Chance Miller

Apple has a surprise announcement for AirPods Max users today. The company says that a software update coming next month with iOS 18.4 will add lossless audio when using the included USB-C cable, as well as ultra-low latency audio.

Almost exactly two years ago, GM announced its controversial decision to drop CarPlay support from its EVs. Shortly thereafter, the automaker began rolling out its “Ultifi” infotainment software, which was so buggy it left one reviewer stranded in rural Virginia.

Now, GM is cracking down on the only CarPlay retrofit that was available for its EVs.

Apple continues to face the fallout from its decision to delay the “more personalized Siri” that it first announced last summer as part of Apple Intelligence. Axios reports that Apple is facing a federal lawsuit alleging that its “promotion of now-delayed Apple Intelligence features constituted false advertising and unfair competition.”

(Featured image: Retail Archive)

Benjamin and Chance react to the biggest stories of the week, including Apple’s commitment to support encrypted RCS, the rumored launch of a new live translation feature for AirPods, and the ongoing fallout of the Siri feature delays. Apple is also forced to add a variety of APIs to let third-party devices access iOS notifications and other system features, thanks to the latest EU decree.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Chance rocks out to Metallica in the Vision Pro, and Apple finally announces Ted Lasso season four. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Apple is shaking up its executive team in light of ongoing struggles to roll out advanced Apple Intelligence features for Siri. Bloomberg reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook “has lost confidence in the ability of AI head John Giannandrea to execute on product development.”

As such, Mike Rockwell, current vice president of the Vision Products Group and creator of Apple Vision Pro, is taking the reigns of the Siri team.

iOS 18.4 will be released to iPhone users in just a few weeks. If you aren’t running the beta, you might have missed what’s new. Here’s an overview of four new features coming to your iPhone with iOS 18.4 next month…

As it continues to test a dramatic redesign of its app, Plex has announced several other imminent changes. In a blog post today, the company announced a price increase for its Plex Pass subscription, alongside changes to remote streaming for personal media.

AirTags aren’t designed to prevent theft, but they’ve proven to be a really useful tool. Now, the Denver Police Department has announced it will give out hundreds of AirTags as part of its ongoing efforts to prevent car thefts.

If you’re having trouble accessing Apple Music, you’re not alone. Apple says its music streaming service is currently experiencing an outage, and there’s no timeline on when things will be back up and running.

Foodnoms is a powerful nutrition tracking app that I’ve written about before. It’s designed to be fast and easy to use with a design that’s optimized perfectly for Apple platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

This week, Foodnoms is getting a big update with completely revamped Shortcuts integration.

At WWDC in 2020, Apple announced a new car key feature that lets people use the Wallet app on the iPhone or Apple Watch to control their car. While adoption of this feature has been slow, head below to find the full list of cars that support Apple car key integration.

Volvo is expanding its support for Apple’s Car Key platform. The automaker is now rolling out a software update to the Volvo EX30 with support for Car Key. This allows drivers to store a key in the Apple Wallet app on their phone and use it to start, lock, and unlock their car.

Over the years, Apple has vastly expanded the Health app on iPhone with ways to track weight, fitness, and much more. Earlier this year, we broke down the best smart scales for syncing weight with an iPhone.

Another measurement that can integrate with Apple’s Health app is blood pressure. Here are some of the current options on the market for syncing blood pressure with the Health app on your iPhone.

Apple is making the biggest change to its iPhone lineup in years this fall with the iPhone 17 Air. The device will be an interesting combination of features and aesthetics. Here are the 17 most important iPhone 17 Air rumors…

We’re coming up on the sixth anniversary of the Apple Card’s debut, and it’s proven to be a very popular credit card. If you’re considering applying for the Apple Card, here’s everything you need to know. Is the Apple Card worth it?

We’re one week removed from Apple’s decision to indefinitely delay the “more personalized” version of Siri that was first announced at WWDC 2024, and the blowback hasn’t let up.

Now, Bloomberg has the details from an all-hands meeting for the Siri division inside Apple, where the Apple Intelligence delays were panned as “ugly” and “embarrassing.”

The camera is one of the biggest differentiators between the iPhone 16e and the rest of the iPhone lineup. The iPhone 16e features a single 48MP camera and misses out on software features like ProRaw, macro mode, the latest Photographic Styles, and more.

How does the iPhone 16e’s camera stack up against its siblings? The experts at Lux Camera, behind apps like Halide and Kino, have the answer.

Ted Lasso was the first big hit on Apple TV+, but the show’s fate has been up in the air since season 3 concluded in May 2023. Initially, we all thought season 3 would be the show’s final season, but there have been a lot of hints recently that a season 4 could happen after all.

Now, Jason Sudeikis and Apple have made it official: Ted Lasso season four is in the works.

T-Mobile has announced a new round of price increases set to go into effect next month. This time around, the company is raising prices by as much as $5 per line for subscribers on many of its legacy plans.

The carrier says this is a continuation of a price hike it began rolling out last year and that customers with Price Lock are not impacted.

Benjamin and Chance react to the disappointing news that Apple officially delayed the ambitious AI Siri features indefinitely, and what the ramifications are on Apple’s product line in the near term. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports Apple is preparing the biggest redesign to iOS since iOS 7, and Kuo has some details about Apple’s first foldable iPhone coming in 2026.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Chance experiments with Benjamin’s external monitor arrangement, and we discuss the popularity of Safari’s “Compact” tab layout option. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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After expanding to CarPlay a few months ago, Apple Music Classical has hit yet another new platform. Starting today, you can access Apple Music Classical on the web for the first time.