Apple secures 15% cut from Tencent’s WeChat mini app revenue
Tencent has struck a deal with Apple under which Apple will process all payments for WeChat mini games and mini apps, taking a 15% cut… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Claim that iPhone 16e 'failed' Apple's cheaper lineup plan is ridiculous
A leaker says that Apple's iPhone 16e failed due to poor sales, but the claim doesn't stand up to the slightest scrutiny, and ignores launch sequencing and timing.The iPhone 16e might have sold poorly.Writing on Weibo, a Chinese social network, "Fixed Focus Digital" says that Apple's attempt to "lower prices for iPhones failed." Despite that, they also note that Apple intends to continue with plans to release the iPhone 17e.It's expected that Apple will stick to its spring release schedule for the fledgling "e" iPhone. That means we should see the iPhone 17e around March 2026. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple is trying to get permission to appeal UK $2 billion App Store ruling
Apple is in court in the UK, arguing for why it should be allowed to appeal the lawsuit that saw it hit with a $2 billion fine for alleged App Store anti-competitive practices.The original case was filed in 2021, then finally went to trial in January 2025. In October 2025, the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) found unanimously in favor of the complaint that Apple's App Store pricing is unfair.Under UK law, Apple cannot immediately appeal the ruling. It must first seek permission from CAT, in what the tribunal's official site describes as a "hearing as to consequential matters."Apple will be using this court appearance to make its arguments for appealing the case. However, the complainant's team will be pressing for calculating a final sum that Apple should pay.At time of writing, the court discussion is in recess. It has so far been live streamed, and while it is illegal to record the proceedings, they have been protracted and acrimonious. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple could make billions of dollars of extra commission from WeChat deal
Apple’s App Store commission might be under threat in multiple countries around the world, but the company has just gained a huge new source of commission thanks to a WeChat deal struck in China. The situation arises because the way most Chinese iPhone users buy apps is very different to anywhere else in the world … more…

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Apple Stores extend return policy into January for holiday buyers
Apple has announced that it has extended its returns window for the holiday season, meaning that most customers have up to early January for purchases made up to Christmas Day.If you don't like the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange, you can take it back — subject to certain conditionsJust as it has in previous years, Apple has extended its terms and conditions for returning purchases. Alongside its redressing of the Apple Store with Christmas decorations, it has introduced this temporary extensions specifically for the holiday season.The new returns policy started on November 12, 2025. Most items bought between then and December 25, 2025, can be returned up until January 8, 2025. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple seeking permission to appeal loss in $1B+ developer lawsuit
Apple is today seeking permission to appeal the result of a billion-dollar lawsuit filed by UK app developers accusing the company of abusive commission levels. The company last month lost the case and a hearing today will now decide how the damages are calculated. If the ruling stands, it is expected to end up costing Apple anywhere between £1B and £2B ($1.3B to $2.6B) – but Apple is expected to counter this with four arguments … more…

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Christmas starts early online and at Apple Stores worldwide
Apple has revamped the look of its online Apple Store to get into the Christmas spirit, and retail stores are being updated to match.Apple Omotesando in Tokyo has the new holiday decorations — image credit: Nao on TwitterApple began the holiday season for some users back on November 3, 2025, when it launched its UK-only Christmas Tree project. Now it has re-skinned the online Apple Store, while physical stores are being redressed with holiday decorations."Give something special," says Apple on the US and UK websites, while others have a similar sentiment in their local languages. "Find what they've been waiting for all year." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The best time to buy an iPhone – and when not to buy one
Macworld There are certain times of the year when buying a new iPhone is a bad idea, and there are certain times of the year when you can get a bargain on a new handset. The trick is knowing when you should buy a new iPhone. Luckily we are here to help. In this article, we answer all of your questions about when you should and shouldn’t buy a new iPhone – including advice on when Apple is likely to discount the price of older iPhone handsets. Looking for to buy a new iPhone right now? Apple introduced a set of new iPhones in September 2025 including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone Air. Apple continues to sell the iPhone 16e, which arrived in March 2025, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, which arrived in September 2024. Any of these phones would be a good purchase, although some more than other. For help deciding which model to buy read our Best iPhone comparison. Also in this article: Should I buy an old iPhone? When is the worst time to buy a new iPhone? When does Apple update the iPhone? When do iPhone prices drop? When does the iPhone go on sale? When a new iPhone is launched Apple tends to reduce prices of the previous generation. So, when the iPhone 17 launched Apple reduced the price of the iPhone 16. This is the only time when Apple drops prices on the iPhone. This is more pertinent in the U.K. where shoppers can buy an iPhone off contract and unlocked. If you are hoping to take advantage of some good discounts on a new iPhone, you should wait for an Amazon Prime Day sale (in July, October and sometimes in March), but we do see iPhone deals all year round in the U.K. Another good time to buy an iPhone is during the Black Friday sales in November. See our round up of the Best Black Friday iPhone deals. In the U.S. where the iPhone is most frequently bought on contract the best times to switch to a new iPhone will be when certain sales events are taking place, such as Black Friday, when many of the networks will sweeten their contract deals with extra features. Should I buy an iPhone 17? Price When Reviewed: From $799 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. With a larger screen, twice as much storage, a peek brightness of 3,000 on the ProMotion and Always-On screen, and 8 more hours of battery life, this is already shaping up to be a much better iPhone than the iPhone 16. There’s also the new 18MP Centre Stage front camera and two 48MP rear cameras. The iPhone 16 is a good allrounder iPhone and we recommend buying one, unless you are desperate for a telephoto lens. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 review Should I buy an iPhone 17 Pro? Price When Reviewed: $1,099 (256GB) | $1,299 (512GB) | $1,499 (1TB) | $1,999 (2TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1099 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. All the late 2025 iPhones offer 3,000 nits max, Pro Motion and Always On, so this is no longer a reason to buy the Pro iPhone models, now the main differentiator is really just the additional camera on the rear because even the iPhone Air features the A19 Pro chip. The iPhone 17 Pro is the one to buy if you are into advanced photography and video. It is also the phone to choose if you consider yourself a power user, a professional creator, or if you are a gamer. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro review Should I buy an iPhone 17 Pro Max? Price When Reviewed: $1,199 (256GB) | $1,399 (512GB) | $1,599 (1TB) | $1,999 (2TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1199 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. The Pro Max is essentially the same phone as the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a larger display and better battery life (37 hours). If those are features that you need, along with additional camera lens, this is the model to buy. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review Should I buy an iPhone Air? Price When Reviewed: $999 (256GB) | $1,199 (512GB) | $1,399 (1TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $999 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. The iPhone Air is for early-adopters who prioritize being on the cutting edge. It’s also for those who want an ultra-thin design. There are trade-offs though, such as reduced battery life and a single rear camera, but this is a phone with wow factor and bragging rights. Read our full Apple iPhone Air (2025) review Should I buy an iPhone 16e? Price When Reviewed: From $599 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $599 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Is now a good time to buy? Yes. But expect a new model in spring 2026. The iPhone 16e launched in February 2025 and brought the Apple Intelligence features and a faster processor to the budget end of the iPhone lineup. It’s the cheapest way to get a future proof iPhone so we recommend it. We expect that Apple will launch the iPhone 17e in spring 2026, but we don’t expect much more than a chip update, and the changes to the front facing camera seen on the 2025 iPhones. If you see a good deal on the iPhone 16e it’s worth taking advantage. Read our full Apple iPhone 16e review Should I buy an iPhone 16 Plus? Price When Reviewed: $899 Best Prices Today: New Refurbished Retailer Price $732.99 View Deal $929 View Deal $929.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Black – Unlocked $721 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Pink – Unlocked $740 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Ultramarine – Unlocked $745.87 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – Teal – Unlocked $749 View Deal iPhone 16 Plus 128GB – White – Unlocked $777 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices Is now a good time to buy? Yes. If you want a larger iPhone and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is too expensive for you then the iPhone 16 Plus is your best option. Apple hasn’t launched an iPhone 17 Plus, so there is no longer an affordable option for those who want, or need, a bigger iPhone. Should I buy an iPhone 16? Price When Reviewed: NOW $699 for 128GB (WAS: $799/128GB, $899/256GB, $1,099/512GB) Best Prices Today: New Refurbished Retailer Price $829 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 16 128GB – Pink – Unlocked $702 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – Ultramarine – Unlocked $702 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – Teal – Unlocked $702 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – Black – Unlocked $719.99 View Deal iPhone 16 128GB – White – Unlocked $724 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices Is now a good time to buy? No. We would avoid the iPhone 16 because it really doesn’t offer good value for money when compared to the iPhone 17, which offers twice as much storage as well as all the other additional features of the 2025 range. Read our full Apple iPhone 16 review Should I buy an old iPhone? What if you see an older iPhone model on sale? When Apple introduces the new range of iPhone each September it tends to keep some of the previous year’s models on sale, but not all of them. Each September we see Apple discontinue the previous Pro models of the iPhone. In 2025 Apple discontinued the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. It also stopped selling the 512GB models of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. These are all good options should you see them on sale at a cut price, just make sure you compare them to the current generation and be clear about what you are missing out on. Should I buy an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max? Is now a good time to buy? Yes. If you are lucky enough to find one on sale at a good price we recommend buying it. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Read our review Price When Reviewed: $999 (Discontinued) Best Prices Today: $999 at Apple | $999 at Apple | $999.99 at Best Buy Should I buy a iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max? Is now a good time to buy? Maybe. If you find one on sale at a good price we recommend buying it, but it would have to be a really good deal and we don’t expect to find a new model now. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Read our review Price When Reviewed: Was $999 (Discontinued) Best Prices Today: $899.99 at Best Buy Should I buy a iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus? Is now a good time to buy? No. We would advise against buying the iPhone 15 or 15 Plus because they do not support the Apple Intelligence features. Apple iPhone 15 Read our review Price When Reviewed: From $699 (Was $799) Best Prices Today: $729 at Apple | $729.99 at Best Buy When is the worst time to buy a new iPhone? It’s easier to say when the worst time to buy a new iPhone is. That is without a doubt in the months leading up to September. So don’t buy a new iPhone in August, unless you want to be kicking yourself a month later when the price of that model drops and a new model arrives. The only reason to buy an iPhone in the run-up to an Apple Event is if it is likely to be discontinued. Apple tends to discontinue the Pro and Pro Max models of the previous generation when it introduces the next generation, so if you want to buy one of those models you may want to buy one while you still can. However, we’d suggest that it would be wise to wait for the next-gen version which is likely to present you with more for your money. Or take advantage of discounts as vendors sell off old stock after the new models arrive. The best time to buy an iPhone isn’t necessarily when a new model launches either – unless you’re desperate to have the very latest hardware. You might be happy to wait a month or two after the launch and wait for supply to catch up with demand, and for any problems with the new phones to be identified and (hopefully) fixed. The other advantage of buying around the October/November time frame is that is when shopping events, like Black Friday, take place, but as we said above, we don’t tend to see the newest iPhone models discounted much, or at all, at these events. We’d say that it’s fine to buy a new iPhone at any time within nine months of it launching, but if you are hoping to save some money on your purchase we’d recommend waiting a few months after the launch. When does Apple update the iPhone? Chris Martin / Foundry Knowing when the latest iPhones came out should help when making a judgment on whether there will be an update soon. See when is the next Apple event to find out if an Apple event is imminent. Apple usually updates the iPhone range at an Apple Event in September although sometimes it will hold an Spring Apple Event – although sometimes it just announces the news via press release, as it did the launch of the iPhone 16e in February 2025. The iPhone 17e is expected to be introduced in spring 2026. When do iPhone prices drop? We know based on past experience that Apple is very unlikely to drop the price of an iPhone in the first year of sales. However, Apple does usually reduce the price of the previous year’s iPhone when it introduces the new model – so expect Apple to discount its older handsets in September. How much do prices drop when a new iPhone comes out? Foundry When Apple introduces new iPhones it usually keeps the prices the same as the previous generation, at least in the U.S. (elsewhere there can be currency fluctuations to take account of). In 2024 Apple reduced the price of the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus by $100/£100 in September 2024 when the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus were introduced. The price of the iPhone 16 also dropped in 2025 with the arrival of the iPhone 17, but crucially this time the iPhone 17 has twice as much storage at the entry-level, so at only $100/£100 less but with half the storage the iPhone 16 really doesn’t look like a good deal. Will there be Black Friday iPhone discounts? The earliest you could expect to get a discount on the newest iPhones is around Black Friday at the end of November, so you might be planning to hold out until then. However, the deals we tend to see, if any, are usually for older handsets so if you are hoping for a discounted iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro you will probably be disappointed. See our round-up of Best Black Friday iPhone deals for more. Nor should you expect to get a discount in an Apple Black Friday sale. Apple’s Black Friday sale usually only takes the form of vouchers with select product purchases, rather than a discount, and it is unlikely that the newest iPhone would qualify as in previous year’s new iPhones haven’t been included. Note that while shopping events like Black Friday gets all the attention, that’s not the only time you can get discounts on Apple products: we see discounts all the time. Another event where we see good iPhone deals is Prime Day, which happens in July and October every year. So take a look at the iPhone deals for Amazon Prime Day sale to see what you might be able to save. In our experience, we don’t tend to see discounts on the newest handset until the spring–and these are always from third-party resellers, never from Apple. In fact, we don’t tend to see the iPhone discounted in the U.S. very often, most of the discounts we see are in the U.K. where unlocked iPhones are often sold off-contract at a good discount. Conclusion: When is the best time to buy a new iPhone? The worst time to buy is usually between July or August, mainly because with new iPhones on the horizon the price of the older handsets are likely to drop very soon. If you want the newest iPhones then the best deals don’t tend to come before the spring and summer months. If you are happy to buy an older iPhone then you will probably see decent deals around Prime Day and Black Friday – but deals happen all year round.  We hope this article has proved helpful in reaching an informed buying decision. Remember that good prices can be found all year round, if a retailer is feeling generous and you know where to look: read our guide to the best iPhone deals for more on that. Wondering how long Apple supports iPhones for? Read How long do iPhones last.

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Best Black Friday iPhone deals: What’s live now and what to expect
Macworld Best iPhone Deals Available Now! Black Friday isn’t here yet but we are already seeing lots of deals, including this deal on iPhone 16e: £90 off an iPhone 16e at Amazon. We have also highlighted deals on iPhone accessories and headphones below. Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year and it can be a great time to get a good deal on a new iPhone, iPhone accessories, or other Apple gear. Below we are tracking all the best Black Friday deals on the Apple iPhone and associated accessories, as well as sharing some advice on where to look and what to look out for. We’ll be updating this page imminently, as the discounts come in. If you’re looking for other Apple products, check out our mega roundup of the Best Black Friday 2025 Apple deals. Best early Black Friday iPhone deals If you can’t wait for Black Friday, these are the deals we are already seeing in the U.K.: Amazon, iPhone 16e (128GB): £509 (£90 off, RRP £599) Amazon, iPhone 16e (256GB): £649 (£50 off, RRP £699) Amazon, iPhone 16e (512GB): £849 (£50 off, RRP £899) AO, iPhone 16 (128GB): £659 (£40 off, RRP now £699) AO, iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB): £1,099 (£100 off, RRP was £1,199) iPhone deals Black Friday 2025: What to expect Most iPhone deals in the U.S. are through carriers and require a trade-in or adding a new line. Carriers will likely have enticing deals with trade-ins over Black Friday, but be wary of long-term contracts and terms. You can see the Black Friday carrier deals in the section below. In the U.K. there are less limitations on the sale of iPhones so you will be able to pick one up unlocked at a discount if you would prefer to buy an iPhone up front, rather than on a contract. Shoppers in the U.K. should look for discounts on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, but note Apple has already cut the price by $100/£100. Additionally, the price of the iPhone 16e will likely drop even further. Black Friday can be a good time to get a deal on an older iPhone, such as the iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max which are now discontinued. These will be worth grabbing if you see them at a good price. To get an idea of what to expect, we saw the following discounts over Black Friday 2024, and earlier this year during Prime Day. U.S. Best Buy, iPhone 15 (128GB): $690 ($49 off, MSRP $729) Black Friday 2024 Best Buy, iPhone 15 Plus (128GB): $780 ($49 off, MSRP $829) Black Friday 2024 U.K. Amazon, iPhone 16e (256GB): £594 (£105 off, RRP £699) Prime Day Amazon, iPhone 16e (512GB): £794 (£105 off, RRP £899) Prime Day Amazon, iPhone 16 (512GB): £999 (£100 off, RRP was £1,099) Prime Day Amazon, iPhone 16 Plus (512GB): £1,099 (£100 off, RRP was £1,199) Prime Day Amazon, iPhone 15, 128GB, £639 (£60 off, RRP now £699) Black Friday 2024 Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB, £999 (£100 off, RRP was £1,099) Black Friday 2024 Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro Max, 256GB, £1,049 (£70 off, RRP was £1,199) Black Friday 2024 iPhone carrier deals for Black Friday 2025 In the U.S., the only big iPhone deals you can find come from carriers, and have a lot of strings attached. Typically, you have to buy a phone on a multi-year installment plan and get your discount in the form of monthly bill credits. On Black Friday, most U.S. carriers simply promote these deals, even though they’re running all the time, but on occasion they change slightly. Carriers will likely have enticing deals with trade-ins as well, but be wary of long-term contracts and terms. Conditions always apply here–you may need to have a specific plan, open a new line, or trade in a device. Most U.S. carrier deals require you to buy the phone on an installment plan, and then you get the discount as bill credits toward your monthly payment. These are the deals currently available from the major U.S. carriers: AT&T: You can get up to $1100 off the iPhone 17 Pro when you trade in an eligible iPhone. The savings transform into monthly credits on your bill for the next 36 months. T-Mobile: The carrier offers the iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone Air for free if you either switch to T-Mobile or trade in a qualifying phone, as long as you’re on a qualifying Experience Beyond plan. The phone is paid through 24 monthly bill credits. Verizon: Get an iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro free with trade in and certain Unlimited plans. This phone is paid through 36 monthly bill credits. U.S. Cellular: Up to $1,100 off iPhone 17 Pro (or any other iPhone) with a new line and qualifying plan. This phone is paid through 36 monthly bill credits. Xfinity Mobile: If you trade in a qualifying phone you can get up to $830 off a new iPhone 17 series model. Boost Mobile: You can get $850 off the price of the iPhone 17 with Boost’s $65 per month plan. How to get the best iPhone deals for Black Friday 2025: Our Advice  iPhone 17: Apple only launched the iPhone 17 lineup in September so we don’t expect to see big discounts, other than the typical “free iPhone as bill credits over several years with a qualifying plan” deals that are always on offer in the U.S. iPhone 16: Shoppers should look out for discounts on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, but note that Apple has already cut prices by $100/£100. Also note that Apple no longer sells the 512GB versions of these handsets, so if you find those models on sale at a good price we recommend buying them. Similarly, if you see the now discontinued, iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max on sale at a good price then these would be a good purchase. iPhone 16e: The price of the iPhone 16e will likely drop. This is Apple’s ‘budget’ handset so it already has a low price though so don’t expect huge additional savings. iPhone 15: The only phones in this generation that were capable of Apple Intelligence are the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This might not matter to you now, but it may in the future. If you see an offer on the iPhone 15 or older we don’t recommend buying it for this reason. All iPhone 16 handsets, all iPhone 17 handsets, and the iPhone Air support Apple’s AI (aka Apple Intelligence) features such as writing tools for summarizing text and Image Playground. iPhone accessories deals for Black Friday 2025 Many of the best deals are going to be on iPhone accessories–cases, chargers, cables, and the like. There are way too many such products to keep track of, and many small discounts come and go throughout the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale. We highlight only the most interesting bargains; products that are rarely discounted or exceptionally good prices on accessories we recommend. U.S. Amazon, AirPods 4: $84.99 ($44 off, MSRP $129) Amazon, AirPods 4 (with ANC): $149 ($30 off, MSRP $179) Amazon, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4: $169 ($60 off, MSRP $229) Amazon, Beats Solo 4: $150 ($50 off, MSRP $200) Amazon, Beats Solo Buds: $70 ($10 off, MSRP $80) Amazon, Beats Studio Pro: $250 ($100 off, MSRP $350) Amazon, Beats Pill: $100 ($50 off, MSRP $150) Amazon, Beats Flex: $30 ($50 off, MSRP $70 Amazon, AirTag (4-pack): $65 ($34 off, MSRP $99) Amazon, AirTag (single): $24 ($5 off, MSRP $29) Amazon, Apple USB-C Charge Cable (2m): $18 ($9 off, $29) Amazon, Apple 35W Dual USB-C compact Port Power Adapter: $39 ($20 off, MSRP $59) Amazon, Apple MagSafe Charger (2m): $45 ($4 off, MSRP $49) Amazon, Apple 35W Dual USB-C Power Adapter: $59 ($0 off, MSRP $59) Amazon, Apple MagSafe Charger (2m): $45 ($4 off, MSRP $49) U.K. Amazon, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: £199 (£100 off, RRP £299.95) Amazon, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4: £169 (£60 off, RRP £229) Amazon, Beats Solo 4: £169 (£30 off, RRP £199.95) Amazon, Beats Fit Pro: £199 (£20 off, RRP £219.99) Amazon, AirTag (4-pack): £92 (£27 off, RRP £119) Amazon, AirTag (single): £28 (£7 off, RRP £35) You might also find some deals among our best earbuds for iPhones and best over-ear headphones. And don’t forget to look at our best AirPods Black Friday deals. Does Apple discount iPhones for Black Friday? Rather than discount its products, every year Apple holds a shopping event from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. Apple’s Black Friday ‘deal’ takes the form of gift card offers, rather than actual savings. While Apple is yet to confirm what Apple is doing for Black Friday 2025 we can hazard a guess that it will be similar to last year. In 2024 when buying an iPhone 15 from Apple you could get a voucher for $75/£60, with an iPhone 14 it was a $50/£40 Apple Gift Card, and an iPhone SE came with a $25/£20 Apple Gift Card. These iPhones are no longer on sale, so the 2025 deal may be for the iPhone 16, 16 Plus and 16e. The give aways over the past few years could give us a clue as to what the deal might be for 2025. Perhaps $75 with the iPhone 16 and $50 with the iPhone 16e. 202420232022iPhone 15$75–n/aiPhone 14$50$75–iPhone 13n/a$50$50iPhone SE$25$25$50 Get Apple's Black Friday offer (U.S.) Get Apple's Black Friday offer (U.K.) Black Friday 2025: Best deals for Apple products Check out these roundups for the best Apple deals: Apple Black Friday sale details Best Black Friday Apple deals Best Black Friday MacBook & Mac deals Best Black Friday AirPods deals Best Black Friday Apple Watch deals Best Black Friday iPad deals Best Black Friday iPhone deals

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The most surprising tweaks in iOS 26.2 beta 2 you need to know
iOS 26.2 beta brings a handful of improvements, including slick menu animations and extends Liquid Glass to more system apps. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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9 AI features you can use on your iPhone without enabling Apple Intelligence
Macworld To put it mildly, Apple’s AI efforts haven’t been as fruitful as those of its rivals. While other companies churn out advanced chatbots and bake artificial smarts deeply into their platforms, the iPhone maker has failed to deliver on promises it made way back in 2024. The context-aware Siri upgrade is still coming soon, and Apple Intelligence features that have actually shipped have generally been underwhelming. All is not lost, however. Not only is the new Siri expected to arrive in March, but there are lots of iPhone AI tools that don’t fall under the Apple Intelligence umbrella. Apple has been embedding a Neural Engine that powers its on-device machine learning features since the iPhone 8 and X debuted in 2017. While Writing Tools and Clean Up in Photos first come to mind when thinking of Apple’s AI offerings, there are plenty of other smart perks that don’t require Apple Intelligence or an internet connection to work on iOS. Photos As a mobile photography enthusiast, I especially appreciate my iPhone’s understanding of my photo library. The moment I click or save a photo, I can instantly tap and hold on the subject to remove it and insert it elsewhere, change its background, or turn it into a sticker. This simplifies the photo editing process in both professional and casual workflows. Similarly, iOS 26’s Spatial Scene feature analyzes your photos to understand their depth. This lets you generate an animated, 3D variant of the shot that reacts to your iPhone’s movement. The Photos app on iOS isn’t merely detecting borders to highlight subjects; it’s also aware of the context inside. This enables you to search your entire media library using relevant keywords, such as dog, table, pasta, recipe, etc. Dictation Another smart feature I frequently rely on is the offline dictation tool. Instead of typing long walls of text manually, I simply hit the microphone button on the built-in software keyboard and proceed with my rant. My iPhone starts listening and converts my speech to text in real time. It is highly accurate and properly punctuates my sentences. The on-device speech-to-text engine also works in the Voice Memos and Phone apps, letting you transcribe recordings and audio calls live. While summarizing a transcript requires Apple Intelligence, the transcription process itself works without enabling Apple’s AI suite. Apple’s Personal Voice feature lets youmimic your own voice without using ChatGPT.Foundry Personal Voice Apple takes accessibility tools seriously, helping those with different needs make the most of its devices. Personal Voice is an AI-powered accessibility feature that lets your iPhone convert text to speech using your own voice. While the initial version of the feature required a tedious 15-minute setup, the latest iteration only prompts you to read 10 sentences out loud. Once set up, your iPhone can talk using your mimicked voice whenever you input text in the designated field. Siri Suggestions While Siri itself isn’t always so great at handling user requests, the suggestions it makes can be quite handy. For those unfamiliar, iOS learns from your habits and surfaces relevant actions and information in different parts of the system, such as Spotlight Search and the Lock Screen. For example, if you tend to launch Apple Maps every day at 5 p.m. to navigate home after work, the shortcut will be waiting for you the moment you unlock your iPhone around that time. Live Text Live Text is a system-wide optical character recognition (OCR) tool that lets you interact with supported characters in a wide range of apps. In Photos, for example, you can quickly copy phrases that appear in images or call a photographed number. The feature also works in compatible third-party apps, in addition to online images when browsing with Safari. It’s a solid way to copy, translate, or share text directly from a photo. You can transcribe any spoken word using your iPhone’s keyboard.Foundry Mail While email summaries were recently launched as an Apple Intelligence exclusive, the Mail app has gained other smart features that don’t require enabling the AI suite. Notably, it can now analyze and sort emails based on their topics, placing them in dedicated inboxes. These include Primary, Transactions, Promotions, and Updates. It’s a neat way to filter out the noise that you can easily toggle on or off at any point. Live Recognition Personal Voice isn’t the only AI-powered accessibility tool available on iOS. Live Recognition is a built-in smart camera that can describe objects and people in front of you. Those with limited vision can rely on their iPhones to detect what’s around them in a hassle-free manner. Mail will automatically sort your purchase, promotion, and primary messages.Foundry Battery The iPhone’s smart tools also extend to power management. iOS learns from your charging habits to power the Optimized Battery Charging feature. If you keep your iPhone plugged overnight, it won’t fully charge until the morning, when you typically unplug it. Adaptive Power mode is another smart feature that monitors your usage and optimizes the performance to maximize your iPhone’s battery life.  Camera Despite the built-in Camera app not offering many of the AI tools like those found on Pixels and other Android phones, it still packs a lot of smarts. For example, it can recognize faces and pets before shooting. This lets it shift its focus dynamically—depending on what it detects in the viewfinder. The app can similarly suggest shooting modes based on the environment, such as Night mode in low-light setups, Macro mode for closeups, and so on.

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Best time to buy an Apple Watch: Should you buy an Apple Watch now?
Macworld There’s no bad time to buy an Apple Watch, but there are better and worse times. Apple releases new Apple Watch models (called “series”) on a yearly cadence, and the price rarely changes by all that much. So to avoid buying an Apple Watch that is outdated after just a few weeks, you want to time it right. Apple launched a new set of Apple Watches at an event in September 2025, so now is a good time to buy – that’s assuming you are reading in this at any time other than the run up to September 2026! If you are reading this in the summer then our advice would be to wait until mid-September when the new Apple Watch models are likely to go on sale and buy one then – or buy an older Apple Watch at a cut-price deal. However, buying an Apple Watch just after they go on sale isn’t necessarily the best time to get one. There are certain times of the year when you can get a better price on a new Apple Watch. We see Apple Watch deals from retailers all year round, but the best deals tend to happen during Amazon Prime Day (July and October) or Black Friday (November). For this reason we would recommend that those are good times to buy a new Apple Watch. Take a look at our Best Apple Watch deals for Black Friday. When is the best time to buy an Apple Watch? If the worst time to buy an Apple Watch is just before a new one is launched, when is the best time to buy one? Knowing when new Apple Watches launch goes some way to help with this question, however, some Apple Watch models are updated more regularly than others. The Series models, currently Apple Watch Series 11, are usually updated every September. The Apple Watch SE and Ultra models are updated less regularly. There was a two year gap between the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and 3 for example. So you can avoid buying a new Apple Watch just before Apple replaces it with a better model, but is buying a new Apple Watch just after launch a good time to buy one? Not necessarily. Our advice is to buy when there is a sale on, such as Amazon Prime Day (July and October) or Black Friday (November). We see Apple Watch deals from retailers throughout the year, but the best deals tend to happen during these big sale events. For this reason we would recommend that those are good times to buy a new iPad. Take a look at Best Apple Watch deals of Black Friday. Should I buy the Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm) Price When Reviewed: $399 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $389 View Deal $399.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket BUY Last updated: September 2025 Is now a good time to buy? Yes. Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 11 at an event in September 2025. It’s not hugely different to the Apple Watch Series 10 launched a year previously, but there are differences. The new display is more scratch-resistant, there is a new Space Gray option and it includes Blood Pressure monitoring. However Blood Pressure monitoring is also available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and 10 and the Ultra 2 and 3. There are a number of other features that didn’t only arrive with the 2025 generation, for example, Live Listen transcription and Live Translation are available on all Apple Watches from Series 9 forwards. We mention this because if you see a deal on the Apple Watch Series 10 it would be worth grabbing. The best news for U.K. shoppers is that at launch Apple dropped the price compared to the previous generation – so do check the price of the 11 compared to any deals you see on the older model. Read our full Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm) review Should I buy the Apple Watch SE 3? Price When Reviewed: $249 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket BUY Last updated: September 2025 Is now a good time to buy? Yes. Apple also announced the Apple Watch SE 3 at the Apple event in September 2025. This version of the Apple Watch SE is a significant update compared to the Apple Watch SE 2, which launched in 2022. This time round the Apple Watch SE 3 gains an Always-on display, temperature sensing, sleep apnoea notifications, the wrist flick and double tap gestures, on-device Siri, the ability to play back media via its own speaker, and 64GB storage (up from 32GB). It still lacks some of the sensors of the other models though: e.g. ECG and Blood Oxygen features. Battery life is shorter at 18 hours. When we reviewed it we were struck by just how good an option the Apple Watch SE 3 is now that it has gained what it has. If you don’t need those health related sensors then save your money and buy the SE 3 rather than the Series 11. Read our full Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm) review Should I buy the Apple Watch Ultra 3? Price When Reviewed: $799 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $699.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket BUY Last updated: September 2025 Is now a good time to buy? Yes. Also arriving at the Apple event in September 2025 was the Apple Watch Ultra 3. This version of the Apple Watch, like it’s Ultra predecessors is designed for adventurers. Aside from a better processor compared to the Ultra 2, which launched two years prior, the Ultra 3 has a slightly larger display due to thinner bezels, and a slightly thinner case, but you would be hard pressed to spot the difference. There are differences though: the display is more durable and has a LTPO3 wide-angle OLED – so you’ll be able to see notifications from any angle in bright sunlight. It also features 5G cellular and satellite connectivity and there’s a massive 42 hours of battery life, which is more than the previous generation. You can also charge it faster than before. The best news for U.K. shoppers is that at launch Apple dropped the price compared to the previous generation. The U.S. shoppers weren’t so lucky. Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 3 review Should I buy an old Apple Watch? What if you see an older Apple Watch model on sale? Should I buy an Apple Watch Series 10? Is now a good time to buy? Yes. The Apple Watch Series 10 has gained many of the new features that came with the Apple watchOS 26 update in September including: Blood pressure monitoring, Live Listen transcription and Live Translation. If you see one on sale at a good price grab it! Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) Read our review Price When Reviewed: $399 Best Prices Today: $279.99 at Amazon | $299 at Walmart | $329 at Best Buy Should I buy an Apple Watch Ultra 2? Is now a good time to buy? Yes. There is a bigger difference between the third and second-gen Ultra than there is between the Series 10 and 11, but if you see a good saving on the Ultra 2 we don’t think you will be missing out on much. Apple Watch Ultra 2 Read our review Price When Reviewed: $799 (base) Best Prices Today: $799 at Apple | Not Available at Adorama Should I buy an Apple Watch SE 2? Is now a good time to buy? No. We don’t recommend that you buy the Apple Watch SE 2 because the third-generation model that launched in September 2025 is considerably superior.

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Apple Store offers extended return window for holiday gifts
If you’re looking for an easier means of returning an Apple item this year, you’re in luck. Apple on Wednesday not only began rolling out its holiday theming at its Apple Store retail locations, but began offering an extended holiday return window for Apple Store product purchases. The purchases can now be returned through early […] Source

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Apple announces U.S. passport feature for Wallet app
Apple on Wednesday announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app featuring the information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you’ll need following: The digital ID can be created by opening the Wallet app on the iPhone, tapping […] Source

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Macworld Podcast: Apple silicon and five years of Mac greatness
Macworld Apple has reduced its reliance on third-party chips. How does that affect the devices it makes? That’s on this week’s episode of the Macworld Podcast. This is episode 959 with Michael Simon, Jason Cross,  and Roman Loyola.  Watch episode 959 on YouTube Listen to episode 959 on Apple Podcasts

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The gift for anyone who hates the Apple TV remote — $30
Macworld TL;DR: This button remote replaces Apple’s confusing touch remote with real buttons and all-in-one control for $29.95. Every household has one person who despises the Apple TV remote, and for good reason. Between the slippery design, touchpad mishaps, and constant recharging, it’s more frustration than function. The Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV and Apple TV 4K solves all of that with a familiar, no-nonsense design built for comfort and control. This remote brings back real buttons, intuitive navigation, and that satisfying click that makes streaming feel effortless again. It connects via infrared (IR), allowing you to sync it with your TV, soundbar, or receiver to control power, volume, and mute functions so you can eliminate the juggling act of multiple remotes. Why it’s worth gifting Familiar feel: Traditional buttons replace Apple’s finicky touchpad for simple, precise navigation. All-in-one control: Adjust your Apple TV and TV settings from a single remote. Quick setup: Syncs in seconds using IR technology — no Bluetooth pairing required. Long range: Works up to 12 meters away, so you can stay parked on the couch. Universal compatibility: Works with Apple TV, Apple TV 4K, and most modern TVs. It’s the remote that Apple should’ve made years ago, simple, functional, and instantly more enjoyable to use. Get the Button Remote for Apple TV today for $29.95. Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV/Apple TV 4KSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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macOS 26.2 Tahoe introduces Edge Light for better video calls
macOS 26.2 beta 2 adds a new Edge Light feature that adds a bright rim of light around your Mac’s display during video calls. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iOS 26.2 shows Apple is still tweaking the Liquid Glass look and feel
The iOS 26.6 developer beta released earlier today brings a few animation and interface tweaks, indicating that Apple is still working on the balance between practical usability and its original vision for Liquid Glass. Here’s what’s changed. more…

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iOS 26.2 beta 2 is out with changes to the Games and Measure apps
Macworld A day after the wide release of iOS 26.1, Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.2. This release is again expected to focus primarily on polish, tweaking, while adding quality-of-life enhancements rather than any big new features. Update 11/12/25: The second beta of iOS 26.2 is out now, with further interface refinements in the Games and Measure apps. iOS 26.2: What’s new We will continually update this list as the beta progresses and more changes are added and discovered by the community. Measure app: The Measure app gets a new Liquid Glass design. Games app: New library filtering, improved controller navigation, and challenge scores that update in real time. Updated Sleep Score ranges: Apple has adjusted what the various Sleep Score ranges mean, making it require higher scores for the better descriptions. For example, “High” used to be a score of 70-89, and is now 81-95. Lock Screen Liquid Glass slider: The clock control for the Lock Screen how has a slider to adjust how transparent/glassy the time readout should be. This replaces the old “clear or tinted” toggle. Apple News design: The design of Apple News has been tweaked, with four quick-select categories at the top. These appear to be based on your previous activity. Podcasts improvements: The Podcasts app gets auto-generated chapters along with the ability to more easily follow mentioned podcasts or follow up on links mentioned in a podcast episode. Set Alarms and Timers for Reminders: If you set a reminder as “urgent” you will be asked if you wish to create and alarm or timer for it. Freeform app: You can now insert tables into your boards. iOS 26.2: How to install If you want to test the iOS 26 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps: Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID. Log in to the Beta Software Program. Click Enroll your iOS device. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta. It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update. iOS 26.2: How to install the developer beta You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app: Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store. Open the app. Tap on Account. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. Find out everything you need to know about iOS 26 in our iOS 26 superguide.

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The final chapter of Apple TV’s WondLa just got its first trailer
WondLa, Apple’s animated adventure trilogy, returns on November 26 for a final run of six episodes. Watch the trailer below. more…

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