Latest news with #California-themed
Engadget
2 days ago
- Business
- Engadget
Apple WWDC 2025 preview: iOS updates, macOS, AI and other news we expect next week
Apple's big 2025 software reveal is nearly upon us. On June 9, the Worldwide Developers' Conference (WWDC) keynote will showcase the changes coming with its 2025 software. That includes — deep breath — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS. If you'd like to watch the WWDC 2025 keynote, that's happening at 1PM ET / 10AM PT next week, and Apple will offer several options for livestreams. But if you prefer a text-and-image-based format as opposed to video, you can follow along on our liveblog, which will kick off on Monday morning. Our liveblog team includes Cherlynn Low and Nathan Ingraham, who will be covering the event in Cupertino. Leaks suggest this year will be a biggie. In addition to the requisite Craig Federighi gags and a California-themed name for the latest macOS update, expect a significant visual overhaul — one of Apple's biggest ever — and (shocker) new Apple Intelligence features. The company is reportedly set to unveil a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple's mixed reality headset. According to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, that may even include (nearly) round icons on the home screen and in Control Center. He also noted subtler changes, like a redesigned tab view within apps and the search box in Messages being moved to the bottom of the screen. One of Apple's core goals with the new software is to unify the design language of its operating systems. The idea is to make it less visually jarring to hop between devices. If executed well, jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac (and so on) will feel like touring different flavors of the same OS. Apple's last big macOS makeover was with 2020's Big Sur. For the iPhone's software, you have to go all the way back to 2013. That's when iOS 7 kicked skeuomorphic design to the curb, replacing it with a flat, minimalistic look. Minus some iterative changes, it's still the UI you see today. Along with the big visual refresh, Apple is also rumored to be changing how it names its operating systems. Instead of having random version numbers at the end, the company is apparently planning to unify the names by year — so iOS 19 would become iOS 26, as it'll be Apple's platform for the coming year. The same goes for all of Apple's other software, so we're looking at iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and so forth. Of course, it goes without saying that macOS should still get a California-themed name; hopefully Apple won't be throwing that tradition in the bin just yet. It'll stick around, according to Bloomberg : the current rumor is that the next version of macOS will be named Tahoe. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Could 2025 be the year the iPad Pro starts to feel… Pro? The high-end versions of Apple's tablet have been more than capable on a hardware level for generations. (Especially when they switched to M-series chips.) But the software has held it back. That's presumably because the company doesn't want to cannibalize Mac sales. After all, if the iPad Pro can truly replace a laptop, then fewer people would buy both. The bad news for those wanting a full-on Mac experience: The iPad won't switch to macOS. The good news: iPadOS may get much more Mac-like. This year's update will reportedly focus on productivity, featuring improved multitasking and app window management. It's not that Apple hasn't inched the iPad's software in that direction. It incrementally did so with Stage Manager in iPadOS 16. The year before, it added the multitasking menu at the top of app windows. But for many, those tweaks fell far short of the full-on productivity overhaul they craved. Will it be enough this time? Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman thinks it will "likely go far enough" for most power users. (Is that a "Hallelujah!" I hear?) Even if leaks hadn't already suggested as much, this one would be a no-brainer. After all, AI has been every tech company's obsession since ChatGPT took the world by storm over two years ago. Expect a healthy portion of the keynote to be devoted to Apple's AI advances. These will reportedly include improvements to existing features and a few new ones. Remember when Apple promised a more personalized Siri at last year's conference? The one that many wished would come ahead of the visual overhaul? Well, we're still waiting on that. The last official update we heard was in March, when the company told Daring Fireball , "It's going to take us longer than we thought." (Oops!) Apple expects the new Siri features to arrive "in the coming year," a clear-as-mud description if ever there was one. A report from The Information last month hinted that the upgraded Siri was nowhere near ready. The 2024 demo, where Siri condensed minutes of multi-app planning into mere seconds, reportedly came as a surprise to team members working on Siri. (Never an encouraging sign.) Separate reporting this month from Bloomberg sheds a bit more light, adding that we probably won't hear much about those Siri upgrades at WWDC 2025. The publication described those updates as being months away from shipping. The company is also reportedly separating its Apple Intelligence and Siri marketing. The logic behind this is that users are so fed up with Apple's assistant that it's hurting Apple's AI push. The company's 2024 presentation was undoubtedly impressive. It showed a more context-sensitive Siri that better understands what you're doing. It pulled info from various apps and spliced them together in a seamless flow. It recorded a specific type of video in a third-party app. It shared a meeting summary via email with a teammate. And it found missing information the user remembered reading... somewhere . It even controlled system settings and explained them when needed. The bottom line: If or when Apple pulls off what it promised last year, that's big news for Siri. But don't hold your breath for it to show up at WWDC 2025. According to Bloomberg , the Siri updates we do see will be much subtler. These would include adding the option to use Gemini instead of ChatGPT with the assistant. Another iOS 19 scoop points to an Apple Intelligence feature that's easy to get behind. A new AI-powered battery management mode will reportedly analyze how you use your phone. It can then use that to make power-saving adjustments on the fly. If it works well, that could be pretty nifty. It may also be a key ingredient to a new device: the "iPhone Air." Whatever Apple calls it, the rumored ultra-slim handset is expected to join Apple's lineup this year. Without this feature, the phone's smaller battery might struggle to make it through a typical day. (According to Gurman, it would last several hours less than Apple's other iPhones.) But with the AI battery feature activated, the svelte iPhone could become more practical. Will we see this slim-jim iPhone at WWDC? Well, let's say you have as good a chance of Valve randomly showing up to announce Half Life 3 at Apple's conference. First, the svelte handset is expected to be part of the iPhone 17 lineup, which typically arrives around September. Second, Apple hasn't unveiled a new iPhone at WWDC since Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone 4 in 2010. So, in short, nope. Apple is reportedly working on a virtual health coach. Allegedly codenamed Project Mulberry, the AI feature would pair a refreshed Health app with an AI-powered coach. Bloomberg says the feature would, to some degree, give you advice you'd usually seek from a doctor. The virtual coach would collect data from your Apple devices and use AI to provide personalized health advice, chatbot-style. Apple is reportedly training the AI agent with data from company physicians. Meanwhile, outside experts would shoot educational videos. In March, Bloomberg 's Gurman said the virtual coach could arrive as early as iOS 19.4, which wouldn't likely come until early to mid-2026. But a quick aside in a report this month from Gurman and Drake Bennett mentioned that it could be a point of focus at WWDC. Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman is predicting that Apple will introduce a centralized, pre-installed app for gaming on the Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. It'll include some of the features in the long-neglected Game Center service like leaderboards and matchmaking and pair them with a dedicated game launcher and editorial content including recommendations —including a push towards the Apple Arcade service. It wouldn't be an Apple keynote without some wacky Craig Federighi hijinks. Last year, Apple's software lead strapped on a hair-shaped helmet and skydived into Apple Park. At previous events, he showed off his parkour skills, summoned an iPad like he's a Jedi and jammed out on a three-necked guitar. Say what you will about "Hair Force One." Federighi knows how to sell a sight gag. (With maybe just a teensy bit of help from Apple's visual effects artists.) Following Apple's typical schedule, you can expect the first developer betas to arrive after the conference ends. (Likely the same day!) Public betas would follow early this summer. And you can expect the final versions of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16 and so on to arrive alongside new iPhones this fall. While Apple's developer conference will be jam-packed if they serve up even a fraction of the expectations above, there are a few things we can pretty confidently take off the board, too. With the possible exception of the Mac Pro, nearly all of Apple's hardware lines have either just finished an upgrade cycle (consumer Macs, most iPads) or are going to get updated in the fall as usual (iPhone, Apple Watch). As such, we're not expecting any major hardware announcements. Apple has talked about the Mac Pro at past WWDC events, but that computer is updated so infrequently that it's hard to say with any confidence that we'll see any changes. Update, June 4 2025, 11:40AM ET: This story has been updated to include details on how to watch Apple's livestream and follow Engadget's liveblog of the WWDC 2025 keynote.
Engadget
3 days ago
- Engadget
Apple WWDC 2025: What we expect including new iOS software updates, macOS, AI and more
Apple's big 2025 software reveal is nearly upon us. On June 9, the Worldwide Developers' Conference (WWDC) keynote will showcase the changes coming with its 2025 software. That includes — deep breath — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS. Leaks suggest this year will be a biggie. In addition to the requisite Craig Federighi gags and a California-themed name for the latest macOS update, expect a significant visual overhaul — one of Apple's biggest ever — and (shocker) new Apple Intelligence features. The company is reportedly set to unveil a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple's mixed reality headset. According to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, that may even include (nearly) round icons on the home screen and in Control Center. He also noted subtler changes, like a redesigned tab view within apps and the search box in Messages being moved to the bottom of the screen. One of Apple's core goals with the new software is to unify the design language of its operating systems. The idea is to make it less visually jarring to hop between devices. If executed well, jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac (and so on) will feel like touring different flavors of the same OS. Apple's last big macOS makeover was with 2020's Big Sur. For the iPhone's software, you have to go all the way back to 2013. That's when iOS 7 kicked skeuomorphic design to the curb, replacing it with a flat, minimalistic look. Minus some iterative changes, it's still the UI you see today. Along with the big visual refresh, Apple is also rumored to be changing how it names its operating systems. Instead of having random version numbers at the end, the company is apparently planning to unify the names by year — so iOS 19 would become iOS 26, as it'll be Apple's platform for the coming year. The same goes for all of Apple's other software, so we're looking at iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and so forth. Of course, it goes without saying that macOS should still get a California-themed name; hopefully Apple won't be throwing that tradition in the bin just yet. It'll stick around, according to Bloomberg : the current rumor is that the next version of macOS will be named Tahoe. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Could 2025 be the year the iPad Pro starts to feel… Pro? The high-end versions of Apple's tablet have been more than capable on a hardware level for generations. (Especially when they switched to M-series chips.) But the software has held it back. That's presumably because the company doesn't want to cannibalize Mac sales. After all, if the iPad Pro can truly replace a laptop, then fewer people would buy both. The bad news for those wanting a full-on Mac experience: The iPad won't switch to macOS. The good news: iPadOS may get much more Mac-like. This year's update will reportedly focus on productivity, featuring improved multitasking and app window management. It's not that Apple hasn't inched the iPad's software in that direction. It incrementally did so with Stage Manager in iPadOS 16. The year before, it added the multitasking menu at the top of app windows. But for many, those tweaks fell far short of the full-on productivity overhaul they craved. Will it be enough this time? Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman thinks it will "likely go far enough" for most power users. (Is that a "Hallelujah!" I hear?) Even if leaks hadn't already suggested as much, this one would be a no-brainer. After all, AI has been every tech company's obsession since ChatGPT took the world by storm over two years ago. Expect a healthy portion of the keynote to be devoted to Apple's AI advances. These will reportedly include improvements to existing features and a few new ones. Remember when Apple promised a more personalized Siri at last year's conference? The one that many wished would come ahead of the visual overhaul? Well, we're still waiting on that. The last official update we heard was in March, when the company told Daring Fireball , "It's going to take us longer than we thought." (Oops!) Apple expects the new Siri features to arrive "in the coming year," a clear-as-mud description if ever there was one. A report from The Information last month hinted that the upgraded Siri was nowhere near ready. The 2024 demo, where Siri condensed minutes of multi-app planning into mere seconds, reportedly came as a surprise to team members working on Siri. (Never an encouraging sign.) Separate reporting this month from Bloomberg sheds a bit more light, adding that we probably won't hear much about those Siri upgrades at WWDC 2025. The publication described those updates as being months away from shipping. The company is also reportedly separating its Apple Intelligence and Siri marketing. The logic behind this is that users are so fed up with Apple's assistant that it's hurting Apple's AI push. The company's 2024 presentation was undoubtedly impressive. It showed a more context-sensitive Siri that better understands what you're doing. It pulled info from various apps and spliced them together in a seamless flow. It recorded a specific type of video in a third-party app. It shared a meeting summary via email with a teammate. And it found missing information the user remembered reading... somewhere . It even controlled system settings and explained them when needed. The bottom line: If or when Apple pulls off what it promised last year, that's big news for Siri. But don't hold your breath for it to show up at WWDC 2025. According to Bloomberg , the Siri updates we do see will be much subtler. These would include adding the option to use Gemini instead of ChatGPT with the assistant. Another iOS 19 scoop points to an Apple Intelligence feature that's easy to get behind. A new AI-powered battery management mode will reportedly analyze how you use your phone. It can then use that to make power-saving adjustments on the fly. If it works well, that could be pretty nifty. It may also be a key ingredient to a new device: the "iPhone Air." Whatever Apple calls it, the rumored ultra-slim handset is expected to join Apple's lineup this year. Without this feature, the phone's smaller battery might struggle to make it through a typical day. (According to Gurman, it would last several hours less than Apple's other iPhones.) But with the AI battery feature activated, the svelte iPhone could become more practical. Will we see this slim-jim iPhone at WWDC? Well, let's say you have as good a chance of Valve randomly showing up to announce Half Life 3 at Apple's conference. First, the svelte handset is expected to be part of the iPhone 17 lineup, which typically arrives around September. Second, Apple hasn't unveiled a new iPhone at WWDC since Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone 4 in 2010. So, in short, nope. Apple is reportedly working on a virtual health coach. Allegedly codenamed Project Mulberry, the AI feature would pair a refreshed Health app with an AI-powered coach. Bloomberg says the feature would, to some degree, give you advice you'd usually seek from a doctor. The virtual coach would collect data from your Apple devices and use AI to provide personalized health advice, chatbot-style. Apple is reportedly training the AI agent with data from company physicians. Meanwhile, outside experts would shoot educational videos. In March, Bloomberg 's Gurman said the virtual coach could arrive as early as iOS 19.4, which wouldn't likely come until early to mid-2026. But a quick aside in a report this month from Gurman and Drake Bennett mentioned that it could be a point of focus at WWDC. Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman is predicting that Apple will introduce a centralized, pre-installed app for gaming on the Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. It'll include some of the features in the long-neglected Game Center service like leaderboards and matchmaking and pair them with a dedicated game launcher and editorial content including recommendations —including a push towards the Apple Arcade service. It wouldn't be an Apple keynote without some wacky Craig Federighi hijinks. Last year, Apple's software lead strapped on a hair-shaped helmet and skydived into Apple Park. At previous events, he showed off his parkour skills, summoned an iPad like he's a Jedi and jammed out on a three-necked guitar. Say what you will about "Hair Force One." Federighi knows how to sell a sight gag. (With maybe just a teensy bit of help from Apple's visual effects artists.) Following Apple's typical schedule, you can expect the first developer betas to arrive after the conference ends. (Likely the same day!) Public betas would follow early this summer. And you can expect the final versions of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16 and so on to arrive alongside new iPhones this fall. While Apple's developer conference will be jam-packed if they serve up even a fraction of the expectations above, there are a few things we can pretty confidently take off the board, too. With the possible exception of the Mac Pro, nearly all of Apple's hardware lines have either just finished an upgrade cycle (consumer Macs, most iPads) or are going to get updated in the fall as usual (iPhone, Apple Watch). As such, we're not expecting any major hardware announcements. Apple has talked about the Mac Pro at past WWDC events, but that computer is updated so infrequently that it's hard to say with any confidence that we'll see any changes.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Apple tipped to reveal 'macOS Tahoe' at WWDC next week — what we know
Apple is expected to switch the naming convention of its various product operating systems this year to have them reflect the year of release. However, macOS will surely still retain a moniker inspired by a Californian location and this year's release is believed to be centred on Lake Tahoe. The famous resort in northern California will lend its name to macOS Tahoe, which Apple seems all but certain to reveal at next week's WWDC. The rich blue of Lake Tahoe's water may serve as inspiration for an overhauled UI. The tip comes from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg who wrote in his latest Power On newsletter that Tahoe is "a famous resort area and a vacation destination (and second-home site) for many Apple employees.' Apple's California-themed naming convention for its desktop OS started back in 2013 with macOS Mavericks, taking over from the big cat theme of previous versions. The last time the company overhauled the UI was over a decade ago with 2014's macOS Yosemite. Tahoe looks like it could be one of the most significant macOS releases in recent history. According to reports, we may see the first developer beta macOS Tahoe on or around WWDC taking place next week from June 9. It's tipped to arrive with a file size of around 17 GB — about 2 GB larger than Sequoia. There will also, of course, be those Apple machines incapable of running the new OS. Apple Insider is reporting that Intel-based Macs won't support the update. These are the specific models that may not get macOS Tahoe. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The switch to a year-based naming convention (so, iOS 26, iPad OS 26, tvOS 26, macOS 26) to denote a 2026 release date — similar to how car manufacturers operate — is likely to simplify things a great deal for Apple's users. But there's still something nice about having a bona fide name each year. Tahoe seems like a very good bet but, based on some recently filed trademarks, Redwood, Skyline and Diablo could also be in the running. Of course, we won't have long to find out. Here's our full preview on what to expect at this year's WWDC.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump seeks to reopen Alcatraz, place tariffs on movies made abroad
President Donald Trump on Sunday night announced his plans to open the doors of Alcatraz, the island prison in San Francisco Bay, to inmates for the first time in more than a half century. Minutes later, in a second California-themed post on Truth Social, he also announced 100 percent tariffs on movies made abroad. Taken together, the two Sunday night policy announcements underscore Trump's desire to use his executive authority to enact sweeping changes not just in Washington but across the country. Reopening a notorious island prison and implementing massive tariffs in an effort to save the American film industry also nod to the president's flair for the dramatic. The president, in a post on Truth Social, said that he has directed the Bureau of Prisons, along with the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, to reopen a 'substantially enlarged and rebuilt' facility on Alcatraz to 'house America's most ruthless and violent Offenders.' 'For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering,' Trump wrote. 'When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm.' 'That's the way it's supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets,' Trump added. 'The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.' Alcatraz was developed in the 19th century as a military prison before being converted into a federal prison for the most dangerous prisoners in 1934. A number of infamous inmates spent time in Alcatraz, including Al Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly and Whitey Bulger, before it was closed in 1963. It is now a tourist attraction managed by the National Park Service and a designated National Historic Landmark. A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom dismissed Trump's plans to rehab Alcatraz. 'Looks like it's distraction day again in Washington, D.C.,' said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom. California state Sen. Scott Wiener said in a statement the proposal is 'absurd on its face,' noting that it is a major tourist attraction in the San Francisco Bay Area that welcomes 1.4 million visitors each year. But he also said the move was part of 'Trump's ongoing crusade to sabotage the rule of law.' 'If Trump is serious about doing this, it's just one more step in his dismantling of democracy — a domestic gulag right in the middle of San Francisco Bay,' Wiener said. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, in a statement, said the proposal 'is not a serious one.' 'Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than sixty years ago. It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction,' Pelosi said. In the second Truth Social post, Trump framed himself as the savior of a dying film industry and said he was immediately authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative's Office to immediately implement a 100 percent tariff on 'any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.' He suggested incentives from other countries to filmmakers to make their movies abroad amounted to a 'concerted effort' and 'therefore, a National Security threat.' Overseas film production has ramped up dramatically in recent years, as studios are enticed by lower labor costs and lucrative tax breaks offered by other countries. The ability to film on location has also lured filmmakers overseas. The production flight has hit California especially hard, prompting a new push by Newsom, entertainment studios and labor groups to double the state's film tax credit. The proposal is currently advancing through the state Legislature. State Sen. Ben Allen, a Los Angeles-area Democrat who is a key player in the tax credit negotiations, said he heard from Jon Voight, one of Trump's appointed ambassadors to Hollywood, several days ago about the possibility of new tariffs. A person close to the White House, granted anonymity to share details of internal conversations, also attributed the new tariff policy to Voight. 'To be honest, at first blush I generally see this as a positive development. Unlike a lot of the other items on Trump's tariffs list, we know that TV and movies can be made 100% in the USA right now and at a very high caliber,' Allen said. 'The key concern of course will be how this might affect U.S. movie sales around the world.' Dustin Gardiner contributed to this report.
Politico
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Trump seeks to reopen Alcatraz, place tariffs on movies made abroad
President Donald Trump on Sunday night announced his plans to open the doors of Alcatraz, the island prison in San Francisco Bay, to inmates for the first time in more than a half century. Minutes later, in a second California-themed post on Truth Social, he also announced 100 percent tariffs on movies made abroad. Taken together, the two Sunday night policy announcements underscore Trump's desire to use his executive authority to enact sweeping changes not just in Washington but across the country. Reopening a notorious island prison and implementing massive tariffs in an effort to save the American film industry also nod to the president's flair for the dramatic. The president, in a post on Truth Social, said that he has directed the Bureau of Prisons, along with the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, to reopen a 'substantially enlarged and rebuilt' facility on Alcatraz to 'house America's most ruthless and violent Offenders.' 'For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering,' Trump wrote. 'When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm.' 'That's the way it's supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets,' Trump added. 'The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.' Alcatraz was developed in the 19th century as a military prison before being converted into a federal prison for the most dangerous prisoners in 1934. A number of infamous inmates spent time in Alcatraz, including Al Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly and Whitey Bulger, before it was closed in 1963. It is now a tourist attraction managed by the National Park Service and a designated National Historic Landmark. A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom dismissed Trump's plans to rehab Alcatraz. 'Looks like it's distraction day again in Washington, D.C.,' said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom. California state Sen. Scott Wiener said in a statement the proposal is 'absurd on its face,' noting that it is a major tourist attraction in the San Francisco Bay Area that welcomes 1.4 million visitors each year. But he also said the move was part of 'Trump's ongoing crusade to sabotage the rule of law.' 'If Trump is serious about doing this, it's just one more step in his dismantling of democracy — a domestic gulag right in the middle of San Francisco Bay,' Wiener said. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, in a statement, said the proposal 'is not a serious one.' 'Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than sixty years ago. It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction,' Pelosi said. In the second Truth Social post, Trump framed himself as the savior of a dying film industry and said he was immediately authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative's Office to immediately implement a 100 percent tariff on 'any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.' He suggested incentives from other countries to filmmakers to make their movies abroad amounted to a 'concerted effort' and 'therefore, a National Security threat.' Overseas film production has ramped up dramatically in recent years, as studios are enticed by lower labor costs and lucrative tax breaks offered by other countries. The ability to film on location has also lured filmmakers overseas. The production flight has hit California especially hard, prompting a new push by Newsom, entertainment studios and labor groups to double the state's film tax credit. The proposal is currently advancing through the state Legislature. State Sen. Ben Allen, a Los Angeles-area Democrat who is a key player in the tax credit negotiations, said he heard from Jon Voight, one of Trump's appointed ambassadors to Hollywood, several days ago about the possibility of new tariffs. A person close to the White House, granted anonymity to share details of internal conversations, also attributed the new tariff policy to Voight. 'To be honest, at first blush I generally see this as a positive development. Unlike a lot of the other items on Trump's tariffs list, we know that TV and movies can be made 100% in the USA right now and at a very high caliber,' Allen said. 'The key concern of course will be how this might affect U.S. movie sales around the world.' Dustin Gardiner contributed to this report.
