Apple's new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 launch this Friday, September 19, which is either today or tomorrow depending on your time zone.


As shared by Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple has set up "Pro" and "Air" installations in front of its Apple BKC store in Mumbai, India, to promote the launch of the devices. They almost look like 3D renders in the image, but they are actually real.

Here are a few things to know about iPhone launch days:

• All of the new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods have been available to pre-order since last week, with deliveries to begin this Friday.


• Apple Store pickup is temporarily unavailable, but the option should return on launch day, and there often ends up being surprise in-store availability.


• The new iPhones and Apple Watches will be on display at Apple Stores on launch day.


• Cook and other Apple executives, such as marketing chief Greg Joswiak and retail chief Deirdre O'Brien, typically make an appearance at Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City on launch day. It is unclear if Cook has traveled to India this time instead, given the image he shared, or if he is sticking with New York.

Stay tuned for our series of iPhone 17 and iPhone Air how-to articles, and much more.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Launch Day is Near: 4 Things to Know" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Over the past few months, there have been rumors about a more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone processor launching in late 2025 or early 2026. However, it is not entirely clear yet whether the laptop will have an A18 Pro or A19 Pro chip.


In June, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the lower-cost MacBook would be equipped with the A18 Pro, which debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro models last year. Soon after, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris also discovered evidence that pointed towards the laptop being powered by the A18 Pro, and DigiTimes reported the same.

It is quite possible that Apple has already finalized specs for the lower-cost MacBook, so it very well might be the A18 Pro in the first-generation model.

However, in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo last week, an account known as "Mobile Phone Chip Expert" claimed that Apple is considering using the A19 Pro chip in the lower-cost MacBook. If so, it is unclear if it would be the 6-core GPU version in the iPhone 17 Pro models, or the 5-core GPU version in the iPhone Air.

"Mobile Phone Chip Expert" was one of the sources who said at least one iPhone 17 model would be equipped with 12GB of RAM, so they have a bit of a track record.

Obviously, the A19 Pro would be faster than the A18 Pro, which has similar performance as the M1 chip. It would also be good news for RAM, as the A19 Pro has 12GB of unified memory, whereas the A18 Pro has 8GB. The entire new Mac lineup has started with at least 16GB of RAM since last year, with the only option with 8GB being the five-year-old MacBook Air with an M1 chip, which is sold exclusively by Walmart for $599.

Both the A18 Pro and A19 Pro lack Thunderbolt support, so the MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. They would look the same as Thunderbolt ports, but data transfer speeds would be limited to up to 10 Gbps. Plus, only a single external display would be natively supported, but DisplayLink adapters allow for more.

Kuo expects the lower-cost MacBook to have a 13-inch display, and he said potential color options for the laptop included silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

Apple often announces new Macs in October, so perhaps the lower-cost MacBook will debut next month. Otherwise, March 2026 is the next likely timeframe.
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Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions.


The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said.

It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. Casey said some of the photos he took with the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max at a concert contained "small blacked-out portions" and "white squiggles."

A spokesperson for Apple told Casey that this issue can happen in "very rare cases when an LED light display is extremely bright and shining directly into the camera." Apple has identified a fix and will be releasing it in an "upcoming software update," the spokesperson said, and hopefully that proves to be iOS 26.0.1.

It is unclear if iOS 26.0.1 will include any other bug fixes or enhancements.

It is also not known when Apple plans to release iOS 26.0.1, but given the new iPhones launch tomorrow, getting the fix out is likely an urgent priority.

watchOS 26.0.1 was already released for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, enabling satellite connectivity in Mexico.
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Taiwan's Commercial Times this week reported that Apple's Vision Pro headset will be updated next year with Apple's R2 chip. The report said the chip — along with A20 chips for iPhones, and M6 chips for Macs — will be fabricated with TSMC's latest 2nm process.


The current Apple Vision Pro is equipped with Apple's M2 chip, which serves as the device's main processor, along with an R1 chip for input processing.

Apple's description of the R1 chip:

M2 delivers unparalleled standalone performance, while the brand-new R1 chip processes input from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones to ensure that content feels like it is appearing right in front of the user's eyes, in real time. R1 streams new images to the displays within 12 milliseconds — 8x faster than the blink of an eye.

By moving to a 2nm process — the R1 chip is likely 3nm — the R2 chip would have even better performance for input processing.

According to previous rumors, the Apple Vision Pro will be updated as soon as this year, with an M4 chip or M5 chip, a new head strap that improves comfort, and potentially a Space Black color option. This report is the first to mention an R2 chip for a future model, but it is unclear if the 2026 timeframe for that upgrade is accurate.
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Tom's Guide this week published the results of its iPhone Air vs. iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max battery life test, which involves continuous web browsing over 5G. Each model was set to 150 nits of display brightness.


Here is how long each iPhone model lasted on a full charge:

• iPhone Air: 12 hours and 2 minutes


• iPhone 17: 12 hours and 47 minutes


• iPhone 17 Pro: 15 hours and 32 minutes


• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 17 hours and 54 minutes

For this specific usage, the highest-end iPhone 17 Pro Max lasted 48.5% (nearly 1.5×) longer than the ultra-thin iPhone Air.

The results are similar to Apple's figures, which show the Pro Max offering up to 44.5% longer battery life than the Air for offline video playback.

Here are Apple's offline video playback figures for each model:

• iPhone Air: Up to 27 hours


• iPhone 17: Up to 30 hours


• iPhone 17 Pro: Up to 33 hours


• iPhone 17 Pro Max: Up to 39 hours

Of course, most people are not using their iPhones to browse the web or watch videos for an entire day or two nonstop, without using the device for any other purpose. So, these battery life tests do not reflect typical real-world usage. Still, they help to set expectations, and plenty of additional tests will follow over the coming days.

All of the new iPhone models launch this Friday.
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While the iPhone 17 series and the iPhone Air are still a few days away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the iPhone 18 Pro's design.


Overall, the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a similar design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to Digital Chat Station, a previously-accurate leaker with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

In a post today, the leaker said the devices will have the same rear camera system design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, with a "plateau" housing three lenses in a triangular arrangement. He also expects the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes used since the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Notably, the leaker claimed that the Ceramic Shield area on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a "slightly transparent design," without elaborating.

The post also said the iPhone 18 Pro models will be equipped with a stainless steel vapor chamber cooling system. On the iPhone 17 Pro models, Apple says the vapor chamber is laser-welded into the aluminum unibody, but it is not entirely clear if it uses any other types of metal. Teardowns will provide a closer look at the vapor chamber in the coming days.

In related news, Taiwan's Commercial Times this week reported that iPhone 18 Pro models will be equipped with an A20 Pro chip, fabricated with TSMC's latest 2nm process. The devices will also feature Apple's C2 modem, rather than a Qualcomm modem, the report said. Both of these changes have been widely rumored already.

Like all sources, Digital Chat Station has some hits and misses. We are still a year out from the iPhone 18 Pro models, so expect plenty more rumors to follow. Even if early rumors are true, designs and specs can change before they are finalized.

Earlier this week, another leaker claimed the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a smaller Dynamic Island, but they do not expect the devices to have under-screen Face ID.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Design Rumors: Translucent MagSafe Area, Display Sizes, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has updated its iPhone User Guide, and published a series of support documents, with more details about a wide range of new iOS 26 features.


Here are some of those guides and support documents:

• Adaptive Power mode


• Apple Games app


• Apple Intelligence (Reminders)


• Apple Preview app


• AutoMix (Apple Music)


• Call Screening (Phone)


• Live Translation


• Log Blood Pressure (Health)


• Recovery Assistant


• Screen Unknown Senders (Messages)

Make sure to check out our ultimate iOS 26 guide for an in-depth overview of everything you need to know about the software update, released on Monday.
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It turns out that Apple's new Adaptive Power mode extends beyond the iPhone.


Starting with watchOS 26, Adaptive Power is enabled by default on all compatible Apple Watch models set up via Apple Watch For Your Kids, formerly known as Family Setup. This includes an Apple Watch that is already set up and updated to watchOS 26.

Apple Watch For Your Kids lets parents set up an Apple Watch — a model with cellular connectivity is required — for a child who does not have their own iPhone.

On the Apple Watch, Adaptive Power can help to extend battery life by adjusting the performance of certain features, according to an Apple support document. Apple says Siri may take longer to process requests, and some animations and scrolling might appear less smooth on the screen, but it is unclear how often this will happen.

Parents can turn off Adaptive Power on the child's Apple Watch, by opening the Settings app on it, tapping on Battery, and scrolling down to Adaptive Power.

Adaptive Power is only available on Apple Watch units set up via Apple Watch For Your Kids.

Adaptive Power mode is also available on iPhone 15 Pro models and newer running iOS 26, and it is on by default on the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air.

On the iPhone, Apple says the optional setting can make "performance adjustments" when necessary to extend battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness, allowing some activities to "take longer," and automatically turning on Low Power Mode when remaining battery life reaches the 20% mark.
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The website ChargerLAB today published a teardown of Apple's new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max, which has a key advantage over one of its other chargers.


Specifically, the teardown shows the new 40W to 60W charger is roughly the same size as Apple's 20W charger, despite its higher wattage for faster charging speeds. In other words, you are getting more power from a smaller charger, although the 40W to 60W model costs $39 in the U.S., while the 20W option costs $19.


To achieve this, the charger supports USB-C Power Delivery 3.2 with SPR AVS (Standard Power Range Adjustable Voltage Supply), according to ChargerLAB.

The teardown confirms the charger can approach its 60W limit, but this will only be in short bursts, due to the thermal limitations of its compact design.


In addition to the U.S., the 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max is available to order in Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, and the Philippines. It appears to be the spiritual successor to Apple's discontinued 30W adapter, which is still included with the base-model 13-inch MacBook Air and the Apple Vision Pro for now.

iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models can be charged up to 50% in 20 minutes with a compatible charger, including the 40W to 60W one.
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Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that a more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone processor is slated to enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, which points towards a late 2025 or early 2026 launch.


Below, we recap the rumors about the lower-priced MacBook so far.

Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. In late June, he said the laptop would have around a 13-inch display, and an A18 Pro chip. Kuo said potential color options include silver, blue, pink, and yellow, so the laptop could come in bright colors, like 2021-and-newer models of the 24-inch iMac.

This time around, he only mentioned the MacBook will have an unspecific iPhone processor. Apple recently introduced the A19 Pro chip, which has 12GB of RAM, so it will be interesting to see if the lower-cost MacBook uses that chip instead. The entire Mac lineup has started with at least 16GB of RAM since last year, with the only option with 8GB being the MacBook with an M1 chip, which is sold exclusively by Walmart for $599.

The A18 Pro offers similar performance as the M1 chip, so Apple might opt to save the A19 Pro for the second-generation lower-cost MacBook. Kuo anticipates that follow-up model will be released in 2027, with specs still not finalized.

Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes expects the laptop to have a starting price of between $599 and $699 in the United States.

The publication said the lower-cost MacBook will be equipped with a 12.9-inch display, and a version of the A18 Pro chip that debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro models last year. It would become the first Mac to ever use an A-series chip from an iPhone.

The lower-cost MacBook could launch in late 2025 or early 2026, that report said.

Notably, the A18 Pro and A19 Pro lack Thunderbolt support, so the MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. They would look the same as Thunderbolt ports, but data transfer speeds would be limited to up to 10 Gbps. The laptop would natively support only a single external display, but that limitation can be overcome with DisplayLink adapters.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. It would slot in below the MacBook Air, which has a slightly larger 13.6-inch display, an M4 chip, and a starting price of $999. However, the latest MacBook Air is sometimes on sale on Amazon for as low as $799.

Apple often announces new Macs in October, so perhaps the lower-cost MacBook will debut next month. Otherwise, March 2026 is the next likely timeframe.
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With an ultra-thin design that measures just 5.6mm at its thinnest point, Apple's new iPhone Air tops the iPhone 6 as the thinnest iPhone ever released.


With a 6.9mm frame, the iPhone 6 was prone to bending, although the most egregious examples were often seen in YouTube videos that used excessive force.

The big question: Will the iPhone Air bend?

In a video that Apple provided to Tom's Guide, Apple subjected the iPhone Air to a machine that simulated "130 pounds of pressure" on the middle of the device. The publication said the video shows the device "springs back remarkably well and doesn't show any lasting curve from the experience." You can watch it for yourself in their report.

It appears the iPhone Air should be bend-proof in most if not all real-world scenarios, but we still have to wait for independent, third-party tests.


It does seem pretty safe to say that the iPhone Air will not bend in the same way the iPhone 6 did, and a big reason for that is the device has a titanium frame, whereas the iPhone 6 was made with aluminum. Apple said the iPhone Air "exceeds" its "stringent bend strength requirements," and touted it as the most durable iPhone ever.

The report also includes a few other durability test videos from Apple, including one that tests the Ceramic Shield 2 front cover on iPhone 17 models, which is promised to offer 3× better scratch resistance compared to the previous generation. Another video subjects the iPhone 17 Pro to simulated drop tests. Unsurprisingly, given these videos are from Apple, the results are favorable. Real-world tests will confirm things soon.
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The first reviews of the iPhone Air have been published by selected media outlets and YouTube channels, offering a closer look at the device ahead of its launch on Friday.


The main attraction of the iPhone Air is its ultra-thin 5.6mm design, but the device has a handful of compromises compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, so is it still worth buying? The reviews set out to answer that question.

The compromises compared to the Pro models include shorter battery life, no Telephoto camera with up to 8× optical zoom, one speaker instead of two, a slower USB-C port for wired data transfer speeds, slightly lower maximum USB-C and MagSafe charging speeds, and a slightly slower 5-core GPU instead of a 6-core GPU.

On the other hand, the iPhone Air has some Pro features, including a ProMotion display with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, and an A19 Pro chip with the same 6-core CPU. The device also has a sleek, premium design with Ceramic Shield glass and titanium.

iPhone Air can be pre-ordered now. Below, we have rounded up some of the reviews.

Apple says the iPhone Air offers up to 27 hours of video playback per charge, compared to up to 33 hours on the iPhone 17 Pro and up to 39 hours on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The Verge's Allison Johnson on battery life:

Now for the less-good news: battery life is just okay. And honestly, that's a pretty good outcome for the Air; the situation could have been worse. If you're a light user and you spend most of your time on Wi-Fi, you might never have a problem with the battery.

Personally, it makes me a little too anxious to see that battery indicator drop into the 20s before dinnertime, though in fairness I was going pretty hard on the battery with around five hours of screen-on time. On a much lighter day on my home Wi-Fi, three hours of screen-on time took the battery down to around 40 percent by bedtime. I'd call that within the bounds of acceptable, if a little on the low end for a $1,000 phone.

WIRED's Julian Chokkattu on battery life:

The battery life of the iPhone Air is better than I expected.

The Air was generally able to last a full day with average use for me. I hit around five hours of screen-on time with around 18 percent left by 10:30 pm. This worked for me, but my expectations were also very low. I had to baby the battery so much on the last ultrathin phone I tested, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and I was surprised to find that this was not the case with the Air.

Heavy users will undoubtedly need to top up this phone during the day. On one travel day, I took the phone off the charger at 5:30 am and used it extensively for navigation, music streaming, phone calls, and Instagram Reeling, and I hit 2 percent by 4:30 pm. If that sounds like a very normal day for you, you'll most certainly feel the limits of this phone's battery life. For the most part, I didn't feel as battery anxious as with Samsung's thin phone.

Like the iPhone 17 Pro models, the iPhone Air has an A19 Pro chip, with the same 6-core CPU but a slightly reduced 5-core GPU. Geekbench results for the chip already surfaced last week, and now one review has subjected it to additional testing.

Tom's Guide's Mark Spoonauer on sustained performance and thermal management:

How about sustained performance? To test that, we used the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, which simulates gaming for about 20 minutes. We ran it once and recorded the results, then did a second run right after that to really stress test these phones.

The iPhone Air performed quite well, with stability scores that beat the Galaxy S25 Edge by a fair margin in both rounds.

More surprisingly, the iPhone Air turned in cooler temperatures than the Pro Max when we measured the back of the phones using a laser thermometer in 5 locations and averaged the results. Though the S25 Edge was even cooler.

Notably, Spoonauer was unable to bend the iPhone Air with his hands in a recent interview, but we will see how the device holds up in pockets over the long term.

CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti tested the iPhone Air's single 48-megapixel rear camera — the review contains a gallery of photos shot with the device:

It felt surprisingly limiting to not have an ultrawide camera, especially when I wanted to capture more sweeping landscapes. Not to turn this into a thin phone showdown, but I couldn't help but think of how the Galaxy S25 Edge does have a 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle camera, alongside a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, which makes it feel like less of a compromise in that regard.

Otherwise, the rear camera on the iPhone Air consistently delivered. In the many pictures I took of waterfalls, tea times and urban landscapes, shadows and highlights are well balanced, colors are true to life, and there's an overall sharpness and clarity. Portrait shots (my go-to camera mode) capably blur backgrounds to help subjects -- whether it's a decadent tea tray, an art installation or CNET's talented Jesse Orrall -- stand out.

Videos

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If your Mac experiences an issue that prevents it from starting up properly, macOS Tahoe includes a new Recovery Assistant that can attempt to identify the issue and resolve it, according to an Apple support document published this week.


If your Mac experiences certain behaviors during startup, Apple says the computer might automatically restart and open Recovery Assistant. To use the utility, click on the "Continue" button in the window and follow the on-screen steps.

When the recovery process is complete, Recovery Assistant will indicate that it recovered your Mac successfully, or that it was unable to recover your Mac, or that no known issues were found. Click on "Restart Mac" to complete the process.

If your Mac starts up successfully, Apple says you might be notified to recover your iCloud data.

If your Mac does not start up successfully, it has an issue that Recovery Assistant cannot resolve, and you can then move on to other troubleshooting steps.

Recovery Assistant is also available from the Utilities menu in macOS Recovery mode.

As we reported on earlier this year, iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a similar Recovery Assistant tool to the iPhone and iPad, and Apple published a support document this week with more details about how the feature works on those devices.
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iOS 26 was finally released on Monday, but the software train never stops, and the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 will likely be released soon.


iOS 18.1 was an anomaly, as the first developer beta of that version was released in late July last year, to allow for early testing of Apple Intelligence features. The first betas of iOS 15.1, iOS 16.1, and iOS 17.1 were all released in the second half of September, so it is likely the iOS 26.1 beta cycle will begin this month.

The following new features are expected to be added in future updates, ranging from iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4. These are only the features that are known about so far, so there will obviously be many others added over the course of the next year.

Digital Passport

A future version of iOS 26 will let you add a digital version of your U.S. passport to Apple's Wallet app. Unfortunately, the feature has been delayed.

The so-called "Digital ID" feature for U.S. passports will be available in a "software update," according to Apple's fine print on its iOS 26 page. Apple did not mention a specific version, but hopefully it arrives in iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2.

After creating a Digital ID in the Wallet app, you will be able to present it in person at TSA checkpoints in select U.S. airports for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. However, Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing purposes.

Apple says the Digital ID feature is secure, private, and compliant with REAL ID.

It will also be possible to use the Digital ID feature for age and identity verification in apps, online, and in stores, according to Apple.

RCS Upgrades

Earlier this year, Apple said it planned to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates, and we are still waiting for that to happen. As of the first official version of iOS 26 released this week, the upgrade has yet to be implemented on iPhones.

End-to-end encryption for RCS was announced in March, as part of version 3.0 of the RCS Universal Profile, a global standard for RCS features and specifications. This means that Apple has indirectly confirmed that it will support RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which includes not only end-to-end encryption for RCS, but several other iMessage-like enhancements for RCS that were originally introduced in RCS‌ Universal Profile 2.7.

Apple has to wait on carriers to implement RCS Universal Profile 3.0 too, so it is understandable why the process is taking time.

Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, once Apple rolls out support for RCS Universal Profile 3.0:

• End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices, as has always been the case with iMessage


• In-line replies


• Edit messages


• Unsend messages


• Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, with no special workarounds

RCS support as a whole was added to the iPhone with iOS 18, which supports ‌RCS‌ Universal Profile 2.4. It is effectively a modernized version of the SMS standard, which remains available as a fallback option for text messages over a cellular network.

RCS will be playing catch up with iMessage in many ways. iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have already supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.

It seems likely that Apple will roll out these RCS upgrades at some point during the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 software cycle.

Personalized Siri

In late July, Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company was making "good progress" on a more personalized version of Siri, and he reiterated the features were on track to launch next year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the new Siri to launch in the U.S. in spring 2026, so Apple is likely aiming for an iOS 26.4 launch.

Apple first announced the personalized Siri features during its WWDC 2024 keynote, but in March it announced that they were delayed. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

Weather via Satellite

A little more than three months ago, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered references to an unreleased "Weather via satellite" feature in the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta. However, the feature has yet to be released or even announced by Apple, so it is unclear if it is still coming or if it was scrapped.

The references have not been removed from the code, as of the iOS 26 Release Candidate, so it is possible that Apple will introduce the feature eventually. Perhaps the feature will be added in a follow-up update, such as iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2.

The feature would let you view the forecast and other weather information in the Weather app, in supported areas without Wi-Fi and cellular range. Apple's other satellite features include Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite, with availability varying by country.

Apple has yet to charge a fee for any of its satellite features. Last week, the company announced it is providing existing iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users with an additional year of free access to the entire suite of satellite features on those devices.

New Emoji

iOS 26.4 will likely add new built-in emoji to the iPhone.

In celebration of World Emoji Day on July 17, the Unicode Consortium previewed some of the new emoji that will be coming with Unicode 17.0.

Here are some of the new emoji:

• Trombone


• Treasure Chest


• Distorted Face


• Hairy Creature (Bigfoot/Sasquatch)


• Fight Cloud


• Apple Core


• Orca


• Ballet Dancers


• Landslide

Notably, Distorted Face is a popular emoji in Discord servers. It is essentially a distorted version of the embarassed face emoji, also known as Flushed Face.


It typically takes Apple several months to design new emoji in its own style, so the emoji listed above will likely be added to the iPhone in iOS 26.4.

Apple most recently added new emoji to the iPhone with iOS 18.4, an update that came out in late March. iOS 17.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 15.4 also introduced new emoji over the years, so the timing has become predictable by this point if it holds up.
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The first set of reviews are out for the new Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3, ahead of the devices launching on Friday.


As we already noted in our buyer's guide last week, the Series 11 is a fairly minor upgrade over the Series 10. Apple says the Series 11 offers up to 24 hours of battery life, a six-hour increase over the Series 10. However, while the Series 11 does have a slightly larger battery over the Series 10, Apple also changed its testing parameters to include six hours of sleep tracking per day. So, are the battery gains that noticeable?

According to CNET's Vanessa Hand Orellana, they are:

Apple rates the Series 11 for up to 24 hours of "normal use," and after wearing it through at least three full battery cycles, I can confirm that's accurate. With notifications turned on (heavy Slack-ing and texting), at least one 30- to 45-minute outdoor workout a day, a full night of sleep tracking and some mild flashlight use, I've consistently managed to squeeze between 27 and 32 hours per charge.

TechRadar's Jacob Krol also said Series 11 battery life was promising:

The bigger story is battery life: battery capacity is up 9% on the 42mm model and 11% on the 46mm. Apple rates both models for 24 hours of typical use and up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode. In practice, I pulled my 46mm review device off the charger at 54% one night, slept with tracking enabled, and didn't hit 1% until after 5pm the next day – so I got about 17 hours from half a charge. With light use, a full day and a half is very realistic.

Given the 18-hour battery life figure that Apple advertised for the Series 10 and older was widely believed to be an understatement, though, more scientific and thorough testing is needed to determine any exact year-over-year increase.

What else is new? The cover glass on the Apple Watch Series 11 display is said to offer 2× more scratch resistance compared to the previous generation, but this only applies to aluminum models, as titanium Series 10 and Series 11 models already have a more durable sapphire cover. And if you have a cellular configuration, 5G is now supported.

The new Hypertension Notifications (compatible with Series 9 and newer) and Sleep Score health features (Series 6 and newer) do not require a Series 11.

And that's it — making the Series 11 one of the smallest upgrades ever.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 also gets longer 42-hour battery life, Emergency SOS via satellite directly on the wrist, a slightly larger display, and 5G on cellular models. This makes for a slightly bigger upgrade over the Ultra 2, albeit not significantly.

9to5Mac's Zac Hall offered a good overview of the new Ultra 3 capabilities, including Emergency SOS via satellite, which was previously limited to the iPhone:

In most instances, the connection demo experience works flawlessly. It can't work indoors, and in some cases, you may be able to see the sky, but nearby trees will prevent establishing a connection. This requirement will limit how useful satellite connectivity can be, but it's still impressive that an Apple Watch can even do this now without an iPhone.

The real winner, though, is the Apple Watch SE 3. The budget-conscious model received its first update in three years, and it packs quite a few new features.

Apple Watch SE 3 features an S10 chip, an always-on display, Double Tap gesture support, wrist temperature sensing for retrospective ovulation estimates, sleep apnea detection, fast charging support, 5G support on cellular configurations, on-device Siri, and many other improvements. It is also compatible with the new Sleep Score feature. And in the U.S., the device continues to start at just $249.

The Verge's Victoria Song said the Apple Watch SE 3 is "the one to buy."

From her review:

The line between the SE 3 and Series 11? For many people, it's now nonexistent.

The skeptic in me believes that the SE 3's glow-up is partly an effort to draw more people into the Apple Watch ecosystem. It's an incredible value, and Apple happens to be coming off five consecutive quarters of declining Apple Watch shipments due to a decrease in consumer demand, fewer models, and ho-hum feature upgrades. You don’t need to be a financial whiz to see the SE 3 will likely do gangbusters in terms of sales.

Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 can be pre-ordered now.

Videos

This article, "Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 Reviews: Which is the Biggest Upgrade?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Sports was updated today with a Home Screen widget, availability in more countries, and the ability to schedule Live Activities for upcoming events.


The widget lets you view scores and schedules for your favorite leagues and teams at a glance. While the app remains available on the iPhone only, the widget can also be accessed on an iPad and Mac logged in to the same Apple Account.

In addition, the app has been released in eight more countries in Europe, including Austria, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. It was previously only available in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.

When you schedule Live Activities for upcoming events, they automatically appear on your Lock Screen when the event begins, so you do not miss any action.

Last, the app now supports Ligue 2, Segunda División, Serie B, Primeira Liga, and 2. Bundesliga.

Launched in February 2024, the Apple Sports app shows scores, stats, standings, upcoming games, and more for a variety of leagues.

Apple Sports version 3.3 is available now in the App Store.
This article, "Apple Sports App Updated With Widget, Expands to These 8 Countries" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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More than three years after Apple Ginza moved to a temporary location, the store is set to return to its original home in Tokyo's famous shopping district.


Apple today announced its temporary store in Ginza 8-chōme will be permanently closing on Monday, September 22. At the same time, the company confirmed it will "soon" be opening a new store at its original location in Ginza 3-chōme, in the Sayegusa Building, which was demolished and rebuilt over the past few years.

Apple did not provide a date for the grand reopening, but the temporary store will remain open for iPhone 17 and iPhone Air launch day on Friday. A few years ago, Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien said the new store was slated to open in the second half of 2025, and it seems likely that the company will meet that target.

To celebrate the occasion, Apple has shared a special wallpaper featuring luxurious metallic ribbons woven into the shape of the Apple logo.


To download the wallpaper on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, visit the new store's page on your device of choice. It will be available for a limited time.

Opened in 2003, Apple's original store in Ginza was the company's first retail location outside of the United States. Initially, the five-floor store featured a 27-foot-long Genius Bar, an 84-seat theater, and even an internet cafe where visitors could send emails, or make video calls with Apple's iChat software and iSight camera.

More recently, Apple's temporary store in Ginza has occupied four floors of a newer, eco-friendly building outfitted with wood fins on its glass facade.


Temporary is temporary, though, and Apple's next chapter will unfold at its old corner in Ginza.

"A new story with you," says Apple.

Via: Mac OTAKARA
This article, "'A New Story': Apple Store in Tokyo Returning to Original 2003 Location" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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