I took hundreds of photos of thousands of orchids to compare the Galaxy S25 Ultra, iPhone 16 Pro, and the best camera phones. The results shocked me

The best camera phones versus Spring

Orchids and flowers from the New York Botanical Garden

I carry the best camera phones with me every day, but sometimes, a special event provides an opportunity to compare. The New York Botanical Garden in New York City is hosting its annual orchid show, so I brought my favorite camera phones and my own dedicated camera to see how these phones perform.

I used theApple iPhone 16 Pro,Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, andOnePlus 13to take hundreds of photos – more than 300 samples each – of the thousands of blooms to see how they managed to capture these perfect spring memories, and the results shocked me!

Why? Because the OnePlus 13 held its own against both of the top contenders and my Fujifilm X-T5. I was surprised by how buggy the Apple iPhone 16 Pro camera has become and how inconsistent the color accuracy on the Galaxy S25 Ultra can be. While I wouldn’t call the OnePlus 13 my clear winner, you can see the results below, and the competition is tight.

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How I judge the best camera phones

This photo was taken with the OnePlus 13

This photo was taken with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

This photo was taken with the Fujifilm X-T5

To judge these images, I look for color accuracy and lighting foremost. I want to see the natural colors of the flowers. Then I want fine details. Finally, I expect a dreamy, blurred bokeh background that looks natural and isolates my subject without distraction.

What surprised me most on this trip was how much the camera software matters. As expected,Samsungoffers the most camera options, though some features require additional software and downloads. I was disappointed that the OnePlus 13 offered very little control – I couldn’t force the camera to shoot at its highest 50MP resolution using the native app.

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro, however, was the worst of all. Its Camera app crashed often, especially if I used the new Camera Control button to open it. It also had trouble focusing on the proper subject.

I also brought along my dedicated camera, aFujifilm X-T5, with a 23mm f/2 lens. That’s the exact same specs you’ll find on Fujifilm’s incredibly popularFujifilm X100VI, and I wanted to see how today’s best camera phones compared to today’s hottest point-and-shoot camera performance.

The Fujifilm has impeccable color accuracy and soft bokeh, so it offers a great comparison to see which smartphones produce images that look like a real camera.

A focus on focus with phalaenopsis and dancing lady orchids

This is my ideal shot, with the moth orchid in focus and the dancing lady orchids floating in and out of the focal plane

Taken with Fujifilm X-T5 w/ 23mm f/2 lens

The iPhone 16 Pro could only focus using its macro camera, which produced terrible color results

The Galaxy S25 Ultra produced nice results with dreamy looking dancing lady orchids, but the image is underexposed

The OnePlus 13 crafted the superior photo, with more of the moth orchid and dancing lady orchids in focus

The first photo is my reference shot, taken with my Fujifilm X-T5. The colors are perfect, with bright white on the moth orchid, crisp yellow on the dancing lady orchids, and a pleasant royal blue on the background wall.

The iPhone 16 Pro had immediate problems with this shot. When I used the main photo mode, the camera app was unable to focus on the moth orchid alone. I allowed the iPhone to turn on macro, which reduced the resolution, and I got this terrible shot with too-warm colors and a seemingly narrow aperture that brought most of the flowers into focus instead of just a few.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra was more accurate with its color, though the image looks underexposed, considering the wealth of natural light in the Botanical Garden. The focal plane is also a bit narrow for my taste, and it was hard to bring all of the moth orchids into focus.

The OnePlus 13 created the best photo among all the camera phones, with excellent color, bright details and lighting, and the right focus on the flowers I want. It’s the lowest resolution of the bunch, though, so printing later may be problematic.

  • Best Photo:OnePlus 13

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Finding drama, not detail, in a mysore clockvine

Taken with Fujifilm X-T5 w/ 23mm f/2 lens

The iPhone photo lacks some detail, but produces the most pleasant bokeh results and accurate colors

The Galaxy S25 Ultra captured plenty of detail, but the image is underexposed and looks a bit warm compared to the real thing

The OnePlus 13 forced this capture as a Macro image, which means the background blur is mostly absent

While the iPhone 16 Pro doesn’t capture the most detail in this shot, sometimes detail isn’t exactly the point. I wanted accurate colors, enough detail to see the fine strands in the filaments, and a little bit of blur on the background buds to make the clockvine stand out.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13 had trouble focusing on just the clockvine, so I let those phones default to macro mode. This was a big mistake, as you can see. The colors and details may be there, but there is no blur to the background, and everything seems flat.

  • Best Photo:Apple iPhone 16 Pro

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Tuning into the blues and hues of a jade vine

Taken with Fujifilm X-T5 w/ 23mm f/2 lens

The iPhone 16 Pro did the best job capturing the real color of this jade vine

The Galaxy S25 Ultra rendered this jade vine a bit flat, though it was easier to see the details in the petals.

This OnePlus 13 image has bad color reproduction, rendering the flowers more green than they were in reality

Taken with the OnePlus 13

This was purely a test of color to see which camera phone could properly render the remarkable hue of this jade vine in bloom. The flowers are shimmering and almost metallic in color, a blue-green that will test the limits of what you consider blue or green (and you canIs My Blue Your Blueif you want to see your blue-green boundary).

The iPhone 16 Pro may lack the detail of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but the iPhone produced colors that were true to life, while the Galaxy phone struggled to recreate the real thing. Usually, Galaxy phones oversaturate colors, but here, the jade vine looks a bit duller.

The OnePlus 13 simply flubbed this shot. It got the colors wrong. This is a problem with the OnePlus 13. When it works, it produces photos that look spectacular. When it goes wrong, it goes very wrong, and it makes you wonder if you accidentally switched to a different phone.

  • Best Photo:Apple iPhone 16 Pro

The big problem with macro on smartphones

This is a 50MP image from the Galaxy S25 Ultra main camera. The colors are inaccurate and too warm, though the background has a pleasant blur

This is a ‘macro’ image from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The color is good, but the image is mostly in focus, with little pleasant background blur.

Taken with Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Macro photography is when you get very close to a subject, and smartphones today will all try to switch to a macro mode when you are trying to shoot close up. Whenever possible, you should turn off this macro mode because it will ruin your photo.

First of all, macro is usually handled by the ultra-wide camera, not the main camera. That means it uses a much smaller sensor, which ironically means it cannot capture the same high level of detail. On the iPhone and Galaxy phones, your macro photos will be around 12MP even if your camera is set to shoot at 48MP or 50MP, respectively.

Worst of all, it’s clear that these phone makers don’t take macro photos very seriously. When the camera shoots in macro mode, you can see an obvious shift in quality, both in terms of resolution and color accuracy. Here are some examples below.

This is from the main camera on the iPhone 16 Pro. The color is slightly warmer, but the background is nicely blurred to isolate the orchids in front.

This is a ‘macro’ image from the iPhone 16 Pro. The color is fine but the background is so jumbled and distracting that it’s impossible to appreciate my subject.

Taken with Apple iPhone 16 Pro

The OnePlus 13 does a better job with its macro mode. You can see here that the color remains consistent, and the only thing that shifts is the focal plane and the details in the image. Still, the photo from Macro mode is unpleasant, with a noisy and distracting background, while the main camera image is much nicer, with a pleasant background bokeh blur.

This is an image from the OnePlus 13 main camera in Photo mode. The background is pleasantly blurred, and the colors are consistent.

This is an image from the OnePlus 13 in ‘macro’ mode. The color is good, but the background is noisy and distracting.

Taken with OnePlus 13

  • Best Macro Photo:OnePlus 13

Which phone is the best? All of them (but they all have issues)

Which of these camera phones is the best? The Apple iPhone 16 Pro produced images that looked closes to my Fujifilm X-T5 camera, with color that was true to life and a depth of field that made photos look like they were taken by a real camera.

However, the iPhone 16 Pro was buggy. The Camera app crashed often, especially when I tried opening the camera through the newCamera Controlbutton. Also, Apple offers far fewer camera control options and shooting modes than the other phone makers. It also had trouble focusing on a subject as close to the lens as the other camera phones without switching to the dreaded Macro mode.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra produced results that looked fantastic, most of the time. It did a much better job focusing and capturing details than the other two cameras, but it had a very hard time producing accurate colors. Shooting thousands of orchids, the Galaxy S25 Ultra often blew out the red portions of flowers so that all detail was lost. It tended to render images warmer than reality, and the difference between image quality when you switch modes can be vast.

The OnePlus 13 was pleasantly surprising. It shot images that had plenty of colorful pop, and photos were mostly accurate – until things went wrong. That’s the big problem with the OnePlus 13. I’d call it the best camera phone, but things go wrong too often and the results can be terrible, with colors that are simply inaccurate. I also wish there was a way to force the camera to produce high-resolution images, instead of only 12MP shots.

In the end, I’d have to recommend the iPhone for its more consistent photos and better color accuracy, even if the app has problems. If I could trust the OnePlus 13 with more consistent results or take advantage of the full resolution of the camera, it would be my favorite, but for now, the iPhone remains the camera phone to beat.

Best Overall:Apple iPhone 16 Pro

‘Hey Siri, vacuum my kitchen’ is now possible as Apple Home just got support for robot vacuums

A long time coming

Roborock Qrevo Slim robot vacuum in its dock

  • Apple Home now supports select Matter-enabled robot vacuums
  • Assuming your vacuum is supported, you could soon be saying, ‘Siri, vacuum the kitchen’
  • It’s been a long time coming, as support was originally promised by the end of 2024

If you’ve been dreaming about one day saying, ‘Hey Siri, have the vacuum clean the living room and the kitchen,’Apple’s answering your prayers. Well, at least if you have one of the eligiblerobot vacuum cleaners.

WithiOS 18.4– Apple’s latest software, which is rolling out right now alongside iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, tvOS 18.4, and HomePods software – Apple Home can now play nice and control eligible Matter-compatible robot vacuums fromRoborock, iRobot, andEcovacs.

It’s been a long time coming, to say the least.

Apple first promised that support for these smart home cleaners would arrive by the end of 2024, but it took a little bit longer – four months exactly. Still, the support is here with the latest release.

>>>A2660 Battery for Apple iPhone 13 Mini

(Image credit: Apple)

So what does this mean? Well, if you have a supported model from those three brands, you can add your robot vacuum to your Apple Home and control it right from there or even integrate it into an existing automation.

That latter means you could set up a routine to have your vacuum cleaner start up a session when you leave the house on Wednesdays to ensure that when you return, the floor is clean.

Additionally, withinApple Homeor via Siri from really any Apple device, you’ll be able to ask the robot vacuum to clean a specific room or ask for it’s status. Now, you may need to update your robot vacuum cleaner. Roborock announced many firmware updates today that will enable the models to work with Apple Home when they roll out in early April 2025. Those include the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Saros Z70, Saros 10, Saros 10R, Qrevo Curv, Qrevo Edge, and Qrevo Master.

Models from Ecovacs andiRobotwill likely require software updates as well, and we’ll update you when we hear more about those. Regardless of whether an update is required, it’s excellent to see Apple make good on its promise of rolling out robot vacuum support to Apple Home, and it really will bolster the smart home offering.

>>>A2552 Battery for Apple Watch Series 7 45MM

Of course, we’re all stillwaiting on the AI-infused Siri as part of Apple Intelligence, which could make smart home control even better, but that’s set to arrive ‘in the coming year.’ That’ll likely need to arrive before thesmart home display– aka a HomePod with a screen – that I and many others dream of, if it ever arrives.

AirPods Max is getting a big update with lossless audio and ultra-low latency - here’s how it works

Higher quality listening on AirPods Max

AirPods Max in various colors

(Image credit: Apple)

The most recent pair of AirPods Max with USB-C lacked something important for audio fans — a wired listening mode. The cable in the box was only there to charge the cans rather than listen to music.

Now, thanks to anupcoming update from Apple, the USB-C equipped AirPods Max aren’t just getting cabled listening, but you’ll also find a couple of different modes out of the box. Lossless audio (up to 24bit, 48Khz) and low latency mode could make them a much tougher contender for thebest wireless headphones.

>>>CP1154 Battery for Apple Airpods Pro A2084 A2083

Big AirPods updates

You’ll be able to use the cable that comes in the box with your AirPods Max to listen to music, and there’s a new cable you can buy that will let you plug your headphones into a 3.5mm headphone jack — a big bonus for music producers.

Once plugged in, you can listen to music at a much higher, lossless bitrate — 24-bit 48Khz. That’s not quite as high as some of thebest music streaming servicesgo, likeQobuz, but it’s a big step up from the wireless limitations that the Max has been subjected to before.

That means you’ll be able to get more detail out of yourApple Musiclistening. It’s also going to apply to much higher-quality Spatial Audio mixes. Apple also thinks it will be a big bonus to music producers, who can now get much better sound out of their AirPods Max and connect to their mixing hardware physically.

Apple says, “Using the USB-C cable, AirPods Max will become the only headphones that enable musicians to both create and mix in Personalised Spatial Audio with head tracking.”

Also coming to the AirPods Max and their new wired listening is a low latency mode. That will reduce the time it takes for audio to reach the headphones, perfect for gaming and live-streaming applications.

>>>020-00098 Battery for Apple Airpods 1 2 1st 2nd Wireless Charge A1596

The update is coming in April for the USB-C model AirPods Max only. The extra USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack costs $39 and is available today.

Apple iPad Air M3 launch live updates – and is a new MacBook Air still coming too?

A new mid-range iPad Air is here, but where’s the new MacBook Air?

(Image: © Apple )

AppleCEOTim Cookchanneled his inner Phil Collins this week by posting “There’s something in the Air” as a teaser; and now we know which Air he meant – Apple has justannounced a new iPad Air M3 tablet with a refreshed Magic Keyboard.

Will that be the only Air update from Apple this week? We’re staying tuned and keeping this Live Blog fresh with Apple news.

The new iPad Air comes in 11-inch or 13-inch sizes, both of which cost the same as before. You can pre-order the 11-inch model for $599 / £599 or the 13-inch version for $799 / £799 ahead of a March 12 delivery, in your choice of Blue, Purple, Starlight, or Space Gray color options.

Apple also quietly updated the base iPad today, doubling the base storage but keeping the A16 chip. This means it won’t get Apple Intelligence – an odd decision, considering how much Apple has been promoting its AI features.

So where does this leave the much-rumored MacBook Air M4? Speculation from the likes of Bloomberg reporter and accurate Apple tipster Mark Gurman suggested thatApple was set to announce the MacBook Air M4 any day now. This iPad Air M3 announcement likely doesn’t change that, it just means waiting a little longer.

Of course, Apple remains as tight-lipped as ever, so this page will act as a one-stop-shop for the latest rumors, opinion and speculation so far building into what could be a larger Apple announcement on the horizon.

Let’s get to it.

>>>A2224 Battery for Apple iPad Pro 11 2nd Generation

5 March 2025 at 06:08

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.

Of course, Tim Apple didn’t say “iPad Air” in his hint on X, he just said “Air,” which is why we’ve been anticipating a MacBook Air refresh, but is it possible there is another Air on the way? Maybe I just have smartphones on the brain after an exciting start to 2025, with some of the best phones we’ve seen already making an early appearance, but I think it’s possible, if remotely so, that Apple could talk about a new iPhone.

I don’t mean the iPhone 16e, of course, I mean the hotly-anticipatediPhone Air. Samsung showed off aGalaxy S25 Edge, a super-thin version of its latest flagship smartphone, and that seemed to make sense considering all the rumors we’ve heard about a slim new iPhone.

Apple usually launches new iPhone models in September, but the iPhone 16e just launched, and it wouldn’t hurt sales too much to announce an upcoming member of the family, just to get people excited (and maybe help buyers forget about Samsung).

If Apple announces the iPhone Air this week, I’ll take a bow, but don’t hold me responsible if it never comes up.

>>>A2043 Battery for Apple iPad Pro 12.9 3rd Generation

5 March 2025 at 02:29

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has taken to X to shed a bit more light on what we could see tomorrow. As he previously reported, the MacBook Air with the upgraded M4 processor is still expected to arrive this week, but we also might be getting some other devices.

It would make sense that Apple wants to finish updating its entire Mac lineup to its latest and greatest chipsets. The MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac were all upgraded to the M4 chip series in October of 2024, leaving the MacBook Air, Mac Sutido, and Mac Pro needing an update at some point.

While it’s fully expected that if the MacBook Air’ does get an upgrade, they’ll replace the M3 chip with the base M4, Gurman predicts that the new Mac Studio will get an M4 Max chip, but instead of an M4 Ultra it’ll be the M3 Ultra. Still likely plenty powerful, though.

>>>A1725 Battery for Apple iPad Mini5

5 March 2025 at 01:17

Where does this leave the MacBook Air M4?

The MacBook Air M3 sitting on a red sofa
(Image credit: Apple)

It initially looked odds-on that Apple would announce the MacBook Air M4 today, rather than a new iPad Air – but the rumor mill isn’t always correct, and it was new iPad day instead.

Does this mean the new MacBook Air is on the back burner? Not at all – in fact, I’d imagine we’ll see that laptop refresh sooner rather than later. Maybe even tomorrow, if we’re lucky.

While Apple isn’t quite adopting the12 days of OpenAIapproach we saw last year, when the ChatGPT maker made a new announcement every day for almost a fortnight, it is definitely moving away from big events towards smaller announcements.

With that in mind, keep your eyes peeled this week for a MacBook Air M4 refresh – we’ll be here to update you the second it’s announced.

5 March 2025 at 00:30

When can you buy the new iPad Air M3?

iPad Air M3
(Image credit: Apple)

You can pre-order the new iPad Air M3 right now, with availability starting from March 12. So that’s just over a week to wait, but which version should you get? I’ve broken down the pricing below.

With the maxed out version iPad Air M3 costing $1,449 / £1,449 / AU$2,499 (that’s with 1TB storage and both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity), it might not sound so mid-range.

But that’s unlikely to be necessary for most people – I’d personally be tempted by the 11-inch (512GB) Wi-Fi version, which looks ideal for travel, streaming and photo editing. Your needs may vary though, so here’s a price breakdown for every model…

Model$US£UKAU$
iPad Air M3 11-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi$599£599AU$999
iPad Air M3 11-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi$699£699AU$1,199
iPad Air M3 11-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi$899£899AU$1,549
iPad Air M3 11-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi$1,099£1,099AU$1,899
iPad Air M3 11-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$749£749AU$1,249
iPad Air M3 11-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$849£849AU$1,449
iPad Air M3 11-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$1,049£1,049AU$1,799
iPad Air M3 11-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$1,249£1,249AU$2,149
iPad Air M3 13-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi$799£799AU$1,349
iPad Air M3 13-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi$899£899AU$1,549
iPad Air M3 13-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi$1,099£1,099AU$1,899
iPad Air M3 13-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi$1,299£1,299AU$2,249
iPad Air M3 13-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$949£949AU$1,599
iPad Air M3 13-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$1,049£1,049AU$1,799
iPad Air M3 13-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$1,249£,1249AU$2,149
iPad Air M3 13-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi + Cellular$1,449£1,449AU$2,499

4 March 2025 at 23:26

What’s new with the Magic Keyboard?

The Apple Magic Keyboard connected to an iPad on an orange and pink background
(Image credit: Apple)

Arriving in the slipstream of the new iPad Air M3 is a refreshed Magic Keyboard for the Air series – so what’s new?

The new keyboard attachment – which costs $269 / £269 for the 11-inch model, and $319 / £319 for the 13-inch one – gives you a larger trackpad than before, and also a row of function keys that you could previously only get on the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro.

That means you can quickly tweak things like screen brightness or music volume, and generally get a more laptop-like experience. That’s important because, with its new M3 chip, the latest iPad Air could tempt those who think (with some justification) that theiPad Pro 13-inchis overkill for their needs…

4 March 2025 at 23:00

New base iPad misses out on Apple Intelligence

A base iPad 11 on a blue and violet background showing a robot
(Image credit: Apple)

We’ve previously said thatthe Apple Intelligence launch is a mess– and Apple’squiet refresh of the entry-level iPadisn’t going to help change people’s minds about that.

Apple base iPad – now called the iPad (A16) – comes with a new chip, double the starting storage (128GB, up from 64GB), and the same price tag as before (starting at $349 / £329). But bizarrely, that A16 chip means it can’t support Apple Intelligence.

Granted, Apple Intelligence features still aren’t exactly living up to their potential, but it’s strange for Apple to add a new product to its iPad lineup that doesn’t support the features it’s been crowing about for the last six months.

It might also make it difficult to recommend the new cheaper iPad, but we’ll see when we get it in for testing…

4 March 2025 at 22:15

Apple announces… a new iPad Air M3

iPad Air M3
(Image credit: Apple)

Well, that wasn’t quite the MacBook-flavored news we were expecting, but we’ll take it for now – Apple has just announced a new iPad Air with an M3 chip plus a new Magic Keyboard.

The new Air comes in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes – and the chip upgrade hasn’t affected its price tag either, with the prices starting at the usual $599 (11-inch) and $799 (13-inch). The new Magic Keyboard, meanwhile, has a bigger built-in trackpad and a new 14-key function row.

Will the new iPad Air be an option for those waiting for the new MacBook Air M4? Probably not, judging by our Managing editor Matt Hansen’s experiences whenswapping his laptop for an iPad. But Apple’s new Air certainly looks like a compelling mid-range tablet option.

The only question now is when we’ll see that MacBook Air M4…

4 March 2025 at 21:37

The page for the MacBook Air M3 is still up and running. Usually if there’s a product drop that’s imminently imminent, then Apple tends to have a message saying its updating the store.

Equally, pre-orders for a new MacBook Air might not go live on the same day as the announcement. Watch this space.

4 March 2025 at 21:32

As an FYI, I’m keeping an eye on theApple Newsroom webpage, just in case Apple suddenly drops its announcement today.

4 March 2025 at 21:00

I reckon Apple’s announcement will come on Wednesday

Tim Cook with iPhone 14
(Image credit: Getty Images)

So when do I think Apple will make an announcement? I’m predicting Wednesday.

Historically, Apple has favored Tuesdays for its product launches, but the iPhone 16e was launched on Wednesday, February 20. And my gut instinct tells me Apple could drop its announcement tomorrow, which would be two weeks on from the last announcement.

I feel that makes sense as it give some room for the nws to breathe before we get into the weekend. Of course, I could be totally wrong.

4 March 2025 at 20:20

Don’t expect a new iPad Air this week

Apple iPad Air 13-inch (2024) REVIEW
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

But then maybe Apple could go a bit rogue and reveal a new iPad Air.

However, putting aside Gurman’s speculation that new iPads won’t get revealed this week, I’m not convinced we’ll see a new iPad Air this week. 

That iPad uses the M2 chip, so is arguably due a specs boost. But I’m not sure the iPad Air necessarily need a lot more power. For power-users the M4-equipped iPad Pros exist, albeit at pretty high prices.

Then again, giving a refreshed iPad Air an M3 chip would be one way for Apple to use up any M3 chips it had lying around and give it something else to announce. If that’s the case, then I tend to agree with Gruman and don’t expect to see a new iPad Air get revealed today; likely Apple will keep such an announcement in its back pocket for a reveal later.

4 March 2025 at 20:10

As I mentioned earlier, the blue line that strikes through the word ‘Air’ has the look of a MacBook Air when closed, so would point towards a revealed of a new Air models.

4 March 2025 at 19:59

Apple Intelligence
(Image credit: Apple)

Speaking of AI, I’d expect Apple announcement to lean hard on talking about Apple Intelligence and its integration into macOS, along with how an M4 chip-equipped Air will be poised perfectly to crunch through onboard AI tasks.

Not sure that’ll rock my world but I stand ready to be entertained and informed.

4 March 2025 at 19:55

Then again, I’m not a huge user of the AI-poweredApple Intelligencetools, which I suspect will only get more demanding as they advance.

So having M4 power could certainly make a new MacBook Air more futureproof.

4 March 2025 at 19:53

Speaking from my experience with the MacBook Air M2, I’m rather unfussed on the next-generation Air having a dollop more power.

My Air has enough grunt to deal with basically any everyday task I throw at it. I opted for the model with 8GB of RAM and I don’t think it’s ever felt slow. Sure, it won’t churn through the handful of proper PC games macOS supports, but it can run the excellentBaldur’s Gate 3so one might argue what more does one need…

4 March 2025 at 19:49

Apple M4 chip
(Image credit: Apple)

Dialing in my specualtion, the obvious upgrade for the MacBook Air, and one that I’ve mentioned earlier, would be an M4 chip.

We’ve already seen this system-on-a-chip get used in the latest versions of the iPad Pro, Mac mini and iMac, so it makes sense for new MacBook Air models to get it.

I highly doubt Apple will have tweaked the silicon to work any differently for the MacBook Airs than these other devices, though there’s sure to be more headroom to push the chipset a little harder in a laptop chassis than in the iPad Pro.

4 March 2025 at 19:44

A final request for a MacBook Air upgrade would be a move to OLED displays. I feel Apple could thread the line of balancing bolder display tech with energy efficiency.

But if such an upgrade was coming this year I reckon the rumor mill would have been churning it out by now; we’ve heard no whispers.

When I’m in the office I use a Samsung laptop with an OLED display and adore how rich its colors are, and that deep contrast OLED offers. So there’s potential here, but I suspect Apple will keep OLED panels for its MacBook Pros for a good few years still.

4 March 2025 at 19:39

Other design changes and upgrades I’d like to see could come in the form of faster charging; the MacBook Air is by no means a slouch when sucking up electrical juice but it’s not amazingly quick either.

I’d also not mind a few more ports. An extra USB-C slot would be appreciated, especially if Apple adds it to the right-hand side where there’s seemingly loads of spare space.

And while I doubt Apple will ever do it, I’d love to see a full-sized SD card slot on the next-generation MacBook Air, as that would make transferring photos from my DSLR to macOS far easier than it currently is for me.

4 March 2025 at 19:35

On the flipside, I’d not want Apple to mess with the Force Touch trackpad, which is basically the best trackpad I’ve used on any laptop.

It’s big, smooth and responsive and I adore it. Force Touch is an odd name however…

4 March 2025 at 19:33

black laptop on white table
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 has a great keyboard that Apple could draw inspiration from.

Other areas for MacBook Air improvement could come in the form of a refreshed keyboard. I love the keyboard on my Air, and my fingers fly across it when I’m writing at speed.

However, there’s not the deepest of key travel and sometimes I feel the keyboard lacks the tactile feel of the amazing keyboard on theMicrosoft Surface Laptopmodels; those balanced snappy responses with a decent bit of travel to make for a wonderfully tactile experience; I feel nostalgic for my oldSurface Laptop 2.

4 March 2025 at 19:28

But there are no rumors indicating to a reworked MacBook Air design. So I’m not going to hold my breath and expect the display notch to have been given a nip and a tuck.

Equally, one can never be 100% sure when it comes to Apple. And the MacBook Air’s design language is a bit long in the tooth for tech standards. So perhaps we could be in for a surprise.

4 March 2025 at 19:26

I’d like a new design for the MacBook Air please Apple

Apple MacBook Air M2 on a blue background
The design of the MacBook Air could do with a refresh(Image credit: Apple)

Having said that I love theMacBook Air M2, I’d not mind a few tweaks to the slim laptop’s design. A 14-inch display, perhaps facilitated by some narrowing of the display bezels and a trimming down of the display notch, would definitely get my attention.

I love the LCD Retina display on my Air M2, but it can feel a tad cramped at times when I’m trying to get work done on the go and at speed.

4 March 2025 at 19:19

As someone still using the MacBook Air M2, which is a fantastic little laptop that’s going very strong after two years of consistent use, I’m not overly convinced Apple really needs to refresh the Air lineup on just a specs basis.

But Apple is Apple, and minor refreshes to its products are to be expected… if not exactly desired.

4 March 2025 at 19:16

Expect M4 chip power

MacBook Air M3
(Image credit: Future)

So what do I and others expect to see from the Apple announcement? Well as discussed it’ll very likely be a pair of new MacBook Air laptops.

While the current pair of MacBook Airs are hardly old, having been refreshed last year with the M3 chip, they don’t sport the very latest chips; those can be found in theMacBook Pro 14-inchandMacBook Pro 16-inch.

Those models rock the ‘Pro’ version of the M4 chip, so we can expect to see non-pro version come to refreshed Airs.

4 March 2025 at 19:09

The last Apple announcement of the newsroom ilk came in the form of theiPhone 16ereveal. Apple simply posted an information drop on its website and had the phone up for pre-order pretty sharpish.

There was a decent amount of information to chew over but one could argue the announcement lacked Cupertino’s normal appetite for showmanship. I expect the announcement this week to be very similar to that of the iPhone 16e’s.

4 March 2025 at 19:05

Thinking differently…

Apple CEO Tim Cook standing next to a row of MacBook Air laptops at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2022.
(Image credit: Apple)

In days gone by, Apple would normally have a couple of big events a year with an in-person or live streamed event that would usually see the reveal of a handful of products around specific categories, such as phones, tablets and computers.

But as the crew at Cupertino have started to push out ever-more iterative updates to Apple’s product lines, these events have given away to announcements on social media and Apple’s own newsroom page. To me this lacks the spectacle but does give us regular Apple announcements to chew over.

Apple Watch is transforming the way NHL games are refereed

NHL Apple Watch ref


An NHL official is shown wearing an Apple Watch with a custom app to help track game and penalty time.Getty Images/Courtesy of the NHL
  • Apple and the NHL are collaborating to give its officials Apple Watches
  • They’ll be used in an outdoor game for the first time on March 1
  • A custom app can give officials countdowns and even tell them which players are in the penalty box

Appleand the National Hockey League (NHL) have announced the next step in a partnership that has seen officials across the league equipped with thebest Apple Watchesin order to assist them in officiating games.

Announced by theNHL, officials will wear Apple Watches and use a custom NHL Watch Comms App during an outdoor game for the first time, specifically the match between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium, March 1.

The NHL says that officials across the league have been using the technology on a widespread scale, with nearly all officials wearing a watch this season.

In fact, they’ve been using and refining it for a few seasons. The Apple Watches come with a custom app developed by Presidio, offering real-time in-game notifications.

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Apple Watch on ice

NHL officials app showing two penalties

The NHL Watch Comms App showing the imminent end of two penalties.Courtesy of the NHL

The NHL says that communication between officials is difficult during games because of crowd noise and the electric pace of games. An outdoor environment makes that even more challenging, the biggest one being the lack of a scoreboard hanging above center ice, which limits how officials can keep track of game timing and situations.The NHL has future plans to expand the tech, including adding support for direct communications between the four officials on the ice, other arena officials, and officials at the league HQ in Toronto. Apple Watch may even facilitate communication between officials and coaches in the future.

Officials wearing the watch get haptic notifications during the game, including game clock and penalty clock countdowns, and even the jersey numbers of which players are in the penalty box at any given time.

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NHL executive vice president of business development and innovation David Lehanski says the league has a 90 percent participation rate among officials using the tech. The NHL has been collaborating with Apple for a number of years, notably using iPad and Mac to deliver real-time videos to coaches and players in game for the past eight years.

I put the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE through a 10-round photo shoot-out — and I’m shocked by the results

Don’t knock the iPhone 16e for having just one camera

Soon after theiPhone 16ewas officially announced, I expressed doubt about theiPhone 16e cameracompeting against some of thebest camera phoneson the market. Namely, I feared that Apple’s decision to stick with a single rear camera would make the 16e less compelling compared to the dual and triple camera setups I see in many other similarly priced phones.

That’s why I’m doing this 10-round photo shootout with the iPhone 16e vsiPhone 16vsiPhone SE 2022— let’s see exactly how good the new iPhone 16e is compared to some of thebest iPhones.

On paper, I prefer the utility of the iPhone 16’s dual camera setup — which consists of a 48MP main shooter paired with a 12MP ultrawide. It inherently has an advantage because its ultrawide camera is more suitable for landscape photography and group photos. In contrast, the iPhone 16e features a single 48MP main camera, while the iPhone SE 2022 has just a 12MP main camera.

I captured a bunch of scenes to best illustrate how each camera handles different scenarios, then I compared the results on my computer to see them all side-by-side with one another. That way, I can better spot their differences to ultimately tell you which has the best performance.

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Picture order:iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: daytime

iPhone 16e

iPhone 16

iPhone se 2022

Starting with these sets of photos I snapped down by the beach near me, all the shots look fantastic. Upon closer inspection though, it’s hard to discredit the iPhone SE 2022 because zooming into the building in the far background reveals that it captures details just as well as its newer counterparts. However, it’s ultimately the iPhone 16e that gets my vote due to its warmer color temperature.

Winner:iPhone 16e

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iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Dynamic Range

The photos above prove why the iPhone SE 2022 is still a capable camera phone in 2025, mainly because of its wide dynamic range performance.

With the sun nearly overhead, the shadowed areas of the gazebo and surrounding townhomes in the background are still visible with the iPhone SE 2022’s shot, but both the iPhone 16 and 16e better expose those shadowed areas.

It’s not a huge bump, but it’s enough for me to notice when I zoom into the rocks underneath the gazebo.

Winner:iPhone 16 & 16e

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Colors

Clearly, the iPhone 16e has a penchant for producing bolder color tones, which leads to noticeable saturation in the shots of the bruschetta above. I personally like the vibrant reds of the tomato pieces, but the iPhone 16’s colors are more true-to-life. The red has a more balanced tone, which is why I prefer its color science.

Winner:iPhone 16

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Macro

One of the challenges with capturing macro photos with all three iPhones is trying to find their minimal focal distance. It’s rather tough to tell when I’m tapping the screen and trying to discern if the image is in focus where I want it to be.

What’s apparent is that I can get a lot closer to a subject with the iPhone 16, resulting in more detailed macro photos. You can see it in the shots above in how the iPhone 16 better defines the details in the exposed wood railing.

Both the iPhone 16e and iPhone SE 2022 can still capture outstanding looking closeups, but this one goes to the iPhone 16.

Winner:iPhone 16

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: 2x zoom

Now comes the fun part: zooming. That’s because all three phones rely on their main camera for all zooming, but the iPhone 16 and 16e leverage special techniques that give their zooms optical-like quality.

Right away, it’s evident that the iPhone SE 2022 is at a big disadvantage with zooming because it’s effectively a digital zoom. The wooden sign in the photos above doesn’t have the same amount of detail I see with the iPhone 16 and 16e’s shots. But between the two of them, I’m giving it to the iPhone 16e because of its warmer tone.

Winner:iPhone 16e

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: 10x zoom

Image processing truly becomes important at further zoom levels because it can expose details that are otherwise hidden in the shot. This is true for the iPhone 16e, since it’s able to catch more of the wooden textures of the sign at 10x zoom. I see it in the green painted portion of the wooden sign and the post to the right of the yellow emblem.

The iPhone SE 2022 tops out at 5x zoom, so it doesn’t have nearly as much definition.

Winner:iPhone 16e

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Nighttime

I think all three phones are capable of delivering acceptable low light photos, but only when there are strong light sources in the scene. The shots above at the parking lot prove this as the much older iPhone SE 2022 manages to match its younger siblings in terms of overall brightness and exposure.

However, zooming into the scene reveals it’s not as good at neutralizing the exposure with the highlights — which I can see with the brightly lit signs in the background. The iPhone 16 clearly does the best job because most of the signs are still visible and not overblown like the iPhone 16e.

Winner:iPhone 16

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Low light

Besides zooming, the other area where I see substantial differences in all phones is low light — and these shots prove it. In the near pitch dark conditions of my backyard, you can see how the iPhone SE 2022 fails at brightening up the scene. It doesn’t help when the details are muddy and indistinct.

In contrast, the iPhone 16 and 16e do an amazing job of brightening the scene. It almost looks like an ambient light source is shining on the tree, but this is the magic of their night modes. Even though the iPhone 16 has a slightly brighter exposure, zooming in reveals better definition and clarity with the iPhone 16e. And for these reasons, it gets my vote.

Winner:iPhone 16e

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Verdict

I’m looking forward to capturing even more photos with the iPhone 16e in order to get a better feel of how it performs consistently. In this iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022 photo shootout, I’m surprised that the iPhone 16e wins more categories than the iPhone 16.

What impresses me the most is how the 16e actually performs better than the iPhone 16 in low light and zooming, two areas I didn’t think it could win. Yet, it proves how image processing techniques can really get the most out of a phone’s camera. However, I still can’t count out the iPhone 16 because of the extra utility it offers — like a proper ultrawide camera that’s better suited for macrophotography and capturing more of the scene.

And not surprisingly, there’s a big gap in performance between the iPhone SE 2022 and its spiritual successor in the iPhone 16e.

iPhones are replacing ‘Trump’ with ‘racist’ during dictation – but Apple is fixing the problem

What happened here?

Siri interface on iPhone display

Speech-to-text on the iPhone is misbehaving(Image credit: Shutterstock / DedMityay)


  • iOS is changing “Trump” to “racist” when transcribing
  • Apple says the bug is now being fixed
  • The official explanation is “phonetic overlap”

iPhone owners have noticed a peculiar bug in recent days: “Trump” autocorrects to “racist” when using speech-to-text dictation mode. According toApple, it’s a problem with “phonetic overlap”, and a fix is already in the works.

AfterTikTok videosof the slip went viral, Apple provided a statement toThe Guardianand others, blaming “phonetic overlap” between the two words: “We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation, and we are rolling out a fix as soon as possible,” a spokesperson said.

While many people were able to recreate the blip, it didn’t happen every time – and the text seemed to revert back to “Trump” after a short delay.The latest reportsonline suggest Apple’s fix has already taken effect, so you might not see it happening any more.

In its explanation, Apple suggested its speech recognition engines were struggling to distinguish between words with “r” in them. Further testing suggested iOS didn’t always get the word “racist” right either, though historically Apple’s speech-to-text engines have been very reliable.

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‘Just not plausible’

Apple says the Trump-related bug is getting patched(Image credit: Getty Images)

Apple will be keen to draw a line under this as soon as possible and get the error corrected. It seems particularly unfortunate that a transcription bug like this would link two specific words sure to set off a wave of controversy and politically-charged debate.

Peter Bell, professor of speech technology at the University of Edinburgh, told theBBCthat Apple’s explanation was “just not plausible” given what we know about speech-to-text technology. “It probably points to somebody that’s got access to the process,” said Bell.

John Burkey, founder of Wonderrush.ai, gave a similar option to theNew York Times: “This smells like a serious prank,” he said. “The only question is: did someone slip this into the data or slip into the code?”

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This also feeds into the wider conversation about AI and its reliability, as AI models are used to convert the spoken word into transcribed text – something that you can now do on any modern smartphone. Whether it’s meeting notes or show subtitles, we need to be able to rely on the accuracy of this fast-spreading technology.

Switching to iPhone? Here’s how to transfer your data from Android

Whether you’re switching to a newiPhoneand need to transfer all your data fromAndroid, or you want to use both devices side by side and share files between them, you’ll be glad to know that the process is quite straightforward.

In the first instance, we’d advise you to use an Apple app calledMove to iOS. If you’re sharing files between both devices,GoogleDrive or Google Photos are great options. You can also use other apps like Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive, but the process underlying principles are the same.

Here, we’ll walk you through the process and introduce a method similar toAirDrop(which is handy to knowif you’re not already familiar with it). So, without further ado, let’s dive into how to transfer data from Android to iPhone.

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How to transfer data when setting up a new iPhone

Got a new iPhone out of the box? There’s an easy way to get set up using the data stored on your Android device.

1. Launch the Move to iOS app

Go to Google Play on your Android device then search for andinstall theMove to iOSapp.

Nowopen Move to iOSandagree to the terms and conditions. You should alsodecide if you want to share app datawith Apple and if you’d like it to access the device’s location (perhapsselect While using the app).

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2. Make a connection

Next,turn on your new iPhoneandfollow the setup instructionsuntil you reach the Quick Start screen.Tap Set Up Without Another Deviceand on the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen,tap From Android.

3. Enter a code

Eitherconnect your iPhone and Android via a USB cable,ortap continue with Wi-Fiandensure both devices are on the same network.

When you see the Move from Android screen on your iPhone,tap Continueto see a single use code. You shouldenter the code on your Androiddevice.

4. Select your data

On the Android device,select the datayou would like to transfer to the iPhone (you can evenadd files) andselect Continue. Sit back andallow the process to complete. Don’t touch the screen or buttons on either device during this time.

How to manually transfer data

If you’ve already set up your iPhone and you want easily transfer data from an Android device to it, it’s best to use Google’s own software, notably Google Drive.

If you’re dealing with images, you can also use the Google Photos app on both theiPhoneandAndroiddevices. The same principles apply as in the first two steps below.

1. Use Google Drive

Since Google Drive tends to be the go-to storage app on Android devices, it makes sense to use it as a way to access data across Android and iPhone.

Open Google Drive on your Android deviceto see what you have stored. You canadd new files by tapping +New.

2. Launch Drive on iPhone

Next,installGoogle Driveon your iPhoneandlog inusing the exact same detailsas on your Android device. The files you have saved in Drive via Android will be available on your iPhone.

3. Browse via Files

To make life even easier, you can nowuse the Files appon your iPhone.Launch Filesandtap the Browse tabthenselect Drivefrom the list of Locations.

You may be prompted totap Turn On. Once you do, your files will be available to view.

4. Move a file

If you want to move a file from Google Drive to another location on your iPhone,tap and hold a single file.

If youtap the three-dot iconin the top-right corner of the screen andtap Select, you canchoose multiple files— when done, again tap and hold. Thenselect Moveanddecide where you want to put the files(s).


And there you have it—two ways to transfer data from Android to iPhone, whether you’re starting fresh or not. But if you just need to move a few files quickly, check outhow to share files between Android and iPhoneusing Snapdrop. You can also learnhow to transfer data from Android to Androidorhow to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone.

iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: What’s the difference?

Is it worth splurging on the iPad 11, or should you stick with the iPad 10?

Apple’s plain old iPad 10 is a gem.

It offers lplentyof screen real estate to watch your favorite shows, snappy eerformance, and decent battery life ll at a wallet-friendly price. But how does it compare to the upcoming iPad 11, Apple’s new affordable tablet?

The iPad 11 and iPad 10 are expected to be quite similar, but they’ll vary in a few major aspects, namely price and performance.

Apple’s next-gen base iPad will likely come equipped with the hardware chops needed to utilize Apple Intelligence features, which means it’ll offer better overall performance as well.

Are convenient AI features, improved performance, and a likely battery life boost in the iPad 11 worth its potential price hike? Let’s dive into how exactly the iPad 11 compares to the iPad 10 and ultimately help you decide which tablet to pick up.

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iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: Specs

 iPad 11*iPad 10
Starting price$449$349
Display10.9-inch, 2360 x 1640, 60Hz, 500-nit Liquid Retina display10.9-inch, 2360 x 1640, 60Hz, 500-nit Liquid Retina display
ChipsetA17 Pro (6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine)A14 (6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine)
Memory8GB4GB
Storage64GB, 256GB64GB, 256GB
Cameras12MP wide rear, 12MP Center Stage front12MP wide rear, 12MP Center Stage front
ConnectivityWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
Dimensions9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches
Weight1.05 – 1.06 lbs1.05 – 1.06 lbs
ColorsTBDSilver, blue, pink, and yellow

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iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: Price

In ouriPad 10 review, the tablet’s launch price was $449. Due to some slight public outrage and the tablet already going on sale frequently, Apple decided to permanently lower the recommended retail price to $349 at the’Let Loose’ event in May 2024.

Now, you can frequently find theiPad 10 dip as low as $299during major sales, making it the cheapest modern iPad you can pick up.

Switching gears to the iPad 11, which will hopefully launch in March or April, current rumors aren’t clear on how Apple plans to price the new tablet.

That said, the general consensus seems to be that Apple will likely start the iPad 11 at $449, matching the iPad 10’s original price, and possibly run it on sale at $349 a lot.

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iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: Design

Because Apple modernized the base iPad’s look in 2022, the iPad 11’s design will likely not be significantly different.

We’re expecting to see the same flat-edge aluminum chassis, similar dimensions and weight, and similar cameras and camera placement.

If Apple keeps the dimensions and weight of the iPad 10 and iPad 11 the same, customers will be much more eager to upgrade, knowing that any cases or folios they’ve already purchased will fit their new tablet.

The iPad 10 gained a Touch ID power button, a USB-C charging port, and support for Face ID, Magic Keyboard Folio,Apple PencilUSB-C, and Apple Pencil (1st Gen) — we expect all of these features to be present in the iPad 11 as well.

The only design area we could see Apple implementing change in is with the iPad’s available colorways. The iPad 10 is currently available in silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

We haven’t heard any rumors suggesting that Apple will keep the old colors or replace them with fun alternatives, but new shades would be the easiest way to give the iPad 11 a flook without changing the overall design.

iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: Display

In ouriPad 10 review, we noted the display as “pretty darn lovely to look at.” It’s a 10.9-inch, 2,360 x 1,640-pixel, LED-backlit, multi-touch, IPS display with a 60Hz refresh rate and 500 nits max brightness, larger than its predecessor’s 10.2-inch display with similar specs.

With a display size increase between 9th and 10th generation iPads, and with most people already satisfied with the iPad 10’s display, we don’t expect to see Apple dole out any major display upgrades this time around.

Apple may consider only a minor upgrade: a laminated display. Upgrading the base iPad to a laminated display would make it slightly thinner and ultimately make it feel nicer for the user, whether using a finger or a stylus to navigate.

iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: Features

Apple probably won’t bring any speaker or camera upgrades to the iPad 11, but that’s not necessarily bad.

OuriPad 10 reviewdescribes the speakers as providing “impactful audio capable of filling a small room” and the rear 12-megapixel camera as “sharp and vivid, managing a level of detail that will alarm you.”

The front camera could be improved, so we wouldn’t mind if Apple treated it to some TLC. However, as Apple changed the front camera placement from portrait to landscape with the iPad 10 and has Center Stage, it’s not likely that Apple will mess with the front camera specs. However, there could be software improvements that enhance the quality of selfies.

Speaking of software improvements, let’s talk about Apple Intelligence. According toBloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the iPad 11 will feature an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of memory, which means it’ll be capable of utilizing new Apple Intelligence features.

If you’re interested in using AI to help you respond to emails and texts, edit your photos, manage your overflowing inbox, schedule tasks, and more, the iPad 11 is absolutely worth waiting for over the iPad 10. On the other hand, if you’d rather not have an AI-powered tablet, opt for the iPad 10.

Additionally, Apple will likely bring Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 to the iPad 11, compared to the iPad 10’s Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. It’s not an intense connectivity boost, but if you have a Wi-Fi 6E router and devices that support newer Bluetooth gens, you’ll be thankful for the slightly increased connectivity speeds.

iPad 11 vs. iPad 10: Which should you buy?

Unless you need a tablet right away, it’s worth waiting for the iPad 11 to launch. The iPad 11 is overall a better tablet compared to the iPad 10, with much snappier performance, likely improved battery life, and Apple Intelligence capabilities thanks to the A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM.

Yes, the iPad 11 will probably be more expensive than the iPad 10, but not by much. The iPad 10’s retail price has been slashed to an incredibly affordable $349, and even if the iPad 11 launches at $449, it’ll still be the cheapest new iPad option available. For reference, theiPad ministarts at $499.

The only reasons to consider the iPad 10 vs. the iPad 11 are to save the most money or to avoid an AI-powered tablet for personal security or privacy reasons. Otherwise, the iPad 11 is the best choice for most people.

iPhone 16e live updates – Apple’s next-gen budget iPhone is official

Apple’s new-generation iPhone SE is called the iPhone 16e

iPhone 16e

Applehas officially launched the iPhone 16e. The company announced the new budget-friendly iPhone at 11am ET / 8am PT / 4pm GMT on February 19, confirming that the iPhone 16e is a new member of the iPhone 16 family and not, as many suspected, a standalone iPhone SE 4.

The new phone features the A18 chipset, a 6.1-inchOLEDdisplay, Apple Intelligence compatibility, a single 48MP rear camera, and a 12MP front-facing camera. The iPhone 16e also features a notch instead of the Dynamic Island, but it does inherit the Action button from the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 lines.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 16e begin on February 21, and the device will ship from February 28. It starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999 and comes in either 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage configurations.

Follow along as we react to the announcement of Apple’s latest mid-range model, which has discontinued both the iPhone SE (2022) and the iPhone 14.

>>>>>A2312 Battery for Apple iPhone SE (2020) SE2

The latest news

  • Apple has officially announced the iPhone 16e
  • It features the A18 chipset, a 6.1-inch OLED display, a single 48MP rear camera, and a 12MP front-facing camera
  • The iPhone 16e is also compatible with Apple Intelligence
  • The phone features Apple’s first homegrown cellular modem, the C1
  • Pricing starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999
  • Pre-orders begin on February 21; shipping starts on February 28

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20 February 2025 at 06:05

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
The Galaxy S25 Edge has two cameras, one less than the Galaxy S25

One Apple product that the iPhone 16e might foreshadow is the rumorediPhone 17 Air. With Samsung launching a super-slimGalaxy S25 Edgelater this year, it is more likely than ever than we’ll see an extra-thin iPhone from Apple to answer the long-running rumors.

With its single high-resolution, wide aperture camera, the iPhone 16e might be a good model for a thin iPhone 17 Air. Cameras add much of the thickness to today’s big phones, so I expect two cameras on an iPhone Air at most, but one great camera with flexible shooting modes, like we see on the new iPhone 16e, would do the trick.

Will the iPhone 17 Air arrive looking like a slimmed-down iPhone 16e? We’ll find out eventually, if the rumors are true.

>>>A2830 Battery for Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

20 February 2025 at 04:54

Apple iPod nano in white
An Apple iPod nano in white

If the iPhone 16e is drumming up Apple nostalgia for long-time Apple followers, for me it resembles nothing so much as the original (in)Famous iPod nano. I personally loved the nano’s look and design, but it replaced the iPod mini, the most popular iPod of all time (thus far). The iPod mini was bright and colorful, available in pink and blue and green. The iPod nano was sleek and professional, available only black and white.

The iPod nano was the future, of course, with its solid state storage. I might argue that Apple’s incredible investment in the iPod nano and solid state drives drove the price of that technology down faster, and ultimately led to the smartphones and other mobile innovation we have today. It all started with the iPod nano, folks.

So, if the iPhone 16e color options make you sad, they don’t bring me down. They remind me of an important an influential time for Apple, when it shifted from old and fun to innovative and new.

20 February 2025 at 03:50

Future
An Apple iPhone 5c in green

Let’s be honest, this is a huge price hike for Apple’s bargain iPhone offering. It’s a big jump over theiPhone SE (2022), which started at $429 / £419 / AU$719, but that phone was also more expensive thanitspredecessor, theiPhone SE (2020), which cost only $399 / £389 / AU$679.

Of course, to be fair to Apple, the original budget iPhone was theiPhone 5c, launched in 2013, and that phone cost $549 / £469 / AU$739 at launch (wow, sorry GBP :-£).

Also, previous budget iPhone models have skimped on the processing power, and therefore the potential longevity with software updates, compared to the base model iPhone of the same year. It’s a very big deal that the iPhone 16e gets an Apple A18 chipset and Apple Intelligence features. Those would have been doubtful for the predicted iPhone SE 4 that did not arrive today.

20 February 2025 at 03:09

iOS 15.4 FaceID Mask

So what does the iPhone 16e get that makes it worth more than the iPhone SE, besides the latest Apple A18 processor? The addition of FaceID is especially interesting. Unlike basic face unlock methods on Android phones, Apple isn’t just using a camera for FaceID. It has specialized hardware that would make it a more expensive proposition for a bargain phone.

FaceID needs an infrared emitter to spray your face with invisible dots (you can see them with an infrared camera). Then it has a special camera to read those dots and make a 3D model of your face, which is much more secure than simply reading a photograph of your face. That’s why banks have long allowed Apple to use FaceID to unlock banking apps, but Android phones usually won’t let you use your face to unlock your bank account.

I’ve used every unlock method, and I’d have to say that Apple’s FaceID is the fastest and most reliable by a wide margin. Whatever sacrifices the iPhone 16e makes, Apple clearly felt the super-fast, secure unlock method was worth the trade for bargain hunters.

20 February 2025 at 02:20

C1, who?

Apple's C1 modem in the iPhone 16e
(Image credit: Apple)

Let’s talk quickly about that C1 modem.

Ever since Appleacquired Intel’s modem business for $1 billion, the company has been racing to build its own modem in a bit to reduce reliance on Qualcomm, which produces the modems for all current iPhone models. Perhaps surprisingly, the iPhone 16e is the first beneficiary of this years-long project.

It’s not yet clear how much better or worse Apple’s C1 modem is versus Qualcomm’s equivalent, but superior battery efficiency could be on the cards for iPhone 16e owners. Indeed, Apple is touting 26 hours of video playback, which is certainly an impressive figure.

20 February 2025 at 01:28

The iPhone 16e on a blue gradient background
(Image credit: Apple)

Here’s the front and back of the new iPhone 16e, which comes in either Black or White (where are the funky colors, Apple?).

20 February 2025 at 01:26

‘Apple is finally simplifying its iPhone lineup’

“Apple is finally simplifying its iPhone lineup, squeezing almost all of it into the 16 family. This is a good thing for people trying to choose and it also means that the distance from a budget iPhone to a Pro one isn’t as great as it used to be. For my money, though, the inclusion of the C1 chip is the most intriguing bit. It isn’t often your most affordable handset gets your newest and maybe most controversial piece of tech.” – Lance Ulanoff, Editor-at-Large

“What would have sold it for me is Apple opting down in terms of computing power to offer a non-AI iPhone alternative, which would cater to a big chunk of consumers who just aren’t bothered about AI et. But then, that’s basically admitting that consumers might not care about Silicon Valley’s latest golden goose.” – Josie Watson, Managing Editor, Lifestyle

“I’ve never noticed Tim Cook’s accent before – isn’t it lovely?” – Becky Scarrott, Audio Editor

Thanks, Becky.

20 February 2025 at 01:19

No MagSafe?!

iPhone 16e with the rest of the iPhone lineup
(Image credit: Apple)

A quick look at Apple’s newmodel comparison pagereveals a few frustrating omissions for the iPhone 16e.

The biggest is the lack of MagSafe support. Yes, you read that right:the iPhone 16e will not support MagSafe cases, wallets, and wireless chargers. The phonedoeshave wireless charging capabilities, but only up to 7.5W, which is punishingly slow. There’s also no ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, and the GPU is made up of only four cores (compared to five and six on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max, respectively).

20 February 2025 at 01:03

‘I think this could be a hit for Apple’

Some more reactions to the iPhone 16e announcement from the batterymap team for you here:

“I like the simple, unfussy design paired with some powerful chips and access to Apple Intelligence. I think this could be a hit for Apple, though the price is a bit high, but I think people will gobble it up.” – Roland Moore-Colyer, Managing Editor, Mobile Computing

“At $599, the iPhone 16e is more expensive than any of us were hoping – but it looks like there’s some serious Apple power under the hood, too. Looking forward to trying this one out, but not sure I’d recommend pre-ordering.” – Jamie Richards, Staff Writer, Mobile Computing

“It’s somehow killed off two phones [the iPhone 14 and previous iPhone SE] without filling the void left by either of them.” – Rob Dunne (aka The Dunnster), VPN Editor

20 February 2025 at 00:40

iPhone 16e camera lens
(Image credit: Apple)

Here’s that 48MP camera lens up close. It’s the same ‘Fusion’ camera as you’ll find on the iPhone 16, which Apple claims “has the capabilities of two cameras in one.” That’s because it features an integrated 2x telephoto that lets you zoom in with optical quality. The 48MP Fusion camera lets you shoot 4K video in Dolby Vision, too, which is neat.

20 February 2025 at 00:33

Do the specs justify the price?

Now for those specs…

The iPhone 16e features the A18 chipset, a 6.1-inchOLEDdisplay, Apple Intelligence compatibility, a single 48MP rear camera, and a 12MP front-facing camera. There’s a notch instead of the Dynamic Island, but the new phone does inherit the Action button from the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 lines.

All told, then, this is a major step up from the iPhone SE (2022), but the iPhone 16e’s $599 / £599 / AU$999 price tag also marks a major increase over that of its predecessor.

20 February 2025 at 00:16

The official iPhone 16e announcement video

Introducing iPhone 16e – February 19 – YouTube20 February 2025 at 00:16

Introducing iPhone 16e - February 19 - YouTube

Watch On

Here’s the official iPhone 16e announcement video, hosted by Tim Cook himself.

20 February 2025 at 00:15

Farewell, iPhone 14 and iPhone SE (2022)

iPhone 16e product page
(Image credit: Apple)

And just like that, the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE (2022) are no more. Apple has removed both models from its website.

20 February 2025 at 00:13

iPhone 16e product listing
(Image credit: Apple)

Here’s the official product page for the iPhone 16e in the UK.

The phone will start at $599 / £599 / AU$999 and comes in either 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage configurations. That’s a huge increase on the $429 / £419 / AU$719 starting price of the iPhone SE (2022). Can we really consider this a budget phone?

20 February 2025 at 00:07

The iPhone 16e is official!

iPhone 16e
(Image credit: Apple)

The iPhone 16e is official!

Appleofficially announced the new deviceon its website at 11am ET / 8am PT / 4pm GMT, confirming that the iPhone 16e is a new member of the iPhone 16 family and not, as many suspected, a standalone iPhone SE 4.

Specs incoming…

19 February 2025 at 23:57

What might the iPhone SE 4 look like?

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We don’t yet know the name of Apple’s new device, but is this its official design?

The above images (or perhaps best-guess renders) shared by leakerMajin Buare the closest thing we have to a peek at the new iPhone SE’s possible design. They certainly line up with previous leaks; the device in question has a notch, a flat metal frame, and a single-lens camera.

There’s also a customizable action button (a nice bonus for a more affordable iPhone). The notch means this should also be the first SE model with Face ID, which is a nice time-saver on my iPhone 16 Pro. If this is all true, it could prove popular – if the price is right…

19 February 2025 at 23:53

The Apple Store is down!

Screenshot of the Apple store website
(Image credit: Apple)

OK, here’s our first big indicator that a product launch is imminent. Apple has closed its online store for maintenance, which is almost always a sign that new devices are on the way.

In this case, Apple has only closed theproduct page for the iPhone SE (2022), which (surprise!) strongly hints that a replacement device is about to be revealed. But will it be the iPhone SE 4, the iPhone SE (2022), or the iPhone 16E? Given Tim Cook’s “family” comment, my money’s on the latter.

19 February 2025 at 23:42

The biggest iPhone SE upgrade rumors

The iPhone 14 and iPhone SE on an orange background
(Image credit: Apple)

As for the iPhone SE 4 specifically, we’re expecting the new device to bring major hardware and software improvements over its now-outdated predecessor. Thebiggest rumored upgrades for the iPhone SE 4are as follows:

  • A bigger, better display: Where the iPhone SE (2022) uses a 4.7-inch LCD panel, its successor is tipped to use a 6.1-inch OLED display running at a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels.
  • Apple Intelligence compatibility: The iPhone SE 4 will likely be the cheapest entry point into Apple Intelligence, and therefore one of the best AI phones at its price point.
  • A more powerful camera: The iPhone SE 4 will very likely get a better camera than the almost three-year-old iPhone SE (2022), and the latest rumors point towards a single 48MP rear snapper and a 12MP selfie camera.
  • A longer-lasting battery: The iPhone SE 4 will almost certainly get a larger, longer-lasting battery than that of its predecessor. The latest leaks suggest it’ll be an iPhone 14-style 3,279mAh cell, which will surely bring tangible improvements to endurance.

19 February 2025 at 23:39

What does Apple’s teaser tell us?

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Let’s kick off with a proper look at Apple’s official teaser, which was shared to X on February 13. Tim Cook’s shiny Apple logo doesn’t give a lot away, but the internet has some compelling theories.

Firstly, the tagline “get ready to meet the newest member of the family” does tally with rumors of a new iPhone SE. It’d be part of the iPhone family, but does that also hint at a rebrand? The iPhone SE 3 was simply theiPhone SE (2022)and there have also been rumors that the new model might be called the iPhone 16E.

The circle around the logo could also be hinting at the new SE’s single camera, or the move away from a physical home button. It does also look a lot like an AirTag (potentially theAirTag 2?), but we weren’t expecting to see a new one of those for quite a while yet…