We are now in 2025, and there are so many MagSafe battery packs out there. Some are multifunctional, others have software touches, some can charge your phone fast, and they all have differentiators to help you decide. But sometimes you just want a beautiful-looking MagSafe battery pack that does all the main things great, while also looking slim, sleek, and stylish. That is precisely what Pitaka was able to do with their new aramid fiber magnetic power bank. Here is what you should know.

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Apple is giving App Store developers a long-overdue tool to better promote in-app purchases, including for games. Starting later this year, developers will finally be able to generate and distribute promo codes for any type of in-app purchase, not just subscriptions. Here’s how it’s going to work.

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Apple TV+ is having a big year, with a new most watched series ever and Jon Hamm claiming biggest drama debut—but comedies have been on a hot streak too, including the latest new series.

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Apple Intelligence doesn’t (yet) offer an official chatbot mode, but in iOS 26 Apple will let power users get a chatbot-style experience via the Shortcuts app. Here’s how it works.

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MagSafe accessories continue to be a mix of great ideas and daily annoyances, but I keep trying them all. I’ve tried enough wallets to fill a drawer in my desk, and most of them get something right, but miss on a few minor things. Recently, I’ve been trying some new wallets that do more than hold credit cards. That’s what caught my eye with the , and I’ve been using it for the past few weeks.

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Apple doesn’t talk much about RAM and iPads. Popular iPad games, however, are forcing the conversation. Fortnite and Roblox, for example, are saying game over to an iPad model with a kid-friendly price that Apple sold until last year.

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iOS 26 is full of new features for the Music app, including more expansive animated album art, in-app support for Apple Music Replay, and new pinning options.

Perhaps the most impressive new Apple Music feature of all, however, is a new AutoMix. Here’s how it works.

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Amazon is offering numerous all-time low prices on Apple Watch Series 10 devices today, including both GPS and cellular models at $100 off original prices. Best Buy is matching these prices in many cases.

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.

Amazon has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $299.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. Both of these are record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and they're available in numerous case colors and band styles, all of which you can find in the lists below.

42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (S/M) - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $299.00, down from $399.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (S/M) - $299.00, down from $399.00

46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $329.00, down from $429.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (M/L) - $329.00, down from $429.00

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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One major theme of Apple’s software this year is unification, as seen in the new Liquid Glass design and more cross-platform feature parity. In the realm of improving app feature parity across platforms, there’s a great new capability in iOS 26’s Music app that had previously been exclusive to the Mac: playlist folder creation.

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Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a month after Apple released ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.5.


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, but rumors suggest that Apple plans to bring Apple Intelligence to China. There have been some regulatory hurdles that Apple is dealing with, so ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in China might be delayed beyond macOS 15.6.

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Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming over a month after Apple released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5.


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

With the iOS 18.6 update, Apple may bring Apple Intelligence to China for the first time. Apple is expected to partner with Alibaba and Baidu for AI features in the country, but it is not clear if this has been delayed because Apple is facing regulatory hurdles in China.

We don't know of any other new features expected for iOS 18.6, and Apple is winding down work on iOS 18 as it shifts focus to iOS 26. ‌iOS 26‌ is in beta testing right now and it is set to be released in September.
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Leaker Sonny Dickson recently launched Collectible Phones, a new website focused on art created from discarded iPhones that would otherwise be sent to a landfill.


Dickson's company sources out-of-commission iPhones from recycling facilities, selecting those in the best condition to disassemble and preserve. The site says that only the best components are picked, carefully glued to a backboard, and then placed in a high-quality frame.

Each component is labeled with details and specifications, so you'll see all of the information about the iPhone's display, logic board, battery, and more. Launch date, pricing, and other interesting tidbits are included too.

Right now, Collectible Phones is offering the $349 Collectible 2G, featuring Apple's iconic original ‌iPhone‌ from 2007. Each component of the original ‌iPhone‌ has a description of what it was, from the camera to the Home button. Dickson sourced an original screenshot of the first version of iOS, so you can see what the Home screen of the ‌iPhone‌ looked like back in 2007.

Each Collectible 2G piece can be purchased with either a black frame or a silver frame that's ready to hang on the wall. Frames measure in at 30cm x 42.3cm, and shipping is free worldwide. In the future, Dickson plans to add more devices to the collection.
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Last week Apple debuted its major new software versions coming this fall, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and more. But it isn’t finished with the current software cycle just yet, as the first betas for iOS 18.6, macOS 15.6, and more have now arrived.

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Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming visionOS 2.6, tvOS 18.6, and watchOS 11.6 updates for testing purposes. The software comes over a month after Apple released visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5.


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, but we'll update this article if any new features are found.
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Apple is bringing Live Activities to the Mac this fall as part of macOS Tahoe 26, and here’s a helpful compatibility tidbit: your iPhone doesn’t need to be running iOS 26 to make it work.

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WhatsApp has been talking about launching in-app advertising for many years, but today the change has finally arrived. Ads in WhatsApp are now official, here are the details of what to expect—including the finer points of how your privacy is impacted.

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Alongside a host of hangover Father’s Day deals, including $100 off iPad mini 7 and the lowest prices of the year on both AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, today’s best discounts are headlined by the M4 Mac mini. The base model is now starting down at $499 with $100 in savings while upgraded models are as much as $120 off the list prices at Amazon. We also spotted a notable $300 price drop on the 48GB MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip as well as a host of charging gear and accessories waiting down below. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve).


The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with investors.

It's been a long wait for Ultra fans. Apple skipped updating the rugged smartwatch entirely in 2024, choosing instead to simply add a black titanium color option to the existing Apple Watch Ultra 2. That means it will have been nearly two years when September rolls around since we've seen any meaningful changes to the Ultra lineup.

Pu's timeline aligns with other industry watchers who expect Apple's fall event to bring refreshes across the Apple Watch family. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested the Ultra 3 could gain satellite connectivity and 5G capabilities, features that would arguably help justify the extended development cycle.

The analyst's broader Apple roadmap paints an interesting picture for 2025. More notably, he predicts that Apple will also release its rumored HomePad tablet this year, while pushing AirPods Pro 3 back to 2026 – a timeline that conflicts with other recent predictions.

• 6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

For Ultra users hanging onto first-generation models, the wait might finally be worth it. Two years of development could mean more substantial upgrades than the typical annual refresh cycle allows, assuming Apple hasn't just been sitting on its hands.
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Apple has lost a legal challenge in the Netherlands after a Dutch court ruled that the company abused its dominant market position by imposing restrictive payment terms on dating app developers (via Reuters).



The ruling was issued earlier today by the Rotterdam District Court, confirming a 2021 decision by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), which found that Apple violated European Union competition laws by forcing dating app developers to use its proprietary in-app payment system, prohibiting them from directing users to alternative payment methods, and charging commissions of up to 30% on transactions.

The court's decision means that the ACM's prior enforcement actions still stand, including a significant penalty for non-compliance. In a statement provided to Reuters following the ruling, an Apple spokesperson said the company would appeal the decision:

This ruling undermines the technology and tools we've created to benefit developers and protect users' privacy and security, and we plan to appeal.

The ACM initially ordered Apple in August 2021 to revise its policies for dating apps distributed via the Dutch App Store. Apple was told to allow developers of these apps to either integrate an alternative payment system or direct users to external payment options. When Apple failed to implement these changes in a manner the ACM deemed sufficient, the regulator imposed a series of weekly fines totaling €50 million. The case in the Netherlands is part of broader ongoing international scrutiny of Apple's ‌App Store‌ practices.
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Apple is always adding new features to its software, but every now and then a change arrives that it’s hard to live without. One such killer feature lets you autofill two-factor authentication codes, and it’s getting even better in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe this fall.

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Accessory maker Satechi has announced that it is releasing a new NVMe SSD enclosure that is specially designed for the latest Mac mini.


The slim aluminum enclosure is the same size as the Mac mini models with M4 and M4 Pro chips, allowing it to sit atop the computer. It connects to the Mac mini with an included USB 4 cable, offering data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps.

The enclosure can hold up to an 8TB NVMe SSD, and it has a hidden compartment for storing the braided USB 4 cable. In addition, Satechi says it has integrated cooling vents and a thermal pad, for peak performance without thermal throttling.


While the enclosure matches the look and size of the latest Mac mini, it can be used with a wide variety of Apple devices, including MacBooks and iPads.

In the U.S., Apple charges $2,400 to upgrade a Mac mini to 8TB of built-in storage, so using external NVMe storage is a much cheaper option. Satechi says the enclosure will be available starting this Tuesday for $119.99, and customers can receive an additional $20 off using code LIMITED20 for a limited time. You have to provide your own NVMe SSD, with 8TB options available for as little as $500 to $700 depending on sales.

The product page for the enclosure will go live tomorrow, so keep an eye on Satechi's website.
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Apple vice president Oliver Schusser, who leads Apple Music, TV+ and Apple’s sport content initiatives, made some grandiose comments last week in a sit-down interview with the president of the National Music Publishers’ Association, David Israelite. You can watch the conversation in full here.

Most notably, Schusser is asked what he would change about the music industry if he could do it all over again. He replies, “I think it’s crazy that 20 years in, we still offer music for free. It’s a terrible mistake … As a company, we look at music as art, and we would never want to give away art for free”.

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Here’s a small but long-awaited quality-of-life update coming to Messages in iOS 26: you’ll finally be able to copy just part of a message, instead of the entire thing.

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If you’ve ever forgotten to download Spotify playlists to your Apple Watch before a walk, run, or cycle ride, a new feature should make life much easier.

Instead of having to manually download to the Watch, you can use any Apple device to queue up playlist downloads, which will happen the next time you open Spotify on your Watch. The same feature also allows you to queue downloads for any other Apple device, like an iPad …

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Best Buy this week is taking $200 off several models of the M3 MacBook Air from 2024, with deals focusing mainly on the 13-inch versions of the computer. Prices start at just $699.00 for the 256GB M3 MacBook Air, down from $899.00.

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.

You'll also find the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD M3 MacBook Air on sale for $899.00 and the 24GB RAM/512GB SSD M3 MacBook Air on sale for $1,099.00. All of these represent record low prices on the computer and right now only Best Buy has the deals.





Apple's original price on the 256GB 13-inch M3 MacBook Air was $1,099.00, so Best Buy's price today represents a huge discount on the previous generation computer.

If you're on the hunt for the newest M4 MacBook Air, some deals remain at Amazon this week. You can get the entry-level 256GB 13-inch M4 MacBook Air for $849.00 ($150 off) and the 256GB 15-inch M4 MacBook Air for $1,049.00 ($150 off).

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

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iOS 26 may be the center of attention for most people following Apple, but the company apparently has more in the works for iOS 18 before moving to the next major update. Per a new leak, it seems the first iOS 18.6 beta is coming soon.

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watchOS 26 brings a significant upgrade to the Apple Watch's architecture, transitioning the latest models to full arm64.


The change was revealed in Apple's "What's new in watchOS 26" video for developers. The Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are set to move from arm64_32 to the full arm64 architecture.

The arm64_32 architecture was a modified version of the standard 64-bit ARM architecture with 32-bit pointers, specifically optimized for the constrained memory environments of wearable devices. This hybrid architecture allowed Apple to implement the benefits of 64-bit instruction sets while maintaining a tighter memory footprint than full 64-bit systems.

The standard arm64 architecture provides 64-bit pointers and access to broader memory ranges, enhanced performance, and increased compatibility with general-purpose ARM computing standards. The move also opens the door for potentially more complex and computationally intensive watchOS applications, since arm64 provides access to more registers and system resources compared to the more compact arm64_32, as well as more direct alignment with development tools and runtime environments used across other Apple platforms.

watchOS 26 apps must now be built with awareness of both arm64 and arm64_32, depending on the target device. Apple clarified that older models, such as the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Series 8, continue to use the arm64_32 architecture. As a result, watchOS apps need to include separate binaries to support both instruction sets. Xcode automatically manages the build process for arm64 and arm64_32 as long as developers maintain appropriate deployment targets and architectures in their project settings.

Existing apps built for arm64_32 will continue to run on newer Apple Watches running watchOS 26 via compatibility layers, but re-compilation for native arm64 is encouraged for best performance and forward compatibility. It is likely that arm64_32 support on the Apple Watch will gradually diminish over coming years as legacy hardware is retired. All of Apple's other platforms already use the full arm64 architecture.
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iOS 26 has been stealing the spotlight over the last week, but there is still another iOS 18 update on the horizon, according to a leaker.


The first iOS 18.6 beta should be coming very soon, as a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing iOS information today shared a build number (22G5054d) for the beta. We do not link to the account's posts at the owner's request.

Update: The first iOS 18.6 developer beta is now available.

Apple's software engineers have been internally testing iOS 18.6 since March, according to MacRumors analytics. There are now thousands of pageviews from iPhones running the iOS 18.6 beta in our website's visitor logs, as testing ramps up.

iOS 18.6 will likely be a minor update with bug fixes and security patches, but some smaller new features are also possible. The update was initially expected to enable Apple Intelligence in China, but that has reportedly been delayed due to regulatory hurdles.

The table below provides an overview of iOS 13.6 through iOS 17.6.

iOS Version	First Developer Beta	Public Release	Inclusions
iOS 13.6	June 1, 2020	July 15, 2020	- Digital car keys in Wallet app - Apple News+ audio stories - Symptoms category in Health app - Bug fixes and small enhancements
iOS 14.6	April 22, 2021	May 24, 2021	- Apple Podcasts subscriptions - Family Sharing for Apple Card - AirTag and Find My enhancements - Bug fixes
iOS 15.6	May 18, 2022	July 20, 2022	- Restart live sports in TV app - Bug fixes
iOS 16.6	May 19, 2023	July 24, 2023	- Bug fixes and security patches
iOS 17.6	June 17, 2024	July 29, 2024	- Bug fixes and security patches

For those curious, we have not yet seen any evidence of an iOS 18.5.1 update being in the works, so Apple might jump right to iOS 18.6.

Following beta testing, iOS 18.6 will likely be released in July.

There will likely be an iOS 18.7 update too with additional security patches in September, before Apple fully moves on to the iOS 26 cycle.
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Apple’s WWDC sessions usually offer a mix of developer guidance and subtle hardware tea leaves. And last week, one passing comment during the explanation of an SDK change caught attention for what it might suggest about a particular future device.

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It had been widely expected that AirPods Pro 3 would launch sometime in 2025, in part based on reports from reliable leakers, in part simply because an update is due. AirPods Pro 2 will be three years old by this year’s iPhone launch.

But Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last month that the new model won’t launch until next year, and that view has now reportedly been echoed in a new timeline …

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The Meta AI app has been described as “a privacy disaster,” as users unknowingly make their embarrassing questions public.

One tech writer described it as like discovering your web browser history has been public all along without you knowing it …

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Apple may launch the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong, contradicting earlier predictions of a much sooner release.


Pu's Apple product timeline (via @jukanlosreve) comes as a bit of a surprise. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in February that new AirPods with heart rate monitoring were "months away," suggesting a late 2025 launch at the earliest. Code references to AirPods Pro 3 were also recently unearthed in the iOS 26 beta by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.

That said, in a recent Ming-Chi Kuo report, the analyst said AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026, when he expects IR camera-equipped AirPods to enter mass production. However, it was not clear if Kuo was writing about the standard non-Pro AirPods, and the analyst did not respond to requests for clarification.

Historically, Apple has launched significant AirPods updates alongside new iPhones, so a September event – likely shared with the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ 17 series – was thought to be the most plausible window. A 2026 release would mark four years since the AirPods Pro 2 debuted in September 2022.

Pu's product roadmap shows Apple focusing on other hardware in 2025. The analyst expects the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year, which is no real surprise. More notably, he predicts that Apple will also release its rumored HomePad tablet this year – though he offered no more specific date.

For 2026, Pu forecasts the AirPods Pro 3 launching alongside the Apple Watch Series 12 and a refreshed Vision Pro. Looking further into 2027 and beyond, he anticipates blood monitoring capabilities coming to Apple Watch and the debut of "Vision Air" and smart glasses.

The AirPods Pro 3 are expected to feature significantly improved active noise cancellation and heart rate monitoring, similar to the recently announced Powerbeats Pro 2. Apple last updated the AirPods Pro line with a USB-C charging case in September 2023.
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Apple may have belatedly responded to accusations of showing off Siri vaporware at last year’s WWDC, but the controversy is showing no sign of dying down anytime soon.

John Gruber – author of the original piece taking issue with Apple showing off features it hadn’t demonstrated to anyone outside the company – is now joined by M.G. Siegler and others …

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Apple's Terminal app is getting a visual refresh in macOS Tahoe, and it's the first notable design update since the command-line tool debuted.


The updated Terminal will support 24-bit color and Powerline fonts, according to Apple's State of the Platforms presentation at WWDC25. The app will also adopt the new Liquid Glass aesthetic with redesigned themes that align with macOS 26's broader visual overhaul.

Terminal already offers various color profiles, but the macOS 26 version promises enhanced customization options for displaying system information in more visually appealing ways.

It's a long-overdue modernization of an app that's essential for developers and power users, as it's remained largely unchanged for over two decades.

macOS Tahoe launches this fall, with the developer beta available now and the first public beta expected in July.
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The popular, previously PC-centric graphics benchmarking suite 3DMark has been launched natively on macOS, offering Mac users a dedicated tool to test their system's gaming performance.


The new macOS version includes four benchmark tests: Wild Life Extreme, Solar Bay, Steel Nomad Light, and the demanding Steel Nomad benchmark previously exclusive to Windows. All tests run natively using Apple's Metal API and produce results comparable across Windows, iOS, and Android platforms.

UL Solutions developed the macOS port after discovering that one-sixth of 3DMark Steel Nomad Light submissions came from Mac devices running the iOS version. The problem was that the iOS app's frame rate limitations, particularly on powerful Macs, could negatively impact benchmark scores.

Mac users who purchase the full version ($34.99) gain access to Explorer Mode for the Steel Nomad benchmarks, allowing free exploration of test scenes and hidden secrets. Additional features include result saving to 3DMark.com accounts, custom resolution settings, HDR support, and Steam achievements.

Existing 3DMark owners automatically can pick up the macOS version at no extra cost. Future purchases will include both Windows and macOS versions where supported, according to UL Solutions.

3DMark for macOS is available through Steam, where a free demo version can also be downloaded. UL Solutions sys a full version is coming soon to the Epic Games Store, and the app can be directly from 3DMark.com.
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Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of testing out the . You can read my full review here, but in short, it gets everything right about the note taking experience.

Despite being an e-ink tablet, it does get quite pricey. However, there are certainly some fantastic parts of the experience that make it worth comparing to an , depending on what you’re looking for in a note taking device for school, work, or whatever else.

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Apple has definitely built up quite a compelling ecosystem around the . Between all of its fitness challenges, activity rings, and competitions – Apple has certainly found a way to make exercise fun for a lot of people. The problem? Some people simply don’t like the form factor of a smartwatch.

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Apple plans to offer public betas of AirPods firmware updates for the first time.


The public will be able to test upcoming AirPods firmware updates through the free Apple Beta Software Program, with no Apple Developer account required.

"New public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, HomePod software 26, watchOS 26, and AirPods Firmware are coming soon," says Apple.

In a press release, Apple said that the first AirPods firmware public beta will be available in July.

Apple already released a developer beta of an upcoming firmware update for the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 last week. With the new firmware, the ‌AirPods 4‌ and AirPods Pro 2 gain support for improved audio quality for phone calls and video calls, plus studio-quality audio recording for interviews, podcasts, and videos. There is also an option to use AirPods as a camera remote with the Camera app to take photos or start a video recording. Plus, these AirPods models can automatically pause audio if it is detected that you fell asleep.
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Apple Watches are gaining support for custom Control Center controls.


Starting with watchOS 26, controls that are available in the Control Center gallery on an iPhone are automatically available on the Apple Watch as well. This is true even if the iOS app offering the control lacks a corresponding watchOS app. When you tap on one of these controls, the action is performed on the companion iPhone.

watchOS app developers can also create entirely new custom controls for watchOS, and in this case the action is performed on the Apple Watch directly.

The custom controls can even be assigned to the Action button on all Apple Watch Ultra models.

Until now, the Apple Watch's Control Center only offered controls from Apple, such as Wi-Fi, Airplane Mode, Theater Mode, and Flashlight toggles. You can access the Control Center on watchOS by pressing on the side button.

All of these changes mirror those introduced on the iPhone with iOS 18 last year.

watchOS 26 is currently in beta for the Apple Watch Series 6 and newer. The update will likely be released to the general public in September.
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One of the stylish visual changes to the iPhone on iOS 26 is a new layout for the lock screen when music is playing. Artwork can now be animated and shown full-screen on the iPhone display, with playback controls resting on a platter of a liquid glass.

You can try this out right now with Apple Music. Play a song that has animated album art, and lock the phone. But users of third-party music streaming apps like Spotify will also be pleased to know that Apple is opening up this capability as an API, so third-party developers can also adopt it.

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