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- Monday May 11
- 10:53 amWhatsApp Plus subscriptions rolling out to iPhone, but you probably don’t need one
A paid WhatsApp Plus subscription went live in the Android beta last month and it is now slowly rolling out to iPhone users. It’s just gone live for a small number of iOS users and is reportedly rolling out to more accounts over the next few weeks … more…10:30 amWho are we kidding? Everyone copies Apple
Macworld If you’re looking for thoughtful discussion of the latest tech news, it might be wise to avoid Twitter, aka X, aka Elon Musk’s Idiot Circus. The algorithm rewards engagement, which in turn incentivises controversy, disinformation, and unthinking knee-jerk hot takes. So when Google tweeted a promo for the upcoming Android 17 update last week, it was inevitable that the most visible comments would contain more rage than reason. Which isn’t to say they’re necessarily wrong. A decent number of Android fans were outraged by the hint, offered in an accompanying promotional video, that Google is about to pivot to a new but simultaneously familiar aesthetic. “Please don’t tell me Android is going to have a Liquid Glass look,” pleaded by far the most polite of this group. “Stay original, Android,” said another, summing up the majority view. And it’s probably fair to say that the shimmery, glowing, translucent new appearance shown off by The Bot had more than a touch of the WWDC 2025 about it. Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat quickly denied that Google is copying Apple and insisted that Liquid Glass on Android is “Not happening! Y’all are wild.” Maybe this is true. The glowy, somewhat glassy look has only been seen in one (non-UI) video, and it’s easy to jump to the wrong conclusions when you haven’t yet got all the facts. Particularly if you’re on Twitter. But it’s also true that copying can be both nebulous and easy to deny. One’s judgment of how visually similar one UI is to another, for example, is completely subjective. Google may in due course announce its new Fluid Crystal design language and insist that it isn’t the same as Liquid Glass because the toggles are different or there’s a slightly different transparency effect on the home screen. It’s not a pyramid scheme, true believers will insist, it’s a reverse funnel system. In any case, you’ll have to forgive us for raising an eyebrow and wondering if Google’s designers have been getting their inspiration from Apple Park, because this sort of thing happens constantly. Only a couple of months ago, Apple launched the MacBook Neo to instant acclaim, and what do you know, a bunch of PC builders suddenly decided to take their lines in a new direction. The iPhone Ultra won’t even launch for another four months, and Huawei and Samsung are already pivoting to the strange wide form factor it’s expected to use. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch Ultra are astonishingly shameless rip-offs of the AirPods and Apple Watch Ultra, respectively, and while the company denies that the Galaxy S25 Edge was based on early leaks of the iPhone Air, the similarities are striking. And as for Honor’s Power 2, which even comes in a color almost identical to Cosmic Orange… well, the word is probably “blatant. At this point, Apple must feel like it can’t release an internal memo without someone from a rival company making one of their own with a worse interface. Some will say that imitation goes both ways, and that Apple has practised its fair share of plagiarism over the years. This charge isn’t entirely unfair, although Apple’s borrowings usually take the form of smaller software features rather than whole-cloth interfaces. In the hardware sphere, the company prefers to regard rival projects not as exemplars but as flawed prototypes it can learn from and then vastly improve. This is a practice that goes right back to the foundational but not yet commercially viable GUI ideas it learned from Xerox in the late 1970s and then polished for use in the Mac. (Apple paid for that visit with lucrative stock options, by the way. There’s a right way to go about copying someone else’s ideas.) Neither the iPod nor the Vision Pro was technically the first of its kind, but each took its respective product concept and raised it to the next level. No, Apple definitely gets copied more than it copies. And in some ways, it’s good for the tech market that it does. Apple has grown so powerful that it can serve as a useful lightning rod for other companies: it drops the optical drive, it removes the headphone jack, it takes the charger out of the box, it cops all the flak, and then everyone else can do the same thing three months later with a fraction of the negative publicity. Where Apple leads, the industry follows… in everything except privacy and data harvesting, unfortunately. So no, I’m not terribly inclined to give Google the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Glassdroid. Maybe Android 17 will look like iOS 26, and maybe it won’t, but Apple’s designers have been copied so many times in the past that despair and irritation are natural responses to a promotional video that was either weirdly clueless or deliberately provocative. In fact, I think I’ll go and complain about the situation on Twitter. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories The iPad desperately needs its MacBook Neo moment. Google denies copying Liquid Glass, but nobody’s buying it. Filipe Esposito can’t wait for iOS 27 to fix his iPhone. The update is also set to overhaul Siri, adding 7 highly requested features. Roman Loyola is happy to find that the iMac he’s always wanted is finally within reach. Tim Cook is leaving John Ternus with an AI imbroglio, reports the Macalope. Remember those Siri commercials promoting features that never shipped? Thanks to them, if you bought an iPhone last year, you may have a $95 check coming. Podcast of the week In the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast, we discuss everything that’s new with the iMac. What are the latest rumors, when can we expect to see an update, and what would we like to see Apple do with its iconic all-in-one. We also discuss the current Mac mini shortage. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site. Reviews corner Razer Viper V4 Pro: Ultra-fast gaming mouse with 50,000 DPI. Kensington SD5000T5: 140W charging & 60W Thunderbolt 5 dock. The rumor mill YouTuber goes ‘hands-on’ with ‘so strange’ iPhone Ultra. One analyst thinks the MacBook Neo could face a price hike. But Mahmoud Itani believes the $599 Neo is here to stay. Apple may turn to longtime frenemies to make chips in the U.S. Will Apple release anything new in May? Here’s what’s we expect. Video of the week @macworld.com Did you believe in Tim? ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld Did you believe in Tim? In our latest short video we explain why Tim Cook was the absolute perfect CEO. Follow us on TikTok or Instagram for more. Software updates, bugs, and problems Michael Simon thinks it sounds like Apple has run out of ideas for watchOS 27. watchOS 26.5 is going to fix two bugs on your Apple Watch. Apple cuts more Mac options amid ongoing memory shortages. iOS 27 tipped to get new ‘Create a Pass’ feature in Wallet. And with that, we’re done for this week’s Apple Breakfast. If you’d like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters, including our new email from The Macalope–an irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.10:00 amSecurity Bite Podcast: Why ClickFix is now the top way Macs get infected
9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. In this episode of Security Bite, I sit down with macOS reverse engineer Christopher Lopez (@L0Psec) and returning guest Kseniia Yamburkh (@osint_barbie) of MacPaw’s Moonlock Lab to unpack ClickFix, the social engineering technique behind nearly half of all reported breaches in 2025. We get into who’s actually falling victim, why it exploded so fast, how Mac malware is evolving in 2026, the current landscape, and more. more…08:00 amBlock ads everywhere you browse on 9 devices — AdGuard is a flat $16 with no recurring fees | MacworldBlock ads everywhere you browse on 9 devices — AdGuard is a flat $16 with no recurring fees
Macworld TL;DR: Through May 17, get AdGuard Family Plan lifetime access for just $15.97 (MSRP $169.99) and block ads, pop-ups, trackers, and malware on up to 9 devices. The internet isn’t just full of content anymore — it’s full of interruptions. Pop-ups, autoplay videos, sketchy banners, and tracking scripts all compete for your attention before you even get to what you actually came for. The AdGuard Family Plan clears the noise so your browsing finally feels clear again, and right now it’s available for $15.97 (MSRP $169.99) through May 17 for lifetime access on 9 devices. Eliminate ads, trackers, and malware with one tool Blocks ads, pop-ups, and autoplay videos across sites and apps Stops trackers and protects your browsing data from being collected Filters malware and phishing sites before they load Adds parental controls for safer browsing at home It works across desktop and mobile, supports up to 9 devices, and keeps running in the background without you thinking about it. If ads and pop-ups are cluttering your internet experience, this is the reset button. Get lifetime AdGuard Family Plan access for $15.97 (MSRP $169.99) until May 17 at 11:59pm Pacific. AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.07:15 amStop right here! The 15-inch MacBook Air just dropped under $1,000
Macworld Apple MacBook Air M4 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; }); })(); Apple’s gorgeous 15-inch MacBook Air with an M4 chip just dropped to its best price of just under $1,000, which can only mean one thing — it’s time to finally get one! That $400 discount discount isn’t one you see every day, even for clearance items, so you shouldn’t waste any time if you want one. This MacBook Air might be last year’s model, but there’s no reason to doubt its performance. That M4 chip under the hood is an absolute beast, and it’s got a good 16GB of unified memory. There’s no task this thing won’t be able to handle, from the most mundane to the most complicated. The 512GB SSD will give you plenty of space for videos, photos, and apps as well. The laptop features a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display that will deliver vibrant colors, great contrast, and just enough speed to ensure everything you watch looks smooth. The 12MP Center Stage Camera will ensure that whenever you join any online meetings or want to shoot some vids, you’re going to be the center of attention. We gave this laptop 5 stars in our review, and we’re sure you’ll love it just as much. So stop wondering — you know you want the M4 MacBook Air for just under $1,000, so just add it to the cart and bring it home.04:46 amSafari in iOS 27 could finally fix your tab chaos
Safari in iOS 27 and macOS 27 could finally make tab management less chaotic by automatically grouping similar open tabs together. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)01:39 amDoes iPhone need its own MacBook Neo moment?
Apple debuted iPhone 16e last year at its $599 price point – and it’s been an okay phone since. It got refreshed this year with an A19 chipset, more storage, and MagSafe, but for the most part, its positioning in the market hasn’t really changed. It’s an okay phone at an okay price. It’s been selling decently, but it hasn’t really been a killer appeal to Android users in the same way that MacBook Neo has been for PC users. I think that could change. more…Sunday May 1008:11 pmYet Another Story of an iOS Update Silently Changing Settings
Apple updates sometimes toggle settings without warning. A recent case involving iCloud Private Relay illustrates the problem—and raises the question of whether we can track what changes during an update.08:06 pmSunday Reboot: Chip issues, oranges, and Tony Awards
In this week's "Sunday Reboot," a good chip issue for Apple to have, regulatory comparisons with oranges, and "Schmigadoon!" gets 12 Tony Award nominations.Tony Awards, orange trademarks, and chip issuesSunday Reboot is a weekly column covering some of the lighter stories within the Apple reality distortion field from the past seven days. All to get the next week underway with a good first step.This week, Apple had to contend with Maryland lawmakers siding with Apple Towson employees after the store closure announcement, Canada wants Apple to weaken encryption, and Apple failed to reduce the scope of a $4.1 billion iCloud suit in the UK. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums07:50 pmUlysses 40
Brings several improvements to both the macOS edition and iPadOS edition of the writing app. ($5.99/$39.99 monthly/yearly subscription, free update, 131.7 MB, macOS 14+)07:46 pmPath Finder 26.0
Major upgrade for the file browser alternative to the macOS Finder with a visual and structural redesign across the whole application. ($29.95 anual subscription, free update, 19.4 MB, macOS 10.13+)07:42 pmCamo Studio 2.7.1
Virtual camera system rolls out native streaming and multi-camera support to all users. ($49.99 annual subscription, free update, 107.6 MB, macOS 12.3+)07:16 pmHere’s how Apple could make its Hide My Email feature even better for iCloud+ users
Introduced in iOS 15, Hide My Email is an iCloud+ feature that does exactly what it says on the tin – you can create an alternative email address for each individual service you sign up for, and easily cut off said email whenever you’d like. It prevents advertisers from having your primary email address, and gives you better inbox control – a total win-win. That said, despite being introduced 5 years ago, the feature hasn’t progressed as much as it realistically could have. Here are my suggestions for how Apple could improve Hide My Email. more…03:55 pmToday in Apple history: PowerBook G3 gets thinner, lighter and bronzer
On May 10, 1999, the PowerBook G3 Lombard arrived, 20% slimmer and 2 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and sporting a "bronze" keyboard. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)03:22 pmmacOS 27 will fix the worst part of Liquid Glass
macOS 27 will supposedly refine Liquid Glass to fix the readability and transparency issues that have frustrated users since macOS Tahoe. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)03:07 pmLiquid Glass won't get killed in macOS 27, expect a tune-up instead
When Apple unveils its next macOS at WWDC 2026, a new report says that it will have a slightly redesigned Liquid Glass interface, though really just the same design iterations the company has always done.Liquid Glass is here to stay, but it will be revisedLiquid Glass has had vocal critics, but just as with every version of macOS before, Apple is going to refine and mildly redesign it each year. According to Bloomberg, this year's revision is chiefly concerned with the appearance of different Mac elements with Liquid Glass.Specifically, the "slight redesign" is to concentrate on improving various readability issues. Where those have arisen so far, it's been in Liquid Glass's transparency and shadow effects, so presumably that is what Apple will work on. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:05 pmNot dead yet: Apple Vision still has a future
As we've repeated before, and a new report reiterates, the supposed death of Apple Vision Pro and its product team was an exaggeration. There are no signs of "giving up" on the product line.Apple Vision Pro isn't a dead product or an abandoned projectA report relying on a limited-in-scope anonymous leak reached the conclusion that Apple Vision Pro had become an abandoned product line. While the base team may have changed or evolved, the project itself hasn't been given up on.AppleInsider's initial assessment of the situation has been reiterated by others in the know, including in the latest According to the Power On newsletter. While the Vision Products Group has been broken up into various other organizations, development of the Apple Vision Pro hasn't stopped. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums02:48 pmSafari 27 will use AI to automatically group your browser tabs
Likely debuting at WWDC, Safari users will soon find it will be easier to create groups of tabs, with a test version of the browser for the 27 operating systems using AI to group them for you.Tab groups in macOS MontereyApple introduced Tab Groups in Safari 15 back in 2021, to help users organize and save groups of frequently-used browser tabs. Five years later, it is planning another change to the feature.A test version of Safari for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 has updated the Tab Groups to include an automated organization feature, says Mark Gurman in his "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg. The center-top button for moving between tab groups has a new test option, appropriately titled "Organize Tabs." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums02:11 pmReport: macOS 27 to feature UI tweaks to address some Tahoe design complaints
Apple is preparing to roll out a ‘slight redesign’ for the next version of macOS, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The update will feature a refinement of the Liquid Glass design language, cleaning up some of the rough edges seen in the Tahoe user interface. This will apparently include tweaks to the use of transparency and shadows across the system, which should address some user criticism about poor contrast when using Tahoe apps. more…01:45 pmApple’s biggest iPad competitor isn’t Android, it’s older iPads
For the most part, iPad has dominated the tablet market – and that probably won’t be changing anytime soon. In recent years, though, I think many people have been struggling to come up with reasons to buy a new iPad – especially when the previous generations have been so good. While this likely isn’t a huge problem quite yet, I do think it raises some questions going forward. more…