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A Metropolitan Police crackdown on phone snatching in London has seen 230 people arrested and more than 1,000 phones recovered in the space of just one week.

The police service also reported that a gang found guilty of handling more than 5,000 stolen phones have been sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison …

Multiple security flaws have been found in the DeepSeek iOS app, which is still one of the most popular downloads in the App Store after topping the charts when it first launched.

The latest findings are far worse than the previous security failure which exposed chat history and other sensitive information in a database requiring no authentication …

It’s being reported that the British government secretly ordered Apple to create a security backdoor into all content uploaded by iCloud users anywhere in the world.

Apple is certain to refuse the demand, leading to the possibility of a similar privacy stand-off to the one seen between the iPhone maker and the FBI back in the San Bernardino shooter case …

The Chinese AI chatbot “DeepSeek” has caused a lot of controversy in recent weeks. Although DeepSeek was launched in 2023, it became popular after the introduction of the “R1” model, which performs just as well as its competitors while using fewer resources. However, the Chinese AI may soon be banned in the US – with fines and imprisonment for those who use it.

Bloomberg has just reported that Apple is gearing up to launch the new iPhone SE 4 very soon, perhaps as soon as next week. In the same report, Mark Gurman also revealed that iPad Air and MacBook Air stocks in Apple Stores around the world have been “dwindling,” which could be a hint at more new products coming soon.

Mistral, a French company specializing in AI tools, has just launched a native app for its chatbot “Le Chat” for iOS. While previously the tool was only available through the web, iPhone and iPad users can now download the app for a better experience.

After years of rumors, Apple appears to finally be preparing to release the redesigned iPhone SE 4. Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg that the new entry level iPhone could be announced as early as next week:

Apple has announced tax and price updates for the App Store and other digital storefronts in various markets, with some changes taking effect immediately. Some changes are scheduled to start in the coming weeks and months.

Long before Sonos got in the business of shipping cursed apps, the connected audio company had dreams of releasing a MagSafe speaker for iPhone.

Severance is one of the biggest Apple TV+ hits, yet it took almost three years for its season 2 return. Ben Stiller, one of the major creative forces on the show, says that shouldn’t happen again as season 3 is already ‘underway.’

This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: Apple’s M5 chip is coming with AI enhancements, Tim Cook teases the iPhone roadmap, and Vision Pro’s expanding game support. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.

Apple’s Messages app has a lot of great features, including the recent iOS 18 additions and Genmoji. But one thing that’s sorely missing: good tools for tracking your unanswered messages. The new Mac app RPLY seeks to solve that problem with AI.

Leaks have indicated Apple has an internal robotics team working on building new home products. But now, via a recently published video, Apple has actually offered its own glimpse into what our robot future could look like.

Benjamin and Chance review the newly-launched Apple Invites app and despite how well made the app is, debate whether anyone will actually use it. Also, AltStore makes headlines about hosting the first ‘Apple approved’ NSFW app, Apple reportedly cancels another AR hardware initiative and TikTok spreads fake news about the iOS 18.3 support for T-Mobile Starlink service.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin and Chance bemoan the lack of advancement in CarPlay in recent years, and suggest a few easy wins Apple could add to the platform. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Apple’s Passwords app debuted in iOS 18 as a one-stop hub for all your password needs. But the app also, interestingly, has a feature that can replace one of Apple’s best existing Wi-Fi tools.

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Lost luggage can be a nightmare, but AirTags make the process of finding that luggage much simpler. And thanks to the new Find My feature introduced in iOS 18.2, you can now share your luggage’s location with airlines. Today, Virgin Atlantic has announced it now supports the new AirTag feature. Here’s how that works.

Apple is starting to feel some impact from the new U.S. administration’s shifting priorities in the global landscape, especially around economic issues like tariffs. Here are the two major threats Apple is facing, and why investors don’t actually seem to be worried.

Leica is known for making absolutely beautiful, minimalist cameras and jaw-droppingly great lenses with pricing in the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” range.

There’s no doubt that the newly-launched Leica LUX grip for iPhone ticks the beautiful box – but also the Leica pricing one …

If 27-inch 5K displays aren’t your thing, BenQ’s 32-inch 4K monitor is a fun option I’ve been testing and loving. The BenQ RD320UA 32-inch Ergo Arm Programming Monitor with MoonHalo is designed to maximize comfort during long coding (or writing) sessions.

Consumer electronics from China are getting more expensive for both consumers and businesses, as Trump’s 10% import tariffs take effect. Additionally, removal of a small-value exemption on existing tariffs means some products are now subject to import taxes as high as 45%.

Courier companies are also applying their own collection fees on top of the tariffs, further increasing costs – and some companies are pausing imports while they figure out what to do …