Metal by Tutorials [SUBSCRIBER] Build your own low-level game engine in Metal!
Metal is a unified application programming interface (API) for the graphics processing unit, or GPU. It’s unified because it applies to both 3D graphics and data-parallel computation paradigms. Metal is a low-level API because it provides programmers near-direct access to the GPU. Finally, Metal is a low-overhead API because it reduces the central processing unit (CPU) cost by multi-threading and pre-compiling of resources.
But beyond the technical definition, Metal is the most appropriate way to use the GPU’s parallel processing power to visualize data or solve numerical challenges. It’s also tailored to be used for machine learning, image/video processing or, as this book describes, graphics rendering.
This book will introduce you to low-level graphics programming in Metal — Apple’s framework for programming on the graphics processing unit (GPU). As you progress through this book, you’ll learn many of the fundamentals that go into making a game engine and gradually put together your own engine. Once your game engine is complete, you’ll be able to put together 3D scenes and program your own simple 3D games. Because you’ll have built your 3D game engine from scratch, you’ll be able to customize every aspect of what you see on your screen.
This book is for intermediate Swift developers interested in learning 3D graphics or gaining a deeper understanding of how game engines work.
Pluribus is Apple TV’s biggest drama series launch ever Apple TV today revealed that Pluribus has become its most successful new drama series debut ever, topping the viewership set by Severance season two earlier in the year. Via Deadline, Apple says Vince Gilligan’s mysterious new show has captivated audiences and set a new viewership record for biggest global drama series launch for the streamer.
Pluribus was most popular in US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Mexico, India and France. New episodes of the show are rolling out each Friday, with episode four dropping in a couple of hours.
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JavaScript fetch problem using WKWebView in SwiftUI I can't seem to fetch local files in javascript using WKWebView. All files are in the same directory in my Swift UI project and I added the folder that contains them to Copy Bundle Resources in Build Phases. I am able to import javascript modules which are also in the same directory. AI is turning […]
Apple AirPods 4 fall to record low $79.99 during Amazon's Black Friday sale Price wars continue to erupt for Black Friday Deals Week, and holiday shoppers can snag the lowest price ever on AirPods 4.AirPods 4 hit lowest price ever during Amazon's Black Friday Deals Week event - Image credit: AppleSave $50 on Apple AirPods 4 at Amazon, bringing the price down to just $79.99. This is the lowest AirPods 4 price to date on the earbuds, making it a great time to pick up a holiday gift for someone special or a treat for yourself.Buy AirPods 4 for $79.99 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
ChatGPT Group Chats Now Available Worldwide OpenAI today announced the worldwide rollout of group chats in ChatGPT, allowing multiple people to collaborate with ChatGPT in a shared conversation. OpenAI started testing group chats with a small number of people last week, but the feedback was positive so it is now expanding the feature to everyone.
With group chats, ChatGPT users can create a shared conversation space and invite friends, family, or coworkers. Group chats are separate from private conversations, and OpenAI says that the group creator's personal ChatGPT memory is never shared with anyone in the chat.
According to OpenAI, group chats can be useful for planning a weekend trip with friends, designing a backyard garden, collaborating on design ideas, finding a restaurant that suits everyone's tastes, or settling debates. Group chats can also be used for research for school or work projects, incorporating shared articles, notes, and questions.
Creating a group chat can be done by tapping on the people icon in the top right corner of any new or existing chat. People can be invited by sharing a link, and anyone with the link can invite more people, with up to 20 supported. Group chats are aggregated in a clearly-labeled section of the sidebar, separate from personal chats.
OpenAI says ChatGPT was taught new social behaviors for group chats. It follows the flow of conversation and decides when to respond and when to stay quiet based on the context of the conversation. Mentioning ChatGPT in a message will prompt it to respond, and ChatGPT can react to messages with emojis.
Group chats are available to all logged-in users on free, Go, Plus, and Pro ChatGPT plans. OpenAI says that it will continue to refine the feature as more people start using it.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
9to5Mac readers get the lowest ever prices on Narwal’s entire robot cleaner range Smart cleaning pioneer Narwal is officially launching its Black Friday discounts, and 9to5Mac readers get priority access to additional saving, allowing you to save up to 49% across the company’s entire lineup. It even extends to non-robocleaners like wet/dry vacuums.
It’s unusual for a discount to apply to every single product a company offers, from its most affordable models right the way up to its latest and most sophisticated ones – but that’s exactly what you get here.
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TidBITS Memberships Now Support PayPal Thanks to a reader request, PayPal is now available for TidBITS memberships. It’s a convenient alternative to using a credit card for renewals or new sign-ups. Stripe keeps things simpler for our administrative operations, but if you prefer PayPal, you’re welcome to use it.
Mexico SMS Carrier Maintenance – Telcel THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 24, 20:00 - 23:00 PSTNov 20, 14:00 PSTScheduled - The Telcel network in Mexico is conducting a planned maintenance from 24 November 2025 at 20:00 PST until 24 November 2025 at 23:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to and from Telcel Mexico handsets.
Programmable Voice Calls Impacted by REST API Returning 15000 Nov 20, 14:08 PSTInvestigating - Our monitoring systems have detected a potential issue with Twilio's REST API returning 15000. Our engineering team has been alerted and is actively investigating. We will update as soon as we have more information.
What’s new in macOS 26.2? Three new features coming to your Mac Apple is gearing up to release macOS Tahoe 26.2 next month, bringing three new features to the Mac. From a clever video call enhancement that lights up your face in low-light conditions, to powerful Thunderbolt 5 clustering for building AI supercomputers at home, and smarter “Urgent” alarms in Reminders that won’t let you snooze critical […]
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
watchOS 26 added a new Apple Watch trick that I’ve been loving watchOS 26 brought a variety of big and small updates to the Apple Watch, but one I’ve been increasingly loving is the new wrist flick gesture. Here’s how it works and what I’ve been using it for.
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Google Launches Nano Banana Pro AI Image Generator With Improved Text Capabilities Google today announced the launch of Nano Banana Pro, an image generation model that is a followup to the Nano Banana model that came out earlier this year. Nano Banana Pro is built on Gemini 3 Pro, Google's latest and most advanced AI model.
Google says that Nano Banana Pro is the best model for generating images with correctly rendered and legible text, from a short tagline to a long paragraph. Nano Banana Pro's text expertise allows for the creation of mockups and posters with different fonts, textures, and word style, plus it works in multiple languages.
Content is more helpful than before, with Nano Banana Pro able to create text-heavy infographics and diagrams for learning purposes. It can connect to Google Search to gather information for a graphic, and blend more elements than before. It supports uploading up to 14 images and can maintain the consistency and resemblance of up to five people.
There are image editing tools in Nano Banana Pro that can be used to select, refine, and transform parts of images with localized editing. Camera angles, focus, color, and lighting can be adjusted, and there are 2K and 4K resolution output options.
With the launch of Nano Banana Pro, Google is giving Gemini the ability to tell if an image was generated with Google AI. AI-created images feature SynthIDs and a visible watermark on images generated by free and AI Pro tier users.
Nano Banana Pro is available in the Gemini app when using the Create images feature with the Thinking model. Free users will receive limited quotas, and then will revert to the original Nano Banana model. Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers can generate more images before hitting the limit. Nano Banana Pro is also available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in AI mode in Search.
Google is making Nano Banana Pro available for companies that use Google Ads, and developers can use it through the Gemini API and Google AI Studio.Tag: GoogleThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple shows how much faster the M5 runs local LLMs compared to the M4 A new post on Apple’s Machine Learning Research blog shows how much the M5 Apple silicon improved over the M4 when it comes to running a local LLM. Here are the details.
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Color palettes for color blind Do any of you make color palettes for your app specifically for color blind people? So that people can choose a color palette in their settings? if you did, how did it go? submitted by /u/wackycats354 [link] [comments]
Apple TV announces new culinary adventure series ‘The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina’ Apple TV on Thursday announced “The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina,” a new eight-episode unscripted food series starring…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple's F1 streaming partner is excited about the future and benefits for fans The CEO of Apple's streaming partner and F1 owner Liberty Media says that Apple's partnership is already energizing fans and reshaping how the sport reaches viewers.Formula 1 on Apple TVIn a new CNBC interview, Liberty Media's CEO, Derek Chang, sat down to talk about Apple's role in the F1 broadcast ecosystem. Chang seemed excited to discuss Liberty Media's nascent partnership with Apple."We have a great relationship with Apple," Chang said enthusiastically. "As you know, they came out with "F1 The Movie" this summer, which did $650 million at the gate... I think it brought in new fans, and ... continued the energy for existing fans." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple's F1 streaming partner is excited about the future and benefits for fans The CEO of Apple's streaming partner and F1 owner Liberty Media says that Apple's partnership is already energizing fans and reshaping how the sport reaches viewers.Formula 1 on Apple TVIn a new CNBC interview, Liberty Media's CEO, Derek Chang, sat down to talk about Apple's role in the F1 broadcast ecosystem. Chang seemed excited to discuss Liberty Media's nascent partnership with Apple."We have a great relationship with Apple," Chang said enthusiastically. "As you know, they came out with "F1 The Movie" this summer, which did $650 million at the gate... I think it brought in new fans, and ... continued the energy for existing fans." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Will Apple Kill Google's Surprise Android to iPhone AirDrop Interoperability? Earlier today, Google made a surprise announcement that the Quick Share file transfer feature on Pixel 10 smartphones was able to work with AirDrop, enabling first-party file sharing between Android devices and Apple devices.
Typically, Apple and Google work together on cross-platform features, but it turns out that Apple had no involvement this time. Google created the Quick Share to AirDrop interoperability on its own, and apparently sprung it on Apple with a public announcement. From a statement Google provided to Android Authority:
We accomplished this through our own implementation. Our implementation was thoroughly vetted by our own privacy and security teams, and we also engaged a third party security firm to pentest the solution.
It's possible that Google gave Apple a heads up about its plan to devise an Android and iPhone file transfer solution, but Apple's total lack of participation in the announcement suggests that Apple wasn't interested in working with Google to develop it.
Google says that it is using its own implementation, and Apple's take on that is unclear. Apple has not historically supported third-party workarounds for interoperability between iPhone and Android devices, and it continually worked to put a stop to an iMessage for Android feature that Beeper attempted in 2023.
The Beeper situation does seem to have some parallels with Google's AirDrop move. Beeper reverse engineered Apple's iMessage protocols and encryption, using Apple's iMessage servers to allow Android users to send blue bubble messages to iPhone users. Apple was able to successfully shut down Beeper's messaging solution.
Google is a much bigger company than Beeper, and now that it has publicly announced and launched the Quick Share to AirDrop functionality, it would be harder for Apple to oppose it. Apple is also facing more intense regulatory pressure than it was even two years ago, so it might not want to kill the cross-platform file sharing feature.
File sharing was implemented with an interoperability layer between Quick Share and AirDrop that uses the Rust programming language, according to Google.
Google claims that it had a third-party pentest the security of the file sharing protocol, and that it worked to vet the solution with its own privacy and security teams. Google accompanied the announcement with a full blog post on the underlying security. Apple hasn't commented yet.
Apple and Google have previously worked together on several cross-platform features, including RCS messaging, unknown tracker identification and alerts, and SIM transfers.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Rumor Replay: Mac Pro’s future, iPhone Fold battery, and more This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: the possible end of the Mac Pro, iPhone Fold’s battery capacity, and more powerful iPhone cases. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.
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AirDrop comes to Google’s Pixel 10 family (sort of) Macworld
Back in early 2024, Google sort of merged its AirDrop-like “Nearby Share” with Samsung’s own AirDrop clone “Quick Share.” It gives Android phones the ability to directly share photos, videos, links, contacts, and other info on a direct peer-to-peer connection, just like AirDrop does. But it only works with Android phones. Until now.
Google has announced that Quick Share will now work with AirDrop, and is rolling the feature out to Pixel 10 devices. The post makes it clear that Google is “looking forward to improving the experience and expanding it to more Android devices.”
Google
Google has an entire page devoted to the security of this feature, where it notes that this is not a hack or workaround: your data is sent directly peer-to-peer and never goes through a server. This new capability relies on AirDrop’s more open “Everyone for 10 minutes” mode, which means if you want to share between your iPhone and a Pixel 10 device, you’ll need to first open Settings > General > AirDrop and select Everyone for 10 Minutes.
Of this limitation, the page says, “We welcome the opportunity to work with Apple to enable “Contacts Only” mode in the future.” While I think that would be great, I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if Apple found a way to shut down this current compatibility in a software update until eventually forced by some regulatory body into enabling broadly capable direct transfers. So enjoy it while it lasts.
[How do I] update a live activity without the app open, while the device is offline? My countdowns currently end at 00:00 and hold there until dismissed. I want to update them to say something else once they hit 00:00 And I want them to update in that way, even when the device is offline, and even if the app that initiated the live activity had been fully quit/terminated. Everywhere I […]
Nvidia’s strong results show AI bubble fears are unfounded Bubbles rarely pop gradually, they tend to burst. Yet the recent cooling of AI hype has, paradoxically, delivered a reprieve for Nvidia…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
SMS Delivery Failures and Delivery Delays to Moov net in Togo Nov 20, 12:01 PSTResolved - We are no longer experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. This incident has been resolved.Nov 20, 03:10 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 19, 03:10 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 18, 03:10 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 17, 03:11 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 16, 03:11 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 15, 03:11 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 14, 03:13 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 24 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 13, 11:15 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 16 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 13, 03:26 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 8 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 12, 23:34 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 4 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 12, 21:37 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 2 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 12, 20:39 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures and delivery delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 12, 16:39 PSTUpdate - We are observing recovery in SMS delivery failures and delays to Moov net in Togo. We will continue monitoring the service to ensure a full recovery. We will provide another update in 4 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 12, 14:45 PSTMonitoring - We are observing recovery in SMS delivery failures and delays to Moov net in Togo. We will continue monitoring the service to ensure a full recovery. We will provide another update in 2 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 12, 06:47 PSTUpdate - We are still experiencing SMS delivery failures and delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 16 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 11, 22:57 PSTUpdate - We are still experiencing SMS delivery failures and delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 8 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 11, 18:57 PSTUpdate - We are still experiencing SMS delivery failures and delays to Moov net in Togo. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 4 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 11, 16:57 PSTUpdate - We are still experiencing . Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 2 hours or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 11, 16:03 PSTUpdate - We are experiencing . Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.Nov 11, 15:54 PSTInvestigating - Our monitoring systems have detected a potential issue with . Our engineering team has been alerted and is actively investigating. We will update as soon as we have more information.
Apple and F1 already discussing more ways to partner, Liberty Media CEO says In an interview on CNBC’s “Money Movers” earlier today, Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang discussed what the newly announced partnership with Apple may mean for F1, as well as Apple’s possible plans for the future. Here’s what he said.
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Audio Pro C10 MKII W review: compact yet powerful AirPlay speaker with great sound quality Macworld
At a glanceExpert's Rating
Pros
Excellent sound quality
Compact, minimalist design
Versatile app
Good connectivity
Cons
Expensive
No USB-C audio input
Deep bass could be stronger
Our Verdict
It’s slightly more expensive than Apple’s HomePod, but the C10 MKII W scores better on sound quality and connectivity. Despite its compact design, it’s powerful enough to act as your main music system at home, and its support for AirPlay 2 is ideal for use with Apple devices.
Price When Reviewed
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Price When Reviewed$480
Best Prices Today: Audio Pro C10 MKII W
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Audio Pro’s A10 held a spot on our list of best AirPlay speakers a couple of years ago, but after a bit of a quiet period the Swedish company recently came back with a bang and updated its entire range of speakers all at once. The A10 is still around – at a reduced price if you’re looking for a bargain – but for this new generation of speakers we prefer the slightly larger, one-piece C10 MKII W, which costs $480/£350.
Audio Pro’s model numbers are a bit untidy – the latest models all have that ‘W’ suffix but, as mentioned, some of its older models are still on sale online, so make sure you buy the correct model. But, thankfully, the Swedish company takes a more elegant and minimalist approach to its product designs, with the C10 MKII W consisting of little more than a simple rectangular box that measures 166mm high, 320mm wide and 180mm deep. It’s sturdily built though, weighing in at just over 4kg, and it packs a lot into that unassuming design.
You can remove the fabric grille on the front of the speaker for a more retro look.
Audio Pro
There’s a smart fabric grille on the front panel of the speaker, but you can easily remove this if you prefer a more retro look with the speaker drivers exposed. Audio Pro’s attention to detail even allows you to fine-tune the sound depending on whether you prefer to remove the grille or keep it on. Removing the grille reveals a large woofer in the centre of the speaker to provide a deep, full sound for mid-range and lower frequencies, with smaller tweeters located on either side to handle the higher frequencies.
This combination provides a total output of 80W, so the C10 MKII W has enough power to function as your main speaker system in your front room or lounge. It does require mains power supply, though, and the weight of the speaker means that it’s probably going to spend most of its time just sitting in one room at home.
It’s well connected, though, with support for Bluetooth and Apple’s AAC codec, as well as dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz). The Audio Pro app has been updated too, and now works with a wide variety of streaming services, including Spotify, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud. It also supports AirPlay 2, allowing you to stream audio from any apps on your Apple devices, and allowing the C10 MKII W to work as part of a multi-room music system with Apple’s HomePods or any AirPlay 2 speakers from other manufacturers.
Android users may be disappointed that there’s no support for aptX with Bluetooth, but that’s not a problem for Apple devices, and the C10 MKII W does support Google Cast for Android devices.
Finally, there’s a set of RCA connectors on the back of the speaker to provide a good old-fashioned wired connection for devices such as a CD player or vinyl turntable. There are no audio cables included though, so you’ll need to provide those for yourself. And, at this price, we’d have liked to have seen a USB-C interface to provide a wired audio connection for computers and mobile devices as well.
There’s a manual control panel on top of the speaker, but you can also control it via Bluetooth or AirPlay with wi-fi.
Audio Pro
The C10 MKII W delivers the good when it comes to sound quality, though, and it works a treat listening to the lossless version of Madonna’s Frozen on Apple Music via AirPlay on my iPad. It shows a delicate touch on the strings and gentle electronic chimes that open the track, but then wakes you up with the sharp crack of percussion that leads into the chorus. Madonna’s multi-tracked vocals are silky smooth, but the C10 MKII W handles the contrast well as the jangling guitar and percussion add a sharper tone that drives the song forward.
It handles harder rock sounds well too, as I turn to Sing Along by Sturgill Simpson. It’s a dense track, with a mash-up of heavy rock guitar and fizzing electronic keyboards, but the C10 MKII W is able to pull all the detail out of the high-res version of the song on Apple Music. It finds room for the thick, fuzzy sound of the guitars that form the bedrock of the song, while the keyboards wail like sirens and get you dancing.
My only minor complaint is that, as with many compact one-piece speakers, the deep bass could be a little firmer, and the bass drop towards the end of the track doesn’t quite have the impact that I’m used to. However, one last feature is the inclusion of an extra RCA connector on the back of the speaker that will allow you to add an external sub-woofer if you really want to pump up the bass.
Should You Buy The C10 MKII W?
It’s a little more expensive than one-piece rivals such as Apple’s HomePod at $299/£299, but the C10 MKII W wins hands-down on the clarity and precision of its sound, especially when playing high-res music on Apple Music and other streaming services. It provides better connectivity than the HomePod too, with support for a wide range of computers, mobile devices and streaming services, while its support for AirPlay makes it a great option for use with Apple devices.
Developer Account Banned? I wanted to get my app onto TestFlight so I could have a community test it, but the developer website said I couldn't join the developer program (I joined years ago). I sent them an email and heard back that they couldn't verify my identity. I responded asking how to verify my identity, waited 5 […]
Awkwafina's new Apple TV series joins a growing wave of food storytelling Nora Lum's new series, "The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina," uses cooking and travel as a way to bridge the gap between her childhood memories and the culture that shaped them.Nora Lum, known as AwkwafinaAwkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum, is stepping into the kitchen for a new Apple TV series that blends humor, family history, and modern Asian American cooking. Called The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina, the eight episode show follows her across the country as she tries to reconnect with her family's restaurant roots and learn skills she never picked up at home.Lum is an actor and comedian known for movies like Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. She first gained attention through comedy rap videos but built her career through sharp, character driven performances in film and television. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
9to5Mac Daily: November 20, 2025 – iPhone accessory rumors, Friday Night Baseball Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
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Study: Apple’s N1 networking chip delivers a big Wi-Fi upgrade Macworld
Ookla, the company that makes the ubiquitous Speedtest.net Internet speed test, has issued a new report comparing Wi-Fi performance of Apple’s new N1 networking chip in the iPhone 17 against other Wi-Fi 7-capable phones, including the iPhone 16 and several top Android phones.
The new chip is a clear winner. Not only does it make an obvious improvement in Wi-Fi performance over the Broadcom-based solution in the iPhone 16, but it catapults the iPhone 17 family to near the top of the pack for Wi-Fi 7 compatible smartphones.
The results are impressive. Apple used a Broadcom chip for Wi-Fi networking, and while it offered Wi-Fi 7 support, it wasn’t really one of the fastest on the market. The N1 changes all that.
Ookla
In every region, Wi-Fi performance on the iPhone 17 family exceeds the iPhone 16 family. This is especially notable since both chips share the same 160 MHz channel width limitation—Apple didn’t get higher speeds by suddenly supporting the full 320 MHz bandwidth capability of Wi-Fi 7.
Ookla notes that the biggest improvements over last year’s iPhones comes in the 10th percentile—the slowest connections. Similar to the C1 cellular chip, Apple seems most concerned with lifting the floor for the worst connections than with chasing the absolute top possible speeds.
Ookla
Apple’s improvements make it compare far more favorably to the best Android phones, globally. It doesn’t provide the fastest download speeds, but it’s in second place now, just a hair behind the Pixel 10 Pro family. It’s a big jump over the iPhone 16 family.
Ookla
But the iPhone 17 line beats the Pixel 10 Pro in uplink performance. It’s still not top of the pack—that honor goes to the Xiaomi 15T Pro—but it’s once again in second place and, once again, well ahead of the iPhone 16 line.
Ookla
While the Wi-Fi capabilities of the N1 processor in the iPhone 17 seem nearly identical to the Broadcom chip in the iPhone 16 family, it’s clear that Apple has produced a superior product. That could come down to changes in internal structure, antennas, better hardware-software integration, or a dozen other things; wireless networking is complicated.
Apple still has room to grow. Use of 320 MHz channels is still quite rare, as are Wi-Fi 7 routers in general. Many countries have limited adoption of the 6GHz frequency for Wi-Fi, too. A theoretical N2 chip can implement more of the Wi-Fi 7 spec and see further improvements, in addition to maintaining better connections on slower and legacy networks.
You’ll find further analysis of Wi-Fi 7 capable smartphones, and a lot more charts, on Ookla’s report.
Stop texting passwords! There’s a safe, easy way to share them on iPhone. You can share passwords on iPhone automatically with your entire family, so you don’t have to let everyone know when a password is changed.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
I can’t buy the Apple Developer subscription. I’m tired of it. A year ago, I had an app published on Apple Developer, but I didn’t renew the subscription. Months later, when I tried to subscribe again, I started getting an error when trying to purchase the Apple Developer subscription. I've already tried different cards, and the error continues to appear. I'm really exhausted at this point. […]
Slide Over improvements in iPadOS 26.2, Tesla CarPlay, Tim Cook retiring rumors Benjamin and Chance discuss the week in Apple news, including the suggestion that Tim Cook’s retirement announced could come early in 2026. Also, Apple responds to user feedback on the multitasking changes with the latest iPadOS 26.2 beta 3, Tesla is rumored to be adding CarPlay to its vehicles, and MLS becomes part of the base Apple TV subscription starting next season.
And in Happy Hour Plus, they discuss the future of the Mac Pro and why Apple should stop selling it. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.
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ChatGPT gaining group chat feature in four regions [U] Update: OpenAI has expanded the rollout globally after just one week. More details follow the original post.
OpenAI is piloting a pretty big ChatGPT feature in select markets. The company is rolling out the ability to have group chats with ChatGPT for the first time.
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Mozilla Says It’s Finally Done With Two-Faced Onerep In March 2024, Mozilla said it was winding down its collaboration with Onerep -- an identity protection service offered with the Firefox web browser that promises to remove users from hundreds of people-search sites -- after KrebsOnSecurity revealed Onerep's founder had created dozens of people-search services and was continuing to operate at least one of them. Sixteen months later, however, Mozilla is still promoting Onerep. This week, Mozilla announced their partnership with Onerep will officially end next month.
Android Quick Share on Pixel 10 can AirDrop to iPhones A new Android update lets Pixel 10 users send files to iPhone through Quick Share without the usual workarounds. Here's how it works.Android now works better with Apple AirDropGoogle started rolling out the feature on November 20, 2025 as a response to years of complaints. The update improves interaction between Android and Apple devices in mixed-device environments.It also gives Pixel users a smoother way to move photos, videos, and documents without relying on cloud drives or messaging apps. Many households use a mix of Android and Apple products, and they often run into friction during tasks. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more.
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date.
Keep reading for eight new features coming with iOS 26.2. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer, but some features require a newer iPhone.
Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen
A new slider in the Lock Screen customization menu lets you adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass for the clock, allowing you to decide how clear or frosted it appears.
This comes after iOS 26.1 added "Clear" and "Tinted" options for Liquid Glass overall.
Offline Lyrics in Apple Music
iOS 26.2 adds offline lyric support to Apple Music, allowing you to view a song's lyrics even when you are not connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.
Sleep Score Revisions
iOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2 have revised Sleep Score ranges:
Very Low: 0-40 (previously 0-29)
Low: 41-60 (previously 30-49)
OK: 61-80 (previously 50-69)
High: 81-95 (previously 70-89)
Very High: 96-100 (previously 90-100)Apple says sleep scores are calculated based on how long you slept, the consistency of when you fell asleep, and the frequency and duration of waking up during the night. The feature is available in the Health app on all iPhone models compatible with iOS 26, and in the Sleep app on all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 26.
Alarms for Reminders
iOS 26.2 lets you set alarms for reminders in Apple's Reminders app.
When adding a reminder, selecting a time and then toggling on the "Urgent" option will cause an alarm to go off at the designated time.
Apple Podcasts Enhancements
Apple's Podcasts app has three new features on iOS 26.2, including automatic chapters for episodes, timed links on the screen, and the ability to view other podcasts that a podcast mentions right from the audio player and the transcript.
Apple News Revamp
In the Apple News app, there is now a dedicated "Following" tab, and buttons for quick access to topics like sports, puzzles, politics, business, and food.
iPhone Screen Flash for Notifications
Starting with iOS 26.2, your iPhone's screen can flash when you receive a notification. Previously, this setting was limited to the LED camera flash on the back of the iPhone.
In the Settings app, under Accessibility → Audio & Visual → Flash for Alerts, there are now options for LED Flash, Screen, and Both. Or, you can keep the setting turned off.
AirPods Live Translation in EU
iOS 26.2 makes Live Translation on AirPods available in the EU.
Live Translation allows you to understand someone who is speaking a different language than you. For example, if you speak English, and someone is speaking to you in French, Siri can tell you what they are saying in English through your AirPods.
The feature works best when both participants in a conversation are using Live Translation on AirPods. If you are talking with someone who is not wearing AirPods, you can display a live transcription in the other person's language on your iPhone.
Live Translation is available on the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and higher-end AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The feature launched in the U.S. and select other countries with iOS 26, but it was not available in the EU until iOS 26.2, as Apple said it needed additional time to ensure compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act.
iOS 26: Use Live Translation With AirPods
In addition to compatible AirPods, users need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with Apple Intelligence turned on and Apple's Translate app installed.
As of iOS 26.1, Live Translation on AirPods supports the following languages:
English (U.S.)
English (U.K.)
French (France)
German (Germany)
Portuguese (Brazil)
Spanish (Spain)
Chinese — Simplified (China)
Chinese — Traditional (China)
Japanese
Korean
Italian
iOS 26 also has a built-in Live Translation feature in the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps, with no AirPods required.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple TV announces ‘The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina’ food series Apple TV premiered food-centric series this year that were both scripted (Carême) and unscripted (Knife Edge), and the streamer just announced a new food series coming: The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina.
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WidgetKit: No way to get list of active widgets or detect deletion? I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to get a list of active widgets for my app. When I delete a widget from my home screen, it still shows up in getCurrentConfigurations(). There are no deletion callbacks, and the configuration data for each widget is super sparse… basically just kind and family, […]
Need Help Debugging iOS 26.1 Crash I Cannot Reproduce (Lottie Animations) Hi everyone, I’m dealing with a very strange issue and could really use some community help. In the past 3 days, around 80 users have installed my app, and all of them experienced 100% crashes on iOS 26.1. Crash report reference: https://github.com/airbnb/lottie-ios/issues/2617 At first, it seemed like a clear iOS 26.1 problem. However, after testing […]
How to pick correct color palette for dark mode, if the app is not a default black&white? I have an app which has warm earthy colors in its design. I want to implement dark mode, but I don't know how to pick correct antagonist colors. Any ideas will be appreciated submitted by /u/Tarasovych [link] [comments]
The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini.
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.
If you're looking for something other than Macs, be sure to visit our Black Friday Roundup for all of the best deals and discounts happening this season. For more Apple-specific devices currently on sale, our main post on the best current Apple Black Friday deals is the best place to look.
M3 iPad Air
We're tracking record low prices across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup for Black Friday, with discounts available at both Amazon and Best Buy. This sale includes savings on both Wi-Fi and cellular models of the tablet, and it's been a few weeks since we last saw these all-time low prices.
Prices start at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, and each one is a match for the best-ever price seen on these tablets.
$150 OFF11-inch M3 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) for $449.00
$150 OFF13-inch M3 iPad Air (128GB Wi-Fi) for $649.00
Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $150 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $599.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $799.00, both representing record low prices.
11-inch M3 iPad Air
128GB Wi-Fi - $449.00, down from $599.00
256GB Wi-Fi - $549.00, down from $699.00
512GB Wi-Fi - $749.00, down from $899.00
1TB Wi-Fi - $949.00, down from $1,099.00
13-inch M3 iPad Air
128GB Wi-Fi - $649.00, down from $799.00
256GB Wi-Fi - $749.00, down from $899.00
512GB Wi-Fi - $949.00, down from $1,099.00
1TB Wi-Fi - $1,149.00, down from $1,299.00
M5 iPad Pro
Amazon and Best Buy recently opened up big discounts across the M5 iPad Pro lineup, offering as much as $169 off select tablets. Prices now start at $924.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M5 iPad Pro at Amazon, down from $999.00. This specific tablet has been slowly dropping in price all month, and Amazon's sale today is now the best-ever price.
$75 OFF11-inch M5 iPad Pro (256GB Wi-Fi) for $924.00
$100 OFF13-inch M5 iPad Pro (512GB Wi-Fi) for $1,399.00
For the larger models, you can save up to $169 on the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro on Amazon this week. If you're shopping for the 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi model, Amazon has this tablet for $2,230.00, down from $2,399.00, as well as a few other 13-inch models between $50 and $137 off.
11-Inch M5 iPad Pro
256GB Wi-Fi - $924.00 ($75 off)
512GB Wi-Fi - $1,099.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
1TB Wi-Fi - $1,499.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,584.00 ($115 off)
2TB Wi-Fi - $1,861.00 ($138 off)
2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,999.00 ($100 off)
13-Inch M5 iPad Pro
256GB Wi-Fi - $1,249.00 ($50 off) [matched at Best Buy]
512GB Wi-Fi - $1,399.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]
1TB Wi-Fi - $1,768.00 ($131 off)
1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,861.00 ($138 off)
2TB Wi-Fi - $2,160.00 ($139 off)
2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $2,230.00 ($169 off)
11th Gen iPad
Amazon this week is taking $69 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $279.99 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.
$69 OFF128GB Wi-Fi iPad for $279.99
$69 OFF256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $379.99
$69 OFF512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $579.99
iPad mini 7
Amazon this week has low prices on nearly every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.
$100 OFF128GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $399.00
$100 OFF256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00
$100 OFF512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Related Roundups: Apple Black Friday, Apple DealsRelated Forum: Community DiscussionThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
File sharing breakthrough: Android Quick Share now works with Apple AirDrop Google updated its Quick Share feature to allow wireless direct file sharing between Android and iPhone users.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
United States MMS Carrier Partner Maintenance Nov 20, 10:11 PSTIn progress - Scheduled maintenance is currently in progress. We will provide updates as necessary.Nov 20, 10:08 PSTScheduled - Our MMS carrier partner in the United States is conducting an emergency maintenance from 20 November 2025 at 10:00 PST until 20 November 2025 at 12:01 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering MMS to and from United States handsets via subset of United States short codes.We are aware of the short notice and are working with our Carrier Partners to provide earlier notification where possible.
Apple Teaming Up With Real Madrid in Two Ways Apple is teaming up with the iconic Spanish soccer team Real Madrid on two projects that promise to provide an ultimate viewing experience for fans.
First, Apple will be releasing a new documentary about Real Madrid on the Vision Pro next year, according to GQ España. The documentary will be in the Apple Immersive format, meaning it will be a 180-degree 8K recording with Spatial Audio.
The documentary was filmed with more than 30 specialized Blackmagic cameras designed to capture 3D depth, during the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Juventus in October. It will provide a behind-the-scenes view of the match, and it captures the atmosphere of Real Madrid's iconic Bernabéu stadium.
There is already a "Real Madrid: Until The End" documentary available on the Apple TV streaming service, but it was not shot in the Apple Immersive format.
Apple is also working on a second, bigger project that Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez refers to as "Infinite Bernabéu."
With this technology, Pérez told GQ España that "it will be like opening the stadium doors to the entire planet, without limits, without barriers, and with a level of technology that will mark a turning point in the world of sports."
Perhaps this means that at least some Real Madrid matches will be live streamed in the Apple Immersive format on the Vision Pro, like select Los Angeles Lakers games will be this season. However, the specific plans remain to be seen.
In related news, Apple celebrated 40 years of operating in Spain by hosting a live performance at its Puerta del Sol store in Madrid.
The event was captured with iPhone 17 Pro cameras.
"There's no better way to celebrate Apple's 40 years in Spain than by highlighting the incredible creativity and talent that make this country so special," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
More details about the celebration can be found in Apple's press release.
Thanks, Carlos Sevilla!Related Roundup: Apple Vision ProTags: Apple Immersive, SpainBuyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple TV mysteriously pulls French thriller ‘The Hunt’ just days before premiere Apple TV has abruptly removed its upcoming French-language thriller series "The Hunt" from the platform mere days before its scheduled…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple's M4 Mac mini plunges to $479 as Amazon issues Black Friday price drops Apple's current M4 Mac mini is $120 off today as Amazon launches Black Friday Deals Week, resulting in the lowest price we've seen in recent months.Get Apple's M4 Mac mini for just $479 at Amazon.The standard M4 Mac mini for $479 has 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, delivering a lot of bang for your buck.Get M4 Mac mini for $479 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
MIA (Miami) on 2025-11-27 THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 27, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCNov 20, 17:42 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in MIA (Miami) datacenter on 2025-11-27 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.
SJC (San Jose) on 2025-11-26 THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 26, 10:00 - 14:00 UTCNov 20, 17:34 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in SJC (San Jose) datacenter on 2025-11-26 between 10:00 and 14:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.
DFW (Dallas) on 2025-11-26 THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 26, 08:00 - 12:00 UTCNov 20, 17:32 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in DFW (Dallas) datacenter on 2025-11-26 between 08:00 and 12:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.
iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices Apple and Google have teamed up for a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available.
The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold.
According to Google, Apple device users will need to change their AirDrop visibility to Everyone for 10 Minutes to be able to accept a file transfer from a Pixel 10 device. With that setting enabled, a file coming from an Android user looks identical to an AirDrop file from an iPhone user, featuring the same notification and tap to accept option.
To receive files from an Apple user, the Pixel 10 user will need to turn on the Everyone for 10 minutes setting or enter into Receive mode on the Quick Share page. Files are saved in the Files app.
Google says that the QuickShare and AirDrop interoperability was designed with a multi-layered security approach to ensure a safe sharing experience regardless of platform. There's a secure sharing channel, built-in platform protections for Android and iOS, and a consent requirement before a file is received.
Connections between devices are direct and peer-to-peer, so data is not routed through a server. For file transfers in both directions, the Apple device or the Pixel 10 device displays the other person's device name for verification purposes.
As of right now, the feature only works in the Everyone for 10 Minutes AirDrop sharing mode, but Google says that it would like to work with Apple to support "Contacts Only" mode in the future.
AirDrop and Quick Share interoperability is available now.Tags: AirDrop, GoogleThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
These new AI features are coming to macOS Tahoe 26.2 and Mac Studio Macworld
Apple released the macOS Tahoe 26.2 beta 3 earlier this week and it has a couple of new features that will be of interest to AI developers.
The first was actually introduced in the 26.2 beta 2 a few weeks ago and enhanced in the current beta. Developers implementing the open-source MLX framework can now leverage the Neural Accelerator in the new M5 chip. In a white paper, Apple states that MLX can be used “for a wide variety of applications ranging from numerical simulations and scientific computing to machine learning.” The white paper also provides benchmarks on the effect of the Neural Accelerator on performance, stating that the M5 is 19 to 27 percent faster than the M4.
The other new feature is an enhancement to the ability to create AI clusters with the Mac Studio. Developers can now create clusters using the Mac Studio’s Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, which makes it much easier to put together, instead of using RDMA Ethernet cards and optical modules. For example, a cluster of four M3 Ultra Mac Studios was created to run an early access build of Exo 1.0, experimental software that allows users to build and run AI clusters at home. The cluster used less than 500 watts of power, which is 10 times lower than a typical GPU cluster.
The 26.2 beta also includes a few new non-AI features, most notably the new “Edge Light” effect that appears on screen during video calls. If you’re interested, you can join the developer program and get access to the macOS and other Apple OS betas.
Bluetti unveils its new Elite series of portable power stations, with up to 65% off Clean energy company Bluetti has expanded its popular portable power station range with a new Elite series. This includes options for both home energy resilience and on-the-go adventures. For a limited time, 9to5Mac readers can snag one of the latest models with a discount of up to 65%.
The headline news here is the Elite 10 Portable Power Station, the most portable model the company has ever made, fitting into your palm and weighing less than four pounds. At the other end of the scale is a new expansion battery for the company’s whole home backup power solutions …
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Apple Wallet could add digital IDs in these two states soon Apple Wallet recently launched a new Digital ID feature using US passports, but support for state driver’s licenses continues to grow too, and two new states have now pledged support for the feature.
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Android Quick Share now works with AirDrop on iPhone, starting on Pixel 10 Google announced today that Android’s Quick Share now works with Apple’s AirDrop system on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac to allow for easy file transfer between platforms/operating systems.
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AirPods Pro 3 deal cuts Apple’s best earbuds to lowest price ever Apple's high-end, noise-canceling earbuds already provide incredible value, and this AirPods Pro 3 deal makes them even more affordable.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
EWR (Newark) on 2025-11-26 THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 26, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCNov 20, 17:14 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in EWR (Newark) datacenter on 2025-11-26 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.
Two new U.S. states agree to bring driver's licenses to Apple Wallet soon Drivers in Arkansas and Virginia will be able to add their driver's license to Apple Wallet — but it's not clear exactly when.Two new states are joining Ohio and others in offering digital driver's licensesWhile both of these states already have digital driver's licenses, they're limited in one key way. Drivers must use dedicated apps to view them.That will all change when Arkansas and Virginia allow those same licenses to be added to the Apple Wallet app. The licenses will then be available via the Wallet app on the driver's iPhone and Apple Watch. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2025: Tyler, The Creator Tyler, The Creator was announced today as Apple Music’s Artist of the Year, recognizing the hip-hop visionary’s outstanding impact…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Music’s Artist of the Year really is off the charts After his recent creative output and massive streaming success, Apple honors hip-hop innovator Tyler, The Creator.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Apple's holiday deals reward loyal buyers, but shoppers can save more elsewhere As it always does, the Apple Store has a gift card offer with iPhone, Mac, iPad, or AirPods purchase. Like it always has been, there are better Black Friday sales elsewhere that actually save you cash.Apple starts its shopping event for Black Friday 2025Apple's Black Friday & Cyber Monday shopping event runs from November 28 to December 1 and covers nearly every current device Apple sells. The promotion centers on Apple Gift Cards, the value of which varies by product.Qualifying purchases get a gift card automatically at checkout, making the event easy to use for anyone shopping first party. Carrier-connected iPhones remain excluded, and availability can shift depending on the store or region. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 with ANC drop to their best prices yet for Black Friday Week Apple just unveiled its annual holiday gift card offers, but you’re certainly not going to find deals on AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods 4 in there. And with Amazon’s Black Friday Week 2025 sale now in full swing, we are now getting the best online prices ever on what might very well be the two of the popular items on everyone Black Friday holiday shopping list. Amazon has now dropped the price on AirPods Pro down to its lowest ever and we are getting an arguably even more impressive deal on AirPods 4 with ANC for folks not interested in Apple’s premium buds.
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Stop repeating URLSession code: I built RequestSpec to simplify Swift networking Hi, I'm a fan of generic network layer. However, it requires some initial setup and extra maintenance whenever a new request is added. So, I built a lightweight and interoperable library for this purpose. RequestSpec just makes everything more approachable and organized. You can use it in your existing projects as well as new projects. […]
Apple releases another limited-edition designer iPhone accessory Macworld
Apple is celebrating its 40th anniversary of accessibility, and to commemorate it, the company has released a special iPhone grip. The Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand is a phone grip that attaches through MagSafe and is available in the online Apple Store (U.S. only) for $70.
In an interview with Elle Decor, designer Bailey Hikawa came up with the design after interviewing iPhone users with varying disabilities. The design allows the grip to be held in different ways, and it can also be used as a stand. The product is made of “soft-touch premium silicone” and attaches via MagSafe. It is available in Chartreuse (lime green) and Crater (marbled gray). Hikawa is known for her sculptural iPhone cases and unique toilet seats.
Apple
“This is one of many accessories that are out there that solve unique problems for some people.” Apple’s Sarah Herrlinger said to Elle Decor.
Like the iPhone Pocket released last week, the Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand is listed as a “Limited Edition” item, which implies that there’s a set number of these that were made. The iPhone Pocket sold out incredibly quickly, so if you’re interested, grab on before it’s gone.
Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand (MagSafe Compatible)
Price When Reviewed:
$69.95
Best Prices Today:
$70 at Apple
AirPods Pro user found way to unlock iPhone-exclusive features on Android AirPods are designed to work primarily with Apple products, but they also double as basic Bluetooth headphones you can connect to any device. But an open-source GitHub project offers a way to unlock some of AirPods’ iPhone-exclusive audio features on Android and Linux too.
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AirPods 4 Black Friday Pricing Arrives With New Low of $79.99 Apple's AirPods 4 have dropped to $79.99 today at Best Buy, down from $129.00. This is now the best price we've ever tracked on the base AirPods 4 model, which lacks Active Noise Cancellation.
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.
You can also get the AirPods 4 with ANC on sale for $109.99 at Amazon, down from $179.00, which is another record low price. Both of these join a deal on the new AirPods Pro 3 that appeared on Amazon earlier today, now available for $219.99, down from $249.00.
$49 OFFAirPods 4 for $79.99
$69 OFFAirPods 4 (ANC) for $109.99
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? 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 DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Seychelles SMS Carrier Maintenance – Cable and Wireless THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 24, 12:01 - 18:00 PSTNov 20, 08:03 PSTScheduled - The Cable and Wireless network in Seychelles is conducting a planned maintenance from 24 November 2025 at 12:01 PST until 24 November 2025 at 18:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Cable and Wireless Seychelles handsets.
Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed to offering the feature in the future, as previously announced by Apple:Connecticut
Kentucky
Mississippi
Oklahoma
UtahAs it turns out, two more states have "signed on to adopt ID in Apple Wallet in the future," according to their government websites:Arkansas
VirginiaArkansas launched a mobile ID app in August. It works with Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet, but Apple Wallet support is coming later.
Virginia launched a mobile ID app last week, and it announced it will "prepare for integration with digital wallets" in the "coming months."
Apple Wallet IDs are accepted at TSA checkpoints in more than 250 airports in the U.S., for domestic travel. Given that Apple Wallet IDs are not accepted by law enforcement, and lack many other use cases, carrying a physical ID is still necessary.
To set up the feature, open the Wallet app and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, select Driver's License and ID Cards and follow the steps.
If you live in a state that does not yet offer Apple Wallet IDs, you can now create a Digital ID based on your U.S. passport, and present it at the same participating TSA checkpoints, for age and identity verification purposes during domestic travel. It is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel.
Here are just some of the airports that offer the feature — there are hundreds of others:Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
Los Angeles International (LAX)
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)
Lea County Regional Airport (HOB)
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)
Great Falls International Airport (GTF)
Missoula International Airport (MSO)
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Richmond International Airport (RIC)
Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)
Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport (PHF)Travelers should refer to TSA signage to confirm availability of the feature.
Thanks, Michael Gannon!Tag: Apple WalletThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Why you might want to pass on Apple’s Black Friday deals An Apple Store shopping event kicks off on Black Friday, but you should probably shop elsewhere. Here's why.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Tyler, the Creator seals his biggest year yet as Apple Music Artist of the Year Tyler, the Creator just closed out his biggest year yet with record-breaking streams, two hit albums, and Apple Music's top artistic honor.Image Credit: AppleIn October 2024, Tyler, the Creator released "Chromakopia", his most personal album to date. The album became his most successful album ever on Apple Music by first-day and first-week plays.He would go on to write, record, and release another album, "Don't Tap the Glass," halfway through his "Chromakopia" tour. That album would go on to land the top spot on Apple Music's charts in more than 55 countries on the day it was released. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple Music launches ‘Best of 2025’ playlists and picks Artist of the Year Apple Music has just launched a diverse lineup of new ‘Best of 2025’ playlists, and also named Tyler, The Creator as its Artist of the Year. Here are the details.
more…
The Apple Watch Series 10 46mm GPS Is $150 Off Amazon has the Apple Watch Series 10 on sale at $279. The watch offers you advanced health insights allowing you to take an ECG anytime, get alerted if you have an irregular heart rhythm, low or high heart rate, respiratory rate, monitor your sleep and notify you of sleep apnea. You are able to measure […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Apple TV and MLS Changes Agreement And Will Be Ending on 2029 The MLS and Apple have announced changes to their deal in the middle of November this year and owners of the league were notified of the change in the terms of the deal during the meetings they hosted in Florida. The 10-year agreement has been shortened and payments will see an increase in the following […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Jeff Williams Retires From Apple After working for Apple for over 25 years, Jeff Williams, an Apple executive, has stepped down and retired. Apple has removed Jeff Williams from their leadership page. He has maintained the role of Chief Operations Officer from 2015 until this year in July where Sabih Khan succeeded him and took on the role. He remains […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Apple’s 2025 Black Friday Shopping Event: Get up to $250 Apple Gift Card with eligible purchases Apple has officially unveiled its annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping event for 2025, running from Friday, November 28 through…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple CEO Tim Cook Retiring as Early as Next Year Tim Cook, Apple CEO is planning to step down as early as next year and Apple is taking preparations. Apple is not likely to give out a new name for their CEO before their earnings reports in January 2026, but they explained that an announcement early next year will permit an easier transition in leadership […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
The Anker Power Station with 60000 mAh Battery, Smart Display and Light is $50 Off Amazon has the Anker Power Station with Display and Light marked $50 off. The power station features a 60,000 mAh battery ensuring that all your devices with you on the go can stay connected. The charging station features 27W and 60W USB-C ports so you can charge your laptops or cellphones. With the massive battery […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Bloodsong of Wycaro Can Be Downloaded from Apple Books App If you are a fan of Pluribus, the new Apple TV series, you can download a chapter of a fictional and historical novel called “Bloodsong of Wycaro” in Apple Books. It is a romance genre novel written by the main character in Plurbius, Carol Sturka. The book recollects past adventures of Lucasia sailing on the […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Limited Edition iPhone Pocket Already Sold Out In The United States Apple has collaborated with ISSEY MIYAKE, a famous Japanese fashion brand to make the iPhone pocket. It is a knitted accessory that is limited edition made to carry an iPhone. You can order the iPhone Pocket on the Apple Store online in Japan, Italy, Singapore, China, South Korea, France, The United Kingdom and the United […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Red Dead Redemption and DLC Undead Nightmare Rolling Out To iOS Early December The highly praised game, Red Dead Redemption along with the expansion pack Undead Nightmare will roll out on Android and iOS next month, Rockstar Games announced. The game will be released for mobile on December 2 part of a bigger rollout for the game on the Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, Netflix and PS5. […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
The AirPods 4 Is $44 Off Amazon has the AirPods 4 marked $45 off. The AirPods 4 features personalized spatial audio and dynamic head tracking giving the user an immersive listening experience as it creates a theater-like atmosphere whenever they put on the earbuds. The AirPods 4 along with the charging case are rated IP54 sweat, water and dust resistant being […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Black Friday Week deals: AirPods Pro 3 all-time low, M4 Mac mini $479 ($200 off M4 Pro model), iPads from $280, much more The official Amazon 2025 Black Friday Week deals are now live and they are not playing around. We are getting the best price ever on the new AirPods Pro 3 down at $220 alongside a new Amazon all-time low on AirPods 4 with ANC at $110 shipped. On top of that we have the return of all M4 MacBook Air configurations starting at Amazon all-time lows with $250 in savings and a particularly notable price drop on the entry-level M4 Mac mini at $479 (one of the best prices ever) as well as $200 off the 24GB M4 Pro model. From there we are tracking up to $150 off M3 iPad Air and iPad mini 7 alongside iPad 11 at just $280 shipped. Scope it all out below while the gettin’s good.
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Get the 14-Inch M4 MacBook Pro for $1,299 ($300 Off) B&H Photo is hosting a new Black Friday sale, which includes a few record low prices on Apple's 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro. B&H Photo provides free two-day shipping to most residences in the United States.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro for $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00, and the 24GB RAM/1TB model for $1,699.00, down from $1,999.00.
$300 OFF14-inch M4 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB) for $1,299.00
$300 OFF14-inch M4 MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB) for $1,699.00
Both of these are $300 discounts on the original prices of the M4 MacBook Pro, which is now the previous generation model. If you're looking for the newest 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro, you can find great deals in our guide on the best Mac deals for Black Friday.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? 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 DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
New Firmware For AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 Released by Apple A new firmware made for the AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3 have been released by Apple. All have moved up from firmware 8A358 to 8B25 for the AirPods Pro 3, and 8B21 for the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2. There was no announcement on what came with the new firmware […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Apple Started Rolling Out Third-Party Accessories In Dark Cherry Apple collaborated with multiple accessory makers to provide power banks, cables, laptop sleeves, charging stands and many more accessories that come in a Dark Cherry colorway. The variety of accessories that come in Dark Cherry are added to the online store of Apple in many countries like the United States with in-store pick and delivery […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
'Tyler, The Creator' Named Apple Music's Artist of the Year Apple today announced that Tyler, The Creator has been named Apple Music's Artist of the Year in 2025 for his "outstanding impact on both music and culture."
Tyler, The Creator received a physical Apple Music Award, featuring a custom silicon wafer.
Apple said Tyler had his best year ever on Apple Music, with fans around the world logging more than 75 million hours of listening time between November 2024 and October 2025.
"To everyone who listens to my music, thank you," said Tyler. "I appreciate you so much. This year, for my career, was the biggest so far. To be this year's Apple Music Artist of the Year, it's sick. I appreciate the love. I appreciate the recognition. It means a lot to me, especially for the music and things that I make. Please keep supporting folks who are a bit out of the box for how they do things; it means a lot to us."
Tag: Apple MusicThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple’s Dynamic Power Adapter is Expanding to Multiple Countries Apple is branching out the availability of the new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W max charging to multiple countries. The new version of the adapter supports plugs that are type G and has a folding design with three prongs, which can be distinguished from the past two-prong adapter that was released with the iPhone […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Today in Apple history: iTunes bags its first exclusive movie, which promptly fades into oblivion On November 20, 2007, iTunes movie distribution began when "Purple Violets" became the first feature film to launch on Apple's platform.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Sanity check regarding SKAdNetworkItems in Info.plist Hi everyone, I want to make sure I understand the implementation of SKAdNetworkItems correctly before I finalize my app configuration. My understanding: Monetization (Publisher Side): If I want to display ads inside my app to earn revenue, I must include the SKAdNetworkItems array with the ad network IDs in my Info.plist. User Acquisition (Advertiser Side): […]
iOS 26 gave AirPods Pro seven feature upgrades, here’s what’s new iOS 26 is a major update for iPhone, but it also adds a bunch of new AirPods features—especially for anyone with AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Pro 2. Here’s everything new.
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United Kingdom Account Security Carrier Partner Maintenance – Three THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 21, 18:00 - 21:00 PSTNov 20, 07:04 PSTScheduled - Our carrier partner Three United Kingdom is conducting a planned maintenance from 21 November 2025 at 18:00 PST until 21 November 2025 at 21:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent API request failures for Three United Kingdom customers.Impacted Products: Lookup SIM Swap, Lookup Identity Match, Legacy Identity MatchAndAttributes
Apple TV subreddit to hold AMA with character ‘Carol Sturka’ from Pluribus For the second time in a few months, Apple will host a Reddit AMA with someone in character from an Apple TV show. This time, it’s Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn on Pluribus. Here’s how to join in.
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Preview SwiftUI Views Directly on the Device This is quite an old feature of Xcode but I have seen a lot of people don't know about it. You can preview your SwiftUI views directly on the device. When you change your SwiftUI code, the preview on your device refreshes to show updated rendering. * This feature is still flaky but 60% of […]
Apple partners on limited edition iPhone grip tailored for disabled users Apple is back with another limited edition iPhone accessory, this time a far more reasonably priced ergonomic grip that doubles as a stand for disabled users made by designer Bailey Hikawa.The new accessibility iPhone grip and stand by Bailey Hikawa — image credit: AppleFollowing the collaboration with a Japanese fashion house to make the iPhone Pocket, Apple has now teamed up with Los Angeles artist Bailey Hikawa. She already makes esoteric stands, grips and cases for the iPhone, and now one of them is in the online Apple Store — but this time with more purpose, and less artistic intention.The Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand effectively requires a MagSafe compatible iPhone, and costs $70. It comes in two colors, either Chartreuse — a vibrant lime — or recycled crater, which is vaguely granite-like. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple partners on limited edition iPhone grip tailored for disabled users Apple is back with another limited edition iPhone accessory, this time a far more reasonably priced ergonomic grip that doubles as a stand for disabled users made by designer Bailey Hikawa.The new accessibility iPhone grip and stand by Bailey Hikawa — image credit: AppleFollowing the collaboration with a Japanese fashion house to make the iPhone Pocket, Apple has now teamed up with Los Angeles artist Bailey Hikawa. She already makes esoteric stands, grips and cases for the iPhone, and now one of them is in the online Apple Store — but this time with more purpose, and less artistic intention.The Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand effectively requires a MagSafe compatible iPhone, and costs $70. It comes in two colors, either Chartreuse — a vibrant lime — or recycled crater, which is vaguely granite-like. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating.
When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a workout once to begin, users now select the workout type, and then tap a smaller play button that appears after a brief animation. Apple has also integrated music and podcast setup directly into the Workout app itself, so users can configure audio to automatically begin playing when they start exercising.
However, many of the changes appear to have become a major source of frustration over the last couple of months, based on a Reddit thread on r/AppleWatch that's full of complaints. "Touch targets are way too small," one user wrote. "Often times I have to tap the play button several times to get the workout to start."
Another user said the update has been "absolutely horrible," adding that "activating a swimming workout has become impossible once in the pool." Several swimmers echoed this view. One notes that the latest design makes it "impossible to reliably start or switch workouts once you're wet or mid-lap."
The redesigned layout also moves common controls like goal settings, quick-start options, and frequently used workouts into different positions. Long-time users say this breaks years of muscle memory. "What I used to be able to do in my sleep without thinking now takes my full brain capacity and always annoys me just before my workout," one user noted.
Some users also report reliability issues, like tapping the start button and seeing the press animation without the workout actually starting, or walking workouts failing to register completely. Mis-starts are another recurring issue. "I've accidentally started the wrong workout so many times," one user wrote. "The play button loads late, so I think I'm scrolling, but I actually tap it the moment it appears." Another said they've watched the button animate when tapped, "and then found out later that it didn't actually register."
The old Workout interface in watchOS 18
"The scrolling is so bad now," wrote another user, while others said the interface simply feels laggy. One explained that "the delay between selecting and starting is so long that I constantly overshoot or open the wrong thing."
Some users have turned to Siri voice commands to bypass the new interface altogether, while others rely on the Action button on Apple Watch Ultra models to start workouts directly. A few say they've been letting auto-detection handle walking and cycling sessions simply because it's less tedious than navigating the UI.
What have your experiences been with the Workout app on Apple Watch since the watchOS 26 update? Do you get on with the redesigned interface, or is it a step backwards from watchOS 18? Let us know in the comments.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Best AirPods Black Friday deals: Amazon slashes AirPods Pro 3 to $219, AirPods 4 with ANC $109, AirPods Max $120 off Amazon's AirPods Pro 3 price drop delivers the lowest price to date as Black Friday Deals Week kicks off. Plus, grab AirPods 4 with ANC for $109, a staggering $70 discount.AirPods Pro 3 dip to lowest price ever during Amazon Black Friday Deals Week.Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $219.99 at Amazon during Black Friday Deals Week, reflecting a $30 discount off MSRP.Save up to $120 on AirPods Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Best AirPods Black Friday deals: Amazon slashes AirPods Pro 3 to $219, AirPods 4 with ANC $109, AirPods Max $120 off Amazon's AirPods Pro 3 price drop delivers the lowest price to date as Black Friday Deals Week kicks off. Plus, grab AirPods 4 with ANC for $109, a staggering $70 discount.AirPods Pro 3 dip to lowest price ever during Amazon Black Friday Deals Week.Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $219.99 at Amazon during Black Friday Deals Week, reflecting a $30 discount off MSRP.Save up to $120 on AirPods Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Best of 2025-2026: Must-have products for Mac, iPhone & iPad tested by Macworld Macworld
Apple released some great new products in 2025, from the stunning Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, to the incredible M5 chip, not to mention a new lineup of Apple Watches, the long-overdue AirPods Pro 3 update, and the iPhone 16e.
However, Apple’s not the only one innovating. Over the past 12 months various products have passed through our doors that will complement your Apple kit, many of which are leading the way in new technologies that are destined to make our live better and help us work more productively.
Below we have rounded up the new hardware and software that caught our eye in 2025. Macworld has pored through 2025’s varied ecosystem of Apple-related hardware accessories and software to pick our favorites of the year.
Macworld 2025/2026 Hardware Awards
Best Mac Docking Station: CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock
Price When Reviewed:
$399.99
Best Prices Today:
$399.95 at Amazon$399.95 at Apple$399.99 at CalDigit
While the CalDigit TS5 Plus is undoubtedly the ultimate Mac docking station of 2025, it probably hosts more ports than you need and is priced accordingly. The less-armed but notably more affordable CalDigit TS5 model still boasts 15 high-end ports, including four Thunderbolt 5 and 2.5Gb Ethernet. It looks great in the now-iconic CalDigit case and is the premium Thunderbolt dock within most budgets.
Connect with our reviews for more of the best Thunderbolt docks for Mac.
Read our full
CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock review
Best mouse for Mac: Logitech MX Master 4
Price When Reviewed:
$119.99
Best Prices Today:
$119.99 at Amazon$119.99 at B&H$119.99 at Logitech
Apple’s Magic Mouse is a fine pointing device, but it is rather limited with just two buttons and a few tricky gestures. Logitech’s smoothly curved MX Master 4 mouse has eight buttons and boasts new haptic feedback technology, an Action Ring, and longer battery life. A SmartShift feature automatically switches the vertical scroll wheel from line-by-line scrolling to super-fast scrolling when it senses you want to scroll much faster. –Cliff Joseph
Scroll through more reviews to find the best mouse for Mac.
Read our full
Logitech MX Master 4 review
Best monitor for Mac: BenQ MA270U/P
Price When Reviewed:
$549.99
Best Prices Today:
$399.99 at Amazon$549 at BenQ
The one thing that’s immediately noticeable with our recommended 4K monitor, the BenQ MA270UP, is its impressive image quality that makes it an affordable alternative to Apple’s 5K Studio Display. Colors are full of life, and the detail is excellent. One standout aspect of the image quality is how sharp the text appears. This is great for production and design work, but it can even make it more enjoyable to read and write. You might be able to find a 27-inch 4K display that’s a little cheaper, but it won’t look this good. It’s available with either a matte (MA270U) or glossy screen (MA270UP). –Roman Loyola
Read our big-screen reviews for more of the best monitors for Mac.
Read our full
BenQ MA270UP review
Best keyboard for Mac: Keychron Q6 Max
Price When Reviewed:
$239.99
Best Prices Today:
$191.99 at Amazon Prime$239.99 at Amazon$239.99 at Keychron
This big, beautiful beast from Keychron is one of the most comfortable mechanical keyboards around. The Keychron Q6 Max is endlessly customizable (both in terms of hot-swapping keys and switches, and using Keychron’s web-based Launcher app), but it’s also incredibly comfortable to type on for long periods. It has a full number pad, and customizable macro keys above it, as well as a full function row and that oh-so-satisfying volume knob. –Lloyd Coombes
Tap to about the best keyboards for Mac.
Best MacBook Charger: Rolling Square Supertiny 65W Charger
Price When Reviewed:
$49.99
Best Prices Today:
$39.99 at Amazon Prime$49.90 at Rolling Square$49.99 at Amazon
We haven’t seen a charger this powerful yet this minuscule before. You really have to see it to believe it. The Rolling Square Supertiny can keep even a MacBook Pro fully charged and can fast-charge a MacBook Air, although not at the same time, as it has just one port. It’s so small you could lose it in your pocket!
For higher power scan our reviews of the best MacBook chargers.
Best magnetic power bank: EcoFlow RAPID Magnetic Power Bank 5K
Price When Reviewed:
$69.99
Best Prices Today:
$69.99 at EcoFlow
This slim 5K battery pack has everything an iPhone power bank should possess: speedy 15W wireless charging, a built-in 30W USB-C cable, a clear battery percentage display, and a pull-out kickstand. You can find magnetic power banks with more battery power and even faster wireless charging, but none in a slim form factor as appealing as the EcoFlow RAPID.
For more portable battery pack options see our roundup of the best magnetic power banks for iPhone.
Best wireless charger: Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1
Price When Reviewed:
$129.99
Best Prices Today:
$129.99 at Amazon$129.99 at B&H$129.99 at Belkin
Previously only possible with the latest version of Apple’s own MagSafe Charger, 25W fills a dead iPhone to 50 percent in just 30 minutes for iPhone 16 or 17 owners. The first Qi2 25W charger in the Macworld Labs was the Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock. Not only is this the fastest 3-in-1 charger out there, but it’s also a striking low-profile design with an adjustable charging pad angling off a chrome-finished metal frame.
Ditch the cables and find more of the best wireless chargers for iPhone.
Read our full
Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock review
Best iPhone charger: Ugreen Nexode 65W Charger with Retractable Cable
Price When Reviewed:
$49.99
Best Prices Today:
$37.99 at Amazon Prime$49.99 at Amazon$49.99 at Ugreen
Tiny wall chargers are great for portability, but you must remember to carry a cable around with you. The compact and super-convenient Ugreen Nexode 65W Charger has a retractable USB-C cable built in, so you shouldn’t ever be caught without one. The 65W model has two ports alongside the 65W USB-C cable output, while the 100W model has three. Yes, 65W is more than enough for an iPhone, but this charger doubles up as your MacBook charger, too. Indeed, you can charge both at the same time using it.
Power on through the reviews of the best iPhone chargers.
Read our full
Ugreen Nexode 65W Charger with Retractable USB-C Cable review
Best DisplayLink dock for Mac: Plugable 5-Display Dock
Price When Reviewed:
$279.95
Best Prices Today:
$279.60 at Amazon$279.95 at B&H$279.95 at Walmart
To run more than two external displays off a single-cable docking station requires third-party DisplayLink software. This wonder can handle the most displays of any DisplayLink dock: even the notoriously limited M1 MacBook can connect five 4K/60Hz monitors. Five! The Plugable TBT-UDT3 is ready for speedy 2.5GbE networks and has powerful 15W USB-C ports, making it more than just a multi-display dock.
Multi-monitor our reviews of the best DisplayLink docks.
Read our full
Plugable 5 Display USB-C Dock (UD-7400PD) review
Best iPad keyboard case: ESR 2025 Shift Keyboard Case (Detachable)
Price When Reviewed:
$99.99
Best Prices Today:
$79.99 at Amazon Prime$89.99 at ESR$99.99 at Amazon
You don’t have to buy Apple’s pricey Magic Keyboard when this pro-level detachable Bluetooth keyboard and case offers so much: 20 degrees–75 degrees landscape, 70 degrees portrait, and 20 degrees drawing modes; a 65 percent larger multi-touch clickable trackpad; dual Apple Pencil holders; and up to 195 days of battery life. The ESR Shift Keyboard Case stays paired even when removed from the case, so you can type from anywhere (within 33 feet).
Find more of the best iPad Keyboards.
Best MacBook power bank: INIU Cougar P62-E1 20K (65W) Power Bank
Price When Reviewed:
$50.99
Best Prices Today:
$46.99 at Amazon$50.99 at INIU
The INIU Cougar 20K (65W) Power Bank stands out a mile with its colorful looks, smooth finish, and dare-to-be-different compact shape. Not just fun to look at and easy to hold, it performed excellently in our tests and features a removable USB-C cable that creates a handy carrying loop. There are more powerful laptop power banks, but the combination of good looks and handy portability made it one of our favorites of the year.
Less fun but higher capacity options can be perused in our reviews of the best MacBook power banks.
Read our full
INIU Cougar P62-E1 20000mAh (65W) Power Bank review
Best portable monitor for Mac: UPerfect Delta Mega
Price When Reviewed:
$649.99
Best Prices Today:
$589.99 at Amazon Prime$649.99 at UPerfect$739.99 at Amazon
A vertically stacked dual-screen monitor can be more ergonomic than side-by-side options, reducing frequent rotation of the neck. The super-adjustable UPerfect Delta Mega offers two 23.8-inch HD screens that can be folded up and simply stored out of sight in minutes, making it perfect for home-working environments. You can even bend it right back to offer front and back mirrored screens to share meeting content with people facing you.
Cast your eyes on more options in our roundup of the best portable monitors for Mac.
Read our full
Uperfect Delta Mega Dual Screen Monitor review
Best Apple Watch charger: Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Folding Wireless Charging Station
Price When Reviewed:
$89.99
Best Prices Today:
$55.99 at Amazon$89.99 at Anker$99.99 at Walmart
The lovely Twelve South Butterfly has been our favorite Apple Watch travel charger for a long time, but now the more snail-shaped Anker MagGo Folding 3-in-1 goes one further—charging not just the Watch but iPhone and AirPods (or another iPhone) at the same time—all in a pocketable, lightweight form.
Keep powered up with these best Apple Watch chargers.
Read our full
Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Folding Wireless Charging Station review
Best Car Charger: Anker Prime 25W Wireless Car Charger
Price When Reviewed:
$89.99
Best Prices Today:
$89.99 at Amazon$89.99 at Anker
With a magnetic phone mount that includes a wireless charging pad, drivers can power up their iPhone and angle it for simultaneous navigation or notification functionality. Boasting the latest Qi2 25W wireless charging tech, the Anker Prime Car Charger is almost as fast at charging as with a cable—essential if you need as much juice in the phone as your short journey will allow you.
Check out the best wireless car chargers for iPhone.
Read our full
Anker Prime 25W Wireless Car Charger (MagGo, AirCool, Pad) review
Best USB-C adapter for Mac: Satechi Stand & Hub Mini M4
Price When Reviewed:
$99.99
Best Prices Today:
$94.99 at Walmart$99.99 at B&H$99.99 at Satechi
We tend to think of USB hubs for port-deficient MacBooks, and you’d imagine that the Mac mini and Mac Studio have an army of ports in comparison to Apple’s laptops. However, the Satechi Stand & Hub for the M4 Mac mini fits neatly under the mini and adds three USB-A ports—two at 10Gbps and one at 480Mbps—at the front, plus an SD card reader. Even better, inside the Hub is an enclosure that enables you to add an NVMe SSD, which will be cheaper than paying Apple’s upgrade prices at purchase. —Peter Müller
There is an astonishing range of USB-C hubs, which you can discover in our reviews of the best USB-C hubs and adapters for Mac.
Read our full
Satechi Stand & Hub Mac Mini M4 review
Best MacBook bag: Troubadour Matrix Backpack
Price When Reviewed:
$279
Best Prices Today:
$279 at Troubadour
Apple builds its MacBooks to a high spec and premium design, so if you are carrying yours around in a backpack, maybe that should also be top-notch, too. The Troubadour Matrix offers chic styling and a generous selection of storage pockets, including one for your iPhone hidden in one of the straps, which means you can access it—or other valuable items such as your wallet, without having to remove the bag from your shoulders.
See more in our reviews of the best backpacks and bags
Read our full
Troubadour Matrix Backpack review
Best Headphones: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
Price When Reviewed:
$799
Best Prices Today:
$799 at Amazon$799 at B&H$799 at Bowers & Wilkins
The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 are even more expensive than Apple’s AirPods Max, but the sound quality is the best we’ve heard from any wireless headphones we’ve tested. The design and build quality are luxurious and are backed up by impressive battery life, too. –Cliff Joseph
Read more on the best over-ear headphones.
Read our full
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 review
Best iPhone 17 case: UAG Civilian iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Case
Price When Reviewed:
$64.95
Best Prices Today:
$49.95 at Amazon Prime$64.95 at Amazon$64.95 at UAG
You’ve spent a bundle on your Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, so do you risk its safety by keeping it bare or cover all that beauty in the name of protection? UAG has a range of orange cases that not only protect the new iPhone but might even make it look even better. The UAG Civilian Case is available in a bright orange, or for further defensive measures, you can choose the UAG Monarch Pro or Pathfinder cases.
Discover more of the best cases for iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max.
Macworld 2025/2026 Software Awards
Best Mac cleaning software: MacPaw CleanMyMac
Price When Reviewed:
$47.40/a year for 1 Mac, $119.95 for 1 Mac (one time purchase)
Best Prices Today:
$47.40 at MacPaw (first year, 1 device)$117.95 at MacPaw (one time purchase)
Few Mac cleanup apps are as comprehensive as this updated champ. CleanMyMac simplifies things by displaying the results of its scans as a series of tiles that give you a quick summary of each scan. A new 2025 Purgeable Space option scans your entire hard drive for old files, cache files, or temporary files and downloads that you can delete to save space. A revamped Space Lens provides a visual guide to the use of storage on your Mac, displaying all the folders on your Mac as a series of ‘bubbles’ of different sizes, indicating the amount of storage space taken up by each folder. Tidy! –Cliff Joseph
Stay streamlined with the best Mac cleaning tools for Mac
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CleanMyMac review
Best Mac antivirus: Intego Mac Internet Security X9
Price When Reviewed:
From $24.99 for first year, usually $49.99 a year (1 Mac) Using our link
Best Prices Today:
$24.99 at Intego
Some rivals offer more features, but only Intego Mac Internet Security X9 offers such an easy-to-use set of security utilities that help keep your Mac safe and running smoothly. It’s simple to download, install, and configure. It then checks for the latest viral definitions, downloads them, and gets to work setting up real-time scanning features as well as intuitive network monitoring that allows you to see and work with both incoming and outgoing Internet connections on your Mac. –Chris Barylick
Keep reading for more advice on the best antivirus software for Mac.
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Intego Mac Internet Security X9 review
Best disk recovery software for Mac: iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac
Price When Reviewed:
$89.95 a month, $99.95 a year
Best Prices Today:
$89.95 at iBoysoft
When you’re stressing over a data emergency, iBoysoft Data Recovery’s familiar interface and features will help you stay calm. Drive searches are speedy, the Disk Image and Unbootable Mac modules are novel and interesting, and the program does well to bring back most files with their original names as opposed to having to sift through thousands of generically named files in your data recovery folder. –Chris Barylick
Find more of the best Mac disk-recovery tools.
Read our full
iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac review
Best Mac Game: Cyberpunk 2077
Price When Reviewed:
$82.90
Best Prices Today:
$59.99 at Steam (Base edition)$82.90 at Mac App Store (Ultimate Edition)
We called it “possibly the biggest ever gaming launch for the Mac,” and there was nothing better than Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025. The Mac version fixes all the technical problems from the PC game, and CD Projekt Red has done an impressive job adapting it for the latest Apple silicon Macs. The first-person viewpoint initially suggests that Cyberpunk is a relatively straightforward FPS shoot ‘em up, but it’s actually a deep and challenging role-playing game, and it’s nice to see an RPG that is bold enough to step into the future rather than just relying on the tired old fantasy clichés of dungeons and dragons. Better late than never. –Cliff Joseph
The best Mac games you can buy.
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Cyberpunk 2077 (Mac) review
Best VPN for Mac: NordVPN
Price When Reviewed:
Basic plan from $3.09 a month for two years. Usually $12.99.
Best Prices Today:
$3.09 at NordVPN (Monthly)
Nord’s power features, like the online LAN option for gamers, are great, but it’s the ease of use that makes it such a clear recommendation. This fully featured, reliable, and fast VPN offers plenty of servers to connect to in a wide variety of countries, and with a minimum of fuss. NordVPN is our top choice right now because it stands out in so many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. –Lloyd Coombes
There’s a lot to learn about the best VPNs for Mac.
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NordVPN review
Best Virtual Machine: Parallels Desktop 26
Price When Reviewed:
Standard – $99.99 annual subscription or $219.99 perpetual license; Pro – $119.99 annual subscription; Business – $149.99 annual subscription
Best Prices Today:
$99.99 at Parallels (1 year)$219.99 at Parallels (Perpetual License)
Parallels isn’t the only option available for running Windows on a Mac, but its constant cycle of regular updates has ensured that it keeps up with the latest developments on Apple’s silicon Macs to ensure that it remains one of the best options currently available for running Windows on a Mac. With Parallels Desktop, you can create a VM that runs Linux, or even a VM that runs a different version of macOS itself. –Cliff Joseph
See our other recommendations for best Mac virtual machines.
Read our full
Parallels Desktop for Mac review
HomePod Gets Rare Discount at Best Buy Best Buy is discounting Apple's second generation HomePod to $269.99 this week, down from $299.00. This deal is available in both Midnight and White color options, and right now we're only tracking a discount at Best Buy.
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.
Discounts on the HomePod have been extremely rare, with the last notable discount occurring in the summer of 2024, over a year ago. Today's deal isn't an all-time low price, but considering the infrequency of HomePod sales, it's a solid sale for anyone on the market for the smart speaker.
$30 OFFHomePod for $269.99
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.
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iOS 26.2 is coming: Here are my three favorite new features iOS 26.2 is launching for all users next month, but I’ve been using the new update for a few weeks already in beta. Here are my three favorite new iOS 26.2 features so far.
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