Along with the launch of new Apple Watch models, Apple is releasing watchOS 26 in just under a couple of months, and the software update is bringing several new features that should make all compatible Apple Watch models smarter and more helpful.


Provided you own a model that supports watchOS 26, here are 10 new things you'll be able to do with your Apple Watch when the software rolls around in September.

• Auto-adjust speaker volume: When not in silent mode, your Apple Watch will automatically adjust the volume of incoming notifications, calls, and Siri responses based on the ambient noise around you.



• Wrist flick back to watch face: A wrist flick gesture on newer Apple Watch models allows one-handed notification dismissal. You can turn your wrist over and back to dismiss notifications, silence timers and alarms, or return to the watch face.



• Get seconds in always-on display mode: On Apple Watch Series 10 models, more watch faces that count the seconds between minutes will continue to tick over in real time when always-on display mode is active (i.e. when your wrist isn't raised).



• Translate messages: watchOS 26 supports Live Translation in the Messages app with ‌Apple Intelligence‌, automatically translating incoming texts and responses. The feature works on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 with a supported ‌iPhone‌.



• Smart Stack hints: The Smart Stack will now offer you hints using contextual data, sensor info, and routine patterns for actionable suggestions. These appear as visual prompts on the display, such as Backtrack in remote locations or workout suggestions when arriving at fitness locations.



• Reset Control Center: In watchOS 26, Apple has added a new option that lets you reset your Apple Watch's Control Center if you want to revert back to the default layout.



• Workout music picked for you: As part of the Workout app revamp, there's a new option that allows your watch to automatically play music based on what you listen to and the type of workout (unless media is already playing).



• Get Workout milestone alerts: As part of the new optional Workout Buddy feature, you can receive celebratory alerts for when you hit a new milestone – like running 500 miles and more.



• Create Apple Notes: In ‌watchOS 26‌, the Notes app finally comes to Apple Watch with functionality including pinning, unlocking, and creating notes via ‌Siri‌ or dictation. There's also a handy new Create Note widget to add to your watch's Control Center.



• Read what's being said in Live Listen: When the Live Listen feature is enabled on your iPhone, your Apple Watch will deliver a real-time transcription of any speech that's being picked up on your iPhone's microphone.

Note: watchOS 26 is currently in developer beta testing, with a general release expected this fall alongside the iOS 26 rollout for iPhones.
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This week's best deals include all-time low prices on AirPods 4 and Apple Watch SE, plus great deals on the M4 MacBook Air and Apple Pencil Pro.

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.

AirPods 4

• What's the deal? Get $39 off AirPods 4


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week has brought back the all-time low Prime Day prices on Apple's AirPods 4, available for $89.99, down from $129.00, and the AirPods 4 with ANC for $119.99, down from $179.00.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Get $150 off M4 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has a few M4 MacBook Air models at solid second-best prices this week, offering $150 off both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes of the computer.

Apple Watch

• What's the deal? Get up to $100 off Apple Watch SE and Series 10


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week introduced a few discounts across the Apple Watch SE and Series 10 models, with up to $100 in savings on these wearables.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Get $30 off Apple Pencil Pro


• Where can I get it? Amazon

The Apple Pencil Pro is still available for $99.00 this week on Amazon, down from $129.00, which remains the best price we've tracked to date.

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 today announced it will be opening a new store at the Touchwood Solihull shopping center in Solihull, a town near Birmingham in England.


Apple's existing store in the mall will be permanently closing on Thursday, July 24, at 6 p.m. local time, according to the company. The new store replacing it will hold its grand opening on Saturday, July 26 at 9 a.m. local time.

Apple first opened a store at Touchwood Solihull in 2007, so it has been serving customers there for nearly 18 years. The new store will have a modern design, with Apple now preferring to use engineered wood as its primary material of choice, rather than stainless steel. The new store is significantly larger than the current one, and it will likely be equipped with an Apple Pickup station for customers to collect online orders.

The new store will be located directly across the hall from Apple's existing location, in the Crescent Arcade section of the mall. Apple is taking over a unit previously occupied by Topshop, next to clothing retailer Superdry.

It has been a fairly busy year for Apple retail in the UK. Earlier this year, Apple opened a redesigned store at the Trafford Centre, near Manchester. And next month, Apple will be permanently closing its store in central Bristol.

Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!
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Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely dates. Like the iPhone 16 series, this year's lineup is expected to include four models – but with a twist. The ‌Plus device is being replaced with an all-new ultra-thin model, while the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max are set to feature new rear camera designs.


To bring you up to speed, we've summarized below the biggest iPhone 17 rumors we've covered so far here on MacRumors. For more details, follow the links, or dive into our dedicated device roundups using the tags at the bottom of this article.

1. All-New iPhone 17 Air

Apple is preparing to shake up the iPhone lineup with an ultra-thin model currently referred to as the iPhone 17 Air. While that name isn't official, what is clear from multiple reports is that it is expected to measure just 5.5mm thick (not including the camera bump), making it the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made. The device will replace the iPhone 17 Plus in this year's lineup altogether. Apple is positioning this model around its design – sleek, minimal, and unlike anything else in the range. It won't match the iPhone 17 Pro models in horsepower or cutting-edge features, but its standout look could make it the most talked-about iPhone of 2025.

2. Display Size Changes

Apple's iPhone 17 lineup will include four iPhones, and two of those are going to have all-new display sizes. The ‌iPhone 17‌ will feature a larger 6.27-inch display, which will make it the same size as the current iPhone 16 Pro display. The ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a 6.6-inch display, which means it will be larger than the iPhone 17 but smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

3. Rear Camera Layout

Viewed from the rear, the standard iPhone 17 will look a lot like the current iPhone 16, with two vertical rear cameras positioned in a pill-shaped camera bump. However, the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to feature a new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, with the bar spanning the back of the iPhone, Google Pixel-style. Despite the change, the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to retain a triangular lens arrangement within the bar.

4. Faster Displays

Apple intends to expand ProMotion to all iPhone 17 models, allowing the devices to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video. 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.

5. Chassis Material Changes

Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames. This year, however, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature aluminum frames, with a glass section on the back of the devices to preserve MagSafe and Qi wireless charging support. The base iPhone 17 is also expected to have aluminum, while the all-new iPhone 17 Air is said to be the sole model to feature a titanium chassis.

6. New Wi-Fi 7 Chip

The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are said to be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip for the first time. Wi-Fi 7 support would allow the devices 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.

7. Rear Camera Enhancements

The iPhone 17 Pro models will have a new 48-megapixel Telephoto lens. The upgraded Telephoto will make the premium devices the first iPhones to have a rear camera system composed entirely of 48-megapixel lenses, allowing them to capture even more photographic detail. The new 48MP sensor should also allow for digital cropping to simulate longer focal lengths, offering less quality loss than normal digital zoom. The all-new iPhone 17 Air will have a single-lens 48-megapixel rear camera. We are not aware of any changes to base iPhone 17's dual-lens camera system with a Wide camera and an Ultra Wide camera.

8. Selfie Camera

All iPhone models coming in 2025 are rumored to have an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, which is an improvement over the 12-megapixel front-facing camera in the iPhone 16 models. The camera will notably improve image quality, and allow for more cropping in without a loss of quality. The camera is also said to have a six-element lens, up from a five-element lens, which should also slightly enhance image quality.

9. Anti-Reflective Display

The iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to feature a new scratch resistant anti-reflective display layer, but the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air models are expected to miss out. Current iPhone models have a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating and a Ceramic Shield, but Apple hasn't focused on anti-reflectivity for the ‌iPhone‌ display like it has for iPad and Mac displays. It's supposedly more scratch resistant than the current Ceramic Shield, so the ‌iPhone 17‌ models that use it may be able to better hold up to wear and tear.

10. Increased RAM

The iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 17 Air are expected to include 12GB RAM, an improvement over the 8GB RAM in the current high-end iPhone 16 models. Rumors suggest the standard iPhone 17 will remain at 8GB RAM like its predecessor. Any increase in RAM should result in 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.

11. Dynamic Island Changes

One rumor suggests Apple's iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, although the rumor lacks specific details. It was initially rumored that the iPhone 17 Pro Max might have a smaller Dynamic Island area compared to earlier iPhone models, but it was later reported that such a change might not be happening until the iPhone 18 Pro models. Another source has claimed that any reduction in the size of the Dynamic Island will come to all iPhone 17 models. If so, it will be the first change since the feature was introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro models in 2022.

12. Faster Processors

The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are expected to feature Apple's new A19 chip, while the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will get the A19 Pro chip. Both of those chips are said to be manufactured with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, known as N3P. Compared to earlier versions of 3nm chips, the N3P chips offer increased performance efficiency and increased transistor density.

13. Improved Thermal Performance

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.

14. New Video Recording Features

According to one rumor, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will allow users to record video with the front and rear cameras simultaneously, which would be useful for content creators. Some apps on the App Store, such as Snapchat, enable this capability, but this leak suggests it will be a built-in Camera app feature. Apple has also allegedly tested 8K video recording for the iPhone 17 Pro models, which would allow videographers to record using the Ultra Wide camera and then crop in 50% and still achieve 4K resolution.

15. Faster Wireless Charging

Apple's 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.

16. New Colors Lineup

The base iPhone 17 model is rumored to be coming in six colors, comprised of the existing Black and White colors, and four new ones: Steel Gray, Green, Purple, and Light Blue. The all-new iPhone 17 Air is said to be coming in Black, White, Light Blue, and Light Gold. As for the iPhone 17 Pro models, Black, White (or Liquid Glass?), and Gray are said to be accompanied by new Dark Blue and Orange colors.
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Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared multiple videos showing off what he claimed to be re-created renderings of what was then presumed to be called iOS 19 and which was eventually unveiled by Apple as iOS 26 at WWDC in June.


In his first video back in January, Prosser showed off a Camera app redesign with a simpler set of buttons for moving between photo and video modes, and he followed that up with a March episode of his Genius Bar podcast where he showed off the Messages app, complete with round navigation buttons at the top and rounded corners around the keyboard.

And he wrapped things up with an April video that gave a more complete look at the Liquid Glass redesign that ultimately debuted in ‌iOS 26‌, with rounder, glass-like interface elements, pill-shaped tab bars at the bottom of certain Apple apps, and more.

While the Camera app redesign didn't exactly match what Apple unveiled for ‌iOS 26‌, the general idea was correct and much of what else Prosser showed was pretty close to spot on, and Apple clearly took notice as the company filed a lawsuit today (Scribd link) against Prosser and Michael Ramacciotti for misappropriation of trade secrets.

Apple's complaint outlines what it claims is the series of events that led to the leaks, which centered around a development iPhone in the possession of Ramacciotti's friend and Apple employee Ethan Lipnik. According to Apple, Prosser and Ramacciotti plotted to access Lipnik's phone, acquiring his passcode and then using location-tracking to determine when he "would be gone for an extended period." Prosser reportedly offered financial compensation to Ramacciotti in return for assisting with accessing the development ‌iPhone‌.

Apple says Ramacciotti accessed Lipnik's development ‌iPhone‌ and made a FaceTime call to Prosser, showing off ‌iOS 26‌ running on the development ‌iPhone‌, and that Prosser recorded the call with screen capture tools. Prosser then shared those videos with others and used them to make re-created renders of ‌iOS 26‌ for his videos.

Lipnik's phone contained a "significant amount of additional Apple trade secret information that has not yet been publicly disclosed," and Apple says it does not know how much of that information is in the possession of Prosser and Ramacciotti.

In order to protect its trade secrets, Apple has filed the lawsuit to request an injunction against further disclosure of Apple's confidential trade secret information and is seeking damages over the misappropriation of them.

Lipnik's employment with Apple has already been terminated over his failure to follow the company's policies to protect development and unreleased devices and software. Lipnik also failed to disclose the breach to Apple once he learned of it through others who recognized his apartment in the recorded ‌FaceTime‌ call, with Apple learning of the details from an anonymous email.

Update 8:55 pm: In replies to our tweet about this story, Prosser takes issue with Apple's presentation of the events, claiming he was "unaware of the situation playing out" and saying he is "looking forward to being able to speak to Apple about it."




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After poaching one of Apple's top artificial intelligence executives with a $200 million pay package to lure him away from the company, Meta has now hired two of his subordinates, Bloomberg reports.


Apple's Mark Lee and Tom Gunter are set to join Meta's Superintelligence Labs team, a newly established division tasked with building advanced AI systems capable of performing at or beyond human-level intelligence.

Earlier this month, Ruoming Pang joined Meta. Until recently, he led Apple's foundation models team. Models developed by Pang's team are used for Apple Intelligence features like email summaries, Priority Notifications, and Genmoji. Lee was Pang's first hire at Apple, while Gunter was apparently known as one of the team's most senior members.

Meta has been spending heavily on new staff and engineers to keep up with advancements from OpenAI and Google. Apple is reportedly now offering some engineers raises in an effort to retain them, but they are still substantially less than Meta's offers.

Bloomberg notes that the three departures "reflect the continuing turmoil at the Apple Foundation Models team." Apple is now believed to be considering a major change of strategy by using external models from the likes of OpenAI or Anthropic to power Siri and other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features due to the shortcomings of its own models.

Apple is simultaneously developing versions with both its own models and third-party technology, and has not yet decided which to use as the foundation for ‌Apple Intelligence‌ beginning next year.
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NBC-owned streaming service Peacock is increasing its prices, and the ad-supported plan will soon be $3 more expensive. According to Variety, Peacock's ad-supported plan will be priced at $10.99 per month starting on July 23.


The Premium Plus plan that features limited ads in live programming is also increasing in price from $13.99 to $16.99. Yearly pricing for the Premium plan will be $110, and the Premium Plus yearly price will be $170.

This is the third price increase that Peacock has introduced in the last three years, and Variety claims that NBCUniversal executives believe that the service is underpriced compared to competing streaming services.

At $11 per month, Peacock's ad-supported tier will be more expensive than ad-supported options from Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Paramount+. Peacock is testing a lower-priced "Select" plan that features NBC and Bravo current seasons and a limited number of library titles. The plan will be priced at $7.99 per month.

While price increases will hit new subscribers on July 23, existing subscribers can expect to have to pay the higher fees starting after August 22 depending on their next billing date.
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Apple Arcade is celebrating SpongeBob SquarePants this month, and several ‌Apple Arcade‌ titles will be updated with special SpongeBob-themed events.


Snake.io+ and Crossy Road Castle will temporarily gain SpongeBob characters. In Snake.io+, players can play underwater levels to unlock skins inspired by SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, and Plankton. The event launches today, and will last until August 25.

In Crossy Road Castle, players can race through 40 Bikini Bottom-themed levels, playing as SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, or Sandy. Players are tasked with collecting Krabby Patties and avoiding jellyfish. The Krabby Patty Kollectathon event starts on July 21, and the Jellyfish Jam that runs August 4 through August 17 will follow.

Dedicated ‌Apple Arcade‌ SpongeBob Game SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit is also getting a new endless mode that features increasingly difficult levels with no checkpoints and no extra lives.

‌Apple Arcade‌ features more than 200 games, many of which receive regular updates. The service is priced at $6.99 per month, and it has no ads or in-app purchases.
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Today is World Emoji Day, and Emojipedia's dedicated Emojitracker has a real-time list of the emoji that are most popular in the United States and other countries. Here are the top 10 most popular emoji in the U.S.:


The red heart is the number one emoji across all countries, followed by the checkmark, fire, sparkles, loudly crying face, and skull.

Emojipedia's Emojitracker tool shows the most popular 1,000 emoji globally and across select countries like the United States, UK, India, Brazil, Philippines, France, Germany, Australia, and Japan.

The tool used to aggregate data from Twitter, but it now tracks the emoji that are copied from Emojipedia and the GetEmoji websites in real time.

Earlier today, Apple announced the launch of a new Emoji-themed game that's available to Apple News+ subscribers, plus the Unicode Consortium confirmed the new Unicode 17 emoji that will come to iOS 26 in the future.

With ‌iOS 26‌, Apple will introduce a new emoji-inspired Genmoji feature that will let users combine two or more emoji characters together to generate a new image that can be used in Messages conversations.
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OpenAI today launched ChatGPT agent, a new agentic model that is able to think proactively and complete computer-based tasks on the user's behalf.


The ChatGPT agent is in the same family as o3. It combines several existing ChatGPT features, and it can do things like research and generate reports, execute code using Terminal, generate slides and spreadsheets, and connect to external data sources and applications.

OpenAI gives several examples of how ChatGPT agent can be used:

• Look at my calendar and brief me on upcoming client meetings based on recent news.


• Plan and buy ingredients to make Japanese breakfast for four.


• Analyze three competitors and create a slide deck.

The ChatGPT agent uses its own virtual computer, and it will navigate websites, filter results, prompt users to log into websites when needed, and deliver summaries of its findings. It is designed to seek permission before taking any "actions of consequence," and OpenAI says that users can interrupt tasks to add extra instructions, and stop tasks at any point.

ChatGPT agent is rolling out starting today for Pro, Plus, and Team users. Just select "agent mode" from the dropdown menu in the composer during a conversation. ChatGPT users are able to transition between conversations and action requests within the same chat.

Pro users will get access by the end of today, while Plus and Team users will get access over the next few days. OpenAI plans to add the functionality for Enterprise and Education users in the coming weeks. Pro users have access to 400 messages per month, and other paid users will get 40 messages monthly with additional usage available through flexible credit-based options.
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Video hosting and sharing platform Vimeo today announced the launch of an updated Apple TV app, bringing Vimeo back to the Apple TV App Store for the first time in two years.


The updated Vimeo app has been rebuilt, and it is available on ‌Apple TV‌ units that are running tvOS 18 or higher. The Vimeo app supports discovering, searching for, and watching videos that have been uploaded to Vimeo.

It includes a Library, and Watch Later list, and a section for On Demand purchases, as well as Staff Picks. Enhanced playback with chapters, speed controls, and multi-language options, and 4K support is available.

While the Vimeo app was missing from the ‌Apple TV‌ ‌App Store‌, Vimeo users had to AirPlay from the Vimeo app on an iPhone or an iPad to watch videos on a bigger display. Vimeo says that its community has been asking for the return of the ‌Apple TV‌ app for watching premium, ad-free content.

Vimeo is free to use, but it offers paid Starter, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise plans starting at $20 per month for video creators.
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In an interview this week with CNBC's Alex Sherman, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that Apple, NBC, and ESPN have each bid on the media rights to MLB's "Sunday Night Baseball" package, for the 2026 through 2028 seasons.


Manfred said he plans to choose a winning bidder for "Sunday Night Baseball" within the month, and the rights could be split up between two bidders.

ESPN held the rights to "Sunday Night Baseball" through the 2028 season, but the network and MLB mutually opted out of the $550-million contract earlier this year, so ESPN's rights now expire after the 2025 season. Apple is now looking to pick up those final three seasons, along with NBC, and even ESPN is looking to renegotiate a deal.

Apple TV+ already streams MLB's Friday Night Baseball games, and the service could offer Sunday Night Baseball too if Apple wins the rights.

Following the 2028 season, all regional and national MLB media rights will be expired, and the league is hoping to table a bigger all-in-one package of rights. Apple would likely be very interested in such a package, as it would allow the company to offer an MLB equivalent of MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app. However, MLB is much bigger than MLS, so it remains to be seen if MLB would be willing to go all-in with Apple.

Apple continues to push into sports content, with the company reportedly likely to secure the rights to Formula 1 racing. In the past, the company unsuccessfully bid on NFL's "Sunday Ticket" package, and on the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
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In celebration of World Emoji Day, the Unicode Consortium this week confirmed the new emoji characters that will be added to Unicode 17 in the fall.


Emoji characters that are coming include trombone, treasure chest, distorted face, hairy creature (aka Bigfoot or Sasquatch), fight cloud, apple core, orca, and ballet dancers.

After Unicode 17 is released later this year, artists at Apple will begin creating new emoji characters in the Apple emoji style. It takes several months for Apple to introduce new emoji after a Unicode update, so we can expect to see these characters next spring.

Apple will add the emoji to an iOS 26 update next year, likely in iOS 26.4. Apple most recently added new emoji in iOS 18.4, an update that came out in late March.

iOS 18.4 introduced the Unicode 16 emoji, which included bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.


The Unicode Consortium releases Unicode updates on a yearly basis, adding new emoji characters each time. Anyone can submit an emoji proposal that the Consortium will consider.
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It looks like Apple's foldable iPhone will have some "crease-free" competition.


Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Samsung's next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 8 will use the same laser-drilled metal display plate as the foldable iPhone, with the component to be supplied by South Korean company Fine M-Tec.

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 7 still has a visible crease in the middle of its inner screen. However, Kuo said that Apple's stricter crease-free requirement for the foldable iPhone has essentially raised the bar for foldable devices, so it sounds like next year's Galaxy Z Fold 8 will feature a "crease-free" screen as well.

Earlier this week, Kuo said the laser-drilled metal plate can disperse the stress generated by bending, allowing for a "crease-free" screen.

The foldable iPhone's inner screen will be supplied by Samsung, according to Kuo, but it is the Fine M-Tec plate that will enable the "crease-free" feat.

Kuo said Apple is aiming to start mass production of the foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026, so the device should finally launch next year. He expects the device to 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.
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Apple today shared a new iPhone 16 ad that highlights the Clean Up feature that's available in the Photos app. In the spot, a man snaps a photo of a woman with her cat, and then removes the cat from the image using Clean Up.


Both the cat and the woman are upset with the change, so he undoes it, demonstrating the reversible nature of the feature.

Clean Up is an Apple Intelligence tool that is able to remove unwanted and distracting objects from a photo. It is accessible through the editing interface in the ‌Photos‌ app. You can swipe over whatever you want removed in an image, and the Clean Up tool will do its best to replace it by cloning the background and other elements of the photo.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is available on the iPhone 15 Pro models, the ‌iPhone 16‌ models, and it will be available on the upcoming iPhone 17 models.
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A new rumor out of China today has sparked speculation that Apple may be readying a unique new iPhone 17 Pro color that somehow reflects the new design language of its iOS 26 software.


Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital on Thursday hinted that the iPhone 17 Pro has a "special" color variant that is said to be "connected to the iOS 26 Liquid Glass design."

The leaker, who only claims to have heard of it but not seen it, seems to believe that the color is what previous leaks have simply referred to as white, "but it appears differently depending on the lighting."

While speculative, a white base material that subtly shifts hues depending on light and angle could add a dynamic, refractive quality to the color. Combined with the Liquid Glass UI aesthetic of iOS 26, a shimmering surface could potentially create a sense of motion or unity with the glassy elements of the software interface.

The account Instant Digital has accurately leaked Apple information before, such as the Yellow finish for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2's Titanium Milanese Loop. But its track record isn't perfect.

On Wednesday, a Macworld report claimed to reveal all of the colors that each iPhone 17 model will come in. Allegedly based on an "internal document," the report listed white as a color option for all models, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Other colors that have now been rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models by multiple sources include a new copper-like orange, black, gray, and dark blue. Whether Apple chooses different names for the colors it ultimately goes with remains to be seen.

Curiously, the leaker Majin Bu recently shared images of third-party lens covers purportedly reflecting Apple's iPhone 17 colors. A white color was not shown, but another, identified as "Transparent," appeared in its place. When asked why the transparent accessory is included in the images, Bu has equivocated, but the leaker has since alluded to another "surprise" color that Apple is currently still testing, without giving anything else away.

In a change to last year's all-titanium iPhone 16 Pro models, Apple is believed to be using a part-glass, part-aluminum design for the iPhone 17 Pro chassis. This could potentially usher in all-new color choices for Apple's high-end iPhone 17 models. What they look like in reality is something we'll learn in just a couple of months. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 series in September.
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Development studio CD Projekt Red today released acclaimed role-playing action game Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for the Mac, and it looks like the developers have gone all-out to make the experience as impressive as possible for Mac gamers with the right hardware.


The 2020 triple-A game has been Metal API-optimized for a variety of Macs with Apple silicon, from the first M1 models right up to the latest M4 models. The only caveat is that Cyberpunk 2077 requires a minimum of 16GB of RAM to play, so 8GB M1 and M2 chips don't get a look in.

The open-world action-adventure role-playing game lets players take on the role of V, a cyber-enhanced mercenary ready to do whatever it takes to make a name for themselves in Night City — a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour, and body modification. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition features the base game, starring Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand, and the critically acclaimed spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, starring Idris Elba as Solomon Reed. It also contains every update released for the game so far, including the brand new Update 2.3 — which introduces new quests, new vehicles, AutoDrive, extra Photo Mode options, and more.

To make the most of your machine, the CD Projekt Red team has created "For this Mac," a dynamic preset that assigns settings and resolution based on your Mac's hardware capabilities "to deliver an optimal balance between visual quality and performance."

For example, the Minimum configuration (M1 chip and 16GB of RAM) runs at 1,440 x 900 or 1,600 x 900 resolution with a target FPS of 30, while the Recommended preset requires an M3 Pro chip and 18GB of RAM, and produces an 1,800 x 1,125 or 1,920 x 1,080 resolution with a target FPS of 60.


Users with higher spec Mac models can look forward to enabling two special configurations: High Fidelity requires an M2 Ultra or M3 Max chip and 36GB of RAM, and produces 2,294 x 1,432 or 2,560 x 1,440 resolution with a target FPS of 60. Meanwhile, Very High Fidelity requires an M3 Ultra or M4 Max chip and 36GB of RAM, and produces 2,294 x 1,432 or 2,560 x 1,440 resolution with a FPS target of 60.

In addition, Apple XDR Display owners and owners of other HDR-equipped monitors will get HDR support in the game, while AirPods owners can enable Spatial Audio and head tracking. Lastly, users who want to play with Ray Tracing on can enable it manually in Settings ➝ Graphics, under the Quick Preset menu. Ray Tracing is available on M3 and newer chips.


Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition supports cross progression across all platforms, and includes the Phantom Liberty expansion as well as all subsequent patches. The title requires macOS 15.5 or later, as well as 92GB of storage when downloaded from GOG, Epic Games Store, or Steam, and 149GB of storage when downloaded from the Mac App Store. Prices vary depending on the store, but GOG currently is offering a 53% discount on the game's usual $87.69 price that ends on July 23. Note that players who already own a copy on these storefronts can download it for free on their Apple silicon Mac.
This article, "Cyberpunk 2077 Now Available on Mac With High Performance Presets" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.00 today, down from $249.00. This is a match for the best price that we've ever seen on the Apple Watch SE, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options.

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.

Amazon has six 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE at this price, including multiple sizes of the Sport Band model. Most are in stock and available to be delivered by the end of July.



Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE at the low price of $199.00 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight Aluminum colors, and in both Sport Loop and Sport Band options.



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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This article, "Apple Watch SE Available for $169 Record Low Price on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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You may have missed it, but select Apple Watch models are gaining a new Wrist Flick gesture in watchOS 26 that allows users to dismiss notifications and return to their watch face with a simple wrist movement.


The gesture works by turning your wrist over and back, using the accelerometer and gyroscope to detect the motion. With the gesture, you can dismiss incoming notifications, mute calls, silence alarms and alerts, and return to the watch face without needing to use your other hand.

Wrist Flick joins the existing Double Tap gesture as another one-handed control option for Apple Watch users. The feature can be toggled on or off in Settings ➝ Gestures ➝ Wrist Flick.

The new gesture is only available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 – the same models that support the Double Tap gesture.

Apple doesn't say exactly why older models don't support the feature, despite having the same sensors, but it does use a new machine learning model, suggesting that only the newer chips found in recent Apple Watch models are powerful enough to handle it.


The watchOS 26 beta is currently available through the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta coming later this month, followed by a general release in the fall.

This article, "New Apple Watch Gesture in watchOS 26 Limited to Newer Models" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.


Below, we've collated the key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far.

Overall Design

Book-Style

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's foldable iPhone is similar in style to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold, which uses a book-style folding mechanism, rather than the clamshell design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the foldable ‌iPhone‌ to measure between 9 and 9.5 mm when folded, and around 4.5 to 4.8 mm when unfolded. More recently, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital has said that the foldable iPhone will have a thickness of at least 4.8mm.

Display Sizes

Dual Screens

When folded, users will interact with a 5.5-inch outer display that is similar to a typical iPhone screen, while unfolding it will reveal a larger 7.8-inch iPad-style screen. The inner display is said to be virtually crease-free, thanks to Apple's use of a metal plate that can disperse and control the stress generated by bending the display. These dimensions have been corroborated by two reputable sources. According to one rumor, the inner folding display will have a 4:3 aspect ratio and use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, while the outer display will use a 2,088 x 1,422 resolution.

Chassis and Hinge

Durable Materials

The foldable iPhone reportedly has a titanium chassis, with the hinge constructed from a combination of titanium and stainless steel, according to Kuo. Apple is said to be using liquid metal in the hinges to improve durability and help eliminate screen creasing. Liquid metal, manufactured using a die-casting process, has been chosen by Apple to address these two common issues with foldable devices, according to the analyst.

Cameras

Front and Rear

The foldable iPhone is expected to include a dual-lens rear camera, with a front-facing camera for both folded and unfolded states, according to Kuo. Prolific Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station claims that the rear dual lenses will be 48 megapixels each. Other sources have claimed that the inner display features an under-screen camera (USC), while the outer display – in the device's folded state – will have a punch-hole camera.

Authentication

Touch ID

Kuo believes the phone will forgo Face ID authentication, and instead use a Touch ID side button as a means to save precious internal space. Apple has previously integrated Touch ID into the side button of the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini.

Battery Life

High-Density Cells

Apple is putting a heavy focus on improving power efficiency by slimming down key components like the display driver to make room for more battery cells, according to a Korean blog that has leaked accurate details about unreleased products before. The phone will reportedly use high-density battery cells – the same ones that Kuo believes will be used in Apple's upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.

Pricing

Premium Segment

Multiple reports suggest the foldable iPhone will be priced between $2,000 and $2,500 in the United States, which could make it the most expensive iPhone ever. More recently, analysts at investment banking firm UBS believe the phone will be between $1,800 and $2,000. Regardless of the price, the foldable is expected to tap into Apple's loyal fanbase, some of whom will view it as a "must-have device" if its quality meets expectations.

Launch Date

Late 2026

According to industry analyst Jeff Pu, the device entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn in March. Foxconn is expected to officially start producing Apple's foldable iPhone late in the third quarter of 2025 (late September), or early in the fourth quarter (October). An exact launch date is currently unknown, but both Kuo and Pu say mass production is planned for the second half of 2026. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has said he expects the device to be launched next year.
This article, "2026 Foldable iPhone: All the Leaks So Far" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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OpenAI has expanded access to Record Mode in ChatGPT for macOS, bringing the AI-powered transcription feature to Plus subscribers after its initial rollout to business users last month.


The new capability adds a simple "Record" button to the input window in the desktop app that allows you to capture both microphone and system audio during meetings or calls.

When recording stops, ChatGPT processes the audio on OpenAI's servers, generating structured notes complete with summaries, action items, and timestamped references. Microphone and system audio permissions must be enabled by the user first.

Sessions are limited to 120 minutes, with the original audio deleted after transcription. It's likely to be a convenient addition for some paying ChatGPT users, but the feature raises privacy considerations that the company openly acknowledges:

"Please make sure you check local laws and always get the right consents before recording others," the company warns in its documentation.


OpenAI also says that notes and transcripts from record mode can be referenced in new chats and my be used to improve its models, though this can be disabled in the app's settings. Team, Enterprise, and Edu workspaces are all automatically excluded from model training by default.

The feature remains exclusive to macOS for now, with no immediate plans announced for Windows or mobile platforms. Team, Enterprise, and Education workspace administrators can disable the feature through ChatGPT's settings if needed.
This article, "ChatGPT Plus Gets Record Mode on Mac for Meeting Transcription" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's all-new "Emoji Game" for Apple News+ subscribers is now available for users running iOS 18.4 or newer.


The Emoji Game was initially unveiled at WWDC earlier this year as an iOS 26 feature, but to coincide with World Emoji Day today, Apple has released the game for all ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, or newer.

The game shows words and blank spots with a selection of emoji and emoji combinations below, and the player needs to drag an emoji into the blank spot to fill in the word. If the word is "disappear," for example, you would drag a pear to the blank spot in the word. Pear could also be used to finish off the word "fruitful." The Emoji Game also uses Genmoji to offer unique emojis.

The game is limited to ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers. ‌Apple News‌+ is priced at $12.99 per month, but the whole family can use the service. Apple has been aiming to increase the number of games that are available, and the app also features Crossword, Quartiles, and Sudoku.

New Emoji Game puzzles will be released on a daily basis. The game is currently available in the U.S. and for English-speaking users in Canada. It can be accessed from the Following tab in the News app. Results can be tracked on Game Center leaderboards.
This article, "Apple News+'s All-New 'Emoji Game' Now Available" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The AirPods market appears to be flatlining in the United States, but the launch of AirPods Pro 3 later this year could boost sales, a new report claims.


According to a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), approximately 44% of iPhone owners in the United States now report owning Bluetooth earbuds, up from 41% in the previous year. Of those, 59% say they use AirPods. This represents a small gain from 57% the year before, effectively bringing the figure back to its 2023 level. This means AirPods are used by roughly 26% of all ‌iPhone‌ owners in the United States today.

While the data reflects a recovery in Apple's share of the Bluetooth earbuds market among ‌iPhone‌ users, it does not indicate meaningful growth beyond previous highs. The size of the market is increasing slowly, and Apple is maintaining its portion, but not expanding it.

AirPods face growing challenges from competitors including Samsung, Sony, and Bose, as well as a wide array of low-cost alternatives. Apple released the AirPods Pro 2 in September 2022, featuring the H2 chip, improved noise cancellation, enhanced Find My integration, and more.

‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 were offered at a substantial discount during Amazon Prime Day earlier this month, with the price reduced from $249 to $149. Best Buy and Walmart quickly matched the pricing, despite Apple maintaining its full price on its website and in stores.

The $100 discount represented one of the steepest markdowns ever for the current-generation model. CIRP speculated that Apple and Amazon may have sought to clear out existing inventory ahead of the anticipated launch of a new model. The more likely explanation was apparently a desire to drive high-volume sales through temporary margin flexibility.

The AirPods Pro 3 are likely to be announced later this year, perhaps alongside new ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch models in September. The new model is expected to feature improved ANC, enhanced sound, design tweaks, and heart rate monitoring.

The refresh is expected to target both new customers and existing users with degrading batteries or older models. CIRP says that, as one of the most frequently reordered items on Amazon, AirPods provide Apple with an opportunity to capitalize on a faster-moving product line amid slowing ‌iPhone‌ upgrades.
This article, "Report: AirPods Pro 3 Needed to Turn Around Sales Flatline" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We have just under two months to go until the debut of Apple's iPhone 17 models, and rumors have been ramping up in recent weeks. We went through everything we know so far, pulling out the most exciting rumors and highlighting some other changes that aren't going to be so great.

Top Tier

• Ultra Thin iPhone 17 Air - The iPhone 17 Air is 2025's most exciting iPhone rumor, because it's the first real redesign that we've seen to the ‌iPhone‌ in years. We got to try Samsung's competing super thin Galaxy S25 Edge, and it's nice holding such a lightweight smartphone.


• That Orange Color - The iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to come in an orange-like shade. It's probably going to be more muted than we've seen and copper in tone, but it's still a cool color we haven't seen before.


• 24-Megapixel Selfie Camera - Better selfies and FaceTime video quality? Nothing to complain about there. The 24-megapixel camera is rumored for all ‌iPhone 17‌ models.


• More RAM - The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ models are expected to have 12GB RAM, up from 8GB. More RAM is always a plus for games and future AI features.


• iPhone 17 Pro Battery Life - According to rumors, the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max will have the biggest battery of any ‌iPhone‌ to date with a capacity of ~5,000mAh, so it should last even longer than the 33 hour maximum of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Pretty Awesome

• iPhone 17 Colors - The standard ‌iPhone 17‌ is supposed to come in green and purple, two colors that we haven't seen for a while.


• Bigger iPhone 17 - The standard ‌iPhone 17‌ will be 6.3 inches, so it'll match the size of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌.


• ProMotion - There have been rumors that all four ‌iPhone 17‌ models will support 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates this year. If that happens, it's one less thing distinguishing the Pro models, but a plus for buyers who get the standard model.


• Two-Tone Pro Design - The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are rumored to have a two-material design with more metal and less glass at the back. Anything that makes the ‌iPhone‌ harder to break is a plus.


• 48-Megapixel Telephoto - The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ is supposed to get an upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto lens for improved zoomed-in shots.


• A19 Chip - The ‌iPhone 17‌ and 17 Air could get an A19 chip, while the 17 Pro models get an A19 Pro. It's still a 3-nanometer chip, but it'll be faster and more efficient.


• Improved Cooling - The ‌iPhone 17‌ models are supposed to feature better heat dissipation, which will let the A19 chips run faster with less thermal throttling.


• Better Display Coating - The ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ could have an anti-reflective display that's more scratch resistant. Anything that improves durability is a plus.

So-So

• The Camera Bar - The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ are both rumored to have a horizontal camera bar that goes all the way across the back of the ‌iPhone‌. Apple's version will surely look better in real life than in renders and dummy models, but who really wants a bigger camera bump?


• Titanium to Aluminum - Apple is apparently going to drop titanium for aluminum for the 17 Pro models. Aluminum is lighter than titanium, but it feels like a step backward in quality.


• iPhone 17 Air C1 Modem - The ‌iPhone 17‌ and 17 Pro will get Qualcomm modems, but the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ is rumored to have Apple's C1 modem. It doesn't support the fastest mmWave 5G speeds.


• Relocated Apple Logo - With the larger camera bar, the two-material design, and some rumored MagSafe changes, the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models may have an Apple logo that's lower on the device. In mockups, it's included in the design of the ‌MagSafe‌ ring, and it looks odd.


• Apple Wi-Fi 7 Chip - Apple's using its own Wi-Fi 7 chip in all four ‌iPhone 17‌ models. This may bring battery life improvements, but it's mostly an under-the-hood change that lets Apple cut out external suppliers.


• Mechanical Aperture - ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models could have a mechanical aperture that will let users adjust the amount of light reaching the lens. It's useful for depth of field in DSLRs, but the utility in a smartphone remains to be seen, especially because Apple already has software-based tools for adjusting depth of field.


• 8K Video Recording - 8K video recording could be available on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. That's a cool feature, but there are a limited number of people who need to record in 8K. It's also going to take up a ton of space, and will probably require filming with an external SSD.

Lame

• Price Increases - Base ‌iPhone‌ pricing might go up due to tariffs. Apple's facing high prices in China, and several other countries where it manufactures iPhones. Price hikes aren't a sure thing, but probable.


• iPhone 17 Air Color - The ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ will supposedly come in black, white, light blue, and light gold, with that blue being similar to the super light M4 MacBook Air blue. Needless to say, these are boring choices.


• Single-Lens iPhone 17 Air Camera - Due to space constraints, the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ is only getting a single-lens camera. It won't have the Ultra Wide lens for macro images or wider-angle shots, which limits versatility.


• iPhone 17 Air Battery Life - With a super thin chassis, the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ needs a smaller battery. Apple is making optimizations, but it won't be on par with the 17 and 17 Pro.


• iPhone 17 RAM - Right now, rumors suggest the standard ‌iPhone 17‌ is only going to have 8GB RAM, while the other models get 12GB. With AI evolving so rapidly, it's less than ideal to handicap one of the 2025 smartphones.

Do you agree with our rankings? Let us know what you're most looking forward to in the comments below. For more rumors, check out our iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro roundups, which we update regularly.
This article, "Ranked: The Best Features Rumored for the iPhone 17 Lineup" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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