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PSA! Starting today (Nov. 3), Microsoft-owned LinkedIn will expand its use of user profile details, posts, and feed activity — excluding private messages — in the UK, EU, Switzerland, Canada, and Hong Kong to train its artificial intelligence models, as well as support personalized ads across Microsoft products.

The good news here: You can opt out of having your, presumably very humble posts and professional achievements, scraped into LLM-training pens.

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iOS 26 launched to all users earlier this fall, but development is already well underway on the next major OS version. Now, a new report says iOS 27 has “major updates” coming for Apple Intelligence.

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My colleague Ryan last week expressed concern that Apple’s upcoming HomePod Touch device might be making the same mistake as the original speaker.

But while I do suspect it may be something of a slow burn, I think the device will eventually achieve a much larger market even at the same price …

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Early Black Friday sales are kicking off this week, with Best Buy joining in with deals that will last until this Sunday, November 9. Similar to other retailers, Best Buy's early Black Friday event includes sitewide savings on Apple products, headphones, TVs, monitors, video games, and more.

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

Best Buy's Black Friday Schedule

Best Buy's early Black Friday sale began over the weekend, and new doorbusters will go online every Friday in November. On November 20, the retailer's Black Friday sale will officially begin and run through November 29. We've broken down the schedule below:

• 10/31 through 11/19: Early Black Friday deals


• 11/20 through 11/29: Black Friday sale


• 11/30 through 12/1: Cyber Monday sale

Best Buy's Early Black Friday Sale

You'll find plenty of Apple devices on sale during this event, including MacBook Pro, iPad mini, iPad, MacBook Air, and more. Of course, there are plenty of non-Apple products to shop as well, including the best prices of the year on select TVs and gaming laptops.



Some of these deals will require a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, which begin at $49.99 per year. With My Best Buy Plus you will get free two day shipping, exclusive discounts, and an extended 60-day return window on most products.

Apple

iPad

• 11th Gen iPad - $299.00 ($50 off)


• iPad mini 7 - $399.00 ($100 off)

MacBook Air

• 13-inch M2 256GB - $679.99 ($119 off)


• 13-inch M4 256GB - $799.00 ($200 off)


• 15-inch M4 256GB - $999.00 ($200 off)

14-inch M4 MacBook Pro

• 16GB RAM, 512GB - $1,399.00 ($100 off)


• 16GB RAM, 1TB - $1,599.00 ($100 off)


• 24GB RAM, 1TB - $1,799.00 ($100 off)

Other Deals

• AirTag 4-Pack - $64.99 ($34 off)


• Apple Pencil Pro - $99.00 ($30 off)


• M2 Ultra Mac Studio (1TB) - $2,749.00 ($1,050 off)

TVs

• 65-inch Samsung 4K Smart TV - $399.99 ($70 off)


• 75-inch Insignia QLED Smart Fire TV - $449.99 ($200 off)


• 75-inch Samsung 4K Smart TV - $599.99 ($100 off)


• 55-inch TCL 4K Smart TV - $699.99 ($600 off)


• 86-inch LG 4K Smart TV - $799.99 ($300 off)


• 65-inch Samsung The Frame 4K Smart TV - $1,599.99 ($200 off)

Headphones

• JBL Wireless Earbuds - $79.95 ($30 off)


• Beats Solo Buds - $69.99 ($10 off)


• Sony WH1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones - $199.99 ($150 off)


• Bose Ultra Earbuds - $199.00 ($100 off)


• Bose QuietComfort Headphones - $329.00 ($100 off)

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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This article, "Best Buy Reveals Black Friday Plans With Sitewide Sales Available Now" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple’s first M5 Mac, the 14-inch MacBook Pro, debuted last month. But several more M5 Macs are in the works, and a new report outlines which models to expect next in the coming year.

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Apple TV (no longer with the +) kicks off November with one of its most highly anticipated premieres of the year: Pluribus, from the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Other highlights include a holiday-set movie sequel, the return of a star-studded comedy, and more. Here’s everything new on Apple TV in November.

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Apple is hosting a Christmas tree drawing competition, inviting iPad users to submit their creations for the opportunity to have it projected onto an iconic London building. It follows the projection of drawings created by David Hockney, which were displayed on the building in 2023.

The company says 24 winning submissions will be projected onto Battersea Power Station, home to its UK headquarters, alongside commissions from notable figures like Stephen Fry …

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We began tracking early Black Friday deals this past weekend, and a new discount has now emerged on the Apple Watch SE 3. You can get the 44mm GPS model for $229.99, down from $279.00, a $49 discount and the best price we've ever seen on this brand new Apple Watch.

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

Specifically, this is the Starlight Aluminum Apple Watch SE 3 with Starlight Sport Loop in Medium/Large. We're also tracking a $49 discount on the 40mm GPS model, available for $199.99 from Amazon.




In addition to the Apple Watch SE 3 discounts, Amazon has $99 off the Apple Watch Ultra 3 right now, which are new record low prices on the wearables. For more holiday shopping discounts, our main post on early Black Friday deals has sales on iPad, MacBook Air, Apple Pencil Pro, 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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This article, "Amazon Takes $49 Off Apple Watch SE 3 in Early Black Friday Sale" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A cybersecurity firm says it has strong evidence that hackers are infiltrating freight companies in a bid to intercept cargo shipments arriving at US ports and steal them before they even reach stores. Given the high value of Apple shipments, these seem likely to be among the key targets …

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Apple will update the MacBook Air with an OLED display for its 2028 incarnation, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman says that he expects the MacBook Air's transition from LCD to OLED to occur with the product's 2028 update, as part of a larger migration to OLED across the company's flagship iPad and MacBook models that includes the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and MacBook Air – and likely in that order.

Apple already uses OLED displays in the iPad Pro. There are apparently no plans to add OLED to the low-cost iPad. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ will be updated with an OLED display when it is next redesigned, perhaps as soon as late 2026, and it will include touch screen functionality, according to Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple is expected to update the MacBook Air with M5 chips early next year and that model will continue to feature an LCD display. If Apple follows an annual upgrade cycle, the first OLED MacBook Air will likely feature M7 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple has already started early work on an OLED ‌MacBook Air‌.

When the MacBook Air moves from LCD to OLED display technology, it will gain several advantages – brighter screens, deeper blacks with higher contrast, improved power efficiency that can extend battery life, and other enhancements.


This article, "OLED MacBook Air Expected to Follow Touch Screen OLED MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced a campaign inviting people across the United Kingdom to design digital Christmas trees on iPad, with the winning artworks to be projected onto the chimneys of London's Battersea Power Station in December.


The "Your Tree on Battersea" campaign encourages participants to "express their creativity on ‌iPad‌" by drawing and submitting original Christmas tree designs. Hosted by British comedian and presenter Munya Chawawa, the project will culminate with 24 winning public entries being displayed on Battersea Power Station's river-facing chimneys and wash towers, alongside digital artwork from artists and public figures, including Sir Stephen Fry and David Shrigley OBE.

Submissions for Your Tree on Battersea open immediately and will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on November 23, 2025. The winning entries will be unveiled on December 4 at 5 p.m. on Battersea Power Station's chimneys.

To help participants create and submit their entries, Apple is hosting special 30-minute Today at Apple sessions across all 39 of its UK retail stores from November 6 to November 22. The company added that the same sessions will continue through December 22 "so that the public can get creative on ‌iPad‌ and Apple Pencil throughout the festive season." Participants can also submit their artwork from home using downloadable templates provided by Apple.

Previous years' installations featured commissioned works only, including Bigger Christmas Trees by David Hockney, created on the iPad Pro in 2023, and a Wallace & Gromit animation produced by Aardman on the iPhone 16 Pro Max in 2024.
This article, "Apple Invites Users to Design Digital Christmas Trees for Battersea Power Station Display" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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I said only recently that it’s getting harder and harder to believe Apple can deliver on the new Siri. The company’s backtracking on announcements coupled to very vague statements on revised timings were certainly not making it easy to imagine that the new intelligent assistant will deliver.

I’m not yet ready to do my own U-turn on this, and my skepticism still very much remains, but there have at least been a couple of encouraging signs in the last few days …

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Via Mark Gurman, Apple has landed on its strategy for the new Siri update coming as soon as iOS 26.4 in the spring of next year. Behind the scenes, much of the new Siri experience will use Google Gemini models.

The custom Gemini model will run on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, to help fulfil user requests. Apple has promised that the new Siri will be able to answer personal questions like ‘find the book recommendation from Mom’ by hunting through data on your device and generating the appropriate response on-the-fly.

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Support for Apple Pay's Express Mode has been added to Edinburgh city's tap-on, tap-off tram network and Lothian bus services in Scotland, enabling passengers to pay for travel without unlocking their iPhone or Apple Watch.


The new functionality went live a couple of weeks ago, and it comes after a similar rollout in August for Greater Manchester, the first time a UK integrated public transport system has implemented Express Mode outside London.

Apart from allowing users to pay for rides without having to wake or unlock their iPhone, Express Mode also bypasses the need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Users simply need to hold their ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch near the contactless payment reader until a checkmark appears on the display.

In the Apple Wallet app, users can set a debit or credit card as their default transit option under "Express Travel Settings." When Express Mode is turned on, they only need to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a transit reader to pay – no Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode required.


For most people, the card already set as their default payment method in Wallet will automatically be used for Express Mode, but this can be changed anytime in Settings.

Express Mode is available in major cities worldwide, including London, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and Sydney.

(Thanks, Joseph!)
This article, "Edinburgh Trams and Buses Get Support for Apple Pay Express Mode" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We began tracking early Black Friday deals yesterday, and a new discount has emerged on the Apple Watch SE 3 today. You can get the 44mm GPS model for $229.99, down from $279.00, a $49 discount and the best price we've ever seen on this brand new Apple Watch.

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

Specifically, this is the Starlight Aluminum Apple Watch SE 3 with Starlight Sport Loop in Medium/Large. No other SE 3 devices are being discounted right now on Amazon, or anywhere else, but if we begin tracking more markdowns we'll be sure to share the expanded deals.



In addition to the Apple Watch SE 3 discounts, Amazon has $99 off the Apple Watch Ultra 3 right now, which are new record low prices on the wearables. For more holiday shopping discounts, our main post on early Black Friday deals has sales on iPad, MacBook Air, Apple Pencil Pro, 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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This article, "Amazon Takes $49 Off Apple Watch SE 3 in Early Black Friday Sale" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.

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.

Specifically, in this article we're sharing all of the Apple products that currently have all-time low prices, or discounts that are at least very close to their record-low prices. Of course, these are early Black Friday deals, so even better discounts could emerge later in the month, but if you're shopping right now these are all the best prices around.

Apple Watch

Series 11

There aren't many big discounts on the GPS models of the Apple Watch Series 11 yet, but we are tracking a notable markdown on one of the high-end Titanium devices this weekend.

Ultra 3

One of the best all-around early Black Friday discounts is on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at $99 off select models.

SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 received its first major discount on Amazon this week, with $49 off the 44mm GPS model.

iPad

Amazon this week is taking $50 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.





Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00 ($50 off).

iPad mini

Amazon this week has low prices on nearly every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.

M5 iPad Pro

Amazon has the first notable discounts on Apple's brand new M5 iPad Pro, with the entry-level 11-inch model available for $947.00, down from $999.00.





In terms of the 11-inch M5 iPad Pro, this is still one of the only steeper discounts, with others sitting around $25 off. If you're shopping for the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro, you'll find the 256GB Wi-Fi model for $1,249.00 ($50 off), the 512GB Wi-Fi model for $1,449.00 ($50 off), and the 2TB Wi-Fi Nano-Texture Glass model for $2,298.00 ($101 off).

M4 MacBook Air

Amazon and Best Buy are hosting big discounts across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with deals that represent all-time lows across every model of the computer. In total, you'll find $200 off the M4 MacBook Air notebook right now, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.




Prices start at $799.00 for the 13-inch 256GB model at Best Buy, down from $999.00. If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $999.00 at both retailers, down from $1,199.00.

Of course, you'll also find all of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week.

Apple Pencil

You can get the Apple Pencil Pro available for $99.99, down from $129.00.



We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

iPhone 17 Cases

Amazon this week brought back big discounts across Apple's Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air lineup. Items on sale include Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. We're also tracking a few discounts on other accessories like the FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe.

iPhone Air

• Bumper - $29.00, down from $39.00


• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00

iPhone 17

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00


• Silicone Case - $37.00, down from $49.00

iPhone 17 Pro

• Clear Case - $37.00, down from $49.00


• Silicone Case - $37.99, down from $49.00


• TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00

iPhone 17 Pro Max

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00


• Silicone Case - $37.99, down from $49.00


• TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00

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This article, "The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026.


Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod mini, which are set for launch soon, will also "help showcase" next year's new ‌Siri‌ and ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

The new version of ‌Siri‌ will apparently "lean" on Google's Gemini and include an AI-powered web search feature. Gurman warned "there's no guarantee users will embrace it, that it will work seamlessly or that it can undo years of damage to the ‌Siri‌ brand."

Apple is said to be paying Google to create a custom Gemini-based model that can run on its Private Cloud Compute servers to power ‌Siri‌. Gurman clarified that this doesn't mean ‌Siri‌ will include Google services or Gemini features. Instead, ‌Siri‌ will simply be powered by a Gemini model in the background, enabling it to deliver the features that users expect with an Apple user interface.

Apple will preview iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and other operating systems at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The updates will apparently focus on major updates to ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and the company's broader AI strategy.

The company is also apparently still running into problems with the launch of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in China. Despite partnerships with Chinese companies, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in China is still mired by regulatory issues and the launch is now a "rolling target."


This article, "New Version of Siri to 'Lean' on Google Gemini" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple’s next major update to iOS 26, version 26.2, could debut in beta as soon as Tuesday, per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This would be immediately after the launch of iOS 26.1 to the public, which he reports should happen on Monday.

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A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested.


In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day.

The timing of the overnight refresh could simply be related to the holiday season, but there is a possibility that it relates to the launch of new ‌Apple TV‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ models. Gurman notes that inventory of current models has become tight, likely signaling that new versions are on the way. He added that even if they do not launch by the end of 2025, they "shouldn't be far off."

The new ‌Apple TV‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ will apparently "help showcase the new Siri and Apple Intelligence features planned for next year." During its earnings call earlier this week, Apple seemingly suggested that any more new Macs are off the table for the rest of 2025, making the new ‌Apple TV‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ the most likely candidates for any remaining Apple product releases this year.


This article, "New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Likely Launching Soon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In the latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman outlined that Apple retail employees are being asked to prepare for an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11th, signaling potential store changes on November 12th – though they might be minor ones.

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Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store, and the risk of new tariffs.

The "early portion of the year" should see the release of the iPhone 17e, iPad (12th-generation) with A18 chip, iPad Air with M4 chip, MacBook Air with M5 chip, MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and new external displays. Around March to April, Apple should roll out the long-awaited revamped version of Siri alongside a new smart home display with speaker-base and wall-mount options.

In the fall, the company will release new Apple Watches and iPhones as usual. The iPhone 18 Pro models will drop Qualcommm modems for Apple's own C1 chip. The first foldable ‌iPhone‌ is also expected to launch.

The company is likely to debut smart home security products such as a camera in 2026. A new Mac mini with the M5 chip is also expected, along with a new Mac Studio. A new iPad mini with an OLED display should also arrive, but an update to the iPad Pro is not due until 2027.

Before the end of the year, the company could unveil redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, thinner chassis, touchscreens, and OLED displays. Apple could also preview its smart glasses product before the end of 2026, with suppliers already producing small quantities.


This article, "Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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WhatsApp this week announced that it is adding passkey-encrypted chat backups, allowing users to protect their stored messages using Touch ID or Face ID instead of a 64-digit key.


The feature extends the app's 2021 end-to-end encrypted backup system, which previously required users to create and save a lengthy key to restore chats. With passkeys, authentication uses each device's built-in authentication hardware like ‌Touch ID‌ or ‌Face ID‌, meaning the private cryptographic key never leaves the phone. This makes backups both more secure and much easier to restore.

The rollout is set to be global and gradual over the coming weeks. Users can enable it via Settings → Chats → Chat backup → End-to-end encrypted backup once available. iCloud and Google Drive remain the storage destinations for iOS and Android, respectively. The move continues Meta's broader adoption of passkeys, which WhatsApp first supported for account logins in 2023.
This article, "WhatsApp to Add Support for Passkey-Encrypted Backups" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With every new Apple product launch, deals slowly crop up over time – and the MacBook lineup is no exception. The best deals tend to come after a model is no longer the latest and greatest, and there’s currently an unbeatable 15-inch M3 MacBook Air deal that’s hard to pass up on, and once it sells out, there likely won’t be any more to go around.

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Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.

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Dropla is an iPad app that serves as a shelf of sorts for your files. You can also think of it as a universal clipboard for just files. In essence, it takes advantage of multi-tasking features on the iPad, to allow you to have a universal spot to temporarily drop your files when you want to deal with them in multiple apps across your iPad.

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