Articles on MacRumors by Joe Rossignol
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Joe Rossignol

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Joe joined MacRumors in January 2015 and is now a Senior Reporter. Based in Ontario, Canada, he has been covering Apple since 2008, with previous stints at 9to5Mac and other tech blogs.

Joe Rossignol's Articles

HomeView Music

Apple's Long-Delayed HomeView Was Already Being Tested in 2024

Wednesday October 14, 2026 1:51 pm PDT by
Apple's new HomeView underwent regulatory testing in October 2024, and it was running what would now be known as HomeView software version 18, according to an FCC document uncovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The document provides the clearest evidence yet that the HomeView was held up due to Siri AI's delayed launch. Apple initially previewed the more intelligent version of Siri...
General Invites App Feature

Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features

Wednesday October 14, 2026 1:20 pm PDT by
The free Apple Invites app for the iPhone was updated today with two new features: hosts can now more easily manually add guests to an event and mark their RSVP status, and the app's Home Screen widget now supports the extra large size option. Released in February 2025, the Apple Invites app makes it easy to invite people to events, such as birthday parties and baby showers. The ability to...
Apple Del Amo scaled

Apple Store Near Los Angeles Closed Due to 'Events Beyond Our Control'

Wednesday October 14, 2026 10:08 am PDT by
Apple Del Amo in Torrance (Los Angeles area) has been temporarily closed for a few days, and Apple has now added the following notice to the store's page: "We'll be right back. Our store is temporarily closed due to events beyond our control." According to Reddit comments, the store allegedly suffered extensive water damage following a roof leak in the shopping...
homepod mini thumb feature

No, HomePod Mini 1 Won't Support Siri AI as CNET Reported

Wednesday October 14, 2026 9:36 am PDT by
Update – 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time: CNET has corrected its article and now says only the HomePod mini 2 will support Siri AI. Original article follows. Siri AI will apparently not be limited to the new HomePod mini 2, with support also coming to the first-generation HomePod mini in a software update later this year, according to a report today from CNET's Jeff Carlson. "The HomePod Mini 2...
Apple HomeView lineup feature5

Apple HomeView Has These 15 Apps, Some CarPlay Apps and Widgets Also Supported

Wednesday October 14, 2026 9:03 am PDT by
Apple's tech specs page for its all-new HomeView smart home hub contains a list of all of the built-in Apple apps available on the device. While it has no App Store, the HomeView can also display CarPlay-enabled audio and video apps from a paired iPhone. This includes Audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, Apple News, and Apple TV, along with third-party apps such as Spotify, according to WIRED. ...
iPhone Duo Open

iPhone Duo: Apple Charging $49 for New Cover Layer, $229 for Battery

Wednesday October 14, 2026 8:23 am PDT by
We just published Apple's list of iPhone Duo repair fees for customers without AppleCare+ coverage, and we want to bring extra attention to two of the fees in particular: a new cover layer costs $49, and a replacement battery is $229. Apple's vice president of hardware engineering Kate Bergeron revealed that the iPhone Duo's nano-texture cover layer above the inner display can be removed and...
iphone duo feature

iPhone Duo: Skipping AppleCare+ Could Be $1,499 Mistake

Wednesday October 14, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today listed its estimated repair fees for the iPhone Duo without AppleCare+ coverage, with the maximum fee in the U.S. for "other damage" set at $1,499. If you only damage certain parts of the iPhone Duo, the fees are more manageable. For example, the repair fee for damaged back glass is set at $199. If you eventually want to replace the battery in your iPhone Duo, that will cost...
Full Sized HomePod 2

Apple Says HomePod 2 Also Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs

Wednesday October 14, 2026 7:25 am PDT by
An addendum to our report about the HomePod mini 2 working as a default speaker on all Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E and later: Apple says this ability extends to the full-sized HomePod 2. Apple's fine print for HomePods as default Mac speakers says "compatible with HomePod mini 2 and HomePod (2nd generation) with support on all Mac desktops and laptops with Wi-Fi 6E or...
homepod mini 2 feature2

HomePod Mini 2: All the New Features

Wednesday October 14, 2026 7:11 am PDT by
Apple this week introduced the HomePod mini 2, and we have rounded up all of the new features and changes that we have uncovered so far below. HomePod mini 2 can be pre-ordered now and launches Friday, October 30, but Siri AI support will not be available until a future software update. Here is what is new with the HomePod mini 2: Siri AI support is coming in a future software update,...
2016 12 inch macbook feature

Apple Says These Products Are Now Obsolete

Wednesday October 14, 2026 6:28 am PDT by
Apple today added the 12-inch MacBook (2017), iPad (6th generation), and BeatsX headphones to the obsolete products list on its website. Apple considers a product to be obsolete once seven years have passed since it last distributed the product for sale, including to resellers. Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are instructed to discontinue hardware service for obsolete ...
Apple HomeView lineup feature5

Apple's HomeView Repair Fees Revealed

Tuesday October 13, 2026 5:44 pm PDT by
If you damage Apple's new HomeView smart home hub, here is what the repair fees are set at: $39 with AppleCare+ coverage and $279 without. These fees apply to any type of damage to either the tabletop or wall-mounted HomeView models. In the U.S., AppleCare+ coverage for the HomeView is priced at $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year until canceled, or you can opt to add the device to the...
Full Sized HomePod 2

Will the Full-Sized HomePod Get Siri AI? Apple's Website Offers a Clue

Tuesday October 13, 2026 3:20 pm PDT by
Apple today introduced the HomePod mini 2, but the full-sized HomePod was not updated. Nevertheless, the alt text for Apple's full-sized HomePod image shown at the bottom of the HomePod order page now mentions a "multi-colored Siri AI glow on top," suggesting that the larger HomePod might eventually gain support for Siri AI. Of course, it is also possible that Apple simply made an error....
HomePod mini 2 Mac

HomePod Mini 2 Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs

Tuesday October 13, 2026 2:19 pm PDT by
The new HomePod mini 2 can be used as a default speaker on all Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E or later, according to Apple. You can use a single HomePod, or a pair for stereo sound. The previous-generation HomePod mini can also be used as a Mac's speaker via AirPlay, but it cannot be set as the default audio output. AirPlay can also introduce audio...
Apple TV 4K 4th Generation Top View5

Apple Announced Four New Products Today

Tuesday October 13, 2026 1:46 pm PDT by
As promised, today was a very busy day for Apple, with the company announcing the all-new HomeView smart home hub, a HomePod mini 2, a new Apple TV 4K, and a special-edition Pokémon Beats Pill speaker featuring Pikachu and Mimikyu. To learn more, read our coverage of each announcement: Apple Announces 'HomeView' Smart Home Hub Apple Announces $149 HomePod Mini 2 With Siri AI, 'Sound Glow', ...
New Apple TV 4K and Siri Remote Have These 14 New Features Feature

New Apple TV 4K and Siri Remote Have These 14 New Features

Tuesday October 13, 2026 10:26 am PDT by
The new Apple TV 4K and updated Siri Remote unveiled today have quite a few new features, as outlined in our all-in-one summary below. Here are 11 changes coming with the new Apple TV: A19 chip, for up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice as fast graphics performance compared to the previous model with the A15 chip. 8GB of RAM is very likely, up from 4GB of RAM in the previous ...
homeOS2

RIP, homeOS

Tuesday October 13, 2026 9:39 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to reveal the name "HomeView" last week, after discovering a trademark filing from a secretive shell company that we correctly suspected was linked to Apple. Apple was likely behind a "homeOS" trademark filing as well, but the company ultimately decided to stick with generic "HomeView software" naming, just like it refers to the HomePod's operating system as "HomePod...
Apple TV 4K Four HomePods

New Apple TV 4K Supports Surround Sound via Four HomePods

Tuesday October 13, 2026 9:29 am PDT by
As was rumored prior to today's announcements, the new Apple TV 4K can connect to up to four HomePods in front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right positions, enabling an all-Apple surround sound system for home theater setups. You can connect four of the new HomePod mini 2 speakers to the new Apple TV 4K, or you can mix and match pairs of HomePod mini 2 and full-sized HomePod 2...
HomePod mini 2 Trio

Apple Says HomePod Mini 2 Won't Support Siri AI Right Away

Tuesday October 13, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Siri AI support on the new HomePod mini 2 will be "available later" as part of a "future software update," according to Apple. In other words, do not expect Siri AI to be available on the speaker when it launches on Friday, October 30. Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 will require an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad for requests involving personal...
Apple TV 4K 4th Generation Top View scaled

New Siri Remote is $59 and Compatible With These Apple TV Models

Tuesday October 13, 2026 7:50 am PDT by
The new Siri Remote unveiled today is compatible with all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models released since 2015, according to Apple. The fourth-generation Siri Remote released today is available to order on Apple's online store for November 13 delivery, with U.S. pricing set at $59. The full list of compatible models: Apple TV 4K (4th generation) Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) App...
Apple HomeView Wall Mounted

ADT to Offer In-Home Installation of Apple's New HomeView and More

Tuesday October 13, 2026 7:16 am PDT by
Apple today announced that ADT will offer professional in-home installation of its all-new wall-mounted HomeView smart home hub, confirming our scoop. ADT technicians will be able to install the wall-mounted version of the HomeView, the new collection of related Apple Home Collection smart home accessories from LG and Schneider Home, and other eligible smart home accessories in "most areas"...