Apple’s Messages app got a lot of new features last year, but iOS 26 continues the trend of big upgrades, including a handy solution for all those unwanted spam texts you keep getting.

The Information is out with an interesting report about how Apple has considered spinning up its own developer cloud services, in a move that would put it against some of its competitors’ biggest revenue streams. Here are the details.

As promised last month, Apple Arcade has just added four new titles to its growing subscription-based collection of ad-free games. Here’s the full list

Bank of America has released its latest App Store performance data, and observed that while revenue is growing faster than downloads, users are shifting how they spend their money.

Spigen is one of my favorite Apple accessory companies because they know how to evoke nostalgia. Last year I picked up their and Magsafe wallet that themed my iPhone 16 Pro Max like the old school iMac G3 that I grew up using in school. I loved every part of that experience, and it was a great conversation starter! This year, they have added to their C1 lineup with their that isn’t just themed after the iMac G3, but looks like a tiny G3 iMac. Here is what you should know.

Apple still has plenty of new product launches coming through the rest of the year, including at least two Macs. But today, a new report has outlined Mac models coming not only in 2025, but even those expected through 2026.

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.

Benjamin and Chance discuss the intriguing rumor from Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple is readying a new cheaper MacBook Air powered by an A18 Pro CPU. Also, Apple befuddles everyone with a new byzantine set of App Store rules in the EU, and Apple seems open to powering AI Siri using third-party models.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Chance walks through some tech updates after another big move. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

• Sponsored by Caldera Lab: High performance men’s skincare. Get 20% off your first order at CalderaLab.com/HAPPYHOUR
• Sponsored by Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/happyhour.
• Sponsored by 1Password: Secure every app, device, and identity – even the unmanaged ones – at 1password.com/happyhour.

A new Apple Store is opening later this month in Japan, and alongside the first details, the company has released beautiful new wallpapers for iPhone, iPad, and Mac featuring custom artwork.

As I pointed out recently, while Whisper is top of mind and still a pretty good transcription model, OpenAI has moved away from it. That said, the fact that Apple’s new transcription API is faster than Whisper is great news. But how accurate is it? We tested it out.

To kick off today’s best Apple deals, we have all colors/configs of Apple’s latest M4 MacBook Air with at least $150 in savings starting from $849. The same goes for the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro at $200 off with select configs as much as $299 off the list price. But we also spotted the 15W Apple MagSafe charger from just $13 a pop (25W models from $33) alongside these Find My-equipped Key Organizer multi-tools, and loads more 4th of July deals waiting below. 

Apple TV+ has been on a hot streak for a while now, with 2025 so far being its best year ever. And there are plenty more likely hits on the way. Here’s what’s coming.

Only a few Google services offer Apple Watch clients, with Google Calendar unexpectedly becoming the fourth app today.

Apple will announce its iPhone 17 lineup in September, and rumors indicate the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get thicker and heavier to gain a larger battery this year. But just today, we might have found out how much larger that battery will be.

iPhones and Android smartphones started to play more nicely together after Apple finally opted to support the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard. Prior to this, messages between the two platforms had to use the ancient and insecure text messaging service.

Not all RCS features are supported as yet, with the all-important strong encryption waiting for RCS 3.0 support in iOS 26. Another RCS 3.0 feature is the ability to edit outgoing messages after sending them, and that one has started a limited one-way rollout …

A pair of market intelligence reports show that the Apple Watch and AirPods continue to dominate the global market in their respective categories.

However, Apple’s long-held lead in the smartwatch market is now being challenged by Huawei, according to the latest estimates …

A alarming new study has found that som teen drivers in the US spend as much as 21% of their time at the wheel looking at their phones, creating a substantial risk of distracted driving crashes.

While much of this was brief glances, more than 5% of driving time comprised looking at their phone for 2+ seconds a time, long enough to qualify as dangerous …

I’ve been reviewing one of XREAL’s more recent releases of AR glasses: the . These are certainly the most versatile pair of AR glasses I’ve tried out so far, and they actually really come to life somewhere you wouldn’t expect: the M4 iPad Pro running iPadOS 26. come in at just under 3 ounces (84 grams), making them easy to just carry around.

It took a minute, but Apple has at last activated its official Threads account. And thanks to its massive Instagram presence, it instantly picked up nearly 5 million followers.

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.

We’re past the halfway mark of 2025, and Apple still has a lot of big plans for the year. In addition to major software updates like iOS 26, there are 15+ new Apple products in the pipeline that are expected to launch before the year ends. Here’s everything that’s coming.

iOS 26 is a packed update for iPhone users thanks to the new Liquid Glass design and major updates for Messages, Wallet, CarPlay, and more. But another new feature was just discovered in the iOS 26 beta: FaceTime will now freeze your call’s video and audio if someone starts undressing.

North Korean hackers are behind a new and unusually sophisticated macOS malware campaign that targets the crypto industry using fake Zoom invites. Here’s how it works.

Apple has a new Liquid Glass design coming to iOS 26, macOS 26, and every other software platform. And whether you love it, hate it, or are indifferent, Apple’s new design seems like a major win in several key ways.

As part of the marketing campaign to promote its new thriller Smoke, Apple has arranged for series writer and creator Dennis Lehane to host its first AMA on Reddit and answer your… burning questions. Here’s how to join in.

The Mac is growing as a platform for AAA, big-budget games. Thanks to the advancements of Apple’s M-series chips, and new tools to make cross-platform game development easier, there’s been a positive shift of more big games coming not just to PC, but the Mac too. Here are nine forthcoming titles that Apple recently announced.

With watchOS 26, Apple is upgrading the battery monitoring features on the Apple Watch. The system will observe your average usage patterns, and notify you if your watch battery is draining faster than normal.

This alert gives you a quick shortcut to enable Apple Watch’s Low Power Mode to maximise battery life until you can next get to a charger.

Next year, Apple is expected to debut its first ever foldable iPhone. But while certain analysts projected an iPad ‘Fold’ to launch around the same time, a new report indicates we won’t see the product any time soon.

Adding to the ongoing list of 4th of July Apple gear deals, which now include iPad mini 7 at $100 off, Apple Watch Series 10 from $299, and much more below, we are starting off with some new current generation iPad deals. You can now score the iPad A16 down as low as $284 shipped while M4 iPad models are $200 off and the 2TB 11-inch is $299 off. We also have discounts on AirTag and Apple Pencil Pro joined by the now live Best Buy 4th of July sale. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

Believe it or not, the first Apple TV product preceded even the iPhone with its initial introduction. Yet for almost two decades, the product has remained fairly niche in Apple’s lineup. But the new Apple TV 4K launching this fall could be the best chance yet to change that.

The wait is almost over for sci-fi fans eager for the next chapter of Invasion, one of Apple’s bets in the genre. And alongside the premiere date, Apple TV+ just released the teaser for what’s to come. Here are the details.

It’s been almost two years since a brand new Apple Watch Ultra model launched, but that drought is almost over. Apple Watch Ultra 3’s release date is fast approaching, here’s when to expect the new model.

Apple is investigating new image sensor technology that promises up to 20 stops of dynamic range. That’s a level that surpasses the ARRI ALEXA 35, and gets really close to matching the dynamic range of the average human eye. Here’s what that actually means.

The iPad Mini has always had a special place in my heart. I think it’s one of Apple’s most underrated devices. Its size, form factor, raw power, and portability really make it the truest form of an iPad. Now we throw iPadOS 26 in the mix, and I think you might have the perfect portable powerhouse computer. Between the new windowing system, enhanced file management, and multitasking upgrades, I think the iPad Mini is the ideal modern-day netbook. Here’s why.

The long-rumored iPhone Fold – the colloquial term used for the company’s unannounced folding iPhone – is reported to be on schedule for a potential launch in the second half of next year.

The device is said to have reached the Prototype 1 (P1) stage last month, which is the first point at which the company creates fully-functional devices …

Only a few Google services offer Apple Watch clients, with Google Calendar unexpectedly becoming the fourth app today.

A Qantas data breach resulting from a cybersecurity attack has put up to 6M customer records at risk of exposure, with names, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth confirmed to be included. The hack was of a contact center database operated by one of the airline’s partners …

White House condemnation of a free app has drawn substantial attention to it, helping ICEBlock become the most popular social networking app in the App Store, beating out apps like X and Instagram.

ICEBlock alerts people to sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in their area, following a major immigration crackdown by the White House …

More than 300 Chinese iPhone engineers and technicians have been recalled from an Indian production plant, says a new report.

No public acknowledgement or explanation has been offered, but suspicion is falling on the Chinese government, which has previously been accused of actively hampering Apple’s attempts to move more iPhone production out of the country …

If you’ve been meaning to check out Apple’s new psychological crime drama “Smoke“, you can now sample the show’s intense opening scene, along with Thom Yorke’s moody theme song for the opening credits. Watch it below.