Apple's AirTag item trackers can be custom-engraved using text, numbers, and even emoji, but users looking to express some college humor will likely need to look elsewhere, because Apple's online AirTag personalization tool is easily offended.
An AirTag is just big enough to fit up to four characters or up to three emoji. That might seem just enough to get dubiously creative with your diction, but as The Verge points out, Apple puts pretty strict limitations on what you can emblematize on an AirTag.
For instance, a Pile of Poo emoji can't come after a Horse Face emoji, but other animal-poo combinations are fair game. Similar limitations apply to potentially offensive words spelt out with text, although some customers will surely find their own ways around the system.
This isn't the first time Apple has clipped the wings of would-be comedians and toilet humorists – many of the same emoji restrictions are present on AirPods and iPad engravings, for example. However, the ability to engrave several, more affordable AirTags is likely to introduce more people to Apple's guarded funny side.
AirTags start at $29 each or $99 for a four-pack. Online orders open this Friday, April 23, with AirTags shipping April 30. Engraving is free.
Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store.
The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump.
...
Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences.
The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more.
Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features.
Liquid Glass Toggle
iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass.
In the Settings app, under Display...
Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag.
This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked.
Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...
Wednesday November 5, 2025 11:57 am PST by Juli Clover
The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google.
For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more...
Thursday November 6, 2025 4:37 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report.
Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...
Thursday November 6, 2025 4:08 pm PST by Juli Clover
IKEA today announced the upcoming launch of 21 new Matter-compatible smart home products that will be able to interface with HomeKit and the Apple Home app. There are sensors, lights, and control options, all of which will be reasonably priced. Some of the products are new, while some are updates to existing lines that IKEA previously offered.
There are a series of new smart bulbs that are...
Wednesday November 5, 2025 3:54 pm PST by Juli Clover
It's been over a decade since Apple's HomeKit smart home platform launched, and it is overdue for an update. HomeKit and the Home app can no longer keep up with AI-powered solutions from other companies like Google and Amazon, but that's set to change with a smart home revamp that Apple has planned for 2026.
Home Hub
Apple is working on a home hub or "command center" that will serve as a...
The all-new intro sequence for Apple TV was made with practical effects and shot in-camera, Ad Age reports.
Rather than using digital techniques, the new sequence was made by shooting large glass versions of the Apple TV logo, with physical motion and changing lighting used to create effects. Apple partnered with TBWA\Media Arts Lab to create the intro.
Ad Age released an exclusive look...
I’m a bit tired of all this “censor” Apple applies to make everything so politically correct. I know this message is going to receive a lot of downvotes but this time I’ll understand it, because it is a controversial comment. Even if MR deletes it, yeah, I can understand.
That said, it feels certainly silly when I try to type (swiping) swearing words on iOS 14 and Apple has forbidden many words and pair of words to appear in the suggestions, thus, making it impossible to use those words by swiping, both in English and Spanish. It feels childish, at least let us disable it if we want! (There are people over 18yo using Apple devices too). And no, including those words into the dictionary no longer works like it did on iOS 13.
On the device engravings I can understand the decision to an extent. But with the iOS keyboard and other areas, I cannot get it.
You know you've found an American when they start talking about free speech without understanding that a private company not providing the specific option that you want doesn't come under free speach. But as long as we've got those freedumbs.
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Anyway. I'd be more interested in the obvious oversights in emojis here. Why is the key emoji not there? Why not a house? and a car? so I can combine emoji into "Car Key" and "House Key" and where is the backpack emoji? It doesn't seem very well through through.
