In a move that has almost become tradition, the Trump administration has once again hit pause on the TikTok ban, leaving the app's fate mired in uncertainty.


The TikTok ban saga continues to drag on, largely thanks to trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Now, another delay seems likely, even as the app's future remains unresolved.

As The Wall Street Journal has learned, President Trump is planning on pushing back the ban date — for the third time. Allegedly, talks were underway for a sale, but the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China that Trump lit off in April has caused the deal to be pushed onto the back burner.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Cybercriminals are using fake DMV texts and cheap tricks to phish iPhone users ahead of a made-up June deadline.


Mobile users all over the U.S. face a new scam text wave from fake government authorities. A recent message that one of our staffers got from the "Tennessee Department of Vehicles" warns of an overdue traffic ticket, legal action, license suspension, and credit score damage if payment isn't made by June 8.

The text includes a link to a fake government payment site and urges victims to reply with the letter "Y" to activate the link. Links aren't tappable if the text is from an unknown sender. If you reply with that "Y," the message it automatically becomes from a "known" sender, which makes the link tappable


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The debut of iPadOS 26 is on June 9, and Apple is set to introduce a radical redesign, improved Apple Pencil functionality, and much more. Here's what the rumor mill has to say about the update.


Apple's 2024 software releases largely revolved around Apple Intelligence, as the company's platforms received generative AI features across the board. The iPhone, iPad, and Mac all gained AI-powered email summarization, a new Clean Up tool in the Photos app, and much more.

The most notable improvement within iPadOS 18, however, was a standalone Calculator app, developed under the project codename GreyParrot. While the iPad will almost certainly receive a few unique enhancements, much like it did in 2024, Apple is said to be aiming for even better platform consistency this time around.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Developers can now direct users in-app to pay for subscriptions outside of the App Store, but the road is not smooth, and there are some pitfalls.


Apple in the US now has to allow developers in the App Store to direct users to their own websites, or other third-party payment systems. While its conclusion seems exaggerated so far, The Information, claims that there is a gold rush as developers seize the change to avoid paying what they call an Apple tax.

"We work so hard to build this product, giving value to customers, and then Apple takes away 30% of our subscriptions," Otter CEO Sam Liang said. "It's completely insane."


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A standalone Games app in iOS 26 will consolidate Apple Arcade and third-party titles into a single hub, with tabbed sections to help users discover new titles and play games together.

A rare iPhone crash linked to an iMessage image handling and sharing bug may have been the first sign of a targeted spyware attack, according to new forensic evidence — but Apple is skeptical.


A newly revealed iMessage bug in iOS, now patched, may have exposed some iPhone users to silent surveillance attempts. The flaw, discovered by the security firm iVerify, affected how iPhones processed nickname updates in the Messages app.

The security researchers say they found signs of possible exploitation on the devices of journalists, government officials, and tech executives. Apple, however, strongly denies that the bug was used maliciously.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple's WWDC 2025 will spotlight sleek redesigns in iOS 26, with the Phone, Safari, and Camera apps getting their biggest updates in years.


Apple is set to kick off WWDC 2025 on Monday, June 9 at 10 am PT/1:00 pm ET. This year, we anticipate that the Cupertino-based tech giant will likely be focusing on visual updates across its platforms.

As part of iOS 26, Apple is rolling out significant updates to three of its core apps: Phone, Safari, and Camera. According to Bloomberg, while most native apps will see only visual refreshes inspired by the new systemwide visionOS-inspired "Solarium" interface, these three are getting more substantial changes aimed at improving usability and streamlining functionality.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Voice Memos, Apple's audio recording app, goes far beyond just a simple voice recorder. Here's how to get the most out of what may be Apple's most overlooked app on your iPhone or iPad.


Voice Memos isn't an app most people give a lot of thought to, but that doesn't mean that it isn't worthwhile. Between layered recordings, auto-transcriptions, and its overall ease of use, it's easy to see why Apple has incorporated it into most of its devices.

Let's take a look at how Voice Memos came to be, and how you can get the most out of it.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A new leak claims to have the complete compatibility list of Apple TV models that will be able to support the tvOS 26 upgrade that will be announced at #WWDC25.


The WWDC leaks continue with a compatibility list for the Apple TV and tvOS 26, following one for the Apple Watch, and a surprising one for the HomePod. This particular leak says that tvOS 26 will be available to users of these models:

Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple will be concentrating its Apple Intelligence launches at WWDC 2025 on developer tools, and wide-ranging translation for users, including live translation via AirPods.


This latest of many pre-WWDC leaks concerns the much-anticipated next announcements regarding Apple Intelligence. After last year's launch, it had been expected that WWDC 2025 would be light on Apple Intelligence news.

However, according to Bloomberg, Apple has two major focuses for Apple Intelligence this time, and two more minor ones.


Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

At WWDC, Apple is rumored to bring a long-time Mac app to the iPhone and iPad — Preview.


Apple's Preview app started in NeXTSTEP in the very late eighties. It had its origins in Quartz in Mac OS X in the very early days of macOS, but I'm afraid that my recollections of which Mac OS version made it fully available is lost in the depths of my mind.

And now, Apple is said to be bringing it to iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. According to a report on Friday by Bloomberg, it will be preinstalled and part of the operating system as a whole.


Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

In an effort to hype up the upcoming release of "Borderlands 4," Gearbox, 2K, and Take-Two Interactive have made "Borderlands 2" free for PC and Mac owners. Act quick to keep it forever, though.


If you're looking for a not-so-new game to try, you might wanna check out Borderlands 2. If you download it from Steam before June 8 at 1:00 pm ET, you get to keep the game — meaning you get a $20 game for free.

If you haven't played it yet, Borderlands 2 is a well-loved first-person shooter with role-playing elements, set in a post-apocalyptic world. The game is known for its highly stylized design and its dark sense of humor.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Give yourself PDF management superpowers with the AI-driven UPDF 2.0, which can get most tasks done in just 3 clicks, like batch PDF edit, element removal, and AI translation. Get it at a discount.


UPDF has been updated to 2.0 with a fully-rethought interface that'll streamline every interaction. Plus, there's a new AI PDF editor feature powered by ChatGPT 4.1.

If you're a professional that deals with PDFs on a daily basis, chances are you're inundated with files. Traditional tools help manage and edit PDF files, but often in clunky and archaic ways.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider

It feels like we're seconds away from WWDC, which rumors say will either be feature-packed or very lightweight. In the meantime, Apple is giving out awards and defending the App Store, on the AppleInsider Podcast.


Apple is about to unveil its new redesign for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad, as WWDC 2025 opens with Tim Cook's keynote video on June 9, 2025. There are rumors swirling around about everything from homeOS to visionOS, but along the way there are also other areas where Apple may need to make more of a splash than usual.

That includes Apple Intelligence, though some rumors say this year will barely mention it. And maybe this isn't the stage for Apple to lay out why regulators are wrong to try controlling its App Store, it is definitely the stage where the company can show developers just what is so great about delivering apps on the iPhone and more.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A TikTok video maker filmed a prank of pretending to take cash from people's iPhones using Tap to Pay. It didn't end well for the prankster.


Whether it's Tap to Pay on iPhone when you're with a merchant, or you're just paying a friend who also has an iPhone, there is a distinctive sound. That sound, but not the actual payment, is now central to what's claimed to be an increasingly common prank of pretending to take money from strangers.

The prankster holds their iPhone close to the stranger's one, plays the sound, and then typically thanks that person for their generous donation. There's usually someone else filming all of this for a hilarious TikTok video — but there isn't usually a police presence nearby.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The European Union is about to enforce new regulations concerning the repairability of iPhones and iPads. Here's where Apple stands, and where it needs to improve, before the new rules kick in.


The European Union has been aggressive when it comes to hardware regulations. Decisions made by the European Commission have forced tech companies, like Apple, to rethink some of their designs, in a bid to improve the technology landscape for all European citizens.

When the EU gave its final approval on the Common Charger Directive, which made it mandatory for many new devices to recharge using USB-C connectors, Apple joined in. It moved away from Lightning in favor of USB-C, a move that has been a considerable improvement for end users.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

As is traditional in the days before WWDC, compatibility lists leak out. This time, the HomePod Software 26 list is out, with a surprise.


There have been almost no rumors about the September 2025 revision to the HomePod software, other than it being probably called HomePod Software 26. However, what devices are compatible was not leaked before Friday's post.

Before this leak, saying that all HomePods ever shipped are compatible, we'd have guessed that the original HomePod that shipped in 2018 would have been dropped off the compatibility list. After all, it was announced at the 2017 WWDC, shipped in February 2018, and uses the A8 processor found in the Apple TV HD, but nowhere else.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Ahead of Apple unveiling the next version of watchOS, a new leak claims to have the list of which Apple Watch models will be able to run it.


If it's true that Apple will rebrand all of its operating systems to end in the number 26 — to match their main year of use — then it will be especially useful for the Apple Watch. For right now, you can have an Apple Watch Series 10 and be running watchOS 11.

Although that said, come September 2025 you could be sporting an Apple Watch Series 11 which is running watchOS 26.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

If you have a relatively small lawn with few, if any, islands, features, or obstacles, the Redkey MCG1000 robot lawn mower is an affordable, if minimally specced, option — if you can get it to work.


We've all become accustomed to the idea of little robots that clean our homes, but mowing the lawn is still a relatively new use of the same technology. Many options can cost thousands of dollars on the market, but Redkey has found a way to get their product well under the $1,000 mark.

The Redkey MGC 1000 is a robot lawn mower that can cover a quarter acre of yard space. It mows only within the included 590 feet of boundary wire, and customers can't add any more than that to a single charging station.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Tired of juggling between Apple Notes and Calculator? A math feature in iOS 18 lets you solve equations instantly with just a quick settings tweak.


If you're like most people, the Apple Notes app on your iPhone is a go-to for jotting down ideas, to-do lists, and even the occasional math equation. It's quick, convenient, and always just a tap away. But Notes can actually solve equations for you.

The new math result feature in iOS 18's Notes app transforms how you handle equations during note-taking. Instead of relying on a separate calculator or switching apps mid-task, Notes can now recognize, calculate, and display results directly in your document.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Cellebrite, an Israeli cybersecurity firm known for assisting law enforcement in unlocking iPhones, has acquired the virtualization-focused startup Corellium for $200 million. The two already have plans for a new digital forensics product.


Cellebrite and Corellium are two of the most prominent names in the area of iOS forensics and analysis, and now they're going to be part of a singular entity that could make iPhone data extraction easier than ever before.

While Cellebrite's extensive work with law enforcement over the years involved specialized hardware that the company attempted to keep hidden, its acquisition of Corellium is expected to result in a new software-based tool that utilizes virtualization.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A new rumor suggests Apple could allow third-party developers to add buttons and widgets to the watchOS 26 Control Center.


More tiny leaks keep on coming about Apple's upcoming operating system updates. All will be revealed on June 9 during the WWDC 2025 keynote address, but that isn't stopping rumors.

The latest leak comes from the anonymous tipsters speaking to 9to5Mac. They suggest the Apple Watch Control Center will get third-party app access with watchOS 26 alongside greater customizability.


Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A trademark filing for "homeOS" may mean that Apple is actually preparing to bring out its smart home operating system, potentially during WWDC.


Apple has long been rumored to be working on a new operating system aimed at the smart home. This operating system has been rumored for years to be called "homeOS."

In a discovery by Parker Ortolani posted by 9to5Mac on Thursday, there may be evidence of it actually existing. A trademark filing reveals that someone registered "homeOS" back in April 2025.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

In a campaign set amid the crumbling Atlantic Wall of Nazi-occupied France, 'Sniper Elite 5' is set to creep onto on iPhone, iPad, and Mac in early 2026.


Soon players will be able to return to World War II, this time to France in 1944. Players will reprise their role as elite marksman Karl Fairburne, tasked with helping the French Resistance to weaken the Atlantikwall fortifications along the coast of Brittany.

Sniper Elite 5 is a third-person tactical shooter stealth game. It boasts immersive maps peppered with real-world locations and an improved traversal system that encourages even more exploration.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Big developers are hoping that US users will be tempted to buy subscriptions outside of the App Store, but a survey suggests that the few that shift will need to be tempted by giant discounts.


The continuing Epic vs Apple fight over the App Store resulted in Apple being forced to allow developers to link to external stores, after failing to abide by the 2021 injunction on the matter. It now seems that, while to a complete exodus from the App Store, Apple may see a considerable reduction in revenue in the future over the change.

According to a May AlphaWise survey outlined in a Morgan Stanley analyst note seen by AppleInsider, many consumers still want to make purchases without going through Apple's payment systems.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

While the figures are close, Apple's announced adoption rate for iOS 18 puts it just below the average for the last decade's releases — even though Apple Intelligence was supposed to boost its popularity.


By January 2025, iOS 18 appeared to be ahead of its predecessor, reaching 76% of all compatible iPhones a month before iOS 17 did the year before. Even that figure was perhaps surprisingly low, however, since Tim Cook had announced vastly faster upgrading at the start in October 2024.

"[This is a] really early stat, which is only three days worth of data," he said at the time, "but users are adopting iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted 17.1 in the year ago quarter."


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple's retail expansion in India continues, with the latest being a new brick and mortar store planned for the country's newest shopping mall in Mumbai.


Following Tim Cook and Deirdre O'Brien opening Apple's first store in Mumbai in 2023, the company is now, as expected, preparing to open a second Apple Store in the city. According to The Hindu Business Line, Apple has signed a lease for 10 years and 10 months for 12,616 square feet in Sky City Mall, Borivali East, Mumbai.

Back when Apple first opened retail stores, it aimed to have ones that were around 6,000 square feet. By 2012, that was proving inadequate and an average store was 8,400 square feet.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple Arcade is set to get four new games in July, spanning arcade-style action, tower defense, viral puzzles, and kid-friendly creativity — offering fresh challenges and family-friendly fun across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.


As it did for June, Apple has announced that it will be bringing a few new games to its pay-once, play-all-you-want service. This time around, we've got arcade-style games, puzzles, tower-defense, and one Crayola-themed game for the kids.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A new University of Mississippi meta-analysis of 56 studies finds the Apple Watch delivers fairly accurate data for heart rate and step counts — but shows a much wider margin of error when it comes to calories burned.


In the year 2025, wearable tech is almost startlingly common. If you walk into any gym in the United States, chances are you're going to see wrists adorned with some kind of fitness tracker or smartwatch.

And it makes sense, too. Whether you're concerned about your health or just looking to dial in your workouts, wearing an Apple Watch — or any other fitness tracker — seems like an ideal way to do it.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Tata's take-over of India iPhone and MacBook repair demonstrates Apple's increasing reliance on the native company, over internationals like Wistron and Foxconn.


India is an important and growing market for Apple, with it becoming more prominent on both the manufacturing and retail fronts for the company. It now seems that, with greater expectations for the country, Apple is bulking up its services to match.

According to two sources of Reuters, Apple has started to work with Tata Group on iPhone and MacBook repairs for products sold in the country. The move will see Tata take over from Wistron's subsidiary ICT Service Management Solutions, in repairing Apple hardware for consumers.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A study supported by Apple shows how the App Store fueled a $1.3 trillion economy in 2024, which will likely be used as a primary talking point as governments worldwide make regulatory moves.


Between the Epic legal battle in the United States and the European Union's Digital Markets Act challenging Apple's App Store model, a lot of eyes are on Apple. Time and again, courts have pushed back against Apple's management of the App Store, and it's reaching a breaking point.

So, Apple has shared a global App Store economic study performed by analysts Jessica Burley, Ph.D. and Professor Andrey Fradkin, Ph.D. The researchers say in the piece that "support for this study was provided by Apple," but aren't clear on what. It's also clear in the text that "the conclusions and opinions expressed are exclusively those of the authors."


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A collector of classic computers has worked on a 3D printer filament designed to color-match classic Macintosh casings, which should help future restoration projects.


The 3D printer has become an invaluable part of classic computing restoration, due to its ability to replicate parts of casings that need replacing. Being able to create a one-off print of a part that simply isn't being manufactured anymore has been extremely useful to projects restoring older hardware.

However, while you can create the replacement part, it may not necessarily look like the original. Lines from filament deposit layers aside, there's the problem of getting the actual color of Apple's plastic correct.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

New regulatory filings show that Apple has produced two updated MagSafe charging pucks, which both support the Qi 2.2 standard that means the iPhone 17 could theoretically charge wirelessly at almost double the speed previously possible.


The new chargers are an update to the existing 25W MagSafe charger that was released alongside the iPhone 16 range. The Qi 2.2 standard supports a maximum 50W charging speed, though these two new models appear to be rated at 45W.

As first spotted by 91mobiles in a filing with the Taiwanese regulatory authority's NCC database, the two chargers are the same design as the previous 25W model. They are round pucks, measuring approximately 100mm or just under four inches.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

There are now two ways to create Memories movies in Photos as of iOS 18.1 or later: one method is the same way you have done it in previous iOS versions, and the new one leverages Apple Intelligence if it's available on your device.


To use the latter method, you'll need to have an iPhone that is capable of supporting Apple Intelligence. This means an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model.

Making Memories without Apple Intelligence


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The Crush 80 Reboot Lite is a mechanical keyboard with muted RGB and customization options, albeit without Mac-specific keycaps.


The mechanical keyboard marketplace offers a lot of choices for consumers in terms of specifications and colors. In most cases, what's on offer from the manufacturer is a pretty adequate keyboard in its own right, but it could be better with some tweaks.

Most of the time, there's the opportunity to tinker for those brave enough to do it. Those who do can apply modifications to change how the keyboard types, far beyond simply changing the keycaps or the switches.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Qualcomm's CEO doesn't seem to be worried about losing one of its biggest customers as Apple shifts to in-house modems like the C1 for iPhone.


For over 15 years, Qualcomm's modem chips powered Apple's iPhones, enabling wireless connectivity to cellular networks. Analysts estimated that Apple paid over $2.5 billion in 2024 alone for Qualcomm's patent licenses, while the company's annual modem revenue from Apple is said to be between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, in an appearance on Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid podcast, spotted by 9to5mac, revealed that the modem company is prepared to look well beyond the iPhone. Qualcomm's plans are based on the assumption that Apple will continue to use in-house modems going forward, meaning that the chipmaker will have to explore alternative avenues.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple must continue to allow apps to link out and avoid its App Store commission during its appeal against an injunction resulting from the Epic anti-steering ruling.


Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple willfully violated an injunction against its anti-steering practices in the Epic vs Apple case. Even though Apple was compelled to remove its anti-steering rules, the new rules were too aggressive for developers to bother supporting.

According to a report from Reuters, Apple's request to pause enforcement of the judge's ruling during appeals failed. The U.S. appeals court denied Apple's request, where it shared that "we strongly disagree."


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

While governments around the world made a record number of iPhone push notification data requests in 2024, Apple approved a smaller share.


According to Apple's latest transparency report, global government requests for push notification data climbed from 119 in early 2023 to 277 by mid-2024. But the company approved far fewer of them, with its approval rate dropping from 76% to just 59% over that period.

The data shows that while authorities are increasingly turning to push tokens as a source of account-level information, Apple is responding with growing restraint.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

As soon as Apple's WWDC, AirPods could get some new functionality, including some new head gestures as well as a return of a camera feature.


The WWDC keynote is days away, and the rumors about what Apple will introduce are accelerating. The latest batch involves some claims about Apple's personal audio devices, AirPods.

In a roundup of changes on the way published on June 4, 9to5Mac claims there are a collection of features set to arrive on AirPods. The features are intended to make the earphones more useful in multiple ways, beyond improving audio quality.


Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple's main focus at WWDC 25 will be on redesigns and iOS upgrades, but visionOS 26 should see a range of quality-of-life changes and new gaming features for Apple Vision Pro. Here's what the rumor mill expects to see.


There have been relatively few rumors around Apple's spatial computing platform for WWDC 2025. Instead, everything is focused on how visionOS will inspire the design of every other operating system.

That said, the 2025 keynote should prove to be an important year for visionOS 26. It's the first full year between releases since visionOS 2 was revealed just four months after visionOS 1 launched.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums