The iOS 26.4.2, iPadOS 26.4.2, iOS 18.7.8, and iPadOS 18.7.8 updates that Apple released today address a security vulnerability that the FBI recently used to extract Signal message previews from an iPhone even after the app was deleted.


A flaw with notification services allowed notifications that were supposed to be deleted to be retained on an iPhone or iPad. Apple says it fixed the logging issue with improved data redaction.

Apple became aware of the vulnerability after recent court testimony revealed that the FBI was able to access the internal notification database on an iPhone involved in a case, providing law enforcement with access to message previews. The iPhone in question was set to display the content of Signal messages on the Lock Screen, and with that feature enabled, the iPhone stores message content.

The defendant in the case had deleted the Signal app and had Signal messages set to disappear, but the iPhone kept the messages in its database long enough for the FBI to access them.

Apple users running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, iOS 18, or iPadOS 18 should update to the latest versions to avoid being impacted by the security flaw.
This article, "iOS 26.4.2 Patches Flaw That Let FBI Extract Deleted Signal Messages" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In Diablo IV, the Skill Tree system gives players the ability to pick a skill and choose an upgrade to get stronger. Now, that tree has evolved to support more player choices. These new branches don’t just make skills stronger – they make them different. “If you’re newer to Diablo IV, the system is more approachable than it looks. Click a node, try it out, and see how it grows. For the more veteran adventurers, theorycrafting just got deeper,” writes Blizzard’s Chelsea Leah. Find out more about this at Xbox Wire.

Google today commented on its partnership with Apple, confirming that Gemini will power a new, more personalized version of Siri that's set to be released later in 2026.


Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian mentioned the Apple partnership during Google Cloud Next 2026, a conference that's taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada today.

Earlier this year, we announced a monumental partnership with one of the most iconic brands that will bring the power of our technology to users everywhere around the world. We're collaborating with Apple as their preferred cloud provider to develop the next generation of Apple Foundation Models based on Gemini technology.

These models will now power future Apple Intelligence features including a more personalized Siri coming later this year.

Kurian's comment doesn't provide us with any new information because Apple has already committed to a 2026 launch for the new ‌Siri‌ features. When Apple first delayed the smarter ‌Siri‌ in March 2025, the company said it would launch "in the coming year."

Later in 2025, Apple said that ‌Siri‌ would get an update at some point in 2026, though it did not provide a specific launch timeline. In February 2026, Apple confirmed to CNBC that the new version of ‌Siri‌ is still set to come out this year.

According to rumors, Apple was planning to release the Apple Intelligence version of ‌Siri‌ in spring 2026, but ran into issues with accuracy. Since Apple never gave a launch date beyond 2026, the ‌Siri‌ update isn't exactly delayed, but Apple has needed to adjust its internal schedule. Apple has until December 31, 2026 to update ‌Siri‌, but we could get a first look at the new personal assistant in iOS 27.

Kurian did say that Google Cloud is Apple's "preferred cloud provider," which is the same language that Google used earlier this year. It continues to be unclear if the new ‌Siri‌ and Gemini-powered ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features will use Private Cloud Compute or will run on Google's servers.

Apple has asked Google to investigate setting up servers in Google data centers to run ‌Siri‌ because Apple is anticipating much more cloud usage when the smarter ‌Siri‌ launches.

Apple plans to introduce ‌iOS 27‌ at the Worldwide Developers Conference, which is set to begin on June 8, 2026. We'll hear more about ‌Siri‌ at WWDC.
This article, "Google Confirms Gemini-Powered Siri Coming Later This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 software updates for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. The updates are available two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update.

According to Apple's release notes, the software updates contain unspecified bug fixes and security updates.

Apple also released iOS 18.7.8 for older iPhones that are not updated to iOS 26.

Apple is already beta testing iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, the next versions of ‌iOS 26‌ that will likely launch later in May.
This article, "Apple Releases iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 With Bug Fixes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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OpenAI this week introduced ChatGPT Images 2.0, which the company says brings a new era of image generation. Images 2.0 is an updated model that can better handle complex visual tasks.


It is able to follow detailed instructions, placing and relating objects accurately, preserving fine detail, and rendering dense layouts. Images 2.0 is OpenAI’s first image model with thinking capabilities, and it has an improved sense of composition and visual taste, which OpenAI says will result in images that feel less AI-generated.

Images 2.0 is able to search the web to get real-time information, create up to eight images from a single prompt, and double-check its output. Graphics can be created across several aspect ratios and at up to 2K resolution. The new model also has improved multilingual understanding and can better render non-Latin text like Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, and Bengali.

Images 2.0 is available now for all ChatGPT, Codex, and API users.
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Passkeys are designed to replace passwords with strong, phishing-resistant credentials that make sign-in quick, easy, and secure. With Microsoft Password Manager, users can now save and sync passkeys across devices signed in with their Microsoft account. Syncing passkeys enables a seamless sign-in experience, allowing users to access their credentials wherever they are signed in. Instead of being tied to a single device, passkeys can be securely available across devices while continuing to leverage device-based authentication such as biometrics or PIN. However, enabling this experience requires a thoughtful approach to security. Roaming cryptographic credentials must be protected during creation, sync, and recovery without weakening their security properties. In this post, we'll walk through the architectural principles that power passkey syncing in Microsoft Password Manager.

Architecture overview

Passkey syncing in Microsoft Password Manager is built on a layered architecture that's designed to securely enable roaming credentials. The system applies multiple independent protections across the boundaries between compute (where sensitive operations are processed), key management, storage, and device authorization. At a high level, passkey syncing in Microsoft Password Manager combines:

• Confidential computing for sensitive passkey operations.
• Hardware-rooted key protection for service-side encryption keys.
• Tamper-evident recovery storage for secure activation and recovery.
• Encrypted synchronization across registered devices.

These layers work together to protect passkeys during creation, synchronization, and recovery. The passkey service backend is deployed using Confidential Containers on Azure Container Instances (ACI), which leverage Trusted Execution Environments for protected execution of sensitive workloads.

Confidential compute for passkey operations

Sensitive passkey operations, including credential creation, assertion, and recovery validation, execute inside the Azure confidential computing environments backed by hardware isolation. This ensures that:

• Cryptographic material is processed inside protected memory.
• The host environment cannot inspect sensitive cryptographic material (such as passkeys and encryption keys) while in use.
• Only attested service code can access protected encryption keys.

By strictly controlling where passkey material can be decrypted and used, we ensure that sensitive cryptographic material remains protected within trusted execution boundaries, while strengthening operational integrity. Access to these operations is further gated by user verification using platform authenticators (for example, Windows Hello or device biometrics), with device-bound cryptographic keys used to authorize passkey operations.

Hardware-rooted key protection

Encryption keys that safeguard synced passkeys are protected using Azure Managed HSM. Access to these keys is restricted through attestation-based secure key release mechanisms. Before keys are released, the execution environment is verified using Microsoft Azure Attestation, ensuring that key material is only accessible within trusted confidential workloads and is not released to non-confidential environments. This provides a hardware-rooted trust anchor for service-side encryption operations. Passkeys are encrypted before synchronization and handled within authorized, hardware-isolated environments.

Secure registration and recovery

Microsoft Password Manager enables cross-device activation through a secure, auditable registration and recovery process. This process requires authentication via a user-defined knowledge factor (PIN), with all protections enforced within confidential computing boundaries. Recovery operations are validated within the confidential computing environment to ensure strong integrity guarantees. Recovery attempts are enforced using a securely maintained retry counter and associated recovery metadata, both recorded in a tamper-evident Azure Confidential Ledger. This prevents counter manipulation and rollback attempts. To protect against malicious brute-force attempts on the low-entropy PIN, the system enforces a fixed limit on consecutive incorrect attempts. Once this limit is reached, the system enters a lockout state. Recovery from lockout requires resetting the PIN through a secure flow that is initiated from a trusted device and authenticated via the user's Microsoft account. This design ensures that recovery mechanisms do not weaken the protections applied to synced passkeys.

Building for the passwordless future

Passkeys represent a major step forward in authentication. In Microsoft Password Manager, we've engineered a sync system that balances strong security protections with seamless cross-device usability. By combining confidential computing, hardware-backed key protection, and device-bound authorization, Microsoft Password Manager delivers secure passkey roaming built to withstand modern threats. These protections are designed as independent layers that collectively safeguard passkeys throughout their lifecycle. Synced passkeys are a strong step forward in our passwordless journey, bringing the simplicity and security of phishing-resistant sign-in to users. We're excited to continue this journey with new capabilities and experiences ahead.

Following the emergence of a rumor that Apple is planning to downgrade the iPhone 18 to cut costs, further detail has emerged suggesting that display and chip specifications will see downgrades.


Earlier this week, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the ‌iPhone 18‌ features "certain manufacturing downgrades" that bring it more into line with the low-cost iPhone 18e model. The decision is said to be "a cost-cutting measure."

Now, the leaker has provided further detail. For example, the ‌iPhone 18‌'s display specifications will be downgraded, resulting in inferior screen quality. The manufacturing process itself is said to be "taking a step backward."

The iPhone 17 features a 6.3-inch display with ProMotion and up to 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. Since ProMotion was among the biggest upgrades for the device last year, it seems likely that brightness could be among the display specifications to be reduced.

In a follow-up post, the leaker provided some insight into Apple's decision. Rather than increase the price of the ‌iPhone 18‌, the company plans to downgrade certain components, including the chip, to maintain the same price point.

Although both the ‌iPhone 17‌ and iPhone 17e feature the A19 chip, the ‌iPhone 17‌'s variant has a five-core GPU, instead of the ‌iPhone 17e‌'s four-core version. The iPhone 17 Pro's A19 Pro chip is essentially the same but has a six-core GPU.

As a result, a reduction from five to four GPU cores in the ‌iPhone 18‌ could be among the planned downgrades. Fixed Focus Digital added that it is "highly probable" that Apple will tweak the name of the device's A-series chip in an effort to disguise the extent of downgrade.

The Weibo leaker ultimately doubled-down on the move, saying that "the downgrade in the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ model's specifications has now been confirmed." Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) of the ‌iPhone 18‌ and iPhone 18e are apparently set to take place simultaneously in June.

The leaker's previous report outlined Apple's decision to implement new cost-control strategies for the device, including specific downgrades to manufacturing processes, chips, memory, and more. The move will "effectively bring it in line with the '18e' model."

With the ‌iPhone 17e‌ and ‌iPhone 17‌, the biggest differences are the Dynamic Island, display size, ProMotion, brightness, the front facing camera, the Ultra Wide camera, and battery life. It is not clear which key differentiators will remain between the two devices in their next iterations.

• iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17 Buyer's Guide: 35+ Differences Compared

The leaker apparently verified the information using multiple sources. They noted that the information originates from the same source who correctly confirmed that the ‌iPhone 17e‌ would continue to feature a "notch," contrary to false reports that the device would have a ‌Dynamic Island‌.

The standard ‌iPhone 18‌ is expected to launch months after the iPhone 18 Pro models as part of an all-new split launch strategy. Apple's usual fall iPhone announcement is expected to include the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and the so-called foldable "iPhone Ultra." The iPhone 18e, ‌iPhone 18‌, and iPhone Air 2 will likely follow in the spring of 2027.
This article, "Leaker: Apple to Downgrade iPhone 18 in Two Ways" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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IT practitioners don’t hand out praise easily. So when a solution architect, a head of workplace design and a modern workplace product manager start saying the same thing about an endpoint — simpler to manage, faster to deploy, easier to secure — it's worth paying attention to. Windows 365 Link turns one year old this month. To understand why it matters, it helps to understand the service it is purpose-built for: Windows 365 is a cloud service that streams a full Windows experience — your apps, your settings, your desktop — directly from the Microsoft Cloud to any device. Your PC, essentially, lives in the cloud. Windows 365 Link was built to take that idea further, giving organizations a simple-to-manage, secure endpoint for Windows 365 with no local data, no local apps and no local admin users, so they could scale Cloud PCs simply, securely and cost-effectively. In the year since its launch, it has expanded to new regions and found a home across industries as different as manufacturing, healthcare, retail and professional services. Windows 365 Link is helping a set of organizations with genuinely different challenges — an energy company looking to eliminate the management overhead that comes with running different devices for different roles; a global packaging manufacturer trying to give hundreds of factory workers seamless access to resources as they move station to station; a New Zealand telco rebuilding its entire desktop environment after separating from its parent company; and a Japanese IT infrastructure service provider developing a robust hybrid work foundation that balances convenience with security. What they found in Windows 365 Link wasn’t just a device; it was a way to stop reconciling complexity and start running IT the way it should work. Across organizations, the feedback tells a consistent story: https://youtu.be/KRymSGLgNOg Our growing partner network helps organizations quickly procure and deploy Windows 365 Link. We’ve onboarded more than 200 resellers across 20 countries. Feedback from partners with experience deploying Windows 365 Link highlights Windows 365 Link’s ability to simplify endpoint management and deliver reliable experiences:  https://youtu.be/3NUTul4a0gU Based on customer feedback, we make  regular updates to Windows 365 Link devices to further enhance user experience and streamline IT management. Key updates targeted for release this quarter include:

• Support for pairing Bluetooth® devices during the out-of-box experience, so you can use a wireless keyboard and mouse to set up the device

• Support for tenant branding including setting a custom wallpaper, logo and name on the sign-in screen, so you can provide a tailored experience for your users

• Support for unique peripherals via USB redirection with no endpoint configuration required (GA) and ability to configure specific USB devices via centralized IT Admin controls (Public Preview)

• Support for visibility into pending updates directly on the sign-in screen and ctrl+alt+del screen, so users know when updates are available

Support for tenant branding on the Windows 365 Link sign-in screen As we mark this milestone, we thank our Windows 365 customers and partners for their trust and collaboration. If you’re planning a device refresh for frontline or desk-based workers, consider Windows 365 Link as a more secure, simple-to-manage and cost-effective alternative to traditional desktops. For more on the potential benefits of deploying Windows 365 Link in shared spaces, read the Forrester Consulting study New Technology: The Projected Total Economic Impact™ of Windows 365 Link, July 2025, commissioned by Microsoft. We’re committed to expanding Windows 365 Link’s availability so more organizations can benefit from the power, simplicity and security of Windows 365.

Opera has pushed another update for its flagship browser, with new changes aimed at making video streaming and conferencing better. Here are the details.


Opera users now get direct access to YouTube and Twitch from the browser sidebar, allowing them to pin the panel for side-by-side viewing or snap the video out with the Video Popout feature, which creates a floating overlay that they can move while navigating the web.

Meanwhile, in what the company is describing as a first for any browser, Opera now has an integrated Volume Booster that lets users increase a tab's volume by up to 500 percent. The feature includes per-tab control, so users can, for example, keep background music at a quiet 5%, while simultaneously boosting a quiet video in another tab to 500%.

The company says this native feature means users no longer need to rely on third-party volume extensions that can cause full-screen glitches and security warnings.

Opera is also touting major quality-of-life upgrades to remote working in the latest update. The app now fully supports any video conferencing website that supports PiP, which includes full compatibility with Zoom. Users also get per-site control over Auto-PiP permissions for every individual conferencing website. And in an aesthetic change for consistency, the Video Popout window matches the chosen Opera One theme for the first time.


Opera browser is available now as a free update and can be downloaded from the company's website.
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Last week, Macworld's Filipe Espósito reported that Apple is testing four color options for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and one of those colors has since been corroborated by a known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.


The four alleged color options include Light Blue, Dark Cherry, Dark Gray, and Silver.

Dark Cherry would be the signature new color option for the iPhone 18 Pro models this year, following Cosmic Orange for the iPhone 17 Pro models. This might end up being the "deep red" that was previously rumored for the devices.

Weibo leaker "Instant Digital" today corroborated the Dark Cherry color option, describing it as a mix of burgundy, coffee, and deep purple. Those were all previously-rumored iPhone 18 Pro color options, but it appears that they are actually one in the same.

"Instant Digital" has accurately leaked Apple information before, such as the yellow color for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.

Light Blue looks similar to the iPhone 13 Pro's Sierra Blue color option.

Depending on the shade, Dark Gray could be similar to either the iPhone 13 Pro's Graphite color option or the iPhone 14 Pro's Space Black finish.

Silver would remain an option too — it is Apple's classic color.

iPhone 17 Pro models are available in Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver. Macworld said Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue will likely be discontinued, so do not expect either of those color options to remain available for the iPhone 18 Pro models.

Last year, Macworld accurately leaked the iPhone 17 Pro's Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue colors, but the report also mentioned black, white, and gray color options that did not materialize. So, at least some of the rumored iPhone 18 Pro colors will likely prove to be true, but it remains to be seen if Apple moves forward with all four.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro's Special Color Rumored Yet Again" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes a handful of aluminum models of the Series 11 on sale at record low prices.

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

You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find two of both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models on sale at these all-time low prices.




In terms of cellular models, Amazon doesn't have any all-time low prices as of writing, but you can shop a few solid second-best deals this week. The 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 11 has hit $429.00, down from $499.00, and the 46mm cellular model has hit $459.00, down from $529.00.

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

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Mike Rockwell, the Apple executive who led development of the Vision Pro and is now in charge of rebuilding Siri, has considered leaving the company or moving into an advisory role as soon as next year, according to a new Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman.


Rockwell is said to have reservations about reporting to his new boss, software chief Craig Federighi, and wants a bigger remit than the one he currently has, according to people with knowledge of the matter who spoke to Gurman. Rockwell was apparently once lined up for a role defining Apple's product and AI roadmap – something close to a chief technology officer position – on the assumption that head-worn wearables would form the foundation of Apple's post-iPhone era.

However, that trajectory has gone south because the Vision Pro has struggled to find a mainstream audience, with many put off by its $3,499 price tag and physical heft. Apple is still developing smart glasses and other wearables, but the picture for Rockwell is decidedly murkier than it once was.

Rockwell took on the Siri project in March 2025 as part of a wider reshuffle, after Tim Cook lost confidence in the AI work being done under former AI chief John Giannandrea and reassigned the voice assistant away from his team.

Gurman reports that Rockwell is unlikely to walk away before finishing the Siri overhaul, which is now expected to arrive as part of iOS 27. He is one of several senior Apple figures who are said to be weighing their next move as John Ternus prepares to take over from CEO Tim Cook in September.

Among them is retail and HR chief Deirdre O'Brien, who has told colleagues she is considering retirement, while government affairs head Kate Adams is set to retire later this year. Marketing boss Greg Joswiak, App Store head Phil Schiller, and services chief Eddy Cue are all approaching four decades at the company, raising the prospect of further departures during Ternus's watch.
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Apple is evaluating four camera upgrades for future iPhone models, with the first new feature scheduled for this year's iPhone 18 Pro models, according to a reputable Chinese leaker.


The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple has implementation plans for the following upgrades:

• Variable aperture


• 1/1.12-inch "ultra-large" main camera sensor


• Enhanced optical image stabilization for ultra-wide lens


• 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens

The variable aperture is widely rumored to be introduced with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, expected to launch this September. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in December 2024 that the main rear camera on both ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models will offer variable aperture. More recently in October, a report claimed that Apple is moving ahead with those plans and was discussing components with suppliers.

Apple has never implemented a variable aperture on an iPhone. From the iPhone 14 Pro through the iPhone 17 Pro, the main camera uses a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture, meaning the lens remains fully open at all times when capturing images. In contrast, a variable aperture lets the camera control how much light reaches the sensor. In low-light conditions, it opens to admit more light, while in bright scenes, it closes to avoid overexposure. This should also give users more control over depth of field.

The other camera upgrades the leaker mentioned appear to be ones that Apple is testing for future models beyond the iPhone 18 Pro, with an unclear timeline for implementation.

Regarding the "ultra-large" main sensor, the 1/1.12-inch label is based on a legacy optical format, not a literal measurement. It dates back to video camera tubes, so the number doesn't correspond directly to the sensor's physical width. In practice, a 1/1.12-inch sensor has a diagonal of around 14.5mm – far smaller than the label might suggest, but very large by smartphone standards. It's the same size as Sony's LYTIA LYT-901, which is shipping in the Vivo X300 Ultra. It's significantly larger than the 1/1.28-inch main sensor the iPhone 17 Pro models use, and would offer improved low-light performance, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio.

As for the 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, Digital Chat Station has mentioned multiple times that Apple is studying the technology, but they recently said it is unlikely to feature in an iPhone before 2028.

Digital Chat Station has more than three million followers on Weibo, and has a track record of accurately leaking Apple-related information. For example, they accurately revealed the overall design of the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, as well as the triple 48-megapixel rear camera system of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro.‌ Recently, the leaker claimed Apple's first foldable, expected to arrive alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, will be called "iPhone Ultra."
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro to Kick Off Apple's Four-Part Camera Upgrade Plan" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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X, formerly Twitter, has announced it is launching a custom timelines feature that allows users to pin specific topics to their home tab in the X app for iOS.


The company says custom timelines are powered by Grok AI, which understands the social media platform's algorithm personalization so that timelines are tuned for individual users.

Paying users will see an Add+ button appear next to the Following tab, with support for over 75 topics, ranging from design to robotics to real estate. X says Grok's filters work even better for topics a user already engages with.

Early access to custom timelines is currently limited to Premium subscribers on iOS, with Android set to follow "soon."


Today, X is also rolling out a tool to snooze topics on the For You tab, allowing users to tune out politics- or sports-related posts, for example.
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Apple has announced the availability of Tap to Pay on iPhone in Malaysia, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and large retailers in the region to use ‌iPhones‌ as a payment terminal.


Tap to Pay allows iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets‌‌‌. All transactions are encrypted, and Apple has no information about what is purchased or the person who made the purchase.

No additional hardware or credit card machine is required‌ to use Tap to Pay on iPhone. The feature uses NFC technology to securely authenticate the contactless payments, plus the feature also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options.

Starting today, ADAPTIS, Fiuu, HitPay, Stripe, and Zoho are the first payment platforms in Malaysia to bring Tap to Pay on iPhone to its merchants. Tap to Pay on iPhone will also be coming soon for checkout at Apple The Exchange TRX. Supported contactless debit and credit cards include American Express, JCB, Mastercard, MyDebit, UnionPay, and Visa.

Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌ launched in February 2022 in the United States, and since then, Apple has expanded it to more than 50 countries and regions around the world.
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Apple yesterday announced that longtime Apple CEO Tim Cook is planning to step down from his role later this year, with current hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take over as CEO. We've seen media reports suggesting Ternus will bring Jobs-like decisiveness back to Apple, as well as reactions from top world leaders, but we thought we'd also highlight what MacRumors readers think of the transition.


Reactions on the MacRumors forums run the gamut from positive to negative, with some people praising Cook for everything he's done for Apple, and others celebrating his departure from the role.

From Cook fans:

• nfl46 - Thank you, Tim! He left John in a reallyyyyyyy good financial position!


• RMMediccc - Thanks for being the right guy at the right time Tim. You will be missed, but it was time and you are making the correct call just as Steve did.


• DocMultimedia - Congrats to Mr. Cook for amazing growth for Apple over so many years. Hopefully Apple will continue to grow under Mr. Ternus. So much respect for both (unlike many on this forum).


• Adelphos33 - A lot of... let's say disappointing responses. Cook became COO on October 14, 2005. One of the best and most important executives of all time. He made a lot of people very wealthy, and not just Apple employees. A personally pioneering one as well.


• KPOM - Tim Cook will go down as one of the best CEOs to lead a Fortune 500. I expect he'll stay on as executive chairman at least until January 2029 as he is Apple's ambassador to the world of politics.


• transpo1 - Cook was the right guy for the job at the right time. He could never do what Jobs did, and Jobs could never do what Cook did. Jobs told him "Don't do what I would do, do what you would do," and like it or not, he made wildly profitable decisions that enabled the company to keep moving forward from a position of enormous success.

From Cook critics:

• Kylo83 - good, hopefully we actually see real change now


• firstcitazen - Ding Dong the ....


• iPedro - But Tim Cook was anything but a visionary and he completely missed what Steve Jobs intended for Siri, which debuted in the iPhone the day before his death. New blood is needed and an engineer who's a stickler for detail is a great place to start.


• turbineseaplane - Party time!!! 🥳 Fantastic news. It's time for some fresh ideology, I hope.


• Anonymous123 - Good riddance. Glad to see the penny pincher finally gone. Hope this marks a new, better direction for Apple. Less focus on services and ads, more focus on higher quality software and hardware, please.


• gleepskip - Tim Cook is so dull, his memoirs would be an autobiography titled "Supply Chain Optimization: A Love Story."


• delsoul - Does this mean we'll finally get some ballsy, new daring products instead of trying to appease the shareholders nonstop with boring stale products


• superarijit - He got fired, pure and simple, PR free. Why? Imagine the utter billions he lost on failed Apple Intelligence, Apple Car, Apple Vision Pro and more. Crap software, same hardware every year. He's lucky that iphone saved him each and every time.


• tgurske - Thank god. I don't know why Jobs picked a Toyota Camry to be CEO but I can't wait for someone interesting to get in there.


• iMac The Knife - Hip hip hooray! Cook ended up being the worst possible choice to succeed Steve Jobs as Apple's CEO - at least in terms of product design, user experience, and genuine innovation.


• HiVolt - It's finally happening. I really hope Ternus can make things better, and at least he will have a more interesting personality than a potted plant.

From Ternus fans:

• Nismo73 - John's the guy for the job. Congrats!


• venom600 - Awesome... glad to have a hardware guy in charge.


• aj8690 - MAKE CEOs HOT AGAIN


• spritle - THE TERNUSATOR!


• jonnyb098 - Best Apple News in a while. Apple needs a product visionary after 5 years of stagnation (Vision Pro is not a consumer hit at all nor do most know it exists). Tim made the company a behemoth but that comes with risks. John is a product guy and that's what Apple needs now.


• fant0mas - I like that John doesn't wear white shoes though... his taste in this regard seems better than Tim's. Hope this means that the OS designs will improve again as well.

General comments:

• terminator-jq - Tim Cook had very big shoes to fill, but ultimately he did great work in making Apple one of the most valuable companies worldwide. That being said the change and CEO could not have come at a better time. Smart phones have stagnated and we are quickly approaching the new augmented reality era. If Apple is going to maintain this leadership position through this transition, having a hardware guy at the helm might be their best bet.


• Brother Cavil - People expecting meaningful change from Ternus are in for a world of disappointment. If you pop your head outside the delusional MacRumors bubble, people LOVE their Apple products. He has no incentive to fix what isn't broken. Quite the opposite.


• erikkfi - You can't look at Apple's revenue and sales graph since 2011 and argue that Tim was an unsuccessful CEO on a metric that, like it or not, is really important. Since 2011 Apple has lost its flair, imagination, and verve, though, while still making very good, buttoned-down products that sell like crazy. I don't think they make many viscerally desirable products anymore. I hope a change at the top can help with that, but I don't know much about Ternus' taste and where he falls on a hypothetical Steve-Tim spectrum.


• jon9091 - Can he take Liquid Glass with him?


• turbineseaplane - Feel free to take the Vision Pro with you on the way out the door. That was quite the dud Tim.


• GermanSuplex - Negativity aside, Cook had a good run but it's time for a change. I expect the foldable iPhone will deliver a hardware "wow" factor that's been missing, and it's got a big hole to dig itself out of, but if they can overdeliver on their revamped Siri, that would be a good way to kickstart this guy's stint.


• macduke - Finally, and someone "younger." Between this and the liquid ass guy leaving and Apple hiring the excellent designer Sebastiaan de With, I'm hopeful for the future of Apple. They just need to get their AI ducks in a row. But nothing wrong with paying for a model they can keep in-house and customize.


• AnInanimateCarbonRod - I'm grateful for his time as CEO. Apple's ecosystem is still by far and away the only one I want to be in. iPhones, iPads and the Mac are still the best products in their class. MacBook Neo has totally upended the low-end market and put everyone else to shame. Apple Silicon is incredible engineering and an industry wide game changer. They haven't wavered from their commitment to privacy - and remain the only tech company I actually trust with my data. I could go on and on - AirPods, Apple TV, etc. - all fantastic successes in their own right.


• mk313 - Man, what are the macrumors commenters going to complain about now!


• mjschabow - Future Hot Take: "Tim Cook never would have allowed this."

Tim Cook is set to step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, which is when Ternus will take over. Cook will remain at Apple as executive chairman, a role he intends to hold "for a long time."
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Apple today announced that its hit sci-fi series "Silo" is returning for a third season starting Friday, July 3, and it shared a teaser trailer.


"Silo" follows the lives of 10,000 people living in an underground bunker to escape the seemingly toxic wasteland outside. The people are unaware of why the silo was built, and those who seek the truth face deadly consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, an engineer who attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the silo following a loved one's murder. The show is based on Hugh Howey's best-selling book series, and it is one of the most popular original series on the Apple TV streaming service.

The third season will have 10 episodes, with one released every Friday through September 4.

Apple already renewed "Silo" for a fourth and final season as well.

"With the final two chapters of 'Silo,' we can't wait to give fans of the show an incredibly satisfying conclusion to the many mysteries and unanswered questions contained within the walls of these silos," said showrunner and executive producer Graham Yost, regarding the third and fourth seasons of the show.

About Season Three (Spoilers Ahead)

Apple says the third season "continues the saga of a dystopian society."

"In the present, Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) survives her forced 'cleaning' but returns with memory loss as the silo recovers from rebellion and faces a dangerous new threat," says Apple. "Meanwhile, in the 'Before Times,' journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henwick) and Congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman) uncover a conspiracy that pulls them into a chain of events with catastrophic, irreversible consequences."

Trailer

Apple TV

In the U.S., Apple TV is priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, with a free one-week trial available for new subscribers. Apple TV is also included in Apple One and Peacock bundles, with all of the options outlined on Apple's website.

You can stream Apple TV in the Apple TV app, which is available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, select smart TVs, on the web at tv.apple.com, and more.
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Apple recently cracked down on Cal AI, an app owned by MyFitnessPal that tried to skirt Apple's in-app purchase rules. Apple told TechCrunch that it briefly pulled the calorie-counting app last week for violating purchasing guidelines and using a deceptive billing design.


When the app was pulled last week, there was speculation that it was removed for implementing web-based payments, something that is now allowed in the U.S. Apple said that's not the whole story, though, and the app was violating other guidelines.

Apple's ongoing legal battle with Epic Games led a judge to force Apple to allow U.S. developers to include links to external payment systems in their apps, but apps that are not classified as reader apps also have to include an in-app purchase option. Apps like Netflix and Spotify that offer streaming content are considered reader apps, but Cal AI is not.

As a non-reader app, Cal AI was allowed to direct users to a non-Apple purchase option for a subscription, which it did with a purchase flow using Stripe, but the purchase option should have been displayed alongside an in-app purchase option. Apple said Cal AI bypassed its required in-app purchase flow, misled customers by displaying the weekly calculated pricing more prominently than the amount the user would be billed, and had a free trial toggle that did not make the subscription's automatic renewal clear.

The app also prompted users who declined the initial subscription to agree to a second, different subscription purchase flow, leading to multiple negative reviews for its confusing third-party payment options.

Cal AI fixed the issues that Apple brought up, and the app returned to the App Store. TechCrunch suggests that Cal AI was experimenting to see whether Apple was still enforcing its rules following the court ruling requiring it to allow external payments in apps. With the Cal AI crackdown, Apple made it clear that it is indeed policing external payments.

MyFitnessPal and Cal AI have not commented on the situation. After returning to the ‌App Store‌, Cal AI is once again the number four app on the ‌App Store‌'s Health and Fitness charts.
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In an all-hands meeting with employees today, Apple's future CEO John Ternus teased an "incredible road map ahead."


"I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the most exciting time to be building products and services at Apple in my entire career," said Ternus. While the meeting was private, Ternus' comments were reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Appearing alongside Apple's current CEO Tim Cook at the Steve Jobs Theater, Ternus expressed optimism about artificial intelligence in particular.

"AI is going to create almost unlimited potential," said Ternus. "We're going to be able to keep unlocking possibilities that are going to create entirely new opportunities for our products and services, and I'm so excited about what that's going to mean for our users." Unsurprisingly, he did not provide any specific details at this time.

"We are about to change the world once again," he said.

Ternus ensured that design remains "core" to Apple, and he promised that the company is still committed to user privacy and environmental responsibility.

As for Cook, he told employees he is "healthy" and plans to serve as Apple's executive chairman for "a long time." Apple said Cook will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."

Ternus will become Apple's CEO on September 1.
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Tim Cook today told employees he plans to be at Apple "for a long time" in his new role as executive chairman. Cook shared the information in an all-hands meeting detailed by Bloomberg.


"I am healthy. My energy is high, and I plan to be in this role for a long time," said Cook. He said he will support current hardware engineering chief John Ternus in any way necessary when Ternus takes over as CEO, and he plans to continue to offer knowledge and experience whenever it's needed. "Apple will be my top priority," he said. "It's who I am at my core, and I can't imagine it any other way."

Cook is stepping down from his role as Apple CEO, handing the company over to Ternus. Apple announced the upcoming change yesterday, and said that Cook will remain on as executive chairman, where he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."

During the meeting, Cook told employees that he thinks he can help with strengthening Apple's global relationships. When asked why he is stepping down now, Cook said that it was a good time because Apple is "doing great," the product lineup is "incredible," and Ternus is ready for the role. "These three things all intersected, and they intersect now. And so now was the time," said Cook.

Cook is set to remain CEO through September 1, 2026, at which point he will move into his new role and Ternus will take over as CEO. Cook will see Apple through WWDC, but Ternus will be leading the company by the time the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold launch.
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Apple today provided public beta testers with new releases of upcoming iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, watchOS 26.5, and tvOS 26.5 updates for testing purposes. The public betas come a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. These are the third iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 betas, but the second ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.5 public beta.


After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section of the Settings app on each device.

iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, and ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.5 include a new Suggested Places feature for recommending nearby locations to visit, and Apple is also gearing up to start showing ads in Maps.

Apple is testing end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between iPhone and Android users again, and there are proximity pairing, notification forwarding, and Live Activities for third-party wearables in the EU.
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AI has moved quickly from experimentation to production. Customers want measurable business outcomes, along with security, governance and responsible AI built in from day one. Microsoft partners are a meaningful differentiator to deliver these objectives. They turn ideas into deployable solutions by prioritizing the highest value use cases, building the right data and security foundations and establishing adoption and measurement capabilities so customers can run AI reliably in production.

Frontier Transformation is where AI becomes a repeatable, governed capability embedded into the flow of work, business processes and customer engagement. Customers are quickly moving from targeted pilots to operating AI at scale with a foundation built upon identity, data protection, compliance, monitoring and change management. As organizations expand from custom agents to agent-led processes, unified governance is essential so leaders can manage risk, track performance and scale with confidence.

Two essentials: Intelligence and Trust

Frontier Transformation depends on two essential elements: intelligence and trust. Customers want solutions grounded in their unique work intelligence, including their data, business context and operational realities. They also expect trust by design, with AI artifacts observable, managed and secured across the technology stack so they can deploy responsibly and scale with confidence.

A success framework for Frontier Transformation

Microsoft has developed a powerful framework for success as partners enable AI transformation for customers across all segments, industries and geographies:

1. Enriching employee experiences: enabling businesses to empower employees with world-class tools and capabilities to activate a thriving, productive workforce
2. Reinventing customer engagement: applying AI and agentic solutions to break through with customers, accelerate revenue growth, become more efficient at customer acquisition and deliver more personalized solutions
3. Reshaping business processes: redesigning workflows across the business, enhanced by AI and agentic capability
4. Bending the curve on innovation: AI acceleration is a powerful catalyst for business transformation and for addressing society’s biggest challenges — curing disease, addressing climate change and famine and other meaningful advancements

The “what” matters, and so does the “how.” Organizations that scale successfully put AI where people already work, enable innovation close to the business challenge and build observability at every layer so leaders can measure quality, govern risk and manage AI like a production system.

More than 90% of the Fortune 500 use Microsoft 365 Copilot, reflecting how quickly AI is becoming part of everyday work.(1) IDC predicts 1.3 billion agents in circulation by 2028(2) and 80% of the Fortune 500 are already using Microsoft agents, led by operationally complex industries like manufacturing, financial services and retail.(3) As customers move from piloting AI to agents embedded in their flow of work, governance and security need to scale with them.

Microsoft’s approach is straightforward: Copilot drives action in the flow of work, agents orchestrate workflows across systems and Microsoft Agent 365 provides a unified control plane designed to govern and secure agents at scale, with the same tools businesses use for employee administration, such as Microsoft admin center, Defender, Entra and Purview.

Partners are creating impact right now in three areas. First, agentic workflows that remove operational friction and orchestrate end-to-end work across operations, finance, supply chain and service. Second, Customer Zero maturity. Partners who adopt Copilot and agents internally build credibility and move faster because they have meaningful, real-world experiences that they translate into their go-to-market plans. Third, security as the foundation. There is no AI at scale without secure identity, protected data and strong governance.

Microsoft 365 E7 and Agent 365: The Frontier Suite

In March, Microsoft introduced Wave 3 of Microsoft 365 Copilot and announced Microsoft 365 E7: The Frontier Suite, with general availability of Microsoft 365 E7 and Microsoft Agent 365 on May 1, 2026.

Microsoft 365 E7 brings together Microsoft 365 E5 for secure productivity, Entra Suite for identity and access control, Microsoft 365 Copilot for AI in the flow of work and Agent 365 as the control plane to govern and scale agents. It is grounded in shared intelligence from Work IQ, the layer that brings together signals from the Microsoft 365 environment, including content, context and activity, so AI can operate with the right business grounding and policy awareness.

Microsoft Agent 365 provides a unified control plane for agents, enabling IT, security and business teams to observe, govern and secure agents across the organization. This applies to any agents an organization uses, whether they are built on Microsoft AI platforms, delivered by ecosystem partners or introduced through other technology stacks. It also applies the same security and compliance capabilities teams already rely on, including Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Entra and Microsoft Purview.

Some customer scenarios require custom agents. Microsoft Agent Factory is designed to accelerate the move from experimentation to execution. The Microsoft Agent Factory Pre-purchase Plan (P3) adds licensing flexibility across Copilot Studio, Microsoft Foundry, Fabric and GitHub, with tiered discounts intended to support broader adoption rather than isolated pilots. It also enables inclusion of tailored, role-based skilling at no additional cost to the customer, reducing adoption friction and increasing delivered value.

The opportunity for partners is end-to-end, and this is where the partner’s strategy really matters. Shifting from transaction-first to outcome-first, partners who iterate quickly, establish clear guardrails and build an operating rhythm for adoption move customers from interest to impact.

Over time, every organization will employ people who can direct and govern agents as part of daily work. Partners can make that capability real through packaged offers, change management and managed operations. Publishing those packaged offers in the Microsoft Marketplace adds a scalable route to market, improving discoverability and enabling a more repeatable buy-and-deploy motion as customers expand agent usage.

Partner success: What governed scale looks like in practice

“AI is at the forefront of everything we do. Through our ‘learn, use, create’ methodology and our AI Academy, we really support partners with learning paths.”
— Nicole Clark, Global Alliance Manager, Arrow Electronics

Partners are embracing Frontier Transformation by modernizing foundations, driving adoption, designing security into delivery and building agents that automate repeatable work and orchestrate business processes.

• Cognizant treated legacy automation as a platform modernization effort. Using Microsoft Power Platform, Copilot agents and governance frameworks, Cognizant migrated and modernized automation and scaled it across teams, consolidating platforms, lowering costs and reducing manual work through agent-led workflows.
• EPAM’s work with their customer Albert Heijn demonstrates what agent-first execution looks like in frontline scenarios. By delivering an employee-facing virtual assistant inside the retailer’s staff app, EPAM supported scenarios like restocking, onboarding and faster access to product and inventory information, with enterprise governance and observability in mind.
• Insight’s Flight Academy shows what it looks like to treat adoption as a program, not an announcement. Through a structured approach, Insight enables teams to build AI fluency in daily work and reinforces usage with practical learning and internal momentum that can scale beyond early enthusiasts.
• aCloud demonstrated a repeatable security pattern with their customer Jurong Engineering Limited (JEL) by bringing together Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Security Copilot, paired with co-design workshops and cross-team alignment to strengthen compliance readiness.
• Arrow Electronics showed how distributor-led enablement can accelerate partner execution by using ArrowSphere to streamline Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) lifecycle management and ArrowSphere Assistant to surface AI-driven insights for renewals, upsell opportunities and Copilot adoption, complemented by a security dashboard that strengthens posture visibility and supports trust-by-design conversations.

Find more stories of partners innovating and driving meaningful outcomes for customers with Microsoft technology.

This same disciplined approach is especially relevant in the small and medium business space (SMB), where Microsoft partners offer end-to-end capability through managed services offerings and solutions packaged into repeatable motions, tailored to this customer segment.

SMB momentum: Scaling work with Copilots and agents

As Microsoft 365 Copilot Business expands AI built for work to organizations with fewer than 300 users, SMBs have a practical path to adopt AI more broadly. CSP partners are well positioned to guide that journey with a motion that combines adoption, security and ongoing management.

New Omdia research illustrates that CSP is a durable growth model for partners. In a study of 267 CSP partners across 36 countries, 79% rated CSP authorization as good, very good or excellent, and 88% would recommend it to other partners.(4) Omdia also found that 60% of CSP partner revenue is now tied to value-added services, with licensing acting as the entry point to broader, services-led engagements.(6)

“We’re bringing customers resources that only a partner can deliver to them: our relationship with Microsoft, technical training and programs that push them further and faster to learn technologies like Microsoft Copilot Studio, Foundry and Fabric.”
— Chance Weaver, Global VP of AI Adoption, Pax8

SMB demand is also expanding. For CSP partners, the near-term opportunity is to standardize advancing Copilot and agents from conversation to consumption. Lead with a simple, repeatable motion: outcome selection, security baseline, deployment, adoption and optimization cadence. Renewal moments are often the easiest time to introduce change when paired with a clear business case and time-bound offers.

A simple, scalable approach is to roll out in stages:

1. Deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot Business broadly, paired with a strong foundation of identity, data protection and compliance.
2. Target high-propensity accounts with tools such as Microsoft CloudAscent and the AI Business Solutions & Security Insights dashboard to deepen adoption and standardize responsible prompting.
3. Extend with agents to take on repeatable tasks and support key business processes, with governance and security built in.

Microsoft provides CSP partners with a powerful set of tools to combine licensing, lifecycle management and optimization into one customer relationship. Omdia notes that partners value operational advantages such as monthly billing flexibility and managing licenses through Partner Center for real-time provisioning and 24/7 license management. Partners can review the CSP incentives guide to understand the latest CSP incentives and how they map to an SMB motion.

Microsoft supports SMB-focused partners by combining product, security and go-to-market resources that make it easy to deliver a repeatable motion. That includes tools to assess readiness, prioritize the right use cases and track adoption over time, plus role-based skilling to build sales and technical and delivery confidence across Copilot, security and agents. For partners building managed services offerings, Microsoft Marketplace also provides a scalable route to market, improving discoverability and enabling customers to buy through familiar procurement paths, while Partner Center brings licensing and lifecycle management into the same operational flow.

Program momentum and updates

The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program continues to be the primary way we invest in partners as they build, sell and deliver cloud and AI solutions. Our focus is simple: enable partners to build capability, accelerate demand, differentiate in the market and scale repeatable delivery.

In February 2026, Microsoft introduced a wealth of expanded benefits updates across Copilot, security, Azure credits and go-to-market resources. These updates are designed to strengthen how partners run their business and accelerate the ability to take solutions to market. We continue to evolve partner benefits packages as a practical growth lever, combining product, support and advisory benefits so partners can invest with confidence.

To enable AI Transformation, Microsoft is introducing program updates and offers in the coming months. These updates are intended to enable partners, including services partners, channel partners and software companies, to build and deliver agents across the Frontier product stack. 

• Differentiation via Frontier Partner specialization: The Frontier Badge is evolving into a Frontier Partner specialization. This specialization differentiates partners, including services partners and channel partners, who demonstrate capabilities to build or deliver agents across Microsoft’s Frontier product stack. It creates a clear way for customers and Microsoft field sales teams to identify partners with validated readiness for agentic AI scenarios.
• Updated Frontier Distributor designation: Microsoft is evolving the Frontier Distributor designation to reflect distributor capabilities that matter for scaling agentic AI across the channel. For partners, this will make it easier to identify distributors that can deliver repeatable skilling, enablement to build and manage agents and Marketplace-backed motions to transact and grow agent sales.
• Benefits for software companies building AI apps and agents via App Accelerate: App Accelerate supports software companies building AI apps and agents on the Microsoft agent stack, with benefits designed to bring agentic solutions to market with strong foundations for trust.

Investments in skilling

This year we are investing in partner skilling that connects certification readiness to project-ready execution, with role-based experiences like Project Ready Workshops that translate skills into repeatable delivery practices. These learning experiences are delivered through our Partner Skilling Hub.

We are also introducing the Frontier Engineer Badge, a new learning path delivered through Titan Academy that prepares Solution Engineers and Solution Architects within the partners’ organization to design, build and operate production-ready agentic AI solutions across the Frontier Transformation stack, including Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Fabric and Agent 365.

The journey is hands-on by design and follows a three-part model: earn required certifications to establish a shared technical baseline, demonstrate delivery capability through Project Ready (building and integrating agents with governance, security and compliance) and build advanced readiness for operating at scale through governance, velocity and industry solution patterns. The outcome is clear: delivery-ready engineers who can move customers from prototypes to trusted, governed deployments.

Capturing the Marketplace opportunity

Marketplaces matter more in 2026 as customers consolidate procurement and expect faster time to value, especially as AI moves from pilots to production. With over 5,000 AI solutions available, Microsoft Marketplace increases discoverability for partner-built AI solutions, including agents, and supports a more repeatable buy-and-deploy motion through familiar procurement. It also makes it easy for partners to package multiparty software and services offers, so customers can purchase what they need to implement, govern and scale AI in production.

Omdia projects Microsoft Marketplace as a nearly $300 billion partner services opportunity by 2030. In the same study, partners selling through Marketplace reported go-to-market benefits, including faster sales cycles and larger deals, with 75% of study participants reporting faster closes and 69% reporting larger deals through Microsoft Marketplace.(5)

To accelerate demand generation and make it easy to activate these motions, we recently introduced Partner Marketing Center Pro, an AI-powered experience for end-to-end campaign creation. It brings campaign discovery, customization and co-branding, intelligent localization and translation, automated publishing and built-in reporting into one workflow, with an AI assistant that provides coaching throughout the process.

Partner Marketing Center Pro is a benefit of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program available to partners who have purchased at least one partner benefits package, who have attained a Solutions Partner designation or who are currently enrolled in ISV Success.

Ways to engage now

Here are a few practical next steps partners can take to maximize their Microsoft investment:

Start by joining the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program.

• Plan to attend our annual sales kickoff for partners, virtually on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, to learn more about FY27 priorities and execution motions.
• Explore partner benefits packages and select the option that aligns to their growth plan.
• Pursue a Solutions Partner designation or specialization that matches their solution plays and customer demand.
• Visit the Partner Skilling Hub to find role-based learning resources.
• Launch an FY26 campaign focused on SMB, security, Copilot adoption or marketplace growth using Partner Marketing Center Pro.

Making Frontier Transformation real

Frontier Transformation is about building AI-powered operating capability grounded in intelligence and trust, and delivered consistently across industries, geographies and market segments. Partners make that real for customers by turning strategy into production-ready solutions, with governance, security and adoption built in from day one.

Microsoft is committed to partner success. We will continue investing in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, with the incentives, the skilling and the go-to-market capabilities that enable partners to build repeatable offers, increase discoverability and deliver trusted AI outcomes for customers at scale.

Nicole Dezen leads the Microsoft partner ecosystem and the Global Channel Partner Sales organization in Small, Medium Enterprises and Channel (SME&C). As Chief Partner Officer, she has grown the Microsoft partner ecosystem to become the largest in the industry, enabling more than 500,000 partners to deliver AI transformation to millions of customers in each segment around the world.

 

Footnotes

¹ Microsoft FY25 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call, Microsoft, April 2025.
² IDC Info Snapshot, sponsored by Microsoft, 1.3 Billion AI Agents by 2028, #US53361825, May 2025.
³ Based on Microsoft first party telemetry measuring agents built with Microsoft Copilot Studio or Microsoft Agent Builder that were in use during the last 28 days of November 2025.
⁴ Omdia, Unlocking Growth Potential: Partner Perspectives on Microsoft CSP, December 2025. Results are not an endorsement of Microsoft. Any reliance on these results is at the third party’s own risk.
⁵ Microsoft estimate based on IDC data (SMB TAM: $777B by FY26; $1T+ by 2030), as published on the Microsoft Partner Blog, “The Microsoft Marketplace opportunity for channel ecosystem,” November 20, 2025.
⁶ Omdia, Partner Ecosystem Multiplier – The Microsoft Marketplace Opportunity, commissioned research sponsored by Microsoft, December 2025. Results are not an endorsement of Microsoft. Any reliance on these results is at the third party’s own risk.

Throughout this document, $ refers to USD.

 

 

 

 

The post Accelerating Frontier Transformation with Microsoft partners appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog.

Sony refreshed its earbuds earlier this year, introducing the $330 WF-1000XM6 earbuds to compete with the $249 AirPods Pro 3 that came out last September. We compared Sony's new earbuds with Apple's latest model to see which is better.


Sony's XM6 earbuds are smaller than the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ because there's no stem, but the in-ear fit is different. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ have foam-infused silicone tips that are comfortable to wear for multiple hours at a time. Sony is using a polyurethane and silicone foam hybrid that feels secure in the ears, but you'll feel them more when using them for longer periods. The XM6 aren't as likely to fall out of your ears when moving around, so they're better for workouts. Earbud fit is going to vary from person to person, so some people might find the XM6 more comfortable. Both the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ and the XM6 come with tips in multiple sizes to fit ears in different shapes.

Though Sony's earbuds have a tighter fit that's ideal for fitness-related use, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ have heart rate tracking and better waterproofing for sweat resistance. The XM6 have an IPX4 water resistance rating, compared to the IP57 dust and water resistance rating of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ and the XM6 are both high-end flagship earbud options, and they produce excellent sound. Like fit, your opinion on sound quality will come down to individual preference.

Sony offers LDAC high-resolution codec support for improved sound quality on an Android device, along with an app that supports EQ adjustments with custom presets, adjustable bass, treble sliders, and more. Apple does not offer built-in EQ, but AirPods come with well-balanced tuning that sounds great to many people. If you want to tinker with sound adjustments, Sony's earbuds are the way to go, but if you want good sound with no tuning requirements, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are the better pick.

As with sound, both models have some of the best Active Noise Cancellation you can get from earbuds. The XM6 seem to do just a bit better at canceling out low-frequency sound like engines on an airplane and higher-frequency sound like office chatter, but it's close. How the ANC works for each person will come down to the ear seal with the tip and personal preference.

Apple's ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ have the edge when it comes to Transparency because the sound passing through the microphones is more natural. Sony's version of transparency is fine, but it sounds more robotic. The difference is especially noticeable with voices. The XM6 seem to have better noise isolation on calls when outdoors, but indoors, the AirPods sound clearer.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ can be used as an over-the-counter hearing aid alternative, but the XM6 can't, plus there's spatial audio support, real-time Live Translation, and heart rate tracking for workouts. Sony's earbuds have better gesture control, 360 Reality Audio, and more software customization.

The XM6 offer eight hours of playback with ANC on, which is the same battery life as the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. For the AirPods, spatial audio with head tracking and heart rate sensing drop that total down slightly, but battery life is almost identical overall. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ case has enough battery for 24 hours of listening time, as does the XM6 case.

If you're in the Apple ecosystem, you're going to have a better experience with the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ with iCloud-based features like one-tap pairing, automatic device switching anywhere you're signed in with your Apple ID, and support for Apple features like Live Translation. Sony can't implement the same close integration with Apple devices, which makes it harder to recommend Sony earbuds for Apple users.

The XM6 earbuds pair through the iPhone's Bluetooth menu or the Sony Sound Connect app. It's not a one-tap process, and while Sony can now support connecting to two devices at once, it's still not as good as Apple's process.

If you have Apple devices, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are probably the better choice, and they're $81 cheaper too. The XM6 are the best pick for Android users or those who really want to tinker with sound.
This article, "AirPods Pro 3 vs. Sony WF-1000XM6: Which Flagship Earbuds Should You Buy?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Satechi is adding to its lineup of charging solutions for Apple devices with the new ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger that’s available starting today. The ChargeView is a gallium-nitride charger that has adaptive charging intelligence and a digital display that shows real-time power usage.


The ChargeView is meant to be used on top of a desk, so it has space black aluminum build to match Apple’s Macs and a clean, modern design. It is meant to be used upright to minimize the amount of space that it takes up on a desk. The ChargeView includes four USB-C ports, with 140W total output. 140W is enough to charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro at full speed, but power is split when using more than one port. The included display shows how power is distributed.

Fast charging for the iPhone, iPad, and Macs is supported, and Satechi says the ChargeView supports USB PD 3.2 with AVS for advanced power optimization. Satechi’s power optimization makes sure devices get optimal output with protection against overheating, overcurrent, and overvoltage.

The ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger is priced at $100 and it can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Amazon.com.
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Amazon this week is taking up to $52 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, which is a solid second-best price on this model.

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

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.99 ($49 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $597.00 ($52 off). Free delivery estimates are placed around the end of April for most of these iPad models, but Prime members should be able to get same-day delivery in many locations.





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

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Yelp is introducing an expanded version of its Yelp Assistant, an agentic chatbot that is able to answer questions, suggest places to visit, and complete tasks like booking a restaurant reservation.


Answers rely on hundreds of millions of Yelp reviews sourced from real people, which Yelp says allows the assistant to address "complex and highly specific requests." Yelp Assistant was previously available for hiring service professionals and getting answers to questions about businesses, but now it is available across all Yelp categories.

Users are able to ask specific questions when looking for a location, such as "birthday dinner spots with vegan options and heated outdoor seating," or "top-rated gyms with group classes and childcare."

With the AI Assistant, users can start out by asking questions to find a suitable location, and then make reservations, book appointments, place delivery orders, or get quotes in the same conversation. Yelp is adding new integrated services including Vagaro, Zocdoc, and Calendly.


There is a new AI-powered personalization model for the Yelp home feed on the iPhone and iPad, and it is able to surface more relevant content and improved recommendations.

Yelp is also updating its AI Menu Vision feature with support for photo overlays so users can see what popular dishes, drinks, and desserts look like.

The Yelp Assistant is rolling out today and it is accessible through a new Assistant tab in the Yelp app.
This article, "Yelp's AI Assistant Can Now Book Restaurants, Doctors, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Anker is hosting a new suite of deals for Earth Day on both Amazon and Anker.com, highlighted by the new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station for $119.99, down from $149.99. This accessory just launched last month, and Amazon's sale today is a solid second-best price.

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

The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe ‌iPhone‌ charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 ‌MagSafe‌ chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.



There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including Anker's popular 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube for $89.98, down from $129.99. Below you'll find a list of the best Anker discounts on Amazon this week, also including wall chargers, portable chargers, and more.

Anker's website has most of the same deals, with discounts that increase with the more you buy. You'll get 5 percent off when you spend $89 or more, 10 percent off when you spend $139 or more, and 20 percent off when you spend $199 or more.



Although it's not on sale, Anker recently launched a new desktop charging accessory with the Anker Nano Desk Clamp Power Strip for $69.99. The new device attaches to your desk and has 10 total ports including six AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. It supports 70W USB-C fast charging and comes in white and black color options.

Wall Chargers

• Nano USB-C Wall Charger - $27.99, down from $39.99


• 140W 4-Port GaN USB-C Charger - $64.99, down from $99.99

Wireless Chargers

• 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible UFO Charger - $75.99, down from $89.99


• 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Foldable Charging Station - $79.99, down from $109.99


• 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube - $89.98, down from $129.99


• 3-in-1 Prime Wireless Charging Station - $119.99, down from $149.99


• Prime MagSafe-Compatible 3-in-1 Charging Station - $149.99, down from $229.99

Portable Chargers

• SOLIX C300 Power Station with Lantern - $169.99, down from $249.00


• Prime Power Bank 26,250 mAh - $199.99, down from $229.99


• SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station - $428.99, down from $799.00


• SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station - $799.99, down from $1,499.00

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

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This article, "Anker Earth Day Sale Features Up to 40% Off Popular Chargers and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple on Monday announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO, and some top leaders around the world have publicly commented on the news.


Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company, including "engaging with policymakers around the world."

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella:

Wishing you all the best in this next chapter, Tim Cook. You've always led with clarity and purpose, and your impact on Apple and across our industry will be felt for years to come.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai:

Congrats on an incredible run Tim Cook, always respected your deep commitment to Apple's mission and best wishes in your new role!

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman:

Tim Cook is a legend.

I am very thankful for everything he has done and I am very thankful for Apple.

U.S. President Donald Trump:

I have always been a big fan of Tim Cook, and likewise, Steve Jobs, but if Steve was not taken from the Planet Earth so young, and ran the company instead of Tim, the company would have done well, but nowhere near as well as it has under Tim.

More from Trump:

I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to "kiss my ass."

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey:

Here in Alabama, we will always be proud of Tim Cook! He is an Alabamian through and through — born in Mobile and a graduate of Auburn University. I wish Tim Cook continued success and am grateful for all he has done and will continue to do for our state.

Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett:

Apple would not be the Apple of today without Tim Cook.

More from Buffett:

Covering the world and getting along with countries with all kinds of histories and doing right by the customer, people who worked for him, certainly the shareholders, which we were lucky enough to be one of… he's one of a kind.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon:

Congratulations to Tim Cook on his nearly 15 years of leadership at Apple, and to John Ternus on becoming CEO.

Apple's former iPod chief Tony Fadell:

Congratulations Tim Cook on one of the most consequential leadership runs in tech.

This year marks 50 years of Apple, and Tim has led Apple through a defining stretch of that history.

Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey:

RIP Tim Apple

We will update this story with any additional quotes throughout the day.
This article, "Top Leaders React to Apple Announcing Tim Cook Will Step Down as CEO" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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WhatsApp has started testing a paid subscription tier called WhatsApp Plus, which adds a set of personalization options on top of the standard messaging experience, according to WABetaInfo.


The paid plan Meta is testing appears to be geared towards hardcore users who spend a lot of time in the app: subscribers get access to premium sticker packs with fullscreen overlay animations (visible to recipients without the plan), optional accent colors that replace the app's default green across the UI, and alternate app icons ranging from minimal designs to textured effects like glitter, nebula, and fuzzy purple.

The plan also raises the pinned-chat limit from 3 to 20, adds 10 exclusive ringtones, and allows bulk application of custom themes and notification settings across chat lists.

While we don't know how much the plan will cost when it goes live, the test interface currently shows €2.49 per month in Europe and $29 in Mexico. Based on the beta, users may eventually see a free one-month trial.

Otherwise, WhatsApp's main functionality remains unchanged. Messaging, voice and video calls, status updates, and end-to-end encryption are still free, suggesting the paid tier sits alongside existing features rather than restricting anything that was previously unpaid.

Overall, it's a test that was anticipated – Meta has been laying the groundwork for subscription revenue across its apps for some time. The company is already testing "Instagram Plus," a new paid subscription service in select markets for roughly $1–$2/month. That plan offers premium features focused on Stories, such as anonymous viewing, 48-hour story duration, and analytics on re-watches.

The optional WhatsApp plan is currently available to a limited number of Android beta users, with a wider rollout planned over the coming weeks. iOS support is expected at a later stage, and the subscription is not expected to apply to WhatsApp Business.
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Apple on Monday announced that CEO Tim Cook is stepping down as the company's chief executive officer, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take the helm. In a new Bloomberg report, reporter Mark Gurman suggests one of the reasons Ternus has been chosen as successor is for his decision-making style, which is said to be closer to co-founder Steve Jobs than Cook, who has a more deliberative approach.


From the report:

"Ternus will make decisions" when it comes to product development, said one person who has worked closely with both executives. "If you go to Tim with 'A' or 'B,' he won't pick. He'll ask a series of questions instead if he has concerns."

Ternus, on the other hand, will choose, said the person, who asked not to be identified in order to speak candidly. "It could be right or wrong, but at least it's a decision."

That shift could mark the end of an era in which major product decisions were made collectively by a small group of top executives. Ternus is expected to take a more centralized approach where he will be a singular decision-maker.

Earlier this month, Ternus reportedly reorganized the hardware engineering division around a new AI platform designed to speed up product development and improve device quality. Ternus is said to be keen to deploy AI quickly throughout Apple to improve its operations, suggesting he is willing to make clear calls and shake things up where necessary. Ternus has also told employees he will remain closely involved in hardware engineering development, indicating a sharper focus on products.

He is also reportedly ready to push back when it matters – Ternus apparently opposed development of the Vision Pro, which has flopped, as well as the company's autonomous car project that cost around $10 billion, but was ultimately scrapped.

Cook will hand over the reins to Ternus on September 1, in time for him to oversee the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro models as well as the company's first foldable iPhone later the same month. Cook will continue to advise Apple in a new role as executive chairman.
This article, "Report: Ternus to Bring Jobs-Era Decisiveness Back to Apple" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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