Apple's rumored smart home display has surfaced in a new leak, one sourced from code in the developer beta for iOS 18.6.


Apple is working on new hardware designed for use in a smart home, according to many rumors. While there are expectations for a Home Hub device to eventually arrive, a new leak brings hope for a release sooner rather than later.

Assets included as part of the first iOS 18.6 developer beta have been discovered, reports 9to5Mac on Tuesday. The filename "apple-logo-1088@2x~home.png" provides information that could be clues about the future device.


Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely


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Prime Day 2025 is coming soon, with a surprise being an extension of the sale. But if you're in the market for a new Apple device now, there are plenty of discounts in effect offering up to $400 off.


It's official — Amazon Prime Day 2025 will kick off on July 8. But a change has been added to the mix, with the mega shopping event running for four days instead of two.

Get early Prime Day deals


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While other tech companies rush to dominate artificial intelligence with bold promises and uneven results, Apple is building something slower, quieter, and more durable.


Out of curiosity I tested Apple Intelligence using the new Shortcuts action in iOS 26. Apple mentioned this feature at WWDC 2025, but it didn't get much attention during the keynote.

The Shortcuts action gives users direct access to Apple's large language model. You can choose the smaller on-device version or the more capable cloud model running in Apple's private compute environment.


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The annual Apple Back to School deals are live, but while free AirPods or Magic Keyboards are nice to get with purchase, you really should consider shopping around for better offers.


Apple's Back to School promotion for people in higher education has launched in the United States. Building on top of the usual special pricing for education users, the promotion offers a little bit extra for education users gearing up for the academic year ahead.

However, while the 2024 Back to School offers were gift cards, Apple is instead offering a selection of accessories to go with a selection of its products. Something that may not necessarily be that great a deal for consumers.


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Adobe's Firefly platform now includes a mobile app, support for additional generative AI models, and enhanced collaborative ideation tools.


Firefly's new app for iOS and Android allows users to generate and edit images or videos using text prompts. Features include image-to-video generation, object removal, background extension, and direct editing with AI tools like Generative Fill and Generative Expand.

Users can switch between Adobe's own models and third-party models from providers such as OpenAI and Google.


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The Apple Original Film "F1 The Movie" used the iPhone in an unusual way, by using components typically used in the smartphone to create a custom camera.


The videography that goes into major films is often filled with custom tech, all to achieve the perfect shot the director wants. While the industry is very familiar with many different types of hardware, from modular cameras to action cams, one of the cameras used in "F1" relied a lot more on Apple's technology than normal.

Hinted at by CEO Tim Cook during a June 11 interview promoting the "F1" film for Apple TV+, the camera revealed by Wired is essentially an iPhone. Albeit one that has been heavily customized for the project.


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After initially dismissing a proposed class action lawsuit over Apple's allegedly forcing users to use iCloud, a judge has now accepted further evidence and ruled that the case must continue.


Originally filed in March 2024, the class action complaint accused Apple of violations the Sherman Act and the Clayton act. The allegation is that Apple has established "an illegal monopoly" because of its requiring Apple device users to use its iCloud backup.

A year later in March 2025, US District Judge Eumi Lee in San Jose, California, dismissed the case. However, she allowed that the plaintiffs could file an amended case, and according to Reuters, they have now done so.


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A Today at Apple session with the makers of Apple TV+ hit "Severance" was capped by a surprise visit from Tim Cook and Brad Pitt, as Apple's "F1" promotion tour continues to ramp up.


Despite spending a billion on films every year, Apple has been criticized for letting movies flop through a lack of marketing. There's no possibility of that criticism being repeated now, as the new Apple Original movie "F1" is practically being pushed as hard as a new iPhone.

The latest promotion was a special edition of the company's Today at Apple in-store workshops, this time at the New York Fifth Avenue Apple Store. Attendees turned up to hear from the cast and crew of "Severance."


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Apple Authorized Reseller B&H is having a Mac Deal Zone event in celebration of its Bild Expo conference, and shoppers can save up to $500 on the latest M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations.


The four deals highlighted below are valid for 48 hours only as B&H's Bild Expo event for creative professionals kicks off in New York City (it's free to attend).

Save up to $500 today


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Apple revealed a dramatic upgrade to Personas in visionOS 26 that makes them look much more realistic. Here's how they compare to the older versions.


When Apple first revealed Personas for Apple Vision Pro, they took on a somewhat blurred, stiff structure that struggled with detail. Beards and hair became flat, eyelashes disappeared, and expressions were limited.

Personas got an upgrade in visionOS 2 that provided more detail and expressions, which also included the Spatial Persona update, but it was an improvement of the same rather than a rethink. What Apple has created in visionOS 26 is a completely rebuilt experience that looks and feels more natural.


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Chinese commerce giant Alibaba has unveiled a new version of its flagship Qwen3 AI model, now compatible with Apple's MLX architecture, signaling that the debut of Apple Intelligence in China is on the horizon.


While Apple Intelligence gained support for the simplified version of Chinese with iOS 18.4, Apple's generative AI features still have yet to debut in China itself. The country's unique regulatory requirements meant that Apple had to partner with a local company to release any AI features. Although the iPhone maker considered working with ByteDance and Baidu, Apple eventually went with Alibaba.

Now, a new statement by Alibaba on Monday suggests that Apple Intelligence is closer than ever to its China release. As noted by Reuters, Alibaba has launched an upgraded variant of its Qwen3 AI model, with compatibility for Apple's platforms, meaning it will run on the Neural Engine on Apple Silicon Macs, and Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhones and iPads.


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Bargain hunters looking for extra ports without spending a fortune can pick up the Belkin 12-port Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro for just $69.99 today only.


The Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro is equipped with 12 ports, offering Mac users an easy way to connect a keyboard, mouse, and even up to two external displays (to compatible devices) with ease. And today only, while supplies last, the docking station is marked down to $69.99 at Amazon-owned Woot, reflecting a 61% discount off retail.

Buy for $69.99 today only


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MAME is the Multi Arcade Machine Emulator for playing classic games. Here's how to get it up and running on your Apple Silicon Mac.


MAME is a well-known project that allows you to run classic hardware systems and games on modern computers. MAME supports Macs, Windows, Linux, and some Android devices. There are also third-party emulators which use MAME on iOS.

MAME dates back over twenty-five years and was originally created by Italian developer Nicola Salmoria. The project's development has changed hands over the decades, and there was an initial older version for Mac OS 9 called MacMAME.


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Amazon's Eero routers offer mesh networking at a reasonable price, giving modern iPhone owners Wi-Fi 7 speed — and there are two higher-end options. Here's how the prosumer-grade Eero Pro 7 and Eero Max 7 compare on paper.


As the march of technology advancement continues at pace, it's fair to say that most people's home networks aren't great. With the increased use of mesh networks and newer Wi-Fi standards, the networks are getting faster with better coverage.

However, while people may be used to periodically replacing their iPhone or iPad with newer models, making changes to the home wireless network is a much rarer occasion. Many people seem happy to use whatever their internet provider installs, and barely has a need to replace their hardware otherwise.


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After releasing iOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, and its other operating system updates, as well as starting developer betas for iOS 26 and others, Apple has also introduced developer betas for iOS 18.6, iPadOS 18.6, macOS 15.6, tvOS 18.6, watchOS 11.6, and visionOS 2.6.


On May 12, Apple released its updates for iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, tvOS 18.5, and visionOS 2.5. Now, Apple is trialling the follow-up operating system updates.

The first iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 developer betas share build number 22G5054d, with macOS Sequoia 15.6 on build number 24G5054d The first tvOS 18.6 build is 22M5054b, the first watchOS 11.6 build is 22U5054b, and the first visionOS 2.6 build is 22O5754c.


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Apple executives have said in interviews that the company isn't building a public chatbot. You can actually create one with a new action in iOS 26. Here's how.


There's a new action that gives you direct access to Apple Intelligence, and it responds to prompts just like ChatGPT or Claude. That wasn't a headline feature at WWDC 2025.

In fact, Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, and Greg Joswiak, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, have said Apple isn't trying to build a chatbot.


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Black Friday pricing has returned on Apple's latest Mac mini, as the M4 model plunges to $499 in a price war between Amazon and B&H.


The M4 Mac mini with its updated design and 16GB of RAM is $100 off at Amazon and B&H Photo, as the retailers engage in a price war as Q2 2025 winds down.

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A Dutch court has sided with regulators, and is reasserting that Apple abused its market power by how it handled billing for dating apps, and is still on the hook for millions in fines.


Despite its efforts, Apple has made little headway in escaping fines levied by Dutch regulators in 2021. The Rotterdam District Court has upheld the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets' decision, ruling that Apple did, in fact, impose unfair conditions on dating apps in the App Store.

"This ruling undermines the technology and tools we've created to benefit developers and protect users' privacy and security, and we plan to appeal," an Apple representative told Reuters.


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On the latest episode of the HomeKit Insider Podcast, we wrap up WWDC 2025 by recapping all the new smart home features announced, and then go hands-on with the Govee lamp post light.


Even though homeOS was not announced at WWDC, there were still several smart home-related announcements to come out of all Apple's new operating systems. After a week of digging, we've rounded up all the ones we've found thus far.

We start with iOS 26 which has big updates with CarPlay that finally allows widgets, including those to view and control smart home accessories. Outside of CarPlay, the Home app gets updated too.


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The Trump Organization has launched Trump Mobile and plans to release the T1, a smartphone that it says is "made in USA" at the same time that the iPhone 17 will launch. The problem is, the phone was made in China.


Marking ten years after the launch of President Donald Trump's original presidential campaign, the Trump Organization has decided to launch its own mobile phone network. Dubbed Trump Mobile, it is a network that is being promoted as an All-American service," and heavily leaning on the Trump brand.

Trump Mobile frames itself as a "next-generation wireless provider," with mentions of it delivering "top-tier connectivity" and "unbeatable value." All with a "customer-first" approach and an "all-American service."


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Apple has made the smallest update to Visual Intelligence in iOS 26, and yet the impact of being able to use it on any image is huge, and at least doubles the usefulness of this one feature.


Previously on Apple Intelligence.. the iPhone's Visual Intelligence was about the most impressive feature. Just by pointing your iPhone's camera at something and pressing the Camera Control button, you could get AI to tell you all about it.

This was an extension to Apple's previous ability with the Photos app to identify, say, plants. Visual Intelligence goes further in that it can also identify famous landmarks, or often just random buildings you've always wondered about.


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Apple is making it easier to organize plans in iMessage with a new polling feature in iOS 26, giving group chat participants a way to share opinions and vote on decisions. Here's how it works.


Group chat indecision just got easier to resolve. Apple is adding built-in polls to the Messages app in iOS 26, giving users a native way to vote on decisions without leaving their conversation.

Unveiled during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, 2025, the new feature lets users create polls directly inside group chats. You can propose options, cast votes, and instantly see what everyone prefers.


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An analyst with a middling track record has planted his flag on a release year for AirPods Pro third generation, with a prediction of a 2026 release.


Following WWDC, there was hope that Apple was intending to bring out an update to the AirPods Pro in the future. If an analyst is to be believed, there's more than six months to go until their release.

According to a note to investors by GF Securities' Jeff Pu, Apple's launch lineup for 2026 includes the AirPods Pro 3. No other updates in the AirPods line are expected for the rest of 2025, nor in 2027 based on current expectations from the analyst.


Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


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The Apple Watch 13 in 2027 is rumored to be the first model to feature blood sugar monitoring, which Apple has rumored to be working on for years.


Even back with the Apple Watch Series 7 in 2021, there were reports that Apple had long been developing a blood sugar system that was then about to be launched. Nothing came of that, and in 2024 Apple was said to be trialing such an Apple Watch app, but for health data collection studies rather than public release.

Now analyst Jeff Pu has announced that blood sugar monitoring will be the key feature of the Apple Watch Series 13 in 2027. He suggests that it may be called "Apple Watch featuring Blood Monitoring," but offers no further details.


Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


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Financial firm Wedbush believes that WWDC practically demonstrates how Apple is executing its Apple Intelligence strategy, but without significant progress it may be forced into large scale AI acquisitions.


Most investment and financial firms were underwhelmed by Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote, and that includes Wedbush. But in a note to investors seen by AppleInsider, Daniel Ives at Wedbush says that Apple did lay out its vision for AI, and it has begun to execute that with it opening up Apple Intelligence to third-party developers.

The analyst argues that Apple chose to play things safe, and even low-key, following what it and others describe as the missteps of WWDC 2024. Yet while that strategy is supportable and maybe even necessary, Ives maintains that the following 12 months are critical for Apple Intelligence.


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Of all the very many new features in iPadOS 26, none of them make the iPad feel so different as the very many window options. Here's what we've gained — and what we've lost.


If it seems ridiculous to be excited about app and document windows on an iPad, it now seems a little bit foolish to have been happy with what we had before. The new paradigm is so good that it feels as if this is the way we should always have worked on the device.

The new features are in iPadOS 26, which at present is only available in a beta test version intended for developers. There will be a public release in the next few weeks, but the safest thing is to wait for the official launch in September.


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The Dygma Raise 2 is a wireless split mechanical keyboard that offers a lot, but the price of admittance is just too high for most users.


In 2025, the keyboard market is pretty saturated. There are manufacturers offering keyboards tailored to meet practically every budget and aesthetic need.

The market ranges from simple wireless keyboards for less than $50 at the value end of the spectrum. At the other, there are high-end models that tout quality engineering, customization, accessories, and all the bells and whistles a $ 300-plus price tag demands.


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Apple's long-rumored launch of the homeOS platform to run smart-home devices and services has had its debut pushed back to the spring of 2026, alongside the launch of new home hardware.


Apple is said to have delayed the rollout of both its smart home hub and supporting products due to delays with upgrades to Siri. While it may be something you would consider to be launched during WWDC, it may arrive earlier than the 2026 event.

According to Bloomberg, the rollout of the planned upgrades happen after the updated Siri arrives — which realistically means Spring 2026 before WWDC.


Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


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A couple steals back their car with the help of an AirTag, a TV reporter retrieves her stolen iPhone from an ecoATM, and an entire airline crew's suspension after an iPhone theft feature in this week's Apple Crime Blotter.


The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.


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Apple has set up a free repair program for any Mac minis with M2 chips that are no longer turning on. Here's how to see if you're eligible.


The company said in a new repair notice that it has determined that "a very small percentage" of Mac minis with M2 chips manufactured between June 16 and November 23, 2024 are affected.

Owners who are experiencing the issue can use a Serial Number checker page on Apple's website to determine if their Mac mini is eligible for repair. If it qualifies, the repair will be done free of charge.


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It seemed odd that Apple didn't port any of its compatible apps in visionOS 2, but not making any of them native in visionOS 26 is downright neglectful.


Apple Vision Pro is Apple's first spatial computing platform and an expensive one at that. Adoption of the platform has been glacial, and with it, the rollout of software and media that is native to the 3D mixed reality platform.

It seemed obvious as we approached WWDC 2025 that Apple would update at least some, if not all, of its compatible apps to native ones. In case you weren't aware, a compatible app is one that runs on Apple Vision Pro in its unmodified 2D iPad or iPhone form.


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Apple pushed a surprise update to iOS 26 beta 1 that hints at under-the-hood changes without explaining what's new.


Apple has issued a silent update to the first developer beta of iOS 26, changing the build number from 23A5260n to 23A5260u without publishing new release notes. The update appears to be a minor revision rather than a full beta 2 release.

The new build began appearing on some devices on June 12, just three days after iOS 26 beta 1 was first released following Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote. The revision suggests Apple is addressing behind-the-scenes issues or finalizing assets without needing to push a formal second beta.


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June Apple deals at Amazon are ramping up, with savings of up to 51% off this Father's Day weekend. Save up to $400 on MacBooks and grab an AirTag at the lowest price ever.


Amazon's Summer Sale offers discounts of up to $400 off dozens of Apple products, with prices starting at just $13. You can also find hundreds of markdowns on third-party products on Amazon's deals page.


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You've long been able to customize folders in the Mac's Finder, but only with a lot of non-obvious fiddling. Now with macOS Tahoe, Apple has made it a lot simpler.


Maybe you have been using the Mac long enough to remember when third-party firms sold utilities that changed your folders into 3D. Or perhaps you've never given a folder a passing through beyond wondering where you saved it.

Whichever folder customizing camp you're in, do take a moment to see what Apple has added — and how it can benefit you.


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Apple's Craig Federighi explains why iPads won't run macOS anytime soon, even as iPadOS 26 brings them closer than ever.


In a new interview following WWDC 2025, software chief Craig Federighi clarified why Apple remains committed to keeping iPadOS and macOS separate, even as iPadOS 26 brings more Mac-like features to the tablet.

The latest update, iPadOS 26, introduces a floating menu bar, flexible app windowing, and support for more advanced keyboard shortcuts. These additions aim to make the iPad feel more like a Mac for those who want power-user tools.


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At long last, Apple has revealed everything we were waiting for in the iOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26 releases. It's time to pick through what was tremendous — and what was not — on the AppleInsider Podcast.


It's the event we've been waiting for, but the question is whether it was the event we were waiting for. There have been very mixed reactions to this year's WWDC, but some of those reactions seem peculiar if you actually watched the keynote.

There's also detail from the event to pick over, including some surprising omissions by Apple. And also what we've learned from a few days of using the new beta software.


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Math fans can now spin, zoom, and explore complex equations in full 3D right on their iPad with iPadOS 26. Here's what it looks like.


With iPadOS 26, Apple is introducing interactive 3D graphing in Math Notes, making it easy to turn multivariable equations into dynamic, touchable visualizations. The feature builds on Math Notes, which first launched in iPadOS 18.

Users can enter equations with three variables and instantly generate 3D surface plots. The graphs respond to standard gestures, including pinch-to-zoom and drag-to-rotate, and work with either touch or Apple Pencil.


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Following a debut of 3DMark Steel Nomad Light on iPhone, the full 3D Mark testing suite has arrived on macOS for a native testing experience.


Released on Thursday, the Mac native version even in demo mode includes the Wild Life Extreme, Solar Bay, Steel Nomad, and Steel Nomad Light, some of which weren't in the iPhone version and only on Windows.

The native Mac version was developed because the company noted that one in six iOS results were being run on Mac. Notably, running an iOS application on a macOS device can impact the results, as iOS application maximum frame rates are limited to the system's display refresh rate.


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It's easy to over write a password. But, in macOS Tahoe, Apple has introduced a new feature to Passwords that can retrieve older passwords. Here's how it works.


The benefits of having one single place that you securely store your passwords are obvious, but there is also a problem. It means you also have one single place in which to make a mistake.

Most of the time, you probably leave a password alone for years, even though you shouldn't. But if, for instance, you have to login to a site and you're not on any of your own devices, you are quite likely to have no idea what your password is.


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Apple manufacturer Foxconn's iPhone exports to the States have risen from 50% of Indian production to 97%, as Apple tries to mitigate the impact of Trump's tariffs.


It was already reported in May 2025 that Foxconn had doubled its India to US exports of the iPhone. Despite Trump's telling Tim Cook to stop manufacturing in India, it remains the case that it's impossible to make iPhones in the US.

Even as Trump changes his "reciprocal" tariffs on a whim, it remains the case that he levies a lesser charge on Apple for importing from India than from China. Consequently, Apple has been rerouting its supply and distribution lines to minimize the impact of tariffs.


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