Ultra 4/Series 12 rebooting randomly.
iOS 27.2 Beta 2 ― Bug Fixes, Changes, and Improvements
Yearly releases of OS is just not sustainable!
iPhone Duo Owners Breathing a little Easier
Do Mini M6 and M5 Pro 2026 accept user installed SSD? [MERGED]iPhone 18 Pro Max is here! First impressions and photos threadiPhone camera aperture: don't fall for the marketing trick!I'm an Apple Nerd...and I don't need the DuoUnable to access Messages on my Ultra 4 running iOS 27?🌍 📱 Photos taken with iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max 🌟 - Worldwide - (2026-2027)
Apple today unveiled new Beats 360 over-ear headphones, and it is offering introductory pricing on extra ear cushions.
Now through October 31, extra Performance Knit and UltraPlush ear cushions with matching headbands in a variety of colors are available on Apple's online store in the U.S. for just $9.99 each, with customers limited to three kits per order while supplies last. Lower pricing extends to select other countries. Starting November 1, regular pricing of $49.99 will apply.
Apple is working on an activity tracker that doesn't have a screen, reports Bloomberg. The screen-free health and fitness device is said to be similar to Whoop's line of bands. Whoop makes wrist-worn trackers with 24/7 monitoring, but without a display.
Apple has apparently been "exploring" the category for months and has developed prototypes, but hasn't decided whether the project will move forward. Apple chair Tim Cook and services chief Eddy Cue are interested in the product, notable because Cue now leads Apple's health teams. Cue is said to be pushing for wearables with simpler interfaces, like the screen-free Whoop and Oura Ring.
Prototypes have a fabric band attached to a computing module that rests on the wrist. Sensors track heart rate and other metrics, similar to the Apple Watch.
The latest Apple Watch models adopt features similar to those offered by Whoop and Oura products, including an overall readiness score and an estimate of biological age. A new version of the Health app is being tested in iOS 27.2, and it has a more user-friendly interface with clearer guidance than before.
If Apple moves forward with the screen-free tracker, it likely would not launch until at least 2028. Apple is expected to debut wearable AI smart glasses and AirPods with cameras before then.
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reiterated that the operating system will feature a grid of app icons, widgets, and customizable clock faces.
The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition, Gurman reported that the hub can identify who is looking at the display and show personalized information. As a user approaches the hub, or moves away from it, the size of the interface elements will automatically change.
The operating system could be named homeOS, according to trademark activity from a shell company that is potentially linked to Apple.
homeOS would join iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS.
The hub will essentially combine a HomePod-like speaker with a 6-inch or 7-inch square display. Siri AI is expected to be at the core of the new operating system, and other rumored features include FaceTime video calls, HomeKit accessory management, home security monitoring, photo galleries, a calendar, music playback, and more.
Some of the preinstalled Apple apps that will apparently be available on the new platform include Calendar, Camera, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, Reminders, Notes, and the all-new Siri app for Siri AI conversations.
Finally, the platform will supposedly have multi-user support.
Apple is expected to unveil the home hub as soon as October this year.
The Apple Watch Series 12 is now available, two years after the Series 10 introduced the current thinner design. But is it worth upgrading?
While last year's Series 11 brought just four changes, the Series 12 is a much more substantial update, with a new chip, twice as much RAM, redesigned health sensors, exclusive health and audio features, tougher cover glass, 5G connectivity, and new case materials.
The Series 12 starts at the same $399 price as the Series 10 did in 2024. Apple has now discontinued the Series 10, but remaining units may still be available from third-party retailers and on the refurbished or second-hand market. Here are all of the key hardware and feature differences between the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Series 12:
| Apple Watch Series 10 | Apple Watch Series 12 |
|---|---|
| S10 chip (2024) | S11 chip (2026) |
| 2GB RAM | 4GB RAM |
| Electrical heart sensor | Health Sensing System with second-generation electrical heart sensor |
| Third-generation optical heart sensor | Fourth-generation, always-on optical heart sensor |
| Periodic background heart rate tracking | High-frequency background heart rate tracking every five seconds |
| Heart rate variability | Recovery HRV and overall HRV, measured up to 24x more frequently |
| Vitals app with heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration | Vitals app with heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and HRV, plus daytime vitals |
| Readiness app with daily score and recommendation | |
| Standard step tracking | Redesigned pedometer model with more accurate all-day step tracking |
| Steps watch face complication | |
| Audio Intelligence, including Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and faster Shazam | |
| Ion-X front glass (aluminum models) | Ceramic Shield 2, 60% tougher than Ion-X (aluminum models) |
| Metal and sapphire crystal back | Case-matched metal or ceramic and zirconia back |
| Aluminum or titanium case | Aluminum, titanium, or ceramic case |
| Aluminum: Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver | Aluminum: Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, and Space Gray |
| Titanium: Slate, Gold, and Natural | Titanium: Radiant Gold and Natural |
| Ceramic: Pearl White and Night Blue | |
| Hermès: Silver titanium | Hermès: Silver and Radiant Gold titanium |
| LTE and UMTS (cellular models) | LTE and 5G RedCap (cellular models) |
| Up to 18 hours of normal use | Up to 24 hours of normal use |
| Up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode |
| 15 minutes of charging for up to eight hours of normal use | 15 minutes of charging for up to 12 hours of normal use |
| Eight minutes of charging for up to eight hours of sleep tracking | Five minutes of charging for up to 10 hours of sleep tracking |
| Now discontinued | From $399 |
The Series 12 retains the same basic design introduced by the Series 10, including 42mm and 46mm size options and a 9.7mm-thick case. Nevertheless, Apple has made some subtle dimensional changes. Both sizes are now 1mm wider, and every equivalent aluminum or titanium configuration is between 2.1 and 3.3 grams heavier than its Series 10 counterpart.
At the same time, the display has shrunk slightly. Resolution is unchanged, but the active display area is around 2% smaller on both sizes. The combination of a wider, receded case and smaller display produces thicker borders around the screen.
Here is how the 46mm models compare:
| 46mm | Apple Watch Series 10 | Apple Watch Series 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 46mm x 39mm x 9.7mm | 46mm x 40mm x 9.7mm |
| Resolution | 416 x 496 pixels | 416 x 496 pixels |
| Display area | 1,220 sq mm | 1,196 sq mm |
| Aluminum (GPS) | 36.4 grams | 39.5 grams |
| Aluminum (Cellular) | 35.3 grams | 38.6 grams |
| Titanium | 41.7 grams | 44.9 grams |
The 42mm models compare as follows:
| 42mm | Apple Watch Series 10 | Apple Watch Series 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 42mm x 36mm x 9.7mm | 42mm x 37mm x 9.7mm |
| Resolution | 374 x 446 pixels | 374 x 446 pixels |
| Display area | 989 sq mm | 970 sq mm |
| Aluminum (GPS) | 30 grams | 32.2 grams |
| Aluminum (Cellular) | 29.3 grams | 31.5 grams |
| Titanium | 34.4 grams | 36.5 grams |
The Series 12 also marks the return of a ceramic Apple Watch for the first time since the Series 5 Edition in 2019. The ceramic models are larger and heavier than their aluminum and titanium counterparts:
| Ceramic | 46mm | 42mm |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 47mm x 41mm x 9.85mm | 43mm x 37mm x 9.85mm |
| Pearl White | 51.3 grams | 41.7 grams |
| Night Blue | 52.9 grams | 42.8 grams |
Two generations on, the Series 12 represents a meaningful cumulative upgrade over the Series 10, but it is far from an essential replacement. The two models share the same basic design, display brightness, resolution, storage capacity, core safety features, and more. The Series 10 is only two years old, and supports watchOS 27 and Siri AI, so it remains a capable and modern Apple Watch.
For existing Series 10 owners, upgrading is easiest to justify if health and fitness tracking is a priority. The Series 12's high-frequency heart rate sensing, Recovery HRV, daytime vitals, Readiness score, and improved step tracking provide substantially more useful training and recovery data. Sound Recognition may be compelling for deaf or hard of hearing users, while 5G, faster charging, tougher cover glass on aluminum models, and the ceramic case provide additional reasons for some buyers to upgrade.
Beyond this, the practical difference between the two devices is relatively small. The Series 12 is also slightly wider and heavier, and its active display area is around 2% smaller despite retaining the same resolution. Its 24-hour battery rating is also not directly comparable with the Series 10's 18-hour figure because Apple changed its testing methodology. If your Series 10 still comfortably lasts through the day and you are satisfied with its existing health features, there is no strong general-purpose reason to replace it.
At its $399 starting price, the Series 12 is the obvious choice over a Series 10 selling for anything close to its original price. The newer model offers a better health sensing system, twice as much RAM, the S11 chip, exclusive Audio Intelligence features, faster charging, 5G, and more case options. A saving of only $50 to $100 is unlikely to compensate for giving up those improvements.
The Series 10 becomes attractive when it is at least around $150 cheaper than an equivalent Series 12 and is in excellent condition. It still offers an always-on display, ECG, temperature sensing, sleep apnea and hypertension notifications, advanced workout tracking, and Siri AI. Buyers should pay particular attention to battery health and warranty coverage, since replacing a degraded battery could quickly erode the saving.
Apple's first smart glasses could arrive in a rapidly expanding market, with worldwide AI glasses shipments increasing 263% year-over-year during the first half of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research.
The figures are particularly relevant for Apple because display-less products accounted for 96% of shipments. Apple's initial smart glasses are likewise rumored to omit an augmented reality display, focusing instead on audio, cameras, Siri, and connectivity with the iPhone and Apple's wider ecosystem.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the company is targeting a late 2027 release for the device. Apple could introduce the glasses at WWDC 2027 with an emphasis on privacy.
Counterpoint said shipments of display-less AI glasses increased 258% from the first half of 2025 and 22% from the preceding six months. This category includes products such as the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which provide photography, audio, calling, and AI features without screens.
Meta currently presents Apple with a formidable incumbent. The company accounted for approximately 94% of total AI glasses shipments, while its own volume grew 260% year over year and 22% sequentially. Its expansion has been supported by additional frame styles, wider retail distribution, and new glasses priced from $299.
Display-equipped AI glasses represented only 4% of the market, although shipments in that segment increased 449% year-over-year. Apple's more advanced augmented-reality glasses are not expected until 2029 at the earliest.
Counterpoint identified increasing semiconductor costs and public unease about wearable cameras as possible obstacles to continued growth. It nevertheless expects investment from Apple, Meta, Google, and Samsung to push the category toward more proactive glasses that use AI to understand their surroundings and provide assistance based on context.
As usual, September has been a very busy month for Apple, with the company unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, Beats 360, and more. Nevertheless, Apple reportedly still has many more products to release later this year, including a new iPad mini, Apple TV, HomePod mini, iMac, and more.
It seems quite likely that Apple will hold an October event this year to announce at least some of the rumored new products, while others might be introduced in press releases. Below, we have recapped what to expect from Apple next month.
Apple does unveil new products in November or December sometimes, but this is less common.
The table below outlines Apple's product announcements in October over the past five years.
| Year | Tagline | Event or Press Release | Dates | New Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "Unleashed" | Event | Monday, October 18 | - MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips - AirPods 3 - New HomePod mini colors - Apple Polishing Cloth |
| 2022 | "Take Note" | Press Releases | Tuesday, October 18 | - iPad Pro with M2 chip - iPad 10 - Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) |
| 2023 | "Scary Fast" | Event | Monday, October 30 | - MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips - 24" iMac with M3 chip |
| 2024 | — | Press Release | Tuesday, October 15 | - iPad mini with A17 Pro chip |
| 2024 | "Mac Your Calendars" | Press Releases | Monday, October 28 to Wednesday, October 30 | - 24" iMac with M4 chip - Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chips - MacBook Pro models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips |
| 2025 | "Something Powerful is Coming" | Press Releases | Wednesday, October 15 | - 14" MacBook Pro with M5 chip - iPad Pro with M5 chip - Vision Pro with M5 chip |
The following products are rumored to launch before the end of 2026:
After months of teases and leaks, Beats is officially announcing its new Beats 360 headphone today. Priced at $349.99, Beats 360 represents a rethinking of the Beats over-ear headphone design, with an emphasis on sound quality, comfort, and customizability.
In addition to active noise cancellation (ANC), which utilizes a system of eight microphones to analyze the acoustic environment inside and outside the headphone, Beats 360 also support Transparency mode to still allow you to hear the world around you, while turning off ANC and Transparency activates Adaptive EQ to continually tune acoustic performance.
"Beats didn't just participate in the rise of over-ear headphones—we helped define the category," said Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Music, Sports, and Beats. "Beats 360 is the next chapter of that story. We combined our most advanced acoustic performance ever with a perfectly balanced design that moves effortlessly with you. And with our new interchangeable cushions, our customers can express themselves in a way no other over-ear headphone can."
Beats 360 is available in four color options: Black, Cloud (an off-white), Pink, and Sky (a light blue). It includes comfortable color-matched Perfomance Knit ear and headband cushions, but the cushions are removable and interchangeable, allowing you to customize your favorite look and even change color combinations to suit the moment. Separate Performance Knit cushion kits are available in all four of the standard colors, plus Volt (a neon yellow-green) and Navy.
The Performance Knit memory foam cushions are breathable and ideal for working out and other active uses, but for the times you might prefer a more traditional cushion style, Beats is also introducing UltraPlush cushion kits in Black and Ivory. Similar to the ones found on Studio Pro and Solo 4, Beats 360 UltraPlush cushions feature a more pillowy feel with memory foam wrapped in engineered leather. Sensors in Beats 360 identify whether you are using Performance Knit or UltraPlush cushions, and they automatically adjust the acoustic tuning and noise cancellation filtering to maintain a consistent listening experience regardless of cushion material.
Beats 360 in dozens of color combinations
Beats 360 in Sky
Beats 360 in Sky with Navy cushionsAs a result, the headband houses only a single power cable to connect the two sides, allowing the batteries in both sides to be charged simultaneously from a single USB-C port. The thin headband also helps to optimize weight distribution, so while Beats 360 and Studio Pro are similar in weight at a little under 300 grams, Beats 360 puts more of the mass into the cushions where it matters most for comfort.
The left earcup features a USB-C port for charging, a power button, and a dedicated listening mode button to switch among ANC, Transparency, and Adaptive EQ, while the right earcup includes a play/pause button and a volume rocker. Hands-free "Hey Siri" support is also included.
When it comes to battery life, Beats 360 deliver 32 hours of playback with ANC on, with a five-minute Fast Fuel charge giving you an hour of playback time in a pinch.
The Beats fourth-generation proprietary platform delivers significant levels of native integration across both Apple and Android, with Apple users able to take advantage of one-touch pairing with automatic iCloud pairing and switching, Audio Sharing to allow a friend with compatible AirPods or Beats to listen to your audio, and Find My support. Android users get many of the same features with one-touch and ecosystem pairing, Audio Switch, and Find Hub geolocation.
Unlike the Beats Studio Pro, Beats 360 headband does not fold for travel, but the earcups do twist flat, and the headphones slide into a woven ripstop carrying case with a magnetic closure and a rear loop to hook onto a finger or carabiner. The case measures about 9 inches square and a little over 2 inches thick at its pleated bottom with the headphone inside. I prefer this flatter style of case to that of the Studio Pro, as it allows the headphone to fit into a computer bag or backpack more easily.
Cases for Beats Studio Pro (left) and Beats 360 (right)"I'm always on the go and switching between so many different looks," said Kendall Jenner. "So Beats 360 fits my lifestyle. I love that I can switch the cushions to match whatever I'm doing that day."
"Kendall tailors her looks to fit every moment, so she needs a headphone that can change with her," said Beats CMO Chris Thorne. "The film captures that perfectly, playfully showing every side of Kendall, and how Beats 360 keeps up with all of them."
In a brief interview with Schusser at a Beats preview event earlier this month, he discussed how Jenner was an ideal candidate to promote Beats 360 given the many roles she plays throughout any given day in her personal and professional life.
He also addressed how Beats has been able to flourish under Apple's ownership, with Beats gaining access to all of Apple's expertise in audio as Apple and Beats engineers work side-by-side on products. At the same time, Beats has been able to maintain its own identity on the product design and marketing sides, continuing to focus on active lifestyle and celebrity marketing that remains distinct from how Apple promotes its own products.
Beats 360 is available to order starting today at apple.com in the United States and more than 100 other countries and regions, as well as at Amazon and other third-party retailers. Availability follows this Thursday, September 24. It comes with the woven ripstop carrying case, while additional cushion kits, USB-C charging cables, and power adapters are sold separately.
Amazon has big discounts on the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro this week, with up to $600 off select models. This time around, the best deals can be found on the 16-inch MacBook Pro models, although you'll find a few notable markdowns on 14-inch devices as well.
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.
Amazon is taking a giant $600 off the 36GB/2TB 14-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro, now priced at $3,499.00. This is the steepest discount on the 14-inch models right now, but you'll also find $150 off a few entry-level options below.
In terms of the larger display models, we're tracking big discounts on all four models on Amazon. These start at $2,759.00 for the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro configuration ($240 off), and reach up to $4,499.00 for the 48GB/2TB M5 Max device ($500 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.
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple's 2029 "Pro" iPhones could adopt thinner and more power-efficient OLED screens, according to UBI Research.
The technology, known as Color Filter on Encapsulation (CoE), removes the conventional polarizer from the OLED panel and places a color filter directly on top of its encapsulation layer. A polarizer helps suppress reflections from ambient light, but it also absorbs a significant portion of the light produced by the display.
Removing the polarizer allows more light to pass through, potentially enabling a display to reach greater brightness without consuming additional power, or use less power while maintaining the same brightness. Eliminating the separate layer can also make the display assembly thinner, freeing up internal space for components such as the battery, cameras, and more.
Samsung first commercialized the technology, which it branded Eco² OLED, with the Galaxy Z Fold3. According to Samsung's internal testing, its original implementation improved light transmission by 33% and reduced power consumption by up to 25% compared with an OLED panel using a traditional polarizer.
CoE technology presents some technical challenges. Without a polarizer, manufacturers have to control external reflections through a combination of color filters, black pixel-defining layers, low-reflection coatings, and other optical measures. UBI Research believes the difficulty of maintaining outdoor visibility, viewing angles, contrast, and color accuracy may explain why Apple is reportedly waiting until 2029 to bring the technology to its high-volume conventional iPhone models.
Prior to the unveiling of the iPhone Duo, reports indicated that its Samsung-supplied folding OLED display would use CoE technology. Apple has not detailed the panel's internal construction, but UBI Research sees the foldable device as a potential first step toward using polarizer-free OLED displays across the iPhone "Pro" lineup.
The research firm estimates that annual panel demand for the two Pro models could remain between 90 million and 100 million units, making the proposed transition significantly larger in scale than CoE's use in foldable devices. Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to lead the initial supply, while BOE could compete for orders if it can meet Apple's requirements.
Apple today announced that Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in eight more countries: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Peru.
Tap to Pay on iPhone allows businesses to accept contactless payments on an iPhone, with no point-of-sale hardware required. Instead, customers can simply tap their own iPhone or Apple Watch, credit card or debit card, or other contactless payment option on the merchant's iPhone.
Apple launches its new Mac mini and Mac Studio models today in 30 countries and regions, including the U.S, and same-day pickup is now available at many Apple Store locations.
To order a product with Apple Store pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP code, choose an available Apple Store location, and select a pickup date. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number may be required upon pickup.
Same-day Apple Store pickup is not available for custom Mac configurations with upgraded specifications ordered through Apple's online store.
Our previous coverage:
Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 ($799 for eligible education customers), while Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at $1,699 ($1,599 for eduction). Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499 ($2,299 for eduction), and Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $5,499 ($5,099 for education).
With Apple Upgrade, eligible customers in the U.S. can also opt to lease a new Mac with monthly payments and upgrade at the end of their lease. More information can be found on the Apple website.
New references in the latest iOS 27.2 beta show that Apple continues to develop a new feature which will lock your iPhone if it's snatched from your hand by a thief.
As previously reported, the feature will use the gyroscope, accelerometer, and other sensors to determine when an iPhone has been grabbed. It'll also rely on a paired Apple Watch to detect when the iPhone has suddenly moved away from the owner's wrist.
According to new code seen by 9to5Mac, the feature is called "AutoLock" internally, and it can use several different methods to determine whether an iPhone has been snatched from its owner:
There are also references to safeguards to prevent false positives, like as successful biometric authentication, or foreground app activities that could be mistakenly taken as a sign that the iPhone has been snatched.
Additional code also suggests the feature works using a voting system where a potential theft signal can request a lock, while safeguards such as biometrics and familiar locations can veto it.
When the iPhone is yanked from the owner's hand, assuming a successful theft signal, the device will lock and activate Stolen Device Protection to prevent thieves from accessing information on it.
Stolen Device Protection adds extra security to your iPhone when you're away from familiar locations like home or work. It requires biometric authentication for actions like accessing stored passwords or credit cards, and there are built-in hour-long delays for actions like changing an Apple Account password.
Android already has a Theft Detection Lock feature that locks a smartphone in a snatch-and-grab theft situation. It's not clear when Apple's equivalent feature will launch, if at all, but the additional code indicates that Apple is at least still developing it under wraps.
Apple's new Texture and Grain controls for Photographic Styles are not available on iPhones other than the latest iPhone 18 Pro models and upcoming iPhone Duo, despite the company's original wording suggesting otherwise.
When Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max earlier this month, its Newsroom press release said the new Texture and Grain controls would be "available in iOS 27 on iPhone models that support the latest generation of Photographic Styles."
That original wording is preserved in copies of Apple's launch-day press release distributed through Business Wire and Notice Nearby. Elsewhere, in Apple's User Guide for iOS 27, devices that support the "latest generation Photographic Styles" are listed as the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air, and iPhone 18 Pro models.
Apple has since changed the footnote on its iPhone 18 Pro Newsroom announcement. It now says Texture and Grain controls are available "only for photos captured on iPhone 18 Pro models and with the Ultra Wide, Main, and Center Stage cameras on the iPhone Duo."
Apple also states definitively in its iOS 27 User Guide that changing the texture of a photo can be achieved "on iPhone 18 Pro models."
wtf? Apple now says that the texture and grain will NOT be coming to older iPhones there's no reason why this shouldn't be coming to older iPhones this is what i despise about Apple. new software camera features almost never make it to older iPhones, even though those are... https://t.co/8FM6MQV01F pic.twitter.com/yiO1nDiuFF — Noah Cat (@Cartidise) September 22, 2026
Photographic Styles are tone presets that adjust the color and warmth of a photo, while preserving skin tones. If you have an iPhone 18 Pro, check out our how-to guide to make the most out of the feature.
Apple has apparently listened to user feedback and brought back the App Switcher screen in the latest watchOS 27.2 beta, but accessing it is a little different than before.
In watchOS 26 and earlier versions, a double press of the Digital Crown would bring up the App Switcher, where you could easily switch to the last-used app and view and open other recently used apps. You could also swipe left on a misbehaving app to force close it.
In watchOS 27, the Digital Crown double-press gesture is now reserved for Apple's upcoming new Live Rewind AI feature, so it no longer brings up the App Switcher screen. There were concerns that this meant the App Switcher would be gone for good, but Apple has reinstated it in the second watchOS 27.2 beta, released yesterday.
The gesture for opening it has changed, though.
As shown in the video below, you now access the App Switcher by pressing and holding the bottom of the screen while you're in an app.
Apple has brought back the App Switcher! On watchOS 26 and earlier, you could access the App Switcher by double-clicking the Digital Crown, then turning the Digital Crown to navigate through your recently used apps. You could also swipe left on an app and tap the "X" button to... pic.twitter.com/G5fa0TeTR9 — (@limpless_skelly) September 22, 2026
Apple has announced the opening of Apple Music Hall, a state-of-the-art 600-capacity music venue located in London's Battersea Power Station. Apple says it is "designed to connect artists and fans through bespoke, intimate performances unlike anywhere else."
"Apple's deep love for music dates all the way back to the very beginning, from the launch of the iPod to the long-running iTunes Music Festival to the debut of Apple Music," said Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple Music and International Content. "Today, with the opening of Apple Music Hall, we are once again taking an unprecedented step further in our commitment to artists and fans by supporting live music in ways only Apple can do."
Apple says the hall incorporates heritage brickwork, fluted arches, and bronze balconies reminiscent of the historic oriel windows, while a giant glass wall "further enhances the visual connection with the historic building, offering a panoramic view of the concourse and the river beyond."
The 38-foot-wide stage can be reconfigured for traditional front-facing sets or more in-the-round experiences, and a 48-speaker spatial sound system is positioned all around the audience. Behind the stage is a dedicated recording and mix studio so that every performance can be captured as a multi-track recording and mixed in Spatial Audio, live or in post-production.
The venue is also hardwired for 16 or more cameras that feed a purpose-built broadcast control room with infrastructure that supports iPhone video capture running in parallel alongside traditional broadcast cameras.
The exhaustive setup means artists can perform a live show, record it in Spatial Audio, create a broadcast-ready mix, and capture multicamera video – all directly in the venue.
Apple says performances out of Apple Music Hall will also be livestreamed globally so fans outside of London can tune in to enjoy shows from their favorite artists. For more information about Apple Music Hall, including tickets for upcoming shows, fans can visit applemusichall.com or follow @applemusichall on Instagram and TikTok.
Apple CEO John Ternus did an interview with Canal+ talk show Clique following Apple's September event. He discussed the iPhone Duo's design, difficulties Apple ran into when developing it, his plans for Apple, and more.
I think it's something new and unique, right? But I think we didn't want to just do what we'd seen other people do, which is sort of take two phone shapes and stick them together and then you get this weird square thing. We came at it from we want to build a large screen experience that feels right to us. And obviously we've been doing that for a long time with iPad. And so we knew kind of the shape, you know, we came up with this new aspect ratio.
Ternus said that when developing the iPhone Duo, there were "so many problems" to solve, but a foldable was an opportunity for Apple employees to "be really clever" and "come up with entirely new things." He said some of the hardware engineering problems Apple had to address involved the design of the hinge and the display, and making them reliable.
When asked to share his favorite iPhone Duo trick, Ternus showed off the device's opening animation. "I mean, this is really fun, you know, the animation that you get as you open it across from one side to the other. It's just sort of whimsical and fun. And it brings a smile to your face."
Ternus reiterated Apple's stance on AI companions, saying that Siri AI is "not designed to be your friend," which is something we heard earlier this year from Craig Federighi. Ternus said Apple doesn't want to replace human relationships. "They're how we learn, they're how we grow, they're how we find joy and happiness," he said.
Then-CEO Tim Cook and Apple's board asked Ternus if he wanted to be the next Apple CEO. Ternus didn't say when he was approached, but he said the question came as a surprise. "When Tim asked me if it was something I would consider, I would say the good news is I was sitting down, because I never in a million years would have imagined that happening," said Ternus.
As Apple's CEO, Ternus said he doesn't have plans for a radical change. He was asked if Apple was going back to its roots under his leadership, with more of a focus on engineering products.
I don't think anything's really changed. Sure, I'm new in this job, but the focus on innovation, the focus on products, the focus most importantly on our customers, that has never changed. That's been here from the beginning.
I am super passionate about products. I love building things. That's why I've been here so long. That's why I love what I do. And so I'm excited to continue doing that. But I don't think of it as some radical change.
Ternus said it was "amazing" to be able to say "one more thing" on stage at Apple's September event. "I've seen Steve say it, and I've seen Tim say it," he said. "And so having the opportunity for me to say it was pretty magical. Kind of goosebumps."
The full interview includes Ternus' thoughts on Tim Cook, the AI race, Apple's environmental goals, the Vision Pro, the new parental controls added in iOS 27, and more.
Apple is no longer signing iOS 26.6.2, so if you've upgraded to iOS 27, there is no option to downgrade to a version of iOS 26. iOS 27 came out a week ago.
Software that is "signed" can pass a server-side verification check that Apple performs when a new version of iOS is downloaded. If an update fails the verification check, it can't be installed.
By unsigning software, Apple prevents customers from installing outdated, less secure versions of iOS.
If you haven't installed iOS 27 yet, you can still keep using iOS 26, but once you've upgraded, there's no going back. You also can't downgrade from iOS 27 to iOS 26.7 (which was released alongside iOS 27) because iOS 26.7 is an over-the-air update with no restore file available.
With the second beta of macOS Golden Gate 27.2, Apple updated the look of the volume and brightness sliders when you adjust them with the keyboard.
The new sliders have a segmented bar instead of a plain line, making it clearer how much each key press adjusts volume or brightness. Apple used a similar design in macOS Sequoia before Liquid Glass, and the new look is a cross between the old slider and the Liquid Glass slider.
There are no longer two icons at the beginning and end of the slider, and Apple now uses a single larger icon on the left. The sliders appear where a matching menu bar icon is located, so if you have a dedicated sound icon, the slider shows up below it.
New in macOS 27.2 beta 2: There is a new UI when changing your volume/brightness with your keyboard pic.twitter.com/GpwerF1QL7 — Aaron (@aaronp613) September 21, 2026
Apple seeded the macOS Golden Gate 27.2 beta to developers earlier today. We're expecting the software to launch toward the end of October.
Our comprehensive guide highlighting every major new addition in iOS 27, plus how-tos that walk you through using the new features.
New features and lesser-known changes to check out if you're upgrading.
Time to upgrade? Here's all of the improvements you'll get if you're moving up from an iPhone 16 Pro.
How do Apple's two newest Apple Watch models compare, and which should you buy?
M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips with up to 512GB of memory for blazing-fast performance.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
Squarish 7-inch screen for controlling smart home products, listening to music, making video calls, and more.
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