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X released an iPhone and iPad app update that replaces its existing alternative app icon set with over a dozen new options, including several space-themed designs. The new icons, accessible to X Premium subscribers under Settings > Subscription > App Icons, mark the first significant refresh of icon choices since Twitter was rebranded as X.
Canva released Affinity for iPad, a single touch-optimized app combining vector, photo, and layout editing tools previously split across separate Affinity apps on desktop. The app is free for individual users, mirroring the desktop version that Canva says has surpassed seven million sign-ups since its launch a year ago.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple intends to refresh its base iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro lineup in early 2024-2025 timeframe. The base model is expected to gain Apple Intelligence support via an A19 chip with 8GB RAM, plus Apple's new N1 chip and C1X modem for Wi-Fi 7 and 5G. The iPad Air is said to be getting an OLED display, while the Pro may jump to an M6 or M7 chip alongside a new vapor chamber for cooling.
Canva has released Affinity for iPad, a free app bringing the company's vector graphics, photo editing, illustration, and page layout tools to Apple's tablet with support for Apple Pencil Pro gestures like tilt, squeeze and hover. The app includes a new Sketch Studio for turning freehand drawings into vector shapes and integrates Canva's AI Studio, with features such as Generative Expand, motion blur, noise reduction, and resolution scaling.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is preparing updates to three iPad models in the first half of next year. The iPad Air is expected to gain an OLED display and a possible M5 chip, the base iPad would get an A19 chip, 8GB RAM and Apple Intelligence support, and the iPad Pro is said to be getting a vapor chamber and a newer chipset, possibly M6 or M7.
A feature roundup details 10 iPad widgets that many users overlook, spanning both Apple's built-in options and third-party apps. It also notes that iPadOS 27 introduced extra-large widgets for Today View, and explains how to add widgets via the Home Screen edit menu or by converting an app icon directly into a widget.
In the latest episode of 9to5Mac Overtime, hosts Jeff Benjamin and Fernando Silva discussed Apple's recent hardware releases, including the M6 MacBook Pro, an iPad mini 8 with OLED, and a new MacBook Pro featuring a PROLED XDR display with touchscreen capability. The episode is part of 9to5Mac's weekly video podcast covering Apple ecosystem news.
Amazon is running early Black Friday discounts on Apple accessories, including the AirTag 2 four-pack at $69.99 (about $17.50 each) and AirPods Pro 3 at roughly $50 off. Separately, Apple opened pre-orders for new hardware including an OLED iPad mini, M6 MacBook Pro models, and MacBook Pro units with a PROLED XDR Display, while Best Buy launched its own Week 1 Black Friday doorbuster sale with discounts on Apple Watch Ultra 4 and M5 MacBook Air.
Apple unveiled an eighth-generation iPad mini this week, calling it the biggest upgrade in the tablet's history. Despite the praise, reviewers note the device skips a feature expected at its price point, even as other specs see meaningful improvements.
In a new episode of 9to5Mac's Happy Hour podcast, hosts Benjamin Mayo and Chance Miller discuss expected Apple announcements, including an OLED MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, an updated M6 iMac, and a refreshed iPad mini. The episode also includes a segment evaluating Apple's recent run of fall product announcements.
Apple VP of Hardware Engineering Dave Pakula discussed the redesigned iPad mini in interviews, explaining that its new OLED panel omits ProMotion's 120Hz refresh rate, staying at 60Hz. Pakula also detailed a new 'Acoustic Display' system, which uses custom drivers and tweeters built into the display assembly to produce sound while enabling the device's first-ever IP67 water and dust resistance rating.
Apple has opened pre-orders for several new products, including the OLED iPad mini starting at $699, the 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro from $1,999, and the first touchscreen Mac, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, starting at $2,899. Alongside these launches, new accessories like the World Travel Kit, upgraded 70W/140W power adapters, and a TechWoven iPad mini case are also now available, while retailers are offering gift card incentives and trade-in discounts on the new hardware.