MacRumors

Apple has asked Google to investigate setting up servers in its data centers to run a future version of Siri powered by Gemini, The Information reports.

Currently, Apple sends its more complex AI queries to Private Cloud Compute, a system that runs on Apple servers using Apple silicon chips. Today, only 10% of Apple's Private Cloud Compute capacity is said to be in use on average. The usage is low enough that some servers intended for Apple's AI cloud system are still in warehouses and have not yet been installed. This could change rapidly upon the launch of the next-generation version of ‌Siri‌, which could spike Apple's demands for cloud computing.

Apple has reportedly suffered from a cultural reluctance to bolster its cloud infrastructure for years, leading to the departure of some key cloud experts from the company, such as Patrick Gates. Gates pioneered the idea of bringing Apple chips to data centers, which later formed the basis of Private Cloud Compute. The company still strongly focuses on hardware devices and consumer features rather than their supporting cloud technologies, despite the growth of services, resulting in a neglect of the need for additional capacity.

At the time Apple realized it needed to use the cloud to support its AI efforts, its internal AI infrastructure was "beginning to decay." The company was amid the process of decommissioning old Nvidia-powered servers. Combined with financial pressure, this led the company to increasingly turn to third-party providers like Amazon.

For years, Apple banned its AI engineers from Google's cloud technologies because of privacy concerns. Apple software chief Craig Federighi repeatedly vetoed Google Cloud as an option for its AI computing requirements. In 2023, Google made changes to its security systems that satisfied Apple's privacy concerns. Apple then started to adopt Google's cloud infrastructure for artificial intelligence.

The issue has been exacerbated by problems with Private Cloud Compute, which takes longer to update than other servers. Moreover, the chips currently used in Private Cloud Compute servers were designed for consumer devices and are not optimized for AI workflows, meaning that they are not well equipped to run large models like Gemini.

Apple now wants to be prepared for a potential surge in AI use on its devices when the more powerful, Gemini-based version of ‌Siri‌ debuts later this year, motivating the request for Google to run ‌Siri‌ directly on its servers. See The Information's full report for more.

A seasonal color refresh arrived today for a variety of Apple accessories, including iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, and the Crossbody Strap. All of the accessories in the latest colors are available to order on Apple.com starting today.

Apple's Silicone Case for the standard iPhone 17 model has three new color options, including Bright Guava, Vanilla, and Electric Lavender.

Bright Guava and Vanilla extend to the Silicone Case for iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the Pro models did not get Electric Lavender treatment.

Apple has a Silicone Case for the new iPhone 17e too, and it comes in Bright Guava, Vanilla, Soft Pink, and a handful of other colors.

Apple also has a MagSafe Clear Case for the iPhone 17e.

If you prefer an iPhone 17e case from Apple's Beats brand, there is a new MagSafe case with hard plastic. It comes in Bedrock Blue and Lime Stone.

As for Apple Watch bands, the Sport Band now comes in Bright Guava, Clementine, and Soft Pink, while the Sport Loop gained Bright Guava, Blue Mist, and Cantaloupe options. There are also some new colors for luxury Apple Watch Hermès bands.

Finally, the Crossbody Strap is now available in Bright Guava and Soft Pink. The accessory attaches to select Apple cases, allowing you to wear your iPhone.

For everything new, head to Apple's store page for new accessories.

Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. We first started tracking the return of these deals about a week ago, but this sale has now expanded with many more options on both 42mm and 46mm GPS models.

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 four of the 42mm GPS models on sale at this all-time low price, and four of the 46mm GPS models on sale as well.

If you're shopping for cellular models, you can find record low prices on multiple models this week on Amazon. The 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 11 has hit $399.00, down from $499.00, and the 46mm cellular model has hit $429.00, down from $529.00.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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Apple's just-announced iPhone 17e comes with doubled base storage compared to last year's predecessor while remaining at a $599 starting price.

The iPhone 17e now comes with 256GB base storage, up from 128GB in the iPhone 16e. The change is especially notable, given the surge in price of DDR memory in recent months owing to the AI server build-out.

The more affordable iPhone in Apple's lineup also now comes with MagSafe and Qi2 for fast wireless charging up to 15W, compared to 7.5W Qi wireless charging on iPhone 16e. The addition means MagSafe chargers, stands, cases, wallets, and camera accessories snap easily to the back of iPhone 17e, providing seamless alignment.

The iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order beginning Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting Wednesday, March 11.

Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, faster charging, and more.

The ‌iPhone 17e‌ contains the A19 chip introduced in iPhone 17. It features a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU. Apple pointed out that this makes it up to 2x faster than the iPhone 11. The new 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ also contains Apple's latest-generation C1X modem from the iPhone Air, delivering up to 2x faster cellular performance than the iPhone 16e.

The front of the device now features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation along with added anti-reflective properties for reduced glare.

Addressing a noticeable omission from its predecessor, the ‌iPhone 17e‌ now features ‌MagSafe‌ connectivity, allowing it to work with snap-on magnetic accessories.

With ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone 17e‌ supports wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher. The iPhone 16e only supported 7.5W wireless charging. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ also supports faster wired charging, achieving up to 50% in around 30 minutes. Battery life remains at 26 hours.

The rear camera now features an improved Portrait mode image pipeline that automatically detects objects, with support for next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control.

The ‌iPhone 17e‌ starts with 256GB of storage, but with the same $599 price as the 128GB iPhone 16e. It is available in black, white, and soft pink. Pre-orders start on Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting a week later on Wednesday, March 11.

Apple today introduced a new iPad Air, with key upgrades including Apple's M4 chip for faster performance, an increased 12GB of RAM, Apple's N1 wireless networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple's custom C1X modem in cellular models.

The new iPad Air has the same overall design as the previous-generation model, which is equipped with the M3 chip, 8GB of RAM, and Wi-Fi 6E support.

With the M4 chip, the iPad Air now has up to 30% faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the model with the M3 chip, according to Apple. In the iPad Air, the M4 chip has an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Memory bandwidth increased from 100GB/s to 120GB/s, according to Apple's tech specs.

Apple's custom N1 chip has come to the iPad Air, enabling Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Apple says the N1 chip delivers improved wireless performance when the device is connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and it improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot. Apple introduced the N1 chip last year, across the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, and iPad Pro.

Cellular models are now equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for 5G and LTE. Apple says this chip unlocks up to 50% faster cellular performance, while using up to 30% less power compared to the previous iPad Air with a Qualcomm modem.

You can pre-order the new iPad Air on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability set to begin Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., pricing continues to start at $599 for the 11-inch model, and at $799 for the 13-inch model. Color options remain Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray.

Storage capacity options remain 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

iPad Air continues to feature an LCD screen with up to 500 nits of brightness, a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage support, a 12-megapixel rear camera, Apple Intelligence support, a Touch ID power button, a USB-C port stereo speakers, two microphones, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro support, and more.

Amazon today has the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for $119.00, down from $179.00. This is a solid second-best price on the AirPods 4 with ANC, and the best price we've tracked so far in 2026.

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.

Amazon currently provides a March 7 delivery date for free shipping on the AirPods 4, and Prime members should see faster estimates with same-day delivery in many locations. As of writing, we're only tracking this deal at Amazon.

Amazon also has the AirPods 4 base model for $99.00, down from $129.00, which is another second-best price. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

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Following a new AirTag in January, Apple is set to unveil its next new products of 2026 starting today. Apple CEO Tim Cook teased that the company will have a "big week ahead," with announcements set to begin this Monday, March 2.

Apple is reportedly planning a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4, with at least five new products expected to be unveiled, including a lower-cost MacBook, an iPhone 17e, and more.

Other possible products include an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip and Apple Intelligence support, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. We are also waiting for long-awaited Apple TV and HomePod mini updates, but it is unclear if those are coming this week.

Related Reading: What to Expect From Apple's Big Week

Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. During these in-person gatherings, attendees will likely receive hands-on time with the new products that Apple unveils from today through Wednesday this week.

MacRumors will be attending the "Apple Experience" in New York, so stay tuned to our coverage.

Update: Apple has unveiled the iPhone 17e and a new iPad Air.

Internally at Apple, the rumored low-end MacBook is being described as "incredible value," so much so that the company believes its imminent launch is going to drive a serious number of switchers from Windows machines and Chromebooks, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Gurman says that Apple believes the device "could even compel iPhone users without computers to buy their first Mac."

We don't yet have an official price for the machine, but the MacBook Air starts at $999, so the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be significantly cheaper. Apple is unlikely to price it so low that it overlaps too closely with the iPad lineup, though. The entry-level iPad with the A16 chip starts at $349, while the iPad Air with the M2 chip begins at $599.

A price in the $599 to $799 range would position the new MacBook above the iPad Air, but below the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, maintaining clear separation across product lines. At $599, the device would compete directly with many popular Chromebooks commonly purchased for education, while pricing at $699 or $799 would place it in a similar segment, but with a more premium positioning.

Apple is expected to make several hardware compromises to reach the lower price point. According to one leaker, the new MacBook's display may be dimmer than the MacBook Air's 500 nits and lack True Tone support. Storage options are also likely be limited to 256GB and 512GB, with a possible 128GB configuration for education customers, and there will be no 1TB or 2TB tiers. The base model may also use a slower SSD, potentially due to a single NAND chip. Additional cuts could include no fast charging, no backlit keyboard, and no support for high-impedance headphones. Meanwhile on the connectivity side, it reportedly will not include Apple's custom N1 wireless chip, instead relying on a MediaTek solution.

We shouldn't have to wait too long to learn how accurate those leaks are. Rumors suggest that the low-cost MacBook will be introduced at or just before Apple's March 4 Special Experience that's taking place in New York, London, and Shanghai. However, Apple could announce the MacBook in a press release ahead of the experience – and even as soon as today.

Apple is said to have tested a range of playful color options for the device, including light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray, although Gurman says it's unlikely all of them will ship.

Apple's rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro will be a "touch-friendly device, rather than one that's touch-first," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in Power On, Gurman said users will be able to easily move between touch-based and point-and-click inputs, thanks to changes coming in macOS 27 – set up in part by last year's Liquid Glass redesign. However, Apple is said to be taking a conservative approach to touch-based input, offering it more as a "bonus" than a prominent feature.

"Before anyone gets too excited, the touch-based MacBook Pro will not feel like an iPad," said Gurman. "This is the MacBook Pro you've known for the past two decades – with touch offered as a bonus."

Users will be able to tap or click on-screen elements, and controls will change based on input method. If a user taps on a menu bar item, for example, it will display a larger set of controls optimized for touch. Touch-based options will be integrated throughout macOS, and it will support iPad features like pinch gestures for zooming in or out and fast scrolling.

Anyone looking for more of a hybrid iPad/Mac experience will have to wait until 2029, when Apple's foldable iPad could arrive – although even this is said to be "designed through and through as an iPad."

The touchscreen MacBook Pro is expected to be released as soon as later this year, equipped with the M6 chip and an OLED display. The redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display. Expect an iPhone-style Dynamic Island to house it, rather than the notch we've become accustomed to.

Apple is still developing a large foldable iPad, despite hitting several technical hurdles along the way, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his Power On newsletter, Gurman says the "gigantic" foldable iPad will challenge Apple's long-running tradition of keeping the Mac and iPad as separate devices. Some have referred to it as a foldable iPad, while others have called it an all-display MacBook, but concerns remain about its practicality when it comes to typing.

A report in July last year claimed Apple had decided to pause work on a larger-screened foldable iPad because of development issues, but it now sounds as if that overstated things. Apple wanted to launch the device in 2028, according to Gurman's previous reporting, but problems with weight and display technology are likely to cause it to be pushed back until 2029.

The device is believed to have a Samsung-made 18-inch display, with Apple focusing on minimizing the display crease. The company already has expertise in this area, having ordered suppliers to begin production of its foldable iPhone, due for launch later this year.

However, a large foldable OLED display will be a lot more expensive – the foldable device could be up to three times as expensive as the 13-inch iPad Pro. Apple charges $1,299 for the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, so if prices don't come down for components over the next few years, the foldable ‌iPad‌ could cost as much as $3,900.

When closed, the iPad resembles a MacBook, with an aluminum exterior and no outer display. When opened, it unfolds to roughly the size of a 13-inch MacBook Air, but without a physical keyboard. Due to its large display and aluminum chassis, current prototypes weigh about 3.5 pounds, making them considerably heavier than existing iPad Pro models.

Apple will update the MacBook Air with an OLED display for its 2028 model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman says that he expects the MacBook Air's transition from LCD to OLED to occur with the product's 2028 update, as part of a larger migration to OLED across the company's flagship iPad and MacBook models that includes the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and MacBook Air – and likely in that order.

Apple already uses OLED displays in the iPad Pro. There are apparently no plans to add OLED to the low-cost iPad. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ will be updated with an OLED display when it is next redesigned, perhaps as soon as later this year, and it will include touch screen functionality, according to Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple is expected to update the MacBook Air with M5 chips imminently, but that model will continue to feature an LCD display. If Apple follows an annual upgrade cycle, the first OLED MacBook Air will likely feature M7 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple has already started early work on an OLED ‌MacBook Air‌.

When the MacBook Air moves from LCD to OLED display technology, it will gain several advantages – brighter screens, deeper blacks with higher contrast, improved power efficiency that can extend battery life, and other enhancements.

Apple will add a vapor chamber cooling system to the iPad Pro as soon as next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says an iPhone 17 Pro-style vapor chamber is something Apple has been working to bring to the ultra-thin iPad Pro, and it could debut in the next model, which is expected to arrive in spring of 2027.

Apple overhauled the thermal design of the iPhone 17 Pro models to include a vapor chamber cooling system, where a small amount of deionized water moves heat away from the A19 Pro chip and distributes it throughout the iPhone's aluminum unibody frame. Apple says the design allows for 40 percent better sustained performance for demanding tasks.

The next generation iPad Pro model will likely feature Apple's M6 chip made with TSMC's 2-nanometer process. The liquid cooling system would help mitigate throttling, especially as the ‌iPad Pro‌ becomes more capable at handling intense workflows.

Say hello to the Sonos Play – a new unannounced portable speaker that appears to have been accidentally leaked on the Canadian Best Buy site.

Priced at CAD $399.99, the speaker looks a lot like a smaller version of the Sonos Move 2, and features Wi-Fi for multi-room setups of up to 32 speakers, AirPlay 2 support, and Bluetooth 5.3. There's also an aux-in for connecting record players and other equipment. Courtesy of the Redditor who spotted the listing, here's the blurb:

Take quality sound wherever you go with the Sonos Play Bluetooth wireless speaker. Its compact design fits easily in your hand, while automatic Trueplay tuning optimizes audio for any environment. Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth let you stream high‑quality audio from different devices and sources. Up to 24 hours of battery life avoids the need for frequent recharging.

The speaker listing has since been pulled from the Best Buy site, but it shouldn't be long before it's officially announced, given the release date was stated as March 31, 2026.

Amazon today has brought back a few $100 discounts on the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. It's been nearly a month since we last tracked prices this low on the iPad mini 7.

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.

Additionally, you can get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.99 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00, both $100 discounts and available in multiple colors. These sales are all solid second-best prices on the iPad mini 7.

Additionally, you can pair a new iPad mini with the Apple Pencil Pro for $94.99 on sale right now on Amazon, down from $129.00.

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.

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Apple has advised its retail store employees to expect a "major rush" of customers this week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple teased "a big week ahead," with announcements starting Monday.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said some employees believe Apple's preparations for new products this week are "on par with what happens before the debut of new iPhones in the fall," suggesting that at least one of the devices set to be unveiled between Monday and Wednesday will have "major mainstream appeal."

The new product likely to receive the most interest is the rumored lower-cost MacBook, which is described as an "incredible value" within Apple, according to the newsletter. Apple believes that a more affordable MacBook will help to "drive a serious number of switchers from Windows machines and Chromebooks," wrote Gurman.

While there have been no concrete rumors about the lower-cost MacBook's starting price, estimates range from $599 to $799 in the United States. In any case, qualifying college students and educators should receive $100 off the regular price.

The lower-cost MacBook is expected to be powered by the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip, and it will reportedly have a smaller 12.9-inch display. Based on A18 Pro specs, this MacBook will likely have 8GB of RAM, and the laptop will likely have regular USB-C ports instead of faster Thunderbolt ports.

Like the iBook from the early 2000s, it has been rumored that this MacBook will come in fun color options, like yellow, green, blue, and/or pink.

Beyond the lower-cost MacBook, most if not all of the other new products coming this week are expected to feature upgraded chips and little else. Possibilities include an iPhone 17e with an A19 chip, an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

Apple has temporarily closed all five of its retail stores in the United Arab Emirates, including three locations in Abu Dhabi and two in Dubai.

All five of the stores will remain closed through at least Tuesday, March 3, according to Apple's website. This aligns with the Emirati government recommending that companies in the private sector take measures to avoid the presence of workers in open areas, if and where possible, from Sunday, March 1 until Tuesday, March 3.

One of Apple's shuttered stores is at the Dubai Mall, near the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper. A sign says the store will remain closed "until further notice."

The other closed stores are at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, and at the Yas Mall, Al Jimi Mall, and Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi.

Internally, Apple says the stores are closed due to a "safety situation," according to a source familiar with the matter. The closures come amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

One year ago today, Apple launched the iPhone 16e, a new entry-level model that brought Apple Intelligence support and a modern design to the company's most affordable iPhone.

Apple announced the iPhone 16e on February 19, 2025 in a press release, positioning the device as a new member of the iPhone 16 lineup rather than as a continuation of the iPhone SE branding that had previously represented Apple's lowest-cost iPhone. Pre-orders opened shortly after the announcement and the device launched the following week.

The iPhone 16e adopted the same general design of the iPhone 13, but with a single rear camera, frosted back glass, and a USB-C port. It features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with HDR, True Tone, and wide color. The display features a "notch" for the TrueDepth camera system rather than the Dynamic Island found on the other ‌iPhone 16‌ models. Apple offers the iPhone 16e in black and white finishes only.

The iPhone 16e is powered by the A18 chip with a six-core CPU, a four-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple highlighted that the A18 made the iPhone 16e capable of supporting ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

The iPhone 16e includes a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, which allows what Apple describes as optical-quality 2x zoom through sensor cropping. The front-facing TrueDepth camera is 12 megapixels and supports Face ID for authentication.

The iPhone 16e was also significant for being the first device to include an Apple-designed modem in the form of the C1 chip. Battery life was another focus at launch. Apple said the iPhone 16e can deliver up to 26 hours of video playback. The device also notably lacks MagSafe connectivity.

Apple is expected to announce its successor, iPhone 17e, next week at or around its special "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai. The device is rumored to feature the A19 chip, C1X modem, ‌MagSafe‌ connectivity, and the N1 wireless chip, for the same $599 starting price.