Apple has one more release this week: OS 26.3.1 is here
Macworld With the upcoming launch of the new Studio Display (2026 model) and Studio Display XDR dropping next week, Apple wants to make sure all your devices are ready. So on Wednesday, it released OS 26.3.1 for iPhones, iPads, Macs strictly so they will be. iOS/iPadOS/macOS 26.3.1 adds support for these new displays, in addition to various fixes. The release notes are one line: “This update expands external display support to include Studio Display (2026) and Studio Display XDR, along with bug fixes for your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.” We’re not sure anyone would be a $1,599 display for their iPhone, but in case you didn’t know, you can plug a USB-C-equipped iPhone directly into a Studio Display to mirror your iPhone’s display on the monitor. It also gives your iPhone a connection to other peripherals that may be plugged into your Studio Display, such as a USB-C keyboard. Apple’s security site simply says, “This update has no published CVE entries,” so it’s likely that there are no security updates in this release. iOS 26.3.1: How to install Your iPhone will eventually prompt you to install iOS 26.3.1, but that can take a while, even if you have “Automatic Updates” turned on. To get it now, follow these steps: Open Settings. Tap General. Tap Software Update. Make sure you have the intended version of iOS selected if necessary, and follow the on-screen instructions. Find out everything you need to know about iOS 26 in our iOS 26 superguide.

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The toughest MacBook Neo decision is a $100 button
Macworld Apple’s new MacBook Neo is an eye-catching $599/£599, but to reach that price point, Apple had to make numerous compromises and sacrifices. One of the key features that’s missing ont he entry-level $599 model is Touch ID, Apple’s fingerprint biometric system that was introduced with the iPhone 5s way back in 2013. However, it is available if you’re willing to pay a little more: it’s available on the $699 model with 512GB of storage. At this price scale, $100 is a lot, representing a 17 percent price jump. So for buyers, it’s not a trivial consideration. Does $699 still make it a budget laptop? Sure, but the increase is enough to make customers pause and really think about whether Touch ID is worth it. In case you’re unfamiliar with how Touch ID works on a Mac, there’s a small circular sensor in the top right corner of the keyboard. When your Mac is locked, you can use Touch ID to gain access instead of typing a password. And this follows throughout the whole Mac experience: In almost every instance where you need to type in a password, you can use Touch ID instead. For example, if you’re logging into an account online, you’ll can use Touch ID to automatically fill in your password but also keep people who aren’t you locked out. Touch ID as a security feature is quite valuable–an overlooked aspect because its focus is convenience. The act of typing usernames and passwords doesn’t take much effort, but Touch ID manages to whittle down that task to a simple button. And with passkeys, it’s become even stronger as sites begin to do away with passwords completely. If you access a lot of web-based tools and services, you’ll end up using Touch ID several times a day. Touch ID saves time and headaches.Foundry This convenience aspect of Touch ID is what I value the most; it improves my Mac experience. I actually get a sense of dread when I run into an instance where I can’t use it and have to type–third-party developers have to write Touch ID support into their apps, and sometimes they don’t. I could see myself in six months of MacBook Neo use without Touch ID and regretting my decision. The $100 is worth it to me. On the bright side, the $100 upgrade also includes a 512GB SSD that replaces the 256GB SSD. So you also have twice the space to store your files. That softens the blow, but the bottom line is MacBook Neo buyers have to decide whether to spend $100 on a button. For my money, it is.

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‘Physical’ and ‘Imperfect Women’ creator Annie Weisman inks first-look deal with Apple TV
Annie Weisman, creator of "Physical" and "Imperfect Women," has signed a new multi-year first-look deal with Apple TV… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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New report looks into the sustainability of the subscription app market for 2026
RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps 2026 report shows a widening gap between top-performing apps and the rest of the market. Here are the details. more…

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iPhone or Mac feeling buggy? Grab these updates ASAP.
iOS 26.3.1 is ready to be installed on your iPhone starting Wednesday. Mac users got macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 at the same time. The new versions include bug fixes — which are always welcome. And iPad users can install iPadOS 26.3.1, too. In addition, all three system software updates bring support for the Apple Studio Display […] (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple updates iOS, macOS Tahoe to 26.3.1 to support new Studio Displays
Right after concluding its week of product launches, Apple has rolled out iOS 26.3.1, iPadOS 26.3.1, and macOS 26.3.1 updates, adding support for its updated Studio Display and the new Studio Display XDR.Apple's two new Studio Displays — image credit: AppleApple periodically releases smaller updates for its operating systems, fixing bugs and adding support for new products. Wednesday's updates firmly fall into the latter category.The updates, rolling out to iPhone and Mac, brings macOS Tahoe up to version 26.3.1, with iOS 26.3.1 and iPadOS 26.3.1 also released at the same time. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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How to get stylish MacBook Neo wallpapers early for iPhone and Mac
Excited about MacBook Neo? Basic Apple Guy helps you get MacBook Neo wallpapers early. The official ones come out next week. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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How to get stylish MacBook Neo wallpapers early for iPhone and Mac
Excited about MacBook Neo? Basic Apple Guy helps you get MacBook Neo wallpapers early. The official ones come out next week. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iOS 26 has new Home Screen setting for app icons, here’s how to use it
Apple has added a lot of new ways to customize your iPhone in recent years. One of my favorites is a Home Screen setting in iOS 26 for your app icons that tints the icon color to match that of your iPhone or its case. Here’s how to use it. more…

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MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air: Every difference between Apple’s 13-inch laptops
The new MacBook Neo is officially here, and it gives MacBook Air a run for its money when it comes to casual usage. So what exactly is the $500 difference between Apple’s two 13-inch laptops? Let’s dig in to every difference. more…

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Apple’s MacBook Neo will supercharge MacBook Air sales
Apple's MacBook Neo, priced at $599 (or an irresistible $499 for education buyers), isn't a threat to the MacBook Air, it's the perfect… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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macOS 26.3.1 is now available for Mac, here’s what’s new
Apple has just released a new Mac software update: macOS 26.3.1. Here’s what’s new in the latest software version. more…

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Apple releases macOS 26.4 public beta 3, here’s what to expect
Following today’s announcement of the new MacBook Neo, and yesterday’s release of the developer version of macOS 26.4 beta 3, the public beta is rolling out now. Here’s what’s coming. more…

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MacBook Neo hands-on: Apple build quality at a substantially lower price
The Neo won't be for everyone, but Apple has managed to preserve a premium feel.

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Apple releases iOS 26.3.1 for iPhone
Apple has released iOS 26.3.1 for iPhone users today. The update likely includes bug fixes and performance improvements. more…

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The Blackmagic Camera ProDock is one of the best iPhone accessories for video shooters
I recently got my hands on the Blackmagic Camera ProDock and used it to build out a production-ready iPhone camera rig. With a single USB-C cable, I was able to connect an external SSD, wireless microphone, HDMI monitor, and an Ethernet adapter to my iPhone 16 Pro Max. It all comes together courtesy of the Blackmagic Camera ProDock, a $295 iPhone accessory announced alongside the iPhone 17 Pro last September. It, coupled with a few spare parts I had lying around, allowed me to turn last generation’s flagship iPhone 16 Pro Max into a powerful ProRes-shooting and live-streaming camera rig. more…

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Video: Going hands-on with Apple’s all-new MacBook Neo
Apple today unveiled the all-new, budget-friendly MacBook Neo. Media members got hands-on time with the new laptop and other Apple… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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How to use more than one external monitor on MacBook Neo
The MacBook Neo supports only one external display, and doesn't have Thunderbolt, but you can still get more ports and more monitors from a dock. Here are some of our favorites.DisplayLink docks for MacBook NeoUsers can add more displays using DisplayLink docks. These docks have a macOS driver that sends compressed video over USB-C instead of relying on the laptop's native display pipeline.Apple introduced MacBook Neo as its most affordable Mac laptop, powered by the A18 Pro chip and equipped with two USB-C ports. It supports one external display at up to 4K resolution at 60Hz alongside the built-in display. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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MacBook Neo: Everything you need to know about the new budget Mac
Macworld The MacBook Neo is a new laptop from Apple that is sure to be a big hit because it comes in at a much lower price than the MacBook Air, starting at $599/£599 compared to the MacBook Air’s $1,099/£1,099. If the price isn’t enticing enough, then the colorful chassis, available in silver, indigo, blush and citrus is bound to be popular. But as popular as this new MacBook is likely to be, there are still some tradeoffs, read on to find out what they are and everything else you need to know about Apple’s new MacBook Neo. MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air: At a glance FeatureMacBook NeoMacBook AirStarting PriceFrom $599/£599From $1,099/£1,099ChipA18 ProM5ColorsSilver, Blush, Citrus, Indigo Sky Blue, Silver, Starlight, MidnightScreen13-inch, Liquid Retina, 2408×1506 pixels, sRGB13.6-inch, Liquid Retina, 2560×1664 pixels, P3 color, True TonePortsUSB 3 (USB‑C) port; USB 2 (USB‑C) port, 3.5mm headphone jackTwo Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) ports, 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphonesGPU5-coreFrom 8-coreCPU 6-core10-coreRAM8GB From 16GB SSDFrom 256GBFrom 512GBBattery life16 hrs18 hrsSecurity Touch ID on 512GB modelTouch IDCamera1080p FaceTime HD camera12MP Center Stage cameraAudioDual-speaker sound systemFour-speaker sound systemMicDual-mic array with directional beamformingThree-mic array with directional beamformingDimensionsHeight 1.27 cm (0.50 inches)Width 29.75 cm (11.71 inches)Depth 20.64 cm (8.12 inches)Weight 1.23 kg (2.7 pounds)Height 1.13 cm (0.44 inches)Width 30.41 cm (11.97 inches)Depth 21.5 cm (8.46 inches)Weight 1.23 kg (2.7 pounds) MacBook Neo Buying Information: Release date Pre-order from March 4: The MacBook Neo is available to pre-order from March 4. Shipping from March 11: Begins the following week with in-store availability at Apple Stores and resellers from March 11. You will be able to pre-order the new MacBook Neo on March 4 from the Apple Store and via the Apple Store app. Apple states that all models will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Wednesday, March 11. Pre-order from Apple MacBook Neo Buying Information: Price Starting price: $599 / £599 The new MacBook Neo starts at the low price of $599 / £599, even lower than we had anticipated. Prior to the launch of the MacBook Neo the cheapest laptop Apple sold was the $999 MacBook Air, but with the launch of the M5 MacBook Air Apple raised the price of the MacBook Air to $1,099/£1,099. As a result there is a $500/£500 gap between the price of the two Macs. You could essentially buy two MacBook Neo for the price of a MacBook Air. Apple clearly recognises that there is a market for a low-cost MAcBook. Until recently, Walmart has been selling the M1 MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD for $649 and sometimes $599. The new MacBook could be thought of as a replacement for this Walmart model. The low price of $599, should help Apple to compete with Chromebooks and Windows laptops. Once the new MacBook Neo models are on sale they will be available to purchase from Apple and third-party stockists. MacBook Neo Buying Information: Configuration options Processor: Apple A18 Pro chip Memory: 8GB unified memory (base) Storage: 256GB SSD or 512GB SSD Colors: Silver, indigo, blush, citrus Other: Keyboard options. The configuration options for the MacBook Neo are very basic. There are no options to increase RAM beyond the basic 8GB unified memory. U.K based and European shippers will need to add a Power Adapter if they need one as Apple no longer includes that in the box. MacBook Neo Design: What does the MacBook Neo look like? Apple Colorful aluminum chassis in Silver, Blush, Citrus, Indigo Back in June 2023 analyst Ming-Chi Kuo accurately predicted the following colors: silver, blue, pink, and yellow. That is close to the Silver, Blush, Citrus, Indigo on offer. The colorful chassis is aimed at students and casual users. The MacBook Neo has a thin notebook design similar to other MacBooks and it lightweight. The dimensions are: Height 1.27 cm (0.50 inches) Width 29.75 cm (11.71 inches) Depth 20.64 cm (8.12 inches) Weight 1.23 kg (2.7 pounds) This means it is a similar size and the same weight as the MacBook Air. MacBook Neo Display: How good is the display? Apple 13-inch Liquid Retina display 2408×1506 pixels 500 nits brightness sRGB Like the MacBook Air the MacBook Neo features a Liquid Retina (LED-backlit display with IPS technology) display, but the display on the MacBook Neo is slightly smaller at 13 inches than that on the MacBook Air, which measures 13.6 inches diagonally. Brightness is 500 nits, just like the MacBook Air, but significantly lower than the MacBook Pro model, which offers 1,600 peak brightness. Unlike the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro the MacBook Neo display is sRGB rather than Wide colour (P3) and it also lacks True Tone technology, which adjusts color temperature based on ambient light, e.g. to better suit outside on a sunny day, or inside in a lit room. This means the MacBook Neo can’t compete which the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro screens, which offers more vibrant, richer colours that are better for creative work (photo/video editing, design). We expect that colors on the MacBook Neo screen will still look good, but be less saturated and less accurate for professional color work. MacBook Neo performance: What processor does MacBook Neo use? A18 Pro 6-core CPU 5-core GPU The MacBook Neo marks the first time Apple has used an iPhone-class chip in a Mac instead of one of Apple’s M-series processors. It is powered by the A18 Pro, the same processor used in the iPhone 16 Pro. While Apple’s A-series and M-series chips share the same underlying architecture, the M-series processors are designed for laptops and desktops and generally offer greater overall performance. In benchmark comparisons, the A18 Pro delivers single-core performance roughly comparable to the M3, according to Geekbench 6 results. However, with six CPU cores instead of the eight found in the M1, its multi-core performance is slightly behind Apple’s first-generation Apple Silicon Mac chip. In practice, a MacBook Neo powered by the A18 Pro is likely to perform similarly to an M1 MacBook Air for everyday tasks – which is more than fast enough for typical workloads such as web browsing, productivity apps and media consumption. The chip should still provide solid everyday performance, with a GPU capable of handling casual graphics tasks and light gaming. It also includes Apple’s Neural Engine, enabling on-device AI features and support for Apple Intelligence. As for graphics performance, the A18 Pro has a 6-core GPU, and its Metal score in Geekbench 6’s Compute benchmark is similar to that of the M1 found in the MacBook Air. It’s not a cutting-edge performer, but it’ll handle everyday tasks without any issues. MacBook Neo Connectivity & Ports Michael Simon / Foundry The MacBook Neo supports Bluetooth 6, but not Wi-Fi 7. Instead, it offers Wi-Fi 6E, which is one generation behind the latest Wi-Fi standard. Apple has begun using its own wireless networking chip, the N1, in newer devices such as the MacBook Air, so there had been some expectation that it might also appear in the MacBook Neo. However, that is not the case here. There were also rumours that the new Mac could include cellular connectivity using Apple’s C1 or C1X modem, but the MacBook Neo does not support cellular networking. The budget MacBook includes two USB-C ports. One supports USB 3, while the other is limited to USB 2 speeds. There is no Thunderbolt support. Neither port offers MagSafe so the MacBook Neo relies on USB-C for charging. MacBook Neo Camera & Audio features 1080p FaceTime camera Stereo speakers with spatial audio/Dolby Atmos The MacBook Neo includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, which will. provide full HD video and basic webcam functionality for video calls. This is a trade-off compared to other Macs which offer a more advanced 12MP Centre Stage camera camera. There are two built-in microphones that use beamforming and noise-reduction technology to capture voice without background noise. MacBook Neo’s stereo speaker system features side-firing speakers and offers Spatial Audio support and Dolby Atmos compatibility. The MacBook Neo also does not support high-impedance headphones, likely because it uses the same lower-cost audio DAC found in the older M1 MacBook Air. MacBook Neo Battery & Charging 16 hours of battery life Doesn’t support fast charging The new MacBook Neo offers up to 16 hours of battery life, which is two hours less than the MacBook Air and lower than any other MacBook currently sold, but it should still provide enough power for a day’s use browsing, streaming video, and working in productivity apps. The Neo’s battery is about 30–45% smaller than the Air, with the efficiencies of Apple’s silicon allowing it to achieve just a two hour difference in battery life. We’ll be running our own battery life tests to verify this. Here’s how battery capacity compares to the MacBook Air: MacBook Neo: 36.5 wh. 13-inch MacBook Air: 52.6 Wh 15-inch MacBook Air: 66.5 Wh The real trade-off is in charging. MacBook Neo only offers USB-C charging at 20W and it doesn’t support fast charging, which is offered by all other MacBook models. A18 Pro: Performance

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Apple Announces Low-Cost 'MacBook Neo' With A18 Pro Chip
Continuing its product launches this week, Apple today announced the "MacBook Neo," an all-new, low-cost Mac featuring the A18 Pro chip. It starts at $599 and begins shipping on Wednesday, March 11. MacRumors reports: The MacBook Neo is the first Mac to be powered by an iPhone chip; the A18 Pro debuted in 2024's iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple says it is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5, up to 3x faster for on-device AI workloads, and up to 2x faster for tasks like photo editing. The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408-by-1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and an anti-reflective coating. The display does not have a notch, instead featuring uniform, iPad-style bezels. It is available in Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus color options. The colored finishes extend to the Magic Keyboard in lighter shades and come with matching wallpapers. It weighs 2.7 pounds. There are two USB-C ports. One is a USB-C 2 port with support for speeds up to 480 Mb/s and one is a USB-C 3 port with support for speeds up to 10 Gb/s. There is also a headphone jack. The MacBook Neo also offers a 16-hour battery life, 8GB of unified memory, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity, a 1080p front-facing camera, dual mics with directional beamforming, and dual side-firing speakers with Spatial Audio. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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