AllYouCanTech

Savings on Satechi M4 Mac mini Hubs and SSD Enclosures at 20% Off, Discover My Gear Starting at $24, iPhone 16 Pro Price Cut by $400, and Additional Deals

# Top Apple Offers on Gadgets and Accessories

As the summer sizzles, so do the promotions on Apple gadgets and accessories. This piece showcases some of the top deals currently accessible, featuring Satechi’s newest items, substantial markdowns on iPad Pro models, and more.

## Satechi’s Summer Blowout

Satechi, a prominent manufacturer of accessories for Apple devices, has kicked off a Summer Blowout Sale highlighting impressive discounts on its latest products. Notable mentions include:

### M4 Mac Mini Stand & Hub
– **Price**: $80 (Original $100)
– **Description**: This accessory boosts connectivity options for the Mac Mini, while also integrating a 10Gbps NVMe SSD enclosure. It has multiple ports for USB-A, SD cards, and other connections, making it a valuable addition to any configuration.

### USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure
– **Price**: $96 (Original $120)
– **Description**: This enclosure supports transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps and accommodates various M.2 NVMe SSD sizes. Its sleek design makes it ideal for increasing storage capacity.

### New Find My Accessories
Satechi has launched a fresh lineup of Find My accessories, featuring:
– **FindAll Keychain**: $24 (Original $30)
– **FindAll Luggage Tag**: $36 (Original $45)
– **FindAll Wallet Card**: $28 (Original $35)
– **FindAll Glasses Case**: $40 (Original $50)

These items are equipped with Bluetooth technology and are crafted to assist users in keeping tabs on their items.

## iPad Pro Price Cuts

In anticipation of the July 4th celebrations, Amazon has decreased prices on all 13-inch M4 iPad Pro models by $200. This includes assorted configurations, making it a prime opportunity to buy:

– **Standard Configurations**: All Wi-Fi variants (256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB) are offered at a $200 reduction.
– **Open-Box Deals**: Further savings can be discovered on open-box models, with prices commencing as low as $1,013.99 for the 13-inch variant.

## iPhone 16 Pro Discounts

For those in search of a new iPhone, Amazon has also lowered prices on iPhone 16 Pro models:
– **256GB Natural Titanium**: Now available for $925.65, reflecting a $174 reduction from the original price.
– **1TB Black Model**: Was previously discounted by $400 but is currently not in stock.

These refurbished premium devices provide an economical way to acquire a high-quality gadget.

## Final Thoughts

With these incredible offers on Satechi accessories, iPad Pro models, and iPhone 16 Pro devices, it’s an optimal time to upgrade your Apple ecosystem. Whether you’re in the market for chic accessories or robust gadgets, numerous options are available at fantastic prices.

Threads Unveils Independent Direct Messaging and Debuts Visual Highlights

Meta has made remarkable progress in improving its Threads app, celebrating its second anniversary with the launch of a direct messaging feature and a fresh visual highlights option. These enhancements seek to further define Threads as a standalone platform, separate from its Instagram roots.

### Direct Messaging Feature

The highly anticipated direct messaging (DM) function is finally being introduced. Users now have the ability to chat privately within the app, though they must adhere to specific guidelines. DMs are not encrypted, and users can only message those who follow them back on Threads or are mutual followers on Instagram. Moreover, both participants must be over 18 years old.

Future enhancements for the DM feature are anticipated to encompass:

– **Message Controls**: Users will gain the capability to control who can send them messages, including options for those who do not follow them on either platform, along with a designated message requests folder.

– **Group Messaging**: This feature will enable users to participate in discussions with several members.

– **Inbox Filters**: Users will have the means to swiftly identify and reply to crucial messages.

### The Threads Highlighter

Alongside DMs, Threads is launching the “Threads Highlighter,” a new visual component designed to showcase distinct viewpoints and encourage meaningful conversations. The highlighter will emphasize trending themes and other important topics, appearing in key sections of the app where users explore content. This feature strives to boost user interaction by fostering relevant dialogues.

Both the direct messaging function and the Threads highlighter are accessible globally, underscoring Meta’s dedication to transforming Threads into a platform with its own identity and audience. Significantly, a third of daily Threads users engage with different accounts than those they follow on Instagram, highlighting an expanding and unique community within the app.

Initial Evaluations of Apple TV+ Sci-Fi Series Emphasize Ongoing Enhancement

### Foundation Season 3: Apple TV+’s Bold Sci-Fi Saga Makes Its Return

Apple TV+ is poised to captivate audiences once more with the eagerly awaited comeback of **Foundation** for its third season on **July 11, 2025**. Following a successful second season, the series has received considerable acclaim, with critics referring to it as Apple’s counterpart to **Game of Thrones**.

#### A Brief Overview of Foundation

**Foundation** debuted in the autumn of 2021, adapting Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking sci-fi series, deemed by many as impossible to bring to the screen. While the inaugural season received varied feedback, the second season represented a pivotal shift, unveiling the series’ true potential and depth. With season 3 on the brink, initial responses indicate it could be the best installment yet.

#### Critical Acclaim

The feedback for season 3 has been overwhelmingly favorable. Critics have commended the series for its compelling storytelling, character arcs, and production excellence. Noteworthy reviews include:

– **CBR**: “One of the top shows of the year and essential viewing for all sci-fi enthusiasts.”
– **JoBlo**: “Apple TV+ might have finally discovered its own *Game of Thrones*.”
– **Collider**: “This is the kind of television that elevates the medium…the quality of acting and writing is unmatched.”

#### What to Expect in Season 3

Set **152 years** after the conclusion of season 2, the story tracks the advancement of the Foundation, which has flourished as the Cleonic Dynasty’s Empire has diminished. The narrative introduces a daunting new foe, a warlord referred to as **“The Mule,”** who represents a substantial danger to the galaxy. The storyline promises intricate dynamics of alliances and confrontations, as pivotal characters such as **Hari Seldon**, **Gaal Dornick**, and **Demerzel** engage in a high-stakes intergalactic game of chess.

Apple characterizes the season as an exhilarating continuation of the saga, underscoring the stakes embedded in this vast universe.

#### The Show’s Reception and Future

Despite its accolades, **Foundation** has not yet achieved the widespread acclaim of other Apple TV+ successes like **Severance**. The complex plot and extensive character lineup may be intimidating for newcomers, but those who commit their time find a rewarding and rich narrative experience.

As the third season nears, fans are hopeful that the show will resonate with a broader audience, potentially setting the stage for a fourth season.

#### Conclusion

With its fusion of grand storytelling and high production values, **Foundation** distinguishes itself as one of the premier offerings from Apple TV+. As it readies to premiere its third season, both new audiences and loyal fans are keen to see how this ambitious adaptation evolves.

For anyone keen on diving into this sci-fi gem, **Apple TV+** is offered at **$9.99 per month**, featuring a selection of renowned shows and films.

watchOS 26 Debuts New ‘Hints’ Functionality for Improved Watch Face Personalization

watchOS 26 is expected to debut this fall, bringing a variety of new features and improvements for Apple Watch users. Among the most significant enhancements are the introduction of an Apple Notes application, advanced Apple Intelligence capabilities, and major updates to the Control Center. Nevertheless, one of the highlight features of this update is the addition of ‘hints’ for the Smart Stack, designed to enhance its discoverability and ease of use.

### Hints in watchOS 26 Address the Smart Stack’s Discoverability Challenge

Since its introduction two years ago, the Smart Stack has been an essential component of watchOS, enabling users to view a stack of widgets by scrolling the Digital Crown while they look at their watch face. The Smart Stack has undergone various enhancements, with the addition of Live Activity support last year boosting its relevance and immediacy.

In watchOS 26, Apple is elevating the Smart Stack by implementing ‘hints.’ These hints aim to provide proactive prompts for actionable recommendations based on contextual information, sensor data, and user habits. Crafted from Liquid Glass, these hints will manifest as subtle visual cues on the display. For example, a hint for the Backtrack feature might be shown when a user finds themselves in a remote area lacking connectivity, or a suggestion for a Pilates session may appear when a user arrives at their regular studio at the anticipated time.

The intention behind these hints is to motivate users to engage with the Smart Stack at moments when it could prove particularly useful. Acknowledging that Apple Watch users primarily interact with their watch faces, Apple has designed these hints to emerge at the lower part of the screen, indicating a Smart Stack prompt.

When a user taps on a hint, they will be taken to the Smart Stack with the corresponding widget highlighted, streamlining access to valuable information without needing to manually search for it.

### Potential Effects of Hints

The launch of hints could greatly improve the Smart Stack’s effectiveness by surfacing the most pertinent widgets upfront, rather than necessitating user searches. However, concerns exist about the possibility of these hints conflicting with watch faces that already showcase widgets at the bottom. If executed successfully, hints could signify a substantial enhancement in how users engage with the Smart Stack, making it a more essential aspect of the Apple Watch experience.

As the arrival of watchOS 26 draws nearer, many are keen to observe how well these hints perform in real-world use and if they fulfill their goal of boosting user interaction with the Smart Stack.

### Conclusion

With the forthcoming launch of watchOS 26, Apple is ready to provide a more personalized and user-friendly experience for Apple Watch owners. The addition of hints within the Smart Stack is a promising advancement that could alleviate current discoverability challenges and facilitate more intuitive access to pertinent information. As users gear up for the fall update, excitement surrounding these new features continues to rise.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Financial Assets Introduce a New Obstacle for Apple in the AI Rivalry

Meta’s revitalized drive into AI is unsettling the entire market, leaving Apple particularly vulnerable. With morale arguably reaching a historic low within Cupertino’s AI departments, Zuckerberg’s spree of multimillion-dollar offers may have already lured away at least one leading researcher from Apple Park. More departures could be imminent.

### What multimillion-dollar offer spree?

As per recent reports, Meta has presented enormous compensation packages to attract top AI researchers from competitors. Although OpenAI CEO Sam Altman notes that these offers have included bonuses “like $100 million,” Meta executives later specified that these amounts refer to multi-year compensation deals, rather than immediate signing bonuses. Nonetheless, even the clarifications imply that figures in the tens of millions are now competitive, prompting OpenAI to reportedly “recalibrate” its compensation in an effort to halt a talent exodus that has already seen at least six senior researchers moving to Menlo Park.

Here’s *Wired*, which highlighted a memo from OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer, Mark Chen, shared internally:

> “I feel a deep sense of loss right now, as if our home has been invaded and something valuable stolen,” Chen wrote. “Please be assured that we have not been idle.” Chen assured he was collaborating with Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, and other company leaders “around the clock to address those with offers,” adding, “we’ve become more proactive than ever, we’re adjusting compensation, and we’re exploring innovative ways to acknowledge and reward top talent.”

While most of the spotlight has been on OpenAI, *Bloomberg* reports that some members of Apple’s foundational models team have received offers between $10 million and $40 million annually. At least one senior Apple AI researcher, Tom Gunter, resigned last week, although it’s unclear if he joined Meta. Others are reportedly on the brink of leaving, including the MLX team responsible for Apple’s open-source framework for training models on Apple Silicon.

### But where did this originate?

The recent wave of talent poaching is said to have begun after Mark Zuckerberg became frustrated with Meta’s lagging position in the frontier AI race. Weeks ago, rumors circulated that Zuckerberg was personally reaching out to AI engineers in a bid to recruit them for a new initiative within Meta. That initiative was officially unveiled as the Superintelligence Lab.

Recently, Zuckerberg and his team are reported to have explored or sought acquisitions of companies like Perplexity, Safe Superintelligence, Thinking Machine Labs, and Runway AI. None succeeded, but Meta did manage to effectively acquihire Scale AI, with its former CEO, Alexandr Wang, now leading the Superintelligence Lab.

Meanwhile, Meta has attracted several senior OpenAI researchers and is now openly focusing on the same LLM and computer vision talent that Apple has historically underpaid compared to the wider market. The company is also allegedly attempting to acquire PlayAI, a voice cloning startup, and may have recruited top leaders from Google’s Gemini division.

### 9to5Mac’s perspective

The timing is unfortunate for Cupertino. As reported yesterday by *Bloomberg*, Apple is currently considering whether to outsource significant aspects of Siri’s future to third-party models from OpenAI or Anthropic, a decision that has unsettled morale within Apple’s AI workforce. *Bloomberg* indicates that some employees perceive this shift as a lack of confidence in their efforts, potentially motivating more to seek other job opportunities, especially with companies like Meta offering 2–4 times their existing salaries.

Zuckerberg isn’t taking this lightly, and he clearly understands that he has the shareholders’ approval to invest whatever is necessary to position Meta for the next stage of the AI evolution, postponing profitability for the next decade. If so, he also recognizes that few companies can endure the same strategy or match his offers, particularly if it risks exacerbating existing tensions among employees who already feel undervalued.

Apple, as is its custom, has not commented. However, if it aims to avert falling behind in this new AI era, it may need to reconsider its compensation policies. Otherwise, it won’t merely be licensing models from external sources; it will be witnessing its top talent develop them elsewhere.

Brazil’s Antitrust Authority Considers Possible Sanctions Against Apple for NFC Limitations

Apple is presently dealing with notable legal challenges, comprising a class action lawsuit initiated by Proton in the U.S. and a federal antitrust case in New Jersey that a judge has chosen not to dismiss. Moreover, Brazil’s antitrust authority, CADE, has proposed sanctions against Apple for its restrictive behaviors concerning the iPhone’s NFC chip and its stipulation for developers to utilize Apple Pay.

CADE’s General Superintendence has indicated that Apple’s conduct creates “artificial barriers” for rivals and obstructs innovation within the iOS ecosystem, which Apple completely oversees. The agency contends that these practices complicate market entry for emerging players and restrict options for both developers and users.

This investigation began following a complaint from MercadoLibre, a prominent e-commerce platform in Latin America, which alleged that Apple was exploiting its market dominance by curbing the sale of third-party digital services and enforcing the utilization of its payment system for in-app purchases. CADE determined that these limitations constitute an abuse of economic power under Brazilian legislation, maintaining Apple’s dominant status and hindering competitors’ ability to function.

CADE has asked its internal tribunal to impose a financial sanction on Apple and enforce remedies to address the antitrust violations, which may involve requiring access to Apple’s NFC hardware and payment systems, akin to regulations imposed by the EU under the Digital Markets Act.

In response, Apple defended its practices, voicing concerns that CADE’s suggested actions could adversely affect the user experience it has developed over the years. The company highlighted that the App Store has offered a safe marketplace for Brazilian consumers and has aided local developers. Apple asserts that it does not possess a dominant position in Brazil, referencing Android’s greater market share, and claims that its NFC platform is accessible to third parties, albeit under its own conditions.

MLS Season Pass Now Offered at 50% Off

### MLS Season Pass Pricing Update

The MLS Season Pass is now accessible for $49 for the rest of the 2025 season, enabling subscribers to watch all Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season and playoff matches, both live and on-demand. This pricing change represents the midpoint of the season, presenting a timely chance for fans to connect with the league.

Subscribers of Apple TV+ enjoy an extra advantage: the MLS Season Pass is available at a lowered price of $39. The monthly subscription plan remains the same, offering an economical choice for dedicated soccer fans who are also part of the streaming service.

It’s crucial to understand that this price drop does not signify a permanent alteration in the pricing model for the MLS Season Pass. Rather, it’s a temporary modification influenced by the season’s advancement. Subscribers who obtain the pass at this reduced rate will have their subscriptions automatically renew at the standard price of $99 in 2026, unless they opt to cancel.

MLS and Apple are presently in the third year of their exclusive streaming collaboration, which enables all MLS games to be streamed on the Apple TV platform without blackouts or regional limitations. This partnership improves accessibility for fans, as matches are available in both English and Spanish. Moreover, viewers can take pleasure in MLS 360, a highlight show that delivers a thorough overview of all live matches on game days.

Fans can access the MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app on various devices, including Android phones and tablets, due to the recent launch of the app on the Google Play Store. Streaming is also possible via web browsers at tv.apple.com, ensuring a wide array of options for viewers to follow their favorite teams in action.

In conclusion, the MLS Season Pass presents an outstanding opportunity for soccer fans to enjoy the remainder of the season at a discounted price, with the added ease of streaming across multiple platforms.

New Releases on Apple TV+ for July

Apple TV+ experienced a robust first half of the year, and in July, two beloved returning series are set to carry on that momentum with fresh seasons. The main attraction is Foundation season 3, the newest installment in Apple’s high-budget sci-fi saga. Additionally, new episodes of the crime drama Smoke and the touching comedy Stick will keep unfolding, along with other debuts like Acapulco. Here’s what’s debuting on Apple TV+ in July.

### Foundation (season 3)

– **When:** *July 11*
– **What:** *TV Show*
– **Genre:** *Sci-Fi Drama*

Inspired by the acclaimed novels of Isaac Asimov, “Foundation” follows a group of outcasts on their significant quest to rescue humanity and restore civilization during its decline.