WhatsApp is finally getting usernames

WhatsApp is gearing up to launch a long-awaited feature: usernames. With usernames, users will be able to connect with others without sharing their actual phone number.
more…WhatsApp is gearing up to launch a long-awaited feature: usernames. With usernames, users will be able to connect with others without sharing their actual phone number.
more…As we get closer to this year’s WWDC keynote, Apple has flipped the switch on its traditional X hashmoji.
The custom icon now appears automatically next to any post that includes #WWDC25, and it should look pretty familiar to anyone who’s seen Apple’s promotional art for the event.
more…Apple is said to be in talks with Major League Baseball to pick up streaming broadcast rights, especially focused on the Sunday Night Baseball games. The negotiations ensued after ESPN declined to renew its deal beyond the 2025 season.
The package of games that make up the former ESPN deal has drawn interest from Apple, NBC and others. It is likely the league will try to carve up the package into different buckets, to attract both a modern streaming audience and the eyeballs of traditional broadcast TV viewers.
more…We’re just days away from iOS 26, the freshly branded iPhone update, being fully unveiled during Apple’s WWDC keynote. Here is a roundup of all the rumored new iOS 26 features we’re expecting to see debut.
more…Beats has tapped in yet another rising athlete for its years-long campaign associating its products with a mix of performance and style. This time around, the ad is pretty cool. Literally.
more…The 2025 edition of the Fortune 500 is out, and Apple once again ranked near the top, while Walmart and Amazon remained firmly planted in first and second place, respectively, for the sixth straight year. Alphabet, meanwhile, was the most profitable company in the top 10.
more…Within the broader smart TV and streaming box market, Apple TV 4K is a fairly niche product. It’s found nowhere near the success of most Apple offerings like the iPhone and iPad. But a new deep dive at Ars Technica explains why Apple TV 4K is the only real streaming option for privacy-conscious users.
more…Apple has some major shake-ups coming to its iPhone lineup in the next few years, starting this fall when the iPhone 17 Air replaces the Plus model. My current plan is to replace my iPhone 16 Pro with the sleeker 17 Air model rather than a new Pro. Here’s why.
more…Back from 2005 to 2009, Apple used to have a neat little software feature called ‘Front Row’. It essentially allowed you to utilize an with your Mac, and take advantage of a unique software interface for watching content. It didn’t last very long, but I think now could be a pretty unique time to reintroduce it.
more…MagSafe continues to be one of my favorite aspect of the iPhone. Like HomeKit gear, it’s easy to get carried away testing new accessories. But some products just do the job. Today, I’m revisiting two items I’ve kept in travel setup: the and the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery, 5,000mAh Foldable Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger with Stand and USB-C. Neither is flashy, but both are incredibly useful day to day.
more…The big-time Apple gear deals continue this week with more new all-time lows on select M4 MacBook Air configs starting from $837 and up to $248 in savings, not to mention the 24GB M4 Mac mini at its best price to date with $157 in savings. Next up is the new iPad A16 back down at $299 as well as just about every single M3 iPad Air model at $100 off again – and the Apple Watch Series 10 with Amazon all-time low pricing now at the ready again ahead of Father’s Day with up to $160 off the list prices. The Best Buy Father’s Day sale kicks off today and you’ll find everything else waiting down below.
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Apple has been on an impressive streak with updates for its three-year-old AirPods Pro 2. You’d have a hard time finding another set of earbuds that’s received so many new features entirely via software. Among the most recent additions, Hearing Protection stands out as AirPods Pro’s most ahead-of-its-time feature yet.
more…We’re just one week away from WWDC 2025, which kicks off on Monday, June 9 with Apple’s keynote. Ahead of the festivities, Apple has started teasing WWDC25 with a new tagline: “Sleek peek.”
“A week of technology and creativity. All online and free,” Apple says.
more…Apple Intelligence doesn’t yet offer a proper chatbot experience, but it turns out Writing Tools can be coerced into behaving as one.
more…Bloomberg reports that we can look forward to macOS Lake Tahoe, aka macOS 26, when Apple unveils its new operating systems at next week’s WWDC.
macOS Lake Tahoe will of course include some beautiful new wallpaper, but if you want to get in the mood ahead of time, we’ve rounded up some wallpaper you can use today …
more…Apple TV+ kicks off the summer with a June release slate that offers a little something for everyone. There’s a Ted Lasso-style sports comedy, new children’s programming, a Sydney Sweeney-starring horror film, Bridgerton-like historical romance, and a prestige crime thriller from the team behind one of Apple’s best. Among Apple’s full June TV+ lineup, here are the three biggest shows to look out for.
more…While Apple regularly gets lambasted for lack of promotion for its streaming service, Apple TV+, the company seems to be trying harder in recent weeks. It just dropped a ‘New for June’ sizzle reel, hyping what users can expect to stream on the service this month.
The new premieres include comedy series Stick, movie Echo Valley, season two of The Buccaneers, and Taron Egerton drama Smoke. Here’s everything new on Apple TV+ in June …
more…The leisurely pace of Apple’s AI efforts has come under increasing fire, with the company accused of being behind the curve. But a new study on the dangers of AI chatbots suggests that other companies are not being cautious enough.
OpenAI had to recall a recent ChatGPT update, after it tried too hard to agree with users, resulting in an experience which was both absurd and awkward – but the problem is bigger than that …
more…Jeff and Fernando talk about Apple’s impressive history with accessibility, including our favorite accessibility tips and tricks, and upcoming accessibility features in iOS 26!
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9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts and our YouTube channel for more.
more…Apple last week announced that iPads have joined the Self Service Repair program, enabling owners and independent repair shops alike to get access to manuals, tools, and parts.
The company said it was excited to expand the program to iPads, but a closer look at the details reveals both good news and bad …
more…Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs – founder and president of the Emerson Collective, and Steve’s widow – have acknowledged that the iPhone played a role in the “dark” side of technology.
Ive has also said that his mysterious hardware AI device would not be happening without the support and investment of Powell Jobs …
more…Apple has appealed parts of the Digital Markets Act law citing user privacy concerns. Specifically, Apple is contesting the interoperability requirements that say data like notification content and WiFi networks should be made available to third-parties.
Apple says the DMA as written allows others to “access personal information that even Apple doesn’t see”. This is because features like notification rendering and WiFi network data are currently handled on-device and stored in an encrypted fashion, so Apple cannot see that stuff. However, the DMA does not necessarily require third-party agents who would be able to access this same data to commit to the same standards of privacy and security.
more…A few days ago and fifteen years too late, Meta released an official iPad app for WhatsApp. And while many celebrated the end of one of the most inexplicable software holdouts in App Store history, others asked the most obvious follow-up question: “Thanks! Can we have Instagram next?”
Yes, as it turns out.
more…While AI can help us do stuff, AI agents are tools that actually do stuff for us. A new open-source project shows how an ChatGPT-powered agent could complete tasks for us using our iPhones.
more…Here’s a fun one for Mac nostalgia fans: a new project by hobbyist Nick Gillard has taken the idea of mini retro builds to a whole micro level.
Called the pico-mac-nano, this is a working replica of the original Macintosh that stands just 62 millimeters tall (that’s 2.4 inches for you, Casey Liss). And what’s more, you can actually run MacPaint and MacWrite on it.
more…Earlier this year, Apple iPhone SE. Now that it’s part of the mainline iPhone lineup, many have wondered – will this be an annual refresh? Today, we’ll be recapping the rumors.
more…Long-time 9to5Mac readers will remember that the native Shortcuts app started as an indie project called Workflow, a clever, approachable tool that made automation fun and accessible to less technical users.
Today, Shortcuts remains a powerful utility, particularly on the Mac. However, compared to how agentic AI tools have reshaped how we think about automation, it’s feeling a bit stagnant. That may be about to change.
more…I was lucky enough to get an early look and hands-on experience with Satechi’s new line at CES this year, and I was immediately impressed. Satechi managed to bridge the gap between tech enthusiasts like myself, who appreciate cutting-edge features like Qi2 and MagSafe charging, and everyday users, thanks to their thoughtful material choices and versatile color palette. Here’s everything you need to know!
more…According to Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple insiders “believe that the conference may be a letdown from an AI standpoint,” highlighting how far behind Apple still is. Still, Apple has a few AI-related announcements slated for June 9.
more…According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the name for the next version of macOS is set to be ‘Tahoe’, named after Lake Tahoe in California. This name will accompany Apple’s first macOS redesign since Big Sur in 2020.
more…Apple Intelligence has been off to a rocky start, especially when it comes to Siri. The assistant still has a lot to be desired, and that should definitely be at the forefront of Apple’s priorities.
Regardless, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans on expanding current Apple Intelligence capabilities to additional apps in iOS 26, and I figured I’d throw out some ideas I’d like to see.
more…Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.
Focus is a unique pomodoro timer app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro that makes it easy to stay focused and develop productive working habits. If you have a procrastination problem, this could be an excellent tool for keeping you on pace.
It recently got a new update with a redesign, deeper customization, and additional data with new charts/graphs – making it even more useful.
more…There have been a plethora of varying rumors for Apple’s next generation spatial computer. Is Apple prioritizing a cheaper model, or going all out with a second generation Pro model? We’ll summarize all of the Vision headset rumors here today.
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It’s long been stated that Apple has had the strongest commitment to supporting its older devices. The latest version of iOS supports devices as far back as 2018’s iPhone XS and XR, which are coming up on 7 years old. While that in itself is impressive, there’s a second level beneath the surface.
more…Rumors suggest that Apple will be implementing Google Gemini support within Apple Intelligence Siri sometime in the near future, alongside the already-existing ChatGPT integration. A recent backend update even revealed that Apple is already prepared for a Google Gemini integration to debut.
Last week at Google I/O, Google announced a number of interesting Gemini upgrades that might make Siri integration a bigger deal than we might think. Let’s discuss.
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The 2025 Parallels Cloud Survey recently went live, and buried in the data is a trend Apple should be paying attention to. According to the survey, 58% of enterprises are actively looking Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) options for their employees. Half of them plan to roll something out within the next six months. What’s driving this adoption? Companies want a secure, scalable way to give employees access to apps and data from anywhere. This is exactly the kind of enterprise shift that Apple could quietly build around.
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