The iPad is set to gain significantly narrower borders around its display, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital" on Weibo. The post gives no model or timeline; it could refer to the entry-level iPad or to Apple's tablet lineup in general.
Refreshes of the entry-level iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro are in the pipeline. The next iPad mini is already rumored to gain OLED and slimmer bezels, while the iPad Air is expected to adopt OLED in 2027.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is nearly live, and as usual multiple retailers have introduced their own Prime Day-like sales to compete with Amazon. In this article we're tracking a few sitewide sales from Sony, Walmart, and Best Buy with big discounts on monitors, TVs, headphones, and more.
Best Buy
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.
Best Buy recently kicked off a "Techtober" sale, with sitewide sales on everything from home appliances to computers, video games, and more.
One of the best items to buy during Prime Day is always a new TV, and this year the savings are steep on sets from Samsung, Insignia, LG, and more. Best Buy has as much as $1,400 off select TVs during its Techtober event, and we've rounded up a few highlights below.
Walmart's Prime Day-like event began today and is set to run through October 11. It's got a lot of the same offers at Best Buy, with solid deals on TVs, computers, and home appliances.
In terms of Apple-related discounts, Walmart has the AirPods 4 at $79.00, down from $129.99, which is just $10 away from the all-time low price. It's been months since we last tracked a deal this steep on the AirPods 4, and this is the model without ANC.
Sony
Sony is hosting a big fall sale with up to 50 percent in savings on the company's best headphones, speakers, sound bars, TVs, photography equipment, and more.
We've collected a few of the most notable products on sale in the lists below, but be sure to head to Sony's website for the full list of deals. Most devices have an option for free pickup if you live near a Best Buy location that offers local pickup.
You can get Sony's WH-1000XM5 Premium Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for $199.99 during this event, down from $399.99. There are also a few earbuds and soundbars on sale with notable discounts, all of which have been applied automatically and do not require any coupon codes.
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 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Prime Big Deal Days sales are already starting, and have now hit Apple's brand new Mac mini and Mac Studio computers. You can get up to $199 off these 2026 devices with Amazon's latest savings.
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.
One of the best deals is on the M5 Max Mac Studio with 36GB RAM and a 512GB SSD, on sale for $2,299.99, down from $2,499.00. Regarding the Mac mini, you can get the 16GB RAM/256GB SSD Mac mini for $779.99, down from $899.00, and the 24GB RAM/512GB SSD model for $1,549.99, down from $1,699.00.
For more of the best early Prime Big Deal Days discounts, be sure to check out our main article with sales on Apple Watch, AirPods, and more. 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 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Big Apple Watch discounts have started arriving ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, including new low prices on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. These deals join some Apple Watch SE 3 discounts that we began tracking over the weekend, alongside other major early Prime Big Deal Days markdowns.
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 Apple Watch Series 12, you can get the 42mm GPS model for $349.99 and the 46mm GPS model for $399.99, both of which are $49 discounts and new all-time low prices. Both of these models have two colors available at these all-time low prices, and you'll find a few cellular options on sale as well.
For the Apple Watch Ultra 4, you can get the Natural model with the Translucent Gray Ocean Band for $699.99, down from $799.00. This is another new all-time low price for Prime Day, and as of writing it's the only color we're tracking at this price. Additionally, there are a few Milanese Loop models on sale for $99 off ahead of Prime Day.
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 2026? 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 since February 2023, Apple has released a firmware update for the MagSafe 3 charging cable for the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
Specifically, Apple last week released firmware version 3.2.0 for the USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable. The previous firmware version for the cable was 3.1.12.
It is unclear what is included in the latest firmware, as Apple does not publish release notes for this. The update will be installed automatically over time when the cable is connected to a Mac and a power adapter. There is no way to manually apply it.
Apple does not expose the MagSafe cable's firmware version in macOS's System Information tool.
Amazon today has every AirPods Max 2 color on sale for $429.00, down from $549.00, marking one of the best early Prime Day deals yet. This is one of the lowest prices we've ever seen on the AirPods Max 2, and the sale is available in Blue, Midnight, Orange, Purple, and Starlight colors.
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.
AirPods discounts have started to arrive early ahead of Prime Big Deal Days official kickoff tomorrow, and you can also get the AirPods Pro 3 for the all-time low price of $179.00 right now, down from $249.00.
We've been tracking all of the best early Prime Day discounts, also including great deals on MacBook Air, Apple Watch, and more. 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 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple appears to have quietly tripled the number of iCloud Mail aliases users can create, increasing the limit from three to nine. The increase was first noticed last week by a Reddit user, and picked up shortly after by a member of the MacRumors forums. MacRumors can confirm the change is live at iCloud.com.
The increased limit has not been mentioned by Apple, so it could conceivably be a test, but that seems unlikely. It's a nice perk to have, but as of this writing, Apple's iCloud User Guide still says the maximum number of aliases allowed is three.
A new open-source tool is making waves in the Mac community by helping users reclaim valuable storage space taken up by Apple's AI models. Called "RemoveMacAI," the command line tool disables Apple Intelligence on macOS 27, removes its downloaded models, and prevents them from being downloaded again.
In macOS 27, Apple removed the toggle to disable Apple Intelligence wholesale, and simply disabling individual features doesn't remove the models from your Mac's drive. As explained by the developer, RemoveMacAI gets around this by using a configuration profile to switch off Apple's own asset management service and remove the models.
It then configures the system so attempts to download the removed models are redirected to a closed local port, preventing them from immediately coming back. And it does all this without disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) or manually deleting files from protected system locations, unlike some older tools have.
The tool can free up roughly 12GB of space depending on which models are present on your Mac. That said, some users are reporting cases of Apple Intelligence models having taken up a lot more space, which they've now reclaimed.
With the Apple models gone, you lose all Siri-related AI features, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, summaries, smart replies, inline predictions, Photos Clean Up, Spatial Photos, and Xcode predictive completion. Even so, plenty of users appear happy to make the sacrifice to free up space, especially on non-upgradeable Macs with 256GB of storage. The profile reportedly persists across updates. And if you're wondering, dictation still works. There's also a revert command to restore everything AI-related.
The project has attracted hundreds of GitHub stars since its release last week, and there's lots of discussion on Reddit and Hacker News about the need for such a tool. Just be aware that MacRumors isn't endorsing RemoveMacAI, and anyone using it does so at their own risk.
The developer has mentioned one caveat, and it's that some of the configuration-profile restriction keys that the tool relies on were deprecated by Apple in macOS 26.4. While they still work in macOS 27.0.1, a future version could always change that. Something to keep in mind.
Code explorer pdfu has shared a new feature tidbit for the upcoming iPhone Duo. Apple is reportedly introducing new Focus mode controls on the device's Lock Screen.
When a Focus mode is active, a new button appears above the bottom controls that lets you toggle it off and on while you remain on the Lock Screen. The active Focus also appears in the status bar above the clock when you unlock the device.
Apple has rebuilt iOS 27 to adapt in real time to the company's first foldable iPhone, reshaping the interface as the device folds, unfolds, and switches between its two displays.
New on iPhone Duo: redesigned Focus controls on the Lock Screen.
When a Focus mode is active, a button above the bottom controls lets you turn Focus off and back on until you leave the Lock Screen.
Your active Focus also appears in the status bar above the clock. https://t.co/Z0vFRLRAAR
— pdfu (@itspdfu) October 4, 2026
Apple's upgraded Siri AI could remain unavailable in the European Union for several months yet, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said a delay of around five months would be the "absolute best-case scenario," with European users potentially facing an even longer wait while Apple negotiates its compliance with the bloc's digital rules.
Gurman reckons Apple is withholding the upgrade to pressure the European Commission, hoping that frustrated customers will push for changes to its approach, and he compared the situation with Apple Intelligence's delayed EU rollout. Note that Siri AI is not available in the EU on iPhone or iPad, but EU users have access to it on Mac.
15 years ago today, Steve Jobs passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56. It was the day after Apple executives introduced the iPhone 4s at a media event on the company's Infinite Loop headquarters campus.
Image Credit: Matt Yohe / CC BY 2.0
In the days following his passing, Apple began posting comments from fans on its "Remembering Steve" webpage. Apple continues to maintain the page, highlighting some of the over one million submissions from people around the world who "shared their memories, thoughts, and feelings about Steve."
The company marked the first anniversary of his passing with a photo and audio slideshow on its website, and we are expecting something similar this anniversary. Throughout his tenure as Apple CEO, Tim Cook traditionally shared words of remembrance on social media and with Apple staff on this day. In his new role as executive chairman, he is continuing that tradition.
There are people who leave a mark on the world, and then there are people who change it entirely. Steve changed the world and so many lives in the process. He certainly changed my life forever. His spirit lives on in everything he created and everyone he inspired. https://t.co/8p08BcSlTS
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 5, 2026
This year we have also seen a tribute from the new chief executive, John Ternus.
The way Steve taught us to care about every detail, every experience, every person, still guides our work today. Forever grateful.
— John Ternus (@johnternus) October 5, 2026
On iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple slimmed down the cutout where the Dynamic Island lives, allowing the latter to support up to three simultaneous Live Activities. But it turns out there's a catch.
As noted by code explorer pdfu, the third Live Activity in iOS 27 is only ever a system activity, such as Now Playing or navigation – it can't be another app. So if you own a new iPhone 18 Pro and were wondering why you hadn't seen as many Live Activities in the Dynamic Island as perhaps you were expecting, that's why.
Since becoming Apple's CEO last month, John Ternus has made product design a "major priority," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Ternus already had some involvement with the design studio as Apple's head of hardware engineering, given the close coordination required between the two functions," he said, in his Power On newsletter today. "Since becoming CEO, however, he has immersed himself in the industrial design and human interface teams."
Ternus goes "hands-on" in Apple's design studio "several times a week, sometimes visiting multiple times in a single day," whereas Apple's former CEO Tim Cook typically visited the studio for "about an hour once a month, at most," according to Gurman.
Unlike Cook, who is better known as a supply chain expert, Ternus comes from an engineering background. As such, Gurman said that Ternus is largely leaving Apple's finances to financial chief Kevan Parekh and its supply chain to operations chief Sabih Khan, giving him more time to focus on engineering and design.
All in all, Apple now has a product person running the show.
Apple recently posted a job listing for an "iCup Supply Specialist" who would be responsible for ensuring that "all Apple employees have access to freshly brewed coffee in their break room."
MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris highlighted the job listing this weekend, but it turns out that Apple has been using the "iCup" name since at least 2014. The individual hired will be required to drive between locations and "sanitize, clean, restock, and manage up to 90 bean-to-cup coffee machines."
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new MacBook Pro models with OLED displays will be "significantly lighter" than the existing MacBook Pro models.
"Apple has reengineered the machine's interior, miniaturizing parts and rearranging components to make the computer much easier to carry," he said, in his Power On newsletter. Currently, the MacBook Pro weighs up to 4.7 pounds, while the MacBook Air weighs up to 3.3 pounds and the MacBook Neo weighs 2.7 pounds.
With this newly-reported detail, the new models are now rumored to have six new features:
OLED display
Touch-screen capabilities
Dynamic Island instead of a notch
M5 Pro and M5 Max chips
Thinner design
"Significantly lighter" design
Thinner and lighter go hand in hand.
Apple plans to release the MacBook Pro models with OLED displays in October or November this year, according to Gurman. In his newsletter, he reiterated that Apple is testing the laptops with macOS 27.2, which is currently in beta.
The OLED models are expected to be higher-end, higher-priced models that sit above the existing MacBook Pro models in Apple's lineup.
Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to unveil an all-new smart home hub, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV 4K on Tuesday, October 13.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman specified that "Apple is planning to hold an event" that day.
Earlier this week, we began tracking early Prime Day deals on Apple-related accessories, and now Amazon has introduced major early deals on Apple products as well. This includes AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and more, all available at some of the lowest prices of the year so far.
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.
As is typical for Prime Day deals, these markdowns are very time sensitive, so sales listed below may disappear fast, and new ones may appear even faster. With this in mind, we'll keep this article updated throughout the event, and keep an eye on the MacRumors front page as we'll be posting particularly great deals in separate articles this week.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Amazon Prime Day requires you to have an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the discounts. Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139.00 per year, and it comes with a 30-day free trial for new subscribers.
AirPods
The best AirPods discount so far this Prime Day is on the AirPods Pro 3, available for the record low price of $179.00, down from $249.00. We haven't seen a deal this good since over the summer, during the first Prime Day event in June.
Amazon is taking $200 off nearly every M5 MacBook Air model for Prime Big Deal Days, including both 13-inch and 15-inch models. These are the best prices we've seen on the M5 MacBook Air in the wake of Apple's summertime price hikes.
In terms of 13-inch models, Amazon has the 16GB/512GB 13-inch MacBook Air for $1,099.00, down from $1,299.00. This one is available in three colors on Amazon, and it's accompanied by the 16GB/1TB and 24GB/1TB model for $200 off as well.
For the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air models, prices start with the 16GB/512GB model for $1,299.00, down from $1,499.00. You can also get the 16GB/1TB model for $1,599.00, down from $1,799.00, all $200 off and the best prices we've seen in months.
Rare deals have hit the Apple Watch SE 3 for Prime Big Deal Days, with prices now starting at $199.00 for the 40mm GPS model and increasing to $229.00 for the 44mm GPS model. Both of these are $50 discounts and matches for the record low prices on each device.
For the Apple Watch Series 12, you can get the 42mm GPS model for $349.99 and the 46mm GPS model for $399.99, both of which are $49 discounts and new all-time low prices. Both of these models have two colors available at these all-time low prices, and you'll find a few cellular options on sale as well.
Amazon this week has multiple discounts on the M4 iPad Air, providing up to $149 off these 2026 models. These remain the best prices we've seen in the wake of Apple's summer price hikes, and many deals are being matched at Best Buy.
The new iPad Air features the M4 chip, C1X modem, and N1 networking chip, which brings support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of design, the 2026 models are identical to the 2025 iPad Air tablets, with an edge-to-edge display, slim bezels, and aluminum chassis.
Amazon has low prices on every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $499.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $599.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this early Prime Day sale.
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 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Amazon has the AirPods Pro 3 available for $179.00 this week, down from $249.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the AirPods Pro 3, which we haven't tracked since around June.
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.
This model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.