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- Friday April 24
- 06:46 pmXChat, X’s standalone messaging app, now available with these features
XChat, the standalone messaging app from X, is now available. X’s new iPhone and iPad app has officially arrived on the App Store. more…06:34 pm4 ways to make your texts less boring with iMessage effects
iMessage effects can add much more meaning, emotion and fun to your texting. You can add bold, italics, underline and many animated effects. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)06:34 pmHomeKit Weekly: The Aqara G400 brings PoE and HomeKit Secure Video to your front door
When Aqara announced the Doorbell Camera G400 supported Power over Ethernet, it immediately caught my attention. PoE isn’t for everyone, but if you want it, you’ll likely ignore any option that doesn’t include it. Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 is great as a fallback, but absolutely nothing beats the 24/7 stability of wired cable. The Aqara Doorbell Camera G400 delivers that stability alongside local AI detection and a tall aspect ratio designed to spot packages. Let’s break down exactly what this doorbell brings to Apple Home users. more…06:30 pmApple’s long-awaited next-gen Apple TV 4K: A performance leap delayed by next-gen Siri, poised for 2026 launch | Mac Daily NewsApple’s long-awaited next-gen Apple TV 4K: A performance leap delayed by next-gen Siri, poised for 2026 launch
The current third-generation Apple TV 4K, released in late 2022 with the A15 Bionic chip, continues to deliver strong 4K streaming… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.05:30 pmiPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra: What to expect from the folding iPhone
The long-rumored iPhone Fold, or maybe the iPhone Ultra, should arrive in fall 2026. Here's what the rumor mill says about Apple's first foldable iPhone.A render of what the iPhone Fold could look likeWhile the rest of the smartphone industry has embraced foldable smartphones, Apple has so far held back from launching its own. However, the rumor mill certainly believes that one model will eventually come out of Cupertino, and that 2026 could be the year it finally does.With high expectations, the model referred to as the iPhone Fold is anticipated to be a big launch for the company. That launch could be just half a year away. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums05:27 pmSpotify isn’t the only service now integrated with Anthropic’s Claude
This week, Spotify released new AI features that work inside Anthropic’s Claude app. Spotify isn’t the only service with newly launched Claude integration, though. Meanwhile, Anthropic has upgraded two existing features this week, including a recently introduced Claude Code tool. more…05:26 pmApple’s iPhone is killing it in China, shipments surge 20% in first quarter
Apple’s iPhone shipments in China surged 20% year-over-year in the first quarter, delivering the strongest growth among major vendors… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.05:00 pmHands-on: Kuxiu’s S4 MagSafe battery is slimmer and adds a real-time smart display
Kuxiu has made some of my favorite Magsafe battery packs over the years. They were the first to give us a taste of the semi-solid state battery pack, which was ultra-efficient and kept safety in mind. They also brought one of the best features I’ve seen on any MagSafe battery pack: dual-sided MagSafe magnets, which let you add even more MagSafe accessories on top of the battery. Absolute genius. Now they are bringing us their brand new S4 Semi-Solid Safe MagSafe battery pack, and this might be their best one yet. Here is what you need to know. more…04:51 pmSecurity Bite: This app tells you if your Mac’s webcam or mic was triggered while you were away | 9 to 5 MacSecurity Bite: This app tells you if your Mac’s webcam or mic was triggered while you were away
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. The Mac’s built-in green LED privacy indicator—paired with those displayed on-screen in macOS—do a solid job of alerting users in real time when the webcam or microphone is active. When you’re actively working on your Mac, they’re hard to miss. But that protection assumes you’re actually there to see the privacy indicators light up. But what happens when you’re away from your Mac and malware triggers the camera or microphone to quietly record or eavesdrop? How would you know without being there to see it happen? Well, there’s an app for that. more…04:30 pmWatch Apple reveal how it made the delightful MacBook Neo intro video
The all-new $599 MacBook Neo has been a hit for Apple since the delightful introductory video in March. Now Apple has shared a behind-the-scenes look at how it made the magic. more…04:26 pmApple's entry-level iPhone 18 rumored to get 50% more RAM
Apple's iPhone 18 isn't expected to be announced until 2027, but buyers can perhaps look forward to a RAM upgrade similar to the one the iPhone 17 Pro got.The iPhone 18 could be getting a huge RAM upgradeApple is expected to switch up its iPhone release cadence this year, and it's bad news for budget-conscious buyers. It's expected that the entry-level iPhone 18 won't ship alongside the Pro models, leaving customers to wait until early 2027.But analyst Dan Nystedt believes that the wait might be worth it. In a new post on the X social network, Nystedt says that, in a first for the entry-level model, the iPhone 18 will come with 12GB of RAM. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:21 pmThe tiny iOS 26.4.2 update that arrived this week is actually a really big deal
Macworld Earlier this week, Apple released iOS 26.4.2, which, according to Apple, includes only a single security patch for “Notification Services.” While it seemed like a fairly innocuous fix for deleted notifications that “could be unexpectedly retained on the device,” it turns out that the flaw is a bigger deal than it seems. According to The Hacker News, the vulnerability was used by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a case in Texas. The FBI exploited the flaw to get Signal messages from a defendant’s iPhone, even though Signal had been deleted from the device. The site reports that the deleted messages were retrieved in connection with an attack on the Prairieland ICE detention center facility after the app was deleted, by taking advantage of copies of the content saved in the device’s push notification database. Signal is a messaging app with increased privacy controls, including end-to-end encryption, automatic message deletion, message history stored on-device instead of on servers, and code verification of messages. Signal is often used by journalists, government officials, and other users who want increased security. The flaw was important enough to Apple that it issued the iOS 26.4.2 update just to fix the vulnerability. If you are a Signal user, you should install the update as soon as possible (Settings > General > Software Update). The iPhone will need to restart. Learn more about iOS 26 in our superguide.04:16 pmiOS 26.5 will add new features to three popular iPhone apps
iOS 26.5 is coming very soon with a variety of brand new features for users. Here are the new iOS 26.5 features being added to three popular iPhone apps. more…04:11 pmApple Invites app gets biggest update yet with 7 new features
The new Apple Invites app updates add an iMessage app and give hosts more control and easier social media sharing. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)04:09 pmNorwegian Boating Licenses and Generational Law
My spitball idea for a generational law to keep more young people from ever starting a tobacco habit — and thus, nicotine addiction — would be through scaled taxation.04:04 pmThis free iPhone app from Cornell answers nature’s greatest springtime mystery
As I’m spending more time outside this spring, I keep having the same thought: “I wonder what kind of bird I’m hearing sing?” Birdsong is the sound of the season for me, and a free iPhone app is adding more color to the mystery. more…03:30 pmDeals: Most affordable new M5 Pro MacBook Pro $200 off, 1TB MacBook Air $150 off, Alpine and Trail Loops from $35, more | 9 to 5 MacDeals: Most affordable new M5 Pro MacBook Pro $200 off, 1TB MacBook Air $150 off, Alpine and Trail Loops from $35, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by Apple’s most affordable new Elevation Lab cases from $9 each. Head below for a closer look. more…03:22 pmiPhone 18 rumored to get at least one new Pro-tier upgrade
All signs indicate that Apple’s base iPhone 18 will be missing from this fall’s flagship lineup, launching in early 2027 instead. But when it does arrive, it will reportedly come with at least one new Pro-tier upgrade: 12GB of RAM. more…03:21 pmApple’s iPad phaseout has begun
Macworld Later this year, the MacBook Pro is expected to undergo one of its most significant transformations ever with a touchscreen OLED display. At around the same time, the iPhone Fold will bring a tablet-sized screen to Apple’s handset for the first time. For years, Apple has resisted the temptation to replicate iPad features on its other devices. The iPad Pro can basically mimic a MacBook thanks to its M-series chip, Magic Keyboard, and iPadOS 26, but none of Apple’s other devices can compete with the iPad’s capabilities. The iPhone is too small. The Mac is too keyboard-centric. However, while Apple’s laptops and tablets have been largely evolving along parallel lines, they’re now seemingly en route to an intersection. The looming strategy shift suggests that Apple is thinking differently behind the scenes. iPads and MacBooks are actively borrowing hardware and software features from each other, and, at this pace, they could realistically become a single product within a few generations. Similar to how the iPhone rendered the iPod redundant, Apple’s upcoming touchscreen products appear to be starting to dig the iPad’s grave. A new Pro in town Over the past few years, Apple’s tablets have gained laptop-like features, allowing users to use them as hybrid desktop machines. The iPad Pro now boasts the latest M5 Mac chip, a landscape-positioned front camera, and support for the Magic Keyboard, which includes a responsive trackpad. The next-gen model could even introduce an advanced thermal management system to sustain more demanding processing. It’s pretty clear that Apple wants the iPad to look and function like a laptop at this point. Meanwhile, the redesigned MacBook Pro will likely offer a slimmer shell and OLED touchscreen, bringing its form factor closer to an iPad Pro. That’s not to mention that Apple code has revealed in the past that the company is testing 5G-enabled MacBooks, so the overhauled model could potentially pack an in-house cellular modem, too. A touchscreen MacBook is one step closer to making the iPad Pro irrelevant.Foundry So, in terms of hardware, we’re looking at two very similar machines. But hardware isn’t what sets the MacBook and iPad apart; it’s software. iPadOS 26 already introduced a ton of macOS features, including a proper cursor, a menu bar, traffic light buttons, background tasks, more flexible app windows, etc. The operating system now also runs certain desktop-class apps from Apple and third parties, such as pro media editors. Nevertheless, it’s ultimately a mobile OS that doesn’t support sideloading apps, Mac-only software, terminal commands, extensive file management, and so on. On the other hand, the touchscreen MacBook Pro will reportedly offer a touch-tuned UI that dynamically adapts to user input. The OS will seemingly offer larger buttons when users tap on the display and revert to the classic look when opting for point-and-click input. In this case, macOS 27 could effectively bridge the software gap between Macs and iPads by offering the best of both worlds: advanced desktop features and a simpler layout for touch controls. The Neo is the new Air With the MacBook Neo selling for $599 (or $499 from the education storefront), Apple is enticing students and youngsters to opt for a Mac instead of an iPad as their first school device. For the same price, they can either buy an 11-inch iPad Air or a MacBook Neo. For getting work done, the choice is obvious. Kids who might have wanted an iPad Air will likely opt for a MacBook Neo now.Foundry If the touchscreen Pro is successful, it’s almost certain to expand to the Air and the Neo, making it even harder to justify buying an entry-level iPad. We’ve seen it before with the iPhone X, which started as a higher-end model alongside the iPhone 8, but quickly expanded to cheaper iPhones, such as the iPhone XR and iPhone 11, and eventually the cheapest iPhone 16e. The same goes for the iPad mini, which is in danger of being eclipsed by the iPhone Fold. For one, iPadOS is increasingly gaining desktop-like features that make more sense on larger screens. And those who want a small book-like tablet will surely opt for an iPhone Fold instead, which is expected to cost roughly what you’d pay for a mini and an iPhone Pro. A slow demise It’s likely that the Mac will be around longer than the iPad.Foundry Of course, Apple isn’t just going to suddenly stop making iPads next year. While most of Apple’s revenue comes from iPhones, Services, wearables, and Macs, the iPad continues to dominate the tablet market, and it’s not going anywhere just yet. The touchscreen MacBook Pro launching later this year or in early 2027 is just another step. It took Apple some 15 years to retire the iPod following the original iPhone’s debut, and it will likely take a similar path here. But the writing is on the wall. After more than 15 years, the iPad is finally facing some serious competition, not from third-party tablet makers but from Apple itself. And as we’ve seen before, that story never ends well.03:01 pmApple preps custom ‘micro-curved’ OLED display on Twentieth Anniversary iPhone, eyeing bezel-less quad-curved design | Mac Daily NewsApple preps custom ‘micro-curved’ OLED display on Twentieth Anniversary iPhone, eyeing bezel-less quad-curved design
For the iPhone’s twentieth anniversary, Apple is turning to Samsung to develop a custom micro-curved OLED panel that promises to be both… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.