Apple is still on track to release a new Apple TV model later this year, according to a reliable source speaking to MacRumors.
According to a source familiar with the company's plans, Apple is highly likely to replace the current Apple TV 4K with a new model later this year. The current model will be discontinued.
Today's Apple TV 4K came out in 2022, featuring the A15 Bionic chip, support for HDR10+, and a tweaked Siri Remote with a USB-C port for charging. Apple does not refresh the Apple TV's hardware frequently, releasing a new model around every three years. This 2022 model is the newest and only Apple TV in the company's product lineup.
The new model is expected to feature a newer chip, support for Wi-Fi 7, and an Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for the first time, allowing Apple's smart home devices to work better together and synchronize data faster. The next-generation Apple TV could also be less expensive, with Apple aiming to lower prices to make the device more competitive, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple is widely expected to debut a new version of the Apple TV in late 2025, between September and December. The latest information suggests that this is still the case, with internal moves related to the device's release continuing.
Related information suggests that Apple is also likely to replace the second-generation HomePod this year.
Apple's iPhone 17 event this year appears to be scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, according to internal information from German mobile phone providers, as reported by iphone-ticker.de.
The timing lines up with a recent prediction by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who suggested Apple would hold its iPhone 17 announcement during the week of September 8. Gurman identified September 9 or 10 as the most probable dates, making the German carriers' claim all the more likely.
Following Apple's traditional pattern, iPhone 17 pre-orders would begin on the Friday immediately following the announcement, which would be September 12. The new devices would then likely reach customers and retail stores on Friday, September 19. The launch would cover major markets including the United States, China, Europe, and Japan.
This year's event is expected to see the announcement of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air (replacing the Plus model), iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple's new flagship smartphone lineup is also likely to be accompanied by announcements for Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and potentially AirPods Pro 3.
The most notable change to iOS 26 is the Liquid Glass design overhaul, which is the first major iOS design update since Apple rolled out iOS 7 back in 2013. There are new features in iOS 26, of course, but added functionality has definitely been sidelined in favor of the design refresh.
We've compiled a walkthrough of Liquid Glass, so you know what to expect when you install iOS 26. A lot of what's here is also applicable to iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe too.
Keep in mind that Apple is still refining Liquid Glass and some of the design could see further changes, but we'll update this guide with each revision.
Overview
Liquid Glass is translucent, and it's meant to behave similarly to real glass. It allows light and color to filter through, so you'll see bits of the background behind buttons, menus, and other interface elements.
Light is subtly reflected off of Liquid Glass buttons, which is noticeable when you move your iPhone. Apple says that Liquid Glass is designed to use real-time rendering to dynamically react to movement with reflective highlights.
App Icons
App icons are meant to look like layered glass, giving them a subtle depth. Apps like Messages, Weather, Photos, and Maps have a top layer icon design over a bottom color, for example, so you can see a hint of a 3D look.
Apple designed icons to have the same general colors as iOS 18, but there is an option to turn on an all-glass icon look by choosing the "Clear" option in the Home Screen customization interface.
Lock Screen
Liquid Glass is unmistakable from the moment you pick up an iPhone running iOS 26. The Lock Screen features Liquid Glass Control buttons (which are customizable like before), an option for a Liquid Glass design for the clock, and translucent notifications that use a more frosted variant of Liquid Glass.
The Clock is particularly interesting, because Apple designed it to merge more seamlessly with your wallpaper. If you use a photo wallpaper, the time readout will change in size to fit inside the empty space on the display.
Widgets that are on the Lock Screen also have a Liquid Glass design, with widgets, the Control Center buttons and the time reflecting the light with the movement of your iPhone.
Home Screen
App icons have the aforementioned layered look with the option for entirely clear icons, and widgets have the same design. When you turn on the clear icon option, widgets also adopt a much more translucent Liquid Glass design.
The dock is transparent and blends into the background behind it, and the same is true of the search interface. App folders have a soft, frosted Liquid Glass design that changes tint based on your wallpaper. The App Library has a similar look.
As you tilt and move your iPhone, you can see subtle glints of light reflecting off of the app icons, dock, folders, and search bar.
When Apple released the first beta of iOS 26, Control Center was so translucent it was almost unreadable. Apple made the Control Center buttons darker and more opaque, improving readability.
Control Center buttons now have a frosted glass look, but you can still see hints of what's in the background behind them.
Apps
In apps, Liquid Glass is noticeable in menu bars, navigation bars, and buttons. Most of Apple's apps have received a Liquid Glass update, and you'll see Liquid Glass almost anywhere there's a button, bar, or menu. Apple wanted navigation bars and menus to appear to be floating over the content in the app, and there is a distinctive layered look to navigation elements.
Navigation bars in apps are translucent and you can see some of the app's background behind them, especially when scrolling. Interface elements tend to fade more into the background to put the focus on content. Liquid Glass is accompanied by design changes in the form of pop out menus, rounded button designs, and disappearing navigation bars in select apps, with some of the more notable changes listed below.
Safari - Safari's Tab Bar uses Liquid Glass, and there's also a new Compact option. When you scroll, the Tab Bar collapses down, and you'll only see the website address. Scrolling back up brings it back. The interface for swapping between tab groups has changed, and all buttons also use Liquid Glass.
Photos - Photos no longer has a unified design, and there are separate Library and Collection tabs, along with a dedicated search button. Navigation bars disappear as you browse through your images, and all buttons have a rounded look.
Camera - The Camera app features one of the most notable design updates. Navigation has been distilled down into just a Video and a Photo button, though you can swipe to get to other modes. Tapping on a button displays pop out menu with a Liquid Glass design.
Messages - Messages looks largely the same, but buttons have a frosted glass look and the keyboard's edges are rounded. Buttons and bars have the same rounded look as the rest of iOS 26.
Maps - Maps also looks similar to the iOS 18 version of the app, but with more rounded interface elements and slightly more translucency.
App Store - The App Store app has a slimmed down navigation bar at the bottom with a frosted glass look. It can be almost translucent on some darker backgrounds.
Apple Music - Apple Music has the same translucent navigation bar as the App Store, with a design that shows the background through the bar.
Phone - The Phone app has an opt-in unified view with Liquid Glass-style buttons.
Weather - There's no more bottom bar in the Weather app, and instead, there are Liquid Glass buttons for changing locations and accessing settings.
Mail, Notes, Reminders, Health, News, and other Apple apps all have similar changes, primarily in the form of buttons that are slimmed down, rounder, and slightly more translucent.
Functionally, it's only the Camera app, the Photos app, and the Phone app (if using the unified view) that have significant navigation changes. For the most part, app buttons are in the same place and work in the same way, even though they have a different look.
How Liquid Glass Has Evolved
In the first developer beta, Liquid Glass had a heavy emphasis on translucency. So much so that text in areas like the Notification Center and the Control Center could be difficult to read.
iOS 26 beta 1 on left, iOS 26 beta 2 on right
Almost all of the interface was transparent, with color showing through behind everything. With white text and Apple having little to no control over the background colors of wallpapers and content, usability was a problem.
In the second developer beta that came out on June 23, Apple addressed the translucency of the Control Center, which was one of the areas that received heavy initial criticism. Apple increased the opacity of the buttons in the Control Center, and further blurred the background. Translucency for interface elements on the Lock Screen and the Home Screen also saw minor tweaks.
Apple made further changes in the third developer beta, rolling back some of the Liquid Glass translucency in app menu bars and buttons.
iOS 26 beta 2 on left, iOS 26 beta 3 on right
iOS 26 beta 2 on left, iOS 26 beta 3 on right
In the fourth beta, some of the translucency was reintroduced, and now we have a design that's not quite as transparent as the Liquid Glass that was demonstrated at WWDC, but that isn't as opaque as what we had in the third beta.
Beta 4 on right, beta 3 on left
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
With every beta update, there have been complaints from people who think there's too much transparency, and those who want more transparency. Apple is still working to find a balance, and we could see further changes in the future.
Criticism
People have strong opinions about Liquid Glass. Some love the novelty of a fresh look, and others think that it's a usability nightmare that's almost unreadable in some situations.
Apple so far hasn't managed to strike enough of a balance to satisfy everyone, and so far, it doesn't look like the company plans to compromise with a slider for customizability.
Do you like the Liquid Glass design, or do you want to see Apple scrap it? Let us know in the comments.
iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe
The Liquid Glass design extends to iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, with all of the updates adopting similar translucency for various interface elements. iPadOS 26 is the closest to iOS 26, featuring the same general design across the operating system and in Apple apps.
Apple wanted to improve design cohesiveness for its software across different devices, so you'll see Liquid Glass on all of your Apple products when you update to the latest operating systems in the fall.
OpenAI is making several changes to the way that ChatGPT works, with the aim of helping people use the chatbot in a healthier way.
Starting today, ChatGPT will provide users with "gentle reminders" about how long they've been using the service, with suggestions for breaks. OpenAI says that it isn't measuring success by time spent on ChatGPT, but by ensuring that people leave the product after finishing what they came for.
We build ChatGPT to help you thrive in all the ways you want. To make progress, learn something new, or solve a problem -- and then get back to your life. Our goal isn't to hold your attention, but to help you use it well.
OpenAI is working to improve ChatGPT's responses to certain kinds of questions. Rather than providing a direct answer to a high-stakes, sensitive question, ChatGPT should help users weigh pros and cons and think it through. OpenAI is updating ChatGPT's behavior for important personal decisions soon, so users will see more helpful responses for questions like "Should I break up with my boyfriend?"
OpenAI is still improving its models to better detect signs of mental or emotional distress, to ensure that ChatGPT does not feed into signs of delusion or emotional dependency and can direct users to helpful, evidence-based resources.
The company says that it has worked with more than 90 physicians across 30 countries to build custom rubrics for complex, multi-turn conversations. Human-computer interaction researchers have been recruited to give feedback on how ChatGPT has identified concerning behaviors and to stress-test product safeguards, plus OpenAI is putting together an advisory group of experts in mental health, youth development, and human-computer interaction.
Spotify today said that it is raising prices for Premium subscriptions in multiple countries across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Spotify is sending out emails to customers who will see their subscription prices go up.
A sample email suggests that prices in an unnamed European country are increasing by a euro, from €10.99 to €11.99. Price hikes will vary by location, and Spotify users can see the new pricing for their country by visiting the Spotify website.
Prices are not going up in all markets at this time including the United States. In the U.S., a Premium individual subscription continues to be priced at $11.99 per month.
Spotify says prices are increasing so that it can "continue to innovate" on product offerings and features and "bring users the best experience."
Google today used Apple's Siri failure to lure customers to the upcoming Pixel 10 series, sharing an ad that calls out the delayed Apple Intelligence Siri functionality.
With the spot, Google is shaming Apple for the misstep, suggesting Apple users should purchase a Pixel 10 smartphone instead.
If you buy a new phone because of a feature that's coming soon...
But it's been coming soon for a full year...
You could change your definition of soon. Or you could just change your phone.
At WWDC 2024, Apple showed off personalized Siri features powered by Apple Intelligence. When the iPhone 16 models launched, Apple used those Siri features to promote the new smartphones, and listed the Siri functionality as coming soon.
Apple was not able to deliver personalized Siri functionality as planned, and earlier this year said that it would be delayed until 2026. Apple is now on track to release Apple Intelligence Siri in spring 2026, a year after it was supposed to launch. The delay has led to upset customers and even class action lawsuits for false advertising.
Google plans to unveil its new Pixel 10 smartphones later this month.
iOS 26 gives you two distinct ways to add websites to your iPhone's Home screen – as web apps or traditional bookmarks. They might look similar at first glance, but choosing the right option can dramatically improve how you access your favorite sites.
Understanding the Difference
When you add a website to your Home screen using the "Add to Home Screen" option, iOS 26 allows the website to be opened as a web app. The update introduces a new feature for adding any website to the Home Screen as a web app, even if it doesn't support progressive web app (PWA) functionality.
Web apps run almost like native apps, with features like offline access, push notifications, and a streamlined interface without Safari's address bar. In contrast, traditional bookmarks simply open the website in Safari when tapped. This choice matters more than you might think. Web apps can provide a faster, more app-like experience, whereas bookmarks work better for informational sites you visit only occasionally.
Add a Web App or Bookmark to Home Screen
In iOS 26, Safari offers an Open as Web App toggle for all websites, even those that don't support have built-in web app support. If you want a bookmark, just switch the toggle off.
Open Safari and navigate to the website you want to add.
Tap the three dots to the right of Safari's address bar, then tap Share in the pop-up menu.
Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
If the site supports web apps, you'll see the Open as Web App toggle in the dialog – switch it off if you want a bookmark instead.
Customize the app name if desired, then tap Add.
Web apps appear on your Home screen with a dedicated icon, and tapping it will launch the site in its own window without Safari's browser interface. Bookmarks display with a generic website icon or the site's favicon, and tapping them opens the page in Safari.
Remove Bookmark or Web App From Home Screen
Both web apps and bookmarks can be deleted from the Home screen, much like any other app. To remove either kind, long-press the icon on your home screen, then tap Delete Bookmark (for some reason iOS doesn't differentiate the kind in this menu).
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are set for a general release in September 2025.
Apple is moving forward with plans to bring a new type of image sensor with dynamic range levels approaching that of the human eye to future iPhones, according to a Weibo leaker.
For comparison, the dynamic range of the human eye is estimated to be around 20 to 30 stops, depending on how the pupil adjusts and how light is processed over time. Most smartphone cameras today capture between 10 and 13 stops. If Apple's proposed sensor reaches its potential, it would not only surpass current iPhones but also outperform many professional cinema cameras, such as the ARRI ALEXA 35.
The patent outlined a stacked sensor design made up of two layers. The top layer, called the sensor die, contains the parts that capture light. The layer underneath, the logic die, handles processing, including noise reduction and exposure control.
One of the most important parts of the sensor design is a system called a Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC). This allows each pixel in the sensor to store different amounts of light depending on how bright the scene is, all in the same image. With this, the sensor can handle extremely wide lighting differences, such as a person standing in front of a bright window, without losing detail in the shadows or highlights.
Another part of the design focuses on reducing image noise and grain. Each pixel has its own built-in memory circuit that measures and cancels out heat-related electronic noise in real time. This is done on the chip itself, before the image is saved or edited by software.
According to the Weibo leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital," the project is more than merely a patent filing at Apple. The company has reportedly already developed the sensor and could now be testing it in developmental hardware, suggesting that there are plans to bring it to a consumer device in the future.
Currently, Apple uses sensors made by Sony across the iPhone lineup. Those sensors also use a two-layer design, but Apple's proposed version includes several original features and takes up less space. Crucially, Apple transitioning to its own sensors would give it complete control over the image pipeline and follow similar moves away from using hardware from companies like Intel and Qualcomm in favor of its own custom technology.
Today we're tracking a pair of deals on AirPods over at Amazon, with solid discounts on the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2.
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, 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, 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 9 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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
For the first time, an individual has been seen publicly controlling an iPad entirely through thought, thanks to Apple's new brain-computer interface (BCI) protocol and Synchron's implantable Stentrode device.
A new video from Synchron shows how Mark, a participant in the company's COMMAND clinical study and a person living with ALS, can navigate the iPad's Home Screen, launch apps, and compose text, all without moving his hands, speaking, or using his eyes.
Mark's control of the iPad is powered by a combination of Apple's accessibility feature "Switch Control" and the Stentrode BCI, which is implanted into a blood vessel above the brain's motor cortex. The endovascular implant captures neural signals related to motor intent and wirelessly transmits them to an external decoder. That decoder interfaces directly with iPadOS through Apple's BCI HID standard.
The BCI HID protocol enables closed-loop communication between Apple devices and Synchron's technology, with the system dynamically sharing contextual on-screen data to optimize performance and responsiveness. Dr. Tom Oxley, Synchron's founder and CEO said:
This is the first time the world has seen native, thought-driven control of an Apple device in action. Mark's experience is a technical breakthrough, and a glimpse into the future of human-computer interaction, where cognitive input becomes a mainstream mode of control.
Apple first collaborated with Synchron in early pilot projects using Apple Vision Pro, which Mark controlled through thought in 2024. The integration then expanded to iPhones and iPads, with support built into Apple's accessibility frameworks. Apple is expected to roll out broader support for the BCI HID protocol across its platforms later in 2025.
Synchron has now implanted its Stentrode in 10 patients across the United States and Australia, under FDA's investigational device exemption. Unlike Neuralink's more invasive N1 chip, which embeds electrodes directly into brain tissue, Synchron's approach avoids open-brain surgery, relying on a safer, catheter-based procedure through the jugular vein.
Apple is planning to bring tandem-structure OLED panels to its iPhone lineup in the coming years, which would bring over some of the display improvements currently exclusive to Apple's M4 iPad Pro models.
The Elec reports that Apple has set a two-year production plan for the superior OLED technology to be adapted for iPhone models. However, Apple has yet to decide whether to develop the panels in partnership with Samsung Display or LG Display, suggesting iPhones with tandem OLED won't arrive until sometime after 2028.
The tandem OLED displays used in Apple's iPad Pro models have two RGB organic light-emitting layers stacked together for increased brightness, improved power efficiency, and longer longevity compared to single-layer OLED displays. Currently, iPhone OLEDs use a single-stack method.
However, according to the report, the tandem OLED Apple is reviewing for iPhones involves stacking two layers for the blue sub-pixel only, while keeping red and green on a single layer. This method is apparently known in the industry as "simplified tandem."
LG Display is said to have proposed simplified tandem OLED to Apple based on confidence in its technology, and had already suggested tandem OLED for iPhones several years ago.
Apple is reportedly showing interest in LG's proposal, since Samsung is behind LG Display in developing this particular type of tandem OLED technology. Notably, LG's OLED panel shipments to Apple for iPad Pro models have exceeded those of Samsung, while its automotive OLEDs are also already built using a two-stack tandem method. By comparison, Samsung has mainly used a single-stack structure for automotive OLEDs.
Ultimately, Apple is likely to rely on multiple suppliers for the technology to ensure production capacity and maintain price competitiveness. That suggests China's BOE may also be called upon. As with all rumors running this far into the future, Apple's plans could of course change.
The iPhone 17 Air internal battery pack is just 2.49mm thick and appears to be about half as thin as the iPhone 17 Pro battery, based on new information and images coming out of Korea.
Image allegedly showing iPhone 17 Air battery (left) vs. iPhone 17 Pro battery
Posted by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, an image allegedly shows the iPhone 17 Air battery next to the iPhone 17 Pro battery for comparison. The same account was first to claim that the Air's battery capacity is 2,800 mAh. A Chinese leaker has since said it will be below the 3,000 mAh mark.
We do not yet have any rumors indicating the battery capacity of the iPhone 17 Pro, only for the iPhone 17 Pro Max – which is said to be at or above 5,000 mAh.
Some of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models were the last with battery capacities at or below the 3,000 mAh mark. However, mAh values can only be directly compared when the batteries have the same voltage, with Wh a preferred unit of measurement. iPhone batteries typically do have the same voltage, allowing for mAh comparisons.
In May, the same Naver blog account claimed that the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight of approximately 145 grams – similar to an iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 13 mini, which are 148 grams and 141 grams, respectively. The all-new ultra-thin device itself is believed to be around 5.5mm thick, making it the thinnest ever iPhone.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March that device will have a "high-density" battery. More recently, a report out of Asia has suggested that the iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Apple supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.
Having said that, reports have been mixed regarding the iPhone 17 Air's potential battery performance. The Information's Wayne Ma claimed the device will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models.
In internal testing, Apple apparently determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For other iPhone models, the report said that metric is apparently between 80% and 90%.
To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.
On the other hand, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has offered a more optimistic outlook, stating that battery life would be "on par with current iPhones" thanks to hardware and software optimizations.
The 5.5mm-thin device is also rumored to incorporate Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and lack an Ultra Wide camera, which could potentially provide more internal space for a larger battery. We'll know for sure when the device replaces the "Plus" model in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to launch around mid-September, per Apple's typical fall release schedule.
Along with the iPhone 18 Fold expected to launch in late 2026, Apple is working on a larger-screened foldable device that could be a MacBook-iPad hybrid of some sort. According to one analyst, both devices were set to enter mass production towards the end of next year, but a new report now suggests the larger model is further away than originally thought.
In a research note reflecting on Apple's recent third-quarter earnings, investment firm GF Securities' lead analyst Jeff Pu said he expects "limited innovation" from Apple in its upcoming iPhone 17 lineup. Instead, Pu reserves his excitement for the iPhone 18 Fold, for which he has seen "intact progress" in the supply chain pointing to a release in the second half of 2026.
"On the other hand," writes Pu, "the 18.8-inch foldable device is likely to be postponed." The analyst offered no reason for the expected delay, but the report suggests the device will no longer enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026 for a likely 2027 release, as previously indicated.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Apple is working on a foldable iPad with a 20-inch display that will come out in 2028, while analyst Ross Young has said that he expects a foldable tablet-like device in 2026 or 2027, so it's safe to say there's uncertainty about a launch date. There also appear to be conflicting reports about what kind of device the larger foldable will be.
Pu believes the foldable device that Apple is working on will be a MacBook-iPad hybrid with a touch-based screen and support for macOS. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also referred to Apple's larger foldable device as a MacBook, while Ross Young has also written about Apple's work on a notebook with an 18.8-inch display. The Wall Street Journal said in December that Apple is working on a 19-inch MacBook with a foldable screen.
However, Gurman has referred to Apple's large-screened foldable device as an iPad, as has research firm Omdia. Whether the large-screened foldable is ultimately an iPad or a Mac will come down to the operating system that Apple is planning to use. If the device runs macOS, it'll be in the Mac family, and if it runs iPadOS, it'll be in the iPad family. Gurman has claimed that some of the design updates that Apple has made in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe to unify the operating systems will pave the way for foldable devices and touchscreen Macs, so a hybrid is also a possibility.
All in all, the details of Apple's larger foldable device remain murky. That's in contrast to rumors about Apple's smaller book-style foldable iPhone, which have recently been converging on a 2026 release.
Apple is hiring engineers for an "Answers, Knowledge, and Information" team that is working on improving Siri, Spotlight, Safari, and more.
As of writing, Apple's careers website has more than a dozen job listings for the team across the U.S. and China. For example, Apple is looking to hire a Staff Machine Learning Engineer to help with "improving Siri's ability to answer personal domain questions." The job listing says the team develops large language models that are "responsible for answering users' questions using their personal documents with privacy at the forefront."
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he was told that the team is in the early stages of developing a "new ChatGPT-like search experience," and it is apparently even exploring a "standalone app" for such functionality.
"While still in early stages, the team is building what it calls an 'answer engine' — a system capable of crawling the web to respond to general-knowledge questions," wrote Gurman. "A standalone app is currently under exploration, alongside new back-end infrastructure meant to power search capabilities in future versions of Siri, Spotlight and Safari."
Gurman previously reported that Apple was developing a more conversational version of Siri, but he said that it was delayed until at least iOS 27. This would be a more ChatGPT-like version of Siri that is powered by a large language model.
For now, the only thing that Apple has announced is the more personalized version of Siri, which will have better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps. Evidently, though, it looks like Apple has even bigger ChatGPT-like ambitions.
In a federal court in Massachusetts on Friday, Apple sued a small movie theater chain named Apple Cinemas over alleged trademark infringement.
"Apple Cinemas is knowingly and intentionally using the name Apple to sow confusion for its own benefit," alleged attorneys for Apple, in a complaint filed against all Apple Cinemas locations, and a Sand Media Corp Inc. company connected to the chain.
Established in 2013, Apple Cinemas maintained a limited presence in the Northeastern U.S. until last month, when it opened a theater in San Francisco. The complaint alleges that Apple Cinemas is pursuing a nationwide expansion across the U.S., including in areas near Apple's headquarters and retail stores, leading Apple to take action.
"Faced with Defendants' plan to expand to 100 theaters nationwide, as well as widespread public confusion about Apple's involvement in the theaters, Apple has no alternative but to file this lawsuit to protect its brand and customers from deception," the complaint states.
Apple Cinemas currently has 14 locations, according to its website.
Apple's "repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably" were unsuccessful. The lawsuit alleges that the companies behind Apple Cinemas have received multiple warnings that the name would cause confusion among consumers, but carried on. The complaint includes examples of some people who believed that Apple Cinemas was owned by Apple, in the comment sections of various online news articles and social media posts.
The first warning came from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which in October 2024 denied Sand Media Corp Inc.'s trademark applications for the "Apple Cinemas" and "ACX — Apple Cinematic Experience" marks, given they were likely to cause confusion with Apple's prior trademark rights, according to the complaint.
Apple has very strong trademark rights in connection with a wide range of goods and services, including movie distribution, its attorneys said.
The second warning came in December 2024, when Apple sent Sand Media Corps Inc. a cease and desist letter directly, according to the complaint. Apple's attorneys also communicated with the company by phone and in writing several times, but it knowingly pushed forward with its Apple Cinemas expansion plans, the complaint adds.
As for how the Apple Cinemas name came to be? According to the complaint, the founders of the chain claim they adopted the name due to a planned first location at the Apple Valley Mall in Rhode Island, but they never opened a location there.
Apple is seeking both an injunction and monetary damages.
Update — August 2: Majin Bu now says that this battery is actually for the iPhone 17 Pro, instead of the iPhone 17 Air as they originally claimed. There will apparently be two variants, for models with and without a physical SIM card tray.
"Due to a miscommunication with my source, the information I reported yesterday is incorrect," said Majin Bu.
A source told Majin Bu that the L-shaped battery pack will have a capacity of around 2,900 mAh. That tracks with previous rumors indicating that the iPhone 17 Air's battery capacity will be in the 2,800 mAh to 3,000 mAh range.
The batteries in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus use a type of adhesive that can be loosened with low-voltage electrical current, from a 9V battery or another power source. Majin Bu expects the iPhone 17 Air's battery will also be removable in this way.
Alleged images of iPhone 17 Air battery via Majin Bu
If the 2,900 mAh figure is accurate, the iPhone 17 Air could have the shortest battery life of any iPhone model since the iPhone 13 series, but the lower capacity could be offset by the A19 chip's improved power efficiency. In addition, iOS 26's new Adaptive Power Mode would help the iPhone 17 Air to achieve at least slightly longer battery life.
Earlier this year, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that the iPhone 17 Air would have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, due to the device's rumored ultra-thin design limiting internal space for a battery.
In internal testing, Apple determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to that report. For other iPhone models, the report said that metric is apparently between 80% and 90%.
To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.
The highlight of this week's best Apple deals is a sale on the M4 MacBook Air at Amazon, with $200 off nearly every model of the computer. You'll also find great discounts on the MacBook Pro, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and AirPods Max this week.
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.
Amazon this week introduced a new record low price across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, and you can still get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for just $799.00, plus many other deals.
M4 MacBook Pro
What's the deal? Get up to $436 off M4 MacBook Pro
Continuing this week's theme of steep MacBook-related discounts, Amazon also has great deals on the M4 MacBook Pro right now. You'll find up to $436 off these computers, starting at $1,299.00 for the entry-level 14-inch model.
You can get the AirPods Max for $449.99 in all colors except Purple this week on Amazon, which is a $99 discount and second-best price.
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 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
With the calendar flipping over to August, we're just about a month away from the introduction of the iPhone 17 lineup and we're continuing to hear more about what to expect for this year's flagship phones.
Testing on iOS 26 and related updates is also in full swing, even as this week saw the release of iOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, and more to provide bug fixes and security updates for users. Rumors about Apple's foldable iPhone also continue to surface, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Apple Releases iOS 18.6 With Photos Bug Fix
While iOS 26 and related major updates are now in public beta testing ahead of their official releases later this year, Apple is continuing to tweak the current versions with bug fixes and security updates. This week saw the release of iOS 18.6 with a fix for a bug in the Photos app that could prevent memory movies from being shared. The update also includes over 20 security fixes, so it's important to update your devices as soon as possible.
In addition to iOS 18.6, Apple also released macOS Sequoia 15.6, watchOS 11.6, tvOS 18.6, and more, to ensure that all of the company's platforms receive the important fixes.
iPhone 17 Pro Could Come in Surprising Orange Color, Dummy Models Suggest
We've been hearing more and more about the expected color options for the iPhone 17 lineup coming later this year, and a fresh crop of dummy units reportedly intended to showcase the actual shades Apple is planning on launching reveal a surprisingly bright orange color for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.
In other iPhone rumors, a tipster claims that the Pro models will include up to 8× optical zoom for the Telephoto lens, an additional Camera Control button, and a new pro camera app. The larger camera bumps on the Pro models will also necessitate a change to the MagSafe design, though backward compatibility will be included.
It could certainly be a hoax, but the details shown in the photos are consistent with the rumored design of the phone and with how Apple is known to conceal unreleased hardware that has to be tested in the real world.
JPMorgan: Foldable iPhone to Launch in September 2026
The latest research note from JPMorgan suggests that the foldable is likely to start at around $1,999, creating a roughly $65 billion market opportunity for Apple. The firm forecasts foldable iPhone sales to be in the low-teens of million in 2027, reaching 45 million units by 2028.
These 10 Apple Stores Are Opening or Closing Later This Year
There has been a flurry of Apple retail news over the past few weeks, with the company announcing the opening of several new or renovated locations while closing a few others. Beyond our initial list of stores from earlier this week, Tim Cook also announced on Thursday's earnings conference call that several more openings are coming to India and the United Arab Emirates later this year.
The closings, which include a rare closure of a Chinese store in Dalian, typically occur in shopping malls that have been in decline and losing other major tenants. In some cases Apple has been replacing the stores in other nearby locations where they are expected to perform better, while in other cases customers are directed to alternative existing Apple retail stores in their areas.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more.
iOS 26 beta 1 on left, iOS 26 beta 2 on right
iOS 26 beta 2 on left, iOS 26 beta 3 on right
iOS 26 beta 2 on left, iOS 26 beta 3 on right
Beta 4 on right, beta 3 on left
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
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.
Alleged images of iPhone 17 Air battery 
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.
