Two weeks after its last beta releases, Apple just debuted developer beta 3 for iPadOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, watchOS 26.3, and more.

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Apple today provided the third beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a little over a week after the launch of the second beta.


Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

There's no word yet on what's included in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3, and no new features were found in the first two betas.

We'll likely see Apple release ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 at the end of January given past launch timelines.
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After releasing iOS 26.2.1 for iPhone earlier today, the company is now rolling out macOS 26.3 beta 3 for developers. Here’s what to expect.

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Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the second betas.


Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting the Software Update option.

iOS 26.3 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.

Apple's transfer process supports moving photos, messages, notes, apps, passwords, phone number, and more.

The update also includes a Notification Forwarding setting for third-party wearables in the European Union, and there are some minor changes to the Weather wallpaper. More information on what's changed can be found in our iOS 26.3 beta 1 feature list.

Apple is expected to release the 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 Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has released iOS 26.3 beta 3 for iPhone. iOS 26.3 introduces an easier way to switch between Android and iPhone, tweaks to the Astronomy and Weather wallpaper gallery, and more.

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This fall’s iPhone 18 lineup will bring a brand new foldable option, but the most popular models will no doubt be the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Here are six new features rumored for iPhone 18 Pro.

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Apple today provided developers with the third betas of upcoming watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and visionOS 26.3 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple provided the second betas.


The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.

We don't know what new features might be added in watchOS 26.3, visionOS 26.3, and tvOS 26.3, and nothing new has been discovered so far. Apple doesn't typically provide release notes for betas, so we might not know what's new until the software updates see a public launch unless there are outward-facing changes.

The software updates will probably launch right around the end of January based on past release timelines.
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Just a few days ahead of Apple’s quarterly results, JP Morgan has raised its price target on Apple stock, echoing a recent analyst note issued by Morgan Stanley. Here are the details.

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Earlier this month, ChatGPT Health launched with integration for Apple Health and several other data providers. But when The Washington Post’s technology columnist gave ChatGPT access to his Apple Watch data, it didn’t go very well.

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Best Buy today kicked off a new 48-hour flash sale with sitewide discounts on a huge collection of products. This includes some notable markdowns on Apple products like the 11-inch iPad and AirPods Max, both of which are seeing their lowest prices of 2026 so far during this event.

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

Specifically, you can get the AirPods Max for $429.99, down from $549.99, a deal that beats Amazon's current price by about $20 and is an overall solid second-best price. Even better, Best Buy has every color of the USB-C AirPods Max on sale at this price.



Best Buy also has Apple's 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad for $299.00, down from $349.00, as well as the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00, down from $449.00. These are both second-best prices on the iPad, but some of the first markdowns on this model so far this year.



Finally for Apple deals, Best Buy has the previous generation Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $549.00 today only, a massive discount on the original price of $799.00. This includes both Natural and Black color options, and it's the best price we've ever seen on this model.




There are plenty of more deals to browse during this event, including up to 50 percent off select TVs, up to 60 percent off audio products, and more. 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 Buy's 48-Hour Flash Sale Has Major Discounts on AirPods Max, iPad, Apple Watch, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple offers a Share Item Location feature in the Find My app that allows you to temporarily share the location of an AirTag-equipped item with others, including employees at participating airlines. This way, if you put an AirTag inside your bags, the airline can better help you find them in the event they are lost or delayed at the airport.


Given that Apple announced the AirTag 2 today, we have resurfaced a list of airlines that support the feature, but keep in mind that it also works with the original AirTag and third-party trackers with Find My support, such as those sold by Chipolo and Pebblebee.

Below, we have listed most of the airlines that support the feature:

• AJet


• Aer Lingus


• Air Canada


• Air France


• Air India


• Air New Zealand


• American Airlines


• Austrian Airlines


• Breeze Airways


• British Airways


• Brussels Airlines


• Cathay Pacific


• Condor


• Copa Airlines


• China Airlines


• Delta


• Eurowings


• Finnair


• Flair Airlines


• Iberia


• JetBlue


• KLM


• LATAM Airlines


• Lufthansa


• Pegasus Airlines


• Porter Airlines


• Qantas


• Saudia


• Singapore Airlines


• SunExpress


• SWISS


• Turkish Airlines


• United


• Virgin Atlantic


• Vueling


• WestJet

In its AirTag 2 press release, Apple said it has partnered with more than 50 airlines, so there should be around 15 more that support the feature soon.

How to Use the Feature

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a web page with a location of the item on a map. The page will automatically update with the item's latest known location.


The item's location stops being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or automatically expires after seven days.

On the iPhone, the feature was introduced on iOS 18.2, but Apple says the AirTag 2 requires an iPhone running iOS 26.2.1 or later. If you are still running iOS 18.2 through iOS 18.7.4, you will need to use the original AirTag or a supported third-party tracker.

AirTag 2: Hands-On Photos

From the Tray Table's Zach Griff has shared some AirTag 2 hands-on photos.
This article, "AirTag 2: These Airlines Offer Feature That Helps Find Your Lost Bags" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Since Apple first introduced MagSafe, the accessory market has flooded with wallets that typically follow a very specific form factor. Most are sleeves designed to hold two or three cards at most. They rarely resemble the classic wallets many people have carried for decades. The Defencase MagSafe wallet attempts to bridge this gap by offering a design that leans closer to a traditional aesthetic.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook spent his weekend attending the premier of Melania, the new Amazon-backed film that follows Melania Trump in the lead up to Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

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Face ID has been part of the iPhone for close to a decade, and the iPad for nearly as long—but the Mac still uses Touch ID. A new rumor could offer hope of that potentially changing though.

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Apple today released watchOS 26.2.1, a minor update to the watchOS 26 update that came out last year. watchOS 26.2.1 comes six weeks after Apple released watchOS 26.2.


watchOS 26.2.1 can be downloaded for free on an iPhone running iOS 26.2.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update, or initiating an update in the Settings app on the watch. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

Today's update enables Precision Finding for the new AirTag 2 on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later. Prior to now, Precision Finding for the AirTag has been limited to the ‌iPhone‌.

It is not yet clear if the update enables Precision Finding on Apple Watch for the original ‌AirTag‌, or if this is a feature limited to the new ‌AirTag‌ 2.

According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 26.2.1 also includes unspecified bug fixes.


This article, "Apple Releases watchOS 26.2.1, Adding Precision Finding Support for AirTag 2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has just released watchOS 26.2.1, a new software update for Apple Watch users. Here’s what the update includes.

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Apple today released iOS 26.2.1 and iPadOS 26.2.1, minor updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems. The new software comes a month after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

iOS 26.2.1 adds support for the next-generation AirTag that Apple introduced today. The AirTag 2 features a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, improving the Precision Finding feature.

The update also includes unspecified bug fixes, according to Apple's release notes.

Apple also released iOS 18.7.4, iOS 16.7.13, iOS 15.8.6, and iOS 12.5.8 for older iPhones unable to run ‌iOS 26‌.
This article, "Apple Releases iOS 26.2.1 With AirTag 2 Support" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today has officially released iOS 26.2.1 for iPhone. This update comes a month after the launch of iOS 26.2, which brought changes to Liquid Glass, CarPlay, and much more.

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There’s a new AirTag in town, but you might not know it based on the official product name. Fortunately, there’s a way to distinguish between old and new AirTags.

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Apple is developing a much thinner Face ID hardware module in an effort to reduce the space its facial authentication system takes up in the iPhone Air, a known leaker on China's Weibo social media platform today suggested.


According to Instant Digital, Apple has requested an "ultra-thin" Face ID component from suppliers that will allow the device to accommodate an ultra wide-angle lens in addition to the existing single main lens.

A redesign that includes a second camera is said to be one way that Apple thinks it can address user complaints that the iPhone Air, while an impressive design feat, has led to too many hardware compromises, especially given the $999 price tag.

Multiple technologies are housed in the plateau of the iPhone Air to maximize space for the battery, so Apple would presumably need to redesign the internals considerably to fit in another camera. Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station in November said Apple was focusing on making the device ultra-thin and lightweight in order to do just that.

The claim was soon followed by a report by The Information suggesting a second camera for the device was indeed in development.

For its rumored upcoming foldable iPhone, expected later this year, Apple has reportedly chosen to integrate Touch ID into the side button, rather than use Face ID, in order to make the device as slim as possible. Designing a smaller TrueDepth camera system could arguably see a next-generation model switch over to facial authentication.

Today's leaker speculates that an ultra-thin Face ID module could even eventually find its way into a MacBook, but there are no active rumors that indicate this is something Apple is working on.

In 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple tested Face ID for the iMac, but the technology necessary to embed the authentication hardware into a thin notebook display simply wasn't available, and the biometric system has yet to be added to any Mac.

Around the same time, a marketing employee for Apple argued that Touch ID is more convenient, since the button is near your hands. Of course, that does not rule out the possibility of Apple adding Face ID to a Mac in the future.

The latest claim doesn't point to any imminent product changes – the second-generation iPhone Air is not expected until next year – but it does suggest Apple is actively reassessing how its Face ID hardware is packaged. Watch this space.
This article, "Apple Developing Thinner Face ID for iPhone Air 2, Report Suggests" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The new AirTag that Apple unveiled today features a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling the Precision Finding feature to work up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous AirTag, according to Apple. However, you need a compatible iPhone model in order to take advantage of this improvement.


The improved Precision Finding requires one of these iPhone models:

• iPhone 15


• iPhone 15 Plus


• iPhone 15 Pro


• iPhone 15 Pro Max


• iPhone 16


• iPhone 16 Plus


• iPhone 16 Pro


• iPhone 16 Pro Max


• iPhone 17


• iPhone 17 Pro


• iPhone 17 Pro Max


• iPhone Air

Precision Finding at longer distances is limited to the iPhone models listed above because both the AirTag and the iPhone need Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which was introduced starting with the iPhone 15 series.

Note that the lower-end iPhone 16e does not have a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

Precision Finding at the previous distances is still supported on the iPhone 11 and newer.

The new AirTag also has an upgraded Bluetooth chip for improved overall range outside of Precision Finding mode, with an iPhone 11 or newer.

The new AirTag is available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting today, and it will be available at Apple Store locations later this week. In the U.S., pricing remains set at $29 for one AirTag and at $99 for four.
This article, "New AirTag's Improved Precision Finding Requires These iPhone Models" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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At the end of last week, the long-anticipated transfer to US ownership for TikTok operations in the US officially took place. But it didn’t take long for American TikTok users to start seeing signs of a broken app. Now, we have an official explanation.

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Alongside the debut of the new AirTag 2 (now available on Amazon), today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are now ready to roll. Starting off with a new 48-hour flash sale at Best Buy, we now have $250 off all black Apple Watch Ultra 2 models alongside some deep deals on official Trail, Alpine, and Ocean bands at up to 44% off. Those offers join this 25% discount on the official black Milanese Loop as well as $120 off AirPods Max (USB-C), and this M3 MacBook Air at $400 less than the M4 model. Everything else awaits below. 

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AirTag 2 is officially here, and one of its tentpole features is improved Precision Finding thanks to an upgraded Ultra Wideband chip. But per Apple’s website, only certain iPhone models are compatible with the improved feature.

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