In July, Apple sued well-known YouTuber Jon Prosser and his acquaintance Michael Ramacciotti over alleged theft of the company's trade secrets, after Prosser leaked some iOS 26 details in videos uploaded to his YouTube channel Front Page Tech. If you are not caught up on the lawsuit, read our initial coverage to learn more.
Earlier this week, Prosser told The Verge he has "been in active communications with Apple since the beginning stages of this case," despite Apple's attorneys indicating he missed his deadline to formally respond to the complaint. The court entered a default judgment against Prosser last week, citing his failure to respond.
"The notion that I'm ignoring the case is incorrect," said Prosser. "That's all I am able to say."
In a court document filed on Thursday, Apple's attorneys said they are aware that Prosser has "publicly acknowledged" the complaint. However, they said he "has not indicated whether he will file a response to it or, if so, by when."
As for Ramacciotti, Apple said he has agreed to respond to the complaint by October 29.
In a statement filed with the court, Ramacciotti's attorneys said he is "not a professional leaker," but rather "a lifelong Apple fanboy who failed to fully appreciate the value and proprietary nature of the information that he learned about iOS 26."
Ramacciotti had "no intent to monetize this information" when he contacted Prosser, they said.
Apple is concerned that Ramacciotti "intentionally deleted relevant evidence," including "several hundreds of thousands of text messages," after the company advised him of the need to preserve evidence on July 23. His attorneys disputed this assertion.
Apple and Ramacciotti have informally discussed a potential settlement, and these talks were "ongoing," according to the court filing on Thursday.
There have been many recent reports suggesting the iPhone Air has failed to catch on with consumers, with Apple moving to cut production due to lower-than-expected sales. The first warning sign was the ready availability of the iPhone Air at launch, suggesting lower than expected demand.
Last week, Japan's Mizuho Securities said that Apple would reduce iPhone Air production by at least one million units because of underwhelming sales performance. Nikkei then reported that Apple planned to cut production significantly almost to "end-of-production levels."
KeyBanc Capital Markets said that there is "virtually no demand" for the iPhone Air and that Apple would "drastically" cut production as a result. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo then clarified that suppliers have been asked to reduce capacity by more than 80% between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued by the end of 2025.
Samsung is apparently seeing a similar response to its super thin iPhone Air rival, the Galaxy S25 Edge. Reports indicate that Samsung canceled a next-generation model after disappointing sales.
According to Kuo, the iPhone Air's poor performance suggests that the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models already "cover the majority of high-end user demand," so there is little room for new market segments. All of the other new iPhones are all believed to be selling better than expected, with Apple increasing production of these models.
Apple apparently planned three more iPhone Air generations, but that could now change in light of real-world sales data. We could get yet another new iPhone form factor as soon as 2026, with rumors suggesting that Apple will debut a foldable model alongside the iPhone 18 lineup. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's all-new M5 chip and the three updated devices it announced containing it last week.
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Apple this month updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro with its next-generation M5 chip, but there's one rumored new Apple product in particular that many will still be hoping to see before the holidays.
Back in June, industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is developing a "more affordable" 13-inch laptop to compete with Chromebooks and drive MacBook purchases. Kuo did not mention pricing, but he said that the new MacBook would use an A18 Pro chip, which debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year.
Using an iPhone chip would be a major divergence from Apple's usual strategy of using M-series chips in its Macs, but it makes sense from both a cost and performance perspective. The A18 Pro chip is around 40% slower than Apple's M4 chip, but its multi-core CPU performance is virtually identical to the M1 chip in the 2020 MacBook Air, and it even outperforms the M1 chip for graphics.
In August, DigiTimesreported that the low-cost MacBook will start between $599 and $699. The current 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $999 in the U.S., but Apple still sells the M1-powered 2020 MacBook Air for $649 through Walmart, so Apple could be eyeing the new machine as a like-for-like, budget-range replacement.
One thing to bear in mind is that the A18 Pro chip lacks Thunderbolt support, so the new MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. But that's unlikely to be a deal-breaker for customers seeking the most affordable Mac they can get their hands on. It's also unclear how much RAM would be included in the rumored MacBook, since the A18 Pro chip only has 8GB of RAM, whereas all current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models have a minimum of 16GB of RAM.
Apart from the internal specs, Kuo said the device is expected to have an ultra-thin and lightweight design, and that it could come in silver, blue, pink, and yellow finishes.
The analyst said the new MacBook would enter mass production toward the end of the fourth quarter of 2025 or early in the first quarter of 2026. DigiTimes reported that final assembly would take place in the fourth quarter, with the laptop becoming commercially available in late 2025 or early 2026, similar to Kuo's launch estimation.
The timelines suggest the device could still be announced before the year's end. That said, it's not clear whether Apple has any more announcements planned for 2025, though it isn't unusual for the company to announce new products in late October and even into November.
"Apple plans to add support in upcoming iPhones as early as next year for 5G networks that aren't tethered to Earth's surface, which includes satellites," the report said. "That would give the iPhone full internet access over satellite," it added.
If the earliest 2026 timeframe is met, that means the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the long-rumored foldable iPhone would likely be the first models to support full 5G satellite internet, followed by the standard iPhone 18 around March 2027.
Even if support is added, there is currently no service that delivers full 5G satellite internet directly to a smartphone. Apple's own satellite features on iPhone 14 models and newer are limited to the Emergency SOS feature, the Find My and Messages apps, and roadside assistance, while T-Mobile's Starlink service is also limited to select functions and apps. Both options require you to have a clear view of the sky.
iPhones can already achieve high-speed internet speeds over a satellite connection, when used in conjunction with a Starlink satellite dish, which creates a Wi-Fi network. In the U.S., Starlink charges $50 per month for 50GB of data and $165 per month for unlimited data, while the portable Starlink Mini dish is currently on sale for $299.
The long-term vision is that iPhones would eventually be able to achieve full 5G satellite internet directly, without Starlink hardware.
Apple partners with Globalstar for its iPhone satellite features, while Starlink is offered by SpaceX.
The report outlined four "hints" that suggest a deal between Apple and SpaceX could eventually "be back on the table," despite the fact that Apple and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk have had a rockyrelationship over the years.
Those hints, according to the report:
SpaceX recently added support for the same radio spectrum that Apple uses for its iPhone satellite features.
Globalstar's executive chairman Jay Monroe has apparently discussed the idea of selling the company for more than $10 billion.
Globalstar's most recent quarterly earnings report includes a new warning about how the loss of a major customer — believed to be Apple — would likely have a material adverse impact on its finances.
Apple plans to add full 5G satellite internet support to iPhones as early as next year.
However, it remains to be seen if Apple and Musk can truly bury the bad blood between them.
Amazon today has a few discounts on Apple's just-released M5 iPad Pro, with up to $100 off these tablets. These deals are focused on the 13-inch models of the M5 iPad Pro, but there are also some $100 discounts on 11-inch models for anyone shopping for that version.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Deals include the 256GB Wi-Fi 13-inch iPad Pro for $1,249.00, down from $1,299.00, and the 2TB Wi-Fi Nano-Texture Glass 13-inch iPad Pro for $2,299.00, down from $2,399.00. Both of these discounts are the best prices we've tracked yet on the brand new M5 iPad Pro, and only Amazon has the deals.
The M5 iPad Pro launched this week, and features the new M5 chip, faster SSDs, N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and more. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Microsoft's Clippy has been resurrected for a cameo appearance in the company's latest Copilot update, which broadly aims to make its AI assistant more friendly, warm, and human-centered in its interactions.
Microsoft's Copilot Fall Release introduces Mico – an animated orb that serves as the voice mode's visual companion. Mico (its name a nod to Microsoft Copilot) listens, reacts, and changes colors based on the user's interactions, with the aim of giving the AI chatbot a cuter, more approachable presence.
That said, Microsoft's attempt to soften its AI offering could backfire if users tap Mico repeatedly – the action briefly turns Mico into Clippy (officially named Clippit), the animated paperclip assistant that first appeared in Office 97 and became a fixture on both Windows and Mac versions of Office throughout the late 90s and early 2000s.
As irritating as it was iconic, the polarizing helper was retired by Microsoft with Office 2007, but it clearly hasn't given up on the character-driven assistant approach, just now with better graphics and modern AI capabilities.
Note that Mico is optional, and users can interact with Copilot without the character.
Mico launches alongside several other Copilot features including Real Talk mode, which offers an AI that "challenges assumptions with care, adapts to your vibe, and helps conversations spark growth and connection." There's also a new group chat system supporting up to 30 participants and a Learn Live mode designed to guide students through concepts as a Socratic tutor. The Copilot Mode in Edge browser has also been expanded.
The new features are available now in the U.S. and "rolling out fast" across the UK and Canada, with a broader rollout happening in the next few weeks, according to the company. You can learn more about the latest Copilot announcements on Microsoft's website.
The Copilot app is available for iOS and Mac, and users also have the option of accessing the AI features by visiting copilot.microsoft.com in Edge or another browser.
Apple has begun shipping American-made artificial intelligence servers from a newly built factory in Houston, beating its 2026 target.
The servers designed for Apple's Private Cloud Compute system have started shipping from the 250,000-square-foot Houston site months earlier than planned. Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan confirmed the acceleration in a statement provided to Fox Business:
We are thrilled to be shipping American-made advanced servers from our Houston facility. As part of our $600 billion commitment to the United States, these servers will be installed in our data centers and play a key role in powering Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute. Our teams have done an incredible job accelerating work to get the new Houston factory up and running ahead of schedule, and we plan to continue expanding the facility to increase production next year.
Private Cloud Compute is the architecture Apple uses to offload certain Apple Intelligence computations from devices to the cloud, while preserving the on-device privacy model that Apple says is core to its AI system. Apple CEO Tim Cook also posted on X about the news:
Apple’s American-made advanced servers are now shipping from our new Houston facility to Apple data centers!
These servers will help power Private Cloud Compute and Apple Intelligence, as part of our $600 billion US commitment. pic.twitter.com/maOd3lCGfK
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 23, 2025
Apple is reportedly partnering with local contractors and recruiting from Houston City College to staff the facility. The Houston facility is part of a $600 billion U.S. investment commitment Apple made earlier this year, which includes capital for domestic manufacturing, silicon engineering, R&D, and workforce training initiatives.
Microsoft has launched new features for its AI "Copilot Mode" in Edge, following a raft of recent new offerings from competing browsers.
First announced in July, Copilot Mode brings a chat interface to each Edge tab where users can ask questions, search, or enter URLs directly. The mode can also analyze content across all open tabs simultaneously, meaning users are able to compare products or summarize information from multiple windows.
Two new preview features are rolling out to U.S. users. Copilot Actions adds agentic capabilities, letting the AI handle tasks like unsubscribing from emails or making reservations. Actions also includes voice capabilities, allowing users to speak to their browser to open web pages or ask Copilot to find specific topics within articles.
Meanwhile, the Journeys feature organizes browsing history by topic and suggests next steps, making it easier to resume research sessions. It can also group past browsing sessions thematically. So, for example, if a user was researching TVs the previous day, Journeys can organize that session and help pick up where they left off with suggestions for related content.
Copilot Mode can access the user's browsing history to provide better responses, but only with user permission. This is supposed to give the AI more context when answering questions or making suggestions based on past activity.
Companies are in a race to lace AI through every product, and browsers have not been spared, with similar announcements for Perplexity's Comet, Opera's Neon, Dia browser, and most recently, OpenAI's ChatGPT Atlas.
OpenAI today said that it has acquired Software Applications Incorporated and its AI app, Sky. Software Applications Incorporated and Sky were created by a team of former Apple employees known for their work on Apple's Shortcuts feature and the Workflow app that preceded it.
Ari Weinstein and Conrad Kramer, two of the founders of Software Applications Incorporated, also founded Workflow. Workflow was a popular iOS automation app before Apple acquired it in 2017. Weinstein and Kramer joined Apple when Workflow was acquired, and the app ended up serving as the backbone for the Shortcuts feature that's available across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Kramer left Apple in 2019 and Weinstein left in 2023, which is when the two teamed up to found their new company and start work on Sky. Sky didn't officially launch, but it is a Mac-based natural language AI assistant able to answer questions and complete tasks in any open Mac window.
OpenAI says that it plans to bring Sky's deep macOS integration into ChatGPT, with all members of the Sky team set to join OpenAI. That includes Weinstein, Kramer, and several other ex-Apple employees.
"We've always wanted computers to be more empowering, customizable, and intuitive. With LLMs, we can finally put the pieces together. That's why we built Sky, an AI experience that floats over your desktop to help you think and create. We're thrilled to join OpenAI to bring that vision to hundreds of millions of people." --Ari Weinstein, Co-Founder and CEO, Software Applications Incorporated
OpenAI's Sky acquisition comes just a day after OpenAI announced ChatGPT Atlas, a new browser that's designed to compete with Safari and Chrome. ChatGPT Atlas can perform tasks on the user's behalf with ChatGPT's existing AI Operator features, but Sky could further enhance that functionality in the future.
Anthropic today said it is updating the Claude chatbot with a new memory feature, which will put Claude on par with ChatGPT. With memory enabled, Claude will be able to recall past conversations.
Anthropic first added memory to Claude earlier this year, but with the initial implementation, Claude would only recall details when specifically asked. In August, Anthropic expanded the memory feature to allow Claude to automatically remember conversation details without a specific user request, and that functionality has been limited to Team and Enterprise subscribers.
Claude's memory functionality is now expanding to all paid users, so Pro and Max subscribers can use the feature. Max users can turn it on now, while Pro subscribers will get access "over the coming days."
Memory is an opt-in feature that can be turned on in Claude's settings. There are options for "search and reference chats" and "generate memory from chat history." Claude offers an editable memory summary that users can view to see what Claude remembers from conversations.
In the projects section of Claude, each project will have a separate memory. The division ensures that different discussions remain distinct, allowing for separation of work and personal chats.
Apple is one of several tech companies that will contribute to the construction of U.S. President Donald Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom, reports CNN.
Construction began on the ballroom this week, and the White House's east wing was torn down. Trump claims that the ballroom will cost $350 million, and that it will be privately funded through donations. The cost has already increased $150 million over the figures that Trump previously quoted.
Other tech companies that have donated to the ballroom construction include Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and HP.
There is no word on the specific amount that Apple donated toward the project.
Update: The total ballroom cost has been updated to $350 million, after Trump announced new pricing on Thursday evening.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Earlier this month, IKEA debuted a tiny NFC-enabled bed that's meant to help smartphone users cut down on nighttime usage. The small "Phone Sleep Collection" is modeled after an actual IKEA bed, and it uses the IKEA app to monitor scroll-free sleep time.
Users who hit seven hours of scroll-free time for a week straight are eligible for an IKEA voucher.
Every phone bed comes with built-in NFC tech, making sleep effortlessly rewarding. Here's how it works: - Download the IKEA UAE app. - (For iOS users) When prompted, allow Motion & Fitness tracking. - Place your phone on its bed and tap the notification to open the app. - That's it. Your sleep time will track in the background (no counter will appear). - Complete seven nights of seven-hour sleep, and earn your voucher.
Unfortunately, the tiny bed is only available in the United Arab Emirates, and it is a promotional item that IKEA is giving out when customers spend AED 750 or more in-person in IKEA, as long as the purchase includes an item from the company's Complete Sleep Collection.
IKEA's promotion has garnered quite a bit of attention, so it's possible that the company will expand the promotion to additional countries.
AT&T today launched a new ad campaign that goes after T-Mobile, calling out the "litany of misleading and deceiving claims in T-Mobile's marketing."
AT&T's new ad features actor Luke Wilson, with Wilson calling T-Mobile the "master of breaking promises." AT&T points out that the BBB's National Advertising Review Board has recommended T-Mobile change its advertising 16 times over the past four years, though AT&T fails to mention that the NARB also found that some claims were accurate.
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile often ask the National Advertising Review Board to investigate the advertising claims that their competitors are making, and all three carriers are regularly asked to make various changes as a result.
AT&T says that it covers 300,000 more square miles than T-Mobile, and that it had the fewest dropped calls in recent tests. AT&T claims that it is the first and only network to offer a guarantee for its wireless and fiber networks, providing "transparent communication" and proactive bill credits during outages.
Apple said today that it might be "forced" to disable a key anti-ad tracking feature in the European Union, reports DPA International.
"Intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy and other countries in Europe may force us to withdraw this feature to the detriment of European consumers," Apple said in a statement to DPA.
Apple is referring to App Tracking Transparency (ATT), a feature that lets iPhone and iPad users decide whether to allow apps to track their activity across other apps and websites for advertising purposes. Users can choose to allow apps to ask for permission, or turn off tracking entirely.
The anti-tracking features were implemented in Apple's iOS 14 updates. ATT prevents apps from accessing the advertising identifier of an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV without express permission, so apps can't track what users do on their devices and then use the information gleaned for ad targeting.
ATT has been unsurprisingly unpopular with advertisers and data brokers. Facebook rallied hard against App Tracking Transparency ahead of when it rolled out, positioning Apple as an enemy of small businesses and taking out multiple full-page newspaper ads.
Germany launched a probe into App Tracking Transparency back in 2022, and in February 2025, Germany's Federal Cartel Office preliminarily ruled that Apple abused its market power with ATT, giving itself preferential treatment, even though Apple says it does not collect data from third-party apps. The cartel said that Apple's restrictions made it "far more difficult" for app publishers to access user data relevant for advertising.
In March 2025, Apple was fined 150 million euros by France's Competition Authority. French regulators said that Apple complicated the process for users to opt out of tracking and unfairly disadvantaged third-party developers and ad providers. Apple is facing a similar investigation in Italy, with a ruling expected later this year.
Apple said that it has presented solutions to regulators in Europe, but it is facing complex solutions that would undermine App Tracking Transparency. Apple also said it will work to keep the feature available to Europeans. "We will continue to urge the relevant authorities in Germany, Italy and across Europe to allow Apple to continue providing this important privacy tool to our users."
Apple engaged in anticompetitive behavior by charging App Store developers "excessive and unfair prices" for app distribution services, the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled today [PDF] (via Reuters).
The Tribunal found that Apple abused its market power by overcharging developers from October 2015 through the end of 2020. Developers were forced into using Apple's in-app purchase system and had no alternative to paying up to a 30 percent commission during that time period. The excessive fees ultimately led to higher prices for consumers.
According to the CAT, Apple had a monopoly over iOS app distribution and in-app payments. Apple's argument that Android and other platforms were viable alternatives for consumers and developers was rejected. The Tribunal also did not accept Apple's argument that its rules and fees were required for user security and privacy.
The end of 2020 in the UK's timeline corresponds with the launch of the App Store Small Business Program that saw Apple reduce App Store fees for independent developers and small business owners. The program reduced the commission that Apple collected from developers earning under $1 million per year to 15 percent, down from 30 percent. It's also when Apple began implementing other App Store changes in response to cases like Epic Games v. Apple.
The class action lawsuit was first filed in 2021 by Kings College London academic Dr. Rachael Kent, and the claim seeks up to £1.5 billion in damages. The period between 2015 and 2020 was selected in order to determine how much Apple will need to pay to UK consumers.
A damages trial is scheduled for November. Apple said it will appeal the ruling.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
The standard iPhone 18 will be equipped with the A20 chip, while the iPhone 18 Pro models and Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone will be equipped with an A20 Pro chip, the post said. However, the post did not mention which chip the entry-level iPhone 18e or second-generation iPhone Air would use, should there be such models.
Given there were A18 and A18 Pro chips, as well as A19 and A19 Pro chips, this rumor that Apple is allegedly planning both A20 and A20 Pro chips is not very surprising. But, it still helps to set expectations for the iPhone lineup moving forward.
A20 and A20 Pro chips are expected to be the first iPhone processors manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process, whereas the A17 Pro through A19 Pro chips were all fabricated with TSMC's series of 3nm processes. This would result in greater year-over-year performance improvements and power efficiency gains for iPhones than usual.
According to a previous rumor, at least some A20 chips will have RAM integrated directly onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, rather than being adjacent to the chip and connected via a silicon interposer. This design change may result in the chips being smaller, and it would likely contribute to improved efficiency.
The following new iPhone models are expected to be released in September 2026:
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Fold
It is not entirely clear if there will be a second-generation iPhone Air, but if there is, that device would presumably also be released in September 2026.
The following models are expected to follow around March 2027:
iPhone 18e
iPhone 18
If so, the A20 Pro chip would be announced next year, and the A20 chip would follow in 2027.
Apple returned to court this week to argue that a federal judge exceeded their authority when they held the company in contempt and barred it from collecting any commission on external in-app transactions, Bloomberg reports.
Apple told the appeals court that a U.S. District Judge went further than their 2021 order allowed when they banned Apple from taking any commission on purchases made outside apps. Apple said the order only required it to allow links to outside payments, not to stop collecting fees entirely.
Apple argued that if the judge disagreed with its approach, they should have clarified the order instead of punishing the company for contempt. It told the judges that the contempt ruling was "punitive" and that Apple is entitled to "some compensation" when developers use its platform and ecosystem.
Epic told the court that Apple knowingly violated the order instead of asking for clarification. The company said Apple only started claiming it should be paid for external purchases after it was caught violating the injunction.
The case arises from Epic's 2020 decision to add an external payment link to Fortnite, which led to its removal from the App Store. In response to the 2021 order allowing alternative payments, Apple created a new 27% fee on external transactions. Epic argued this violated the spirit of the order. A judge later agreed and held Apple in contempt, banning any commission on external payments. Apple is now asking the Ninth Circuit to overturn that contempt ruling.
Last month, Mophie announced the launch of its Max Charging Stand. Aimed squarely at those with multiple sets of Apple's headphones, it can charge AirPods Max headphones plus a pair of AirPods or AirPods Pro at the same time.
Priced at $150, it immediately garnered criticism in our forum, largely over its price point compared to its functionality. But is it actually worth it? I've spent a few weeks with it to see.
Design and Build
The charging base is aluminum lined with smooth silicone along every surface that comes into contact with your devices. The bottom also has a large rectangular pad of this same silicone so that it doesn't slide easily on your desk. The Mophie logo is subtly stamped on the top just under the square indentation that shows you where to place your AirPods (or other Qi-enabled device) for charging.
At 15.7 ounces (445 g) on my kitchen scale, it's weighty enough to hold my AirPods Max without wobbling. But more on this later...
It comes with a decently long 5-foot USB-C cable coated with the same silicone that covers the stand, a 20W wall adapter, two magnetic charging dongles, and a pass-through adapter.
To use the stand, you insert one of the magnetic dongles into the USB-C port of the AirPods Max. This dongle then connects automatically to the charging port in the stand thanks to its magnetism. The second magnetic dongle included is a spare which is a nice touch, especially at this price point.
The pass-through adapter allows you to leave a charging dongle in the Max's charging port at all times so you can still charge it with a standard USB-C cable, avoiding wear and tear on the port with frequent removals and insertions. But on the other hand, this is another adapter to carry around and avoid losing. The pro tip here is to just leave this dongle attached to a USB-C cable you use to charge the headphones when you're away from home.
Using the included pass-through adapter to a USB-C cable
The charging dongle does not pass through audio, so if you use your AirPods Max with a cable for lossless audio or to connect to a 3.5mm analog device, you'll have to remove the dongle each time.
The magnetic dongle is the key feature of the stand and it isn't a new concept—charging stands that make use of a magnetic dongle have been released by smaller companies over the years (e.g., the Max Stand a few years ago) and Mophie's is a premium entry by one of the larger Apple accessory makers.
How It Works
When you place the AirPods Max on the stand, the white LED on the front of the stand illuminates for a few seconds and then turns off. Since you can't see the status light next to the USB-C port on the headphones themselves to verify charging while it's in the stand, it's a bit frustrating to not be able to see charging status after the stand's light turns off.
Additionally, since the stand places the headphones in sleep mode using magnets built into the ear cup holders, you can't even see its charge level on another Apple device in Control Center or the Battery widget unless you remove it from the stand. I'd rather this light stay on or pulse while the headphones are charging.
Removing the AirPods Max requires two hands since the stand, while weighing in at nearly a pound, is not heavy enough to overcome the magnetic force from the charging dongle. You must also use two hands to place the headphones into the stand since the ear cup holders are placed far enough apart that you need to stretch the headband wider.
This ear cup holder placement does, however, allow the stand to accommodate AirPods or another Qi-enabled device in the center. I'd been using a simple 3D-printed AirPods Max stand with no charging capability where the ear cup holders are close enough together that it's easy to drop in and remove the AirPods Max with one hand, so this was an adjustment for me.
The center charger fits an AirPods Pro case easily and the indentation makes it easy to target where it should go. It's even large enough to accommodate the large case cover I use on mine. It also charged my iPhone 17 Pro although it takes a few seconds to line it up in the right spot.
The center charger is nice to have but seems like an addition meant to add value to the stand to justify the price. I'd like to see a version at a lower price point without this center charger that would also allow a narrower placement of the holders for the ear cups.
Next to my (non-charging) 3D-printed stand
In my charging tests, I saw no significant differences between charging my AirPods Max directly with Apple's USB-C cable to a 20W wall adapter, using the Max Stand, or using the USB-C cable with the pass-through adapter that Mophie includes. Apple states that a 5-minute charge adds 1.5 hours of listening but does not claim any fast-charging features beyond this, nor does Apple specifically recommend using a high-wattage wall adapter.
Per iFixit, the USB-C AirPods Max has the same battery cells as the original model released in 2020 with a total capacity of 664 mAh. AirPods Max automatically limits the amount of power drawn during charging and using a higher-wattage wall adapter doesn't increase charging speeds.
With this stand on my desk, I noticed that I was no longer ultra-careful about taking every opportunity to put my headphones into sleep mode to avoid draining the battery. I started leaving my AirPods Max around the house willy-nilly without a charging care in the world since I knew I could easily pop them on the stand for a quick charge anytime. Using a USB-C cable to charge them is not hard of course, but it takes more steps than just dropping the headphones into a stand.
The Big Question
Will Mophie offer a Lightning dongle that will allow the stand to work with older AirPods Max models that have Lightning ports? It seems like this would be an easy thing to do since the stand is only handling low power to the headphones and no data, and it would open up the consumer base greatly for Mophie to sell more of these. This is the most commonly-asked question on the stand's product page and there's no official answer from Mophie there at the time of this review, though there is someone who claims that Mophie responded to them directly and said no. We asked Mophie directly and they did not respond prior to publication of this review.
A closer view of the magnetic dongle
We presume that the official answer to this question is no. While disappointing, it's likely a licensing issue that's preventing a Lightning dongle. The Lightning connector is a proprietary one and Apple offers licensing of its use through its MFi program, while USB-C is not proprietary. If Mophie has done the math here, it must be that licensing a Lightning dongle is more costly than offering it, even if it means missing out on a potentially large user base of Lightning AirPods Max owners.
Who It's For
You use your AirPods Max frequently throughout the day at or near a desk and want an easy and quick way to charge them. Or you are out and about all day and want to drop your AirPods Max in a dock near the door when you get home to charge fully overnight before you grab them and go in the morning. And you have $150 to burn.
I was salty about the price when this was first announced, but I have appreciated this dock more and more and even find myself using my AirPods Max more because of it. Like much in life, making something easier has a large impact on how often it's used or done. So is it worth it? For me, the answer is yes.
Pros:
Solid, quality build
Aesthetically pleasing
Can charge two devices at once
Easy and convenient charging
Cons:
No at-a-glance charging status indicator
Need two hands to place and remove headphones
Stretches headband
Pass-through adapter is another thing to lose
Price
Note: Mophie provided MacRumors with a Max Stand for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Mophie. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Using the included pass-through adapter to a USB-C cable
Next to my (non-charging) 3D-printed stand
A closer view of the magnetic dongle
