Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines.


According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option.

Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that the feature cannot be used to display ads or promotions. From Apple's developer website:

Don't use a Live Activity to display ads or promotions. Live Activities help people stay informed about ongoing events and tasks, so it's important to display only information that's related to those events and tasks.

Apps that violate Apple's interface guidelines can be pulled from the App Store.

We were not able to replicate the Live Activity ad, so it's possible that Duolingo stopped displaying it after user complaints.
This article, "Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple TV is kicking off the new year with a packed lineup of TV shows in January, but the streamer’s next movie—Eternity—is expected to drop in February and stars Elizabeth Olsen. Here are the details.

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In a press release today, Apple shared fascinating data about how Apple Watch helps users increase their exercise levels in January and maintain them well into the new year.

The data comes from approximately 100,000 participants in the Apple Heart and Movement Study over the last four years.

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iOS 26.2 is the latest iPhone software update, and it includes several new ways to customize the way your iPhone looks and works. Here’s what’s new.

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Birdfy today debuted two new products, the Birdfy Feeder Vista and the Birdfy Hum Bloom, which join the company's line of camera-equipped accessories designed for bird watching.


The Birdfy Feeder Vista is a 360-degree smart bird feeder that features two cameras able to capture 14-megapixel panoramic images and record 6K HD video. The Vista is a pole-based camera option that offers a bottom-up feeding system. There's an air pump that feeds seed into a sealed lower container to the feeding tray, so there is no seed hopper that blocks the view of the camera.


Users are able to switch between the 360-degree perspective and a more traditional wide-angle view. As with other Birdfy feeders, the AI will identify birds that visit, but the Vista includes 120-fps slow-motion video for bird landings and flights. The camera is triggered via weight sensors instead of motion, so bird visits aren't missed. The Vista uses an LLM-powered AI that uses contextual understanding and biological reasoning to identify birds with greater accuracy.

Birdfy says that the included air pump feeding system is able to control feed speed and portion size to cut down on waste and encourage healthier feeding habits. Seed is stored in an antibacterial seed container to minimize contamination and to cut down on refill frequency. The feeder is made from a high-strength nylon that is reinforced with glass fiber, and there is a snap-on modular system for adding accessories to attract more kinds of birds.

Along with the Vista, Birdfy is debuting the Birdfy Hum Bloom, a feeder designed for hummingbirds. The feeder is able to capture 8-megapixel images or 120 fps slow-motion videos, and like the Vista, the Hum Bloom is designed not to obstruct the camera's view.


A flower-shaped nectar bulb delivers nectar in a shape that's familiar to birds, with no visible feeding tray in images. Included sensors can track nectar level, sending an alert when a refill is needed. There's an included ant moat, and a solar panel for continuous power.

Birdfy says that the feeder uses an AI model that's trained specifically on hummingbirds, a feature that sets it apart from other camera-equipped hummingbird feeders.

More information about the feeders will be coming later this year.
This article, "CES 2026: Birdfy Debuts Hummingbird and 360-Degree Vista Feeders" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It's 2026, and we're kicking off the New Year with all of the best Apple-related discounts you can find online this week. Many of these are matching the low prices we saw over the holidays, including AirTags, Apple Pencil Pro, and Apple Watch Series 11.

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

Apple Watch

• What's the deal? Take up to $100 off Apple Watch SE 3 and Series 11


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

The New Year is a great time to invest in an Apple Watch and all of its activity tracking features, and this week Amazon has record low prices on multiple Apple Watch Series 11 models.

AirTag

• What's the deal? Take up to $34 off AirTag


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's AirTag 4-Pack returned to the low price of $64.98 this week on Amazon, down from the original price of $99.00. If you're shopping for a single AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $19.00, down from $29.00.

Jackery and Anker

• What's the deal? Take up to 65 percent off Jackery and Anker accessories


• Where can I get it? Jackery and Anker


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Anyone shopping for portable power stations can find up to 65 percent off Anker and Jackery's best accessories this week. Each retailer is hosting a New Year's sale for its most popular charging accessories, with major savings on these high-priced power stations that match Black Friday prices in many cases.

Apple Pencil Pro

• What's the deal? Take $34 off Apple Pencil Pro


• Where can I get it? Amazon

Apple Pencil Pro is still available for its all-time low holiday price of $94.97 this week on Amazon, down from $129.00. This has been one of the more consistent deals of the holiday season, and we aren't sure how long it will stick around into the new year.

Samsung

• What's the deal? Save sitewide on Samsung TVs, monitors, and more


• Where can I get it? Samsung


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Samsung is holding a New Year's sale this week, introducing great deals on monitors, storage accessories, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

TVs

• 55-inch QLED QEF1 Smart TV - $359.99, down from $599.99


• 55-inch QLED Q7F Smart TV - $399.99, down from $529.99


• 55-inch QLED Q8F Smart TV - $699.99, down from $749.99


• 55-inch OLED S95F Smart TV - $1,999.99, down from $2,299.99
  
• 75-inch The Frame Pro - $1,999.99, down from $3,199.99


• 85-inch Neo QLED QN90F Smart TV - $2,999.99, down from $4,499.99

Monitors

• 27-inch Odyssey OLED G6 Gaming Monitor - $649.99, down from $899.99


• 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor - $777.99, down from $1,299.99


• 55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen - $1,299.99, down from $2,699.99


• 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Start 2026 Off Right With a New Apple Watch Series 11 at Lowest-Ever Price" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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AirPods Pro 3 launched just a few months ago, but rumors indicate there’s a second model coming this year with one key upgrade: IR cameras. Here are the details.

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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.

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Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce.


In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing."

TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more affordable MacBook, which is expected to be equipped with a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip. Apple is expected to release the laptop by March or April of this year.

In the U.S., the entry-level MacBook is expected to have a starting price between $599 and $899, with $699 or $799 being most likely. It would slot in below the MacBook Air, which starts at $999 (but is frequently on sale on Amazon for as low as $749).

A18 Pro specs include a 6-core CPU, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The chip's performance is similar to the M1 chip, so this new MacBook could effectively be a replacement for the old MacBook Air with the M1 chip, which Apple still sells through Walmart for $599 and even as low as $549 during a recent Black Friday sale.

With an A18 Pro chip, this MacBook might have only 8GB of RAM, whereas all current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models start with at least 16GB of RAM. The chip also lacks Thunderbolt support, so the new MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports, with slower data transfer speeds and external display limitations.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. In June, he said the laptop will have around a 13-inch display, and the A18 Pro chip. Kuo said potential color options include silver, blue, pink, and yellow, so it could come in bright colors like the iMac.

Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes later exclusively reported that this MacBook will be equipped with a 12.9-inch display like some current or past iPad Air and iPad Pro models, whereas the MacBook Air has a slightly larger 13.6-inch display.

TrendForce appears to be siding with the 12.9-inch display size.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. Hopefully, it is announced within the next few months, following endless rumors from several sources.
This article, "Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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I’ve been using an iPad Pro as my primary computer since the big redesign in 2018. Back then, it was still running what was essentially an iPad version of iOS. But I loved the design and the raw power it offered so much that I decided to commit to the iPad full-time. Every year after that, Apple teased the idea that the iPad was becoming a more genuine computer replacement. And every year, the software fell just short.

Then Apple released iPadOS 26 in 2025, and for the first time, it genuinely changed what the iPad could be for a lot of people. It was transformative in many ways, but it also introduced a level of nuance that left some users hesitant. So the question is: was this update finally enough?

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Apple products have a solid reputation for durability, but the latest evidence of that is especially impressive. A Ukrainian solider has posted about his M1 MacBook Air stopping an artillery shell fragment, and continuing to work fine.

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A new report at The Information details the latest leaks and tidbits on OpenAI’s first hardware device, including plans for upgraded audio models for ChatGPT and more.

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As my colleague Ryan detailed last month, Apple has more than 20 products likely launching in 2026. The festivities could begin as soon as this month. Here’s everything to expect from Apple in January.

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Apple launched a brand new M5 Vision Pro update last fall, but according to a new report, it may have had little impact on struggling Vision Pro sales.

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Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch.


The key announcements include:

• New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January.


• "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an Apple Watch badge in the app.


• New multiweek programs: From January 5, the "Make Your Fitness Comeback program" will be available for Strength, HIIT, and Yoga. Each week builds on the previous one to help users progress.


• Fitness+ Artist Spotlight returns: New workouts featuring music from KAROL G and, from February 5, Bad Bunny.


• New Time to Walk episodes: Starting January 19, new episodes feature actor and producer Penn Badgley, Spice Girls member, singer, songwriter, and TV personality Mel B, and actor Michelle Monaghan.

Apple added that many people abandon New Year's fitness resolutions by the second Friday of January, known as "Quitter's Day," but Apple Watch users appear far more likely to stay on track. An analysis of four years of data from around 100,000 participants in the Apple Heart and Movement Study found that, after a seasonal dip in activity during November and December, average daily exercise minutes rise sharply in January and continue increasing into spring.

More than 60% of users boosted their exercise by over 10% in the first two weeks of January compared with December levels. Nearly 80% of those users maintained the increase through the rest of January, and 90% of that group sustained higher activity levels through February and March. The findings are based on participants who consistently wore an Apple Watch and shared Activity data as part of the long-running study conducted with major U.S. health institutions.
This article, "Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Vision Pro headset is still failing to see appeal among consumers, according to a new report from the Financial Times.


Data from IDC claims that Apple shipped 390,000 Vision Pro units in 2024. IDC expected Apple to ship just 45,000 new Vision Pro units in the latest quarter of 2025. The Financial Times stressed that this compares to millions of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks sold each quarter. Luxshare, the Vision Pro's assembler, apparently halted production of the headset at the start of 2025.

According to Sensor Tower, Apple has apparently reduced digital advertising spending for the Vision Pro by more than 95% over the past year in key markets including the United States and United Kingdom. The report also noted that Apple did little to expand the device's international rollout in 2025.

Morgan Stanley analysts told the Financial Times that "the cost, form factor and the lack of VisionOS native apps are the reasons why the Vision Pro never sold broadly." Since the device's debut in 2024, critics have highlighted practical shortcomings such as the device's weight, discomfort during extended use, and limited battery life.

Apple is said to be struggling with a platform adoption problem, with an insufficient number of users to motivate developers and insufficient apps to attract users. Apple says around 3,000 apps are designed specifically for Vision Pro, a figure that lags far behind the rapid growth of the iPhone App Store after its launch in 2008. Appfigures notes that this total likely includes niche and industry-specific software.

The challenges facing the Vision Pro reflect broader weakness in the virtual reality market. According to Counterpoint Research, global VR headset shipments declined 14% year on year. Meta still dominates the sector, accounting for around 80% of sales with its Quest headsets, which are significantly cheaper than the Vision Pro but less technologically advanced. Even so, Meta has reportedly scaled back its own marketing spend for VR hardware, suggesting limited consumer momentum across the category.
This article, "Report: Apple Vision Pro Is Still Failing to Catch On" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator.


The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, and Gmail directly on the home screen.

"Communicator is to a smartphone what a Kindle is to an iPad," said Jeff Gadway, Chief Marketing Officer at Clicks Technology, in a press release. "It's a complementary product that stands on its own, optimized for a specific purpose. In the case of Clicks Communicator, that means communicating with confidence in a noisy world."


"The two-phone lifestyle is becoming more common," added Michael Fisher, co-founder of Clicks Technology and host of the tech-focused YouTube channel MrMobile. "Some people need a second phone for work, others want to be more intentional about how they use technology. At a time when everything is fighting for our attention, your phone should excel at helping you take action, not feeding distraction."

Like the Clicks Keyboard, the Clicks Communicator device itself has a physical keyboard. The device also features a so-called "Prompt Key" button on the side of the device that you can press and hold to dictate a text message.

The device is equipped with a USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 4,000 mAh battery, 256GB of built-in storage, a microSD slot for up to 2TB of additional storage, a 50-megapixel rear camera, a 24-megapixel front camera, and more. It has both a physical SIM card tray and eSIM support, with global support for 5G and LTE.


In the U.S., the Clicks Communicator will be available in the colors Smoke, Clover, and Onyx for an introductory price of $499. However, if you make a $199 deposit before February 27, you can lock in a discounted $399 price. Clicks Communicator is expected to begin shipping later this year, according to the press release. However, we strongly recommend exercising caution with pre-ordering a device like this prior to shipments beginning.

Clicks Communicator will be showcased at CES 2026 in Las Vegas next week.
This article, "'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new year is here, and with it many fresh aspirations for improved health. Today Apple Fitness+ has announced a variety of features to help users achieve their goals, including new multiweek programs for establishing exercise habits.

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As we shared in our annual What to Expect Guide yesterday, 2026 is going to be a busy year for Apple. There are a lot of firsts in development, including the first foldable iPhone and the first OLED MacBook, plus an all new home hub device that will kick off Apple's major expansion into smart home devices and robotics.


We'll get new M5 Macs and new iPads early in the year, along with an updated ‌iPhone‌ 17e. In the spring, we're expecting iOS 26.4 with the revamped version of Siri, and the home hub, a new Apple TV, and a new HomePod mini could launch in that same timeframe.

We're aware of what's likely to launch based on rumors and past release information, but we'd love to hear from the MacRumors community. What do you want to see Apple release this year?

Are you excited for the new version of ‌Siri‌? Planning to get an ‌iPhone‌ Fold? What do you want to see from iOS 27 and macOS 27?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and take a look at our What to Expect guide for an overview of the current rumors. We'll be hearing a lot more about Apple's 2026 plans in the coming months, and you can count on us to have in-depth coverage of every rumor that surfaces.

If you want to discuss Apple's 2026 products, our MacRumors forums are an excellent resource, plus they're a great place to get help on current Apple products and software, or to find like-minded folks in the Apple community.

Our readers and our forum members continue to make MacRumors the number one source for Apple news, rumors, and advice, so thank you for being here! MacRumors celebrated its 25th birthday this year, thanks to the MacRumors community. We're looking forward to another year of rumors and product launches in 2026, and we hope you are too. Happy New Year!
This article, "What Do You Want to See From Apple in 2026?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.


Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the ‌iPhone 18‌ is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the ‌iPhone 17‌ in the lineup as the latest standard model for over 18 months. This would mark the first time Apple skips an entire calendar year without releasing a new generation of its flagship non-Pro ‌iPhone‌.

For more than a decade, Apple has introduced its mainline ‌iPhone‌ lineup in the fall, with all core models launching simultaneously in September. That pattern is expected to change this year, when the company is widely rumored to split its upcoming ‌iPhone‌ releases across two distinct release windows rather than unveiling the entire lineup at once. Under this strategy, Apple is expected to prioritize higher-end models in the fall while delaying lower-cost or standard models until the following year.

As a result, Apple is not expected to ship the ‌iPhone 18‌ in 2026. Instead, reports indicate that Apple plans to launch the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro, ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max, and foldable ‌iPhone‌ in the usual fall timeframe, while holding the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ back until the spring of 2027, where it will launch alongside the ‌iPhone‌ 18e and iPhone Air 2.

The rumored change is tied to Apple's expanding ‌iPhone‌ lineup. With the introduction of the iPhone 16e and ‌iPhone Air‌ in 2025, the expected debut of the first foldable ‌iPhone‌ in 2026, and the continued presence of older models like the iPhone 16 and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, there could be at least eight distinct ‌iPhone‌ models on sale from Apple by the end of 2026. A staggered release schedule would allow the company to further differentiate its models, give them a longer sales window without internal competition, and spread ‌iPhone‌ launches more evenly across the year.

Supply chain analysts have also pointed to manufacturing and logistics benefits as a factor behind the rumored shift. By spacing out launches, Apple could reduce production bottlenecks, better manage component supply for advanced technologies, and smooth revenue recognition across fiscal quarters rather than concentrating ‌iPhone‌ sales in a single period.
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Copilot Money is an award-winning app that brings a personal approach to managing your finances. It ties together your entire financial life into a beautifully-designed app that has been recognized by Apple on countless occasions.

Plus, Copilot Money is now available on the web so you can access it from anywhere.

Copilot Money is exclusively offering 9to5Mac readers an extended two-month free trial with code 9TO5MAC. Plus, you can save 26% on Copilot Money’s annual plan when you subscribe on the web with this link (new users only).

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Apple today shared a new "Shot on iPhone" ad promoting the 8x optical zoom feature on the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max.


The ad includes a series of quick zooms to show off what the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models can do. Apple's video description highlight the 200mm focal length of the lens.

With an equivalent 200 mm focal length, the 8x optical-quality zoom makes this our longest iPhone Telephoto ever. So you can get dramatically closer with iPhone 17 Pro.

8x zoom is a new feature this year, exclusive to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max. The prior iPhone 16 Pro models were limited to 5x optical zoom.
This article, "Apple Shares 'Detectives' Ad Promoting iPhone 17 Pro Camera" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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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.

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You can now shoot video from the VSCO Capture app, and apply more than 50 VSCO filter presets as you’re doing it. Here are the details.

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