Apple appears to have quietly tripled the number of iCloud Mail aliases users can create, increasing the limit from three to nine. The increase was first noticed last week by a Reddit user, and picked up shortly after by a member of the MacRumors forums. MacRumors can confirm the change is live at iCloud.com.

The increased limit has not been mentioned by Apple, so it could conceivably be a test, but that seems unlikely. It's a nice perk to have, but as of this writing, Apple's iCloud User Guide still says the maximum number of aliases allowed is three.
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A new open-source tool is making waves in the Mac community by helping users reclaim valuable storage space taken up by Apple's AI models. Called "RemoveMacAI," the command line tool disables Apple Intelligence on macOS 27, removes its downloaded models, and prevents them from being downloaded again.


In macOS 27, Apple removed the toggle to disable Apple Intelligence wholesale, and simply disabling individual features doesn't remove the models from your Mac's drive. As explained by the developer, RemoveMacAI gets around this by using a configuration profile to switch off Apple's own asset management service and remove the models.

It then configures the system so attempts to download the removed models are redirected to a closed local port, preventing them from immediately coming back. And it does all this without disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) or manually deleting files from protected system locations, unlike some older tools have.

The tool can free up roughly 12GB of space depending on which models are present on your Mac. That said, some users are reporting cases of Apple Intelligence models having taken up a lot more space, which they've now reclaimed.

With the Apple models gone, you lose all Siri-related AI features, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, summaries, smart replies, inline predictions, Photos Clean Up, Spatial Photos, and Xcode predictive completion. Even so, plenty of users appear happy to make the sacrifice to free up space, especially on non-upgradeable Macs with 256GB of storage. The profile reportedly persists across updates. And if you're wondering, dictation still works. There's also a revert command to restore everything AI-related.

The project has attracted hundreds of GitHub stars since its release last week, and there's lots of discussion on Reddit and Hacker News about the need for such a tool. Just be aware that MacRumors isn't endorsing RemoveMacAI, and anyone using it does so at their own risk.

The developer has mentioned one caveat, and it's that some of the configuration-profile restriction keys that the tool relies on were deprecated by Apple in macOS 26.4. While they still work in macOS 27.0.1, a future version could always change that. Something to keep in mind.
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Code explorer pdfu has shared a new feature tidbit for the upcoming iPhone Duo. Apple is reportedly introducing new Focus mode controls on the device's Lock Screen.


When a Focus mode is active, a new button appears above the bottom controls that lets you toggle it off and on while you remain on the Lock Screen. The active Focus also appears in the status bar above the clock when you unlock the device.

Apple has rebuilt iOS 27 to adapt in real time to the company's first foldable iPhone, reshaping the interface as the device folds, unfolds, and switches between its two displays.

• iPhone Duo Launch: Be First in Line With These 8 Tips

Pre-orders for ‌iPhone Duo‌ open at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.
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Apple's upgraded Siri AI could remain unavailable in the European Union for several months yet, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said a delay of around five months would be the "absolute best-case scenario," with European users potentially facing an even longer wait while Apple negotiates its compliance with the bloc's digital rules.

Gurman reckons Apple is withholding the upgrade to pressure the European Commission, hoping that frustrated customers will push for changes to its approach, and he compared the situation with Apple Intelligence's delayed EU rollout. Note that Siri AI is not available in the EU on iPhone or iPad, but EU users have access to it on Mac. ‌
This article, "EU iPhone and iPad Users Could Still Face Months-Long Wait for Siri AI" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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15 years ago today, Steve Jobs passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56. It was the day after Apple executives introduced the iPhone 4s at a media event on the company's Infinite Loop headquarters campus.


In the days following his passing, Apple began posting comments from fans on its "Remembering Steve" webpage. Apple continues to maintain the page, highlighting some of the over one million submissions from people around the world who "shared their memories, thoughts, and feelings about Steve."

The company marked the first anniversary of his passing with a photo and audio slideshow on its website, and we are expecting something similar this anniversary. Throughout his tenure as Apple CEO, Tim Cook traditionally shared words of remembrance on social media and with Apple staff on this day. In his new role as executive chairman, he is continuing that tradition.

This year we have also seen a tribute from the new chief executive, John Ternus.


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On iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple slimmed down the cutout where the Dynamic Island lives, allowing the latter to support up to three simultaneous Live Activities. But it turns out there's a catch.

As noted by code explorer pdfu, the third Live Activity in iOS 27 is only ever a system activity, such as Now Playing or navigation – it can't be another app. So if you own a new iPhone 18 Pro and were wondering why you hadn't seen as many Live Activities in the Dynamic Island as perhaps you were expecting, that's why.
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Award-winning camera app Halide Mark III has been updated to version 3.2, bringing dedicated support for iPhone 18 Pro by broadening user control over the device's new variable aperture camera system.


Apple's stock Camera app lets iPhone 18 Pro owners choose from a four-stop variable aperture ranging from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, delivering around 50 percent better low-light performance and giving users more optical control over depth of field.

Halide 3.2 does away with that four-stop limitation and instead lets you select any ƒ-stop setting within the camera's full range.

There are two styles of aperture control in the app. The first is Aperture Priority mode, where you can set the ƒ-stop and the app handles the shutter speed and ISO to properly expose the shot.

The other style is Manual mode, which gives users full control over all three settings. This includes ISO settings – something that Apple's stock Camera app doesn't offer manual control over. Halide has said it is also considering adding f-stop presets in future updates, based on user feedback.

Elsewhere in this update though, Halide 3.2 adds two new film simulations, or photographic looks: Dawn and Quicksilver. Dawn features "filmic warmth in mid-tones and highlights, paired with rich yet gentle shadows and subtle complementary cool colors."

Quicksilver is described as a "high contrast and muted color" that simulates a "silver-retention alternative process." Halide's developers call it an "excellent midpoint between color and stark black-and-white."

Lastly, version 3.2 introduces a new 16:9 aspect ratio shooting mode for those who want to use a wider framing.

• iPhone 18 Pro: Using the New Variable Aperture Lens

Halide 3.2 is available to download on the App Store, and costs $69.99 as a one-time purchase price, or $19.99 for an annual subscription.
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Sales of iPhone 18 Pro models in China were 12% higher in the three days after launching than sales of iPhone 17 Pro models were during their entire first week last year, according to Counterpoint Research.

The strong start helped Apple claim the top spot in the country's smartphone market for the week of September 14 to 20, handing it a 33% share. But the news could get even better for Apple's China market prospects this month: The iPhone Duo goes on sale October 23, and Chinese consumers have a much stronger appetite for foldable devices compared to the rest of the world.
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Apple TV appears to be unavailable for some users, following a recent outage of Apple Services that began on September 30.


The original outage took down the App Store, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, and several other services, but those are all now back online. Only Apple TV is still not working for an unknown number of users.

Apple's System Status page indicates an ongoing issue with Apple TV that started on September 30 at 4:43 p.m. Eastern Time. "Some users are affected," the page says, adding "Apple TV may be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance."

We'll update this article when the situation changes.
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From October 1, 2026, Microsoft began disabling Exchange Web Services (EWS) by default in Exchange Online, which will cut off the protocol that Apple's Mail and Calendar apps on Mac still rely on to sync Microsoft 365 work accounts.


The cutoff has been on the cards for a fairly long time, as Microsoft stopped adding new features to EWS back in 2018, while in 2023 it announced that it would start disabling the protocol in Exchange Online from October 2026.

As Microsoft explains in the blog post linked above, organizations that have chosen to keep EWS running aren't affected for now. As for everyone else, the cutoff may not happen all at once. In a recently updated post from June, Microsoft described the change as a "phased rollout," so some Mac users could lose access sooner than others.

It's still possible for IT administrators to restore access. However, Microsoft plans to shut down EWS in Exchange Online permanently on April 1, 2027, and no extensions are currently planned.

As you'd expect, Apple is aware of the situation. In an Apple Platform Deployment support document, the company says it is "actively working with Microsoft" to move Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Reminders apps on Mac to the newer Microsoft Graph API in a future macOS 27 update.

Except, that update hasn't arrived yet. Apple skipped macOS 27.1 betas entirely, while release notes for the macOS 27.2 betas have yet to make any mention of Graph support.

Meanwhile, affected organizations can just keep EWS running or move Mac users to a Graph-compatible client, such as Microsoft's Outlook app.

Note that the change will only affect Microsoft's cloud-hosted email server. In other words, companies that run their own Exchange servers aren't affected. Neither will iPhone and iPad be impacted, since they use Exchange ActiveSync rather than EWS.

(Thanks, Jonathan!)
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In macOS 27 Golden Gate, Siri AI is a lot smarter than before, so it doesn't always flail and attempt to hand your questions over to ChatGPT. However, if you still prefer OpenAI's chatbot for certain queries, you can still ask for it explicitly.


In macOS Tahoe, Siri would suggest passing a request to ChatGPT when it thought the chatbot could help. In macOS 27 though, ChatGPT only answers when you specifically ask it. There's also no setting that makes ChatGPT your default assistant – as things stand, you need to choose it for each query. Here's how it's done.

Turn On the ChatGPT Extension

1. Open System Settings.


2. Click Siri in the sidebar.


3. Click ChatGPT under "Extension."
   
   
4. Turn on Use Extension.


5. Choose whether to sign in with a ChatGPT account.
   

If you sign in, your requests are saved to your ChatGPT chat history (OpenAI's privacy policies apply). If you skip sign-in, OpenAI receives nothing tied to your Apple Account and it can't store your requests.

Ask ChatGPT in Search or Ask

1. Press Command-Space to open the Search or Ask bar (formerly Spotlight Search).


2. Right-click (or Control-click) the field.


3. Choose Ask ➝ Use ChatGPT.


4. Type your question, then press Enter.
   
   

When an answer comes back, unless there are follow-up questions, the field will switch back to Siri AI for the next query. So if you want to use ChatGPT again, you'll need to manually choose it next time around.

Another way to query ChatGPT directly is to start your spoken Siri request with "ask ChatGPT." The same phrasing works if you type it into the Search or Ask field.

ChatGPT is the only option for now in Golden Gate. Code in macOS 27 suggests that Claude can appear in the same Ask menu, but Apple has yet to make AI provider selection available.
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An indie developer has built an app that turns Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo into a virtual Sony Walkman by using the foldable's hinge to mimic the classic cassette player's flip-open door.


Creator Vidit Bhargava is calling the app Duo-Man, which was designed in BitRig's new iPhone Duo development environment. Bhargava's app lets users open the device to pick their music and "insert" a cassette on the 7.6-inch inner display, then snap it shut to start playback, 80s-style.

Bhargava told TechCrunch he wanted to make the experience feel authentic, so he went so far as to record button clicks and static from a real Walkman for use in the app.

Duo-Man won second place at the recent Bitrig hackathon in San Francisco, and his post about the app on X (Twitter) has gained more than 2.1 million views.


The enthusiastic response has led Bhargava to turn the project into a proper release, and the finished app will support Apple Music and local files, as well as an Apple Pencil feature for "rolling" the cassette loop (a common battery-saving Walkman hack). Depending on its popularity, Spotify support may also be on the cards.

No release date has been announced for the app, but we know when the iPhone Duo is coming: Pre-orders begin Friday, October 16, with availability starting October 23.
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Apple has been ordered to pay $5.7 billion in damages to Taction Technology after a federal jury found it had infringed two of the haptics company's patents, reported CNBC over the weekend.


Taction sued Apple in 2021, arguing that Apple's Taptic Engine in the company's Apple Watches and iPhones uses its inventions without proper license or authority. Apple initially had the case dismissed in 2023, but the Federal Circuit later revived it.

The jury trial began September 14, and seven jurors deliberated for two days after proceedings concluded. They returned on Friday and delivered the verdict in favor of Taction.

"We're happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights," the company's lead counsel, Lance Yang, told CNBC. "Taction waited five and a half years for this case to get to trial, so it was a long time coming."

Apple said it intends to appeal the decision.

"While we thank the jury for their consideration, we strongly disagree with today's verdict and the damages awarded, which are entirely unsupported by the facts," Apple told CNBC in a statement. "Apple's Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology, which Taction's own testing of Apple's products confirmed during trial. Apple does not use Taction's technology, and we will appeal."

In Friday's verdict at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, jurors did not find that Apple had infringed the patents willingly.
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Apple is working on a "completely revamped" Vision Pro headset that could go in any of four directions and likely won't arrive before late 2028 or early 2029, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple's Vision team is exploring four concepts for the device, codenamed N224, including designs that offload internal components in a similar way to Meta's latest VR Glasses, which are expected to launch next spring.

An external computing module on Meta's device houses the battery and main processor, and can be clipped to the user's waist. Gurman, who has previewed Meta's headset, says the module is about the same size and weight as the current Vision Pro's battery pack, but with a grippy exterior.

Gurman reports that regardless of the Vision team's work, senior Apple decision-makers still consider the external puck concept as a "poor user experience" and want the company to stick with "something closer to an all-in-one design."

If any of this sounds familiar, that's because Gurman reported in June that Apple was still working on a cheaper, lighter successor to its Vision Pro headset. (The device-in-development is distinct from the long-rumored "Vision Air," which was cancelled last year.)

Apple knows it needs to come up with ways to simplify the design and make something cheaper and lighter, and it is said to be actively exploring ways to reduce the headset's weight by experimenting with plastic, titanium, other metals and various materials.

Still, Gurman has been told the work is on "life support" as the company focuses more on smart glasses, which it aims to release in late 2027. Despite the Vision Pro's most senior leaders "pressing their bosses to keep the category alive, funded and growing at Apple," Gurman says there's still no guarantee a new headset will ever launch.
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Apple released watchOS 27 on September 14. The features and changes aren't limited to owners of new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models. If you have an Apple Watch model that supports the latest update, here are 12 features and changes to check out after installation.


To do so, open the Watch app on your iPhone, then tap General ➝ Software Update, strap your watch into a charger, and follow the onscreen prompts.

Check Out the Dedicated Siri App

Siri has finally caught up with the AI revolution, and apart from having contextual awareness, it now has an app of its own that collects every conversation in a single view and syncs them privately across your devices over iCloud. Just ask something on your iPhone and you can pick the thread up again on your Apple Watch, as well as pin conversations worth keeping, or even start a new chat directly from your wrist.

Try Siri Modular Watch Face

The new Siri watch face is a genuinely useful one. Its rectangular complication shows you whatever sits at the top of your Smart Stack, and it automatically updates through the day based on time, location, and other factors.

The Dynamic App Grid

Pressing the Digital Crown no longer produces the honeycomb app view by default. Now, watchOS 27 shows a dynamic grid made up of suggested apps, your most-used apps, and your most recently used ones. The Siri app sits in the middle, but the alphabetical list remains available – simply turn the Digital Crown to navigate through all of your apps.

New Tap Gesture

Apple has added a third gesture to Double Tap and Wrist Flick. The new one is simply called Tap. A single tap of your index finger and thumb opens the highlighted widget in the Smart Stack. You can still navigate the Smart Stack with Double Tap and dismiss notifications with Wrist Flick.

Walkie-Talkie Has Been Deleted

Walkie-Talkie is gone, and not merely hidden. The app is unavailable after updating to watchOS 27 and cannot be reinstalled from the App Store. You can keep the app by staying on watchOS 26, but you won't be able to start a conversation with a contact who has updated.

Live Rewind (Not Yet)

This is the change most likely to catch people out. In watchOS 26 and earlier, a double press of the Digital Crown opens the App Switcher, where you can jump back to the previous app, scroll through recent ones, and swipe to force-quit anything misbehaving.

That's changed in watchOS 27, in which a double press shows the new dynamic app grid instead. The gesture has been reserved for Live Rewind, an upcoming feature (exclusive to Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4) that produces a transcript of the last fifteen seconds of speech in your environment.

Fortunately, the App Switcher will still be available when watchOS 27.2 is released later this year, but it will open with a different gesture. If you're already on the latest beta, simply long press on the bottom of the app that you're in, and that should open the App Switcher.

Find My is Now One App

Find Devices, Find Items, and Find People have been folded into a single Find My app with a map-centric layout, which also includes shortcuts for directions and for items nearby.

Workout Buddy No Longer Needs Your iPhone

Introduced in watchOS 26, Workout Buddy previously required your iPhone within range. In watchOS 27, your Apple Watch can run it if Wi-Fi or cellular is available. It also draws new insights from your training history, tracking gradual gains in pace, distance and workout duration, and it now speaks Spanish as well as English.

New Cycle Tracking Features

Cycle Tracking in the Health app can now notify you if your logged patterns are suggestive of perimenopause, alongside symptom tracking and educational material. The notifications only draw on your logged cycle history and apply to users aged 40 and over. Apple says the feature is not a method of birth control and is not a diagnosis.

Treadmill Distance Is More Accurate

In watchOS 27, new machine learning motion algorithms measure distance more precisely for indoor runs and walks, and Apple says the improvement starts from the first step, as opposed to settling after a few minutes. Fitness route maps are more accurate too, and step counts finally stay in sync between the Fitness and Health apps.

The Smart Stack Gets More to Say

The Smart Stack's contextual suggestions are now a lot smarter. A few examples provided by Apple include new widgets surfacing your parked car's location, a close contact's birthday, a change in your transit card balance, the Noise app immediately after a loud-noise alert, a reminder that Theater Mode is still on, pinned messages, celebrations, and identity cards.

New Models Get a Steps Counter

On Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, the redesigned pedometer model and S11 chip allow watchOS 27 to provide more accurate step counts. There's also a new Steps complication on the latest models to track your steps in real time, right from your watch face. Will we see the feature come to older devices? Your guess is as good as ours.
This article, "watchOS 27: 12 New Things To Check Out on Your Apple Watch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In iOS 27, Apple's Wallet app lets you create custom passes for things like event tickets, gift cards, loyalty cards, and more. Here's how it works.


If you have a ticket for an event and there's not a digital version available for the Wallet app, you can create one using the physical pass you have. The same goes for other cards, like a membership card, for example.

The Wallet app can use ‌Visual Intelligence‌ to scan your card, and it will match it to a template with corresponding fields that you can tweak before adding it to your Wallet.

Alternatively, you can create the pass manually, choose a template ("Membership," "Event," or "Custom") and then adjust the color and other details. All you need to do then is scan the barcode or QR code from your physical pass.

Each template includes relevant information like name, location, or admission type. There are 12 background colors to choose from, or seven custom backgrounds for categories like theater, music, sports, and movies.

Fields can be added or removed when creating a custom pass, with options like label, date, membership, contact, coupon code, VIN, insurance, and more, so most physical cards should be able to be stored digitally.

Here's how you create a pass with ‌Visual Intelligence‌:

1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone and tap the + button at the top.


2. Choose Create a Pass.
   
   
3. To let Visual Intelligence scan the pass, tap Continue, then take a photo of it in the next screen.
   
   
4. After Visual Intelligence matches the pass to a template, tap Edit Pass.


5. Use the palette icon in the bottom-left corner to change the look of the pass – you can the background colour, or use an image from your Photos library. Tap the icon in the bottom-right corner to add or remove fields.
   
   
6. Tap the blue checkmark at the top when you're done.

Your custom pass will now be added to your Wallet, ready for use. To edit it at any time, simply select it in Wallet, tap the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen, then tap Edit Pass.
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If you installed macOS 27 Golden Gate, here's a way to find out when your Mac was manufactured. Apple has restored access to information that effectively disappeared when it randomized its serial numbers a few years ago.


On your Mac, go to System Settings ➝ General ➝ About, then click "Regulatory Certification" under the System Report button. The certificate will show with a new "Date of Manufacture" field at the bottom.

You used to be able to decode the serial number on an Apple device to find out when and where it was made. That changed in 2021, when Apple began adopting randomized serial numbers without encoded manufacturing details.

That left owners of newer Macs with no similarly straightforward way to determine when their machine was made – until macOS 27 arrived.


The spot was made by MacRumors forum member pdfu. Another forum member said that the displayed date they saw on their certificate corresponded to their Mac's logic board rather than the date the complete machine was assembled. That logic board had been replaced though, suggesting that's where the date of manufacture is stored.

The regulatory certification first appeared during the macOS 27 beta cycle and it hasn't, to our knowledge, been highlighted by Apple.
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Apple has reportedly shelved plans to launch an AI pendant, while Meta appears to be going all out in the nascent hardware space with a new handheld AI companion. Mark Zuckerberg used his "one more thing" moment at the company's annual Connect event on Wednesday to unveil the Muse Charm, a puck about the size of an Apple Watch featuring a tamagotchi-like, interactive avatar that can be used to chat with the company's Muse AI.

"Muse Charm is a delightful and fun device built for you to talk and interact with your Muse. It brings the power of Muse with a state of the art real-time voice model into a device that fits in your pocket.

"We packed the whole Muse experience, including the whole real-time voice and avatar stack, into something that fits on a keychain and is always available to talk to. You just go ahead and tap here in the fingerprint sensor in the corner, and you can start talking without having to unlock a phone or open an app.

"So if you're not wearing glasses, this is going to be by far the fastest way to talk to your Muse and to show what's going on around you."

We'll have more to share later this year."

That's all we got about the device, which Meta is aiming to have on sale by the holiday season.

Otherwise, Connect was mostly about the company's new Meta VR Glasses. They have a tethered puck for the storage and battery, and the headset is five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3 at 100 grams, with full-color passthrough video support and a 5K display. (For context, M5 Apple Vision Pro weighs 750–800 grams depending on the configuration.)


Meta says the glasses will offer "cinema-grade clarity" with support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and they can deliver up to three hours of continuous high-resolution media playback on a single charge.

The device runs every game available for Quest headsets, and supports Xbox Cloud Gaming. You can also connect it to a PC or Mac and control things with a virtual keyboard and trackpad on a desk. Meta VR Glasses are set to launch in the spring with a $1,300 starting price.


Meanwhile, in an apparent bid to throw off the "pervert glasses" label, Meta also announced an audio-only version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses. The new model supports media playback and calls, and runs for up to 12 hours on a single charge, while the charging case adds up to 48 hours of battery life. Pre-orders are open and the glasses ship on October 13, starting at $349.

Meta hasn't abandoned its camera-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses, though. Far from it. The company is refreshing its Ray-Ban Meta with a slimmer design and a button that activates Meta AI. The third-generation model is said to have a longer nine hours of battery life (versus eight on the second-gen model) and a new six-microphone array that the company says can cut out over 90 percent of background noise. The 12MP camera supports 3K video capture, with Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio support coming soon. There are multiple styles to choose from, and prices start at $449.

Meta's AI Glasses are also getting a new FDA-cleared hearing enhancement feature later this year. Users can access it as part of a Meta One subscription, or they can pay a one-time cost of $149. A 30-day free trial will also be available.
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Apple in iOS 27 introduced iPhone Handoff, a new eSIM feature that allows you to use the same number on two iPhones and seamlessly swap between them. The number is only active on one iPhone at a time, so it's not like having two independently active lines.


It's also different from Apple's existing Handoff feature for continuing an app task on another Apple device. Here's what you need to know about the new iPhone Handoff feature.

What Moves Between the Two iPhones?

When you switch phones with iPhone Handoff, your calls, voicemail, messages (including iMessage, RCS, SMS, and MMS) and Find My location move to the active iPhone. You'll see a "Switched to this iPhone" message on the screen to confirm the change.

Other data synced with iCloud will automatically update across your devices, and third-party apps work across both devices, though some third-party apps may require a separate sign-in or take time to sync. Any banking apps you use may also ask you to approve access on the other device.

What Do You Need for iPhone Handoff?

Both iPhones must be running iOS 27 or later. They'll also need to be:

• Connected to Wi-Fi


• Sharing the same Apple Account


• Using Messages in iCloud for messages sync


• Signed into FaceTime and iMessage with the same Apple Account

iPhone Handoff works with Dual SIM as long as both eSIMs are from carriers that support iPhone Handoff. Both eSIMs must be set up for iPhone Handoff separately, one at a time. Once set up, both eSIMs switch together simultaneously when you unlock your iPhone.

Which Carriers Support iPhone Handoff?

iPhone Handoff is available through T-Mobile in the United States and Telekom in Germany. Verizon (U.S.) and EE (U.K.) will support iPhone Handoff later this year.

AT&T has so far not committed to supporting iPhone Handoff, with a company spokesperson recently pointing to the carrier's existing eSIM activation and transfer options instead.

How Much Does iPhone Handoff Cost?

T-Mobile is charging customers $5 per month to use iPhone Handoff.

In Germany, Deutsche Telekom is charging €6.95 per month for iPhone Handoff, but only on plans that do not already include multi-SIM functionality. An added multi-SIM costs €6.95 per month (one is included with the current MagentaMobil L plan and two with XL).

No other carriers have announced pricing yet.

How Do You Set It Up?

iPhone Handoff can be enabled when setting up a new iPhone. At the "Set Up Cellular" screen, choose "Use Number on This iPhone and Another," then follow the prompts on both phones.

If both iPhones are already set up, open Settings ➝ Cellular on the phone you want to add. Tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM, choose Use Number on This iPhone and Another, and follow the prompts. You then get to choose which device is your main iPhone (ideally, the one you use most often) and which is your secondary iPhone.


After setup, unlock either phone to make your number active on it.

What Should You Know Before Switching?

If you have an Apple Watch, it won't switch its pairing to the other device when your phone number moves, so make sure you pair it with the iPhone you expect to use most. Also, some Wallet items, including certain transit passes and IDs, may only work on one device at a time.

Carrier account management and some services like Call Forwarding and Caller ID will remain tied to your main iPhone.

Can I Replace an iPhone That Uses iPhone Handoff?

Yes, but you need to transfer the eSIM from either iPhone to the replacement device. The below steps should be followed while your new iPhone is placed next to your existing devices that use iPhone Handoff.

1. On your new iPhone (replacement), open the Settings app.


2. Tap Cellular and then tap Set up Cellular or Add eSIM.


3. Select an iPhone and tap Continue.


4. Tap Transfer. (If your carrier doesn't support eSIM transfer from a companion iPhone, you must enroll in iPhone Handoff again: On your iPhone that you are transferring the eSIM from, tap Continue, and follow the onscreen prompts.)


5. Tap Continue.


6. Follow the onscreen prompts on both devices.

The eSIM will deactivate on the old iPhone you transferred from.

What If I Want to Stop Using iPhone Handoff?

If you want to stop using iPhone Handoff at any time, you need to contact your carrier. Simply deleting an eSIM from your iPhone may not stop the carrier from charging you for the service.
This article, "iPhone Handoff in iOS 27: How It Works, Pricing, and Carrier Support" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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