DRAM shortages are set to impact smartphone manufacturers like Apple in 2026, but the company is going to try to keep iPhone 18 prices steady despite having to pay more for components, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


Kuo says that Apple negotiates memory prices with suppliers on a quarterly basis, so price increases are expected in the second quarter of 2026. The upcoming price hike will be similar to the first quarter increase that has already seen Apple paying more for memory. Estimates suggest that prices are up 10 to 25 percent compared to last year.

The higher memory cost will impact the iPhone's gross margins, but Apple is in a position to establish deals to get a steady supply, and it is able to absorb some of the increased cost. From Kuo:

For most non-AI brands, even if you're willing to pay up, there's no guarantee you'll get the supply. The fact that Apple can lock in a deal like this shows just how much leverage they have.

Higher memory costs will hit iPhone gross margins. But Apple's playbook is clear: use the market chaos to their advantage--secure the chips, absorb the costs, and grab more market share. They'll make it back later on the services side.

Apple may need to address memory price increases during the January 30 earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2026 (October to December 2025). Kuo expects that Apple will avoid raising prices "as much as possible," and that at least the starting price of the ‌iPhone 18‌ models will be flat.

Apple has previously absorbed component costs, and was able to keep iPhone 17 pricing relatively steady. The base ‌iPhone 17‌ model did not go up in price and still starts at $799, though Apple did start charging $100 more for the iPhone 17 Pro because of the new 256GB minimum storage.

Components other than memory could also be in short supply in the coming months, leading to further supply chain issues that could force price increases. LPDDR and NAND are currently facing shortages and higher prices because of demand from the AI industry. Chip manufacturers are prioritizing advanced memory for AI servers over the memory used in smartphones, and there has been speculation that the memory price increase will cause smartphone costs to rise across multiple brands.
This article, "Apple to Keep iPhone 18 Starting Price Steady Despite Rising Memory Costs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Sonos has had a rough past couple of years. But the company just unveiled its first new hardware product since 2024: the Amp Multi. Here are the details.

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Apple has released its latest wave of beta updates, with public beta 3 debuting for macOS Tahoe 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, and more. Here’s what to expect.

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Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and watchOS 26.3 updates to public beta testers, with the updates coming a day after Apple provided the third beta 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. The latest iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, and watchOS 26.3 updates add support for the new second-generation AirTag, including Precision Finding on Apple Watch.

iOS 26.3 also adds a new tool for transitioning from an iPhone to an Android device. Transfers can be initiated during the device setup process, and moving data from one device to another can now be done without having to download a specific app.

The update includes changes to third-party wearables in the European Union, with more information available in our iOS 26.3 beta 2 feature list following yesterday's release to developers.

Apple is expected to release iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 to the public at the end of January.
This article, "Apple Seeds Third Betas of iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 to Public Beta Testers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today provided public beta testers with the third release of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update for testing purposes. The public beta comes a day after Apple provided the third 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 Third macOS Tahoe 26.3 Public Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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After introducing the plan internationally in September, Google is bringing its AI Plus subscription to 35 new countries, including the US. 

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Apple has just released iOS 26.3 beta 3 for public beta testers. Here’s what’s new in the latest beta.

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Google today announced that it is expanding its more affordable Google AI Plus subscription plan to 35 countries and territories, including the United States.


In the U.S., Google AI Plus is priced at $7.99, giving Google Gemini users a more affordable option for accessing upgraded AI services. Prior to now, Google AI Pro was the most affordable AI subscription plan at $19.99 per month.

Google AI Plus includes Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro in the Gemini app, as well as AI filmmaking tools in Flow, and access to research and writing assistance in NotebookLM. It also includes 200GB of storage, with benefits able to be shared with up to five other family members.

For a limited time, Google is offering new AI Plus subscribers a 50 percent discount for the first two months of the subscription, dropping the price to $3.99. Customers will pay $3.99 for access for two months, before being charged the full $7.99 per month price.

Google One Premium 2TB customers who pay $9.99 per month will automatically get access to the benefits of Google AI Plus in the coming days.

Google AI Plus includes 200 monthly AI credits for video generation, which is 100 more credits than the free Google AI option. The free tier has limited access to Gemini 3 Pro, but subscribers will be able to use 3 Pro with fewer limitations, while also accessing Deep Research. The plan also offers limited access to Veo 3.1 Fast and Gemini in Chrome.


The more expensive $19.99 per month Google AI Pro plan has even more benefits than the $7.99 plan. It offers a higher number of AI credits, more access to Flow and Whisk, Gemini 3 Pro in Google Search, higher daily limits for Gemini Code assist, Gemini in Google apps like Gmail and Docs, access to Google Home Premium, and 2TB storage.

More information is available on Google's website.
This article, "Google Brings Cheaper $7.99 'AI Plus' Plan to 35 Countries, Including U.S." 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.

Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year.

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Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPad 16 years ago today, marking over one and a half decades of the company's "revolutionary" tablet.


Jobs unveiled the first-generation ‌iPad‌ at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on January 27, 2010. Designed to fill the gap between smartphones and laptops, the original ‌iPad‌ featured a 9.7-inch LED-backlit multitouch display, Apple's first custom designed chip, a 30-pin dock connector, and up to 64GB storage. With a starting price of $499, it offered users a new way to browse the web, read eBooks, watch videos, and interact with Apple's growing app ecosystem. Jobs described it as "a magical and revolutionary device."

iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price. iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.

The ‌iPad‌ used a version of iOS tailored for its larger display, bringing a big-screen experience to familiar mobile apps like Safari, Mail, and Photos. It introduced the iBooks app and iBookstore as part of an effort to compete in the e-reading space dominated by Amazon's Kindle. Its design was characterized by thick black bezels, a physical home button, and a convex aluminum back. It weighed 1.5 pounds and offered 10 hours of battery life.

The initial reception to the ‌iPad‌ was mixed. While many praised its lightweight computing and media consumption experience, others questioned its necessity and potential to replace laptops.

Nevertheless, the ‌iPad‌ sold over 300,000 units on its launch day in April 2010 and one million within its first month. It catalyzed the creation of a new product category, sparking competition from rivals such as Samsung, Microsoft, and Amazon. By the end of 2010, Apple had sold over 15 million iPads, generating $9.5 billion in revenue and solidifying the device as a key pillar of the company's product lineup.

The ‌iPad‌ has since become a tentpole device for Apple, expanding into product lines including the iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro and accessories such as the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Subsequent models introduced cameras, multitasking, different display size options, USB-C connectivity, and more. See Apple's original press release from 2010 for more information.
This article, "Apple's iPad Turns 16 Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Last year, Belkin announced that it would end support for most of its Wemo smart home products in January 2026. That deadline is now approaching, with customers set to lose access to most Wemo smart home accessory functionality on January 31. The exception, however, is if you use Wemo accessories with HomeKit.

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WhatsApp announced a pair of anti-spyware security improvements today, including a new ‘Strict Account Settings’ mode and behind-the-scenes changes to protect user data.

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Samsung aims to produce around 1 million units of its upcoming "Wide Fold" device, in an attempt to directly rival Apple's rumored foldable iPhone expected later this year.


According to Korea's ETNews, the Wide Fold will see Samsung's largest initial production run for a special model in the past three years. The device is said to feature a 7.6-inch foldable OLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio when unfolded, and a 5.4-inch cover screen.

Apple is expected to introduce a foldable iPhone this fall with a similar 4:3 inner display ratio. When folded, users will interact with a 5.3-inch outer display that is shorter and wider than a typical iPhone screen, while unfolding it will reveal a larger 7.7-inch iPad-style screen, according to The Information.

Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to sell somewhere between 8 and 10 million units by the end of the year, assuming it launches in 2026 and isn't pushed back into early next year. Either way, it appears that by matching the device's aspect ratio, Samsung is wasting no time going after Apple in a space that the Korean tech giant has so far dominated.

A source quoted in the report says the Wide Fold "is not considered dramatically harder to build than [the] TriFold," and Samsung may increase output depending on the market response. The upcoming Galaxy Z TriFold is expected to have only a limited run of around 200,000 units, compared to the Wide Fold's projected 1 million units. Samsung is expected to launch the TriFold device on January 30, starting at $2,899.


ETNews reports that the Wide Fold will debut alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 at Samsung's Q3 Unpacked event in July. If so, that's a change from previous years, when Samsung staggered its special models to avoid cannibalizing sales from its main lineup.

• iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Samsung's overall foldable shipments reportedly exceeded 6 million last year, and the company expects that figure to climb with the Wide Fold joining its portfolio. Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September.
This article, "iPhone Fold Rumored Display Size Has Samsung Preparing a Direct Rival" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is now ready to go, and alongside the new AirTag 2 up for purchase at $29 Prime shipped, we have some sweet AirPods deals. Amazon has now brought back the $199 AirPods Pro 3 all-time low from the holidays last year and it is also offering solid price drop on AirPods 4 with ANC down at $119 shipped too. From there, the official Apple Watch band deals roll on, with new all-time lows on the blue Alpine Loop, the green Trail Loop, and the latest Ocean Band in the new Anchor Blue color too. All of that and more awaits below. 

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Apple TV is the exclusive US streaming home for Formula 1 races starting this year. And ahead of the first Grand Prix in March, the Apple TV app now offers a variety of programming to help fans get ready for the season.

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The second-generation AirTag is available to order now in the U.S. and dozens of other countries, but it is launching later in some other countries.


According to Apple's website, the new AirTag will be launching at a later date in these countries:

• Brazil


• Indonesia


• Malaysia


• The Philippines


• Singapore


• South Korea


• Taiwan


• Thailand


• Vietnam

In South Korea, Apple will begin accepting orders for the new AirTag on January 28 (local time), so orders should begin imminently in that country. In many of the other countries listed above, however, Apple simply says the new AirTag is coming soon.

The new AirTag features longer range for both Bluetooth and Precision Finding item tracking, a louder speaker, and some other minor changes.
This article, "AirTag 2 Launching Later in These Countries" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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On the heels of the launch of its newest Stratos Band for Apple Watch with an icy blue glow color, Nomad this week has an overstock sale going on with major discounts across a few different product categories. This includes iPhone 17 cases, MagSafe-compatible charging stations, iPad folios, and much more.

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

All discounts in this sale have been automatically applied and do not require any coupon codes, and Nomad offers free shipping on orders that exceed $50 in value. You'll find a collection of iPhone 17 cases in this sale, including Nomad's Modern Case for $39 ($10 off), Modern Leather Case for $44 ($11 off), and Rugged Leather Case for $60 ($15 off).

iPhone 17 Cases

• Modern Case - $39, down from $49


• Modern Leather Case - $44, down from $55


• Rugged Leather Case - $60, down from $75


• Modern Leather Folio - $60, down from $75

Charging

• Stand One - $83, down from $119


• Base One Max - $111, down from $159

iPad Cases

• Leather Folio for iPad Air - $63, down from $125

Apple Watch Bands

• Sport Slim Band - $39, down from $55


• Rugged Case - $60, down from $119

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, "Nomad's Overstock Sale Takes Up to 49% Off iPhone 17 Cases, MagSafe Stands, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26 adoption now hovers at around 50%, according to StatCounter, but some users are still cautious about updating.


New data published by SellCell provides a look at how users have responded to the push to update to ‌iOS 26‌. The findings are based on a January 2026 survey of 2,000 U.S.-based adult iPhone users and focus on adoption status, update behavior, and perceived risks associated with installing ‌iOS 26‌.

78% of SellCell's respondents say they have updated their ‌iPhone‌ to ‌iOS 26‌, while 22% report that they are still running an earlier version of iOS. There have been other reports of low adoption for ‌iOS 26‌, so 78% would be unusually high and may indicate a disproportionate number of tech enthusiasts among respondents. Realistically, the actual number likely lies somewhere in between at around 50%, as StatCounter shows. SellCell stresses that the data reflects self-reported behavior rather than device-verified installation rates.

Nevertheless, the survey highlights key reasons as to why some users have still not upgraded. 24.2% of respondents said they were concerned that ‌iOS 26‌ could negatively affect battery life, while 23.8% worried about overall performance. 17.5% of respondents said they disliked the design changes debuted with Liquid Glass, or found it harder to read, while an additional 8.6% said they were frustrated that new visual elements could not be fully turned off. 15% of respondents said they worried it would be difficult or impossible to revert to an earlier version of iOS once ‌iOS 26‌ was installed, while 11.4% cited reports of bugs or features breaking as a reason for hesitation.

SellCell's data also suggests that adoption does not necessarily reflect confidence. When asked about their general response to iOS update prompts, only 38.8% of respondents said they typically update immediately when prompted. The remaining 61.2% reported some form of delay or deferral, including waiting to see whether other users report problems, assuming updates occur automatically, dismissing reminders, or postponing updates for weeks or months. A smaller share said they only update once an app stops working on their current version of iOS.

In addition, the survey found that hesitation around ‌iOS 26‌ is widespread even among users who have already installed the update. Across the full sample of 2,000 respondents, 72% selected at least one concern that made them hesitant about upgrading, while only 28% said that nothing they had seen put them off installing ‌iOS 26‌. It is also notable that, of the 443 respondents who said they were still on an older version, 28% said they were unaware that ‌iOS 26‌ was available, 23.7% said they assumed updates would install automatically, and 23.3% said they simply had not gotten around to updating.
This article, "iOS 26 Adoption Hits 50%, But Some Users Are Still Reluctant to Update" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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TikTok is still broken for many people in the United States. In a new update today, the now-US-backed company says \ a power outage at one of its data centers “caused a cascading systems failure” that it’s still working to resolve.

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Apple just released iOS 26.2.1 this week, but iOS 26.3 is expected to launch soon too. When it does, it will introduce three new ways to customize the iPhone thanks to new settings and wallpaper options.

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We’re expecting the iPhone Fold to be eye-wateringly expensive, with predicted pricing as high as $2,500. However, it won’t be the most expensive smartphone on the market thanks to Samsung launching its new trifold phone at a price which gives little change from $3k …

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A new Apple support document and our own testing has confirmed that Precision Finding on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later works with the AirTag 2, but the original AirTag is not supported.


Apple has not indicated why this feature does not work with the original AirTag. However, the new AirTag is equipped with Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, while the original has Apple's first-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

Precision Finding can lead you to the exact location of an item with an AirTag attached to it, by showing you a directional arrow and your distance away from the item on a compatible iPhone, and now on a compatible Apple Watch too.

Precision Finding already existed on the above Apple Watch models for finding an iPhone 15 or newer, but there was no Precision Finding on the Apple Watch for finding an AirTag until now. As we confirmed, however, Precision Finding on the Apple Watch still does not work with the first-generation AirTag released in 2021.

To use Precision Finding to find a second-generation AirTag with a compatible Apple Watch, the watch must be running watchOS 26.2.1 or later.

How to set up the feature, according to Apple:

1. On your Apple Watch, go to Control Center.


2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Edit.


3. Tap the Add button.


4. Scroll down to Find Items.


5. Tap Find Items, then tap Find AirTag.


6. Tap Choose, then choose an item.


7. Tap the Done button, then tap Done.

How to use the feature, according to Apple:

1. On your Apple Watch, go to Control Center.


2. Scroll down and tap the Find AirTag button.


3. Follow the on-screen instructions and move around your space until your Apple Watch connects to your AirTag.


4. Follow the distance and direction information on your Apple Watch. When you are close to your AirTag, the watch screen turns green.

If you have an original AirTag, you can still find it with Precision Finding on an iPhone 11 or newer.

With the AirTag 2, Precision Finding works at distances up to 1.5× farther away from an item compared to the original AirTag, but this longer range requires an iPhone 15 or newer, Apple Watch Series 9 or newer, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or newer.

To learn more about the new AirTag, read our coverage of Apple's announcement.
This article, "Precision Finding on Apple Watch Doesn't Work With the Original AirTag" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon today has a match of the record low price on the AirPods Pro 3, available for $199.00, down from $249.00. This is only the second time in 2026 that we've tracked the AirPods Pro 3 at this low price on Amazon, which matches the best deal we saw over the holiday season.

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.

This model of the AirPods Pro launched in September 2025 and has 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the previous generation, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.



Additionally, Amazon has the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelation for $119.00, down from $179.00. This is a solid second-best price on the AirPods 4 with ANC, and both models have an estimated February 1 delivery date for free delivery options.



Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

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This article, "AirPods Pro 3 Return to $199 Record Low Price on Amazon, Plus AirPods 4 ANC at $119" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Adobe is rolling out updates to a few AI-powered Photoshop features today, including referencing objects in Generative Fill. Here’s everything new.

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