Meta today announced that passkey support has been added to Facebook, making it easier to sign in securely without a password. Passkeys are compatible with all Apple devices, so iPhones and iPads can use passkeys for Facebook logins instead of passwords.
Passkeys will be available on iOS devices "soon," with Meta rolling out support to Messenger in the coming months. The same passkey that's set up for Facebook will also work for Messenger when Messenger passkey support launches. Meta says that passkeys are only available on mobile devices for the time being, so logging in on a computer will still require a username and password.
Apple devices have supported passkeys as an alternative to traditional passwords since 2022, and websites have increasingly added support over the last several years. Passkeys use on-device authentication like Face ID or Touch ID for account verification instead of a password.
Passkeys are more secure than passwords, and protect users from phishing, malware, and other attacks that are aimed at getting access to online accounts. Passkeys work as a two-key authentication system where an on-device key must match an account key, and as the second key is on-device, there is no login information that can be stolen by a malicious person.
On Apple devices, passkeys are securely stored in the Passwords app, and they sync across all of your Apple products.
Meta says that users can set up a Facebook passkey by going to Accounts Center in the Settings menu and choosing the Passkey option under Password and Security. Users may also see a prompt to upgrade to a passkey when logging into Facebook.
Apple is teaming up with Fandango to offer Apple Pay users a special discount on upcoming Apple TV+ movie F1. When purchasing two or more tickets to F1 through Fandango using Apple Pay, movie goers can get a $10 discount.
To get the deal, just enter promo code APPLEPAYTEN when checking out with Apple Pay on the Fandango website or the Fandango app. Discounted tickets are available today through June 29, but there are a limited number of tickets available at the lower price and it is first come, first served.
F1 is set to be released on June 27, and it is based on the Formula One World Championship. The movie stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a Formula One driver who is in a terrible crash that forces him to retire. He returns to racing as a mentor for hotshot rookie Joshua "Noah" Pearce, played by Damson Idris.
The film will also feature the 10 Formula One teams in the 2023 season and their drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Charles Leclerc.
Apple and distribution partner Warner Bros. Pictures have been heavily promoting F1, and it has seen more promotion than any other Apple TV+ movie. Apple has been running ads on YouTube and on social media, and Apple CEO Tim Cook and Brad Pitt were at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue Store in New York to highlight the movie. Apple also added a guide to the Maps app that features well-known F1 racetracks, and Craig Federighi promoted the movie by driving a race car around Apple Park in Apple's WWDC opening video.
Formula One offered a unique advanced screening event, and some theaters are offering special F1 helmet popcorn buckets and themed drinks. Mercedes plans to sell a limited-edition AMG GT63 APXGP Edition road car from the film, with colors to match the fictional movie team's colors. EA Sports is adding movie-inspired gameplay chapters to its F1 25 video game, and luxury watch company IWC has released a $7,000 Pilot's Watch Chronograph APXGP (the team from the movie) inspired by the movie. Shark/Ninja released a whole line of appliances using the black and gold color scheme from the movie.
At the Met Gala, Tommy Hilfiger dressed F1 star Damson Idris in a tear-away fire suit featuring the APXGP team, which he ripped off to debut a Tommy Hilfiger Tuxedo. The reveal was popular on social media. Marriott is sending members offers for a premiere event in New York City, and Heineken is an official partner of the movie and is running ads promoting it.
Apple has also detailed how the movie was filmed using the iPhone. Apple's engineering team created a custom camera module using iPhone components that was meant to be mounted on Formula 1 cars during actual races. The special camera was designed to withstand extreme speeds and conditions while capturing racing footage for the film.
Part of the reason why F1: The Movie is seeing such heavy promotion is because it features significant brand placement because F1 is a sponsor-heavy sport. Some of the companies that are appearing in the film include KFC, EA Sports, IWC, Mercedes, Geico, Marriott, Expensify, MSC Cruises, Tommy Hilfiger, Shark/Ninja, and Heineken.
Applying for an Apple Card can score you some bonus money for a limited time.
Now through July 7, customers who apply for an Apple Card will receive $100 in extra Daily Cash when they spend $500 or more within the first 60 days of opening the account. You must apply for the Apple Card via the offer page to be eligible for the bonus.
The bonus is provided in addition to any regular Daily Cash that is earned. When paying with the Apple Card via Apple Pay, you can receive 3% back on purchases from Apple, Nike, Uber, Walgreens, and select other merchants in the U.S., and 2% back on all other purchases. When paying with the physical Apple Card, Daily Cash is limited to 1%.
It is common for credit cards to offer sign-up bonuses tied to minimum spending requirements, and there have been several Apple Card offers over the years.
Launched in 2019, Apple's credit card remains available in the U.S. only. The card can be managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone, with key benefits including color-coded spending summaries, no fees, and Daily Cash cash back paid out daily. Apple Card holders can also open a high-yield savings account, which currently offers a 3.65% APY.
Apple today shared a new short film in its ongoing Shot on iPhone series, this time using the latest iPhone 16 Pro model for filming purposes. The video, called "Big Man," stars British rapper Michael "Stormzy" Omari.
The mini movie features Stormzy as Tenzman, a washed-up, world-weary musician who runs into two joyful kids. The three embark on a journey that ultimately inspires Tenzman to make new music. The film was directed by Aneil Karia, known for Surge and The Long Goodbye.
An iPhone 16 Pro site accompanying the film highlights features like Camera Control, the option to shoot in 4K at 120 frames per second, playback speed adjustments, Audio Mix, and more.
MacStories' Federico Vittici, who is known for his focus on the iPad as a main computing device, recently did an interview with Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi. Federighi and Vittici did a deep dive into the iPad and the changes that are coming to iPadOS this fall.
Federighi said that figuring out multitasking on the iPad has been a multi-year task that's required experimentation.
"Figuring out what the right multitasking experience is for this device, and in all the ways that make it unique, has been something that I think deserved careful exploration", Federighi begins, after telling me that he's "on an iPad every day, all the time".
Apple wanted to ensure that users didn't have to worry about managing apps, and that led to the first implementation of Slide Over and Split View multitasking, which was limited. Federighi said ensuring that the iPad's simplicity and interactivity stays intact has always been "job one." Touch first experiences are "the non-negotiable in the whole thing," according to Federighi.
When Stage Manager came around as the next major multitasking change in 2022, Federighi said that the iPad and its OS were well-established and developers had a solid understanding that the iPad was distinct from the Mac, so Apple "felt a little more flexibility" to add multitasking options for those who wanted them.
Apple's long path toward more Mac-like multitasking features seems to reflect a fear that adding Mac capabilities to iPad would limit what developers might do on the iPad. Federighi suggested that if the iPad had app menu bars to begin with, developers might have tucked functionality away, and Apple wanted to encourage a simpler experience.
"If iPad had had a menu bar from the beginning, like Mac did, app developers would naturally say, "Well, I think a lot of my functionality probably is only accessible via menu bar, right?", Federighi says. "Those affordances provide the set of constraints under which developers operate and dictate, to some degree, the nature of what gets created. And with iPad, by creating an environment that had very simplicity at its core, it meant the entire app ecosystem had all kinds of incredible design work done by so many developers to preserve the simplicity of that experience", he continues.
It has taken time for Apple to establish how people are using iPads, and the decision to update iPad multitasking in iPadOS 26 was made to meet the needs of different kinds of iPad users. There are some users who want a simple iPhone-like interface with a fully immersive, single window, but there are also iPad users who want more control and more functionality beyond the tablet interface. "We came to the point of saying, 'Let's recognize that audience,'" Federighi said. "I think we've been on a journey of finding the right interface for iPad, along with our users," he said. "And I think it actually has been important that it's been considered a journey."
Federighi explained that with a new device and a different kind of user in mind, Apple needed to guard against the urge to "pull the old thing off the shelf and put it here because maybe that feels right." Instead, it was important to discover the "essence of iPad," and what windowing might be like on a touch-first device if the Mac had never existed. Apple is now trying to strike a balance.
Apple has long been resistant to merging iPadOS and macOS, and Federighi used a spork analogy to explain why. Apple's aim is not to displace the Mac, and each device has a different purpose.
Someone said, "If a spoon's great, a fork's great, then let's combine them into a single utensil, right?" It turns out it's not a good spoon and it's not a good fork. It's a bad idea. And so we don't want to build sporks".
Federighi went on to say that while the iPad can be "inspired" by Mac elements, he does not believe that the iPad should run macOS.
Vittici's full interview with Federighi goes into much more detail, and it is well worth a read over at MacStories.
macOS Tahoe 26, Apple's newest operating system for the Mac, is getting many of the same changes that are coming to iOS. That includes the Liquid Glass redesign, and the changes to apps like Messages, Safari, and Phone, an app that's new to the Mac this year. There's also a whole new Spotlight system that's pretty neat, so we thought we'd do a quick overview so you can see it in action.
Liquid Glass on the Mac looks a lot like it does on the iPhone, which was Apple's goal. Apple wanted more design and navigation parity between operating systems, so mission accomplished?
The menu bar is now invisible so there's more available display space at the top of your Mac, and the icons use the same stacked glass look. You can also turn on an all-glass design for the icons, or use iPhone-style tints for the first time. Control Center has the Liquid Glass design, plus it's more customizable, along with the menu bar.
Toolbars, sidebars, and buttons have a more rounded look and a Liquid Glass aesthetic. Folders can be customized with colors and emoji, which makes them stand out more.
Spotlight got a major overhaul, and you can now use it to do just about anything on your Mac. It supports actions, so you can send emails and messages without ever opening up an app. Spotlight also incorporates a list of all of your apps plus a clipboard manager that keeps track of what you've copied and pasted. You can get to Spotlight's features with the Command Key and 1, 2, 3, or 4, and you can launch actions with short little phrases like SE for send email.
Several iPhone apps are now available on the Mac, including Phone and Journal. You can make calls with the Phone app through your iPhone, and it even supports the new Hold Assist and Call Screening features. There's an all-new Games app that houses all your Mac games and helps you find new content, and a Magnifier app that lets you use your iPhone to zoom in on text so you can view it on your Mac.
macOS Tahoe is in beta right now, so some of these features could change, and Apple could add new capabilities. The beta is currently limited to developers, but a public beta is set to come in July. macOS Tahoe will launch in September.
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers.
Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.
When the developer betas came out earlier this week, we didn't find any notable new features. Apple initially planned to release Apple Intelligence in China in the iOS 18.6 beta, but that plan may have been delayed due to ongoing regulatory issues.
We don't know what's in iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, but the updates seem to focus on smaller changes and bug fixes.
Apple is also beta testing iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, and while betas are limited to developers right now, a public beta will be coming in July.
Apple supplier Foxconn is expected to officially start producing Apple's foldable iPhone late in the third quarter of 2025 (late September), or early in the fourth quarter (October), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuosaid today. Apple plans to launch the device in the fall of 2026 as part of the iPhone 18 lineup.
Though the September/October 2025 timeline is fast approaching, Kuo says that many component specifications have not yet been finalized. What is finished, though, is the foldable display, which will be produced by Samsung Display.
Rumors suggest that the foldable iPhone will feature a display that's around 5.5 inches when closed, and 7.8 inches when opened up. It will fold in half like a book, similar to the Galaxy Fold devices, rather than the Galaxy Flip.
The foldable iPhone could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and 9 to 9.5mm when it's closed, which would make it incredibly thin when used in its full-screen mode. Apple put considerable effort into hinge design, and the device is expected to have almost no visible crease. It will use under-display cameras, though it may feature some kind of Touch ID authentication feature rather than Face ID due to space constraints. It will, of course, be expensive. In the past, Kuo has said he expects Apple to price the foldable iPhone at $2,000 to $2,500, and that was before Apple was facing steep tariffs in China.
Kuo expects that Samsung Display will produce around seven to eight million foldable panels for the foldable iPhone in 2026, with Apple placing an order for 15 to 20 million total foldable iPhones. Kuo suspects that the 15 to 20 million foldable devices will last Apple two to three years, with demand somewhat limited due to the cost of the smartphone.
Right now, rumors suggest that Apple is aiming for a fall 2026 launch, but Kuo warns that Apple's plans "remain subject to change" prior to when the project officially reaches the production stage.
Apple today announced that registration for its annual summer camp for kids will open today.
Apple Camp will run from June 21 through July 31 this year at Apple Store locations around the world. A part of the broader Today at Apple program, the camp offers free creative programming to children ages 6-10, with parent or guardian attendance required. This year, families can learn how to make movies on an iPad using the iMovie app.
Apple's description of the Direct Your Own Friendship Film on iPad session:
In this 90-minute experience, kids and their families are invited to explore the magic of filmmaking on iPad with iMovie. Kids will collaborate as they direct, film, edit and more to make a friendship film that celebrates how we're better when we come together. This year, campers will be split into two groups and will learn how to record video and use iMovie on iPad to create a story together inspired by friendship. The groups will use the iPad to film scenes to create a movie. They will then use the iMovie app to edit their movies and learn how to add fun sound effects, transitions, slow motion, and more.
All children will take home an Apple Camp shirt, which has been redesigned this year and is now made from 100% recycled materials, according to Apple.
The 90-minute sessions are entirely free of charge, and Apple will provide children with an iPad to use during the sessions.
Hold that train! The latest Apple Arcade ad shared today features SpongeBob SquarePants, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man, Hello Kitty, and many other popular characters, who are all quickly trying to board a departing train at a station.
The idea behind the ad is that Apple Arcade provides you with access to hundreds of games on the go, right on your iPhone, with a single subscription.
"Bring hundreds of games with you," says Apple. "Fun for all. All on iPhone."
Accessible through the App Store, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based service that provides access to hundreds of games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro, all free of ads and in-app purchases. In the U.S., Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month, and it is bundled with other Apple services in all Apple One plans.
Apple has teamed up with a handful of accessory makers to offer chargers, stands, cases, power banks, cables, and more in fun new color options, like Teal, Coral, and Deep Purple. The splash of color arrives just in time for summer in many countries.
One of the key changes to Safari on iOS 26 is a redesigned Liquid Glass address bar, with three layouts available to choose from. Beyond that, the upcoming software update includes a few smaller changes for the web browser.
Web Apps For All Websites
Starting with iOS 26, every website added to the Home Screen via Safari opens as a web app, even if it is not configured to be. On earlier iOS versions, websites that were not configured to open as a web app would open in Safari, meaning that the Home Screen app icons for those websites were effectively just bookmarks.
Users can turn off "Open as Web App" while adding a website to the Home Screen if they prefer the app icons to still function as simple bookmarks.
This change also applies to iPadOS 26.
HDR Images
Safari now supports HDR images, five years after the browser gained support for HDR video.
HDR images have wider dynamic range and increased color gamut, making bright areas of the image appear brighter and dark areas appear darker.
This change applies across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and visionOS 26.
SVG Icons
Safari now supports the SVG file format for icons anywhere that they are shown in the browser, including in the bookmark bar and on the start page.
SVG icons have smaller file sizes than PNG icons, and they offer infinite vector scaling, meaning they can be resized without any loss in image quality.
More
Even more changes coming to Safari across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and visionOS 26 were outlined in a WebKit blog post last week.
iOS 26 and the other software updates are currently in beta.
Apple has made the first macOS Tahoe developer beta available for testing before its official release in the fall, but don't be fooled into thinking only developers can download it. Keep reading to learn whether you should install it on your Mac, and if so, how to go about it.
Getting access to the macOS Tahoe developer beta is simple, and can be done by registering your Apple Account with the Apple Developer program. The extra steps you need to complete to install the software on your Mac are provided towards the end of this article, but before you jump ahead, here are a few things worth considering.
Should I Install the macOS Tahoe Developer Beta?
With macOS Tahoe, Apple introduces a major redesign for the platform with the all-new Liquid Glass interface, along with a host of new features. These include the Phone app on Mac, powerful new Spotlight actions, further Apple Intelligence integration, a dedicated Games app, and customizable backgrounds in Messages. Live Activities from iPhone also make their way to your Mac's menu bar, which now has a fully customizable Control Center. With so many additions and a striking visual update, it's no surprise that macOS Tahoe is generating a lot of interest among Mac users.
But before you commit, bear in mind that Apple does not recommend installing macOS developer beta updates on your main Mac. Remember, this is beta software, which means there are almost certainly bugs and issues that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems with the system. Indeed, one of the reasons that Apple releases the beta to developers early is so that they can feed back problems and help Apple debug them. If you have a spare Mac hanging around, by all means use that, but we would be the first to advise holding off until at least July, when the macOS Tahoe public beta is expected to drop.
Is My Mac Supported?
macOS Tahoe is compatible with the following Mac models, according to Apple:
MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
MacBook Pro (16‑inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13‑inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
iMac (2020 and later)
Mac mini (2020 and later)
Mac Studio (2022 and later)
Mac Pro (2019 and later)
macOS Tahoe officially drops support for the following Macs (earlier models than those shown are also not supported):
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019)
iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)
iMac Pro (2017)
Mac mini (2018)
Don't Forget to Back Up Your Mac
Be sure to back up your Mac using Time Machine before installing the software using the method, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to the previous version of macOS if things go wrong.
How to Install macOS Tahoe Developer Beta
If you haven't already, register your Apple Account with the Apple Developer Program (it's free) over at developer.apple.com.
Open System Settings on your Mac and select General ➝ Software Update.
Look for "Beta Updates" and click the info (i) symbol next to it.
Choose macOS Tahoe 26 Developer Beta from the dropdown list.
Click Upgrade Now to begin the update process to macOS 26.
That's all you need to do. The installation process will complete just like a standard macOS update, so sit back and let the installation finish, after which your Mac will boot directly into the macOS Tahoe beta.
Today we're tracking a collection of discounts on Apple's M4 MacBook Pro at Amazon, including as much as $400 off select models of the computer. Most of these deals represent solid second-best prices on each model.
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.
Deals include both 14-inch and 16-inch models, and the biggest savings will be found on the latter group. The steepest discount is on the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max 48GB RAM/1TB), available for $3,599.00, down from $3,999.00. Most of the computers in this sale have estimated delivery dates before the end of June.
For the 14-inch models, you'll find up to $320 off these computers on Amazon this week. You can get the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro (16GB RAM/512GB) for $1,399.00, down from $1,599.00, available in both Silver and Space Black.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
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!
Apple will face a proposed class action lawsuit in California federal court over allegations that iCloud unlawfully monopolizes iPhone users' access to core device backups, following a judge's decision to deny the company's motion to dismiss the case (via Reuters).
Earlier this week, the Northern District of California ruled that plaintiffs had sufficiently amended their complaint to move forward with antitrust claims in light of "substantial new allegations." The lawsuit was originally filed in March 2024 and alleges that Apple effectively forces consumers to use iCloud for backing up iPhone data while restricting third-party cloud services from providing comparable functionality, with wired backups being the only other option.
While Apple permits third-party services to back up user data such as photos, videos, and documents, the company does not allow them to access certain system-level items, including device settings, app configurations, and encrypted keychains. The plaintiffs seek to certify a nationwide class of potentially tens of millions of iCloud subscribers, arguing that Apple's system effectively coerces users into subscribing to its paid storage tiers.
Apple provides all users with 5GB of free iCloud storage. For many users, this allocation is insufficient for full-device backups. Paid plans begin at $0.99 per month for 50GB in the United States. Attorneys for the plaintiffs claim that the restricted access to full backup functionality compels users to purchase iCloud subscriptions, resulting in overcharges that violate U.S. competition law.
In its motion to dismiss, Apple argued that the need to use iCloud for backups was shaped by privacy and security considerations. The company said that the restrictions on access to sensitive files were intentional and rooted in the need to protect users' personal information. Apple also contended that the case was time-barred, as plaintiffs must generally bring federal antitrust claims within four years of the alleged violation.
Apple is required to file a formal response to the complaint by July 7, 2025. See the full court order for more information.
Google has announced four Maps updates across Europe designed to reduce reliance on driving and promote sustainable transportation choices.
Google says it's expanding its AI-powered alternative transport suggestions to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Warsaw, and additional cities in the coming months. The feature predicts when walking or transit will match driving times, which aims to help users avoid car trips entirely.
Meanwhile, cyclists this summer are getting enhanced route details in 17 new European cities, including Hamburg, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Zurich, Budapest, Vienna, and Brussels. The updates show dedicated bike lanes alongside existing warnings about traffic and steep hills, covering 125,000 kilometers of cycling infrastructure globally.
For necessary car journeys, Google says its fuel-efficient routing is now live worldwide. The company estimates this feature alone prevented 2.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, which is equivalent to removing over 630,000 cars from roads for a year.
The final update tackles low-emission zones and low-traffic zones. Over the coming months, Google says it will expand alerts for restricted areas to over 1,000 zones across Europe, including Italy, Sweden, and Austria. The notifications mean it's possible for drivers to check vehicle eligibility and find alternative routes when needed.
Since the end of March when Apple released iOS 18.4, iPhone users in the EU have been able to set Google Maps as their default navigation app, completely replacing Apple Maps. If you count yourself among them, perhaps the upcoming updates will improve your travels on the continent this summer.
Apple's new speech-to-text transcription APIs in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe are delivering dramatically faster speeds compared to rival tools, including OpenAI's Whisper, based on beta testing conducted by MacStories' John Voorhees.
Call recording and transcription in iOS 18.1
Apple uses its own native speech frameworks to power live transcription features in apps like Notes and Voice Memos, as well as phone call transcription in iOS 18.1. To improve efficiency in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, Apple has introduced a new SpeechAnalyzer class and SpeechTranscriber module that deal with similar requests.
According to Voorhees, the new models processed a 34-minute, 7GB video file in just 45 seconds using a command line tool called Yap (developed by Voorhees' son, Finn). That's a full 55% faster than MacWhisper's Large V3 Turbo model, which took 1 minute and 41 seconds for the same file.
Other Whisper-based tools performed even slower, with VidCap taking 1:55 and MacWhisper's Large V2 model requiring 3:55 to complete the same transcription task. Voorhees also reported no noticeable difference in transcription quality across models.
The speed advantage comes from Apple's on-device processing approach, which avoids the network overhead that typically slows cloud-based transcription services.
While the time difference might seem modest for individual files, Voorhees notes that the performance gain increases exponentially when processing multiple videos or longer content. For anyone generating subtitles or transcribing lectures regularly, the efficiency boost could save them hours.
The Speech framework components are available across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro platforms in the current beta releases. Voorhees expects Apple's transcription technology to eventually replace Whisper as the go-to solution for Mac transcription apps.
Apple is considering introducing displays that use a lot less battery power in its iPhone lineup starting in 2027, according to a new report from The Elec.
According to the Korean-language report, the technology would involve upgrading Apple's current LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) OLED displays by incorporating oxide semiconductors in both switching and drive transistors.
Every iPhone screen has millions of tiny switches that control each pixel. Right now, Apple uses two different types of these switches: some are power-efficient but slow, while others are fast but power-hungry.
Apple's current plan has this year's iPhone 17 series using low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LPTO2) displays across the lineup, which would continue to use a mix of both switch types. But by 2027, Apple might replace more of the power-hungry switches with efficient ones.
The benefit of moving the drive transistors to oxide would be much better battery life when the iPhone screen runs at low refresh rates, such as 1Hz when it's showing the always-on display with just the time and notifications. The downside is that the more efficient oxide switches respond slower, so Apple would somehow have to balance performance with efficiency.
The Elec suggests Apple will likely debut this advanced LTPO technology – sometimes called "LTPO3" – in a 2027 version of the upcoming iPhone 17 Air.
Since thinner phones have less room for big batteries, squeezing every bit of efficiency from the screen is crucial. Therefore, the iPhone Pro models, which are thicker and can fit larger batteries, probably won't get the new display tech right away. In other words, Apple views the power savings as more critical for ultra-thin devices.
Apple has already tested this approach with the Apple Watch Series 10, which uses the more efficient LPTO3 display technology. This has likely given Apple the confidence to scale the technology to iPhone-sized displays.
The report suggests Samsung and LG will manufacture these next-generation displays, though both companies will need to invest in new equipment. LG faces the bigger challenge, since it produces fewer OLED screens overall compared to Samsung.
Apple reportedly plans to make a final decision on adopting the new display architecture for at least one model in its 2027 iPhone lineup by Q3 2025, giving suppliers roughly two years to prepare for potential mass production.
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.
