How to install macOS on an unsupported Mac: Updated for 2026
Macworld Apple updates its macOS desktop and laptop operating system once a year, like clockwork, bringing new features and improvements. That’s all very well, but Apple’s most recent version – macOS Tahoe – only runs on M-series Macs and a few of Intel-powered Macs (the 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2019, 13-inch MacBook Pro with four Thunderbolt ports from 2020, the 2020 27-inch iMac, and the 2019 Mac Pro). What if you want to run macOS Tahoe, or any version of macOS, on an unsupported Mac? If Apple deems your Mac too old to run a version of macOS updating is not simple, but it is often possible with an OpenCore Legacy Patcher. The patcher functions by injecting necessary drivers and data into the macOS boot process, allowing the operating system to recognize and function on older Intel-based hardware. This unofficial workaround is not for the faint hearted though, as it means that hardware checks are bypassed, some features missing due to unsupported hardware, and drivers missing – so expect problems. Updating your system will also be much more complicated, leaving you vulnerable to security threats and your Mac less stable. Can you run macOS Tahoe on an unsupported Mac? At the time of writing the OpenCore Legacy Patcher isn’t available for Tahoe, but it is expected in February 2026. There can also be a delay while the patchers are developed, so don’t expect them to be available for some time after the macOS launch. In the case of macOS Tahoe, it is not yet possible to run it on unsupported Macs because the OpenCore Legacy Patcher hasn’t been released (as at January 2026). The patcher is expected to be available in February 2026. Can you run macOS Sequoia on an unsupported Mac? Yes, it is possible to run macOS Sequoia on many unsupported Mac models by using third-party patching tools. While Apple officially limits Sequoia to specific hardware (see our macOS compatibility checker for more information about which Macs are supported by which macOS update) the developer community has created workarounds to bypass these restrictions. The primary method for installing macOS Sequoia on hardware that Apple no longer supports is through the OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP). When the OpenCore Legacy Patcher for Tahoe is realised it is likely to run in a similar way to the OpenCore Legacy Patcher allows macOS Sequioa to be installed on an unsupported Mac. Patchers are also available for macOS Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey and Big Sur. What are the risks of using a patcher to run an unsupported version of macOS? Before you go ahead and follow our tutorial, a word of warning: there is a reason why Apple chooses not to support the new Mac operating system on older Macs. Older Macs just don’t have the necessary components or power required to cope with the demands of the more modern systems. So if you do install Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, or older, on an unsupported Mac don’t expect it to run smoothly. Be aware that there can be issues if you choose to run an unsupported version of macOS. Here are some of the risks and limitations of running Sequoia via a patch: Performance Issues: Older Intel processors may struggle with the graphical demands of Sequoia. For example, while some games like Civilization VII list Sequoia as a minimum requirement, they are optimized for Apple Silicon and may not perform well on older Intel chips even if the OS is patched. Feature Gaps: The most significant limitation is the absence of Apple Intelligence. These AI-driven features are strictly limited to Macs with M1, M2, or M3-series chips . Even if you successfully install Sequoia on an Intel Mac, you will not have access to these tools. Stability and Security: Beta versions of the software are particularly unstable, and third-party app compatibility is never guaranteed on patched systems. For example, there was a problem with the T2 security chip in certain MacBook Air models when booted through OpenCorePkg as outlined here. Additionally, while Apple provides security updates for the current and previous two versions of macOS, running a patched version may complicate the delivery of these updates. Installation Bugs: Even supported Macs have faced issues; for instance, some M3 Ultra Mac Studio users were initially unable to install Sequoia 15.7 due to driver conflicts, though this was later resolved in macOS 26.0. If you decide to proceed, it is highly recommended to back up your data and, if possible, install the OS on a separate volume rather than your primary partition to minimize the risk of data loss. Be prepared for the fact that your Mac will not function optimally and you could lose data. Running macOS on an unsupported Mac may also be considered against Apple’s terms and conditions. If your Mac supports by the version of macOS you want to install, read: How to update macOS for a simple way to update your Mac to the latest compatible operating system. If you really want to run a newer version of macOS then maybe it’s time to upgrade your Mac and sell your old one. Read How to sell an old Mac and take a look at our frequently updated best Mac deals to get the best prices: Best MacBook Air deals Best MacBook Pro deals Best Mac mini deals Best iMac deals How to install Sequoia on an unsupported Mac If your Mac is more than a few years old and you try to install macOS Sequoia (or Sonoma, Ventura or Monterey) on it you will hit a few hurdles – the first being the fact that Software Update won’t let you install the new version of macOS. However, this doesn’t mean that installing Sequoia on an older Mac isn’t possible. It is – you just need a patch. Luckily there’s a patcher for installing macOS Sequoia on older Macs available – the OpenCore Legacy Patcher. The download and instructions can be found here. Note that macOS patchers cannot perform magic and not all Macs will be compatible. Before installing Sequoia on an older Mac, make sure that your Mac is compatible with the patcher. You can find a list of all the Macs supported here. The procedure for updating to a new version of macOS on incompatible Macs is as follows. We recommend following the instructions on the GitHub page. Before you do anything back up your Mac. First you will need to obtain the installation files for the version of macOS you are after – in this case Sequoia. You’ll have to obtain these using a compatible Mac. If they don’t show up in Software Update you can get the installation files from the Mac App Store. They are over 12GB so expect the download to take a while. Once they are downloaded you need to load these installation files onto a USB stick and prepare the USB stick for installing macOS Sequoia. We explain how to create a bootable installer of macOS in a separate article. You’ll be able to find the installation files in Finder > Applications. (Open Finder and press Shift + Command + A). The patcher also guides you through creating the macOS Installer. Next you need to obtain the patcher software that will essentially trick the installation files of the version of macOS you want to install into believing that the Mac is compatible. You can download the latest version of the patcher we mentioned above here. Click on OpenCore-Patcher-GUI.app.zip and it should Download. After extracting the archive from your download you will find the application OpenCore-Patcher. Run the OpenCore-Patcher app. Choose Build & Install OpenCore. If you are planning to install on a different Mac you need to select the correct Mac – click on Settings. Once in Build OpenCore the process should quickly build and then you will return to the main menu. The next step is to choose Install OpenCore to USB/internal drive from the options. (The recommendation is to install on a FAT32 drive. Once that has been created you need to reboot your Mac while holding down the Option (Alt) key. When the Mac starts up there will be a black screen with a few drive options. Select EFI Boot.  This will load up OpenCore. Next you need to select Install macOS, you should see the option Install macOS Sequoia in the OpenCore Picker. Now install macOS Sequoia. Foundry We recommend that you follow the steps outlined here if you have any problems. Expect the update to take several hours. How to install macOS updates on an unsupported Mac Once you have installed macOS Sequoia (or whatever version of macOS you choose), updates will appear in Software Updates as soon as they are available. However, you should not install these. Instead you need to create a USB stick with the new installation files and install the update in that way. See How to create a bootable USB macOS installer. How to install older macOS versions on an unsupported Mac The process is the same if you want to install Sonoma or another version of macOS on your Mac. As above, the download and instructions can be found here. You can check to see if your Mac is compatible with the patcher here. The same patcher is used which ever version of macOS you want to install. The procedure for updating to a new version of macOS on incompatible Macs is the same as above, although you’ll need to use the Sonoma (or other) installation files (which you can get from the Mac App Store). Once OpenCore is up and running you will be able to select Install macOS, you should see the option Install macOS Sonoma in the OpenCore Picker. The update can take several hours. In our case it sometimes looked like the installer had crashed during the update. In this case you should wait, as the installation is usually still in progress. Over time, better ways to update a machine may be found. Currently, the safest approach is to update using a bootable USB stick. If you are trying to install an older version of macOS on a newer Mac see How to install an older macOS over a new one and How to download old macOS Versions.

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Apple dedicates homepage to Martin Luther King Jr.
Per recent custom, Apple homepage honors MLK Jr. on his national holiday. And you can get a free book and a Time to Walk podcast. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Dynamic Island will move & get really tiny, if a leaker who's being sued by Apple is right
A rumor about a smaller Dynamic Island cut-out for the iPhone 18 Pro isn't new, but one saying that it will get smaller and move is, though.Dynamic Island could move to the left corner with the front-facing camera in the iPhone 18 Pro - Image Credit: Jon ProsserThe iPhone 17 Pro underwent major changes in Apple's big 2025 refresh. For 2026, Apple's improvements to the models could result in a change affecting the top of the display.According to Jon Prosser, the iPhone 18 Pro could shift the position of the front-facing camera from the middle to the top-left corner. The change will help present a much cleaner appearance for users, with the camera element in a less obvious position than normal. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple celebrates Martin Luther King Jr Day in annual homepage homage
In an annual tradition, Apple is celebrating Martin Luther King Jr Day on its homepage, with quotes from the civil rights champion. This year’s featured quote is “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” … more…

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Get easy Mac security with Moonlock
Moonlock gives Apple users Mac-first cybersecurity with malware protection, privacy tools and clear guidance—for a simple one-time $29.99 payment. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Apple is honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the company website’s homepage with a collection of his quotes… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Why Apple faces new pressure to raise iPhone and Mac prices
Apple is likely to struggle to get a critical component for all its products this year, which might force it raise prices. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iPhone 18 Pro selfie camera and Dynamic Island may be positioned on the left
One of the biggest visual changes we’re expecting with this year’s iPhone 18 Pro is a punch-hole selfie camera, with the Face ID module invisibly embedded into the display. Until recently, we’d been expecting this to be centered in the same way as the current camera and Face ID module. However, one report has suggested that the punch-hole selfie camera would instead be relocated to the top-left corner, where the clock currently lives. If so, logically the Dynamic Island would move with it, and this is shown in a new video render … more…

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Apple Car’s existence confirmed… by Airbnb
Macworld It’s an open secret in Silicon Valley that Apple spent years trying to make an electric and/or self-driving car, before eventually giving up and focusing on related fields. But while the evidence for the existence of Project Titan is widespread and persuasive, it’s never been officially confirmed. Until now. As spotted by TechRadar, the secret was blown last week by none other than… Airbnb. And if that sounds strange, allow me to explain. Airbnb just hired a chief technology officer, and chose for the role a former Apple employee: Ahmad Al-Dahle. In publicly available social media Al-Dahle keeps details to a minimum when discussing what he did at Apple Park, referring from 2014-2021 only to “autonomous systems software & algorithm development.” Partly this may be simply the discretion of a man who doesn’t want to burn any bridges, but Apple is also likely to have required him to sign an NDA. However, Airbnb is far less coy in its announcement of Al-Dahle’s new role at the company. In a post that’s still live at time of writing, co-founder Brian Chesky hypes up the CTO at some length, including the following lines (with my italics) referring to life at Cupertino: “At Apple, Ahmad worked on the frontier of technology. He was one of the core technologists behind the iPhone’s display and multitouch systems. He later worked in Apple’s core technology platform group, shipping major features in nearly a dozen devices, including the first Apple Watch. In 2014, Ahmad created and led Apple’s autonomous technology group, responsible for developing the core AI systems for the company’s self-driving car project.” Chesky (or the employee who wrote the post for him, if it was ghost-written) is unlikely to have signed an Apple NDA, and it’s good for morale to be able to explain exactly why the new CTO is a big deal in the tech world. Still, it will be interesting to see if the post stays up. Even if the secret wasn’t much of a secret in the first place.

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Best time to buy an iPhone – and when not to
Macworld There are certain times of the year when buying a new iPhone is a bad idea, and there are certain times of the year when you can get a bargain on a new handset. The trick is knowing when you should buy a new iPhone. Luckily we are here to help. In this article, we answer all of your questions about when you should and shouldn’t buy a new iPhone – including advice on when Apple is likely to discount the price of older iPhone handsets. Looking for to buy a new iPhone right now? Apple introduced a set of new iPhones in September 2025 including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone Air. Apple continues to sell the iPhone 16e, which arrived in March 2025, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, which arrived in September 2024. Any of these phones would be a good purchase, although some more than other. For help deciding which model to buy read our Best iPhone comparison. Also in this article we cover: Should I buy an old iPhone? When is the worst time to buy a new iPhone? When does Apple update the iPhone? When do iPhone prices drop? When does the iPhone go on sale? When a new iPhone is launched Apple tends to reduce prices of the previous generation. So, when the iPhone 17 launched Apple reduced the price of the iPhone 16. This is the only time when Apple drops prices on the iPhone. This is more pertinent in the U.K. where shoppers can buy an iPhone off contract and unlocked. If you are hoping to take advantage of some good discounts on a new iPhone, you should wait for an Amazon Prime Day sale (in July, October and sometimes in March), or Black Friday in late November, but we do see iPhone deals all year round in the U.K. In the U.S., where the iPhone is most frequently bought on contract, the best times to switch to a new iPhone is usually when the Black Friday sales are taking place, as some of the networks will sweeten their contract deals with extra features. Should I buy an iPhone 17? Price When Reviewed: From $799 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. With a larger screen, twice as much storage, a peek brightness of 3,000 on the ProMotion and Always-On screen, and 8 more hours of battery life, this is already shaping up to be a much better iPhone than the iPhone 16. There’s also the new 18MP Centre Stage front camera and two 48MP rear cameras. The iPhone 16 is a good allrounder iPhone and we recommend buying one, unless you are desperate for a telephoto lens. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 review Should I buy an iPhone 17 Pro? Price When Reviewed: $1,099 (256GB) | $1,299 (512GB) | $1,499 (1TB) | $1,999 (2TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. All the late 2025 iPhones offer 3,000 nits max, Pro Motion and Always On, so this is no longer a reason to buy the Pro iPhone models, now the main differentiator is really just the additional camera on the rear because even the iPhone Air features the A19 Pro chip. The iPhone 17 Pro is the one to buy if you are into advanced photography and video. It is also the phone to choose if you consider yourself a power user, a professional creator, or if you are a gamer. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro review Should I buy an iPhone 17 Pro Max? Price When Reviewed: $1,199 (256GB) | $1,399 (512GB) | $1,599 (1TB) | $1,999 (2TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. The Pro Max is essentially the same phone as the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a larger display and better battery life (37 hours). If those are features that you need, along with additional camera lens, this is the model to buy. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review Should I buy an iPhone Air? Price When Reviewed: $999 (256GB) | $1,199 (512GB) | $1,399 (1TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. The iPhone Air is for early-adopters who prioritize being on the cutting edge. It’s also for those who want an ultra-thin design. There are trade-offs though, such as reduced battery life and a single rear camera, but this is a phone with wow factor and bragging rights. Read our full Apple iPhone Air (2025) review Should I buy an iPhone 16e? Price When Reviewed: From $599 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? No. A new model in spring 2026. The iPhone 16e launched in February 2025 and brought the Apple Intelligence features and a faster processor to the budget end of the iPhone lineup. It’s the cheapest way to get a future proof iPhone so we recommend it. We expect that Apple will launch the iPhone 17e in spring 2026, but we don’t expect much more than a chip update, and the changes to the front facing camera seen on the 2025 iPhones, although there are rumors that a Dynamic Island might replace the notch. Read our full Apple iPhone 16e review Should I buy an iPhone 16 Plus? Price When Reviewed: $899 Best Prices Today: New Refurbished Retailer Price $929 View Deal $929.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Black – Unlocked $721 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Pink – Unlocked $740 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Ultramarine – Unlocked $745.87 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Teal – Unlocked $749 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – White – Unlocked $777 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices Is now a good time to buy? Yes. If you want a larger iPhone and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is too expensive for you then the iPhone 16 Plus is your best option. Apple hasn’t launched an iPhone 17 Plus, so there is no longer an affordable option for those who want, or need, a bigger iPhone. Should I buy an iPhone 16? Price When Reviewed: NOW $699 for 128GB (WAS: $799/128GB, $899/256GB, $1,099/512GB) Best Prices Today: New Refurbished Retailer Price $729.99 View Deal $829 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 128GB – Pink – Unlocked $702 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – Ultramarine – Unlocked $702 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – Teal – Unlocked $702 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – Black – Unlocked $719.99 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – White – Unlocked $724 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices Is now a good time to buy? No. We would avoid the iPhone 16 because it really doesn’t offer good value for money when compared to the iPhone 17, which offers twice as much storage as well as all the other additional features of the 2025 range. Read our full Apple iPhone 16 review Should I buy an old iPhone? What if you see an older iPhone model on sale? When Apple introduces the new range of iPhone each September it tends to keep some of the previous year’s models on sale, but not all of them. Each September we see Apple discontinue the previous Pro models of the iPhone. In 2025 Apple discontinued the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. It also stopped selling the 512GB models of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. These are all good options should you see them on sale at a cut price, just make sure you compare them to the current generation and be clear about what you are missing out on. Should I buy an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max? Is now a good time to buy? Yes. If you are lucky enough to find one on sale at a good price we recommend buying it. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Read our review Price When Reviewed: $999 (Discontinued) Best Prices Today: $899.99 at Best Buy US | $999 at Apple | $999 at Apple Should I buy a iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max? Is now a good time to buy? Maybe. If you find one on sale at a good price we recommend buying it, but it would have to be a really good deal and we don’t expect to find a new model now. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Read our review Price When Reviewed: Was $999 (Discontinued) Best Prices Today: $899.99 at Best Buy Should I buy a iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus? Is now a good time to buy? No. We would advise against buying the iPhone 15 or 15 Plus because they do not support the Apple Intelligence features. Apple iPhone 15 Read our review Price When Reviewed: From $699 (Was $799) Best Prices Today: $729 at Apple | $729.99 at Best Buy When is the worst time to buy a new iPhone? It’s easier to say when the worst time to buy a new iPhone is. That is without a doubt in the months leading up to September. So don’t buy a new iPhone in August, unless you want to be kicking yourself a month later when the price of that model drops and a new model arrives. The only reason to buy an iPhone in the run-up to an Apple Event is if it is likely to be discontinued. Apple tends to discontinue the Pro and Pro Max models of the previous generation when it introduces the next generation, so if you want to buy one of those models you may want to buy one while you still can. However, we’d suggest that it would be wise to wait for the next-gen version which is likely to present you with more for your money. Or take advantage of discounts as vendors sell off old stock after the new models arrive. When is the best time to buy a new iPhone? The best time to buy an iPhone isn’t necessarily when a new model launches either – unless you’re desperate to have the very latest hardware. You might be happy to wait a month or two after the launch and wait for supply to catch up with demand, and for any problems with the new phones to be identified and (hopefully) fixed. The other advantage of buying around the October/November time frame is that is when shopping events, like Black Friday, take place, but as we said above, we don’t tend to see the newest iPhone models discounted much, or at all, at these events. We’d say that it’s fine to buy a new iPhone at any time within nine months of it launching, but if you are hoping to save some money on your purchase we’d recommend waiting a few months after the launch. When does Apple update the iPhone? Chris Martin / Foundry Knowing when the latest iPhones came out should help when making a judgment on whether there will be an update soon. See when is the next Apple event to find out if an Apple event is imminent. Apple usually updates the iPhone range at an Apple Event in September although sometimes it will hold an Spring Apple Event – although sometimes it just announces the news via press release, as it did the launch of the iPhone 16e in February 2025. The iPhone 17e is expected to be introduced in spring 2026. When do iPhone prices drop? We know based on past experience that Apple is very unlikely to drop the price of an iPhone in the first year of sales. However, Apple does usually reduce the price of the previous year’s iPhone when it introduces the new model – so expect Apple to discount its older handsets in September. How much do prices drop when a new iPhone comes out? Foundry When Apple introduces new iPhones it usually keeps the prices the same as the previous generation, at least in the U.S. (elsewhere there can be currency fluctuations to take account of). In 2024 Apple reduced the price of the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus by $100/£100 in September 2024 when the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus were introduced. The price of the iPhone 16 also dropped in 2025 with the arrival of the iPhone 17, but crucially this time the iPhone 17 has twice as much storage at the entry-level, so at only $100/£100 less but with half the storage the iPhone 16 really doesn’t look like a good deal. Will there be Black Friday iPhone discounts? The earliest you could expect to get a discount on the newest iPhones is around Black Friday at the end of November, so you might be planning to hold out until then. However, the deals we tend to see, if any, are usually for older handsets so if you are hoping for a discounted iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro you will probably be disappointed. See our round-up of Best Black Friday iPhone deals for more. Nor should you expect to get a discount in an Apple Black Friday sale. Apple’s Black Friday sale usually only takes the form of vouchers with select product purchases, rather than a discount, and it is unlikely that the newest iPhone would qualify as in previous year’s new iPhones haven’t been included. Note that while shopping events like Black Friday gets all the attention, that’s not the only time you can get discounts on Apple products: we see discounts all the time. Another event where we see good iPhone deals is Prime Day, which happens in July and October every year. So take a look at the iPhone deals for Amazon Prime Day sale to see what you might be able to save. In our experience, we don’t tend to see discounts on the newest handset until the spring–and these are always from third-party resellers, never from Apple. In fact, we don’t tend to see the iPhone discounted in the U.S. very often, most of the discounts we see are in the U.K. where unlocked iPhones are often sold off-contract at a good discount. Conclusion: When is the best time to buy a new iPhone? The worst time to buy is usually between July or August, mainly because with new iPhones on the horizon the price of the older handsets are likely to drop very soon. If you want the newest iPhones then the best deals don’t tend to come before the spring and summer months. If you are happy to buy an older iPhone then you will probably see decent deals around Prime Day and Black Friday – but deals happen all year round.  We hope this article has proved helpful in reaching an informed buying decision. Remember that good prices can be found all year round, if a retailer is feeling generous and you know where to look: read our guide to the best iPhone deals for more on that. Wondering how long Apple supports iPhones for? Read How long do iPhones last.

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Jeff Clarke’s Mission to Save Dell PCs
Jeff Clarke is taking over Dell’s PC business as the company tries to reverse years of drift, restore the XPS halo, and compete in an AI era where fundamentals still win. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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When forecasting a MacBook Pro release date, use order delays & software releases cautiously
New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros are about to launch. Don't lean too heavily on upgrade order shipment delays or Apple's new Creator Studio launch to predict a release date, though.MacBook ProIt is certainly expected that there will be an M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro launch early in 2026 — and perhaps one with an OLED screen later in the year. Now it appears that at least some users looking to buy MacBook Pro models are finding shipping dates slipping.According to MacRumors, the delay can be up to two months. As always, shipping times for the base or most common configurations are sooner than ones with any extra storage or RAM. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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M5 Max MacBook Pro predicted to deliver ‘astounding’ Geekbench scores
We’re likely less than two weeks away from the launch of the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models. Performance estimates based on extrapolating from the difference between the base M4 and the more powerful variants suggests that the M5 Max MacBook Pro could deliver “astounding” Geekbench scores. The analysis suggests that the M5 Max chip may be the first Apple GPU ever to break 250,000 on the Geekbench 6 compute test … more…

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Threads more popular than X on iPhone; Grok CSAM controversy intensifies
A new market intelligence report suggests that Threads is now more popular than X on iPhone and Android, although X still has a strong overall lead when web usage is taken into account. Separately, the controversy over Grok generating non-consensual explicit images – including CSAM – has intensified, as xAI is now being sued by the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children … more…

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The 4-pack AirTag Is $34 Off 
Amazon has the 4-pack AirTag marked $34 off. Get this set of AirTags for multiple items at home to stay organized with real-time location tracking, or give to your friends or family to make their lives easier by keeping track of their belongings. It can connect to your iPad or iPhone easily with just one […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Filing For New Pro Display XDR/ Studio Display Discovered in Regulatory Database
A monitor with a model number of A3350 has appeared in a regulatory database in China, and it appears to be an unreleased monitor from Apple. This is likely for the next-generation Pro Display XDR or Studio Display for Apple, but the information is not sufficient to make an assumption. The listing shows that a […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Subscription Prices For Spotify are Rising Once Again
An announcement has been made by Spotify about increasing subscription prices for listeners in Latvia, Estonia, and the United States. This marks the third time Spotify has increased its monthly subscription prices in the U.S. in under 3 years’ time, starting in the middle of 2023. The changes were revealed by the company on their […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Shohei Ohtani Featured In Recent Ad Campaign For Beats
Apple Beats is famous for collaborations with well-known people for marketing their products, and the brand’s most recent campaign features Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese Pro pitcher in Baseball who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The marketing campaign was made in partnership with Daniel Sannwald, photographer, to create oversized images of Ohtani rocking products from […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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macOS 26 Tahoe Guide: New features in the latest update and what’s coming in macOS 26.3
Macworld Like its counterparts on the other Apple devices, in September 2026 macOS got a brand new look along with a new name. Because Apple is aligning the names of all the operating systems this year, the new version of macOS is called macOS 26 rather than macOS 16. It also takes the name Tahoe, inspired by the lake, beaches, and the ski resorts of that area of California.  Along with a big redesign, macOS 26 brings new Continuity features to bring your iPad, iPhone, and Mac even closer together, a brand new Phone app, and more. Spotlight also gets its biggest ever update with the ability to action things like sending emails directly from Spotlight.  Those with compatible Macs have been able to install macOS Tahoe since it was released on September 15, 2025. If you haven’t yet, read on to find out how to do so, whether you can, and whether you should. macOS Tahoe might have launched, but Apple is continuing development with new features being added every couple of months. You can get a first look at the new upcoming features via Apple’s developer and public betas, which are available to download if you join the beta program (we explain how to do so below). You will find all the things you need to know about macOS Tahoe and all its new features below, including which Macs are compatible with macOS 26 and the new features you can expect, including what’s been added since the September launch, and what’s coming in the next update. Stay tuned to this superguide for everything you need to know about macOS 26 Tahoe. macOS 26 Tahoe: Summary The new version of macOS, called macOS 26 Tahoe, was released on September 15 2025. Some M3 Mac Studio users were encountering issues and unable to install the update, but the macOS 26.0.1 update addressed this issue. The current version is macOS 26.1. macOS 26 Tahoe is still being developed and you can access new features before they are launched via the Developer and Public Betas. Tahoe runs on Macs released since 2019. It runs on all M-series Macs, but it runs on a small number of Intel-powered models. Apple has confirmed that macOS Tahoe will be the last macOS version to support Intel-powered Macs; from macOS 27 Intel Macs will not be supported. With its new Liquid Glass interface, macOS 26 has its biggest design change since 2013. New features in macOS Tahoe include more options for personalization, improvements to Spotlight and Shortcuts app, and the introduction of a Phone app on the Mac and all the associated features. macOS 26 Tahoe latest version Latest version of macOS is macOS Tahoe 26.2, which arrived on December 12, 2025 Apple released the first version of macOS 26 Tahoe on September 15, 2025. The release coincided with the iOS 26 update. Since then the following updates have been issued by Apple. macOS 26 – September 15, 2025 macOS 26.0.1 – September 29, 2025 (bug fixes) macOS 26.1 – November 3, 2025 macOS 26.2 – December 12, 2025 Wondering whether to install macOS Tahoe? Read: macOS Tahoe vs macOS Sequoia: What’s different, what’s new, and should you update? macOS 26 Tahoe next update: macOS 26.3 release date Current beta is macOS Tahoe 26.3, full version likely to launch towards the end of January or in early February 2026. Development continues even after the official macOS update is released, as Apple seeks to introduce new features that missed the initial introduction date. Apple is running a developer beta as well as a public beta so that upcoming new features can be tested. The macOS Tahoe 26.3 beta arrived on December 15, there have been updates for developers and public testers since. Both betas are free, though the developer beta requires a free registration as a developer. Apple issues updates to the betas fairly regularly. The public beta updates tend to come a day or two after the updated developer beta. If you are interested in trying out the beta, you can join Apple’s beta program. For help installing the macOS beta, see our guide to installing the macOS beta. What’s coming in macOS 26.3 macOS Tahoe 26.3 is currently in active development and testing. This update continues the refinement of the major features introduced with the initial launch of macOS 26 Tahoe. It’s not yet known what new features are coming, however in iOS 26.3 there are a number of EU-mandated changes coming. Read our iOS 26 guide for more information. What’s new in macOS 26.2 macOS Tahoe 26.2, released in late 2025, introduced several specialized updates focusing on video conferencing enhancements, AI development tools, and hardware-specific performance boosts. While it was not considered a massive overhaul, it brought a few “genius” utility features that improved the daily user experience, particularly for those working in remote or low-light environments. Edge Light: The most prominent consumer-facing feature in macOS 26.2 is Edge Light, a virtual ring light designed to improve webcam image quality. It places a bright white border around the display to mimic a selfie ring light, significantly improving visibility in dark rooms. It uses the Neural Engine to detect the user’s face for appropriate light adjustment and can even detect the cursor to hide the light when it might interfere with navigation. Users can adjust the intensity of the light and choose between warmer or cooler color temperatures. It requires an M-series Mac, but on M4 Macs and later, the feature can be set to enable automatically when low light is detected . AI and Developer Enhancements: For developers and power users, macOS 26.2 introduced significant updates to machine learning frameworks and hardware clustering. Developers using the open-source MLX framework can now leverage the Neural Accelerator in the M5 chip. The update enhanced the ability to create AI clusters using the Mac Studio’s Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Security Updates: Critical patches for vulnerabilities, aligning with security fixes found in iPadOS 26.2. Interface Polish: Continued refinement of the “Liquid Glass” UI, which introduced more translucency and visionOS-style effects across the system. Performance: General “under-the-hood” changes to improve system stability and responsiveness . What was new in macOS 26.1 The macOS 26.1 update includes fixes for problems with games controllers and some other issues. There are a lot more changes coming to iPhones with iOS 26.1. New features in macOS 26.1 include: Liquid Glass: Ability to tone down Liquid Glass effect. Choose between clear and tinted look for increased opacity. AutoMix support for Apple Music over AirPlay. FaceTime audio improvements over low-bandwidth. Regional Communication Safety and Web content filters for adult websites. Icons: Changes to the Macintosh HD icon. New TV app icon with Apple TV+ rebranded to Apple TV. A new Results from Clipboard setting for Spotlight, where the user can turn on/off Spotlight’s ability to search and display clipboard items. Users can also set an expiration time for the clipboard and clear the Clipboard history. (Settings > Spotlight > Results from Clipboard.) macOS Tahoe 26.1 has a new Spotlight setting for Clipboard management.Foundry macOS 26 Tahoe problems & fixes YouTube / Apple Some M3 Ultra Mac Studio users have reported that they are unable to install macOS Tahoe. It seems the problematic Mac Studios already had Sequoia 15.7 installed, and during the attempted installation, Tahoe would look for a driver, and when it failed to find it, it resulted in a failed installation. The macOS 26.0.1 update addresses the initial bugs, including the Mac Studio installation bug. macOS 26 Tahoe supported devices: Which Macs get macOS Tahoe Requires M-series chip or Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip Apple Intelligence features require M1 or later No Intel support from macOS 27 onwards When Apple updates the operating system for its devices, it sometimes means that certain models are no longer supported. The good news is that Macs that ran macOS Sonoma will be able to run the new macOS. Apple states that the base requirement includes Macs with M-series chips and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 security chip. Here are Macs with Apple Silicon that will be able to run macOS Tahoe: MacBook Air (M1/2020 and later) MacBook Pro (M1/2020 and later) iMac (M1/2021 and later) Mac mini (M1/2020 and later) Mac Studio (M1/2022 and later) Mac Pro (M2/2023 and later) There are four Intel-powered Macs able to run macOS Tahoe. These models won’t support Apple Intelligence features: MacBook Pro (16‑inch, Intel/2019) MacBook Pro (13‑inch, Intel/2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) iMac (Intel/mid 2020) Mac Pro (Intel/2019) Apple confirmed that this is the last version of macOS that will run on Intel Macs.  What were the biggest changes in macOS 26 Tahoe macOS 26 Tahoe represents one of the most significant overhauls to Apple’s desktop operating system in over a decade. The update is characterized by a dramatic visual redesign, the introduction of core mobile apps to the Mac, and a complete rethinking of system-wide tools like Spotlight. We’ll run through each new feature in detail below, including the Liquid Glass redesign, Spotlight overhaul, new apps, new iPhone features that are coming to the Mac and more… macOS 26 Tahoe design: Liquid Glass and other interface changes  Apple At WWDC in June, Apple showed off some enticing new features for macOS that will be coming later in 2025. A number of new features and interface enhancements were promised, but one of the biggest changes is coming to all of Apple’s products: a new design based on a graphical user interface that Apple is calling Liquid Glass. Apple showed off the brand new look for macOS in the WWDC keynote. As with Apple’s other operating systems, macOS Tahoe uses Apple’s new Liquid Glass effect to create reflective, glossy elements around the interface. The Liquid Glass elements will change color to reflect the content beneath as you scroll and will dynamically react. Buttons appear more curved and less flat. You’ll see the effect in the Dock, sidebars, toolbars, and elsewhere. The menu bar is fully transparent, and you can adjust the transparency of icons in the Dock, for example. If you don’t like the new transparent look or if it affects how well you can see items, there is a way to reduce it, and in some instances, turn it in off altogether. Read: How to reduce transparency in macOS Tahoe. This is the first time in years that Apple has made significant changes to the visual style of macOS, and it certainly makes the OS appear more modern. @macworld.com Top 3 features in macOS Tahoe from WWDC #wwdc #macostahoe #fyp ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld macOS Tahoe interface changes  Apple Apple says the design overhaul will elevate the key elements of macOS and enhance the macOS experience. The cleaner design is intended to help the user to focus on their content rather than other distractions, while elements like the translucent menu bar will make the screen feel larger.  Users will be able to choose to add third-party apps to the menu bar and even drag widgets and buttons from the Control Centre into the menu bar, thanks to a customizable layout, similar to iOS 18. Users will also be able to add controls for their favorite apps to the Control Centre. We have a guide to how to use Control Centre in macOS Tahoe where you can read about how to add controls, remove the ones you don’t want, and arrange them in a way that makes sense for you. Apple is taking advantage of the Liquid Glass introduction to bring some new icon designs to the Mac as well to help give macOS a fresh look. Some of the icons look drastically different, for others the changes are more subtle. The ‘hard drive’ icon will now be replaced with one that looks more like an SSD, for example. The new icons tend to take the form of ‘squircles’. The changes may make some third party icons less recognisable. Take a look at: 21 of the new macOS Tahoe icons with new designs for the Finder, Automator, Calendar and Contacts icons among others. You can change the icons if you want, read: How to change the icon of a macOS storage device. The new Finder icon.Apple macOS will also gain a feature that arrived on the iPhone and iPad with iOS 18: tinted and dark app icons. Users will be able to personalize their Mac in other ways, too, such as changing the color of folders and adding emoji or symbols to help them identify folders. Users can also pick personalised wallpapers and choose theme colors. If you want to change your folder color read: How to change folder color and add icons in Tahoe. New dynamic screensavers will be included. One, based on the default macOS Tahoe wallpaper, depicts the landscapes of South Lake Tahoe in a stylized artistic manner, is available in both light and dark versions. See how it looks in Tahoe’s gorgeous new screen saver. There are up to 15 other new screensavers with images of Tahoe at various time of the day, Himalayas, Goa, The Ganges and more. macOS Tahoe Spotlight overhaul Apple Spotlight has always been much more than a search tool built into macOS, helping users find anything on their Macs, make calculations and conversions, and more. In macOS Tahoe, Spotlight will be able to do even more. Spotlight’s design and functionality have been completely rethought for macOS 26, with changes that will help Mac users get things done faster. Rather than being a single bar, on the right-hand side of the new Spotlight search box, you will find icons for things like apps, files, Shortcuts, Actions, and clipboard. Select one of these buttons, and Spotlight’s box expands to house relevant items in an easy-to-browse view. When you search for something, you’ll see relevant filters under your search terms – click one to quickly apply it. Not only will Spotlight be the easiest way to find anything on your Mac, but in macOS 26, Spotlight will be contextually aware so it can make suggestions based on what you are doing. Search results will be listed based on their relevance to you, and it will be possible to use new filtering options for more specific search results.  Spotlight will also have the ability to perform actions that normally require you to be inside an app. For example, you will be able to create a calendar event, begin an audio recording, or play a podcast from within Spotlight. It will even let you fill out parameters for actions, such as typing out an email message and filling in the recipient and subject. You can essentially compose an email from inside Spotlight, without opening your email app. This will be simplified further with Quick Keys, with which you will be able to type a short string of letters to launch an action, such as typing “sm” to start sending a message to a friend. An App Intents API will make it possible for third-party developers to add Spotlight shortcuts for their applications. One of the most exciting new arrivals in Spotlight is Clipboard History, something we have wanted for years. Instead of being limited to pasting the last copied item, you will be able to view previous text and photos you’ve copied and re-insert them as needed. Why did it take Apple so long to offer this? Apple Tied to the new Spotlight is the new Apps app, which replaces Launchpad, which has been a feature of Macs for more than a decade and provides users with a Home page like view of all their apps. Instead Spotlight will be the means of finding apps. This will take some adjustment, especially if you were a Launchpad user. Learn more about Apps replacing Launchpad, and if you want to get Launchpad back we have a tutorial to show you how. macOS 26 Tahoe: New and updated apps  There are also lots of updates coming to Apple apps that are included with iPads, iPhones, and Macs. Many of the changes are shared across all the new apps, but there are a number of Mac-specific updates coming.  Phone app A Phone app on the Mac is the latest Continuity feature to come to macOS. Continuity is Apple’s name for the features that work seamlessly between Macs, iPad and iPhones, these include Handoff (which enables you to start a task on one device and switch to another to finish it), Universal Clipboard (which allows you to copy something on one device and paste it on another), and Universal Control (where you can use one mouse and keyboard to interface with more than one Mac), among other features.  With the new Phone app, users will be able to receive their calls and voicemail on the Mac. The Phone app is getting some new features of its own, including Call Screening, which is designed to help you avoid spam calls, and Hold Assist, which means you will never have to listen to hold music again. With Call Screening, before a call is put through, an unknown caller will have to share their name and reason for calling, and you will then be provided with that information. With Hold Assist, when you join a queue to wait for a call operator and the hold music starts, you can choose to be called back.  YouTube / Apple Live Activities Another feature that demonstrates the interoperability between the iPhone and Mac is Live Activities. In iOS 18, you can see a live update on your Lock Screen relating to things like a takeaway order. Live Activities show the process of a food delivery driver, for example. Now, that functionality is coming to the Mac. It will be powered by the iPhone Mirroring function, and will take the form of an iPhone-style widget that you will see on the screen of your Mac. Games app The Games app is another one that is available across all three main operating system updates: iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. As with the iOS Games app, the Games app on the Mac will bring together all the games you have on your Mac (bought from the App Store, Apple Arcade and elsewhere), as well as your friends list, achievements, and leaderboards. Tabs will make it easy to find the games you and your friends are playing. A new Game Overlay will make it easy to adjust settings for a particular game. You’ll also be able to chat with friends and ask them to play. @macworld.com New Mac gaming features just dropped! #wwdc25 #gaming #apple #fyp ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld There is also a new Low Power Mode coming, which gamers will be able to turn on to maximise battery life when playing games.  And in related news, Metal 4 is coming, which will enable next-gen features for Mac game developers, such as MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX De-noising.  Apple Shortcuts  Apple The Shortcuts app is getting an overhaul in macOS Tahoe. Shortcuts is a tool for automating tasks and repetitive actions. For those with more specific needs, there is also Automator on the Mac, but Shortcuts is simple to use and available on iPhone and iPad as well. In Tahoe, Shortcuts will be able to run workflows based on factors like time of day, or in response to an email from a specific person arriving. This functionality was previously limited to the iPhone and iPad versions. There are new intelligent actions available that can be used to create Smart Shortcuts. Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT can be used to enhance these Shortcuts. Apple says that “Users will see dedicated actions for features like summarizing text with Writing Tools or creating images with Image Playground.” Live Translation  One of the most useful new features announced at WWDC is Live Translation. With Live Translation, you can text a friend who speaks a different language and have the translations appear in real time, or get instant translations during a phone call or FaceTime conference. Everyone gets their own translator.  You’ll be able to take advantage of Live Translation in the Phone app, Messages, and FaceTime on your Mac. Apple Journal The Journal app, which arrived on iOS in 2023, is coming to the Mac (and iPad). Terminal Terminal is getting a colorful redesign and the Liquid Glass treatment, with support for 24-bit color and the ability to use Powerline fonts. Reminders Reminders is getting some help from Apple Intelligence. Reminders will scan a website, note, email or other content, then decide the most relevant action items for you based on its findings. You’ll be able to use Apple Intelligence to automatically categorize your reminders into sections, making them easier to find There are also changes coming to Safari, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, and Notes. 

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If Google helps Apple beat Google, does everyone lose?
Macworld Call me cynical, but from time to time, I hear about a “leak” that’s so positive I wonder if it’s actually a press release in disguise. In August, for instance, the transcript of an internal Apple meeting escaped into the wild and revealed that the company, get this, had amazing products ready to launch. And last week it emerged, no doubt to Apple’s consternation, that its upcoming partnership with Google will result in Siri getting a raft of new features without having to make any compromises whatsoever in terms of privacy and the user interface. Boy, I really hope somebody got fired for that blunder! Ultimately, news that Apple’s makeover of its misfiring Siri voice assistant will be powered by Google Gemini rather than in-house technology is a black eye for Cupertino, which has all along said that it will innovate, not spend, its way to AI relevance. Simply buying an established model was always an option for cash-rich Apple, but it preferred to make its own. That’s not to say that Apple is too proud to acquire; Siri itself is an acquired product. It just prefers to absorb small companies, rather than ask for help from an equally large and powerful rival, so that it can maintain control. Basing Siri on Google Gemini, then, is a concession of defeat, and the question is what that defeat will cost. Of course, it will result in more features and very likely a far more capable Siri. Google is in a better position than Apple to deliver on the reckless promises and vaporware demos we heard and saw at WWDC 2024. The question is what compromises Apple will be asked to make, and which compromises it will be prepared to make, in return. The privacy element is the most important, being essentially Apple’s unique-selling proposition. And Apple is clearly conscious that working with Google might make customers nervous about who is going to be able to do what with their data, because assurances were issued even before the report in The Information. In the otherwise detail-light official announcement, the two firms hastened to collectively tell us that Apple Intelligence “will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.” The leak further emphasised that customer data won’t go anywhere near Google’s servers and that Apple’s “privacy pledge” will be maintained. No compromises on privacy, then. Likewise, albeit more superficially, we are assured that Siri, along with other Apple Intelligence features, is going to continue to look and behave like an Apple product, not a Google one. Google will reportedly tweak Gemini to Apple’s specifications, and Apple’s own engineers will be able to modify it if they prefer. The mysterious sources in The Information report even claim that prototypes of the new software don’t feature any Google branding, although I’d be surprised if the final shipping product completely erased Google’s existence, since Google and ChatGPT currently get namechecks when you use their respective services in Visual Intelligence. Credit where credit’s due, after all. Still, even if Google gets to put its name on GemiSiri (Sirini?) the signs appear to be positive that it will remain a fundamentally Apple product in both fundamentals and cosmetics. But do you know the best thing about leaking favorable information rather than announcing it in an official statement? There’s absolutely no consequences if those anonymous sources later turn out to be wrong. And I’m in a suspicious mood. Put it this way. What’s in it for Google? On the face of it, we’re asked to believe that one of the most ruthless companies in the world has found itself in a position of power over its principal rival, able to make or break that rival’s prospects in the all-important AI arena. And instead of invoicing Tim Cook for a pound of flesh, Sundar Pichai bent over backwards to help? I’m not saying it’s surprising for one tech giant to work with another; this happens all the time. Apple continued to work profitably with Samsung even while the two companies were suing each other in multiple courtrooms around the world. But it’s surprising for the tech giant with all the power in the relationship to go along with all of the other giant’s requests. I’m reminded of the moment (spoiler alert) where Mr. Wickham marries Lydia Bennett near the end of Pride and Prejudice, and her father can only wonder in despair what this uncharacteristically honourable act will cost him. Why would Google help Apple if it’s not to further its aims and improve its position? Perhaps, like Wickham, Google has merely asked for an exorbitant amount of money. Apple has money, and Google likes money, as do we all. Money is useful; it can be exchanged for goods and services, not to mention political influence. But I’m not entirely convinced this is the one. For all its cash reserves Apple is bizarrely tight-fisted, protective of its profit margins to the extent of nickel-and-diming its customers, resisting self-repair at all costs, and even sticking ads in Apple Maps. If Pichai wrote an enormously long number on a piece of paper and slid it meaningfully across the table, I’m 99% sure that Cook would slide it back and turn the conversation to manageable compromise. So does that mean customer privacy is negotiable? Again, I suspect not, not least because the privacy pledge was highlighted in the official announcement as well as the leak. That’s an assurance that Apple will have to stand behind when the product launches. But a lot can be hidden behind a public assurance, provided you keep things vague. Your data will be kept on your own device and Apple’s protected architecture rather than Google’s servers. At the same time, it may prove mutually beneficial, and allowable within the terms of the privacy pledge, for the companies to share general anonymised usage data. Some may argue that the deal is worth it for Google purely for the higher profile it will give to Gemini, which may be light-years ahead of Siri but has legitimate rivals of its own. I’m reminded of the arrangement making Google search the default on all iPhones, which reportedly nets Apple tens of billions per year. Google might be prepared to pay Apple something for the privilege of Gemini being the default AI on all iPhones, but it’s scarcely as lucrative as being the default search engine, which means an enormous volume of search ads. And in this case, it isn’t even allowed to harvest any data and has to give up control of the interface. And Apple needs a working AI platform. It’s not remotely the same dynamic. In the end, the most likely answer is some complex mixture of incentives that may never be completely understood outside the companies (or outside an antitrust court hearing). Money may well be changing hands, more likely in the Googlewards direction, but I can’t imagine it will be enough to make the arrangement worthwhile on its own. So there may also be some data sharing in general terms. And perhaps some prominent branding, or favorable placement in the App Store. Maybe Apple won’t have quite as much control over the design as The Information’s anonymous sources would like us to believe. At this point, it’s all speculation. But one thing is clear: Apple has got itself into an awkward spot, and Google is in a position to profit. And to paraphrase Austen, Sundar Pichai would be a fool if he let Apple have access to Gemini for a farthing less than a few billion pounds. 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 20 years ago, the first MacBook Pro changed the world. Will history repeat itself? There’s never been a worse time to buy an iPhone 16e. Jason Cross explains why Apple’s M5 Pro and Max chips will be worth the long wait. The state of Apple and AI: The good (Gemini), the bad (xAI), and the ugly (Grok). Not convinced of macOS Tahoe’s terrible design? Here’s the best (worst) example. Here’s everything you need to know about Creator Studio, Apple’s new pro app bundle. Podcast of the week Apple could release some major products that change how we think about the iPhone and MacBook Pro. In the latest episode of the Macworld podcast we reveal what you can expect in the second half of 2026. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site. Reviews corner Flexbar: The Touch Bar replacement you’ve been missing. Blue Prince: A magical mystery tour of a game, packed with tantalizing puzzles. The rumor mill Siri is expected to gain these 7 new features when Google Gemini takes over. Apple might have just revealed the launch date for the M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro. A case maker might have leaked the iPhone Fold design. Software updates, bugs, and problems This strange Google Fast Pair flaw even puts users with iPhones at risk. Verizon is paying $20 to anyone affected by last week’s outage–here’s how to get it. ‘Inexcusable’ Logitech blunder borked its Mac mice, but there’s a fix. Further examination could explain why iOS 26’s adoption rates are so low. 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.

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Ditch Adobe Acrobat’s monthly fee for a PDF editor you own for life
Macworld TL;DR: Grab a PDF Expert Premium Plan lifetime subscription for Mac at $79.99—the best price you’ll find on the web (MSRP $139.99). Paying for Adobe Acrobat month after month can feel unavoidable—until you remember it’s just a PDF software! If you’re ready to stop renting basic document tools, a PDF Expert lifetime subscription is a simpler alternative that covers the essentials with a one-time purchase. A PDF editor that lasts for life PDF Expert handles editing, signing, converting, and organizing PDFs without the clutter or recurring fees. You can fix typos, insert images, rearrange pages, merge documents, and convert files into Word, Excel, or PowerPoint with just a few clicks. It also supports form filling and digital signatures. The OCR feature makes scanned PDFs actually usable by turning images into searchable, selectable text, so you can copy content or find what you need without hassle. The interface is fast, clean, and feels like it was built for macOS, not just adapted from something else. This version of PDF Expert is a lifetime plan for new users, meaning you pay once and use it for as long as you like. You’ll get regular updates and support, but you won’t be locked into another auto-renewing subscription. Get this lifetime PDF editor for Mac at $79.99 (MSRP $139.99). PDF Expert Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription (Mac)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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These are my favorite MagSafe battery banks for iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and more
With iPhone Air, Apple reintroduced the MagSafe battery pack. It’s $99, and optimized specifically for iPhone Air. It’s rather slim, though it’s rather weak in capacity – making Qi2 alternatives all the more interesting. We’ll be delving into the top options on the market, just in case you want a MagSafe battery for your iPhone without spending $99, or aren’t buying the iPhone Air. more…

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iOS 26’s Photos app has a helpful new feature for events: Here’s how it works
At WWDC25, Apple introduced a few new capabilities to the Photos app for iOS 26. Most notably, it reintroduces a tab bar layout after last year’s controversial single-page redesign. It also allows you to create spatial scenes from existing photos. On top of those headlining features, there’s another underlying feature in the Photos app for iOS 26 that a lot of users might appreciate, and thats event details. Let’s explain. more…

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Here’s why Walmart still doesn’t support Apple Pay
The year is 2026 and Walmart still doesn’t accept Apple Pay at any of its stores in the United States. This makes it one of the last remaining major retailers to not support Apple’s contactless payment platform. Here are a few reasons why Walmart doesn’t support Apple Pay … more…

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Price drop: Cement your ChatGPT and AI knowledge with this $20 course bundle
Master the buzziest tech around with this AI training bundle. Get the ChatGPT & Automation E-Degree bundle for just $19.99. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Today in Apple history: Unauthorized Apple II clone sparks big legal battle
On January 18, 1983, the Franklin Ace 1200 computer launched. The unauthorized Apple II clone triggered an important legal fight. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple Intelligence Siri is over a year late, but that might be a good thing
Apple Intelligence-powered Siri is very late, to say the least. That’s largely been because Apple has struggled to keep up with developing their own AI models. I’d say its largely played out this way because Apple has been hesitant to wanting to spend a lot of money, not to mention that Apple’s stance on privacy makes it hard to train a model – Apple just doesn’t have much data. Nonetheless though, this delay actually comes with a bit of upside. more…

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ChatGPT will soon start showing ads, but they won't affect its responses
OpenAI is refining the way ChatGPT functions to bring in more money, including a new $8 ChatGPT Go tier and the introduction of advertising at the bottom of queries for free users.ChatGPT logoChatGPT has, for quite some time, provided a number of paid tiers alongside its free service. However, with the ever-present expense of running AI continuing to apply pressure to OpenAI's finances, it's doing two things that should help earn it a bit more cash.The first change is the introduction of advertising. On Friday, OpenAI confirmed that it will be bringing marketing spots to ChatGPT on some of its cheaper service tiers. The lengthy update from the company explains that the ads are in testing, and will initially roll out to U.S. users in the coming weeks. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Think Macs don’t need antivirus? This $29.99 app begs to differ.
Macworld TL;DR: Get Moonlock: Cyber Protection for Mac for $29.99 and add Mac-specific malware defense, smart quarantine control, a privacy-focused VPN, and network/system protection tools (MSRP $54). Macs have a reputation for being “safer,” but that doesn’t mean they’re immune from today’s phishing links, sketchy downloads, and malware designed specifically for macOS. If you want an extra layer of protection, Moonlock is a Mac-first cyber protection app worth paying attention to. Moonlock works quietly alongside Apple’s built-in security tools, scanning deeper for Mac-specific malware that can hide in system files, older folders, and even mail attachments. If it finds something suspicious, Smart Quarantine Control helps neutralize threats so they can’t spy, steal data, or cause damage, while keeping you in control of what happens next. It also includes a built-in privacy VPN to encrypt your internet traffic and mask your IP address, plus a Network Inspector that can block risky connections and flag suspicious activity. And instead of burying you in jargon, Moonlock’s human-friendly dashboard shows clear status updates and simple, guided advice to help lock down common macOS weak spots. Grab one year of Moonlock Cyber Protection for Mac at $29.99 (MSRP $54). Moonlock: Cyber Protection for MacSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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A Microsoft Office lifetime license is now $50 cheaper than a single year of Microsoft 365
Macworld TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Lifetime License for Mac for just $50. Paying a $99.99 subscription every year just to keep using Microsoft apps gets old fast. If you’d rather pay once and move on, Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac gives you a lifetime license you can install on a single Mac for work or home. You get the classic desktop apps, minus the recurring cost, and it’s only $49.97 right now (reg. $219). This license gives you lifetime access to Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook Teams (Basic) OneNote (Free) Since this is a one-time purchase, you don’t have to track renewals or worry about your apps stopping because a payment failed. Once you redeem your code within seven days and link it to your account, you can download the suite, sign in on your Mac, and start working. This license is only for one Mac and is not meant for Parallels or other virtual machines, so it works best if you have a main desktop or laptop you use every day. You still receive updates within the 2021 product line, and you keep the apps for the life of the device. Stop paying every month for apps you can own. Right now, it’s only $49.97 to get a Microsoft Office Home and Business lifetime license. Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Cybersecurity Best Practices: Essential Tips for Modern Mac Security
Cybersecurity affects every person who uses a device, connects to the internet, pays bills online, or stores important files digitally. The rise of cloud services, mobile apps, and complex online accounts has created new opportunities for criminals to target individuals. Mac users benefit from strong built-in protections, but threats now focus less on operating systems […] The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

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What Is a Network Security Key? How to Find Your Wi-Fi Password on Any Device
If you have ever tried connecting a new phone, laptop, tablet, or smart home device to your Wi-Fi network, you have likely been asked for something called a network security key. The name sounds technical, but it simply refers to the password that protects your wireless network. Understanding what a network security key is, how […] The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

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Meet Rey, the Admin of ‘Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters’
A prolific cybercriminal group that calls itself "Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters" made headlines regularly this year by stealing data from and publicly mass extorting dozens of major corporations. But the tables seem to have turned somewhat for "Rey," the moniker chosen by the technical operator and public face of the hacker group: Earlier this week, Rey confirmed his real life identity and agreed to an interview after KrebsOnSecurity tracked him down and contacted his father.

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Is Your Android TV Streaming Box Part of a Botnet?
On the surface, the Superbox media streaming devices for sale at retailers like BestBuy and Walmart may seem like a steal: They offer unlimited access to more than 2,200 pay-per-view and streaming services like Netflix, ESPN and Hulu, all for a one-time fee of around $400. But security experts warn these TV boxes require intrusive software that forces the user's network to relay Internet traffic for others, traffic that is often tied to cybercrime activity such as advertising fraud and account takeovers.

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Vulnerability Summary for the Week of November 17, 2025
High Vulnerabilities PrimaryVendor — Product Description Published CVSS Score Source Info Patch Info ABB–ABB Ability Edgenius Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability in ABB ABB Ability Edgenius.This issue affects ABB Ability Edgenius: 3.2.0.0, 3.2.1.1. 2025-11-20 9.6 CVE-2025-10571 https://search.abb.com/library/Download.aspx?DocumentID=7PAA022088&LanguageCode=en&DocumentPartId=&Action=Launch  AMD–AMD StoreMI A DLL hijacking vulnerability in AMD StoreMIâ„¢ could allow an attacker to […]

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Cloud Security Tips: How to Protect Your Data in the Cloud
Cloud storage has become woven into the way people save, share, and collaborate on files. From personal photos to business documents, the cloud makes information easy to access from nearly any device. Yet this convenience can also create security risks. If an attacker gains access to a cloud account, they may be able to view […] The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

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Mozilla Says It’s Finally Done With Two-Faced Onerep
In March 2024, Mozilla said it was winding down its collaboration with Onerep -- an identity protection service offered with the Firefox web browser that promises to remove users from hundreds of people-search sites -- after KrebsOnSecurity revealed Onerep's founder had created dozens of people-search services and was continuing to operate at least one of them. Sixteen months later, however, Mozilla is still promoting Onerep. This week, Mozilla announced their partnership with Onerep will officially end next month.

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The Cloudflare Outage May Be a Security Roadmap
An intermittent outage at Cloudflare on Tuesday briefly knocked many of the Internet's top destinations offline. Some affected Cloudflare customers were able to pivot away from the platform temporarily so that visitors could still access their websites. But security experts say doing so may have also triggered an impromptu network penetration test for organizations that have come to rely on Cloudflare to block many types of abusive and malicious traffic.

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Microsoft Patch Tuesday, November 2025 Edition
Microsoft this week pushed security updates to fix more than 60 vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and supported software, including at least one zero-day bug that is already being exploited. Microsoft also fixed a glitch that prevented some Windows 10 users from taking advantage of an extra year of security updates, which is nice because the zero-day flaw and other critical weaknesses patched today affect all versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

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Google Sues to Disrupt Chinese SMS Phishing Triad
Google is suing more than two dozen unnamed individuals allegedly involved in peddling a popular China-based mobile phishing service that helps scammers impersonate hundreds of trusted brands, blast out text message lures, and convert phished payment card data into mobile wallets from Apple and Google.

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Drilling Down on Uncle Sam’s Proposed TP-Link Ban
The U.S. government is reportedly preparing to ban the sale of wireless routers and other networking gear from TP-Link Systems, a tech company that currently enjoys an estimated 50% market share among home users and small businesses. Experts say while the proposed ban may have more to do with TP-Link's ties to China than any specific technical threats, much of the rest of the industry serving this market also sources hardware from China and ships products that are insecure fresh out of the box.

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Mac mini with M4 Pro CPU on sale for $1289, $110 off Apple’s MSRP
Amazon has M4 Pro Mac minis on sale for $110 off Apple's MSRP, only $1289. This model has 24GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage. Shipping is free. Their price is the lowest currently available for this popular mini: - Mac mini M4 Pro (24GB/512GB): $1289, $110 off MSRP For the latest prices and sales, keep an eye on our Mac mini Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Apple’s most affordable iPads are on sale for $50 off MSRP, from $299
Amazon has Apple's 11th-generation A16 WiFi iPads in stock on sale for $50 off MSRP right now. Shipping is free: - 11" 11th-generation 128GB WiFi iPads: $299 $50 off MSRP - 11" 11th-generation 256GB WiFi iPads: $399 $50 off MSRP - 11" 11th-generation 512GB WiFi iPads: $599 $50 off MSRP Amazon's prices are the lowest iPads prices currently available for 11th-generation models. For the latest prices & deals, keep an eye on our iPad Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Apple AirPods Pro 3 on sale for $199, save $50
Amazon has Apple AirPods Pro 3 on sale for $50 off MSRP, including free shipping: - AirPods Pro 3: $199, $50 off Their price is the lowest we've seen so far for these new AirPods Pro models. Keep an eye on our AirPods Price Tracker for the latest prices and deals, updated daily.

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Apple’s 14-inch M5-powered MacBook Pros with 16GB of RAM on sale for $200 off MSRP, starting at $1399
Amazon is offering $200 discounts on new 14" M5 MacBook Pros with 16GB of memory, each including free shipping: - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB/Black): $1399, MSRP $1599 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB/Silver): $1399, MSRP $1599 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/1TB/Black): $1599, MSRP $1799 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/1TB/Silver): $1599, MSRP $1799 These are the lowest prices available for new M5 MacBook Pros right now. For the latest sales and prices, keep an eye on our 14-inch MacBook Pro Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Amazon has 15-inch M4 MacBook Airs on sale for $200 off Apple’s MSRP
Amazon has all 15" M4 MacBook Airs on sale for $200 off Apple's MSRP, starting at only $999. Be sure to select Amazon as the seller, rather than a third-party: - 15" M4 MacBook Air (16GB/256GB): $999, $200 off - 15" M4 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB): $1199, $200 off - 15" M4 MacBook Air (24GB/512GB/): $1399, $200 off Their prices are the lowest available for new 15" M4 MacBook Airs anywhere. For the latest sales & prices, see our 15" MacBook Air Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Amazon continues to offer 13-inch M4 MacBook Airs for as little as $799
Amazon has all 13" M4 MacBook Airs on sale for $200 off Apple's MSRP, starting at only $799. Be sure to select Amazon as the seller, rather than a third-party: - 13" M4 MacBook Air (16GB/256GB): $799, $200 off - 13" M4 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB): $999, $200 off - 13" M4 MacBook Air (24GB/512GB): $1199, $200 off These are the lowest 13-inch M4 MacBook Air prices currently available at Apple retailers. For the latest sales & prices see our 13" MacBook Air Price Tracker, updated daily.

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B&H is offering a $200 discount on new 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pros
B&H Photo has 16-inch MacBook Pros with M4 Pro CPUs in stock right now and on sale for $200 off Apple's MSRP. B&H offers free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: - 16" M4 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/512GB): $2299, $200 off MSRP - 16" M4 Pro MacBook Pro (48GB/512GB): $2699, $200 off MSRP These are among the lowest prices currently available for 16" M4 Pro MacBook Pros at Apple retailers. For the latest sales and prices, keep an eye on our 16-inch MacBook Pro Price Tracker, updated daily.

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New Years Sale: Take $250-$300 off Apple’s 14-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pros
Amazon has Apple's 14-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pros (Silver and Black colors) on New Years sale for $250-$300 off MSRP. Shipping is free. Be sure to select Amazon as the seller, rather than a third-party seller: - 14" M4 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/512GB): $1749, $250 off MSRP - 14" M4 Pro MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB): $2099, $300 off MSRP For the latest sales and prices, keep an eye on our 14-inch MacBook Pro Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Updated MacBook Price Trackers
Our Apple award-winning MacBook Price Trackers are continually updated with the latest information on prices, bundles, and availability for 16" and 14" MacBook Pros along with 13" and 15" MacBook Airs from Apple's authorized online retailers. We include prices for open-box MacBooks that might be available as well. Current sales range up to $200+ off MSRP for new MacBook Airs and up to $400+ off MacBook Pros: - 16" MacBook Pros - 14" MacBook Pros - 15" MacBook Airs - 13" MacBook Airs

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14-inch M5 MacBook Pros on Holiday sale at B&H starting at $1449, up to $150 off Apple’s MSRP
B&H Photo has new 14" M5 MacBook Pros on sale for up to $150 off MSRP as part of their ongoing Holiday sale. B&H offers free shipping to most US addresses (1-2 day is many cases): - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB/Black): $1449, MSRP $1599 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB/Silver): $1449, MSRP $1599 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/1TB/Black): $1649, MSRP $1799 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (16GB/1TB/Silver): $1699, MSRP $1799 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB/Black): $1999, MSRP $1999 - 14" M5 MacBook Pro (24GB/1TB/Silver): $1899, MSRP $1999 For the latest sales and prices, keep an eye on our 14-inch MacBook Pro Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Apple Watch Series 11 models on sale again for $100 off MSRP
Amazon is again offering a $100 discount on new Apple Watch Series 11 models as part of their Holiday sales. Shipping is free: - 42mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS: $299, save $100 - 46mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS: $329, save $100 - 42mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + 5G: $399, save $100 - 46mm Apple Watch Series 11 GPS + 5G: $429, save $100 These are the lowest prices available for Apple Watch Series 11 models. For the latest prices & sales, keep an eye on our Apple Watch Price Tracker, updated daily.

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Apple AirPods Max on Holiday sale for $100 off MSRP
Amazon has AirPods Max with USB-C on sale for $449.99 in most colors. Shipping is free. Their price is $100 off Apple's MSRP, and it's the lowest price available for these AirPods among the retailers we track. Keep an eye on our AirPods Price Tracker for the latest prices and deals, updated daily.

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