Crime blotter: Last two defendants sentenced in counterfeiting scheme
A woman is robbed after visiting the Apple Store; a fake NFL swindler used apps and FaceTime calls, and an AirTag signal led to the rescue of 20 cats, all in this week's Apple Crime Blotter.The Memorial City Apple Store The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Windows 11 Pro with extra security tools is just $9.97
Macworld TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro is on sale for $9.97 (reg. $199), giving you a lifetime license with BitLocker, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and other Pro features for one PC. Need the extra features that come with Windows 11 Pro? A lifetime license is now just $9.97 (reg. $199), giving you access to BitLocker, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and other Pro tools without a recurring subscription. Windows 11 is also getting some welcome interface changes in 2026, including the return of a movable taskbar and a redesigned, resizable Start menu. These updates are rolling out in stages, so availability can vary, but they add to the appeal of moving to the newer OS. BitLocker provides full-disk encryption, while Hyper-V lets you run virtual machines. Windows Sandbox provides an isolated environment for testing apps, and Azure AD support adds business-focused identity and access management. You also get Snap layouts, biometric login with TPM 2.0, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and Copilot in the taskbar for tasks such as answering questions and summarizing pages. EVGA Those Pro features make this license particularly relevant for developers, IT professionals, and business users who need virtualization, encryption, or business identity tools. Get Windows 11 Pro for $9.97 (reg. $199) while the deal lasts through Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Get MacMagic for just $22.97 with this Mac utility deal
Macworld TL;DR: The MacMagic Lifetime Upgrades License is on sale for $29.99 (reg. $99.99), but code MAGIC takes $7.02 off, bringing the price to just $22.97 through September 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT. The MacMagic Lifetime Upgrades License puts a collection of useful Mac utilities in one place, and it’s on sale for just $22.97 when you use coupon code MAGIC at checkout. The lifetime upgrades license gives you a toolkit for cleaning up your Mac, managing files, and handling tasks that can otherwise require separate apps. More control over your Mac in one app The Image Converter can batch resize, rotate, and convert images across more than 100 formats, while the Recent Files, Cache & Log Cleaner helps identify and remove large caches and logs. You can also reveal hidden files in Finder, force-delete stubborn files, and batch rename files. MacMagic can also combine and compress PDFs, lock folders, browse SQLite, XML, and JSON files, and provide quick access to hidden system tools. There’s a helpful plain-text editor, QR code generator, and tools for disconnecting Wi-Fi or viewing file locations using GPS metadata. This app is a practical fit for Mac users who regularly manage lots of files or want more utilities without installing a separate app for every task. The license supports activation on up to five machines per year and is available to both new and existing users. Use code MAGIC at checkout and take $7.02 off the $29.99 sale price and get MacMagic for $22.97 until September 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT. MacMagic: Lifetime Upgrades LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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This new reveal suggests MacBook Ultra might cost more than we think
As soon as next month, Apple is expected to introduce its next MacBook Pro redesign. We’ll be seeing OLED, the first touchscreen on a Mac, a thinner chassis, Dynamic Island, and much more. This upgrade was rumored to be called MacBook Ultra, though it wasn’t necessarily clear where that’d leave the MacBook Pro brand. Now, it’s a lot more clear. more…

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iPadOS 27 still needs simpler multitasking, here’s what I’d like to see
Last year, Apple completely reinvented multitasking on the iPad, with the introduction of windowing in iPadOS 26. At first, this meant the removal of the simpler version of multitasking, Split View and Slide Over. Those features did eventually return, but at a cost – they required you to use the clunky new windowing system. I was hoping iPadOS 27 would improve this, but it didn’t. more…

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Indie App Spotlight: ‘KeyAlarm’ turns your most important calendar events into alarms
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. Calendar events can often be missed, especially since they’re usually just a notification. If you’re in do not disturb or simply aren’t looking at your phone, you might not see it. With KeyAlarm, certain key calendar events can easily be turned into alarms, allowing you to always know about what’s most important. more…

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Here’s how iPhone Ultra’s form factor could compare to other Apple products
This month, Apple will be unveiling its first foldable iPhone – rumored to be called iPhone Ultra. It’s going to feature a 5.5-inch outer display and 7.6-inch inner display. In July, Samsung introduced the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 – and it comes with those same screen sizes. Whether or not you believe Samsung only made this phone to preempt the iPhone Ultra is a different story – but one way or another, seeing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 gives us a great early idea of what iPhone Ultra will feel like in the real world. more…

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Best Labor Day deals: Save up to $500 on Macs, AirPods, Apple Studio Display
Labor Day savings across Apple's product lines are in full swing this weekend, with savings of up to $500 off current MacBook Pros and even the brand-new Mac mini.Save up to $500 on Apple products this Labor Day weekend - Image credit: Amazon, AppleSave up to $500 on Apple products for the Labor Day weekend at Amazon. Highlights include preorder discounts on the 2026 Mac mini, along with steep markdowns on Apple's latest MacBook Pros. You can also save on AirTags and even the Apple Studio Display.Save up to $500 on Apple products Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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It’s John Ternus’ turn to surprise us [Cult of Mac podcast 31]
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New Apple CEO John Ternus steps into his role just in time for the Surprise and Shine event. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Today in Apple history: iPod shows it has life after iPhone
On September 5, 2007, Apple introduced its first post-iPhone iPods: the third-gen iPod nano, the iPod Classic and the iPod touch. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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This app turns 10 photos into 50 pro headshots for just $59.99
Turns everyday photos in your library into 50 professional-looking images with Magic Studio, an easy-to-use AI headshot generator. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple @ Work: Capping bug bounty submissions is the wrong response in the AI era of security threats
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage, and protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. Apple recently confirmed it has capped the number of open vulnerability reports that researchers can submit through its portal, with a 30-day cool-down period once you hit that cap. The reason is that a surge in AI-generated bug reports is flooding the review pipeline. I understand the instinct, but I think it’s the wrong response at exactly the wrong moment. more…

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Apple Labor Day weekend deals: AirPods Pro 3, Studio Display, Mac mini, AirTag 2, chargers, more
Labor Day weekend is here with massive sale events now live at both Amazon and AirTag from $20 a pop.  Moving over to the Mac and the pre-order discounts on the new M6/M5 Pro Mac mini, we also have $150 off this 13-inch M5 MacBook Air and new Amazon all-time lows on the 2026 Apple Studio Displays. Just be sure to scope out the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro discounts as well the new Dark Cherry and Anker charging gear deals below as well.  more…

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Get ready, Apple’s iPhone event is massive this year
Macworld Apple always holds its events at 10 am PT, with iPhone launches usually taking place on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of September. This year, that means the event, dubbed Surprise and Shine, will take place on Wednesday, September 9. Additionally, Apple always introduces its new iPhones and Apple Watches at its September special event, and this year is no different. Except this year, everything is different. The iPhones are different. The CEO is different. The event may be different. Here’s what we expect from Apple’s big September show. The John Ternus show Tim Cook stepped down from his position as CEO after 15 years, though he will remain on the board of directors. He has named John Ternus, who was most recently senior vice president of hardware engineering, as his successor. That means this is the first Apple Special Event in which Ternus will be the headliner, introducing the start of the event and thanking everyone at the end. Individual products are likely to be demonstrated by other Apple executives—they always are—but this is a big opportunity to shake up the format of Apple events in general. Will we see a return to live stage events? Will the structure and format of the pre-recorded video events change at all? Or will Ternus be essentially interchangeable for Tim Cook, with nothing else about these big product reveals changing at all? Will Apple make a “Turn” pun at some point? We’ll have to wait and see. iPhone Ultra For the first time in over a decade, Apple is going to dramatically change the iPhone’s form factor. Apple is going to release a folding iPhone, which most are expecting to be called iPhone Ultra. It will fold in half like a book and be shaped sort of like a passport when closed; an unusual aspect ratio for any phone and especially an iPhone. This should be the relative size and shape of the folding iPhone Ultra.Foundry We expect two cameras (wide and ultrawide) on the back, one on the front, and the reintroduction of Touch ID in the side button for authentication. This is going to be a very premium product, with most rumors citing a starting price of $2,000 or more. Not much is known about the software experience, though. Obviously, Apple will need to change some of how iOS looks and feels, and offer impressive new software features, to justify a folding phone with displays on the outside and inside and all new aspect ratios and sizes. Check out our roundup of rumors about the iPhone Ultra for more. iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max The iPhone Ultra won’t be the only high-priced iPhone hitting the market this fall. With the standard iPhone 18 supposedly getting bumped back to a spring release, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are going to be the only other iPhones launched this fall. We expect an upgraded A20 Pro processor, a better modem (the C2 in many countries, possibly a Qualcomm modem in the U.S.), and a new Dark Cherry signature color. A dark red/cherry color should be the signature shade of the iPhone 18 Pro, along with Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver.Foundry For the most part, the iPhone 18 Pro will resemble the iPhone 17 Pro, but there should be a big upgrade to the rear camera (variable aperture, new sensor technology) and possibly a boost to 24 megapixels for the front camera. Battery capacity may go up by 6-8 percent, which could lead to longer battery life in conjunction with other improvements and optimizations. Check out our roundup of rumors about the iPhone 18 Pro for more. Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Apple always updates its Apple Watch line at the same time as the iPhone, whether it needs to or not. That means that this year, we’ll see the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Ultra 4. So far, none of the rumors suggest much of a change from the previous model. There will be a somewhat faster S12 processor, but major new health features or other changes don’t seem to be in the cards this year. Rumors say there won’t be a new SE 4 this year. Apple TV and Homepod mini Both long overdue for an update, Apple has been waiting to release a new Apple TV 4K set-top box and the HomePod mini until it figured out how to really make the new Siri work. Now, with a whole new Siri architecture coming in the OS 27 updates this fall, it’s finally ready to ship these products. Because Apple TV set-top boxes and HomePods act as a “home hub” for Apple’s smart home controls, Apple needed to make sure they’re capable of running the all-new Siri. That said, we haven’t heard of any major new software features that make use of the improved hardware coming to Apple TV or HomePod. These new products will give you the new Siri experience just as a modern Apple Watch will, but the tvOS interface and features probably won’t get a big change. It’s more like: you’ll ask Siri something, and you’ll get Siri AI answers, not the old Siri. Foundry HomePad preview The new Apple TV and HomePod mini will mark the start of a bigger, more ambitious smart home plan for Apple that all revolves around the new Siri and the expanded AI features that will be built out on top of it in the coming months and years. The main device we’re waiting for is the so-called HomePad smart hub that has long been rumored. The device is expected to have an iPad-like squarish screen that can either hang on a wall or dock to a speaker. It will reportedly run a new operating system dubbed HomeOS that is powered by Siri AI. In his August 9 Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reported that “a September preview of that product is plausible.” That could very well be Ternus’ surprise “One more Thing” to close the show. However, it is unlikely to go on sale until later in 2026 or early 2027.

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Get Microsoft Office for life for a one-time fee, just $50
Macworld TL;DR: Add Microsoft Office 2024 to your virtual machine with this lifetime license, on sale now for just $49.97 (reg. $249.99). Plenty of Mac users still need the Windows build of Microsoft Office, whether a job requires it or you just need an app like Access that never came to macOS. Renting it through a Microsoft 365 plan means a charge every month with no finish line. If you want a simpler solution, you can get Microsoft Office 2024 for only $49.97 (reg. $249.99). This version installs Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access in your Windows environment, all from one purchase tied to a single machine. Office 2024 runs as a perpetual release, so what you buy is what you get, and no random update from Microsoft is going to change that. A built-in dark mode makes long spreadsheet or writing sessions easier on the eyes, and these apps run on minimal hardware, so they work great in a virtual machine. Why pay $99.99 for Microsoft 365 when you can get lifetime access to the same apps for a one-time fee. Get a Microsoft Office 2024 Pro Plus Lifetime License for $49.97. Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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FastestVPN Pro protects 15 devices for life, now $30
Macworld TL;DR: FastestVPN Pro protects up to 15 devices with a lifetime VPN subscription, now on sale for $29.97 (MSRP $600). Most VPN subscriptions run $10 to $15 a month, and that cost never stops. FastestVPN Pro replaces the monthly drain with a single lifetime purchase, and a lifetime subscription protects up to 15 devices at once. FastestVPN Pro doesn’t limit your bandwidth or streaming options, with 900+ servers across 100+ countries. 256-bit encryption and double VPN protection keep you secure, routing traffic through two separate servers. A NAT firewall, ad blocker, anti-malware, and split tunneling are all included without add-ons. P2P-optimized servers keep download speeds high, and dedicated streaming servers give you reliable access to Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime. FastestVPN Pro runs natively on Mac, iOS, and Apple TV alongside Windows, Android, and a long list of other platforms. Your purchase also includes a free one-year Passhulk Password Manager subscription to store passwords, bank details, and credit card information in a single encrypted vault. Drop the monthly VPN bill and protect every device you own under one price. Get FastestVPN Pro on sale for $29.97 through September 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT (reg. $600). No coupon is needed. FastestVPN PRO: Lifetime Subscription (15 Devices)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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IFA 2026: The best accessories we found for your iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Macworld IFA 2026 in Berlin is Europe’s answer to CES, attracting global brands and huge crowds. Macworld walked its 27 halls to find the most interesting Apple-related products, breezily ignoring Windows PCs and Nintendo Switch accessories. More importantly, this year’s best launches offered a glimpse at where Apple accessories are heading next. Charging was the biggest theme, as was keeping power banks cool enough to keep charging at peak rates. Qi2 25W is quickly becoming the premium wireless-charging standard, while Ugreen, Anker, ESR and Adam Elements all showed active cooling systems designed to control the extra heat. Belkin and Momax also showcased semi-solid-state batteries promising slimmer power banks, improved safety and longer lifespans. Dark Cherry was another major trend, with Baseus, ESR and Momax betting on the rumored iPhone 18 Pro color becoming 2026’s must-have shade. Elsewhere, replaceable batteries, a folding OLED portable monitor and local-AI smart-home hubs showed manufacturers experimenting beyond the usual annual refresh. Mac accessories were also more ambitious, with Thunderbolt 5 docks, 6K touchscreens, high-refresh-rate multi-monitor hubs and displays with integrated docking and KVM functionality. Rather than catalog every launch, we picked the products that genuinely did something different. Here are the accessories that impressed us most. UPerfect Omega One bendable display – A Mac monitor that actually folds Simon Jary We’ve tested some of the best portable monitors for Mac but none has literally bent in half like the UPerfect Omega One. It’s the iPhone Ultra of monitors, and loks perfect for traveling MacBook users. This compact display pulls out to a flexible 16.3-inch 2K OLED touchscreen, and you can hardly spot the bend point when fully flat. It uses an advanced flexible substrate and seamless hinge design for seamless folding and optical consistency. The panel is subtly curved so that the top and bottom edges naturally lean toward the viewer. Pre-orders will ship at the end of October. Ugreen CryoPulse and new MagFlow Pro range – 25W Qi2 with liquid cooling Simon Jary Ugreen unveiled its new MagFlow lineup at IFA 2026, claiming the world’s first Qi2 25W magnetic power bank with active micro-pump liquid cooling. The new lineup tackles the heat challenge of faster wireless charging by combining active cooling with passive heat-dissipation structures in a system the company calls CryoPulse. Ugreen refreshed its MagFlow Pro family with a 3-in-1 Magnetic 25W Wireless Charging Stand (€139.99 / £119.99), pictured above, designed for desks and bedside tables and a 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic 25W Wireless Charger (€49.99 / £43.99) that measures 60 × 72 × 27mm when closed. The flagship 10K, 25W MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank ($149.99 / €119.99 / £109.99) features CryoPulse micro-pump liquid cooling, VC copper heat-spreading foil and separated charging components to reduce heat buildup, while ThermalGuard adjusts power automatically and a transparent window shows coolant circulation, claims Ugreen. A tiny pump circulates coolant to pull heat away from the cells, and you can watch it all happen through a clear Cyber Window. In Ugreen’s testing, peak temps ran up to 18°F cooler than the industry benchmark, with temperature rise cut by up to 44%. Alongside the 25W wireless charging is 45W max wired output via a built-in cable. Ugreen also showed off a pair of new travel chargers for iPhone.Simon Jary Baseus Dark Cherry Collection – Dark Cherry done comprehensively Baseus Dark Cherry is the Cosmic Orange of 2026, long rumoured to be Apple’s new look-at-me colorway for its iPhone 18 Pro series. Baseus has a whole charging and protection collection in Dark Cherry, including products such as its AH22 100W Digital Display Charger ($59), AM52 Qi2.2 Power Bank ($79), Air Ultra-Slim Power Bank ($79), and Inspire XC1 earbuds all shipping with discounts of up to $38 until the end of October. The Baseus PicoGo Pro USB-C Charger Fast Charging with Smart Display is a 3-port charger for any modern Apple device and includes a Dark Cherry 100W USB-C cable. The Baseus Picogo Air magnetic power bank is super-slim at 0.27 inches (6.9mm) thick, but you’ll be too busy marvelling at its Dark Cherry color to even notice! Anker chargers and refresh-champ hub – Smarter charging, cooling and connectivity Simon Jary The Anker Desktop USB-C Hub is really a docking station, having four USB ports (two 10Gbps USB-C and two 5Gbps USB-A), Gigabit Ethernet, SD and microSD memory card slots, and both DisplayPort and HDMI ports. It’s special because Anker claims it can run HD monitors at an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate or two 4K displays at 120Hz. The connected MacBook can receive up to 100W of power. A built-in display shows real-time port status, charging power, data transfer rate, and device temperature, and you can upload custom images for a rotating slideshow, or double-tap to start a Pomodoro timer with gentle health reminders. Anker also unveiled a pocket-sized (3.74 x 1.98 x 1.59 inches) Nano Universal Charger (4-in-1, 100W, Smart Display), pictured above, with built-in U.S. / U.K. / E.U. plugs supporting use in 200+ countries and regions. It can charge up to four devices and supply 100W for your MacBook. Simon Jary Joining the fight to keep its portable chargers as cool as possible, Anker claims that its new 25W MagGo Power Bank 2 Pro, shown above, is “the world’s fastest and coolest wireless power bank.”. We’ll test this when we have a sample in the Macworld Labs, but Anker showed us an intriguing test where it lay a slab of butter on a series of charging power banks to show just how hot they can get. A patented fan-control algorithm, dual air ducts and a three-layer graphene heat-spreading system pull heat away continuously, keeping the back of the power bank below 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) throughout charging. Anker compares this to competing magnetic power banks that typically reach 113 degrees (45 Celsius) or higher, forcing the connected phone to throttle power. Anker’s butter slab didn’t melt. Anker also showed off its new MagStand Charging Station, Laptop Charger Pro, and Nano Charging Station. Belkin UltraCharge Pro Power Banks – Next-generation semi-solid-state battery technology Simon Jary Belkin showed off its new range of semi-solid-state portable chargers. Semi-solid-state technology is the next-generation of battery tech that promises improved safety and durability, slimmer design and longer battery life. Belkin’s new UltraCharge Pro uses a BoostSolid Cell that adds a gel-like layer alongside the liquid electrolyte, enabling a slimmer, more compact design while improving reliability and performance, and increasing thermal stability. Belkin claims that the new products will last up to 3x longer than other power banks. ESR cool chargers and iPhone protection – Cooler charging and stronger protection Simon Jary ESR showcased its latest charging, protection, and productivity products at IFA 2026, including Dark Cherry versions of many of its iPhone accessories such as the super-adjustable and lightweight Cyclone 25W Magnetic Charging Pad with CryoBoost. The company claims that the integrated active cooling reduces heat generation by 6.5°C, reducing the risk of overheating that can slow down or even stop device charging. Under its “Designed for What’s Next” philosophy, ESR showed off the new Atelier Case for iPhone that is made with silicone-based vegan leather pioneered in luxury car interiors and resists stains, wear, and fading. Less visible by design are new screen protectors that ESR claims defend screens with up to 10x impact absorption, while its Armorite Pro Edition features Accessory Glass by Corning to provide up to 2x better scratch resistance compared with other screen protector glass. Mobile Pixels Prisma – Curved screen for Mac Studio or Mac mini Simon Jary Owners of the Mac Studio and Mac mini will swoon over this monitor that hosts a special adjustable stand that holds either of the two Macs—or a 15W Qi2 magnetic iPhone charger if you prefer a MacBook. It’s an ultrawide 40-inch 5K2K curved monitor with a built-in hub that not only connects with the Mac but has ports including USB-C, USB-A, and SD/MicroSD card readers. At the back there’s an enclosure for an NVMe SSD (up to 8TB). It is expected in spring 2027. Belkin’s MacBook Neo accessories Simon Jary We’re excited to test Belkin’s new range of color-matching gadgets for our best MacBook Neo accessories roundup. The fresh four-color series includes the BoostCharge Compact USB-C Wall Charger 30W that will complement the latest MacBook Neo colorways in Citrus, Blush, Indigo and Silver. Satechi, which announced its own Neo-color accessories earlier this year, was also at IFA with its range, including the Satechi USB-C Snap Hub. The new collection delivers a coordinated charging experience with charger, 2m braided charging cable, Neo power bank and magnetic wireless charger, with prices starting at $26.99 / £27.99 / €29.99 this September. Alogic shows off its Vision – Ambitious displays, docking and Thunderbolt 5 All the Aspekt monitors support Alogic’s Omni Stand that can cradle a Mac mini off your precious desk space.Simon Jary Mac monitor fans will have loved the raft of new displays shown by Alogic at IFA 2026. These included a higher-resolution Aspekt displays and a new Vision series of monitors for business. For maximum screen space and peak resolution, the Aspekt Touch 32” 6K steps up to a 6016 × 3384 resolution with its touchscreen. The smaller Aspekt Touch 27” 5K combines a 5120 × 2880 IPS touchscreen display with 600-nit brightness and wide color coverage. Both Aspekt Touch models will be available at the end of October and support DisplayPort daisy chaining, making it easier to build a multi-monitor setup without adding another dock to the desk. Stretching to a wider canvas, the Aspekt Touch 5K Ultrawide 34” (available end of November) takes the same idea into a 21:9 format with a resolution of up to 5120 x 2160, a 100Hz refresh rate and 10-point multitouch. The business workplace Vision series includes the Vision 27-inch QHD Docking Monitor that provides a 2560 × 1440 IPS display with a 100Hz refresh rate, 300-nit typical brightness and 100% sRGB coverage. The Vision 34-inch Ultrawide QHD Curved Docking Monitor is designed for larger workspaces, with a 3440 x 1440 resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio. Both include USB-C docking with up to 90W laptop charging and built-in KVM functionality, allowing users to switch between two computers while keeping the same keyboard, mouse and display setup. Alogic also showcased its new Flash Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station at the show., which is an 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 docking station with 13-in-1 ports that can support up to three external displays for the latest MacBooks. MOFT – Super-thin flexible wallet Simon Jary Origami-like folding is a MOFT super power, and it claims that its new Snap-on Phone Stand & Wallet AERA is the world’s thinnest three-card magnetic wallet stand.Weighing just 45g, it offers three viewing angles, and over 20 color choices in its Movas vegan leather. There is also a trackable FindMy version available. Local AI autonomous home hubs – Local AI for an autonomous home Ugreen Not content with leading the charging accessory market, both Ugreen and Anker announced local AI home hubs at IFA. Under its “Smarter Living Starts Here” theme, Ugreen showcased its new HomeAgent local AI-powered, voice-control and smart-recognition products that combine storage, computing, and control in one device to connect AIoT devices such as security cameras, smart speakers, and smart photo frames. The emphasis is on local (NAS-based) storage and local AI to keep your personal data private. The hub is Ugreen’s HomeAgent and ultimate MasterAgent devices that sync with home camera systems, speakers, and smart frames. Ugreen SynCare cameras can continuously capture everyday moments as they happen, which you can later discover to display through spoken keyword search. Simon Jary This will compete with Anker’s MindBase, a local AI home hub that functions as the central brain for an autonomous home, bringing together three core capabilities: whole-home connectivity, local intelligence and memory, alongside the company’s security, energy, cleaning and audio ecosystems. Anker EasyOmni Link is a software system that brings the Anker ecosystem and compatible third-party smart home devices into a central local intelligence system, supporting close to 100 Anker devices and hundreds of Matter-compatible products, working alongside Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Home Assistant. Krafted Edge – Replaceable battery, unusually thoughtful design Simon Jary This slim 20000mAh power bank looks like no other as it sits under your MacBook, and has two USB-C and two USB-A ports plus a removable 20cm colored USB-C cable that magnetically slots into the power bank. The Krafted Edge can charge a laptop at 65W, which should be enough for any MacBook unless under an extreme performance load. Also unlike most power banks, its battery is replaceable, meaning zero obsolescence. Adam Elements CQ3 25W Cooling Car Mount Charger – Actively cooled 25W car charging Adam Elements This powerful magnetic car charger with suction mount and air-vent clips supports up to 25W in-car wireless charging, backed up with advanced cooling plus quiet performance. The built-in silent cooling fan has claimed noise levels as low as 35dB, while reducing heat to 10°C in standby to maintain peak charging. Momax Dusky Cherry – Ultra-thin semi-solid-state charging Simon Jary Another Dark Cherry range comes from Momax, which showcased its Dusky Cherry color direction, as well as its super-slim semi-solid-state battery technology, under the mission to Recharge for Life. At IFA 2026, Momax showed its 1-Power S.Pass Air 5,000 mAh Magnetic Wireless Battery Pack that is only 6mm thin. Its semi-solid-state battery uses a hybrid electrolyte composition designed to reduce leakage and flammability risks while improving battery stability for everyday charging. Orbitkey tech organizers – A smarter answer to cable clutter Simon Jary There’s a lot of tech at IFA but where and how do you stop this taking over your home or office? If your tech exists in a tangle living loose in a drawer or shoebox, Australian accessory maker Orbitkey has five new handy tech organisers, from a 0.5L everyday pouch to a full cable kit, all in Black, or more fetching Terracotta and Lilac colors. The Tech Organiser Mini (0.5L) is for those who carry light: a cable, charger, earbuds, a power bank. The Tech Organiser (1.5L) opens flat for a working setup with everything immediately visible. Its Tech Organiser Plus (2.5L) is designed for bigger loads, such as multiple chargers, mouse, hard drive, longer cables, and a hub. For an organiser you can wear the Tech Sling (3L) works best for a commute or day of travel. Finally, the Cable Organiser Pouch has space for charging bricks, spare leads, adapters, and dongles. Simon Jary

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The smart home gets smarter before Apple’s big push begins
Ugreen’s HomeAgent shows how local AI could transform the smart home before Apple’s long-awaited hardware push even begins. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple code points to two unreleased game controllers
Code in an early macOS 26.7 release candidate suggests Apple has been developing two unreleased game controllers that identify as first-party… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Is Apple working on its own game controller?
Macworld According to a sharp-eyed MacRumors reader, the first macOS 26.7 release candidate included references to a pair of game controllers. The same release candidate included code numbers for a slew of other in-development Apple products. The two hardware devices are referenced as T6502 and T1057 and they include most standard game controller features: dual thumbsticks, face buttons, triggers, home and menu buttons, and different haptic features. One notable difference: the T1057 controller includes gryscope and accelerometer support (so games can tell how you tilt or move the controller) while T6502 does not. While this is an interesting find, I caution readers not to assume that Apple is working on its own game controller. There have been rumors of Apple making its own game controller for over a decade, and nothing has ever come of it. Apple has instead done a lot to provide proper support for third-party game controllers, whether that’s its own MFi program or controllers for home console systems. For years, you have been able to sync an Xbox or PlayStation controller to your Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TV. That includes the latest controllers for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. These code numbers probably reference test devices that are used in testing support for core game controller functions, or legacy references to R&D projects for Apple game controllers that may never be built. Apple famously has many products in various stages of development and only a few of them are ever released. Apple could be building its own game controller, but there would be little reason to. Find My support and automatic switching between devices would be useful, but it’s hard to argue that modern controllers are missing features that require Apple to do its own thing. It makes much more sense for Apple to support the tens of millions of Xbox and PlayStation controllers than to make its own, especially as Apple’s platforms are not very popular for the kinds of games one usually plays with controllers.

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