Apple arrived slightly late to foldable phones. As per Bloomberg Tech, that delay looks less like a miss and more like a choice.

In a segment titled “Apple’s Foldable iPhone Duo Shows the Upside of Waiting,” Bloomberg News’ Chris Welch walks through an early look at the $1,999 iPhone Duo and argues that Apple’s first foldable already raises the bar rivals spent years chasing. He joins Ed Ludlow to talk hinge, display, and software — the three places earlier foldables most often felt unfinished.

The Duo folds a 7.6-inch inner display into a 5.4-inch cover screen and a passport-like closed shape. Apple priced the 256GB model just under $2,000, with higher storage climbing toward $3,000.

Preorders start October 16; the phone goes on sale October 23. It uses the same A20 Pro chip as the new slab iPhones, carries an IP68 rating, and supports a later Apple Pencil software update.

Watch the video via Bloomberg here.
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MacDailyNews Take: Yup.

If and when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, they’ll be showing the world how it should be done and what to copy going forward. As usual. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019

As with fingerprint and facial recognition, when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, then foldable smartphones will have been done right. — MacDailyNews, January 17, 2019

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Four years after “CODA” delivered Apple Original Films its first Best Picture Oscar, Siân Heder is back in the awards conversation. Her new film, “Being Heumann,” opened the Toronto International Film Festival with a story that looks purpose-built for the Academy: a real-life civil-rights struggle, a largely disabled cast, and the same director who last turned inclusion into both a cultural moment and a trophy.

The movie follows Judy Heumann, the late activist often called the mother of the disability-rights movement, as she leads a group of disabled protesters in the 1977 occupation of a San Francisco federal building. The sit-in lasted 26 days and pressured then-Health, Education, and Welfare Secretary Joseph Califano Jr. to sign regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Heder has described Heumann’s work as making “invisible people visible” and forcing “the hard change of inclusion.”

That framing is familiar. “CODA” was a coming-of-age story about a hearing daughter in a deaf family; it won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Heder. Apple is repeating the playbook: a prestige festival launch, a limited theatrical window, then a swift move to Apple TV a week later.

The talent package is equally awards-ready. British actor Ruth Madeley plays Heumann. Mark Ruffalo plays Califano. Daniel Durant, who earned notice in CODA, returned to work with Heder. Most of the cast are disabled actors — an authenticity argument that studios now treat as both moral and strategic. Madeley has said the film tries to show Heumann’s humor and joy, not only her ferocity.

Whether “Being Heumann” is “Oscar bait” is a matter of tone, not facts. The film has the ingredients the Academy has rewarded: a historical injustice, underrepresented performers, a director with recent hardware, and a streamer that already proved it can campaign a mid-budget drama all the way to Best Picture.

Of course, “Oscar bait” is a loaded label that implies the movie was assembled to win prizes rather than because the story mattered. That judgment is about tone — cynicism versus generosity. One person looks at the same facts and says “this is a serious film about an overlooked chapter of history.” Another looks at them and says “this is a prestige package built for awards show voters.”

Apple does not need another trophy to justify the project. It would be nice if the film looks like more than just a prestige checklist.

The 1977 sit-in is a genuine piece of American history that still sits outside most popular memory. If “Being Heumann” makes that story land with audiences — and if Heder again finds the human texture that made “CODA” more than a message movie — Apple will have a real contender. If it plays as solemn, worthy, and slightly engineered, it will still get nominations and still stream. The question is whether the company can turn another Heder film into the same kind of industry event it pulled off in 2022.

MacDailyNews Take: Toronto was the first test. November theatrical and the Apple TV rollout will be the next. Awards season will decide whether this is another “CODA” or not.

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On October 1st, Apple Arcade is rolling out a lineup of fun new games for players of every style, from cozy cat collecting to zombie-blasting mayhem to beloved App Store hits. Whether players want to unwind in Pusheen’s Place, dive into the adrenaline-pumping chaos of River City Survivors, or revisit App Store favorites like Terraria+, Touchgrind BMX 2+, and 4 Pics 1 Word+, there’s plenty to discover, download, and play.

Pusheen’s Place is the first officially licensed game starring Pusheen the Cat, the global icon of cuteness and whimsy. Available exclusively on Apple Arcade, the game lets players build a cozy Pusheen paradise and collect more than 100 adorable kitties. They can play, craft, and decorate dreamy rooms for popular characters like Pusheenicorn and Pancake Pusheen. Then, for an extra dose of fun, unwind with sweet mini-games like Snack Stack, Parfait Pop, and Batch Match. This game adds to Arcade’s thriving catalog of cozy games, joining fan favorites like Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom, and Cozy Caravan.

From the long-running River City series comes River City Survivors, an explosive survivors-like action game that throws players into wave after wave of zombie chaos. Blast through hordes, unleash flashy special moves, and grab randomized upgrades to build an unstoppable run every time. Players can choose from more than 20 playable characters, including franchise icons Kunio and Riki, and recruit up to two companions to build their dream team.

And the hits keep coming, with three beloved App Store favorites also joining the service on October 1, completely free of ads and in-app purchases. Terraria+ is a sandbox action-adventure where players fight, explore, and build their way through an ever-expanding world. This version includes the Bigger & Boulder update 1.4.5, which brings a Dead Cells crossover, iconic Pals from Palworld, and much more to discover. Players can also join forces with up to seven friends via Game Center or local Wi-Fi and explore more than 20 biomes in a boundless adventure of survival, discovery, and creativity.

Rounding out the trio are Touchgrind BMX 2+, a physics-driven BMX stunt game with unique two-finger controls that make every trick feel real, and 4 Pics 1 Word+, the Arcade edition of the popular puzzle game that’s stumped and delighted more than 400 million players worldwide.

MacDailyNews Note: Apple Arcade is available for US$6.99 per month with a one-month free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade for free. Apple Arcade is part of Apple One’s Individual ($21.95), Family ($27.95), and Premier ($39.95) plans, with a one-month free trial. Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. App Store Greats are available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. An Apple Arcade subscription gives a family of up to six unlimited access to all the games in its catalog.

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Apple finally shipped a foldable phone, and the most interesting thing about it is not the hinge. It is what happens when you stop treating the iPhone Duo like a book and start treating it like a laptop.

Bend the device partway, rest the bottom half on a table, and iOS 27 splits the 7.6-inch inner display into two jobs. The top half becomes a landscape screen for the app, document, or video you are actually using. The bottom half turns into a touch keyboard and control deck. That is the mode that makes the $1,999 iPhone Duo feel less like a foldable smrtphone and more like a pocket computer.

Apple has spent years insisting that foldables should not feel like two phones glued together. The Duo is its answer: a passport-shaped handset with a 5.4-inch outer display that opens into a 7.6-inch inner panel, both sharing the same 1:1.4 aspect ratio so content does not warp when you unfold it. The software is the real product. iOS 27 watches the hinge, not just the open/closed state. Content slides away from the crease. Speakers retune as the halves move. And the keyboard follows the posture of your hands.

The laptop pose is the feature people will actually use

Apple and reviewers keep circling the same demo. Set the Duo down half-open, like a tiny clamshell. Video, Mail, Notes, or Safari stay on the upper pane. Playback controls and a full or split on-screen keyboard occupy the lower pane. Slightly more fold and the keyboard splits left and right, so thumbs can type while you hold the device like a book. No settings menu. The crease becomes the dividing line.

That is why the Duo suddenly looks like an argument for a larger sibling. A 7.6-inch inner screen is close to an iPad mini, which is enough for email, messages, and a movie on a tray table. It is not enough for a spreadsheet, a long draft, or two serious windows without feeling cramped. Once you have tasted laptop posture on a phone, a 12- or 13-inch foldable iPad that does the same thing stops sounding like a rumor and starts sounding like the obvious next product.

Apple already designed the Duo to feel “as natural and intuitive as iPad.” Split View finally arrives on iPhone. You can park two apps side by side, or two windows of the same app. Saved app pairs come back later. Controls migrate to the vertical edge so the content column stays tall. StandBy works without a charger: tent the phone on a nightstand and it becomes a clock, photo frame, or widget slab. Those are iPad ideas squeezed into a pocket. They work. They also expose the size ceiling.

Why a foldable iPad now feels inevitable

A foldable iPad has been in the rumor mill for years: first as a ~20-inch board that folds to something closer to a 13-inch slate, later as a delayed 2028 or 2029 project after cost and weight problems. The Duo changes the brief. Apple no longer has to invent hinge software from scratch. It already has angle-aware layouts, a crease-aware keyboard, tent mode, table-top sensors in each half, and developer APIs for reserved fold regions. Scaling that system to a tablet is relatively easy.

Imagine the same half-fold grammar on a larger canvas. Top half: a proper landscape document, timeline, or browser. Bottom half: a real-size software keyboard, or a trackpad zone, or a palette of tools. Apple Pencil on the Duo already hints at the tablet version of that idea. On a phone, Pencil is a nice extra. On a foldable iPad, it is the point: sketch on the upper pane, keep reference material or a keyboard on the lower one, then flatten the device into a single drawing board.

The Duo also proves Apple will move iOS elements when the hardware demands it. Dock and navigation sit on the side. The status bar collapses into a corner puck. Dynamic Island runs vertically. Third-party apps that are not ready get a safe area; apps built for iOS 27.1 can use the full inner panel. That same discipline would make a foldable iPad less of a novelty and more of a second computer.

The iPhone Duo makes an iPad Duo feel necessary rather than greedy. The phone version is a proof of concept. It shows that Apple can make a hinge feel like an input device: slightly open for thumb typing, tented for widgets, laptop-angled for media and mail. The missing piece is area. Give that same software a screen that can hold a full page of text above a usable keyboard, and the “pocket laptop” pitch stops being a clever demo and becomes a category.

Apple did not announce an iPad Duo this week. It did something more useful. It shipped the interaction model first, on the device people actually carry every day. After a few weeks of using the Duo half-folded on a café table, a lot of people will not want a bigger phone. They will want the same trick, at iPad scale.

MacDailyNews Take: An iPad Duo that folds into a laptop pose would steal the exact jobs for which a lot of people already use a MacBook Neo or even MacBook Air: email, docs, browsing, video, light travel work. The iPhone Duo already shows the posture: screen on top, keyboard/controls below. Scale that to iPad size and the “why did I bring a laptop?” question gets louder.

An iPad Duo would not wipe out MacBooks, for the same reasons the iPad Pro never did:

• Software ceiling. iPadOS is still app-and-touch first. Serious windowing, files, terminals, IDEs, and pro apps still live more comfortably on macOS.

• Input. A software keyboard on glass is fine in a pinch. All-day typing still favors a real keyboard and trackpad. People who need that will keep buying Airs and Pros.

• Apple’s own mix. Apple has long accepted overlap: iPad Pro vs. MacBook Air, iPhone vs. iPad mini. A foldable tablet would shift the mix, not collapse it. Some MacBook Neo and Air buyers become Duo buyers; some Duo buyers still want a Mac at the desk or on the go.

Net effect of an iPad Duo: partial cannibalization of entry-level MacBook sales, plus some new demand from people who would never haul a laptop, but would fold a tablet. The Macs most at risk would be mostly MacBook Neo with some MacBook Air.

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Apple Original Films on Thursday unveiled the trailer for the upcoming documentary film “The Last First: Winter K2.” In “The Last First: Winter K2,” Amir Bar-Lev tells a complex, harrowing, and moving story that takes an unflinching look at the industry of extreme mountain climbing and its changing culture. Focusing on a 2021 expedition, this documentary follows Icelander John Snorri Sigurjónsson and the Pakistani father-son team of Ali and Sajid Sadpara, a party of mountaineers who set out to be the first to summit K2 in the winter, when the mountain’s conditions are the cruelest. The men soon find themselves sharing the treacherous ascent with influencer climbers and their film crews, commercial expedition clients and a Nepalese team no longer content to help Westerners achieve mountaineering glory. “The Last First: Winter K2” takes us to the icy heights and unpredictable weather of K2 and reveals a surprising and layered story — one of strategy and determination, class and caste, money and power — all under life-and-death circumstances.

“The Last First: Winter K2” is directed by Bar-Lev. The film is produced by Howard T. Owens and Ben Silverman through Propagate Content; Sean Richard produces for Object Studios; and Sarah Thomson and John Battsek serve as producers for Ventureland. The film is executive produced by James Packer, Will Kane, Drew Buckley, Taylor Levin, Isabel San Vargas, Bar-Lev, Kerstin Emhoff and Ali Brown.

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 906 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, did not arrive because the company suddenly discovered folding screens. It arrived, executives say, because they finally had a product that felt like Apple.

In a sit-down at Apple Park with Tom’s Guide and TechRadar after the September event, CEO John Ternus and marketing chief Greg “Joz” Joswiak described a long, stubborn process: watch the category, reject most of what they saw, then redesign the hardware and iOS until the thing in their hands made them say yes.

“Our history had never been to rush into something with something half-baked,” Joswiak said. The concept itself was simple—a big display that folds into a pocket—but “what we saw others doing wasn’t particularly inspiring.” Two phones awkwardly stuck together produced a bulky square that “wasn’t really designed for the way you want to use a phone.”

Ternus framed the wait as a quality bar, not a calendar. “It’s always about when do we feel like we have a product idea that meets our bar… for quality and durability, but also for design.” The Duo, he said, became “such a good example of hardware and software coming together.” Internally it was a “green field” — a chance to rethink aspect ratio, hinge, display stack, and the OS itself.

The crease was the industry’s loudest complaint. Apple’s answer was a polymer-glass OLED stack with glass on both sides of the panel, plus a new way of applying the nano-texture finish already familiar from iPad and MacBook Pro. The inner surface is polymer, not glass — “cheap-feeling plastic surfaces… wavy, wrinkly,” Ternus said of rivals. Nano-texture “just wipes that all out. It’s beautifully flat. It feels amazing to touch.”

The first time he saw a working prototype: “It was like, yes, that’s it. This is what I want.” Then the hard part: “How do we go make it happen and make it real?”

They also locked the project down harder than usual. Leaks had already confirmed a foldable and even guessed at the unusual aspect ratio. “We put the extra security on it,” Joswiak said. “We had a very funny code name, which I won’t even repeat… We said we’re going to keep this one extra secret… and it worked.”

Software was treated as equally unfinished. Unfolded, the Duo is meant to feel like a small iPad, not a stretched phone. Controls moved to the right so the same thumb that works the closed “passport” shape still finds them when the device opens. “You open it up, it’s there under your right thumb again,” Ternus said. Consistent aspect ratios between inner and outer screens let interfaces scale instead of breaking.

Apple Pencil support — the first on an iPhone — was presented as opportunity, not heresy. “I’ve never really thought of it as a rule,” Ternus said of Steve Jobs’s old “no stylus” line. The Duo works without a Pencil. Some people will want one on the large inner canvas. “It’s called iPhone Duo for a reason. It is like two products.”

The price, which crosses the $2,000 mark, got a familiar defense: complexity and value, plus a line of other phones for everyone else. “This is an incredibly complex and well-engineered device,” Ternus said. iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max remain “the exact right device for a lot of our customers.” Joswiak piled on: the Pros are “iPhone 17 Pro on steroids,” with “massive year-on-year improvements.”

That includes a six-blade mechanical variable aperture. Open it for more light in the dark; stop it down so a group shot keeps both the front row and the back row sharp. Everyday users get automatic choices. Photographers get manual aperture, shutter, and focus. “Best of both worlds,” Ternus said. Asked whether tiny moving blades would survive drops, he noted iPhones already have moving focus and stabilization hardware. “This is what we do… material selection… reliability testing to make sure that things are going to be just as good many years down the road as they are on day one.”

Joswiak was less measured. “The product quality that we have… there’s nobody in the industry close to what we have.” How often does an iPhone fail? “It just [doesn’t].”

The A20 Pro, Apple’s first 2nm phone chip, is sold the same way: not as a spec sheet, but as experiences. Computational photography and on-device AI get more headroom. Graphics performance is up about 40 percent year over year — “that doesn’t come around very often” — paired with a new vapor chamber. Sustained performance jumped similarly. “This thing is on steroids,” Joswiak said. Reliability and software updates, he added, are why used iPhones hold value: “You want it to be fast three years down the road, four years down the road. Something like the A20 Pro is a monster.”

Asked who actually assembles those aperture blades — hands or robots — Ternus smiled: “That’s for us to know.”

Launch day itself, he said, is “why we do what we do.” Yesterday was “a particularly fun one.” After a decade of watching foldables, Apple’s executives sounded less like they had joined a category than like they had finally finished one.
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MacDailyNews Take: For so many years, it’s been such an easy choice: We’re getting iPhone Pro units. This year, with the Duo, we have a much more difficult choice!

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A day after Apple’s September 9 event, official videos on the company’s YouTube channel show a clear hierarchy of interest: the first foldable iPhone is pulling far ahead of everything else Apple announced.

The five products in the spotlight were the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5. View counts on Apple’s own “Introducing” and “Everything announced” videos, posted about a day ago, put them in this order from most watched to least:

1. iPhone Duo
The flagship “Introducing the new iPhone Duo” film has about 8.8 million views. A longer “Everything announced” explainer sits at about 1.7 million. No other new product is close. The foldable is the first major change to the iPhone’s shape in nearly two decades, and the numbers show that curiosity is concentrated there.

2. iPhone 18 Pro
“Introducing the new iPhone 18 Pro” has about 5.9 million views. The companion deep-dive video is at about 1.4 million. That is a strong showing for a conventional Pro refresh, but it is still millions behind the Duo. Camera, battery, and A20 Pro messaging are landing — just not as hard as a folding screen.

3. Apple Watch Series 12
The standalone Series 12 introduction video is at about 473,000 views. Interest is real, especially around heart-rate sensing, but it is an order of magnitude below the two iPhones.

4. Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple bundled Ultra 4 with Series 12 in a combined “ultimate wearable” video that has about 441,000 views. There is no separate Ultra film matching the Duo or 18 Pro numbers. The rugged watch is part of the conversation, not the center of it.

5. AirPods 5
The main AirPods 5 video sits around 354,000 views. Open-ear design plus active noise cancellation is a notable change, but it is the least-watched of the five launches on Apple’s channel so far.

The full event stream, which covers every product at once, has tens of millions of views and is not a clean product-to-product comparison. The individual films are. They show a two-tier launch: iPhones, especially the Duo, are driving almost all of the official video traffic; watches and AirPods are clustering together far behind.

MacDailyNews Take: View counts move quickly in the first 48 hours, and Apple will keep posting follow-ups. As of now, the public signal on YouTube is unambiguous. People came for the foldable and to a lesser extent, the iPhone 18 Pro models. The rest of the new releases are watching from a distance.

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Apple’s long-awaited first foldable phone, the $1,999 iPhone Duo, arrives as a late but polished entry into a category already occupied by Samsung, Google, and Huawei. After hands-on time at Apple Park, Bloomberg News’ Chris Welch reports that the device already feels like the most exciting new iPhone since the iPhone X in 2017.

The Duo folds from a passport-sized handset with a 5.4-inch cover display into a 7.6-inch inner screen, the largest ever on an iPhone. When open it measures 5.2 millimeters thick, which Apple calls the thinnest iPhone yet. Closed it is 11.3 millimeters thick and weighs 254 grams in a titanium frame.

Chief Hardware Officer Johny Srouji said Apple set out to fix what people dislike about folding displays. Welch reports that the company largely succeeded. A nano-texture finish on the inner panel makes the crease far less visible than on rival foldables, even if it can still be felt. Software is the bigger leap: iOS has been reworked for the dual displays, with smoother fold-and-unfold transitions and layouts that treat the inner screen more like a compact tablet than two phones glued together.

Preorders open October 16th, with in-store availability a week later on October 23rd. Most of Apple’s other new hardware, including the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, AirPods 5 and updated watches, ships September 18th. Bloomberg plans a full review of the Duo in the coming weeks.

MacDailyNews Take: Welch’s early verdict is that Apple has raised the bar in the foldable smartphone market. Hardware is impressive. Software, he writes, is even better. For now, the first impression is strong.

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The Wall Street Journal‘s Joanna Stern got her hands on Apple’s long-rumored iPhone Duo foldable smartphone at Apple Park and walked away impressed and loaded with kitchen-scale comparisons.

The iPhone Duo, which ships in October starting at $1,999, is Apple’s biggest hardware change to the iPhone in years. Closed, Stern says it is a little smaller than a Pop-Tart, about the size of a passport or kitchen sponge, and similar in footprint to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 — though she found the Apple device a bit beefier and sturdier. Unfolded, the inner display measures 7.6 inches, roughly an iPad mini that fits in a pocket. The cover screen is 5.4 inches.

Apple spent heavily on the inner screen. Stern reported no visible crease even when the device was bent or fully folded, unlike the obvious crease on the Z Fold 8. The inner display is matte rather than glossy, which she called her favorite feature. The hinge produces a satisfying click when closed. One-handed use in tablet mode is possible but awkward for those with smaller hands.

Hardware trade-offs are clear. There is no Face ID; the power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor. The rear cameras are limited to wide and ultrawide — no telephoto, which Stern called the biggest hardware disappointment. A camera hidden behind the inner display is designed for selfies and FaceTime.

Software is the main reason to buy one. Split-screen multitasking works like a simplified iPad: Safari and Messages can run side by side. Apple redesigned several first-party apps with two-pane layouts. The interface also changes with the fold angle, turning the device into a small laptop-style stand. Video watching benefits from the larger canvas.

Apple claims all-day battery life: up to 31 hours of video on the inner display and 44 hours on the outer. Naturally, Stern said real-world battery testing is still needed, but Apple’s battery claims are historically lower than actual use.

After years of skipping foldables and planning to buy the iPhone 18 Pro as usual, Stern said she is now considering the Duo.
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MacDailyNews Take: The initial hands-on reviews for iPhone Duo are uniformly strong to outright gushing!

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Bank of America says John Ternus’ first major product launch as Apple CEO reinforced the company’s bet on hardware innovation, privacy, and more personalized, privacy-focused artificial intelligence.

Wamsi Mohan, Bank of America’s managing director and senior equity research analyst covering Apple, told Bloomberg Tech host Ed Ludlow that the new foldable iPhone Duo expands Apple’s addressable market. The book-style device, unveiled at Ternus’s debut event, opens to a 7.6-inch inner display from a 5.4-inch cover screen and starts at $1,999. Mohan framed it as more than a form-factor change: a way to pull new users and use cases into Apple’s ecosystem while keeping the iPhone at the center of the company’s strategy.

On AI, Mohan pointed to Apple’s split architecture. On-device processing handles as much as possible on Apple Silicon. When more compute is needed, Private Cloud Compute is designed to run larger models without sacrificing user privacy. That combination, he said, could make Siri more capable (able to work across apps and personal context) without the data-collection trade-offs seen in rivals’s offerings. Ternus used the launch to pitch the iPhone as an “intelligent personal hub,” with Siri positioned as a core interface rather than a bolt-on chatbot.

The message from BofA is continuity plus acceleration. Tim Cook’s era was iterative, built a vast installed base, services revenue, and supply-chain scale. Ternus, the longtime hardware chief who took over September 1st, is expected to keep that machine running while pushing devices that embed AI more tightly — foldables now, and later categories such as smarter wearables and home products. Mohan has maintained a Buy rating, arguing Apple can cement device dominance if silicon, privacy, operating systems, and personal context stay tightly integrated.
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MacDailyNews Take: We’re not the only ones who are already loving John Ternus’ Apple!

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The Independent’s Andrew Griffin went into Apple’s event skeptical of foldables — then folded an iPhone Duo and immediately got it. He says the hinge closes with a satisfying magnetic thunk, the inner screen has no visible crease, and the software makes opening, closing, and split-view feel inevitable rather than gimmicky.

Andrew Griffin for The Independent:
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I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to fold my phone in half. OK, maybe once or twice, in response to a particularly frustrating notification – but not habitually, every time I use it.

And that had always been my response to the folding phones that have been released by various companies in recent years, and now by Apple, in the form of the newly released iPhone Duo. In short: why?

[T]he technology didn’t seem to match up with the experience. In practice, those foldable phones just seemed to be two phones stuck together, one twice as big as the other, leaving you with a compromised version of both and a constant fear that it might crease or break or fall apart.

And then you actually fold the iPhone, as I just did after Apple’s launch event in California. And all of a sudden it feels like it makes sense…

In general, the iPhone Duo is something you really have to feel for yourself – which is good, given that it feels so nice.

Once the device is actually open, the unfolded screen is beautiful. There’s no visible crease at all: if you didn’t know it could fold, you would never guess the iPhone Duo wasn’t just a new iPad Mini.

Overall, the whole hardware and software experience is so deeply integrated that the folding nature of the phone stops feeling strange very quickly. Within a few minutes of using it, it just felt sort of inevitable, and like I wanted one.

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MacDailyNews Take: iPhone Duo pre-orders will make the iPhone X’s look like a nonevent.

If and when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, they’ll be showing the world how it should be done and what to copy going forward. As usual. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019

As with fingerprint and facial recognition, when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, then foldable smartphones will have been done right. — MacDailyNews, January 17, 2019

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The post With iPhone Duo, all of a sudden the foldable smartphone makes sense – The Independent appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple’s first foldable phone is already facing a supply-constrained launch, according to Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani.

Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street Thursday, Daryanani said demand for the newly announced iPhone Duo is strong enough that Apple will sell as many units as it can manufacture in the first six months. The device, unveiled Wednesday at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event under new CEO John Ternus, starts at $1,999 for 256GB and opens to a 7.6-inch inner display.

The Duo is Apple’s first book-style foldable. When closed it offers a 5.4-inch cover screen that Apple says delivers about 90% of the display area of an iPhone 18 Pro in a smaller footprint. It uses the same A20 Pro 2nm chip as the new iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple’s in-house C2 modem, dual 48-megapixel rear cameras, titanium construction, and IP68 rating. Battery life is listed at up to 24 hours of mixed dual-screen use, 31 hours on the inner display, or 44 hours on the outer display. Pre-orders begin October 16, with availability on October 23.

Daryanani framed the Duo as a potential catalyst for the broader iPhone upgrade cycle, especially among users on devices three or more years old. He maintained a Buy rating and $365 price target, arguing the new form factor plus updates to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup should support volumes. Other firms are more measured or split. TD Cowen estimates about 6 million Duo units in the second half of 2026 with hardware gross margins around 56%. Jefferies has stayed more cautious on margins given the high starting price and competitive positioning against Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line. Goldman Sachs has floated a wider 2026 range of 14 million units in a base case and as high as 35 million in an optimistic scenario.

The $1,999 price undercut some pre-event rumors that had the device starting closer to $2,500, placing it below Samsung’s latest flagship foldable in the U.S. while remaining a premium product. Analysts note that production of foldable displays and hinges has historically limited first-year volumes industry-wide. Early reports suggested Apple was still ramping output in late August, which aligns with Daryanani’s view that supply, not demand, will be the binding constraint through the first half of the sales cycle.Apple stock has traded in a relatively tight range since the event as investors weigh the Duo’s contribution against higher component costs and questions about how quickly a $2,000 foldable can scale. Daryanani’s comments add to a growing camp that sees the device as a design and volume win even if first-year shipments remain constrained by manufacturing reality.
‎
MacDailyNews Take: Yup.

If the first foldable iPhone is $2,300 or less, Apple won’t be able to make enough to satisfy demand. – MacDailyNews, April 15, 2025

Get your pre-orders in during the first minute if you want your foldable iPhone before Christmas! – MacDailyNews, July 6, 2026

Regardless of price, Apple will not be able to make enough. The foldable iPhone will be supply-constrained for months, so, if you want one of the first ones, get your pre-order(s) in as soon as Apple starts taking them! – MacDailyNews, September 8, 2026

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Apple TV leads as the most-awarded network after the second night of the 78th Emmy Awards and tops the weekend with a record 20 wins, including breakout sensation “Widow’s Bay” earning the most wins of any program with eight, alongside “Pluribus,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” “Palm Royale” and “Mr. Scorsese.” The winners were announced Sunday night by the Television Academy, and additional categories will be unveiled at the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on Monday, September 14, 2026.

On the heels of its celebrated first season, Outstanding Comedy nominee “Widow’s Bay” lands eight wins, including Outstanding Guest Actress Betty Gilpin, alongside Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour); Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series; Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour); Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score); Outstanding Music Supervision; Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation. The series is also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor for star and executive producer Matthew Rhys, alongside Outstanding Supporting nominations for Kate O’Flynn, Dale Dickey and Stephen Root, as well as Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Writing.

One of the most-nominated programs of the year, Outstanding Drama nominee “Pluribus” scores with wins for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More); Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama; Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour). The series is also nominated for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing for creator Vince Gilligan, and Best Actress in a Drama for star Rhea Seehorn, as well as supporting actor category nominations for Karolina Wydra and Carlos-Manuel Vesga.

Apple’s acclaimed Outstanding Comedy nominee “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” makes its Emmy debut with three wins, including Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series; Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling; and Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic). The series is also nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy for star and executive producer Elle Fanning, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy for star and executive producer Michelle Pfeiffer, and Outstanding Supporting Actor for Nick Offerman.

Comedy series “Palm Royale” earns three Emmy Award wins, including Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming, Outstanding Period Costumes and Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic).

Apple TV also scored two wins on the first night of the 78th Emmy Awards; one for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series for “Mr. Scorsese,” and another for Outstanding Commercial “I’m Not Remarkable.”

This year, Apple scored its best-ever haul for the Emmy Awards, with 89 nominations across 15 programs, and leads as the network with the most nominations in the Best Drama and Best Comedy series categories, respectively, nabbing top program nominations for comedies “Widow’s Bay,” “Shrinking” and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” alongside dramas “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses” and “Your Friends & Neighbors.” Apple’s beloved breakout comedy “Widow’s Bay” leads as one of this year’s most-nominated programs with 19 nominations in total, and “Pluribus” landed 18 nominations following its global hit freshman season. Celebrated Apple Original “Shrinking” landed 10 nominations, “Slow Horses” was recognized with nine nominations, and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” scored eight nominations in total. These record-breaking nominations follow Apple TV’s sweep of last year’s 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, where “The Studio” became the most-winning freshman comedy in Emmy history, and “Severance” led as most-winning drama.

To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 913 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.

Apple earned 18 wins at the second night of the Emmy Awards, including:

“Widow’s Bay”

• Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy: Betty Gilpin
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
• Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
• Outstanding Music Supervision
• Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

“Pluribus”

• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
• Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama
• Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”

• Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series
• Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling
• Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)

“Palm Royale”

• Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming
• Outstanding Period Costumes
• Outstanding Period Or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)

Apple landed two wins at the first night of the Emmy Awards:

“Mr. Scorsese”

• Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

Outstanding Commercial

• I’m Not Remarkable — Apple

Apple’s additional nominations for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards include Outstanding Comedy Series “Widow’s Bay,” “Shrinking” and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and Outstanding Drama Series “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses” and “Your Friends & Neighbors,” among many others, to be presented on Monday, September 14:

“Widow’s Bay”

• Outstanding Comedy Series
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy: Matthew Rhys
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Kate O’Flynn
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Dale Dickey
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Stephen Root
• Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Katie Dippold
• Outstanding Directing for a Comedy: Hiro Murai

“Pluribus”

• Outstanding Drama Series
• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Rhea Seehorn
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Carlos-Manuel Vesga
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama: Karolina Wydra
• Outstanding Writing for a Drama: Vince Gilligan
• Outstanding Directing for a Drama: Vince Gilligan

“Shrinking”

• Outstanding Comedy Series
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy: Jason Segel
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Jessica Williams
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Harrison Ford
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Michael Urie

“Slow Horses”

• Outstanding Drama Series
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama: Gary Oldman
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Jack Lowden
• Outstanding Writing for a Drama: Will Smith
• Outstanding Directing for a Drama: Saul Metzstein

“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”

• Outstanding Comedy Series
• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy: Elle Fanning
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Michelle Pfeiffer
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Nick Offerman

“Your Friends & Neighbors”

• Outstanding Drama Series

“The Morning Show”

• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Billy Crudup

All titles are currently streaming on Apple TV.

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on 1 November, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

MacDailyNews Take: Congratulations to all of the winning and nominated casts and crews of Apple TV fare!

MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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Tom’s Guide editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer got hands-on time with Apple’s first foldable and came away impressed. He calls the iPhone Duo’s phone-to-tablet transitions “magical,” notes that the crease is almost impossible to feel, and says years of waiting appear to have paid off in software polish.

Mark Spoonauer for Tom’s Guide:
‎

At the risk of sounding cliche, there’s something magical about using the iPhone Duo. The way it seamlessly transitions from phone to tablet and back again. The fact that you can’t even feel the crease — though it is visible. And the way the software reacts based on the angle of the device.

Apple has taken several years to release its first foldable phone, but based on my hands-on impressions its patience has paid off.

The 7.6-inch innner display is breathtaking. You can barely see the crease, and the way that Apple designed the iPhone Duo you can’t even feel it. Plus, the Duo will support Apple Pencil input.

A big selling point of the iPhone Duo is the software experience. And you can tell that Apple has put a lot of thought into how this device works.

In fact, Apple has redesigned all of its apps so that the controls now live on the right side instead of the bottom, which was a wise move.

As you’d expect, content reacts based on how the iPhone Duo is positioned and folded…

Multitasking is pretty easy. If you have one app open and want to open another, you move it up slightly and to the right or left side of the display. Then you simply open another app.

@tomsguide That transition between folded and unfolded looks absolutely wild here's your first look at the iPhone Duo in hand at the Apple Event #iphoneduo #foldableiphone #appleevent #technews ♬ original sound – Tom’s Guide

The iPhone Duo is not cheap. And it’s a bit heaver and thicker than I was hoping for. But it looks like this could be the foldable phone to beat in terms of Apple’s combination of polished design, the robust software experience and enhanced durability.

‎
MacDailyNews Take: Again, iPhone Duo pre-orders begin Friday, October 16th (5:00am PDT/ 8:00am EDT). Hoping we all have much success during those first crucial minutes!

Apple will sell every iPhone DUo it can make next year and still have people lining up to buy.

Apple wasn’t first with fingerprint recognition, they were the first to do it right with Touch ID. Apple wasn’t first with facial recognition, they were the first to do it right with Face ID. Apple wasn’t first with contactless payments, they were the first to do it right with Apple Pay. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019

If and when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, they’ll be showing the world how it should be done and what to copy going forward. As usual. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019

As with fingerprint and facial recognition, when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, then foldable smartphones will have been done right. — MacDailyNews, January 17, 2019

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WSJ personal-tech columnist Nicole Nguyen got hands-on time with Apple’s first foldable, the $1,999 iPhone Duo, right after the September 9 event in Cupertino. Watching Netflix on the 7.6-inch inner display, she immediately wondered whether she still needed her iPad mini — then laid out her early revelations about how the hybrid phone-tablet actually feels in use.

Nicole Nguyen for The Wall Street Journal:
‎

As I watched a Netflix show on Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, I had two surprising thoughts.

The first: Maybe I don’t need my iPad Mini anymore.

The second: Uh oh, am I about to spend $1,999 on a phone? 

I didn’t think folding phones were for me. I’ve been testing Android versions from Samsung and Google since 2019, and those early editions came with too much screen and too many compromises.

Fast forward seven years, and the technology has come a long way. Apple — in its very Apple way — has also come up with some hardware and software trickery to make up for some shortcomings of the basic design. My desire for a folding phone before today was zero. After today, it’s a lot more than zero…

For months, I’ve been using Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, a similarly squat, passport-shaped foldable that opens up to a larger screen… Samsung did a lot of work to minimize the crease—the dip between the two halves of the big interior display — but it’s still clearly there.

When I held the iPhone Duo open, the crease was barely visible. As I slid my finger across the display, I could feel it, but it’s more subtle than Samsung’s. Most of the time, the screen looked as flat and smooth as the one on an iPad…

My most surprising takeaway? I feel a pull toward this device.

‎
MacDailyNews Take: Apple won’t be able to make enough iPhone Duo units until well into next year. Pre-orders begin Friday, October 16th (5:00am PDT/ 8:00am EDT) – Good luck, everybody!

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Apple on Wednesday announced its most advanced health and fitness experience yet, expanding what Apple Watch and iPhone can do as intelligent, science-driven tools for users’ personal wellbeing. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce the new Health Sensing System, enabling the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, as well as a new readiness experience to give users insight into their body’s capacity to take on their day. They pair with a redesigned Health app coming later this year to iPhone, which offers a holistic view of long-term health alongside new, easy-to-understand health and longevity insights powered by Apple Intelligence. Together, these updates will give users a more complete picture of their health and fitness while keeping their personal health data private, secure, and under their control.

“At Apple, we believe technology can empower everyone with actionable, science-based insights built with privacy at the core. By combining breakthrough sensing on Apple Watch with Apple Intelligence in the Health app, we’re able to translate complex biometric data into clear guidance for users,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, in a statement. “This both helps people navigate their day-to-day routines with confidence and connects those moments with deeper context around their longevity, building a strong foundation for a healthier future.”

The New Health Sensing System on Apple Watch

The new Health Sensing System on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 features new optical and electrical heart sensors, enabling higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, a new readiness score, a more comprehensive Vitals overview with the addition of HRV, and an updated Heart Rate app.

Accuracy of health data is critical to providing meaningful insights. A scientifically rigorous study on a population of over 1,000 participants with representation across demographic groups compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, and resulted in Apple Watch showing the highest heart rate accuracy across devices.

With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 now measure heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous, passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day — whether they’re recovering from a workout or dashing for the train — using the updated Heart Rate app and new watch face complications.

HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured as often as every five minutes — 24x more frequently — and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best to identify daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights on a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery.

Overnight vitals now includes Recovery HRV analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status. A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce readiness — a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, vitals, and sleep score, and then provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their workday or tackle their training plan.

Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, reflecting, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.

A Redesigned Health App with Apple Intelligence at Its Core

The Health app on iPhone is a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, and can uniquely provide a better understanding of their overall health. Apple Intelligence brings powerful AI capabilities into the apps and experiences users rely on every day, making them more personal and helpful than ever, and with iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, Apple Intelligence extends to the Health app. Redesigned to dynamically adapt to a user’s personal health and fitness metrics, the Health app now offers iPhone and iPad users a view of their long-term health alongside easy-to-understand insights, providing personalized guidance that can help them live a better day and healthier life. The redesigned Health app has been built to securely and privately protect a user’s data at every step.

Insights Tab

The new Insights tab surfaces timely health information with a summary that updates throughout the day across heart, sleep, readiness, fitness, vitals, and cycle tracking data. A new For You section delivers personalized recommendations and relevant articles based on a user’s data — like a suggestion to improve a wind-down routine after a stretch of late nights.

Longevity Tab

A new Longevity tab analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights into heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition. The tab includes Health Age, a new feature that uses Apple Watch data to show users how their metrics are tracking relative to their chronological age, informed by the best available science. The algorithm can factor in metrics from Apple Watch like VO2 max, resting heart rate, sleep, and HRV, and users can also add lab data, including A1c and LDL, to enrich the analysis.

Within the Longevity tab, users can see what’s shaping their long-term health based on data from iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, and clinical health records, as well as third-party apps and devices. An informative visualization fills in each category, helping users understand their status in different areas of health. Users can further build out their health picture through new evaluations, at-home movement assessments, and the ability to add lab tests.

Movement Evaluations

Mobility is a critical marker of overall function and a strong predictor of independence, chronic disease risk, and quality of life. Yet routine assessment remains largely absent from proactive health management, typically requiring a visit to an exercise physiologist or physical therapist. Now, users can take in-depth physical assessments — measuring flexibility, strength, balance, movement mechanics, and VO2 max — right at home using their iPhone camera and Apple Watch. This experience runs entirely on device; no video is ever recorded, stored, or shared. Using vision-based AI models, these assessments provide real-time audio and visual feedback, and were developed using clinician input.

Labs

Lab results from routine testing can provide important insights into a user’s overall wellbeing. Health app users can already import existing labs and see their results and trends over time. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S.

Tailored Health Content

Users will be able to see videos and articles across each area of health that overlays their data with insights from Apple Health clinical experts explaining why it’s important. For example, after a user receives their annual lab results, the Health app will present a video from an expert explaining their LDL levels, what the data means, and how they can take steps to improve, if needed. Or if a user learns from their movement assessment that they need to work on their balance, the Health app will present a video from an expert explaining what they can do. They will also receive an exercise plan to help them improve their balance, with moves selected for their ability and needs.

The redesigned Health app will be available later this year, starting in U.S. English, with more languages to follow.

Perimenopause and Menopause Support Arrive on Cycle Tracking

A person’s menstrual cycle is an essential indicator of overall health, and the Cycle Tracking experience is designed to support individuals across life stages, from logging their first period to receiving a retrospective ovulation estimate, and now, to supporting perimenopause and menopause. Cycle Tracking adapts as users’ health priorities change, whether that’s rooted in curiosity, daily planning, family building, or long-term wellbeing.

With iOS 27, the Health app adds support for perimenopause and menopause, as well as notifications about cycle deviations inclusive of perimenopause, to Cycle Tracking. Users will be able to log if they are in perimenopause or menopause for further customization of their Cycle Tracking experience, track their symptoms, and monitor cycles over time. Additionally, if a user logs bleeding after menopause, they will receive a notification to speak with their doctor. New educational articles are available in the Health app to help users better understand this new chapter, in addition to tips informed by clinical experts.

Additionally, many people don’t recognize they’re in perimenopause because the symptoms can start years before their last period. Now, users age 40 and over can receive a notification if a deviation in their logged cycle patterns is suggestive of perimenopause, so they can speak to their doctor about it at their next appointment.

More Ways to Stay Healthy

With iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27, Apple introduces additional ways to stay healthy:

• Workout Buddy works on Apple Watch even when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. The feature also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is available in both English and Spanish.5

• Expanded GymKit functionality enables users with AirPods Pro 3 to sync their heart rate data through iPhone with compatible gym equipment, including treadmills and indoor bikes.

• More accurate treadmill readings, powered by new machine learning models, improve distance calculations from the very first step of a walk or run.

Availability

• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later beginning Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE 3 with iOS 27. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• The redesigned Health app will be available on Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone and iPad models with the latest software, with select features available only on iPhone. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Health Age requires Apple Watch. The test to estimate VO2 max requires Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 3, or a third-party heart rate sensing device. Some features require users to be 18 or older. For information on Apple Intelligence availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/121115.

• Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

MacDailyNews Take: Very nice health and fitness additions to a strong Apple Watch lineup this year!

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Apple today announced AirPods 5, delivering the industry’s best Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in an open-ear design and even better sound quality, at an outstanding value. AirPods 5 feature an all-new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ for even more immersive sound. Their breakthrough open-ear ANC removes up to 50 percent more external noise compared to AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, alongside a more natural Transparency mode. Combined with Siri AI and iPhone, AirPods enable users to draw on their personal context and get answers with broad world knowledge, entirely hands-free. Users can also respond to Siri using head gestures, or use Live Translation to help connect across languages.

AirPods 5 offer the most affordable way to experience some of the most powerful AirPods features — along with greater durability with improved dust, sweat, and water resistance — at $129. For users who want even more, AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case add longer battery life and on-stem volume control for $149. Customers can pre-order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

“We’re thrilled that with AirPods 5, we’re able to bring Active Noise Cancellation — one of our most beloved features — to our most affordable AirPods,” said Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, in a statement. “Both AirPods 5 models deliver a world-class listening experience and enable features like Live Translation for even more people. Paired with Siri AI, AirPods are a game changer for unlocking powerful hands-free capabilities.”

Best-in-Class Active Noise Cancellation

Customers love to use ANC to quiet the world around them so they can rest on a noisy flight, get lost in their favorite music, or stay focused on work. AirPods 5 remove up to 50 percent more noise compared to AirPods 4 with ANC thanks to a new multiport acoustic architecture and improved computational audio algorithms. Along with the benefits of ANC, AirPods 5 feature an improved Transparency mode that more naturally represents voices and nearby sounds, helping users stay connected to their surroundings. Providing the best of both worlds, Adaptive Audio dynamically blends Transparency mode and ANC based on the conditions of a user’s environment. And Conversation Awareness lowers the user’s media volume when they start speaking, helping them more easily talk to someone nearby.

Re-Engineered Sound Quality

Inspired by AirPods Pro 3 and re-engineered for AirPods 5, a new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ deliver richer, more detailed sound across an even wider range of ear geometries. This makes Personalized Spatial Audio more immersive and dynamic, so the user feels like they’re surrounded by whatever they are listening to.

Intelligent Features, Hands-Free

For users with an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone, AirPods 5 allow users to tap into helpful intelligent features hands-free and on the go. Siri AI, which is rolling out in beta in iOS 27, is a profoundly more capable and conversational assistant, offering personal context understanding across messages, emails, photos, and more, as well as app actions and broad world knowledge. For example, users can ask Siri to play the song a friend recommended in a message or navigate to a dinner reservation based on the confirmation buried in an email. Siri AI sounds more natural than ever, with expressive voices that a user can customize so it’s just right for them. And Dictation now captures what users say with greater precision.

In addition to these new capabilities, Siri already works seamlessly with apps from Apple’s vast ecosystem of developers, so users can continue to take action in the apps they already use, like texting a friend in WhatsApp or playing a book on Audible. With Siri Interactions on AirPods, users can discreetly respond to Siri AI by simply nodding their head yes or shaking their head no.

Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, breaks down barriers by letting users communicate across languages. After setting up Live Translation in the Translate app and downloading their desired languages, AirPods users can access the feature by simultaneously pressing both stems, by saying “Siri, start Live Translation,” or by using the Action button on iPhone — allowing them to hear a conversation in their preferred language. Enabled by ANC and computational audio, this capability is now available across the entire AirPods lineup.

AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

For users who want even more, AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case deliver great improvements to the AirPods experience. Force sensor with volume swipe arrives on AirPods 5, a first for the open-ear form factor, adding the ability to quickly adjust volume by swiping up or down on the stem.

Battery life is also improved, with up to five hours of playback with ANC on a single charge — one hour longer than AirPods 4 with ANC, thanks to a redesigned battery. This extends up to 22 hours with the charging case when listening with ANC. The wireless charging case supports Apple Watch chargers, Qi-compatible chargers, and USB-C.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers in the U.S. and more than 65 other countries and regions can pre-order AirPods 5 today for $129 (U.S.), with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• Customers in the U.S. and more than 65 other countries and regions can pre-order AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case today for $149 (U.S.), with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• For full feature functionality, use AirPods 5 paired with an Apple device running the latest operating system software.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• Live Translation is available on compatible Apple devices with the latest operating system software when paired with compatible AirPods with the latest firmware when Apple Intelligence is turned on. This feature is not available in all languages or regions.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new AirPods 5 or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. In the U.S., customers can also choose AppleCare One Family, which extends that same coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

MacDailyNews Take: High quality ANC is in every AirPod now! Kudos to Apple on keeping the prices low, too.

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The post Apple introduces AirPods 5 with best-in-class open-ear Active Noise Cancellation appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple today introduced Apple Watch Series 12, engineered with advanced health sensors and all-new Apple silicon to deliver the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, and advanced health and fitness features.

With the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Series 12 delivers higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, which power an enhanced suite of health and fitness features including a new readiness score. A redesigned Health app on iPhone arrives later this year, including a new Longevity tab with a Health Age feature showing how metrics are tracking relative to a user’s age. In addition to powering the Health Sensing System, the S11 chip — Apple’s most powerful wearable chip — also enables new Audio Intelligence features arriving later this year, to help users remember key moments from their conversations and stay alert to important sounds, built with privacy, security, and accessibility innovations at the core. With watchOS 27, Apple Intelligence powers Siri AI on Apple Watch, bringing personal context understanding and broad world knowledge to the wrist.

These features add to the many ways Apple Watch already helps users stay active, better understand their health, and get help when they need it, with advanced workout tracking, sleep tracking, heart health notifications, the ECG app, sleep apnea notifications, Fall Detection, Emergency SOS,5 and more. Apple Watch Series 12 is the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety.

Apple Watch Series 12 is designed to be as individual as the person wearing it and is available in an array of beautiful finishes, including dark bronze, black, light gold, and space gray aluminum, and radiant gold and natural titanium. It is also available in a stunning ceramic material, in pearl white and night blue. Aluminum models now feature Ceramic Shield 2, which is tougher than any smartwatch glass and 60 percent tougher than the Ion-X of previous aluminum models.7 Apple Watch Series 12 is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.

“Apple Watch Series 12 is the most advanced health and fitness companion we’ve ever created,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Apple Watch Product Marketing, in a statement. “With our new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Series 12 gives you meaningful insights, like readiness, so you can better understand how to take on your day and care for your health, plus intelligence features that make everyday life easier. And it’s all wrapped in a beautifully thin, light design you’ll love wearing all day and night.”

The Most Accurate Heart Rate Sensing in a Wearable

Apple Watch Series 12 is re-architected to provide continuous high-fidelity health monitoring using the Health Sensing System, featuring new optical and electrical heart sensors. Using this system and the S11 chip, Apple Watch Series 12 offers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable. A scientifically rigorous study on a diverse population of over 1,000 participants compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, resulting in Apple Watch showing the highest accuracy across devices.

With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Series 12 now measures heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous, passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day on a new heart rate watch face complication.

HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured up to 24 times more often and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best for identifying daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights into a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery, while a lower variability value is an indicator of stress.

Overnight vitals now includes recovery HRV measurements analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status.8 A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

Apple Watch Series 12 introduces readiness, a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to offer insight into their capacity for the day ahead. Readiness provides a single 0-10 score with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their day, whether they’re headed into a workday or tackling their training plan.

Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, to reflect, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.

Longer Workout Battery Life and Faster Charging

Apple Watch Series 12 continues to offer up to 24 hours of everyday battery life and now offers up to 10 hours of battery life during an outdoor workout — 25 percent more than the previous model.

Apple Watch Series 12 also offers faster charging: Just 15 minutes now gets up to 12 hours of additional battery life — 50 percent more than the previous model — so users can quickly recharge while getting ready for the day or before bed.

The Most Accurate Step Tracking of Any Smartwatch

The pedometer model has been completely redesigned with new machine learning algorithms to provide more accurate distance measurements during indoor walk or run workouts, and the S11 chip allows for more accurate step counts all day. As a result, Apple Watch Series 12 now offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch. The S11 chip also enables the brand-new Steps complication, so users can track their steps in real time, right from their watch face.

A Redesigned Health App Offers a Holistic View of Long‑Term Health

The Health app on iPhone serves as a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, uniquely positioning it to provide a better understanding of a user’s health. The Health app has been redesigned to dynamically respond to a user’s data using Apple Intelligence, with a new Insights tab that surfaces timely health information and a new Longevity tab that analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights. The Longevity tab includes Health Age, an Apple Watch feature that shows users how certain metrics are tracking relative to their actual age.

The Health app also includes movement evaluations that measure flexibility, strength, balance, and more using vision-based AI models on iPhone and heart rate data from Apple Watch. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S. The redesigned Health app will arrive later this year, starting in U.S. English.

Audio Intelligence: A New Way to Stay More Present and Engaged Throughout the Day

Since Apple Watch is always on a user’s wrist, it is the perfect device to help users stay alert to important sounds and stay present and engaged in conversations throughout the day. With the built-in microphone, the power of the S11 chip, the latest Apple Intelligence models on iPhone, and Private Cloud Compute, Apple Watch Series 12 offers a brand-new class of Apple Intelligence features. Audio Intelligence helps users stay aware of the world around them, catch what they missed, and remember key moments — with user control, privacy, security, and accessibility at the center of its design.

Audio Intelligence features include:

• Sound Recognition, which comes to Apple Watch to alert users who are deaf or hard of hearing of important sounds, even when their iPhone isn’t with them. This feature listens for sounds like sirens, alarms, doorbells, or a baby crying, and uses on-device intelligence to notify users when they’re detected.

• Live Rewind, which can help users recall what was just said in conversation. A double press of the Digital Crown shows the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet, so the user can catch something they may have missed or are less familiar with. Users can ask Siri about the content of the text or save it to the Siri app to revisit later.

• Siri Recap, which can create high-level summaries of conversations that users can review later to jog their memory. When Siri Recap is turned on, after a conversation, Apple Intelligence automatically generates a title and key points in the new Siri app, allowing users to be more present and engaged in the moment.

• Shazam, which instantly detects the music playing around the user and automatically displays the song title and artist’s name on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack, easily glanceable on the wrist.

Privacy by Design

Audio Intelligence features are private by design, combining hardware, software, and services to protect user privacy in a way that only Apple can. These features do not create or store audio recordings, and raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible to the operating systems, apps, the user, or Apple. This is because the S11 chip on Apple Watch Series 12 includes Secure Exclave, a dedicated hardware-isolated compartment that processes audio in complete isolation from the rest of the system, then immediately deletes it.

Users are in control and can choose whether to opt in to each Audio Intelligence feature. They can decide exactly where and when Siri Recap takes notes, and can turn Siri Recap on or off at any time, right from Control Center.

By design, Audio Intelligence features do not identify and attribute speakers, to protect the privacy of both the user and those around them. Siri Recap produces a brief, high-level summary of conversations — not a transcript — and is designed to exclude sensitive information like financial information or government-assigned identifiers. Live Rewind plays an audible chime when it is being used, even if Apple Watch is on silent, and shows a full-display animation and microphone indicator so people nearby can hear and see that the feature has been activated.

Live Rewind text snippets and Siri Recap summaries are end-to-end encrypted in the Siri app with iCloud syncing, and are not accessible even by Apple. Read more about how Audio Intelligence protects privacy. Siri Recap and Live Rewind arrive in beta later this year.

Siri AI Brings Personal Context Understanding and Broad World Knowledge

With watchOS 27, Apple Watch Series 12 supports Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. The new Siri app lets users continue conversations on the go and tap into Apple Intelligence capabilities — like personal context understanding and broad world knowledge — making Apple Watch an even more intelligent companion on the wrist. A new Siri Modular watch face makes it even easier to access Siri throughout the day.

Featuring watchOS 27

watchOS 27 brings a range of additional updates to Apple Watch Series 12, including:

• A dynamic app grid featuring the icons for five Siri-suggested apps, which are a user’s most-used and recently used Apple Watch apps.

• A new single-handed tap gesture, which lets users conveniently open a widget in the Smart Stack by tapping their index finger and thumb. Now users can use the double tap gesture to scroll through the Smart Stack and single tap to select an individual widget — all using only one hand.

• Smart Stack widget suggestions, which surface when they are most relevant, like a Parked Car suggestion from Maps or a Birthday Message suggestion on a close contact’s birthday.

• Support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking on Apple Watch and in the Health app on iPhone.

• Support for Workout Buddy on Apple Watch when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. Workout Buddy also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is now available in Spanish in addition to English.

Lineup

Apple Watch Series 12 is available in 42mm and 46mm sizes. Aluminum finishes include beautiful new dark bronze, black, and light gold options, plus the popular space gray finish. Titanium finishes include a rich new radiant gold color, alongside natural titanium.

A stunning new ceramic version of Apple Watch Series 12 is available in pearl white and night blue finishes. Sand and navy blue Sport Bands that come with ceramic versions of Apple Watch Series 12 feature a ceramic pin-and-tuck closure designed to pair perfectly with the case.

Bands

This fall’s Sport Band lineup features a rich array of new colors, including olive, burgundy, wildflower blue, and pale succulent. In addition to bringing new colors including chambray blue and magenta, Sport Loops introduce a special new plaid pattern using innovative inkjet-printing technology, available in burgundy plaid and light umber plaid options. Nike Sport Bands and Nike Sport Loops come in five new colors: essential white, chalk calm, pavement grey, after dark black, and green spark.

The Milanese Loop is now available in stunning radiant gold to match the new radiant gold titanium case, and a new dark bronze color that pairs with the new dark bronze aluminum case.

The Modern Buckle band now comes in a new woven material, featuring subtle texture with small, integrated specks of color, creating a visually rich and dynamic feel. For the first time, it is available with gold hardware designed to perfectly match radiant gold titanium cases, in addition to natural hardware.

Apple Watch Hermès Series 12

Apple Watch Hermès Series 12 is now offered in a radiant gold titanium finish for the first time, in addition to the exclusive silver titanium. The radiant gold Apple Watch Hermès Series 12 comes with the new Noir satin Clou de Selle band, featuring a matching gold-finish clasp and saddle stud.

The Apple Watch Hermès collection introduces a new band, Rocabar Club, featuring eye-catching color contrasts and an elongated H knitted in a graphic, three-dimensional pattern inspired by horse-jumping competitions.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and more than 50 other countries and regions can pre-order Apple Watch Series 12 today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 (U.S.).

• New Apple Watch bands will be available to order today from apple.com/store and on the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later on Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27 or later. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with watchOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with watchOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• New subscribers may get three months of Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music with the purchase of Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch SE 3, or Apple Watch Ultra 4. Offer and service availability varies by region. See apple.com/promo for details.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Apple Watch or, in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for Apple Watch Series 12, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $11.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.

MacDailyNews Take: Very nice, as expected – and ceramic finally returns!

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The post New Apple Watch Series 12 delivers all-new Health Sensing System appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple today introduced Apple Watch Ultra 4 — the ultimate sports and adventure watch — now including new, advanced health and fitness features, and longer battery life.

Engineered with the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 delivers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, and a new readiness score to support athletes of all kinds. Apple Watch Ultra 4 also offers extended battery life to track outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours and the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch. A redesigned Health app on iPhone arrives later this year, including a new Longevity tab with a Health Age feature showing how metrics are tracking relative to a user’s age. In addition to powering the Health Sensing System, the S11 chip — Apple’s most powerful wearable chip — enables new Audio Intelligence features arriving later this year, to help users remember key moments from their conversations and stay alert to important sounds, built with privacy, security, and accessibility innovations at the core. With watchOS 27, Apple Intelligence powers Siri AI on Apple Watch, bringing personal context understanding and broad world knowledge to the wrist.

These features add to the many ways Apple Watch Ultra already supports users with advanced workout tracking across activities, sleep tracking, powerful health features like heart health notifications and the ECG app, and game-changing safety capabilities like satellite communications. Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 comes in sleek and durable natural and black titanium options. It is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.

“The new Health Sensing System and S11 chip take Apple Watch Ultra 4 — our most rugged and capable Apple Watch — to the next level, delivering longer battery life, faster charging, and the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Apple Watch Product Marketing, in a statement. “With powerful health and fitness insights including readiness, new intelligent features, and its large, bright display, Apple Watch Ultra 4 is designed to support you wherever you go, from your workouts, to adventures, to everything you tackle in a day.”

The Most Accurate Heart Rate Sensing in a Wearable

Apple Watch Ultra 4 is re-architected to provide continuous high-fidelity health monitoring using the Health Sensing System, featuring new optical and electrical heart sensors. Using this system and the S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable. A scientifically rigorous study on a diverse population of over 1,000 participants compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, with Apple Watch showing the highest accuracy across devices.

With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now measures heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day on a new heart rate watch face complication.

HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured up to 24 times more often and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best for identifying daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights into a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery, while a lower variability value is an indicator of stress.

Overnight vitals now includes recovery HRV measurements analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status. A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces readiness, a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to offer insight into their capacity for the day ahead. Readiness provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their day, whether they’re headed into a workday or tackling their training plan.

Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, to reflect, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.

Longer Battery Life and Faster Charging

For everyday use, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers more than two days of battery life, up to 50 hours. In Low Power Mode, it offers up to 84 hours of battery life. Charging is now faster than ever: Just 15 minutes adds up to 18 hours of additional battery life.
For outdoor workout tracking, the new Extended Workout mode delivers up to 25 hours of battery life for tracking workouts with full GPS and heart rate readings — a 25 percent increase from the previous model. For even longer workouts, the Max Extended Workout mode allows Apple Watch Ultra 4 to track outdoor runs, walks, and hikes for up to 45 hours, typically enough to finish a 100-mile race, while still taking GPS readings every second.

The Most Accurate Step Tracking of Any Smartwatch

The pedometer model has been completely redesigned with new machine learning algorithms and the S11 chip to provide more accurate distance measurements during indoor walk or run workouts, and more accurate step counts all day. As a result, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch. The S11 chip also enables the brand-new Steps complication, so users can track their steps in real time, right from their watch face.

A Redesigned Health App Offering a Holistic View of Long‑Term Health

The Health app on iPhone serves as a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, uniquely positioning it to provide a better understanding of a user’s health. The Health app has been redesigned to dynamically respond to a user’s data using Apple Intelligence, with a new Insights tab that surfaces timely health information and a new Longevity tab that analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights. The Longevity tab includes Health Age, an Apple Watch feature that shows users how certain metrics are tracking relative to their actual age.

The Health app also includes movement evaluations that measure flexibility, strength, balance, and more using vision-based AI models on iPhone and heart rate data from Apple Watch. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S. The redesigned Health app will arrive later this year, starting in U.S. English.

Audio Intelligence: A New Way to Stay More Present and Engaged Throughout the Day

Since Apple Watch is always on a user’s wrist, it is the perfect device to help users stay alert to important sounds and stay present and engaged in conversations throughout the day. With the built-in microphone, the power of the S11 chip, the latest Apple Intelligence models on iPhone, and Private Cloud Compute, Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers a brand-new class of Apple Intelligence features. Audio Intelligence helps users stay aware of the world around them, catch what they missed, and remember key moments — with user control, privacy, security, and accessibility at the center of its design.

Audio Intelligence features include:

• Sound Recognition, which comes to Apple Watch to alert users who are deaf or hard of hearing of important sounds, even when their iPhone isn’t with them. This feature listens for sounds like sirens, alarms, doorbells, or a baby crying, and uses on-device intelligence to notify users when they’re detected.

• Live Rewind, which can help users recall what was just said in conversation. A double press of the Digital Crown shows the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet, so users can catch something they may have missed or are less familiar with. Users can ask Siri about the content of the text or save it to the Siri app to revisit later.

• Siri Recap, which can create high-level summaries of conversations that users can review later to jog their memory. When Siri Recap is turned on, after a conversation, Apple Intelligence automatically generates a title and key points in the new Siri app, allowing users to be more present and engaged in the moment.

• Shazam, which instantly detects the music playing around the user and automatically displays the song title and artist’s name on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack, easily glanceable on the wrist.

Privacy by Design

Audio Intelligence features are private by design, combining hardware, software, and services to protect user privacy in a way that only Apple can. These features do not create or store audio recordings, and raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible to the operating systems, apps, the user, or Apple. This is because the S11 chip on Apple Watch Ultra 4 includes Secure Exclave, a dedicated hardware-isolated compartment that processes audio in complete isolation from the rest of the system, then immediately deletes it.

Users are in control and can choose whether to opt in to each Audio Intelligence feature. They can decide exactly where and when Siri Recap takes notes, and can turn Siri Recap on or off at any time, right from Control Center.

By design, Audio Intelligence features do not identify and attribute speakers, to protect the privacy of both the user and those around them. Siri Recap produces a brief, high-level summary of conversations — not a transcript — and is designed to exclude sensitive information like financial information or government-assigned identifiers. Live Rewind plays an audible chime when it is being used, even if Apple Watch is on silent, and shows a full-display animation and microphone indicator so people nearby can hear and see that the feature has been activated.

Live Rewind text snippets and Siri Recap summaries are end-to-end encrypted in the Siri app with iCloud syncing, and are not accessible even by Apple. Read more about how Audio Intelligence protects privacy. Siri Recap and Live Rewind arrive in beta later this year.

Siri AI Brings Personal Context Understanding and Broad World Knowledge

With watchOS 27, Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. The new Siri app lets users continue conversations on the go and tap into Apple Intelligence capabilities — like personal context understanding and broad world knowledge — making Apple Watch an even more intelligent companion on the wrist. A new Siri Modular watch face makes it even easier to access Siri throughout the day.

Featuring watchOS 27

watchOS 27 brings a range of additional updates to Apple Watch Ultra 4, including:

• A dynamic app grid featuring the icons for five Siri-suggested apps, which are a user’s most-used and recently used Apple Watch apps.

• A new single-handed tap gesture, which lets users conveniently open a widget in the Smart Stack by tapping their index finger and thumb. Now users can use the double tap gesture to scroll through the Smart Stack and single tap to select an individual widget — all using only one hand.

• Smart Stack widget suggestions, which surface when they are most relevant, like a Parked Car suggestion from Maps or a Birthday Message suggestion on a close contact’s birthday.

• Support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking on Apple Watch and in the Health app on iPhone.

• Support for Workout Buddy on Apple Watch when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. Workout Buddy also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is now available in Spanish in addition to English.

Lineup and Bands

Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available in natural and black titanium.

This fall’s band lineup features new colors across the range. Trail Loop now comes in dark umber, sand, and burgundy, while Alpine Loop comes in desert, dark olive, and burgundy.

Ocean Bands are now made from a unique translucent silicone, which comes in three new colors: translucent gray, translucent kelp, and translucent black.

Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4

In addition to Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 available in natural titanium, the Apple Watch Hermès collection introduces a bold new Grand H titanium band featuring a built-in extension mechanism to conveniently adjust the band to fit over a wet suit. Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 also features the new Fathom and Wonder watch face, which allows users to explore an illustration of the ocean’s depths. Rotate the Digital Crown to select one of four watch face options, from the surface to the seabed. Each option features a unique shade of blue and distinct animations.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and more than 50 other countries and regions can pre-order Apple Watch Ultra 4 today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799 (U.S.).

• New Apple Watch bands will be available to order today from apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later on Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with watchOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with watchOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• New subscribers may get three months of Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music with the purchase of Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch SE 3, or Apple Watch Ultra 4. Offer and service availability varies by region. See apple.com/promo for details.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Apple Watch or, in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for Apple Watch Ultra 4, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $24.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.

MacDailyNews Take: The King of Smartwatches.

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Apple today announced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, delivering the most advanced pro camera system in an iPhone, and huge leaps in battery life and performance. The new 48MP Fusion Main camera, now with variable aperture, brings creative control that wasn’t possible before, and new Pro controls let users customize their experience in the Camera app. Both models feature a smaller and even more useful Dynamic Island, as well as A20 Pro and a next-generation vapor chamber that together deliver the highest sustained performance in iPhone history. iPhone 18 Pro Max also delivers the largest increase in battery life ever on iPhone, thanks to advancements in Apple silicon and a larger battery. Featuring iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, iPhone 18 Pro models bring powerful AI capabilities together with personal context to become an intelligent personal hub with privacy and security at its core.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available in four elegant finishes: black, silver, glacier, and an all-new burgundy. Pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.

“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas — we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, in a statement. “iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”

An Advanced Camera System That Unlocks More Creativity Across Photo and Video

The new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture is the most advanced camera Apple has ever made, bringing aperture control to iPhone for the first time along with even more creative control. Six laser-cut blades smoothly transition between different apertures, making it incredibly easy to capture the best shot by automatically adjusting for depth of field and lighting. Combined with a new sensor that improves image quality, the result is better low-light photography, crisper detail in the back of group photos, and more unique shots. Variable aperture also provides more control for creative pros by giving them the ability to manually adjust any of the four aperture settings in the Camera app, and an API is available to developers for even more control across the aperture range in their apps.

With a new computational imaging pipeline, the Main camera produces sharper, more detailed shots, and upgraded Photographic Styles with new texture and grain controls let users further dial in their desired appearance and have more creative control over their photos. Industry-leading video capabilities also become more versatile, with the ability to apply Cinematic effects after capture to videos shot at up to 60 fps. In Time-lapse mode, users can now record videos in 4K and Dolby Vision HDR. Audio Mix also has new algorithms that deliver higher-quality voices and can now isolate music.

Pro controls is a new customizable experience in the Camera app for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max that makes it easier than ever for users to access their most used settings and introduces new options for manual control. Users can now adjust settings such as lens aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, or use a histogram to check exposure levels throughout a scene.

Introducing Apple Reference Image

Users can now prove the authenticity of a photo taken on iPhone 18 Pro models with Apple Reference Image, powered by the new sensor in the Main camera that can sign every pixel it sees. When a photo is taken in the new Reference mode, the camera captures signed sensor data that Private Cloud Compute develops into an unalterable reference image. Reference images can be viewed in the Photos app alongside the main image, like a digital negative, to visually compare the two assets and determine if any edits were made. APIs are available in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 27 for third-party apps to enable viewing of these reference images.

Image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID standard can also help users identify images generated or edited with AI. Together with Apple Reference Image, this set of features represents a multifaceted approach to image authenticity — vital for photojournalists, photographers, and everyday viewers.

An Even More Useful Dynamic Island

Using advanced display technology, the Dynamic Island is redesigned to create room for additional information. The upgraded Dynamic Island can now show three Live Activities at once, while continuing to enable Face ID for securely unlocking iPhone 18 Pro models, authenticating purchases, signing in to apps, and more.

A20 Pro: A Powerhouse for Pro Performance and AI

Built using the latest 2-nanometer process technology, A20 Pro sets a new bar for mobile computing. Featuring 50 percent more memory bandwidth than A19 Pro, the new 6-core CPU features integrated Neural Accelerators and is faster than the competition, while the new 7-core GPU design is up to 40 percent faster than A19 Pro — a significant upgrade for graphics rendering. A20 Pro also features a new Dual 16-core Neural Engine, which accelerates on-device AI models and computational photography, and includes 32 total cores for double the AI processing power of A19 Pro. With huge upgrades across the entire chip, A20 Pro is a powerhouse for everything from more advanced on-device AI workloads to demanding games, and is designed to deliver exceptional performance for years to come.

Both models feature N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. iPhone 18 Pro introduces C2, Apple’s next-generation cellular modem system, which brings AI-powered improvements to cellular quality and reliability. C2 delivers meaningfully faster uploads when compared to C1X while consuming 15 percent less energy, and now supports mmWave in the U.S.

A New Thermal Management System for Maximum Performance

A20 Pro introduces custom packaging inspired by M-series Apple silicon that places the silicon die side by side with the memory, removing the memory from the thermal path of the chip and allowing A20 Pro to attach directly to a next-generation vapor chamber. With new materials and three times more surface area than the previous generation on iPhone 17 Pro, the redesigned vapor chamber dramatically improves sustained performance and enables up to a 40 percent gain over the previous generation — the highest sustained performance yet.

Incredible Battery Life

iPhone 18 Pro models deliver a massive leap in battery life with new battery designs that leverage powerful silicon efficiencies. eSIM-only models deliver up to 36 hours of video playback on iPhone 18 Pro and up to 45 hours of video playback on iPhone 18 Pro Max. iPhone 18 Pro can also charge up to 50 percent in around 15 minutes, or wirelessly charge up to 50 percent in 30 minutes. On iPhone 18 Pro Max, five minutes of wired charging provides around seven hours of video playback, and based on a new battery usage model that leverages real-world data, it provides up to 30 hours of usage on a full charge.

Featuring iOS 27 with the Next Generation of Apple Intelligence and an All-New Siri

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max give users access to Siri AI, rolling out in beta with iOS 27. Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence that is profoundly more personal, capable, and conversational. Both models bring powerful AI capabilities together with personal context to become an intelligent personal hub with privacy and security at its core.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more; use onscreen awareness to take action related to the content on a user’s screen; and answer questions about virtually any topic. Siri mode in the Camera app allows users to get information and take action on what’s in front of them, and users can write with Siri by simply describing what they need. Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. Users can improve the composition of a photo after it’s been taken with Spatial Reframing, Extend, and upgraded Clean Up. And now Image Playground offers photorealistic imagery. In Safari, Notify Me helps users monitor web pages for changes, like product restocks or price drops, and stay on top of updates. To protect users’ privacy, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud.

iOS 27 delivers an expansive set of improvements that make iPhone more responsive, reliable, and easy to use, along with refinements to the software design and more ways to personalize the appearance of Liquid Glass. Additionally, powerful and simple tools, based on expert guidance, give parents more flexible ways to manage what their kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access. iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which allows users with supported carriers to easily switch back and forth between two iPhone models with the same phone number.

eSIM: A Flexible, Convenient, and Secure Connection

eSIM offers greater flexibility, better security, seamless connectivity compared to traditional physical SIM cards, and more battery life on eSIM-only models. An industry standard, eSIM is supported by over 500 carriers worldwide, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. eSIM-only models of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the U.S., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These models feature an even larger battery, taking advantage of the space formerly occupied by the physical SIM to provide two additional hours of video playback.

Beautiful New Accessories

iPhone 18 Pro models introduce a range of new Silicone Cases, TechWoven Cases, Crossbody Straps, and FineWoven Wallets — all designed to complement the four beautiful finishes. The Clear Case features an updated design and is now compatible with the Crossbody Strap and Wrist Strap. The new Wrist Strap introduces a convenient, hands-free way to carry iPhone, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3. Woven with 100 percent recycled polyester yarns and embedded with flexible magnets that keep it neatly fitted together, the Wrist Strap will be available in six colors: black, taupe, olive, crisp blue, magenta, and burgundy.

Pricing and Availability

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities. Available in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black, iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 (U.S.) or $49.95 (U.S.) per month, and iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 (U.S.) or $54.12 (U.S.) per month for 24 months.

Apple offers great ways to save and upgrade to the latest iPhone models. With Apple Trade In, customers trading in iPhone 13 or later can get $175 to $885 (U.S.) in credit instantly. Apple also partners with select carriers to offer incredible deals, and customers can get up to $1,200 (U.S.) in credits when they trade in iPhone 14 or later — in any condition — to put toward iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. Customers can take advantage of carrier deals by visiting the Apple Store online or an Apple Store location. For carrier deal eligibility requirements and more details, see apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/carrier-offers. To see what their device is worth and for trade-in terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.

Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for iPhone 18 Pro, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $34.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.

Customers in more than 65 countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and Vietnam, will be able to pre-order iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max beginning at 5 a.m. PT this Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18. iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 20 other countries and regions beginning Friday, September 25.

A TechWoven Case with MagSafe will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, chambray blue, taupe, olive, mulberry, and burgundy. A Clear Case with MagSafe will be available for $49 (U.S.), and a Silicone Case with MagSafe will be available for $49 (U.S.) in black, navy blue, crisp blue, olive, burgundy, and magenta. A FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, navy blue, wildflower blue, olive, magenta, and burgundy.

A Wrist Strap will be available for $29 (U.S.). A Crossbody Strap will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, navy blue, taupe, sand, olive, crisp blue, magenta, burgundy, and light gray.

iOS 27 will be available as a free software update on Monday, September 14. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features help iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most. Apple is extending free access to satellite features for an additional year for existing iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users. The free trial will be extended for iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users who have activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to midnight PT on September 9. For satellite feature availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/105097.

AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new iPhone, or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. In the U.S., customers can also choose AppleCare One Family, which extends that same coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

iCloud+ plans start at just $0.99 (U.S.) per month, providing additional storage to keep photos, videos, files, and more safe in the cloud and accessible across devices. iCloud+ also gives access to premium features such as event creation in the Apple Invites app, as well as Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains, and HomeKit Secure Video. With Family Sharing, users can share their subscription with five other family members at no extra cost. For more information and feature availability, visit apple.com/icloud and apple.com/ios/feature-availability.

New and qualified returning subscribers who purchase iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max can unlock three months of Apple One for free. Apple One bundles up to six Apple services — including Apple TV, Apple Music, up to 2TB of iCloud+ storage, and more — into one convenient plan across multiple Apple devices. This offer is available in select countries and regions with an eligible new iPhone, iPad, or Mac beginning September 17. Service availability varies by region. Learn more about Apple One at apple.com/apple-one.

MacDailyNews Take: Tempting, but Duo clouds our judgement right now.

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Apple today introduced iPhone Duo, the first foldable iPhone. Opened, it is the thinnest iPhone ever, with a 7.6-inch inner display that provides a large canvas for viewing content, gaming, and multitasking, and a special nano-texture finish that minimizes glare for an unparalleled viewing experience. Closed, the 5.4-inch outer display delivers 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro in a compact, pocketable design. Both displays share the same aspect ratio, so content scales proportionally, ensuring visual continuity.

iPhone Duo is built to last with an innovative hardware design and a precision hinge that offers a smooth, satisfying feel with every use. Powered by the new A20 Pro, iPhone Duo features an advanced thermal management system with a custom-designed vapor chamber and a dual-battery architecture, delivering pro performance and impressive all-day battery life. The advanced camera system takes stunning photos and videos, with the folding design unlocking fun new ways to use the camera that aren’t possible on any other iPhone. iOS 27 is reimagined, remaining familiar and intuitive while adapting to the versatile ways users can interact with iPhone Duo. And with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, iPhone Duo brings powerful AI capabilities together with a user’s personal context.

iPhone Duo is available in two refined colors: star white and night sky. Pre-orders begin Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.

“iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone,” said John Ternus, Apple’s CEO, in a statement. “With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you’re enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming.”

Two Displays, One Breakthrough Design

iPhone Duo delivers Apple’s largest iPhone display in an entirely new design. Closed, iPhone Duo is comfortable to use one-handed and fits easily in a pocket, with a 5.4-inch outer Super Retina XDR display that provides 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro. Opened, the 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display is 50 percent larger than iPhone 18 Pro Max, offering an immersive canvas for everything users do. A premium nano-texture finish reduces glare and reflections, creating a matte surface that minimizes crease visibility and feels great to touch. Beneath the inner display, a new FaceTime camera stays hidden when not in use to keep the screen uninterrupted. Both displays share the same aspect ratio, designed for how people use their iPhone, so the experience feels continuous whether iPhone Duo is open or closed. The displays also feature ProMotion, Always On, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. Later this year, iPhone Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C, allowing users to take notes, sketch, or mark up documents on either display.

Touch ID is integrated into the side button for easy, secure, and consistent authentication whether iPhone Duo is open or closed, and users can unlock iPhone Duo using their Apple Watch. The design also features Camera Control to quickly launch the camera, including the brand-new Siri Camera mode, which lets Siri see what the user sees to answer questions and take action.

Designed for Durability

iPhone Duo is built to last and feels exceptionally solid with every use. It’s crafted from grade 5 titanium for incredible strength, with an enclosure that has an elegant mirror-polished finish and a 3D-printed hinge cover with a contrasting micro-blasted finish. Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone Duo, and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front has 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation. iPhone Duo is also splash-, water-, and dust-resistant with an IP68 rating. The hinge is engineered from more than 100 components to precisely control opening and closing and support the center of the display, delivering a smooth, satisfying feel. Internally, support ribs reinforce the structure for added stiffness, while antenna splits with ceramic fiber inserts enhance the frame’s rigidity.

The inner display is designed to withstand the wear of everyday use. A scratch-resistant coating and a nano-textured cover layer — made from a custom polymer with up to 40 percent higher stiffness than other materials used in the industry — protect the surface. High-strength glass sits above and below the folding display panel, with custom adhesives that allow the layers to glide past one another like the pages of a book, relieving bend stress, and a titanium plate at the bottom further enhances durability.

An Advanced Camera System with New Experiences

iPhone Duo delivers an advanced camera system that brings all-new experiences made possible by its breakthrough design. With the new 48MP Fusion Main camera, users can shoot sharp photos at up to 48MP resolution with zero shutter lag, capture in the 24MP default for incredible image quality at a file size perfect for sharing, and get closer to the subject with an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto. The 48MP Fusion Main camera also benefits from a new computational image pipeline for sharp details, and excels in low light thanks to a large sensor, fast aperture, and sensor-shift optical image stabilization.

The 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera — the same as on iPhone 18 Pro models — captures wider fields of view and enables macro photography, while the Center Stage front camera can automatically take photos and videos in any orientation, so users don’t have to rotate iPhone for landscape selfies. Upgraded Photographic Styles with new texture and grain controls let users further dial in their desired appearance and have more creative control over their photos. Under the inner display, a new FaceTime camera helps users connect with friends and family whether iPhone Duo is held open or propped on a surface for hands-free calls.

The foldable design with dual displays unlocks camera experiences that are not possible on any other iPhone.

• With Smart Take, users no longer miss out on being in the photo because they are behind the shutter or racing to beat a timer.

• On-device AI models running on A20 Pro analyze the scene in real time and automatically capture photos when subjects are posing.

• Users can take a selfie with the higher-resolution rear cameras and preview their shot on the outer display.

• Duo Preview shows the live preview on the outer display, helping subjects pose, check their framing, and guide the shot.

• Kid Cue plays animations from Peanuts on the outer display to grab the attention of children so they look at the camera.

• Duo FaceTime lets people who are with the user join a video call on the outer display, so everyone can share the moment without crowding around one screen.

iPhone Duo supports 4K120 fps recording in Dolby Vision on the 48MP Fusion Main camera, unlocking gorgeous slow-motion effects by adjusting the playback speed. Users can now apply Cinematic effects after capture at up to 60 fps, and Audio Mix introduces new algorithms that deliver higher-quality voices and can now isolate music. Time-lapse supports 4K in Dolby Vision HDR, and users can prop iPhone Duo up without needing a tripod to easily capture longer-duration videos.

A Reimagined Yet Familiar iOS Experience

iOS 27 is tailored for iPhone Duo, delivering a familiar and intuitive experience that introduces new ways to interact with iPhone. Lock Screen controls, the Dock on the Home Screen, and app navigation and controls now appear on the side to maximize vertical space for content. When iPhone Duo is open, the display shows two Home Screen pages with Today View — a vertically scrolling list of customizable widgets — on the left. The status bar includes a circular, flexible system that nestles into the corner of the screen, showing relevant information like Wi-Fi, cellular strength, battery, and more. The Dynamic Island is also redesigned to fit vertically on the side of the outer and inner displays, and expands to show Live Activities and alerts. iOS seamlessly adapts to the new ways to use iPhone Duo — content reacts as it folds, reorients when turned to the side, and switches to the appropriate display when flipped over.

Apple apps are optimized for iPhone Duo, and developers can easily adapt their apps using the new and updated APIs in the latest SDKs, and upcoming support for iPhone Duo in Device Hub in Xcode. Third-party apps, including Netflix, Zoom, and Slack, are already taking advantage of the folding design to deliver immersive experiences that make the most of the larger display and new ways to use iPhone Duo.

The expansive display supercharges productivity, letting users do more at once with new multitasking capabilities. Split View allows users to open two apps side by side on iPhone for the first time. Users can also quickly swap between apps; open two windows of the same app, like Safari; easily have a conversation with Siri AI while looking at content on the other side of the screen; and save pairs of apps to come back to later.

StandBy gets a major upgrade on iPhone Duo. Set iPhone Duo down and it enters StandBy on either the outer or inner display — even when it’s not charging — turning the device into a photo frame, hub for widgets, clock, and more. New Calendar and Weather faces join existing Clock and Modular faces, while the Photos face is updated to display Shared Albums. Every face now offers deeper customization, with new colors, fonts, and complications to choose from.

The Next Generation of Apple Intelligence and an All‑New Siri

iPhone Duo gives users access to Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri that is rolling out in beta with iOS 27. Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri is profoundly more personal, capable, and conversational, and becomes even more useful on the large inner display. Powerful AI capabilities paired with personal context make iPhone Duo an intelligent personal hub with privacy and security at its core.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more; use onscreen awareness to take action related to the content on a user’s screen; and answer questions about virtually any topic. Users can write with Siri by simply describing what they need. The all-new Siri app also makes it easy to revisit past conversations or kick off new ones, with conversational history synced privately across products with iCloud.

Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. Users can improve the composition of a photo after it’s been taken with Spatial Reframing, Extend, and upgraded Clean Up. Image Playground also now offers photorealistic imagery, and with upcoming support for the SynthID standard, users can identify images generated or edited with AI.6
In Safari, Notify Me helps users monitor web pages for changes, like product restocks or price drops, to stay on top of updates. To protect users’ privacy, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud.

Pro Performance with A20 Pro and Advanced Thermal Management

Powered by A20 Pro — the same chip in iPhone 18 Pro models — and paired with an advanced thermal management system, iPhone Duo delivers up to 35 percent better sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro. A new chip package inspired by M-series Apple silicon connects A20 Pro directly to a custom vapor chamber, dissipating heat and powering multitasking, gaming, and complex AI workloads. A new display engine drives the inner and outer displays simultaneously and enables a fluid experience as users transition between them. The 6-core CPU is up to 20 percent faster than A19 Pro, delivering the fastest CPU in a smartphone; the 7-core GPU is up to 40 percent faster and more power efficient; and the new Dual 16-core Neural Engine offers 2x the compute power to run on-device AI models. A20 Pro also delivers 50 percent more unified memory bandwidth and is built on the latest 2-nanometer process technology.

Impressive All-Day Battery Life

iPhone Duo is designed with one high-energy battery on each side to maximize capacity while efficiently using internal space. A combination of Apple silicon and energy rebalancing algorithms allows the batteries to operate seamlessly as one, so users get up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display, up to 44 hours of video playback when using the outer display, and up to 24 hours of usage per charge when both displays are used equally. Users can also enjoy fast charging — iPhone Duo can charge up to 50 percent in around 20 minutes or wirelessly charge up to 50 percent in around 30 minutes with a MagSafe or Qi2 charger.

Powerful Wireless Capabilities

iPhone Duo features an eSIM-only design worldwide that saves internal space to maximize battery capacity. eSIM offers greater flexibility, better security, and seamless connectivity compared to traditional physical SIM cards, and as an industry standard, it is supported by over 500 carriers around the world, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which allows users with supported carriers to easily switch back and forth between two iPhone models with the same phone number.

N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip, enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while C2, Apple’s next-generation cellular modem system, brings AI-powered improvements to cellular quality and reliability, and now supports mmWave in the U.S.

Beautiful New Accessories

To complement iPhone Duo, Apple is introducing beautiful new accessories. The iPhone Duo Folio — available in navy blue and taupe — features an integrated kickstand that supports a wide range of angles for reading, viewing content, or FaceTime, and folds away neatly when not in use. The iPhone Duo Case — available in sand and navy blue — is thin and light, with a protective two-part design that wraps around both sides of the device. Both cases are compatible with MagSafe, Qi2 25W, and Qi-certified chargers. With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone Duo, they offer a magical attach experience and fast wireless charging.

Pricing and Availability

• iPhone Duo is available in star white and night sky, and starts at $1,999 (U.S.), or $83.29 (U.S.) per month for 24 months, in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities.

• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for iPhone Duo, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $57.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.14

• Customers in more than 70 countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and Vietnam, will be able to pre-order iPhone Duo beginning at 5 a.m. PT on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23. iPhone Duo will be available in 28 other countries and regions beginning Friday, October 30.

• The iPhone Duo Case will be available for $79 (U.S.) in navy blue and sand, and the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available for $129 (U.S.) in navy blue and taupe. iPhone Duo Case and iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available to order beginning Friday, October 16.

• iPhone Duo will be available with iOS 27.1. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features help iPhone Duo users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most. Apple is extending free access to satellite features for an additional year for existing iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users who have activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to midnight PT on September 9. For satellite feature availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/105097.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new iPhone, or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. In the U.S., customers can also choose AppleCare One Family, which extends that same coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• iCloud+ plans start at just $0.99 (U.S.) per month, providing additional storage to keep photos, videos, files, and more safe in the cloud and accessible across devices. iCloud+ also gives access to premium features such as event creation in the Apple Invites app, as well as Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains, and HomeKit Secure Video. With Family Sharing, users can share their subscription with five other family members at no extra cost. For more information and feature availability, visit apple.com/icloud and apple.com/ios/feature-availability.

• New and qualified returning subscribers who purchase iPhone Duo can unlock three months of Apple One for free. Apple One bundles up to six Apple services — including Apple TV, Apple Music, up to 2TB of iCloud+ storage, and more — into one convenient plan across multiple Apple devices. This offer is available in select countries and regions with an eligible new iPhone, iPad, or Mac beginning September 17. Service availability varies by region. Learn more about Apple One at apple.com/apple-one.

MacDailyNews Take: Yum!

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Apple CEO John Ternus and a team of Apple executives are expected to host the company’s “Surprise and Shine” special event today, Wednesday, September 9th, at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT.

Apple’s event will be webcast from the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.
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During Apple’s event, MacDailyNews will offer live notes on this page below.
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You can watch the event live right here:

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Live notes from Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” special event in reverse chronological order:

• End of event.

• Ternus: “Thank you for joining us. Have a great day.”

• Ternus recaps today’s announcements

• AAPL: 310.63, -5.60, (-1.77%) @ 2:16:21 PM EDT

• iPhone Duo commercial being shown

• Available: October 23rd
• Pre-order: October 16th
• Starts at 1999 256GB; up to 2TB available
• Apple has made two cases: iPhone Duo Folio and iPhone Duo Case
• iPhone Duo is the perfect selfie camera – use the best cameras and still see the outer display
• Dual capture in FaceTime – share both simultaneously
• Center Stage front camera
• Supports Texture and Grain control
• 4K 120 FPS video
• iPhone Duo Camera system: 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide Main Camera and 2X optical quality Telephoto
• All-day battery life, up to 31 hours of video playback (inner display); 44 hours (outer display)
• iPhone Duo is eSIM-only worldwide
• Apple’s advanced C2 Modem: 5G mmWave support in US
• Peak performance for on-device AI immediately; up to 35% higher sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro
• Powered by A20 Pro
• Titanium pate at the bottom of display for increased durability
• Multilayer lamination display
• iPhone Duo – custom nano-texture finish for display – minimized crease visibility
• Myriad apps are being updated for iPhone Duo
• Can be your perfect bedside clock
• Standby mode available even when not charging
• Can use iPhone Duo partially folded
• Works in Portrait and Landscape (like iPad)
• Split view multitasking
• Ceramic Shield on back, Ceramic Shield 2 on front display
• Grade 5 Titanium frame
• Two colors: Star White and Night Sky
• Can unlock iPhone Duo effortlessly with Apple Watch
• Touch ID integrated into the side button
• Apple Pencil capable on either display
• 5.4-inch outer display
• iPhone mini spotted off in a corner weeping silently to itself
• iPhone Duo makes new experiences possible
• iPhone Duo and iOS 27 redefine what an iPhone can do
• System reacts when you fold our turn to side or flip it over
• As you most betwen displays, the software seamlessly transitions
• iOS 27 adjusts to fit iPhone Duo
• Very pocketable when closed
• Aerospace-grade titanium fram
• Impressive battery system
• Thinnest iPhone ever when opened
• Hinge mechanism – custom variable torque control
• Fluid transitions between opened and closed – faceTime camera behind the display
• Largest iPhone display ever designed
• Similar size to your passport
• Apple redefines the experience of using a foldable smartphone
• Introducing iPhone Duo

• Ternus: “There is one more thing”

• AAPL: 312.57, -3.65, (-1.16%) @ 1:52:03 PM EDT

• Series 12 commercial shown
• Pre-order today, available September 18th
• Ultra 4 starts at $799
• Series 12 starts at $399
• Apple Watch Ultra 4 Black and natural titanium
• Apple Watch Series 12 Titanium in gold and silver
• Apple Watch Series 12 ceramic available in white and blue
• Apple Watch Series 12 Aluminum: Space Gray, Black, Light Gold, Dark Bronze
• Apple Watch offers thousands of face and bad customizations
• New S11 chip – Always-on processor, faster CPU, faster GPU, and faster Neural Engine
• Live Rewind and Siri Recap coming later this year in beta
• New Siri Modular Face for Apple Watch
• Audio is not recorded or stored, Apple cannot listen
• Siri recap: Uses ambient listening to take notes of meetings, lectures, etc.
• Live Rewind lets you see a transcription of the last 15 seconds
• Sound recognition to Apple Watch – can listen to notify you of what’s hapening
• Audio Intelligence makes sense of what your hear using Apple Watch microphone
• iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple Intelligence all work together in new Health app (coming later this year)
• VO2 Max test via iPhone camera – follow instructor on iPhone screen, measured by Apple Watch
• New longevity tab give you deeper insights into your health
• Health Age: a simple way to measure your data vs. your calendar age and how to improve it
• Personalize guidance powered by Apple Intelligence
• Health app is a central and secure repository – all-new design in iOS 27
• Readiness: tells you when to push and when to hold back in workouts (recovery score)
• Updated Heart Rate app
• Apple Watch’s health sensing vs. rivals: Apple Watch has the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable
• Higher freq. continuous heart rate data – every 5 seconds all day long – a 60X increase
• Increase electrode area, redesigned photo diodes; larger, green LEDs
• Advanced sensor array – Health Sensing System
• Both get all-new Apple Silicon
• Apple Watch Ultra 4
• Apple Watch Series 12
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• Ternus: ANC is now standard across the entire AirPods lineup

• Pre-order today, available September 18th
• AirPods 5 with all of these extras in $149
• Comes with wireless charing case
• Up to 5 hours with ANC
• Second model has on-stem volume control

• AirPods 5: $129
• More duarale than ever; up to 4 hours with ANC and up to 20 hours with charging case
• Live Translation in AirPods 5
• AirPods 5 are a seamless extension between Siri AI and your iPhone
• AirPods 5 auto adjust between ANC and Transparency
• Transparency is even more natural
• The best ANC in any open ear earbud
• Active Noise Cancelation: 50% more than previous generation
• Personalize Spatial Audio improved
• AirPods 5: Open ear fit, redesigned from the inside for improved audio, adaptive EQ
• New AirPods: AirPods 5
• Ternus returns to talk AirPods

• Pre-order this Friday, available September 18th
• iPhone 18 Pro Mac starts at $1299
• iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1199
• Updated clear case, Silicone case, new wrist strap, new TechWoven cases
• iPhone Handoff – uses same number on multiple iPhones (carrier dependent)
• iOS 27 review
• iPhone 18 Pro/Max offer a Smaller Dynamic Island

• iPhone 18 Pro Max used to shoot today’s special event video
• Photographers will want iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max
• Apple Reference Image: prove the authenticity of a photo taken on iPhone 18 Pro (not available in EU or China)
• Image authenticity: Apple will support AI tagging
• Photographic styles: Texture and grain control
• Smart focus tracking uses on-device AI models to track
• Change white balance, use histogram, manually adjust aperture, adjust shutter speed
• Pro controls: Lets you customize your camera experience
• 4K time lapse
• Cinematic video after you capture video
• Camera system is paired with AI
• iPhone 18 Pro’s 48 MP fusion camera with variable aperture, custom-designed mechanical aperture
• Aperture controls how much light enters the system
• Camera: Biggest camera improvement in years
• Game demos
• Game developers can push further than ever on iPhone
• iPhone 18 Pro provides up to 24-hours usage per charge; 30 hours for iPhone 18 Pro Max
• Battery life: iPhone 18 Pro is smaller, but delivers the same battery life as iPhone 17 Pro Max
• Highest sustained performance on an iPhone – ever
• iPhone 18 Pro has a next-gen Vapor Chamber – significantly improved cooling vs. iPhone 17 Pro
• Brand new thermal design
• Silicon connected directly to Vapor Chamber
• Custom packaging, inspired by M-class chips
• 50% memory bandwidth increase
• 32-cores dual Neural Engine is an AI acellerator
• New Neural Acelerators
• 7-core GPU, 40% faster than A19 Pro
• Super cores are desktop class – fastest in any smartphoen
• 6-core CPU, 2 new super cores / 4 efficiency cores
• A20 Pro is an exceptional chip – brand new 2nm architecture

• Increased access available with “most” iCloud+ plans
• iPhone 18 Pro delivers deeply personal AI
• Siri AI and Apple Intelligence is woven throughout – in Safari, Phone app, Calendar, Camera, etc.
• Siri AI has expressive voices – powered by on-device model
• You can write with Siri AI
• Siri app lets you maintain history and sync across your Apple device ecosystem
• Siri AI has Visual Intelligence and can work with over 300K apps
• 2.5 billion Siri requests made everyday, currently (with the sucky Siri)
• Built for Apple Intelligence, Apple Foundation Models, Siri AI
• Color-matched aluminum and back glass: Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy
• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
• Most advanced camera system ever
• Longest battery life in iPhone history
• Apple A20 Pro
• Ternus intros next-gen iPhone
• Private Cloud Compute extends privacy to the cloud when needed
• iPhone understands your context; Apple values privacy; personal data stays on-device whenever possible
• Ternus: There’s no product in the world better for personal AI hub than iPhone
• Apple’s goal: To make the best products available
• Ternus talks about inspiration and relentless pursuit of excellence at Apple
• Apple CEO John Ternus takes the stage (on video; missed opportunity; better would’ve been live on-stage)
• Narrated at the end by Tim Cook
• Opens with short film Shot on iPhone (shows the quality and versatility of iPhone camera systems)

• AAPL: 313.78, -2.44, (-0.77%) @ 12:55:27 PM EDT
• AAPL: 313.61, -2.61, (-0.83%) @ 12:29:18 PM EDT

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Apple is expected to use Wednesday’s “Surprise and Shine” event in Cupertino as the public debut of new CEO John Ternus and one of the company’s most ambitious hardware slates in years, according to reporting from Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman.

The centerpiece is a foldable smartphone Apple has named the iPhone Duo. Gurman reported that Apple settled on a starting price of about $2,000 after absorbing extra memory costs, with storage configurations reaching 2 terabytes and a top price near $3,000. The device is slated to ship in October, support Apple Pencil, and launch in dark blue and white. Apple is positioning the expensive foldable as both a status product and a bid to reassert itself as a hardware innovator.

The event, scheduled for 10 a.m. local time, is also expected to include the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, new Apple Watches, and updated AirPods. Gurman said the five biggest storylines are Ternus’s first major product showcase, the $2,000-and-up Duo, camera upgrades on the iPhone 18 Pro models, Watch and AirPods refreshes, and higher iPhone prices. He separately listed expected Pro colors as black, light blue, silver, and burgundy.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to add a privacy-focused AI “recaps” feature that uses the microphone, GPS, and other sensors to summarize a user’s day, including conversations. Gurman reported that the system is not designed to store audio recordings or produce transcripts. Users would be able to run it all day or only in selected locations, with summaries living in a new Siri app. The feature is aimed at competing with always-listening AI wearables while emphasizing on-device processing and tighter privacy controls. New Watch chips are expected to handle that processing.

AirPods 5 are also expected, in versions with and without a wireless charging case and with stronger noise cancellation. Camera-equipped AirPods that Apple had considered for this cycle were delayed, Gurman has reported.

The Duo’s long development path has been a decade-plus effort.

Pre-orders for the new iPhones are widely expected to start Friday, September 12th. Supplies of iPhone Duo are expected to be extremely tight for many months. As with any pre-event report, Apple can still change names, prices, colors, or feature details on stage.
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MacDailyNews Take: iPad mini hardest hit.

As for Apple Pencil support, we can see it for specific use cases, but mostly not:

Oh, a stylus, right? We’re going to use a stylus. No. Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away and you lose them. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus. So, let’s not use a stylus. We’re going to use the best pointing device in the world. We’re going to use a pointing device that we’re all born with — we’re born with ten of them. We’re going to use our fingers. We’re going to touch this with our fingers. And we have invented a new technology called multi-touch, which is phenomenal. It works like magic. You don’t need a stylus. – Steve Jobs

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The post Apple set to debut $2,000 ‘iPhone Duo’ foldable iPhone that supports Apple Pencil appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple is widely expected to introduce its first folding iPhone at a product event Wednesday at its California headquarters, the first major launch under new CEO John Ternus.

The event would represent the most visible change to Apple’s flagship smartphone since the iPhone X dropped the physical home button in 2017. The iPhone generated $209.6 billion, or just over half of Apple’s sales, in the company’s most recent fiscal year.

The keynote will also be Ternus’s first extended public appearance as CEO. The former hardware chief has kept a relatively low profile aside from occasional product introductions and sustainability efforts.

Samsung and Huawei have sold folding phones since 2019, but the category has remained a niche. Analyst firm IDC nevertheless expects Apple to sell every unit it can make and capture about 40% of the foldable market by the end of next year.

Analysts say Apple’s late entry could help it solve longstanding engineering problems, including a durable – potentially Liquidmetal – hinge that minimizes the crease where the display folds. Dust and water resistance remains a question; Google’s latest Pixel 10 Pro Fold carries an IP68 rating* that some rivals have not matched.

The event is also expected to alter Apple’s usual product calendar. Analysts anticipate new watches but say the company will likely postpone updates to cheaper iPhone models until next spring, focusing instead on the foldable and the iPhone Pro and Pro Max lineup. The shift is intended to even out Apple’s typically strong holiday-quarter sales in the U.S. and Europe.

*In IP68, (6 means the device is dust-tight (no dust gets in). 8 means it can survive being immersed in water deeper than 1 meter for a period specified by the manufacturer (often 30 minutes or more), under defined conditions. It does not guarantee protection against high-pressure jets, steam, or damage from drops. Actual depth and time vary by product.

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MacDailyNews Take: We’re just hours away now!

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The UK government will require technology companies such as Apple Inc. and Google to stop children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images on their phones and tablets, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the House of Commons on Tuesday.

Nandy said ministers would introduce primary legislation “as soon as we can,” but declined to give a precise timetable. The government had given Apple and Alphabet Inc.-owned Google a three-month deadline in June to introduce such measures voluntarily. Although both firms offer content protections for young users, neither comprehensively blocks the taking or sending of nude images across devices.

Nandy praised some “meaningful changes” at the operating-system level, including progress toward blocking rather than merely blurring nude imagery on underage devices, and Apple’s earlier rollout of operating-system age assurance tied to safety features on iMessage and FaceTime. She said those steps were not enough.

“For too long, technology companies have failed to protect children from some of the worst harms,” Nandy said. “And to be frank, I am not prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt that progress will continue at the pace that we need it to, while harm is being done now.”

The planned law would require major platforms to build device-level protections into smartphones and tablets sold and used in the UK, covering both existing and newly sold devices. Officials also intend to require apps used by children to introduce similar blocks on nude imagery, so restrictions are not limited to cameras and first-party messaging.

Nandy said the government could reassess legislation if Apple and Google implement technical solutions before a bill is passed. “We know that this is a sector that can, when required, innovate at an extraordinary pace when the chips are down,” she said. Based on the past three months, she added, it was “almost certain” that legislation would be needed.

The June challenge, announced during London Tech Week, set a goal of making Britain the first country where children could not take, share or view naked pictures on their devices. Protections would be on by default for under-18s, with adults able to use unrestricted features after age verification. Officials have said the measures would not require monitoring or reporting of adult users’ content.

An Apple spokesperson said the company launched its Communication Safety feature in 2021 and has continued to expand it.

Nandy said some details still need to be resolved, including which devices would be covered. Draft legislation is expected to apply to operating-system providers and potentially others in the supply chain, such as retailers.
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MacDailyNews Take: Forcing Apple to make it impossible for children to take, view, or share nudes at the whole-device level sounds simple. In practice it would trade one harm for others that hit ordinary users, not just predators.

It cannot stay “kids-only” without checking everyone.

The government itself says blocks would be on by default and lifted only after age assurance. That means adults — and older teens — must prove they are adults to use a normal camera, Photos, Messages, or many apps. Age checks are leaky: they can be wrong around the 16–18 boundary, biased by face/age models, spoofed, or borrowed (a child using a parent’s unlocked phone). Shared family devices become a mess.

A phone that inspects every photo is a different kind of device.

To stop taking nudes, the OS has to watch the camera, the gallery, screenshots, and third-party apps — not just iMessage. Apple’s current Communication Safety blurs and warns after content appears in specific apps, on-device, without sending images to Apple. A mandate to block creation and viewing everywhere is a live content filter on the device. Even if images never leave the phone, users lose the assumption that the camera and photo library are private tools they control. Privacy groups and encrypted-messaging firms called that a surveillance architecture, even when UK ministers claim “no reporting, no monitoring.”

Nudity detectors get it wrong.

Skin, babies in a bath, medical photos, art, sports, breastfeeding, theatre, and accidental crop can all look like “nudity” to a model. A high accuracy rate still produces a lot of false blocks when every UK iPhone is scanning constantly. Kids and parents then fight a black-box “your photo is banned” system with no good appeal.

Safety software can create new security holes.

The UK has already pointed to on-device blockers as the model. A phone sold as doing exactly this kind of blocking was later pulled after researchers found serious other flaws (including a reported way to pair as another child’s “guardian”). Extra privileged scanners in the OS are more attack surface: bugs, poorly designed parental pairing, and pressure to expand the same pipeline later (violence, “harmful” speech, whatever the next statute names).

Determined harm still happens; everyday use gets worse.

A child can still use an adult’s phone, an old un-updated handset, a cheap Android, a laptop, or a friend’s device. Groomers already move platforms. Meanwhile lawful users get friction: ID to turn features off, broken camera workflows, apps that refuse to work unless they hook the OS filter, and a UK-specific iOS that diverges from the rest of the world.

The precedent is the long-term cost.

Once Apple is legally required to classify and suppress a category of pixels on every UK device, the next demand is easier: more categories, more apps, more “just keep the scanner.” That is bad for users who want a general-purpose computer in their pocket—not a government-specified content appliance with an adult unlock.

Child sexual abuse is real; Apple already ships on-device warnings for that reason. The harm of a forced, default, device-wide ban plus age gates is that it weakens privacy and reliability for everyone, while remaining easy to route around for anyone with another device.

Apple already has Communication Safety (and the related Sensitive Content Warning) to detect possible nudity on-device, blur it, warn the child, and offer help—not a full device-wide ban on taking nudes with the Camera app.

What it does

• On-device machine learning checks photos/videos for nudity. Apple says it does not get the images or a signal that nudity was found.

• If a child receives or tries to send such content, it is blurred and they see a warning plus options: message a trusted adult, leave the chat, block the contact, or open safety resources.

• For children under 13 (age can vary by country), a Screen Time passcode can be required before they can view it.

• Apple documents that it is on by default for under-18s in Family Sharing on current software (age varies by region).

• It applies in Apple apps and some share flows: Messages, AirDrop, FaceTime (calls/video messages), Contact Posters, shared albums, the Photos picker, and when choosing media to send in some third-party apps—not the camera itself across every app.

Apple Support documentation

• About Communication Safety on your child’s Apple device
• Check for sensitive images and videos in Screen Time on iPhone
• About Sensitive Content Warning on Apple devices
• Receive warnings about sensitive content on iPhone

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Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to headline Wednesday’s “Surprise and Shine” event, but the product itself is not a last-minute bet. According to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, the company spent about a decade studying folding displays and related hardware before bringing a book-style phone to the stage.

Gurman reports that Apple’s hardware engineering teams were examining foldable phones, screens, and components well before Samsung’s first Galaxy Fold arrived in 2019. Early thinking inside the company included a device closer to an iPad mini that opened into a larger tablet. That path shifted after then-CEO Tim Cook returned from a 2020 trip to Asia “unusually energized” by how many people he saw using foldables from Samsung, Huawei, and others. He pushed Apple to move faster and to make a foldable iPhone, not a foldable tablet, the priority. One person familiar with the work told Gurman that Cook was “the earliest and biggest champion” of the project.

The work began under former hardware chief Dan Riccio and later continued under John Ternus, who now leads the company. Engineers focused on four difficult problems: making the crease less visible, making the hinge last, creating flexible cover glass for the inner screen, and exploring under-display cameras. Designers compared the closed device to a passport and the open device to a Magic Trackpad. The rumored layout is a wide book-style phone with about a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display.

Price was always going to be part of the story. Gurman writes that Apple first aimed for a $1,999 starting price — just under the $2,000 line, in the same way the iPhone X launched at $999. Rising component costs, including the memory shortage, later pushed internal discussions toward about $2,199. Higher-storage versions could approach $3,000. Apple expects sticker shock, Gurman reports, but concluded that customers already paying near $2,000 for loaded iPhones would accept an even more expensive foldable. Internally, the product is often called the iPhone Ultra.

The device is expected to appear Wednesday alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. If Gurman’s reporting holds, it will be the largest change to the iPhone’s physical form since the product launched in 2007.

MacDailyNews Take: Regardless of price, Apple will not be able to make enough. The foldable iPhone will be supply-constrained for months, so, if you want one of the first ones, get your pre-order(s) in as soon as Apple starts taking them!

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The post Apple’s foldable iPhone took a decade to arrive — and may start above $2,000 appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple holds its biggest product event of the year on Wednesday, September 9, at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT at Apple Park in Cupertino. The “Surprise and Shine” keynote will be livestreamed on Apple’s website, the Apple TV app, and YouTube. It is also the first major launch under new CEO John Ternus.

The company is expected to skip a standard iPhone 18 this fall and instead focus on premium hardware: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone, widely referred to as the iPhone Ultra. New Apple Watch models are also on the docket. The base iPhone 18 and a follow-up iPhone Air are rumored for spring 2027.

The foldable is the main actThe long-awaited foldable is expected to use a book-style design: a compact phone when closed and a larger tablet-like screen when opened. Reports describe an outer display around 5.5 inches and an inner display of about 7.8 inches. Pricing is expected to start above $2,000.

Rumored details include Apple’s A20 Pro chip, an in-house modem, Touch ID instead of Face ID on at least some reports, and a hinge designed to reduce the crease that has defined earlier foldables. Camera setup is expected to be more limited than the Pro models, with some reports saying there will be no dedicated telephoto lens. If Apple pulls it off, this would be the first major iPhone form-factor change in nearly two decades.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max stay the volume play

The Pro and Pro Max are expected to look similar to last year’s models, with most of the work happening inside. Anticipated upgrades include the A20 Pro processor, better thermal design, improved battery life, and camera refinements. Some reports point to a smaller Dynamic Island and new color options. The Pro Max may get the larger battery and extra cooling.

Apple appears to be splitting its iPhone calendar: high-end and experimental devices in September, more affordable models later. That would keep this week’s stage focused on the products with the highest prices and the most novelty.

Watches and the rest of the lineup

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are widely expected. Typical September extras such as new AirPods could appear, though camera-equipped AirPods Pro rumors have been less consistent for this date. Macs and iPads are more likely later in the fall. Software release windows for iOS 27 and related updates usually get mentioned as well.

Why this event matters

Ternus takes the stage after years as Apple’s hardware chief. The company has spent much of the past decade refining existing lines. A foldable iPhone, a narrower fall phone lineup, and a new CEO on the same day add up to more than a routine refresh. Whether the foldable becomes a mainstream product or a high-priced niche will be one of the first real tests of the next chapter.

MacDailyNews Note: Watch the stream Wednesday at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT here and check our home page tomorrow for the link to our live coverage.

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The post Apple’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ event arrives tomorrow: Foldable iPhone, 18 Pro lineup, and a new CEO era appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Global foldable smartphone shipments are on track to pass a major milestone by the end of 2026, with lifetime volumes expected to exceed 100 million units, according to Counterpoint Research. That would come in the eighth year of the category, which first reached commercial devices in 2019.

Foldables still make up only about 2% of the overall smartphone market, leaving substantial room to grow. Counterpoint says demand should accelerate after Apple’s expected entry, alongside stronger interest in wider book-style devices from Samsung and Huawei. Global foldable shipments are forecast to rise 37% year over year in 2027, the fastest growth rate since 2022. With that pace, the next 100 million cumulative units could arrive within about three years.

Apple is expected to make an immediate impact even with a short selling window in 2026. Counterpoint forecasts up to 6 million foldable iPhone shipments this year, giving Apple about 25% of the global foldable market and the No. 2 position behind Samsung at 38% and ahead of Huawei at 22%. The firm says that ranking would be significant so soon after Apple enters the category.

Supply, not demand, is expected to cap the early ramp. Initial production of Apple’s first foldable iPhone is likely to stay limited after this week’s expected unveiling, with sales and deliveries building gradually as availability expands by market. Associate Director Liz Lee said those constraints keep the upper end of the 2026 forecast at 6 million units, but that Apple can still take a quarter of the market and move straight into second place.

A full year of Apple sales is then expected to be a major driver in 2027. Counterpoint forecasts Apple’s foldable shipments will more than double and its share will reach 40%. Samsung remains the innovation leader in the category, while Huawei continues to be a key force in China with a wide range of designs. Other brands, including Xiaomi, Motorola, HONOR, Google, vivo and OPPO, are also preparing new foldables, including wider-format models.

Research Director Tarun Pathak said Apple’s entry will increase competition at the premium end, but the category is still small enough that there is room for several vendors to grow. The broader mix of designs and brands, he said, should help the market expand over the next few years.

Counterpoint argues the longer-term test will be user experience, not just hardware novelty. Price points remain about three times those of conventional slab smartphones, and mass-market adoption is still some years away. For now, the firm sees foldables splitting between productivity and content-consumption use cases as more premium buyers enter the segment.
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple will quickly dominate the foldable smartphone market.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone is projected to ship more than 10 million units in its debut year, according to research firm IDC.

Apple will sell every foldable iPhone it can make next year and still have people lining up to buy.

Apple wasn’t first with fingerprint recognition, they were the first to do it right with Touch ID. Apple wasn’t first with facial recognition, they were the first to do it right with Face ID. Apple wasn’t first with contactless payments, they were the first to do it right with Apple Pay. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019

If and when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, they’ll be showing the world how it should be done and what to copy going forward. As usual. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019

As with fingerprint and facial recognition, when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, then foldable smartphones will have been done right. — MacDailyNews, January 17, 2019

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Patience is the cheapest upgrade in Apple’s lineup. Skip launch day, wait a few months, and you can buy a Certified Refurbished iPhone, iPad, or Mac that Apple says is indistinguishable from new — typically for about 15% less.

That pitch is looking more crowded. Amazon Renewed and Walmart Restored now sell the same products at steeper discounts, including recent iPhone 17 Pro models that still command $1,099 and up when new. The savings are real. So are the compromises: who inspects the device, whether the battery and shell are new, which accessories you get, and how long you are covered if something goes wrong.

A comparison published this week by 9to5Mac‘s Ben Lovehoy, plus the retailers’ own program rules, makes the split clear. Apple sells peace of mind. Amazon sells price. Walmart is cheaper too, but much vaguer about what “restored” actually means.

Apple’s program is refurbished in name only

Apple Certified Refurbished products are inspected and tested by Apple, not a marketplace seller. For iPhones and iPads, Apple replaces the outer shell and battery, includes original accessories and cables, and ships the device in a plain white box. The one-year limited warranty is the same as new hardware, and the product remains eligible for AppleCare+ or AppleCare One.

That is why buyers who have used the store often describe the units as new devices with different packaging. Official Apple pages currently advertise savings of up to 15%, full functional testing, genuine Apple parts as needed, and free delivery and returns. Featured stock this week includes a refurbished iPhone 16 128GB for $619, down from $729, and a 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro for $1,439, down from $1,599.

The catch is timing and selection. Refurbished models usually show up on Apple’s site about three months after launch, stock is limited, and the discount is modest compared with third-party listings. If you want the newest phone immediately, Apple’s own refurb store will not help. If you want a device that looks and is warranted like new, it is still the cleanest option.

Amazon Renewed is cheaper — and not the same product

Amazon Renewed can undercut Apple by a wide margin. Inspection and testing are done by the seller, not Apple. The outer shell is used, so marks and scratches are possible. The battery is used and only guaranteed above 80% of original capacity on standard listings. Accessories may not be genuine Apple parts. Coverage is the Amazon Renewed Guarantee: 90 days on most items, 365 days on Renewed Premium.

Amazon grades cosmetics in four tiers:

• Premium: no signs of damage when held 12 inches away; battery typically above 90%; one-year coverage

• Excellent: same cosmetic standard, battery above 80%, 90-day coverage

• Good: light scratches barely visible at 12 inches

• Acceptable: scratches that can be seen and felt

Those grades matter. Premium is the only Amazon tier that approaches Apple’s warranty length, and even then the device is still a used shell with a used battery. Seller quality also varies, which is why independent buyer guides treat Amazon as reliable if you check the seller, the grade, and the return window before you click Buy.

The price gap is the reason people take that risk. <em>9to5Mac flagged all-time or near all-time lows on Amazon Renewed iPhone 17 Pro models this week:

• 1TB Cosmic Orange: $1,214 (new: $1,499)
• 1TB Deep Blue: $1,215
• 1TB Silver: $1,208
• 512GB Cosmic Orange: $1,164 (new: $1,299)
• 512GB Deep Blue: $1,170
• 512GB Silver: $1,171

That is roughly $280 to $290 off the 1TB models and about $130 off the 512GB models — far more than Apple’s usual 15%. The iPhone 17 Pro launched in September 2025, so these listings are appearing just as the next cycle approaches and shoppers start hunting for last year’s flagship at a discount.

Walmart Restored is the least specific of the three

Walmart Restored uses third-party sellers, not Apple. The company promises “like-new performance and reliability,” but it does not match Apple’s guarantees on a new enclosure, a new battery, or original accessories. Tiers are Premium, Like New, Good, and Fair. Walmart is thinner on public definitions than Amazon, which is the main knock in the 9to5Mac comparison.

Walmart’s own help pages fill in some of the gaps. Restored Premium items are supposed to come from manufacturers or authorized sellers, carry at least a one-year warranty, and offer 30-day returns. Like New, Good, and Fair Restored items get 90-day free returns; warranty details often sit with the individual seller. Separate category rules say Premium batteries should be at least 90% of new capacity, while the lower restored grades are typically 80% or better. Cosmetic language is similar to Amazon’s 12-inch test, but enforcement still depends on the seller.

How the three programs actually compare

Independent 2026 buyer guides land in the same place. Apple is the safer buy when the price gap is small, especially on expensive Macs. Amazon becomes more interesting when the savings hit $150 or more and the listing is Premium from a strong seller. Desktop devices such as a Mac mini or Apple TV carry less risk than a laptop or phone, because battery wear and cosmetic damage matter less.

The practical rule

Buy from Apple if you want the product to look new, last like new, and stay inside Apple’s support system. The white box is the only obvious tell.

Buy from Amazon if the discount is large enough to offset a used battery, possible scuffs, possible third-party cables, and a shorter warranty — and stick to Renewed Premium when you can.

Treat Walmart as a third option, not a peer to Apple’s store. Confirm the seller, the grade, the battery claim, and the warranty on the product page before you pay.

Refurbished Apple gear is no longer a niche. The secondhand phone market alone is now measured in the billions, and Amazon and Walmart want that business. Apple is still selling the closest thing to a new device. Everyone else is selling a cheaper one. The right choice is whichever gap — price or uncertainty — you are more willing to live with.
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MacDailyNews Take: In short: Walmart is Walmart; it can be a bargain and you can send the product back if it is a miss, but you should not assume you are getting an Apple Certified Refurbished device.

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Apple has already previewed a more customizable Camera app and a dedicated Siri shooting mode for iOS 27. Code in developer beta 8 points to a second wave of changes that look aimed at photographers who want more than tap-to-shoot.

A deep dive into the beta, first detailed on Reddit, describes five features that are implemented or stubbed in the system but have not been announced. Some appear broadly useful. Others look tied to new hardware expected this week, especially a rumored variable-aperture lens on iPhone 18 Pro.

1. Exposure scopes: waveforms and histograms in the viewfinder

The Camera app contains a full implementation of waveform and histogram displays so you can judge exposure while framing, not only after the shot. The tools would show how pixels fall across shadows, midtones, and highlights. Three presets show up in the code: RGB Composite, RGB Parade, and Luminance. A histogram answers “how much is blown or crushed?” A waveform answers “where in the frame?”

2. Focus peaking and highlight clipping

Focus peaking would outline high-contrast edges that are in focus — a staple of cinema cameras and serious video apps. Highlight clipping (or highlight warnings) would flag areas that are already overexposed. Code reportedly includes options for marker color, sensitivity, and how quickly the overlay appears.

3. Repeating self-timer

Instead of one countdown and one frame, the timer could fire, save, and immediately start the next countdown so you can grab a burst of posed shots without resetting. That is how many dedicated cameras already work; the stock iPhone app has never done it this cleanly.

4. Manual focus — with a hardware gate

Apple tested a focus slider in earlier software. In iOS 27 beta 1 the visible control was pulled, but capability checks remain. Those checks look for a phone whose first supported iOS version is 27 or later — language that, if it ships as written, would exclude every current iPhone and point at new models. The leak ties this to aperture control on iPhone 18 Pro.

5. Aperture-aware lens correction

Processing code can choose and blend lens-correction data based on the current aperture value. That is the kind of pipeline you need if the lens opening actually changes and light falloff / distortion change with it. Combined with rumors of variable aperture on the Pro models, it is one of the strongest software hints that the new camera is not just a software skin.

MacDailyNews Take: As beta strings vanish all the time, none of this is guaranteed to appear on September 9th, or to reach every iPhone that gets iOS 27. Still, the pattern is consistent: Apple is putting tools that used to live only in Final Cut Camera or third-party apps into the default Camera interface, then gating the most hardware-specific pieces to the next Pro generation.

If the event this week is about “Surprise and Shine,” the surprise for photographers may not be another megapixel bump. It may be that the stock Camera app finally grows up.

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Apple TV’s dystopian hit “Silo” is heading toward a planned conclusion, but the underground world may not be sealed off for good.

Season 3 wrapped its weekly run on September 4. The fourth and final season, already filmed, is scheduled to premiere July 9, 2027. Apple announced years ago that season 4 would complete Hugh Howey’s original trilogy of Wool, Shift, and Dust. Seasons 3 and 4 were shot back-to-back; production on the finale season ended in March.

On September 7, Apple TV reporter Sigmund Judge posted that the streamer is developing a follow-up project. According to Judge, the show would begin pre-production later this year and tie into Howey’s planned “Silo 40” book trilogy, which Judge said is expected next summer.

9to5Mac amplified the report, noting Apple’s pattern of expanding successful science-fiction worlds. The service has already launched “Star City” from the F”or All Mankind” universe and announced a series set in the “Monarch” universe. “Silo” has been one of Apple’s strongest original dramas, which makes a continuation commercially logical even after the main story ends.

Howey pushed back immediately. Replying to Judge, the author wrote: “Yo, this is news to me. So probably not true.” Apple has not confirmed any spin-off.

The physical evidence is harder to dismiss. Judge and 9to5Mac both point out that the “Silo” sets have not been torn down nearly six months after cameras stopped. Production lots usually clear standing sets quickly when a series is finished. Leaving them intact is consistent with plans to reuse them.

The source material already points in that direction. Howey has said for more than a year that he is writing another trilogy focused on Silo 40, one of the 50 bunkers in his books. That story would run from before the events of Wool through after Dust. In the novels, Silo 40 is the bunker that learned the truth earlier than most and tried to disappear from the system that monitors the others. It is mentioned, but never visited in the original trilogy.
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MacDailyNews Take: If Apple is quietly lining up the next chapter, it would follow the same playbook it used with “Silo” itself: lock in the conclusion of one story while keeping the world available for another. Season 4 is still the advertised ending of Juliette Nichols’ arc. Whether the standing sets are insurance, a coincidence, or the first visible sign of Silo 40 will become clearer once pre-production either starts or doesn’t later this year.

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Code in an early macOS 26.7 release candidate suggests Apple has been developing two unreleased game controllers that identify as first-party hardware, according to reporting from MacRumors‘ Juli Clover.

MacRumors reader Pdfu found GameController profiles for devices labeled T6502 and T1057 in the first 26.7 release candidate, which shipped in mid-August. Both appear to include standard gamepad parts: a D-pad, dual analog sticks, shoulder buttons, Home and Menu buttons, and analog triggers. The two designs differ in haptics. T1057 also includes accelerometer and gyroscope support; T6502 does not.

Dedicated hardware plug-ins for each device were present as well, which Clover noted is more consistent with real hardware than leftover placeholder strings. Apple later removed the references in the second 26.7 release candidate.

The find sits alongside a broader set of unreleased-device strings previously spotted in the same build. Apple has long rumored work on a physical game controller and has never shipped one, despite chances around Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Vision Pro. The company has instead leaned on third-party pads and, in the Vision Pro case, partnered with Sony on PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers.

The strings could describe shipping products or internal test hardware used to validate controller support. If Apple did bring a controller to market, features such as Find My and instant pairing across Apple devices would be the most obvious ways to stand out from Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo pads that many players already own.

The relevant diffs are available in the blacktop/ipsw-diffs repository on GitHub, with Pdfu’s notes in the MacRumors forums.

MacDailyNews Take: To accompany the next-gen Apple TV hardware?

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Apple is seemingly dropping a long-standing Apple Watch shortcut in watchOS 27: double-clicking the Digital Crown no longer triggers the App Switcher allowing users to jump between and/or close recently used apps.

According to 9to5Mac’s Zac Hall, the change first showed up in the watchOS 27 beta and has stuck around all summer. For years, a double-click on the crown let users bounce quickly between two apps — or between an app and the watch face — without opening the full app grid. Hall says he used the gesture so often it became muscle memory, especially for jumping between Workout and Music.

That same recent-apps view also gave Watch owners a way to quit apps. On watchOS 26, users can still double-click the Digital Crown to open the App Switcher, swipe left on an app, and tap the X to close or quit it. iPhone users on iOS 26 have a similar option: open the recently used apps view and swipe left on an app to close or quit it. watchOS 27 takes away the double-click path that made that Watch workflow possible.

watchOS 27 instead pushes a new “dynamic app grid.” A single press of the Digital Crown now shows the Siri icon, five suggested apps, and a shortcut to the full grid. Hall writes that the new launcher has grown on him when the right app is already suggested. What it does not replace is a guaranteed, one-motion switch between two apps — or the swipe-left close action tied to the old App Switcher.

In the current beta, a double-click does the same thing as a single click. Hall argues that is a poor trade on a device with so few physical buttons. Only Apple Watch Ultra models have an Action button, and the side button below the crown still opens Wallet. Removing a dedicated double-click action from the crown, he says, leaves a useful control unused.

Hall first flagged the issue when the public beta launched in July and says he sent feedback to Apple in June. He still hopes Apple restores the crown gesture before watchOS 27 ships this month, or at least brings it back in watchOS 27.1.

Whether most Watch users will notice depends on how often they relied on the old shortcut. For those who used it both to jump between apps and to swipe left to quit them, watchOS 27 currently offers no equivalent.

MacDailyNews Take: Unless Apple has new plans for double-clicking the Digital Crown, they should bring back the App Switcher for that action.

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On the heels of the riveting season three finale of “Silo,” Apple TV today announced that the globally acclaimed, hit world-building drama will return for its fourth and final season on July 9, 2027, and unveiled a sneak peek at the final chapter of the “gripping,” “thought-provoking” and “masterful dystopian tale” hailing from Emmy Award-winning creator Graham Yost, and starring and executive produced by Rebecca Ferguson.

Based on Hugh Howey’s New York Times bestselling trilogy, season three of “Silo” reveals an origin story set centuries earlier, while continuing the saga of a dystopian society of 10,000 people living underground under mysterious circumstances. In the present, Juliette Nichols (Ferguson) survives her forced “cleaning” but returns with memory loss as the silo recovers from rebellion and faces a dangerous new threat. Meanwhile, in the “Before Times,” journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henwick) and Congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman) uncover a conspiracy that pulls them into a chain of events with catastrophic, irreversible consequences.

SPOILER WARNING: Do not watch if you haven’t seen “Silo” season 3 finale

“Silo” is produced by Apple Studios. The series is executive produced by Yost, Michael Dinner, Nina Jack, Joanna Thapa, Ferguson, Morten Tyldum, Howey, Amber Templemore, Fred Golan, Rémi Aubuchon and AMC Studios.

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 880 wins and 3,826 award nominations and counting including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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Apple is preparing a dedicated home-security product line and a companion monitoring service, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, as the company maps a broader expansion of its smart-home business beyond next week’s iPhone event.

In a Sept. 4 report on Apple’s product pipeline under new Chief Executive Officer John Ternus, Gurman said the company is working on an in-home security sensor and system slated for 2027. The device is described as a privacy-centric camera and automation accessory that would use artificial intelligence to watch a room’s environment rather than continuously storing traditional video footage. That hardware, he wrote, is expected to tap into a new Apple home-security and monitoring service.

The framing is consistent with earlier Gurman reporting that Apple has been developing battery-powered security hardware — previously discussed as a camera and later as a small sensor, internally associated with the J450 project — that can recognize people, use infrared sensing, and trigger automations such as lights or music when a household member enters or leaves a room. Apple has also been said to be exploring a wider lineup that could eventually include additional cameras and a facial-recognition doorbell aimed at rivals such as Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest.

A service layer would be a notable shift. Apple already offers HomeKit Secure Video through iCloud, but Gurman’s latest account points to a more complete security and monitoring offering — the kind of recurring product that could sit alongside Apple’s other subscription businesses. Industry coverage of the same Bloomberg report has noted that such a service could later be bundled into Apple One, though Apple has not announced pricing, professional monitoring, or how much processing would stay on-device.

The security push is part of a larger home reset. Gurman and other reports have said Apple is first rolling out refreshed living-room hardware, including a new Apple TV 4K, an updated HomePod mini, and a screen-equipped home hub often referred to as a HomePad, before the 2027 security system arrives. The company has long lagged Amazon and Google in connected-home hardware even as it has marketed privacy as a differentiator. An AI-first sensor that avoids constant video recording would be an attempt to turn that brand position into a product category.

Apple has not publicly confirmed the devices or the service. Details on design, battery life, outdoor coverage, emergency dispatch, and whether video would still be captured after an AI alert remain unreported. What Gurman’s reporting does make clear is that Apple now sees home security as both a hardware line and a services opportunity — and that the company is targeting 2027 to bring them to market together.
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MacDailyNews Take: This will be great – as long as it works with our Eufy cameras!

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Apple is, of course, already working on the next MacBook Neo, a follow-up to the budget laptop that became one of its surprise hits this year. According to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman, the company is testing an updated model with an A19 Pro processor, more memory, and additional color options as part of a broader Mac refresh stretching through 2026 and 2027.

The current MacBook Neo launched in March with a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an aluminum chassis, and Apple’s A18 Pro chip. It ships with 8GB of unified memory and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Apple introduced it at $599, or $499 with education pricing, in blush, indigo, silver, and citrus. The starting price later rose to $699 during an industrywide memory squeeze.

That 8GB memory ceiling is the machine’s most cited limit. Everyday browsing and documents are fine. Heavy tab stacks, several apps at once, and on-device Apple Intelligence features run tighter. Gurman has reported that the next Neo is being built around the A19 Pro and a larger memory configuration. Prior reporting around that same pipeline has pointed to 12GB as the likely step up, which would give the laptop more headroom for multitasking and local AI workloads.

Color remains part of the plan. Gurman has said Apple intends to keep refreshing the Neo’s finishes. That fits how the product was sold: as a cheaper Mac that still looks like a statement.

The next Neo is not expected to jump to M-series chips, MagSafe, or a touch display. Those upgrades sit on other MacBook lines in the same multi-year overhaul Gurman has outlined, including redesigned Pro models with touch and OLED. The Neo’s job stays the same: a lower-priced aluminum notebook that uses A-series Apple Silicon to undercut Windows laptops and Chromebooks.

A spring 2027 window has been the working assumption in coverage of Gurman’s reporting, alongside other consumer hardware. Pricing is the open question. Component costs already forced Apple to lift the first Neo’s sticker. A faster chip and more RAM could make another increase likely, even if the company keeps the model clearly below the MacBook Air.

MacDailyNews Take: Until Apple confirms the specs, the next MacBook Neo sounds like a targeted refresh: A19 Pro, more memory, new colors, and the same basic idea that made the first one sell: macOS in a machine more people can afford.

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Apple is preparing a practical multi-device feature for iOS 27 that lets users keep a single phone number while moving between two iPhones. The capability, called iPhone Handoff, was first spotted in detail by MacRumors after appearing only as a brief line on a WWDC 2026 feature slide.

The idea is straightforward. One iPhone is set as the main device and keeps the user’s primary eSIM. The second phone is designated a companion and receives a companion eSIM tied to the same number and carrier account. The number then follows whichever iPhone is unlocked and in active use, rather than ringing on both devices at once. A Dynamic Island notification can appear when the number transfers. Cellular settings stay on the main iPhone, while location sharing updates to the device currently using the number.

Setup lives in Settings under Cellular. Both phones need iOS 27, and the feature depends on carrier support. Early reports point to T-Mobile in the United States and Deutsche Telekom in Germany as possible first partners, though availability will vary by network. The approach builds on how an iPhone already shares a number with a cellular Apple Watch, using eSIM provisioning instead of cloning a line or swapping physical SIMs.

MacDailyNews Take: The use case is niche, but useful for people who keep a smaller iPhone and a larger one, a personal device and a work device, or a future foldable alongside a standard iPhone. iOS 27 is expected later this month, so more official details and carrier confirmations should arrive soon.

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Apple is preparing its first major showcase under new Chief Executive Officer John Ternus, and the September 9th “Surprise and Shine” event is expected to mark more than another annual iPhone refresh. According to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, the keynote will introduce the latest iPhones and Apple Watches — and kick off what he describes as the company’s biggest run of new devices in years.

For much of the past decade and a half, Apple has spent more energy refining existing lines and expanding services than inventing new categories. Gurman’s reporting frames next week as the start of a different stretch: new form factors and entirely new product areas arriving across 2026, 2027 and beyond, with Ternus taking the stage as the public face of that shift.

The centerpiece is expected to be Apple’s first foldable iPhone, widely rumored to carry an Ultra-style name. Reporting tied to Gurman and other briefings describes a book-style device rather than a clamshell: a cover display around 5.5 inches and an inner screen near 7.8 inches, closer to an iPad mini when opened. The hinge and pocketability have reportedly impressed people who have handled prototypes. Trade-offs are also part of the story — a two-lens rear camera without a dedicated telephoto, and Touch ID on the side button instead of a conventional Face ID system because of how thin the folded body is. Pricing is expected to start above $2,000.

Alongside the foldable, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The standard iPhone 18, a cheaper 18e model and a follow-on iPhone Air are widely expected to wait until 2027. Memory and component costs have already pushed rivals higher; Gurman has indicated Apple is likely to raise Pro pricing as well, with the 18 Pro discussed in the neighborhood of $1,199 before taxes and configurations. Camera upgrades, including talk of a variable-aperture main lens, are among the features watchers will look for on the conventional Pros.

New watches are also on the agenda. The Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to be a relatively modest update, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is rumored to take a larger design step. AirPods 5 could appear as well, though camera-equipped AirPods and several home products sit further out on the roadmap Gurman has sketched in recent months.

That longer map is the other half of the Sept. 9 story. Gurman has written that Ternus inherits a pipeline far larger than the handful of new categories launched during Tim Cook’s tenure. A touch-screen MacBook is among the follow-on products flagged in the Bloomberg piece’s own framing. Smart-home displays, more ambitious wearables and other experiments have been discussed as 2027–2028 possibilities, even as some larger foldable tablet or Mac concepts have been reported as delayed or canceled.

MacDailyNews Take: The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. Pacific at Apple Park, livestreamed on Apple’s site, the Apple TV app, and YouTube. Pre-orders for the new iPhones could follow within a day or two if Apple sticks to its usual cadence, though early foldable supply may be tight. Whether “Surprise and Shine” delivers a true surprise or simply the first official look at products the rumor mill has already mapped in detail, Ternus’s debut as CEO will be judged on whether Apple can turn a foldable iPhone and a more active product calendar into the kind of growth it has not seen from hardware in years.

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German chemical conglomerate BASF has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in a U.S. federal court, accusing the iPhone maker of using its technology in Face ID and related facial authentication systems without a license.

The complaint, lodged in the United States, claims Apple’s TrueDepth camera system, Secure Enclave processing, and liveness-detection features in iPhones, iPads, and other devices infringe multiple BASF-owned patents covering methods for secure biometric matching, three-dimensional facial mapping, and anti-spoofing analysis. BASF alleges these technologies have been incorporated into Apple products since the introduction of Face ID in 2017 and continue to be used for device unlocking, Apple Pay, and other authentication functions.

BASF, best known for chemicals, materials, and agricultural products, maintains a sizable intellectual-property portfolio that extends beyond its core industries. The company asserts the patents in question describe techniques for capturing and verifying facial geometry in a way that resists photographs, masks, or other presentation attacks — capabilities central to modern smartphone security.

Apple has not publicly commented on the specific filing. The company has faced a series of Face ID and Touch ID-related patent cases over the years from various rights holders and has generally defended its biometric systems as independently developed and implemented within its own secure hardware architecture.

The suit seeks an injunction against further sales of accused devices, monetary damages for past infringement, and other relief. Patent cases of this type often take years to resolve and frequently involve challenges to patent validity at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in parallel with district-court litigation.

The dispute highlights how companies outside the traditional consumer-electronics sector sometimes assert older or adjacent patents against high-volume products such as smartphones. Whether BASF’s claims will survive early motions or claim-construction proceedings remains to be seen. Apple routinely contests such assertions and has prevailed in several prior biometric-patent matters.

MacDailyNews Take: The case is yet another in the crowded field of Face ID-related litigation that has dogged Apple since the feature launched nearly a decade ago. Courts and the patent office will now determine whether BASF’s patents actually cover the specific combination of sensors, algorithms, and secure processing Apple deploys.

And, yes, we haven’t thought of BASF since:

Also, yes, we’re old.

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Inde Navarrette is lining up her next high-profile film after “Obsession” and Marvel’s “X-Men.” She will star in “The Waffle House Index,” a sci-fi thriller acquired by Apple Original Films. The project also marks her first turn as an executive producer.

Plan B Entertainment is producing. Andrew Nunnelly wrote the screenplay, a 2025 Black List title that sources say sold in a seven-figure deal, according to THR. Louis Paxton, whose Sundance NEXT Innovator Award-winning “The Incomer” arrives in theaters later this month, is attached to direct.

The title borrows a real-world shorthand for hurricane damage. Because Waffle House restaurants typically stay open around the clock, emergency officials use the chain as an informal gauge: green means full service and limited disruption; yellow means a reduced menu and strained supplies; red means the restaurant is closed and conditions are unsafe.

Nunnelly’s story begins closer to the diner floor. A Waffle House waitress is already having a rough night when a stranger with a gun walks in. From there the plot escalates into a mass flood, killer crocodiles, a nuclear explosion, a magical bunker beneath the restaurant, and aliens.

The film adds to Plan B’s relationship with Apple. The company, led by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, was among the producers of the racing drama “F1.” Plan B recently made the horror film “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” and is preparing Sarah Polley’s “The Bell Jar.”

Navarrette’s breakout in Curry Barker’s “Obsession” has turned her into one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young stars. The film has grossed more than $505 million worldwide, drawn strong reviews, and spilled into pop culture, including a “Halloween Horror Nights” presence at Universal Studios. Oscar talk has followed her performance. She is also set to play Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men movie. Earlier credits include Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” and The CW’s “Superman & Lois.” A source described the Apple deal as a measure of how large her profile has become at a studio built around stars.

Navarrette is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson. Nunnelly is represented by Buchwald, Untitled, and Hansen Jacobson. Paxton is represented by CAA and Independent Talent.

MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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Apple has already put the M5 Ultra in a machine: the new Mac Studio, announced in late August with a first-of-its-kind quad-die UltraFusion design, up to a 36-core CPU, up to an 80-core GPU, and as much as 512GB of unified memory. That should have closed the book on where the chip would land. It hasn’t.

Earlier this year, software identifiers in an iOS beta pointed to both M5 Max and M5 Ultra silicon in contexts that looked a lot like upcoming MacBook hardware. Apple’s internal naming has long been consistent: “C” for Max, “D” for Ultra. Those codes were enough for some analysts to float a once-unthinkable idea: an M5 Ultra MacBook Pro.

That rumor never became the official plan. Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman has since reported that Apple’s first OLED, touchscreen high-end laptop — widely expected to be branded MacBook Ultra rather than another MacBook Pro — will ship with the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, not the Ultra and not the skipped high-end M6 parts. A follow-up with M7 Pro and M7 Max is already in testing for late 2027.

So why keep talking about an M5 Ultra MacBook Pro?

Because the engineering and product logic hasn’t fully gone away. Apple skipped an M4 Ultra entirely. It built the M5 Ultra anyway, then put it in a compact desktop that can swallow the heat and power. A laptop version would be a different problem: more dies, far higher memory bandwidth (Apple cites 1.2TB/s on the Studio chip), and a thermal envelope that the current 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro chassis was never designed to hold. Battery life would suffer unless Apple cut clocks, limited cores, or redesigned the cooling stack from scratch.

That last option is exactly what the rumored MacBook Ultra is supposed to be — a thinner, redesigned chassis with OLED, a touchscreen, and a Dynamic Island. The first models are slated for late 2026 or early 2027 and are expected to stay on M5 Pro and M5 Max so Apple doesn’t have to wait for M7. Putting a true Ultra in that body would be the most aggressive move Apple has made with portable silicon since the original M1 Max.

There is still a narrow path where an M5 Ultra laptop appears. Apple could treat it as a limited, top-of-line SKU rather than the volume product. It could use a derated Ultra configuration. Or the early beta strings were simply leftover desktop code that happened to sit next to laptop identifiers. The safer read, based on the latest reporting, is that the Ultra stays on the desk for this generation and the new laptop line differentiates itself with display, input, and industrial design instead of raw die count.

Even so, the combination of an announced M5 Ultra, older software leaks that named it alongside MacBook-class chips, and a high-end laptop that Apple is clearly treating as a new flagship is why the rumor won’t die.

MacDailyNews Take: If Apple is testing an M5 Ultra MacBook Pro, it would be the first time the company has tried to put its biggest fused SoC in a notebook. That would be a statement product — and a thermal engineering marvel.

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Apple is facing a massive £2 billion ($2.7 billion) collective lawsuit in the UK, accused of abusing its dominant position in the smartphone market by enforcing unfair privacy rules that hobbled rival app developers while boosting its own advertising empire.

The class-action claim, filed Thursday at London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal by ATT Collective Action Limited, alleges that the tech giant’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework introduced in 2021 placed stringent restrictions on third-party developers while giving its own internal services a distinct competitive edge.

Privacy Feature or Self-Serving Gatekeeping?

Apple launched the ATT framework in 2021, marketing it as a privacy-first feature designed to give users control over whether third-party apps could track their browsing and usage activity across other companies’ apps and websites.

However, lawyers and claimants behind the action argue that Apple operated under a double standard. While third-party developers faced a mandatory prompt that dramatically curtailed opt-in rates for targeted advertising, Apple’s own ad platform operated under far less restrictive conditions—gathering user data without imposing the same burdensome consent friction on users.

“Apple’s policy resulted in very significant harm to businesses that depend on Apple as a gatekeeper,” said Ann Pope, a former senior official with Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) who is leading the litigation. “This action is important to protect the rights of British businesses that depend on Apple, to ensure that the rules that Apple applies are fair, and to compensate the losses that British companies have suffered.”

Under the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal’s opt-out regime, the class action covers all affected UK-based developers automatically unless they choose to explicitly opt out.

Growing Regulatory Scrutiny Across Europe

The London claim is part of a broader regulatory backlash against Apple’s privacy policies across Europe. Multiple antitrust watchdogs have investigated whether the iPhone maker used privacy safeguards as a shield for self-preferencing:

• Germany: Germany’s Federal Cartel Office launched an abuse-of-dominance probe into ATT, which resulted in Apple agreeing to modify its ad-tracking data rules for developers.

• France & Italy: Competition regulators in France and Italy previously levied major fines—exceeding £150 million and £98 million respectively—over anti-competitive practices tied to user consent frameworks.

• Broad Industry Pushback: Major platforms dependent on ad targeting, including Meta (formerly Facebook), alongside news publishers and independent mobile developers, have long criticized ATT for disproportionately choking off revenue models reliant on digital ads.
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple has historically defended ATT as a core consumer feature aimed solely at granting users transparent choices over their personal data.

The outcome of the tribunal proceedings could set a major precedent for digital gatekeeper regulation across Europe, adding to a slew of ongoing legal challenges regarding App Store fees and ecosystem dominance.

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Amazon has rolled out a major markdown on Apple’s upgraded Studio Display, offering buyers a rare chance to pick up the high-end monitor at its best price yet.

The deal applies to the Studio Display with Nano-Texture Glass and Tilt-Adjustable Stand, which is currently discounted to $1,684.88 — down $214.12 from its standard $1,899.00 retail price. To secure the full savings, shoppers must clip an on-page coupon on Amazon, with the final discounted price reflected at checkout.

This offer marks the lowest price tracked for this specific configuration, beating the previous record low by more than $100. It also represents the first significant discount on Apple’s 2026 Studio Display lineup in nearly three months.

Apple refreshed its Studio Display family earlier this year in March. The updated line features two Thunderbolt 5 ports, a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera with Desk View support, and a studio-quality six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. The nano-texture glass option is designed to minimize glare in bright environments while preserving high image contrast and clarity.

While Amazon has listed a few other Labor Day markdowns across the Studio Display lineup, this nano-texture tilt-adjustable variant boasts the largest savings of the bunch.
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MacDailyNews Take: Because Amazon coupons on high-ticket Apple hardware tend to sell out quickly, prospective buyers should act fast before inventory or the clip-and-save offer expires.

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Millions of users worldwide were left staring at blank prompt boxes and error screens on September 3, 2026, as the world’s leading artificial intelligence models — OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and xAI’s Grok — suffered simultaneous global outages.
India Today

The widespread disruption began halting traffic around mid-morning EDT, with outage tracking site Downdetector showing sharp spikes in error reports across all three platforms within minutes of each other. Users attempting to send prompts were met with failed connection warnings, severe latency, or complete internal server error messages. Secondary services and developer APIs that rely on these foundational models, including popular coding agent tools like Cursor, also confirmed downtime as upstream infrastructure collapsed.

While occasional single-platform downtime is common in tech, a near-simultaneous failure across competing models developed by separate companies — OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI — is exceptionally rare. Early speculation points toward shared dependencies, such as regional cloud backbone providers, major domain name system (DNS) routing failures, or distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting core AI infrastructure networks.

Engineering teams at OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI acknowledged the disruptions via their respective status pages, confirming active investigations into platform instability and API timeouts.

The widespread dark-out instantly disrupted workflows across tech, media, and finance, where reliance on AI assistants for coding, research, and content generation has become deeply embedded. Social media platforms like X were quickly flooded with memes and posts from developers, students, and professionals suddenly forced to resume manual operations.

Updates are ongoing as network engineers work to isolate the root cause and restore normal service across affected clusters.
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MacDailyNews Take: Oh, the inhumanity!

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On Wednesday, September 2, Apple TV celebrated its highly anticipated Australian thriller series “Last Seen” with a special screening event in Sydney, Australia, attended by stars Patrick Brammall, Brendan Cowell, Daniel Henshall, and Chloe Jean Lourdes, alongside executive producers Hakan Kousetta, Kris Mrksa, and Joanna Werner.

Entirely set and filmed in Victoria, Australia, “Last Seen” is a gripping six-episode drama starring Gotham Award winner Patrick Brammall. Produced by 60Forty Films, the series is adapted by acclaimed writer and executive producer Kris Mrksa from CWA John Creasey Dagger Award-winning author Ryan David Jahn’s book “The Dispatcher.” Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker Christian Schwochow directs and executive produces the series. “Last Seen” will make its global debut on Apple TV on Wednesday, September 9, with two episodes, followed by a new episode every Wednesday through October 7.

Police detective Ian Ridley’s (Brammall) life fell apart 11 years ago when his young daughter, Maggie, disappeared without a trace. Now working as a police dispatcher, the only thing that has kept him going is his implacable refusal to accept that she might be gone forever. When he receives a distress call from a teenage girl he is certain is Maggie, he will stop at nothing to find her and reunite his broken family, whatever the cost.

In addition to Brammall (“Colin from Accounts,” “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “Evil”), the series also stars Maxine Peake (“Say Nothing,” “Black Mirror”), Brendan Cowell (“Dune: Prophecy,” “Plum”), Daniel Henshall (“Mickey 17,” “How to Make Gravy”), Zahra Newman (“Thirteen Lives,” “Addition”), Jessica Wren (“Mr. Inbetween,” “Devil’s Playground”), Tobias Muhafidin (“Bali 2002”) and introduces Chloe Jean Lourdes.

The series is executive produced by Jamie Laurenson and Hakan Kousetta at 60Forty Films (“Hijack,” “Slow Horses,” “Down Cemetery Road”), with executive producers Schwochow (“The Crown,” “Bad Banks,” “Munich: The Edge of War”), Mrksa (“Requiem,” “No Escape,” “The Murders at White House Farm”) and Joanna Werner (“The Newsreader,” “Riot,” “Clickbait”).

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 878 wins and 3,819 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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An alleged circuit and solder-joint diagram for Apple’s upcoming A20 Pro chip offers a detailed look at the internal architecture expected to power the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple’s rumored first foldable iPhone.

The leak comes from Chinese social media network Weibo, where tech user “Fried White Rice” reconstructed the processor’s layout by mapping solder ball positions and overlaying them with die-level images. While analyzing chip layouts via solder points is indirect and far from an exact science, the findings highlight a series of plausible, performance-focused internal upgrades.

Key Architectural Highlights

• 7-Core GPU (Up from 6 Cores): The diagram indicates a shift from the 6-core graphics configuration found on the A19 Pro to a 7-core design on the A20 Pro—a roughly 16% increase in GPU cores.

• Wider Memory Interface (96-bit Bus): The layout suggests a upgrade to a 96-bit memory interface for LPDDR5x RAM, expanding beyond the 64-bit interface used in the previous generation. This 50% widening of the memory bus would significantly boost overall memory bandwidth, helping feed graphics-heavy games and onboard machine learning models.

• Expanded L2 Efficiency Cache: While the CPU retains its standard configuration—two performance cores paired with four efficiency cores—the shared L2 cache for the four efficiency cores reportedly increases from 6MB to 8MB. The two performance cores appear to keep their existing 16MB L2 cache.

• Performance Expectations: Coupled with recent supply chain rumors, the A20 Pro is projected to deliver up to 18% faster overall speeds and 30% better power efficiency compared to its predecessor.

Outlook and Expected Announcement

Beyond processing improvements, the A20 Pro is expected to accommodate a revamped Image Signal Processor (ISP) and Neural Engine.

MacDailyNews Take: With Apple anticipated to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro lineup shortly, these architectural changes point toward a heavy emphasis on graphics performance, local Apple Intelligence processing, and memory-intensive workflows. However, as with all pre-launch board-level leaks, these architectural deductions remain unconfirmed until Apple officially takes the stage.

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Apple Original Films this week unveiled the teaser trailer and key art for “Being Heumann,” a powerful new feature film that chronicles the “mother of the disability rights movement,” Judy Heumann, as she leads a group of young adults who come together to find their collective voice in a fight against discrimination. The film marks the second collaboration for Apple Original Films and writer/director Siân Heder, who directed the multi-Academy Award-winning film “CODA,” which made history as the first film with a predominantly deaf cast to receive the Best Picture honor. “Being Heumann” will debut in select theaters November 6, 2026 and premiere globally on Apple TV Friday, November 13, 2026.

The teaser trailer has been unveiled just ahead of the premiere of “Being Heumann” as the opening film of the Toronto International Film Festival, set to take place on September 10.

They wouldn’t take Judy Heumann’s phone calls, so she took their building. In 1977, a young disabled woman (Ruth Madeley) and a scrappy coalition of outsiders decide they’ve had enough. What begins as one impulsive act becomes the longest occupation of a federal building in American history, as hundreds spontaneously seize government offices and refuse to leave until the bureaucrat in their way (Mark Ruffalo) takes action. Bringing rebellion in all its forms to the hallowed halls, a movement’s accidental leaders struggle to find their path forward where none has ever been paved for them. Directed by Academy Award winner Heder and based on true events, “Being Heumann” is the revolutionary, irreverent and deeply human story of the least likely people trying to pull off the impossible and change the lives of millions.

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 80 wins and 3,826 award nominations and counting including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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Apple’s board has structured incoming CEO John Ternus’ first full-year compensation so that the bulk of his wealth depends on whether the company’s stock outperforms other members of the S&P 500. Ternus will receive a $3 million base salary and a targeted annual equity award of $55 million beginning in fiscal 2027. Three-quarters of that award consists of performance-based restricted stock units that vest according to Apple’s total shareholder return relative to the rest of the index. The remaining 25 percent vests on a simple time schedule — 12.5 percent every six months over four years.

The design is straightforward: Ternus has a direct financial incentive to deliver returns that beat the broader large-cap market and, by extension, to reward shareholders. Apple also granted him a smaller, prorated restricted-stock award of $2.5 million for the few weeks he served as CEO in fiscal 2026. Cook, now executive chairman, received a reduced $2 million salary and a $45 million target equity award that is less heavily weighted toward relative performance.

The structure continues Apple’s long-standing practice of linking a large share of executive pay to multi-year stock results rather than short-term operational metrics. Because the performance hurdle is measured against S&P 500 peers rather than an absolute stock-price target, Ternus cannot simply ride a rising market; Apple must outperform. That alignment is meant to keep management focused on capital allocation, product execution, and capital-return decisions that actually move the needle versus the index.

Whether that same incentive could eventually support another stock split is an open question. Apple last split its shares 4-for-1 in 2020 when the stock price had climbed high enough that some retail investors found individual shares cumbersome. A split does not change the company’s market value or the economic substance of Ternus’ award, but it can improve liquidity, broaden the shareholder base, and make the stock more accessible to index funds and individual buyers. If the board and Ternus conclude that a more widely held, more liquid stock would help Apple’s relative total-shareholder-return ranking over the multi-year vesting window, a split could become one of several tools they consider. Nothing in the current filing points to an imminent split, and any such decision would still rest with the board. The pay package simply makes clear that Ternus’ personal payoff will be larger if Apple’s stock does better than its S&P 500 neighbors — regardless of how that outperformance is achieved.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s CEO compensation structure is largely the same; the differences are in size and in what has been disclosed so far.

Cook’s last full-year CEO package (fiscal 2025) used the same architecture Apple is now using for Ternus: $3 million salary, equity that is 75% performance-based and 25% time-based, and performance vesting tied to Apple’s total shareholder return versus other S&P 500 companies.

That 75/25 mix and the relative-TSR test are unchanged for Ternus’ $55 million fiscal 2027 equity award.

Cook’s reported 2025 total of about $74.3 million was higher than his $59 million target because the cash bonus paid out at $12 million (twice target) and because the accounting value of the stock awards was $57.5 million rather than the $50 million target.

Ternus’ disclosed package is slightly richer on equity ($55 million vs $50 million) and silent so far on an annual cash bonus.

SEC filings omit details regarding an annual cash bonus program for Ternus. If Apple awards him a standard executive annual cash bonus structure matching Cook’s $6 million target, his full target will land around $64 million (above Cook’s $59 million target). If no cash bonus is awarded, his disclosed baseline target ($58 million) sits slightly below Cook’s total $59 million target.

The package does not represent a new philosophy. Apple kept the same pay architecture, the same relative-performance test, and the same salary. The material changes are modest: a $5 million larger equity target for Ternus, an undisclosed cash-bonus question, and the absence (so far) of the perks and above-target cash that inflated Cook’s reported 2025 total. Alignment with shareholders via beating the S&P 500 is the same idea under which Cook already lived.

MacDailyNews Take: Bottom line: It’s good news for Apple shareholders that the CEO is rewarded for AAPL outperforming the broader market.

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Apple’s first foldable iPhone could contribute about $14 billion in revenue in the December quarter, according to Morgan Stanley, which called next week’s product event the company’s most consequential since the iPhone X.

Analyst Erik Woodring described the device as the biggest iPhone form-factor change since 2017. The bank expects strong early demand, but tight supply, with 7 million to 8 million units built in the second half of 2026 and as many as 20 million over the first product cycle. Shipments are expected to start in October or early November.

Morgan Stanley also framed the launch as a test of Apple’s pricing power. Rising NAND and DRAM costs are expected to push Pro models more than $200 higher year over year. The key upgrade on the iPhone 18 Pro is likely TSMC’s 2-nanometer process, aimed at stronger on-device AI performance. The bank said Apple appears more focused on securing components than finding buyers, though memory supply could still limit near-term production.

The September 9th event will also mark a leadership shift. New CEO John Ternus is expected to introduce the foldable — rumored as iPhone Fold or Ultra — alongside what Morgan Stanley called the broadest like-for-like iPhone price increases in company history. Woodring kept an Overweight rating and a $360 price target, noting Apple stock often outperforms into launch events, but can fade on the day itself. Sustained gains, he said, will depend on later estimate revisions.

Other analysts have put the foldable at roughly $2,300 to $2,500. Independent checks from Ming-Chi Kuo have pointed to similarly constrained early volumes and the possibility of weeks-long wait times.
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MacDailyNews Take: We’ll see how supply holds up when pre-orders beign – likely within a minute or two. If you want one of the first foldable iPhones, you’ll need to pre-order within the first minutes!

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Even before its unveiling, Apple’s first foldable iPhone has already become the design benchmark the rest of the industry is racing to copy. Google, Oppo and Vivo are now preparing to adopt the same dual ultra-thin glass (UTG) structure Apple pioneered, TheElec reports citing industry sources.

The dual-UTG approach places one sheet of ultra-thin glass above the OLED panel as the cover window and a second sheet beneath it for structural support. The upper layer, thinned to tens of micrometers, protects the display from impacts and scratches while still folding repeatedly. The lower layer spreads stress around the hinge and stiffens the panel from below. Together, the two glass layers give manufacturers tighter control over rigidity and folding stress, which helps reduce the crease that has long defined cheaper foldables.

Apple chose this construction as a late entrant precisely because it wanted to minimize crease visibility and raise overall quality rather than simply match existing products. That decision is now being treated as the new premium standard. Samsung Display is already building dual-UTG OLED prototypes to the specifications of Google, Oppo, and Vivo, working with partner Dowoo Insys on both the upper and lower glass layers. Mass production is targeted for the companies’ 2027 launches.

Samsung’s own Galaxy Z Fold8 series takes a different route: a single UTG layer on top plus a titanium alloy film and reinforced titanium plate underneath. That architecture is simpler and cheaper to manufacture at scale. Apple’s rivals, however, have decided the extra glass is worth the cost. Oppo and Vivo in particular have made crease reduction and durability central selling points for their Find N and X Fold lines. Google is expected to follow the same path with its next Pixel Fold.

The three companies all sell book-style foldables — the Pixel Fold series, Find N series, and X Fold series. Their current flagships are the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, Find N6 and X Fold6. New models using dual UTG are slated for early 2027 at Oppo, the first half of the year at Vivo, and the second half at Google.

For the UTG supply chain the shift is unambiguously good news. Even if overall foldable shipments stay flat, each device will now consume two sheets of glass instead of one. Apple’s decision to lead with dual UTG did not just improve its own product; it doubled the material content the rest of the market is now lining up to use.
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple leads. All others follow. As usual.

As with fingerprint and facial recognition, when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, then foldable smartphones will have been done right. – MacDailyNews, January 17, 2019

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The post Apple’s foldable iPhone sets the standard that Google, Oppo, and Vivo plan to follow next year appeared first on MacDailyNews.