Technology

Here’s where you can preorder Apple’s latest iPad Air and iPad Pro

Published

2 years ago

May 11, 2024

Here’s where you can preorder Apple’s latest iPad Air and iPad Pro

At long last, Apple’s newest iPad Pro and iPad Air are finally, officially real. Preorders opened May 7th, with the former tablet starting at $999 and the latter at $599. Both models come in 11- and 13-inch sizes and are set to arrive in stores on Wednesday, May 15th.

One of the most notable changes in the Pro models is the switch from LCD-based displays to OLED, which could be the killer feature for creatives. But there’s a lot more to like, such as the new M4 chip that is said to offer 50 percent faster CPU performance than the prior model’s M2 chip, plus a new 10-core GPU that supports mesh shading and ray tracing. The new iPad Pro also gets a slight camera shakeup, as it now only features two rear cameras (it ditches the ultra-wide from the previous model, but there’s an improved adaptive flash). There’s also a repositioned front-facing camera that now sits centered along the horizontal edge, which allows for less awkward video calls.

The new iPad Air, meanwhile, now comes in two sizes, both with Apple’s M2 processor. The new models support the Apple Pencil hover feature that was once exclusive to the M2 iPad Pro, and both include Wi-Fi 6E support. Neither size features an OLED screen, but you still get a vibrant Liquid Retina XDR display, and the 13-inch model has improved stereo speakers (in landscape orientation) that supposedly “double the bass” of the 11-inch model. You can read our iPad Pro vs. iPad Air breakdown for more granular details about how they differ.

As for accessories, both tablets support the new Apple Pencil Pro, which builds on the second-gen magnetic version with built-in Find My, a squeeze gesture with haptic feedback, and a gyroscope sensor. The new iPad Pros have a refreshed Magic Keyboard to match, now with a dedicated function row and a bigger trackpad with haptic feedback. (Those going for the iPad Air can use them with the original Magic Keyboards that are still available for older iPad Pro models.)

Where to preorder the new iPad Air

The newest iPad Air will be available in an 11-inch configuration and a second 13-inch configuration that makes it easier for fans of the bigger display size to have it without paying the premiums for an iPad Pro.

Right now, you can preorder the 11-inch iPad Air directly from Apple and at Best Buy, Amazon, and B&H Photo. It starts at $599 for the base model with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage, though you can also jump to 256GB for $699, 512GB for $899, or 1TB for $1,099. You can get the 11-inch Air with 5G starting at $749 for a 128GB model, $849 for 256GB, $1,049 for 512GB, and $1,249 for 1TB. You can get the unlocked cellular model from Apple, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

The 13-inch iPad Air is also available for preorder from Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo and starts at $799 for a 128GB / Wi-Fi model. If you need more storage, you can get it with 256GB for $899, 512GB for $1,099, and 1TB for $1,299. The 5G-equipped model, meanwhile, starts at $949 for 128GB, $1,049 for 256GB, $1,249 for 512GB, and $1,449 for 1TB. You’ll find it at the same crop of retailers: Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

Both sizes are available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray. Apple and Best Buy are accepting trade-ins of older models that you can apply instantly to your order. Amazon and B&H Photo also let you trade devices in, but you’ll have to wait until the inspection process concludes before receiving credit.

$599

The newest iPad Air comes in either an 11- or 13-inch configuration with Apple’s M2 processor. Both models also feature a Liquid Retina display, new horizontal placement for the front camera, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro.

Where to preorder the new iPad Pro

Like the latest Air, the new iPad Pro comes in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. The 11-inch iPad Pro in its base 256GB / Wi-Fi configuration is available from Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo starting at $999. You can also get it in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations for $1,199, $1,599, and $1,999, respectively. The 5G model is available at the same retailers: Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. It starts at $1,199 for 256GB, $1,399 for 512GB, $1,799 for 1TB, and $2,199 for 2TB.

The 13-inch iPad Pro is the same device, only bigger. It’s available for preorder via Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo starting at $1,299 for a 256GB / Wi-Fi model, $1,499 for 512GB, $1,899 for 1TB, and $2,299 for 2TB. If you want to add 5G connectivity, those respective prices are $1,499, $1,699, $2,099, and $2,499 at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

Both sizes are available in silver or space gray. You can trade in older models for an instant credit at Apple and Best Buy, and you can also trade devices in at Amazon and B&H Photo if you don’t mind waiting for an inspection.

It’s worth noting that the 2024 iPad Pro also comes with the option to add nano-textured glass at checkout, but only if you’re buying a 1TB or 2TB model. For a $100 premium, the upgraded glass is said to reduce screen reflectivity and scatter ambient light without a big impact on overall contrast and image quality, making it easier to do creative work in brighter conditions.

Potential performance upgrades are another reason you might want to consider going for a 1TB or higher iPad Pro. In addition to the usual RAM upgrade (you’ll get 16GB of RAM in a 1TB or 2TB model compared to 8GB in lesser storage configurations), you’ll also get a 10-core M4 chipset, whereas lower storage tiers come with a nine-core version.

$999

Apple’s latest iPad Pro is the first Apple device with an M4 processor and an OLED-based Ultra Retina XDR display. It also features an improved camera system with adaptive flash and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro.

Correction, May 8th: An earlier version of this article misstated the camera features on the new iPad Pro. The new model has one fewer rear camera; its rear cameras have not been improved.

Technology

Want to link from Google’s app store to your app? That’ll be $2–4 per install

Published

5 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Want to link from Google’s app store to your app? That’ll be –4 per install

Today was the deadline for Google to reveal how it’s complying with Judge James Donato’s order to crack open Android for third-party app stores, stop illegally tying its Google Play Billing system to its app store, and let developers link to ways to download their apps outside the Play Store in the US.

But Google isn’t just letting app developers do things however and whenever they’d like. The company’s quietly updated its support pages with a January 28th deadline to enroll in specific Google programs for “alternative billing” and “external content links” — and these programs will come with large alternative fees of their own, assuming Judge Donato doesn’t opt for Epic and Google’s proposed settlement instead.

While it isn’t collecting fees yet, Google says it will charge developers $2.85 for every app and $3.65 for every game a user installs within 24 hours of clicking a link that takes you outside Google’s app store to download them outside the Google ecosystem.

Plus, it’ll take a 20 percent cut of any in-app purchases and 10 percent of any auto-renewing subscriptions. Apps still need to be submitted to Google for review, use a Google API to track them, and developers have to report all transactions (including $0 free trials) if they want to participate.

Google’s service fees for external links.

Image: Google

Meanwhile, developers who want to offer their own billing solutions will only get a 5 percent discount compared to Google’s current fees, likely making it not worth the effort to try alternative billing at all. Google will charge 25 percent for in-app purchases and 10 percent for auto-renewing subscriptions there; devs will need to integrate a Google API to track those, and report all transactions within 24 hours.

The company will cap some of these fees at 10 percent of a developer’s first $1 million of earnings, making it a bit easier for small developers, but perhaps no easier than it is currently. Google already offers a similar cap at 15 percent, so this too is a 5 percent discount.

How will Judge James Donato react? When Apple told Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers it would require a 27 percent fee for external payments in the parallel Epic v. Apple case, she found Apple in contempt of court, and an appeals court backed up that decision just days ago. However, the appeals court did suggest that Apple may be able to collect some fee, writing that:

Apple should be able to charge a commission on linked-out purchases based on the costs that are genuinely and reasonably necessary for its coordination of external links for linked-out purchases, but no more.

Google currently claims that “the fees associated with the external content links program reflect the value provided by Android and Play and support our continued investments across Android and Play.”

But Google also says it won’t collect any fees quite yet, writing:

In the future, Google intends to apply a service fee on successful transactions and downloads completed via external content links. At this time, however, Google is not assessing these fees and is therefore not requiring developers in this program to report these transactions or downloads to Google.

In their joint progress report today, Epic and Google’s lawyers write that while Epic agrees with the January 28th deadline and other requirements, “Epic has indicated that it opposes the service fees that Google announced it may implement in the future and that Epic will challenge these fees if they come into effect.”

Of course, none of this will come to pass if Judge Donato accepts Google and Epic’s proposed settlement instead, which would generally apply worldwide (instead of just in the US) and comes with lower standard transaction fees.

But Google signaled that settlement, too, would come with fees on alternative billing and external app downloads, and Judge Donato seemed skeptical of the settlement in November. He’s ordered an evidentiary hearing on January 22nd before he makes a decision.

Since Google’s support pages seem to be fluid as Epic v. Google continues, we’ve archived copies of their current text below.

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Sean Hollister

Technology

Holiday deliveries and fake tracking texts: How scammers track you

Published

5 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Holiday deliveries and fake tracking texts: How scammers track you

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As we head into the last stretch of December (and last-minute gift shopping), your doorstep is probably busier than ever. And if you’re anything like me, you’re probably also juggling shipping updates, tracking numbers, and “out for delivery” alerts from half a dozen retailers.

Unfortunately, scammers know this too, and they’ve likely been preparing for it all year. Like clockwork, I’ve already started seeing the usual wave of fake tracking texts hitting people’s phones. They look legit, they show up right when you’re expecting a package, and they rely on one inescapable truth: during the holiday rush, most of us are too overwhelmed to notice when something feels off.

No need to panic, though. You can still come out ahead of the scammers. I’ll show you what to look out for and how you can prevent being targeted in the first place.

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THE FAKE REFUND SCAM: WHY SCAMMERS LOVE HOLIDAY SHOPPERS

Holiday shoppers are being hit with a surge of fake delivery texts designed to steal personal information and account logins. (Photo by Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images)

What fake delivery text messages look like

Most of these fake shipping texts include a “tracking link” that looks close enough to the real thing that you might tap without thinking twice about it. In some cases, like one Maryland woman found out, you may even receive fake deliveries with a QR code that works in a similar way.

These links usually lead to a spoofed tracking page that looks almost identical to the real thing. It’ll ask you to “confirm” your login or enter your delivery details. The moment you type anything in, scammers capture it and use it to access your real accounts.

Even worse, the “tracking link” may contain malware or spyware, triggering silent installs that can steal passwords, monitor keystrokes, or give scammers remote access to your device.

Red flags that reveal fake shipping and tracking messages

So how can you distinguish between a legitimate message for a delivery you’re actually waiting for and one of these scams? Here are the red flags I look for:

Weird or slightly altered URLs. Scammers use domains that look almost right. Except there’s usually one extra letter, a swapped character, or a completely unfamiliar extension.
Requests for additional payment. Real carriers don’t ask you to pay a “small fee” to release a package. That’s an instant giveaway.
A package you’re not expecting. If the text is vague or you can’t match it to a recent order, pause before you tap anything.
Delivery attempts at odd hours. “Missed delivery at 6:12 AM” or “late-night attempt” messages are usually fake. Carriers don’t normally operate like that.
Updates that don’t match what you see in the retailer’s app or email. If Amazon says your package is arriving tomorrow, but a random text says it’s delayed or stuck, trust Amazon, not the text.
Language that is designed to rush you. Anything screaming “immediate action required!” is designed to make you stop thinking and start tapping.

If a text triggers any one of these, I delete it on the spot. When in doubt, always check directly with the delivery service provider first before opening any links.

WHY YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING DATA NEEDS A CLEANUP NOW

Scammers are sending deceptive tracking links that mimic real carriers, hoping rushed shoppers won’t notice red flags. (Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)

How scammers know your address, phone number, and shopping habits

Scammers don’t magically know where you live or what you’ve ordered — they buy that information. There’s actually an entire industry of data brokers built on collecting and selling personal data. This can include your:

Phone number
Home address
Email
Purchase history
Browsing patterns
Retailers accounts and apps
Loyalty programs
Even preferred delivery times.

These data brokers can sell profiles containing hundreds of data points on you. And they aren’t always discerning about who they sell to. In fact, some of them have been caught intentionally selling data to scammers.

Once scammers have those details, creating a convincing delivery scam is no problem.

But scammers can’t target what they can’t find

I’ve been very vocal about the importance of keeping personal information under lock and key. And this is just one of the reasons why.

Criminals rely on your personal information to target you with these types of scams. They also need at least a phone number or email address to reach you in the first place.

So your best bet to avoid delivery scams (and, honestly, most other scams year-round) is removing your info from data brokers and people search sites. Doing this will keep your details out of circulation online and out of the wrong hands.

FBI WARNS EMAIL USERS AS HOLIDAY SCAMS SURGE

Fraudsters use spoofed shipping pages and malware to capture passwords and gain access to victims’ devices. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images)

How to remove your personal information from scammers’ reach

You can start by looking yourself up online. Searching for different combinations of your name, address, email, and phone number should bring up a bunch of people search sites. Just visit the “opt-out” page on each site to request removal of your data.

Private-database data brokers are a bit trickier. They sell data in bulk, usually to marketers and other third parties. So you won’t be able to check if they have your information. But if you look into which data brokers operate in your area, you can just send opt-out requests to them all. There’s a good chance they’ll have your information.

You can also turn to a data removal service. They completely remove the headache from this process and just automatically keep your personal info off data broker sites. If, like me, you don’t have the time to keep manually checking data broker sites and sending removal requests every few months (because your data will keep reappearing), a personal data removal service is the way to go.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Holiday delivery scams work because they blend perfectly into the chaos of December shopping. A well-timed text and a familiar tracking link are often all it takes to lower your guard. By slowing down, checking messages directly with retailers, and reducing how much of your personal data is circulating online, you can take away the advantage scammers rely on. A little caution now can save you a major headache later.

Have you received a suspicious delivery text or tracking message this holiday season? If so, tell us what it looked like and how you handled it by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Brendan Carr is a dummy

Published

17 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

All year on The Vergecast, we’ve been tracking the many bizarre and problematic actions of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. There has been a lot to discuss! Then, this week, ahead of one of our last episodes of the year, Carr appeared in front of the Senate Commerce Committee and spent three hours explaining how he thinks about his job, the FCC, and the state of online communication and entertainment. It was a lot.

On this episode of The Vergecast, we begin with a dissection of Carr’s testimony, his threats against broadcasters, and the ways in which he’s using old ideas about content delivery to get his political way. Nilay and David walk through some of Carr’s most important quotes, explain the history of broadband regulation, and look ahead to how Carr might bring these same tactics to internet regulation next year.

Also, an important housekeeping note: The Vergecast will be live at CES! We’ll be at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, at 3:30PM on Wednesday, January 7th. There will be podcasting, and hanging out, and bowling. It’s going to be great, and if you’re going to be in Vegas we’d love to see you there.

Until then, if you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started, first on Brendan Carr:

And in the streaming wars:

And in the lightning round: