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Apple Intelligence Home Features Require 2TB iCloud+ Plan in iOS 27

Using Apple Intelligence camera features in the Home app will require an iCloud+ plan starting at 2TB, according to Apple. Apple shared the detail in its notes for the third macOS Golden Gate beta that was released today.


In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate, the Home app is able to generate written summaries for motion alerts from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. It's also able to group footage from separate cameras for an overview of activity and pull out noteworthy recordings, plus it supports natural language search.

Apple said at WWDC that some ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features would require an ‌iCloud‌+ plan, but Apple didn't specify which tier users would need to subscribe to. For the Home features, users will need the 2TB ‌iCloud‌+ plan or better. The 2TB plan includes 2TB of ‌iCloud‌ storage and it costs $9.99 per month.

‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ cloud storage has always required a paid ‌iCloud‌ plan. The 50GB plan allows for one camera, while the 200GB plan supports up to five. The 2TB plan lets users add an unlimited number of ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ cameras, and now it will also add the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ Home feature set. HomeKit video storage does not count against the storage limit of an ‌iCloud‌+ plan, so the full 2TB stays available for photos and other data.

More on what's new in the Home app in ‌iOS 27‌, ‌iPadOS 27‌, and macOS 27 can be found in our guide.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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Siri AI Comes to Apple Watch in watchOS 27 Beta 3

With watchOS 27 beta 3, Apple added support for Siri AI and the ‌Siri‌ app, so Apple Watch users can now use the features right from their wrist.


Apple said ‌Siri‌ AI would be coming to the watch back when ‌watchOS 27‌ was first introduced, but the feature wasn't live until now.

The Dynamic App Grid that pops up when the Digital Crown is pressed displays the ‌Siri‌ app in the center, and the smarter version of ‌Siri‌ is available to answer queries and complete requests.

‌Siri‌ AI on Apple Watch relies on a nearby Apple Intelligence- compatible iPhone for processing. Conversations in the ‌Siri‌ app on Apple Watch sync to the ‌Siri‌ app across all other devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Tag: Siri
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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macOS Golden Gate Gets New Wallpaper

With the third beta of macOS 27, Apple added new Golden Gate-themed wallpaper options to the Mac.


There are new Golden Gate Sunset and Golden Gate Night options, both of which join the prior Golden Gate abstract wallpaper that Apple introduced with the initial beta.

Golden Gate Sunset and Golden Gate Night animate when unlocking the Mac, and can be set as a screen saver. When used as a screen saver, the Golden Gate Sunset wallpaper features waves breaking on the rocks near the Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate Night wallpaper shows cars driving across the bridge.

With past updates, Apple has included several themed wallpaper options, so more Golden Gate wallpapers could be added in the future. macOS Golden Gate is limited to developers right now, but we are expecting a public beta soon.
Related Roundup: macOS Golden Gate

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macOS Golden Gate Beta 3 Now Available for Developers

Apple today provided developers with the third beta of macOS Golden Gate, with the update coming two weeks after Apple seeded the second beta.


Developers can download ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ by going to System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes multiple design improvements. Liquid Glass opacity has been improved to increase readability, there's a slider for controlling the level of transparency, and changes to shadowing make it easier to tell when a window is active. Apps now have uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and less rounded corners, plus there are fewer icons in menu bars.

Siri has been transformed into ‌Siri‌ AI, a chatbot-style assistant that combines general world knowledge, your personal data, and onscreen awareness to answer questions about anything and find information for you. ‌Siri‌ lives in Spotlight, and you can ask questions with the new Search or Ask interface.

There's also a ‌Siri‌ app where you can chat with ‌Siri‌ and view past conversations, and on newer Macs, you can set a custom voice for ‌Siri‌ with personalized pace and expressivity. Visual Intelligence is now on the Mac so ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about what's on your screen, and a Write with ‌Siri‌ feature lets ‌Siri‌ generate text or give feedback on your writing.

There are AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, AI tab organization in Safari, an option to use AI to automatically update weak passwords in the Passwords app, and a revamped Image Playground app that can generate photorealistic images.

More on all of the new features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup. ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ is limited to developers right now, but Apple plans to release a public beta soon.
Related Roundup: macOS Golden Gate

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Apple Seeds Third iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Betas to Developers

Apple today seeded the third betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the second 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 27‌ introduces Apple's smarter version of Siri, ‌Siri‌ AI. ‌Siri‌ AI is a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, incorporating general world knowledge, personal data from apps like Messages and Mail, and onscreen awareness to answer questions and find information for you.

There are new Apple Intelligence features in apps like Photos, Safari, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Passwords, plus Apple added a standalone ‌Siri‌ app that houses ‌Siri‌ conversations. Write with ‌Siri‌ is available systemwide for generating text or offering feedback on your writing, and Visual Intelligence has been relocated to the Camera app with a new ‌Siri‌ mode.

Apple improved the look of Liquid Glass and added a slider for customizing transparency. There are multiple performance improvements to speed up iOS, so everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard pops up more quickly, and devices are better at transitioning between Wi-Fi and Cellular to keep you connected.

For more on what's new in ‌iOS 27‌, we have a dedicated iOS 27 roundup.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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Apple Seeds Third visionOS 27 Beta to Developers

Apple today provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming visionOS 27 update for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after Apple released the second beta.


visionOS 27 can be installed by opening the Settings app, going to Software Updates, and opting into Beta Updates.

visionOS 27 introduces Siri AI, the smarter and more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that's similar in capability to chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. On the Vision Pro, ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about anything the wearer is looking at, and there's a new ‌Siri‌ orb that can be placed anywhere in wearer's virtual space.

Panorama photos can be turned into spatial environments, and there's a new Icelandic Thórsmörk environment that features dramatic mountains, valleys, and glaciers, along with the northern lights. Web Environment support allows developers to create 360-degree environments in Safari for a more native Vision Pro browsing experience.

App windows are now curved to provide a more immersive workspace, and Control Center has been reorganized to make system controls easier to find. Apple added a smaller widget size, and notifications automatically expand when the wearer looks at them.

More on what's new in visionOS 27 is listed in our Vision Pro roundup.
Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

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Apple Seeds watchOS 27 Beta 3 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of watchOS 27 to developers, with the update coming two weeks after the launch of the second beta.


The beta can be downloaded through the Watch app on the iPhone with a free developer account. The Apple Watch will need to be on the charger, connected to Wi-Fi, and have a battery level of 50 percent or above for new software to be installed. The beta is available for all Apple Watch models compatible with ‌watchOS 27‌ except for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

‌watchOS 27‌ will include Siri AI, the smarter, more capable version of ‌Siri‌. ‌Siri‌ can hold back-and-forth conversations, plus it has access to general world knowledge and your personal data to answer questions and find information. ‌Siri‌ AI on Apple Watch requires an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and later.

There's a new Dynamic app grid that highlights ‌Siri‌ suggested apps, and more intuitive Smart Stack Suggestions. You can find your parked car, see pinned messages, get noise alerts, and view identity and transit cards.

Liquid Glass has been updated to improve legibility, and Workout Buddy works on the Apple Watch even when an iPhone isn't nearby. Workout Buddy also gains new metrics like progressive increases to distance, pace, or duration. Apple added a new all-in-one Find My app with support for Precision Finding, and there are performance optimizations that improve battery life.

More on what's new in ‌watchOS 27‌ is available in our watchOS 27 roundup.
Related Roundups: watchOS 26, watchOS 27
Related Forum: Apple Watch

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Apple Seeds tvOS 27 Beta 3 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of tvOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the second beta.


The beta can be downloaded and installed through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A free developer account is required.

tvOS 27 has few new features compared to the other 27 software updates, but it does add a redesigned Podcasts app, options for larger text, and a more responsive Control Center.

AirPlaying to an ‌Apple TV‌ from another Apple device is faster, and apps and animations are smoother. You can also now see AppleCare coverage details in the Settings app.

More on the features in tvOS 27 can be found in our Apple TV roundup.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

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Fourth macOS Tahoe 26.6 Beta Now Available for Developers

Apple today provided the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the third beta.


Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6 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.

With macOS Golden Gate launching in just a couple months, Apple is likely focusing most of its attention on the new software. We are not expecting any major new features in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6.
Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe
Related Forum: macOS Tahoe

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Apple Seeds Fourth iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6 Betas to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple seeded 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.

With iOS 27 set to launch in September, Apple is wrapping up work on iOS 26. We are not expecting any major new features in the iOS 26.6 update, and it will primarily focus on bug fixes and performance improvements.

The update adds new wording around blocked contact limits, letting users know when they have exceeded the maximum number of blocked contacts. The update might also include a new anti-snatching feature that locks your iPhone if it's grabbed from your hand.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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Apple Releases Fourth watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6 and visionOS 26.6 Betas

Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple seeded the third betas.


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.
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Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 Available Again After U.S. Lifts Export Controls

Anthropic's Fable 5 model is once again available for use, the company said today. Claude users are now seeing the option to use Fable 5, with Anthropic rolling out an in-app message.


Through July 7, eligible Claude subscribers can use up to 50 percent of their plan's weekly usage limit on Fable 5. After hitting that limit, Fable 5 use will require credits. After July 7, Fable will be available through usage credits.

Fable 5 is Anthropic's first Mythos-class model that's available for the public, and it first came out on June 9. Fable 5's capabilities exceed those of any model it has made generally available, and it has demonstrated "exceptional performance" for software engineering, knowledge work, vision, scientific research, and more. It outperforms Opus models on longer, more complex tasks. Fable 5 can work autonomously for longer than any prior Claude model.

Though Anthropic released Fable 5 with conservative safeguards to prevent misuse, the Trump administration applied export controls to the model, forcing Anthropic to restrict access to foreign nationals. Anthropic had no way of verifying the nationality of people using its models, so it had to suspend access to Fable 5. At the same time, Anthropic also had to restrict access to Mythos 5, the next model in its Project Glasswing initiative for major companies and federal agencies seeking help defending critical infrastructure.

The order came after Amazon researchers found a prompt able to bypass Fable's safeguards, and the model found software vulnerabilities. Anthropic investigated and discovered that older models and models from competing companies could also locate the same vulnerabilities. Anthropic ended up shipping a new classifier that blocks the technique in more than 99 percent of cases.

Fable 5 is available for Pro, Max, Team, and select Enterprise plans. Anthropic has also restored Mythos 5 access for U.S. organizations that are part of Project Glasswing.

Anthropic says that it is deepening its cooperation with the U.S. government on new pre-release testing, information sharing, and research collaboration.
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iOS 27: All the New Apple Maps Features

The Maps app didn't get as many iOS 27 updates as some of Apple's other apps, but there are still several useful features worth knowing about.


Flyover Improvements


Apple is upgrading Flyover in ‌iOS 27‌, making it more detailed than before. It combines aerial imagery with Vision Intelligence models to add more texture and sharper visuals for trees, architecture, and more.


Apple says select cities around the world are rendered in sharper, more lifelike detail with improvements to everything from the "shapes of individual trees to the way light reflects off the glass of skyscrapers."

Flyover is an Apple Maps feature that offers detailed 3D landmarks, roads, parks, buildings, and more in more than 350 cities. The current version of Flyover uses aerial imagery captured by planes, but the new ‌iOS 27‌ version improves the quality using AI.

New Maps Icon


Apple updated several of its Liquid Glass app icons in ‌iOS 27‌ to add more glass-like layers. Icons have more depth, and the Maps app icon makes the difference especially clear.

Local Lists


Local Lists uses intelligent insights from what's trending around you for suggestions on places you should visit. Maps surfaces locally relevant collections of places to make it easier to find popular and interesting locations to visit.


Local Lists is privacy-focused and does not use information tied to individual users. It is a U.S.-only feature.

Trending Restaurants


In the Search interface, there's a Trending Restaurants section that shows you the top restaurants in the area you're in.


Natural Language Search Expansion


Natural language search in Maps now lets you ask for directions that avoid toll roads or highways.

Widgets


On the Apple Watch, there's a new Parked Car widget in the Smart Stack so you can easily see your car's last known location, with info synced from the iPhone.

Offline Maps


Apple says Offline Maps have improved in ‌iOS 27‌. More locations are shown on the map, labels are darker and clearer, and there are icons that are easier to view at a glance. When you tap on a location, like a town, it will zoom into the area automatically so you can see what's there.

Visited Places


The Visited Places feature is more accurate in ‌iOS 27‌ and less likely to miss locations. Visited Places keeps track of locations you've been to, organizing stops by category and location. It's accessible by tapping on your profile picture, choosing Places, and selecting Visited Places.


Visited Places is also expanding to more locations in ‌iOS 27‌.

More iOS 27 Features


For more on what's new in ‌iOS 27‌, we have a dedicated roundup.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 247 With MCP Server for AI Agent Integration

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 247 adds the Safari Model Context Protocol (MCP) server meant to speed up web development and debugging. With the MCP server, an AI agent can emulate what users experience on a website, providing better information for debugging.
In Safari Technology Preview 247, we're introducing the Safari MCP server — a Model Context Protocol server for web developers that makes your web development and debugging workflow faster and more powerful. We know agents are increasingly integral to the coding process and the Safari MCP server gives your agent the ability to know how your code actually renders in the browser by connecting it to a Safari browser window.

Any MCP-compatible client can connect to the Safari MCP server. More information is available on Apple's WebKit site.

‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 247 also includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, Fonts, Forms, HTML, JavaScript, MathML, Media, Model Element, Networking, Rendering, SVG, Scrolling, Security, Spatial Web, Text, Web API, WebDriver, and WebGL.

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 to Launch New iPad Pro in Spring 2027

Apple is planning to release new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models in spring 2027, reports Bloomberg. No major design changes are expected, with Apple focusing on internal upgrades.


The ‌iPad Pro‌ models could use either M6 chips or M7 chips. Apple will introduce the M6 chip as soon as this year in an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro model, but it is aiming to release the M7 chip in the first half of 2027.

Bloomberg does not specify which chip Apple will put in the ‌iPad Pro‌, but if the M7 chip is ready by spring 2027, the new iPads could have the upgraded chip. If it's not ready, they'll use the M6. Both chips will be built on Apple's new 2-nanometer process, but the M7 has AI optimizations that the M6 doesn't have.

Apple has also tested a vapor chamber cooling system that could improve performance.

Little else is known about the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models, but if they come out in spring 2027, Apple could introduce them alongside the iPhone 18e, iPhone 18, and iPhone Air 2, devices that are also slated for spring 2027.
Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)

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M6 MacBook Pro Coming in Late 2026, Redesigned M7 Model Launching in 1H 2027

Apple plans to release an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip in late 2026, and then follow it with a revamped M7 model in the first half of 2027, reports Bloomberg.


Apple apparently finished work on a 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with an M6 chip "months ago," and the device is expected to launch before the end of the year. Apple's M6 chip cycle will be shorter than prior chip cycles because it is not planning for M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. Apple is aiming to have a quick transition between M6 and M7 because its M7 chips have optimizations for AI workloads.

The M7 ‌MacBook Pro‌ coming in 2027 will have a new design that's "in line" with the design that Apple plans to use for its rumored high-end OLED touchscreen ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Prior rumors have suggested the high-end ‌OLED‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ models could get a slimmed down design.

It's still unclear when the ‌OLED‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will come out, but Bloomberg believes a launch is slated for the end of 2026 or early 2027.

Apple's release timelines are uncertain because of the ongoing memory chip shortages and increased costs that it's dealing with.

Apple has a long list of products that could come in the first half of 2027, including new iPad Pro models, the iPhone Air 2 with a second camera, the iPhone 18, and the iPhone 18e.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

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Apple in Talks to Buy Memory Chips From Chinese Makers CXMT and YMTC

Apple is in talks to buy memory from Chinese semiconductor companies ChangXin Memory Technologies Co. (CXMT) and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC), reports Bloomberg, citing sources with knowledge of the talks. Discussions between Apple and the chipmakers are ongoing, and no deal has been finalized yet.


Financial Times previously reported Apple was looking into working with CXMT and YMTC to get RAM at a lower cost, and there were also several reports from South Korean sites on the possibility. Apple recently raised the prices of Macs, iPads, and other devices, and consumers are now forced to pay more for many Apple products.

Apple increased its prices because of an ongoing global memory shortage that has driven costs up. Chipmakers are focusing on chips for AI servers, leaving less supply for consumer devices. With demand outpacing supply, memory manufacturers can charge higher prices.

Both CXMT and YMTC are on the Defense Department's 1260H list of Chinese companies that the U.S. suspects have ties to the People's Liberation Army. YMTC is also on a U.S. Commerce Department blacklist that prevents U.S. companies from selling to companies on the list without an export license.

Apple is not required to get U.S. approval before buying chips from the Chinese companies, but working with the Trump administration would prevent political upset. Apple is hoping to get a green light on the deal, and it wants to keep CXMT off the Commerce Department's Entity List, which would prevent it from using CXMT as a supplier.

Bloomberg says Apple CEO Tim Cook has spoken with Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Apple has proposed using the chips sourced from the companies in devices meant for the Chinese market, freeing up chips from other suppliers for the U.S.

Some Trump administration officials are reportedly against letting Apple source chips from CXMT and YMTC, so it's not clear if the talks will lead to an agreement. Apple previously tried to source memory from YMTC in 2022, but the talks ended after congressional backlash.
Tag: China

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Elon Musk's SpaceX Showed Off Prototype AI Device

Elon Musk's SpaceX may be aiming to compete with Apple in the future. The company showed investors a prototype for a "handset-like device designed to reshape how humans interact with artificial intelligence," according to The Wall Street Journal.


The device is described as being slimmer than an iPhone, with a "sleek design." It runs a proprietary operating system, has a Qualcomm chipset, and integrates AI tech from SpaceX subsidiary xAI. In the past, Musk has talked about an "everything app" like China's WeChat, and the device investors were shown apparently drew on that concept.

SpaceX was showing the prototype to investors and stakeholders ahead of its IPO, and said the project was in the early stages of development. The final design could change, and it is not known if it will actually come to market.

Musk has talked about designing a smartphone in the past. He said he would develop one if X (formerly Twitter) was removed from the App Store by Apple. In November 2025, he said he didn't want to make a phone, but he would if Apple and Google did "really bad things" like censorship. In a town hall meeting, Musk said the idea of making a phone "makes me want to die," but one of his companies would make a phone if needed.

Earlier this year, Musk said explicitly that SpaceX is not developing a phone, but The Wall Street Journal says some SpaceX and Tesla investors were told Musk "has long envisioned" a device that would be a platform for Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI technologies. Musk has denied the report, calling it "utterly false."
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MacBook Ultra: Everything We Know About Apple's OLED Touchscreen Mac

Apple is working on a high-end MacBook Pro that could be called the "MacBook Ultra." The device will have several firsts in a Mac, including an OLED display and a touchscreen.


The "Ultra" name isn't a sure thing, and Apple could also continue to call the device the ‌MacBook Pro‌. It will be a "Pro" device in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ line.

Design


Apple hasn't redesigned the ‌MacBook Pro‌ since it added Apple silicon chips in 2021, so the device is due for a new look. The MacBook Ultra could feature some design changes, including a thinner chassis.

Apple could get rid of the notch on the MacBook Ultra, replacing it with an iPhone-style Dynamic Island. A ‌Dynamic Island‌ would unify the way Siri AI behaves across the iPhone and the Mac with iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate.

Size Options


The MacBook Ultra will be available in both 14-inch and 16-inch size options.

Display


Apple's upcoming MacBook will be the first with an OLED display. OLED display technology is already used for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad Pro, but it has taken time for larger-sized OLED screens to come down in price.

OLED will be an upgrade over the current mini-LED display technology in most cases, bringing deeper colors and a higher contrast ratio with true blacks. In an OLED display, individual pixels turn off instead of dim when not activated, so there's less light leakage. OLED displays tend to have better HDR than mini-LED, but sometimes don't match the overall mini-LED brightness levels.

Along with OLED technology, the MacBook Ultra is expected to have the first touchscreen display on a Mac. Users will be able to use their fingers for tapping and interacting with items on the Mac's display, similar to an iPad.

Touchscreen capabilities will be used alongside the trackpad and keyboard, and so Apple may be viewing them as more supplementary than a main control method. Apple is rumored to be adapting ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ for touch input.

Apple plans to add a reinforced hinge to the MacBook Ultra's display so that it doesn't wobble when it's tapped.

M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips


The current ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are equipped with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and Apple plans to use the same chips for the rumored MacBook Ultra.

Apple is planning to introduce the M6 chip as soon as late 2026, but Bloomberg says Apple isn't going to release any other chips in the M6 series. Apple's chip plans have changed in recent months, and there won't be an M6 Pro or an M6 Max. With no M6 Pro or M6 Max, Apple will need to use the M5 Pro and M5 Max so it doesn't have to wait for the M7 series.

A second-generation MacBook Ultra will use the M7 Pro and M7 Max chips.

With the MacBook Ultra set to use the same chips that are in the existing ‌MacBook Pro‌, it's unclear if it will replace the existing 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models or be sold alongside them as a higher-end option.

MacBook Ultra Hints


There are features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ that hint at a future touchscreen Mac. Apple added direct touch input to Sidecar so users can tap and interact with macOS elements when using the ‌iPad‌ as a Mac display.

‌macOS Golden Gate‌ supports an iPhone-style pull-to-refresh option, and it can be used across apps like Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar. A pull-to-refresh option makes the most sense on a touch display.

Pricing


Apple's OLED MacBook is expected to be a premium product, with a price tag higher than current ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Apple raised the prices of all Macs in June, and so the MacBook Ultra will likely be even more expensive than expected.

The higher-end 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M5 Pro chip starts at $2,499, while the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $2,999. The OLED MacBook will be priced even higher.

Launch Date


Rumors suggest the MacBook Ultra will launch in late 2026 or early 2027, with mass production to start in late 2026. If the MacBook Ultra comes in 2026, it could be released sometime between October and December, but it won't be unveiled at Apple's September iPhone event.

If it launches in 2027, it could come early in the year at Apple's first 2027 event.
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Nanoleaf's New $80 Smart Ceiling Light Works With Matter and HomeKit

Nanoleaf today launched the Smart Multicolor Ceiling Light, an affordable Matter-compatible lighting product. With a dual-sided design, there's a main downlight and an upward backlight for a layered lighting glow. Each side can be controlled individually for bright light or an ambient lighting option.


The light has 196 LEDs inside, with up to 2600 lumens. White light ranges from 2200K to 6500K, supporting tones that change throughout the day to match natural light. Nanoleaf says it was built with RG0 Low Blue Light technology to reduce blue light hazard and eye strain.

There are 28 color zones, and millions of colors are supported for gradients. According to Nanoleaf, the Multicolor Ceiling Light has a Color Rendering Index of 95, offering "vivid-natural looking colors."

The light measures 13.8 inches, and it is 1.18 inches thick. It is a hard-wired light that's meant to be installed with a standard light switch, though it also works with the Nanoleaf Sense+ Wireless Smart Switch.

Nanoleaf's new light supports Matter over Wi-Fi, so it can connect to a HomeKit setup for use with Siri and the Home app. It also works with the Nanoleaf app, which offers hundreds of color scenes and support for music pairing. For multi-color lighting scenes with gradients, the Nanoleaf app is required because ‌HomeKit‌ doesn't support that.

The Nanoleaf Smart Multicolor Ceiling Light can be purchased from Amazon.com or the Nanoleaf website for $80.
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Anthropic Launches Claude Sonnet 5 With Near-Opus Performance at a Lower Price

Anthropic today introduced Claude Sonnet 5, a more affordable model that narrows the gap between Sonnet and Opus. Anthropic says Claude Sonnet 5 is its most agentic Sonnet model to date, able to make plans, use tools like browsers and terminals, and run autonomously.


Opus models have better agentic capabilities, but they're more expensive than Sonnet models. Sonnet 5's performance is similar to Opus 4.8, and it has improved over Sonnet 4.6 in areas including reasoning, tool use, coding, and knowledge work.

As for agentic capabilities, Sonnet 5 is able to finish complex tasks that Sonnet 4.6 could not complete, and it checks its own output without being asked. It is better at refusing malicious requests, and Anthropic says it shows lower rates of hallucination and sycophancy.

Sonnet 5 is available across all plans and is the default model for Free and Pro plans. It is priced at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens through August 31, then prices will go up to $3 and $15, respectively.
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Supreme Court Will Hear Apple's Appeal in Epic Games App Store Fight

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear Apple's appeal against the contempt ruling that forced it to change its App Store linking rules, reports Reuters.


In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said the court's decision was welcome news.
This is an important question of law and we are pleased the Supreme Court will hear our case.

Apple asked the Supreme Court to review the decision back in May, and it was unclear if the request would be granted because the court previously declined to weigh in on the dispute. The 2024 denial involved the original Epic Games vs. Apple commission battle, but the case has since gotten spicier and piqued the Supreme Court's interest.

Apple largely won the Epic Games case in 2021 and wasn't found to have violated antitrust law, but Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, the judge overseeing the case, ordered Apple to relax its anti-steering rules and let developers link to alternate payment options in apps. Apple agreed, but ended up charging a 12 to 27 percent fee on link-outs instead of 15 to 30 percent. When adding in fees to payment processors, developers got more hassle with little to no discount, which resulted in few developers using the new link system.

‌Epic Games‌ accused Apple of violating the judge's order, and took Apple back to court. Gonzalez Rogers agreed with Epic, and in April 2025, found Apple in contempt of court for willfully violating the 2021 injunction. She barred Apple from collecting any fees on links in the U.S. App Store, and Apple changed its ‌App Store‌ rules to comply.

Apple appealed, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the contempt finding, leading Apple to further appeal to the Supreme Court.

Apple argued the contempt ruling was inappropriate because of the wording around the original order and Apple's implementation. The initial order did not bar Apple from charging fees when developers linked to third-party payment options, but both the district court and the appeals court said Apple violated the "spirit" of the injunction by charging fees that were too high. Apple said that a contempt ruling based on "spirit" instead of the word of the ruling is a "recipe for abuse." Apple is aiming to have the Supreme Court toss out the contempt decision because there was no clear and unambiguous violation.

Apple also asked the court to evaluate the scope of the injunction, which Apple said should apply only to ‌Epic Games‌ and not to all developers. Apple heavily leaned on Trump v. CASA, a recent ruling that said lower courts do not have the authority to issue universal injunctions to block nationwide policies.

In its request to the Supreme Court, Apple said the contempt ruling based on spirit and the order forcing it to change its policies for all developers "have combined to create an injunction that may reshape the global app marketplace." Apple's argument that the outcome of the case could lead to regulatory changes worldwide may also have swayed the court to weigh in on the case.

The Supreme Court will hear the case in its next term that begins in October after a summer break. While Apple waits for the Supreme Court decision, it will be going back to district court for fee calculations that will go into effect if the higher court does not toss out the contempt ruling and resulting anti-steering order. Apple was ordered back to district court because the appeals court found the district court's total ban on commissions went too far, and sent it back to set a reasonable fee.
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Apple Now Sells Refurbished iPhone 16e Starting at $419

Apple today updated its online refurbished store in the United States, adding the iPhone 16e. Refurbished iPhone 16e models are available at discounted prices for the first time since the device launched in February 2025.


Entry-level 128GB iPhone 16e models are priced at $419, which is a $180 discount from the original price. The iPhone 16e was retired when the iPhone 17e came out, so it is no longer available new from Apple.

Upgraded 256GB and 512GB iPhone 16e models are available for $509 and $679, respectively. The iPhone 16e comes in black or white, and Apple has both colors available.

At $419, a refurbished iPhone 16e is $180 less than Apple's most affordable iPhone, the 17e, but it lacks a few useful features. It does not include MagSafe charging, it has a slower C1 modem instead of the C1X, 128GB starting storage instead of 256GB, an older A18 chip, and original Ceramic Shield glass instead of Ceramic Shield 2.

Refurbished iPhones are unlocked and eligible to be used with any carrier. Apple revamps iPhones that have been returned or repaired, adding new batteries, outer shells, and cables. Refurbished iPhones are essentially identical to new iPhones after going through Apple's cleaning and testing process, and they come with the same one-year warranty with an option to purchase AppleCare+ coverage.
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Apple Seeds Third Public Betas of iOS 26.6, macOS Tahoe 26.6 and More

Apple today provided public beta testers with the third betas of iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, macOS Tahoe 26.6, watchOS 26.6, and tvOS 26.6, with the software coming a day after Apple seeded the betas to developers.


After signing up to beta test the software updates on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the new software using the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.

iOS 26.6 has a feature that will let you know when you have blocked too many contacts, but the limit is in the thousands so most users may not ever see the messaging. There are also signs of a new iPhone anti-snatching feature that locks a stolen iPhone when it's grabbed from your hand.

No other major new features have been found in any of the software updates, with Apple likely focusing on bug fixes and security improvements. We're nearing the end of the "26" software cycle, with Apple planning to release iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and more in September.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe
Related Forums: iOS 26, macOS Tahoe

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Apple Creator Studio Gets New AI Features

Apple today updated its Creator Studio apps, adding new AI features to Pixelmator Pro, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and more.


Apple is integrating Pixelmator Pro with Final Cut Pro, Keynote, Numbers, and Pages. Final Cut Pro users can send a frame to Pixelmator Pro to create thumbnails and social graphics. In Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, users can select an image in a document and open it in Pixelmator Pro to edit, with changes saved to the original document.

The three office apps support generating vector shapes using AI, and Pixelmator Pro is getting advanced image generation and a Content Hub. Users can generate AI images directly in Pixelmator Pro with natural language, and browse a curated collection of images in Content Hub. Freeform also integrates with Pixelmator Pro in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate.

Final Cut Pro is getting Generate Captions, an on-device AI feature that automatically adds subtitles to videos based on audio. Subtitles can have animations and custom fonts, colors, and positions.

Edit Detection is a new AI feature that analyzes rendered video and splits it back into the original clips on the timeline. Apple says editors can use the tool for edit refinements or assembling a cut-down highlight clip for social media.

On the Mac, Final Cut Pro has an Auto Mask feature that isolates and refines video elements like skin, hair, sky, foliage, and clothing. Users can hover over a clip and make precise adjustments with no manual tracking. Color Match now produces more accurate and natural color matches in different lighting conditions, plus Advanced Trimming lets users fine-tune incoming and outgoing frames one-by-one.

Motion gains native support for scaling vector graphics without affecting quality, and Compressor has an Immersive Metadata Viewer for the Vision Pro. Final Cut Camera is getting expanded ProRes Support, an option to disable digital zoom, and Clean HDMI Out for sending a pristine video signal to external monitors and recorders.

Logic Pro's Chord ID feature has been rebuilt and it is more accurate than before. Apple says Session Players will respond and perform chord changes more quickly. Both Logic Pro and MainStage have a new granular sync mode in Alchemy to open up "new dimensions of sound design."

More information on the updates can be found on Apple's website. Creator Studio Pro includes all of Apple's creative software, and it is priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Up to six people can share a single membership.
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T-Mobile Automatically Moving Legacy Plan Customers to New Plans

Some T-Mobile customers with legacy phone plans are being upgraded to newer T-Mobile plans automatically, reports CNET. The company has been sending out notifications to customers with older plans, letting them know that they're going to be transferred to a current plan.


Customers being pushed to a new plan could get an automatic bill increase. The carrier plans to move customers to comparable modern plans. T-Mobile options include Essentials, Essentials Saver, Experience More, and Experience Beyond. Prices for a single line start at $50 per month.

T-Mobile marketing lead Allan Samson said the majority of customers being automatically upgraded will pay below what the plan sells for, and won't have the same pricing that a plan would cost a new customer. The average increase will be around $4 per line per month, with some pricing going up $6.

Employees were told T-Mobile is transitioning customers to modern plans to get rid of over 1,100 legacy billing codes, and were warned to expect increased customer contact volume in the coming weeks.

T-Mobile declined to tell CNET which plans are being retired, but some date back 15 years. The company has run through a lot of plans over the last decade and a half, plus Sprint users on legacy plans were folded into T-Mobile after the 2020 merger.

Thousands of customers are affected, and will be receiving alerts from T-Mobile. Plans will change during the next billing cycle. Customers unhappy with T-Mobile's decision can pick a different T-Mobile plan or switch carriers.
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WhatsApp Now Lets You Reserve a Username

Popular messaging app WhatsApp is now allowing users to reserve usernames ahead of plans to launch username-based messaging. Right now, WhatsApp uses a person's phone number as an identifier, but usernames will allow people to interact without having to exchange personal information.


Username reservations are rolling out starting this week, and not all users will have access to the reservation system right away. WhatsApp is sending a notification when a username can be reserved. Usernames are optional, and once access has been granted, a username can be selected by going to Settings > Account > Username. Usernames can be 3 to 35 characters in length.

There are over three billion people on WhatsApp, and the company says it is opening up reservations early so "everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them." WhatsApp suggests users choose a unique name only contacts would know.

Creators, small businesses, and organizations have the option to claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp. Users who have a username on Instagram or Facebook can claim the same username on WhatsApp by choosing the Use Instagram username or Use Facebook username option, as long as it isn't already taken.

WhatsApp has no directory of usernames to browse, and no username discovery suggestions. People will need to know a WhatsApp user's exact username to send a message, plus there is an optional username key that adds extra spam protection.

Usernames will roll out gradually over the next few months. Once live, an account with a username set will no longer reveal a phone number when messaging a person or a business for the first time.
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Open Source AI Agent OpenClaw Gets Native iOS App

Popular open source AI agent OpenClaw is expanding to the iPhone and iPad with a new native iOS app. OpenClaw for iOS can be used alongside an existing gateway as a secure node for chat, voice approvals, sharing, and device-aware automation.


The iOS app replaces iPhone and ‌iPad‌ workarounds that involved using Telegram or WhatsApp for on-the-go access.

OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent that runs on a Mac or PC. Users can connect an API key from Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, or other AI services, linking the model to content on the gateway machine. OpenClaw lets an AI model access messaging apps, files, web browsers, and more, so it can complete tasks.

To make use of the new iOS app, you'll need a gateway running on a local machine. The App Store description says the iOS app can be used in multiple ways.


  • Pair with your private OpenClaw Gateway by QR code or setup code

  • Chat with your assistant from iPhone

  • Use realtime and background Talk mode

  • Review Gateway action approvals from your iPhone

  • Share text, links, and media directly from iOS into OpenClaw

  • Enable device capabilities such as camera, screen, location, photos, contacts, calendar, and reminders when you choose

  • Receive push wakes and node status updates for connected workflows



OpenClaw is a useful tool, but it has risks. It is susceptible to prompt injection and requires broad system permissions on gateway devices.

OpenClaw started out as Clawdbot, because the initial version created by Peter Steinberger used Claude. Anthropic complained about the name, prompting a rename.

The app can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌ for free. [Direct Link]
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Apple Released iOS 26.5.2 Security Fixes Early to Thwart AI-Assisted Hacks

Apple today released iOS 26.5.2, iPadOS 26.5.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.5.2 with a long list of security fixes that it initially introduced in the iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, and ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6 betas.


Apple told Reuters that it released the updates earlier than planned due to concerns about AI-assisted hacks.
The company told Reuters on Monday it was adapting to ​the reality that, given the ability of artificial intelligence ​to speed the development of malicious hacking tools, it needed to reduce the time between when updates were first ​made public and when they were put into customers' hands.

Vulnerability fixes are typically included in most Apple software updates, but its major point updates usually include more fixes. Apple intended to release the 25+ security fixes that it introduced today in iOS 26.6 and its sister updates, but didn't want to wait for iOS 26.6 to come out.

In its security document outlining the changes, Apple did not say that any of the vulnerabilities that were fixed had been actively exploited, and the company further told Reuters that there was no evidence any of the now-patched vulnerabilities had been taken advantage of. Apple said the time between when the security fixes were announced and when they were deployed needed to be compressed, but did not say which vulnerabilities drove the urgency.

Apple is among Anthropic's Project Glasswing partners, and it has been using the Claude Mythos Preview to hunt down and patch vulnerabilities before hackers can use them to breach devices. It's not known if Mythos played a role in Apple's decision to release the fixes ahead of schedule.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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iOS 26.5.2 Patches More Than 25 Security Vulnerabilities

Apple's newly released iOS 26.5.2, iPadOS 26.5.2, and macOS 26.5.2 updates address more than 25 security vulnerabilities, which means you should install the updates as soon as possible.


According to Apple's security support documents for the updates, the new software has vulnerability fixes that Apple previously made available in the iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, and macOS Tahoe 26.6 betas.

There are multiple kernel fixes, and several WebKit vulnerabilities that could lead to crashes or data leaks have been addressed. None of the vulnerabilities are known to have been actively exploited, but now that Apple has published details about them, it is possible malicious entities could create exploits targeting users who have not yet updated.

Apple always recommends that iPhone, iPad, and Mac users keep their devices up to date and install the new software patches shortly after they're released.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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