Apple’s iOS 26 push draws cheers from some, frustration from others
What are the real opinions on iOS 26? Find out what other iPhone users say about the new Liquid Glass design and interface. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Switzerland’s Competition Commission opens probe into Apple’s Tap-to-Pay practices
Switzerland’s Competition Commission (COMCO) has launched a preliminary investigation into Apple over its control of contactless… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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How to know when AirPods firmware is updating on your iPhone
Apple just released new firmware for AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2, but the installation process isn’t as straightforward as with other products. Here’s how to know when new AirPods firmware is actively updating on your iPhone. more…

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∞ The Dalrymple Report: Refurbished gear, Apple execs, and 3D printing
With the holidays coming up, Dave and I talk about buying refurbished Apple products and whether or not we woould do it. There has been a shake up at Apple with a couple of executives choosing to retire early next year. We have talked before about how great Apple hardware is, but 3D printing Apple Watches and the process they use takes everything to the next level. Follow this podcast Brought to you by: CleanMyMac: Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use my code DALRYMPLE for 20% off at clnmy.com/DALRYMPLE Show Notes: Buying Apple for Xmas? Consider refurbished Apple announces executive transitions Alan Dye Was in Tim Cook’s Blind Spot Apple’s Johny Srouji 3D printing Apple Watch and why it’s a big deal Shows and movies we're watching The Secret of Crickley Hall, Hulu Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros Hugh Laurie (House, The Night Manager, Chance) joins Apple TV’s “Tehran”

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Today in Apple history: Apple IPO mints instant millionaires
On December 12, 1980, Apple went public, floating 4.6 million shares of stock at $22 per share. The Apple IPO makes some rich, others angry. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Amazon blowout sale returns the M3 iPad Air to its amazing Black Friday low
Macworld If you missed out on the Black Friday iPad deals, then now’s your best chance to get one for the same great price: The 11-inch M3 iPad Air is $150 off at Amazon right now, which means you can snag one for the lowest price we’ve ever seen: just $449 when you apply the coupon on the listing. This is easily one of our favorite iPads, with a gorgeous 11-inch Liquid Retina Display. The powerful M3 chip delivers a fast performance for creative projects, gaming, multitasking, and general procrastinating. You’ll definitely be able to easily swap between apps. We tested the iPad Air earlier this year and gave it a 4-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award, appreciating its overall performance, the great display, and the excellent design. The recent update to iPadOS 26 makes this iPad Air more Mac-like, with better window management and a better interface, which is always great, because it just makes it better for work and entertainment. So go grab the iPad Air M3 for $449 while this deal still lasts. Buy now at Amazon

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TP-Link BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router review: Versatile, portable Wi-Fi router
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros  Lightweight, portable design  Versatile connectivity features  Easy to use Cons  No carrying case  More expensive than a conventional router  Modest, dual-band performance Our Verdict It’s a little more expensive than a conventional router, but the TP-Link Travel Router is one of the few that can actually join you on your travels. It also provides versatile connectivity features that make it a great option for anyone that travels a lot and needs a reliable Internet connection when they’re away from home or the office. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$139.99 Best Prices Today: TP-Link BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Most Wi-Fi routers are designed to simply sit indoors in your home or office, and are rarely even moved into a different room, let alone carried with you when you’re travelling. There are mobile hotspots that have a more portable design, but these are quite expensive and are primarily designed for business travellers who need to use mobile broadband when they’re on the road. The BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router (model number TL-WR3602BE) from TP-Link is something of an odd man out, as it sits somewhere between these two types of devices. It’s a little more expensive than a conventional router that provides similar Wi-Fi performance, but its portable design and versatile connectivity features will earn their keep when you’re away from home or your office. The Travel Router’s portable design makes it easy to carry with you when you leave home or your office. TP-Link At first glance, the Travel Router does look like a conventional router, consisting of a simple rectangular case with two antennae at the back to transmit the Wi-Fi signal. It’s much smaller than an ordinary router though, and the antennae can be folded flat to reduce the size to just 36mm high, 126mm wide and 93.5mm deep. It’s not quite pocket-size but you can easily slip it into a backpack or briefcase alongside your laptop when you’re travelling. The Travel Router packs a lot into that compact design, though. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi 7, running on the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands, with a top speed of 3.6Gbps. It doesn’t support the faster 6.0GHz band that is available with Wi-Fi 7 or 6E, but it will be more than adequate for use with most home or office broadband services, or for a spot of email and web browsing when you’re on the road. Admittedly, Apple has been a bit slow in adopting Wi-Fi 7 – even the latest M5 MacBook Pro models are still using Wi-Fi 6E – so if your Apple devices are mostly using Wi-Fi 5 or 6 then there is a less expensive version of the Travel Router that uses Wi-Fi 6 and costs just $99.99/£89.99. The Travel Router can work in a number of different modes, depending on how to want to connect it to the Internet. There’s a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port on the back of the router – with Ethernet cable included – that allows you to connect it to your normal broadband router at home, or perhaps to an Ethernet port in a hotel room, vacation apartment, or conference centre when you’re travelling, which will result in a better connection than joining the local Wi-Fi. There’s a Gigabit Ethernet port as well, to provide a wired connection for a Mac or PC. If there’s no wired network available then you can also connect the Travel Router to an existing Wi-Fi network, such as the public Wi-Fi in a hotel or airport lounge, and then use it to create a separate private network that has its own password to keep your devices secure. Mulitple ports on the back of the Travel Router allow you to connect to the Internet using wi-fi, Ethernet or USB tethering. TP-Link If there’s no Wi-Fi or Ethernet network available then you can use the USB-A (3.0) port on the back of the Travel Router to connect – or ‘tether’ – it to an iPhone or other mobile device so that it can use your mobile broadband to set up a private network that you can share with friends, family or colleagues. This USB-A port has another use as well – one that will particularly appeal to business users. If you’re using Ethernet or Wi-Fi to connect the Travel Router to an existing network, then you can use the USB-A port to connect an external hard drive or solid-state drive, and share it on your own network like a kind of portable NAS drive. There’s a USB-C port on the back panel as well although, somewhat oddly, this can only be used to power the Travel Router. There’s a mains power adaptor in the box – with U.S., U.K. and E.U. plugs also included – but you can also power the Travel Router with a portable battery pack or even from a USB port on a laptop. Using a laptop will drain the laptop’s battery of course, but it’s a useful option to have in an emergency, and we had no problems using our MacBook Pro to power the Travel Router.  Getting started is very straightforward, thanks to TP-Link’s well-designed Tether app. The app allows you simply scan a QR code on the base of the Travel Router to automatically connect to its Wi-Fi network, and then asks whether you want to use Ethernet, Wi-Fi or USB to connect to the Internet. You also have the choice of using the default name and password for the Travel Router’s network – which are printed on the base of the router, and therefore not very secure – or you can create your own name and password for extra security. The app provides some other useful features too, such as an Eco mode that lets you adjust the speed and range of the Travel Router in order to reduce power consumption – which will be handy if you’re powering it from your laptop.  The TP-Link app makes it easy to set up and use the Travel Router. TP-Link.com The performance of the Travel Router will vary, depending on the speed and type of network that it’s connected to, but it ran well when connected via Ethernet to our office network. It provided consistent speeds of 100Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, and a very healthy 750Mbps on the 5.0GHz band. Those speeds aren’t going to break any records, but they do match some of the more conventional dual-band routers that we’ve seen recently, so you’re not sacrificing any performance by opting for the more portable design of the Travel Router. Should You Buy The BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router? Not everyone will need a portable router such as this, but the compact, lightweight design of the Travel Router will be very useful for anyone that needs a secure, reliable Wi-Fi network when they’re travelling on business, or simply having a weekend away with friends or family. It’s easy to set up and use, and its versatile connectivity feature ensure that it can cope with a variety of different network connections wherever you go.

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Hit Apple TV thriller from Slow Horses author lands new season
Hit Apple TV thriller Down Cemetery Road just aired its season finale last night, but fans didn’t have to wait long to learn the series’ fate. Apple just confirmed that the show is coming back for season 2. Here are the details. more…

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This app lets you download videos directly from major streamers
Save videos you care about so you can watch them whenever you want with Keeprix streaming downloader. Works with Netflix, YouTube and more. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple TV renews acclaimed thriller ‘Down Cemetery Road’ for season two
Apple TV announced a season two renewal for acclaimed thriller “Down Cemetery Road,” starring and executive produced by… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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MacBook Air hits its best-ever price under $750 as Mac holiday deals heat up
We’ve been keeping you apprised of all the best Mac deals this holiday season, and we have a beauty of an offer to share today. Best Buy has the M4 MacBook Air down to its lowest-ever price of $749, matching Black Friday. The kicker here, however, is that you’ll also score a $25 Best Buy gift card with your purchase. 13-inch M4 MacBook Air 16GB/256GB $749 (Reg. $999) + $25 Best Buy gift card 13-inch M4 MacBook Air 16GB/512GB $949 (Reg. $1,199) + $25 Best Buy gift card And of course, we’re tracking lingering deals on the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and more. So whether you’re tempted by the ultra-slim and cute design of the Mac mini, the portability of the MacBook Air, or the sheer power of the MacBook Pro, there’s something for everyone in this lineup of Mac holiday sales. more…

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Apple's ghost town, new iPads, smart rings, and Snow Leopard on the AppleInsider Podcast
So many people are leaving Apple that it's a wonder it can still function with only 164,000 employees. But it's still bringing out new iPads, while Pebble has a smart ring, and the legend of Snow Leopard is back again on the AppleInsider Podcast.With all the staff going, Apple might as well demolish Apple Park — image credit: Matthew RobertsThe news is that more senior people are leaving Apple, and the context is that most of them are senior in another sense — they tend to be people who are retiring. While reports of the departures even threatening the future of the iPhone are ridiculous, these were key people who shaped Apple.Nonetheless, Apple is somehow going to manage to bring out new iPads early next year. The latest rumors seem to be settling on the A19 processor coming to the base model — which should mean Apple Intelligence too. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Switzerland opens antitrust probe over iPhone NFC access
Swiss regulators are examining what conditions Apple puts on third-party firms before it allows them to use the same NFC technology that enables Apple Pay.NFC payments are to be investigated by Switzerland's competition regulatorIn June 2024, the European Union forced Apple to open up its NFC payment processes to rivals. Apple then granted the same access to companies in a range of regions including the US, Canada, and Japan in August 2024.Now Switzerland's Competition Commission (COMCO) has announced a provisional investigation into the specifics of this access. COMCO says that this is in part to determine "whether other providers of mobile payment apps can effectively compete with Apple Pay." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Mystery solved: Here’s how to tell when your AirPods are updating
Macworld If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably Googled at least once, How do I know when my AirPods are updating? While Apple offers official documentation outlining what’s required to start the process, its guidance remains vague, providing no clear way to confirm whether an AirPods firmware update is actually in progress. Nevertheless, we’ve uncovered a subtle yet reliable indicator that reveals when your AirPods are installing new software. When the charging case’s lid is open and/or the AirPods are in use, the iPhone’s Settings app displays a [your name]’s AirPods panel towards the top of the screen. The panel acts as a shortcut that takes you directly to the AirPods’ settings page, sparing you from going through the Bluetooth menu first. When you return your AirPods to their charging case and close its lid, the AirPods panel disappears from the Settings app’s main page within a few seconds. The AirPods settings panel (seen at right) will remain for a few minutes when AirPods are installing a software update.Foundry However, I’ve discovered a deviation in this behavior that appears to occur only when an AirPods firmware update is in progress. On two separate occasions, the AirPods panel persisted in my Settings app even after I returned my AirPods Pro 3 to their case and closed the lid. The panel stuck around for a few minutes (as opposed to seconds) until the firmware installation completed. Both instances occurred right after Apple had released new AirPods firmware, and I verified the change in build numbers immediately after. The AirPods panel in the Settings app signifies an active connection between your iPhone and AirPods. So, the situation here makes sense, as AirPods piggyback on iPhones to download new firmware packages. As soon as the installation process concludes, the panel disappears, and the build number shows that new firmware has been successfully installed. According to Apple, “firmware updates are delivered automatically while your AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac that’s connected to Wi-Fi.” So, beyond following the company’s instructions, there’s not much you can do to force a firmware update. But if you keep an eye on your Settings app, you’ll at least be able to know when the new software is being installed. In fact, you can go try it out with the update that just arrived this week.

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Apple facing regulatory scrutiny in Switzerland over iPhone NFC chip
Apple is facing antitrust scrutiny in Switzerland over access to the NFC chip inside iPhone. The Swiss Competition Commission announced this week that they are “investigating whether Apple’s terms and conditions for granting access could raise competition law concerns.” “Among other things, it seeks to clarify whether other providers of mobile payment apps can effectively compete with Apple Pay for contactless payments with iOS devices in shops,” the commission says. more…

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Apple Preview review: A near-perfect PDF reader with limited editing tools
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Pre-installed on all Macs, iPhones, and iPads for free Automatically launches when viewing supported files Minimalistic user interface that won’t overwhelm Wide range of handy tools for image and document manipulation Cons Doesn’t support text editing in PDF files Limited functionality on iOS and iPadOS Image crop button requires an unintuitive workaround on macOS Our Verdict While Apple Preview isn’t designed to replace your image or PDF editor, it still offers some power-user features, including image export. We wonder if Apple will eventually introduce advanced document editing tools. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Free View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Price When ReviewedFree Best Prices Today: Preview Retailer Price Free View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket When you buy an Apple product, you’re not only investing in its premium hardware and long lifespan, but also the slew of exclusive apps it bundles for free. The Apple Preview app is the default document and image viewer on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, and its full potential often goes unnoticed. While Apple Preview may appear as a basic file viewer, it actually packs a ton of useful features—beyond just viewing photos and PDFs. Find out how Apple Preview compares to the alternatives in our Best PDF Editor for Mac round-up. Apple Preview: Mac features Much like some other Apple apps (such as the iWork suite), launching Preview on macOS opens the Finder. Through it, you can browse through your folders to locate the file you would like to view. It’s a pretty straightforward approach. Alternatively, you could just open a compatible file directly from Finder and avoid launching the Preview app altogether. Considering that it’s the default image and PDF viewer on macOS, supported files should automatically populate in it whenever you double-click on them. Foundry Whether you’re viewing an image or a PDF document, you will find a toolbar towards the screen’s top. It lets you view the file’s details, zoom in or out, share the file, fill an included form, or mark up the file. Clicking the Markup button reveals yet another toolbar with a wide range of relevant features. These include tools for selection, doodling, inserting shapes or sticky notes, signing, and typing text. Expectedly, the Markup tools are easily customizable, allowing you to control the color and size of a shape or text box. Similarly, you get to pick between multiple fonts when typing. There is an autofill helper too, read about that here: How to take advantage of Preview’s form-filling helper. So, Apple Preview isn’t just a vanilla file viewer. It enables users to easily annotate images and documents, making it an excellent college companion. Perhaps the biggest drawback here is the lack of an advanced editor that can tweak the content’s fundamentals. With the Preview app, you’re mostly limited to adding new elements on top of the existing ones. Consequently, you can’t edit the text of a PDF file. The software doesn’t offer a full-fledged photo editor, either (we have the best photo editors here). Foundry While Apple Preview isn’t designed to replace your image or PDF editor, it still offers some power-user features. So, for example, through the menubar’s Tools button, you can reveal some more advanced image controls, such as granular resizing, color adjustments, automatic background removal, and more. Meanwhile, the File menu includes a useful Export button that enables you to choose the output’s quality and file format. This allows you to convert the image to HEIC, JPEG, PDF, PNG, TIFF, and more. Similarly, when viewing a PDF file in Apple Preview, you can easily reorder or delete its pages using the sidebar. Through this feature, those receiving large documents can easily get rid of irrelevant fluff and limit the file to the important bits they actually need. And if you choose to export the PDF using Preview, then you can optionally add a password, a Quartz filter, or file restrictions. Find out more here: How to save a page from a PDF as a separate file, How to easily redact text in a PDF on your Mac. We also cover How to edit a PDF on Mac. Annoyances on macOS While my experience using Apple Preview on my Mac has been positive for the most part, there are certain annoyances that I hope the company would patch down the road. For starters, I find the basic PDF editor too restrictive at times. Sure, I can insert shapes and text on top of the document. However, I can’t actually integrate these into it and move the PDF’s content to accommodate the new additions. Similarly, there’s seemingly no way to selectively remove content from a PDF, and I’m bound to delete entire pages. Foundry Otherwise, when viewing an image in Preview, you likely won’t find the Crop button in the Markup toolbar by default. To force it to surface, you have to locate the image in Finder, right-click on it, and hit the Markup button under the Quick Actions menu. This will launch a Preview instance with a toolbar that actually features a Crop button. Regularly opening an image in Finder simply won’t do it. It’s a basic feature that no basic user will ever find on their own. Preview on iOS and iPadOS iPhones and iPads have long offered similar viewing and annotation features for images and PDFs via the Files app. With iOS and iPadOS 26, Apple introduced a dedicated Preview app to streamline its platforms. Similar to the Mac, opening a compatible file using the Files app now loads it in Preview automatically. You could also use the Preview app itself to browse and open supported images and documents. Foundry Most of the Preview app’s tools are available on older iOS and iPadOS versions using the File app’s Quick Look feature. For PDFs, you’ve always been able to annotate documents, rearrange their pages, sign or autofill them, scan new ones, and more. Likewise, the Remove Background option for images isn’t new, and neither is the ability to insert text, shapes, and doodles. A noteworthy introduction that was seemingly absent prior to the Preview app’s mobile debut is support for resizing images down to the pixel. You also get to tweak the pixel resolution via the same menu. However, while the Preview app lets you pick between half a dozen file formats when exporting an image or PDF, advanced Mac features like password protection, Quartz filters, and color adjustment curves still appear to be missing from the mobile client. Should you use Apple Preview on Mac, iPad and iPhone? As its name suggests, Apple Preview is designed for viewing certain file types on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. As a viewer, it’s an excellent software that loads swiftly and offers a sleek user interface. While the editing functionality is limited, one could argue that the app isn’t an editor in the first place. So the basic editing features are only there to complement a file viewing app. Since the Preview app is preinstalled on all of the latest Macs, iPhones, and iPads, I can’t find a reason why you may want to avoid it. It is right there, costs nothing, and works reliably—what’s not to like? If you’re seeking a proper image or PDF editor, then Apple Preview isn’t the app to opt for. Beyond annotation, form-filling, signing, and the other similar features we’ve mentioned above, the app is designed to display images and documents. As a result, it doesn’t cater to those who need advanced editing software. Find out how Apple Preview compares to Adobe Acrobat: Apple Preview vs Adobe Acrobat DC. Just want to turn something into a PDF? Read: How to make a PDF on Mac

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FileMaker Pro — the massive hit no one realises is Apple's
FileMaker Pro is the biggest Windows app that Apple makes, it and its Mac version are a crucial part of small and enterprises businesses, and it was nearly owned by Microsoft. Here's the story of the huge Apple hit you might never have used.FIleMaker Pro — a home and a livelihood for so many peopleIt's also possible that you've used FileMaker Pro without actually realising it. Not because you didn't look up to see the app's name in the menubar, but because it is a tool for making other tools.FileMaker Pro is used to make database apps, many of which just run inside this one, but many others are sold separately. If you develop FileMaker Pro databases, you could roll them out across your company, or your customers, you can have it power websites and iPad data-collecting apps. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Epic Games signals it won't agree to percentage App Store fees
As the court directs Apple and Epic Games to discuss appropriate App Store fees, CEO Tim Sweeney has made it clear that he'll never back any profit sharing.Tim Sweeney — image credit: Epic GamesDespite mostly losing its appeal against previous court rulings, Apple has won the argument that it should be paid a commission when apps are sold through a third-party app store. However, the court has told Epic Games and Apple to agree a reasonable rate between them.Speaking after the court ruling, however, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney was blunt about how such negotiations would go. In an interview with The Verge, Sweeney said that this must be the end of what he called Apple's "junk fees." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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This test shows how bad Apple Intelligence is—and how much better it’s going to get
Macworld It’s no secret that Apple Intelligence lags behind the likes of Google Gemini and ChatGPT when it comes to things like image creation and conversational chatting. Apple’s suite of AI tools has been underwhelming to say the least, and even seemingly rudimentary features pale in comparison to other engines. So while we’re still waiting for Apple to launch its new Siri, its competitors are perfecting their own AI tools and running circles around Apple Intelligence. Take this test by custom_adventurist on Instagram. It test three photo editing tools—Clean Up in Apple intelligence, Galaxy AI’s Generative Edit, and Google Gemini. And the results aren’t just one-sided; they’re completely embarrassing for Apple Intelligence. View this post on Instagram The video above uses the same photo of Nick Fury in The Avengers movie to use each phone’s built-in AI to remove his trademark eyepatch. Apple did the worst of the trio, creating a crudely edited image that made it very obvious that something had been removed without even attempting to understand the context of an eyepatch. Samsung AI was much better, cleanly removing the eye patch and generating an eye to match the other one. But  Google Gemini truly takes it to the next level. Not only does it seamlessly remove the patch with nary a trace that it was ever there, it also understands that Fury is wearing the patch for a reason and gave him a glass eye. But while Apple got completely schooled here, there’s reason to be optimistic. For one, Apple Intelligence is set to get a significant upgrade in 2026, starting with the new Siri and continuing with iOS 27. For another, Apple is partnering with Google to supply a custom version of the Gemini LLM (large language model) as the foundation for the new Siri. If it’s anywhere near as good as this test is, Apple Intelligence is set to get a massive upgrade in just a few months.

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How Matter has finally given Apple a path out of the HomeKit mess
Macworld Apple users know the feeling: with most products, everything runs like clockwork. The iPhone? Close to perfect. The Mac? Has been running for years. AirPods? Magical. But with Apple’s HomeKit smart home system, things turned out differently. What Apple announced in 2014 as a revolution in the connected home developed over the years into a story of missed opportunities and technical challenges. Craig Federighi’s presentation at WWDC 2014 sounded promising: A unified system, deeply integrated into the iPhone, secure and private. “Hey Siri, I’m home,” and the lights would come on, the heating would turn on, and your favorite music would play. The reality was more complicated. While Amazon quickly gained market share with Alexa and Google with the Assistant, HomeKit and Siri struggled with teething troubles. The list of compatible devices grew slowly, prices were often significantly higher than the competition, and reliability fluctuated depending on the setup. The structural challenges Right from the start, HomeKit struggled with structural problems. Apple’s high security standards—normally a selling point—suddenly became a hurdle. Each manufacturer had to install a special “Made for iPhone” chip in their devices to handle authentication. These chips not only made the products more expensive, they also made development more complex. While a manufacturer could launch a new product for Alexa on the market within weeks, HomeKit certification took much longer. The result was understandable: Many manufacturers were hesitant to support HomeKit, and prices were higher. A smart socket with HomeKit support typically cost 30 to 40 dollars, while comparable models without HomeKit were available for 15 to 20 dollars. The difference wasn’t always extreme, but noticeable enough to deter many potential buyers. Apple introduced software authentication in 2017. Manufacturers were now able to dispense with the MFi chip and deliver HomeKit support via a software update. However, many promised updates were delayed or did not work optimally. “No response” became a frequent, albeit not universal, error message in the Home app. A particularly difficult moment came in 2022 with iOS 16: Apple promised a new architecture with better performance. However, the migration was problematic for many users. Devices had to be reconnected, and some automations no longer worked. In households with several users, everyone had to update at the same time—anyone who missed this no longer had access. Apple withdrew the update and revised it. For some users, this was the reason to look for alternatives, even if the majority stayed with HomeKit. Foundry Matter: The common new beginning The solution to many problems comes from a common standard in which Apple itself is involved. Matter is the name of the protocol that Apple has developed together with Google, Amazon, Samsung, and over 200 other companies. The new standard addresses the core problem of the smart home market: fragmentation. Instead of developing separate protocols for each company’s ecosystem, a single implementation will work across all systems. For users, this means more choice and flexibility. A Matter lamp can be controlled with Siri as well as with Alexa or Google Home products. Matter also relies on radio chips that understand the Thread protocol. This combines the advantages of different standards: energy-efficient like Zigbee, but IP-based and open. Thread automatically sets up a local mesh network—the more devices, the more stable the connection. Instead of a dedicated bridge, a “border router” can be used: Apple has already integrated Thread into the HomePod Mini and Apple TV 4K for this purpose. Many users, therefore, already have the necessary infrastructure. Thread devices respond quickly and reliably as they communicate locally. Battery life is impressive: sensors often run for over a year on a single button cell. And best of all, the prices are competitive. Matter devices usually cost no more than their proprietary counterparts. When buying, make sure that your new smart home devices are compatible with Matter—software updates to add Matter support are sporadic. The new openness makes it possible to combine different systems. Use Apple’s Home app for daily control, access manufacturer apps for special functions or switch ecosystems if necessary. The smart home market is changing. This is good news for users. We can finally choose devices based primarily on quality and price. Meross The future is now After years of promises, Matter has actually arrived. And it works. The days when you needed a separate app for each device and had to choose between ecosystems are over. Today, you buy a Matter device, scan a QR code and it works in Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, or Samsung SmartThings. In practice, it turns out that setting up is really as easy as promised. The devices respond faster because they communicate locally. And best of all, your investment is future-proof. If you want to change the ecosystem in two years’ time, no problem, your devices will simply move with you. Of course, not everything is perfect. The range of devices is constantly growing, but they’re still adding entire categories of devices. Robot vacuums and water heaters were just added recently. Some manufacturers continue to hide their best features in proprietary apps. These teething troubles will eventually disappear. Building an Apple smart home Start small and targeted. A Philips Hue Bridge with a few lights, plus an Eve Weather for room climate monitoring, and you have a solid base. From there, you can expand as required, adding plugs, a thermostat, locks, or other devices as needed. The biggest benefit of Matter is its independence. Their devices also work without the internet, without the cloud, without manufacturer servers. In times when companies are cancelling services or suddenly charging fees, this is worth its weight in gold. Thread as a wireless standard makes the system robust and self-healing – the more devices, the more stable the network. Matter is developing rapidly. Version 1.5 will add support for cameras and extend the closures category. Major manufacturers have announced support. Prices will fall, the choice will grow. What is still premium today will become standard tomorrow. Smart home with Matter is no longer witchcraft. It is a tool that improves your everyday life, be it the light that adjusts automatically, the heating that thinks for you or the door that recognizes you. Technology finally takes a back seat. You don’t need to know how Thread works. You just need to know what you want: Comfort, convenience, energy savings, security.

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