Apple today shared its 2025 App Store award finalists, recognizing 45 standout apps and games selected by the App Store editorial team.

"We're thrilled to celebrate the App Store Award finalists, a diverse and talented group of developers from around the globe," said Carson Oliver, Apple's head of App Store Worldwide. "Their commitment to excellence is an inspiration, resulting in experiences that empowered users to tap into their creativity, achieve more through technical innovations, and discover new adventures through the world of gameplay."

Apple selected top games and apps for each of its platforms, along with the best Apple Arcade titles. There's also a category recognizing apps that had a cultural impact by fostering greater understanding and giving users more ways to interact with their communities. Finalists are listed below.

iPhone App of the Year

• BandLab


• LADDER


• Tiimo

iPhone Game of the Year

• Capybara Go!


• Pokémon TCG Pocket


• Thronefall

iPad App of the Year

• Detail


• Graintouch


• Structured

iPad Game of the Year

• DREDGE


• Infinity Nikki


• Prince of Persia Lost Crown

Mac App of the Year

• Acorn


• Essayist


• Under My Roof

Mac Game of the Year

• Assassin's Creed Shadows


• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition


• Neva

Apple Arcade Game of the Year

• Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE


• PGA Tour Pro Golf


• WHAT THE CLASH?

Apple Vision Pro App of the Year

• Camo Studio


• D-Day: The Camera Soldier


• Explore POV

Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year

• Fishing Haven


• Gears & Goo


• Porta Nubi

Apple Watch App of the Year

• GO Club


• Pro Camera by Moment


• Strava

Apple TV App of the Year

• HBO Max


• PBS KIDS Video


• Super Farming Boy 4K

Cultural Impact Finalists

• Art of Fauna


• A Space for the Unbound


• Be My Eyes


• Chants of Sennaar


• despelote


• Focus Friend


• Is This Seat Taken?


• Retro


• StoryGraph


• Venba


• Whoscall


• Yuka

The winner in each category will be announced in the coming weeks. More information about each app can be found on Apple's website.
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Google today introduced Gemini 3 Pro, its newest and most intelligent AI model. Google says that Gemini offers state-of-the-art reasoning, able to understand depth and nuance. It is also better at understanding the context and intent behind a request for more relevant answers.


According to Google, Gemini 3 Pro is the best model in the world for multimodal understanding, outperforming Gemini 2.5 Pro on every major AI benchmark. Responses have been designed to be concise and direct, with less flattery. Google claims that it serves as a "true thought partner."

Gemini 3 Pro is rolling out across Google platforms. It's been incorporated into AI mode in Search for Pro and Ultra subscribers, the Gemini app (select Thinking from the model selector), AI Studio, Vertex AI, and Google Antigravity, a new agentic development platform. AI Mode in Search will use Gemini 3 to provide new generative UI experiences like immersive visual layouts and interactive tools generated on the fly.

Google AI Ultra subscribers can also use Gemini 3 with Gemini Agent as of today, with Gemini 3 able to execute multi-step workflows from start to finish.

Gemini 3 Deep Think is even more intelligent, and Google says that it can solve more complex problems than Gemini 3 Pro. Gemini 3 Deep Think Mode will be available to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the coming weeks.

As part of the Gemini 3 launch, Google redesigned the Gemini app to give it a more modern look. Google says that it's easier to start chats and find images, videos, and reports that you've created in a dedicated My Stuff folder. The shopping experience has been overhauled, incorporating product listings, comparison tables, and prices from Google's Shopping Graph.

There are new interfaces, including a visual layout that uses photos and modules, and a dynamic view that uses agentic coding capabilities to create a custom user interface in real-time suited to a query.
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With the third beta of iPadOS 26.2 that came out yesterday, Apple made some useful updates to the way that multitasking works on the iPad.


iPadOS 26.1 brought back Slide Over, one of the main multitasking views from iPadOS 18 that was removed in iPadOS 26. In iPadOS 26.2, Slide Over works more like it did before, and there are also useful new options for replacing apps in a tiled view.

When in Windowed or Stage Manager mode in iPadOS 26.2, you can drag and drop apps into various multitasking views, including Slide Over. Apps can be dragged over from the Dock, Spotlight search, or App Library.

Drag an app to the left or right side of the display to enter a tiled view that's similar to Split View. Drag an app further left or right to establish it as a Slide Over app. There are visual indications that let you know when an app is in a left, right, or Slide Over position.

If you have a Slide Over window open or apps in a tiled view, you can drag another app over the top of the existing one to put the new app in its position. You still can't stack multiple apps up in Slide Over, but at least you can now drag apps into place like you could in iPadOS 18.
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Apple today released updated firmware for several accessories, including the 140W USB-C Power Adapter, the Magic Trackpad 2, the Magic Trackpad USB-C, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ and Numeric Keypad.


There is no word on what's included in the updated firmware at this time, but it could offer performance improvements and security updates. Accessory firmware updates are infrequent. The last update to the Magic Keyboard was over a year ago, for example.

These are the first firmware update Apple has released for the USB-C version of the Magic Trackpad and Magic Keyboard that came out in October 2024. The USB-C Magic Trackpad had firmware version 3.1.1 installed at launch, while the keyboards were running version 3.1.4.

After the update, the USB-C Magic Trackpad and Keyboards should all have firmware version 3.1.9 installed.

Magic Trackpad 2 firmware was version 3.1.1 previously, while the new firmware is version 3.1.8.

The 140W USB-C Power adapter had firmware version 1.4.73, and it's been upgraded to 1.4.84.

Firmware updates for keyboards, power adapters, and trackpads are automatically installed when the accessory is actively paired to a device running iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, or visionOS.
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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Apple over claims of hazardous waste management at a semiconductor facility in Santa Clara, California.


Apple has addressed the hazardous waste management and air emissions issues, and is now in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, according to the EPA.

The EPA investigated Apple's facility after receiving a complaint about it, discovering that Apple had not properly labeled hazardous waste containers or controlled air emissions from a solvent waste tank, among other violations.

Apple fixed the waste management issues and installed a device to control air emissions. Apple is also paying a $261,283 penalty.

The facility is located next to apartment buildings in Santa Clara, and at least one resident complained of falling ill due to the emissions. Earlier this month, Apple spokesperson Sean Redding told SFGATE that Apple is committed to environmental protection. "The issues posed no risks to the environment and were quickly resolved, and we remain deeply committed to protecting the environment everywhere we operate," Redding said.
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Apple today released new beta firmware that's designed for the AirPods Pro 3. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 8B5025a.


The firmware comes as Apple is testing the iOS 26.2 update. iOS 26.2 expands Live Translation for the AirPods to the European Union, so the firmware could be related to that.

There is no word on what's included in the firmware update, however.

With iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added a beta firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which facilitates beta testing.

Developers can use the beta option to turn on beta downloads.
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Apple Card users can get extra Daily Cash back when shopping at Ace Hardware this holiday season. Apple and Ace are offering five percent Daily Cash back on up to $500 in Apple Pay purchases, for a total of $25.


Ace Hardware is an ‌Apple Card‌ partner that normally provides three percent Daily Cash back on ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases made with the ‌Apple Card‌, but the promotion offers an additional two percent. The deal will be in place through December 15.

Getting the cash back reward requires Ace customers to use ‌Apple Pay‌ with the ‌Apple Card‌ either online, in the Ace Hardware app, or in retail store locations.

Apple is also currently offering five percent Daily Cash back for up to $500 in purchases made at Booking.com.

Apple partners with multiple retailers to offer three percent Daily Cash back on ‌‌‌‌Apple Pay‌‌‌‌ purchases made with ‌‌‌‌Apple Card‌‌‌‌, including Ace Hardware. Three percent cash back can also be earned from Nike, Uber Eats, Uber, Hertz, Walgreens, Exxon Mobil, and Apple's own retail stores.
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Apple today provided public beta testers with the third beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.2 update for testing purposes. The public beta comes a day after Apple provided the beta to developers.


After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the System Settings app.

macOS Tahoe 26.2 beta 2 adds an Edge Light feature for video calls. Edge Light provides a light border around the edges of the Mac's display, mimicking the look of a physical ring light to improve lighting in darkened rooms.

Edge Light uses the Neural Engine for positioning, so it is optimally placed around your face in the video frame. Light color can be adjusted from warm to cool, and the feature is available in video conferencing apps alongside other options like backgrounds, Portrait mode, and Voice Isolation. It is available on Macs that support Apple silicon.

The macOS Tahoe 26.2 beta is limited to developers and public beta testers right now, but it won't be a long testing period. We'll likely see Apple release the update right around mid-December given past launch timelines.
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Apple today provided public beta testers with the second releases of upcoming iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and watchOS 26.2 updates for testing purposes. The second public betas come two weeks after Apple seeded the first betas, and a day after Apple provided developers with the third iOS 26.2 beta.


After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.

iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen, allowing you to customize the translucency of the clock. Alongside watchOS 26.2, the update changes labeling for the Sleep Score feature, adjusting numbers to better reflect sleep quality.

AirPods Live Translation is available in the European Union with iOS 26.2, and in the Reminders app, there's an option to have an alarm go off when a reminder is due. Apple also added new features to Podcasts, Passwords, Freeform, and more, with a full list of new additions available in our iOS 26.2 feature guide.

In the second beta of iOS 26.2, Apple made tweaks to menu animations, added Liquid Glass to the Measure app, and added a feature for turning off pinned messages in CarPlay. The third beta added further tweaks to iPad multitasking and new AirDrop functionality.
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Nomad today announced the launch of its latest Find My-compatible item tracker, the Tracking Card Pro. Compared to Nomad's existing $29 Tracking Card, the $39 Tracking Card Pro features a design that better blends into the cards in your wallet, and a longer battery life.


Available in black or white, the Tracking Card Pro looks like a credit card, complete with an included chip to disguise it. The white version is the same size and shape as the Apple Card, just thicker. If someone steals your wallet, a tracking card that looks like a credit card might not be thrown out by a savvy thief that does a cursory check for tracking devices.

The Tracking Card Pro is 2.5mm thick, so it is not as slim as the 1.7mm Tracking Card. It fits well enough in a wallet, but if you're someone who prefers a super slim wallet with just a few cards, it might be too large. Nomad opted for a straight-edged design with an exposed aluminum frame, and while it looks nice, it also makes the Tracking Card Pro look thicker than it is. Other companies make tracking cards that are in this thickness range, but they have a slimmer appearance because of beveled edges.

The tracker is a third of the thickness of the AirTag, and Nomad used the extra space for the battery. The Tracking Card Pro can last for up to 16 months without needing to be recharged, rather than five months like the Tracking Card.


When recharging is required, the Tracking Card Pro charges with a Qi, Qi2, or MagSafe charger. It is magnetic so it can attach to an upright charger, and a red LED lets you know that it's aligned properly and charging. IPX7 water resistance and dust resistance means it can withstand water, dirt, and other abuse without failing.

The Tracking Card Pro works just like an ‌AirTag‌. It can be added to the Items tab in the Find My app, and it will then show up right alongside AirTags and other Find My-enabled tracking products.

You can view a map of where the Tracking Card Pro was last spotted, play a sound to locate it if it's nearby, and get a notification if your wallet is left behind. Like AirTags, the Tracking Card Pro takes advantage of the ‌Find My‌ network. It can leverage nearby Apple devices to relay its location even if you're out of Bluetooth range.


Other features include an option to share your contact info so someone can get in touch if they find your wallet, and item location sharing, so if your item is left behind somewhere like an airport, staff can track it down for you even if you're far away.

The Tracking Card Pro has all of the same capabilities as the ‌AirTag‌ with one exception, Precision Finding. There is no Ultra Wideband chip, so tracking it down in close quarters requires the sound feature.

Nomad's Tracking Card Pro can be purchased from the Nomad website for $39, with a 10 percent discount when purchasing two. It will ship by December 19.
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The first-generation iPod came out on November 10, 2001, making today the 24th anniversary of the device's launch. Apple announced it in late October, but November 10 was the first day customers were able to get their hands on it.


Even way back in 2001, there were leaks and fake leaks before the iPod launched. In one rumor article, Apple's upcoming device was dubbed the "iWalk" and described as a PDA with a high-color TFT-screen with handwriting recognition, which did not prove to be true. CNET suggested that it was too sophisticated to be an MP3 player, and was instead a component for a home digital stereo system, while a German website said it was "like a standalone CD-writer" that looks like "a Hifi component." The site did accurately predict that it would make it possible to "have all the music in the house stored on one place," but described it as a sort of AirPlay-enabled speaker.

More reliable rumors accurately pegged it as a digital music device able to sync with a computer, and in the days leading up to the launch, the iPod name leaked. Even with the info that came out, much of the iPod's introduction was a surprise because 2001 leaks were much less detailed than 2025 leaks.

Some MacRumors readers lined up to buy one on launch day, kicking off a tradition of long lines at Apple Stores that continued well into the iPhone launch days. As with any Apple product launch, there were some mixed reactions to the iPod, and of course a slew of early complaints. Here's what the forums had to say:

• At $399, the iPod is way too expensive


• The shiny backplate attracts too many fingerprints


• Sound quality isn't good enough compared to CDs


• It gets warm when charging


• It was Mac only, cutting out PC users

There were plenty of MacRumors readers thrilled with the iPod, and as we well know, it was a wildly popular device that spurred several subsequent models and eventually led to the launch of the ‌iPhone‌.

It was impressive to be able to have a 5GB FireWire drive in your pocket at the time, and iPod owners used it as a hard drive for file transfers. MP3 players existed, but nothing with the storage capacity and design of the iPod.

With the ‌iPhone‌ that does everything an iPod does, there's no longer a need for the iPod. The very last iPod was the iPod touch, which Apple updated sporadically and then didn't touch after 2019. It was officially discontinued in 2022, marking the end of the iPod line. Apple almost never announces when a product has been discontinued, but the iPod was an exception given its history.

In a statement, Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak said that the "Spirit of the iPod lives on" across all of the company's products, from the ‌iPhone‌ to Apple Watch to HomePod.

The iPod will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. Apple has revived old products in the past, but people have little use for a music-only device in 2025. Apple is, however, working on a home hub that can play music, run apps, and control smart home products, and it's described as a small, square device with a display. It's possible Apple could reference the iPod when unveiling the device, or even borrow a part of its name like it did when naming the ‌HomePod‌.
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Mophie today announced the launch of new Juice Pack charging cases designed for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max.


The Juice Pack for ‌iPhone Air‌ was designed to be slim so it doesn't add too much bulk to Apple's thin and light iPhone. It includes a 2,400 mAh battery that Mophie says provides up to 60 percent more power. The ‌iPhone Air‌ case is 15mm thick, but it is the thinnest of the three Juice Pack cases.

The Juice Pack for ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ has a 3,000 mAh battery, while the Juice Pack for ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max has a 3,600 mAh battery. Both cases provide 50 percent more battery for Apple's Pro iPhones and are just over 19mm thick. All three cases weigh 98 grams, according to Mophie.

Along with additional power, the cases provide protection for the iPhone 17 lineup. There are raised edges to keep the screen from getting scratched or cracked, and high-impact protection shields the ‌iPhone‌ from drops and bumps. An included lanyard loop port allows for a lanyard to be attached.

Mophie's Juice Pack cases offer passthrough charging, so plugging them into USB-C will charge the ‌iPhone‌ first and then the case. There's also support for passthrough USB-C audio for those who prefer wired headphones.

All three Juice Pack cases are priced at $99.99 and can be purchased from the Mophie website as of today.
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Apple product retailer B&H is listing all HomePod mini models as discontinued, and no longer offering them for sale. Some other retailers are also listing the HomePod mini as out of stock or on backorder, which suggests that an update isn't too far off.


Adorama lists the ‌HomePod mini‌ as backordered, and select colors are out of stock at Target. Walmart doesn't have any stock that's not from resellers, Staples has no HomePod minis available online, and at least one color is sold out from Verizon. The Midnight color option is unavailable for shipping from Best Buy, though other colors are in stock. Apple is still selling all colors of the speaker, with options available for both immediate shipping and pick up.

Apple is rumored to be working on a new version of the ‌HomePod mini‌, and Bloomberg said it could come as soon as this month. It's possible that the waning stock at third-party retailers is a sign that we'll get a new version of the ‌HomePod mini‌ before the end of 2025.

Apple held an event in September and did a series of product releases in October, casting some doubt that a new model is still on the immediate horizon.

The next ‌HomePod mini‌ is expected to have an upgraded S-series chip inside and Apple's N1 networking chip, but there are no design changes rumored except for refreshed color options.
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Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.


The ‌M1‌ chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only improved since then. We've had five total generations of Apple silicon chips, with the M5 unveiled in the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ just last month.

Here's how the M5 measures up to the ‌M1‌, per Apple's M5 specs:

• 6× faster CPU/GPU performance


• 6× faster AI performance


• 7.7× faster AI video processing


• 6.8× faster 3D rendering


• 2.6× faster gaming performance


• 2.1× faster code compiling

Geekbench comparison scores:

• ‌M1‌ single-core - 2,320


• M5 single-core - 4,263


• ‌M1‌ multi-core - 8,175


• M5 multi-core - 17,862


• ‌M1‌ Metal - 33,041


• M5 Metal - 75,637

Both CPU and GPU performance have increased significantly over the past five years, and Apple has boosted AI and gaming performance too with add-ons like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and an ever-improving Neural Engine.

‌M1‌ Chip	M5 Chip
Made with TSMC's 5nm process (N5)	Made TSMC's third-generation 3nm process (N3P)
Based on A14 Bionic Pro chip from iPhone 12	Based on A19 Pro chip from iPhone 17 Pro
8-core CPU, 8-core GPU	10-core CPU, 10-core GPU
3.2 GHz CPU clock speed	4.61 GHz CPU clock speed
No integrated Neural Accelerators	Integrated Neural Accelerator in every GPU core
No ray tracing engine	Third-generation ray tracing engine
No dynamic caching	Second-generation dynamic caching
Support for up to 16GB unified memory	Support for up to 32GB unified memory
68.25 GB/s unified memory bandwidth	153 GB/s unified memory bandwidth

Apple sold Apple silicon Macs alongside Intel Macs for three years, but phased out the final Intel Mac in June 2023 when the 2019 Mac Pro was discontinued. Now all of Apple's devices have Apple chips, and we're even hitting the end of the road for Intel Mac software support. Intel Macs won't get software updates after macOS Tahoe.

Over the next five years, Apple silicon chip technology will continue to evolve. Apple supplier TSMC is already working on 2nm chips that could make an appearance as soon as 2026, offering a 10 to 15 percent speed improvement and a 25 to 30 percent power reduction. 1.4nm chips could follow as soon as 2028 for even more power and efficiency.
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Samsung today updated its SmartThings app for the iPhone, adding several new features for those who own Samsung products or devices connected to the SmartThings ecosystem. Samsung says that the changes are helpful for households with both Galaxy and Apple devices.


Device groups created in the SmartThings app are available, and those groups can be viewed and controlled with the accompanying SmartThings Apple Watch app. Apple Watch users can view their full SmartThings device list, send commands, and trigger routines from the wrist.

SmartThings is also gaining support for Siri Shortcut controls of SmartThings Routines. With this capability, SmartThings automations can be launched with ‌Siri‌ voice commands. The automations work similarly to HomeKit automations, so users can do things like create a "Good Morning" routine that turns on the lights, opens the blinds, and starts the coffee machine, or a "Leaving Home" routine that locks the doors, turns off the lights, and activates a home alarm.

The app already supported Live Activities, but it is expanding to support up to five recently used devices at a glance, including air conditioners, robot vacuums, air purifiers, dehumidifiers, and more.

The SmartThings app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation ‌iPhone Air‌ that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information.


Apple initially planned to release a new ‌iPhone Air‌ in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen.

Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts. Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has reportedly dismantled all but one and a half of its production lines for the ‌iPhone Air‌, and all production is expected to be stopped at the end of the month. Luxshare, another supplier, stopped production at the end of October.

Apple was counting on the novel look of the device to spark interest, because it features the first substantial design update that we've seen to the iPhone lineup since the ‌iPhone‌ X added Face ID and an all-display design in 2017. Creating a super thin 5.6mm ‌iPhone‌ required compromises, so the ‌iPhone Air‌ has a smaller battery and a single-lens rear camera, but it still has a high price tag. Apple priced it starting at $999, and that appears to be more than customers are willing to pay for style without substance. The ‌iPhone Air‌ is only $100 cheaper than the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, which has a triple-lens rear camera and much better battery life.

Apple has not been able to land on a fourth ‌iPhone‌ that will sell well alongside the standard ‌iPhone‌ and Pro ‌iPhone‌ models. Apple experimented with a smaller 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ mini that suffered from disappointing sales, then moved on to the larger "Plus" ‌iPhone‌ that served as a more affordable version of the Pro Max. Plus models also failed, leading to the ‌iPhone Air‌.

Apple has already been planning for a split launch for the ‌iPhone‌ starting with the ‌iPhone 18‌ models. The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro, ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max, and foldable ‌iPhone‌ are planned for fall 2026, while the ‌iPhone 18‌ and ‌iPhone‌ 18e will be held until early 2027. It's possible that the next-generation ‌iPhone Air‌ will come out alongside the ‌iPhone 18‌ in the spring.

Apple has been working on a second-generation version of the ‌iPhone Air‌ with a lighter weight, vapor chamber cooling, and a larger battery capacity, but Apple could rethink the design.
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Samsung recently came out with the Galaxy XR, its first mixed reality headset. The Galaxy XR competes with the Apple Vision Pro, so we thought we'd pick one up to see how it compares to Apple's headset.


In person, it's hard to mistake how much it looks like the Apple Vision Pro, but there are minimal design options for an XR headset that straps to your face.

The Galaxy XR is a whole lot cheaper than the Vision Pro at $1,799. It's not as premium as the Vision Pro because it's using more affordable materials like plastic, but that also means it's a lot lighter. The lighter weight makes it more comfortable to wear, and it also feels more balanced on the head. Having anything attached to your face can be unpleasant, but the Galaxy XR is an improvement over the Vision Pro. There's a single strap, but it cradles the back of the head and has a dial at the back to tighten it.

Unlike the Vision Pro, the seal on the Galaxy XR doesn't block out all light, so you're not entirely cut off from your surroundings. The headset has two micro-OLED displays that look good, but text isn't as sharp as it is on the Vision Pro.

Samsung partnered with Google for the Android XR operating system, and the Galaxy XR features deep Google Gemini integration. Gemini can use the cameras in the headset to see what the wearer is looking at, answering questions about what's in view. Circle to Search is available for real-life items, which can be useful.

There aren't many apps available for the Galaxy XR because it's new, and so is the Android XR operating system. YouTube, Google Maps, Photos, Netflix, and more come pre-installed, and Android apps can be downloaded from the Play Store, but they're not optimized for AI. The Vision Pro offers more apps, but it's been out for a longer period of time.

Hand and eye tracking is not as intuitive as it is on the Vision Pro, so that's something Apple does better. Samsung sells optional controllers, which do help with control issues.

The Vision Pro connects to a Mac to serve as a virtual display, and the Galaxy XR can connect to a PC in the same way. It's not as smooth of an experience as connecting to a Mac, and multiple apps are required to get it up and running.

Make sure to watch our video to see all of the Galaxy XR features, and let us know if it's something you'd buy.

The Galaxy XR is available for $1,799.99 and Samsung has a 24-month financing option. Early adopters receive the Explorer Pack at no additional cost, which Samsung says has a value of at least $1,140. It includes 12 months of access to Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, Adobe Project Pulsar, and Calm Premium, plus an NBA League Pass subscription and more. Samsung is also selling a Galaxy XR Travel Case and Galaxy XR Controller for $250 each.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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Apple is going to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, with the device set to be more affordable than the $999 MacBook Air. With the affordable notebook, Apple is aiming to better compete with cheap Chromebooks and Windows PCs.


If you're thinking about picking up a computer for lightweight tasks like document editing, web browsing, watching videos, and doing homework, you might want to wait to see what Apple has in store before making a purchase. Below, we highlight what we know about the new Mac so far.

Size

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 inches in size. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a 13.6-inch display, so the more affordable MacBook could be slightly smaller. It's sounding like it won't be too far off from the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, though.

There are no details on how thick it might be, but Apple probably won't prioritize a thin design for a machine optimized for a low price. Since the ‌MacBook Air‌ can run fine with an M-series chip and no fan in an enclosure that's 0.44 inches thick, there's no reason for the MacBook to be any thicker than that.

Design and Display

The low-cost MacBook will have a standard LCD display with no mini-LED technology or ProMotion refresh rate. It could come in bright colors like the iMac, with Kuo suggesting Apple will offer it in silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

A-Series Chip

Apple is planning to use its A18 Pro chip in the MacBook. We first saw the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The chip is built on Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer process, featuring 8GB RAM and support for Apple Intelligence.

It's fast and efficient, and more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offers single-core CPU performance scores at the level of the M3 Ultra, and multi-core performance scores higher than the M1 chip that Apple used in the first Apple silicon ‌MacBook Air‌. Metal scores that measure GPU performance are also similar to the ‌M1‌ chip Metal scores.

The A18 Pro will be equivalent to the ‌M1‌ for some tasks, and faster for other tasks. Apple no longer sells the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ from its own store, but it has offered the machine through Walmart at a $599 price point.

Capabilities

With the A18 Pro chip, the low-cost MacBook would be able to do anything that can be done on an ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro. It would be a suitable replacement for the low-cost iPad paired with a keyboard, and it would also support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

Right now, an ‌iPad‌ is essentially the only option for a low-cost portable device that can serve as a computer, but the low-cost MacBook will add a solution that runs macOS instead of iPadOS.

Tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, creating documents, editing photos, and even light video editing would be no problem. A low-cost MacBook with A18 Pro chip could play all of Apple's ‌iPad‌ and iPhone games, including Apple Arcade titles, but it would not work well with high-end system intensive games.

It would also run apps like Final Cut Pro, but speeds for things like exporting video would not be as quick as with a more powerful Mac.

Apple probably won't go all out on ports, and the MacBook is likely to get just a single USB-C port, though two like the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also possible.

The A18 Pro chip is efficient, and there's a lot of space inside a 13-inch enclosure for a battery, so we could be looking at MacBook Air-level battery life or better. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s battery lasts for up to 18 hours when watching videos, or 15 hours when browsing the web.

Price

There are no specific details on price as of yet, but Bloomberg claims it will cost "well under $1,000." The ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced starting at $999, so it would need to come in under that.

Apple has a 13-inch iPad Air that has a display in the same range rumored for the low-cost MacBook, and it's priced at $799. The ‌iPad Air‌ has a higher-end M-series processor though, so the low-cost MacBook could be less than the ‌iPad Air‌.

The closest ‌iPad‌ approximation for the chip is the iPad mini, which has an A17 Pro. The ‌iPad mini‌ is priced starting at $499. A price somewhere between $499 and $799 could make sense looking at Apple's existing product lineup. The older ‌M1‌ MacBook that sells for $599 at Walmart also gives us a hint at what Apple might charge.

Launch Timing

Apple could launch the low-cost MacBook in the first half of 2026. Updates are planned for the ‌MacBook Air‌ in early 2026, so the low-cost model could launch sometime in that same timeframe.

Read More

For more information on Apple's budget MacBook, we have a dedicated guide.
This article, "Apple's Cheap MacBook: What to Expect in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time.


Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged.

Another set of iPhones underwent the same test, but with charging initiated at 30 percent and stopped at 80 percent, so the iPhones were always in that range.

Prior to the experiment, the capacity for each phone was tested, and after 500 cycles, the capacity was tested again. The results suggest there is minimal additional battery drain from fast charging, but keeping an ‌iPhone‌ between 30 and 80 percent charge could be minimally beneficial.

HTX Studio concluded that the best way to charge an ‌iPhone‌ is "however you like," without overthinking it and trading mental energy for a tiny bit of battery life. The same video also includes Android tests, and is well worth watching in full for those curious about the effects of fast charging.
This article, "In-Depth iPhone Battery Experiment Pits Slow Charging Against Fast Charging" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With tvOS 26.2, Apple is changing the way that profiles work on the Apple TV. It's now possible to create a profile without an Apple Account, which is particularly useful for guest profiles and profiles for children.


In the ‌Apple TV‌ Settings app's profiles section, the "Add New Profile" option no longer requests that users sign in with an Apple device or manually with an Apple Account.

Alongside the Apple Account sign in, there is a "Create Profile" option that only requires a name, a profile rating, and a yes or no question about whether the new user is a child.


Selecting yes limits content to a PG rating by default, but there is a customize option for more granular control. Users can select ratings for TV shows and movies that are appropriate for the child based on their age. All of the standard TV show and movie ratings are available to select. Creating a child account and choosing a rating changes the ‌Apple TV‌ content that is available to the child. The ‌Apple TV‌ app will only show content that is appropriate for the limits that have been established for the account.


In tvOS 26.1, the latest public version of tvOS, profiles require an Apple Account. The TV app has a dedicated children's section and parents can set up parental controls to limit access, but it is not the full kids-only ‌Apple TV‌ view that's in tvOS 26.2.


The ‌Apple TV‌ app in tvOS 26.2 does not show any adult content when a child's profile is signed in, including in the Store and Library sections of the app. Only kids shows and movies are available to watch or purchase.

Years ago prior to the launch of tvOS 14, there were rumors of a dedicated kids mode for the ‌Apple TV‌, but that didn't materialize. The changes in tvOS 26.2 are the closest Apple has come to an ‌Apple TV‌ experience just for children.

When a kids profile is active, it only applies to the ‌Apple TV‌ app. All other apps are visible and accessible to the user, and any app can be downloaded from the App Store. Parental controls still need to be used to limit access to content outside of the ‌Apple TV‌ app.

Setting up an adult profile allows for unrestricted access to the content on the ‌Apple TV‌, so adults in the home that don't have an Apple Account can also now have their own profiles with their own content recommendations. Any account that is created without an Apple Account can be deleted or can be upgraded to add an Apple Account at a later time.

Profiles on tvOS 26.2 say that they may also show up on certain third-party devices, so accounts for children may also be accessible on devices with the ‌Apple TV‌ app, like smart TVs.

tvOS 26.2 is available for developers and public beta testers at the current time, and it is expected to launch sometime around the middle of December.
This article, "tvOS 26.2 Lets You Create Apple TV Profiles Without an Account, Adds Dedicated Kids Mode" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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