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OpenAI: No Evidence Apple's Trade Secret Complaint Has Merit

OpenAI says it is "not aware" of any evidence that Apple's allegations of trade secret theft have merit in a statement provided to Bloomberg.

While we take these allegations seriously, we're not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit. We believe in fair competition and allowing people the freedom to work wherever they choose, and we're focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.

Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI on Friday, accusing the company of intellectual property theft. Apple said OpenAI employees Tang Tan and Chang Liu schemed to steal confidential Apple information to further hardware development at OpenAI. Tan is OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a 24-year Apple veteran who led product design, while Liu is on the hardware team at OpenAI after working as a senior system electrical engineer at Apple.

Tan and Liu allegedly asked Apple employees interviewing at OpenAI to come prepared with details on unreleased devices, components, manufacturing processes, and vendor relationships. Liu is also accused of keeping an Apple-issued laptop and exploiting an authentication bug to view confidential documents while working at OpenAI. From the lawsuit:
This is the tip of the iceberg. Apple lacks visibility into what's been happening behind closed doors at OpenAI, where such misconduct is normalized and exemplified by leadership. This much is clear, however: at every level, from members of its Technical Staff to its Chief Hardware Officer, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI has been stealing Apple's trade secrets and confidential information. As a natural result, OpenAI's nascent hardware business now rests on the shakiest of foundations, rotten to its core by its illegal reliance on misappropriated trade secrets.

When Apple first filed the suit, OpenAI gave a dismissive response. "We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets," said OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri. "We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere."

OpenAI's new statement about employee mobility hints at how it will frame the case publicly. In the lawsuit, Apple said more than 400 Apple employees have migrated to OpenAI, so OpenAI can point to its hiring of former Apple employees as motivation for Apple's lawsuit.

Apple is aiming for a jury trial, and is hoping to uncover more evidence through discovery. Apple has requested an injunction requiring OpenAI to cease using any Apple information during the development of OpenAI's AI hardware device. Apple is also seeking damages and suing Tan and Liu for breach of contract for violating their employment agreements.
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Amazon Hosts Rare Nintendo Switch 2 Deal, Get $49 Off Game Bundle [Sold Out]

Amazon has introduced a big discount on the Nintendo Switch 2: Choose Your Game Bundle, now available for $449.99 when you add the product to your cart, down from $499.00. As the name implies, this bundle allows you to choose from three games, all of which retail between $69.99 and $79.99, making this deal even better.

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.

Games available to choose from in this bundle include Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, and PokΓ©mon Pokopia. You'll pick one of these games as a digital game download on your new Switch 2 system.

Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.



Considering the impending price hike coming to the Switch 2 in the fall, Amazon's deal today could be the last big markdown on the console before that price increase happens. Nintendo has announced that the Switch 2 console with no game will increase from $450 to $500, so we can expect the console game bundles to increase at that point as well.

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.




Deals Newsletter


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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple Releases New iOS 27 AirPods Firmware For Public Beta Testers

Apple today released new AirPods beta firmware available for public testers. The firmware has a build number of 9A5314b, and it is available for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. The public beta firmware is identical to the third developer beta Apple released last week.


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 lets public beta testers use 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.
Related Roundups: AirPods 4, iOS 27, iPadOS 27
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

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macOS Golden Gate Public Beta: 10 Features to Try First

macOS 27 Golden Gate is available to public beta testers as of this week, which means you can try out Siri AI and the other changes coming in the update before it launches this fall.


We don't recommend betas for devices that serve a critical function, and it's always best to test on a secondary device. macOS Golden Gate is a stable beta compared to past releases, but it's still in development and there can be some bugs to contend with. Before installing the update, make sure to create a Time Machine backup so you can go back to macOS Tahoe if you need to.

Liquid Glass


Apple added a Liquid Glass slider in macOS 27, and you can adjust the transparency level. You can select a clearer version of Liquid Glass that lets some of the background show through, or a more opaque version for improved legibility. Since it's a slider, you can also pick something in between.

Apple also tweaked the overall opacity of Liquid Glass, and it better diffuses complex content behind navigation bars and buttons. Darkened edges and brighter specular highlights add more depth and separation for different UI elements.

Toolbars, Sidebars, and Windows


Uniform toolbars in apps make text headings and groups of controls more legible, and Apple has cut back on the number of icons that are used in menu interfaces. Windows have the same corner radius for more consistency, and you'll notice that app corners are not as dramatically rounded.

Changes to window shadows and the Liquid Glass updates make it a lot easier to tell which window is active when you have several apps open.

Sidebars no longer float and are edge-to-edge, which is a less distracting design. Sidebar icons once again use color, too.

Siri AI


β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI is the biggest change in β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ is smarter, more capable, and functions like a chatbot. On the Mac, you can ask β€ŒSiriβ€Œ anything using the Spotlight interface that comes up with Command + Space. Spotlight is now a unified "Search or Ask" bar where you can search for files, apps, and other content, or ask β€ŒSiriβ€Œ to complete tasks or answer queries.

You can also interact with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ using the dedicated β€ŒSiriβ€Œ app, which is where you can view past conversations and start new conversations. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ conversations sync across all of your devices, and the β€ŒSiriβ€Œ app is cross-platform.

β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can see what's on your screen and access your personal information like emails, messages, and photos to answer questions. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can also search the web and complete tasks in apps for you. It's a huge change from the prior version of β€ŒSiriβ€Œ, and β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can handle far more than it could before.

We have more on some of the tasks you can complete with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ in our Siri AI guide.

Visual Intelligence


Apple brought the iPhone's Visual Intelligence feature to the Mac in macOS 27. You can ask β€ŒSiriβ€Œ questions about what's on your screen with β€ŒVisual Intelligenceβ€Œ, choosing the entire screen or just a portion.

β€ŒVisual Intelligenceβ€Œ on the Mac works when you press Command + Shift + Space or Command + Shift + 6 to capture one area of the display. If you press Command + Shift + 5 (also used for recording your display and capturing screenshots), you can click on the β€ŒVisual Intelligenceβ€Œ icon to get an adjustable selection square for selecting an area of the screen.

β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can search for images, summarize, translate, identify objects, add information from the screen to apps like Calendar or Reminders, answer questions about what you're looking at, and more. β€ŒVisual Intelligenceβ€Œ on Mac has all of the same features as Visual Intelligence on iPhone, and it includes the new β€ŒVisual Intelligenceβ€Œ features like telling you nutritional information for food or splitting out a bill.

Write with Siri


There is a system-wide Write with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ feature that goes beyond the Apple Intelligence Writing Tools available in β€ŒmacOS Tahoeβ€Œ. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can compose entire emails or messages for you, give you feedback on your writing, change out words, and complete other editing tasks.

To use Write with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ on Mac, right-click in an app and choose the Ask β€ŒSiriβ€Œ option. If you select text before the right-click, you can ask β€ŒSiriβ€Œ for editing help. If you have a blank document, you can ask β€ŒSiriβ€Œ to generate something for you. When drafting emails or messages, β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can analyze your past communications and generate something in your own writing style.

Apple also expanded spell correction in β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ, and your Mac will now also give you grammar suggestions and fixes.

iPhone Mirroring


You can resize the iPhone Mirroring window in β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ, dragging at the corner to make a window larger or smaller. Depending on the app, you may be limited to a portrait iPhone aspect ratio, but other apps support iPad or landscape layouts.

Shortcuts


It's easier for anyone to create a Shortcut in just a few minutes in β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ. The Shortcuts app on Mac opens to an interface that lets you describe what you want a shortcut to do using natural language.

AI creates the shortcut for you, and you can refine it with further natural language commands or manually edit it. You can activate your shortcuts through the app or with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ commands.

Safari Extensions


Safari has a customizable extension feature in β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ, and you can use the Describe Extension option to type in what you want an extension to do. The extension is created using AI and is available to use right away.

To use it, click on the settings icon on the right side of the URL bar and choose the Describe Extension option. Some Apple examples:

  • Display a reading time estimate as a badge on the extension

  • Close duplicate tabs pointing to the same URL when I click the extension

  • Highlight this word

  • Create a 3-minute focus timer for the page

  • Set the minimum font size to 14pt

  • Every time I open a new tab, draw me a flower

  • Highlight and show the dimensions of webpage elements when I click them

  • Enter design mode for a website so that I can edit the contents

  • Save this recipe


Safari Tab Grouping and Notifications


Safari also has an intelligent tab grouping feature. Tabs in related categories are automatically grouped together in the tab view.

You can also set Safari to monitor a webpage for updates, with Hourly, Daily, Weekly, and Monthly checks available. When you set this feature up, you'll get a notification when the content on the webpage changes.

Performance Improvements


In addition to introducing β€ŒSiriβ€Œ and new β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ features, β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ cleans up underlying code. Apple made multiple refinements to speed up performance.

Animations and interactions are faster and smoother, and you'll notice a difference when scrolling Safari and other apps, opening Mission Control and Spaces, and using other Mac interface elements.

AirDrop transfers complete more quickly, browsing through files on attached network devices is faster, and window positioning is more stable when using external displays. Messages also sync faster and more reliably across devices.

Apple rebuilt its search foundation for Spotlight, Photos, Mail, and Messages, and indexing is quicker. When you search for something recent, it's more likely to come up right away than before, and in Mail, there's a ranking system that surfaces the emails you're most likely looking for. Mail search indexing is more reliable than before, and Spotlight search suggestions are more relevant.

How to Install


Sign up on Apple's beta testing website, then open up the System Settings app. From there, click on General > Software Update and under the Beta Updates section, click on the "i" to choose macOS 27 Golden Gate Public Beta.

After that, you can install β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ like any other software update.

System Requirements


β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ runs on Macs with an M1 chip or later, plus the A18 Pro MacBook Neo. Intel Macs do not support β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ and won't get the new features.

Every Mac that runs β€ŒmacOS Golden Gateβ€Œ supports β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ and β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI, but some on-device β€ŒSiriβ€Œ processing features for selecting a natural voice and getting upgraded dictation require an M3 or later.

β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI is not available in the European Union or China right now, and won't be available when the update launches this fall either.
Related Roundup: macOS Golden Gate

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Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition Coming to Apple Arcade

Apple today announced that Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition is coming to Apple Arcade on August 6, a new entry in the franchise built specifically for the service with a season-based structure and current NFL rosters.


The game is a full Madden title with no ads or in-app purchases, and it includes both Franchise and Quick Play modes, with player ratings drawn from real NFL performances. A weekly story engine drives Franchise mode, casting players as GM and tasking them with guiding a team through shifting storylines, keeping fans onside, and building toward a title. Controller support is available across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

Retro Bowl College+ also launches August 6, putting players in charge of one of 250 college programs in this spinoff of the original pixel-art Retro Bowl.

On September 3, NFL Retro Bowl '27 adds a new Gauntlet Mode, where players start with limited resources and try to string together 15 wins in a row for the top spot on the leaderboard, picking between easier matchups or riskier ones that pay out real NFL players and perks. Progress carries over between runs even after a loss, building toward a final matchup against a rival team.

A handful of existing Arcade sports titles are also set to receive updates. NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition now includes Tyrese Maxey as a new Paragon player and has added the 2016-2024 era to its Association mode. PGA TOUR Pro Golf gained a new course, Bear's Best Atlanta, and starting July 16, NFL Retro Bowl '26 is rolling out Historic Super Bowl challenges built around some of the league's most memorable title games.

Apple also pointed to a handful of Arcade games that can now be sampled on the App Store without a subscription, including PowerWash Simulator, Mini Motorways, Cooking Mama: Cuisine!, and Play-Doh World.

β€ŒApple Arcadeβ€Œ is a subscription service that provides access to hundreds of games across the iPhone, β€ŒiPadβ€Œ, Mac, β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ, and Apple Vision Pro. All of the games are free of ads and in-app purchases. In the U.S., β€ŒApple Arcadeβ€Œ costs $6.99 per month, and it is also bundled with other Apple services in all Apple One plans. β€ŒApple Arcadeβ€Œ can be accessed through the β€ŒApp Storeβ€Œ and the Apple Games app.
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Amazon Takes $30 Off AirPods 4 Models This Week

Amazon today has the AirPods 4 available for $99.00, down from $129.00. This is a second-best price on the AirPods 4, which is the base model without Active Noise Cancellation, and it's accompanied by a deal on the AirPods 4 with ANC.

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.

Amazon provides a July 19 estimated delivery date for free shipping, with faster delivery options for Prime members. This model hasn't hit its all-time low price since last holiday season, so Amazon's price today remains one of the best we've seen all year on the AirPods 4 base model.



Additionally, you can get the AirPods 4 with ANC on sale for $148.99 right now on Amazon, down from $179.00. Similar to the base model, we haven't tracked a record low price on the AirPods 4 with ANC in months, making today's deal a solid second-best option for anyone shopping for AirPods this summer.



Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.




Deals Newsletter


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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Factories Now Ready for iPhone 20's Glass Redesign, Leaker Claims

Facilities in Apple's supply chain have finished renovations ahead of "iPhone 20" production, according to a Weibo leaker who says Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone will move to an all-glass design.


In a new post on Weibo, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said the "preferred approach" for the iPhone 20 is a return to glass, with manufacturing quality expected to land somewhere around that of the first-generation iPhone Air. The leaker said the relevant manufacturing facility has "already been renovated" and is now waiting for machining to begin, but didn't name the supplier involved. Lens Technology produces iPhone cover glass and previously took over metal-frame and glass-back assembly plants from fellow supplier Catcher Technology.

Apple's iPhone production typically doesn't reach full-scale manufacturing until a matter of weeks before launch; for the iPhone 17, trial production began in June with full-volume output targeted for August, about a month ahead of the device's September release. The information likely refers to an early step in retooling a production line, which is the kind of groundwork Bloomberg said Apple is already "ramping up" as it develops the 20th-anniversary redesign.

The claim adds fresh supply chain detail to a redesign that has been rumored for well over a year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is aiming for a "mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display" to mark the iPhone's 20th anniversary, with curved glass wrapping around all sides of the device and a launch expected in September 2027.

In May, Fixed Focus Digital pushed back on an earlier report from fellow leaker Instant Digital claiming Apple was exploring liquid metal or an improved titanium alloy to replace aluminum on future Pro models, arguing that aluminum remains the only practical choice for now given the heat generated by on-device AI processing.

At the time, Fixed Focus Digital said any material change was unlikely before 2027, in line with the iPhone 18 Pro's expected retention of the same aluminum unibody design introduced on the iPhone 17 Pro. Earlier this month, the leaker reiterated that aluminum mid-frames are "going to be used in straight-edge phones for a long time to come," a distinction that leaves room for a different approach on the curved-edge iPhone 20.

The 20th anniversary iPhone models are expected to launch in the fall of 2027, following the iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and β€ŒiPhone Airβ€Œ 2 in the spring.
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Upcoming OLED iPad Mini Allegedly Uses 60Hz 8.4-Inch Display Panel

Apple is allegedly using a 60Hz 8.4-inch display panel in the upcoming OLED iPad mini, which is expected to be released later this year.


The information comes courtesy of a hit-and-miss tipster running the account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog. The leaker claims to have been told by a source in Apple's supply chain that the unreleased iPad mini is equipped with a low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) backplane hybrid OLED panel clocked at 60Hz.

Apple's β€ŒiPad Proβ€Œ models feature two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panelsβ€Œ, which makes the display capable of dynamically adjusting its refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz (aka ProMotion). In contrast, LTPS OLED panels are usually paired with fixed refresh rates – such as 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz – and are typically dimmer than LTPO panels.

If the leak is true, it's likely to disappoint iPad mini fans. Previous reports have not been clear on whether the iPad mini 8 will feature a higher refresh rate than the 60Hz LCD display used in the existing iPad mini 7. Given that the base iPhone 17 uses a 120Hz ProMotion panel, some would have believed it was reasonable to expect the same on the first OLED iPad mini. That said, the iPhone 17e goes to show that Apple is still in the 60Hz OLED business, so it might not consider the iPad mini to be a big enough market to justify the more advanced panel technology.

There's still hope of course that the rumor is off the mark. The leaker also said that the smaller form factor iPad is currently in mass production at Samsung Display's A2 Generation 5.5 OLED production line, which is located at its Asan campus in South Korea. Samsung has used the A2 line to manufacture LTPO panels as well as comparatively inferior LTPS panels, so if that piece of information is true, it doesn't mean the new iPad mini will definitely use the latter panel.

Late last month, a report from Korean outlet ETNews claimed that mass production of the iPad mini 8 was underway at a Samsung factory. There are no rumors suggesting exactly when the next β€ŒiPad miniβ€Œ will be released, but a late 2026 launch is widely expected. Aside from refresh rates, OLED offers several advantages over the LCD technology used in the iPad mini 7, such as higher contrast, deeper blacks, and improved power efficiency.
Related Roundup: iPad mini
Tags: Naver, OLED
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

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iPhone 17 Pricing Helped Apple Buck China's Q2 Smartphone Decline

Apple grew iPhone shipments in China by 24.4 percent year over year in the second quarter of 2026, making it the fastest-growing smartphone brand in a market that shrank overall, according to preliminary figures released today by research firm IDC.


Total shipments in China fell 4.3 percent to roughly 66 million units, amounting to a fifth consecutive quarter of decline. Apple and Huawei were the only major vendors to grow, with Huawei up 19.4 percent.

Apple's share of the Chinese market rose from 13.9 percent to 18.1 percent year over year, which was second only to Huawei's 22.6 percent. Meanwhile, Xiaomi suffered the steepest fall among the big brands, with shipments down 21.7 percent.

IDC attributes the market divergence largely to the way vendors reacted to rising memory and component costs amid the AI infrastructure buildout. Most Android vendors raised prices from late March, but Apple and Huawei held theirs steady, instead introducing targeted promotions.

On top of this, Huawei kept widening its lineup to cover more of the market, while Apple's early warnings of upcoming price increases in the second half of the year encouraged some buyers to purchase iPhone 17 series models sooner than they might have otherwise. "That gave hesitant buyers a reason to go ahead and purchase," said IDC analyst Arthur Guo.

The growth came despite a weak June market, as smartphone sales during China's "618" shopping festival fell nearly 15 percent compared to the same period in 2025.


IDC says it expects conditions to deteriorate over the next couple of years. As vendors run down cheaper component inventory, the firm forecasts China's year-over-year decline could widen to around 20 percent in the second half of 2026, right around when Apple is expected to launch its new iPhone 18 Pro models and first foldable iPhone. Storage prices are unlikely to ease meaningfully before 2027, and a broader recovery is not expected until 2028 or 2029, reckons IDC.

On the bright side, the research firm believes customers are postponing upgrades rather than walking away from smartphones, so the delayed demand should return in time. On that basis, a recovery could arrive around 2028–2029 as a fresh replacement cycle comes due.
Related Roundup: iPhone 17
Tags: China, IDC
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

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WhatsApp Beta Reveals iCloud Backup Alternative for iPhone

WhatsApp is developing a first-party cloud storage option for chat backups on iPhone, providing users with an alternative to iCloud for the first time, according to app tinkerer WABetaInfo.


Code found in the WhatsApp beta for iOS (version 26.28.10.16), available through TestFlight, suggests that users will eventually be able to pick their preferred backup destination directly from the app's chat backup settings. iCloud however will remain the default.

The feature harks back to one that WABetaInfo spotted in development for Android back in April, which is set to give users on Google's platform a way to store backups off Google Drive.

Under the plan, WhatsApp will reportedly include 2GB of free storage on its own servers, and there will be a 50GB tier priced at around $0.99 per month, similar to Apple's entry-level iCloud+ plan. There is also said to be a 1TB option in the works, although the tiers and pricing could always change before the backup feature goes live.

Image: WABetaInfo

Notably, backups kept on WhatsApp's servers will be protected by end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default, with no way to switch encryption off. That's firmer protection than what is offered by iCloud backups, whose users must turn on encryption manually by enabling Advanced Data Protection (ADP). WhatsApp will reportedly recommend securing backups with a passkey, but a password or 64-digit key will also work.

WABetaInfo says the feature is still in development and not yet working for beta testers, and WhatsApp hasn't yet stated when it plans to officially launch the backup alternative.
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Google Chrome's Gemini AI Features Roll Out to UK Users

Google has announced the rollout of Chrome's latest AI features to Mac and PC users in the U.K., indicated by a new "Ask Gemini" button with a sparkle icon in the upper right side of the browser.


Gemini in Chrome can work across multiple tabs, which is supposed to make it useful for comparing and summarizing information from several websites at once.

It also integrates with Google services such as Calendar, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps, allowing users to perform tasks like jumping to a specific moment in a YouTube video, scheduling a meeting, or drafting an email without leaving the current webpage.

The rollout includes Nano Banana, a new AI tool that can be used to generate images from text prompts right from the browser's sidebar.

Google says the new AI features will also be coming to iOS in the U.K. next month.

If you're not interested in any of this stuff, you can simply right-click on the Ask Gemini button at the upper right corner of Chrome and select Unpin to remove it from the browser.

Gemini's Chrome integration was initially limited to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, but Google expanded access to all desktop users in the US in September 2025, followed by rollouts to over 50 countries.
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iOS 27 Public Beta Is Here: 10 New Features Worth Testing

Apple released the iOS 27 public beta today, and if you've been curious about the new software, now's the time to try it out. β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ brings Siri AI, performance improvements, and lots of new Apple Intelligence features. With the public betas, you don't need to wait until September to see what's new.


β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ is one of Apple's most stable betas compared to prior years. We never recommend installing a beta on a main device, especially if you rely on important health apps, but if you have a secondary device or can live with a few bugs, the software is worth checking out.

Performance Improvements


Apple sped up a long list of features in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ, and it's immediately noticeable when you download the software.

Everything feels snappier than it did in iOS 26. Animations are quicker, apps launch faster, and AirDrop transfers complete faster. You'll see improvements when taking photos, opening the keyboard, using the App Library, and swapping Home Screen pages. Your iMessages between devices sync more accurately, messages won't fail to send and will be automatically retried, and your iPhone can transition more smoothly between Wi-Fi and cellular.

The majority of new features in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ require β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ and an iPhone 15 Pro or later, but the under-the-hood improvements are available on all iPhones, and even older iPhones will feel faster.

Siri AI


β€ŒSiriβ€Œ got a total overhaul in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ, and it's now "β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI." It's more like ChatGPT or Claude than the prior version of β€ŒSiriβ€Œ, with support for back-and-forth conversations. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI can do a lot of what other AI chatbots can do, but unlike other AI options, β€ŒSiriβ€Œ has private access to your messages, emails, photos, apps, and other personal data so it can complete a wider range of tasks. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can also search the web, so it can answer all kinds of queries.

You can activate β€ŒSiriβ€Œ with a wake word, swipe down from the middle of your screen to type a question to β€ŒSiriβ€Œ, chat with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ in the β€ŒSiriβ€Œ app, or press the side button to activate β€ŒSiriβ€Œ.

Some examples of what β€ŒSiriβ€Œ is now able to do:

  • Create home automations with a command like lock all the doors at midnight.

  • Find specific emails, messages, photos, images, links, files, and other documents people have sent to you. You can ask based on person, time, location, and more.

  • Delete files, emails, photos, or messages.

  • Add all items from a recipe on a website to a shopping list.

  • Recommend activities, places, and restaurants you might like based on what it knows about you.

  • Look at something on your screen like a website and answer questions about it.

  • Answer general knowledge questions.

  • Add information about people to the Contacts app when asked, like birthdays or additional phone numbers.

  • Find passwords for websites and apps that are stored in the Passwords app.


For more on some of the commands you can use with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ, we have a dedicated Siri AI guide.

Visual Intelligence


Visual Intelligence is accessible through the Camera app with a new β€ŒSiriβ€Œ mode that you can choose as an alternative to photo and video modes. It works the same as it did before, but it's easier to get to.

There are new β€ŒVisual Intelligenceβ€Œ features, and β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can do things like tell you the nutritional value of something you're about to eat, or calculate what everyone owes from an image of a receipt. We have more examples in our iOS 27 Visual Intelligence guide.

Write with Siri


β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can generate text from scratch in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ, and there's a system-wide Write with β€ŒSiriβ€Œ feature you can get to from the keyboard. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ can help you write, give you feedback on what you've written, change the tone or wording of your writing, and even write in your style by analyzing your emails and messages.

Your iPhone also automatically suggests grammar fixes in addition to spelling fixes.

Photos Clean Up


The Clean Up tool that removes unwanted objects from images in the Photos app is much improved in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ, and it does a better job cleanly removing what you don't want and filling in what's missing more convincingly.

There are also new image tools for extending the borders of a photo using AI, and changing the perspective or composition of an image.

Our full iOS 27 Photos guide goes through all of the new features.

Passwords


If you use the Passwords app, there's a new feature that uses Safari to automatically change weak and compromised passwords for you. It requires a device that supports β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ.

Safari


You can create custom extensions with natural language commands in Safari, which is useful for when you want to do something specific but there isn't a good extension available. Some sample suggestions, from Apple:

  • Create a citation for the current webpage and copy it to my clipboard

  • Create a 3-minute focus timer for the page

  • Set the minimum font size to 14pt

  • Turn the page into pirate speak

  • Style websites like 90s websites with bold colors and type

  • Every time I open a new tab, draw me a different flower

  • Highlight and show the dimensions of webpage elements when I tap on them

  • Enter the design mode for a website so that I can edit the contents


Safari can also automatically organize your tabs into categories and watch a webpage and let you know if there are changes. For more, read our iOS 27 Safari guide.

Home App


Use HomeKit Secure Video cameras? They now support 2K and 4K recording. There's also a new AI feature that gives you text descriptions for what's happening in your home, and there's an option to search through videos using natural language to find something you're looking for.

The AI features will require a 2TB iCloud+ plan at launch, but the 4K streaming doesn't.

For more on what's new in the Home app, check out our iOS 27 Home guide.

AirPods EQ


If you've ever wanted to adjust the sound of your AirPods, you can do so with new AirPods customization options that let you tweak mids, highs, and lows. Custom EQ is available for AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods Max 2.

Shortcuts


If you find the Shortcuts app intimidating, it's easier to use in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ. You can tell the Shortcuts app what you want to be able to accomplish with a shortcut, and it'll make it using AI. You can then refine it with further natural language requests, or manually edit.

How to Install the Beta


You can sign up for the β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ beta (and any other betas) using Apple's public beta website. Once you're signed up, you can go to Settings > General > Software Update and then choose the β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ Public Beta to install the update.

Make sure to create a backup before you install the beta just in case you want to downgrade back to β€ŒiOS 26β€Œ later.

Beta Reminders


β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ is still very much a beta, and this is not the final version of the software we'll see in September. Apple is still refining β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI and β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ features, as well as addressing bugs and tweaking features.

iOS 27 Discussion and App Info


The iOS MacRumors forums are a good place to discuss β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ features and take a look at what people are saying about the software's stability.

There's a list of working and non-working apps on the forums if you want to see what you might miss out on, and a helpful discussion on how people are using β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI.

We also have a full iOS 27 roundup with more detail on what's new in the update.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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iOS 26.6 Will Warn You About Malicious iMessages

Apple is adding a new warning about malicious iMessages in iOS 26.6, according to X user @limpless_skelly, who shared a mockup of the notification.


The pop-up will warn users that a message could be trying to harm their iPhone or compromise their privacy. Apple asks users to share the message so it can guard against future attacks, and there are "Not Now," "Share With Apple," and "Don't Report" options to tap. Not Now likely causes the pop-up to surface again at a later time.

New in iOS 26.6 Beta 5: Apple is adding a new "Malicious Message Detected" feature.

If iOS detects a potentially malicious message, you'll be warned and can choose to share it with Apple to help investigate the attack and improve future protections. pic.twitter.com/NAVzs528So

β€” (@limpless_skelly) July 13, 2026

The actual alert hasn't been seen yet, but code in iOS 26.6 beta 5 confirms that it is indeed in the beta. It's not yet clear what messages will cause it to appear, but it could be a response to sophisticated exploits and phishing attempts in the Messages app. Apple added a "BlastDoor" sandbox security system to Messages in iOS 14, but in 2021, there was a zero-click iMessage exploit that was able to circumvent it and install spyware on the target device. Apple has since added Lockdown Mode and iMessage Contact Key Verification for extra security, along with spam message filtering.

Unfortunately, the alert looks similar to some of the fake scam pop-ups that show up in Safari, which could confuse iPhone users.

Apple has released five betas of iOS 26.6 so far, and it's nearing a public launch. We're expecting the update to come out sometime around the end of July.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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First macOS Golden Gate Public Beta Now Available

Apple today released the first public beta of macOS Golden Gate, expanding the macOS 27 beta test to non-developers. You can sign up to test the update on Apple's beta website, and then download it by going to System Settings > General > Software Update and toggling on the macOS 27 beta.


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

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

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

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

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

More on the new features in macOS 27 can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS Golden Gate

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iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Now Available to Public Beta Testers

Apple today released the first public betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software.


You can get started by signing up on Apple's beta website and then opting in to the public beta by going to Settings > General > Software Update and choosing the β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ or β€ŒiPadOS 27β€Œ Public Beta option. Today's public beta is identical to the third developer beta, and there's also a newly revised β€ŒiPadOS 27β€Œ third beta available for developers.

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

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

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

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

Additional information on the new features in β€ŒiOS 27β€Œ can be found in our dedicated iOS 27 roundup, with info on β€ŒiPadOS 27β€Œ available in our separate iPadOS 27 roundup.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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tvOS 27 and watchOS 27 Now Available to Public Beta Testers

Apple today released the first public betas of tvOS 27 and watchOS 27, giving Apple TV and Apple Watch users a chance to try the new software ahead of its fall launch. There's also a new HomePod Software 27 beta for the β€ŒHomePodβ€Œ and HomePod mini.


You can sign up for Apple's public beta testing program on the beta website, and then download the updates through the Settings app on each device. Today's public betas are the same as the third developer betas released last week.

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

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

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

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

More on what's new in the updates can be found in our watchOS 27 roundup and Apple TV roundup.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, watchOS 26, watchOS 27
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

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Apple Seeds Fifth iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6 Betas to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the fifth 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 fourth 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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Fifth macOS Tahoe 26.6 Beta Now Available for Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

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


Developers can download the β€ŒmacOS Tahoeβ€Œ 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 β€ŒmacOS Tahoeβ€Œ 26.6.
Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe
Related Forum: macOS Tahoe

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

Apple today provided developers with the fifth 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 fourth 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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Report: Apple's OpenAI Lawsuit Threatens iPhone Rival Plans

OpenAI's ambitions to build a hardware rival to the iPhone are already running into trouble because of Apple's trade secret lawsuit, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who argues the damage is showing up well before any court ruling.


Apple sued OpenAI last week, accusing the company of pushing former employees, and even people it was trying to recruit, to hand over details on unreleased products. The suit also claims OpenAI coached new hires on how to dodge Apple's exit-interview security checks using a document tied to former iPhone design chief Tang Tan. Apple is asking the court to order OpenAI to stop the alleged conduct, destroy any proprietary material it obtained, and pay damages.

A courtroom resolution could take years, Gurman says, but he argues the suit is doing damage now, squeezing OpenAI's ability to recruit and creating drag on its device work long before a judge weighs in. OpenAI has declined to discuss its hardware roadmap directly, though in response to the suit the company said it has "no interest in other companies' trade secrets" and remains focused on its own technology.

The scale of the talent drain is a major part of why this matters to Apple. More than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI, including former Apple design chief Jony Ive, and Gurman says the company poached so heavily from Apple's iPhone product design group specifically that Apple had to rebuild parts of the team. Apple has responded with bigger retention bonuses and executives personally working to keep engineers from leaving.

The trade secret situation has apparently become one of Apple's biggest internal concerns of the past several months, ranking alongside tariff exposure and the ongoing memory chip shortage. In its own court filing, Apple frames the case as narrowly about trade secrets and describes OpenAI's hardware business as still nascent, arguing that discovery is needed to expose "the pervasive theft of Apple's trade secrets."

The lawsuit is said to already be reshaping OpenAI's hiring, independent of anything a court eventually decides. Apple employees weighing a move to OpenAI may now think twice given the added scrutiny, and even interviewing there could draw attention from Apple's security team, which could keep more engineers at Apple and slow the flow of institutional knowledge to OpenAI.

Former Apple employees are likely to grow more guarded about discussing prior work, with managers avoiding technical questions that risk touching Apple's confidential information. New legal reviews, tighter internal controls, and compliance training could pull engineers away from actual development, while senior OpenAI leadership spends time on discovery and depositions.

Given Apple's leverage over Asia's consumer electronics manufacturers, suppliers may be reluctant to deepen ties with OpenAI for fear of jeopardizing bigger, longer-standing relationships with Apple or getting pulled into the litigation themselves.

Bloomberg Intelligence wrote that "Apple is likely to secure targeted preliminary relief tied to OpenAI's device effort." Any such order would likely require disputed materials to be isolated, evidence preserved, and compliance certified, which could slow OpenAI's hardware plans further. In the longer term, if Apple can prove its trade secrets made it into OpenAI's products, OpenAI could be forced to redesign them.

Regardless, a person familiar with OpenAI's plans told Gurman the company still expects to announce its first hardware product this year and release it in 2027, though that could shift as OpenAI reviews Apple's claims. That device is reportedly far along, but building out a wider family of products, the kind Bloomberg previously described as central to OpenAI's device ambitions, will likely get harder. OpenAI has reportedly explored categories including smart speakers and wearables with an iPhone-style device as the eventual goal, but a simpler, non-phone product is expected to ship first.
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Apple's Steady iPhone Pricing Pays Off as Rivals Scramble

Apple captured a record 20% share of the global smartphone market in the second quarter of 2026, even as worldwide shipments fell 4% year-over-year amid an ongoing memory chip shortage, according to a new report from Omdia.


It is Apple's best second-quarter showing on record, landing in what is normally its slowest stretch of the year. Omdia credits this to a strong iPhone 17 upgrade cycle, as well as Apple keeping prices flat across the lineup while rivals were forced to raise theirs. The firm still flagged that Apple raised prices on other products late in the quarter, which raises the question of whether iPhone pricing will follow suit later this year.

The wider industry slump traces back to a memory chip shortage that has pushed component costs sharply higher, with some vendors reportedly paying several times more for memory than a year ago. Samsung was the only other major vendor to grow, holding the top overall spot at 22% share as Chinese competitors pulled back their lineups and raised prices to cope.

Omdia expects the squeeze to worsen over the next two quarters as peak shopping season collides with tight supply, pushing vendors further upmarket to protect margins. That is expected to leave fewer affordable options for budget buyers, and adds another data point to observe as Apple heads into an iPhone 18 cycle already facing rising component costs of its own.
Tag: Omdia

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Apple Acquiring SigScalr

In March, Apple informed the EU that it had agreed to acquire certain assets and hire employees from SigScalr, according to a notice published today on the European Commission's website.

SigScalr created the open-source observability platform SigLens, which companies can use to aggregate and analyze logs, metrics, and traces at massive scales for monitoring and debugging purposes. SigLens was known for being a cost-effective and fast solution compared to many competing platforms.
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Missed the Last Apple Watch Sale? Series 11 Now $100 Off on Amazon

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

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

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




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




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple Plans AirPods-Like Pairing for Meta's Glasses and Quest

Apple is developing a new API that will let third-party accessories, including Meta's Ray-Ban β€ŒMetaβ€Œ glasses and Quest headsets, automatically pair across a user's Apple devices the same way AirPods and the Apple Watch do today, according to Apple's EU Interoperability Request page.


The plan responds to a request β€ŒMetaβ€Œ filed in October 2025 under the EU's Digital Markets Act, asking Apple to let a β€ŒMetaβ€Œ device, once paired with one iPhone or iPad, automatically become available on a user's other Apple devices without extra prompts. Third-party accessories have never been able to tap into that ability, meaning owning non-Apple hardware alongside an iPhone has always involved more friction. If Apple builds this out, that gap will close, at least for whichever manufacturers get access to the new API.

Apple told β€ŒMetaβ€Œ on February 4 that it plans to let third-party apps access cryptographic materials that make a pairing completed on one Apple device usable on another, secured by a session key and a one-time, per-accessory user consent. Apple expects to finish development by spring 2027 and ship it "shortly thereafter," which points toward an iOS 27.x update, possibly iOS 27.4, though Apple has not yet confirmed a version.

The feature runs on AccessorySetupKit and Proximity Pairing, infrastructure Apple built to comply with a March 2025 European Commission ruling and which only works in the EU today, the same infrastructure behind the proximity pairing feature already live for EU users. β€ŒMetaβ€Œ has objected that adopting it would force the company to abandon Core Bluetooth, which it relies on for pairing everywhere outside Europe, and has asked Apple to decouple the two. Apple has declined so far, though it told β€ŒMetaβ€Œ that support outside the EU "is something we are still considering."

The request remains in phase three as of Apple's most recent update. β€ŒMetaβ€Œ hasn't yet invoked the DMA's formal dispute resolution process, which would trigger a review by Apple's Interoperability Request Review Board within 30 working days. Until then, Apple's plan proceeds with a spring 2027 rollout tied to AccessorySetupKit, in the EU only.
Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple Stock Hits Record Territory as Traders Sour on AI Spending

Apple shares have rallied 15 percent since their worst day on the stock market in more than a year, adding almost $600 billion in value since June 25 and returning the stock to record territory (via Bloomberg).


The rebound comes as investors grow uneasy about the mind-boggling sums of cash continually being poured into the AI data center buildout, despite there being no obvious indicator for when investors will get a return on their investment.

Apple's decision to sit out the data center spending spree and instead pay Google for access to its frontier AI models is being increasingly seen by traders as an asset rather than a liability. Apple is using Google's Gemini to underpin the revamped version of Siri and new Apple Intelligence features across its platforms.

Apple's WWDC presentation last month of upcoming AI features in iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate initially sent the stock lower, but it has since rebounded in impressive fashion.

The rally has occurred in spite of the fact that Apple is facing pressure from soaring memory chip costs, which was what prompted the company to raise prices on Macs, iPads, and its Home devices on June 25. That was the move that triggered the company's worst single-day stock drop since April 2025, with shares closing at $275.15. Apple's iPhone models were spared similar price hikes, but the company has hinted that further increases could follow.

Investors are also viewing Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone, expected in September, as a potential catalyst, according to Bloomberg. Nikkei reported earlier this month that Apple told suppliers to prepare for around 10 million units this year, up from a prior forecast of seven to eight million.

Apple shares are now up 16 percent in 2026, making it the best performer among the "Magnificent Seven" tech giants, which includes Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla. AAPL closed at $315.32 on Friday, just shy of its all-time high of $317.40 set in early June.

In the coming days, MacRumors will be speaking with a prominent technology commentator about whether Apple's decision to avoid the AI data-center arms race is actually becoming a strategic advantage. Stay tuned.
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Meta Pulls AI Image Feature From Instagram Days After Launch

Remember that new feature Meta announced last week that let people use public Instagram posts and reels to generate AI content? It didn't last long. Meta pulled the feature from Instagram late on Friday, following widespread criticism over privacy concerns.

"Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public ​content could be referenced in this way," Meta said in a statement. "We've ​heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so ⁠it's no longer available," the company added.
Tag: Meta

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5 New Waze Features Rolling Out Now: Here Are All the Details

Google today announced that Waze is getting a handful of new features, including some Gemini-powered personalization enhancements for Conversational Reporting.


Conversational Reporting already uses Gemini when users report traffic incidents like slowdowns, but now you can use it to suggest map updates like road closures or outdated addresses. Saying something like "The road is closed here" will prompt Waze to send the information to local map editors, who then verify the suggestion and update the map for everyone.

Google says reporting road updates conversationally is rolling out now globally on iOS and Android.

Elsewhere, Gemini is being recruited in Waze to help users who know what they need to get, but don't know where to get it. Before navigating somewhere, you can tap the search voice icon to ask questions like "Find me a coffee shop that's open right now," "Find me parking close to Grand Mall" or something more specific like "Find me a gas station nearby with the lowest prices." Google says Waze will respond with a list of options that you can navigate using your voice.
The feature is also rolling out worldwide now on all platforms.

In addition, Waze is getting an option to adjust to a "less chatty" mode for voice prompts, so that interacting with the app's driving directions doesn't intrude as much on a driver's music or podcast listening.

Waze is also getting a new Motorcycle Mode that includes two-wheeled shortcuts and more accurate ETAs for more optimal routing.


Lastly, Waze will now suggest routes based on your previous trips, augmenting its hyperlocal understanding of a city's traffic patterns. So if you prefer driving on highways over local streets with multiple stops, you'll see those suggested first. It's an optional setting so it can be toggled off, and it's rolling out now in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru and the Philippines on Android and iOS, with more countries coming soon.
Tag: Waze

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Report: Apple Agreed to Intel Chips Amid White House Tariff Talks

Apple faced pressure from the White House to use Intel's chipmaking plants while it was negotiating relief from semiconductor tariffs last summer, reports The Wall Street Journal ($).


In August 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Washington to lobby the Trump administration to drop its proposed 100 percent tariff on semiconductor imports – a levy that would have raised costs across Apple's product line. Apple reportedly secured an exemption after pledging to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S., although many of those investments were already planned.

During the meetings, president Trump and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick are said to have urged Cook to use Intel's fabrication plants to make some of Apple's chips. The link between the tariff talks and the Apple-Intel deal had not been previously reported.

Almost a year later, Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that Apple would begin using Intel-made chips in some products. "We need to design and build our Chips right here in America," the president posted. The news sent Intel shares to record highs.

According to a person familiar with the negotiations cited by the WSJ, Apple plans to have Intel make chips for both Mac laptops and iPhones. The report doesn't say which chips or in what volume, and Apple is expected to remain reliant on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, for the majority of its custom silicon.

Apple hasn't looked to Intel as a supplier before, both because the chipmaker has trailed rivals like TSMC and Samsung and due to the rocky history between the two companies.

The report suggests the arrangement is part of a wider administration effort to prop up Intel, especially since the U.S. government converted $9 billion in federal grants into a 10 percent equity stake last year, making it the chipmaker's largest shareholder.

Nvidia and SpaceX have also signed deals with Intel since then, reportedly with similar pressure applied by the Trump administration.

Intel's foundry business posted $10.4 billion in operating losses over its last four fiscal quarters, and outside customers have in recent years doubted its ability to reliably produce usable silicon at a high volume. The WSJ report gives no timeline for when Intel-made chips might appear in shipping Apple products, and Apple has not commented on the arrangement.
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Apple Stores to Expand Use of 'Tap to Pay on iPhone'

In 2022, Apple began rolling out Tap to Pay on iPhone, a system that allows small business owners and other merchants to accept contactless payments on an iPhone, with no point-of-sale hardware required. The feature allows customers to pay by simply tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch, credit card or debit card, or other contactless payment option on the merchant's iPhone. Payment is securely completed using NFC, like Apple Pay.


Some of Apple's retail employees have been provided with iPhone 14 units, allowing customers to check out with Tap to Pay on iPhone at the company's stores. Apple has been gradually phasing out its previous Bluetooth credit card readers as part of this transition, and now the company apparently plans to go a step further.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said Apple will be giving more retail employees newer iPhone 16 units to expand its in-store usage of Tap to Pay on iPhone.

"The tap-to-pay system in the iPhone 14 can sometimes be finicky and not support metal cards like American Express Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve," he explained. "But Apple has found that the iPhone 16 does a better job and eliminates the need for store employees to carry around the specialized terminals."

iOS 27 builds upon Tap to Pay on iPhone with a new "Tap to Share" feature.
This article, "Apple Stores to Expand Use of 'Tap to Pay on iPhone'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's M7 Ultra Chip Designed to Match a 2019 Mac Pro Feat

Apple's M7 Ultra chip coming in 2028 is designed to support up to 1.5TB of unified memory, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, whether such a configuration is offered may depend on the state of the ongoing memory chip shortage.

In 2019, Apple released an Intel-based Mac Pro with up to 1.5TB RAM.
This article, "Apple's M7 Ultra Chip Designed to Match a 2019 Mac Pro Feat" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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