Apple’s iPhone Duo wait times have fallen by about seven days week-over-week but remain elevated at roughly 89 days, according to UBS data released Friday.⁠

UBS’s tracking, which monitors availability across more than 30 global markets, shows the modest improvement in lead times for the company’s first foldable iPhone. Despite the decline, waits of nearly three months underscore continued strong demand for the device, which launched in stores on October 23rd following preorders that opened on October 16th.⁠

The bank noted that trends for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models are tracking similarly to prior launches. UBS said a smattering of display-related issues are unlikely to be the primary driver of the shorter Duo waits, pointing instead to supply dynamics amid robust consumer interest.⁠

The iPhone Duo, Apple’s book-style foldable, starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model and opens to a 7.6-inch inner display from a 5.4-inch outer screen. It is powered by the same A20 Pro chip as the iPhone 18 Pro models and has seen exceptionally strong initial demand, with early delivery estimates stretching well into early 2027 in many markets.⁠

UBS maintained its Neutral rating and $296 price target on Apple shares. The stock was trading lower on Friday, closing down $4.28 (-1.23%) at $344.63, after closing the prior session at a new all-time high of $348.91, amid a broader market backdrop that has seen the shares post solid gains for the year to date.⁠

Analysts have closely monitored iPhone lead times as a proxy for demand following Apple’s recent product cycle, which includes the standard Pro lineup and the higher-priced Duo. Persistent elevated waits for the foldable model suggest the high starting price has not significantly deterred early buyers, even as the company expands availability to additional markets.

MacDailyNews Take: It’ll be quite some time before Apple can achieve a supply-demand balance for the iPhone Duo.

And, UBS’ Neutral rating and $296 price target on Apple shares is absolutely ridiculous! AAPL remains woefully undervalued.

Beloved interns, please commence with your most-sacred duty and Tap The Keg! Happy Halloween and prost, everyone!

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Apple’s debut foldable, the iPhone Duo, has drawn enthusiastic responses from early reviewers who highlight its refined hardware, nearly invisible crease, capable performance, and versatile dual-screen experience. Critics describe it as a mature first-generation effort that makes the foldable form factor feel more approachable and compelling for iPhone users.

In his WIRED review, Julian Chokkattu called the device “an astonishingly good first foldable,” praising the hardware polish that sets it apart from earlier foldables. “The infamous crease — where the phone folds — is hardly visible thanks to Apple’s display stack and clever use of a matte-finish nano-texture screen,” the review noted. The passport-style shape also earned high marks: “The wider, shorter ‘passport’ design feels better than what’s come before in this category. The 5.4-inch outer screen is still big enough to be useful, and the hinge glides open gracefully and stays put at various angles. The hardware feels polished.” Battery life stood out as well, with Chokkattu reporting strong real-world endurance that left plenty of charge by the end of the day, and optimized apps delivering a multitasking experience that was “chef’s kiss.”

PCMag awarded the iPhone Duo an Editors’ Choice and declared it the best foldable available. “The iPhone Duo overcomes Apple’s late start by delivering the best hardware, performance, and battery life of any foldable phone on the market,” the review stated. Reviewer Eric Zeman highlighted the combination of titanium construction, dual displays, and the A20 Pro chip: “Combining refined titanium hardware with customized software, Apple’s first foldable phone delivers two phenomenal displays, category-leading battery life, and rock-solid performance thanks to its A20 Pro processor.” The hinge received particular acclaim — “The hinge feels utterly fantastic. You’d never know this is a first-generation device” — leading to the conclusion that iPhone users eyeing foldables can “safely ignore” the competition, as the Duo is “easily the best folding phone you can buy today.”

Mashable’s Stan Schroeder gave the phone a 4.5 out of 5 and labeled it “the most interesting iPhone since the first one.” “Apple’s iPhone Duo is an exciting new type of iPhone that proves the foldable form factor isn’t a novelty,” the review said, adding that “after a week with the iPhone Duo, I’m happy to report that Apple has done an amazing job.” Schroeder emphasized the immersive inner display — “That inner display, once you open it, is the nicest phone display I’ve ever seen” — and noted that the crease is “invisible unless you specifically look for it.” The form factor and software opened new ways of working and playing, leading to the personal verdict that “a week in, and I already feel like I couldn’t go back to the regular, non-foldable iPhone,” with the device ranking as “by far the best foldable phone I ever used” as a first effort.
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MacDailyNews Take: These reviews show that Apple’s revolutionary iPhone Duo prioritizes durable, refined hardware and a thoughtfully adapted iOS experience, making Cupertino’s first foldable the immediate leader of the foldable smartphone category.

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Apple’s newly announced MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display doesn’t just edge ahead of other laptops. Its tandem OLED panel reaches 2,000 nits of peak brightness for both HDR and SDR content, pairs that with a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and delivers a color gamut covering P3 plus Adobe RGB (more than 80 percent of Rec. 2020 (BT.2020)). In a category where even the best OLED laptop panels have recently topped out around 1,600 nits peak, and most still struggle with sustained brightness and outdoor usability, Apple’s numbers stand fully apart.

The panel is a tandem OLED design — two stacked self-illuminating pixel layers rather than a single emissive stack. Each pixel generates its own light, so blacks are true black with no backlight glow or mini-LED blooming. Apple rates sustained full-screen brightness at 1,000 nits and peak at 2,000 nits for HDR highlights and for SDR content outdoors. Minimum brightness drops to 1 nit. ProMotion varies the refresh rate from 10 Hz to 120 Hz. An antireflective coating (with an optional nano-texture glass) is paired with the high SDR peak so ordinary documents, web pages, and interfaces remain readable in bright ambient light.

Previous MacBook Pros used mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR panels that peaked at 1,600 nits for HDR only and about 1,000 nits for SDR. The new display improves peak HDR brightness by 25 percent while extending the high-brightness capability to everyday SDR content and multiplying the contrast ratio by ten. Because every pixel can be independently off, the contrast improvement is not just a paper specification; bright objects no longer sit in a soft halo of light.

Competing tandem OLED laptop panels, such as Samsung Display’s recent designs that earn VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1400 certification, reach up to roughly 1,600 nits peak at the panel level. Real-world examples include the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition and certain ASUS ProArt models, which have measured in the 1,000–1,600 nit range for HDR peaks and lower for sustained or SDR brightness. Apple’s 2,000-nit SDR outdoor peak, combined with its custom display engine that compensates in real time for content, temperature, pixel usage history, and ambient conditions, pushes beyond those figures. Factory calibration for luminance, white point, and gamut, plus reference modes covering cinematic standards, photography, print, design, and even DICOM medical imaging (for non-diagnostic use), further differentiates it for professional work.

Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, called the PROLED XDR “the world’s best laptop display,” arguing that the combination of tandem OLED technology, advanced algorithms in the M5 Pro and M5 Max display engines, and precise manufacturing delivers the visual fidelity pros have wanted. The company emphasizes innovations that minimize internal reflections common in traditional OLED designs and maintain grayscale accuracy and uniformity even in fast-motion content. Sub-millisecond pixel control helps keep the image consistent across the panel.

For photographers, video editors, and colorists, the expanded color coverage is significant. Previous MacBook Pro displays covered P3; the new panel adds Adobe RGB in the same default preset, with notably wider green and cyan ranges. That single-preset approach avoids mode switching for mixed workflows. Apple also touts consistency with other Apple devices via Color Matching Function 2026 when paired with an iPhone 18 Pro or Studio Display XDR.

The display is not merely a panel upgrade. It is the first MacBook Pro with integrated multi-touch (sensor inside the panel for low latency) and a Dynamic Island around the webcam instead of a notch. The machines are thinner and lighter — the 14-inch model starts around 3 pounds, the 16-inch around 4 pounds — with M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, up to 128 GB of unified memory, and storage options reaching 16 TB. Battery life is rated up to 22 or 24 hours of video streaming depending on size. Pre-orders opened October 28, 2026, with availability beginning November 6; the 14-inch M5 Pro configuration starts at $2,899.

MacDailyNews Take: Besides the crazy performance and unmatched build quality, these new MacBook Pros are all about the amazing displays they offer. Independent hands-on reports from the launch event noted richer blacks, better outdoor readability under studio lighting, and less mirror-like glare compared with glossy tandem OLED Windows laptops. Apple demonstrated the panel side-by-side with a high-end Windows tandem OLED machine and highlighted superior contrast and reduced washout in brighter conditions. Full independent measurements of sustained full-screen brightness, color volume, and real-world outdoor performance will arrive after units ship, but the combination of peak figures, contrast, color, and integration already places the PROLED XDR in a category of its own among laptop displays available today.

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Apple’s second-generation AirTag is currently available at its lowest price ever: $69.99 for a four-pack, down from the usual $99.

A single AirTag 2 is also discounted to $23 (from $29).

The AirTag 2 is a compact Bluetooth tracker that helps users locate everyday items like keys, wallets, bags, or luggage through Apple’s Find My network, showing the last known location on a map and enabling Lost Mode to lock the tag and display a custom contact message via NFC when found by someone else.

AirTag 2 offers Precision Finding with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that provides directional arrows, distance readouts, and haptic/audio cues from up to 50% farther away (on compatible iPhone 15 or later models, excluding certain variants), plus the first-time ability to use this feature on Apple Watch Series 9 or later and Ultra 2 or later; an upgraded Bluetooth chip for expanded proximity range; a 50% louder speaker with a distinctive new chime that can be heard from twice as far; “Left Behind” alerts; sharing location access with family or friends; temporary secure sharing with airlines for luggage recovery; a user-replaceable CR2032 battery lasting over a year; IP67 water and dust resistance; and built-in privacy protections including frequent Bluetooth ID rotation and end-to-end encryption so only the owner can access location data.

MacDailyNews Take: Get ’em while they last here.

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On Wednesday, October 28 at Topgolf in El Segundo, Apple TV celebrated the highly anticipated season two premiere of “Stick” with a special event featuring a conversation with the cast and creators behind the series, as well as immersive activities inspired by the show. Attendees included executive producer and star Owen Wilson, along with stars Peter Dager, Lilli Kay, Mariana Treviño and Rex Linn, executive producers Jason Keller, Ben Silverman, Guymon Casady, Christopher Moynihan, Howard T. Owens, Drew Buckley and Bill Callahan, and golf enthusiast Dan Rapaport. The 10-episode second season of “Stick” premieres Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly until December 30, 2026, on Apple TV.

Throughout the evening, attendees interacted the cast before heading to the Topgolf bays for gameplay. The evening culminated in a clubhouse conversation moderated by Rapaport, featuring Wilson, Dager, Kay, Treviño, and Linn.

“Stick” is a heartfelt, feel-good comedy about a found family and their relationships, set within the world of golf as it has never been shown before. Wilson stars as Pryce Cahill, an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer whose career was derailed prematurely 20 years ago. After the collapse of his marriage and getting fired from his job at an Indiana sporting goods store, Pryce hedges his bets, and future, entirely on a troubled 17-year-old golf phenom named Santi (Dager).

In season two, Santi takes the next step in his pursuit of professional golf, only to discover how quickly the game changes when talent becomes expectation. As Santi chases his dream, Pryce finds himself wondering what might still be possible for him. Urged on by his former rival Clark Ross (Timothy Olyphant), Pryce does something nobody expects: he bets on himself, launching an improbable comeback in hopes of becoming the oldest golfer ever to win a major. But the road back proves far harder than he imagined. And the closer Pryce gets to the golfer he once was, the more he is forced to confront why he never fulfilled the promise everyone once saw in him. With brilliant new coach Amanda (Rhea Seehorn) and trusted caddie Mitts (Marc Maron) in his corner, Pryce sets out to prove — to the golf world and, more importantly, to himself — that maybe he really was as good as everyone always said he was.

Led by an ensemble cast that includes Wilson, Dager, Maron, Treviño, Kay, Judy Greer and Olyphant, the second season of “Stick” welcomes Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Seehorn, alongside John Higgins, Billy Zane, Rex Linn, Sasha Alexander and Missi Pyle, and features return guest appearances from legendary broadcasters Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman, and golf enthusiasts Matt Scharff and Rapaport.

Hailing from Apple Studios, “Stick” is showrun by Jason Keller, who also serves as executive producer alongside Wilson, Ben Silverman for Propagate Content and Entertainment 360’s Guymon Casady. The series is also executive produced by Christopher Moynihan, Rodney Ferrell, Howard T. Owens, Drew Buckley, Lee Eisenberg and Bill Callahan.

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 923 wins and 3,891 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.

MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully, the addition of the stellar Rhea Seehorn can cancel out the series-diminishing disaster that Lilli Kay’s “Zero” character was in season one.

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

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Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook Pro is finally here, and after years of debate it turns out the feature is exactly as useful — and as limited — as you’d expect on a laptop. In a hands-on with the new 14- and 16-inch models, Ars Technica’s Samuel Axon finds that the touchscreen mostly duplicates what the trackpad already does well, with no tablet mode, no Apple Pencil support, and few unique OS-level tricks. What actually steals the show is the long-awaited OLED (PROLED XDR) display: peak brightness, absolute blacks, and dynamic range that mark a genuine leap over the previous Mini-LED panel. Pair that with a noticeably lighter chassis and the familiar MacBook Pro form factor, and the real reason to upgrade is staring you in the face—literally. Just don’t buy it expecting the touchscreen to change how you work.

Samuel Axon for Ars Technica:
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When the credible reports emerged that the MacBook Pro would get a touchscreen, I imagined a convertible with Apple Pencil support—something you could use as a large iPad or drawing tablet, essentially. That’s not what this is; it only takes the usual laptop shape, and I was told it does not support the Apple Pencil. It’s just a MacBook Pro, in its normal form factor, but you can use your fingers on the screen to do things like drag files around, swipe between desktop spaces, or pinch-to-zoom on maps or images.

But while it’s not about the touchscreen capability for me, I was impressed by the OLED screen itself—and I’m quite the display snob, if I’m being honest. The peak brightness, absolute blacks, well-balanced color, and dynamic range were genuinely remarkable. It’s an enormous upgrade over the MiniLED screen in the previous MacBook Pro…

Based on my time with the device and today’s announcement, the screen seems to be the main draw (though it’s nice that it noticeably weighs less, too)… I’m looking forward to spending more time with the new MacBook Pro, but for right now, it seems to follow in the lineup’s existing tradition: impressively high-end components like an outstanding OLED panel, but a very steep price to match. No surprises here!

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MacDailyNews Take: It’s a MacBook Pro. You get what you pay for. This is the world’s best laptop computer. It’ll last for half a decade or longer and, as usual, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) end up being less expensive and far less frustrating than running through a parade of shitty PC laptops over that time frame.

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Apple has acquired Palo Alto-based AI startup Ascension Labs, the creator of the Ascend.io platform, bolstering its internal data management capabilities and autonomous engineering infrastructure.

Disclosed via a public filing from the European Commission, the deal closed on June 30, 2026. The acquisition represents an acqui-hire transaction designed to integrate Ascend.io’s team and technologies into Apple’s data engineering ecosystem.

Strategic Focus & Technology

Founded in 2015, Ascend.io developed declarative data pipeline technology and pioneered Agentic Data Engineering. Its platform uses AI agents to automate data ingestion, transformation, and workflow orchestration.

Under the terms of the acquisition, Apple secures:

• Talent Acquisition: Employment rights to recruit key engineers and researchers from Ascension Labs.

• IP Licensing: A non-exclusive license to Ascend.io’s intellectual property portfolio and specific patent assignments.

• Backend Integration: Optimization for internal enterprise data management and infrastructure analytics, rather than consumer-facing features.

MacDailyNews Note: Ascension Labs has begun winding down independent operations. This move aligns with Apple’s continuous strategy of absorbing targeted infrastructure and AI talent through specialized transactions.

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

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Foxconn, Apple Inc.’s primary assembly partner, said its extensive global manufacturing footprint positions it to handle strong demand for the iPhone Duo, according to Bloomberg News’ Annabelle Droulers and Debby Wu.

Apple launched the $2,000 iPhone Duo earlier this month. Limited in-store inventory sold out quickly, and some online orders carried delivery estimates stretching to the end of January — among the longest delays for a new Apple product in the company’s modern history.

The Duo is assembled primarily at Foxconn’s “iPhone City” campus in central China, with the Taiwanese company also producing related components at other facilities in China and elsewhere. Foxconn’s rotating Chief Executive Officer Michael Chiang told Bloomberg TV that the company’s network of more than 240 sites across 24 countries enables timely responses to customer needs. “So I’m quite confident that we can fulfill the demand,” he said when asked about meeting holiday-season orders for the Duo. Chiang added that he expects artificial intelligence to support broader demand for consumer gadgets.

Chiang did not name Apple or the iPhone Duo specifically, though he is closely involved in the companies’ relationship. In October, he accompanied Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan on a tour of the iPhone Duo production line at Foxconn’s central China facility.
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MacDailyNews Take: Foxconn’s got a lot of assembling to do!

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In Nasdaq trading today, shares of Apple Inc. (AAPL) rose $5.08 to $348.91 to hit a new all-time closing high. Apple’s all-time intraday high was set at $351.73 on October 23, 2026.

Apple’s 52-week low stands at $243.42.

Today’s trading volume for AAPL shares was 40,889,228 versus Apple’s average trading volume of 43,379,289 shares.

Apple’s PE Ratio currently stands at 40.01.

Apple currently has a market value of $5.092 trillion, making it the world’s second-most valuable company.

The top five U.S. publicly-traded companies, based on market value:

1. NVIDIA (NVDA) – $5.159T
2. Apple (AAPL) – $5.092T
3. Microsoft (MSFT) – $3.937T
4. Alphabet (GOOGL) – $3.471T
5. Amazon (AMZN) – $2.630T

Selected companies’ current market values:

• Taiwan Semi (TSM): $2.240T
• SpaceX (SPCX): $1.954T
• Meta Platforms (META): $1.597T
• Tesla (TSLA): $1.594T
• Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A): $1.159T
• Walmart (WMT): $961.967B
• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD): $924.666B
• Intel (INTC): $486.692B
• Cisco (CSCO): $428.066B
• Dell (DELL): $302.647B
• Netflix (NFLX): $258.372B
• IBM (IBM): $241.143B
• Disney (DIS): $191.265B
• SoftBank (SFTBF): $170.971B
• Sony (SONY): $147.865B
• Spotify (SPOT): $114.198B
• Adobe (ADBE): $96.568B
• Nokia (NOK): $52.071B
• Hewlett-Packard (HPQ): $28.880B
• SiriusXM (SIRI): $9.448B
• BlackBerry (BB): $5.351B
• Sonos (SONO): $2.067B
• Liquidmetal (LQMT): $0.073B
• RealNetworks (RNWK) was delisted from U.S. exchanges on December 21, 2022 and is no longer publicly traded.

Apple all-time high (AAPL) via NASDAQ here.

MacDailyNews Take: Onward and upward, Cupertino soldiers!

On April 20th, when Apple finally announced Tim Cook would be kicked upstairs to be replaced by product guy John Ternus as CEO, AAPL closed at $273.05 after being range-bound all year. Since that announcement less than six months ago, AAPL has surged to close at $342.89. That 25.58% leap highlights just how favorably Apple investors view John Ternus.

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In a somewhat surprising move for students and educators gearing up for the academic year, Apple has quietly adjusted its education pricing for the MacBook Neo. The entry-level laptop — originally positioned as Apple’s most affordable Mac tailored specifically for the education market — has seen its educational discount effectively slashed in half.

Where the MacBook Neo previously offered students and faculty a significant $100 discount off its standard retail price, the entry-level 256GB model is now listed on Apple’s U.S. Education Store at $649 — just $50 below the $699 standard retail price. This marks a noticeable shift from its initial promotional pricing at launch, raising the barrier to entry for budget-conscious buyers looking to step into the Mac ecosystem.

What You Get: Specs and Features

Despite the price increase, the MacBook Neo remains a highly capable machine designed for everyday academic tasks, light productivity, and media consumption. Under the hood, Apple has packed impressive mobile performance into an ultra-portable chassis:

• A18 Pro Silicon: Powered by the same high-efficiency architecture found in Apple’s very capable mobile devices, featuring a 6-core CPU (2 performance and 4 efficiency cores), a 5-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and a 16-core Neural Engine built to drive Apple Intelligence features.

• Display & Build: Features a 13.0-inch Liquid Retina display with IPS technology, running a 2408-by-1506 resolution at 219 ppi with up to 500 nits of brightness. It weighs in at a lightweight 2.7 pounds and measures just 0.5 inches thin.

• Memory & Storage Configurations: Comes base-configured with 8GB of unified memory (with 60GB/s bandwidth). Storage starts at 256GB SSD for the base tier ($649 Education / $699 Retail) and scales up to 512GB SSD ($749 Education / $799 Retail).

MacDailyNews Note: Amazon currently offers a $10 discount on MacBook Neo non-education prices (256GB: $689, 512GB $789) here.

• Keyboards & Security: The entry-level model includes standard full-height function keys on the Magic Keyboard, while higher-tier configurations unlock Touch ID for instant biometric authentication and secure Apple Pay transactions.

• Battery & Power: Offers up to 16 hours of video streaming (or up to 11 hours of wireless web browsing) powered by a 36.5-watt-hour battery paired with a 20W USB-C power adapter.

• Connectivity & Camera: Equipped with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual-beamforming microphones, and dual spatial audio speakers. Port selection includes one USB 3 USB-C port (up to 10Gb/s with DisplayPort support for one 4K external monitor), one USB 2 USB-C port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

• Color Finishes: Available in four vibrant finishes—Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo.

The Bottom Line

While the $50 education discount still offers modest savings compared to general retail prices, the price hike makes the MacBook Neo a slightly harder sell for institutional buyers and students on tight budgets. Nonetheless, with its fanless design, lightweight body, and solid performance powered by the A18 Pro chip, it remains one of the sleekest ultra-portable options available for school and light work.
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MacDailyNews Take: MacBook Neo has quite some play in its price elasticity.

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Apple’s next-generation smart speaker, the Apple HomePod mini 2, officially hits retail shelves on Friday, October 30. Priced at $149, the updated model packs upgraded internal hardware, enhanced home theater integrations, and vibrant new visual features into its familiar compact footprint.

HomePod mini 2 brings powerful performance upgrades to Apple’s entry-level smart speaker lineup, making it a versatile hub for music, media, and smart home control.

Powered by Apple S10 Silicon & Sound Glow

The core of the Apple HomePod mini 2 is the new Apple S10 chip. This updated processor drives computational audio performance, enabling real-time sound analysis to optimize dynamic range, loudness, and 360-degree acoustic clarity across all music genres.

The top interactive touch surface introduces Sound Glow. Rather than showing a basic static illumination, the top panel actively animates and pulses to match music frequencies, treble, and bass. It also samples colors directly from current album artwork to create a custom light experience.

Key Specs & What It Can Do for Users

• Expanded Multi-Speaker Setup: For the first time, users can pair up to four HomePod mini 2 speakers with the new Apple TV 4K to create a calibrated, multi-channel surround sound system.

• Personalized Voice Recognition: Supports voice recognition for up to six household members, providing individual access to personal calendars, messages, timers, and music preferences.

• Siri AI Capabilities: Features support for deeper conversational requests, context awareness across Apple devices, and smarter music discovery via upcoming software updates.

• Fresh Color Options: Available in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight.

• Smart Home Hub: Securely controls Matter- and HomeKit-enabled smart home accessories and executes automated routines via voice commands.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s HomePod mini 2 is a strong upgrade and the price is rather nice for the sound quality and features.

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In what critics view as a heavy-handed act of regulatory overreach targeting foreign technology pioneers, South Korea’s communications authority has slapped tech giant Apple with a KRW 20.81 billion (US$15 million) fine and ordered sweeping changes to its proprietary digital storefront.

The decision, handed down on October 28, 2026, by the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), marks the first major enforcement action under the country’s controversial 2021 amendments to the Telecommunications Business Act. However, by punishing Apple for the very infrastructure that enabled the global expansion of South Korea’s mobile app industry, regulators risk undermining the security, user experience, and stability that make global platforms viable.

Penalizing Investments in Privacy and Platform Safety

At the heart of the KMCC’s ruling is Apple’s refusal to allow unmonitored external payment links and alternative billing systems without oversight. While local regulators dismiss Apple’s integrated payments as “coercive,” they overlook why Cupertino built its unified system in the first place: protecting consumers from fraud, securing sensitive payment data, and providing seamless, single-tap subscription management.

Under current rules, Apple offers developers alternative billing options at a reduced 26% commission. Yet regulators labeled this structure “unreasonable,” demanding even broader access for external payment processing. In pushing to dismantle Apple’s integrated payment model, South Korean authorities threaten to degrade the safe, frictionless environment that millions of iPhone users rely on—exposing consumers to fragmented payment gateways, phishing risks, and complex refund processes.

Apple directly challenged the commission’s conclusions, noting that it has consistently worked to empower local creators and that over 90% of App Store ecosystem revenue flows directly to third-party developers. Company representatives confirmed that Apple disagrees with the regulatory finding and is reviewing its options under South Korean law.

Misinterpreting Ecosystem Safety as “App Review Delays”

The commission also targeted Apple’s rigorous app review procedures, claiming the platform “unfairly delayed” software approvals without sufficient feedback.

This stance glosses over the operational realities of global software distribution. Apple’s human-led and automated review protocols are widely recognized as the industry benchmark for keeping malware, deceptive scams, and privacy-violating code off consumer devices. Far from an arbitrary hindrance, strict review timelines are a fundamental safeguard. Penalizing a platform operator for maintaining high vetting standards sends a troubling message: speed over user security.

Regulatory Nationalism Masked as Consumer Protection?

The enforcement action also raised eyebrows over historical commission calculations dating between 2015 and 2023, where regulators claimed local Korean developers were subject to different tax-inclusive commission bases than foreign peers.

While Apple has long since resolved these accounting alignment issues, the KMCC seized on past practices to justify retroactive penalties. Industry analysts note that domestic tech ecosystems in South Korea—where local giants often benefit from nationalist economic policies — frequently use regulatory bodies to extract concessions from foreign digital platforms. By targeting Apple alongside Google, the commission appears intent on forcing private platform operators to surrender their intellectual property and business models to benefit domestic enterprise, rather than fostering genuine open market innovation.

A Risky Precedent for the Tech Economy

KMCC Chairperson Kim Jong-cheol framed the sanctions as a push toward a “cooperative ecosystem,” but forcing companies to compromise the integrity of their platforms sets a perilous precedent.
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MacDailyNews Take: By prioritizing regulatory micro-management over free-market principles, South Korea risks chilling foreign tech investment and making its domestic market an outlier in the global digital economy. Apple’s App Store transformed South Korean developers into global software powerhouses; punishing the platform provider for protecting its ecosystem ultimately threatens to harm the very developers the government claims to protect.

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Apple has finally abandoned its long-held philosophy that touchscreens do not belong on laptops, reversing a decade-old dogma in a move that industry reporters call a watershed moment for personal computing. According to The New York Times‘ Kalley Huang and Brian X. Chen, the introduction of touch capabilities to the MacBook Pro lineup is not just a hardware refresh, but a calculated surrender to changing user expectations as computing lines blur between iPads and traditional Macs.

Huang and Chen note that for years, Apple executives stubbornly insisted that vertical touch interfaces on laptops caused ergonomic fatigue and unnecessary redundancy alongside trackpads. However, market pressures and the pervasive expectation set by mobile operating systems forced a strategic about-face. As highlighted in the New York Times coverage, integrating touch into macOS required a fundamental rethinking of software interfaces, forcing engineers to optimize precision UI elements for fingers without sacrificing the desktop workflow relied upon by professionals.

The new touchscreen MacBook Pro models couple this touch interface with cutting-edge tandem OLED panels and the Dynamic Island notch replacement. In their analysis, Huang and Chen emphasize that this release signals a major cultural shift inside Cupertino — proving that under competitive pressure, even the most deeply entrenched design dogmas are ultimately negotiable.
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MacDailyNews Take: On a recent flight, we observed a woman using a touch-screen PC laptop. She’d work for a bit, then rest her arms for a longer bit, not doing anything – all while the trackpad was sitting right there! The great news is that you don’t have to use the new MacBook Pro’s touch-screen, but you do get the best laptop display and trackpad ever shipped!

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Apple has finally put a touch screen on a MacBook, but as The Wall Street Journal’s Nicole Nguyen discovered while testing the new machine, the feature arrives on a premium laptop aimed at a narrow audience of high-end users rather than everyday consumers.

Nguyen got her fingerprints all over the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display during a hands-on session in Los Angeles. She found herself flicking her finger up and down to scroll through web pages the same way she would on an iPhone, zooming in on thumbnails, and tapping to open headlines. The experience felt natural in certain visual tasks, yet it also underscored long-standing questions about whether a vertical laptop screen is the right place for fingers.

The laptop starts at $2,899, about $900 more than the latest entry-level MacBook Pro, and is positioned for “superusers” willing to pay a premium.

Nguyen found arm fatigue a factor for general use, and interface targets often felt too small for comfortable tapping. The machine is also not compatible with an Apple Pencil.

Touch proved more useful in specific scenarios. Navigating a map with pinch and pan felt quicker than using the trackpad. In a video editor, moving the timeline cursor with a finger was simpler than the usual trackpad combination of holding a click while swiping. For someone who spends hours editing video and experiences hand cramps from heavy trackpad use, Nguyen noted that touch could offer relief — and that the biggest everyday advantage is simply not having to hunt for the cursor. Everyday macOS gestures work as expected: a tap registers as a click, swiping up from the bottom edge brings up the dock, and flicking a window to the side can tile it. Still, for routine computing she saw limited benefit.

A demo of an on-screen piano highlighted one limitation: the display does not lie flat, making musical play awkward, though the hinge held steady under pressure. Apple previously tried adding touch controls to the MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar in 2016, a feature many found imperfect; physical keys returned in 2021.

Nguyen concluded the touch screen could appeal most to creative professionals such as photographers and designers, or developers who want to test touch interactions for their apps. Windows makers already ship large numbers of touch notebooks — 33.4 million in 2025, up 22 percent from the prior year, according to IDC — but only a small share of buyers pay extra for the feature. For Apple, the high price means touch-screen Macs will remain niche for now.

Frankly, touch appears more like a bonus than the main attraction. The real standout is the new OLED PROLED XDR display, which delivers deeper blacks and higher contrast, similar to the technology on the iPhone. The laptop also gains the Dynamic Island for quick access to background apps, and it is roughly half a pound lighter and a centimeter thinner than the prior Pro model. The glowing Apple logo on the lid returns as well.

Apple has rolled out other updates this season, including lower-priced Macs and an OLED iPad Mini, but the touch-screen Pro stands apart as a high-end experiment. The company is testing whether a finger-friendly screen belongs on a Mac at all.
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MacDailyNews Take: Is this the “Touch Bar 2” or will it actually get used and eventually filter down to the MacBook Air?

“We’ve done tons of user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn’t work. Touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical. It gives a great demo, but after a short period of time you start to fatigue, and after an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off. It doesn’t work. It’s ergonomically terrible. Touch surfaces want to be horizontal.” – Steve Jobs

As a plus, think of the shoulder definition you could achieve with a new touch-screen MacBook Pro!

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Apple has opened orders for the highest configuration of its M5 Ultra Mac Studio, and the price reaches $29,799 when fully loaded with 512GB of unified memory and 16TB of storage. The configuration pairs the top-tier M5 Ultra chip — featuring a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine — with half a terabyte of unified memory that delivers 1.2TB/s of bandwidth. It represents the most extreme desktop Mac Apple has ever offered, aimed squarely at professionals who need enormous local compute, especially for on-device AI.

The M5 Ultra itself is a quad-die design that fuses two dual-die M5 Max chips via next-generation UltraFusion interconnect, effectively presenting them as a single system-on-chip. The 36-core CPU includes 12 super cores and 24 performance cores, while the 80-core GPU is Apple’s most powerful silicon GPU to date and, for the first time on an Ultra chip, includes Neural Accelerators in every core. Combined with the dedicated 32-core Neural Engine, this architecture produces large gains in AI workloads: Apple claims up to 4.3× the peak AI compute of the previous M3 Ultra and up to 9.8× that of the M1 Ultra. Graphics performance is also higher, with third-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing and enhanced shader cores.

The standout specification is the memory. The 512GB unified memory option is available only with the 36-core CPU / 80-core GPU version of the M5 Ultra. It carries 1.2TB/s of bandwidth — 50 percent higher than the prior generation — and is shared across the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. Apple positions this specifically for running enormous large language models entirely on device, with hundreds of billions of parameters kept in memory and no need to count tokens or pay ongoing cloud inference costs. The machine also includes a more capable media engine with twice the video encode and decode blocks of the M5 Max, enabling simultaneous playback of up to 33 streams of 8K ProRes 422 at 30 fps, plus hardware support for H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and AV1 decode.

Connectivity and expansion remain strong. The Mac Studio offers up to six Thunderbolt 5 ports (each capable of 120Gb/s), Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via Apple’s N1 chip, HDMI, and support for up to eight external displays. Multiple Mac Studios can be clustered over Thunderbolt 5 with RDMA to pool memory for even larger distributed AI inference workloads; Apple has demonstrated clusters of four systems delivering up to 3× the inference performance of a single machine. Storage uses a next-generation SSD architecture that Apple says is up to twice as fast as the previous generation, with the fully loaded configuration offering 16TB.

These capabilities map to a narrow but high-value set of users. AI researchers, data scientists, and developers working with frontier-scale local models or fine-tuning large datasets are the clearest audience; the combination of memory capacity, bandwidth, and Neural Accelerators lets them keep massive models resident and private. VFX artists and filmmakers can color-grade or composite uncompressed 8K timelines in real time and render complex simulations. 3D artists and game developers benefit from the ray-tracing hardware and high GPU core count for real-time visualization. Musicians, photographers, and software engineers handling large multi-track sessions, high-resolution image libraries, or lengthy compilation and test suites also fit. In short, it is a tool for studios, research labs, and individual professionals whose work is constrained by memory capacity or who prioritize on-device privacy and predictable costs over cloud services.

Pricing context is stark. The base M5 Ultra Mac Studio starts at $5,499 with a 30-core CPU, 64-core GPU, 96GB of memory, and 1TB of storage. Moving to the 36-core / 80-core chip adds $1,300. The 512GB memory upgrade alone costs $15,500, bringing a 1TB configuration to $22,299. Adding the maximum 16TB SSD contributes another $7,500, for the $29,799 total. That is more than some new cars, and the memory premium is dramatically higher than the $4,000 512GB option previously offered on the M3 Ultra. Orders for the 512GB configuration began in late October 2026, with deliveries expected in late November to early December.

@Austen Makes a Tesla seem quite affordable!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 29, 2026

For most buyers the lower configurations (or even the M5 Max models that top out at 128GB) will be sufficient. For those whose workloads genuinely require half a terabyte of high-bandwidth unified memory and the absolute top of Apple’s silicon stack, the fully loaded Mac Studio is now available—at a price that reflects both its performance and the current cost of high-capacity memory.

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MacDailyNews Take: This is one of those “if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it” machines. If your work actually requires holding a 400-billion-parameter model in memory, or grading multiple uncompressed 8K streams, or running large-scale local simulations without constant cloud round-trips, the $29,799 price stops being the main question. The question becomes whether one machine is enough, or whether you need multiple units clustered together.

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While the global smartphone market suffered its steepest third-quarter decline in more than a decade, Apple emerged as the clear winner by keeping shipments flat amid widespread industry contraction.

According to Omdia, worldwide smartphone shipments fell 20% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2026 to 254.7 million units — the lowest third-quarter total since 2013. The drop accelerated from a 6% decline in the prior quarter and occurred even as vendors prepared channels for the holiday season and launched new flagships. Rising device prices, driven largely by elevated memory and storage costs, suppressed demand, particularly in emerging markets, while distributors and retailers remained cautious on inventory.

Apple shipped 56.5 million iPhones during the quarter, unchanged from a year earlier. That flat performance stood in sharp contrast to the broader market and lifted the company’s share to 22%, up from 18%. Samsung, the volume leader, shipped 57.8 million units (down 5%) and held a 23% share. Together the two companies accounted for 45% of global shipments, roughly eight percentage points higher than a year earlier. Mass-market competitors fared far worse: Xiaomi fell 29%, OPPO (including realme and OnePlus) dropped 39%, and vivo declined 33%.

Apple’s resilience stemmed from strength in key developed markets. Demand in China and North America offset weakness in emerging regions, supported by continued interest in the iPhone 17 lineup and advance channel stocking ahead of expected price increases. In September the company introduced the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable model, the iPhone Duo, while postponing the base iPhone 18 until 2027. The move extended the sales cycle of the prior generation and concentrated holiday demand on higher-margin premium devices.

The downturn hit emerging markets hardest. Africa recorded a 39% year-over-year contraction as higher costs prompted vendors to prioritize margins over aggressive volume growth. Other regions including Asia-Pacific excluding Greater China, the Middle East, and Latin America each fell more than 20%, pressured by currency depreciation, inflation, and reduced purchasing power that led some consumers to delay upgrades or turn to refurbished phones. North America proved more resilient, aided by a premium-oriented mix and established carrier financing, trade-in, and upgrade programs.

Omdia expects full-year 2026 global smartphone shipments to decline 12%, with further price increases and limited promotional flexibility continuing to weigh on demand through the holiday period. The quarter’s results underscore a widening divide: premium-focused vendors with strong brand loyalty and financing ecosystems are better positioned to navigate cost inflation, while volume-oriented players face sharper pressure on both shipments and margins.
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MacDailyNews Take: While the smartphone market suffered its worst third-quarter collapse in over a decade, Apple held steady and gained share. That’s what happens when you sell premium products people actually want and provide a secure, privacy-focused ecosystem that keeps them coming back. The rest of the industry is learning (yet again) that chasing volume at all costs is a fool’s errand.

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Major League Soccer has revealed cornerstone matchups for its 2027 “Sprint Season,” the abbreviated campaign that will bridge the league’s traditional spring-to-fall schedule and its long-planned shift to a summer-to-spring calendar aligned with Europe’s top leagues. The details, previewed on Apple TV’s MLS Countdown, feature weekly rivalry games and a high-profile opening night starring Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.

Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati on Friday, February 19, 2027, at Nu Stadium in Miami in a standalone match that launches the truncated regular season. The rest of Matchday 1 follows over the weekend of February 20–21. The four-month sprint runs through early May and serves as the transition after the 2026 campaign ends with MLS Cup in December.

Each of the league’s 30 clubs (15 per conference) will play a 14-game regular-season schedule consisting solely of intra-conference matchups. Teams face every opponent in their conference once — seven home and seven away — with no cross-conference games. The regular season concludes on May 8 with “Decision Day,” highlighted by the Hudson River Derby between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls. The top eight teams in each conference advance to single-elimination Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in May, culminating in the 2027 MLS Cup presented by Audi. Sprint Season results will also determine qualification for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup (five berths) and the 2028 Leagues Cup (18 teams, nine from each conference).

Among the headline fixtures announced, the LA Galaxy will host Los Angeles FC on April 10 in the “El Trafico” derby. The schedule emphasizes weekly rivalries, a format designed to maintain intensity during the compressed calendar.

All matches, along with studio programming and related content, will stream exclusively on Apple TV as part of a standard Apple TV subscription, with no separate MLS Season Pass required. This continues the model introduced for the 2026 season after MLS and Apple adjusted their multi-year partnership, folding full access into the main service for subscribers in more than 100 countries and regions (with no blackouts in the U.S. and Canada). English and Spanish commentary is available, with some matches offering French options.

MLS owners approved the calendar realignment in November 2025 following a multi-year review and fan/owner surveys that showed strong support. Commissioner Don Garber has described the change as “one of the most important decisions in our history.” The shift aims to better synchronize player transfers with the global summer window, reduce conflicts with FIFA international breaks, free players for summer national-team duty, and stage the playoffs and MLS Cup in May — when the North American sports calendar is less crowded than the traditional fall window dominated by the NFL and college football. The first full season under the new timetable will run from mid-to-late July 2027 through May 2028, including a midwinter break (limited games in December and early February, none in January) to account for weather in northern markets.

The Sprint Season is expected to crown an MLS Cup champion while setting the stage for the league’s deeper integration with the global soccer calendar. Full schedules, including all home/away designations, were being finalized for later release, with clubs also evaluating season-ticket strategies that may bundle the abbreviated 2027 campaign with the longer 2027–28 season.
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MacDailyNews Take: This long-awaited calendar realignment is a great move for MLS and for Apple TV!

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For more than a decade, Apple insisted a touchscreen Mac would never happen—citing ergonomic issues, software mismatches, and a desire to keep the Mac distinct from the iPad. In Steven Levy’s exclusive WIRED story, Apple executives (including John Ternus and Johny Srouji) explain why that long-standing resistance finally ended with the 2026 MacBook Pro, which pairs a new PROLED XDR tandem OLED display and M5 chips with carefully integrated touch without adding weight, thickness, or compromising the trackpad-and-keyboard experience.

Steve Levy for Wired:
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This turnaround [from “no touch on Mac displays” to the new MacBook Pro] is a big deal to Apple fans. Ternus shrugs off the drama. “The Mac is first and foremost an indirect input device, built around the trackpad and keyboard. But I think there’s times when it’s comfortable and handy to have touch.”

Ternus and Apple want to make sure that the Mac faithful don’t panic that the 42-year-old franchise is losing its identity to Apple’s gangbusters mobile products. “We needed to get to a point where adding touch didn’t make the product lesser in any way. It didn’t make it heavier. It didn’t make it thicker. That came together with the OLED screen, the best display we’ve ever put into a Mac,” Ternus told me. “All of these things, and, oh yeah, it has touch as well.”

Apple has a long history of refusing to implement certain desirable features, only to pivot when it feels the time is right. Steve Jobs once proclaimed iPods would never do video, until they did. He also once said “no one’s going to buy” a jumbo-size phone — and then Apple released a supersized iPhone 6. Then there was that time Jobs declared styluses inappropriate for tablets. Now the Apple Pencil works with iPads and the brand-new Duo.

The 2026 MacBook Pro instantly qualifies as the canonical example of this switcheroo…

I see what they mean about the display. It’s noticeably dense and bright, and the obsidian blacks are the deepest I’ve seen on a computer screen. In part because the OLED screen doesn’t require backlighting, this MacBook weighs less than its predecessor.

As a pair of Apple managers take the MacBook through its paces, I see how Apple has addressed some of [Phil] Schiller’s decade-old concerns, like having to redesign the menu bar for fingers. While it looks the same, when you move a finger over a menu item, it expands to allow you to select your choice with precision. Some of the objects on the screen, like the traffic-light buttons that close or hide windows, also get bigger when you touch them.

But what about greasy fingers messing up the screen? I was told that the new display has an anti-reflective outer coating that will require no more cleaning than your normal non-interactive screen.

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MacDailyNews Take: We shall see, but, we expect we won’t be touching our displays much, if at all.

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Gene Munster reports remarkably long lines at Apple stores on the iPhone Duo’s launch day despite its high price point. This strengthens his confidence in a 20 million unit FY27 forecast (about 7% of total iPhone units) — well above Street expectations of ~12 million. The incremental 8 million units, driven by customers switching from ~$1,200 ASP phones to the Duo’s ~$2,200 ASP, would add roughly $8 billion to iPhone revenue and lift FY27 iPhone growth to 13% versus the Street’s 10%. Even as a fractional part of the lineup, Munster argues the Duo is a meaningful new lever that could boost overall iPhone revenue growth by 3% in FY27 and 5% in FY28.

Gene Munster:
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My initial read on the first hour of the Duo launch is that lines are surprisingly long given the high price point. My confidence in my estimate calling for 20m units in FY27 (7% of total iPhone units) inched up after this morning. The Street is looking for around 12m. That 8m incremental units should add about 3% to overall iPhone growth in FY27 (Street currently looking for 10%). The 3% upside comes from getting 8m people to switch from a $1.2k ASP phone to a $2.2k ASP phone, adding $8B to the Street’s FY27 iPhone revenue estimate of $279B. I expect iPhone to grow at 13% in FY27, vs. the Street at 10%…

I believe the reasonable takeaway is that the Duo is off to a solid start. It’s important to note that Wall Street expects this to be a niche product accounting for about 4% of iPhone units in FY27 and 7% of revenue. I’m more optimistic and expect Duo to account for 8% of units and 16% of revenue. Either way, the Duo will play a smaller role in the broader iPhone family in the following fiscal year. Looking out to FY28, I expect it will play a more significant role in the lineup.

The bottom line is Apple has discovered a new lever in the iPhone growth equation that should help boost overall revenue growth by 3% in FY27 and 5% in FY28. The Street is currently looking for 10% iPhone growth in FY27 and 8% in FY28. So I believe the Duo will slightly bump up those growth rates.

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MacDailyNews Take: Even Gene might be a bit low on his expectations. It’ll all hinge on how many units Apple can get assembled!

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Apple today introduced the all-new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, featuring breakthrough tandem OLED technology that delivers game-changing front-of-screen performance. Available in 14- and 16-inch models, MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display offers a visual experience unlike any other, transforming pro workflows with up to 2000 nits peak HDR and SDR brightness, an industry-leading 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio for exceptional detail, a 120Hz variable refresh rate, and a wider color gamut covering both P3 and Adobe RGB for brilliant colors. The new MacBook Pro also introduces intuitive Touch capabilities on the Mac for the first time, opening up a whole new dimension for pros to interact with their content, from manipulating 3D models to playing musical instruments onscreen. The Dynamic Island now comes to Mac, serving as the home for Spotlight, Live Activities, and Siri AI. And with up to 24 hours of battery life in thinner and much lighter 3- and 4-pound designs, MacBook Pro is more portable than ever, empowering pros to take their work wherever inspiration strikes.3 Featuring M5 Pro and M5 Max, Apple’s most powerful chips ever built for a pro laptop, along with up to 128GB of unified memory and now up to 16TB of blazing-fast storage, the new MacBook Pro delivers speed and capability for the most demanding workflows. An enhanced six-speaker sound system now provides 50 percent deeper bass and remarkable sound clarity for even more immersive audio. And Thunderbolt 5 and a wide array of connectivity, a 12MP Center Stage camera, studio-quality mics, and the power of macOS 27 with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI complete the MacBook Pro experience. It is available to pre-order starting today, October 28, with availability beginning Friday, November 6.

“The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is a monumental step forward for the Mac,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, in a statement. “PROLED XDR is the world’s best laptop display. It pairs state-of-the-art tandem OLED technology with advanced algorithms in our display engine to deliver the kind of visual fidelity pros have been dreaming of. And with the magic of Touch coming to MacBook Pro, combined with the game-changing performance of M5 Pro and M5 Max, we’ve created a whole new way for pros to interact with their content, taking their workflows to a completely new level. The new MacBook Pro is the result of the deep integration between Apple silicon, hardware, and software, and there’s simply nothing else like it.”

PROLED XDR: The World’s Best Display in a Pro Laptop

The new MacBook Pro debuts the PROLED XDR display, which uses tandem OLED technology and advances it with breakthrough innovations in every layer, advanced algorithms in the display engine, and a state-of-the-art factory calibration process to deliver Extreme Dynamic Range (XDR) and stunning visual fidelity. With exceptional brightness, striking contrast, and vivid true-to-life colors, PROLED XDR offers the ultimate front-of-screen performance, enabling a new level of visual acuity and precision for content creators, photographers, colorists, and designers who need a reference-caliber display on the go.

A Tandem OLED Display Unlike Any Other

PROLED XDR is the world’s best laptop display, delivering true-to-life color and unparalleled brightness and contrast. The PROLED XDR display offers tandem OLED technology unlike any other, with deep innovations in its layers that keep brightness and grayscale uniform across the entire display, while minimizing internal reflections common in traditional OLED designs. It’s all backed by advanced algorithms in the display engine that precisely control each pixel in real time, plus a meticulous manufacturing process and precise calibration of every panel for consistency from display to display.

Breathtaking Brightness and Contrast

PROLED XDR offers up to 2000 nits peak HDR and SDR brightness, allowing specular highlights to shine with stunning intensity. And through optimizations in the tandem OLED panel and custom compensation techniques, combined with precise control of light across the display, the PROLED XDR display achieves an industry-leading 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, so even the deepest shadows reveal incredible detail, bringing HDR content remarkably close to reality.

An Advanced Display Engine

The display engine precisely controls the color and luminance of every pixel at the sub-millisecond level, compensating for content, pixel use, temperature, and environment all at once to offer exceptional brightness uniformity and grayscale accuracy, even in fast-motion content. It also monitors and adapts each pixel’s usage over time to preserve stunning image quality. And ProMotion technology delivers adaptive refresh rates from as low as 10Hz for better power efficiency and up to 120Hz for fluid responsiveness for content in motion.

The Ultimate Display for Color-Critical Workflows

PROLED XDR offers pros a super-wide color gamut with P3 and now Adobe RGB — critical for workflows in photography and design — along with notably wider coverage in green and cyan ranges. This results in more than 80 percent Rec. 2020 coverage for HDR video editing and color grading. Cutting-edge factory calibration ensures luminance, white point, and color gamut are precisely aligned with standard targets. Both color spaces are accessible within a single default preset, streamlining pro workflows and making it seamless to switch between them. With the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, pros have a portable reference display on the go.

Stunning Clarity in Bright Light

With up to 2000 nits peak SDR brightness, combined with a state-of-the-art antireflective coating, the display is easy to read even in bright lighting conditions. For even greater visibility, the nano-texture option — now precisely etched into the cover glass — further reduces reflections and glare to eliminate distractions while maintaining an excellent viewing experience.

With breakthrough tandem OLED technology, extreme brightness, and extraordinary contrast, along with a super-wide color gamut, PROLED XDR is truly the world’s best laptop display, giving pros an unparalleled visual experience and setting a whole new bar for the industry.

Touch Arrives on Mac

MacBook Pro features Touch for the first time, bringing pros a whole new way to interact with their content. Crafted specifically for the Mac, every touch interaction feels incredibly responsive and refined. Everyday tasks are simple and intuitive, allowing users to scroll through a webpage with a natural swipe; pinch to zoom in on a photo; drag and drop slides from one presentation to another; and double-tap a window to fill the screen, or flick to tile it into place. And the touch sensor is built directly into the display panel — not layered on top of it — reducing latency so users feel like they’re touching the content itself.

Touch also introduces entirely new ways of working for pro users. Graphic designers can now use the entire display as their canvas, no longer constrained by the area of the trackpad when drawing; musicians can play software instruments right onscreen; and app developers can test how Touch performs in their iOS and iPadOS apps directly on the MacBook Pro display. And these new ways to interact with MacBook Pro work in tandem with the keyboard shortcuts and trackpad gestures pros know and love. In addition, a newly designed hinge provides greater stability while using Touch, and advanced video stabilization automatically smooths the camera feed in real time while using Touch on a video call.

Apple apps are optimized for the new MacBook Pro, and many existing apps work with Touch right away, because macOS automatically translates touches into clicks. Updated system gesture APIs also enable developers to create intuitive experiences designed specifically for Touch. And a wide range of third-party apps that pros rely on every day will also take advantage of Touch on the new MacBook Pro, bringing new ways to interact with their favorite tools and workflows. These include everyday productivity and collaboration apps like Notion, Canva, Zoom, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook; powerful creative tools for photo and video editing like Adobe Lightroom and DaVinci Resolve; 3D modeling and animation apps like Blender, Maxon Cinema 4D, Maxon ZBrush, and Shapr3D; along with music apps like Algoriddim djay Pro.

Say Hello to the Dynamic Island on Mac

The Dynamic Island comes to the Mac, serving as the new home for Spotlight, Live Activities, and Siri AI, where users can quickly search for anything on their MacBook Pro, access real-time updates, or take advantage of Siri AI.1 Just like on iPhone, the Dynamic Island provides a quick, intuitive way to see and interact with important information. Users can ask a question, pick up a phone call, or control music — all within easy reach. With Live Activities, users can now get timely updates at a glance, and can accept an AirDrop request or pause a song with a tap of their finger.

A Thinner and Much Lighter New Design

The new MacBook Pro is thinner and significantly lighter for even better portability. The 14-inch MacBook Pro now weighs half a pound less at 3 pounds, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro weighs just 4 pounds — 0.7 pounds lighter than before. Both models feature a slimmer design enabled by OLED’s more efficient display stack, with the 16-inch model nearly a millimeter thinner and the 14-inch model half a millimeter thinner.

With slimmer display borders, the 16-inch display grows to 16.3 inches, while the 14-inch display delivers a more portable 14.2-inch design. And a completely redesigned thermal architecture enables the same incredible sustained performance of M5 Pro and M5 Max, even in a lighter design, while redirecting warm air away from the display.

M5 Pro and M5 Max: Game‑Changing Pro Performance and On-Device AI

The new MacBook Pro features M5 Pro and M5 Max, Apple’s most powerful chips ever built for a pro laptop. Both deliver phenomenal single- and multithreaded CPU performance, along with faster unified memory, giving users blazing speed for the most demanding workflows. M5 Pro offers game-changing performance for scientists, engineers, software developers, and creative pros tackling intensive projects, accelerating everything from compiling code and running AI tasks to sequencing DNA and editing multiple streams of 8K ProRes video. M5 Max is built for users who want to push the limits even further, including 3D VFX artists, AI developers, and film composers. With M5 Max, pros can run LLMs with hundreds of billions of parameters entirely on device and accelerate intense workflows across detailed visual effects, 3D animation projects, film scores, and 8K video post-production.

A powerful Neural Accelerator built into each GPU core lets users speed through AI workloads like running a coding agent with an on-device LLM. And users are able to power through advanced graphics-intensive tasks like rendering a complex scene in Cinema 4D with Redshift. M5 Pro and M5 Max each feature a GPU with enhanced shader cores and a third-generation ray-tracing engine, delivering more photorealistic lighting and faster renders for 3D modeling. Dynamic Caching optimizes on-chip memory to significantly increase GPU utilization, driving huge performance boosts for apps like Blender and Unreal Engine, along with AAA games.

The Best Audio System in a Laptop

The industry-leading six-speaker audio system in the new MacBook Pro features an all-new woofer design that provides 50 percent deeper bass and all-new tweeters that shape sound dispersion for remarkable clarity. Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos wraps users in immersive sound for music and movies, and studio-quality mics deliver clean, clear audio for calls, recordings, and voice commands. And for the first time, dedicated audio tuning for closed-lid use delivers exceptional sound quality when MacBook Pro is connected to an external display, so users can enjoy a premium audio experience however they work.

Additional New Features for Pro Workflows

The new MacBook Pro packs features for the most demanding users. The PROLED XDR display offers calibration and industry-standard reference modes in a portable form factor, making MacBook Pro an indispensable tool for filmmaking, design, and even medical imaging. And macOS makes the most of the graphics, memory, and machine learning capabilities of Apple silicon, so apps perform at incredible speed.

• The Apple Pro Display Calibrator gives pros the ability to calibrate their display to specific targets. In addition, pros can take advantage of industry-standard reference modes for cinematic standards, photography, print, design, and more. And with new DICOM medical imaging reference modes, the display can be used today to review medical images with outstanding grayscale accuracy and contrast when used for nondiagnostic reviews, research, and educational purposes.

• Through Apple Color Matching Function 2026, the PROLED XDR display delivers a seamless, consistent visual experience when paired with iPhone 18 Pro or Studio Display XDR.

• With support for genlock, MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display synchronizes a display’s refresh rate with a camera’s capture to minimize ghosting, tearing, and other visual artifacts when filming, making it highly valuable for virtual productions and on-set work.8

• Apple Creator Studio opens up new ways to create on MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, optimizing for Touch alongside the precision of the keyboard and trackpad. With Pixelmator Pro, creators can interact with their designs directly on the canvas, making use of the fully interactive display to draw, paint, and select with even more fluidity. In Logic Pro, musicians can play software instruments with a fully Multi-Touch polyphonic keyboard, along with tappable chord and drum pads onscreen. And in Final Cut Pro, editors can use Touch to precisely mark ranges, drop clips directly into place, pinch to zoom in on a cut, and more.

Advanced Pro Connectivity

The new MacBook Pro includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe, and a headphone jack. In addition to the PROLED XDR display, it supports up to three external displays with M5 Pro and up to four with M5 Max. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 provide fast, reliable wireless connectivity, and Touch ID enables a quick, easy, and secure login experience. With its fast-charge capability, MacBook Pro can charge up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes. In addition, storage is now configurable up to 16TB.

macOS 27 Golden Gate

The new MacBook Pro comes to life with macOS 27. In addition to Touch built for macOS 27, MacBook Pro includes Siri AI, a profoundly more capable, conversational, and personal assistant; helpful Apple Intelligence features across apps; and an expansive set of improvements that make the Mac even more responsive and reliable. Siri AI can draw on personal context to help pros find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more; answer questions about virtually any topic; and get things done across apps — all with groundbreaking privacy protections. Siri AI is integrated into Spotlight and systemwide context menus, and users can ask Siri about what’s on their display with Visual Intelligence by using a dedicated keyboard shortcut to get help with a specific item. Pros can also write and edit with Siri almost anywhere they type.

Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. In Safari, it powers new tools that automatically organize a user’s tabs into topics; notify them of website changes, like product restocks or price drops; and enable the creation of custom extensions based on a description. Pros can also easily create an automation in Shortcuts by simply describing it, or tap into intelligent photo editing tools in the Photos app. Features users already rely on get even better with improvements to performance and search. Refinements to Liquid Glass deliver an even more focused and approachable experience. A new slider in Settings gives users the option to personalize Liquid Glass, adjusting it anywhere from ultraclear to fully tinted to match their preference, and app icons are sharper and more defined.

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display and the Environment

The new MacBook Pro was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 55 percent recycled content overall,9 including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery, and, in a first for Apple, 100 percent recycled tantalum in multiple capacitors. It is manufactured with 45 percent renewable electricity, such as wind and solar, across the supply chain. The new MacBook Pro is designed to be durable and repairable, and meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. As with all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based10 and designed to be recycled.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers can pre-order the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display starting today, October 28, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Friday, November 6.

• The 14-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display featuring M5 Pro starts at $2,899 (U.S.) and $2,749 (U.S.) with education savings; and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display featuring M5 Pro starts at $3,399 (U.S.) and $3,199 (U.S.) with education savings.

• The 14-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display featuring M5 Max starts at $4,499 (U.S.) and $4,199 (U.S.) with education savings; and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display featuring M5 Max starts at $4,799 (U.S.) and $4,499 (U.S.) with education savings.

• Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/macbook-pro.

• Details on Apple accessories — including the 70W Power Adapter for $59 (U.S.), 96W Power Adapter for $79 (U.S.), 140W Power Adapter for $99 (U.S.), and the World Travel Adapter Kit for $39 (U.S.) — are available at apple.com/mac.

• Apple Creator Studio updates will be available on the App Store this November for free for existing subscribers. New subscribers pay $12.99 (U.S.) per month or $129 (U.S.) per year. Education savings are available for college students and educators for $2.99 (U.S.) per month or $29.99 (U.S.) per year. All new subscribers will enjoy a one-month free trial of Apple Creator Studio, and with the purchase of a new Mac or qualifying iPad, customers can receive three months of Apple Creator Studio for free.

• With Apple Upgrade, eligible customers in the U.S. can lease a new Mac with low monthly payments and easily upgrade at the end of their lease.Lease MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display with Apple Upgrade from $55.99 (U.S.) per month, excluding taxes and any trade-in credit, for 36 months. Additional configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/macbook-pro.

• With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth. With year-round education pricing — available to current and newly accepted college students and educators — customers can save on MacBook Pro, along with a wide range of products and services through the Apple Store online and in stores. Visit the Apple Education Store for details. Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Mac or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• Every customer who buys directly from Apple gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided one-on-one online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup or focus on features that will help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started and going further with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
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MacDailyNews Take: A pair of absolutely beautiful MacBook Pros (on whose displays we’d never smear our fingers)!

FYI: A maxed-out 16-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display with M5 Max chip (18-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 128GB unified memory) and 16TB storage with nano‑texture glass costs: $14,549 or $1,212.41 per month for 12 months. Lease from $332.18 per month for 36 months.

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After five days with Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the £1,999 iPhone Duo, The Independent‘s Alex Lee says it made them feel like a kid with a new toy again. The lightweight titanium design, silky hinge, matte 7.6-inch inner display, and Split View multitasking turn it into a versatile phone-and-tablet hybrid that feels genuinely fun and useful—enough that the reviewer doesn’t want to go back to their iPhone 18 Pro Max. App optimization and the lack of a telephoto camera remain caveats, but the excitement is real.

Alex Lee for The Independent
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Light. That is literally the first word I think of when I slide it out of its pristine-white box. Everyone’s been rabbiting on about how heavy and thick the Duo is, but it’s really not that heavy at first touch. As a Pro Max user, it’s only 5g heavier than the 18 Pro Max (249g versus the Duo’s 254g), and I’ve not felt that weightiness at all.

Admittedly, I wasn’t a massive fan of the iPhone Duo’s odd D-shaped design when I first saw it on a computer screen, but holding it in my hand, feeling its mirror-polished titanium frame, curved edges and solid construction – oh Apple, this thing just oozes luxury. It comes in either white or black, and I’ve got the black version.

It genuinely feels like the most expensive iPhone ever made. Even unfolding it feels satisfying – there’s a spring-like push that separates the 5.4in outer screen from the 7.6in folding inner display whenever you unfold it, then it comes together again with a pleasing snap thanks to some magnets that keep it together… the iPhone Duo is as Apple of a product as they come – the build quality is just fantastic…

The iPhone Duo has two 48MP cameras on the rear – a main and an ultrawide. Pictures I’ve taken on the main camera have been really nice. There’s detail in my shots and colours look good. Night pictures do need some assistance from night mode to look good, with some slight colour loss, but there’s not much streetlight flaring. It doesn’t feel like I’ve downgraded to an inferior product.

It’s only when I start zooming in that I miss my Pro Max. There’s no dedicated telephoto lens on the Duo, so while I can get a good 2x shot, I can’t zoom in to pictures of my dog in the park and he’s far away. Admittedly, there aren’t many instances when I use the telephoto, but there are always instances when it’s handy…

I haven’t had this much fun with an iPhone since I got my first iPod touch. And that’s something I never thought I’d say again.

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MacDailyNews Take: Yet another excellent review for Apple’s revolutionary iPhone Duo!

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Apple released macOS 27.2 (Golden Gate), iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, and watchOS 27.2 on October 26, 2026. These are the first major point updates to the 27 series operating systems that launched in September. The headline change is a meaningful upgrade to Siri AI, with conversation memory, broader personal context, privacy controls, and new languages. Other improvements touch Messages, Photos, Apple TV, Podcasts, FaceTime, and platform-specific features, alongside extensive security fixes.

Siri AI Gets Memory, More Context, and New Languages

Siri AI — the conversational, context-aware overhaul introduced in the 27 releases — is the focus across most platforms. On supported devices, it can now recall past conversations so you can refer back to something it previously said (for example, restaurants it recommended last week). It also draws from a wider set of personal sources, including photos attached in Messages, Calendar event attendees, voicemails, and improved results from Safari history and Reading List.

New controls include Excluded Apps, which lets you manage which apps Siri, Search, and suggestions can access from a single setting, and granular text selection so you can copy only part of a Siri response. Language support expands beyond English to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish on eligible devices. Availability has regional limits: Siri AI remains unavailable in the EU and mainland China on iPhone and iPad, and is not available in mainland China on Mac and Vision Pro. Device requirements generally follow prior Apple Intelligence rules (e.g., iPhone 15 Pro and later or iPhone 16 series and later for full features on iPhone; M-series or equivalent on Mac; supported iPads and Vision Pro models).

On Apple Watch, responses are also promised to be faster. visionOS notes omit Portuguese in some official lists.

iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2

These share most features. In addition to the Siri AI changes:

• Messages gains context-aware suggestions that help turn conversation details into quick actions, such as creating a Calendar event or Reminder.

• Photos Shared Albums now support editing captions and comments, better duplicate avoidance, and expiration reminders so participants can save content before albums expire. SynthID watermarking helps identify images generated or modified with generative tools in Photos and Image Playground.

• The Podcasts Home tab separates New Episodes and Continue Playing.

• The Games app Friends tab provides more context on friend suggestions and shows recent games played on friends’ player pages.

• The Apple TV app adds Simple Profiles so household members can have personalized recommendations.

• FaceTime supports adding a third-party sign language interpreter or live captioner to a call. Group FaceTime Dual Capture (front and rear cameras at once) expands on supported hardware.

• Apple Music receives a redesigned black-and-white app icon and shifts the selected-tab accent color from red to blue.

• On iPhone, Multiview expands so you can watch up to four live sports streams (MLS, F1 in the U.S., MLB doubleheaders) at once.

• In the EU, there is an alternative expanded App Tracking Transparency prompt (required in certain countries).

• Shortcuts gains improvements, including a new automation for when an iPhone Duo is opened or closed, and other editor and action updates.

iPhone Duo specifics: Apple Pencil support arrives (USB-C model only; not Apple Pencil Pro or other variants), along with Edge Light to illuminate your face on video calls. The Duo also receives the broader Siri AI context and Messages suggestions.

iPadOS adds trackpad/mouse conveniences such as a Siri prompt on text selection (hover to ask about selected text or handwritten Notes content) and some multitasking refinements. Both updates are available for all devices that run the base 27 releases, including the new OLED iPad mini.

macOS 27.2 Golden Gate

Mac users get the Siri AI memory, expanded personal context, Excluded Apps control, new languages, and Write with Siri in the formatting bar when composing Mail. Shared improvements cover Messages suggestions, Photos Shared Albums and SynthID support, the Podcasts Home tab split, and FaceTime interpreter/captioner support. The update includes bug fixes and a large number of security patches (hundreds across the 27.2 wave overall). Some beta references to gesture recognition in Photos, Notes, and Safari have been noted, potentially related to future hardware, but these are not user-facing features in the release.

tvOS 27.2

Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later) receives:

• Screen saver Shuffle, which cycles through categories (Aerials, Memories, Portraits, Snoopy, and others) instead of locking to one.

• Photo personalization for screen savers via iPhone without sharing your full library.

• FaceTime links for easier joining and support for third-party sign language interpreters or live captioners.

• Find My support for the Siri Remote (2nd generation and later; Precision Finding on newer remotes).

• Sign language options (ASL and BSL) in player controls for supported content.

Profiles in the TV app become more useful with the matching iOS/iPadOS support. Four-speaker HomePod surround sound (and related Whole Room Audio options) is tied to the new 4th-generation Apple TV 4K hardware launching later; it supports matching pairs of HomePod (2nd generation) or HomePod mini 2 speakers in front and rear positions. Siri AI support for Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later) is also planned as a follow-on rather than being fully enabled in the initial 27.2 release.

visionOS 27.2

Primarily a bug-fix and security release for Apple Vision Pro. It includes the expanded Siri AI languages (with the usual regional caveats), Excluded Apps and granular text selection controls, SynthID support in Photos/Image Playground, FaceTime interpreter/captioner support, and the updated Apple Music icon/branding. Conversation memory is noted as less prominent or absent compared with other platforms in some coverage.

watchOS 27.2

Siri AI gains the ability to retain useful context from previous interactions, draw from a wider range of personal context (often leveraging the paired iPhone), and deliver faster responses. New languages are supported. There are no major new standalone features; Apple has indicated that Audio Intelligence capabilities remain planned for a future update. The update requires the Watch to be on the charger with sufficient battery.

Security and Other Notes

The 27.2 updates (and companion releases for older systems such as iOS/iPadOS 26.7.2/18.7.11, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, and Sequoia 15.8.2) address hundreds of vulnerabilities in total—hundreds unique, with many shared across platforms. Notable areas include WebKit, kernel, media handling, privacy, and camera access issues. Users are strongly encouraged to update. HomePod Software 27.2 also shipped with related audio features such as Sound Glow.
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MacDailyNews Take: In short, the 27.2 releases make Siri AI more useful and multilingual on capable devices while polishing apps and adding practical features like TV profiles, better Photos sharing, and Apple TV conveniences. Most users on the 27 series should install them for the combination of AI improvements and security fixes. Check Settings > General > Software Update (or the equivalent on Mac, Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro) to install.

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The post What’s new in Apple’s macOS 27.2, iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, and tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, and watchOS 27.2 appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple TV’s latest addition, “Small Prophets,” is not a flashy original, but an acquired British gem that critics are calling one of the streamer’s standout offerings of 2026. The series was created, written, and directed by Mackenzie Crook (best known for “Detectorists” and his role in the original UK “The Office”), premiered on the platform in early October after a celebrated run on BBC Two.

The six-episode series follows Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley), a lonely hardware-store worker in the Manchester area whose life has been frozen since his partner Clea disappeared seven years earlier on Christmas Eve. His days consist of work, visits to his eccentric father Brian (Sir Michael Palin), and a house still filled with her unpacked boxes and an untouched Christmas setup. When Brian shares an old alchemical recipe involving rainwater, horse manure, and more, Michael begins growing tiny prophetic homunculi in jars in his garden shed—hoping the small creatures can reveal what happened to Clea. Along the way, he forms an unlikely friendship with a younger coworker, Kacey (Lauren Patel), while navigating a nosy neighbor and a difficult boss (played by Crook himself).

Reviews have been exceptionally warm. The series holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 87 on Metacritic, indicating universal acclaim. The Hollywood Reporter’s Daniel Fienberg argued it “may be the finest show to hit Apple this year,” with the caveat that the ranking depends on one’s feelings about the Emmy-winning horror-comedy “Widow’s Bay.” He singled out Quigley’s lead performance as one of the year’s best. The Verge called it “extremely strong in basically every regard,” praising its “perfect mix of sweet and silly tones” and noting that its goofy, heartwarming nature fills a unique space on Apple TV. Other critics have described it as a “gentle, jewel-like, unhurried masterpiece” and “pure, pure pleasure,” with The Guardian awarding it five stars for its “gorgeous surprises.”

The tone is classic Crook: droll rather than broad, whimsical without tipping into twee, and grounded in ordinary grief even as the alchemy grows stranger. Reviewers highlight the show’s ability to break and mend the heart in the same stretch, its excellent supporting cast (including Palin’s return to television comedy at age 82), and the genius dovetailing of story arcs. Quigley, previously a supporting player in “Detectorists,” shines as the sarcastic yet oddly lovable Michael, while Patel’s turn as Kacey has been called a breakout.

The series was a major success in the UK, becoming the BBC’s biggest new scripted launch of the year with viewership peaking at 9.2 million. The BBC has already ordered a second season, due in 2027. Apple’s acquisition of worldwide rights after the BBC run marks a rare move for the streamer — the first time it has bought an existing English-language series in this way — bringing the show to global audiences (outside the UK, where Apple TV subscribers will wait until 2027).

In a year when Apple TV has dominated awards conversations (including a record Emmy haul led by “Widow’s Bay”), “Small Prophets” offers something different: a low-key, humane, and gently magical comedy that proves the platform’s strength extends beyond its big-budget originals. For fans of “Detectorists” or anyone seeking a quietly profound, funny, and moving watch, it’s a must-stream.

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

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Apple has acknowledged a significant issue affecting the inner folding screens of a limited number of its newly launched iPhone Duo devices, according to The Wall Street Journal. Some early customers have opened their new $2,000 phones only to find bright lines stretching across the folding display, compromising its usability.

An Apple spokesman confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that the company was aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units and encouraged impacted customers to contact AppleCare for a replacement. He didn’t specify how many units are affected, and says Apple isn’t recalling the product.

The problem has surfaced shortly after the iPhone Duo’s retail launch as Apple’s first foldable smartphone. Customers have reported cracks or bright horizontal lines appearing along or near the central hinge crease, sometimes after only a few openings and closings of the device. In some cases, owners described a sticking sensation or audible pop before the display damage appeared.

The Wall Street Journal’s coverage highlights the contrast between strong early demand for the premium device and these first-generation reliability concerns. Apple has directed affected owners to AppleCare for free replacements while maintaining that the issue is limited in scope and that the product is not being recalled. The company has not detailed the root cause or provided a precise failure rate.
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MacDailyNews Take: For owners experiencing the defect, the recommended path is to contact AppleCare promptly.

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Apple is targeting the first half of 2027 for the release of a second-generation MacBook Neo, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman. The refreshed budget laptop is expected to address key limitations of the original model through a processor upgrade, increased memory, and expanded color options.

The current MacBook Neo, which launched in March 2026, uses an A18 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM. It is offered in Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo finishes. Pricing began at $599 before rising to $699 in the U.S. in June amid broader industry memory cost pressures. Apple continues to provide education discounts.

Gurman has previously indicated that the second-generation model will move to an A19 Pro chip, increase base memory to 12GB, and introduce new color choices. These changes are aimed at improving multitasking performance and better supporting features that benefit from additional memory, while keeping the device positioned as Apple’s most affordable laptop option. The update would arrive roughly a year after the original’s debut, maintaining the Neo’s role as an entry point into the Mac lineup below the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

No further details on display, storage, ports, or exact pricing for the second-generation model have been reported. The first-half 2027 window places the release after the recently launched M6-powered iMac and entry-level MacBook Pro updates.
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MacDailyNews Take: It’ll sell like hotcakes if Apple can keep the pricing the same as it is now!

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Global sales of Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro series in the first three weeks after launch were 3.1% higher than for the iPhone 17 Pro series over the same period a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research.

The research firm described the launch as mixed. The smartphones performed well in markets such as China and India but more modestly elsewhere.

China drove the bulk of the growth. Sales there rose 29% year-over-year—the strongest of any market—helped by better early stock availability compared with last year’s iPhone 17 Pro models and price increases on competing flagship Android phones from Chinese makers, which boosted demand for Apple’s devices. Excluding China, overall global sales growth would have been far weaker, Counterpoint said.

In contrast, sales fell in the United States (down 4%) and Japan (down 27%). The new models are more expensive than their predecessors. U.S. consumers saw few meaningful improvements in features or design to justify the higher prices, while in Japan, exchange rates amplified the price increases and dampened demand.

Within the iPhone 18 Pro series, the Pro Max accounted for 56% of sales, a slight decline from 57% for the prior generation. Higher prices and stronger relative growth of the standard Pro model in emerging markets such as India and Southeast Asia contributed to the shift, according to the data.

Counterpoint analysts noted the early nature of the figures. Associate Director Sujeong Lim said it remains to be seen whether China’s outperformance reflects durable demand or front-loaded buying, and highlighted the recovery of U.S. and Japanese volumes plus the potential impact of the later-launching iPhone Duo (whether it generates incremental demand or cannibalizes Pro Max sales) as key near-term factors. Research Director Tarun Pathak described regional reception as mixed and pointed to lengthening upgrade cycles amid memory-driven price hikes, macroeconomic uncertainty, and a strong prior year for the iPhone 17 series—while noting that even single-digit volume growth remains favorable for Apple.
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MacDailyNews Take: For iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max sales to have increased over the hit iPhone 17 Pro models, even with the specter of iPhone Duo looming over them, is excellent news for Apple and AAPL shareholders!

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Apple today announced the new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M6 chip, replacing the previous M5 version as the base MacBook Pro. It is a classic “chip-and-ship” refresh: the design, display, ports, battery, and most hardware stay essentially identical, while the silicon, wireless connectivity, and AI/graphics performance improve.

Pre-orders open October 28, with availability starting November 6. The new model starts at $1,999 with 16GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage—the same price the M5 eventually reached after earlier increases.

Design, Build, and Display: Essentially Unchanged

Both machines share the same aluminum chassis, dimensions (roughly 12.31 × 8.71 × 0.61 inches), and weight (3.4 pounds / 1.55 kg). Colors remain Space Black and Silver. The enclosure uses recycled aluminum, and the overall industrial design is carried over unchanged.

The display is identical: a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED panel with 3024 × 1964 resolution (254 ppi), ProMotion adaptive refresh up to 120Hz, up to 1,000 nits sustained full-screen brightness, 1,600 nits peak HDR, 1,000 nits SDR, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, P3 wide color, True Tone, and an optional nano-texture glass finish to reduce glare. The 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View is the same, as is the six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio and the three-mic array.

Chip and Performance: The Core Upgrade

This is where the M6 differentiates itself. The M6 is Apple’s first 2nm chip (TSMC N2 process with gate-all-around nanosheet transistors), compared with the M5’s third-generation 3nm process (N3P, FinFET).

• CPU: M6 has a 12-core CPU (2 super cores + 4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores). M5 had a 10-core CPU (4 super cores + 6 efficiency cores). Apple claims up to 1.2× faster multithreaded performance and highlights the world’s fastest CPU core.

• GPU: M6 has a 12-core GPU (vs. 10-core on M5), each with Neural Accelerators, third-generation Dynamic Caching, and updated ray-tracing. Apple says up to 30% faster graphics.

• Neural Engine: M6 features a Dual 16-core Neural Engine (32 cores total) that is up to 1.9× faster than the M5’s single 16-core Neural Engine. On-device AI workloads are claimed up to 25% faster overall.

• Memory: Both start at 16GB unified memory and go up to 32GB. Bandwidth is 153GB/s across all M5 configs and on the base 16GB M6. Higher M6 configs (24GB/32GB) reach 170GB/s.

Real-world claims versus the M5 14-inch model include roughly 1.3× faster LLM time-to-first-token, Blender ray-traced rendering, and Xcode builds, plus up to 1.2× faster image processing in Affinity. Versus the original M1 MacBook Pro, the gains are much larger (e.g., up to 13× faster LLM prompt processing and 11.7× faster Blender ray tracing).

Connectivity, Ports, and External Displays

Ports are identical: three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports (up to 40Gb/s, supporting charging and DisplayPort), full-size HDMI, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3, and 3.5mm headphone jack. Both support fast charging to 50% in about 30 minutes with a compatible high-wattage adapter (e.g., 96W).

Wireless is a clear upgrade. The M6 uses Apple’s in-house N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 6 (plus Thread networking support). The M5 used a Broadcom chip with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

External display support improves slightly: the M6 can drive two external 4K displays at up to 165Hz (vs. 144Hz on M5), or one higher-resolution/higher-refresh display (e.g., 8K/60Hz, 5K/120Hz, or 4K/240Hz).

Battery Life, Storage, and Pricing

Battery capacity is the same 72.4Wh lithium-polymer unit. Apple rates both at up to 24 hours of video streaming and up to 16 hours of wireless web browsing—the longest of any Mac to date. Real-world results will depend on usage, but the rating did not increase with the M6.

Storage starts at 1TB SSD on both (the M5 originally offered 512GB but Apple removed that configuration earlier in 2026). Configurable options go to 2TB or 4TB. Memory upgrades (to 24GB or 32GB) and storage upgrades carry similar pricing premiums.

The M5 originally launched at $1,599 (with 512GB) before successive increases to $1,699 and then $1,999. The M6 launches at $1,999, so pricing is effectively flat relative to the final M5 pricing. Education pricing starts at $1,899.

MacDailyNews Take: The 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro is a refined iteration of the M5 model rather than a redesign. You get more CPU and GPU cores, a significantly stronger Neural Engine for on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on upgraded configs, and modern Wi-Fi 7/Bluetooth 6 connectivity — all in the same excellent chassis, display, and battery package. For owners of the M5, the improvements are real, but modest for most workflows, unless you specifically need the AI or wireless gains. For anyone coming from an M1, M2, M3, or older machine, the jump is substantial.

The new 14-inch M6 MacBook Pr is available for pre-order tomorrow and ships starting November 6th.

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Apple Original Films on Tuesday unveiled the trailer for “Way of the Warrior Kid” from director McG and based on the inspiring novel by Jocko Willink. Starring Chris Pratt, Linda Cardellini, and Jude Hill and Willink, “Way of the Warrior Kid” will debut globally on Apple TV on Wednesday, November 25, 2026.

Middle school has been a nightmare for Marc (Hill), a good kid who’s bullied by his classmates and feels like he’s behind in everything, from academics to P.E. to just making friends. That changes when his injured Uncle Jake (Pratt), a decorated Navy SEAL, comes to spend the summer and recuperate with Marc and his mom, Sarah (Cardellini). To help Marc defend himself, Jake devises an ambitious program he calls “Operation Warrior Kid” based on his SEAL training. Instead of teaching his nephew how to fight, Jake shows Marc what real courage is, facing down his own demons along the way. Based on the bestselling novel by former Navy SEAL Willink, “Way of the Warrior Kid” is directed by McG (“Charlie’s Angels,” “Terminator Salvation”) from a screenplay by Will Staples (“Without Remorse,” “The Right Stuff”).

Alongside Pratt, Cardellini, Hill, and Willink, the cast also includes Ava Torres, Levi McConaughey, Darien Sills-Evans, Carl McDowell, Parker Young and more.

An Apple Original Film by Skydance, “Way of the Warrior Kid” is produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger, alongside McG and Mary Viola for Wonderland Sound, Pratt for Indivisible Productions, Ben Everard for Everard Entertainment, Bruce Wayne Gillies and author Willink. Staples, Steven Bello and Cliff Lanning serve as executive producers.

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 923 wins and 3,891 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “Widow’s Bay,” “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.

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

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Apple today introduced transformative updates to Apple Creator Studio, the powerful collection of creative apps designed to put studio-grade tools into the hands of modern creators across Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Final Cut Pro for Mac now includes built-in MotionVFX — an expansive collection of visual effects, plug-ins, transitions, templates, and motion graphics tools — as well as seamless editing in Pixelmator Pro. Apple’s curated Content Hub now includes video assets and is available in Final Cut Pro. Music creators using Logic Pro for Mac gain a new intelligent assistant in beta, an enhanced Stem Splitter that now separates drums, and a redesigned Browser that incorporates all sounds, with music understanding and even a Splice library. Pixelmator Pro introduces Generate Fill, which lets creators transform selected areas of an image using natural language. Keynote, Pages, and Numbers introduce new AI features in beta, including assistants that understand document context and new Model Context Protocol (MCP) support for workflow automation. They also add stock video in the Content Hub and new premium themes and templates.

Apple Creator Studio updates will be available on the App Store this November as a free update for existing subscribers.

“This is our most exciting update since the launch of Apple Creator Studio. MotionVFX content in Final Cut Pro gives subscribers rapid access to extensive professional video effects and content, bringing incredible value to the suite,” said Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple’s senior director of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apps and iCloud, in a statement. “Logic Pro’s new Browser allows users to explore and experiment with more sounds than ever as they create music. Pixelmator Pro’s sophisticated fill capabilities now let users completely reimagine any part of an image. And the assistant capabilities in Logic Pro, Keynote, Pages, and Numbers are going to change the game for how people interact with and learn to use these apps.”

Expansive New Creative Toolkits and Video Workflows

Final Cut Pro for Mac and iPad delivers an exceptional set of new capabilities for video editors, content creators, and filmmakers, from emerging storytellers to seasoned professionals deep in complex edits. Final Cut Pro for Mac now integrates MotionVFX directly into the app, giving editors access to thousands of elements, including templates with unique themes, stylish graphics, titles, and transitions, as well as tools for rotoscoping, tracking, and color grading. Editors can also tap into the Content Hub directly within Final Cut Pro and access a library of Apple-curated stock videos, photos, and backgrounds to fill gaps, add polish, or spark new ideas without leaving their workflow.

Cross-app workflows and visual creation also take a major leap forward in Final Cut Pro. Editors can open any image from their timeline directly in Pixelmator Pro, take advantage of advanced editing tools, and save changes back to the project automatically — no reimporting required. With advanced image generation, users can create stunning images from text descriptions right inside their project, apply quick edits, and adjust visual styles. And Final Cut Pro introduces powerful workflow improvements, including more keyframe easing options for finer animation control, the ability to disconnect clips from the primary storyline to place them anywhere on the timeline, and 23 new transcription languages, making it easier than ever to caption and search footage.

Motion also adds a built-in set of powerful MotionVFX plug-ins for cinematic color grading, 3D camera tracking, and one-click selection for stunning visual effects. Users can now generate and edit images from text descriptions, send images round-trip to Pixelmator Pro, fine-tune keyframe easing, apply an all-new Displacement filter, and explore an interactive demo project. Additionally, Compressor introduces the ability to encode Cinematic mode video recorded on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo.

Reimagined Image Editing

Pixelmator Pro introduces Generate Fill, a powerful new tool to edit images based on a user’s description. Creators can simply circle an area in an image and describe the change they want. For more precision, creators can use existing Pixelmator Pro selection tools, like Free Selection, Quick Selection, or Magnetic Selection. Generate Fill automatically matches the lighting, perspective, and texture of the surrounding environment so edits blend in seamlessly, while built-in Super Resolution upscales the generated content so it stays sharp at any size. Generated elements can be merged into existing layers or inserted as new layers with intelligent masking that allows for continued refinement.

Taking Music Creation Even Further

Logic Pro for Mac and iPad brings sophisticated, intuitive new tools for beat making, songwriting, remixing, and production. It also gets an all-new design featuring Liquid Glass, with translucent surfaces and deeper contrast that highlight waveforms and tracks.

A new intelligent assistant powered by a combination of Apple-built models and OpenAI joins Logic Pro for Mac, helping creators and producers navigate production workflows, start a new song, set up a vocal track from a single prompt, or refine an active project. Finding the perfect sound is faster and more intuitive than ever with a redesigned Browser on Mac that centralizes loops, instruments, effect patches, and more. Powered by music understanding — an on-device audio analysis tool — Logic Pro automatically analyzes, classifies, and tags added sounds so creators can easily search their entire collection or drag in a loop to surface matching audio.

Logic Pro’s industry-leading Stem Splitter gets even more advanced, with the ability to isolate, replace, or rebalance drum parts without needing the original multitracks. Users can also unlock a new Producer Pack from the 20-time Grammy winner and visionary widely known as the King of Modern Salsa, Sergio George. In this Producer Pack, George opens up his toolbox with his signature piano sound and authentic Latin jazz and salsa loops, including a full salsa percussion section, brass ensemble, and basses.

With Voice Memo Studio Sound, users can also reduce room ambience and background noise in recordings captured on supported iPhone models, with the option to continue fine-tuning in Logic Pro.

Powering Productivity with In-App Intelligence

Visual productivity apps receive a new generation of intelligence features for subscribers, including an intelligent assistant, built on Apple models and OpenAI, directly within Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. The assistant understands document context to help users accomplish more without leaving their work. In Keynote, the intelligent assistant helps with designing, animating, and refining slides. In Pages, it drafts, restructures, and fine-tunes written content. In Numbers, it calculates, visualizes, and organizes data; recommends suitable chart types with a one-tap preview; and builds custom tables using world knowledge. New MCP support, built on this platform, enables external AI agents and tools to read content, perform edits, and execute automated actions directly in Keynote, Pages, and Numbers.

More Creative Options and Formats

Across Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, the Content Hub expands to include Apple-curated stock video footage, giving creators dynamic visuals to enhance presentations, reports, and spreadsheets. Subscribers also gain access to a fresh collection of professionally designed templates and themes. Keynote introduces support for Keynote Interchange Format (.keyx), an open JSON-based bundle file format designed to be readable and accessible to external tools, developer workflows, and AI agents.

Freeform adds text styles for one-step formatting and reuse across boards, custom and preset board background colors, and, arriving in December, the ability to edit images directly in Pixelmator Pro and generate editable shapes from text descriptions.

Pricing and Availability

• Apple Creator Studio updates will be available on the App Store this November for free for existing subscribers. New subscribers pay $12.99 (U.S.) per month or $129 (U.S.) per year. All new subscribers will enjoy a one-month free trial of Apple Creator Studio, and with the purchase of a new Mac or qualifying iPad, customers can receive three months of Apple Creator Studio for free.

• Education savings are available for college students and educators for $2.99 (U.S.) per month or $29.99 (U.S.) per year.

• Apple Creator Studio is available to download on the App Store as a universal purchase.

• Up to six family members can share all of the apps and content included in Apple Creator Studio with Family Sharing.

• One-time-purchase versions of Final Cut Pro ($299.99 U.S.), Logic Pro ($199.99 U.S.), Pixelmator Pro ($49.99 U.S.), Motion ($49.99 U.S.), Compressor ($49.99 U.S.), and MainStage ($29.99 U.S.) are available on the Mac App Store.

• Free versions of Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform continue to be available and are included with every new iPhone, Mac, and iPad.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple Creator Studio is a tremendous value!

Note that you can still buy the individual Mac apps outright on the Mac App Store instead of (or in addition to) subscribing:

• Final Cut Pro: $299.99
• Logic Pro: $199.99
• Pixelmator Pro: $49.99
• Motion: $49.99
• Compressor: $49.99
• MainStage: $29.99

(These add up to roughly $680 if you bought them all separately.) On iPad, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro are available only through the Creator Studio subscription.

More info: https://apps.apple.com/us/app-bundle/apple-creator-studio/id1868448255

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With the 27.2 software updates released today, Siri AI — an entirely new version of Siri that is profoundly more capable, conversational, and personal — is expanding to more people around the world, with availability now in the French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish languages.

Siri AI is a completely reimagined version of Siri that is more personal and powerful, without compromising users’ privacy. Built on Apple Intelligence, it draws on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across their messages, emails, photos, and more. With even more systemwide app actions, Siri AI can help users with tasks such as drafting an email from scratch or editing and sharing a set of photos. With onscreen awareness, Siri AI can answer questions or take actions related to the content on a user’s screen. It can also use broad world knowledge to get up-to-date information on virtually any topic.

Language support for Siri AI will continue to expand, with availability in Chinese (traditional), Norwegian, Turkish, and Vietnamese coming by the end of the year.

Availability

• Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions.

• Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, macOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2, and visionOS 27.2 and requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. It is available in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• Siri AI is currently unavailable in the EU in iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Apple is working constructively with the EU in an attempt to find a path forward.

• Siri AI is not available for users under 13.

• Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, intelligent photo editing tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence terms and conditions. Learn more at support.apple.com/en-us/148587.

MacDailyNews Note: Congrats to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish readers, writers, and speakers!

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Apple today announced the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, delivering even more performance, powerful on-device AI capabilities, and faster connectivity for college students, business users, creators, and more. M6 features an advanced 12-core CPU with the world’s fastest CPU core, so everything from productivity tasks to more demanding pro workflows feels incredibly fast and responsive. The 12-core GPU delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics and up to 25 percent faster AI workloads when compared to M5, making the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 a compelling value for users who need serious power.

For those upgrading from M1, the performance gains are even more significant, with up to 11x faster graphics and up to 13x faster AI performance. With additional Neural Accelerators in the GPU and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, M6 turns MacBook Pro into an even more powerful platform for AI — from taking advantage of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features across apps and macOS to running LLMs locally, all while preserving user privacy.

In addition, the 14-inch MacBook Pro features Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while superfast storage makes working with large files, exporting projects, and running demanding AI workflows fly. And with phenomenal battery life of up to 24 hours, it delivers the same remarkable performance whether plugged in or on battery, so users can work, create, and pursue their passions from anywhere. It also offers the advanced features users love, including the stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with a nano-texture option, a 12MP Center Stage camera, an immersive six-speaker sound system, and a wide array of ports.

Together with macOS 27, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 is a major upgrade for existing Mac users and those coming to Mac for the first time. Available in space black and silver, it can be pre-ordered beginning tomorrow, October 28, with availability starting Friday, November 6.

“The 14-inch MacBook Pro is the pro laptop of choice for a wide range of users — from college students, to business professionals across every industry, to multidisciplinary creators doing it all on one device,” said Shelly Goldberg, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, in a statement. “With the powerful M6 chip, we’re taking performance to the next level, with a boost in CPU speed and graphics and even more powerful capabilities for on-device AI. With its amazing battery life, remarkable Liquid Retina XDR display, and even faster connectivity, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 delivers a fantastic combination of performance, capability, and value.”

M6: Blazing-Fast Performance and On-Device AI Capabilities

M6 brings even more performance and next-level AI capabilities to the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Featuring a powerful 12-core CPU, a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each core, Dual 16-core Neural Engine, and faster unified memory, MacBook Pro with M6 is faster and more responsive.

The 12-core CPU, with two more cores than before, brings blazing-fast single- and multithreaded performance, so users can fly through everything from multitasking across apps to compiling code to handling complex creative workflows. The 12-core GPU, also with two additional cores, delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics performance when compared to M5. Everything from 3D modeling to photo editing and gaming feels incredibly fast, enhanced by a third-generation ray-tracing engine and Dynamic Caching to optimize on-chip memory. It also brings up to 25 percent faster performance for on-device AI workloads, like LLM prompt processing, compared to M5. The Dual 16-core Neural Engine delivers up to 1.9x faster performance than M5 and works with the advanced GPU to dramatically accelerate AI workloads like image generation, Super Resolution, and AI upscaling. The Neural Engine also powers Apple Intelligence, enabling advanced and energy-efficient on-device AI processing. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 does all this with industry-leading performance per watt and up to 24 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac. With 16GB of unified memory standard, configurable up to 32GB, and higher memory bandwidth up to 170GB/s, MacBook Pro makes multitasking and working with demanding apps and large projects even faster.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 enables:

• Up to 13x faster time to first token performance for LLM prompt processing compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.3x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5.

• Up to 11.7x faster render performance with ray tracing in Blender compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.3x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5.

• Up to 3.3x faster image-processing performance in Affinity compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.2x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5.

• Up to 2.5x faster project build performance when compiling code in Xcode compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.3x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5.

A Huge Upgrade with Even More Value

There’s never been a better time for customers to upgrade from a previous-generation MacBook Pro with Apple silicon or an Intel-based Mac. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 delivers remarkable value thanks to major performance improvements and powerful AI capabilities. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro also features all of the compelling capabilities that have made it so popular, including:

• Phenomenal battery life: In addition to the huge leap in performance, battery life gets up to 14 additional hours for Intel-based upgraders and up to four more hours for users coming from M1, delivering up to 24 hours overall, so users can get more done on a single charge. Users coming from Intel-based and M1 systems will also get 16GB of starting unified memory, an additional Thunderbolt port, and the space black finish with an anodization seal for fewer fingerprints.

• A brilliant pro display: The stunning Liquid Retina XDR display delivers up to 1600 nits of peak HDR brightness and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, bringing HDR photos and videos to life with deep blacks, brilliant highlights, and vibrant colors. And for users working in bright or challenging lighting conditions, a nano-texture display option dramatically reduces reflections and glare.

• Powerful connectivity: Now with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, the 14-inch MacBook Pro delivers fast wireless performance and low latency, along with support for up to two external displays. Its versatile array of ports — including the HDMI, MagSafe 3, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports; an SDXC card slot; and a headphone jack — makes it easy to connect high-speed peripherals, transfer photos, or expand a workspace.

• Advanced camera, mics, and speakers: A 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View helps keep users perfectly framed on video calls, while a studio-quality three-mic array and amazing six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio deliver an immersive audio experience.
Fast charging: MacBook Pro with M6 supports fast charging, reaching up to 50 percent charge in just 30 minutes when paired with a compatible higher-wattage USB-C power adapter, such as the 96W Power Adapter.

• A laptop that’s built to last: With an enclosure made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, MacBook Pro is exceptionally durable and can stand up to everyday use for years to come.

• Better together with iPhone: When used together with Continuity, iPhone and Mac are even more powerful — letting users move seamlessly across devices to share files and photos, hand off tasks, and even control their iPhone from their 14-inch MacBook Pro. Users switching to Mac for the first time can use iPhone to conveniently and securely transfer settings, files, photos, passwords, and more.

macOS 27 Golden Gate

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 comes to life with macOS 27, which includes Siri AI, a profoundly more capable, conversational, and personal assistant; helpful Apple Intelligence features across everyday apps; and improvements that make the Mac even more responsive and reliable. Siri AI can draw on personal context to help users find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more; answer questions about virtually any topic; and get things done across apps — all with groundbreaking privacy protections. Siri AI is integrated into Spotlight and systemwide context menus, and users can ask Siri about what’s on their display with Visual Intelligence using a dedicated keyboard shortcut. Users can also write and edit with Siri almost anywhere they type.

Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. In Safari, it powers new tools that automatically organize a user’s tabs into topics; notify them of website changes, like product restocks or price drops; and enable the creation of custom extensions based on a description. Users can also easily create an automation in Shortcuts by simply describing it, or tap into intelligent photo editing tools in the Photos app. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro gets even more responsive, reliable, and delightful with refinements to design, performance, search, and more. Updates to Liquid Glass deliver an even more focused and approachable experience. A new slider in Settings gives users the option to personalize Liquid Glass, adjusting it anywhere from ultraclear to fully tinted to match their preference, and app icons are sharper and more defined.

14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 and the Environment

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 45 percent recycled content overall, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery, and, in a first for Apple, 100 percent recycled tantalum in multiple capacitors. It is manufactured with 60 percent renewable electricity, such as wind and solar, across the supply chain. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 is designed to be durable and repairable, and meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. As with all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based and designed to be recycled.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers can pre-order the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 starting tomorrow, October 28, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 35 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Friday, November 6.

• The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 starts at $1,999 (U.S.) and $1,899 (U.S.) with education savings. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/macbook-pro.

• With Apple Upgrade, eligible customers in the U.S. can lease a new Mac with low monthly payments and easily upgrade at the end of their lease. Lease the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 with Apple Upgrade from $38.99 (U.S.) per month, excluding taxes and any trade-in credit, for 36 months.

• With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth. With year-round education pricing — available to current and newly accepted college students and educators — customers can save on MacBook Pro, along with a wide range of products and services through the Apple Store online and in stores. Visit the Apple Education Store for details. Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

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

• Every customer who buys directly from Apple gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided one-on-one online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup or focus on features that will help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started and going further with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
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MacDailyNews Take: Strong update for Apple’s workhorse entry-level MacBook Pro!

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The post Apple introduces the new 14‑inch M6 MacBook Pro appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple today announced the new iMac featuring the superfast M6, delivering even more performance and powerful AI capabilities in its strikingly thin all-in-one design. From families and aspiring creators to small businesses, users will experience the speed and power of M6 in everything they do. Featuring a faster CPU and GPU with Neural Accelerators in each core, it blazes through everyday apps and multitasking while delivering powerful performance for creative workflows like photo and video editing. For Intel-based upgraders, the leap is even greater, with up to 18x faster performance than the most popular Intel-based iMac. And together with the Dual 16-core Neural Engine, the new iMac delivers up to 5x faster on-device AI performance than M4.1 Whether users are taking advantage of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features across apps and macOS, running local AI models, or vibe coding, iMac is a powerful platform for AI while preserving user privacy. Connectivity gets even better with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with available 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and storage that is up to 2x faster, so apps and large projects launch in an instant. Completing the iMac experience is an expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display; an industry-leading camera, speakers, and mics; up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports; color-matched accessories; and the power of macOS 27. Available in a spectrum of seven colors — blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver — the new iMac is a tremendous upgrade for existing users and an incredible gateway into everything the Mac can do for new users. Customers can pre-order starting tomorrow, October 28, with availability beginning Friday, November 6.

“iMac is the world’s best all-in-one, and today it raises the bar yet again,” said Shelly Goldberg, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, in a statement. “With the blazing performance and AI capabilities of M6 supercharging every workflow and the next generation of Apple Intelligence with Siri AI — combined with its stunning 24-inch Retina display, its gorgeous design in seven vibrant colors, and macOS 27 — the new iMac has everything users need to run their businesses, manage their lives, and bring their ideas to life.”

iMac with M6: A Huge Leap in Performance and AI Capabilities

With M6, iMac brings even more performance, for everything from everyday productivity to creative workloads and AI tasks. iMac with M6 features up to a 12-core CPU — two more cores than before — delivering the world’s fastest single-threaded CPU performance. Everything feels extra snappy and responsive for families managing busy calendars, students putting the finishing touches on a project, and small business owners running their companies. An up-to-12-core GPU, also with two more cores than before, now features Neural Accelerators in each core, delivering up to 2x faster graphics for more intensive tasks like photo editing, along with fantastic gaming performance compared to M4. Students and creators can now fly through tasks like editing and sharing their latest videos or designing a project for class, all while multitasking with their favorite messaging or entertainment apps. The new Dual 16-core Neural Engine delivers up to 2x faster AI compute than the previous generation, and combined with the advanced GPU and faster memory bandwidth and with higher memory bandwidth up to 170GB/s, iMac rips through AI tasks like running LLMs on device. With all this performance packed into its stunning design, iMac is the perfect all-in-one for a wide range of users and workflows.

The new iMac with M6 enables:

• Up to 2.5x faster performance in apps like Microsoft Excel, compared to iMac with M1, and up to 1.5x faster performance than M4, so families, aspiring creators, and small businesses can fly through daily productivity tasks.

• Up to 3.3x faster graphics performance for tasks including photo editing in Affinity, compared to iMac with M1, and up to 2x faster performance than M4, so content creators can edit like never before.

• Up to 12x faster on-device AI performance for prompt processing in LM Studio, compared to iMac with M1, and up to 5x faster performance than M4, so users can run powerful AI models, all while keeping their data private

• Up to 2x higher gaming performance with ray tracing compared to M4.

iMac with M6: A Powerful Platform for AI

Beyond delivering exceptional performance for everyday productivity and creative workflows, iMac is also a powerful platform for AI, enabling users to take advantage of advanced AI capabilities while protecting their privacy. With macOS 27, the next generation of Apple Intelligence is deeply personal, seamlessly integrated across apps, and built with privacy from the ground up. Apple Intelligence powers Siri AI, a new version of Siri that is profoundly more capable, conversational, and personal, helping users get more done than ever before. On iMac, users can tap into Siri AI to ask questions; find what they need across their messages, emails, photos, and more; and take action across apps. Siri AI is built right into Spotlight, making it easy to search for answers on virtually any topic and ask follow-up questions. With the expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, users can leverage Visual Intelligence with a dedicated keyboard shortcut to ask Siri about anything on their screen, from a chart in a spreadsheet to a photo in a browser tab. Users can also write and edit with Siri almost anywhere they type, and in Mail and Messages, Siri can reflect their typical style and tone.

Apple Intelligence also makes apps smarter and more useful. In Safari, it powers new tools that automatically organize a user’s tabs into topics; notifies them of website changes, like product restocks or price drops; and enables the creation of custom extensions based on a description. In addition, users can easily create an automation in Shortcuts by simply describing it or tap into intelligent photo editing tools in the Photos app. iMac also supports a growing ecosystem of AI apps optimized for Apple silicon, including LM Studio Bionic and Topaz Studio, helping users learn faster, think in new ways, and get more done.

Best-in-Class Connectivity and Faster Storage

The new iMac features Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with 2.5Gb Ethernet that delivers up to 2.5x faster wired connectivity than the previous generation. This means faster transfers of large files, smoother streaming of high-resolution content, and even better performance for gaming and demanding business workflows. And with up to 2x faster SSD read and write performance, apps launch quickly, and large files like photo libraries and video projects load in an instant.

Up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports enable superfast data transfers and make it easy to connect a wide range of accessories, including external storage and docks. Users can also connect up to two 6K external displays, creating a vast workspace with more than 50 million pixels to spread out their work.

A Transformational Upgrade

The new iMac is a tremendous upgrade — especially for users coming from an Intel-based iMac, who will experience performance that’s up to 18x faster. And with macOS 27, Siri AI and new Apple Intelligence features integrated across apps make AI tasks on iMac more personal and powerful than ever.

iMac also includes all of the popular features and capabilities that make it the world’s best all-in-one:

• A beautiful canvas for work and play: iMac provides a brilliant canvas for multitasking, immersive movies and games, and more. The stunning 4.5K display delivers crisp, clear details with 500 nits of brightness — offering 5x more resolution and nearly 70 percent greater brightness than the bestselling 24‑inch all‑in‑one PC. And P3 wide color brings everything onscreen to life with over 1 billion colors.

• Industry-leading camera and audio: A 12MP Center Stage camera helps keep users perfectly framed on video calls, while Desk View enables them to share a top-down view of their workspace — ideal for educators giving lessons or creatives showing off their latest project. iMac also brings incredible audio to any space. Two pairs of force-cancelling woofers with two tweeters fill the room with bold, bass-rich sound, and Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos creates an immersive listening experience. Completing the phenomenal video and audio experience is the studio-quality three-microphone array.

• A colorful addition to any space: iMac transforms any space with a spectrum of seven vibrant colors, adding a pop of inspiration to homes, workspaces, and storefronts.

• Color-matched accessories and Touch ID: iMac features a color-matched keyboard and mouse or trackpad with USB-C ports, so users can charge all of their favorite devices with just a single cable. Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad make navigation easy and intuitive. And Magic Keyboard with Touch ID lets users easily and securely unlock iMac, switch users, authorize Apple Pay, and download apps.

• Better together with iPhone: iMac brings everything users love from iPhone to a gorgeous, spacious display. When both devices are used together with Continuity, they are even more powerful — letting users move seamlessly across devices to share files and photos, hand off tasks, and even control their iPhone from their iMac. Users switching to Mac for the first time can use iPhone to conveniently and securely transfer settings, files, photos, passwords, and more.

macOS 27 Golden Gate: An Unrivaled Experience

The new iMac comes to life with macOS 27. In addition to Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, iMac gets even more responsive, reliable, and delightful for everyday use with refinements to design, performance, search, and more. Updates to Liquid Glass deliver a more focused and approachable experience. A new slider in Settings gives users the option to personalize Liquid Glass, adjusting it anywhere from ultraclear to fully tinted to match their preference, and app icons are sharper and more defined.

iMac and the Environment

The new iMac was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 100 percent recycled aluminum in the stand, 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled gold plating and tin solder in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards. It is manufactured with 40 percent renewable electricity, such as wind and solar, across the supply chain. The new iMac meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. As with all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based and designed to be recycled.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers can pre-order the new iMac with M6 starting tomorrow, October 28, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 35 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Friday, November 6.

• iMac with M6 featuring a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU starts at $1,499 (U.S.) and $1,449 (U.S.) with education savings. iMac with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU starts at $1,699 (U.S.) and $1,599 (U.S.) with education savings. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and information on Magic accessories are available at apple.com/mac.

• With Apple Upgrade, eligible customers in the U.S. can lease a new Mac with low monthly payments and easily upgrade at the end of their lease. Lease iMac with M6 with Apple Upgrade from $28.99 (U.S.) per month, excluding taxes and any trade-in credit, for 36 months.

• With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth. With year-round education pricing — available to current and newly accepted college students and educators — customers can save on iMac, along with a wide range of products and services through the Apple Store online and in stores. Visit Apple’s Education Store for details. Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Mac or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• Every customer who buys directly from Apple gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup or focus on features that will help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started and going further with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
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MacDailyNews Take: Powerful, affordable, but, yeah, too bad about that white bezel.

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The post Apple unveils new M6 iMac, delivering a major boost in performance and AI capabilities appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, kicked off the week by confirming the company’s all-new iPad mini and teasing more to come. “It’s going to be an exciting week, and it starts with our all-new iPad mini,” Joswiak wrote on X. “Thinner and lighter than ever, with an OLED display, water and dust resistance, better audio, powered by A20 Pro… it’s the biggest update ever to iPad mini!”

It’s going to be an exciting week, and it starts with our all-new iPad mini.

Thinner and lighter than ever, with an OLED display, water and dust resistance, better audio, powered by A20 Pro… it’s the biggest update ever to iPad mini! https://t.co/myg4BtuKQD

— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) October 26, 2026

Joswiak’s promotional video accompanying the post shows the new iPad mini in everyday settings — from waiting rooms and beaches to creative work with Apple Pencil — underscoring its thinner, more portable form and improved display and audio.

The update delivers on those promises. The new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 600 nits full-screen brightness, 1,200 nits peak brightness, P3 wide color, a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, True Tone, and optional nano-texture glass. It is 14% thinner than the previous model, with 24% thinner bezels, and is resistant to dust, splashes, and spills—the first iPad with this level of protection. Performance comes from the A20 Pro chip, which offers up to 1.6× faster CPU performance, up to 2.7× faster GPU performance, Neural Accelerators for significantly faster on-device AI tasks, and double memory bandwidth compared with the prior generation. It also includes a redesigned audio system, a landscape-oriented 12MP Center Stage front camera, support for Apple Pencil Pro, Wi-Fi 7, and 5G with Apple’s C2 modem.

Pricing starts at $699. Pre-orders begin at 10:10 a.m. PT on October 28th, with availability starting November 6th.

This iPad mini launch is only the start. Apple has scheduled a “Pro and Tell” media experience in Los Angeles on October 28th (beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET). Reports and invitations point to additional hardware, including Apple’s first touch-screen MacBook Pro models — redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch versions with OLED displays, lighter designs, Dynamic Island cutouts, and high-end chips — plus an M6-powered entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and an M6 iMac. Hands-on sessions for invited media are expected to cover the new iPad mini alongside the Macs.

This is a busy stretch for Apple. The foldable iPhone Duo reached stores on October 23rd, following September’s iPhone 18 Pro lineup, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, and AirPods 5. Home-related products announced earlier this month, including Apple HomeView, a new Apple TV 4K with Siri AI, and the new HomePod mini, are also rolling out, with some availability later in October and November. Plus, Apple’s fiscal Q4 earnings call is set for November 2nd.

With the iPad mini now official and the “Pro and Tell” event days away, Apple is delivering a concentrated wave of new hardware across its tablet, Mac, and home lines.

MacDailyNews Take: This big week will cap Apple’s multi-week set up for what promises to be a very strong Christmas shopping season for the company!

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The post Apple teases ‘exciting week’ ahead of Wednesday’s ‘Pro and Tell’ event appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple’s fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, announced on October 13, 2026, at the company’s “Welcome Home” event and shipping November 13th, has generated extensive coverage from high-profile outlets including The Verge, TechCrunch, CNET, and Engadget. The consensus highlights meaningful hardware upgrades centered on AI and the Apple ecosystem, tempered by widespread skepticism over its $299 price tag — more than double the 2022 model’s original starting price — and the absence of certain long-requested home theater features.

The new box is powered by an A19 chip (the same one used in the iPhone 17), which Apple says delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and twice the GPU speed of the prior A15 Bionic. It also includes a dedicated AV1 decoder for more efficient, higher-quality streaming from services that support it, such as Netflix. Three built-in far-field microphones enable hands-free “Hey Siri” or “Siri” commands without needing the remote or a paired HomePod. The refreshed Siri Remote adds Find My support with Precision Finding (so it can be tracked via an iPhone) and a speaker that plays an audible tone when you ask Siri to find it.

Other additions include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, standard Gigabit Ethernet and 128GB of storage (Apple dropped the cheaper 64GB Wi-Fi-only variant), plus support for a four-speaker surround setup using matching pairs of second-generation HomePods or HomePod mini 2s, with automatic room calibration. Siri AI launches in beta on the new hardware and is also coming via software update to earlier Apple TV 4K models.

Engadget’s hands-on impressions noted that the far-field mics worked reliably in a quiet demo environment, allowing couch-side voice requests. Siri responses appear as unobtrusive on-screen text (rather than spoken audio that would compete with whatever is playing), which reviewers called a clean implementation. The remote’s audible locator was also called practical for the common “lost in the cushions” problem.

Critics, however, have focused on what is missing and the price. The Verge’s senior TV and audio reviewer argued that four years of waiting produced a device that still lacks desired home theater features such as 4K/120Hz output (useful for gaming via tools like Moonlight), audio passthrough to AV receivers, an HDMI input, or digital optical out. At $299 — roughly $200 more than a Roku Ultra and several times the cost of basic streamers — the box sits in an awkward position: capable and polished for Apple ecosystem users who want hands-free control or multi-HomePod audio, but difficult to recommend for pure streaming when cheaper alternatives exist and the previous model remains fast. CNET and Engadget similarly noted that while the faster chip and mics are welcome, the price jump makes the upgrade hard to justify for most buyers unless they specifically need the new audio or voice features.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s new 2026 Apple TV 4K is a refined, AI-oriented evolution that strengthens Apple’s living-room presence and smart-home ambitions, but one whose premium positioning has left many scratching their heads. Full in-depth reviews are expected once units reach reviewers after the November 13th launch.

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Apple has blocked a set of compromised digital certificates from an Indian company called eMudhra, closing a security hole that could have allowed attackers to pretend to be legitimate websites. For most people who own an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, nothing needs to be done—the protection is already in place automatically.

Earlier this month, a security researcher discovered that eight certificates issued by eMudhra had extremely weak security keys. In simple terms, the secret codes meant to keep those certificates trustworthy were so poor that almost anyone could figure them out. That meant an attacker could potentially create fake certificates for real websites and trick people into thinking they were on a legitimate site. So far, there is no evidence that anyone actually used the weakness to carry out attacks.

These certificates had been trusted by major web browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. After the problem came to light on October 17, browser makers and operating system companies moved quickly. Apple began blocking the affected certificates on October 19. The block applies automatically to Safari, Mail, and most apps on Apple devices, so no software update or settings change is required for ordinary users.

There is one exception. Some tools that developers and system administrators use on a Mac — such as certain command-line programs may still accept the certificates until Apple releases a future macOS update that closes the gap completely. Apple has not given a date for that update. In the meantime, people who rely on those tools and want extra protection can take optional manual steps described in Apple’s support document. Most Mac users who do not use those tools do not need to do anything.

Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft also blocked the certificates on their platforms within days of the report. eMudhra itself revoked the certificates and has since said it is leaving the business of issuing global website security certificates. The company has stated that the problem came from a mistake during the process of creating the certificates, that its systems were not hacked, and that no customer data was stolen.

The incident shows how quickly major technology companies can respond when a serious certificate problem is found, while also highlighting that some specialized tools on computers can take longer to fully protect. For the vast majority of Apple users, the risk has already been addressed.
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MacDailyNews Take: More info about this issue via Apple Support’s “About the compromised eMudhra intermediate CAs” document here.

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The post Apple blocks risky certificates that could have let attackers fake websites appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple unveiled the new iPad mini via press release today, introducing the first OLED display to the compact lineup alongside a significant processor upgrade. This replaces the seventh-generation model (iPad mini with A17 Pro) from October 2024, which refined the earlier redesign with a faster chip and Apple Intelligence support while retaining the Liquid Retina LCD panel. The new model emphasizes screen quality, on-device AI capability, and everyday durability while preserving its signature portable form factor.

One major upgrade is the display. The previous model featured an 8.3-inch fully laminated Liquid Retina IPS LCD with 2266 × 1488 resolution (326 ppi), P3 wide color, True Tone, anti-reflective coating, and up to 500 nits of brightness at a fixed 60 Hz refresh rate. The new iPad mini switches to an OLED panel—a single-stack LTPS hybrid design rather than the dual-stack tandem LTPO used in the iPad Pro. This delivers richer colors, higher contrast, true blacks, and improved HDR performance. The screen size increases slightly to 8.5 inches thanks to slimmer bezels, while retaining a 60 Hz refresh rate rather than adopting ProMotion (up to 120 Hz).

Performance receives a major boost, though actual gains depend on the storage tier. The 2024 model used the 3 nm A17 Pro with a 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency cores), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, and 8 GB of RAM. The new model is powered by the A20 Pro (2 nm process) paired with 12 GB of unified memory. Unbinned models deliver roughly 1.5× CPU performance and up to 2.5× GPU performance over the A17 Pro, alongside a significantly more capable Neural Engine. However, lower storage tiers (128 GB and 256 GB) feature a binned chip configuration with a 5-core CPU and 7-core GPU, with the full unbinned core count reserved for the 512 GB tier. The additional RAM enables expanded local execution of advanced Apple Intelligence features, including enhanced Siri voice customization and dictation.

Additional changes improve daily usability. The front camera moves from the short top edge to the landscape edge for more natural video calls when held sideways or docked. The new design adds official IP67 water and dust resistance — a first for any iPad — achieved through a revised casing and a redesigned, more integrated speaker assembly that reduces liquid ingress. Connectivity advances from Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via Apple’s custom N1 chip, with cellular models utilizing an updated custom modem.

Shared features maintain continuity across generations. Both generations support Apple Pencil Pro (as well as the USB-C Apple Pencil), Touch ID built into the top power button, USB-C connectivity (up to 10 Gbps), and comparable core camera hardware (12 MP rear Wide with Smart HDR and 12 MP front Ultra Wide with Center Stage). Battery life remains targeted at all-day use, with efficiency gains from the OLED panel and 2 nm node balancing the increased compute power. Storage options continue in 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB configurations.

Pricing reflects the upgrades without jumping as high as early rumors suggested. While the 2024 A17 Pro model launched at $599, the new OLED iPad mini starts at $699 for the base 128 GB Wi-Fi model ($100 higher than its predecessor). Pre-orders open October 28, with full availability beginning November 6.
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MacDailyNews Take: It’s a big, big update for Apple’s smallest iPad! More info about the new iPad mini here.

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Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, has landed on the teardown table, and early owners are already reporting cracks and bright lines along the fold—sometimes within hours of unboxing or before setup finishes. Apple is swapping affected units for now, but out-of-warranty inner-screen damage runs $999. A detailed teardown from iFixit’s Elizabeth Chamberlain digs into the design, the clever crease-hiding tricks, the complex hinge, dust vulnerability, and why this is still the highest-scoring foldable for repairability the site has tested.

Repairability Wins (Relatively Speaking)

The Duo earns a provisional 5 out of 10 for repairability—the highest iFixit has given any foldable smartphone. Credit goes to familiar iPhone-style choices: batteries that release cleanly with electrically debonding adhesive (no aggressive prying needed), an outer screen and trim that come off intact, and a relatively flat disassembly path that reaches cameras, the modular USB-C port, and other parts without tearing the whole device apart. The batteries sit in metal shells (roughly 7.5 Wh and 11.6 Wh for a combined 19.1 Wh) and the logic board is a single-layer design, the first of its kind on a recent iPhone since the iPhone 8 era.

That score is provisional pending full availability of replacement parts through Apple’s self-service program. Apple has published a repair manual on day one. Even so, Dent’s team is clear: this is not an endorsement of casually repairing the Duo. The inner folding screen remains the expensive, time-consuming weak point—delicate adhesive work that could take a typical DIYer several hours even with proper fixtures. Full inner-display replacement is the $999 job; a separate flexible polymer cover layer with the matte nano-texture can be swapped for far less ($49 without AppleCare, $19 with it).

How Apple Tries to Hide the Crease

No foldable has fully eliminated the crease, and the Duo is no exception despite marketing language calling it nearly “creaseless.” Under the microscope, the nano-texture finish looks like tightly packed rounded bumps (similar to bubble wrap). These scatter light and soften reflections, helping disguise the dip along the fold. Remove that cover layer and the crease becomes more obvious—arguably more visible than on a Galaxy Z Fold 8 in side-by-side comparison. The surface underneath also scratches more easily.

Digging deeper, some red, green, and blue subpixels are oval and oriented at varying angles rather than in a regular grid. An Apple patent on reducing diffraction artifacts in polarizer-free displays describes exactly this kind of geometric dithering—dividing the display into regions with unique patterns and up to 32 displacements—so optical artifacts don’t reinforce one another and draw the eye to the fold. Gaps in the pixel pattern also accommodate the inner selfie camera (photos from it have been described as somewhat muddy).

The Hinge, Dust, and Those Early Failures

The hinge follows the familiar waterdrop approach used across modern foldables: the screen curves gently inside the mechanism rather than forming a sharp crease when closed. A chain of metal joints (likened to a watchband), springs, curved guides, and synchronization gears control the bend, reduce stretch/squeeze on the display layers, and help the phone hold intermediate positions. An accordion-style flex cable routes signals through a gap in the hinge. Apple’s patents describe more than ten ultrathin layers and adhesives designed to glide during folding.

Glow-dust testing (finer than beach sand but representative of everyday grit) showed the IP68-rated Duo is better sealed than some competitors: fewer particles reached the internals or hinge than in prior Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Pixel foldable tests. Still, enough dust entered the hinge to produce a crunching sound. Dust also appeared in the USB-C port, speaker mesh, and bezel areas. Cleaning or servicing the hinge means removing the flexible display and supports.

Reported screen failures often involve a pop or crunch during open/close, followed by a small line on the fold and bright lines across the display. Damage frequently clusters near the transition between the flex-cable gap and the central hinge support. Using teardown footage, patents, and CT scans, the team built a 3D model of the hinge. One hypothesis is that a center support bar fails to drop fully as the phone closes, creating a local stress hotspot where the curved display presses against it. A stuck center pivot or other nearby components could contribute. A localized electrical fault can black out an entire row or column of pixels even without obvious external damage.

MacDailyNews Take: For a first-generation foldable, Apple incorporated meaningful repair-friendly elements that push the Duo ahead of prior foldables on iFixit’s scale. The electrically releasable batteries and accessible outer components are genuine improvements. Yet the inner screen and hinge remain expensive and labor-intensive to fix, early failure reports are clustering in a specific high-stress zone, and dust can still reach the mechanism. Conventional phones (or more repair-oriented devices like certain Fairphones) still score higher overall. Owners should consider AppleCare+ coverage and treat the folding screen carefully — especially around dust and repeated folding stress.

In many cases Apple is currently replacing affected early iPhone Duo units free of charge under the standard one-year limited warranty. If yours is affected, document everything (photos, timing, lack of damage), take it to an Apple Store with the receipt/box if possible, and emphasize it happened under normal use. The situation is still evolving with the device only a few days old.

The full teardown, images, video, microscope shots, and 3D hinge model are available on iFixit here.

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Apple has begun deploying a new diagnostic tool across its retail stores that lets employees verify an iPhone remains intact inside a sealed box, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman. The device scans the phone and runs checks to confirm it is present and undamaged, allowing staff to approve legitimate returns while keeping the packaging closed so the product can go straight back into inventory.

The tool addresses a recurring problem in which some customers buy devices, remove accessories, strip internal components, or take the phone entirely before resealing the box and attempting a return. Store employees have typically been instructed to open returned iPhone boxes for inspection, which can turn otherwise sellable stock into waste that must be processed further. The new checker, which builds on Apple’s existing Presto technology used for in-box software updates, began reaching stores earlier this month and is now coming into use, Gurman reported in his latest Power On newsletter.

At the same time, Apple is advancing a broader leadership transition in its hardware organization. Longtime display executives Wei Chen and John Zhong, each with roughly three decades at the company, are moving into more limited advisory roles as part of a multiyear succession process. Victor Yin, whom the two have mentored, is now overseeing much of Apple’s display development work.

The company’s regular October promotion cycle also elevated three engineering leaders to vice president roles: Rajesh Ambati, Louie Sanguinetti, and Derek Shaeffer. Their responsibilities center on connectivity hardware and software that link Apple devices to wireless networks and the internet, with Sanguinetti’s wireless hardware contributions spanning decades. These moves come as Chief Hardware Officer Johny Srouji consolidates oversight of hardware engineering and hardware technologies, and as CEO John Ternus seeks to streamline operations by reducing management layers. Gurman noted that some hardware program managers have been laid off in recent weeks as part of that effort.

The changes reflect ongoing reorganization under Ternus and Srouji aimed at improving coordination between chip and product teams while accelerating development.

MacDailyNews Take: We doesn’t love some in-box fraud-reduction scanning while also removing dead-weight management layers?

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Apple is set to introduce its first touch-screen MacBook Pro models on Wednesday, October 28th, marking one of the company’s most significant product reversals in years, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros will feature touch-enabled OLED displays—a first for any Mac—while looking largely similar to the current generation but weighing less and replacing the notch with a Dynamic Island-style cutout. They will be powered by the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips introduced earlier this year rather than a newer silicon generation. Due to the higher cost of OLED panels, the models are expected to carry starting prices as much as $500 above the current lineup, which begins at $2,499 for the 14-inch and $2,999 for the 16-inch.

The announcement is tied to Apple’s “Pro and tell” event in Los Angeles. Invitees will likely receive hands-on time with the machines after an initial press release, with pre-orders expected to open shortly after a video presentation. macOS Golden Gate has been updated with a “dynamic interface” that adapts controls based on whether the user is touching the screen or using the trackpad; tapping a button can summon a menu around the finger, and both the Dock and Menu Bar have been optimized for touch. Apple will frame touch as a supplementary input method alongside the keyboard and trackpad rather than a shift toward an iPad-style experience.

The move ends more than 16 years of public resistance. Steve Jobs famously described touchscreen laptops as “ergonomically terrible” in 2010, and subsequent leaders including Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, Craig Federighi, and John Ternus had rejected the idea. Development accelerated in recent years amid strong Mac and iPad sales during the pandemic work-from-home period, with Cook and Ternus ultimately concluding that customers expected the capability. Gurman has noted that the ergonomic limitations Jobs described remain real — reaching up to a vertical display quickly becomes uncomfortable — so touch is positioned as optional rather than primary. Existing mini-LED MacBook Pros will remain available for now, but are expected to be phased out over time as Apple consolidates the high-end lineup.

Wednesday’s announcements are also expected to include an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip (in the current design) and a refreshed iMac.

The touch-screen MacBook Pros represent the culmination of Apple’s 2026 product roadmap and the latest example of the company eventually adopting features it once publicly dismissed.

MacDailyNews Take: Will we want to do what we’ve avoided forever: smear our fingers all over our MacBook Pro displays or will we ignore the feature? We can’t wait to find out!

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Apple today unveiled the all-new iPad mini, featuring a stunning OLED display in an even thinner and lighter design, a huge leap in performance with A20 Pro, and water and dust resistance. The larger 8.5-inch OLED display, also available with a nano-texture option, delivers higher contrast and more than 2x higher peak brightness than the previous-generation iPad mini for a brilliant and immersive viewing experience. A20 Pro supercharges AI with Neural Accelerators in each GPU core and Dual 16-core Neural Engine. iPad mini now has a 12MP Center Stage front camera on the landscape edge that’s perfect for video calls, an innovative Acoustic Display for an even better audio experience, faster wireless and cellular connectivity, and fast-charge support. With its incredible set of advanced features, it’s the most capable and versatile iPad mini ever.

The new iPad mini is powered by iPadOS 27 with the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, which can draw on a user’s personal context to help them find what they need, answer questions on virtually any topic with broad world knowledge, and understand what’s on their screen. The combination of powerful features and game-changing iPadOS 27 capabilities makes the new iPad mini a compelling value. Customers can pre-order it along with the new Smart Folio starting Wednesday, October 28, with availability beginning Friday, November 6.

“iPad mini is beloved for its fantastic portability, performance, and display by a wide range of users, from creators and small business owners to doctors, field service workers, and gamers,” said Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, in a statement. “With a remarkably thinner and lighter design, a stunning new OLED display, the incredibly powerful A20 Pro, and water and dust resistance, the new iPad mini is a huge leap forward for users who love having the full iPad experience in the palm of their hand.”

Thinner and Lighter Than Ever

At 5.4 mm thin, the new iPad mini is more portable than ever, and is available in two gorgeous finishes: a new midnight and a beautiful starlight. Remarkably thinner and lighter than the previous generation, iPad mini is now even easier to carry, whether a user is reading, working on the go, or using it with one hand. It also features an IP67 rating to protect against water and dust — ideal for a range of use cases, such as working outside on a rainy day or reading by the pool.

A Stunning OLED Display

The new iPad mini comes with a stunning OLED display that delivers amazing front-of-screen performance and an even larger 8.5-inch size while maintaining the same footprint as the previous mini, thanks to 24 percent thinner bezels. The Super Retina XDR display features OLED technology to deliver pixel-level lighting control for much deeper blacks and support for the P3 wide color gamut for more vivid and accurate imagery.

For an even better visual experience across a range of lighting conditions, iPad mini also features peak brightness of up to 1200 nits — more than 2x higher than the previous generation — and supports 600 nits of full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR content, along with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. And with a 1-nit minimum brightness, iPad mini is even more suitable for dim environments, from users reading in bed at night to pilots checking their electronic flight bag in the cockpit. iPad mini also offers a new nano-texture display option, which users love on iPad Pro, that reduces glare in bright environments — ideal for creatives editing outdoors or technicians working in the field. Together, these display advancements extend the versatility of iPad mini across an even wider range of use cases.

A Huge Leap in Performance

A20 Pro delivers a giant leap in performance for iPad mini, significantly boosting graphics and AI-intensive tasks. It is built using Apple’s latest 2-nanometer process technology and a new package inspired by M-series chips. Powered by a 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, iPad mini delivers up to 4.5x faster AI performance than the previous generation — perfect for AI tasks ranging from running on-device models in creative apps to running local LLMs. And with the latest graphics architecture, including dynamic caching and hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, graphics performance jumps by up to 2.7x — great for gaming and 3D rendering. A20 Pro also features up to a 6-core CPU for up to 60 percent faster multithreaded performance for everyday tasks like editing photos and working across apps.

The 512GB configuration features a powerful Dual 16-core Neural Engine, which offers double the processing power of the previous generation, accelerating tasks in apps like Draw Things and Detail. By engaging all 32 cores, A20 Pro becomes a powerhouse for more advanced on-device AI workloads. A20 Pro also brings over a 2x increase in unified memory bandwidth, unlocking additional performance for new levels of capability and responsiveness across graphics and AI-intensive workloads.

A Rich New Audio Experience and Advanced Cameras

The new iPad mini features an innovative Acoustic Display for an even better audio experience when gaming, watching videos, or editing content. Specially designed woofers are paired through the display to produce punchier bass and more volume. In addition, custom tweeters are now hidden between the glass and aluminum enclosure for clearer highs. The Acoustic Display also features a sealed enclosure that helps iPad mini achieve its IP67 rating.

The 12MP Center Stage front camera is now on the landscape edge, perfect for FaceTime calls, video conferencing, and collaboration. And the 12MP Wide back camera captures gorgeous photos with Smart HDR 4 and 4K video at up to 60 fps, while the addition of an Adaptive True Tone flash improves photos and makes document scanning better than ever.

N1 and C2 Come to iPad mini

iPad mini now features N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. N1 brings better performance when connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi networks and improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and AirPlay.

Cellular models of the new iPad mini feature C2, Apple’s next-generation cellular modem system. C2 enables up to 50 percent faster cellular data speeds compared to the previous generation of iPad mini, with even greater power efficiency. And with iPadOS 27, moving between cellular and Wi-Fi networks is more seamless than ever, so users can stay connected on a FaceTime call even while they’re in transit. Users can also enjoy the benefits of eSIM, which lets them quickly and securely add a new plan, connect and transfer existing plans digitally, and stay in touch with family and friends regardless of Wi-Fi availability.

iPadOS 27 with the Next Generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI

iPad mini users can get even more done with Siri AI, rolling out in beta with iPadOS 27. Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence, that is profoundly more personal, capable, and conversational. iPad mini also supports Apple’s most advanced on-device model ever, for even more expressive voices with Siri AI as well as a major boost in accuracy with systemwide dictation.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across their personal messages, emails, photos, and more; use onscreen awareness to take action related to the content on a user’s screen; and answer questions about virtually any topic. Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. Users can improve a photo’s composition after it’s been taken using tools such as upgraded Clean Up, Spatial Reframing, and Extend. And now the all-new Image Playground app offers photorealistic imagery. In Safari, Notify Me helps users monitor web pages for changes, like product restocks or price drops, and stay on top of updates. Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute to help protect users’ privacy. When Private Cloud Compute is handling users’ requests, their personal data is not stored nor made accessible to Apple or anyone else.

iPadOS 27 also delivers an expansive set of improvements that make iPad more responsive, reliable, and easy to use, along with updates to Liquid Glass, including a new slider in Settings that gives users the option to personalize it, adjusting it anywhere from ultraclear to fully tinted to match their preference. With iPadOS 27.2, iPad mini also supports extended display mode when connected to an external display, great for users multitasking with windowed apps.

Additionally, powerful and easy-to-use tools help parents manage what their kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access to apps. For parents and families looking for more information on how to help create safer, more enriching digital experiences for their kids, Apple also has a website with details on the latest tools and how to get started using them.

Accessories That Unlock More Ways to Be Productive and Creative

The new Smart Folio features a two-panel architecture, offering a slim, lightweight cover that magnetically attaches to iPad mini. Crafted with TechWoven fabric in navy blue and taupe to complement the iPad mini finishes, the Smart Folio has an adjustable design that gives users a greater range of motion, including new viewing angles, for enhanced versatility.

iPad mini supports both Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro, giving users two incredible options to bring their ideas to life.8 Apple Pencil (USB-C) is a great value for everyday tasks like note-taking and sketching, while Apple Pencil Pro delivers industry-leading capabilities for the ultimate pencil experience. With Apple Pencil Pro, users can take advantage of innovative features like squeeze and barrel roll to work in entirely new ways, as well as utilize Find My support to help locate it when misplaced.

iPad mini and the Environment

iPad mini was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 35 percent recycled content overall,9 including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery. iPad mini is manufactured with 40 percent renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain. It is designed to be durable and repairable, and meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. As with all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based10 and designed to be recycled.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers can pre-order iPad mini with A20 Pro starting Wednesday, October 28, at apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 36 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Friday, November 6.

• iPad mini will be available in midnight and starlight with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations.

• iPad mini starts at $699 (U.S.) or $58.25 (U.S.) per month for 12 months for the Wi-Fi model, and $849 (U.S.) or $70.75 (U.S.) per month for 12 months for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

• Apple Upgrade leasing prices for the iPad mini start at $14.99 (U.S.) per month for a 36-month lease for the Wi-Fi model, and $18.21 (U.S.) per month for a 36-month lease for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

• With education savings, iPad mini starts at $649 (U.S.) or $54.08 (U.S.) per month for 12 months.

• The new TechWoven Smart Folio is available in navy blue and taupe, and is available for $79 (U.S.).

• Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are compatible with the new iPad mini. Apple Pencil Pro is available for $129 (U.S.) and $119 (U.S.) with education savings. Apple Pencil (USB-C) is available for $79 (U.S.) and $69 (U.S.) with education savings.

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

• Apple offers great ways to save on the latest iPad. Customers can trade in their current iPad and get credit toward a new one by visiting the Apple Store online, the Apple Store app, or an Apple Store location. To see what their device is worth, and for terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.

• Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments,15 and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.
Customers in the U.S. can also pay for their Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini over time when they choose to finance with a carrier.

MacDailyNews Take: So much power in the palm of your hand!

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Apple is marking the 25th anniversary of the original iPod with a playful, fully interactive Easter egg buried on its Apple Music website. On October 23, 2026 — exactly 25 years after Steve Jobs unveiled the device and promised “1,000 songs in your pocket” — visitors who land on a non-existent page under the music.apple.com domain are greeted by a detailed virtual recreation of the first-generation iPod instead of a standard error message.

The page displays the classic white iPod with its monochrome screen and iconic click wheel, paired with the prompt “Give this a spin instead.” The replica is fully interactive: users can drag or click the click wheel with a mouse, swipe it on a touchscreen, or navigate with arrow keys and Enter on a desktop. Menus include Playlists, Artists, Songs, and Settings, complete with options for shuffle, repeat, backlight timer, and clicker sounds that recreate the familiar tactile feedback of the original hardware.

The virtual library is stocked with more than a thousand tracks heavy on early-2000s hits from artists such as Britney Spears, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Foo Fighters, and others from the era. Playback is limited to standard preview clips — typically 90 seconds for longer songs and 30 seconds for shorter ones — and no Apple Music subscription is required. The experience works only in a web browser; it does not appear inside the Apple Music app on Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

A second, nested Easter egg waits inside the first. Navigate to Settings, then About, and hold the center button for about five seconds. This launches Brick, the Breakout-style game that shipped as a hidden feature on the original 2001 iPod. The game’s presence is a fitting nod to Apple history: Breakout itself was developed in the 1970s with contributions from Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs during their time at Atari.

The tribute arrives on a day of particular symmetry. Jobs introduced the original 5 GB iPod on October 23, 2001, at Apple’s Infinite Loop campus, launching a product that reshaped portable music and helped pave the way for the iPhone and modern streaming services. Apple discontinued the last iPod models in 2022, making the browser-based revival a rare, low-key celebration of one of the company’s most influential devices.

MacDailyNews Note: To use the virtual iPod, simply visit any invalid URL on the Apple Music site — such as music.apple.com/404 or any random path that triggers a 404 — and the interactive iPod appears. The feature is free, requires no login, and has already been widely shared by users rediscovering the simple pleasure of spinning a click wheel. Whether it remains a permanent fixture or a temporary anniversary stunt is unclear, but for one day at least, the original iPod is back in your pocket — or, more accurately, in your browser.

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Apple is already evaluating next-generation prototypes of its foldable iPhone Duo that incorporate under-display Face ID on the outer screen, according to reporting from Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman. The development comes as the first-generation iPhone Duo reaches stores, highlighting early feedback around its reliance on a side-button Touch ID sensor.

The original iPhone Duo, announced in September 2026 and available starting today, is Apple’s first foldable smartphone. When closed it offers a 5.4-inch outer display; when opened it expands to a 7.6-inch inner display. Both panels share the same aspect ratio for continuity, and the device is notably thin when unfolded. That slim design left limited internal space for the depth-sensing components traditionally required for Face ID, leading Apple to embed a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the side power button instead—similar to recent iPads. Reviewers have frequently cited the switch as one of the bigger adjustments, with some describing it as among the hardest aspects of the new form factor to get used to after years of facial authentication on standard iPhones.

Gurman, speaking on his Power On podcast, said prototypes of the second-generation iPhone Duo already circulating inside Apple include an under-display Face ID sensor and camera on the outer screen. He noted that Apple has been actively working on under-display facial authentication technology, pointing to related progress on the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, where infrared components have moved beneath the display to shrink the Dynamic Island. The same advances could enable a cleaner outer display on a future Duo without a prominent cutout while restoring the convenience of Face ID.

The feature is not guaranteed for the next model. Gurman indicated that testing is underway for a successor expected next fall, but Apple has not finalized the feature set. He suggested the Touch ID-to-Face ID transition could arrive with the first or second update to the Duo line, potentially spanning the next two to three years. Earlier reporting from Gurman had pointed to Face ID (and a dedicated telephoto camera) as more likely targets for a third-generation model, so the existence of second-generation prototypes represents a more concrete step forward.

Apple is also exploring other refinements. Gurman said employees have examined ways to add an Action button—standard on recent Pro iPhones but absent from the first Duo—though he sounded less certain about that addition. It remains unclear whether a future model would drop the side-button Touch ID entirely once Face ID is present, or retain both biometric options so users could authenticate while looking at either the inner or outer display. Larger inner displays and additional camera capabilities remain longer-term possibilities as well.

MacDailyNews Take: With strong pre-order demand already pushing shipping estimates for the first iPhone Duo into early 2027, and the device launching at a starting price of $1,999, the early prototype work signals Apple’s intent to iterate quickly on its foldable platform. Hopefully, under-display Face ID will reach customers with the Duo 2!

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Australia’s Federal Court has ordered Apple to allow competing app stores, direct app downloads from websites, and alternative in-app payment options for iPhone users with Australian Apple Accounts. The changes take effect at noon Melbourne time on March 1, 2027, though Apple may seek a court-approved extension until May 3, 2027, by filing supporting evidence between February 1 and February 15.

Justice Jonathan Beach issued the orders on October 22, 2026, in a 235-page remedies judgment following an August 2025 liability ruling. In that earlier decision, the court found that Apple had contravened section 46 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 by misusing substantial market power in the markets for iOS app distribution services and iOS in-app payment solutions. The case was brought by Epic Games, maker of Fortnite, as part of its long-running global challenge to Apple’s App Store rules.

Under the orders, Apple must enable Australian account holders to discover, download, install, and update apps—including alternative app stores—through channels other than the App Store. Developers worldwide who are members of the Apple Developer Program can participate. Apple must supply the necessary tools and APIs on substantially the same terms as those available for App Store distribution and is barred from charging fees for access to alternative channels, imposing obstructive conditions, or penalizing developers for using them. It also cannot require developers to use its own in-app purchase system exclusively for digital content, and it must permit steering users to external payment methods. Apple is prohibited from charging fees on purchases made in apps distributed outside the App Store.

Security measures remain permitted: apps distributed outside the App Store must undergo an automated scan for genuine security or privacy reasons and be notarized by Apple or a suitably qualified third party. Apple is not required to distribute competing stores through its own App Store and retains the ability to maintain proportionate protections.

Separately, and without waiting for the March 2027 deadline, Apple must readmit Fortnite and other eligible Epic Games apps to the Australian App Store upon receiving a written application from Epic, provided the apps comply with applicable developer rules consistent with the court’s orders. Epic Games has described the outcome as a significant victory for developers and Australian iOS users and indicated that Fortnite would return promptly. The court also ordered Apple to pay 85 percent of Epic’s legal costs from the liability trial.

Apple has said it disagrees with key findings, including the court’s market definition, and plans to request a stay and appeal the decision. A company spokesperson stated that Apple seeks a resolution that respects its intellectual property and protects the safe, secure experience users and developers expect from the App Store.

The Australian orders apply only to users whose Apple Account region is set to Australia. They form part of a broader pattern of regulatory and court actions in jurisdictions including the European Union, Japan, and Brazil that have required Apple to open aspects of its iOS ecosystem, though the precise terms differ by market. The ruling marks one of the more developer-favorable outcomes to date by limiting Apple’s ability to impose fees on alternative distribution and payment routes while preserving security scanning requirements.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s overall Services revenue continues to grow strongly, with limited, if any, visible impact from the EU-mandated changes. We expect the same from any Aussie dictates if/when imposed.

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CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos reports from Apple’s Fifth Avenue flagship on launch-day lines, tight supply, attractive margins, and why Wall Street expects Apple to quickly reshape the foldable market.

MacDailyNews Take: It’s iPhone Duo Day!

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Apple on Thursday released iOS 27.1, a software update available exclusively to owners of the iPhone Duo. The company said the update focuses on refinements specific to the Duo’s dual-display hardware and will not be offered for other iPhone models.

The iPhone Duo, which launched earlier this year with a foldable dual-screen design, receives several Duo-only optimizations in the 27.1 release. According to Apple’s release notes, the update improves continuity between the two displays, reduces latency when apps span both screens, and adds new multitasking gestures for split-view and slide-over workflows. Battery management algorithms were also adjusted to better account for the power draw of simultaneous display use.

In addition, iOS 27.1 includes a revised version of the Duo’s always-on outer display mode, allowing more third-party widgets and live activities to appear without waking the inner screen. Apple said the changes address feedback from early Duo users who wanted greater flexibility with the cover display while the device is closed.

The update also contains standard security patches and bug fixes, though Apple noted that the security content is the same as what is already available on other iPhones running iOS 27.0.2. No new features were added for non-Duo models.

Apple confirmed that iOS 27.1 is rolling out now through the Settings app on compatible iPhone Duo devices. The company did not provide a timeline for when, or whether, any of the Duo-specific features would be adapted for future iPhone models. Support documentation indicates that the update requires at least 50 percent battery or a connection to power during installation.
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MacDailyNews Note: Owners of other iPhones will continue receiving updates through the standard iOS 27 release track. Apple has not announced any additional software-only exclusives for the Duo at this time.

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Apple reclaimed the title of the world’s most valuable publicly traded company on Friday — the same day its first foldable iPhone reached stores — after shares surged to a new intraday record above $351.

The stock’s climb pushed Apple’s market capitalization to roughly $5.12–$5.13 trillion at its peak, edging past Nvidia, which had held the top spot for an extended period and was trading near $5.10–$5.12 trillion during the session. Positions fluctuated as trading progressed, with some live rankings later showing Nvidia regaining the lead, underscoring how quickly the ranking can shift among the two companies now valued in the same narrow range.

The move came amid ongoing investor questions about the sustainability of the AI-driven trade that has powered Nvidia’s multi-year run. Nvidia shares have faced pressure in recent weeks, while Apple has been viewed as a more defensive play given its hardware and ecosystem strengths. Apple closed Thursday at a record $348.22, already within striking distance of Nvidia, before Friday’s further gains.

Friday’s milestone also coincides with the global launch of the iPhone Duo, Apple’s long-awaited book-style foldable priced from $1,999. The device opens to a 7.6-inch inner display (Apple’s largest ever on an iPhone) with a nano-texture finish, paired with a 5.4-inch outer screen. It is built from polished grade-5 titanium, runs the A20 Pro chip, and is eSIM-only. Pre-orders that began October 16 saw strong demand, with some configurations quickly slipping into early 2027 shipping windows, and Apple noted limited in-store availability on launch day in more than 70 countries and regions.

The valuation swing arrives just over a week after Apple closed above $5 trillion for the first time on October 14, making it only the second company to do so after Nvidia. The company is operating under new CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook on September 1, 2026. Ternus, previously senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, has emphasized accelerating product development while navigating supply constraints (including memory) and Apple’s approach to AI, which includes partnerships such as using Google’s Gemini technology for aspects of Siri.

Alphabet and Microsoft trail well behind in the market-cap rankings, both in the mid-to-high $3 trillion range, leaving the top spot a two-horse race between Apple and Nvidia for the time being. Analysts have pointed to a large base of iPhone owners who have not upgraded in several years as a potential support for Duo demand into 2027, even at the premium price point.
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MacDailyNews Take: It turned out that all we really needed was a new CEO.

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On Friday, October 23rd, the highly anticipated iPhone Duo made its debut at Apple Store locations worldwide. Across the globe, customers filled stores and team members invited them to experience the first foldable iPhone, offering hands-on demos and personalized shopping support.

Customers can explore and shop for the revolutionary iPhone Duo and the incredible iPhone lineup at Apple Store locations around the world, on apple.com, and in the Apple Store app. Dedicated Apple Specialists are available to provide world-class support, from maximizing value with Apple Trade In and monthly leasing options with Apple Upgrade, to Apple Card Monthly Installments and exceptional carrier deals. Through Personal Setup, customers can safely and securely transfer their data, and with new Today at Apple sessions including “Say Hello to iPhone Duo” and “Tips: What’s New in iOS 27 on iPhone,” they can take their passions further with the products they love.

Apple Jing’an, Shanghai

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MacDailyNews Take: The excitement is returning to Apple!

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It’s become one of the most reliable trades in the stock market as sentiment toward artificial intelligence swings wildly: Whatever AI stocks do, Apple does the opposite, writes Bloomberg News‘ Ryan Vlastelica.

The Mac maker’s stock is up 27% in 2026, making it the biggest contributor to the S&P 500 Index’s 12% climb. It’s also by far the best performer among the Magnificent Seven technology giants this year, a stark reversal from 2025, when its 8% gain put it near the bottom of the group.

The reason for the divergence is fairly simple. While most mega-cap tech companies are spending wildly on AI infrastructure, Apple is largely sitting it out and instead focusing on what it historically does best, creating products that get consumers buzzing, like its new foldable iPhone Duo. With Wall Street’s view toward AI capital expenditures seemingly in constant flux, the company’s shares have become investors’ preferred method for staying in Big Tech while avoiding some of the group’s ups and downs.

“Apple is a very liquid hedge against AI volatility, and it’s a great position to have if you’re starting to get worried about AI but still want tech exposure,” said Jordan McCall, senior portfolio manager at Russell Investments, which has $418 billion in assets and owns the company’s shares in multiple portfolios. “Apple is a flight to safety when the market gets nervous.”

Investors are searching for safety because sentiment around AI is shifting so quickly. Shares of the big spenders like Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc., and the chipmakers at the heart of AI infrastructure, rise and fall as Wall Street debates when and if the hundreds of billions in capital expenditures will pay off in a big way. Apple has an increasingly negative correlation to semiconductor stocks and often moves in the opposite direction of its mega-cap peers.

The dynamic was apparent last week, when concerns about cloud computing provider CoreWeave Inc.’s debt spurred widespread selling of AI stocks. The Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor index, better known as the SOX, tumbled more than 11%, marking its worst week since April 2025, while an index of Magnificent Seven stocks sank 3.1%. Apple, meanwhile, rose 2% as the company said demand for the Duo was “nothing short of extraordinary.”

The divergence was also clear on Thursday, when Apple rose 0.5% and was the only Magnificent Seven stock in the green, while the broader market fell with chip stocks leading the way down, after results from Lam Research Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc. raised questions about AI spending.

“If hyperscalers get more bad news, it would make sense to sell the SOX and use the money as a source of funds to buy Apple,” said Michael Matousek, head trader at U.S. Global Investors Inc. “Apple is more of a defensive play because it lacks exposure to the themes moving chips, and given how pronounced this kind of pair trade has become, it is so much easier to just go with the momentum. I wouldn’t fight it.”

Apple’s 40-day correlation to the chip index has been negative since early July and is at its most extreme in data going back to 1994. On a 10-day basis, Apple has a negative 90% correlation with the chip index, according to Jonathan Krinsky, chief market technician at BTIG.

Apple’s strong free cash flow and durable earnings growth are helping it stand out, McCall said. Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta have seen their free cash flow plummet or even turn negative as they invest in AI infrastructure. And while chipmakers are seeing huge growth for the time being, the fear is their earnings will nosedive if that spending slows.

The primary concerns for Apple shareholders are that it’s growing more slowly than its Big Tech peers but carries a soaring stock market valuation. The company is scheduled to report earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter in a few weeks, and revenue is expected to rise about 15% for the year, well below the overall tech sector, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. What’s more, the pace is expected to slow to 9.7% in fiscal 2027 and to 5.5% in fiscal 2028.

Meanwhile, the shares trade at 36 times earnings estimated over the past 12 months, their highest multiple since January 2008. That’s twice Nvidia Corp.’s valuation and well above where the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index and S&P 500 trade.

This combination could make it difficult for Apple to continue outperforming, especially if investors’ perceptions of big AI spenders and chipmakers improves again.

“With SOX having just seen a -16% pullback, and AAPL at all-time highs, we think a bounce in SOX is likely to coincide with AAPL pulling back, at a minimum, toward its 50 DMA,” BTIG’s Krinsky wrote on Oct. 19, referring to Apple’s 50-day moving average, which is 4.7% below the stock’s most recent closing price.

There’s certainly a precedent for this kind of reversal. As recently as August, strengthening sentiment toward AI plays lifted shares of Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet, while Apple struggled.

“I would be shocked if we didn’t see another period of AI enthusiasm that leads to chipmakers coming back, and it is very reasonable and plausible to think the pattern would repeat itself again,” McCall said. “Risk on for AI would mean risk off for Apple.”
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MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote last February (Apple stock is Big Tech’s ‘safe haven’), “Just wait until Apple begins to release Apple Intelligence features underpinned with — but privacy-protected from — Google Gemini and things like Siri begin to actually work as well as, or even better than, people expect them to work in 2026. The sky’s the limit for Apple stock!”

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In Nasdaq trading today, shares of Apple Inc. (AAPL) rose $4.23 to hit a new all-time closing high of $348.22. Apple’s all-time intraday high was also set today at $348.36.

Apple’s 52-week low stands at $243.42 .

Today’s trading volume for AAPL shares was 35,131,228 versus Apple’s average trading volume of 44,069,551 shares.

Apple’s PE Ratio currently stands at 39.93.

Apple currently has a market value of $5.082 trillion, making it the world’s second-most valuable company.

The top five U.S. publicly-traded companies, based on market value:

1. NVIDIA (NVDA) – $5.124T
2. Apple (AAPL) – $5.082T
3. Alphabet (GOOGL) – $3.965T
4. Microsoft (MSFT) – $3.869T
5. Amazon (AMZN) – $2.701T

Selected companies’ current market values:

• SpaceX (SPCX): $1.908T
• Meta Platforms (META): $1.653T
• Tesla (TSLA): $1.479T
• Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A): $1.172T
• Walmart (WMT): $960.935B
• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD): $829.183B
• Intel (INTC): $451.909B
• Cisco (CSCO): $413.124B
• Dell (DELL): $285.351B
• Netflix (NFLX): $278.942B
• IBM (IBM): $237.522B
• Disney (DIS): $195.340B
• SoftBank (SFTBF): $153.874B
• Sony (SONY): $153.288B
• Spotify (SPOT): $119.991B
• Adobe (ADBE): $105.314B
• Nokia (NOK): $43.893B
• Hewlett-Packard (HPQ): $30.390B
• SiriusXM (SIRI): $9.283B
• BlackBerry (BB): $5.524B
• Sonos (SONO): $2.094B
• Liquidmetal (LQMT): $0.071B
• RealNetworks (RNWK) was delisted from U.S. exchanges on December 21, 2022 and is no longer publicly traded.

Apple all-time high (AAPL) via NASDAQ here.

MacDailyNews Take: Regardless, Apple shares remain significantly undervalued!

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A federal appeals court on Thursday affirmed a jury verdict clearing Apple Inc. and director M. Night Shyamalan of copyright infringement claims tied to the Apple TV series “Servant.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected filmmaker Francesca Gregorini’s challenges to the 2025 trial outcome. Gregorini had alleged that the first three episodes of “Servant,” which premiered in 2019 and ran through 2023, copied substantial elements from her 2013 independent film “The Truth About Emanuel.”

Both works center on a mother grieving the death of her infant who treats a realistic baby doll as if it were alive, along with a young nanny drawn into the delusion. Gregorini, who wrote and directed her film, sued Apple, Shyamalan, series creator Tony Basgallop, and others in 2020, seeking as much as $81 million in damages and describing the show as a “brazen” or “wholesale” copy.

A district judge initially dismissed the case in 2020, finding the works insufficiently similar as a matter of law and ordering Gregorini to pay more than $160,000 in attorneys’ fees. The Ninth Circuit reversed that dismissal in 2022, holding that reasonable minds could differ on substantial similarity and that discovery and expert testimony were warranted before resolving the claims.

The case proceeded to a jury trial in January 2025 in Riverside, California, before U.S. District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes. After roughly a week of testimony — including from Shyamalan, who denied any knowledge of Gregorini’s film — the jury unanimously found that none of the defendants had access to “The Truth About Emanuel.” Because copyright infringement requires proof of copying, and access is a prerequisite, the jury did not need to decide whether the works were substantially similar or whether “Servant” was independently created.

Gregorini’s film had limited commercial reach. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and screened at smaller festivals but grossed under $4,000 at the box office and had only a brief theatrical run. Defendants, including Shyamalan and Basgallop, testified that they had never seen or heard of it before the lawsuit and that the series was developed independently. Gregorini argued access through possible industry channels or broader dissemination via festivals and limited digital availability, but the jury was not persuaded.

On appeal, Gregorini challenged the jury instructions and the trial court’s handling of a jury question. The Ninth Circuit, in an unsigned opinion, held that the district court did not err by using the circuit’s model instructions on proving access without enumerating every possible method of showing it. The appeals court also rejected her argument that the judge improperly failed to define “widely disseminated” in response to a jury question, instead allowing the parties to offer competing explanations.

MacDailyNews Take: This latest – and final – ruling solidifies the defense victory and ends the multi-year litigation for Apple and Shyamalan. “Servant,” an executive-produced series from Shyamalan’s Blinding Edge Pictures, became one of Apple TV’s early original hits.

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