Apple might actually be doomed if Siri misses another deadline Macworld
Remember enhanced Siri? Apple first announced it in June of 2024 and planned to deliver it in an update to iOS 18, but it never did.
You might be forgiven for thinking now that it will never get here. Even for wondering whether or not it’s worth carrying on and whether anything ever means anything anymore in this crazy, mixed-up world. If we cannot trust the word of a $4 trillion company, what can we trust? Our friends and loved ones? Have you seen those people? Uncle Jed insists that stew is a fifth state of matter that exists between solids and liquids.
At least now we know why Aunt Jan drinks so much.
At any rate, fear not, comrades! All is well, because Chairman Cook announced during Thursday’s conference call with analysts that enhanced Siri is still theoretically supposedly coming in 2026 to an iPhone near you! Huzzah!
We’re also excited for a more personalized Siri. We’re making good progress on it, and as we’ve shared, we expect to release it next year.
Apple CEO TIm Cook
What a heartwarming and tepidly reassuring statement in these uncertain times. The Macalope, for one, will definitely be toying with the idea of maybe possibly thinking about getting excited about it for a second or two.
To meet this deadline, Apple might be getting by with a little help from its friends, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The new version of Siri could have some help from Google’s Gemini.
Fortunately for Apple product users and fans of privacy, Apple seems to be getting a bespoke version of Gemini rather than funneling requests to Google. So, sort of like eWorld was a licensed version of AOL!
Eeeeeeee.
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The Macalope really hopes that’s a bad example, and it certainly is from the perspective of user base because enhanced Siri will instantly have millions of users while eWorld never gained much traction. But it is likely that enhancements will hit Google Gemini first and Siri second, much as happened with eWorld.
Sure, there are probably more recent examples than one that occurred before both Tom Holland and Zendaya were even born, that’s just the first thing that occurred to the Macalope, okay?
Gurman adds:
…there’s no guarantee users will embrace it, that it will work seamlessly or that it can undo years of damage to the Siri brand.
Good expectation setting. Thanks for that.
“I just want to be clear, this could suck, OK?” We got it, Mark. We’ve used Siri before, so… you know.
While Cook wanted to assure analysts and investors that enhanced Siri was on track, he also admitted that the company is always on the lookout for even more help. You know, just in case.
We also continually surveil the market on M&A and are open to pursuing M&A if we think that it will advance our roadmap.
Indeed, Apple has lost so many AI executives to Meta and other companies that it might have to acquire an AI company just to get some butts back in the seats. That department probably can’t even field a company softball team.
“Tell the Time Machine team we have to forfeit again.”
A thing the Macalope has not understood throughout this is that Apple is famously the company that is behind on AI. Why would Meta want to poach executives from a company that failed to deliver? Makes no sense.
Whatever, that’s Meta’s problem.
An enhanced, more conversational Siri has to be high on the list of user requests. While AI in general is a real mixed bag — Google included — and people are unlikely to stop buying iPhones over it, Apple has promised to deliver not once but twice.
Miss it again and the company might get a rep.
Apple @ Work Podcast: Google Workspace and JumpCloud partner to launch new cloud productivity solution for enterprises Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.
In this episode of Apple @ Work, Greg Keller from JumpCloud joins the show to talk about their new collaboration with Google, IT in the AI era, and much more.
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Apple gives old HomeKit architecture a few more months to live Apple has delayed shutting down the old HomeKit architecture, extending its life until February 10, 2026.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.1 update, includes bug fixes, new features, improved AI support You’ve been hankering for the first major update for macOS Tahoe 26 and it’s here. Apple on Monday released macOS Tahoe 26.1, complete with a slew of bug fixes and performance improvements. Here’s what you can expect to find: As usual, the update can be located, downloaded, and installed by navigating to System Settings > […]
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Rumor: Apple to ship first OLED MacBook Air in 2028 Come 2028, Apple will release a completely nifty MacBook Air with an OLED display. Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to transition the MacBook Air from LCD to OLED within its 2028 product line. This will be part of a larger transition to the technology, including the flagship iPad Pro and MacBook models as […]
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How can I re-create (or enable) the letter index scrolling like the Apple Contacts App? Hi r/iOSProgramming ! I have been working on my apps and one of the features I would like is to have a similar letter-indexed scroll bar like the one in Apple's Contacts App. I am wondering if there is a modifier I can enable this in SwiftUI's List or I have to implement it myself? […]
Check out this $24 credit card-sized tracker that plays nice with Apple’s Find My Macworld
TL;DR: A rechargeable, Find My-compatible tracker the size of a credit card — the MagTag is on sale for $23.99 and helps you stop losing your essentials.
Honestly, I’ve tried using AirTags to keep tabs on my stuff, but my wallet was too bulky with it. That’s why I was pretty excited to find the MagTag, a sleek AirTag dupe, especially now that it’s on sale for only $23.99 (MSRP $59.99). If you’re the kind of person who misplaces your wallet, passport, or bag more often than you’d like to admit, this thing is a game-changer.
It’s just 1.5mm thick at about the size of a credit card, and fits easily into tight spaces without that annoying bulge. It works seamlessly with Apple’s Find My network, so you don’t need to download another app or jump through setup hoops. I just added it in the Find My app like I would with any Apple device.
There’s a left-behind alert feature that’s already saved me from walking out the door without my wallet. You can also ping the tracker to make it beep if it’s hiding under a couch cushion or buried in a bag. It’s rechargeable via Qi wireless charging, lasts up to five months on a single charge, and is rated IP68-waterproof, so it’s built to last.
If you’re deep into the Apple ecosystem and want a low-profile way to keep track of your essentials, this is a solid pickup — especially at this price.
Join me and quit misplacing your essentials. Grab one of these credit card-sized MagTag trackers for just $23.99 while supplies last.
MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card – Works with Apple Find My AppSee Deal
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Hey vibe coders — build your own radio app with RadioBrowserKit Hey vibe coders 👋 If you’ve ever wanted to build a radio-streaming app (or add live stations to your music app), this one’s for you. I just open-sourced RadioBrowserKit — a clean, modern Swift package for the Radio Browser API. It’s built 100% in Swift with async/await, Codable models, and zero boilerplate. – Works great […]
How to stream 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' for free in 2025 Celebrate friends and family alike with the holiday classic "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" — here's how you can watch it for free on Apple TV.Image Credit: AppleCharlie Brown, Snoopy, and friends are back on Apple TV for the holiday season, with a free streaming window for non-subscribers. "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" will be available to watch at no cost from Saturday, November 15, through Sunday, November 16.Apple TV subscribers can watch at any time. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple’s macOS Tahoe 26.1 now available for Macintosh Apple on Monday released macOS Tahoe 26.1 which adds a new tinted option for Liquid Glass along with other features, bug fixes, and…
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Is it worth it to learn Objective-C now? Context: There are numerous job posts which want both Swift and Objective-C. Probably for maintaining legacy applications. submitted by /u/Zzaaheer [link] [comments]
Apple’s iOS 26.1 now available for iPhone Apple on Monday released iOS 26.1 which includes the following features and enhancements: Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
How to implement a video display like this? I want to display the frames in my app the same way they appear in iOS Photos, but it’s been difficult to replicate. I tried using a ScrollView, but the right side of the frames kept getting cut off. I then switched to an HStack, but now there’s an empty space on the left side […]
OS 26.1 Updates Bring Small Improvements Update to OS 26.1 for incremental improvements and security fixes across Apple’s platforms. Highlights include Tinted Liquid Glass, AutoMix over AirPlay, Slide Over’s return to iPadOS, and dozens of patched vulnerabilities.
OS 26.1 Updates Bring Small Improvements Update to OS 26.1 for incremental improvements and security fixes across Apple’s platforms. Highlights include Tinted Liquid Glass, AutoMix over AirPlay, Slide Over’s return to iPadOS, and dozens of patched vulnerabilities.
Apple releases iOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, other updates with Liquid Glass controls and more New updates include a small but noteworthy batch of fixes and features.
Apple showcases a very cool-looking new Apple One logo While the new Apple TV logo got all the attention today, Apple also quietly changed the Apple One logo with a callback to one of its most classic eras.
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I built the pet wellness super-app I wished existed years ago 🐾💛 My cousin’s diabetic cat almost overdosed on insulin. She lives in a multi-person household. Everyone helps with care. One morning, her mom gave the cat insulin, not knowing that her husband had already done it an hour earlier. A double dose. This could have resulted in something devastating. No neglect. No one being careless. Just […]
Epomaker MS68 review: Squishy and underwhelming The Epomaker MS68 is a compact 65-percent mechanical keyboard, albeit one that's spongy to type with and lacks proper macOS support.Epomaker MS68Creating a compact keyboard that appeals to all users is not usually a difficult thing for a manufacturer to pull off. With the market dominated by Windows users, it makes sense for manufacturers to stick to catering to that audience above all others.That often means macOS users are left behind for the most part. Sometimes companies add switchable configurations, and others even go as far as to add macOS keycaps with their peripherals. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Dia browser gets fan-favorite Arc features in attempt to win back users The Browser Company has updated Dia, its AI-powered browser, with a few features that users liked about Arc. Here’s what’s new.
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Apple Home update deadline pushed to February 2026 Users still running the old HomeKit framework now have a few extra months to update to the new Apple Home architecture. Here’s what you need to know.
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Apple discontinuing support for older Home architecture in February 2026 The original Apple Home architecture will officially lose support in February 2026, giving users additional time to prepare for the change and inevitable discontinuation.Support for the original Apple Home architecture will be discontinued on February 10, 2026.Back in May 2025, Apple announced it would be discontinuing support for the older Apple Home architecture by Fall 2025. The change wasn't entirely unexpected, as iOS 18.4 developer beta updates contained text strings urging users to upgrade to the latest Apple Home architecture.However, the iPhone maker has now decided to postpone the discontinuation of its original Apple Home architecture. Instead of support ending in the Fall of 2025, Apple's website now states that "support for the previous version of Apple Home will end on February 10, 2026." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
iOS 26.1 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.1 iOS 26.1 is the first major update to the iOS 26 software that came out in September, and it's now available for everyone. There are some useful new features in iOS 26.1 that address complaints about Liquid Glass and fix a longtime Lock Screen irritation.
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We've complied a list of all of the new features in iOS 26.1, down to the tiniest interface change.
Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle
There is a new setting for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. You can now opt for a more tinted look that adds opacity.
Under Settings > Display and Brightness, there's a new option to switch between Clear or Tinted settings. Clear is more transparent and is the standard version of Liquid Glass that displays the background underneath buttons, menu bars, and other interface elements, while Tinted increases the opacity of Liquid Glass to improve contrast.
You'll see the most noticeable difference in apps and with Lock Screen notifications when Tinted mode is enabled.
Lock Screen Camera Swipe
Apple finally added a way to turn off the Lock Screen gesture that opens the Camera app, which means no more accidentally turning on the camera when your iPhone is in your pocket.
In the Camera section of the Settings app, there's a Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera setting, and turning it off disables the left swipe that opens the Camera app.
There was previously no way to turn off Lock Screen camera activation without disabling the camera app entirely.
Phone Haptics
The Phone app includes a toggle to turn off haptic feedback when a call is connected or dropped, so if you find that little buzz irritating, you can now disable it.
Alarms and Timers
Apple updated the interface of alarms and timers in iOS 26.1. There's now a Slide to Stop bar on the Lock Screen instead of a tap to stop button.
You can still snooze an alarm with a tap on the oversized button, but to turn it off entirely, you need to use a slide gesture that requires more dexterity.
If you've accidentally dismissed an alarm while trying to tap the snooze button and then overslept, this will be a welcome change. Unfortunately, there is no option to choose to stick with the tap to stop button.
New Apple Intelligence Languages
Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.
The new languages join English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, and Korean, opening up Apple Intelligence to more people.
AirPods Live Translation Languages
AirPods Live Translation works with additional languages in iOS 26.1, including Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified).
At launch, Live Translation was limited to English (US, UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
You can translate to and from all of the above languages with the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, or AirPods 4 with ANC.
Apple Music
There's a hidden Apple Music gesture in iOS 26.1. You can swipe on the music player in the Apple Music app to switch songs. Just slide a finger over where the song title is listed, and it'll go to the next song or back to the previous song.
AirPlay
Apple Music AutoMix now works over AirPlay, so you'll hear AutoMix transitions when playing music over AirPlay 2-compatible speakers.
Apple TV App
The Apple TV app has a new, more colorful icon that adopts the Liquid Glass aesthetic. The redesign coincides with Apple's decision to drop the "Plus" from its Apple TV streaming service. Apple TV+ is now called Apple TV in the Apple TV app.
Fitness App
You can now create fully custom workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone. There are options for selecting workout type, estimated Active Calories, effort, duration, and start time.
There were workout creation options before, but they were more structured than the open, custom creation options that are in iOS 26.1.
Settings App
Apple changed the alignment of icons and text in the Settings app. All settings with headers that feature text now have that text aligned to the left instead of center aligned. It's a small change that makes a big visual difference.
This includes General, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Cellular, Personal Hotspot, Accessibility, Apple Intelligence, and more.
Home Screen Folders
When you tap into a folder on the Home Screen, the name of the folder at the top is left aligned instead of center aligned, matching the changes made in the Settings app.
Phone
The Phone keypad now uses Liquid Glass for the numbers, fixing a visual issue present in iOS 26.
Photos
The slider for scrubbing through videos in the Photos app has a new look.
The Photos app navigation bar has a slightly more frosted look that makes it easier to see on light backgrounds.
The interface for managing multiple photos that you've selected has been tweaked slightly. Play as Slideshow, Favorite, and Hide have been relocated to the top of the menu.
Safari
The Tab Bar (Bottom) in Safari is wider with less padding around the edges, so there's less wasted space. In Reduce Transparency mode, there's more padding, so it no longer looks odd.
Background Security Improvements
The Privacy and Security section of the Settings app has a toggle to automatically download and install security improvements. It's a revamp of the prior Rapid Security Responses feature that allows Apple to provide security updates without having to offer a full new version of iOS.
Display Settings
The Display section of the Settings app now has iOS 26-themed wallpaper instead of iOS 18 wallpaper, fixing an iOS 26 oversight.
Liquid Glass
The light refraction effect around apps is now more subtle with darker icon colors and background colors. It's a subtle change that most might not notice.
Wallpaper
When setting a wallpaper on the Lock Screen, instructions like Pinch to Crop show up momentarily and then disappear rather than being shown all the time, which gives a better view of your wallpaper when you're choosing how you want it to appear.
Display Accessibility
Under the Display and Text Size section in the Accessibility settings, there is a "Display Borders" toggle. It adds a border to all buttons, and replaces the prior "Button Shapes" setting.
Local Capture Settings
There's an option to set a location in the Files app for audio and video recordings from calls. It's available by going to Settings > General > Local Capture.
External Microphones
There's an option to adjust input gain when using an external microphone with local capture.
FaceTime
FaceTime now supports improved audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions.
Communication Safety
Communication Safety and Web content filters that limit access to adult websites are not enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17.
iPadOS 26.1 - Slide Over
Many of the changes above are in iPadOS 26.1 too, and iPadOS 26.1 also includes major changes to multitasking. With iPadOS 26.1, Apple reintroduced Slide Over. Slide Over works alongside the window-based iPadOS 26 multitasking functionality, so you can have multiple windows open and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app.
You can only have one Slide Over app at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and you can use the feature by tapping on the green window resizing button and toggling on Enter Slide Over.
The iPadOS 26.1 update also brings a Vision Pro app to the iPad.
Download iOS 26.1
You can get the update by opening up the Settings app, choosing the General section, and tapping on Software Update.
Compatibility
iOS 26.1 is available on all devices that are able to run iOS 26, which includes the iPhone 11 and later along with the iPhone SE 2.
iPadOS 26.1 is available on all iPads able to run iPadOS 26.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple One Gets New Colorful Logo Following Apple TV Rebrand Apple updated the logo and name for its Apple TV streaming service today, and it looks like Apple One might be next. On the revamped Apple TV website, there's a new, more colorful Apple One logo available.
The logo features an Apple icon that's split into six slices, and each slice includes the color that Apple uses for one of the services included in Apple One Premium.
Apple One is Apple's paid service that combines several subscriptions in a single bundle price. Apple hadn't designed a recognizable logo for Apple One until now, and the new design still hasn't been added to the standalone Apple One website.
Since Apple is rebranding the Apple TV streaming service, it makes sense for the company to also push the Apple One subscription bundle. Apple One is priced at $19.95 per month for the individual plan, which includes 50GB of iCloud storage, Apple TV, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade.
The $25.95 per month Family option offers the same services with 200GB of iCloud storage and access for up to five people, while the $37.95 per month Premier plan includes access to 2TB of iCloud+ storage, Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple News Plus, and Apple Fitness Plus. Apple's bundles offer savings ranging from $12 per month to $32 per month.Tag: Apple OneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
WatchOS Analytics Options? Hey all, Was wondering if anyone here is getting feature-level analytics for your watchOS apps aside from using amplitude or a custom event system? Have been trying to figure this out for a bit (especially for standalone watch apps) and feel a bit stuck. Would greatly appreciate any insight 🙏 submitted by /u/Joecorcoran […]
Apple brings the App Store to the web Macworld
It’s a strange thing to consider novel in 2025, but Apple has finally put its complete App Store on the web.
You can search and browse the App Store for all of Apple’s platforms, in their entirety. Just select the platform in the upper left: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision, Watch, or Apple TV.
Naturally you can’t actually download apps from any web browser, but there are share buttons, and on the Mac, links to open the app on the Mac App Store.
Other than that, this appears to be a more or less complete App Store experience. There are full reviews, descriptions, update history, even Apple’s Privacy “Nutrition Labels.” You can browse Apple’s promotional stories and lists as well. With very few exceptions, this is the same experience you get on each platform, only freely available on the web.
The App Store on the web includes all of Apple’s promotional stories.Foundry
Individual apps used to have web listings but they were quite limited in scope, and the broader App Store—able to browse and search at will—could only be found by opening the App Store app on an Apple device.
iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1 bring multiple critical security fixes; here’s the full list Apple has published the full release notes for the security updates included in iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1. If you were looking for a reason to update, here are about 50 of them.
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First indie app, stuck on Apple’s Screen Time entitlement. How did you get through this? Hey everyone, solo iOS dev here. I finally built something I’m proud of: a super simple focus app that uses Apple’s Screen Time APIs to block my “doomscroll” apps on a schedule. It works great in dev, but I can’t ship because my request for the Family Controls distribution entitlement has been pending for weeks. […]
Apple Delays Home App Update Requirement Until February 2026 Apple plans to end support for the previous version of Apple Home on February 10, 2026, according to an updated support document published today. Apple previously said that the older architecture would no longer be supported as of fall 2025, but customers now have a few more months to update.
Users will need to transition to the new HomeKit architecture by next February to avoid interruptions with accessories and automations.
The underlying HomeKit architecture was revamped in March 2023 alongside iOS 16.4, so Apple has been supporting both the new and old architecture for the last two years. There were initial problems with stability that may have discouraged some users from upgrading, but those problems have now been addressed.
When Apple stops supporting the original HomeKit architecture, it will break support for the Home app on devices running older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2 are the minimum versions of Apple's platforms that work with the updated Apple Home app, and older devices will lose access.
The update includes support for features like guest access, support for robot vacuum cleaners, and Activity History. Apple says it also provides faster, more reliable performance, especially for smart homes with a lot of HomeKit and Matter accessories installed.
The upgrade can be installed in the Home app by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and then tapping on Software Update. Apple says that customers who do not install the update manually may be automatically upgraded to the latest version of Apple Home.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
AI tool for app preview video generation Has anyone found a good AI tool to generate app previews videos? I'm imagining something like: – provide actual screen recording from the app to show different use cases – describe additions in a prompt like "add text overlay for feature 1 at the beginning of the video, then add text overlay for feature 2 […]
United States SMS Carrier Maintenance – Verizon THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 12, 21:00 PST - Nov 13, 02:00 PSTNov 3, 13:55 PSTScheduled - The Verizon network in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 12 November 2025 at 21:00 PST until 13 November 2025 at 02:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to and from Verizon United States handsets.
Canada SMS Carrier Maintenance – Freedom Mobile THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 7, 00:00 PST - Nov 13, 06:00 PSTNov 3, 14:10 PSTScheduled - The Freedom Mobile network in Canada is conducting a planned maintenance from 07 November 2025 at 00:00 PST until 13 November 2025 at 06:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Freedom Mobile Canada handsets when sending via subset of long codes and short codes.
United States SMS Carrier Partner Maintenance THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 6, 21:00 PST - Nov 7, 05:00 PSTNov 3, 13:57 PSTScheduled - Our SMS carrier partner in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 06 November 2025 at 21:00 PST until 07 November 2025 at 05:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to Liberty United States handsets via subset of United States short codes.
Apple is expecting a record-breaking Christmas shopping season Apple is set to kick off its 50th year with what's expected to be a nearly $140 billion quarter. Bloomberg News' Mark Gurman discusses…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
United States SMS Carrier Maintenance – Verizon THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 11, 21:00 PST - Nov 12, 02:00 PSTNov 3, 13:25 PSTScheduled - The Verizon network in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 11 November 2025 at 21:00 PST until 12 November 2025 at 02:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to and from Verizon United States handsets.
These 7 new features make iOS 26.1 a must-have instant iPhone update Macworld
Just over a month after the official release of iOS 26 to the public, Apple is now rolling out iOS 26.1, the first major update to Apple’s new iPhone OS. While the 26.1 update isn’t a huge one, it does bring some important new settings and interface tweaks.
From an option to adjust the intensity of Liquid Glass to new gestures on the Lock Screen and the Music app, read on as we dig into everything new in iOS 26.1 and why you should rush to update your iPhone or iPad right now.
Make Liquid Glass more frosted
One of the main highlights of iOS 26 is the new Liquid Glass interface. However, Apple’s attempt to make its operating system look fresher and more modern has resulted in as many complaints as compliments.
After many attempts to fine-tune Liquid Glass, Apple decided to give users control over the interface. That’s because iOS 26.1 adds a new toggle to radically adjust the appearance of Liquid Glass. Now you can choose between “Clear” mode to stick with Liquid Glass’s transparency or “Tinted” mode for higher opacity and better contrast.
You can now opt out of Liquid Glass.Foundry
To do this, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass and choose the best option for you.
If you’re part of the group of users who were unhappy with Liquid Glass in iOS 26.1, you’ll certainly appreciate the new “Tinted” mode. Of course, if you like Liquid Glass, you don’t need to do anything about it – and you can rest easy without worrying about Apple backtracking on Liquid Glass now that there’s an option.
Don’t sleep through alarms anymore
iOS 26 brought another small but impactful change to the lives of iPhone users: the alarm interface. Some users didn’t like how Apple made the stop alarm button much larger in iOS 26 and placed it just below the Snooze button, which is the same size but a different color.
As a result, a number of users have claimed that they’re oversleeping because they turned off the alarm instead of hitting the snooze right after waking up.
Alarms are much harder to turn off in iOS 26.1.Foundry
To fix this, iOS 26.1 once again tweaks the alarm interface. Now, Apple has added a “Slide to Stop” feature, which requires users to slide their finger from left to right to turn off alarms completely. But if you think that’s too complicated and want the old Stop button back, here’s what you can do.
Once you install iOS 26, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and enable the “Prefer Single-Touch Actions” toggle. This will bring back the button to stop the alarm instead of the new swipe gesture.
Stop accidentally launching the camera
While iOS already offers an option for users to remove the Camera button from the Lock Screen, the app is also accessible by swiping from right to left. If, for some reason, you want to completely remove access to the Camera app from the Lock Screen, you can now do so.
By going to Settings > Camera and turning off the “Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera” toggle, the Camera app will no longer be accessible by swiping your finger on the Lock Screen. Of course, you can still access the app in other ways, such as by pressing the Camera Control on iPhone 16 or later. But that can also be turned off.
Although swiping to open the Camera app is meant to be a useful shortcut, some users complain about accidental launches when the iPhone is in their pocket, resulting in excessive battery drain. If that’s the case, iOS 26.1 is the update for you.
Swipe to change tracks
iOS 26.1 also makes it easier to skip songs in the Apple Music app. Instead of having to open the full-screen player or press any buttons, all you need to do now is swipe your finger on the mini player to skip to the next song or go back to the previous one.
Give it a try after you update: play an album or playlist, then minimize the player and test the swipe gestures. Although it’s not a life-changing feature, it’s certainly slicker than tapping the skip button.
Apple Music has a new skip gesture in iOS 26.1.Foundry
Use Apple Intelligence in more languages
Introduced last year, Apple Intelligence is what Apple calls its set of AI-based features. This includes things like Writing Tools for reviewing text, Genmoji for creating your own emojis, and Visual Intelligence for searching for things with your iPhone camera.
Apple Intelligence has been available in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, and Korean. With iOS 26.1, Apple is expanding support for Apple Intelligence to more languages. These include: Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Portuguese (Portugal), Vietnamese, and Turkish.
If you speak one of these languages and have a compatible device (iPhone 15 Pro or later), go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri after updating to iOS 26.1 and make sure to enable the Apple Intelligence toggle.
Quickly patch security holes
As we previously reported here at Macworld, iOS 26.1 revamped a feature formerly known as “Rapid Security Responses.” Now called “Security Improvements,” the feature can automatically and silently install security patches on your iPhone or iPad without requiring you to download a new version of iOS.
If you want to make sure your device is always secure with the latest patches, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Background Security Improvements and enable the Automatically Install option.
Security updates will be much less painful after the iOS 26.1 update is installed.Foundry
This may sound like a small thing, but many users forget to install iOS updates. That’s why having the option to install security patches automatically without any action is actually huge.
Get Slide Over back on iPad
Good news for iPad users. iPadOS 26.1 brings back Slide Over, one of the iPad’s multitasking features that lets users keep an app always visible on the screen, overlaying other apps.
Although iPadOS 26 has improved multitasking and window management in many ways, the removal of Slide Over has left some iPad users upset. Thankfully, Apple listened to the feedback and brought the feature back.
This time, users will find Slide Over by tapping and holding the green resize button in the upper-left corner of any app window.
Slide Over disappeared in iOS 26, but it’s back in iOS 26.1.Foundry
Update now
For those who have already updated to iOS 26, the update to version 26.1 makes the system even more reliable and secure, and adds some extra features. And if you’re still running iOS 18 for some reason, now might be the right time to update to iOS 26 and take advantage of everything new in iOS 26.1.
You can update your device by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It’s available for all iPhones and iPads already compatible with iOS 26.
iOS 26.1: Here are Apple’s official release notes As we reported earlier today, iOS 26.1 is now available to iPhone users everywhere. The update brings changes to Liquid Glass, updates to the Music app, and more. Here are Apple’s full release notes for the update.
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5 new features in iOS 26.1 you don’t want to miss Apple’s iOS 26.1 update is out now; there are five features you should check out after you install it — changes to Liquid Glass and more.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Apple releases 26.1 updates for tvOS, HomePod Apple has just rolled out tvOS 26.1, and as expected, it's another standard minor update primarily focused on quality-of-life upgrades.Most of the updates to tvOS focus on improving stability and addressing any bugs that have popped up.It seems like tvOS 26.1 was one of those updates. The only outwardly visible change was the rebranding of the Apple TV app, which got an update to reflect the recent Apple TV+ rebrand. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple releases 26.1 updates for tvOS, HomePod Apple has just rolled out tvOS 26.1, and as expected, it's another standard minor update primarily focused on quality-of-life upgrades.Most of the updates to tvOS focus on improving stability and addressing any bugs that have popped up.It seems like tvOS 26.1 was one of those updates. The only outwardly visible change was the rebranding of the Apple TV app, which got an update to reflect the recent Apple TV+ rebrand. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
visionOS 26.1 arrives with minimal bug fixes Apple is releasing its first point update for the OS 26 cycle, and while visionOS doesn't get much in the way of new features, it still gets an update with general bug fixes.visionOS 26 introduces PSVR2 controller supportEach operating system release tends to pick a specific feature set to focus on across the ecosystem, and the point one cycle doesn't have much for the Apple Vision Pro. The iOS 26.1 release provides more languages for Apple Intelligence Live Translation and laid the groundwork for future AI updates.While these Apple Intelligence updates are ecosystem-wide, Apple's focus is on iOS this time around. The visionOS 26.1 update has a few bug fixes, but not much else. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
visionOS 26.1 arrives with minimal bug fixes Apple is releasing its first point update for the OS 26 cycle, and while visionOS doesn't get much in the way of new features, it still gets an update with general bug fixes.visionOS 26 introduces PSVR2 controller supportEach operating system release tends to pick a specific feature set to focus on across the ecosystem, and the point one cycle doesn't have much for the Apple Vision Pro. The iOS 26.1 release provides more languages for Apple Intelligence Live Translation and laid the groundwork for future AI updates.While these Apple Intelligence updates are ecosystem-wide, Apple's focus is on iOS this time around. The visionOS 26.1 update has a few bug fixes, but not much else. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
United States SMS Carrier Maintenance – Verizon THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 10, 21:00 PST - Nov 11, 02:00 PSTNov 3, 12:56 PSTScheduled - The Verizon network in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 10 November 2025 at 21:00 PST until 11 November 2025 at 02:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS to and from Verizon United States handsets.
Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.1, here’s everything new Alongside the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, macOS Tahoe 26.1 is rolling out right now. Here’s what’s new.
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watchOS 26.1 brings performance, stability & language upgrades About six weeks after its major overhaul, Apple has released watchOS 26.1 as a maintenance update focused on stability and refinement.Apple has released watchOS 26.1Apple has addressed early bugs, improved responsiveness, and tightened security. While there are no sweeping new features, the update refines what Apple introduced in watchOS 26.These features include better handling of gestures, smarter widgets, and improved syncing across devices. Apple emphasized that watchOS 26.1 focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
iPadOS 26.1 expands Apple Intelligence, brings back Slide Over Apple has released its iPadOS 26.1 update to the public, bringing changes to Liquid Glass as well as a return of Slide Over following its removal in iPadOS 26.Slide Over is back again in iPadOS 26.1After the milestone release of iPadOS 26 on September 15, Apple has issued its first major public patch to the operating system. The update brings the iPad operating system to version 26.1, in line with others in Apple's ecosystem.While the main version 26 release introduced many new features, the version 26.1 update doesn't have quite as many changes. Instead, such releases make smaller tweaks to what's available, and typically introduce new elements that didn't quite make it to the first one. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
First major update of macOS Tahoe is now available Following several rounds of beta testing, macOS Tahoe 26.1 is now out, with a focus on bug fixes and graphical improvements.The new macOS Tahoe brings Liquid Glass but also new features like the Phone appThe new macOS went through five rounds of developer testing, beginning back on September 22, 2025. Perhaps the most significant or visible difference is that Apple has added a control to allow users to customize Liquid Glass.The control is a toggle under System Settings, Appearance, which offers either Clear, or Tinted. It's Tinted that offers the new option — turning it on prevents quite so much of the background being visible through Mac windows and menus. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
iOS 26.1 arrives with new toggles and more Apple Intelligence languages Apple's iOS 26.1 update is now available to all, featuring improved Apple Intelligence localization, along with new toggles for Liquid Glass, Local Capture, and more. Here's what's new.iOS 26.1 delivers new toggles and Apple Intelligence enhancements.Following the public release of iOS 26 on September 15, Apple has unveiled its next major operating system update. iOS 26.1 builds upon many of the visual changes and features previewed at WWDC 2025.With the initial rollout of iOS 26, Apple Intelligence received several enhancements. Apple delivered new ChatGPT-powered styles for Image Playground, along with improvements to Shortcuts and Visual Intelligence. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, more available now, here’s what’s new Apple has just released a new lineup of software updates across all major platforms: watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and more are now available. Here’s what’s new.
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Apple releases iOS 26.1 for iPhone with these changes Apple has officially released iOS 26.1 to all iPhone users. Here’s what changes are available to the iPhone in iOS 26.1.
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Apple Releases iOS 26.1 With Liquid Glass Toggle, Slide to Stop Alarm, New Apple Intelligence Languages and More Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. iOS 26.1 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 26.1 adds a toggle to increase the opacity of Liquid Glass for those who want less translucency. Alarms and Timers now require a swipe to turn them off, and there's finally an option to turn off the Lock Screen Camera swipe.
Apple Intelligence and AirPods Live Translation are available in additional languages, and there are small changes to Settings, Music, TV, Phone, Fitness, Photos, and Safari.
Apple's release notes for the update are below.
This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Live Translation with AirPods support for Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean and Italian
- Apple Music MiniPlayer swipe gesture to go to the next or previous track
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- Gain control is available for external USB microphones when recording with local capture
- Local capture files can be saved to a specific location
- Manual workout logging is available directly from the Fitness app
- New Camera setting to turn on or off Lock Screen swipe to open Camera
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all iPhone models. To learn more, please visit:
https://apple.com/ios/feature-availability/
Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/125039For more on the new features in iOS 26, we have a dedicated roundup.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple releases iPadOS 26.1, here’s everything new Apple has released iPadOS 26.1, the latest noteworthy software update for iPad. Here’s everything new.
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Apple Releases iPadOS 26.1 With Slide Over Multitasking Apple today released iPadOS 26.1, the first major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.1 comes six weeks after iPadOS 26.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iPadOS 26.1 reintroduces Slide Over, a multitasking feature that was removed with the multitasking overhaul in iPadOS 26.
Slide Over works alongside the window-based multitasking functionality in iPadOS 26, so you can open up multiple app windows and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app. Only one Slide Over app is supported at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and the feature is accessible by tapping on the green window resizing button and choosing Enter Slide Over.
iPadOS 26.1 also includes almost all of the new features that are in iOS 26.1, such as a toggle to reduce Liquid Glass transparency and Apple Intelligence support for new languages. Apple's release notes for the update are below.Apple's release notes are below.
Slide Over
- Slide Over lets you keep a window on top of other windows, and easily hide off screen when not in use
- Resizable windows in Slide Over let you choose your preferred size and aspect ratio
Local capture
- Gain control is available for external USB microphones when recording with local capture
- Option to let you choose where local capture files are saved
This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Apple Music MiniPlayer swipe gesture to go to the next or previous track
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- New Camera setting to turn on or off Lock Screen swipe to open Camera
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
- Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app, now available on iPad
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all iPad models. To learn more, please visit:
https://apple.com/ios/feature-availability/
Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/125039A list of features in iOS 26.1 can be found in our iOS 26.1 launch post, and more info on iPadOS 26 is available in our roundup.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.1 With New Liquid Glass Setting and More Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.1, the first major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.1 comes 49 days after Apple first released macOS Tahoe.
Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds a toggle that allows you to select a Tinted mode for Liquid Glass, adding additional opacity. There are also improvements to AirPlay and FaceTime, with Apple's full release notes below.
This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit: support.apple.com/100100.
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. To learn more, please visit: apple.com/macos/feature-availability.
Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit: support.apple.com/125039.
More information on the features in macOS Tahoe can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe 26Related Forum: macOS TahoeThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.1 With New Liquid Glass Setting and More Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.1, the first major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.1 comes 49 days after Apple first released macOS Tahoe.
Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds a toggle that allows you to select a Tinted mode for Liquid Glass, adding additional opacity. There are also improvements to AirPlay and FaceTime, with Apple's full release notes below.
This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit: support.apple.com/100100.
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. To learn more, please visit: apple.com/macos/feature-availability.
Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit: support.apple.com/125039.
More information on the features in macOS Tahoe can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe 26Related Forum: macOS TahoeThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases visionOS 26.1 With Vision Pro App for iPad Apple today released visionOS 26.1, the first big update to the visionOS 26 operating system that came out in September.
visionOS 26.1 adds a Vision Pro app for the iPad, allowing users to discover Vision Pro content and spatial experiences. The app also now supports AirPlay for viewing experiences from the Vision Pro on both iPhone and iPad.
Apple's release notes for the update are below.
This release includes improvements and bug fixes, including the expansion of the Apple Vision Pro app to iPad, and updates to Spatial Gallery.
Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app for iPad when you upgrade to iPadOS 26.1
Apple Vision Pro app on iPhone and iPad now allows you to turn on AirPlay to view experiences from Apple Vision Pro
Videos in Spatial Gallery will show playback controls and video length while in immersive view
Additional information on the new M5 Apple Vision Pro and visionOS 26 can be found in our roundup.Related Roundup: Apple Vision ProBuyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases visionOS 26.1 With Vision Pro App for iPad Apple today released visionOS 26.1, the first big update to the visionOS 26 operating system that came out in September.
visionOS 26.1 adds a Vision Pro app for the iPad, allowing users to discover Vision Pro content and spatial experiences. The app also now supports AirPlay for viewing experiences from the Vision Pro on both iPhone and iPad.
Apple's release notes for the update are below.
This release includes improvements and bug fixes, including the expansion of the Apple Vision Pro app to iPad, and updates to Spatial Gallery.
Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app for iPad when you upgrade to iPadOS 26.1
Apple Vision Pro app on iPhone and iPad now allows you to turn on AirPlay to view experiences from Apple Vision Pro
Videos in Spatial Gallery will show playback controls and video length while in immersive view
Additional information on the new M5 Apple Vision Pro and visionOS 26 can be found in our roundup.Related Roundup: Apple Vision ProBuyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases tvOS 26.1 Apple today released tvOS 26.1, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.1 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models, but Liquid Glass is only available on the second-generation Apple TV 4K or later.
tvOS 26 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 26.1 automatically.
Apple shares release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document when new versions are released, but no new features were found during the beta testing process.Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases watchOS 26.1 With Bug Fixes Apple today released watchOS 26.1, an update to the watchOS 26 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 26.1 comes a month and a half after Apple launched watchOS 26.
watchOS 26.1 can be downloaded for free on an iPhone running iOS 26.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update, or initiating an update in the Settings app on the watch. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.
No new features were discovered in watchOS 26.1 during the beta testing process, and Apple's release notes say the update includes unspecified "improvements and bug fixes."Related Roundup: watchOS 26Related Forum: Apple WatchThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases HomePod Software 26.1 With Performance Improvements Alongside iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1, Apple has released new HomePod 26.1 software for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The updates come almost seven weeks after Apple released the HomePod 26 software.
According to Apple's release notes, HomePod Software 26.1 includes performance and stability improvements.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod unless the feature is disabled, but the HomePod can also be manually updated in the Home app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and then selecting the Software Update option.Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod miniBuyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral), HomePod Mini (Don't Buy)Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto TechnologyThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Neato shutdown, iRobot potential bankruptcy & more on HomeKit Insider On this week's episode of the HomeKit Insider podcast, it's been a bad week for smart vacuum companies, a review of the Aqara G100, and more!HomeKit Insider PodcastStarting out the episode, your host gets into three bits of robotic vacuum news. DJI has launched its new Romo robotic vacuum cleaner with a clear outer shell and highly-touted AI navigation.Then we have Neato, the robotic vacuum company that went belly up in 2023. After pledging to keep its servers on until 2028, it's instead calling it quits early and decommissioning the cloud services by the end of 2025. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Next year will reportedly be a big year for Apple Intelligence (again) Macworld
It’s been over a year since Apple Intelligence arrived, and now we’ve gone nearly a year without any major enhancements. But according to a new report, 2025 2026 will be the year of Apple Intelligence!
Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter doesn’t break any major news on the AI front, but it does have some interesting tidbits about Apple’s roadmap for the next year. It all starts in the spring, with the OS 26.4 updates. When iOS 26.4, macOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and so on hit our devices sometime around March, we should finally get the new Siri we were promised at the last WWDC. Wait, I mean, the one before that.
This will bring three concrete features promised at WWDC in 2024: screen awareness (Siri can see what’s on your screen and act accordingly), personal context (Siri builds a graph of knowledge about you, on-device, and uses it to personalize its answers and actions), and the ability to take actions in and across apps.
More than just new features, the very core of Siri is being updated to use a modern and sophisticated LLM model, which should give it better understanding of what users are saying to it and more natural responses, in addition to tapping into a wealth of world knowledge.
Apple has reportedly been working with several external companies on the possibility of using a modified, bespoke version of their LLMs as the foundation for the new Siri, testing them against its internally-developed LLM in a “bake off” of sorts. In this latest newsletter, Gurman says the new Siri will “lean on Google’s Gemini model” it it sounds like Gemini—or some Apple-specific variant of it—will serve as the underpinning for Siri.
You shouldn’t expect talking to Siri to be the same as talking to Google’s Gemini, though. Not only will the base model surely be modified in significant ways, but Siri will have access to entirely different sets of data.
The new Siri is reportedly coming in iOS 26.4.Foundry
Smart home and OS 27
The March-April timeframe is also when Gurman says Apple will kick off its big smart home strategy. The first release will be a new smart display with both speaker-base and wall-mounted versions, and of course the new Siri will be a major draw to the new device. Over time Apple is expected to introduce more smart home offerings like cameras, a more sophisticated smart display on a robotic arm, and maybe even a doorbell or smart lock. Apple has big smart home plans, and they all require a huge improvement to Siri and Apple Intelligence to get off the ground.
In June at WWDC, Apple will unveil the OS 27 generation: iOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, watchOS 27, etc. These are expected to again feature “major updates to Apple Intelligence,” according to Gurman. Of course they are. Every tech company is all-in on AI now, no matter the cost.
While the specific improvements to Apple Intelligence for the OS 27 releases aren’t detailed, we can of course expect Apple to double down on Siri and expand capabilities related to the smart home, including AI vision recognition features that allow devices to recognize users and what they’re doing while protecting your privacy—these sorts of AI-powered features will be critical to future products like smart home cameras and smart glasses.
Of course, we’ve been here before. Gurman’s sources are no doubt accurate, but Apple has shown willingness to delay AI features when they’re not deemed good enough, and some of the features they have released (like Image Playground) leave much to be desired. We’re looking at a big year for Apple Intelligence in 2026 if Apple stays on plan and if the results are good and if consumers are happy with the changes, and if it can start to reverse years of brand damage to the Siri name. That’s a lot of “ifs.”
Apple To White-Label Google's Gemini Model for Next-Generation Siri, Report Says Apple is paying Google to create a custom Gemini-based model that will run on the company's private cloud servers and power the next version of Siri, according to Bloomberg. The decision marks a departure from Apple's tradition of building core technologies in-house. The arrangement follows a competition Apple held this year between Anthropic and Google, the report said. Anthropic offered a superior model, but Google made more financial sense because of the tech giants' existing search relationship. Neither company is expected to discuss the partnership publicly, the report added.
The new Siri will introduce AI-powered web search and other features users have come to expect from voice assistants. The custom model will not flood Siri with Google services or Gemini features already available on Android devices. Instead, it will provide the underlying AI capabilities through an Apple user interface. The company is betting heavily on the revamped Siri to undo years of brand damage.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple does launch new products in November, here’s when it happened last Apple has long been expected to launch a new Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini 2, and AirTag 2 before the year ends. But it’s somewhat rare for the company to unveil new products in November or later. Here’s when it happened last.
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WhatsApp for Mac now lets you customize chat themes With the update rolling out today, Mac users will have 38 color options to customize their WhatsApp chats, like on the iPhone version. Here’s how it works.
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Apple’s new Siri will quietly use Google’s Gemini in the background Apple's revamped Siri will rely heavily on a custom version of Google’s Gemini models, running securely on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
App Store Connect Data believable? Can you reliably believe their data? Version 1 of our app was shipped in December of 2019. ASC says we have over 87K installs since then. We shipped a new version lastr week and I see a decent blip of updates. Prior to that we hadn't updated in about a year. Since then ASC shows […]
Azure AI foundry and Xcode Intelligence? The company I am at uses Azure AI foundry for hosting its own instance of ChatGPT. I was given the API key and the endpoint, but Xcode only give me an error that it couldn’t download models with those credentials. Other people use the API key and endpoint for their projects and they have no […]
Apple’s new original podcast tells an ‘unbelievable true story’ Apple has announced “Adrift”, an eight-part original podcast premiering on Apple Podcasts on November 10. Here’s what to expect.
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Apple builds App Store for the web, and everyone asks, ‘What took so long?’ Apple finally put the App Store on the web. It lets anyone research the catalogue of iPhone, iPad and Mac software, and it’s long overdue.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
MagSafe Monday: Anker Zolo Wireless Charger delivers Qi2-certified 15W MagSafe charging for iPhone MagSafe charging docks are great for desks or nightstands, but sometimes a simple cable or pad is all you want to travel with. The new Anker Zolo Wireless Charger takes that idea and gives it a boost with Qi2 support for 15W fast charging. It’s compact, affordable, and built for people who want MagSafe charging for low cost.
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Three More Apple Apps Just Got Liquid Glass Updates Apple today updated three more of its apps for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, introducing new Liquid Glass-compatible icons for GarageBand, Photomator, and Pixelmator Pro across its platforms.
GarageBand for iPhone and iPad has an overhauled icon featuring a realistic-looking guitar instead of the silhouetted neon guitar icon that Apple previously used. Apple uses this same icon for the Mac, but curiously, the GarageBand for Mac app hasn't been updated yet.
We first saw the new GarageBand icon on Apple's iPhone tech spec pages after the September iPhone event, and now it has rolled out. Apple is also planning new Liquid Glass icons for iMovie, the App Store, Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, but these apps haven't had icon updates yet.
Apple bought Pixelmator, Pixelmator Pro, and Photomator in November 2024, and some of those apps were also updated today. Photomator for Mac, iPhone, and iPad got an update with a new icon. The icon actually looks the same on iPhone and iPad, but on Mac, it no longer has the unappealing border design in macOS Tahoe.
Pixelmator Pro for Mac was updated as well, and while it has the same general icon design, it also no longer has the awkward squircle border around it.
With macOS Tahoe, Apple made updates to icon design requirements. App icons that don't comply with the updated size and design rules are displayed with a translucent gray border around them until developers provide updated artwork.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
⚠️ Heads up: Scam email impersonating Stephen Robles offering a ‘Top Apps Video’ collab” We got this email last week. They had us fooled for a moment. Has anyone else gotten this email? Just curious if this scam is going around. We reached out to the real Stephen Robles on Instagram, and he confirmed it’s a scam. Too bad, we were really excited about a possible mention in his […]
Apple TV’s Pluribus is ‘riveting,’ ‘dazzling piece of entertainment’ per critic Pluribus is a new TV show from Breaking Bad’s creator that premieres later this week on Apple TV. And a roundup of recent previews of the show, including one from a noteworthy critic, make it sound very much like a can’t-miss series.
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NRT (Tokyo) on 2025-11-06 THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 6, 17:00 - 21:00 UTCNov 3, 19:07 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in NRT (Tokyo) datacenter on 2025-11-06 between 17:00 and 21:00 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.
Looking for a ready Flutter music streaming app (frontend + backend) I’m exploring options to launch an audio streaming app (similar to Spotify or SoundCloud). The audio content is fully licensed, so I don’t have to worry about copyright issues. I’m specifically looking for a ready-made solution or buying that includes both frontend (iOS & Android apps) and backend (CMS, user accounts, playlists, etc.), ideally something […]
Apple TV's rebrand introduces a new logo and a signature sound As part of its ongoing rebrand, Apple has unveiled a new Apple TV bumper — but blink and you could miss it.The new Apple TV logoOn Monday, Apple released a very short video showcasing the brand new Apple TV logo. The video will serve as the bumper that precedes every Apple TV production.The shift is part of the Apple TV rebrand. After removing the "plus" from Apple TV+ in October, Apple now oversees three different Apple TVs — the set-top box, the app, and, confusingly enough, Apple TV, its streaming service. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple finally brings the full App Store experience to the web Apple's new browser-based App Store lets anyone browse, search, and share apps across every platform, no Apple device required.App Store on the webFor years, Apple's web domain at "apps.apple.com" served only as a collection of individual app pages. There was no central hub, no way to browse categories or curated content, and no real search interface.That changed on November 3 when Apple quietly turned the address into a full-featured version of the App Store built for the browser. It's a small change in appearance but a major shift in accessibility. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple launches new web-based App Store Apple today unveiled a web-based App Store at apps.apple.com, enabling users to browse, search, and discover apps across…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Review: Asus ProArt Display 6K – a ridiculously good value at $1300 [Video] Asus has been on a roll of sorts with new display releases over the past few years, and it’s showing no sign of slowing down progress. One of the latest, and genuinely most exciting new releases is the $1300 Asus ProArt 6K Display, which offers an outstanding value for Mac users looking for something greater than 4K or 5K.
The $1300 Asus ProArt Display 6K PA32QCV features a native resolution of 6016 x 3384 within the confines of a 32-inch panel. For those keeping score at home, that’s the same 218 pixel density as Apple’s Pro Display XDR. Granted, the Pro Display XDR is in an entirely different league when it comes to display quality thanks to its incorporation of mini-LED, 1600 nits of brightness, and 576 local dimming zones, but its base $4999 price tag (sans stand and matte texture) most definitely reflects this.
Asus has taken a decidedly more economical approach with its 6K display, providing the same amount of screen real estate as Apple’s monitor for less than four times the cost. But that doesn’t mean it sacrificed the ability to provide users with a display that performs admirably given its price. Watch our hands-on video review for the details, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more.
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Apple unveils new Apple TV title card and it’s very different Macworld
About three weeks ago, we got word that Apple was changing the name of its Apple TV+ streaming service to Apple TV. However, the announcement was followed by inconsistent implementation; for example, the app in recent xOS 26 releases was renamed Apple TV, but Apple TV+ references are still present within the service. And Apple still airs commercials that say Apple TV+.
On Tuesday, Apple made another announcement about Apple TV. On X, the company posted a new title card, the branding you see just before a show starts on a streaming service. It has a new logo animation of the Apple TV logo, and the piano chord is gone, replaced by a jingle by Finneas, who’s mostly known as Billie Eilish’s brother and collaborator, and has his own solo career.
This is just the beginning.Music composed by FINNEAS. pic.twitter.com/DV8d2eK0B3— Apple TV (@AppleTV) November 3, 2025
The title card has become a valuable piece of video real estate for streaming services. Netflix set the bar with its familiar logo accompanied by the imposing “dah-dum” sound, and other services, including Apple TV, have followed suit. The old Apple TV+ title card was too much like Disney’s, but this new one finally feels more original and in tune with the company’s branding.
Perhaps it also means that Apple will finally replace all the mentions of Apple TV+, making pedantic editors who work on websites that cover the company very happy.
Apple TV debuts trailer for Apple Original podcast ‘Adrift’ Today, Apple TV announced “Adrift,” a new Apple Original podcast that shares the incredible true story of the Robertsons, a young British…
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GarageBand gets a minor iOS update, iWork still unupdated While the iWork suite still hasn't seen an update for iOS 26, Apple has issued a minor update to GarageBand for iPhone and iPad for the first time in a year.GarageBand's new icon for iOS 26Apple doesn't make many updates to GarageBand in general, with relatively few changes over the years. However, the November 3 update is a tiny bit more significant than usual.The update in the App Store brings GarageBand on iOS to version 2.3.18. The notes that accompany the update simply state that it "includes stability improvements and bug fixes," just as it has done for the four previous updates. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple TV’s new intro has three different versions, plus more tidbits Today Apple unveiled its new intro video for Apple TV content, with music created by Finneas. In an interview with Finneas at Variety, more details have emerged about the video, including the creative process, and the three different versions debuting.
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Apple Launches App Store for the Web Apple launched a new App Store on the web today, allowing users to browse through and search for apps across all of its platforms.
The updated apps.apple.com site provides a drop down for each platform, and it includes the Today section with app and game recommendations, categories, and Apple Arcade titles.
There is a search interface for looking up a specific app, and clicking on "View" on any app in the store provides screenshots and information optimized for a web view. The design mirrors the App Store on each of Apple's platforms, but it has a much friendlier web interface.
Apps that you search for on the web can be shared, or you can opt to open an app directly in the App Store if you have it installed.
Prior to now, Apple provided webpages for each app in the App Store, but there was no central site for content discovery.Tag: App StoreThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
CMP consent screen vs Att consent screen Hello guys, I want to use app flyer to track info inside my app, (how the user engaged with each page) and also I have this question that I dont know the respons to:If I want to run tiktok ads, : the app will will sent info to appflyer then app flyer will talk to […]
Apple launches rich new web interface for the App Store Apple has launched a dramatic new web interface for the App Store. You can now get the full App Store experience right in your browser, with dedicated pages for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision, Watch, and TV app libraries.
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Apple TV+ to Apple TV Rebrand Now Official, Here's the New Intro Apple's planned Apple TV+ rebrand is official as of today, with Apple updating the Apple TV+ page on its website to read just "Apple TV." Apple also shared a short YouTube video announcing the rebrand, featuring a rainbow-colored, animated Apple TV logo and a sound composed by Finneas. "This is just the beginning," reads the title of the video.
On Instagram, Finneas shared the same video, and said that he was honored to create the sound.
Never thought I'd get to do something like this but I am so honored and truly couldn't have enjoyed working on it more. hope this very short piece of music feels like it matches the things I love about Apple so much- They make such beautiful tools. Lucky to use em
The sound that Apple shared today will be played before every Apple original TV show and film, according to an interview that Finneas did with Variety. There are three versions of the mnemonic, including a main five-second long version, a one-second version that Finneas describes as a "sting" that might play for movie trailers, and there's longer-form 12-second version that will play in movie theaters at the start of an Apple Studios original film.
Apple's Head of Music, David Taylor, said that Finneas provided Apple with a "completely original sound that feels cinematic and magical."
The rebrand is still rolling out on Apple products, and the TV app continues to read Apple TV+ for now. Apple will likely update all Apple TV+ wording in the Apple TV app with the upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 updates.Tag: Apple TV PlusThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple just updated GarageBand for iOS 26, including new app icon Apple has updated GarageBand for iOS 26. The updated version includes the new app icon that was previously spotted on Apple’s website.
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Okay, I know what laptop to buy, but like, how much ram should it have and how much storage should it have? Other than coding, I would also like to use it casually, and I want it to be future-proof. Also, what type of CPU, 8 core or 10 core? submitted by /u/d2opy84t8b9ybiugrogr [link] [comments]
Apple shares vibrant new Apple TV intro with music by FINNEAS “This is just the beginning,” says Apple about what appears to be its new Apple TV intro. Presumably, this will be appears in the beginning of Apple TV movies and TV shows going forward.
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9to5Mac Daily: November 3, 2025 – New Siri rumors, more 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.
Sponsored by Backblaze: Never lose a file again. Use code “9to5daily” at checkout for 20% off or try for free.
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Best MacBook for students: Tried and tested for school, college & uni Macworld
Thinking of buying a Mac or MacBook for school, college or university? Here, in our best Mac for students guide, Macworld’s experts take a look at Apple’s current line-up and evaluate which Mac is best for students. We compare the MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college and examine whether a desktop Mac might actually be a better choice. And we’ll recommend which Mac to choose based on your needs as a student and the course you are taking.
Choosing the best Mac for college or university depends on what you are going to be studying as well as how much you have to spend. Luckily registered students can save money on a new Mac by shopping at Apple’s Education Store.
Students can typically save $100 to $200 in the U.S., in the U.K. the savings are from £100 to £200, Australian students can save between $150 and $330 and Canadian students can typically save from $130 to $270. Plus, during the summer months students can also get a free pair of AirPods or an Apple Pencil with a purchase of a new Mac (or iPad) in Apple’s Higher Education offer.
Despite Apple’s Student Discount and summer offer, our advice is to shop around for deals that may be even better. You may be able to get even more money off your Mac purchase if you go straight to a reseller and you can see the best offers right now below.
How to find Apple’s Education Store
Click on the links below to go straight to Apple’s Education Stores in the countries where most of our readers reside.
Apple’s U.S. Education Store
Apple’s U.K. Education Store (in the UK you will need to verify your student status via UNiDAYS before you can view the online store).
Apple’s Canada Education Store
Apple’s Australian Education Store
Just note that some resellers may offer a better discount than the one Apple offers students, so check the best prices right now shown below before deciding where to buy your new Mac.
Is MacBook Air or MacBook Pro better for students?
This is likely the question you are hoping to get an answer to: should I buy a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro for college? As you will see from the summaries below, the MacBook Air is the model we would recommend for most students, it’s light, has great battery life, and comes at a great price.
But there are reasons to choose the MacBook Pro, with its superior screen, extra ports, and 24-hour battery life possibly being essentials for your needs.
We also have a dedicated article where we compare the MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro in detail that you might find useful.
Best MacBook for students
Below we’ll evaluate the different MacBooks from the perspective of a typical student in the order that we recommend them for students.
1. MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 2025): Ideal student MacBook
Price When Reviewed:
$999
Best Prices Today:
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$799
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$799
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$899
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$999
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Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
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Price comparison from Backmarket
If you’re looking for a MacBook that doesn’t break the bank and offers the ultimate in portability and great battery life, then the MacBook Air is the perfect fit.
You might assume that the MacBook Air is low-powered in comparison to the MacBook Pro. Right now this is the case, but it isn’t normally. In October 2025 Apple introduced an M5 MacBook Pro which has a newer chip than the M4 MacBook Air. So if you are looking for the best specs the MacBook Pro beats the MacBook Air. However, in spring 2026 Apple is likely to introduce an M5 MacBook Air, at which point the gap will close between these two Mac laptops. But even when on paper they look the same, the differences are greater than you might think.
There are differences to the specs if you look closer. The entry-level MacBook Air costs $999, but it has an 8-core GPU rather than a 10-core GPU (which would be better suited to more demanding applications, like high-end games and graphics). It also only offers 256GB storage.
But, for an extra $200 you can get a MacBook Air with 10-core GPU and 512GB storage. It would certainly be worth the extra money if you can afford the mid-range $1,199 MacBook Air model. If your budget doesn’t stretch to that then we recommend that you factor in some iCloud storage so that you can avoid filling your Mac with photos and music).
The MacBook Pro with a similar spec to that mid-range MacBook Air (albeit with an M5 chip) costs $1,599, which is a big jump in price. For some people the extra $400 will be worth paying (as we will discuss below), but for the majority of students we think the MacBook Air will be more than suitable for your needs.
There are a few other things to consider. The 13-inch MacBook Air offers 18 hours of battery life, according to Apple. This is less than the 14-inch MacBook Pro’s 24 hours, but more than enough if you forget to bring your charging cable to the library.
The other difference is that there are fewer ports on the MacBook Air compared to the MacBook Pro, but the two USB-C ports and separate MagSafe port for charging should be sufficient.
How much can students save on the 13-inch MacBook Air, M4?
MSRP: $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 / CA$1,399Student: $899 / £899 / AU$1,549 / CA$1,249
Students save: $100 / £100 / AU$150 / CA$150
You’ll see the best prices right now in the block above, which may be even better than Apple’s education pricing.
2. MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 2025): Best value big screen MacBook
Price When Reviewed:
$1,199
Best Prices Today:
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$999
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$999
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$1079.88
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$1199
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$1199
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Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
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There is only one reason not to buy the 13-inch MacBook Air with M4: the 15-inch MacBook Air with M4.
The 15-inch MacBook Air costs $200 more than the entry-level 13-inch model, but it offers a better M4 chip as standard with the 10-core GPU, rather than an 8-core GPU. And there’s also a bigger screen.
Another benefit relates to the speakers, which are better than the smaller MacBook Air’s. Here you get a six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers rather than the four-speaker sound system of the 13-inch MacBook Air.
Obviously, the 15-inch MacBook Air weighs a little more and will take up more space in your bag, but if you want a bigger screen then that’s a fair price to pay.
Battery life is the same 18-hours as the 13-inch MacBook Air.
How much can students save on the 15-inch MacBook Air, M4?
MSRP: $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,099 / CA$1,699Student: $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,949 / CA$1,549
Students save: $100 / £110 / AU$150 / CA$150
You’ll see the best prices right now in the block above, which may be even better than Apple’s education pricing.
Read our full
Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M4, 2025) review
3. Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5, 2025): Best MacBook battery life
Price When Reviewed:
$1,599
Best Prices Today:
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$1,537.65
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$1549
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$1570
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$1599
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$1599
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Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
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The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is quite a leap up from the MacBook Air in terms of price, so you may be wondering why anyone would want to pay more for the MacBook Pro.
There are four main reasons to buy the MacBook Pro rather than the MacBook Air though. One is if the MacBook Air won’t be powerful enough for your needs. The thing about the MacBook Air is that it lacks a fan, which means that if you really push it then the Mac might slow down to avoid overheating. For this reason, if you want to use your Mac for heavy processing then you might be better off with a MacBook Pro. Although, in this case, if you have the budget, you might actually want to consider the M4 Pro MacBook Pro (discussed next).
Another reason to choose the MacBook Pro M5 over the MacBook Air M4 is the display. The MacBook Pro offers a 120Hz Pro Motion mini-LED display with up to 1,600 nits brightness in HDR, while the MacBook Air display is a standard 60HZ LED display and 500 nits. Due to the higher-quality display, you can expect smoother visuals, better visibility in bright environments, and better contrast from the MacBook Pro.
One other benefit of the MacBook Pro is the wider selection of ports than on the MacBook Air. The MacBook Air includes two Thunderbolt/USB C ports while the MacBook Pro models feature three Thunderbolt/USB C ports along with HDMI and an SDXC card reader, which will be convenient for those who want to connect external displays or transfer files directly from devices like cameras.
Finally the MacBook Pro battery life is an impressive 24 hours. More than enough to get you through a day and an all-nighter at university.
Are those extra features worth the extra money? The answer depends on what you need from the laptop. It offers better performance for CPU-intensive tasks, like video rendering, and the higher refresh rates will result in smoother visuals and be better suited to high-end games.
How much can students save on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, M5?
MSRP: $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 / CA$2,099Student: $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,349 / CA$1,969
Students save: $100 / £100 / AU$150 / CA$130
Read our full
Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5, 2025) review
4. MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro, 2024): Ultimate MacBook
Price When Reviewed:
$1,999 | $2,399
Best Prices Today:
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$1569.99
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$1,748.16
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$1789
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$1999
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Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
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Price comparison from Backmarket
It is unlikely that students need the power of the M4 Pro in the 14-inch MacBook Pro (or 16-inch MacBook Pro for that matter) and the price is likely to be prohibitive anyway. But we do see some good MacBook Pro deals, so if you can get a bargain then these more powerful MacBook Pro models are worth considering.
If you need a more powerful Mac because your course calls for it, or perhaps because you are a gamer looking for a machine that can meet those demands, then you can save a bit of money by choosing the 14-inch MacBook Pro over the 16-inch model. Both models offer the same specs, so you aren’t forfeiting any high-power options. However, Apple may be going to update these MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in the spring of 2025.
How much can students save on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro?
MSRP: $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,299 / CA$2,699Student: $1,849 / £1,849 / AU$3,069 / CA$2,509
Students save: $150 / £150 / AU$230 / CA$190
MacBook vs Mac desktop for students?
Student life normally involves a fair amount of mobility – traveling to lectures, libraries, the occasional coffee shop, and then possibly home for weekends and term breaks–so it makes sense to consider a laptop rather than a desktop Mac.
While the screen sizes in MacBooks are smaller than iMacs, you can always buy a cheap screen and use that with your laptop when you are home. Or, if you also have an iPad, you might be able to link your iPad to your MacBook and use the iPad screen too (here’s how to use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac). You could also use that iPad for taking notes when you are at lectures (read our guide to the best iPad for students).
However, there are some benefits to buying a Mac desktop. Generally, it is the case that you pay more for a Mac laptop, compared to the same specs on a desktop. The Mac mini, for example, is Apple’s cheapest Mac despite having some pretty impressive specs. However, if you compare the 24-inch iMac with a similarly speced Mac laptop the iMac is considerably more expensive.
Best Mac desktops for students
While we appreciate that there are plenty of benefits associated with choosing a laptop for university, you may be better off with a desktop.
1. Mac mini (M4, 2024): Cheapest Mac
Price When Reviewed:
$599 | $799 | $999
Best Prices Today:
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$499.99
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$599
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$599
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$599
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$728.27
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The Mac mini was upgraded in October 2024 when it gained the M4 chip (and the M4 Pro chip option discussed below). It also got a brand new, much smaller, design. It now measures a diminutive 5-inches by 5-inches (12.7cm x 12.7cm). So you can find room for it on your desk, or in your bag when heading home for the holidays.
In the U.K. Apple also reduced the price, so it’s now $599/£599 (the price hasn’t changed in the U.S.). The only real compromise is the lack of monitor and keyboard.
If you are on a budget the Mac mini is the way to go. Get an entry-level Mac mini and ask around for an old keyboard, mouse and monitor.
How much can students save on the Mac mini, M4?
MSRP: $599 / £599 / AU$999 / CA$799Student: $499 / £499 / AU$829 / CA$669
Students save: $100 / £110 / AU$170 / CA$130
2. Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024): Best value Mac
Price When Reviewed:
$1,399
Best Prices Today:
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Price
$1,269.99
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$1309
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$1311.67
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$1399
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$1399
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Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
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Price
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The M4 Pro Mac mini offers all the benefits of the Mac mini discussed above along with the more powerful M4 Pro chip which brings more GPUs and support for more RAM (unified memory).
If you need an M4 Pro chip the Mac mini with M4 Pro is a lot cheaper, at $1,299 (student price) than a 14-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,849 for students. Sure, you need to buy a monitor, mouse and keyboard, but you can probably find good deal on those accessories.
How much can students save on the Mac mini, M4 Pro?
MSRP: $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,299 / CA$2,699Student: $1,849 / £1,849 / AU$3,069 / CA$2,509
Students save: $150 / £150 / AU$230 / CA$190
Read our full
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024) review
3. Mac Studio (M4 Max, 2025): Ultimate Mac
Price When Reviewed:
$1,999
Best Prices Today:
Retailer
Price
$1999
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B&H
$1999
View Deal
Check
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Price comparison from Backmarket
The M4 Max Mac Studio offers more GPU cores and support for more RAM, at a much lower price than similarly specced Mac laptops.
If you need a powerful Mac, either because your course demands it, or because you want to spend your free time gaming, the Mac Studio is worth consideration, and the student discount is pretty good. We’d wait for the new model to launch though.
As with the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models though, we’d suggest that you probably don’t need this much power and could probably use the money for something more important, like accommodation or food.
How much can students save on the Mac Studio?
MSRP: $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499 / CA$2,699Student: $1,799 / £1,899 / AU$3,199 / CA$2,399
Students save: $200 / £210 / AU$330 / CA$270
Read our full
Apple Mac Studio (M4 Max, 2025) review
Which Mac should you get for university?
Our pick of the entire Mac range, if you’re a student, is the M4 MacBook Air. It’s light, fast, and with student pricing starting at $899/£899 it’s very good value. Our advice would be to spend a little more to get the $1,199 MacBook Air with 10-core GPU and 512GB storage, we think the extra $200 is well worth it.
If you are looking for the cheapest Mac you can get, the M4 Mac mini is a very good option. It’s powerful and with Apple’s education discount, it’s just $499/£499. You just need a monitor, mouse and keyboard.
How much can students save on a Mac?
You can save hundreds on a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and even a Mac Pro at Apple’s Education Store all year round.
Students can typically save $100 to $200 in the U.S., in the U.K. the savings are from £100 to £200, Australian students can save between $150 and $330 and Canadian students can typically save from $130 to $270. Savings are even bigger on high-end products like the Mac Pro, although we aren’t sure that many students need one of those.
Here’s how the Mac and MacBook MSRP compares to the student price:
ProductU.S.U.K.AustraliaCanada13.6-inch MacBook Air, M4, MSRP$999£999$1,699$1,39913.6-inch MacBook Air, M4, Student discount$899£899$1,549$1,24915-inch MacBook Air, M4, MSRP$1,199£1,199$2,099$1,69915-inch MacBook Air, M4, Student discount$1,099£1,099$1,949$1,54914-inch MacBook Pro M5 MSRP$1,599£1,599$2,499$2,09914-inch MacBook Pro M5 Student discount$1,499£1,499$2,349$1,96914-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro MSRP$1,999£1,999$3,299$2,69914-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro Student discount$1,849£1,849$3,069$2,50916-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro MSRP$2,499£2,499$3,999$3,29916-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro Student discount$2,299£2,299$3,699$3,049iMac M4 MSRP$1,299£1,299$1,999$1,699iMac M4 Student discount$1,249£1,249$1,919$1,629Mac mini M4 MSRP$599£599$999$799Mac mini M4 Student discount$499£499$849$669Mac Studio M4 Max MSRP$1,999£2,099$3,499$2,699Mac Studio M4 Max Student discount$1,799£1,899$3,199$2,399Mac Pro M2 Ultra MSRP$6,999£7,199$11,999$8,999Mac Pro M2 Ultra Student discount$6,599£6,789$11,309$8,479Apple’s discounted price for students compared to the usual price.
If you’re a student, you can also get Apple Music for half price with free Apple TV+ included.
How to get a student discount on a Mac
You can get a student discount at Apple’s education stores, but you have to qualify as a student in higher education, be a teacher, someone buying for an education institution, or a home educator.
School-age children can only take advantage if the equipment is being purchased by their school or if their parent is home-educating them.
If you are a registered student you’ll be able to get a discount on a new Mac if you shop in Apple’s various Education Stores (below). You can find out all about it in more detail in our Apple Education Store explainer.
Apple’s U.S. Education Store
Apple’s U.K. Education Store (in the UK you will need to verify your student status via UNiDAYS).
Apple’s Canada Education Store
Apple’s Australian Education Store
Getting a student discount from Apple’s education store isn’t the only way to get a cheaper Mac as a student though. There are various ways to get a bargain:
Look out for reseller discounts: Another way to get a bargain is to look out for deals at Apple resellers and Amazon, where we have see Macs with as much as $500 off the price. Take a look at our round ups of the best Mac deals to get the best prices right now:
Best MacBook Air deals this month
Best Mac Studio deals available now
Best MacBook Pro deals this month
Best iMac deals this month
Best Mac mini deals this month
Buy a refurbished Mac: Take advantage of Apple’s refurbished store where the company sells ex-display, returned, and previous-generation Macs at a discount. The benefit of buying refurbished from Apple is that the products are fully checked and come with a one-year warranty. You can also get a refurbished Mac elsewhere with many resellers offering the same service, but beware that not all refurbished Macs are equal. Usually refurbished means that the Mac is guaranteed to be in full working order, but do check with the reseller. Here’s a guide to how to buy a refurbished Mac. We also look at why you should buy a refurbished Mac. One thing to note: if you find what you think is a good deal on an older Intel Mac we do not recommend that you buy one. Intel Macs will likely only be supported with security updates for a couple more years, so you may find yourself needing to upgrade before the end of your course.
Buy second-hand/used: One advantage of buying refurbished is that it should be guaranteed to work and you should have no problem returning it if there is a problem. These are reasons why we don’t recommend buying a secondhand Mac. If you do see a deal on a secondhand or used Mac just be especially cautious.
The best Mac bargains are usually on older models, although we do see discounts on current Macs as well. If you see a good discount on an older Mac it’s important to be aware of what the newer models offers so that you know what you are missing out on and can judge whether the deal is as good as it appears to be. For one thing, older Macs are likely to feature Intel processors rather than Apple’s M1, M2, M3 or their variants, which could put you at a disadvantage in the future (and will certainly mean your Mac depreciates in value very quickly). Considering an Intel Mac? Our advice is: avoid, Apple will stop support for Intel Macs in September 2026. See: How long does Apple support Macs for.
For buying advice on the best Windows laptops, see our sister site PCWorld.
We also have a guide to help you get the best MacBook deals for students. We also offer advice about how much storage, RAM
Apple’s iPhone is four-times more likely to be stolen than an Android phone Even smartphone thieves don't want Android phones. An iPhone is four-times more likely to be stolen than an Android phone, but Apple…
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Save $50 on Apple Watch SE 3 during Amazon's early Black Friday sale Amazon launches another early Black Friday Apple Watch deal — this time discounting the new Apple Watch SE 3 by $50 (the largest markdown to date).Get an Apple Watch SE 3 for just $199.99 with early Black Friday deals.If a budget-friendly wearable is on your holiday shopping list this year, there are two deals worth considering during Amazon's early Black Friday sale. The latest Apple Watch SE 3 is marked down to $199.99, reflecting a $50 discount off MSRP in the 40mm case size. You can also pick up the 44mm case size for $229.99, also $50 off.Buy Apple Watch SE 3 for $199.99 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
The Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals Black Friday is just around the corner, and Apple Watch deals have begun appearing ahead of the shopping holiday on November 28. In this article, we'll take a look at all of the best early Black Friday Apple Watch deals, including the new SE 3 and Ultra 3 models.
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.
Of course, there is a chance that we could see better deals on these Apple Watch models arrive as Black Friday gets closer. This is a risk anyone has to take while shopping during the holidays, so with that in mind, many of the deals shared below are currently their best prices ever seen. More information on these sales can be found in our Black Friday Roundup.
Best Apple Watch Deals
Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm GPS) for $199.99 ($49 off)
Apple Watch SE 3 (44mm GPS) for $229.99 ($49 off)
Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $699.99 ($99 off)
Apple Watch SE 3
One of the best overall early Black Friday deals is on the new Apple Watch SE 3, which is seeing $49 discounts on Amazon this week. You can get the 40mm GPS model for $199.99 and 44mm GPS model for $229.99, but as of writing only the Starlight Aluminum models are being discounted.
$49 OFF40mm GPS for $199.99
$49 OFF44mm GPS for $229.99Apple Watch Ultra 3
Notable discounts can also be found on the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which is available starting at $699.99 for the Black Titanium model with the Black Ocean Band. You can also find a Milanese Loop model on sale for $799.99, both of which are $99 discounts.
$99 OFFBlack Titanium (Ocean Band) for $699.99
$99 OFFBlack Titanium (Milanese Loop) for $799.99Apple Watch Series 11
There aren't many big discounts on the GPS models of the Apple Watch Series 11 yet, but we are tracking a notable markdown on one of the high-end Titanium devices this week.
$49 OFF46mm Natural Titanium for $751.97
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all 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
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Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Deals: Apple Watch SE 3 best price, Ultra 3 $99 off, iPad mini 7 $100 off, Satechi Find My gear from $18, more Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are now ready to roll. Best Buy has transitioned into its official early Black Friday sale now and we have more than a few Apple deals that should be on your radar. Alongside all-time low pricing on Apple Watch Ultra 3 models at $99 off the list prices, the new Apple Watch SE 3 with the always-on display has now hit its best price ever starting at $200 shipped. We also have several M4 Mac mini configs at up to $110 off joined by $100 off all iPad mini 7 models, and exclusive all-time lows on Satechi’s latest Find My accessories at 40% off for 9to5 readers.
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