Apple today provided the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after the third beta.


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

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

Update 1:05 pm: The update is now also available to public beta testers.
This article, "Fourth macOS Tahoe 26.5 Beta Now Available for Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the third betas.


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

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

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

In the European Union, Apple is testing proximity pairing, notification forwarding, and Live Activities for third-party wearables like earbuds and smartwatches. The functionality will allow third-party wearables to have many of the same features as the Apple Watch and AirPods.

More detail on what's new in iOS 26.5 can be found in our iOS 26.5 beta features guide.

Update 1:05 pm: The update is now also available to public beta testers.
This article, "Apple Seeds Fourth iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Betas to Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple released the third betas for each platform.


The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.

There's no word on what's in the software as of yet. watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS often get few features in each new beta, with updates primarily focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements. Nothing new was found in the first three betas.
This article, "Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The IAM Union representing Apple employees in Towson, Maryland today said that it is filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge [PDF] against Apple with the National Labor Relations Board. The union is accusing Apple of unlawful discrimination against unionized workers.


Earlier this month, Apple announced plans to close the Towson Apple Store alongside two other Apple locations in Connecticut and California. The Towson store was the first Apple retail location to unionize in the U.S. back in 2022.

With most store closures, employees are relocated automatically to nearby stores, but Apple said the union rules at the Towson location prevented it from moving the workers to other stores. Apple instead said that Towson employees are "eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement."

The IAM Union said at the time that it was "outraged" by Apple's decision, and that there was nothing in the agreement that prevented employees from being relocated. IAM said Apple's claim was false, and that it raised "serious concerns" that the closure was a "cynical attempt to bust the union."

In today's filing, the IAM Union complained that Apple allowed employees at two non-union stores to transfer to other locations, but forced Towson employees to reapply for positions through the same process as external candidates.

"This is about whether workers are treated fairly under the law or punished for exercising their rights," said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. "Apple is denying union-represented workers the same opportunities it is giving to others -- and doing so because these workers chose to organize. That is discrimination, and it is exactly what federal labor law is designed to prevent."

The union has asked Apple to reverse its decision and give Towson workers the same opportunity to transfer to other retail locations.

The three stores that Apple is closing are located in struggling shopping malls that are slowly shutting down and losing foot traffic.

Update: Apple has issued the following statement to MacRumors regarding the complaint:

We strongly disagree with the claims made, and we will continue to abide by the agreement that was negotiated and agreed with the union. We look forward to presenting all of the facts to the NLRB.

This article, "Apple Hit With Unfair Labor Practice Charge for Refusing to Transfer Unionized Towson Workers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums