MacRumors

While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are still around eight months away, multiple sources have already commented on how much RAM the devices will have.

In a blog post last year, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expected all of the new iPhone models released later this year to be equipped with 12GB of RAM. That would include the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold, and it would match the 12GB of RAM included in the iPhone 17 Pro models.

In a research note last week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu agreed that the iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Fold will have 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM.

It has been rumored that even the standard iPhone 18 will have 12GB of RAM, which would be an increase over the 8GB of RAM in the standard iPhone 17.

Here is how much RAM is in the latest iPhones:

• iPhone 17: 8GB
• iPhone 17 Pro: 12GB
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 12GB
• iPhone Air: 12GB

Here is how much RAM is expected in the next iPhones:

• iPhone 18: 12GB
• iPhone 18 Pro: 12GB
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: 12GB
• iPhone Fold: 12GB

Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, but the standard iPhone 18 is not expected to be announced until around March 2027, as Apple is reportedly shifting to a new two-phase launch strategy.

For the iPhone 18 Pro's A20 Pro chip, RAM will reportedly be integrated directly onto the chip's wafer with the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, rather than being adjacent to the chip and connected with a silicon interposer. This could boost the RAM's performance and efficiency, especially for Apple Intelligence tasks.

As noted by 9to5Mac over the weekend, Walmart still does not accept contactless payment options like Apple Pay at its more than 4,500 stores across the U.S., and there is no indication that will be changing any time soon.

It is not just Apple Pay that is affected. Walmart also does not allow customers to use Google Pay or Samsung Pay, and you cannot tap a credit or debit card either. In other words, the NFC functionality on the payment terminals is turned off.

It is far from the first time that we have reported on this topic, but Walmart has still not changed course, despite endless customer complaints.

Last year, a Walmart spokesperson told MacRumors that the retailer remained focused on its own payment technologies in the Walmart app, including Walmart Pay and Scan & Go, but these options are not as convenient as one-tap Apple Pay.

To use Walmart Pay, customers must add a payment card to the Walmart app, and then scan a QR code displayed at the checkout to complete payment. This system allows Walmart to track a customer's purchase history and learn their habits, which is likely the biggest underlying reason that the retailer does not accept Apple Pay.

Scan & Go allows Walmart+ members to save time by scanning barcodes on items while they shop, rather than having to scan all of the items at a self-checkout register later. This can save you time, but Apple Pay is still not accepted.

Apple Pay has a lot of privacy protections, including hiding actual credit card numbers, and this would make it harder for Walmart to track customers.

Apple Pay launched more than 10 years ago, and it was accepted at more than 90 percent of U.S. retailers as of 2022, according to Apple. Some other major Apple Pay holdouts in the U.S. have reversed course and started accepting it over the past few years, including The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kroger, and Texas grocery store chain H-E-B, leaving Walmart as one of the country's only major retailers that does not accept Apple Pay.

Interestingly enough, Walmart has accepted Apple Pay in Canada since 2020, but apparently it is not willing to offer that luxury in America for now.

While most sources in the Apple rumor scene agree that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature under-screen Face ID, there continues to be conflicting rumors about how that change might impact the Dynamic Island.

In a post on social media platform X today, the account "ShrimpApplePro" claimed that the Dynamic Island will be "shorter" on the iPhone 18 Pro models, as a result of some Face ID components moving under the screen. Only the front camera and Face ID's infrared camera will remain visible on the devices, they said.

"ShrimpApplePro" has accurately leaked some details about devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Series 9 in the past, but they are not always correct. Early rumors should always be treated with some skepticism.

Last month, The Information said that the front camera would be moved to the top-left corner of the screen on the iPhone 18 Pro models. The report explicitly said this change would help to eliminate the pill-shaped cutout in the screen, but "ShrimpApplePro" evidently believes that the Dynamic Island will live on in a smaller way.

YouTube channel Front Page Tech mocked up an iPhone 18 Pro with both the front camera and a smaller Dynamic Island in the top-left corner of the screen, but the video might simply be combining the two rumors mentioned above.

While the exact implementation remains to be seen, the good news is that it really does sound like under-screen Face ID is finally happening this year.

South Korean publication ETNews today reported (via "Jukan") that the iPhone 18 Pro models will use under-screen infrared technology from Samsung, which would pave the way for under-screen Face ID. The report also said the devices will use so-called LTPO+ display technology, which would likely be more power efficient than the current LTPO technology in the iPhone 17 series. This upgrade should contribute to longer battery life.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September, and hopefully the Face ID and Dynamic Island rumors are more clear by then.

Update: "ShrimpApplePro" has since deleted their post.

Apple has updated its homepage to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today. The page highlights some of King's most impactful quotes, and invites people to explore his legacy further through the Apple Books and Apple Podcasts apps.

Apple shows photos of Dr. King visiting a church in Miami, Florida, holding a news conference in Birmingham, Alabama, and speaking to a crowd in Jackson, Mississippi.

Apple has ran a full-page Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. homepage tribute for more than a decade.

"We honor Dr. King and reflect upon his life and legacy," says Apple.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also paid tribute to Dr. King.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. Given it is a federal holiday, the Apple news cycle might be relatively quieter today.

Chrome for iOS will soon feature an option for iPhone users to import their Safari data into Google's mobile browser, avoiding the need to perform the transfer on desktop.

Starting in Chrome 145, currently in beta, the new feature will guide users through the process of importing bookmarks, browsing history, and passwords from Safari, since Chrome cannot transfer the data directly because of Apple's privacy rules.

The process involves manually exporting Safari browsing data to a zip file downloaded to the user's iPhone, and then selecting the file in Chrome for import using the new option.

Chrome's interface displays a breakdown of what will be imported, before doing so on the user's confirmation, then the browser offers to delete the zip file as a privacy measure.

The feature is currently appearing in the latest version of Chrome 145 in TestFlight, so it should begin to roll out with the next stable release.

(Via MacObserver.)

Meta's Threads has now reportedly surpassed its rival X (formerly Twitter) in daily mobile usage globally.

Market intelligence firm Similarweb (via TechCrunch) reports that Threads recorded 141.5 million daily active users across iOS and Android worldwide as of January 7, 2026, compared with 125 million daily active mobile users for X.

The data indicates that Threads crossed ahead of X on mobile sometime between late October and early November 2025, following a prolonged period of steady growth rather than a sudden spike. While X continues to attract more mobile users than Threads in the United States, Similarweb estimates that X's U.S. daily active mobile user base has declined significantly, falling to roughly half of what it was a year earlier, as Threads continues to gain ground.

Despite Threads' gains on mobile, Similarweb's data shows that X maintains a decisive lead when web usage is included. As of January 13, 2026, X was attracting an estimated 145.4 million daily web visitors, compared with approximately 8.5 million daily web visitors for Threads. When mobile and web audiences are combined, X is estimated to exceed 270 million daily users, while Threads totals roughly 150 million daily users across platforms.

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models will have a front camera cutout in the top-left corner of the screen alongside a new under-display Face ID system, which will see the Dynamic Island software feature relocated to the same corner. That's according to the latest YouTube video from Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser.

Introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro, the Dynamic Island is the pill-shaped interactive area centered at the top of the screen that expands and contracts to display ongoing activities, while effectively hiding the front camera and Face ID sensor cutouts.

Prosser claims that Apple's new under-screen Face ID system will sit next to a top-left camera cutout, meaning the Dynamic Island no longer needs to be centered at the top. Instead, he claims it will likewise shift to the top left – where the time is shown on current iPhones – and periodically fly out from the corner to encompass the upper portion of the screen, allowing it to functionally remain the same.

There are several rumors suggesting the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will include under-display Face ID, with the TrueDepth camera hardware located under the display. However, reports regarding where it will be located under the screen and what this means for the Dynamic Island have not completely lined up.

The Information's Wayne Ma recently reported that Apple's adoption of under-screen Face ID for iPhone 18 Pro models will "eliminate the unsightly black oval that has appeared at the top of iPhone displays since 2022," with just a pinhole cutout for the selfie camera located at the upper left of the display.

Elsewhere, former display analyst Ross Young believes under-display Face ID is possible for the iPhone 18 Pro, but says a smaller Dynamic Island will still be present. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has echoed this view, reporting that the new models could feature a slimmed-down Dynamic Island rather than removing it entirely. Meanwhile, Chinese leaker Instant Digital has claimed that there will be a smaller Dynamic Island, but no under-display Face ID or under-display camera this year.

It's unclear whether Prosser's claim about the Dynamic Island is based on new information or a reasoned extrapolation from previous rumors. If it's the latter, one could argue another possibility is that reports of a camera cutout in the top-left corner of the display are based on leaked components that actually relate to an under-display Face ID system which has been relocated outside the Dynamic Island, allowing the latter to remain centered but reduced in size.

There is reason to believe that Prosser is just speculating, since's his latest video also regurgitates several iPhone 18 Pro rumors we've heard before, including new burgundy, brown, and purple colors for the devices, a new variable aperture camera system, a simplified Camera Control button, an A20 Pro chip, Apple's C2 modem, and full 5G satellite internet.

We should know for sure in September, when Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone 18 Pro models alongside a rumored foldable iPhone, as part of a new split-launch cycle that will see the regular iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e launch in the spring next year.

Note: Apple in July sued Prosser and associate Michael Ramacciotti, alleging they obtained and leaked trade-secret information about unreleased iOS software by accessing a former Apple engineer's development device. After Prosser missed the initial deadline to respond, Apple sought and was granted a default judgment, seeking damages and an injunction to stop further leaks. Prosser later stated he has been engaging with Apple about the case, suggesting the dispute is still active rather than abandoned, but it has not stopped him from making videos about Apple rumors.

MacBook Pro availability is tightening on Apple's online store, with select configurations facing up to a two-month delivery timeframe in the United States.

A few 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with an M4 Pro chip are not facing any shipping delay, but estimated delivery dates for many configurations with an M4 Max chip range from February 6 to February 24 or even later. At the extreme end, all built-to-order 14-inch MacBook Pro configurations with a 16-core M4 Max chip and 128GB of RAM are estimated to be delivered as late as March 17 on Apple's online store.

The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro was updated with an M5 chip in October, but the wait continues for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. There were already some signs that might point towards Apple announcing those models as early as this week, and perhaps the extended delivery timeframes further hint at an imminent refresh. However, ongoing RAM supply constraints could also be contributing to the shipping delays.

Apple unveiled MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January 2023, so there is precedent for a MacBook Pro refresh in January. Apple's Creator Studio bundle of creative apps launches on Wednesday, January 28, and the company will be holding its next quarterly earnings call on Thursday, January 29.

iOS 27 is still many months away, but there are already plenty of rumors about new features that will be included in the software update.

The first beta of iOS 27 will be released during WWDC 2026 in June, and the update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is apparently focused on improving "quality and underlying performance." However, there will still be some new features, with many of them expected to fall under the Apple Intelligence umbrella.

Below, we have recapped eight rumored iOS 27 features in bold text:

• A more personalized version of Siri is expected to launch with iOS 26.4, and more changes are slated for iOS 27. Siri will reportedly have a new design, provide proactive suggestions, and remember past conversations.
• Several new Apple Intelligence features have been rumored, including an AI-powered Calendar app. A new Apple Health+ subscription service will reportedly include an AI health coach that offers nutrition planning and medical suggestions. Google Gemini will help power some of the new Apple Intelligence features.
• iOS 27 will reportedly support 5G satellite internet connectivity, although this functionality might be limited to the iPhone 18 Pro models. Additional satellite features have been rumored, including Apple Maps via satellite and the ability to send and receive photos when using Messages via satellite.

Over the coming weeks and months, additional iOS 27 rumors will likely surface.

Amazon this weekend is offering discounts across the M5 iPad Pro lineup, including both 11-inch and 13-inch models. The highlight this time around is a return of a low price on the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M5 iPad Pro, which is on sale for $899.99, down from $999.00.

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.

Many of the deals in this sale match — or beat — the record low prices we tracked during the holiday season. Amazon provides an estimated delivery date around January 23 for free delivery, but Prime members should see earlier delivery dates in many cases.

For the larger models, you can save up to $200 on the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro on Amazon this weekend. If you're shopping for the 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi model, Amazon has this tablet for $1,799.00, down from $1,999.00, as well as a few other 13-inch models between $100 and $200 off.

11-Inch M5 iPad Pro

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $899.99 ($99 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,099.00 ($100 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,499.00 ($100 off)
• 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,599.00 ($100 off)
• 2TB Wi-Fi - $1,851.00 ($148 off)
• 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,999.00 ($100 off)

13-Inch M5 iPad Pro

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 ($100 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,399.00 ($100 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,759.00 ($140 off)
• 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,799.00 ($200 off)
• 2TB Wi-Fi - $2,099.00 ($200 off)
• 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $2,199.00 ($200 off)

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.

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Amazon is discounting a few models of Apple's M4 Mac mini this weekend, starting at $499.00 for the model with 16GB RAM/256GB SSD, down from $599.00. Discounts reach up to $129 off in these sales, and this time around there is also a discount on the M4 Pro 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.

In terms of the 16GB/256GB SSD model, this is a solid second-best price. You can also get the M4 Mac mini with 16GB RAM/512GB SSD for $689.00, down from $799.00, and the model with 24GB RAM/512GB SSD for $889.99, down from $999.00.

Apple last updated the Mac mini in late 2024, introducing a redesigned computer that's smaller than the previous generation and featuring the M4 and M4 Pro chips. 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.

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We have our first Apple product announcement of 2026, and it's a software subscription known as Apple Creator Studio featuring Apple's video, audio, and image editing apps, as well as some AI-powered features and premium content for iWork apps and Freeform.

In other news this week, Apple made it official that next-generation Siri will leverage Google Gemini, while we got the second round of betas for iOS 26.3 and other updates, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Top Stories

Apple Introduces New 'Creator Studio' Bundle of Apps for $129 Per Year

Apple this week introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.

Apps in the bundle include Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro for both Mac and iPad, plus Motion, Compressor, and MainStage on Mac. It also includes some premium content and features for Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and Freeform.

As noted, Pixelmator Pro for iPad is included in Apple Creator Studio, and that's a new app making its way from the Mac to a tablet-optimized experience. The existing basic Pixelmator app for iPhone and iPad will, however, no longer be updated.

Apple will continue to offer standalone versions of its pro apps alongside the Creator Studio subscription option, but some content and perhaps some new features may not come to the standalone versions, though they will continue to be updated and receive at least some new features.

Apple Confirms Google Gemini Will Power Next-Generation Siri This Year

Apple and Google this week confirmed that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of Siri that is slated to launch later this year. "After careful evaluation, we determined that Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we're excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users," the statement said.

It appears the partnership, which is reportedly worth billions of dollars, will extend beyond next-generation Siri, with the companies noting the models will "help power future Apple Intelligence features" including Siri.

Apple Is Expected to Launch These Four MacBooks in 2026

2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.

Check out our overview of everything we might see in the MacBook lineup this year, with some speculating we could see the first of the releases before the end of this month.

Here's What's New in iOS 26.3 So Far

Following a holiday break, Apple this week seeded a second round of betas for iOS 26.3 and related operating system updates. Among the most notable changes in the latest iOS 26.3 is new references to end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages.

Support for E2EE on RCS would seemingly be part of a larger upgrade to RCS messaging on Apple platforms that would bring the texting experience closer to that of iMessage with several new features.

Beyond potential RCS changes, be sure to check out our full list of everything new in iOS 26.3 so far. We're expecting a public release around the end of this month.

Verizon Goes Down: iPhones Show 'SOS' Mode Due to Network Outage

Verizon experienced a major outage across the U.S. on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of customers reporting issues with the network on the website Downdetector. There were also numerous complaints across Reddit and other social media platforms.

The outage lasted for many hours, with Verizon issuing an apology as service started to come back online. Affected customers can redeem a $20 credit as part of the apology.

New Leak Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Display Sizes, Under-Screen Face ID, and More

While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices.

In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Consistent with previous rumors, the leaker claimed that both of the models will have a breakthrough new feature: under-screen Face ID.

As for the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone Air 2, the leaker expects those devices to have a Dynamic Island, and the same 6.3-inch and 6.5-inch display sizes as the equivalent previous-generation models, respectively.

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Apple recently announced that its environmental chief Lisa Jackson would be retiring this month, and today she was removed from the company's leadership page.

Since 2013, Jackson served as Apple's Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook. In this role, she oversaw Apple's renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. Apple aims to become carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030.

Jackson also led Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, and she was responsible for the company's worldwide Government Affairs team.

"I am deeply appreciative of Lisa's contributions," said Cook. "She has been instrumental in helping us reduce our global greenhouse emissions by more than 60 percent compared to 2015 levels. She has also been a critical strategic partner in engaging governments around the world, advocating for the best interests of our users on a myriad of topics, as well as advancing our values, from education and accessibility to privacy and security."

Prior to Apple, Jackson served as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, during President Barack Obama's first term.

Following Jackson's retirement, Apple said that its Environment and Social Initiatives teams would report to the company's operations chief Sabih Khan, while oversight of the Government Affairs team is transitioning to Apple's general counsel.

Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest.

A new iPad Air is expected to be released this year, but Gurman said it will have an LCD display. He expects a subsequent iPad Air model to have an OLED display, suggesting that the device will not adopt the technology until at least 2027.

Last month, the South Korean publication The Elec reported that Apple is planning to release a 24-inch iMac with an OLED display in 2027 or 2028.

All in all, here is when each device is expected to get an OLED display:

• iPad mini: 2026
• MacBook Pro: Late 2026 or 2027
• iPad Air: 2027
• iMac: 2027 or 2028
• MacBook Air: 2028

OLED displays have better overall image quality compared to LCD displays, thanks to richer colors and higher contrast ratio with true blacks.

All of the new iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad Pro models that Apple sells today already have OLED displays, while the Apple Vision Pro has micro-OLED displays.

Apple's Sainte-Catherine store in Montréal, Canada has a new home at the northeast corner of Rue Sainte-Catherine and Rue de la Montagne. The location officially opened to the public today, and the first people who visited received a complimentary tote bag and toque (the Canadian term for what Americans call a beanie), the latter of which will come in handy given Montréal's temperature is currently hovering around -15ºC (5ºF).

The store spans the first floor of a historic building that was extensively renovated for Apple. The second and third floors are not accessible to customers.

The new space is more than double the size of Apple's original location on Rue Saint-Catherine, which is now permanently closed. There are side-by-side counters for the Genius Bar and Apple Pickup, where customers can receive technical support and collect items they ordered through Apple's online store, respectively.

The interior design of the store is familiar, but there are a few unique elements, including the entrance and a curved wood ceiling. Apple says the store's façade blends historic Saint-Marc stone from Québec with local granite, while local copper artisans extensively restored the cornice that tops the building.

To celebrate the store, Apple shared a custom Mac and iPhone wallpaper on its website.

At the store, customers who make a purchase can receive a complimentary Apple Store shopping bag with an illustration by Montréal-based artist Catherine Potvin this Saturday, January 17, between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time.

Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien attended the grand opening.

In September, Apple and the NFL announced that Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Sunday, February 8. The performance will take place at Levi's Stadium, in Santa Clara, California.

Super Bowl LX will air on NBC and stream on Peacock and NFL+, with live coverage set to start at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Bad Bunny's performance will likely begin around 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, depending on how the game progresses.

Apple Music today shared the official trailer for the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show:

Bad Bunny is one of the biggest Latin music artists of all time, with many chart-topping hits. He was named Apple Music's Artist of the Year for 2022.

Apple Music has sponsored the Super Bowl Halftime Show since 2022, with previous performers including Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, and others.

OpenAI today announced that its lower-priced ChatGPT Go subscription tier is now available worldwide, with U.S. pricing set at $8 per month.

ChatGPT Go provides expanded access to ChatGPT's latest model, GPT‑5.2 Instant, with 10× more messages, file uploads, and image creation allowed compared to the free tier. ChatGPT Go also offers longer memory than the free tier, so that ChatGPT can remember more information about you for a longer period.

ChatGPT now offers three subscription tiers worldwide:

• ChatGPT Go: $8/month
• ChatGPT Plus: $20/month
• ChatGPT Pro: $200/month

ChatGPT's more advanced GPT‑5.2 Thinking model still requires ChatGPT Plus or ChatGPT Pro, for tasks that require deeper reasoning.

ChatGPT Go was already available in India and select other countries.

OpenAI also announced that it plans to begin testing ads in both the free and ChatGPT Go tiers with logged-in adult users in the U.S. in the coming weeks. ChatGPT Plus and Pro will remain ad-free, as will ChatGPT Business and ChatGPT Enterprise.

To start, OpenAI plans to test ads at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT when there is a relevant sponsored product or service based on the current conversation. Ads will be clearly labeled and separated from the answer. Users will be able to learn more about why they are seeing a particular ad, and any ad can be dismissed.

OpenAI said ads will not influence the organic answers that ChatGPT gives users, and it ensured that conversations with ChatGPT will be kept private from advertisers, and that it will never sell user data to advertisers. OpenAI also promised there will always be at least one paid ChatGPT subscription tier available that is ad-free.

Ads are not eligible to appear in ChatGPT conversations involving sensitive or regulated topics like health, mental health, or politics, according to OpenAI.

"Ads support our commitment to making AI accessible to everyone by helping us keep ChatGPT available at free and affordable price points," said OpenAI.

"We'll learn from feedback and refine how ads show up over time, but our commitment to putting users first and maintaining trust won't change," it added.

On this year's first episode of The MacRumors Show, we take a look at CES 2026, Apple Creator Studio, and the confirmation that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of Siri.

Following ‌CES 2026‌, we talk through this year's tech showcase, which saw major announcements related to robotics, AI, and display technology, as well as plenty of new Apple accessories. We discuss some of our favorite products highlighted at the event, such as Strada and the Clicks Power Keyboard.

Apple this week announced a new bundle called "Apple Creator Studio" that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Six apps are included with the subscription:

• Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad
• Logic Pro on the Mac and ‌iPad‌
• Pixelmator Pro on the Mac and ‌iPad‌
• Motion on the Mac
• Compressor on the Mac
• MainStage on the Mac

For college students, Apple Creator Studio costs $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. If you set up Family Sharing, you can share an Apple Creator Studio subscription with up to five other family members with a linked Apple Account for free.

Pixelmator Pro was previously only available on the Mac, but it is now coming to the iPad. Apple Creator Studio subscribers will receive access to exclusive AI features and premium content across not only the Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro apps, but also the iWork apps Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, and the Freeform app later this year.

Apple Creator Studio will be available through the App Store starting on Wednesday, January 28. Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage will each remain available for one-time purchase, and free versions of the Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and Freeform apps will continue to exist, but only Apple Creator Studio subscribers will receive access to some of the premium new AI features and content.

In other news, Apple this week released a statement confirming that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of ‌Siri‌ that is slated to launch later this year, as was widely rumored. After a considerable delay, the new capabilities will deliver better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls.

Apple's decision to lean on Google's artificial intelligence technology should result in the revamped ‌Siri‌ being more capable and advanced than it otherwise would have been, as Gemini's large language model is significantly larger than Apple's own model. Apple and Google added that Gemini will help power not only a more personalized version of Siri, but a range of future Apple Intelligence features.

The next-generation version of ‌Siri‌ is expected to be introduced with iOS 26.4, which will likely be officially released to the public in March or April.

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