From 9to5Mac · 40 stories
Apple to Release New Apple Pencil Models in 2027 with Replaceable Batteries
Apple is set to release new models of its Apple Pencil in spring 2027, featuring replaceable batteries to comply with EU regulations. This update aims to improve repairability and user experience, aligning with new standards for portable electronic devices.
Apple's Antitrust Appeal Over EU 'Gatekeeper' Status Rejected
Apple's legal challenge against its designation as a 'gatekeeper' under the EU's Digital Markets Act has been rejected. The ruling demands Apple allows interoperability with rival services and may affect its business model in Europe by enforcing fairer competition.
Netflix Faces Significant Viewership Drop for Second Seasons
Netflix has reported substantial viewer losses for second seasons of major shows like 'One Piece' and 'Beef.' Over 30% of 'One Piece' viewers and 70% of 'Beef' viewers did not return. This raises concerns over Netflix's content strategy and its ability to retain audiences in a competitive streaming market.
Jon Prosser Disputes Apple Lawsuit Allegations, Blames Co-Defendant
Jon Prosser has formally responded to Apple's lawsuit concerning alleged leaks of iOS information. Prosser denied conspiracy and attributed responsibility to co-defendant Michael Ramacciotti, acknowledging a shared call on unreleased iOS features. The case focuses attention on data leaks and accountability.
iOS 27 Messages App Adds Drawing, RCS Upgrades, and One-Tap Suggestions
iOS 27 introduces a new 'Drawing' iMessage app for sketches and handwritten notes, alongside significant upgrades to RCS messaging including in-line replies and proper Tapback reactions. The update also features AI-powered one-tap suggestions for tasks and information within conversations, though this feature is temporarily unavailable.
Apple to Release M6 MacBook Pro and iMac This Fall, M6 MacBook Air and iPad Pro in Early 2027
Apple is expected to release M6-powered MacBook Pro (14-inch base model) and iMacs this fall, following the M6 chip's debut in the Mac mini. The M6 MacBook Air and M6 iPad Pro are anticipated to launch in early 2027, continuing Apple's chip upgrade cycle for its product lines.
Apple embeds Face ID module beneath iPhone 18 Pro display
Apple has integrated the Face ID module under the display in the iPhone 18 Pro, a step towards its goal of a full-screen device. This engineering change required a new pixel layout to allow infrared light passage without visible display degradation, enabling a smaller Dynamic Island.
Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for US Users Following Executive Order
Google Maps has updated its display for users in the United States, renaming "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America" following an executive order by President Trump and an update to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). This change aligns with Google's policy of reflecting official government name changes for bodies of water, while users in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario." This is the second such renaming, following "Gulf of America" in February 2025.
Apple Increases Prices for Apple TV and Individual Apple One Subscriptions
Apple has raised the monthly price of Apple TV from $12.99 to $14.99 and the annual price from $99 to $119. The individual Apple One subscription also increased from $19.95 to $21.95 per month. This marks the fourth price increase for Apple TV in four years and follows recent price adjustments for other Apple services.
Comcast Activates Wi-Fi Motion Sensing on Xfinity Routers for Home Activity Monitoring
Comcast has launched Xfinity Shield, a new home security platform that includes Wi-Fi Motion, a feature enabling compatible Xfinity routers to detect movement by analyzing disruptions in Wi-Fi signals. This update, available through the Xfinity Internet app, allows customers to monitor home activity without additional hardware, providing an added layer of awareness for Xfinity Internet users.
Google fixes Firebase Analytics issue causing widespread iPhone app crashes
Google resolved an issue with Analytics for Firebase that caused thousands of iPhone applications to crash on launch. The problem stemmed from an incorrectly formatted payload within the Firebase SDK, affecting numerous iOS apps that integrate the service.
UK Tribunal Revives Antitrust Lawsuit Against Apple and Amazon Over Reseller Restrictions
A UK tribunal allowed a renewed antitrust lawsuit against Apple and Amazon to proceed, focusing on allegations that a 2018 agreement restricted competition for Apple and Beats products sold on Amazon. This decision reopens legal challenges concerning reseller restrictions that allegedly increased prices for consumers.
Disney+ and Hulu Increase Subscription Prices for Most Plans
Disney+ and Hulu have raised prices for most of their subscription plans, with ad-free options seeing the largest increases. This adjustment makes the Disney+/Hulu bundle more competitive against individual service subscriptions.
Perplexity's Personal Computer AI Agent Now Available on Windows
Perplexity has expanded its Personal Computer feature, an agentic AI designed for multi-step tasks, to Windows 10 and 11. This feature, previously Mac-exclusive, allows the AI to access local files, native applications, and cloud services like OneDrive and Google Drive, requiring a paid Perplexity subscription.
Peacock Raises Streaming Prices Across All Tiers, Up to $3 Per Month
Peacock has increased prices for all its streaming plans, with the ad-supported Select tier now $8.99/month, Premium at $12.99/month, and the ad-free Premium Plus at $19.99/month. These changes take effect for new subscribers on August 18 and for existing subscribers after September 17, marking the service's latest price adjustment.
Apple TV+ releases 'The Last First: Winter K2' documentary
Apple TV+ has released "The Last First: Winter K2," a documentary about a 2021 expedition to summit K2 in winter. The film focuses on the challenges faced by mountaineers and the changing culture of extreme climbing.
Apple reportedly developing new Vision Pro models, exploring lighter designs and external compute
Apple is reportedly working on a new Vision Pro project, codenamed N224, which could be a successor to the current model. The company is exploring different form factors, including lighter materials and potentially offloading compute to an external puck, with a possible release between late 2028 and early 2029.
Elder Fraud Cases Rise, Fueled by Personal Data Exposure and SIM Swaps
Elder fraud cases in the US are increasing, with 72% of 2024 cases linked to exposed personal data and resulting in $4.2 billion in losses. Scammers use publicly available information and SIM swaps to impersonate family members in messaging apps, gaining access to sensitive data and two-factor authentication codes. Protecting family members involves minimizing online personal data, enabling two-factor authentication, and being aware of scam tactics.
Apple Seeks Access to OpenAI Hardware R&D and Forensic Images in Trade Secret Lawsuit
Apple has requested court permission for its experts to review forensic images and access OpenAI's hardware R&D documents as part of its trade secret misappropriation lawsuit. Apple alleges former employees took confidential information to OpenAI, impacting its hardware development, while OpenAI claims Apple's offboarding practices are at fault.
TestFlight 4.4.0 adds landscape support, prepares for iPhone Duo launch
Apple updated TestFlight to version 4.4.0, introducing landscape orientation support on iOS and improved resizing for iPhone Mirroring on macOS 27 Golden Gate. This update prepares the app for the upcoming iPhone Duo, a foldable device with presales starting October 16.
Apple to release new iPad mini with OLED display, A19/A20 Pro chip, and water resistance
Apple is preparing to release an updated iPad mini, marking the first refresh in two years. The new model is expected to feature an OLED display, a more powerful A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, and improved water resistance, potentially arriving as early as October.
Qualcomm and Apple Renew Global Patent Licensing Agreement
Qualcomm and Apple have renewed their global patent licensing agreement, which was previously set to expire in 2027. This extension continues their intellectual property relationship following a past legal dispute over licensing practices and royalty payments.
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions to Support Exclusive Video Content for Creators
Apple announced that creators will soon be able to offer video content, including subscriber-exclusive episodes and ad-free video, through Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. This update expands the platform's existing premium audio subscription service to include video, providing creators with new ways to engage audiences and monetize content.
Apple Releases Xcode 27.1 Beta for iPhone Duo App Development
Apple has released Xcode 27.1 beta 1, providing developers with tools to create and optimize applications for the upcoming foldable iPhone Duo. This release allows developers to prepare their apps for the device's launch in October, including testing with a simulator.
U.S. Government Urges Supreme Court to Reverse Apple Contempt Ruling in Epic Games Lawsuit
The U.S. government and several legal groups filed briefs with the Supreme Court, asking it to reverse a civil contempt ruling against Apple in the Epic Games lawsuit. Apple was found in contempt for charging a 27% commission on external purchasing options, despite an injunction to allow developers to direct users to these options.
Apple expands Tap to Pay on iPhone to eight new Latin American countries
Apple has launched Tap to Pay on iPhone in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Peru, supported by six payment platforms. This expansion allows merchants in these regions to accept contactless payments directly on an iPhone without additional hardware, increasing the service's global reach to 59 countries.
Brazilian Court Orders Apple to Implement Age Verification for Casino App Purchases
A Brazilian court has ordered Apple to restrict minors' access to the "Casino Roulette: Roulettist" app and require age verification for in-app purchases of virtual chips. This decision follows a lawsuit alleging minors could download and make purchases in the 18+ rated app, and it also prohibits Apple from allowing similar new apps without effective age controls.
iOS 27.2 beta 2 reveals details of unannounced iPhone anti-snatching feature
Apple is developing an "AutoLock" feature for iPhones that automatically locks the device when it detects it has been snatched from a user. References in iOS 27.2 beta 2 indicate the feature uses multiple signals and safeguards to prevent false positives, aiming to enhance device security against theft.
Bitrig adds iPhone Duo support with interactive 3D simulator for app development
Bitrig has integrated support for building and testing iPhone Duo applications, including an interactive 3D simulator that allows developers to manipulate the device's physical state. This update enables developers to test how their apps adapt to various folding, tilting, and rotational positions of the new iPhone Duo device.
iOS 27 Update Improves iPhone Performance in Over 30 Areas
Apple released iOS 27, which includes over 30 performance improvements for iPhones. These enhancements affect various functionalities, including app launches, photo loading, Safari browsing, and AirDrop transfers, with some operations seeing speed increases of up to 80%.
Homey Introduces Centralized Firmware Updates for Matter, Z-Wave, and Zigbee Devices
Homey launched a new Device Updates feature allowing users to update Matter, Z-Wave, and Zigbee device firmware directly from the Homey app. This feature addresses the challenge of cumbersome smart home device updates by centralizing the process, particularly for Matter devices which use the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Distributed Compliance Ledger.
Safari 27.0 Introduces MCP Server for AI Agent Control and Immersive Environment Support
Safari 27.0 now includes the Safari MCP server, allowing AI agents to control the browser window for accelerated web development workflows. The update also adds support for immersive environments in visionOS and expands the HTML <model> element to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Apple Challenges UK Government's Secrecy Order on Encrypted Data Access Demands
Apple is challenging the UK government's refusal to publicly confirm whether it has issued an order requiring the company to provide access to encrypted user data. This legal action highlights ongoing tensions between tech companies and governments over data privacy and national security.
Addigy Launches Intelligence Suite for Apple Device AI Management
Addigy released its Intelligence Suite, integrating AI management tools directly into its device management software for Apple fleets. This suite provides IT teams with controls to manage AI tool usage, strengthen compliance, and generate reports using natural language, addressing the challenge of employees adopting AI tools faster than IT can onboard them.
Apple Researchers Introduce SimpleDesign AI Model for Joint Protein Sequence and Structure Generation
Apple researchers have unveiled SimpleDesign, an AI model that generates protein sequences and structures simultaneously. This model simplifies protein design by using a single end-to-end training process, unlike multi-stage methods used by other models.
DOJ Wins Temporary Pause on Document Order in Apple Antitrust Case
The Department of Justice (DOJ) secured a temporary pause on an order requiring it to provide documents from 14 federal agencies to Apple in their ongoing antitrust case. This pause allows the government to appeal the Special Master's ruling that sided with Apple's discovery requests, which seek to demonstrate that certain practices are legitimate product differentiators and security safeguards.
Apple's iPhone Ultra to introduce new screen sizes this fall
Apple's upcoming iPhone Ultra will feature two new screen sizes: a ~5.3-inch outer display and a ~7.6-inch inner display. This marks a significant departure from the longstanding iPhone screen size options and may require adaptations in iOS and app designs to accommodate the new formats.
Apple acquires Sonera, a company developing chip-based magnetic sensors for brain activity
Apple acquired Sonera, a company specializing in chip-based magnetic sensors that non-invasively measure magnetic fields generated by the body, including neural activity. This acquisition, revealed through EU filings, could enable new types of consumer wearables capable of reading brain activity without direct skin contact.
iOS 27 Camera App Reportedly Gains Pro Photography Features
Code in the latest iOS 27 beta indicates Apple's Camera app may introduce four professional photography and videography features. These additions could reduce reliance on third-party camera applications for advanced users.
WhatsApp to Support Up to Five Third-Party AI Agents for Direct Chat Interactions
WhatsApp is developing a feature that will allow users to connect and chat with up to five third-party AI agents directly within the app. This integration provides a native way for users to interact with AI agents for tasks, addressing previous issues where connecting bots could lead to account bans.