AI company Perplexity is discontinuing advertising within its services, YouTube is officially integrated into Apple Vision Pro glasses, Apple confirms that an enhanced version of Siri is coming soon, Meta is adding facial recognition to its smart glasses, a foldable iPhone with a flip phone-like design is being developed, and other exciting news on the sidelines…
The iPhone 17 Pro Max tops the list of replacement phones.
A new report reveals that the iPhone 17 Pro Max has become the most traded phone on the market, accounting for approximately 11.5% of all trade-ins within a few months of its launch. Interestingly, most of the trade-ins were in good or nearly new condition, indicating that many users are selling them shortly after purchase. While the iPhone 15 and 14 Pro Max still hold significant market share, the rapid growth of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is exceptional. This model has also depreciated by about 25% since its release, a lower rate than its predecessor, resulting in higher resale value for its owners. Experts believe that attractive prices in the resale market are the primary driver of this trend, as some users view new phones as short-term assets that can be sold for cash when needed.
Low-cost MacBook arrives in new colors in March
Apple is expected to unveil a new low-cost MacBook on March 4th, featuring a range of vibrant colors including yellow, green, blue, and pink, in addition to silver and space gray. This laptop will have a 12.9-inch screen and an aluminum chassis, and will be powered by the iPhone A18 Pro chip instead of the usual M-series processors, making it a more affordable option priced under $1000. These colors are believed to evoke memories of the iBooks of the 1990s, when Apple offered laptops in distinctive and fun colors, making this new model more diverse and dynamic than the current MacBook lineup.
Transferring files from Android to iPhone via AirDrop is now possible on Pixel 9.
Google announced that the Pixel 9 phones will support file sharing with Apple devices using the AirDrop protocol, allowing transfers between Apple devices without requiring an internet connection. iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can receive files from Pixel phones after activating the "Everyone for 10 minutes" option. The files will appear with the same standard AirDrop notifications and be saved in the appropriate apps. This feature is designed with a multi-layered security system to ensure secure cross-platform sharing, with a direct connection between devices without going through any server.
The iPad Pro may remain without major updates for years.
Leaked reports suggest that the iPad Pro will not receive major changes in the near future due to the high cost of OLED displays and the failure of the latest design to significantly boost sales. While Apple may continue to add minor improvements such as processor updates or some secondary features, it is not planning radical changes like reducing screen bezels, as some competitors have done.
The last major update to the device was in 2024, followed by the M5 chip in October 2025 with minor connectivity improvements. It's expected to receive an M6 processor and a cooling system similar to the iPhone 17 Pro in late 2026 or 2027, but there are no indications of significant design changes or new features in the coming years.
The iPhone 18 Pro update may be simple this year.
A report by journalist Mark Gurman suggests that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max may feature only minor changes, not a significant leap forward compared to the previous generation. While important internal improvements are expected, such as a variable aperture camera, an A20 chip, and a new modem, these will likely remain incremental updates, similar to those seen in previous models. According to the report, these phones may not be the main focus of this year's event, as the foldable iPhone is likely to steal the spotlight.
Apple is testing a foldable iPhone with a flip phone-like design.
New rumors suggest that Apple is testing a foldable iPhone with a flip-style design, according to leaks from supply chain sources. This potential device would compete with phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the recent Motorola Razr, and would be available alongside the larger foldable iPhone expected to launch later this year. As of now, no decision has been made regarding mass production of this model.
Reports also indicate that Apple is exploring another book-like design, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold, to give users a large internal screen suitable for video and gaming with multitasking capabilities. The flip version, however, will focus more on portability and practicality. The first foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 7.8-inch crease-free internal screen, a 5.5-inch external screen, an A20 processor, dual rear cameras, and a new modem, and is slated to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this fall.
Meta plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses.
Meta is developing a new feature called “Name Tag” for its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which will allow users to identify people and obtain information about them using artificial intelligence. The aim of this feature is to make the glasses more useful and differentiate them from competitors, but the idea has raised concerns about privacy and civil rights, especially since Facebook previously suspended its facial recognition system in photos due to these concerns.
The new feature is still being tested and may be limited to recognizing people with public accounts on platforms like Instagram, or those the user already knows. These smart glasses have been a success since their launch in 2021, with more than seven million units sold by 2025. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to launch its own smart glasses this year, equipped with cameras, microphones, and artificial intelligence capabilities, but they will not support augmented reality technologies.
Apple confirms that an improved version of Siri is coming this year.
Apple has confirmed that it still plans to release a smarter, more advanced version of Siri this year, despite reports of issues that could delay some features. Apple had initially intended to release the new Siri in 2025 but postponed the launch. Now, it is expected to appear gradually through iOS 26 updates throughout the year, with some features potentially arriving in iOS 26.4 and the rest later. The company clarified that the timeline remains as promised and that Siri will gain new capabilities such as understanding personal context, working across apps, generating images, and searching the web. However, some of these features may be rolled out in stages to ensure quality and reliability.
YouTube officially arrives on Apple Vision Pro glasses
YouTube has launched an official app for Apple Vision Pro, allowing users to watch all types of videos on a cinematic screen within the VisionOS environment. The app supports standard, 180-degree, 360-degree, and shorts videos, and on the version with the M5 chip, it can even play videos in 8K resolution. Users can now access their subscriptions, playlists, and watch history directly from the app, whereas previously this was only possible through Safari or unofficial third-party apps. The app is now available in the VisionOS store and supports Apple Vision Pro models with both the M2 and M5 chips.
Miscellaneous news
AI company Perplexity has decided to stop using ads within its services, fearing it would erode user trust, even though competitors like OpenAI and Google are testing this strategy. Perplexity was one of the first companies to experiment with ads in 2024 but quickly abandoned the idea, asserting that users should trust that the provided answer is the best one, free from commercial influence. This decision reflects a broader debate among AI companies about how to generate revenue without damaging the trust between users and the company.
Anthropic has announced an update to its Sonnet model, version 4.6, its most advanced yet, featuring improvements in programming, computing, and complex office tasks. The new model boasts enhanced capabilities for handling spreadsheets and multi-step forms, offering a level of intelligence comparable to the Opus model but at a lower price, making it accessible to a wider range of users. The update is now available for all Cloud plans, including free users who have also gained additional features such as file creation and service integration.
A major lawsuit in Britain accusing Qualcomm of driving up the price of phones like the iPhone through its patent licensing practices will be dropped following an agreement with the consumer group Which?. The lawsuit alleged that companies like Apple and Samsung were forced to pay licensing fees even when they didn't use Qualcomm chips, potentially increasing the price for consumers. However, a legal assessment indicated that the court might find Qualcomm did not impose unfair terms and did not actually affect phone prices, so the case was dismissed without any financial compensation.
Apple received a warning letter from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) demanding a review of its news selection process for Apple News to ensure that certain viewpoints and media perspectives are not ignored. This followed a report criticizing the service's focus on specific sources, prompting FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson to call on the company to conduct a comprehensive review of its policies if bias in content presentation is found. Apple has yet to issue an official comment, and the letter is seen as an escalation in tensions between the company and US government agencies.
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