With the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3, Apple announced support for a new Sleep Score feature that's designed to provide you with an actionable overview of your sleep quality.


It turns out that Sleep Score is a watchOS 26 feature, so it is also available on older Apple Watch models. If you have the ‌watchOS 26‌ release candidate installed, you can see your Sleep Score in the Health app already.

Open up the Health app, choose the Sleep category from the Search interface, and tap on Sleep Score to see your personalized readout.

Apple will rate your sleep as Excellent, High, OK, Low, or Very Low. Scores are calculated based on sleep duration, the time you went to bed, and how many times your sleep was interrupted during the night. Duration is worth 50 points, bedtime is worth 30 points, and interruptions is worth 20 points. Points are deducted for low sleep times, a late bedtime, or multiple sleep interruptions.

According to Apple, an "Excellent" score means that your body and mind have received the rest and restorative sleep needed for the day. High means you got the sleep you need, even though you might not have slept perfectly. OK means you probably didn't get all the sleep you need, while Low means that you didn't get enough time to rest and restore. Very Low means you didn't get enough sleep and your rest level was low enough that it can have a mental and physical impact over time.

Sleep Score is calculated from sleep data collected by the Apple Watch during sleep, or from a third-party device that reports results to the Health app. You technically don't need an Apple Watch to get a Sleep Score, but you do need some kind of device that records sleep and logs the results in the Health app.

‌watchOS 26‌ with the Sleep Score, Liquid Glass, and other features will launch to the public on Monday, September 15.
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The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max continue to offer mmWave 5G connectivity in the United States, but the faster 5G speeds have not yet expanded to other countries. Outside of the U.S., the new iPhone models are limited to sub-6GHz 5G.


mmWave 5G has been exclusive to the United States since 5G connectivity launched in the ‌iPhone‌ 12. Other countries have been slower to adopt mmWave 5G, but it is becoming more widely available in countries like Australia, China, South Korea, Japan, and Europe. The higher frequency mmWave spectrum is not as practical as lower and mid-band 5G spectrum because of its limited range.

It's expensive for carriers to build mmWave networks, and it is expensive for Apple to offer the hardware to connect to those networks. Carriers don't have motivation for faster 5G when devices don't support it, and Apple doesn't see the need to roll out mmWave support in countries where adoption is low.

mmWave offers the fastest 5G speeds, but it primarily makes sense for big cities and crowded locations like concert venues, stadiums, and airports. It is short range, and cannot penetrate obstacles like sub-6GHz 5G can. Sub-6GHz is more widely adopted because it works in cities, suburban areas, and rural locations.

Unless something changes with 5G adoption and rollout, it's not likely that Apple's stance on mmWave 5G availability is going to change. In fact, the M4 iPad Pro models eliminated mmWave 5G support entirely, and Apple opted for 5G modems that only support sub-6GHz spectrum.

Because the ‌iPhone‌ Air has Apple's custom-designed C1X modem, it also does not support mmWave 5G. Like the C1, the C1X is only compatible with sub-6GHz 5G. The other ‌iPhone 17‌ models use Qualcomm modems and in the U.S., can use mmWave spectrum on networks that offer it.
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The AirPods Pro 3 have an updated design that Apple says is more ergonomic, and new ear tips that are supposed to be better at eliminating ambient sound.


Apple included new ear tips that fuse a thin layer of soft foam microspheres to a silicone shell for better passive noise isolation.

The ear tips come in five sizes, including XXS, XS, S, M, and L, The smaller XXS size wasn't available with the AirPods Pro 2.

The new foam ear tips, the wider range of size options, improved computational audio, and the design changes to make the earbuds fit more ergonomically in the ear all help to make the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ 2x better at Active Noise Cancellation than the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2.

Apple is still selling the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ for $249, but there is no longer a USB-C charging cable inside, so the company is saving a bit of cash with this model. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are available for pre-order and will launch on Friday, September 19.
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Apple tweaked the design of the AirPods Pro 3, changing the fit of the tips in the ears and bringing some updates to the case. On the whole, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ look a lot like the AirPods Pro 2, but there are some differences to be aware of.

Earbud Design

Apple reengineered the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ using more than 10,000 ear scans and more than 100,000 hours of user research.

Apple says internal architecture was revamped to make each AirPod slightly smaller, and the external geometry of the ear tip was aligned to the center of the body to improve stability. Basically, the ear tips are now rotated inward.


The shape is meant to better fit into the ear canal, improving sound isolation and ensuring that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ stay in place during workouts.

When it comes to actual size, there are a couple changes. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are the same height as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, so the stem isn't any shorter. Width is now 19.2mm, down from 21.8mm, so they're a little bit slimmer. They're also deeper, though, measuring 27mm, up from 24mm. Weight increased too, so the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are 5.55 grams, while the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 were 5.3 grams.

Charging Case

There were rumors that Apple would slim down the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ Charging Case, like it did with the AirPods 4 Charging Case last year.

That didn't happen. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ Charging Case is actually larger than before. It measures in at 1.86 inches tall (up from 1.78 inches), 2.45 inches wide (up from 2.39 inches), and 0.86 inches deep (up from 0.85 inches). It's not as heavy, weighing 1.55 ounces, down from 1.79 ounces.

‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 on left, ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ on right

The case for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ has an attachment point for a lanyard, along with a capacitive pairing button and an invisible LED that only shows up when the case is opened or charging.

Battery life for the earbuds themselves is up, but the charging case doesn't last as long. Apple says it provides up to 24 hours of charging time, but the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 case provided up to 30 hours of listening time.

You can pre-order the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ now, and the earbuds will launch on September 19. Pricing is still $249.
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The upcoming AirPods Pro 3 that Apple is expected to unveil tomorrow will not include notable improvements to audio quality or Active Noise Cancellation, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Apple's new earbuds will have heart rate tracking, a health-related feature that Apple first introduced with the Powerbeats Pro 2. LED optical sensors will pulse to measure heart rate using blood flow, and if the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ work like the Powerbeats Pro 2, the data will sync with popular fitness apps.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ will also feature an updated design for a better fit, though there are no details on what exactly is going to change. The case is also going to be slimmed down, and it will be smaller like the AirPods 4 case.

News of no significant changes to ANC or audio quality is disappointing. There were some rumors of "much better" Active Noise Cancellation and Gurman himself said the AirPods would include a new H3 chip. New chips typically mean improvements to audio quality and ANC, and we could still get some small boosts, but it sounds like most of the focus will be on the new health feature.
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It's almost time for the September 9 Apple event, and last minute rumors have been trickling in. For a quick catch up, we've recapped the new information that we've heard over the last few days.

Battery

Alleged battery capacities for the iPhone 17 models were spotted in a Chinese regulatory database, and in the past, this database has provided accurate battery information.

• iPhone 17 - 3,692 mAh


• iPhone 17 Air - 3,149 mAh


• iPhone 17 Pro - 4,252 mAh


• iPhone 17 Pro Max - 5,088 mAh

It's worth noting that in some countries like China, there will be models with a SIM tray. ‌iPhone 17‌ models that have a SIM tray will have slightly smaller battery capacities, and the battery capacities above are for the non-SIM models that will be sold in countries like the United States.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to be the first iPhone that has a battery over 5,000 mAh, and it could have the longest ever battery life that we've seen in an ‌iPhone‌. There's also going to be an impressive year-over-year battery increase for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌.

It doesn't look like the ‌iPhone 17‌ will offer much of an improvement over the iPhone 16, and of course, the iPhone 17 Air has the lowest capacity of the bunch. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the other models in terms of real-world battery life, because Apple may be using a denser silicone-anode battery that provides more energy in a smaller package.

SIM Trays

There have been multiple rumors suggesting that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ won't have the space for a SIM tray, which would prevent it from launching in China. iPhones sold in China are required to have a physical SIM tray, and carriers in the country do not support eSIM technology for smartphones.

The recent battery database leak mentions a variant of the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ with a SIM tray, so it looks like information suggesting that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ won't be available in China could be inaccurate.

It would be surprising for Apple not to offer its flagship ultra thin device in China where it's likely to sell well.

Apple phased out SIM trays in the U.S. with the ‌iPhone‌ 14 launch. In most other countries aside from China, iPhones include both a SIM tray and an eSIM, but that could change this year. Rumors suggest that SIM-free iPhones will expand to more countries.

Thicker iPhone 17 Pro Max

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max is going to measure in at 8.725mm thick, making it thicker than the 8.25mm iPhone 16 Pro Max. The extra space could allow for a larger battery and rumored camera features like an adjustable aperture. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max will be about five percent thicker than the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max, and most people probably won't notice the increase.

A thicker chassis and a bigger battery typically means a higher weight, but Apple is transitioning to aluminum instead of titanium and replacing some of the glass at the back with aluminum, so overall weight could be the same or lower.

iPhone 17 Lanyard

We've seen leaked ‌iPhone 17‌ cases that have a spot where a lanyard can connect, and an image of the accessory surfaced over the weekend.


The image features a long crossbody strap in bright orange color that might match the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. Both ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are expected to come in an orange shade along with dark blue, black, and white.

The strap has a flexible metal core and uses magnetic attachment points to connect to the ‌iPhone‌ case.

iPhone 17 Pro Design

Last Friday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman clarified ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and Pro Max design rumors. The two smartphones are expected to be made from aluminum, but with a new cutout area on the bottom two thirds of the device. The cutout will be made from glass, and it will enable wireless charging.


This updated design has been rumored for months now, but it's useful to get some clarification on the half-aluminum half-glass rumors.

Sketchy Dynamic Island Rumors

On Friday, a leaker who claims to work for a company making ‌iPhone‌ screen protectors said the iPhone 17 Dynamic Island is 1.5cm, down from 2cm in the ‌iPhone 16‌ models.

There have been some mixed rumors of changes to the Dynamic Island over the ‌iPhone 17‌ rumor cycle, but reliable sources have suggested the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is the same. A change to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is possible, but unlikely, and this rumor is on the sketchier side.

Most screen protectors do not include cutouts for the ‌Dynamic Island‌, and it's not clear if that information would have been included with CAD renders sourced by accessory makers ahead of the ‌iPhone 17‌'s launch.

AirPods Pro 3

In a somewhat confusing last minute AirPods Pro 3 rumor, a reliable leaker said that Apple plans to release two versions of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. There will be a standard version and a higher-end variant with an infrared camera for gesture controls, but we might not hear about the higher-end model until next year.

Apple Watch SE 3 and Ultra 3 Confirmed

Last year there were rumors that Apple would refresh the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Ultra, but that didn't happen. We're hearing the same rumors about new models this year, and it looks like they're actually coming.

A leaker with an established track record confirmed that Apple is planning to introduce Apple Watch Series 11, ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3, and Apple Watch Ultra models tomorrow, all with an S11 chip that uses the same architecture as the current S10 chip.

Read More

For a more detailed overview on what to expect from the Apple event, make sure to check out our dedicated guide that walks through everything Apple might announce.

• Awe Dropping: Everything Coming at the September 9 Apple Event

How to Watch

Apple's "Awe Dropping" event will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 9. Apple will livestream the event on its website on YouTube, and through the Apple TV app on supported devices.


For those unable to watch the livestream, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account. We'll also do a much deeper dive into all the announcements after the event.
This article, "iPhone 17: Last Minute Rumor Recap Ahead of Tomorrow's Apple Event" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The court order that required Apple to collect no fees from developers who link to purchases outside of the App Store is unconstitutional, Apple said today in a reply brief directed at Epic Games and filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Apple argues that it has been stripped of its rights to be compensated for its intellectual property in a ruling that sets a dangerous precedent for all companies.


Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who has been overseeing the Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ lawsuit, first ordered Apple in 2021 to let developers add in-app links directing customers to third-party purchase options on the web. Apple didn't have to implement the changes until 2024, and when it did, Apple charged a 12 to 27 percent fee for purchases made through links in an app. ‌Epic Games‌ went back to the judge and said Apple was charging "unjustified fees" and should be held in contempt of court.

Gonzalez Rogers agreed with Epic and said that Apple was in "willful violation" of the original order. In April 2025, Apple was given a much more specific mandate to allow linking with no fees and no control over how links are presented in an app, which was a win for ‌Epic Games‌ and for other app developers unhappy with paying fees to link out to the web. Apple implemented the changes, but appealed the ruling.

According to Apple, the 12 to 27 percent fee that it was charging and the rules that it had implemented around link design complied with the original order. The April ruling [PDF] forcing Apple to implement ‌App Store‌ changes said that Apple had not followed the "spirit of the injunction" and had instead used a "dubiously literal interpretation," a point that Epic emphasized in its own filing with the court. In response, Apple argues that this is a weak argument that led to the injunction being expanded beyond what is permissible by law.

The new injunction imposes, in meticulous detail, new design and formatting rules and dictates the messages that Apple may convey to its own users on its own platform. These requirements represent an improper expansion and modification of the original injunction—rather than an attempt to enforce compliance with the original injunction—and violate the First Amendment by forcing Apple to convey messages it disagrees with. Epic doubles down on the district court's emphasis on the "spirit" of the original injunction and Apple’s supposed bad faith, but civil contempt turns on whether a party has violated the actual terms of an injunction—which Epic does not meaningfully try to show

Apple argues that it should be able to ask for compensation for its IP protected technologies, and that the court should have forced compliance with the original injunction instead of rewriting the injunction with new terms that prohibit Apple from collecting fees.

The district court's sweeping new zero-commission rule also is not tailored to Epic's claimed harm, improperly imposes a punitive sanction, and effects an unconstitutional taking.

Should the Ninth Circuit Court find the updated injunction lawful, Apple suggests that the recent Trump v. Casa Supreme Court ruling [PDF] needs to be considered. The ruling said courts do not have the authority to issue universal injunctions that are "broader than necessary to provide complete relief" to the plaintiffs in the case. ‌Epic Games‌ is the only plaintiff in the case, so Apple also argues that the injunction changing the ‌App Store‌ rules for all developers is too broad. Apple says that the injunction should be tailored to Epic and Epic's interests alone.

Epic has never demonstrated how requiring Apple to permit all manner of linked-out purchases from any developer—and prohibiting Apple from collecting any commission on such purchases—is necessary to remedy Epic’s full harm, particularly for linked-out transactions that do not involve Epic. Just the opposite, Epic has lined up amici to describe how they wish to steer on the back of Apple's IP-protected technologies at zero cost to themselves, and not to the Epic Games Store.

... Requiring Apple to permit linked-out transactions to Spotify, Microsoft, or Amazon does not benefit Epic in any way and is not necessary to remedy any harm suffered by Epic.

Apple wants the new injunction vacated, and the original injunction reconsidered to determine whether it is too broad.

As of right now, Apple is required to allow all developers in the U.S. to provide links to external websites with no restrictions on link design and no fees. If the appeals court rules in Apple's favor, Apple could change its ‌App Store‌ rules again to reimplement fees.
This article, "Apple Says App Store Changes Go Too Far in New Epic Games Appeal Filing" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The all-new iPhone 17 Air will likely be the standout device at Apple's September "Awe Dropping" event, but the iPhone 17 Pro isn't exactly getting left behind. There are design updates and new features coming, and we've outlined everything we know so far below.

Design and Colors

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models will come in the same two sizes as the iPhone 16 Pro models: 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches. While the front will look similar with no visible changes to the display, the rear of the device will be redesigned.

Rather than a titanium frame for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, Apple is going back to aluminum, and also doing away with some of the glass. There will be a part-aluminum part-glass design, and the back of the iPhone won't have an all-glass look.


Renders and dummy models suggest that there will be a glass area around the MagSafe charger and Apple logo, while the rest of the frame will be made from aluminum for enhanced durability.

Apple is also redesigning the camera bump and instead of a square-shaped bump at the left, there will be a rectangular camera bar. Camera lenses will still be arranged in a triangle shape at the left, but the flash and LiDAR sensor will be moved to the right, and the bump will take up most of the width of the ‌iPhone‌. As part of the camera change, Apple could shift the Apple logo on the back of the ‌iPhone‌ further down.

There may also be some tweaks to the antenna system. The little antenna lines could wrap around the rear camera bump, improving 5G connectivity. Apple is designing its own Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip this year, so the updated antenna could be how Apple makes improvements to efficiency. There's also a chance there won't be antenna lines on the bottom of the ‌iPhone‌, but this is a change most users won't notice.

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models might be just a little thicker than the current models, coming in at 8.725mm thick instead of 8.25mm thick. The increased space could be used for a larger battery.

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ colors could be a little unusual this year. There have been multiple rumors suggesting that Apple is going with an "orange" color, which may actually turn out to be more of a copper shade. It sounds like it will be more bold than Apple's traditional shades of gold. We're also expecting a dark blue and the standard black, white, and gray options.

Display

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are expected to have the same OLED display as the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models, but there could be a change to the protective glass. Apple has been developing a more durable anti-reflective display option.

It could cut down on reflections without notably impacting the visibility of the ‌iPhone‌'s screen, and it might also be more resistant to scratches and drops. It's supposedly not quite like the nano-texture display that Apple uses for Macs and iPads, because the ‌iPhone‌'s display will still have a glossy appearance.

Supposedly the new display coating process is more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield that Apple uses for the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models.

A-Series Chip

Apple designed a new A19 Pro chip for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, which is built using TSMC's latest 3-nanometer process. We're not expecting a huge jump in performance, but it'll be faster and more efficient than the A18 Pro.

Apple is going to use a metal-covered battery and a vapor chamber cooling system to improve heat dissipation in the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, and that could provide further chip speed enhancements.

The iPhone 17 models are expected to include 12GB RAM, up from 8GB in the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models.

Battery and Charging

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ could be a bit thicker than the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌, providing more space for a bigger battery. Battery life could see an improvement, and Apple is rumored to be using a battery over 5,000mAh for the first time.

Qi 2.2 support is expected for all of the ‌iPhone 17‌ models, so the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and Pro Max will charge at 25W on compatible Qi 2.2 accessories. That's the same speed as ‌MagSafe‌, but accessory manufacturers are still adjusting to Qi 2 and will now need to come out with a whole new line of Qi 2.2 chargers.

Camera

There's a major change to the camera design, and there's likely some reason behind it. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models will have an updated 48-megapixel Telephoto lens, which means all three lenses will be 48 megapixels for the first time.

Some rumors have suggested the new Telephoto lens will support up to 8x optical zoom (possibly only on the Pro Max), and the Main camera could possibly have an adjustable aperture. Apple is planning on a dual video recording feature that uses the front and rear camera simultaneously, and there will be an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera.

Apple may also add 8K video recording for the first time.

Pricing

Rumors about ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ pricing have been mixed due to tariff unknowns. Apple is paying out upwards of $1 billion on tariffs in its September quarter, and that cost could be passed to consumers.

There could be a price increase, though Apple might limit it to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. If that's the case, the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ could be $50 more expensive, but it might also come with 256GB of storage as a minimum, up from 128GB.

Read More

You can read more about what to expect from the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ in our dedicated iPhone 17 Pro roundup.
This article, "10 Days Until the iPhone 17 Pro: All the Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26 adds several features to the built-in Wallet app on the iPhone, providing a new way to track your online shopping, an update to boarding passes, and more. We've outlined everything new in the Wallet app below.

Order Tracking

The ‌iOS 26‌ Wallet app features enhanced order tracking, and you can now use it to track all of your purchases rather than just those made using Apple Pay.


Apple Intelligence is used to locate order related information from the Mail app, and then orders are pulled into the Wallet app. The ‌iPhone‌ can detect tracking numbers and order numbers, and update the status of packages as they move from order to delivery.

Orders can be accessed by tapping on the "..." button in the Wallet app and tapping on the Orders option. The feature is opt-in, and you do need a device capable of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to use it.

Apple says that order tracking in the Wallet app is being made available in a beta capacity, and it's not perfect yet. Some orders don't update properly and need to be manually marked as complete, and some don't show up in the app.

Digital IDs

With ‌iOS 26‌, Apple Wallet will allow ‌iPhone‌ users to add a U.S. passport that can be used in lieu of a physical passport for domestic travel.


The Digital ID can be stored on the ‌iPhone‌ or the Apple Watch, and it can be used at select TSA checkpoints throughout the United States. It is Real ID-compliant, as a passport can be presented instead of a Real ID when traveling.

Digital IDs do not replace physical passports, and Apple warns that they cannot be used for international travel or border crossings. In these situations, a physical passport will be required, but for domestic travel, ‌iPhone‌ users won't need to pull out a passport and can instead pass through TSA checkpoints more quickly.

As with state driver's licenses and IDs, Digital IDs will work for age and identity verification in apps, retail store locations, and new in ‌iOS 26‌, websites.

Enhanced Boarding Passes

Boarding passes for flights that are stored in the Wallet app are able to display more information in ‌iOS 26‌. You'll see maps that will help you navigate through the airport, and an option to access Find My to track items, report missing bags, and more using the ‌Find My‌ airline integration features.

Live Activities Support

Boarding passes in the Wallet app support Live Activities, providing real-time updates on a flight. Flight information will be displayed on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, plus the Live Activity for a flight can be shared with other people.

Credit Card Info

The Wallet app settings now includes an "AutoFill" section where you can view and store full credit card details like card number, expiration date, and security code.

Ad Controls

Apple added an option to turn off offers and promotions sent through the Wallet app, so you can turn off ads like the F1 offer that Apple received criticism for.


To turn off ads, open the Wallet app and tap on the three dots in the upper right corner. From there, toggle off the Offers and Promotions button.

Read More

To learn more about all of the new features in ‌iOS 26‌, make sure to check out our dedicated iOS 26 roundup. ‌iOS 26‌ will launch in September.
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We have less than two weeks to go until Apple's September 9 "Awe Dropping" event, and it's finally time for the Apple Watch Ultra to get a refresh. Apple introduced a new color last year, but there was no new model, so it's due for an update.


There are some useful new features in the works, which we've outlined below.

Design and Display

There aren't rumors of a redesign for the Apple Watch Ultra and it's still relatively new, but it does look like it's going to get an updated display.

Code in the iOS 26 beta hinted at a 422 x 514 pixel display for the Ultra 3, up from 410 x 502 in the Ultra 2. Since there's no rumors of a larger case, the bigger display could be due to a reduction in bezel size.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to have the biggest Apple Watch display to date.

Last year, Apple improved the Apple Watch Series 10 with an LTPO3 OLED display, and that technology will likely expand to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. When viewed at an angle, the Series 10 display is up to 40 percent brighter, and minimum brightness goes down to 1 nit for an improvement to the always-on display.

On the Series 10, the 1 nit brightness enables a second hand that updates even when the wrist is down when used with compatible watch faces.

Processor

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to include an updated S11 chip, but the S11 is going to offer the same performance as the S9 and the S10 as it has the same underlying processor technology. Since the current Apple Watch Ultra uses the S9, there may not be much in the way of performance improvements.

While the chip is basically the same, the S11 could be smaller overall, allowing for more internal space to be dedicated to the battery and other components.

Satellite Connectivity

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be Apple's first watch with satellite connectivity, enabling an Emergency SOS feature that can be used when there's no cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity available.

Given that the Apple Watch Ultra is targeted toward adventurers, it could be a particularly attractive feature for those who like to journey to remote areas.

If the Apple Watch Ultra 3 satellite connectivity mirrors what's available on the iPhone, wearers could also be able to send texts via satellite even in non-emergency situations.

Blood Pressure Monitoring

Apple has been working on blood pressure monitoring technology, and it could be ready to debut in 2025 Apple Watch models. It's still not yet clear if it's coming this year, but if it does, it will be more limited than standard blood pressure monitoring devices.

The feature won't provide specific systolic and diastolic readings, and it will instead track blood pressure trends and let the wearer know if hypertension is detected. Apple Watch users could then share that information with a healthcare professional for further investigation.

Hypertension often goes unnoticed until it cases serious damage, so by detecting early warning signs, the Apple Watch could be used preventatively.

Cellular Connectivity

Apple is planning to use 5G RedCap chips from MediaTek for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, enabling 5G connectivity for the first time. Current Apple Watch models are limited to LTE.

5G RedCap is a version of 5G that's designed specifically for wearable devices that don't need the speed and bandwidth of standard 5G networks, but it could bring improvements over LTE speeds.

Charging

The Apple Watch Series 10 uses a metal rear casing with a larger charging coil and an integrated antenna instead of a ceramic rear casing, and these changes may come to the Ultra 3.

The updated charging coil could allow the Apple Watch Ultra to charge much faster than before. The Series 10, for example, charges to 80 percent in a half hour, 15 minutes faster than the Series 9.

Launch Date

Apple will introduce the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. From there, pre-orders could take place on Friday, September 12, and a launch could follow on Friday, September 19.
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The Podcasts app didn't get as many iOS 26 updates as some of Apple's other apps, but there are some design changes and feature tweaks that are worth knowing about.

Liquid Glass

Like all of Apple's apps, the Podcasts app adopts the new Liquid Glass design language. UI elements have a glass-like, translucent look that let the background art shine through.


Buttons have a more rounded design and the navigation bar no longer takes up the entire bottom of the app. The Browse tab is now the New tab, and the Search tab has the search bar at the bottom of the display.

There's also an updated Liquid Glass icon that looks like several stacked layers of glass.

Updated Speed Controls

‌iOS 26‌ includes options to change the playback speed of a podcast. When you're playing a show, tap on the "1x" button in the corner and you'll be able to change the speed. Apple offers multiple playback speeds ranging from 0.5x to 3x. In iOS 18, you could only select from four fixed speed options: 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75, and 2x.


To change the playback speed, tap one of the preset options or drag a finger over one of the options to bring up a dial that allows for more granular 0.1x adjustments.

Enhance Dialogue

The Podcasts app includes an Enhance Dialogue feature that is designed to isolate voices so they sound clearer amid any background noise.


To use Enhance Dialogue, play a show in the Podcasts app. From there, open up the fullscreen playback controls, tap the "1x" playback speed button, and choose the Enhance Dialogue option.

Per-Show Settings

The Podcasts app will remember your Enhance Dialogue and playback speed preference for each individual podcast, so it doesn't need to be turned on every time you listen and settings won't affect other podcasts.

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More on the features that are available in ‌iOS 26‌ can be found in our iOS 26 roundup.
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Halfbrick, the developer behind popular titles like Fruit Ninja, teamed up with Apple to offer free Apple Arcade promo codes, and there's still time to take advantage of the deal.


Both new and returning subscribers can sign up on the Halfbrick website to get a free one-month ‌Apple Arcade‌ trial. New subscribers can pair the free month with Apple's 30-day trial option, for a total of two free months. As long as it's been more than 30 days since you last tried ‌Apple Arcade‌, returning subscribers can also get a free month.

The ‌Apple Arcade‌ promo codes are available in the United States, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, Japan, Philippines, Brazil, and Mexico.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is normally $6.99 per month for the whole family, and there are hundreds of ‌Apple Arcade‌ titles you can try. ‌Apple Arcade‌ games have no in-app purchases or ads, which is ideal for kids.

Halfbrick is offering the free ‌Apple Arcade‌ codes to promote a Bluey-themed Fruit Ninja crossover event that's been going on this summer. Fruit Ninja Classic+ users can get special in-game prizes like Bluey wands, power ups, and dojos, with the last Bluey event wrapping up this week.
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Apple today released the latest version of Xcode 26, introducing several new features that developers can take advantage of.


ChatGPT in Xcode now supports GPT-5, so developers can choose to start new conversations with GPT-5 or GPT-4.1. GPT-5 is the new default option, with two models to select from. GPT-5 is optimized for quick, high-quality results that Apple says will work for most coding tasks.

For more difficult tasks, developers can select GPT-5 (Reasoning), which spends more time thinking before providing a response.

Claude in Xcode is now available in the Intelligence settings panel in the Xcode app, so users can add their existing paid Claude account and use Claude Sonnet 4 for coding tasks.

When Xcode 26 officially launches, the app will support coding help from either ChatGPT or Claude, providing users with the option to use their favorite chatbot. Developers are also able to bring API keys from other providers or run local models on Apple silicon Macs.
This article, "Apple Releases Xcode 26 Beta 7 With GPT-5 Support and Claude Integration" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Anthropic announced today that it is changing its Consumer Terms and Privacy Policy, with plans to train its AI chatbot Claude with user data.


New users will be able to opt out at signup. Existing users will receive a popup that allows them to opt out of Anthropic using their data for AI training purposes.

The popup is labeled "Updates to Consumer Terms and Policies," and when it shows up, unchecking the "You can help improve Claude" toggle will disallow the use of chats. Choosing to accept the policy now will allow all new or resumed chats to be used by Anthropic. Users will need to opt in or opt out by September 28, 2025, to continue using Claude.

Opting out can also be done by going to Claude's Settings, selecting the Privacy option, and toggling off "Help improve Claude."

Anthropic says that the new training policy will allow it to deliver "even more capable, useful AI models" and strengthen safeguards against harmful usage like scams and abuse. The updated terms apply to all users on Claude Free, Pro, and Max plans, but not to services under commercial terms like Claude for Work or Claude for Education.

In addition to using chat transcripts to train Claude, Anthropic is extending data retention to five years. So if you opt in to allowing Claude to be trained with your data, Anthropic will keep your information for a five year period. Deleted conversations will not be used for future model training, and for those that do not opt in to sharing data for training, Anthropic will continue keeping information for 30 days as it does now.

Anthropic says that a "combination of tools and automated processes" will be used to filter sensitive data, with no information provided to third-parties.

Prior to today, Anthropic did not use conversations and data from users to train or improve Claude, unless users submitted feedback.
This article, "Anthropic Will Now Train Claude on Your Chats, Here's How to Opt Out" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on a new version of the Powerbeats earbuds called the Powerbeats Fit, and the company shared a teaser video of the upcoming earbuds on its YouTube channel.


The Powerbeats Fit look similar to the Beats Fit Pro, featuring a small in-ear earbud with a silicone wingtip that secures them in the ear. "Fit for every move," reads the tagline of Apple's video.

The Powerbeats Fit could have some of the same features as the Powerbeats Pro 2, such as heart rate sensing and Active Noise Cancellation.

Little is known about the Powerbeats Fit right now, but Apple says they are coming in fall 2025. Fall 2025 technically begins on September 22, so we could see them sometime after Apple's September 9 iPhone-centric event.
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Apple is aiming to keep Apple TV+ subscribers from canceling, offering a discounted subscription when customers threaten to stop paying.


If you cancel your ‌Apple TV‌+ subscription, you may see a pop-up that drops the price of ‌Apple TV‌+ to $5.99 for the next two months, before the $12.99 per month cost resumes. Apple appears to have started offering the discount in the last few days.

Apple recently increased the price of ‌Apple TV‌+ to $12.99 per month in the United States, so the offer for a temporarily discounted subscription may be aimed at those who are canceling their subscriptions due to the price hike.

Apple is still charging $99 for an annual subscription, so there is an option to get a lower price when subscribing for a full year. Apple also has not changed the price of its Apple One bundles.

Customers who want to get the $5.99 deal without continuing to pay $12.99 should make sure to cancel after the second $5.99 monthly charge. Opting in to the discounted offer today would mean the $12.99 price would resume in November.
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Apple today provided developers with the eighth beta of macOS Tahoe 26 for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after the seventh beta.


Registered developers can download the new beta software through the System Settings app.

macOS Tahoe features Apple's Liquid Glass redesign, which extends across all of the new updates this year. Apple also brought the Phone and Journal apps to the Mac for the first time, and introduced a new cross-platform Games app.

With the update, Apple overhauled how Spotlight works, enabling new functionality that allows it to be used to complete all kinds of actions like sending emails without having to open up an app. There are also changes to a number of apps, including Messages, Safari, and Notes.

All of the new features that are included in macOS Tahoe are outlined in our dedicated roundup. macOS Tahoe is set to launch this fall.
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Apple today provided developers with the eighth betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 for testing purposes, with the updates coming a week after Apple seeded the seventh betas.


Registered developers can download the new beta software using the Software Update section of the Settings app.

‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ feature Apple's new Liquid Glass design aesthetic, with a focus on translucency and glass-like interface elements. The design extends to the Lock Screen, Home Screen, and Control Center, along with menus and buttons in apps.

Apple's software includes features for apps like Messages, Phone, Shortcuts, and Apple Music, along with new Apple Intelligence features, a revamp for CarPlay, and more. In ‌iPadOS 26‌, there's a whole new multitasking system that supports multiple app windows for a more Mac-like experience.

For more on the features in ‌iOS 26‌, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup. New features have been found in each of the betas, and you can get a recap here: beta 2, for beta 3, beta 4, beta 5, beta 6, and beta 7.
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Apple today provided developers with the eighth betas of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 for testing purposes, with the betas coming one week after the seventh betas were released.


The software updates can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device. A developer account is required.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 adopt new Liquid Glass design changes inspired by visionOS, much like iOS 26 and macOS 26. watchOS has a new AI-powered Workout Buddy for motivation and the Smart Stack incorporates more personal context for better suggestions. There's also a new Notes app and support for Live Translation.

tvOS 26 supports karaoke using an iPhone as a microphone, improvements for using AirPlay speakers with a TV, new Aerial screen savers, and support for quicker logins to apps at setup thanks to Apple Account syncing.

visionOS 26 adds support for spatial widgets that can be placed anywhere in the space around you, along with refinements to make personas more lifelike and support for shared spatial experiences between two Vision Pro users.

The visionOS 26 beta is limited to developers, but developers and public beta testers can download ‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26. The updates will launch this fall.
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Elon Musk's xAI startup today filed a Texas lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, accusing the two companies of conspiring to "ensure their continued dominance" in the AI market.


Earlier this month, Musk threatened to sue Apple and OpenAI because his apps X and Grok have not been featured in the App Store's "Must Have" apps section, and he has now followed through with that threat.

The lawsuit suggests that Apple was "blindsided by major innovations in AI," leading it to team up with OpenAI "in a desperate bid to protect its smartphone monopoly." xAI points to the integrated ChatGPT feature for Siri, because ‌Siri‌'s ability to reference a chatbot is exclusive to OpenAI as of now.

xAI claims that if iPhone users want to access a generative AI chatbot, "they have no choice but to use ChatGPT, even if they would prefer to use more innovative and imaginative products like xAI's Grok." xAI says that while ‌iPhone‌ users can download any chatbot app on their devices, it would not have the same level of "functionality, usability, and integration" as ChatGPT does with ‌Siri‌. There is also clear evidence that Apple is working to integrate other chatbots like Gemini into ‌Siri‌, including a statement from Google CEO Sundar Pichai about talks on that very subject.

The lawsuit states that Apple has been "deprioritizing" the apps of competing generative AI chatbots and apps like X in the ‌App Store‌ and delaying ‌App Store‌ updates, plus it complains that xAI has not been able to get data from billions of ‌iPhone‌ users for training Grok because it is not integrated with ‌Siri‌ like ChatGPT. xAI blames Apple and OpenAI for its failure to "attain more than a few percent of the generative AI chatbot market."

Despite their high rankings in the subject-matter-based "Top Apps" lists, neither the X app nor the Grok app appeared in the "Must-Have Apps" section of the App Store on August 24, 2025. Instead, as reflected in Figure 5 below, the first 11 listed apps in the "Must-Have Apps" section on August 24, 2025 do not include the X app or the Grok app. Neither the X app nor the Grok app appears further down on the list, either. This is also true of other generative AI chatbot and super app competitors.

xAI asks that the court put a stop to Apple and OpenAI's "anticompetitive scheme" and that the two companies be forced to pay damages.
This article, "Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Conspiracy Against X and Grok" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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