MacRumors

Apple today provided developers with the third betas of upcoming watchOS 26.2 and tvOS 26.2 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple seeded the second 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.

watchOS 26.2 features updated Sleep Score ranges that better match how people might be feeling after a night's rest.

In tvOS 26.2, Apple added support for creating a profile without an Apple Account, plus there is a dedicated Apple TV app kids mode for profiles created for kids.

The new updates will probably launch sometime between December 9 and December 16, given Apple's historical release timelines for .2 updates.

Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak today celebrated the fifth anniversary of Apple silicon. The first Macs with Apple's M1 chip were announced on November 10, 2020, and they launched on November 17, 2020, which is five years ago as of today.

"Hard to believe it's been five years since Apple silicon transformed the Mac," said Joswiak, in a social media post. "The performance, battery life, new designs, amazing features, and user creativity it unlocked have been remarkable. The impact has been profound, and the Mac has never been better!"

After years of rumors, Apple unveiled its plan to transition the entire Mac lineup from Intel processors to its own custom-designed chips at WWDC in June 2020. Later that year saw the release of the first three Mac models powered by Apple silicon, including a 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini.

Apple had plenty of experience after a decade of making custom iPhone and iPad chips.

The company promised, and delivered, industry-leading performance per watt for Macs. This feat allowed it to remove the fan inside the MacBook Air, given the improved power efficiency resulted in less heat being generated in the thin laptop.

Apple said macOS Tahoe is the final macOS release that will support Intel-based Macs.

On Friday, the Financial Times reported that Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO as soon as next year, but he might not fully retire. Instead, it is possible that he will become the next chairman of Apple's board of directors.

Apple's current chairman is Arthur D. Levinson, who turned 75 on March 31. Apple has a policy that states that its directors generally may not stand for re-election after age 75, so Levinson has reached that age limit ahead of Apple's next shareholder meeting, which is when he would otherwise be up for re-election next.

Here is the exact wording of the policy, from Apple's Corporate Governance Guidelines:

A director may not stand for re-election after age 75, but need not resign until the end of his or her term.

Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, according to the Financial Times, but it said an announcement could happen early in the year. That timeframe — after January but still early in the year — would align with Apple's annual shareholder meeting, which is typically held in late February or early March.

There is one potential wrinkle: Apple typically releases the proxy materials for a shareholder meeting in mid-January, and that filing would need to indicate that Cook is up for election as chairman. That would be before Apple's next earnings report in late January, so the specific timing of how this might all play out remains to be seen.

If this theory does prove to be accurate, Apple could announce that Levinson is leaving the board due to the age policy, and that Cook will succeed him as chairman. Apple would likely say this move was part of its long-planned succession plan.

At 65, Cook could serve as chairman for up to a decade, before the age policy applies to himself.

In this scenario, it is unclear if Cook would become chairman or executive chairman. In the former role, he would focus more on managing the board and corporate governance. In the latter role, Cook would remain more involved in Apple's day-to-day operations and decision-making, which could help to ease the transition to a new CEO.

Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor when the time comes.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber and some other commentators have speculated that Apple may have intentionally fed the information about Cook preparing to step down to the Financial Times, so that the actual announcement and the timing of it does not come as a complete surprise to investors and the general public.

Cook has been CEO since August 2011, so he is nearing 15 years at the helm of the company.

This is only one possibility for Apple's succession plans. Alternatively, the company could opt to exempt Levinson from the age policy, as it did for now-77-year-old director Ron Sugar last year. Apple could also elect someone other than Cook as chairman. However, with Cook having reached the typical retirement age of 65, and Levinson having reached the policy age of 75, the stars might align for Cook to become Apple's next chairman.

Amazon and Best Buy today have introduced a new record low price on the AirTag 1-Pack, available for just $17.99, down from $29.00.

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 is a new record low price on the solo AirTag, just beating out the low price we first tracked last week. Amazon also has an ongoing lowest-ever price on the AirTag 4-Pack, on sale for $64.99, down from $99.00.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

Amazon today has some of the first big discounts on Apple Watch Series 11 GPS and cellular models, with $49 off select devices. These deals join the abundance of early Black Friday deals on Apple Watches, also including great discounts on Apple Watch SE 2 and SE 3.

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.

You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $349.99, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $379.99, down from $429.00. Only one of the 42mm GPS models is on sale at this all-time low price, but you'll find four of the 46mm GPS models discounted by $49 in this sale.

If you're shopping for cellular models, you can also find new record low prices on multiple models this week on Amazon. The 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 11 has hit $449.99, down from $499.00, and the 46mm cellular model has hit $479.99, down from $529.00.

In addition to Series 11 deals, Amazon has big deals on multiple Apple Watch models this week. This includes $89 off Apple Watch SE 2 and $49 off Apple Watch SE 3.

Apple Watch SE 2

• Apple Watch SE 2 (40mm GPS) - $159.99 ($89 off)
• Apple Watch SE 2 (44mm GPS) - $189.99 ($89 off)

Apple Watch SE 3

• Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm GPS) - $199.99 ($49 off)
• Apple Watch SE 3 (44mm GPS) - $229.99 ($49 off)

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

Next year's Apple Watch lineup will not include any major design changes, with a redesign not expected before 2028, according to the leaker Instant Digital.

In a Weibo post in Chinese (machine translated), the leaker said Apple's watch 2026 lineup would not look significantly different, and suggested Apple would not reveal a new design until the year after the release of its 20th anniversary iPhone, expected in late 2027.

The claim puts a dampener on expectations that Apple is readying a major Apple Watch redesign next year.

In August, DigiTimes reported that at least one new model launching in 2026 would have "significant" changes to its exterior design that would be related to new sensors. This led to speculation that the changes could be linked to Apple's development of noninvasive blood glucose monitoring technology, but the Apple Watch feature is still believed to be a few years away while Apple works on further miniaturization.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported long ago on the possibility of a redesigned Apple Watch with a thinner case and a magnetic band system. While the Apple Watch Series 10 debuted a thinner case, no magnetic band has materialized, and there were no additional design changes in the Series 11 released earlier this year.

Leaked Apple code has suggested the company is experimenting with biometric authentication in the form of Touch ID for 2026's Apple Watch lineup, but it's possible that could be an under-screen implementation which doesn't change the watch's outward appearance.

Instant Digital has a mixed but occasionally reliable track record. The account previously revealed accurate details such as the Yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus finishes and the Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though not all of its past claims have proven correct.

The free Apple Sports app on the iPhone was released in additional European countries today, including Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, and others.

The app was already available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Austria, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

Launched in February 2024, the Apple Sports app shows scores, stats, standings, upcoming games, and more for a variety of leagues. Today's update, which brings the app to version 3.5, is rolling out now in the App Store.

A few months ago, Apple Sports was updated with a few improvements, including the addition of a Home Screen widget and the ability to schedule Live Activities for upcoming events. The app remains available on the iPhone only.

X has launched Chat, an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) replacement for its existing direct messaging service.

Chat is rolling out on iOS now via the X app, and it includes support for video and voice calls, disappearing messages, and file sharing, as well as the ability to edit and delete previously sent messages.

Any old messages should be carried across to Chat from the old DM system on X (formerly Twitter). Users also have options to block screenshots and get notified of attempts to take them. However, it's worth noting that the E2EE support doesn't encrypt message metadata, and this can include information about the sender as well as the recipient.

X also says that its system lacks safeguards against man-in-the-middle attacks, meaning an encrypted chat could be intercepted without either participant realizing it. So a determined insider or even X itself, acting under legal obligation, could theoretically access a conversation without triggering any warning to the sender or recipient. The company added that it is developing tools to let users confirm the integrity of their encrypted exchanges.

X has been previewing its new chat tools for months, launching an early version of encrypted messaging earlier this year before pausing it in May to resolve undisclosed issues. A voice memo feature for users to exchange audio messages is currently being developed, and an Android version is apparently coming soon.

Apple is developing official iPhone cases that act like secondary touch interfaces for future devices, claims a new rumor out of China.

According to known Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, Apple is looking to make protective cases for its Pro models that directly integrate touch-based sensor layers.

The leaker provided no further details, but there are some clues to be found in previous research conducted by Apple. A patent application filed by the company in 2024 describes a "case with input for an electronic device" and outlines a protective iPhone case designed to act as an input surface rather than passive shielding.

The document describes touch-sensitive areas embedded in the case – using capacitive or pressure-based sensors – that can trigger actions typically handled by the phone's physical buttons. When the case is attached, the iPhone detects it and reroutes button behavior so that taps, presses, or sliding gestures on the case activate system functions.

The patent also details how the case communicates with the device, including identification and signal transfer through interfaces such as NFC. Some versions also include provisions for biometric input, allowing a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the case to unlock features on the phone, for example.

The filing shows Apple has already explored treating the case as an extension of the iPhone's controls. What makes the idea more timely however is Apple's rumored work on a bezel-free iPhone. Apple is said to be pursuing a radical redesign for its 20th anniversary iPhone, with a display that curves around all four edges of the device.

This approach could leave almost no room for mechanical buttons. Indeed, there have been reports that Apple may shift to solid-state, capacitive layers on the anniversary model, enabling a visually uninterrupted design that could make an interactive case a natural companion.

A case with integrated touch zones could relocate things like volume changes and camera control to larger, more ergonomic surfaces, while reducing accidental edge input on an all-screen design. In effect, the case could supply the tactile cues and grip-based controls that would otherwise be obstructed by a normal case on a bezel-free, button-light iPhone.

Whether Apple's work on interactive iPhone cases is related to its anniversary model is of course speculation at this point, but the convergence of rumors provides another intriguing set of possibilities for the device, which is expected to launch in the fall of 2027.

Today is our readers' last chance to get an exclusive 40 percent discount on select products at Satechi, including docks, MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers, and Bluetooth trackers.

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

To get the discount, add anything from the lists below to your cart and head to checkout. Once at checkout, you can enter the code MR40 to get 40 percent off your order for this week only. This discount code takes 40 percent off each item in your cart, so you can purchase multiple accessories at once.

Products in this sale include Satechi's newest Qi2 charging stations and travel chargers, including the 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station for $78.00, down from $129.99. You can also get both of Satechi's On The Go chargers on sale for 40 percent off with our exclusive code, priced at $48.00 for the 2-in-1 model and $60.00 for the 3-in-1 model.

The code also covers 40 percent off Satechi's range of FindAll Bluetooth trackers, including the FindAll Keychain, FindAll Card, FindAll Luggage Tag, FindAll Glasses Case, and FindAll Passport Cover. We've listed every product that works with our exclusive MR40 discount code below, so be sure to shop the sale before it ends this upcoming Sunday, November 16.

Dock

• Dual Dock Stand with NVMe SSD Enclosure - $102.00, down from $169.99

Wireless Chargers

• 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Charging Stand - $48.00, down from $79.99
• On The Go 2-in-1 Charger - $48.00, down from $79.99
• On The Go 3-in-1 Charger - $60.00, down from $99.99
• 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Charging Stand - $78.00, down from $129.99

Bluetooth Trackers

• FindAll Keychain - $18.00, down from $29.99
• FindAll Card - $21.00, down from $34.99
• FindAll Luggage Tag - $27.00, down from $44.99
• FindAll Glasses Case - $30.00, down from $49.99
• FindAll Passport Cover - $36.00, down from $59.99

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

Early Black Friday deals are in full swing, and Amazon recently introduced one of the best Apple discounts so far this month. You can get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $749.99, down from $999.00, an all-time low price on the computer that beats the previous low by about $50.

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.

If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $949.99, down from $1,199.00. You'll also find many of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

Apple plans to release a second-generation iPhone Air and a 20th-anniversary iPhone at separate times in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the next iPhone Air will likely be released around March 2027, alongside the standard iPhone 18 and a lower-end iPhone 18e. The 20th-anniversary iPhone will likely follow in September 2027, with Gurman expecting the device to feature a curved glass screen with a front camera hidden underneath it.

Here are all of the new iPhone models that Gurman expects Apple to release between the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027:

• Fall 2026 (Likely September): iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone
• Spring 2027 (Likely March): iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and potentially an iPhone Air 2

Last week, The Information reported that some Apple engineers are hoping to release a redesigned iPhone Air with a second rear camera in spring 2027. The publication also said the next iPhone Air could weigh less, have a larger battery capacity, and gain a vapor chamber cooling system like the iPhone 17 Pro models have.

Gurman said that adding an ultra-wide camera to the iPhone Air is "technically possible," but he believes that it would be a "strange" decision, given the device's so-called "plateau" is already crowded and that it "seems like a lot of work for a phone that few people are buying." However, features like a second camera and longer battery life could make the iPhone Air far more appealing and boost demand for the device.

Gurman believes the iPhone Air 2 was always slated for 2027 — not delayed. He expects the device to have a 2nm chip for faster performance and longer battery life.

While there have been several reports indicating that iPhone Air demand is low, Apple only ever expected the device to make up "6% to 8%" of new iPhone sales, according to Gurman. It is unclear if Apple achieved that objective, but its internal bar might be low enough that it will still proceed with releasing an iPhone Air 2 in 2027.

Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple Fitness+ was "under review," and now he has elaborated on the future of the workout service.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ may be merged into a broader new Apple Health+ service launching next year. If so, he said that Apple Fitness+ would no longer be available as a standalone subscription service.

Apple Health+ will also feature an AI-based health coach that offers nutrition planning and medical suggestions, according to Gurman's previous reporting.

Apple Fitness+ launched in 2020. The service offers a library of trainer-led workout and meditation videos in Apple's Fitness app, across the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. In the U.S., the service costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

Apple Fitness+ is also available as part of the Apple One Premier bundle, with U.S. pricing set at $37.95 per month. Gurman said there is a possibility that Apple will start letting customers pick and choose the services they want in an Apple One bundle in the future, and this might result in Apple Fitness+ remaining available as a standalone service.

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Tesla plans to add Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles "in the coming months."

This is easily the biggest news for the regular version of CarPlay in years, should Tesla actually follow through with offering the system in its vehicles.

As noted by Gurman, this would be a stunning reversal for Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, who have long ignored customer requests to implement CarPlay. We shall see what ultimately happens, though. Musk could change his mind at any moment.

Tesla plans to offer the regular, wireless version of CarPlay, rather than the more advanced CarPlay Ultra system, according to Gurman. CarPlay would appear within a window inside of Tesla's broader software interface, he said.

Tesla currently offers Apple Music and Apple Podcasts apps through its own interface.

Apple's high-end Mac Pro desktop computer is currently "on the back burner," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he heard that Apple has "largely written off" the Mac Pro, with the sentiment inside the company being that the Mac Studio represents the present and future of Apple's pro desktop computing.

Apple is working on a high-end M5 Ultra chip, but Gurman said the company is currently "only" focused on a new Mac Studio with that chip, which leads him to believe that the Mac Pro "won't be updated in 2026 in a significant way."

It sounds like Gurman has not heard anything about a Mac Pro with an M5 Ultra chip being in the works, but he has not entirely ruled out the possibility.

In recent years, the Mac Pro has become redundant for many customers, as it is essentially a larger and more expensive Mac Studio with PCIe expansion slots. Apple last updated the Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip in June 2023, and Gurman's wording suggests that the future of the computer may be in jeopardy.

Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times.

The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said.

While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to explain that an announcement early in the year would allow for a smooth leadership transition, ahead of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June and iPhone event in September.

No final decisions have been made, and the timing could change, the report said.

Cook has been Apple's CEO since August 2011. He turned 65 this year, which is a common age for retirement in the United States, but he has yet to publicly announce any plans to step down. Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor when the time comes.

Ternus joined Apple in 2001. At 50, he is one of Apple's younger senior executives, so he could potentially have a lengthy run as CEO.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman pushed back on the report. "I don't get the sense anything is imminent as the [Financial Times] is claiming," he said, in a post today.

In any case, the report said Apple's succession plans are not related to the company's current performance. Apple reported record revenue in the September quarter, and the company expects the current December quarter to be the best quarter in the company's history. In addition, Apple's stock price is near its all-time high.

Amazon has discounted the 46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 to a new all-time low price this weekend, available for $279.00, down from $429.00. There are three models available at this price: Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band, Jet Black Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop, and Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Plum Sport Loop.

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.

This is the price that the 42mm GPS model is typically discounted to, and represents the biggest markdown we've tracked to date on any Apple Watch Series 10 model. We aren't currently tracking any similar deals on the 42mm GPS models on Amazon, but if they appear we'll update this article with those deals.

Apple Watch deals are some of the best early Black Friday deals we've seen so far this month, with all-time low prices available for Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch SE 2. We've provided a quick list of the best deals below.

SE 2

• Apple Watch SE 2 (40mm GPS) - $159.99 ($89 off)
• Apple Watch SE 2 (44mm GPS) - $189.99 ($89 off)

SE 3

• Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm GPS) - $199.99 ($49 off)
• Apple Watch SE 3 (44mm GPS) - $229.99 ($49 off)

Ultra 3

• Apple Watch Ultra 3 - $699.99 ($99 off)

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

Apple executive Jeff Williams has retired, after working at the company for more than 25 years.

Apple removed Williams from its leadership page on Friday, which was his final day, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Williams joined Apple in 1998, and was promoted to Chief Operations Officer (COO) in 2015. He held the role until July of this year, when he was succeeded by Sabih Khan, who was previously Apple's Senior Vice President of Operations.

As part of a planned transition, Williams remained at Apple as Senior Vice President of Design, Watch, and Health until this Friday.

For a decade, Williams oversaw Apple's entire worldwide operations, as well as customer service and support. He also led Apple Watch engineering and health initiatives at the company, and he took over Apple's design team in 2023.

Williams was one of the top executives at Apple, so his departure is very notable. At one point, he was even considered a potential candidate for CEO.

Here is what Williams said about his retirement plans back in July:

I have a deep love for Apple. Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I can't thank Tim enough for the opportunity, his inspirational leadership, and our friendship over the years. June marked my 27th anniversary with Apple, and my 40th in the industry. Beginning next year, I plan to spend more time with friends and family, including five grandchildren and counting. I've had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he's the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple's future under his leadership in this role.

Apple CEO Tim Cook, in July:

Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn't be what it is without him. He's helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple's health strategy; and led our world class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication. I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeff's true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he's created and, while he'll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.

We wish Williams all the best in retirement.