2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out.

1. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows.


2. One Thing (Free) - One Thing is a super simple menu bar app that helps you remember the one main thing that you need to accomplish. Whatever you type in will show up in your menu bar so it's front and center. Text and colors are customizable, and you can use emoji.


3. Launchy (Free, $6.99 Pro upgrade) - Launchy is a customizable app launcher and switcher with a radial menu interface that you can use to launch and switch between your seven favorite apps.


4. Folder Preview ($2.99) - Folder Preview lets you see what's inside a folder or a zip file by pressing the spacebar in Finder.


5. Command X ($4) - Command X brings the Windows cut and paste workflow to Mac. You can use Command X and Command V keyboard shortcuts to cut and paste folders in the Finder app.


6. ImageOptim (Free) - ImageOptim uses quality preserving compression to reduce image file size, plus it removes private EXIF metadata, thumbnails, comments, color profiles, and other image cruft.


7. Monocle ($9) - Monocle blurs your background apps and brings the main app you're using to the forefront, so you can better focus on what you're doing. Monocle says it's noise canceling for your screen.


8. Dockdoor (Free) - Dockdoor adds live window previews to the dock, and enables option + tab window switching. Hovering over an icon on your Mac's dock will show a preview of the app and all windows from it.


9. Substage ($3.99/month) - Substage adds an AI-based natural language text bar to the Finder app so you can control your Mac with simple written commands instead of tricky command lines. It supports converting, organizing, and managing files and images. It can also answer questions about files, do calculations, and manage settings on your Mac.


10. Bauhaus Clock ($19) - Bauhaus Clock adds an elegant clock screensaver to your Mac. It's design-forward, with careful attention to detail and a sharp look that makes the Mac a focal point in the room when it's idle. The look is customizable with different colors and day and night settings.

Have a favorite Mac app we didn't mention? Let us know about it in the comments below.
This article, "10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far.


On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 ‌iPhone‌ Fold replica (via Macworld), which can be 3D printed to give you a rough idea of the size of the upcoming foldable ‌iPhone‌.

Subsy claims that the model is "based on recently leaked CAD drawings of the ‌iPhone‌ Fold," but there haven't been actual CAD leaks to our knowledge. There were reports of CAD drawings earlier this month, but it turns out those drawings were concept drawings and renders created by MacRumors reader iZac back in May.

iZac designed a mockup with a 5.5-inch display when the device is closed, and 7.76 inches when open. That's in line with the multiple rumors that we've heard, but so far, we don't have exact dimensions.

While you can now print a 3D mockup of iZac's concept, the design isn't based on an actual CAD render. It's likely somewhat similar to what the ‌iPhone‌ Fold will look like in terms of size, but Apple's design for the cameras and the hinge will probably differ quite a bit.

If you have a 3D printer, it's a useful way to get something that's close to the size of the ‌iPhone‌ Fold so you can see how it compares to your existing ‌iPhone‌. We'll likely see more accurate CAD renders and dummy models starting to surface in the first months of 2026.
This article, "Have a 3D Printer? You Can Make Your Own iPhone Fold Dummy" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A Texas federal judge today blocked an App Store age verification law that was set to go into effect on January 1, 2026, which means Apple may not have to support the changes after all.


The Texas ‌App Store‌ Accountability Act (SB2420) requires Apple and other app marketplaces to confirm user age when a person creates an Apple Account. Apple Accounts for users under 18 would need to join a Family Sharing group, with new controls available for parents and restrictions for minors.

In a preliminary injunction that delays the implementation of the act, Judge Robert Pitman said that it violates the First Amendment and is "more likely than not unconstitutional."

The Act is akin to a law that would require every bookstore to verify the age of every customer at the door and, for minors, require parental consent before the child or teen could enter and again when they try to purchase a book. As set out below, the Court finds a likelihood that, when considered on the merits, SB 2420 violates the First Amendment.

The injunction was in response to a motion filed by the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a group that includes Apple and Google. Today's decision is a win for Apple, as Apple has been fighting against age assurance requirements in Texas and other states. Apple says that the Texas law impacts user privacy.

While we share the goal of strengthening kids' online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.

The court will move on to determining whether the law is facially invalid, which would mean that it is unconstitutional and will be entirely thrown out.
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Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026.


Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18 aspect ratio when open. Samsung has used a similar size for its prior Z Fold devices.

Rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ Fold's display will measure in at 5.3 to 5.5 inches when closed, and 7.5 to 7.8 inches when open (rumors vary). It's squatter and wider than Samsung's taller, narrower design, with a 4:3 aspect ratio when open.

Samsung's "Wide Fold" will coincidentally feature a 7.6-inch display when open, and a 5.4-inch display when closed. It's also expected to have a 4:3 aspect ratio, making it noticeably different than prior models because of the more square shape.

The wider 4:3 aspect ratio is expected to be more comfortable to hold than a taller device, similar to a notebook.

ETNews says that Samsung plans to release its wider foldable device in the fall of 2026, which is also when the ‌iPhone‌ Fold will be coming out. The wide fold will join the next-generation Galaxy Fold for a total of two "Fold" devices, plus there will be a flip device.
This article, "Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's latest Apple Pay promo provides a 20 percent discount for ‌Apple Pay‌ users who purchase Adidas gear through the Adidas website or the Adidas app.


To get the deal, buy something from Adidas and then enter the promo code APPLEPAY at checkout. As with all ‌Apple Pay‌ promos, making the purchase using ‌Apple Pay‌ is a requirement.

Apple says the discount can be applied on purchases up to $250, with the deal set to last until December 31 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

Some gear is excluded, including Campus, Gazelle, Disney, Human Made, limited edition originals, and more.

This article, "Apple Pay Promo Offers 20% Off Adidas Purchases" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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OpenAI added a year-end summary feature to ChatGPT, allowing users to get a personalized overview of their 2025 ChatGPT usage. The summary is similar to year-end wrap-ups from companies like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other services.


ChatGPT offers up an overview of themes discussed and chat stats, such as busiest chatting day, number of overall chats, messages sent, and more. ChatGPT provides each user with a chat style based on writing or speaking habits, along with an "archetype" based on what ChatGPT is used for.

The year-end update also provides a poem, a personalized pixel painting, a 2025 "award," and predictions for 2026.

ChatGPT users can get their year-end summary by asking ChatGPT to "Show me my year with ChatGPT" in the ChatGPT app or on the web. Summaries are available for Free, Pro, and Plus users who have chat history and memory enabled for ChatGPT.

Countries where the feature is available include the United States, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
This article, "ChatGPT Now Has a 2025 Year-End Summary Feature Like Spotify Wrapped" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers.


The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS 26.3, EU wearable device makers can now test proximity pairing and improved notifications.

Here are the new capabilities that Apple is adding:

• Proximity pairing - Devices like earbuds will be able to pair with an iOS device in an AirPods-like way by bringing the accessory close to an iPhone or iPad to initiate a simple, one-tap pairing process. Pairing third-party devices will no longer require multiple steps.


• Notifications - Third-party accessories like smart watches will be able to receive notifications from the ‌iPhone‌. Users will be able to view and react to incoming notifications, which is functionality normally limited to the Apple Watch. Notifications can only be forwarded to one connected device at a time, and turning on notifications for a third-party device disables notifications to an Apple Watch.

The European Commission says that developers can test third-party TVs, smart watches, and headphones with the new features in iOS 26.3, with the functionality to be "fully available in Europe" in 2026.

iOS 26.3 offers "another step towards a more inter-connected digital ecosystem to the benefit of all EU citizens," according to the European Commission. iOS 26.3 is expected to launch at the end of January.

The changes to proximity pairing and notifications are only available for device makers and ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users in the European Union.
This article, "iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has started offering free two-hour delivery on eligible, in-stock products for those who still need to do some last-minute gift shopping. The two-hour delivery upgrade is available through December 24 in most metro areas of the U.S. and Canada. Three-hour delivery is also available in Australia.


Two-hour delivery is provided through courier companies that Apple partners with, like Uber Eats or Postmates, and it typically costs $9. Items are delivered from a local Apple retail store, so whatever you're ordering needs to be in stock at a nearby location.

The offer is available for in-stock purchases of iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV, and Beats headphones. It is not available for custom Macs or engraved orders, nor is it applicable to accessories. Some accessories and products are also still available for December 24th delivery with express shipping.

Apple is still providing an extended return policy, so items purchased now can be returned through January 6, 2026.
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Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new ‌Apple TV‌ before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now.



Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would update both the HomePod mini and the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K toward the end of the year, and we also heard the same information from other sources. No announcement happened in September alongside the iPhone launch, and when Apple updated the Vision Pro, iPad Pro, and MacBook Pro in October, there was no sign of the ‌Apple TV‌.

It's not clear what happened, but it's possible Apple decided to hold all home-related product announcements until spring 2026, when the smarter, more capable version of Siri will be ready in iOS 26.4.

That's right around the time when Apple is rumored to be launching its new home hub device, so we could see the ‌Apple TV‌, home hub, and ‌HomePod mini‌ sometime in late March or April.

Rumored Features

The ‌Apple TV‌ isn't going to get a major design overhaul, but there are some useful updates in store. It's long overdue for a new chip, and Apple's newer chip options will bring gaming improvements.

A-Series Chip

The next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ is expected to get an updated A-series chip, and Apple backend code we found suggests that it'll use the A17 Pro. The A17 Pro is the chip that Apple first used in the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models, and it would bring Apple Intelligence support to the ‌Apple TV‌ for the first time. The A17 Pro is built on 3-nanometer technology and it would also bring support for console-quality games thanks to much improved CPU and GPU performance. It'll be a significant improvement over the current A15 Bionic chip.

N1 Chip

Apple debuted its custom N1 networking chip in the iPhone 17 models, and rumors suggest that the N1 will also be used in the upcoming ‌Apple TV‌. It adds support for Wi-Fi 7, which is not a current ‌Apple TV‌ feature. With Wi-Fi 7 support, the ‌Apple TV‌ will be able to connect to Wi-Fi networks that support the faster and less crowded 6GHz band. Users can expect faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency.

New Siri Features

With a faster chip that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌, the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ will support the LLM version of ‌Siri‌ coming in 2026. ‌Siri‌ will be more like Claude or ChatGPT, which could lead to better ‌Apple TV‌ recommendations, the option to use voice commands to do more than before, better support for questions about actors and music in movies and shows, and much more.

Pricing

There's a possibility that Apple will cut costs for the next ‌Apple TV‌, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple is targeting a price point around $100. With the A17 Pro chip and the N1 chip, Apple might not be able to hit that price with the flagship model, but there could be a lower-end entry-level option that's more affordable. Pricing right now starts at $129.

New Launch Date

In early November, Gurman said that an ‌Apple TV‌ and ‌HomePod mini‌ "shouldn't be too far off" based on dwindling supplies of the devices at Apple retail stores. At the time, he said a post-2025 debut was a possibility, but he confirmed the products are ready to go and could launch at any time.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ will "help showcase the new ‌Siri‌ and ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features" that Apple has coming, which makes the spring timing sound even more likely.
This article, "Where's the New Apple TV?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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