iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS 26.3, EU wearable device makers can now test proximity pairing and improved notifications. Here are the new capabilities that Apple is adding: Proximity pairing - Devices like earbuds will be able to pair with an iOS device in an AirPods-like way by bringing the accessory close to an iPhone or iPad to initiate a simple, one-tap pairing process. Pairing third-party devices will no longer require multiple steps. Notifications - Third-party accessories like smart watches will be able to receive notifications from the ‌iPhone‌. Users will be able to view and react to incoming notifications, which is functionality normally limited to the Apple Watch. Notifications can only be forwarded to one connected device at a time, and turning on notifications for a third-party device disables notifications to an Apple Watch. The European Commission says that developers can test third-party TVs, smart watches, and headphones with the new features in iOS 26.3, with the functionality to be "fully available in Europe" in 2026. iOS 26.3 offers "another step towards a more inter-connected digital ecosystem to the benefit of all EU citizens," according to the European Commission. iOS 26.3 is expected to launch at the end of January. The changes to proximity pairing and notifications are only available for device makers and ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users in the European Union.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Offers Free Two-Hour Delivery for Last-Minute Holiday Shopping
Apple has started offering free two-hour delivery on eligible, in-stock products for those who still need to do some last-minute gift shopping. The two-hour delivery upgrade is available through December 24 in most metro areas of the U.S. and Canada. Three-hour delivery is also available in Australia. Two-hour delivery is provided through courier companies that Apple partners with, like Uber Eats or Postmates, and it typically costs $9. Items are delivered from a local Apple retail store, so whatever you're ordering needs to be in stock at a nearby location. The offer is available for in-stock purchases of iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV, and Beats headphones. It is not available for custom Macs or engraved orders, nor is it applicable to accessories. Some accessories and products are also still available for December 24th delivery with express shipping. Apple is still providing an extended return policy, so items purchased now can be returned through January 6, 2026.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Where's the New Apple TV?
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new ‌Apple TV‌ before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would update both the HomePod mini and the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K toward the end of the year, and we also heard the same information from other sources. No announcement happened in September alongside the iPhone launch, and when Apple updated the Vision Pro, iPad Pro, and MacBook Pro in October, there was no sign of the ‌Apple TV‌. It's not clear what happened, but it's possible Apple decided to hold all home-related product announcements until spring 2026, when the smarter, more capable version of Siri will be ready in iOS 26.4. That's right around the time when Apple is rumored to be launching its new home hub device, so we could see the ‌Apple TV‌, home hub, and ‌HomePod mini‌ sometime in late March or April. Rumored Features The ‌Apple TV‌ isn't going to get a major design overhaul, but there are some useful updates in store. It's long overdue for a new chip, and Apple's newer chip options will bring gaming improvements. A-Series Chip The next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ is expected to get an updated A-series chip, and Apple backend code we found suggests that it'll use the A17 Pro. The A17 Pro is the chip that Apple first used in the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models, and it would bring Apple Intelligence support to the ‌Apple TV‌ for the first time. The A17 Pro is built on 3-nanometer technology and it would also bring support for console-quality games thanks to much improved CPU and GPU performance. It'll be a significant improvement over the current A15 Bionic chip. N1 Chip Apple debuted its custom N1 networking chip in the iPhone 17 models, and rumors suggest that the N1 will also be used in the upcoming ‌Apple TV‌. It adds support for Wi-Fi 7, which is not a current ‌Apple TV‌ feature. With Wi-Fi 7 support, the ‌Apple TV‌ will be able to connect to Wi-Fi networks that support the faster and less crowded 6GHz band. Users can expect faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency. New Siri Features With a faster chip that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌, the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ will support the LLM version of ‌Siri‌ coming in 2026. ‌Siri‌ will be more like Claude or ChatGPT, which could lead to better ‌Apple TV‌ recommendations, the option to use voice commands to do more than before, better support for questions about actors and music in movies and shows, and much more. Pricing There's a possibility that Apple will cut costs for the next ‌Apple TV‌, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple is targeting a price point around $100. With the A17 Pro chip and the N1 chip, Apple might not be able to hit that price with the flagship model, but there could be a lower-end entry-level option that's more affordable. Pricing right now starts at $129. New Launch Date In early November, Gurman said that an ‌Apple TV‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ "shouldn't be too far off" based on dwindling supplies of the devices at Apple retail stores. At the time, he said a post-2025 debut was a possibility, but he confirmed the products are ready to go and could launch at any time. The ‌HomePod mini‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ will "help showcase the new ‌Siri‌ and ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features" that Apple has coming, which makes the spring timing sound even more likely.Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Hit With Supersized Fine in Italy Over an iPhone Privacy Feature
Italy's Competition Authority (AGCM) has imposed a €98.6 million ($116 million) fine on Apple over its App Tracking Transparency feature. Since the release of iOS 14.5 in April 2021, Apple has required apps to ask for permission before tracking a user's activity across other apps and websites for personalized advertising, as part of a feature named App Tracking Transparency. If a user selects the "Ask App Not to Track" option, the app is unable to access the device's advertising identifier. In a press release and executive summary today, the AGCM said the App Tracking Transparency rules are "disproportionate," and "harmful" to app developers and advertisers. Ultimately, it found that Apple abused its dominant position in the EU market. The regulator does not take issue with Apple implementing policies that are designed to strengthen privacy and security for users, but it said the App Tracking Transparency feature is "excessively burdensome for developers." Specifically, iPhone and iPad users in the EU are presented with both App Tracking Transparency and GDPR-related permission prompts in apps, and the AGCM found this "double consent" requirement to be harmful to app developers and advertisers. "Apple could have achieved the same level of privacy protection for its users through means less restrictive of competition," the AGCM said. "This would have prevented the unilateral imposition of additional burdens on third-party developers, thereby avoiding the above-mentioned double consent requests for advertising purposes." The regulator also found that the App Tracking Transparency rules appear capable of generating financial benefits for Apple, even though the feature applies to its own apps as well. The only reason that Apple apps do not show an App Tracking Transparency prompt is because Apple does not track user activity across other apps and websites. In a statement shared with several media outlets, Apple said it will appeal the decision, and it touted the privacy benefits of App Tracking Transparency. Earlier this year, Apple warned that it may be forced to stop offering App Tracking Transparency in the EU due to regulatory pressures in countries such as Italy, France, Germany, and Poland, and from the overarching European Commission.Tag: App Tracking TransparencyThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Clings to Samsung as RAM Prices Soar
Apple is significantly increasing its reliance on Samsung for iPhone memory as component prices surge, according to The Korea Economic Daily. Apple is said to be expanding the share of ‌iPhone‌ memory it sources from Samsung due to rapidly rising memory prices. The shift is expected to result in Samsung supplying roughly 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17, compared with a more even split with SK Hynix in previous generations, with Micron also participating as a smaller supplier. The change is occurring against a backdrop of tightening supply in the global memory market. The ‌iPhone‌ relies on low-power double data rate memory (LPDDR), which is optimized for energy efficiency and thermal performance in mobile devices. While Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron all manufacture LPDDR at scale, industry sources report that SK Hynix and Micron have increasingly redirected production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is in high demand for artificial intelligence accelerators and data center hardware. As a result, their available capacity for mobile-focused LPDDR has become heavily constrained. By contrast, Samsung has apparently maintained substantial production of general-purpose and mobile DRAM, allowing it to meet Apple's requirement for extremely large and predictable volumes. Samsung is said to be the only company that can meet Apple's conditions in a situation where SK Hynix seems to be focused on HBM. According to the report, Apple's hardware is particularly sensitive to momentary voltage spikes, which are not well accommodated by its latest chips, including the A19 and A19 Pro. This places additional pressure on memory suppliers to deliver components that perform identically across very large production runs. The price of a 12GB LPDDR5X module, the likes of which are used in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, has risen sharply from around $30 at the beginning of 2025 to roughly $70 today. Apple's scale and long-standing practice of negotiating multi-year supply agreements typically provide some insulation from short-term price volatility, but the magnitude of the increase has made supplier reliability and volume commitments more important. Concentrating a much larger share of orders with Samsung should allow Apple to secure more predictable deliveries and potentially benefit from economies of scale, even as overall component costs rise.Tag: SamsungThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Get $100 Off Apple Watch Series 11, Starting at $299
Amazon and Best Buy this week have all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. These discounts beat the Black Friday prices we saw last month by about $30. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find four of the 42mm GPS models on sale at this all-time low price, and three of the 46mm GPS models on sale. $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00 $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00 If you're shopping for cellular models, you can find record low prices on multiple models this week on Amazon. The 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 11 has hit $399.00, down from $499.00, and the 46mm cellular model has hit $429.00, down from $529.00. $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm Cell) for $399.00 $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm Cell) for $429.00 Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Still Testing Ultra-Thin Glass to Eliminate Foldable iPhone Crease
Apple is reportedly testing next-generation ultra-thin flexible glass (UFG) for its book-style foldable iPhone as it works to make the display crease invisible and potentially solve one of the most persistent issues of existing foldable displays. According to Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple is evaluating UFG panels with uneven thickness, using thinner glass in the folding area to improve flexibility while retaining thicker sections elsewhere for rigidity and durability. Unlike existing foldables, which rely on ultra-thin glass (UTG) that inevitably deforms along the hinge, UFG is designed to distribute bending stress more evenly across the panel. In theory, this approach could reduce the crease to the point where it becomes visually imperceptible during everyday use. The testing is said to be ongoing as Apple refines manufacturing processes and long-term reliability targets ahead of an expected 2026 launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models. The timing may appear late in Apple's development cycle, but it doesn't necessarily suggest a delay. Apple is likely currently transitioning from design validation into early production validation, where the big hardware decisions are already locked in, but more high-risk components continue to undergo final qualification. Apple testing UFG now could be part of an effort to validate the novel way it's being applied, rather than to do with a decision about whether to use the technology at all. Apple could have more mature UTG solutions available as a fallback if its targets are not met. The report also claims that multiple Chinese display makers are also evaluating UFG-based solutions, suggesting the technology is approaching commercial readiness. iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable The foldable iPhone is expected to feature a book-style design with an approximately 5.3- to 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner screen. It will reportedly use liquid metal hinges to achieve a virtually crease-free display and is expected to be priced between $2,000 and $2,500, making it Apple's most expensive iPhone ever.Tags: Digital Chat Station, Foldable iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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iPhone 18 Trial Production to Start in February Ahead of Spring 2027 Launch
Apple is reportedly preparing to begin trial production of the iPhone 18 after Chinese New Year, according to Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital. The claim suggests small-scale manufacturing runs will start once factories return to normal operations following the Lunar New Year shutdown, which typically ends in late February. The Chinese leaker claims that production lines for the iPhone 18 Pro models have already been set up, indicating that the Pro hardware design has already been locked in. The leaker adds that the scope of external design changes is expected to be smaller than some may be anticipating. That lines up with reports that the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature the same general design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, with the triple-lens rear camera system residing within the new camera plateau. The report also fits with Apple's rumored shift to a split iPhone launch cycle. Under the reported strategy, the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to debut in September 2026 alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone, while the standard iPhone 18 will follow later with the iPhone 18e for a spring 2027 launch. Apple's iPhone 18 models could feature a simplified Camera Control button without a capacitive sensor to cut costs, but pressure sensing will still be available for all of the button functions. The standard iPhone 18 could be also upgraded to 12GB RAM in 2026, while adopting TSMC's 2nm architecture for the A20 chip, but beyond that we don't have many specifics about what else to expect at this time. As for the iPhone 18 Pro models, they are expected to debut Apple's A20 Pro chip and could potentially feature under-screen Face ID technology, not to mention a variable aperture lens, and a new three-layer stacked image sensor made by Samsung. Apple is also expected to use the device to debut its next-generation, custom-made C2 modem. Related Roundup: iPhone 18Tag: Fixed Focus DigitalRelated Forum: iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple's AirTag 4-Pack Drops to $64.98 on Amazon
Apple's AirTag 4-Pack has dropped to $64.98 this weekend on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. Prime members can get the accessory delivered today in many locations, but otherwise free shipping options have moved past December 25. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Overall, this is a solid second-best price on the AirTag 4-pack that's within $2 of the Amazon all-time low price, which we last tracked during Black Friday. If you're shopping for a single AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $24.00, down from $29.00. $34 OFFAirTag 4-Pack for $64.98 If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Top Stories: iOS 26.3 Beta, Major Apple Leaks, and More
You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates. This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories! Top Stories iOS 26.3 Beta 1 Features: What's New So Far With iOS 26.2 and other 26.2 updates now available to the general public, Apple has started beta testing on the next round of 26.3 updates. With work on this round of updates typically spanning the holidays, they tend to be smaller in scale, but there are still a few notable changes. iOS 26.3 brings changes that make it easier to switch from iPhone to Android, with corresponding changes to Android making the reverse process simpler as well. Users in the European Union will also be gaining a setting that allows iPhone notifications to be forwarded to third-party devices, increasing interoperability. iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak Macworld's Filipe Espósito last week revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. As always, Apple's plans could change, so there is no guarantee that any or all of these features will end up being released to the general public, but some of the leaked features include: iOS 26.4: Revamped Siri powered by Apple Intelligence iOS 26.4: Redesigned Health app, potentially involving a previously rumored Apple Health+ subscription service iOS 26.4: Credit card AutoFill improvements for third-party apps iOS 27: Improvements to collections in the Photos app and AirPods pairing iOS 28: New metrics for Apple Watch sleep tracking Apple Leak Confirms Work on Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices More information on the sourcing of that software leak has subsequently surfaced, and it apparently comes from an early build of iOS 26 (then still known as iOS 19) that was on a leaked prototype iPhone. In addition to numerous features planned for future software updates, which we've outlined in more detail, the leak also reveals dozens of devices in Apple's product pipeline, including many of the expected evolutionary updates to existing products but also some new products that have either been previously rumored or newly revealed. Notable additions include the first foldable iPhone, Apple's upcoming smart home products, the rumored low-cost MacBook powered by an A18 Pro chip, an iMac with a high-powered M5 Max chip, and more. Apple Aims to Boost Popularity of iPhone Air 2 in Two Ways A new report this week from The Information outlined some details on Apple's iPhone product roadmap, including word that Apple is looking at two key improvements for the second-generation iPhone Air: a second rear camera and a lower price tag. The current iPhone Air has reportedly not sold well due to compromises related to camera capabilities, battery life, and perceived value for the price, with suppliers reportedly already winding down production due to the number of already-produced units still available for distribution. The same report claimed that next year's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will include under-screen Face ID with the front camera becoming a punch hole at the top-left corner of the screen. Apple is reportedly also adding a mechanical iris to one of the device's rear cameras, which will allow for variable aperture to control the amount of light reaching the sensor. Leak Reveals Foldable iPhone Details We've already heard a lot about Apple's first foldable iPhone that's expected next year, but a new report from a frequent leaker on Chinese blogging site Weibo has added a few new details to the existing rumors. The foldable iPhone will reportedly use a Touch ID power button on the side of the device rather than Face ID in order to save internal space, and it will include a 7.58-inch internal display with an under-screen camera. When folded, the outside will feature a 5.25-inch display with a punch-hole camera. ChatGPT's Apple Music Integration Is Now Live There's now a dedicated Apple Music app for ChatGPT, which allows ChatGPT to make music recommendations and build playlists. ChatGPT can be used to search through the ‌Apple Music‌ catalog for songs, artists, albums, and playlists, even without an ‌Apple Music‌ subscription. OpenAI says that all users are able to discover music, generate playlists, and listen to preview clips in ChatGPT. ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers can add songs, albums, and playlists to their ‌Apple Music‌ Library using ChatGPT. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top StoriesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Beats Launches Travis Scott Partnership Featuring New 'DARE TO DREAM' Ad Campaign
Apple's Beats brand is launching a new celebrity ad campaign today featuring rapper Travis Scott and entitled "DARE TO DREAM." The campaign is inspired by a 2011 tweet from Scott when he was just starting his career, in which he claimed, "One day Travis Scott will be somebody." The campaign short film is a "testament to how belief in oneself can manifest into reality" and features a re-creation of his actual childhood bedroom and an appearance by his real mother, Wanda Webster. The film depicts a young Scott working on music projects using his iMac and the original Beats Studio headphones, with the scene transforming from his bedroom to a dream of sold-out shows on his just-completed "Circus Maximus" tour spanning multiple legs over the past two years. The dream is short-lived, however, with his mother calling him back to reality and sending him off to school. Inspired by the dream, Scott composes his prophetic tweet, and on his way out of the house he discovers a pair of Powerbeats Fit in his pocket, a symbol linking past and present. While the partnership with Scott is currently focused on the campaign film, Beats Chief Marketing Officer Chris Thorne hints that we can expect to see more in the future.“This campaign captures something deeply personal — the belief that greatness starts with a single idea and the courage to chase it,” said Chris Thorne, Beats CMO. “It’s the same belief that connects Beats and Travis — and this is only the beginning of what we’ll build together.”Whether this means we'll see any product partnerships between Beats and Scott down the road remains to be seen.Tags: Beats, Travis ScottThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 234 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 234 includes fixes and updates for Animations, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, MathML, Media, SVG, Web API, Web Authentication, Web Inspector, and WebRTC. The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS. The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website. Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.Tag: Safari Technology PreviewThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 (For Now)
Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running ‌iOS 26‌. If you have an ‌iPhone‌ 11 or later, Apple is no longer offering new versions of iOS 18, even though there was a security update that came out alongside iOS 26.2. Apple stopped showing new iOS 18 updates when iOS 26.2 launched, forcing iOS 18 users to upgrade to iOS 26.2 if they want to keep their devices secure. For now, there's a way to stay on iOS 18 and continue to get security updates. On a device running iOS 18, you can turn on iOS 18 public beta updates to force new versions of iOS 18 to show up. This may not remain an option for long, but it works at the current time. Apple's move to push users to ‌iOS 26‌ is timed with a long list of security updates introduced in iOS 26.2 and iOS 18.7.3, including a WebKit vulnerability known to be actively exploited. Both updates addressed the problem, so there is no technical need for the iOS 26.2 requirement. Jason Snell wrote an article yesterday on Apple's decision not to offer iOS 18 users further iOS 18 upgrades and speculated that it might be a bug or an error, but the reality is that Apple does this every year. The iOS 14 to iOS 15 transition in 2021 was the first time that Apple allowed users to remain on an older version of iOS. At the time, Apple said that iOS offered "a choice between two software update versions." Users would be able to update to iOS 15 at release, or opt to continue on iOS 14 and "still get important security updates." As promised, Apple did allow users to stay on iOS 14 and avoid the iOS 15 update, but only temporarily. Apple started pushing people to iOS 15 in January 2022 by making the iOS 15 software update option more prominent and no longer offering iOS 14 security updates for devices capable of running iOS 15. In fact, iOS 14 updates stopped being available when Apple launched iOS 15.2, which might sound familiar because it is the exact same path that it followed with the iOS 18 to ‌iOS 26‌ transition. Apple did the same thing with the iOS 16 to iOS 17 transition, and the iOS 17 to iOS 18 transition. For a clear answer why iOS 18 security updates are no longer available on devices capable of running ‌iOS 26‌, we can look to what Apple had to say in 2022 after people complained about being forced to upgrade to iOS 15. According to Apple, the option for users to stay on iOS 14 and avoid iOS 15 was always meant to be temporary. Apple provided a grace period for people to remain on iOS 14 while iOS 15 bugs were worked out, but Apple ultimately wanted users on the latest version of iOS. In a support document published in 2021, Apple clarified that users would be able to stay on the old version of iOS "for a period of time," but not forever. If you're using iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later, you might now see the option to choose between two software update versions. This option allows you to choose between updating to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS 15 as soon as it's released, or continuing on iOS or iPadOS 14 while still getting important security updates for a period of time. Apple has continued with the same update policy since iOS 15, but the company's move to wean users off of iOS 18 is more visible this year due to the design changes introduced with ‌iOS 26‌. Liquid Glass is a major user interface overhaul that's polarizing, and some users are unsurprisingly reluctant to update for that reason.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone 17 and Fresh Coat Screen Protector From Astropad
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 17 and one of Astropad's Fresh Coat anti-reflective screen protectors to go along with it. Fresh Coat is a new kind of screen protector that Astropad designed with an optical-grade anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and provide a more pleasant iPhone viewing experience. The technology that Astropad is using cuts reflections by 75 percent, while improving contrast and keeping colors vibrant. Unlike other anti-reflective screen protectors, there's no haze or distortion. Priced at $30, Fresh Coat is made from a scratch-proof tempered glass that also provides protection for the ‌iPhone‌'s display in addition to cutting down on glare and reflections. It's slim and won't add any bulk to the ‌iPhone‌ even though it has a five-layer design. From the top down, there's an anti-reflective coating, an oleophobic and hydrophobic coating, a layer of tempered glass, a dust barrier, and an impact-resistant "airbag" bonding. If you have an ‌iPhone 17‌, it comes with a new anti-reflective coating added by Apple. What you might not know, though, is that you can't use just any screen protector with the ‌iPhone 17‌. If you put a regular screen protector without an anti-reflective coating on, it entirely nullifies the anti-reflective properties of that added coating. Since Fresh Coat has its own anti-reflective coating, it actually improves upon Apple's included anti-reflective layer, reducing glare even further. With Fresh Coat, the ‌iPhone‌'s screen is easy to see in any lighting conditions, there's less eye strain, and if you use Dark Mode, it looks even darker. If you don't have an ‌iPhone 17‌, Fresh Coat can provide an ‌iPhone‌ 17-style display upgrade, mirroring Apple's own reflection-reducing display coating. Fresh Coat is available for all ‌iPhone 17‌ models, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, and the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and Pro Max. Astropad even designed an installation process that's impossible to mess up, so you get perfect alignment on your ‌iPhone‌ without hassle. We have an ‌iPhone 17‌ in white and a Fresh Coat screen protector for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected. Astropad Giveaway The contest will run from today (December 19) at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 26. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after December 26 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.Tag: GiveawayThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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You Can No Longer Downgrade to iOS 26.1
Apple has stopped signing iOS 26.1, meaning that iPhone users can no longer downgrade to that software version via Finder on macOS or the Apple Devices app on Windows. iOS 26.2 is now the minimum version that is still signed by Apple, and the first beta of iOS 26.3 is also available to developers and public beta testers. iOS 26.2 was released last week. The update adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and much more.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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The MacRumors Show: 2025 Year-in-Review
On this year's final episode of The MacRumors Show, we take a look back at all of Apple's major announcements and new products from 2025. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos In February, Apple introduced the iPhone 16e, positioned as a replacement for the iPhone SE as a lower-cost model, starting at $599. It offers the A18 chip and a 48-megapixel camera in an ‌iPhone‌ 13-style design, but with matte back glass, a USB-C port, and no MagSafe. The device debuted Apple's custom C1 5G modem, replacing components from Qualcomm for the first time. In March, Apple refreshed several iPads and Macs. The standard iPad was updated with the A16 chip, and noticeably still lacks Apple Intelligence support. The 11- and 13-inch iPad Air was refreshed with the M3 chip, and Apple released a redesigned Magic Keyboard for it. Apple also updated the MacBook Air with the M4 chip and introduced a new Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip options. At WWDC in June, Apple previewed its major software updates for the year. The biggest announcement was the introduction of Liquid Glass, an all-new design language for all of Apple's software platforms. iOS 26 redesigned apps such as Phone and Photos, and added Live Translation with AirPods, a host of new features for Messages, and a new Games app. iPadOS 26 introduced a new, Mac-like multitasking system with windows, while macOS 26 Tahoe revamped Spotlight with a clipboard history feature and quick commands. In September, Apple released its annual ‌iPhone‌ lineup update. The iPhone 17 features a larger display with ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz and a 48-megapixel Fusion ultra-wide camera. The iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max tout a completely new aluminum unibody frame with a large, full-width camera plateau and vapor chamber cooling. The telephoto camera received a major upgrade to 48-megapixels, with options for 4x and 8x optical zoom. The iPhone Air arrived as a totally new ‌iPhone‌ option, replacing the "Plus" model in the lineup. Sitting between the ‌iPhone 17‌ and the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, the ‌iPhone Air‌ has a radically thin design with a polished titanium frame, and uses Apple's custom C1X and N1 connectivity chips. The device only has one rear camera, a single speaker, and supports eSIM only. All of the new iPhones feature an A19 or A19 Pro chip, Ceramic Shield 2, a 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera with a square sensor, and new color options. Apple also released updated charging and accessory products, including a new ‌MagSafe‌ battery designed specifically for the ‌iPhone Air‌, TechWoven cases, and crossbody straps. Apple refreshed its wearable and audio lineups in the same month. Apple Watch SE was updated with the S10 chip and an always-on display. The aluminum Apple Watch Series 11 gained stronger front glass and a slightly bigger battery, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 gains satellite connectivity for the first time. Cellular models of the new Apple Watches feature 5G connectivity. Apple also released the third generation of AirPods Pro, with improved active noise cancellation, a more refined design with ear tips that include foam, and heart-rate sensing. In October, Apple updated the iPad Pro, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro with the M5 chip. The new Vision Pro also gained a new dual knit headband, promising improved comfort, along with better battery life, higher-refresh rate displays, more rendered pixels. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips in 2026. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel! You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's plans to refresh the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR. cent Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie. ‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.Tag: The MacRumors ShowThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Australia Approves Apple Watch's Hypertension Notifications
Australia has granted approval for Apple to enable its Apple Watch hypertension notification feature in the country, Information Age reports. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia's medical device regulator, has approved Apple's hypertension notification feature for use on Apple Watch, formally listing the software as a medical device on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods earlier this month. Apple announced hypertension detection in September. The feature is designed to identify patterns associated with elevated blood pressure rather than directly measuring blood pressure itself. It uses data collected by the optical heart sensor on the back of supported Apple Watch models to analyze how blood vessels respond to heartbeats over rolling 30 day periods. If the system detects consistent indicators associated with possible hypertension, the user receives a notification advising follow-up using conventional blood pressure measurement methods. The system is intended for adults aged 22 and older who are not pregnant and who have not previously been diagnosed with hypertension. It requires an Apple Watch Series 9 or later or an Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later running watchOS 26, paired with an iPhone 11 or later running the latest version of iOS. Apple can now legally activate the feature for Australian users, although the company has not yet confirmed when it will become available. In previous cases involving regulated health features, Apple has enabled functionality either through a subsequent software update or by remotely activating the feature once regulatory clearance has been obtained. Hypertension notifications have already rolled out in more than 150 countries. Tag: AustraliaThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirPods Pro 3 for $199, Plus Sitewide Sales at Samsung and Sonos
It's the last week before Christmas, which means that the holiday shopping season is quickly wrapping up. With this in mind, we're recapping all of the best last-minute deals you can find online this week, but be warned that guaranteed delivery by December 25th is going to be increasingly difficult to find over the next few days. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. AirPods Pro 3 What's the deal? Take $50 off AirPods Pro 3 Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $50 OFFAirPods Pro 3 for $199.00 Apple's AirPods Pro 3 hit a record low price of $199.00 this week on Amazon, down from $249.00, and they're still available today. This deal beats the Black Friday price we saw last month by about $20. Samsung What's the deal? Save sitewide on Samsung TVs, monitors, and more Where can I get it? Samsung Where can I find the original deal? Right here $600 OFF65" The Frame for $1,199.99 Samsung expanded its ongoing holiday event this week, introducing great deals on monitors, storage accessories, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. TVs 55-inch QLED QEF1 Smart TV - $379.99, down from $599.99 55-inch QLED Q7F Smart TV - $399.99, down from $529.99 55-inch QLED Q8F Smart TV - $599.99, down from $749.99 55-inch OLED S95F Smart TV - $1,899.99, down from $2,299.99 75-inch The Frame Pro - $1,999.99, down from $3,199.99 85-inch Neo QLED QN90F Smart TV - $2,299.99, down from $4,499.99 Monitors 43-inch Odyssey Neo G7 Smart Gaming Monitor - $549.99, down from $999.99 27-inch Odyssey OLED G6 Gaming Monitor - $599.99, down from $899.99 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor - $777.99, down from $1,299.99 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 Monitor - $899.99, down from $1,799.99 55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen - $1,299.99, down from $2,699.99 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99 MacBook Air What's the deal? Take $250 off M4 MacBook Air Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $250 OFF13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $749.00 $250 OFF15-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $949.00 You can get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $749.00 this week on Amazon, down from $999.00, with Christmas delivery for select colors. This price matches the Amazon all-time low price on the M4 MacBook Air, and there are similar lows on other models with higher storage. Sonos What's the deal? Get up to 25% off home audio devices Where can I get it? Sonos Where can I find the original deal? Right here UP TO 25% OFFSonos Last-Minute Holiday Sale Sonos this week introduced a last-minute holiday sale, offering up to 25 percent off the company's most popular devices. This includes the Sonos Ace headphones, Arc Ultra soundbar, Move 2 speaker, and more, with many prices matching the deals we saw over Black Friday. Apple Watch What's the deal? Take up to $100 off Apple Watch SE 3 and Series 11 Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00 $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00 $50 OFF40mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 for $199.00 $50 OFF44mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 for $229.00 Amazon has a few record low prices on multiple Apple Watch models this week, including the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3. These have been some of the most consistent deals to stick around after Black Friday, and they're available in multiple color options and sizes. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Turn Off the User Profiles Screen on Apple TV 4K
Starting with tvOS 26.2, Apple TVs began displaying a user profile selection screen every time you wake the device from sleep. The feature helps households with multiple users maintain separate viewing histories and recommendations, but it can feel like an unnecessary step if you're the sole user. Fortunately, Apple lets you disable this prompt entirely. Here's how to turn off the user profiles screen and go straight to your Home screen. Disable the User Profile Selection Screen Open Settings on your Apple TV. Select Profiles and Accounts. Toggle off Choose Profile on Wake. With this setting disabled, your Apple TV will skip the profile selection screen and take you directly to the Home Screen when you wake it. What Happens When You Disable Profile Switching Turning off the profile switcher doesn't delete your user profiles or their associated watch history and recommendations. It simply removes the prompt that appears each time you turn on your TV or Apple TV. If you share your Apple TV with others and want to switch profiles manually, you can still access profile options by going to Settings ➝ Users and Accounts and selecting a different user profile from there. To learn more about how user profiles can be genuinely useful, check out our dedicated hands-on article.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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AirPods Now Closing in on a Decade
Today marks nine years since Apple launched the original AirPods. Unveiled in September 2016 alongside the iPhone 7, the wireless headphones became available on December 19, 2016, following a slight delay. At the time, wireless headphones were already on the market but had not yet reached true mass popularity. AirPods helped redefine the category through their convenience and seamless integration with Apple devices. Apple's Phil Schiller at the time:AirPods are the first headphones to deliver a breakthrough wireless audio experience, and with the new Apple W1 chip they deliver innovative features including high quality sound, great battery life and automatic setup. AirPods are simple and magical to use, with no switches or buttons, automatically connecting to all your Apple devices simply and seamlessly, and letting you access Siri with just a double tap. We can't wait for users to try them with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2. Priced at $159, the first-generation AirPods introduced key features such as one-tap pairing with Apple devices and in-ear detection for automatic play-pause functionality. Powered by Apple's custom W1 chip, they delivered enhanced audio quality compared to wired EarPods and set a new standard for battery life in a compact, completely wireless design. AirPods were initially met with skepticism following their unveiling, with much of the reaction focused on their unconventional stem-based design and the removal of the headphone jack on the ‌iPhone‌ 7. The earbuds were widely mocked online and compared to wired EarPods with the cables cut off, while some critics questioned their practicality and battery life. However, early reviews and real-world use quickly shifted perceptions, as the convenience of automatic pairing, reliable wireless performance, and all-day battery life made AirPods increasingly popular among ‌iPhone‌ users. AirPods quickly grew into one of Apple's most successful accessories, helping to normalize truly wireless earbuds and accelerating the decline of the traditional headphone jack across the industry. While Apple does not disclose sales figures, analysts estimate that tens of millions of units are sold each year, making AirPods the best-selling wireless earbuds globally and a major contributor to Apple's wearables revenue. Since their debut, AirPods have evolved with the release of second-, third-, and fourth-generation models in March 2019, October 2021, and September 2024. These updates brought improvements such as better audio quality, longer battery life, hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality, a wireless charging case, and, most recently, active noise cancellation. A fifth-generation is believed to be in the works. The product line has also expanded with the premium AirPods Pro, featuring an in-ear design and active noise cancellation, in October 2019, and the over-ear AirPods Max in December 2020.Related Roundup: AirPods 4Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Samsung Announces World's First 2nm Mobile Chip Ahead of Apple
Samsung has officially unveiled the Exynos 2600, the world's first 2 nanometer mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC), built on the company's Gate-All-Around (GAA) process. The 10-core ARM-based design aims to deliver improved performance and efficiency for flagship devices like the upcoming Galaxy S26 series. The chip uses Arm's latest cores and supports new instructions for improved CPU speed and on-device AI, with Samsung claiming up to a 39 percent boost in CPU performance and 113 percent faster NPU performance, enabling larger and more efficient AI workloads. Its GPU is based on the latest Xclipse design, which Samsung says doubles previous graphics performance and boosts ray tracing by up to 50 percent. Earlier Exynos processors earned a poor reputation for running hot and throttling performance, particularly when compared with competing chips from Apple. To address those shortcomings, Samsung has introduced a new thermal approach called Heat Path Block (HPB). The technique uses a High-k EMC material to improve heat dissipation, enabling the Exynos 2600 to maintain higher performance levels for longer periods, even under sustained heavy workloads, claims Samsung. Apple is widely expected to adopt the 2nm process node for several devices in 2026, albeit using TSMC's 2nm (N2) process. Apple has reportedly secured a significant portion of TSMC's initial N2 production capacity, with the A20 and A20 Pro chips for the iPhone 18 lineup expected to be the first Apple silicon built on this node. The N2-based processors would succeed Apple's A17 Pro through A19 Pro chips, fabricated using TSMC's series of 3nm processes. Compared to current 3nm chips, TSMC's 2nm process promises up to 15 percent higher performance at the same power level, or 25 to 30 percent lower power consumption at the same performance level. The process also achieves approximately 15 percent higher transistor density, allowing more functionality to be packed into the same physical space. Apple's first 2nm chips are likely to debut in iPhone 18 Pro models and Apple's first foldable iPhone, all of which are expected to launch in late 2026. Beyond iPhones, Apple's M6 series for future Macs could also use TSMC's 2nm process, although we haven't heard any specific rumors that this will be the case. Tags: 2nm, SamsungThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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TikTok U.S. Sale to Oracle-Led Group Set to Close in January
TikTok has agreed to sell its U.S. operations to an investment group that includes Oracle, Silver Lake, and UAE-based company MGX, reports Axios. The "TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC" that includes the three companies will own 45 percent of TikTok, while ByteDance will keep close to 20 percent. Existing investors will continue to hold the remaining shares. The U.S. group will handle U.S. data protection and content moderation, while also maintaining algorithm security. It has been tasked with retraining the content recommendation algorithm on U.S. user data to "ensure the content feed is free from outside manipulation." Oracle will be in charge of auditing and validating compliance with National Security Terms. The agreement states that the USDS Joint Venture will "operate as an independent entity" that has authority over U.S. data protection, while TikTok's global U.S. entities will manage global product interoperability along with e-commerce, advertising, and marketing. With the sale, TikTok will be able to continue operating in the United States while complying with the 2024 Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The act required TikTok parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok's U.S. operations to a non-Chinese company or be banned from operating in the United States. TikTok was briefly banned in January, but Donald Trump signed an executive order granting an extension that brought it back. The ban has been extended multiple times since then to provide additional time for a deal to be established. The agreement is set to go into effect on January 22.Tag: TikTokThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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AirPods Pro 3's Static and Noise Issues Haven't Been Resolved
Since the AirPods Pro 3 launched, there have been complaints from users who have noticed a static-like sound or a crackling issue when using the earbuds, particularly when Active Noise Cancellation is on but no media is playing. Users have also run into strange high-pitched whistling sounds that happen intermittently. We shared the issues back in late October, and despite two subsequent firmware updates, the problems haven't been solved. Apple released ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ firmware version 8B25 in November, and firmware version 8B30 on December 10. Feedback from users who have installed the firmware updates indicate that the noise issues have not been addressed. Affected users are hearing static noises with Active Noise Cancellation on, sometimes with media playing and sometimes without. There have also been reports of problems with latency and sound syncing when watching videos. Some ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ users have had their AirPods replaced by Apple, but replacement earbuds have had the same issue, so it's not clear if there is a hardware fix for the problem. Apple's latest firmware updates have not provided details on what's included, specifying only "bug fixes and other improvements."This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Fortnite Not Coming to iOS in Japan as Epic Games CEO Accuses Apple of 'Obstruction and Lawbreaking'
Epic Games is not going to bring Fortnite to iOS in Japan as promised because of the fees imposed by Apple's new App Store rules, ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said on social media. Sweeney complained that Apple did not comply with Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act "honestly" and instead "launched another travesty of obstruction and lawbreaking in gross disrespect to the government and people of Japan." Back in 2024 when the MSCA passed, Sweeney said that Epic would launch Fortnite in Japan in late 2025. He made the announcement before he was aware of how Apple planned to comply with the MSCA. Sweeney accused Apple of charging "competition-crushing" junk fees, including a five percent fee on revenue from apps distributed through alternate app marketplaces. ‌Epic Games‌ would need to pay Apple a five percent fee on all revenue generated via game purchases made through an ‌Epic Games‌ Store in Japan, or 15 percent on digital purchases through a web link if the Fortnite app were to be distributed through the ‌App Store‌. Obviously, real competition won't happen, and consumers won't benefit, when Apple abuses its position between users and competitors to obstruct honest dealing between them. This is another sad day in the history of relationships between platform makers, developers, and consumers, and we will be raising our complaints with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. Sweeney said that ‌Epic Games‌ plans to raise complaints with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. Apple says that it worked with Japanese regulators when establishing its new rules to comply with the MSCA, so it is not clear if ‌Epic Games‌ will be able to persuade Japan to implement more stringent restrictions. Japan's rules allow Apple to be compensated for its intellectual property, and Japan's interoperability rules allow Apple to refuse requests in situations where privacy and security would be compromised. Along with allowing for alternative app marketplaces, the MSCA adds support for alternate payment methods and allows Japanese users to set new functionality for the iPhone's Side Button. ‌Epic Games‌ was able to bring the ‌Epic Games‌ Store to the European Union, but Apple does have a 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee for marketplaces there, too. The Core Technology Fee will transition to a five percent Core Technology Commission for all developers in the EU starting on January 1, 2026, so the fees will be very similar to the Japan fees.Tags: Epic Games, Fortnite, JapanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Fortnite Not Coming to iOS in Japan as Epic Games CEO Accuses Apple of 'Obstruction and Lawbreaking'
Epic Games is not going to bring Fortnite to iOS in Japan as promised because of the fees imposed by Apple's new App Store rules, ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said on social media. Sweeney complained that Apple did not comply with Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act "honestly" and instead "launched another travesty of obstruction and lawbreaking in gross disrespect to the government and people of Japan." Back in 2024 when the MSCA passed, Sweeney said that Epic would launch Fortnite in Japan in late 2025. He made the announcement before he was aware of how Apple planned to comply with the MSCA. Sweeney accused Apple of charging "competition-crushing" junk fees, including a five percent fee on revenue from apps distributed through alternate app marketplaces. ‌Epic Games‌ would need to pay Apple a five percent fee on all revenue generated via game purchases made through an ‌Epic Games‌ Store in Japan, or 15 percent on digital purchases through a web link if the Fortnite app were to be distributed through the ‌App Store‌. Obviously, real competition won't happen, and consumers won't benefit, when Apple abuses its position between users and competitors to obstruct honest dealing between them. This is another sad day in the history of relationships between platform makers, developers, and consumers, and we will be raising our complaints with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. Sweeney said that ‌Epic Games‌ plans to raise complaints with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. Apple says that it worked with Japanese regulators when establishing its new rules to comply with the MSCA, so it is not clear if ‌Epic Games‌ will be able to persuade Japan to implement more stringent restrictions. Japan's rules allow Apple to be compensated for its intellectual property, and Japan's interoperability rules allow Apple to refuse requests in situations where privacy and security would be compromised. Along with allowing for alternative app marketplaces, the MSCA adds support for alternate payment methods and allows Japanese users to set new functionality for the iPhone's Side Button. ‌Epic Games‌ was able to bring the ‌Epic Games‌ Store to the European Union, but Apple does have a 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee for marketplaces there, too. The Core Technology Fee will transition to a five percent Core Technology Commission for all developers in the EU starting on January 1, 2026, so the fees will be very similar to the Japan fees.Tags: Epic Games, Fortnite, JapanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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SMS Delivery Failure to Multiple Networks in Mexico via Subset of Short Codes
Dec 22, 07:08 PSTUpdate - We are continuing to investigate this issue.Dec 22, 07:03 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing SMS delivery failures when sending to multiple networks in Mexico for a subset of short codes. Our engineers are working with our carrier partners to resolve the issue. We expect to provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.

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YYZ (Toronto) on 2026-01-08
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 8, 2026, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCDec 22, 14:37 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in YYZ (Toronto) datacenter on 2026-01-08 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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AUS (Austin) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 08:00 - 12:00 UTCDec 22, 14:41 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in AUS (Austin) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 08:00 and 12:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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YYZ (Toronto) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCDec 22, 14:35 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in YYZ (Toronto) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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IAD (Ashburn) on 2026-01-13
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 13, 2026, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCDec 22, 14:31 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in IAD (Ashburn) datacenter on 2026-01-13 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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GRU (São Paulo) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 14:05 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in GRU (São Paulo) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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GRU (São Paulo) on 2026-01-12
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 12, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 14:19 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in GRU (São Paulo) datacenter on 2026-01-12 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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GRU (São Paulo) on 2026-01-13
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 13, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 14:23 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in GRU (São Paulo) datacenter on 2026-01-13 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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GIG (Rio de Janeiro) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 12:55 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in GIG (Rio de Janeiro) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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SCL (Santiago) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 13:03 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in SCL (Santiago) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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DEN (Denver) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 09:00 - 13:00 UTCDec 22, 12:33 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in DEN (Denver) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 09:00 and 13:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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DFW (Dallas) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 08:00 - 12:00 UTCDec 22, 12:35 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in DFW (Dallas) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 08:00 and 12:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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LAX (Los Angeles) on 2026-01-08
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 8, 2026, 10:00 - 14:00 UTCDec 22, 12:37 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in LAX (Los Angeles) datacenter on 2026-01-08 between 10:00 and 14:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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GIG (Rio de Janeiro) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 12:51 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in GIG (Rio de Janeiro) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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DFW (Dallas) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 08:00 - 12:00 UTCDec 22, 12:21 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in DFW (Dallas) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 08:00 and 12:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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IAD (Ashburn) on 2026-01-07
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 7, 2026, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCDec 22, 12:15 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in IAD (Ashburn) datacenter on 2026-01-07 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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SJC (San Jose) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 10:00 - 14:00 UTCDec 22, 12:19 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in SJC (San Jose) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 10:00 and 14:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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UIO (Quito) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCDec 22, 12:05 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in UIO (Quito) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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IAD (Ashburn) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 07:00 - 11:00 UTCDec 22, 12:09 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in IAD (Ashburn) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 07:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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ARI (Arica) on 2026-01-06
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Jan 6, 2026, 05:00 - 09:00 UTCDec 22, 11:57 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in ARI (Arica) datacenter on 2026-01-06 between 05:00 and 09:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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