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


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

There's no word on what's included in the beta updates at this time and no features were discovered in the first two beta rounds, but we'll update this article if anything new is found.
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Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the second ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6 beta.


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

There's no word yet on what's included in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.6, and no new features were discovered in the first two betas. Apple's work on ‌macOS Sequoia‌ is winding down as it focuses on macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's coming in the fall.
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Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming two weeks after Apple seeded the second betas.


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

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

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

Apple is winding down work on iOS 18 and is focusing on iOS 26. ‌iOS 26‌ is in beta testing right now and is set to launch in September alongside new iPhone 17 models.
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Apple has just released a batch of new betas for the current iOS 18 software cycle: iOS 18.6 and more have received beta 3 updates.

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In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start compatible vehicles with select iPhone and Apple Watch models. The feature is based on the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC)'s Digital Key specification, which will be receiving an upgrade soon, according to an announcement today.


Digital Key version 3.0 was released in 2021, adding support for Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology alongside Bluetooth LE. Four years later, it appears that the CCC is currently in the process of readying Digital Key version 4.0. In a press release today, the CCC said that Apple and other CCC members will be conducting real-world testing of Digital Key version 4.0 this week at an event hosted by Apple in Cupertino, California. In an email, a CCC spokesperson said the event is taking place at Apple Park.

Unfortunately, the CCC has not shared many details about Digital Key version 4.0 at this time. All it said is that the latest specification will "further improve cross-platform interoperability and cross-version compatibility" of digital car keys.


Digital Key version 4.0 should enhance the iPhone's car key feature in various ways, but we will have to wait for specific details and a timeframe.

We recently shared a list of vehicles that offer iPhone car keys, including select models from Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, RAM, Volvo, and others. During its WWDC 2025 keynote last month, Apple listed other brands that will soon offer the feature, including Acura, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Porsche, Rivian, and more.
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Prime Day is over and while we did see some of the best deals still live this morning, they are going quick so make sure you get in there while you still can – you can grab Apple Watch Series 10 at $120 off for the lowest prices to date still, for example. But there are also some fresh new deals to scope out today including a very rare deal on the 2025 Apple Watch Pride Edition band, as well as Apple USB-C cable deals, OG Apple Watch Ultra at $429 off the original price, a super rare deal on the Nomad 240W USB-C ChargeKey, and up to $170 off Apple’s latest M4 MacBook Air. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

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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 $120 off original prices. These deals were introduced last week during Prime Day and have stuck around, so if you missed them you still have a chance to get them this week.

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 $279.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $309.00, 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

• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $279.00, down from $399.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Loop - $279.00, down from $399.00

46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (M/L) - $309.00, down from $429.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop - $309.00, down from $429.00

42mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (S/M) - $379.99, down from $499.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band (S/M) - $379.99, down from $499.00


• Rose Gold Aluminum with Plum Sport Loop - $379.99, down from $499.00

46mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 10

• Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop - $409.99, down from $529.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Blue Cloud Sport Loop - $409.99, down from $529.00


• Silver Aluminum Case with Denim Sport Band (M/L) - $409.99, down from $529.00

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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Apple Maps is full of updates as part of iOS 26, including a new Liquid Glass design and Preferred Routes proactive feature.

Another notable new feature is Visited Places. Here’s how it works…

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iPhone 17 color rumors continue to surface. The latest word is that Apple plans to expand the MacBook Air's new Sky Blue finish to the rumored iPhone 17 Air later this year, according to a leaker known as Majin Bu.


Majin Bu initially claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models would be available in Sky Blue, but today they said that Apple has ultimately decided to limit the color option to the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.

iPhone 17 Pro models could still be available in a darker blue shade, according to a separate rumor. An image of alleged camera lens covers for the iPhone 17 Pro models suggests that Apple might reintroduce the Blue Titanium color that it offered for the iPhone 15 Pro models, after skipping that finish for the iPhone 16 Pro models.

iPhone 16 Pro models are available in four colors: Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.

As for the iPhone 17 Air, other rumored color options besides Sky Blue include Black, Silver, and Gold, according to Majin Bu. The leaker was most recently accurate about iPadOS 26 adding a Mac-like menu bar to iPads, but they were seemingly wrong about iOS 26 expanding the iPad's Stage Manager feature to iPhones.
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Last week multiple leaks revealed the colors to expect from iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air this fall. But now, a new leak of camera parts for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max provides a first look at the likely colors for those models too.

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Best Buy today has Apple's M2 13-inch MacBook Air on sale for $699.00, down from $799.00. This deal is available in Starlight and Midnight color options, with both pickup and delivery options.

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.

This MacBook Air is a previous-generation model that launched in 2022, featuring Apple's M2 chip and 16GB of memory with a 256GB SSD. Although a few years old, the M2 MacBook Air is still a great option for anyone looking for a day-to-day laptop, especially at this low price.



The M2 MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch display with a notch, MagSafe charging, a 1080p camera, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. When it debuted in the summer of 2022, pricing for the MacBook Air started at $1,199.00.

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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What’s a Mac app that was included on the very first Macintosh back in 1984 – long before the internet – and still exists on today’s machines, albeit with a different name?

Designer and author Marcin Wichery has not only traced the first 20 years of development of that app, but has also included emulators that let you experience it for yourself …

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Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models may have a new copper-like orange color option, according to Sonny Dickson.


In a social media post today, Dickson shared images of alleged lens covers for the rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, with the following five color labels: black, gray, silver, dark blue, and orange.

The black, gray, and silver colors likely correspond with the existing Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, and White Titanium finishes for the iPhone 16 Pro models, while the presence of a dark blue lens cover suggests that Apple might reintroduce the Blue Titanium color option that it offered for the iPhone 15 Pro models.

The orange lens cover is the most notable one, as it could point to an all-new copper color that Apple has never offered for any iPhone models before.


It is unclear if the images are authentic, or if Apple finalized these color options.

Dickson has routinely shared images of dummy models, cases, CAD files, and other components related to future iPhone models over the years, and these images have often accurately depicted new color options or design changes.

Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, so we will find out if these colors are the real deal in just two more months.
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We’re over halfway through 2025, and Apple TV+ by all appearances is having its best year ever. But one of the most important metrics in streaming has just been revealed: the Nielsen top 10. Here’s the full list of the 10 biggest shows in streaming this year, and how Apple TV+ fared.

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A web advocacy group says that iPhone users still get no real web browser choice more than a year after this was supposed to happen under antitrust legislation.

The non-profit Open Web Advocacy (OWA) claims Apple deliberately places obstacles in the path of developers, and that’s because doing so protects a large slice of its profits …

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YouTube is rolling out, or at least widely testing, a new video player design for its web experience that feels much different.

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While macOS 26 is set to bring a whole new look and feel, three new apps, and a slew of new features, it does also remove a very old feature still loved by some: Launchpad.

Launchpad dates all the way back to 2010, and lets you see and organize all your Mac apps across a series of screens. There are two main reasons some people still use it today …

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Apple is gearing up for simultaneous production of the iPhone 17 in both China and India, despite apparent attempts by the Chinese government to disrupt this.

Achieving day one assembly in India has long been a key objective for Apple’s work in reducing its dependence on China as a manufacturing hub, but has never before been achieved …

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Apple is expected to win the rights to stream Formula 1 races on Apple TV+ in the United States thanks to a $150 million bid, Business Insider reports.


The rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the United States are currently held by Disney's ESPN. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Disney is apparently unwilling to match or beat Apple's offer. It pays around $85 million per year for its current rights, just over half of Apple's latest bid.

Interest from other suitors, such as Netflix, was also reportedly "muted," leaving Apple as the leading bidder for the U.S. rights to show the races. As a result, Apple is likely to have another sport to stream on ‌Apple TV‌+ next year, alongside Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

Apple's move to gain the rights to stream Formula comes amid the success of "F1: The Movie," which is Apple's first major box office hit, earning over $300 million globally already. It is expected to become available on ‌Apple TV‌+ later in 2025.
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Samsung may mirror Apple's iPhone 17 lineup model positioning by eliminating its own "plus" model next year, according to rumors coming out of Asia.


This year, Apple is expected to remove the "Plus" model from the latest iPhone lineup due to low sales, replacing it with an all-new, super-thin "Air" model. As a result, the lineup will move from the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max to the ‌iPhone 17‌, 17 Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.

Currently, Samsung's rival lineup consists of the Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Edge, and S25 Ultra. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," Samsung could next year replace its plus model with the super-thin Edge, just like Apple. The new lineup would be formed of the Galaxy S26, S26 Edge, and S26 Ultra.

Both the S25+ and S25 Edge share a 6.7-inch display, Snapdragon 8 chip, 50-megapixel main camera, and more; there is significant overlap between the devices. Key differences include the Galaxy Edge's move to titanium instead of aluminum, its lack of a telephoto camera, and its ultra-thin design.

Earlier this year, Samsung beat Apple in launching a super-thin smartphone; the S25 Edge is just 5.8mm thick. Apple's iPhone 17 Air could be even thinner at 5.5mm. It is expected to launch alongside the other ‌iPhone 17‌ models in the fall.
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The iPhone's Dynamic Island experience is set to undergo "significant evolution" over the next few years, according to a new rumor.


Earlier this month, a report suggested that the iPhone 17 lineup will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, but little else was explained about the software changes. Now, the leaker known as "Majin Bu" appears to have corroborated this, commenting in a new interview:

I can reveal that the Dynamic Island is set for a significant evolution in the coming years. Apple appears committed to making it more functional and integrated, turning it into a key element of the user experience. This development could mark a step forward in device interaction, but for now, I'll keep further details under wraps. Stay tuned to see how this innovation unfolds.

Overall, it sounds like there is a decent chance that the ‌Dynamic Island‌ will change in some way on ‌iPhone 17‌ models, for the first time since the feature was introduced on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models in 2022. Apple is now expected to unveil the ‌iPhone 17‌ series during the week of September 8, 2025.
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Apple has secured a top-five spot in the most-watched streaming series with its original programming for the first time, Bloomberg reports.


According to data from Nielsen, Apple TV+ claimed one of the five most-viewed original streaming titles in the United States during the first half of 2025. While Netflix maintained three of the top four positions and Amazon's Reacher performed strongly in second place, Apple emerged alongside those longstanding competitors for the first time with the second season of Severance.

Nielsen's rankings are based on total minutes viewed and represent U.S. audiences only, combining viewership across connected TVs and select devices. The most-watched shows in the United States in the first half of 2025 are as follows:

• Squid Game (Netflix), 15,074 million minutes


• Reacher (Prime Video), 13,313 million minutes


• The Night Agent (Netflix), 12,219 million minutes


• Ginny & Georgia (Netflix), 10,201 million minutes


• Severance (‌Apple TV‌+), 9,275 million minutes


• 1923 (Paramount+), 8,536 million minutes


• The Pitt (Max), 8,227 million minutes


• The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), 8,165 million minutes


• You (Netflix), 8,097 million minutes


• Landman (Paramount+), 7,826 million minutes

Apple's rise in the rankings coincides with a broader trend; Netflix's share of the most-watched streaming titles declined from more than 80% in 2021 to just under 50% in the first half of 2025. The figures reflect increasing competition from rivals such as Amazon, HBO, Hulu, Paramount+, and ‌Apple TV‌+, all of which have placed shows in the top 10 so far this year. Disney+, by contrast, has not had a single original series appear in Nielsen's top 10 to date.

While Netflix remains the most consistent producer of hits overall, with a larger number of top-performing series than any other service, its share of total streaming viewership has plateaued. Nielsen reported that total streaming consumption in the U.S. grew by 6% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, but Netflix's share of that growth remained flat. Free ad-supported platforms, such as YouTube, Tubi, and the Roku Channel, are increasingly capturing viewers from traditional TV and paid subscription services alike.

Apple does not disclose subscriber figures for ‌Apple TV‌+, but Ampere Analysis estimated in May that the service has surpassed 60 million paying users globally, with the strongest growth occurring in North America and Western Europe over the past 12 months. Apple has renewed Severance for a third season.

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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.


The anticipated timing of the iPhone 17 event was outlined in the latest "Power On" newsletter from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. According to Gurman, Apple traditionally schedules its ‌iPhone‌ unveilings for the week following Labor Day in the United States. In 2025, Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1, placing the target week between Monday, September 8, and Friday, September 12.

Apple has consistently avoided holding major product announcements on Fridays, eliminating September 12 from consideration. The company has also refrained from scheduling events on September 11 in recent years. Based on these constraints, Monday, September 8, Tuesday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 10 are the most plausible dates for the event. Gurman believes Tuesday, September 9 or Wednesday, September 10 is most likely.

Gurman's projections are supported by an analysis of Apple's event history over the past decade. Of the ten most recent ‌iPhone‌ launch events, five were held on a Tuesday and three on a Wednesday.

Only one occurred on a Monday, in 2024, making that day a less likely candidate despite its theoretical availability in the calendar. The majority of Apple's fall ‌iPhone‌ events also took place during the second week of September, with the only major deviation being in 2020, when the event was delayed until October due to pandemic-related production issues.

This year's event is expected to see the announcement of the ‌iPhone 17‌, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The company typically issues press invitations roughly one week in advance.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue are attending the 2025 Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, joining an exclusive gathering of global leaders from the technology, media, finance, and political sectors (via Fortune).


Held annually each July since 1983 in Sun Valley, Idaho, the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference is a private, invitation-only retreat hosted by the investment bank Allen & Co. The event is widely regarded as a discreet venue where high-level strategic discussions take place, often laying the groundwork for significant industry deals. Historically, major acquisitions such as Disney's 1996 purchase of ABC, Jeff Bezos' 2013 acquisition of The Washington Post, and Verizon's 2017 deal for Yahoo can be traced back to discussions held at Sun Valley.

‌Tim Cook‌ has been a frequent attendee at the conference over the last two decades. This year, he returns accompanied by ‌Eddy Cue‌, who oversees Apple's Services division, including Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, the App Store, and Apple TV+.

The week-long conference draws executives, founders, investors, and political figures, offering a setting for informal meetings amid hiking, golfing, and rafting excursions. Attendees include:

• ‌Tim Cook‌, Apple


• ‌Eddy Cue‌, Apple


• Sundar Pichai, Google


• Mark Zuckerberg, Meta


• Satya Nadella, Microsoft


• Andy Jassy, Amazon


• Sam Altman, OpenAI


• David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery


• Bob Iger, Disney


• Spencer Neumann, Netflix


• Ted Sarandos, Netflix


• Brian Roberts, Comcast


• Mike Cavanagh, Comcast


• Mary Barra, General Motors


• Hiroki Totoki, Sony


• Ravi Ahuja, Sony


• Daniel Ek, Spotify


• Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber


• Brian Armstrong, Coinbase


• John Donahoe, PayPal


• Tobias Lütke, Shopify


• Neal Mohan, YouTube


• Jim Lanzone, Yahoo


• Jerry Yang, Yahoo


• Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn


• Robert Thomson, News Corp.


• Jeffrey Katzenberg, WndrCo


• Sheryl Sandberg, Meta


• Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard


• Michael Eisner, Disney


• Michael Ovitz, Disney


• Casey Wasserman, Wasserman Media Group


• Barry Diller, IAC and Expedia Group


• Robert Kraft, New England Patriots


• Gayle King, CBS Mornings


• Roland Fryer, Harvard University


• Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund


• Ivanka Trump, former White House advisor


• Jared Kushner, former White House advisor

Cook and Cue's presence comes at a time when Apple is under scrutiny from both political and industry entities, facing competitive pressures in artificial intelligence, supply chain strategy shifts, and ongoing regulatory attention.
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