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Best Buy kicked off its annual Fourth of July sale this week, with notable markdowns on Apple devices, TVs, headphones and speakers, monitors, appliances, and much more. This sale is set to last through Sunday, July 5, and you don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to see the deals. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. In terms of Apple devices, you can find solid deals on MacBook Air, iPad Air, AirTag, Beats accessories, and more. Regarding iPad Air models, Best Buy is offering big discounts across the previous generation M3 model, which are worth looking into for anyone looking to avoid the newly increased prices of the M4 iPad Air. SITEWIDE SALEBest Buy July 4th Sale Some of the biggest discounts you'll find in Best Buy's Fourth of July Sale are on TVs, with major savings from popular brands like Insignia, Samsung, and LG. Best Buy has Samsung's popular line of The Frame TVs on sale, including the 65-inch 2025 model for $999.99 ($600 off) and the 65-inch The Frame Pro for $1,499.99 ($400 off), both of which match record low prices. Apple AirTag 2 (4-Pack) - $89.00 ($10 off) 11-inch M3 iPad Air (128GB Cell) - $499.00 ($250 off) 11-inch M3 iPad Air (256GB Cell) - $599.00 ($250 off) 11-inch M3 iPad Air (1TB Wi-Fi) - $849.00 ($250 off) 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/1TB) - $1,449.00 ($150 off) 15-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) - $1,349.00 ($150 off) TVs 55-inch Toshiba C350 4K Smart Fire TV - $249.99 ($150 off) 65-inch Samsung U7900 4K Smart TV - $299.99 ($170 off) 65-inch LG UA7050 4K Smart TV - $329.99 ($160 off) 75-inch LG LED 4K Smart TV - $449.99 ($30 off) 98-inch Hisense QLED 4K Smart Google TV - $1,199.99 ($1,100 off) 65-inch Samsung The Frame TV (2025) - $999.99 ($600 off) 65-inch LG OLED 4K Smart TV - $1,099.99 ($1,600 off) 65-inch Samsung The Frame Pro - $1,499.99 ($400 off) Monitors 27-inch Samsung Curved 100Hz Monitor - $139.99 ($60 off) 34-inch LG UltraWide 100Hz Monitor - $229.99 ($70 off) 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor - $349.54 ($150 off) 27-inch Alienware Gaming Monitor - $649.99 ($250 off) 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED Curved Monitor - $999.99 ($700 off) Audio Beats Pill - $99.99 ($50 off) Beats Solo 4 Headphones - $149.99 ($50 off) Beats Studio Pro Headphones - $249.99 ($100 off) Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones - $299.00 ($130 off) Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 - $449.99 ($250 off) If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple Deals This article, "Best Buy Hosts July 4th Sale With Notable Apple and Tech Deals" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple plans to adopt OLED panels capable of displaying a much wider range of colors, according to a new report from research firm TrendForce. The new panels would cover 95% of the BT.2020 color standard, which describes a far broader spectrum of colors than the DCI-P3 standard Apple's screens currently target. In practice, that means deeper, more accurate reds, greens, and blues. Reaching those richer colors demands more precise control over the light a display emits, along with better energy efficiency, so TrendForce expects the next round of OLED competition to hinge less on familiar specs like brightness and thinness and more on balancing color, power consumption, and overall performance. Apple first brought OLED to the iPad Pro in 2024, and the technology is expected to come to the MacBook Pro between 2026 and early 2027. To reach the wider color range, panel makers are changing the chemistry of the layer inside each pixel that actually produces light, moving from a simpler recipe toward more sophisticated designs that pass energy between materials more efficiently. TrendForce points to several of these new approaches. One makes a pixel emit a purer, more precise color, which is what lets a screen reach the tougher BT.2020 targets. Another adds a "helper" material so the pixel turns energy into light more efficiently. A third mixes in extra materials to keep a panel bright for longer without wearing out. The shift is also a chance for display makers to rely less on technologies they have to license from others. All of this is said to be changing the relationship between the companies that manufacture displays and the companies that supply the materials inside them, with the winners increasingly being whoever can offer the best mix of cost, ease of manufacturing, and freedom from patent licensing. Apple plans to adopt the more advanced OLED panels gradually across future ‌MacBook Pro‌, ‌iPad Pro‌, and iMac models, according to the report. Related Roundups: iMac, iPad Pro, MacBook ProTag: TrendForceBuyer's Guide: iMac (Don't Buy), iPad Pro (Neutral), MacBook Pro (Buy Now)Related Forums: iMac, MacBook Pro This article, "Apple Plans Wider Color Gamut for Future MacBook Pro, iMac, and iPad Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The next major Mac Studio update is still a couple of years away, but a refresh for 2026 is still in the cards, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple has two Mac Studio refreshes in the pipeline: an M5 Ultra version due this year, and a more significant M7 Ultra model expected in 2028. Apple appears set to skip the higher-end M6 chips entirely, hence the two-year gap between the two models. Gurman reported earlier this month that Apple is canceling its higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, instead releasing a base M6 this year and moving its next Pro and Max silicon to the M7 lineup, which is expected to lean heavily into on-device AI and GPU-intensive workloads. Apple has always had at least three variants of its in-house silicon, including the base M-series chip, a Pro version, and a Max version. The M6 will mark the first time that Apple is not coming out with a Pro or Max chip for the lineup. For the Mac Studio, that means jumping straight from M5 Ultra to M7 Ultra – there will be no M6 Ultra in between. While a major redesign is not expected for this year's M5 Ultra model, Gurman says Apple has been developing new inner architecture for the 2028 Mac Studio, including a better heat sink to improve thermal performance. The ‌Mac Studio‌ refresh was supposed to come earlier in 2026, but Apple reportedly postponed the launch because of memory chip supply issues and price increases. Apple has reportedly tested support for up to 768GB of unified memory, but supply constraints could prevent it from launching with an option for that much memory. It remains unclear whether Apple will make an October launch for the M5 version, especially given that the current M3 Ultra ‌Mac Studio‌ still has delivery estimates stretching into October. Related Roundup: Mac StudioTag: Mark GurmanBuyer's Guide: Mac Studio (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Mac Studio This article, "Mac Studio M7 Ultra Expected in 2028 With Better Cooling" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

An alleged image of the iPhone 18 Pro motherboard has leaked online, showing the A20 Pro chip will use a new packaging technology that should offer notable performance gains over the previous model. The leaked image, which has been shared by the accounts "WHYLAB" and "Ice Universe" on Weibo, appears to show the A20 Pro chip integrated into TSMC's new packaging architecture, known as Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology. Traditionally, Apple has used package-on-package (PoP) designs, where the DRAM sits directly on top of the application processor. The advantages of this method are lower power consumption and reduced latency, but it also makes heat concentrated in the packaging area. In the leaked WMCM implementation, by contrast, the DRAM has been moved to the side of the package, which should reduce thermal coupling between the processor and DRAM while improving heat dissipation during sustained workloads. Apple's design is also said to be equipped with LPDDR6 memory with a 96-bit memory bus, which should provide more energy-efficient bandwidth. The chip size is said to be roughly the same as the A19 Pro, but the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) appears to be significantly larger, suggesting that Apple is also aiming to improve AI performance. The leaked image has not been confirmed as authentic, but the WMCM technology has been repeatedly rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Powered by the A20 Pro chip, the foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro models are also expected to use TSMC's new 2nm process, also known as N2, boasting performance improvements that could be up to 15 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than A19 chips. Alleged leaked image of A20 Pro chip In addition, N2 introduces new super-high-performance metal-insulator-metal (SHPMIM) capacitors into the chip's power delivery system. These capacitors more than double the capacitance density of the previous generation. Together with the adoption of WMCM, the changes should boost performance globally and improve power stability and energy efficiency. The Pro and Fold models are expected to share 12GB of RAM, 48-megapixel rear cameras, and Apple's C2 modem. All three models are expected to be released in September this year.Related Roundup: iPhone 18 ProTag: Ice Universe This article, "Leaked A20 Pro Image Hints at iPhone 18 Pro Performance Gains" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple's upcoming iPhone 18e will have the same display refresh rate as the existing iPhone 17e, according to a prominent Chinese leaker. Discussing Apple's product plans for 2027 in a Weibo post, Digital Chat Station claimed that the next generation of Apple's low-cost iPhone will feature the same 60Hz low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) TFT panel as the current model. It means the device will lack the ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate and Always-On display technology that is expected to feature across the rest of the iPhone 18 lineup, similar to the iPhone 17 series. That's despite the fact that you can find 120Hz screens on competing Android phones at similar price points as the iPhone 17e. The claim is substantiated by a report out of Korea earlier this year that said Apple would not use a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panel until the fourth-generation model, which is expected to arrive in early 2028. Adoption of LPTO would make the display technically capable of dynamically adjusting its refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz. The shift in 2028 is said to depend in part on Apple's development of a next-generation "LTPO+" display technology, which incorporates oxide semiconductors in both switching and drive transistors, and is said to use a lot less battery power. Apple reportedly plans to reserve LTPO+ for its higher-end models in 2028, including new versions of the iPhone Air and its upcoming foldable iPhone, which would free up standard LTPO panels for the rest of the lineup. But if the new technology isn't ready in time, it could delay the trickle-down of LPTO panels to the 19e, so nothing's for certain yet.Tag: Digital Chat Station This article, "iPhone 18e Won't Get ProMotion Display, Says Leaker" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Introduction In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern software development, DevOps has firmly established itself as one of the most in-demand career paths in the IT industry. Organizations across the globe are moving toward agile, automated, and cloud-native environments, creating a massive need for professionals who can bridge the gap between development and operations. However, many beginners fall into the trap of chasing the latest flashy tools without first understanding the underlying principles. Mastering the Core Skills Every DevOps Learner Should Master is the true differentiator between a button-pusher and a true DevOps architect. Relying on tools alone leaves you vulnerable when technology shifts; building a strong foundation in core concepts ensures long-term employability and adaptability. Whether you are a student, a system administrator, or a developer, your journey should be guided by a structured, hands-on approach. For those looking for a clear path forward, DevOpsSchool provides comprehensive training and resources designed to help you navigate this complex field effectively. By focusing on practical application over theoretical memorization, you can build a sustainable and high-growth career. What Are DevOps Skills? DevOps skills are a blend of technical expertise, process-oriented thinking, and soft skills required to manage the software delivery lifecycle. Technical Skills: The ability to use specific software, languages, and infrastructure platforms to automate tasks. Process Knowledge: Understanding the methodology behind CI/CD, Agile, and Lean management. Collaboration: Working effectively across silos, specifically bridging the divide between software developers and IT operations staff. Automation Mindset: The consistent drive to replace manual, repetitive tasks with reliable, automated code or scripts. At its heart, DevOps is about speed, reliability, and scale, and these skills are the tools you use to achieve those outcomes. Why Core Skills Matter More Than Individual Tools Technology changes rapidly. A specific tool you master today—like a particular CI/CD platform—might be superseded by a more efficient alternative within a few years. However, the core principles of networking, operating systems, and automation remain constant. When you master core skills, you gain the ability to learn new tools quickly. If you understand how a packet traverses a network, you can troubleshoot a firewall issue regardless of the specific vendor. If you understand the fundamentals of version control, you can adapt to any repository system. Focusing on fundamentals creates a deeper sense of confidence and superior problem-solving capabilities in real-world production environments. Complete DevOps Skills Roadmap Skill AreaWhy It MattersDifficulty LevelLinuxThe foundation of almost all serversMediumNetworkingConnects all distributed systemsHighGitEssential for collaboration and versioningEasyScriptingNecessary for automationMediumCloudWhere modern infrastructure residesHighCI/CDThe backbone of software deliveryMediumContainersStandardizes application deploymentMediumKubernetesOrchestrates containerized workloadsVery HighIaCManages infrastructure as codeMediumMonitoringEnsures system health and visibilityMediumSecurityProtects the entire pipelineHighSoft SkillsBridges team communicationEasy Linux Skills Linux is the operating system of the cloud. You must be proficient in: Command Line (CLI): Navigating the file system, editing files with Vim/Nano. File Systems: Permissions, ownership, and disk management. Process Management: Monitoring system resources and handling background jobs. Networking Basics: Configuring IP addresses, routing, and DNS. Learning Tip: Stop using a GUI. Build a Linux virtual machine and force yourself to perform every administrative task exclusively through the terminal. Networking Fundamentals You cannot manage what you cannot connect. A DevOps engineer needs to understand: TCP/IP: The fundamental protocols of the internet. DNS: How domain names resolve to IP addresses. HTTP/HTTPS: How web traffic is handled. Load Balancing: Distributing traffic to ensure high availability. Understanding how a request moves from a user’s browser, through a load balancer, to an application server, and back to a database is vital for troubleshooting. Version Control With Git Git is the language of collaboration. You must move beyond simple “git push” commands to understand: Branching & Merging: Handling parallel development features. Pull Requests: Peer review workflows. Git Workflows: Understanding Trunk-Based Development vs. GitFlow. Git is how teams maintain the “source of truth” for both application code and configuration files. Programming and Scripting You don’t need to be a software developer, but you must be able to script. Bash: For simple, repetitive OS-level tasks. Python: For complex automation, API interactions, and data processing. PowerShell: Often required in Windows-centric corporate environments. Scripting allows you to integrate different tools together into a cohesive pipeline. Cloud Computing Skills Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud provide the infrastructure. Focus on: Compute: Virtual machines and serverless functions. Storage: Object storage, block storage, and file systems. Networking: Virtual Private Clouds (VPC), security groups, and gateways. Identity Management: Managing users and permissions securely. CI/CD Fundamentals CI/CD is the heart of DevOps. Continuous Integration: Merging code changes frequently into a central repository. Continuous Delivery: Ensuring code is always in a deployable state. Continuous Deployment: Automating the release process to production. Mastering tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI is essential for creating automated workflows. Docker and Containerization Containers package an application and its dependencies into a single unit. Images: Creating lightweight, portable environments. Registries: Storing and retrieving container images. Networking/Volumes: Ensuring containers can communicate and persist data. Docker allows you to eliminate the “it works on my machine” problem. Kubernetes Skills Kubernetes is the standard for container orchestration. Key concepts include: Pods: The smallest deployable unit. Deployments: Managing replicas and updates. Services: Exposing applications to internal or external traffic. Scaling: Adjusting resources based on demand. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) IaC allows you to provision infrastructure using human-readable configuration files rather than manual clicks in a console. Terraform: The industry standard for cloud-agnostic provisioning. Ansible: Excellent for configuration management and application deployment. IaC enables version control, repeatability, and consistency across environments. Monitoring and Observability You cannot fix what you cannot see. Metrics: Tracking performance over time (e.g., Prometheus). Logging: Centralizing logs for analysis (e.g., ELK Stack). Alerting: Setting thresholds to notify teams when issues arise. Observability provides the data necessary for informed incident response. DevSecOps Fundamentals Security is not an afterthought. Secure Coding: Scanning code for vulnerabilities. Secrets Management: Never hardcoding passwords in scripts. Shift-Left Security: Integrating security checks early in the pipeline. Soft Skills Every DevOps Engineer Needs Communication: Clearly explaining technical issues to non-technical stakeholders. Problem-Solving: Remaining calm during outages and identifying root causes. Adaptability: Being willing to unlearn old methods when better ones emerge. Continuous Learning: The technology stack evolves weekly; your curiosity is your greatest asset. How to Learn These Skills Step by Step StageSkills to LearnExpected Outcome1Linux & NetworkingUnderstanding the host environment2Git & ScriptingAutomating basic tasks3Cloud & ContainersDeploying apps on modern infrastructure4CI/CD & IaCAutomating the full software delivery life cycle5Kubernetes & MonitoringManaging production-scale systems Hands-On Projects to Build These Skills ProjectSkills CoveredDifficultyWeb Server SetupLinux, NetworkingEasyGit WorkflowGitEasyDockerized AppDocker, ScriptingMediumCI/CD PipelineGit, CI/CD, DockerMediumCloud IaC DeploymentTerraform, CloudHardK8s Cluster MonitorKubernetes, MonitoringHard Common Learning Mistakes Skipping Fundamentals: Trying to learn Kubernetes before understanding Linux is like trying to build a roof without a foundation. Tool Hopping: Learning the interface of five different tools instead of the logic behind one. Passive Learning: Watching hours of video without ever opening a terminal. Ignoring Security: Believing that security is “someone else’s job.” Measuring Your Progress MetricWhy It MattersCareer BenefitGitHub PortfolioProves practical skillsHigher interview conversionAutomation ScriptsShows efficiencyDemonstrates valueCertificationsValidates knowledgeHR gatekeeping passProjects CompletedShows applicationTechnical confidence Real-World Example: Beginner to DevOps Engineer Consider a Linux administrator who spends two hours daily learning Python and Docker. They build a personal project: a static website hosted on AWS. They use Terraform to provision the S3 bucket, a GitHub Action to trigger the deployment, and a monitoring script to alert them via email if the site goes down. By documenting this project on GitHub and explaining the why behind their choices in interviews, they shift from a “support” role to a “DevOps Engineer” role in less than a year. Future Skills Every DevOps Professional Should Learn Platform Engineering: Building internal developer platforms to improve the developer experience. GitOps: Managing infrastructure via Git repository state. AI-assisted DevOps: Leveraging LLMs to write better scripts and analyze logs faster. FinOps: Managing and optimizing cloud costs. Certifications & Learning Paths CertificationBest ForSkill LevelFocus AreaLinux+Linux FoundationBeginnerOS BasicsAWS Solutions ArchitectCloud BeginnersIntermediateInfrastructureCKAKubernetes ExpertsAdvancedContainersTerraform AssociateIaC BeginnersIntermediateAutomation Explore structured paths at DevOpsSchool to find the right certification journey for your goals. Best Practices Checklist [ ] Master Linux basics before touching cloud consoles. [ ] Automate any task you find yourself doing more than twice. [ ] Keep your Git commit history clean and meaningful. [ ] Always treat “Infrastructure as Code” as the source of truth. [ ] Document your failures and your learning process. [ ] Stay curious about the “how” and “why,” not just the “what.” FAQs Which DevOps skill should I learn first? Start with Linux and basic networking. Everything else runs on top of these. Is Linux mandatory? Yes, it is the standard for most servers and container environments. Do I need programming knowledge? You need scripting knowledge. Deep software engineering isn’t required, but logic is. Which cloud platform is best? Start with AWS due to its market share and extensive documentation. How important is Kubernetes? It is essential for modern enterprise-scale applications. Can beginners learn DevOps? Yes, by following a structured roadmap and prioritizing hands-on practice. Are certifications enough? No, certifications validate knowledge, but projects prove competence. How long does it take to become job-ready? Depending on your background, 6 to 12 months of consistent study. Final Thoughts Becoming a DevOps engineer is not about memorizing a list of tools; it is about cultivating a mindset of continuous improvement and automation. The path can be challenging, but it is deeply rewarding for those who commit to mastering the core fundamentals. Do not be intimidated by the breadth of the field. Start small, build projects, document your progress, and stay consistent. Your ability to solve complex problems and automate away repetitive work will always be in high demand. View the full article

“When it comes to grunge or even just Seattle, I think there was one band that made the definitive music of the time. It wasn’t us or Nirvana, but Mudhoney.” That’s not coming from us – that’s Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder. The grunge pioneer is talking about fellow Seattle legends Mudhoney, who have just announced their return to Australia this October for a run of intimate club shows, alongside a headline appearance at Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ’s annual Zed 51 Festival. Mudhoney – ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ Formed in Seattle in 1988, Mudhoney were one of the flagship acts on the legendary Sub Pop label and helped lay the foundations for the explosion of grunge that would soon take over the world. Long before Nevermind changed mainstream rock forever, tracks like Touch Me I’m Sick and later Suck You Dry had already established the band’s trademark blend of filthy garage rock, punk attitude and fuzz-drenched riffs that would inspire an entire generation. Nearly four decades later, they’re still going strong. The band released their 11th studio album Plastic Eternity in 2023 and continue to earn rave reviews for live shows that remain every bit as raw and ferocious as the records that made them underground icons. Joining Mudhoney on most Australian dates will be Californian garage-rock trio Primitive Ring, whose members have also played with the likes of Ty Segall, Iggy Pop, Fuzz, GØGGS and Mikal Cronin. The tour will see them visit fans in Melbourne, Torquay, Castlemaine, Ballarat, Manly, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Byron Bay. Suss all the details down below. Mudhoney Australian Tour 2026 Supported by Primitive Ring FRI 16 Oct – The Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne VIC – tix SAT 17 Oct – Torquay Hotel, Torquay VIC – tix SUN 18 Oct – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine VIC – tix TUES 20 Oct – Volta, Ballarat VIC – tix WED 21 Oct – Felons Barrel Room, Manly NSW – tix THURS 22 Oct – Factory Theatre, Sydney NSW – tix FRI 23 Oct – King Street, Newcastle NSW – tix SAT 24 Oct – ZED 51, Brisbane QLD – tix SUN 25 Oct – The Northern, Byron Bay NSW – tix Tickets on sale Tues 30th June (9:00AM) via pressplaypresents.com/artists/mudhoney Further Reading Courtney Love Claims Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ Lyric Was About “Horrible” Kim Gordon In Wild Podcast Chat With Billy Corgan Drummer Matt Cameron Leaves Pearl Jam After 27 Years Pearl Jam’s Josh Klinghoffer Has Been Charged With Vehicular Manslaughter The post Grunge Icons Mudhoney Announce 2026 Australian Tour appeared first on Music Feeds. View the full article

Prime Day has ended, but the event's best prices have stuck around on a few Apple devices and accessories this weekend. You can still find great deals on AirPods, AirTag, Apple Watch, and MacBook Pro right now on Amazon. Regarding the MacBook Pro, these are now some of the only affected devices still in stock on Amazon in the wake of Apple's price hike this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. MacBook Pro The M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro models are some of the only remaining products in stock after Apple's price hikes began this week. Starting with the 14-inch models, you can get the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro for $2,149.99, now a $349 discount on the new price. $349 OFF14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,149.99 $449 OFF14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/2TB) for $2,549.99 You can get up to $549 off the 16-inch MacBook Pro right now on Amazon, with the 24GB RAM/1TB M5 Pro model hitting $2,649.99, a $349 discount on the new price. $349 OFF16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,649.99 $549 OFF16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/2TB) for $3,849.99AirPods The best Prime Day AirPods discount that's still around is on the AirPods 4, available for $99.00, down from $129.00. $30 OFFAirPods 4 for $99.00 $50 OFFAirPods Pro 3 for $199.00AirTag 2 Apple's AirTag 2 hit the new low price of $24.00 for the 1-Pack and $89.00 for the 4-Pack. $5 OFFAirTag 2 (1-Pack) for $24.00 $10 OFFAirTag 2 (4-Pack) for $89.00 This is the first major discount we've ever seen on the AirTag 2 at Amazon since the device launched earlier in 2026. The new AirTag is equipped with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling the Precision Finding feature to work up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous-generation model. Apple Watch Series 11 Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $120 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes a handful of GPS aluminum models on sale at record low prices. $120 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $279.00 $120 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $309.00 You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $279.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $309.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find three of the 42mm GPS models and two of the 46mm GPS models on sale at these all-time low prices. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple Deals This article, "Missed Prime Day? You Can Still Grab Record Low Apple Discounts This Weekend" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The journey toward financial independence often begins with a single step: understanding how money works. In an era where financial markets are more accessible than ever, the interest in equity participation has reached new heights. However, for many, the stock market remains a complex puzzle characterized by volatility and technical jargon. This is where the importance of financial literacy becomes paramount. Navigating these markets without a map is akin to sailing in a storm without a compass, which is why beginners often face significant hurdles when attempting to enter the space. To bridge this gap, structured learning resources have become essential. Platforms like stocksmantra serve as a dedicated financial education and stock market learning platform, designed to help individuals learn stock market basics, investing concepts, and research strategies in a simple and practical way. By prioritizing education over speculation, new participants can build the confidence needed for successful stock market investing for beginners. What is Stock Market Education? Stock market education is the process of acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills, and discipline to navigate financial markets effectively. It is not merely about learning how to buy or sell a stock; it is about understanding the mechanics of the economy, the nature of corporate ownership, and the psychology behind market movements. True education moves beyond surface-level information. It provides a comprehensive framework for interpreting financial data, evaluating business models, and managing risk. Investing blindly—relying on tips, rumors, or emotional impulses—is a recipe for instability. In contrast, an educated approach involves analyzing data objectively and forming a thesis based on logic. Financial literacy acts as the foundation upon which all informed decisions are built, ensuring that individuals understand not just the potential rewards, but the underlying risks involved in every transaction. Why Beginners Should Learn Stock Market Before Investing Entering the market without prior knowledge is one of the most common reasons retail investors experience frustration. Learning the fundamentals before deploying capital provides several distinct advantages. First, it fosters a realistic understanding of risk. Every investment carries a degree of uncertainty, and understanding how to quantify and mitigate that risk is a critical survival skill. Second, education improves decision-making. When a beginner understands the difference between a high-quality business and a failing one, they are less likely to fall for market hype. Third, it builds long-term discipline. The stock market is rarely a shortcut to wealth; it is a tool for long-term growth. Structured learning teaches the patience required to weather market cycles, helping individuals maintain their course toward financial independence despite short-term noise. Basics of Stock Market for Beginners At its core, the stock market is a platform where buyers and sellers meet to trade shares of publicly listed companies. A share represents a fractional ownership interest in a business. When a company performs well, the value of that ownership generally increases; conversely, when a company struggles, the value may decrease. Market participants include individual retail investors, institutional investors, and traders. These participants interact on exchanges, such as the NSE or BSE, which provide the infrastructure for transparent and fair trading. Price movement is primarily a function of supply and demand. If more people want to buy a stock than sell it, the price typically rises. Understanding these basic supply and demand dynamics is the first step in decoding how the market functions on a day-to-day basis. Introduction to Stock Market Investing for Beginners There is a fundamental distinction between investing and trading. Investing is generally a long-term endeavor focused on holding assets that appreciate over time or provide dividends. Trading, by contrast, is often short-term and relies on capitalizing on price fluctuations. For those starting out, focusing on long-term portfolio building is often the most sustainable path. This involves selecting assets based on their long-term potential rather than short-term price swings. Risk diversification—spreading investments across different sectors and asset classes—is a core tenet of this approach. By not putting all one’s capital into a single basket, an investor protects themselves against sector-specific downturns, creating a more resilient financial profile. Understanding Fundamental Analysis of Stocks Fundamental analysis is the process of evaluating a company’s intrinsic value. Instead of looking at charts or price trends, an analyst looks at the business itself. Key components include examining company financials, such as earnings, revenue growth, profit margins, and debt levels. Beyond the numbers, fundamental analysis involves understanding the industry in which the company operates and the competitive advantages the business possesses. An investor performing this type of research asks: Is this business profitable? Is the management team capable? Does the company have a clear path to future growth? This method of analysis is the cornerstone of value investing and is essential for anyone looking to build wealth over several years or decades. Technical Analysis for Beginners While fundamental analysis looks at the health of a business, technical analysis for beginners focuses on the price action itself. It relies on the premise that historical price patterns and volume trends can provide insights into future market behavior. Key tools include charts, which map out price movements over time, and indicators that help identify trends. Concepts such as support and resistance levels are crucial; support is a price level where a stock has historically had difficulty falling below, while resistance is a level where it has had difficulty breaking above. Understanding these patterns helps traders identify potential entry and exit points. However, it is important to remember that technical analysis is a study of market psychology and supply-demand imbalances, and it works best when combined with a sound understanding of trading psychology. Stock Market Analysis and Research Methods The most effective market participants often combine fundamental and technical analysis. This dual approach allows for a more holistic view of the market. For instance, an investor might use fundamental analysis to identify a high-quality company, while using technical analysis to determine an optimal time to enter the position. Research sources for this analysis include annual reports, financial news, market sentiment reports, and sector analysis. By staying informed about macroeconomic factors—such as interest rates or inflation—and comparing them with microeconomic data specific to a company, an investor can make more nuanced decisions. Continuous research is not just a habit; it is a necessity for anyone looking to remain competitive and informed. IPO Analysis for Beginners An Initial Public Offering (IPO) occurs when a private company decides to go public by offering shares to the public for the first time. Companies go public to raise capital for expansion, pay off debt, or provide an exit for early investors. For beginners, analyzing an IPO can be challenging because there is often limited historical data available for the company as a public entity. Evaluating an IPO requires reading the prospectus, understanding the company’s business model, and assessing whether the valuation offered by the company is reasonable compared to its peers. It is vital to distinguish between the hype surrounding an IPO and the actual business potential, as not every newly listed company is a sound investment. Common Mistakes Beginners Make in Stock Market The path to success is often marked by avoiding the errors that trap others. One of the most common mistakes is emotional trading—making decisions based on fear or greed rather than data. Another significant error is a lack of research; buying a stock simply because someone else recommended it or because it has been rising is a high-risk behavior. Overtrading is another pitfall, where investors buy and sell too frequently, leading to higher transaction costs and diminished returns. Furthermore, the absence of risk management—such as failing to set stop-loss levels or failing to diversify—can lead to catastrophic losses during market corrections. Learning to recognize these patterns is a vital part of one’s development as a market participant. How Structured Learning Helps in Stock Market Success Structured learning provides a pathway to success that is both efficient and reliable. By following a step-by-step curriculum, learners gain concept clarity, ensuring they understand the “why” behind every market move. This reduces the likelihood of impulsive mistakes and helps in developing a disciplined approach to capital allocation. Structured education also builds confidence. When an investor understands the mechanics of the market, they are less likely to panic when prices drop. Instead of reacting emotionally, they are able to assess whether the drop is a temporary market fluctuation or a fundamental shift in the company’s prospects. This analytical framework is the hallmark of a successful long-term investor. Role of Online Platforms in Stock Market Education The digital age has democratized access to financial information. Online platforms have made it possible for anyone with an internet connection to learn stock market dynamics at their own pace. These platforms offer a wealth of resources, ranging from simplified explanations of complex concepts to interactive research tools. Community learning is another major benefit, allowing individuals to discuss strategies and share experiences in a controlled environment. The goal of these platforms is to lower the barrier to entry and ensure that retail investors have the same access to quality educational content as professional market participants. By centralizing resources, these platforms help beginners avoid the fragmented and often misleading information found across the web. Skills Required for Stock Market Success Succeeding in the financial markets requires a specific set of soft and hard skills. Analytical thinking is at the top of the list; the ability to process data, identify patterns, and draw logical conclusions is essential. Patience is equally critical, as the best investments often take time to materialize. Discipline is the glue that holds these skills together—the ability to stick to one’s strategy even when the market is chaotic. Risk management is the final pillar, involving the constant assessment of potential downsides. Finally, a commitment to continuous learning is non-negotiable. Markets evolve, economic cycles change, and the most successful investors are those who never stop refining their knowledge. Future of Stock Market Education The future of financial education is increasingly data-driven and technology-integrated. We are seeing the rise of AI-powered tools that can help learners analyze vast amounts of financial data in seconds. Simulation-based learning, which allows beginners to “practice” trading and investing with virtual money, is becoming a standard way to gain experience without risking actual capital. As retail participation continues to grow globally, the demand for high-quality, accessible financial awareness will only increase. We are moving toward a future where financial literacy is considered a fundamental life skill, and education platforms will be the primary drivers of this transition. Learning Insight: Why Stock Market Education Matters for Modern Investors In the modern financial landscape, the traditional reliance on simple savings accounts is no longer sufficient to build long-term wealth. With inflation eroding the purchasing power of idle cash, the shift toward investing has become a necessity for achieving financial independence. Growing retail participation is a positive trend, but it carries a significant responsibility: the need for education. Informed investors are better for the economy, better for the markets, and ultimately, better for themselves. Structured platforms continue to play a pivotal role in this journey, providing the resources and guidance necessary for individuals to transition from passive savers to active, informed participants in the global economy. Frequently Asked Questions What is stock market education? Stock market education is the systematic process of learning the concepts, strategies, and psychological aspects of investing and trading to make informed financial decisions. How can beginners learn stock market easily? Beginners can start by using structured online platforms that break down complex topics into simple, digestible modules, focusing on basics before moving to advanced strategies. Is stock market investing safe for beginners? While no investment is entirely risk-free, investing becomes significantly safer when a beginner understands risk management, performs thorough research, and maintains a long-term perspective. What is the difference between investing and trading? Investing is a long-term approach focused on capital appreciation and wealth building, while trading is typically short-term, focusing on capitalizing on price fluctuations. What is fundamental analysis of stocks? It is the method of evaluating a company’s financial health, including its revenue, earnings, assets, and liabilities, to determine its intrinsic value. What is technical analysis for beginners? Technical analysis is the study of market price trends and volume patterns, using charts and indicators to predict future price movements based on historical data. How do IPOs work? An IPO is the process where a private company offers shares to the public to raise capital. Investors can apply for these shares during the subscription period. How can I start learning stock market? Start by mastering the basic terminology, understanding how exchanges work, and studying the difference between fundamental and technical analysis through reputable educational platforms. What mistakes should beginners avoid? Beginners should avoid trading based on rumors, emotional decision-making, overtrading, and failing to perform independent research. How long does it take to learn stock market? Learning is a continuous process. While basic concepts can be understood in a few weeks, becoming proficient takes consistent study and practice over time. Can I learn stock market online? Yes, online platforms provide comprehensive courses, articles, and research resources that make it convenient to learn at your own pace from anywhere. Is stock market research important before investing? Yes, research is the most critical step. It ensures that your investment decisions are based on data and logic rather than guesswork or external tips. Final Thoughts The journey into the world of finance is an ongoing process of growth and discovery. As we have explored, the stock market offers immense opportunities, but it requires a commitment to learning and a disciplined approach to risk. By focusing on structured financial education, beginners can navigate the complexities of the market with confidence. The importance of financial literacy cannot be overstated; it is the primary tool for achieving long-term financial goals and independence. Whether you are interested in fundamental analysis, technical charts, or simply understanding how the broader economy impacts your savings, consistency is key. Utilizing professional educational resources ensures that your learning path remains clear, practical, and effective. As you continue your journey, remember that the most successful investors are those who prioritize knowledge over impulse, consistently refining their research methods and staying grounded in the core principles of sound financial management. View the full article

Modern enterprises operate in an environment where the speed of delivery is as critical as the quality and security of the product. Achieving this balance requires more than just adopting new tools; it necessitates a fundamental shift in how teams build, deploy, and manage software. Partnering with a specialized DevOps consulting company allows organizations to navigate this complex transition effectively. At cotocus, we support firms in refining these operational workflows to ensure sustained competitive advantage. Enterprise Challenges Driving Modernization Many organizations remain tethered to legacy systems that struggle to keep pace with modern market demands. These legacy architectures often result in silos, where development and operations teams function with misaligned goals. Manual deployment processes frequently become bottlenecks, leading to inconsistent environments and increased human error. Furthermore, operational complexity often scales faster than the internal ability to manage it. Security concerns, when addressed as an afterthought, create massive technical debt. Perhaps most significantly, a critical skill gap exists where teams understand the necessity of modernization but lack the tactical experience to implement it without disrupting core business functions. Why Organizations Need Experienced Consulting Partners Transformation is inherently risky. Without a structured roadmap, organizations often fall into the trap of tool-first adoption, which rarely solves underlying process issues. Experienced consulting partners provide the necessary oversight to mitigate these risks by focusing on people, processes, and technology in that order. Strategic partners bring proven frameworks that accelerate the adoption curve. They provide objective assessments that identify hidden inefficiencies, establish standardized best practices, and introduce governance models that ensure long-term stability. Crucially, they act as force multipliers, focusing on knowledge transfer to build internal capabilities rather than creating a dependency on external support. Characteristics of a Mature DevOps Consulting Company A mature consulting partner goes beyond basic implementation. They employ rigorous assessment methodologies to map the current state of infrastructure and delivery workflows against industry standards. Their value lies in deep architecture expertise, ensuring that proposed solutions are scalable, resilient, and vendor-agnostic where possible. Exceptional firms also prioritize robust governance frameworks. They understand that automation without guardrails is dangerous. Therefore, they integrate compliance and security policies directly into the design phase. Most importantly, a mature partner emphasizes a mentorship-driven approach, ensuring that the engineering team internalizes the “why” behind every “how,” leading to sustainable operational maturity. Understanding DevOps Consulting Services DevOps consulting services encompass a holistic redesign of the delivery lifecycle. This begins with CI/CD pipeline consulting, where the objective is to create seamless, automated flows from code commit to production. Effective pipelines reduce manual intervention, shorten feedback loops, and improve deployment frequency. Beyond delivery, consultants focus on infrastructure automation, ensuring that environments are reproducible and version-controlled. This operational optimization includes implementing comprehensive monitoring and observability tools. By shifting the focus from simple uptime tracking to meaningful performance metrics, organizations gain the visibility required to proactively resolve issues before they impact the end user. Cloud Consulting and Migration Services Cloud migration is rarely as simple as a “lift-and-shift” operation. Cloud consulting services focus on cloud readiness assessments to determine which workloads are suited for cloud-native architectures versus those that require refactoring. This planning phase prevents excessive cloud spend and architectural misalignment. Modernization strategies often involve transitioning toward hybrid or multi-cloud environments to avoid vendor lock-in. Consultants help design these systems for high availability and elastic scaling. Throughout the process, they introduce cost-optimization strategies, ensuring that the migration is not just technically sound but economically sustainable for the enterprise. Kubernetes Consulting Services Kubernetes has become the standard for container orchestration, but its complexity is significant. Kubernetes consulting services help organizations transition from legacy virtual machine management to containerized microservices. This includes platform standardization, where the goal is to provide a consistent environment across development, testing, and production. A critical aspect of this practice is ensuring production readiness. This involves configuring cluster security, ingress controllers, storage classes, and resource management policies. Consultants guide teams through the intricacies of cluster operations, helping them establish patterns for lifecycle management, upgrades, and disaster recovery that ensure operational continuity. SRE Consulting Services Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) bridges the gap between software development and system operations. SRE consulting services move organizations beyond traditional IT support toward a proactive model defined by service-level objectives (SLOs). By defining measurable error budgets, teams can balance the pursuit of new features with the necessity of system reliability. Consultants help implement incident response processes that prioritize “post-mortems” and root-cause analysis, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. This approach turns operations into a discipline focused on building resilient systems that can withstand failures gracefully. DevSecOps Consulting Services Security can no longer exist as a separate, final step in the software lifecycle. DevSecOps consulting services focus on integrating security into every stage of the pipeline. This includes automating static and dynamic analysis, managing software supply chain security, and ensuring secrets management. By treating security as code, consultants help teams implement policy-driven governance. This ensures that compliance requirements are met automatically rather than through manual audits. This “shift-left” approach empowers developers to own the security of their code, significantly reducing the risk of vulnerabilities reaching production environments. GitOps and Platform Engineering Consulting The future of efficient software delivery lies in Platform Engineering consulting, which treats the internal developer platform as a product. The goal is to provide developers with self-service capabilities, allowing them to provision infrastructure and deploy applications without waiting on operational tickets. GitOps is the operational engine of this model. By using a Git repository as the single source of truth for both infrastructure and applications, organizations achieve declarative management. Changes are tracked, versioned, and applied automatically, ensuring that the live environment always matches the desired state defined in code. AIOps, MLOps, and DataOps Consulting Services As data becomes more central to operations, intelligent automation is essential. AIOps consulting services leverage machine learning to analyze vast streams of operational data, identifying anomalies and predicting potential outages before they occur. For teams building data-driven applications, MLOps consulting services provide the framework to manage the machine learning lifecycle, from training models to deployment and monitoring. Simultaneously, DataOps consulting services focus on automating data pipelines, ensuring data quality, and improving the speed at which business intelligence can be extracted from complex datasets. Corporate Training for Engineering Teams Technology is only effective if the team has the skills to wield it. DevOps corporate training must move away from generic, slide-based presentations. Effective programs utilize hands-on, lab-driven sessions that simulate real-world enterprise scenarios. Customized learning paths are essential, as different roles require different focuses. By fostering a culture of continuous capability development, companies ensure that their engineering teams are not just using the tools, but innovating with them. Training should be viewed as a long-term investment that increases retention and drives higher engineering throughput. Selecting the Right Consulting Partner When evaluating a partner, prioritize their history of actual implementation over theoretical knowledge. Ask for evidence of their approach to knowledge transfer—how do they ensure the client team is self-sufficient once the engagement ends? Review their engagement model: are they providing staff augmentation, or are they taking ownership of transformation outcomes? The best partners offer long-term support, evolving their guidance as the organization matures. Look for partners who emphasize cultural alignment, as the success of DevOps and cloud initiatives depends as much on team behavior as it does on technical tooling. Recommended Learning and Adoption Paths by Role Developers: Focus on CI/CD pipeline fluency, container fundamentals, and local development environment automation. DevOps/Platform Engineers: Prioritize infrastructure as code, Kubernetes cluster management, and platform design. Security Professionals: Focus on policy-as-code, DevSecOps pipeline integration, and automated vulnerability management. Architects: Focus on microservices design, cloud-native patterns, and cross-team governance frameworks. Engineering Leaders: Prioritize metrics-based management (DORA metrics), culture building, and resource allocation for long-term reliability. Industry-Specific Strategic Considerations In highly regulated industries like finance or healthcare, the priority for DevOps consulting is compliance automation and immutable infrastructure. The focus is on building pipelines that provide an audit trail for every change. Conversely, for e-commerce or SaaS companies, the priority is rapid iteration, high availability, and efficient scaling during demand spikes. Aligning your modernization strategy with these industry-specific pressures ensures that your transformation is prioritized correctly. Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between DevOps and SRE? DevOps is a philosophy focused on breaking silos between development and operations, while SRE is a specific set of practices and engineering approaches to achieve the reliability goals set by that philosophy. How long does a typical cloud migration take? The duration varies based on the size of the infrastructure and the complexity of the workloads. A thorough assessment and phased migration approach are recommended to avoid business disruption. Is Kubernetes necessary for every organization? Not necessarily. While Kubernetes offers immense power for scaling and container orchestration, its overhead is significant. It is most beneficial for microservices-oriented architectures. How does DevSecOps change the development process? It requires developers to integrate security testing into their daily workflow, moving from manual security gates to automated checks that provide immediate feedback during code development. Can DevOps be implemented in a legacy environment? Yes, but it requires an incremental approach. By automating specific bottlenecks first and refactoring systems over time, legacy environments can adopt modern delivery patterns. What are the key metrics for measuring DevOps success? Core metrics often include deployment frequency, lead time for changes, mean time to recovery (MTTR), and change failure rate. What is the role of a Platform Engineering team? They build and maintain internal developer platforms that provide self-service tooling, reducing the cognitive load on application developers. How do we ensure knowledge transfer during an engagement? The most effective approach is pair programming, collaborative design sessions, and creating comprehensive documentation that is treated as part of the product. Final Thoughts Digital transformation is an ongoing journey, not a destination. By partnering with experts who emphasize both technical implementation and internal capability building, organizations can create a resilient, high-velocity engineering culture. Success relies on balancing the adoption of advanced practices like GitOps and AIOps with the foundational work of clear communication and continuous learning. Investing in these areas today ensures that your enterprise remains capable of adapting to the evolving technological landscape. View the full article

The Apple community was rocked this week as the company instituted massive price hikes on a broad array of products, with many products seeing increases of 10–20 percent and a few as high as 50 percent or more. The move led many Apple fans to flock to Amazon and other retailers in attempts to make purchases before the price increases trickle down to third-party sellers. Other major news this week included a recap of the numerous products in Apple's pipeline rumored for release over the next 12–18 months, a second round of developer betas for iOS 27 and other updates, changes to Apple's chip roadmap, and more, so read on below for all of the details! Top Stories Apple Just Increased Prices on MacBooks, iPads, and More After Tim Cook signaled last week that Apple hardware price increases were "unavoidable" in the face of high memory and storage costs from suppliers, Apple this week followed through with a slew of major price increases across its Mac and iPad lineups, as well as on HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. Apple explained that the company has "never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly," and while Apple held off on raising prices for as long as possible, the situation has become dire enough that it feels it needs to pass the increases along to customers. Apple says that it is "working tirelessly to find solutions," but memory suppliers forecast that shortages and high prices will last well into 2027. Apple's price increases have largely yet to trickle down to third-party retailers and buyers are quickly snapping up whatever stock Amazon and others have left at the cheaper prices, so if you're interested in making a purchase, it would be wise to act quickly. Apple to Release These 20 New Products Across Rest of 2026 and 2027 Apple's cadence of product updates has been slowed due to impacts from delays to the more advanced Siri as well as component shortages, so that means the pipeline of upcoming products is remarkably full at the moment. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week recapped a list of around 20 new products we should be seeing through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. The list includes updates to much of Apple's current product lineup, plus some new products like the foldable iPhone, a high-end touchscreen MacBook, camera-equipped AirPods, a smart home hub, and smart glasses. Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 2 Apple this week rolled out a second round of developer betas for iOS 27 and related updates, and the new iOS 27 beta includes a few changes as Apple continues to build out the update ahead of an expected September public release. A new "Write with Siri" button in several first-party apps makes it easier to locate the tools that allow Siri to assist you with writing, while there are improvements to RCS messaging, tweaks to the Camera and Wallet apps, the ability to update an Apple TV from the Home app on iPhone, and more. 2027 Macs to Get AI-Focused M7 Chips as Apple Skips High-End M6 A significant shakeup for Apple's chip roadmap is underway, according to Bloomberg, with Apple cutting higher-end chips from the upcoming M6 family as the company seeks to speed up development of the M7 family to deliver greater AI optimizations. It sounds like we'll only be getting a base M6 chip from that family later this year in some lower-end Macs, with Apple quickly moving on to an M7 chip in the first half of 2027. Higher-end chips in the M7 family will follow later in 2027. Apple's highly anticipated OLED touchscreen "MacBook Ultra," will reportedly use the current M5 Pro and M5 chips that debuted in the MacBook Pro earlier this year, despite the fact that the new laptop won't arrive until late this year or even early next year. Apple Explains Why watchOS 27 Drops Support for So Many Models Amid some consternation from users, Apple has explained why five Apple Watch models will miss out on watchOS 27 and the new Siri AI features that come with it. The Apple Watch Series 6, 7, 8, SE 2, and the original Apple Watch Ultra will not receive watchOS 27, and will only get basic security updates going forward. With the update, Apple is effectively dropping three years' worth of device support in a single software update, which is unprecedented for the product line. Speaking to TechRadar, Apple executives explained that the company wanted to use watchOS 27 to make the Apple Watch a "true co-partner to Apple Intelligence," and that required some sacrifices in supported models for the update. Only the last few generations of Apple Watch include the processing power to be able to adequately deliver the new features both on a standalone basis and in interfacing with a paired iPhone for heavier workloads with Siri AI. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top Stories This article, "Top Stories: Massive Apple Price Increases, iOS 27 Beta 2, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

For teams building AI-governed systems, the EU AI Act adds compliance obligations to every stage of the development lifecycle, from documenting training data to reporting incidents in production. With phased enforcement already underway, now is the time to assess where your workflows stand. The EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) is the world’s first comprehensive AI regulation. It entered into force in August 2024 with requirements rolling out in phases through 2027. The Act applies, among others, to any organization that places an AI system on the EU market, deployers of AI systems established in the EU, or whose AI system’s output is used in the EU, regardless of where that organization is headquartered. This guide covers what each risk tier requires, the full compliance timeline (including the 2026 Digital Omnibus adjustments), transparency obligations, penalties, and what compliance looks like for the teams building and operating AI systems. Key takeaways The EU AI Act uses a four-tier risk model; your obligations depend on how your system is classified. Prohibited practices and GPAI rules are already in effect; high-risk deadlines run through 2027. Article 50 regarding deepfake and synthetic content labeling obligations take effect August 2, 2026. Penalties reach €35 million or 7% of global turnover, enforced by national authorities and the EU AI Office. The four risk tiers The AI Act takes a risk-based approach. Every AI system falls into one of four categories, and the category determines the regulatory obligations that apply. This classification drives the entire compliance process. 1. Unacceptable risk (prohibited) AI systems in this tier are banned outright under Article 5. These prohibitions have been in effect since February 2, 2025. The prohibited practices include: Subliminal, manipulative, or deceptive techniques that distort behavior and cause significant harm Exploitation of vulnerabilities related to age, disability, or socioeconomic circumstances Social scoring systems that evaluate individuals based on social behavior or personal traits Predictive policing based solely on profiling or personality traits Untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV to build facial recognition databases Emotion recognition in workplaces and educational institutions (except for medical or safety reasons) Biometric categorization to deduce or infer certain protected characteristics (except for labelling or filtering of lawfully acquired biometric datasets) Real-time remote biometric identification in publicly accessible spaces for law enforcement, with narrow exceptions for missing persons, imminent threats, and serious crime investigations 2. High risk (regulated) High-risk AI systems are subject to the most extensive compliance obligations. The Act identifies two paths to high-risk classification: Annex I systems: AI used as a safety component or product covered by existing EU product safety legislation (medical devices, machinery, vehicles) that requires a third-party conformity assessment. Annex III systems: AI used in eight sensitive areas: biometrics, critical infrastructure, education, employment, essential public and private services, law enforcement, migration and border control, and administration of justice. Any AI system used to profile individuals within an Annex III use case is automatically classified as high-risk, regardless of other exemptions. Providers who believe their Annex III system is not high-risk must document that assessment before placing it on the market. This is the tier that puts the heaviest demands on your logging, testing, and documentation pipelines. Annex III exceptions: An AI system listed under Annex III is not considered high-risk if it performs a narrow procedural task, improves a previously completed human activity, detects decision-making patterns without replacing human judgment, or performs a preparatory task for an Annex III assessment. 3. Limited risk (transparency risk) AI systems in this tier face requirements focused on transparency and disclosure. Under Article 50, deployers must ensure that users know they are interacting with an AI system (e.g., chatbots), and providers of generative AI must mark synthetic content as AI-generated. This tier is where deepfake obligations sit, covered in detail below. For software engineers, this comes down to marking generated content in a machine-readable way and surfacing the disclosure where users actually see it. 4. Minimal risk (unregulated) The majority of AI systems currently on the market, including spam filters, AI-enabled games, and recommendation engines, fall here. No specific regulatory obligations apply, though the Act encourages voluntary codes of conduct. The compliance timeline The EU AI Act’s requirements take effect in phases, not all at once. Some obligations are already enforceable. Others will not apply until late 2027. Date What takes effect August 1, 2024 AI Act enters into force (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 published). February 2, 2025 Prohibited AI practices under Article 5 become unlawful. AI literacy obligations begin (Article 4). August 2, 2025 General-purpose AI (GPAI) model obligations take effect (Chapter V). Governance bodies established. Penalty provisions become applicable. Code of Practice for GPAI published. August 2, 2026 General date of application of the AI Act. Transparency obligations under Article 50 take effect, including deepfake labeling and synthetic content marking. Member States must have at least one AI regulatory sandbox operational. December 2, 2026* Machine-readable marking obligations under Article 50(2) apply to AI systems, including GPAI systems, which have been placed on the market before August 2, 2026 (four-month grace period). Article 5 prohibition on AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material becomes applicable. August 2, 2027 Obligations for high-risk AI systems embedded in regulated products under Annex I (Article 6(1)). GPAI models placed on the market before August 2025 must be in compliance. December 2, 2027* Standalone Annex III high-risk AI system requirements take full effect (risk management, conformity assessment, technical documentation, CE marking, EU database registration). August 2, 2028* High-risk AI systems that are components of products covered by Annex I product safety legislation. *Omnibus adjustment: The Digital Omnibus package revised these high-risk deadlines, moving the Annex III standalone high-risk deadline from August 2026 to December 2, 2027, and the Annex I embedded high-risk deadline from August 2027 to August 2, 2028. The European Parliament approved the package on June 16, 2026. Obligations for high-risk systems by role The EU AI Act distinguishes between providers, deployers, importers, and distributors. Their obligations differ by role. Providers+ Providers of high-risk AI systems carry the heaviest compliance burden. Among other obligations, they must: Risk management system: Establish and maintain a risk management process throughout the AI system’s lifecycle, not just at launch. Data governance: Ensure that training, validation, and testing datasets are subject to appropriate data governance and management practices and are relevant, sufficiently representative, and as free of errors as possible. Where these datasets contain personal data, the GDPR also applies: you need a lawful basis, data minimization, and, for any special-category data used to detect and correct bias, the specific safeguards. Technical documentation: Produce documentation that demonstrates compliance and provides authorities with the information to assess it. It shall contain, at minimum, the elements contained in Annex IV. Record-keeping and documentation: Design the system to automatically log events relevant to identifying risks and tracking modifications. Providers must keep certain documents for up to 10 years at the disposal of the competent authorities. Transparency and instructions for use: Provide deployers with clear documentation on the system’s capabilities, limitations, intended use, and human oversight requirements, which allows deployers to interpret a system’s output and use it appropriately. Human oversight: Design the system so that deployers can implement effective human oversight during use. Accuracy, robustness, and cybersecurity: Achieve appropriate performance levels across all three dimensions. Quality management system: Establish and document a QMS that covers the full compliance process. Corrective actions: Take necessary corrective action in case of suspected non-conformity of the AI system with the AI Act, including bringing it into conformity, withdrawing it, disabling it or recall it, as appropriate. Cooperation with authorities: Provide information and documentation necessary to competent authorities and giving access to automatically generated logs, upon request, to demonstrate conformity of the AI system with the AI Act. Authorized representatives: Providers established in third-party countries must appoint a representative established in the Union prior to making the high-risk AI system available on the Union market. Conformity assessment: Ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure is completed prior to placing the AI system on the market. Additionally, drawing up an EU declaration of conformity, affix CE marking, and register the system in the EU database before placing it on the market. Post-market monitoring: Providers shall establish and document a post-market monitoring system in a manner that is proportionate to the nature of the AI technologies and the risks of the high-risk AI system. Reporting: Providers shall report any serious incident to the market surveillance authorities. The AI Act establishes different terms for reporting, which vary according to the incident’s severity. Deployers+ Deployers are natural or legal persons, public authorities, agencies or other bodies that use an AI system under its authority. Those using AI systems in the course of a personal non-professional activity are not considered deployers. Under Article 26, deployers of high-risk systems must: Use the system as instructed: Operate it the way the provider’s instructions for use specify. Assign human oversight: Put oversight in the hands of people with the competence and authority to exercise it. Govern input data: Where the deployer controls the input data, make sure it’s relevant and sufficiently representative for the system’s intended purpose. Monitor and escalate: Monitor the operation of the AI system, and if it starts to present a risk, notify the provider or the distributor and the market surveillance authority and suspend use. Keep logs: Retain the logs the system generates automatically, to the extent they’re under the deployer’s control, for at least six months. Notify the workforce: Tell affected workers and their representatives before a high-risk system goes live in the workplace. Inform affected people: When an Annex III system makes decisions, or assists in making decisions, about individuals, those individuals have to be told. This overlaps with GDPR transparency and where the system makes solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects, so coordinate the AI Act notice with your GDPR notices. Support data protection assessments: Use the information the provider supplies to meet any data protection impact assessment obligation under the GDPR. Cooperate with authorities: Work with competent authorities on any action they take regarding the system. Register, if public: Public authorities must register the deployment in the EU database and shall not run a system while it isn’t. Article 27 adds a fundamental rights impact assessment for a narrower group: public bodies, private entities providing public services, and deployers using Annex III systems for credit scoring or insurance pricing. Before first use, they document how the system will be used, who it could affect, the risks involved, and the human oversight in place, then file the results with the market surveillance authority. For engineering teams, most of these duties come down to monitoring, log retention, and the ability to suspend a system fast. They get solved in your infrastructure, not in a policy document. Important: Under the EU AI Act, operators in the AI-value chain can be considered both providers and deployers. Put your name on a high-risk system, modify one substantially, or repurpose a non-high-risk system into a high-risk use, and you’re reclassified as a provider with the full obligation set (Article 25). Importers+ Importers are the EU-based persons or organizations that place a non-EU provider’s high-risk AI system on the market, and Article 23 makes them a checkpoint for conformity before the system reaches EU users. Importers must: Verify conformity before import: Confirm the provider has completed the conformity assessment, drawn up the technical documentation (Annex IV), affixed CE marking with the EU declaration of conformity and instructions for use, and appointed an authorized representative. Block non-conforming systems: If there’s reason to believe a system isn’t in conformity, or its documentation is falsified, don’t place it on the market until it’s corrected. If the system presents a risk, inform the provider, the authorized representative, and the market surveillance authorities. Add contact details: Put the importer’s name, registered trade name or trademark, and contact address on the system, its packaging, or its accompanying documentation. Protect compliance in storage and transit: Make sure storage and transport conditions under the importer’s responsibility don’t compromise the system’s compliance. Keep records for 10 years: Retain a copy of the notified-body certificate (where applicable), the instructions for use, and the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the system is placed on the market or put into service. Respond to authorities: On a reasoned request, give competent authorities the information and documentation needed to demonstrate conformity, in a language they can readily understand. Cooperate with authorities: Work with competent authorities on any action they take to reduce or mitigate the risks of a system the importer placed on the market. An importer that puts its own name or trademark on a high-risk system, or substantially modifies one already on the market, is reclassified as a provider and takes on the full provider obligation set (Article 25). Distributors+ Distributors are the other parties in the supply chain who make a high-risk system available on the EU market. Their duties under Article 24 overlap with an importer’s but focus on what happens at and after the point of sale. Distributors must: Verify documentation before distribution: Confirm the system bears CE marking, comes with the EU declaration of conformity and instructions for use, and that the provider and importer have met their own obligations. Block non-conforming systems: If there’s reason to believe a system isn’t in conformity, don’t make it available until it’s corrected. If it presents a risk, inform the provider or importer. Protect compliance in storage and transit: Make sure storage and transport conditions under the distributor’s responsibility don’t compromise the system’s compliance. Act on non-conformity after sale: If a system already made available turns out to be non-conforming, take corrective action to fix, withdraw, or recall it, or ensure the provider or importer does. If it presents a risk, immediately inform the provider or importer and the competent authorities. Respond to authorities: On a reasoned request, provide the information and documentation on these actions needed to demonstrate conformity. Cooperate with authorities: Work with competent authorities on any action they take regarding a system the distributor made available. The same reclassification rule applies: a distributor that brands a high-risk system as its own or substantially modifies one already on the market becomes a provider under Article 25. Deepfake and transparency obligations (Article 50) Article 50 creates specific transparency requirements for AI systems that interact with people or generate synthetic content. These obligations generally apply from August 2, 2026 and are relevant regardless of the system’s risk classification. Who must comply Providers of AI systems that interact directly with people must ensure that individuals are informed they’re interacting with an AI system, unless this is obvious from the circumstances. Providers of AI systems that generate synthetic content (audio, image, video, or text) must mark that output in a machine-readable format that’s detectable as AI-generated or manipulated. The marking must be effective, interoperable, robust, and reliable. Deployers who use AI to create deepfakes must disclose that the content has been artificially generated or manipulated. The Act defines a deepfake as AI-generated or manipulated image, audio, or video content that resembles existing persons, objects, places, or events and would falsely appear authentic. Deployers who publish AI-generated text on matters of public interest must label it as AI-generated, unless the content has been through human editorial review and a natural or legal person holds editorial responsibility. Deployers of emotion recognition or biometric categorisation systems must inform the people exposed to the system that it’s operating, and handle their personal data in line with the GDPR. Artistic exception regarding deepfakes: When AI-generated content is part of an evidently artistic, creative, satirical, or fictional work, only minimal and non-intrusive disclosure is required. The deepfake labeling obligation still applies, but the disclosure format can be lighter. The Code of Practice for transparency The European Commission developed a Code of Practice on marking and labeling AI-generated content to operationalize Articles 50(2) through 50(5). The code provides practical and technical guidance for real-world implementation of the marking and disclosure requirements. Its final version was published on June 10, 2026. General-purpose AI model obligations Chapter V of the Act creates a separate set of obligations for providers of general-purpose AI (GPAI) models. These rules have been applicable since August 2, 2025 (models placed on the market before that date have until August 2, 2027 to comply). The European Commission has published guidelines to support providers in meeting these requirements. General-purpose AI models are the broad, multi-purpose models that show significant generality, perform a wide range of distinct tasks, and can be used directly as well as integrated into other AI systems. All GPAI model providers Every provider of a GPAI model must draw up and maintain technical documentation (which shall contain at minimum the information set out in Annex VI), provide information and documentation to downstream providers integrating the model, establish a policy to respect the EU Copyright Directive, and publish a sufficiently detailed summary of the content used for training. Providers of free and open-license GPAI models (where parameters, architecture, and usage information are publicly available) do not need to comply with the obligations regarding technical documentation and provision of information to downstream providers, unless the model presents a systemic risk. GPAI models with systemic risk A GPAI model is presumed to carry systemic risk if it was trained using more than 10²⁵ floating point operations (FLOPs) of compute. That bar was set to capture the frontier models of the day: GPT-4 is widely estimated to sit above it, while the earlier GPT-3 was trained on roughly 30 times less. The Commission can also designate other models as systemic on criteria like the number of end users, high-impact capabilities, or output modalities. Providers of systemic-risk models carry every GPAI obligation above, plus four more: Model evaluation: Run model evaluations, including adversarial testing. Risk mitigation: Assess and mitigate the systemic risks the model could pose. Incident reporting: Track and report serious incidents to the AI Office. Cybersecurity: Maintain an adequate level of protection for the model. A voluntary Code of Practice for general-purpose AI models was published in July 2025. Following a code of practice creates a presumption of conformity until European harmonized standards are in place. Penalties and enforcement The EU AI Act establishes a three-tier penalty structure under Article 99, designed to be effective, proportionate, and dissuasive. Violation Maximum fine Turnover threshold Prohibited AI practices (Article 5) €35 million 7% of global annual turnover High-risk AI system non-compliance (specific provisions) €15 million 3% of global annual turnover Supplying incorrect or misleading information to authorities €7.5 million 1% of global annual turnover Enforcement is split between the European AI Office, which oversees GPAI model providers, and national competent authorities in each Member State, which handle all other operators. Each Member State must designate at least one national authority for implementation and market surveillance. The penalty provisions are designed to account for the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, and Member States report annually to the Commission on fines issued. What compliance looks like for engineering teams The EU AI Act’s requirements are written in regulatory language, but they translate to concrete engineering concerns. If your team builds or deploys AI systems that serve EU users, here’s where the Act’s obligations intersect with your development workflow. Inventory and classification come first Compliance starts with knowing what you have. Every AI system the organization builds, uses, or procures needs to be cataloged and classified against the Act’s risk tiers. Record, for each system, whether it processes personal data and link the entry to your GDPR records of processing (Article 30) so the AI inventory and the privacy record stay aligned. This is not a legal exercise alone. Engineering teams are typically the only ones who understand the actual capabilities, data flows, and deployment contexts of the systems they build. If your organization has an AI governance framework in place, the AI inventory is usually its foundation. Audit trails are non-negotiable The Act requires automatic event logging for high-risk systems and structured documentation across almost every tier. This means every decision an AI system makes, the categories of data sources it accesses, and every action it takes needs to be logged in a way that is auditable. Teams already shipping AI agents need structured event capture of system actions, including timestamp, session context, the tool or rule invoked, and the agent or service identity, scoped to system-health and security telemetry rather than individual worker performance. Exporting these logs to existing SIEM and compliance systems closes the gap between agent behavior and audit requirements. Prepare your risk management system Article 9 requires a continuous risk management process, including control measures for risks that can’t be removed by design. The ability to enforce policies is the mechanism that makes your chosen controls binding at the moment the agent acts, therefore acting as a risk mitigating strategy. This can happen at the agent level, by applying policies and rules to sandboxed agents, and at the tool level, with policies applied to the gateway that manages agent tool access. Runtime isolation supports human oversight The EU AI Act requires that high-risk AI systems be designed for human oversight, and that deployers can intervene during operation. For agentic workloads, where AI acts autonomously, this maps directly to runtime isolation: running agents inside sandboxed environments where network access, filesystem scope, and tool permissions are policy-controlled. If an agent exceeds its intended scope, isolation constrains the blast radius. This is the mechanism that makes oversight enforceable at the infrastructure level. Transparency can be instrumented Article 50’s deepfake and synthetic content marking requirements are a metadata problem. Providers need to embed machine-readable markers in generated content, and deployers need to surface human-readable disclosures. For teams building generative AI systems, this means integrating content provenance marking (such as C2PA or IPTC standards) into the generation pipeline. Where generated content depicts a real, identifiable person, it is also personal data under the GDPR, so the marking is necessary but not sufficient and the usual lawful-basis and rights obligations still apply. The AI governance controls your organization uses can enforce these policies at the platform layer rather than relying on each application to implement them independently. Use the official compliance tools The European Commission has launched the AI Act Service Desk, a single information platform that includes an official Compliance Checker to help organizations determine which obligations apply to their AI systems, an AI Act Explorer for navigating the full regulation text, and a helpdesk for submitting questions. These tools are free, official, and available in English, French, and German (with all 24 EU languages planned for 2026). Start building compliance into your AI infrastructure EU AI Act compliance is not a document you file. It’s a set of technical controls, organizational processes, and audit practices that need to be embedded in how your team builds and operates AI systems. To make things easier, Docker AI Governance supports operationalizing these requirements. It does not replace the human oversight, classification, and legal accountability the AI Act assigns to providers and deployers, and customer code, configurations, and telemetry are not used to train Docker’s or third-party models. Instead, Docker AI Governance includes sandbox-based runtime isolation for blast-radius risk mitigation and real time monitoring, policy enforcement across network, filesystem, and MCP tool access, and structured audit logging that exports to existing SIEM and compliance systems. Explore Docker AI Governance to see how runtime policy, audit trails, and agent isolation support the regulatory controls the EU AI Act requires. Frequently asked questions Does the EU AI Act apply to companies outside the EU? Yes. Under Article 2, the EU AI Act applies to providers and deployers of AI systems regardless of whether they’re established in the EU. You are in scope if you place an AI system on the EU market, or if the system’s output is used in the EU. Is there an official EU AI Act compliance checker? The European Commission’s AI Act Service Desk includes a Compliance Checker tool that helps organizations determine which obligations apply to their AI systems. It walks through a series of questions about the system’s purpose, deployment context, and risk profile to identify relevant articles and requirements. What are the EU AI Act deepfake requirements? Under Article 50, providers of AI systems that generate synthetic audio, image, video, or text must mark the output in a machine-readable format as AI-generated. Deployers who use AI to create deepfakes (content resembling existing persons or events that would falsely appear authentic) must disclose that the content is artificially generated, even when the content is lawful. Artistic, creative, and satirical uses require only minimal disclosure. These obligations take effect on August 2, 2026. Where a deepfake depicts a real, identifiable person, that content is also personal data under the GDPR, so labeling is necessary but not sufficient. What is the difference between the AI Act and the Cyber Resilience Act? The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) targets products with digital elements and focuses on cybersecurity requirements across their lifecycle. The AI Act specifically targets AI systems and AI models, with requirements that scale based on risk classification. A product could be subject to both regulations, for example an AI-powered medical device that is both a product with digital elements (CRA) and a high-risk AI system (AI Act). When do the high-risk AI system rules actually take effect? The timeline depends on the type of high-risk system. Under the Digital Omnibus package, approved by the European Parliament on June 16, 2026, standalone Annex III high-risk systems must comply by December 2, 2027. Annex I embedded high-risk systems (products covered by EU product safety legislation) must comply by August 2, 2028. Check the official implementation timeline for the latest confirmed dates. View the full article

The Shortcuts app can be intimidating to casual iPhone users, but with iOS 27, it's a lot easier to use. With Apple Intelligence integration, shortcuts can be created using natural language, and they're much more accessible to the average person. Describe a Shortcut When you tap on the New Shortcut button in the ‌iOS 27‌ Shortcuts app, it opens to the Describe a Shortcut interface. There's a text box that asks you what you want your shortcut to do, and you can describe what you need in natural language. You can start with a single step, or add in multiple parameters. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ selects the correct actions, creates the automations, and folds it all into a completed shortcut. A few examples of what you can do: Each evening, set tomorrow's alarm based on my first Calendar event, turn on Sleep Focus, and dim the bedroom lights. Every morning, show me my first meeting, today's weather, and my Reminders due today. Turn on the porch lights at night when you get a notification that food delivery is arriving. Text my partner an ETA when I leave work, then start playing my podcast. Show me a summary of my day's meetings and to-do list, and suggest anything I should prioritize. When I open YouTube, turn off orientation lock. Turn it back on when I close the app. Give me a three-line summary of today's tech news. Shortcuts and automations can run based on time of day, location, an app action, a system feature like a screenshot, an incoming notification, and more. Shortcuts can do all kinds of things, from accessing system features to opening and running apps. Add Refinements After dictating a shortcut, the app will outline each of the actions the shortcut will perform. If it's what you want, you can tap on the play button to test it. It will be added automatically to your personal shortcuts. If it's not quite what you want or you want to add more features, you can use the "Describe a change" interface. You can type in what you want to tweak, and go through multiple rounds of refinement until you get exactly what you want. Shortcuts can be used from Siri, the app, Control Center, the Action Button, and more. Edit Manually Once created, you can tap into a manual editing interface if you want to add more complicated actions or tweak without using ‌Apple Intelligence‌. AI Shortcuts is in beta and it's not always perfect, so sometimes manual edits are required to get the end result you want. You can also open any shortcut and use the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ mode to make edits. New Automation Triggers When a notification is received When a screenshot is captured When a keyboard is connected When an Apple Watch workout starts New Actions There are several new actions in the Shortcuts app. Automate a recording in Notes Send messages to a group conversation Updated Get What's On Screen option that gets context information from the display (e.g. text, title, or links) Choose an item from a list Delete conversations or messages in Messages Mark as read in Messages Search in Messages Open Messages inbox Send Tapback Auto Enhance Photo Delete albums and photos Favorite photos Hide photos Open photo Create Group in Reminders Create Section in Reminders Delete groups, lists, and sections in Reminders Edit list in Reminders Toggle Hearing Aid Mute Toggle Vehicle Motion Cues Improved Apple Intelligence Models Shortcuts can use improved ‌Apple Intelligence‌ models that have access to broad world knowledge, which means the model can search the web to get information. There are now Cloud, Cloud Pro, and on-device models that can be used in shortcuts. Cloud Pro is able to search the web, and is used for queries that need information from the internet. Data Storage Shortcuts can store and update data, so you can do things like add items to a list or keep a tally. Automation Updates Automation is no longer a separate section in the Shortcuts app, and automation triggers are under the general Shortcuts actions. Cross-Platform Support The Describe a Shortcut feature is available in the Shortcuts app in ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate. Requirements The ‌Apple Intelligence‌ Shortcut app features require a device that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌, which includes the iPhone 15 Pro and later, iPads with an M-series chip or the iPad mini with A17 Pro, or a Mac with an Apple silicon chip. Supported languages include English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Japanese, and Korean.Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27 This article, "iOS 27 Makes the Shortcuts App Much Less Intimidating" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Paul Meade, who oversees development on the Vision Pro and Apple's upcoming smart glasses, is leaving Apple for OpenAI, reports Bloomberg. Meade took over leadership of Apple's Vision Products Group when Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell took over Siri's AI upgrade. He was previously leading the Vision Pro hardware engineering team, and before that, he was on the iPad and iPhone teams. Meade has been at Apple since 2010, and working in the Vision Products Group since 2017. More recently, Meade was overseeing the development of the AI smart glasses that Apple has in the works to compete with the Meta Ray-Bans, and also leading the team working on future augmented reality glasses. Meade is leaving Apple by next week and will join OpenAI's hardware unit to work on AI devices. Fletcher Rothkopf, who heads up product design function for the Vision Pro and smart glasses, will take over for Meade. Meade's decision to leave is a result of executive changes at Apple as John Ternus prepares to take over as CEO. Apple chip lead Johny Srouji is taking Ternus's role as chief hardware officer, and the reorganization has upset some hardware executives. Former Apple employees Jony Ive, Tang Tan, and Evans Hankey are also at OpenAI, among others.Tag: OpenAI This article, "Apple Loses Another Top Executive to OpenAI" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be up to $200 more expensive, according to a prediction from analytics firm IDC. IDC expected Apple to raise iPhone 18 prices, but prior to yesterday's Mac and iPad price hike, the prediction was a $100 increase for the 18 Pro and Pro Max, and a $50 increase for the base models. IDC Senior Director of Data & Analytics Nabila Popal says the magnitude of the Mac and iPad price increase points to even higher ‌iPhone 18‌ prices. In our forecast, we had assumed a price hike of $100 to Pro and Pro Max models, and $50 hike to base models–-however, seeing the price hikes today to iPad and Macs going as high as $300 for some models, my personal instinct says the hike to iPhones may be even higher than what we assumed–-perhaps even $200 to the Pro/Pro Max models. I think the days of $50 price increases are over. Apple also plans to release a foldable iPhone this year, and IDC thinks it could have an average selling price of $2,500, with higher storage tiers to cost as much as $3,000. The price of the premium model could offset some of the increased memory costs and avoid a larger price hike to other models. Apple increased prices because component costs have gone up as a result of a global memory crisis limiting supply. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to have 12GB RAM, so looking to other devices with 12GB RAM could hint at Apple's iPhone pricing plans. The M4 iPad Air and lower-tier M5 iPad Pro have 12GB RAM, with prices going up $150 and $200, respectively. It's possible the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models will see similar increases in price, raising the starting price of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ to between $1,249 and $1,299 and the starting price of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max to between $1,349 and $1,399. IDC thinks an ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ price increase won't impact the number of people upgrading, because consumers with an iPhone 15 (non-Pro) or older are likely to want to buy a new iPhone to get Siri AI. The firm estimates that 54 percent of iPhones shipped since 2022 need to be upgraded to get the new ‌Siri‌. Customers who choose a Pro Max are also "premium-focused and less price sensitive" and so won't be dissuaded by a price increase, plus many customers opt for monthly payment plans. A $200 increase to the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ price over 36 months is just about $5 per month.Related Roundups: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone FoldTag: IDC This article, "iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max May See $200 Price Increase" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

With Apple's discontinuation of the Pro Display XDR earlier this year, Mac users looking for a larger high-resolution display suddenly found themselves with fewer options on the market. Apple's current display lineup now includes its 27-inch Studio Display and ‌Studio Display‌ XDR, both of which offer excellent image quality and tight macOS integration, but neither provides the larger 32-inch form factor that some users prefer. LG's UltraFine 6K (32U990A) display helps fill that gap. The display, which was unveiled way back in January 2025 but didn't launch until last October, features a 32-inch 6K Nano IPS Black panel, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and a design that feels more Apple-inspired than previous UltraFine displays. After using it for several weeks in my daily setup, I've found it to be a compelling alternative to Apple's own displays, albeit with a few tradeoffs. The first thing that stands out about the UltraFine 6K is simply how much workspace it provides. Compared to Apple's 27-inch displays and my trusty 27-inch UltraFine 5K displays that have anchored my workspace for nearly a decade, the extra screen area is immediately noticeable. Multiple apps can sit side by side in large windows without feeling cramped to support my typical "command center" view of our editorial operations, while creative apps that need the canvas all to themselves benefit from the additional room for toolbars and timelines. Unlike many larger displays, the UltraFine 6K doesn't compromise on sharpness. The 6,144 x 3,456 resolution delivers a true Retina experience, with crisp text and interface elements sized appropriately for the typical viewing distance. That's one of the biggest advantages the display has over most monitors in this size class that deliver only 4K resolution. While those displays can often yield a similarly sized desktop through scaling, the result sometimes lacks a bit of sharpness while the UltraFine 6K feels completely native due to its higher pixel density. The UltraFine 6K also pairs well with Apple's latest Macs thanks to Thunderbolt 5 support. Using a MacBook Pro, a single cable handled display output, charging, and connected accessories, and you can even daisy chain multiple displays over a single connection. DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and non-Thunderbolt USB-C ports on the display provide additional display connectivity options, plus a downstream Thunderbolt 5 port support to support daisy chain configurations and a pair of upstream USB-C ports for hub functionality. LG includes up to 96 watts of power delivery in the display, which easily keeps a 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ topped up throughout the day and relatively quickly recharges a depleted one upon connecting the display. Day-to-day reliability was excellent during testing. The monitor consistently woke from sleep without issue, display scaling options appeared properly in macOS, and there were none of the connection quirks that sometimes affect third-party displays. While that might sound like a small detail, seamless operation remains one of the most important qualities for a monitor intended primarily for Mac users. LG has also made significant improvements to the industrial design of its UltraFine lineup. Earlier UltraFine displays were known for their Mac compatibility, but they often looked more utilitarian than premium. The 32U990A adopts a cleaner aesthetic with slim bezels and a more refined rear enclosure that doesn't look out of place next to a Mac Studio or ‌MacBook Pro‌. A wide foot provides stability, as does a wide vertical stand arm that features an unobtrusive silver color on the front but some dark blue ribbed plastic on the back to provide a bit of visual interest if the display is used in a setting where it the rear is visible. Ports and a joystick button for controlling display settings are hidden away on the rear of the display, and there's no distracting pulsing LED to light up a dark bedroom when the display is sleeping. The included stand offers height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments, providing considerably more flexibility than Apple's standard display configurations to help you get the display in just the right ergonomic position. Image quality is excellent overall. Colors appear vibrant and accurate, and the Nano IPS Black panel provides solid contrast. And of course the 6K resolution provides the sharpness and clarity many users are looking for. The matte finish does a good job minimizing reflections, particularly in brighter environments or near windows. Apple's glossy displays still provide a slightly more vibrant appearance, but the tradeoff may be worthwhile for users who work in rooms with significant ambient light. LG touts the UltraFine 6K's ability to work with macOS keyboard shortcuts for brightness and volume adjustments, although it's not fully baked into the macOS experience. Unlike my older UltraFine 5K displays that integrated perfectly into the built-in macOS functionality for these shortcuts, the UltraFine 6K requires a separate LG Switch app to enable these keyboard shortcuts and they are separate from the macOS-level adjustments while using the same keys, which makes things less seamless than I'd like them to be. Simply put, things can be finicky when using multiple displays and audio output options. There are a few other areas where Apple's displays continue to maintain an advantage. The ‌Studio Display‌ XDR delivers substantially brighter HDR highlights and more impressive HDR performance overall, thanks to its advanced backlighting technology. Users working extensively with HDR video content will still benefit from Apple's higher-end display. The UltraFine 6K is also limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. For productivity work, that isn't a major concern, but users who spend much of their day on ProMotion-equipped Macs may notice the difference when scrolling or performing other actions resulting in quick onscreen movements. Those limitations feel relatively minor, however, when viewed in the context of the entire UltraFine 6K package, especially considering the price difference versus the ‌Studio Display‌ XDR. The UltraFine 6K's primary appeal isn't HDR performance or refresh rate. It's the combination of a large 32-inch panel, Retina resolution, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and solid Mac compatibility. The UltraFine 6K delivers the sharpness and ease of use that Apple users expect, while offering considerably more screen real estate than Apple's current display lineup. The result is a display that feels close to purpose-built for Mac users, and one that stands out as one of the strongest premium monitor options currently available for the Mac. The LG UltraFine 6K 32U990A is normally priced at $1,999.99, but LG is currently offering savings of $700 on the display, bringing it down to $1,299.99. Note: LG provided MacRumors with the UltraFine 6K display for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with LG. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.Tag: LG This article, "LG UltraFine 6K Review: A Premium 6K Display Designed With Mac Users in Mind" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

OpenAI today launched a limited preview of its GPT–5.6 series, which includes flagship model Sol, a balanced everyday work model named Terra, and Luna, a fast and affordable model. Terra is similar in performance to GPT–5.5 but it is 2x cheaper, and Luna offers "strong capability" at OpenAI's lowest price. GPT–5.6 Sol is OpenAI's strongest model to date, with agentic improvements in coding, biology, and cybersecurity. There is a new "max" reasoning effort and an "ultra" mode that uses sub-agents for complex work. OpenAI says GPT–5.6 Sol has its most "robust safety stack to date" with protections for high-risk activity, sensitive cyber requests, and misuse. It has been tested for weaknesses and hardened against real-world attacks. OpenAI says safeguards allow the model to deliver "substantial benefit for legitimate defensive work" while limiting prohibited offensive use. It is better at helping users find and fix vulnerabilities than carrying out end-to-end attacks, according to OpenAI. The Trump administration is limiting the launch of GPT–5.6, and OpenAI agreed to hold back on releasing it to all users. The model is instead available for a small group of trusted partners at the current time, but OpenAI is planning for a wider launch after further testing. In its GPT–5.6 announcement, OpenAI pushed back against the administration's request to hold the model back and said the government AI access process should not become the long-term default. We don't believe this kind of government access process should become the long-term default. It keeps the best tools from users, developers, enterprises, cyber defenders, and global partners who need them. We are taking this short-term step because we believe it is the strongest path to broader availability in the coming weeks, while we work with the Administration to develop the cyber Executive Order framework and a repeatable process for future model releases. The Trump administration is putting together a process for benchmarking and assessing new AI models prior to launch, per a June 2 executive order. The administration previously forced Anthropic to remove access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, even though Anthropic adhered to a voluntary government review process and added guardrails based on government feedback. The GPT–5.6 models are available through the API and Codex to a trusted set of OpenAI partners and organizations. OpenAI says they will be available more broadly in ChatGPT, Codex, and the API "soon."Tag: OpenAI This article, "OpenAI Launches GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna in Limited Preview" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Amazon Prime Day has reached its fourth and final day, with the sale winding down tonight, June 26, at midnight. Many of the year's best deals are still available to purchase today, including record low prices on AirPods Max 2, AirTag 2, Apple Watch Series 11, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Apple threw a wrinkle into Prime Day prices yesterday, announcing a price hike on a huge selection of its most popular products. These new price increases are already live on Apple.com, and some of the affected products are now sold out on Amazon as well. You can still find low prices on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Neo, iPad Air, and iPad Pro below. Shoppers should note that many sales during Amazon Prime Day require you to have an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the discounts. Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139.00 per year, and it comes with a 30-day free trial for new subscribers. Special for 2026, Amazon is also offering 50% off Prime memberships for Young Adults. Prime for Young Adults is a discounted Prime membership for anyone age 18-24 that offers all of the Prime benefits at $69.00 per year, half of the price of regular Prime. AirPods Amazon has the AirPods Max 2 on sale for $399.00 in Midnight, down from $549.00. This is an all-time low price on the headphones. This is accompanied by a great discount on the AirPods 4 for Prime Day, available for $99.00, down from $129.00. $30 OFFAirPods 4 for $99.00 $70 OFFAirPods Pro 3 for $179.00 AirTag 2 Apple's AirTag 2 has hit the new low price of $24.00 for the 1-Pack and $89.00 for the 4-Pack. $5 OFFAirTag 2 (1-Pack) for $24.00 $10 OFFAirTag 2 (4-Pack) for $89.00 This is the first major discount we've ever seen on the AirTag 2 at Amazon since the device launched earlier in 2026. The new AirTag is equipped with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling the Precision Finding feature to work up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous-generation model. Apple Watch Ultra 3 Amazon is discounting a wide array of Apple Watch Ultra 3 models down to $649.00 for Prime Day, from $799.00. This is a new all-time low price on the 2025 smartwatch, beating the previous record low price by about $50, and it's available in both Natural and Black Titanium color options. $150 OFFApple Watch Ultra 3 for $649.00 Apple Watch Series 11 Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $120 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes a handful of GPS aluminum models on sale at record low prices. $120 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $279.00 $120 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $309.00 You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $279.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $309.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find three of the 42mm GPS models and three of the 46mm GPS models on sale at these all-time low prices. Apple Watch SE 3 Amazon is also taking $50 off the Apple Watch SE 3, starting at $199.00 for the 40mm GPS model. These are matches of all-time low prices on the SE 3, and it's been over four months since we last tracked these prices on the wearable. $50 OFF40mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 for $199.00 $50 OFF44mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 for $229.00 You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 on sale for $229.00, down from $279.00. Both the 40mm and 44mm GPS models are available in Midnight and Starlight Aluminum at these prices. MacBook Air MacBook Air stock is quickly dwindling on Amazon, but there are still a few models seeing discounts of up to $349 off new prices this week. $349 OFF15-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) for $1,149.99 MacBook Pro Amazon has a few low prices on Apple's M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro for Prime Day, with up to $299 off select models. The M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro models are some of the only remaining products in stock after Apple's price hikes began this week. Starting with the 14-inch models, you can get the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro for $2,049.99, now a $449 discount on the new price. $449 OFF14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,049.99 $600 OFF14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/2TB) for $2,399.00 $799 OFF14-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/2TB) for $3,299.99 You can get up to $750 off the 16-inch MacBook Pro right now on Amazon, with the 24GB RAM/1TB M5 Pro model hitting $2,549.99, a $449 discount on the new price. $449 OFF16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,549.99 $750 OFF16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/2TB) for $3,649.00 iPad Air Amazon has up to $350 off the M4 iPad Air, although stock is quickly dwindling due to Apple's price hikes. $210 OFF11-inch M4 iPad Air (512GB Wi-Fi) for $839.00 $230 OFF13-inch M4 iPad Air (512GB Wi-Fi) for $1,019.00 $350 OFF13-inch M4 iPad Air (1TB Wi-Fi) for $1,199.00 Specifically, the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M4 iPad Air has dropped to $519.00, down from $599.00, beating the previous low price by about $40. iPad Pro Amazon has $299 off a select handful of iPad Pro models, starting at $899.99 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro. $299 OFF11-inch iPad Pro (256GB Wi-Fi) for $899.99 $299 OFF13-inch iPad Pro (256GB Wi-Fi) for $1,199.99 iPad Amazon is taking $150 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad for Prime Day. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from the new price of $449.00. $150 OFF128GB Wi-Fi iPad for $299.00 $150 OFF512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00 If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple Deals This article, "Prime Day's Final Hours Bring Rare Low Prices on AirPods, Apple Watches, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and one of Astropad's Rock Paper Pencil kits to use with it. Rock Paper Pencil makes writing on your iPad with an ‌Apple Pencil‌ feel like writing on paper instead of a slippery display, offering a more comfortable and natural writing experience. The Rock Paper Pencil kit includes a super thin NanoCling screen protector for the ‌iPad‌'s display and an ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip that replaces the stock ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip. You can put the NanoCling screen protector on while you're using your ‌Apple Pencil‌, then take it off and put it away when you want to use your ‌iPad‌ without it. Putting the screen protector on and removing it again takes just seconds, and there's no sticky residue left behind on your ‌iPad‌'s screen. Astropad's Rock Paper Pencil is normally $45, but there is a Prime Day sale going on right now with a 15 percent discount available. If you do a lot of writing or sketching on your ‌iPad‌, it's a deal you won't want to miss out on. Astropad has iterated on the Rock Paper Pencil over time, perfecting the paper-like feel to get the smoothest writing experience. There's a microscopic texture on the screen protector that mimics the feel of paper, but it doesn't interfere with the vivid colors of the ‌iPad‌'s display. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip from Astropad is made from solid stainless steel that doesn't wear down or degrade over time. The tip is 1mm for the perfect pencil feel, with an ideal balance of friction and durability. If you hate the slippery, unnatural feeling of writing on a hard screen, the Rock Paper Pencil is worth checking out. It can make you forget that you're writing on a tablet because it feels and sounds like using a pen on paper. Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with all of Apple's M2, M3, M4, and M5 iPads, and many older models as well. It works with the 6th and 7th-generation iPad mini and the 7th-generation ‌iPad‌ and later. We have a Rock Paper Pencil kit, an ‌iPad Air‌, and an ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected. Astropad Giveaway The contest will run from today (June 26) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 3. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after July 3 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.Related Roundup: iPad Air Tag: GiveawayBuyer's Guide: iPad Air (Buy Now)Related Forum: iPad This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPad Air and Rock Paper Pencil From Astropad" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The lower-end iPhone 18 models set to launch in spring 2027 will feature 9GB DRAM, up from 8GB, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says the A20 chip Apple plans to use for the devices will have 1.5GB x 6 dies for a total of 9GB RAM, instead of 2GB x 4 dies as the current lower-end iPhone 17 models use. By lower-end iPhones, Kuo is likely referencing the ‌iPhone 18‌ and the iPhone 18e, both of which are rumored to be coming around March or April of 2027. Apple plans to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone this fall, and those devices are expected to feature 12GB RAM (1.5GB x 8 dies) like the current iPhone 17 Pro models. Apple will add more RAM to the ‌iPhone 18‌ models to make sure the devices work well with AI workloads and are able to support all of the Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS 27. Apple yesterday raised prices across its Mac and iPad lines, but ‌iPhone 17‌ pricing hasn't gone up. Apple will likely implement price hikes when the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models come out, and since Apple raised the cost of even the low-end iPad and the MacBook Neo, the ‌iPhone 18‌ and iPhone 18e probably won't be exempt from an increase.Related Roundup: iPhone 18Related Forum: iPhone This article, "2027 iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e to Get 9GB RAM and A20 Chip" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss potential price rises for the iPhone 18 lineup following Apple's wave of hikes yesterday, as well as plans for the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and camera-equipped AirPods. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple yesterday raised prices across most of its lineup, including HomePod mini, HomePod, Apple TV, the entire iPad line, the entire Mac line, and Vision Pro, following CEO Tim Cook's warning to The Wall Street Journal that hikes were "unavoidable" due to soaring memory and storage chip costs. Apple's online store was briefly taken offline before returning with the new pricing, with increases ranging from $30 on the ‌HomePod mini‌ to $1,300 on the high end Mac Studio, averaging $246.67 across the affected products. The iPhone, AirPods, Studio Display, Apple Watch, and accessories such as the Apple Pencil appear to be the only product lines left unaffected. Separately, the 256GB Mac mini has returned to the lineup after disappearing earlier this year, now priced at $799, which is a $200 increase over its earlier price. The same pressure is likely to hit the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which were already speculated to cost more than their predecessors before yesterday's increases. Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Cook acknowledged Apple isn't immune to these cost pressures, and said clarity on iPhone pricing would come with the lineup's September launch. Citing research firm TechInsights, the ‌Wall Street Journal‌ reported that DRAM and flash storage costs are projected to roughly quadruple by fall, pushing the iPhone 17 Pro's bill of materials from about $582 up 25% to around $726 for its successor. TechInsights has said Apple would need to raise the iPhone 18 Pro's price by about $270 to preserve current margins, though Apple's preference for standardized pricing makes a $1,299 starting price more likely on its own. Factoring in the new camera system, which analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says could cost about 50% more than the previous generation, the ‌Wall Street Journal‌ estimates Apple could ultimately set the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s starting price at $1,399 or higher, a $200 to $300 jump over the current model, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max likely starting $100 above that. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is rumored to keep the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s aluminum build, with four new colors including Dark Cherry, a muted wine-red expected to be the signature shade. As with last year, there's likely no true black option. Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital recently warned the new colors could be prone to the same chipping and surface issues seen on last year's Cosmic Orange and Dark Blue, which Apple reportedly treats as a material characteristic rather than a defect. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to launch in September alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone, the "iPhone Ultra." Shipping could slip slightly later for the foldable. A Chinese leaker recently said any gap would be at most a month, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported the device remains on track for September, after Barclays analyst Tim Long earlier suggested shipments could slip to December. The foldable is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display, 5.5-inch cover display, the A20 chip and C2 modem, Touch ID instead of Face ID, two rear cameras, and a starting price of at least $2,000. Gurman recently reported that the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 will launch alongside the new iPhones. Little is known about the devices, though a faster chip seems highly likely given that both the Series 11 and Ultra 3 stuck with the S10 from the previous year. watchOS 27 will likely add new watch faces, including a variant of the Modular Ultra face. For 2027, Apple is developing camera-equipped AirPods. The cameras, embedded in the AirPods' stems, are not designed for taking photos or video, and will instead feed information about the wearer's surroundings to Siri, which will be able to answer questions about objects and whatever the wearer is looking at, alongside contextual reminders and improved turn-by-turn directions. An included light will indicate to people nearby when the cameras are active. The AirPods were originally targeted for a 2026 launch, but Apple's broader AI struggles and the need to develop reliable object-identification models apparently pushed the timeline back. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel! You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player. If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our further discussion about WWDC 2026 and iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and Apple's other new software updates coming this fall. Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie. ‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at [email protected] or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.Related Roundup: iPhone 18 ProTag: The MacRumors Show This article, "The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Has a Pricing Problem" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Micron's chief business officer has hinted, without calling it out by name, that Apple's tough supplier negotiations contributed to the conditions behind the global memory shortage. In remarks given to The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Sumit Sadana explained that Micron was unable to fund capacity expansion during the industry's previous slump, a period when its margins turned negative partly because some buyers pushed relentlessly for lower prices. We told a couple of the customers who were being very aggressive with pricing at that time that this is not constructive. A lot of the industry investments got shut down in 2023 because of really poor pricing and really poor margins. Micron is one of Apple's memory suppliers, providing some of the DRAM and NAND flash chips that go into iPhones, Macs, and iPads. Apple has a reputation for getting favorable terms from suppliers like Micron through long-term purchasing contracts. Sadana's comments came just hours after Apple unveiled a sweeping round of price hikes that touched nearly every part of its hardware lineup. Products across the Mac, iPad, Apple TV, HomePod, and Vision Pro lines all went up in price, with only the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods left untouched. Apple's stock closed down 6% the same day, its worst single-day performance in more than a year, wiping out roughly $265 billion in market value. Apple CEO Tim Cook forewarned about this outcome more than a week earlier in comments to the same publication, warning that price increases had become unavoidable given how the company was being squeezed on memory and storage costs. Cook said Apple had been trying to shield customers from the worst of it but had reached a breaking point, describing the shortage as a "hundred-year flood" unlike anything he had seen in more than four decades. He pointed to the surge in demand for high-bandwidth memory used in AI servers, arguing that consumer products were now competing for a shrinking pool of supply and that pricing needed to come back down to earth before Apple's own prices could follow.Tag: Micron This article, "Micron Suggests Apple Helped Cause Memory Price Crisis" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple's upcoming high-end MacBook model featuring an OLED touchscreen display will use the company's current M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new, top-of-the-line device will launch "between late this year and early next year," Gurman said, adopting the existing high-end Apple silicon chips rather than next-generation M6 versions. Like the MacBook Pro, the touchscreen MacBook will be available in 14- and 16-inch display sizes, code-named "K114" and "K116." The device will also feature a new design and an iPhone-style Dynamic Island. It is expected to be more expensive than the M5 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌, which now starts at $1,999 as of Apple's recent price rises. Yesterday, Gurman revealed that Apple plans to skip what would have been the "M6 Pro" and "M6 Max" for more powerful "M7 Pro" and "M7 Max" chips. The M7 series of chips is said to be focused on intense AI workloads, featuring upgraded neural accelerators, graphics enhancements, and increased memory bandwidth. A new entry-level ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M6 chip is still expected to launch later this year. Apple is apparently working on a successor to the high-end MacBook model containing the M7 Pro and M7 Max chips, planned for release toward the end of 2027. The company is also planning to refresh the Mac Studio with M7 Max and M7 Ultra chip options in 2028. Tags: Bloomberg, Mark Gurman, OLED This article, "Apple's OLED 'MacBook Ultra' Will Stick With M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Amazon's stock on select iPads and Macs has begun dwindling in the face of announced price hikes from Apple yesterday. These price changes are now live on Apple.com, but they have yet to hit third party retailers like Amazon. If you're interested in any of these products, now is the time to buy them on Amazon, before the retailer gets these price hikes as well. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Below we've listed all of the biggest products available on Amazon that have price hikes on Apple.com. Given that it's still Prime Day, many of these devices are on sale right now. You can read more about the incoming price changes in our lead article. MacBook Neo All of the 256GB MacBook Neo models have sold out on Amazon, but you can still get the 512GB model for $689.99, which is now a $109 discount. If you're looking for the 256GB model, Best Buy has that device for $599.00 right now, which is a $100 discount on the new price. $100 OFFMacBook Neo (256GB) for $599.00 $109 OFFMacBook Neo (512GB) for $689.99 HomePod Best Buy is offering up to $50 off HomePod models, now starting at $99.95 for the HomePod mini and $299.99 for the HomePod. $30 OFFHomePod mini for $99.95 $50 OFFHomePod for $299.99MacBook Pro Starting with the 14-inch MacBook Pro models, you can get the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro for $2,049.99, now a $449 discount on the new price. $449 OFF14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,049.99 $600 OFF14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/2TB) for $2,399.00 $799 OFF14-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/2TB) for $3,299.99 You can get up to $750 off the 16-inch MacBook Pro right now on Amazon, with the 24GB RAM/1TB M5 Pro model hitting $2,549.99, a $449 discount on the new price. $449 OFF16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $2,549.99 $750 OFF16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/2TB) for $3,649.00MacBook Air MacBook Air stock is quickly dwindling on Amazon, but there are still a few models seeing discounts of up to $349 off new prices this week. $349 OFF13-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) for $949.99 $349 OFF15-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) for $1,149.99 iPad Air Amazon has up to $350 off the M4 iPad Air, although stock is quickly dwindling due to Apple's price hikes. $229 OFF11-inch M4 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) for $519.99 $210 OFF11-inch M4 iPad Air (512GB Wi-Fi) for $839.00 $230 OFF13-inch M4 iPad Air (512GB Wi-Fi) for $1,019.00 $350 OFF13-inch M4 iPad Air (1TB Wi-Fi) for $1,199.00iPad Pro Amazon has $299 off a select handful of iPad Pro models, starting at $899.99 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro. $299 OFF11-inch iPad Pro (256GB Wi-Fi) for $899.99 $299 OFF13-inch iPad Pro (256GB Wi-Fi) for $1,199.99 iPad Amazon is taking $150 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad for Prime Day. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from the new price of $449.00. $150 OFF128GB Wi-Fi iPad for $299.00 $150 OFF512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00 If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple Deals This article, "Amazon and Best Buy Still Offering Pre-Hike Prices on iPads and Macs" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro lineup and its first foldable iPhone will launch at higher prices than originally predicted this September, according to several known Chinese leakers. The leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said on Weibo that while Apple's current iPhone models haven't seen a price increase, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models launching this fall "will definitely see a price hike," adding that the foldable iPhone in particular could be priced 10% to 20% higher than previously expected. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that the foldable iPhone is expected to "cross the $2,000 threshold" in the U.S., which would make it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold, surpassing even the $1,999 iPhone 17 Pro Max in its 2TB configuration. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes pricing will not be below $2,000, and could even exceed $2,500. Other projections have also fallen within that range. Given that spread of existing estimates, the new Weibo claims about a further 10% to 20% price increase would push even the lowest of those projections well past the $2,099 mark, and could put a higher storage configuration of the device beyond $3,000. "Digital Chat Station" said it is "highly unlikely" that the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ series avoids a price increase altogether. The leaker pointed to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s 8,999 yuan starting price in China and suggested Apple could push the 18 Pro to a 9,999 yuan starting price to protect its margins, which would put the entire September lineup, including the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and the foldable iPhone, at 10,000 yuan or more. That would amount to an increase of roughly 11% over the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s Chinese price. Apple has historically kept its Chinese and U.S. starting prices roughly proportional across recent iPhone generations, so an 11% increase applied to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s $1,099 U.S. starting price would put the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ at around $1,220. The leaker known as "Instant Digital" floated an even steeper number, suggesting the 256GB ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max could start at 10,999 or even 11,499 yuan, calling that an expensive price point for what is a non-foldable phone. At that level, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max would be priced roughly 15% to 20% above the current ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max's 9,999 yuan starting price in China, a jump that, if mirrored in the U.S., could put the 256GB model's starting price somewhere in the $1,300 to $1,400 range, up from $1,199 today. These leaker estimates echo a wave of recent reporting on the rising cost of building the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. Research firm TechInsights estimates that Apple paid around $39 for the 12GB of DRAM in the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, a figure that could climb to $145 in the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, pushing the device's total bill of materials up by roughly 25%. Based on similar cost projections, Apple would need to charge around $1,369 for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ to preserve its current profit margin on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. Once a pricier new camera system is factored in, The Wall Street Journal estimates a starting price of $1,399 or higher. The latest rumors follow Apple's decision to raise prices on most of its devices this week, with the exception of the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch. Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed last week that the increases were unavoidable, citing the soaring cost of memory and storage chips as a "hundred year flood." Apple has historically absorbed component cost swings rather than passing them on to customers, making this round of increases a notable shift in approach. Related Roundup: iPhone 18 ProTags: Digital Chat Station, Fixed Focus Digital, Foldable iPhone, Instant Digital This article, "iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Tipped to Get Price Hikes Too" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article