Using Apple Intelligence camera features in the Home app will require an iCloud+ plan starting at 2TB, according to Apple. Apple shared the detail in its notes for the third macOS Golden Gate beta that was released today.
In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate, the Home app is able to generate written summaries for motion alerts from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. It's also able to group footage from separate cameras for an overview of activity and pull out noteworthy recordings, plus it supports natural language search.
Apple said at WWDC that some Apple Intelligence features would require an iCloud+ plan, but Apple didn't specify which tier users would need to subscribe to. For the Home features, users will need the 2TB iCloud+ plan or better. The 2TB plan includes 2TB of iCloud storage and it costs $9.99 per month.
HomeKit Secure Video cloud storage has always required a paid iCloud plan. The 50GB plan allows for one camera, while the 200GB plan supports up to five. The 2TB plan lets users add an unlimited number of HomeKit Secure Video cameras, and now it will also add the Apple Intelligence Home feature set. HomeKit video storage does not count against the storage limit of an iCloud+ plan, so the full 2TB stays available for photos and other data.
More on what's new in the Home app in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 can be found in our guide.
With watchOS 27 beta 3, Apple added support for Siri AI and the Siri app, so Apple Watch users can now use the features right from their wrist.
Apple said Siri AI would be coming to the watch back when watchOS 27 was first introduced, but the feature wasn't live until now.
The Dynamic App Grid that pops up when the Digital Crown is pressed displays the Siri app in the center, and the smarter version of Siri is available to answer queries and complete requests.
Siri AI on Apple Watch relies on a nearby Apple Intelligence- compatible iPhone for processing. Conversations in the Siri app on Apple Watch sync to the Siri app across all other devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
With the third beta of macOS 27, Apple added new Golden Gate-themed wallpaper options to the Mac.
There are new Golden Gate Sunset and Golden Gate Night options, both of which join the prior Golden Gate abstract wallpaper that Apple introduced with the initial beta.
Golden Gate Sunset and Golden Gate Night animate when unlocking the Mac, and can be set as a screen saver. When used as a screen saver, the Golden Gate Sunset wallpaper features waves breaking on the rocks near the Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate Night wallpaper shows cars driving across the bridge.
With past updates, Apple has included several themed wallpaper options, so more Golden Gate wallpapers could be added in the future. macOS Golden Gate is limited to developers right now, but we are expecting a public beta soon.
Apple today provided developers with the third beta of macOS Golden Gate, with the update coming two weeks after Apple seeded the second beta.
Developers can download macOS Golden Gate by going to System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.
macOS Golden Gate includes multiple design improvements. Liquid Glass opacity has been improved to increase readability, there's a slider for controlling the level of transparency, and changes to shadowing make it easier to tell when a window is active. Apps now have uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and less rounded corners, plus there are fewer icons in menu bars.
Siri has been transformed into Siri AI, a chatbot-style assistant that combines general world knowledge, your personal data, and onscreen awareness to answer questions about anything and find information for you. Siri lives in Spotlight, and you can ask questions with the new Search or Ask interface.
There's also a Siri app where you can chat with Siri and view past conversations, and on newer Macs, you can set a custom voice for Siri with personalized pace and expressivity. Visual Intelligence is now on the Mac so Siri can answer questions about what's on your screen, and a Write with Siri feature lets Siri generate text or give feedback on your writing.
There are AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, AI tab organization in Safari, an option to use AI to automatically update weak passwords in the Passwords app, and a revamped Image Playground app that can generate photorealistic images.
More on all of the new features in macOS Golden Gate can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup. macOS Golden Gate is limited to developers right now, but Apple plans to release a public beta soon.
Apple today seeded the third betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the second betas.
Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.
iOS 27 introduces Apple's smarter version of Siri, Siri AI. Siri AI is a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, incorporating general world knowledge, personal data from apps like Messages and Mail, and onscreen awareness to answer questions and find information for you.
There are new Apple Intelligence features in apps like Photos, Safari, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Passwords, plus Apple added a standalone Siri app that houses Siri conversations. Write with Siri is available systemwide for generating text or offering feedback on your writing, and Visual Intelligence has been relocated to the Camera app with a new Siri mode.
Apple improved the look of Liquid Glass and added a slider for customizing transparency. There are multiple performance improvements to speed up iOS, so everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard pops up more quickly, and devices are better at transitioning between Wi-Fi and Cellular to keep you connected.
Apple today provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming visionOS 27 update for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after Apple released the second beta.
visionOS 27 can be installed by opening the Settings app, going to Software Updates, and opting into Beta Updates.
visionOS 27 introduces Siri AI, the smarter and more capable version of Siri that's similar in capability to chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. On the Vision Pro, Siri can answer questions about anything the wearer is looking at, and there's a new Siri orb that can be placed anywhere in wearer's virtual space.
Panorama photos can be turned into spatial environments, and there's a new Icelandic Thórsmörk environment that features dramatic mountains, valleys, and glaciers, along with the northern lights. Web Environment support allows developers to create 360-degree environments in Safari for a more native Vision Pro browsing experience.
App windows are now curved to provide a more immersive workspace, and Control Center has been reorganized to make system controls easier to find. Apple added a smaller widget size, and notifications automatically expand when the wearer looks at them.
Apple today seeded the third beta of watchOS 27 to developers, with the update coming two weeks after the launch of the second beta.
The beta can be downloaded through the Watch app on the iPhone with a free developer account. The Apple Watch will need to be on the charger, connected to Wi-Fi, and have a battery level of 50 percent or above for new software to be installed. The beta is available for all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27 except for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
watchOS 27 will include Siri AI, the smarter, more capable version of Siri. Siri can hold back-and-forth conversations, plus it has access to general world knowledge and your personal data to answer questions and find information. Siri AI on Apple Watch requires an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and later.
There's a new Dynamic app grid that highlights Siri suggested apps, and more intuitive Smart Stack Suggestions. You can find your parked car, see pinned messages, get noise alerts, and view identity and transit cards.
Liquid Glass has been updated to improve legibility, and Workout Buddy works on the Apple Watch even when an iPhone isn't nearby. Workout Buddy also gains new metrics like progressive increases to distance, pace, or duration. Apple added a new all-in-one Find My app with support for Precision Finding, and there are performance optimizations that improve battery life.
Apple today seeded the third beta of tvOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the second beta.
The beta can be downloaded and installed through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A free developer account is required.
tvOS 27 has few new features compared to the other 27 software updates, but it does add a redesigned Podcasts app, options for larger text, and a more responsive Control Center.
AirPlaying to an Apple TV from another Apple device is faster, and apps and animations are smoother. You can also now see AppleCare coverage details in the Settings app.
Apple today provided the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the third beta.
Developers can download the macOS Tahoe 26.6 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.
With macOS Golden Gate launching in just a couple months, Apple is likely focusing most of its attention on the new software. We are not expecting any major new features in macOS Tahoe 26.6.
Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple seeded the third betas.
Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.
With iOS 27 set to launch in September, Apple is wrapping up work on iOS 26. We are not expecting any major new features in the iOS 26.6 update, and it will primarily focus on bug fixes and performance improvements.
The update adds new wording around blocked contact limits, letting users know when they have exceeded the maximum number of blocked contacts. The update might also include a new anti-snatching feature that locks your iPhone if it's grabbed from your hand.
Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple seeded the third betas.
The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.
There's no word on what's in the software as of yet. watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS often get few features in each new beta, with updates primarily focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements.
An iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange has been sealed inside a 250 year time capsule as part of America's Semiquincentennial celebrations, with the device not due to be seen again until the 23rd century.
America250, the congressionally appointed nonprofit leading the 250th anniversary celebrations, announced that "America's Time Capsule" was officially sealed and buried at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, to be reopened in 2276.
The iPhone was included through America250's "America Innovates" initiative as a representative of the cutting edge of American innovation and technology in 2026, with the device showcasing advances in handheld computing, imaging, and connectivity that have transformed how people work, communicate, and create in the 21st century. The device contains "digital artifacts" in the Notes app, intended to give whoever opens the capsule in 2276 a small window into everyday life in 2026.
The capsule itself was built to give the iPhone and everything else inside it the best possible chance of surviving intact. Developed with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and preservation experts at the Library of Congress, it uses a 900 pound, precision milled stainless steel cylinder sealed with indium, a soft metal that deforms under compression to fill microscopic imperfections in the sealing groove. It was covered with a 1,100 pound stainless steel bell jar that creates a protective air pocket to keep the vessel dry underground.
Beyond the iPhone, the capsule holds contributions from all 56 states and territories and all three branches of the federal government, including a feather from Civil War era bald eagle mascot "Old Abe" (Wisconsin), fabric from the Wright brothers' 1903 aircraft (Ohio), and an AI generated response from Anthropic's Claude submitted by California imagining the state 250 years from now.
Anker's popular Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has dropped to $99.74 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 that we last tracked during Prime Day.
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.
The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe iPhone charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's MagSafe charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 MagSafe chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.
Below you'll find a list of the best Anker discounts on Amazon this week, also including wall chargers, portable batteries, and more. There are a few more accessories that are matching their Prime Day prices, including Anker's Nano USB-C Wall Charger with Smart Display. You can get this accessory for $25.99, down from $39.99.
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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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 is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September. The devices will have a lot in common, but the latest leak suggests that the Pro Max model will take an even bigger step forward in regards to battery life.
According to new filings in a Chinese regulatory database, it appears that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a 5,567mAh battery in the U.S., while the iPhone 18 Pro will seemingly have a 4,288mAh battery. It is no surprise the Pro Max has a larger battery, but its year-over-year gains in battery life look to be particularly significant this year.
If the leaked capacities are accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro Max would have nearly a 10% larger battery compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the size of the iPhone 18 Pro's battery would only increase by less than 1% over the iPhone 17 Pro.
It was previously rumored that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be thicker than the iPhone 18 Pro. If so, that might be to accommodate the larger battery.
In some years, the Pro Max gets some camera features before the Pro, but that is not expected to be the case this year. The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera is rumored to get variable aperture on both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Of course, the Pro Max will remain larger and heavier than the Pro, but the devices should be identical beyond that and the bigger gap in battery life.
Broadcom has agreed to extend its chip partnership with Apple through 2031, expanding a deal that covers the development and supply of a wide range of custom chips, Reuters reports.
Today's extension builds on an existing supply relationship between the two companies, which have worked together for years. Apple is one of Broadcom's largest customers, believed to account for about 20% of its annual revenue.
Apple has been steadily bringing chip design in-house, such as with its own C1 and C1X cellular modems, but many of Broadcom's wireless connectivity and radio frequency components remain in use. Broadcom's chips cover custom radio frequency components, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and other networking semiconductors found throughout Apple's lineup.
Apple and Broadcom signed a multibillion-dollar agreement in 2023 covering 5G radio frequency components manufactured in the United States. Broadcom shares rose nearly 4% in premarket trading today on the news.
Amazon today has a few deals on the Apple Watch Ultra 3, providing $99 discounts on select models. We did track these models at $149 off during Prime Day this year, but those discounts are long gone and Amazon's prices today are still solid second-best options for anyone who missed those sales in June.
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.
You can get the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $699.99 in Natural and Black color options, down from $799.00. There are also a few Milanese Loop models on sale for $799.99, down from $899.00.
We've collected some of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 models currently on sale on Amazon in the list below. Amazon provides an estimated delivery date of July 11 for most of the watches, although Prime members should see same-day delivery in many locations.
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.
Deals Newsletter
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!
New Chinese regulatory certification filings appear to confirm the battery capacities of Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.
According to new filings in China's C3 database, spotted by the leaker known as "Digital Chat Station" on Weibo, the iPhone 18 Pro is seemingly rated for 4,056mAh in China and 4,288mAh in the U.S., up modestly from the iPhone 17 Pro's 3,988mAh and 4,252mAh. The iPhone 18 Pro Max shows a bigger jump, rated for 5,391mAh in China and 5,567mAh in the U.S., compared with 4,823mAh and 5,088mAh on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, an increase of nearly 500mAh.
The devices in the filings are not directly named the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but are highly likely to relate to these models.
The China and U.S. capacities differ because Apple has continued to include a SIM tray on iPhones sold outside the United States, while U.S. models have been eSIM only since the iPhone 14 lineup. Without a physical tray taking up internal space, Apple can fit a slightly larger battery into the U.S. version of each device.
The certification listings cover battery models S2232 and S2233 for the iPhone 18 Pro and 2235L/2235 and 2236L/2236 for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and also show rated energy figures of up to 21.751Wh and a 4.520V charge limit voltage, and list all four batteries as valid through May or June 2031.
The numbers line up with Digital Chat Station's report from June, which gave identical figures for the iPhone 18 Pro.
In a separate post the same day, Digital Chat Station said supply chain information from months earlier had already pointed to the China model landing in the "5,000mAh" range, and suggested that a 5391mAh cell paired with the 2nm A20 Pro chip could deliver a noticeable battery life improvement.
The iPhone 18 Pro models are rumored to feature a smaller Dynamic Island, a variable aperture main camera, the C2 modem outside of the U.S., and more. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in September alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.
Apple's Mac mini and Mac Studio have become the machines of choice for running AI agents, according to Doug Brooks, Apple's senior product manager of Apple silicon.
Brooks made the claim while discussing Apple's chip strategy in a newly published interview with The Deep View conducted just prior to WWDC 2026 in June.
Brooks says that the company has seen "incredible demand" for the two desktop Macs. When it comes to agentic workloads, "people often want a system that's under their control, isolated from their primary machine, and capable of running 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Brooks.
"A Mac mini is an amazing system for that," he added.
Many AI tools are also Mac-first or Mac-only, which Brooks says has helped cement the Mac's standing among developers, including those at frontier AI labs where Macs are said to be a common sight.
The Apple executive also conceives of agentic AI as a whole-chip problem rather than a GPU one. "It's not just about the GPU crunching on an LLM anymore," he said. "It's about the whole chip contributing to different parts of the task, tool-calling, and the things that are happening around those workflows. It really plays to the strengths of Apple silicon."
Brooks links Apple's position of strength in modern AI back to chip decisions made long before LLMs like ChatGPT arrived. He points to the Neural Engine, which is built for power-efficient matrix math, along with lesser-known neural accelerators inside the CPU that handle time-sensitive tasks like speech.
Apple more recently added neural accelerators to the GPU, which has extended AI performance across the board from iPhone-class parts up to the Mac's largest silicon. Brooks ties that progress to Apple's design method, where a chip is built for a specific machine, and the hardware and software are developed in tandem.
He also described a shift toward running AI locally rather than in the cloud – a move motivated by privacy, security, and the rising cost of inference as agents consume more tokens. However, Brooks envisions a hybrid future in which agents decide what runs on-device and what gets sent to the cloud.
He also singled out what he calls "transparent AI" on iPhone and iPad, referring to features scattered throughout the operating system and third-party apps that work quietly without announcing themselves as AI.
Some of the examples he cited include Draw Things, an image generator that runs across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and SwingVision, which analyzes tennis and pickleball gameplay in real time using the iPhone's cameras.
"The speed of AI development right now is just crazy," Brooks said. "I can't imagine where we're going to be a year from now, three months from now, or even a month from now," he added.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
