Apple

Apple on Thursday released macOS 26.4.1 which provides bug fixes for your Mac (including a fix for an iCloud syncing issue in…

The post Apple releases macOS 26.4.1 appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple today updated several apps designed for creators, including Logic Pro, Compressor, MainStage, Motion, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Camera, Numbers, Keynote, and Pages. Apple has pushed updates for the iOS, iPadOS and macOS versions of the apps where applicable.


Logic Pro includes a Step Reflex: Modern Garage Pack, featuring two-step beats, deep basslines, synths, and more. The update also includes an option to export a shareable file to preview how a spatial audio mix will sound when streamed on Apple Music.

Preview of Dolby Atmos Mix
Export a lightweight, shareable file to preview your spatial audio mix as it will sound when streamed on Apple Music -- playable on iPhone, iPad, or Mac

Step Reflex Pack
Get ready to bounce! Step Reflex: Modern Garage adds pristine polish to the iconic sound of '90s/early 2000s UK garage with gritty bass-heavy energy, immersive ambient atmospheres, and a sprinkle of EDM magic

Whether you're crafting a dancefloor anthem or an introspective groove, this comprehensive collection is filled with punchy, two-step beats, rave-ready synths, deep basslines, and infectious vocal chops that will make your tracks pop

Compressor, Motion, Final Cut Camera, Final Cut Pro, MainStage, Numbers, Keynote, and Pages have no new features, and the release notes only mention stability improvements and bug fixes.

Apple's apps are included as part of the Creator Studio subscription that's priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, but apps like Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro can also be purchased standalone. Numbers, Pages, and other apps are free to use, but some features are limited to those who subscribe to Creator Studio.
This article, "Logic Pro Updated With Step Reflex Sound Pack, Apple's Other Creator Apps Get Bug Fixes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.4.1, a minor update to the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ operating system that came out last September. ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple launched macOS Tahoe 26.4.


Mac users can download the new software by opening up the System Settings app and navigating to the Software Update section.

According to Apple's release notes for the update, it includes unspecified bug fixes.
This article, "Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.4.1 With Bug Fixes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple TV hosted the star-studded premiere for its upcoming comedic family drama “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” at Regal Union Square theater…

The post Apple TV celebrates the premiere of ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles,’ starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nicole Kidman appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple today announced it will be permanently closing three retail stores in the U.S. in June, including Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut, Apple North County in Escondido, California, and Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland.


Apple issued the following statement to MacRumors:

At Apple, we are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service and great experiences for our customers. As we continue investing to expand and enhance our retail stores and offerings worldwide, we remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers' needs in the best way. Following the departure of several retailers and declining conditions at Trumbull Mall, the Shops at North County, and Towson Town Center, we've made the difficult decision to close our stores at these locations.

Our team members at Trumbull and North County will continue their roles at nearby Apple Retail stores. Towson employees will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. We look forward to continuing to serve customers at nearby stores and on Apple.com, the Apple Store app, and at Apple Authorized Resellers and Service Providers throughout the states.

All three of the stores are located in struggling shopping malls that have lost dozens of major retailers combined. Earlier this year, for example, Banana Republic, Madewell, and Tommy Bahama announced they were leaving Towson Town Center. Last month, the owner of Trumbull Mall defaulted on a $150 million dollar loan and the property is now for sale. The mall now known as Mershops North County was also sold a few years ago amid declining conditions.

Notably, staff at Apple Towson Town Center became Apple's first retail employees in the U.S. to unionize in 2024. They belong to The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE).

Apple said employees at the Trumbull and North County stores will continue their roles at nearby Apple Store locations, while employees at the Towson Town Center store will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement that they signed with Apple as part of their unionization.

All three of the stores are temporarily closed today and re-open tomorrow.

On the other hand, Apple has opened 11 new stores around the world since the start of 2025, including in the U.S. cities of Miami and Detroit. Apple has also remodeled or replaced dozens of stores over the past few years in cities such as Dallas, Pittsburgh, Montréal, and Tokyo, and it plans to open its first stores in Saudi Arabia.

Apple achieved an all-time revenue record last quarter, so these store closures are not indicative of the company's overall performance.
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Europe’s biggest Apple museum has officially opened its doors in Utrecht, Netherlands, just in time for Apple’s 50th anniversary…

The post Europe’s largest Apple museum opens in Utrecht, showcasing 50 years of innovation appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple is weighing two options for the iPhone 18 Pro's Dynamic Island, and a final decision has yet to be made, according to the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station.



In a new post today, the leaker says that current supply chain feedback points to an A/B scenario: one option retains the existing screen mold from the iPhone 17 Pro, while the other introduces a significantly smaller "Mini ‌Dynamic Island‌" enabled by moving the Face ID receiver and transmitter components beneath the display.

Current feedback from the supply chain suggests an A/B testing scenario: one option retains the existing screen mold, while the other features a 'Mini Dynamic Island' with the Face ID receiver/transmitter (RX) components positioned beneath the display. If they opt for the latter, it feels like sales figures will once again be a non-issue.

The update is a slight shift from the leaker's previous position. Earlier this year, Digital Chat Station claimed Apple was leaning toward reusing last year's design, which would have left the ‌Dynamic Island‌ largely unchanged.

The report was a dissenting voice against a body of reporting, including from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, DSCC's Ross Young, and multiple other Weibo leakers, suggesting the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ would feature a ‌Dynamic Island‌ roughly 35% smaller than on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌.


In a follow-up post, the leaker also addressed the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s rear design. He said that the rectangular plateau design introduced with the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ will carry over unchanged, but the back will see "minor adjustments to the body materials and design details.” This is likely a reference to previously rumored changes aimed at achieving a more uniform look between the aluminum unibody frame and glass cutout for wireless charging.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to be announced this fall alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.
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Apple has asked a U.S. court to formally request internal Samsung documents from South Korea as part of the discovery process…

The post Apple subpoenas Samsung in South Korea in U.S. DOJ antitrust action appeared first on MacDailyNews.

In late March, Apple notified the winners of the 2026 Swift Student Challenge, who each received a complimentary one-year Apple Developer Program membership, AirPods Max 2, and a special certificate. A smaller group of Distinguished Winners were also invited to a three-day experience at Apple Park during WWDC 2026 in June.


The annual Swift Student Challenge gives eligible student developers around the world the opportunity to showcase their coding capabilities by using the Swift Playground or Xcode apps to create an interactive "app playground."

Despite receiving many incredible submissions, Apple can only select a limited number of winners due to WWDC space constraints. Below, we have highlighted three young developers who did not quite win, but still deserve attention for their efforts.

Teddy

For the 2026 Swift Student Challenge, UC Santa Cruz student Morris Richman submitted Teddy, a voice-controlled camera app that uses Apple Foundation Models to help those with touch-related accessibility issues take photos.

"There is a strong overlap between those who have touch issues and those who have difficulty learning accessibility focused features such as VoiceOver," said Morris. "Teddy addresses this issue through Apple's Foundation Models and SpeechAnalyzer APIs to take action on behalf of the user through natural language processing and tool calling."

Morris created the app after being inspired by his grandfather, Larry.

Teddy is available in beta via TestFlight and as an open-source project on GitHub.

ActivTimer

MacRumors reader Kate's first-ever Swift Student Challenge submission was ActivTimer, an iPhone app designed to help reduce your screen time and increase your activity. The app was built with SwiftUI and other modern Apple technologies.

Kate describes the app as a "screen time tracker and workout app all in one."

"It keeps track of how long you're on your screen and alerts you with a sound to get up and move, or to do some mindfulness," said Kate.

ActivTimer is not available in the App Store, but the project's source code is available on GitHub.

Write: A Literary Journey

Victoria Ali is a young developer from Argentina who created Write: A Literary Journey, an iPhone app that she describes as a narrative puzzle experience.

The app tasks you with solving puzzles to reconstruct the portraits and legacies of history's most influential female authors.

Victoria said the app both demonstrates her coding skills and serves as a tribute to her late grandmother and writer, Rosa.

When you first open the app, you are presented with a 3D onboarding experience that allows you to explore Rosa's desk.

"Through an immersive 3D onboarding I designed in SceneKit with models I built in Blender—like her vintage Remington typewriter and her yellow tulips—I wanted to create a bridge to feel her close again," she said.
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Apple's MacBook Neo is an all-new laptop that delivers the magic of the Mac at a breakthrough price, making it even more accessible…

The post Apple’s MacBook Neo is the best laptop you can get for $599 – New York Magazine appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple's new AirPods Max 2 launched last week, and Amazon is still one of the only retailers offering a discount on the headphones. You can get the Midnight and Starlight color options for $529.99 on Amazon, down from $549.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Although this is only a $19 discount on the AirPods Max 2, it's the best markdown you'll find online if you're looking to order the new headphones. Free delivery has the AirPods Max 2 arriving around April 14, but they can be delivered as soon as tomorrow with Prime shipping.



In other new product discounts, Amazon has the M5 MacBook Air for $150 off across nearly every model this week. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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On Tuesday, April 7th, PaleyFest LA hosted a screening and conversation for the season three finale of Apple’s hit comedy “Shrinking” at…

The post Apple TV celebrates ‘Shrinking’ season three at PaleyFest LA with Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, and many more appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple has asked a U.S. court to formally request internal Samsung documents from South Korea as part of discovery in the DOJ's ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the company.


The DOJ filed suit against Apple in March 2024, alongside a number of governments, alleging the company used App Store rules, developer restrictions, and control over key iPhone features to stifle competition. After Apple's bid to have the case dismissed failed, the litigation moved into discovery.

Samsung is central to the case. All four complaints identify Samsung as Apple's "closest smartphone competitor," and plaintiffs allege that Apple's conduct caused Samsung to stop making smartwatches that connect to iPhone in 2021. Apple subpoenaed Samsung's U.S. subsidiary, Samsung Electronics America, for documents, but the subsidiary declined to produce any records, arguing the materials are held solely by its South Korean parent. Apple says Samsung America lodged that objection 65 times across its responses.

In a memorandum filed on April 7, Apple asked the court to issue a formal letter of request under the Hague Evidence Convention, an international mechanism that allows civil proceedings to seek documents from foreign entities. The request targets market research, sales data, financial statements, and consumer switching analyses from Samsung's smartphone and wearables divisions, as well as Galaxy Store developer agreements and documents relating to Samsung Pay, messaging apps, and super apps.

Apple pointed specifically to Smart Switch, Samsung's tool for transferring content from iPhone to a Samsung device, as evidence that the company holds directly relevant data on consumer switching behavior. The filing also seeks Samsung's own documents on its digital wallet fees, after plaintiffs alleged Apple charges banks 0.15% per Apple Pay transaction while Samsung charges nothing comparable.

Even if the court grants the motion, South Korean authorities would independently decide whether to comply, and Samsung Electronics could raise objections under Korean law.
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Apple today released a minor iOS 26.4.1 update for the iPhone 11 and newer. While the release notes for the update only mention unspecified "bug fixes," we have since learned about two specific changes that are included in it.


First, 9to5Mac spotted an Apple Developer Forums thread suggesting that iOS 26.4.1 fixes an iOS 26.4 bug that affected iCloud syncing in some apps.

Second, an enterprise-focused Apple support document indicates that Stolen Device Protection will be automatically enabled on iPhones that update from iOS 26.4 to iOS 26.4.1. This likely applies to devices that are managed by a workplace/organization, as iOS 26.4 already turned on the feature by default for regular users.

Introduced in iOS 17.3, Stolen Device Protection adds an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also knows the device's passcode. The feature is designed to reduce instances of thieves spying on an iPhone user's passcode before stealing the device, often in public places like bars.

When the feature is turned on, Face ID or Touch ID authentication is required for more actions than usual on an iPhone, including viewing passwords or passkeys stored in iCloud Keychain, applying for a new Apple Card, turning off Lost Mode, erasing all content and settings, using payment methods saved in Safari, and more. No passcode fallback is available in the event that the user is unable to complete Face ID or Touch ID authentication.

For especially sensitive actions, including changing the password of the Apple ID account associated with the iPhone, the feature adds a security delay on top of biometric authentication. In these cases, the user must authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait one hour, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again. However, there is no delay when the iPhone is in familiar locations, such as at home or work.

Prior to iOS 26.4, Stolen Device Protection was turned off by default on all iPhones. It can be turned on in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode.
This article, "iOS 26.4.1 Includes These Two Changes for iPhones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Launched in 2022, Apple's self-service repair program provides customers with access to genuine parts, tools, and manuals to repair select iPhones, iPads, Macs, Studio Displays, and Beats Pill speakers. Apple says the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices."


Apple today started selling parts and tools for seven new devices through its self-service repair store in the U.S., Canada, and many European countries.

As reported by 9to5Mac, genuine Apple parts are now available for these devices:

• iPhone 17e


• iPad Air with M4 chip


• MacBook Neo


• MacBook Air with M5 chip


• MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips


• Studio Display (2026)


• Studio Display XDR

After ordering parts and tools, you can follow the steps in Apple's repair manuals for each device.

There is a notable piece of news related to this. As we reported last month, the MacBook Neo's keyboard can be replaced individually.


For years, replacing the keyboard in other MacBooks has required replacing the entire Top Case, which refers to the top half of the aluminum shell surrounding the keyboard. For example, the latest MacBook Air has a "Top Case with Keyboard" part, and the latest MacBook Pro models have a "Top Case with Battery and Keyboard" part.

For the MacBook Neo, there are separate Keyboard, Keyboard with Touch ID, and Top Case parts, and Apple shows how to replace the keyboard individually. While there are still more than 40 screws involved to replace the keyboard on its own, the process is much easier than replacing an entire Top Case, which requires lots of disassembly.

Best of all, the MacBook Neo's individual keyboard part starts at just $140 on Apple's self-service repair store in the U.S., whereas the Top Case with Keyboard for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models costs around $400 to $600.
This article, "Apple Now Selling Parts for Seven New Devices Unveiled Last Month" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016 and just marked its tenth anniversary. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 241 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Animations, CSS, Canvas, Forms, HTML, Images, JavaScript, MathML, Media, Networking, Printing, Rendering, SVG, Storage, Web API, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.


This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 241 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga, California will be temporarily closed for renovations starting the evening of Saturday, April 11.


The store will reopen in the fall, according to a notice on Apple's website spotted by MacRumors reader Kate. No specific date was provided, but Apple will likely aim to resume business ahead of iPhone 18 Pro launch day in September.

In the meantime, Apple will be opening a temporary store elsewhere at Victoria Gardens, in a unit that was most recently occupied by activewear retailer Athleta. The address for the temporary store is 12501 N Mainstreet, Suite 3610.

Apple Victoria Gardens first opened in September 2004.

Apple Chermside outside of Brisbane, Australia will also be temporarily closed starting Wednesday, April 29, with Apple inviting customers to visit nearby stores in the meantime. Apple has not provided a specific reason for this store's closure, but it is likely another renovation project. The location first opened in November 2009.

In addition, Apple Trumbull in Connecticut and Apple Towson Town Center in Maryland are temporarily closed this Thursday for unknown reasons.
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Apple shares climbed more than 2% on Wednesday, boosted by optimistic commentary from Wedbush Securities regarding strong Mac demand…

The post Apple shares rise on strong Mac demand, bullish Wedbush commentary appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1 software updates for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. The updates have a build number of 23E254, and they arrive a little more than two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4.


According to Apple's release notes, the software updates contain unspecified "bug fixes."

The updates do not include any security fixes, according to Apple's website.

The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update.

Apple is already beta testing iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, the next versions of iOS 26 that will likely launch later in April or in May.
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Anthropic on Tuesday announced Project Glasswing, a new initiative that will enable tech companies to use its new AI model Mythos Preview to find and fix security vulnerabilities or weaknesses across operating systems and web browsers.


Mythos Preview has already found thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities, including some in every major operating system and web browser, according to Anthropic.

"AI models have reached a level of coding capability where they can surpass all but the most skilled humans at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities," said Anthropic. "Given the rate of AI progress, it will not be long before such capabilities proliferate, potentially beyond actors who are committed to deploying them safely."

"Project Glasswing is an urgent attempt to put these capabilities to work for defensive purposes," added the company.

Mythos Preview will not be available to the public. Instead, Anthropic said use of the model will be limited to selected partners, with the initial group beyond Anthropic itself including Apple, Amazon Web Services, Broadcom, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Google, JPMorganChase, the Linux Foundation, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Palo Alto Networks.


Anthropic is committing up to $100 million in usage credits for Mythos Preview. Beyond that, partners will have to pay to use the AI model.

Launch partners like Apple will use Mythos Preview as part of their defensive security work, according to Anthropic. This means Apple may use the AI model to help find and fix security vulnerabilities across its Safari web browser and operating systems, which includes iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Apple is also rumored to be developing a homeOS operating system for a new smart home hub.
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Apple’s foldable iPhone remains on track for a fall launch, according to Wall Street analysts, including those at Morgan Stanley, who pushed…

The post Morgan Stanley, Evercore: Apple’s foldable iPhone on track for September launch appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple reportedly plans to unveil its long-awaited foldable iPhone in September, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed the device's supposed price range.


In a report this week, Gurman said the foldable iPhone is expected to "cross the $2,000 threshold" in the U.S., although it is unclear if he is referring to the starting price or if only some configurations will surpass that price point.

In any case, the foldable iPhone will undoubtedly be the most expensive iPhone ever. Currently, Apple's most expensive iPhone model is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which costs $1,999 in the U.S. when configured with a maximum 2TB of storage.

If the foldable iPhone does start at $1,999, the device might cost as much as $2,799 with 2TB of storage, based on iPhone 17 Pro Max price tiers.

It was recently rumored that the foldable iPhone will be named iPhone Ultra. Apple already uses Ultra branding for the Apple Watch Ultra, CarPlay Ultra, and the M1 Ultra, M2 Ultra, and M3 Ultra series of chips for the Mac Studio.

The foldable iPhone is expected to open up like a book, providing users with a large screen for watching videos, playing games, and multitasking. The device will reportedly have a 7.7-inch inner display and a 5.3-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID. It was initially rumored that the device would have a virtually "crease-free" inner display, but it was later reported that Apple is using technology that "reduces the crease without eliminating it entirely."

This article, "iPhone Ultra's Price Range Revealed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has reportedly signed drivers for both AMD and Nvidia eGPUs, finally enabling them to work on Apple Silicon Macs…

The post Apple approves third-party drivers for AMD and Nvidia eGPUs on Apple Silicon Macs appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Woot this week is back with a massive sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, with prices that match the previous record low Woot deals on these bands.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty.



Woot has reorganized the sale for 2026, with shoppers choosing their size before color this time around. Woot has size 1-12 of the Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop available, but color and style availability varies within each size category.

Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The sale is mainly focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Astropad, the company behind the popular Astropad Studio software for turning the iPad into a drawing tablet, today launched a new app called Astropad Workbench. Astropad Workbench is a remote desktop app designed for the Mac, and more specifically, built for use with AI.


With Astropad Workbench, you can control your AI agents remotely, which makes it useful for people who have set up a Mac mini as a personal server for use with OpenClaw and other AI agent features.

Astropad says that it created Workbench to help users monitor their AI agents from anywhere, without being tied to a desk. There are native apps for Mac, ‌iPad‌, and iPhone, so the iPhone and ‌iPad‌ are able to interface with the Mac desktop wherever you are.

It's simple to check logs and output to verify agent work, restart failed tasks, or reconnect to long-running jobs. There are also tools for switching between multiple Macs connected to a Workbench account.

Workbench offers high-fidelity streaming with a unified virtual display, low latency, speech-to-text input, and multiple control options from gestures to keyboard, mouse, and Apple Pencil. Setup is quick and easy without the need for network configurations, and AES-256 encryption is included. No display recordings are captured and saved.

New users are able to connect to Workbench for free for 20 minutes of daily access. Unlimited paid plans are priced at $10 per month or $50 per year. More information on Workbench can be found on Astropad's website.
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Apple TV on Wednesday debuted the pulse-pounding trailer for the upcoming second season of the gripping crime thriller “Criminal Record.”

The post Apple TV unveils trailer for the second season of ‘Criminal Record’ appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple plans to release an updated iPhone Air and a lower-end iPhone 18e early next year, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In a report this week, he said Apple plans to unveil the two devices in spring 2027, alongside a standard iPhone 18. If so, Apple will likely announce the trio of devices in March or April next year. It is unclear if there will be a live-streamed event.

Given the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 17e were unveiled in the first quarter of 2025 and 2026, respectively, it is no surprise that an iPhone 18e will follow around the first quarter of next year. However, it is notable that a new iPhone Air and the standard iPhone 18 will apparently be introduced at the same time.

The current iPhone Air and the standard iPhone 17 debuted in September last year, but several reports have indicated that Apple is moving to more of a split launch going forward, with multiple iPhone models arriving in spring and fall.

Here is when each new iPhone model is expected to launch:

• September 2026: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and "iPhone Ultra"


• March 2027: iPhone 18e, iPhone 18, and iPhone Air 2

Apple's plans for a split launch have been reported on for many months, so this is nothing new. However, there have been conflicting reports about exactly when the iPhone Air 2 will be released, so Gurman's spring 2027 timeframe provides clarity.

The iPhone 18e and the iPhone 18 will likely receive an A20 chip and little else, while the next iPhone Air is rumored to feature an A20 chip, a second rear camera, a larger battery, and the iPhone 17 Pro's vapor chamber cooling system.

According to a leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Apple even plans to release an iPhone Air 3 eventually, even though sales of the current iPhone Air have reportedly been low relative to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
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Earlier this year, Apple debuted the eighth-generation iPad Air, featuring the M4 chip. Today's iPad mini is approaching two years old, but with just $100 between them, which should you choose?


The new ‌iPad Air‌ is a minor iteration on last year's M3 model, adding more unified memory, Apple's N1 wireless chip, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and an Apple C1X modem. In 2024, Apple introduced the seventh-generation ‌iPad mini‌, offering the A17 Pro chip, Apple Intelligence support, 8GB of memory, Apple Pencil Pro and ‌Apple Pencil‌ hover support, and more.

The ‌iPad mini‌ effectively shares the design of the ‌iPad Air‌, with both devices possessing many of the same features such as an all-screen design with no Home button, Touch ID in the top button, and stereo speakers. Despite theoretically being different product lines, the ‌iPad mini‌ and ‌iPad Air‌ are almost identical in terms of specifications and are even available in the same color options. There are still some differences between the devices, such as their display sizes and chips, that set the devices apart.

Should you buy the more expensive, larger ‌iPad Air‌, or opt for the smaller and more affordable ‌iPad mini‌? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is best for you. All of the differences between the two devices are listed below:

‌iPad mini‌ (seventh generation, 2024)	‌iPad Air‌ (eighth generation, 2026)
8.3-inch display with 326 ppi	11-inch or 13-inch display with 264 ppi
500 nits max SDR brightness	11-inch: 500 nits max SDR brightness 13-inch: 600 nits max SDR brightness
Smaller, compact design for maximum portability	Larger design, better for productivity
Weighs 0.66 pounds (297 grams)	11-inch: Weighs 1.02 pounds (462 grams) 13-inch: Weighs 1.36 pounds (617 grams)
A17 Pro chip (introduced with iPhone 15 Pro in 2023, made with TSMC's 3nm N3 process)	M4 chip (introduced with the iPad Pro in 2024, made with TSMC's enhanced ‌3nm‌ N3E process)
6-core CPU	8-core CPU
4.05 GHz CPU clock speed	4.4 GHz CPU clock speed
5-core GPU	9-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine, 35 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second
8GB unified memory	12GB unified memory
68 GB/s memory bandwidth	120 GB/s memory bandwidth
	Dedicated media engine Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC Video decode engine Video encode engine
Volume buttons on top	Volume buttons on right side
Portrait 12MP Ultra Wide front camera	Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera
True Tone flash
Compatible with Bluetooth keyboards only	Smart Connector to support Apple's Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio
Wi-Fi 6E connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 6
Qualcomm SDX70M 5G modem	Apple C1X modem
128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage
Starts at $499	11-inch: Starts at $599 13-inch: Starts at $799
Released October 2024	Released March 2026

Overall, the ‌iPad Air‌ is the best all-around option for the majority of users, providing a large screen for productivity and consuming entertainment in a slim, portable design. The additional $100 needed to buy the 11-inch ‌iPad Air‌ over the ‌iPad mini‌ is more than justified for the benefits that come with its larger display and M4 chip, not least the ability to practically use it as a laptop replacement with the Magic Keyboard and multitasking. The Air also brings more unified memory, newer wireless connectivity, and Apple's own C1X modem, advantages that are unlikely to matter for most users day-to-day but give the device more headroom over a longer ownership period.

Yet, most customers who choose the ‌iPad mini‌ will do so because of its screen size rather than in spite of it. The ‌iPad mini‌ is ideal for comfortably reading ebooks, playing handheld games, and easy transport and storage. Those who buy the ‌iPad mini‌ will likely have a specific use case in mind for how they will use the device, such as for note-taking on the go with the ‌Apple Pencil‌, throwing into a small bag to use on public transport, or giving it to a kid as their first tablet.

If you do not see the ‌iPad mini‌'s smaller display, easy one-handed grip, lightweight design, and portable form factor as an advantage for your use case and are focused on a more versatile display size, you will likely prefer the ‌iPad Air‌, especially as it is now available with a 13-inch size option. The ‌iPad Air‌ is more of an all-around device that works as a potential laptop replacement, with the added bonuses that come with a bigger screen for productivity and entertainment.

A next-generation iPad mini is expected to launch in the second half of 2026, so it may be worth holding off a purchase for that device. It is likely to feature the A19 Pro chip with a 5-core GPU, a slightly larger 8.7-inch display with an OLED panel, a vibration-based speaker, and water resistance. The upgrades could push the starting price up by as much as $100.
This article, "2024 iPad Mini vs. 2026 iPad Air Buyer's Guide: 20+ Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is in the middle of a three-year plan to "reinvent" the look and feel of the iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In a report this week, Gurman said the plan is as follows:

• September 2025: The redesigned iPhone 17 Pro models and an all-new iPhone Air (✅)


• September 2026: A foldable iPhone


• September 2027: A special 20th-anniversary iPhone

The report said this iPhone roadmap has been a "priority" for Apple's leadership, including hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely considered to be the leading candidate to succeed Tim Cook as Apple's CEO in the future.

The plan began last September with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, which ushered in a new aluminum design with a so-called "plateau" housing the three rear cameras and a rear Ceramic Shield glass area for MagSafe charging and accessories. At the same time, Apple released the iPhone Air, which is the thinnest iPhone ever.

This year, Apple is expected to release its long-awaited foldable iPhone.

Like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone will reportedly open up like a book, providing users with a large screen for watching videos, playing games, and multitasking. iOS 27 is expected to have some changes that are exclusive to the foldable iPhone, including side-by-side apps and other iPadOS-like multitasking functionality.


Late last year, a report said the foldable iPhone will be equipped with a 7.7-inch inner display, and a 5.3-inch outer display. It was initially rumored that the device would have a virtually "crease-free" inner display, but it was later reported that Apple is using technology that "reduces the crease without eliminating it entirely."

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the foldable iPhone to have two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID.

As for the 20th-anniversary iPhone, previous reports have indicated that the device will have a seamless design, with a curved glass enclosure and no cutouts in the display. To achieve this, the front camera would be located under the screen. However, it remains to be seen if Apple actually achieves such an ambitious design by next year.


Apple reported record-breaking revenue of $143.8 billion last quarter. iPhone revenue in the quarter was $85.2 billion, a new all-time high.

"iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in Apple's press release earlier this year. He later commented that iPhone demand during the quarter was "simply staggering" and topped Apple's internal expectations. The upcoming foldable iPhone and 20th-anniversary iPhone models could help Apple to sustain this momentum.
This article, "Apple's Three-Year Plan to 'Reinvent' the iPhone is Underway" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Despite the iPhone Air's struggling sales, a known leaker claims Apple will push ahead with at least two generations of the device, while also suggesting the standard iPhone 18 will see virtually no exterior design changes.


In a recent post on Weibo, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ will not have substantial changes to its design, reinforcing rumors about an incremental upgrade:

The standard model of the iPhone 18 will see virtually no changes to its exterior design—aside from a potential minor tweak to its dimensions.

In another post, the leaker claimed that Apple still plans to release a second-generation ‌iPhone Air‌ model:

The Air 2 will proceed with its standard product iteration cycle; no matter how abysmal the sales turn out to be, Apple will grit its teeth and push through with at least two generations...

Sales of the ‌iPhone Air‌ have reportedly struggled badly since its launch in September 2025. A KeyBanc Capital Markets survey for investors found "virtually no demand" for the device. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that suppliers were expected to reduce capacity by more than 80% between launch and the first quarter of 2026. Luxshare stopped making the ‌iPhone Air‌ in October, and Foxconn was expected to end production by the end of December, leaving the device believed to be entirely out of production. The iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus performed similarly poorly and saw only two generations each.

According to The Information, Apple is now considering a redesign of the ‌iPhone Air‌ to add a second rear camera to address one of the main criticisms of the current model. One report suggested the second camera could be a 48-megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide lens. Previous reports have also said Apple's work on the second-generation model is aimed at reducing the weight, adding vapor chamber cooling, and improving the battery capacity, along with a thinner Face ID module, and adding the A20 and C2 chips.

The standard ‌iPhone 18‌ is expected to be an incremental update, adding Apple's A20 and C2 chips, 12GB of memory, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, and a simplified Camera Control button.

Apple is widely believed to be planning a break from its long-established annual September release cycle with the ‌iPhone 18‌ lineup, splitting the lineup across two windows: The iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone are expected in fall 2026, while the standard ‌iPhone 18‌, iPhone 18e, and ‌iPhone Air‌ 2 will likely follow in spring 2027. A Nikkei Asia report corroborating the strategy noted it aims to both optimize resources and maximize revenue from premium models.
This article, "Leaker: Apple Will Release iPhone Air 2 No Matter How Badly It May Sell" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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