MacRumors

Apple Cinemas, the company that is being sued for alleged trademark infringement by Apple, today said that it is committed to defending its brand.

We are committed to defending our brand, our history, and our continued right to operate as Apple Cinemas--an identity that is and has always been clearly distinct and fully compliant with all applicable trademark laws.

Apple Cinemas is a long-established independent theater chain with no connection to Apple Inc. Our name reflects our geographic roots and has never been intended to suggest, or used to imply, any affiliation with their brand. Furthermore, claims of consumer confusion are unfounded. Apple Cinema's branding is clearly differentiated.

We have responded reasonably and transparently to all legal communications regarding this matter and remain focused on growing our business and brand in good faith, as we have for over a decade.

Apple filed a lawsuit against Apple Cinemas last Friday. Apple's attorneys accused Apple Cinemas of "knowingly and intentionally using the name Apple to sow confusion for its own benefit."

Apple Cinemas has operated since 2013, and the company claims that its name came from its first planned location at Apple Valley Mall in Rhode Island, but a movie theater never opened at that mall. Apple Cinemas operates 14 total locations, according to its website. One of those is in San Francisco, California, while the others are in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York.

Apple believes that Apple Cinemas is pursuing a nationwide expansion in the United States, including close to Apple's headquarters and retail stores.

In the lawsuit, Apple said that its "repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably" were unsuccessful. Apple also cited comments from people who were under the impression that Apple Cinemas is owned by Apple. Apple has produced movies and TV shows distributed through its Apple TV+ service since 2019.

Apple Cinemas tried and failed to trademark both the Apple Cinemas name and the "Apple Cinemas Experience," with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denying the marks in 2024 because of potential confusion with Apple's prior trademark rights.

Apple is seeking monetary damages and an injunction to stop Apple Cinemas from using the name.

An in-person Live Translation feature could soon be available on the AirPods, according to imagery found in iOS 26 beta 6.

There's a picture of the AirPods with Hello in several different languages, along with a suggestion that the feature will be activated with a double press. The file itself is named "Translate," which certainly seems to imply that there will be a gesture to activate a Live Translation option.

9to5Mac reported on the image first, but we can confirm that it is tucked away in the files for the Translate app in the latest beta.

Prior to the launch of ‌iOS 26‌, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the AirPods would get a translate feature for translating in-person conversations, and it looks like Apple is working on introducing it soon. Live Translation for AirPods could come either in the launch version of ‌iOS 26‌, or in an update to ‌iOS 26‌.

‌iOS 26‌ already offers Live Translation for the Phone app, Messages app, and FaceTime, so an in-person option through the AirPods makes sense.

Based on the images, the feature will work on the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4. Existing Live Translation features are linked to Apple Intelligence, which means the AirPods feature could also require an iPhone that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

There's just about a month to go until Apple unveils new iPhones at its September event, and that means time is running out for Apple to perfect iOS 26. We've reached a weekly beta update cadence, and Apple seeded ‌iOS 26‌ beta 6 to developers today.

There are changes to Liquid Glass, tweaks to navigation, new ringtones, and more.

Ringtones

There are now several variants of the Reflection ringtone, including Buoyant, Dreamer, Tech, Pop, Reflected, and Surge. Reflected is the "Alt 1" Reflection ringtone that was added in the second beta of ‌iOS 26‌.

There's also a new Little Bird ringtone.

Toggles

Toggles now have a Liquid Glass effect when tapped.

Lock Screen

The Liquid Glass effect on the Lock Screen has been updated. The clock is more transparent than it was before, though it still has a frosted glass look.

When entering a passcode, the passcode buttons are now more translucent than before.

Navigation Bars

Navigation bars in apps have been slightly updated to enhance translucency without impacting readability.

In some places, there's more translucency, but in others, the background is more opaque so that text can still be read even if the background is busy.

App Animations

Apple changed the animation for opening and closing apps, and it's much faster than before so apps open more quickly. The animation has a very slight bounce to it, matching the bounce that's been added to the Lock Screen and Control Center.

Camera

Apple removed the toggle in the Camera app that allowed users to activate Classic Mode. Classic Mode reversed the scroll direction when switching from mode to mode in the app.

Now Classic Mode is the default, and there's no option to return to the animation from earlier betas.

The toggle was initially added in beta 5.

Introductory Video

When you update to ‌iOS 26‌, there's now an introductory video that walks you through the Liquid Glass design changes.

Preview App

Apple changed the design of the Preview app, adding larger buttons for creating a new document and scanning a document. When scanning a document, the location of the buttons has also changed, and they're at the bottom of the interface rather than the top.

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We have additional info on all of the new features in ‌iOS 26‌ in our dedicated iOS 26 roundup.

It has been more than three years since Apple discontinued the 27-inch iMac, as part of its move away from Intel processors. Since then, the 24-inch iMac has been Apple's only all-in-one desktop computer, with no larger model available.

Will a larger iMac ever make a comeback? Below, we recap the latest rumors.

In November 2023, Apple announced that it had no plans to release a new version of the 27-inch iMac with an Apple silicon chip at that time. Instead, Apple recommended pairing its standalone Studio Display with a Mac Studio or Mac mini. But an even larger iMac could materialize one day, if rumors from the past are still accurate.

In late 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo both said Apple was developing a 32-inch iMac, which Kuo said would launch in 2025. Kuo said the larger iMac's screen would feature mini-LED backlighting, allowing for increased brightness and a higher contrast ratio compared to the current LCD model.

Unfortunately, it has been many months since we received any sort of update about Apple potentially releasing another larger iMac. In February, Gurman briefly mentioned that "Apple also will probably eventually get around to offering a larger-screen iMac," but he has not commented on the topic since as far as we have seen.

All in all, the latest update on a larger iMac is essentially that there is no update, unfortunately. Apple is expected to update the 24-inch iMac with an M5 chip by early next year, though, and that would be the next timely opportunity for the company to release the rumored 32-inch iMac, if such a computer is ever coming.

In the meantime, Apple continues to sell two standalone monitors, including the 27-inch Studio Display from 2022 and the 32-inch Pro Display XDR from 2019.

Apple is continuing to tweak the way that the Liquid Glass design looks ahead of the iOS 26 launch, and the latest beta makes a change to the Lock Screen.

The Lock Screen clock has been updated with additional transparency, allowing more of the background to peek through.

The clock also has more of a 3D, floating look, which is in line with the rest of the Liquid Glass design. Apple didn't change the Liquid Glass look of the control buttons, but the icons are larger. Lock Screen widgets haven't changed.

With the updated floating design and added translucency, the clock can be somewhat harder to see on certain darker backgrounds, but it is definitely more of a Liquid Glass aesthetic.

Apple has been tweaking different ‌iOS 26‌ design elements throughout the beta testing process as it aims to perfect Liquid Glass before the ‌iOS 26‌ debut in September.

With the sixth beta of iOS 26, Apple has added several new ringtones that are alternatives to the classic "Reflection" ringtone. Reflection is the ringtone that Apple has long used as the default on the iPhone.

In addition to the standard Reflection ringtone, there are now six variants: Buoyant, Dreamer, Tech, Pop, Reflected, and Surge.

Reflected is identical to the "Alt 1" ringtone option that was added back in the second beta of ‌iOS 26‌.

The classic Reflection ringtone is still the default, so if you prefer one of the new sounds, you'll need to set it manually. Apple also added a new ringtone called Little Bird, which is distinct from the new Reflection options. You can listen to all the new ringtones below.

You can get to the new ringtones in ‌iOS 26‌ by opening up Sounds and Haptics in the Settings app, tapping on Ringtone, tapping on Reflection, and then selecting one of the alternates.

OWC is still hosting its annual Back To School sale this week, offering big discounts on a variety of USB-C docks, memory cards, external drives and enclosures, and Mac accessories. All of the discounts have been applied automatically, so you won't need any special coupon codes.

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

OWC has added a few new items to the event, including big discounts on its 1M2 Enclosure, available for $95.99, down from $119.99, which beats last year's Black Friday price on the accessory. You'll also find a few bundled options that come with OWC's 1TB-8TB drives.

This sale also includes $130 off the popular 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock for Mac, available for $149.99, which remains the steepest discount we've seen in months on the accessory. If you purchase a qualifying new or used Mac at the same time as this dock, you can get an additional $20 off the accessory at checkout.

Docks and Hubs

• OWC USB-C Travel Dock - $34.99, down from $49.99
• Thunderbolt Mini Dock - $89.99, down from $129.99
• Thunderbolt Hub - $109.99, down from $129.99
• 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock - $149.99, down from $279.99
• Thunderbolt Go Dock - $199.99, down from $349.99

Memory Cards

• 480GB OWC Atlas Pro - $169.99, down from $199.99
• 960GB OWC Atlas Pro - $299.99, down from $399.99

External Drives and Enclosures

• 1TB 1M2 SSD - $199.99, down from $249.99
• 2TB 1M2 SSD - $299.99, down from $399.99
• 2TB Envoy Pro FX SSD - $299.99, down from $379.99
• 4TB 1M2 SSD - $449.99, down from $629.99
• 4TB Envoy Pro FX - $459.99, down from $649.99
• 8TB 1M2 SSD - $949.99, down from $1,399.99

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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Apple today provided developers with the sixth beta of macOS Tahoe 26 for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after the fifth beta.

Registered developers can download the new beta software through the System Settings app.

‌macOS Tahoe‌ features Apple's Liquid Glass redesign, which extends across all of the new updates this year. Apple also brought the Phone and Journal apps to the Mac for the first time, and introduced a new cross-platform Games app.

With the update, Apple overhauled how Spotlight works, enabling new functionality that allows it to be used to complete all kinds of actions like sending emails without having to open up an app. There are also changes to a number of apps, including Messages, Safari, and Notes.

All of the new features that are included in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ are outlined in our dedicated roundup.

‌macOS Tahoe‌ is set to launch this fall.

Apple today provided developers with the sixth betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 for testing purposes, with the updates coming a week after Apple seeded the fifth betas.

Registered developers can download the new beta software using the Software Update section of the Settings app.

‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ feature Apple's new Liquid Glass design aesthetic, with a focus on translucency and glass-like interface elements. The design extends to the Lock Screen, Home Screen, and Control Center, along with menus and buttons in apps.

Apple's software includes features for apps like Messages, Phone, Shortcuts, and Apple Music, along with new Apple Intelligence features, a revamp for CarPlay, and more. In ‌iPadOS 26‌, there's a whole new multitasking system that supports multiple app windows for a more Mac-like experience.

For more on the features in ‌iOS 26‌, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup. New features have been found in each of the betas, and you can get a recap here: beta 2, for beta 3, beta 4, and beta 5.

Apple today seeded a second release candidate version of macOS Sequoia 15.7, one week after seeding the first release candidate. If no further bugs are found, macOS Sequoia 15.7 could be released to the public soon.

Developers can opt-in to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ beta through the Software Update section of the System Settings app.

According to Apple's release notes, the update includes security fixes.

This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.

Given the rapid escalation to release candidate status, macOS Sequoia 15.7 likely addresses a critical security bug.

Apple today provided developers with the sixth betas of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 for testing purposes, with the betas coming one week after the fifth betas were released.

The software updates can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device. A developer account is required.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 adopt new Liquid Glass design changes inspired by visionOS, much like iOS 26 and macOS 26. watchOS has a new AI-powered Workout Buddy for motivation and the Smart Stack incorporates more personal context for better suggestions. There's also a new Notes app and support for Live Translation.

tvOS 26 supports karaoke using an iPhone as a microphone, improvements for using AirPlay speakers with a TV, new Aerial screen savers, and support for quicker logins to apps at setup thanks to Apple Account syncing.

visionOS 26 adds support for spatial widgets that can be placed anywhere in the space around you, along with refinements to make personas more lifelike and support for shared spatial experiences between two Vision Pro users.

The visionOS 26 beta is limited to developers, but developers and public beta testers can download ‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26. The updates will launch this fall.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a redesigned antenna system that wraps around the large rear camera bump on the devices, according to the latest rumor from a hit-or-miss leaker known as Majin Bu.

The leaker shared a render of the alleged new design in a post on X today, and they provided additional details in a corresponding blog post.

The plastic antenna lines on iPhones allow wireless radio signals to pass through the otherwise metal frame on the devices. With an antenna line wrapping around the rear camera bump, the iPhone 17 Pro models could have improved 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity compared to previous models, given that this antenna line would be longer and would not be covered by your hands when you are holding the device.

iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to use Qualcomm modems for cellular connectivity, before iPhone 18 Pro models reportedly switch to Apple's C2 modem. In addition, the iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to feature an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip.

The redesigned antenna system will result in fewer antenna lines on the iPhone 17 Pro frame, according to Majin Bu. One of the renders shared by the leaker shows that the device apparently lacks antenna lines on the top and bottom edges.

Majin Bu has a decidedly mixed track record as it relates to Apple rumors, with some of his leaks proving to be true, but others turning out to be complete misses. He was most recently accurate about iPadOS 26 adding a Mac-like menu bar to iPads.

Another leaker has cast doubt on this particular rumor, so keep your expectations in check. Fortunately, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series in a little less than a month from now, so official details are just around the corner.

Amazon is still hosting massive discounts across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with sales that beat Prime Day prices by about $50. In total, you'll find $200 off every M4 MacBook Air notebook right now on Amazon, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.

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.

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has $200 off all three configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $799.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $999.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,199.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. Every deal represents an all-time low price on the M4 MacBook Air.

Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,199.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,399.00. Across the board, these are all record low prices on the 15-inch M4 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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If you haven't heard, OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT-5 on August 7 has caused a furor among a contingent of paying ChatGPT subscribers who find the new frontier model's communication style too clinical compared to legacy model GPT-4o's warmer, more conversational approach. Keep reading to make the old model available to select again in the ChatGPT app for Mac.

After just a few days of trying GPT-5, many Plus subscribers have decided they prefer GPT-4o's personality and creative collaboration skills. As a result, OpenAI is allowing paying customers to continue to use the prior-generation GPT-4o model if they don't want to use the new GPT-5 model. If you count yourself among them, here's how to bring the older model back into your ChatGPT for Mac experience.

Re-enabling GPT-4o Access

To restore GPT-4o in your ChatGPT for Mac app, you first need to enable the setting through the web interface:

1. Visit chatgpt.com in your web browser and log in to your account.
2. Click your profile picture in the bottom-left corner, then choose Settings.
3. Navigate to the General section.
4. Toggle on the switch next to "Show legacy models."
   
   

The setting takes effect immediately in the web interface, where you'll find GPT-4o listed under "Legacy models" in the model selector dropdown.

Give it a few minutes, and the setting will automatically sync with ChatGPT for Mac upon restarting the app. You'll then find GPT-4o available in the same model selector within the desktop app. If you have an established workflow built around GPT-4o's specific response patterns and interaction style, it can now continue without disruption.

Note that GPT-4o legacy access is currently limited to paying ChatGPT users. The cheapest option is the Plus plan ($20/month). OpenAI hasn't specified how long legacy model support will continue, saying they'll "watch usage as we think about how long to offer legacy models."

AOL will officially discontinue its dial-up internet service on September 30, pulling the plug on an era that defined early internet access for millions of Americans.

The Yahoo-owned company announced the shutdown on its support website, stating: "AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet." The termination includes the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, both of which were optimized for older operating systems.

While dial-up may seem like ancient history, the service retained a surprisingly persistent user base. As noted by The Verge, a 2019 US census estimated that 265,000 Americans were still relying on dial-up connections. Many of those were likely in rural areas where broadband infrastructure remains limited.

AOL's dial-up service launched in 1991 and became synonymous with internet access throughout the 1990s, complete with the iconic "You've got mail!" greeting and that unforgettable connection sound.

Apple is testing a revamped version of Siri with select third-party apps, including Uber, AllTrails, Threads, Temu, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, and a few games, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple also continues to test the new Siri with its own apps, he said. Apple's own example was an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps.

When it first announced the new-and-improved Siri at WWDC 2024, Apple said it would have better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls, with these features to be powered by Apple Intelligence and an upgraded App Intents system. The features will be available across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and Apple Intelligence has expanded to the Apple Vision Pro too.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new App Intents system will let you take action within apps entirely with Siri voice commands:

Here's what the new App Intents will mean: With nothing but your voice, you'll be able to tell Siri to find a specific photo, edit it and send it off. Or comment on an Instagram post. Or scroll a shopping app and add something to your cart. Or log in to a service without touching the screen. Essentially, Siri could operate your apps like you would — with precision, inside their own interfaces.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said that his company was making "good progress" on a more personalized Siri, after it delayed the features earlier this year. He reiterated that the features are on track to launch next year, but he did not provide a more specific timeframe.

Gurman said the new Siri is on track to launch in the U.S. in spring 2026. If so, it will likely be released as part of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 next March or April. He said the new Siri won't be available universally on day one, so it might take time to roll out to some countries, just like Apple Intelligence overall.

Apple is considering limiting or disabling some new Siri abilities in banking and health apps, to ensure that Siri does not make the type of critical mistakes that have sometimes occurred during internal testing, according to Gurman.

If it works well, Gurman believes the revamped Siri would finally deliver the voice-powered reality that Apple envisioned nearly a decade and a half ago.

Amazon this weekend has a pair of solid discounts on the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, providing up to $80 off these headphones.

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 AirPods 4 for $99.00 (matched at Best Buy), down from $129.00, which is just $10 higher compared to the all-time low price we tracked during Prime Day. This is the base model without Active Noise Cancellation.

The AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $169.00 (matched at Best Buy), down from $249.00. Compared to previous record low prices, this is just about $20 higher, and one of the best prices we've tracked since that low price was available during Prime Day.

Both models have an estimated August 15 delivery date for most residences in the United States. If you live in a select location, and have a Prime membership, you may have access to free same-day shipping as well.

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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It was long rumored that Apple would release the first MacBook Pro models with OLED displays next year, but that timeframe is a little less certain now.

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he expects the MacBook Pro to gain an OLED display "between the end of 2026 and early 2027."

Compared to current MacBook Pro models with LCD screens, benefits of OLED technology could include increased brightness (if the MacBook Pro gets an Ultra Retina XDR display with tandem OLED technology, like the latest iPad Pro), higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, improved power efficiency for longer battery life, and more.

Gurman was previously more firm about a 2026 launch, which he still thinks might happen, but he now thinks early 2027 is a possibility too.

In a wide-ranging report about future Apple devices last month, Gurman said that Apple was considering pushing back the release of the next MacBook Pro models with the M5 series of chips until 2026, which is likely why he is now mentioning that the subsequent MacBook Pro models with OLED displays might be slightly pushed back too.

On the other hand, there is precedent for the MacBook Pro being updated twice in a year. Apple released models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January 2023, followed by models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips in October 2023. So maybe we get the M5 generation in January 2026, and the M6 generation in October 2026.

In any case, we recommend skipping the next-generation MacBook Pro models with the M5 series of chips if you can wait, as the subsequent models with the M6 series of chips are expected to feature more significant changes, including an OLED display, a thinner design, and a smaller notch. Just know that wait might stretch into early 2027.