Images of parts designed for an unreleased all-black Apple Vision headset have been leaked online, courtesy of X account @LusiRoy8.


The image shows what appear to be power strap and audio pod parts that look identical to Apple's existing Apple Vision Pro hardware, except with a dark finish that is not commercially available. The account that shared the images claims that the parts are for a "upcoming" second-generation Apple Vision Pro in black.

It's not the first time we've seen black versions of hardware related to Apple's headset, with images surfacing of similar parts last year. The leaker of those earlier images claimed that Apple has been testing a thinner and lighter mixed-reality headset referred to internally as "Vision Air," featuring a Midnight-colored exterior and reduced weight achieved by switching several structural components and the battery enclosure to titanium.

Apple vison pro 2 upcoming black color pic.twitter.com/bCxtI7Yq5b

— pipfix (@LusiRoy8) May 26, 2026

Apple was widely expected to launch both a lower-cost headset, tentatively dubbed "Vision Air," and a redesigned second-generation Vision Pro. However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in October that the company had paused development of all Vision headsets to focus on accelerating work on AI-powered smart glasses.

Gurman recently resisted reports that Apple has walked away from the headset entirely. The reporter says Apple hasn't fully abandoned the Vision Pro, but anyone hoping for a successor will be waiting at least two more years.

Indeed, Apple's smart glasses project is now the focus, and former Vision Products Group members have been reassigned to that team, as well as shoring up its Siri chatbot development. Apple is also busy working on other AI wearables such as the AirPods with cameras and a planned AI pendant.

Apple refreshed the Vision Pro in October 2025 with an updated model featuring an M5 chip.
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Apple finished as the world's number one smartphone brand by shipments in the first quarter of 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. It's the first time the company has ever led the market in a Q1.


Apple captured 21 percent of global shipments and grew 9 percent year-over-year, even as the overall market contracted 3 percent. Samsung came in a close second, also at 21 percent on roughly flat shipments, followed by Xiaomi at 12 percent, OPPO at 10 percent, and vivo at 7 percent. Meanwhile, Xiaomi's shipments fell 19 percent year-over-year, while OPPO and vivo declined 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

Apple's brand-level milestone follows Counterpoint's earlier finding that the iPhone 17 was the best-selling smartphone model in the world in Q1, during which the iPhone 17 series swept the top three spots in the firm's Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. During Apple's April 30 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said the ‌iPhone 17‌ family was the most popular lineup in Apple's history.

Apart from sustained iPhone 17 demand, Counterpoint credits Apple's brand-level performance to its proactive supply chain management as well as improved sales in China. The firm said Apple's ability to maintain premium pricing and protect margins also helped it weather the ongoing memory chip shortage a lot better than its rivals.


Shortages of DRAM and NAND memory continue to weigh on the market as a whole, as chipmakers prioritize AI data center customers over smartphone manufacturers. Cook has said memory shortages and rising costs will have more of an impact on Apple later in 2026. Counterpoint expects the rest of the year to impact most brands similarly, with the memory crisis potentially stretching all the way into late 2027.
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OpenAI has rolled out Computer Use for its Codex desktop app on macOS, and its latest trick is that your Mac doesn't even have to be unlocked for the coding agent to use your apps while you're away.


In a post on X, OpenAI Developers said users can now send Codex tasks from their phone and have it operate apps on their Mac "even when the screen is off and locked." A picture attached to the post shows a locked Mac displaying a "Codex is Using Your Mac" overlay with a prompt to press any key or click to unlock.

For the feature to work, the Computer Use plugin needs to be installed and granted Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions. After that, Codex can click through windows, type, navigate menus, and interact with the clipboard in apps that you explicitly allow.

OpenAI says the feature is useful for the types of things command-line tools can't easily reach, such as reproducing a GUI-only bug, changing app settings, or running a flow in a desktop app Codex is helping to build.

Codex asks for permission before operating each new app, and for those brave enough you can mark specific apps as "Always allow." OpenAI says the feature is unavailable in the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland at launch, and it can't automate Terminal apps, Codex itself, or system-level admin prompts.


The update follows some other recent Codex additions, including a new "Appshots" feature that pulls a screenshot and text from a Mac app window into a Codex thread with a Command-Command shortcut, plus a new /goal mode that makes an agent keep working toward a milestone across hours or days.
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The Sonos app is currently unavailable to download on the iPhone and Mac App Stores owing to a mysterious problem that the company is currently looking into.


The app disappeared as of about two hours ago, and the app's URL link currently throws up the message: "The page you're looking for can't be found," while a manual search in the App Store returns no results.

A red banner across the Sonos status page reads: "We have identified a problem with the Sonos App availability in the iOS / Mac App Stores and are working on a solution. You may experience issues downloading or updating the Sonos app from the App Store until this issue is resolved." The same page shows a major outage of Sonos Account, suggesting the problems are related.

The last info we had on the app's future came in a February Bloomberg report that said Sonos was preparing a major update that would aim to simplify navigation and introduce iPhone Lock Screen controls using Live Activities.

Those changes were supposed to be rolled out gradually "in the coming months," as part of a broader effort to rebuild confidence after the company's troubled 2024 software overhaul.

We'll update this story as soon as we know more.

Update: After several hours of outage, the Sonos app is back on the App Store, and the Sonos status page says that all systems are operational.
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Apple is testing an iPhone 19 Pro with a display that curves around all four edges of the device, a leaker out of China has claimed.


According to Weibo-based Digital Chat Station, the 2027-generation Pro device, currently at the evaluation stage, has a hole-punch cutout in the display for the front-facing camera, but Face ID is completely hidden under the panel.

The claim is notable because multiple reports suggest Apple is aiming to launch a 20th-anniversary iPhone next year featuring a quad-curved display with no cutouts. Whether Apple plans to position the commemorative model as an ultra-premium tier above its Pro and Pro Max lineup has remained unclear, but the leaker's latest comments suggest that could be the case.

That said, if Apple is planning to use quad-curved panels across both the iPhone 19 Pro and iPhone 19 Pro Max, it would leave the company less room to differentiate them from the rumored commemorative iPhone.

One way Apple could play it is to keep the uninterrupted display exclusive to the 20th-anniversary iPhone while leaving a hole-punch cutout in the 19 Pro models – an option that the leaker's comments do seem to imply. However, Apple is said to be finding it particularly challenging to get both the Face ID system and the front-facing camera under the panel, with the selfie camera proving to be the most difficult to hide.

If existing technologies can't hide the camera under the panel without degrading quality, Apple is unlikely to go ahead with it – which would leave the 2027 iPhone series' differentiation outlined here unresolved.

Digital Chat Station has more than three million followers on Weibo, and has a track record of accurately leaking Apple-related information. For example, they accurately revealed the overall design of the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, as well as the triple 48-megapixel rear camera system of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro.‌ Recently, the leaker claimed Apple's first foldable, expected to arrive alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, will be called "iPhone Ultra."
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Apple has announced the rollout of two new device features in India: sleep apnea notifications for Apple Watch, and Hearing Test for AirPods Pro.


Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often leading to poor rest. The Apple Watch detects signs of the disorder by using its accelerometer to track subtle wrist movements associated with irregular breathing patterns. When these disturbances occur repeatedly across several nights, the watch can flag a potential case of sleep apnea.

The feature is supported on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Ultra 3, and is available in more than 150 countries worldwide. To receive an initial reading, users need to wear the watch consistently for several nights, although nightly breathing disturbances are logged in the iPhone's Health app.

Hearing tests can be conducted by connecting AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 to an iPhone running iOS 18.1 or later or an iPad running iPadOS 18.1 or later. The hearing test mimics the hearing tests one might encounter at a doctor's office or when visiting an audiologist.

Tones at different frequencies and sound levels play in each ear, with users instructed to tap the iPhone's display whenever a sound is heard. Apple tests four frequencies, including 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, and 4kHz. Results up to 25 dBHL indicate little to no hearing loss. 26 to 40 dBHL is a sign of mild hearing loss, while results of 41 to 60 dBHL suggest moderate hearing loss. 61 to 80 dBHL is severe hearing loss, and a result above 80 dBHL is considered profound hearing loss.

The results, which include an audiogram, are stored in the Health app, and can be shared with a healthcare provider to have more informed conversations.

Apple Health features are now available in over 160 countries and regions globally, according to a post on X by Apple's Greg Joswiak. Joswiak's post also suggests that Apple recently brought its Hearing Aid feature to Italy and hypertension notifications to Taiwan.
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Apple has quietly agreed to hire employees and license intellectual property of Animato, a small California-based company that has developed software for creating virtual avatars used in video chats and tutoring, according to a European Commission filing spotted by MacRumors.


The acquisition was filed under the EU's Digital Markets Act in January 2026, and appears to be what's known as a "structured acqui-hire." In other words, Apple is able to make employment offers to certain Animato employees and receive a non-exclusive license to the company's intellectual property, as well as acquire its patent applications.

Apple Inc. ("Apple") will have the right to make employment offers to and hire certain employees of Animato, Inc. ("Animato"), receive a non-exclusive license to Animato's intellectual property rights, and acquire Animato's patent applications. Animato develops and distributes software that creates virtual avatars for video chats and tutoring.

Animato was founded in October 2022 by Francesco Rossi, who previously spent seven years at Apple before leaving to start the company.

Animato is best known for a free app called "Call Annie," which launched in April 2023, and gave ChatGPT a real-time animated avatar face, allowing users to have video-style conversations with the AI chatbot.

The app later moved into language learning by offering avatar tutors for practicing English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, and Korean through video conversations.

Animato also came out with a macOS virtual camera app called Animato Studio that let users make themselves appear as fantasy figures and anime avatars during video calls and live streams.

Both App Store listings have since been removed following the acquisition, and the Call Annie website says the app has been discontinued.

It's Apple's second acquisition of a digital avatar company in just over a year. In January 2025, Apple acquired technology, IP, and physical assets from TrueMeeting, a company specializing in the development of digital avatar technology for meetings.

Apple already offers avatar-style technology with Memoji on iPhone and its Personas feature on Apple Vision Pro, the latter of which generates a realistic digital representation of the user for FaceTime calls.
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WhatsApp is rolling out a new media attachment sheet on iOS, providing iPhone users with a faster way to share their most recent files without losing sight of the chat.


Usually in WhatsApp, sharing media within a chat requires you to tap a plus button to reveal the app's custom share sheet, and then tap into photos to see your full library, which takes over most of the screen.

As spotted by app tinkerer WABetaInfo, the updated media sharing interface makes it easier to directly browse recent photos and videos without losing the thread of the conversation, thanks to a new recents section.

The recents section appears under the share menu icons as a compact 4x4 grid that acts as a horizontal strip that you can swipe through. If you keep scrolling to the end of the strip and still can't find what you're looking for, WhatsApp expands the view and reveals the full media gallery. It can also be quickly invoked by pressing and holding on the plus button in the input bar.

The new interface is showing up for some users of the latest WhatsApp for iOS 26.19.75, but not everyone who updates will see it immediately. It seems WhatsApp is still testing performance before a global rollout for iPhone users.


The latest change follows the recent introduction of WhatsApp's new Plus subscription for power users on iOS. It takes away nothing of the existing free functionality, but adds things like premium sticker packs, new interface colors, and new icons.
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Apple allegedly wants to switch away from aluminum for future iPhones, with two materials being considered for their greater balance between weight and heat dissipation.


Apple introduced titanium to the iPhone with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max back in 2023, with the change even becoming the device's defining tagline. The iPhone 16 Pro models also showcased the material, but while the devices were said to be more durable, they also suffered from complaints about overheating. That's when Apple switched to aluminum for the current iPhone 17 Pro models.

In a new Weibo post, however, leaker Instant Digital argues that Apple's switch away from titanium to aluminum is just a compromise solution while it continues to look into the use of liquid metal or an "improved" version of titanium that solves the original material's poor thermal conductivity.

Apple is said to be using both liquid metal and improved titanium alloys in its first foldable iPhone, expected this year, so the leaker's claim may not be completely wide of the mark. The body of the device is said to use a revised titanium material that improves strength while reducing overall weight when compared with existing titanium iPhone frames, despite having virtually the same surface area.

The iPhone Air currently uses a titanium frame, courted for its light weight and strength, and the next model is also likely to have one.

Meanwhile, liquid metal has been described as an "amorphous" material that Apple has been exploring for over 15 years. Apple has reportedly chosen the material, which is manufactured using a die-casting process, as a key component in addressing common issues with foldable devices. The material choice reportedly aims to enhance screen flatness and minimize the crease marks that typically plague folding displays. The alloy's unique properties are said to include high strength, corrosion resistance, light weight, and malleability.

According to Instant Digital, achieving mass production at scale will be extremely difficult, but once the foldable's manufacturing is established, costs could come down, paving the way for future Pro models to adopt it as well.

Unless Apple reverts to a new type of titanium, that is. But don't expect either of these possibilities to emerge for the iPhone 18 Pro models, whose manufacturing materials will already be locked in.
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Apple is still developing a large foldable iPad despite technical hurdles, and it should feature the same crease-free hinge design as Apple's rumored "iPhone Ultra," its first foldable iPhone expected to launch in the fall.


That's according to Weibo-based Digital Chat Station. The popular Chinese-language leaker implies that Apple's large foldable iPad will create a new market for giant folding tablets, but it's likely to still be some ways off yet.

A report in July last year claimed Apple had decided to pause work on a larger-screened foldable iPad because of development issues, but Bloomberg reported in March that development continues.

According to Bloomberg's previous reporting, Apple wanted to launch the device in 2028, but problems with weight and display technology are likely to cause it to be pushed back until 2029.

The device is believed to have a Samsung-made 18-inch display, and will challenge Apple's long-running tradition of keeping the Mac and iPad as separate devices. Some have referred to it as a foldable iPad, while others have called it an all-display MacBook, but concerns remain about its practicality when it comes to typing.

When closed, the iPad resembles a MacBook, with an aluminum exterior and no outer display. When opened, it unfolds to roughly the size of a 13-inch MacBook Air, but without a physical keyboard. Due to its large display and aluminum chassis, current prototypes weigh about 3.5 pounds, making them considerably heavier than existing iPad Pro models.

An 18-inch OLED foldable display will surely be expensive, too, given that Apple charges $1,299 for the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro. If prices don't come down for components over the next few years, the foldable ‌iPad‌ could cost as much as $3,900. It also sounds like Apple still has work to do to perfect its hinge/crease designs.

Meanwhile, Apple's foldable iPhone, which could take the name "iPhone Ultra," is expected to arrive in the fall alongside Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, barring any last-minute production mishaps. The folding iPhone is said to feature a 5.5-inch display when closed, and a 7.8-inch display when open, plus a super-thin design with minimal crease and a durable hinge.
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Apple has slashed prices on the iPhone 17 Pro series in China by 1,000 yuan (around $138) in anticipation of the annual 618 shopping festival, one of the country's largest mid-year online retail events.


The cuts went live on Friday on JD.com and Tmall, with Apple's official store on the latter platform applying a direct 1,000-yuan discount on the iPhone 17 Pro series. On JD.com, taking into consideration trade-in offers and platform promotions, some iPhone 17 Pro models can be picked up for as low as 6,999 yuan (around $968). That's the lowest price since the device's launch, according to the Global Times.

The standard iPhone 17 also received its first notable markdown. Some configurations are now available for 4,499 yuan (around $622) including discounts, bringing it well under the 6,000-yuan threshold for China's national trade-in subsidy, which knocks 15% off qualifying devices up to a 500-yuan cap – something that customers of the Pro models miss out on.

News of Apple's price cuts quickly shot to the top of social media platform Weibo's trending list on Friday. Meanwhile, Huawei has also introduced lower prices for its high-end foldable models for the first time.

"Apple and Huawei are the two companies most closely benchmarked against each other in the high-end segment," said Liu Dingding, a technology industry analyst speaking to the Global Times. "Other brands still hold market share, but in terms of premium-market influence, the rivalry is increasingly centered on these two players."

Liu said both companies are using this year's shopping festival window to quickly lift orders and shipments while competing for a larger share of replacement demand.

Apple's iPhone 17 series has been a runaway hit in China so far. Apple reported $26 billion in Chinese revenue during its fiscal first quarter, a 38 percent year-over-year increase and the company's best-ever performance in the region. China now accounts for roughly one-fifth of Apple's total global sales.

The results are a major turnaround after nearly three years of declining sales in the country, where Apple has faced stiff competition from domestic rivals like Huawei, Xiaomi, and Vivo.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is currently on his way back home from China, following his participation in an official U.S. business delegation accompanying President Donald Trump as he met with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
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Apple Watch is now eleven generations in, and packed with useful features that are easy to miss at first glance. To help you get more out of your device, we've rounded up 15 practical tips you might not have discovered yet, including a few that long-time users often overlook.

Bounce Between Two Apps

On your Apple Watch, double-press the Digital Crown to see a deck of all currently open apps, and turn it to scroll through them. From this view, you can jump back to the last app you were using. Simply tap on an app screen to switch to it, or swipe left on its card and tap the red X button to quit it.

Switch App Views

If the app grid feels messy, switch to List View. Open the Watch app on iPhone, tap App View, and choose List View. From then on, pressing the Digital Crown will show your apps in a simple, scrollable list.

Rearrange Apps

You can rearrange your apps so that the ones you use most are closer to hand. Simply press and hold on any app in the grid view, then drag it where you want. Alternatively, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to App View ➝ Arrangement, and move things around there instead.

Ping Your iPhone

If you've misplaced your iPhone but you're sure it's nearby, open Control Center with a press of the Side button, then tap the phone icon to make it ping. Press and hold that icon and the iPhone's camera flash will blink too, which can help if it's hidden under something.

Skip the Countdown

If you're eager to start a workout, the three-second countdown before it starts can be skipped. Just tap the screen when the countdown begins and your workout will start immediately. If you find yourself doing this regularly, consider turning on Precision Start in Settings ➝ Workout.

Customize Vibration Strength

If you keep missing notifications, go to Settings ➝ Sounds & Haptics ➝ and change from Default to Prominent. This adds an extra tap pattern before alerts so they're harder to ignore.

Perform Precision Timing

The Chronograph Pro watch face transforms into an actual chronograph. Tap the outer edge surrounding the main 12-hour dial on this watch face to record time on scales of 60, 30, 6, or 3 seconds. Alternatively, select the tachymeter timescale to measure speed based on time travel over a fixed distance.

Jump to the Top

If you've scrolled way down in an app and want to jump back to the top, just tap the time in the top corner of the screen. It works in most apps and saves a lot of scrolling.

Remove Apps

Clearing out apps you don't use on your Apple Watch is easy. In the List or Grid View, press and hold on the screen until the apps jiggle, then tap the small x in the corner of the app icon to delete it. This works for most system apps and all third-party apps.

Customize Control Center

By default, Control Center (accessed via the Side button) gives you quick access to things like Wi-Fi, battery, and Do Not Disturb. But it's worth seeing what else you can add to it that you'd like quick access to. Tap the Edit button at the bottom, then tap the + icon in the top-left corner of the screen. System options such as New Note and Lights are particularly handy, and you might see some third-party options listed too, depending on your installed apps.

Speak the Time Out Loud

If you're using the Mickey or Minnie watch face, tap on the character and they'll speak the time out loud. Just make sure your sound is turned on. In fact, you can also have Siri read the time on any watch face by tapping and holding with two fingers on the display. Again though, sound needs to be enabled.

Customize Smart Replies

Smart Replies are handy when you want to reply with just a few words. In the Watch app on iPhone, go to Messages and tap Default Replies to customise what shows up. Then when a message comes in, simply swipe down to pick one of your preset replies.

Pause Activity Rings

Feeling unwell but hoping to keep your streak intact? In the Activity app, select your rings to access the option to suspend them for the day, or set a pause that lasts until a chosen date up to 90 days ahead.

Create a Note

In the new Notes app in watchOS 26, you can't modify existing notes on Apple Watch, but you can create a new one by tapping the compose control in the bottom-right corner and speaking your text. Because Notes sync through iCloud, you can refine or reorganize everything later on a device with a physical or on-screen keyboard.

Mute and Dismiss Alerts

With a quick wrist flip, you can clear the current screen and go back to the watch face. The same gesture can be used to mute calls, stop timers, and dismiss notifications. The feature, which is on by default, is supported on Apple Watch SE (3rd generation), Series 9, Ultra 2, and later.
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OpenAI has brought its Codex coding agent to the ChatGPT mobile app, providing iPhone and Android users with remote access to Codex sessions running on a Mac.


"Codex is now in the ChatGPT mobile app so you can stay in the loop from anywhere while Codex gets work done across your laptops, devboxes, or remote environments," said OpenAI, announcing the feature.

Codex remains a standalone app on Mac, but the mobile integration lives inside the existing ChatGPT app on iPhone and Android. Setup is pretty simple. First, update the Codex Mac app and ChatGPT mobile app, then select the new "Codex mobile" section in the Mac app interface. Scan the QR code it shows with your phone, and you're done.

Once connected, the mobile app loads the live state from the Mac where Codex is running, and you can pick up active chats or projects from the desktop, get notifications when Codex finishes a task or needs input, and begin new tasks by sending a message from your phone.

From the ChatGPT app, users can also review outputs, approve commands, switch between models, and add new prompts across active threads. Files, credentials, and permissions stay on the machine where Codex is operating, while screenshots, terminal output, diffs, test results, and approval requests flow back to the phone in real time.

OpenAI notes that Codex will access the desktop's files, apps, and browser to complete tasks sent from a phone, and warns users to only pair devices they own and trust.


The feature follows OpenAI's recent launch of a Codex Chrome extension, which lets the agent work directly in the browser to test web apps and pull context across tabs.

OpenAI says support for remotely accessing Codex for Windows will follow soon.
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Apple is already planning a second version of the "four-edge bending" display that is rumored to debut on next year's 20th-anniversary iPhone, claims a new report out of Korea.


For the 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is said to be introducing a display that curves down around all four edges of the device for a borderless visual experience. It could be one of the biggest design shifts in the iPhone's history since the 10th anniversary iPhone X, which saw Apple drop the Home button, introduce a notched display, and adopt an intuitive swipe gesture-based navigation interface.

Today, ETNews reports that Apple is planning a two-stage rollout for the new OLED display technology that the commemorative iPhone will use, with a more advanced version said to be coming a year later.

For the 2027 variant, Apple will reportedly rely on OLED technology that uses a magnesium-silver (MgAg) alloy in the cathode layer. This implementation can cause image distortion and brightness loss in the curved areas, but Apple is apparently willing to live with the compromise for the 20th-anniversary iPhone while more advanced technology scales.

Apple then plans to address the issue in 2028 by transitioning to next-generation transparent electrodes. Apple will reportedly switch to indium zinc oxide (IZO) cathode materials, and because IZO is more transparent, it should reduce distortion, uneven brightness, and heat issues around the curved edges while enabling even narrower bezels.

ETNews reports that Samsung Display and LG Display have already been put on alert to prepare for the two-stage rollout. LG recently announced a ₩1.106 trillion investment (roughly $790 million) in OLED infrastructure, which industry observers believe is connected to development and mass production of the new technology.

Meanwhile, Samsung is reportedly evaluating whether its existing OLED lines can accommodate the required hardware, but a dedicated production line is not out of the question, and may well be necessary.

Bloomberg in May 2025 reported on Apple's plans to launch a "mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display" for its 20th-anniversary model. The Information last year also cited multiple sources claiming that at least one new iPhone model launching in 2027 will have a truly edge-to-edge display.
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According to the latest rumors, Apple is close to launching its next-generation iPad mini. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out.

Processor and Performance

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in August.

Apple's A19 Pro chip since debuted in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro models include the higher-end version of Apple's A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, while the iPhone Air uses a mid-tier A19 Pro chip with one fewer GPU core than the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

If the code leak is accurate for the iPad mini 8, Apple is likely to use the mid-tier A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone Air. This is based on the fact that the A17 Pro chip used in the iPad mini 7 has a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with a 5-core GPU, compared to the 6-core GPU found on the A17 Pro used in the iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple built the A19 Pro chip on an upgraded third-generation 3-nanometer N3P process for modest speed and efficiency improvements. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine, next-generation dynamic caching, and unified image compression.

The GPU in the A19 Pro has an upgraded architecture with a larger cache, more memory, and Neural Accelerators that are built into each core. Apple says that this change provides 3× the peak GPU compute over the prior-generation chip. There's also an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks.

There is an outside chance that Apple opts for the A20 Pro chip for the new iPad mini. The claim has been made by a MacRumors tipster who analyzed a macOS kernel debug kit containing internal Apple codenames. However, the iPad mini has not always received Apple's newest A-series chip at the time it was updated, so the A19 Pro cannot be ruled out at this time. iPhone 18 Pro models are also expected to use the A20 Pro chip, which will reportedly be fabricated with TSMC's advanced 2nm process.

Display

Apple's plan to transition the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ from an LCD to an OLED display is widely rumored. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the small form-factor tablet is likely to be the next Apple device to adopt OLED. According to a Chinese leaker with sources in Apple's supply chain, Apple has evaluated a Samsung-made OLED display for its next iPad mini model.

It remains unclear whether the iPad mini 8 will feature a higher refresh rate than the 60Hz LCD display used in the existing iPad mini 7, but since the new base iPhone 17 now uses a 120Hz ProMotion panel, it would be reasonable to expect the same on the first OLED iPad mini. A separate report has suggested the ‌‌‌iPad mini 8‌‌‌'s screen could increase in size from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches with the adoption of OLED.

OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility. All of Apple's flagship iPhones use OLED panels, and in May 2024 the company brought the display technology to the iPad Pro for the first time.

Unlike Apple's ‌iPad Pro‌ models, which feature two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panels‌, the ‌iPad mini‌ may have a single-stack low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panel, which would make it dimmer.

Chassis Design

Apple is reportedly working to give the iPad mini 8 a more water-resistant design, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The updated casing would bring protection levels closer to those of the iPhone, making the tablet safer for use in damp environments.

To achieve this, Apple is said to have designed a new vibration-based speaker system that eliminates the need for traditional speaker holes. By using sound-emitting surfaces instead of open grilles, the company can reduce potential entry points for water and dust, resulting in a more sealed, durable enclosure.

On the iPhone, Apple relies on adhesives and gaskets to shield speakers and other openings from moisture. The iPad mini's approach appears to go further, doing away with the holes altogether. Current iPad mini models lack any official IP rating, but the upcoming version could mark the first in the lineup to feature a certified level of water protection.

Apple patents could offer further clues to the new design direction. For example, a 2014 patent outlines a "mechanically actuated panel acoustic system" that vibrates flat surfaces to generate sound, effectively turning parts of a device's chassis into a speaker diaphragm. This could potentially allow Apple to produce audio without visible speaker holes. The patent suggest Apple has been building towards a sealed, vibration-based acoustic system for several years.

Release Date

According to research firm Omdia, the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ is expected to adopt an OLED display in 2027. However, Korea's ET News and ZDNET Korea have both suggested that the iPad mini will be updated with an OLED display in 2026. Bloomberg has also said the update could come as soon as this year.

The most recent word on the subject comes from Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, who claims the OLED iPad mini will be launched in the second half of 2026 at the earliest.

In May 2024, it was reported that Samsung Display had started developing sample OLED panels for a future ‌iPad mini‌, with plans to initiate mass production at its facility in Cheonan in the second half of 2025. The same report claimed that Apple will bring an OLED panel to the iPad Air alongside the ‌iPad mini‌ in 2026, though Apple only refreshed the iPad Air in March, and more recent reporting suggests an OLED iPad Air will arrive in early 2027.

The latter outlook aligns with a December report by analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) that said an 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini is planned for a 2026 launch, while 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Air models are expected to follow in 2027.

Ultimately, there are no rumors suggesting exactly when the next ‌iPad mini‌ will be released, but a launch later in 2026 has a high probability.

Pricing

Apple's ‌iPad mini‌ with OLED display technology and improved water resistance is expected to be more expensive, and Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device, according to Bloomberg's Gurman. The ‌iPad mini‌ is currently priced starting at $499. Gurman has previously argued that Apple should consider a lower-end version of the mini, or at least a change to its current $499 starting price, given that it's up against rival products that cost a lot less.

However, Apple users who are looking for a more affordable option should probably consider the 10th-generation iPad instead. Starting at $329, the iPad offers many iPad mini features, such as Touch ID and Center Stage, but at a lower price that balances functionality and affordability.
This article, "OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's interest in expanding its Formula 1 streaming deal for Apple TV beyond the United States may have stalled, after Sky Sports signed early renewals to retain the sport's broadcast rights across its largest European markets.


Sky and F1 jointly announced on May 6 that Sky will remain F1's exclusive live broadcast partner in the UK and Ireland through the 2034 season, and in Italy through 2032. The five-year extension adds to a UK and Ireland deal that was already running through 2029, so it won't impact any immediate plans Apple may have had, but it certainly pushes those markets further out of reach. Sky's early move secured the rights before they could go to open tender.

Sky and F1 did not disclose the value of the deal, but trade publication IBC reported that the UK and Ireland portion is worth around £200 million (around $265–270 million) per season, while other reports put the total figure at around £1 billion (around $1.34 billion).

The deal follows recent comments from Apple's senior vice president of services Eddy Cue at the Autosport Business Exchange in Miami. According to a report from MotorBiscuit, Cue said that clinching its F1 streaming rights in the U.S. first was "undoubtedly the best strategy," adding: "I hope we can expand into other markets."

Sky may have walled off the British, Irish, and Italian markets for now, but other major European deals remain open – Canal Plus holds French rights only through 2029, for example.

Apple's five-year U.S. deal began with the 2026 season, and Apple has already folded its coverage into its wider offerings, with a dedicated F1 section in the Apple TV app, race tracking in Apple Sports, F1 circuit guides in Apple Maps, and playlists in Apple Music.
This article, "Apple's F1 Streaming Ambitions Hit Wall as Sky Renews European Rights" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Following last month's coverage of an unofficial Mac port of Notepad++ that the original developer called out for trademark violation, the dispute has now been resolved with a rebrand.


The macOS port was previously released by Andrey Letov under the Notepad++ name without authorization. Don Ho created the original Windows code editor in 2003, and had publicly objected to the unofficial app's use of his trademark and the inclusion of his name and biography on its author page. After settling the dispute, the app has subsequently been renamed Nextpad++.

The site for Nextpad++ has been thoroughly updated and clearly states that the app is an "open-source and independent community port of Notepad++ to macOS." Elsewhere, Letov's About page describes the project as a Mac port of the Notepad++ GPL codebase, built on Objective-C++, Scintilla, and Cocoa, and shipped as a universal binary for Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The app also has a new icon.

Names aside, it seems Daring Fireball's John Gruber is less than charmed by the result, describing the app as feeling "unholy" and suggesting the rapid port could only have been built with AI vibe-coding tools. The site states development began on March 10.

Have you tried out Nextpad++ for Mac? Let us know what you think in the comments.
This article, "Notepad++ Mac Port Renamed Nextpad++ After Trademark Row" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple supplier Foxconn has confirmed a cyberattack on several of its U.S. factories, after a ransomware group claimed to have stolen confidential Apple project files as part of the hack.


The Nitrogen group posted the breach on its data leak site this week, claiming to have made off with 8TB of data spanning more than 11 million files. Alongside the allegedly stolen Apple files, Nitrogen claims the trove includes internal project documentation and technical drawings tied to Intel, Google, Dell, and Nvidia.

Foxconn confirmed the intrusion to The Register on Tuesday, but the supplier did not respond to questions regarding whether any customer data was actually taken. A company spokesperson said its cybersecurity team activated response measures to keep production running, and that all of its affected factories are resuming normal operations.

Foxconn assembles a wide range of Apple products, but Apple famously takes the secrecy of unreleased products extremely seriously, and suppliers typically receive only the technical information needed for their specific role in manufacturing.

Nitrogen is believed to be an offshoot of leaked Russia-based Conti 2 ransomware code. If so, though, the stolen files may be inaccessible. Researchers at Coveware warned in February that a bug in the group's ESXi encryptor makes file recovery impossible, even for victims who pay up.

It's not the first time Foxconn has been targeted by ransomware gangs. The manufacturer was previously hit by LockBit in 2022 and 2024.
This article, "Apple Project Files Allegedly Stolen in Foxconn Ransomware Attack" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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SpaceXAI has released Grok Voice mode for Apple CarPlay, allowing CarPlay users to ask the chatbot questions and make requests directly from their vehicle dashboard, handsfree.


Previously, Grok for iPhone displayed a placeholder app in CarPlay saying the handsfree support would be coming soon. Grok comes built-in on Tesla vehicles, but now almost any other car can access it.

Apple started permitting third-party voice-driven conversational apps to integrate with ‌CarPlay‌ in iOS 26.4, but developers must add support for the feature and obtain a special entitlement from Apple.

Apple requires apps to use its voice control template for CarPlay. Whenever voice-based services are active, apps must display the voice control interface and can include up to four action buttons. However, Apple says chatbot apps should not show text or imagery in response to queries.

Grok Voice mode joins ChatGPT and Perplexity, which arrived on CarPlay in March and April, respectively.


‌CarPlay‌ has supported third-party apps for years, but Apple restricts the types of apps permitted on the platform to reduce driver distractions. Apple maintains a list of approved app categories, including audio, communication, EV charging, and navigation apps.
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Apple and Meta have opposed a Canadian bill that the companies say could force them to create backdoor access to encrypted user data, should it pass through the country's parliament.


Proposed by Canada's ruling Liberal Party, Bill C-22 contains provisions that could be similar ​to a UK data access provision order sent to Apple last year, depending on how they are implemented.

Back in February 2025, the British government demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud. Apple refused, and instead pulled its Advanced Data Protection iCloud feature from the United Kingdom.

U.S. officials later said Britain had dropped the request after the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, raised concerns that it could violate a cloud data treaty and tap into US citizens' data.

Apple now finds itself in a similar standoff across the Atlantic. Canadian law enforcement ​officials say Bill C-22 would help them investigate security threats earlier and act more quickly. But Apple has pushed back against the proposed legislation. The company provided Reuters with the following statement:

"At a time of rising and pervasive threats ‌from malicious ⁠actors seeking access to user information, Bill C-22, as drafted, would undermine our ability to offer the powerful privacy and security features users expect from Apple. This legislation could allow the Canadian government to force companies to break encryption by inserting backdoors into their products – something Apple will never do."

Meta also argued that the bill contained "sweeping powers, minimal oversight, and lack of clear safeguards" that could end up making Canadians less safe, rather than more.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has consistently insisted that providing back-door access past its encryption for authorities would open the door for "bad guys" to gain access to its users' data. Cyber security experts agree that it would only be a matter of time before bad actors discover such a point of entry. Apple's stance was enhanced in 2016 when it successfully fought a US order to unlock the iPhone of a shooter in San Bernardino, California.

The Canadian bill is currently being debated in the House of Commons.
This article, "Apple Warns Canada's Bill C-22 Could Force Encryption Backdoors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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