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If Alexa+ is this bad, maybe we shouldn’t be too impatient for new Siri

If Alexa+ is this bad, maybe we shouldn’t be too impatient for new Siri | Image shows a promo graphic for the new Alexa on the Echo Show 15

Attitudes to the hugely delayed launch of the new Siri seemed to be split between frustration and resignation. Apple promoted the more intelligent voice assistant in a deleted video ad for the iPhone 16, but it appears it may officially launch alongside the iPhone 18.

Amazon’s Alexa+ service initially looked to be well ahead of Apple, but it too was delayed – and also appears to be failing to deliver on its promises …

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These clever new manufacturing processes are good for both Apple and the environment

Two clever new manufacturing processes are good for both Apple and the environment | Purely illustrative stock photo of a CNC machine

Apple hardware design lead Molly Anderson said that the company started from scratch when it came to the process for manufacturing the new MacBook Neo, resulting in far more efficient use of materials.

The company is also reportedly looking to adopt an extremely challenging manufacturing technique for the aluminum chassis of future iPhones and Apple Watch models …

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Cosmic Orange is the new black, as competitors copy the color

Cosmic Orange is the new black, as competitors copy the color | Hotwav A17 Pro Max shown

The Cosmic Orange color Apple offered for the iPhone 17 Pro proved hugely popular, and was credited with helping the company hit record iPhone sales last year.

It seems the company’s competitors were paying close attention, several of them adopting a very similar color tone for their latest Android smartphones – with the above one of the more blatant clones …

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MacBook Ultra? Apple still expected to release an even bigger MacBook Pro update this year

M4 MacBook Pro

This week, Apple unveiled MacBook Pro models that run on the newly announced M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. The new Macs are available for pre-order now and hit stores on Wednesday, March 11. For that reason, it may come as a surprise that Apple is still expected to release an even bigger MacBook Pro update — possibly a MacBook Ultra — in 2026.

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Apple planning new 3D-printed aluminum chassis for iPhone and Apple Watch: report

With the Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple introduced a new 3D-printing manufacturing process for the titanium shell – allowing the company to save on raw materials, improve on cost, and use 100% recycled titanium powder. The company also uses 3D printing for the titanium version of the Apple Watch Series 11, as well as the USB-C port on iPhone Air.

Now, the company is looking to expand that process to aluminum – allowing most Apple Watch shells to be 3D printed. Further ahead, it may even come to the iPhone, per Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter.

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Apple’s upcoming Mac desktops may cost more, but not for the reason you might think

This week, Apple unveiled a plethora of new Macs with M5 chips – and it revealed an interesting new trend. More base storage, but at slightly higher prices. This impacted the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

At the moment, M4 versions of the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and iMac still remain with their old pricing lineup – but that’s likely to change with the M5 lineup.

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Indie App Spotlight: ‘Weather mini’ packs trip forecasts and more in a beautiful design

Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.


Weather mini is a nicely designed weather app for the entire Apple ecosystem that adds a couple key features that Apple Weather misses. You can plan out trips, chat with the on-device Apple Intelligence model for forecasts, and it even includes a fully featured Apple Watch app.

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9to5Mac Overtime 062: MacBook Neo lets the iPad be an iPad

Episode 062: First thoughts on MacBook Neo, including advantages, compromises, and how it fits into the Apple ecosystem. Fernando and Jeff argue that the MacBook Neo could be the best budget laptop of all time.

9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts and our YouTube channel for more.

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Hands-on: This Magsafe battery has one feature I’ve been looking for [Video]

I have been on the search for a thin MagSafe battery for years. I’ve tested dozens of these battery packs, and some have been fantastic, but they all share the same compromise, which is bulk. This year’s iPhone Air made me want a thin MagSafe battery solution even more. So when I saw that BMX released their SolidSafe Air, with a 5,000 mAh capacity and a thickness of less than 6.8mm, I knew I needed to give this one a shot. After spending a little over a week with it, here is what you need to know.

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Apple @ Work: ABMate gives Apple Business Manager the native Mac app it deserves

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage, and protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.

Apple Business Manager (and Apple School Manager) is the source of truth for Apple device management. If a device isn’t in ABM, it doesn’t really exist for your fleet is concerned. While the web portal has improved over the years, it is still a web portal. It generally takes me longer to log in, approve 2FA, etc., than it does to actually search. This is why I was excited to come across ABMate recently.

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