O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: battery

  • Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.4 update

    Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.4 update

    Amid Monday’s update-o-rama, Apple released the much-anticipated macOS Tahoe 26.4 update.

    The update offers the following fixes, changes, and new features:

    Battery & Power:
    • New Charge Limit setting
    • Set the maximum battery charge between 80 percent – 100 percent to extend battery lifespan
    • Integrated into System Settings (Battery)
    • Can be automated via Shortcuts (e.g., tied to Focus modes)

    Safari:
    • Compact Tab Bar returns
    • Optional UI mode for a more condensed browsing layout

    Platform & Compatibility:
    • Rosetta 2 deprecation warnings
    • Alerts when launching Intel-based apps on Apple Silicon Macs
    • Signals upcoming removal in future macOS releases

    Apps & Features:
    • Freeform enhancements
    • New Creator Studio–related tools and expanded capabilities
    • Podcasts improvements
    • Smoother switching between audio and video podcast formats

    Emoji:
    • 8 new emoji added, including:
    • Orca
    • Trombone
    • Landslide
    • Ballet dancer
    • Treasure chest
    • (and more)

    System & UI Fixes:
    • Fixes and improvements to:
    • Window resizing behavior (corner radius issues)
    • General system stability and performance
    • Ongoing bug fixes across UI and system components

    Developer Updates:
    • API and platform improvements, including:
    • Enhanced StoreKit behavior
    • Network MIDI 2.0 support
    • Asset pack and backend improvements

    Additional Changes:
    • Improved battery health management system-wide
    • Continued transition away from Intel-based Mac support
    • Minor UI tweaks and under-the-hood optimizations

    As usual, the update can be located, downloaded, and installed by navigating to Apple > System Settings > General > Software Update and proceeding from there.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the macOS Tahoe 26.4 update, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via AppleInsider

  • iFixit publishes iPhone 17e teardown, cites interchangeable components, possible MagSafe upgrade path for iPhone 16e owners

    iFixit publishes iPhone 17e teardown, cites interchangeable components, possible MagSafe upgrade path for iPhone 16e owners

    The cool cats at iFixit have done it again, this time publishing a teardown of Apple’s newly released iPhone 17e, which launched last Wednesday. The new model is almost identical to the iPhone 16e in design, but it does include a MagSafe back panel that supports ‌MagSafe‌ and faster Qi charging than the iPhone 16e.

    Interestingly enough, the staff at iFixit noted that the MagSafe panel for the iPhone 17e is the same size as the panel for the 16e, and that the two feature interchangeable components. This would allow users to take a back panel from an ‌iPhone 17e‌ and put it on an iPhone 16e, adding ‌MagSafe‌ to an iPhone 16e, and would allow for a relatively easy iPhone 16e upgrade. The downside is that the iPhone 16e doesn’t feature built-in software that recognizes ‌MagSafe‌ accessories to provide animations, and it’s not yet clear if it charges at the full 15W.

    Other interesting changes include the fact that Apple provided day one panels for the iPhone 17e, and the battery can be swapped off without having to remove the display, even though a considerable amount of adhesive still needs to be removed. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ continues to use adhesive for the battery that can be removed with an electrical pulse, which makes battery replacements simpler.

    Other notable changes between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 17e include the fact that the iPhone 17e uses an A19 System on Chip, which replaces the A18. Apple also swapped out the C1 modem for the new, faster C1X modem, and there’s more starting internal storage at 256 GB. A number of components are also interchangable between the two models, including the logic board, which can be installed into an iPhone 17e chassis with almost no issues registering parts. The TrueDepth camera for Face ID didn’t work when swapped from iPhone to iPhone.

    Although iFixit generally liked the enhanced repairability of the iPhone 17e model, it noted that the USB-C port was too buried behind components, which will make DIY repairs daunting for people. Apple fixed the USB-C accessibility issue in its main flagship models, but has not made the port easier to get to in the “e” models. The company awarded the iPhone 17e a provisional repairability score of 7 out of 10.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and iFixit

  • First MacBook Neo teardown video posted, indicates modular layout, next to no adhesive, and easy repair

    First MacBook Neo teardown video posted, indicates modular layout, next to no adhesive, and easy repair

    The MacBook Neo has arrived and the very first teardown videos of the new notebook have gone live.

    Per MacRumors, a teardown of the unit by Australian YouTube repair channel TECH RE-NU reveals what may be the most modular and repair-friendly Mac laptop in recent times.

    The YouTuber disassembles the Neo in six minutes using standard Torx T3, T5, and T8 drivers, the video showing a clean cable routing design. In order to open the aluminum casing, eight bottom screws are loosened, similar to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Once inside, a tiny motherboard is removed, the board itself surrounded by a stripped-down internal layout with minimal parts and no hinge covers.

    The battery itself is secured by no less than 18 screws and lifts straight out with no stretch-release adhesive tabs or sticky glue to remove. The teardown itself featured zero tape throughout the entire disassembly, which is a first for a modern Mac.

    Inside the case, the two USB-C ports, speakers, and headphone jack are all modular components, so individual components can be swapped out without having to replace larger assemblies. The speakers are connected by four screws each with no adhesive, and the only adhesive found in the machine was a small amount on the trackpad, where a cable connects it to the mainboard.

    While Tech Re-Nu doesn’t completely disassemble the MacBook Neo, it’s indicated that it’s possible to remove the keyboard for repair without having to replace the entire top case, which should come as a welcome relief to veteran Mac techs.

    Please let us know what you think of the MacBook Neo in the comments and stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and TECH RE-NU

  • Technical specifications begin to leak about Apple’s upcoming “MacBook Neo” budget notebook

    Technical specifications begin to leak about Apple’s upcoming “MacBook Neo” budget notebook

    While Apple’s in the middle of its new products sprint this week and has announced six new products over the last few days, the leak community has released its own information regarding Apple’s anticipated buget MacBook.

    Per 9to5Mac and MacRumors, details have been released as to the upcoming MacBook, dubbed the “MacBook Neo,” which won’t be available in a 12-inch size, but will include two USB-C ports as well as a MagSafe charging port.

    Apple already features two USB-C ports and a MagSafe charging port on the M2 MacBook Air and later. This would be a continuation of that choice in terms of ports.

    Other technical details point to the inclusion of Wi-Fi 7 support, but no Apple N1 wireless networking chip.

    It’s thought that the MacBook Neo will feature an A18 Pro chip originally designed to power the iPhone 16 Pro, although Apple could opt for the A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone 17 Pro.

    An official announcement is expected via the media experience slated to start at 9 am ET from New York City.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and MacRumors

  • Apple announces iPhone 17e handset, adds A19 chip, MagSafe charging, other internal features over the iPhone 16e

    Apple announces iPhone 17e handset, adds A19 chip, MagSafe charging, other internal features over the iPhone 16e

    As anticipated, Apple announced its new iPhone 17e handset on Monday. Just one year after the introduction of the iPhone 16e, the device enters the market for users on a budget.

    Per AppleInsider, the new model adds moderate upgrades, with the overall design remaining unchanged and the device retailing a 6.1-inch OLED screen. The overall design is also unchanged, with flat sides, the Action Button, and a single camera on the back sans bump as before. However, the main changes are internal.

    The iPhone 17e offers an A19 processor, matching the chip used in the base version of the iPhone 17. The A19 chip itself offers two performance cores and four efficiency cores for the CPU, while the GPU has four cores. This is one GPU down from the five-core version in the iPhone 17’s version, but the Neural Accelerators added to each GPU core will give a significant boost to machine learning tasks.

    The handset now offers the C1X cellular modem, which doesn’t support mmWave, but is an improved version of Apple’s C1 modem, which is also capable of features such as Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via Satellite are. Other new features include MagSafe charging, which was missing from the iPhone 16e, despite its inclusion of Qi wireless charging support. The handset will work with MagSafe charging accessories, and will work at up to 15W, up from 7.5W support.

    The iPhone 17e offers a single camera, as seen in the previous model, and sports a 48MP Fusion Camera with Deep Fusion computational photography, Portrait Mode with Portrait Lighting, Photographic Styles, Night Mode, and a 10x digital zoom. Video capabilities extend to 4K Dolby Vision at 60fps, 1080p Slo-mo at 240fps, Cinematic Stabilization, and a 6x digital zoom.

    The battery life is cited at 26 hours of video playback, 21 hours when streamed, and up to 90 hours of audio playback and the iPhone 17e continues to be made available in a choice of Black and White finishes, plus a new soft pink.

    Pre-orders begin on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, and the iPhone 17e will be shipping from March 11, 2026. The iPhone 17e starts from $599 for the base 256GB model, and $799 for 512GB.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Apple