MacRumors

OpenAI today added a new subscription tierwhich the company says is meant to support increasing Codex use. Codex is OpenAI's AI coding agent that's integrated into ChatGPTand it competes with Anthropic's Claude Code.

The new $100/month Pro tier provides 5x more Codex usage than the $20/month ChatGPT Plus plan. OpenAI says that it is best for longerhigh-effort Codex sessions. ChatGPT also has a $200 Pro tier with a 20x higher usage allowanceand the $100/month plan is a new middle-tier option. Both the $100 and $200 plans share the "Pro" name.

Pro subscribers will have access to all Pro featuresincluding the Pro model and unlimited access to Instant and Thinking models.

To celebrate the launch of the new planOpenAI is increasing Codex usage for a limited time. Through May 31customers who subscribe to the $100/month Pro plan will get up to 10x usage of ChatGPT Plus on Codex.

In addition to introducing the new planOpenAI is "rebalancing" Codex usage in Plus to support more sessions throughout the weekinstead of longer sessions in a single day. OpenAI says the ChatGPT Plus plan is the best offer for steadyday-to-day usage of Codexwhile the more expensive $100/month plan is a "more accessible" upgrade path for heavier daily use.

With the $100 planOpenAI has pricing tiers similar to Anthropic. Anthropic has a $20/month Pro plana Max 5x plan for $100/monthand a Max 20x plan for $200/month.

Developer Bryan Keller was curious whether an old version of Apple's Mac operating system was capable of running on the Nintendo Wii after seeing Windows NT ported to the gaming deviceso he decided to give it a try. He was able to get Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah to operate on the Nintendo Wiiand he shared a blog post walking through the project.

The Wii uses a PowerPC 750CL processorwhich is a newer version of the PowerPC 750CXe that Apple used in the G3 iBook and iMacwhich is why Keller had a hunch that the process would be successful. Keller wrote a custom bootloader and eventually managed to load OS Xwith the multi-step process detailed on his website.

He had to patch the OS X kernel source code and compile a modified kernel binarythen write custom drivers so the kernel was able to read from the Wii SD card slot to boot into the file system. He also had to write a framebuffer driver for the OS X interfacebridge a color incompatibility between the Wii video hardware and OS X graphics codeand seek out decade-old OS X Cheetah USBFamily source code on IRC to get peripherals working.

Keller was able to get the Mac OS X Cheetah installer running with a functional keyboard and mouseturning the Wii into a usable system running OS X.

Keller was invested enough in the project that he took the Wii with him on vacation to Hawaii so he could work on it. For those curious about how he solved the myriad problems required to get OS X running on a Wiihis website is worth checking out. Anyone who wants to try setting up OS X on a Wii can get the project source code on GitHub.

Apple's Mac shipments grew 9 percent during the first quarter of 2026according to estimated shipment data shared this week by IDC.

Apple's growth outpaced overall PC market growth of 2.5 percent thanks to the M5 MacBook Pro that was released late last year. Apple also refreshed the MacBook Air and the higher-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ modelsbut those were just recently updated and wouldn't have impacted the Q1 2026 numbers much.

Apple was the number four PC vendor in the world with 6.2 million Macs shippedup from 5.7 million in the year-ago quarter. LenovoHPand Dell were the top three PC vendors with 16.512.1and 10.3 million PCs shippedrespectively. Most vendors saw an increase in shipments during the quarter according to IDCwith the exception of HP.

Apple had a 9.5 percent share of the global PC market during the quarterup from 8.9 percent in the first quarter of 2025.

According to IDCgrowth during the quarter was fueled by concerns over rising component costs and new product introductions. Vendors that are able to secure access to memory will fare the best as PC shipments start to decline.

IDC counts traditional PCs like desktopsnotebooksand workstations in its numbersbut it does not include tablets like the iPad. IDC's information is only an estimateand Apple no longer provides details on the specific number of devices that it sells each quarter.

Apple's next earnings report is set to take place on April 30.

Europe's largest Apple museum to date opened in early Aprilcoinciding with Apple's 50th anniversary. The Apple Museum spans 2,000 square meters and is located at the Wall Utrecht in the Netherlands.

The museum's creatorEd Bindelsclaims that the space features one of the largest Apple collections in the worldand it has several rooms dedicated to Apple's design. There is an eye-catching rainbow wall of iMac G3 machinesa recreation of the garage Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak worked inan iPod displayand more.

Everything from classic Macs to modern iPhones is included in the museumand it showcases almost all of the devices that Apple has released from 1976 to 2026. Bindels says the museum tells a storyfeaturing different stages in Apple's development timeline.

"For examplethere is a space that shows what happened after Steve Jobs left Apple and the company went through a difficult period. Visitors then walk through a 'Think Different' corridor into a circular room filled with colorful iMacs. This room symbolizes the beginning of a new chapter for Apple. Throughout the museumwe tell different stories through the products."

Bindels teamed up with a group of volunteers to collect and restore devicesaccessoriesprototypesmanualsand brand materials. Some of the devices in the museum are functional and are available for guests to use.

Tickets to the Apple Museum are priced at €21.50 for adultswith discounts available for students and children.

Instagram today implemented a small but useful changeallowing Instagram users to edit their comments for up to 15 minutes after writing the initial comment.

The Meta-owned social media site has long supported editing an Instagram postbut comments have never been able to be updated to correct typos. Editing a comment can be done by tapping on the new "Edit" option that is displayed after a comment is posted.

Comments on Instagram that have been edited will be marked with a gray edited tagbut Instagram does not allow users to see the original comment.

Apple today updated Pixelmator Prothe popular image editing app that it purchased in 2024. Pixelmator Pro includes RAW image support for more camerasnew templatesimproved support for SVG file exportsnew keyboard shortcutsand more. Some of the features like the keyboard shortcuts are limited to the Creator Studio version of Pixelmator Pro.

Pixelmator Pro has a template and mockup sectionwhich includes new app screenshot options and devices to use for app mockups on Apple devices. Apple has added support for the latest iPhone 17 models.

SVG files exported from Pixelmator Pro will have fewer issues when opened in Adobe Illustratorand there is an option to touch and hold an image on the canvas to see before and after edits from Color Adjustments and Effects tools.

The sidebar is customizable using the toolbar setting optionsand there are keyboard shortcuts for changing layer opacityselecting layers when using Select Subjectcycling through blend modesand swapping between layers. Apple's release notes for the Creator Studio version of Pixelmator Pro are below.

• Enjoy full support for compressed RAW images from Sony Alpha ILCE-7M5FUJIFILM GFX 100S IIand FUJIFILM GFX 100RF cameras
• Work with High Efficiency (HE) and High Efficiency Star (HE*) RAW images from Nikon Z5II and Nikon Z50II cameras
• Open and edit RAW images from Panasonic LUMIX DC-S1RM2 cameras captured in High Resolution mode
• Discover the updated template and mockup categoriesincluding App ScreenshotBento Gridand Devicesnow featuring new iPhone 17 mockups
• Open SVG files exported from Pixelmator Pro in Adobe Illustrator with improved compatibility
• Touch and hold an image on the canvas to instantly compare before and after edits from Color Adjustments and Effects tools
• You can now customize the Pixelmator Pro Tools sidebar from the menu bar by choosing View > Customize Tools

The iPad app was also updated with some of the keyboard shortcuts that were previously available in the Mac version of the app.

New Keyboard Shortcuts

• Press and hold the Option key when choosing Select Subject to base the selection on all layers in a document
• Easily change layer opacity using number keys 1 through 9 in all supported tools
• Cycle through layer blend modes using the Shift-Plus and Shift-Minus keyboard shortcuts in all supported tools
• Use the Command-J keyboard shortcut to duplicate and Command-Shift-J to cut and paste the selected area
• Use the Option-Comma and Option-Period keyboard shortcuts to quickly switch between selecting topmost and bottommost layers in a document
• Use the Space bar to play or pause video playback in documents containing video layers

The non-Creator Studio version of the app includes the same RAW image support and the new templatesbut it lacks the other options that Apple added.

Photomatora photo editing sister app to Pixelmator Prowas updated with the new RAW image support.

Apple introduced Creator Studio earlier this yearand it incorporates apps like Final Cut ProLogic ProPixelmator ProKeynotePagesand Numbers. Because many of these apps existed before Creator Studio was developedApple offers a Creator Studio version and a standard versionwhich can be confusing. Unlocking Creator Studio features requires a Creator Studio subscriptionpriced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.

For Pixelmator ProCreator Studio-exclusive features include a warp toolapparel mockupsand a dedicated ‌iPad‌ app.

Apple today updated several apps designed for creatorsincluding Logic ProCompressorMainStageMotionFinal Cut ProFinal Cut CameraNumbersKeynoteand Pages. Apple has pushed updates for the iOSiPadOS and macOS versions of the apps where applicable.

Logic Pro includes a Step Reflex: Modern Garage Packfeaturing two-step beatsdeep basslinessynthsand more. The update also includes an option to export a shareable file to preview how a spatial audio mix will sound when streamed on Apple Music.

Preview of Dolby Atmos Mix
Export a lightweightshareable file to preview your spatial audio mix as it will sound when streamed on Apple Music -- playable on iPhoneiPador Mac

Step Reflex Pack
Get ready to bounce! Step Reflex: Modern Garage adds pristine polish to the iconic sound of '90s/early 2000s UK garage with gritty bass-heavy energyimmersive ambient atmospheresand a sprinkle of EDM magic

Whether you're crafting a dancefloor anthem or an introspective groovethis comprehensive collection is filled with punchytwo-step beatsrave-ready synthsdeep basslinesand infectious vocal chops that will make your tracks pop

CompressorMotionFinal Cut CameraFinal Cut ProMainStageNumbersKeynoteand Pages have no new featuresand the release notes only mention stability improvements and bug fixes.

Apple's apps are included as part of the Creator Studio subscription that's priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per yearbut apps like Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro can also be purchased standalone. NumbersPagesand other apps are free to usebut some features are limited to those who subscribe to Creator Studio.

Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.4.1a minor update to the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ operating system that came out last September. ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple launched macOS Tahoe 26.4.

Mac users can download the new software by opening up the System Settings app and navigating to the Software Update section.

According to Apple‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4.1 addresses an issue that could cause the M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro models to fail to join 802.1X Wi-Fi networks when using content filter extensions.

Apple today announced it will be permanently closing three retail stores in the U.S. in Juneincluding Apple Trumbull in TrumbullConnecticutApple North County in EscondidoCaliforniaand Apple Towson Town Center in TowsonMaryland.

Apple issued the following statement to MacRumors:

At Applewe are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service and great experiences for our customers. As we continue investing to expand and enhance our retail stores and offerings worldwidewe remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers' needs in the best way. Following the departure of several retailers and declining conditions at Trumbull Mallthe Shops at North Countyand Towson Town Centerwe've made the difficult decision to close our stores at these locations.

Our team members at Trumbull and North County will continue their roles at nearby Apple Retail stores. Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. We look forward to continuing to serve customers at nearby stores and on Apple.comthe Apple Store appand at Apple Authorized Resellers and Service Providers throughout the states.

All three of the stores are located in struggling shopping malls that have lost dozens of major retailers combined. Earlier this yearfor exampleBanana RepublicMadewelland Tommy Bahama announced they were leaving Towson Town Center. Last monththe owner of Trumbull Mall defaulted on a $150 million dollar loan and the property is now for sale. The mall now known as Mershops North County was also sold a few years ago amid declining conditions.

Notablystaff at Apple Towson Town Center became Apple's first retail employees in the U.S. to unionize in 2022. They belong to The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE).

Apple said employees at the Trumbull and North County stores will continue their roles at nearby Apple Store locationswhile employees at the Towson Town Center store will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement that they signed with Apple as part of their unionization.

All three of the stores are temporarily closed today and re-open tomorrow.

On the other handApple has opened 11 new stores around the world since the start of 2025including in the U.S. cities of Miami and Detroit. Apple has also remodeled or replaced dozens of stores over the past few years in cities such as DallasPittsburghMontréaland Tokyoand it plans to open its first stores in Saudi Arabia.

Apple achieved an all-time revenue record last quarterso these store closures are not indicative of the company's overall performance.

Update: In a statement to MacRumorsthe International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Union said that it is "outraged" by Apple's decision to close the Towson storeand will be exploring legal options to hold Apple accountable.

The IAM Union is outraged by Apple's decision to close its TowsonMd.store--the first unionized Apple retail location in the United States--and abandon both its workers and a community that relies on it for critical services and its unique access to public transit. Apple's claim that the collective bargaining agreement prevents relocation is simply false and raises serious concerns that this closure is a cynical attempt to bust the union. We are exploring all legal options and will work with elected officials and allies to hold Apple accountable. We stand with our IAM Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) members and the community that depends on this store for essential access and support.

Apple is weighing two options for the iPhone 18 Pro's Dynamic Islandand a final decision has yet to be madeaccording to the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station.

In a new post todaythe leaker says that current supply chain feedback points to an A/B scenario: one option retains the existing screen mold from the iPhone 17 Prowhile the other introduces a significantly smaller "Mini ‌Dynamic Island‌" enabled by moving the Face ID receiver and transmitter components beneath the display.

Current feedback from the supply chain suggests an A/B testing scenario: one option retains the existing screen moldwhile the other features a 'Mini Dynamic Island' with the Face ID receiver/transmitter (RX) components positioned beneath the display. If they opt for the latterit feels like sales figures will once again be a non-issue.

The update is a slight shift from the leaker's previous position. Earlier this yearDigital Chat Station claimed Apple was leaning toward reusing last year's designwhich would have left the ‌Dynamic Island‌ largely unchanged.

The report was a dissenting voice against a body of reportingincluding from Bloomberg's Mark GurmanDSCC's Ross Youngand multiple other Weibo leakerssuggesting the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ would feature a ‌Dynamic Island‌ roughly 35% smaller than on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌.

In a follow-up postthe leaker also addressed the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s rear design. He said that the rectangular plateau design introduced with the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ will carry over unchangedbut the back will see "minor adjustments to the body materials and design details.” This is likely a reference to previously rumored changes aimed at achieving a more uniform look between the aluminum unibody frame and glass cutout for wireless charging.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to be announced this fall alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.

In late MarchApple notified the winners of the 2026 Swift Student Challengewho each received a complimentary one-year Apple Developer Program membershipAirPods Max 2and a special certificate. A smaller group of Distinguished Winners were also invited to a three-day experience at Apple Park during WWDC 2026 in June.

The annual Swift Student Challenge gives eligible student developers around the world the opportunity to showcase their coding capabilities by using the Swift Playground or Xcode apps to create an interactive "app playground."

Despite receiving many incredible submissionsApple can only select a limited number of winners due to WWDC space constraints. Belowwe have highlighted three young developers who did not quite winbut still deserve attention for their efforts.

Teddy

For the 2026 Swift Student ChallengeUC Santa Cruz student Morris Richman submitted Teddya voice-controlled camera app that uses Apple Foundation Models to help those with touch-related accessibility issues take photos.

"There is a strong overlap between those who have touch issues and those who have difficulty learning accessibility focused features such as VoiceOver," said Morris. "Teddy addresses this issue through Apple's Foundation Models and SpeechAnalyzer APIs to take action on behalf of the user through natural language processing and tool calling."

Morris created the app after being inspired by his grandfatherLarry.

Teddy is available in beta via TestFlight and as an open-source project on GitHub.

ActivTimer

MacRumors reader Kate's first-ever Swift Student Challenge submission was ActivTimeran iPhone app designed to help reduce your screen time and increase your activity. The app was built with SwiftUI and other modern Apple technologies.

Kate describes the app as a "screen time tracker and workout app all in one."

"It keeps track of how long you're on your screen and alerts you with a sound to get up and moveor to do some mindfulness," said Kate.

ActivTimer is not available in the App Storebut the project's source code is available on GitHub.

Write: A Literary Journey

Victoria Ali is a young developer from Argentina who created Write: A Literary Journeyan iPhone app that she describes as a narrative puzzle experience.

The app tasks you with solving puzzles to reconstruct the portraits and legacies of history's most influential female authors.

Victoria said the app both demonstrates her coding skills and serves as a tribute to her late grandmother and writerRosa.

When you first open the appyou are presented with a 3D onboarding experience that allows you to explore Rosa's desk.

"Through an immersive 3D onboarding I designed in SceneKit with models I built in Blender—like her vintage Remington typewriter and her yellow tulips—I wanted to create a bridge to feel her close again," she said.

Apple's new AirPods Max 2 launched last weekand Amazon is still one of the only retailers offering a discount on the headphones. You can get the Midnight and Starlight color options for $529.99 on Amazondown from $549.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchasewe may receive a small paymentwhich helps us keep the site running.

Although this is only a $19 discount on the AirPods Max 2it's the best markdown you'll find online if you're looking to order the new headphones. Free delivery has the AirPods Max 2 arriving around April 14but they can be delivered as soon as tomorrow with Prime shipping.

In other new product discountsAmazon has the M5 MacBook Air for $150 off across nearly every model this week. If you're on the hunt for more discountsbe sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple has asked a U.S. court to formally request internal Samsung documents from South Korea as part of discovery in the DOJ's ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the company.

The DOJ filed suit against Apple in March 2024alongside a number of governmentsalleging the company used App Store rulesdeveloper restrictionsand control over key iPhone features to stifle competition. After Apple's bid to have the case dismissed failedthe litigation moved into discovery.

Samsung is central to the case. All four complaints identify Samsung as Apple's "closest smartphone competitor," and plaintiffs allege that Apple's conduct caused Samsung to stop making smartwatches that connect to iPhone in 2021. Apple subpoenaed Samsung's U.S. subsidiarySamsung Electronics Americafor documentsbut the subsidiary declined to produce any recordsarguing the materials are held solely by its South Korean parent. Apple says Samsung America lodged that objection 65 times across its responses.

In a memorandum filed on April 7Apple asked the court to issue a formal letter of request under the Hague Evidence Conventionan international mechanism that allows civil proceedings to seek documents from foreign entities. The request targets market researchsales datafinancial statementsand consumer switching analyses from Samsung's smartphone and wearables divisionsas well as Galaxy Store developer agreements and documents relating to Samsung Paymessaging appsand super apps.

Apple pointed specifically to Smart SwitchSamsung's tool for transferring content from iPhone to a Samsung deviceas evidence that the company holds directly relevant data on consumer switching behavior. The filing also seeks Samsung's own documents on its digital wallet feesafter plaintiffs alleged Apple charges banks 0.15% per Apple Pay transaction while Samsung charges nothing comparable.

Even if the court grants the motionSouth Korean authorities would independently decide whether to complyand Samsung Electronics could raise objections under Korean law.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topicthe discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the threadbut posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today released a minor iOS 26.4.1 update for the iPhone 11 and newer. While the release notes for the update only mention unspecified "bug fixes," we have since learned about two specific changes that are included in it.

First9to5Mac spotted an Apple Developer Forums thread suggesting that iOS 26.4.1 fixes an iOS 26.4 bug that affected iCloud syncing in some apps.

Secondan enterprise-focused Apple support document indicates that Stolen Device Protection will be automatically enabled on iPhones that update from iOS 26.4 to iOS 26.4.1. This likely applies to devices that are managed by a workplace/organizationas iOS 26.4 already turned on the feature by default for regular users.

Introduced in iOS 17.3Stolen Device Protection adds an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also knows the device's passcode. The feature is designed to reduce instances of thieves spying on an iPhone user's passcode before stealing the deviceoften in public places like bars.

When the feature is turned onFace ID or Touch ID authentication is required for more actions than usual on an iPhoneincluding viewing passwords or passkeys stored in iCloud Keychainapplying for a new Apple Cardturning off Lost Modeerasing all content and settingsusing payment methods saved in Safariand more. No passcode fallback is available in the event that the user is unable to complete Face ID or Touch ID authentication.

For especially sensitive actionsincluding changing the password of the Apple ID account associated with the iPhonethe feature adds a security delay on top of biometric authentication. In these casesthe user must authenticate with Face ID or Touch IDwait one hourand authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again. Howeverthere is no delay when the iPhone is in familiar locationssuch as at home or work.

Prior to iOS 26.4Stolen Device Protection was turned off by default on all iPhones. It can be turned on in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode.

Launched in 2022Apple's self-service repair program provides customers with access to genuine partstoolsand manuals to repair select iPhonesiPadsMacsStudio Displaysand Beats Pill speakers. Apple says the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices."

Apple today started selling parts and tools for seven new devices through its self-service repair store in the U.S.Canadaand many European countries.

As reported by 9to5Macgenuine Apple parts are now available for these devices:

• iPhone 17e
• iPad Air with M4 chip
• MacBook Neo
• MacBook Air with M5 chip
• MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips
• Studio Display (2026)
• Studio Display XDR

After ordering parts and toolsyou can follow the steps in Apple's repair manuals for each device.

There is a notable piece of news related to this. As we reported last monththe MacBook Neo's keyboard can be replaced individually.

For yearsreplacing the keyboard in other MacBooks has required replacing the entire Top Casewhich refers to the top half of the aluminum shell surrounding the keyboard. For examplethe latest MacBook Air has a "Top Case with Keyboard" partand the latest MacBook Pro models have a "Top Case with Battery and Keyboard" part.

For the MacBook Neothere are separate KeyboardKeyboard with Touch IDand Top Case partsand Apple shows how to replace the keyboard individually. While there are still more than 40 screws involved to replace the keyboard on its ownthe process is much easier than replacing an entire Top Casewhich requires lots of disassembly.

Best of allthe MacBook Neo's individual keyboard part starts at just $140 on Apple's self-service repair store in the U.S.whereas the Top Case with Keyboard for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models costs around $400 to $600.

Apple Victoria Gardens in Rancho CucamongaCalifornia will be temporarily closed for renovations starting the evening of SaturdayApril 11.

The store will reopen in the fallaccording to a notice on Apple's website spotted by MacRumors reader Kate. No specific date was providedbut Apple will likely aim to resume business ahead of iPhone 18 Pro launch day in September.

In the meantimeApple will be opening a temporary store elsewhere at Victoria Gardensin a unit that was most recently occupied by activewear retailer Athleta. The address for the temporary store is 12501 N MainstreetSuite 3610.

Apple Victoria Gardens first opened in September 2004.

Apple Chermside outside of BrisbaneAustralia will also be temporarily closed starting WednesdayApril 29with Apple inviting customers to visit nearby stores in the meantime. Apple has not provided a specific reason for this store's closurebut it is likely another renovation project. The location first opened in November 2009.

Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1 software updates for the iPhone and iPadrespectively. The updates have a build number of 23E254and they arrive a little more than two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4.

According to Apple's release notesthe software updates contain unspecified "bug fixes."

The updates do not include any security fixesaccording to Apple's website.

The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update.

Apple is already beta testing iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5the next versions of iOS 26 that will likely launch later in April or in May.