Target's early Black Friday sale has officially begun today, with an online shopping event that will run through Saturday, November 8. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including sitewide savings on Beats headphones, TVs, Apple accessories, home appliances, and more.

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

Target's Black Friday Schedule

Target's Black Friday sale begins today with this week's three-day event and thousands of deals available sitewide. Target is also offering a "Deal of the Day" every day through December 24, with many exclusive deals available only to Target Circle members.

Additionally, a new lineup of deals will drop every Sunday in November and last through the following Saturday. All of this leads up to the week of Black Friday, where shoppers can expect even more discounts and offers both in Target stores and online.

Target's Early Black Friday Sale

Like many retailers, Target's early Black Friday offerings are wide and varied. You'll find notable markdowns on video games, appliances, TVs, smart home products, speakers, headphones, and more this week.



Shoppers should note that some of the deals below do require Target Circle, which does have a free tier and is worth signing up for if you're interested in any of these offers. Once you're a member, the deals will be applied automatically at checkout.

Apple Accessories

Target's early Black Friday sale includes a few Apple accessories on sale, with the highlight being discounts on the new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air cases.

• Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad - $199.99 ($50 off)


• iPhone 17 Silicone Case - $39.99 ($10 off)


• Beats iPhone 17 Pro Case - $35.99 ($10 off)


• iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case - $39.99 ($10 off)


• iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case - $39.99 ($10 off)


• iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case - $49.99 ($10 off)


• Beats iPhone 17 Pro Max Case - $35.99 ($10 off)


• iPhone 17 Pro Max Clear Case - $39.99 ($10 off)


• iPhone 17 Pro Max Silicone Case - $39.99 ($10 off)


• iPhone 17 Pro Max TechWoven Case - $49.99 ($10 off)

Headphones

• Beats Solo Buds - $69.99, down from $79.99


• Beats Solo 4 Wireless Headphones - $129.99, down from $199.99


• Beats Fit Pro - $179.99, down from $199.99


• Powerbeats Pro - $170.99, down from $249.99


• Beats Studio Pro Wireless Headphones - $199.99, down from $349.99


• Bose Ultra Open-Ear True Wireless Earbuds - $229.99, down from $299.99


• Sony WHCH720N Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones - $99.99, down from $179.99

TVs

• 32-inch Vizio LED Smart TV - $99.99, down from $119.99


• 43-inch LG 4K Smart TV - $229.99, down from $279.99


• 55-inch TCL 4K HDR QLED Smart Google TV - $279.99, down from $449.99


• TCL 4K HDR QLED Smart Google TV - $379.99, down from $549.99


• 65-inch LG 4K Smart TV - $399.99, down from $479.99


• 65-inch Samsung The Frame 4K Smart TV - $1,499.99, down from $1,699.99

Streaming Devices

• Fire TV Stick HD - $19.99, down from $34.99


• Fire TV Stick 4K - $29.99, down from $49.99


• Fire TV Stick 4K Max - $39.99, down from $59.99

More Deals

• Keurig K-Mini Go - $49.99, down from $99.99


• Instant Pot 9-in-1 Pressure Cooker - $69.99, down from $129.99


• Ninja Professional Plus Blender - $99.99, down from $149.99

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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This article, "Target Kicks Off Early Black Friday Sale With Sitewide Savings on Apple Accessories and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The all-new intro sequence for Apple TV was made with practical effects and shot in-camera, Ad Age reports.


Rather than using digital techniques, the new sequence was made by shooting large glass versions of the ‌Apple TV‌ logo, with physical motion and changing lighting used to create effects. Apple partnered with TBWA\Media Arts Lab to create the intro.

Ad Age released an exclusive look brief behind-the-scenes clip showing some of that process, which was then shared on X:



The intro now plays before all ‌Apple TV‌ content. The company has made a one-second-long sting for trailers, along with a five-second-long version for TV shows and a 12-second-long cinematic version for movies. It is accompanied by a new sound composed by Finneas.

Earlier this week, Apple's rebrand of ‌Apple TV‌+ was made official, with Apple updating the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌+ page on its website to read just "‌‌Apple TV‌‌" and updated app icons rolling out across devices.
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Apple today announced it will accept submissions for the 2026 Swift Student Challenge from Friday, February 6 through Saturday, February 28.


The annual Swift Student Challenge gives eligible student developers around the world the opportunity to showcase their coding capabilities by using the Swift Playground or Xcode apps to create an interactive "app playground."

Apple said winners will be selected based on submissions that "demonstrate excellence in innovation, creativity, social impact, or inclusivity." A subset of Distinguished Winners with "truly exceptional" submissions will be invited to visit Apple in Cupertino, California for three days in summer 2026, with travel and lodging included.

Distinguished Winners are typically invited to attend Apple's annual developers conference WWDC, at the company's Apple Park headquarters. Apple has yet to announce WWDC 2026 dates, but the weeklong conference is typically held in June.

WWDC 2026 is where Apple will announce iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and other software updates.

Apple's announcement highlights three past Swift Student Challenge winners.
This article, "Apple Announces Next Swift Student Challenge Ahead of WWDC 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon is providing a few record low prices on previous generation Apple Watch models this week, with up to $119 off select devices. This includes savings on the second generation Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 10.

Apple Watch SE 2

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

Prices start at just $159.99 for the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE, then increase to $189.99 for the 44mm GPS model. Both of these are $89 discounts on the wearables, and all-time low prices on each device. You can find Midnight, Silver, and Starlight case color options at these prices for both sizes.

Apple Watch Series 10

Amazon also has a few discounts on the Apple Watch Series 10, with $119 off these models. You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $279.99, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $309.99, down from $429.00. The 42mm GPS model is only available in Jet Black Aluminum, but the 46mm GPS model has Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver Aluminum options available at this low price.




You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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Qualcomm is gradually reducing its dependence on Apple, as growing demand for premium Android smartphones becomes the main driver of its chip business, according to a new report from DigiTimes.


Qualcomm's semiconductor arm, known as Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), apparently recorded strong year-over-year growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, led by rising Android device sales and increasing chip content per device. DigiTimes cited remarks from President and CEO Cristiano Amon, who said that non-Apple QCT revenue rose by 18% during the quarter.

The global smartphone market is said to be undergoing a structural transition toward more advanced, feature-rich devices, with users in both mature and emerging markets upgrading to higher-end models. This shift has driven up average selling prices and boosted demand for Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon processors, which now feature enhanced AI, camera, and connectivity capabilities. Qualcomm's strategy of embedding more value into devices is now apparently central to its long-term growth, reducing its reliance on Apple orders over time.

The company's deepening partnership with Samsung was also a key factor. Amon said Qualcomm currently provides modems for about 75% of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, a significant rise from approximately half in earlier years. Some Galaxy models, such as the Galaxy S25 series, use Snapdragon modems exclusively.

The update comes as Apple is expected to move away from Qualcomm's modem chips over the coming years. Apple has been developing its own in-house 5G modem technology since acquiring Intel's smartphone modem division in 2019. The iPhone 16e, iPhone Air, and iPad Pro now contain Apple's C1-series custom modems rather than Qualcomm chips. Qualcomm previously announced that it would continue to supply Apple with Snapdragon modems through 2026, but the relationship is widely expected to diminish after that point as Apple's own modems proliferate through its device lineup.
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Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report.


Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for example, when the iPhone isn't nearby – without the user needing to enter the password manually.

The feature's removal appears to be Apple's response to the European Commission's Digital Markets Act (DMA) interoperability requirements, which Apple has publicly criticized on more than one occasion. Under the DMA, regulators want Apple to open iPhone Wi-Fi hardware access to third-party accessories by the end of 2025.

The year-end compliance deadline coincides with next month's release of iOS 26.2. But rather than comply with the requirement, Apple is apparently disabling the feature entirely for EU users. Apple reportedly confirmed the decision to French publication Numerama.

In terms of the practical impact, it's likely to be limited for most users. Apple Watch will surely still connect to Wi-Fi networks when the paired iPhone is nearby, but users may be required to manually connect to Wi-Fi by typing in the password when the iPhone is out of range. Afterwards, the Wi-Fi network's credentials will presumably be stored on the watch.

Apple has previously warned that complying with EU interoperability requirements could give "data-hungry companies" access to sensitive information, including notification content and complete Wi-Fi network histories. Apple has explicitly called out Meta for making multiple unreasonable interoperability requests under the DMA that if allowed could compromise user security and privacy.

Apple filed an appeal against the interoperability rules at the EU's General Court in Luxembourg on May 30, targeting the Commission's March decision that requires Apple to make iOS more compatible with rival products including smartwatches, headphones, and VR headsets.
This article, "Apple to Remove iPhone-Apple Watch Wi-Fi Sync in EU With iOS 26.2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has changed how you dismiss iPhone alarms in iOS 26.1, and your morning muscle memory may have needed tweaking as a result. By default, the Clock app now requires a slide gesture to stop an alarm from the Lock Screen, replacing the previous tap-to-stop button that was redesigned in iOS 26. Snoozing still works with a simple tap, but turning off an alarm entirely demands the extra swipe motion.


The change appears designed to prevent accidental dismissals when you're reaching for your phone in the morning. By requiring a more deliberate action, you're less likely to silence your alarm when you meant to hit snooze. If you don't like the change, you can revert the alarm interface back to the previous Stop button by following these steps.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.


2. Tap Accessibility.


3. Under "Physical and Motor," tap Touch.


4. Swipe to the bottom of the menu and toggle on Prefer Single-Touch Actions.

The change will take effect the next time you set an alarm. If you want to revert back to the slider, simply toggle off Prefer Single-Touch Actions.
This article, "iOS 26.1: Bring Back the Tap-to-Stop Alarm Button" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's second iPhone Air model is in development and could feature two rear cameras instead of one, according to a Chinese leaker with sources within Apple's supply chain.


The Weibo-based account "Digital Chat Station" claims that Apple is evaluating a dual-lens setup for the next version of its ultra-thin iPhone, with a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera joining the existing 48MP Fusion Main camera, similar to the base iPhone 17.

However, the leaker says that the second-generation device will keep the distinctive horizontal camera plateau, suggesting the second lens will sit alongside the existing one, unlike the dual-lens vertical arrangement on the iPhone 17.

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. Apple will reportedly continue to focus on making the device ultra-thin and lightweight.


Apple will release a second-generation iPhone Air alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple also plans to launch a third iPhone Air model with a larger display in the second half of 2027. That said, the first-generation device has apparently not been selling well outside of China, so Apple's plans could change.

Digital Chat Station has a decent track record for Apple rumors. They accurately revealed that the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus would feature a slightly smaller 48-megapixel sensor than the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max, as well as the display panel design of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 back in 2020.
This article, "2026 iPhone Air Could Feature Two Rear Cameras, Says Leaker" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A day after seeding the first developer betas of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, Apple has stopped signing it for the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and cellular models of the new M5 iPad Pro, preventing those devices from installing the update.


The exact reason for the change is unknown, but all three devices use either the C1 or C1X modem, Apple's new custom cellular chips, so it's possible Apple has identified a specific bug related to iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 with that chip and is preventing users who have yet to update from being affected by it.

The updates will continue to show for users on those devices enrolled in the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 developer beta programs, but the updates will now fail to install.

It's unknown how long it will take for Apple to address whatever issue it has discovered, at which time we should see revised developer betas for these C1 and C1X devices.

Update 4:50 pm: Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach notes that his ‌iPad Pro‌ experienced an issue with the update that forced his device into recovery mode, where he was able to restore it to iPadOS 26.1.

Update 6:30 pm: Apple has now fully pulled the updates for the affected devices, so iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 beta 1 won't even show as available on these devices.
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It's been over a decade since Apple's HomeKit smart home platform launched, and it is overdue for an update. ‌HomeKit‌ and the Home app can no longer keep up with AI-powered solutions from other companies like Google and Amazon, but that's set to change with a smart home revamp that Apple has planned for 2026.

Home Hub

Apple is working on a home hub or "command center" that will serve as a centralized location for controlling smart home products, listening to music, making video calls, getting the weather, looking things up with Siri, displaying photos, making notes, viewing calendar events, and more.

The device has an all-display design that resembles an iPad, with a 7-inch display. It's said to be similar in size and shape to two iPhones placed side-by-side, but Apple is designing two variants. The first version is designed to be mounted on a wall, while the second version has a speaker base that looks similar to a HomePod mini and can be placed on a desktop or countertop.


The home hub will have its own operating system, and while there won't be an App Store, Apple apps will be available as widgets.

Built-in sensors will be able to determine when someone is near the home hub, and the features displayed will change based on presence. If no one is by the hub, it might show information like the time and temperature, but if someone approaches, it could shift to an interface for adjusting the temperature.

Presence detection will enable features like turning on the lights when someone enters the room, and it might also be able to tell one person from another. The home hub will play music, and it does have a camera that can be used for video calls.

Touch-based interactions will be available for widgets, but the hub will be heavily reliant on ‌Siri‌ voice commands. ‌Siri‌ could have a personified look on the hub, with one design described as a version of the Mac Finder icon.

While screen-based smart home devices like the Echo Show are available for under $200, Apple could price the home hub somewhere around $350. Price could vary for the version with the speaker base and the wall mounted version without it.

Apple is aiming to launch the home hub sometime in the March to April 2026 timeframe.

LLM Siri

Apple has held off on launching the home hub because it is waiting to debut the smarter, more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that's been in the works since Apple Intelligence features launched in iOS 18. The original plan was for a better version of ‌Siri‌ to come out in an iOS 18 update, but Apple decided ‌Siri‌ just wasn't good enough to do what it wanted.


‌Siri‌ was delayed so Apple could overhaul the underlying architecture that powers the personal assistant. The new ‌Siri‌ will be more similar to ChatGPT or Claude than the ‌Siri‌ of today, incorporating large language models to answer complex queries and complete more complicated tasks.

Here's what Apple originally promised ‌Siri‌ would be able to do with ‌Apple Intelligence‌:

Personal Context

With personal context, ‌Siri‌ will be able to keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.

• Show me the files Eric sent me last week.


• Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.


• Find the books that Eric recommended to me.


• Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?


• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

Onscreen awareness will let ‌Siri‌ see what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, for example, you can tell ‌Siri‌ to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask ‌Siri‌ to do it for you.

Deeper App Integration

Deeper app integration means that ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what ‌Siri‌ will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.

• Moving files from one app to another.


• Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.


• Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.


• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

This summer, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that transitioning ‌Siri‌ to new architecture was a success, and that the personal assistant is going to be an even bigger update than expected.

"The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of ‌‌Siri‌‌ has given us the results we needed," Federighi told employees. "This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than that we envisioned."

Apple decided to use AI technology from Google, so ‌Siri‌ will in part be powered by a Google Gemini model that Google designed for Apple. ‌Siri‌ will be as capable as Gemini since it is using the same underlying technology, but Apple will run the model on its own Private Cloud Compute server with no information provided to Google.

The new version of ‌Siri‌ is expected to be ready for an iOS 26.4 update planned for the same March or April timeframe rumored for the home hub.

HomePod mini and Apple TV

We're supposed to be getting updated versions of the ‌HomePod mini‌ and the Apple TV at some point between now and early 2026.


Both devices will get chip upgrades, and in the case of the ‌Apple TV‌, it could gain support for some ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features. New Apple-designed networking chips will be included, but neither device is going to get a design update.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ and the ‌Apple TV‌ are linked to Apple's smart home platform and serve as smart home hubs for Matter, the cross-platform protocol that opens up the number of smart home accessories that are compatible with ‌HomeKit‌.

Apple Security Cameras

Rumors suggest that Apple is designing its own indoor security cameras that will connect to ‌HomeKit‌ and interface with the planned home hub.

Cameras designed directly by Apple would offer unique integrations with Apple devices, and would offer greater privacy than competing devices because of Apple's dedication to privacy and security. The first cameras could come out as soon as late 2026, and we could see other accessories like doorbells follow.

Read More
More on Apple's plans for the smart home hub can be found in our Apple Hub guide, while details on ‌Siri‌ can be found in our LLM Siri guide.
This article, "Apple's 2026 Smart Home Revamp: All the Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With iOS 26.2, Apple is adding a prompt that allows iPhone users in Japan to select a preferred search engine. As noted on Reddit, the option to choose a search engine comes up after installing iOS 26.2 for the first time.


‌iPhone‌ users in Japan can select from Bing, Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo Japan, or Ecosia, the same options available globally in the Safari settings. In most other countries, Google is the default search engine and there is no prompt to choose a different option when the ‌iPhone‌ first starts up.

While ‌iPhone‌ users outside of Japan can choose one of the other options, doing so requires going into the Safari section of the Settings app to make a change. According to court documents, Google pays Apple roughly $20 billion per year to be the default search engine on Apple devices, which helps to explain why Apple does not offer an up-front choice in most countries.

Japan recently established guidelines that say Apple has to present a neutral choice screen for selecting a search engine during initial setup, hence the new functionality. While Google is the dominant search engine in many countries, Yahoo Japan is widely used in the country.

iOS 26.2 also appears to include support for installing alternative app marketplaces in Japan, which is also required by the Japan Fair Trade Commission's Mobile Software Competition Act. Japan's new rules go into effect on December 18, 2025, which is around the time that iOS 26.2 will see a public launch.
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The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google.


For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more capable, though training and architecture are also factors. Bloomberg says that Google's model "dwarfs" the parameter level of Apple's current models.

The current cloud-based version of Apple Intelligence uses 150 billion parameters, but there are no specific metrics detailing how the other models Apple is developing measure up.

Apple will use Gemini for functions related to summarizing and multi-step task planning and execution, but Apple models will also be used for some ‌Siri‌ features. The AI model that Google is developing for Apple will run on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, so Google will not have access to Apple data.

Gemini uses a Mixture-of-Experts architecture, so while it has over a trillion total parameters, only a fraction of them are activated for each query. The architecture allows for a large total compute capacity without racking up significant processing costs.

Apple weighed using its own AI models for the LLM version of ‌Siri‌, and also tested options from OpenAI and Anthropic, but it decided to go with Gemini after deciding Anthropic's fees were too high. Apple already has a partnership with Google for search results, with Google paying Apple around $20 billion per year to be the default search engine option on Apple devices.

Though Apple is planning to rely on Google AI for now, it plans to continue working on its own models and will transition to an in-house solution when its LLMs are capable enough. Apple is already working on a 1 trillion parameter cloud-based model that could be ready as soon as 2026. Apple is unlikely to publicize its arrangement with Google while it develops in-house models.

Apple was meant to debut an updated version of ‌Siri‌ in iOS 18, but deficiencies required the company to overhaul the underlying ‌Siri‌ architecture and significantly delay the rollout. The smarter ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ is expected to be introduced in an iOS 26.4 update that's coming in spring 2026.

‌Siri‌ will be able to answer more complex queries and complete more complicated tasks in and between apps. It will be closer in function to Claude and ChatGPT, though Apple is not planning a dedicated chatbot app.
This article, "Apple's New Siri Will Be Powered By Google Gemini" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google has proposed sweeping changes to its Play Store and Android to end an ongoing antitrust dispute with Epic Games. The two companies filed a joint settlement agreement with the court last night, and if approved, Apple will be left as the only company embroiled in a public antitrust fight with Epic.


Google will allow Android app developers to use alternative payment methods in apps or through external links instead of forcing them to use Google Play Billing. Google is supporting Registered App Stores, which are alternative app stores that can be easily installed alongside Google Play. ‌Epic Games‌ would be a Registered App Store, able to be installed on Android devices to offer its own catalog of app titles.

As for fees, Google will charge a maximum of 9 percent or 20 percent based on transaction type and date of install, with the lowered fees applicable worldwide instead of solely in the United States. Google can charge a fee for transactions completed using alternative payment methods, and it is also able to charge an additional fee for transactions processed by Google Play Billing.

The wording around fees is complicated and could be somewhat open to interpretation for virtual items in games, plus it applies to new app installs, not existing app installs. Google can charge a 20 percent fee for in-game purchases providing more than a de minimis gameplay advantage, which would presumably be things like power ups, items that increase experience, or loot boxes.

Google can only charge a 9 percent fee for items that do not affect gameplay, such as additional levels, events, or Fortnite skins that are considered cosmetic. The 9 percent maximum fee is also applicable to in-app subscriptions, non-game app purchases, or up front app and game purchases. In a situation where there's a mixed bundle that includes in-game items like weapons and in-game skins, Google can charge the higher 20 percent rate. Google told The Verge that it would also charge a five percent fee for apps that choose to use the Google Play Billing system, which would be in addition to the 9 to 20 percent fee.

To simplify, the base fee for all apps will be 9 percent, while fees for games will range from 9 percent to 20 percent. Developers will pay another five percent if using Google Play Billing. For alternative app stores, Google is able to charge reasonable fees that cover operational costs, but nothing additional. ‌Epic Games‌ will be able to create an ‌Epic Games‌ Store on Android, paying minimal fees to Google, which is what the company set out to do when it initially filed lawsuits against Apple and Google back in 2020. ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said that Google's proposal is "awesome" and a "comprehensive solution that stands in contrast to Apple's model of blocking all competing stores."


Google agreed not to enter into agreements that would see apps launch "first or exclusively" on Google Play, and it will not require an app to provide the same features on Google Play that it does on another app store. Developers are also free to communicate with customers about cheaper prices available outside of the Google Play Store.

It's possible that Google's settlement with ‌Epic Games‌ could impact the eventual outcome of the ‌Epic Games‌ v. Apple case. Apple and Google have charged developers similar fees historically, and there is inevitable change coming to the ‌App Store‌ ecosystem.

There are important differences between the two legal disputes, however, so what's going on with Google is not directly applicable to Apple. In Epic v. Apple, Apple largely won the case. The judge did not find that Apple had a monopoly, and Apple was only required to allow developers to link to web-based purchase options.

In Epic v. Google, Google lost. If Google didn't settle with Epic, it was going to be forced to make Play Store changes anyway. A jury decided that Google abused its power by operating an app store monopoly and charging developers exorbitant fees. Google has also always allowed for sideloading on Android devices and has been more open to it, even though it isn't as easy as it will be in the future.

Apple has consistently opposed sideloading and will not likely make the same concessions that Google made without being forced into it.

In Epic v. Apple, Apple is currently fighting an injunction requiring it to allow developers to link to outside purchase options in apps in the U.S. Apple is currently not allowed to collect fees on purchases made through in-app links, an order that came after the court found that Apple had willfully violated the original order requiring links by controlling the appearance of links and charging high fees.

The court is planning to review the proposed Epic v. Google settlement on November 6.
This article, "Google Agrees to Make Major Play Store Changes to Settle Epic Games Antitrust Lawsuit" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Note: We're currently seeing an issue where clicking on the links in this article may not show the discounted pricing. Opening the links in a new tab/window or manually copying and pasting them into your browser should, however, work. The issue seems to only affect Safari, with Chrome, Firefox, and several other browsers working fine in our testing.

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MacRumors readers can save on Apple's brand new 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro at Expercom this week. Discounts reach up to $234 off original prices, and across the board these are the lowest prices we've tracked to date on the M5 MacBook Pro.

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

These discounts have been automatically applied on Expercom's website when visited through the links below. Discounts include the 512GB 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro for $1,487.07, down from $1,599.00, plus a few models with increased RAM.



Our exclusive discount is available in both Space Black and Silver color options for each computer. We've listed a few of the base models of the M5 MacBook Pro below, but Expercom is offering a wide range of custom configurations on sale as well. This includes models with as much as 32GB RAM, up to 4TB of storage, and Nano-Texture display options as well.

• 10-Core M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB - $1,487.07, down from $1,599.00


• 10-Core M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB - $1,673.07, down from $1,799.00


• 10-Core M5, 24GB RAM, 512GB, Nano-texture - $1,812.57, down from $1,949.00


• 10-Core M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB - $1,859.07, down from $1,999.00

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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Early Black Friday deals are in full swing, and today Amazon has introduced one of the best Apple discounts so far this month. You can get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $749.99, down from $999.00, a new all-time low price on the computer that beats the previous low by about $50.

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

If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $949.99, down from $1,199.00. You'll also find many of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week.




You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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Google is updating the Chrome app for the iPhone and the iPad with a dedicated "AI Mode" button that matches functionality found in the desktop version of Chrome. AI Mode is located under the Google search bar, next to an Incognito Mode button.


The AI Mode option provides quicker access to Chrome's Gemini-powered AI search feature. Google says that AI Mode lets users ask more complex, multi-part questions, and follow up on answers.

Chrome users in the United States will see the AI Mode button in the Chrome apps for ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Android as of today, with Google planning to expand it to additional countries in the near future.
This article, "Google Adds 'AI Mode' Button to Chrome for iPhone and iPad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new Nintendo Store app is now available on the iPhone and iPad, allowing you to browse games, review your play activity across select consoles, and more.


The app lets you browse Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles and accessories, physical and digital games, merchandise, and select other products, but it will direct you to Nintendo's web store if you wish to proceed with a purchase.

My Nintendo Store could already be accessed through a web browser on the iPhone and iPad, but now customers who prefer to use an app have such an option.

There is another feature that Nintendo fans will love. In the app, you can sign in to your Nintendo Account and review your Switch and Switch 2 play activity, as well as any Nintendo 3DS and Wii U play activity logged until February 2020.

Other features include the latest news about Nintendo games and events, the ability to receive push notifications when items on your wish list go on sale, and more.

The free Nintendo Store app is available now in the App Store in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and many European countries. It is also available in Japan, where it replaces a similar My Nintendo app that was released in 2020.
This article, "Nintendo Store App Launches on iPhone With a Feature Fans Will Love" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's AirTag is seeing a big discount as we head into Black Friday later this month, with both Amazon and Best Buy providing an all-time low price on the 4-Pack accessory.

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.

You can get the AirTag 4-Pack for $64.99 from Amazon and Best Buy, down from $99.00. This is a match for the best price we've ever seen on the AirTag 4-Pack.



Amazon currently has the AirTag 1-Pack for $24.00, down from $29.00. This is not the best price we've ever seen on this version of the accessory, so we recommend looking toward the 4-Pack option to maximize your savings.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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This article, "The Best Early Black Friday AirTag Deals" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today updated its Shazam app with a new Liquid Glass design, for iPhone users who are running iOS 26 and later.


The app has a new navigation bar that provides quick access to Home, Library, and Concerts tabs, as well as a search button. In addition, recently-identified songs now appear directly on the Home screen, without needing to swipe up.

These changes require the latest version of the Shazam app, which is rolling out now.

Shazam is a popular music identification service that Apple acquired back in 2018. In addition to being available as an app, Shazam powers a Recognize Music control in Control Center on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and you can use Shazam via Siri.
This article, "Shazam App for iPhone Updated With Liquid Glass Design on iOS 26" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple on Tuesday released the first beta of iOS 26.2 to developers, and it appears that the software will allow users in Japan to install alternative app marketplaces on their devices when it is released to the public in December.


According to a post shared on X by @Tzzlala, iPhones running the beta in Japan are able to install alternative app stores like AltStore PAL and Epic Games, and download apps from them, though Fortnite in-app purchases are currently region-blocked by Epic.

Apple only lets iPhone and iPad users based in the EU to install apps using alternative app marketplaces in addition to the App Store. The ability was introduced in iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 18 in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act, and Apple does not currently allow it in any regions outside the 27-member bloc. However, that's set to change.

In June 2024, the Japanese parliament approved and enacted legislation that requires Apple to allow third-party app stores and payment providers on the iPhone. The law seeks to curb the dominance of major tech firms like Apple in the smartphone market.

More recently, in August 2025, the Japan Fair Trade Commission established the Mobile Software Competition Act Guidelines. Under the new guidelines, platform operators like Apple and Google are banned from blocking or restricting the availability of alternative app stores and payment systems on their mobile operating systems.


The guidelines are set to come into effect by December 18, 2025, while Apple is expected to release iOS 26.2 in December, sometime between December 9 and December 16. Epic Games has already announced plans to bring Fortnite and its game store platform to iOS in Japan by late 2025.
This article, "iOS 26.2 to Allow Third-Party App Stores in Japan Ahead of Regulatory Deadline" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple doesn't release an "Ultra" variant for every Apple silicon chip, but the company is planning to debut an M5 Ultra chip in 2026, reports Bloomberg.


The M5 Ultra is slated for the Mac Studio, and it's also likely that Apple will use it in a Mac Pro update. There's no word on when the M5 Ultra might come out, but historically, Ultra chips have followed the Pro and Max chip variants.

Apple already debuted the M5 chip in the MacBook Pro, but we'll be waiting until early 2026 for the M5 Pro and the M5 Max. The M5 Ultra will likely come after that, perhaps in June or even September 2026.

Earlier this year, Apple decided to launch an updated ‌Mac Studio‌ with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip options, making it clear there was no M4 Ultra. Ultra chips are two Max chips fused together with "UltraFusion" technology, but the M4 Max chip does not have the UltraFusion connector needed for an M4 Ultra chip.

Apple also made it clear that it did not plan to create a high-end Ultra chip for every M-series generation.

There are no other rumors of new features for the ‌Mac Studio‌, so the M5 Ultra update might be focused on internal improvements. Apple is rumored to be developing a pair of new displays, and at least one of those could launch alongside the ‌Mac Studio‌ in 2026.
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Apple today detailed the tools it is providing developers for compliance with the App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) that goes into effect in Texas in 2026.


Starting on January 1, 2026, Apple users in Texas will need to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple account, and parents will need to provide consent for their children's ‌App Store‌ downloads and in-app transactions. Apple will share user age ranges for developers, and developers will need to have systems for notifying parents about significant app changes and allowing parents to revoke child access to an app at any time.

To help developers meet these requirements, Apple is adding several new APIs in iOS 26.2, and sandbox testing is now available for them.

Declared Age Range

Declared Age Range provides an app with a user's age category rather than a specific age. Categories include under 13, 13-15, 16-17, and over 18. Apple says that the API will also provide developers with a signal from the user's device about the method of age assurance, such as a credit card or government ID.

Significant Change

The Significant Change API prompts parents or guardians to provide consent for a child or teen to continue using an app after a "significant change" is made. Apple says that developers will need to determine when there's a significant change in their apps to comply with the law.

The API will prompt the child or teen to request parental consent, and developers can restrict app access until consent is given.

Changing the age rating of an app is one example of a significant change that would require developers to re-obtain consent.

Consent Revocation

Texas parents and guardians can withdraw consent for any app, which blocks the launch of the app on a child or teen's device. Apple says that the ‌App Store‌ will provide a server notification that developers can configure to receive notifications that consent has been withdrawn from an app.

More information about the changes can be found on Apple's developer site.
This article, "iOS 26.2 Adds APIs for Texas App Store Parental Consent Law" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It's been almost two months since Apple released the AirPods Pro 3, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using them since they came out. He has some new thoughts to share on longer-term ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ use, so check out our video if you're thinking of picking up a pair for the holidays.


There have been recent reports from some people who are experiencing an ongoing static issue with the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, so that's something to be aware of. Apple does seem to be replacing affected units for customers who are bothered by the noise, which appears to be audible when ANC is active but no sound is playing.

Other users have been hearing a high-pitched whine when on airplanes, which could be related to pressure. Not all ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ units are experiencing the issue, but it sounds like Apple is looking into it.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ offer excellent sound quality and noise cancellation capabilities, and for some people, the fit is much better than the AirPods Pro 2. Battery life has held up well in our testing, and the heart rate sensor offers readings almost identical to the Apple Watch.

What do you think of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ if you've been using them since launch? Let us know in the comments below.
This article, "Review: Two Months With the AirPods Pro 3" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Card purchases made in the Hertz app or through Hertz.com are now eligible for 3% Daily Cash back, according to an updated Apple Support document.


The Daily Cash bonus is available when booking a rental car at U.S. Hertz corporate locations through the app or the website. Hertz is also offering ‌Apple Card‌ users free emergency roadside service, a discounted loss damage waiver ($16.95 per day), one free additional driver, and at least 5% off Pay Later base rates.

To get these benefits, ‌Apple Card‌ holders will need to visit the Rewards and Offers Hub in the Wallet app. 3% Daily Cash back is not available through Hertz franchise locations, and other limitations are listed in the fine print on Apple's website.

Hertz is one of several companies that Apple has partnered with to offer special cash back rates for ‌Apple Card‌ users when using Apple Pay and the ‌Apple Card‌ for a purchase.

Other merchants that offer 3% Daily Cash back include Ace Hardware, Booking.com, ChargePoint, Duane Reade, Exxon and Mobil gas stations, Nike, Uber, Uber Eats, and Walgreens. ‌Apple Card‌ holders can also get 3% Daily Cash from Apple purchases.

‌Apple Pay‌ purchases earn ‌Apple Card‌ holders 2% cash back by default, with 1% cash back available for non-Apple Pay purchases.
This article, "Apple Card Now Offers 3% Daily Cash Back on Hertz Rental Cars" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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