Apple acquires Israeli audio AI startup Q.ai
Apple announced on Thursday that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup specializing in artificial intelligence technologies for audio… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple acquires secretive Q․ai startup for $2 billion
Apple has acquired an Israeli-based AI startup called Q.ai, according to a new report from the Financial Times. The report says the deal is valued at close to $2 billion, making it one of Apple’s largest acquisitions ever. more…

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'F1: The Movie' is officially the most-watched film Apple TV history
Apple has announced that the hugely popular "F1: The Movie" is the most-watched film in Apple TV history, beating hits like "CODA", "Finch", and "Killers of the Flower Moon".Multi-award nominee "F1: The Movie" can be bought or streamed via AppleThe Apple TV X account announced the news with a short video clip cut to make Brad Pitt appear to proclaim the feat "impressive." Pitt stars as an older racing driver returning to the track to compete with a younger generation.This news also comes just days after "F1" was confirmed to have three award nominations by the UK's British Academy of Film and Television Arts, better known as BAFTA. The movie has been shortlisted in the Best Editing, Best Special Visual Effects, and Best Sound categories. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple kills off Pro Apps for Education in favor of Creator Studio education subscription
In a less-than-surprising move, Apple has quietly nixed its budget-friendly bundle of creative professional apps geared towards students and educators, instead pushing customers towards an Apple Creator Studio subscription at a discounted price.Apple Creator Studio for students and educatorsApple has officially removed its "Pro Apps Bundle for Education" from its online educational store, ending the ultra-affordable, one-time purchase for its pro-level creative apps. Until recently, students and educators could download Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage for $199 in the US, and comparable prices globally.Apple first launched the bundle in early 2017. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Today in Apple history: ‘The Diesel’ becomes Apple COO
On January 29, 1990, Apple CEO John Sculley appointed Michael "The Diesel" Spindler as the company's new chief operating officer. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Hands-on: This tiny MagSafe controller brings real buttons and a retro feel to your iPhone
Some of my earliest memories go back to the late 90s when the Game Boy Color launched. I remember being six or seven years old, walking into a store with my dad to pick up a Game Boy Color and a copy of Pokémon Blue. I spent countless hours playing that Game Boy, and looking back, it played a major role in sparking the tech interest I still carry today. Fast forward to 2026, and mobile gaming has evolved in ways we could not have imagined back then. Touchscreens are incredibly capable, but nothing truly replaces the tactility of real buttons, and most controllers are not portable enough to justify carrying everywhere. So when I saw just how tiny and lightweight the abxylute M4 Snap-On Mobile Controller was, I knew I had to test it for myself. Here is what you should know. more…

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Get 3 months of Apple Music free in limited-time Super Bowl offer
New users can get three months of Apple Music free through a new Super Bowl halftime show promotion. It ends February 24. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Deals: AirTag 2 – buy 4, get 1 for $1, most affordable M5 iPad Pro up to $213 off, Trail Loop, Crossbody Strap 55% off, more
While the new AirTag is up for grabs now at $29, today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is kicking off with the first chance to save on the new Apple tracker – you can now AirPods 4 with ANC at 35% off, but we also spotted one of the best prices yet on the most affordable M5 iPad Pro at up to $213 off the list price. Those offers join new all-time lows on the blue and green Apple Trail Loop, up to 55% off the Apple Crossbody Strap, and a rare $500 off the Apple Pro Pro Display XDR. Head below for a closer look at everything.  more…

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Apple TV reveals F1 has become it most-watched film ever
Apple TV has just announced that it has a new most-watched film ever: the box office hit F1: The Movie has proven successful in streaming, too. more…

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All the new features of Keynote, Pages and Numbers — and how to get them
The latest updates to iWork apps Keynote, Pages and Numbers include free and paid features, but getting them is not as simple as updating. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple Music is now free for 3 months for new users, details here
Considering switching from Spotify to Apple Music? Now might be the best time to do so, as new Apple Music users are being given 3 free months for a limited time. Here are the details. more…

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AppleUnsold will sell you stands and cables straight from the Apple Store
Macworld For whatever reason, it’s been more than a decade since Apple released a new iPhone dock. The last iPhone Lightning Dock made by Apple was back in 2015, and ever since MagSafe and USB-C arrived, Apple has only sold cables and pucks that can fit into third-party stands. That’s not the case in the Apple Store. Walk through the doors and you’ll see rows of beautiful white MagSafe docks and stands for everything on display. Unfortunately, these accessories belong to the store; you can’t take them up to the till with your new iPhone and include them with your purchase. But a new online storefront appears to be the first place where you can buy them. Called AppleUnsold, the Australia-based seller promises to deliver “all the Apple products you can’t buy, whether it’s store displays, Genius Bar tools, or even employee merch, we’ve got it.” Among the items available for purchase are iPhone MagSafe demo chargers, AirPods Max demo stands, and Apple Vision Pro trays, as well as diagnostic gear and cables, including an Apple Watch restore dock and HomePod debugging cable. AppleUnsold It’s all very sketchy and possibly illegal, though AppleUnsold also has an eBay storefront with 100 percent positive feedback from 15 customers. One person who purchased a “Genuine Apple iPhone MagSafe Retail Store Demo Display Stand” wrote, “Dock as described. Genuine product.” Many of the items offered are sold out, though the site says it aims to be fully restocked by mid-February. But we wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple shut it down before then.

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Study reveals iPhone that topped global sales in 2025 (and it’s not the Pro)
Seven out of the ten bestselling smartphones in 2025 were iPhones, including the best seller. And Apple outsold all its Android rivals. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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How to stop your MacBook sleeping when the lid is closed
Macworld Many Mac users want to turn their MacBook into a desktop-style workstation, using an external display, keyboard, and mouse with the lid closed – a setup often called clamshell mode. Running a MacBook this way can make sense for several reasons, from supporting multiple external monitors on certain Apple-silicon models to freeing up desk space and improving ergonomics. Others may want their Mac to keep working with the lid closed while it downloads files, runs backups, or plays music. The problem is that macOS is designed to put a MacBook to sleep as soon as you close the lid. In this article, we’ll explain when and why clamshell mode works, what Apple officially supports, and the reliable ways to keep your MacBook awake when the lid is closed. Why use a MacBook with the lid closed Using a MacBook with the lid closed. Petter Ahrnstedt There are several functional and technical reasons why you might choose to operate your MacBook with the lid closed. Multi-Monitor Support: One key reason to keep the lid closed is if you wish to use more than one external display. For certain models, such as the M3 MacBook Air and the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro (with macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later), closing the lid is a technical requirement to drive two external displays. On these “plain” M-series chips, the system natively supports two displays; by closing the lid, you disable the internal screen, allowing the hardware to power a second external monitor. Desk Organization and Ergonomics: Using a MacBook in clamshell mode allows you to moved out of the way to free up physical desk space, perhaps tucking the laptop into a vertical stand or a docking station, significantly reducing its footprint on your desk. This is particularly useful if you prefer using a full-sized mechanical keyboard and a dedicated mouse rather than the built-in laptop peripherals. Uninterrupted Background Tasks: You may want to close the lid while the Mac is busy with long-running tasks, such as downloading large software updates, syncing a Time Machine backup, or playing music during a DJ set. Normally, closing the lid puts the Mac to sleep, but specific settings or third-party apps like Amphetamine can keep the system active for these tasks. See also: Best stands for MacBook and Best MacBook docking stations. Why MacBooks sleep when lid is closed Apple doesn’t officially support disabling sleep when the lid is closed without a external monitor and power source by default, but there are workarounds. MacBooks are designed to enter a sleep state when the lid is closed primarily to manage power consumption and protect the hardware. This automatic transition helps preserve battery life and prevents the device from overheating while stored in a confined space like a backpack. The reasons for this behavior include: Power Management: Closing the lid triggers a standby mode that significantly reduces power usage. For instance, newer memory standards like LPCAMM2 can reduce standby power usage by up to 80% compared to older modules. Hardware Protection: If a MacBook remains active while closed in a bag, it can overheat and become really hot because it is still processing tasks without adequate ventilation. Automatic Updates: While asleep, macOS may occasionally wake the system to install updates or sync data, though this can sometimes lead to the device becoming unexpectedly warm if it doesn’t return to sleep properly. What you need to use a MacBook with the lid closed You’ll need an external monitor (or two), a mouse and keyboard to use a MacBook with the lid closed. Foundry To operate your MacBook with the lid closed, you must have specific external hardware connected and meet the following requirements: External Display: The Mac must be connected to an external monitor. Power Source: While older versions of macOS often required the MacBook to be plugged into a power adapter to stay awake in this mode, newer versions and Apple Silicon models may function on battery power, though keeping it plugged in is still recommended for consistent performance. Clamshell mode is more reliable when the MacBook is plugged into a power adapter. External Peripherals: You must have an external keyboard and mouse (wired or Bluetooth) to wake and control the computer. Up-to-date software: Using a MacBook with the lid closed is a lot simpler than it used to be if you are using a newer Mac and a newer version of the Mac operating system. In fact, if you are experiencing issues using your Mac with the lid closed then it is likely that you could address this by updating your Mac to a recent version of macOS, assuming your Mac supports it (see our macOS compatibility checker). Newer versions of macOS have made this process much smoother, resolving many of the bugs that plagued older Intel-based MacBooks. How to use a MacBook with the lid closed Follow these steps to use your laptop as a desktop computer by connecting it to external peripherals while the built-in display is shut. Connect a keyboard, monitor and mouse to your MacBook. If you are using a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, make sure that Bluetooth is enabled and that the peripherals are paired with the Mac. Turn on the laptop. Wait for your macOS desktop to appear on the external monitor. After your Mac notebook’s Desktop appears on the external display, close the computer’s lid. Your external monitor may flash off for a moment, but it will then show your Desktop (if this doesn’t automatically happen you may need to wake your Mac by pressing a key on the external keyboard or moving the mouse). You may find that your MacBook needs to be plugged in via the power adapter for the screen to appear on the external monitor, but ours didn’t. You can about using a second display with your Mac here. But even with these settings, if you aren’t attached to an external monitor closing the lid will cause the Mac to sleep. What if you don’t want to plug in an external display? Read on… How to stop a MacBook from sleeping when the lid is closed Suppose you don’t want your MacBook to sleep when you close the lid? Maybe it is busy downloading something and you don’t want it to stop, but you need to carry it somewhere. Or maybe you’ve left it downloading an update overnight or syncing your Time Machine backup, and you’d prefer not to see the backlit keyboard. In another scenario you might want to play music from the MacBook without having to have the lid open – something likely to appeal to a few DJs. The problem is that your Mac will go to sleep when you close the lid if it’s not plugged in and connected to an external display. To stop a MacBook from sleeping when the lid is closed – specifically when it is running on battery power and not connected to an external monitor – you generally need to use third-party software or advanced system commands. By default, macOS is designed to enter sleep mode in this state to preserve battery life and prevent overheating. Option 1: Use Third-Party App The most reliable way to achieve this is through free utilities designed to override macOS sleep settings. Our recommendation is Amphetamine, which is free and can be downloaded from the Mac App Store: As noted in our round up of the best free Mac apps, Amphetamine will keep your Mac awake. Featuring a menu bar-based interface, the app lets you temporarily override your Mac’s sleep schedule (even when your MacBooks’s lid is closed) and even adds a few useful features like activating only when connected to specific Wi-Fi networks and keeping only certain drives awake. We recommend: Amphetamine Price When Reviewed: Free Best Prices Today: Free at Mac App Store To configure Amphetamine for this specific scenario, follow these steps: Download and open Amphetamine from the Mac App Store. Click the pill-shaped icon in your menu bar and select Quick Settings. In the Session Defaults section, uncheck the box for “Allow system sleep when display is closed”. Start a new session (e.g., “Indefinitely” or “While App is Running”) to keep the Mac awake after closing the lid Alternatively, Caffeinated is available on the Mac App Store here for $3.99/£3.99, this app also overrides the Energy Saver settings to keep your Mac awake, preventing your Mac from going to sleep. Option 2: Use Terminal Commands If you prefer not to install third-party software, you can use the Terminal to disable sleep mode entirely. Open Terminal. Enter the following command: sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1 That should stop your Mac sleeping. Please note that using this command will prevent the Mac from sleeping in all scenarios until you reverse it by entering: sudo pmset -a disablesleep 0 Option 3: Older macOS versions only In macOS Monterey and older it was possible to stop the Mac sleeping with the lid shut. Unfortunately, later versions of macOS are designed to enter sleep mode in this state to preserve battery life and prevent overheating. Open System Preferences. Go to Battery (or Energy Saver). Select “Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off.” How to play music with your Mac’s lid closed You can use the free Amphetamine app (mentioned above) to keep your Mac awake while the display is closed, here’s how: Once installed on a Mac you will find a pill-shaped icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen. You can choose from options such as Start New Session While File is Downloading or While App is Running. If you want to keep Music (or what app you are using)running with the lid closed, first, you need to have that app open. Then follow these steps: Click on the Amphetamine icon in the menu bar. Click on Quick Settings. In the Session Defaults section, deselect “Allow system sleep when display is closed.” Go back to the main menu and select While App is Running and pick Music or the app you are using. If your app is not open, it will not appear in the list. Only apps that are running appear. You will now be able to shut your Mac’s lid and continue listening to Music. Foundry How to continue a download with a MacBook lid closed Foundry To continue a download with your MacBook lid closed, you generally need to prevent the system from entering its default sleep mode. While macOS typically sleeps when the lid is shut to save power, you can override this behavior using built-in system settings or third-party applications. You could also use Amphetamine if you wanted to download something with the screen closed, but the most direct way to ensure downloads continue in the background without third-party software is to enable “Wake for network access.” This allows your Mac to perform background tasks, such as downloading updates or syncing data, even while it is technically sleeping. In macOS Ventura and later Open System Settings. Go to Battery. Click on Options. Make sure that “Wake for network access” is set to Always. In macOS Monterey and older There is a similar setting in Monterey and older that you can use to make sure downloads continue in the background. Open System Preferences. Go to Battery (or Energy Saver). Choose “Wake for network access.” To use Amphetamine for downloads with the lid closed, follow these steps: Click the Amphetamine icon in the menu bar and select Quick Settings. Deselect Allow system sleep when display is closed. Start a session by selecting While File is Downloading or While App is Running (selecting your browser or download manager) See: How Apple has revamped System Preferences in macOS Ventura. How to turn a MacBook on with the lid closed One related problem you might come across if you are using your Mac with the lid closed is that when it comes to turning your Mac on it would seem that you have to open the lid to press the power switch… Luckily there is a workaround for that scenario that you might find useful. If your setup means your MacBook is attached to a display you will be able to use it without having the display open – but what about when you need to turn it on? At that point, you will need to open the lid to press the Power button right? Not necessarily. It’s easy to wake your MacBook from sleep without opening the lid. Just click or move the mouse or tap on the keyboard. But what if you want to start the Mac up without opening the lid to reveal the power button? Can it be done? It can! (Sort of) macOS Ventura and later In older versions of macOS it was possible to set your Mac to switch on and off at certain times of the day. Unfortunately, this is no longer as simple to set up. To schedule your Mac to turn on or off in macOS Ventura or later you need to use Terminal. Follow these steps: Open Terminal. enter one of the following pmset commands: pmset -g sched (See the current schedule).sudo pmset repeat wake M 8:00:00 (Schedule your Mac to wake at 8:00 a.m. every Monday.)sudo pmset repeat cancel (Cancel the current schedule.) Press Return. For more advice about how to do this consult Apple’s support page. We also cover How to schedule your Mac to turn on and off separately and How to set the power scheduler that disappeared in macOS Ventura. macOS Monterey and older: There is a setting in Monterey and older that lets you set your Mac to switch on at a particular time. Open System Preferences. Click Battery (or Energy Saver in older versions). Click Schedule. Now click beside Start Up or Wake and choose the days and times you want your Mac to start up. Note that the Mac will only turn on when it is plugged into power–you could just leave the Mac unplugged, and then when you want it to start up, simply plug it in. Foundry

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AirTag’s best feature is now on Apple Watch, here’s how to set it up
Apple’s new AirTag comes with several improvements over the original model, one of which is that it expands AirTag’s best feature—Precision Finding—to the Apple Watch. Here’s how to set it up. more…

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Apple TV inks deal for ‘Cosmere,’ Brandon Sanderson’s literary fantasy universe
Apple TV is betting big on the next major fantasy franchise, securing the screen rights to Brandon Sanderson's expansive "Cosmere" universe… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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New AI personal finance app knows where your money goes (and costs just $30 for life)
Spendify uses AI to track expenses, build budgets and more. Grab a lifetime subscription to this personal finance app while it's on sale. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Seven of the World's Ten Best-Selling Smartphones in 2025 Were iPhones
Apple sold seven of the ten best-selling smartphones globally in 2025, a lopsided dominance that underscores how thoroughly the company controls the premium end of the mobile market. The iPhone 16 was the single best-selling phone worldwide, and Apple's presence extended all the way down to the tenth spot where the iPhone 16e -- its newest budget-friendly option -- found consistent demand in Japan and the U.S., according to Counterpoint. Samsung accounted for the remaining three positions, led by the Galaxy A16 5G as the best-selling Android device of the year. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also made the cut, marking the second straight year a Samsung flagship cracked the top ten. Together these ten phones from just two companies represented 19% of all smartphones sold during the year, continuing a four-year streak of Apple-Samsung exclusivity at the top. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Ahead of earnings after the bell today, Apple stock is suffering its worse stretch since 1993
Apple's stock is under pressure as investors grapple with the impact of sharply rising memory chip prices on the company's profitability… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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'Father of the iPod' says Apple screwed up AI and should have kept going with the car
In an extensive new interview, ex-Apple iPod designer Tony Fadell calls out Apple Intelligence, says Apple got the car project wrong, but could now do an AI pin.When Tony Fadell left Apple he founded the Nest thermostat companyIt's almost two decades since Tony Fadell left Apple and started the Nest smart thermostat company. But recently his name has been mentioned as a possible successor to Tim Cook — although possibly only by himself.He has now given an hour interview to the Newcomer Podcast about everything he would do as Apple CEO — and not do. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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