While even tech-savvy users can fall for elaborate phishing scams, most attacks are designed to target less technically inclined people.

With that in mind, the new Messages app in iOS 26 introduces (or better yet, removes) two things that could make a pretty big difference in keeping users safe, regardless of how familiar they may be with phishing tactics.

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Google today announced that it is bringing new AI video editing tools to both Google Photos and YouTube Shorts.


Google ‌Photos‌ is gaining a photo-to-video feature that's powered by Veo 2. The photo app will be able to generate short videos from the photos that are saved in the Google ‌Photos‌ gallery, adding subtle animations, facial expressions, and more.

Google ‌Photos‌ users can select a picture from their photo gallery and choose the "Subtle movements" or "I'm feeling lucky" options to bring images to life with movement. The feature is rolling out today in the Google ‌Photos‌ apps for iOS and Android.

In the next few weeks, Google ‌Photos‌ will get a "Remix" feature that will allow users to change the style of a photo using AI. Available options will include anime, comic, sketch, and 3D animation. The Photo to video and Remix tools can both be found in the new Create tab in Google ‌Photos‌, and all AI-generated content will be watermarked with a SynthID digital watermark.

As for YouTube Shorts, Google is allowing creators to use the Photo to video feature to turn pictures from the camera roll into videos that work on the Shorts platform. As with the option in Google ‌Photos‌, Photo to video can add movement to landscape photos, animate everyday images, and add life to group photos.

Creators are also able to use new effects that can transform doodles into images and turn selfies into unique videos.

Photo to video for YouTube Shorts is rolling out today and over the next week, and it's a free feature that will be available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The new effects are rolling out in the coming weeks and can be found by tapping the Effects icon in the Shorts camera.
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During its nearly six years on the market, Apple TV+ has been referred to by some as “the new HBO.” But this year might be when Apple has truly started to prove that claim. Here’s why.

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Apple’s next big iPhone update, iOS 26, will bring a Liquid Glass redesign and tons of new features. Beta testers can try out iOS 26 now, but its release date for the public is still a ways off—here’s when to expect its launch.

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Amazon is offering discounts on the M4 Mac mini this week, and you can get Apple's smallest desktop machine for up to $150 off.

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

The M4 Mac mini with 24GB RAM and a 512GB SSD is available for $889, which is $110 off the standard price from Apple. The M4 Pro variant with 24GB RAM and a 512GB SSD is a little over $150 off, and there's a smaller discount on the standard M4 models with 16GB RAM.






These aren't the best discounts we've ever seen for the Mac mini, but they're the best prices available this week if you're looking to pick up a new desktop machine.

If you're looking for a different Mac, we keep track of the best prices available in our Apple Deals roundup.
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Linear TV continues rapidly declining, something that Tim Cook saw coming when he declared that the future of TV is apps. But Apple TV apps have always struggled from one core issue: signing into streaming accounts is a major pain. Here’s how tvOS 26 plans to solve that for Apple TV 4K users moving forward.

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Apple News+ Audio is expanding to the UK, Canada, and Australia as of today. Apple debuted ‌Apple News‌+ Audio way back in 2020, and it has been limited to U.S. ‌Apple News‌ subscribers until now.


‌Apple News‌+ Audio is primarily designed for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, and it provides professionally narrated versions of the best stories from ‌Apple News‌. Audio stories can be listened to in the ‌Apple News‌+ app or in the Podcasts app, with Apple highlighting popular stories from subscription publications like The New Yorker, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and more.

Those who do not subscribe to ‌Apple News‌+ can hear previews of stories, and there's also a free News Today audio option that's available to all ‌Apple News‌ users.

‌Apple News‌+ has a robust selection of audio stories, with users able to see top options across categories like News and Politics, Business, Sports, Arts and Entertainment, and True Crime.

In Australia, Canada, and the UK, ‌Apple News‌+ Audio includes audio stories from local publications as well as stories from the U.S.

‌Apple News‌+ is priced at $12.99 USD per month, and it provides access to subscription publications like The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and The Atlantic, along with dozens of magazines and regional newspapers. ‌Apple News‌+ is also included in the Apple One Premier plan priced at $37.95 USD per month.

(Thanks, Ben!)
This article, "Apple News+ Audio Expands to the UK, Canada, and Australia" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple TV+ is having its biggest year ever. While Severance is the undisputed highlight, comedies on the streamer have been on a hot streak too. And the latest hit comedy, Stick, just got an official season 2 renewal.

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Apple's most affordable AirPods are even more affordable this week, with Amazon offering the AirPods 4 for just $99, down from $129.

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

Apple introduced the AirPods 4 back in September, and the earbuds feature an updated design that's more comfortable in the ears, along with a vent system for pressure equalization. Sound quality is much improved thanks to a new acoustic architecture, so if you have older AirPods and have been wanting to upgrade, now might be a good time.

Amazon is discounting the standard AirPods 4, and unfortunately, the AirPods 4 with ANC aren't on sale this week.


If you're looking for more deals on Apple products, make sure to check out our Apple Deals roundup where we track sales.
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This fall, Apple is introducing a brand new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air that may steal a lot of attention from the Pro models. But a recently rumored iPhone 17 Pro display feature could prove the best differentiator at just the right time.

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Apple has modified the screenshot experience in iOS 26 to accommodate Visual Intelligence and its new Liquid Glass aesthetic. Taking a screenshot is still done by pressing the Side button and Volume Up button on your iPhone, but the interface has been redesigned, while there's another change that might slow down your workflow if you're used to the streamlined approach taken in iOS 18 and earlier.

Why You Might Want to Switch Back

If you regularly use Apple's screen capture tools in iOS 18, you'll know that screenshots appear as small thumbnails in the bottom-left corner that you can quickly tap to edit and save or ignore. This lets you continue using your iPhone without interruption, while still giving you the option to markup and/or share a screenshot when required.

In contrast, the new full-screen preview mode in iOS 26 displays your screenshot across the entire display by default, complete with editing tools and Visual Intelligence options at the bottom. While this gives you immediate access to cropping, markup, and AI-powered features, it may feel intrusive compared to iOS 18's approach.

Disabling Full-Screen Previews

When you take your first screenshot after updating to iOS 26, you should see an on-screen prompt asking if you'd like to "Switch to Thumbnail View." If you missed this opportunity or accidentally tapped "Not Now," you can still revert to the old thumbnail approach, thanks to a new settings menu:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.


2. Tap General.


3. Select Screen Capture.


4. Toggle off Full-Screen Previews.

Once disabled, screenshots will revert to the familiar iOS 18 behavior, appearing as temporary thumbnails in the bottom-left corner. You can still access all editing features by tapping the thumbnail when you need them, or you can review the images later in the Photos app.

Additional Screenshot Options

While you're in Screen Capture settings, you'll also find new options for enabling HDR screenshots (saved in HEIF image format), a CarPlay Screenshots toggle for when your iPhone is connected to CarPlay, and Visual Lookup (iPhone 15 Pro and newer models only).
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For the longest time, one of AirPods’ best features has been absent when in the car. But in iOS 26, Apple is making AirPods and CarPlay work better together than ever. Here’s how.

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are headlined by the MacBook Pro. Amazon is now offering some notable discounts across the lineup, including the base M4 at $200 off the list price alongside an upgraded 1TB 14-inch variant at $330 off and the most affordable M4 Pro model at $240 off. Those deals join the ongoing $180 discount we are tracking on this 24GB MacBook Air as well as $119 off Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 and some notable accessory deals – Twelve South’s latest 15W HiRise 2 Deluxe 2-in-1 MagSafe stand for $44 and the regularly $249 Nomad Titanium Band at 49% off. Everything awaits below. 

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has confirmed it’s in the process of buying Bee, an Apple Watch app and wearable that records everything it hears.

The platform describes itself as “a personal Al that transforms your conversations, tasks, places and more into summaries, personal insights and timely reminders” …

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Apple TV+ has announced the first details and release date for a new thriller, The Savant, that stars Jessica Chastain and is coming soon.

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Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Bitwarden: Check out Bitwarden Password Manager, featuring a new Apple Watch authenticator integration, secure autofill on Safari and iOS apps, and enterprise-grade security tools that help you manage credentials with confidence.

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Apple and Google can now add the UK to the ever-growing list of countries and regions ramping up regulatory scrutiny. Here’s what happened.

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After former Sonos CEO Patrick Spence left the company over the disastrous launch of a new app, Tom Conrad was appointed as an interim replacement. Update: Sonos has now confirmed Conrad as permanent CEO – see the end of the piece.

The new app left many long-term customers struggling with connectivity problems and broken features, with Conrad saying this was because the company failed to understand how its products were used in the real world …

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Do you own an iPhone with a Lightning port but wish it was USB-C? A new iPhone case just arrived that could be the best solution.

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There is another change coming to AppleCare+ beyond the all-new AppleCare One bundle plan.


As noted by 9to5Mac's Zac Hall, AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss plans will be available for the iPad and Apple Watch starting this Thursday, July 24. These plans are available individually, with no AppleCare One coverage required.

As the name of the plan implies, AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss includes coverage for up to two incidents of theft or loss in a one-year period, in addition to unlimited repairs for accidental damage. In the U.S., the plan starts at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for the iPad, and at $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year for the Apple Watch.

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss was previously limited to the iPhone, with only regular AppleCare+ for repairs offered for the iPad and Apple Watch until now.

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss is still not available for other devices, such as the Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro.

If you do prefer AppleCare One, theft and loss coverage does apply to any devices that you add to that plan, including the iPad and Apple Watch.

More details are available on the AppleCare website.
This article, "AppleCare+ With Theft and Loss Coverage Expanding Beyond iPhones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Meta said that it has removed 135,000 Instagram accounts for “sexualizing children,” and has launched new protections for teenage users.

A further half a million Instagram and Facebook accounts were removed by the platform when they were found to be linked to the offending profiles …

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Apple is expanding the capability of its In-App Purchase framework with a new retention messaging API. This means, for the first time, developers will be able to show offers to users when they go to cancel a subscription in the global Subscriptions screen inside the Settings app.

Apps will be able to show a simple static message, display dynamic progress based on the user’s app state, or present a special offer to try and dissuade the user from cancelling their payment altogether.

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An independent engineer known for modifying Apple products today revealed a new accessory that adds a fully functional USB-C port to older iPhones with Lightning ports via a custom-designed case.


Ken Pillonel, the Swiss robotics engineer who gained attention in 2021 after adding a USB-C port to an iPhone X through hardware modification, has launched a commercial product that enables USB-C charging and data transfer on Lightning-based iPhones without requiring any internal modifications.

The accessory, sold under the brand "Obsoless," is a two-part snap-on case that integrates a custom circuit board and USB-C connector. The product is designed to provide full compatibility with 9V fast charging, data transfer, and Apple CarPlay.

The project is built on the foundations of his earlier work with AirPods USB-C cases. In a new video, Pillonel explains how he overcame many of the technical challenges involved in developing the case, such as ensuring compatibility with fast charging.



The case itself consists of two parts that clamp around the phone, connecting to the Lightning port through a precisely aligned connector embedded within the enclosure. Pillonel developed a custom latching mechanism inspired by pen clickers and belt buckles, which uses a rotating joint and tactile latch to keep the enclosure closed without requiring tools.

The accessory is also MagSafe compatible. 20 different iPhone models with Lightning ports are supported in total. More color variants of the case will be available starting in September, and users can sign up for email notifications via the Obsoless website for updates on availability.
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The company behind encrypted email service Proton Mail has today launched a new freemium AI chatbot which promises that your chats will remain completely private.

Proton Lumo offers five protections it says aren’t matched by any of the existing mainstream AI services like ChatGPT and Gemini, and has even thrown shade at Apple Intelligence privacy …

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