General

Anime streaming service Crunchyroll is now available as an Apple TV app channel, making it easier for prospective customers to subscribe without having to open up another app. ‌Apple TV‌ users in the U.S., Canada, UK, and Australia are now able to subscribe to Crunchyroll through the ‌Apple TV‌. There's a 7-day free trial available, after which the service is priced at $9.99 per month. The Crunchyroll ‌Apple TV‌ Channel is separate from existing Crunchyroll subscriptions, and an existing

Apple has hired former Google VP Lilian Rincon as its vice president of product marketing for artificial intelligence, reports Axios. Before joining Apple, Rincon was vice president of product for Google Shopping. At Apple, Rincon will be in charge of product marketing and product management for all of Apple's AI platforms, reporting to Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak. Rincon led the global product organization that handled Google's consumer-facing shopping experiences, and befor

It's been a little over two weeks since the MacBook Neo launched on March 11, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using it daily to do a more thorough review. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. At $599 (or $499 for students), the ‌MacBook Neo‌ is the cheapest laptop that Apple has come out with, and given the quality of the product, it's an impressive price. The A18 Pro chip isn't underpowered for a notebook machine, and the Neo is going to handle ever

Apple is into its final days of hosting 50th-anniversary celebrations around the world, making stops in Washington D.C., Mexico City, Shanghai, Tokyo, and beyond. On Tuesday, March 24, actor Troy Kotsur and Gallaudet University president Roberta Cordano sat down for a discussion with Apple's accessibility chief Sarah Herrlinger about how accessible technology helps to foster creativity. In 2022, Kotsur became the first deaf male actor to win an Academy Award for his performance in t

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's announcement of its 37th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where the company is expected to unveil a major Siri overhaul alongside iOS 27, macOS 27, and other next-generation operating systems. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Like last year, WWDC 2026 will be a primarily online event open to all developers at no cost, with an in-person component at Apple Park in Cupertino reser

Apple says it has no record of a successful spyware attack against any device running Lockdown Mode, the opt-in security feature it introduced in 2022. "We are not aware of any successful mercenary spyware attacks against a Lockdown Mode-enabled Apple device," an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch. Lockdown Mode is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and dramatically restricts certain system features that are commonly exploited by mercenary spyware. When enabled, it blocks most

Apple has begun pushing Lock Screen notifications to iPhones and iPads running older versions of iOS and iPadOS, warning users of active web-based attacks. The alerts, which appear as a "Critical Software" notification from the Settings app, warn that Apple "is aware of attacks targeting out-of-date iOS software, including the version on your iPhone," and urge users to install a critical update to protect their device. The notifications are being seen on devices running a range of older

Amazon kicked off the Big Spring Sale this week, and with it has come big discounts across a number of Apple products. This includes all-time low prices on AirPods Pro 3, AirTag, M4 iPad Air, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. AirPods Pro 3 What's the deal? Take $49 off AirPods Pro 3 Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I

Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $104.99 during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, down from $149.99, with no need for a coupon. This accessory just launched last month, and Amazon's sale today represents a new all-time low price. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station fe

Apple this week announced that it has discontinued the Mac Pro, with new configurations no longer available and no further models planned. Below, we reflect on nearly two decades of the Mac Pro. 2006 to 2013 In August 2006, Apple introduced the original Mac Pro, which was an Intel-based follow-up to the PowerPC-based Power Mac G5 that debuted a few years earlier. Mac Pro was the final Mac model to transition from PowerPC to Intel processors. "Apple has successfully comp

Apple Vision Pro owners have a new Apple Immersive video available to watch from today. "Debut at the BBC Proms" is a full classical music concert filmed at the Royal Albert Hall during the 2025 Proms season, courtesy of BBC Arts. Filmed by Livewire Pictures using Blackmagic's URSA Cine Immersive cameras, the experience follows Austrian piano sensation Lukas Sternath as he takes to the stage in his BBC Proms debut, performing Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor with the BBC Symphony

Next year's regular iPhone 18 will feature the smaller Dynamic Island rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro models this September, according to Chinese leaker Ice Universe, who has a decent track record for leaks. iPhone 18 Pro with a smaller Dynamic Island (mockup via Ice Universe) In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said the smaller Dynamic Island will be adopted across the full iPhone 18 series, while the bezels on the next-generation devices will remain identical to those on the iP

Google is improving its translation features with Gemini integration, adding AI in search and the Google Translate app. Users can expect smarter and more natural text translations, with improvements to phrases with nuanced meanings. Idioms, local expressions, and slang will be translated with Gemini for improved accuracy, and Gemini will parse context instead of giving a literal word-for-word translation. The changes are rolling out on March 26 in the Translate app for iOS and on the web

Apple gave its iPhone Product Design team bonuses worth "several hundred thousand dollars" in an effort to keep them from being poached by other companies, reports Bloomberg. The bonuses were provided as restricted stock units (RSUs) that will vest over a four-year period. Hardware designers given bonuses will need to stay with Apple to get the full value of the stock award, which can range from $200,000 to $400,000 or even more depending on how Apple stock does over the next several yea

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 240 includes fixes and updates for CSS, Editing, Forms, HTML, Media, PDF, Rendering, SVG, Scrolling, Web API, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, and WebAssembly. The current ‌Safari Technol

Google is adding a new memory import feature to Gemini, making it easier for customers to switch to Gemini AI from another AI service. Users can import memories, context, and chat history from other AI apps. Importing memory will provide Gemini with an understanding of a user's preferences, relationships, and personal context. Google says that Gemini will understand the same key facts that have been shared with other apps, so there is no need to start over from scratch when moving to Gem

App Store product pages will now display whether an app is a regulated medical device, Apple said today. The designation will be shown in the ‌App Store‌ in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, and United States. According to Apple, regulated medical device apps may function on their own or as part of a system for medical purposes like diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, and treatment of diseases and physiological conditions. The apps may require registration or authoriz

In addition to discontinuing the Mac Pro, Apple today discontinued the $700 wheel add-on kit that it sold for the Mac Pro. The ‌Mac Pro‌ Wheels kit was introduced in 2020, and allowed ‌Mac Pro‌ owners to add wheels to their machine after purchase. The ‌Mac Pro‌ could be bought with a wheel option for an additional $400, but the lower price was because opting for wheels removed the $300 feet. Apple's kit included a 1/4-inch to 4mm hex bit for installing the wheels, and an installatio

Apple has discontinued the Mac Pro and will soon be removing the machine from its website, reports 9to5Mac. Apple does not plan to design a new version of the ‌Mac Pro‌, and no new model will be coming in the future. The ‌Mac Pro‌ was last updated in 2023, which was when Apple added an M2 Ultra Apple silicon chip, but the chassis has not been refreshed since 2019. Apple redesigned the ‌Mac Pro‌ to be more modular in 2019 after failing with its "innovative" trash can Mac Pro, but the m

Netflix is increasing its prices, with all plans set to get $1 to $2 more expensive. The ad-supported plan is now $8.99 per month, up from $7.99/month, while the Standard plan is $19.99 per month, up from $17.99 per month. Netflix's most expensive Premium plan is $26.99 per month, up from $24.99 per month. Extra member add-on pricing is also increasing by $1. Prices are increasing for both new and existing Netflix subscribers as of March 26. New members will see the higher prices today,

Social network X is now limiting X Pro access to customers who subscribe to the X Premium+ plan, which is priced at $40 per month (or $33/month when paid annually). X Pro is a multi-column web interface for managing multiple feeds and lists. X Pro was known as TweetDeck before Elon Musk bought Twitter, and it was free to use. Before March 26, X subscribers with the standard $8/month Premium plan were able to use X Pro, and now X is requiring a plan that's 5x more expensive. No notic

Apple today began notifying students who won the WWDC 2026 Swift Student Challenge, held from February 6 to February 28. Students who entered the challenge can sign into the website to see their status. Apple did not say how many winners it chose this year, but in prior years, the company selected a total of 350 winners. Those who win the Swift Student Challenge are eligible to enter Apple's lottery for the ‌WWDC 2026‌ special event that will take place at Apple Park on Monday, June 8. A

Apple plans to allow third-party AI chatbots to integrate with Siri in iOS 27, reports Bloomberg. Apple already has a partnership with OpenAI that lets ‌Siri‌ hand questions off to ChatGPT, but Apple will expand that integration to other companies like Google and Anthropic. An iPhone user with the Claude or Gemini app installed will be able to send questions to those chatbots, like how the current ChatGPT feature works. Right now, if a user has a question that ‌Siri‌ cannot handle, ‌Siri

In addition to indicating that a new full-sized HomePod is in the works, and that the foldable iPhone will likely ship later than the iPhone 18 Pro models this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said he does not expect any major design changes for the next-generation Apple Watch models coming later this year. Gurman revealed all of this information in a live Q&A call today on the Bloomberg website, where listeners were invited to ask him anything about Apple. Over the years, t

The new foldable iPhone won't ship to customers in the same September timeframe as the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said today in a Q&A session. Apple will likely ship the iPhone Fold to customers after the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max come out in September, but Gurman did not provide a specific availability timeline. Earlier this month, Barclays analyst Tim Long suggested that the foldable iPhone won't ship until December, suggesting a roughly t

On a live Q&A call today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is planning to release a new full-sized HomePod alongside new HomePod mini and Apple TV models. Gurman reiterated that updates to all three products are on hold until Apple releases its more personalized version of Siri later this year. The revamped assistant is expected to debut in iOS 27, which will be available in beta starting in June and should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September. Accord

Apple has shared a mysterious teaser for Widow's Bay, a new horror-comedy series set to premiere on the Apple TV streaming service on Wednesday, April 29. Widow's Bay is described as a "quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England," but apparently "something lurks beneath the surface." The series stars Matthew Rhys as a mayor who is desperate to revive the struggling community. "There's no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception and he must contend with superstitious lo

We're in the middle of Amazon's "Big Spring Sale," which includes deals and offers on everything from Apple devices to clothes, kitchen electronics, furniture, and much more. The new event is set to run through March 31, so you'll have a few days of discounts to shop, with new markdowns appearing every day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Vivaldi has released version 7.9 of its iOS browser, introducing two-level tab stacks, Safari import tools, and a new Daily Image feature. Two-level tab stacks is said to be the browser's most-requested iOS feature, having been available on Android since 2021. Tabs are now grouped into stacks displayed in the top row of the Tab Bar, with the tabs inside each stack appearing in a second row below, but only when that stack is active, in order to keep the interface clean. There are two

Apple continues to test under-screen camera technology as it works toward a 20th-anniversary iPhone with an uninterrupted display, according to Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station. Apple has long been rumored to be planning a major redesign for 2027. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported last May that the company is aiming for an all-glass device "without any cutouts in the display." More recently, however, there have been signs that Apple's under-display ambitions could take longer to m

Apple is selling the iPhone Air with up to a 30% discount on its official Amazon storefront in the United Kingdom, marking a steep and highly unusual direct price reduction. The sale price brings the 256GB ‌iPhone Air‌ down to as low as £699 across two colorways (Sky Blue and Space Black), both reduced from their original £999 price. The Light Gold 256GB model is currently listed at £749, while the White 256GB configuration sits at £799. All four colors are available with free next-day d

Apple today announced four new members of its American Manufacturing Program: TDK, Bosch, Cirrus Logic, and Qnity Electronics. Apple said TDK will manufacture tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors in the U.S. for the first time ever, for use in iPhones shipped around the world. Apple says these sensors help to support iPhone features such as camera stabilization. Apple, Bosch, and TSMC will work together to produce integrated circuits (ICs) for Bosch's new sensing hardware at a TSM

Apple just announced the AirPods Max 2 earlier this month, and today Amazon introduced the first cash discount on the headphones. You can get the Midnight and Starlight color options for $529.99 on Amazon, down from $549.00. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Shoppers should remember that this is a pre-order discount on the AirPods Max 2, whi

Apple is evaluating a 200-megapixel telephoto camera sensor that could potentially ship in an iPhone as soon as next year, according to Digital Chat Station, a leaker on Chinese social media platform Weibo with a decent track record. In a post shared today, the leaker said Apple is actively testing a 200-megapixel 1/1.2" sensor similar to the one rumored for Oppo's upcoming Find X9 Ultra. On the already-released Find X9 Pro, Oppo debuted a 200-megapixel periscopic telephoto lens wit

Apple is working on an AI wearable device that's been described as a pin or a pendant. Apple is experimenting with the device right now, but if development moves forward, it could launch as soon as 2027. We've rounded up everything we know about the AI pin so far. Design The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape. It features an aluminum and glass shell, and there's a physical control button on one edge. Apple apparently wants the f

Apple continues to celebrate its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting events around the world, with the latest two held in the UK and Australia today. Mumford & Sons at Apple Battersea Outside of its UK headquarters at the former Battersea Power Station in London, Apple hosted British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons for an under-the-radar performance that was open to the public. Apple invited MacRumors reporter Hartley Charlton to the event, which included a private reception for me

macOS Tahoe 26.4 introduces a new security feature that warns Mac users if they paste certain commands in the Terminal app that may be harmful. For those unaware, the Terminal app allows you to enter text commands to perform tasks on your Mac. Terminal is primarily intended for advanced users and developers, but unfortunately casual users can be tricked into entering harmful commands that can permanently delete files, change user permissions, and cause other problems. Here is what t

Google today said that Android has set a new record for mobile web performance, making it the fastest mobile platform for web browsing. The newest Android devices have set new records on web performance benchmarks like Speedometer and LoadLine, which Google attributes to "deep vertical integration across hardware, the Android OS, and the Chrome engine." Speedometer simulates real-world user actions to measure interaction latency when using a web browser, and it's a metric that major

Apple has full access to Gemini to customize the model for Siri and other AI features, reports The Information. Google gave Apple "complete access" to the Gemini model in its own data centers, and Apple can use the access for distillation, or creating smaller models for specific tasks. Apple is able to design models that are built to run on Apple devices without the need to connect to the internet. The Information explains that Apple can ask the main Gemini model to perform a series of t

Poland's government has announced plans to begin drafting legislation to impose a tax of up to 3% on revenues from certain digital services, a move that could affect Apple and other major U.S. tech companies operating in the country. Reuters reports that Deputy Prime Minister and Digitalization Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski announced the decision on Tuesday, describing it as an effort to ensure fair competition between domestic businesses and large foreign digital platforms. T

Apple this week released tvOS 26.4, and the software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the Apple TV. tvOS 26.4 is compatible with all Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models released since 2015. To update your Apple TV, open the Settings app on the device, navigate to System → Software Updates, and select Update Software. Below, we have recapped what is new in tvOS 26.4. tvOS 26.4: New Features Genius Browse Apple added a new "Genius Browse" section

Amazon today has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $199.00 during its Big Spring Sale, down from $249.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 3, and one of the best all-around deals you can get during the Amazon's springtime Prime Day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. This model of the AirPods Pro launched in Septembe

App Store Connect is a tool that allows app developers to view App Store metrics such as total downloads, and today it is receiving a major update. "Analytics in App Store Connect receives its biggest update since its launch," said Apple, in a post on its developer news portal. Apple says App Store Connect has a refreshed user experience that makes it easier to measure the performance of apps and games. There are more than 100 new metrics available, including new in-app purchase and

Apple is accepting pre-orders for the AirPods Max 2 headphones that were introduced on March 16, with a purchase option now available on the Apple.com website. In the U.S., Apple's online store lists a delivery timeframe of April 1 to April 3. Priced at $549, the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ feature the same design as the original AirPods Max, but Apple updated the over-ear headphones with an H2 chip that adds new capabilities already offered by other AirPods models. The H2 chip delivers up

Amazon this week is hosting a "Big Spring Sale," which includes deals and offers on everything from Apple devices to clothes, kitchen electronics, furniture, and much more. The new event is set to run through March 31, so you'll have a few days of discounts to shop, with new markdowns appearing every day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Th

OpenAI is overhauling the shopping experience in its ChatGPT app by shifting the focus from in-app purchases to product discovery, after the company's Instant Checkout feature apparently failed to gain traction. Launched in September, Instant Checkout let users buy items from retailers like Etsy, Walmart, and Shopify directly within ChatGPT. In a new product post, OpenAI now says it is deprioritizing the feature as a standalone offering, because it "did not offer the level of flexibility

macOS Tahoe 26.4 includes a new slow charger indicator that tells MacBook users when their charging setup isn't delivering full power. As described in an updated Apple support document, a "Slow Charger" label now appears in orange text in the battery status menu and above the Battery Level graph in Battery settings. The indicator is accompanied by an info button for more details. Apple says that to charge more quickly, users should use a power adapter and cable that deliver at least

Apple today released watchOS 5.3.10 and watchOS 8.8.2 for older Apple Watch models that are not able to run the current watchOS 26 update. watchOS 5.3.10 is available for the Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, and Series 4, while watchOS 8.8.2 is available for the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, and original Apple Watch SE. According to Apple's release notes, the updates extend the certificate that features like device activation, iMessage, and FaceTi

The latest version of iOS 26, iOS 26.4, is now available for download. The update doesn't have the Siri feature set we were hoping for, but there are quite a few new additions like new emoji and an AI music feature. Playlist Playground Apple Music has a new Playlist Playground feature that lets users create a playlist with a text-based prompt. In the ‌Apple Music‌ app, there's an option to type in an idea and get automatic song suggestions for a playlist. Apple has some pre-se

OpenAI today said that it is ending support for its Sora AI video app just six months after it initially launched. OpenAI did not provide more detail into why Sora is being discontinued, but the company said that it plans to share more soon, including specific information on when the app and API will be shut down. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees that ending Sora will free up resources for OpenAI's next-generation AI models, according to The Information. Sora generates AI vi

iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later. Below, we have outlined the two new CarPlay features. Ambient Music Widget CarPlay gained suppo

Smart lock company Nuki today launched the Keypad 2 NFC, which is the first keypad that includes support for Aliro. Aliro is a smart lock standard that supports interoperability between mobile devices and platforms, allowing smart locks to work with any smartphone or wearable device without the need for a dedicated app. Aliro was designed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, which includes Apple, and the Aliro 1.0 specification was released at the end of February. Nuki has one of the

Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the ‌AirPods 4‌. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance improvements. To get the new firmware, make sure your AirPods are in range of your iPhone, iPad

Apple is testing a standalone Siri chatbot app for iOS 27, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple plans to debut a chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ that will compete with Claude and ChatGPT, and the new ‌Siri‌ could be accessible through a dedicated app. Gurman previously said that Apple was not going to develop a standalone ‌Siri‌ app, but it appears plans have changed. It was not clear how the rumored chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ was going to work without an app, because people often have multip

Apple today released a new firmware update for the Studio Display and ‌Studio Display‌ XDR, its two new monitors that came out earlier in March. The ‌Studio Display‌ Firmware 26.4 update is only for the new ‌Studio Display‌ options, and it is not available on the older model. ‌Studio Display‌ firmware can be updated by connecting the display to a Mac and going to System Settings > Software Update. Apple did not provide release notes for the firmware update. Related Roundup

Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.4, the fourth major update to the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ operating system. ‌macOS Tahoe‌ comes six weeks after Apple released ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3. Mac users can download the new software by opening up the System Settings app and navigating to the Software Update section. ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4 returns the compact tab bar option to Safari for those who prefer the slimmed down look, along with a new Charge Limit feature for the Mac so you can set a maximum charge

Apple today released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems. The new software comes six weeks after Apple released iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iOS 26.4 adds a new Apple Music feature called Playlist Playground, which uses AI to generate playlists for you based on text-based prompts. You can ask for moo

Apple today released watchOS 26.4, the fourth major update to the watchOS 26 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 26.4 comes a month and a half after Apple released watchOS 26.3. watchOS 26.4 can be downloaded for free on an iPhone running iOS 26.4 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update, or initiating an update in the Settings app on the watch. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and i

Apple today released tvOS 26.4, the fourth update to the tvOS operating system that came out last fall. tvOS 26.4 is available for the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD, and it comes over a month after Apple released tvOS 26.3. tvOS 26.4 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 26.4 automaticall

Apple today released visionOS 26.4, the fourth update to the visionOS 26 operating system that launched in September. visionOS 26.4 comes 1.5 months after Apple released visionOS 26.3. ‌visionOS 26‌.4 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option. To install an update, the Vision Pro headset needs to be removed, and there is a software progress bar available on the exterior EyeSight d

Alongside iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and macOS Tahoe 26.4, Apple has released new HomePod 26.4 software for the ‌HomePod‌ and the HomePod mini. The update comes a little over a month after Apple released ‌HomePod‌ Software 26.3. According to Apple's release notes, ‌HomePod‌ Software 26.4 includes performance and stability improvements. ‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ software is installed automatically on the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌ unless the feature is disabled‌‌‌‌, but the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ can

Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting special events around the world, making stops in the United States, China, South Korea, and Thailand so far. Over the coming days, the celebrations will continue in the UK, France, Canada, Mexico, India, Japan, and Australia, while China will get an encore performance. MacRumors has been invited to attend one of Apple's 50th-anniversary celebrations in London this week, but we are keeping specific details under wraps in

Your iPhone's Lock Screen has built-in media playback controls that appear whenever music, a podcast, or other audio is playing. What you might not realize is that those controls can also include a volume slider that lets you adjust the volume without you having to unlock your iPhone or fumble for the physical buttons. Originally, Apple included a volume slider in the Lock Screen media player by default, but it quietly removed the function in iOS 16. It eventually returned as an option i

As expected, Apple has officially announced that ads are coming to the Apple Maps app on the iPhone and iPad in the U.S. and Canada starting "this summer." Apple says businesses in the U.S. and Canada only will be able to place ads in search results and at the top of a new "Suggested Places" section in the app. "Ads on Maps will appear when users search in Maps, and can appear at the top of a user's search results based on relevance, as well as at the top of a new Suggested Places e

Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single interface to manage devices, employees, communications, and customer engagement across Apple's eco

Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $119.99 today on Amazon, down from $149.99, with no need for a coupon. This accessory just launched last month, and Amazon's price is within $4 of the all-time low we tracked a few weeks back. 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. This deal, and many of the others we've collected below,

Apple's progress toward under-display Face ID and a fully uninterrupted iPhone display is encountering ongoing challenges, with a new report indicating that the company is likely to focus on incremental reductions to the Dynamic Island rather than major front-facing design changes in the near term. A new post from Weibo user "Fixed Focus Digital" suggests that Apple's development of under-display technologies is not advancing as smoothly as previously anticipated, casting doubt on exp

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Apple launching Mac OS X, the operating system that serves as the foundation of modern-day macOS. Apple released a public beta of Mac OS X in September 2000, and the operating system officially launched on March 24, 2001. "Mac OS X is the future of the Mac, and we hope it will delight our customers with its unrivaled power and ease of use," said Steve Jobs, in 2001. "The Public Beta has generated incredible feedback and support from Mac users and

A coalition of Europe's biggest broadcasters is pushing the EU to bring smart TV platforms like Apple TV and virtual assistants like Siri under the bloc's toughest tech regulation, reports Reuters. The Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT), whose members include Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount+, and Sky, sent a letter on Monday to EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera arguing that smart TV operating systems from Google, Amazon, Apple, and Samsung sh

Apple is moving more decisively to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturers ahead of the launch of a wave of new products with OLED panels, DigiTimes reports. Apple has apparently accelerated efforts to diversify its OLED sourcing away from Chinese suppliers such as BOE, which have historically played an important role in the company's display supply chain. The impact on BOE has already been substantial. DigiTimes says the company's dedicated Apple OLED production line in Mianyang, S

Anthropic are out with yet another update to Claude AI: the company's Claude Code and Cowork tools can now remotely control your Mac on your behalf. When Claude lacks a direct connector for a given app like Slack or Google Calendar, it falls back to controlling the computer like a human, using the screen to navigate. From the Claude blog: The capability pairs with Dispatch (released last week) which lets you assign Claude tasks from your iPhone and return to finished work on

Lock maker Kwikset today added CarPlay integration to the Kwikset app, which means iPhone owners can lock or unlock Kwikset smart locks directly from the car's dashboard. The feature works with Kwikset locks that are controlled with the Kwikset app, and it allows locks to be accessed without the need to open the app on an iPhone. When arriving home or leaving, vehicle owners can use ‌CarPlay‌ to unlock or lock their home's doors. When an iPhone is connected to ‌CarPlay‌, the Kwiks

Apple is planning to include ads in Apple Maps search results as soon as this summer, reports Bloomberg. Apple is aiming to earn more money from its services division, and it could announce plans for Maps ads as early as this month. Ads in ‌Apple Maps‌ will be similar to ads in Google Maps. Retailers and brands will be able to bid for ads associated with search categories. Starbucks, for example, might display an ad when someone searches for coffee. Restaurants will be able to bid for se

Apple plans to open a store at the Mítikah shopping mall in the south of Mexico City, according to a since-deleted page on real estate company Allux's website. Apple Vía Santa Fe in Mexico City The page listed Apple as a future tenant in the mall, which is set to expand into an adjacent area previously occupied by the older Centro Coyoacán shopping mall. It is unclear when Apple's store would open, and the plans could change. It is unclear why the page was deleted, but Apple has a cu

Govee today introduced its newest lighting product, Matter-enabled string lights with chromatic bulbs that have multiple LEDs inside. The Govee Chromatic String Lights feature large, pill-shaped bulbs that can display multiple colors at once, creating unique lighting effects. Priced starting at $170, the Chromatic String Lights come in a 32.8-foot strand with 10 bulbs or a 65.6-foot strand with 20 bulbs. I was able to test out the lights ahead of launch, and I haven't seen string lights

As part of its WWDC 2026 announcement, Apple said that it plans to announce this year's Swift Student Challenge Winners on Thursday, March 26. Apple's Swift Student Challenge tasks students with creating an original coding project using Swift Playgrounds or Xcode. This year's event began on February 6, and Apple accepted submissions through Saturday, February 28 before judging began. Apple plans to choose winners based on submissions that demonstrate "excellence in innovation, creat

WWDC 2026 is set to begin on Monday, June 8, and the event will highlight Apple's "AI advancements." Apple included the tidbit in its WWDC 2026 announcement. Since iOS 18, we've been waiting for Apple to introduce a more intelligent version of Siri, and that might finally happen with iOS 27. We are expecting the Apple Intelligence version of ‌Siri‌ that includes personal context with support for new, deeper search capabilities, onscreen awareness so ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about what

Apple today said that its 37th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to begin on Monday, June 8 and end on Friday, June 12. Like WWDC 2025, WWDC 2026 will be a primarily online event open to all developers, with no associated cost. WWDC always begins with a keynote that happens on the first day of the event, and this year's keynote will take place on June 8 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27. Apple d

In his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman opined that most of Apple's product announcements this month "were as incremental as ever." For example, he said the latest AirPods Max being named "AirPods Max 2" is a "massive stretch" given the headphones received the H2 chip and little else. AirPods Max 2 did gain many new features overall, including increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, Conversation A

Here's an interesting tidbit from Mark Gurman's profile of John Ternus for Bloomberg: Apple is apparently working on a smart home sensor. The article said Ternus is leading development of a trio of new home products, including a tabletop robot with a swiveling screen, a smart home hub with Apple Intelligence and facial recognition, and "a small sensor for managing home security." The sensor has an internal codename of J450, according to Gurman. In his previous reporting, he has refe

While it certainly has its critics, the iPhone Air appears to have validated Apple's decision to retire the iPhone Plus, if new results from an independent analysis are anything to go by. Crowdsourced Speedtest data published by Ookla suggests the iPhone Air captured 6.8 percent of iPhone 17 generation samples in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2025, up from the 2.9 percent share the iPhone 16 Plus managed in the same launch window a year earlier. However, the gains seem to h

Apple's free Sports app received another update today with three improvements: probable starting pitchers for MLB games, car numbers in NASCAR leaderboards, and the ability to turn off sports betting odds directly within the app. These enhancements were added in version 3.9 of the app, available now in the App Store. Turning off betting odds previously required using the Settings app. Launched in 2024, the Apple Sports app is available on the iPhone in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and

Apple's first-generation AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $59.99 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. Free shipping options have a delivery estimate around March 28, while Prime members should be able to get it delivered a few days sooner. 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. Overall, this is a new all-time low price on the AirTag 4-pack.

A newly surfaced internal 1999 Apple campus video of Steve Jobs provides a rare, unfiltered look at the company's post-turnaround strategy. The video is a recording of a July 27, 1999 employee gathering at Apple's Cupertino campus, uploaded by former Apple software engineer Akira Nonaka, who worked at Apple from 1991 to 2000. The 15-minute talk appears to have been recorded informally, likely by an employee present at the event, and has apparently not previously been shared online.

Apple is working on "the biggest set of iPhone revamps in the product's history," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, he is referring to the long-rumored foldable iPhone, as well as an ambitious 20th-anniversary iPhone with a truly "edge-to-edge" design. In an in-depth profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely considered to be the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook steps down, Gurman said

Apple considered launching a HomePod with a camera and additional sensors years before the upcoming "HomePad" device, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In a detailed profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, Gurman revealed that Apple considered adding a camera and a more advanced array of sensors to the original ‌HomePod‌, which was announced in 2017. Ternus apparently believed that the additional capabilities would push up development costs and decided to cancel the fea

Apple last week hiked the prices of external hard drives sold through its online store and retail locations, as noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple updated the pricing on several external drive offerings recently, and the increases are steep. For example, a SanDisk 4TB solid-state external drive that previously sold for around $500 now costs $1,200, while a 1TB model has jumped from $120 to $360. The price hikes are sai

Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will use a dual-layer ultra-thin glass structure to reduce display crease visibility, a new supply chain rumor suggests. According to Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple's first book-style foldable will feature two layers of ultra-thin glass (UTG) or ultra-thin flexible glass (UFG), with the display sandwiched between them, isolating it from direct contact with the hinge. The arrangement is designed to spread mechanical stress across multiple l

AirDrop support is coming to Samsung's Quick Share feature on Galaxy S26 devices this week, allowing owners to directly share files and media with iPhones and Macs. In a Sunday newsroom announcement, Samsung said the rollout is starting today in Korea, with devices in the U.S. to follow later this week. The feature will expand to more regions and on more Galaxy devices at a later date, including Canada, Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. Owners of G

In an in-depth article for Bloomberg Businessweek today, Mark Gurman profiled Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook decides to step down. The article is very long, so we recommend reading it in full, but a few of the key takeaways are that Ternus is apparently "well-liked among Apple's leadership" and helped with "reversing a trend of declining product quality" at the company. "Since

Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting events around the world, and a grand finale will likely take place in California. In an in-depth profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the company is planning "an elaborate 50th birthday party" at its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California, and he expects Ternus to be "center stage."

Last week, tech columnist David Pogue launched a new book called "Apple: The First 50 Years." On Amazon, you can get the new book for $34.78 in hardcover, down from $50.00, the best price we've seen so far on the book. 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. The book explores the first five decades of Apple's history, including interviews with 150 key people who

Now through May 20, you can get 5% Daily Cash when you use the Apple Card via Apple Pay for purchases at Walgreens and Duane Reade, both in stores and online. 5% Daily Cash is limited to $500 in combined Walgreens and Duane Reade purchases, meaning that the maximum cash back that you can receive from this offer is $25. Ordinarily, the Apple Card offers 3% Daily Cash for Walgreens and Duane Reade purchases. Apple's credit card is available in the U.S. only.Tags: Apple Card, Wal

It has been a busy March for Apple, which has unveiled more than 10 products and accessories this month. However, aside from the all-new MacBook Neo and Studio Display XDR, the devices received faster chips or new colors and little else. The new products include an iPhone 17e, iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the all-new MacBook Neo, an updated Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, AirPods M

Apple has updated a wide range of products and accessories this month, but there is still no entry-level iPad 12 with Apple Intelligence support. Fortunately, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said an iPad with an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence is "ready to go" and "still coming this year." An earlier report from Macworld claimed that the iPad 12 will actually have an A19 chip. No other major changes have been rumored so far for the iPad 12, so we expect the device to have the sam

Apple has unveiled nine new products this month, but the wait continues for the next-generation Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini models. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said new versions of the Apple TV and HomePod mini have been "ready" since last year, but he reiterated that Apple has held off on releasing them until the more personalized version of Siri and other Apple Intelligence upgrades are released later this year. Inventory of the Apple TV, HomePod min

Apple's plans to enhance the iPhone 18 Pro's Camera app led it to consider acquiring Halide, but the talks ultimately collapsed and were followed by a fierce legal dispute between the startup's co-founders, according to The Information reports. In the summer of 2025, Apple reportedly held discussions to acquire Lux Optics, the developer behind the popular iPhone camera apps Halide, Kino, and Spectre. The company concluded that it could get a better offer from Apple in the future followin

The Apple TV is now almost two decades old amid rumors of the announcement of a new model. Today marks 19 years Apple launched the original ‌Apple TV‌. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the ‌Apple TV‌ at Macworld Expo in January 2007 alongside the original iPhone, but it didn't launch until March. The ‌‌Apple TV‌ was initially previewed as the "iTV." The device allowed users to wirelessly stream movies, TV shows, music, and photos from their Mac or PC directly to their TV. Unlike today,

Apple saw a 23% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales in China during the first nine weeks of 2026, significantly outperforming a broader market decline driven by weak demand and rising component costs, according to Counterpoint Research. China smartphone sales apparently fell by 4% year-over-year in the first nine weeks of 2026. Within this environment, Apple emerged as the fastest-growing major vendor, with iPhone sales rising 23% compared to the same period in 2025. Counterpoint att