Apple’s rugged flagship smartwatch is gearing up for its next iteration. With the Apple Watch Ultra 3 having launched in September 2025, rumors and supply chain reports point to the Ultra 4 arriving in fall 2026 — likely announced alongside the iPhone 18 series in September.

Here’s a breakdown of the most credible expectations.

Design: A Thinner, Redesigned Body

One of the biggest anticipated changes is a major redesign. Reports suggest a thinner titanium case (potentially reduced by around 15% in thickness compared to predecessors) for improved wearability while maintaining the Ultra’s adventure-ready durability.

Expect refinements like slimmer bezels, a potentially larger or brighter LTPO3 OLED display (rumored up to 3200 nits), new material finishes, and redesigned buttons or action button. The overall aesthetic should remain premium and tough — suitable for extreme sports, diving, and outdoor use — but feel more refined and less bulky for everyday wear.

This evolutionary-yet-notable update aligns with the line’s relatively young history (original Ultra in 2022), focusing on iteration rather than a complete overhaul.

Health and Sensors: Doubling Down on Monitoring

The Ultra 4 is expected to significantly upgrade its health-tracking capabilities. Key rumors include:

• Blood Pressure Monitoring: A new feature using the optical heart rate sensor (and possibly additional tech) to detect abnormal patterns and provide notifications. This is reportedly under FDA review and could represent a more advanced or clinically oriented implementation.

• Doubled or Redesigned Sensors: Supply chain info points to a ring of up to eight sensors on the back, doubling the sensor count for better accuracy across metrics like heart health, sleep, fitness, and more. A revised sensor layout is frequently mentioned.

Other potential enhancements include improved sleep tracking, advanced sports metrics (powered by future watchOS versions), and better overall data precision for athletes and health-conscious users.

Performance, Battery, and Features

• New S11 Chip: Expected to bring better efficiency, faster performance, and improved responsiveness without draining the battery faster.

• Battery Life: Rumors point to strong endurance, potentially up to 72 hours in low-power mode, making it ideal for multi-day adventures.

• Connectivity and Other Upgrades: Enhanced cellular (possibly dual antennas), better satellite SOS, improved GPS, and deeper integration with Apple Intelligence features. Touch ID has been rumored in the past (possibly via the action button), but it’s considered less certain now.

• Durability: Continued or enhanced water/dive resistance, with possible new modes for low-visibility conditions.

Pricing is likely to stay in the $799–$899 range, consistent with prior Ultra models.

MacDailyNews Take: The Apple Watch Ultra 3 remains an excellent choice today — it’s Apple’s most capable smartwatch with premium build and features, often available at a discount. If you need a rugged watch immediately, it’s hard to beat.

However, if you’re excited about the rumored thinner design, blood pressure insights, and sensor leaps, holding out for a few months could be worthwhile. The Ultra 4 shapes up as potentially the most significant update to the lineup yet.

Apple hasn’t officially confirmed any details, so treat the above as educated speculation from credible supply chain and analyst reports. We’ll know more as we get closer to the expected fall event. In the meantime, the current Ultra models continue to set a high bar for what a premium adventure smartwatch can be.

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If you ever owned a Mac that greeted you with that iconic boot chime, the Virtual OS Museum is the perfect rabbit hole. Andrew Warkentin has built a massive single emulation project featuring more than 1,700 pre-installed operating systems and applications spanning 250 different platforms — from Classic Mac OS and A/UX to NeXTSTEP, and everything from System 1.0 all the way through Mac OS 9.

MacSparky:
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It ships two ways. A 121GB full bundle that runs offline, and a lighter 14GB starter that pulls each VM image down on first launch. Either one drops you into a desktop you probably haven’t seen in twenty years.

The fun of a project like this is that it is not trying to be polished. It is a labor of love by one person who wanted every operating system in one place and decided to make it happen. The full list runs 1948 to today, and stepping through it is like flipping through a textbook of computing history.

If you want to see where Apple’s modern OS came from, fire up NeXTSTEP. Most of the ideas that landed in Mac OS X a decade later are sitting right there.

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MacDailyNews Take: It’s definitely not fast on an Apple Silicon Mac, as it runs as an x86 Linux VM, but it is fun! Check out the Virtual OS Museum here.

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Grace Gummer (“Love Story”), daughter of Meryl Streep, has signed on to join Dakota Fanning in Apple TV’s new thriller series from Alex Cary (“A Spy Among Friends,” “Homeland”) and Sony Pictures Television.

In the as-yet-untitled project, Fanning stars as an undercover Treasury agent embedded in a multi-billion-dollar international conglomerate with vast political and criminal reach. She soon finds herself torn between her mission and a deepening conviction that the heir apparent to the corrupt empire is, at his core, a good man worthy of her love.

Matt Grobar for Deadline:
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Gummer will play the series regular role of Juliana, the oldest child of Stellan Skarsgård’s Brant, who heads up the conglomerate. As previously announced, Daryl McCormack is also set to star.

Apple’s thriller series is exec produced by Cary, who also serves as creator and showrunner under his overall deal with Sony Pictures Television and his FLW Productions banner. Julie Gardner (“Lady in the Lake,” “Doctor Who”) executive produces for Bad Wolf America, alongside and Dakota and Elle Fanning, Brittany Kahan Ward of Lewellen Pictures (“Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” “The Great”), and Kari Skogland (“Smoke,” “The Handmaid’s Tale”), who also directs.

Gummer recently garnered praise for her turn as Caroline Kennedy in FX’s hit limited series “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Hines and Ryan Murphy. She and her co-stars were honored with the Ensemble Tribute at the third annual Gotham TV Awards on June 1st.

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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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Micron shares hit fresh record highs after outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook signaled higher iPhone prices, underscoring robust demand for premium memory chips and reinforcing the ongoing boom in the memory sector.

This surge marks Micron’s 34th record close of the year, as investors bet on sustained strength in AI-driven and consumer electronics memory sales.

George Glover for Barron’s:
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Futures tracking the S&P 500 were 0.8% higher after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding to end the Iran war.
The gains put the stock on track to surpass the all-time closing high of $1,087.99 it hit on Monday.

The artificial-intelligence craze has driven up demand for memory in data centers, which has led to investors rethinking the low forward price-to-earnings ratio that Micron shares normally fetch.

Barron’s argued earlier this month that the stock remains undervalued, because the company’s hardware is crucial for AI servers.

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MacDailyNews Note: Micron stock was up 267% for the year through Wednesday’s close.

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U.S. semiconductor stocks surged in premarket trading on Thursday, June 18, 2026, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that “Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and build its Chips in America.” The news highlights the administration’s ongoing efforts to reshore critical semiconductor production and strengthen America’s technological independence.

President Trump via Truth Social:
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The Technology the World relies on was invented in America. We all remember “Intel Inside.” Stupid Presidents took our Economy for granted, and let Taiwan and others steal our Semiconductor Factories. They forgot to protect our Industries with TARIFFS. When I won my Second Term (Third, actually!), it was clear America needed its Semiconductor Industry to come back to the U.S.A. We design everything, but we need to BUILD it here, NOW! So I decided to help Intel because we need to design and build our Chips right here in America. First, we helped bring in Nvidia, and they agreed to build their first level Chips with Intel. Next, Elon agreed to build his TerraFab, the largest Chip Factory in the World, designed together with Intel’s Technology team. And, finally, Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and build its Chips in America. We decided to help Intel in exchange for 10% of their shares. Is that too much or, too little? They were worth around 100 Billion Dollars when we made our offer. Now they are worth over 600 BILLION DOLLARS! Nine months, and they’ve increased in value over HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS. America’s stake is now over 60 Billion Dollars. When was the last time a President made America money?? Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Market Reaction

• Intel (INTC) shares jumped approximately 8.9% in premarket trading.

• Nvidia rose 1.2%, while AMD and Broadcom each climbed about 3%.

• Other notable gainers included ARM Holdings, Microchip, Applied Materials, Micron, Marvell Technology (up 5.8%), and Qualcomm (up 2.9%).

• Semiconductor ETFs also rallied: iShares Semiconductor ETF +3.9%, VanEck Semiconductor ETF +3.3%, and Roundhill Memory ETF +6.2%.

This positive momentum reflects investor optimism about reduced reliance on foreign foundries like TSMC and potential growth for US-based chip design and fabrication under initiatives emphasizing domestic production.

The announcement builds on earlier reports from May about preliminary discussions between Apple and Intel. Intel has been advancing its manufacturing roadmap, recently moving its 18A-P process into risk production with claims of improved performance and power efficiency. CEO Lip-Bu Tan has signaled openness to external customers, marking a shift in strategy.

Trump’s post emphasized economic wins: “We decided to help Intel in exchange for 10% of their shares… When was the last time a President made America money?” He positioned the move as a victory for American innovation and jobs.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple and Intel have not yet issued detailed public comments on the specifics of the partnership, such as timelines or scope, but the development could help Apple diversify away from heavy dependence on overseas suppliers amid global supply chain concerns alongside lowering Apple Silicon pricing thanks to competition.

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In an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple’s outgoing CEO Tim Cook confirmed that price hikes across Apple’s product lineup are now “unavoidable” due to skyrocketing costs and tightening supply of memory and storage chips.

“We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable,” Cook told the WSJ.

The root cause is explosive demand for DRAM (memory) and NAND (storage) chips from AI data centers. Major cloud providers like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon have dramatically increased their capital spending, causing prices for these components to quadruple since last year. TechInsights estimates that simply passing on the higher costs while preserving margins could add roughly $270 to the price of the next iPhone 18 Pro model.

Cook highlighted the DRAM market in particular, noting that suppliers are prioritizing high-bandwidth memory for AI servers, leaving less capacity for consumer devices. “There’s less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases,” he said. He described the situation as a “hundred-year flood” unlike anything he’s seen in over 40 years in the supply chain.

What This Means for Upcoming Products

•  Apple’s next major launch is expected in September 2026 with the iPhone 18 series, including a new foldable model.

• Price increases could arrive even sooner for Macs and iPads (Apple already raised the starting price of the Mac Mini recently).

• The company also needs more DRAM to support advanced on-device AI features, including the newly announced Siri upgrades.

Apple spends tens of billions annually on memory and storage and has historically used its buying power to secure favorable pricing. Now, even Apple finds itself waiting in line behind deep-pocketed AI buyers who are locking up supply with multi-year contracts and large prepayments.

Cook said Apple is willing to use its strong balance sheet to help increase supply, but ruled out building its own memory factories. He also suggested that loosening certain national-security restrictions on dealing with Chinese memory suppliers “needs to be on the table.”

Of course, other consumer electronics makers (HP, Dell, Nintendo) have already raised prices or adjusted specs. Analysts from Morgan Stanley warn of potential 15% price increases for smartphones and PCs in the U.S. this year, with consumer-grade memory supply possibly falling 15% short of demand by 2027 even as total production capacity grows.
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MacDailyNews Take: The era of relatively stable pricing from Apple may be ending — at least until memory markets stabilize. As Cook put it, the company has tried to absorb the pain as long as possible, but that strategy has now reached its limit.

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The standard iPhone 18 launching next year will include 12GB of unified memory to power Apple’s most advanced on-device AI model and its new Siri AI features, according to South Korea’s KB Securities (via DigiTimes).

During its Siri AI announcement at WWDC 2026, Apple confirmed that the most powerful model enables more expressive Siri voices and major improvements in systemwide dictation accuracy. Both features require 12GB of unified memory.

Tim Hardwick for MacRumors:
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Among current iPhones, that limits the more powerful model to the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone 17 misses out because it only has 8GB of RAM, but the same limitation isn’t expected for the iPhone 18. Apple will boost memory for the base model to 12GB while keeping the iPhone’s price unchanged, according to today’s report.

Apple has apparently asked its RAM suppliers to increase its supply of LPDDR5X chips for the next iPhone lineup. KB Securities also noted that Apple will continue buying mobile DRAM from the world’s three largest memory makers – Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron – at prices above market levels, and suggested the company will absorb the costs rather than pass them on to the consumer. If so, the existing $799 starting price should remain in place.

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MacDailyNews Note: A reminder that the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone are expected to launch in fall 2026, followed by the standard iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone 18e in the first half of 2027.

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Later this summer, Apple has announced it will unify the email domains used by “Sign in with Apple” and iCloud+ “Hide My Email” under a single, shared domain: private.icloud.com.

New addresses generated for both features will be issued on the new domain. For example:

• Sign in with Apple addresses, previously issued on privaterelay.appleid.com, will be issued on private.icloud.com.

• iCloud+ Hide My Email addresses, previously issued on icloud.com, will be issued on private.icloud.com.

Existing addresses on the legacy domains will continue to work and forward mail to users without interruption.

What developers need to do:

• Developers with apps or websites that use Sign in with Apple should ensure that their account systems, email validation logic, and allowlists accept addresses on the new private.icloud.com domain in addition to existing domains: privaterelay.appleid.com and icloud.com.

• Email service providers should update any domain-based filtering, suppression lists, or routing rules that explicitly enumerate relay domains so that the new private.icloud.com domain is included.

Learn more about Sign in with Apple here and communicating using Private Email Relay Service here.

MacDailyNews Note: Ugh! Both “Sign in with Apple” and Hide My Email aliases will now be issued on the @private.icloud.com subdomain instead of the regular @icloud.com addresses.

This will allow services and spammers easily block every single Hide My Email alias in one shot without touching users’ actual iCloud mailboxes.

For privacy-conscious iCloud+ subscribers, this is a real step backward. One of the quiet strengths of Hide My Email has been that many services hesitated to outright ban iCloud addresses because doing so risked blocking legitimate users. That protection is now evaporating. Once @private.icloud.com addresses start getting widely blocked, Hide My Email risks turning into just another disposable alias service that serious sites simply refuse to accept — no different from the free 10-minute mail services.

It’s disappointing to see Apple undermine one of its own privacy tools in this way. The company has spent years positioning iCloud+ as a premium privacy offering. This move feels like it prioritizes spam-fighting convenience over user privacy and long-term trust.

We sincerely hope someone at Apple reconsiders before this change fully rolls out. There’s still real value in keeping Hide My Email aliases under the main iCloud domain.

Practical note for users: If you rely on iCloud+ Hide My Email, act quickly. You can still generate aliases on the regular @icloud.com domain for now. The change hasn’t landed yet, and Apple’s current rate limit is at least 30 aliases per hour. Create what you need while you still can!

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Apple this week released fresh firmware updates for its latest wireless earbuds lineup, bringing the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and Beats Studio Buds to the latest versions. The updates focus primarily on bug fixes, performance improvements, and overall stability, with no major new features announced.

What’s New in the Updates

• AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2: Both models now run firmware version 8B41. This follows the previous 8B40 build on the Pro 3 (from April) and earlier versions on the Pro 2.

• Beats Studio Buds: Updated to firmware version 1B211 (up from 1B204).

Apple’s official support documentation provides limited details, as is typical for these incremental audio firmware releases. Most changes remain under the hood to enhance reliability, connectivity, and audio performance.

These updates come shortly after Apple previewed expanded AirPods capabilities at WWDC 2026, suggesting the company continues refining its audio ecosystem in preparation for deeper integration with upcoming iOS features.

How to Install the Firmware Updates

Firmware updates for AirPods and Beats products install automatically. To trigger the process:

1. Place your earbuds in their charging case.
2. Connect the case to power (or ensure it’s near a paired device).
3. Keep your iPhone, iPad, or Mac nearby with Bluetooth enabled and an active internet connection.

The update typically completes within a few minutes. To check the current firmware version:

• On iOS/iPadOS: Go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the info (i) icon next to your AirPods/Beats device, and scroll to the “Firmware Version” field.

If the new version (8B41 for Pro models or 1B211 for Studio Buds) appears, you’re up to date.

MacDailyNews Take: While not flashy, regular firmware updates like this help maintain optimal battery life, noise cancellation performance, microphone quality, and seamless pairing across Apple’s ecosystem. Users with AirPods Pro 3 will especially benefit from ongoing refinements to features like advanced Active Noise Cancellation and health-related capabilities (such as heart rate sensing during workouts).

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Following the conclusion of college entrance exams, millions of Chinese students are engaging in “revenge spending,” driving record activations of over 32 million iPhone 17 units and propelling Apple back to the top of the smartphone market. Many buyers are prioritizing Apple’s superior resale value, reliability, and long-term performance over domestic brand loyalty.

Meanwhile, Huawei grapples with sluggish sales, questionable profitability, talent exodus, and intensifying international pressure, raising questions about whether pragmatic value is outweighing patriotism among younger shoppers.

Anna Wong for CTN News:
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Apple has successfully reclaimed the top spot in the fiercely competitive Chinese smartphone market. Recent data gathered by industry researchers shows a massive surge in device activations across the country. In just a few weeks, the iPhone 17 series reached an activation volume of 32.33 million units.

This impressive milestone sets a brand-new record for any iPhone generation in China. By the 21st week of the year, Apple officially overtook Huawei as the undisputed sales leader. For a premium international brand, this rapid market dominance is highly unusual.

Market research indicates that Apple already held a strong advantage in the high-end price segment. Following recent discounts, many shoppers who initially wanted domestic phones quickly switched to Apple.

When comparing smartphones, the secondhand market reveals a startling truth about device longevity. A prominent technology vlogger recently shared a striking comparison between two popular flagship phones. He placed a well-maintained Huawei Mate 60 Pro next to an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Both premium devices were originally released to the public back in 2023. Despite launching at similar price points, their current resale values are drastically different today:

• A well-maintained Huawei Mate 60 Pro now sells for less than 2,000 yuan.
• The iPhone 15 Pro Max still commands around 5,000 yuan on the secondhand market.

Consumers are quickly noticing that Apple devices retain more than double the value of their Huawei counterparts.

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MacDailyNews Take: iPhones have always retained their value far better than Android knockoffs. Anyone who’s only noticing it now simply hasn’t been paying attention.

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Intel has officially begun production of its most advanced chip process technology yet — the 18A-P node — marking a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to revitalize its foundry business and compete with industry leader TSMC.

Announced at the VLSI Symposium in Honolulu, Hawaii, the move brings Intel one step closer to securing high-profile external customers, including a potential deal to manufacture chips for Apple devices.

Key Highlights from Intel’s Announcement

• Intel has entered “risk production” for 18A-P, an early manufacturing stage that validates the technology will meet customer requirements upon final qualification.
• The new node delivers 9% higher performance or 18% lower power consumption compared to the standard 18A process.
• 18A-P offers at least 20% better heat resistance and full compatibility with existing 18A infrastructure.
• Volume production of the base 18A node is already underway at Intel’s Arizona fab.

Why This Matters for Intel’s Foundry Ambitions

After years of manufacturing challenges and delayed process nodes, Intel is positioning 18A-P as a key proving ground for external customers. While the company has begun shipping PC chips built on 18A, analysts believe the enhanced 18A-P version could be more attractive to major clients like Apple.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has expressed optimism about securing multiple foundry commitments in the second half of 2026. Shares of Intel have already surged more than 200% year-to-date amid hopes of a business turnaround, boosted by U.S. government investment and a major stake from Nvidia.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

• Yield rates remain critical — analysts emphasize that consistent high yields (above 90%) will be necessary to win major contracts.
• A significant hurdle is Intel’s limited experience with Arm-based architectures, which dominate custom chips from Apple, Google, and Amazon. TSMC currently leads in this area.
• Advanced packaging could provide a faster path to revenue, with Intel’s EMIB technology positioned as a strong alternative to TSMC’s CoWoS amid ongoing capacity bottlenecks.

Chip analyst Ben Bajarin noted that Apple is likely waiting for the 18A-P process before moving forward with any manufacturing partnership.

MacDailyNews Take: Intel 18A is a strong technical contender — often rated higher on performance/efficiency thanks to aggressive innovations like PowerVia — and gives Intel a credible shot at foundry resurgence. However, TSMC N2 leads on density and manufacturing scale, maintaining its dominance for most high-volume customers.

The real winner, as always, will depend on yields, cost, and specific design needs. For Apple-style mobile/custom silicon, TSMC’s density edge is powerful. For certain HPC/AI chips where efficiency and power delivery matter most, Intel 18A (especially -P) could be of value.

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If you’ve been holding out for a solid deal on Apple’s latest flagship earbuds, your wait is over. The AirPods Pro 3 have dropped to an all-time low of $169 on Amazon during early Prime Day promotions — that’s a hefty $80 savings from their regular $249 price tag!

This is one of the best discounts we’ve seen on Apple’s newest Pro earbuds since their September 2025 launch, making premium features more accessible than ever.

Why the AirPods Pro 3 Stand Out

Apple packed serious upgrades into the third-generation AirPods Pro:

• Superior Noise Cancellation: Up to 2x better than the Pro 2 (and 4x the original Pro) thanks to redesigned foam-infused ear tips, ultra-low-noise microphones, and the powerful H2 chip. Five ear tip sizes — including a new XXS for smaller ears — ensure a perfect, comfortable fit.

• Live Translation: A game-changing Apple Intelligence feature that translates conversations in real time right in your ear. It supports English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish at launch, with more languages coming soon. Transcription appears on your iPhone for the other person. (Requires a compatible iPhone.)

• Heart Rate Sensing: Built-in infrared sensors track your heart rate during workouts, syncing data directly to the iPhone Fitness app. No Apple Watch needed for over 50 workout types — from running and cycling to yoga and HIIT.

• Battery Life & Case Upgrades: 8 hours of listening with ANC on (up from 6 hours on the Pro 2), plus 24 hours total with the case. The MagSafe Charging Case now includes a speaker for Find My alerts, USB-C + Qi wireless charging, and improved Precision Finding.

• Sound & Extras: A new multiport acoustic architecture delivers richer, more personalized audio with Adaptive EQ. They also support studio-quality recording in iOS 26 and boast IP57 sweat and water resistance.

Who Should Buy Them Now?

• Apple ecosystem users who want seamless integration, Spatial Audio, and the latest AI features.
• Frequent travelers or commuters seeking top-tier noise cancellation.
• Fitness enthusiasts looking for convenient workout tracking without extra wearables.
• Anyone who simply wants excellent all-around wireless earbuds at a more reasonable price.

At $169, the AirPods Pro 3 no longer feel like a luxury splurge — they’re a smart investment in daily audio quality, convenience, and health tracking.

MacDailyNews Take: Prime Day 2026 is shaping up to be a great time for Apple accessory upgrades. Whether you’re replacing older AirPods or diving into the Pro lineup for the first time, this discount makes the Pro 3 hard to beat. Grab the AirPods Pro 3 for $169 on Amazon (prices can change quickly during Prime Day events, so act fast).

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On Monday, June 15, Apple TV hosted a photo call for the upcoming third season of “Silo,” its hit, world-building drama created by Emmy Award winner Graham Yost, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer, and starring and executive produced by Rebecca Ferguson. Attendees included Ferguson, Yost and series stars Common, Ashley Zukerman, Jessica Henwick and Alexandria Riley. The 10-episode third season of “Silo” will premiere on Apple TV with the first episode on July 3, followed by one new episode every Friday through September 4, 2026.

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.

The ensemble cast returning alongside Ferguson includes Common, Harriet Walter, Chinaza Uche, Avi Nash, Alexandria Riley, Shane McRae, Remmie Milner, Rick Gomez, Billy Postlethwaite and Clare Perkins. Joining the cast for season three are Zukerman and Henwick, who appeared in the season two finale, along with Laura Innes, Jessica Brown Findlay, Morven Christie, Reed Birney and Matt Craven, with Colin Hanks set to recur, and Steve Zahn also set to return.

Already renewed for a fourth and final season, “Silo” continues to captivate audiences worldwide, earning praise as “genuinely brilliant,” “immensely satisfying” and “one of the best sci-fi TV shows today.” Catch up on the complete first and second seasons of “Silo,” now streaming globally on Apple TV.

“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 843 wins and 3,585 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: “Silo” is one of the best series ever on Apple TV, and that’s saying a lot!

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 is teaming up with Amazon to make its premium streaming service more accessible than ever. Prime members can now subscribe to Apple TV for only $5.99 per month — a full 50% discount off the regular $12.99 price — for up to two months.

This timely promotion arrives just as Apple TV gears up for one of its strongest summers yet, with major returning hits like Ted Lasso Season 4 and Silo Season 3 on the horizon. Whether you’re a longtime fan or thinking about giving the service a try, this deal offers an affordable way to dive into Apple’s lineup of critically acclaimed originals, movies, and live sports.

How to Get the Deal

• The offer is exclusive to Amazon Prime members.

• Subscribe directly through the Prime Video app or website for seamless integration.

• You’ll be able to watch Apple TV content right inside the Prime Video interface alongside Amazon’s own shows and movies.

• The promo is available through June 26, 2026, so act fast if you want to lock in the savings.

Link to claim the deal: Subscribe to Apple TV via Prime Video (must be logged into your Amazon account).

Why Subscribe Through Prime Video?

Prime Video has become a convenient one-stop hub for multiple streaming services. Adding Apple TV through Prime lets you manage subscriptions in one place and enjoy content without switching between separate apps. It’s a smart way for Prime households to expand their entertainment options without extra hassle.

What You Get with Apple TV

Apple TV+ stands out for its high-quality, ad-free original programming. Highlights include:

• Award-winning series like Ted Lasso, Severance, Silo, For All Mankind, Foundation, Star City, The Morning Show, and many more

• Hit movies, including Best Picture CODA, and documentaries

• Live sports coverage (MLS Season Pass, MLB Friday Night Baseball, and more)

After the two-month promotional period, the subscription will renew at the standard rate unless canceled. You can always subscribe directly through Apple at full price or bundle it with other services via Apple One for additional savings.

MacDailyNews Take: This is one of the best short-term deals we’ve seen on Apple TV+ recently. If you’ve been waiting to catch up on Apple’s summer slate or sample the service risk-free at half price, now’s the perfect time. Just remember the cutoff rapidly approaches (June 26th)!

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With iOS 27, Apple is rolling out Apple Intelligence-powered features like AI video summaries, natural-language search, richer notifications, faster performance, and upcoming 4K support — giving its privacy-focused smart home camera system a much-needed boost to compete with Ring and Google Nest.

In her hands-on first look, The Verge‘s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy tests the developer beta and finds it’s now back in contention as a solid home security option.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy for The Verge:
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I’ve been playing with some of the features in the developer betas for iOS 27 and tvOS 27 for a few days, and based on my first impressions, Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video is much improved — enough to put it back in contention for me as a home security system.

With Apple Intelligence bringing these features to Apple Home, Apple’s smart home platform is gaining parity with competitors’ offerings. It will also soon support up to 4K video resolution, and when you factor in that the service works with cameras from several manufacturers, it gets more compelling — as long as you’re an iPhone user.

Summarized videos use AI to process video from my HomeKit Secure Video cameras and send a notification with a more detailed description of the action. So, instead of an alert saying “animal detected,” I’ve been getting “dog in yard,” and instead of “person detected,” I’ve seen “lawn mowing.” I also had one notification that summarized several activities from one camera: “Someone walked into the yard and then went back out to a dog. Aqara G5 changed modes.”

I’m a big fan of the new camera view in the Home app, where I can scroll through a timeline of clips or view a live feed from all the cameras at once. The clips are sequenced by time, not by camera, so scrolling shows activity around the home in real time. When I click on a clip, a camera switcher presents footage from other cameras recorded at the same time on either side — which is really handy. I’ve used a lot of camera app interfaces, and this is one of the simplest and most intuitive.

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MacDailyNews Take: Here’s how to set up HomeKit Secure Video on all your devices.

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Italy’s competition authority has opened an investigation into Apple for allegedly failing to open up its iOS and iPadOS ecosystems to rival cloud services, as required by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. The watchdog said third-party providers appear unable to access the same system components as Apple’s own iCloud, marking the first such probe by the Italian regulator under the new interoperability rules.

Reuters:
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Under the ​[DMA] rules, Apple must ensure that third-party ​providers of consumer cloud services can ⁠inter-operate effectively and free of charge ​with hardware and software components controlled through ​the group’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems, and have equal access as Apple’s iCloud service.

The ​authority said in the statement that ​it had proof that other providers of consumer cloud ‌services ⁠could not be in the same position as iCloud, as they did not appear to have access to the ​same components ​used or ⁠made available to Apple’s service.

The probe is the first opened ​by the Italian watchdog under ​the ⁠Digital Markets Act, which allows national regulators to conduct preliminary investigations.

The authority said ⁠the ​results of its investigation ​would be sent to the EU Commission.

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MacDailyNews Take: Another day, another EU-style regulatory shakedown. Once again, Apple finds itself in the crosshairs of European bureaucrats who seem determined to punish success and micromanage innovation.

The EU’s shiteous DMA — that sweeping, heavy-handed piece of legislation designed to kneecap so-called “gatekeepers” like Apple — demands that Apple essentially open up its tightly integrated ecosystem to competitors, free of charge and on equal terms. The Italian watchdog says it has “proof” that rivals can’t match iCloud’s position. Of course they can’t. That’s because iCloud is built from the ground up as a seamless, private, secure extension of Apple’s hardware and software. It’s not some bolted-on service; it’s part of what makes an iPhone an iPhone.

Apple’s approach has always been about delivering the best possible experience for its users: effortless syncing, end-to-end encryption by default, optimized performance across devices, and rock-solid privacy protections that competitors often treat as afterthoughts. Forcing Apple to hand over the same low-level access to third-party cloud services risks compromising exactly what customers love and pay a premium for — security, reliability, and simplicity.

This isn’t “anticompetitive” behavior; it’s Apple competing on the merits. The company invests billions in its infrastructure, develops proprietary technologies, and maintains strict standards to protect users from very real threats. Lowering those walls to satisfy regulators and rival cloud providers doesn’t create fair competition — it invites mediocrity and security risks into a platform renowned for excellence. Why should Apple be compelled to undermine its own product to prop up alternatives that users have already voted against with their wallets?

Italy’s probe is the first under the DMA by its national regulator, with findings to be forwarded to the European Commission. It fits a familiar pattern: endless investigations, demands for “interoperability,” and penalties aimed at Apple’s success in delivering premium products people actually want. The EU (and now Italy) would rather engineer artificial parity than let the market reward innovation.

The real question regulators should ask: If third-party clouds are so great, why aren’t more users flocking to them voluntarily? Forcing integration won’t change the answer — it will only make great products worse – and very likely insecure – for everyone.

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Apple’s Indian supplier Tata Electronics announced on Tuesday that the state pollution control board has dropped its scrutiny of the company’s iPhone components plant after the firm addressed concerns over contamination.

The Tamil Nadu pollution control authority had earlier warned Tata of a potential forced shutdown unless it explained government findings that wastewater discharge from the plant had contaminated open wells in adjacent agricultural lands, Reuters reported on Saturday.

Reuters:
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On Tuesday, Tata told Reuters in a statement that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had confirmed that the company “has satisfactorily addressed all queries mentioned” in the warning notice and “dropped any further course of action on this ‌issue.”

Tata said in its ​statement ​that the pollution board has confirmed “that the reports of ​its own analysis of recently collected water ‌samples from Tata Electronics’ manufacturing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu do not indicate any contamination”.

Tata added that it had commissioned an independent analysis through an accredited laboratory, the results of which indicated that all the parameters were within prescribed limits, and it submitted a formal response including those results to the pollution authority.

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MacDailyNews Take: Bodacious!

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Apple is gearing up for one of its most significant product years in recent memory. According to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman, the company plans a major wave of releases in late 2027, headlined by long-rumored camera-equipped AI AirPods, a second-generation foldable iPhone (iPhone Ultra 2), and a celebratory Twentieth Anniversary iPhone model.

This trifecta isn’t just about new hardware — it represents Apple’s aggressive push to dominate the AI device era while refreshing its most important product lines.

Camera-Equipped AirPods: Siri Gets Eyes

The standout newcomer is a pair of AirPods featuring built-in cameras (likely infrared, similar to Face ID sensors). These won’t shoot photos or videos. Instead, they’ll feed real-time visual data to Siri and Apple Intelligence for contextual awareness. Imagine asking Siri for recipe suggestions while looking at ingredients on your counter, or getting navigation help by simply glancing around. The cameras enable advanced object recognition, spatial understanding, and “Visual Intelligence” features that extend what the iPhone already offers.

Originally eyed for an earlier launch, the project (code-named B798) has been delayed to late 2027 to perfect the AI software and real-time processing. Prototypes have reached advanced testing stages, signaling that Apple is close to finalizing the design. An LED indicator will likely alert users when the cameras are active, addressing privacy concerns.

This move positions AirPods as more than audio accessories — they become a key wearable in Apple’s AI ecosystem, potentially competing with smart glasses from Meta and others.

Foldable iPhone 2 and the 20th Anniversary iPhone

Joining the camera AirPods will be:

• A next-generation foldable iPhone — Apple’s second attempt at the form factor, building on lessons from the first foldable model (expected earlier).

• A special 20th-anniversary iPhone — Marking two decades since the original iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2007. This could feature premium materials, groundbreaking design tweaks, or exclusive features to celebrate the milestone.

MacDailyNews Take: The timing suggests Apple is coordinating these launches for maximum impact, likely around the usual September/October window or a special event.

This lineup comes amid intensifying competition in AI hardware. With rivals advancing in wearables and foldables, Apple is betting big on seamless integration across its ecosystem — iPhone, AirPods, and future AR/Vision devices.

The camera AirPods, in particular, hint at a future where your earbuds don’t just play music, but also actively help you understand and interact with the world around you. Combined with ongoing Apple Intelligence improvements, 2027 could mark the year Apple’s AI vision truly takes off in consumers’ pockets and ears.

Of course, plans can shift (Apple is known for iterating behind the scenes), but the signals are clear: With a new product-focused CEO, 2027 is shaping up to be a banner year for innovation at Cupertino!

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Today, Apple TV announced a fourth season renewal for the multi-Emmy Award-nominated travel series “The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy,” hosted and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”). The new eight-episode season will follow Levy as he attempts to up the ante by saying “yes” to the kinds of travel experiences he’s spent a lifetime carefully avoiding, even in previous seasons. Saying “no” used to be his happy place, but after three seasons on the road, he’s discovered he may be more adventurous than he ever thought possible. This season, he pushes himself even further by embracing unfamiliar experiences, unexpected challenges and the kinds of adventures he once would have instantly and instinctively turned down.

“After three seasons on the show I have just about accepted, albeit begrudgingly, that saying ‘yes’ to new experiences is not necessarily a bad thing for me,” said Eugene Levy in a statement. So, I’ve committed to saying ‘yes’ a little more often this season. It’s a strategy I’m approaching with considerable caution.”

Since its debut, “The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy” has received broad acclaim from critics and fans around the world. Hailed as “dazzling, delightful … and gorgeously filmed” and “perhaps the perfect blend of travel documentary and pure comedy,” the series features host Levy as “an absolute delight to watch” and “endlessly entertaining.” Season three highlights included an episode with Prince William that became a global sensation, as headlines applauded the royal as “you’ve never seen him,” with “an extraordinary set of revelations” in a “rare” and “very personal and emotional conversation” with Levy, speaking “as both heir to the throne” and “a father determined to do things differently.” The third season also featured Grammy Award-winning superstar Michael Bublè and adventures with Levy’s daughter, Sarah, with more very special guests to come in season four. The series has won Best Travel/Adventure Show and Best Unstructured Series at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards, Best Variety or Reality Show at the Imagen Awards, and received Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special and Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program, alongside a nod for Best Ongoing Documentary from the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, among many other honors. The complete first three seasons are now streaming globally on Apple TV.

The series is produced for Apple TV by Twofour and is executive produced by Levy, David Brindley, Nic Patten, Lily Fitzpatrick, Iain Peckham and Adam Barry.

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 843 wins and 3,585 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 first developer betas are rarely known for their polish, but iOS 27 (and macOS 27) appear to be breaking that rule. In this personal account, Ben Lovejoy explains why he took the unusual step of installing the initial betas on his daily-driver iPhone and MacBook Air — and how their unexpected stability tells a bigger story about Apple’s extended internal testing and the long road to delivering on its ambitious Apple Intelligence promises.

Ben Lovejoy for 9to5Mac:
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What has struck me about both betas is their remarkable stability. I haven’t yet encountered a single app that either crashes or significantly misbehaves, and the number of bugs I’ve discovered to date are both few in number and entirely innocuous. I’ve found way more significant bugs in far later dot versions of previous developer betas.

I’m absolutely not advocating that anyone else should follow my example – it remains a bad idea as a matter of principle – but I do think it tells a story.

Specifically, it suggests that Apple has been using iOS 27 for a far more extended period of time within the company than is typical before the first developer release. That gels with the idea that the company genuinely believed it would be ready for release not long after the launch of the iPhone 16.

Apple was accused at the time of advertising vaporware, but it now looks much more likely that it did have working versions of the features it advertised, but decided they were too buggy to be released on the planned schedule. Of course, if it was too buggy to be released even as a developer beta, then the company should never have advertised the features, but it does put rather a different complexion on the situation. This was over-optimism, not deception.

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MacDailyNews Take: Do not install beta operating systems on mission critical hardware, but, by all means, if you have a testing device that’s supported have at the betas. More info: beta.apple.com

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SpaceX stock is surging in early trading, pushing its market capitalization above $2.9 trillion and putting the rocket and AI company neck-and-neck with Microsoft. Combined with Tesla’s roughly $1.3 trillion valuation, Elon Musk’s two flagship companies are closing in on Apple’s $4.3 trillion market cap — a striking milestone for the newly public SpaceX just days after its record-breaking IPO.

This rapid ascent underscores the market’s massive bet on Musk’s intertwined empire of space exploration, electric vehicles, and cutting-edge AI.

Brian Sozzi for Yahoo Finance:
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A $2.9 trillion market cap for SpaceX would put it roughly in line with tech heavyweight and nicely profitable Microsoft (MSFT), with a $2.95 trillion market cap, according to Yahoo Finance AlphaSpace data.

What’s more, the combined market cap of Elon Musk’s SpaceX ($2.9 trillion) and Tesla ($1.3 trillion) would be near the $4.3 trillion market cap of Apple, which is also nicely profitable, unlike SpaceX.

To say it has been a sizzling start for SpaceX would be an understatement.

SpaceX officially priced its stock at $135 on June 11, offering 555.6 million shares. The pricing valued SpaceX at $1.78 trillion. SpaceX made its historic public debut on the Nasdaq on June 12, when the stock officially opened for trading around midday at $150 per share.

On a net basis, retail investors have now bought almost as much SpaceX over the past two sessions as they bought across the entire US stock market last week.

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MacDailyNews Note: SpaceX (SPCX) just opened at $200.42
+7.92 (+4.11%) with a market cap of $2.52T. Tesla (TSLA) has a market cap of $1.515T. Combined market value: $4.035T. Apple (AAPL) currently has a market cap of $4.325T.

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Apple fans, your favorite travel rewards card just leveled up with perks tailored to your ecosystem. As of today, June 15, 2026, Chase has refreshed the Chase Sapphire Preferred card with stronger earning rates, enhanced travel protections, and — most exciting for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users — a complimentary one-year Apple TV subscription.

Why This Matters for Apple Device Users

• Free Apple TV for a Year: New and existing cardmembers can activate a full year of Apple TV+ at no cost (activate by December 31, 2026). Simply head to the Benefits & Rewards section in your Chase mobile app or online, link your Apple ID, and enjoy hit shows, movies, and originals. This pairs perfectly with your Apple devices — no extra apps or hassle required.

• 3x Points on Apple Streaming Services: Earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on purchases at Apple TV and Apple Music. This stacks nicely if you already subscribe to these services or gift them to family. Other major streamers like Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, and more also earn 3x, giving you broad coverage for your entertainment spending.

• Seamless Apple Pay & Wallet Integration: Like all Chase cards, the Sapphire Preferred works flawlessly with Apple Wallet. Add it for contactless payments, transit, and rewards tracking right from your iPhone. No foreign transaction fees mean it shines on international trips too.

New Earning Power That Fits Everyday Apple Lifestyles

The card keeps its $95 annual fee while adding real value:

• 3x on gas & EV charging — Perfect for Tesla owners or anyone road-tripping with an iPhone in the mount.

• 3x on vacation rentals (Airbnb, Vrbo, and more) — Book that dream stay through the Chase Travel portal for 5x instead.

• 5x on all Chase Travel purchases (flights, hotels, rental cars, activities) — Book your next adventure and watch points pile up fast.

• 3x on dining (including delivery) and online groceries — Everyday spending that funds more travel.

New cardmembers can earn a 100,000-point welcome bonus after spending $5,000 in the first three months — enough for several round-trip flights or luxury hotel stays when redeemed through Chase Travel.

Travel Perks That Give Peace of Mind

• $100 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit (doubled from $50)

• Up to $120 credit every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS

• Expanded protections, including Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage (up to $100,000)

• No blackout dates, Points Boost for extra value on popular hotels/flights, and flexible point redemptions (including transfers to airline/hotel partners)

Existing cardmembers get these updates automatically — no need to reapply.

MacDailyNews Note: If you own Apple devices, travel at least a couple times a year, and value premium streaming alongside strong rewards, the Sapphire Preferred now offers outstanding bang for its $95 fee. The Apple TV perk alone can offset a good chunk of the annual cost, while the boosted earning categories help you redeem for more trips (or even Apple gift cards via Ultimate Rewards promotions). More info via Chase.com/SapphirePreferred.

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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]

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Apple is breathing new life into older iPhones with iOS 27. Through under-the-hood optimizations — like major tweaks to the CPU scheduler — your aging device (even the 2019 iPhone 11) will see snappier app launches, faster AirDrop transfers, quicker photo library access, and smoother overall performance. It’s a smart reminder that you don’t always need the latest hardware to keep your iPhone feeling fresh.

Julian Chokkattu for Wired:
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Your aging iPhone will feel a little more responsive once you download iOS 27 later this year…

There’s a laundry list of improvements, from faster PDF saving to the camera launching faster when in Low Power Mode. But the main highlights? App launches are up to 30 percent faster — that’s tested on an iPhone 11 Pro Max. AirDrop file transfers are up to 80 percent faster (tested on an iPhone 16 Plus), and jumping into your photo library after snapping a photo will load images up to 70 percent faster, as tested on an iPhone 15.

Some of these improvements are thanks to optimizations to the iPhone’s CPU scheduler. This is a standard component in operating systems that coordinates work for the CPU, managing the traffic flow of apps and services so that the main thing you’re doing on your iPhone — the thing you’re currently focused on — runs smooth and fast. Apple’s most advanced CPU scheduler is in its latest devices, but the team brought many of those algorithm advancements down to the iPhone 11 in iOS 27.

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MacDailyNews Take: Pretend iPhones from the Android peddlers get nowhere near the length and breadth of support that real iPhones get from Apple, the inventor of the modern smartphone.

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Apple TV has dropped an intriguing teaser for the Season 1 finale of “Widow’s Bay,” one of the year’s most delightful breakout hits. The genre-bending comedy-horror series, which blends quirky small-town humor with genuine scares, wraps up its first season this week — and fans are buzzing with anticipation.

What Makes Widow’s Bay So Special?

Created by Katie Dippold (Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, The Heat) and directed in part by Hiro Murai (Atlanta), Widow’s Bay follows pragmatic (and somewhat cowardly) Mayor Tom Loftis, played brilliantly by Matthew Rhys. As a widower and single father, Loftis is desperate to revive the struggling New England island town by boosting tourism — despite locals’ firm belief that the place is cursed.

What starts as a fish-out-of-water comedy quickly spirals into supernatural territory as decades-old curses awaken. The show masterfully balances laugh-out-loud moments with creepy folk-horror vibes, earning rave reviews and consistent top spots on Apple TV charts.

Key Cast:
• Matthew Rhys as Mayor Tom Loftis
• Kate O’Flynn as Patricia
• Stephen Root as Wyck Crawford
• Kevin Carroll as Béchir
• Dale Dickey and more in memorable supporting roles

The ensemble brings the quirky island residents to life, making Widow’s Bay feel like a spiritual successor to Twin Peaks with sharper comedy and modern horror flair.

The Finale Teaser: “Knock Knock”

Apple posted a short, ominous teaser on X today featuring Mayor Loftis paying a visit to an important resident’s home. The tagline? “We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time!” — the title of the episode, which clocks in at a generous 48 minutes, the longest of the season.

Knock knock.

The season finale of #WidowsBay premieres this week. pic.twitter.com/63Xe0PiBN5

— Apple TV (@AppleTV) June 15, 2026

The official description teases emotional weight: “Season finale. We understand that hard choices had to be made and we may never be the same, but we hope you’ll visit again!”

If the previous episodes are any indication, expect a nightmarish yet hilarious climax that ties together the season’s supernatural threads while leaving plenty of hooks for Season 2.

Big News: Already Renewed for Season 2

Just days ago, Apple TV officially renewed Widow’s Bay for a second season. Creator Katie Dippold also signed a new multiyear overall deal with the streamer, ensuring more cursed island adventures are on the way.

When & Where to Watch

The Season 1 finale drops Tuesday, June 16 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on Apple TV. (Some reports note a possible Wednesday international rollout.)

MacDailyNews Take: Widow’s Bay proves Apple TV can deliver fresh, original storytelling that doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. Whether you’re in it for the horror, the comedy, or Matthew Rhys’ exasperated mayor energy, the finale promises to deliver.

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Apple has just seeded the second developer betas for its current-generation operating systems, focusing primarily on stability, bug fixes, and developer tooling rather than flashy new user-facing features. The releases come about three weeks after the first betas of the .6 updates dropped in late May.

What’s Included in Today’s Release

• macOS 26.6 beta 2 (build 25G5043d)
• iOS 26.6 beta 2 (build 23G5043d)
• iPadOS 26.6 beta 2 (build 23G5043d)
• watchOS 26.6 beta 2 (build 23U5040d)
• tvOS 26.6 beta 2 (build 23L5744d)
• visionOS 26.6 beta 2 (build 23O5743c)

These point releases follow the major iOS 26 / macOS 26 family that launched last fall, serving as maintenance updates to refine performance, security, and app compatibility ahead of the big iOS 27 push later this year.

What to Expect in the Second Betas

As is typical for mid-cycle point releases, the .6 series is relatively light on headline features. The first betas introduced a few notable changes that are likely being refined now:

• Enhanced security for Apple Maps — A new “Maps BlastDoor” framework adds sandboxing protections similar to those in Messages.

• Blocked Contacts improvements — Users now see clearer alerts when approaching or hitting the maximum number of blocked contacts.

• Under-the-hood tweaks — Expect continued work on RCS encryption, CarPlay stability, Safari performance, and various bug fixes. Early testers report solid battery life and fewer glitches compared to the initial .6 seeds.

The second betas emphasize API updates, compatibility testing for apps, and polishing existing changes rather than introducing brand-new capabilities. Build sizes range from roughly 9GB on iPhones to larger downloads on Macs.

How to Install

Developers can download the updates via the Apple Developer portal or over-the-air after installing the first beta. Always back up your device first — Apple’s standard warning applies.

Public beta testers should see the matching public betas arrive in the coming days through the Apple Beta Software Program.
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MacDailyNews Take: With iOS 27 betas already circulating among developers (and public betas expected soon), these .6 updates represent the final major maintenance cycle for the 26 series. They’re ideal for users who want the latest security patches and refinements without jumping straight into next year’s major overhaul.

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Apple’s Image Playground finally delivers on its promise with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. The AI image generator that launched to widespread criticism in 2024 has been dramatically upgraded. Once mocked for cartoonish results and basic flaws like extra limbs, the new version produces sharp, photorealistic, and creative images that actually match your prompts — often rivaling (or beating) what you’d get from other tools.

In this preview, Cult of Mac tests the improvements side-by-side, explores on-device vs. cloud generation, and discovers a genuinely useful tool for everyday creativity.

Ed Hardy for Cult of Mac:
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Image Playground was one of the flagship features unveiled as part of Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024. The app was designed to let users quickly create playful, AI-generated images from text prompts, photos and suggested concepts… Problem is, Image Playground produced cartoon-y images with all the typical AI flaws, like too many limbs or fingers. It quickly became one of the most criticized Apple Intelligence features because many users found it far less capable and more restricted than rival AI image generators.

Thankfully, Apple used WWDC26 to unveil a new generation of Image Playground. I and my co-worker D. Griffin Jones have been testing it…

And before I say anything else, it is important to note that we’ve been playing around with the first developer beta of the new Image Playground. The full version won’t be released to the general public for at least three months, and there’s plenty of time for improvement.

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MacDailyNews Take: The new Image Playground really is “night and day” better!

Check out all of the side-by-side and other examples of Apple’s new Image Playground beta in the full article here.

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In the high-stakes world of AI, loyalty is everything — and Apple is fighting to keep it.

As of mid-2026, consumers have more AI options than ever. xAI’s Grok, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and others deliver powerful, conversational intelligence right in your pocket. Meanwhile, Apple’s long-criticized Siri has lagged far, far behind, often feeling more like a rudimentary voice command tool from the 2010s than a true smart AI-powered assistant.

That’s why today’s Bloomberg newsletter hits hard: Apple wants its revamped Siri AI to keep users from switching to rival AI chatbots. The company is pouring resources into turning Siri into a deeply integrated, conversational powerhouse with iOS 27 — but the pressure is on. Will “good enough” be enough?

The Siri Glow-Up: From Voice Commands to Full AI Chatbot

Apple has been teasing major Siri upgrades for years. At WWDC 2026, the company unveiled Siri AI — a profoundly more capable version powered by Apple Intelligence. Key highlights include:

• Conversational depth — Natural, context-aware responses that pull from your personal data (messages, emails, photos) while respecting privacy.

• System-wide integration — A dedicated Siri app, on-screen awareness, web search, writing tools, and seamless work across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more.

• Open to rivals — Users can choose third-party models to power Siri features, turning the iPhone into an AI platform rather than forcing Apple’s own tech.

This isn’t just an update — it’s Apple’s bid to make Siri the default hub for AI on its billion-plus devices. The strategy? Embed AI so tightly into the Apple ecosystem that jumping to a separate ChatGPT app feels unnecessary.

Why This Battle Matters

Users aren’t loyal to brands anymore — they’re loyal to tools that just work.

• Young users especially are already defaulting to Grok, ChatGPT, and/or Gemini for complex queries, research, creativity, and daily help.

• If Siri feels clunky or limited, the friction of opening another app disappears in a world of widgets, shortcuts, and always-on AI.

• Apple’s edge: Privacy, on-device processing, and personal context that cloud-only rivals can’t match as safely. But if the experience doesn’t feel superior – or at least comparable – to rivals, those advantages may not save it.

Bloomberg News’ Austin Carr nails the core tension: Consumers now have lots of AI choices. Apple’s assistant must match — or exceed — rivals in usefulness, or risk eroding the iPhone’s sticky ecosystem advantage.

The High Stakes for Apple

Success could reinforce Apple’s dominance and open new revenue streams (think App Store cuts from AI subscriptions). Failure? Accelerated churn as power users migrate habits — and eventually devices — toward more AI-forward platforms.

Apple is playing catch-up, but playing smart: leveraging its hardware moat, privacy focus, and now openness to third-party models. The revamped Siri isn’t trying to beat ChatGPT at its own game — it’s trying to make the entire iPhone the game.
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MacDailyNews Take: From what we’ve seen so far, Siri AI is actually more than “good enough.” It’s a very solid foundation upon which Apple can build for years to come. Plus, Siri AI is woven deeply into Apple’s operating systems and broader ecosystem — something no rival chatbot can come anywhere near matching in terms of frictionless ease of use.

See also:
• New Apple Foundation Models contain ‘none’ of Google’s Gemini Assistant – June 9, 2026
• Apple’s Siri AI is not ‘Google Gemini with Apple branding’; here’s how it really works – June 8, 2026

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Indian district officials on Monday surveyed farmland surrounding Tata Electronics’ iPhone component factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, following a state pollution board warning that wastewater discharge from the plant had contaminated groundwater in nearby wells.

The move adds fresh scrutiny to Apple’s key supplier as it ramps up iPhone production in India, with local farmers reporting foul-smelling water and reduced crop yields. Tata maintains it is compliant with environmental norms.

Reuters:
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Tata Electronics is central to Apple’s push to diversify iPhone making beyond China. The plant facing scrutiny is located in ​Hosur, 25 miles south of tech hub Bengaluru, and makes back panels and other components for ​iPhones.

The southern Tamil Nadu state’s pollution body has warned Tata of a forced shutdown ⁠unless it explains why the body’s inspections between December 2025 and May 2026 found that wastewater ​discharge was affecting open wells in adjacent agricultural lands, Reuters reported on Saturday.

Tata says its independent analysis determined ​it was in compliance with regulatory norms and it was “committed to responsible business practices and protection of the environment and local communities.”

One ‌farmer ⁠near the Tata plant, P. Pushparaj, told Reuters on Monday he had filed a complaint with authorities after observing discharge from the plant was “dirty and had a bad smell”, adding he suspected it affected his crops. “We continued our agriculture, but we didn’t get proper yields,” he said.

The state pollution control body has said Tata discharged wastewater into a rainwater harvesting pond inside its facility and that the pond ​overflowed to contaminate “groundwater in the open wells located in the adjacent agricultural lands”.

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MacDailyNews Take: We expect that is there is an issue, Apple will work closely with Tata to rectify it.

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Apple has been under pressure to catch up in the AI race. At WWDC 2026, the company unveiled a major overhaul to Siri, now powered by advanced Apple Intelligence. According to <Bloomberg News’ hands-on review of iOS 27 and macOS 27 betas, the results are solid — reliable for the first time in years — but not revolutionary.

Hands-On with the New Siri AI: Reliable, Contextual, and Finally Useful

The revamped Siri features a dedicated app with a ChatGPT-like chat interface, supporting both voice and text input. It integrates deeply with your personal data — messages, calendars, photos, Safari history — for context-aware responses. Multi-step tasks across apps work more smoothly, and it syncs conversations across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Mark Gurman’s assessment sums it up well: it’s “just good enough” to ease Apple’s AI crisis. It delivers on promises from two years ago, performs reliably for everyday tasks, and acts as a capable on-device copilot. Early testers praise the glowing orb design, screen awareness, and privacy-focused on-device processing. However, it still lags behind the most cutting-edge models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic in raw intelligence.

Key improvements in iOS 27/macOS 27:

• Natural, multi-turn conversations
• On-screen awareness and deep personal context
• Multi-app actions (e.g., find a document and share it)
• Better integration with Dynamic Island and system-wide access
• Privacy-first design with on-device and private cloud compute

It requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later (same as current Apple Intelligence), with public betas expected in July and a full release this fall.

iOS 27 Hints Strongly at the Foldable iPhone

The software betas contain clear references to folding hardware and UI adaptations for flexible, larger displays. This points to an iPhone Fold launching around 2027, likely starting at $2,000 to compete with Samsung’s foldables. Expect optimized apps, new multitasking gestures, and durability-focused features.

Touch-Screen MacBook Incoming?

macOS 27 betas also hint at touchscreen support, fueling speculation about a touch-enabled MacBook. This could bridge the gap between iPad and Mac workflows, potentially featuring a touchscreen keyboard area or full display interactivity. Apple has long resisted touch on Macs to avoid cannibalizing iPads, but the software groundwork suggests change is coming.

The Bigger Picture

Apple isn’t trying to out-innovate the AI leaders with flashy new models. Instead, it’s doubling down on privacy, ecosystem integration, and reliability — areas where it already excels. The new Siri should feel like a helpful daily assistant rather than a gimmick, which could be enough to calm investors and users.

The real story for hardware enthusiasts is the preparation for big form-factor changes: a foldable iPhone and potentially a touchscreen MacBook. iOS 27 and macOS 27 are laying the software foundation for Apple’s next hardware era.
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MacDailyNews Take: If you have a compatible device that’s not mission critical, Apple’s developer betas are worth trying for a sneak peek. The public beta drops soon — expect more refinements before the stable release this September.

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Apple’s controversial “Liquid Glass” translucent UI effect, which drew heavy criticism for poor legibility in its initial release, has seen major improvements in the iOS 27 developer beta. While the new transparency slider lets users dial the effect from strong glass to fully opaque, 9to5Mac’s Ben Lovejoy found that Apple also refined the blurring and rendering under the hood. Even with Liquid Glass maxed out, text and interface elements remain perfectly readable in challenging scenarios (like overlapping black text), effectively resolving the biggest pain points of the original implementation.

Ben Lovejoy for 9to5Mac:
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Liquid Glass was the most contentious UI change Apple has introduced in many years. While many of us really liked it, there was a sizable chunk of the Apple user base who absolutely hated it.

To be … clear, the first implementation was very bad… The company initially responded with a toggle, while iOS 27 offers a more flexible solution in the form of a slider. At one end, the glass effect is very strong, and at the other, the glass is frosted to such a degree that it is essentially completely opaque. This is indistinguishable from switching off the effect completely.

I decided to experiment with it, starting with the effect maxed out. I was expecting to later adjust it, but instead found that Apple has made a number of changes to the Liquid Glass implementation which means that everything remains perfectly legible even with maximum transparency.

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MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s Liquid Glass fixes in iOS 27 add up to a solid win for fans of the design — and potentially a sign that Apple could push the effect even further in future updates.

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In a new Wired interview, Apple’s head of camera software, Jon McCormack, explains how the company is bringing generative AI to the iPhone’s Photos app in iOS 27 — without going overboard. New tools like Extend (which adds realistic space around your shot) and Spatial Reframe (which shifts perspective) use AI to generate “fake pixels” that fix common compositional mistakes. McCormack argues these features give everyday users Photoshop-like superpowers while protecting the authenticity of personal memories, taking a more restrained approach than competitors.

Julian Chokkattu for Wired:
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As tech giants pack generative AI capabilities into our phones and their camera software, the line between what is a real image and what isn’t continues to blur. Phones from Google and Samsung, for example, now come with features that let you drastically alter a photo by erasing people, moving people around in the shot, and even adding new objects to the scene.

Apple is getting in on the action by adding new generative features to its Photos app, though the company’s iPhone camera chief, Jon McCormack, stresses that Apple is taking a more measured approach than its competitors and isn’t “doing AI for the sake of AI.”

At its annual Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday, Apple showed off a handful of AI features invading the Photos app in iOS 27, which will arrive on iPhones later this year.

While the iPhone’s Photos app already has the Clean Up tool, which lets you erase unwanted objects in pictures, it’ll perform even better in iOS 27 thanks to its access to Apple’s improved AI models. However, there are two new features—called Extend and Spatial Reframe—that let you expand the space around your photo or change the perspective of an image, all while generating fake pixels. The camera “thinks” about what should be there, then draws it in.

McCormack says there’s a giant backlog of unsolvable issues that AI is now helping to address and that these new features are very deliberate. “You don’t have to know all the details of how to do something in Photoshop or something else — it gives normal people these absolute superpowers,” McCormack says.

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MacDailyNews Take: The Extend tool in Apple’s Photos app is an great example of a genuinely useful AI tool that people will use often.

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After years of underwhelming performance, Apple is finally delivering on Siri’s original promise. In a new USA Today column, tech analyst Bob O’Donnell explains how the revamped Siri AI — unveiled at WWDC 2026 and powered by Apple Intelligence — transforms the assistant into a truly intelligent, context-aware helper that respects your privacy while handling everyday tasks with ease.

Bob O’Donnell for USA Today:
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Fifteen years ago, the Siri vision was grand. A personal digital assistant that would be at your beck and call to find whatever information you wanted and do whatever you requested in a manner that was customized to you.

The reality, however, was not all that. Misunderstood questions, frustrating responses, and little more than fancy timer settings was about all we got.

At this week’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), though, Apple seems to have gone back to that original perspective and finally delivered what we always hoped Siri would be—an intelligent, always connected, genuinely helpful colleague that can find information, assist in completing tasks, and take advantage of the incredible capabilities that our modern devices now have. Importantly, given Apple’s strong focus on privacy, it can do all of this in a way that doesn’t expose your data to anyone — not even Apple…

I’m guessing that most of the personal requests that people make to chatbots are relatively simple, particularly as they’re getting used to the technology. What is critically important is understanding and responding to those requests with the knowledge of your personal context—and that’s a key differentiating capability that Apple has brought to the new Siri.

In other words, by being able to see and understand the information on your device, Siri can respond in a way that’s meaningful to you…

It’s rare that companies that are late to major tech advancements end up benefitting from that timing. But for Apple, it looks like the new Siri AI may be arriving right on time.

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MacDailyNews Take: Siri AI just works. It’s a great foundation to build upon for many years to come!

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In “Widow’s Bay,” something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community. There’s no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception and he must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed. He wants these people to respect him. They don’t. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination. Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again.

Blending genuine horror with character-driven comedy, “Widow’s Bay” stars Rhys alongside Kate O’Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, and Dale Dickey. The supporting cast includes K Callan and Emmy Award winner Jeff Hiller.

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The original pilot for Widow’s Bay was written by Katie Dippold nearly 20 years ago as a spec submission for Parks and Recreation, the beloved NBC sitcom which she went on to write for over three seasons. Years later, after her debut feature script The Heat went into production with director Paul Feig (before going on to gross nearly $230 million worldwide), Dippold started pitching Widow’s Bay out. This iteration of the show was relatively jokey. “I don’t think we’d have a flashback episode; I don’t think there’d be real tension and scares,” Dippold says. “It would just be so different.”

Dippold tells The Hollywood Reporter that in the early 2010s, Amazon, then the nascent streamer behind distinctive half-hours like Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle, was about to make her an offer to make that version of Widow’s Bay. She said no and pulled it before they could pull the trigger. “I just had this bad feeling. I put a pin in it. I just knew it wasn’t ready,” she says. “I knew I hadn’t thought enough about the show or the world.”

Here we are in 2026, and the debut season of Widow’s Bay has emerged as something of a word-of-mouth phenomenon on Apple TV, blending layered comedy with honest-to-God jumpscares. (The season-one finale airs this coming Wednesday.) Oscar winner Guillermo Del Toro recently posted that it “may very well be the best streaming series in a long time… and hands down one of the most mesmerizing acts of narrative prestidigitation in horror.” Ben Stiller has dubbed it “excellent.” Jonathan Bailey called it “incredible top-tier television.” The New York Times just named it the best new show of the year.

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MacDailyNews Take: We can’t wait for the “Widow’s Bay” finale next Wednesday!

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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]

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In a landmark moment that cements his status as one of history’s most transformative entrepreneurs, Elon Musk has officially crossed the threshold to become the world’s first trillionaire. His net worth now exceeds $1.1 trillion, propelled by his substantial stakes in Tesla and the explosive debut of SpaceX on the public markets.

The SpaceX IPO That Changed Everything

Today, June 12, 2026, SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol SPCX in what is being hailed as the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history. The company raised a staggering $75 billion by offering approximately 555.6 million shares at $135 each, valuing SpaceX at around $1.78 trillion at the IPO price.

Musk’s roughly 42-50% ownership stake in SpaceX alone is now worth hundreds of billions, with estimates placing it at approximately $866.5 billion or more depending on post-IPO trading performance. When combined with his Tesla holdings (valued at roughly $287 billion), Musk’s fortune in these two companies alone surpasses $1.15 trillion — before accounting for his other ventures like xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company.

SpaceX opened trading above its IPO price, with early indications showing strong demand and shares trading over $160 currently, further boosting Musk’s paper wealth.

A Journey Decades in the Making

Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the audacious goal of making humanity multi-planetary. For over two decades, the company remained private while pioneering reusable rockets, Starlink satellite internet (now serving millions of users), and the ambitious Starship program aimed at Mars colonization. A recent merger with xAI added further technological synergy.

The IPO marks the culmination of that vision. It not only delivers massive liquidity to early investors and employees – thousands of whom are now millionaires – but also validates the enormous potential of space technology as a commercial powerhouse.

What This Milestone Means

Reaching trillionaire status puts Musk’s wealth in rarefied territory — more than the GDP of most countries. It underscores the explosive growth of technology – driven companies and the role of visionary leadership in creating unprecedented value.

Musk’s achievements are undeniable: Tesla accelerated the global shift to electric vehicles, while SpaceX dramatically lowered the cost of space access and built critical infrastructure like Starlink.

As trading continues on this historic day, one thing is clear: Elon Musk’s bet on the future has paid off on a scale few could have imagined. The question now isn’t whether he could reach this milestone, but what humanity will achieve with the innovations his companies continue to drive.
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MacDailyNews Take: Wealth is not a fixed pie. It is created. Expanded. Multiplied. And nobody in our lifetime has demonstrated that truth more clearly than Elon Musk.

Talented, driven individuals don’t just rearrange existing wealth, they grow the entire economic pie. Henry Ford didn’t steal from carriage makers; he made personal transportation affordable for the masses. Steve Jobs didn’t impoverish the world by selling iPhones; he created an entirely new category of computing that generates trillions in economic activity. Musk is simply the latest, and currently largest, example of the same principle.

Welcome to the trillionaire era!

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Hedge funds trimmed or exited positions in Apple and other major U.S. technology stocks and, in some cases, added bearish bets just days before SpaceX’s highly anticipated public debut, according to a JPMorgan note.

As shares of the “Magnificent Seven” — Nvidia, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Tesla and Microsoft — slipped more than 2% this week, data showed funds dialing back risk exposure in the sector to make room for Elon Musk’s rocket company, which is set to list Friday at a targeted valuation of $1.77 trillion.

The moves highlight how even the most crowded trades on Wall Street are being reshuffled in anticipation of what could be one of the largest IPOs in history.

Reuters:
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Hedge funds sold out of the biggest U.S. tech stocks, and some even added bearish positions, according ​to data from a JPMorgan note late Thursday, just ‌before SpaceX (SPCX) was set to go public on Friday.

Shares in the “Magnificent Seven” — a group that includes some of the biggest tech names on Wall Street, namely ​Nvidia (NVDA), Apple (AAPL), Amazon.com (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL), Meta (META), Tesla (TSLA), and Microsoft (MSFT), have ​all declined since last Friday.

The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ⁠ETF, which tracks these stocks closely, declined over 2.4% since ​June 5, with some analysts saying investors were clearing their decks in ​order to prepare for the debut of Elon Musk’s Space X on Friday.

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MacDailyNews Take: The real reason behind Apple’s selloff wasn’t so much about Siri AI or anything else shown at WWDC. It was to take profits near an all-time high to free up cash to get in on SpaceX’s IPO.

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Apple’s forthcoming iOS 27 enables landscape mode in more of Apple’s built-in iPhone apps, including Apple Music, Podcasts, Fitness, Health, Reminders, Home, Shortcuts, Apple Watch, Find My, Weather, Voice Memos, Apple TV Remote, and others.

Joe Rossignol for MacRumors:
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In the Apple Music and Podcasts apps, landscape support is limited to the audio player for now.

Many of the apps feature a left-aligned sidebar in landscape mode. In the Messages app, which already supported landscape orientation on iOS 26 and earlier, you can now collapse the sidebar to show only names and profile pictures.

Landscape mode was already available on iOS 26 or earlier in Apple Maps, Calendar, Files, Notes, Mail, and some other Apple apps too, but iOS 27 expands support to many more apps. This change could be laying the groundwork for the “iPhone Ultra,” as landscape-friendly apps would be well suited for the rumored foldable device.

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MacDailyNews Take: Many screenshots and more info in the full article here.

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Apple continues to solidify its position as a tech powerhouse, with impressive gains in market share across its product lineup. According to Counterpoint Research data comparing Q1 2025 to Q1 2026, the company is expanding its influence in both volume shipments and high-value revenue segments. This performance underscores Apple’s strategy of premium positioning, ecosystem lock-in, and innovation that drives upgrades and loyalty.

Volume Market Share: Steady Growth in Hardware Shipments

Apple posted gains in most major categories by shipment volume:

• iPad: Rose from 34% to 37% global share, reinforcing its lead in the tablet market.
• Apple Watch: Climbed from 20% to 23%, extending its commanding presence in smartwatches.
• iPhone: Increased from 19% to 21%, highlighting strong demand for the iPhone 17 series and broader market momentum.
• Mac: Improved from 12% to 14%, benefiting from professional and creative user demand.
• AirPods: Held steady near the top at around 20-21%, maintaining a robust position in wireless audio.

These volume increases reflect Apple’s ability to capture more unit sales even in competitive categories, driven by product refreshes and expanding appeal in emerging markets.

Revenue Market Share: Premium Powerhouse

Apple’s strength shines even brighter when looking at revenue share, where its high-average-selling-price (ASP) strategy pays dividends:

• iPad: Surged from 54% to 60% — a dominant lead in premium tablets.
• iPhone: Jumped from 43% to 48%, cementing its role as the profit engine.
• Apple Watch: Edged up from 37% to 38%.
• AirPods: Slightly dipped from 40% to 35% but remains a major contributor.
• Mac: Increased from 28% to 22%, possibly due to broader market dynamics or mix shifts.

Overall, Apple’s revenues showed strong year-over-year growth in recent quarters – fueled by both hardware and especially services expansion.

Why This Matters: Ecosystem and Premium Strategy

Apple’s gains aren’t accidental. The iPhone 17 series has driven upgrades, while wearables and tablets benefit from seamless integration with the broader ecosystem. Services (not detailed in these segment charts but a growing revenue pillar) add recurring high-margin income that boosts overall profitability.In a maturing smartphone market, Apple’s focus on quality, privacy, performance, and ecosystem stickiness allows it to grow share where others fight for volume. Mac and iPad continue to appeal to creators and professionals, while Watch and AirPods expand the “Apple user” footprint.

Looking Ahead

With WWDC 2026 spotlighting AI advancements and software enhancements, Apple is well-positioned to sustain this momentum. Challenges like competition in China or potential economic headwinds remain, but the data paints a picture of a company strengthening its moat.
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple isn’t just selling products — it’s selling an interconnected experience that customers value highly. These market share gains signal continued leadership in the premium tech space for the foreseeable future.

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Recently hailed as “better than Martha’s Vineyard,” Widow’s Bay is open for another season. Today, Apple TV announced a season two renewal for the acclaimed, fan-favorite series led by Emmy Award-winning star and executive producer Matthew Rhys, and hailing from creator and executive producer Katie Dippold and Emmy Award-winning executive producer and director Hiro Murai.
Additionally, Apple TV announced a new, multiyear overall deal with Dippold.

The news arrives ahead of the highly anticipated season one finale, premiering Wednesday, June 17 on Apple TV.
Since its global debut, “Widow’s Bay” quickly rose to Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and has earned praise as “the year’s best new show,” “the show of the summer,” “one of the brightest surprises on streaming right now,” “unlike anything on TV” and a “perfectly executed,” “absolute gem of a TV show.”

“From the moment audiences arrived in Widow’s Bay, they’ve been hooked on every eerie mystery, unexpected laugh and cursed secret that Katie, Hiro, Matthew and the entire team have created,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming, Apple TV. “It’s become one of those shows everyone’s talking about, and we’re thrilled to see audiences continue to embrace it. We can’t wait to return for another season.”

“Season two is about how everything is great on the island and there’s nothing to worry about,” said creator, showrunner and executive producer Katie Dippold.

In “Widow’s Bay,” something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis (Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community. There’s no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception and he must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed. He wants these people to respect him. They don’t. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination. Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again.

Blending genuine horror with character-driven comedy, “Widow’s Bay” stars Rhys alongside Kate O’Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll and Dale Dickey. The supporting cast includes K Callan and Emmy Award winner Jeff Hiller.
Hailing from Apple Studios, “Widow’s Bay” is created, showrun and executive produced by Dippold. Murai executive produces through his banner Chum Films alongside Carver Karaszewski, Claudia Shin and Rhys. Murai directed five episodes in the first season, with the other episodes in the season directed by Ti West, Sam Donovan and Andrew DeYoung.

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 843 wins and 3,565 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: Well deserved!

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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In his latest hands-on with the macOS 27 Golden Gate beta, Ars Technica’s Andrew Cunningham steps away from the heavy AI focus of WWDC 2026 to highlight five thoughtful platform improvements and one lingering wish. From refined Liquid Glass controls and smarter window design to better external display support and useful menu bar tweaks, Golden Gate delivers subtle but welcome fit-and-finish upgrades that address real user feedback.

Andrew Cunningham for Ars Technica:
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Apple doesn’t retreat from Liquid Glass in macOS Golden Gate, but it does tone down the effect in a few places while reverting to a more Big Sur-ish design in a couple of crucial areas.

The most prominent tweak is the slider in the Appearance settings that gives users fine-grained control over Liquid Glass’ opacity. This replaces the binary “Clear/Tinted” toggle that Apple added in the macOS 26.1 release, and it has been added to the macOS setup flow so users can choose what they want when they upgrade their operating system or get a new Mac.

Liquid Glass’ baseline appearance has been improved a bit, too, even for people who push that slider all the way to the left for maximum glassiness…

Golden Gate also removes most of the little SF Symbols glyphs from next to menu items.

Golden Gate makes a couple of changes to improve the Mac’s support for external displays. Most concretely, it’s adding native support for 5K ultrawide displays… Apple also says Macs will do a better job of remembering how windows were positioned on multi-monitor displays, useful for laptop owners who regularly dock and undock their systems to one or more external displays.

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MacDailyNews Take: There’s a bunch more hallelujah! moments, often with screenshots, in the highly recommended full article here.

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Ronald Wayne once owned 10% of Apple. Today, that stake would be worth roughly $400 billion. Instead, he sold it for $800.

It’s the kind of decision routinely labeled one of the worst business mistakes in history — especially now that Apple is valued at around $4 trillion. But Wayne, now 91, doesn’t see it that way.

Clay Halton for MoneyWise:
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“My success has never been defined by money,” he wrote in a recent statement to Fortune. “It’s been defined by acting with clarity, integrity, and sound judgment, given what I actually knew at the time.”

Wayne’s situation was different from that of his younger partners. At 41, he was the “adult in the room,” he said, with a house, a car and personal savings he couldn’t afford to lose. If the business failed, he feared creditors would pursue his personal assets to cover losses. For him, the downside risk was potentially devastating.

So just 12 days after signing the founding agreement, Wayne sold his 10% stake for $800. He later accepted an additional $1,500 to fully relinquish any future claims.

With the benefit of hindsight, it looks like a catastrophic financial mistake. But based on the information available at the time, it was a calculated decision to limit risk, not chase an uncertain payoff.

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MacDailyNews Take: Ron is a unique individual. Not sure we’d have lasted 50 seconds, much less 50 years and counting, trying to live with the consequence of that decision.

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Stephen King is praising another new Apple TV series. The legendary author is among the many viewers who have enjoyed the streamer’s ten-episode comedic horror series “Widow’s Bay,” in which each installment plays like its own self-contained movie while still dropping hints about the larger story.

Apple TV is on a strong run overall, with recent originals like “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and “Star City” also gaining traction.

In a new post on X, King singled out the ten-episode crime drama “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.”

ScreenRant:
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The seminal scribe called the series “very entertaining”, though he takes issue with some “goofy plot holes.” He concludes by underlining the lead character’s occupation, noting, “Copy-editors are an unused fictional resource. Who’s a better detective than a good copy-editor?”

Created by David J. Rosen, “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed”” stars Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany as Paula, a divorced mother who feels a sort of passive dissatisfaction with her life. She finds joy in her conversations with younger camboy Trevor (13 Reasons Why alum Brandon Flynn). But things take a turn one evening when she witnesses Trevor being attacked on camera during one of those conversations.

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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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In a bold statement, prolific leaker Instant Digital has declared that Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook is now “100% confirmed.” The claim, shared via Weibo this morning, comes from a source with a solid track record on Apple supply chain intel.

For years, Apple resisted adding touchscreens to its Mac lineup. Steve Jobs famously dismissed vertical touch surfaces back in 2010 due to arm fatigue, and as recently as 2021, Apple’s hardware engineering leadership called the Mac “totally optimized for indirect input.” But times have changed — and the rumors have grown too consistent to ignore.

The Road to Touchscreen Macs

This isn’t the first we’ve heard about touchscreen MacBooks. Reports date back to at least early 2023, when Mark Gurman suggested an OLED MacBook Pro could be the pioneer. Timelines slipped, but momentum has built steadily:

• Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro models entering mass production in late 2026.

•  Gurman has repeatedly confirmed the plan for 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with touch support, targeting late 2026 or early 2027 (though memory chip shortages could push it).

• The new models are expected to carry M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a thinner design, OLED displays, Dynamic Island (replacing the notch), and possibly “MacBook Ultra” branding.

Apple isn’t turning the Mac into an iPad clone. According to reports, the touchscreen will be “touch-friendly, not touch-first”—you’ll still have the trackpad and keyboard as primary inputs, with touch as an optional, interchangeable way to interact. macOS 27’s enhanced Sidecar features (allowing direct touch on iPad-mirrored Mac interfaces) hint at broader touch optimizations coming to the OS.

Will It Change Everything?

Reaction online is mixed. Some users are excited about the flexibility — quick scrolling, annotations, or gestures without leaving the keyboard. Others dread fingerprints on that beautiful display and see it as unnecessary when an iPad already exists for touch tasks.

Apple’s shift makes sense in a world where hybrid work and creative tools blur lines between laptops and tablets. But success will depend on execution: Will the touchscreen feel premium and responsive enough to justify the change? Will macOS evolve without compromising the precision mouse-and-keyboard users love?

The first touchscreen MacBook Pro (or Ultra) is still likely 6–18 months away, so there’s time for more details to emerge. In the meantime, this leaker’s “100% confirmed” claim adds serious weight to what was once a distant rumor.
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MacDailyNews Take: Nobody touches our MacBook Pro displays, not even us!

We’re perfectly fine with using mice and trackpads, so we’ll continue to keep our Mac displays free of greasy fingerprints, even if we end up with touchscreen Macs.

Who really wants to smear their fingers all over their MacBook Pro’s display?

Touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical. After an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off. – Steve Jobs

For many years, every MacBook Pro has offered a built-in multi-touch-capable Force Touch trackpad.

Does it make more sense to be smearing your fingers around on your notebook’s screen or on a spacious trackpad that’s designed specifically and solely to be touched? … The iPhone’s screen has to be touched; that’s all it has available. A MacBook’s screen does not have to be touched in order to offer Multi-Touch. — MacDailyNews, March 26, 2009

I think anything can be forced to converge. The problem is that products are about tradeoffs, and you begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left at the end of the day doesn’t please anyone. You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user. – Apple CEO Tim Cook, remarking on the idea of a converged Mac and iPad, April 25, 2012

We really feel that the ergonomics of using a Mac are that your hands are rested on a surface, and that lifting your arm up to poke a screen is a pretty fatiguing thing to do. I don’t think we’ve looked at any of the other guys to date and said, how fast can we get there? — Apple SVP Craig Federighi, June 5, 2018

[Y]ou get this in-between thing, and in-between things are never as good as the individual things themselves. We believe the best personal computer is a Mac, and we want to keep going down that path. And we think the best tablet computing device is an iPad, and we’ll go down that path.

iPad benefits because we assume that you need to be able to do most everything with touch, and we don’t have to trade off on that experience. Mac assumes you want to do most everything with a keyboard and mouse input. We don’t have to trade off on that path. You can look at some of the other products that will try to go halfway between the two. They end up just compromising experiences. That’s not good. – Apple SVP Phil Schiller, November 13, 2019

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After a rocky first attempt at AI-powered Siri, Apple’s latest upgrade in iOS 27 delivers on basic but useful tasks: pulling context from emails and calendars, adding events from screenshots or flyers, diagnosing garden problems, and handling follow-up requests reliably.

Hands-on testing shows it’s still fairly basic compared to Google’s Gemini, but for longtime Siri skeptics, the simple fact that “it actually works” marks a meaningful step forward in rebuilding trust.

Allison Johnson for The Verge:
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After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

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MacDailyNews Take: Siri AI so far is a foundation – a strong base upon which to build – and it does just work!

“Here’s the thing: When you ask Siri AI a wide variety of questions and pose commands that the current Siri simply cannot handle, Siri AI just works. In beta. It’s already lightyears better than plain Jane Siri and it’ll only get better!” – MacDailyNews, June 10, 2026

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Apple just announced watchOS 27, and it’s delivering a wakeup call for many owners of older Apple Watch models. The upcoming update will only run on the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 9–11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3 — leaving the original 2022 Ultra, SE 2, and earlier Series models without the new redesigned app grid, upgraded Siri, and other features.

Even Apple’s premium rugged flagship from just a few years ago gets only three major OS updates before being cut off, highlighting the company’s increasingly aggressive hardware cutoff strategy. If you own one of the unsupported watches, this fall’s update means no new software features — though basic functionality will continue.

Sam Byford for Fast Company:
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The first Apple Watch Ultra came out in 2022, so it will have received only three operating system upgrades over the course of its entire life cycle. And this wasn’t a throwaway product — it was Apple’s first significant expansion of the Watch lineup, coming with an all-new design and a $799 price tag. Mine is still going strong; I wasn’t particularly tempted to upgrade to the Ultra 2 or 3.

But now Apple is rendering it obsolete. WatchOS 27 is a fairly significant update, bringing a redesigned app grid and the new version of Siri, and it won’t be coming to the Ultra.

The reason is almost certainly the chip. The original Ultra used Apple’s S8 system-in-package, which actually used the exact same CPU as the S7 and S6 before it. In other words, the Ultra launched with a two-year-old chip.

That wasn’t much of a problem at the time, and really, it hasn’t been much of a problem today… But when the Apple Watch Ultra 2 arrived in 2023 alongside the Series 9, the two new watches did bring a meaningful silicon jump. Their S9 chip included a faster GPU, a new Neural Engine, and support for features like on-device Siri processing and a system-level gesture invoked by double-tapping your thumb and finger together.

Given that the Apple Watch Series 9 is also receiving watchOS 27, it would seem that Apple is using that chip transition to mark a line in the sand and move forward with a new generation of hardware and software.

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MacDailyNews Take: Time to upgrade! Apple Watch Ultra turns four years old on September 23rd – an eon in tech time.

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On Thursday, Apple TV revealed a first look at season six of “Slow Horses,” the Emmy Award and BAFTA TV Award-winning spy drama starring Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman, who has been honored with Golden Globe, Emmy Award, Actor Award and BAFTA TV Award nominations for his outstanding performance in the series. The highly anticipated six-episode sixth season will premiere globally on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 with the first episode, followed by one episode weekly until October 21, 2026.

“Slow Horses” is a darkly humorous espionage drama that follows a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 known unaffectionately as Slough House. Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but cantankerous leader of the spies who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes and who frequently find themselves blundering around the smoke and mirrors of the espionage world.

Season six sees the Slow Horses on the run as Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge.

The ensemble cast includes Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmy Award nominee Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, BAFTA TV Award nominee Christopher Chung, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Rosalind Eleazar, Joanna Scanlan, BAFTA Award nominee Samuel West, Ruth Bradley, Tom Brooke, Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce and Hugo Weaving, alongside new addition, BAFTA TV Award winner Lenny Rush.

“Slow Horses” has been celebrated as “undoubtedly the best spy series on television,” a “truly epic espionage thriller” that is “utterly brilliant” and just “so damn good.” All five seasons of “Slow Horses” hold a Certified Fresh score, with two seasons receiving a rare, perfect 100 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the series continues to receive global accolades from critics and fans alike.

The series is produced for Apple TV by See-Saw Films, with Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Julian Stevens, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Adam Randall, Gail Mutrux, Douglas Urbanski and Oldman serving as executive producers. Season six is adapted for television by co-executive producer Gaby Chiappe, with Randall returning to direct. The complete first five seasons of “Slow Horses” are now 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 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 843 wins and 3,565 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: It’s perfect that Gary Oldman is still wearing the same shirt as Jackson Lamb in the Season 6 teaser — the exact one he’s had on since Season 1.

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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Despite lukewarm initial reviews calling Apple’s latest AI announcements uninspired and derivative, the company’s pragmatic approach to enhancing Siri and Apple Intelligence may prove more effective than critics realize. With iPhone sales already surging 23% in the first half of fiscal 2026, Apple’s focus on reliable, privacy-first features—rather than flashy AI “for the sake of AI”—could be exactly what’s needed to sustain momentum and drive the stock higher.

This piece from Barron’s explores why investors may be misreading the reset, arguing that Apple’s measured strategy positions it well for long-term gains.

Adam Levine for Barron’s:
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[I]n his final Worldwide Developers Conference as CEO, Tim Cook was copying what Steve Jobs did when he left the stage in 2011: bequeathing his successor with a basic foundation for the next generation of the “Apple experience.” It isn’t meant to be groundbreaking.

After failing three times to make an Apple cloud service that was up to the company’s standards, Steve Jobs took the stage at the 2011 WWDC for what would be his last keynote address before he died. While announcing iCloud, Jobs joked about the three previous failures: iTools, .Mac, and MobleMe. “Now you might ask, ‘Why should I believe them? They’re the ones that brought me MobileMe,’” he said to raucous laughter and applause. 

No one’s laughing anymore. Today, iCloud is the glue for Apple’s ecosystem…

With Monday’s announcement, Cook and team have put Apple Intelligence on the iCloud path. The company is offering a free set of basic services that protect user privacy. It will improve from here.

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MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote on Tuesday:

“Apple’s iPhone and Mac both show that personalized AI isn’t yet important enough to negatively affect sales – not even close – so Munster is correct that Apple has time, although we’d peg it at about a year, given the rate that AI is improving. Siri AI in beta form is still Siri AI in users’ hand this year and that’s more than good enough for now. The beta being used by hundreds of millions of users will provide much opportunity for Apple to fine tune the product. By this time next year, we’ll all be wondering how we ever lived without Siri AI.”

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Following Apple’s WWDC keynote, shares dipped as investors seemed underwhelmed by the new AI announcements, including an upgraded Siri. However, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring argues the market is missing the bigger picture: Apple’s AI requires significantly more powerful hardware (such as at least 12GB of unified memory), leaving roughly 1.3 billion existing iPhones unable to run the full suite of features.

This hardware gap, combined with emerging “killer apps,” is poised to accelerate upgrades and faster monetization than expected—potentially reframing Apple as a clear AI winner and driving substantial upside for the stock.

The latest artificial-intelligence updates unveiled by the company weren’t enough to satisfy investors. But the negative market reaction is missing a massive opportunity looming on the horizon, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring.

Christine Ji for MarketWatch:
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Apple’s revamped Siri could trigger a major upgrade cycle as users ditch their old iPhones for more powerful hardware, Woodring wrote in a Tuesday note. He maintained his overweight rating and increased his price target to $360 from $330.

Morgan Stanley estimated that 1.3 billion iPhones in circulation don’t have the necessary hardware to run the updated Siri. Approximately 850 million iPhones can’t run Apple Intelligence at all. The main constraint is memory, as the AI-powered Siri will require at least 12 gigabytes of unified memory to support advanced queries.

This sets the stage for a massive hardware upgrade cycle and an earlier-than-expected monetization opportunity. “With less backwards compatibility and clearer use cases, we see WWDC as a net positive,” Woodring wrote.

Beyond Siri, Apple’s Image Playground and Image Editing “are clear ‘killer apps’ that appear miles improved” from previous versions, according to Woodring. Users can now generate images using natural language. They can also use the “Clean Up” tool and spatial reframing capabilities to fix up pictures even if they were a bit too late to capture the perfect shot.

“We were especially impressed with the photo editing tools, which we expect will be heavily trafficked, and which are Apple’s clearest near-term Services monetization opportunity,” Woodring wrote. These features are only available for limited usage on current iPhones due to computing constraints, which will provide Apple with a powerful new monetization lever.

“Image generation, photo editing and app intents will all be impacted by rate limits, forcing upgrades to iCloud (and potentially new iCloud tiers/pricing) as soon as this fall,” Woodring wrote. He said the new Apple Intelligence features could drive over 10% services growth and mid-teens product growth in 2027.

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MacDailyNews Take: Yup.

Apple has begun to monetize Apple Intelligence. This will be a very good thing for iCloud+ subscribers, Apple, and – when the market finally figures it out – AAPL investors. – MacDailyNews, June 9, 2026

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In a quarter where the broader smartphone industry grappled with softening demand and rising component costs, Apple’s iPhone has once again demonstrated its enduring strength and appeal. According to TrendForce’s latest report, global smartphone production dipped 1.7% year-over-year to approximately 284 million units in Q1 2026. Yet Apple stood out as a clear winner, producing around 60.2 million units—a robust 19.7% increase from the same period last year.

This impressive growth was fueled by strong ramp-up production for the latest iPhone models, complemented by the successful launch of the iPhone 17e. The results underscore Apple’s ability to maintain consumer excitement and drive demand even in a cautious market environment.

Why Apple Is Thriving While Others Adjust

Unlike many competitors entering a margin-protection mode, Apple’s premium positioning and robust ecosystem allow it to absorb higher memory costs without sacrificing profitability. TrendForce highlights that Apple is uniquely positioned to prioritize market share expansion during this downturn, setting the stage for long-term gains in both hardware sales and its highly profitable services and software revenue streams.

While brands heavily exposed to mid-range and entry-level segments face mounting pressure from memory price inflation, Apple’s focus on premium devices gives it significant pricing power and customer loyalty. This strategic advantage enables Apple to navigate supply chain challenges more effectively and continue investing in innovation that keeps iPhone users coming back.

A Bright Future for iPhone

As the industry braces for a potentially sharper decline in Q2 and forecasts a 16.2% YoY drop in full-year 2026 production, Apple’s resilience shines through. The company’s ability to grow against the trend reflects the timeless appeal of the iPhone: seamless user experience, cutting-edge technology, and a powerful ecosystem that delivers unmatched value.

For consumers, this means continued access to groundbreaking iPhone innovations, reliable software updates, and an ecosystem designed to enhance daily life. Apple’s strong Q1 performance isn’t just good news for the company — it signals confidence in the premium smartphone segment and reinforces why millions worldwide choose iPhone year after year.

MacDailyNews Take: The iPhone remains a beacon of excellence, proving once again that quality, innovation, and customer focus are the ultimate drivers of success.

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Apple has made a low-key but notable change in the first developer beta of watchOS 27: the Walkie-Talkie app is gone.

Introduced back in 2018 with watchOS 5, Walkie-Talkie offered a push-to-talk experience that let Apple Watch owners send instant voice messages to contacts over Wi-Fi or cellular. It leveraged FaceTime’s infrastructure for long-distance communication without needing to pull out an iPhone — essentially turning your wrist into a modern walkie-talkie. At launch, it felt like one of those fun, forward-looking features that could become a daily staple for families, outdoor enthusiasts, or quick team check-ins.

But reality never quite matched the hype. After a major security vulnerability shortly after release forced Apple to disable the feature entirely (a bug that potentially allowed unauthorized eavesdropping), the app returned in watchOS 5.3. Yet Apple never gave it meaningful updates or improvements over the next eight years. It lingered in the background, occasionally useful, but often plagued by connectivity issues, and rarely if ever highlighted in keynotes or marketing.

In watchOS 27 beta 1, the app has vanished completely from both the app list and Control Center, with no option for users to reinstall it. Apple hasn’t issued an official statement, leaving the removal open to interpretation. Given the feature’s minimal maintenance history, this looks more like a deliberate retirement than a beta glitch. There’s still a slim chance it could return before the final release, but the trend points toward a quiet sunset.

Why This Matters

• For users: Families who relied on it for home communication (e.g., calling kids upstairs) or anyone who enjoyed the hands-free, instant voice connection will need to find alternatives like standard calls, Messages voice notes, or third-party apps.

• For Apple: This reflects a broader strategy of pruning underused or hard-to-maintain features to focus engineering resources on higher-priority areas like health monitoring, smarter Siri, and new Apple Intelligence capabilities.

• The bigger picture: watchOS 27, expected to launch publicly in the fall alongside new Apple Watch models, continues Apple’s pattern of evolving the platform—sometimes by adding exciting features and sometimes by letting older ones fade away.
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MacDailyNews Take: Public beta testing for watchOS 27 is slated for July, so more clarity could emerge then. In the meantime, if you’re on the developer beta and miss Walkie-Talkie, you can contact Apple here: apple.com/feedback/

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In the wake of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2026), Wall Street sentiment toward the tech giant is getting another meaningful lift. Morgan Stanley’s Eric Woodring this week maintained his Outperform (Buy) rating while raising both his base-case and bull-case price targets.

Woodring increased his base price target from previous levels to $360 per share. His new bull-case target sits at $440, which implies approximately 51% upside from current trading levels. The move reflects growing conviction that Apple’s latest software and AI announcements could mark a pivotal turning point for the company’s growth trajectory.

Why WWDC 2026 Matters

Apple’s developer events have historically served as more than just software showcases—they often redefine how investors perceive the company’s long-term platform strength. This year’s conference appears to have delivered on the AI front in ways that resonated strongly with Woodring and his team.

“This event has the chance to reframe Apple as an AI winner,” Woodring noted in his research note.

The comment is particularly notable coming from a firm known for its rigorous, fundamentals-driven analysis. For years, skeptics have questioned whether Apple could keep pace with more aggressive AI-first competitors like Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia. Woodring’s updated targets suggest he believes Apple’s integrated hardware-software approach, combined with new AI capabilities unveiled at WWDC, positions the company to close that perceived gap—or even pull ahead in consumer-facing AI experiences.

The Numbers Behind the Optimism

• New Base Target: $360
• New Bull Target: $440
• Implied Bull-Case Upside: ~51%
• Rating: Outperform (Buy)

These targets reflect expectations of stronger services revenue growth, improved iPhone replacement cycles driven by AI features, and expanding margins from Apple Intelligence ecosystem lock-in.

Apple shares have already shown resilience in 2026 amid a volatile macro environment and shifting AI narratives. The stock’s performance has lagged some of its Big Tech peers over the past 12–18 months as investors rotated heavily into pure-play AI infrastructure names. However, WWDC events have a strong track record of catalyzing multi-quarter rallies when the messaging around new platforms lands effectively.

Woodring’s note adds to a growing chorus of bullish voices on Wall Street who see Apple’s vast installed base, privacy-focused AI strategy, and ability to monetize AI through services as underappreciated advantages.

Investor Takeaway

For long-term Apple shareholders, the message from Morgan Stanley is clear: patience and continued ecosystem investment may be rewarded as the company transitions from being viewed primarily as a premium hardware maker to a leader in personal AI.

While risks remain, including execution on AI timelines, regulatory scrutiny, and competitive intensity, the raised price targets underscore a belief that Apple’s moat remains wide and is potentially widening in the AI era.
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MacDailyNews Take: As always, investors should conduct their own due diligence, but Eric Woodring’s updated stance provides another data point that Apple’s AI inflection may finally be arriving in earnest.

Here’s the thing: When you ask Siri AI a wide variety of questions and pose commands that the current Siri simply cannot handle, Siri AI just works. In beta. It’s already lightyears better than plain Jane Siri and it’ll only get better!

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