Apple is developing a wearable AI device that's been described as a pin or pendant, and that could compete with a similar AI product coming from OpenAI's Jony Ive. It wasn't clear if the wearable would actually make it to launch because Apple sometimes cancels projects, but it is still in the works and could come as soon as next year.

1. It'll Look Like an AirTag

Apple's design plans could change, but rumors suggest the device is a pin or pendant that looks similar to an AirTag. It's been described as having a thin, flat, circular disc shape, with an aluminum and glass shell. A physical control button is included on one edge.

Apple wants the final version of the device to be about the same size as an ‌AirTag‌, but because of the hardware inside, it could be thicker.

It sounds like the wearable will be versatile. It could have a clip to attach to clothing like a pin, but there's also supposedly a hole in the device so it can be worn as a necklace. Rumors have referred to it as both a pin and a pendant.

2. There Will Be Cameras

Apple's AI wearable is going to have at least one camera, but rumors are mixed on exactly what the camera will be used for.

Bloomberg says the pin will have a low-resolution camera that gives it info about its surroundings rather than a camera for capturing photos and videos. The camera will be always-on and processing visual data, but users will not be able to use it for images.

The Information reports there will be two front cameras, one with a standard lens and one with a wide-angle lens for capturing photos and videos.

Apple's AI device will rely heavily on Visual Intelligence, which is currently an iPhone feature that uses the camera to provide users with more information about places and objects around them.

3. Siri is the Brain

Rumors have described Apple's wearable as an AI pin or pendant, because it's going to be reliant on artificial intelligence. It's one of several AI-equipped devices that Apple is working on, and it will give wearers a way to interface with Siri without having to use an iPhone.

The camera on the pin will give ‌Siri‌ insight, and ‌Siri‌ will be able to answer questions about what the wearer is looking at or the wearer's surroundings.

Apple is planning to completely overhaul ‌Siri‌ in iOS 27, turning the personal assistant into a much smarter chatbot on par with Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT.

4. iPhone Required

While the AI wearable will have a chip inside, it will be a smaller chip that's similar to the H2 in the AirPods. It won't use a high-powered chip, and most processing will need to be done on the iPhone.

The pin is not meant to be a standalone device, and it will instead be marketed as an iPhone accessory.

5. It'll Listen, But Might Not Talk Back

To listen for voice requests and to pick up sounds around the wearer, the AI pin will have a microphone. Apple has not yet decided whether to add a speaker for back-and-forth ‌Siri‌ conversations and audio playback.

If there's no speaker, responses might be directed to the wearer on the iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods.

Release Date

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said this week that the AI wearable could see a launch as soon as 2027.
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With watchOS 26.5, Apple is introducing a Pride Luminance face, and it's one of the most versatile and customizable watch faces. There are pre-configured color options, but the face also supports custom colors.


You can select 1 to 12 colors from a palette that has every color of the rainbow, some in-between shades, and black, white, brown, and gray.


The colors you pick are distributed across the watch face in a gradient, available in either radial or linear styles. The first style looks like a starburst, while the second style is a series of rectangular lines.


The dial can be set to Rectangle for edge-to-edge color, or Circle for a smaller dial that supports four complications.

As with most of Apple's faces, the Luminance face is animated. When the wrist is down, it shrinks into slim lines of color on a black background, but when the wrist is raised, the full color palette is displayed. Colors will also shift slowly.


Apple's pre-selected colors represent different Pride flag colors, but with the deep customization options, the Pride Luminance face can match clothing, show off support for sports teams, or just display your favorite colors.


iOS 26.5 also has a matching Pride Luminance Wallpaper option that can be customized in the same way. You can choose up to 12 colors for the Lock Screen and Home Screen. On the Lock Screen, the colors collapse onto a black background when the device is locked.


To get the new watch face, you need iOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5. Apple has released RCs, and the public versions of the updates are expected as soon as next week.
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As of today, end-to-end encryption for Instagram direct messages is no longer available. DMs that you send to people on Instagram will no longer feature full encryption, and your conversations are not protected from Meta.


Meta can potentially see what's in messages shared between users on Instagram, and that information can be shared with law enforcement agencies worldwide.

End-to-end encryption has been an opt-in messaging feature on Instagram since 2023, but Meta quietly removed it. Meta told The Guardian earlier this year that it is removing the encryption feature because not enough people adopted it. At the same time, Meta did not turn it on by default, nor did the company alert users that it was an option. Sending an encrypted message required turning it on for each individual conversation by tapping into a buried per-conversation setting. Meta also never rolled the feature out to all Instagram users.

"Very few people were opting in to end-to-end encrypted messaging in DMs, so we're removing this option from Instagram in the coming months," Meta said. Meta suggests that people who want end-to-end encryption should use WhatsApp, which is another messaging app that it owns. iMessage and other apps like Signal that are not Meta-owned also offer end-to-end encryption.

Law enforcement agencies and child safety advocates have long pushed for Meta to remove encryption, but Meta could also be getting something out of the feature's removal. It's possible the company will be able to use direct messaging content for advertising algorithms or training chatbots. Meta says that content in DMs is not used for targeted ads right now, but there is wording that allows for product improvement.

Meta's decision to remove Instagram's end-to-end encryption comes 11 days before the Take It Down Act takes effect. The actf will require platforms to remove non-consensual intimate imagery like deepfakes within 48 hours of a takedown notice, but with E2EE in place, Meta can't access the content needed to comply.

Instagram users who have end-to-end encrypted chats have been given instructions on how to download media or messages that they want to keep.

Last year, Meta started using private generative AI conversations to personalize content and customize ad recommendations for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger users, so there seems to be little limit on the data that it will use to generate revenue. WhatsApp and Messenger continue to have end-to-end encryption for the time being.
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After more than a year of discussion, Apple and Intel established a preliminary agreement that will see Intel manufacturing processors for Apple devices, reports The Wall Street Journal.


Intel would make chips based on Apple chip designs, much like TSMC. Prior rumors on Intel's Apple talks have suggested Intel could make some of the lower-end processors used in Apple devices, including the lowest-end M-series chip used in select iPad and Mac models.

Before Apple adopted Apple silicon, it used Intel-designed chips for its Macs, but had to deal with continual chip delays. Apple now designs its own Arm chips that are manufactured by TSMC, allowing it to provide updates at a more regular cadence.

Intel makes its own chips, but it also makes chips for other companies. Apple has not previously eyed Intel as a supplier because it has lagged behind other chip makers like TSMC and Samsung, and because of the history between the two companies. Intel replaced CEO Pat Gelsinger with Lip-Bu Tan last year, and Tan has led an effort to revitalize Intel's chip manufacturing business.

Tan has been focusing on Intel's most advanced process node, 14A, which will reach production in 2028. Intel has been seeking customers for its 14A 1.4nm node. Intel also makes 18A chips built on a 1.8nm node, along with chips built on older process nodes.

Apple has been working to diversify its supply chain, because Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is currently its sole Apple silicon manufacturer. During Apple's latest earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said iPhone 17 models had been constrained during the quarter because Apple could not get enough A19 and A19 Pro chips from TSMC.

TSMC is one of the world's largest chip manufacturers, and along with making chips for Apple, it makes chips for other companies like Nvidia. With the AI boom and huge demand for AI servers, TSMC has more limited capacity for chips made for consumer devices, and Apple has less leverage to convince TSMC to make its chips.
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Apple today seeded new release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming five days after the first RC. It's not clear what's changed in the second RC, but Apple typically sends out another candidate if there are bugs that need to be addressed.


Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.

iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 do not include new Siri capabilities, suggesting any ‌Siri‌ updates are being held until iOS 27. The Maps app has a Suggested Places feature for recommending locations to visit nearby based on trends and recent searches, plus Apple is laying the groundwork for ads in the Apple Maps app.

Apple is continuing to test end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android users. Apple included the feature in the iOS 26.4 beta, but removed it before the update launched to the public.

There is a new Pride wallpaper to go along with the Pride Apple Watch band for this year.

More detail on what's new in iOS 26.5 can be found in our iOS 26.5 beta features guide. iOS 26.5 is likely to see a launch next week.
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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Plugable to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a MacBook Neo and a Plugable ‌MacBook Neo‌ accessory kit that includes the UD–6950PDH USB-C Docking Station, USBC–9IN1E USB-C Hub, and the PS–30C1 30W power adapter.


Plugable makes a wide range of accessories for Apple devices, and it is perhaps best known for its hubs and docks. There are several dock and hub options that work well with Apple's new low-cost ‌MacBook Neo‌, and Plugable's solutions are affordable.

The UD–6950PDH USB-C 14-in–1 Dock is priced at $180, and it adds multiple ports to the ‌MacBook Neo‌ or another Mac. There's a 5Gb/s USB-C port that also provides power for accessories, four 5Gb/s USB-A ports (one of which can power peripherals), microSD and SD card reader slots, a 100W USB-C port for charging a connected MacBook, a 1Gb/s Ethernet port, two HDMI ports, two DisplayPorts, and a K-Lock for security.


The dock supports two 4K 60Hz displays connected via HDMI or DisplayPort, and it uses DisplayLink software to get around display limitations on the ‌MacBook Neo‌ and other Macs. Even though the ‌MacBook Neo‌ only supports one external 4K display natively, with the dock, it can power two displays.


For those who only need a single display, Plugable has the $50 9-in–1 USB-C Hub. It connects to the ‌MacBook Neo‌ or another Mac via USB-C, adding several useful ports. Unlike the dock, it does not need an external power source because it is bus-powered.


The hub has a 10Gb/s USB-C port, an HDMI 2.0 port, microSD and SD card slots, a USB 2.0 port, two 10Gb/s USB-A ports (one offers 15W charging for accessories), a USB-C port for 125W passthrough charging to the connected Mac, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Plugable currently has a 15% discount on the 9-in–1 Hub on Amazon.


Plugable's ‌MacBook Neo‌ accessory lineup is rounded out with a compact $24 USB-C Charger Block, which comes in either black or white. The power adapter provides 30W for the ‌MacBook Neo‌, which is ideal. It uses GaN technology so it's small in size, and it has collapsible prongs, making it ideal for travel. Plugable is offering a 16% discount on the power adapter on Amazon this week.


We have a ‌MacBook Neo‌ and a Plugable accessory kit to go along with it for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.


Plugable Giveaway (U.S. Only)The contest will run from today (May 8) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 15. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after May 15 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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Starting today, Apple will require customers in the U.S., Canada, and Chile to verify their status as a student or educator to get educational discounts. Apple is adopting the UNiDAYS verification system that it uses in other countries, with a new process to accommodate homeschool families.


Apple is also adding the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to its Education Store, which means students and teachers are now eligible for up to a 10 percent discount on Apple's most popular wearable.

Students and educators in the three countries can use the UNiDAYS app or website to verify their academic status with an email address from an educational institution, a student or staff photo ID, or another valid educational document.


Eligible customers who homeschool can also be verified by UNiDAYS. Verification requires an identity document like a driver's license or passport, and a homeschool document, such as a Letter of Intent or Letter of Acknowledgement. Most customers will be verified instantly, with UNiDAYS providing a decision in under 24 hours when manual review is required.


Once confirmed through UNiDAYS, students and educators in the U.S., Canada, and Chile will be able to purchase the Apple Watch and other Apple devices at Apple's discounted educational prices. Apple's Education Store offers special pricing on Macs, iPads, and the Studio Display, along with accessories like the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil.

Apple did not previously have an established academic status verification system in the U.S. or Canada, which meant that anyone could technically purchase from the Education Store. Apple's sales policies said that it routinely audited customer purchases to verify purchase conditions were followed. Apple briefly used UNiDAYS in the U.S. in 2022 to verify student status, but it was removed after a few days following complaints about issues with the verification process.

Apple's Education Store discounts are available to employees of K–12 institutions, faculty and staff of higher education institutions, students attending or accepted to higher education institutions, and parents purchasing on behalf of children attending or accepted to a higher education institution.

In addition to the U.S., Canada, and Chile, Apple has added the Apple Watch to the Education Store in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, France, Germany, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the UK.

Apple also expanded UNiDAYS verification requirements to Australia, Hong Kong, and Turkey yesterday.
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OpenAI today launched Codex for Chrome, a Chrome extension that lets Codex work directly in the browser on Macs and PCs.


With the extension, Codex can use the browser to test web apps, get context across multiple tabs, use web DevTools, and more without taking over the browser from the user.

OpenAI says that after it launched Computer Use in the desktop Codex app, it saw that most common workflows happened in the browser. The Chrome extension should make it faster and easier for Codex to help with browser-based work that plugins or APIs can't handle.

According to OpenAI, Codex has more than 4 million weekly active users, an increase of 8x since the beginning of the year. The Chrome extension is part of OpenAI's broader effort to make Codex more useful for work people do daily, while keeping it useful for developers.

The Chrome extension can be installed through the Codex Plugins menu.
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Perplexity today launched a new Mac app with support for its hybrid local-cloud AI agent Personal Computer, plus it expanded Personal Computer access to Pro and Enterprise users, so it is no longer limited to just Max subscribers. Perplexity describes Personal Computer as a "personal orchestrator" that hybridizes local and server environments for security and productivity.


Personal Computer is available in the new Mac app, which Perplexity says gives users access to queries, conversations, and dictation. While all Mac users can download the new app, access to Personal Computer still requires a paid subscription.

Personal Computer can access the Mac's file system and native Mac apps to create and execute entire workflows, plus it can access the web. It can see active apps and work across any Mac app, but files are created in a secure sandbox, and its actions are auditable and reversible.

When paired with the Comet browser, Personal Computer can operate web-based tools without the need for direct connectors.

Pressing both Command keys on a Mac activates Personal Computer, and it responds to text or voice commands and displays useful quick actions automatically. Personal Computer can do things like complete each task on a to-do list, sort a messy downloads folder, compare local files against information on the web, and more.

Though it has access to what's on a user's Mac natively, Personal Computer processes intense tasks on Perplexity's servers, so a high-performance Mac isn't needed to run it. Personal Computer works on any Mac with macOS 14 Sonoma or later, though Perplexity says running Personal Computer on a Mac mini creates the best experience because it allows the agent to run continuously.

Perplexity's older Mac app will be deprecated in the coming weeks.
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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 243 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Animations, CSS, Editing, Encoding, Forms, HTML, JavaScript, Media, Networking, PDF, Rendering, SVG, Scrolling, Spatial Web, UI, Web API, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, WebAssembly, WebGPU, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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Apple was not able to narrow the scope of a UK lawsuit accusing it of locking 40 million UK consumers into iCloud, to the detriment of third-party cloud storage providers. British consumer group Which? first filed the lawsuit in late 2024, and is asking for £3 billion for UK Apple customers.


Apple wanted to exclude non-paying ‌iCloud‌ users from the lawsuit, but the tribunal denied Apple's request in a 2 to 1 majority. The lawsuit will go to trial, and will cover both paying and non-paying ‌iCloud‌ customers.

Apple users get 5GB of free storage for photos, messages, and other content on the iPhone, but are encouraged to subscribe to Apple's higher-tier ‌iCloud‌ storage options when the 5GB limit is exceeded. Which? claims that Apple favors its own cloud storage option, and makes it difficult for customers to use alternative cloud storage providers.

Which? sued Apple on behalf of all Apple ‌iCloud‌ users in the UK, regardless of whether they pay for an ‌iCloud‌ subscription plan. Normally, a customer that has not lost anything would not be eligible for a damages payment, but Which? has taken a unique approach.

The tribunal said the lawsuit raises a "novel" legal question, because it is not aware of another case where damages have been requested for "forgone consumer surplus." Forgone Consumer Surplus (FCS) is a legal theory that in this case argues people who were priced out of an ‌iCloud‌ subscription because of Apple's alleged market abuse have suffered a tangible loss because they did not have the opportunity to buy a service they wanted at a fair price in a competitive market.

The 200GB ‌iCloud‌ tier that costs £2.99 might have only cost £1.99 at a "fair" price, for example. Which? argues that a customer who would have theoretically paid £1.99 for the service but was not able to do so because the actual £2.99 price was unaffordable suffered a £1 loss, even though the customer paid nothing. Lawsuits for damages are usually more straightforward, covering paying customers who experienced clear harm from inflated pricing.

While two members of the tribunal sided with Which?, the other took Apple's side. The justice who argued against FCS warned that the case could lead to a flood of cases with secondary claims from non-purchasers based on hypothetical willingness-to-pay calculations.

Apple owes no damages at this point, and is now facing a trial to determine whether it abused its position and gave ‌iCloud‌ preferential treatment on iOS.

All UK consumers who are eligible are automatically included in the claim unless they opt out. Eligible consumers include those who obtained ‌iCloud‌ services from November 8, 2018, to the present. Which? estimates that Apple could owe UK customers an average payout of £70.

Which? wants Apple to settle the claim without litigation by offering consumers their money back and opening up iOS to let users choose a cloud provider.
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The Trump administration plans to invite Apple CEO Tim Cook and CEOs from other companies like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Exxon, and Boeing on a trip to China next week, reports Semafor.


Trump will apparently focus on building his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the May 14 and May 15 meetings. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue have been suggesting CEOs for Trump to invite. It will be the first U.S. presidential visit to China since Trump's 2017 visit.

Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ is set to leave his role on September 1, 2026, with Apple hardware chief John Ternus taking over as CEO.

Cook will remain at Apple as executive chairman, and will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world." Cook recently said that he plans to be in the executive chairman role "for a long time," and Apple will remain his top priority.

Two weeks ago, Trump said he has "always been a big fan" of Cook, and he has bragged about the relationship Cook has established with him. "I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to 'kiss my ass,'" said Trump, speaking of his first presidential term.

Cook has worked through two Trump presidencies, and he has worked to maintain a positive rapport for Apple's benefit. Cook donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund in 2025, and he marked Apple's $600 billion U.S. investment pledge with a glass-and-24-karat gold plaque that he gifted to Trump.

With Cook taking on an expanded role interfacing with Trump and other policymakers worldwide, incoming CEO John Ternus will be able to spend more time focused on Apple. Ternus also won't be subject to the same criticism that Cook has faced for his relationship with Trump.
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Apple's upcoming camera-equipped AirPods Pro are nearing completion and have reached an "advanced" testing stage, reports Bloomberg. The design is almost finalized, as is the feature set, and early mass production could begin soon.


The AirPods Pro will have built-in cameras that will feed visual information about the wearer's surroundings to Siri. While there will be a longer stem for the camera in each AirPod, the device will otherwise look similar to the AirPods Pro 3.

The cameras in the AirPods will not be able to take photos or videos, and will solely be used for AI purposes. A small LED light will illuminate when the AirPods are sending visual information to ‌Siri‌.

Apple wants users to be able to look at an item and ask ‌Siri‌ questions about it, working similarly to image uploads in chatbot apps. The cameras could also offer reminders based on visual information, and give more detailed turn-by-turn directions by viewing what's around the wearer.

The Camera app in iOS 27 is also set to get a Siri mode that incorporates Visual Intelligence, letting users do things like scan nutrition labels on food packaging for calorie tracking.

Apple wanted to start selling the camera-equipped AirPods Pro in the first half of 2026, but the product's launch has been held back because the smarter, AI version of ‌Siri‌ is not yet ready to be released. The new ‌Siri‌ is set to be introduced in September in ‌iOS 27‌, macOS 27, and iPadOS 27, so we could see the AirPods Pro launch sometime in that same timeframe.

Apple could also opt to wait to launch the AirPods if it is not satisfied with the quality of the ‌Visual Intelligence‌ features planned for ‌Siri‌.

It is not yet clear how the new AirPods will fit into Apple's lineup. Rumors suggest Apple does not intend to brand them as the "AirPods Pro 4," and they could instead be referred to as the AirPods Ultra, or perhaps ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ With Cameras.
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Rave, a cross-platform service that lets users watch movies and TV shows together, today filed a series of antitrust lawsuits against Apple after Apple removed the Rave app from the App Store in August 2025.


According to Rave, Apple cited "unspecified allegations of fraud and vague concerns about content moderation" when pulling the app. Rave alleges Apple targeted the service because Rave competed with SharePlay, and Apple wanted to corner the market on smartphone co-viewing. Rave claims that Apple also falsely labeled the Rave Mac app as malware, preventing Mac users from installing it.

Discussion on Reddit suggests that Rave had unmoderated public chatrooms, pornography, issues with scams, and CSAM material. The Rave app was also labeled as malware by Kaspersky, BitDefender, Windows, and Google, suggesting Apple may have had reason to protect users from the app beyond limiting competition. Apple has not yet commented on the lawsuit or the app's removal.

Rave claims that it has now created "industry-leading" content moderation and age verification technologies, presumably to preempt Apple's content moderation criticism.

Rave was available on iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows, but after Apple's crackdown, the service is limited to Windows and Android devices. Founded in 2016, Rave lets users remotely watch content together, with built-in discussion features.

Apple's SharePlay service, which came out in 2021, similarly lets iPhone, iPad, and Mac users watch and chat about TV shows, movies, and music. SharePlay does not work on Android and Windows devices, so Rave was able to deliver a cross-platform collaborative viewing experience that was unavailable with SharePlay.

Rave has filed antitrust lawsuits in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Russia, and it is aiming to get the Rave apps reintroduced on iOS and macOS and recover damages related to its removal from the ‌App Store‌.
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Apple today added the Apple Watch to its Education Store in select countries, allowing students and teachers to purchase the device at a discount.


The Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 are available with education pricing in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Apple is offering up to a 10% discount on the Apple Watch. In Australia, for example, the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $609 for qualifying students and educators, down from $679 for the general public. Apple Watch SE 3 education pricing starts at $369 (down from $399), and the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 3‌ starts at $1,259 (down from $1,399).


In Australia and Hong Kong, Apple is introducing an online verification process through UNiDAYS, which is the verification system Apple already uses in several other countries, including those where Apple Watch educational pricing is launching. The UNiDAYS app and website let students and educators verify their academic status with an email address from their educational institution, a student or staff photo ID, or another valid educational document.

Once confirmed through UNiDAYS, students and educators in the above listed countries are able to purchase the Apple Watch and other Apple devices at Apple's discounted educational prices.

Apple's Education Store gives students and educators special pricing on Macs, iPads, and the Studio Display, along with select accessories like the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil. The Apple Watch is new to the list of devices that students can get at a lower price.

Update: Apple has also added the Apple Watch to its Education Store in France, Germany, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the UK. Apple is adopting the UNiDAYS verification in Turkey as of today, while the other countries getting the Apple Watch already use UNiDAYS.
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Google is updating its AI search results to incorporate a "preview of perspectives" sourced from public online discussions and social media. The results sourced from places like Reddit and online forums are sometimes labeled as "Expert Advice," per Google's screenshots.


Google says that the section could have different titles like "Community Perspectives" depending on the query and the response, so not all responses will have the Expert Advice labeling. The section includes the creator's name, handle, or community name for reference.


There are several other changes coming to AI Mode and AI Overviews in Google Search. When exploring a topic, AI results will include suggestions on what to look into next in a "Further Exploration" section.

Links from news sites that a user subscribes to will now have a "Subscribed" label in results across AI Mode and AI Overviews so that they show up first. Google is also making links easier to see in AI responses, with links shown next to relevant text.

Hovering over a link on the desktop version of Google search will now provide a preview of the website with the name of the website or the title of the webpage, so users will have a better idea of the site before clicking through. Google says that users hesitate to click inline links when unsure where a link leads.

Google says that improving the visibility and helpfulness of links in AI Search will help users connect directly with sources and creators.
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Energizer today announced the launch of new Energizer Ultimate Child Shield coin lithium batteries that are available in the 2032 size used in Apple's AirTags.


The Child Shield batteries do not cause ingestion burns if swallowed, and they also include an element that turns the mouth blue when exposed to saliva. Energizer says this will allow caregivers to be alerted when ingestion has occurred, so they can act quickly. The batteries also have a bitter coating to deter children from ingesting them.

When AirTags launched in 2021, a concerned retailer in Australia stopped selling them because the back of the tracker can be opened up to remove the battery inside. Opening the AirTag requires pressing down and twisting, a two-step process that Apple said met international child safety standards.

After the situation sparked public interest, Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission warned parents to keep AirTags out of reach of children. The ACCC said it was concerned the press and twist motion did not do enough to keep the battery away from children.

In the U.S., Apple added a warning label to the ‌AirTag‌ box that says the coin-cell battery in the ‌AirTag‌ should be kept out of reach of children due to the risk of injury or death should the battery be ingested. Apple also added a warning about coin-cell battery risks in the Find My app when the ‌AirTag‌ battery is changed.

Apple put the warning on ‌AirTag‌ labels after the U.S. adopted "Reese's Law," named for a toddler that died in 2020 after swallowing a coin-cell battery that was inside a remote control. Coin-cell batteries can get stuck in a child's esophagus, with saliva triggering an alkaline reaction that can lead to burns in under an hour.

Energizer's new battery could alleviate fears for parents who want to use an ‌AirTag‌ while also making sure their children are safe from accidental ingestion, and they are available for purchase at stores across the U.S.

Apple has warned against using batteries with non-toxic bitter coating, because these batteries may not work with ‌AirTag‌ depending on the alignment of the coating in relation to the battery contacts.
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The Android operating system for Pixel smartphones is not going to take design cues from Apple and adopt a Liquid Glass aesthetic, Google Android president Sameer Samat said recently (via 9to5Google). In response to a social media mockup of an Android device with a Liquid Glass design, Samat said, "Not happening! Y'all are wild."


The mockup was in response to a teaser video for The Android Show: I/O, which depicted the Android mascot pulling a light switch and turning translucent. The teaser led Android users to believe that Google would adopt an iOS-like design for Android.

Google's Pixel devices use its Android operating system, but Google also allows other smartphone makers to use Android. Companies like Oppo and Xiaomi have variants of Android that have been updated with similarities to Apple's Liquid Glass, and even Samsung has mimicked some of Apple's design elements.

Apple introduced the Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, with a unified design across all of its software platforms. The new design has been a major change for Apple users, and it is not universally popular.

Google has been using its Material Design since 2014, though it has been updated several times since then. Google introduced Material 3 Expressive in 2025, adding more natural, springy animations and dynamic color themes.

Though Samat said Google is not adopting Liquid Glass, rumors suggest it is going to embrace translucency. Google is rumored to be adding more blur in Android 17, offering a flatter, more frosted glass look. Google will reveal more about Android 17 on May 12.
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Samsung today reached a valuation of $1 trillion for the first time, reports Bloomberg. Samsung's value has been climbing sharply due to increasing demand for the memory chips it manufactures, and stock increased 14.4 percent today.


Samsung is the second Asian firm after Apple supplier TSMC to reach a $1 trillion valuation. Last week, Samsung's semiconductor manufacturing business wildly exceeded analyst expectations, reporting operating income of $36 billion instead of the $24.4 billion expected.

Just yesterday, rumors suggested Apple was speaking with Intel and Samsung about taking on some processor manufacturing for Apple devices. Apple is looking to diversify its supply chain due to chip shortages. During Apple's earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said iPhone 17 shipments were constrained because Apple could not get enough of the A19 and A19 Pro chips that TSMC makes.

Samsung said it plans to "secure flagship SoC design wins" in the second half of 2026. Development of Samsung's 1.4nm node is on track, and it is "pursuing the expansion of large-scale 2nm customers." Apple is preparing to make the jump to 2nm chips soon, and the iPhone 18 models could be the first to have chips built on the new node.

Samsung also said that it expects server memory demand to remain strong in the latter part of 2026, so the company is in a good position to see further growth in the coming months.

At a $1 trillion valuation, Samsung trails Apple's more than $4 trillion valuation and TSMC's $2 trillion market cap. Samsung's mobile unit has not been faring as well as its chip business because of increasing material and component costs.
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Apple objected to a European trademark filing from a Chinese keyboard maker because the logo the company wanted to use was too close to Apple's own logo. The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) partially refused to grant a European Union Trade Mark after Apple opposed the filing.


The company, Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics Co., makes mechanical keyboards and keycaps, according to its website, though it also seems to sell solar panels. The logo the company uses is a citrus fruit with the bottom segments turned into keyboard keys, with a green leaf angled to the left at the top of the fruit and a missing section on the right side. Part of the company's name translates to a citrus fruit, which is likely the reason behind the design.


Apple argued that the logo resembled an apple with a detached leaf and a bite, which the EUIPO did not agree with. It found the perfectly round shape of the logo did not track with the shape of an apple, and that it looked more like an orange.

The opponent argues that the figurative element of the contested sign also consists of an apple device with a detached leaf and a bite. However, the body of the figurative element consists of a circle (despite the missing part) and apples are not perfectly round. Furthermore, apples are not normally depicted in such a shape which is, in any case, more akin to an orange or other round-shaped fruits.

Therefore, while the Opposition Division agrees that the figurative element of the contested sign is likely to be perceived as depicting a fruit of some sort and that the detached oblong shape is therefore also likely to be perceived as depicting a leaf, in view of its round shape together with the relatively generic leaf shape, it will not be immediately associated with any fruit in particular but rather with a round-shaped fruit in general.

It follows from the above that, in the present case, the relevant public will perceive the contested application as a highly stylised round-shaped fruit bearing additional fanciful figurative elements. In particular, the triangular shapes, due to their arrangement, may be seen as segments. Furthermore, the square and rectangular figures in the lower part, again by virtue of their arrangement, may evoke a keyboard.

The EUIPO did acknowledge that there were some "minor commonalities" between the two designs, but also noted numerous differences. Overall, the two logos were found to be "visually similar, albeit to a very low degree," and the EUIPO concluded that the "signs are not conceptually similar."

Even though the EUIPO did not feel that the citrus fruit logo looked like an apple, it largely decided in Apple's favor because of the strength of Apple's reputation in the EU and the potential for customers to "establish a mental 'link' between the signs."

Apple claimed the citrus fruit logo would take unfair advantage of Apple's reputation, and the EU agreed. Apple's argument:

Given the immense reputation of the Opponent's Earlier Mark, it is hard to believe that the Applicant's intention was not, at the very least, to bring the Opponent's Apple Logo to mind in some way. More likely, the Application represents a deliberate attempt to take advantage of that reputation to offer identical and highly similar goods. As a result, the addressed public, when confronted with the Applicant's sign, will wrongly assume that the Application indicates a connection to Apple (i.e. that the Applicant is a supplier or manufacturer).

Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics Co. is not able to continue with the trademark process for keyboards or any other related computer goods, but the application to use the logo for solar panels will proceed. The company is able to file a notice of appeal in the next two months.

Apple and Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics Co. also had a trademark dispute in the U.S., but the trademark application was terminated after the Chinese company failed to respond in opposition proceedings.

Apple has objected to fruit-related logos several times in the past. It sued the developers behind an app named Prepear because the app used a pear-shaped logo that had a leaf, and it objected to an apple logo used by a Norwegian political party. Apple opposes dozens of trademark applications every year in the U.S. and other countries.
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ChatGPT's default model has been updated to GPT-5.5 Instant, a model that brings accuracy improvements with fewer hallucinations, especially in areas like medicine, law, and finance, according to OpenAI.


GPT-5.5 Instant is more capable at tasks like analyzing images, answering STEM questions, and choosing when to use web search to provide a better answer. Responses can also be personalized because GPT-5.5 Instant can better draw context from past chats, files, and Gmail, but this is currently limited to paid subscribers.

OpenAI says that responses are "tighter and more to-the-point without losing substance" and without eliminating ChatGPT's personality. It will provide the same information, but without unnecessary formatting, emojis, and follow-up questions.

All ChatGPT models are being updated with memory sources, which will show users the past chats, files, and other context that ChatGPT used to generate a response.

GPT-5.5 Instant is rolling out today to all ChatGPT users, and it is replacing GPT-5.3 Instant as the default model. While free users can access GPT-5.5 Instant, the new personalization features are limited to Plus and Pro users on the web. Personalization will expand to mobile soon, and it will roll out to Free, Go, Business, and Enterprise users in the coming weeks.

It's not yet clear when Apple Intelligence's ChatGPT integration will switch to GPT-5.5 Instant.
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Apple will pay $250 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of false advertising and unfair competition after the personalized Siri features it promoted when launching the iPhone 16 were delayed.


A smarter, Apple Intelligence version of ‌Siri‌ was shown off at WWDC 2024, and then promoted in ads and videos when the ‌iPhone 16‌ launched in September 2024. After Apple delayed the Siri Apple Intelligence features in March 2025, Apple pulled its ads, but they had been running for several months at that point. The lawsuit claimed Apple violated consumer law by misleading consumers about the actual utility and performance of ‌Apple Intelligence‌, and causing them to purchase a device "with features that did not exist or were materially misrepresented." Apple was not found guilty of any wrongdoing, and the company sometimes settles lawsuits to minimize legal fees and time spent on litigation. A settlement agreement was reached back in December, but the terms of the settlement are now live.

In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that resolved the lawsuit so that it could focus on its products and services, and reiterated that it has introduced multiple ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features since 2024.

Since the launch of Apple Intelligence, we have introduced dozens of features across many languages that are integrated across Apple's platforms, relevant to what users do every day, and built with privacy protections at every step. These include Visual Intelligence, Live Translation, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Clean Up and many more.

Apple has reached a settlement to resolve claims related to the availability of two additional features. We resolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users.

Apple's $250 million payment will provide U.S. Settlement Class Members who submit Claim Forms with a per-device payment of $25 for each eligible device, though that could increase up to $95 per device if claim volume is low.

Eligible devices include ‌iPhone 16‌, iPhone 16e, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro, ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max models purchased between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.

The settlement has received preliminary approval, and notices to those eligible to make a claim will start to receive email notices no more than 45 days from today.
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Apple has removed more desktop Macs from its online store as the global memory shortage continues. Mac mini models with 32GB and 64GB of RAM are no longer available for purchase, nor is the M3 Ultra Mac Studio with 256GB RAM.


The M3 Ultra Mac Studio is now available only in a 96GB RAM configuration, with higher-tier options eliminated. Both M3 ‌Mac Studio‌ and M4 Max ‌Mac Studio‌ models have delivery estimates of 9 to 10 weeks.

As for the ‌Mac mini‌, the M4 Pro model now maxes out at 48GB of RAM, with customers no longer able to choose the 64GB option. The standard M4 Mac mini can only be purchased with 16GB or 24GB of RAM, because the 32GB option has been removed.

Last week, Apple removed the ‌Mac mini‌ with 256GB of SSD storage, leaving the 512GB model as the minimum option. That effectively raised the price of the ‌Mac mini‌ from $599 to $799. Apple also stopped accepting orders for some ‌Mac Studio‌ and ‌Mac mini‌ machines with higher amounts of RAM in March and April.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said that the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌ are going to be hard to get for months to come. "We think, looking forward, that the ‌‌Mac mini‌‌ and ‌‌Mac Studio‌‌ may take several months to reach supply demand balance," Cook said.

According to Cook, Apple underestimated the demand for the ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌ from customers looking for a machine to run AI and agentic tools locally. He said Apple also expects significantly higher memory costs in the months to come, so Apple is likely conserving supply by eliminating some configuration options. Global supply constraints caused by AI server demand have impacted the pricing of memory chips, leading to high prices and memory shortages.

Update: Article updated to note that the 32GB ‌M4 Mac mini‌ is also no longer available.
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Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Max 2. The firmware is version 8E258, up from the prior 8E251 firmware that was released just ahead of when the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ launched.


It's not clear what's included in the firmware update, but Apple provides limited details in its AirPods firmware support document. Most updates focus on bug fixes and improvements.

The ‌AirPods Max 2‌ have an H2 chip, an upgrade over the H1. The H2 brings several new features like Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Loud Sound Reduction, Voice Isolation, and more.

To get the new firmware, make sure your AirPods are in range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and are connected via Bluetooth. From there, connect the Apple device to Wi-Fi, then connect the AirPods Max to power with a USB-C cable. Keep the AirPods Max in Bluetooth range of the Apple device, and wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update.

From there, reconnect the AirPods to the Apple device, and check the firmware version to see if it's updated. Apple says if the firmware doesn't install, to restart the AirPods Max and try again.
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iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will let users set third-party AI services as the default for Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools and Image Playground, reports Bloomberg.


Apple has signed a deal with Google and plans to use a Gemini-based model for ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and Siri features in ‌iOS 27‌, but users will also be able to choose their favorite AI service as an alternative.

Apple has already partnered with OpenAI to make ChatGPT available in lieu of Apple's built-in options for ‌Siri‌, Writing Tools, and ‌Image Playground‌ on iOS 26, but in Apple's upcoming software updates, other third-party chatbots like Claude and Gemini will also be available. Instead of being limited to ChatGPT, users will select their preferred AI service.

Users can choose any AI provider that adds support for Apple's new ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and ‌macOS 27‌ "Extensions" feature. From Bloomberg:

"Extensions allow you to access generative AI capabilities from installed apps on demand, through Apple Intelligence features such as Siri, Writing Tools, Image Playground and more," according to a message shown in test versions of the software.

Apple also plans to let users choose voices from third-party AI services for ‌Siri‌, which would make it clearer whether ‌Siri‌ or another AI product like Gemini is responding. ‌Siri‌ would use one voice, while responses from third-party AI options would use another voice.

Apple has many other AI-related changes planned for ‌iOS 27‌, with details available in our iOS 27 roundup.
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Apple today filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court, asking for a stay on App Store fee calculations while it waits to hear whether the Supreme Court will weigh in on the latest developments in its legal battle with Epic Games.


Apple argues that without a stay, it will face irreparable harm. Apple says it will have to litigate the fundamentals of its business model with the "highly prejudicial taint of being (improperly) found to have acted in contempt of the court's initial order" with the world watching, plus the case would require it to disclose confidential business information, which can't be undone.

Regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States. No proceeding setting the commission Apple may charge--an endeavor that itself is fraught with challenges and raises the prospect of the courts engaging in improper rate-setting--should be allowed to unfold under the false and prejudicial auspices that Apple acted in contempt by charging a commission based on an injunction that did not even mention commissions.

The Supreme Court's finding could also affect the scope of the case, because one of Apple's arguments is that the injunction should only apply to ‌Epic Games‌, not all developers that distribute apps in the United States.

For a recap, in 2021, the U.S. Northern District Court of California ordered Apple to relax its anti-steering rules as part of the ruling in the ‌Epic Games‌ v. Apple case. Apple was told to allow developers to link to alternate payment options in apps. Apple complied, but still charged high fees (three percent less than its standard fees), leading the court to find Apple in contempt of court for willfully violating the injunction.

In April 2025, Apple was barred from collecting any fees on links in apps in the U.S. ‌App Store‌, a change Apple implemented the same month. Apple appealed, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed Apple violated the injunction, but said the company should be able to receive compensation for its technology. The appeals court then ordered the district court to calculate a reasonable fee, and that's what Apple wants to pause.

Apple is planning to challenge the district court's contempt of court ruling and the scope of the injunction, and it does not want to go to court for fee calculations when there's a chance the Supreme Court could vacate the decision entirely.

All Apple seeks here is a stay of the mandate so this Court can consider Apple's petition before it is subjected to a remand proceeding that could reshape the global app market based on the false premise that Apple engaged in civil contempt.

Apple asked the appeals court to stay the fee calculation phase until it heard back from the Supreme Court. The appeals court agreed initially, but then reversed course after ‌Epic Games‌ challenged the decision. Apple is now asking the Supreme Court for the same stay that the appeals court denied.

Apple wants to keep its current zero-fee link-out commission structure in place while it appeals to the Supreme Court, which means developers in the U.S. would continue to pay no fees for purchases made using third-party payment options in their apps while the case plays out.

If the Supreme Court grants Apple's request for a stay, the zero-fee setup will remain in place while Apple waits on a decision from the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court does not grant the stay or declines to hear the case, Apple and ‌Epic Games‌ will return to the district court to determine the reasonable fee that Apple can collect.

While Apple is asking the Supreme Court for a stay as it prepares a full filing, Apple has also suggested that its filing could be used as a certiorari petition, so we could soon hear whether the Supreme Court will decide to hear the ‌Epic Games‌ v. Apple case. Apple will not be able to submit a petition for certiorari that will be considered before the summer recess.

The mandate that will send Apple back to the district court for fee calculations goes into effect on May 5.
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T-Mobile's Starlink satellite connectivity is now available for T-Mobile users who are traveling in Canada and New Zealand.


T-Mobile users have previously had access to cellular connectivity through roaming agreements in Canada and New Zealand, and now T-Satellite connectivity is included. Canada satellite coverage is enabled through Rogers Satellite, and in New Zealand, satellite coverage is provided by One NZ. Both Rogers and One NZ have agreements with Starlink provider SpaceX.

T-Mobile updated its website to mention satellite roaming last week, and the company says that support for other locations will be coming in the future. T-Mobile is working with global roaming partners and SpaceX to expand T-Satellite.

T-Satellite is available to T-Mobile subscribers in the continental U.S., Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and parts of southern Alaska. It is also now available in Canada and New Zealand, with a coverage map available on the T-Mobile website.

Rogers and One NZ customers can also use T-Satellite when traveling in the United States as part of the new partnership.

T-Mobile's satellite connectivity launched in July 2025 after several months of beta testing, and it is compatible with the iPhone 13 and later. In October 2025, T-Mobile added support for using satellite data with some third-party apps, an option not available with Apple's built-in satellite feature on the iPhone 14 and later.

Like Apple's satellite option, T-Satellite kicks in when users do not have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection available. A view of open sky is required to establish connectivity, but there is no need to manually hold an iPhone to the sky to connect as there is with Apple's implementation.

T-Satellite works on Apple iPhones, and it can be used alongside the native satellite connectivity. Satellite service is included in T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plans, and is priced at $10 per line for other T-Mobile plans.

Smartphone users without T-Mobile service can sign up for T-Satellite for $10 per month.
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End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android devices is coming in iOS 26.5, Apple confirmed today. The feature is listed in Apple's iOS 26.5 release notes.


Apple says end-to-end encrypted ‌RCS‌ messaging remains in beta even though it is being released in iOS 26.5. The feature is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time, and for conversations to be encrypted, both the receiver and the sender must use a carrier that supports the latest version of ‌RCS‌.

End-to-end encryption is on by default, and there is a toggle for it in the Messages section of the Settings app. Encrypted messages are denoted with a small lock symbol.

Testing of E2EE for ‌RCS‌ began in iOS 26.4, but Apple did not launch the feature in the iOS 26.4 update. It returned in the iOS 26.5 beta, and has been available throughout the beta testing process.

E2EE means that messages sent between devices cannot be intercepted and read by a third party. As of now, ‌RCS‌‌ messages sent between Android and iPhone users do not have E2EE, but iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, and watchOS 26.5 will put Android/iPhone conversations on par with iPhone to iPhone conversations that are encrypted through iMessage.

Apple worked with the GSM Association to implement E2EE for ‌RCS‌ messages. E2EE is part of the ‌RCS‌ Universal Profile 3.0, published with Apple's help and built on the Messaging Layer Security protocol. ‌‌RCS‌‌ Universal Profile 3.0 also includes editing and deleting messages, cross-platform Tapback support, and replying to specific messages inline during cross-platform conversations.
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Back in April, we highlighted a new add-your-own card Wallet app option coming in iOS 27, and now Bloomberg has shared additional information. At the time, we said Apple was working on a feature that would let users generate digital passes from scans of things like movie tickets, concert passes, and gym membership cards.


The option will be called "Create a Pass," and it will bridge the gap between the Wallet app and passes that are not compatible with it. Users will be able to tap on the "+" button in the Wallet app and then scan a QR code on a pass or ticket if one is available. If there is no QR code available, there will be an option to create a custom pass.

Text in the app suggests the feature will work for tickets, memberships, gift cards, and more. There are three pass types, each with a different color. Apple is using purple for events, blue for memberships, and orange for other types of passes. Users will be able to customize images, colors and style, and text on the digital passes.

The new Wallet option is one of many features coming in ‌iOS 27‌, which will be previewed at Apple's June WWDC event. More information on what to expect from ‌iOS 27‌ can be found in our roundup.
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Apple today provided the release candidate version of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the fourth beta.


Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.5 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

No new features were found in the first four ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.5 betas, and it's likely the update primarily focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements.
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