MagSafe Monday: Hands-on with the Defencase MagSafe wallet
Since Apple first introduced MagSafe, the accessory market has flooded with wallets that typically follow a very specific form factor. Most are sleeves designed to hold two or three cards at most. They rarely resemble the classic wallets many people have carried for decades. The Defencase MagSafe wallet attempts to bridge this gap by offering a design that leans closer to a traditional aesthetic. more…

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AirTag refresh prompts mass updates of older iOS, iPadOS versions
The introduction of a new AirTag has led Apple to issue updates for multiple older versions of iOS and iPadOS, all to maximize support for the tracking device.Apple's AirTag update requires many iOS and iPadOS generations to be updated. On Monday, Apple released incremental updates bringing its latest operating systems up to iOS 26.2.1, iPadOS 26.2.1, and watchOS 26.2.1. They were not the only ones to arrive, as Apple also released patches for older operating system generations, too.Apple occasionally releases incremental patches to its operating systems, either to patch bugs or to introduce compatibility for just-launched hardware. The latter is more the case here, as Apple launched its second-generation AirTag with improved Precision Finding range and a louder speaker. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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How to partition your Mac hard drive to run multiple versions of macOS
If you want to install a beta version of macOS, the smartest way to do it is to partition your Mac hard drive using Disk Utility. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Tim Cook attends VIP White House screening of ‘Melania’ documentary
Apple CEO Tim Cook spent his weekend attending the premier of Melania, the new Amazon-backed film that follows Melania Trump in the lead up to Donald Trump’s second inauguration. more…

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Apple releases iOS 26.2.1 and watchOS 26.2.1 with AirTag 2 support
Apple today released iOS 26.2.1 and watchOS 26.2.1, minor point updates to its mobile and wearable operating systems that primarily… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Parallels Desktop 26.2.1
Maintenance update for the virtualization software focused on Windows-related bug fixes. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update, 5.4 MB, macOS 13+)

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Will the Mac ever get Face ID? This latest rumor is a good sign
Face ID has been part of the iPhone for close to a decade, and the iPad for nearly as long—but the Mac still uses Touch ID. A new rumor could offer hope of that potentially changing though. more…

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New AirTag Offers Expanded Range, Louder Speaker
Apple’s second-generation AirTag arrives with a new Ultra Wideband chip that extends Precision Finding range by 50%, a speaker that’s 50% louder, and Precision Finding support on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later.

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Incremental iOS 26.2.1 update supports the new AirTag
Apple has released an incremental update for iOS 26.2.1, weeks into the start of 2026, chiefly to support its updated AirTag.Update your iPhone to iOS 26.2.1 today. Apple last issued updates to its operating systems on December 12, bringing iOS and iPadOS up to version 26.2. Over a month later, Apple's first operating system update of 2026 is a marginal update to iOS 26.2.1.At the same time, Apple also brought out updates for iPadOS 26.2.1 and watchOS 26.2.1. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple celebrates Black History Month with a new $99 Unity watch band
Macworld Apple is celebrating Black History Month in the usual way: with a new Unity watch band “designed by black creatives and allies at Apple.” This year, the band is a braided solo loop, which costs $99. In previous years, Apple used $49 styles like the Sport Loop or Sport Band. In addition to selling you a $99 watch band, Apple is highlighting its support of organizations “that inspire connection and promote creativity.” These include Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Urban Arts in New York City, Youth Music in London, Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, and Enactus México in Mexico City. Typically, Apple has a little more to offer in celebration of Black History Month. At a minimum, the company introduces Unity wallpapers and watch faces. While last year’s wallpapers and watch faces are still available, the company didn’t announce anything new for 2026 and we were unable to find anything. The same goes for other previous efforts for Black History Month: Apple Music playlists and App Store highlighted apps, content in the TV app and Apple News, Books, Podcasts, even Apple Maps guides have all features in previous Black History Month contributions. By comparison, this year feels a little basic. We get the usual “product you can buy” from Apple (at twice the price of past years) and unspecified charitable contributions, but not a lot else. We’ll update this post if anything else arrives before February 1.

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Apple is distributing $95 million Siri settlement payouts under ‘Lopez Voice Assistant’
Apple customers who filed claims in a long-running class action lawsuit over allegations that Siri eavesdropped on private conversations… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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watchOS 26.2.1 now available for Apple Watch, here’s what’s new
Apple has just released watchOS 26.2.1, a new software update for Apple Watch users. Here’s what the update includes. more…

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Apple releases iOS 26.2.1 for iPhone, here’s what’s new
Apple today has officially released iOS 26.2.1 for iPhone. This update comes a month after the launch of iOS 26.2, which brought changes to Liquid Glass, CarPlay, and much more. more…

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MacBook Pro could benefit from thinner Face ID rumored for iPhone Air 2 & iPhone Fold
Apple is said to be researching a thinner Face ID module for the iPhone Air 2 and the folding iPhone. It's easy to see how this could benefit a future MacBook Pro.The current iPhone AirIt's already been repeatedly reported that the expected iPhone Fold will use Touch ID because the Face ID module is too thick. But regardless of what happens with future generations of the iPhone Fold, a new report claims Apple is aiming to slim down the module for the iPhone Air.According to Instant Digital on Weibo (in translation), Apple is "customizing an ultra-thin Face ID component." Instant Digital does have a reasonable track record, but he or she has not reported any further details about Face ID. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple's new AirTag has finally arrived, but it's not a must-buy for everyone
Apple's newly refreshed AirTag offers a louder speaker and vastly improved tracking. This makes it an attractive grab at a budget-friendly price — but not everybody that has one, needs to upgrade.The best reasons to get AirTagOn Monday, Apple announced the release of its new and improved AirTag. This coin-sized item tracker is a great way to keep tabs on oft-misplaced items, like keys, bags, and luggage.And, as AppleInsider's resident space-case, I have some thoughts on who it would work for, and a few good reasons you shouldn't grab one. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The next round of M5 Macs is reportedly ‘ready to go’
Macworld Several reports have built up 2026 as a big year for Mac releases, and we’ve entered the fourth full week of January with nothing to show so far. But the floodgates could be opening soon. In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that, “We’re going to see things kicking off here in the not-too-distant future.” Gurman referred to the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and a new display as “ready to go,” though he didn’t get more specific. Previously, Gurman has reported that these products would be released in early 2026, which tends to be perceived as the first quarter of the year. On Wednesday, January 28, Apple will release its new Creator Studio, a software bundle of its pro apps (Final Cut Pro, Logic, Pro, Pixelmator Pro, and more) for $12.99/£12.99 per month or $129/£128 per year. To commemorate the release, the company is holding an invite-only Apple Experience event running from January 27 to 29, and I’ve speculated that the Creator Studio release and the event seem like a good time for Apple to unveil the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro. Could Apple also release the M5 MacBook Air, M5 Max Mac Studio, and the new display at the event, too? The past two MacBook Air models were released in March, so a January release seems early. Same for the Mac Studio. But hey, if they’re ready, why wait? Gurman also reported that the M6 MacBook Pro–the laptop that’s expected to be the one to commemorate the MacBook Pro’s 20th anniversary–“is potentially coming sooner than people anticipate.” Past reports said that the M6 laptop could slip into early 2027, but now it seems like October is on the schedule. Since the M3, Apple has had the MacBook Pro on an October or November release schedule, though only the base M5 model arrived this past fall.

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How to tell the difference between AirTag 2 and the original AirTag
There’s a new AirTag in town, but you might not know it based on the official product name. Fortunately, there’s a way to distinguish between old and new AirTags. more…

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TikTok is shaky after US ownership shift, reigniting censorship debate
The transfer of US TikTok's ownership to politically connected billionaires is more-or-less complete. But, the timing of its first major outage — and who is getting hit by it — is drawing attention.TikTok faces new scrutiny in the U.S. after ownership transfer and widespread outagesJust days after completing a deal that shifts control of its U.S. business, TikTok ran into widespread technical problems. Users report failed uploads, broken feeds, stalled moderation, and an algorithm that suddenly feels generic rather than personalized.The timing fuels suspicion, especially as some political content struggles to publish. No evidence shows the issues are intentional, but the outage renews arguments over censorship, deplatforming, and who controls what Americans see. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple preps new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio models
2026 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year for Apple's Mac lineup, with numerous significant updates, fresh designs, innovative features… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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TikTok in the US is already broken for some users, here’s why
At the end of last week, the long-anticipated transfer to US ownership for TikTok operations in the US officially took place. But it didn’t take long for American TikTok users to start seeing signs of a broken app. Now, we have an official explanation. more…

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Deals: AirPods Max $120 off, black Apple Watch Ultra $250 off, Trail Loop 44% off, black Milanese Loop, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are now ready to roll. Starting off with a new 48-hour flash sale at Best Buy, we now have $250 off all black Apple Watch Ultra 2 models alongside some deep deals on official Trail, Alpine, and Ocean bands at up to 44% off. Those offers join this 25% discount on the official black Milanese Loop as well as $120 off AirPods Max (USB-C), and this M3 MacBook Air at $400 less than the M4 model. Everything else awaits below.  more…

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Today in Apple history: iPhone sales hit first speed bump
On January 26, 2016, iPhone sales flatlined for the first time after nine years of spectacular growth. Some called it "peak iPhone." (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Amazon is blowing out AirTag inventory at up to 29% off on the heels of new release
With Apple's quiet AirTag release this Monday, Amazon is clearing out last-gen AirTag inventory with discounts of up to 29% off to make way for the new model.Save up to 29% on last-gen Apple AirTags - Image credit: AppleAirTag prices have dropped to as low as $25.99 this Monday, as retailers clear out last-gen inventory to make way for the 2026 model. You can grab a single pack for $25.99 at both Amazon and B&H Photo, while Amazon has the best price on the 4-pack, which is marked down to $69.99. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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These iPhone models support AirTag 2’s upgraded Precision Finding
AirTag 2 is officially here, and one of its tentpole features is improved Precision Finding thanks to an upgraded Ultra Wideband chip. But per Apple’s website, only certain iPhone models are compatible with the improved feature. more…

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Nektony App Cleaner & Uninstaller review (updated): Smart cleanup, friendly experience
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Friendly interface, good performance Clear feedback when manual cleanup is required Safe and reliable app removal Cons Updater misses some major applications Applications module is inConsistent Short free trial Our Verdict Nektony App Cleaner and Uninstaller shows real progress in 2026, with a much-improved Remaining Files module that safely removes leftover files and a cleaner, more reliable uninstall experience overall. But it falls short of dedicated update tools, making it best suited for users focused on cleanup rather than comprehensive update management. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$14.95 a year for 1 Mac Best Prices Today: Nektony App Cleaner & Uninstaller Retailer Price Nektony (1 year, 1 Mac) $14.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Nektony’s App Cleaner & Uninstaller is the company’s general cleanup utility and the core of Nektony’s larger MacCleaner suite (reviewed here: MacCleaner Pro review). I looked at it a year ago (April 2025) and since then Nektony has focused its efforts on refining the Remaining Files and Updater modules, with mixed – but notable – results, so I have updated this review accordingly. Now at version 9.0.3 as of this writing, App Cleaner & Uninstaller, which requires macOS 10.13 (High Sierra or later) to download and install, is available as a two-day free download. The software is easy to download, install, and assign full disk permissions to, and is centered around the Applications, Startup Programs, Extensions, Remaining Files, and Updates modules. The Applications module shines as the centerpiece of the application. Once this is launched and the Applications have been indexed, it’s easy to hunt down random applications, including the remains of software wherein only the remnants have been left behind, and remove them with a click. The Applications module has received a fair amount of work since our 2025 review, and was able to snipe and remove several older applications that had been hanging around. If the feature couldn’t completely remove an application, it displayed an error message informing you as to which folder to go to in order to manually remove the files. While it’s seen some improvements, it could still use some work. The Startup Programs excels, offering a convenient list of anything that qualifies as a startup application and grouping them into three categories (All Programs, Active, and Disabled), then allowing you to pick and choose what to remove as needed. The Extensions module features useful categorization of your Mac’s extensions (Installation Files, Web Browser Extensions, Screen Savers, Settings Panes, Internet Plugins, and Widgets), and location and removal of a specific extension is pretty much a cinch. Foundry Since I looked at the software in early 2025, Nektony has done a fair amount of work on the Remaining Files and Updater modules, which we criticised back in 2025, especially the Remaining Files module which we felt was akin to trying to kill a housefly with a flamethrower as the module was going after critical system elements, without which your Mac’s overall functionality could be affected. There’s good news and bad news here, as the Remaining Files module appears to have been fixed, the application doing a commendable job hunting down detritus and not shredding the macOS’ system components or functionality after removing applications. To Nektony’s credit, this module is now able to get rid of a ton of detritus that’s been left behind from where applications have been installed and deleted, including support files for malware that was deleted by macOS’ security, which is a nice feature. Foundry Back in 2025 the Updates module, though convenient and capable of finding an update to the Transmission peer-to-peer file-sharing application that I hadn’t known about, missed major updates such as ff-Works, Slack, Microsoft Office, and others that competing applications tend to find without missing a beat. The revised Updater feature caught a good number of updates (including a Microsoft Office update that had been tricky to install, and an Adobe Reader update, which removed the old version and installed the new version). It still missed several larger updates, though, including a World of Warcraft update, a Java update, a Minecraft update, a Dropbox update, a Kodi update, and others. While it caught updates for larger developers, it didn’t equate to the performance of dedicated applications like the MacUpdater. We’re glad to see Nektony took our thoughts into account and spent some time improving the app, and as a result we have improved the score from 2025. Should you buy Nektony’s App Cleaner & Uninstaller Nektony’s App Cleaner and Uninstaller is worth a look, and its two-day free trial period is useful, if not as generous a trial period as some other applications. Still, the user interface is inviting and friendly, its functionality has improved, and there have been some nice updates worth your consideration. MacCleaner and App Cleaner are both included in our round up of the Best Mac Cleaners, see how they compare to other Mac cleaning software.

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Price drop: Credit card-size AirTag alternative fits perfectly in your wallet
The AirTag isn't designed to track wallets or your office swipe card. KeySmart SmartCard, a credit-card-size wallet tracker, is. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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This Anker charging station will keep all of your Apple gear powered up for just $60
Macworld I don’t know about you, but I’m always charging something on my desk — my smartphone, my tablet, my smartwatch, and definitely my laptop. Well, things would be so much easier with one of these Anker Nano 7-in-1 charging stations, which is down to $60 at Amazon, a 33 percent discount and matching the best price we’ve ever seen. The charging station is an extremely versatile choice. The best part about it is that it comes with two retractable USB-C cables as well as a pair of additional ports, USB-C and USB-A, on the side. Any of the USB-C ports and cables can reach 100W charging when used on their own, although that power will drop when multiple ports are in use. You can see exactly how much power is delivered through the ports through the handy 1.3-inch LCD display on the front. Then, on the back, you can find three AC outlets that are perfect for monitors, a Mac Mini, or anything else on your desk. The GaN charging station features multiple protections for all devices, including against overvoltage, over-temperature, overcurrent, short-circuit, power surges, fire, and more. Stop wasting time and get this $60 Anker charging station. Buy now at Amazon

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9to5Mac Daily: January 26, 2026 – John Ternus expands his role, 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 Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year. more…

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iPhone 17 will drive strong Q1 results, Apple's biggest bull declares
Days before Apple earnings, Morgan Stanley has chimed in on the quarter, and believes that high iPhone 17 demand means Apple will beat its own revenue expectations, but the memory shortage is looming.iPhone 17 Pro MaxThe first-quarter results of 2026 will be favorable for Apple, Monday's note to investors from Morgan Stanley reads, with overall revenue at $139.5 billion for the quarter. That represents a year-over-year growth of 12.3%, and be accompanied by an earnings per share of $2.70.At the time of the Q4 2025 results, CEO Tim Cook said in interviews that Apple expected an overall revenue increase of between 10% and 12% year-over-year for Q1 2026. He added an expectation that it would be the best quarter ever in the history of the company, thanks to the "off the chart" reception of the iPhone 17. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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JPMorgan boosts Apple price target to $315 ahead of earnings, citing strong iPhone 17 demand
JPMorgan has raised its price target on Apple stock to $315 from $305, maintaining its overweight rating, as the bank expresses optimism… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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