MacRumorsModify

Get AirPods 4 for $99 and AirPods Max 2 for $529.99 on Amazon

2026-04-25 20:52:41

Amazon today has the AirPods 4 available for $99.00, down from $129.00. This remains one of the best deals on the AirPods 4 so far in 2026, and it's accompanied by a solid deal on the 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.

Apple's new AirPods Max 2 launched earlier this month, and Amazon is still one of the only retailers offering a discount on the headphones. You can get the Midnight and Starlight color options for $529.99 on Amazon, down from $549.00.

Although this is only a $19 discount on the AirPods Max 2, it's the best markdown you'll find online if you're looking to order the new headphones. Free delivery has the AirPods Max 2 arriving around April 30, but they can be delivered as soon as tomorrow with Prime shipping.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

---

This article, "Get AirPods 4 for $99 and AirPods Max 2 for $529.99 on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Ads Are Coming to Apple Maps This Summer: Here's What to Expect

2026-04-25 04:58:00

Apple is planning to start showing ads in the Apple Maps app this summer, and signs of ads have already shown up in the iOS 26.5 beta as Apple prepares to roll them out.

Where Ads Show Up

Ads will be displayed in the ‌Apple Maps‌ search interface. Depending on the search, relevant ads will be shown first in search results.

Apple is also implementing a new Suggested Places feature in Maps that will show recommendations based on what's trending nearby and the user's recent searches.

Suggested Places

The Maps app is getting a Suggested Places feature that recommends locations to visit based on trending places that are around you and your recent Maps searches. Ads will be shown in Suggested Places.

No Opt-Out

Similar to ads in the App Store, there will be no option to turn off ads in ‌Apple Maps‌. Ads will be displayed for all users in the U.S. and Canada.

Countries

Ads will be shown in ‌Apple Maps‌ in the United States and Canada first, and could expand to other countries in the future.

Platforms

Ads will be displayed in the Maps app on iPhone and iPad.

What Ads Look Like

Apple says that ads in Maps will be clearly marked as ads with an "Ad" label, similar to how ads show up in the ‌App Store‌ search results.

Businesses will be able to bid for ad placement, which is how ads in the ‌App Store‌ work. The highest bidder for a given term will have their ad shown in the app.

Privacy

Your location and ads that you see and interact with in the Maps app are not associated with your Apple Account, and the data is not shared with third parties.

Beta Testing

Apple is laying the groundwork for Maps ads in the iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 betas. There's an ads splash screen in the Maps app along with underlying ad code, but ads are not yet live.

Launch Date

Apple only said "summer" for the ads launch. "Summer" in the Northern Hemisphere starts on June 21 and ends on September 22. iOS 26.5 is likely to launch in late May or early June, and it's possible ads will be tied to the update.
This article, "Ads Are Coming to Apple Maps This Summer: Here's What to Expect" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

XChat App Now Available

2026-04-25 04:46:27

X today launched XChat, a standalone messaging app for the iPhone and iPad, available now on the App Store.


XChat allows users to chat with anyone on X in a private, focused space separate from the main X app. At launch, the app supports direct messaging and group chats, audio and video calls, and file sharing. X claims all messages are end-to-end encrypted and PIN protected, with no ads or tracking.

Other features include disappearing messages, the ability to edit and delete messages for everyone in a chat, and a mechanism to block or alert users when a screenshot is attempted. The app is free to download and requires iOS 26.0 or later.

The app has been in testing with a small group of beta users since last year. X says more updates are still planned, with X lead designer Benji Taylor teasing that XChat is "just the beginning of what we're building for messaging."

Unlike the main X app, XChat adopts iOS 26 design conventions, including the ‌iOS 26‌ keyboard. The app offers several customization options, including light and dark modes, message permissions, left-swipe interaction settings, and a selection of app icon options. There is also a prominent button within XChat for jumping back to the main X app.

XChat can now be downloaded from the App Store in the United States. A release date for an Android version of the app has not yet been announced.
This article, "XChat App Now Available" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

iPhone 18 Could Come With 12GB of RAM

2026-04-25 04:21:57

Apple's standard iPhone 18 could feature 12GB of memory for the first time, according to analyst Dan Nystedt.


In a new post on X, Nystedt said that the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ will match the 12GB of RAM Apple gave the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max last September. It would mark the first time the entry-level iPhone model has shipped with that much memory.

Nystedt also flagged an earlier rumor claiming that Apple has secured TSMC's first 2nm chip production run for the A20 chip set to power the ‌iPhone 18‌ lineup. According to that report, TSMC's 2nm process delivers 15% better computing performance than 3nm, with no loss in power efficiency. The iPhone 17 series uses TSMC's N3P ‌3nm‌ node.

The jump to 12GB of RAM on the base model is likely tied to Apple Intelligence. Apple is expected to introduce expanded AI features with iOS 27, which the company is set to announce at WWDC on June 8. On-device AI workloads are memory-intensive, and keeping the entry-level iPhone capable of running ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in full would give Apple reason to push the standard model's memory up to par with last year's Pro tier.

The ‌iPhone 18‌ is not expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro this fall. Apple is reportedly planning to delay the standard model until early 2027, alongside the iPhone 18e and a second-generation iPhone Air, while the Pro models and the long-anticipated foldable iPhone will ship in the usual fall time frame.
This article, "iPhone 18 Could Come With 12GB of RAM" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Shares Behind-the-Scenes Look at MacBook Neo Intro Video

2026-04-25 02:52:39

Apple today released a YouTube Short revealing a rare behind-the-scenes look at the making of its playful MacBook Neo introduction video.

The short clip gives what Apple describes as "a peek at some handmade magic," revealing the physical models and camera techniques used during production. Apple shows how real-world props were combined with visual effects to produce the final sequences. Apple does not usually share production insights for a major product launch videos.

See the original "Hello, MacBook Neo" video below:



The MacBook Neo launched in March at $599, and its introductory video was widely noted for its whimsey and charm. The ‌MacBook Neo‌ itself has proven to be very strong seller since its launch; Apple reportedly broke a Mac launch week record in the weeks following its debut, and the device has since sold out of inventory until the middle of next month.
This article, "Apple Shares Behind-the-Scenes Look at MacBook Neo Intro Video" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Could Be Missing These 5 Key Features Despite $2,000 Price Tag

2026-04-25 01:41:52

Apple's first foldable iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone Ultra," could be missing at least five key features present on the iPhone 18 Pro models despite its $2,000 price point.


Recent images of dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson and Vadim Yuryev seem to reveal two previously undiscussed missing features of the ‌iPhone Ultra‌: MagSafe and the Action Button.

iPhone dummy units are intended to take the place of real devices for testing purposes, particularly for accessory manufacturers, who seek to mass produce items such as cases prior to the announcement of new devices, which necessitates a high level of accuracy and manufacturing precision.

Both sets of dummy models show that the volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the right, similar to the iPad mini. This aspect was first rumored by Weibo leaker "Instant Digital," who said that the motherboard is apparently located on the right side of the device. As to not run cables across the screen to the left side for the volume buttons (where they are located on all other iPhone models), Apple is said to have decided to run them directly upwards, which maximizes internal space.

While a power button and volume buttons in their new location are clearly visible on the dummy models, the Action button is curiously missing. This suggests that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will be the first iPhone model with no Action button or silent switch. Apple introduced the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro as a replacement for the silent switch, and it has since come to every available iPhone model.

The images of the foldable iPhone dummy models shared so far have been shown alongside mock ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max units. These dupes for the high-end models, like most dummies, clearly show precise indentations for the internal array of ‌MagSafe‌ magnets to help manufacturers obtain correct alignment with their accessories.



Crucially, these indentations are absent on the foldable iPhone dummies, suggesting that the device may not have ‌MagSafe‌. This aspect remains speculative, but at 4.5mm, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to be Apple's thinnest iPhone to date by a considerable margin, so it is not implausible that it could be too thin for ‌MagSafe‌.

The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is believed to be too thin to accommodate Apple's TrueDepth camera array, which is required for Face ID authentication and now located in the Dynamic Island. As a result, Apple is expected to revert to Touch ID on the device. The last iPhone to feature ‌Touch ID‌ was 2022's iPhone SE 3, where it was part of the device's budget offering. The last flagship iPhone with ‌Touch ID‌ was 2016's iPhone 7, so the return of ‌Touch ID‌ as the sole method of authentication on what will be the highest-end iPhone will be unprecedented.



As visible on the dummy models, which corroborate a multitude rumors, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to sport only two rear cameras. These are expected to be wide and ultra wide cameras, just like the iPhone 17. Unlike the Pro iPhones, there will be no third camera with telephoto capabilities.

Previous rumors indicate that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will also not have a SIM card slot, again just like the iPhone Air, being compatible with eSIM only. As a result, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ could be missing the following features:

• ‌Face ID‌/TrueDepth camera array


• Telephoto camera/third rear camera


• ‌MagSafe‌


• Action Button


• Physical SIM card slot

The ‌iPhone Air‌ lacks Ultra Wide and Telephoto rear cameras, a SIM card slot, and stereo speakers. With a super-thin design, a titanium frame, and a glass back, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to be very similar to the ‌iPhone Air‌ in terms of design, and it is possible that similar feature concessions will be present on the device when it launches later this year. There are no indications that the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will be missing stereo speakers, but it is not out of the question given the other design compromises Apple has chosen to make with the device.

The rumored starting price for the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ varies somewhat, but reports agree that it will not be below $1,999. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 and has all of the above missing features, so the ‌iPhone Ultra‌'s compromises could be controversial given its markedly higher price point. The device is expected to launch alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max in the fall.
This article, "Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Could Be Missing These 5 Key Features Despite $2,000 Price Tag" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums