Here we go again: Supply chain thinks iPhone Fold will ship in 2027, not 2026
The iPhone Fold has been on and off for years, but now the supply chain is suggesting that Apple will announce it as expected in September 2026, yet not actually ship it for several months.Render of a possible iPhone Fold - image credit: AppleInsiderThere are at last positive signs from Apple that it is preparing an iPhone Fold, but there have also been multiple reports that it is delayed. Now according to Economic Daily News, the CEO of Apple lens supplier Largan Precision has hinted at delays."Some new opportunities will be announced in the third quarter," Enping Lin said at a shareholders' meeting (in translation), "and some will be moved to the beginning of next year." Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

How macOS 27 is going to help Apple sell a ton more MacBook Neos
Macworld Apple spent most of WWDC 2026 talking about Siri AI, Apple Intelligence, and performance improvements across iOS 27 and macOS 27. But one of the smartest announcements may end up being the one that was its least flashy. Sandwiched between those two announcements was a section on Trust and Safety, where Apple previewed a huge expansion of its parental controls, including redesigned Screen Time tools, contact approval systems, website permission requests, safer communication features, and age-based protections that work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It’s great for kids with iPads and iPhones, of course, but these features seemed designed to make the MacBook Neo significantly more interesting and appealing to parents looking to buy the first laptop for their children. Family-first ecosystem One of the biggest themes behind Apple’s new child safety system is control without complexity. With iOS 27 and macOS 27, parents can now quickly approve who their children communicate with across Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, with kids getting the option to request permission to add new contacts remotely. Parents can also approve websites before children visit them through a new “Ask to Browse” feature in Safari. Apple’s new Time Allowances feature helps parents regulate their kids’ device usage while still giving kids freedom to play and chat with friends.Apple Screen Time has also been redesigned with simpler management tools and category-based time allowances. Parents can choose which apps are available to their children at different times of the day. This means they can restrict certain apps during school hours, while allowing others, such as games and social media, outside of school hours. Apple is also expanding Communication Safety beyond nudity detection to intervene around graphic or violent content. Individually, none of these features sounds revolutionary. But together, they solve a major problem for parents. Modern devices can be exhausting to manage, especially when you’re not always around your children. Right now, giving a child unrestricted access to the internet feels risky. But overly restrictive parental control systems often become frustrating for both parents and kids, especially when the system for implementing them is overly complex. Apple seems to finally understand that balance matters. Instead of locking devices down completely, Apple is building systems that allow children to gradually gain more independence while still keeping parents involved. And that’s a much smarter approach. Apple’s new parental controls are easier and more flexible than before.Apple Smart and sensible When Apple launched the MacBook Neo, it highlighted how the device is designed to be many people’s first Mac. It’s a more affordable, lighter laptop that runs the full version of macOS. But after seeing Apple’s new child safety features in macOS 27, the strategy is becoming much clearer. The MacBook Neo isn’t just about making Macs more affordable. It was about making them more approachable for families. For years, Chromebooks dominated the education market because they were inexpensive and easy for parents and schools to manage. Traditional MacBooks, even the MacBook Air, still felt like premium computers primarily aimed at adults or professionals. The Neo changes that dynamic. And now, with better parental controls across the entire Apple ecosystem, the MacBook Neo seems like a much better choice for families. It’s not just a good laptop, but it’s also the one with the best platform for parents and kids. Of course, there are other existing features that add even more value to the experience. These include things like Find My, which lets you track your children’s location in real time, even when their device is offline. Not to mention that you can share your iCloud storage and create shared photo libraries with them. Safety as a platform feature What’s particularly interesting is how seamlessly these features are integrated across Apple’s entire ecosystem. For instance, they apply not only to the Mac, but also to the iPhone and iPad. As Apple explained, protections now begin automatically during device setup for younger users, with age-appropriate restrictions enabled from the start. Parents can approve app downloads, manage web access, and configure communication permissions without needing complicated third-party software. Of course, Apple’s macOS child safety features extend to all of its devices.Apple This is important because many parents give up on monitoring their children’s devices, as it usually requires downloading parental control software that is too complicated. Some are too restrictive, while others are confusing. Apple’s solution still isn’t perfect, but it feels far more thoughtful than most alternatives. That usability matters because parental controls only work if parents actually use them. Parents already trust Apple when it comes to privacy and security. Expanding that reputation into child safety feels like a natural evolution. And the MacBook Neo seems to be the perfect fit for all these new child safety features. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. Parents have a new, reliable laptop to consider, kids now have a better chance of owning a Mac, and Apple gains potential new users who will remain loyal to the brand in the future.

Read more »

Apple is right. Technology needs to disappear
Macworld What is an AI chatbot’s output? What does it make? Neither fun, nor art, nor connection, nor productivity. It’s certainly not a deeper understanding of the world, based on the hallucinated misinformation bots have firehosed into our lives. The answer, rather, is long-term dependence; or, to use the positive verbiage of social media companies, “engagement.” Use of AI is designed to beget more use of AI, and anything else is incidental. That, at least, is the nature of chatbots in general, but some companies would claim to be exceptions. Such as Apple, whose senior execs last week gave an interview with the tech podcast Mostly Human in which they contrasted their newly unveiled Siri AI with the engagement-thirsty approach taken by other AI services. “If you use many of the existing chatbots, they’re really focused on engagement to a large degree, and sycophancy, right?” said Craig Federighi. “They want to pull you in. They might encourage you to reveal things about yourself and then use that as a basis to establish a connection. And we view it quite the opposite.” The funny thing is that this bold rejection of a near-universal AI strategy wasn’t made in response to a broad question about the state of the industry. It was in response to the interviewer, Laurie Segall, asking if Siri AI can be used as a romantic partner. “We view it quite the opposite,” Federighi went on. “The way that we have designed Siri, Siri really wants to say, ‘Listen, that’s not what I’m here for. I’m here to help you. I can help you learn about the world.’ But if you try to engage Siri as a romantic partner, Siri’s not up for that.” So romance is off the table, but that’s not where the conversation ends. Apple’s approach to cyber-intimacy is part of a wider philosophy about the nature of technology, about the utility of things that aren’t “sexy,” as Segall puts it, and the danger of things that are. “I don’t think the sexy part belongs in your computer,” Federighi responds, conjuring up an alarming image. “It belongs in your life.” The fact is that technology, and AI in particular, risks forming too large a part of our existence and getting in the way of things that matter. AI chases engagement, but it’s scarcely alone in doing so. Smartphones are incredibly efficient machines for swallowing up human attention; social media algorithms are constantly iterating more and more sophisticated methods to turn lust, rage, and misinformation into engagement, and then into money. Many parents and some legislators find these developments troubling, particularly in regard to their effects on children, but the tech giants have the money and the lobbyists to resist most efforts at substantive change. And yet Apple remains apart. Whether or not we believe the spiel, it claims not to want engagement. Indeed, it may be the first tech company to actively discourage use of its tech. Back in 2018, at another WWDC in a very different time, Apple launched iOS 12. This included a new feature called Screen Time, which tracked usage of apps and app categories and enabled the user to impose time, purchase, and other usage limits. (“I’ve been using it, and I have to tell you, I thought I was fairly disciplined about this. And I was wrong,” Cook admitted at the time. “I was spending a lot more time than I should.”) The feature was explicitly designed to encourage Apple’s customers to spend less time looking at their iPhones. The iPhone’s Focus modes, too, have a peculiarly anti-engagement objective. They are designed to filter notifications and reduce distractions. They want you to focus on parts of your life which don’t revolve around a screen: working out, sleep, your personal life. If the modes work as designed, they lower the time you spend engaging with your device, or ensure that you engage with it in a more mindful, limited, task-oriented way. This, if you’re a tech billionaire, is breaking all the rules. But Apple can get away with it because its business model doesn’t depend on users looking at adverts or giving up their data. (The company is showing a growing and worrying interest in that side of things, but it’s not fundamental to how it does business.) It knows that building features to help its customers to live healthy and happy lives, rather than sucking them into a digital hellscape and refusing to let them leave, is the path to long-term success. And that technology’s job is to help our lives, not to rule them. “We like when technology disappears, right?” said Greg Joswiak later in the interview. “You just focus on what you want to do or you focus on the content.” The technology isn’t the point. The point is what the technology can do, and how best it can serve the user. And making users’ lives better may best be served by removing technology from the equation entirely. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories Apple’s OS 27 releases are out of the ordinary–in a good way. The best thing about iOS 27 isn’t a feature. It’s that Apple finally figured out how to make old iPhones faster. Marvel at over 250 fixes and improvements coming to your Apple devices this fall. Apple’s Passwords app got one of the best new AI features at WWDC 2026. This could be revolutionary. Did Apple save the best parts of the OS 27 updates for September? Maybe. The market hates Siri AI, so it must be good, says the Macalope. Podcast of the week The WWDC26 keynote was filled with AI. What do we think about the new features in the xOS 27 software? That’s in the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site. Reviews corner macOS Golden Gate vs macOS Tahoe: What’s new and should you upgrade? iOS 27 vs iOS 26: What’s new, what’s improved? BenQ MA320UG: Bigger, smoother, and a lot cheaper than Studio Display. Alogic Aspekt 4K Touch: A flexible 32-inch docking display with a clever Mac mini twist. The rumor mill Report: Apple’s touchscreen MacBook is “100% confirmed.” Software updates, bugs, and problems Felipe Esposito’s favorite Android feature just landed on the iPhone and he’s in love. macOS 27 warning: Your Intel apps are nearly dead. Apple might finally start to clean up the junk clogging the App Store. And with that, we’re done for this week’s Apple Breakfast. If you’d like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters, including our new email from The Macalope–an irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.

Read more »

For $39.97, you can get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for life
Macworld TL;DR: Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for life for only $39.97. Offer ends June 28. Microsoft 365 keeps charging your card year after year, and the apps stop working the moment you stop paying. A lifetime license for Microsoft Office Home and Business takes the opposite approach. You pay once, and the apps are yours for good. Right now, lifetime licenses for Microsoft Office are on sale for $39.97 (reg. $219), but that ends soon. This license gives you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote, all installed as full desktop software on a single Mac. Everything runs offline, syncs back up when you reconnect, and never interrupts you for a renewal. Stack that against a 365 plan that bills you every single year, and the math gets lopsided fast. Office for Mac runs on the three most recent versions of macOS, including Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe, with feature updates included along the way. Two quick notes before you commit: the license attaches to your Microsoft account rather than your hardware, and you’ll want to redeem the code within seven days. After that, it just works, with no invoice waiting next year. You have until June 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get a Microsoft Office Home and Business Lifetime License for $39.97. Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Read more »

Blowout savings drive MacBook Air prices down to as low as $899
Two exclusive MacBook Air deals are in effect on M4 13-inch and 15-inch models, dropping prices to as low as $899 while supplies last.B&H is blowing out M4 MacBook Air inventory at $899 - Image credit: AppleThe first exclusive deal is on Apple's closeout M4 MacBook Air 13-inch. This upgraded model, which is discounted to $899* in Sky Blue, has a 10-core GPU for enhanced performance. It also has 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage.Buy M4 13" MacBook Air for $899 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

The iPad 11 is $50 Off
The iPad is powered by the A16 chip, allowing you to cruise through your daily tasks and workloads effortlessly. iPadOS allows for more intuitiveness and productivity allowing you to run many apps at the same time. The device features an 11-inch Liquid Retina Display, an amazing display that allows you to play games and enjoy […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

The Big Updates Coming in macOS 27 Golden Gate
The beta for macOS 27 Golden Gate is open before the slated release in the fall of this year. macOS Golden Gate adds new features like updates to Liquid Glass, many features for Apple Intelligence, and Siri AI. Command + Space is a feature that boots up an interface for Search or Ask to ask […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

New Fitness+ Content Added
New things have been added to Fitness+, featuring a menopause-centric workout program. It is a three-week progressive program that features strength workouts and yoga that guide the user through menopause and perimenopause with benefits like better mobility, strength building, and improved balance. The subscription acquires ‘Strong Through Menopause’. iOS 27 brought many updates for the […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

2026 Apple Employee Exclusive Close Your Rings Apple Watch Band Shown
Employees of Apple who took part in the yearly Close Your Rings Challenge of Apple will receive an Apple Watch Band that is limited edition alongside a special enamel pin to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the event. The band comes in a black Sport Loop, featuring an end piece that is similarly colored to […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

The Apple Watch SE 3 is $30 off
The Apple Watch provides you with health insights and serves as an advanced health tracker to get you to understand your body better. You will be notified of potential sleep apnea, identify your sleep score and identify irregular rhythm or a low or high heart rate. The smart watch is a versatile fitness partner that […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

MacBook with Touchscreen Capabilities Confirmed
A MacBook that has touchscreen capabilities has essentially been confirmed after Instant Digital, a famous leaker in China on the Chinese-based social platform Weibo, provided a statement. The leaker looks to have inside information from supply chain sources. Regarding Apple rumors, Instant Digital has a good track record, with accurate information provided in the past. […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Jon Prosser and Apple Formally Ask Court to Set The Default Judgement Aside
Leaker Jon Prosser and Apple have asked a federal court to put aside the initial judgment given to him in October last year, as the leaker has agreed to give the documents that he has failed to provide. A lawsuit was filed by Apple against Michael Ramacciotti and Jon Prosser in July last year, accusing […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple Ad Shows AirPods Pro 3 Offers the Best Active Noise Cancellation
An ad was uploaded by Apple focusing on the Active Noise Cancellation of the AirPods Pro 3. Brazilian footballer Vini Jr starred in the ad playing for the Brazilian national team in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and for Real Madrid. The footballer in the film dances on the streets to the music playing on […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

How long Macs & MacBooks last: Lifespan, support & when to upgrade
Macworld Macs have a high price so it’s understandable that many Mac users will want to put off replacing them for as long as they can. But just how long should you expect a Mac to last? Similarly, in order to save money, you may be considering buying an older, used or refurbished Mac. Is that 2018 MacBook Pro for $300/£300 a good deal, or would you be better off spending a bit more on a newer model? The question of whether a Mac is too old depends on hardware durability and software support, both of which we will address in this article. Hardware: Macs and MacBooks are built to last, with most users getting five to eight years of reliable performance. Beyond that though, Apple gives Macs that have been off sale for five to seven years “vintage” and eventually “obsolete” status, at which point opportunities for repairs become limited. Software: Software support also plays a crucial role, especially unsupported Macs can be vulnerable to security issues. Apple typically provides macOS updates for Macs up to around eight years old, but that window is narrowing with the company ending support for Intel Macs in the near future. With Apple transitioning fully to its own silicon and phasing out support for Intel models, knowing how long your Mac will receive updates – and when it’s time to upgrade – is more important than ever. Is your Mac too old? We know that Macs cost a fair bit of money and not everyone has the luxury of upgrading every few years. But at what point is it time to consider upgrading your Mac? Is the hardware to old? One factor to consider is the age at which most Macs start to experience issues, such as random shutdowns and degraded batteries that no longer hold their charge. Unfortunately, at one point repairing your Mac or MacBook will no longer be a viable option and you will need to look for a replacement. There is a point at which Apple stops providing the required parts for Macs, rating them either obsolete and vintage. Once a Mac is considered vintage (you can find a list of vintage and obsolete Macs below) we would recommend that you upgrade it. Is the software to old? Another issue with aging Macs is that the software you need may not run on it. You may find that your Mac cannot update to the latest version of macOS (Apple’s Mac operating system software), but it’s even more concerning if Apple is no longer issuing security updates to the version of macOS you can run – because that make you open to malware and security vulnerabilities. We will explain which versions of macOS are supported – and for how much longer, below. If the following apply, it is probably the case that your Mac has reached the end of its useful life: Apple no longer supports the latest version of the software it runs (which could leave you vulnerable). The apps you need to use no longer run on it. The Mac struggles to perform the tasks you need it to – especially as you can’t update the RAM and other components. Something breaks and is too expensive to fix, or the parts aren’t available. The Mac is becoming unreliable. Unexpected shutdowns are becoming commonplace and you’ve tried everything to fix the problem to no avail. Apple

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Sunday Reboot: The WWDC hangover and Siri AI blindspots
Apple's WWDC went about as expected for 2026. While it's a tiny bit disappointing, Siri AI turned out to be worth the wait, but with some painful app-based gaps.WWDC was all AI, almost all the time.WWDC 2026 was on Monday, and it was expected to be a bit of a slow one this time around. As predicted by the rumor mill and countless reports in the weeks ahead, it certainly wasn't an event that shouted about many new features.Actually, that's not quite true. Apple did harp on about one big thing, and that was its whole artificial intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »