The rumored iPhone 17 Air will have a titanium frame, according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu.


In an investor note with equity research firm GF Securities this week, Pu also said the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have aluminum frames, so the iPhone 17 Air will apparently be the only new model to use titanium.

It is unclear why the iPhone 17 Air would have a titanium frame, as aluminum is lighter than titanium, which would be fitting for the device's rumored ultra-thin and lightweight design. Titanium is generally stronger than aluminum, however, so perhaps the material is necessary to ensure that the iPhone 17 Air's thin chassis is durable.

Last year, another Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air's frame would use both titanium and aluminum, so there could be a mix of both materials. Apple surely has its reasons, and it may discuss them during its iPhone 17 event in September.

Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, so the return to an aluminum frame for the iPhone 17 Pro models this year would be a notable change.

Here is what Pu expects:

• iPhone 17: Aluminum frame


• iPhone 17 Air: Titanium frame


• iPhone 17 Pro: Aluminum frame


• iPhone 17 Pro Max: Aluminum frame

Here are the materials used for the iPhone 16 series:

• iPhone 16: Aluminum frame


• iPhone 16 Plus: Aluminum frame


• iPhone 16 Pro: Titanium frame


• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Titanium frame

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Apple today confirmed that it will be permanently closing its store at The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township, a northern suburb of Detroit, Michigan.


Apple did not provide a timeframe for the store's closure, but a source familiar with the matter told us that the location's final day of business will be in mid-August.

Apple's statement did not provide a specific reason for the closure, but local news outlet WDIV last year reported that The Mall at Partridge Creek had been sold in receivership and was struggling to retain tenants. Apple permanently closed its store at another dying mall in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook earlier this year.

Fortunately, there are two silver linings to this news.

First, Apple said that all affected retail employees at Apple Partridge Creek will have the opportunity to continue their roles with the company.

Second, Apple confirmed that its all-new store in Downtown Detroit will open later this year, so the company's total number of stores in Michigan will ultimately not change. Apple Somerset will continue to serve customers in Detroit's northern suburbs.

Apple's full statement, shared with MacRumors:

At Apple, we're committed to delivering an exceptional experience for all customers, and we're excited to open our new retail location in Downtown Detroit later this year. As we prepare to open, we will not continue our lease at Apple Partridge Creek, and all of our valued team members will have the opportunity to continue their roles with Apple. We've loved serving the Partridge Creek community for nearly 20 years, and look forward to welcoming our customers at our other stores in the Detroit metro area, including nearby Apple Somerset, as well as Apple.com and the Apple Store app.

Apple Partridge Creek opened in 2007.

This is the second Apple Store closure that we have reported on in as many days, with the other location set to close being Apple Hornsby in Australia.

Apple is one of the world's most successful companies, but even it is not immune to dying malls or declining areas, and it makes changes to its retail fleet as necessary. The company is still opening and remodeling stores in several countries, including the U.S., Spain, Sweden, Malaysia, South Korea, China, and others.
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The sleep apnea detection feature that Apple's most recent Apple Watch models offer has expanded to several more countries in Europe, Asia, South America, and more.


Sleep apnea is a disorder where a person's breathing repeatedly stops and starts again during sleep, preventing rest. Sleep apnea detection on Apple Watch uses the device's accelerometer to monitor tiny movements at the wrist that are linked with interruptions in respiratory patterns. Disturbances that occur multiple times over several nights can indicate sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea detection and notifications have expanded to the following areas:

• Argentina


• Australia


• Christmas Island


• Cocos (Keeling) Islands


• Ecuador


• Heard and McDonald Islands


• Honduras


• Indonesia


• Moldova


• Norfolk Island


• Serbia


• Taiwan


• Thailand


• Ukraine


• Vietnam

Sleep Apnea detection is available on the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in more than 150 countries around the world. Apple Watch users have to wear the watch for several nights in a row to get an initial reading, though nightly Breathing Disturbances are listed in the Health app on iPhone.

In addition to bringing sleep apnea detection to more countries, Apple is also expanding AFib History, ECGs, and Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications to a few more areas.

ECG readings and Irregular Rhythm Notifications have launched in Argentina, Costa Rica, and Serbia, while AFib history is now available in Argentina and Serbia.

AFib history is designed for people who have a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation from a physician. Irregular Heart Rhythm notifications are meant to detect high heart rates, low heart rates, or irregular heart rhythms, all of which can be indicative of a problem. The Apple Watch ECG feature can detect atrial fibrillation, low heart rates, and high heart rates.

ECG, Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications, and AFib History are features that can be used by Apple Watch owners in over 150 countries worldwide. Apple maintains a dedicated list of Apple Watch feature availability on its website.
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Apple is bringing the AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Tests and Hearing Aid functionality to multiple new countries in Europe, Asia, and South America.


Hearing test options are now available in the following countries:

• Argentina


• Ecuador


• Honduras


• Indonesia


• Israel


• Kazakhstan


• Moldova


• Palestinian Territories


• Serbia


• Taiwan


• Thailand


• Ukraine


• Vietnam

Hearing tests can be conducted by connecting the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to an iPhone running iOS 18.1 or later or an iPad running iPadOS 18.1 or later. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 hearing test mimics the hearing tests one might encounter at a doctor's office or when visiting an audiologist.

Tones at different frequencies and sound levels play in each ear, with users instructed to tap the ‌iPhone‌'s display whenever a sound is heard. Apple tests four frequencies, including 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, and 4kHz. Results up to 25 dBHL indicate little to no hearing loss. 26 to 40 dBHL is a sign of mild hearing loss, while results of 41 to 60 dBHL suggest moderate hearing loss. 61 to 80 dBHL is severe hearing loss, and a result above 80 dBHL is considered profound hearing loss.

Tests that demonstrate mild to moderate hearing loss will give ‌iPhone‌ users the option to turn on the Hearing Aid feature of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ in countries where it is available. Hearing Aid functionality is expanding to these locations:

• Cyprus


• Ecuador


• Honduras


• Indonesia


• Israel


• Kazakhstan


• Moldova


• Palestinian Territories


• Serbia


• Taiwan


• Thailand


• Ukraine


• Vietnam

Cyprus already had hearing testing available, and while Argentina is new to the Hearing Aid test list, it does not yet support Hearing Aid features with ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. In all other countries listed in this article, both the Hearing Tests and Hearing Aid are newly available.

When Hearing Aid functionality is turned on, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ can use the data from a person's hearing test to boost the frequencies that are lacking. The Hearing Aid features are meant to make it easier for users to hear voices and other sounds, with Apple also offering a Media Assist option that adjusts music, videos, and calls in response to a hearing test.

Hearing Health options, including the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features, are now available in over 150 countries around the world. A full list is available on Apple's website.
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Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced.


Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week.

Apple will be releasing public betas of the following updates:

• iOS 26


• iPadOS 26


• macOS 26


• tvOS 26


• watchOS 26


• HomePod Software 26


• AirPods Firmware

Apple does not plan to offer a visionOS 26 public beta, according to its website.

Anyone can sign up to be a member of the Apple Beta Software Program, for free, and gain access to the public betas for testing. As always, we highly recommend backing up your devices before installing beta software, in case of issues.

All of the updates are already available in developer beta. A few years ago, Apple dropped the requirement to pay $99 per year for an Apple Developer Program membership in order to access the developer betas, but you still need to have an Apple Developer account. Technically, though, the public should wait for the public betas.

Check out our iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 roundups linked below to learn more about new features and changes in those updates.
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Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a third beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6 and a new beta of watchOS 11.6.


Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. The Mac update can be downloaded from the System Settings app.

No notable features have been found in the developer betas so far, but the iOS 18.6 update will bring additional changes to the App Store in the European Union. Aside from that, the updates likely focus on smaller changes and bug fixes. No new features were found in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6 either.

Apple is also beta testing iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. While betas are limited to developers right now, a public beta will be coming soon.
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Apple's Beats brand is holding a special event this weekend at Madhappy's Pantry West Hollywood in the Los Angeles area to celebrate the recent launches of Beats-branded charging cables and retailer-exclusive Blush Pink and Navy Blue colors for the Beats Pill speaker.


This weekend's event runs from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Friday through Sunday, with attendees able to purchase a themed drink in the form of Beats Berry Sweet Cloud Matcha, which is a Nekohama matcha latte with raspberry syrup, topped with blueberry sweet cloud cold foam. The first 50 customers purchasing the drink each day will receive a free Beats cable.


All purchasers of the drink will receive a token (maximum two per person) to use in an onsite Beats claw machine for an opportunity to win an array of Beats products including Madhappy-designed Beats Pills in Blush Pink or Navy Blue, with only 20 of the limited-edition speakers available at the event. The full list of available prizes includes:

• Custom-designed Madhappy & Beats Pill portable speaker in Blush Pink or Navy Blue (Only 20 available!)


• Beats Solo 4 on-ear headphones in Slate Blue or Cloud Pink


• Beats USB-C to USB-C cables in Nitro Navy


• Beats iPhone 16 Cases with MagSafe in Sunrise Pink and Twilight Blue


• Custom Beats sticker sheet

The weekend will also include a DJ set by Lumia on Saturday, July 19, from noon to 3:00 pm, and the whole event takes place at Pantry West Hollywood by Madhappy, located at 8906 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.
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Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 models are likely to support up to 25W wireless charging using a variety of third-party MagSafe charging accessories, thanks to compatibility with the next-generation Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard.


Currently, iPhones featuring MagSafe use Qi 2, the Wireless Power Consortium's (WPC) widely supported second-generation charging standard. With third-party chargers, Qi 2 maxes out at 15W – although iPhone 16 models do support upgraded 25W MagSafe charging using an official 30W Apple charger.

That limitation is likely to change with the iPhone 17 models, which are expected to support Qi 2.2, based on regulatory filings for updated MagSafe Chargers on Taiwan's NCC certification website. It was originally believed – and widely reported – that the WPC's Qi 2.2 standard would support up to 50W output. However, this turned out to be based on incorrect information. Qi 2.2 officially supports up to 25W.


Expect iPhone-compatible third-party Qi 2.2 chargers to become increasingly prevalent as we edge closer to the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup in September. For example, Ugreen has already announced its MagFlow Magnetic Power Bank, which it says is the first in the world to receive official Qi 2.2 certification from the WPC. The power bank is set to launch across the US, Europe, and Southeast Asian markets in the third quarter of this year.

In addition to faster charging, Qi 2.2 offers improved magnetic alignment and charging efficiency compared to its predecessor. The standard also features backward compatibility with older Qi chargers.
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Amazon this week has brought back the all-time low Prime Day price on Apple's AirPods 4, available for $89.99, down from $129.00. This is the base model of AirPods 4 without Active Noise Cancellation, and Prime members in select locations should be able to get same-day delivery if ordered in the next few hours.

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.

This price first appeared last week during Prime Day, and it was one of the overall best deals during this year's event. No other AirPods model has hit their Prime Day prices again, but you can find solid second-best prices on AirPods 4 with ANC at $149.00 ($30 off) and AirPods Pro 2 at $169.00 ($80 off).



AirPods 4 feature the H2 chip, a more comfortable fit, force sensors, Adaptive EQ, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and more. 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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Samsung Display will supply Apple with "crease-free" displays for its long-rumored foldable iPhone, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


To achieve a crease-free inner display, Kuo said the foldable iPhone will utilize a metal plate that can disperse and control the stress generated by bending the display. The metal plates will be primarily supplied by a company named Fine M-Tec, he said.

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 7 still has a visible crease in the middle of its inner screen, so it seems like Samsung Display would have to be developing a custom solution for Apple in order for the foldable iPhone to truly have a "crease-free" design. It is unclear why Samsung has not yet used this apparent technology for its own foldable smartphones, which also primarily use metal plates from Fine M-Tec, according to Kuo.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the foldable iPhone would use a "much higher-quality hinge" compared to some other foldable smartphones, allowing for a "nearly invisible" crease when the inner screen is in an unfolded position.

Kuo said Apple is aiming to start mass production of the foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026, so it could launch next year. He previously said the device will have a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID sensors for user authentication.

The foldable iPhone will be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and between 9mm and 9.5mm when folded, according to Kuo. By comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 4.2mm when unfolded, and 8.9mm when folded. This means the first foldable iPhone would be very slightly thicker than Samsung's latest offering, but Apple is just getting started.

The news about Samsung supplying Apple with foldable iPhone displays was also reported by various South Korean publications.
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Apple today announced a $500 million multi-year commitment to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed by MP Materials, at a state-of-the-art factory in Fort Worth, Texas. Apple said the commitment is part of its overall pledge to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. within the next four years, which it announced in February.


Apple and MP Materials will build out the Texas factory with a series of neodymium magnet manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products, the company said. Today, nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100% recycled rare earth elements, including in the Taptic Engine in the iPhone 11 and newer.

The two companies will also work together to build a rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California, according to the announcement.

"American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we're proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a statement. "Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States."

Apple said its commitment will support dozens of new U.S. jobs in manufacturing and R&D.
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The European Commission appears to have reversed its plans to impose a significant digital tax on large technology companies, including Apple.


The change was confirmed in a draft document circulated within the European Commission late last week that was obtained by Politico. The document outlines potential revenue sources for the EU's next seven-year budget, covering the period beginning in 2028.

Notably absent from this list is the widely discussed digital services tax, which had been under consideration as recently as May. The tax was framed as a tool to ensure that large digital companies contribute fairly to the European economy.

Apple has faced increasing regulatory scrutiny in Europe and was among the primary targets of the now-abandoned proposal. The digital levy would have imposed additional taxes specifically on digital companies generating significant revenue from European users without being physically based in EU member states.

Instead of the digital services tax, the Commission now proposes three new levies: an EU-wide excise tax on tobacco products, a tax on discarded electrical and electronic equipment, and a corporate levy on large companies with annual EU turnover exceeding €50 million, such as Apple. The proposals will require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.

The timing of the change is widely understood to be linked to ongoing negotiations over a new transatlantic trade agreement between the EU and United States. According to Politico, the Commission's decision to withdraw the digital levy is seen as an attempt to avoid derailing trade negotiations with the United States and secure more favorable terms in a prospective agreement.

The finalized proposal for the EU's 2028–2035 budget is scheduled to be published on Wednesday, July 16. While the digital services tax remains off the table for now, the outcome of the upcoming trade talks with the United States and the ongoing DMA enforcement actions will continue to shape the regulatory environment for Apple in the European Union.
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FORM has long been one of the leaders in the smart swim goggles market, with Apple even carrying the company's Smart Swim 2 goggles online and in select stores over the holiday shopping season last year. The goggles feature an augmented reality display inside one of the goggle lens, allowing you to see a variety of metrics such as time and distance, and even heart rate thanks to a built-in heart rate monitor that sits on your temple.


Today, FORM is launching the Smart Swim 2 PRO, an upgrade that builds on the previous model by using lenses made of Corning's Gorilla Glass 3 for improved durability and clarity compared to the plastic traditionally used in goggle lenses.

The lens stack provides a 50+ UPF rating to block 98 percent of harmful UV rays, and the switch from plastic to glass only increases the overall weight of the goggles by about 5 percent (3.4 grams). Because traditional anti-fog coatings don't stick to glass, the Smart Swim 2 PRO goggles come with a cost-effective anti-fog spray based on baby shampoo that can be quickly applied before each swim.


I've had a chance to test out the Smart Swim 2 PRO in both the pool and the open water over the past couple of weeks, and they've provided some valuable features and insight for tracking my swims. In the pool, the screen inside the goggles dynamically changes based on where you are in your swim, thanks to accelerometer readings.

For example, during a swim it can show you elapsed time and distance during the majority of your swimming, but then briefly show your speed over the previous interval when it detects you've made a turn, and show your rest interval when it detects you've stopped swimming, all the while displaying a near real-time measure of your heart rate.

Any of these views can be customized to show different information such as stroke rate, pace over different distances, and even some technique scores such as your head pitch and roll to help you improve your stroke. The FORM platform pulls pieces of this data together to generate a FORM score as a measure of your overall efficiency, and that's another display option.


Rather than having to configure just one set of data to view within the goggles, you can save up to five different dashboards and cycle through them with a quick press of a button on the goggles. The dashboard options come pre-populated with sets focused on Fitness, Technique, Pace, and Intervals, but any of these can be edited to display your preferred metrics and a fifth dashboard can be created from scratch.

FORM offers a Premium subscription plan that comes with a one-month free trial and offers features such as over 1,500 guided workouts, automated HeadCoach technique analysis that can provide tips during and after your swims, and SwimStraight, a digital compass for open water swimming.


FORM has been gradually rolling out new features for its Premium plan to increase the value proposition, including HeadCoach Plans to offer customized workouts that evolve over time as you progress, and Smart Set to automatically display intervals and sets as you swim to help you keep track of repetitions during workouts. Launching in September will be HeadCoach Insights with personalized data-driven guidance following each workout that is tailored to your goals.

For open water swims, the goggles can show your stroke rate, elapsed time, and heart rate, and once they've collected enough pool data to understand your speed, they can estimate your open water pace and distance. You can also pair your goggles with an Apple Watch or Garmin fitness watch for more accurate GPS-based pace and distance data. One of the neatest open water features is the aforementioned SwimStraight digital compass that after just a quick calibration prior to your swim can help you stay on your intended course, reducing the frequency of physical sighting required during your swims.


Overall, the FORM Smart Swim 2 PRO goggles are targeted at triathletes and developing swimmers looking to improve their technique and stamina, and FORM's data shows that users who subscribed to the Premium plan and used guided workouts saw 1.4x greater gains in performance than those simply using the goggles in an unstructured manner. For swimmers without access to regular in-person coaching, FORM's platform fills the gap with a remarkably robust set of features to track swims, suggest workouts, and provide technique advice.

For serious swimmers doing coached workouts and race-focused training for the pool, FORM's goggles have a bit less to offer, though features like live heart rate display and Smart Set counting can help even those swimmers keep tabs on their workout performance. But the higher physical profile of the goggles necessitated by the electronics can cause some issues keeping them on when diving into the pool and the design offers a narrower field of view than some more traditional goggle options.

When you're done with a swim, you can optionally sync your data to the Apple Health platform, allowing you to track metrics in the Health app and workouts in the Fitness app. You can also sync directly to Strava, TrainingPeaks, and TriDot.

With up to 14 hours of battery life, I haven't needed to recharge the goggles yet, but doing so is simple with an included cable that magnetically attaches to charging pins on the goggles, though I wish the opposite end of the cable was USB-C rather than USB-A.

The Smart Swim 2 PRO goggles launch today in the United States and Canada through FORM's website and select retailers, with global availability coming early next month. They're priced at $329 in the United States, a $50 premium over the standard Smart Swim 2 model. After the one-month free trial, FORM's Premium subscription is priced at $15 per month or $119 per year, although you can get your first year for $99 if you add it at the time of goggle purchase.

Note: FORM provided MacRumors with the Smart Swim 2 PRO goggles for the purposes of this news coverage. No other compensation was received.
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Research firm LightShed partners says Apple should consider replacing Tim Cook as CEO, but the change is unlikely to occur any time soon.


In a note to clients seen by Bloomberg, analysts Walter Piecyk and Joe Galone say that "Apple now needs a product-focused CEO, not one centered on logistics."

Bloomberg notes that Apple shares have "badly lagged" behind rivals like Microsoft and Meta this year after losing ground in the race to deliver compelling artificial intelligence features. Apple shares have fallen 16% in 2025, compared with gains of 25% for Meta and 19% for Microsoft. The note added:

Missing on AI could fundamentally alter the company's long-term trajectory and ability to grow at all. AI will reshape industries across the global economy, and Apple risks becoming one of its casualties.

It is worth noting that this year's slump in Apple shares is a comparative blip in the company's long-term performance with Cook at the helm. Apple shares have gained over 1,400% since Cook started as CEO, compared to 430% for the S&P 500.

The comments come after Apple announced that Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams will step down from his position this month. He will be replaced by Sabih Khan.

Williams was once thought to be Cook's most likely successor. Now, senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus is believed to be the frontrunner. LightShed says "‌Tim Cook‌ was the right CEO at the time of his appointment and unquestionably has done a great job," but in the wake of Williams' departure, "it's time for more disruptive change, not less."

However, Cook is unlikely to step down anytime soon. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that "there's no immediate successor ready to take the helm. There also haven't been signs internally that Cook is getting ready to leave or begin the process of grooming a replacement."

More significantly, "the board doesn't feel the need to make a change. Apple's directors are Cook loyalists like Arthur Levinson, Susan Wagner and Ronald Sugar." Gurman says:

There's no question Cook bears responsibility for Apple's current struggles. That includes the company's AI missteps, an aging product lineup, the erosion of its design-focused culture, a decade-long drought of breakthrough mainstream hardware, and its growing tensions with developers and regulators. But there's also no question that the board still sees him as the only person capable of turning things around.

Put simply: No crisis is big enough to shake the board's faith in Cook.

In fact, Cook's influence at Apple may grow. Gurman believes he could become Apple's chairman, in addition to his role as CEO:

Levinson, Apple's longtime chairman, has already surpassed the company's recommended board retirement age. So it wouldn't be surprising to see Cook eventually step into that role himself, as Iger, Dimon, Microsoft Corp.'s Satya Nadella and Cisco Systems Inc.'s Chuck Robbins have done at their companies. That would give Cook an even tighter grip on the iPhone maker.

Nevertheless, Apple apparently recognizes the need for change at the company. Senior executives such as services chief Eddy Cue have warned that Apple risks becoming the next BlackBerry or Nokia if it doesn't adapt quickly.


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Apple today said its store at the Westfield Hornsby shopping mall, in Hornsby, Australia, will be permanently closing in October.


In a statement shared with Australian tech news website EFTM (via Reddit), Apple said that it has decided not to renew its lease at Westfield Hornsby. Apple said all affected retail employees will be given the opportunity to work at Apple's nearby store at the Chatswood Chase shopping mall, in Chatswood, which is set to reopen in October.

Hornsby is a suburb of Sydney, on the Upper North Shore. Apple opened its store there in 2011.

Apple Chatswood Chase has been closed for renovations for many months. Apple said the store will be completely redesigned, and it will offer an Apple Pickup station for collecting online orders, and a dedicated area for Today at Apple sessions.

Apple did not provide a specific reason for the Hornsby store closure, but it is clearly consolidating its North Shore retail presence into the Chatswood Chase store.

Apple has six other stores in the Sydney area.

Apple Hornsby will be at least the fifth Apple Store location to permanently close in less than three years. Apple is closing a store in Bristol, England next month, and it closed its store in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook in April. In 2023, the company permanently closed its Infinite Loop and Royal Hawaiian stores simultaneously.

On the other hand, Apple continues to open new stores in several countries, including the U.S., Spain, Sweden, Malaysia, South Korea, China, and others. In the U.S., Apple opened a new store in Miami earlier this year, and in the Los Angeles area last year. Apple is also planning to open a store in Downtown Detroit soon.

In Australia, Apple just relocated its store in Perth to a historic bank building.
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The Camera app received some of the most noticeable design updates in iOS 26, with Apple simplifying the interface to make it easier to get to various controls. Most of what's new focuses on design, but there are a couple other notable changes.

Liquid Glass Design

Like all of the ‌iOS 26‌ apps, the Camera app has adopted the Liquid Glass look. Buttons are more rounded and "float" over the background of the app thanks to a new depth effect.


The area behind the camera shutter and control buttons is a touch more see-through than before, so you can see the areas outside of your image more clearly. There's also no bar behind the toggles to change focal length, so the interface looks a bit cleaner.

Two-Tab Layout

The navigation bar at the bottom of the Camera app has been overhauled in ‌iOS 26‌. Rather than the option to swipe between all of the photo and video modes, there are now just two main options that you see: Photo and Video.


While it's only the Photo and Video buttons that are visible, you can actually still swipe in the same way to get to the other options like Portrait, Panorama, Slo-Mo, Cinematic, and more.

For multi-lens cameras, the small buttons to change focal length are still in the same position, and the buttons to view the photo you just snapped or change to the front camera haven't changed location. The button to view photos is now round instead of square, in line with the Liquid Glass update, and Apple has shifted the controls down on the display.

The Photo and Video buttons are below the shutter button, when they used to be above. The shutter button itself no longer has a bright white ring around it, with Apple instead opting for a more subtle Liquid Glass ring. Bezel size for the top and bottom bars hasn't changed.

Pop Out Menus

Some of the controls that used to be located at the top of the Camera app are now tucked inside pop out menus. When you select a mode like Photo, you can then tap on the Photo button to get more options.


The menu has a Liquid Glass design and it offers large buttons for accessing Flash, Live Photo settings, Timer, Exposure, Styles, Aspect, and Night Mode. Tapping one gives you further options for that setting. So if you tap Exposure, you'll get a slider where you can quickly adjust the exposure setting before you take a photo.

In Video mode, you can tap to access Flash, Exposure, and Action. Most of the other modes also have at least one option that's accessed through this new menu. These menu options are also accessible by tapping on the menu icon at the top right of the display.


There are still some quick access buttons at the top of the Photos app, so you can swap to RAW mode, tap into Styles, or adjust flash and ‌Night Mode‌ settings without having to open the menu. Context-specific settings like the Macro mode toggle also still pop up in the same way as before when applicable.

There are toggles to see the Flash, Live Photo and Action Mode indicators in the Camera section of the Settings app.

Remote AirPods Shutter

The AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 can be used as a camera shutter in ‌iOS 26‌, so you can take a photo by pressing on the stem of the AirPods. To get this to work, connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and then press and hold on the AirPods stem.

You can take a photo using this method, or continue to hold to start a video. When you're finished recording, press and hold again to stop the video.

Using this feature requires ‌iOS 26‌ and the new AirPods firmware that accompanies ‌iOS 26‌. Using the AirPods as a remote shutter button works with the Camera app and with third-party photo apps.

Cleaning Warning

If your camera lens is dirty, your ‌iPhone‌ can detect that it needs to be cleaned and will send you a notification letting you know you should clean it.

Developer APIs

Developers have access to a new Cinematic mode API in ‌iOS 26‌ that allows third-party apps to capture Cinematic mode video, just like the built-in Camera app.


Cinematic mode supports recording video with a shallow depth of field and automatic focus changes between subjects. Apple uses rack focus to quickly swap the focus from one subject to another, for a movie-like recording experience.

Apple is also providing developers with an Audio Mix API for adjusting sound after a video is captured. Third-party video recording apps can offer the same Audio Mix controls that are available in the Camera app. Options include In-Frame for reducing sounds and voices from sources outside of the frame, Studio for reducing background sounds and reverb, and Cinematic for putting voices into a front-facing track while leaving environmental noises in surround, similar to movie audio.

Mac Accessibility

With macOS 26 and ‌iOS 26‌, your Mac can connect to your ‌iPhone‌ to use your ‌iPhone‌'s Camera app as a magnifying glass. A Magnifier on Mac feature uses the ‌iPhone‌'s zoom capabilities, with the ‌iPhone‌'s video feed showing up on a connected Mac through Continuity Camera.

Apple showed a student with vision issues using an ‌iPhone‌ to zoom in on a blackboard in a college class, with the feed coming through to her Mac so she could view what was going on while also taking notes.

Read More

We have a complete iOS 26 roundup that covers all of the new features that are available in the update.
This article, "iOS 26 Camera App: New Features and Design Changes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Native Union today debuted the Find It Card and the Find It Tag, two new products that work with Apple's Find My functionality.


Priced at $40, the Find It Card is meant to fit in a wallet, and it measures in at 1.7mm thick. For comparison's sake, a standard credit card is about 0.76mm, so Native Union's card is about two credit cards in thickness. There's a hole in the center where a metal keychain wire attaches, so it can also be attached to items like backpacks.

There is a rechargeable battery inside that can be charged using a MagSafe charger or a Qi-based charger, and the battery is able to last for up to six months.

The $20 Find It Tag is shaped like an AirTag, featuring a round body and a replaceable CR2032 battery that lasts for up to a year. The Find It Tag has an attached loop that can be added to a keychain or connected to other items for tracking purposes.


The Find It Card and Find It Tag are both compatible with the ‌Find My‌ app, and can be added to the Items tab to be tracked alongside Apple devices like the iPhone. All of the ‌Find My‌ features are included, and you can get notifications when an item is left behind or play a loud sound to locate an item that's close enough to detect over Bluetooth.

When an item is out of Bluetooth range, the Find It Card and Find It Tag can take advantage of the ‌Find My‌ Network, leveraging nearby Apple products to relay location information back to you.

The Find It Card and the Find It Tag can be purchased from the Native Union Website.
This article, "Native Union Launches Find My-Compatible Tag and Card" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The base model iPhone 17 will have an A19 chip after all, according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu.


A few months ago, Pu said the device would have an A18 chip, but he has now reversed course.

"We now expect the iPhone 17 model to be equipped with A19 (vs. earlier expectation of A18)," Pu said today, in an investor note with equity research firm GF Securities. He also expects the iPhone 17 Air to have an A19 chip, and he said the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be powered by an A19 Pro chip.

Even still, there are some conflicting rumors about the chips for the iPhone 17 series.

Last week, a Weibo account known as Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with an A19 Pro chip, instead of an A19 chip. However, the account said the A19 Pro chip will have a 5-core GPU in the iPhone 17 Air, whereas he expects the chip to have a 6-core GPU in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

At least rumors agree on the base model iPhone 17 having an A19 chip now.

Just two months to go until the iPhone 17 series is official.
This article, "iPhone 17 Has Another Chip-Related Rumor Reversal" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Transcend today announced the launch of the ESD420, a portable SSD that includes a magnetic attachment designed to work with MagSafe iPhones.


The ESD420 can be attached to the back of a MagSafe-compatible iPhone and connected using the appropriate cable, such as a USB-C to USB-C cable. It supports ‌iPhone‌ video recording features that require an external SSD, such as 4K ProRes video recording.

Transcend designed the SSD to be compact and portable, and it weighs 48 grams. Transcend says that it offers military-grade drop resistance so that it can withstand shocks and falls, and it is meant to match the ‌iPhone‌ with gold and space gray color options available. Because there is a magnet inside, the SSD can also be attached to other magnetic surfaces for storage purposes.

The ESD420 comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities. It supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it comes formatted in the exFAT file system. More information is available on Transcend's website.
This article, "Transcend Launches SSD With MagSafe Compatibility" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple recently updated its website with a list of products eligible for upcoming 2025 sales tax holidays in select U.S. states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.


The tax-free holidays will occur in late July to early August, with the exact dates per state and other details outlined on Apple's website.

Sales tax holidays provide a limited-time opportunity to purchase select Apple products online or in stores without paying sales tax. Apple says tax savings may not appear during checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

Apple products that are eligible for the tax-free holidays vary by state, and there are also price limits in some states. The most common eligible products include Macs, iPads, and related accessories, but the iPhone and Apple Vision Pro are also eligible in a few states, and some states allow any item up to a certain price limit.

Sales tax holidays are especially beneficial to students, as the tax savings can be combined with Apple's ongoing Back to School promotion, which offers students a free or discounted accessory like AirPods 4 with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad.
This article, "Apple Lists Products Eligible for Tax-Free Holidays in Nine U.S. States" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple released the HomePod mini nearly five years ago, so you may be wondering when a new version of the speaker will finally arrive.


Below, we recap rumors about a next-generation HomePod mini.

HomePod mini: Timeline

• October 2020: Apple announces the HomePod mini during its iPhone 12 event.


• November 2021: HomePod mini gains blue, orange, and yellow color options.


• January 2023: Apple enables the inactive temperature and humidity sensor in the ‌HomePod mini‌ with a software update.


• July 2024: Apple replaces the HomePod mini's space gray color with a midnight color.

HomePod mini 2: Rumors

In January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was aiming to release a new HomePod mini "toward the end of the year." If that timeframe remains accurate, the HomePod mini 2 will likely be released in September, October, or November this year.

The new HomePod mini will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Gurman. He said the chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, which is much faster and has lower latency compared to the current HomePod mini's Wi-Fi 4.

No other features or changes have been rumored yet, but improved sound quality and a newer processor are safe bets. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. The speaker could also be updated with Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which debuted in iPhone 15 models.

New color options are likely as well.
This article, "HomePod Mini 2 Expected Later This Year With These New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today provided developers with the third betas of upcoming visionOS 2.6, tvOS 18.6, and watchOS 11.6 updates for testing purposes. The software comes two weeks after Apple released the second betas.


The betas are available to registered developers at the current time, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on each device.

There's no word on what's included in the beta updates at this time and no features were discovered in the first two beta rounds, but we'll update this article if anything new is found.
This article, "Apple Seeds Third Betas of visionOS 2.6, tvOS 18.6, and watchOS 11.6" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the second ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6 beta.


Developers can opt-in to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app. An Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer account is required to get the beta.

There's no word yet on what's included in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6, and no new features were discovered in the first two betas. Apple's work on ‌macOS Sequoia‌ is winding down as it focuses on macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's coming in the fall.
This article, "Apple Seeds Third Beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming two weeks after Apple seeded the second betas.


iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

No notable new features were found in the first two iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 betas, so it's not clear what might be added in the update, though there are some changes to the App Store in the EU due to the DMA. Rumors suggest that Apple wanted to expand Apple Intelligence to China with iOS 18.6, but regulatory hurdles have delayed the launch.

iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 likely focus on smaller changes and bug fixes, and we'll update this article should anything new be found in the third beta.

Apple is winding down work on iOS 18 and is focusing on iOS 26. ‌iOS 26‌ is in beta testing right now and is set to launch in September alongside new iPhone 17 models.
This article, "Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 18.6 to Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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