2025-12-30 03:01:40
Amazon and Best Buy this week have all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. These discounts beat the Black Friday prices we saw last month by about $30.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find three of the 42mm GPS models on sale at this all-time low price, and three of the 46mm GPS models on sale.
2025-12-30 02:55:33
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones.
2025-12-30 00:53:40
Apple has asked the UK Court of Appeal to overturn a £1.5 billion ($1.76 billion) antitrust ruling that found the company overcharged millions of App Store users, escalating one of the most significant competition cases ever brought against the company in the country (via The Guardian).
The application follows a decision in October by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which concluded that Apple abused its dominant position by charging excessive commissions on App Store purchases between 2015 and 2024. The tribunal found that Apple's control over app distribution on iPhones and iPads allowed it to impose commission rates of up to 30% that were higher than would have prevailed in a competitive market, resulting in consumer harm estimated to be worth £1.5 billion.
The case was raised as a collective action on behalf of approximately 36 million British consumers. Under UK collective proceedings law, eligible consumers are automatically included unless they opt out, meaning that anyone in the UK who made App Store purchases during the relevant period could be entitled to compensation if the ruling stands.
In its judgment, CAT said Apple should have charged lower commissions, estimating that rates of around 17.5% on app sales and 10% on in-app purchases would have been more appropriate. The tribunal acknowledged that this assessment relied on "informed guesswork" based on the evidence presented.
Apple strongly disputes that approach. After the October ruling, the company sought permission from CAT to appeal, but the tribunal refused in November, concluding that Apple had not met the legal threshold to challenge its decision. Apple has now applied directly to the Court of Appeal, which has the authority to grant permission even where CAT has declined.
Apple said it disagrees with the ruling and argues that the tribunal took a flawed view of the app economy. In a previous statement responding to the decision, the company said the App Store operates in a "thriving and competitive app economy" and provides developers and consumers with security, privacy protections, and access to a large marketplace. Apple also noted that most developers now pay a reduced 15% commission and that the App Store facilitated more than $55 billion in sales in the UK last year.
If Apple's appeal is rejected and the ruling is upheld, the £1.5 billion award will be distributed among eligible UK consumers, with individual payouts likely to be relatively small but collectively significant.
2025-12-29 23:27:29
Apple now has additional time to allow for tariffs on Chinese semiconductors, thanks to a delay on any actual cost impact until June 2027.
While the United States will still apply new tariffs on semiconductor imports from China, the effective tariff rate will be set at zero for approximately 18 months, according to a Federal Register filing (via CNBC). The tariff rate will increase on June 23, 2027, with the specific percentage to be announced at least 30 days in advance.
For Apple, the decision removes the near-term risk of higher import costs on a wide range of chips used across its products. While Apple designs its own A-series and M-series processors, which are manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in Taiwan, the company continues to rely on China-based suppliers for many other semiconductor components, including power management integrated circuits, display driver chips, connectivity controllers, and various supporting logic chips embedded throughout its devices. Many of those components would fall within the scope of the China-specific semiconductor tariff once the rate increases in 2027.
Although the tariff is technically being imposed immediately, the zero percent rate functions as a delay mechanism rather than a suspension. This preserves the legal and regulatory framework needed to raise tariffs at a later date, reducing immediate trade friction while retaining leverage in future negotiations, and provides clarity to firms like Apple amid long-term supply chain decisions.
The timing is particularly significant for Apple because of its ongoing efforts to diversify manufacturing and sourcing beyond China. Apple previously faced concerns about a potential 100% semiconductor import tariff. In August, Apple committed $600 billion toward domestic manufacturing and infrastructure efforts.
2025-12-29 22:29:40
Samsung kicked off a new end-of-the-year sale this week, introducing great deals on monitors, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is a good time to purchase a Samsung monitor, with hundreds of monitor deals available during the event. One of the best markdowns is on the 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor, available for $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99. If you're looking to add a second monitor to your workstation, you'll also find a few smaller options, like the 32-inch ViewFinity S7 for $299.99, down from $459.99.
2025-12-29 21:50:17
Apple's costly Detroit-based Developer Academy program relies heavily on taxpayer funding while delivering mixed job outcomes, according to WIRED.
The Apple Developer Academy in Detroit launched in 2021 in partnership with Michigan State University. The tuition-free program offers a 10-month course focused on building apps for Apple platforms, providing students with MacBooks, iPhones, mentorship, and monthly stipends intended to cover living costs. The academy has welcomed over 1,700 students since 2021, with about 600 completing the 10-month program.
An investigation by WIRED found that nearly $30 million has been spent on the academy over four years, equating to roughly $20,000 per student. Previously undisclosed records show Apple contributed about $11.6 million, while more than $8.5 million came directly or indirectly from Michigan taxpayers, including state funding used to provide student stipends. Additional funding was supplied by private philanthropy, including the Gilbert Family Foundation.
Academy officials told WIRED that about 71% of graduates from the past two years moved into full-time employment across various industries, a figure broadly in line with many coding boot camps but below outcomes reported by some traditional computer science degree programs. Apple and the university declined to release detailed graduate employment data, despite requirements from one funder that such data be collected.
Student experiences have varied. Some graduates credited the academy with exposing them to technology careers and building confidence, while others said the Apple-centric curriculum and limited stipends left them struggling financially and unprepared for the broader job market. One former student told WIRED that many participants relied on food assistance, while another said recent stipend reductions forced students to juggle multiple side jobs.
A senior director at Apple who oversees the Detroit program and 17 other Apple Developer Academies worldwide, said increasing student financial support is a continuing priority and that the academy is designed to build broadly applicable skills such as teamwork, research, and technology literacy rather than train students for a single job outcome. The academy takes credit for 62 apps and 13 businesses.
He added that the curriculum is frequently adjusted in response to student demand and technological change, noting that workshops were added when students expressed interest in developing apps for the Apple Vision Pro and Apple TV, and that generative AI tools are now incorporated into coursework, provided students can fully explain the code they produce, with alumni also able to access ongoing virtual instruction focused on AI.
