OpenAI today launched Codex for Chrome, a Chrome extension that lets Codex work directly in the browser on Macs and PCs.
With the extension, Codex can use the browser to test web apps, get context across multiple tabs, use web DevTools, and more without taking over the browser from the user.
OpenAI says that after it launched Computer Use in the desktop Codex app, it saw that most common workflows happened in the browser. The Chrome extension should make it faster and easier for Codex to help with browser-based work that plugins or APIs can't handle.
According to OpenAI, Codex has more than 4 million weekly active users, an increase of 8x since the beginning of the year. The Chrome extension is part of OpenAI's broader effort to make Codex more useful for work people do daily, while keeping it useful for developers.
The Chrome extension can be installed through the Codex Plugins menu.
Perplexity today launched a new Mac app with support for its hybrid local-cloud AI agent Personal Computer, plus it expanded Personal Computer access to Pro and Enterprise users, so it is no longer limited to just Max subscribers. Perplexity describes Personal Computer as a "personal orchestrator" that hybridizes local and server environments for security and productivity.
Personal Computer is available in the new Mac app, which Perplexity says gives users access to queries, conversations, and dictation. While all Mac users can download the new app, access to Personal Computer still requires a paid subscription.
Personal Computer can access the Mac's file system and native Mac apps to create and execute entire workflows, plus it can access the web. It can see active apps and work across any Mac app, but files are created in a secure sandbox, and its actions are auditable and reversible.
When paired with the Comet browser, Personal Computer can operate web-based tools without the need for direct connectors.
Pressing both Command keys on a Mac activates Personal Computer, and it responds to text or voice commands and displays useful quick actions automatically. Personal Computer can do things like complete each task on a to-do list, sort a messy downloads folder, compare local files against information on the web, and more.
Though it has access to what's on a user's Mac natively, Personal Computer processes intense tasks on Perplexity's servers, so a high-performance Mac isn't needed to run it. Personal Computer works on any Mac with macOS 14 Sonoma or later, though Perplexity says running Personal Computer on a Mac mini creates the best experience because it allows the agent to run continuously.
Perplexity's older Mac app will be deprecated in the coming weeks.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed Safari Technology Preview to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.
Safari Technology Preview 243 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Animations, CSS, Editing, Encoding, Forms, HTML, JavaScript, Media, Networking, PDF, Rendering, SVG, Scrolling, Spatial Web, UI, Web API, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, WebAssembly, WebGPU, and WebRTC.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
Apple was not able to narrow the scope of a UK lawsuit accusing it of locking 40 million UK consumers into iCloud, to the detriment of third-party cloud storage providers. British consumer group Which? first filed the lawsuit in late 2024, and is asking for £3 billion for UK Apple customers.
Apple wanted to exclude non-paying iCloud users from the lawsuit, but the tribunal denied Apple's request in a 2 to 1 majority. The lawsuit will go to trial, and will cover both paying and non-paying iCloud customers.
Apple users get 5GB of free storage for photos, messages, and other content on the iPhone, but are encouraged to subscribe to Apple's higher-tier iCloud storage options when the 5GB limit is exceeded. Which? claims that Apple favors its own cloud storage option, and makes it difficult for customers to use alternative cloud storage providers.
Which? sued Apple on behalf of all Apple iCloud users in the UK, regardless of whether they pay for an iCloud subscription plan. Normally, a customer that has not lost anything would not be eligible for a damages payment, but Which? has taken a unique approach.
The tribunal said the lawsuit raises a "novel" legal question, because it is not aware of another case where damages have been requested for "forgone consumer surplus." Forgone Consumer Surplus (FCS) is a legal theory that in this case argues people who were priced out of an iCloud subscription because of Apple's alleged market abuse have suffered a tangible loss because they did not have the opportunity to buy a service they wanted at a fair price in a competitive market.
The 200GB iCloud tier that costs £2.99 might have only cost £1.99 at a "fair" price, for example. Which? argues that a customer who would have theoretically paid £1.99 for the service but was not able to do so because the actual £2.99 price was unaffordable suffered a £1 loss, even though the customer paid nothing. Lawsuits for damages are usually more straightforward, covering paying customers who experienced clear harm from inflated pricing.
While two members of the tribunal sided with Which?, the other took Apple's side. The justice who argued against FCS warned that the case could lead to a flood of cases with secondary claims from non-purchasers based on hypothetical willingness-to-pay calculations.
Apple owes no damages at this point, and is now facing a trial to determine whether it abused its position and gave iCloud preferential treatment on iOS.
All UK consumers who are eligible are automatically included in the claim unless they opt out. Eligible consumers include those who obtained iCloud services from November 8, 2018, to the present. Which? estimates that Apple could owe UK customers an average payout of £70.
Which? wants Apple to settle the claim without litigation by offering consumers their money back and opening up iOS to let users choose a cloud provider.
The Trump administration plans to invite Apple CEO Tim Cook and CEOs from other companies like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Exxon, and Boeing on a trip to China next week, reports Semafor.
Trump will apparently focus on building his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the May 14 and May 15 meetings. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue have been suggesting CEOs for Trump to invite. It will be the first U.S. presidential visit to China since Trump's 2017 visit.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to leave his role on September 1, 2026, with Apple hardware chief John Ternus taking over as CEO.
Cook will remain at Apple as executive chairman, and will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world." Cook recently said that he plans to be in the executive chairman role "for a long time," and Apple will remain his top priority.
Two weeks ago, Trump said he has "always been a big fan" of Cook, and he has bragged about the relationship Cook has established with him. "I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to 'kiss my ass,'" said Trump, speaking of his first presidential term.
Cook has worked through two Trump presidencies, and he has worked to maintain a positive rapport for Apple's benefit. Cook donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund in 2025, and he marked Apple's $600 billion U.S. investment pledge with a glass-and-24-karat gold plaque that he gifted to Trump.
With Cook taking on an expanded role interfacing with Trump and other policymakers worldwide, incoming CEO John Ternus will be able to spend more time focused on Apple. Ternus also won't be subject to the same criticism that Cook has faced for his relationship with Trump.
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.
Apple continues to work on a "pendant with cameras" for release as early as next year, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a report today, Gurman said development of the all-new wearable accessory trails AirPods with cameras, which have apparently reached an advanced testing stage.
Apple also continues to work on smart glasses, according to his report.
Given the report was focused on the AirPods with cameras, no further details were provided about the pendant or the smart glasses. However, he has shared many details about the two products in his previous reporting, as recapped below.
Gurman previously described the pendant as an "AirTag-sized" accessory that would be reminiscent of the failed Humane AI Pin. However, it would be an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone product.
Humane AI Pin
The pendant would feature an "always-on" camera and a microphone for Siri voice commands, but it would lack a display and laser projector, according to the report. The pendant is said to have its own chip, but performance is limited, so the device will apparently rely heavily on a paired iPhone for processing.
Apple is said to be debating whether to add a speaker to the accessory.
The pendant would attach to a person's clothing with a clip, or you could insert a cord or chain into a hole in the device and wear it as a necklace.
In January, The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu were first to report about Apple's so-called AI pin or pendant project, which remains in an early stage of development inside the company. According to both reports, the device could launch as early as 2027, but there is still a chance the project could be canceled.
As for the smart glasses, he said Apple plans to unveil them in late 2026 or early 2027, but that they will not be released until next year either way.
Like the Meta Ray-Bans, Gurman said Apple's glasses will have built-in cameras that let users capture photos and videos. He also expects the glasses to have speakers and microphones for music, phone calls, and notifications announced by Siri.
Apple is apparently focused on tight iPhone integration and premium build quality.
He did not provide too many details about the iPhone integration, but he does expect the cameras on the glasses to be able to feed data to Siri and Apple Intelligence, and this should help to improve features such as turn-by-turn walking directions.
As for build quality, he said Apple is designing its own plastic frames, with the company allegedly testing at least four potential designs:
A larger rectangular frame, similar to Ray-Ban's Wayfarers
A slimmer rectangular design, similar to the glasses worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook
Larger oval or circular frames
Smaller oval or circular frames
Apple is exploring a range of color options, including black, ocean blue, and light brown, and the glasses may have vertically-oriented oval camera lenses, he said.
Meta uses glasses frames from Ray-Ban, the popular brand owned by Italian company EssilorLuxottica, while Google and Samsung are reportedly working on smart glasses in partnership with the American eyewear company Warby Parker.
Unlike the latest generation of Meta Ray-Bans, Gurman does not expect Apple's first smart glasses to be equipped with an in-lens augmented reality display.
Apple's upcoming camera-equipped AirPods Pro are nearing completion and have reached an "advanced" testing stage, reports Bloomberg. The design is almost finalized, as is the feature set, and early mass production could begin soon.
The AirPods Pro will have built-in cameras that will feed visual information about the wearer's surroundings to Siri. While there will be a longer stem for the camera in each AirPod, the device will otherwise look similar to the AirPods Pro 3.
The cameras in the AirPods will not be able to take photos or videos, and will solely be used for AI purposes. A small LED light will illuminate when the AirPods are sending visual information to Siri.
Apple wants users to be able to look at an item and ask Siri questions about it, working similarly to image uploads in chatbot apps. The cameras could also offer reminders based on visual information, and give more detailed turn-by-turn directions by viewing what's around the wearer.
The Camera app in iOS 27 is also set to get a Siri mode that incorporates Visual Intelligence, letting users do things like scan nutrition labels on food packaging for calorie tracking.
Apple wanted to start selling the camera-equipped AirPods Pro in the first half of 2026, but the product's launch has been held back because the smarter, AI version of Siri is not yet ready to be released. The new Siri is set to be introduced in September in iOS 27, macOS 27, and iPadOS 27, so we could see the AirPods Pro launch sometime in that same timeframe.
Apple could also opt to wait to launch the AirPods if it is not satisfied with the quality of the Visual Intelligence features planned for Siri.
It is not yet clear how the new AirPods will fit into Apple's lineup. Rumors suggest Apple does not intend to brand them as the "AirPods Pro 4," and they could instead be referred to as the AirPods Ultra, or perhaps AirPods Pro 3 With Cameras.
Rave, a cross-platform service that lets users watch movies and TV shows together, today filed a series of antitrust lawsuits against Apple after Apple removed the Rave app from the App Store in August 2025.
According to Rave, Apple cited "unspecified allegations of fraud and vague concerns about content moderation" when pulling the app. Rave alleges Apple targeted the service because Rave competed with SharePlay, and Apple wanted to corner the market on smartphone co-viewing. Rave claims that Apple also falsely labeled the Rave Mac app as malware, preventing Mac users from installing it.
Rave claims that it has now created "industry-leading" content moderation and age verification technologies, presumably to preempt Apple's content moderation criticism.
Rave was available on iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows, but after Apple's crackdown, the service is limited to Windows and Android devices. Founded in 2016, Rave lets users remotely watch content together, with built-in discussion features.
Apple's SharePlay service, which came out in 2021, similarly lets iPhone, iPad, and Mac users watch and chat about TV shows, movies, and music. SharePlay does not work on Android and Windows devices, so Rave was able to deliver a cross-platform collaborative viewing experience that was unavailable with SharePlay.
Rave has filed antitrust lawsuits in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Russia, and it is aiming to get the Rave apps reintroduced on iOS and macOS and recover damages related to its removal from the App Store.
Samsung this week is offering big discounts across multiple product categories, including its most popular monitors and TVs. This sale precedes the announcement of Samsung's newest line of 2026 monitors, and if you sign up with your e-mail and phone number, you can lock in $50 savings on the upcoming monitors.
Monitors
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Samsung's new monitor sale this week includes up to $1,099.99 in savings on select devices. A highlight of the event is the 32-inch Smart Monitor M9 for $1,299.99, down from $3,99.98.
In regards to the upcoming 2026 Samsung monitors, the company is set to announce the new products on Tuesday, May 19. Don't forget to sign up to receive a $50 credit to put toward the new monitors once they're available to pre-order.
In regards to TVs, there are quite a few models of The Frame TV on sale, including low prices on The Frame models from 2025. You can get the 2025 65-inch The Frame TV for $999.99 ($800 off), which is a new all-time low price, as well as the 75-inch Frame Pro for $2,199.99 ($1,000 off), a solid second-best price.
You can get up to $380 instant trade-in credit when ordering the Galaxy S26, up to $480 credit for the Galaxy S26+, and up to $800 credit for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. If not trading in an older device, Samsung is still offering up to $200 in Samsung credit when ordering each smartphone.
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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Samsung is reportedly developing a holographic smartphone display that could be used in a rumored "Spatial iPhone."
The claims come from the leaker known as "Schrödinger" on X, who shared screenshots of messages with an unnamed insider purportedly familiar with the project. Sources have apparently heard discussions about a "Spatial iPhone" in the supply chain, though no credible details about it have yet emerged. Since Apple does not manufacture its own displays, any such device would likely rely on other manufacturers like Samsung, which already supplies OLED panels for the iPhone lineup.
Codenamed "MH1" or "H1," the rumored display differs from earlier glasses-free 3D screens by pairing advanced eye-tracking with diffractive beam-steering, a technique that uses microscopic structures in the display layer to bend and redirect light toward the viewer's eyes at precise angles, creating the perception of depth without additional glasses. The display is also said to incorporate a nano-structured holographic layer integrated directly into the AMOLED stack, enabling spatial depth effects that appear to float above the glass surface. A patented algorithm would purportedly allow users to tilt the device to see around objects in a video, which the leaker described as "360-degree rotation," similar in concept to Samsung's existing 85-inch spatial displays but adapted for handheld use.
Samsung's Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) has published academic work on slim-panel holography since 2020, when it released a paper in Nature Communications detailing a steering-backlight unit that increased viewing angles for holographic video by 30 times compared to conventional designs, a key obstacle to making the technology viable in a thin handheld device. The prototype described at the time was approximately 1cm thick and capable of displaying 4K holographic video at 30 frames per second.
The H1 display is also said to maintain full 4K resolution for standard 2D tasks, with the holographic depth layer activating only for specific content, in what the leaker calls "Zero Clarity Loss," avoiding the image quality tradeoff associated with older lenticular lens-based 3D screens. In a follow-up post, Schrödinger noted that the MH1 project remains in phase 1 of R&D, with the leaker pointing toward an approximate 2030 timeframe for holographic smartphones broadly.
The posts also say that "Samsung isn't alone" in its wish to ship a holographic smartphone, and cites supply chain rumors of an Apple "Spatial iPhone" circulating among component suppliers. Samsung's advantage apparently lies in its manufacturing head start, with SAIT's published research forming the groundwork for what the H1 would attempt to productize.
Apple's interest in holographic and glasses-free 3D display technology stretches back almost two decades. In 2008, Apple filed a patent application for a glasses-free autostereoscopic display that tracked the viewer's position to deliver a personalized 3D image without special glasses, with Apple claiming the system could accommodate multiple viewers simultaneously. In 2014, Apple was rumored to be developing a glasses-free 3D iPhone display, the same year the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple a patent for an "Interactive holographic display device" that used laser beams, micro lenses, and sensors to produce three-dimensional images on a touchscreen panel.
Of course, none of those efforts resulted in a iPhone with a holographic display, but Apple SVP of Hardware Engineering and future CEO John Ternus said as recently as last month that combining the digital and physical world is an "inevitability," describing spatial computing as being in the "early innings."
Schrödinger is a relatively new account with a limited but not unimpressive track record on Samsung hardware. The leaker has shared what appear to be internal documents and prototypes in the past. Some predictions have held up: in November 2025, Schrödinger claimed hands-on time with a Galaxy S26 Plus prototype, accurately revealing its Exynos 2600 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and One UI 8.5 software, all of which were confirmed upon its launch in February. The account has also correctly revealed device details such as 60W wired and 25W wireless charging for the Galaxy S26 Ultra ahead of its announcement.
Apple today added the Apple Watch to its Education Store in select countries, allowing students and teachers to purchase the device at a discount.
The Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 are available with education pricing in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Apple is offering up to a 10% discount on the Apple Watch. In Australia, for example, the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $609 for qualifying students and educators, down from $679 for the general public. Apple Watch SE 3 education pricing starts at $369 (down from $399), and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 starts at $1,259 (down from $1,399).
In Australia and Hong Kong, Apple is introducing an online verification process through UNiDAYS, which is the verification system Apple already uses in several other countries, including those where Apple Watch educational pricing is launching. The UNiDAYS app and website let students and educators verify their academic status with an email address from their educational institution, a student or staff photo ID, or another valid educational document.
Once confirmed through UNiDAYS, students and educators in the above listed countries are able to purchase the Apple Watch and other Apple devices at Apple's discounted educational prices.
Apple's Education Store gives students and educators special pricing on Macs, iPads, and the Studio Display, along with select accessories like the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil. The Apple Watch is new to the list of devices that students can get at a lower price.
Update: Apple has also added the Apple Watch to its Education Store in France, Germany, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the UK. Apple is adopting the UNiDAYS verification in Turkey as of today, while the other countries getting the Apple Watch already use UNiDAYS.
Amazon this week is taking up to $52 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, which is a solid second-best price on this model.
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Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $597.00 ($52 off). Free delivery estimates are placed around May 8-12 for most of these iPad models, but Prime members should be able to get same-day delivery in many locations.
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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The annual Swift Student Challenge gives eligible student developers around the world the opportunity to showcase their coding capabilities by using the Swift Playground or Xcode apps to create an interactive "app playground."
Apple said this year's 350 winners represent 37 countries and regions, and each of them received a certificate, AirPods Max 2, and a one-year Apple Developer Program membership. A subset of 50 Distinguished Winners with "truly exceptional" submissions were also invited to visit Apple Park in Cupertino, California during WWDC 2026.
To learn about four of the Distinguished Winners named below, head to the Apple Newsroom.
From left to right: Yoonjae Joung, Karen-Happuch Peprah Henneh, Anton Baranov, and Gayatri Goundadkar
"The breadth of creativity we see in the Swift Student Challenge never ceases to amaze us," said Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations. "This year's winners found remarkable ways to harness the power of Apple platforms, Swift, and AI tools to build app playgrounds that are as technically impressive as they are meaningful. We're incredibly proud to support their journey and can't wait to see what they create next."
WWDC 2026 will kick off with Apple's keynote on Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and the conference will run through Friday, June 12. Apple is expected to unveil its latest software platforms, such as iOS 27 and macOS 27.
Below, we have answered some key questions regarding the lawsuit.
Why Was Apple Sued?
In June 2024, Apple previewed new Siri capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence, including understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.
In a statement, Apple touted a range of other Apple Intelligence features it has already released. Nevertheless, Apple agreed to settle the lawsuit "to stay focused" on "delivering the most innovative products and services to our users."
Am I Eligible?
To be eligible to submit a claim, you must reside in the U.S. and have purchased any iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025.
The full list of eligible iPhone models:
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
It is unlikely that individuals who submit a claim will still need to have physical possession of an eligible iPhone model. However, there is a possibility that proof of purchase or other information will be required, such as the device's serial number. Exact requirements will be outlined on the forthcoming settlement website.
How Much Will Apple Pay Me?
According to the terms of the settlement, each person who files an eligible claim will receive a per-device payment of $25, but this amount could increase up to $95 if the total number of claims submitted is lower than anticipated.
Where and When Can I Submit a Claim?
Within the next few months, a settlement website should go live with an online claims form.
Eligible class members will be notified by email within approximately 45 days, according to court documents. Even if you are not notified but are a U.S. resident who purchased one of the above iPhone models within the above dates, you should still be eligible. Keep an eye out for the settlement website within the next few months.
When Will the Siri Features Launch?
On an earnings call last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the personalized version of Siri will be released this year. It is expected to be part of the upcoming iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 updates for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Two of the most popular Apple TV shows are returning this summer, with the third season of the sci-fi series "Silo" set to begin on Friday, July 3 and a fourth season of the beloved sports comedy "Ted Lasso" kicking off on Wednesday, August 5.
In the U.S., Apple TV is priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, with a free one-week trial available for new subscribers. Apple TV is also included in Apple One and Peacock bundles, with all of the options outlined on Apple's website.
You can stream Apple TV in the Apple TV app, which is available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, select smart TVs, on the web at tv.apple.com, and more.
Silo
"Silo" follows the lives of 10,000 people living in an underground bunker to escape the seemingly toxic wasteland outside. The people are unaware of why the silo was built, and those who seek the truth face deadly consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, an engineer who attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the silo following a loved one's murder. The show is based on Hugh Howey's best-selling book series.
Apple says the upcoming "Silo" season "continues the saga of a dystopian society."
"In the present, Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) survives her forced 'cleaning' but returns with memory loss as the silo recovers from rebellion and faces a dangerous new threat," says Apple. "Meanwhile, in the 'Before Times,' journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henwick) and Congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman) uncover a conspiracy that pulls them into a chain of events with catastrophic, irreversible consequences."
New episodes of "Silo" will be released every Friday from July 3 through September 4.
Apple already renewed "Silo" for a fourth and final season too.
"With the final two chapters of 'Silo,' we can't wait to give fans of the show an incredibly satisfying conclusion to the many mysteries and unanswered questions contained within the walls of these silos," said showrunner and executive producer Graham Yost, regarding the third and fourth seasons of the show.
Ted Lasso
"Ted Lasso" is one of the most popular shows ever released on the Apple TV streaming service. The eponymous character Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, starts off as a small-time football coach from Kansas who is hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer.
In the fourth season, Apple says Lasso returns to England to take on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women's soccer team.
"Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would," said Apple.
New episodes of "Ted Lasso" will be released every Wednesday from August 5 through October 7.
Fan favorites such as Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift are all set to return in the fourth season.
The third season of "Ted Lasso" was released in 2023, so there has been a long wait for a fourth season. The series has won several major awards since it debuted in 2020, with its overall positive tone making it a popular comfort show.
Apple is considering dropping the cheapest MacBook Neo configuration as one possible response to the rising cost of building the popular laptop, according to Taiwan-based tech columnist and former Bloomberg reporter Tim Culpan.
The Neo currently starts at $599 for a 256GB model, with a 512GB version at $699.
Writing in his latest Culpium newsletter, Culpan says cutting the entry-level 256GB model is among the options Apple is weighing as component costs climb. Such a move would push the Neo's effective starting price up by $100 without raising the price of any individual configuration.
Apple recently made a similar move with two of its other Mac models. Apple stopped offering the Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM in March, and it dropped the Mac mini's lowest 256GB storage option last week, making the latter's starting price increase from $599 to $799 in the United States. The moves were made due to higher-than-expected demand and a worldwide shortage of memory chips bumping up costs as AI data center build-outs squeeze supply.
Culpan says the pricing strain around the Neo is tied to Apple's push to ramp up manufacturing. Shipping estimates on Apple's website currently sit at two to three weeks across the lineup following stronger-than-expected demand, and the company is said to have instructed suppliers to increase production capacity to 10 million units, roughly double the original forecast of 5 to 6 million.
To meet its revised production goal, Apple needs a new supply of A18 Pro chips from TSMC. The Neo uses the same chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, but existing inventory was reportedly depleted by the early demand. TSMC is also said to have limited spare 3nm capacity, with AI-related orders consuming much of its output.
Apple's costs are being further complicated by the fact that the initial Neo batch used lower-bin A18 Pro chips with one GPU core disabled. However, a fresh production run would produce more fully functional chips, increasing the per-unit cost even before any expedited manufacturing premiums are applied.
If Apple ultimately decides against dropping the $599 MacBook Neo configuration, Culpan says the company is alternatively considering introducing new color options for the current-generation Neo to cushion a potential price hike.
Apple is considering adding new colors to its MacBook Neo lineup as a way to cushion customers against a possible price increase, according to Taiwan-based tech columnist and former Bloomberg reporter Tim Culpan.
Writing in his latest Culpium newsletter, Culpan says that the runaway success of the entry-level laptop has left Apple paying more for the components inside it. As a result, he says new finishes are one option being weighed by Apple to keep enthusiasm high if those costs end up getting passed on to buyers. Starting at $599, the Neo is currently sold in Citrus, Blush, Indigo, and Silver.
Apple does not appear to have settled on which colors might join the lineup, and the report does not name any specific shades the company may be considering.
The pricing pressure is said to stem from Apple's decision to dramatically scale up production. After Neo demand outstripped initial expectations, Apple has reportedly asked suppliers to prepare capacity for 10 million units of the debut model, up from an earlier target of 5 to 6 million.
Shipping estimates on Apple's website currently sit at two to three weeks across the lineup in the U.S. and many other countries, with Quanta and Foxconn said to be racing to fill orders from factories in Vietnam and China.
However, meeting the doubled production target requires a fresh batch of A18 Pro chips from TSMC. The Neo uses the same system-on-chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, and Apple quickly exhausted its existing inventory filling early orders. The original run was made on TSMC's N3E process at least two years ago, and it is believed that TSMC has no spare 3nm capacity to allocate, as AI customers are sucking up much of the available output.
What's worse for Apple is that the first batch of A18 Pro chips were "binned" versions with minor defects that, rather than scrapping, were repurposed for the Neo by switching off one of the six GPU cores.
That means a new production run will result in top-tier chips rather than defective ones, which means a higher per-unit cost that Apple will have to pay even before TSMC adds a premium for expedited production.
DRAM prices have also climbed sharply since the Neo first went on sale—again driven by AI data center build-out—which has pushed the laptop's bill of materials higher still.
Culpan reports that Apple has not ruled out raising the Neo's price as a response.
Energizer today announced the launch of new Energizer Ultimate Child Shield coin lithium batteries that are available in the 2032 size used in Apple's AirTags.
The Child Shield batteries do not cause ingestion burns if swallowed, and they also include an element that turns the mouth blue when exposed to saliva. Energizer says this will allow caregivers to be alerted when ingestion has occurred, so they can act quickly. The batteries also have a bitter coating to deter children from ingesting them.
When AirTags launched in 2021, a concerned retailer in Australia stopped selling them because the back of the tracker can be opened up to remove the battery inside. Opening the AirTag requires pressing down and twisting, a two-step process that Apple said met international child safety standards.
After the situation sparked public interest, Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission warned parents to keep AirTags out of reach of children. The ACCC said it was concerned the press and twist motion did not do enough to keep the battery away from children.
In the U.S., Apple added a warning label to the AirTag box that says the coin-cell battery in the AirTag should be kept out of reach of children due to the risk of injury or death should the battery be ingested. Apple also added a warning about coin-cell battery risks in the Find My app when the AirTag battery is changed.
Apple put the warning on AirTag labels after the U.S. adopted "Reese's Law," named for a toddler that died in 2020 after swallowing a coin-cell battery that was inside a remote control. Coin-cell batteries can get stuck in a child's esophagus, with saliva triggering an alkaline reaction that can lead to burns in under an hour.
Energizer's new battery could alleviate fears for parents who want to use an AirTag while also making sure their children are safe from accidental ingestion, and they are available for purchase at stores across the U.S.
Apple has warned against using batteries with non-toxic bitter coating, because these batteries may not work with AirTag depending on the alignment of the coating in relation to the battery contacts.
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From left to right: Yoonjae Joung, Karen-Happuch Peprah Henneh, Anton Baranov, and Gayatri Goundadkar
