Apple and Ford are putting Apple Maps at the center of Ford’s next wave of affordable electric vehicles — not as a phone projection, but as the car’s own navigation system.

In a July announcement, the companies said Apple Maps will be integrated directly into Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform through Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK. The software arrives with UEV models in 2027, starting with a midsize electric vehicle Ford has priced around $30,000. Later reporting has identified that first truck as the Ford Fathom, slated for production at Louisville Assembly Plant.

The pitch is a built-in map that does not require an iPhone. Drivers get natural-language turn-by-turn directions, live traffic and incident data, search with detailed place cards, and route options. For EVs, Apple Maps also supplies charging-aware routing and battery preconditioning so the pack is ready when a charger is nearby. Ford’s Latitude AI team will use Apple’s road-level map data to refine the next generation of BlueCruise, aiming for a smoother hands-free run from on-ramp to off-ramp.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services and Health, called Maps “the best map experience in the world” and said MapKit is how Apple wants that experience to live inside the car, not just on a phone.

“Our new midsize electric vehicle will be priced around $30,000 and redefines what advanced technology can be — simple, useful, and truly attainable for more customers,” said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company’s CEO, in a statement. “We’re proud to embed Apple Maps’ navigation and mapping technology directly into our Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, giving customers the ultimate navigation experience alongside our Ford app, a full suite of software, and next-generation BlueCruise, all enabled by a new zonal architecture. Apple Maps has delivered a world-class product, and we’re honored to be among the first to embed it directly into a vehicle, helping define intuitive, capable driving.”

Ford is among the first automakers to embed Apple Maps this way.

Apple says MapKit lets manufacturers customize look and feel while keeping Maps’ privacy rules: location and in-car map activity are not collected in a form that can be tied back to an individual. CarPlay stays on Ford vehicles, so iPhone users can still mirror apps if they want. Ford also plans to keep Android Auto. Native Apple Maps is an extra path, not a lock-in.

That choice is the story behind the story. Many automakers have leaned on Google maps or Android Automotive. Ford already uses Google-linked software in other products. For UEV, executives say they compared Apple, Google, and others on cost, quality, EV range math, charger data, elevation, weather, and how closely they could work with the maps team. Alan Clarke, Ford’s vice president of advanced vehicle projects, said in a statement that Apple Maps has improved sharply and that Apple was more flexible on the vehicle-side details that matter for range, preconditioning, and charging. Ford is not putting CarPlay Ultra in the Fathom; it is pairing native Apple Maps with standard CarPlay and Android Auto, so drivers can still fire up Google Maps or Waze from a phone if they prefer.

Farley has since left the door open to more than UEV. Asked whether other Ford vehicles could get a similar Apple experience, he said it “could,” praised Apple’s mapping progress, and tied the real shift to Ford’s own zonal electrical architecture and in-house software — including ADAS work that will be largely a Ford effort. UEV is planned to launch with Level 2 hands-off driving in 2027, with Level 3 (eyes off the road in defined conditions) targeted for 2028.

For Apple, MapKit for Automotive is a way to compete where Google has been winning dashboards, without forcing every carmaker onto CarPlay Ultra. For Ford, it is a bet that a cheaper midsize EV can still feel current if navigation, charging logic, and highway assist share the same high-quality map — and that customers will notice if the car can plan a charge stop and warm the battery without waiting for a phone to connect.

MacDailyNews Note: In addition to the integration of Apple Maps into Ford’s UEV Platform, CarPlay will continue to be available on Ford vehicles, providing drivers with a safe and smart way to use their iPhone in the car.

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HBO chairman Casey Bloys offered a gracious, slightly wary reaction after Apple TV finished first among platforms at the 2026 Emmys, calling Apple’s programming chiefs “very handsome competitors” while noting the intimidation of going up against a very rich company.

Apple TV collected 28 Emmys, topping HBO/HBO Max’s 21 and marking the first time the streamer led the overall tally. HBO still took two of the three top scripted prizes — Outstanding Drama Series for The Pitt and Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series for DTF St. Louis — but lost Outstanding Comedy Series when Apple’s Widow’s Bay beat Hacks.

Speaking to Deadline at HBO Max’s afterparty at the San Vicente Bungalows, Bloys was asked what he thought of Apple’s night and its first No. 1 finish.“Well, I’m very happy because I think that they’re very handsome competitors, Zack and Jamie,” he said, referring to Apple TV heads Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht. “Look, we’ve had very formidable competitors in going back to Showtime, FX, AMC, Netflix, Amazon, so [when] Apple, everybody, keeps us on our toes, I think we do our best work. It’s a little scary that they’re a trillion-dollar company, but we’ll continue to do what we do, which is put out the best shows that we can.”

The comment distilled HBO’s long-running position in the awards race. For decades the network has cycled through rivals — first broadcast, then cable, then streamers — while remaining one of the few legacy brands that still consistently contends at the top. Last year HBO tied Netflix for most wins; this year Apple pulled ahead. Bloys framed that pressure as useful rather than fatal: competition, he argued, is what forces HBO to stay sharp.

The remark also underscored the structural gap. Apple can spend at a scale few entertainment companies can match. Bloys did not pretend otherwise. He simply restated HBO’s pitch: keep making the best shows possible and let the work compete.

Whether that formula is enough against a platform with Apple’s resources will be tested again next awards season. For one night, though, the HBO boss chose congratulations over complaint — with a single, carefully worded acknowledgment that the new leader on the board is also the richest player in the room.
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MacDailyNews Take: Make that a $4.878 trillion-dollar company.

Those who can wrap their heads around Apple’s massive cash mountain and the company’s unparalleled ability to generate cash can clearly see who the winner will be. The most talented producers, writers, directors, editors, actors, etc. are attracted to exactly what Apple has and makes in vast abundance: Cash. The King.

Like bears to honey, it’s happening already. — MacDailyNews, January 3, 2018

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Apple is exploring a return to dedicated server hardware for the first time since it killed Xserve in 2011, developing enterprise AI inference systems around forthcoming M8 Ultra chips and discussing Nvidia’s NVLink Fusion to link those processors, according to a new report from The Information.

The planned machines would be sold to AI developers, businesses, and governments that want to run models on their own equipment rather than in the public cloud. Two configurations are under consideration: a two-chip system and a four-chip version built around Apple’s highest-performance M-series silicon. A launch is not expected before 2029, and the project could still be canceled or ship without Nvidia technology.

The effort began about a year ago with support from John Ternus, then Apple’s hardware chief and now CEO. Demand from AI teams already buying Mac mini and Mac Studio systems in volume appears to have sharpened Apple’s interest in a rack-scale product. Apple already builds servers for its own Private Cloud Compute stack, but has declined requests from partners to sell that hardware externally. Internal interconnect options were viewed as too slow and expensive for larger deployments, which is why NVLink Fusion is on the table.

NVLink Fusion is Nvidia’s suite of switches, chiplets, and software for high-bandwidth, low-latency links between chips, including processors that are not Nvidia GPUs. Opening that layer to other silicon makers lets Nvidia sell networking even when customers choose alternative compute. An Apple deal would be notable given a long, chilly relationship that dates to GPU reliability problems in MacBooks nearly two decades ago. More recently, Apple has used Nvidia hardware in cloud infrastructure supporting a revamped Siri.

Neither company commented, and the report has not been independently verified. Shares of Apple, which had been lower earlier, reversed modestly in premarket trading after the story circulated.

If it reaches market, the product would put Apple silicon into enterprise AI infrastructure rather than only consumer devices and Macs. It would also test whether/prove that efficient Arm-based M chips can compete in inference at rack scale, and whether Nvidia can remain the connective tissue even in systems built around someone else’s processors.
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MacDailyNews Take: Even if nothing comes from this, it is already so nice to have “a product person, per se” back in charge at our favorite company!

To paraphrase Steve Jobs, when the product people get driven out of the decision-making process, companies forget what it means to make great products. The product sensibility and the product genius that brought them wild success gets rotted out by people running these companies that have no conception of a good product versus a bad product.

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Apple has begun a new developer testing cycle just two days after shipping iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 to the public. On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the company seeded the first developer betas of the 27.2 point releases across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro.

The timing is unusual. After a major fall launch, Apple typically starts with a .1 update. This year, iOS 27.1 is being held for the iPhone Duo, Apple’s foldable iPhone scheduled to launch on October 23 with dual-screen layouts, a vertical dock, a vertical Dynamic Island, and Camera features built for two displays. By jumping to 27.2 for current devices, Apple can test software meant for all users without exposing Duo-specific work early.

Registered developers can install the betas through Settings > General > Software Update after enabling the developer beta track. The iOS 27.2 beta 1 download is large — testers have reported sizes around 22GB. Reported build numbers include iOS and iPadOS 27.2 beta 1 as 24B5084k and tvOS 27.2 beta 1 as 24K5088l. Apple also issued companion 27.2 betas for macOS Golden Gate and HomePod software.

What’s in the first 27.2 betas

Early testers say iOS 27.2 beta 1 already includes two features Apple had flagged for later this year.

• Siri AI languages: Siri AI launched this week as an English-only beta. In 27.2 beta 1, that more conversational assistant also works when the device language is set to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, or Spanish. Apple had said those languages would arrive in October; they are now in developer testing. Siri AI still requires an Apple Intelligence–capable device.

• Redesigned Health app: The overhaul uses Apple Intelligence to turn Watch and iPhone data into guidance. Testers get a new Insights tab with timely summaries and personalized suggestions, plus a Longevity tab that scores long-term metrics such as heart health, sleep, movement, and metabolic health. Health Age, which compares certain metrics with a user’s chronological age, is part of that experience. Some of this still requires a paired Apple Watch, and Apple’s notes indicate the full Health redesign may not ship in the first public 27.2 build.

Other delayed Apple Intelligence items — smarter suggestions in Messages and AI help for weak or compromised passwords — could also return in this cycle, though that is not confirmed in the first seed.

watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS

watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, and visionOS 27.2 developer beta 1 are available as well. On Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, two late-2026 Apple Intelligence features are candidates for this track: Live Rewind, which transcribes the last 15 seconds after a double-press of the Digital Crown, and Siri Recap, which turns the day’s conversations into brief notes. Specific changes in the first tvOS and visionOS 27.2 builds have not been detailed; a new Apple TV 4K with stronger Siri AI hardware is still expected later this year.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple still needs to ship iOS 27.1 before the iPhone Duo goes on sale so the foldable can launch with its dedicated software. If 27.2 carries the extra Siri languages and Health work, that update is also likely in October. Public betas typically follow developer seeds after an initial round of testing.

As always with first-point-release betas, these builds are meant for secondary devices. Expect bugs, incomplete features, and a large download. Developers should keep watching release notes as Apple fills in Duo support, language rollouts, and the rest of the Health redesign over the coming weeks.

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Apple Original Films on Wednesday unveiled the trailer for “Tenzing,” a new feature from director Jennifer Peedom and starring Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, Thinley Lhamo, and Tenzin Dalha. “Tenzing” will premiere in select theaters on October 9, 2026 and globally on Apple TV on October 16, 2026.

Based on true events, “Tenzing” chronicles the little-known story of Tenzing Norgay (Phuntsok), a gifted Himalayan climber who, alongside New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary (Hiddleston), became the first to summit Mount Everest. Encouraged by his wife, Dawa (Lhamo), Tenzing finds an ally in expedition secretary Jill Henderson (Balfe). Together, they persuade Colonel John Hunt (Dafoe) that Tenzing belongs on the British climbing team, rather than merely serving it. Where Western climbers see “Everest” as something to be conquered, Tenzing reveres “Chomolungma” as the sacred mother goddess. What follows is an ascent defined as much by the tensions between backgrounds, classes and competing ambitions as by the perils of the mountain itself. But high above the world, empire, rank and aspiration fall away, leaving two outsiders bound by mutual respect and trust — and for Tenzing, the fulfillment of both a lifelong dream and a spiritual calling. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Peedom, “Tenzing” is a story of greatness that refuses to be diminished — and the love that makes it possible.

Directed by Peedom, the Apple Original Film “Tenzing” is written by Luke Davies, with story by Peedom and Davies, produced by Peedom, Davies, Desray Armstrong, and Liz Watts, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman under their See-Saw Films banner, with Norbu Tenzing, Simon Gillis and David Michôd serving 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 917 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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MacDailyNews 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 cheapest earbuds no longer feel like the compromise they used to be.

In a new review, Bloomberg News’ Chris Welch writes that the surprise of the new AirPods 5 is that buyers are getting more for less. While other Apple products have climbed in price amid a persistent memory-chip shortage, the latest “regular” AirPods start at $129 and now include active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and live translation — features that used to sit higher in the lineup.

A $149 version adds longer battery life, a wireless charging case and on-stem swipe controls for volume. Welch, who tested that higher-end pair, says the extra $20 is worth it for almost anyone who isn’t strictly shopping on price. He also predicts Apple will eventually drop the $129 model. The $149 AirPods 5 are cheaper than the comparable AirPods 4 with noise cancellation, which launched at $179 and had no physical volume controls.

Both versions improve on sound and noise cancellation versus the last generation, Welch reports. Apple says the new open-ear design can cut up to 50% more outside noise than AirPods 4 with ANC, using a multiport acoustic architecture and updated computational audio. Transparency mode is also more natural, and Adaptive Audio can switch between cancellation and awareness as surroundings change.

The $129 pair is rated for about four hours with ANC on and up to 20 hours with the USB-C case. The $149 model stretches that to about five hours per charge and 22 hours with the case, and the case works with Qi pads and Apple Watch chargers. Both models are due in stores Friday, September 18th.
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MacDailyNews Take: Welch’s takeaway is on the money: the base AirPods 5 finally feel complete, but the $149 pair is the better buy — more capable than last year’s step-up model, and $30 cheaper.

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Apple has released public firmware for several current AirPods models, unlocking the headphone features that arrived with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate.

The update, build 9A348, is available for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. It is the retail counterpart to the beta firmware Apple tested through the summer.

The firmware turns on software that was already designed into this year’s operating systems: a redesigned AirPods settings screen, a more flexible Adaptive Audio control, custom EQ, and compatibility with the new Siri AI.

What the update actually unlocks

Custom EQ is the headline change. After years of fixed Apple tunings, H2-chip AirPods can now adjust lows, mids, and highs from Settings. Just go to: Settings → [your AirPods] → Audio & Routing → Equalizer → Custom. The feature is limited to AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2.

A redesigned AirPods interface puts listening modes, a volume slider, and grouped menus in one compact screen instead of sprawling lists. Transparency, Noise Cancellation, and Adaptive still sit at the top. Other controls are sorted into Audio & Routing, Hearing Health, Controls & Gestures, Live Translation, Accessibility, Battery, Find My, and Privacy.

Adaptive mode now has a slider, so users can bias the mix between pass-through and noise cancellation instead of relying on a single automatic setting.

Siri AI works through a connected iPhone. The AirPods themselves are not a standalone Apple Intelligence device; they act as the microphone and speaker for the phone’s new assistant. Camera-equipped AirPods that could feed visual context to Siri are still a later product rumor, not part of this firmware.

Two features remain exclusive to AirPods Pro 3: Precision Finding via the case’s ultra-wideband chip (now also usable from Apple Watch with watchOS 27) and GymKit heart-rate syncing to compatible gym equipment. Name Recognition, an accessibility alert when someone says your name, is part of the Hearing Health suite and supports more than 50 languages.

How to get the firmware

There is still no “Check for Update” button for AirPods. Apple’s method is unchanged:

1. Pair the AirPods with an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS Golden Gate.
2. Put the earbuds or headphones in the case (or on the charger for Max).
3. Keep the case near the Apple device and on power.

Installation can take hours. The earbuds download the firmware in the background while charging. If you were on a beta build, some users reported the public 9A348 package stalling until the buds were reset; that is a known edge case from the beta period, not a guaranteed requirement.

You can confirm the version in Settings → Bluetooth → the “i” next to your AirPods, or on the AirPods settings page after they connect.

MacDailyNews Take: AirPods have long been feature-rich on paper and limited in user control. Custom EQ is a small concession by Apple’s audio team, but it is the one owners have asked for most often. Combined with a cleaner settings layout and Adaptive fine-tuning, the 9A348 drop is less a new product story than the moment iOS 27’s headphone work actually lands on hardware people already own.

The catch is the usual AirPods one: you cannot force the update on a schedule. Leave them charging overnight next to a current iPhone, then check the version in the morning.

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After years of being the punchline of the AI race, Siri is getting a real second act in iOS 27. In a hands-on review, The Wall Street Journal’s Nicole Nguyen says the overhauled assistant is no longer just a polite search redirect. It can see what’s on your screen, look at the world through the camera, and search your own messages, photos, notes, and mail — then act on what it finds.

The moment that sold her was mundane. At a parking machine, she asked Siri for her license plate number. It pulled the plate from a photo of her vehicle-registration renewal notice and read it back. “Wait a minute,” she wrote. “This new Siri actually helps?” After months of testing the highs and the misses, she says the public can now try it, too, with iOS 27.

Not every iPhone gets the new brain

Nguyen is blunt about the split. Siri AI is limited to Apple Intelligence devices: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, and newer. Older phones get iOS 27’s other polish — she is particularly fond of a slider that dials back the “liquid glass” look — but not the new assistant. “Sorry,” she says in the companion WSJ video. “I don’t make the rules.”

What sets this Siri apart from ChatGPT or Claude, she argues, is access to the phone itself: on-screen awareness, the camera, and personal context, with privacy controls and an off switch.

Three things she tested

• On-screen awareness. Swipe down from the middle of the display and Siri behaves like a chatbot that can see the current screen. Nguyen pointed it at a pastry-class video and asked what the cakes were called; it identified tarte tropéziennes. She then opened a school email, asked Siri to add the listed items to a new Reminders list called “Back-to-School,” and it did.

The same brain can hallucinate. Siri is powered in part by Google’s Gemini, she notes, and like any large language model it can invent details. It confidently labeled a colleague’s photo as the ruins of Derrynane Abbey. The real spot was St. Mary’s Church in County Cork, Ireland — a two-and-a-half-hour drive away.

• The camera. Open Camera, swipe, and Siri can rate a snack’s nutrition or split a restaurant check. Point it at a receipt, tap the items you ordered, and it calculates tax, fees, and tip, then offers Apple Cash or a total you can Venmo. A lone biscotti scored “very low nutritional value”; add a banana and the rating improves to “okay.”

• Personal context. Siri can search Messages, Mail, Notes, Photos, and other on-device data. “What shoes did Belinda recommend?” produced an answer from texts. “Find photos of a croissant in the south of France” returned shots from Villefranche-sur-Mer and Nice. Limits remain: Signal and WhatsApp chats are not searchable unless those apps opt in, and Google Photos may not be supported yet.

Privacy, Gemini, and a caveat

Requests that need a bigger model or outside knowledge go through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, which Nguyen describes as shielding data from both Apple and Google. Users who still do not want it can turn Siri AI off in Settings.

MacDailyNews Take: Her verdict is measured, but very hopeful for those of us who’d given up on Siri long ago. The new Siri is a genuine upgrade and already on the phone, so she says people should try it. She is also keeping Claude and ChatGPT on speed dial. Magical when it connects the dots inside your iPhone, but, like all LLMs, still fallible at times.

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Apple Wallet is one of the most practical apps on iPhone, and iOS 27 pushes it further toward being a single place for cards, tickets, keys, and everyday payments. According to 9to5Mac’s Ryan Christoffel, the update adds tools for turning physical passes digital, splitting restaurant bills with Apple Cash, tracking Apple Card subscriptions, and expanding hotel-key experiences.

iOS 27 launched for iPhone on September 14, 2026. Wallet already gained upgrades in iOS 26; this release focuses on making the app more useful for both digital and analog life.Create a PassA new Create a Pass option appears when you tap the + button in Wallet. You can:Scan a physical pass with the iPhone camera and visual intelligence

Build a pass from scratch

Scanning physical cards requires next-generation Apple Intelligence. Manual creation offers three templates: Standard, Membership, and Event. Apple’s aim is to make Wallet the hub for loyalty cards, memberships, event tickets, and other passes that still exist only on paper or plastic.

Split Bill with Apple Cash

Scan a receipt using the Camera app’s new Siri mode and you’ll get an option to Split Bill with Apple Cash. Wallet then opens with choices to request payment from others or pay your own share. It’s a fast way to settle group meals without leaving the Apple ecosystem.

Recurring transactions for Apple Card

Apple Card users get a Recurring section, found behind the three-dot menu on the card screen. It lists upcoming repeating charges in a calendar month view or a simple list, making subscriptions and regular payments easier to track before they hit.

Hotel key upgrades

Participating hotels and resorts can offer an enhanced key experience. Guests can still unlock rooms and amenities with iPhone or Apple Watch. The expanded pass can also show more trip details, activity updates, and in-stay services in one Wallet card. Wallet also received small UI tweaks and a refreshed app icon.

Insights, with a catch

iOS 27 includes an Insights feature in some regions that aggregates spending across cards. Christoffel notes that the feature appeared in some betas, but is not available in the U.S. at launch.

MacDailyNews Take: Taken together, the Wallet updates are less about flashy redesigns and more about closing everyday gaps: your gym card, the dinner check that needs splitting, the subscription you forgot was renewing, and the hotel stay that used to live in a separate app. All little conveniences that make Apple Wallet even better.

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MacRumors‘ Joe Rossignol reports that Apple is preparing to add iPhone Car Key support in the Wallet app to three more automakers: Lincoln, Lucid Motors, and China’s Freelander.

The finding comes from backend code first spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, who posted that Apple’s systems now list the three brands for Car Key support. No launch window or specific models are included in the code.

Car Key lets owners lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch instead of a traditional fob. The latest version of the industry standard, Digital Key 3.0 from the Car Connectivity Consortium, uses Bluetooth LE, NFC, and Ultra Wideband for secure, proximity-based access. Express Mode can work without unlocking the iPhone.

The feature already works with vehicles from Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Cadillac, Lexus, MINI, Polestar, Porsche, RAM, Rivian, Toyota, and others. Availability and exact capabilities still vary by brand and model. Some manufacturers tie the digital key to a connected-services subscription.

Lucid had previously been named by Apple among brands expected to add Car Key support. Lincoln’s addition would bring Ford’s luxury division into the fold. Freelander, a Chinese brand, would further expand the feature in that market. Apple has not confirmed which vehicles will actually ship with the capability or when drivers will be able to add a key to Wallet.
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MacDailyNews Take: Backend references of this kind have preceded other Car Key rollouts, but they are not a guarantee of immediate availability. Owners of current Lincoln, Lucid, or Freelander vehicles should not expect the feature until the automakers and Apple formally enable it on supported models.

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Average wait times for Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro models have lengthened to 2.6 weeks across eight countries just three days into pre-orders, a jump that veteran Apple watcher Gene Munster called a historically favorable sign for demand.

Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, posted his latest tracker Monday. Lead times rose from 1.6 weeks the day before to 2.6 weeks, matching where last year’s Pro models stood at the same point in the cycle. Part of the one-day surge, he noted, came from buyers returning to their computers after pre-orders opened on Saturday rather than the usual Friday. The more important takeaway, he said, is that wait times are moving higher.

Gene Munster via X:
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iPhone Lead Time Tracker 3 days into Pre-Orders: We’re seeing average lead times of 2.6 weeks across 8 countries. That’s in line with where the Pro models were last year.

My take: Most importantly, the lead times jumped from 1.6 weeks yesterday to 2.6 weeks today. Part of that jump is people are back in front of their computers (pre-orders started on Saturday). The important part is lead times are going up, which has historically been a favorable sign for demand.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max began September 12. The phones go on sale Friday, September 18. This year’s launch is unusually narrow: Apple skipped the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air, delaying those models until 2027 amid memory and chip shortages, and scheduled its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, for pre-order on October 16 and availability October 23. Only the two Pro models are available now, at starting prices of $1,199 and $1,299.

Some configurations, especially popular Pro Max storage and color combinations, already show delivery windows stretching into early October. That tightening inventory is what Munster’s tracker is capturing. Rising lead times have often preceded stronger-than-expected iPhone units in past cycles, which is why he flagged the move as constructive for Apple.

Not every analyst reads the same data the same way. Bank of America and JPMorgan have noted that some year-over-year comparisons look shorter than last year’s iPhone 17 Pro cycle, and GF Securities’ Jeff Pu described initial demand as “lukewarm,” citing limited spec upgrades, higher prices, and buyers who may be waiting for the Duo. Munster’s point is narrower and more sequential: the fact that waits lengthened from one day to the next still matters.

The Duo, starting at $1,999, is expected to siphon some high-end buyers who would otherwise have chosen a Pro Max. How large that substitution effect becomes will only become clear after October 16. For now, Munster’s tracker suggests the phones that are on sale are finding buyers quickly enough to push delivery dates later.
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MacDailyNews Take: Munster’s data showing lengthening wait times is meaningful. The other analysts’ looking just at YoY lead times do not have enoguh data to draw any meaningful conclusions.

You cannot measure demand based on shipping times without knowing how much supply Apple has in hand… and where and how those supplies are allocated in each geographic area. – MacDailyNews, September 17, 2024

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Apple on Monday released the next generation of Apple Intelligence, powering Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri, and capabilities that make the apps and experiences users rely on every day more personal and helpful than ever. Siri AI is a profoundly more capable and conversational assistant with personal context understanding, broad world knowledge, onscreen awareness, and even more systemwide app actions. Siri AI can help users find what they need in the moment, from answering questions on virtually any topic to surfacing relevant information from a user’s messages, emails, photos, and more. And Apple Intelligence makes everyday experiences across Apple products more personal and helpful with new editing capabilities in Photos, intelligent browsing tools in Safari, an all-new Image Playground that can create photorealistic imagery, and more.

With Apple’s 2027 software releases, users can now access new Apple Intelligence capabilities across apps. Siri AI begins rolling out today in beta in English, and will expand to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish next month.

An Entirely New Siri

Siri AI is a completely reimagined version of Siri that is more personal and powerful. With detailed responses and rich, natural conversations, Siri AI helps users get more done than ever before.

Built on Apple Intelligence, this new version of Siri draws on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more. And 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.

For example, if a user asks Siri what a family member suggested as an activity during an upcoming visit, Siri can search the user’s messages and find that they mentioned wanting to bake a family recipe together. It can then pull up the cooking instructions from an email the relative sent previously and add the ingredients to their grocery list in the Reminders app.

Siri AI already works seamlessly with apps from Apple’s vast ecosystem of developers. Users can continue to take action in the apps they already use with Siri, like texting a friend in WhatsApp or playing a book on Audible. And soon, users will be able to ask Siri AI to draft an email in Microsoft Outlook, search for a homework assignment in Notability, or add a restaurant recommendation to Tripsy.

With onscreen awareness, Siri AI can answer questions or take actions related to the content on a user’s screen. For example, while viewing their favorite sports team’s website, a user can ask Siri to find all the upcoming home games and add them directly to their calendar. And Siri AI can also use broad world knowledge to get up-to-date information on virtually any topic. Whether a user is looking for the score of a football game, tips for planning a vacation, or the best local coffee spot in a new city, Siri AI will leverage information from across the web to deliver helpful, accurate answers.

Users can extend almost any response from Siri into a rich conversation and ask follow-up questions. And users can take advantage of Siri AI anywhere across the system. In addition to saying “Hey Siri,” iPhone users can invoke Siri with the side button, or swipe down from the Dynamic Island to start a conversation and get an in-depth answer. On iPad and Mac, Siri AI is integrated into Spotlight so users can search for answers to almost any question. It is also integrated into systemwide context menus, allowing users to Control-click to ask about images, files, or text on their screen. On Apple Vision Pro, Siri AI leverages spatial computing with a 3D visualization that users can place anywhere in their space, and they can invoke Siri by looking at it and starting to speak.

To revisit a past conversation or start a new one, users can open the all-new dedicated Siri app. The Siri app uses iCloud to privately sync conversational history across a user’s products, so they can start chatting with Siri on iPhone, and pick up the conversation on Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, or Apple Vision Pro, bringing together rich conversations in one place.

Expressive Voices and Improved Dictation Powered by the Most Advanced On-Device Model

Siri AI offers even more expressive voices, as well as a major boost in accuracy, with systemwide dictation for products that support Apple’s most advanced on-device model ever, AFM Core Advanced. Users have the ability to customize the expressiveness and pace of Siri’s voice so it’s just right for them. Dictation now captures what users say as polished text with greater precision, automatically handling capitalization, punctuation, and formatting as they speak. And with improved speech understanding, users can speak naturally and trust that their words will appear clearly, accurately, and as intended.

Visual Intelligence Is Now on iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro

With Visual Intelligence, Siri AI offers powerful image understanding and multimodal capabilities, so users can ask questions about visual content across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro.

On iPhone, Siri’s multimodal capabilities are integrated right into the Camera app with a brand-new Siri mode, allowing users to get information and take action on what’s in front of them. For example, while looking at a poster for a music festival, a user can ask Siri what the set times are for their favorite artists, and then have Siri automatically create multiple calendar events for the weekend. On iPad, Visual Intelligence is integrated right into the screenshot experience. And on Mac, users can tap into it with a dedicated keyboard shortcut, allowing them to select something on their Mac display and type directly to Siri to get a helpful answer. Visual Intelligence also expands to Apple Vision Pro, allowing users to ask Siri about things just by looking at them, from the content inside app windows to physical objects around them.

The Ability to Write and Edit Virtually Anywhere with Siri AI

Siri now offers integrated Writing Tools that are more powerful than ever, allowing users to write with Siri AI virtually anywhere they type. Users can describe what they need and Siri can generate a draft from scratch to get the ball rolling. If a user wants to refine what they’ve written, they can describe the change they want to make and Siri can quickly update it.

When writing in Mail and Messages, Siri can reflect how users usually communicate with each recipient, including the punctuation and tone they typically use. Users can ask Siri for tips and suggestions to improve their written work. Plus, Apple Intelligence now automatically proofreads for users as they type across the system, including within most third-party apps.

Powerful AI Capabilities Integrated into Everyday Experiences

In addition to Siri AI, Apple Intelligence powers many more new capabilities in the apps users rely on every day:

• The Photos app taps into more powerful image models to provide new ways to edit photos, while still respecting the original moment as it was captured. With Spatial Reframing, users can improve the composition of a photo by adjusting the camera perspective after the photo was taken. Users can also expand their shots with the Extend tool to give their subjects more breathing room, and the popular Clean Up tool is more powerful than ever, allowing users to remove distractions from their photos with even better quality and more realistic infill.

• Powered by a new generative model that runs on Private Cloud Compute, Image Playground is more powerful and useful than ever, giving users the ability to create high-quality images in virtually any style — now including photorealistic — and simply describe any changes they want to make. This capability extends to the new Siri, allowing users to generate images just by describing them in the Siri AI app, powered by Image Playground. And with upcoming support for the SynthID standard, users can identify images generated or edited with AI using Apple Intelligence-powered tools.

• Safari adds new tools that transform how users can browse the web. Now, Safari can simplify the browsing experience by automatically organizing a user’s tabs into topics. It can also notify users of website changes, like product restocks or price drops, with Notify Me, and create custom extensions based on a user’s description.

• In Mail and Messages, Smart Reply can draw on a user’s personalized writing style, and Suggestions in Mail are even more capable with the ability to take actions with third-party apps.

• With Call Context in Phone, users can proactively receive relevant information, like a confirmation code or reservation number, when they’re calling a business.

• In Calendar, users can now add or modify events with simple descriptions.

• Shortcuts is more approachable than ever. With the ability to describe a shortcut, users can create complex automations simply by describing what they want.

• The Home app adds the ability to understand related notifications as a single activity, view what’s happening across a sequence of video clips with generated video descriptions, search for clips across multiple cameras, and access noteworthy ones at the top of the Search page.

Coming Later This Year: New Audio Intelligence and Health Capabilities

Since Apple Watch is always on a user’s wrist, it is the perfect device to help users stay alert to important sounds and stay present and engaged in conversations throughout the day. With the built-in microphone, the power of the S11 chip, the latest Apple
Intelligence models on iPhone, and Private Cloud Compute, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 offer a brand-new class of Apple Intelligence features. Audio Intelligence helps users stay aware of the world around them, catch what they missed, and remember key moments — with user control, privacy, security, and accessibility at the center of its design.

Audio Intelligence features include:

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

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

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

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

Audio Intelligence features are private by design, combining hardware, software, and services to protect user privacy in a way that only Apple can. These features do not create or store audio recordings, and the raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible to the operating systems, apps, the user, or Apple. This is because the S11 chip on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 includes Secure Exclave, a dedicated hardware-isolated compartment that processes audio in complete isolation from the rest of the system, then immediately deletes it.

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

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

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

In addition, the Health app gets a new design, turning a user’s metrics into personalized guidance with Apple Intelligence at its core. The new Insights tab has a summary generated by Apple Intelligence that highlights a user’s most timely information, surfacing details like the latest on their sleep or peak VO2 max. Users will also get personalized guidance from the Health app. For example, if they are working to improve their cardiovascular health, they may see suggestions to incorporate intervals in their regular morning run — recommendations that dynamically adapt to the user and their data.

The new health capabilities will be available later this year.

A Bold Architecture, Built Privacy-First

These new capabilities are powered by the next generation of Apple Foundation Models, custom-built in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models for deeply integrated Apple Intelligence experiences. These latest models run on device and on servers using Private Cloud Compute. Every facet of new Apple Intelligence architecture is built privacy-first, from the latest Apple Foundation Models to the core operating system technologies that integrate these models deep into Apple’s platforms.

Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute to help protect users’ privacy. Private Cloud Compute gives users access to frontier-level intelligence while extending the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud. When Private Cloud Compute is handling users’ requests, their personal data is not stored nor made accessible to Apple or anyone else. Outside experts can continue to verify this privacy promise at any time.

Siri has been rebuilt from the ground up with powerful AI, taking full advantage of the bold new architecture for Apple Intelligence. Additionally, Siri AI uses the system orchestrator to tap into core capabilities like the Spotlight index and App Toolbox, which work entirely on device to keep users in control of their data.

With powerful new features and unrivaled privacy protections, Siri remains the world’s most private digital assistant, backed by a bold architecture that allows Apple to deliver innovative new features with privacy and security at their core.

Pricing and Availability

• Apple Intelligence in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 is available on iPhone 16 models or later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad models with M1 or later, MacBook Neo (A18 Pro), Mac models with M1 or later, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE 3 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone nearby.

• Apple Intelligence is available with Siri settings 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 rolling out in beta in English in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27, and requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish is coming next month.

• Siri AI will not be available initially in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Features that rely on Siri AI will also not be available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Apple is working hard to find a path forward that preserves its users’ privacy and security.

• Siri AI and the other new Apple Intelligence features will not be available in China while Apple works through regulatory requirements.

• 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 Apple Intelligence terms and conditions. Learn more at apple.com/apple-intelligence.

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MacDailyNews Note: Siri AI is not available for users under 13.

Apple’s most powerful on-device model and the features it enables, like expressive voices and more advanced dictation, are available on iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPad (M4) or later with at least 12GB of unified memory, and Mac (M3) or later with at least 12GB of unified memory. The model and expressive voices are also available on Apple Vision Pro (M5).

SynthID will be available in a software update later this year, and will be included for most edited images, depending on the edits applied.

Home app’s ability to understand related notifications as a single activity, view what’s happening across a sequence of video clips with generated video descriptions, search for clips across multiple cameras, and access noteworthy ones at the top of the Search page requires a home hub such as HomePod (2nd generation), HomePod mini, or Apple TV 4K with the latest operating system software. The owner of the home must have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, have Apple Intelligence enabled in the Home app, and subscribe to an eligible iCloud+ plan.

Audio Intelligence includes Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and faster Shazam, and requires Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4. Live Rewind and Siri Recap will be available in beta in late 2026, and require an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 16 or later (excluding iPhone 16e). They will be available in English to start and will not initially be available in the EU. Certain Audio Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Live Rewind and Siri Recap. For more information, visit support.apple.com/148354.

Sound Recognition requires Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4.

Live Rewind will be available in beta in late 2026, and requires Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4, paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 16 or later (excluding iPhone 16e). It will be available in English to start and will not initially be available in the EU. Certain Audio Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Live Rewind and Siri Recap. For more information, visit support.apple.com/148354.

Siri Recap will be available in beta in late 2026 and requires Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4, paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 16 or later (excluding iPhone 16e). Available in English to start. Siri Recap will not initially be available in the EU. Certain Audio Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Live Rewind and Siri Recap. For more information, visit support.apple.com/148354.

Faster Shazam requires Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4.

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

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Apple has filed its opening merits brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the justices to reverse or vacate a civil contempt ruling that stripped the company of commissions on purchases made through external payment links in U.S. App Store apps.

The brief, filed September 14, 2026, in Apple Inc. v. Epic Games, Inc. (No. 25-1311), marks the start of the argument phase in a case the Court agreed to hear on June 30. The justices limited review to a single question: whether a party can be held in civil contempt for violating the “spirit” of an injunction when the order is silent on the conduct later deemed a violation.

How the fight reached the high court

Epic Games sued Apple in 2020 after Fortnite was removed from the App Store for offering an in-app payment system that bypassed Apple’s commission. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers largely sided with Apple on federal antitrust claims but found that Apple’s anti-steering rules violated California’s Unfair Competition Law. In 2021 she issued a short permanent injunction — Apple notes it was only about 75 words — requiring the company to let developers include links and other calls to action that send users to alternative purchase options.

Apple allowed those links but charged commissions of 12% to 27% on resulting sales. Few developers used the system. Epic returned to court, arguing the fees made the injunction meaningless. In April 2025, Gonzalez Rogers found Apple in civil contempt and barred it from collecting any commission on U.S. link-out purchases. The Ninth Circuit upheld the contempt finding in December 2025 but said a total ban on fees went too far and sent the case back for a more tailored rate. Apple then petitioned the Supreme Court.

Apple’s core argument

Apple’s brief rests on a long line of Supreme Court contempt cases, including Taggart v. Lorenzen (2019). The company says civil contempt requires “clear notice” that the specific conduct is forbidden. Silence is not enough. The 2021 injunction never mentioned commissions, Apple argues, and even Epic once acknowledged the order did not explicitly prohibit fees on off-store transactions.

“When it comes to contempt proceedings, an order’s terms govern,” the brief states. Courts may later modify an injunction to address new circumstances, Apple says, but they cannot use contempt to punish conduct the original order never clearly banned. Apple contends the Ninth Circuit is an outlier in allowing contempt based on an injunction’s “spirit.”

If the Supreme Court agrees, the contempt order would fall and Apple could seek to restore pre-2025 App Store rules, or at least negotiate fees without the stigma of being a contemnor. If the finding stands, the district court in Oakland must still set a “reasonable” commission for external purchases. Those fee proceedings have continued even as the Supreme Court case moves forward; earlier stay requests, including one denied by Justice Elena Kagan, failed to freeze them.

What comes next

Epic’s response brief is due November 13, 2026. Apple’s reply is due December 14. Oral argument is not expected before early 2027. Amicus briefs supporting Apple are due later this month.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney dismissed Apple’s framing after the brief dropped, saying the company is fighting for developers’ right to offer cheaper payment options and that lower courts “have rightly found Apple’s fees to be illegal and anticompetitive.”

The case will not decide whether Apple monopolized the iPhone app market. It will decide how strictly courts must hew to the text of an injunction before they can hold a company in contempt — a question with implications well beyond the App Store. For now, U.S. developers can still point users to external checkout with no Apple commission attached, while both sides wait for the Court to say whether that zero-fee regime was ever lawfully imposed.

MacDailyNews Take: The U.S. Supreme Court should vacate this contempt finding against Apple.

It’s about time the highest court in the land takes a serious look at this judicial overreach.

Here’s hoping the Supreme Court reins in this nonsense, limits the scope of overbroad injunctions, and affirms Apple’s right to run its own store on its own devices. The App Store isn’t a public utility, it’s Apple’s intellectual property. – MacDailyNews, June 30, 2026

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Apple is turning paid iCloud+ storage plans into a much broader services bundle in more than 100 countries, adding Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and a new limited music offering called Apple Music Select at no extra charge. The change applies even to the cheapest 50GB tier and is rolling out through the end of September 2026.

The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western and Northern Europe — including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden — are not included. Russia is also left out.

What subscribers get

Every paid iCloud+ plan in the included markets now covers:

• Apple TV streaming, with access treated as equivalent to a standalone subscription

• Apple Arcade, including more than 200 games, with existing game saves and progress preserved

• Apple Music Select, a set of ad-free, Apple-programmed stations for lean-back listening, including regionally relevant mixes plus categories such as Top Songs, 80s, and 90s, available in the Home tab of the Music app

Full Apple Music is not included. Apple is instead offering a discounted upgrade path from iCloud+ to a complete Music subscription. In Mozambique, that discounted add-on was cited at $2.79 a month for Individual and $4.49 for Family. In India, the 50GB iCloud+ plan costs 75 rupees a month; adding discounted Music at 115 rupees can still undercut the old Apple One individual price of 195 rupees.

Family Sharing continues to work: storage, TV, and Arcade can be shared with up to five other people.

Standalone plans and Apple One are being wound downIn the affected countries, Apple will stop selling standalone Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscriptions. Existing standalone subscribers will be moved onto iCloud+ and keep uninterrupted access. Apple One is closing to new sign-ups in those markets, though current Apple One customers can keep their plans.

The strategy looks like a pivot: instead of pushing a premium multi-service bundle in price-sensitive markets, Apple is using cheap cloud storage as the hook and wrapping entertainment around it.

Apple TV’s map gets bigger

The same announcement expands Apple TV into 59 additional countries, bringing the service to 170 countries worldwide. Content and Arcade catalogs can still vary by region.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services and Health, said in a statement that the company is “excited to bring Apple TV and Apple Arcade to iCloud+ users in over 100 countries in one convenient subscription.”

There is no timeline for whether the same deal will ever arrive in the U.S. or other excluded markets.

Full list of countries and territories:

Albania; Algeria; Angola; Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bahamas; Bahrain; Barbados; Belize; Benin; Bermuda; Bhutan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; British Virgin Islands; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Cayman Islands; Chad; Côte d’Ivoire; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Dominica; Egypt; Eswatini; Fiji; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Ghana; Grenada; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; India; Iraq; Israel; Jamaica; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kosovo; Kuwait; Kyrgyz Republic; Lebanon; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; Maldives; Mali; Mauritania; Mauritius; Micronesia; Moldova; Montenegro; Montserrat; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Nauru; Nepal; Niger; Nigeria; North Macedonia; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Qatar; Republic of the Congo; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; São Tomé and Príncipe; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Türkiye; Turkmenistan; Turks and Caicos; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe.

MacDailyNews Note: Availability of specific features, shows, and games may still differ by country, region, or device. Existing iCloud+ subscribers in the listed markets should receive TV and Arcade automatically as the rollout completes this month.

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Apple TV announced a season eight for Emmy- and BAFTA Award-winning, darkly comedic spy drama “Slow Horses.” The six-episode eighth season is adapted from “Clown Town,” the ninth novel in Mick Herron’s “Slough House” book series, and stars Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman, who has been honored with Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA Award nominations for his outstanding performance as the beloved, irascible Jackson Lamb. The complete first five seasons of “Slow Horses” are now streaming on Apple TV, with the premiere of season six slated for September 16, 2026, and season seven announced last year.

“‘Slow Horses’ continues to charm audiences all around the world and I’m delighted that Jackson Lamb and his gang of lovable misfits will be back for an eighth season,” said Jay Hunt, creative director, International, Apple TV. “Their acerbic take on the high-octane world of espionage is completely unique.”

“Slow Horses” has been hailed as “one of the best, if not the best, series on TV,” a “gripping spy drama” that delivers a “story that is a masterful balance of tension, intelligence and a character-driven narrative.” With its “layered intrigue, relentless pacing and satirical tone,” the “standout” series features “stellar performances, a tight screenplay and its signature dark humor.” All five seasons of the “infinitely watchable,” “thrilling” and “riveting” series hold a Certified Fresh score, with two seasons receiving a rare, perfect 100% critics’ score, and season four hailed as the number one series of 2024 on Rotten Tomatoes. “Slow Horses” has won three Emmy Awards, including two for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and one for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, alongside five BAFTA Television Awards, including Writer, Drama and two consecutive wins each for Editing, Fiction and Sound, Fiction, as the series continues to receive global accolades from critics and fans alike.

Season eight sees Jackson Lamb and Diana Taverner face off in their most explosive confrontation yet. When a botched attempt to blackmail the Park puts Taverner on the offensive, it is up to Lamb to unravel one of MI5’s darkest secrets and put an end to it once and for all.

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

The series is produced for Apple TV by See-Saw Films, with Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Douglas Urbanski, Adam Randall, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gail Mutrux, Billy Bowring, Helen Gregory, Mick Herron and Oldman serving as executive producers. Season eight is adapted for television and executive produced by Ben Vanstone, with Randall set to return as director. See-Saw Films is part of the Mediawan group.

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on 1 November, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 917 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.

MacDailyNews Take: Richly deserved! If you haven’t yet watched “Slow Horses,” you’re in for a treat. The season one finale is positively amazing and you’ll be ready to go from there for seven more seasons and countig!

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 barely finished unveiling the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro lineup, AirPods 5, and new Apple Watches, but the company already has a much larger pipeline queued up for late 2026 and the first half of 2027, according to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman.

The coming products are part of what new CEO John Ternus has internally described as Apple’s most ambitious product road map yet. Many of the devices are designed to spread Siri AI more widely across the lineup and close some of the gap with rivals in artificial intelligence. As always, dates can slip and products can be delayed or canceled.

Later this yearGurman reports that Apple is preparing several updates before year-end:

• HomePod mini with Siri AI — Same familiar design as the 2020 model, but with a new chip to power the overhauled assistant.

• Apple TV with Siri AI — Another look-alike refresh, this time with a faster chip for navigation and the new Siri experience.

• Smart-home hub — A square display that can sit on a speaker base or mount on a wall. It will run a new operating system, support video calls, and use facial recognition to personalize what it shows. Apple had considered showing it at last week’s event and is now aiming as early as October, though the timeline remains fluid after repeated delays.

• Touch-screen MacBooks — The biggest MacBook Pro change since 2021, adding OLED panels and touch screens for the first time, with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

• Entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro — Current design, updated with the M6 chip.

• iMac — New colors and an M6 processor.

• iPad mini — One of the line’s biggest upgrades, adding an OLED display.

The HomePod mini and Apple TV are already being tested with iOS 27. The new Macs are running macOS 27.1 internally, and the iPad mini is on iPadOS 27.1. Both of those software updates are expected late next month.

First half of 2027

The spring and early summer slate is heavier on refresh cycles than radical redesigns:

• MacBook Air — Same 13-inch and 15-inch designs, moving to the M6 chip.

• MacBook Neo — Follow-up model with an A19 Pro chip and more memory.

• Entry-level iPad — Faster chip so the cheaper tablet can run Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.

• iPad Pro — Chip upgrade plus vapor-chamber cooling similar to the iPhone 18 Pro.

• iPad Air — First OLED screens in that line, plus a new chip.

• iPhone 18 — Largely an A20 chip upgrade, with the notable change that the standard model is shifting from fall to spring.

• iPhone 18e — Another chip-focused update; Apple will need to make clear how it differs from the regular iPhone 18.

• iPhone Air 2 — More substantial: a 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, better battery life, and a second rear camera for ultrawide shots.

• Apple Pencils — New Pencil Pro and USB-C models timed with the iPads; the iPhone Duo will support the stylus as well.

Looking further ahead

The second half of 2027 is expected to get more ambitious still, Gurman writes, with M7 updates to MacBooks, smart glasses, camera-equipped AirPods, a home security system, a redesigned Apple Watch, Twentieth Anniversary iPhones, and a second-generation foldable iPhone Duo.
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MacDailyNews Take: Taken together, the road map suggests Apple is trying to do two things at once: push Siri AI onto more affordable and living-room devices, and finally refresh categories that have languished for years. Whether October brings a full event or quieter waves of launches, the next 12 months look unusually crowded with product launces!

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Monday evening at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, Apple TV shattered records to become the most awarded network of the year, landing 29 wins overall, including Outstanding Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay” as the breakout sensation sweeps all major categories with 14 wins in total and cements itself as the most Emmy-awarded freshman comedy series in history. Additionally, “Widow’s Bay” lands the most wins for a comedy series in a single season, as well as the most performance wins of any series in 2026.

In addition to Outstanding Comedy Series, “Widow’s Bay” scores with wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Matthew Rhys, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Kate O’Flynn, and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Stephen Root, alongside Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Katie Dippold and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Hiro Murai. Global phenomenon “Pluribus” lands Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Rhea Seehorn and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Vince Gilligan, while acclaimed drama “Slow Horses” wins Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Saul Metzstein.

With these wins, Apple TV reaches the status of the most Emmy-awarded network faster than any other streamer in just seven Emmy seasons, and stands as home of the most Emmy Award-winning series for the second year in a row following last year’s wins for Outstanding Comedy Series “The Studio.” Apple TV also makes history as the first and only streaming service to land back-to-back Outstanding Comedy Series awards, landing wins for four of the last six years with “Ted Lasso,” “The Studio,” and “Widow’s Bay.”

Additionally, “Widow’s Bay” breaks records with the most Emmy wins for performances out of any other series this year, as director and executive producer Hiro Murai becomes the first Asian ever to win in the comedy directing category.

“Reaching milestones like these feels incredibly special for all of us at Apple, but what makes it especially meaningful is what it represents: the extraordinary storytellers we have the privilege of working alongside,” said Matt Cherniss, Apple TV’s head of programming, in a statement. “There is nothing like the power of a great story to capture our imaginations, surprise us in unexpected ways, and remind us of what connects us. Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, and Slow Horses have done exactly that. Congratulations to all of the artists honored and thank you to the Television Academy.”

Outstanding Comedy Series winner “Widow’s Bay” lands 14 wins, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for star and executive producer Matthew Rhys, alongside an Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series win for Kate O’Flynn and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Stephen Root, as well as Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Katie Dippold and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Hiro Murai, who becomes the first Asian director to win in this category. Widow’s Bay also leads with the most performer wins of any series this year. These wins are in addition to the previously announced honors for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Betty Gilpin; Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour); Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series; Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour); Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score); Outstanding Music Supervision; Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation.

Global hit “Pluribus” earns six wins including for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for creator Vince Gilligan and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for star Rhea Seehorn. These are in addition to the previously announced wins for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More); Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series; Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour). Acclaimed spy thriller “Slow Horses” lands one win for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Saul Metzstein.

Apple’s acclaimed comedy “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” makes its Emmy debut with three previously announced wins, including Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series, Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling, and Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic). Comedy series “Palm Royale” earns three Emmy Award wins, including Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming, Outstanding Period Costumes, and Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic). Apple TV also scored two wins on the first night of the 78th Emmy Awards: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series for “Mr. Scorsese,” and Outstanding Commercial for “I’m Not Remarkable.”

Earlier this year, Apple scored 89 Primetime Emmy Award nominations across 15 programs, leading as the network with the most nominations in the Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Comedy series categories, respectively, nabbing top program nominations for comedies “Widow’s Bay,” “Shrinking,” and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” alongside dramas “Pluribus,” “Slow Horses,” and “Your Friends & Neighbors.” “Widow’s Bay” led as one of this year’s most-nominated programs with 19 nominations in total, and “Pluribus” landed 18 nominations following its global hit freshman season, as celebrated Apple Original “Shrinking” earned 10 nominations, “Slow Horses” was recognized with nine nominations, and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” scored eight nominations in total. The record-breaking nominations followed Apple TV sweeping last year’s Emmy Awards with “The Studio” becoming the most winning freshman comedy in Emmy history and Severance leading as most winning drama.

To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 917 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies The Studio and Ted Lasso; global cultural phenomenon Severance; Apple’s most-viewed drama, Pluribus; Academy Award Best Picture winner CODA; and Academy Award winner F1, the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.

In total, Apple earned 29 wins for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, including:

Widow’s Bay (14)

• Outstanding Comedy Series
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O’Flynn
• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root
• Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Katie Dippold
• Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Hiro Murai
• Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty Gilpin
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
• Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
• Outstanding Music Supervision
• Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

Pluribus (6)

• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn
• Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Vince Gilligan
• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
• Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series
• Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

Margo’s Got Money Troubles (3)

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

Slow Horses (1)

• Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Saul Metzstein

Palm Royale (3)

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

Mr. Scorsese (1)

• Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

Outstanding Commercial (1)

• “I’m Not Remarkable”: Apple
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MacDailyNews Take: This will lead to an influx of Apple TV subscribers. Congrats to all of the Apple TV casts and crews of the nominated and winning fare!

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General Motors has capitulated on its hard line against phone projection, bringing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into a new truck user interface after years of pushing customers toward its own software, according to Bloomberg News‘ David Welch.

The automaker will introduce the system later this year on the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500. Rather than letting CarPlay or Android Auto occupy the entire screen, GM is placing the phone interface in a large window alongside native functions such as trailering data, tire pressure, fuel information, and Super Cruise.

The design is a retreat from GM’s 2023 decision to drop CarPlay and Android Auto from electric vehicles, a move that drew backlash from buyers who wanted their familiar phone apps on the dashboard. Gas-powered trucks had kept the features, and the new interface is meant to end the either-or choice between Apple or Google and GM’s own system.

GM product officials have described the split view as the “sweet spot,” allowing drivers to use phone apps without losing truck-specific tools. Tapping the phone icon opens CarPlay or Android Auto in the large pane; the home control returns the native layout.

The software also adds updated graphics, animated transitions, and simplified layouts for towing and off-roading on large displays, including a 16.3-inch touchscreen. GM plans to start with its highest-volume pickups before spreading the interface more widely.

MacDailyNews Take: Shocker.

General Motors is blowing it by barring the widely-used Apple CarPlay (and Google’s derivative Android Auto) that allow drivers to bypass vehicle’s infotainment systems, shifting instead to an built-in infotainment system, Google Automotive, for future electric vehicles.

If GM sticks to this stupidity, it deserves its fate. – MacDailyNews, May 15, 2023

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India’s consumer regulator has intensified its investigation into Apple’s software warranty practices after complaints that the iOS 18 update damaged iPhone screens and other functions, leaving users to pay steep repair bills, according to Reuters’ Aditya Kalra.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) told Apple in late July that it had “escalated” the matter for a detailed inquiry by its investigation wing. The case follows a large volume of complaints that the late-2024 iOS 18 rollout caused display problems — including green, pink or white lines on screens — and microphone failures. Because Apple’s software licence agreements state that iOS is provided “without warranty of any kind,” customers say they were forced to pay for repairs themselves.The estimated cost to replace a damaged iPhone 15 screen is about 27,900 rupees ($291), more than a third of the device’s retail price in some cases. The regulator has accused Apple of violating the rights of “consumers as a class” and of charging customers for problems that allegedly stemmed from the company’s own software update.

Apple has pushed back. In an August letter and a public statement, the company said it found no systemic issues or safety concerns with iOS 18 in India, that the software underwent stringent testing, and that the CCPA case rests on a relatively small number of complaints. Apple also noted that only about 11% of iPhones in India were still running iOS 18 by June 2026. It argued that a “no warranty” clause for software is standard across the electronics industry and that users are informed of the terms before installation. Treating every software problem as a breach of an absolute warranty, Apple said, would turn software makers into insurers against all technological risk.

The dispute comes as Apple rapidly expands manufacturing and market share in India, where iPhone sales rose to a 9% share last year from 4% in 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. It also adds to existing regulatory pressure on the company in the country, including antitrust scrutiny.

If the CCPA ultimately finds violations, Apple could face fines and, more consequentially, orders to issue refunds or alter its warranty and disclosure practices. New Delhi-based consumer-law specialist Kirti Mahapatra said investigators can demand documents and hold hearings. The authority can require clearer information for customers and, in theory, changes to contractual terms—though she described the latter as unprecedented.

Apple said it would work with authorities to provide clarity on customer response to the software. The CCPA did not immediately comment.The outcome could set a notable precedent for how software updates and warranty disclaimers are treated under Indian consumer law.
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MacDailyNews Take:

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Apple’s latest software updates introduce Siri AI, a more intelligent, knowledgeable, and capable version of Siri, and deliver helpful new Apple Intelligence features that make the apps users interact with day to day smarter and more useful. The updates also bring powerful and intuitive new features to help parents create safer, more enriching digital experiences for kids and introduce an expansive set of improvements that make Apple products more responsive, more delightful, and easier to use.

Making Apple Products More Personal and Useful Than Ever

Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence and deeply integrated into iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. A more capable and conversational assistant with personal context understanding, broad world knowledge, onscreen awareness, and even more systemwide app actions, Siri AI is now rolling out as a beta in English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October.

Siri AI can understand personal context across messages, emails, photos, and more, to help users find what they need in the moment. It can also answer questions related to the content on a user’s screen or go out to the web to get up-to-date information to generate a helpful answer. Siri is integrated into the Camera app on iPhone with Siri mode, allowing users to get information and take action on what’s in front of them, like splitting a bill and paying friends with Apple Cash, or adding a custom pass to Wallet. With Visual Intelligence, users on iPhone, iPad, or Mac can now ask Siri about what they’re looking at on the screen, and Vision Pro users can search, ask questions, and take action simply by looking at their surroundings and asking Siri.

With Write with Siri, users can simply describe what they need to generate a draft or help refine what they’ve written. A dedicated Siri app uses iCloud to privately sync conversational history across a user’s products, so they can start chatting with Siri on iPhone and continue the conversation on Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, or Apple Vision Pro.

The next generation of Apple Intelligence also brings helpful new features to apps that users rely on every day. In Photos, Spatial Reframing, Extend, and an upgraded Clean Up tool provide more ways to edit photos while respecting the original moment as it was captured. Image Playground gives users the ability to create high-quality images in virtually any style, including photorealistic, and with image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID standard, users can identify images generated or edited with AI. In Safari, Apple Intelligence 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. Call Context surfaces relevant information, like a confirmation code or reservation number, when calling a business.

New Expert-Informed Child Safety Features and a Redesigned Screen Time Experience

Easy-to-use new features help parents manage what their kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access to apps. A new setup flow for child accounts makes it easier to enable age-based safeguards across the system. From the beginning, parents can choose the exact apps their kids have access to on their device, and gradually add more over time. Ask to Browse allows parents to require approval before their kids access a new website in Safari. In addition to being able to approve each new contact their kids connect with, parents can lean on Communication Safety, which now also detects and intervenes to block gore or violent content when detected in shared images or videos.

Redesigned to be more intuitive for parents, Screen Time offers an at-a-glance view of their kids’ average device usage and top apps. New tools make it easy to set daily total time allowances across Entertainment, Games, and Social Media apps, with guidance from leading clinical and child development experts, and Schedules let parents manage which apps their children have access to at different points in the day.

For parents and families looking for more information on how to help create safer, more enriching digital experiences for their kids, Apple has a dedicated website, which includes details on the latest tools and how to get started using them.
A More Refined Experience Across Platforms

The 2027 software releases deliver platform improvements that span performance, connectivity, search, and more, making Apple products even more responsive, reliable, and delightful to use.

• Performance: Users will experience faster performance on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. On iPhone and iPad, apps launch up to 30 percent faster, photos load up to 70 percent faster after being taken, and AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent faster. On iPad, browsing files and transferring them to an external USB drive is now up to 5x faster, and there are additional improvements to closing, switching, and dragging windows while multitasking. On Mac, things users do every day feel extra snappy and responsive. AirDrop transfers are quicker, iCloud Photos uploads begin faster, swiping between spaces and Mission Control is smoother, and more. On Apple Watch, music playback is even faster.

• Connectivity: On iPhone and iPad, transitions between cellular and Wi-Fi networks are more seamless than ever. In Messages, sending large photos and videos in low-bandwidth situations no longer prevents subsequent texts from going through, so users can continue replying while media is being delivered. On Mac, users will experience faster network file browsing. Apple Vision Pro starts and connects to Wi-Fi up to 3x faster.

• Search: On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, search across Spotlight, Photos, and Mail is more stable, efficient, and comprehensive, so it can better help users find exactly what they are looking for. Additionally, a completely new ranking system in Mail surfaces even more relevant results in Top Hits.

• Design: Refinements to the software design with Liquid Glass deliver an even more focused and approachable experience. For example, 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 have been updated to be sharper and more defined.

Additional features across platforms:

• iCloud Shared Albums support full-resolution sharing for photos and videos, and make it easier for Android and Windows users to join and contribute.

• The Health app brings support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking, including notifications about cycle deviations inclusive of perimenopause.

• AirPods users can now enjoy custom EQ to further personalize how their AirPods sound. And with expanded Apple GymKit functionality, users with AirPods Pro 3 can sync their heart rate data through iPhone while enjoying incredible audio quality.

• Apple Maps brings an enhanced Flyover experience, which combines aerial imagery with AI, allowing users to enjoy even more detailed visuals.

• On Apple Watch, new Smart Stack widget suggestions surface when they are relevant, and users can conveniently open a widget with a new single-handed tap gesture. Workout Buddy is supported even when users don’t have their iPhone nearby, and it’s now available in Spanish in addition to English.

• Apple Vision Pro users can now turn panoramas into spatial scenes with rich depth and use them as a personal Environment, or transform their space entirely with the new Thórsmörk Environment featuring a dynamic Icelandic aurora.

• On Apple TV, users get high-resolution lossless audio support for Apple Music, a redesigned Apple Podcasts app, and broader text-size accessibility options.

The new features start rolling out today across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27.
Availability

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

New Apple Intelligence capabilities across apps are available for users with supported products set to a supported language. Siri AI begins rolling out as a beta in English, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October.

Mac and Apple Vision Pro users in the EU will be able to access Siri AI when set to a supported language. Siri AI will not be available initially in the EU in iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.

Siri AI and the other new Apple Intelligence features will not be available in China while Apple works through regulatory requirements.

Users who enable Apple Intelligence on supported products set to a supported language will have access with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27.

Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

Apple Intelligence and Siri AI in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 are available on iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, iPhone 16 models or later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad models with M1 or later, MacBook Neo (A18 Pro), Mac with M1 or later, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE 3 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Some features on Apple Watch require iPhone nearby.

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 Apple Intelligence terms and conditions. Learn more at apple.com/apple-intelligence. Siri AI is not available for users under 13.

MacDailyNews Take: Hello, Siri AI! Happy updating!

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Apple is speeding up a global renovation of its retail stores, replacing giant marketing video walls with dedicated Genius Bars and carving out new side bays for online pickups and Today at Apple sessions, according to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reported that the company plans to accelerate renovations over the coming years while becoming more selective about opening new locations. The shift marks a move away from the more open, community-style layout that defined many stores after the last major redesign cycle.Three changes define the new approach. First, Apple is remaking the Avenue — the side stretches of stores that showcase accessories and services. Dedicated roughly 10-foot bays will handle online order pickups and Today at Apple sessions, replacing the large pickup tables and sprawling seating areas now common on the floor.Second, the large video walls at the back of many stores are slated for removal. Those displays have been used for workshops and marketing. In many renovated locations, they will give way to service counters instead.

Third, dedicated Genius Bars are returning. Apple moved years ago toward a more informal Genius Grove model. The new bars, Gurman reported, echo the older layout but with an all-wood finish, two counter heights for accessibility, storage drawers, and large product posters on the wall behind staff.

Apple has already tested elements of the design in some stores, including internationally, and now intends to roll the look out more broadly and faster than previously planned. Back-of-house areas and employee break rooms are also expected to be upgraded as part of the work.

The changes point to a retail strategy that puts visible technical support and order fulfillment closer to the center of the store experience, while tightening how existing locations are refreshed rather than rapidly adding new ones.

MacDailyNews Take: Genius Bars never should’ve ben removed, so this is a welcome return for longtime Apple Retail Store customers.

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This year has been defined by two trends: the artificial intelligence data-center build-out and major leadership transitions. Among the latter, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett retired as CEO on December 31st, and Apple’s CEO role changed hands on September 1st. Both companies have kept continuity at the board level.

Over the roughly 15 long years since Apple’s last long CEO tenure began, a strong case can be made that a nearly $879 billion capital-allocation decision overseen by Apple’s board — enough, at recent market values, to buy 488 of the 500 companies in the S&P 500 — is what permanently changed the company’s financial profile for remaining shareholders.

The board wagered on Apple in a way Wall Street rarely sees at this scale

Given the sums now flowing into AI infrastructure, it would be easy to assume the $879 billion went into data centers, chips, or research and development. That is not what happened.

Apple’s board-authorized capital-return program has been defined by share repurchases, <a href=”https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/09/14/tim-cook-purchase-488-sp-500-companies-with-879-billion-he-bought-something-changed-apple-fortune-forever/>Sean Williams write for The Motley Fool. After the board instituted a new capital-allocation policy and authorized buybacks beginning in fiscal 2013 (Apple’s fiscal year ends on the last Saturday of September), the company has deployed about $878.5 billion:

• 2013: $22.95 billion
• 2014: $45 billion
• 2015: $35.253 billion
• 2016: $29.722 billion
• 2017: $32.9 billion
• 2018: $72.738 billion
• 2019: $66.897 billion
• 2020: $72.358 billion
• 2021: $85.971 billion
• 2022: $89.402 billion
• 2023: $77.55 billion
• 2024: $94.949 billion
• 2025: $90.711 billion
• 2026: $62.094 billion (through the fiscal third quarter)

In aggregate, those board-approved buybacks reduced Apple’s outstanding share count by about 44.5%.

That is the mechanical heart of the story. When a company retires shares, each remaining share represents a larger claim on future earnings and cash flow. Combined with rising net income and a services mix that has lifted margins, the smaller share count has amplified earnings per share and total shareholder returns far beyond what operating growth alone would have produced.

With the same pile of cash, Apple’s directors could have attempted a mega-acquisition of almost any S&P 500 name other than a handful of giants. They did not. They repeatedly authorized management to buy Apple stock instead — treating the company’s own shares as the preferred asset.

Buybacks are not free. Capital spent on repurchases is capital not spent on acquisitions, extra R&D, factories, or larger dividends. Critics argue that at rich valuations the board has sometimes paid a high price to shrink the float. Supporters counter that Apple’s enormous free cash flow made a multi-year return of capital inevitable, and that concentrating ownership in remaining holders has been one of the most powerful compounding tools in modern large-cap history.

The policy is also a board function, not a one-person decision. Share-repurchase authorizations are approved and refreshed by directors. Execution happens in the market over years. That is why the $879 billion figure belongs, first, to Apple’s board of directors: they set the priority, kept expanding it, and let it run long enough to retire nearly half the equity base.

MacDailyNews Take: As the new John Ternus era begins, investors will watch whether the board, with former CEO Tim Cook as its Executive Chair, keeps the same bias (returning surplus cash through buybacks) or tilts more toward product and infrastructure spending. The last decade-plus already shows what that choice can do: not the purchase of 488 other companies, but a larger ownership stake in Apple itself.

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Friday night at the TIFF Lightbox Theater in Toronto, Apple TV celebrated the world premiere of the sixth season of Emmy Award-winning spy series “Slow Horses,” which makes its global debut on Apple TV on September 16, 2026. Red carpet attendees included Sir Gary Oldman, who reunited with stars Olivia Cooke, Saskia Reeves, Christopher Chung, Rosalind Eleazar, Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Ruth Bradley, alongside director and executive producer Adam Randall, executive producers Hakan Kousetta and Douglas Urbanski, and co-executive producer Billy Bowring.

“Slow Horses” is a darkly humorous espionage drama that follows a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 known, unaffectionately, as Slough House. Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but cantankerous leader of the spies who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes and who frequently find themselves blundering around the smoke and mirrors of the espionage world. Season six sees the Slow Horses on the run as Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge.

The ensemble cast includes Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmy Award nominee Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, BAFTA TV Award nominee Christopher Chung, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Rosalind Eleazar, Joanna Scanlan, BAFTA Award nominee Samuel West, Ruth Bradley, Tom Brooke, Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce and Hugo Weaving, alongside new addition, BAFTA TV Award winner Lenny Rush. Additionally, Olivia Cooke will reprise her role as Sidonie “Sid” Baker in the sixth season.

“Slow Horses” has been celebrated as “undoubtedly the best spy series on television,” a “truly epic espionage thriller” that is “utterly brilliant” and just “so damn good.” All five seasons of “Slow Horses” hold a Certified Fresh score, with two seasons receiving a rare, perfect 100 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the series continues to receive global accolades from critics and fans alike. The fifth season earned nine Primetime Emmy Awards, including a nod for Outstanding Drama Series, and nominations for Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden in the categories of Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actor, respectively.

The series is produced for Apple TV by See-Saw Films, with Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Julian Stevens, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Adam Randall, Gail Mutrux, Douglas Urbanski and Oldman serving as executive producers. Season six is adapted for television by co-executive producer Gaby Chiappe, with Randall returning to direct.

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 913 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $14.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

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Apple may not stop at one book-style foldable. According to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman, the company already has room in its naming system — and its product roadmap — for a larger follow-on model that he calls an iPhone Duo Max.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman wrote that Apple chose the three-letter “Duo” suffix in part because it lines up with names such as Air and Pro and leaves space for extra labels that a name like “Ultra” would have blocked. That, he said, makes a future Duo Max a natural next step: a bigger-display version of the book-style foldable, with additional variants such as a lower-cost Duo SE or a smaller Duo mini also possible.

Gurman’s point is less about a single flagship and more about a family. He argued that Apple is unlikely to treat the first foldable as a one-off experiment. Instead, he sees a lineup that could stretch across sizes and price points, much as Samsung has done with its Galaxy Z series — a large Max model, a cheaper stripped-down version, or even a clamshell-style mini.

The Max idea matters because of what Gurman thinks foldables are about to become. He expects the category to move from a niche — still only a sliver of global smartphone shipments — toward the majority of new phone sales within a decade, as people get used to carrying a larger screen that can stand in for a tablet or laptop for many tasks. A larger Duo Max would be the most direct expression of that bet: more canvas for video, gaming, side-by-side apps, and stylus work, without abandoning the pocketable fold.

Price is still the issue. Gurman has been clear that the first book-style iPhone starts at $1,999, more than two conventional iPhones, and that this will slow the shift even if the hardware and software are strong. He expects that barrier to ease over time as component costs fall and leasing becomes a bigger part of how Apple sells high-end devices. A Max model would almost certainly sit at the top of that pricing ladder; a future SE or Mini would be how Apple tries to pull the format down-market.

Gurman framed the Duo Max as a foreseeable product, not an imminent one, and tied it to the same logic that produced “Duo” in the first place: a short name that can grow. If he is right, the first foldable iPhone is not the end of Apple’s foldable plan. It is the base of a stack, and the Max is the model meant to make the larger screen the default.

MacDailyNews Take: If a Duo Max were available today alongside the iPhone Duo, we’d choose the Max every time – same as we’ve always done with iPhone Pro Max.

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Apple has spent more than a year developing its own game controllers and is likely to sell them under the Beats name rather than its main brand, according to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman.

The project is being led by Beats executives on both product conception and engineering, Gurman reported in his Power On newsletter. Apple sees dedicated controllers as a growing market and wants a piece of it, after years of selling third-party options such as Backbone and SteelSeries devices through its own channels.

The effort follows code references that surfaced earlier this month in a macOS beta, pointing to two unreleased first-party controllers identified as T6502 and T1057. Those listings described conventional gamepad hardware, including a D-pad, dual analog thumbsticks, face buttons, shoulder buttons, analog triggers, and haptic motors. One model appears wired; the other is described as adding Bluetooth, motion sensors, and richer haptic feedback.

Gurman said the Beats label is a strategic fit. Apple has already used the subsidiary — acquired in 2014 — for iPhone cases, USB-C cables, and other accessories that sit below the materials, finishes, and prices associated with the Apple brand. A controller aimed at a broad audience would need to stay relatively affordable, which argues against the premium approach typical of Apple-branded hardware. The culture around gaming accessories also aligns more naturally with Beats than with Apple’s core lineup, he wrote.

No pricing, design details, or launch window have been disclosed. Existing Made for iPhone controllers and console pads from PlayStation and Xbox already work with Apple devices; a first-party option could still tighten the company’s grip on mobile and Apple TV gaming as more demanding titles arrive on iOS and Mac.

MacDailyNews Take:

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Apple’s newest Apple Watch features are designed to remember conversations so users don’t have to. Legal experts say they may also test wiretap statutes that were written long before a wristwatch could quietly turn speech into text.

The tools arrived with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. Siri Recap produces summaries of conversations a wearer had during the day. Live Rewind, triggered by a double-press of the Digital Crown, shows a transcript of the previous 15 seconds. Apple markets both as memory aids, not as recording devices.

That distinction is the heart of the dispute. According to reporting by Bloomberg News’ Natalie Lung, attorneys in all-party-consent states — including California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington — are not convinced that on-device processing and the absence of a saved audio file will keep users clear of eavesdropping and wiretap laws. Those statutes generally require everyone in a private conversation to agree before it is intercepted.

Apple has built in several safeguards. Live Rewind plays an audible alert, shows a full-screen animation and microphone indicator, and processes audio on secure hardware that Apple says is inaccessible to the operating system, apps, the user or the company. The company says no audio recording is created or stored. Transcripts vanish about 30 seconds after the display dims unless saved in the Siri app. Recap summaries are deleted after seven days unless a user keeps them. Users can turn the features off or restrict them by time or place. Apple also says summaries do not attach comments to named people and may omit financial details, personal identifiers and authentication data.

Experts quoted in Lung’s reporting still see legal risk. Subodh Chandra of Chandra Law Firm said the feature set “raises serious concerns under California law and the laws of other states that require all-party consent.” Boston criminal defense attorney Joe Simons called it a likely “case of first impression” in Massachusetts. Pennsylvania defense lawyer Phil Lauer said the technology is “very close to being legal” because a person is not sitting on the other end of the feed — but that courts could still treat the watch’s capture and interpretation of speech as unlawful interception. Seattle attorney Mark Blair argued that fleeting processing may not matter: if consent is missing, the wearer could face criminal exposure even after the text disappears.

Colin Zick of Foley Hoag advised users to treat the tools as they would a wiretap and ask permission first. Adam Schwartz of the Electronic Frontier Foundation said bystanders have little practical way to consent or refuse, and called always-on monitoring of conversations “an unacceptable burden on our conversational privacy.” Former Apple employee Todd Dailey wrote that lawyers “will have some long nights ahead,” arguing Recap-style capability existed before but is now harder to detect.

Apple rejected the idea that the features record conversations. It noted that people already take notes with phones and wearables, said the 15-second Live Rewind window encourages responsible use near a speaker, and pointed out there is no audio file to share or produce. Company guidance still tells users to “consider” people around them when conversations might be private or sensitive. Unlike Live Rewind, Siri Recap has no continuous on-wrist indicator while it listens through the day.

The debate sits in a broader push toward ambient AI — smart glasses, always-available assistants, gadgets that sit in the room rather than wait for a button press. Dedicated recorders from companies such as Plaud and Pocket typically start only when activated. Apple’s watches, by design, must be listening first if they are going to rewind or recap later. Whether courts treat that as note-taking or interception is unsettled. Until it is, the legal risk may fall less on Cupertino than on the person wearing the watch.

MacDailyNews Take: Surely Apple’s legal team has vetted these features before release, but we’ll see what happens with the perpetually aggrieved their overly litigious ambulance chasers.

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Elon Musk’s X Corp and SpaceXAI said Monday they have resolved their lawsuit in federal court in Texas alleging Apple conspired to monopolize markets for smartphones and generative AI chatbots, Reuters reports.

The companies announced the resolution on September 14th. Reuters did not report financial terms, whether any party admitted liability, or whether the case was dismissed with or without prejudice.

Reuters identified the plaintiffs as X Corp and SpaceXAI.
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MacDailyNews Note: The suit had accused Apple of conspiring to lock up the smartphone and generative AI chatbot markets.

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With the iPhone Duo, Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market years after Samsung, Google, Huawei, and others, and it is doing so with a $1,999 book-style device designed less as a novelty and more as a bid to change what mainstream buyers expect from a phone.

The iPhone Duo, unveiled September 9th, folds from a compact 5.4-inch outer display into a 7.6-inch inner screen — Apple’s largest iPhone display yet — while keeping the same aspect ratio on both panels. Closed, it is roughly passport-shaped. Opened, Apple says it is the company’s thinnest iPhone at 5.2 millimeters. Preorders begin October 16th, with stores getting the device on October 23rd.

That timing and price put the Duo in the same neighborhood as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google’s latest Pixel foldable, rather than in a category of its own. Foldables still account for only a sliver of global smartphone shipments. The question hanging over the launch is whether Apple’s combination of hardware polish, iOS software and ecosystem pull can expand that niche.

As Bloomberg News’ Edward Ludlow writes, that is precisely the test Apple is setting for itself: whether the Duo can shift consumer tastes, not merely win over people who already buy folding phones.

Apple spent years studying the complaints that have kept foldables on the fringe — visible creases, fragile hinges, awkward software and devices that feel like two phones taped together. The company is pitching a titanium hinge with more than 100 precision parts, a nano-texture finish meant to make the crease less noticeable, IP68 dust and water resistance, and an iOS experience built around split apps, fluid open-and-close transitions and later Apple Pencil support.

New CEO John Ternus has called the Duo the most transformational change to iPhone since the original, arguing that hardware and software engineered together can redefine what a foldable is for. Marketing chief Greg Joswiak has been blunter about rivals: existing foldables, in Apple’s view, were not particularly inspiring.

The compromises are still visible. The Duo is heavier than some Android competitors. It uses a side-button Touch ID rather than Face ID, drops a physical SIM slot and lacks the variable-aperture camera of the iPhone 18 Pro models. Higher storage configurations climb well above $2,000.

Those trade-offs make the first Duo look like a halo product — a statement device for early adopters and Apple loyalists rather than an immediate volume seller. Analysts and industry veterans have long argued that new form factors often need two or three generations before they become mass-market. Apple’s bet is that its installed base, developer influence, and reputation for finishing products can compress that timeline.

If the Duo works, Ludlow writes, it will not just give Apple a new high-end SKU. It will signal that foldables have left the enthusiast ghetto. If it remains a pricey curiosity, the category will stay what it has been for most of the past seven years: impressive, expensive and still waiting for the mainstream.
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple will sell every single iPhone Duo it has already made and can make for the foreseeable future.

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Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time. Shoppers who want a faster checkout can finish most of the work tonight.

Apple’s “Get Ready” option is live on the Shop iPhone page and in the Apple Store app. Use it to pick your iPhone 18 Pro model, add accessories, and complete financing or lease pre-approval before the morning rush of pre-orders. Apple is leaving that window open until 9pm PDT / 12am EDT tonight, Friday, September 11th. After that, you’ll still be able to order on Saturday — it will may take longer at checkout.

MacDailyNews Take: If you already know which configuration you want, do your setup now. It’s the simplest way to avoid delays when pre-orders go live. If you’re still deciding, Saturday morning remains the official start, but we highly recommend getting ready ahead of pre-orders going live.

Beloved interns, amass now and Tap That Keg! Prost, everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The laptop pose is the feature people will actually use

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

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

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

Why a foldable iPad now feels inevitable

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The post Half-fold Apple’s iPhone Duo once and you’ll start asking for an iPad Duo appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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The post Apple Original Films debuts harrowing trailer for ‘The Last First: Winter K2’ appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The post Apple CEO Ternus on the iPhone Duo: ‘This is what I want’ appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The post iPhone Duo strongly leads Apple’s new-product YouTube views; AirPods and Watches trail far behind appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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The post Apple’s iPhone Duo makes a strong first impression – Bloomberg News appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The post ‘I see no crease whatsoever’ – WSJ’s Joanna Stern hands-on with Apple’s iPhone Duo appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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The post Apple’s Ternus era opens with innovative iPhone Duo, privacy-first AI, says BofA analyst appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The post Apple will sell every iPhone Duo it can build in first six months, Evercore analyst says appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Widow’s Bay”

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

“Pluribus”

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

“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”

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

“Palm Royale”

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

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

“Mr. Scorsese”

• Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

Outstanding Commercial

• I’m Not Remarkable — Apple

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

“Widow’s Bay”

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

“Pluribus”

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

“Shrinking”

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

“Slow Horses”

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

“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”

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

“Your Friends & Neighbors”

• Outstanding Drama Series

“The Morning Show”

• Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama: Billy Crudup

All titles are currently streaming on Apple TV.

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

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

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

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

Mark Spoonauer for Tom’s Guide:
‎

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicole Nguyen for The Wall Street Journal:
‎

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The New Health Sensing System on Apple Watch

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

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

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

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

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

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

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

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

A Redesigned Health App with Apple Intelligence at Its Core

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

Insights Tab

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

Longevity Tab

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

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

Movement Evaluations

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

Labs

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

Tailored Health Content

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

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

Perimenopause and Menopause Support Arrive on Cycle Tracking

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

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

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

More Ways to Stay Healthy

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

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

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

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

Availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best-in-Class Active Noise Cancellation

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

Re-Engineered Sound Quality

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

Intelligent Features, Hands-Free

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

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

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

AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

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

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

Pricing and Availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Most Accurate Heart Rate Sensing in a Wearable

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

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

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

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

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

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

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

Longer Workout Battery Life and Faster Charging

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

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

The Most Accurate Step Tracking of Any Smartwatch

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

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

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

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

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

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

Audio Intelligence features include:

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

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

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

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

Privacy by Design

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

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

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

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

Siri AI Brings Personal Context Understanding and Broad World Knowledge

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

Featuring watchOS 27

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lineup

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

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

Bands

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

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

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

Apple Watch Hermès Series 12

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

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

Pricing and Availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Most Accurate Heart Rate Sensing in a Wearable

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

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

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

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

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

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

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

Longer Battery Life and Faster Charging

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

The Most Accurate Step Tracking of Any Smartwatch

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

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

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

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

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

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

Audio Intelligence features include:

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

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

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

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

Privacy by Design

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

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

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

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

Siri AI Brings Personal Context Understanding and Broad World Knowledge

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

Featuring watchOS 27

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lineup and Bands

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

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

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

Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4

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

Pricing and Availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MacDailyNews Take: The King of Smartwatches.

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The post Apple unveils rugged, powerful Apple Watch Ultra 4 appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Introducing Apple Reference Image

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

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

An Even More Useful Dynamic Island

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

A20 Pro: A Powerhouse for Pro Performance and AI

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

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

A New Thermal Management System for Maximum Performance

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

Incredible Battery Life

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

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

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

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

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

eSIM: A Flexible, Convenient, and Secure Connection

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

Beautiful New Accessories

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

Pricing and Availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two Displays, One Breakthrough Design

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

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

Designed for Durability

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

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

An Advanced Camera System with New Experiences

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Reimagined Yet Familiar iOS Experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pro Performance with A20 Pro and Advanced Thermal Management

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

Impressive All-Day Battery Life

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

Powerful Wireless Capabilities

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

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

Beautiful New Accessories

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

Pricing and Availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MacDailyNews Take: Yum!

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