 version. In the Settings app, the new firmware is listed as 99.0 while the prior firmware is 91.0.
This is the second firmware update that Apple has provided to iPhone Air users since the battery was released in September. Apple does not provide details on what's included in firmware updates for accessories, but the new firmware likely provides efficiency and performance updates.
Accessory firmware updates are done quietly without the user knowing about them, so Apple does not offer installation instructions. MagSafe Battery firmware should update when the battery is connected to the iPhone Air, but you can also force an update by connecting the battery pack to a Mac.
You can check the version number of the MagSafe Battery's firmware by attaching it to an iPhone Air, then going to Settings > General > About > iPhone Air MagSafe Battery.
The MagSafe Battery is exclusive to the iPhone Air, and it provides iPhone Air users with up to an additional 65 percent charge. The Battery Pack is thin and light because it actually incorporates the exact same battery that Apple used in the iPhone Air.
2025-12-03 04:27:34
Apple has announced it will be donating undisclosed amounts to relief efforts in Asia following separate disasters, including multiple building fires in Hong Kong and a series of severe storms and flooding across Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.
"Heartbroken by the devastating fire in Hong Kong," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a social media post last week. "Everyone affected is in our thoughts and we are thankful for the first responders. Apple is donating to relief efforts on the ground."
"Storms across Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka have devastated communities," said Cook, in another post today. "At Apple, we're thinking of everyone affected, and will be donating to relief and building efforts on the ground."
Apple has donated to the Red Cross for relief efforts in the past.
This article, "Apple Donating to Relief Efforts in Asia After Deadly Fire and Storms" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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