Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi and marketing chief Greg Joswiak went on a WWDC 2025 media tour this week.


The pair of executives discussed key WWDC 2025 announcements, explained why the more personalized version of Siri is delayed, and more.

We have rounded up their various interview videos below, including their full-length discussion with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern.








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Apple this week announced iOS 26, and the upcoming software update includes many new features and changes for CarPlay.


To try out these features now, you will need to be using an iPhone running iOS 26, which is currently available in developer beta.

Below, we recap nine changes to CarPlay.

Liquid Glass Design

When you are using CarPlay with an iPhone running iOS 26, the new Liquid Glass design extends to the CarPlay interface. Like on the iPhone, the new look includes more shimmery app icons and translucent user interface elements.

New Messages App Features

Starting with iOS 26, you can respond to messages with standard Tapbacks like a heart, thumbs up, or exclamation marks directly through CarPlay.

Pinned Conversations

You can now view your pinned conversations in the Messages app on CarPlay.

Compact View for Phone Calls

CarPlay has a new compact view for incoming phone calls, so that you can still see other information on the screen, such as turn-by-turn directions.

Live Activities

CarPlay's Dashboard screen can now show Live Activities, letting you keep track of things like a flight's arrival time at a glance.

Widgets

The regular version of CarPlay now has a widgets screen, for things like calendar appointments and HomeKit accessory controls.

Widgets were previously limited to CarPlay Ultra.

On a related note, all of these new features are coming to CarPlay Ultra.

Multi-Touch Maps

Starting with iOS 26, CarPlay users can interact with mapping apps using multi-touch gestures in supported vehicles. This allows users to zoom and pan on the map with their fingers, just like they can on an iPhone.

Watch Videos While Parked

iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to detect when the vehicle is in motion and end playback.

Automakers need to add support for this feature, so it might be limited to newer vehicles and take some time to roll out.

Smart Display Zoom

iOS 26 adds a new Smart Display Zoom setting to CarPlay.

When the setting is enabled, CarPlay will be automatically resized to better fit the shape and size of your vehicle's dashboard screen, if possible.

The images below show what CarPlay looks like before and after the Smart Display Zoom setting is enabled. With the setting turned on, all of the user interface elements become smaller, allowing for an extra row of app icons to fit on the screen.


iOS 26 should be released in September.
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This week's best Apple deals include low prices on AirTag, iPad Air, iPad Mini, and Beats headphones. You'll also still find a few great Father's Day sitewide sales going on this weekend, all of which will expire when the holiday rolls around this Sunday, June 15.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Father's Day Deals

• What's the deal? Save on popular Apple accessories for Father's Day


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Father's Day deals continued this week at numerous retailers, and they include great deals on everything from Sonos home audio equipment to Mophie charging accessories and more.

• Sonos - Get up to $250 off home audio equipment


• Logitech - Get 20% off two or more items


• Native Union - Get 20% off sitewide


• Belkin - Get up to 30% off select purchase amounts


• GRID Studio - Get 15% off sitewide


• ZAGG - Get 25% off sitewide

Beats

• What's the deal? Get up to 51% off Beats headphones


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week began discounting a collection of Beats headphones and speakers, including an all-time low price on the Powerbeats Pro 2. You can get this new 2025 model for $199.95 in four colors, down from $249.99. This deal on the Powerbeats Pro 2 is being matched at Best Buy, along with a few other Beats deals.

• Beats Studio Buds+ - $99.95, down from $169.95


• Beats Pill - $99.00, down from $149.95


• Beats Solo 4 - $99.95, down from $199.95


• Beats Fit Pro - $169.95, down from $199.99


• Beats Studio Pro - $169.95, down from $349.99


• Powerbeats Pro 2 - $199.95, down from $249.99

AirTag

• What's the deal? Get up to $24 off AirTag


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week introduced a few good deals on the AirTag 1-Pack and 4-Pack, available for $22.98 for the former and $74.99 for the latter.

iPad Air

• What's the deal? Get $100 off M3 iPad Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week introduced discounts across nearly the entire M3 iPad Air lineup, offering $100 off these tablets. Prices start at $499.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Best Buy is matching all of these deals on the iPad Air.

iPad Mini

• What's the deal? Get $100 off iPad mini 7


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon and Best Buy this week brought back $100 discounts across numerous models of the iPad mini 7. Prices start at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, and all of these represent record low prices for each model.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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iPadOS 26 allows iPads to function much more like Macs, with a new app windowing system, a swipe-down menu bar at the top of the screen, and more. However, Apple has stopped short of allowing iPads to run macOS, and it has now explained why.


In an interview this week with Swiss tech journalist Rafael Zeier, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that iPadOS 26's new Mac-like features strike a good balance between productivity and simplicity. He added that macOS is not optimized for touch-screens, although rumors suggest that might change one day.

"We want to retain all the simplicity of the iPad, but still allow iPad users who want to go deeper and further to push it at their own pace to doing more," said Federighi, in a sit-down interview at Apple Park's podcast studio. "I think with macOS, you'd lose what makes iPad iPad, which is the ultimate touch device. But there are lots of things the two platforms can learn from one another, and that's where we've adapted our best ideas to each."

The quote above is only a portion of Federighi's answer, with the full interview available below.


For those who are still looking for a true iPad and Mac hybrid, Apple is reportedly working on everything from touch-screen Macs to a 19-inch foldable iPad, so the dream of using macOS on a touch-screen might be just a few years away.
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Alongside WWDC this week, Logitech announced notable new accessories for the iPad and Apple Vision Pro.


The Logitech Muse is a spatially-tracked stylus developed for use with the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌. Introduced during the WWDC 2025 keynote address, Muse is intended to support the next generation of spatial computing workflows enabled by visionOS 26. The device incorporates six degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking, pressure-sensitive tips, and real-time haptic feedback to allow users to interact with digital environments through precise input and tactile realism.

According to Logitech, Muse is intended for use across a wide range of spatial computing applications, including 3D design, collaborative workspaces, and immersive visualization tools. During the keynote, the Muse stylus was used to draw freehand in virtual space, annotate objects, and measure dimensions of virtual items. The device features both physical buttons and gesture controls. Muse will be available later in 2025 through both Logitech and Apple.


Logitech also introduced the Flip Folio, a versatile new keyboard case for iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The accessory includes a full-size Bluetooth keyboard that magnetically attaches to the back of the protective folio case when not in use. The case also includes a multi-angle kickstand that supports both landscape and portrait orientations.


The Flip Folio is compatible with the 11-inch and 13-inch M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ models, as well as the 11-inch and 13-inch M2 and M3 ‌iPad Air‌. It also supports the 5th generation ‌iPad Air‌. The keyboard includes dedicated shortcut keys and supports pairing with up to three Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The keyboard is powered by replaceable coin cell batteries with an estimated battery life of up to two years under typical usage.


The Flip Folio is priced at $179.99 in the United States for the 13-inch version and $159.99 for the 11-inch model. Logitech is launching the Flip Folio in several colorways: Graphite and Black will be available globally in June 2025, though Black is exclusive to North America. Additional Pale Grey and Lilac options will arrive in September in select regions, while a Sand color variant will also debut in September as a North America exclusive.



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In macOS Tahoe, Apple introduces the concept of Themes, with new appearance settings that go beyond the traditional Light and Dark modes, allowing you to customize the look of your Mac desktop more than ever. Here's what's changed.


In System Settings ➝ Appearance, there are still the standard Auto, Light, and Dark modes, but Apple has added several options that allow you to really mix things up and create your own stylized desktop environment.


"Accent color" has become "Color," and there's a new "Text highlight color" option, so you can now make highlighted text appear in a different shade to buttons, pop‑up menus, radio buttons, checkboxes, and focused outlines.


The default setting maintains the classic macOS look with app icons displaying their original colors. But you can now customize folder colors independently through a dedicated new "Folder Color" setting. When set to Automatic, folders retain their traditional blue appearance, but switching to other colors like purple will change all folder colors system-wide.


Meanwhile, a new "Icon & widget style" section offers three distinct modes alongside the Default. Like iOS 18, the new Dark option applies black backgrounds to icons throughout the system interface, including System Settings sidebar icons (this works in both Light and Dark modes). You can set this to Always or Automatic, which switches to dark icons at night while maintaining the default appearance during daylight hours.


The new Clear setting emphasizes the Liquid Glass redesign and adds a new transparency by picking up background colors, creating a more translucent interface effect. Clear also includes Light and Dark variants, or it can be set to Auto for automatic day-night switching.


Most notably, the Tinted option allows comprehensive color customization of both icons and folders. With "Tinted" selected, the Folder color setting becomes "Icon, widget & folder color," allowing you to select from preset colors or choose custom tints using the Other option (which includes a color picker and a theme color). Tinted mode can also be configured as Light or Dark for a more subdued appearance or set to Auto for time-based switching.


Overall, the new Theme enhancements ensure "personalization parity" between macOS and iOS. Apple is offering unprecedented control over your desktop's visual appearance, but you still get system-wide consistency across interface elements. For added visual customization, you can even add a symbol or emoji to folders for a unique flair. What do you think of the new Theme options in macOS 26? Let us know in the comments.
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Apple today added the iPhone XS to the vintage products list on its website.


Apple considers a device to be "vintage" once five years have passed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers may still offer repairs for vintage devices, subject to parts availability.

Apple released the iPhone XS in September 2018, and it was discontinued a year later. However, the device remained available through select resellers for longer, so it has only recently reached the five-year mark for vintage status.

In two more years from now, the iPhone XS will be classified as fully obsolete, at which point Apple will no longer service the device.

Apple already classified the larger iPhone XS Max as vintage in November 2024.

Overall, the iPhone XS was a relatively minor upgrade over the iPhone X. The device's key new features included a faster A12 Bionic chip, improved cameras, and dual SIM support, while the iPhone XS Max offered a larger 6.5-inch display.

Apple also moved the iPad 5 from the vintage list to the obsolete list today.

Last, Apple added fine print to the page that says 2018 Mac mini owners should check with an Apple Authorized Service Provider to determine the service status of that computer, which was added to the vintage list a few months ago. It seemed a bit early for this model to be considered vintage, but the situation is not clear to us.
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On this week's special episode of The MacRumors Show from Apple Park, we recap Apple's major announcements from WWDC 2025.


Apple introduced a uniform naming scheme across its platforms—iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and macOS are now versioned by the calendar year. This includes macOS 26, titled "Tahoe." The update marks the final macOS release to support Intel-based Macs.

Liquid Glass is a new translucent design language inspired by visionOS. It dynamically refracts and reflects its surroundings across icons, menus, widgets, and controls, introducing a clear, immersive home screen experience. This is Apple's most sweeping visual refresh since iOS 7.

Nearly all of the new features in iOS 26 carry over to Apple's other platforms. Messages gains chat backgrounds, polls, and typing indicators in group threads. A new Games app aggregates event feeds, community tabs, and "Play Together" social features. The Photos app returns to a Library/Collections tabbed interface and introduces spatialized photo effects. Battery settings now include recharge‑time estimates and adaptive power mode. The Phone app is redesigned (and extended to iPad and Mac) with unified design, call screening, and Hold Assist. Apple Music offers animated album art full-screen, Music pins, AutoMix DJ transitions, and lyric translation. Finally, Maps introduces a "Visited Places" feature leveraging on‑device intelligence.

watchOS 26 debuts a refreshed Workout app layout and introduces Workout Buddy, an AI fitness coach that uses voice guidance to mark milestones, deliver stats, and celebrate records. The Apple Watch can now suggest workout music, and the Smart Stack UI adapts more intelligently. A wrist‑flick gesture dismisses notifications, and notification volume auto‑adjusts. Plus, the Notes app makes its debut on watchOS.

In visionOS 26, users can place widgets in physical space, and the system retains their position. A "Look to scroll" gesture enables more intuitive navigation, and users can now unlock iPhones via Vision Pro. The update introduces new customizable Personas and enhanced guest‑mode collaboration. New accessories such as the Logitech Muse (a 6‑DoF pen) and PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers are now supported.

iPadOS 26 embraces macOS‑style windowing—full‑screen with resizable grab handles, traffic‑light controls, flick‑to‑tile window placement, and Exposé. A persistent menu bar and revamped pointer introduce desktop-like navigation. The Files app features customizable columns, default‑app settings per file type, folder personalization, and drag‑to‑Dock support. Apple adds a standalone Preview app and the Journal app (also now on macOS). Developers gain local audio‑input APIs, video‑call recording tools, and background‑task support.

macOS 26 Tahoe adopts Liquid Glass throughout, introduces color‑and‑emoji folder customization, and brings support for Shortcut automations. Spotlight becomes a full‑featured launcher—complete with intelligent suggestions, inline app actions, Quick‑Key shortcuts, clipboard history, and developer App Intents integration. A new Applications experience replaces Launchpad.

Apple Intelligence expands with developer access to its foundation model via a new API, supporting private, offline AI integration. Visual Intelligence extends across screens, allowing direct in‑screenshot actions, while Image Playground gains support for ChatGPT image‑creation. Live Translation is built in for Messages, calls, and FaceTime captions, and these tools are now accessible through developer APIs.

YouTuber Kevin Nether, also known as "Kevin the Tech Ninja," joins us on this week's episode. See more of his work over on his YouTube channel. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Kevin Nether, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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If you installed iOS 26 Beta or iPadOS 26 Beta through Apple's Developer Program or Software Beta Program, you may decide you want to downgrade because of usability or stability issues. Keep reading to learn how it's done.


Apple's beta versions of its major software updates can be notoriously buggy, especially the early releases. You may find apps not working properly, poor battery life, device crashes, and features that don't do what they're supposed to. Fortunately, you can restore your iPhone or iPad to the previous version of iOS.

If you made an archived backup before you installed the iOS 26 beta, you can remove the ‌beta and restore the backup. If you didn't make a backup, you can still downgrade, but you won't be able to restore your device to its original state before you upgraded.

Also, bear in mind that if you've installed watchOS 26 on your Apple Watch, you won't be able to use it with your ‌iPhone‌ once you've gone back to iOS 18. And downgrading an Apple Watch to a previous version of watchOS can't be done manually either – if you want to remove ‌watchOS 26, you'll have to send your watch in to Apple.

How to Downgrade From iOS 26 Beta or iPadOS 26 Beta

1. Launch Finder on your Mac (or iTunes on Windows PCs.)


2. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer using a Lightning or USB-C cable.


3. Put your device into recovery mode. The method of doing this depends on your device, so check the list below these steps to find your model. Apple also provides more information on Recovery mode in this support article.
   
   
4. A dialog will pop up asking if you want to restore your device. Click Restore to wipe your device and install the latest public release of iOS or iPadOS.


5. Wait while the restore process completes.

How to Enter Recovery Mode on Your iOS Device

• iPad models with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Top button until your device begins to restart. Continue holding the Top button until your device goes into recovery mode.
  
• iPhone XS or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.

One you've followed the above steps, you can restore a backup of your device from iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 using your Mac or iCloud.
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Valve has quietly released a Steam Client Beta that runs natively on Apple Silicon, finally ending its reliance on the Rosetta 2 translation layer.


The updated Steam client eliminates the performance overhead that plagued Mac gamers since Apple's transition to its own chips. Steam's Chromium-based interface, which could slow to a crawl on occasion, now runs directly on Apple Silicon rather than through Intel emulation.

Early testers report dramatically faster launch times and smoother navigation through the Store and Library. The difference should be immediately apparent, with basic actions like switching tabs feeling fluid rather than laggy.

Apple announced this week at WWDC that macOS Tahoe will be the last version supporting Intel Macs, with Rosetta 2 set for deprecation. Starting with macOS 28, Apple said that only a limited version of Rosetta 2 will remain available for older games that rely on Intel-based frameworks

Mac users can access the beta through Steam's settings. Navigate to Interface, select "Steam Beta Update" from the Client Beta Participation dropdown, then restart to download the roughly 230MB update.

You can verify the native version is running by checking Activity Monitor – Steam should appear with "Kind: Apple" rather than "Kind: Intel."
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Apple's Passwords app is getting a handy new feature in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe that should eliminate a particularly frustrating password management scenario.


The Passwords app now saves complete version history for stored logins that have been changed, which could be a lifesaver if you find yourself in a situation where a password gets accidentally overwritten.

Users will find a new "View History" button when opening any login that has multiple saved versions. The history display shows each different password iteration, creation timestamps, and an option to clear the stored versions.

Apple launched the standalone Passwords app in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia after years of burying password management tools within the Settings app, and the version history addition is a nice refinement in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and MacOS Tahoe.

The update should prove particularly valuable for users managing frequently-changing credentials or situations where you update a password on a website and something causes the new credentials to not register properly.
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Apple TV devices will support Thread 1.4 when tvOS 26 launches this fall, according to network analysis by Matter Alpha. The update was discovered in the tvOS 26 beta announced at WWDC, suggesting the upcoming HomePod Software 26 will also support the latest version of the protocol.


Thread 1.4 addresses a particular issue in the form of competing Thread networks. Previously, border routers from different manufacturers would create separate networks, which fragments your smart home setup. The new standard ensures all Thread 1.4 devices join a single mesh network instead.

The protocol update also gives Thread devices direct internet access, enabling features like smart shades that adjust based on weather conditions or lights that change color with sports scores.

Since HomePod uses a fork of tvOS, the upcoming HomePod Software 26 will likely include Thread 1.4 support as well. Both Apple TV 4K and HomePod models work as home hubs in Apple's smart home ecosystem, and they also serve as Thread border routers.

Thread 1.4 was officially released in September 2024 and includes improved testing tools for manufacturers plus better network visibility for troubleshooting. The Thread Group reports major device and platform vendors are gradually adopting the standard, though Google and Amazon's adoption of Thread 1.4 is expected to come next year at the earliest.

Apple users will gain access to the new Thread 1.4 capabilities when tvOS 26 is released in September.
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iOS 26 adds a new Smart Display Zoom setting to CarPlay.


When the setting is enabled, CarPlay will be automatically resized to better fit the shape and size of your vehicle's dashboard screen, if possible.

The images below show what CarPlay looks like before and after the Smart Display Zoom setting is enabled. With the setting turned on, all of the user interface elements become smaller, allowing for an extra row of app icons to fit on the screen.



Apple highlighted the setting in a WWDC 2025 video for developers this week.

"Vehicle screens come in many shapes and sizes," said Olivia Hess, a CarPlay software engineer. "In iOS 26, some screen configurations allow drivers to adjust their display scale with Smart Display Zoom configurable within Settings in CarPlay. When Smart Display Zoom is enabled, your CarPlay app will be automatically resized to the new display scale."

To see this new CarPlay setting, you will need to be using an iPhone running iOS 26, which is currently in developer beta. A public beta will be available next month, and the update should be released in September for the iPhone 11 and newer.

CarPlay is gaining many other new features with iOS 26, including a Liquid Glass design, Live Activities on the Dashboard screen, a new widgets screen, Tapbacks and pinned conversations in the Messages app, multi-touch support in mapping apps, the ability to play videos from an iPhone via AirPlay while the vehicle is parked, and more.
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iOS 26 improves the Apple Music Replay viewing experience.


As spotted by Hidde Collee and others, Apple Music Replay is now a completely native feature on iOS 26. This means that you can see your monthly and yearly listening statistics directly in the Apple Music app, rather than in a popover web view.

This change is minor in the grand scheme of things, but for many Apple Music enthusiasts, it is a long-awaited improvement.

Apple Music Replay is similar to Spotify Wrapped, showcasing the top songs and artists that you listen to each year, complete with a year-end highlight reel.

Apple Music Replay is available for most of the year, though.

A corresponding Apple Music Replay playlist is available in the Apple Music app, at the bottom of the Home tab. The playlist lists the 100 songs that you have listened to the most as the year progresses, and it is updated on a weekly basis until the end of the year. At that point, the playlist for that particular year becomes final.

iOS 26 is currently in beta, and the update should be released in September.
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Apple Music is one of the apps that got a noticeable Liquid Glass design overhaul in iOS 26, but Apple also added a useful new feature that streamlines song transitions.


AutoMix is designed to transition from one song to another as the song that's playing ends, using time stretching and beat matching for a seamless shift. Apple says that it's meant to work "like a DJ."

Songs are designed to transition at the "perfect moment," based on an analysis of the key and tempo of the music. AutoMix replaces Crossfade, and can be enabled when opening up ‌Apple Music‌ after updating to ‌iOS 26‌.

AutoMix is live in the developer beta, and so far testers have been impressed with the feature, and there are multiple threads on Reddit and other social media networks praising it as one of the best features in the new update. Though Apple describes AutoMix as using "intelligence" for beat matching, it is not an Apple Intelligence feature, and is not limited to newer iPhones. It is, however, designed for ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers, so you need an ‌Apple Music‌ subscription to use it.

There are other new features in ‌Apple Music‌ too. For songs that are in a different language, Apple has a Lyrics Translation feature, plus a Lyrics Pronunciation option so you can accurately sing those lyrics. There's also an option to pin favorite playlists to the top of the Music app, and access those through a new pinned music widget on the Home and Lock Screens.

‌iOS 26‌ is available for developers at the current time, but a public beta will be coming in July. The update will see a launch this fall alongside new iPhone models.
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Apple improved the Math Notes feature in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, allowing users to input equations to create graphs in three dimensions.


Math Notes was added in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. It works in the Notes app, or through a Math Notes option that's accessible through the Calculator app. The feature is designed to solve math problems or equations when an equals sign is entered. On the iPhone, Math Notes works with typed equations, but on the iPad, you can write out equations by hand with the Apple Pencil and get in-line results.

With ‌iOS 26‌ and iPadOS 26, when you write an equation with three variables, Math Notes is able to create a graph with three dimensions. So, for example, if you write an equation like z=sin(x^2 + y^2), you'll get a ripple graph.

To use the feature, write or type an equation and then tap on one of the variables and choose the Insert 3D graph option. 3D graphs can be enlarged, resized, and moved using tap and drag gestures. While it is available on both ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, the feature works better on the ‌iPad‌ due to the larger display area. If you're handwriting Math Notes on the ‌iPad‌, write an equation and then circle it to get to the graphing options.

The new 3D graphic functionality could be useful for linear algebra and multivariable calculus visualizations, and the graphs that are output can be copied and pasted into other apps.

‌iOS 26‌ and iPadOS 26 are in the early stages of testing and are only available to developers at the current time. Apple plans to release a public beta in July, and a launch will follow in September.
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Apple is aiming to debut its delayed personalized Siri features in the spring of 2026, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman claims that Apple set an "internal release target" of 2026, which is in line with comments from Apple executives this week.


Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak did multiple post-WWDC interviews acknowledging Apple's issues with ‌Siri‌, and confirmed that Apple is now planning for a 2026 release. According to Apple's narrative, there were ongoing quality issues with its testing of the new ‌Siri‌ features, so it held them back and swapped to a more powerful underlying architecture to address the problems.

Apple initially planned to launch the personalized ‌Siri‌ features in iOS 18.4, so after the year-long delay to fix the architecture, we could see the functionality introduced in an iOS 26.4 update sometime in March or April 2026.

Gurman claims that if the next few weeks of development "proves promising," Apple could preview the features when it launches the new iPhone 17 models in the fall. It is unclear if Apple will do so, because it faced significant criticism and multiple class-action lawsuits for delaying the ‌Siri‌ features in the first place.

Apple first showed off the Apple Intelligence ‌Siri‌ updates at WWDC 2024 last June, and advertised the iPhone 16 models using demonstrations of the functionality. Customers who bought an ‌iPhone 16‌ in anticipation of the ‌Siri‌ features were not happy with the news of Apple's delay this March.

For WWDC 2025, Apple did not highlight any features that are coming in the future, and almost everything that the company introduced during the keynote event is present in the first developer beta.

The ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ features that we are waiting on include personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper integration with apps.
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Apple today quietly updated the list of security fixes that were introduced in iOS 18.3.1, noting a previously undisclosed fix for a zero-day vulnerability affecting the Messages app.


Apple acknowledged the fix after security researchers from The Citizen Lab shared details on the flaw, which had been used to target two European journalists. The Messages vulnerability was exploited with the "Graphite" mercenary spyware created by Paragon. Paragon's spyware has been used in targeted attacks against journalists and human rights activists across multiple platforms.

According to Apple, a maliciously crafted photo or video shared through an iCloud link led to a logic issue that allowed for the infiltration of targeted devices. Apple's release notes say that it "is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals."

Apple confirmed to The Citizen Lab that it fixed the vulnerability back when iOS 18.3.1 was released in February, but it is not clear why Apple did not disclose it before today.
This article, "Apple Quietly Fixed Zero-Day Exploit Used in Paragon Spyware Attack" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It is day four of WWDC 2025 week, and the dust is finally beginning to settle. Whether you are an Apple fan who has been keeping up with the avalanche of news, or a developer who has been scrolling through all of Apple's latest documentation, it has been a whirlwind of a week. If you need a breather, Apple has a chill new playlist to help out.


WWDC25 Coffee Shop is the latest playlist in Apple's series, joining WWDC25 Hello, WWDC25 Power Up, WWDC25 Sunshine, and WWDC25 Jazz.

"Today's Coffee Shop mix is all about cozy sounds for quiet focus," said Apple.

The playlist is available on Apple Music below.


This article, "Take a Break From WWDC 2025 With Apple's Chill Coffee Shop Playlist" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Alongside the Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a Black Titanium case was also added to Apple's online refurbished store in the U.S. today, for the first time since it was released in September 2024.


The refurbished model costs $679, down from $799 new. It comes with a Black Ocean Band.

Beyond the different case color, the Black Titanium model is the same as the other Apple Watch Ultra 2 models, which first launched in September 2023. Due to Apple's legal battle with medical technology company Masimo, the Blood Oxygen app remains deactivated in the U.S. on all new and refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 models.

Apple says it puts refurbished products through "full functionality testing" and a "thorough cleaning process and inspection," and they are covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage. In our view, Apple's refurbished products are virtually indistinguishable from brand new ones.

The refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 models come in a plainer box, with a fast-charging puck.
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Apple today added Mac Studio models with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips to its online certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and many European countries, for the first time since they were released in March.


As usual for refurbished Macs, prices are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent new models on Apple's online store. Note that Apple's refurbished inventory fluctuates often, so check back often for certain configurations.

In the U.S., refurbished M4 Max configurations starts at $1,699, down from $1,999. The refurbished M3 Ultra configurations start at $3,399, down from $3,999.

Apple has yet to make refurbished MacBook Air models with the M4 chip available anywhere.

The refurbished Mac Studio models ship in a plainer box. Beyond that difference, we consider Apple's refurbished Macs to be virtually indistinguishable from brand new ones, providing a good opportunity for savings directly from Apple. However, you can often find better deals on Macs through resellers like Amazon.

Apple says it puts refurbished Macs through "full functionality testing" and a "thorough cleaning process and inspection," and they are covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty and eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook has reminded us that today marks the 20th anniversary of Steve Jobs giving an iconic commencement address at Stanford University.


"It's hard to believe it's been 20 years since Steve told Stanford graduates to stay hungry and stay foolish," said Cook, in a social media post reflecting on the impactful speech. "His powerful advice still rings true, and I hope it helps guide this year's new grads as they begin their journey to become tomorrow's leaders."

To honor the 20th anniversary of the speech, The Steve Jobs Archive has uploaded a higher-quality video of the speech on its website and YouTube.

The Steve Jobs Archive has also provided more backstory about Jobs' commencement address and how he prepared for it leading up to June 12, 2005. In the weeks leading up to the commencement, he emailed himself speech ideas.

Jobs' speech was full of iconic quotes and moments:

• "Stay hungry, stay foolish."


• "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards."


• "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."


• "For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."


• "If I had never dropped in on that single calligraphy course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them."

Hilariously, Jobs also told the crowd of graduates that dropping out of college was one of the best decisions that he ever made in his life.

Watch the full speech below, now in enhanced quality.


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Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.


If you skipped the iPhone 16, or if you're just plain curious about what's on the horizon, here are 17 rumored features that we are expecting to arrive in time for Apple's successor lineup, the iPhone 17 series, which is likely to be released around mid-September.


1. iPhone 17 "Air"

iPhone 17 Plus

Apple plans to launch an all-new iPhone 17 model with a "significantly thinner" design, reports The Information. The device, which could be called "iPhone 17 Air," will feature a "major redesign" that will feature a single rear camera located on a horizontal camera bar running along the top of the device, along with a narrower Dynamic Island, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the iPhone 17 Air will be 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point, which likely means it will have a 5.5mm chassis with a thicker rear camera bump area. The device is rumored to have a 6.6-inch display size, and is likely to replace the Plus model in Apple's lineup. Other reported features include an aluminum chassis, an A19 chip, Apple's C1 modem, an Action button, a Camera Control button, and a 24MP front camera. See our iPhone 17 Air rumor roundup for more.

2. New All-Aluminum Design

All iPhone 17 Models

Apple is reportedly planning to bring all its devices back to aluminum with the iPhone 17 lineup. The two flagship iPhone 17 Pro models will mark the return of aluminum frames to high-end iPhones for the first time since Apple began distinguishing between Pro and non-Pro models. In recent years, aluminum frames have been reserved for lower-end devices like the iPhone SE and iPhone 16, while premium models featured stainless steel frames until the iPhone 15 Pro, which introduced a titanium chassis as a major upgrade. This shift in materials for the iPhone 17 lineup signals a unified approach, with aluminum frames set to return across the entire device range.

3. Significantly Redesigned Camera

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

This year's iPhone 17 Pro models will have a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module. Apple will move away from the familiar square camera bump to a distinctive aluminum camera bar that spans the device's width, according to recent reports. The camera area will be the same color as the rest of the device. The redesigned camera module is not expected to extend to the regular iPhone 17.

The devices are rumored to feature a new rear design combining aluminum and glass. The top half of the back will be aluminum, incorporating a new camera bump made from aluminum instead of the traditional 3D glass. The bottom half will remain glass to enable wireless charging. While Apple has used a glass back since the ‌iPhone‌ 8 and ‌iPhone‌ X in 2017, earlier ‌iPhone‌ models—except the ‌iPhone‌ 3G, ‌iPhone‌ 3GS, and ‌iPhone‌ 5C—had aluminum rears. Additionally, the aluminum camera bump on the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro will reportedly be larger than in previous models, according to The Information.

4. New Display Sizes

iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus

Last year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max got bigger display sizes, going from 6.12- and 6.69-inches to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For 2025, Apple is also expected to bring the larger 6.27-inch display size to its standard ‌iPhone‌ model, while the equivalent "iPhone 17 Plus" model (provisionally called "iPhone 17 Air") could adopt completely new display dimensions.

5. 120Hz ProMotion (Always-on Display)

iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus

Rumors indicate Apple intends to expand ProMotion to all iPhone models in 2025, allowing all models to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. Previously, only "Pro" models in Apple's iPhone lineup have had the feature. Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 "Air" to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that can show the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked. Most recently, one leaker has disputed that the non-Pro models will get ProMotion, claiming that they will come with fixed 120Hz screens to maintain some differentiation.

6. Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple's premium 2025 models are expected to be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip for the first time. Wi-Fi 7 support would allow the "Pro" models to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously with a supported router, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. The Wi-Fi chip would also allow Apple to further reduce its dependance on external suppliers like Broadcom, which currently supplies Apple with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip for iPhones.


7. 48MP Telephoto Lens

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto lens on Apple's premium devices is expected to be optimized for use with Apple's Vision Pro headset, although we don't how any details on how it will interface with the Vision Pro. The upgraded Telephoto would make the iPhone 17 Pro models the first iPhones to have a rear camera system composed entirely of 48-megapixel lenses, making it capable of capturing even more photographic detail. The new Telephoto lens will offer 3.5x zoom (85mm equivalent) instead of the 5x zoom (120mm equivalent) currently available, according to one rumor. This focal length is generally better suited for portraits and everyday photography, since it allows users to frame shots without having to move as far away from the subject. However, the big shift allegedly comes from the new 48MP sensor, in that the extra resolution allows for digital cropping to simulate longer focal lengths, offering less quality loss than normal digital zoom.


8. 8K Video Recording

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple reportedly tested 8K video recording on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but such functionality is still not available. With the iPhone 17 Pro models expected to have entirely 48-megapixel rear cameras, there is a good chance that 8K video recording will debut on those devices. Several rival smartphones currently offer 8K video recording capabilities, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Google Pixel 9 Pro (via AI upscaling). Even though 8K video recording isn't widely used by content creators right now, there are still use cases for it. For example, shooting 8K would allow videographers to record using the Ultra Wide camera and then crop in 50% and still achieve 4K resolution. Notably, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in February reported that Apple plans to emphasize the iPhone 17 Pro's improved video recording capabilities when it unveils the device later this year, so it's quite possible that 8K video recording will be one of the capabilities that Apple will tout when the new lineup launches.

9. 24MP Selfie Camera

All iPhone 17 Models

The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a 24-megapixel front-facing camera with a six-element lens, according to one rumor. The iPhone 14 and 15 feature a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with five plastic lens elements, and last year's iPhone 16 lineup features the same hardware. The upgraded resolution to 24 megapixels on the iPhone 17 will allow photos to maintain their quality even when cropped or zoomed in, while the larger number of pixels will capture finer details. The upgrade to a six-element lens should also slightly enhance image quality.

10. Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display

All iPhone 17 Models

The iPhone 17 will feature an anti-reflective display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple's Ceramic Shield found on iPhone 15 models, according to one rumor, although the new iPhone 16 Pro models do have the latest-generation Ceramic Shield, which has an advanced formulation that is 2x tougher than glass on any other smartphone. The outer glass on the iPhone 17 is said to have a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" that is "more scratch-resistant." It's not clear whether Apple is planning to adopt the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung uses in its Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the description of Corning's latest technology matches the rumor. That said, one oft-reliable source who spoke to MacRumors has suggested Apple may have canceled its plans for the scratch-resistant coating.

11. More Memory

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

At least one model in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup will come with 12GB. Jeff Pu of investment firm Haitong has claimed that the base iPhone 17 will come with 8GB of RAM, while both Pro models will come with the upped RAM, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature 12GB. In contrast, another reliable source has claimed that all iPhone 17 models will have 12GB of RAM. For comparison, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have 6GB of RAM, and the iPhone 15 Pro models have 8GB of RAM, while all iPhone 16 models have 8GB of RAM. Any such increase would allow for improved multitasking on the iPhone, as well as provide additional resources for Apple Intelligence features that require large-language models to be resident in memory.

12. Smaller Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple's highest-end 2025 iPhone will feature a significantly narrower Dynamic Island, thanks to the device's adoption of a smaller "metalens" for the Face ID system, claims Haitong's Jeff Pu and a Chinese leaker. While a traditional iPhone camera has curved lenses that redirect light towards the image sensor, a metalens is a thin and flat lens with microscopic patterns etched onto it that can focus light more precisely. Assuming this results in a narrowed Dynamic Island, it would be the first time that Apple has changed the feature since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022.

13. A19 Processor

All iPhone 17 Models

Apple typically upgrades iPhones with faster and more efficient chip technology each year. While we are not expecting the iPhone 17 series to get TSMC's next-generation 2-nanometer chips, Apple's A19 chip technology is likely to be built on an upgraded 3-nanometer process. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to include an A19 Pro chip, while the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air could have the standard A19 chip or even the A18 chip. TSMC is working on its N3P process, with mass production set to begin in late 2024, so that's the chip technology that we're expecting Apple will use for the iPhone 17 lineup. Compared to earlier versions of 3nm chips, the N3P chips offer increased performance efficiency and increased transistor density.

14. New Thermal Design

All iPhone 17 Models

The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a vapor chamber heatsink to improve thermal performance, according to one report. Vapor chamber technology is already used in many high-end Android devices. Vapor chambers work by spreading heat evenly across a larger surface area, preventing thermal throttling and maintaining consistent performance, which is particularly beneficial in slim devices. The report claims that every model in the iPhone 17 series will adopt the improved thermal heat spreader.

15. Reverse Wireless Charging

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple has reportedly tested a wireless reverse charging feature for its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models that would make the iPhone capable of delivering power to other Apple devices, according to the Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital. The Chinese leaker claims that Apple is testing a 7.5W wireless charging feature for iPhone 17 Pro models, and it could be used to charge other Apple accessories like AirPods, Apple Watch, or potentially an upcoming MagSafe Battery Pack.

16. Larger Battery

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple is said to have increased the depth of the iPhone 17 Pro Max to 8.725mm, up from 8.25mm on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which would be a 0.475mm difference in thickness. The increase "surely means a larger battery," according to one leaker. Apart from depth, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's frame reportedly remains unchanged, and is otherwise identical to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

17. Qi 2.2 Wireless MagSafe Charging

Supports Up to 50W

The iPhone 17 series may be the first Apple devices to support the next-generation Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard, based on regulatory filings. The filings reveal two new MagSafe charger models that support the standard, which is technically capable of up to 50W charging output. In contrast, the Qi 2 standard maxes out at 15W (although iPhone 16 models support upgraded MagSafe charging – with a 30W charger, the iPhones can charge at up to 25W). Of course, there's no guarantee that the iPhone 17 will charge at the maximum 50W output supported by Qi 2.2. In addition to faster charging, Qi 2.2 offers improved magnetic alignment and charging efficiency compared to its predecessor.
This article, "17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is expanding its AutoFill feature for one-time verification codes on iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe.


Software engineer Jane Manchun Wong discovered that iOS 26 can automatically fill in one-time verification codes from third-party apps, like Google Voice. The feature previously only worked with codes from Apple's Messages app on the iPhone.

As noted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, macOS Tahoe can automatically fill in one-time verification codes from the Messages app in Google Chrome and other third-party web browsers. The feature was previously limited to Safari on the Mac.

These are two great quality-of-life improvements to this crowd-pleasing AutoFill feature.

iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe are currently available in developer beta, with public betas to follow next month. The software updates will be released to the general public later this year, bringing these AutoFill improvements to all users.
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CarPlay is gaining a lot of new features with iOS 26, including a Liquid Glass design, Live Activities, widgets, the ability to use Tapbacks and view pinned conversations in the Messages app, and more. But that's not all, as Apple has outlined another change coming to CarPlay with iOS 26 in a WWDC 2025 video for developers.


Specifically, Apple said that iOS 26 will allow CarPlay users to interact with mapping apps using multi-touch gestures in supported vehicles. This will allow users to zoom and pan on the map with their fingers, just like they can on an iPhone.

"Many new vehicles support multitouch interactions, including any vehicle that supports CarPlay Ultra," said Olivia Hess, a CarPlay software engineer at Apple, in the video session. "Starting in iOS 26, if a vehicle supports multitouch interactions in CarPlay, drivers can interact with your navigation app using multitouch gestures."

In the video, Apple highlighted another small but useful improvement to CarPlay that is available with iOS 18.4 and later: a sports mode for audio apps.


CarPlay apps that stream audio for live sports events can now show a scoreboard for the game on the CarPlay screen, right alongside controls for the audio feed. The revamped Now Playing view can show team logos, scores, the game clock, and more.

iOS 18.4 was released in late March, while iOS 26 is currently available in developer beta and will be released to all users later this year.

Earlier today, we reported that CarPlay will also be gaining the ability to play videos from an iPhone via AirPlay in supported vehicles.
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Amazon today has low prices across nearly the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with up to $180 off both 13-inch and 15-inch models. Many of the notebooks in this sale are seeing delivery estimates around mid June, and Best Buy is matching in most cases.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has $150 off all three configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $849.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,049.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,249.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. All of these are solid second-best prices on the M4 MacBook Air.





Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,249.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,419.00. Across the board, these are all also second-best prices on the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air.





If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple this week announced that iPhone users will soon be able to watch videos right on the CarPlay screen in supported vehicles.


iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to detect when the vehicle is in motion and end playback.

Apple says that automakers need to add support for CarPlay with AirPlay video, so it will likely take some time to roll out. It appears that the AirPlay functionality will be available for both regular CarPlay and the higher-end CarPlay Ultra, but it is unclear if it will be enabled in any existing vehicles, or if it will be limited to new vehicles.

From the CarPlay page on Apple's developer website:

Video in the car

AirPlay video in the car enables people to watch their favorite videos from iPhone right on their CarPlay display when they aren't driving. Integrate support for CarPlay with AirPlay video to enable this feature in your car.

This feature would be especially beneficial in electric vehicles with CarPlay, as it would provide the driver and any passengers with entertainment while they are parked at a charging station. Some electric vehicles already offer this capability natively. Tesla, for example, has long offered a Theater app that can play videos from apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Twitch on the dashboard screen, while the vehicle is parked.

Apple has not shared any further details or images for AirPlay video in the car. Availability of the feature might vary by country based on safety regulations.

There were already some unapproved ways to watch videos through CarPlay, with various jailbreak tweaks and TestFlight beta apps promising to unlock such functionality. Now, it is something that Apple will officially allow.
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With iOS 26, Apple has introduced some major changes to the iPhone experience, headlined by the new Liquid Glass redesign that's available across all compatible devices. However, several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence.


The following features are powered by on-device large language models and machine learning, which require the advanced neural processing capabilities found in Apple's latest A-series chips. Here's what iPhone 15 Pro users and newer can expect from iOS 26 that older device owners will miss out on.

• Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, Phone – Provides real-time translation across Apple's communication apps, automatically translating messages as you type, displaying live captions during FaceTime calls, and speaking translations aloud during phone conversations.


• Shortcuts Actions with AI Features – Adds new Shortcuts app actions that tap into Apple Intelligence models, enabling users to create images, summarize text, and access AI responses within their automated workflows.


• Reminders Suggestions and Organization – Uses on-device AI to suggest new tasks and grocery items based on text found in Messages and emails, while automatically categorizing task lists into organized sections.


• Messages Background Generation and Poll Suggestion – Adds AI-powered poll suggestions for easy creation and enables custom background generation through Image Playground integration, beyond the standard background options available to all users.


• Apple Wallet Order Tracking – Leverages AI to extract order tracking information directly from emails in your inbox, eliminating the need for merchant participation in Apple's tracking system.


• New Genmoji and Image Playground Features – Enhances existing Apple Intelligence image tools with the ability to mix emoji together, customize generated characters, and access ChatGPT-powered style options including anime, oil painting, and watercolor effects.


• Visual Intelligence with Screenshots – Expands the camera-based AI feature to work systemwide with screenshots, allowing users to analyze captured content for shopping, calendar events, and more information gathering.

Users with iPhone 14 Pro and earlier models can still get to experience the visual refresh and many other iOS 26 improvements, but the new AI-powered capabilities remain limited to Apple's latest iPhone models.


It's worth noting that the new Spatial Scenes effect might sound like an Apple Intelligence feature, but it actually uses the Neural Engine to create a spatially reactive version of a photo that animates as you move your device. The Spatial Scenes option is available in the Photos app and on the Lock Screen, but since it does not use Apple Intelligence, it's available on iPhone 12 and newer devices.

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With iPadOS 26, Apple has introduced a new multitasking UI that allows for several open apps at the same time. You can change the size of ‌iPad‌ app windows, move them on top of each other, and rearrange them as desired, much like on the Mac. In a new interview with Ars Technica, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi has explained why the iPad took so long to gain proper windowed multitasking.


The delay apparently stemmed from early hardware limitations. According to Federighi, original iPads lacked the power for true multitasking, and the touch-first interface demanded perfect responsiveness.

"It is a foundational requirement that if you touch the screen and start to move something that it responds," Federighi told Ars. "Otherwise, the entire interaction model is broken – it's a psychic break with your contract with the device."

Early iPads "didn't have the capacity to run an unlimited number of windowed apps with perfect responsiveness," he added. Apps weren't designed for dynamic resizing either.

Stage Manager's troubled 2022 debut brought its own challenges. Apple restricted it to high-end models to ensure consistent eight-app performance, but that inevitably frustrated users with older iPads. However, as iPad Pro hardware became Mac-equivalent in power, technical barriers disappeared. "Over time the iPad's gotten more powerful, the screens have gotten larger, the user base has shifted into a mode where there is a little bit more trackpad and keyboard use in how many people use the device," Federighi told Ars.

"And so the stars kind of aligned to where many of the things that you traditionally do with a Mac were possible to do on an iPad for the first time and still meet iPad's basic contract."

For iPadOS 26, Apple changed its approach. "We decided this time: make everything we can make available, even if it has some nuances on older hardware, because we saw so much demand," Federighi said. While iPadOS 26 allows for multiple app windows, there are limitations on how many apps can be open at once. On older iPads, for example, you're limited to four apps. Newer iPads can have more open app windows.

‌iPad‌ app windows feature the Mac traffic-light controls, and these can be used for resizing and closing apps. ‌iPad‌ apps also have Mac-style menu bars for tweaking settings, and there's a feature for running system-intensive tasks in the background. While the new interface borrows familiar Mac design elements like window controls and colors, there are key differences. Background processing remains restricted to finite tasks like file transfers rather than continuous system agents, for example.

"We've looked and said, as [the iPad and Mac] come together, where on the iPad the Mac idiom for doing something, like where we put the window close controls and maximize controls, what color are they – we've said why not, where it makes sense, use a converged design for those things so it's familiar and comfortable," Federighi told Ars. "But where it doesn't make sense, iPad's gonna be iPad."

Stage Manager survives as an optional mode alongside the new windowed system, giving users multiple multitasking approaches. iPadOS 26 also preserves the traditional single-app interface for users who prefer the iPad's original simplicity.

The changes are Apple's biggest step yet toward treating the iPad as a legitimate laptop replacement, particularly for the base $349 model that stands to gain the most from enhanced multitasking capabilities. iPadOS 26 is currently in developer beta, with a public beta arriving next month and a general release expected in the fall. What do you think of the multitasking changes Apple has introduced? Lets us know in the comments.
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Barnes & Noble has updated its Nook app for iPhone and iPad with a new "buy on BN.com" button that redirects users to the company's website to complete e-book and audiobook purchases (via GoodReader).


The button appears alongside book listings and opens the user's default browser to the corresponding product page on Barnes & Noble's website. After completing the purchase, content automatically syncs to the Nook app and any connected Nook devices.

Previously, iOS users had no clear path to purchase books through the app, often leaving customers confused about how to buy content. The new system mirrors recent updates to Amazon's Kindle app and Spotify, which added similar external purchase options.

The changes stem from a court ruling in the ongoing litigation between Epic Games and Apple. In April, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a contempt order prohibiting Apple from blocking external purchase links or imposing commissions on them.

For over a decade, Apple's App Store guidelines required developers to either use Apple's in-app purchase system with a 30% commission or remove any links directing users to alternative payment methods.

The ruling has enabled e-reader apps to offer more intuitive purchasing experiences, with Kobo also implementing similar functionality.
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iOS 26 features a whole new design material that Apple calls Liquid Glass, with a focus on transparency that lets the content on your display shine through the controls. If you're not a fan of the look, or are having trouble with readability, there is a step that you can take to make things more opaque without entirely losing out on the new look.


Apple has multiple Accessibility options that are designed to customize iOS for different visual needs, and one of these options is Reduce Transparency. Toggling on Reduce Transparency adds a darker background to translucent areas like the Control Center, app icons, and app folders, improving contrast.


You can turn on Reduce Transparency by opening up the Settings app, going to Accessibility, selecting Display and Text Size, and tapping on the Reduce Transparency toggle. If you want to be able to turn the setting on and off quickly, you can add it to your Accessibility Shortcuts to get to it from the Control center interface.


Activating Reduce Transparency does not remove all translucency from the iPhone's interface, but it does give everything more of an opaque look. It does not change the shape of buttons or return things to a pre-iOS 26 look.


We're still very early in the beta testing process, and Apple will make tweaks and refinements to the Liquid Glass design based on user feedback. It's always tough to get used to an entirely new interface, so if you're a developer running the beta and you're having trouble adjusting or reading some text, temporarily activating Reduce Transparency might help ease the transition.


In all likelihood, most people will adjust to the updated Liquid Glass design within a few days. Apple hasn't made significant changes to app interfaces and layouts, so even though there's a whole new look for ‌iOS 26‌, Apple says it's still going to feel familiar to people.

Liquid Glass could look different by the time that ‌iOS 26‌ launches to the public, and we'll see it evolve over the next few months. Right now, ‌iOS 26‌ is limited to developers, but a public beta is coming in July. A launch will follow in September.
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If you're someone that keeps a lot of tabs open, Safari in iOS 26 has some options for organization that use Apple Intelligence. In Safari's menus, there's an option to arrange tabs by title, or by website, grouping like tabs together.


Both options arrange tabs in alphabetical order, but use either the title of the website or the website itself for the list.

You can get to the tab organizing interface by tapping on the tab icon (two squares), tapping on the three dots in the upper left corner, and then choosing the Arrange Tabs By option.

Apple has rearranged the tab interface, so it may feel unfamiliar. At the bottom, you can swipe between tab groups and private tabs, and your tab settings can be accessed by tapping on the tab number at the bottom of the interface or the hamburger menu at the top left of the display.

Opening a new tab has moved to the top of the Safari window rather than the bottom, as has the "Done" button. Apple has three separate interface options for Safari now, but the tab section of the app is the same for all of them.

‌iOS 26‌ is in the early stages of testing with developers, so there could be changes to the Safari layout before the software sees a launch this fall.
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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 221 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Forms, JavaScript, Media, PDF, Rendering, Web API, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's set to launch this later this year.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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Apple overhauled the Shortcuts app in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, and there are now Apple Intelligence options that users can take advantage of. The app supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌ models for things like summarizing PDFs, generating recipes, answering questions, and more.


There are several pre-programmed Shortcuts in the Gallery that you can select in ‌iOS 26‌. Here's what Apple offers, along with the descriptions:

• Morning Summary - Use Model to describe the day ahead of you.


• Action Items From Meeting Notes - Use Model to grab action items from meeting notes.


• Haiku - Use Model to write a you a fun haiku.


• Leftover Recipes - Use Model to whip up a quick recipe with leftovers you have in the fridge.


• Summarize PDF - Use Model to summarize the open PDF in Safari.


• Is Severance Season 3 Out? - Use Model to find out if something has been released.


• ASCII Art - Use Model to draw you some ASCII art.


• Document Review - Use Mode to help you compare and contrast documents.


• Reminders Roulette - Use Model to punt an unimportant reminder to tomorrow.


• Get Started With Language Models - A tutorial for Use Model with examples.

As the last pre-made Shortcut suggests, you can create your own shortcuts that incorporate Apple's AI model, and Apple's offerings serve as examples.

When you go to create a Shortcut, there's a new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ section. You can opt to use an on-device model, a cloud model that takes advantage of Private Cloud Compute, or ChatGPT. There are some pre-determined options, so you can do things like open Visual Intelligence or generate an image with Image Playground.


There are several Writing Tools features for adjusting the tone of text, proofreading, creating a list from text, summarizing text, or rewriting text.

When you tap on Cloud, On-Device Model, or ChatGPT, there's an open-ended prompt where you can write in what you want to do. You need to work within the confines of the model that Apple provides, pairing it with other functionality in Shortcuts. You can pull in data from the Weather app, your Calendar, and Reminders, then ask the model to prepare a summary, for example. AI models can be incorporated into any Shortcut.


‌iOS 26‌, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe are in the early stages of beta testing, so the work on Shortcuts has just started, and Apple will be refining the app over the course of the beta testing period.
This article, "Here's What You Can Do With the iOS 26 Apple Intelligence Shortcuts App" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With iOS 26, Apple is adding a new AlarmKit framework for developers that offer apps with alarm clocks and timers. AlarmKit provides system-level access to alarm functionality, which was previously reserved only for Apple's Clock app.


Developers will now be able to create apps that have the same feature set and permissions as Apple's built-in alarm functionality, including alerts that always activate even if Silent mode or a Focus mode is enabled, full-screen snooze and stop display options, and access to the Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, and Apple Watch.

In iOS 18 and before, developers used time sensitive alerts for alarms, and critical alerts when given the entitlement from Apple, but there was no option for an alert that can't be missed like the alerts that comes from the Clock app. There was also no Lock Screen overlay, and there were limits on the number of alarms that could be set.

Alarms from third-party apps could fail to trigger if the iPhone restarted or if the app updated, which was problematic, and alerts could be silenced with Focuses.

The new framework will support unlimited alarms and repeating options, so there won't be the same limitations there were before, and alarm alerts won't be simple notifications. In the coming months, we should see much more full-featured alarm apps and apps with timers that are able to better compete with Apple's built-in options.


Apple's own alarm feature in the Clock app has a new look in ‌iOS 26‌, with a larger time display and larger stop and snooze buttons. Apple also now allows users to customize snooze length, choosing a length of time between 1 minute and 15 minutes. Previously, tapping snooze always snoozed an alarm for nine minutes.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook today said that Apple TV+ is driven by a commitment to storytelling and artistic excellence, rather than an effort to boost iPhone sales.


In a new interview with Variety, Cook said that Apple's video streaming platform is designed to support original storytelling and cultural influence, distancing the initiative from any direct hardware-related sales strategy. The position is a notable clarification amid long-standing belief that ‌Apple TV‌+ functions primarily as a marketing tool to strengthen brand loyalty and drive product purchases.

‌Apple TV‌+ debuted in November 2019. Apple deliberately chose to launch with only original titles and not to license a back catalog. Cook said:

We elected not to go out and procure a catalog. I know that's a faster way into the business, but it didn't feel like Apple at the end of the day. Apple should have something that we pour our passion into, and that's exactly what we're doing with the shows. And now you can see us hitting a stride. It feels wonderful.

Cook said that ‌Apple TV‌+ is consistent with Apple's identity as a "toolmaker," a term originally used by co-founder Steve Jobs:

We're a toolmaker. We make tools for creative people to empower them to do things they couldn't do before. So we were doing lots of business with Hollywood well before we were in the TV business.

We studied it for years before we decided to do [Apple TV+]. I know there's a lot of different views out there about why we're into it. We're into it to tell great stories, and we want it to be a great business as well. That's why we're into it, just plain and simple.

The remarks come as Apple prepares to debut F1: The Movie, a $200 million racing film starring Brad Pitt, co-produced by Lewis Hamilton, and directed by Top Gun: Maverick's Joseph Kosinski. The film represents the largest production effort to date by Apple Original Films and will be distributed theatrically by Warner Bros. before arriving on ‌Apple TV‌+.

To bring something to life that would be authentic to the sport, that would tell a great story as well about the ups and downs of life — F1 hit on all the things. And then we could bring some things that are uniquely Apple to the movie, like our camera technology. And we plan to have the whole of the company support it as well — our retail operation and everything. So it was something that we could get the entire company around. It feels wonderful to be a part of it.

Apple developed camera technology specifically for capturing high-speed racing sequences in F1, which is apparently now present on the latest iPhones.

I don't have it in my mind that I'm going to sell more iPhones because of it. I don't think about that at all. I think about it as a business. And just like we leverage the best of Apple across iPhones and across our services, we try to leverage the best of Apple TV+.

[...]

We really only do a few things. We only have a few products for the size of company we are. We pour all of ourselves in each one of those — and we do TV and movies the same way. It's about staying true to what Apple has always been. It's about staying true to innovation, staying true to our North Star. And if you're able to do that and entertain people in a great way, then we're doing pretty good.

I think the business of our being in this business will be good for us.

Cook added that 2025 is the first year the platform will release a full, weekly content slate, unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic and industry strikes.
This article, "CEO Tim Cook Says Apple TV+ Isn't Designed to Boost iPhone Sales" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26 has an updated Phone app with several new functions. There are notable new additions like Hold Assist and Call Screening, along with smaller options like a feature to flag spam voicemails.


When you tap into a voicemail from an unknown number, you'll see a new "Report Spam" button that you can tap if it is a spam call. Tapping on option sends the voicemail to Apple, and you can either report the message as spam and keep it, or report it and delete it.

Apple doesn't include information on what it does with spam voicemails, but the company has allowed similar reporting of spam iMessages for some time now. It's also not clear what Apple does with iMessages that are reported as spam, but they appear to inform spam filtering functionality added in ‌iOS 26‌.

As with spam iMessages, reporting a voicemail as spam does not block the caller, and that needs to be done with a separate step.

Apple is working to implement features that cut down on spam messages and calls. The Call Screening option in ‌iOS 26‌ intercepts calls from numbers that are not saved in your contacts list, and asks the caller for more information like a name and reason for calling before forwarding the call along to you.

The Messages app also has a refined spam reporting workflow in ‌iOS 26‌. Messages that Apple detects are spam are sent to a specific Spam folder, which is now distinct from the Unknown Senders folder. Messages from numbers that aren't in your contacts, such as two-factor authentication messages, go in Unknown Senders. Scam messages are sent to the spam folder. If you get a spam message that's not correctly categorized, you can tap into a miscategorized message and tap on the "Report Spam" option.

Messages from unknown senders and spam messages are both silenced and you won't get a notification for them, but you will see a badge at the top of the Messages app. You can disable these features in the Messages section of the Settings app, if desired.

There is no automatic filtering of spam voicemails, but that is a feature that Apple could use in the future after receiving enough voicemails that people flag as spam.

‌iOS 26‌ is limited to developers right now, but a public beta will be launching in July. The software will see a public release this fall alongside new iPhone 17 models.
This article, "iOS 26 Lets You Report Spam Voicemails" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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As we previously reported, iOS 26 enhances Apple Wallet app boarding passes in a few ways. First, the passes now support Live Activities, allowing you to keep track of a flight at a glance on your iPhone's Lock Screen, and in the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and newer. In addition, new shortcuts below the passes provide one-tap access to Apple Maps for airport directions, and to the Find My app for baggage tracking. And, the Wallet app automatically updates flight details, such as the gate and departure time.


Apple has since announced that the refreshed boarding passes will be available starting with 10 airlines, including Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United, Jetstar, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Virgin Australia.

Live Activities support for flights was already available through the Flighty app, so Apple is playing catch up here with the iPhone's built-in Wallet app. Flighty still offers many more features, including the Passport, which lets you keep track of cities that you have flown to, see your total distance traveled, and compare stats with friends.

iOS 26 is available now in developer beta, with a public beta to follow next month.
This article, "Apple Lists 10 Airlines Set to Offer iOS 26's Upgraded Boarding Passes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's new Liquid Glass design is the big news of the week, because it's the first major design change we've had to iOS in years, and because it's the first design that extends across all of Apple's platforms. Liquid Glass is sure to evolve over the coming months, but we thought we'd share a first look for those who are excited to see what it looks like in action right now.


After updating to iOS 26, Liquid Glass is the first thing that you'll see. The Lock Screen features a new Liquid Glass design for the clock (opt-in, of course), and the time is able to be expanded so you can make it take up more of the display to better fit your wallpaper.

Widgets that you have on the Lock Screen have the same translucent look, as do the quick access buttons on the bottom. Notifications are glassy and see through, and you can see hints of your wallpaper behind them.

Moving on to the Home Screen, the search bar, dock, and app folders are translucent. By default, app icons have a new layered glass look that gives them dimension, but there's also a new option for "clear" glass-like icons. This setting turns your app icons transparent, and widgets too. So if you want the full glass effect, it's available.

Control Center is entirely Liquid Glass, with see-through icons that reflect the color of the background. Liquid Glass elements are in apps, too. Safari has a new compact Tab bar that uses Liquid Glass, and it's also in Photos, Camera, Mail, Podcasts, TV, Apple News, Messages, and more.

In apps, Apple has also tweaked the look of buttons and menu bars, making them more rounded, and navigation has been simplified. When you tap on some buttons, such as in the Camera app, it'll expand into a popup Liquid Glass menu that makes it easy to see all of the available options in one spot. It's a more minimal look than we had before, with more focus on minimizing the display space that UI elements take up.

Liquid Glass extends to iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26. iPadOS 26 looks a lot like ‌iOS 26‌, and macOS 26 has a translucent menu bar and dock background, plus it uses Liquid Glass for buttons, side bars, navigation bars, and the Control Center.

watchOS uses Liquid Glass for navigation and buttons, and there's a Liquid Glass clock option for some watch faces. You'll see Liquid Glass in tvOS 26 primarily in apps like Apple TV. Overall, the design changes are more subtle in watchOS 26 and tvOS 26, and even in macOS and iOS, there are places where Apple needs to emphasize and refine the Liquid Glass design.

This is the first beta, and Liquid Glass is still in development. There will undoubtedly be updates made before ‌iOS 26‌ and the other updates launch to the public this fall, and it's even something that we're going to see updated for years to come. Apple says that Liquid Glass will be the basis for the next decade of software design.
This article, "See the iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design in Action" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26 includes significant updates for Messages, with the app set to receive at least 10 new features and changes on the iPhone.


Below, we recap what is new in the Messages app on iOS 26:

• Polls: You can now create polls in group chats, allowing people to vote on topics or questions, such as which restaurant to go to. Apple Intelligence can detect when a poll might come in handy and suggest one.


• Backgrounds: You can now add a background to any conversation, and all participants will see it. You can choose from Apple's selection of backgrounds, or you can set any of your own photos as a background. You can turn off conversation backgrounds in the Settings app if desired.


• Apple Cash in group chats: You can now send and receive Apple Cash in group chats.


• Typing indicators in group chats: You can now see who is typing in group chats.


• "Add Contact" button in group chats: This button makes it easier to add people to the Contacts app in group chats.


• "Select" option: When you tap and hold on a message bubble, a new "Select" option appears. Tapping on it allows you to select a portion of text in a message, whereas you could previously only copy an entire message.


• Unknown sender screening: This new option automatically moves messages from unknown senders to the Unknown Senders folder, and hides notifications for them until you accept them. The app can also detect spam and move it to a new Spam folder, with notifications for these messages also hidden.


• Natural language search: You can now search for photos within a conversation by describing what you are looking for. Examples: "Eric skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt," or "Juli with stickers on her face."


• Photo previews: When a new "Send Photo Previews" setting is turned on, the Messages app will only send a lower-quality preview of a photo while an iPhone is in Low Data Mode. The full photo will be sent later.


• End-to-end encryption for RCS: In March, Apple announced that it planned to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in a future iOS update, which is likely to be iOS 26, or a later version like iOS 26.1. This change would prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read RCS messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices, as has always been the case with iMessage blue bubbles.

iOS 26 is available now in developer beta, with a public beta to follow next month. The update will be released later this year for the iPhone 11 and newer.
This article, "iOS 26 Will Add 10 New Features to the Messages App on Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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