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News - page 21

Prominent leaker declares touchscreen MacBook ‘100% confirmed’

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MacBook Ultra could come sooner than you think
Get ready to pay more for OLED MacBook Pro, which might be called MacBook Ultra (with a touchscreen!).
AI image: ChatGPT

Apple has resisted putting a touchscreen on its laptops for years. But one of the most credible voices in the Apple supply chain rumor space declared that resistance officially over on Thursday. The long-rumored touchscreen MacBook is “100% confirmed,” they said.

Even if your aging iPhone can run iOS 27, it won’t get these advanced AI features

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Your iPhone may get iOS 27, but it won't get these features.
Some Siri AI features will only work on Apple's latest devices.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

iOS 27 is coming to iPhone 11 and all models released after that. And while it sounds impressive that Apple’s new operating systems will support devices released in 2019, it does not mean that your old iPhone will get every new iOS 27 feature. In fact, even the iPhone 17 will not get the full suite of AI features in iOS 27.

The same holds true for iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. Many of the headline features require newer hardware, meaning some compatible iPads and Macs will miss out on parts of the update.

Apple’s Calendar app adds better natural-language support in iOS 27

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A screenshot of Apple Calendar app on an iPhone in a story about iOS 27's natural-language updates.
Type it like you'd say it. iOS 27's Calendar app understands plain-English event descriptions.
Image: Apple

Apple’s Calendar app is just fine — good enough to use, but never good enough to love — but iOS 27 finally changes that. The update brings natural-language event creation to Apple’s stock app, a feature that third-party solutions have made possible for years.

In iOS 27, you can just type in simple English what you want to do, and your iPhone will take care of the rest. No more hopping between date pickers, fiddling with time selectors, and entering a location. The app will understand and build an event for you.

Siri AI could tell you to take a break if conversations go too long

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An image with the word
Siri AI might tell you to take a break if you're getting too gabby.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new Siri AI chatbot might know when you’ve been bending its ear — and encourage you to take a break. A hidden piece of code in iOS 27 reveals that Siri AI could remind you to chill out if a conversation runs too long.

It’s a small detail, but it suggests Apple is clearly thinking about what happens when you don’t stop talking to Siri.

Changes in macOS Golden Gate hint at a touchscreen MacBook

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Black and white photo of someone touching a MacBook screen to scroll a webpage.
Please, only touch the screen if it’s a touchscreen.
Photo: Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels

A few changes in macOS Golden Gate 27 hint towards Apple introducing a Mac with a touchscreen quite soon. Apple added a bunch of developer tools that allow apps to differentiate touch input from mouse input. Liquid Glass elements also behave differently when you interact with them on a touchscreen — they bounce and glow more prominently, just like iOS. 

Officially, these changes are for Sidecar, the feature that lets you use an iPad as a touchscreen Mac display. But Apple’s own documentation also states that these new features are “not just for the Sidecar display.”

What else could that be…? Maybe the touchscreen MacBook that’s rumored to launch later this year. 

New BenQ Glossy Monitor for Mac fills hole in Apple display lineup

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BenQ MA320UG 120Hz Glossy Monitor for Mac
The new BenQ MA320UG 120Hz Glossy Monitor for Mac could appeal to users at $830.
Photo: BenQ

The new BenQ MA320UG 120Hz Glossy Monitor for Mac is a 32-inch 4K display running at 120Hz with a glossy Nano Gloss panel and deep macOS integration, the company said Tuesday. It arrives as the first 120Hz model in BenQ’s MA Series for Mac.

“Today’s Mac users expect one setup to handle it all, and the MA320UG is the perfect answer for those users,” said Jeffrey Hsieh, head of the BenQ Consumer Line of Business. “The MA320UG combines 120Hz performance with matching Mac colors, intuitive controls and the flexible connectivity that Mac users depend on to work, create, and unwind.”

Apple Music gets compelling upgrades in iOS 27

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A photo of Apple Music on an iPhone used in a story about new features coming to the app with iOS 27.
Apple Music's iOS 27 update is packed with upgrades. Here's what's coming.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple Music will receive one of its biggest overhauls in years with iOS 27, and the changes go deeper than you might expect.

The update covers almost all aspects of the Apple Music app: interface changes, expanded lyrics tools, improved AI-powered mixing, and quality-of-life changes that make the app feel faster. It sounds like a big update for anyone who uses the app daily.

6 key ways iOS 27 upgrades Apple Wallet

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Bill-splitting tool coming to iOS 27
Soon iOS 27 will make this process a lot smoother.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple’s WWDC26 keynote brought a wave of updates to Apple Wallet well beyond cosmetic tweaks. From AI-assisted bill splitting to richer hotel stays, iOS 27 turns Wallet into a more capable everyday tool. Here’s what’s coming.

How iOS 27 and tvOS 27 updates make your home smarter

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iOS 27 and tvOS 27 updates make your home smarter
Updates unveiled at WWDC26 should boost Apple's Home app nicely.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

WWDC26 drew plenty of attention for the rebuilt Siri and the relatively substantial iOS 27 overhaul. But buried beneath those headlines lies Apple’s biggest push yet to turn the Home app into a genuinely capable smart home platform. iOS 27 and tvOS 27 updates make your home smarter, from AI-powered security cameras to a more reliable wireless backbone.

Telegram returns to the Apple Watch with a native app

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Telegram Apple Watch app
The Telegram experience on Apple Watch is about to get a lot better.
AI image: ChatGPT

Years after dropping support for the Apple Watch, Telegram is back with a native watchOS app. The revived app offers a richer experience, letting you send messages, reply to chats, and more directly from your wrist.

It packs nearly all the essentials you’d expect from Telegram without having to reach for your iPhone.

Will your Apple TV run tvOS 27? Two models won’t get the new features.

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A photo of Apple TV used in a story about tvOS 27 compatible devices.
Two Apple TV models may be left behind as tvOS 27 arrives.
Photo: Apple

Apple WWDC26: Apple’s tvOS 27 brings a few new features, but it also will leave two Apple TV models behind. According to Apple’s developer website, the tvOS 27 beta is compatible with “Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later).”

That would mean the Apple TV HD and the Apple TV 4K (1st generation) won’t get the update. If you own either of those set-top boxes, you’re probably stuck on tvOS 26, with no new features coming.

5 biggest Liquid Glass changes in iOS 27 and macOS 27

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Image from WWDC26 keynote showing bottom of an iPhone, with a new Liquid Glass slider maximizing the glassy effect
Apple provides more options for tweaking Liquid Glass in iOS 27, macOS 27 and iPadOS 27.
Image: Apple

Apple WWDC26: Refinements to Apple’s divisive Liquid Glass user interface in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 address many of the quirks that made some people despise the glossy new UI over the past year.

Apple straightforwardly addressed users’ concerns during Monday’s WWDC26 keynote. And Shubham Kedia, Apple’s human interface design director, said Apple updated “the foundations of how Liquid Glass is built” for this year’s new operating systems.

“Last year, we introduced our most ambitious cross-platform design update ever with Liquid Glass, which made apps and experiences even more expressive and delightful,” said Kedia. “Like with all major design updates, there’s a natural process where we take a bold leap forward and then we continue to iterate.”

Will the changes to Liquid Glass satisfy users who dislike the current state of affairs? The first developer betas are out, and early reactions seem mostly positive. Here are the biggest changes coming to Apple’s design language this year.

What it means for watchOS to drop support for your Apple Watch

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Your older Apple Watch isn't suddenly obsolete because it can't install watchOS 27
Your Apple Watch Ultra isn't suddenly obsolete because it can't install watchOS 27.
Photo: Apple

When Apple unveiled watchOS 27 at WWDC26 on Monday, it also revealed that the new version drops support for several Apple Watch models. That leaves many users wondering what this means for their wearable — did it just become rubbish?

Here’s what’s really going on, and why you should be able to keep using the device for years to come.

WWDC26 recap: New software upgrades and Siri AI in 90 seconds

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WWDC26 Recap in 90 Seconds
Watch the keynote in just 2.0% of the time.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

At the WWDC26 keynote, Apple announced the next versions of all its operating systems with a swath of AI features. There are tweaks to the Liquid Glass design, a wide array of tiny quality-of-life and performance improvements, draconian parental controls and limits, and AI in every corner of the operating system.

It was an unusual WWDC keynote that disposed of the typical platform-by-platform format, and a relatively brisk runtime. But if you don’t have 76 minutes to spare, you can get the gist in just 90 seconds.

macOS 27 finally brings advanced ultrawide display support

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macOS 27 ultrawide display support
This 40-inch ultrawide display sports a Mac-friendly look, feel and functionality -- and will work all the better with macOS 27, apparently.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Apple WWDC26:Mac users who rely on ultrawide monitors (ahem, like me) have been waiting years for Apple to treat their setups as first-class citizens. With macOS 27 Golden Gate unveiled Monday at WWDC26, that wait appears to be over.

Apple adds new parental controls across platforms

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Apple adds new parental controls
The new tools should help parents create safer digital experiences for their kids.
Photo: Apple

Apple WWDC26:A sweeping set of child safety features including parental controls give families sharper tools for managing what kids see, who they talk to and how long they spend on devices, Apple said Monday at WWDC26.

“At Apple, our mission has always been to create technology that empowers people and enriches their lives, while helping keep them safe,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness.

“Our approach to helping families create safer digital experiences is grounded in the belief that every child is unique,” she added. “That’s why we build simple and intuitive tools, based on expert guidance, to let parents tailor their kids’ digital journey.” 

The features arrive with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 this fall.

Foldable iPhone gets biggest clue yet in iOS 27 beta

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Apple all but confirms foldable iPhone.
Apple all but confirms foldable iPhone in iOS 27 beta 1.
AI image: ChatGPT

The first iOS 27 beta contains multiple references to Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone. Hidden within the operating system are strings and other code pointing to features designed specifically for a foldable device.

At this point, it’s no secret that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone. The company itself is now just indirectly confirming it.

iOS 27 gives you more control over iPhone’s alarms and ringtone volume

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iOS 27 brings independent volume controls
iOS 27 brings independent volume controls.
AI image: ChatGPT

With iOS 27, Apple finally brings independent volume controls for alarms and timers on the iPhone. This means adjusting your phone’s ringtone volume will no longer affect how loud your alarms, timers and other system sounds are.

It’s a small quality-of-life improvement, but one that iPhone users have been requesting for years. 

watchOS 27 brings Siri AI, smarter Workout Buddy and a lot more to the Apple Watch

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Product image of Apple Watch running watchOS 27 with new dyanmic app grid on screen (and new Siri AI right in the middle)
A new dyanamic app grid in watchOS 27 puts Siri AI right in the thick of things.
Image: Apple

Apple WWDC26:watchOS 27 will bring the new Siri AI, a smarter Workout Buddy and other useful new features to Apple Watch. While the wearable didn’t receive much attention during the WWDC26 keynote on Monday, Apple said watchOS will get AI-powered upgrades like the rest of its platforms.

“You can start chatting with Siri on your iPhone, pick up where you left off on your iPad, and wrap up on your Mac,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s VP of Siri engineering, during the keynote. “We’re also tailoring Siri AI for watchOS. So you can ask questions and take action right on your wrist. And you can also tap into the Siri app using the new app grid on Apple Watch.”

Apple Watch Series 11 hits Apple’s refurbished store, but is it the best deal?

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A photo of Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3.
Apple's refurbished store now carries the Apple Watch Series 11, but you can find a better deal elsewhere.
Photo: Apple

Apple began selling refurbished Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 last week in its Certified Refurbished store, all of which debuted alongside the iPhone 17 last September. The GPS version of the 46 mm Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $369, while the Ultra 3 and 40mm SE 3 go for $699 and $209, respectively.

That’s good news if you want the peace of mind that comes when buying directly from Apple. Every refurbished Apple Watch goes through a thorough inspection and cleaning process, ships in new packaging, and comes with the same one-year limited warranty Apple offers with a new device. And they are eligible for AppleCare+ as well.

However, for some models, you can find much better deals elsewhere.

How Apple improved the performance and stability of iPhone, Mac and more

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iPhone, Mac and iPad got so many performance improvements
The list of improvements in iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate and iPadOS 27 is enormous.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple WWDC26:Before Apple even started talking about new features, it devoted a significant chunk of Monday’s WWDC26 keynote to talking up improvements to performance and stability coming to all its operating systems this fall, including macOS 27, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27.

It’s surely welcome news to Apple users that their devices with run faster, with fewer bugs. And that’s includes a significant performance improvement especially for older iPhone models.

Apple shows how your apps can use Siri AI at Platforms State of the Union

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Developer features in the OS 27 releases
There are tons of new features for developers to dive into this summer.
Image: Apple

Apple WWDC26: At the Platforms State of the Union, Apple covered the nitty gritty on the new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features, improved Liquid Glass design, Device Hub and more tools announced today.

Much nerdier than the morning keynote, this event covers the technical details of how developers are supposed to use and adopt the new features inside their apps with the latest developer tools.

You can watch the Platforms State of the Union on YouTube, in the Apple Developer app or on the web. Read on to see our live coverage of the event.

Why the EU won’t get iOS 27’s biggest new feature

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New Siri won't come to the EU.
New Siri won't come to the EU on iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple WWDC26:
The headlining new feature of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 — new Siri AI — will not come to the EU.

“We’re deeply disappointed that our EU users won’t have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when we share our new software releases later this year,” said Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi.

15 great new Apple Intelligence features to try (beyond Siri AI)

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15 great new Apple Intelligence features
As Apple said, "With its new architecture and capabilities, the next generation of Apple Intelligence powers helpful features across the system, simplifying the things users do every day."
Photo: Apple

Apple WWDC26:While Siri got a complete redesign to include a dedicated chatbot app, on-screen awareness and deeper integration with third-party tools, that’s not the only AI upgrade cited by Apple in Monday’s WWDC26 keynote. A bunch of new Apple Intelligence features are set to upgrade your life, too.

“Truly helpful AI must be centered on our users’ needs, deeply integrated into the products they rely on every day, grounded in personal context, and built with privacy at every step. That is our vision for Apple Intelligence,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering.

“With useful features for browsing the web, expressing creativity, editing photos and so much more, today marks a big step forward on our journey to integrate powerful AI into the core of our platforms and make our products even more personal and useful,” he added.

The new features will become available with the release of iOS 27 and other OS updates coming in September 2026.