Report: Apple's faster, next-gen MacBook Pro slated to come out soon

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We might be seeing faster Apple MacBook Pro models soon. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the laptops will be refreshed during the macOS 26.3 release cycle, which typically runs from February through March. Gurman noted that launches tend to occur when many models begin selling out. The new rumoured products, codenamed J714 and J716, have reportedly "already been staged in shipping warehouses globally, ready for release."

Gurman said the current premium MacBook Pro models available are already showing shipping delays that stretch through the month and into March, signalling that new models are about to be released soon. "Inventory typically starts to dwindle right before a product refresh, leading to exactly this kind of extended wait time. Several configurations are also out of stock at Apple stores worldwide, I'm told," he said.

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Apple reportedly eyes flip-style iPhone

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Beyond its rumoured first foldable, Apple is reportedly already planning to develop a flip-style foldable next. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman noted that the first foldable iPhone is still several months away, but the company is already thinking about its next-generation device.

Gurman said the product is "far from guaranteed to reach the market." However, the tech giant is betting that the upcoming foldable will drive demand for the category, and it wants to develop additional offerings to cater to different users.

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Instagram's latest experiment: Self-removal from another's Close Friends lists

Source: Alessandro Paluzzi

If you don't want to be part of someone's Close Friends list on Instagram, the Meta-owned social network is testing out the option that lets you opt out of this list. The internal test was first spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi, who specializes in locating unreleased features under development.

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Apple snaps up Israel-based startup Q.ai for a reported cool $2 billion

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Apple recently acquired Israel-based startup Q.ai in a bid to accelerate its artificial intelligence efforts. While the company did not disclose the terms of the deal, reports indicate that the arrangement is valued at nearly $2 billion. If the figure is correct, the Q.ai purchase is Apple's second-largest acquisition to date, following the Beats purchase in 2014 for $3 billion.

It's unclear how Apple plans to leverage Q.ai, but the company's past work suggests Apple is doubling down on AI-powered wearables. Q.ai CEO Aviad Maizels and the other founding members of the company will join Apple as part of the deal.

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