Apple could take the wraps off the Google Gemini-powered Siri update as early as the second half of February. It’s unclear if Apple will hold a major event or a small media briefing to unveil the next-gen assistant.
The public release likely will happen in late March or early April with iOS 26.4.
Apple Cash’s updated fee structure will make instant transfer pricier for users who want quick access to their money. The change goes into effect in less than a month from now, on February 18, 2026.
From that day, Apple will charge a 1.7% fee for an Instant Transfer.
After Apple invited a select group of content creators to an “Apple Experience” in Los Angeles, speculation arose Friday that the company will use the event to launch an upgraded MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max processors.
Appel scheduled its mysterious event for January 27 through January 29 — exactly the time many expect the refreshed Mac laptop to arrive.
As a major winter storm barrels across the United States this weekend, iPhone users have once again noticed something peculiar. Well ahead of the actual precipitation, Apple’s Weather app seems to predict wildly different snowfall totals from day to day. It might forecast 18 inches of snow one day, then drop that to 8 inches the next. What’s up with how weather apps mislead users? A new report sheds some light.
A Chinese tech shop has done what Apple chose not to: add a physical SIM card slot to the iPhone Air. There’s a catch, though: to make internal space for the SIM card tray, they removed the vibration motor.
While a notable trade-off, it’s the only way to add a physical SIM card to the iPhone Air.
The new Pisen Qi2 8-in-1 140W Mega Charging Hub — just launched on Amazon — offers Apple users a comprehensive desktop charging solution that combines wireless charging for iPhone and Apple Watch with high-power wired charging for MacBooks and iPads, the company said Thursday.
It features not only a Qi2 MagSafe charging platform for recent iPhones, but a magnetic Apple Watch charger, USB ports and even power outlets for plugs. And you can get it not only in basic black, but in a surprising yellow!
John Ternus, Apple’s head of hardware engineering, reportedly just added an even more critical role at the company, being put in charge of design for the first time.
The intent of the change might be to give Ternus the experience needed to someday become Apple CEO.
In a bit of a shocker, Apple Original Film F1: The Movie earned a Best Picture nomination plus three other nods when the 98th Academy Awards nominations came out Thursday. Four out of Apple TV’s six nominations went to the racing drama, while the documentary film Come See Me in the Good Light and the wildfire drama The Lost Bus drew two others.
“With F1, Joe, Jerry, Brad, Lewis and the entire creative team delivered something only they could — the most authentic, visceral and entertaining racing film ever made,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “They pushed technical boundaries at every turn, and it’s been a privilege to partner on a project of this ambition. Seeing F1 nominated for Best Picture is a testament to their remarkable artistry, vision and unwavering passion.”
Apple delivered some genuinely meaningful upgrades with the iPhone 17 Pro, fulfilling all the fundamentals: better performance, display, battery life and overall polish. Under normal circumstances, this would make an easy upgrade.
Yet, I’m choosing to skip it. If the iPhone 17 Pro nailed the basics, the iPhone 18 Pro looks set to finally push Apple’s Pro lineup forward in a meaningful way.
To make the most of the upcoming Lunar New Year in China, Apple is running some special offers at its stores. The sale will run from January 24-27, with Apple taking up to 1,000 yuan (~$145) off on select products.
The limited-time promotional offer should help further boost iPhone shipments in the country.
Apple is reportedly exploring a new category of wearable hardware: an AirTag-sized AI pin designed to clip onto clothing and function hands-free without a screen.
After mostly sitting on the sidelines for years, Apple is apparently jumping into the AI game in a big way.
Forget the old, nearly useless Siri — Apple reportedly plans to upgrade the iPhone’s voice assistant into an AI-powered chatbot with iOS 27. Users will supposedly be able to converse with the new Siri, not just give it orders.
If true, this will let Apple compete directly against Android and Windows computers with built-in AI chatbots.
A major ransomware attack on Luxshare, one of Apple’s most critical manufacturing partners, allegedly exposed over 1TB of confidential data from the iPhone giant and other tech behemoths. Stolen information in the Luxshare data breach includes product designs, engineering documents and employee information spanning from 2019 to 2025, according to a new report.
If you’ve noticed your iPhone storage filling up faster than it used to, you’re not imagining things. Modern iOS apps now routinely consume hundreds of megabytes, with some reaching multiple gigabytes in size. What’s behind this relentless growth? Why do iOS apps take so much space? And what can you do about it? Read on.
Nomad Goods’ rugged Stratos band for Apple Watch just got a glow-up — literally. The new limited-edition Icy Blue Glow version of the titanium and fluoroelastomer strap casts an eerie glow on the wearer’s wrist.
The band “adds a little fun to your look, glowing electric blue in the dark and staying clean and minimal in daylight,” Nomad wrote Tuesday on X. “Built with titanium and FKM for durability and comfort, it’s proof that performance and fun can happen at the same time.”
While Cult of Mac hasn’t tested the band, the promo shots make it look wildly futuristic, like something you’d spot on the wrist of a rugged adventurer in a sci-fi flick.
The long, happy relationship between Apple and chipmaker TSMC is going through a rough patch. It seems Nvidia has come between them.
As a result, Apple reportedly must pay significantly more for the processors it acquires from the Taiwanese foundry — and Cupertino might even need to fight to gain access to the latest chips. It’s yet another example of how AI causes problems for Apple.
New security research repository Firehound uncovered widespread data leaks affecting millions of iPhone users who downloaded AI-powered apps from the App Store.
If you’ve downloaded AI apps lately, as millions of others have, you might want to check to see if they made Firehound’s list.
Apple is prepping a surprising change to the Dynamic Island with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, according to a well-known tipster. The screen cutout will supposedly get a lot smaller, and it’ll move to a new location.
If true, it’ll be the most significant revamp to the Dynamic Island since it debuted in 2022.
Order a MacBook Pro today, and you may never get it at all. But it’s not some horrible scam — Apple is very close to introducing new models, and the company knows you probably won’t want the ones available today once the new ones launch.
That’s why the wait times on many MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max processors stretches out well into February. It gives buyers time to change their orders.
Apple dedicated its website homepage to Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, as it has done on his national holiday each year since 2015. This year a free book of the slain Civil Rights movement icon’s essential works and a Time to Walk podcast with King’s daughter, Bernice A. King, are included.
“We honor Dr. King and reflect upon his life and legacy,” Apple said in print alongside a pixellated, constellation-like image of a smiling MLK against a black background filled with stars.
Apple likely will struggle to acquire a critical component for all its products this year. In fact, the whole electronics industry will face the same problem, and the competition will drive up prices, according to analysts.
What’s the missing product? RAM. Why is it so hard to get? AI. But the full story is more complex than those two basic facts.
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: It’s finally official — Siri is getting a long-awaited AI brain transplant, courtesy of Google Gemini.
We discuss the pros and cons of the deal, but more importantly, we express our sincere hope that Siri will actually work in the future.
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video stream, embedded below.
OpenAI is rolling out its more affordable ChatGPT Go plan to nearly every region where ChatGPT operates. In the US, the new tier starts at just $8 per month — a full $12 cheaper than ChatGPT Plus.
Additionally, OpenAI confirmed that it will start testing ads in ChatGPT’s free and Go tiers in the US soon.
Following the launch of the Apple Creator Studio bundle on January 13, 2026, Apple has discontinued the individual free trial for its professional creative apps. This means you can no longer individually download Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro on their own to try them out for free.
Instead, Apple now wants you to use the Creator Studio Bundle. It bundles access to all of the company’s pro creative tools in a single subscription.
Spotify is once again raising prices in the United States. This is the streaming service’s third price bump in four years. By comparison, Apple Music hasn’t raised its price since 2022.