Apple is urging European regulators to scrap the Digital Markets Act (DMA), claiming it has created security vulnerabilities and damaged the user experience, not to mention caused at least three of its product features to be postponed or delayed indefinitely.
In a statement posted to its website, Apple says EU users now face exposure to malware through mandatory third-party app stores, with pornography and gambling apps appearing on iPhones for the first time. This, Apple says, is because alternative marketplaces like AltStore have introduced content that the company has historically blocked from its App Store.
Feature development has also suffered under the new rules, says Apple. iPhone Mirroring remains unavailable in Europe because Apple cannot extend the Mac-to-iPhone connectivity to Windows PCs without exposing user data. Similarly, plans to bring its AI-powered Live Translation feature for AirPods to EU users have been put on ice over privacy-based engineering challenges.
Apple says it has also had to delay Visited Places and Preferred Routes in Maps, which store location data on device so it's only accessible to the user. "So far, our teams haven't found a way to share these capabilities with other developers without exposing our users' locations – something we are not willing to do," writes Apple.
Apple claims that these compliance efforts consume thousands of engineering hours while delivering inferior results for European customers.
The complaints read as the company's most aggressive pushback since the DMA took effect. Apple argues that rather than boosting competition, the law enables data harvesting by rival firms seeking access to sensitive iPhone information.
"Companies have submitted requests for some of the most sensitive data on a user's iPhone," Apple writes, including complete notification histories and Wi-Fi network logs that could reveal hospital visits or other private locations.
The EU in April hit Apple with a €500 million fine over App Store payment restrictions that prevent developers from steering users to make purchases outside of its App Store. Apple is still appealing the decision.
The DMA requires major tech platforms to open their ecosystems to competitors or face penalties of up to 10% of global revenue – or as much as 20% for repeat violations.
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.
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line.
Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum capacity is at 94 percent with 299 charge cycles.
With last year's test, I spent a lot of time with my battery below 20 percent. I saw some comments suggesting that draining it so low could also affect battery capacity over time, so this year, I tried hard to keep my battery between 20 and 80 percent. I wasn't always successful, but my iPhone 16 Pro Max was in that middle charge area most of the time.
You can compare your own battery health with mine, but my guess is that my 94 percent battery capacity is about average, regardless of whether charging limits are on or off. In fact, my iPhone 15 Pro Max was also at 94 percent capacity at the 12 month mark when I did this same test last year.
I did a mix of charging via MagSafe and charging with USB-C, and my iPhone 16 Pro Max can get hot when charging over MagSafe, especially with MagSafe battery packs. Since I was trying to keep above a 20 percent charge, I did more wireless charging when I was out. I can't help but wonder if heat was an issue this year.
It continued to be inconvenient limiting my iPhone battery to an 80 percent charge. It was fine when home, but if I was out and wanted to use the camera or needed GPS, it often wasn't enough battery. When you set an 80 percent charge limit, the iPhone will charge to full every so often to calibrate, and I appreciated surprise days with 20 percent extra battery.
If I had to guess, I probably had a 50/50 split between MagSafe charging and fast charging with USB-C. Most charging was indoors at around 72 degrees, but there were times when I was outdoors with a battery pack in warmer conditions.
I use my older iPhones for software tests, so my iPhone 15 Pro Max is still around. At the two year mark, its capacity is 88 percent, down from 94 percent in September 2024. It has 352 cycles, and I've kept it at the 80 percent limit.
During this year's testing, my iPhone 16 Pro Max battery was still at around 98 percent just a couple of months ago, so I thought the limit was having more of an impact, but I saw a decent drop as we got closer to September. It was even at 95 percent about a week ago, but now I'm down to 94 percent.
I now have two years of data with my iPhone limited to an 80 percent charge, and I don't think it's been worth it. My coworker who also has a 16 Pro Max did not have an 80 percent charge limit set, and his battery capacity is 96 percent with 308 charge cycles.
Maybe setting an 80 percent limit improves battery health over a longer period of time, but over a one-year period, the results have been disappointing. Setting charging to a 90 or 95 percent might make more sense.
I have upgraded to the iPhone 17 Pro Max and did already limit it to an 80 percent charge for another 12-month test. I'm interested to see how the larger battery changes things, and whether the switch to aluminum will make a difference.
What's your iPhone battery capacity and cycle count? Let me know in the comments below, and weigh in on whether you think the 80 percent charge limit is a good idea.
So far, Cook has met with Japanese boy band Number_i, and hugged Pokemon character Pikachu. Cook also said that he connected with App Store developers, and visited Bandai Namco to play iOS game Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra.
Met Pikachu, connected with developers using our software features in amazing ways, and played Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra at Bandai Namco… Japan is a gamer's paradise! pic.twitter.com/WIilg7NWrM
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 24, 2025
Apple Ginza was Apple's first retail store location outside of the United States when it opened in 2003. The flagship store included a 27-foot Genius Bar, an 84-seat theater, and an internet cafe for customers to visit.
The Sayegusa Building where Apple Ginza was located needed to be updated, so in 2022, Apple moved the store to a temporary location. Apple is now ready to reopen Apple Ginza, and the new store has received a number of upgrades.
There is an Apple Pickup station for customers to pick up online orders, a Genius Bar, a seating area for one-on-one Apple Vision Pro demos, and a space for Today at Apple sessions.
Customers in Japan can attend the store opening on Friday, September 26 at 10:00 a.m. local time, and Cook will be in attendance. The store will be selling special-edition Apple Gift Cards for the reopening, and Apple also shared special wallpaper designed for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Intel and Apple have been in discussions about how to work more closely together, reports Bloomberg. The talks started after Intel approached Apple about a potential investment, but they are in the early stages and might not result in an agreement.
Intel has been struggling to compete with other chipmakers, and earlier this year, the company announced that it was cutting 15 percent of its workforce and canceling factories that it planned to build in Europe. Back in August, the U.S. government purchased a 9.9 percent stake in Intel to speed up Intel's Ohio manufacturing plans.
Since then, Nvidia invested $5 billion in Intel for chips for PCs and data centers, and Japanese company SoftBank also invested $2 billion. Intel is said to be reaching out to several other companies about investments and possible partnerships.
Before transitioning to custom Apple silicon chips starting in 2020, Apple used chips designed by Intel for its Macs. Apple no longer relies on Intel's technology, and uses TSMC to manufacture chips that Apple designs.
Apple also worked with Intel on 5G modem chips when it was attempting to move away from Qualcomm technology. Intel was not able to manufacture modem chips that were up to Apple's standards, so the deal fell through. Intel ended up exiting the modem chip business, and selling its modem business to Apple.
There is no chance that Apple would switch back to Intel chips for its products, so it is not clear what kind of deal the two companies could establish. TSMC makes all of Apple's chips, but it is possible that Apple could transition to having some components manufactured by Intel.
A new series hailing from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is set to premiere on Apple TV+ globally on Friday, October 10, according to Apple.
The eight-episode documentary Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars follows elite chefs at some of the world's most celebrated restaurants, as they seek to win or maintain Michelin stars, the world's most prestigious culinary award.
Apple shared a trailer for the series today:
The series explores the high-stakes world of fine dining, in major cities such as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Copenhagen. Apple says it will include on-the-record interviews with some of Michelin's anonymous inspectors.
The show is hosted by award-winning food and travel expert, Jesse Burgess, and Ramsay serves as an executive producer. Ramsay is well known for his hit culinary shows like Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef, and Hotel Hell.
"As a chef, the pursuit of perfection is everything, and you cannot underestimate the unbelievable drive and ambition, the determination and sacrifice these chefs are going through day in and day out, chasing the dream of acknowledgment from the Michelin Guide," said Ramsay, in Apple's press release announcing the series earlier this year.
Amazon today introduced a new round of discounts across Apple's Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air lineup. Although the largest discount in this sale is about 10 percent off, these are some of the first notable cash discounts on these brand-new cases, so if you haven't purchased one yet it's definitely a good time to do so.
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.
Items on sale include Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. We're also tracking a few discounts on other accessories like the new MagSafe Charger and FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe.
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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Zagg today announced the launch of the Pro Keys Connect, a new keyboard case that's designed for the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. The Pro Keys Connect is able to interface with an iPad using USB-C, so a Bluetooth connection is not required and pairing is automatic.
There is an integrated trackpad, plus an extra USB-C port to connect a mouse or flash drive to expand the available functionality. The trackpad supports full iPadOS gesture controls, so users can swipe, scroll, click, and navigate like they can using Apple's own Magic Keyboard.
The Pro Keys Connect offers protection for an iPad along with adding a keyboard, and Zagg says that it will protect an iPad from drops of up to 6.6 feet. There is an included adjustable kickstand to change the angle of the iPad, and the keyboard can be detached so the accessory can be used as a case. There's also a stylus holder that works with the Apple Pencil.
The keyboard was designed with KeyLock Technology to keep keys in place, and Zagg designed a new key shape with indented, backlit keys for a more comfortable typing experience even in low light situations.
Zagg's Pro Keys Connect is compatible with the M2 and M3 iPad Air models, the M4 iPad Pro models, and the 10th-generation iPad with A16 chip.
Pricing ranges from $130 to $150, and the Zagg Pro Keys Connect can be purchased starting today from the Zagg website. It will be available on Amazon starting in October.
The marks on the iPhone 17 Pro models that people have noticed at Apple retail stores are caused by the chargers that Apple uses, Apple confirmed today.
Apple told 9to5Mac that worn MagSafe charging stands in stores are causing marks on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple says that the marks are not scratches, and are instead material transfer from the stand to the phone. The marks are removable with cleaning, according to Apple.
Apple will fix the problem in Apple Stores, and the company says that other models like the iPhone 16 are also affected.
Separately, scratch tests have suggested that the camera plateau area on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max is prone to scratching. Apple says that the edges of the iPhone 17 Pro camera plateau have similar characteristics to the aluminum cases on other Apple devices, like the MacBook. The edges are designed to be durable and undergo testing prior to release, but Apple claims that users may see normal wear and tear that includes small abrasions over time.
Apple today provided public beta testers with the first releases of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, and watchOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. Apple seeded the betas to developers earlier this week.
After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.
iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 expand Apple Intelligence to new languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.
AirPods Live Translation is also available in Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified) in iOS 26.1.
Earlier this week, Apple made the decision to delay the release of upcoming Apple TV+ series "The Savant" due to its topic and the current political climate. Jessica Chastain, who plays the main character in the series, today said that she does not support Apple's decision.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Chastain said that while she values her partnership with Apple, she's "not aligned" with the company on the decision to pause the release of the show.
I want to say how much I value my partnership with Apple. They've been incredible collaborators and I deeply respect their team. That said, I wanted to reach out and let you know that we're not aligned on the decision to pause the release of The Savant.
In the last five years since we've been making the show, we've seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States: the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; the January 6th attack on the Capitol; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota; the attack on Speaker Pelosi's husband; the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California; and over 300 school shootings across this country.
These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted. I've never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn't so relevant, unfortunately it is.
The Savant is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever. While I respect Apple's decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. Until then, I'm wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I'll let you know if and when The Savant is released.
"The Savant" is a crime thriller that stars Chastain as a woman who works to infiltrate online hate groups to prevent large-scale public attacks. The show was supposed to air on Friday, September 26, but Apple quietly delayed it, removing all release information from the Apple TV app.
Apple has not commented on its decision to pull the show, but tension surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk likely influenced the choice. In her statement, Chastain cited a number of violent attacks in the United States, and said that while she wished the series "wasn't so relevant, unfortunately it is." She went on to say that honoring the heroes who work to stop violence before it happens "feels more urgent than ever."
Apple has apparently not provided Chastain with information on when "The Savant" will see a release, as she says that she's "hopeful" the series will reach audiences soon.
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.
iOS 26 breaks search functionality in the Calendar app for some iPhone users, according to comments from affected users across the Apple Support Community, Reddit, X, Facebook, and other online discussion platforms.
The issue is affecting many iPhone models, ranging from the iPhone 13 mini to the iPhone 17 Pro, and it has not been fixed in the first iOS 26.1 beta version.
Affected users attempt to search for an existing calendar event, but no results are found.
The problem does not impact all iPhone users, and certain search phrases may still yield results, so it appears to be a bit of a hit-or-miss situation.
The first complaints about the issue surfaced during iOS 26 beta testing, but the problem has gained more attention since the update was released last week.
Apple's support representatives have informed customers that the company is aware of the issue and will be implementing a fix in a future software update, so keep your iPhone up to date. It is unclear if the fix will arrive in iOS 26.0.1 or iOS 26.1.
The Apple Watch has received some incremental updates in recent years, with significant upgrades becoming fewer and farther between as the device has progressed. Since the Apple Watch's generation-over-generation enhancements are relatively small, it is all the more important to consider when an upgrade is justified and whether an older model could suffice for your needs.
The Apple Watch Series 11 is one of the smallest refreshes in the device's history, but it can still form a good upgrade if coming from an older device where the changes stack up. While all previous Apple Watch models from before the Series 11 have been discontinued, older models may still be found for lower prices from third-party retailers or second-hand.
Read on to see the breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with each Apple Watch model compared to its direct predecessor. Viewing each generation's changes in this way helps weigh up the accumulative upgrades one receives by skipping multiple generations when buying a new device, as well as get a sense of which generations offered the biggest overall upgrades.
Apple Watch Series 11 (2025)
2x more scratch-resistant Ion-X glass (aluminum models only)
5G connectivity (cellular models only)
7–10% larger battery
Space Gray aluminum option introduced
Apple Watch Series 10 (2024)
Refined design with a thinner casing, display with more rounded edges and a wider aspect ratio, and front glass that extends further over the sides for a higher screen-to-body ratio
42mm and 46mm case sizes
Larger displays
LTPO3 display for faster refresh rate in always-on mode, enabling a live ticking seconds hand on select watch faces
Wide-angle OLED (up to 40% brighter when viewed at an angle)
S10 chip (same CPU as S9, but more compact)
Water temperature sensor
Depth app and Depth gauge to 6m
Microphone with voice isolation
Redesigned speaker with media playback
Metal back with larger charging coil and integrated antenna
Faster charging (0–80% in about 30 minutes)
Titanium casing replaces stainless steel option, now in Silver (matches previous stainless steel casing, Apple Watch Hermès only), Gold, Slate, and Natural
Starlight, Midnight, Pink, and (PRODUCT)RED finishes discontinued, replaced with Silver, Rose Gold, and polished Jet Black finishes
Apple Watch Series 9 (2023)
Retina display with up to 2,000 nits of brightness
Display can get dimmer in dark rooms and at night (down to 1 nit of brightness)
Double tap gesture
Wrist flick gesture
Sleep apnea detection
Hypertension detection
S9 chip (based on A15 Bionic)
4-core Neural Engine (2x faster than Series 8)
Siri processed on-device for requests that do not need information from the internet
More powerful gyroscope and high dynamic range accelerometer
Crash Detection
Body temperature sensor
Wrist temperature sensing during sleep
Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
Blue and Green aluminum casings discontinued, Silver aluminum reintroduced
Apple Watch Edition discontinued
Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)
41mm and 45mm case sizes
1.7mm display borders for almost 20% more screen area than Series 6
QWERTY keyboard
Up to 70% brighter display than Series 6 indoors when wrist is down
S7 chip (Same CPU as S6)
Crack-resistant front crystal (50% thicker)
IP6X dust resistance
Fast charging for up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes (33% faster than Series 6)
Silver and Space Gray aluminum casings discontinued, Midnight, Starlight, and Green introduced
Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)
Up to 2.5x brighter always-on display
Access Notification Center, Control Center, and Complications when display is asleep
S6 chip (based on A13 Bionic, 20% faster than S5)
Always-on altimeter
First-generation Ultra Wideband chip
2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi
Blood oxygen sensor
Faster charging for a full charge in under 1.5 hours
Improved battery life for tracking certain workouts, such as indoor and outdoor runs
Blue and (PRODUCT)RED aluminum casing options introduced
Space Black stainless steel casing available with Apple Watch Hermès only, Graphite option introduced
Ceramic Apple Watch Edition discontinued
Apple Watch Series 5 (2019)
Always-on Retina display
Force Touch removed
S5 chip
Compass
32GB storage
Apple Watch Edition reintroduced with White Ceramic, Natural Titanium, and Space Black Titanium casing options
Apple Watch Series 4 (2018)
40mm and 44mm case sizes
Over 30% larger display with curved corners
3.0mm display borders
S4 chip (2x faster than S3)
Gyroscope and accelerometer
Barometric altimeter
Fall detection
2.4GHz Wi-Fi
Optical heart sensor and electrical heart sensor for ECG
16GB storage
Digital Crown with haptic feedback
50% louder speaker
Relocated microphone for reduced echo and better sound quality
Faster charging for a full charge in 1.5 hours
Gold stainless steel casing introduced
Apple Watch Edition discontinued
Apple Watch Series 3 (2017)
S3 chip (70% faster than S2)
Barometric altimeter
Bluetooth 4.2
Siri able to speak through the onboard speaker
LTE cellular model available with red Digital Crown
Rose Gold aluminum casing discontinued
Gray Ceramic Apple Watch Edition model introduced
Apple Watch Series 2 (2016)
Retina display with up to 1,000 nits of brightness (2x brighter than previous generation)
S2 chip (dual‑core)
GPS and GLONASS receiver
Water resistant up to 50 meters
Gold and Rose Gold aluminum casing options added
18K Gold and Rose Gold Apple Watch Edition discontinued, Ceramic model introduced in White
Apple Watch Nike+ variant introduced
The Apple Watch Series 11 does not provide a meaningful upgrade over the Series 10, and it is barely worth it for Series 9 users either. While it has an older design, the Series 9 offers a brighter display, wrist flick and double tap features, sleep apnea detection, and hypertension detection, as well as the same chip technology, as the subsequent two generations.
Upgrading to the Series 11 starts to be more worth it when coming from a Series 8 or older. However, these users may be better off buying a Series 10 model to save money – the Series 11 is a very minor upgrade over the Series 10. Series 7 users stand to benefit more, gaining features like Crash Detection, and body and water temperature sensing, but the biggest differences will be felt by those with a Series 6 or older.
watchOS 26 is not supported by the Series 5 or older, so anyone with one of these devices should definitely consider upgrading soon.
Looking to the future, it looks like next year's Apple Watch Series 12 could offer some major upgrades including a redesign, a more powerful chip, new sensors, and Touch ID. This could make it a great upgrade for those with a Series 9 or older.
Apple this month released macOS Tahoe, the latest version of the company's Mac operating system. macOS Tahoe 26 adopts Apple's new Liquid Glass design along with new customizations, a new Phone app, and updated capabilities across the platform.
In this article, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're upgrading. What do you think of macOS Tahoe so far? Let us know in the comments.
1. Terminal Refresh
Apple's Terminal app gets a visual refresh in macOS Tahoe, and it's the first notable design update since the command-line tool debuted. The updated Terminal supports 24-bit color and Powerline fonts, and adopts the new Liquid Glass aesthetic with redesigned themes that align with macOS 26's broader visual overhaul.
2. macOS Themes
In macOS Tahoe, Apple introduces the concept of Themes, with new appearance settings that go beyond the traditional Light and Dark modes. In System Settings ➝ Appearance, there are still the standard Auto, Light, and Dark modes, but Apple has added several options that allow you to create your own stylized desktop environment. "Accent color" has become "Color," and there's a new "Text highlight color" option, so you can now make highlighted text appear in a different shade to buttons, pop-up menus, radio buttons, checkboxes, and focused outlines.
3. Folder Colors
In System Settings ➝ Appearance, the default setting maintains the classic macOS look with app icons displaying their original colors. But you can now customize folder colors independently through a dedicated new "Folder Color" setting. When set to Automatic, folders retain their traditional blue appearance, but switching to other colors like purple will change all folder colors system-wide.
4. Dark Icons
In System Settings ➝ Appearance, in the new "Icon & widget style" section, a new Dark option applies black backgrounds to icons throughout the system interface, including System Settings sidebar icons (this works in both Light and Dark modes).
5. Clear Style
In System Settings ➝ Appearance, in the new "Icon & widget style" section, a new Clear setting emphasizes the Liquid Glass redesign and adds a new transparency by picking up background colors, creating a more translucent interface effect. Clear also includes Light and Dark variants, or it can be set to Auto for automatic day-night switching.
6. Tinted Style
In System Settings ➝ Appearance, in the new "Icon & widget style" section, a new Tinted option allows comprehensive color customization of both icons and folders. With "Tinted" selected, the Folder color setting becomes "Icon, widget & folder color," allowing you to select from preset colors or choose custom tints using the Other option (which includes a color picker and a theme color).
7. Volume/Brightness Overlays
The traditional large overlays that appear when you adjust volume and brightness are gone, and have been replaced with smaller, oblong overlays that appear in the top-right of the screen under the menu bar, notification-style.
8. Background Apps
macOS now notifies you via a new popup when apps attempt to run a daemon after they have been closed. You can "Always Allow" the background process to run or you can deny it permission.
9. No Unified Safari URL Bar
Safari no longer offers the option to unify the tab bar and the address bar (the Compact tab layout setting), perhaps because it wasn't popular with users. Apple could always reinstate it in a later software update.
10. Apple Notes Markdown
Apple Notes now allows you to import and export text in the popular Markdown format. Markdown is a lightweight markup language that some writers prefer to use over rich text. Rather than using HTML for bold, italics, links, and headers, it uses quick character shortcuts like **bold** or #header.
11. Search by App
When searching in Spotlight, type the app name (e.g. Notes, Calendar) then press the Tab key. Now type a term to search only within that app.
12. Message Polls
The ability to create polls in conversations has been a mainstay of rival messaging platforms. And now, Messages finally has it too. You can add up to 12 choices in a poll, and then send it to people in a conversation to vote on. If you send a poll and someone thinks an option is missing, they can even edit it and add in another choice. Note that users need to have a device with iOS 26 or macOS Tahoe installed in order to interact with polls in Message conversations.
13. Games App
Apple's new Games app lists all the games installed on your Mac, even if they weren't downloaded from the App Store. The interface includes Home, Arcade, Play Together, and Library views.
14. Restore Menu Bar Background
In macOS Tahoe, the Liquid Glass design overhaul makes the menu bar look less like a bar than ever because there's no longer a visible background to it. If you dislike the appearance of menu items floating at the top of your desktop, go to System Settings ➝ Menu Bar, then toggle on the switch next to "Show menu bar background."
15. Lock Screen Clock
You can now change the style of the Lock Screen clock, just like in iOS 18. Simply go to System Settings ➝ Wallpaper, and click Clock Appearance... where you can adjust the font and the weight of the clock as it appears on the Lock Screen and/or Screen Saver.
16. Control Center
Like iOS, you can now customize the layout of Control Center via System Settings ➝ Menu Bar –> Menu Bar Controls, with the ability to add third-party app controls, including apps installed on your iPhone (which launch iPhone Mirroring when clicked).
17. Safari Address Bar
Safari now has a translucent address bar, and colors from webpages shine through the browser's main toolbar. The toolbar can also take on the color of the currently viewed website, though you can control this using the "Show color in tab bar" option in Safari ➝ Settings....
18. Phone App
Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac, so you can make calls, accept calls, and use features like Hold Assist and Call Screening. You still need a connected iPhone with Wi-Fi Assist turned on.
19. Live Translation
FaceTime now supports Live Translation, displaying captions if you're talking to someone who speaks another language. Live Translation is an Apple Intelligence feature and requires an Apple silicon Mac.
20. Reminders Auto-Categorize
In macOS Sequoia, you can create grocery lists that the Reminders app can automatically categorize into meaningful sections for you. In macOS Tahoe, Reminders takes things up a notch. Using Apple Intelligence, the app can now auto-categorize pretty much any list that you enter. If you're packing for a vacation, for example, select File ➝ Auto-Categorize, and the app will sort your items into Clothing, Electronics, and Toiletries sections, to name just a few.
21. Genmoji
Genmoji supports combining two or more emoji together to create a new character. You can also combine existing emoji with text-based descriptions to tweak them, which is a more convenient starting point for generating something new.
22. Folder Icon Customization
You can now customize the look of individual folders with the use of color tags, emoji, and other select glyphs. Simply right-click (Ctrl-click) on a folder and choose the Customize Folder... option in the contextual menu.
23. Spotlight Keyboard Shortcuts
When you invoke Spotlight Search with Command + Spacebar, you can switch to its dedicated modes like so: Applications (Command + 1), Files (Command + 2), Actions (Command + 3), and Clipboard (Command + 4). However, you can switch to these modes faster simply by adding the requisite number to your initial Spotlight invocation. For example, Command + Spacebar + 2 takes you straight to a Files search.
24. Magnifier
A new Magnifier app uses the iPhone camera's zoom feature to zoom in and view objects or text up close, beaming the feed to a Mac through Continuity Camera. There are options for creating multiple live session windows for tracking, for example, a presentation while also zooming in on a textbook, and each view can be customized with different brightness levels and color and contrast filters to suit individual needs.
25. Personal Voice
Found in System Settings ➝ Accessibility, Personal Voice is faster and easier to use, thanks to advancements in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence. Apple says the feature is able to create a smoother, more natural-sounding replication of your voice in less than a minute, using only 10 recorded phrases.
26. Vehicle Motion Cues
Apple in macOS 26 has expanded the iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues feature to the Mac. The optional feature shows moving dots on your Mac's screen, in order to help reduce motion sickness while using the device in a moving vehicle. Apple also provides new ways to customize the on-screen dots on a Mac. If you're using a MacBook, you can find the Vehicle Motion Cues option in System Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Motion.
27. Auto-Join iPhone Hotspot
macOS Tahoe includes support for automatically joining your iPhone's Personal Hotspot when no Wi-Fi network is available, so you no longer need to manually connect. Click on the Wi-Fi button in the menu bar or Control Center to open up Wi-Fi Settings. From there, scroll down to the bottom where it says "Ask to join hotspots" and click to select the Automatic option. Auto-Join works with Family Sharing, so you can set up your Mac to automatically connect to a family member's Personal Hotspot, or allow their Mac to automatically connect to yours.
28. Repair Assistant
Apple has expanded its Repair Assistant calibration software to Mac. On iPhone, the tool helps calibrate replacement parts including back glass, battery, display, TrueDepth camera, and rear camera components. On Mac, Repair Assistant enables Touch ID and Lid Angle sensors to be reused after Display or Logic Board repairs on select models. Apple silicon users can access Repair Assistant through System Settings ➝ General ➝ About, where a "Parts & Service" section appears after recognized repairs.
29. Multiple Control Centers
You can rearrange individual menu bar items, and even add multiple Control Centers directly to it. Open your Control Center, click Edit Controls, Note that Live Activities from the iPhone will also show up in the menu bar now through iPhone Mirroring.
30. Folder Icon Changes
In macOS, you can tell if a folder has any contents or not just by looking at the folder's icon. Folders with contents show documents filed away, while empty folders don't have any documents. When you place an item in an empty folder, you also get a nice new animation.
31. Game Overlay
When playing a game in fullscreen mode there's a new Game Overlay interface that can be activated by pressing Command + Escape. From here, you can open the Games app, view achievements for the currently open game, contact friends, and adjust other settings like display brightness, sound volume, controller settings, and Game Mode.
32. Hold Assist
If you make a phone call and you're stuck on hold waiting to speak to a person, you can activate Hold Assist in the Phone app. Your Mac can wait for you while you do other things, and then let you know when a live agent is on the line. The agent is informed that you'll be on the call in just a moment.
33. Journal App
Previously limited to iPhone, the Journal app is now on the Mac, which makes sense on a platform that has a full keyboard. It works just like the iOS version of the app, but there are also some added features like the option to create multiple journals.
34. Spotlight Actions
Quick Actions in Spotlight let you do things with apps without having to open those apps. You can send emails, create shortcuts for features in apps, set timers, create Calendar events, make reminders, and much more, plus there's integration with the Shortcuts app to take things even further. You can also send messages: Press Command + Spacebar + 3, select the Send Message action and hit Enter, type your message, hit Tab, type the name of the recipient, then select their contact and hit Enter again. The steps depends which action you choose to run, but it's the same basic process.
35. Search Clipboard History
Spotlight now saves what you copy and paste, so you have a log of what you've been doing that you can go back and reference. You can see your entire history for the day, but it is limited to the last eight hours.
36. Message Conversation Backgrounds
In the Messages app, you can now set custom backgrounds for individual conversation threads. Click the profile picture of the person(s) you're chatting with, then click Backgrounds. Choose from the available options: Photo (select an image from your photo library), Color (pick from preset solid colors), or Playground (describe an image for Image Playground to generate it). Alternatively, choose from Sky, Water, Aurora, or one of the Suggestions.
37. Filter Unknown Message Numbers
In the Messages app's Settings, there are new options to screen unknown senders (excluding verification codes) and spam, so that these messages are moved to a different section of the app interface and you aren't notified when they arrive. Switching to the separate message lists can be done by clicking the new filter icon, top right of the current list.
38. Spotlight Quick Keys
You can use Spotlight Actions to do all kinds of things without opening an app. There are also quick access phrases you can assign to launch tasks quickly, like "ch" for bringing up ChatGPT. Simply click the "Add quick keys" button whenever you see it in search results. If you need to, you can reset assigned quick keys to their defaults by clicking Reset Quick Keys in System Settings ➝ Spotlight.
39. FileVault on by Default
If you sign in to an Apple account when setting up macOS Tahoe, FileVault now turns on automatically. It will also automatically use your Apple Account for recovery if something goes wrong. This is a change from earlier versions of macOS, where FileVault was optional and you could back up your recovery key in other ways, such as printing it or writing it down, without relying on the cloud.
40. Aerial Screen Savers
macOS Tahoe includes 15 new aerial screen savers for the Mac, each panning over natural landscapes around the world. The new screen savers can also be set as wallpapers. To browse through all screen savers on macOS Tahoe, open the System Settings app, click Wallpaper, and click the "Screen Saver…" button.
41. Apps Icon
Launchpad is gone in macOS Tahoe, and will be replaced by a new Apps icon in the Dock if that's where you had Launchpad. This takes you to the Applications section of the Spotlight Search interface, where you can switch between app categories like Productivity & Finance and Utilities. A More button (three dots) lets you view apps in a Grid or List, as well as Show iPhone Apps, but apps in this view lack a right-click menu and can't be deleted from here.
42. Shortcuts Automations
The Shortcuts app has been updated and now includes the ability to create Automations, so now you can make your shortcuts run automatically based on preconditions like Time of Day and when an external drive connects.
43. Allow in Menu Bar
In System Settings, the new Menu Bar section includes a new "Allow in the Menu Bar" section that lists any third-party apps that can add menu bar items, so now you can selectively toggle them on and off from one place.
44. Safari Advanced Fingerprint Protection
Advanced Fingerprinting Protection now automatically obscures browser and device data in all browsing modes. If you want to revert it back to Private Browsing sessions only, you can do so in the Advanced section of Safari ➝ Settings ➝ Privacy.
45. Reduce Transparency
In System Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Display, the Reduce Transparency toggle turns off many of the translucent Liquid Glass effects in the macOS interface, so if you aren't getting used to the new design, this option should help.
46. Accessibility Reader
In System Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Read & Speak, there's a new Accessibility Reader option that, when enabled, can be used to help read things that appear on the display. Wherever text is hard to read, hit Command and Escape, and you can view the same text in a window where you can customize the text color, background color, font, spacing, links, and more. You can also have the system read the text out loud for you.
47. Image Playground Updates
In Image Playground, you can now use ChatGPT to generate images. There are also styles to select for ChatGPT, including Oil Painting, Watercolor, Vector, Anime, and Print.
48. Dark PDF Appearance
If you're viewing PDF documents in the Preview app, there's a new View option in the menu bar that allows you to Use Dark Appearance for PDF.
49. Spotlight Search File Location
If you search for a file in Spotlight, holding the Command key reveals its location. You can also double-click the location to go straight to it in Finder.
50. Set Custom Snooze Duration
Like in iOS 26, the Clock app in macOS now gives you the ability to set your Snooze duration to between 1-15 minutes when setting alarms.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
All iPads in this sale come in new condition and with a 90 day Woot limited warranty. Woot says that the extra APPLEFIVE coupon code will last through September 26 at 11:58 p.m. Central Time, but the overall Apple product sale lasts through October 8 or while supplies last.
With this sale, you can get the 11-inch M3 iPad Air (256GB) for $534.00, down from $699.00, and beating Amazon's current low price by $15. The 512GB model is also available on sale for $724.00 after you enter the coupon code, down from $899.00 and undercutting Amazon's deal by $25.
Note: Use code APPLEFIVE to see the final deal price at checkout.
Woot also has a 13-inch M3 iPad Air on sale for a new record low price this week. You can get the 512GB model for $914.00 with the APPLEFIVE coupon, down from $1,099.00, which beats Amazon's current sale by $35.
Note: Use code APPLEFIVE to see the final deal price at checkout.
Shoppers might note that Woot has mislabeled this as an 11-inch iPad Air in the product title, but the price, product description, and model number confirm that it is the 13-inch 512GB model.
Also worth noting is the warranty on these iPads, which is a 90 day Woot limited warranty, and not the typical one year Apple warranty. If these savings aren't worth missing out on Apple's warranty to you, Amazon still has those second-best prices on nearly every M3 iPad Air model this week.
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 as we head into the fall? 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 annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad.
Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value.
AirPods Pro 3 launched last week, and they are now included in the "Back to School" promotion, instead of the AirPods Pro 2. Students who purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad can get the AirPods Pro 3 for just $70, after a $179 discount is applied.
If you do not want any AirPods, the promotion also offers various other accessories for free or at a discount, such as the Apple Pencil Pro or Magic Keyboard.
The free AirPods or other accessory are included in addition to Apple's standard year-round 10% educational discount on select Mac and iPad models.
The promotion is also running in Canada, Mexico, Singapore, India, and the United Arab Emirates until September 30, and in select European countries such as the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands until October 21.
In iOS 26, Apple has added a new feature to its Home screen customization options that can match the color of your app icons with the actual color of your iPhone's case. Keep reading to learn how it works.
In iOS 18, Apple introduced Tinted app icons. The option applies a color filter over app icons, widgets, and even system UI elements. And with iOS 26, Apple has built on the theme with a new option that matches the color of your iPhone's removable case.
It's worth noting from the off that the color-matching feature only works with official Apple MagSafe cases that include a small NFC chip with color variant information. If you don't have such a case, you might want to consider trying another new tint option in iOS 26 that can match the color of your app icons with the actual color of your iPhone.
How to Tint App Icons to Match iPhone Case Color
This filter uses a base color taken from your iPhone's case color, then automatically adjusts brightness, saturation, and contrast so icons remain legible while still reflecting the case's tone. The following steps show you how it's done.
On your iPhone's Home screen, long press a space between app icons.
Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then select Customize from the popup menu.
Choose Tinted from the options panel that appears, then tap the iPhone case button, second-to-left, under the two horizontal color sliders.
Select Light, Dark, or Auto below that, based on your preferences.
Note that Tinted mode looks different in iOS 26 than it did in iOS 18. Rather than icons featuring a black background with colored graphics, icons adopt the full color that you select with white graphics in Light Mode. In Dark Mode, backgrounds are a much darker shade of the color you choose, but aren't entirely black.
Logitech has announced the Signature Slim Solar+ K980, a full-size wireless keyboard that relies entirely on solar power. The device features a solar panel along its top edge and doesn't even have a USB charging connector, so if you dislike cable clutter, this could be your kind of thing.
The K980 uses Logitech's LightCharge technology, which needs a minimum of 200 lux of ambient light to maintain power, which can come from sunlight or artificial light sources. When fully charged, the keyboard can operate in complete darkness for up to four months, claims the company. Logitech also reckons the internal battery lasts up to 10 years before requiring replacement.
The keyboard includes a standard full-size layout with number pad, function keys, and dedicated media controls. Bluetooth connectivity for up to three devices is supported, and there's compatibility with both Windows and macOS systems through dual key legends. There's also a macOS-only version available.
Additional features include an AI Launch key that defaults to opening Copilot on Windows or Gemini on ChromeOS, customizable function keys through Logi Options+ software, and Smart Actions for productivity shortcuts. The device measures 430.8mm (w) x 142.9mm (h) x 20.2mm (d) and weighs 700 grams.
Made with recycled plastic, the Signature Slim Solar+ K980 costs $99.99 and is available from today in a graphite finish through Logitech's website and major retailers.
In iOS 26, seamless multilingual conversations in Messages are just a few taps away, thanks to Apple's new Live Translation feature. When chatting with friends or colleagues who speak different languages, you can now see instant translations without breaking the flow of your conversation.
Live Translation is an Apple Intelligence feature, so you'll need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 model to use it.
Tranlsation works with nine languages including Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified), French, German, Italian, English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain). Your messages appear in both languages on your device, while recipients see everything in their preferred language, provided they are using a device running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe.
Setting Up Live Translation
To enable automatic translation for a conversation:
Open Messages and tap on the contact's name at the top of a conversation.
Toggle on the Automatically Translate switch.
Tap Translate From to select the language.
Download the language pack if prompted (approximately 900MB).
Once the language pack has downloaded, the feature works instantly. Your outgoing messages display in both your language and the translated version, while incoming messages show the original text with translations underneath.
Using Quick Translation Controls
During active conversations, you can access translation controls directly. Simply tap the "Translating [language]" tab at the bottom of the conversation to switch between viewing modes. For example, select Spanish & English to see both languages, choose English Only to hide translations, or tap Stop Translation to disable the feature temporarily.
Translation on Older Devices
The feature works best when both people have iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe, though you can still translate incoming messages from older devices or Android phones – your responses just won't be translated on their end.
