For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Digiarty VideoProc to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 17 and a copy of the VideoProc Converter AI software to use with it.


VideoProc Converter AI is software for editing and managing videos, images, audio, DVDs, and more. It includes a suite of AI features for easy photo and video editing, along with tools for converting, downloading, upscaling, colorizing, enhancing, compressing, editing, recording, and repairing all kinds of media files.


Videos that are blurry, noisy, shaky, or overly compressed can be improved with VideoProc Converter AI's tools for cutting down on noise, improving sharpness, and boosting image quality.


An AI Super Resolution feature uses multiple AI models designed for different kinds of footage. The tool reduces noise and blur, restores detail, sharpens soft footage, and is able to upscale lower-resolution videos up to 4x. 480p or 720p video can be upscaled to 1080p or 4K. A deinterlacing tool improves older interlaced recordings, which is useful for restoring archived footage, improving low-light video, and cleaning up scenes with a lot of motion.


There's also an AI frame interpolation option that adds additional frames to make videos smoother, and it can improve videos up to 480fps for slow motion. It works on older home videos, mixed frame-rate footage, sports clips, gameplay recordings, and action scenes.

A stabilization tool is able to reduce camera shake, plus there are tools for reducing audio noise, correcting color, removing fisheye distortion from videos shot on action cameras, and compressing file size while preserving quality. There are also the standard tools you would expect from video editing software for trimming, cropping, adjusting playback speed, watermarking, fixing audio syncing, and adding filters.


VideoProc Converter AI has tools for photo editing as well. Image AI Super Resolution improves blurry or pixelated images and increases resolution, with multiple AI models available for different image types. With batch processing, it supports editing over 3,000 photos at once.


In older images where faces are blurry, pixelated, faded, or lacking detail, a Face Restoration feature improves facial detail. It can recover clarity in eyes, skin, hair, and facial textures with natural-looking results. AI Colorization is also available for adding color to black and white images, and it adds realistic colors and tones to grayscale photos with a click.


Digiarty optimized VideoProc Converter AI for the Mac, and the software supports hardware acceleration for Apple silicon chips, Intel chips, and NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. Video converting tools use GPU acceleration to speed up encoding and decoding without affecting output quality. The software supports over 320 codecs and formats, and it works with footage from drones, GoPro cameras, professional log formats, 3D videos, and VR videos. It also includes tools for downloading video from social media platforms, DVD backup, iPhone screen capture, recording from a webcam, and green screen recording.

VideoProc gets new features regularly, and recent new additions include improved Video Super Resolution that keeps original colors for natural-looking restoration of low-quality video, new AI models, three AI face restoration models for touching up people in videos without impacting original detail, and audio AI improvements like Noise Suppression for cutting down on background noise in audio and video files.


There is a VideoProc free trial for those who want to try it out. A lifetime license is normally priced at $54.95, but Digiarty is offering MacRumors readers a discount on a lifetime license, dropping the price to $39.95. The lifetime license includes the full range of VideoProc tools, along with software for transferring media between Macs and iPhones and vlog software for editing video for social media. It also includes access to future updates.

Digiarty is offering one lucky MacRumors reader the chance to win an ‌iPhone 17‌ and a lifetime VideoProc license. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.


Digiarty VideoProc Giveaway
The contest will run from today (May 22) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 29. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after May 29 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone 17 and a Lifetime Copy of VideoProc Converter AI" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote date, the sweeping Siri redesign coming in iOS 27, Apple's latest accessibility feature previews, and the hinge troubles reportedly plaguing the foldable iPhone ahead of its expected launch in the fall.


Apple this week confirmed its ‌WWDC 2026‌ keynote for June 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the conference running through June 12. The event is expected to introduce ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27, with developer betas available immediately after the keynote and public releases following in September. The focus is expected to be on Apple Intelligence and AI advancements across its platforms. No major hardware announcements have been rumored for the keynote, but we are overdue seeing a new "homeOS" platform for a tabletop or wall-mounted smart home hub, though launch timing remains unclear.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that ‌iOS 27‌ will bring a sweeping ‌Siri‌ redesign, evolving the assistant into a full chatbot designed to compete with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. For the first time, ‌Siri‌ will apparently have a dedicated app, showing a grid or list of past conversations with support for favoriting, searching, and starting new chats, all using iMessage-style chat bubbles.

‌Siri‌ will also purportedly be integrated into the Dynamic Island, where triggering it will show a "Search or Ask" prompt with a glowing cursor; results appear as a translucent card, and pulling it down opens a full conversation mode. ‌Siri‌ is set to replace Spotlight search, though Suggestions will remain and gain access to more user data.

Users will be able to set chats to auto-delete after 30 days, one year, or never. The app could also launch labeled "beta" despite years of development, and is powered by Google Gemini, though Apple is said to be reluctant to emphasize that given Google's reputation as an advertising business.

Separately, Apple this week previewed new accessibility features coming later this year, ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, as is Apple's annual tradition. Among the highlights: VoiceOver Image Explorer uses ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to generate detailed descriptions of images, scanned bills, and personal records throughout the system; the Action button can now be used to ask questions about what the camera sees, with natural language follow-up supported; and Voice Control is getting a natural language upgrade that lets users describe on-screen elements in their own words rather than memorizing exact labels. Automatic captions for personal videos will also arrive, generated on-device for recorded videos, received from friends, or streamed online. The features are expected to launch with ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, ‌macOS 27‌, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 in September.

Finally, Apple's "iPhone Ultra" reportedly hit a new obstacle this week, after Weibo leaker "Instant Digital" posted that trial production has run into a serious hinge reliability problem. According to the leaker, the hinge is consistently failing Apple's quality control under high-frequency open and close testing, eventually producing audible rattling, and the issue "must be solved with absolute perfection, otherwise progress will remain stalled."

That broadly aligns with a DigiTimes report from April that placed production one to two months behind schedule, with mass production now pushed from June to August. Bloomberg's Gurman has pushed back on a Nikkei report suggesting the device could slip to 2027, calling it "off base", and expects the foldable iPhone to land around the same time or soon after the iPhone 18 Pro models; if it does launch in September, supply is expected to be constrained, with some reports suggesting customer availability could slip as late as December.

The foldable iPhone is rumored to be called the "iPhone Ultra" and is expected to start at over $2,000, with one report citing $2,500, which would make it the most expensive iPhone ever. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Google's latest wave of announcements for Android and Gemini, the newly announced Fitbit Air, and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: WWDC26 Promises Apple Intelligence and Siri Upgrades" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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This week we saw Memorial Day deals kick off at retailers like Best Buy, plus great discounts on Anker's newest Prime chargers and all-time low prices on the AirPods Max 2 and 15-inch M5 MacBook Air.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Anker

• What's the deal? Save on Anker charging accessories


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $104.99 on Amazon, down from $149.99. This is one of Anker's newest accessories, and Amazon's sale today is a match of the all-time low price.

Best Buy

• What's the deal? Save sitewide for Memorial Day


• Where can I get it? Best Buy


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy kicked off its annual Memorial Day sale this week, with notable markdowns on Apple devices, TVs, headphones and speakers, monitors, appliances, and much more. This sale is set to last through Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, and you don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to see the deals.

AirPods Max 2

• What's the deal? Take $40 off AirPods Max 2


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week has a record low price on the AirPods Max 2, now available for $509.00, down from $549.00. This sale is available in three colors of the headphones.

M5 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take $199 off 15-inch M5 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon has sweetened its deal on the 512GB 15-inch M5 MacBook Air this week, dropping the price of the notebook down to $1,099.99, from $1,299.00. This is a new record low price on the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Memorial Day Deals Arrive at Best Buy, Plus Lowest Price Yet on 15-Inch M5 MacBook Air" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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April and May have been relatively slow months for Apple this year, but there is a lot to look forward to heading into WWDC 2026 and beyond.


Apple is expected to release at least 15 more products later this year, with some of them held up until the more personalized version of Siri launches.

Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches in September, Apple's all-new smart home hub is finally expected to debut later this year. We are also expecting a foldable iPhone Ultra, a redesigned MacBook Ultra with an OLED display, and long-awaited updates to the Apple TV, HomePod, and HomePod mini. Plus more.

Here is what to expect from Apple later this year, according to rumors.

iPhones

• iPhone 18 Pro: A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, a simplified Camera Control button, a Dark Cherry color option, variable aperture for at least one rear camera, Apple's C2 modem with support for 5G web browsing via satellite, and more.


• iPhone 18 Pro Max: The same features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro, but the Pro Max model might be slightly thicker.


• iPhone Ultra: A foldable iPhone Ultra with a 7.7-inch inner display and 5.3-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and more. iOS 27 is expected to be tailored for the foldable iPhone, allowing for side-by-side apps and other iPad-like multitasking functionality.

Apple Watches

• Apple Watch Series 12: A faster S11 chip or newer, plus design changes such as Touch ID and/or more health sensors (disputed).


• Apple Watch Ultra 4: A faster S11 chip or newer, plus design changes ( such as Touch ID and/or more health sensors (disputed). There may also be additional satellite features for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and newer, such as Apple Maps via satellite and the ability to send and receive photos with Messages via satellite.

iPads

• iPad 12: A16 chip → A18 chip or A19 chip with Apple Intelligence support.


• iPad mini: A17 Pro chip → A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, an OLED display, a vibration-based speaker system, and a water-resistant design.

Macs

• Mac Studio: M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips → M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.


• Mac mini: M4 and M4 Pro chips → M5 and M5 Pro chips.


• iMac: M4 chip → M5 chip, plus new color options.


• MacBook Ultra: A major MacBook Pro redesign in late 2026 or early 2027, with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, an OLED display, a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. On this laptop, which will reportedly be named MacBook Ultra, macOS 27 is expected to offer a touch-friendly interface.

Home

• Apple TV: A17 Pro chip with support for the more personalized Siri, and Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support. A built-in FaceTime camera has been rumored for a future Apple TV, but it is unclear if that will arrive with the next model.


• HomePod mini: S9 chip or newer with support for the more personalized Siri, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, improved sound quality, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, and potentially new color options like red.


• HomePod: A new full-sized HomePod that supports the revamped Siri.


• Home Hub: An all-new smart home hub featuring the more personalized version of Siri, a 6-inch to 7-inch square display, an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence, FaceTime, and more. Place it on a table or mount it on a wall.

Notes

• Apple's smart home hub may be accompanied by accessories such as a security camera/sensor and a Face ID doorbell.


• AirPods Ultra with cameras for Visual Intelligence are also rumored, but it is unclear if they are launching this year or later.


• The next Mac Studio and Mac mini models as well as the MacBook Ultra could be delayed until 2027 due to the RAM chip shortage.

This article, "Apple to Release These 15 New Products Later This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon today has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $199.00, down from $249.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 3, and it's been nearly a month since we last tracked this discount.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.



Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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Google held its annual Google I/O event today, launching new AI products and giving us a look at what's coming in the near future. Google I/O is Google's equivalent of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, and Google's announcements offer insight into what Apple is going to be competing with in the coming months.


We've rounded up everything Google announced at I/O across its product lineup.

Gemini

• Gemini Omni - Gemini Omni is a new model that can create anything from any input, and that is better at simulating gravity and kinetic energy. It combines Gemini intelligence with generative models like Nano Banana and Veo. It supports conversational language video editing, and allows users to upload videos and edit any element in the video. Omni is starting with video, but Google's Demis Hassabis says it will eventually be able to create any output from any input.


• Gemini Omni Flash - Gemini Omni Flash is the first Omni model that Google is releasing, and it is available starting today in the Gemini app.


• Gemini 3.5 Flash - Gemini 3.5 Flash is a new model that Google's Sundar Pichai said combines frontier intelligence with action. Flash is better across almost all benchmarks compared to 3.1 Pro, and it is "comparable to the best models" but faster. Gemini 3.5 Flash is available for everyone today across Google's products and APIs.


• Gemini 3.5 Pro - Google is testing Gemini 3.5 Pro internally, and it's coming next month.


• Gemini App - Google redesigned the Gemini app with a new Neural Expressive design language that's rolling out today on desktop, iOS, and Android. It features fluid animations, vibrant colors, haptic feedback, and new typography. It's also getting custom regional dialects in the next few months. Gemini Omni is available for paid Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers in the Gemini app today, making it easier to create and edit videos.


• AI Agents for Gemini - Gemini is getting AI agents, like a Daily Brief agent that presents users with a customized daily digest. Daily Brief is rolling out today for paid subscribers.


• Gemini Mac App - Mac users will be able to select a bunch of images and documents in Finder, and then press the Function key to give Gemini a voice command on what to do with the files. Google's demo involved sending an email to a dog kennel with the dog's information and image, with info pulled from Finder to generate an email using Gmail in Chrome. Voice support and Gemini Spark are coming to the Gemini Mac app this summer.


• Gemini for Science - Gemini for Science is a collection of science tools, and there's also a Co-Scientist collaborative AI research partner.

AI Content Identification

• Identifying AI-generated Images - C2PA content credentials are coming to Gemini and Chrome. Google's tools can tell if an image was captured with a camera or made with AI, and can determine whether an image captured with a camera was edited with AI. Users will be able to right-click on an image in Chrome and ask Gemini whether it was generated with AI.

Antigravity

• Antigravity 2.0 - Google is launching a new agent-first Antigravity 2.0 app for the desktop that uses Gemini 3.5 Flash. Antigravity is Google's coding tool, and the equivalent of Copilot, Codex, and Claude Code. Gemini 3.5 Flash is 12x faster in Antigravity, which optimizes token use. Antigravity 2.0 is available globally for everyone.

Gemini Spark

• Gemini Spark - Gemini Spark is a personal AI agent that helps users navigate their digital life. Gemini Spark runs on virtual machines through Google Cloud, and it is able to operate 24/7, with no need to have a laptop open for it to run. It's accessible through the Gemini app, but there will also be options to email or message it. It uses Gemini 3.5 Flash and Antigravity to work on long-running tasks in the background. It integrates with Google tools now, and Google is debuting MCP support for third-party apps in the coming weeks. Gemini Spark can do multi-step ongoing tasks, planning out subtasks and going through the steps. Gemini Spark will be available for Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. next week, and it will work with Chrome later this summer.

Google Search

• Google Search - Google Search AI Mode and AI Overviews now use Gemini 3.5 Flash. "Google Search is AI Search," was Google's messaging. There's a new Google Search box that's been reimagined with AI, and it changes based on how you're using it and goes "beyond autocomplete" to help you better ask questions. The search box supports images, files, videos, and Chrome tabs as input in addition to text. Pichai said it's the biggest upgrade to the search box in over 25 years, and it's rolling out today. Google is also combining AI Overviews and AI Mode into one interface.


• Agents in Search - Search is gaining support for creating and managing multiple AI agents. It can keep users updated on what's going on in the world, like changes in the stock market, and send alerts. Search will be able to monitor changes on webpages, so users can get alerts on things like sneaker drops. Information Agents are coming to search in the summer, and Google plans to add more agents.


• Coding in Search - Agentic coding capabilities are coming to Search. Search will be able to build a custom response on the fly with dynamic layouts, interactive widgets, and more for queries. It uses Antigravity and 3.5 Flash. Search can create tools, trackers, widgets, and dashboards. Generative UI in Search is rolling out this summer for everyone with no charge. Antigravity in Search for building custom experiences is coming in the summer for subscribers first.


• Shopping in Search - Google has a new Universal Cart coming this summer to Search and the Gemini app. It's an intelligent shopping cart that works across merchants and services. You can add things to the cart when reading Gmail, watching YouTube, or browsing the web, then check out on Google or on third-party retailer sites. Google has a Universal Commerce Protocol and an Agents Payment Protocol for agentic shopping. The payments feature lets AI agents make payments on your behalf using parameters that you set like a brand and price. It's coming to Gemini Spark later this year.

YouTube

• Ask YouTube - YouTube is getting an Ask YouTube feature, which is similar to the Ask Maps AI feature. It uses Gemini and lets users ask questions. It supports context and follow-up questions, and it's in testing now. It will roll out broadly in the United States this summer.

Google Docs

• Docs Live - With AI integration in Docs Live, users can speak or write parameters of what they need, and Gemini can create a document. Google's Sundar Pichai said users could "brain dump" and then let Gemini "do the rest." The feature supports text-based commands for creating and editing content.

Hardware

• Android XR Audio Glasses - The first Android XR audio glasses are coming this fall, providing all-day access to Gemini with responses privately spoken into the wearer's ear. The glasses can be used for taking photos, listening to music, making calls, and tapping into apps. Google worked with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker on the design of the glasses, and Samsung on hardware. The glasses will pair with Android and iOS devices.

Miscellaneous Announcements

• Google AI Ultra Plan - Google has a new $100 Ultra plan, and it's dropping the price of its top-tier Ultra plan from $250 to $200.


• Android AI Agents - Android Halo lets Android users keep an eye on AI agents, and it shows activity at the top of an Android device. It's coming to Android later this year.


• Google Pics - Google Pics is Google's new image generating and editing tool in Google Workspace. It can create posters, flyers, infographics, and more, similar to Canva. Content is watermarked with SynthID. Pics is rolling out this summer.


• Stitch - Stitch is Google's Figma-like tool that lets users build apps and websites. This year, Google is adding real-time collaborative design with Stitch Agent, exports to Antigravity, and publishing directly to Netlify.


• Google Flow - Google Flow, Google's "AI creative studio" for creatives, is getting Gemini Omni, AI agents for executing multiple actions at once, and custom tools with Flow Tools. New Google Flow features are available today.

Many of Google's new features are rolling out today, with the rest planned for later this year. Apple is going to hold its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and that's when we'll see if Apple debuts equivalent features.
This article, "Google I/O 2026 Roundup: Gemini 3.5, AI Search, Android XR Glasses, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's retail operation turns 25 years old today, marking a quarter century since the company opened its first stores on May 19, 2001.



Steve Jobs personally guided members of the press through the Tysons Corner store four days before it opened, after Apple announced the retail initiative on May 15. Some 500 visitors lined up before dawn on opening day, with the queue growing to over 1,000 by the time the doors opened at 10 a.m. The two stores, located at Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia and Glendale Galleria in California, welcomed over 7,700 visitors and recorded $599,000 in combined sales across their opening weekend.

The decision to enter brick-and-mortar retail came at a precarious moment for Apple. With a market share hovering around 2.8%, the company was struggling to showcase its products through third-party retailers, where Macs were routinely relegated to dusty corners staffed by clerks with limited product knowledge. Jobs believed Apple would never shed its "cult" image unless it controlled the entire customer experience right down to the point of purchase. As he told Walter Isaacson for his biography: "Unless we could find ways to get our message to customers at the store, we were screwed."

To lead the retail push, Jobs recruited Ron Johnson, who had transformed Target's image with his designer merchandise line. Together they refined the store concept in a secret warehouse prototype, working through every detail from the single-entrance layout to the Genius Bar, which Johnson modeled on the service experience at Ritz-Carlton hotels. Gap CEO Mickey Drexler, who had joined Apple's board in 1999, also played a key role in shaping the retail vision.



Skepticism was widespread at the time. Apple's sales had dropped 29% the previous year, Gateway had just shuttered 40 of its own stores, and Channel Marketing analyst David Goldstein publicly predicted Apple would be "turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake" within two years.

By 2003, Apple was recording $3 million in profit per store, per quarter, with approximately 60,000 visitors at each location. Apple Retail hit $1.2 billion in revenue in 2004, breaking the record for the fastest retail operation to reach a billion-dollar milestone. The company today operates more than 500 stores across 27 countries, with each location generating approximately $5,500 per square foot annually, among the highest figures in the retail industry.

The original Tysons Corner store relocated and reopened in a larger, redesigned space within the same mall in May 2023. Apple retail stores in both Tysons Corner and Glendale Galleria locations remain open today.
This article, "Apple's First Retail Stores Opened 25 Years Ago Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Best Buy kicked off its annual Memorial Day sale this week, with notable markdowns on Apple devices, TVs, headphones and speakers, monitors, appliances, and much more. This sale is set to last through Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, and you don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to see the deals.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

In terms of Apple devices, you can find solid deals on MacBook Air, iPad, MacBook Pro, Beats accessories, and more. In most cases Best Buy is offering same day pick-up on these products, and there are several free shipping options as well.



Some of the biggest discounts you'll find in Best Buy's Memorial Day Sale are on TVs, with major savings from popular brands like Insignia, Samsung, and LG. Best Buy has Samsung's popular line of The Frame TVs on sale, including the 65-inch 2025 model for $999.99 ($600 off) and the 65-inch The Frame Pro for $1,499.99 ($400 off), both of which match record low prices.

Apple

• 20W USB-C Power Adapter - $14.99 ($4 off)


• 11-inch iPad - $299.00 ($50 off)


• AirPods Max (Gen 1) - $449.99 ($100 off)


• 15-inch M5 MacBook Air - $1,149.00 ($150 off)


• 16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro - $2,449.00 ($250 off)

TVs

• 55-inch Toshiba C350 4K Smart Fire TV - $249.99 ($150 off)


• 65-inch Samsung U7900 4K Smart TV - $329.99 ($140 off)


• 65-inch LG UA7050 4K Smart TV - $329.99 ($160 off)


• 75-inch LG LED 4K Smart TV - $449.99 ($240 off)


• 98-inch Hisense QLED 4K Smart Google TV - $999.99 ($1,300 off)


• 65-inch Samsung The Frame TV (2025) - $999.99 ($600 off)


• 65-inch LG OLED 4K Smart TV - $1,299.99 ($1,400 off)


• 65-inch Samsung The Frame Pro - $1,499.99 ($400 off)

Monitors

• 27-inch Samsung Curved 100Hz Monitor - $149.99 ($50 off)


• 34-inch LG UltraWide 100Hz Monitor - $239.99 ($60 off)


• 34-inch LG Smart Monitor - $299.99 ($50 off)


• 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor - $379.99 ($120 off)


• 27-inch Alienware Gaming Monitor - $699.99 ($200 off)


• 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED Curved Monitor - $999.99 ($700 off)

Audio

• Beats Pill - $99.99 ($50 off)


• Beats Solo 4 Headphones - $149.99 ($50 off)


• Beats Studio Pro Headphones - $249.99 ($100 off)


• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones - $299.00 ($130 off)


• Sonos Move 2 - $399.00 ($100 off)


• Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 - $499.99 ($200 off)

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Best Buy Hosts Memorial Day Sale With Notable Apple and Tech Deals" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Fortnite is back on the App Store in every country except Australia, Epic Games announced today, as the company declared it is entering the "final battle" of its long-running legal dispute with Apple.


Epic said the decision to push Fortnite back onto iOS globally was prompted by Apple's own words to the U.S. Supreme Court, in which Apple acknowledged that "regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States." Epic CEO Tim Sweeney framed the move as a strategic provocation, writing on X that the return marks "the beginning of the end of the Apple Tax worldwide."

The return follows Fortnite's reinstatement to the U.S. App Store in May 2025 after nearly five years off the platform. The return was forced after District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers threatened to require the Apple official overseeing app decisions to appear in court, which prompted Apple to approve the submission. Today's worldwide rollout extends that comeback to most remaining markets, with Epic expressing confidence that an upcoming court-ordered transparency process will expose what the company calls Apple's "junk fees."

Apple knows the U.S. federal court will force it to be transparent about how it charges its App Store fees. Fortnite is returning to the App Store now because we are confident that once Apple is forced to show its costs, governments around the world will not allow Apple junk fees to stand.

In late April, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a stay that had allowed Apple to pause its compliance with rulings on ‌App Store‌ fees, sending the case back to Judge Gonzalez Rogers to determine what commission Apple can charge on purchases made via external links, if any.

Epic said it will "continue to challenge Apple's anticompetitive ‌App Store‌ practices of banning alternative app stores and competition in payments," pointing to regulatory momentum in Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. The company alleged that Apple has "evaded the laws with scare screens, fees and onerous requirements" in each of those jurisdictions.

Australia is the one major market where Fortnite has not returned. Epic said it won its court case there and that an Australian court found many of Apple's developer terms to be unlawful, but Apple continues to enforce those terms regardless. Epic said it cannot return "under an illegal payment arrangement" and is waiting for a court order to compel Apple to comply.
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Apple today announced a suite of accessibility updates that use Apple Intelligence to expand capabilities across VoiceOver, Magnifier, Voice Control, and Accessibility Reader, with additional new features for generated subtitles and wheelchair control via Apple Vision Pro.


‌Apple Intelligence‌ powers several of the new features coming later this year:

• VoiceOver Image Explorer uses ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to produce more detailed descriptions of images throughout the system, including photographs, scanned bills, and personal records. Users can also press the Action button on the iPhone to ask questions about what the camera viewfinder sees, with follow-up questions supported in natural language.


• Magnifier brings Apple Intelligence-powered visual descriptions to its high-contrast interface for users with low vision, also accessible via the Action button, with support for spoken commands like "zoom in" or "turn on flashlight."


• Voice Control gains natural language input so users can describe onscreen elements conversationally, such as "tap the guide about best restaurants" or "tap the purple folder," rather than memorizing exact label names or numbers. Apple says the feature can also help where on-screen elements lack proper accessibility labels.


• Accessibility Reader gains support for more complex document layouts including scientific articles with multiple columns, images, and tables, plus on-demand summaries and built-in translation that retains a user's custom font, color, and formatting preferences.


• Generated Subtitles use on-device speech recognition to automatically transcribe spoken audio in uncaptioned video content, including clips recorded on iPhone, received from friends and family, or streamed online, across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and ‌Apple Vision Pro‌. Initially available in English in the U.S. and Canada.


• Power Wheelchair Control for Apple Vision Pro uses the headset's precision eye-tracking system as an alternative input method for users who cannot operate a joystick, launching with support for the Tolt and LUCI alternative drive systems in the U.S. via Bluetooth and wired connections.

Apple shared a video about the new Voiceover feature:



Apple also announced a number of smaller additions coming later this year:

• Vehicle Motion Cues are coming to visionOS to help reduce motion sickness when using Vision Pro as a passenger in a moving vehicle.


• Apple Vision Pro will support face gestures for performing taps and system actions, plus a new way to select elements with one's eyes while using Dwell Control.


• Made for iPhone hearing aids will gain more reliable pairing and handoff between Apple devices, with an improved setup experience across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS.


• Name Recognition, which notifies users who are deaf or hard of hearing if someone says their name, expands to more than 50 languages globally.


• Larger Text support is coming to tvOS, allowing viewers with low vision to increase onscreen text size.


• Sony Access controller is gaining support as a game controller on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, with full button and thumbstick customization and support for combining two controllers.


• FaceTime gains a new API allowing sign language interpretation app developers to add a human interpreter to an ongoing video call.


• Touch Accommodations gain a new way to personalize setup in iOS and iPadOS.

Starting today, the Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone, an adaptive MagSafe accessory designed by Los Angeles-based designer Bailey Hikawa, is available globally in three new colors via the Apple Store online. The accessory was developed in collaboration with individuals with disabilities affecting grip, strength, and mobility, and is now available internationally via a partnership with PopSockets.

All of the announced features are expected to arrive later this year. Voice Control's natural language capabilities will be available in English in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia.

Today's announcement is part of Apple's annual tradition of previewing upcoming accessibility features ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which falls on the third Thursday of May each year. While no firm release date is given for the features, they typically arrive with Apple's new operating system updates in the fall. This year that means iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27, all of which are expected to be unveiled at WWDC in June before shipping in September.
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iOS 27 will include a custom wallpaper generator and an option to automatically create shortcuts using AI, reports Bloomberg.


When choosing a new wallpaper, users will have the option to generate something custom using the Image Playground app. ‌Image Playground‌ is used for generating custom emoji and images that can be used throughout iOS, and it is set to get an upgrade in ‌iOS 27‌.

Apple is testing models that produce more lifelike images, so the version of ‌Image Playground‌ that's used for generating custom wallpapers could be different from the current version.

Shortcuts is also getting a major update, with users able to use natural language to ask Siri to make a shortcut. There is an option for users to tell ‌Siri‌ what they want to accomplish with a shortcut to have the workflow created using AI.

Bloomberg says the Shortcuts app has a prompt that says "What do you want your shortcut to do?" with a text field to enter a description. Shortcuts that are created using AI are then automatically installed and immediately available for use.

Shortcut creation is largely done manually now, and it is a tool that has remained out of reach of many casual iPhone users. A Shortcuts app that's able to work with natural language capabilities will see the app getting more widespread use.

The new Shortcuts app and the wallpaper generation tool will be previewed at the WWDC keynote that's set to take place on June 8.
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iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 will include a revamped AI chatbot version of Siri with new capabilities, but Apple is also planning to introduce new Apple Intelligence features across the operating system, reports Bloomberg.


Apple is testing an expanded version of Writing Tools that will do more rewriting and text generation than the current version. There is a "Write With ‌Siri‌" toggle at the top of the keyboard, along with a "Help Me Write" option that comes up when ‌Siri‌ is activated while a text field is open.

Apple is planning to introduce a dedicated AI grammar checker for Writing Tools that will work like Grammarly. When writing in Messages, Mail, and other apps there will be a translucent menu that slides up from the bottom of the iPhone's screen, and it will show suggested revisions next to the original written text.

Users can go through the suggestions and accept or reject them one by one, approve all of the changes at once, or ignore all of the changes. Apple has an option for pausing grammar checking and for moving between different flagged sections of text. Apple already has a spellchecking feature, but the new feature will add grammar suggestions.

The updates to Writing Tools will be unveiled at Apple's June 8 WWDC keynote. Apple is also planning AI updates for the Photos app, Camera app, and more, with details available in our iOS 27 roundup.
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Apple today provided a schedule for its 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference, which starts on June 8 and ends on June 12. Apple also sent out invites to members of the media who have been invited to attend an in-person keynote viewing at Apple Park.


Both the invites and schedule confirm that the keynote will begin at the standard time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m Eastern Time.

Apple says the keynote event will be available to stream on Apple.com, the Apple TV app, and the Apple YouTube channel. We'll also be providing live coverage at MacRumors.com for those who are unable to watch.

Apple also plans to host the Platforms State of the Union for developers at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and video sessions and guides will start coming out after the keynote event. Group Labs and Q&A sessions will be hosted by Apple engineers and designers throughout the week, providing more insight into the new software coming at WWDC 2026.

‌WWDC 2026‌ will see Apple unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and more. An updated version of Siri that's smarter and more like a ChatGPT-style chatbot will be unveiled, along with multiple design changes to accommodate ‌Siri‌'s new abilities. We have an in-depth look at what's coming in iOS 27 in our dedicated roundup.
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Less than three weeks before Colombians head to the polls in presidential elections, centrist candidate Claudia Lopez’s odds at victory are slim, to say the least.

Since winning the primary contest to lead the Consultation of Solutions (Consulta de las Soluciones) bloc in March, the silver-haired former mayor of Bogotá has been criss-crossing the country to win over moderate voters.

But the latest polls report the 56-year-old’s share of the vote as being in the low single digits.

Dressed in her signature gilet and sipping from a mug of coffee, the former Harvard University guest lecturer says in flawless English that she wants to do the interview in Spanish – “I need to get people to vote for me,” she jokes. 

With little to lose, López speaks candidly about her time in office, her views on other politicians, and her experience on the campaign trail.

Watch the full interview here

Reflections on her mayorship

López, who steered Bogotá through the Covid-19 pandemic and a mass wave of anti-government protests, speaks proudly of her stint as mayor from 2020 to 2024.

The presidential hopeful rattles off a list of her achievements in office: her management of the Covid-19 pandemic, lifting 600,000 women out of poverty, and rolling out Bogotá’s public bicycle network.

López also speaks candidly about the problems during her mayorship, which spanned the administrations of presidents Iván Duque and Gustavo Petro.

“Interestingly, I ended up having an easier relationship with President Duque, a right-winger, than with my left-wing president, whom I voted for,” says López. 

López, who publicly backed Petro’s candidacy, describes friction between the national government and the mayor’s office.

“President Petro is an effusive leader, but he is too effusive, very machista, and I, well, I don’t agree with that; if there’s one thing I can’t stand in my life, it’s the abuse of power.”

On the campaign trail

Today, the former senator finds herself trying to carve out a place in a noisy election cycle marked by political extremes and polarization.

Her coalition’s platform is based on three pillars: security and territorial governance; equality and social justice; and regional development without corruption.

López’s shift to the center has drawn some criticism, including from voters who note the former Green Alliance member’s u-turn on key environmental issues like fracking.

Last year, she declared: “If god gave us oil, coal, and gas, that is what we will use.”

“I maintain this stance,” insists López, adding she opposes the Petro administration’s pause on all oil and gas exploration. “Stopping gas exploration means halting Colombia’s energy transition – it’s a mistake.”

López argues the policy has damaged the economy and reduced funds for investment and development. 

Instead, she backs a gradual transition: “I estimate that the transition in Colombia from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources will take us about 25 years, give or take.”

The candidate believes in preserving biodiversity, saying she would not authorize mineral exploration in the country’s forests or protected areas, marking a softer stance than some of her opponents.

Among her rivals, López is especially critical of right-wing criminal defense attorney Abelardo de la Espriella.

“He is the only candidate – let’s put it this way – whom I would absolutely never vote for. He is a defender of mobsters. He is a shadowy character,” says López.

De la Espriella notoriously represented figures linked to paramilitary death squads, the head of the worst pyramid scheme in Colombian history, and Alex Saab, considered the frontman for corruption schemes by former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. 

López argues that he is an Uribista – a supporter of the politics of right-wing ex-president Álvaro Uribe – but is on a different “side of the coin” to Uribe’s chosen candidate, Paloma Valencia.

“Paloma is definitely a supporter of Uribe, but she’s never exactly been a defender of mobsters,” explains López.

The ex-mayor refused to rule out voting for Valencia or for leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda, the two frontrunners alongside de la Espriella.

But López, a lesbian woman, is staunchly critical of Valencia’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. The candidate for Uribe’s Democratic Center (Centro Democrático) party opposes adoption by same-sex couples while her party has blocked bans on conversion therapy. 

She is particularly critical of Juan Daniel Oviedo, a gay politician, for agreeing to be Valencia’s running mate in March. 

“I regret that Juan Daniel Oviedo feels compelled to play along with that anti-rights agenda. In fact, I believe he is the only person who has been told to his face that he is not considered an equal human being, that he is not considered a citizen with the same rights, and that they do not trust him to raise a child,” says López.

Despite her objections to Valencia, López says she still will not rule out voting for her in the second round, citing the improbable possibility that Paloma faces de la Espriella in a run-off.

But the former mayor maintains she would not endorse Valencia and Oviedo in any eventuality: “I wouldn’t campaign for them, ask anyone to vote for them, or endorse them.”

Looking to the future

Finally, faced with nearly impossible odds in May’s elections, López projects a springy optimism about her political future.

“I’m very happy with the campaign I’ve run, and I’m very grateful to the Colombian people,” says the candidate, stressing that it is just her first stab at the presidency.

“Ours is a new grassroots movement; we only just collected the signatures last year, so I feel grateful, happy, and very excited, and I’m going to continue in politics and continue working to build Colombian social democracy.”

Featured image description: Claudia Lopez.

Featured image credit: Billy Ramsey.

The post In conversation with Claudia López, ex-mayor of Bogotá and presidential candidate appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Google's latest wave of announcements for Android and Gemini, the newly announced Fitbit Air, and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors.


The centerpiece of Google's announcements this week was Gemini Intelligence, Google's new umbrella platform for AI across phones, watches, cars, and laptops. Its headline capability is cross-app automation: users can photograph an event flyer and ask Gemini to find tickets on Expedia, or pull up a grocery list and have it build a cart in a shopping app. A companion feature called Create My Widget lets users describe a home screen widget in natural language and have Gemini generate it, drawing from Gmail and Calendar to build a personalized dashboard.

Google also unveiled the Googlebook, a new laptop category designed from the ground up around Gemini with partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo arriving this fall. Gemini in Chrome for Android gained an agentic browsing layer rolling out end of June, and Android Auto received AI-generated contextual replies and DoorDash voice ordering. A Meta partnership brings Ultra HDR, native stabilization, and night mode to Instagram on Android flagship devices.

In January, Apple and Google announced a partnership under which Gemini would power the next generation of Apple Foundation Models, including a more personalized Siri expected this year. Apple's equivalent cross-app ‌Siri‌ actions were announced at WWDC 2024 but have not yet shipped; Gemini Intelligence is rolling out this summer using the same underlying technology.

Google also unveiled the Fitbit Air this week, a screenless fitness tracker priced at $99 that ships on May 26. The device weighs just 12 grams with the band and tracks heart rate, AFib, HRV, SpO2, and sleep stages in a small pill-shaped design with no display, no buttons, and no notifications. Battery life lasts for seven days, with a five-minute fast charge delivering a full day of use. A Stephen Curry Special Edition is priced at $129, with core tracking free and Google Health Premium adding an AI Coach for $9.99 per month after a three-month trial.

The launch accompanies a broader rebrand. The Fitbit app becomes Google Health on May 19, with Google Fit folded in, Apple Health data supported on iOS, and APIs for Garmin, Whoop, and Oura. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported earlier this year that Apple has scaled back a comparable Health+ coaching service, with the feature now unlikely to launch. The Apple Watch SE starts at $249 and requires daily charging, and the Fitbit Air's $99 price with no mandatory subscription addresses a segment Apple does not cover.

We also discuss the Apple Watch Series 12, which is shaping up to be an incremental upgrade. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in March that he does not expect any major design changes, and a significant redesign is now not expected until 2028.

The leaker known as "Instant Digital" said this week that Touch ID, which appeared in leaked Apple code last year, has been deprioritized in favor of battery life improvements. DigiTimes previously reported on an eight-sensor array on the back of at least one 2026 model, though blood pressure monitoring is said to be further out. A new chip is expected, with leaked code indicating a meaningful upgrade from the S10 used across the last three series. watchOS 27 will be previewed at WWDC on June 8.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about how the global memory shortage is forcing Apple's hand across multiple key products, killing configurations, delaying launches, and prompting spec decisions that would have seemed unlikely a year ago.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Deals on the 2026 MacBook Pros have been popular over the past few weeks, but the focus has been on the 14-inch M5 Pro models. Today, Amazon has opened up massive discounts on the 16-inch M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, with $249 off every model.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

With these markdowns, every model of the 2026 16-inch MacBook Pro has hit a new all-time low price on Amazon, and each deal is available in both Silver and Space Black. Prices start at $2,449.99 for the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro model, down from $2,699.00.






You can also still get up to $216 off the 14-inch MacBook Pro this week on Amazon. The best deal is the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro model for $1,983.94, down from $2,199.00.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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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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Rumors suggest Apple plans to expand Apple-designed modems to the entire iPhone 18 lineup, ending support for Qualcomm modems. The transition will bring speed and efficiency improvements, along with a little-known privacy benefit.


In iOS 26.3, Apple added a Limit Precise Location setting that cuts down on the amount of location data that's available to mobile networks, improving user privacy.

Mobile networks determine your location using information from cellular towers that a device connects to, but with Limit Precise Location enabled, some of the data typically provided to mobile networks is restricted. Instead of seeing location down to a street address, carriers may be limited to the neighborhood where a device is located.

The problem is that this feature is currently only available on devices with an Apple-designed C1 or C1X modem, which includes the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, iPhone 17e, and M5 iPad Pro. Devices with Qualcomm modems like the iPhone 17 Pro models do not have the Limit Precise Location setting.

With the iPhone 18 Pro models and the iPhone Fold expected to use Apple modem technology, this is likely a privacy option that is set to expand to the full iPhone lineup.

Reducing location precision does not impact signal quality or user experience, nor does it affect the precision of location data provided to emergency responders during an emergency call. It is only meant to limit the location data given to cellular carriers, and it is distinct from location data shared with apps through Location Services.

While Apple's next set of iPhones will all likely have the new privacy feature, carriers do have to implement support. So far there are a limited number of carriers that have added the feature, but if it expands to the entire iPhone lineup and there is customer demand, it could see more widespread adoption.

In the United States, only Boost Mobile supports limiting precise location data, but EE, BT, and Sky all support it in the UK, while carriers in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and Thailand have also adopted support and all of these carriers have the setting turned on by default. Users on a physical SIM or eSIM from any carrier in the EU or UK can also manually turn the setting on. A full list of supported carriers and regions is available on Apple's website.

The C2 modem that Apple is rumored to be working on is more capable than the C1 or C1X, and it will offer similar performance to Qualcomm's newest modems. It is expected to support mmWave 5G, which is not a feature of the C1 or C1X.
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Apple's iPad that's just an ‌iPad‌ with no Air or Pro attached is its most appealing tablet because of the affordable starting $349 price tag, but if you've been thinking about buying one, you should wait.


Apple refreshed the ‌iPad‌ in March 2025, so it's over a year old. That's reason enough not to buy when there's a new model on the horizon, but this year, there's even more to lose by purchasing now.

The 2025 ‌iPad‌ has an A16 chip inside that does not support Apple Intelligence. It does not have features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, Clean Up, Live Translation, notification summaries, Smart Reply, Priority Messages in Mail, Visual Intelligence, and multiple other AI-related tools.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is still new so it might not sound like a big deal to miss out on those capabilities, but not having access to it is going to become more of a problem as Apple continues implementing new AI features.

Rumors suggest there are big changes coming in iOS 27. Siri is going to get smarter and turn into a full chatbot, the Camera app is going to get ‌Visual Intelligence‌ integration, the Photos app will have AI image editing tools, Shortcuts may be more automated, and there are probably features coming that haven't even been rumored yet.

The A16 ‌iPad‌ will likely feel outdated in the next year or two because of the feature set it won't have access to.

The next ‌iPad‌ is likely to get the A18 chip, and the A18 does support ‌Apple Intelligence‌. It will have faster performance, more RAM, and most importantly, future-proofing and access to the AI features that Apple is investing in.

Holding out for the next ‌iPad‌ will take some patience, because right now, we don't know when it's coming. Updating the ‌iPad‌ alongside the low-cost iPhone 17e would have made sense, but that didn't happen. A new entry-level ‌iPad‌ isn't coming in the first half of 2026, so we're likely going to be waiting until September or October.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in March that an updated low-cost iPad is "ready to go" and "still coming this year." Even though the wait may be several months, we think it's worth holding out for the next ‌iPad‌ instead of buying now because of the upgrade that comes with ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support.
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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.
This article, "20th Anniversary iPhone's Curved Display to Improve a Year Later" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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