On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's plan to turn Siri into a chatbot with iOS 27, alongside plans for new hardware such as an AI pin.



Apple reportedly plans to turn Siri into a chatbot that will rival Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini, and OpenAI's ChatGPT later this year. Apple's chatbot will apparently be able to search the web, generate content like images, help with coding, summarize information, and analyze uploaded files.

It will be able to leverage personal data on a user's device to complete tasks, and it will result in a much improved search feature. Apple is also said to be designing a feature that will let the ‌Siri‌ chatbot view open windows and on-screen content, as well as adjust device features and settings.

‌Siri‌ will integrate directly into all Apple apps, including Photos, Mail, Messages, Music, and TV, and it will be able to access and analyze content in the apps to respond to queries and requests. There will be voice and typed interface options.

Apple plans to power the chatbot with a custom model based on Google Gemini. It may even run on Google's servers. The ‌Siri‌ chatbot will purportedly be the key new feature in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.

In related news, Apple is said to be working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with standard and wide-angle cameras to capture photos and videos, a speaker, microphones, and a physical control button. The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape and an aluminum and glass design.

This week also saw rumors that Apple's smart home hub device will tout a robotic swiveling base, with a heavy emphasis on AI features. It is expected to finally be released in the spring, following a heavily delayed launch.

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about CES 2026, Apple Creator Studio, and the confirmation that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of ‌Siri‌.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Multiple reports have indicated that Apple is turning to Intel for future iPhone chips. Now, analyst Jeff Pu is out today with a new research note once again affirming an upcoming partnership between the two companies.

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is kicking off with another chance to land AirPods Pro 3 back down at holiday pricing (although they are going in and out of stock at this point). As far as today’s more stable discounts, we have nearly $150 off the most affordable 13-inch M5 iPad Pro models as well as a solid $150 in savings on the M4 Pro Mac mini. From there, we have added additional price drops on official Apple Watch bands, including this green Trail Loop, this Anker 5-port travel adapter at $20, and more. 

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It has once again been rumored that Apple might revive its chipmaking partnership with Intel, but the chips would be designed by Apple rather than Intel.


In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu reiterated his expectation that Intel will begin supplying some Apple chips using its future 14A process, which will reportedly be ready for mass production in 2028.

Last month, Pu said that he expected Intel to reach a chip supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone models starting in 2028. Based on that timeframe, Intel could supply Apple with at least a portion of future A21 or A22 chips for iPhones, but TSMC is expected to remain Apple's primary chipmaking partner.

There is no indication that Intel would play a role in designing the iPhone chips, with its involvement expected to be strictly limited to fabrication. That would differ from the era of Intel Macs, which used Intel-designed processors with x86 architecture. Apple began transitioning away from Intel processors in Macs in 2020.

Intel also supplied Apple with cellular modems for some iPhone 7 to iPhone 11 models.

Apple's return to Intel might also involve some Mac and iPad chips. Last year, Tianfeng Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected Intel to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip for select Mac and iPad models as early as mid-2027. For this, Kuo said Apple planned to utilize Intel's 18A process. He did not mention the iPhone.

Intel would help Apple diversify its supply chain, which could come at a pivotal time, as Nvidia has reportedly surpassed Apple as TSMC's largest customer amid rising competition for chip supply for consumer devices and especially AI servers. Apple would also be boosting its U.S. manufacturing, in line with the Trump administration's push for domestic production.
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The early theme of Apple TV’s 2026 is new seasons of existing shows. January was packed with five such series, and now a couple more are coming in February—including a big-budget sci-fi epic. Here’s everything new coming to Apple TV in February.

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A new UK class action lawsuit against Apple seeks billions in damages by alleging that the company unlawfully restricted competition in contactless payments on the iPhone through Apple Pay, The Guardian reports.


The proposed opt-out collective action filed this week in the UK alleges that Apple abused its position in the market by limiting access to the ‌iPhone‌'s near-field communication (NFC) technology and charging fees to banks for the use of ‌Apple Pay‌. The claim seeks up to £1.5 billion (approximately $2 billion) in damages on behalf of an estimated 50 million UK consumers.

The complainant argues that ‌Apple Pay‌ has effectively been the only contactless mobile payment option available to ‌iPhone‌ users in the UK since its launch in 2015. According to the filing, Apple declined to grant third-party developers access to the ‌iPhone‌'s NFC hardware and Secure Element, preventing rival wallets from operating on equal terms and leaving banks and card issuers with no alternative but to participate in ‌Apple Pay‌ if they wished to offer mobile contactless payments to ‌iPhone‌ users.

The case heavily focuses on fees Apple reportedly charges issuing banks for ‌Apple Pay‌ transactions, commonly cited in industry reporting as approximately 0.15% of the transaction value in the UK. These fees are allegedly not consistent with industry norms and were only possible because Apple restricted competition on its platform. The suit further contends that banks passed the costs of those fees on to consumers through higher charges across a wide range of financial products, including current accounts, credit cards, savings accounts, and mortgages.

Around 98% of UK consumers hold accounts with banks that support ‌Apple Pay‌ and were therefore exposed to higher costs regardless of whether they personally used the service. On that basis, the claim seeks damages on a population-wide basis. The average payout per affected consumer would be relatively modest, estimated at roughly £26 to £35 if the claim were successful.

In a statement, Apple said that the lawsuit was "misguided and should be dismissed," adding:

Apple Pay is a seamless and secure way for users to make contactless payments, and one of many payment options available to consumers. Apple does not charge fees to consumers or merchants for using Apple Pay, and banks see meaningful benefits from offering Apple Pay to their customers - most notably fraud reduction.

Apple also emphasized changes to its platform that have occurred since the period covered by the claim. The company said it has recently expanded access to key technologies, including NFC and the Secure Element, allowing third-party developers to offer contactless payments within their own apps in the UK.

The claim has been lodged with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which must determine whether the case can proceed as a collective action.
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TikTok’s future in the US has reached a major milestone today, as the new US-owned spinoff for American users has officially launched. Here’s what that means for TikTok users in the US today, and moving forward.

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Best Buy today has a match of the record low price on the AirPods Pro 3, available for $199.99, down from $249.00. This is only the second time in 2026 that we've tracked the AirPods Pro 3 at this low price, which matches the best deal we saw over the holiday season. This is a flash sale and it will end later tonight, so those interested should shop soon.

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.

This model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.



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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This article, "AirPods Pro 3 Drop to All-Time Low Price of $199.99" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The iPhone 18 Pro’s Dynamic Island is changing. And now, thanks to a new leak, we may know exactly how much smaller it’s going to be. Here are the details.

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Apple is inviting select creators to a so-called “Apple Experience” next week in Los Angeles. The event is likely to focus on the launch of Apple Creator Studio, the company’s new all-in-one subscription bundle for its creative apps.

It’s also possible that Apple announces new MacBook Pros next week, and this event serves as a chance for creators to try them out.

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AI hardware has been in the news this week, with the Apple pin report getting most of the headlines. But there was also a new claim about OpenAI’s upcoming AI hardware device under iO branding.

It’s more than eight months since former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teased it, and we’re still no closer to knowing its form factor. The latest report doesn’t exactly help, appearing to contradict what the pair have already said …

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TikTok has announced that it has finalized a deal to establish a majority American-owned joint venture, allowing the app to continue operating in the United States indefinitely.


First agreed in December, the deal creates "TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC," which will be 80.1 percent owned by U.S. and global investors, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9 percent stake. Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX each hold 15 percent as managing investors. Additional stakeholders include the Dell Family Office and affiliates of Susquehanna International Group.

A White House official confirmed that both the U.S. and Chinese governments have signed off on the arrangement.

President Trump praised the outcome in a social media post, writing that he was "so happy to have helped in saving TikTok," and thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping "for working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal."

The new venture will operate under a seven-member, majority-American board of directors. Adam Presser, formerly TikTok's general manager and global head of operations, has been appointed CEO of the joint venture. TikTok's global chief executive Shou Zi Chew will also serve on the board.

Under the agreement, the venture will handle U.S. data protection, content moderation, and algorithm security. TikTok's recommendation algorithm – widely considered key to the app's popularity – will be retrained exclusively on U.S. user data and secured within Oracle's cloud infrastructure. Oracle will also serve as a "Trusted Security Partner" to review and validate TikTok's source code.

The deal ends years of regulatory uncertainty that began in August 2020, when Trump first tried to ban the app during his first term. Congress passed legislation in 2024 requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. The law was upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2025. Trump has extended the deadline multiple times since then to let the negotiations play out.

TikTok has more than 200 million users in the United States. It's unclear exactly how the restructured algorithm will affect the user experience, but the app could end up working differently compared to TikTok in other countries.
This article, "TikTok Avoids US Ban as Joint Venture Deal Officially Closes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Did you know it's possible to take multiple Live Photos from your iPhone's photo library and turn them into a single continuous video? Keep reading to learn how it's done.


On iPhone and iPad, Live Photos bring your pictures to life by adding a few seconds of video before and after the shot, creating a living memory rather than a static image.

While Live Photos are great on their own, it's also possible to weave several together to create a video montage. This process transforms a collection of moments into a cohesive narrative, and offers an easier way to share and relive your memories.

Whether it's a series of shots from a special event, a day out with friends, or a compilation of everyday moments, the following steps show you how to turn several Live Photos into a video that can encapsulate their essence in a way that a single photo or traditional video might not.

1. In the Photos app, tap the Collections icon at the bottom of the screen.


2. Scroll down to "Media Types," and tap Live Photos.


3. Tap Select in the top-right corner, then tap the Live Photos you want to include in your video so that a little checkmark appears on each one.
   
   
4. Tap the button with three dots in the top-right corner.


5. Choose Save as Video in the pop-up menu.
   
   

That's all there is to it. To watch your newly created video, return to the Library view or find it in the Videos category under Media Types.

Note that the video will be dated to when the Live Photos were originally taken, so unless you have the Sort by Recently Added option checked, they may not show as the latest video in your collection.
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Apple has sent out invites to select creators for an "Apple Experience" in Los Angeles, California, scheduled for January 27 to 29. The event has sparked speculation that Apple will also announce new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.


Creator Petr Mara shared an image of his invite on Instagram on January 7, but it appears to have only now gained significant traction on social media platforms. Mara was also invited to an Apple event in September to test out the latest iPhone 17 Pro models.

Apple's new Creator Studio bundle of creative apps, announced last week, launches on Wednesday, January 28, so this event is surely related. Given the bundle includes several professional Mac apps, such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro, there's a good chance that Apple will use the coinciding event as an opportunity to release new MacBook Pro models too.

Also, Apple's next quarterly earnings call is scheduled for Thursday, January 29, and the company has introduced new products shortly before these calls on several occasions.

Apple in October updated the base 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip, so the higher-end models are due an upgrade. Beyond the processor, the only other notable change to the base model was PCIe 5.0 storage. According to Apple, this delivers up to twice the SSD read and write speeds of the previous generation.
This article, "Apple Hosting LA Event for Creators on January 27-29 That Could Coincide With MacBook Pro Announcement" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For now, rumors have settled on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max featuring a smaller Dynamic Island, and now a leaker has revealed its alleged size.


The account "Ice Universe" today claimed the Dynamic Island cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro models will be approximately 35% narrower than it is on the iPhone 17 Pro models. Specifically, they said it will have a width of around 13.5mm, down from around 20.7mm, and they shared the mockup image above to show what it would look like.

These measurements refer to the default size of the Dynamic Island while the iPhone screen is turned on, and this includes the extra black pixels that surround the actual cutouts for Face ID sensors and the front camera. While showing Live Activities and other information, the Dynamic Island temporarily becomes wider.

An earlier report from The Information indicated that the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature under-screen Face ID. As a result, the publication said the devices would have only a hole-punch front camera in the top-left corner of the screen, rather than the current pill-shaped cutout for the front camera and Face ID sensors. However, the latest word is that only Face ID's flood illuminator will be moved under the screen this year, meaning that Apple will only be able to shrink the pill-shaped cutout rather than remove it entirely.

According to display industry expert Ross Young, who has a very good track record, the smaller Dynamic Island will last through at least 2027. So, it could take at least a few more years until the iPhone finally gets a truly seamless display.

"Ice Universe" has leaked some accurate iPhone dimensions in the past, giving them credibility, but they do not have a perfect track record.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro: Leaker Reveals Alleged Size of Smaller Dynamic Island" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In addition to denying X and xAI’s demand, the judge also decried the case’s excessive discovery requests and disputes. Here are the details.

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As reported by Deadline, Pluribus saw a 40% viewership jump during the week its season finale got released. Here’s how it fared against other shows.

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Popular password management app 1Password today announced the launch of a new phishing protection feature that's meant to "act as a second pair of eyes" before users provide their passwords to scammers.


1Password will not autofill a username and password on a website that is spoofing another as one layer of protection, but users can get around that by manually retrieving their usernames and passwords.

To add further protection, when a user attempts to paste their username and password into a website, the 1Password browser extension will display a pop-up warning that prompts them to pause and use caution before continuing. 1Password hopes that the warning will cause users to take a second, more careful look at the website before proceeding.

The phishing protection feature will be turned on by default for individual and family plan users, while 1Password Admins can turn it on for employees. The protection is rolling out starting today.

Pricing for 1Password starts at $2.99 per month for an individual user.
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Apple claims the European Commission is refusing to let to implement App Store changes, instead using "political delay tactics" to levy unfair investigations and fines. Apple provided the statement to Bloomberg in response to MacPaw's decision to shut down alternative iOS app marketplace Setapp Mobile in the EU because of the complicated business terms that it has to deal with.

The European Commission has refused to let us implement the very changes that they requested. In October, we submitted a formal compliance plan and they have yet to respond. The EC is using political delay tactics to mislead the public, move the goal posts, and unfairly target an American company with burdensome investigations and onerous fines.

MacPaw plans to sunset Setapp Mobile in the EU on February 16, 2026. The company said it was shutting down the app because of "complex business terms that don't fit Setapp's current business model," but MacPaw did not go into further detail. Apple does indeed have a complicated fee structure in Europe, for both app marketplaces and the apps that are distributed through them. Apple allows for app marketplaces in the EU because of the Digital Markets Act, which is policed by the European Commission.

The European Commission is gearing up to blame Apple for Setapp's EU shutdown, according to information viewed by Bloomberg. "Apple has not rolled out changes to address the key issues concerning its business terms, including their complexity," the EC reportedly plans to say.

Apple says that it has not simplified its EU business terms as expected because of the European Commission's refusal to let it implement the changes.

Apple further claims that there is little demand for alternative app marketplaces in Europe, and the company said that it is not the reason that Setapp is shutting down.
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A large chunk of the United States is set to face a massive winter storm this weekend. In the lead up to that, many people have turned to the Weather app on their iPhone for forecasts.

The problem? The forecasts are often outlandish and inconsistent. Here’s why.

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In the wake of MacPaw’s decision to shut down Setapp Mobile, Apple and the European Commission are clashing over whose is to blame. Here are the details.

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A major storm system is expected to deliver significant snowfall and freezing rain across more than half of the United States this weekend, with winter weather alerts in effect in cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Washington D.C., and others.


On the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, the Apple Weather app has forecasted up to two feet of snowfall in some cities, which has led to a lot of discussion about the app and how its forecasts can sometimes significantly differ from other weather providers.

The New York Times today reported on the topic. First, it said "many weather apps" show the results from a single forecast model, whereas meteorologists will often look at many models. Second, it noted that meteorologists caution that it can be difficult to forecast specific precipitation amounts several days in advance of a storm.

As this system approaches, snowfall estimates shown in the Apple Weather app have decreased in many cities compared to what was originally forecasted, but the amounts remain significant in many areas. Other cities may experience freezing rain, sleet, or a wintry mix, and the weather could cause power outages in some locations.

Apple Weather Data Sources

In 2020, Apple acquired the popular weather app Dark Sky, and it has since integrated the app's features and hyperlocal forecasts into the Apple Weather app. In a support document, however, Apple says that it still gathers at least some weather data from sources including the U.S. National Weather Service, The Weather Channel, and others.

Severe Weather and Next-Hour Precipitation Notifications

In the U.S., you can receive severe weather and next-hour precipitation notifications on your iPhone by opening the Apple Weather app, tapping on the list icon in the bottom-right corner, tapping on the three dots in the top-right corner, selecting Notifications, and turning on both types of notifications under Current Location.
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Substack today announced its Substack TV app for Apple TV, which brings video posts and livestreams from the publications users are subscribed to. Here are the details.

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At the end of last year, Apple announced that it was expanding App Store search ads beyond the single promoted placement at the top of the results. Instead, developer paying for promotion in App Store search can now have their apps appear further down the search results list, mixed in with the usual stream of organic results.

Apple has now confirmed that this will go into effect beginning March 3, starting the UK and Japan, with a rollout across all Apple Ads markets by the end of the month.

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