An independent engineer known for modifying Apple products today revealed a new accessory that adds a fully functional USB-C port to older iPhones with Lightning ports via a custom-designed case.
Ken Pillonel, the Swiss robotics engineer who gained attention in 2021 after adding a USB-C port to an iPhone X through hardware modification, has launched a commercial product that enables USB-C charging and data transfer on Lightning-based iPhones without requiring any internal modifications.
The accessory, sold under the brand "Obsoless," is a two-part snap-on case that integrates a custom circuit board and USB-C connector. The product is designed to provide full compatibility with 9V fast charging, data transfer, and Apple CarPlay.
The project is built on the foundations of his earlier work with AirPods USB-C cases. In a new video, Pillonel explains how he overcame many of the technical challenges involved in developing the case, such as ensuring compatibility with fast charging.
The case itself consists of two parts that clamp around the phone, connecting to the Lightning port through a precisely aligned connector embedded within the enclosure. Pillonel developed a custom latching mechanism inspired by pen clickers and belt buckles, which uses a rotating joint and tactile latch to keep the enclosure closed without requiring tools.
The accessory is also MagSafe compatible. 20 different iPhone models with Lightning ports are supported in total. More color variants of the case will be available starting in September, and users can sign up for email notifications via the Obsoless website for updates on availability.
New subscribers can get up to two free months, pairing the free Halfbrick month with a one-month free trial. Existing subscribers are eligible for a one month subscription to play Fruit Ninja and other Apple Arcade games.
To get the free month of Apple Arcade, you can sign up on Halfbrick's website. Promo codes are available in the United States, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, Japan, Philippines, Brazil, and Mexico. If you're not in the U.S., make sure to select your country from the dropdown menu. Apple Arcade promo codes are limited, so make sure to sign up soon.
Halfbrick is offering the promotion to celebrate a fun Bluey-themed event taking place this summer. Popular Apple Arcade game Fruit Ninja Classic+ has been updated with Bluey-themed wands, powers, dojos, and other easter eggs. It's worth checking out with the free month of Apple Arcade if you're a fan of Fruit Ninja or Bluey. There are a series of four in-game Bluey events that are available through August 13, with special in-game prizes available to unlock.
Apple Arcade is normally priced at $6.99 per month. There are more than 200 games available, with no in-app purchases or ads.
Apple today announced AppleCare One, a new subscription plan for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan.
AppleCare One starts at $19.99 per month for up to three products, with the ability to add more for $5.99 per month for each additional device. The plan incudes all of the benefits that come with AppleCare+, such as unlimited repairs for accidents, priority support, battery coverage, and more.
Subscribers can freely move their devices in and out of the plan at any time. AppleCare One also enables users to add products they already own that are up to four years old, providing they are in good condition, extending beyond the current 60-day window to purchase AppleCare+. When a customer trades in a covered product with Apple, it is automatically removed from their AppleCare One plan and replaced with the new device.
AppleCare One also expands theft and loss protection to the iPad and Apple Watch. Previously, it was only available for the iPhone.
AppleCare One's pricing is the same regardless of the products that are covered. Apple says that a customer who enrolls their iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch could save up to $11 per month versus enrolling in separate AppleCare+ plans for each device.
Customers in the United States can sign up for AppleCare One starting tomorrow on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac, or by visiting an Apple Store.
Britain's competition regulator has today outlined sweeping proposals that could force Apple to fundamentally alter how it operates its App Store, Safari browser, and iOS ecosystem in the UK.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published a detailed roadmap of potential interventions after proposing to designate both Apple and Google with "strategic market status" under new digital competition laws. The designation would give the CMA unprecedented powers to impose binding requirements on how Apple runs its mobile platform.
The CMA's immediate priorities include forcing Apple to allow app developers to "steer" users away from the App Store to complete purchases elsewhere, which would potentially undercut Apple's lucrative 30% commission model. The regulator also wants to require fairer, more transparent app review processes and prevent Apple from using data collected during app reviews to benefit its own services.
The CMA's most ambitious long-term goal involves breaking Apple's tight control over iOS by allowing alternative browser engines beyond WebKit and enabling better interoperability for digital wallets and connected devices like smartwatches.
"Apple and Google's mobile platforms hold an effective duopoly," said CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell, noting that 90-100% of UK mobile devices run on these platforms. The regulator estimates the UK app economy generates 1.5% of GDP and supports around 400,000 jobs.
Ultimately, the CMA believes that successful implementation could mean access to innovative digital wallets beyond Apple Pay, more capable third-party browsers, and potentially lower app prices as developers gain alternatives to Apple's payment systems.
Apple has already pushed back against the proposals, warning that they "would undermine the privacy and security protections that our users have come to expect, hamper our ability to innovate, and force us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors."
The roadmap draws heavily on enforcement actions already underway in the EU and other jurisdictions. In the US, for example, a court recently forced Apple to allow app developers to include external payment links, leading companies like Spotify and Proton to announce price cuts of up to 30% for American users.
The CMA's phased approach aims to begin with app store reforms later this year, followed by more complex interventions around browser engines and device interoperability from 2026 onwards. However, some of the measures remain under review pending developments in US litigation and European enforcement.
The regulator has until October to finalize its strategic market status designations. In the meantime, it has invited stakeholders to submit feedback on the proposed intervention roadmap.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Proton today launched Lumo, an AI assistant that promises to keep your conversations completely private. Best known for its encrypted Mail and VPN services, the Swiss company says it built Lumo as an alternative to mainstream AI tools that typically capitalize on users' data by using it to train their large language models (LLMs).
Lumo can be used just like other AI chatbots (Open AI's ChatGPT or Google Gemini, for example) so it can do things like analyze documents, rewrite emails, and generate code. Proton says Lumo doesn't keep chat logs on its servers, and everything stays encrypted on your device using the same technology that protects the company's other services, so no one else can read your conversations – including Proton itself.
The service runs on open-source AI models like Mistral's Nemo and Nvidia's OpenHands 32B. The models operate from European data centers that Proton says it controls directly. Users' questions and responses don't get fed back into the system to train future versions, so there's no risk of your private information showing up in someone else's chat.
Lumo includes a "Ghost mode" that makes your current conversation disappear forever when you close it, while the assistant's web search feature (if you turn it on) uses privacy-friendly search engines. You can also link Proton Drive files to Lumo and everything stays encrypted.
Lumo is free to use at Lumo.proton.me and does not require a Proton account when accessed. However, if you have a Proton account, your chat history can be saved using the company's "zero-access" encryption across all your devices. There are also mobile apps for iPhone and Android.
For power users, Lumo Plus costs $12.99 per month and removes limits on chats and file uploads. Announcing the chatbot, Proton CEO Andy Yen said the company built Lumo because AI shouldn't become the world's most powerful surveillance tool. "For this reason, we believe it is essential to provide an alternative that protects privacy and serves users as opposed to exploiting them."
Lumo by Proton is available to download from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo already mentioned those same display sizes for the foldable iPhone in March, meaning there are now multiple sources backing those sizes, so long as TrendForce is not simply copying what Kuo said.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 has an 8-inch inner screen, and a 6.5-inch outer screen.
TrendForce said Apple will likely launch the foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026, so the device could debut in September of next year.
Last week, Kuo said the foldable iPhone (and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8) will feature a "crease-free" inner display. He said Apple will achieve this feat by using a laser-drilled metal display plate, which can disperse the stress generated by bending.
Kuo expects the foldable iPhone to have two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID.
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 26 today, and the company has continued making changes to the way that Liquid Glass looks. There are also new features, including the return of Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries for news. This beta is of particular interest because it's likely the beta that public beta testers will get in the not too distant future.
Liquid Glass Changes
Liquid Glass is more translucent in beta 4, with Apple walking back some of the opacity changes that it introduced in beta 3.
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
Menu bars in apps like Photos, Music, and the App Store are now feature more transparency, allowing more of the background color to show through.
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
On the Lock Screen, when you scroll through notifications, the background gets darker. The darker tone improves the readability of text.
Beta 4 on right, beta 3 on left
Notification Summaries
Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries are available for News and Entertainment apps again. Apple removed summaries for news articles back in January to improve the feature, and now it's ready for testing again.
At the time, Notification Summaries were producing misleading news headlines by picking up and combining the wrong information in articles. Apple says the feature should work better now, and that testing will continue throughout the iOS 26 beta.
After updating to iOS 26, you'll see a pop up for enabling the summary feature for different app categories. You can choose to get news summaries or opt out. All notification summaries for News and Entertainment apps that are generated with Apple Intelligence will be italicized and will be annotated with a "Summarized by Apple Intelligence" notice.
Camera App
When you swipe between modes in the Camera app, the button behavior has changed slightly. Before, the button seemed to be fixed with the background sliding back and forth, but now the button moves freely in both directions.
Apple also changed the icon of the Camera app on the Home Screen.
Beta 4 camera app icon on left, beta 3 icon on right
CarPlay Wallpapers
There are new CarPlay wallpapers available that match the new iOS 26 wallpaper design. The CarPlay wallpapers come in a range of colors, including blue, brown, gray, green, purple, and red. The wallpapers support both light mode and dark mode.
Apple has also removed some older CarPlay wallpapers that were introduced with earlier versions of iOS.
Passcode Changes
When you tap on Face ID & Passcode in the Settings app, there's an updated interface and wording that reminds you to enter the passcode you use to unlock the iPhone.
Passwords
The Passwords app has an Allow Contacting Websites option, which allows the app to contact websites to show names and icons for apps and websites and to let you know when a website supports passkeys.
With this feature, Passwords now shows custom icons for websites automatically.
Weather
There's a new toggle in the Weather app settings that allows it to access Significant Locations. With the feature enabled, the Weather app is able to provide weather information for places that you are likely to visit.
Reduce Loud Sounds
The "Late Night Mode" option in the Sounds and Haptics section of the Settings app has been renamed to Reduce Loud Sounds, and Apple added a description.
Reduces audio volume range and creates softer sound effects while maintaining the quiet details of the original audio.
Call Screening
Apple updated the Screen Unknown Callers option to add new options. You can turn the feature off, ask unknown callers the reason why they are calling, or silence calls from unknown numbers automatically, sending them to voicemail.
Mail
There are very subtle changes to the design of the Mail app icon.
iOS 26 beta 3 Mail app icon on left, beta 4 icon on right
Wallpaper
The wallpapers introduced with iOS 26 are now dynamic and will change color over the course of the day.
Read More
We have additional info on all of the new features in iOS 26 in our roundup.
Apple may be developing a sleep score feature for the Apple Watch, based on code found in iOS 26 by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
An image buried in the Health app code features an Apple Watch with an "84" on it. Around the sides of the number, there are three bars that are the same colors as some of the sleep stages that can be tracked with the Apple Watch. The orange could represent time awake, the lighter blue may correspond with REM sleep, and the darker blue could be Core or Deep sleep.
The watch graphic is surrounded by sleep-related icons that Apple uses in different places in iOS, including a moon and stars, a "zzz," a bed, an icon representing sleep stages, an alarm clock, and in one spot, a thermometer.
Apple named the image "Watch Focus Score," suggesting that it is indeed some kind of sleep-related score that the watch will provide. With the focus name, it could perhaps provide a prediction on how well you'll be able to function during the day based on the amount of sleep that you got the night before.
Many health tracking devices offer a sleep score, but it's something that Apple has not provided with the Apple Watch yet. The Apple Watch has sleep tracking and separates sleep into REM, Core, and Deep, plus Apple provides time in bed and time awake metrics.
Based on the temperature icon, the future sleep score could take into account multiple health metrics, similar to the Vitals option that Apple introduced in watchOS 11.
We haven't discovered further signs of a sleep score feature, so there is a possibility that this graphic relates to something else. It's also possible that this is an option that Apple plans to introduce with the watchOS 26 update, and we're just seeing the first hints of it.
In the fourth beta of iOS 26, there's some curious wording for a HomePod setting that references a HomePod with a display, perhaps hinting at a future product that could come out sometime in the not too distant future.
There’s a location-related setting that has the following wording:
Your HomePod won't be able to show you the local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area.
"Show" is an interesting word for Apple to choose, because right now, the HomePod isn't able to show anything like the weather or the time because it doesn’t have a screen to display the information.
There have been multiple rumors of a HomePod with a display over the last few years, and the screen-equipped HomePod may in fact turn out to be the home hub that Apple has in development.
Rumors suggest that the hub will have an iPad-like display, but with a square shape rather than a rectangular shape. It will be able to control all of your HomeKit and Matter devices, plus it will run Apple apps like Weather, Calendar, Apple Music, Photos, Apple News, and more.
Siri integration is expected, with Siri able to answer questions similar to how the HomePod works. In fact, Apple has reportedly delayed the launch of the home hub due to the issues that it has had developing the Apple Intelligence version of Siri.
There's no clear word yet on when the home hub will launch due to the Siri delays, but we could see it late this year or early next year.
With the fourth beta of iOS 26, Apple has again made changes to the Liquid Glass design that's available across the operating system, tweaking how the menus and buttons appear in apps.
In response to criticism about too little Liquid Glass in beta 3, Apple has upped the translucency in several areas.
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
Navigation bars in apps like Photos, Music, the App Store, Podcasts, are slightly clearer, allowing more of the background color to show through.
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
Apple cut down on the frosted glass look, but the changes are small enough that text remains readable, so it appears to be more of a balance between beta 2 and beta 3.
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
Control Center, the Lock Screen, and the Home Screen look largely the same, so most of the transparency changes are focused on app navigation bars and buttons. On the Lock Screen, though, the background darkens as you scroll through notifications.
Beta 4 on right, beta 3 on left
Apple will likely continue to make small changes to Liquid Glass based on user feedback, and we won't see the finalized version of the design until iOS 26 is released in the fall.
With the fourth betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26, Apple has re-enabled Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries for apps in the News and Entertainment categories.
After installing the betas, there is a pop up for enabling notification summaries across these and other categories. Users can opt-in or opt-out of notification summaries on a per-category basis.
Apple says that it has improved notification summaries in iOS 26, addressing issues that could cause confusion with news headlines.
All notification summaries for News and Entertainment apps that are generated with Apple Intelligence will be italicized and will be annotated with a "Summarized by Apple Intelligence" notice.
Apple plans to further test and refine Apple Intelligence summaries for news articles during the rest of the iOS 26 beta testing process, and there is an option for users to report a concern directly if there is an issue with a notification summary.
Notification Summaries for the News and Entertainment category were removed in the iOS 18.3 update in January, following criticism over some misleading news headlines created by Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries are available on devices that support Apple Intelligence. The feature groups multiple notifications from the same app together, providing a one-sentence overview of the content. The short summaries were causing issues when AI pulled the wrong details from news stories, but Apple's improvements should help fix the issue.
Apple today provided developers with the fourth beta of macOS Tahoe 26 for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after the third 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.
Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 for testing purposes, with the updates coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third 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.
Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 for testing purposes, with the betas coming two weeks after the third 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 European Union is set to accept the June updates that Apple made to its App Store to comply with the Digital Markets Act, reports Reuters. As a result, Apple will not face daily fines for non-compliance.
Apple changed its App Store fee setup and removed its anti-steering rules to meet the demands of the European Commission. Developers can now direct customers to purchase options outside the App Store and even accept payments for digital goods in their apps using third-party payment options.
At the European Commission's direction Apple has split its App Store services options to let developers opt out of certain features for a lower fee. There are now two tiers that developers can pay for. The cheaper one eliminates ratings and reviews, App Store featuring and marketing, search suggestions, automatic app updates, and automatic app downloads across devices. The more expensive tier includes all current App Store features and functionality.
Tier 1 store services cost five percent of an app's revenue, and Tier 2 store services cost 13 percent (10 percent for Small Business Program participants). Apple also charges a two percent initial acquisition fee and a five percent Core Technology Commission (CTC). The CTC replaces the CTF, a controversial fee that charged developers €0.50 per app install after one million installs per year.
Right now, there's a split CTC and CTF system for developers who use external links and those who don't, but by January 1, 2026, Apple will have a single business model that includes the services fee, the initial acquisition fee, and the CTC. At maximum, developers will pay 20 percent, and per-install billing won't exist. Developers who choose limited App Store functionality will pay a 12 percent maximum fee. Small Business Program participants will pay between 10 and 15 percent.
If Apple had not changed its App Store fee structure and linking rules, it could have been fined up to five percent of its average daily worldwide revenue (about €50 million) each day. The European Commission is expected to accept the App Store updates "in the coming weeks," but timing could change.
Apple was already fined €500 million for allegedly violating the Digital Markets Act, but the company has filed an appeal. Apple is protesting both the fine and the new anti-steering rules that the European Commission required.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple could offer at least six different iPhone models in 2027, according to a proven leaker on Weibo.
According to a post from the leaker known as "Instant Digital," there may be at least six new iPhone models to choose from in 2027. From the unveiling of the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e in the first half of 2027 until the fall announcement of the first iPhone 19 models, the lineup could look like this:
Earlier this year, Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple plans to split new iPhone lineups between two launch windows annually. The iPhone 18 Pro models and the first foldable iPhone will arrive in the second half of 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e will follow in the first half of 2027.
Apple is also highly likely to keep some other, older iPhone models on sale. Today, it still offers the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus alongside the five iPhone 16 models. Until February, it also still sold the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. As a result, this year's iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will probably stick around in 2027, meaning that there could be the biggest ever variety of new iPhone models available from Apple at a single time.
Apple took sixth place in India's smartphone market during the second quarter of the year, according to new data from Canalys. The country's overall market rebounded with 7% year-over-year growth, reaching a total of 39 million units shipped.
The iPhone 16 series drove Apple's performance, accounting for over 55% of the company's shipments in the quarter. The data suggests that users have been keen to upgrade to Apple's latest flagship devices, but older models like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 continued attracting buyers across lower price points.
However, Apple's latest entry-level edition to the lineup, the iPhone 16e, appears to have struggled to gain traction after its February launch. Canalys analyst Sanyam Chaurasia said that consumers in India questioned the device's single-camera design and the company's largely unfulfilled Apple Intelligence promises, which hampered its market appeal.
Apart from Samsung, it is Chinese brands that continue to dominate the Indian market. Apple's stiff competition was led by vivo, which took 21% market share and registered impressive 31% growth. Samsung followed at 16%, while OPPO and Xiaomi tied for third with 13% each, and realme rounded out the top five with 9% share.
Canalys (now part of Omdia) projects a modest decline for the full-year 2025, owing to an overall subdued consumer desire to upgrade phones before the festive season in Indiam when promotions and marketing campaigns ramp up. Apple's mixed sales performance figures for the quarter follow recent efforts to expand its retail presence in India, with stores opening in Mumbai and New Delhi last year.
Meanwhile, Apple is continuing to increase exports from the country to diversify its supply chain and reduce its dependence on China. The growth in iPhone manufacturing has significantly impacted India's export economy, and smartphones have become the country's top export to the United States.
An anonymous leaker with a proven track record today shared alleged build numbers for the fourth developer betas of iOS 26 and more.
The private account on X has accurately leaked build numbers for Apple software updates in the past. We do not link to the account at the owner's request.
Here are all of the build numbers shared by the account today:
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 beta 4 (23A5297i)
macOS 26 beta 4 (25A5316i)
tvOS 26 and HomePod Software 26 beta 4 (23J5316g)
watchOS 26 beta 4 (23R5317g)
visionOS 26 beta 4 (23M5300g)
The account often shares build numbers for betas around one day before they are released, so it is likely that the fourth developer betas of the updates listed above will be released this Tuesday, July 22. Then, the first public betas of the updates will likely follow by Wednesday, July 23, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, there will not be a visionOS 26 public beta, according to Apple's beta website.
Apple accidentally made the macOS 26 public beta available to some users for a brief period earlier today, and the build number for it was the same as the one listed above for the fourth developer beta of macOS 26. In other words, the first public betas will likely correspond with the fourth developer betas, as expected.
Apple previously announced that the public betas would be available in July, but it did not provide a more specific timeframe.
Anyone can sign up to be a member of the Apple Beta Software Program, for free, and gain access to the public betas when they are available. As always, we recommend backing up your devices before installing beta software, in case of issues.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
Beta 4 on right, beta 3 on left
Beta 4 camera app icon on left, beta 3 icon on right
iOS 26 beta 3 Mail app icon on left, beta 4 icon on right
Beta 4 on left, beta 3 on right
