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Foldable iPhone Could Cost $2,400

Apple's foldable iPhone could be priced at $2,399, according to an estimate shared by analyst Arthur Liao at Fubon Research. There have been a range of price estimates, from as low as $1,800 to as high as $2,500, and the latest estimate falls on the higher side.


Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said he expects the ‌iPhone‌ Fold to cost between $2,000 and $2,500, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects it to be somewhere around $2,000.

The foldable ‌iPhone‌ will be expensive because of the premium components that Apple plans to use. The display panel and hinge will push pricing toward the upper end of market expectations, Fubon Research suggests.

Demand for the device will depend on the price that Apple sets, but Fubon believes that Apple could sell around 5.4 million units in 2026. Global smartphone demand could fall during the year, and foldables will be the "only spotlight" in the 2026 smartphone market.

The report says that Apple is also working on camera upgrades for 2026, with the first variable aperture lens planned for the iPhone 18 Pro models. It doesn't sound like the ‌iPhone‌ Fold will get the variable aperture lens that Apple is developing, but rumors indicate it will have a dual-lens rear camera setup with Wide and Ultra Wide lenses along with two front cameras.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Related Forum: iPhone

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Anthropic Launches Claude Opus 4.5 With Improved Coding and Agent Capabilities

Anthropic today announced the launch of Claude Opus 4.5, which it says is the "best model in the world for coding, agents, and computer use." It's improved over prior models for everyday tasks like deep research, and it is a "step forward in what AI systems can do."


According to feedback Anthropic received from early testers, Claude Opus 4.5 can complete tasks that were impossible for Sonnet 4.5, and that it is able to handle ambiguity and reason about tradeoffs without hand-holding. The Opus 4.5 model offers better vision, reasoning, mathematics skills, and coding than prior versions of Claude.

Along with the Opus update, Anthropic is updating its apps, the Claude Developer Platform, and Claude Code. There are tools for longer-running agents, and options to use Claude in Excel, Chrome, and on the desktop.

In the Claude apps, users will no longer run into limits during a long conversation. Claude is able to automatically summarize earlier context, which means the conversation can keep going endlessly. Claude for Chrome is available to all Max users, and Claude for Excel beta access is now available to all Max, Team, and Enterprise users.

Claude Code is now available in the desktop app, and with Opus 4.5, it is able to build more precise plans and execute them more thoroughly. Claude is able to ask clarifying questions upfront and then build a user-editable plan before executing.

Claude Opus 4.5 is available today across Anthropic's apps and its API. Opus-specific caps have been removed for Claude and Claude Code users with access to Opus 4.5, and for Max and Team Premium members, overall usage limits have increased.
This article, "Anthropic Launches Claude Opus 4.5 With Improved Coding and Agent Capabilities" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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ChatGPT Adds AI Shopping Research Feature for Holiday Gift Finding

OpenAI today added a new shopping research feature to ChatGPT, which is meant to help you find the right products for everything from simple household products to gifts.


You can tell ChatGPT what you're looking for, and shopping research will build a guide to help you make decisions on what to purchase. OpenAI says that it will ask smart clarifying questions, research deeply across the internet, review quality sources, and use context from prior conversations to build a personalized buyer's guide that's up-to-date.

It is built to perform particularly well in detail-heavy categories like electronics, beauty, home and garden, kitchen and appliances, and sports and outdoor. The research feature includes comparisons, constraints, tradeoffs, and more for product selections.

ChatGPT will suggest shopping research automatically when you ask it a shopping-related question, but you can also select "shopping research" from the "+" menu. When a research session has begun, ChatGPT will open a visual interface where you can share feedback to guide the research, providing feedback on what you're interested in.

You'll need to click through to a retailer's site to make a purchase, but eventually, ChatGPT will be able to make automatic purchases through ChatGPT when shopping from merchants that are part of Instant Checkout.

Shopping research is rolling out for logged-in ChatGPT users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, and to simplify holiday shopping, OpenAI is making "nearly unlimited usage" available.
This article, "ChatGPT Adds AI Shopping Research Feature for Holiday Gift Finding" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Jony Ive and Sam Altman Discuss AI Device That's Playful, Bite Worthy, and as Peaceful as a Cabin By a Lake

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and io Products creator Jony Ive forged a friendship that led to OpenAI's acquisition of io, and subsequently, an AI-based hardware product that both Altman and Ive believe is a reimagination of what it means to use a computer.


The duo recently did an interview with Emerson Collective founder Laurene Powell Jobs, providing insight into what they're working on. There's now an established hardware prototype, and while Altman and Ive didn't explain what it is in plain language, the interview has hints of its design and functionality.

Here are several ways that Altman and Ive described their AI hardware device:

  • It breaks the constraints of the "same kind of computer that we've been using for a long time."

  • Research started with a question about what it means that the device "is going to be able to know everything you've ever thought about, read, said?"

  • It will be a "sort of active participant" that's proactive in "a not annoying way."

  • Current devices and apps are like "walking through Times Square in New York" with flashing lights, crowds of people, noises, etc. It "doesn't make our lives peaceful and calm" or let us "focus on other stuff," which is what Ive and Altman wanted to address.

  • If you have an AI that you trust to do things for you and filter things out with "incredible contextual awareness of your whole life," then you can go for a vibe that's not walking through Times Square.

  • Ive and Altman's device aims to bring some of the spirit of "sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and just sort of enjoying the peace and calm."

  • Ive said he prefers solutions that "teeter on appearing almost naive in their simplicity and their feel."

  • He also likes "incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch" and use "almost carelessly."

  • Ive told Altman that the design is right when you "want to lick it or take a bite out of it," and with the current prototype, Altman got that feeling.

  • "The degree to which Jony chipped away at every little thing that this doesn't need to do or that doesn't need to be there is remarkable."

  • "There's something about when a design gets like so simple and beautiful. And playful, for lack of a better word." There aren't a lot of products with "humor" in "this area" and there is a desire "not to take ourselves quite so seriously even though these are serious times."

  • Altman said that early on, Jony said "we are going to make people smile. We're going to make people feel joy. Whatever the product does, it has to do that." Altman said it's "lovely" to "have some whimsy back."

  • The prototypes are "jaw-droppingly good" and "exciting."


Rumors have described the device that io is working on as an AI phone without a screen, a "third core device" after a MacBook and an iPhone that's unobtrusive and able to sit in a pocket or on a desk, an iPod Shuffle-sized device that's neck worn, and a pocket-sized gadget that's screen-free but contextually aware of your life with microphones and cameras. It is not any kind of wearable like glasses, a watch, or earbuds.

Ive and Altman expect to have a device ready to hit the market in less than two years from now. The full interview with Altman and Ive is worth watching to see the commentary in context.
This article, "Jony Ive and Sam Altman Discuss AI Device That's Playful, Bite Worthy, and as Peaceful as a Cabin By a Lake" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Rare Layoffs at Apple Impact Dozens in Sales Roles

Apple is making cuts and has laid off dozens of people in sales roles, reports Bloomberg. Apple is aiming to simplify the way that it sells products to businesses, schools, and governments.


Affected employees received notice over the past couple of weeks, and positions eliminated include account managers for large businesses, schools, and government agencies, plus staff at Apple's briefing centers for major customers. Employees were reportedly surprised by the layoffs, but they are able to apply for other positions within Apple.

Apple told Bloomberg that it is making changes in its sales team to better connect with customers.
To connect with even more customers, we are making some changes in our sales team that affect a small number of roles. We are continuing to hire and those employees can apply for new roles.

While Apple says it is restructuring some of the sales team, affected employees apparently believe that Apple wants to move more sales to third-party retailers. Pushing sales through retailers allows Apple to save money by cutting salary costs.

Apple is giving employees over a month to find a new role. Those who haven't gotten another position in the company by January 20 will receive a severance package.
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Crease-Free iPhone Fold on Track for 2026 Launch as Development Advances

Apple is making progress on the development of the book-style foldable iPhone expected in 2026, according to a report from Chinese site UDN. The device has reportedly entered the engineering validation stage, and Apple is gearing up for mass production.


Citing supply chain sources, UDN says that Apple has solved "the crease problem" that has plagued most foldable smartphones, and the foldable ‌iPhone‌ will be the first crease-free foldable smartphone on the market. We've heard multiple prior rumors about Apple's intensive work on the hinge and display to minimize creasing, so this isn't the first time the foldable ‌iPhone‌ has been rumored to have a seamless screen.

Apple is using an inner screen designed by Samsung, but the panel structure, lamination method, and material process was designed by Apple. Apple worked with its suppliers to come up with a hinge design that prevents a permanent crease, and the hinge will adopt Liquid Metal components. By using Liquid Metal, Apple was able to design an ‌iPhone‌ that has a durable hinge that still has a slim design.

Apple will allegedly call the device the "‌iPhone‌ Fold," which is the name sites have already adopted when sharing rumors about the product.

There have been rumors suggesting that Apple could delay the foldable iPhone beyond 2026, but if Apple is ready for the engineering validation stage of ‌iPhone‌ development, a September 2026 launch timeline as planned is entirely plausible.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Related Forum: iPhone

This article, "Crease-Free iPhone Fold on Track for 2026 Launch as Development Advances" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26.2 Will Bring 10+ New Features to Your iPhone

Apple is testing iOS 26.2, a new version of iOS 26 that’s going to come out right around mid-December. iOS 26.2 is going to bring big changes to iPhone users in Japan, but there are also quite a few feature tweaks available for everyone. We’ve rounded up all of the new features your ‌iPhone‌ will get in iOS 26.2.


Reminders


In the Reminders app, there’s a new option to have an alarm go off when a reminder is due. Setting up an alarm can be done by toggling on the “Urgent” option when creating a reminder.



When a Reminder alarm activates, it displays a snooze option or a slide to stop option. If you snooze it, it will show a countdown on the Lock Screen that includes an option to complete the reminder or reschedule it. Apple distinguishes Reminders alarms from standard alarms with a new blue color.

Apple provides a splash screen letting users know about the feature, plus a small banner that shows up when you go to add a new entry in the Reminders app after updating to iOS 26.2.



Lock Screen


There is a Liquid Glass slider on the Lock Screen that lets you customize the appearance of the clock. When using the “Glass” option, you can use the slider to make the time look almost entirely clear, or give it a more frosted look.


There continues to be a separate Solid toggle that turns off the Liquid Glass appearance for the clock entirely if you want to opt for a much more opaque design, and you can also still use the color options for the clock.



Liquid Glass Settings


When using the new Liquid Glass “Tinted” option that reduces transparency, there’s a warning that the Tinted option cannot be used in tandem with the Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast Accessibility settings.


Turning on Tinted mode is able to turn off Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast automatically. In the prior betas, there was no option to turn on Tinted mode without turning off these features manually.

AirDrop


Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts.


iOS 26.2 includes an option to generate a one-time AirDrop code, which can then be shared with someone who is not in your contacts list. The code allows file exchanges over AirDrop for a 30-day period.

People you have shared a one-time code with can be managed by opening up the Settings app, selecting the General section, choosing AirDrop, and tapping on “Manage Known AirDrop Contacts.”

Apple Music


Apple Music now supports offline lyrics, so you can see a song’s lyrics when not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.

Sleep Score


With iOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2, Apple has adjusted the ranges for the Sleep Score feature that it introduced earlier this year. The new Sleep Score numbers better match how people might be feeling after a night of sleep.


These are the new scores:

  • Very Low - 0–40 (previously 0–29)

  • Low - 41–60 (previously 30–49)

  • OK - 61–80 (previously 50–69)

  • High - 81–95 (previously 70–89)

  • Very High - 96–100 (previously 90–100)


The “Very High” rank used to be “Excellent,” but Apple changed the name to be more in line with the other labels.

Sleep Scores are available on all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 26.2 and can be found in the Health app on the ‌iPhone‌. Apple designed Sleep Score to provide an overall sense of sleep patterns, so users can identify habits that might impact their sleep.

Sleep Score takes into account sleep duration, bedtime, and interruptions to assign a nightly score that represents sleep quality. Duration is worth 50 points, bedtime is worth 30, and interruptions (times woken up in the night) are worth 20, for a total of 100 possible points each night.

Podcasts


The Podcasts app adds support for three new features, including automatically created chapters, options to see mentions of other podcasts from the transcript and the player, and access to links mentioned in a podcast on the episode page.


Passwords


In the Settings section of the Passwords app, there’s an option to manage websites where passwords are not saved when signing in.



AirPods Live Translation for EU


iOS 26.2 expands AirPods Live Translation to the European Union. Apple had to delay the feature in the EU to complete the engineering work needed to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act.


AirPods Live Translation works with the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional Mandarin), Japanese, and Korean at the current time.

Freeform


The Freeform app now supports Tables.



Weather


There is code suggesting that the Weather app now supports relative time for alerts like “next Friday,” or “next Tuesday” in reference to upcoming rain or weather conditions.

Apple News


Apple updated the design of Apple News, adding quick access top buttons for categories like sports, puzzles, politics, business, and food.


There’s also a dedicated tab for Following, which has been decoupled from the search interface.

Flash for Alerts


The Flash for Alerts option in the Accessibility section of the Settings app now allows users to have the screen flash. Previously, this setting was limited to the LED on the back of the ‌iPhone‌.


Users can swap to the screen flash or have both flash at the same time when notifications come in.

Enhanced Safety Alerts


In the Notifications section of the Settings app, there’s an Enhanced Safety Alerts section for managing earthquake alerts, imminent threat alerts, and activating improved alert delivery, a feature that uses location to improve the reliability of alerts.



Measure App


Apple’s Measure app now features a Liquid Glass design for the level, with two Liquid Glass bubbles instead of white circles.



Games App


There’s now an option to sort games in the Games app Library by size, in addition to Name and Recent.


The Games app also supports navigation with a controller and real-time updates to challenge scores during gameplay.



CarPlay


The CarPlay now app supports disabling pinned messages in the Messages app for drivers who prefer the classic Messages view that was available before iOS 26.2.



Menu Animations


For pop-out menus that expand from a corner button, there’s a quicker, bouncier animation that looks like the animation that Apple showed off at WWDC.

The Liquid Glass animation in iOS 26.2 beta 2 is amazing, feels like what was shown off at WWDC pic.twitter.com/J6YruZz4cR

— Aaron (@aaronp613) November 12, 2025


Privacy


When you access your Apple Account for the first time after installing iOS 26.2, you’ll see an alert letting you know that Apple’s privacy information for Apple Accounts has been updated to better explain how personal information is collected and used by Apple.



iPhone Changes in Japan


Siri Replacement


Apple is laying the groundwork for a new option that will let ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan choose a different default voice assistant. A press and hold gesture on the Side Button only activates ‌Siri‌ in the current version of ‌iOS 26‌, but there are multiple references to new Side Button behavior in the beta.

‌iPhone‌ users in Japan will be able to select a new voice-based conversation app to activate with the Side Button, allowing alternative assistants like Gemini or Alexa to be used on the ‌iPhone‌. Developer documentation confirms that it will only be available for Japanese Apple Accounts owned by people living in Japan.

Search Engine Choice


After installing iOS 26.2, ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan will be prompted to select a preferred search engine. Options include Bing, Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo Japan, or Ecosia, the same options available globally in the Safari settings. In most other countries, Google is the default search engine and there is no prompt to choose a different option when the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ first starts up.


While ‌‌iPhone‌‌ users outside of Japan can choose one of the other options, doing so requires going into the Safari section of the Settings app to make a change.

Third Party App Stores


iOS 26.2 will allow ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan to install alternative app marketplaces, similar to the European Union.

Texas App Store Changes


With iOS 26.2, Apple is adding tools for developers that will help them comply with the App Store Accountability Act that goes into effect in Texas in 2026. Apple users in Texas will need to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple Account, and parents will need to provide consent for their children’s ‌App Store‌ downloads and in-app transactions.

Apple will share user age range information with developers, and developers will need to implement systems for notifying parents about significant app changes and allowing parents to revoke a child’s access to an app at any time.

Bonus: iPadOS 26.2 Multitasking


In the iPadOS 26.2, Apple is expanding on the updated multitasking that it introduced in iPadOS 26.1. There’s now a option to drag and drop apps from the App Library, Dock, and Spotlight into Slide Over and tiled views, restoring some functionality that was removed in the iPadOS 18 to iPadOS 26 transition.



Compatibility


iOS 26.2 is available on all iPhones that support ‌iOS 26‌.

Release Date


We’re expecting Apple to release iOS 26.2 in December, sometime between December 9 and December 16.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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Get Apple TV for $5.99 Per Month in Black Friday Deal

Just ahead of Black Friday, Apple is offering an Apple TV promotion for new and returning subscribers. Eligible customers can get six months of Apple TV for just $5.99 per month.


After the six-month period, the subscription price will increase to $12.99, which is the regular price for the Apple TV service.

At $5.99 per month, Apple is discounting Apple TV by over 50 percent. The deal will be available from November 21 to December 1 on the Apple TV website.

Existing subscribers are not eligible for the discount, nor are customers who have subscriptions billed through a third-party service.
Related Roundups: Apple Black Friday, Apple Deals
Related Forum: Community Discussion

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iPad Air 2026: All the Rumors

Several iPads are slated to get updates in 2026, including the iPad Air, low-cost iPad, and iPad mini. The ‌iPad Air‌ could be updated early in the year, sometime around the March or April timeframe.


We've heard a limited amount about the new tablet, but it sounds like there won't be a major overhaul, with Apple primarily focusing on internals.

Design and Display


No design changes are rumored for the ‌iPad Air‌, so we can expect the same 11-inch and 13-inch size options.

The ‌iPad Air‌ is thicker and heavier than the iPad Pro, and it uses a standard LED display instead of OLED technology. The ‌iPad Air‌ will eventually be upgraded to OLED, but for now, the higher-end display technology will remain limited to the ‌iPad Pro‌. The ‌iPad Air‌ also doesn't support ProMotion, and there's no sign that Apple is planning to update its middle-tier tablet with the functionality.

The ‌iPad Air‌ will continue to feature USB-C, a Touch ID top button, and the same front and rear camera options.

It's possible there will be a new color option, but it's not guaranteed with a minor refresh. No new accessories are rumored, and it will continue to work with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil Pro.

M4 Chip


Apple has been updating the ‌iPad Air‌ with an M-series chip that's a generation behind the chip in the ‌iPad Pro‌. Since the ‌iPad Pro‌ was updated in October 2025 with the M5, the ‌iPad Air‌ is set to get the M4 chip.

The M3 in the current ‌iPad Air‌ and the M4 chip are both built on a 3-nanometer process, but the M4 has an updated process that brings speed and efficiency improvements.

There are up to 10 CPU cores instead of 8, the Neural Engine is faster, and there's more memory bandwidth. The GPU is also more power efficient for potential battery gains. The M4 CPU is up to 30 percent faster than the M3 CPU, while the GPU is up to 21 percent faster.

In actual use, you may not see much of a difference between the M3 and M4 on the ‌iPad Air‌, though you might experience modest improvements with system intensive games and tasks like video editing.

The ‌iPad Air‌ already supports Apple Intelligence, and the next-generation model will continue to do so. Apple upped the RAM in some ‌iPad Pro‌ models, but there's no word on whether that same change will come to the ‌iPad Air‌. Current models feature 8GB RAM, the minimum for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Charging


The ‌iPad Pro‌ was upgraded with fast charge functionality with the update to the M5 chip, and that's something that could trickle down to the ‌iPad Air‌.

N1 Networking Chip


The ‌iPad Air‌ and other tablets released in 2026 will probably adopt the N1 networking chip that Apple first introduced in the iPhone 17 models.

The N1 chip is an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that offers connectivity and efficiency improvements compared to the third-party chips that Apple has used in previous devices. The N1 supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 technology.

The current ‌iPad Air‌ offers Wi-Fi 6E support, so the next-generation model could see faster Wi-Fi speeds on compatible networks with Wi-Fi 7.

Apple Modem


Apple used the C1X in the M5 ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's likely the cellular versions of the ‌iPad Air‌ will get that same modem chip. The C1X is an upgraded variant of the C1, Apple's first in-house modem chip.

It offers performance on par with Qualcomm chips, though 5G connectivity is limited to sub-6GHz with no support for mmWave 5G. That's not an issue on the ‌iPad‌, because the current version of the ‌iPad Air‌ doesn't support mmWave.

Apple's modem chips are much more power efficient than Qualcomm modem chips, and are able to better integrate with other ‌iPad‌ components.

Pricing


There are no rumors of a price increase, so the 11-inch model is expected to continue to start at $599, while the 13-inch model will start at $799.

Launch Date


We're expecting the ‌iPad Air‌ to come out sometime around March or April 2026. Apple could be planning to hold a spring event, since there are several products that are rumored to be launching in that timeframe.
This article, "iPad Air 2026: All the Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google Promotes Apple TV Series Pluribus With Secret Search Message

Apple has enlisted Google to promote new Apple TV series Pluribus, with a hidden message appearing when looking up the show's name with Google search.


At the top of the search interface after typing in "pluribus," you'll see a Pluribus-themed scrolling message: "What are you searching for, Carol?"

In the series, Carol is one of the only people on earth not infected with a mind-melding virus, and humanity as a collective is determined to make her happy. Part of that effort includes constant messaging.

The first four episodes of Pluribus are available now, with the fifth episode set to be released on Tuesday, November 25, likely due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday in the United States.

Pluribus requires an ‌Apple TV‌ subscription to watch, with the service priced at $12.99 per month.
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Google Mocks iPhone in Musical ‘Wicked’ Ad Claiming Pixel Firsts

Google this week shared a new ad in its ongoing anti-Apple "BestPhonesForever" series, this time leaning into the launch of the new Wicked: For Good movie that's out in theaters.


The spot features an iPhone fawning over a Pixel smartphone before breaking into the Wicked: For Good song. Google suggests that it was first to multiple features that the ‌iPhone‌ then copied, like screening phone calls and removing unwanted images from photos.
Oh Pixel, I'm so lucky to have a friend like you. You've always inspired me!

You do things first that show me the way. Like fixing photos, screening calls, or building an AI assistant you can have real conversations with.
It's not clear how Google's ad featuring singing smartphones might attract customers to Pixel devices given that it doesn't share details on any actual features.

Google has been sharing ads that pit its Pixel smartphones against the ‌iPhone‌ since 2023, and it's become a popular ad campaign with Pixel fans with more than 30 in the series. The ads typically include feature comparisons or criticize the ‌iPhone‌ for lacking features like conversational AI.
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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an Apple Watch Series 11 and Nylon Bands From Southern Straps

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Southern Straps to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an Apple Watch Series 11 and three nylon bands from Southern Straps to go along with it.


Southern Straps is a California-based company that has been producing high-quality bands for the Apple Watch since the watch first launched, and the company's selection of bands offer a great alternative to Apple's bands in unique styles that Apple does not offer.


Over a decade ago, Southern Straps set out to make nylon NATO-style bands for the Apple Watch, and it is still making those same handcrafted watch straps today. With multiple years of experience, Southern Straps has had time to perfect the band's look and construction.

Available for $30, each Southern Straps Apple Watch band is made from a single piece of nylon that is folded over, heat sealed, and stitched together for durability. The multi-step process makes sure that every band is going to hold up for multiple years of use, and there is a five-year warranty on the bands.


Southern Straps offers 10+ color options, ranging from solid colors in green, black, and beige, to striped options in colorful combinations like blue and green, blue and pink, khaki and red, blue and white, black and gray, and the classic red, white, and blue.

Bands can be ordered with hardware in black, silver, or gold to match the different Apple Watch models. There are two sizes: one that is compatible with 42mm to 49mm Apple Watch models, and one that is compatible with smaller 38mm to 42mm models. The bands work with every Apple Watch model from the original Apple Watch to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the Series 11.


Pegged spring bars are included with each band so that you can change the hardware if you get an Apple Watch in a new size or a new color. Southern Straps bands are perfect for daily use and transition easily from work to working out.



We have an Apple Watch Series 11 for one lucky MacRumors reader, plus three Southern Straps bands. 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 (November 21) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 28. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after November 28 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 TV Pluribus Star Rhea Seehorn to Answer Questions as Carol Sturka in Reddit AMA

Apple is continuing to promote its latest Apple TV series Pluribus in creative ways. Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn is participating in an in-character "Ask Me Anything" thread on Reddit, and she'll be answering questions as Carol Sturka starting at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow.


Carol Sturka is the main character in Pluribus. She's the author of the Winds of Wycaro series, and is promoting her latest book, Bloodsong of Wycaro, when an extraterrestrial virus escapes the confines of a lab and infects almost everyone but her.

Apple is leaning into Bloodsong of Wycaro to spur interest in Pluribus, and has shared an excerpt from the fictional novel in the Apple Books app that fans of the show can read. Bloodsong of Wycaro follows the adventures of main character Lucasia as she sails on the Mercator, mourning her lost love Raban.

You can post questions for Carol to answer in the AMA thread available on /r/TVPlus, and she'll be online at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, November 21 to answer them.

The first three episodes of Pluribus are available, with the fourth set to launch on Friday. The sci-fi thriller was dreamed up by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, and it stars Seehorn, who was previously in Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul.

Pluribus can be watched on ‌Apple TV‌, Apple's streaming service. ‌Apple TV‌ pricing starts at $12.99 per month, but there is a free 7-day trial available.
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ChatGPT Group Chats Now Available Worldwide

OpenAI today announced the worldwide rollout of group chats in ChatGPT, allowing multiple people to collaborate with ChatGPT in a shared conversation. OpenAI started testing group chats with a small number of people last week, but the feedback was positive so it is now expanding the feature to everyone.


With group chats, ChatGPT users can create a shared conversation space and invite friends, family, or coworkers. Group chats are separate from private conversations, and OpenAI says that the group creator's personal ChatGPT memory is never shared with anyone in the chat.

According to OpenAI, group chats can be useful for planning a weekend trip with friends, designing a backyard garden, collaborating on design ideas, finding a restaurant that suits everyone's tastes, or settling debates. Group chats can also be used for research for school or work projects, incorporating shared articles, notes, and questions.

Creating a group chat can be done by tapping on the people icon in the top right corner of any new or existing chat. People can be invited by sharing a link, and anyone with the link can invite more people, with up to 20 supported. Group chats are aggregated in a clearly-labeled section of the sidebar, separate from personal chats.

OpenAI says ChatGPT was taught new social behaviors for group chats. It follows the flow of conversation and decides when to respond and when to stay quiet based on the context of the conversation. Mentioning ChatGPT in a message will prompt it to respond, and ChatGPT can react to messages with emojis.

Group chats are available to all logged-in users on free, Go, Plus, and Pro ChatGPT plans. OpenAI says that it will continue to refine the feature as more people start using it.
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Google Launches Nano Banana Pro AI Image Generator With Improved Text Capabilities

Google today announced the launch of Nano Banana Pro, an image generation model that is a followup to the Nano Banana model that came out earlier this year. Nano Banana Pro is built on Gemini 3 Pro, Google's latest and most advanced AI model.


Google says that Nano Banana Pro is the best model for generating images with correctly rendered and legible text, from a short tagline to a long paragraph. Nano Banana Pro's text expertise allows for the creation of mockups and posters with different fonts, textures, and word style, plus it works in multiple languages.

Content is more helpful than before, with Nano Banana Pro able to create text-heavy infographics and diagrams for learning purposes. It can connect to Google Search to gather information for a graphic, and blend more elements than before. It supports uploading up to 14 images and can maintain the consistency and resemblance of up to five people.

There are image editing tools in Nano Banana Pro that can be used to select, refine, and transform parts of images with localized editing. Camera angles, focus, color, and lighting can be adjusted, and there are 2K and 4K resolution output options.

With the launch of Nano Banana Pro, Google is giving Gemini the ability to tell if an image was generated with Google AI. AI-created images feature SynthIDs and a visible watermark on images generated by free and AI Pro tier users.

Nano Banana Pro is available in the Gemini app when using the Create images feature with the Thinking model. Free users will receive limited quotas, and then will revert to the original Nano Banana model. Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers can generate more images before hitting the limit. Nano Banana Pro is also available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in AI mode in Search.

Google is making Nano Banana Pro available for companies that use Google Ads, and developers can use it through the Gemini API and Google AI Studio.
Tag: Google

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Will Apple Kill Google's Surprise Android to iPhone AirDrop Interoperability?

Earlier today, Google made a surprise announcement that the Quick Share file transfer feature on Pixel 10 smartphones was able to work with AirDrop, enabling first-party file sharing between Android devices and Apple devices.


Typically, Apple and Google work together on cross-platform features, but it turns out that Apple had no involvement this time. Google created the Quick Share to AirDrop interoperability on its own, and apparently sprung it on Apple with a public announcement. From a statement Google provided to Android Authority:
We accomplished this through our own implementation. Our implementation was thoroughly vetted by our own privacy and security teams, and we also engaged a third party security firm to pentest the solution.

It's possible that Google gave Apple a heads up about its plan to devise an Android and iPhone file transfer solution, but Apple's total lack of participation in the announcement suggests that Apple wasn't interested in working with Google to develop it.

Google says that it is using its own implementation, and Apple's take on that is unclear. Apple has not historically supported third-party workarounds for interoperability between ‌iPhone‌ and Android devices, and it continually worked to put a stop to an iMessage for Android feature that Beeper attempted in 2023.

The Beeper situation does seem to have some parallels with Google's AirDrop move. Beeper reverse engineered Apple's iMessage protocols and encryption, using Apple's iMessage servers to allow Android users to send blue bubble messages to ‌iPhone‌ users. Apple was able to successfully shut down Beeper's messaging solution.

Google is a much bigger company than Beeper, and now that it has publicly announced and launched the Quick Share to AirDrop functionality, it would be harder for Apple to oppose it. Apple is also facing more intense regulatory pressure than it was even two years ago, so it might not want to kill the cross-platform file sharing feature.

File sharing was implemented with an interoperability layer between Quick Share and AirDrop that uses the Rust programming language, according to Google.

Google claims that it had a third-party pentest the security of the file sharing protocol, and that it worked to vet the solution with its own privacy and security teams. Google accompanied the announcement with a full blog post on the underlying security. Apple hasn't commented yet.

Apple and Google have previously worked together on several cross-platform features, including RCS messaging, unknown tracker identification and alerts, and SIM transfers.
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iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the ‌iPhone‌ and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available.


The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold.

According to Google, Apple device users will need to change their AirDrop visibility to Everyone for 10 Minutes to be able to accept a file transfer from a Pixel 10 device. With that setting enabled, a file coming from an Android user looks identical to an AirDrop file from an ‌iPhone‌ user, featuring the same notification and tap to accept option.

To receive files from an Apple user, the Pixel 10 user will need to turn on the Everyone for 10 minutes setting or enter into Receive mode on the Quick Share page. Files are saved in the Files app.

Google says that the QuickShare and AirDrop interoperability was designed with a multi-layered security approach to ensure a safe sharing experience regardless of platform. There's a secure sharing channel, built-in platform protections for Android and iOS, and a consent requirement before a file is received.

Connections between devices are direct and peer-to-peer, so data is not routed through a server. For file transfers in both directions, the Apple device or the Pixel 10 device displays the other person's device name for verification purposes.

As of right now, the feature only works in the Everyone for 10 Minutes AirDrop sharing mode, but Google says that it would like to work with Apple to support "Contacts Only" mode in the future.

AirDrop and Quick Share interoperability is available now.
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Matter 1.5 Launches With Camera Support

The Connectivity Standards Alliance that counts Apple as a member today released Matter 1.5, the latest version of the cross-platform smart home standard. Matter 1.5 includes support for cameras, closures, and soil sensors, along with updated energy management capabilities.


Matter 1.5 will allow for Matter-enabled cameras without custom APIs or integrations. Matter cameras support live video and audio streaming through WebRTC, enabling two-way talk and local and remote access. Multi-stream specifications are supported, as are pan-tilt-zoom controls, motion detection, privacy zones, and flexible storage options. Clip playback and storage are handled by the device maker or platform, and on-camera audio and video analysis is not available.

The specification will work with doorbell cameras, indoor and outdoor security cameras, flood light cameras, baby and nanny cameras, pan/tilt cameras, and more. Cameras can connect with Wi-Fi, PoE, or Ethernet. There is built-in backward compatibility for most modern cameras, but manufacturers will need to decide which devices will get support.

There is an updated and unified approach to closures, a category that includes devices like window shades, drapes, awnings, gates, and garage doors. Different kinds of motion are supported, such as sliding, rotating, and opening, along with multiple configurations.

The Alliance says that consumers can expect more consistent and flexible control of closures across apps and ecosystems, along with clear knowledge of whether a device like a garage door is open or closed.

For plant care, Matter 1.5 adds support for soil sensors. Soil sensors are able to measure soil moisture and temperature, and can be combined with Matter-based water valves or irrigation systems for automating watering.

Matter 1.5 includes new energy management features. Utilities, grid operators, and energy services can provide real-time and forecasted pricing, tariff, and carbon data with devices. Devices can use the information to estimate and report true energy costs and carbon impact. Better smart metering support provides more accurate cost and consumption tracking.

Now that the Matter 1.5 standard has been released, manufacturers will be able to develop new kinds of Matter devices, and platforms will be able to integrate support for those devices.
Tag: Matter

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12th-Generation iPad: Release Date, Specs, and Everything We Know About Apple's 2026 Budget Tablet

Apple is working on a 12th-generation iPad, and plans to update the most affordable tablet in the ‌iPad‌ lineup next spring. It's not going to be a major update, but if you're planning a purchase, you might want to wait for the newest model.


Design


There are no rumors of an updated design for the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌, so it will likely have the same 11-inch edge-to-edge display with Touch ID Side Button and thick bezels.

Apple last updated the ‌iPad‌'s design with the 10th-generation model, giving the device a more modern look to better match the designs of the iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

The low-cost ‌iPad‌ is only available in a single screen size, and it is Apple's thickest tablet at 7mm. It features a Retina LED display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide color, and no lamination (display technology that allows for improved visuals) compared to Apple's other tablets.

Apple makes the low-cost ‌iPad‌ in several fun colors, and we could see some new shades in 2026. Current colors include blue, pink, silver, and yellow.

No changes are expected for the rear camera, front camera, USB-C port, or compatibility with accessories like the Apple Pencil.

A-Series Processor


Rumors suggest the low-cost ‌iPad‌ will use Apple's A18 chip, which is the chip that Apple used for the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus. It is built on a 3-nanometer process and it will offer speed and efficiency improvements over the A16 chip that's in the current model.

The A16 chip that Apple used in 2025 does not support Apple Intelligence, but the A18 does, so that will mark a major update for Apple's affordable tablet. The 2026 model should be able to support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that are unavailable with the 2025 model.

The A18 also offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing and similar features for improved gameplay.

The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

N1 Chip


Apple debuted its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, called the N1, in the iPhone 17 models. The N1 was added to the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's likely that Apple plans to add the chip to all future devices coming in 2026 and beyond.

The N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking technology for smart home devices.

The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is limited to Wi-Fi 6, so if the 12th-generation version does indeed get Wi-Fi 7, it will be able to connect to faster 6GHz networks for the first time. Bluetooth 6 would also be an improvement over Bluetooth 5.3.

Apple Modem


Apple has designed C1 and C1X modem chips that it has used in iPhones and iPads in 2025, and the next-generation version of the ‌iPad‌ could also get an Apple-designed modem chip for cellular models.

Apple's modem chips are more power efficient than Qualcomm chips while providing similar performance.

Pricing


The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is priced starting at $349 for 128GB of storage, and there are so far no indications that pricing is going to change for the 12th-generation model.

Launch Date


Apple plans to release the new low-cost ‌iPad‌ in spring 2026, which is a timeframe that spans from March 20 to June 20. The launch will likely come sometime in March or April, with Apple also set to update the ‌iPad Air‌.
Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

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Here Are All the States That Support Digital Driver's Licenses in the iPhone Wallet App

There are now 13 states that have added support for storing a driver's license or ID in the Apple Wallet app on iPhone and Apple Watch, with more to come.


States With iPhone Digital ID Support



  • Arizona

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Georgia

  • Hawaii

  • Illinois

  • Iowa

  • Maryland

  • Montana

  • New Mexico

  • North Dakota

  • Ohio

  • West Virginia


Arizona, Maryland, and Colorado were some of the first states to add support back in 2022, while Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Illinois just added support this year.

Digital IDs are also able to be added to the Wallet app in Puerto Rico.

States Planning to Add Support


Several states have announced plans to support digital IDs in the Wallet app in the future.

  • Connecticut

  • Kentucky

  • Mississippi

  • Oklahoma

  • Utah


There's no word on when these states plan to add support, nor on other states that have not yet committed to introducing the functionality.

Passport Digital IDs


As of November 2025, Apple is allowing ‌iPhone‌ users to create a Digital ID in the Wallet app using a U.S. passport. ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch users who do not live in a state that supports digital IDs and driver's licenses can instead use their passport to create an ‌iPhone‌ ID.



Digital IDs created using a passport work the same way as state IDs and driver's licenses added to the Wallet app.

TSA Support


TSA security checkpoints at most major airports in the United States accept digital IDs in lieu of a physical ID. Digital IDs in the Wallet app can only be used for domestic travel.

Age Verification


State IDs stored in the Wallet app can be used for age verification purposes at businesses and retailers that support the functionality. Apple is also adding support for using IDs for age verification in apps and on websites.

Physical ID Requirements


Most states say that ‌iPhone‌ users are still required to present a physical ID if requested, and a digital ID cannot be used in lieu of an actual ID.

Digital IDs based on a passport cannot be used for international travel or border crossing purposes, so a physical passport is still required.

How to Add an ID


An eligible driver's license, ID, or passport can be added to the Wallet app on ‌iPhone‌ by tapping on the "+" sign in the upper right corner and then choosing the "Driver's License and ID Cards" option.

Device Compatibility


Using the digital ID feature in the Wallet app requires an ‌iPhone‌ 8 or later with iOS 16.5 or later or an Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 9.5 or later.

Adding a passport requires an ‌iPhone‌ 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later or an Apple Watch Series 6 running watchOS 26.1 or later.
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TikTok Adds Toggle to Limit AI Content in For You Feed

TikTok today announced that it will let users limit the amount of AI-generated content that they see in their feeds. There will be a new AI content control toggle in the Manage Topics section of TikTok, with a slider for adjusting the AI content in the For You feed.


TikTok's Manage Topics section allows users to adjust the content that they see across categories like Dance, Sports, Current Affairs, Fashion, Health, and more. AI will be added as a new option "in the coming weeks."

People who like AI-generated content can opt to see more, while those who want to see less can "dial things down," according to TikTok. There won't be a toggle to turn AI-generated content off entirely.

TikTok is also testing an AI-generated content labeling system called invisible watermarking. Invisible watermarking will prevent labels denoting content as AI-generated from being removed when the content is reuploaded or shared on another platform. The invisible watermark will be harder to remove from metadata.

Invisible watermarks will be added to AI-generated content made with TikTok tools like AI Editor Pro, as well as content uploaded with C2PA Content Credentials.
Tag: TikTok

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Google Maps Getting Gemini AI Tips, EV Charger Predictions, and Anonymous Reviews

Google today announced several new features that are coming to the Google Maps app, including Gemini-powered tips, trending places, and estimates on EV charger availability.


When searching for places in the Google Maps app like restaurants or hotels, there's now a "Know Before You Go" section that's powered by Gemini. The section provides tips on what to expect, pulling information from user reviews and other online content. It can include tips on how to book a reservation, what the secret menu items are, where to park, and more.

An updated Explore tab features trending and popular restaurants, activities, and popular sites near you. The suggestions can be accessed by swiping up, with curated lists from trusted sites easier to access.

Electric vehicle owners already have access to real-time information on whether charging locations have an open spot, but Google Maps will now use AI to predict how many chargers will likely be available at your arrival time to a charging location. Google says the feature uses AI to analyze historical and real-time charger availability for predictions so you can avoid charging lines.

Finally, Google is now adding support for sharing reviews without using your real name. Users can choose a nickname and profile picture to be associated with their reviews.

Insider tips are available today for iOS users, while the updated Explore tab and the review name change option is rolling out this month. Charger predictions will initially be limited to Android Auto and cars with Google built-in, but the functionality could eventually expand.
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Europe Wants to Cut Down on Annoying GDPR Cookie Pop-Ups

The European Commission (EC) today announced a new digital package that relaxes some of the rules implemented with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that has protected European consumers since 2018.


Part of the change to the GDPR includes a modernization of cookie rules that should result in fewer pop-up cookie agreements on websites. The EC says that users will be able to indicate their cookie consent with a single click, with those preferences saved through the central settings of preferences in browsers and operating systems.

It sounds like browser makers will need to have a GDPR toggle that informs websites of a user's preference, eliminating the need for users to consent to cookies on a site-by-site basis.

In addition to changing GDPR cookie requirements, the EC's proposal allows personal data to be used to train AI without express consent, simplifies cybersecurity reporting, improves access to data through simplified rules, and more, with full details available in the European Commission's press release. It also delays the implementation of parts of the Artificial Intelligence Act, giving companies a longer period to comply with the rules.

Critics of the changes suggest that the EC is watering down the GDPR and rolling back consumer protections. European Digital Rights (EDRi) said that the EC's changes risk "dismantling the very foundation of human rights and tech policy in the EU."
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T-Mobile Won't Offer Free Apple TV Subscription Anymore

T-Mobile's Apple TV On Us promotion is ending, and T-Mobile has been informing customers that access to the ‌Apple TV‌ streaming service will no longer be free starting on January 1, 2026.


Going forward, T-Mobile subscribers with a higher-tier plan like Experience More, Experience Beyond, Go5G Plus, Magenta Plus, and more can get discounted access to Apple TV, but will need to pay a $3 per month fee.

T-Mobile has offered customers free ‌Apple TV‌ streaming access since 2021, but earlier this year, Apple increased the price of the ‌Apple TV‌ service from $9.99 per month to $12.99 per month. T-Mobile will now only provide a $9.99 per month discount, requiring customers to pay the difference.

Carriers have been pulling back on freebies in recent months. Verizon recently ended free Apple Arcade access, and it has unbundled its plans from free perks. Verizon now offers discounts for streaming add-ons, but it does not provide them for free except for some legacy subscribers who have not updated to newer plans. Verizon also nixed its loyalty discounts.

T-Mobile recently ended its Jump on Demand leasing program, and discontinued its partnership with Google offering unlimited Google Photos storage.
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