This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: all the latest rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup and iOS 26.

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Benjamin and Chance react to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman report on what Apple is planning to ship over the course of the next twelve months, as well as the details of a near-term refresh for the Vision Pro including a more comfortable strap. Apple launches a new Emoji puzzle in News+, AirPods marketshare is revealed in a new study, and Apple sweeps the Emmy nominations.  

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin and Chance talk more about the recent controversies surrounding Liquid Glass. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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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.
This article, "Apple Continues Sports Push With Bid on MLB's Sunday Night Baseball" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.
This article, "iOS 26 Emoji Will Include Bigfoot, Apple Core, Distorted Face, Fight Cloud and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Today is World Emoji Day, and the organization that decides which new emoji your iPhone gets has announced this year’s latest crop. Here are the new emoji that will be added in an upcoming version of iOS 26.

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Apple has just released a new video advertising Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16, with one feature spotlighted: Clean Up. The humorous message of the video? Be careful what you remove from photos.

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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.
This article, "Foldable iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Both Expected to Have 'Crease-Free' Screen" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.
This article, "Latest Apple Ad Highlights 'Clean Up' Feature in Photos" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Recent weeks have brought a flurry of rumors related to color options for the iPhone 17, including Air and Pro models. Among the most surprising leaks: the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max may come in a new orange color, along with blue and more. Here’s the latest report, plus renders of what could be coming.

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According to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, Apple is among the companies that have submitted a bid for the rights to the iconic Sunday Night Baseball broadcast, starting in 2026.

In an interview with CNBC, Manfred said that Apple, NBC, and ESPN have all submitted bids for the Sunday Night Baseball package.

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are kicking off with a new low on the silver 24GB 13-inch M4 MacBook Air with 512GB SSD at $165+ off to join some notable back to school MacBook options. We are also highlighting the Space Black 11-inch M4 iPad Pro at $300 off the list price alongside some ongoing Prime Day pricing on Apple Watch Series 10 cell models at nearly $120 off and Apple’s regularly $99 140W USB-C Power Adapter down at $50. Plus, you’ll find the Sonos Ace headphones still down at the $299 Prime Day price ($150 off) alongside plenty of charging and other accessory offers down below. 

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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.
This article, "Rumor Hints at 'Liquid Glass' iPhone 17 Pro Color Tied to iOS 26 Design" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple TV+ has already premiered what’s arguably the best comedy of the year so far: The Studio. But now Seth Rogen has another TV+ debut coming soon—the return of hit comedy Platonic—and it looks better than ever.

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A report yesterday suggested that the two iPhone 17 Pro models could get an anti-reflective display, after Apple’s suppliers managed to overcome production difficulties.

I do love anti-reflective displays, and still have very fond memories of my all-time favorite Apple one from way back in 2004, but an iPhone one would have only moderate appeal to me …

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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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Genmoji launched last December in iOS 18.2 as a new Apple Intelligence feature for creating custom emoji. And in iOS 26, Apple has upgraded Genmoji with several new capabilities that will hit your iPhone soon. Here’s what’s new.

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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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I’m sufficiently old and grumpy to have resisted the use of emoji for a long time, wondering what was wrong with, you know, words – but I did find myself assimilated in the end.

The tiny colorful substitutes for vocabulary now make up a growing percentage of our communication, especially since Apple allowed any emoji to be used for tapback reactions ..

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More Apple chips are set to be made in the US as TSMC said it is busy accelerating the construction of its second and third Arizona plants, fulfilling a promise made back in March.

The chipmaker is bringing more advanced processes to the US earlier than initially expected, allowing it to make chips for more recent Apple products …

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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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A new report suggests that many people who belong to Gen Z use Find My and other apps to permanently share their location with groups of friends.

A study earlier in the year found that 40% of Gen Z adults share their location with three or more people, and a new piece found it was common to location-share with double digit numbers of friends …

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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.
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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.
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