Apple has released the Take 2 update for the Apple TV today. The software update is available for download from your Apple TV itself. The free software update allows Apple TV owners to rent movies without the use of a computer in standard and high definition formats. Library titles cost $2.99 and new releases are $3.99. High definition versions add $1 to the price of rental. Movies can be kept for 30 days, but expire within 24 hours of playback.
Apple provides a guided tour of the new features of Apple TV.
Now that some readers have installed the latest Apple TV update, here are some interesting notes plucked from the discussion thread.
- New startup video when booting Apple TV (Youtube video) - Apple TV can now be used with AirTunes, replicating Airport Express behavior. Will also stream Title, and Album cover. You can also control the iTunes music via the Apple TV (with the remote). Also supports streaming radio. - Login to Youtube now supported, with subscriptions and favorites - Fastforward and rewind performance has been improved - You still need a TV that can accept Component or HDMI - Anecdotal reports of better decoding performance. - 1080p signal output, but max resolution Apple TV can display is still 720p - Apple TV Setup Manual (PDF) posted. - The Apple TV hardware remains the same. This is a software upgrade only. - HD Movie Previews not necessarily representative of rental quality. (link)
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
