Apple’s yearly Back to School sale is now live in the United States, India and other countries. As part of the deal, eligible students and teachers can get Macs and iPads on education pricing, along with an accessory worth up to $179.

Unlike the last few years, Apple will not bundle a gift card with your purchase. Instead, it will bundle a free accessory, ranging from the Magic Keyboard to AirPods 4 with ANC.

Like its other services, Meta will bring ads to WhatsApp in the form of promoted channels and status ads.

Additionally, to support creators, WhatsApp will introduce support for channel subscriptions.

Apple now offers tools and parts to repair your own iPad, but the instructions provided by Apple show that working on one of its tablets is not for the faint of heart.

Just removing the screen from an iPad Pro is a 32-step process that requires special tools to detach the glue, tape and screws holding everything together.

I’m currently enjoying a pair of 27-inch 5K resolution touchscreen monitors, but many people prefer to go with one ultra-wide display — especially a big, curved one. Today’s featured setup uses a Mac Studio to drive a 49-inch, curved Samsung gaming monitor. The user loves it, but said it took some getting used to. They graduated to it from two 27-inch 4K displays, actually, very similar to what I used until recently.

Apple focused heavily on the new Liquid Glass design language during the iOS 26 unveiling last week. But there’s more to the operating system than the glossy new look that’s coming to all the company’s operating systems.

While Apple highlighted iOS 26’s major features during the  WWDC25 keynote, many meaningful quality-of-life improvements flew under the radar. Here are some of the smaller, hidden features in iOS 26 that you shouldn’t miss.

Two reliable analysts recently predicted that the AirPods Pro 3 release date won’t come before the end of 2025.

Apple is reportedly loading the next generation of its high-end wireless earbuds up with new features, and that’s apparently taking some extra time. All the way to 2026.

Ugreen launched what it calls the world’s most powerful gallium nitride (GaN) charger Monday — the Ugreen Nexode 500W 6-Port GaN Desktop Fast Charger. It promises to change how Apple users and other tech users power their devices.

At 500 watts, the $249.99 charger delivers unprecedented charging capacity through five USB-C ports and one USB-A port. That could eliminate the need for multiple adapters cluttering your workspace.

Apple TV+ crime drama Your Friends & Neighbors has held onto a large audience for two months now, appearing yet again on a weekly list of the top 10 most popular series, according to a company that tracks ratings. The show stars Jon Hamm as a very unusual thief.

Plus, the Apple TV+ sci-fi action comedy series Murderbot settled into steady popularity.

If you’re itching to add a reliable iPhone to your pile of Apple gear — but without dropping flagship-level cash — this deal on an iPhone SE (a refurbished second-gen model) might make your week.

Right now, you can get your hands on a Grade-A refurbished second-gen iPhone SE with 64GB of storage, unlocked and in near-mint condition for just $124.99. Even better? Shipping is free, and the phone is ready to roll with any major carrier.

I’ve spent the week hands-on with iOS 26, living with its stunning new design and incredible features. I really love the direction iOS is going — even if there are a lot of kinks that need to be worked out before its September release.

Liquid Glass, the flashy new user interface, is gorgeous. Loads of people will love the new Lock Screen and Home Screen features, like Spatial Scenes and clear icons. A few other features may need some tweaking, however, like the new Camera app and Phone app.

Should you install it yourself? God no, it’s a buggy mess. You should definitely not install it on your daily driver. But should you be excited to get it in September, after Apple irons out the kinks? Absolutely. Keep reading or watch our video for a hands-on look at the joys (and annoyances) of iOS 26.

You can now buy refurbished M4 MacBook Air directly from Apple and save up to 15%. They are available in several configurations and colors.

Apple launched its newest MacBook Air lineup in February this year.

Apple has issued a No Power Issue service program affecting a “very small percentage” of M2 Mac minis. The affected units may unexpectedly fail to power on without warning.

The issue only appears to affect the 2023 M2 Mac mini and no other generation.

A couple from London successfully tracked down and recovered their stolen Jaguar using an Apple AirTag after police appeared “too stretched” to provide immediate assistance. So they ended up asking, when AirTag finds a stolen car, who needs the cops?

Mia Forbes Pirie and her husband Mark Simpson discovered their $60,000 Jaguar E-Pace missing from outside their home June 3. They called the police and even explained the bit about the AirTag showing the car’s specific location in town. But they found themselves on their own, at least at first.

After several years of covering the Cult of Mac setups beat, I still rarely write about my own. But major new upgrades call for it. Since a spate of recent changes, I’m still rocking the M4 Pro MacBook Pro as my main daily driver. But I replaced dual 4K external displays with a pair of 5K touchscreen displays. And I dipped my toe into the world of serious mechanical keyboards for the first time.

We’ll have to stop thinking of the iPhone as a product made in China — nearly all Apple’s handsets for sale in the United States are reportedly now assembled in India.

It’s part of Apple’s effort to reduce paying the tariffs President Donald Trump places on most products imported into the U.S., especially ones that come from China.

If you’re tired of fumbling with flimsy phone mounts that can’t handle your iPhone’s weight or your car’s bumps, this 360-degree suction cup phone mount is here to save the day. Designed for seamless integration with your iPhone, it’s perfect for cars, desks and multiple other scenarios.

A powerful suction cup holds the mount in place virtually anywhere, a magnetic ring holds MagSafe phones in place, and a flexible arm lets you position your iPhone any way you like. Grab one now while it costs just $19.99 (regularly $39.99).

iPadOS 26 moves the iPad closer to the Mac than ever before. But don’t take the upcoming operating system as a stepping stone toward an eventual unification between iPadOS and macOS. That’s clearly not going to happen.

The reason can be summed up with a phrase that Craig Federighi, Apple’s head of software development, used in an interview at WWDC this week: “iPad’s gonna be iPad.”

“It” girl actress Sydney Sweeney plays a drug addict and probable killer whose mom, played by Julianne Moore, will do anything to save her, according to a trailer Apple TV+ dropped recently for the new Echo Valley movie. It’s now streaming, as of Friday, and you can watch the trailer below.

Ridley Scott produces the thriller, which also stars Kyle MacLachlan and Domhall Gleeson.

Update: Echo Valley, now available to watch on Apple TV+, garners mixed reviews so far. Empire calls it a “superbly acted rural thriller.” Financial Times said it’s “delightedly twisty” with “dark dashes of Hitchcock.” But IGN calls it “hollow” and “dull,” and a New York Times review says: “A stellar cast led by Julianne Moore is unable to breathe life into this unsuccessful blend of maternal drama and crime caper.”

1Password is testing a new unlock system on Mac, aiming to reduce the need for constant reauthentication. The app introduces three preset modes — Convenient, Balanced and Strict — giving users control over how frequently they unlock the app based on their security preferences.

The changes are currently only available on 1Password’s beta channel for Mac.

The release date for the AI-enhanced version of the Siri voice assistant will likely come in spring 2026, according to information leaking out of Apple. That’s nine months from now, and a year after it was first expected.

The long delay in the launch of smarter Siri was a significant black eye for Apple, clearly demonstrating that it wasn’t keeping up with rivals in AI research.

In a significant policy shift, Apple will let iPhone users stream videos directly to their CarPlay screens for the first time since the platform’s launch. With iOS 26, showcased at WWDC25, the tech giant introduced AirPlay video functionality for CarPlay. So you can stream video from apps in the car — but only when you’re parked.

The PNY Duo Link V3 external SSD includes both a USB-C and a USB-A connector. That means the flash drive that launched Thursday can plug into any modern Mac, or it can go into a smartTV or other accessory that lacks a USB-C port — no adapter needed.

Even better, it offers 1,000MB/s data transfers, and capacities go up to 2 terabytes. The price is very competitive, too.

If you want high-quality noise-canceling earbuds but AirPods Pro don’t feel right in your ears, consider Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. With a comfortable fit, thanks to multiple ear tip and stability band sizes, they’re designed for long-term wear, whether you’re in back-to-back Zoom calls or crunching numbers while listening to a lo-fi playlist.

They come from Bose, so you already know they sound great and deliver excellent active noise cancellation. And right now, you can grab a pair of refurbished QuietComfort Ultra earbuds for just $189.99 (regularly $299).

Among keyboard enthusiasts, the Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard recently gained a deserved reputation as a rock-solid budget-to-mid-priced option. The 75% layout keeb for Mac or Windows combines premium materials, customizable features and impressive performance in a package that punches above its price point. This hands-on Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard review will cover the bases to help potential buyers make an informed decision.

iOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26 and other upcoming Apple operating systems include new tools intended to help parents protect kids and teens online. These include a system that enables parents to share the age range of their children with third-party applications in a way that doesn’t violate the kids’ privacy.

There are also new protections for teens under 18 as they use their Apple devices, and parental controls on communicating with new phone numbers.