Apple is testing an iPhone setting for users in China that lets them add apps to a list that prevents them from accessing the device's motion sensors. Apple hasn't explicitly said what the setting is in response to, but Chinese apps sometimes show "shake-to-open" ads on launch, and they can be triggered by merely picking up an iPhone, walking, or going over a bump in a car, resulting in unwanted redirects.

Users in China speculate this is why iOS 27.2 beta 2 includes the new "Restrict Motion Data" option in Settings that blocks app access to accelerometer and gyroscope data. For now, the option appears tied to mainland China App Store accounts, and we don't expect it will be available to iPhone users more broadly when iOS 27.2 is released later this year.
This article, "New iPhone Setting Lets Users Shake Off Motion-Sensing Ads" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

After you install macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple automatically downloads a multi-gigabyte AI model to your Mac the next time it's connected to the internet. Unlike previous versions of macOS, you can't prevent it. Siri AI, and by extension Apple Intelligence, are now a mandatory part of your system.


For macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple says the latest Apple Intelligence features require up to 14GB of on-device storage on Macs with an M3 chip or later and at least 12GB of unified memory, and up to 8GB of storage for other Apple Intelligence-enabled Macs. But in our experience, AI model storage allocation appears to be considerably higher on some Macs than others.

On an M4 Pro Mac mini running macOS 27, for example, MacRumors saw 20.67GB handed over for Apple Intelligence, according to the Storage section in System Settings. ArsTechnica recorded an even higher figure of 22.42GB on an M3 MacBook Air after a fresh installation of macOS 27.0 beta 7. Both of these systems will be using Apple's AFM 3 Core Advanced on-device model, which requires an M3-or-newer Mac with 12GB or more of RAM.

This doesn't explain why Macs that don't meet the minimum requirements for Apple's most advanced model are still losing unusually large amounts of storage to Apple Intelligence. ArsTechnica reported the same screen showed around 14GB on an M1 MacBook Air and a MacBook Neo, and yet both of these models fall into a category for which Apple lists a requirement of up to 8GB.

Other Mac users have posted similar higher-than-expected readings. For example, one Reddit user shared a screenshot from the macOS 27 Release Candidate showing Apple Intelligence gobbled up 30.16GB on their machine. Another user quoted 24.35GB for Apple Intelligence after installing macOS 27 on a MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip.

Device	Apple Intelligence storage
iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo	Up to 14GB
iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air	Up to 14GB
Other compatible iPhones: iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17e	Up to 8GB
iPad with M4 or later and at least 12GB of unified memory; Mac with M3 or later and at least 12GB of unified memory; Apple Vision Pro (M5)	Up to 14GB
Other compatible iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro models	Up to 8GB
Compatible Apple Watch models	Up to 1.5GB on the watch
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, iPhone 14 and earlier, and iPhone SE	Not supported

Apple's support document does not explain whether its "up to 14GB" requirement is directly comparable with the Apple Intelligence "Storage" category in System Settings, or why some Macs display substantially higher numbers. (For what it's worth, we haven't seen the same ballooning figures on iPhones and iPads running iOS 27 and iPadOS 27.)

It's not just academic, either. While using Apple Intelligence is optional, downloading its on-device models is not. Apple in macOS 27 and iOS 27 removed the toggle to disable Apple Intelligence, so users unequivocally have to set aside space for Apple's models. In an era where memory and storage costs are rising because of AI, the irony of this situation cannot be lost. It doesn't make it any less frustrating, though.

If you're on a Mac, you can check your own reading in System Settings ➝ General ➝ Storage by clicking the information button beside macOS. Let us know your findings in the comments.
This article, "Apple Intelligence Taking Up 30GB+ on Some Macs Running macOS 27" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple launches its new Mac mini and Mac Studio models today in 30 countries and regions, including the U.S, and same-day pickup is now available at many Apple Store locations.


To order a product with ‌Apple Store‌ pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP code, choose an available ‌Apple Store‌ location, and select a pickup date. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup.

Same-day Apple Store pickup is not available for custom Mac configurations with upgraded specifications ordered through Apple's online store.

Our previous coverage:

• Apple Announces New Mac Mini With M6 and M5 Pro Chips and More


• Apple Unveils New Mac Studio With M5 Max and M5 Ultra Chips


• Apple Reveals M6 as First-Ever 2nm Chip


• Apple Debuts M5 Ultra as Most Powerful Chip Ever

Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 ($799 for eligible education customers), while Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at $1,699 ($1,599 for eduction). Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499 ($2,299 for eduction), and Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $5,499 ($5,099 for education).

With Apple Upgrade, eligible customers in the U.S. can also opt to lease a new Mac with monthly payments and upgrade at the end of their lease. More information can be found on the Apple website.
This article, "New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Now Available for Same-Day Pickup at Apple Stores" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

New references in the latest iOS 27.2 beta show that Apple continues to develop a new feature which will lock your iPhone if it's snatched from your hand by a thief.


As previously reported, the feature will use the gyroscope, accelerometer, and other sensors to determine when an iPhone has been grabbed. It'll also rely on a paired Apple Watch to detect when the iPhone has suddenly moved away from the owner's wrist.

According to new code seen by 9to5Mac, the feature is called "AutoLock" internally, and it can use several different methods to determine whether an iPhone has been snatched from its owner:

• A sharp acceleration consistent with the phone being snatched.


• A paired Apple Watch remaining unreachable for a certain period.


• Loss of connectivity to a paired Apple Watch.


• Prolonged loss of network connectivity.


• The device remaining unlocked beyond a certain interval.

There are also references to safeguards to prevent false positives, like as successful biometric authentication, or foreground app activities that could be mistakenly taken as a sign that the iPhone has been snatched.

Additional code also suggests the feature works using a voting system where a potential theft signal can request a lock, while safeguards such as biometrics and familiar locations can veto it.

When the iPhone is yanked from the owner's hand, assuming a successful theft signal, the device will lock and activate Stolen Device Protection to prevent thieves from accessing information on it.

Stolen Device Protection adds extra security to your iPhone when you're away from familiar locations like home or work. It requires biometric authentication for actions like accessing stored passwords or credit cards, and there are built-in hour-long delays for actions like changing an Apple Account password.

Android already has a Theft Detection Lock feature that locks a smartphone in a snatch-and-grab theft situation. It's not clear when Apple's equivalent feature will launch, if at all, but the additional code indicates that Apple is at least still developing it under wraps.
This article, "Apple Still Working on Anti-Snatching Feature That Locks Stolen iPhones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's new Texture and Grain controls for Photographic Styles are not available on iPhones other than the latest iPhone 18 Pro models and upcoming iPhone Duo, despite the company's original wording suggesting otherwise.


When Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max earlier this month, its Newsroom press release said the new Texture and Grain controls would be "available in iOS 27 on iPhone models that support the latest generation of Photographic Styles."

That original wording is preserved in copies of Apple's launch-day press release distributed through Business Wire and Notice Nearby. Elsewhere, in Apple's User Guide for iOS 27, devices that support the "latest generation Photographic Styles" are listed as the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air, and iPhone 18 Pro models.

Apple has since changed the footnote on its iPhone 18 Pro Newsroom announcement. It now says Texture and Grain controls are available "only for photos captured on iPhone 18 Pro models and with the Ultra Wide, Main, and Center Stage cameras on the iPhone Duo."

Apple also states definitively in its iOS 27 User Guide that changing the texture of a photo can be achieved "on iPhone 18 Pro models."


Whether Apple initially intended to bring the controls to older devices and subsequently changed its plans is unclear, and Apple has not commented on the revision. Either way, the original compatibility information looks like it was published in error.

Photographic Styles are tone presets that adjust the color and warmth of a photo, while preserving skin tones. If you have an iPhone 18 Pro, check out our how-to guide to make the most out of the feature.
This article, "Apple Quietly Excludes Older iPhones From New Camera Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has apparently listened to user feedback and brought back the App Switcher screen in the latest watchOS 27.2 beta, but accessing it is a little different than before.


In watchOS 26 and earlier versions, a double press of the Digital Crown would bring up the App Switcher, where you could easily switch to the last-used app and view and open other recently used apps. You could also swipe left on a misbehaving app to force close it.

In watchOS 27, the Digital Crown double-press gesture is now reserved for Apple's upcoming new Live Rewind AI feature, so it no longer brings up the App Switcher screen. There were concerns that this meant the App Switcher would be gone for good, but Apple has reinstated it in the second watchOS 27.2 beta, released yesterday.

The gesture for opening it has changed, though.

As shown in the video below, you now access the App Switcher by pressing and holding the bottom of the screen while you're in an app.

Apple says Live Rewind, which which offers a transcript of what was said in the last 15 seconds, will be available later this year on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.
This article, "App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has announced the opening of Apple Music Hall, a state-of-the-art 600-capacity music venue located in London's Battersea Power Station. Apple says it is "designed to connect artists and fans through bespoke, intimate performances unlike anywhere else."

"Apple's deep love for music dates all the way back to the very beginning, from the launch of the iPod to the long-running iTunes Music Festival to the debut of Apple Music," said Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple Music and International Content. "Today, with the opening of Apple Music Hall, we are once again taking an unprecedented step further in our commitment to artists and fans by supporting live music in ways only Apple can do."

Apple says the hall incorporates heritage brickwork, fluted arches, and bronze balconies reminiscent of the historic oriel windows, while a giant glass wall "further enhances the visual connection with the historic building, offering a panoramic view of the concourse and the river beyond."

The 38-foot-wide stage can be reconfigured for traditional front-facing sets or more in-the-round experiences, and a 48-speaker spatial sound system is positioned all around the audience. Behind the stage is a dedicated recording and mix studio so that every performance can be captured as a multi-track recording and mixed in Spatial Audio, live or in post-production.


The venue is also hardwired for 16 or more cameras that feed a purpose-built broadcast control room with infrastructure that supports iPhone video capture running in parallel alongside traditional broadcast cameras.

The exhaustive setup means artists can perform a live show, record it in Spatial Audio, create a broadcast-ready mix, and capture multicamera video – all directly in the venue.


Apple says performances out of Apple Music Hall will also be livestreamed globally so fans outside of London can tune in to enjoy shows from their favorite artists. For more information about Apple Music Hall, including tickets for upcoming shows, fans can visit applemusichall.com or follow @applemusichall on Instagram and TikTok.


This article, "Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If you have an Apple Watch running watchOS 27 and you're an Apple Music subscriber, you can pin music to the top of your library to make it easier to find and play – great for those times when you're in the mood for a specific track, artist, album, or playlist.

In the Music app on your Apple Watch, when viewing a song, tap the three dots next to the song, then tap Pin [item]. You can also do this from the Now Playing screen via the three-dots button. You'll see the same option when viewing playlists, artists, and albums on your watch. To unpin an item from the top of your Library, press and hold the item, then tap Unpin.
This article, "Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Prior to watchOS 27, the easiest way to force quit Apple Watch apps was by swiping across them in the App Switcher screen, but that's no longer possible because the Digital Crown double-click gesture that got you there is now reserved for Apple's upcoming Live Rewind AI feature. Fortunately, there's still a way to force quit apps in watchOS 27.

From the app you want to quit, press and hold the Side button until the sliders appear. Then simply press and hold the Digital Crown until the watch face appears. You've now quit the app. Quitting an app doesn't save battery power, but it's useful if the app is misbehaving.
This article, "How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is using a 128GB NAND flash die in Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, claims a Chinese hardware researcher, despite both devices officially offering only 64GB of storage. It's unclear why Apple would limit the accessible capacity, but it could conceivably be reserving some of it for intensive sensor data read/writes or as a durability buffer.

Something similar happened with the M4 iPad Pro in 2024, when teardowns indicated that 8GB models actually contained 12GB of physical RAM, with only 8GB made available to the system. Intriguingly, a 128GB NAND storage profile tied to the T8320 chip for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 was discovered earlier this month. Teardowns will hopefully clarify the situation.
This article, "Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone lineup could feature slightly larger displays than the iPhone 18 Pro models, if a new leak shared on Weibo is accurate.


Prolific Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station claims that early iPhone 20 Pro display specifications include a 6.41-inch screen with a resolution of approximately 2,686 × 1,236 pixels, while the iPhone 20 Pro Max is said to have a 6.96-inch display with a resolution of around 2,912 × 1,340 pixels.

For comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max feature 6.27 inches (rounded to 6.3 inches) and 6.86 inches (rounded to 6.9 inches) respectively. Those figures are measured as a standard rectangle, while the actual viewable area is smaller because of the devices' rounded corners. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max resolutions are 2,622 × 1,206 pixels and 2,868 × 1,320 pixels, respectively.

The resolution increases track quite closely with the rumored increases in physical display size, suggesting Apple likely plans to keep roughly the same 460 ppi pixel density as the iPhone 18 Pro models. Digital Chat Station previously suggested the 6.96-inch display on the iPhone 20 Pro Max would likely be marketed as a 7-inch panel if it reaches production.

Apple last increased the size of its premium iPhone displays with the iPhone 16 Pro lineup in 2024. The iPhone 16 Pro grew from 6.1 to 6.3 inches, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max increased from 6.7 to 6.9 inches, thanks to slimmer bezels and slightly larger chassis dimensions. The leaked dimensions for the iPhone 20 Pro models suggest only a modest increase in overall screen size, but there could be a good reason for this.

Echoing previous claims, the leaker says Apple is testing a "borderless quad-curved" display design, with the screen curving away on all four sides. We've already seen multiple reports indicating that Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone could resemble a single, uninterrupted slab of glass where the metal frame bezels are largely hidden during normal use. Bloomberg reported in June that Apple had started ramping up work on two sizes of the 20th anniversary iPhone.

Apple is also rumored to be developing thinner and brighter OLED panels for the devices, along with under-display Face ID and potentially an under-display front-facing camera. However, Digital Chat Station says Apple is now testing a smaller Dynamic Island-style hole-punch design for the iPhone 20 Pro models that sounds similar to the new iPhone 18 Pro models, suggesting Apple may still be testing multiple approaches.

Photo/video quality and concealment issues with the under-screen FaceTime camera on the iPhone Duo offer a timely example of the kind of challenge that Apple is likely facing in its quest to create an uninterrupted display design. Unless it can improve the implementation, a cutout for the front camera may be the compromise Apple has to make for the iPhone 20 Pro models.

• iPhone 20 Pro Rumors Point to These Ten Big Changes

Apple is expected to skip an iPhone 19 lineup like it did an iPhone 9 when it jumped from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X in 2017. The iPhone 20 Pro and iPhone 20 Pro Max are expected to launch in September 2027, following the debut of the regular iPhone 18 earlier in the same year.
This article, "iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Some new Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 owners are reporting the devices are rebooting unexpectedly, and diagnostic logs suggest the crashes are related to the Apple Neural Engine.


Reports have been posted in the MacRumors forums since the new models launched on Friday. Users describe their watches suddenly displaying the Apple logo and restarting while they were interacting with the device, when doing things like using Siri AI, editing watch faces, opening Maps or the App Store, starting phone calls, and recording workouts. Some reboots have even occurred when the watch was apparently idle.

Notably, at least four owners have shared "panic-full" diagnostic logs showing the same Neural Engine timeout. In each case, the Apple Neural Engine appears to hang for around two seconds before a firmware watchdog triggers a kernel panic and forces the watch to restart.

The problem has been reported on both the original watchOS 27.0 build and the day-one update that devices downloaded during the setup process. Some users have experienced reboots despite erasing their watches and setting them up as new, and one Series 12 owner said a replacement unit also suffered the same Neural Engine panic.

Around 30 owners have reported random reboots in the MacRumors forums thread so far. Users have also taken to Reddit and Apple Community Support to share similar experiences, so it looks like the problem is pretty widespread. Apple has yet to acknowledged the issue. Have you experienced the problem on a new Apple Watch Ultra 4 or Apple Watch Series 12? Let us know in the comments.
This article, "Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max launched today in markets around the world. Keep reading if you're the owner of one of Apple's latest models. Whether you're upgrading from an older iPhone or completely new to Apple, this guide will help you get the most out your new device.


With the first round of pre-ordered iPhones 18 Pro models now being delivered to customers and availability in stores, MacRumors has put together the following series of dedicated how-to articles explaining all the new features to be found on Apple's newest models.

iPhone 18 Pro: Using the New Camera Features

• Variable Aperture Explained: What It Does and How to Use It


• Pro Controls: How to Adjust White Balance


• Pro Controls: How to Adjust Shutter Speed


• Pro Controls: How to Use the Live Histogram


• How to Apply Cinematic Effects to 60fps Video


• How to Shoot Time-Lapse Video in 4K and Dolby Vision HDR


• How to Use the New Texture Controls in Photographic Styles


• How to Customize Camera App Controls


• Apple Reference Image: What It Does and How to Use It

New iPhone Adopters

• Dynamic Island Explained: What It Does and How to Use It


• iPhone Camera Control: Everything You Need to Know


• Action Button: What It Does and How to Customize It


• How to Disable Adaptive Power Mode


• Tint App Icons to Match Your New iPhone 18 Pro Color


• How to Hard Reset or Force Restart iPhone 18 Pro

iOS 27

• 50 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27


• iOS 27: The Ultimate Mega Guide


• iOS 27 Brings These Five New Features to Your iPhone Lock Screen


• iOS 27: Use Visual Intelligence in the Camera App


• iOS 27: Set a Custom EQ for Your AirPods


• iOS 27 Finally Unlinks Alarm Volume From Your iPhone Ringer


• iOS 27: Tone Down Liquid Glass Transparency


• iOS 27 Lets You Hide the Messages Button Everyone Hits by Mistake


• iOS 27: Access the New iPhone Recovery Screen


• iOS 27: Find My App Lets You Hide Location From Others Temporarily


• iOS 27 Features You Can't Use in the EU


• iOS 27: Seven New CarPlay Features You'll Actually Notice


• iOS 27 Finally Lets You Dismiss the 'Now Playing' Lock Screen Widget


• Moof! Apple Snuck a Dogcow Into iOS 27 - Here's How to Find It

Forgot to Pre-Order?

• What Upgrading to iPhone 18 Pro From iPhone 17 Pro Gets You

For customers who forgot to pre-order one of the new models or simply decided to wait, most configurations ordered online are now estimated for delivery in late September or early October, but the good news is that same-day or next-day pickup is now an option at select Apple Store locations around the world.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro: The New Features You Should Try First" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Like the iPhone 17 Pro models, the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have three rear cameras – a 48MP Fusion Main lens, an 8x48MP Telephoto lens, and a 48MP Ultra Wide lens. They also share the same focal lengths and resolutions as their predecessors. The big upgrade this year though is the new variable aperture on the Main camera. Let's dive in.


Aperture is what controls how much light enters the lens and hits the sensor. If too little light hits that sensor, images tend to be blurry and/or grainy. To compensate, the shutter has to stay open longer, or it has to turn on Night Mode. The problem with this approach is that the longer the shutter stays open or Night Mode is engaged, the more likely that the imagery will be blurry. Even still photos can lack sharpness and definition.

The solution is to use a variable aperture lens that is physically able to let more or less light in depending on the shot, which in turn allows for variations in shutter speed. The iPhone 18 Pro models can do this automatically, or you can take over the process manually for more stylistic control.

To achieve this, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max trade a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture for a four-stop variable aperture ranging from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, delivering around 50 percent better low-light performance and giving photographers optical control over depth of field that the iPhone has never offered before.


As mentioned, you can leave the iPhone 18 Pro to do its thing with the new variable aperture, or you can take control of it manually. Here's how it's done:

1. In the Camera app, tap the button with six dots at the bottom-right of the interface.


2. Select Lens Aperture from the control pane.


3. Tap one of the four circles to set the aperture: from left to right they range ƒ/1.48, ƒ1.8, ƒ2.8, and finally, ƒ/4.0.


4. If you change your mind, tap the Auto button on the left to let the iPhone automatically control the aperture.

Try experimenting with different aperture settings to see how they affect your images. The ƒ/1.48, for example, produces a more shallow depth of field, while the ƒ/4.0 will have more of the image in focus.

Just remember that with a variable aperture, the lower the f-number, the wider the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. That allows the camera to use a faster shutter speed in the same lighting conditions, while also producing a shallower depth of field. By contrast, the higher the f-number, the smaller the aperture, letting in less light but increasing the amount of the scene that can remain in focus. The latter can be useful for landscapes and group shots, for example.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro: Using the New Variable Aperture Lens" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models are now being delivered to customers worldwide following the pre-order period that began on Saturday, September 12. For those who didn't pre-order, there's now a 3-4 week wait time for iPhone 18 Pro Max models across all storage options and colorways in the U.S. Demand has been less strong for iPhone 18 Pro models, but you're still looking at a 2-3 week wait for any configuration. However, delivery or in-store pickup at select Apple Store locations on launch day is still an option.


As of writing, Apple's online stores in the United States and Canada haven't yet been updated to show pickup availability, but there could be shortages for some configurations, though there could be some variation state by state.

In the U.K., all ‌iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max‌ configurations have shipping estimates running into the first and second week of October, respectively, but ‌same-day pickup is still available in many regions, but it could depend on the store you choose. Apple Stores in Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Türkiye, and the UAE are also offering same-day pickup options.

To order a product with ‌Apple Store‌ pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com or in the ‌Apple Store‌ app, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP or postal code, choose an available ‌Apple Store‌ location, select a pickup date, and select a 15-minute check-in window. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup.

‌iPhone 18 Pro models may also be available for walk-in customers at ‌Apple Store‌ locations with sufficient inventory, but availability can't be guaranteed. Walk-in customers may be placed into a separate queue with lower priority upon arrival to the store.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both received a $100 increase over their predecessors, and the increases get steeper the more storage you opt for, with a 1TB iPhone 18 Pro now costing $300 more than a 1TB iPhone 17 Pro did last year.

• What Upgrading to iPhone 18 Pro From iPhone 17 Pro Gets You


• iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max Buyer's Guide


• iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: 35+ Upgrades Compared


• iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Worth Upgrading?


• iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?

Both phones have the same OLED Super Retina XDR always-on display with ProMotion and the Dynamic Island, the A20 Pro chip, 5G connectivity, a 48 megapixel Pro Fusion camera system, and the same four color options: Burgundy, Glacier Blue, Silver, and Black. Both are also offered in the same four storage tiers, including a 2TB option that is available on the smaller Pro model for the first time.
This article, "Forgot to Pre-Order iPhone 18 Pro? Apple Store Pickup Available Today at Most Locations" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate this week, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system, improving performance, and nixing bugs, there are still plenty of new things to explore. There's an overhauled Siri experience, changes across Apple's apps, and much-needed updates across the system interface.



In this article, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're updating your Mac. Siri AI remains in beta and is initially rolling out in English, and the availability of some features varies by language and region. What do you think of ‌macOS Golden Gate so far? Let us know in the comments.

Siri AI Replaces the Old Siri Experience

In macOS 27, Apple has turned Spotlight into the place to search your Mac or ask Siri AI a question. From the new "Search or Ask" bar, you can hold a conversation with Siri, find relevant information in apps such as Mail and Photos, and take actions in supported apps.

Adjustable Liquid Glass Transparency Slider

System Settings now has a slider that lets users adjust Liquid Glass from ultra-clear to fully tinted (found in Appearance ➝ Liquid Glass). Apple has also improved contrast and window shadows, standardized macOS toolbars, and made sidebars extend to the edges of app windows. The changes aim to make controls easier to read and active windows easier to distinguish.

Safari's Start Page Can Resume a Browsing Topic

Safari's Start Page has a new Recently Viewed section that brings back your recently closed browsing topics as well as topics open on any of your other devices. It offers a handy way to pick up a search or research session without trawling through your browser history.

Visual Intelligence Comes to the Mac

Visual Intelligence is now available on the Mac. Simply press Shift-Command-Space to select something onscreen, then ask Siri to explain it, translate text, search for similar images, or find related information. Siri can also use what it recognizes to take an action, such as adding the details from an event flyer to your Calendar.

Photos Can Save a Video Frame as a Still Photo

The Photos app can now save a frame from a video as a separate photo. Pause a clip at the moment you want, right-click (or Control-click) it, then choose "Save Video Frame as Photo," and it will add the still image to your library without exporting the entire video.

Past Conversations Are Saved in a New Siri App

macOS now has a dedicated Siri app where you can start new conversations or revisit past chats you've had with Siri. The app has a card-style interface with details on your most recent chats across all of your devices. You can also use the search button to find conversations, and there's a pin option for ones you revisit frequently. The Siri app is cross-platform and your content syncs across all of your Apple devices.

Shared Albums Go Full Resolution

Previously in Photos, pictures in a Shared Album were automatically reduced to 2,048 pixels on the long edge (except for panoramic photos, which can be up to 5,400 pixels wide). In macOS 27 though, Shared Albums finally support full-resolution photos and videos. But there comes a major trade-off. For years now, Apple has allowed you to store up to 5,000 photos and videos in Shared Albums without impacting your iCloud storage limit. That's no longer the case in Golden Gate.

Non-Apple Users Can Add to Shared Albums

People using Android or Windows can now join and contribute to your Shared Albums through iCloud.com. Users can also set an album to expire after 30 days, filter its photos and videos, review recent activity, and react to images with any emoji. Just remember that if you share an album with someone, what they add to it counts against your iCloud storage limit.

Photos Can Reframe Images

Photos has a new advanced editing tool in macOS 27. Reframe uses information captured with a compatible photo to change its apparent camera angle. It works by combining AI and spatial images so you can change the perspective or composition of a picture.

Photos Can Extend Images

Photos has another new editing feature: Extend lets you change the crop of an image, expanding the borders around content to zoom out a bit or change the photo's composition. It uses generative AI to fill in missing areas, and you can adjust the borders with drag gestures.

Cleaning Up Photos Got a Lot Better

Clean Up now uses new AI models, and it's better at removing objects. The original version of Clean Up was best for small items with little complexity in the surrounding area, but now it can do more work reconstructing backgrounds with generative AI. It also offers Fast, High Quality, and Auto modes. Apple says usage limits may apply.

Swipe Down to Refresh Comes to Mac Apps

The familiar swipe-down-to-refresh gesture comes to Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar on the Mac. Pulling down on content via your trackpad (or with your finger on iPad via Sidecar) causes the app to load the latest information, meaning you don't have to reach for a refresh button or keyboard shortcut.

Mail Search Puts More Relevant Results First

In Mail, search actually works properly in macOS 27. It now ranks messages by relevance rather than relying on matching words and recency. A search for a store, for example, can put an order confirmation ahead of promotional emails from the same sender, even if the order is buried in the inbox.

App Icons Gain More Liquid Glass Detail

Apple's app icons now have more layers of Liquid Glass, which adds detail and sharper edges across light, dark, clear, and tinted appearances. It's a smaller visual change than the new Appearance slider, but one you'll see throughout the Dock and app grid.

iPhone Mirroring Windows Become Resizable

Users can now drag a corner of an iPhone Mirroring window to make it larger or wider. Supported apps can show more information as the window expands, and macOS 27 now also supports playback of protected video in the mirrored window. Bear in mind that individual streaming providers may still restrict what can be mirrored, and iPhone Mirroring remains unavailable in the European Union.

Write With Siri Almost Anywhere

Write with Siri can generate a draft from a description, give feedback on existing text, or make a requested edit, such as shortening a paragraph or changing its tone. It works virtually anywhere you can type, and Apple says it can match your writing style in Mail and Messages.

Photos Adds Keywords and Star Ratings

Photos now lets users add keywords and one-to-five-star ratings to both photos and videos. Ratings can also be used as a filter, so it's easier to narrow down a large library to your best shots. Ratings controls are off by default, but you can enable them in Photos' General settings by checking the box next to "Show Rating Controls."

Add Extra-Large Widgets to Desktop

If you have any widgets on your desktop, try right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) on them and looking for a new option called Extra-Large Portrait. You can now make widgets take up a lot more screen space, which is useful for things like weather, home, and reminder widgets.

Trade in Siri for ChatGPT

The new Siri app and the "Search or Ask" bar (Command-Space) defaults to the new Siri AI, but you can switch it to ChatGPT if you prefer. Simply right-click (or Ctrl-click) and select "Ask..." From the context menu, and you'll see an option to change to ChatGPT. Note that conversation context doesn't transfer when you switch chatbot providers.

Safari Organizes Pages for You

If you have several webpages open with related content, Safari can automatically group these open tabs by topic while keeping any unrelated browsing sessions apart. To enable the feature, open Safari's Settings, select the Tabs section, and choose "Organize Tabs: Automatically Create Topics."

Safari Can Notify You When a Page Changes

Notify Me is another new Safari feature that enables the browser to watch a webpage for a specific change, such as a product restock or price drop, and alert you when it happens. The feature's monitoring options include daily, weekly, or monthly schedules.

Apple Notes Now Lets You Draw

The Continuity feature has allowed you to sketch in the Notes app by opening a virtual drawing board on your iPhone or iPad. But that meant you had to have at least one iOS device linked to your Apple Account. Happily, that's no longer a requirement in macOS 27, which adds a native drawing tool to the Notes app. It includes Pen, Monoline, Marker, Pencil, Crayon, Fountain Pen, Reed, and Watercolor tools.

Video Podcasts Get Better Mac Playback

The Podcasts app gives video shows fuller playback controls on the Mac, including Picture in Picture and a download option for offline viewing. You can switch between watching and listening when a show supports video, and the search function in a show's episode list makes older episodes easier to find.

Image Playground Gets More Styles

Image Playground has been overhauled to become genuinely useful, and it can now generate pictures in a wider range of styles, including photorealistic images. You can select part of an image and describe how you want it changed, or combine images to create something new. As with other Apple Intelligence features, Apple says usage limits may apply.

New Golden Gate Wallpapers Arrive

Golden Gate includes Sunset and Night wallpapers featuring San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, along with a new abstract wallpaper. The Bridge wallpapers animate when your Mac unlocks and you can also use them as your screen savers.

Safari Can Build Extensions From a Description

Safari's Create an Extension option lets you describe what you want a browser extension to do in plain language. For example, a request to add a button for saving recipes can become a custom extension without you having to go near a single line of code. Safari also offers suggested prompts for productivity, focus, and design tasks.

Freeform Adds Drawing, Collaborative Folders

Freeform now supports drawing directly on the Mac, thanks to sketching tools being included in its shared boards. Golden Gate also adds folders for organizing collaborative boards and a canvas that adapts to Dark Mode.

Faster AirDrop and Network Browsing

Apple says Golden Gate makes AirDrop transfers and browsing folders on Windows or NAS network shares faster. Safari's Start Page content also loads more quickly, and Mission Control and Spaces animations are smoother.

Calendar Events Can Be Added by Description

Calendar can now create or edit an event from your plain-language description. You can describe a lunch meeting, change the time and adjust the description to make it a coffee meeting, and Calendar will adjust the event rather than requiring every detail to be edited separately.

Enhanced Maps Flyover

With Flyover, cities like Boston, New York, London, and Chicago include more detailed 3D renderings of their skylines. Apple has enhanced the 3D models for these cities by combining AI and aerial imagery to achieve more detailed and realistic cityscapes.

Slideshows Can Start From Any Photos Album

Photos can now create slideshows from any album or collection, rather than limiting them to Memories. You can customize the presentation and save it as a video to keep or share.

Passwords Will (Soon) Auto-Repair Weak Logins

The Passwords app already warns users about weak or compromised logins. Apple says a future software update will let it use Safari to change eligible passwords automatically, replacing a vulnerable login with a stronger one on your behalf.

External Displays Get Better Resolution Support

Golden Gate adds more resolution and refresh-rate choices for compatible external displays, including 5K at 120Hz on certain ultrawide screens. Apple also says the Mac does a better job of restoring window positions, Spaces, and screen assignments when a display is unplugged and reconnected.

macOS Suggests Names for Files and Folders

In Finder, TextEdit, and other Apple apps, Apple Intelligence can suggest a name for a file or folder based on its contents. The feature is designed to make saved items easier to recognize later, especially when the original name doesn't give much away about what's inside.

Siri Gains New Expressive Voices

Siri‌ AI now has more expressive voices alongside a big improvement to systemwide dictation accuracy. You can adjust both the expressiveness and pace of ‌Siri‌'s voice to your preference with sliders in a new Voice section in System Settings ➝ Siri. Siri's new expressive voices require an M3 or newer Mac with at least 12GB of memory.

Weather's Forecast Views Are Refreshed

Weather in macOS 27 has a more orderly layout, with more room for its hourly and 10-day forecasts. You can also switch between current conditions, precipitation, and wind views, while a new Highlights section calls out notable weather events ahead. Highlights are currently only available in U.S. English.

Create Shortcuts With Natural Language

True to this era of AI, Shortcuts can now build you an automation from a plain-language description. You can ask it to assemble a sequence of actions across apps, then test, edit, or refine the result with another description. Apple says usage limits may apply.

Finder Columns Are Easier to Size and Reset

New autosize and reset controls make columns easier to manage in Finder. Right-click (or Control-click) the bottom of a column, and you'll see options to adjust a crowded view without dragging each column boundary into place by hand.

Sidecar Finally Supports Direct Finger Input

Sidecar now lets you interact directly with the Mac interface on an iPad used as a second display. With a compatible iPad, you can tap controls, scroll with a finger, and use more system gestures instead of relying on your mouse or trackpad.

New Screen Time Controls for Parents

Parents can now set category-level allowances with different schedules by day and time, making controls more flexible than one broad daily limit. Meanwhile, Ask to Browse lets kids ask your permission to visit websites. There are also expanded protections against gore and violence, alongside existing nudity protections.

Make Interface Boundaries Clearer

A new Show Borders accessibility option makes the boundaries of macOS interface elements easier to see, in case you could do with some help distinguishing controls and panels where translucent surfaces otherwise blend into the surrounding window.

Widgets Can Update in Real Time

Widgets will now update in real time when their associated app is open, so the information you see on the desktop remains in step with what you see inside the app, instead of you having to wait for a less frequent refresh.

Dock Shows Active Background Processes

If you quit an app and it is still running a background process, you'll see the indicator beneath its Dock icon turn a light gray. To end the activity, right-click the app's icon and select "Stop Running in Background."

Photos Gains New Utility Collections

The Photos app now has two Utility collections. "Captured by Me" gathers pictures taken with your current and any previous iPhones, while "Identity Documents" brings together images of passports, driver's licenses, and any similar records you might have.

Intel Macs Miss Golden Gate

If you have a very old machine, there's something you should know: Golden Gate does not run on Intel Macs – it requires Apple silicon (that includes the A-series chip in MacBook Neo). Sorry, Intel users.

Rosetta Support Is Ending

macOS 27 is also the final major release with general-purpose Rosetta support for Intel-only apps on Macs with Apple silicon. Apple says those apps will stop working in the next major release, apart from certain older games.

Smart Replies Can Sound More Like You

Mail's Smart Replies are able to reflect your usual writing style when they suggest a response, right down to your tone and phrasing, so now a quick reply can sound more like something you would have written yourself. To use a smart reply, click the reply button on an email, click inside the message field, then choose one of the suggested replies generated by Apple Intelligence.

Get Context on a Phone Call

Just like in iOS 27, the Phone app on Mac supports a new Call Context feature. It can surface relevant information from the Mail app. If you call an airline, it might show your confirmation code for an upcoming flight, or your reservation code if you're calling a hotel. It doesn't listen to what you're saying, but instead looks at the number you're calling and links it to details in the Mail app.

Shortcuts Adds Screenshot and Alert Triggers

Shortcuts automations can now be triggered simply by taking a screenshot or receiving a notification. The new options add to existing triggers such as time of day, location, and app activity, giving you more ways to start a routine automatically.

Reminders Understands Natural Language

If you enter a natural-language request in Reminders, the app can fill in details you specify such as a date, time, or location, saving you from having to enter each field separately.
This article, "50 New macOS Golden Gate Features and Changes Worth Checking Out" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In iOS 27, available now, CarPlay gets its biggest update in years, but some features depend on what type of car you have rather than your iPhone model. Some of the biggest additions won't do anything in the vast majority of vehicles on the road today. Here's how the new features pan out.

Works in Any CarPlay Vehicle

• Custom widgets: In iOS 27, CarPlay is no longer limited to Apple's handful of stock widgets. Any compatible widget from your iPhone's Home Screen can now be added to the CarPlay dashboard. To do so, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ CarPlay, tap your car, then tap Widgets ➝ Add Widgets. You can drag widgets to rearrange them, tap to remove them, and toggle Smart Rotate and Widget Suggestions.



• Audio scrubbing: The Now Playing screen now has a proper progress bar, allowing you to drag to any point in a song or podcast rather than having to tap skip repeatedly. There's also a persistent mini-player that keeps artwork and controls on screen while you browse.



• Apple Music Filters: In Apple Music on CarPlay, you can filter your library to sort playlists, albums, artists, and songs by categories like "Favorites" or "All Playlists." Apple says third-party music apps can adopt it too.



• New wallpapers: New wave designs found in iOS 27 and macOS 27 are now available in CarPlay in 14 color options. In previous years, most of Apple's platforms shipped with their own distinct wallpaper. This year, they all share a design called "Celosia," featuring sweeping, overlapping curves and soft shadows inspired by layered flower petals or folded paper.



• Maps improvements: Apple extended natural language search to navigation, and that also works with Apple Maps in CarPlay. You can ask Siri for directions that avoid toll roads, highways, and more.



• Better wireless reliability: Apple says wireless CarPlay connections are more dependable in iOS 27, with improved GPS accuracy and better navigation heading detection. These are phone-side changes, so no new hardware is required.

Needs the Right Car

• Video apps: Apple made a song and dance about this feature, but it's the one that fewest people can use right now. Video browsing in the CarPlay interface requires automakers to certify AirPlay video integration for the vehicle. In other words, an iOS update alone can't enable it. That makes sense when you think about it – playback only works when the vehicle is parked (it switches to audio if you shift into drive) and the car needs to be able to share its drive state with iOS. As of writing, no manufacturer has announced plans to support the feature.



• Sharing routes to your car's own screens: Navigation apps can now pass route data to a vehicle's built-in infotainment or digital instrument cluster, including EV charging stops and range. Again though, your car has to support it, so your mileage may vary (no pun intended).

Needs a Supported iPhone

• Siri AI: The upgraded Siri now handles back-and-forth conversation in the car, while chats sync to the Siri app on your iPhone so you can pick them up later. It does however require an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, plus there's a Siri AI waitlist to get access, which you can join on your iPhone in Settings ➝ Siri.

One to Watch

Apple has given developers a voice control template that any category of CarPlay app can adopt for voice conversations. But nothing will change until individual app makers make use of it, so expect this to arrive gradually.

Bottom Line

If you have a car with CarPlay and a recent iPhone running iOS 27, you'll immediately be able to take advantage of third-party widgets, audio scrubbing, new wallpapers, and Maps improvements. For video and route sharing, you'll need to wait for your car's manufacturer to add support. iOS 27 was released on September 14 and is available to download now.
This article, "Which iOS 27 CarPlay Features Actually Work in Your Car?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14, bringing a new Audio Intelligence feature set to its latest Apple Watch models, but as a result, owners of previous models are set to lose out doubly in the process.


Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models later this year will get Live Rewind, a feature that provides a transcript of any spoken audio that was picked up by the device in the last 15 seconds. To activate the feature, users need to double-click the Digital Crown.

Unforunately, this double-click action is the same one that in watchOS 26 switches between the current app and the previously used app – or indeed the watch face and the last used app.

It's a neat way of multitasking on your Apple Watch without tapping the display.

Needless to say, this feature will no longer work for anyone upgrading to Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models when the devices are released on September 18. Apple has reserved the double-click action for when its new Live Rewind feature is activated later this year.

However, what's arguably more frustrating is that owners of older Apple Watch models who update to watchOS 27 will also lose the ability to jump between apps using the Digital Crown double-click.

After updating to watchOS 27, the Digital Crown double-click no longer works to switch between apps. All it does is bring up the new dynamic app grid, which is the same behavior that a single click offers. This is despite the fact that the new Live Rewind feature is hardware-bound to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. Owners of previous models are simply out of luck in both senses, losing a useful function while also missing out on the new feature that usurps it.

It also throws up another problem for new Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners: What if people don't want to go near the Live Rewind feature and its privacy implications? Apple could have made the double-click action work to switch between apps as it does in watchOS 26, while also providing an option to assign the action to Live Rewind if that's preferred.

Apple currently doesn't provide options to resolve the situation for either group of users, so all we can do is provide feedback to Apple and hope the company hears enough demand for it to change course in watchOS 27.1 or a later update.

Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are available now ahead of a Friday, September 18 launch.
This article, "PSA: watchOS 27 Removes This Useful Feature From Your Apple Watch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In iOS 27, available now, Apple has made some changes and additions to the iPhone's stock Camera app, including the addition of a new Siri mode.


Available in addition to the Video, Photo, and other camera modes, Siri mode can be accessed by swiping across the mode carousel at the bottom of the screen.

The new mode uses Visual Intelligence to identify objects in the frame and provide information about them. It can be used to identify plants, animals, food, and more. If it's food you want info on, for example, it can tell you what it is, and how many calories are in it.

Other examples Siri mode can be used for include capturing a photo of an event flyer and adding a date to the Calendar app, text translation, splitting a bill, and more.

In Siri mode, a button on the right lets you search Google Images, and a button on the left lets you ask a specific question. So you can ask for help to cook the food in the frame, for instance.

Apple has also tweaked the way the camera interface works in other ways. Quick access tools for activating flash, Live Photo, and Night mode are now located at the top-center of the UI, while the full set of tools can be accessed from the bottom-right instead of the top-right. It's also possible to customize which controls are displayed at the top of the screen.

Apple made iOS 27 available to download on supported iPhone models on September 14, a few days ahead of the launch of new iPhone 18 Pro models on September 18.
This article, "iOS 27: Use Visual Intelligence in the Camera App" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If you're upgrading to macOS Golden Gate and you have an AirPort Time Capsule, Time Machine won't be able to back up to it. macOS 27 removes support for AFP, the legacy file-sharing protocol that Time Capsule relies on for Time Machine backups. Said backups now exclusively use the SMB protocol, which Apple's discontinued Time Capsule hardware does not support in the form required by macOS 27.

Apple warned users about the change back in June 2025 when macOS Tahoe began displaying a warning that Time Capsule backups would no longer work in the next macOS. Users still backing up to one will need an alternative, such as an external drive or a modern NAS.
This article, "Reminder: macOS 27 Ends Time Machine Backups to Time Capsule" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The EU will ban children under 13 from using social media platforms, some gaming platforms, and AI chatbots without parental supervision. The ban is set to be outlined in the Kids Act, which will be published on Thursday, reports Financial Times.

"No social media under the age of 13. No personal account under the age of 15," said the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a speech on Wednesday. "Europe has the power to act. It is us who decide the rules, not big tech."

According to a draft proposal seen by FT, children under 13 will only be allowed access with supervision from a parent, while children between 13 and 15 will need parental consent to create accounts with parental controls and other restrictions like time limits.

Meanwhile, social media companies, online gaming services, and AI chatbots will be required to introduce safeguards to protect children from abuse and addictive behavior, and companies that offer AI companions and chatbots services will have to avoid designs that encourage unhealthy emotional attachments or expose them to harmful interactions.

Affected companies will also be required to verify the age of users with an official age verification app. Failure to comply with the rules could result in fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
This article, "EU's Kids Act to Ban Social Media for Under-13s, Curb Chatbot Access" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In a move that should be welcomed by parents and guardians of young children, Spotify has announced a new feature that lets you keep kids' and family music played on the service out of your taste profile.


Starting today, Spotify is rolling out a new toggle in the app's settings that prevents kids' music from affecting your personalized recommendations. This includes, for example, songs you play on repeat from your kids' favorite animated movies, theme songs from family TV shows, nursery rhymes, and more.

When you turn the new setting off, you can still search for, listen to, and build playlists of kids and family music, but those streams won't affect what Spotify suggests for you.

In other words, things like Discover Weekly, Daily Mix, and Wrapped will more accurately reflect your taste. Not only that, the setting applies retroactively, so kids music you've already listened to won't count toward your Wrapped top song or artist, for example.

The following steps show you how to turn it off in the Spotify app on iOS and Android:

1. Navigate to Settings and privacy by tapping your profile picture in the top-left corner.


2. Select Content and display.


3. Switch off the toggle next to Include kids and family music in taste profile.

Spotify says it may take up to 48 hours for these changes to be reflected in your personalized recommendations.
This article, "Spotify Now Lets You Keep Kids' Music Out of Your Wrapped" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple TV shows swept the board at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards last night as the streaming service received 29 wins overall to become the most awarded network of the year.


It was Apple TV's best-ever Emmy Awards haul, thanks to the likes of Widow's Bay, Pluribus, Slow Horses, Margo's Got Money Troubles, Palm Royale, and Mr. Scorsese.

Widow's Bay was the most awarded show of the night, sweeping all major categories with 14 wins in total, including Outstanding Comedy Series. It becomes the most Emmy-awarded comedy series of all time. The show also took the most awards for a comedy series in a single season.

Elsewhere, Pluribus won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Rhea Seehorn and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Vince Gilligan, while drama Slow Horses won Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Saul Metzstein.

Apple TV has now reached most Emmy-awarded network status faster than any other streaming service over seven Emmy seasons. It's also now home to the most Emmy-awarded series for the second year in a row, following last year's wins for The Studio. Apple TV has won Outstanding Comedy Series awards for four of the last six years, thanks to Ted Lasso, The Studio, and now Widow's Bay.

See Apple's press release to learn more about every win Apple TV received on the night.
This article, "'Widow's Bay' Leads Apple TV to Record 29 Emmy Wins" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

12 years ago today, Apple published a web page with one job: to make a U2 album go away. On September 9, 2014, at Apple's iPhone 6 event, Tim Cook revealed that "Songs of Innocence" would be given to every iTunes customer for nothing. The album was directly linked to accounts, and devices set to "download automatically" got it without asking.

Complaints quickly followed, and on September 15, Apple was forced to respond with a one-click page that stripped the album from accounts. Users were given a month to reinstall it at no cost. Apple said 26 million people ultimately downloaded the full album. Bono apologized a month later. The web tool is no longer active, but an archive of the support page is available here.
This article, "Apple's Weirdest iTunes Walk-Back Turns 12 Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If you have installed iOS 27 on your iPhone or iPadOS 27 on your iPad (download it via Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update), Apple left a fun little easter egg for you to discover.


Open the Settings app, then tap through to Appearance ➝ Liquid Glass. Scroll to the bottom of the "Welcome to Apple Park" sample images, and when you hit the last image, keep dragging up with your finger until the word "Moof!" appears in the search bar overlay and the image changes.

Say hello to Clarus. A bitmap image of the famous dogcow was originally used to demonstrate page layout in the classic Mac OS, indicating to users which orientation the paper would be in when it was printed. The original glyph it was based on was created by Susan Kare for the Cairo dingbat font that came with the original Mac in 1984, but it became the official mascot of Apple's Developer Technical Support.

When Apple was a fledgling company, Mac developers regularly left fun little Easter eggs in software, but not so much these days. While surprises can still be found, they are a lot more subtle, and exist more as a nod and wink to Apple's origins rather than anything edgy or unauthorized. If you're interested, several have been found in macOS over the years.
This article, "Moof! Apple Snuck a Dogcow Into iOS 27 - Here's How to Find It" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Initial wait times for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models in the pre-order phase are "lukewarm," according to GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who has subsequently trimmed his production estimates for both the company's Pro lineup and the foldable iPhone Duo.


iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders opened on September 12 in the U.S. and many other countries, and there's now a 3-4 week wait time for iPhone 18 Pro Max models with 256GB and 512GB storage across all colors in the U.S., as well as for Burgundy 1TB models. Elsewhere, Pu cites 2-3 weeks for the Pro Max in Glacier across 256GB and 512GB options in China.

Otherwise, Pu sees initial demand less strong for the Black and Glacier 1TB Pro Max models, quoting 1-2 weeks wait times in the U.S. Meanwhile, the 1TB Pro Max option in Silver, most 2TB Pro Max configurations, and nearly every iPhone 18 Pro model are available immediately on launch day this Friday, with Burgundy 256GB pre-orders the only iPhone 18 Pro exception.

Pu believes the softer-than-expected demand is due to limited spec upgrades and higher pricing, particularly for the larger storage tiers. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the U.S. and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, with prices as high as $2,399 and $2,499 for the 2TB models, respectively.

Pu also expects the iPhone 18 Pro Max to lose some buyers to the iPhone Duo, whose pre-orders begin on October 16, with availability from October 23. Prices for the Duo start at $1,999 for the 256GB model, rising to $3,199 for the 2TB option.

On the supply side, Pu has lowered his iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max production estimate to 72 million units because of constraints associated with the new variable aperture camera. Pu also separately cut his 2026 build estimate for the iPhone Duo from 7 million units to 6 million, which he puts down to production challenges with the hinge.

Pu's latest investor note maintains a Hold rating on Apple, with a $369 price target.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders Off to a Muted Start, Analyst Says" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries.


In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people.

The initiative does not include the U.S., Canada, Australia, nor is it offered in the UK and other European markets, but it is clearly more than a promotional offer, since Apple TV and Apple Arcade will stop being sold as individual subscriptions through Apple in countries where it has launched. Apple says existing standalone subscriptions will be cancelled as customers transition to access through iCloud+, while Arcade saves and game progress are preserved.

Countries where Apple is launching the new iCloud+ bundle include the following:


Apple says existing iCloud+ subscribers in these countries will "automatically gain access" to TV and Arcade, while someone subscribing individually to TV or Arcade but not iCloud+ will be notified that they are now subscribed to iCloud+, and their old standalone subscription will be cancelled.

What's particularly interesting is that Apple One is effectively being wound down in these markets. New customers will no longer be able to subscribe, although existing Apple One subscribers can keep their plans. It's a clear sign that Apple is shifting away from Apple One toward iCloud+ in smaller markets.

"We're excited to bring Apple TV and Apple Arcade to iCloud+ users in over 100 countries in one convenient subscription," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services and Health. "iCloud+ users can now securely store and share personal content across their devices, enjoy the absolute best in original storytelling from Apple TV, and explore an incredible lineup of hundreds of games through Apple Arcade."

As part of the iCloud+ changes, Apple is also including an additional service called Apple Music Select that offers ad-free Apple-curated music stations. The stations are included to entice iCloud+ subscribers to upgrade to full Apple Music at a discounted monthly rate. For example, Apple's Mozambique announcement quotes $2.79/month for Individual and $4.49/month for Family plans.

With the introduction of iCloud+ with Apple TV and Apple Arcade, Apple TV is also expanding to 59 new countries, making the streaming service now available in 170 countries across the globe.
This article, "iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple released iOS 27 this week, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system and nixing bugs, there are still many additional features to explore, not least of which is Apple's new context-aware Siri, re-tooled for the generative AI era.

• Which iPhones Support Every iOS 27 Feature?

This year's major iPhone software update isn't all about AI, though, as the following feature list testifies. iOS 27 is available now on supported iPhone models as a free update, and can be downloaded from the Settings app, via General ➝ Software Update.

Extend Your Photos and Lock Screen Wallpaper

A new wallpaper extension feature in iOS 27 uses Apple Intelligence to automatically expand a photo beyond its original boundaries so it fills the entire Lock Screen more naturally. If a photo is cropped too tightly, doesn't match your iPhone's aspect ratio, or it leaves empty space when positioned on the Lock Screen, iOS 27 can generate additional image content around the edges with the "Extend" option. It will analyze the existing image and create matching background details that blend with the original photo, so there's no need for aggressive cropping. The Extend option can also be found in the Photos app.

Organize Your Safari Tabs

Safari uses Apple Intelligence to automatically organize your open tabs into related topics, making them easier to browse and manage. For example, if you're shopping for a new refrigerator while planning a vacation, Safari groups tabs for each activity into separate topic-based collections. You can enable this feature by opening Tab View, tapping the three-line icon in the top-right corner, and turning on Automatically Create Topics.

Use Natural Language for Reminder and Calendar Entries

In the Reminders app, you can now create reminders using natural language, and Apple Intelligence will automatically fill in details such as the date, time, and location. For example, if you type "Pick up Dad at 6 p.m. tonight" or "Send the photos to Eric tomorrow at 3 p.m.," Reminders extracts the relevant information and adds it to the reminder automatically.

The Calendar app also supports natural language input, identifying people, dates, and locations as you type. You can then tap the suggested information to quickly add it to your event.

Inline Reply to Messages From Android Users

In the Messages app, you can now long press on a specific message from an Android user (a green chat bubble) and get an option to reply to it. That contrasts with iOS 26, where inline replies are limited to blue bubbles sent over Apple's iMessage platform.

Upgrade Your Wallet Passes

Apple has expanded the redesigned pass experience in the Wallet app with iOS 27, bringing the enhanced design introduced for airline boarding passes in iOS 26 to additional pass types. Membership, gift, loyalty, and rewards cards can now use a new Poster Generic layout with a background image, a logo, customizable header and footer fields, main information, and an optional barcode. Passes can also include up to two quick actions at the bottom, such as getting directions to a venue or checking a rewards points balance.

Describe Your Next Shortcut

Apple Intelligence makes creating shortcuts much more accessible by letting you build them with natural language. Tapping New Shortcut in the Shortcuts app opens a Describe a Shortcut interface, where you simply explain what you want the shortcut to do. You can describe a single action or a more complex automation, and Apple Intelligence selects the appropriate actions and assembles the shortcut automatically.

For example, you could create a shortcut that sets tomorrow's alarm based on your first Calendar event, enables Sleep Focus, and dims the bedroom lights each evening, or one that displays your first meeting, the weather, and today's reminders every morning. Like existing shortcuts, these automations can be triggered by factors such as the time of day, your location, app activity, system events like taking a screenshot, incoming notifications, and more.

Get a Better Flyover of Your City

Apple is enhancing the Flyover feature in Maps with iOS 27, using Apple Intelligence models to improve aerial imagery with greater texture and sharper detail. Trees, buildings, and other landmarks appear more realistic, with more accurate geometry and improved lighting effects.

According to Apple, the update makes select cities around the world look more lifelike, from the shape of individual trees to the way light reflects off glass skyscrapers. Flyover already offers detailed 3D views of landmarks, roads, parks, and buildings in more than 350 cities, so iOS 27 is essentially using AI to further improve the quality of those visualizations.

Ask Siri What Your Camera Sees

The iOS 27 Camera app has a new "Siri" mode that is available in addition to the video, photo, and other camera modes. The new mode uses Visual Intelligence to identify objects in the frame and provide information about them. It can be used to identify plants, animals, food, and more. If it's food you want info on, for example, it can tell you what it is, and how many calories are in it.

Other examples ‌Siri‌ mode can be used for include capturing a photo of an event flyer and adding a date to the Calendar app, text translation, splitting a bill, and more.

Make Your Lock Screen Clock More Compact

A new compact clock mode is available as a new Lock Screen layout option in iOS 27. Found in the top-right corner of the Font & Color panel, the option moves the time from its traditional large, centered position to a much smaller format alongside the date and widgets at the top of the screen. It's a nice option to have if you like a cleaner Lock Screen look that shows off your wallpaper more fully, and it's the complete opposite effect introduced in iOS 26 that stretches the clock down the screen.

Generate Photo-realistic Images with Image Playground

Apple's Image Playground has been a bit of an embarrassment up until now, being limited to cutesy re-renderings of actual photos and sketched illustrations. But the app gets a major update in iOS 27. Powered by a new generative model that runs on Private Cloud Compute, it can produce high-quality images in virtually any style, including photo-realistic output for the first time. All generated images automatically carry a hidden SynthID watermark to identify them as AI-generated. The app now also supports photo-based editing in addition to creation.

Tweak Liquid Glass Opacity

If Apple's Liquid Glass UI embrace in iOS 26 wasn't your thing, there's a way to tone it down. In iOS 27, Apple added a full Liquid Glass slider under Settings ➝ Appearance ➝ Liquid Glass. It changes the translucency of Liquid Glass elements, and you can choose a clear version of Liquid Glass that allows some of the background to show through, select a more opaque, tinted version that improves the legibility of text, or choose something in between.

Create a Slideshow from Any Album

In iOS 27, you can create a slideshow from any album, collection, or selection of photos in the Photos app, rather than being limited to Memories. Open an album or select multiple photos, tap the menu button in the top-right corner, and choose Start Slideshow. Slideshows can be customized with different transition styles, slide durations, and background music, and then saved as a video or shared directly to social media.

Easily Switch Between Siri and ChatGPT

The new Siri app in iOS 27 defaults to the new Siri AI, but you can switch it to ChatGPT if you prefer. Simply long press on the text input field and tap "Ask...", then you'll see an option to change to ChatGPT. Note that conversation context does not transfer when you switch chatbot providers. Currently, ChatGPT appears as an alternative in the Siri AI app whether or not you have the ChatGPT extension enabled in Settings ➝ Siri ➝ ChatGPT.

Build a Browser Extension With a Prompt

Safari has been given a new AI-powered extension creation feature. A new Create an Extension option, available from Safari's menu to the left of the address bar, lets you describe what you want an extension to do in plain language, and Apple generates it for you. If you need inspiration, Apple also provides suggested ideas across categories including Boost Productivity, Improve Focus, Get Creative, and Develop and Design.

Get AI Summaries of HomeKit Camera Footage (iCloud+ Only)

The Home app is now able to generate written summaries for motion alerts from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. It's also able to group footage from separate cameras for an overview of activity and pull out noteworthy recordings, plus it supports natural language search. Bear in mind that this feature is only available if you have an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage (that's a $9.99/month subscription).

Equalize Your AirPods

With iOS 27, Apple finally introduces adjustable EQ controls for compatible AirPods models. With your AirPods paired and the latest firmware installed, you can go to Settings ➝ [Your AirPods] ➝ Audio & Routing ➝ Equalizer ➝ Custom to adjust the lows, mids, and highs. Custom EQ is available on AirPods with Apple's H2 chip, including AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2.

Customize Siri's Voice

Apple has introduced a more powerful on-device Apple Intelligence model for the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. The upgraded model can understand and generate speech, as well as interpret text and images, enabling a more natural and responsive Siri experience. It also unlocks new voice customization options that let you adjust Siri's expressiveness and speaking pace to suit your preferences.

Rate Your Photos

Apple now lets you assign one- to five-star ratings and keywords to photos and videos in the Photos app, making it easier to organize and filter your library. To go with the new feature, Apple has added a Show Rating Controls option to the Photos section of the Settings app. When enabled, it displays star ratings on photos and videos and adds rating badges to thumbnails, ensuring that your highest-rated media is easy to spot at a glance.

Ask Questions About Your Surroundings

In Accessibility, Apple has added a new Live Recognition section. Powered by on-device intelligence, Live Recognition uses the iPhone's camera to identify and describe people, objects, and surroundings in real time. It can also answer questions about what it sees, with the option to set a default prompt for quick access.

Auto-Update Your Weak Passwords

If you use Apple's Passwords app, there's a new feature that uses Safari to automatically change weak and compromised passwords for you. The feature uses ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to automatically navigate to eligible websites, sign in, and update your password with a tap.

Save a Still From a Video

The Photos app in iOS 27 lets you pull a single frame out of a video and save it as its own photo. So you no longer have to rely on the old workaround of pausing playback, taking a screenshot, and cropping out the scrubber. The frame is subsequently saved in your library as a normal image, ready to edit or share just like any other shot.

Give Your Alarms Their Own Volume

In iOS 27, Settings ➝ Sounds & Haptics gains an Alarms and Timers section with a "Match Ringtone Volume" toggle. Switch it off and a dedicated slider appears, so you can drop the ringer to nothing overnight and still get woken at the volume you chose. Apple's own note under the slider says it won't override wake-up alarms or other alarms that carry their own volume control.

Share Your Location for as Long as You Want

In iOS 26, sharing your location in Find My involves choosing from three presets: one hour, until end of day, or indefinitely. By contrast, iOS 27 adds custom durations – four days and six hours, for example. Alternatively, you can enter an exact date and time for sharing to expire. You can also pause sharing with specific people until the end of the day, without them being informed.

Show Both Camera Views on a FaceTime Call

FaceTime has a Dual Capture option in iOS 27. On the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air, you can use the front and back cameras at the same time while on a FaceTime call. The person you're calling is able to see your face and what's shown through the back camera. You can turn on Dual Capture on a supported iPhone by tapping on the camera flip button. If you only want to show the back camera feed, you can tap to turn off the front camera view.

Draw in Messages

You can now drawing in the Messages app to send little sketches and notes. It's available when tapping on the "+" button next to the text bar in a conversation. The drawing interface is the same as the Markup tool available in apps like Photos and Notes. There's a marker, a pen, a highlighter, and an eraser, plus options to use the tools in any color.

Get Notified About a Webpage Change

Apple's new version of Safari browser in macOS 27 and iOS 27 can be tasked to monitor a webpage and notify you of any changes. With "Notify Me," Safari can keep checking a website on your behalf – such as a product you've been watching for when it comes back in stock – and alert you when a change occurs.

Reframe a Photo

A new Reframe feature in Photos can change the perspective of a photo and make adjustments to the angle of a person or object. It uses the spatial information the iPhone gathers when a photo is taken, and combines it with AI to change the angle of the camera in post-processing. The spatial data is used for adjusting the subject of the image, and then AI fills in any pixels that are missing.

Get Spending Insights in Wallet

A new "Insights" feature in the Wallet app lets you add different Connected Accounts to monitor your spending. Accessed by tapping the three dots in the top right corner, the feature displays your spending highlights, trends, and other details. Note that Connected Accounts integration is dependent on your bank offering the feature, and currently it has broader support in the U.K. than in the U.S.

Get Context When on a Call

When you're on a phone call to a business, a new feature called "Call Context" proactively surfaces relevant information. If you call an airline to change a flight, for example, the Phone app can automatically find the relevant confirmation code or reservation number from Mail and display it during the call. Apple says Call Context looks only at who the user is calling and not at the call audio itself. The feature runs entirely on device, meaning no data is shared with Apple or any third party.

Learn What's Trending Around You in Maps

In Maps, a new Local Lists section uses intelligent insights from what's trending around you for suggestions on places you should visit. Maps surfaces locally relevant collections of places to make it easier to find popular and interesting locations. Apple says Local Lists is privacy-focused and does not use information tied to individual users. Note that this feature is only available in the U.S.

Write With Siri Anywhere You Type

Siri's Writing Tools have been broadened to work across the system in iOS 27. You can ask Siri to draft something from scratch, shorten it, turn bullet points into prose, or change the tone of an email to something more formal. In Mail and Messages, Siri also mimics your writing style, and Smart Replies are configured to match it. There's also automatic proofreading for spelling and grammar as you type.

Ask Siri About Whatever's on Your Screen

Onscreen awareness means Siri knows what you're looking at without you having to describe it. You can select text or long press an image in any app, then ask Siri about the selection. It can summarize text, translate menus, tell you where a photo taken, and explain what a chart shows. It works in third-party apps too.

Put Siri to Work in Your Inbox

Long press an email and a built-in Ask Siri option will appear. From there, you can ask Siri to summarize the message, pull out a flight number, track a package, or save an attached photo. It can also carry out tasks, like deleting every email from a particular sender or moving details into your Reminders list. Swipe down on the response and you can ask follow-ups. And the whole exchange gets logged in the Siri app.

Swipe Down for Search or Ask

Spotlight, as you know it, is gone in iOS 27. Swiping down from the middle of the Home Screen now opens Search or Ask, where you can type or speak to Siri. Apple rebuilt the underlying search index at the same time, so returned results are more current. Meanwhile, Mail search now ranks by relevance and intent rather than date, and shows you up to five top results.

Turn a Paper Ticket Into a Wallet Pass

A new Create a Pass option in Wallet lets you digitize physical tickets, membership cards, and coupons that have no app equivalent. Simply point your iPhone's camera at a barcode or QR code and Visual Intelligence will do the rest, or you can add the details manually. Templates cover Standard, Membership, and Event types, and you can choose from 12 background colors, several texture options, and seven themed backgrounds for the likes of theater, music, and sports.

Use One Phone Number on Two iPhones

iPhone Handoff is a new feature that lets you use the same number on two iPhones and switch between them, which is super-handy if you keep an older device as a backup. It relies on eSIM and needs carrier support. At launch, that means T-Mobile in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom in Germany. Note that T-Mobile will charge you $5 a month for the privilege.

Redeem a Gift Card by Tapping It

Apple gift cards can be redeemed by holding the card against the back of your iPhone, so you don't need to scan or type in the code. It's a small but nice touch, especially for anyone who has squinted at a 16-character string in the checkout queue.

Let Android Friends Into Your Shared Albums

iCloud Shared Albums now accept contributions from Android and Windows users via a web browser, and photos and videos can be added at full resolution in all common formats. Albums can be set to expire after 30 days, filtered by photos or videos, and reacted to with any emoji, and there's an activity log showing who added what. Just be aware that if you own the Shared Album, its contents take up your iCloud storage space.

Find the Photos You Actually Took

There are two new Utilities folders in the Photos app in iOS 27. Captured by Me gathers every image shot with the Camera app on your current or previous iPhone, while filtering out screenshots, memes, and everything else that finds itself into your library. Elsewhere, Identity Documents collects pictures of passports, licenses, and any of your similar paperwork in one place.

Erase Bigger Things From Your Photos

Clean Up has been rebuilt on new models and can reconstruct much more of a background than in previous iOS versions, so it's no longer limited to small blemishes on plain backdrops. It now offers three options: Fast for simple edits, High Quality for busier scenes, and Auto, which lets the Photos app decide.

Give One Widget a Whole Home Screen Page

iOS 27 adds an extra-large widget size that fills an entire Home Screen page. Apps that support it include Calendar, Photos, Music, and Weather, with third-party app developers able to add the bumper size too.

Stop Sending Accidental Voice Messages

If you've ever fired off three seconds of ambient noise by accident in the Messages app, you can now select which audio button sits at the end of the input field, or get rid of the icon entirely. Go to Settings ➝ Messages ➝ Show in Text Field and set the right-side button to Record Audio, Start Dictation, or None.

Let Failed Messages Resend Themselves

When a message, photo, or video fails to send, your iPhone now retries automatically instead of slapping a red exclamation mark next to it. Sending a large attachment on a weak connection no longer holds up the rest of the conversation either, since each item gets its own progress bar. Notifications for tapback responses are consolidated too, which spares you multiple alerts every time a group thread gives you a collective thumbs-up.

Redo a Genmoji Without Starting Over

Genmoji creation has been overhauled in iOS 27, and now you can start from an existing emoji, a photo, or a person, then use a "Describe a Change" interface to adjust individual elements rather than regenerating them from scratch. Each tweak builds on the previous version, and a style option lets you swap the default 3D cartoon look for something closer to a sketch or drawing.

Pair Your iPhone With a Treadmill

GymKit has finally come to the iPhone. Gym equipment that supports it, like treadmills and indoor bikes, can now pair directly with your iPhone for two-way data syncing. The feature previously required an Apple Watch.

Track Perimenopause in the Health App

Cycle Tracking has been expanded to cover perimenopause and menopause, and the Health app will send a notification when your logged cycle patterns suggest perimenopause. Apple has also added matching Fitness+ workouts, while the Browse section has been redesigned around cards instead of a long list.

See Rain and Wind Hour by Hour

The Weather app now opens with a new Highlights section covering what you need to know for the day. Below that, the Conditions view can be toggled between temperature, precipitation, and wind, while the 10-day forecast changes to match, so you can the chances of rain for the week without tapping into anything.

Watch Video in CarPlay While You're Parked

CarPlay apps can now offer video browsing and playback, but only while the car is stationary, as it should be. If you start driving mid-episode, playback automatically drops to audio only. iPhone apps that support AirPlay can stream to the car display as well, but that requires automakers to enable it, and none have said they will yet.

Approve Every Website Your Child Visits

Apple in iOS 27 has substantially reworked Parental Controls. Ask to Browse now requires your sign-off on each new website a child opens in Safari, joining Ask to Buy for app downloads and a new setting that requires permission before a child contacts someone new. Time Allowances cap daily use of Entertainment, Games, and Social Media apps with age-based suggestions, Daily Schedules control which apps are available when, and a redesigned Screen Time shows usage at a glance. Lastly, Communication Safety now blurs gore and violence as well as nudity for under-18s.

Notice Your Old iPhone Getting Faster

Apple put a lot of effort into maximizing iPhone performance in iOS 27, and its work in this area reaches all the way back to the iPhone 11. Apple says apps launch up to 30 percent faster, AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent quicker, and new captures appear in a 50,000-photo library up to 70 percent faster. The CPU scheduler has also been reworked, while the emoji keyboard no longer pauses before it appears, and the Camera app opens faster in Low Power Mode. If that's not enough, the iPhone is also better at judging when to switch between Wi-Fi and cellular.
This article, "50 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27 - Out Now!" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

It looks like the iPhone Duo's vertical Dock can currently only house four apps maximum. In his hands-on with the device, Marques Brownlee attempted to add a fifth app to the Dock, but was unable to do so. Apple does not mention the four-app limit in its tech documentation, but those hoping to add a fifth or sixth app to it may be out of luck.

For the iPhone Duo, Apple made the Dock vertical along the right of the screen, with unused space at either end of it. It will likely take some getting used to for iPhone users – especially left-handed ones. We don't know if Apple will provide a left-handed mode for the rest of us.
This article, "iPhone Duo's Vertical Dock Seemingly Limited to Four App Icons" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Code sleuth "pdfu" has uncovered iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate private frameworks that show Apple has designed its new Siri architecture to work with third-party AI models at what appears to be a surprisingly deep level.


One mechanism called Model Delegation allows Claude to appear as a Siri extension in the same way as the existing built-in ChatGPT extension. In pdfu's video, shared on X, the macOS user brings up the "Search or Ask" bar and chooses Claude as the AI model via an "Ask..." contextual menu.

After enabling the Claude extension, the user asks Siri to "Ask Claude" to set a reminder in Apple's Reminders app. Claude then interprets the natural language reminder request and Siri subsequently creates the reminder. The implication is that if the request requires access to an Apple system feature, Claude hands the task back to Siri.

In another example, Claude can be seen in a Siri app conversation window receiving a request to create a CSV file – something Siri itself cannot handle – and successfully returning the result.

What's more intriguing is the second protocol demonstrated in the video that appears to go considerably further, and could really open up the AI landscape for Apple software requests.

An inference provider in "Model Manager Services" apparently allows Apple's own server-side Siri model to be completely replaced by another model, such as GPT-5.6. In this scenario, ChatGPT receives Apple's Siri planner prompt and tool definitions, which enables it to request system actions, receive the resulting personal data, and formulate an answer that Siri presents using its own interface and voice.


In the demonstration video, the user asks the ChatGPT model (within the Siri app) to find emails about a specific topic, summarize their contents and action points, then send a message to a person in the user's contacts via the Messages app. The response is then shown as logged in OpenAI's platform web interface.

The European Union's Digital Markets Act may have helped shape Apple's approach here, as it requires Apple to give third parties effective access to iOS hardware and software features available to Apple's own services, and the European Commission has specifically said this principle extends to Siri.

The "Ask..." implementation is currently limited to the ChatGPT extension in the macOS 27 Golden Gate Release Candidate (which is effectively the final version of the software set to be released later today), so Claude is not yet available. Meanwhile, Apple has not yet opened up the model delegation entitlement to third parties and it isn't front-facing to users, but it at least shows how extensively Apple has engineered Siri for future model interoperability.
This article, "Apple's Siri AI Can Be Swapped Out for Claude, ChatGPT, Code Shows" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums