Apple today provided public beta testers with the fourth 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.
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Anthropic today said it is bringing Claude Cowork to mobile and the web, with beta access rolling out to Max users first. Claude Cowork is a feature that lets Claude access local files and connected tools, then autonomously complete tasks on your behalf.


Claude Cowork tasks can now be started and monitored on the web, desktop, and Claude mobile apps. Claude is able to work in the background in the cloud even when no device is online, sending an alert when it needs permission to move forward with a task.

Anthropic says the desktop is still the best place for the full Cowork experience because it gives Claude access to local files and a browser, but those who were unable to install a desktop app can now use Cowork.

Claude chat and Cowork have also been combined into a single view on the web and desktop and are no longer separate tabs.

As part of the expansion to mobile, Anthropic is extending doubled Cowork usage limits through August 5.
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Apple previously announced that the first iOS 27 public beta would be released in July, meaning that it should be available at some point this month.


Below, we have outlined how to get ready for the iOS 27 public beta, which will likely follow the third or fourth iOS 27 developer beta.

Release Date History

The first public betas of iOS 16 through iOS 26 came out between July 11 and July 24.

• iOS 26 Public Beta: Thursday, July 24, 2025


• iOS 18 Public Beta: Monday, July 15, 2024


• iOS 17 Public Beta: Wednesday, July 12, 2023


• iOS 16 Public Beta: Monday, July 11, 2022

Get Ready

Once it is available, anyone will be able to install the iOS 27 public beta on a compatible iPhone for free by following the steps outlined below.

• Sign up at beta.apple.com for free.


• Open your iPhone's Settings app and tap General → Software Update → Beta Updates.


• Select the iOS 27 Public Beta option (restart your iPhone if you don't see it) and follow the on-screen steps.

If you are impatient, anyone can install the iOS 27 developer beta for free right now.

Warning: While the first public beta is usually more stable than the first developer beta, iOS betas often have bugs and performance issues. You may not be able to use some apps that you rely on, and issues can extend to CarPlay. Backing up your iPhone before installing beta software is highly recommended, and relying on a secondary iPhone altogether is always a good idea if possible.

iOS 27 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer, but Apple Intelligence features like Siri AI are limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer.

Keep in mind that the revamped version of Siri has a waitlist. To join the waitlist, open the Settings app on iOS 27 and tap on Siri and you will find it there. In some cases, it can take a few weeks to receive access to Siri AI and the Siri app.

Beyond the new Siri, iOS 27 features Liquid Glass design enhancements, performance improvements, expanded child safety features, and more.
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Google will introduce its latest Pixel smartphones at an August 12 event, debuting the updated devices about a month ahead of when Apple is expected to announce new iPhone models.


Google is expected to launch the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and a new Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Leaked CAD renders suggest the new smartphones will have slimmed down bezels, a slightly thinner design than the Pixel 10, and an updated all-black camera bar.

The latest Pixel foldable is expected to look like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it could be thinner with some minor changes to the rear camera bar. It's supposed to be about 10.1mm thick when folded and 4.8mm thick when unfolded, which is not too far off from the rumored thickness of Apple's foldable iPhone.

Last year, Apple cut the 128GB iPhone and the iPhone 17 launched with 256GB of starting storage, and Google plans to make the same move with the Pixel 11.

This year's Pixel devices could be more expensive, and a leak out of Europe suggests a €100 price increase across all new Pixel smartphones compared to the prior pricing. Most device manufacturers are upping prices in 2026 because of the soaring costs of DRAM.

Apple raised the prices of all Macs and iPads in June, and the new iPhones coming in the fall are likely going to be more expensive than the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could be up to $200 more expensive, according to analyst estimates.

Google's Pixel 11 lineup will compete with Apple's ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models, which Apple is expected to introduce in September. Apple won't have a Pixel 11 equivalent in 2026 because it is holding its base iPhone 18 until spring 2027, but it will launch the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and its first foldable iPhone.

Samsung is also going to launch new smartphones ahead of when Apple introduces the ‌iPhone 18‌ lineup. The next Samsung Unpacked event is expected later in July, with the company set to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. The latter foldable has an aspect ratio that's closer to the rumored foldable iPhone.

With the foldable iPhone, Apple will be competing with Samsung and Google, and both companies have had time to refine their foldable device designs. Samsung has been making foldables since 2019, and Google's first Pixel Fold came out in 2023.
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Apple today released a third version of the beta firmware it is testing for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 9A5314b.


In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple is adding a new AirPods interface, a slider for Adaptive mode, and support for custom EQ, so the firmware adds support for those features. AirPods are also compatible with the new Siri AI.

When the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 or later, there is a beta firmware option that can be accessed in the AirPods settings interface. Toggling on beta updates allows users to install the beta firmware.

Firmware updates can be downloaded by connecting the AirPods to an Apple device and connecting them to power. It can take a few hours for new firmware to be installed because there is no straightforward software update option like there is for other Apple devices.
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The iPhone 18 Pro's aluminum frame and camera housing are both set to grow thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro's, according to new posts from the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital."


In a post on Weibo today, the leaker said that aluminum alloy mid-frames are "going to be used in straight-edge phones for a long time to come," referring to Apple's continued use of the material introduced with the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ rather than a return to titanium. Citing leaked materials from Tata, the leaker claimed that the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s overall body and rear camera plateau, will be thicker than the current model, corresponding to a roughly 2mm increase the leaker says it can now confirm firsthand. The leaker added that the final thickness figure "will indeed be somewhat surprising."

The post links to two of the leaker's earlier claims. In one, Fixed Focus Digital said the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ lineup "will still feature an aluminum alloy build" with "indeed excellent" heat dissipation, while warning that buyers should be cautious about the new color options given the discoloration and surface chipping that has affected some ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ units. In the other, the leaker said supply chain feedback confirmed the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s main camera upgrade and indicated that the aluminum alloy back panel would grow by 2mm.

That 2mm figure lines up with a separate post the leaker shared on July 4, which estimated that the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models' overall thickness will land somewhere around 9.9–10.9mm. That would mark a substantial jump from the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, which both measure 8.75mm thick. It also builds on dummy models shared in April, which suggested the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max's camera plateau would grow to 11.54mm, up from 11.23mm on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max.

The added bulk is reportedly tied to a redesigned main camera system. The device is widely rumored to feature the iPhone's first variable aperture, a component reported to cost Apple 50% more than the current fixed-aperture lens. Production of the new module is said to be ramping up at suppliers including LG Innotek and Sunny Optical.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to launch alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone this September.
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Amazon today has a few discounts on the iPad mini 7, starting at $489.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $599.00. This is the first time since Prime Day that we've tracked all Wi-Fi models of the tablet on sale with notable discounts.

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.

Additionally, you can get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $589.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $769.00, both available in multiple colors. Of course, when compared to the pre-hike prices on each model, these are all second-best prices on the iPad mini 7.





Additionally, you can pair a new iPad mini with the Apple Pencil Pro for $99.00 on sale right now on Amazon, down from $129.00.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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A federal judge has thrown out most of the claims in a proposed class action accusing Apple's AirPods Max of a condensation defect, ruling that the $549 headphones do what they were built for even if they fall short of a buyer's expectations (via Law360).


Filed in April 2025 by two plaintiffs, the suit alleges that condensation builds up inside the AirPods Max ear cups during normal indoor use, which can degrade sound, break ear detection and active noise cancellation, and interfere with charging.

From the 24-page order:

On April 9, 2021, while residing in New York, Plaintiff Apicella ordered AirPods Max headphones and AppleCare+ through Apple's website. Upon receiving and using his AirPods Max, Plaintiff Arthur Apicella "noticed excessive condensation in his AirPods Max ear cups while watching a movie," and his AirPods Max "generate[d] condensation in the ear cups every time he used them, often after only about 15 minutes of use."

On May 23, 2021, while residing in Washington, Plaintiff Dustin Amundson purchased AirPods Max headphones and AppleCare. Shortly after purchasing them, Plaintiff Amundson "noticed excessive condensation in his AirPods Max ear cups while performing every day tasks, indoors, at home," and they "generate[d] condensation in the ear cups every time he use[d] them."

Plaintiffs allege that they "are unable to use their AirPods Max to enjoy 'exhilarating high-fidelity audio' . . . or the supposed '[s]patial audio with dynamic head tracking [giving them] a theater-like experience for movies and shows, with sound that surrounds [them.]'" Instead, they experience switches in connection between their devices, pauses in connectivity or sound quality, failure to connect to wireless networks "with increasing frequency as the condensation worsens," and "failure to maintain its battery charge" for the advertised 20 hours.

Both plaintiffs claim that Apple knew about the problem as early as 2018, but stayed quiet.

However, in an order issued on Monday, Judge Orelia E. Merchant of the Eastern District of New York dismissed every claim brought under New York law with prejudice. She found that the state's implied warranty of merchantability asks only that a product meet "a minimal level of quality," not that it needs to be perfect. She also noted that one plaintiff had successfully used his AirPods Max to watch a movie.

The New York resident was dropped from the case entirely, while the Washington state resident may still proceed with two claims under Washington law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

The AirPods Max condensation phenomenon is fairly well-known at this point. Condensation frequently forms where warm body heat meets the cooler aluminum ear cups. Owners began reporting condensation soon after the headphones launched in December 2020. By 2023, the issue was sometimes referred to as "condensation death" following reports that some headphones had stopped working due to the accumulation of liquid.

Whether the phenomenon is the direct cause of reported faults has never been firmly established. Many owners experience condensation build-up inside the cans with apparently no ill effects, and there haven't been waves of water-damaged units flooding the repair market. Apple's AirPods Max 2, launched in March this year, have the same ear cup design as the original model, and condensation has been reported in them as well.

The New York case is actually the second AirPods Max condensation class action to flounder. An earlier California case filed in February 2021 never reached the class-wide stage because the lead plaintiffs settled their individual claims with Apple and both parties moved to dismiss.

Notably, Apple has not conceded the headphones have an inherent defect in either case. In its California court filing, the company argued that moisture is more noticeable on AirPods Max simply because the ear cups are magnetic and removable, and pointed to its own guidance that the headphones "aren't waterproof or water resistant."
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Maestral, the free lightweight open-source Dropbox client for Mac, has been retired, according to the project's maintainer, Sam Schott.


Over its seven-year life, Maestral has proven to be a popular client for users on platforms and file systems that are no longer directly supported by Dropbox. It has also been lauded for its simplicity, small app bundle size, and low memory usage compared to the official Dropbox app.

By cutting out Dropbox's client bloat, Maestral just runs silently in the background and syncs a local folder to Dropbox using the company's APIs. It also allows for configuring an unlimited number of Dropbox accounts, supports selective sync, and works on an unlimited number of devices – avoiding Dropbox's caps.

Schott, writing on the project's GitHub page:

As of 2026-07-28, this project is archived. It's been a fun challenge to develop a syncing client, but unfortunately, I find too little time to invest in Maestral these days. I've also moved away from using Dropbox myself.

Schott says Maestral will still remain usable in the medium term – i.e., for as long as its certificates are valid – but it will no longer be actively maintained or receive updates. Unless someone else forks the project and takes it over, unfortunately it will eventually stop working.
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Apple is reportedly working on a second-generation iPhone Air that's expected to launch in spring 2027, and one of Apple's main aims is to improve battery life. We now have the first rumor suggesting what kind of improvement could be coming.


In a post on Weibo listing supply chain predictions, serial leaker Digital Chat Station said the iPhone Air 2 is expected to feature a 3,500mAh battery. That's up from the 3,149mAh battery in the current iPhone Air, indicating around a 11% increase in raw capacity.

A larger battery capacity usually implies either a physically larger battery or a denser one, but it does not automatically mean a bigger phone. Apple may also be able to improve internal packaging to fit a larger battery in the same chassis. Either way, it's going to be another tight squeeze.

Multiple prior rumors have suggested Apple is adding a second camera to the ‌iPhone Air‌ to address the main customer complaint about the device. The current model has a single rear Wide lens, which makes it less versatile compared to the more affordable iPhone 17 in terms of photography. Reports suggest Apple will add an Ultra Wide lens to the iPhone Air 2 to address this.

Multiple technologies are housed in the plateau of the iPhone Air to maximize space for the battery, so Apple would presumably need to redesign the internals considerably to fit in another camera. Whether that will impact the battery packaging design remains to be seen.

The device will use an A20 chip built on Apple's new 2nm process, so it could feature better efficiency, which should help battery life regardless of any change in battery capacity. In addition, according to a separate report, Apple is said to be adopting a Samsung-made OLED technology called CoE (Color Filter on Encapsulation), which could make the iPhone Air 2's display thinner. That could allow Apple to slide in a slightly larger battery while retaining the same device dimensions.

The iPhone Air 2 is expected to launch in the first half of 2027, alongside the regular iPhone 18 and the lower-cost iPhone 18e.
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Apple is continuing to refine iOS 27 ahead of its planned September launch, and the third beta includes several new features. Siri is more customizable, there's a fun new wallpaper action, and some useful improvements to Photos and Shortcuts.

Siri Voice

Beta 3 adds support for ‌Siri‌ voice customization on compatible devices. The customization option existed in prior betas, but it was not active. It's now usable, and you can customize the pace and expressivity of ‌Siri‌, with two base voice options available right now.


‌Siri‌ voice customization requires an iPhone 17 Pro or an iPhone Air because it uses on-device processing.

Live Recognition

In Accessibility, Apple added a new Live Recognition section. Live Recognition uses on-device intelligence to detect and describe things around you with the camera app. The feature is able to answer questions about what it sees, with an option to set a default question. There's also support for custom activities.

Reminders

The Reminders app has an updated icon with Liquid Glass to-do list bullets.

Photos

In the ‌Photos‌ section of the Settings app, there's a new Show Rating Controls toggle. It displays star ratings on photos and videos, and shows a rating badge on thumbnails.

Control Center

In Control Center, you can see details about your cellular connection even when connected to Wi-Fi. It shows signal strength and whether you're connected to LTE or 5G.

Shortcuts

You can now choose whether to open to the Describe a Shortcut interface or the manual Shortcuts editor when creating a new shortcut.

Wallpaper

When you swipe down into the notification center, a cutout of the subject of your wallpaper now appears first over the Home Screen or app you're using.

AirPods

The Adaptive setting on the AirPods has a slider that lets you select more transparency or more noise cancellation.

Home App

Apple clarified that Apple Intelligence features in the Home app will require a 2TB iCloud+ plan.

Maps

Apple added a tooltip to make it clearer that route preferences haven't been eliminated and can be accessed by tapping under the options interface when getting directions.

Lock Screen

The Control Center buttons on the Lock Screen now have black icons instead of white icons with some wallpaper.

5G in India

5G+ is now available in India on supported carriers.
This article, "Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 3" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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An iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange has been sealed inside a 250 year time capsule as part of America's Semiquincentennial celebrations, with the device not due to be seen again until the 23rd century.


America250, the congressionally appointed nonprofit leading the 250th anniversary celebrations, announced that "America's Time Capsule" was officially sealed and buried at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, to be reopened in 2276.

The iPhone was included through America250's "America Innovates" initiative as a representative of the cutting edge of American innovation and technology in 2026, with the device showcasing advances in handheld computing, imaging, and connectivity that have transformed how people work, communicate, and create in the 21st century. The device contains "digital artifacts" in the Notes app, intended to give whoever opens the capsule in 2276 a small window into everyday life in 2026.

The capsule itself was built to give the iPhone and everything else inside it the best possible chance of surviving intact. Developed with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and preservation experts at the Library of Congress, it uses a 900 pound, precision milled stainless steel cylinder sealed with indium, a soft metal that deforms under compression to fill microscopic imperfections in the sealing groove. It was covered with a 1,100 pound stainless steel bell jar that creates a protective air pocket to keep the vessel dry underground.

Beyond the iPhone, the capsule holds contributions from all 56 states and territories and all three branches of the federal government, including a feather from Civil War era bald eagle mascot "Old Abe" (Wisconsin), fabric from the Wright brothers' 1903 aircraft (Ohio), and an AI generated response from Anthropic's Claude submitted by California imagining the state 250 years from now.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Max Sealed in Time Capsule Until 2276" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Anker's popular Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has dropped to $99.74 on Amazon, down from $149.99. This is one of Anker's newest accessories, and Amazon's sale today is a match of the all-time low price that we last tracked during Prime Day.

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

The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe ‌iPhone‌ charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 ‌MagSafe‌ chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.



Below you'll find a list of the best Anker discounts on Amazon this week, also including wall chargers, portable batteries, and more. There are a few more accessories that are matching their Prime Day prices, including Anker's Nano USB-C Wall Charger with Smart Display. You can get this accessory for $25.99, down from $39.99.

Wall Chargers

• Anker Nano USB-C Wall Charger with Smart Display - $25.99, down from $39.99


• Anker 140W 4-Port GaN USB-C Charger - $79.99, down from $99.99


• Anker 3-Port Prime Charger - $99.99, down from $149.99

Wireless Chargers

• Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station - $71.99, down from $89.99


• Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible UFO Charger - $71.99, down from $89.99


• Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Foldable Charging Station - $85.99, down from $109.99


• Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Charging Cube - $89.99, down from $129.99


• Anker 3-in-1 Prime Wireless Charging Station - $99.74, down from $149.99


• Anker Prime MagSafe-Compatible 3-in-1 Charging Station - $139.99, down from $229.99

Portable Chargers

• Anker MagGo Power Bank 10,000 mAh - $65.99, down from $79.99


• Anker Prime Power Bank 20,100 mAh - $129.99, down from $179.99


• Anker Prime Power Bank 26,250 mAh - $179.99, down from $229.99

Portable Power Stations

• Anker SOLIX C300 Power Station with Lantern - $189.99, down from $249.00


• Anker SOLIX C300 - $249.99, down from $299.99


• Anker SOLIX S2000 - $599.00, down from $1,199.00


• Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 - $899.99, down from $1,499.00

Docks

• Anker Nano 13-in-1 Laptop Docking Station - $111.99, down from $149.99


• Anker Prime 14-Port Docking Station - $169.99, down from $269.99

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Anker's 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charger Matches Prime Day Low at $99.74" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September. The devices will have a lot in common, but the latest leak suggests that the Pro Max model will take an even bigger step forward in regards to battery life.


According to new filings in a Chinese regulatory database, it appears that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a 5,567mAh battery in the U.S., while the iPhone 18 Pro will seemingly have a 4,288mAh battery. It is no surprise the Pro Max has a larger battery, but its year-over-year gains in battery life look to be particularly significant this year.

If the leaked capacities are accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro Max would have nearly a 10% larger battery compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the size of the iPhone 18 Pro's battery would only increase by less than 1% over the iPhone 17 Pro.

It was previously rumored that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be thicker than the iPhone 18 Pro. If so, that might be to accommodate the larger battery.

In some years, the Pro Max gets some camera features before the Pro, but that is not expected to be the case this year. The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera is rumored to get variable aperture on both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Of course, the Pro Max will remain larger and heavier than the Pro, but the devices should be identical beyond that and the bigger gap in battery life.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max: Here's What the Latest Leak Says" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon today has a few deals on the Apple Watch Ultra 3, providing $99 discounts on select models. We did track these models at $149 off during Prime Day this year, but those discounts are long gone and Amazon's prices today are still solid second-best options for anyone who missed those sales in June.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. 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 Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $699.99 in Natural and Black color options, down from $799.00. There are also a few Milanese Loop models on sale for $799.99, down from $899.00.



We've collected some of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 models currently on sale on Amazon in the list below. Amazon provides an estimated delivery date of July 11 for most of the watches, although Prime members should see same-day delivery in many locations.

• Black with Black Ocean Band - $699.99 ($99 off)


• Natural with Anchor Blue Ocean Band - $699.99 ($99 off)


• Natural with Blue/Bright Blue Trail Loop (M/L) - $699.99 ($99 off)


• Black with Black Milanese Loop (Large) - $799.99 ($99 off)


• Natural Milanese Loop (Large) - $799.99 ($99 off)

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Apple Watch Ultra 3 Now $99 Off on Amazon, Starting at $699.99" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Broadcom has agreed to extend its chip partnership with Apple through 2031, expanding a deal that covers the development and supply of a wide range of custom chips, Reuters reports.


Today's extension builds on an existing supply relationship between the two companies, which have worked together for years. Apple is one of Broadcom's largest customers, believed to account for about 20% of its annual revenue.

Apple has been steadily bringing chip design in-house, such as with its own C1 and C1X cellular modems, but many of Broadcom's wireless connectivity and radio frequency components remain in use. Broadcom's chips cover custom radio frequency components, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and other networking semiconductors found throughout Apple's lineup.

Apple and Broadcom signed a multibillion-dollar agreement in 2023 covering 5G radio frequency components manufactured in the United States. Broadcom shares rose nearly 4% in premarket trading today on the news.
This article, "Apple and Broadcom Extend Chip Supply Deal to 2031" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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New Chinese regulatory certification filings appear to confirm the battery capacities of Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max models.


According to new filings in China's C3 database, spotted by the leaker known as "Digital Chat Station" on Weibo, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ is seemingly rated for 4,056mAh in China and 4,288mAh in the U.S., up modestly from the iPhone 17 Pro's 3,988mAh and 4,252mAh. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max shows a bigger jump, rated for 5,391mAh in China and 5,567mAh in the U.S., compared with 4,823mAh and 5,088mAh on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, an increase of nearly 500mAh.

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌

	China	China Difference	U.S.	U.S. Difference
iPhone 16 Pro	3,582mAh	+308mAh	3,582mAh	+308mAh
‌iPhone 17 Pro‌	3,988mAh	+406mAh	4,252mAh	+670mAh
‌iPhone 18 Pro‌	4,056mAh	+68mAh	4,288mAh	+36mAh

‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max

	China	China Difference	U.S.	U.S. Difference
‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max	4,685mAh	+244mAh	4,685mAh	+244mAh
‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max	4,823mAh	+138mAh	5,088mAh	+403mAh
‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max	5,391mAh	+568mAh	5,567mAh	+479mAh

The devices in the filings are not directly named the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, but are highly likely to relate to these models.

The China and U.S. capacities differ because Apple has continued to include a SIM tray on iPhones sold outside the United States, while U.S. models have been eSIM only since the iPhone 14 lineup. Without a physical tray taking up internal space, Apple can fit a slightly larger battery into the U.S. version of each device.

The certification listings cover battery models S2232 and S2233 for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and 2235L/2235 and 2236L/2236 for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and also show rated energy figures of up to 21.751Wh and a 4.520V charge limit voltage, and list all four batteries as valid through May or June 2031.

The numbers line up with Digital Chat Station's report from June, which gave identical figures for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌.

In a separate post the same day, Digital Chat Station said supply chain information from months earlier had already pointed to the China model landing in the "5,000mAh" range, and suggested that a 5391mAh cell paired with the 2nm A20 Pro chip could deliver a noticeable battery life improvement.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models are rumored to feature a smaller Dynamic Island, a variable aperture main camera, the C2 modem outside of the U.S., and more. The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to launch in September alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro Battery Capacities Revealed by Regulatory Filings" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Mac mini and Mac Studio have become the machines of choice for running AI agents, according to Doug Brooks, Apple's senior product manager of Apple silicon.


Brooks made the claim while discussing Apple's chip strategy in a newly published interview with The Deep View conducted just prior to WWDC 2026 in June.

Brooks says that the company has seen "incredible demand" for the two desktop Macs. When it comes to agentic workloads, "people often want a system that's under their control, isolated from their primary machine, and capable of running 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Brooks.

"A Mac mini is an amazing system for that," he added.

Many AI tools are also Mac-first or Mac-only, which Brooks says has helped cement the Mac's standing among developers, including those at frontier AI labs where Macs are said to be a common sight.

The Apple executive also conceives of agentic AI as a whole-chip problem rather than a GPU one. "It's not just about the GPU crunching on an LLM anymore," he said. "It's about the whole chip contributing to different parts of the task, tool-calling, and the things that are happening around those workflows. It really plays to the strengths of Apple silicon."

Brooks links Apple's position of strength in modern AI back to chip decisions made long before LLMs like ChatGPT arrived. He points to the Neural Engine, which is built for power-efficient matrix math, along with lesser-known neural accelerators inside the CPU that handle time-sensitive tasks like speech.

Apple more recently added neural accelerators to the GPU, which has extended AI performance across the board from iPhone-class parts up to the Mac's largest silicon. Brooks ties that progress to Apple's design method, where a chip is built for a specific machine, and the hardware and software are developed in tandem.

He also described a shift toward running AI locally rather than in the cloud – a move motivated by privacy, security, and the rising cost of inference as agents consume more tokens. However, Brooks envisions a hybrid future in which agents decide what runs on-device and what gets sent to the cloud.

He also singled out what he calls "transparent AI" on iPhone and iPad, referring to features scattered throughout the operating system and third-party apps that work quietly without announcing themselves as AI.

Some of the examples he cited include Draw Things, an image generator that runs across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and SwingVision, which analyzes tennis and pickleball gameplay in real time using the iPhone's cameras.

"The speed of AI development right now is just crazy," Brooks said. "I can't imagine where we're going to be a year from now, three months from now, or even a month from now," he added.

You can read the full interview over on The Deep View website.
This article, "Apple Silicon Exec Explains Mac Mini AI Demand and On-Device Future" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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WhatsApp appears to be introducing a new visual indicator that shows when a contact is online, according to WaBetaInfo.


The feature adds a small green circle to a contact's profile photo when they're active in the app, and which disappears the moment they leave, all updated in real time. The indicator is now being tested for the WhatsApp iPhone app in TestFlight after it debuted on Android last month.

As it currently works, the dot only surfaces in the chat info screen (the page that opens when you tap a contact's name at the top of a conversation). It doesn't yet appear in the chat list or the conversation view itself, but that could change in the future.

The change appears to stick to WhatsApp's existing privacy rules, so if someone has specifically chosen to hide their last seen and online status, the green dot won't show up for them.


The indicator is live in the WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.26.10.72. WABetaInfo reports that it's available to some beta testers now, with a wider beta rollout expected over the coming weeks. There's no word yet on when the green dot will reach the stable version for everyone, though.
This article, "WhatsApp Beta Adds Green Dot to Show Who's Online" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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