Apple's Beats brand will soon come out with new color options for several of its products, according to information discovered by MacRumors. The Beats Studio Pro headphones are set to be released in colors that Apple is referring to as dark slate and pink internally. It is worth noting that we've previously seen mentions of unreleased Sand Gray and Soft Pink colors for the Studio Pro, and it’s possible these are same colors currently labeled by Apple as Dark Slate and Pink.


Apple plans to debut the Beats Solo 4 with rose gold and champagne gold color options.


The Beats Solo Buds will come in a new cream color that Apple calls "icing" internally.


The Beats Studio Pro, priced at $350, can be purchased in Navy, Black, Sandstone, and Brown. The $200 Beats Solo 4 come in Matte Black, Slate Blue, Cloud Pink, and a special edition JENNIE Ruby Red. Apple's $80 Solo Buds are currently available in Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red.


There is no word when the new Beats colors might come out, but Apple could introduce them at the upcoming September 9 event.
This article, "Beats Working on New Colors for Solo Buds, Studio Pro, and Solo 4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It looks like Meta’s hiring freeze definitely does not apply to Apple engineers. As reported by Bloomberg, Jian Zhang, Apple’s Lead AI Researcher for Robotics, will be joining the Meta Robotics Studio. And he’s not the only one leaving. Here are the details.

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Apple's lead artificial intelligence researcher for robotics is leaving the company for Meta, reports Bloomberg. Jian Zhang joined the Meta Robotics Studio on Tuesday.


Three additional AI researchers are also leaving Apple's Foundation Models AI team for OpenAI and Anthropic, continuing an exodus that began in July. At least a dozen AI experts have left Apple for Meta, OpenAI, and other companies since January.

Meta has been offering AI engineers massive pay packages that other AI companies are not able to compete with. Meta was able to lure Apple's Foundational Models team lead Ruoming Pang with a $200 million pay package. Zhang was developing automation technology and exploring the role of AI in tech products, but his team was separate from the group that is working on creating a robot virtual companion.

According to a recent report from Financial Times, industry recruiters see the mass departures from Apple as a "crisis of confidence" around the company's AI future. Apple is continuing to work on a smarter LLM version of Siri that's expected to debut next year, but it had a serious misstep with the delayed Apple Intelligence version of Siri that failed to make it into iOS 18.

In an employee meeting in August, software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that Apple has successfully developed a second-generation ‌Siri‌ architecture that will bring major improvements to ‌Siri‌ in 2026.

Apple is considering a third-party solution to power ‌Siri‌'s AI capabilities, and has reportedly held discussions with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. A final decision hasn't been made as of yet, but Apple's wavering has caused tension within its LLM team. Additional AI team members are said to be actively interviewing for jobs at other companies.
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AirPods Pro 3 are almost here, and rumors indicate Apple plans to follow the highly successful proven playbook of AirPods Pro 2. Here’s what that means.

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Apple has a new Vision Pro 2 launching soon, but two of the main complaints about Vision hardware—weight and cost—likely won’t be addressed until 2027’s rumored ‘Vision Air’ ships. Today, a new report outlines how much cheaper and more affordable that Vision Air product might be.

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Dolby today unveiled Dolby Vision 2, a next-generation version of the popular Dolby Vision HDR format.


Dolby Vision 2 features a more powerful image engine that Dolby says "unlocks even more out of your TV," plus it supports new Content Intelligence tools to optimize TV sets for a "captivating picture" based on the content that's being watched. Specifically, Dolby says that Content Intelligence will gain the following benefits:

• Precision Black reduces consumer frustration that the image is "too dark" by making it crystal clear and improving clarity in any viewing environment without compromising artistic intent.


• Light Sense fine-tunes picture quality through advanced ambient light detection and new reference lighting data from the content source to optimize your TV for the ideal viewing experience.


• Sports and Gaming Optimization introduce new enhancements such as white point adjustments and motion control designed specifically to address the unique needs of live sports and gaming.


• New tone-mapping that takes advantage of modern TV improvements like brightness and color improvements.

TVs will be able to provide higher brightness, sharper contrast, and more deeply saturated colors "while preserving the artist's creative vision," according to Dolby.

In addition to these HDR features, Dolby Vision 2 includes Authentic Motion, described as a creative driven motion control tool that can make "scenes feel more authentically cinematic without unwanted judder."

There's a core Dolby Vision 2 product that will provide improved picture quality to mainstream TVs, and a Dolby Vision 2 Max designed for the highest performing TVs. The Max product will utilize the full capabilities of higher-end displays.

Dolby Vision 2 will come first to TV sets from Hisense, but other manufacturers are likely to add support in the future. The current Apple TV models support Dolby Vision, so it makes sense that a future version of the ‌Apple TV‌ would include Dolby Vision 2.
This article, "Dolby Vision 2 Debuts With Solution for HDR Content That's 'Too Dark'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.

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.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $595.92 ($53 off). Free delivery estimates are placed around September 7 for these iPad models, but Prime members should be able to get same-day delivery in many locations.





The 11th generation iPad is mainly a spec bump for the tablet line, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage, with the same design as the 10th generation iPad. The new ‌iPad‌ starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. The previous model was only available in 64GB and 256GB configurations.

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 Up to $53 Off 11th Gen iPad, Available From $299" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple launches new flagship iPhones every year with a variety of upgrades. But after years of relatively stagnant innovation on the design front, the iPhone 17 launch will kick off several years of exciting new innovations that put an end to the recent ‘boring’ iPhone era.

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Once again, our friends over at Relay have launched their annual campaign to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Relay community has raised over $4 million for St. Jude since 2019.

I’ve set up a 9to5Mac fundraising page for St. Jude through the Relay campaign. You can visit that page to make your donation and earn some rewards in the process.

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Apple plans to release a lighter weight and more affordable version of the Vision Pro in 2027, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


The upcoming device, which he refers to as the "Vision Air," will supposedly be over 40 percent lighter than the current model. The Vision Pro weighs in at round 1.375 pounds, so a version that's 40 percent lighter should come in at under a pound.

Kuo also says the Vision Air will be over 50 percent cheaper, which could make it much more attractive to prospective buyers. The Vision Pro costs $3,499, which means a half-priced version would be $1,750. That's still more expensive than an iPhone, but it is closer in price to a higher-end Mac and could be priced similarly to the upcoming foldable ‌iPhone‌.

Prior rumors about the "Vision Air" suggest that it will have an internal structure made from titanium to reduce weight, along with a thinner design and a new battery enclosure.

Kuo thinks Apple could sell one million Vision Air units in 2027, up from 400,000 of the Vision Pro.
This article, "Lighter, Cheaper Vision Air Coming in 2027" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple’s first ‘iPhone Fold’ is still about a year away from launching, but according to a new analyst note, the company recently raised shipment expectations significantly for the new model.

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Apple plans to release a foldable iPhone in 2026, and will then follow it up with a foldable iPad in 2028, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.


Multiple sources have now confirmed that Apple is planning to release its first foldable ‌iPhone‌ in 2026, with the device coming as part of the iPhone 18 lineup. Launch timing on a larger-screened foldable device has been more uncertain.

Originally, rumors indicated that the foldable ‌iPad‌ or MacBook would come before the ‌iPhone‌, and there have been launch rumors with dates ranging from 2026 to 2028. Rumors have also varied between calling the foldable device an ‌iPad‌ and a MacBook, but it seems like all of the information about a larger foldable refers to the same product. The foldable ‌iPad‌ could have a screen between 18 and 20 inches when unfolded, with a smaller form factor when closed.

According to Kuo, Apple is using ultra-thin cover glass for both the foldable ‌iPhone‌ and foldable ‌iPad‌, which is a rumor that we've heard before. Corning will supply the ultra-thin cover glass, but General Interface Solutions (GIS) will work with Corning on cutting, corner treatments, inspection, packaging, and shipping.

Kuo expects Apple to sell somewhere between 8 to 10 million foldable iPhones in 2026, and up to 25 million in 2027. The larger-screened foldable is not expected to sell as well because Kuo says it will be priced "considerably higher" than the foldable ‌iPhone‌.
This article, "Foldable iPhone Coming in 2026, Foldable iPad to Follow in 2028" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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As a techie, it’s easy to get caught up in the trap of buying the most expensive devices with the most features. And, for the most part, it’s still a problem. That said, I recently made the decision to switch to Apple’s , the budget model with an A16 chip. I’m pleasantly surprised with how incredibly useful it truly is – while costing less than a third of an .

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Apple has just released another wave of beta updates for its forthcoming major software versions, including beta 9 for iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, and more.

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Contrary to expectations, Apple is rolling out a new wave of developer betas ahead of next week’s “Awe Dropping” event. Here’s what to expect.

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Apple today provided developers with the ninth betas of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 for testing purposes, with the betas coming one week after the eighth betas were released.


The software updates can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device. A developer account is required.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 adopt new Liquid Glass design changes inspired by visionOS, much like iOS 26 and macOS 26. watchOS has a new AI-powered Workout Buddy for motivation and the Smart Stack incorporates more personal context for better suggestions. There's also a new Notes app and support for Live Translation.

tvOS 26 supports karaoke using an iPhone as a microphone, improvements for using AirPlay speakers with a TV, new Aerial screen savers, and support for quicker logins to apps at setup thanks to Apple Account syncing.

visionOS 26 adds support for spatial widgets that can be placed anywhere in the space around you, along with refinements to make personas more lifelike and support for shared spatial experiences between two Vision Pro users.

The visionOS 26 beta is limited to developers, but developers and public beta testers can download ‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26. The updates will launch this fall.

This article, "Apple Seeds Ninth watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 Developer Betas" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Turns out iOS 26 development isn’t quite over yet. After only shipping eight beta versions of major iOS releases over the last several years, Apple has released the ninth developer beta version of iOS 26. We expect the redesigned version of the iPhone software to officially launch in about two weeks.

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Apple today provided developers with the ninth betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 for testing purposes, with the updates coming a week after Apple seeded the eighth betas.


Registered developers can download the new beta software using the Software Update section of the Settings app.

‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ feature Apple's new Liquid Glass design aesthetic, with a focus on translucency and glass-like interface elements. The design extends to the Lock Screen, Home Screen, and Control Center, along with menus and buttons in apps.

Apple's software includes features for apps like Messages, Phone, Shortcuts, and Apple Music, along with new Apple Intelligence features, a revamp for CarPlay, and more. In ‌iPadOS 26‌, there's a whole new multitasking system that supports multiple app windows for a more Mac-like experience.

For more on the features in ‌iOS 26‌, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup. New features have been found in each of the betas, and you can get a recap here: beta 2, for beta 3, beta 4, beta 5, beta 6, and beta 7.
This article, "Apple Seeds Ninth Developer Betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today provided developers with the ninth beta of macOS Tahoe 26 for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after the eighth beta.


Registered developers can download the new beta software through the System Settings app.

macOS Tahoe features Apple's Liquid Glass redesign, which extends across all of the new updates this year. Apple also brought the Phone and Journal apps to the Mac for the first time, and introduced a new cross-platform Games app.

With the update, Apple overhauled how Spotlight works, enabling new functionality that allows it to be used to complete all kinds of actions like sending emails without having to open up an app. There are also changes to a number of apps, including Messages, Safari, and Notes.

All of the new features that are included in macOS Tahoe are outlined in our dedicated roundup. macOS Tahoe is set to launch this fall.
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Samsung is hosting a new end of Summer sale, and it includes savings on monitors, TVs, Galaxy products, and more.

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

One of the best overall deals during this sale is on The Frame TVs, which are available for up to $500 off, depending on the size of the model you purchase. The popular 65-inch The Frame TV available for $1,499.99, down from $1,999.99.



The best monitor deals include the entire lineup of Samsung's 2025 Smart Monitor on sale at notable low prices, including up to $300 off these monitors. All three monitors have received advanced AI features, while the flagship M9 model features a 32-inch 4K QD-OLED panel to deliver deep contrast and vibrant color.



You'll also find the popular 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K Smart Monitor for $999.99, down from $1,599.99. At $600 off this is a solid second-best price on the display, which has a matte display, modular 4K SlimFit camera, and support for Thunderbolt 4.



Of course, there's a lot more on sale than just monitors. This sale also covers the Galaxy S25 smartphones and Samsung's line of home appliances, including refrigerators and washer/dryers. We've accumulated some of these deals in the lists below, but be sure to check out Samsung's website for the full sale.

TVs

• The Frame - Save up to $500


• 65-inch OLED S90C TV - $1,199.99, down from $2,599.99


• 65-inch Neo QLED 4K TV - $1,799.99, down from $2,699.99


• 85-inch QLED 4K TV - $1,479.99, down from $2,799.99


• 85-inch Neo QLED 4K TV - $2,149.99, down from $3,999.99

Monitors and Storage

• 990 EVO 5.0 NVMe SSD 2TB - $119.99, down from $239.99


• 2TB Portable SSD - $149.99, down from $284.99


• 32-inch Smart Monitor M70F 4K - $299.99, down from $399.99


• 32-inch Smart Monitor M80F 4K - $499.99, down from $699.99


• 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC) Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,099.99, down from $1,799.99


• 32-inch Smart Monitor M90SF 4K - $1,299.99, down from $1,599.99


• 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99

Refrigerators

• Large Capacity Side-by-Side Fridge - $1,099.00, down from $1,666.00


• 4-Door French Door Fridge - $1,649.00, down from $2,999.00


• Mega Capacity 3-Door French Door Fridge - $2,499.00, down from $3,499.00


• Bespoke 4-Door Flex Fridge - $2,599.00, down from $4,099.00


• Bespoke 4-Door Flex Fridge - $3,299.00, down from $4,999.00

Galaxy Products

• Galaxy S25 Ultra - Save up to $480 in instant trade-in credit


• Galaxy Z Fold6 - Save up to $1,000


• Galaxy Ring - Get up to $150 trade-in credit


• Galaxy Watch Ultra - Save up to $250


• Galaxy Watch 7 - Save up to $90


• Galaxy Buds3 Pro - Save $125

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

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This article, "Samsung's End of Summer Sale Includes Steep Discounts on Monitors, TVs, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We have a solid sense of what to expect from the iPhone 17 event next week. Still, there’s a narrative turn happening that will make Apple’s “Awe dropping” presentation feel more new than the typical routine tech announcement.

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September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. To support this important cause, well-known podcast network Relay has launched its annual fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Since 2019, the Relay community has raised more than $4 million for the hospital.


St. Jude promises that no child is denied treatment, with families never receiving a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food:

The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

St. Jude says the majority of funds that it needs to operate must be raised from generous supporters, so consider making a donation today if you are able to.

St. Jude says it has helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate in the U.S. from 20% in 1962 to more than 80% today — it is truly inspiring, life-saving work.

Relay has multiple Apple-related podcasts, such as Connected, hosted by Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley, and Federico Viticci. Hackett's son received treatment at St. Jude as an infant, so this initiative is near and dear to him and his family.

Donations can be made on the Relay for St. Jude website, with rewards such as Relay stickers, wallpapers, and a macOS screensaver available depending on how much you donate. You can also start your own fundraiser team and earn additional rewards.

If you cannot donate, consider spreading the word about the fundraiser.

Thank you.
This article, "Apple Podcasters Launch Childhood Cancer Fundraiser — Donate Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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There are still plenty of notable Apple Labor Day deals still live in our master hub right here, but today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break does have some additional offers that should be on your radar. Firstly, we have an even lower price on the M4 Mac mini with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage at $200 off the list price (now an additional $100 off). Next up we are taking a look at Apple’s 1TB 11-inch M4 iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cell model at a giant $500 off ahead of the upcoming padOS updates alongside the 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max at $730 off ahead of the iPhone 17 reveal next week. All of that and more awaits down below. 

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Amazon has a change coming soon for Prime subscribers: the ability to share Prime’s shipping benefits with members outside your household is ending soon.

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