Apple Pay is now available in India, which means customers with an eligible card can add it to the Wallet app on iPhone and Apple Watch for contactless and online payments.


To use Apple Pay in India, users will need an Axis Bank credit card on the Visa or Mastercard network. Earlier today, TechCrunch reported that merchants and payment terminals will need to add Apple Pay support, so the service might not work at every contactless payment location.

RuPay, India's domestic card network, is not compatible with ‌Apple Pay‌. Major banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and SBI Card have not added support either.

There have been rumors about ‌Apple Pay‌ expanding to India for about a decade, but regulatory issues made it difficult. India already has a popular digital payment option, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). UPI is a state-backed payment system that allows funds to be transferred instantly between two bank accounts. UPI handles approximately 84 percent of India's digital transaction volume, and it does not work with ‌Apple Pay‌.
This article, "Apple Pay Now Available in India With Axis Bank Cards" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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OpenAI today announced the launch of "Dots" to compete with Meta's popular Muse agent. OpenAI describes Dots as always-on agents "built to handle everything."


Dots use the GPT–6 Astra model and have a cloud computer with a web browser, much like Muse. The agents learn from feedback over time, and OpenAI says they can work on the user's goals "24/7" and connect to over 4,000 apps. From the announcement:

You can ask questions, explore ideas, and give feedback along the way; or you can simply hop on a voice call when you need to talk something out. The more you work together, the more your dot learns your preferences, how you think, and what good looks like to you.

Users can communicate with Dots through ChatGPT or other apps like Slack or Teams, and options to text Dots are planned. Dots can carry context across different channels and will do "proactive research" on projects in the background. Dots follow ChatGPT's permissions and support custom rules for which tasks require approval.

Users can create a "primary dot" and name it starting today, with teams of Dots coming later. Dots are rolling out for Pro, Business Premium, and Enterprise plans in select markets, with other users to get access soon.

Eligible users get one Dot at no extra cost. Conversations with the agent don't count toward ChatGPT usage limits, but tasks will use plan allowances. Dots can be set up in the ChatGPT desktop app and accessed in the mobile app afterward.

OpenAI also introduced GPT–6.1 Sol today, which it says is a major upgrade to GPT–6 Sol with improvements in agentic coding, computer use, and professional work.
This article, "OpenAI Launches Always-On 'Dots' Agents to Rival Meta's Muse" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Repair site iFixit today took apart Apple's AirPods 5 for one of its traditional teardown videos. It turns out the new AirPods are slightly more repairable than prior models, but it's still not a simple home fix.


The ‌AirPods 5‌ use pronged batteries that Apple previously used in the AirPods 3, but not the AirPods 4. The battery can be removed with a "nifty pair of tongs," and iFixit says the component is "intuitive to unplug." When the AirPods 3 used the pronged battery, there was no easy way to get into the earbud, but the ‌AirPods 5‌ are easier to pry open.

iFixit was able get into the ‌AirPods 5‌ with a hair dryer to heat the adhesive and a clamp to hold the earbud in place. The left and right earbuds use different batteries with reversed polarity, so the battery from a left AirPod can't be swapped into a right AirPod, and vice versa.

While the earbuds have a better repair score, iFixit said the case is "still a disaster" and difficult to get into without destroying it.

iFixit gave the ‌AirPods 5‌ a repairability score of 2/10, up from the 0/10 score all previous versions have earned. The site says "skilled technicians and even intrepid DIYers" should be able to replace the AirPods batteries "with a decent success rate."
This article, "AirPods 5 Teardown: Batteries Removable, Case Still Tough" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Some iPhone 18 Pro owners have noticed an unusual crackling sound coming from the speaker of the device, leading to complaints on the MacRumors forums and Reddit.


Users have called it a crackle, a faint tick or pop, or random clicking. Many say the problem is with the earpiece speaker, and both the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max appear to be affected.

Some people hear the sound consistently, while others hear it during app use, scrolling websites, when receiving notifications, when the keyboard pops up, or when making a call using a cellular connection. On affected units, reports suggest toggling Airplane Mode on and off triggers the sound, as does adjusting screen brightness quickly.

Apple released iOS 27.0.1 yesterday to fix a bug that could cause ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models to restart when Face ID authentication fails. The release notes didn't mention a speaker fix, and early feedback says the update did not help.

There are reports from people who returned their ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models only to get a second iPhone with the same issue. It's not clear what's causing the problem, but if it is a bug, a future software update may address it.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro Owners Complain of Speaker Crackling or Popping" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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