Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, a super thin smartphone that will compete with Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air. To see what it's like using such a thin phone, MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera used it as his main device for two weeks to see what it might be like to use Apple's equivalent later this year.


The Galaxy S25 Edge has a 6.7-inch display, so it's a larger smartphone, but because it's so thin and light, it's easy to hold. It's just 5.8mm thick and it weighs 163 grams, and it's so light that it almost feels like a plastic dummy phone. Apple's ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ could be even thinner at 5.5mm, and it will have a similar display size at 6.6 inches, so it should be a lot like the S25 Edge.

These super thin smartphones need to be used without a case to get the full effect, since a case is just going to increase the weight and thickness. A slim case might not be too bad, but it seems silly to shell out money for a super thin smartphone just to stick it inside a thick case.

With such a thin body, the Galaxy S25 Edge doesn't have as much room for a battery as other Samsung smartphones, so battery life is lacking. It's still possible to get through the day without a charge, but if you're a heavy user, you're probably going to need to top up your battery every so often during the day. Samsung has battery optimization settings that prioritize battery life, but those options affect game performance.

Apple will likely have some of the same issues with battery life, though optimizations are being implemented through AI battery settings in iOS 19. The efficiency of the C1 modem that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ will use will also help, plus Apple is going to sell an add-on battery pack alongside it.

Camera functionality is a tradeoff on the Galaxy S25 Edge, because it only has the 200-megapixel main lens and a 12-megapixel ultra wide lens with no telephoto lens. Other Samsung devices have triple-lens camera setups. The ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ will suffer from the same issue, and it's only going to get a single-lens main camera due to space constraints.

Samsung is selling the Galaxy S25 Edge for $1,100, which is not too far off from the higher-end and more feature rich Galaxy smartphones. Apple's ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ could come in cheaper at around $899, but that pricing plan was before any potential increases due to tariffs.

Do you plan to get the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ this year? How do you think it will measure up to the S25 Edge? Let us know in the comments below.
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While the iPhone 17 series is still three months away from launching, rumors about next year's iPhone 18 models continue to surface.


The latest word comes from Apple analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note with equity research firm GF Securities this week, Pu said that he expects the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and so-called iPhone 18 Fold to be equipped with Apple's A20 chip, and he believes the chip will have some key design changes over the A18 and upcoming A19 chips.

First, Pu reiterated that the A20 chip will be manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process. The current A18 Pro chip in iPhone 16 Pro models is fabricated with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, while the A19 Pro chip for the iPhone 17 Pro models is expected to use TSMC's third-generation 3nm process. The move from 3nm to 2nm starting with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Fold models would allow for more transistors in each chip, which helps to boost performance. Specifically, previous reports indicated that A20 chips should be up to 15% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than A19 chips.

An overview of current and expected iPhone chips:

• A17 Pro chip: 3nm (TSMC's first-generation 3nm process N3B)


• A18 chips: 3nm (TSMC's second-generation 3nm process N3E)


• A19 chips: 3nm (TSMC's third-generation 3nm process N3P)


• A20 chips: 2nm (TSMC's first-generation 2nm process N2)

Keep in mind that these nanometer sizes like 3nm and 2nm are simply TSMC marketing terms, rather than actual measurements.


Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects the A20 chip to be 2nm, which is not very surprising if you look at the iPhone chip trajectory.

There is another alleged change that would be more notable. In addition to the 2nm process, Pu said that he expects the A20 chip to use TSMC's newer Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) chip packaging technology. With this new design, RAM would be integrated directly onto the chip's wafer with the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, rather than being adjacent to the chip and connected with a silicon interposer.

This packaging change could contribute to a wide range of benefits for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Fold over previous models, including faster performance for both overall tasks and Apple Intelligence, longer battery life, and improved thermal management. The change could also result in the A20 chip having a smaller footprint than previous chips, which could free up space inside the iPhones for other uses.

This packaging change for the A20 chip has also been rumored previously.

All in all, the A20 chip is shaping up to be a big upgrade for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Fold models, which should launch in September 2026.
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Looking forward to WWDC 2025? Get in the mood with the official Apple Music playlist for the event, which features 20 songs from a variety of artists, including Benson Boone, Charli xcx, Ed Sheeran, Don Toliver, and others.


"Get ready for the biggest Apple developer event of the year with a new playlist of summer sounds," said Apple, in a social media post today.


WWDC 2025 kicks off with Apple's keynote on June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will preview its latest software updates, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26, and there could be other surprises in store.
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As we wait for WWDC to kick off next Monday, Apple today announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, recognizing apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.


The 2025 Apple Design Award winners are listed below, with one app and one game selected per category:

• Delight and Fun - CapWords (App) and Balatro (Game)


• Innovation - Play (App) and PBJ - The Musical (Game)


• Interaction - Taobao (App) and Dredge (Game)


• Inclusivity - Speechify (App) and Art of Fauna (Game)


• Social Impact - Watch Duty (App) and Neva (Game)


• Visuals and Graphics - Feather: Draw in 3D (App) and Infinity Nikki (Game)

More details on the winning apps and games and the developers behind them can be found on Apple's website. Apple also has a selection of apps and games that were selected as finalists before the winners were chosen.

WWDC will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
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Apple has announced that its Den Haag retail store in the Netherlands will be reopening on Thursday, August 14, following a temporary closure.


As we previously reported, the store has been closed since June 1 for renovations, but Apple had not announced a reopening date until now.

First opened in 2014, Apple Den Haag is located in The Hague, in the province of South Holland. The location is one of Apple's flagship stores, with beautiful historical architecture. It is located in a covered walkway, known as an arcade. The remodeled store may feature an Apple Pickup station for online orders, but the exact changes planned are unknown.

Apple has two other stores in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam and Haarlem.

Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!
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All Apple Watch models include a stock Calculator app that offers a couple of handy features for working out how much you should tip when eating out and how much each person in a group owes if you're splitting the bill.


The two functions can be used together, but if it's just yourself dining out then you can just leave the People field set to 1. The steps below show you how it works.

Note: If you see a standard percentage (%) button where the TIP button should be, you can change the calculator layout to replace it. Simply go to Settings ➝ Calculator and select Tip Function instead of Percent.

How to Use the Split Bill and Tip Calculator Functions on Apple Watch

1. Launch the Calculator app on your Apple Watch.


2. Enter the total amount of the bill.


3. Tap the TIP button in the top-right corner, just left of the divide button.


4. With the Tip field highlighted in green, turn your watch's Digital Crown to change the percentage.


5. To split the bill between a group of people, tap People and then use the Digital Crown to change the number (the maximum is 50).

You'll see the total amount below the two fields change to reflect your tip adjustments, and the amount below that will change depending on how many people are paying.
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The iPhone 16e is one of Europe's top-selling smartphones, yet its early sales figures still lagged significantly behind those of Apple's previous mid-tier models, according to Counterpoint Research.


‌iPhone 16e‌ launched in February, marking the company's first attempt in recent years to redefine its mid-range offerings with a product distinct from its "SE" branding. Despite debuting on Europe's Top 10 smartphones list in its first full month of availability, the model failed to match the initial traction of its predecessors.

Counterpoint Research finds that the ‌iPhone 16e‌ was the ninth best-selling smartphone in Europe in March, representing 8% of Apple's total iPhone sales in the region and 2% of the broader smartphone market. In Western Europe, the device performed slightly better, securing the seventh position overall.

However, the ‌iPhone 16e‌'s early performance marks a clear departure from the success of the ‌iPhone‌ SE models that preceded it. The third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE from 2022 ranked sixth on the same European bestseller list during its first month and accounted for 12% of Apple's regional ‌iPhone‌ sales.

The second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE from 2020 performed even more strongly, achieving third place overall and making up 19% of Apple's European ‌iPhone‌ sales in its debut month. Compared to these benchmarks, ‌iPhone 16e‌ sales were down 17% versus the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2022) and down 20% compared to the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2020), according to Counterpoint.

Unsurprisingly, the primary reason identified for the ‌iPhone 16e‌'s weaker debut is its higher launch price. The 16e starts at €699 ($599) in Europe. This is a significant increase over the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2022), which debuted at €519 ($429), and the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2020), which launched at €479 ($399).

Additionally, the mid-tier smartphone market in Europe is increasingly price-sensitive; consumers are showing increased interest in refurbished and second-hand iPhones, which further complicates Apple's efforts to drive volume through new mid-range hardware.
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WWDC 2025 is fast approaching, with Apple's opening keynote set to begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple always uses the annual developer conference to unveil the latest versions of its software platforms, with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 all expected to be announced next week. But a key question remains: will there be any hardware announcements too?


The answer to that question is likely no. In his Power On newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple has no major new devices ready to ship, so there might not be any hardware announcements at WWDC 2025.

Apple could still surprise us on the hardware front, of course, and Gurman did not explicitly rule out smaller device announcements.

WWDC is always focused on software, but there are hardware announcements at the conference in some years. Most recently, Apple unveiled the Vision Pro and updated three Mac models at WWDC 2023. In 2024, however, it was a software-only affair.

The only rumored Apple product that might be imminent is an AirTag 2. Gurman previously said that he expected a new AirTag to be released around mid-2025, but he has not mentioned the accessory in a while, so it is unclear if that timeframe remains accurate. Even if an AirTag 2 is coming soon, there is no guarantee that it will be unveiled during the WWDC 2025 keynote, as Apple could opt to announce it with a press release only.

The majority of Macs have been updated since October 2024, with the only exception being the high-end Mac Pro desktop tower. The current Mac Pro is equipped with Apple's M2 Ultra chip, so in theory it could be updated with the M3 Ultra chip that debuted in the Mac Studio this year, but that has not been rumored. It is also looking unlikely that Apple will ever release an M4 Ultra chip, so the Mac Pro's path forward is currently unclear.

Likewise, the entire iPad lineup has been updated since May 2024, so new iPad models are unlikely to be announced at WWDC 2025.

The next iPhone and Apple Watch models are expected to launch in September, as usual, while new Apple TV and HomePod mini models are rumored to launch in September or later this year. AirPods Pro 3 are also rumored to launch later this year, at the earliest, while new AirPods Max are not expected to launch until 2027.

There have been on-again, off-again rumors about a Vision Pro 2 with an M5 chip, but it is unclear if that would launch in 2025 or 2026.

A new version of Apple's standalone Studio Display with mini-LED backlighting has been rumored, but it is not expected to launch until late 2025 or early 2026. Apple's higher-end Pro Display XDR has not been updated since it first launched in 2019, but it is unclear if and when a new version of the display will be released.

Last, Apple's rumored smart home hub has been postponed due to delayed Siri features, so do not expect that device to launch at WWDC 2025. However, it is plausible that Apple could provide an early preview of the device at the conference. Gurman said that the device will not have an App Store, but there could be new APIs for developers.

That wraps up where things stand. As mentioned, though, a surprise or two is always possible.

The keynote will be streamed on Apple's website, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. On-demand playback will be available afterwards.
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Amazon today is offering numerous discounts on Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch SE, including both GPS and cellular models. These deals are being matched at Best Buy in most cases.

Apple Watch Series 10

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

Amazon has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $299.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. Both of these are record low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, and they're available in about 5-6 case colors and band styles.

Apple Watch SE

In addition to Series 10 deals, Amazon is discounting the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $169.00 today, down from $249.00. This is the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, and it's available in Starlight, Silver, and Midnight Aluminum color options.



Additionally, you can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE for $199.00 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This one is also available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight Aluminum colors, and multiple band sizes.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple TV+ is emerging as the frontrunner to acquire additional MLB media rights currently held by ESPN, according to a Sports Business Journal report.


Sources tell the publication that Apple's offer would likely exceed what NBC has proposed for the same package, particularly if focused on Sunday night games. NBC reportedly bid for all of ESPN's current MLB rights, but the league faces a familiar streaming dilemma: fewer dollars from traditional broadcasters with broader reach versus higher payments from digital platforms with smaller audiences.

Apple already pays MLB a reported $85 million annually for "Friday Night Baseball" through to 2028. The potential deal would be structured as a three-year agreement, positioning MLB to bundle all national rights when current contracts with Fox Sports and TNT Sports expire in 2028.

The streaming service currently includes Friday night games at no additional cost with Apple TV+ subscriptions, which cost $9.99 monthly or $99 yearly in the U.S. It's also included in all Apple One subscription bundles with other Apple services.

MLB has yet to finalize the structure of post-ESPN packages, leaving multiple scenarios on the table for Sunday night games, Wild Card coverage, and the Home Run Derby. The talks sound like they remain fluid, with various moving parts still under consideration.
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WhatsApp has ended support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process. The change began on June 1, after Meta delayed it from an original planned date of May 5.


WhatsApp is no longer compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service through the app unless they upgrade their iPhone. Alternatively, users can visit web.whatsapp.com in their browser, but the experience won't be the same.

Users who intend to upgrade can back up their WhatsApp chats to iCloud, and restore their full chat and media history to a newer, supported device using using WhatsApp's Chat Transfer feature. Instructions on how to do so are outlined in WhatsApp's Help Center.

In related developments, WhatsApp is now available on the iPad, coming more than 15 years after the messaging service launched. An Instagram app for the iPad is also in the works.
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YouTube has updated its iOS app to version 20.22.1, which now requires iOS 16 or later to install and run. The change means several older iPhone models are no longer officially compatible with the app.


The affected devices are those that cannot upgrade beyond iOS 15 – namely, the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and the first-generation iPhone SE. If you have an iPod touch 7, that will no longer run the app either.

Likewise, the YouTube app for iPad now requires iPadOS 16 or later, which means the app has discontinued support for the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4.

Users with these older devices can still access YouTube through their web browser by visiting m.youtube.com, but the experience won't match the native app's functionality.
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A Chinese leaker with a mixed track record for accurate predictions has today disputed claims that the regular iPhone 17 and all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will feature ProMotion displays.


ProMotion has been limited to the Pro models since it debuted on the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max in 2021, but several sources have suggested that Apple will this year fit the 120Hz variable refresh technology into the base iPhone 17 model, as well as the new iPhone 17 Air that replaces the Plus model in the lineup.

However, Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital's sources apparently tell them that the panel being used in the upcoming non-Pro models is "just a standard 120Hz screen, not ProMotion with adaptive refresh rate." If the claim is true, it would indicate that Apple is still using low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panels for its lower-end iPhone models, albeit fixed at 120Hz, whereas the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are fitted with 60Hz LTPS panels.

Without ProMotion, a fixed 120Hz panel will still feel smooth, particularly during scrolling, animations, and UI transitions. However, it would likely drain more battery, since it's refreshing rapidly all the time, even when viewing static content. In contrast, ProMotion dynamically adjusts the refresh rate anywhere between 1Hz and 120Hz, depending on content and user interaction, which preserves battery life.

A fixed 120Hz panel also means the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air would lack Apple's always-on display capability that shows the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked and idle.

Fortunately, the case for ProMotion coming to the non-Pro iPhone 17 remains strong. Display Supply Chain Consultants CEO Ross Young last year indicated that Apple's suppliers are ramping up production of LTPO panels for the entire iPhone 17 lineup, further supporting the possibility of ProMotion displays across all models. LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) is a low-power backplane technology for OLED displays that allows for a variable refresh rate with reduced power consumption. Young's claim has since been corroborated by South Korea's ETNews and The Elec.

Fixed Focus Digital has shared accurate predictions in the past, including correctly naming the iPhone 16E before its official confirmation. The account also accurately claimed the iPhone 16 Pro models would be available in a new bronze finish, which ended up being Desert Titanium. On the other hand, the account was wrong about the number of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus color options that would be available. As for ProMotion, the weight of evidence is against them on this rumor, and we're personally hoping it's a bad call. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 lineup around September.
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WWDC is less than a week away, and as we ramp up to the big announcement, we're going to share details on what we know about each operating system. We're starting with the next-generation version of macOS, which Apple is apparently going to call macOS Tahoe.

Name

Since the current version of macOS is macOS 15, it would normally be followed by macOS 16, but Apple is changing its naming scheme for operating system updates starting this year.

Everything coming out in 2025 will be numbered with a "26" to reflect its release season, covering the period between September 2025 and September 2026. We're getting macOS 26, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26. Apple could have gone with 25 because that's the year of launch, but 26 technically does make more sense because there are more months in 2026 where we'll have the 26 series of updates installed.

With the streamlined naming that Apple is implementing, there won't be a need to remember separate, confusing numbers for each operating system. It might be confusing at first for people to go from macOS 15 to macOS 26, but it should make more sense over the long haul.

macOS is special because it always gets a California landmark name along with its number, unlike other operating systems. This year, it looks like Apple is going to go with "Tahoe," a popular lake between California and Nevada. Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation destination all year long, but particularly in the winter where it is known for its ski slopes.

Tahoe will join the other California landmark names that Apple has used, including Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia.

Design Overhaul

Most of the rumors that we've heard about Apple's upcoming software have focused on ‌iOS 26‌ and the design changes that Apple has planned, but macOS 26 is going to get some of those same design updates.


The revamp might not be quite as dramatic, but Apple wants to have a more cohesive look and feel across its operating systems, hence the design overhaul and the "26" name change.


Basically, Apple is expanding some visionOS design elements to all of its software, with a focus on translucency, rounded menus and buttons, and a frosted glass-like look for the interface. On the Mac, Apple already uses translucency for some things like the menu bar and the dock, but we could perhaps see more translucency in windows and menu elements.

App icons that have a more rounded look could happen, and we could see rounder corners for windows and other interface elements. Apple could also adopt some floating menu bars, and add more depth to everything for a glossier look and feel.


Streamlined navigation, menus, and layout could bring better design consistency across iOS and macOS. Expect to see design changes at the operating system level and in Apple's apps, with Apple also providing new guidelines and assets for developers to tailor their apps to match the updated aesthetic.

Apple Intelligence

There are new Apple Intelligence features coming in macOS 26, but Apple is undoubtedly going to be more reserved about announcing anything that's not ready to go.

Apple plans to update the Shortcuts app to integrate ‌Apple Intelligence‌. Users will be able to create actions that use ‌Apple Intelligence‌ models, which should make it easier for casual users to create useful shortcuts.

Apple might give us some insight into when Siri will be able to integrate with Gemini in addition to ChatGPT, because that's a feature coming soon.

All those personalized ‌Siri‌ features that Apple announced at WWDC 2024 are going to come in ‌iOS 26‌ and macOS 26 at some point, but it's not clear if they'll be ready by WWDC. If they're not ready to go, Apple probably won't mention them, and we'll get them later in the year.

As a reminder, we're waiting on personal context that lets ‌Siri‌ keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, or basically anything on your device. Apple is also adding onscreen awareness so ‌Siri‌ can help you with what's on your screen, and ‌Siri‌ will also get deeper app integration so that it can do more in and across apps.

Gaming App

There's a new game app in the works that'll be available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS. It'll have the games you'd normally find in the App Store and Apple Arcade titles, along with sections for in-game achievements, leaderboards, and editorial content.

You'll be able to use the app to communicate with other people, and on the Mac, it'll be able to tap into games downloaded outside of the Mac App Store. It'll replace Game Center, and will be a more feature rich app.

Other Rumored Features

Apple previewed several Accessibility features that are coming in macOS 26 and ‌iOS 26‌, plus there have been rumors of new Wi-Fi features.

• Captive Wi-Fi Portal Syncing - When you log into a captive Wi-Fi network, like at a hotel or an airport, you'll only need to do it once and the info will sync across all of your devices.


• Magnifier - Apple will let you connect an iPhone to your Mac to use the ‌iPhone‌'s camera for zooming in on text and other things that you might need help seeing.


• Vehicle Motion Cues - The little dots that are meant to help you from getting carsick or airsick are also coming to the Mac. Vehicle Motion Cues is meant to match the feeling of movement with what the eyes are seeing.

Compatibility

macOS Tahoe could drop support for some older Macs, including the 2018 MacBook Pro, the 2019 iMac, the 2017 ‌iMac‌ Pro, the 2018 Mac mini, and the 2020 Intel-based MacBook Air. The update is expected to be compatible with the following Macs:

• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (2019 and later)


• ‌iMac‌ (2020 and later)


• Mac Pro (2019 and later)


• ‌Mac mini‌ (M1 and later)


• Mac Studio (all models)


• ‌MacBook Air‌ (‌M1‌ and later)

Read More

We have a dedicated macOS 26 Tahoe roundup that we'll be updating throughout the week.

Make sure to check back every day for more rumor roundups, and stay tuned for our all-in-one what to expect article on Friday.

WWDC Event Details

The WWDC 2025 keynote will take place on Monday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will live stream the event on its website, on YouTube, and in the TV app.


If you're not able to watch live, we'll have a live blog and coverage of the announcements here at MacRumors, plus we'll be live tweeting the event on the MacRumorsLive account.
This article, "WWDC 2025: What to Expect From macOS 26 Tahoe" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today added the 11-inch and 13-inch M2 iPad Air models to its refurbished store in the United States, offering these tablets at a discounted price in the U.S. for the first time since its May 2024 launch.


Refurbished ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ models are discounted by approximately 15 percent compared to Apple's original pricing for new models. The 11-inch ‌iPad Air‌ with 128GB of storage is $469, for example, while the base 13-inch 128GB ‌iPad Air‌ is $639. Apple originally sold the 11-inch ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ for $549, and the 13-inch model for $749.

The refurbished ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ models were added to the UK store earlier this month, but they are new to the U.S. store.

Apple replaced the ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ with the M3 ‌iPad Air‌ earlier this year, so the ‌M2‌ models are the prior-generation ‌iPad Air‌ option and can no longer be purchased new from Apple.

There are multiple colors and capacities available as of the time of writing, as well as cellular and standard Wi-Fi models, but stock will fluctuate over time as Apple refreshes what's available. If you're aiming for a particular color or capacity, you might need to check back.

Refurbished iPads from Apple are equipped with new batteries, outer shells, and a new USB-C cable, and are essentially identical in performance to new-in-box iPads. Apple offers a one-year warranty on refurbished iPads, and buyers can purchase extended AppleCare+ coverage.
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It has been three weeks as of today since Apple released iOS 18.5, and we are still waiting for the first iOS 18.6 beta to follow.


Below, we outline everything we know about iOS 18.6 so far.

Timing

Apple's software engineers have been internally testing iOS 18.6 since late March, according to the MacRumors visitors logs.

The first betas of iOS 13.6 through iOS 16.6 were all released before WWDC over the years, while the first iOS 17.6 beta was released the week after WWDC last year, so it is hard to pinpoint exactly when the first iOS 18.6 beta will be available.

iOS Version	First Developer Beta	Public Release	Inclusions
iOS 13.6	June 1, 2020	July 15, 2020	- Digital car keys in Wallet app - Apple News+ audio stories - Symptoms category in Health app - Bug fixes and small enhancements
iOS 14.6	April 22, 2021	May 24, 2021	- Apple Podcasts subscriptions - Family Sharing for Apple Card - AirTag and Find My enhancements - Bug fixes
iOS 15.6	May 18, 2022	July 20, 2022	- Restart live sports in TV app - Bug fixes
iOS 16.6	May 19, 2023	July 24, 2023	- Bug fixes and security patches
iOS 17.6	June 17, 2024	July 29, 2024	- Bug fixes and security patches

iOS 18.6 will likely be released by mid-July.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 26 at WWDC 2025 next week, instead of iOS 19, as part of a new software version number scheme. The first beta of iOS 26 should be seeded to developers shortly after Apple's keynote on Monday, June 9, and the update will likely be released to the general public in September.

New Features

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects iOS 18.6 to enable Apple Intelligence in China, with Alibaba and Baidu set to power some of the features in that country.

iOS 18.6 is also likely to include bug fixes and patch security vulnerabilities.

It is unclear if the update will have any other changes. With the iOS 26 beta just around the corner, iOS 18.6 is likely to be a minor update.
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Polestar remains committed to offering CarPlay Ultra in its future electric vehicles, a company spokesperson told MacRumors today. However, the brand did not provide a specific timeframe for availability, or any other details at this time.


Many automakers have been tight-lipped about adopting CarPlay Ultra, so Polestar confirming that it still plans to offer the software system is notable.

CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to luxury Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Apple said that many other automakers around the world are working to offer it over the next year and beyond, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.


Polestar was one of more than a dozen automakers that Apple had listed as being committed to offering the next generation of CarPlay, now known as CarPlay Ultra, when it was first announced in 2022. Given the list is now three years old, however, it is possible that some automakers have shifted gears. For example, Mercedes-Benz was included in the list, but it has since decided not to let Apple take over its in-vehicle software experience.

That original list from 2022 was as follows:

• Acura


• Audi


• Ford


• Honda


• Infiniti


• Jaguar


• Land Rover


• Lincoln


• Mercedes-Benz


• Nissan


• Polestar


• Porsche


• Renault


• Volvo

Aston Martin was announced later.

Launched last month, CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust the color scheme. To learn more, read our coverage of Apple's announcement.
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WWDC 2025 will kick off with Apple's keynote on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and the page where the presentation will be live streamed is now available on YouTube. On the page, you can set a reminder to be notified before the keynote begins.


Apple will announce its latest software updates, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26, which are all rumored to feature a sleek new glass-like design. There might not be any hardware announcements, however, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple has no major new devices ready to ship.

Apple has also readied its stream for the Platforms State of the Union, which will provide more details about the new features and tools for developers that are announced during the keynote. This video will begin on June 9 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.


The keynote and Platforms State of the Union will also be streamed on Apple's website, and in the Apple TV app. On-demand playback will be available afterwards.

WWDC 2025 runs from June 9 through June 13. Ahead of the developer conference, Apple shared a new "Sleek peek" tagline on its website earlier today.
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There are several ways you can take screenshots on a Mac. Preview offers the option from its File menu. There's also a little screen capture app in the macOS Utilities folder called Screenshot. But the simplest and most common method is to use your Mac's built-in shortcut key combinations.


Taking a screenshot is as easy as hitting Shift-Command-3 to capture the whole screen, or Shift-Command-4 to capture a portion of the screen using the mouse cursor as a crosshair selection tool (a tap of the spacebar also turns it into a camera for capturing windows).

Screenshots taken using key shortcuts are typically saved on your desktop. However, if you tack the Control key onto either of these shortcuts, macOS will copy the captured image to the clipboard instead of saving it as a file on your desktop, which is useful if you want to paste it into an application that can edit or view images, or use Universal Clipboard to paste it on another Apple device.

In Preview, for example, Command-N creates a new document from the contents of the clipboard without you having to specify a filename until you're ready to save it. You can also access this function in Preview's menu bar (File ➝ New From Clipboard).
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WWDC 2025 is just one week away, with Apple's opening keynote scheduled to begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Ahead of the annual developer conference, Apple updated its WWDC page today with a new "Sleek peek" tagline, which replaces the original "On the horizon" tagline that it used over the past few weeks.


The graphic for WWDC 2025 has also been updated. It is now a glass-like Apple logo with colors shining through. Until now, it was a glass-like rainbow.

Is the "Sleek peek" tagline a hint at what is to come? It could be a subtle reference to the sleek new look of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26, which are all rumored to feature a new glass-like, visionOS-inspired design.

WWDC 2025 was added to the Apple Events page today. Apple's keynote will be available to stream on that page, as well as in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. It will also be available for on-demand replay afterwards.

Last, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak has shared a short WWDC 2025 animation with a glass-like Apple logo, a Swift logo, and a rainbow. For those who are not aware, Swift is a programming language that was introduced by Apple in 2014.


WWDC 2025 runs from June 9 through June 13.
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Samsung this week kicked off a new Discover Samsung sale, which includes savings on monitors, TVs, Galaxy products, and more.

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

One of the best overall deals during this sale is on The Frame TVs, which are available for up to $1,300 off, depending on the size of the model you purchase. Nearly every size is being discounted during this event, with the popular 65-inch The Frame TV available for $1,499.99, down from $1,999.99.



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




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

TVs

• The Frame - Save up to $1,300


• 65-inch QLED 4K TV - $1,099.99, down from $1,599.99


• 65-inch OLED S90C TV - $1,499.99, down from $2,599.99


• 65-inch Neo QLED 4K TV - $1,499.99, down from $2,699.99


• 85-inch QLED 4K TV - $1,279.99, down from $2,799.99


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

Monitors and Storage

• 990 EVO 5.0 NVMe SSD 2TB - $129.99, down from $239.99


• 2TB Portable SSD - $159.99, down from $284.99


• 27-inch Odyssey G6 Gaming Monitor - $599.99, down from $799.99


• 43-inch Odyssey Neo G7 Smart Gaming Monitor - $569.99, down from $999.99


• 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC) Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,099.99, down from $1,699.99


• 55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen Curved Gaming Monitor - $2,199.99, down from $2,699.99

Refrigerators

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


• 4-Door French Door Fridge - $1,699.00, down from $2,899.00


• Mega Capacity 3-Door French Door Fridge - $2,299.00, down from $3,499.00


• Bespoke 4-Door Flex Fridge - $2,499.00, down from $4,099.00


• Bespoke 4-Door Flex Fridge - $3,099.00, down from $4,999.00

Galaxy Products

• Galaxy S25 Smartphone - Save up to $530


• Galaxy S25+ Smartphone - Save up to $530


• Galaxy Z Fold6 - Save up to $1,000


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


• Galaxy Watch Ultra - Save up to $325


• Galaxy Watch 7 - Save up to $175


• Galaxy Buds3 Pro - Save $89

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

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Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs have given a rare joint interview to the Financial Times, addressing their collaboration, their concerns about technology's social impact, and OpenAI's mysterious hardware device.


The interview follows the recent acquisition of Ive's AI startup, IO, by OpenAI in a $6.4 billion deal. Ive was Apple's Chief Design Officer and led the design of products including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. Powell Jobs is the widow of Apple CEO Steve Jobs. She was an early investor in IO said she has been closely involved with Ive's work since his departure from Apple in 2019.

Ive explained that Powell Jobs was instrumental in enabling his transition from Apple, saying, "If it wasn't for Laurene, there wouldn't be LoveFrom." Before supporting IO, Powell Jobs backed LoveFrom via her organization Emerson Collective.

While neither Ive nor Powell Jobs disclosed further details about the hardware device in development at OpenAI, they offered insight into the motivations behind the project and their shared belief that current technology has failed to adequately serve human wellbeing. Both expressed concern over the direction technology has taken in the years since the launch of the ‌iPhone‌. Powell Jobs cited evidence of increasing mental health problems among young people as one consequence:

We now know, unambiguously, that there are dark uses for certain types of technology. You can only look at the studies being done on teenage girls and on anxiety in young people, and the rise of mental health needs, to understand that we've gone sideways. Certainly, technology wasn't designed to have that result. But that is the sideways result.

Ive agreed, acknowledging that even innovations developed with the best intentions can produce harmful outcomes:

If you make something new, if you innovate, there will be consequences unforeseen, and some will be wonderful and some will be harmful. While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility. And the manifestation of that is a determination to try and be useful.

Powell Jobs declined to comment on whether the OpenAI device would compete directly with Apple, and emphasized her continued ties to the company:

I'm still very close to the leadership team in Apple. They're really good people and I want them to succeed also.

The interview also touched on broader changes in Silicon Valley culture. Ive moved to the United States in the 1990s to join Apple, but said the tech industry had lost much of its original sense of purpose:

When I first moved here I came because it was characterized by people who genuinely saw that their purpose was in service to humanity, to inspire people and help people create. I don't feel that way about this place right now.

Previous reports from The Wall Street Journal and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that OpenAI's first hardware device may be a compact, screenless, wearable AI companion. Kuo said it may resemble the iPod Shuffle in form factor, be worn around the neck, and begin mass production in 2027. The WSJ described the device as a user's "third core device" after a smartphone and laptop, potentially offering persistent environmental awareness and personal context.

Ive said that the project has reignited his optimism about technology. The device is apparently being designed with a mentality of "we deserve better. Humanity deserves better." Read the full Financial Times interview for more information.
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If you have ever used an Apple TV, you are likely familiar with the device's linear keyboard, which can be tedious to use if you have a lot of text to enter.


Fortunately, if you are tired of swiping back and forth while entering a long password, the keyboard's layout can easily be changed. To do so, open the Settings app on the Apple TV, select General → Keyboard Layout, and choose Grid instead of Linear.

The on-screen keyboard will then have a square layout by default.


Stephen Robles highlighted this simple but oft-overlooked setting in a recent YouTube video, alongside many other useful Apple TV tips and tricks.


You can also enter text on an Apple TV with Siri or by using a nearby iPhone or iPad that is signed into the same Apple Account as the Apple TV. But, when you want or need to use the Apple TV's on-screen keyboard, this can be a life-changing tip to know about.
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Prices on the M4 MacBook Air have continued to drop on Amazon over the past few days, with new record low prices hitting for both the 13-inch and 15-inch models. Most of these computers are in stock and available to be delivered in early June and ahead of Father's Day.

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.

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has up to $209 off all three configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $837.19 for the 256GB model, then raise to $1,001.76 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,189.95 for the 24GB/512GB model. All three of these represent new all-time low prices on the M4 MacBook Air, and beat last week's deals by about $30.





Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,225.17 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,338.62. Across the board, these are all new all-time low prices on the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air.





If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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More details have emerged regarding Apple's plans to dramatically improve Siri by leveraging large language models (LLMs) that will make it more conversational and capable of nuanced reasoning. Meanwhile, Apple's work on a ChatGPT competitor model is also moving forward.


According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company is internally testing a broad range of models of varying complexity. Versions with 3 billion, 7 billion, 33 billion, and 150 billion parameters are now said to be "in active use."

Like ChatGPT, the 150 billion parameter model relies on the cloud, and its size means it is much more powerful than on-device Apple Intelligence, whose foundational models are 3 billion parameters.

With the help of an internal testing tool called "Playground," Apple has run benchmarks on the model that suggest it "approaches the quality of recent ChatGPT rollouts." However, there are still said to be concerns over its tendency to hallucinate. Meanwhile, "philosophical differences" remain among company executives, though Gurman provided no additional details on what they might be.

A previous report revealed that Apple has AI offices in Zurich, where employees are working on the all-new software architecture for Siri. The model is expected to eventually replace ‌Siri‌'s current "hybrid" architecture that has been incoherently layered up with different functionality.

Gurman reports that Apple is also testing a chatbot model dubbed "Knowledge" internally that can access the internet to gather and synthesize data from multiple sources. Presumably this would become another Siri capability, but the project is said to be led by Robby Walker, who recently saw Siri removed from his command. According to Gurman, employees familiar with the project say the chatbot project has also been dogged by the same problems that delayed the Siri overhaul.

It's still not clear when Apple will implement these technologies, and the company is unlikely to offer launch roadmaps at WWDC this month, given the blowback it received for announcing Apple Intelligence features at last year's conference that still have yet to launch.

In the meantime, Google's Gemini is expected to be added to iOS 26 as an alternative to ChatGPT in ‌Siri‌, and Apple is also said to be in talks with Perplexity to add their AI service as another option in the future, for both ‌Siri‌ and Safari search.
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Apple has filed an appeal against the European Union's Digital Markets Act interoperability requirements, calling the rules "deeply flawed" and a threat to user security (via The Wall Street Journal).


Apple submitted its challenge to the EU's General Court in Luxembourg on May 30, targeting the Commission's March decision that requires Apple to make iOS more compatible with rival products including smartwatches, headphones, and VR headsets.

Under the DMA, Apple must grant third-party developers access to iOS features typically reserved for its own products, such as allowing notifications to appear on competing wearable devices. The rules also mandate faster data transfers and easier device pairing for non-Apple hardware.

Apple argues the requirements force it to share sensitive user data with competitors, creating security risks. The company specifically highlighted requests from rivals seeking access to notification content and complete WiFi network histories – data that "even Apple doesn't see."

"At Apple, we design our technology to work seamlessly together," a company spokesperson said. "The EU's interoperability requirements threaten that foundation, while creating a process that is unreasonable, costly, and stifles innovation."

The tech giant claims some companies are exploiting the DMA to bypass EU data protection standards. Apple has dedicated 500 engineers to DMA compliance efforts and launched a developer portal for interoperability requests.

Companies violating DMA rules face fines up to 10% of worldwide annual revenue. The Commission can also order business breakups in extreme cases.
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Apple is working on a revamped version of its Shortcuts app that features Apple Intelligence integration, reports Bloomberg.


For anyone unfamiliar with the Shortcuts app, the tool lets users create custom workflows or actions – called shortcuts – to perform tasks automatically or with minimal interaction. Actions can include anything from sending messages to controlling smart home devices. The app emerged out of Apple's 2017 acquisition of Workflow, which was rebranded as Shortcuts the following year.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the new version that Apple is working on will let users create actions using Apple Intelligence models. In practice, this could let users create actions with the help of AI – by issuing voice commands in natural language, for example. This should make the process easier and less intimidating for casual users.

Microsoft already has Copilot+ for Windows, which does something similar. For macOS, third-party AI agents like TaskGPT aim to offer an equivalent experience, but Apple Intelligence can't yet point to a comparable AI tool in its suite of features. That's mainly because Siri has yet to leverage large language models (LLMs) – something the company is planning to rectify.

The Shortcuts app revamp was reportedly planned to be released this year, but delays could see it appear in 2026, so there's a possibility it won't feature in macOS 26 or iOS/iPadOS 26 when they launch in September.
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The Apple TV is much more private than competing streaming hardware, offering users a rare refuge from the pervasive tracking that defines most smart TV experiences, according to a comprehensive analysis by Ars Technica.


The main difference is said to be Apple's approach to automatic content recognition (ACR), the invasive tracking technology that monitors viewing habits on nearly every smart TV and streaming device. Apple TV devices don't include ACR software, and that gives them an immediate privacy advantage over alternatives like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and built-in, smart TV platforms.

The report also notes that during setup, Apple TV users can easily disable Siri, location tracking, and analytics sharing with Apple. In contrast, most competing devices bury these privacy controls deep in settings menus, making them difficult for average users to find and adjust.

Apple's business model also works in users' favor, since the company's primary business model isn't dependent on selling targeted ads. The tvOS operating system doesn't have integrated advertising, unlike Roku OS and LG's webOS, which display ads on home screens and screensavers. Apple TVs running tvOS 14.5 and later also require third-party apps to request permission before tracking users, although this setting isn't enabled by default.

Having said all that, the report points out some privacy considerations within Apple's own ecosystem. Apple's TV app collects data about viewing habits, purchases, and search queries to improve recommendations and Apple's services. This information can be used for personalized ads in other Apple apps like News and the App Store, but users can disable these features through device settings.

Siri voice requests are also automatically sent to Apple's servers. Apple promises not to use this data for marketing profiles, but the report notes that Apple agreed to pay $95 million in January to settle a class-action lawsuit over Siri privacy violations.

Despite the pressure Apple is facing to monetize its streaming services more aggressively, Ars Technica's thorough analysis suggests the Apple TV remains the go-to recommendation for privacy-conscious streamers. For users seeking maximum privacy, the report recommends using Apple's set-top box without an Apple account, as well as disabling all tracking features and avoiding using Siri or the Apple TV app.
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The Information's Kaya Yurieff and Kalley Huang in April reported that Meta was working on a long-awaited Instagram app for iPads.


Bloomberg's Mark Gurman corroborated the report in his Power On newsletter today.

Gurman said that Meta employees are "actively testing" Instagram for the iPad, and he expects the app to be released this year, barring any setbacks.

Meta has offered a Facebook app for iPads since 2011, but it had largely avoided offering apps for the device otherwise. That tune finally seems to be changing, as the company released a WhatsApp app for iPads last week, and there are now multiple sources who have claimed that an Instagram app for iPads is in the pipeline too.

There is no word yet on whether Meta plans to release an iPad app for Threads as well.
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There are signs that WWDC will be "smaller-scale" this year than it was in 2023 and 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


At WWDC 2023, Apple unveiled the Vision Pro, along with its visionOS operating system. While the headset has faced low sales, due in part to its high $3,499 starting price, this was still a major and highly-anticipated product announcement.

Apple Intelligence debuted at WWDC 2024, in response to the surging popularity of generative AI platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.

At WWDC 2025, however, Gurman said it is unlikely that there will be any major new hardware or software announcements of that scale.

"There are no major new devices ready to ship," he said, in his Power On newsletter today.

In addition, some Apple employees believe that WWDC 2025 may be a "letdown" from an AI standpoint, according to Gurman. He said that Apple "will do little" to show that it is catching up to leading companies in the generative AI space, including OpenAI and Google, and Apple's shortcomings could become "even more obvious."

Gurman does expect Apple to provide an update on Swift Assist at WWDC 2025, and he said that SwiftUI will get a rich text editor.

On the other hand, Gurman believes that Apple's redesigned software platforms should be exciting for many Apple fans. iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26 are all rumored to have a new visionOS-inspired, glass-like design with more translucent user interface elements, such as menus, buttons, and icons.

"The updated user interface will certainly be the standout announcement, even if it risks sending the message that Apple is stuck in the past," wrote Gurman.

Ultimately, where WWDC 2025 will rank in Apple fans' minds is subjective, as some might find redesigned software platforms to be even more interesting than the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence. For others, though, Apple failing to make meaningful progress on the generative AI front might be an overshadowing disappointment.

The good news is that Apple is expected to make a bigger push into AI heading into 2026, with the company still working on a conversational ChatGPT-like version of Siri, a revamped Shortcuts app powered by Apple Intelligence, and more.
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Amazon this weekend has discounts across nearly the entire M3 iPad Air lineup, offering $100 off these tablets. Prices start at $499.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Best Buy is matching all of these deals on the iPad Air.

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

Every deal has been automatically applied and does not require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final sale price. We've rounded up every discount available on Amazon in the lists below, and they include both 11-inch and 13-inch models.




Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $100 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $649.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $849.00, both $100 discounts.

11-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $499.00, down from $599.00


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $599.00, down from $699.00


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $899.00


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $999.00, down from $1,099.00

13-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $699.00, down from $799.00


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $799.00, down from $899.00


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $999.00, down from $1,099.00


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00, down from $1,299.00

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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The alleged name of macOS 26 (yes) has leaked.


In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that macOS 26 will be named macOS Tahoe, after California's scenic Lake Tahoe.

Apple previously named its Mac operating systems after big cats like Cheetah, Tiger, Leopard, and Lion. Starting with OS X Mavericks in 2013, however, Apple switched to California-themed names like Yosemite, Monterey, Sonoma, and Sequoia.

Lake Tahoe is known for its reflective waters, which mirror the surrounding landscape, including mountains and the sky. Gurman said that would align with macOS 26's rumored glass-like design with more translucent windows, buttons, and icons.

Apple is expected to unveil macOS 26 alongside iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 during its WWDC 2025 keynote, which is set to begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. The conference is just eight days away.
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Sonos has kicked off its Father's Day sale, offering discounts on home audio equipment through the middle of June. This includes discounts on the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, Ace headphones, and more.

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

This sale includes Sonos product bundles that should help elevate your home theater setup with various soundbars, subwoofers, and speakers. There are also a few products available outside of a bundle, including the Sonos Arc Ultra for $899 ($100 off), Sonos Ace headphones for $329 ($120 off), and Era 100 Smart Speaker for $179 ($20 off).



Sonos very rarely offers discounts this steep on its website, so it'll likely be quite a long time before these deals return after this sale ends later in June. We've accumulated a few of the devices in the sale below, but be sure to browse this landing page on the Sonos website for everything being discounted.

Sonos Sale

• Arc Ultra Soundbar - $899, down from $999


• Ace Headphones - $329, down from $449


• Move 2 Smart Speaker - $336, down from $449


• Beam (Gen 2) - $369, down from $499


• Sub 4 - $679, down from $799


• Era 100 Smart Speaker - $179, down from $199

Bundles

• 2x Era 100 Smart Speakers - $358, down from $498


• Ray Soundbar + 2x Era 100 Smart Speakers - $557, down from $777


• Sonos Ace Headphones + Beam (Gen 2) Soundbar - $698, down from $948


• Sub Mini + 2x Era 100 Smart Speakers - $785, down from $827

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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There was blockbuster news this week regarding Apple's naming conventions, while WhatsApp finally made the jump to iPad after 15 years.


Other news this week included a report on Apple's now-scaled-back aspirations for providing satellite-based internet service, tidbits on Apple's plans for smart home hubs including one with a robotic arm, and more, so read on below for all the details!

No iOS 19: Apple Going Straight to iOS 26

Here's a shocking rumor less than two weeks ahead of WWDC: Apple is reportedly going to overhaul the numbering convention it uses for its various operating systems, unifying them all under a "26" branding to represent the upcoming year, much like how car manufacturers typically release their new model years late in the previous year.


So say goodbye to what we thought were going to be iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, tvOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3, because it looks like they're all just going to be numbered "26."

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Apple's Pro iPhone models are usually the highlight of the September release cycle, and while they'll have some competition this year from the new ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air," we're still expecting some very notable changes for Apple's most expensive iPhone models.


Check out our overview of a dozen significant changes we're expecting in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, including some visual changes that will make it immediately obvious if you have Apple's latest iPhone model.

Looking further ahead, a source claims Apple has been testing a 200-megapixel camera sensor for the iPhone. That would likely first appear as the Main camera in Pro iPhone models, but it's probably a year or two away.

WhatsApp for iPad Now Available

Incredibly, one of the biggest news stories of the week was the launch of an iPad-optimized version of WhatsApp, more than 15 years after the messaging service debuted. WhatsApp teased the launch early this week, and released the app just a day later.


With WhatsApp now available for iPad, attention is now on Meta's other major app still lacking a native iPad app, Instagram.

Apple Pulls Some Features From Rumored Smart Home Robot

Apple's rumored smart home tabletop robot has been the subject of some intriguing rumors over the past few years, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is pulling some of the "bolder features" planned for it in order to bring it to market faster. The unspecified features could appear in later models.


The tabletop robot will reportedly feature an iPad-like display on a robotic arm that can adjust to remain in view of a person moving about the room, and it would be able to respond to voice commands.

The robot is rumored to follow a simpler smart home hub that Gurman says could launch "by the end of this year at the earliest."

Report: Apple Planned to Offer Starlink-Like Home Internet Service

A decade ago, Apple reportedly explored working with Boeing to launch a Starlink-like satellite internet service for Phones and homes, according to The Information. The companies would have launched thousands of satellites into orbit around the Earth to beam internet services down to the surface.


The project was ultimately nixed over concerns related to cost and Apple's relationship with carriers, and the company ultimately partnered with Globalstar on the much more modest satellite services Apple currently offers on recent iPhone models. Just this week, Apple expanded Messages and Find My via satellite to Mexico, joining existing coverage in the U.S. and Canada even as the company is reportedly weighing whether it's worth continuing to offer the features as carriers have started to introduce their own satellite services.

iOS 18 Leak Reveals Apple Tested MacBook Pros With M3 Ultra Chip

While Apple's highest-end M3 Ultra chip is currently limited to the Mac Studio, it appears that Apple tested the chip in the MacBook Pro as well.


A user on Chinese social media platform BiliBili claims to have found code references to unreleased 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 Ultra chip in an internal build of iOS 18 running on an iPhone 16 engineering prototype. Apple of course ultimately did not release an M3 Ultra MacBook Pro, potentially over thermal and/or power concerns, but it's interesting to see that Apple apparently tested the chip in that form factor.

Sony's New WH-1000XM6 Headphones vs. AirPods Max

Sony recently came out with a new set of high-end over-ear noise canceling headphones, so we thought we'd compare them to the AirPods Max to see how Sony's 2025 headphones measure up to Apple's headphones that haven't seen a notable update since their 2020 launch.


In one of our latest YouTube videos, Dan takes a look at the two sets of headphones, finding that while the AirPods Max offer some key benefits for the Apple ecosystem, Sony's latest headphones deliver a more comfortable fit and a better overall package.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: iOS 26 Incoming?, iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With iOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26, Apple is planning to debut a new design that's been described as taking inspiration from visionOS, the newest operating system. With WWDC coming up soon, we thought we'd take a closer look at visionOS and some of the design details that Apple might adopt based on current rumors and leaked information.

1. Translucency

Inside Apple, the ‌iOS 26‌ redesign project is known as "Solarium," which gives us some insight into Apple's focus. A solarium is basically an all-glass room that's designed to let in a lot of light.


Since launch, visionOS has had menus and interface elements that are translucent because in an AR/VR environment, people need to be able to see their surroundings as much as possible to feel immersed.

The translucent design elements in visionOS better blend into the background for an unobtrusive look, letting color and light from the real world blend through. It's not hard to picture how this sort of translucent design would work well in apps like Photos, which we've already seen a mockup of.

2. Floating Navigation Bars and Menus

Floating menus and navigation bars go right along with translucency. In visionOS, everything is essentially floating in the open space around you, whether you're looking at your surroundings through the passthrough camera, or a virtual reality background.


In ‌iOS 26‌, Apple could replicate this effect with shading and shadowing that makes interface elements look slightly raised over the content in the background, for a soft, blurred depth effect.


visionOS has a lot of top-aligned toolbars rather than bottom bars, so it's possible we'll see iOS shifting that way too.

3. Rounded Buttons and Interface Elements

iOS already has rounded squares and rounded rectangles for icons, notifications, menus within apps, search bars, and all of the card-style interfaces that we're used to, but visionOS is even rounder. The floating navigation bars in iOS could be pill-shaped with more starkly rounded edges.


visionOS also has more dramatic rounding at the corners, and the app icons are fully round. ‌iOS 26‌ could be rounder in general, more closely matching some of the shapes in visionOS. Leaker Jon Prosser has claimed that there will be an option for round app icons, but it's not clear if Apple would want to go in that direction for iOS because Android has long used round app icons. The iconic squircle has been one of many design features distinguishing iOS from Android.

4. Glassy Look

With its translucency, the visionOS interface can look almost like frosted glass. Apple's WWDC 2025 design features a frosted glass rainbow with shifting pastel colors, which is perhaps a hint at plans to adopt a frosted, sea-glass-style look that's not too far off from what we've already got in visionOS.


visionOS actually uses a system-designed material that Apple calls glass for app windows. It lets light, virtual content, and objects in the surroundings show through menus and windows. Glass adapts to background color and provides contrast for app content while also taking into account people's physical surroundings. Apple could use a similar material design in ‌iOS 26‌.

5. Subtle Lighting Changes

In visionOS, the translucent interface elements can interact with lighting conditions of the room the user is in. That doesn't translate to the iPhone, but iOS is apparently going to have some subtle light effects that will emphasize the translucency and glass-like design.


In visionOS, the windows also cast shadows that are responsive to head movements. That's not something that translates to iOS, but lighting and shadow effects that shift when you move your ‌iPhone‌ is a possibility. In fact, Prosser claims there's a glint on the Lock Screen's Flashlight and Camera (or customized) buttons when moving the ‌iPhone‌.


Apple could use dynamic shadowing in apps and for widgets, and adaptive color could further the effect by allowing interface elements to blend with wallpaper and shift with ambient light.

6. Simplicity

For the most part, visionOS has a simplified design in Apple apps, with an airier feel due to the spacing that's needed to ensure people have enough room to look at a button to interact with it. ‌iOS 26‌ could adopt streamlined navigation and menu elements for a less cluttered look.


visionOS uses cleaner fonts, bolder text, and increased line height, which may or may not translate to iOS.


Apple is likely taking a good look at navigation, menu options, and layout, because one of the main aspects of the redesign is more cross-platform cohesion, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He says that ‌iOS 26‌ will be "simpler to use, faster to navigate, and easier to learn."

Design Consistency

It's not just ‌iOS 26‌ that's being overhauled. The visual changes and tweaks to menus, buttons, and navigation will also extend to macOS 26, and of course, iPadOS 26. watchOS 26 and tvOS 26 will see design refreshes, too.

Apple will undoubtedly provide developers with new design guidelines and resources to extend the updated look to third-party apps.

WWDC Debut

The new design that we've been hearing so much about is set to be unveiled at the WWDC keynote event on Monday, June 9. It starts at 10:00 a.m. and while Apple will livestream it, if you can't watch, you can follow along here on MacRumors.com or on our MacRumorsLive X account. Apple will provide developers with the new operating system updates complete with redesign after the keynote event, and a public beta will follow in July. ‌iOS 26‌ and its sister updates will launch to the public in September.
This article, "6 visionOS-Inspired Design Elements Coming to iOS 26" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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All four iPhone 17 models will adopt metalens technology for Face ID, according to Jeff Pu, an Apple analyst at equity research firm GF Securities. He revealed this information in an investor research note earlier this month.


Earlier this year, a leaker known as Digital Chat Station also claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max would adopt a metalens for Face ID that integrates the transmitter and receiver components. They said that this change would reduce the size of some of the Face ID components, resulting in a smaller Dynamic Island on the device.

Last year, Pu also said that the iPhone 17 Pro Max would have a much narrower Dynamic Island, as a result of the metalens. However, he now believes that all of the iPhone 17 models will adopt a metalens, meaning that the change would extend to the base model iPhone 17, the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the smaller iPhone 17 Pro.

In January, however, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expects the Dynamic Island‌'s size to remain "largely unchanged" across the ‌iPhone 17‌ series.

All three sources have proven track records of sharing details about future Apple products, so it remains to be seen if the Dynamic Island will change in size.

In any case, next year's iPhone 18 Pro models are rumored to feature under-screen Face ID with only a small front camera hole.
This article, "iPhone 17 With a Smaller Dynamic Island? Here's What Rumors Say" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The latest rumored specs for the iPhone 17 base model are underwhelming.


In a research note with equity research firm GF Securities this month, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said that the lowest-end iPhone 17 model will be equipped with the same A18 chip that is used in the iPhone 16 base model. The chip will continue to be manufactured with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, known as N3E, he said.

The ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is expected to have an A19 chip, while the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to have an A19 Pro chip. Both of those chips are expected to be manufactured with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, known as N3P.

Pu also expects the iPhone 17 to be equipped with 8GB of RAM, matching the iPhone 16.

Last month, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air and both iPhone 17 Pro models will all be equipped with an increased 12GB of RAM. He said that Apple was still deciding on 8GB or 12GB of RAM for the iPhone 17 base model at that time, and if Pu's information is accurate, the company has settled on 8GB for the device.

Overall, the base iPhone 17 is shaping up to be a minor upgrade over the equivalent iPhone 16, with both devices expected to have the same overall design. Key new features that are rumored for the iPhone 17 include a 120Hz display and a 24-megapixel front camera, compared to 60Hz and a 12-megapixel front camera on the iPhone 16.

The base iPhone 17 will also feature a slightly larger 6.3-inch display compared to the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, according to display industry expert Ross Young.

Apple is expected to unveil the entire iPhone 17 series in September.
This article, "iPhone 17 Base Model Now Said to Feature A18 Chip and 8GB of RAM" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Digiarty VideoProc to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 16 Pro and a lifetime license of VideoProc Converter AI to go along with it.


VideoProc Converter AI is an easy-to-use AI-powered tool for working with videos, images, audio, and DVDs. It has a range of different tools for converting file types, fixing files, compressing files, editing, making GIFs, and more. If you want to do something to a video, there's a good chance this software is capable of the task you want to accomplish.

For videos, there is an option to enhance blurry, noisy, grainy or compressed videos to get a better quality result, with the software able to upscale videos by up to 4x and provide better clarity and detail. A stabilization tool can reduce shake in videos, a noise remover cleans up noise in videos, and there are color correction tools for fixing color issues. If you have footage captured by a fisheye lens, there's an option to fix the distortion.


To fix low frame rates, there's an AI frame interpolation feature that adds in additional frames to make videos smoother, and it can boost videos up to 480 fps for 20x slow motion. For converting video, VideoProc Converter AI uses GPU acceleration for faster video encoding and decoding. Video transcoding and processing can be sped up significantly without impacting the quality of the output.

The app supports 320 video codecs and formats, including popular formats like MP4, HEVC, AVI, MOV, and MKV. Video can be imported from DJI cameras, GoPros, and other digital cameras, plus the app supports log videos from pro cameras, 3D video, and VR video. There are tools for changing video format, resolution, and frames per second, with no loss of quality.


To cut down on file size, there is a Compress tool that supports entering a target file size or using a compression ratio slider. There are seven video compression methods so you can find what works best.


VideoProc Converter AI supports video editing, with tools for cutting, trimming, and splitting video. Clips can be merged, cropped, and adjusted with one-click stylized cinematic effects. Audio volume and sync can be adjusted, and you can create slow or fast motion videos with controls to change speed. Watermarks are also an option so you can prevent your content from being stolen.


There is a built-in feature for downloading videos from popular social networks like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch, in addition to thousands of other websites. You can even record video directly with the app using an iPhone or a webcam. When recording, the app supports picture-in-picture, iOS screen recording, and green screen mode, which is useful for filming gameplay videos or tutorials. You can also digitize and back up DVDs.

AI image editing is supported too, so you can also tweak your photos. There are options for upscaling and denoising images, repairing, retouching, and enhancing faces, and adding color to black and white images. With batch processing, over 3,000 photos can be edited at once.


VideoProc Converter AI works on all Apple silicon Macs. The app is free to try, but unlocking the complete suite of features requires the full version, which is priced at $25.95 for a one-year license or $45.95 for a lifetime license. Digiarty is offering MacRumors readers a discount on a lifetime license, dropping the price to $30. The license includes access to a 7-in-1 media toolkit, including AI Super Resolution for video upscaling, AI Frame interpolation for slow-motion playback, Image AI for upscaling, restoring, and colorizing, DVD backup, Mac and iOS device screen recording, and audio/image processing.

We have a lifetime license and an ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ to give away to one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (May 30) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 6. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after June 6 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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Apple published its third annual App Store Transparency Report today [PDF], sharing insights into the ‌App Store‌ over the course of 2024. The report includes data on the number of apps rejected during the year, the number of customer and developer accounts deactivated, info on how many apps were removed from the ‌App Store‌, and so on.


There were 1,961,596 total apps on the ‌App Store‌ at the end of 2024, up nearly 100,000 from last year. The ‌App Store‌ sees 839,266,915 average weekly app downloads, and 813,110,348 average weekly visitors to the ‌App Store‌, with both metrics up compared to 2023.

Apple reviewed 7.77 million app submissions, and rejected 1.93 million of those. Performance, legal, design, business, and safety were the top reasons for rejection, in that order.

Of the 1.93 million submissions that were rejected, 295,109 were approved after developers addressed the issue. Apple removed 82,509 apps from the ‌App Store‌ during the year, primarily in the Utilities and Games categories. Apps that were removed are broken down by the reason behind the action, with design issues and fraud at the top of the list.

1. Guideline 4.0 -- Design: 42,252


2. DPLA 3.2(f) -- Fraud: 38,315


3. DPLA 6.3 -- Intellectual Property Infringement: 425


4. Guideline 4.3.0 -- Spam: 294


5. DPLA 4.8 -- Export Control: 285


6. Guideline 4.1.0 -- Copycats: 128


7. Guideline 5.6.0 -- Developer Code of Conduct: 99


8. Guideline 5.0.0 -- General: 89


9. Guideline 5.2.1 -- Intellectual Property -- General: 77


10. Guideline 3.1.2 -- Subscriptions: 69

Apple also pulled some apps due to government takedown demands. The majority of government takedown requests came from China, and Apple removed 1,307 apps at China's request. There were 171 apps removed at Russia's request, 79 from South Korea, 55 from Ukraine, and 50 from Jordan.

Apple received 26,224 appeals of app removals, with 6,978 from China and 3,571 from the United States. Only 78 apps in China and 71 apps in the United States were restored after going through Apple's appeal process.

There were 128,961,839 customer accounts terminated, and Apple says it prevented over $2 billion in fraud. Apple also terminated 146,747 developer accounts due to fraud and export control.

Apple has shared ‌App Store‌ Transparency Reports since 2023, because it agreed to do so as part of a 2021 class action lawsuit settlement with developers. Apple promised to deliver meaningful statistics about the app review process, listing everything from number of apps rejected to info on search queries. More info is available in the full report, and even more data can be found in the supplemental file available from Apple's legal site.
This article, "Apple Shares 2024 App Store Data: Rejections, Removals, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through Apple's plan to introduce a complete overhaul of the design and naming system for its operating systems at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).


Despite the ongoing focus in the industry on generative artificial intelligence, Apple is reportedly planning to debut a complete visual redesign of its platforms as "the highlight of the show" at WWDC. The updated design language includes translucent interface elements and menus that echo the visual style of visionOS. While the new design was rumored for iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16, it is now expected to extend to tvOS 19 and watchOS 12 too. The changes mark the most comprehensive cross-platform visual update since the introduction of iOS 7 in 2013.

Apple is also apparently shifting its software versioning system from sequential numbers to a year-based format, similar to how car manufacturers label vehicle model years. Instead of releasing iOS 19 and macOS 16, Apple will debut iOS 26 and macOS 26, along with iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that this change is intended to reduce confusion for users and developers by aligning version numbers across platforms and matching them to the upcoming calendar year.

In addition to these design and branding changes, Apple is said to be developing a new standalone gaming app that will be introduced at WWDC. The app is intended to replace Game Center and will offer a unified platform for launching games, tracking achievements, social features, viewing leaderboards, and accessing editorial content. The app is purportedly designed to support both Apple Arcade titles and third-party games currently distributed through the App Store. On macOS, the app will also be able to detect and organize games installed outside the Mac App Store.

The gaming app represents Apple's most overt emphasis on gaming infrastructure since the launch of ‌Apple Arcade‌ in 2019. While Apple has historically treated Game Center as a background service rather than a user-facing platform, this new app appears to be aimed at making game discovery and engagement more prominent across devices. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about all of the major announcements from Google's AI-focused I/O conference this week and the mysterious device former Apple design chief Jony Ive is designing at OpenAI.

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 John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Kevin Nether, 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.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Last-Minute WWDC Rumors – 'iOS 26' and Games App" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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