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President Trump says US-China trade deal is ‘done’ pending presidential approval
American President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday, stating, “our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me.” This follows two days of negotiations in London and a phone call last week between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.
President Trump via Truth Social:
OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME. FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!). WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!
Trump added in a separate post on Truth Social:
Adding to the China readout, President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!
Greg Norman for FOXBusiness:
Lutnick reportedly said he expects Trump to approve the agreement as soon as Wednesday, noting”I feel really good about where we got to.” Senior Chinese negotiator Li Chenggang also said both the U.S. and China “agreed in principle,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
The newspaper said a key goal for the American negotiators led by Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was to encourage Beijing to accelerate their exports of rare-earth minerals and magnets that contain them.
Meanwhile, Beijing’s negotiators asked the U.S. to ease restrictions on the sale of technology and other goods to China, it added, citing people familiar with the matter.
MacDailyNews Take: Clearly any positive development in U.S.-China trade is also a positive for Apple and AAPL shareholders, both of whom could use something positive this year. Apple’s share price and U.S. stock futures are all up on the news.
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Russia fines Apple for violating ‘LGBT propaganda’ law
A Russian court on Tuesday imposed a six million rouble ($76,510) fine on U.S. tech company Apple for breaching Russian regulations concerning what Moscow calls “LGBT propaganda,” according to the state TASS news agency. The fines are for violating Russia’s “Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating a Denial of Traditional Family Values” law.
Reuters:
Russia in 2023 widened existing restrictions on the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations” amid a broader crackdown on LGBT rights, part of President Vladimir Putin’s push to uphold what he calls traditional values.
Apple was fined three million roubles in two civil cases on Tuesday, TASS reported. Apple was last month fined a total of 7.5 million roubles for the same offence.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple’s boilerplate statement in cases like this is usually, “Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates.”
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Rachel Brosnahan will replace Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Presumed Innocent’ season 2 on Apple TV+
Apple TV on X (@AppleTV) revealed on Tuesday that Rachel Brosnahan will lead ‘Presumed Innocent’ season 2 on Apple TV+, replacing Jake Gyllenhaal as an all-new story is told each season.
Rachel Brosnahan will lead Presumed Innocent Season 2.
Inspired by the debut legal thriller novel “Dissection of a Murder" by Jo Murray.
Coming to Apple TV+ pic.twitter.com/cG2Ia0umQ6
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) June 10, 2025
Ryan Christoffel for 9to5Mac:
Brosnahan is best known for her starring role in Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which hailed from the creators of Gilmore Girls.
She will next be seen as Lois Lane in this summer’s Superman reboot from director James Gunn.
Apple not only has shared that Brosnahan is heading up Presumed Innocent season 2, but the new season’s source material has also been revealed.
It will be based on the book “Dissection of a Murder” by Jo Murray, as the show adopts a new anthology approach with each season focused on a new set of characters.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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Note to L.A. looters: Devices stolen from Apple Retail Stores are bricked
Apple devices stolen from Apple Retail Stores during looting are typically bricked — rendered inoperable — once they leave the store’s premises.
Apple employs proximity software and a “kill switch” that disables demo units, such as iPhones and iPads, when they are removed from the store’s Wi-Fi network. These devices display a message like, “This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.” This has been observed in multiple incidents, including looting events in 2020 and 2023 in cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. The devices are activation-locked and tied to unique serial numbers or IMEI, making them nearly worthless for use or resale, though some parts may still be salvaged. Apple’s security measures ensure stolen devices are tracked and disabled remotely.
Overnight in downtown Los Angeles after the fourth day of the open borders insurrection by the far-left and Mexican nationalists, rioters looted an Apple Store among many businesses. pic.twitter.com/Q2FS6PH9Aw
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) June 10, 2025
BREAKING: The Apple Store in Downtown Los Angeles was looted, with some looters becoming trapped inside as police arrived on the scene.
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) June 10, 2025
Downtown LA Apple Store ransacked by looters on Night 4 #LARiots pic.twitter.com/26AA9bBae9
— NYXLENS (@NYXLENS) June 10, 2025
MacDailyNews Take: We sincerely hope that all of the valedictorians involved are apprehended and sentenced to the maximum possible punishment.
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Apple’s iOS 26 code referenced ‘AirPods Pro 3’
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are rumored to launch in September 2025, aligning with Apple’s typical fall iPhone event, though some reports suggest a possible delay to 2026. Key rumored features include:
• Design and Chip: A redesigned form factor with a slimmer profile, a concealed status LED, and a front-facing capacitive pairing button. They’re expected to feature a new H3 chip, improving performance over the H2 chip in AirPods Pro 2.
• Noise Cancellation: Enhanced active noise cancellation (ANC), described as “much better” than the AirPods Pro 2.
• Health Features: Potential heart rate monitoring, similar to the Powerbeats Pro 2, and possibly ear-canal temperature sensing for more accurate health tracking.
• Other Features: Rumors include a touchscreen on the charging case for music control, real-time conversation translation via the iPhone’s Translate app, and infrared cameras (possibly for AirPods Pro 4, not 3) for gesture control and Apple Intelligence integration.
• Software Upgrades: iOS 26 is expected to bring new features like sleep detection and camera control, though it’s unclear if these require new hardware or will work with AirPods Pro 2.
Code in iOS 26 discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser references the “AirPods Pro 3” alongside the “AirPods Pro” and the “AirPods Pro 2.”
There is no AirPods Pro 3 at the current time, but rumors suggest that Apple plans to introduce a new model this fall. The reference is buried in a headphone-related UI framework, so Apple appears to be preparing for the upcoming product launch behind the scenes.
The AirPods Pro 3 will have a new look for the earbuds and the case, with Apple perhaps slimming down the case like it did for the AirPods 4.
MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully, Apple can launch AirPods Pro 3 this fall.
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Snap plans to release first consumer AR smart glasses, ‘Specs,’ in 2026
Snap plans to launch its first consumer pair of augmented-reality glasses next year, called “Specs,” beating a planned release from rival Meta Platforms by several months, while Apple’s smart glasses are reportedly in development.
Samantha Kelly and Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
The new eyewear, called Specs, will be a smaller and lighter version of a device called Spectacles it made available to software developers last year, the company said Tuesday. Those glasses, which are available to developers for $99 per month, run the company’s Snap OS operating system and are controlled using hand gestures, two features that will come to the consumer version.
Given Meta’s growing success with its Ray-Bans glasses line and its planned move to launch AR glasses in 2027 code-named Artemis, Snap’s decision to move forward with consumer-focused hardware has taken on fresh urgency.
The Specs won’t use an external battery and the updated design will focus on comfort and usability. The glasses will be available in black to start, with special editions to possibly follow later, Chief Executive Officer Evan Spiegel said in an interview. He did not disclose the price or hardware specifications, except to say that the glasses will cost less than Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset.
MacDailyNews Take: lol.
The glasses also incorporate an artificial intelligence assistant, a way to play games with friends, and a “workstation” area where users can do things like browse the web and stream video.
In the interview, Spiegel teased a handful of upcoming hardware features and software capabilities, such as using AI to help change a tire, set the dining room table or nail a tricky billiards shot.
Specs will also integrate with various AI models, including those from OpenAI and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, allowing developers to build AI-powered Lenses that can respond to various inputs in real time. The device will also support uses such as AI text translation, currency conversion and recipe suggestions based on what’s in your refrigerator – capabilities that have already been built for the latest developer version of the company’s smart glasses.
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, but do they have Liquid Glass?
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With iPadOS 26, Apple’s iPad is about to get a lot more useful
Apple on Monday previewed iPadOS 26, the biggest iPadOS release ever, taking a huge leap forward and pushing the unique capabilities and versatility of iPad even further. A beautiful design brings a new look to iPad, making the experience even more expressive and delightful. While maintaining the simplicity of iPad, iPadOS 26 introduces an entirely new powerful and intuitive windowing system with new features that help users control, organize, and switch between apps. Apple Intelligence becomes even more capable and integrated across iPadOS 26, with new features that help users communicate, express themselves, and get things done, including Live Translation, new ways to create with Genmoji and Image Playground, and intelligent actions with Shortcuts. The supercharged Files app offers new ways to organize files and customize folders. And with Folders in the dock, users can conveniently access downloads, documents, and more from anywhere. The Preview app comes to iPad, giving users a dedicated app to view and edit PDFs, with powerful features like Apple Pencil Markup and AutoFill built in. And with Background Tasks, audio input selection, and Local capture, iPadOS 26 unlocks new capabilities for creative pros working with audio and video.
Daniel Howley for Yahoo Finance:
It’s an enormous departure from Apple’s previous strategy, which saw the company hold off on adding too many multitasking features to its iPad line out of fear of cannibalizing its MacBook Air.
The updates include the ability to use windowed versions of apps that you can move and resize just as you would on a Mac… Apple also added a new menu bar at the top of the iPad’s screen where you can access options like app-specific commands, similar to the Mac.
The sweeping changes are all part of Apple’s iPadOS 26, which includes the company’s new Liquid Glass design language…
Apple’s iPad segment is its smallest business, bringing in $26.6 billion of the company’s $391 billion in total revenue in 2024, down 6% year over year. The iPhone brought in $201.1 billion, while the Mac generated $29.9 billion. The software update, however, could give consumers a bigger reason to choose an iPad over a MacBook Air, helping to goose sales.
Still, the move isn’t exactly a death knell for the Air. A full-size laptop still offers more performance and flexibility than a tablet. And customers looking for more powerful systems will continue to opt for the MacBook Pro.
MacDailyNews Take: One thing is for sure: iPadOS 26 is going to sell more iPad hardware.
iPadOS 26 finally delivers a Mac-like windowing system and menu bar to iPad
MacDailyNews Take: We really wonder if Apple held windowing and a menu bar from iPad for a year like this when they’re light on new stuff at a WWDC. This could have been done years ago. Regardless, it’s…
— MacDailyNews (@MacDailyNews) June 9, 2025
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Apple Original Films debuts teaser trailer for ‘The Lost Bus,’ starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera
Apple Original Films this week unveiled the teaser trailer for “The Lost Bus,” an emotional, action-packed rescue drama directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Greengrass and inspired by real events. Coming fall 2025 to select theaters and on Apple TV+, “The Lost Bus” is a white-knuckle ride through one of America’s deadliest wildfires as a wayward school bus driver (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey) and a dedicated school teacher (Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe Award winner America Ferrera) battle to save 22 children from the terrifying inferno.
“The Lost Bus” is written by Greengrass and Brad Ingelsby, and based on “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire,” by Lizzie Johnson. The film is produced by Ingelsby, Gregory Goodman, Jason Blum for Blumhouse Productions and Jamie Lee Curtis for Comet Pictures. Johnson is an executive producer. After hearing Johnson on NPR, Curtis read the book and brought the project to Blumhouse, where she has a first-look deal.
In addition to McConaughey and Ferrera, the cast includes Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson, and Spencer Watson.
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 576 wins and 2,619 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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visionOS 26 to deliver new spatial experiences to Apple Vision Pro users
Apple on Monday previewed visionOS 26, with new spatial experiences and features for Apple Vision Pro. Everyday interactions become more immersive and personal, with widgets that integrate into a user’s space, spatial scenes that use generative AI to add lifelike depth to photos, enhancements that make Personas feel more natural and familiar, and shared spatial experiences for Vision Pro users in the same room.
visionOS 26 also adds support for 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon, while new enterprise APIs allow organizations to create spatial experiences unique to visionOS. And with support for PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, players can enjoy a new class of games on Apple Vision Pro.
“Apple Vision Pro has defined what’s possible in this new era of spatial computing, and with visionOS 26, we’re excited to push the boundaries even further,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group, in a statement. “With brand-new ways for Vision Pro owners to connect, explore, work together, and enjoy content, we’re incredibly excited for users to enjoy features like apps and widgets that they can arrange in their spaces, spatial scenes that offer a brand-new viewing experience for their photos, and dramatically enhanced Personas on Vision Pro.”
Widgets Become Spatial
Across the Apple ecosystem, widgets offer personalized and useful information at a glance, and with visionOS 26, widgets become spatial, integrating seamlessly into a user’s space and reappearing every time they put on Apple Vision Pro. Widgets in visionOS 26 are customizable, with a variety of options for frame width, color, and depth. Beautiful new widgets — including Clock, Weather, Music, and Photos — all offer unique interactions and experiences.
With visionOS 26, users can decorate their spaces with widgets, including stunning panoramas and spatial photos of their favorite memories.Users can decorate their spaces with favorite widgets, including stunning panoramas and spatial photos of their favorite memories, clocks with distinctive face designs, and quick access to their go-to playlists and songs on Apple Music. The Widgets app helps users find widgets, including those from compatible iOS and iPadOS apps, and developers will also be able to create their own widgets using WidgetKit.
Enhanced Shared Spatial Experiences
With visionOS 26, users can share spatial experiences with other Apple Vision Pro users in the same room. They can come together to watch the latest blockbuster movie in 3D, play a spatial game, or collaborate with coworkers. Users can also add remote participants from across the world via FaceTime.
Dassault Systèmes, a leading provider of engineering and 3D design software, is leveraging this ability with their 3DLive app, bringing the ability to visualize 3D designs both in person and with remote colleagues.
With visionOS 26, Personas are transformed to feel more natural and familiar. Taking advantage of industry-leading volumetric rendering and machine learning technology, the all-new Personas now have striking expressivity and sharpness, offering a full side profile view, and remarkably accurate hair, lashes, and complexion. Personas are still created on device in a matter of seconds, and new improvements to the setup process allow users to adjust and preview how their Persona looks spatially, and even pick glasses from over 1,000 variations.
Personas undergo a dramatic transformation, with enhancements to hair, eyelashes, and complexion for a more natural and familiar look.Introducing Spatial Scenes
visionOS 26 makes spatial photos even more realistic, leveraging a new generative AI algorithm and computational depth to create spatial scenes with multiple perspectives, letting users feel like they can lean in and look around.
Users can view spatial scenes in the Photos app, Spatial Gallery app, and Safari, while developers can use the Spatial Scene API to make their app experience even more immersive. Zillow is taking advantage of the API for their Zillow Immersive app, allowing users to see images of homes and apartments with the rich depth and dimension that spatial scenes offer.
New Ways to Browse, Play, and Watch
Users can select spatial browsing to transform articles on Safari, hide distractions, and reveal spatial scenes that come alive as they scroll. Web developers have the ability to embed 3D models directly into web pages, letting users shop and browse with depth and dimension, and see and manipulate 3D objects and models right in Safari.
visionOS 26 supports native playback of 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon. Users can enjoy their exciting 2D action footage the way it was meant to be seen. Developers can incorporate this new playback capability into their apps and websites.
visionOS 26 also introduces support for the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller. Now, developers can deliver even more engaging gameplay experiences for Apple Vision Pro thanks to high-performance motion tracking in 6 degrees of freedom, finger touch detection, and vibration support.
Players will be able to enjoy a new class of games on Apple Vision Pro with support for PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers.Enterprise APIs and Tools
New capabilities like team device sharing let organizations easily set up and manage a shared pool of devices. Users can securely save their eye and hand data, vision prescription, and accessibility settings to their iPhone running iOS 26 and bring it to another Vision Pro, making sharing easier.
visionOS 26 adds support for Logitech Muse, a spatial accessory built for Apple Vision Pro that enables precise input and new ways to interact with collaboration apps like Spatial Analogue.
Logitech Muse is a spatial accessory that will enable precise input and new ways to interact with collaboration apps like Spatial Analogue.Enterprise-focused APIs, like the new Protected Content API, ensure that only people who have been granted access can see confidential materials like medical records or business forecasts, while preventing copying, screenshots, and screen sharing.
Additional visionOS 26 features include:
• More Apple Intelligence features — including updates to Image Playground — come to Apple Vision Pro. visionOS 26 also adds support for new languages: French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, along with support for English in Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and the UK.
• Look to Scroll allows users to explore apps and websites using just their eyes. Users can customize the scroll speed, and developers can integrate Look to Scroll into their visionOS apps.
• In the redesigned Control Center, features like Guest User, Focus, Travel Mode, and more are conveniently displayed in one view, letting users effortlessly manage their music, adjust their Environment settings, and connect to Mac Virtual Display.
• Users can unlock their iPhone while wearing Apple Vision Pro, even in a fully immersive experience like an Environment. This feature can be enabled in Settings for Face ID-enabled iPhone models running iOS 26.
• visionOS 26 supports relaying calls from iPhone, so a user can now answer phone calls directly from Apple Vision Pro, or start a call from People View by selecting a contact’s phone number or clicking on a phone number in a web page.
• Home View now supports folders, letting users rearrange and group apps together.
MacDailyNews Note: All of these features are available for testing now through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com. For more information, visit apple.com/os/visionos.
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Apple’s WWDC 2025: Iterative, incremental updates coated with Liquid Glass
At WWDC 2025, Apple announced on Monday artificial intelligence features including opening up Apple Intelligence’s on-device Large Language Model (LLM) to developers in a modest update of its software and services, including a redesign across all of its operating systems that the company calls “Liquid Glass.”
Stephen Nellis and Kenrick Cai:
The presentations at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference focused more on incremental developments, including live translations for phone calls, that improve everyday life rather than the sweeping ambitions for AI that Apple’s rivals are marketing.
A year after it failed to deliver promised AI-based upgrades to key products such as Siri, Apple kept its AI promises to consumers low-key, communicating that it could help with tasks like finding where to buy a jacket similar to one they have seen online.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi said the company will offer both its own and OpenAI’s code completion tools in its key Apple developer software and that the company is opening up the foundational AI model that it uses for some of its own features to third-party developers. “We’re opening up access for any app to tap directly into the on-device, large language model at the core of Apple [Intelligence],” Federighi said.
“In a moment in which the market questions Apple’s ability to take any sort of lead in the AI space, the announced features felt incremental at best,” Thomas Monteiro, senior analyst at Investing.com, said. Compared with what other big AI companies are introducing, he added, “It just seems that the clock is ticking faster every day for Apple.”
MacDailyNews Take: Two spontaneous comments we made from our live coverage yesterday describe WWDC25 in a nutshell:
Lots and lots of window dressing so far, as expected.
So. Much. Filler. (Was everyone at Apple on vacation for the past year?)
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AirPods gain studio-quality audio recording and camera remote capabilities
Apple today previewed studio-quality audio recording and camera remote features for AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and AirPods Pro 2, delivering new ways to capture content and improving how users communicate. Updates to audio recording enable creators to record studio-quality vocals on the go, and start or stop video recordings from a distance with a simple press of the AirPods stem. Building on the benefits of Voice Isolation, AirPods users will also enjoy even clearer calls with enhanced voice quality.
Creating content gets even better with studio-quality audio recording. Interviewers, podcasters, singers, and other creators can record their content with greater sound quality, and even record while on the go or in noisy environments with Voice Isolation. With the H2 chip, beamforming microphones, and computational audio, users will also enjoy more natural vocal texture and clarity across iPhone calls, FaceTime, and CallKit-enabled apps. Studio-quality audio recording and improved call quality work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, while also supporting the Camera app, Voice Memos, dictation in Messages, video conferencing apps like Webex, and compatible third-party camera apps.
Capturing content at a distance is easier than ever with camera remote. While using the Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on iPhone or iPad, content creators can press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording, and one more press-and-hold will stop the recording. For users who like capturing themselves singing or dancing, the new features make it easy to perform in sync with a soundtrack while simultaneously recording the video.
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. New AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 2 features will be available this fall as a free firmware update with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit <a href=”https://www.apple.com/>apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: Yet another case of an Apple product getting better at no extra cost!
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Developers can now access the Apple Intelligence on-device foundation model
Apple today announced new Apple Intelligence features that elevate the user experience across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for users to communicate with features like Live Translation; do more with what’s on their screen with updates to visual intelligence; and express themselves with enhancements to Image Playground and Genmoji. Additionally, Shortcuts can now tap into Apple Intelligence directly, and developers will be able to access the on-device large language model at the core of Apple Intelligence, giving them direct access to intelligence that is powerful, fast, built with privacy, and available even when users are offline. These Apple Intelligence features are available for testing starting today, and will be available to users with supported devices set to a supported language this fall.
“Last year, we took the first steps on a journey to bring users intelligence that’s helpful, relevant, easy to use, and right where users need it, all while protecting their privacy. Now, the models that power Apple Intelligence are becoming more capable and efficient, and we’re integrating features in even more places across each of our operating systems,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We’re also taking the huge step of giving developers direct access to the on-device foundation model powering Apple Intelligence, allowing them to tap into intelligence that is powerful, fast, built with privacy, and available even when users are offline. We think this will ignite a whole new wave of intelligent experiences in the apps users rely on every day. We can’t wait to see what developers create.”
Apple Intelligence features will be coming to eight more languages by the end of the year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese.
Live Translation Breaks Down Language Barriers
For those moments when a language barrier gets in the way, Live Translation can help users communicate across languages when messaging or speaking. The experience is integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, and enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so users’ personal conversations stay personal.
In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages. If a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type, delivered in the recipient’s preferred language, and when they get a response, each message can be instantly translated. On FaceTime calls, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker’s voice. And when on a phone call, the translation is spoken aloud throughout the conversation.
News Ways to Explore Creativity with Updates to Genmoji and Image Playground
Genmoji and Image Playground provide users with even more ways to express themselves. In addition to turning a text description into a Genmoji, users can now mix together emoji and combine them with descriptions to create something new. When users make images inspired by family and friends using Genmoji and Image Playground, they have the ability to change expressions or adjust personal attributes, like hairstyle, to match their friend’s latest look.
In Image Playground, users can tap into brand-new styles with ChatGPT, like an oil painting style or vector art. For moments when users have a specific idea in mind, they can tap Any Style and describe what they want. Image Playground sends a user’s description or photo to ChatGPT and creates a unique image. Users are always in control, and nothing is shared with ChatGPT without their permission.
Visual Intelligence Helps Users Search and Take Action
Building on Apple Intelligence, visual intelligence extends to a user’s iPhone screen so they can search and take action on anything they’re viewing across their apps.
Visual intelligence already helps users learn about objects and places around them using their iPhone camera, and it now enables users to do more, faster, with the content on their iPhone screen. Users can ask ChatGPT questions about what they’re looking at on their screen to learn more, as well as search Google, Etsy, or other supported apps to find similar images and products. If there’s an object a user is especially interested in, like a lamp, they can highlight it to search for that specific item or similar objects online.
Visual intelligence also recognizes when a user is looking at an event and suggests adding it to their calendar.4 Apple Intelligence then extracts the date, time, and location to prepopulate these key details into an event.
Users can access visual intelligence for what’s on their screen by simply pressing the same buttons used to take a screenshot. Users will have the choice to save or share their screenshot, or explore more with visual intelligence.
Apple Intelligence Expands to Fitness on Apple Watch
Workout Buddy is a first-of-its-kind workout experience on Apple Watch with Apple Intelligence that incorporates a user’s workout data and fitness history to generate personalized, motivational insights during their session.
To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy analyzes data from a user’s current workout along with their fitness history, based on data like heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so it has the right energy, style, and tone for a workout. Workout Buddy processes this data privately and securely with Apple Intelligence.
Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones, and requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby. It will be available starting in English, across some of the most popular workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training.
Apple Intelligence On-Device Model Now Available to Developers
Apple is opening up access for any app to tap directly into the on-device foundation model at the core of Apple Intelligence.
With the Foundation Models framework, app developers will be able to build on Apple Intelligence to bring users new experiences that are intelligent, available when they’re offline, and that protect their privacy, using AI inference that is free of cost. For example, an education app can use the on-device model to generate a personalized quiz from a user’s notes, without any cloud API costs, or an outdoors app can add natural language search capabilities that work even when the user is offline.
The framework has native support for Swift, so app developers can easily access the Apple Intelligence model with as few as three lines of code. Guided generation, tool calling, and more are all built into the framework, making it easier than ever to implement generative capabilities right into a developer’s existing app.
Shortcuts Get More Intelligent
Shortcuts are now more powerful and intelligent than ever. Users can tap into intelligent actions, a whole new set of shortcuts enabled by Apple Intelligence. Users will see dedicated actions for features like summarizing text with Writing Tools or creating images with Image Playground.
Now users will be able to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses that feed into the rest of their shortcut, maintaining the privacy of information used in the shortcut. For example, a student can build a shortcut that uses the Apple Intelligence model to compare an audio transcription of a class lecture to the notes they took, and add any key points they may have missed. Users can also choose to tap into ChatGPT to provide responses that feed into their shortcut.
Shortcuts are supercharged with Apple Intelligence, allowing users to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses that feed into the rest of a shortcut.Additional New Features
Apple Intelligence is even more deeply integrated into the apps and experiences that users rely on every day:
• The most relevant actions in an email, website, note, or other content can now be identified and automatically categorized in Reminders.
• Apple Wallet can now identify and summarize order tracking details from emails sent from merchants or delivery carriers. This works across all of a user’s orders, giving them the ability to see their full order details, progress notifications, and more, all in one place.
• Users can create a poll for anything in Messages, and with Apple Intelligence, Messages can detect when a poll might come in handy and suggest one. In addition, Backgrounds in the Messages app lets a user personalize their chats with stunning designs, and they can create unique backgrounds that fit their conversation with Image Playground.
These features build on a wide range of Apple Intelligence capabilities that are already available to users:
• Writing Tools can help users rewrite, proofread, and summarize the text they have written. And with Describe Your Change, users can describe a specific change they want to apply to their text, like making a dinner party invite read like a poem.
• Clean Up in Photos allows users to remove distracting elements while staying true to the moment as they intended to capture it.
• Visual intelligence builds on Apple Intelligence and helps users learn about objects and places around them instantly.
• Genmoji allow users to create their own emoji by typing a description. And just like emoji, they can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.
• Image Playground gives users a way to create playful images in moments, with concepts like themes, costumes, accessories, and places. And they can add their own text descriptions, and create images in the likeness of a family member or friend using photos from their photo library.
• Image Wand can transform a rough sketch into a polished image that complements a user’s notes.
• Mail summaries give users a way to view key details for an email or long thread by simply tapping or clicking Summarize.
• Smart Reply provides users with suggestions for a quick response in Mail and Messages.
• Siri is more natural and helpful, with the option to type to Siri and tap into its product knowledge about the features and settings on Apple products; Siri can also follow along if a user stumbles over their words, and maintain context from one request to the next.
• Access to ChatGPT is integrated in Writing Tools and Siri, giving users the option to tap into ChatGPT’s image- and document-understanding capabilities without needing to jump between tools.
• Natural language search in Photos makes it easier for users to find a photo or video by simply describing it.
• Users can create a memory movie in Photos by typing a description.
• Summaries of audio transcriptions in Notes are automatically generated to surface important information at a glance.
• Users can generate summaries of call transcriptions to highlight important details.
• Priority Messages, a section at the top of the inbox in Mail, shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day invitation to lunch or a boarding pass.
• Priority Notifications appear at the top of a user’s notifications, highlighting important notifications that may require immediate attention.
• Notification summaries give users a way to scan long or stacked notifications and provide key details right on the Lock Screen.
• Previews in Mail and Messages show users a brief summary of key information without needing to open a message.
• The Reduce Interruptions Focus surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention.
A Breakthrough for Privacy in AI
Designed to protect users’ privacy at every step, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing, meaning that many of the models that power it run entirely on device. For requests that require access to larger models, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence so a user’s data is never stored or shared with Apple; it is used only to fulfill their request. Independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to continuously verify this privacy promise, and are already doing so. This is an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI.
Availability
All of these new features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at , and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. Users who enable Apple Intelligence on supported devices set to a supported language will have access this fall, including all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations.
MacDailyNews Take: For more details, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence.
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tvOS 26 elevates Apple TV with ‘Liquid Glass’ design
Apple today announced tvOS 26, making Apple TV even more immersive, enjoyable, and convenient. Featuring a stunning new design with Liquid Glass, tvOS 26 is designed to keep the focus on what’s playing so users never miss a moment. The Apple TV app also now showcases cinematic poster art that makes it fun and easy to discover what to play next. Enhancements to profile-switching and a streamlined way to log in to apps make it easier than ever to access entertainment, while updates to Apple Music Sing bring users new ways to enjoy singing along with friends using iPhone.
Liquid Glass Comes to the Largest Screen in the Home
The new design introduces a new material called Liquid Glass. It brings a vibrant look to Apple TV, delivering a fresh and expressive design that beautifully reflects and refracts its surroundings using real-time rendering. Interactions with the Apple TV app are also enhanced to create a more delightful and engaging experience while watching shows and movies. The new design keeps the content central to the viewing experience while fast-forwarding or rewinding, starting a sleep timer, adjusting audio, or setting a “Movie night” scene in Control Center.
Easily Access Entertainment
The Apple TV app is redesigned with beautiful new poster art that incorporates Liquid Glass, and allows more shows and movies to be displayed, enhancing how users discover entertainment.
To quickly find personalized viewing recommendations, users will now have the choice to automatically display profiles when Apple TV wakes, allowing them to quickly get back to their recommendations and Watchlist in the TV app and playlists in Apple Music.
Additionally, tvOS 26 introduces a new API for developers that links app logins to an Apple Account, making it effortless for users to sign in to their favorite apps, shows, and movies when setting up a new device.
Take the Mic with Sing in Apple Music
Sing-along sessions reach a new level of fun with tvOS 26, allowing users to transform iPhone into a handheld microphone for Apple TV and have their voices amplified as they belt out their favorite songs. Get the party started with friends, as everyone can jump in using their own iPhone to queue up songs or react with onscreen emoji. Accompanied by real-time lyrics and visual effects that light up the big screen, Sing in Apple Music is more engaging than ever, and with Lyrics Translation and Pronunciation, users can follow and sing along to an even wider variety of songs, even if they don’t know the language.
Stay Connected with FaceTime
With tvOS 26, users can enjoy a more personalized FaceTime experience that’s consistent with iOS. Contact Posters on Apple TV make it easier and more personal by displaying a contact’s customized photo and name when starting a FaceTime call on Apple TV. Live Captions expand to include French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish, enabling Apple TV to use on-device intelligence to display Live Captions for FaceTime conversations, so users can follow what’s being said in even more languages. Additionally, FaceTime audio and phone call notifications will appear onscreen for the active profile, allowing users to answer on connected HomePod speakers or their iPhone, and ensuring that communication with loved ones remains at the forefront.
Additional updates coming to Apple TV:
• Enjoy breathtaking landscapes with new Aerial screen savers captured across India, including in Goa and Kerala.
• Personalize the screen saver experience by choosing specific Cityscape, Earth, Landscape, or Underwater Aerials to display — or hide.
• Designate any AirPlay-enabled speaker as the permanent speaker for Apple TV.
Availability
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this fall as a free software update. For more information, visit apple.com/tv-home and apple.com/apple-tv-4k/#whats-new. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple TV just keeps on getting better and better – at no extra cost!
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watchOS 26 delivers AI-powered Workout Buddy to Apple Watch
Apple today previewed watchOS 26, offering a beautiful new look and even more intelligence for a more personalized experience, to support users in staying active, healthy, and connected. A new design with Liquid Glass makes features like the Smart Stack, Control Center, the Photos watch face, and in-app navigation and controls more expressive, while maintaining the instant familiarity of watchOS. Apple Intelligence enhances the fitness experience with Workout Buddy, which provides personalized, spoken motivation. The Workout app features a new layout, and offers music to listen to based on a user’s tastes and the workout type. watchOS 26 makes everyday interactions even more convenient with Smart Stack hints and updates to Messages, and introduces a new one-handed wrist flick gesture to easily dismiss notifications.
“Apple Watch is an indispensable companion for millions of people around the world, and watchOS 26 uses intelligence to offer an even more personalized experience,” said David Clark, Apple’s senior director of watchOS Engineering, in a statement. “From a gorgeous new design, to Workout Buddy with Apple Intelligence, personalized music suggestions in the Workout app, and more intelligence in the Smart Stack and Messages, we’re excited about the many ways watchOS 26 will support each user in staying active, healthy, connected, and safe throughout their day.”
A Beautiful New Design
A gorgeous new software design with Liquid Glass brings a fresh look to watchOS 26. Across apps, this new design enables a vibrant and expressive experience that reflects and refracts content using real-time rendering, which brings even more focus to content and makes using Apple Watch even more delightful. Smart Stack widgets, Smart Stack hints, notifications, Control Center, and in-app controls and navigation will adopt the new design. The popular Photos watch face is enhanced with numerals made of Liquid Glass, allowing users to see even more of their photo.
Apple Intelligence Comes to Fitness with Workout Buddy
Workout Buddy is a first-of-its-kind fitness experience with Apple Intelligence that incorporates a user’s workout data and their fitness history to generate personalized, motivational insights during their session, based on data like heart rate, pace, distance, Activity rings, personal fitness milestones, and more.
For example, as a user starts a run, Workout Buddy will give a personalized pep talk that may remind them of their running mileage for the week so far, or share how they are doing against their Activity ring goals: “Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning. You’re 18 minutes away from closing your Exercise ring. So far this week, you’ve run 6 miles. You’re going to add to that today.”
During the workout, Workout Buddy can mark key moments like their mile splits, or tell them if they hit a new milestone based on their fitness history: “Mile four. You picked up the pace and ran that last one in 8 minutes and 28 seconds.” “Hey, check this out. Your total running distance for the year just crossed the 200-mile mark! That’s a lot of running!”
When a user ends a workout, Workout Buddy will recap their workout stats and congratulate them on their achievements: “Way to get your workout in! You went 4.3 miles in just over 38 minutes. Your average pace was 8 minutes and 58 seconds, and your average heart rate was 128. That was your longest run of the last 28 days. What will you do next?”
To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy analyzes data privately and securely, with Apple Intelligence. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers, so it has the right energy, style, and tone for a workout.
Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones, and requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby. It will be available starting in English, across some of the most popular workout types: Outdoor and Indoor Run, Outdoor and Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT, and Functional and Traditional Strength Training.
Additional Updates to the Workout Experience
The Workout app is one of the most popular apps on Apple Watch, and in watchOS 26, it debuts the biggest update to its layout and navigation since its introduction. Four new buttons in the corners of the app make it easier for users to access their favorite features to customize workouts, like Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer, Race Route, and more.
To add inspiration, users can set up music and podcasts right in the Workout app to automatically play when they start a workout. For users’ convenience, Apple Music can now select the best playlist for a user’s workout based on the workout type and their personal tastes. Alternatively, users can see suggestions for playlists or podcasts based on what they’ve recently listened to during that particular workout type.
The Smart Stack Becomes Even More Proactive
The Smart Stack is designed to help users quickly access important information from any watch face. In watchOS 26, the Smart Stack improves its prediction algorithms by incorporating more contextual data, sensor data, and data from a user’s routine to provide Smart Stack hints, a proactive prompt for actionable suggestions that are immediately useful. Made of Liquid Glass, Smart Stack hints will appear on the display as a gentle visual prompt. For example, a hint for Backtrack may appear when a user is in a remote location with no connectivity, or a hint for a Pilates workout may show up when a user arrives at a studio location at their usual time.
Added Convenience in Messages
Apple Watch now supports Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence, allowing incoming texts to be automatically translated into a user’s preferred language, right on their wrist. And when the user responds, their texts can be instantly translated for the person they’re having a conversation with. Live Translation will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2, with an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone.
Additionally, for users whose device language is set to English, Apple Watch will intelligently suggest relevant actions in Messages using the context of a conversation, like starting a Check In when a friend asks a user to share when they arrive home, or using Apple Cash when a user is asked to contribute to a group gift. Customizable Backgrounds set on iPhone will also appear on Apple Watch to make conversations feel more personal and distinct, and users can respond to polls right on their wrist. Smart Replies get even more precise for users whose device language is set to English, with an improved on-device language model that can generate relevant responses based on the content of a conversation.
Notifications Are Easier to Manage
Notifications are even easier to manage with a simple wrist flick gesture on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. When a user raises their wrist to check a notification but isn’t ready to respond, they can quickly turn their wrist over and back to dismiss the notification. The wrist flick gesture can be used to dismiss notifications and incoming calls, silence timers and alarms, and return to the watch face. It uses the accelerometer and the gyroscope — along with a machine learning model — to analyze a user’s wrist movement. Wrist flick joins the double tap gesture to allow users to do even more on Apple Watch with only one hand, for times when the user’s other hand is occupied, such as when walking the dog, cooking, or holding a cup of coffee.
Apple Watch can also now automatically adjust the speaker volume based on the ambient noise in a user’s surroundings for notifications, timers, alarms, incoming calls, and Siri, allowing them to stay connected without worrying about disturbing those around them.
Additional updates in watchOS 26:
• The Notes app comes to Apple Watch, allowing users to access their notes right on their wrist. Users can also pin and unlock notes, complete checklist items, and create new notes with Siri, dictation, and the keyboard.
• Hold Assist and Call Screening come to the Phone app, when an iPhone is nearby. When a user is waiting for a live agent, Hold Assist recognizes once a live agent is available and notifies the user to return to the call. Call Screening helps users manage incoming phone calls from unknown numbers more efficiently by collecting a name and reason for the call before their phone rings, so they can make an informed decision on whether to pick up, decline the call, or ask for more information.
• For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, Live Listen controls come to Apple Watch with a new set of features, including real-time Live Captions of what their iPhone hears on a paired Apple Watch while listening to the audio. Apple Watch serves as a remote control to start or stop Live Listen sessions on a paired iPhone, or jump back into a session to capture something that may have been missed.
• The Photos face will now shuffle images based on Featured content from Photos, so users can see images of their most meaningful moments every time they raise their wrist or tap the display.
• Users can now explore and discover watch faces more easily with the redesigned watch face gallery on Apple Watch and in the Watch app on iPhone, with faces grouped into collections.
New Tools for Developers
Developers are able to take advantage of new APIs in watchOS 26 across design, the Smart Stack, and more. Developers can use new SwiftUI APIs to adopt the beautiful new design materials of watchOS 26. With the Control Widget API, developers can create custom controls to be added to the Control Center, Action Button, or Smart Stack widget, and the Smart Stack Relevance API allows third-party widgets to be added to the Smart Stack with new signals like Points of Interest, with user permission to incorporate location data. For example, the Smart Stack can intelligently show a widget for Slopes when users arrive at a ski resort with improved location APIs, and now Dark Noise can add a custom control to Control Center so users can easily turn on a sleep soundscape without picking up their iPhone.
Availability
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. watchOS 26 will be available this fall as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and all Apple Watch Ultra models, paired with iPhone 11 or later, running iOS 26. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit <a href=”https://www.apple.com/>apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: Some nice helpful additions and improvements for Apple Watch users!
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Apple previews macOS Tahoe 26
Apple today previewed the next major macOS release — macOS Tahoe 26 — which introduces a stunning new design and powerful capabilities that enable users to get even more done. With the new design, iconic elements of macOS will feel more expressive, delightful, and personal while remaining instantly familiar, including the desktop, Dock, in-app navigation, and toolbars. Users can further personalize the experience with an updated Control Center and new color options for folders, app icons, and widgets. Continuity gets even better with the Phone app arriving on Mac, so users can access familiar features from iPhone — including Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails — and new ones like Call Screening1 and Hold Assist.2 And with Live Activities from iPhone, users can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming flight, right on their Mac. Spotlight gets its biggest update ever, allowing users to now directly execute hundreds of actions — like sending an email or creating a note — and take advantage of all-new browsing experiences to get to content faster.
Apple Intelligence expands with powerful new features that elevate the Mac experience further, while protecting privacy at every step. Live Translation helps users easily communicate across languages, translating text and audio. Genmoji and Image Playground offer new options for creativity.3 Shortcuts get even more powerful with intelligent actions and the ability to now tap directly into Apple Intelligence models to automate complex tasks.
“macOS is the heart and soul of the Mac, and with Tahoe, we’re building on what users love most. Whether you’re a power user or just getting started on Mac, there’s something for everyone, with even more features to turbocharge productivity and make working across Mac and iPhone more seamless than ever before,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, in a statement. “With its gorgeous new design, amazing Continuity experiences, powerful enhancements to Spotlight, more intelligent shortcuts, and updates to Apple Intelligence, the Mac experience is better than ever.”
The new design unlocks even more ways to personalize the Mac.A Gorgeous New Design
The gorgeous new design enhances the Mac experience in new ways, while maintaining the familiarity of macOS. It is crafted with Liquid Glass, a translucent new material that reflects and refracts its surroundings. The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been refined, bringing greater focus to a user’s content. The menu bar is now completely transparent, making the display feel even larger. There are more ways to customize what controls appear in the menu bar and Control Center, along with how they’re laid out. The new design also unlocks more personalization on the Mac. App icons come to life in light or dark appearances, colorful new light and dark tints, as well as an elegant new clear look. Users can also change the colors of folders and add a symbol or emoji to give them a unique identity. And when combined with personalized wallpapers and theme colors, it’s easier than ever to make Mac a seamless extension of a user’s style.
New Continuity Experiences with the Phone App and Live Activities
The Phone app arrives on Mac thanks to Continuity, which lets users relay cellular calls from their nearby iPhone. The Phone app on Mac has the familiar features of the Phone app on iPhone — including Recents, Favorites, and Voicemails — and the latest updates like Call Screening and Hold Assist. Call Screening automatically answers calls from unknown numbers and asks the caller for information so a user can decide whether or not to answer. And when a user is stuck on hold, Hold Assist allows them to keep their spot in line while they wait for a live agent, so users can continue working on their Mac.
Live Activities from a user’s nearby iPhone will now appear in the menu bar on their Mac so they can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming Uber ride, flight, or live sports score. When clicking on a Live Activity, the app opens in iPhone Mirroring to show more information so users can take action right from their Mac.
The Biggest Update Ever to Spotlight
Spotlight, the central place to search for things on Mac, makes finding what users are looking for easier than ever, and provides users with all-new ways to take action. During a search, all results — including files, folders, events, apps, messages, and more — are now listed together and ranked intelligently based on relevance to the user. New filtering options rapidly narrow searches to exactly what a user is looking for, like PDFs or Mail messages. Spotlight can also surface results for documents stored on third-party cloud drives. And when a user doesn’t know exactly what they’re searching for, Spotlight’s new browse views make it easy to scan through their apps, files, clipboard history, and more.
Users can now take hundreds of actions directly from Spotlight — like sending an email, creating a note, or playing a podcast — without jumping between apps. Users can take actions from both Apple apps and apps built by developers, because any app can provide actions to Spotlight using the App Intents API. Users can also run shortcuts and perform actions from the menu bar in the app they’re currently working in, all without lifting their hands off the keyboard. Spotlight learns from users’ routines across the system and surfaces personalized actions, such as sending a message to a colleague a user regularly talks to. Additionally, Spotlight introduces quick keys, which are short strings of characters that get users right to the action they’re looking for.
Brand-New Capabilities Powered by Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence, gets even more capable while protecting users’ privacy at every step.
• Seamless communication across language barriers with Live Translation: In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages, so if a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type and delivered in the recipient’s preferred language. And when the user receives a response, each text can be instantly translated.4 On FaceTime, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker’s voice. And when a user is on a call in the Phone app, their words are translated for the recipient as they speak.5 This is enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so conversations stay private.
• Shortcuts get more intelligent: A whole new class of intelligent actions lets users create shortcuts that are more powerful than ever, including summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. And now users will be able to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses that feed into the rest of their shortcut, maintaining the privacy of information used. For example, a student can build a shortcut that uses Apple Intelligence models to compare an audio transcription of a class lecture to the notes they took, and add any key points they may have missed. Users can also choose to tap into ChatGPT for its broad world knowledge and expertise. Additionally, users can now run shortcuts automatically on macOS, such as at a specific time of day, or when taking a specific action like saving a file to a folder or connecting a display.
• Updates to Genmoji and Image Playground: macOS Tahoe brings new ways to create Genmoji, giving users the ability to start with existing emoji and descriptions, modify personal attributes like hair length or accessories, and select expressions based on the moment. Users will also have more control of personal attributes and expressions in Image Playground, and can tap into brand-new styles with ChatGPT, like an oil painting style or vector art. For moments when users have a specific idea in mind, they can tap Any Style and describe exactly what they want.
• Increased productivity with Reminders: Apple Intelligence can review an email, website, note, or other content on Mac to find the most relevant action items. And users can also choose to use Apple Intelligence to automatically categorize Reminders into sections to make them more manageable.
New Apple Games App, Game Overlay, and More Titles
macOS Tahoe introduces Apple Games, a dedicated app that gives players a home for all their games, making it easier to jump back into favorites, discover new games tailored just for them, and play with friends in whole new ways. With the new Game Overlay, players can conveniently adjust their system settings, chat with friends, or invite them to play, all without having to leave their game. Players can also turn on Low Power Mode, which extends gaming sessions and maximizes playtime on battery. For developers, macOS Tahoe introduces Metal 4, which brings even more advanced graphics and next-generation rendering technologies to games, like MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising, for smoother visuals and faster frame rates.
Alongside these improvements, developers continue to deliver exciting new games on Mac, including upcoming titles like Crimson Desert and InZOI. Both games leverage powerful software technologies like MetalFX Upscaling to accelerate performance and deliver high-quality visuals, as well as take advantage of the M3 and M4 family of chips with ray tracing for a breathtaking experience. Additional titles on the way include Cyberpunk 2077, Cronos: The New Dawn, Architect: Land of Exiles, Lies of P: Overture, HITMAN World of Assassination, EVE Frontier, Where Winds Meet, and more.
Additional features in macOS Tahoe include:
• Safari, the world’s fastest browser, offers a fresh but familiar experience, featuring a rounded tab design that floats in the toolbar, along with a refreshed sidebar with new sections to help users more easily find saved content like iCloud Tabs and Saved. When compared to Chrome, Safari is 50 percent faster at loading frequently visited websites7 and offers up to four more hours of battery life when streaming video.8 And for even greater protection from trackers when browsing, Safari now offers advanced fingerprinting protection in all browsing by default.
• The Messages app brings Backgrounds, Polls, and a redesigned details view that helps users easily navigate what has been shared in a conversation. Plus, it features typing indicators in groups to let participants know exactly who is going to chime in, as well as the ability to add new contacts easily right from the group chat and search with more natural language.
• Journal comes to Mac, making it easy to capture and write about everyday moments and special events when inspiration strikes. On Mac, it’s easy to type long, thoughtful entries and view them on a map. Users can keep multiple journals for various aspects of life, which are all synced across Apple devices.
• Photos has an updated design that includes beautiful Liquid Glass elements, enhancements for customization, easier workflows, and sidebar consistency with iPadOS. Pinned Collections now come to Mac, so users can access the collections they use most with a click on the sidebar. Users will also find new buttons to quickly access filtering and sorting options in all views, and the ability to customize the size of Collections tiles, so they can view their library just how they like.
• On FaceTime, the reimagined landing page features beautiful Contact Posters of recent callers, Liquid Glass controls now float in the bottom right and recede to create more space, and a new More button lets users quickly access features like SharePlay and Live Translation.
• Notes adds the ability to import and export a note into a markdown file, and support for capturing conversations in the Phone app as audio recordings with transcriptions.
• Accessibility features include Magnifier on Mac, which enables users with low vision to zoom in on their surroundings using Continuity Camera on iPhone or attached USB cameras, apply image filters so items are easier to see or read, and even change perspective when viewing presentations or books from an angle. Additional features include Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind; an all-new Braille Access experience that offers a user-friendly interface for those with a connected braille display; and Vehicle Motion Cues, which helps reduce motion sickness in a moving vehicle.
• With Passwords, users can easily reference changes they make to their accounts, including checking previous versions of passwords they save, along with details on when they were changed.
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. The release will be available as a free software update this fall. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/os/macos and apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit <a href=”https://www.apple.com/>apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: We’ll probably go with clear on all of our Apple devices.
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Apple unveils iOS 26 for iPhone
Apple today previewed iOS 26, a major update that brings a beautiful new design, intelligent experiences, and improvements to the apps users rely on every day. The new design provides a more expressive and delightful experience across the system while maintaining the instant familiarity of iOS. Integrated throughout the system and built with privacy from the ground up, Apple Intelligence gets even more capable. Updates to the Phone and Messages apps help users stay connected while eliminating distractions like unwanted calls. iOS 26 also introduces new features in CarPlay, Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet, as well as Apple Games, a brand-new app that gives players a single destination for all their games.
“iOS 26 shines with the gorgeous new design and meaningful improvements to the features users rely on every day, making iPhone even more helpful,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, in a statement. “Experiences are more expressive and personal, from the Lock Screen and Home Screen, to new capabilities across Phone and Messages that help users focus on the connections that matter most. And with powerful new Apple Intelligence capabilities integrated across the system, users can get things done easier than ever.”
A Beautiful New Look
The new design makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful, while keeping iOS instantly familiar. It’s crafted with Liquid Glass — a new translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, bringing greater focus to content, and delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more. The new design extends to the Home Screen and Lock Screen, making them more personal and expressive than ever. Liquid Glass also brings new customization options to app icons and widgets, including a stunning clear look.
The new design extends to the Home Screen and Lock Screen, making them more personal and expressive than ever. Liquid Glass also brings new customization options to app icons and widgets, including a stunning clear look.On the Lock Screen, the time fluidly adapts to the available space in an image, and spatial scenes bring wallpapers to life with a 3D effect when users move iPhone. Updated design elements also deliver fresh experiences in apps. A simplified, streamlined Camera layout helps users keep their attention on the moment they’re capturing, and the Photos app is updated to feature separate tabs for Library and Collections views. In Safari, web pages flow from the top edge to the bottom of the screen, enabling users to see more of the page while maintaining access to frequently used actions like refresh and search. In Apple Music, News, and Podcasts, the tab bar is redesigned to float above users’ content, dynamically shrink when users are browsing to put content front and center, and then expand when they scroll back up.
An updated set of APIs provides developers with access to Liquid Glass materials and components so they can make their apps appear just as dynamic and delightful.
New Capabilities Powered by Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence elevates the iPhone experience and helps users get things done easier than ever, while unlocking new ways to communicate and do more with what’s on their screen. Live Translation is integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone to help users communicate across languages, translating text and audio on the fly. Live Translation is enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so users’ personal conversations stay personal.
Building on Apple Intelligence, visual intelligence extends to a user’s iPhone screen so they can search and take action on anything they’re viewing across apps. Users can ask ChatGPT questions about what they’re looking at onscreen to learn more, as well as search Google, Etsy, or other supported apps to find similar images and products. Visual intelligence also recognizes when a user is looking at an event and suggests adding it to their calendar, repopulating key details like date, time, and location.
Genmoji and Image Playground provide users with even more ways to express themselves, including mixing their favorite emoji, Genmoji, and descriptions together to create something new.
Shortcuts are now more powerful and intelligent than ever. Users can tap into intelligent actions, a whole new set of shortcuts enabled by Apple Intelligence, and will see dedicated actions for features like Writing Tools and Image Playground.
Apple Intelligence can now automatically identify and summarize order tracking details from emails sent from merchants and delivery carriers, giving users the ability to see their full order details and progress notifications all in one place — even for purchases not made with Apple Pay.
Additionally, a new Foundation Models framework opens up access for any app to tap directly into the on-device foundation model at the core of Apple Intelligence, giving developers direct access to powerful intelligence that’s fast, built with privacy at its core, and available offline, using AI inference that is free of cost.
Features for Staying Connected and Eliminating Interruptions
Fundamental to the iPhone experience, the Phone app now offers a unified layout that combines Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails all in one place. Call Screening builds on Live Voicemail and helps eliminate interruptions by gathering information from the caller and giving users the details they need to decide if they want to pick up or ignore the call.4 And for the times when a user is stuck on hold, Hold Assist notifies the user when a live agent is available.
In Messages, users can now screen messages from unknown senders, giving them more control over who appears in their conversation list. Messages from unknown senders will appear in a dedicated folder where users can then mark the number as known, ask for more information, or delete. These messages will remain silenced until a user accepts them.
iOS 26 also offers enhancements to conversations, including custom backgrounds and the ability to create polls. With Apple Intelligence, Messages can detect when a poll might come in handy and suggest one, and users can generate unique backgrounds that fit their conversation with Image Playground. Additionally, in group chats, users can now see typing indicators, and request, send, and receive Apple Cash.
Enhancements to CarPlay
CarPlay — the smarter, safer way to use iPhone while driving — is used over 600 million times per day, and now with iOS 26, it receives updates that make it even more beautiful and easy to use. The stunning design includes a new compact view for incoming calls, allowing users to see who’s calling without missing key information like upcoming directions. iOS 26 also brings Tapbacks and pinned conversations to Messages in CarPlay, and with widgets and Live Activities, users can stay in the loop without losing focus on the road. These updates also come to CarPlay Ultra, which brings the best of iPhone and the best of the car together for a deeply integrated, unified experience across every screen.
Updates to Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet
In Apple Music, Lyrics Translation helps users understand the words to their favorite songs, while Lyrics Pronunciation allows everyone to sing along, regardless of language. AutoMix uses intelligence to transition from one song to the next like a DJ, using time stretching and beat matching to seamlessly move from one song to the next.
In Apple Maps, Visited Places help users remember the places they’ve been. Users can choose to have iPhone detect when they’re at a place like a restaurant or shop, and view all of their Visited Places in Maps. Visited Places are protected with end-to-end encryption and cannot be accessed by Apple. Additionally, iPhone can now use on-device intelligence to better understand a user’s daily route, presenting them with their preferred route when they’re headed home or to the office, along with notifying them of delays and offering alternate routes.
Updates in Apple Wallet help make everyday interactions with the physical world easier than ever. Users can choose to pay with installments or rewards when they make in-store purchases with Apple Pay using iPhone. Refreshed boarding passes in Wallet offer the ability to see and share Live Activities for real-time updates on a flight. They also provide convenient access to a traveler’s most relevant information, such as Maps to navigate airports, Find My to track important items and report missing bags, and more.
Additional features in iOS 26:
• Apple Games is a new app that gives players an all-in-one destination for their games. It helps players jump back into titles they love, find their next favorite, and have even more fun with friends. They’ll find out what’s happening across all their games, including major events and updates, so they never miss a moment. The Games app is also the best way to experience Apple Arcade, Apple’s game subscription service with more than 200 award-winning and highly rated games for the whole family.
• AirPods are more versatile than ever with new features for AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and AirPods Pro 2. Building on the benefits of Voice Isolation, studio-quality audio recording allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to record their content with great sound quality and enjoy even clearer calls. With camera remote, users can press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or start and stop a video recording on iPhone or iPad.
• Parents can now create or move kids into Child Accounts even more easily, taking advantage of a wide set of parental controls designed to keep children safe. Enhancements across Communication Limits, Communication Safety, and the App Store include parental approvals for contact requests from kids, blurring out sensitive content in FaceTime calls and photos in Shared Albums, and enabling parents to grant an exception for their child to download an app with an age rating that exceeds the app content restriction they set.
• Browsing in Safari gets even more private with advanced fingerprinting protection extending to all browsing by default.
• Powerful accessibility features include Accessibility Reader, which provides a customized systemwide reading experience, and Braille Access, an all-new interface for iPhone devices with connected braille displays. Updates to Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice, and more bring a new level of accessibility across the Apple ecosystem.
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 11 and later. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit <a href=”https://www.apple.com/>apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, we’re probably going with the clear look.
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iPadOS 26 finally delivers a Mac-like windowing system and menu bar to iPad
Apple today previewed iPadOS 26, the biggest iPadOS release ever, taking a huge leap forward and pushing the unique capabilities and versatility of iPad even further. A beautiful design brings a new look to iPad, making the experience even more expressive and delightful. While maintaining the simplicity of iPad, iPadOS 26 introduces an entirely new powerful and intuitive windowing system with new features that help users control, organize, and switch between apps. Apple Intelligence becomes even more capable and integrated across iPadOS 26, with new features that help users communicate, express themselves, and get things done, including Live Translation, new ways to create with Genmoji and Image Playground,1 and intelligent actions with Shortcuts. The supercharged Files app offers new ways to organize files and customize folders. And with Folders in the dock, users can conveniently access downloads, documents, and more from anywhere. The Preview app comes to iPad, giving users a dedicated app to view and edit PDFs, with powerful features like Apple Pencil Markup and AutoFill built in. And with Background Tasks, audio input selection, and Local capture, iPadOS 26 unlocks new capabilities for creative pros working with audio and video.
“iPadOS 26 is our biggest iPadOS release ever, with powerful features that take the experience to the next level and transform what users can do on iPad,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “With a beautiful new design, an entirely new powerful and intuitive windowing system, even more features powered by Apple Intelligence, huge improvements to working with files, and new capabilities for creatives to power their workflows, iPadOS 26 makes our most versatile device even more capable.”
A Beautiful New Design
The beautiful new design brings more expressive and delightful experiences to iPad users, while maintaining the familiarity of iPadOS. It’s crafted with Liquid Glass — a translucent new material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, while reacting to user input and dynamically transforming to bring greater focus to the content they care about most. It enables a new level of vitality across experiences like the Lock Screen and Control Center, and gives users new ways to personalize their Home Screen with updated app icons that come to life in light or dark appearances, colorful new light and dark tints, as well as an elegant new clear look. And updated controls and navigation extend to apps including Mail, Safari, Apple TV, Apple Music, and more.
An Entirely New Powerful and Intuitive Windowing System
iPadOS 26 introduces powerful new features that help users work with, control, organize, and switch between app windows — all while maintaining the immediacy and simplicity that iPad users expect. The new windowing system lets users fluidly resize app windows, place them exactly where they want, and open even more windows at once.
Familiar window controls allow users to seamlessly close, minimize, resize, or tile their windows. Window tiling is designed for the unique capabilities of iPad, and enables users to arrange their windows with a simple flick. If a user previously resized an app, it opens back in the exact same size and position when they open it again. With Exposé, users can quickly see all their open windows spread out, helping them easily switch to the one they need. The new windowing system works great with Stage Manager for those who want to group their windows into distinct stages, and with an external display for those who want even more space to work across their apps.
With a new menu bar, users can access the commands available in an app with a simple swipe down from the top of the display, or by moving their cursor to the top. Users can quickly find a specific feature or related tips in an app by using search in the menu bar. Additionally, developers can now customize the menu bar in their own apps.
With the new menu bar, users can access the commands available in an app, and quickly find a specific feature or related tips by using search.New Features Powered by Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI, becomes even more capable and even more integrated across iPadOS 26. Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime, and Messages enables iPad users to communicate seamlessly across languages. In Messages, incoming texts — including group messages — are automatically translated into the user’s preferred language.3 On FaceTime, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker’s voice. And when on a phone call, the translation is spoken aloud throughout the conversation.
iPadOS 26 brings users new ways to create Genmoji, giving them the ability to start with existing emoji and descriptions, modify personal attributes like hair length or accessories, and select expressions. Users will also have more control of personal attributes and expressions in Image Playground, and can tap into brand-new styles with ChatGPT, like an oil painting style for a friend’s Contact Poster. For moments when users have a specific idea in mind, they can tap Any Style and describe exactly what they want. And Image Playground can now send a user’s description or photo to ChatGPT and create a unique image.
Shortcuts features new intelligent actions that allow users to create shortcuts that are more powerful than ever, including summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. Users can also tap directly into Apple Intelligence models to provide responses that feed into the rest of their shortcuts. For example, a student can build a shortcut that uses Apple Intelligence models to compare an audio transcription of a class lecture to the notes they took, and add any key points they may have missed.
Powerful New Ways to Work with Files
iPadOS 26 introduces powerful new ways to manage, access, and edit files. An enhanced Files app with an updated List view allows users to see more of their document details in resizable columns and collapsible folders. To make folders easier to identify at a glance, Files also offers folder customization options that include custom colors, icons, and emoji that sync across devices. For quicker access, users can now drag any folder from the Files app right into the Dock. Additionally, users can set a default app for opening specific files or file types.
The Preview App Comes to iPad
Preview comes to iPad, giving users a dedicated app for creating a quick sketch, as well as viewing, editing, and marking up PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or by touch. Users can access all of their PDFs and images in the Files app right from Preview, create an empty page, use Apple Pencil to draw and write on it, and use AutoFill to quickly fill out PDF forms.
New Ways to Work with Apps
Taking advantage of the incredible power of Apple silicon, iPadOS 26 unlocks the ability to perform computationally intensive Background Tasks. When users start a long-running process in an app, Background Tasks will show up with Live Activities, giving users complete control and a clear sense of what is running. And developers can use an updated Background Tasks API that allows users to perform long-running tasks from their apps, too.
iPadOS 26 also brings new audio features that offer more flexible input and streamlined recording. Users now have better control over their audio input, with the ability to choose different microphones for each app, as well as individual websites. Recorded audio will be made even better with the availability of Voice Isolation, which blocks ambient noise, and allows clear and crisp recordings. And with AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and AirPods Pro 2, studio-quality audio recording allows users to record their content with great sound quality and enjoy clear calls.
With Local capture, users can produce high-quality recordings right from iPad with any video conferencing app, and easily share audio and video files once the call is over. Echo cancellation of other participants’ audio keeps the user’s voice front and center, allowing for a clear recording of their side of the call.
New Apps, Plus More Ways to Communicate
With iPadOS 26, Journal comes to iPad, making it easy for users to capture and write about the details of everyday moments or special events. Using Apple Pencil or touch, users can incorporate drawings and handwriting, along with photos, videos, audio recordings, places, their state of mind, and more. Users can keep multiple journals for various aspects of life, and now have access to a beautiful map view that organizes entries by location.
The all-new Apple Games app brings users a new home for gaming, and iPadOS 26 introduces Game Overlay, which allows users to quickly see new events and updates, adjust settings, call or invite a friend mid-game, and more.
The Messages app brings conversation Backgrounds, which lets a user personalize their chats with stunning designs and create unique backgrounds that fit their conversation with Image Playground. Messages also brings Polls and a redesigned details view that helps users easily navigate what has been shared in a conversation, and supercharges group chats with typing indicators, as well as the ability to request and receive Apple Cash. Additionally, the Phone app comes to iPad, and includes updates like Hold Assist and Call Screening.
Additional iPadOS 26 updates:
• Available in the tool palette, the new reed pen uses stroke-angle presets to enable a traditional calligraphy experience with Apple Pencil or touch in apps like Notes, Preview, Freeform, and Journal; when using Markup; and in third-party apps using the PencilKit API.
Calculator introduces new 3D graphing capabilities in Math Notes, allowing users to write an equation with three variables and create a graph in three dimensions.
• Notes adds the ability to import and export a note into a markdown file, along with support for capturing conversations in the Phone app as audio recordings with transcriptions.
• Accessibility features include Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed to make text easier to read for users who are blind, have low vision, or have other disabilities affecting reading; an all-new Braille Access experience that offers a user-friendly interface for users with a connected braille display; Share Accessibility Settings to temporarily use accessibility settings on another person’s device; and more.
All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPad Pro (M4), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (A16), iPad (8th generation and later), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad mini (5th generation and later). The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/os/ipados and apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit <a href=”https://www.apple.com/>apple.com.
MacDailyNews Take: We really wonder if Apple held windowing and a menu bar from iPad for a year like this when they’re light on new stuff at a WWDC. This could have been done years ago. Regardless, it’s finally here and it makes us want to use our iPads much more!
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Apple introduces universal ‘Liquid Glass’ design across its platforms
Apple today previewed a beautiful new software design that makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful while being instantly familiar. It’s crafted with a new material called Liquid Glass. This translucent material reflects and refracts its surroundings, while dynamically transforming to help bring greater focus to content, delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more. For the very first time, the new design extends across platforms — iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26 — to establish even more harmony while maintaining the distinct qualities that make each unique.
“At Apple, we’ve always believed in the deep integration of hardware and software that makes interacting with technology intuitive, beautiful, and delightful,” said Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of Human Interface Design, in a statement. “This is our broadest software design update ever. Meticulously crafted by rethinking the fundamental elements that make up our software, the new design features an entirely new material called Liquid Glass. It combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity only Apple can achieve, as it transforms depending on your content or context. It lays the foundation for new experiences in the future and, ultimately, it makes even the simplest of interactions more fun and magical.”
Introducing Liquid Glass: A New and Expressive Material
Inspired by the depth and dimensionality of visionOS, the new design takes advantage of Apple’s powerful advances in hardware, silicon, and graphics technologies. The new material, Liquid Glass, is translucent and behaves like glass in the real world. Its color is informed by surrounding content and intelligently adapts between light and dark environments. Born out of a close collaboration between the design and engineering teams, Liquid Glass uses real-time rendering and dynamically reacts to movement with specular highlights. This creates a lively experience that makes using iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV even more delightful.
This gorgeous new material extends from the smallest elements users interact with every day — like buttons, switches, sliders, text, and media controls — to larger elements, including tab bars and sidebars for navigating apps. It also shines in system experiences, such as the Lock Screen, Home Screen, notifications, Control Center, and more.
Updated App Designs
Driven by the goal of bringing greater focus to content that’s instantly familiar, Apple’s design team considered every aspect of Apple’s platforms to identify improvements that could be made across the board.
Controls, toolbars, and navigation within apps have been redesigned. Previously configured for rectangular displays, they now fit perfectly concentric with the rounded corners of modern hardware and app windows — establishing greater harmony between hardware, software, and content. Controls are crafted out of Liquid Glass and act as a distinct functional layer that sits above apps. They give way to content and dynamically morph as users need more options or move between different parts of an app. And with thoughtful groupings, it’s easier for users to find the controls they need.
Tab bars and sidebars have been redesigned with the same approach. In iOS 26, when users scroll, tab bars shrink to bring focus to the content while keeping navigation instantly accessible. The moment users scroll back up, tab bars fluidly expand. In iPadOS and macOS, updated sidebars make apps like Apple TV even more immersive. They refract the content behind them — while reflecting content and the user’s wallpaper from around them — which ensures users always have a sense of their context.
These updated design elements apply across fresh new experiences in apps such as Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts.
An Enhanced Experience Across Platforms
The new design extends across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, with updates to system experiences like the Lock Screen, Home Screen, desktop, and Dock. To maintain the focus on the subject of photo wallpapers on the Lock Screen, the time is now crafted out of Liquid Glass and fluidly adapts to fit elegantly behind the subject.
On the Home Screen and desktop, the Dock, app icons, and widgets have all been crafted from multiple layers of Liquid Glass. They look stunning, with specular highlights, and allow for greater personalization options while still maintaining the familiarity that users rely on. For example, in macOS Tahoe 26, users can customize the desktop and Dock with widgets and app icons that come to life in light or dark appearances, colorful new light and dark tints, as well as an elegant new clear look. And it’s made even better with a completely transparent menu bar that makes the Mac display feel even larger.
macOS Tahoe 26 lets users customize the desktop and Dock with new looks for app icons and widgets crafted from multiple layers of Liquid Glass.Building Dynamic Apps
For developers using SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, an updated set of APIs make it easy to adopt the new design. By using Liquid Glass materials and the new and updated controls, developers have the opportunity to refresh the design of their apps to make every user interaction even more intuitive and delightful.
Icon Composer lets developers create Liquid Glass icons across platforms that render beautifully in light, dark, tinted, or clear looks.MacDailyNews Take: A fresh coat of paint.
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MacDailyNews presents live coverage of Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote address
Get ready for the WWDC 2025 keynote address video streaming to you from Apple Park in Cupertino, California on Monday, June 9th at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT. You can watch Apple’s keynote address live, right on this page, below.
We will add our live notes on this page as the event unfolds.
The 2025 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off with what’s expected to be an in-depth look at the future of Apple platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, visionOS, and homeOS(?) — directly from Apple Park.
The keynote address will be available via apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple TV app, and YouTube, with on-demand playback available after the conclusion of the stream.
Watch Apple’s WWDC25 keynote address right here:
Open the video in another browser window or tab (video link), so that you can follow our live notes of Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote address and comment on today’s news in real time below!
MacDailyNews WWDC 2025 Live Notes (in reverse chronological order):
• Singer sings positive reviews of apps to close the video presentation
• Dev betas of all OSes coming today. Public betas next month. Public release this fall.
• Cook: Thanks presenters. “What a big day for our users and developers.”
• Xcode predictive code gets more accurate
• Icon Composer helps developers create Liquid Glass icons
• Recap of APIs for developers
• AAPL: $202.15, -1.77 (-0.87%) @ 2:26:59 PM EDT
• iPadOS 26 windowing alone makes us want to get new iPads
• Background Tasks API for developers
• The power of Apple Silicon allows iPad to handle Background Tasks
• Background Tasks come to iPad
• Local capture for podcasters – works with any video conferencing apps
• Studio-quality vocals can be record with AirPods
• Audio input selector – choose the best mic for the job
• More complex workflows are now possible when working with audio and video
• Preview comes to iPad with markup and autofill for PDFs, images, etc.
• Files get updated List view. Folders can be colored, emoji and symbols added – just like in macOS 26
• Comes to every iPad that can run iOS 26 (also works on external displays)
• Menu bar comes to iPad in iPadOS 26
• Exposé comes to iPad
• Can also use tiling for windows
• Fluidly resize app windows and position wherever you want them
• Finally
• New windowing system on iPad
• Improved multitasking, files, and video
• Apple Intelligence features as in iOS 26
• Yes, Liquid Glass
• iPadOS 26
• New spatial content added
• Web developers can embed 3-D objects into pages for Apple Vision pro users
• Sony controller support come to visionOS 26
• New Logitech pen for Apple Vision Pro
• So, this portion of the presentation applies to an extraordinarily tiny percentage of Apple device users
• Statista forecast just 350,000 Apple Vision Pro units shipped globally in 2024 and 1.48 million in 2025.
• visionOS 26 demos continue.
• AAPL: $202.12, -1.80 (-0.88%) @ 2:09:24 PM EDT
• Widgets are spatial and customizable in visionOS 26
• visionOS 26 gets some Apple Intelligence features
• Federighi previews new games coming to Mac
• Metal 4 offers improvements to game developers
• New Games app also comes to Mac
• Developers can use App Intents API to tap into the new Spotlight
• macOS 26 Tahoe Spotlight demo
• Quick keys are short strings of characters (type “sm” in Spotlight to send message, for example)
• You can send emails within Spotlight
• Spotlight gets biggest update ever
• You can use ChatGPT within Shortcuts
• Intelligent actions let you create Shortcuts using Apple Intelligence
• Shortcuts can be run automatically now
• Phone app comes to Mac – synced from your iPhone
• Continuity – Live Activities come to Mac
• Add symbols or emoji to folders in macOS
• So. Much. Filler. (Was everyone at Apple on vacation for the past year?)
• macOS 26 Tahoe gets a lot of the same iOS 26 features
• macOS 26 name: Tahoe
• macOS 26: Again with the Liquid Glass
• Apple Music on Apple TV – iPhone becomes the microphone to sign along to lyrics displayed on TV
• Automatic Sign-In API for developers to simplify sign ins
• New originals coming to Apple TV+ promo
• tvOS 26 gets Liquid Glass look throughout
• Notes app comes to Apple Watch
• Notifications – ambient noise based – a quiet environment will get a quiet notification, louder areas get louder
• Smart Stack on Apple Watch prediction algorithm improved
• Workout gets a brand new layout with custom workouts just a tap away
• Available starting in English
• Workout Buddy analyze all of the data from you workouts to ID meaningful insights in realtime to provide encouragement, and info via AI voice
• watchOS 26 introduces Workout Buddy – based on you fitness history
• watchOS 26: Liquid Glass design
• Developers can add Visual Intelligence to their apps, too
• Tap on the “Ask” button to ask ChatGPT more about images
• Crate events from screenshots
• Visual Intelligence works with every app – if you see a jacket you like on X.com, use the screenshot buttons and Visual Intelligence can search for it online. You can save results to your favorites
• In iOS 26, Visual Intelligence extended to your iPhone screen
• Game Center leaderboards let single-player games hold challenges
• Play Together tab and Challenges lets you game socially
• New Games app: Everything to do with games all in one place
• Wallet offers AI order tracking
• Better airpost mapping and improved Boarding Passes
• Digital IDs can be created with your passport
• Apple Wallet: Car Keys offered by over 20 brand with many more coming soon
• In Maps, Visited Places can be saved in Library, protected with end-to-end encryption
• Apple Maps: iPhone learns you preferred routes
• Apple Music gets Lyrics Translation, Lyric Pronunciation, AutoMix (AI seamlessly mixes from one song to the next), Music pins let you pin your favs to the top of your timeline
• Apple Services improvements
• Works seamlessly, even when you call someone without an iPhone
• Live Translation translates real-time translation, on-device, in Messages, FaceTime, Phone calls
• Image Playground API lets devs add these features to their apps
• New ChatGPT-powered styles, like oil painting, for Image Playground
• Can expression of faces in GenMoji
• Apple Intelligence: Genmoji – you can mix together two emjoi into one
• New on-device spam detection for Messages
• Send, receive Apple Cash right in Group Chat
• Group Chats – Polls come to Messages
• Backgrounds come to Messages
• iPhone rings you when live agent finally picks up
• Hold Assist – Phone app keeps you spot in line when waiting for a live customer service agent
• Unwanted calls subject to Call Screening – automatically answers unknown calls in the background, rings when user says name
• New Voice Mail summaries, nee intuitive layout
• Same updates come to CarPlay Ultra (Aston Martin-only for now)
• iOS 26 delivers widgets to CarPlay (iPhone widgets work in CarPlay)
• CarPlay gets the new Liquid Glass look, too
• FaceTime gets similar dynamic controls (again, think Dynamic Island)
• Safari: Edge-to-edge top to bottom web pages
• New design in Photos app – offers separate tabs (Library and Collections)
• iPhone Camera app: iOS 26 delivers a new, more intuitive design. Elevates Photo and Video modes above all else
• Lots and lots of window dressing so far, as expected
• Unifying version numbers: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26
• Reminds us of those plastic translucent BINGO chips
• Very Dynamic Island-like
• “Liquid Glass” look throughout the OSes
• Inspired by visionOS
• Universal design across all of Apple’s OSes
• iOS 7 was the last major redesign
• Apple devices are more frequently used together, setting stage for more unified look
• New OS designs
• Available when offline
• Apple Intelligence Foundation Models Framework – on-device AI for developers
• Apple continues to work on a more personal Siri
• Private Cloud Compute
• Mail summaries, Smart reply, and more
• Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, Clean Up in Photos, Visual Intelligence
• Apple Intelligence: Lats year, we took the first steps
• After woodenly appearing in the video, Cook woodenly introduces Federighi
• Video begins with “F1: The Movie” promo tie-in with Tim Cook and Craig Federighi
• AAPL: $204.59, +0.67 (+0.33%) @ 12:49:53 PM EDT
• AAPL: $204.46, +0.54 (+0.26%) @ 12:00:57 PM EDT
The post MacDailyNews presents live coverage of Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote address appeared first on MacDailyNews.
WWDC 2025 will be markedly different for one obvious reason: Apple has embarrassed itself
Apple’s perceived failing to build competitive AI capabilities will be highlighted today as third-party Apple developers descend on San Jose on Monday for its canned WWDC keynote” video, with many more watching the stream remotely.
Dave Lee for Bloomberg Opinion:
The tone of this year’s WWDC will be markedly different for one obvious reason: Apple has embarrassed itself. Many of the Apple Intelligence upgrades the company outlined in 2024 have yet to materialize on users’ devices, with the company forced to quietly stop running ads that suggested the features were imminent. The bells and whistles that did get released were underwhelming, buggy or both. Backed into a corner, by Wall Street or just competitive instincts against its peers, Apple looked to be in a bit of a scramble.
But it’s yesterday’s news to say that Apple is behind on AI. Investors know that, and the shortcomings have already been priced in; just one of several factors contributing to Apple’s share price drop of 19% so far this year…
Today’s story is instead about whether Apple can convincingly talk its way around its glaring deficit. That job will fall on the shoulders of Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook… More so than any significant Apple event in recent memory, this year’s WWDC keynote seems set to be a snoozefest, a placeholder for more significant progress to come next year.
MacDailyNews Note: We’ll have coverage of Apple’s WWDC25 keynote video stream starting at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT (look for the link on our home page later today).
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The post WWDC 2025 will be markedly different for one obvious reason: Apple has embarrassed itself appeared first on MacDailyNews.