2024 may be winding down, but things are still busy in the Apple universe as the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear with massive deals while we're also tracking a number of rumors about upcoming Apple products.
This week also saw several operating system updates from Apple to address some security issues, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features
It's been over three years since Apple debuted its AirTag item tracker, and it looks like the company is gearing up to launch a next-generation version around the middle of next year.
Among the changes we're expecting or hoping to see are a new chip for improved location tracking and better range, as well as design changes that will make it harder to remove the speaker, making it more difficult for those who might try to silence an AirTag to use it for stalking purposes.
Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More
Black Friday is quickly approaching, and deals are already in full swing. Keep an eye on our Apple Black Friday roundup and our ongoing news coverage to be alerted about the best deals as they drop.
We're already seeing record-low prices on a number of Apple products, as well as major sales from Anker, Sonos, and Samsung.
Apple will also be running its traditional Black Friday/Cyber Monday gift card promo, though better deals can usually be found through other retailers.
iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March
In a research note this week, Barclays analysts said they have "confirmed" with suppliers that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previous rumors, that time frame suggests the new iPhone SE will be announced in March, just like the current model was in 2022.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support, and the previously-mentioned Apple-designed 5G modem.
Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes
Apple this week released several software updates, including iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1.
Users are encouraged to update their devices, as these versions include fixes for security issues that have been actively exploited on Intel-based Macs, though the vulnerabilities exist on other platforms.
'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever
iPhone thicknesses have been growing over the years as Apple has packed more hardware and battery into the devices, but Apple is rumored to be taking things in the other direction with at least one model next year, a device being informally called the "iPhone 17 Air."
Apple analyst Jeff Pu this week said he agrees with rumors indicating the iPhone 17 Air could be as thin as 6mm, compared to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus at 7.8mm and the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max at 8.25mm.
Hide iPhone Find My Location Without Raising Suspicion
Ever need a moment of privacy without raising suspicion? If you're secretly shopping for a holiday gift or planning a surprise party, you might want to temporarily obscure your actual location in Apple's Find My app on your iPhone without completely turning off location sharing.
Check out a clever trick that lets you keep sharing enabled while displaying a different location – all by using another Apple device you own.
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