O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: Max

  • Rumor: Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro models to incorporate under-screen Face ID system, other new features

    Rumor: Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro models to incorporate under-screen Face ID system, other new features

    If this leak is even partially correct, there’s some interesting stuff en route for the iPhone 18 Pro models this year.

    Per MacRumors, Digital Chat Station has posted a new series of potential specs for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Pro Max handsets on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. The leak indicates that the units will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but will also feature a breakthrough new feature in the form of under-screen Face ID.

    This jibes with a previously published report from December in which The Information stated that the handsets would be equipped with an under-screen Face ID system. The publication also stated that the front camera would be moved to the top-left corner of the screen on the devices. As a result, the report said the devices would no longer have a pill-shaped cutout in the screen.

    Should the under-screen Face ID system surface this year, it’s unknown as to whether the iPhone 18 Pro models would offer a Dynamic Island feature, which could still be used for notifications such as low battery alerts and Live Activities.

    Where the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 handsets are concerned, Digital Chat Station stated they expect those devices to have a Dynamic Island, and the same 6.3-inch and 6.5-inch display sizes as the equivalent previous-generation models, respectively.

    Here is what the leaker expects on a model-by-model basis:

    • iPhone 18: 6.3-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and Dynamic Island
    • iPhone Air 2: 6.5-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and Dynamic Island
    • iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and under-screen Face ID
    • iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and under-screen Face ID

    Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in the typical September timeframe this year, but rumors suggest the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone Air 2 will not launch until around March 2027.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors, Weibo, and The Information

  • Some iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max users report strange static/hissing noises when charging

    Some iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max users report strange static/hissing noises when charging

    This is a bit odd, and maybe a firmware update could resolve the issue with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max’s audio and the strange hissing noise that’s surfaced.

    Users have stated that the issue surfaces when they’ve been playing audio or turned the volume down, while others say the static is audible without anything playing from the speakers. In some cases, there is a low crackle or a hiss when scrolling through webpages when the ‌iPhone‌ is charging, and some people hear the noise at low volumes even when the ‌iPhone‌ isn’t on a charger.

    The affected users noted that the noise can be heard while using chargers of all types, including Apple’s official units. MagSafe charging also seems to trigger the issue as well, although users reported that the static noise was quieter in these instances. Unplugging the ‌iPhone‌ from the charger eliminates the sound for users who are experiencing the static noise when charging.

    Some ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ users have exchanged their devices for new ones, but have run into the same issue.

    One Reddit user who was in contact with Apple’s support personnel stated that the issue has been forwarded to Apple’s engineers, and that Apple is apparently working on a fix. To date, the iOS updates that have been released so far do not appear to solve the problem. The sound is subtle, according to most reports, so it may be a widespread issue that only those sensitive to the noise have noticed.

    If you’ve seen this issue on your end, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via MacRumors, Reddit, and discussions.apple.com

  • Rumor: Debug kit leaks hint at possible iMac Pro featuring the M5 Max chip

    Rumor: Debug kit leaks hint at possible iMac Pro featuring the M5 Max chip

    The iMac Pro may be returning in a big way.

    According to leak posts on Chinese social media websites Weibo and Bilibili over the past week, Apple is thought to be developing a high-end iMac featuring the M5 Max chip. The finding comes from leaked kernel debug kit files used by Apple engineers. These kits, which are used for kernel debugging, enumerate unreleased Apple hardware by internal identifiers, such as codenames and platform names, and can also include separate references that map the products to chip codenames and marketing names.

    The software contains references to an ‌iMac‌ with the identifier J833c running on platform H17C. H17C is associated with the codename “Sotra C,” which relates to the expected marketing name “M5 Max.” This suggests that an ‌iMac‌ with the M5 Max chip is in active testing.

    The leaks refer to several devices believed to be used exclusively for internal testing, such as iPad minis running tvOS and MacBooks with the A15 chip, so there is a chance that the M5 Max ‌iMac‌ is used for testing only. Apple is expected to be introducing its M5 Max Chip in 2026, and there have been rumors about Apple reintroducing the high-end “Pro” iMac for several years now. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has posited that Apple was still “working on a larger-screened ‌iMac‌ aimed at the professional market” following the launch of the Apple silicon ‌iMac‌. This rumor was also supported by noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

    The kernel debug kit has also mentioned several additional Mac configurations, such as 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro notebooks with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M6 chip, and 14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with the M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. Other products mentioned include 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, Mac mini models with the M5 and M5 Pro chips, and new Mac Studio models with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. Finally, the leak also lists a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, which is thought to be an all-new, budget model.

    As always, stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors

  • Rumor: Apple may use Intel to help produce lower-end M7 chips in the United States beginning in 2027

    Rumor: Apple may use Intel to help produce lower-end M7 chips in the United States beginning in 2027

    After years of strife, Intel could see its chip foundries once again making Apple chips as soon as 2027.

    Per AppleInsider and industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the lower-end M7 Apple Silicon chip could be produced in the United States come 2027.

    Until now, all M-series chips used in Macs and iPads have been built by TSMC at its factories in China and elsewhere. Kuo’s post suggests that Apple will have TSMC build its entry-level M-series chips at its U.S.-based factories from 2027. The rest of Apple’s chips will continue to be provided by TSMC. The post also noted that Apple has already been discussing its manufacturing technologies and their suitability for M-series production.

    The report goes on to say that simulation and research projects have so far proven successful. Apple is now reportedly waiting for Intel to get its technological ducks in a row to use its 18AP node around the middle of 2027.

    It’s thought that Intel-built M7 chips could likely be used in iPads and MacBooks in roughly two years. Kuo’s report also notes that the upper end of the line, such as the Pro and Max chips, will stay with TSMC.

    The M7 chips are thought to remain based on the ARM architecture, as all M-series chips have been since their introduction. Intel, in turn, while producing them, will not use its x86 hardware that Apple famously transitioned away from in 2020.

    As for why Apple would want to have Intel manufacture its chips again, Kuo has posited two key reasons:

    The first is a continued effort by Apple to diversify its supply chain. Apple has sought to avoid a heavy reliance on single companies and Chinese factories in particular since the COVID-19 pandemic caused mayhem in its supply chain. By adding Intel as a source of Mac and iPad chips, the company diversifies its production.

    The second reason is political, wherein Apple sees using Intel’s U.S.-based factories as a way to appease United States President Donald Trump. Trump has long sought to push companies to bring manufacturing back to the States, something Apple has struggled to do.

    Appeasing the Trump administration could be seen as a way to earn preferential treatment, especially in the wake of tariffs, which have caused economic uncertainty around global manufacturing.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and @mingchikuo

  • Apple to include at least three new features with macOS Tahoe 26.2 update

    Apple to include at least three new features with macOS Tahoe 26.2 update

    Apple’s macOS Tahoe 26.2 operating system update is currently in beta testing, but is reported to bring the following three new features to the Mac:

    1. Edge Light for video calls: This functions as a video effect that essentially aims to replicate the experience of using a ring light while on video calls. It adds a virtual light around the edges of your Mac display to illuminate your face if you’re in a dark room. The feature uses the Neural Engine in your Mac, and the Edge Light function can detect your face, size, and where you’re located in the frame to ensure accurate lighting. The Image Signal Processor, meanwhile, is able to fine-tune the light to precisely adjust the brightness of Edge Light to match your exact environment. Edge Light can be turned on and off manually to your liking, and anyone with a 2024 Mac or newer can also have it activate automatically in dimmer environments. Finally, Edge Light requires an Apple Silicon-based Mac, so anything with an M1 chip or later will suffice. The feature can also work with external cameras and the Apple Studio Display.

    2. Thunderbolt 5-powered Mac Clusters: While Apple is rumored to have no plans to ship an updated Mac Pro, the company seems to be working towards a cluster computing idea:

    Per Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar:

    “Apple is introducing a new low-latency feature that lets you connect several Macs together using Thunderbolt 5. For developers and researchers, it’s a potentially useful way to create powerful AI supercomputers that can run massive local models. That allows four Mac Studios, which can each run up to 512GB of unified memory, to run the 1 trillion parameter Kimi-K2-Thinking model far more efficiently than PCs with power-hungry GPUs.

    While we’ve seen Thunderbolt Mac clusters before, they were limited by slower Thunderbolt speeds, especially if they required a hub (which could reduce speeds to 10 Gb/s). Apple’s new feature allows for the full Thunderbolt 5 connectivity of up to 80Gb/s. The clustering capability also isn’t just limited to the pricey Mac Studio, it will also work with the M4 Pro Mac mini and M4 Pro/Max MacBook Pro. Developers won’t need any special hardware to build clusters, just standard Thunderbolt 5 cables and compatible Macs.”

    Engadget also noted that macOS Tahoe 26.2 provides MLX (Apple’s machine learning framework) full access to the M5 chip’s new neural accelerators. That should make the upcoming M5 Ultra Mac Studio a powerhouse for AI tasks.

    3. Urgent reminders: This allows for a reminder to be created with a due time, which is then marked as “Urgent.” The reminder can use a simple toggle n the details view that will trigger an alarm on your iPhone or iPad when the time comes. You’ll then be able to snooze it for nine minutes or mark it complete.

    There may be more additional features to be seen with the release of macOS Tahoe 26.2, so stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and Engadget