Apple retail stores in Bordeaux and Lille were looted earlier this week amid unrest accompanying demonstrations against the high cost of living in France, Boursorama reports. Both locations were among numerous businesses targeted across the country. The same Bordeaux location, Apple Sainte-Catherine, was previously looted in December 2018 during unrest surrounding France's "yellow vest" demonstrations.
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Loop Capital has lowered its rating on Apple from "Buy" to "Hold," saying the company is unlikely to make up an estimated 13 million iPhone shipments cut from its plans for the second half of 2026, according to Investing.com.


The firm reduced its Apple stock price target from $370 to $330. Loop previously believed shortages of memory and processors had delayed shipments that Apple would recover in 2027. Its latest supply chain checks have led it to drop that assumption.

The firm now forecasts 79 million iPhone shipments in the December quarter, below initial estimates of 85 million. It also expects a lower average selling price, reducing its forecast from $1,239 to $1,123.

For 2027, Loop actually expects Apple to ship more iPhones than it previously forecast, with its estimate now at 260 million units. However, it expects those phones to sell for less on average, leading it to cut its iPhone revenue forecast from $315 billion to $285 billion. Rising memory costs could also squeeze Apple's profits.

Apple's widely reported split launch schedule makes the financial outlook harder to assess. The iPhone 18 Pro models arrived in September and the iPhone Duo launches October 23, but the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 are not expected until the spring of 2027.

Counterpoint Research attributed much of Apple's third-quarter shipment decline to the missing standard model. Apple still secured a record third-quarter market share of 22%, despite the fact that global smartphone shipments fell 20% year over year.
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Apple Music subscribers can now stream directly to compatible Bluesound speakers and hi-fi equipment, allowing playback without sending audio via AirPlay 2.


Bluesound offers a range of high-end home audio products ranging from wireless speakers and soundbars to streaming components that connect to existing hi-fi systems. Its products use BluOS, a platform that lets users control music and link audio equipment across multiple rooms.

The new integration makes ‌Apple Music‌ accessible within the BluOS Controller app. Once a subscriber signs in, the player retrieves the music itself, freeing their iPhone or iPad from handling the audio stream. ‌AirPlay‌ 2 remains available.

For households with several BluOS products, the addition also brings ‌Apple Music‌ into the same system used to manage playback around the home. Users can play music across grouped devices or choose different music for individual rooms.

The update extends beyond Bluesound's own products to compatible BluOS equipment from NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, DALI Loudspeakers, Cyrus, and Monitor Audio. Bluesound has not specified the streaming quality offered by the integration. The feature launched on October 20 via a free BluOS software update.
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Apple CEO John Ternus says improving the user's experience guides Apple's design decisions, whether that means adding practical features or an animation that simply makes a device more enjoyable to use.



TIME published an interview with Ternus last week, and released the video version on Tuesday with additional discussion about design.

In the video, Ternus was asked how Apple distinguishes a design choice that contributes to a product from one that merely attracts attention. He said teams work together to determine what will make a product better for its users, ruling out ideas that are frivolous or distracting.

That approach apparently still leaves room for playful details. Ternus pointed to the animation that appears when opening the iPhone Duo's inner display, explaining that it serves no functional purpose but can make the experience more satisfying. "Sometimes you just want a little whimsy," he said.

Ternus also discussed Kids Cue, which displays Peanuts characters such as Snoopy on the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer screen to draw a child's attention toward the camera during a photo. He said developing a different kind of iPhone gave Apple's teams an opportunity to explore ideas made possible by the new hardware. Asked how involved he remains with design, Ternus said:

I'm a mechanical engineer by background, and the team that the product designers work most closely with are the industrial designers. So, I've been working hand in hand with industrial designers at Apple since I started. And it's an amazing relationship.

I think what's so special about this place is design is at the center of it. Design means everything to us. And what's incredible is our designers, both on the software side and the hardware side, they really understand the engineering. And the engineers have a very deep appreciation for design. And so it's a really powerful collaboration.

The same focus on the experience purportedly informs Apple's approach to AI. Ternus said the technology creates opportunities to improve existing products and develop new ones, but users should be able to appreciate a feature without needing to understand that AI makes it possible. He identified personalized experiences, supported by access to information on the user's phone, as a particular focus for Apple.

The comments follow a report earlier this month that Ternus has made product design a major priority since becoming CEO in September, visiting Apple's design studio several times a week. The interview ended with a question about what Ternus wants to preserve as CEO:

The opportunities in the products, that stuff will change. It'll evolve as it does as new technologies come, but the way we work, I don't want that to change.

The full interview also covers Apple's updated parental controls, Ternus's transition to CEO, and his interest in motor racing.
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The UK's competition regulator has proposed changes to make it easier and cheaper for companies to offer alternatives to Apple Pay on the iPhone (via Reuters).


The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Apple's fees and restrictions make it too difficult for rivals to launch contactless payment apps. Its proposals would give developers more ways to access the iPhone's NFC technology, which allows users to pay by holding their device near a payment terminal.

Apple opened up NFC access to developers in the UK in 2024, but companies must sign an agreement with Apple and pay fees. They also have to use the iPhone's Secure Element, which is a chip that stores sensitive information such as payment credentials.

The CMA wants Apple to also support host card emulation (HCE), an alternative that lets payment apps work without using the Secure Element. It also proposes rules that it expects would substantially lower Apple's access fees, although it would still allow the company to charge something.

Apple already offers HCE access for free in the European Union under commitments agreed in 2024. The CMA highlights that rival payment apps have since launched in the EU, while no competing wallet-type product has launched in the UK under Apple's current terms.

Apple told Reuters that developers can already offer contactless services using its technology:

We do not believe the CMA should require ​Apple to adopt an approach with lower privacy and security protections. We will continue to engage constructively to reach ​an outcome that is in the best interest of our users.

The CMA said the evidence it reviewed did not suggest either approach was inherently insecure. The proposals are open for consultation until November 17, 2026. The CMA will make a final decision after reviewing responses.
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WhatsApp is developing an optional in-app browser for its iPhone app that would let users open any link shared in chats without leaving the app, according to WABetaInfo.

A new "In-app browser" option under Settings and Chats would let users enable the feature or continue opening links in their default browser. Users would also be able to clear cookies, cache, and other browsing data. The feature would also expand existing support for certain business links.
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More premium games are launching on the App Store this year than last, Apple's ‌App Store‌ Worldwide head Carson Oliver told Polygon, including more franchises coming from PC and consoles.


Oliver said:

We've seen incredible growth of games coming to the App Store, in general, with more premium games releasing on the App Store this year than last. While many of those are indies, we're also seeing more console and PC franchises coming to mobile, as it is a burgeoning audience for those games.

Oliver singled-out "Balatro," "Stardew Valley," "Slay the Spire," and "Bloons TD 6" as games finding success on mobile, and singled out cozy games, management simulations, and roguelikes as particularly successful categories.

Oliver suggested that part of the opportunity comes from players whose first gaming device was an iPhone. Having grown up playing with touch controls, those users give independent developers an audience accustomed to games designed around a touchscreen.

For an entire generation of players, their very first gaming device wasn't a console or a PC, it was an iPhone with a touchscreen. These users embrace direct touch as their primary controller, making iPhone and iPad the ultimate canvas for indie innovation.

The interview followed Apple's Indie Games Week promotion, which highlighted seven new and upcoming iPhone and iPad games, including "Sifu," "Vampire Crawlers," "No Man's Sky," and "Little Kitty, Big City."

With games such as Vampire Crawlers being sold directly on the ‌App Store‌, Polygon asked where Apple Arcade fits into the company's plans. Oliver described subscriptions and individual purchases as options developers can use alongside one another:

We want to give developers a trusted place to reach users around the world, support them at each stage, and help them build successful businesses. To achieve that goal, we provide developers with flexible business model options. That means a breakthrough phenomenon like Balatro can thrive as a premium download, and it can also find a home as part of the Apple Arcade service. The important thing is that we give developers the flexibility to make the best choice for every game and players the freedom to play how they want.

Oliver also discussed how Apple helps smaller studios get noticed, pointing to the ‌App Store‌'s editorial team:

From day one, the App Store was built to level the playing field for discovery and distribution, so that an indie title can sit shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest entertainment franchises.

Alongside editorial recommendations, Apple recently introduced Creative Assets, which gives developers more control over their games' presentation in the store:

We also provide indie developers with tools and services to break through to new audiences and drive engagement. For example, we just launched Creative Assets. This new feature lets indie game developers tell their game's story in a richer way by showcasing artwork of their choosing in two of the most important places players find games: search results and product page headers.

Oliver said Apple's development tools are also reducing the work required to bring existing games to its platforms:

Technologies like Game Porting Toolkit 4, MetalFX, and our open-source Unity plug-ins dramatically cut the time, effort, and cost required for developers to bring PC and console games to Apple devices.

The full interview is available on Polygon.
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Apple could face additional payments on top of a $5.7 billion patent verdict, with Taction Technology asking a federal judge for more damages, interest, and royalties on future iPhone and Apple Watch sales.


The request follows a September jury verdict that Apple's Taptic Engine infringed two Taction patents covering haptic feedback, the technology that produces taps and vibrations in devices. Apple disputes the verdict and is seeking to have it overturned or obtain a new trial.

According to Reuters, Taction says the $5.7 billion award covers sales from 2021 through to late March 2026. It now wants compensation for approximately six more months of sales that were not included in the jury's initial calculation.

Taction is also asking for interest on the damages at an annual rate of 7%, citing California law. That could increase the amount by hundreds of millions of dollars. Separately, it wants interest to continue accumulating after the court enters its final judgment until Apple pays.

The company's request also extends to future sales. Taction wants Apple to pay royalties on devices using the disputed technology until the patents expire on September 24, 2035. Under its proposal, Apple would report U.S. sales every quarter and pay within 30 days of the quarter ending.

Moreover, Taction argues that newer models, including the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple Watch Series 12, should also be covered because their relevant technology has not changed enough to escape the patent claims. To support that position, it points to Apple's earlier litigation against Samsung, in which Apple argued that royalties should extend to newer products with essentially the same infringing technology.

Apple maintains that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology. It has also challenged the size of the jury's award, arguing that the evidence did not support the $5.7 billion calculation, and has said it will appeal.
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Bethesda's beloved role-playing game "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" has reached multiple generations of consoles since its 2011 debut, but it never officially came to the Mac. A new unofficial project called SkyrimMT now aims to make playing and modding it on Apple silicon Macs easier than ever.


Mac owners have found ways to play Skyrim over the years, including installing Windows through Boot Camp on Intel Macs and using compatibility software such as CrossOver. Boot Camp is unavailable on Apple silicon Macs, leaving players dependent on other solutions to run the Windows game.

SkyrimMT's appeal is in bringing that process together in an app built specifically for Skyrim. Its automated setup installs the required compatibility software and guides users through signing in to Steam and installing their copy of the game. It supports Skyrim Special Edition and Anniversary Edition.

Its native mod manager supports browsing Nexus Mods, installing Nexus Collections and Wabbajack modlists, and importing Mod Organizer 2 setups. Common additions such as Skyrim Script Extender and SkyUI can also be installed through the app. Users can maintain separate mod profiles, inspect conflicts, sort load orders, and restore earlier configurations from snapshots.

Under the hood, SkyrimMT runs the Windows game through Wine and uses DXMT to translate its Direct3D 11 graphics to Apple's Metal.

SkyrimMT requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later, approximately 25GB of free storage, and a Steam copy of the game. The open-source app is available from the project's GitHub releases page.
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Apple has showcased four design projects created using its products for this year's "Designers of Tomorrow" exhibition in Paris.


The exhibition explores the theme of presence through furniture and lighting. Architect Salem S. Charabi used a MacBook Pro to sketch and model a lantern, while designer Yoonjeong Lee used an iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil to develop ideas for a combined table and lamp.

Isabel Rower used an iPhone to document her work and Keynote to experiment with visual ideas for a chair featuring ceramic bead fringe. Parafernalia founders Genki Matsumura and Sebastián Zorrilla used Procreate, Messages, and FaceTime to collaborate between Monterrey and Mexico City on a steel piece that opens into a table and stools.

Now in its second year, the program is organized with Design Miami and curated by Rodman Primack. Apple's Molly Anderson helped select the participants as a member of the jury. The exhibition opened at Hôtel de Maisons on October 20. See Apple's full press release for more information.
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Some Apple retail employees have been told to warn customers against visiting to purchase an iPhone Duo without a pre-order on Friday, October 23.


Apple Store employees told MacRumors that they have been advised that there will likely be no ‌iPhone Duo‌ stock available for walk-in purchases on launch day. Staff have been instructed to discourage customers without pre-orders from coming in expecting to buy the device, warning that they will be disappointed.

Apple's online store tells customers to check back on Saturday, October 24 for pickup availability. Pickup reservations were briefly available when pre-orders opened before the option was disabled.

The October 24 message does not guarantee stock will be available that day, and it remains unclear how firm the warning shared with employees is and whether it applies worldwide. If the guidance is firm and widely perpetuated, it closes off a potential route for customers hoping to bypass the device's lengthy online wait times, at least at the stores concerned.

Warnings about a constrained launch began well before Apple announced the ‌iPhone Duo‌. In early September, Nikkei Asia reported that production had reached only a few hundred devices per day in late August. Further production problems emerged in late September.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple had at one point believed production constraints could push the start of sales into November. The company subsequently assembled enough inventory to proceed with the October 23 launch, although supply remained very limited.

The extent of the shortage became apparent when pre-orders opened earlier this week. Delivery estimates moved beyond launch day within minutes, and within 30 minutes, all configurations in Apple's U.S. online store showed January 25 shipping estimates. The device is now effectively sold out for Christmas through Apple's online store.

Apple subsequently described demand as "nothing short of extraordinary" in a statement to the Financial Times, adding that it was working to get devices to customers as quickly as possible. Apple has not publicly specified whether any stores will have stock for launch-day walk-in purchases.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ starts at $1,999 in the United States, with the first pre-order deliveries scheduled for October 23.
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Apple has hired former Meta lawyer Scott Tucker to lead its litigation team, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Tucker will become Apple's vice president of global litigation and financial services, a new position overseeing commercial lawsuits, patent disputes, and legal matters involving its financial products. He previously led litigation at ‌Meta‌ and held a senior legal role at Morgan Stanley.

The move brings Tucker back together with Jennifer Newstead, Apple's general counsel. Newstead joined Apple's leadership in March after six years as ‌Meta‌'s top lawyer.

Heather Grenier, who currently oversees Apple's commercial and competition litigation, will report to Tucker instead of Newstead. She will remain on Newstead's leadership team. Apple is also expanding legal executive Kyle Andeer's responsibilities to include international legal matters, child safety, cybersecurity, and law enforcement.

The changes are part of a wider overhaul under Newstead, who now oversees both legal and government affairs. Apple announced plans to combine the teams alongside the retirements of Kate Adams and Lisa Jackson.

According to Gurman, some Apple executives believe the company should have performed better in court, particularly in App Store disputes. Its battle with Epic Games has forced changes to the rules for links to outside payment options and the fees Apple can charge.

Apple also faces the U.S. government's antitrust lawsuit and privacy cases. Separately, it agreed to a $250 million settlement over delayed Siri features, with a final approval hearing scheduled for February 2027.
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Apple this week finally announced the HomePod mini 2, a new Apple TV 4K, and its "HomeView" smart home hub. On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through our reactions to the announcements.


Apple's HomeView costs $299 and combines a 7-inch square display with Siri AI, FaceTime, music playback, and smart home controls. It has had something of a mixed reception from YouTubers and the wider Apple community, with some of the criticism centering on what it adds for someone who already owns an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or HomePod.

A screen for timers, photos, music, and home controls will be useful for many, but it is harder to explain why someone wearing an Apple Watch would reach across a kitchen counter to set a timer, or why they would type a message on HomeView instead of taking out their iPhone. Apple's promotional video puts some of those less convincing uses front and center.

There are many details to like about the design. The display can show photos and customizable faces, dim to just 0.3 nits in the dark, and adjust its interface as someone approaches. In the kitchen, guided recipes turn webpages into step-by-step instructions, with voice-controlled timers available while cooking.

HomeView makes more sense as a replacement for an Echo Show or Nest Hub, particularly for anyone tired of poor ecosystem integration and ads on their smart display. For people who have never wanted one, it may be less obvious what Apple has added to change their minds.

HomeView recognizes up to six people and switches to their apps and personal information. Its privacy protections mean personal content normally appears only when the user is recognized and their paired device is nearby and recently unlocked. ‌Siri‌ AI can answer general questions without an Apple Intelligence-compatible device, but personal requests still require one.

There is no App Store, either. Compatible third-party audio and video apps appear through a connected iPhone or ‌iPad‌, using a CarPlay-like system. For services such as Spotify and Audible, that means relying on another device rather than installing an app directly on HomeView.

The wall-mounted version costs the same $299 despite losing the tabletop model's speaker base, woofer, and passive radiators. Mounts start at $59.95, and the box includes no power adapter or cable. It could be a welcome replacement for an ‌iPad‌ mounted on a wall, but putting several around a home quickly becomes expensive.

Six years after the original ‌HomePod‌ mini, the HomePod mini 2 adds an S10 chip, Sound Glow lighting, and support for ‌Siri‌ AI while retaining the same basic speaker hardware. Its $149 price is roughly 50% higher than the original's $99 launch price, following a June increase to $129.

The new model can serve as a default Mac speaker on models with Wi-Fi 6E or later. ‌Siri‌ AI is likely to make a bigger difference to everyday use, but it will arrive later, after the speaker launches on October 30.

The new Apple TV 4K also asks buyers to pay more for a familiar product. At $299, it adds the A19 chip, built-in microphones, and an updated ‌Siri‌ Remote. ‌Siri‌ AI is also coming to older models, while the new remote can be bought separately for $59.

The starting price is now more than twice the $129 entry point available before June's increases. The new model includes 128GB of storage, Ethernet, and Thread, and the equivalent outgoing model had already reached $249. Even so, $299 is a substantial outlay for a streaming box when many existing owners have little reason to replace theirs.

Support for four HomePods is one reason to upgrade. The new ‌Apple TV‌ can use matching front and rear pairs of ‌HomePod mini 2‌ or second-generation full-sized HomePods for surround sound. Buying the box, two full-sized HomePods, and two ‌HomePod mini 2‌ speakers at Apple's U.S. prices totals $1,295. These are products people can keep for years, but that also makes keeping an existing setup an attractive option.

The Apple Home Collection, developed with LG and Schneider Electric, adds another set of expensive purchases. One-tap setup and a lock that uses Ultra Wideband to unlock as someone approaches are useful features. Whether they justify paying more than for other HomeKit accessories is another matter, especially when buying equipment for an entire home.

Apple is reportedly still working on a robotic home display and its own camera, separate from the LG and Schneider products. The camera is said to detect activity and presence without recording video.

We also look ahead to the rumored OLED MacBook, where a lighter design and a new display could matter more than the touchscreen. It is expected to be announced later this month. We also briefly return to the iPhone Duo, including whether its folding display and software changes make a more convincing case for trying a new kind of Apple device.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.

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



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our predictions about the HomeView, ‌HomePod mini 2‌, and new ‌Apple TV‌ 4K prior to their official announcement.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by familiar guests such as Tyler Stalman, Michael Fisher, Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Developers are questioning whether a settlement of the U.S. government's antitrust case against Apple would meaningfully loosen the company's control over the iPhone, according to The Information.



The report highlights PayPal and Epic Games among the companies that have raised concerns with the Department of Justice (DOJ). Officials have reportedly indicated that they favor a negotiated resolution and have asked developers to suggest improvements to how the iPhone works with other companies' products.

These discussions largely center on interoperability, including access for competing accessories and payment services. The concern among developers and antitrust lawyers cited in the report is how much Apple would actually have to change. Rival smartwatches, for example, lack much of the integration available to the Apple Watch, while competing payment apps reportedly still face disadvantages despite gaining access to near-field communication (NFC) technology for contactless payments.

When the DOJ filed its lawsuit in March 2024, it alleged that restrictions affecting messaging, digital wallets, smartwatches, cloud gaming, and multipurpose apps helped Apple unlawfully protect its smartphone monopoly. Apple rejected these allegations and argued that the government's proposed intervention would threaten its ability to design integrated products.

Some of the capabilities at issue have changed since the lawsuit began. Apple added Rich Communication Services (RCS) support to Messages with iOS 18, improving communication with Android phones. It also expanded access to the iPhone's NFC capabilities for third-party contactless transactions starting with iOS 18.1.

According to The Information, Apple offered interoperability concessions during an earlier attempt to avert the lawsuit. The company could still resist the broader changes developers want, leaving the current negotiations without an agreement. Proton said it doubted Apple would accept terms developers would regard as satisfactory.
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Apple's new iPhone lineup presents an unusual choice: Pay more for a folding display, or spend less on a phone with more advanced cameras and fewer hardware compromises.



Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, which start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, Apple now offers the $1,999 iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. All three feature the A20 Pro chip, but their different designs and capabilities make the decision more complicated than simply choosing a screen size.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s $700 premium over the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max buys a 7.6-inch folding display, Split View multitasking with two apps side by side, and a design that can stand on its own for watching video and making FaceTime calls. It also supports StandBy without being connected to a charger. These capabilities, alongside the appeal of a radically new kind of iPhone, are its strongest reasons for consideration.

The Pro models offer a more versatile camera system, Face ID, the Action button, and substantially lower prices. Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these iPhones is best for you.

All three models still share a large amount of hardware. The shared features include:

• A20 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, dual 16-core Neural Engine, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing


• Apple C2 modem (except on the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max in the United States), N1 wireless networking chip, and the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip


• Super Retina XDR OLED displays with ProMotion up to 120Hz, Always-On display, Dynamic Island, and 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness


• Ceramic Shield 2 on the Pro models' front displays and the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer display, Ceramic Shield backs, and IP68 water and dust resistance to a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes


• Camera Control, a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera at 13mm and f/2.2, Photographic Styles 3, Dual Capture, smart focus tracking, and 48MP macro photography


• iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, and Siri AI support, subject to feature, language, and regional availability


• Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite, plus Crash Detection


• USB-C with USB 3 speeds, MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W, and eSIM support


• 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options

The comparison below outlines the key differences between the Pro models and the ‌iPhone Duo‌:

Display

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display	7.6-inch inner folding display and 5.4-inch outer display
iPhone 18 Pro: 2622-by-1206 resolution at 460 ppi iPhone 18 Pro Max: 2868-by-1320 resolution at 460 ppi	Outer display: 1398-by-2034 resolution at 460 ppi Inner display: 1878-by-2670 resolution at 430 ppi
Approximately 2.17:1 aspect ratio (19.6:9)	Outer display: Approximately 1.45:1 Inner display: Approximately 1.42:1
Rigid display without a folding crease	Folding inner display with a replaceable polymer cover layer and a crease that can be visible in certain lighting
	Nano-texture finish and wide-angle OLEDs on the inner display
	Split View multitasking with two apps side by side
	Apple Pencil (USB-C) support coming later in 2026

Design and Build

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
Aluminum unibody	Polished titanium frame with a 3D-printed hinge cover
Fixed body	Hinge supports partially open positions for watching video, taking photos, and making calls
Action button
‌Face ID‌ enabled by TrueDepth technology	Touch ID in the side button
Dual ambient light sensors	Four ambient light sensors
‌MagSafe‌ accessory compatibility listed by Apple: cases, wallets, and wireless chargers	‌MagSafe‌ accessory compatibility listed by Apple: cases and wireless chargers
eSIM-only in the United States; nano-SIM and eSIM in selected other markets, including the UK	eSIM-only worldwide
Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy options	Night Sky and Star White options
Made with 40% recycled content, including 85% recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, 80% recycled steel in the battery enclosure and vapor chamber chassis, and 100% recycled tungsten in the Taptic Engine	Made with 35% recycled content, including 100% recycled aluminum in the internal structural frame, 85% recycled titanium in the enclosure, and 100% recycled titanium in the 3D-printed hinge cover
50% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity	60% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity

Dimensions and Weight

	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
Height	5.91 inches (150.0 mm)	6.43 inches (163.4 mm)	4.64 inches (117.8 mm), open or closed
Width	2.83 inches (71.9 mm)	3.07 inches (78.0 mm)	3.31 inches (84.1 mm) closed 6.48 inches (164.6 mm) open
Depth	0.34 inch (8.75 mm)	0.34 inch (8.75 mm)	0.44 inch (11.3 mm) closed 0.21 inch (5.2 mm) open
Weight	7.44 ounces (211 grams)	8.78 ounces (249 grams)	8.96 ounces (254 grams)

Rear Cameras

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
48MP Pro Fusion camera system	48MP Dual Fusion camera system
48MP Fusion Main camera: 24mm, second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, and 100% Focus Pixels	48MP Fusion Main camera: 26mm, sensor-shift optical image stabilization, and Hybrid Focus Pixels
Variable aperture on Main camera: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0	Fixed f/1.6 aperture on Main camera
12MP optical-quality 2x sensor crop at 48mm from the Main camera	12MP optical-quality 2x sensor crop at 52mm from the Main camera
48MP Fusion Telephoto camera: 100mm (4x), f/2.8, tetraprism, and 3D sensor-shift optical image stabilization and autofocus
12MP optical-quality 8x sensor crop at 200mm, f/2.8, from the Fusion Telephoto camera
LiDAR scanner
0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x lens and optical-quality zoom options	0.5x, 1x, and 2x lens and optical-quality zoom options
8x optical-quality zoom in and 2x optical zoom out, for a 16x optical-quality zoom range	2x optical-quality zoom in and 2x optical zoom out, for a 4x optical-quality zoom range
Digital zoom up to 40x for photos and up to 24x for video	Digital zoom up to 10x for photos and up to 6x for video
Adaptive True Tone flash	True Tone flash
Four studio-quality microphones	Microphone configuration not specified by Apple
	Smart Take and Duo Preview

Pro Capture Features and Formats

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
Pro controls for lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and viewing histogram	Manual controls including white balance and focus
ProRAW
Apple Reference Image, using the Fusion Main camera only; availability varies by region
Spatial photos
Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording
ProRes RAW video recording
Apple Log 2
Academy Color Encoding System (ACES)
Genlock with supported accessories
Image formats captured: HEIF, JPEG, and DNG	Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG
Video formats recorded: HEVC, H.264, ProRes, and ProRes RAW	Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
Video playback formats listed by Apple include HEVC, H.264, AV1, and ProRes	Video playback formats listed by Apple include HEVC, H.264, and AV1

Front Cameras

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
18MP Center Stage front camera, f/1.9	12MP Center Stage outer camera, f/2.2
Autofocus with Focus Pixels on the front camera	Outer front camera autofocus not specified by Apple
Front camera Pro controls, ProRAW, ProRes, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and Academy Color Encoding System
	Kid Cue on the outer display
	Under-display ‌FaceTime‌ camera on the inner display, f/1.8, limited to 1080p video at 30 or 60 fps, without Night mode, portrait photography, or Photographic Styles
	Duo ‌FaceTime‌
Optical zoom with the rear camera in ‌FaceTime‌	Zoom with the rear camera in ‌FaceTime‌

Battery and Charging

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
Built-in rechargeable battery	Dual built-in rechargeable batteries
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 24 hours typical use iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 30 hours typical use	Up to 24 hours typical use
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 36 hours video playback iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 45 hours video playback	Up to 44 hours video playback using the outer display Up to 31 hours using the inner display
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 33 hours streamed video playback iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 40 hours streamed video playback	Up to 37 hours streamed video playback using the outer display Up to 26 hours using the inner display
Up to 50% charge in around 15 minutes	Up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes

The figures above are Apple's U.S. battery ratings. These wired fast-charging figures require a compatible 60W-capable adapter or higher, sold separately.

Price

	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌	‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	‌iPhone Duo‌
256GB	$1,199	$1,299	$1,999
512GB	$1,399	$1,499	$2,199
1TB	$1,799	$1,899	$2,599
2TB	$2,399	$2,499	$3,199

For many buyers, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ or ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max is the better choice. They offer the same A20 Pro chip as the ‌iPhone Duo‌, a more versatile camera system, and a substantially lower price. Choose the Pro if you prefer a smaller, lighter phone, or pay $100 more for the Pro Max if you want a larger screen and longer battery life.

The camera system is the clearest reason to choose a Pro model. Its variable aperture adjusts automatically during everyday photography, while also giving photographers greater control over depth of field. The dedicated Telephoto camera provides much more flexibility for distant subjects, from performances and sporting events to travel photography. These advantages matter even if you never use professional capture formats.

Buyers who rely on ProRAW, ProRes, Apple Log 2, or the Pro models' full manual-control suite have an even stronger reason to choose an ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. While the ‌iPhone Duo‌ does offer some manual camera controls, its selection of tools and formats is much more limited.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is worth considering if you would regularly unfold it for reading, documents, viewing photos, watching video, or using two apps side by side. Think through a typical day and identify your specific tasks that would benefit from the inner display, such as keeping a reference document open while writing an email. ‌Apple Pencil‌ support could also make it useful for handwritten notes and annotations, but that support is coming later in 2026.

Being able to prop the phone up for a call or video, give someone a live preview while photographing them, or use StandBy away from a charger may be useful throughout the day. Buyers who want to experience Apple's first foldable may also value the novelty and flexibility of the design, even without a specific productivity need.

You still need to be comfortable with the changes to everyday features. ‌Touch ID‌ replaces ‌Face ID‌, and there is no Action button for a customizable shortcut. The outer front camera has a lower resolution than the Pro models' camera, while the inner camera is designed around ‌FaceTime‌ and lacks several photography features. If selfies or front-camera video are important to you, those differences deserve consideration alongside the rear cameras.

Try to assess the ‌iPhone Duo‌ when it is closed as well as open. Despite its smaller outer display, it is wider and thicker than either Pro model and slightly heavier than the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max. Handling it in person in an Apple Store should help establish whether its width, folded thickness, and weight suit the way you normally carry and use your phone.

Battery life also depends on how you use the two displays. Apple's U.S. figures put the ‌iPhone Duo‌ level with the smaller Pro for typical use, below the Pro Max. Its long outer-display video playback rating does not carry over to the inner display, so buyers planning to spend much of the day unfolded should pay particular attention to those separate figures.

The price gap remains significant at every storage tier. A 1TB ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max costs $100 less than the entry-level ‌iPhone Duo‌, which has 256GB of storage. At the same capacity, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ costs $700 more than the Pro Max or $800 more than the Pro. Buyers who need substantial local storage therefore have another reason to favor a Pro model.

The premium can also extend to repairs and coverage. In the United States, Apple's estimated inner-display repair fee is $999 without AppleCare+, compared with $329 for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s display and $379 for the Pro Max's. Battery service costs $229, compared with $129 for either Pro model. A separate replacement of the inner display's cover layer is listed at $49 without coverage or $19 with ‌AppleCare‌+.

Standalone ‌AppleCare‌+ with Theft and Loss also costs more for the ‌iPhone Duo‌, at $19.99 per month in the United States rather than $14.99 for either Pro model. Buyers planning to insure their phone should include that recurring difference when comparing ownership costs.

Choose the ‌iPhone Duo‌ if its inner display would meaningfully improve the things you do on your phone, or if experiencing Apple's latest radical rethink of the iPhone is itself worth the premium and compromises to you. If you expect to spend most of your time on the outer display, the Pro models are easier to justify: You would otherwise be paying substantially more while making limited use of the feature that most distinguishes the ‌iPhone Duo‌.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are available now. ‌iPhone Duo‌ pre-orders begin at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on October 16, ahead of launch on October 23.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's online store is down ahead of iPhone Duo pre-orders, which begin at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16.


"We love that early energy," reads the Apple Store's message when visiting the U.S. website. "Almost ready for you. Pre-order begins at 5:00 a.m. PT. See you soon." Apple has been opening pre-orders at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time for several years, rather than the 12:01 a.m. start time it previously used.

Customers in more than 70 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S., will be able to pre-order the ‌iPhone Duo‌ when the store comes back online.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is Apple's first foldable iPhone and comes in Star White and Night Sky. It is available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities. Here's what to know before placing an order:

• iPhone Duo: Pre-Order Time and Release Date


• How to Prepare for iPhone Duo Pre-Orders


• iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?


• Apple's New 2026 iPhone Lineup: Prices for Every Storage Tier


• iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up

In the United States, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ starts at $1,999. The device launches on Friday, October 23, when deliveries to customers and in-store availability begin. Availability will expand to 28 additional countries and regions on Friday, October 30.
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Apple announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K earlier this week, introducing the A19 chip, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri, four-speaker HomePod surround sound, and an updated ‌Siri‌ Remote. It replaces the third-generation model introduced in 2022, bringing a number of internal changes while retaining the same basic design and most of the same entertainment features.


The new model costs $299 and comes with 128GB of storage. ‌Siri‌ AI is also coming to the third-generation model, and the new remote can be purchased separately for existing devices. Apple says the assistant will be available in beta with tvOS 27.2 on second-generation and later ‌Apple TV‌ 4K models, including conversational entertainment searches, follow-up questions, and personal context through a compatible paired device.

The new model's distinctive hardware benefit is direct voice input through the box's microphones; access to the voice assistant itself is shared. Whether you should upgrade therefore comes down to which hardware changes you will actually use.

Configurations, Connectivity, and Price

The differences in configurations, connectivity, and pricing between the third- and fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K are as follows:

‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd Generation)	‌Apple TV‌ 4K (4th Generation)
64GB model: Wi-Fi only 128GB model: Wi-Fi and Ethernet	Single 128GB configuration with Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 6
Gigabit Ethernet on the 128GB model only	Gigabit Ethernet as standard
Thread networking on the 128GB model only	Thread networking as standard
Original U.S. launch prices: $129 for 64GB; $149 for 128GB	U.S. launch price: $299 for 128GB
Final prices before replacement: $199 for 64GB; $249 for 128GB	$299 for 128GB
Now discontinued	Available to pre-order
Released November 4, 2022	Available November 13, 2026

Apple raised the older model's prices in June 2026, so comparing the new model exclusively with its predecessor's original launch pricing misses an intervening increase. Against the final price of the equivalent 128GB model, the new ‌Apple TV‌ costs $50 more. Against the previous entry-level configuration, it costs $100 more and includes twice the storage, Ethernet, and Thread connectivity.

A15 Bionic vs. A19

The A19 chip brings a substantially newer chip architecture to the ‌Apple TV‌. Apple says the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K delivers the following improvements over the third-generation model:

• Up to 50% faster CPU performance.


• Up to twice the GPU performance.

The table below lists capabilities of two chip architectures.

A15 Bionic Chip	A19 Chip
Made with TSMC's 5nm (N5P) process	Made with TSMC's third-generation 3nm (N3P) process
	Dynamic Caching
Software-based ray tracing	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Mesh shading without the newer dedicated hardware acceleration	Hardware-accelerated mesh shading
	Dedicated Neural Accelerators in each GPU core
16-core Neural Engine	Updated 16-core Neural Engine architecture
Display engine and image signal processor	Updated display engine and image signal processor
	Dedicated AV1 hardware decoder
Up to 4x multisample anti-aliasing	Up to 8x multisample anti-aliasing
Maximum 1D, 2D, and cube-map texture dimensions of 16,384 pixels	Maximum 1D, 2D, and cube-map texture dimensions of 32,768 pixels
	Universal texture compression
	MetalFX denoised upscaling capability
	Depth bounds testing

The A19 chip has a substantially better GPU than the A15 Bionic. Dynamic Caching manages fast on-chip GPU memory according to the workload. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading provide more advanced graphics-processing capabilities, while GPU Neural Accelerators supply dedicated hardware for machine learning calculations.

While GPU improvements will be particularly useful for gaming, it is unclear just how much the full breadth of the chip architecture improvements will make a meaningful difference to the ‌Apple TV‌.

Hands-Free Siri and HomePod Audio

The new microphones and expanded ‌HomePod‌ support provide some of the clearest functional differences between the two devices:

‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd Generation)	‌Apple TV‌ 4K (4th Generation)
No built-in microphone array in the box; microphone only in the ‌Siri‌ Remote	Three built-in far-field microphones with voice isolation, alongside the microphone in the ‌Siri‌ Remote
‌Siri‌ voice input through the remote or another compatible device	Direct hands-free activation using "‌Siri‌" or "Hey ‌Siri‌," with echo cancellation while audio is playing
‌HomePod‌ TV audio through a single speaker or stereo pair	Four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ surround sound using matching front and rear pairs
	Automatic positioning, timing, and level calibration for the four-speaker setup
	Whole Room Audio mode distributes sound across four ‌HomePod‌ speakers

The four-speaker configuration requires HomePod mini 2 or second-generation full-sized ‌HomePod‌ speakers. You can use four matching speakers or combine two matching front speakers with a different matching rear pair. For example, two full-sized HomePods can serve as the front speakers and two ‌HomePod mini 2‌ units as the rear speakers.

First-generation full-sized HomePods and original ‌HomePod‌ mini speakers are excluded from this new four-speaker configuration. Existing owners should account for any speaker replacements or additions when considering the cost of upgrading.

Whole Room Audio serves a different purpose from directional home theater sound, distributing audio more evenly around the room for music, sports, and more.

Hands-free ‌Siri‌ support also has its own language requirements. Apple lists Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, and Swedish, subject to regional availability.

Siri Remote Differences

The fourth-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote retains the familiar design and controls while making a misplaced remote easier to find:

‌Siri‌ Remote (3rd Generation)	‌Siri‌ Remote (4th Generation)
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 6
Nearby finding through iPhone, with proximity guidance	Find My with Precision Finding on a compatible iPhone
	Bluetooth Channel Sounding for precise location tracking
	Built-in speaker for playing a sound to locate the remote
66 grams	69.6 grams

The older remote already supported nearby finding with an iPhone. The new remote's additional benefits are precise location guidance and an audible alert. Precision Finding uses Bluetooth Channel Sounding, providing precise tracking without requiring a UWB chip.

Precision Finding requires an iPhone 17 or later, excluding the iPhone 17e, or an iPhone Air or iPhone Duo running the latest software. You can also ask ‌Siri‌ to find the remote through the ‌Apple TV‌'s built-in microphones and have the remote play a sound.

The new ‌Siri‌ Remote is available separately for $59 and works with the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, every earlier ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, and even the ‌Apple TV‌ HD.

Design, Dimensions, and Weight

Both generations retain the compact black enclosure and Apple logo. The principal visible changes are the microphone hardware and the repositioned front light.

	‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd Generation)	‌Apple TV‌ 4K (4th Generation)
Width	93 mm	93.24 mm
Depth	93 mm	93.24 mm
Weight	Wi-Fi: 208g Wi-Fi + Ethernet: 214g	217g
Status light	Positioned toward the right	Positioned in the center
Packaging	At least 90% fiber-based packaging	100% fiber-based packaging

The new box weighs three grams more than the previous Ethernet model and nine grams more than the Wi-Fi-only model. The centered front light also indicates when the built-in microphones are listening for commands.

Should You Upgrade From the Third-Generation Apple TV 4K?

Most third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K owners should keep their existing device. For ordinary streaming through television speakers, a soundbar, or an AV receiver, the new model does not add new capabilities. The maximum viewing resolution and HDR support remains the same. ‌Siri‌ AI's availability on the older hardware further reduces the need to replace a working device.

The strongest reason to upgrade is a planned four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ system. If you already own two second-generation full-sized HomePods and want dedicated rear speakers, the new ‌Apple TV‌ enables a specific setup your existing model cannot provide. Include the cost of additional or replacement speakers when judging the upgrade.

Hands-free control is another practical reason if you regularly use ‌Siri‌ and want to speak directly to the device. It is likely to be more useful when the ‌Apple TV‌ is directly in the viewing room than when it is installed in a separate equipment cupboard or rack.

AV1 hardware decoding may justify the upgrade for a particular media library or playback workflow. Gaming enthusiasts may also value the newer GPU architecture, but the benefit depends on the games available for tvOS and how developers use the hardware.

If locating the remote is a source of frustration, buying the $59 ‌Siri‌ Remote separately costs $240 less than replacing the entire ‌Apple TV‌. That purchase supplies the new remote features while retaining your existing device.

Should You Buy the Third- or Fourth-Generation Model?

For a new purchase, the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K is the stronger choice when the price difference is modest or you intend to use its exclusive features. Compared with the older 128GB model's final $249 Apple price, the $50 premium is easier to justify than the much larger difference suggested by comparing original launch prices.

That being said, a discounted third-generation model remains a sensible purchase. The older model is particularly appealing when the saving is substantial and you are not interested in a four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ sound system.

If you need Ethernet or want the ‌Apple TV‌ itself to provide Thread networking, choose the third-generation 128GB model or the fourth-generation model. A sufficiently large saving on the older 128GB configuration can outweigh improvements with the latest model that you would rarely use.
This article, "Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's wall-mounted HomeView will ship without a power adapter, USB-C cable, or mount, requiring customers to purchase compatible accessories separately.


In a support document posted on October 14, Apple outlined different power requirements for the two versions of its new smart home hub. The tabletop HomeView requires a USB-C power adapter rated for at least 30W, supporting an output of 15V at 2A or higher. The wall-mounted model requires at least 20W, with support for 9V at 2.22A or higher.

The tabletop model includes a 30W power adapter and a 1.5-meter USB-C cable. The wall-mounted version's box contains only the device and documentation.

Customers choosing the wall-mounted HomeView will need a compatible third-party mount and power solution. Depending on the mount, the device can use a separate USB-C cable and power adapter or a hardwired connection to line power.

If the power requirements are not met, HomeView will display a "Power Adapter Not Supported" message, accompanied by a lightning bolt and yellow warning triangle. For a wall-mounted unit, Apple suggests testing the device outside its mount with a compatible USB-C cable and adapter. If it works when connected directly, customers should contact the mount manufacturer or their professional installer.

Apple introduced the HomeView earlier this week, featuring a 7-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 chip, and Siri AI. Both models are available to pre-order for $299 in the United States, with availability beginning on November 13.
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The "Hatfield" Apple-1 has sold for $1,148,200 including the buyer's premium, setting a world auction record for a commercially sold Apple-1, according to Bonhams.


Two bidders competed for 28 minutes before the October 14 auction closed, taking the working computer beyond its $500,000 to $800,000 estimate.

The machine takes its name from original owner Fred Hatfield, who complained to Apple about the lack of software for the Apple-1. A letter included in the sale contains Steve Jobs' 1978 reply, offering an Apple II motherboard in exchange for the Apple-1 and another $400. Hatfield kept his computer.

He eventually sold it privately for $40,000 while it needed repairs. The buyer restored it and obtained Steve Wozniak's signature on the motherboard before it set an auction record in 2013. Bonhams lists that earlier sale as approximately $686,000.

Apple-1 prototypes have fetched more in the past. The "Celebration" board, which sold for $815,000 in 2016, sold for $2.75 million in January 2026.
This article, "Rare Apple-1 With Steve Jobs Letter Sells for $1.15 Million" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips.

Gurman previously reported that Apple would introduce the devices "on or around" Tuesday, October 27, with an online video presentation and a hands-on experience for the media. His latest post specifies October 28 for the media gathering, but does not say whether the product announcements will take place that day or beforehand.

The touchscreen MacBooks are expected to be redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, featuring OLED displays, a Dynamic Island, and significantly lighter designs. While earlier rumors suggested Apple could use the "MacBook Ultra" name, Gurman's report from earlier this month suggested the devices would remain in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ family.

Alongside the redesigned high-end machines, Apple is expected to introduce M6 versions of the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ and iMac. The new ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to gain an OLED display, a front-facing camera positioned for landscape video calls, and a redesigned speaker system.
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Apple's $1,999 iPhone Duo asks buyers to pay more for a folding screen while accepting almost 40 compromises compared with the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, spanning camera capabilities, everyday usability, and ownership costs.


At equivalent storage capacities, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ costs $800 more than the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and $700 more than the Pro Max. Its main attraction is a radically different design: a 5.4-inch outer display opens into a 7.6-inch inner display, providing more space for reading and viewing content, with the ability to use apps side by side.

All three devices share a number of key features, including the A20 Pro chip, ProMotion displays with refresh rates up to 120Hz, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, MagSafe, and USB-C with USB 3 speeds. However, choosing the foldable means giving up some familiar features and accepting differences in how the phone feels, works, and fits into a daily routine.

General Compromises

The general compromises concern the phone's controls, displays, dimensions, battery life, and cost. Some change interactions that iPhone owners perform throughout the day, while others affect particular preferences or longer-term ownership expenses. When choosing the ‌iPhone Duo‌ over an ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ or Pro Max, users must be prepared to give up:

• Face ID: Facial authentication is replaced by Touch ID in the side button, changing how users unlock their phone and authenticate purchases and apps.


• The Action button: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ drops the customizable button used for functions such as Silent mode, the flashlight, Focus modes, and Shortcuts. Camera Control remains available, but there is no dedicated physical mute control.


• MagSafe wallet compatibility: Apple lists ‌MagSafe‌ cases and wireless chargers as compatible with the ‌iPhone Duo‌, but omits the wallet compatibility it lists for the Pro models due to the device's shape.


• Physical SIM support in some markets: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is eSIM-only worldwide. Pro models sold in markets such as the UK and Australia retain a nano-SIM slot, giving buyers the option of using physical SIM cards.


• A larger screen without unfolding: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer display measures 5.4 inches, compared with 6.3 inches on the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and 6.9 inches on the Pro Max. Accessing its larger 7.6-inch screen requires opening the device.


• The Pro displays' pixel density on the larger screen: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s inner display has a density of 430 pixels per inch, compared with 460 ppi on both Pro models. Its outer display retains 460 ppi.


• A crease-free display: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s folding screen has a crease that remains visible in certain lighting, despite Apple's efforts to minimize it. The Pro models have a conventional display without a fold through the center.


• Simpler display maintenance: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer screen has Ceramic Shield 2, while the inner screen uses a different construction with a polymer cover layer. That layer is replaceable if it wears or becomes damaged, introducing an additional service item absent from the Pro models. In the U.S., a cover-layer replacement costs $49 without AppleCare+ coverage or $19 with coverage.


• A thinner, narrower, and lighter phone: Although shorter when closed, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ is 84.1mm wide and 11.3mm thick, compared with widths of 71.9mm and 78mm and a thickness of 8.75mm on the Pro models. At 254 grams, it is also 43 grams heavier than the Pro and five grams heavier than the Pro Max.


• The Pro Max's longer typical-use battery life: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is rated for up to 24 hours of typical use, matching the smaller Pro but falling short of the Pro Max's 30 hours.


• Longer video playback when using the larger display: With its inner screen, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ is rated for up to 31 hours of video playback and 26 hours of streaming, compared with 36 and 33 hours on the Pro and 45 and 40 hours on the Pro Max. Using the outer display improves those figures to 44 and 37 hours, exceeding the smaller Pro's ratings.


• Faster wired charging: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ reaches up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes, compared with around 15 minutes on both Pro models.


• Higher sustained-performance: Apple quotes up to 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro for the ‌iPhone Duo‌, compared with up to 40% for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models.


• More color choices: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ comes in Night Sky and Star White. The Pro models offer Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy.


• A higher proportion of recycled content: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ contains 35% recycled content, compared with 40% on the Pro models.


• A lower purchase price: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ costs $800 more than the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and $700 more than the Pro Max at equivalent storage capacities. Its $1,999 starting price buys 256GB, while a 1TB Pro Max costs $1,899.


• Lower single-device AppleCare premiums: In the U.S., ‌AppleCare‌+ with Theft and Loss costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually for the ‌iPhone Duo‌, compared with $14.99 per month or $149.99 annually for either Pro model.


• Lower covered screen-repair fees: Under U.S. ‌AppleCare‌ coverage, accidental damage to the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s inner display carries a $99 service fee, compared with $29 for screen-only damage on the Pro models. The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer-display damage fee remains $29.


• Lower repair fees without AppleCare+ coverage: Apple's U.S. estimates include $999 for inner-display damage, compared with screen-repair fees of $329 for the Pro and $379 for the Pro Max. "Other damage" is estimated at $1,499, compared with $849 and $899 respectively. Back-glass repair is also more expensive, at $199 rather than $159 for either Pro model.


• Lower battery replacement costs: Apple's U.S. out-of-warranty battery service fee is $229 for the ‌iPhone Duo‌, compared with $129 for either Pro model.

These differences vary considerably in importance. Losing Face ID or the Action button may be more disruptive to an established routine than having fewer color choices, while the wider, thicker body is something buyers will encounter every time they pick up the closed phone. Buyers moving from a Pro Max also need to consider whether the larger inner display is worth giving up its longer typical-use battery life.

The financial differences extend beyond the initial purchase. Higher ‌AppleCare‌ premiums, repair fees, and battery replacement costs can increase the expense of owning the ‌iPhone Duo‌ over several years, so buyers should consider how they intend to maintain and protect the device alongside its purchase price.

Camera and Capture Compromises

The camera compromises range from fewer zoom options and simpler front cameras to the loss of professional capture formats. Some affect everyday photography, while others matter primarily to users with specific editing and production workflows. When buying the ‌iPhone Duo‌ over an ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ or Pro Max, customers must be prepared to forgo:

• A dedicated Telephoto camera: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ lacks the Pro models' 48-megapixel 4x Telephoto camera, including its tetraprism design and 3D sensor-shift stabilization, and the 12-megapixel optical-quality 8x crop it enables. Its longest optical-quality zoom setting is a 2x crop from the Main camera. Digital photo zoom tops out at 10x rather than 40x, while video zoom reaches 6x rather than 24x.


• A variable aperture: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s Main camera has a fixed f/1.6 aperture. The Pro models offer f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0 settings, giving users more control over light capture and depth of field.


• The Pro Main camera's stabilization and focusing hardware: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ uses sensor-shift optical image stabilization and Hybrid Focus Pixels, compared with second-generation sensor-shift stabilization and 100% Focus Pixels on the Pro models.


• Wider Main-camera framing: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s Main camera has a 26mm equivalent focal length rather than 24mm, producing a slightly tighter view. Its 2x crop is also tighter, at 52mm rather than 48mm.


• A LiDAR Scanner: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ omits the depth-sensing hardware available on both Pro models for photography, augmented reality, and scanning experiences.


• Adaptive True Tone flash: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ has a standard True Tone flash instead of the Pro models' adaptive version.


• Pro Controls: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ does not have the Pro models' full suite of aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and histogram controls.


• ProRAW photography: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ does not offer Apple's ProRAW capture, including on its front camera.


• Apple Reference Image capture: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ cannot capture the signed reference images used to help establish whether a photo has been altered.


• Spatial photos and videos: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ cannot capture spatial photos or spatial video. Both Pro models support spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps.


• ProRes and ProRes RAW recording: These professional video formats are unavailable in the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s native camera feature set, including for front-facing capture. The Pro models support ProRes recording up to 4K at 120 fps from the rear camera and 4K at 60 fps from the front camera with external recording.


• Apple Log 2 and ACES: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ omits Apple Log 2 and Academy Color Encoding System support for rear and front-camera recording, limiting the professional color workflows otherwise available on the Pro models.


• Genlock: The ‌iPhone Duo‌ lacks the Pro models' support for synchronizing video capture with other cameras using supported accessories.


• Studio-quality four-mic array: Apple specifies four studio-quality microphones for the Pro models, but does not list the same specification for the ‌iPhone Duo‌. The foldable still supports Spatial Audio recording, wind noise reduction, and Audio Mix.


• A higher-resolution outer front camera: The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer Center Stage camera is 12 megapixels with a smaller f/2.2 aperture, compared with 18 megapixels and f/1.9 on the Pro models.


• A fully featured front camera when unfolded: The inner under-display camera is limited to 1080p video at 30 or 60 fps and lacks Night mode, portrait photography, and Photographic Styles. The Pro models' front camera supports 4K Dolby Vision recording and these photography features.

The missing Telephoto camera is a practical limitation even for buyers who never use professional formats, since it reduces the options for photographing subjects they cannot get close to. The variable aperture adds another form of control over how a scene is captured. For users who already rely on ProRAW, ProRes, or Log recording, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ also changes what they can capture and how they can edit it afterward.

Are the Compromises Worth It?

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ can justify these compromises if its inner display meaningfully improves things you already do on your phone. Reading long articles, reviewing documents, comparing information in two apps, editing photos, or watching video could all become much more comfortable with a larger screen. If those are activities you would regularly unfold the device for, its defining feature could be more valuable to you than several of the capabilities it lacks.

It is therefore important for prospective customers to assess what they plan to use the ‌iPhone Duo‌'s internal display for and how often they would do so. A handful of activities you repeat throughout the day makes a stronger case for the foldable than an occasional task you would usually handle on an iPad or Mac.

Hands-on demo time should also be helpful, and include time using the phone closed. Check whether you are comfortable with its width, thickness, weight, outer display, and ‌Touch ID‌ button, then unfold it and try the activities you expect to benefit from the larger screen. The device needs to suit both the quick interactions that make up much of phone use and the longer sessions that take advantage of its inner display.

The large number of compromises alone should not determine your decision. If you never record ProRes video, losing it may have no consequence, while giving up a telephoto camera you use every day could be decisive.

There is also value in being enthusiastic about Apple's radically new take on the iPhone. Wanting to explore a folding design and new ways of using familiar apps is a reasonable part of the buying decision, even without a specific productivity benefit.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ makes the most sense for buyers who expect to use its inner display frequently, enjoy adapting to the new form factor, and are comfortable with the features and money they give up to get it. For buyers who expect to spend most of their time on the outer display, or who place greater importance on camera versatility, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models may be a stronger fit at a lower price.

‌iPhone Duo‌ pre-orders open on Friday, October 16, with availability starting on October 23.
This article, "iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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AppleCare+ became available for the first time 15 years ago today, on October 14, 2011, alongside the iPhone 4S, following its announcement ten days earlier. The previous $69 AppleCare Protection Plan in the United States extended hardware repair coverage and technical support to two years, but excluded accidental damage.

‌AppleCare‌+ cost $99, retaining that two-year term while adding coverage for two accidental damage incidents, each with a $49 service fee. It covered damage from drops and liquid contact, but excluded theft and loss.
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Apple is reportedly preparing a substantial production run for the standard iPhone 18, following the iPhone 17's success as the world's best-selling smartphone.


In a new Weibo post, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" claimed that production of the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ is scheduled to start in late November, describing the volume of inventory being prepared as "quite large."

Its predecessor has likely given Apple considerable reason for confidence. Following the ‌iPhone 17‌'s initial pre-order weekend, Apple reportedly instructed two suppliers to increase daily output by at least 30%, according to The Information. Counterpoint Research later reported that the standard ‌iPhone 17‌ led global smartphone sales in both the first and second quarters of 2026. It accounted for 6% of worldwide smartphone unit sales in each quarter, outselling even the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro Max and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro.

The ‌iPhone 18‌ is expected to retain a broadly similar design, with potential upgrades including a smaller Dynamic Island, the A20 chip, and Apple's C2 modem. It is expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 in spring 2027. A late-November production start would give Apple several months to build inventory ahead of launch.
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Today marks the 15th anniversary of the iPhone 4S launch, introducing Siri as a built-in feature of the iPhone for the first time.


The iPhone 4S went on sale on October 14, 2011, ten days after its announcement. It initially launched in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom, retaining the iPhone 4's glass and stainless steel design while introducing substantial internal improvements.

The device's defining addition was Siri, which allowed users to make calls, send messages, create reminders, schedule appointments, and ask questions using natural language. Apple highlighted the assistant's ability to interpret requests in context, such as understanding that a question about needing an umbrella was a request for the weather forecast.

‌Siri‌ initially launched in beta, supporting English localized for the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, alongside French and German. The assistant was exclusive to the iPhone 4S, so owners of older iPhones could not access it simply by installing iOS 5.

‌Siri‌ had already existed as a standalone iPhone app, which launched in February 2010. Apple acquired the company in April that year before integrating its technology into iOS directly. Following the iPhone 4S announcement, Apple removed the original app from the App Store and notified existing users that its service would stop working on October 15.

Beyond ‌Siri‌, the iPhone 4S introduced Apple's dual-core A5 chip, which it said delivered up to twice the CPU performance and seven times the graphics performance of the iPhone 4. Its rear camera increased from five to eight megapixels, with an f/2.4 aperture and support for 1080p video recording. A revised antenna system could switch between antennas for transmitting and receiving, while maximum supported HSDPA download speeds doubled to 14.4 Mbps.

The iPhone 4S shipped with iOS 5, which had become available two days earlier alongside iCloud. The software update introduced iMessage, Notification Center, and Reminders, as well as wireless software updates and on-device setup.

Available in black and white, the iPhone 4S came in 16GB, 32GB, and a new 64GB configuration. U.S. prices started at $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a qualifying two-year carrier contract. Apple subsequently announced that it had sold more than four million units during its first three days of availability, more than double the iPhone 4's opening sales over the same period.
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Apple's new HomeView includes temperature and humidity sensing, allowing the smart home hub to monitor indoor conditions and supply readings to the new thermostats developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.


Apple's technical specifications confirm that both the tabletop and wall-mounted HomeView have a temperature and humidity sensor. The hardware is listed alongside the ambient light sensor and accelerometer.

There are several limitations for the HomeView's readings. Temperature and humidity sensing is optimized for indoor domestic environments with ambient temperatures around 59°F to 86°F, and relative humidity around 30% to 70%.

Accuracy may decrease when HomeView plays audio at high volume for an extended period. The sensors also require time to calibrate immediately after startup before results appear.

According to Apple, the LG and Schneider Electric thermostats in the "Apple Home Collection" can obtain temperature and humidity readings from multiple rooms using sensors built into HomeView, HomePod, and ‌HomePod‌ mini, as well as dedicated sensors from either manufacturer. The thermostats also support Adaptive Temperature in the Home app, which uses on-device intelligence from iPhone to adjust settings based on whether someone is home, winding down for the night, or away.

LG's Temperature Sensor and the Schneider Home Room Sensor will each start at $39.95 in the United States, while the companies' thermostats will each start at $199.95. Both HomeView models cost $299 in the United States and launch on November 13.
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Apple yesterday announced the HomePod mini 2, introducing the compact smart speaker's first major hardware update in six years.


The new model retains the original's spherical design, but adds an S10 chip, faster wireless connectivity, Sound Glow lighting, new Mac and home theater capabilities, and support for Siri AI in a future software update.

The HomePod mini 2 costs $149 in the United States, $20 more than its predecessor's last Apple price of $129. While the original launched for $99 in 2020, Apple raised its price in June 2026. With many core features carried over, is the new model worth upgrading to, and should you consider a discounted original instead?

Both generations feature a full-range driver, two passive radiators, and an acoustic waveguide for 360-degree sound. They also share temperature and humidity sensors, Thread networking, Ultra Wideband proximity features, AirPlay multiroom audio, stereo pairing, Intercom, smart home control, and Sound Recognition. Their dimensions remain identical at 3.3 inches tall and 3.9 inches wide, and both include a 20W power adapter.

Here are the differences between the original HomePod mini and ‌HomePod mini 2‌:

‌HomePod‌ mini (2020)	‌HomePod mini 2‌ (2026)
Backlit touch surface with status and ‌Siri‌ lighting	Backlit touch surface with Sound Glow animations that respond to music, album artwork, and soundscapes
S5 chip (from 2019's Apple Watch Series 5, made with TSMC's N7 7nm process, based on Apple's A12 Bionic chip from iPhone XS)	S10 chip (from 2024's Apple Watch Series 10, made with TSMC's N4 4nm process, based on Apple's A16 Bionic chip from iPhone 14 Pro)
Computational audio	Enhanced computational audio
Four-microphone design	Three-microphone design
‌Siri‌	‌Siri‌ AI support
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 6
Mac audio playback via ‌AirPlay‌	Can serve as the default speaker for Macs with Wi-Fi 6E or later, individually or in a stereo pair
	Four-speaker surround sound with Apple TV 4K (4th generation), including automatic calibration of audio timing and levels
Weighs 0.76 pound (345 grams)	Weighs 0.74 pound (335 grams)
White, midnight, blue, yellow, and orange; previously available in space gray	White, midnight, blue, pink, and green
89% fiber-based packaging	100% fiber-based packaging
Introduced in October 2020	Introduced in October 2026
Discontinued (initially priced at $99, later raised to $129)	$149

Is It Worth Upgrading From HomePod Mini to HomePod Mini 2?

For most existing ‌HomePod‌ mini owners, there is no general-purpose reason to replace a working original ‌HomePod‌ mini immediately. The original retains the main features needed for voice commands, music playback, timers, Intercom, and smart home automations. Sound Glow and the new finishes may appeal to enthusiasts, but they are very small reasons to replace speakers throughout a home.

For buyers primarily interested in sound quality, Apple's specifications provide limited grounds for judging the size of the improvement. The basic driver arrangement remains the same, and the original already used computational audio to tune playback in real time. Apple has not quantified the acoustic gains from the S10 chip.

The clearest upgrade case is using the ‌HomePod mini 2‌ as a default Mac speaker. If your Mac supports Wi-Fi 6E or later and you want ‌HomePod‌ speakers for games, calls, and everyday computer audio, the new model offers a capability the original's ‌AirPlay‌ connection does not provide.

The four-speaker surround sound system is another notable reason to choose the newer generation. It requires the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K and matching front and rear speaker pairs running the latest software. You can use four ‌HomePod mini 2‌ speakers, or combine a pair with a pair of full-sized second-generation HomePods. Original ‌HomePod‌ minis are excluded, and the required ‌Apple TV‌ 4K launches on November 13.

‌Siri‌ AI is perhaps the most consequential improvement, offering more natural conversations, broader general knowledge, improved music discovery, and the ability to act on personal context across supported apps. However, it will not be available at launch, and Apple has not yet announced a release date for the feature.

Apple's requirements specify that the owner of the home in the Home app must have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad with ‌Siri‌ AI enabled. Personal context requests require the individual user's compatible paired device, although other household members can use conversational and general knowledge features once ‌Siri‌ AI is enabled. Initial availability is planned in English in the United States, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Should You Buy HomePod Mini or HomePod Mini 2?

The ‌HomePod mini 2‌ should be the default choice for most new buyers when the price difference is small. If remaining original stock costs $129, paying another $20 provides the new Mac and surround sound capabilities, faster connectivity, Sound Glow, and eligibility for the forthcoming ‌Siri‌ AI update.

A substantially discounted original ‌HomePod‌ mini remains worth considering for straightforward music playback or adding smart home control to another room. Its value is strongest when you will use the shared features and have little interest in the new features.

Buying another original also makes sense if you already own one and want to create a stereo pair. Apple requires matching models for stereo pairing, so an original ‌HomePod‌ mini and a ‌HomePod mini 2‌ cannot form a stereo pair.

‌HomePod mini 2‌ pre-orders are now open, with availability beginning October 30.
This article, "HomePod Mini vs. HomePod Mini 2 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today launched sleep apnea notifications in mainland China, following approval from the country's National Medical Products Administration. The feature is supported on the Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2, SE 3, and newer.

The Apple Watch uses its accelerometer to monitor breathing disturbances during sleep, analyzing the data every 30 days for signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Users who receive a notification can export a PDF report to discuss potential diagnosis and treatment with their doctor.
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Apple's HomeView includes customizable faces for photos, animations, and smart home controls.


Faces Apple has named so far include:

• Photos


• Flow


• Snoopy


• Calendar


• Weather


• Home Modular


• Home Camera

Other clock and widget layouts appear in Apple's promotional images, but have not yet been named. Apple says that selected faces change throughout the day, with different appearances for mornings and evenings.

The ‌Photos‌ face turns the HomeView into a digital picture frame, displaying a single image or rotating through a collection. It uses Portrait-style depth effects to keep the subject sharp while blurring the foreground and background. Shared albums also allow friends and family to contribute pictures remotely.

For an animated display, the Flow face responds to physical presence and movement, changing its colors and light as people move nearby. The Snoopy face features animations that reflect the time of day, weather, sporting events, and holidays.

Other faces provide direct access to smart home information. Home Modular offers quick access to favorite accessories, while Home Camera can livestream up to nine camera feeds simultaneously.

The HomeView's interface adjusts to the user's distance, presenting simpler information that can be read from across the room and more detail as they move closer. Its 7-inch Liquid Retina display also automatically adjusts brightness, ranging from 500 nits down to 0.3 nits for use at night.

Both the tabletop and wall-mounted HomeView models launch on November 13 and cost $299 in the U.S.
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The HomeView can dim its display to just 0.3 nits for use on a nightstand or in dark environments, making it Apple's lowest-ever display brightness.


The 7-inch Liquid Retina display automatically adjusts its brightness as lighting conditions change, reaching up to 500 nits in bright rooms. Its 0.3-nit minimum allows it to dim substantially at night. True Tone also helps the screen adapt to changing ambient light.

Previously, Apple's dimmest display technology went down to just 1 nit. This feature debuted on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, and subsequently came to the iPhone.

The tabletop HomeView model features a stainless steel hinge that lets users tilt the display as required. Its interface responds to distance, showing simpler information from across the room and more detail as users move closer.

The HomeView also offers customizable faces, including weather information, photos, and animated designs. Apple says selected faces change throughout the day, adapting their appearance for mornings and evenings.

Apple's HomeView models launch on November 13 and cost $299 in the United States.
This article, "HomeView Can Dim to Apple's Lowest-Ever Display Brightness" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K includes three built-in far-field microphones, allowing users to find something to watch and control playback without picking up the Siri Remote.


Users can activate the voice assistant by saying "Hey ‌Siri‌" or "‌Siri‌," including while a movie or TV show is playing. Apple says advanced echo cancellation separates the user's voice from background sound, helping the device recognize requests over the TV's audio.

The microphones also enable hands-free control of compatible smart home accessories and scenes. With ‌Siri‌ AI, users can search for entertainment conversationally and ask follow-up questions about what they are watching, with answers appearing in a compact overlay over the video.

Apple says the new Apple TV 4K and its A19 chip include Secure Exclaves, which are protected processing environments that handle microphone data separately from the rest of the system. According to Apple, data processed and analyzed inside these environments cannot be accessed by tvOS, apps, users, or Apple itself.

Far-field ‌Siri‌ support varies by region and language. The feature is supported when the primary tvOS language is set to English, Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, or Swedish.

The new ‌Apple TV‌ 4K is available to preorder today for $299 in the United States, with availability beginning November 13.
This article, "New Apple TV 4K Adds Far-Field Microphones for Hands-Free Siri" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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