Apple iPhone 17 series sweeps Top 3 Global Smartphone Sales in Q1 2026
The top 10 best-selling smartphone models accounted for a record 25% of the global market in the March quarter — the highest concentration… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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WWDC invites, iOS 27 accessibility features, new Siri will be a ‘beta’
Benjamin and Chance return for another week in Apple news and rumors. As is tradition, the company unveiled a slate of new accessibility-focused features designed for iOS 27, with a strong theme of Apple Intelligence this year. Also, the WWDC keynote is official with invites going out to press, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman brings us even more details about the upcoming Siri revamp. And in Happy Hour Plus, the two discuss a new rumor that says Apple might switch back to titanium on future iPhones. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join. Sponsored by Bartender: Bartender Pro is a new option for users who want to take things up a notch. Visit macbartender.com to check it out. Sponsored by Shopify: See less carts go abandoned and more sales. Sign up for a $1 per month trial at shopify.com/happyhour. Sponsored by IM8: Go to IM8HEALTH.com/happyhour and use code happyhour to get a free welcome kit, five free travel sachets, and 10% off your order.  more…

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iOS 26.5 added new features to three popular iPhone apps
iOS 26.5 launched earlier this month with a variety of brand new features for users. Here are the new iOS 26.5 features that were added to three popular iPhone apps. more…

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Best ultrawide monitor Mac setups: One screen to rule them all
Ahoy, vast screen real estate! We found the best ultrawide monitor Mac setups from years of Cult of Mac coverage. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple Intelligence 2.0 promises many new features I’m very excited for
Apple Intelligence debuted almost two years ago, and for some iPhone users it’s been underwhelming. But rumors about what’s coming in iOS 27 sound like a true Apple Intelligence 2.0, with many features I’m already very excited for. more…

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Apple’s next iPhone redesign could be all about the curved display
The iPhone 19 Pro could debut Apple’s biggest redesign since the iPhone X. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Employees at Apple's first unionized store to protest closing
The union representing staff at Apple Towson Town Center has announced a public rally for May 27, 2026, protesting against Apple's treatment of its workers.Apple Towson Town Center, MarylandApple Towson is not the only store that Apple has decided to close, but it is the only unionized one. It was the first Apple Store to unionize, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Union claims that its members are being discriminated against because of this.Known as the Machinists' Union for short, it has now announced a public protest. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple won’t let you downgrade from iOS 26.5 anymore — here’s why
iPhone users hoping to roll back from iOS 26.5 are now out of luck. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple asks U.S. Supreme Court to review contempt order in Epic Games lawsuit
Apple on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling that held the iPhone maker in civil contempt for charging… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Meta has released two new apps for iPhone this month
Meta is on an iPhone app launch streak after introducing two new apps in May. The latest is dedicated app for a key Facebook feature: groups. more…

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Remap your Mac’s keyboard to unlock power features
Learn how to remap your Mac keyboard for a tailored experience with custom shortcuts and enhanced functionality. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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9to5Mac Overtime 068: You were right to push back on that
Jeff and Fernando chat about iOS 27 impressive new accessibility features, alongside a discussion on what Apple should do to regain user trust with regard to Siri. Should Siri be completely rebranded? The duo discusses five key features they hope Siri will have when it’s revealed at WWDC 2026. 9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts and our YouTube channel for more. more…

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The last macOS Tahoe review — neither terrible nor great
Apple's macOS Tahoe has been one of the most controversial and divisive Mac updates ever. After almost a year of use, not even including Apple Intelligence, some of its touted benefits haven't worked out.Apple's macOS Tahoe is good, it's just not as revolutionary as advertisedMaybe this is just how it always is. For instance, when macOS Big Sur was announced, it was a gigantic change for the Mac yet now you can't even remember what was so new about it.With macOS Tahoe, you do know that the chief new thing is the Liquid Glass redesign. It seems as if there are more critics of the design than there are proponents, but it's probably more that most users don't care enough to comment. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Accessibility, AI rumors, and Google I/O, on the AppleInsider Podcast
Apple has shown off the new Accessibility features coming in iOS 27, which did nothing to stem the torrent of rumors about what we'll see in Apple Intelligence, but possibly did steal a little bit of thunder from Google's peculiar mishmash of an I/O conference, on the AppleInsider Podcast.Apple has revealed a new accessibility accessory, plus shown off new features coming to iOS - image credit: AppleIt's surely the only time of the year where Apple actually tells us something in advance about the next version of iOS. No guessing, no rumors, just straight information about the new or improved accessibility features.Apple does so solely because World Accessibility Day is coming up, and not at all because Google is running its I/O developer conference at this time. Just as it's entirely coincidental that Apple issued invitations to its own WWDC now as well. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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∞ The Dalrymple Report: WWDC and iOS 27, camera and siri overhaul
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is set to kickoff on June 8 with updates to its line of operating systems. It's also expected to include the introduction of Gemini as the backbone for Apple's long awaited intelligence features. We also discuss some of the rumors of other features we expect to see at the conference, including updates to the camera and a new Siri based on Google's Gemini. Follow this podcast Brought to you by: NordLayer: Get an exclusive offer: up to 22% off NordLayer yearly plans plus 10% on top with the coupon code: DALRYMPLE10. Try it risk-free—14-day money-back guarantee. Show Notes: Apple kicks off Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8 Apple unveils new accessibility features, and updates powered by Apple Intelligence Gurman on iOS 27 and camera/siri overhaul -With iOS 27, Shortcuts is about to become what it was always meant to be Murder and Apple gift cards Shows and movies we're watching Young Sherlock, Amazon Sherlock, Disney

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Price cut: 1minAI puts ChatGPT and other top AIs all in one place
Get an AI tool that brings top AI models like ChatGPT, Mistral AI and more together in one interface. Enter 1minAI, the all-in-one AI tool. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Today in Apple history: Newton spins off as its own company
On May 22, 1997, Apple set up its Newton division as a separate company. The spinoff Newton Inc.'s first job? Selling the MessagePad 2000. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple Services explained: What to buy and what to avoid
Macworld Apple, once a company focused on selling hardware, these days sells more subscriptions than ever before. These run the gamut from entertainment services to premium technical support, cloud storage, and creativity tools. With so many options available, some users may be confused about which ones are worth the price of the subscription. Macworld is here to help. Read on as we break down all of Apple’s services and subscriptions available in 2026, what each one includes, and most importantly, who should (and who shouldn’t) pay for them. Apple Music This is one of Apple’s oldest subscription services. Apple Music subscribers have access to a catalog of millions of songs, which can be streamed or even downloaded for offline playback. With an Apple Music subscription, users can also have their music library synced via iCloud. This means you will always have all your music with you on all your devices, without having to manually add your songs to each one. But Apple Music isn’t just about listening to songs. For instance, the platform offers Apple Music Sing, a karaoke feature which removes vocals from songs and provides real-time lyrics so you can have fun with friends and family. It also has a catalog of high-definition music videos. Apple Music gives you access to a huge catalog of tracks, from the obscure to the ubiquitous.Filipe Esposito / Foundry Apple Music is available on all Apple devices, from iPhone to Mac, and even Apple Watch. It also works on Android, Windows, and some other devices such as smart TVs and game consoles. Even so, the service is best suited for those deeply immersed in the Cupertino ecosystem, as some features are limited to Apple devices (such as having Spatial Audio on AirPods). Apple Music costs $10.99/£10.99 per month, while there’s a family plan for sharing with up to five people for $16.99/£16.99. But note that there are various ways to get Apple Music for free. Apple TV Introduced in 2019, Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is the company’s streaming platform for movies and TV shows. Unlike Amazon and Netflix, Apple TV initially offered original exclusives only, but the company later expanded its catalog by licensing some older content. Apple TV includes popular and award-winning movies and shows such as Pluribus, Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, For All Mankind, and F1 The Movie. You can watch the content on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro, as well as Android and Windows devices, and even smart TVs and gaming consoles. That means even if you don’t have any Apple devices, you can still enjoy all the benefits of Apple TV. Apple TV costs $12.99/£9.99 per month, and you can share it with up to five other people at no additional cost. Keep in mind that the subscription doesn’t give you access to third-party content available on the Apple TV app, which can be purchased separately. As with Apple Music, there are ways to get Apple TV for free. Apple TV is unusual among streaming services because it’s based almost entirely on original content.Apple To consider: Apple Music and TV for students If you’re a student, you may be eligible to get both the above services at a discounted price. Students can subscribe to Apple Music for just $5.99/£5.99 per month, and the subscription comes with Apple TV included at no extra cost. While Apple says this is a special limited-time offer, it has been available for quite some time. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re only interested in these two subscriptions. Apple Arcade If you like to play games in your spare time, Apple Arcade is the service for you. The subscription lets you play a wide range of games on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro, and even Apple TV. There are hundreds of games available, and they can be played offline. Plus, the games have no ads. On Apple Arcade, you can find popular and fun titles such as Sneaky Sasquatch, Goat Simulator, Mini Motorways, Subway Surfers, Crossy Road Castle, Snake.io, Balatro, Angry Birds, NBA 2K26, and Hello Kitty Island Adventure. It’s perfect for casual gamers and families with children, as there are so many ad-free titles with zero in-app purchases aimed at kids; last year we argued that it’s the best Apple service you’re not using. However, if you’re a PC or console gamer, keep in mind that you’ll struggle to find any AAA titles. There are some astonishingly good games on Apple Arcade, such as Grindstone. And there’s also some rubbish, obviously.David Price / Foundry The Apple Arcade subscription costs $6.99/£6.99 per month and can be shared with up to five other people at no additional cost. The subscription becomes more compelling when you have an iPad, Mac, or Apple TV to play games on bigger screens. Apple Fitness+ Built into the Apple Fitness app, Apple Fitness+ is a subscription service that provides access to multiple guided video workouts, including strength training, HIIT, yoga, and meditation. It’s like having a personal trainer with you all the time, whenever you need them. New video classes are added every week, so there’s always something new to help with your fitness routine. Apple Fitness+ is available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. However, Apple Watch users can get more out of it since the app shows the watch’s health metrics in real time during guided workouts. If you haven’t got an Apple Watch, you can also get real-time health metrics when exercising by using the AirPods Pro 3 or Powerbeats Pro 2. Subscribing to Apple Fitness+ costs $9.99/£9.99 per month, and you can share your subscription with up to five members of your family at no additional cost. It’s the perfect companion for Apple Watch owners. If you don’t have one, you should probably skip it. This service can help you get in shape. And it’ll certainly slim down your wallet.Apple Apple News+ While the Apple News app functions as a free news aggregator, the Apple News+ subscription service takes the experience even further with access to magazines, paywalled news outlets, and audio stories. All ad-free. On Apple News+, you’ll find major publications such as National Geographic, TIME, People, Vanity Fair, WIRED, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. Plus, subscribers can download news and magazines to read them offline. Apple News+ costs $12.99/£12.99 per month and can be shared with up to five family members. The app is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. If you have an iPad (which offers the best reading experience) and are an avid reader of newspapers and magazines, Apple News+ may be an interesting option for accessing a large catalog with no ads or interruptions. Readers who rely on a single news source should probably skip it. If you haven’t got an iPad, News+ may not be the service for you.Apple iCloud+ iCloud+ is one of Apple’s most popular services, perhaps because the offering is so practical: cloud storage for backing up and storing data from your Apple devices. The free version of iCloud gives you just 5GB of storage per user (not even 5GB per device), which felt stingy a decade ago and certainly isn’t enough now. This is where iCloud+ comes in, giving users more space to store their photos, documents, email, messages, notes, and app data. All of this data can be automatically synced across multiple Apple devices. Having more iCloud storage is also important for keeping your devices automatically backed up every day, meaning you won’t lose anything if anything goes wrong. In addition, those who pay for iCloud+ have access to some extra features such as iCloud Private Relay for better protection when browsing the web, Hide My Email for better privacy when signing up for apps and websites, and HomeKit Secure Video to access your HomeKit cameras from anywhere. You’ll struggle to cope with 5GB of cloud storage, so an iCloud+ subscription is worth considering.Filipe Esposito / Foundry iCloud+ starts at just $0.99/£0.99 per month for 50GB of storage. There are also plans with 200GB ($2.99/£2.99), 2TB ($9.99/£8.99), 6TB ($29.99/£26.99), and 12TB ($59.99/£54.99): check out the full range of pricing for more information. iCloud+ storage and benefits can be shared with up to five other people. An iCloud+ subscription is recommended for anyone with an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but becomes especially valuable if you own multiple devices. If you’re unsure, read this list of iCloud+ tips and tricks to see how you can get the most out of the service. Apple One: The best deal With Apple One, you can gain access to all of Apple’s online services without having to subscribe to each one individually. And, most appealingly, you’ll get a discounted price compared to paying for each one separately. However, it’s very important to note that the basic version of Apple One doesn’t include Fitness+ and News+. The Apple One Individual plan includes four out of the six services discussed above: iCloud+ (50GB) Apple TV Apple Music Apple Arcade Normally, you would spend $31.96/£28.96 per month if you paid for each of these services individually. However, with Apple One, you get them all for just $19.95/£18.95. That’s a monthly saving of $12 in the U.S., or £10 in the U.K. If you want to share your subscription with others, you can get a Apple One Family plan with the same services, plus 200GB of iCloud+ storage instead of the 50GB you get with the Individual plan. It costs $25.95/£24.95 per month and can be shared with up to five people. And if you’re fully immersed in the Apple ecosystem and want access to absolutely all of the subscription services provided, Apple One Premier is the right choice for you. It includes: iCloud+ (2TB) Apple TV Apple Music Apple Arcade Apple Fitness+ Apple News+ Rather than paying $63.94/£59.94 per month for all these services individually, you can get them for just $37.95/£36.95 per month with Apple One Premier. Apple One is the perfect subscription for those considering at least two of Apple’s services. For example, if you wanted both Apple Music and Apple TV, that would cost you $23.98 per month. That’s already $4.03 more than the Apple One Individual plan costs, making Apple Arcade and the extra cloud storage a free bonus. Plus, here are 5 awesome Apple One perks you’re probably missing out on. Apple Arcade, Apple Music, and Apple TV are the jewels in Apple One’s crown.Apple Apple Creator Studio: A great suite for Mac users The newest addition to the family is Apple Creator Studio, a new bundle that brings together all of Apple’s productivity and editing apps under one subscription. There are tools for editing video, audio, and images. These are the apps included with Apple Creator Studio: Final Cut Pro Logic Pro Pixelmator Pro Motion Compressor MainStage In addition, those who subscribe to Apple Creator Studio will unlock exclusive features for apps such as Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform. This includes AI tools for creating documents and a hub with photos, graphics, and illustrations that can be used in any project. While Apple Creator Studio provides tools for both Mac and iPad, most of the apps in this bundle are only available for macOS. In addition, there are no Apple Creator Studio apps for iPhone. It’s a harsh reality for mobile creators. The Apple Creator Studio subscription costs $12.99/£12.99 per month, or $129/£129 per year. Students and teachers can subscribe for just $2.99/£2.99 per month. For comparison, Final Cut Pro alone costs $299.99/£299.99 on the Mac App Store. Whether you’re a professional or someone who wants to become a creator, Apple Creator Studio is certainly a tempting bundle, especially if you have a Mac. Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro are some of the best video, audio, and image editing software you can get. But if you’re a mobile-first creator, you should look for alternatives that are available on the iPhone. Apple Creator Studio Price When Reviewed: $12.99 per month or $129 per year Best Prices Today: $129 at Apple (Annual) AppleCare+ Whether you consider yourself clumsy or just don’t want to worry about your Apple devices, AppleCare+ has you covered. AppleCare+ plans essentially offer extra protection for your Apple products: not only an extended warranty, but also coverage for accidental damage and even loss or theft. If something happens to your device, you only pay a small fee to Apple to have it repaired or replaced. In the U.S., there are two different AppleCare plans. AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss covers what we mentioned earlier: accidental damage, theft, and loss. You also get extended support from Apple. AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss only covers one device per subscription, and prices start at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year; it gets more expensive depending on the device you have. (In the U.K., prices start at £7.99 per month or £159 for two years.) If you’re clumsy with your Apple products, AppleCare may be for you.Apple More recently, Apple introduced AppleCare One, which covers not just one, but up to three products at a reduced price. The subscription starts at $19.99 per month and offers all the benefits of AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss. And if you have more than three devices, you can add more products to your coverage for an extra $5.99. AppleCare+ is available for pretty much every Apple device, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and accessories such as AirPods, Apple TV, and HomePod. Theft and loss protection is only available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. AppleCare+ isn’t exactly something you need, and in fact you may never benefit from what it offers. However, once again, if you want to use your device without having to worry about accidental damage or other types of incidents, it’s a small price to pay to ensure you’ll have support in such cases. And if you’ve been considering getting an AppleCare plan, AppleCare One is probably the way to go if you have two or more Apple devices. AppleCare+ Price When Reviewed: From $29 Best Prices Today: $29 at Apple Which ones should I subscribe to? As you can see, there are lots of Apple subscription services available, and we’ve tried to give you plenty of detail about them all. But if you’re still unsure about which ones are worth subscribing to, here’s our verdict. Best for the average user: If you’re a regular user who doesn’t care much about these services or already uses other streaming platforms, you should at least consider subscribing to iCloud+ to keep your devices automatically backed up and all your data synced. Best for students: There’s no question about it: the Apple Music and Apple TV student plan is an excellent deal. At $5.99/£5.99 per month, it’s definitely worth subscribing to these apps. And if you need iCloud, you can get an iCloud+ plan separately. Best for families or owners of multiple Apple devices: In this case, Apple One is definitely the best choice. You’ll get everything Apple has to offer at a lower price. Plus, you can even share your plan with up to six people if they also own Apple products. Best for professionals: If you’re a professional, especially a creator working with a Mac, there’s no question here. Go with the new Apple Creator Studio, which will give you access to many great tools for creating and editing. You should also consider upgrading to a higher-tier iCloud+ plan with more storage, or even consider an Apple One plan. (Apple doesn’t currently bundle Apple One and Creative Studio in a single subscription.) One you should consider: Having an AppleCare+ plan for your devices can save you a lot of hassle if you ever drop your iPhone, spill liquid on your Mac, or have a device stolen. We never think about these things, but if that day comes, Apple will help you get your device replaced without having to spend a lot of money to buy a new one. The subscriptions that aren’t worth it Services such as Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple News+ aren’t bad, but they’re not worth it considering their respective individual subscriptions. If you really want these services, consider subscribing to an Apple One plan instead, so you can enjoy all the others too and get value for money.

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Steve Wozniak Tells Graduates They All Have 'AI': Actual Intelligence
While other commencement speeches have been met with boos for hyping up artificial intelligence, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak reminded college graduates that they already posses "AI" of their own: "actual intelligence." He framed AI as an attempt to duplicate brain-like routines, and encouraged students to "think different" as they enter a workforce being reshaped by automation. Business Insider reports: Steve Wozniak did what other college graduation commencement speakers couldn't this year: earn applause when talking about AI. The Apple cofounder took the stage during Grand Valley State University's graduation ceremony earlier this month. During his speech, Wozniak offered reassurance to new graduates who are entering the workforce at the height of the AI revolution. "It would take too long to go deeply into what I think about AI, but we've been trying to create a brain," Wozniak said. "Is there a way we can duplicate a routine a trillion times and have it work like a brain? AI is one of those attempts." [...] During his commencement address, Wozniak reflected on working at Apple and offered students some advice as they begin their careers. "You should always try to think different," he said. "Don't follow the same steps as a million other people. Think, is there something I can do a little different?" You can watch the clip on YouTube. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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6 HomePod annoyances Apple might finally fix this year
Macworld The HomePod mini is one of my favorite Apple products, offering impressive audio output and seamless integration with the rest of my Apple devices for just $99. A stereo pair fuels my everyday mini house parties while also acting as a home hub that controls my smart light bulbs—even remotely. The speakers can estimate the indoor temperature and humidity, alert me about smoke detectors going off, power automations, and much more; they’re truly great. Despite its utility and ease of use, however, the HomePod isn’t really as smart as you’d expect a smart speaker to be. Because it relies on the infamous, pre-Apple Intelligence version of Siri, it often fails to process complex commands or offer helpful, up-to-date information. But there’s reason to be optimistic. The upcoming HomePod 3 and mini 2 reportedly won’t launch until Apple releases the boosted AI experience with OS 27, which suggests the next-gen HomePods will address several of the current models’ shortcomings and become genuinely smart this fall. Here are six issues with the current HomePod models that could finally be fixed with the imminent launch of new hardware. Siri-ous multitasking One thing I dislike about my HomePods is the way they restrict me to individual commands. If you try asking your Apple smart speaker to turn off the lights and turn on the TV, it won’t execute either order, stating that it can’t process combined tasks. Instead, you’ll have to trigger the voice assistant, ask it to perform action A, wait for it to do so, and then repeat the same steps to get action B done. It’s tedious. Alternatively, you could create scenes (task combinations) in the Apple Home app, then activate these with a single Siri command. This works well for routine activities, such as a movie night setup, but is close to useless for random, impromptu command combos. So much for the current state of affairs. The future looks brighter: if the rumors materialize, Siri in iOS 27 will finally be able to process multiple orders in one go. Given that the HomePod 3 and mini 2 are expected to support Siri 2.0, it’s fairly safe to assume that Apple’s smart speakers will learn how to multitask later this year. Siri frequently has trouble understanding. And even when it understands, it may not be able to comply.Mahmoud Itani / Foundry The chatty kind When iOS 27 launches, Siri is expected to receive an LLM-driven boost, allowing it to become as conversational as rival AI chatbots. If the upcoming HomePods adopt the same technology, you’ll finally be able to have elaborate conversations with the voice assistant using natural language. It should also be able to maintain the context of the chat and provide follow-up responses accordingly. Right now, the HomePod does not wait for follow-up inquiries once it answers a certain question. You can’t ask the HomePod “What’s the weather like in Beirut?” and then add “What about New York?” after it provides the first answer. It simply stops listening, forcing you to trigger it again and ask full questions that don’t take previous requests into account. Interacting with Siri on the HomePod also requires you to pick your words carefully, as the bot is prone to misinterpretation. The rumored LLM upgrade should hopefully clean up this mess. A cure for amnesia iOS 27 will reportedly introduce a dedicated Siri app that stores your conversation history and other useful info. Given that Siri already supports iCloud sync and the HomePod can distinguish between different household members, the next HomePods could realistically sync your records to the dedicated iPhone app. This would let you access past conversations you’ve had with the smart speaker to recall specific details. Already knows you One of Siri 2.0’s most anticipated features is the ability to pull user data from apps such as Messages, Mail, and Calendar. With iOS 27, you should be able to ask Siri when your mom’s flight is, for example, and it’ll dig through your conversations across apps to find the relevant answer. Since HomePods can tell different users apart, Apple could realistically bundle this perk with the 3rd-gen and mini 2 models. In this case, the HomePod would piggyback on your nearby iPhone to fetch the requested information before announcing the results. This approach would bar other household members from secretly accessing your personal data when you’re out and about, as it requires detecting both your voice and nearby iPhone simultaneously. Expanded integration with third-party AI models could be coming to the HomePod.Mahmoud Itani / Foundry A model pupil Siri on Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones already offers a handy ChatGPT integration. The feature allows OpenAI’s chatbot to natively process complex questions when Siri fails, or the user explicitly requests it. iOS 27 is rumored to offer even more extensions, including Google Gemini, giving users additional options to pick from. If the HomePod 3 and mini 2 are powered by the same smarter Siri, they should similarly be able to tap into other providers’ AI models if Apple’s LLMs are deemed unsatisfactory. A DJ that actually listens Beyond the Siri upgrade, there’s an existing Apple Intelligence perk on iOS that the next HomePods could realistically port. AutoMix is a reimagined crossfade feature for Apple Music subscribers that offers DJ-style transitions between songs. It uses on-device AI to analyze the tracks and mixes one into the next accordingly. This noticeably elevates the listening experience and makes classic crossfade transitions sound dated. It’s not impossible to get this effect on your HomePod currently: one workaround would be to cast music from a supported nearby iPhone. But that’s not as practical as the native implementation we hope will arrive with the next generation of HomePods.

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