The European Commission yesterday adopted new exemptions to its Batteries Regulation that free the Apple Watch and AirPods from having to offer user-removable and replaceable batteries.
[…]
The reasoning largely mirrors why devices like electric toothbrushes were already exempt: Opening a compact, sealed enclosure and failing to reseal it properly could let water in and create a safety risk. Products can also qualify for exemption if their construction makes battery removal inherently dangerous, or if there is no realistic way to build in user access given current manufacturing methods.
[…]
The iPhone was already exempt from the removability rule under the original regulation, thanks to its battery cycle life and water resistance rating.
This is one of those exceedingly rare cases where EU legislation has produced an unambiguously good outcome: from February 2027, Logitech’s European wireless devices will ship with hard-pack, user-replaceable batteries, and Logitech will sell certified replacements.
Apple plans to raise the prices of its products as the cost of the memory chips it uses has surged, the technology giant’s boss has said.
Tim Cook, Apple’s outgoing chief executive, told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that price increases were “unavoidable” as the situation around memory chips had become “unsustainable”.
During its holiday quarter, Apple’s profit margin on hardware was 40.7%; in its most recent quarter, that dropped to 38.7% — a remarkable figure for physical products. It is these high margins that led to analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo to claim Apple would keep prices more-or-less stable and offset the additional costs through its even higher-margin — 76.7% — services business.
Winkler suggests in his summary that Apple has absorbed the cost increases so far because it has always treated memory and storage upgrades as profit centers. That’s no surprise to the Apple community, which has long chafed at Apple’s premium prices for memory and storage. But now, for instance, the price of standalone internal flash storage is closer to and sometimes even higher than Apple’s upgrade prices.
[…]
Obviously, Apple could absorb such costs and more if it were to accept dramatically lower gross margins. But as high-minded and customer-focused as Apple is, the company is still in business to maximize profit.
I was recently looking to add another SSD and a few hard drives to my setup. Normally, prices go down over time, but currently it SSDs are about double the price I paid last year, and large hard drives are almost triple.
Apple, to my recollection, has never before issued a warning about price increases. Keep in mind that Apple deals with prices in a very different way from its competitors. For Apple, prices are part of a product’s brand, so they don’t fluctuate with component costs.
Apple has raised prices across the board for many of its products today. MacBook Neo now starts at $699 (up from $599), while MacBook Air now starts at $1299 (up from $1099). Other impacted products include MacBook Pro, iPad, iPad Air, and many more.
iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods pricing is unchanged.
Earlier this week, I outlined three reasons for agreeing with Mark Gurman that the Apple price increases could be imminent, and that indeed proved to be the case.
iPhones have escaped the increases, but they are otherwise both broad-reaching and pretty dramatic. But perhaps the most surprising thing is that the MacBook Neo has been included …
Apple today increased the starting price of the Mac mini with M4 Pro chip by $200, taking the higher-tier model up to $1,599 on its online store.
[…]
Apple had already raised the Mac mini’s effective starting price in May by discontinuing the $599 configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, leaving the $799 model with a 512GB SSD as the new entry-level option. Interestingly, the 16GB RAM / 256GB storage option has now been reinstated, but the $799 starting price remains.
Pre-announce it with a small delay, thus giving you a temporary sales boost as people scramble to get their orders in at current prices, and to soften the blow when the increases hit.
I also can’t help but see that “we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac,” statement as implying more increases are coming. The iPhone price increase seems inevitable, and my money is on it starting with the new models in September.
Micron CEO, president and chairman Sanjay Mehrotra explained the SCAs in prepared remarks delivered during the company’s Q3 earnings call. He explained that Micron has signed 16 SCAs, most of them covering 2026 to 2030, and that they involve a commitment to buy a certain quantity of product and pay for it in a pricing band that has a floor and a ceiling price. The floor price covers the historically high gross margins mentioned above, and the ceiling price means those who commit to an SCA are insulated if memory prices go even higher.
Micron’s chief business officer has hinted, without calling it out by name, that Apple’s tough supplier negotiations contributed to the conditions behind the global memory shortage.
For years, Apple has been able to dominate and dictate to their suppliers thanks to their scale. But the Asian operations which Tim Cook so famously set up, have been upended, like most everything else, by AI. From TSMC on down, Apple is no longer the customer dictating terms for the entire industry, it’s now the company which has taken over the mantle as the most valuable one in the world: NVIDIA.
Here’s a table with most of the base models whose prices increased[…]
[…]
iPad prices mostly went up 20–25%, but the hardest hit was the no-adjective base model, which rose almost 30%, from $350 to $450. That’s a big increase for a product meant to appeal to buyers for whom price is obviously their biggest concern.
Anyone who purchased a MacBook Neo for $600 (or $500 with education discount) between March and this morning purchased the lowest-price MacBook Apple has ever sold — and perhaps the lowest-price MacBook they ever will sell.
The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly. We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.
[…]
Apple indicating that it needs to “begin” raising prices suggests that additional price increases might occur later.
“and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”
I find this to be the most confusing part. Do we believe this to be a genuine effort? Even if so, how would a “solution” actually work? Would they actually lower prices if a solution were to be found?
They also just said they “will continue working” on bringing Siri AI to the EU right before saying in a different venue that they’d stopped working on it.
But even setting aside the prices of competing devices, it just feels wrong to hike prices this much for four-year-old hardware running five-year-old pre-AI silicon. The higher-end model’s price went up 67 percent!
The only way this makes sense is if these prices are really meant for the upcoming new hardware, and those new models are more ambitious home hubs that warrant $200–250 prices.
The Financial Times reports that Apple is seeking clearance from the Trump administration to purchase memory chips from a blacklisted Chinese company. The move would help it meet demand for product manufacturing during the ongoing global memory supply shortage.
Perhaps this is the “working tirelessly” that Apple was referring to.
Apple previously sought permission from the Biden administration to do the same thing back in 2022, and that did not go well – despite promising to use the chips only for iPhones sold in China …
Something happens — outside the company’s control — that causes those essential components to rise in price significantly.
[…]
What you cannot do is hold a philosophically consistent logically coherent view where your answer to how a company should respond in such a scenario is contingent on what the “something happens” is that caused component prices to rise.
Maybe—but that’s only relevant if you accept the premise that it was out of Apple’s control. I don’t know the details of the deals, but there’s an argument that the rising costs to Apple are to some extent Apple’s “fault.” If Tim Cook gets credit for helping suppliers expand capacity and locking in contracts for memory at low prices over the past two decades, doesn’t the same logic apply in reverse? The AI-driven shortages were foreseeable—and publicly discussed years ago. If you believe Micron that Apple chose to prioritize its own past numbers rather than securing its future supply, doesn’t that make today’s situation different from, say, a tsunami that unexpectedly wiped out a bunch of factories? I don’t know exactly how the increased costs should be apportioned, but I think the reasons for the costs are relevant, and I don’t think they’re fully exogenous.
But while tech giants like Apple
and Microsoft, which both announced price hikes this week, have a hefty cash cushion, supply chain leverage and customers numbering in the millions or billions, a much wider swath of businesses face potentially dire straits. Most consumer electronics companies have little margin to spare and can’t confidently raise prices in an economy already grappling with inflationary pressures.
GoPro, the struggling maker of action cameras, warned this month that it might go out of business after memory costs shot up between 80% and 115% at the end of the first quarter. And shares of speaker maker Sonos
are down 23% this year as memory prices pressure margins.
Durante operação realizada ontem, a Polícia Rodoviária Federal (PRF) apreendeu uma carga de eletrônicos na BR-116, em Salgueiro (no sertão pernambucano).
Segundo o próprio órgão, entre os itens apreendidos havia 50 aparelhos celulares — incluindo 24 unidades de iPhones 17 Pro/17 Pro Max — além de iPads (A16), MacBooks Air e Neo, AirPods Pro, caixas de cigarros eletrônicos e outros dispositivos variados.
Divulgação/PRF
As mercadorias foram encontradas no reboque de uma van, desacompanhadas da devida documentação fiscal. Questionado pela PRF sobre a origem e o destino dos aparelhos, o condutor do veículo e seu acompanhante informaram que coletaram os itens em São Paulo e apenas os transportavam, sem ter conhecimento das notas fiscais.
Ambos foram encaminhados à Delegacia de Polícia Federal de Salgueiro para a adoção dos procedimentos legais. Já os produtos apreendidos certamente serão cotados para leilão, em breve.
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Cores: prateado, laranja-cósmico ou azul-intenso Armazenamento: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB ou 2TB
Cores: azul-céu, prateado, estelar ou meia-noite Chip: M5 Memória: 16GB, 24GB ou 32GB Armazenamento: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB ou 4TB Adaptador de energia: USB‑C de 30W, 35W com duas portas ou 70W
Cores: azul-céu, prateado, estelar ou meia-noite Chip: M5 Memória: 16GB, 24GB ou 32GB Armazenamento: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB ou 4TB Adaptador de energia: USB‑C de 30W, 35W com duas portas ou 70W
NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.
Os próximos meses têm tudo para ser extremamente movimentados quando o assunto são novos Macs, com a Apple preparando uma série de atualizações para os MacBooks Pro e Air, duas novas versões do iMac e até mesmo Macs mini e Studio atualizados, segundo informações da Bloomberg.
De acordo com o veículo, a Apple já encerrou o desenvolvimento de um novo MacBook Pro de 14 polegadas, o qual deverá ser um dos primeiros dispositivos a contar com o chip “M6”. De codinome J804, ele deverá contar com o mesmo design do modelo de entrada atual, que vem equipado com o chip M5.
Outro Mac que já estaria prestes a passar por atualizações é o iMac, que deverá ganhar não só uma, mas duas novas versões, sendo que uma delas ainda receberá uma tela OLED 1Organic light-emitting diode, ou diodo emissor de luz orgânico.. Com os codinomes J833 e J834, eles também serão equipados, é claro, com chips mais recentes — embora o modelo com o display mais avançado demore mais tempo para chegar ao mercado do que o primeiro.
E por falar em telas OLED, também teremos novos MacBooks Pro de 14″ e 16″ que, além de contar com essa tecnologia, também deverão ter painéis sensíveis ao toque, inaugurando esse método de interação entre os Macs. Com os codinomes K114 e K116, respectivamente, eles deverão ser lançados entre o fim deste ano e o início de 2027. No momento, eles estão sendo testados pela Apple com uma versão preliminar do macOS Golden Gate 27.1, cujo lançamento é aguardado para outubro próximo.
Ao contrário do modelo de entrada, no entanto, esses seguirão “presos” na família de chips M5, contando com o M5 Pro e o M5 Max dos MacBooks Pro atuais. Novas versões com os chips “M7 Pro” e “M7 Max”, porém, já estão planejadas para algum momento entre o fim de 2027 e o início de 2028.
Por falar no MacBook Pro de entrada, uma versão do modelo com um design completamente novo — baseado nos modelos com OLED — já estaria sendo desenvolvida pela Apple. Ele deverá vir ainda com o chip “M7” e conta com o codinome K104.
Já os MacBooks Air deverão ganhar novos modelos no início do ano que vem. Com os codinomes J913 (modelo de 13″) e J915 (15″), eles seguirão com o design atual. Vale lembrar, no entanto, que modelos com telas OLED já estão no forno há alguns anos e com lançamento previsto para o início de 2028.
Caçula da família, o MacBook Neo, também já conta com uma nova versão no horizonte, a qual deverá contar com o chip A19 Pro e mais memória integrada — provavelmente 12GB, ante aos 8GB do modelo atual.
Por fim, temos os dois desktops mais tradicionais da Apple: o Mac mini e o Mac Studio. Segundo Mark Gurman, o modelo em testes do primeiro usa os chips M5 Pro e “M6”, enquanto o segundo é empurrado pelos processadores M5 Max e “M5 Ultra”. Não há, no entanto, uma previsão de quando esses computadores chegarão ao mercado — cortesia da atual crise no mercado de memórias.
Haja computador novo, hein?! 😮💨
Mac Studio
Chip: M4 Max ou M3 Ultra Memória: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB, 128GB, 256GB ou 512GB Armazenamento: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB ou 16TB
Cores: preto-espacial ou prateado Tela: padrão ou nano-texture Chips: M5 Pro ou M5 Max Memória: 24GB, 36GB, 48GB, 64GB ou 128GB Armazenamento: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB ou 8TB
Cores: preto-espacial ou prateado Tela: padrão ou nano-texture Chips: M5, M5 Pro ou M5 Max Memória: 24GB, 36GB, 48GB, 64GB ou 128GB Armazenamento: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB ou 8TB Adaptador de energia: USB-C de 70W ou 96W
Cores: azul-céu, prateado, estelar ou meia-noite Chip: M5 Memória: 16GB, 24GB ou 32GB Armazenamento: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB ou 4TB Adaptador de energia: USB‑C de 30W, 35W com duas portas ou 70W
Cores: azul-céu, prateado, estelar ou meia-noite Chip: M5 Memória: 16GB, 24GB ou 32GB Armazenamento: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB ou 4TB Adaptador de energia: USB‑C de 30W, 35W com duas portas ou 70W
NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.
Notas de rodapé
1
Organic light-emitting diode, ou diodo emissor de luz orgânico.
Lançado junto com os iPhones 17 e 17 Pro/17 Pro Max, o iPhone Air certamente foi o modelo que roubou as atenções dessa nova safra de smartphones da Apple — mesmo não sendo lá um sucesso de vendas.
Com um design ultrafino de 5,64mm de espessura, ele traz vários recursos poderosos, como o processador A19 Pro (com uma GPU 1Graphics processing unit, ou unidade de processamento gráfico. de 5 núcleos), uma câmera 2-em-1 Fusion de 48 megapixels, o botão de Ação (Action Button) e o Controle da Câmera (Camera Control).
Se levarmos em conta que o preço tabelado desse modelo aqui no Brasil é de R$11.999, estamos diante de um desconto de 38%!
Para quem preferir pagar à vista no Pix, o valor fica ainda melhor: ele cai para R$6.749,10 — também um desconto de 38% em comparação com o valor cobrado pela Apple na mesma modalidade de pagamento, de R$10.799,10.
Para chegar a esses valores, aplique o cupom de desconto que aparece na página do produto.
Todos os descontos de promoções divulgadas pelo MacMagazine são calculados com base nos preços sugeridos pela Apple ou por outras fabricantes. Pode ser que um determinado produto seja comumente encontrado por valores inferiores em redes varejistas, mas a nossa base de comparação é sempre em cima das tabelas oficiais.
Se você não é louco, é claro que gosta de economizar. E, para isso, o MacMagazine tem diversas opções para ajudar você a conseguir comprar o seu produto Apple pagando menos!
NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.
Notas de rodapé
1
Graphics processing unit, ou unidade de processamento gráfico.
A Volvo anunciou que o Apple Music passará a integrar mais de 2 milhões de seus carros por meio de uma atualização remota (over-the-air, ou OTA), oferecendo até três meses grátis do serviço para os veículos compatíveis.
Para resgatar o teste gratuito, é necessário entrar com sua Conta Apple no app Volvo Cars. Tanto para antigos quanto novos assinantes, a oferta de resgate é válida até 6 de julho de 2027.
Alwin Bakkenes, diretor global de engenharia de software da Volvo, comentou a novidade:
Muitos dos nossos clientes já utilizam o Apple Music em seus smartphones ou em casa. Ao levarmos o Apple Music diretamente para nossos carros, transformamos nossos veículos em um lugar extraordinário para vivenciar a música. […] Você sentirá como se estivesse em meio a uma sala de concertos ou a uma arena durante a sua apresentação ao vivo favorita, ou imerso nas músicas mais recentes em Áudio Espacial, exatamente como os artistas pretenderam — uma experiência sonora verdadeiramente emocionante.
Embora o streaming seja compatível com os modelos XC90, S90, V90, XC60, S60, V60, XC40, EX40 e EC40 fabricados a partir de 2020, o Áudio Espacial do Apple Music será exclusivo do EX90, do ES90 e do EX60 (este último chegará ao mercado brasileiro em outubro).
O Apple Music conta com um catálogo de mais de 100 milhões de músicas e 30 mil playlists — muitas delas com suporte a Áudio Espacial (Dolby Atmos) e em altíssima definição, com áudio Lossless. Para quem ama música clássica, há um app dedicado com mais de 5 milhões de faixas, tudo em uma interface simplificada! No Brasil, são três tipos de assinatura: Universitária (R$12,90/mês), Individual (R$23,90/mês) e Familiar (R$40,90/mês). Caso você não seja um assinante, pode testar o serviço de forma gratuita por um mês. Ele também faz parte do pacote de assinaturas da empresa, o Apple One.
NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.
The M5 MacBook Air was updated with a new chip when it was introduced on March 3rd, 2026. Other than that, the new MacBook Air doesn’t seem much different from it’s predecessor. The real changes are under the hood with the M5 chip, changing the paradigm of MacBook Air workflows. Five generations into […]
Apple’s next iPad lineup refresh could begin this fall with a new iPad mini, followed by updates across the rest of the tablet family during 2027. The reported schedule would give Apple a rolling series of launches rather than one event covering every iPad at once.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is preparing replacements for the iPad mini, entry-level iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro. The compact model is expected to arrive first, potentially as early as October, while the remaining tablets would follow over the next several months.
Apple has not announced any of the devices, and release timing can change. The report nevertheless gives prospective buyers a clearer picture of where each current model sits in its cycle. The first update could also bring one of the most requested display improvements to Apple’s smallest tablet.
iPad Lineup Refresh Starts With the Mini
The iPad lineup refresh is expected to begin with the iPad mini, which has received fewer updates than Apple’s larger tablets. The current design remains popular because it offers an 8.3-inch screen in a device small enough to hold comfortably with one hand, place in a small bag or use as a portable reading and note-taking tool.
The next model is reportedly moving to an OLED display. That would give the iPad mini deeper black levels, stronger contrast and more vivid color than its current LCD panel. OLED would be particularly noticeable when reading in dark environments, watching video or working with images.
The new display is expected to measure approximately 8.4 inches without producing a major change to the overall design. Apple may retain a 60Hz refresh rate rather than bringing the 120Hz ProMotion technology used by the iPad Pro. That could disappoint buyers hoping the mini would become a compact Pro model, but OLED alone would represent a visible upgrade.
Reports have also pointed to an A19 Pro chip. That would give the smaller tablet more performance for games, creative apps, Apple Intelligence and longer-term software support. The current iPad mini already occupies an unusual position between a reading device and a compact professional tool. A stronger chip and OLED screen would push it further toward the second category.
Price may become the less attractive part of the update. Apple could raise the starting cost as display and memory expenses increase. Buyers interested mainly in portability may accept a higher price, but the iPad mini would need to avoid moving too close to the iPad Air.
The Entry-Level iPad May Stay Familiar
Apple’s least expensive iPad is expected to receive a more modest update in early 2027. The company reportedly plans to preserve the current design while replacing the processor with a newer chip.
That would fit the role of the entry-level model. Apple uses it for education, families, basic productivity, streaming, games and first-time tablet buyers. A dramatic redesign could increase the cost without improving the tasks most customers use it for.
The processor update could bring Apple Intelligence compatibility, depending on the chip and memory configuration Apple chooses. The current model’s position outside some advanced AI features creates an increasingly visible separation from the rest of the lineup.
A newer chip would also extend the useful life of the device. Entry-level iPads are often kept for several years, passed between family members or deployed in schools and businesses. Long software support can be more valuable in that segment than a thinner body or new camera arrangement.
Anyone considering the current base iPad should decide whether price or longevity has greater value. The current model remains suitable for ordinary use, particularly when discounted. Buyers who want the longest possible support window may prefer to wait.
iPad Air Could Receive the Larger Display Upgrade
The iPad Air is also expected to receive an update in 2027, with OLED display technology reportedly planned for the range. That would narrow one of the most obvious visual differences between the Air and the iPad Pro.
Apple currently positions the Air as the balanced choice: stronger than the entry model, less expensive than the Pro and available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. It supports Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard while offering M-series performance for demanding apps.
An OLED display would make that value proposition more aggressive. The Air could offer improved contrast and image quality without requiring buyers to move to the Pro tier. Apple would still have several ways to distinguish the Pro, including ProMotion, brighter displays, thinner hardware, advanced cameras and newer processors.
The processor is likely to receive another M-series upgrade as well, though the exact chip remains uncertain. For most users, the Air already has far more processing power than routine tablet work demands. The screen may provide the stronger reason to wait.
The risk for Apple is pricing. OLED panels could push the Air upward, especially in the 13-inch configuration. If the gap between Air and Pro becomes too narrow, buyers may move directly to the flagship. Apple will need to preserve a convincing middle tier.
iPad Pro May Focus on Power and Accessories
The next iPad Pro is reportedly planned for spring 2027. Apple may use a new M-series processor while leaving the current thin design largely intact.
That would make the Pro refresh more evolutionary than transformative. The current generation already includes OLED displays, high-end performance, Face ID, ProMotion and support for Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard.
Apple is also reportedly preparing two updated Apple Pencil models. Those accessories could arrive alongside the next iPad Pro, with changes potentially related to battery design and regulatory requirements.
The larger question is what additional processor power will do for the tablet. iPadOS 27 has expanded multitasking and window management, but buyers continue to evaluate the Pro against MacBook models at similar prices. A faster chip alone will not settle that comparison.
Apple may rely more heavily on AI, professional applications and accessory integration to justify the update. The Pro has become a platform for illustration, video editing, music production, 3D work and specialized enterprise apps. New hardware needs to strengthen those uses rather than simply win another benchmark.
Should Buyers Wait?
The answer depends on the model. Prospective iPad mini buyers have the strongest reason to pause because the reported fall update could introduce a substantially better display within months.
Entry-level buyers can still consider the current iPad when pricing is attractive. Its expected replacement appears focused on performance rather than design. Waiting becomes more sensible for anyone who wants Apple Intelligence support or maximum longevity.
The current iPad Air remains a capable option, particularly for users who need a tablet now. OLED would improve the experience, but a 2027 release leaves a longer wait. The same logic applies to the iPad Pro. Its successor may be faster, though the existing model already covers demanding work comfortably.
Apple’s gradual schedule could keep the iPad in the hardware conversation from fall through spring. It also means there will be no single perfect moment when every model is equally new.
The iPad mini may open the cycle because it has the most obvious opportunity for visible improvement. After that, Apple can use the base iPad for reach, the Air for broader OLED adoption and the Pro for its latest silicon and accessories.
The tablet lineup is not expected to change all at once. It may instead evolve model by model, giving buyers repeated reasons to reconsider which iPad fits their needs.
A white spot on iPad screen can appear as a bright patch that remains visible while browsing, watching videos or using apps. It may be small and easy to ignore at first, then become distracting whenever the screen shows a white, gray or lightly colored background.
The spot may come from a temporary software problem, but a fixed bright area is more commonly connected to the display hardware. Pressure inside the iPad, a damaged backlight layer, display separation or an impact can create uneven illumination that no setting can remove.
Before arranging a repair, a few simple checks can reveal whether the spot belongs to the image being displayed or to the physical screen itself.
What Causes a White Spot on iPad Screen?
A white spot on iPad screen is often described as a bright spot, pressure mark or backlight patch. On iPads with LCD displays, light passes through several internal layers before reaching the glass. When one of those layers becomes damaged, separated or compressed, light can concentrate in one area.
The mark may be more visible against pale backgrounds and almost disappear when the screen displays black or dark content. This is different from a dead pixel, which usually appears as a tiny fixed dot rather than a larger cloudy patch.
Pressure is one possible cause. Carrying an iPad in an overloaded bag, placing heavy objects on it or using a tight case can place stress on the display. A drop may also disturb the internal screen layers without cracking the front glass.
Battery swelling can create similar pressure from inside the device. If the screen is lifting from the frame, the iPad feels unusually warm or the body appears bent, stop using it and seek service. A swollen battery should not be pressed back into place or handled as an ordinary screen defect.
The problem can also appear after a display replacement involving a poorly fitted or lower-quality part. Apple notes that nongenuine displays may produce inconsistent brightness, color or touch behavior.
Image Credit:
Check Whether the Spot Is Really on the Display
Begin by opening several different apps. Look at the spot over a white webpage, a gray Settings screen, a dark photo and a full-screen video. A hardware-related mark normally stays in the same physical location regardless of what appears underneath it.
Rotate the iPad. If the content changes orientation but the bright patch remains in the same part of the glass, the display is the likely cause.
Taking a screenshot provides another useful test. A physical screen defect will not normally become part of the screenshot file.
To take a screenshot on an iPad without a Home button:
Top button + either volume button
To take a screenshot on an iPad with a Home button:
Top button + Home button
Open the screenshot on another device or send it to a trusted computer. If the white spot does not appear there, the image generated by iPadOS is normal and the problem is probably inside the display assembly.
If the mark appears in the screenshot, it may belong to an app, image, accessibility setting or software effect rather than the panel.
Restart Before Assuming Hardware Failure
A restart is worth trying because it clears temporary display and system behavior without affecting personal files. It is unlikely to repair physical backlight damage, but it can eliminate a short-lived graphical problem.
To restart an iPad without a Home button:
Press and hold the top button and either volume button > Drag the power slider > Wait approximately 30 seconds > Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears
To restart an iPad with a Home button:
Press and hold the top button > Drag the power slider > Wait approximately 30 seconds > Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears
After restarting, return to the same pale background and check the area again. A spot that remains fixed is unlikely to be caused by a temporary iPadOS issue.
Image Credit: AppleMagazine
Brightness Can Make the Problem More Visible
Lowering brightness may make a bright patch less distracting, but it does not repair the underlying display. The same applies to Dark Mode, Night Shift and Reduce White Point. These settings can change how noticeable the mark becomes without removing it.
To adjust screen brightness:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Brightness
Test the iPad at several brightness levels. A backlight-related spot may become easier to see as brightness increases. Photographing the screen against a plain background at medium and high brightness can also help document the defect before requesting service.
Avoid pressing or rubbing the affected area. Pressure may temporarily change the appearance, but it can damage the display further. Internet advice suggesting that users massage bright spots out of a panel should be ignored.
Check the Case and Screen Protector
Remove any rigid case that appears unusually tight or has been damaged. A poorly fitted case can place uneven pressure around the frame, particularly if the iPad has been dropped while inside it.
A screen protector normally cannot create a true illuminated patch beneath the display. It can, however, produce bubbles, trapped moisture or reflective marks that resemble a screen defect. Examine the iPad with the display turned off. If the mark is visible on the surface even when the screen is black, the protector or glass may be involved.
Do not remove a properly installed protector solely as an experiment unless the mark clearly appears close to its surface. A bright patch visible only while the display is illuminated usually comes from deeper inside the screen.
When the iPad Needs Repair
A persistent white spot generally requires display service when it remains after restarting and does not appear in screenshots. There is no iPadOS setting that can realign a damaged diffuser, remove internal pressure or repair separated display layers.
Back up the iPad before service so photos, documents and app data remain protected.
To create an iCloud backup:
Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now
Apple can inspect the device and determine whether the defect qualifies for warranty coverage, AppleCare service or paid repair. Coverage depends on the device, purchase date, condition and whether the problem resulted from accidental damage.
To check coverage:
Settings > General > AppleCare & Warranty
Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider may replace the display assembly or the iPad, depending on the model and available service process. The final repair estimate normally requires inspection.
Image Credit: AppleMagazine
Do Not Ignore Physical Changes
A stable white spot that has not changed for months may remain only a visual annoyance. A spot that is expanding, accompanied by screen lifting or followed by unusual heat needs faster attention.
Stop using the device if the display separates from the enclosure, the iPad becomes visibly swollen or pressure marks spread across the panel. Do not puncture the device, force the display closed or continue charging it unattended.
For an ordinary fixed bright patch, the practical path is simpler: confirm it does not appear in screenshots, restart the iPad, remove any case applying pressure and arrange display service if the mark remains.
A white spot on iPad screen rarely affects the information stored on the device, but it can indicate physical damage that software cannot correct. A brief check can rule out the easy causes. After that, repair is usually more effective than repeatedly changing display settings and hoping the light disappears.
AppleCare+ pricing has gone up for new Mac and iPad customers, adding another small cost increase to the Apple ownership equation. According to Bloomberg, Apple has raised monthly and annual AppleCare+ rates for new Mac and iPad plans, with the change applying to new coverage rather than existing plans already active on customer devices.
The increase is modest on paper. Reports indicate Apple has raised monthly AppleCare+ rates by 50 cents and annual plans by $5 for affected Mac and iPad products. For example, AppleCare+ for the 13-inch MacBook Air is now listed at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year, up from $7.49 per month and $74.99 per year. The Mac mini now starts at $4.49 per month or $44.99 per year, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro costs $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year.
The numbers are not dramatic alone. The context is harder for buyers. Mac and iPad prices have already been under pressure from component costs, financing changes and longer upgrade cycles. AppleCare+ is optional, but for many customers buying expensive laptops and tablets, it is part of the real purchase price.
AppleCare+ Pricing Adds to the Ownership Cost
AppleCare+ pricing is one of those costs many buyers do not fully consider until checkout. The device price gets attention first. Then come storage upgrades, cellular connectivity, keyboard accessories, Apple Pencil, taxes, financing, software subscriptions and protection coverage.
For a MacBook Air, an extra 50 cents per month may not change the decision. For a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro or a family buying multiple devices, the increases add up over time. Annual plans rising by $5 also signal that Apple is comfortable nudging protection costs higher even when the change is small enough to avoid a major backlash.
AppleCare+ remains valuable for users who carry devices daily or depend on them for work. Macs and iPads are portable, expensive and often used in places where accidents happen: classrooms, coffee shops, airports, offices, studios, kitchens and family rooms. A cracked iPad screen or damaged MacBook display can be expensive without coverage.
Apple’s pitch is convenience as much as insurance. AppleCare+ includes priority support, battery service when capacity drops below Apple’s threshold, and reduced service fees for accidental damage. For iPad, AppleCare+ can also cover Apple-branded keyboard accessories and Apple Pencil damage under service-fee terms.
That makes the plan attractive. It also makes the higher price easier for Apple to defend.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
New Customers Feel the Change First
The latest increase applies to new Mac and iPad AppleCare+ customers. Existing customers with active plans are not the immediate target of the reported change. That distinction helps Apple avoid angering subscribers who already signed up at previous rates, while still lifting revenue from new device buyers.
This approach fits Apple’s broader shift toward recurring coverage. Apple has been moving AppleCare+ further into monthly and annual subscription-style plans, with AppleCare One offering a bundled option for multiple products. The protection plan is no longer only a one-time add-on at purchase. It is increasingly part of Apple’s services layer.
That matters because Apple’s services business depends on recurring payments. AppleCare+ may not get the same attention as iCloud, Apple Music or Apple TV, but it is another way Apple extends the customer relationship beyond the hardware sale. A Mac or iPad purchase becomes not only a device transaction, but also a support and repair subscription.
The price increase strengthens that pattern. A small rise across a large base of new buyers can support services revenue without changing the product lineup.
Mac Buyers Should Compare Plans
Mac buyers now have more reason to compare AppleCare+ options before adding coverage. Apple’s Mac plans vary by model because repair risk and device cost vary. A Mac mini plan starts lower because the device is stationary and less likely to face drops or screen damage. A 16-inch MacBook Pro costs more because it is a high-value portable machine with expensive components.
For a buyer choosing a MacBook Air, AppleCare+ may be easier to justify if the laptop travels daily. Students, journalists, consultants, photographers, editors and business travelers are more exposed to accidental damage than someone who leaves a Mac mini on a desk.
For MacBook Pro buyers, the decision often depends on work dependency. If the Mac is the primary income tool, AppleCare+ can be less about repair math and more about reducing downtime. Access to Apple support and lower repair costs can be worth the subscription if the device is central to daily work.
Still, users should compare the plan cost with their own risk. A careful desktop Mac user may not need the same coverage as a frequent traveler. AppleCare+ is useful, but it should not be automatic for every buyer.
iPad Buyers Face a Different Calculation
iPad AppleCare+ has its own logic because iPads are more physically exposed than Macs in many homes. They are passed between family members, used by children, carried around the house, taken to school, placed in bags and paired with accessories that raise the total cost of ownership.
For iPad Pro and iPad Air buyers, AppleCare+ can make sense because screen repairs and accessory damage can be costly. Apple’s current AppleCare+ terms for iPad include service fees for screen damage, other accidental damage and covered accessories. That can make the plan appealing for users who buy Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil Pro or a high-end iPad Pro.
The decision becomes more complicated for entry-level iPad buyers. A lower-cost iPad may not justify years of coverage for every user, especially if it stays mostly at home. Families, however, may see the protection differently. An iPad used by children faces more risk than a laptop used carefully by one adult.
The new pricing does not change the core question. It makes the answer slightly more expensive.
AppleCare Products | Warranty Check
AppleCare One Becomes More Relevant
AppleCare One gives Apple another way to soften individual plan increases. The bundle starts at $19.99 per month for up to three eligible products, with additional devices available for $5.99 per month each. It includes AppleCare+ benefits and adds theft and loss coverage for eligible iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch products.
For users with only one Mac or one iPad, AppleCare One may not be the best fit. For users with multiple devices, it can become more attractive as individual plans rise. A person with an iPhone, iPad and Mac may compare three separate AppleCare+ plans against the bundle and find the monthly difference easier to justify.
That is likely part of the strategy. Apple can raise individual plan prices modestly while giving heavier ecosystem users a bundled option. The company has used similar logic across services with Apple One, where the value increases as users subscribe to more Apple products.
The same principle now applies to protection. The deeper a customer is inside Apple’s hardware ecosystem, the easier it becomes to turn support coverage into a monthly bundle.
Small Increase, Larger Signal
AppleCare+ pricing increases may be small, but they arrive during a period when Apple is asking customers to absorb more costs across the ecosystem. Device prices, component pressure, cellular financing, AI hardware demands and service subscriptions all affect the total ownership picture.
The AppleCare+ change fits that pattern. Apple is not dramatically changing the service. It is raising the price slightly while keeping the value proposition intact: lower repair costs, battery service, accidental damage coverage and Apple support.
For buyers, the best response is not panic. It is math. Compare the plan price with the device cost, repair risk, usage pattern and whether multiple Apple products would make AppleCare One more efficient. Someone buying a MacBook Pro for travel may want the protection. Someone buying a Mac mini for a desk may not. A family iPad may be a stronger candidate than a carefully handled personal tablet.
AppleCare+ remains a useful safety net. It is just a slightly more expensive one for new Mac and iPad buyers, and that makes the real cost of the device a little higher than the number on the product page.
I can’t recall the last time I was truly excited about a mouse. I primarily use a trackpad whether I’m at my desk or using a laptop. The trouble with a trackpad-only setup, though, is that I sometimes wind up with wrist and elbow pain. That’s why I keep a Logitech MX Master 4 mouse on my desk to balance out the stress on my arms.
But that only works if I’m at my desk. More and more, I’ve been turning to a MacBook Pro for working away from my desk at home or elsewhere. Those locations are always less ergonomic than sitting at my desk, causing wrist and elbow pain more quickly. Still, I’ve never made it a habit to bring a mouse with me, especially when I’m away from home, because it’s more than I want to carry – that is, until Logitech’s latest mouse, the Mobi Fold, came along.
The Logitech Mobi Fold is an impossibly small mouse that folds completely in half, reducing its footprint to about ⅓ the size of my iPhone 17 Pro Max and about twice its thickness. Unfolded, it’s close to the length of the MX Master 4 but narrower. The Mobi Fold is impressively full-featured, too, making it an excellent all-around travel mouse worth taking a closer look at.
Folded, the Mobi Fold doesn’t look much like a mouse.
I’ve been testing the Mobi Fold for about a month, and my favorite thing to do with it is fold it up, show it to someone, and ask them to guess what it is. No one has guessed correctly because a folding mouse just isn’t a thing most people have encountered before. Instead, the most common guess is that the Mobi Fold is a small battery for charging an iPhone, until I unfold it and the shape becomes more familiar.
The Mobi Fold is tiny.
Really tiny.
The Mobi Fold is powered by a rechargeable battery that Logitech says lasts for up to 33 days (and up to 22 hours on a one-minute quick charge). The device also turns itself on and off automatically when unfolded and folded, which I love. Plus, the Mobi Fold can connect to up to three devices, and it supports both Bluetooth connections and Logitech’s Bolt dongle (sold separately).
The Mobi Fold’s surface is a soft-touch plastic that feels comfortable in your hand, and it has three buttons arrayed across the front. The middle button doubles as a trackpad, allowing you to drag a finger across its surface to scroll and perform gestures like a double tap for zooming in and out of a webpage.
The Mobi Fold pairs with up to three devices.
By default, tapping the front of the middle button navigates forward, while tapping the back navigates back in a browser. However, as with other Logitech mice, you can program the Mobi Fold’s buttons and gestures to:
perform different actions depending on the app you’re using,
control system settings like brightness and volume,
perform macro-like smart actions, and
display the Logitech Actions Ring, a customizable set of actions that are overlayed on your work environment.
That’s a lot of customization for a diminutive mouse, which I appreciate. However, because the Mobi Fold is typically my “long work sessions at the coffee shop” mouse, I’ve found that all I really need is its traditional point-and-click functionality.
The Mobi Fold makes a good companion to an iPad.
Ultimately, the Mobi Fold isn’t going to replace the MX Master 4 sitting on my desk, but it’s not meant to. I’ve fallen for the Mobi Fold just the same because its compact size and light weight make it a no-brainer to carry with me. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised at just how comfortable the Mobi Fold is to use, unfolding into a sturdy, angular shape that feels good in hand, unlike, say, Apple’s shallower Magic Mouse.
As a result, I really can’t recommend the Mobi Fold enough for on-the-go use with a Mac laptop or iPad. The combination of features in such a small, portable package sets it apart from every other mouse I’ve used and makes it well worth its $79.99 price tag.
The Mobi Fold is available in Graphite, Lilac, Off White, and Sand colors, both directly from Logitech and from Amazon.
As spotted by the Spanish blog iPhoneros, the iPhone 16, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max all received price increases on Apple's online store in Japan today. Prices increased by up to 11%.
Model
Previous Price
New Price
Increase
iPhone 17 Pro Max
¥194,800
¥214,800
10.3%
iPhone 17 Pro
¥179,800
¥194,800
8.3%
iPhone Air
¥159,800
¥177,800
11.3%
iPhone 17
¥129,800
¥142,800
10%
iPhone 17e
¥99,800
¥107,800
8%
iPhone 16
¥114,800
¥124,800
8.7%
Apple attributed the Mac and iPad price increases last month to the ongoing memory chip shortage, which has driven up chip prices. In this case, however, the increases are likely due to the Japanese yen's depreciation against the U.S. dollar over the past year.
Apple did not raise iPhone prices today in the U.S. or any other countries that we checked.
Vous venez de nettoyer vos vitres, puis une averse éclate. Et les voilà couvertes de traces. Faut-il en conclure que la pluie est responsable ? En réalité, le phénomène est bien plus subtil et révèle ce qui se cache dans l'air que nous respirons.
Elles sont souvent présentées comme des alliées naturelles capables de purifier l'air de nos intérieurs. Pourtant, derrière cette réputation largement relayée depuis des décennies, les preuves scientifiques racontent une histoire bien différente.
Last week, just before the US started its break for the July Fourth holiday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposed a new rule that would change how it regulated exposure to radiation. The Trump administration has been pushing to restart construction of nuclear power plants in the US, and many pro-nuclear advocates have been complaining about the US's existing regulations, portraying them as the main barrier to the flourishing of the industry. So, it had seemed likely that major revisions were coming.
Instead, the NRC's proposed new rules endorse the science behind its current rules and suggest that any problems are largely in the vagueness of the terminology that it has been using. So, instead, it's endorsing standards that are meant to accomplish the same thing, but avoid using some of the language it had relied on. Probably the clearest indication of the evolutionary change at play is that the NRC estimates the changing rules will save industry—not just power, but also medical and research applications—only about $9.5 million a year.
LNT and ALARA
There are two technical abbreviations at the center of US nuclear regulations. The first is LNT, which stands for "linear non-threshold." It's in reference to the issue of whether there's any level of radiation that is so low that it no longer produces harmful biological effects—the "threshold" in LNT. The "non-threshold" implies that it doesn't, and that's in keeping with biology, which has demonstrated that even single particles or photons of radiation can damage DNA and that the mechanisms cells have for repairing that damage are inherently error-prone. The "linear" in LNT simply describes how the impact of radiation scales directly with the dose.
In a groundbreaking advancement for cardiovascular science, researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) in Spain, in collaboration with the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, have devised a cutting-edge technique to analyze the proteome of individual cardiomyocytes. These cells, essential for heart contraction, have long eluded comprehensive single-cell proteomic scrutiny due to technological limitations. This novel approach now allows for a detailed protein-level characterization of single heart muscle cells, opening unprecedented avenues for understanding heart biology and regeneration.
The heart has traditionally been viewed as an organ comprised of relatively homogeneous cardiomyocytes. However, recent findings highlight remarkable heterogeneity even within this single cell type. Variability in protein expression among cardiomyocytes may underpin differences in their functional capacity and regenerative potential. This study, published in Genome Biology, leverages an innovative integration of optimized cell isolation methods, advanced mass spectrometry, and sophisticated bioinformatic algorithms to dissect this proteomic diversity with extraordinary precision.
Central to their investigation was Myc, a transcription factor already noted for its role in regenerative strategies for heart repair. Despite its promise, until now the specific mechanisms by which Myc modulates protein expression in individual cardiomyocytes remained elusive. Applying their novel single-cell proteomics technology, the researchers uncovered that Myc expression differentially alters metabolic enzyme levels across single cardiomyocytes. This heterogeneity results in a subset of cells exhibiting distinct immature states, which in turn possess enhanced regenerative potential—a finding that transforms our comprehension of how cardiac regeneration might be selectively targeted.
The technical feat achieved by these scientists hinges on the fusion of multiple cutting-edge methodologies. First, the meticulous isolation of adult mouse cardiomyocytes ensures viable, intact cells reflecting true physiological states. These cells then undergo mass spectrometry procedures tailored for minute sample volumes, capable of identifying thousands of proteins with high sensitivity and quantitative accuracy at the single-cell level. The ensuing data are processed with bespoke computational pipelines designed to handle the intrinsic variability and noise characteristic of single-cell omics measurements.
By revealing the proteomic fingerprints that distinguish a pro-regenerative subpopulation of cardiomyocytes, this research elucidates a previously uncharted layer of cardiac cellular complexity. Understanding how Myc drives metabolic remodeling at the protein level provides a molecular explanation for its regenerative effects and establishes a foundation for engineering therapeutic approaches that harness or mimic these cellular states.
Regeneration in the adult mammalian heart remains a formidable challenge, owing largely to the low intrinsic capacity of cardiomyocytes to proliferate or replace damaged tissue after injury such as myocardial infarction. Previous models relying largely on bulk tissue analyses have masked the nuanced cellular dynamics at play. This single-cell approach offers resolution sufficient to detect rare but critical cell subsets that might hold the key to effective myocardial repair.
Moreover, this study underscores the transformative impact of integrating proteomics with single-cell biology, moving beyond transcriptomic analyses that often fail to predict functional protein abundance accurately. Proteins, as the primary effectors of cellular function, are the crucial link between gene regulation and phenotype. Hence, this proteomic lens provides a direct readout of the biochemical state of cardiomyocytes under regenerative cues.
The implications of this work extend beyond cardiac biology. It exemplifies the broader potential of single-cell proteomics to deepen our grasp of cellular heterogeneity in health and disease, from cancer biology to neurodegeneration. The refinement and dissemination of such methodologies will empower researchers across biomedical fields to uncover subtle but impactful cellular states previously hidden in ensemble measurements.
Miguel Torres and Jesús Vázquez, who co-led the CNIC teams responsible for this study, emphasize the critical novel insights gained. According to them, dissecting Myc’s action at the single-cell level illuminates pathways and protein networks that govern cellular immaturity and regeneration, which are masked in population-level studies. This knowledge fundamentally shifts how regenerative medicine strategies might be designed, focusing on targeted modulation of key proteins identified within pro-regenerative cardiomyocyte subgroups.
Consuelo Marín-Vicente, the study’s first author, highlights the heterogeneous response to Myc induction in adult cardiomyocytes. Instead of a uniform effect, Myc induces diverse proteomic profiles, driving some cells toward a state primed for regeneration. This discovery points to the existence of intrinsic regulatory mechanisms that govern cardiomyocyte plasticity, with possible manipulation routes to expand these favorable subpopulations therapeutically.
This advancement also signifies a leap toward personalized regenerative therapies. By characterizing the protein signatures specific to regenerative-competent cardiomyocytes, future interventions could selectively enhance these signatures in patient hearts, enabling more effective recovery post-injury. It also offers biomarkers to monitor therapeutic efficacy or to stratify patients likely to benefit from Myc-based or related regenerative treatments.
The CNIC, recognized as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence and funded by a unique public-private partnership, remains at the forefront of cardiovascular research. Under the leadership of Dr. Valentín Fuster, CNIC’s mission to translate scientific discoveries into clinical innovations is exemplified by this study’s promise. Collaboration with leading international centers like the Karolinska Institute further underscores the global effort to unravel heart regeneration’s complexity.
In sum, by pioneering a technique for single-cell proteomic analysis of adult cardiomyocytes, this research opens transformative possibilities for cardiovascular medicine. It elucidates how transcription factors like Myc can orchestrate heterogeneous proteomic landscapes within single cells, generating subpopulations equipped with regenerative capabilities. These insights herald a new era in designing precision therapies that could one day restore heart function after injury, dramatically improving outcomes for millions suffering from cardiovascular diseases worldwide.
Subject of Research: Cells
Article Title: Pro-regenerative fingerprints identified in a sub-population of adult mouse cardiomyocytes by integrative single-cell proteomics
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