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- Monday April 27
- 16 minutes agoApple's massive lobbying effort saves it from new App Store rules
Apple and Google have managed to defeat a California bill that would've forced them to stop favoring their own apps in digital storefronts like the App Store. All through the power of lobbying.Apple Park at nightThe tech giants are frequently the target of legislators and regulators, trying to prevent them from being too dominant. One recent attempt to curtail the influence of Apple and Google failed to become a problem because of a massive and successful lobbying operation.Senator Scott Wiener (D-CA) sponsored "Based Act," a bill to prevent tech companies from favoring their own apps and services when providing users with apps in the App Store and the Google Play Store, reports Bloomberg. The intention was to allow other apps to become more visible, instead of the platform owner's own services. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums18 minutes agoJohn Giannandrea has found a new role after leaving Apple
John Giannandrea, Apple’s former AI head, wrapped his final days at Apple earlier this month after his pending departure was first reported in December. And now, it seems Giannandrea already has his next role lined up. more…45 minutes agoGot $20K? Steve Jobs & John Lasseter signed 'Toy Story' book is up for auction
A rare first-edition "Toy Story" book signed by Steve Jobs will go up for auction on April 30, 2026, in Los Angeles, tied directly to the Pixar IPO that made him a billionaire.Toy Story bookNate D. Sanders Auctions will auction a rare Steve Jobs artifact on April 30, in Los Angeles. Bidding will start at $20,000, targeting seasoned collectors of high-end Apple and film memorabilia.A first-edition copy of "Toy Story: The Art and Making of the Animated Film" signed by Steve Jobs and John Lasseter anchors the lot. Their signatures tie together Pixar's financial backing and creative leadership at a pivotal moment in the company's history.An original "Toy Story" promotional brochure housed in a red leather case is also included. Added material presents the offering as a complete display piece with stronger historical context. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums1 hour agoApple TV scores another perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with hit ‘Widow’s Bay’
“Widow’s Bay” is a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England. But something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.1 hour agoAdam Scott knows Severance’s ending, teases ‘many’ season 3 surprises
Severance season 3 is about to start filming, and in a new interview, Adam Scott teases big surprises coming while also revealing that he already knows the show’s ending. more…05:23 pmApple’s next innovation might be a ‘Liquid Glass’ iPhone
Macworld One of the more divisive elements of last year’s raft of Apple OS updates was the new Liquid Glass interface design. This shimmery aesthetic was supposed to bring cohesion across the iPhone, Mac, Vision Pro, and other Apple products, but ended up causing legibility issues and a certain amount of irritation. Happily, however, it appears the company does not think Liquid Glass as a brand is beyond redemption. According to a Twitter/X post by the prolific leaker Ice Universe, Apple is working on a next-gen iPhone display that will use the same Liquid Glass branding as the software it runs. In a first for the company’s smartphone line, this display will be curved, but Ice stresses that the curvature will be “extremely subtle,” unlike the curved screens we’ve seen on Android phones over the years. “What truly creates the visual impact may be a sophisticated combination of optical refraction, light guiding structures, and carefully engineered visual illusion,” the leaker explains. “The end result could be a display where the bezel nearly disappears from sight, while edge viewing remains natural and undisturbed.” From the wording of the post (“may,” “could,” and so on) it’s apparent that this is a theory rather than a definite plan. Ice Universe also doesn’t cite any sources or otherwise specify where the information comes from. So at this point it’s best to regard this as speculation: a product concept which Apple is plausibly exploring, but isn’t close to launching, nor guaranteed to get there at all. The timeframe isn’t clear from the post either. Ice refers to it as Apple’s “next-generation display,” but it’s almost certainly destined for Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone due to arrive in 2027. We already know the big design change for late 2026, and that’s the folding body of the iPhone Ultra, while the iPhone 18 Pro is likely to be far more iterative upgrades on their respective predecessors. However, it’s been heavily rumored that Apple is planning to launch an iPhone with “curved glass edges all around” to mark it’s 20th anniversary. As Ice Universe acknowledges, curved phone displays have been around for a while; the first commercially available Android device to offer this was the Samsung Galaxy Round way back in 2013. (The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, pictured above, came out in 2023.) Apple has even done curved displays itself: Apple Watches have screens that curve down subtly at the edges in order to disguise the bezel. It will therefore be interesting to see how Apple presents it as a new breakthrough, if it does so at all. Perhaps the company will focus, as it does so often, on the experience rather than the details. Its upcoming iPhone Ultra, for example, is not even close to being the first folding smartphone, but will surely be presented as the first to do it right. Expect a similar approach with the Liquid Glass display.05:20 pmFourth iOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5 developer betas arrive for testing
Apple has brought out the fourth developer betas for iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, visionOS 26.5, and macOS Tahoe 26.5 as testing of the updates continues.Apple's hardware that works with the 26-generation operating systems - Image Credit: AppleThe fourth developer betas for iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, visionOS 26.5, and macOS Tahoe 26.5 arrive after the third, which came out on April 20. The second appeared on April 13.The first round was distributed on March 30, but Apple re-released the developer beta for iOS 26.5 on March 24, complete with a new build number. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums05:06 pmApple releases beta 4 for iPadOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and more
Apple moved its lineup of 26.5 software updates closer to launch today, with beta 4 available now for iPadOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and more. more…05:06 pmApple releases macOS 26.5 beta 4, here’s what to expect
Just a week after releasing macOS 26.5 beta 3, Apple is now rolling out the fourth beta, ahead of its official release in a few weeks. Here’s what to expect. more…05:02 pmApple releases iOS 26.5 beta 4 for iPhone
Apple has released the fourth iOS 26.5 beta for developers. A previous beta introduced a splash screen that signaled the upcoming arrival of ads in Apple Maps. more…05:00 pmEasy way to record and transcribe your iPhone calls
You can record a phone call on your iPhone. With Apple Intelligence, you’ll get transcriptions of the calls, too, in Notes. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)04:52 pmTowson Apple Store employee union strikes back, allege unfair treatment after closure | AppleInsiderTowson Apple Store employee union strikes back, allege unfair treatment after closure
Apple is claiming that the Towson Apple Store employee contract prevents guaranteed employment at other locations, and the union has filed an unlawful discrimination suit about the matter.IAM Union lobs Unfair Labor Practice charge at Apple after alleged discrimination against unionized Towson workers | Image Credit: IAM On Monday, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Union officially filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge against Apple. The charge, which has been submitted to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleges that the company unlawfully discriminated against unionized workers at its Towson, Maryland retail location.Towson, Maryland was the first unionized Apple retail location in the United States. It was also one of three locations Apple would be closing permanently in June. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:23 pmOpenAI secretly developing an Agentic AI smartphone to take on iPhone, Android
Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that OpenAI is partnering with MediaTek and Qualcomm on custom smartphone processors, with… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.04:19 pmUltra branding expanding, iPhone Fold & OLED MacBook may join
Ultra branding it already uses looks like Apple's next marketing angle as new categories like an iPhone Fold push past what Pro can cover.Render of the rumored iPhone Fold/UltraThe company is preparing to expand its Ultra branding beyond watches and Apple Silicon into a new top tier for its most expensive hardware, according to a report published April 27. The plan includes a foldable iPhone and a high-end MacBook positioned above the Pro lineup.Apple plans to launch products aligned with the upcoming iPhone and Mac cycles through 2027. The naming is obvious as it follows Apple's established pattern, using "Ultra" for its most expensive devices. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:49 pmSave $130 on the Jet Black Apple Watch Series 11
Macworld Apple Watch Series 11 View Deal (function () { document.querySelector("#sticky-promo-block a").addEventListener("click", function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest("#sticky-promo-block").querySelector("p.promo-title").textContent; const data = { event: "stickyConversionUnitClick", eventCategory: "Sticky Conversion", eventAction: "Click", eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log("Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: ", data); dataLayer.push(data); return true; }); })(); Well, well, well, if it isn’t the decked-out Apple Watch Series 11 down to its very best price! You can get your hands on Apple’s smartwatch in the sleek Jet Black color way for $399, a savings of $130 off its $529 retail price, and matching the best price we’ve ever seen. This Apple Watch doesn’t just connect to your phone. It also comes with its own built-in cellular connection, so you don’t even need your phone to send off messages, if need be, or make calls and stream music. Just note, you’ll need a separate plan from your wireless carrier, which generally costs about $10 a month. The best thing about the Apple Watch Series 11, however, is just how great it will be for keeping you healthy and fit. It has an array of sensors that actively track your workouts, keep an eye on your blood pressure, can run ECGs, and will even create a sleep score so you can get up more rested. It also comes with built-in safety features, like Crash or Fall detection, calling for help when in trouble. Plus this year’s model ups the battery life from 18 hours to 24 hours, so you’ll be able to get through a full day with sleep tracking before you need to worry about charging it. So go grab this watch for just $399 before this deal runs out.03:45 pmReversing course, OpenAI quietly builds a smartphone to rival iPhone
Turns out OpenAI is secretly developing a direct iPhone competitor, despite previously saying it had no such plans. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)03:44 pmiPhone Ultra and MacBook Ultra are coming this year, per report
Rumors about Apple expanding its line of ‘Ultra’ products just got more corroboration. A new report says Apple’s foldable iPhone and touchscreen MacBook Pro will be named ‘iPhone Ultra’ and ‘MacBook Ultra,’ respectively. more…03:37 pmMajor new Apple products get fresh updates: AR glasses and iPad Fold
Last week Mark Gurman outlined six new products coming in brand new categories after John Ternus becomes Apple CEO. This weekend Gurman added more to the list, including updates on two major new products: AR glasses and a foldable iPad. more…03:30 pmDeals: AirPods Pro 3, most affordable M5 MacBook Air $150 off, Apple Watch Series 11 up to $130 off, more | 9 to 5 MacDeals: AirPods Pro 3, most affordable M5 MacBook Air $150 off, Apple Watch Series 11 up to $130 off, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by another chance at the best price in months on AirPods Pro 3 after dropping back down to holiday pricing over the weekend. We also have the most affordable new 13-inch M5 MacBook Air back to one of the best prices ever, alongside the base 15-inch (nearly $150 off), and Apple Watch Series 11 at up to $130 off this week (one of the most notable deals on Series 11 yet). Be sure to stop by Best Buy’s Featured Top Deals of the Week that went live this morning and then head below for a closer look at everything. more…03:30 pmWhy modern companies outsource business system management
Modern businesses cannot fully function, meet consumer needs or remain competitive without digitalization and an advanced ERP system. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)