Another country, another continuation of the ongoing antitrust battle between Epic Games and Apple over third-party app stores.

While Apple has enabled support for third-party app stores within another country, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney isn’t happy with the arrangements …

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Apple is working on a 24-inch iMac featuring an OLED display, with the aim of completing development as early as 2027, claims a new report out of Korea.


According to The Elec, Apple has sent requests for information to Samsung Display and LG Display regarding development of a 24-inch OLED panel for the iMac. Current 24-inch iMacs use a 4.5K Retina display, which is an LCD panel with LED backlighting.

The specs apparently being discussed include 600 nits of brightness and a pixel density of 218 PPI. If accurate, that would match the current 24-inch iMac's resolution but deliver a 20% brightness boost over the existing 4.5K Retina display's 500-nit maximum, making it equivalent to the brightness of Apple's Studio Display – though that also uses an inferior LCD panel.

OLED display technology benefits from several other advantages beyond brighter screens, such as deeper blacks with higher contrast, improved power efficiency, and other enhancements.

This is the first report we've seen suggesting Apple plans to bring OLED technology to its all-in-one desktop lineup. The company has already committed to OLED displays for future MacBook Pro models, with 14-inch and 16-inch versions expected to enter production next year using Samsung Display's 8th-generation IT OLED manufacturing line. OLED versions of its MacBook Air models are expected to follow.

For the iMac display, both Samsung and LG Display are expected to propose their respective large-format OLED technologies rather than the RGB OLED method Apple traditionally prefers. Samsung would likely pitch its quantum dot (QD-OLED) panels, while LG Display would offer its white (W-OLED) solution. QD-OLED produces color by passing blue light through a QD color conversion layer, while W-OLED produces color by passing white light through RGBW color filters. Both manufacturers are reportedly developing 5-stack configurations that add an extra green layer to improve brightness compared to current 4-stack designs.

The report suggests Apple prefers RGB OLED, where light and color generate at the subpixel level, but this technology apparently hasn't yet scaled reliably to the 20-30 inch range needed for desktop displays. Both panel makers are said to be exploring RGB OLED as a longer-term option.

Apple aims to complete iMac OLED panel development by 2027 or 2028, but the finished product could launch after that timeline. A recent but separate report has claimed Apple is developing a high-end iMac featuring the M5 Max chip, but there is currently no indication that OLED is destined for this rumored model. Apple could refresh the 24-inch iMac with an updated M5 chip at some point next year.
This article, "Report: Apple Developing 24-Inch OLED iMac With 600 Nits Brightness" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Good morning! Well folks, this is it. I’ve been telling you for the last six weeks to buy AirPods Pro 3 this holiday season, and this is your last call. I’ll be honest, this last hurrah comes as a surprise.

Amazon has done the unexpected and dropped AirPods Pro 3 back to their all-time low of $199. AND! The logistics wizards at the company say your order will arrive before Christmas with time to spare.

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199 (Reg. $249) | All-time low

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Last year, X (formerly known as Twitter) killed its dedicated Mac app and removed it from the Mac App Store. At the time, the company pointed users to the iPad version of the app, which remained available on the Mac App Store for Apple Silicon users to install.

Now, however, X is blocking users from installing the iPad version of the app on macOS. The essentially means the company has ditched the Mac entirely.

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Apple will next year introduce more ads in the App Store "to increase opportunity" in search results, the company has announced.


According to an update to Apple's Ads website, additional ads will appear across search queries, appearing at the top as well as further down in App Store results, and existing campaigns won't need to do anything to be eligible.

Search is the way most people find and download apps on the App Store, with nearly 65 percent of downloads happening directly after a search. To help give advertisers more opportunities to drive downloads from search results, Apple Ads will introduce additional ads across search queries. You don't need to change your campaign in order to be eligible for any new positions. Your ad will run in either the existing position — at the top of search results — or further down in search results. If you have a search results campaign running, your ad will be automatically eligible for all available positions, but you can't select or bid for a particular one.

Apple explains that the ad format will remain the same – a default or custom product page, and an optional deep link. Advertisers and developers won't see a change in their billing, which will remain based on Apple's cost-per-tap model, so developers only pay when a user taps on an ad. Apple displays ads based on a combination of bid amount and an app's relevance to the search query, with ad matching done automatically.

The new App Store ads will appear on devices running iOS 26.2 and later from the beginning of 2026. For further details, check out Apple's Ads website.

(Via 9to5Mac.)
This article, "App Store Search Results to Show More Ads Next Year, Says Apple" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is expanding the number of ads that appear in App Store search results. In an update on its Apple Ads website today, the company detailed that it will introduce more ads “to increase opportunity in search results” starting next year.

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Apple today introduced several changes to the App Store in Japan to meet the requirements of the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) that goes into effect on December 18. The MSCA is similar to Europe's Digital Markets Act (DMA) so the Japanese ‌App Store‌ will work a lot like the EU ‌App Store‌, but there are some differences.


Here's a quick rundown of what's changing as of today:

• Side Button - Users in Japan will be able to change what the side button does, and it will be able to activate third-party voice assistants instead of Siri.


• Payment options - Developers can offer in-app purchases, accept third-party payments in their apps, or direct users to a website to make a purchase.


• Alternative app marketplaces - Apps can be distributed through alternative app marketplaces instead of the ‌App Store‌. Users can set an alternative app marketplace as their default marketplace instead of the ‌App Store‌.


• Fee changes - New fees range from 5% to 26% depending on distribution method and payment method.


• Browser choice - Users are prompted to select a default browser at setup.


• Search engine choice - Users are prompted to choose a default Search engine at setup.


• Navigation apps - Users in Japan can select a different navigation app.

Alternative Payment Options

There is a notable difference between how alternative payment options are implemented in Japan and how they are implemented in the EU. Developers in Japan are required to display third-party digital purchase options alongside in-app purchase options, so customers can choose to use in-app purchase if desired.

Purchase screens can link to a website or use a third-party payment service for end-to-end checkout directly in an app, but those two alternative payment options must be displayed right alongside an in-app purchase option. Developers are required to make the in-app purchase button at least as prominent as other payment options that are displayed.

Japanese developers are able to offer different price points, so a direct payment link can be cheaper than the accompanying in-app purchase option. When a user chooses an alternative payment option or taps a link to a website to make a purchase, an in-app sheet will let them know they are no longer transacting with Apple. It informs users that refund requests and other Apple-provided services will not be available.

Alternative App Marketplaces

App developers in Japan can offer their apps through the ‌App Store‌ or through any alternative app marketplace. Apps and app marketplaces are subject to Apple's Notarization process, and there is no option to distribute apps through a website like there is in the EU.

Any developer is able to build an app marketplace. As in the EU, alternative app marketplaces will be checked for basic functionality, malware, and security threats for user protection purposes, but Apple does not have content oversight.

App marketplaces can establish their own content rules if desired, and must handle fraud prevention, customer support, and refunds. Apple says that app marketplaces will need to be authorized and will have to meet ongoing requirements to serve developers and users.

App developers in Japan can select an ‌App Store‌ or alternative app marketplace when using ‌App Store‌ Connect, and can distribute apps through one marketplace or many.

Users are able to set a default app marketplace that replaces the ‌App Store‌ as the primary app option.

Fees in Japan

Apple has established a new fee structure in Japan, and fees are based on distribution and payment method. Apple says that fees will be the same or lower for 100% of developers in Japan.

Participants in the Small Business Program, Video Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program will pay the reduced rate below. Subscriptions in apps maintained after the first year are also subjected to the lower fee. The Small Business Program includes developers that earn less than 1 million USD annually. Developers that earn more than that have to pay Apple's full commission rates.

• App Store w/ In-App Purchase - Varies from 15% to 26%. 21% base fee, 5% payment processing fee. Base fee is 10% for program participants, and 5% fee remains the same.


• App Store w/ Alt Purchase - Varies from 10% to 21%. 21% base fee, no payment processing fee. 10% for program participants.


• App Store w/ Web Link - Varies from 10% to 15%. 15% Store Services Fee, 10% for program participants.


• Alternative Marketplace - 5% Core Technology Commission.

To explain it another way, all apps on the ‌App Store‌ will pay a 10% or 21% ‌App Store‌ commission. For purchases made using in-app purchase through the ‌App Store‌, Apple will collect an additional 5%. Purchases made in an app through an alternate payment method will not incur the 5% fee, but developers will need to pay the fee from whatever payment processing service they're using.

Web link fees are lower. Apple will collect 15% from standard users, or 10% from program participants. There is no payment processing fee, but developers will need to pay the fee of the third-party payment processing service.

Non-App Store distribution has the lowest fee, at 5%. The Core Technology Commission applies to the sale of digital goods and services, including paid apps in alternative app marketplaces.

Side Button Changes

Users in Japan can change the function of the Side Button, assigning a voice-based conversational app. There are criteria that apps need to meet to be eligible to operate with the Side Button, and Apple has created an API to allow developers of voice-based conversational apps to request Side Button access.

Apps that offer a conversational experience as their primary purpose are eligible to be used with the Side Button. That includes chatbot apps like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.

The Side Button will be able to activate the voice chat mode in an eligible third-party app, and it will function much like the Action Button does now when launching an app using a Shortcut.

Child Protections

All apps need to provide an install sheet with a clear age rating, regardless of whether an app is distributed through the ‌App Store‌ or an app marketplace.

Apps in the Kids category will not be able to include links to websites to complete transactions at all. Apps outside of the kids category cannot link to websites for transactions for users under 13 years old. Developers are able to include a link to a website for transactions in their app, with that link only displayed to users that are over the age of 13 to meet the MSCA's requirements.

For all users under the age of 18, all ‌App Store‌ apps that use alternative payment processing or link to a website for transactions must include a parental gate that requires younger users to involve their parent before making a purchase.

Apple plans to release APIs in the future to better support the new requirements.

Browser and Search Engine Choice

During the device setup process, iPhone users in Japan are presented with browser and search engine selection screens with options displayed in a randomized order. Safari and Google Search will no longer be the automatic default in Japan.

Developers in Japan can choose alternative web browser engines other than WebKit, as long as those browser engines meet Apple's privacy requirements.

Users can change their defaults in the Defaults section of the Settings app.

Interoperability

Like in the EU, Japan's MSCA requires Apple to accept interoperability requests. Developers can ask Apple to add new features that will allow them expanded access to hardware and software features. There is also a baseline interoperability requirement.

Apple has more control over interoperability in Japan than it does in the EU, and it is able to consider security and privacy risks when deciding whether to implement an interoperability feature.

Interoperability requirements in the EU have led to delayed features like Live Translation, or have prevented Apple from implementing features like Screen Mirroring. Apple does not anticipate that interoperability requirements will lead to delayed features in Japan because Japan's law includes exceptions for privacy and security.

Navigation

‌iPhone‌ users in Japan can select a different app as the default navigation app.

MSCA vs. DMA

Apple worked with Japanese regulators on the MSCA, and sees it as a better solution than the DMA in Europe. Changes mandated by the MSCA expose users to some risk by allowing non-App Store app installations, but it maintains protections for children.

Though the MSCA allows for alternative app distribution, it does not include a provision for downloading apps directly from websites, so Apple is able to maintain some level of security by overseeing app marketplaces. Apple is able to require apps to offer both in-app purchase and alternative payment methods, allowing users in Japan to decide their preference.

The MSCA also allows Apple to deny interoperability requests that would expose users to privacy and security risks, while the DMA does not.

Fee structures and features provided by Apple are not as complicated in Japan as they are in the European Union. Japan's fees are similar to the Store Services Tier 2 fee in the EU (applicable to all apps starting on January 1, 2026), which includes all ‌App Store‌ functionality for a 15 to 20% total fee.

Japan does not have the Store Services Tier 1 option, which cuts down on ‌App Store‌ functionality that Apple delivers but also lowers fees to 10% to 12%.

Availability

Apple is implementing the ‌App Store‌ and iOS changes starting today, with the functionality built into the iOS 26.2 update that came out on December 12. Developers with iOS apps in Japan can start shipping the new features immediately, with more detailed information available on Apple's developer site. The changes are only applicable to iOS apps distributed in Japan.
This article, "Japan App Store Gets Alternative Marketplaces, Third-Party Payments and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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To comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA), Apple has announced a set of major changes to the App Store and iPhone in Japan. The changes include new app distribution options for developers and new alternative payment rules for the App Store.

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Following the success of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Apple confirmed today that it is expanding Legendary’s Monsterverse with a new spin-off series for Apple TV. Here are the details.

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There's now a dedicated Apple Music app for ChatGPT, which allows ChatGPT to make music recommendations and build playlists.


‌Apple Music‌ can be added to ChatGPT through the Settings section in the Mac app, website, or iOS app. ‌Apple Music‌ is listed under the apps option, and connecting to it requires signing in with your Apple Account for authorization purposes.

ChatGPT can be used to search through the ‌Apple Music‌ catalog for songs, artists, albums, and playlists, even without an ‌Apple Music‌ subscription. OpenAI says that all users are able to discover music, generate playlists, and listen to preview clips in ChatGPT.

‌Apple Music‌ subscribers can add songs, albums, and playlists to their ‌Apple Music‌ Library using ChatGPT. When ‌Apple Music‌ is added to ChatGPT, it can be selected by tapping on the "+" button. Playlists and suggestions generated by ChatGPT can be opened directly in ‌Apple Music‌.

ChatGPT's ‌Apple Music‌ feature was first shared yesterday, but the functionality wasn't live. The app is now available to add to ChatGPT.

Update: This article originally suggested that the app could tap into a user's ‌Apple Music‌ listening history, but it does not have this capability and the user's history and playlists remain private. The app can add to a user's ‌Apple Music‌ library but does not have read access.
This article, "ChatGPT's Apple Music Integration Is Now Live" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Following yesterday’s announcement that Apple Music would soon be available on ChatGPT, the app is now live. Here’s what you can do with it.

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The new price target reflects a higher revenue forecast, despite a recent spike in memory costs. Here are the details.

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The model, called SHARP, can reconstruct a photorealistic 3D scene from a single image in under a second. Here are some examples.

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Five years ago, an Apple Music Radio show tailored to my taste amplified music discovery for me. Discovering new episodes of that show, however, proved difficult.

That changed three years later when Apple Podcasts integrated Apple Music Radio shows. While keeping up with new episodes was much easier, listening through the Podcasts app lacked key Apple Music integration.

Now in iOS 26.2, Apple has closed the feature gap in an unexpected but effective way.

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There’s a robust ecosystem of Find My accessories on the market nowadays. All of these accessories would make great stocking stuffers this holiday season. After all, what’s a better investment than a way to keep track of their most important possessions?

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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 Backblaze: Give yourself the gift of peace of mind. Till the end of the month, 9to5Mac listeners get 30% off with code 9to5Xmas. 

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The Apple Watch lineup is available in a number of different options and configurations, ranging from different case materials, colors, sizes, and more. One of the most important things to consider, however, is whether or not you should buy an Apple Watch with cellular connectivity.

An Apple Watch with cellular lets you go out in the world without your iPhone while still remaining connected. It’s a useful feature but one that comes at a cost.

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Apple today provided public beta testers with the first release of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update for testing purposes. The public beta comes two days after Apple provided the beta to developers.


After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the System Settings app.

We don't know about any new features in macOS Tahoe 26.3 as of yet, but Apple might introduce new capabilities in later beta releases.

The beta is limited to developers and public beta testers at the current time, but we are expecting Apple to release the update at the end of January.
This article, "Apple Releases First macOS Tahoe 26.3 Public Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Earlier this week Apple debuted the first developer betas for iPadOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and more. Now today, the first public beta releases are rolling out too.

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After releasing the first developer beta of macOS Tahoe 26.3 earlier this week, Apple is already rolling out its public counterpart. Here’s what to expect.

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Apple today provided beta testers with the first releases of upcoming iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and watchOS 26.3 updates for testing purposes. The public betas come a couple of days after Apple provided the betas to developers.


Anyone can download and install public betas, and all that's required is to sign up on Apple's beta site. Once you've opted in, the software can be downloaded through the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.

iOS 26.3 introduces a simpler way for iPhone users to transfer their data to an Android device when switching platforms, plus it includes a Notification Forwarding feature for third-party wearables in the European Union. It will allow notifications to be forwarded from the ‌iPhone‌ to a third-party device.

No new features have been found in the other beta updates as of yet.

We're expecting iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, and the other software to come out somewhere around the end of January.
This article, "Apple Releases First iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 Public Betas" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26.3 is now available in public beta, arriving not long after the first developer beta debuted. Here’s what’s new.

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are now ready to roll starting off with the return of Amazon Black Friday pricing across the M4 MacBook Air lineup. You’ll now once again find all 13- and 15-inch configurations it sells at $250 off the list price alongside the most affordable M5 MacBook Pro at $250 off. Those offers join some gigantic price drops at Costco on M4 iPad Pro at as much as $699 off the list prices as well as some notable accessory deals –  Apple’s latest Ultra Natural Milanese Loop, the new iPhone Crossbody Strap up to 30% off, and the Beats iPhone 17/Pro Kickstand Case at up to 62% off. Scope it all out down below. 

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It seems that with every update, Apple quietly adds hundreds of features and settings that are very impactful but easy to miss. These are not the big headliner features, but smaller ones that, once you know about them, make your day-to-day life so much easier. Here are 15 features and settings that every iPhone owner should know about, but probably doesn’t.

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