Some AirPods Pro 3 owners have been experiencing a problem with a static-like sound when Active Noise Cancellation is on but no media is playing, according to complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums.
Those who are affected have described the noise as static, an audible hiss, white noise, rain, and an ocean-like sound similar to holding a seashell up to the ear. There have been reports of users hearing the static sound in ANC, Adaptive, and Transparency modes. From MacRumors reader ugh:
It's very strange, I would think it's defective, but it's on both ears?? You can switch ANC from on to off, clearly ANC is quieting down the lower frequencies, but the higher frequencies seem to actually get LOUDER in a quiet room when turning ANC on. It just sounds like I have a small fan on in the room all the time (I do not).
Very pronounced in mine but only in Transparency/Adaptive mode. And only, or at least way more pronounced, in the right one. Had absolutely zero static noise with APP2. Will be returning since I also don't quite like the new sound profile and they are less comfortable for me.
OMG after one week of ownership I had to exchange my AirPods Pro 3. During a flight from NYC to Chicago I had a whistling/wind noise on my right Airpod the whole time. I reset, repaired, cleaned them and same thing. Hopefully this is not a widespread issue.
Some users say the static is worse in one AirPod than the other, and others suggest that high frequencies also seem to be oddly amplified. Music mitigates the problem for some users, but not others. From EdRecde on Reddit:
I have the same problem. It's not possible to hear music at a low level around 30 db because the static is too much. It's my first pair of AirPods so I can't compare but only switching the microphones off makes the headphones silent
Not all AirPods Pro 3 units seem to be affected, and there are people who appear to be experiencing no issue at all. Some users may also be less sensitive to any kind of ambient static sound.
One user who reported the issue to Apple received replacement AirPods, and other people have exchanged the AirPods Pro 3 but experienced the same issue with the replacement pair. One user said that Apple is directing store employees to exchange the AirPods Pro 3 for users who report static issues.
It's not clear if the static that people are hearing is related to hardware or software, but if it is a software issue, Apple could address it in future firmware updates. The only option for eliminating the static entirely appears to be turning ANC and Transparency off, which can be done in the Settings app when wearing the AirPods.
Apple today added new features and expanded flexibility to its App Store review process. Developers are now able to submit additional items for review when an existing submission is already under review.
Apple has provided several examples of what can be submitted:
One or more In-App Events in a separate submission if you have an app version under review.
An app version to address a critical bug that's separate from any existing custom product pages under review.
One or more Game Center features -- including achievements, leaderboards, challenges, and more.
Apple is doubling the number of custom product pages that developers can create to highlight content and features in apps. Up to 70 custom pages can be published at any time, and keywords can also be assigned to each custom product page to make them more discoverable on the App Store.
In addition to new app review features and support for more custom product pages, Apple is also expanding offer codes to all In-App purchase types. Offer codes are available for consumable, non-consumable, and non-renewing subscriptions in addition to auto-renewable subscriptions. Apple also added offer codes for auto-renewable subscriptions that don't auto-renew after the promotional period ends.
Offer codes allow developers to provide people with limited-time offers for free or discounted In-App purchase content. Apple is replacing promo codes with offer codes, and as of March 26, 2026, there will no longer be an option to create promo codes for In-App purchases in App Store Connect. Promo codes will continue to be available to provide people with free app downloads, and already-available promo codes will continue to work until they expire.
The next-generation iPad mini 8 could feature an updated design that removes the speaker holes for improved water resistance, with Apple considering a new speaker system design. The new system would use vibration-based technology, according to Bloomberg, which would make it unique among Apple products if it's adopted.
It turns out there are already some devices on the market that use vibration-based sound, giving some insight into how the technology works and how Apple might implement the feature.
Vibration-Based Sound
Apple could be planning to use a sound exciter, which creates sound waves by causing a surface like a glass panel or metal frame to vibrate. A piezo or electromagnetic exciter can use almost any surface for resonance, and there's no need for a standard speaker that sends vibrations through a diaphragm.
Apple could attach an exciter to the iPad mini's chassis or display. When playing audio, the exciter could vibrate the panel to move air and create sound with no traditional speaker or need for speaker holes.
The iPad has a decent-sized display that could support multiple exciters to allow for stereo sound, with the screen divided into sub-panels to serve as separate diaphragms.
Patents
Apple has patented a system similar to what's described above. Apple's "mechanically actuated panel acoustic system" patent describes an electronic device with an enclosure that's used as part of an acoustic system.
The enclosure is divided into sub-panels, and each sub-panel has one or more actuators to vibrate the sub-panel. The actuator and attached sub-panel then convert an audio signal to acoustic output.
Real-World Examples
Huawei's 2019 P30 Pro debuted "Acoustic Display Technology," featuring an under-display speaker. It included a tiny exciter that vibrated the glass screen, turning the entire display into a speaker. An iFixit teardown revealed that Huawei was using a small coil with a magnet in the middle paired with a component that vibrated the screen to create sound.
Based on reviews, the Acoustic Display Technology worked well, but Huawei only used it for calls. All the rest of the smartphone's audio was routed through an additional bottom speaker, and the lack of stereo sound wasn't popular. Huawei released one more model with the technology, the P40, before returning to a more traditional system for subsequent smartphones.
Some TVs have used the technology to improve sound. LG's G8 ThinQ used the entire OLED display as a diaphragm, vibrating the screen to produce sound. LG paired it with a bottom speaker for stereo performance and to handle bass.
Sony's OLED TVs have used an "Acoustic Surface" for sound for several years. The TVs include multiple actuators behind the display that vibrate the screen to create sound. Sony says sound is precisely aligned with what you see, for a more immersive viewing experience. The technology is often praised in reviews of Sony TV sets.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Apple adopt something like the Acoustic Surface, positioning it as a way for users to get immersive, spatial sound even when not wearing AirPods or other headphones that support spatial audio.
There are also plenty of "invisible" speakers that are meant to be mounted behind drywall or in ceilings. They use surface exciters to vibrate the material they're attached to, turning walls into speaker drivers.
Water Resistance
Removing the speaker holes provide fewer paths for water ingress. The current iPad mini has speaker holes at the top and bottom of the device, and no water resistance rating.
It's not clear what water resistance rating the iPad mini might get. The iPhone has IP68 water resistance, which means it can withstand being under water that's six meters deep for at least 30 minutes.
Microphone Holes
If Apple eliminates speaker holes on the iPad mini, microphone holes would likely remain. The iPad mini 7 has one microphone hole at the top and a second microphone hole located below the camera.
The iPhone also has microphone holes, so Apple could use gaskets and adhesive for water resistance without impacting functionality.
Potential Drawbacks
Bass is an issue with vibration-based audio systems. Sony, for example, integrates separate subwoofers in its TVs to add bass. Apple could use a similar hybrid solution, or use digital signal processing to make up for the missing bass frequencies.
Surface speakers can radiate mids and highs across the panel, but perceived width can be narrower because the vibration comes from a single surface rather than two separate drivers in different locations. If Apple uses actuators to vibrate the iPad mini's chassis or display, audio playback might not sound as full as stereo speakers do.
Touch can dampen sound by absorbing vibration. Apple could likely mitigate this with sensors that determine how the iPad is held, adjusting the vibration pattern accordingly.
Other iPad mini 8 Features
Along with water resistance, rumors suggest the iPad mini 8 could be the first iPad other than the iPad Pro to get OLED display technology.
If implemented, Apple's vibration-based sound system could require some fancy audio processing. The iPad mini is expected to have the same A19 Pro chip that Apple introduced in the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro.
Launch Timing
Apple could release the iPad mini 8 as soon as 2026.
Apple was not able to get an AirPods Pro class action lawsuit filed in November 2024 dismissed, but the judge overseeing the case did throw out some of the claims this week, giving the company a partial win.
The lawsuit covers the first-generation AirPods Pro, accusing Apple of false advertising for selling AirPods Pro models with ongoing crackling or static issues. Shortly after the AirPods Pro went on sale, customers began complaining of crackling, rattling, popping, and static-like noises. Apple issued a software update in May 2020 to attempt to fix the problem, and then later launched a repair program in October 2020.
The customers who filed the lawsuit requested relief due to the defective nature of the AirPods Pro, and they said they would not have purchased the earbuds or would have paid less if Apple was forthcoming about the flaw.
Apple filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March 2025, leading to the mixed result handed down this week. Claims related to some state fraud and consumer law were dismissed, as were those related to express warranty and implied warranty. Nationwide claims were also thrown out because the plaintiffs failed to present a representative plaintiff from each state, which the court said is required for nationwide counts. Some plaintiff-specific claims were dropped, and a claim for unjust enrichment in California did not survive. The court also denied injunctive relief because the original AirPods Pro are no longer offered for sale.
The fraud by omission claims survived, and Apple is accused of failing to disclose known AirPods Pro defects even after acknowledging them publicly with the 2020 service program. Several of the state, nationwide, and warranty claims can be amended and refiled with more information in the next 21 days, so some of the claims could be revived as the case goes on.
Plaintiffs will need to prove that Apple was aware of the defect and concealed it following the 2020 repair program, and that the company denied valid warranty repairs for those claims to move forward.
The surviving fraud by omission claim could prove to be an obstacle for the plaintiffs later in the decision process, and it could ultimately be dismissed. Citing prior case law, Apple argued that it only has to disclose safety issues after the warranty period has expired, and the AirPods Pro sound defect was not a safety hazard. The court did not reject Apple's argument, and simply said that it was premature for it to consider the issue at this stage.
Nvidia today became the first public company to reach a $5 trillion market capitalization, hitting the milestone 3.5 months after surpassing $4 trillion.
Over the past week, Nvidia's shares have climbed 14.5 percent due to demand for its GPUs and the possibility that it might be able to sell its most advanced chips in China. As of now, the U.S. prevents Nvidia from selling its Blackwell AI chips to China, and China has also restricted Chinese companies from importing some Nvidia chips because of national security concerns. Trump said that he would discuss Nvidia's "super duper chip" with Chinese president Xi Jinping on October 30, leading to hopes that the situation might change.
Nvidia's AI chips are key for developing and training large language AI models, and almost every major tech company is working on some kind of AI product. Apple, for example, is building out AI infrastructure to power Apple Intelligence and other future AI capabilities. Apple is using Apple Silicon chips, but it has also reportedly invested in Nvidia server technology.
Nvidia's growth has outpaced Apple, Microsoft, and other tech companies, but Apple reached a milestone of its own yesterday. Just ahead of Thursday's earnings call, Apple briefly reached a $4 trillion valuation. Apple's stock price has dropped slightly since then, but the company is close to hitting that target again.
Apple is pumping out its own artificial intelligence servers, and the first units started shipping out this month. It is unlikely that Apple will compete with Nvidia in the server market because its servers are designed for internal use.
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.
While the AirPods Pro 3 launched only six weeks ago, Apple is reportedly already working on new AirPods Pro, with two key changes rumored for the earbuds.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the H3 chip will offer improved sound quality and lower latency, compared to the H2 chip in the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said AirPods with infrared cameras could enable "in-air gesture control," but he did not elaborate on that possibility. He also expects the next AirPod Pro to have improved Vision Pro integration.
The cameras could enable some artificial intelligence features, akin to Visual Intelligence on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, according to Gurman.
No other features have been rumored yet.
It is unclear if the next AirPods Pro would be AirPods Pro 4, or if they would still be AirPods Pro 3. AirPods Pro 2 were updated with a USB-C charging case and a few other tweaks a year after they launched, without receiving a name change.
Kuo said the next AirPods Pro will launch in 2026. If that timeframe proves to be accurate, then revised AirPods Pro 3 sounds likely, given there was a three-year gap between the AirPods Pro, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3.
Apple spent more money lobbying EU officials in 2025 than in any previous year, according to a new dataset from Corporate Europe Observatory, which reports that Apple now allocates roughly €7 million ($8.2 million) annually to influence European regulation.
Apple is identified by the report as one of the ten largest tech-sector lobby spenders in Europe. Those ten companies together account for €49 million of digital-industry lobbying out of a total €151 million recorded in the EU Transparency Register for 2025. Apple previously disclosed spending between €3.5 million and €3.75 million per year in 2021, revealing a near-doubling of declared expenditure within four years.
The report attributes the increase to ongoing EU regulatory activity targeting large American technology firms, including the Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act, AI Act, and GDPR enforcement. The research notes that Apple participated in 29 formal meetings with high-level European Commission officials between January and June 2025. Amazon recorded 43 meetings in the same window, Microsoft 36, Google 35, and Meta 27.
Artificial intelligence policy was the most frequent topic of Commission-level discussions in the period. According to the meeting minutes, AI was referenced in 58 of the 146 logged meetings with the five largest U.S. tech companies. Other files that Apple and peers lobbied on include data centers and cloud infrastructure (23 meetings), the Digital Services Act (17), the Digital Markets Act (16), and the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act (16).
Apple also engaged with members of the European Parliament. The dataset records 232 meetings between MEPs and the five largest U.S. tech firms in the first six months of 2025. Apple was present at 47 of those interactions. Meta held 63, Amazon 49, Google 47, and Microsoft 34.
Corporate Europe Observatory further attributes €2.3 million of Apple expenditure to consultancy contracts, covering lobbying agencies, PR firms, and third-party research entities. In the same category, Amazon spent €2.84 million and Meta €1.5 million.
Multiple Brussels-based think tanks, including Bruegel, Centre for European Reform, Centre for European Policy Studies, and Centre on Regulation in Europe, now list ongoing financial support from all five U.S. Big Tech firms.
Apple's higher spending comes at a time when EU digital rules are tightening. Its move into the top tier of lobby spenders therefore tracks the fact that Apple now has direct financial and product exposure to every major EU tech issue currently on the table.
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.
Anker recently kicked off a new Halloween sale with up to 20 percent off the company's most popular charging accessories. Most accessories have had their discounts automatically applied, but you can enter the code halloween2025 at checkout as well to get the discount.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Halloween sale also includes a few bundle deals, where you can mix and match various accessories to save up to 26 percent on the bundle. In both sales, you'll find savings on MagSafe-compatible iPhone chargers, portable batteries, USB-C wall chargers, and more.
In the lists below, we've collected a few examples of the best products available at a discount during this event, as well as some notable Anker discounts on Amazon. Remember to use the code halloween2025 at the checkout screen to see the final discount price, if it hasn't been automatically applied.
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 holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out.
Processor and Performance
Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in August.
Apple's A19 Pro chip since debuted in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro models include the higher-end version of Apple's A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, while the iPhone Air uses a mid-tier A19 Pro chip with one fewer GPU core than the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.
For the iPad mini 8, Apple is likely to use the mid-tier A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone Air. This is based on the fact that the A17 Pro chip used in the iPad mini 7 has a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with a 5-core GPU, compared to the 6-core GPU found on the A17 Pro used in the iPhone 15 Pro.
Apple built the A19 Pro chip on an upgraded third-generation 3-nanometer N3P process for modest speed and efficiency improvements. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine, next-generation dynamic caching, and unified image compression.
The GPU in the A19 Pro has an upgraded architecture with a larger cache, more memory, and Neural Accelerators that are built into each core. Apple says that this change provides 3× the peak GPU compute over the prior-generation chip. There's also an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks.
Display
Apple's plan to transition the iPad mini from an LCD to an OLED display is widely rumored. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the small form-factor tablet is likely to be the next Apple device to adopt OLED. According to a Chinese leaker with sources in Apple's supply chain, Apple has evaluated a Samsung-made OLED display for its next iPad mini model.
It remains unclear whether the iPad mini 8 will feature a higher refresh rate than the 60Hz LCD display used in the existing iPad mini 7, but since the new base iPhone 17 now uses a 120Hz ProMotion panel, it would be reasonable to expect the same on the first OLED iPad mini. A separate report has suggested the iPad mini 8's screen could increase in size from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches with the adoption of OLED.
OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility. All of Apple's flagship iPhones use OLED panels, and in May 2024 the company brought the display technology to the iPad Pro for the first time.
Unlike Apple's iPad Pro models, which feature two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panels, the iPad mini may have a single-stack low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panel, which would make it dimmer.
Chassis Design
Apple is reportedly working to give the iPad mini 8 a more water-resistant design, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The updated casing would bring protection levels closer to those of the iPhone, making the tablet safer for use in damp environments.
To achieve this, Apple is said to have designed a new vibration-based speaker system that eliminates the need for traditional speaker holes. By using sound-emitting surfaces instead of open grills, the company can reduce potential entry points for water and dust, resulting in a more sealed, durable enclosure.
On the iPhone, Apple relies on adhesives and gaskets to shield speakers and other openings from moisture. The iPad mini's approach appears to go further, doing away with the holes altogether. Current iPad mini models lack any official IP rating, but the upcoming version could mark the first in the lineup to feature a certified level of water protection.
Apple patents could offer further clues to the new design direction. For example, a 2014 patent outlines a "mechanically actuated panel acoustic system" that vibrates flat surfaces to generate sound, effectively turning parts of a device's chassis into a speaker diaphragm. This could potentially allow Apple to produce audio without visible speaker holes. The patent suggest Apple has been building towards a sealed, vibration-based acoustic system for several years.
Release Date
According to research firm Omdia, the iPad mini is expected to adopt an OLED display in 2027. However, Korea's ET News and ZDNET Korea have both suggested that the iPad mini will be updated with an OLED display in 2026. Bloomberg has also said the update could come as soon as 2026.
In May 2024, it was reported that Samsung Display had started developing sample OLED panels for a future iPad mini, with plans to initiate mass production at its facility in Cheonan in the second half of 2025. The same report claimed that Apple will bring an OLED panel to the iPad Air alongside the iPad mini in 2026.
That outlook differs slightly from a December report by analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) that said an 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini is planned for a 2026 launch, while 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Air models are expected to follow in 2027.
Ultimately, there are no rumors suggesting exactly when the next iPad mini will be released, but a launch in 2026, possibly alongside new iPad Air models in the first half of the year, is certainly a possibility.
Pricing
Apple's iPad mini with OLED display technology and improved water resistance is expected to be more expensive, and Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device, according to Bloomberg's Gurman. The iPad mini is currently priced starting at $499. Gurman has previously argued that Apple should consider a lower-end version of the mini, or at least a change to its current $499 starting price, given that it's up against rival products that cost a lot less.
However, Apple users who are looking for a more affordable option should probably consider the 10th-generation iPad instead. Starting at $329, the iPad offers many iPad mini features, such as Touch ID and Center Stage, but at a lower price that balances functionality and affordability.
Apple researchers have released Pico-Banana-400K, a comprehensive dataset of 400,000 curated images that's been specifically designed to improve how AI systems edit photos based on text prompts.
The massive dataset aims to address what Apple describes as a gap in current AI image editing training. While systems like GPT-4o can make impressive edits, the researchers say progress has been limited by inadequate training data built from real photographs. Apple's new dataset aims to improve the situation.
Pico-Banana-400K features images organized into 35 different edit types across eight categories, from basic adjustments like color changes to complex transformations such as converting people into Pixar-style characters or LEGO figures. Each image went through Apple's AI-powered quality control system, with Google's Gemini-2.5-Pro being used to evaluate the results based on instruction compliance and technical quality.
The dataset also includes three specialized subsets: 258,000 single-edit examples for basic training, 56,000 preference pairs comparing successful and failed edits, and 72,000 multi-turn sequences showing how images evolve through multiple consecutive edits.
Apple built the dataset using Google's Gemini-2.5-Flash-Image (aka Nano-Banana) editing model, which was released just a few months ago. However, Apple's research revealed its limitations. While global style changes succeeded 93% of the time, precise tasks like relocating objects or editing text seriously struggled, with success rates below 60%.
Despite the limitations, researchers say their aim with Pico-Banana-400K is to establish "a robust foundation for training and benchmarking the next generation of text-guided image editing models." The complete dataset is freely available for non-commercial research use on GitHub, so developers can use it to train more capable image editing AI.
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below.
Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible iPhones on Monday, November 3 or Tuesday, November 4.
Make Liquid Glass More Opaque
Apple has added a new Liquid Glass customization setting, letting you choose how translucent the interface appears. You can now switch between a Clear look – showing more of the background behind menus and buttons – or a Tinted look that adds opacity and contrast for a bolder appearance.
The option appears in Settings ➝ Display & Brightness on iOS and iPadOS, and System Settings ➝ Appearance on Mac. Apple says the change was inspired by beta tester feedback requesting a less transparent, higher-contrast version of Liquid Glass. The setting applies systemwide, affecting everything from app interfaces to Lock Screen notifications.
Turn Off Lock Screen Swipe-to-Camera Gesture
In iOS 26.1, Apple is introducing a welcome change for anyone who's ever accidentally launched the Camera app while pulling their iPhone out of their pocket or bag. For the first time, you can now disable the Lock Screen's swipe-to-open-camera gesture. In the Settings app, tap Camera, scroll down, and toggle off the switch next to "Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera."
The Lock Screen camera gesture has been a staple iPhone feature for years, allowing you to quickly swipe left to capture spontaneous moments. But it's all too easy to trigger the Camera app unintentionally, potentially draining your battery or filling your Photos library with accidental shots of the inside of your pocket. Now you can avoid such potential accidents completely.
Slide to Stop Alarm
Apple has changed how you dismiss iPhone alarms in iOS 26.1, and your morning muscle memory might need tweaking as a result. By default, the Clock app now requires a slide gesture to stop an alarm from the Lock Screen, replacing the previous tap-to-stop button that was redesigned in iOS 26. Snoozing still works with a simple tap, but turning off an alarm entirely demands the extra swipe motion.
The change appears designed to prevent accidental dismissals when you're reaching for your phone in the morning. By requiring a more deliberate action, you're less likely to silence your alarm when you meant to hit snooze. If you don't like the change, you can revert the alarm interface back to the previous Stop button, thanks to a new "Prefer Single-Touch Actions" toggle in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Touch.
More Control Over Local Capture Recordings
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 introduced Local Capture, a new way to record video and audio directly on your device that's ideal for everything from quick clips to full podcast episodes. And with iOS 26.1, Apple is refining the experience even further.
A new Local Capture menu in Settings ➝ General gives you more control over how your recordings are handled. You can now choose a Save Location, allowing you to store captures anywhere you prefer instead of the default Downloads folder. There's also a new Audio Only toggle, which is handy if you want to focus purely on sound without recording video.
Swipe to Change Songs
In iOS 26.1, Apple Music is getting a small but handy upgrade that should make listening even smoother. When the music player is minimized at the bottom of the screen, you can now swipe left or right to skip between songs, without having to open the full player. Whether you're jumping back to a favorite track or skipping ahead in a playlist, the change makes it feel more instant and natural.
Automatically Install Security Updates
Apple is refining how iPhone users stay protected between major iOS updates with an evolution of its earlier Rapid Security Responses feature, which was introduced over two years ago. In iOS 26.1, a new option under Settings ➝ Privacy & Security ➝ Security Improvements introduces "Background Security Improvements." The feature automatically downloads and installs important security fixes as they become available, but does it silently on your device.
Previously, you had to download Rapid Security Responses through the Settings app just like a normal iOS update. The first and only Rapid Security Response release was in July 2023. That version broke support for some websites, forcing Apple to pull and reissue it. Apple will also be able to roll back a Background Security Improvement if it causes any problems.
Withings' U-Scan, the company's toilet-mounted health sensor first unveiled at CES 2023, is now available in both the U.S. and Europe after a two-year delay. The compact device analyzes urine samples automatically, part of Withings' latest effort to bring passive health tracking into everyday routines.
The commercial version launches with two interchangeable testing cartridges: Nutrio and Calci. Nutrio monitors nutrition and hydration indicators including ketones, vitamin C, pH, and hydration levels, while Calci tracks calcium levels that can contribute to kidney stone formation. Each cartridge provides approximately 22 tests over three months and can be swapped through the Withings Health Mate app.
U-Scan is sold in two packages. The Proactive package costs $349.95 and includes the reader, charging station, and one cartridge. The Intensive package runs $429.95 and includes two cartridges for 44 total tests. Replacement cartridges are priced at $99.95 each or $179.95 per pair, and can be automatically delivered regularly via a Withings Plus subscription.
One notable change since the original announcement is how Withings is positioning the product. The company now classifies U-Scan as a "wellness product" rather than pursuing FDA clearance, which allows it to bypass lengthy regulatory approval. The classification basically focuses the device on general health and lifestyle tracking rather than diagnostic use.
The Cycle Sync cartridge, which was originally promised for menstrual and ovulation tracking, remains delayed. Withings says it plans to bring that cartridge to market at a later date.
The U-Scan follows the recent launch of Kohler's Dekoda, an iPhone-connected gut health and hydration monitor that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim where it uses sensors to analyze your poop rather than your pee. With the launch of Withings' device, now you can do both.
Apple competitor Samsung has a line of "Family Hub" smart refrigerators equipped with integrated displays, and anything with a display can show you an ad. Starting later this month, Samsung is planning to take advantage of that refrigerator advertising space, and Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. will get a widget that shows ads.
Samsung confirmed to Fortune last month that it was testing a "pilot program" to offer some fridge owners "promotions and curated advertisements," and now Samsung is ready to provide ads to even more users. 2024 Family Hub refrigerators will get a software update this week, and the update will bring ads to the refrigerator display when it's idle. Ads will start showing up on November 3.
Family Hub refrigerators are priced starting at $1,899, but they go up to $3,499. The refrigerators include 21.5-inch to 32-inch screens and are advertised as keeping families connected. Users can share pictures, videos, and drawings with Google Photos, get recipes, play music, manage calendar events, and buy items from Amazon. Higher-end refrigerators feature "AI Vision" that keeps track of the items inside.
The ads are part of a new Cover screen widget, and they'll be displayed alongside other information like the weather, calendar events, and news. Samsung says that users can choose to opt out of the ads for now through the Advertisements tab of the Settings menu, though that disables all widget features. Ads can also be dismissed from the Cover screen, and the specific ad dismissed won't appear again during the campaign period. Samsung says that ads won't appear when the Cover screen shows art or album themes.
Samsung's decision to include ads on the Family Hub refrigerators has come as a surprise to many customers because the fridges have been available for years now. Many who bought the refrigerator without any expectation that it would show ads will now be subject to advertising. There will undoubtedly be customers unaware that they can opt out of the ads, because Samsung has decided to turn ads on by default.
To begin with, the Family Hub refrigerators will only show ads for Samsung products, but Samsung seems to be planning to allow third-party advertisers to show ads, according to The Verge.
Apple doesn't make refrigerators, but it too is ramping up the number of places where it displays ads. Recent reports suggest that the Apple Maps app will start showing ads in search results as soon as next year.
Adobe today announced a new AI Assistant for Photoshop that will allow designers and creative professionals to automate repetitive tasks. Powered by agentic AI, the AI assistant can complete creative tasks, offer personalized recommendations, and provide tutorials.
The AI Assistant is also coming to Adobe Express, Adobe's cloud-based design tool. With both Photoshop and Express, users can take advantage of conversation-based creation and editing tools. Adobe says that it's easy to transition between conversational creation and hands-on editing with access to manual tools.
There are several other AI tools coming to photoshop, including Generative Upscale and Generative Fill with partner models. Generative Fill can be used with Gemini 2.5 Flash, Black Forest Labs LUX.1 Kontext, and Firefly Image Models for removing or modifying content with text-based prompts. A new Harmonize feature is able to blend people or objects into new scenes, matching light, color, and tone to provide natural results.
Harmonize, Generative Fill, and Generative Upscale with access to partner models are available today, while Photoshop AI Assistant is available through a private beta waitlist. Adobe Express AI Assistant is available to Adobe Express Premium customers.
Samsung has been working on a smartphone with not just one fold, but two, and the first photos of the upcoming device surfaced today (via The Chosun Daily).
Image via The Chosun Daily
Samsung displayed the tri-fold smartphone at APEC 2025 Korea. The device is designed to transform from a ~6.5-inch smartphone into a ~10-inch tablet-style display. It will fold twice, rather than just once like the standard Galaxy Fold smartphones.
There was no opportunity for APEC attendees to try the smartphone because it was displayed in a transparent case, but The Korea Economic Daily was still able to share some details. The smartphone appears to be about 4.2mm thick when it's unfolded, and 1.2 to 1.5cm thick when folded up. Crease lines are said to be "barely noticeable."
Here's your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold.
Screen when folded: 6.5-inch Screen when unfolded: 10-inch
It might be announced later this week.
Source: Chosun Media pic.twitter.com/EhT4i1hW2k
— Trakin Tech English (@trakinenglish) October 28, 2025
Samsung could begin production on its tri-fold smartphone as soon as next month, and it is apparently going to be launching before the end of 2026. Samsung has yet to announce pricing, but analysts estimate that it could sell for around $2,800.
Apple is working on a version of the iPad mini that has a more water resistant design, reports Bloomberg. The iPad mini's updated casing would offer water resistance similar to the iPhone, making it safe for casual use in wet environments like a bath or a pool area.
Apple created a new speaker system for the iPad mini that uses vibration-based technology, allowing for the speaker holes in the device to be removed. Removing the speaker holes would cut down on areas where water could get into the crevices of the iPad mini.
For the iPhone, Apple uses adhesive and gaskets to protect the speaker holes and other ingress points from water intrusion, so the iPad mini's design would be different. The current iPad mini does not have an official water resistance rating and it is not safe to get it wet.
While the iPhone has IP68 water resistance that allows it to withstand submersion in water up to six meters deep for 30 minutes, it is not yet known what IP rating the iPad mini might feature.
The next-generation version of the iPad mini could also feature an OLED display, with the update coming as soon as 2026. Apple last refreshed the iPad mini in 2024 with the 7th-generation model.
Apple's iPad mini with OLED display technology and improved water resistance is expected to be more expensive, and Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device. The iPad mini is currently priced starting at $499.
Apple is developing versions of the iPad mini, iPad Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air with OLED displays, according to Bloomberg. Apple already uses OLED displays in the iPad Pro, and has plans to expand the technology to additional devices in the coming months and years.
The iPad mini will get an OLED display as soon as 2026, and improved water resistance is also a possibility.
Apple does not plan to bring OLED technology to the iPad Air in 2026, and the model coming next spring will continue to use an LCD display. While the iPad Air will get OLED at a later date, it probably won't happen until at least 2027.
Eventually, Apple will sell the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini all with OLED displays, but there are no plans to add OLED to the low-cost iPad.
The MacBook Pro will be updated with an OLED display when it is next updated, perhaps as soon as 2026. After adding an OLED display to the MacBook Pro, Apple will bring OLED to the MacBook Air. Apple has started early work on an OLED MacBook Air, but it isn't expected to see a launch until 2028 at the earliest.
The version of the MacBook Air planned for spring 2026 will continue to feature an LCD display.
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week.
The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included.
macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio quality when connections are poor, and a setting for a new tinted look for Liquid Glass.
This update includes the following features and enhancements:
Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit: support.apple.com/100100.
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. To learn more, please visit: apple.com/macos/feature-availability.
Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit: support.apple.com/125039.
Apple often tests release candidates for approximately a week before providing a public software release. macOS Tahoe 26.1, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and watchOS 26.1 could see a launch on Monday or Tuesday of next week.
Image via The Chosun Daily
