Driver's licenses and IDs may soon be available in Apple Wallet for iPhone and Apple Watch users who live in Utah. MacRumors discovered signs of a Utah ID in Apple's backend, suggesting Apple is moving forward on implementing support.


Utah already offers a mobile driver's license option through a standalone app, but there is no Apple Wallet integration. Utah's mobile driver's license FAQ page still says that it is still in the initial planning process of adding Utah IDs to Apple Wallet, but it may not be up to date.

The site also says that when Apple Wallet integration launches, iPhone users who already use the mobile app for their Utah ID will be able to download it to Apple Wallet.

Apple announced plans to add Utah driver's licenses and IDs to the Apple Wallet app way back in 2021, but no integration has materialized. Utah was one of the first states Apple mentioned when rolling out the feature.

Other states planning to add support for driver's licenses in Apple Wallet include Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Virginia.

Multiple states have already implemented support, as has Puerto Rico.

• Arkansas


• Arizona


• California


• Colorado


• Georgia


• Hawaii


• Illinois


• Iowa


• Maryland


• Montana


• New Mexico


• North Dakota


• Ohio


• West Virginia

Digital IDs and licenses are accepted at select TSA checkpoints across the United States. It can also be used at some business venues and in select apps that require ID verification for services or purchases.

In states that do not support licenses in the Wallet app, iPhone users can add their U.S. passport to the Apple Wallet app with the iOS 26 Digital ID feature.
This article, "iPhone Driver's Licenses May Soon Expand to New State" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The Health in ChatGPT feature that integrates medical records and Apple Health data is rolling out to ChatGPT users in the United States as of today.


OpenAI announced plans for a health feature that used data from Apple Health and other sources back in January, but it was in beta and was not made widely available.

Health in ChatGPT can draw on health information connected by the user to compare lab test data, summarize changes since a prior appointment, track medications, and explore how sleep, activity, and workouts impact health.

With your permission, ChatGPT can consider relevant information you have connected, such as medications, lab results, recent visits, sleep, and activity, alongside the goals and context you share. This added context can make everyday conversations more useful. For example, ChatGPT can consider a dietary restriction when helping you choose a restaurant, or a recent injury when planning lower-impact weekend activities with your family. You can ask follow-up questions, add context, or correct information that is incomplete or out of date.

OpenAI says the feature is meant to help users understand their health information in context and keep track of what's changed over time. Users can get to the Health section from the ChatGPT sidebar.

Connected medical records and Apple Health information are not used to train OpenAI's models or target ads, nor are conversations that use health data. ChatGPT will ask for permission before using connected medical records and Apple Health information to personalize a response.

For users who would prefer not to connect health records, the Health section in ChatGPT works without them and can answer health-related questions.

Health is rolling out to logged-in ChatGPT users who are 18 years and older in the U.S. on web and iOS. The feature is available to Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans.
This article, "ChatGPT's Apple Health Integration Now Rolling Out to U.S. Users" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Emergency SOS via satellite is now available in Andorra and Iceland, according to an updated Apple support document.

Available on the iPhone 14 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, Emergency SOS via satellite allows you to text emergency services when you are in a supported area without Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity. The feature requires iOS 26.4 and watchOS 26.4 or later in Andorra and Iceland.
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Primate Labs today announced the launch of Geekbench 7, the newest version of the popular benchmarking suite for CPU and GPU performance.


There's a redesigned multi-core benchmark in Geekbench 7 that's meant to better represent how applications work in the real world. A workload only runs in multi-threaded mode if the task it models runs multi-threaded in real applications.

Primate Labs says users can expect a multi-core score that's a more relevant measure of how a device performs when doing actual work.

Along with updates to multi-core testing, a revamped GPU benchmark focuses on machine learning and content creation to reflect how GPUs are used today. The GPU benchmark has tests that track faces and apply real-time filter effects to video, upscale images with machine learning, and blur backgrounds in video conferencing streams. New GPU image editing and synthesis tests are available, like RAW image processing, LUT-based video color grading, path tracing, and fluid simulation.

Nvidia's CUDA is once again a supported API alongside OpenCL, Vulkan, and Metal.

The new version of Geekbench uses more challenging data sets to better reflect how people use their computers today. The File Compression and PDF Viewer workloads have more variation, and developer and image processing tests have more assets and different image formats.

Geekbench 7 adds media workloads for testing audio and video encoding, decoding, and processing. The Whisper speech recognition, AV1, and Opus tests mimic video conferencing, screen sharing, and content consumption workloads.

There's also a Game Physics workload that uses the Jolt Physics engine used by popular video games. Primate Labs added an expanded Photo Editor test with a richer set of real-world edits, and the Photo Library workload supports importing and processing image formats like JPEG XL and DNG.

Geekbench 7 is available for iOS, macOS, and other platforms. The app remains free for personal use, and the Pro version is 20 percent off the regular $99 price through August 6.
This article, "Geekbench 7 Launches With Redesigned Multi-Core and GPU Benchmarks" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today sent out emails letting Apple Pay users know about the latest promotion, which offers $20 off purchases of $120 or more from sportswear company Columbia.


The $20 discount is valid when making a purchase from the Columbia website and using ‌Apple Pay‌ to check out. The discount is not available in Columbia retail locations, and products from the Amaze Puff Collection and the ROC Collection are excluded.

It also can't be combined with other discounts like the Columbia back to school sale for teachers and students.

‌Apple Pay‌ users can take advantage of the promotion through August 7.
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Apple today announced that "The Morning Show" will return to Apple TV for a fifth and final season at some point in 2027.

"The Morning Show" was one of the first shows available on Apple TV when the streaming service launched in 2019, with an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Duplass, and others set to return for the final season of the workplace-oriented drama.
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Opera One browser just pushed an update adding a Vertical Tabs option that moves the tab bar from the top of the window to a resizable panel down the left-hand side.


The feature aims to solve the perennial horizontal tab problem where too many open tabs makes each one shrink to an unreadable sliver of the webpage's favicon.

By contrast, in the vertical layout, page titles always stay legible. Opera's existing Tab Islands feature – where tabs that came from the same page or browsing session are grouped into a collapsible section in the tab strip – carries over from the standard view, and the panel collapses when screen space is tight.

Opera has also built Google Lens directly into the start page search bar with this update, so now an image search can be started by uploading a file, dragging and dropping, pasting from the clipboard, or entering a URL. Both features are live now in Opera One.

Opera is a late arrival to the vertical phenomenon that has slowly been making inroads across the wider browser landscape. Microsoft made vertical tabs generally available in Edge back in May 2021, and the feature has been popular with users on both Windows and macOS.

Mozilla followed in March 2025 with Firefox 136, which introduced vertical tabs as part of a redesigned sidebar. Firefox also allows the strip to be moved to the right edge of the window, if that's your preferred style.

Google was the last of the big names to make the same move. Chrome began rolling out vertical tabs in April, making full page titles readable and tab groups easier to manage, even at double-digit tab counts.

Apple's Safari browser features Tab Groups, which can be navigated from the sidebar and do give a vertical list of sorts, but there's never been a dedicated vertical tabs mode. Do Safari users want one, or are Tab Groups enough? Let us know in the comments.
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Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models and its first foldable are less than two months from being unveiled. That may sound like a reason to sit tight if you're looking to upgrade from an iPhone 16 or older series, but between looming price hikes and Apple's new split-launch calendar, there's a decent case for grabbing an iPhone 17 series model right now. Here are five reasons in favor of putting your order in today.

1. iPhone Price Hikes Almost Certain

Analysts suggest the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could start at $1,299 and $1,399, respectively. That would represent a $200 jump over their predecessors, with rising memory and storage costs (i.e. the AI buildout) largely to blame. Meanwhile, the foldable iPhone price could start at north of $2,000. Apple has already increased the price of all of its iPhone models in Japan. The iPhone 17, by contrast, is still selling in the U.S. and other regions at the price Apple set last September (from $799). At this point, upcoming price hikes for the next-generation models seem inevitable, and there's no guarantee that the iPhone 17 series will be spared.

2. Some iPhone 18 Models Still a While Away

Under Apple's expected new split-launch strategy, only the iPhone 18 Pro models and the foldable arrive this September. The regular iPhone 18, lower-cost iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 aren't expected until spring 2027, so anyone holding out for the regular iPhone 17's direct successor will be sat waiting for several months longer than usual.

3. The Base iPhone 18 Could Be a "Downgrade"

One leaker has repeatedly claimed that Apple will reduce the standard iPhone 18's display and chip specifications to control costs, which could see it potentially sharing more components with the cheaper iPhone 18e. And even with a rumored bump to 9GB of RAM, the lower-end models reportedly still won't support two new iOS 27 features. Nothing is certain yet, but if Apple is cutting corners for its next more affordable and base models, then the iPhone 17 or iPhone 17e could be the better-specced option, especially given the expected price difference.

4. Some iPhone 18 Upgrades Remain Uncertain

Several of the more eye-catching iPhone 18 Pro rumors may not play out at launch. An early report claiming that the iPhone 18 Pro would ditch the Dynamic Island for a hole-punch camera has completely lost steam, while the foldable iPhone's rumored 24-megapixel under-display camera may not be ready this year, and a truly crease-free folding screen looks more like "nearly crease-free" in practice. In other words, waiting doesn't guarantee that you'll get everything the rumor mill is predicting.

5. Your Trade-In Is Worth More Today

Trade-in and resale values on older iPhones typically slide once a new generation is announced, which means the iPhone in your pocket is likely at its peak value right now. Waiting until September to upgrade would mean paying more for the new, pricier model and getting less for the old one, which would be a double hit on your wallet.

None of this means Apple's iPhone 18 lineup won't be worth the money. But if you're upgrading from a pre-2025 iPhone and the foldable isn't something you're considering, then an iPhone 17 series model might still be the smarter option.
This article, "5 Reasons to Buy the iPhone 17 Now Instead of Waiting for iPhone 18" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon this week has low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes a handful of 42mm and 46mm GPS aluminum models, but cellular devices are a bit more rare this time around.

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

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




Compared to past sales, these are both solid second-best prices on the Apple Watch Series 11 and come within $20-$30 of those previous all-time low prices. Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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Apple and Ford today announced announced that Apple Maps will power the navigation system in Ford's upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform, launching in 2027 at a price point around $30,000.



The integration leverages Apple's new MapKit for Automotive SDK, allowing Ford to embed ‌Apple Maps‌ directly into the vehicle's displays while maintaining the ability to customize the experience to match Ford's design language. Drivers will get turn-by-turn directions using natural language search, real-time traffic and incident information, and intelligent EV routing that includes battery preconditioning. The mapping data will also support Ford's development of an enhanced version of BlueCruise, the automaker's hands-free highway driving capability. Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services and Health, said:

Apple Maps delivers the best map experience in the world, and we're excited to bring the power of Maps' navigation technology to Ford's innovative Universal Electric Vehicle Platform. With our new MapKit for Automotive SDK, we're bringing Maps further into drivers' daily lives, giving them an incredibly accurate and easy-to-use navigation system that is seamlessly integrated into Ford vehicles.

The MapKit for Automotive SDK represents one of Apple's biggest automotive pushes to date beyond CarPlay and ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra. The SDK gives automakers access to Apple's mapping data and allows them to integrate navigation as a native vehicle feature rather than simply mirroring an iPhone app. Apple maintains privacy protections in automotive use, with the company not collecting users' location data or activity tied to individual identities through the vehicle's mapping system. Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company's CEO, said:

Our new midsize electric vehicle will be priced around $30,000 and redefines what advanced technology can be — simple, useful, and truly attainable for more customers. We're proud to embed Apple Maps' navigation and mapping technology directly into our Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, giving customers the ultimate navigation experience alongside our Ford app, a full suite of software, and next-generation BlueCruise, all enabled by a new zonal architecture. Apple Maps has delivered a world-class product, and we're honored to be among the first to embed it directly into a vehicle, helping define intuitive, capable driving.

Ford is among the first automakers to directly embed Apple's navigation engine rather than relying on ‌CarPlay‌. ‌CarPlay‌ will still be available on Ford vehicles, Apple said, providing an additional input method for drivers who prefer iPhone integration.

The UEV Platform will roll out beginning in 2027, with the $30,000 pricing targeting mainstream buyers seeking affordable electric vehicle options from a major U.S. automaker.
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Google was today fined €890 million ($1 billion) by the European Union for breaching antitrust rules with regard to its search and Google Play store services.


The European Commission found that Google had broken the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by using its dominant position in the search market to favour its own services, like shopping and hotel deals, over those of rivals.

The Commission also said that the company had abused its position by preventing developers from directing users to cheaper ways to buy apps and app subscriptions on websites and alternative app stores.

Google has been fined €460 million over its search practices and €430 million for its app store rules. Going forward, the Commission ordered the company to treat third-party services in search results "fairly and without discrimination" and to allow developers to offer users alternatives outside Google's app store. From the EU press release:



As part of today's two decisions, the Commission has ordered Google to bring the non-compliance to an end.

In particular, Google must implement measures to:

• Treat third-party services that feature on Google's search results in a fair and non-discriminatory manner by reference to its own services, and


• Allow app developers distributing their apps via Google Play Store, both technically and contractually, to freely communicate, promote offers and conclude contracts with users not only within but also outside the Google Play app store.

The Commission said that changes already made by Google to rectify the situation represented "substantial progress towards compliance." Google has also reportedly proposed and started testing changes to how it presents shopping ads and content related services, such as sports.

Google is required to comply with the Commission's decisions within 60 days, otherwise it risks periodic penalty payments of up to 5 percent of its total worldwide turnover. Google made revenues of just over $400 billion last year. It could still decide to appeal the decisions.

Apple is fighting a similar battle with the bloc's regulators. The company was fined €500 million ($573 million) last year for restricting App Store developers from directing users to alternative offers, and earlier this month the EU's General Court separately rejected its challenges to its designation as a gatekeeper for the App Store and iOS.
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Apple's foldable iPhone still faces production hurdles that leave its exact launch timing undecided, according to a new report from DigiTimes, even as Foxconn carries out what supply chain sources describe as "final mass-production adjustments."


The report says Apple has assigned Foxconn to lead the device from new product introduction (NPI) through to mass production, citing the assembler's experience with precision structural components and large-scale production tuning. One industry source claimed Foxconn is the only Apple partner with a realistic chance of meeting the expected production target.

The framing sits somewhat against recent reporting. Foxconn began trial production in April, Apple subsequently raised its order to around 10 million units on the back of resolved hinge and circuit board problems, and just two weeks ago a China Securities Journal report aggregated by DigiTimes said the device was already in mass production with no delay envisaged. Today's report instead says the engineering validation phase may have caused a delay of one to two months, with the hinge structure and display durability testing remaining the principal bottlenecks.

The foldable iPhone is still, at the very least, expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September, with a book-style design, an inner display of around 7.7 to 7.8 inches, a 5.5-inch cover screen, a thickness of roughly 4.5mm, and a starting price above $2,000.
This article, "Foldable iPhone Still Faces Production Hurdles, Report Says" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple appears to be working on an immersive new interface for choosing Siri AI's voice, based on findings in the latest beta.


MacRumors forum member "mactracker" has shared what they call a hidden "voice pad" in the macOS 27 beta 4, which was released on Monday. When enabled, the interface replaces the System Settings menu for Siri's voice options with a nearly black canvas, with the currently selected voice marked by a colored dot.

Pressing, holding, and moving around the pad with your pointer brings the interface to life, causing various colors to transition across the view as more dots appear and the voice modulates through different characteristics. Each dot emerges from the ether like a revealed star in a hidden constellation.

The visuals are even responsive to cursor movement via spatial audio, so that when the pointer approaches a new voice on the pad, it sounds clearer and more present, while voices further away become distant and ambient. Meanwhile, a spatial mixer tracks the pointer's distance, angle, and velocity, which adjusts volume, reverb, occlusion, and filtering across the voice and background audio layers as you move.

The pad lays out 13 voice slots in a loose grid, suggesting Apple may be preparing to support up to 13 custom voices for Siri AI. You can see the UI in action in the video embedded below.

Currently, the latest macOS 27 beta doesn't include the required voice models, so it falls back to the two custom voices available. However, a related file found in the beta describes the 13 expected American English voices by gender, age, and character, spanning everything from a soft-spoken young female voice to a deep adult male voice and two older-sounding voices.

If the interface makes the final macOS 27 cut, it would be a big jump from where things stand today. As of the current betas, American is the only voice option for Siri AI, whose expressiveness and pace can only be adjusted via sliders.

In this context, the interface likely serves as an onboarding experience for picking Siri's underlying voice, with the existing picker and its Pace and Expressivity controls used to further adjust the voice after selection. While the interface remains unfinished, it is already said to be localized for 44 languages. It also shares the same Siri setup framework with iOS 27, so we could see it on iPhone and iPad, too.


Unlike the hidden Siri popover we covered earlier this week, there's no easy way for beta testers to switch on this feature flag, as it requires disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) and overriding internal code with a debugger.

The new, more advanced Siri AI, which is backed by large language models, will arrive in supported regions with the release of iOS 27, macOS 27, and Apple's other software updates this September.
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Google today introduced a new selfie sign-in option for Google Account recovery. It offers an alternative way for Google users to access their accounts alongside passkeys, recovery contacts, and other entry methods.


To create a selfie video, you look at your device's camera and then follow Google's instructions to complete a series of head movements to capture multiple angles. The video is saved to your account and can be used later if you need access.

Google recommends users have multiple sign-in methods set up to avoid losing access to an account. With selfie video, you can take a selfie to get access to your account if you don't have access to your email address or a trusted device. Google compares your new selfie video to the one saved to the account to grant access. Multiple layers of security are meant to prevent impersonation attempts like AI-generated photos and videos.

Google says selfie videos are encrypted and stored securely, and are only used for helping you sign in to your account, unless you opt to "share it for additional purposes." Videos can be deleted anytime.

Selfie videos were previously tested in Brazil. The feature is designed for Google Accounts only, and does not work for Workspace accounts, children's accounts, or accounts enrolled in the Advanced Protection Program.
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Apple is working on a 12th-generation iPad, and plans to update the most affordable tablet in the ‌iPad‌ in 2027. It's not going to be a major update, but if you're planning a purchase, you might want to wait for the newest model.

Design

There are no rumors of an updated design for the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌, so it will likely have the same 11-inch edge-to-edge display with Touch ID Side Button and thick bezels.

Apple last updated the ‌iPad‌'s design with the 10th-generation model, giving the device a more modern look to better match the designs of the iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

The low-cost ‌iPad‌ is only available in a single screen size, and it is Apple's thickest tablet at 7mm. It features a Retina LED display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide color, and no lamination (display technology that allows for improved visuals) compared to Apple's other tablets.

Apple makes the low-cost ‌iPad‌ in several fun colors, and we could see some new shades in 2026. Current colors include blue, pink, silver, and yellow.

No changes are expected for the rear camera, front camera, USB-C port, or compatibility with accessories like the Apple Pencil.

A-Series Processor

Rumors suggest the low-cost ‌iPad‌ will use Apple's A18 or A19 chip, both of which are built on a 3-nanometer process to bring speed and efficiency improvements over the A16 chip that's in the current model.

The A16 chip that Apple used in 2025 does not support Apple Intelligence, but the A18 and A19 do, so that will mark a major update for Apple's affordable tablet. The 2026 model should be able to support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that are unavailable with the 2025 model.

The updated chips also offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing and similar features for improved gameplay. The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

N1 Chip

Apple debuted its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, called the N1, in the iPhone 17 models. The N1 was added to the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's possible that Apple plans to add the chip to all future devices coming in 2026 and beyond.

The N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking technology for smart home devices.

The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is limited to Wi-Fi 6, so if the 12th-generation version does indeed get Wi-Fi 7, it will be able to connect to faster 6GHz networks for the first time. Bluetooth 6 would also be an improvement over Bluetooth 5.3. There is a chance that Apple is reserving the N1 chip for its more premium devices, based on leaked internal code. If that's the case, the ‌iPad‌ won't include the N1 chip.

Apple Modem

Apple has designed C1 and C1X modem chips that it has used in iPhones and iPads in 2025, and the next-generation version of the ‌iPad‌ could also get an Apple-designed modem chip for cellular models.

Apple's modem chips are more power efficient than Qualcomm chips while providing similar performance.

Pricing

With Apple's June price increase, the 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is priced starting at $449 for 128GB of storage, which is up $100 from the previous price. Apple raised prices because of increasing RAM costs, and there are no indications that component costs are coming down before the 12th-generation model is set to launch.

It's likely it will have the same $449 starting price.

Launch Date

Bloomberg initially suggested Apple would refresh the ‌iPad‌ sometime in 2026, but now it looks like it's not going to get an update until the first quarter of 2027 at the earliest.
This article, "12th-Generation iPad: Everything We Know About Apple's Next Budget Tablet" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's privacy policy for the Apple Store app suggests it will soon get a virtual shopping assistant to help users decide what to purchase.


The app will have a chat interface where users can ask questions about Apple products, with Apple using data like account information, device identifiers, chat information, carrier information, and location data to offer a personalized experience. Transcripts of chats are saved for later reference.

Apple says that information is sent to its "partners" to help Apple provide a conversational response, which suggests Apple might be using a third-party AI model for the virtual assistant.

Where the Apple Store app virtual shopping assistant is available, Apple collects and stores your account information, device identifiers, carrier information, chat information, and where enabled, location data to personalize the chat experience, provide relevant responses, and if you opt in, to improve the virtual shopping assistant. Before sharing the chat with our partners, Apple scrubs personal identifiers from it. These partners will use this information only to help Apple to provide a conversational response. Apple will save these transcripts to make them available when you return to the Apple Store app, for our business analytics, and if you opt in, to improve the virtual shopping assistant.

The virtual shopping assistant interface is not live in the ‌Apple Store‌ app yet, though it is possible Apple is testing the feature with some users. Apple also added a virtual assistant to its Apple Support app, but that feature still hasn't rolled out to everyone.
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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 248 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, Editing, Forms, Images, JavaScript, Media, Navigation, Networking, Rendering, SVG, Scrolling, Security, Storage, Web API, Web Inspector, WebDriver, and WebRTC.

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

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

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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Apple today released the second public betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software. The second betas come a week after Apple seeded the first betas.


You can get started by signing up on Apple's beta website and then opting in to the public beta by going to Settings > General > Software Update and choosing the ‌iOS 27‌ or ‌iPadOS 27‌ Public Beta option.

‌iOS 27‌ introduces Siri AI, a more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that can search the web, access your personal information, see what's on your screen, and take actions in and across apps. ‌Siri‌ in ‌iOS 27‌ is more similar to Claude or ChatGPT than the prior version of ‌Siri‌, with a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app for back-and-forth conversations. You can use ‌Siri‌ AI if you have a device that supports Apple Intelligence.

Apple updated the Liquid Glass design that debuted last year, adding a slider to adjust the transparency level and refining its look. There are new AI features in many of Apple's apps. Visual Intelligence moved to the Camera app and supports new features like getting the nutritional information for a meal or splitting a bill, and ‌Siri‌ is able to generate text for you or help you refine your writing with Write with ‌Siri‌.

There are new AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, Safari can organize your tabs automatically, and you can create Shortcuts and Safari extensions using natural language commands. AirPods have custom EQ, the Home app supports 4K video cameras, and there are new child safety controls for parents.

Apple made dozens of improvements to device performance, and everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard loads quicker, and more.

Additional information on the new features in ‌iOS 27‌ can be found in our dedicated iOS 27 roundup, with info on ‌iPadOS 27‌ available in our separate iPadOS 27 roundup.
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Apple today released the second public beta of macOS Golden Gate, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its fall release. You can sign up to test the update on Apple's beta website, and then download it by going to System Settings > General > Software Update and toggling on the macOS 27 beta.


‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes the same Siri AI features as iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, but you get to ‌Siri‌ through Spotlight with a Command + Space keyboard shortcut. ‌Siri‌ can search the web to answer questions, look through your personal data like photos, emails, and messages to help you find what you're searching for, and complete actions in and between apps. There is a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app, and you can hold ongoing conversations with ‌Siri‌.

Apple brought Visual Intelligence to the Mac, so ‌Siri‌ can look at what's on your screen and answer questions about it.

The Liquid Glass design introduced last year has been updated, and Apple added a slider for controlling overall system transparency. Liquid Glass opacity has been changed so it better diffuses complex content, and other design changes bring more depth and separation to the UI so it's easier to tell which window is active.

Apps now feature uniform toolbars with headings and controls that are easier to read, and windows no longer have such dramatically rounded corners. Sidebars are no longer floating and extend edge-to-edge, plus window positioning is more consistent across external displays.

Write with ‌Siri‌ is able to generate text from scratch, correct your grammar, or give you feedback on your writing, and there are new AI editing tools in the Photos app. In Shortcuts, you can create automations with natural language requests, and search has been improved in Mail and Messages. Apple made multiple performance improvements across ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ for a faster, smoother experience even on older Macs.

More on the new features in macOS 27 can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.
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Apple today released the second public betas of tvOS 27 and watchOS 27, giving Apple TV and Apple Watch users a chance to try the new software ahead of its fall launch. There's also a new HomePod Software 27 beta for the ‌HomePod‌ and HomePod mini.


You can sign up for Apple's public beta testing program on the beta website, and then download the updates through the Settings app on each device.

‌watchOS 27‌ adopts Siri AI, and you can use ‌Siri‌ from your wrist as long as you have an iPhone that supports it. ‌Siri‌ AI can access your personal information, answer all kinds of questions, and complete tasks for you. There is a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app that's front and center on the watch in the new dynamic app grid that comes up when pressing the Digital Crown.

There's a new gesture for selecting a widget in the Smart Stack, plus Apple added Smart Stack suggestions for finding a parked car, accessing a transit card, and getting a birthday reminder.

Workout Buddy works without your iPhone nearby, treadmill run and walk distances are tracked more accurately, and Apple added a unified Find My app that also supports Precision Finding.

tvOS 27 has a redesigned Podcasts app, Hi-Res Lossless audio and AutoMix song transitions in Apple Music, and easier profile switching. With performance improvements, apps launch faster, animations are speedier, and devices connect more quickly when AirPlaying content.

More on what's new in the updates can be found in our watchOS 27 roundup and Apple TV roundup.
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Apple is testing new Mac mini configurations with generationally mismatched M6 and M5 Pro chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but he did not provide a release timeframe.

In a similar move last year, Apple updated the Mac Studio with mismatched M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips.
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Android 17 includes a wireless native migration experience for transferring more types of data from an iPhone, making the process of switching to an Android device easier.


Google says the upgraded method allows Google Accounts, passwords, Wi-Fi credentials, and eSIMs to be transferred. It also supports photos, videos, contacts, messages, and calendars, like the prior version of the switching tool. Data transfers require an iPhone with iOS 26.3 or later.

Both Apple and Google had to implement iPhone and Android transfer tools that work without an app to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act. When you set up a new Android smartphone or iPhone, there are now simple built-in options to transfer data from a competing platform. Before the on-device transfer options, Google and Apple offered apps for moving data.

The Digital Markets Act requires services to offer data portability to prevent lock-in to an operating system. It also forced Apple and Google to implement a simplified eSIM transfer process.

Android 17 with the new data transfer method has been rolling out to select Pixel devices since June and will also come to Samsung's newly announced Galaxy Z Flip8 and Z Fold8 smartphones.
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Apple has finished development of a new iMac that it plans to release later this year, according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The updated iMac is one of 11 new Mac models that Apple plans to release over the next two years or so.


The next iMac will unsurprisingly have a newer chip, but the report did not indicate if Apple plans to use the existing M5 chip or the upcoming M6 chip. Apple has never released an iMac with its higher-end "Pro" or "Max" chips.

No major design changes have been rumored for the next iMac, so it will likely continue to have a 24-inch LCD screen. However, the report said Apple is planning a subsequent iMac with an OLED display for release "further in the future."

The current iMac with the M4 chip was announced in October 2024. The desktop computer did not receive an M5 chip upgrade last year, so the model coming this year would represent the first refresh in two years. The report said the iMac will continue to come in two configurations, with varying CPU/GPU core counts and ports.

Apple discontinued the Intel-based iMac Pro and 27-inch iMac models in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and the computer has only come in a 24-inch size since then. Over the years, there have been rumors that an iMac Pro with at least a 30-inch display and Apple silicon might be released one day, but nothing of that sort has materialized.

Apple raised prices on all Macs last month amid rising memory chip costs. In the U.S., the iMac now starts at $1,499, up from $1,299.
This article, "iMac Update Expected This Year, Model With OLED Display Also in Works" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on a new MacBook Neo with two key upgrades, including an A19 Pro chip and increased RAM, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The updated MacBook Neo is one of 11 new Mac models that Apple plans to release.


With the A19 Pro chip, the second-generation MacBook Neo should have 12GB of RAM, up from an A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM in the current model.

The report suggested that the next MacBook Neo will also have new color options. Existing finishes include Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo.

While the report did not indicate when the next MacBook Neo will be released, the first half of next year seems likely. The current MacBook Neo was released in March of this year. In the U.S., the laptop initially started at a breakthrough $599 for the general public, but Apple raised the starting price to $699 last month.

You can still get a MacBook Neo for as low as $599 in the U.S. through Apple's education store, so long as you are a verified college student or meet other eligibility criteria, or if you opt for a certified refurbished model.

Apple previously said the MacBook Neo was in high demand, but it remains to be seen how the $100 price increase might impact sales. Even at $699, it is still the most affordable MacBook, coming in well below the MacBook Air's increased $1,299 starting price. The company's next quarterly earnings report will be released on July 30.
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Apple is preparing to refresh every Mac it sells over the next two years, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


The plans come amid a Mac resurgence, with sales projected to climb for a third consecutive year, partly thanks to a growing following among users who lean on the machines for demanding, agent-based AI workloads.

The wave of new Macs will begin this fall with a refreshed entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and the first new iMacs in two years. Here's everything coming, according to the report:

• Refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro (entry-level) (Fall 2026): Among the first Macs with the new M6 chip; codename J804.


• Mac mini (timing dependent on memory supply): New model in testing with M5 Pro and M6 chips.


• Mac Studio (timing dependent on memory supply): New model in testing with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.


• Refreshed iMac (Fall 2026): First new iMacs in two years; codenames J833 and J834.


• High-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook (End of 2026 to Early 2027): All-new design with an OLED touch screen; M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options; codenames K114 and K116.


• Refreshed MacBook Air (Early 2027): 13-inch and 15-inch models similar to the current machines; codenames J913 and J915.


• 14-inch MacBook Pro (entry-level) (2027): 14-inch model resembling the high-end K114 and K116 design but with a standard M7 chip; codename K104.


• Refreshed MacBook Neo (timing unclear): New budget laptop using an A19 Pro chip and more memory; part of a periodic refresh cycle with new colors.


• Follow-up high-end MacBook (End of 2027 to Early 2028): Successor to K114 and K116, moving to M7 Pro and M7 Max chips.


• OLED MacBook Air (2028 earliest): A future version of the MacBook Air with an ‌OLED‌ panel, implicitly with a redesign.


• OLED iMac (timing unclear): New iMac model with an ‌OLED‌ screen, matching the technology coming to MacBook and ‌MacBook Air‌.

Development of the refreshed iMacs and the entry-level ‌MacBook Pro‌ is reportedly complete, though the machines aren't expected to ship until the fall. The high-end MacBook with the ‌OLED‌ touchscreen remains the most notable model on the roadmap, and Apple is said to be testing it internally with macOS 27.1, which is scheduled for release at the end of October.

The Mac mini and Mac Studio have become popular among users running AI applications thanks to their processing power, but demand has been outstripping supply and new orders for some current models reportedly won't ship for at least three months. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in April that it could take "several months" for those machines to reach a supply-demand balance. As a result, the timing of successors to those machines is currently unclear.
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Samsung today debuted its latest foldable devices, including the Galaxy Z Flip8, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, and the new Galaxy Z Fold8, which has a design similar to what we're expecting from the foldable iPhone coming this September. We were able to take a look at the new Samsung foldables ahead of launch.


The Galaxy ZFold 8 Ultra has a 6.5-inch cover screen when closed, and an 8-inch display when it's unfolded. Both displays are OLED with 120Hz refresh rates. The device is just 4.1mm thick when open.

Samsung included a three-camera setup with a 200-megapixel wide lens, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and 30x Space Zoom. There are also two selfie cameras, one on the cover screen and one on the main display.

Samsung's Z Fold8 has a 7.6-inch display when open and a 5.5-inch display when closed, and it looks like Samsung read the foldable iPhone rumors and beat Apple to it. It has a passport-style form factor, so it's not as tall as prior Samsung foldables. It's wider and more square than the designs Samsung used in the past.

The aspect ratio of the unfolded Z Fold8 makes it feel similar to using an iPad mini, which feels more natural than using taller foldables. It's a size that's perfect for watching videos or running two apps side by side. The Z Fold8 gives us a pretty clear look at what the Apple foldable will look like and what it will feel like to use.

Samsung is reserving higher-tier specs for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. The Z Fold8 also has a three-camera setup, but with lower-end camera options. Both devices support the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, and offer up to 16GB of RAM. Samsung is also releasing the Galaxy Z Flip8, which has a 6.9-inch display when unfolded and a 4.1-inch cover screen when closed. The Flip8 doesn't open like a book, and instead has a clamshell design.

Samsung is now offering foldables in three sizes and two form factors, and it has had multiple years to refine its foldable designs. Samsung is on its eighth-generation devices, while Apple's first foldable hasn't launched yet.

Along with new foldable smartphones, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9, which have the same round display that Samsung watches have used for several years. The titanium Watch Ultra2 is 47mm, while the Watch9 is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes.

Samsung's watches offer a bioelectrical impedance analysis, reading body composition from the wrist. They also have heart rate tracking, sleep apnea detection, and other features that mirror what's available on the Apple Watch.

Samsung's new Galaxy foldables and smartwatches are available for pre-order starting today from the Samsung website.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This article, "Hands-On With Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8, the Closest Thing Yet to a Foldable iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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WhatsApp just announced a raft of new features spanning CarPlay, iPad, and iPhone that are "designed to work wherever you do, across your devices and the other apps you use."


First up, WhatsApp for CarPlay and Android Auto has been completely refreshed. Now you can hear and respond to messages, make calls, see your call history, and reach your favorites, all hands-free directly from your car's screen.

Over on WhatsApp for web and desktop, a new feature powered by Adobe Acrobat means you can now open PDFs right inside WhatsApp without having to download them, then make lightweight edits like highlighting and annotating right in the chat.

Thirdly, you can now share a song straight from Apple Music or Spotify to your WhatsApp Status, so your friends can see what you're listening to.

Last but not least, it's now possible to sign up to WhatsApp on your iPad. Since WhatsApp announced its iPad app last year, one of the most requested features from users is the ability to create a WhatsApp directly on an iPad, without needing to link a phone. Now you can.

WhatsApp says these features are already rolling out to users now.
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There is an "update in progress" at the Apple Park Visitor Center in Cupertino, California, according to a new notice posted on Apple's website.


The building remains open to the public while the work is completed, but the area housing a 3D augmented reality model of Apple Park is temporarily closed.

"Please pardon our appearance while we improve our store," says Apple. "During this time, the Exhibition Space is temporarily closed."

Opened in November 2017, the Apple Park Visitor Center functions as both a store and a tourist attraction. While the Exhibition Space is closed for now, visitors can still grab a coffee at the on-site Caffè Macs, buy Apple merch, head up to the rooftop for a scenic view, or stroll through the adjacent "Mirage" public art installation.

Apple did not indicate when the improvements will be completed.
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Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models have entered mass production and are now in a production ramp-up phase, according to China Securities News.


In a new report citing supply chain sources (via MyDrivers), Apple's main assembly partner Foxconn is said to have entered its peak recruitment period to prepare for large-scale production and stocking ahead of the fall launch. Hourly wages, base pay, and rehire bonuses have all been raised to attract workers amid the ramp-up.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is expected to introduce a smaller Dynamic Island cutout for its front camera and Face ID sensors. The opening is said to shrink from 20.76mm to 13.49mm, an area reduction of roughly 35%, which would push the screen-to-body ratio up to about 94.7% and reduce how much the cutout intrudes on full-screen content like games and movies played in landscape mode.

The devices are also expected to gain the A20 Pro chip, continuing Apple's usual performance and efficiency gains, alongside a new main camera with variable aperture technology that adjusts light intake depending on the shooting environment, which should improve low-light photography and depth-of-field control.

Chinese brokerages offer a mixed but largely bullish view on the device. CSC Financial said iPhone 17 sales have been strong and that Apple's innovation cycle is trending upward, with a foldable iPhone and smart glasses among several new products expected between 2026 and 2027 that could directly benefit the sector. Industrial Securities said the combination of expanding Apple Intelligence availability, the iPhone 18 lineup, and a new foldable iPhone should keep hardware and AI innovation driving the high-end smartphone market, and recommended investors continue tracking mid-to-long-term opportunities tied to Apple's product strength and AI upgrades.

Apple is reportedly adjusting its release cadence for the line this year, adopting a staggered rollout rather than launching the full lineup at once. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to arrive first, in September, while the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ is not expected to launch until next year, likely alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2.
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Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to feature a variable-aperture camera. The upgrade has been rumored repeatedly and would be a first for Apple's smartphone lineup, but what would it actually change for everyday users?


An aperture is the opening inside a camera lens that lets in light. A natural comparison would be the pupils of your eyes, which open wider in the dark and become smaller in bright conditions.

Current iPhone cameras have an opening that's fixed to the one size. To compensate for this, the iPhone adjusts other settings and uses software processing to brighten or darken the image. By contrast, a variable aperture would give the device mechanical control over the amount of light entering the camera.

The biggest improvement – and the one you're most likely to notice first – would be smoother-looking video when shooting outdoors. In bright sunlight, the existing camera on an iPhone has to capture each frame very quickly to avoid an overexposed image, which can sometimes make movement look unnaturally sharp or jerky.

In contrast, the iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture camera would typically make the lens opening smaller to limit the amount of light that gets in. Doing so should prevent washed-out highlights and allow the camera to record movement with more natural-looking blur. Photos taken in good lighting could also appear sharper, especially around the edges. Not only that, Portrait Mode photos that use the "bokeh" effect should also look more realistic, as opposed to looking rendered computationally.

It's still unclear whether users will control the aperture themselves or whether the iPhone will adjust it automatically. That's a big question mark, since it should determine whether it becomes a hands-on photography tool or a built-in feature that simply makes photos and videos look better behind the scenes.

We should learn the answer to this question in the coming months. Apple is expected to debut the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, alongside its first foldable iPhone.
This article, "The iPhone 18 Pro's Rumored Camera Upgrade, Explained" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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