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April is off to a rocky start, as Apple’s stock prices experienced a 9% decline due to President Trump’s newly imposed tariffs. Separately, we’re hearing more about the buttons on future products, as the Apple Vision Pro might gain an Action Button. This week also saw the release of iOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, and a whole lot more.
Here’s what happened during the past week, and why it matters. |
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President Trump’s latest set of tariffs will most likely impact the cost of Apple products in the United States by 6%. China accounts for 80% of Apple’s overall production capacity, and now imports from India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan will all be subject to tariffs.
Apple shares plunged of around 9% after the tariffs were announced, negatively impacting all of the company’s manufacturing partners worldwide. Foxconn plans to double iPhone production in India, but a U.S. price hike appears inevitable.
The takeaway: Apple’s previous supply chain diversification plans will not significantly offset the effects of the tariffs. The overall consensus is that Apple will pass the costs onto U.S. consumers, meaning they’ll have to pay more for an iPhone or Mac.
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Podcasts are all the rage these days. There’s one for just about everything — from sports to true crime, comedy, news, and more. Even AppleInsider has one!
To learn everything there is to know about Apple’s Podcasts app, and to start listening as soon as you can, check out this week’s newsletter-exclusive tip!
Related Story: |
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Future models of the Apple Vision Pro could be equipped with an Action Button, according to a newly granted Apple patent. Also on the topic of buttons, a new rumor suggests that we could see haptic buttons make their way to the iPhone at some point.
Context: Apple originally planned to introduce haptic volume and power buttons with the iPhone 15 Pro. Working prototypes were made, but Project Bongo, as it was known, reached an abrupt end in April 2023.
The takeaway: Apple experimented with haptic volume buttons on prototype units of the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro, so they may make a comeback at some point. The Action Button has already made its way to the iPhone 16e, so it’s not hard to imagine on the Apple Vision Pro.
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A new class-action lawsuit is demanding $5 billion in damages because of alleged false advertising over Apple Books, but it lacks the understanding that digital books are licensed and not owned. The plaintiffs spent a total of $24.98, which they wouldn’t have done had they known they were buying a license.
Separately, France has fined Apple over its App Tracking Transparency feature as it reportedly harms small publishers, though no changes have been requested.
Meanwhile, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has continued his tirade against Apple, calling the company a “gangster-style” business on Wednesday. While Apple and Epic have a troubled history, Sweeney’s latest comments don’t have any real-world impact.
The takeaway: The plaintiffs in the Apple Books lawsuit seemingly haven’t read Apple’s terms and conditions for media services, so the case probably won’t lead to anything. France’s antitrust fine punishes Apple, but strangely offers no solution, so App Tracking Transparency will be available in the same capacity.
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This week, Apple released iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and visionOS 2.4, along with updates to watchOS and tvOS. The Apple Vision Pro finally supports Apple Intelligence, while the Mac and iPad have finally received Apple’s email categorization feature.
Apple’s iconic iWork suite was also updated with support for the latest operating system features. The iOS 18.5 update, meanwhile, received its first developer beta, though there aren’t any noteworthy changes.
Our take: Apple’s latest assortment of software updates will be particularly useful for Apple Vision Pro users. iPad and Mac owners will benefit from the new email sorting feature, while the iPhone received some Apple Intelligence enhancements this time around — a welcome change in any case.
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Though some believe the long-rumored iPhone Fold will be Apple’s next breakthrough product, it more than likely won’t dethrone the existing iPhone and iPad. AppleInsider’s Amber Neely tells us precisely why it won’t happen.
The iPad in particular is as strong as ever. It’s still showing the world how to do tablets, a whole 15 years later. William Gallagher walks us through the history of the iPad platform and its evolution, which explains the product line’s everlasting impact.
2025 Mac Studio review score: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The 2025 Mac Studio has as much computing power as Apple can bring to bear, all in a compact metal box. As AppleInsider’s Mike Wuertherle explains, though, it might not be for everyone. Check out the full review to find out why, and who Mac Studio is really for.
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This week, Apple dropped iOS 18.4, and it’s packed with exciting new features! From the new recipe manager in Apple News to priority notifications, new emojis, Safari updates, and big Control Center changes, this update has something for everyone. AppleInsider’s Andrew O’Hara has all the details on Apple’s latest software update. Check it out! |
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The tech industry will face some serious problems because of the recent tariff situation, but you’ll want to check out the AppleInsider Podcast for the how and why of it all.
This week, William Gallagher and Wesley Hilliard give us their take on the iPad launch anniversary, the looming threat of iPhone price hikes, iOS 18.4, and much more.
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Amazon and Best Buy have dropped the price of the iPad mini 7 down to just $399, so you can save an impressive $100! |
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Best Buy and B&H have special closeout deals on last-gen MacBook Pro models, with M3 Pro models falling to as low as $1,499. That’s a massive $600 discount! |
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An April MacBook Air sale is also in effect, with Best Buy slashing the M2 model with 16GB RAM to $749. But supply is limited, and Amazon has already sold out of its stock. Get it while you can! |
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| | Be sure to check out our price guides to find the best deals on iPhones, iPad, Mac, and accessories: |
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President Trump’s tariffs ruffled some feathers this week, but we’ll have to wait and see just how much iPhone prices will increase as a result, if at all.
At AppleInsider, our mission is to keep you up to date on all major developments in the area of technology, particularly related to Apple, its products, and endeavors.
We publish stories, guides, and reviews throughout the week, so be sure to check out AppleInsider.com.
For any comments, questions, or suggestions regarding the AppleInsider Newsletter, reach out to marko@appleinsider.com. |
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