Shazam has published its annual Fast Forward list, and an accompanying Apple Music playlist. The list takes a look ahead at some of the most exciting music artists who are being discovered through the song identification tool. 2026's list features more than 60 music artists who are poised to have a breakthrough year.


Here is how Apple describes this year's playlist:

Every day, Shazam gets millions of requests from users around the world who are curious about the artist behind a song. These requests come from all over-TikTok videos, car commercials, overhearing something in the wild-which makes it a powerful tool for predicting tomorrow's heavy hitters. For 2026, we've assembled a playlist featuring over 60 artists-based on Shazam data and reviewed by our editors-that are poised to have a breakthrough year. From K-pop group CORTIS to Alabama country crooner Kashus Culpepper to Irish rock band Florence Road, it's a remarkably diverse group of artists hailing from all corners of the globe. Have a listen and add the ones you love to your library before the world catches on.

Some well-known music artists, including Benson Boone, Ice Spice, and Ayra Starr, were featured in Shazam's previous Fast Forward lists.


Apple acquired Shazam in 2018, and the tool is deeply integrated across its platforms.
This article, "Shazam's Fast Forward Playlist Reveals Music Artists Set to Rise in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Alongside the news that Pixelmator Pro is coming to the iPad, Apple has confirmed that the more basic Pixelmator app for the iPhone and iPad will no longer be updated.


From the Pixelmator Pro page on Apple's website:

Pixelmator Classic for iOS, released in 2014 as a companion app to the now-discontinued Pixelmator Classic for Mac, provides basic image editing features such as cropping, color adjustments, and effects. It remains a functional app but is no longer being updated.

The classic Pixelmator app offers more basic image editing tools, whereas Pixelmator Pro for iPad will be a fully-featured, professional image editing app.

Pixelmator Pro for iPad features a new touch-optimized workspace, full Apple Pencil support for pressure-sensitive brushing, the ability to work between iPad and Mac, and all of the powerful editing tools from the Mac version of the app.

Read our earlier coverage of the Pixelmator Pro for iPad announcement to learn more.

There is also a free Photomator photo editing app for the iPhone and iPad in the App Store, and Apple did not mention updates ending for that app.
This article, "Apple Says 'Pixelmator' App on iOS Will No Longer Receive Updates" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released a firmware update for the AirPods Pro 3. The latest firmware has a version number of 8B34, up from the previous version 8B30.


Apple has a support document for AirPods firmware updates, and it indicates that the 8B34 update contains unspecified "bug fixes and other improvements."

No other AirPods models received firmware updates today.

How to install AirPods Pro firmware updates, according to Apple:

• Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, and that Bluetooth is on.


• Make sure that your AirPods are connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.


• Connect your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Wi-Fi.


• Connect your charging case to power.


• Put your AirPods in their charging case and close the lid. Keep the lid of the charging case closed, and keep your AirPods in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.


• Wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update.


• Open the lid of the charging case to reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.


• Check the firmware version again.

AirPods Pro 3 were released in September, with key features versus the previous generation including increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, longer battery life per charge, heart rate monitoring during workouts, and more.
This article, "Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 3 Firmware Update" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

If you are not interested in subscribing to the new Apple Creator Studio bundle introduced today, you will officially start to miss out on some new features.


Apple said some "exciting new intelligent features and premium content" in Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform will only be accessible with a Creator Studio subscription. In the U.S., a subscription costs $12.99 per month, or $129 per year, while college students can pay a lower $2.99 per month or $29 per year.

This means that if you bought Final Cut Pro or Pixelmator Pro via one-time purchase, which will still be an option going forward, you will no longer have access to all new features. However, Apple promises the apps will continue to receive updates.

From the Final Cut Pro page on Apple's website, for instance:

A one-time purchase will still be available, but access to some of the premium content is available only to Apple Creator Studio subscribers. If you already own Final Cut Pro, it will continue to be updated.

There are some exceptions, as Apple says Logic Pro and MainStage will have all the same features whether they are subscription or one-time-purchase versions.

It looks like most if not all of the new features that will be limited to Creator Studio subscribers will be powered by AI, as Apple repeatedly describes them as "intelligent" features. The apps are continuing to receive other new features that do not require a subscription over time, so one-time purchasers are not completely left out.

As for Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform, those apps will remain free, but some new intelligent features and content will likewise require a Creator Studio subscription. This means these apps are now effectively "freemium."

Here are a few of the first new features coming to Creator Studio subscribers:

• Pixelmator Pro: A new Warp tool lets you twist and shape image layers.


• Keynote, Pages, and Numbers: A new Content Hub provides access to high-quality photos and graphics, and there are new premium templates and themes.

In summary, existing users of Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro never had to worry about paying extra to have every new feature, but that is no longer the case going forward. And while the Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform apps never cost money, some new features will now be locked behind a subscription. These changes will undoubtedly disappoint some Apple customers, while helping to boost the company's services revenue.
This article, "These Apple Apps Will No Longer Receive All New Features Without a Subscription" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today shared a new "Slide" ad that highlights the Ceramic Shield 2 cover glass on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.


The ad shows an ongoing negotiation, during which an iPhone 17 Pro with the screen facing down is slid back and forth across a long table.

Apple says the Ceramic Shield 2 above the screen offers 3× better scratch resistance compared to the iPhone 16 lineup, and it says the material is tougher than any smartphone glass or glass-ceramic mix. "Relax, it's iPhone 17," the ad concludes.
This article, "Apple Highlights Key iPhone 17 and 17 Pro Hardware Upgrade in New Ad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Starting with the iOS 26.3 beta, Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for carriers to be able to support end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, and that news should actually have even bigger implications for the Messages app on the iPhone.


In order to offer E2EE for RCS, iOS 26.3 or later would need to support RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which includes many iMessage-like enhancements for RCS:

• End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices, as has always been the case with iMessage


• In-line replies


• Edit messages


• Unsend messages


• Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, with no special workarounds

RCS support as a whole was added to the iPhone with iOS 18, which supported ‌RCS‌ Universal Profile 2.4. It is effectively a modernized version of the SMS standard, which remains available as a fallback option for text messages over a cellular network.

The enhancements listed above were actually introduced in RCS‌ Universal Profile 2.7, and iOS would finally get them by jumping to RCS Universal Profile 3.0.

iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have already supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. iMessage has also supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.

Timing

Last year, Apple said it planned to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates. However, Apple did not provide a specific timeframe.

As mentioned above, Apple appears to finally be laying the groundwork for E2EE for RCS in the iOS 26.3 beta, but it will be up to carriers to implement support, and Apple might also work with Google to ensure there is a consistent experience across iOS and Android. Hopefully we begin to see support roll out at some point between iOS 26.3 and iOS 27.

E2EE for RCS may be limited to select countries at first, as carriers begin rolling it out.
This article, "iOS 26.3 Hints at Improved iPhone-to-Android Texting Coming Soon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced that Pixelmator Pro is coming to the iPad, complete with a new touch-optimized workspace, full Apple Pencil support, the ability to work between iPad and Mac, and all of the powerful editing tools from the Mac version.


Pixelmator Pro is a popular image editing app that was acquired by Apple last year. There is already a more basic Pixelmator app available for the iPad and iPhone, and now the full-fledged Pixelmator Pro experience is coming to the iPad.

Apple says Pixelmator Pro for iPad will be compatible with iPad models equipped with the A16, A17 Pro, or M1 chip or later on iPadOS 26 or later.


Here are some of the Pixelmator Pro for iPad features highlighted by Apple:

• A full-featured Layers sidebar allows creators to use images, shapes, text, and video


• Smart selection tools for isolating and editing specific parts of images


• Advanced bitmap and vector masks


• Super Resolution for intelligently upscaling photos


• Deband for removing compression artifacts


• Auto Crop with automatic composition suggestions


• Apple Pencil support for pressure-sensitive brushing, plus hover, squeeze, and double tap

Pixelmator Pro for both iPad and Mac will be available through the new Apple Creator Studio subscription bundle, which in the U.S. costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A one-time $49.99 purchase option will remain available, and this will presumably extend to the iPad app. Some new AI features and content in Pixelmator Pro for iPad will only be available with an Apple Creator Studio subscription.

For example, in both the iPad and Mac apps, Apple Creator Studio subscribers will get access to a new Warp tool for twisting and shaping image layers.
This article, "Pixelmator Pro is Coming to iPad With Apple Pencil Support and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.


Here are the six apps included with an Apple Creator Studio subscription:

• Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad


• Logic Pro on the Mac and iPad


• Pixelmator Pro on the Mac and iPad


• Motion on the Mac


• Compressor on the Mac


• MainStage on the Mac

Pixelmator Pro was previously only available on the Mac, but it is coming to the iPad.

Apple Creator Studio subscribers will also receive access to exclusive AI features and premium content across not only the Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro apps, but also the iWork apps Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, and the Freeform app later this year. So if you want the best, fully-featured versions of all of these apps going forward, you will need to subscribe to the bundle.


In the Pixelmator Pro app on the Mac and iPad, for example, Apple Creator Studio subscribers will get access to a new Warp tool for twisting and shaping image layers. And in the Numbers, Pages, and Keynote apps, an Apple Creator Studio subscription will unlock a Content Hub with royalty-free photos, premium templates, themes, and more.

Apple says there will be separate Creator Studio and one-time purchase "versions" of each app. If you have both versions installed on your Mac, the Creator Studio versions will have "unique icons" so that they stand out, according to Apple.

Apple Creator Studio will be available through the App Store starting Wednesday, January 28. All new subscribers will be able to receive a one-month free trial, and customers who purchase a new Mac or a qualifying iPad model with an A16, A17 Pro, or M-series chip or later will be eligible for an extended three-month free trial.

For college students, Apple Creator Studio costs $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year.

If you set up Family Sharing, you can share an Apple Creator Studio subscription with up to five other family members with a linked Apple Account for free.

Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage will each remain available for one-time purchase, and free versions of the Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and Freeform apps will continue to exist. However, only Apple Creator Studio subscribers will receive access to some of the premium new AI features and content.

Apple has a FAQ at the bottom of the Creator Studio page.
This article, "Apple Introduces New 'Creator Studio' Bundle of Apps for $129 Per Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's retail store in Santa Rosa, California will be moving from the Santa Rosa Plaza shopping mall to the open-air Montgomery Village shopping plaza later this month.


The new store at Montgomery Village will be holding its grand opening on Friday, January 23, at 12 p.m. local time, according to Apple's website.

Apple will have a much larger space at Montgomery Village compared to its existing location at the Santa Rosa Plaza, and it will of course have a modern design. Many newer stores feature a dedicated Apple Pickup station for online orders.

Elsewhere in California, Apple continues to renovate its store in Carlsbad, north of San Diego. Apple has a temporary location there, at 1925 Calle Barcelona. Apple is also operating out of a temporary store at the South Coast Plaza shopping mall in Costa Mesa, south of Los Angeles, while it renovates its original location there.

Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!
This article, "Apple Store in Santa Rosa is Moving Later This Month" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's flagship Regent Street store in London, England is temporarily closed starting today for "refurbishment," the company said on its website.


Apple has not indicated when the store will reopen, but a source familiar with the matter indicated that the location will likely be closed for at least a few weeks. It is unclear if Apple is planning any changes that will be visible to customers, but the company has been removing the Video Wall from some of it stores in recent months. Many newer and renovated stores also feature a dedicated Apple Pickup station for online orders.

In some cases, Apple only updates a store's fixtures or back-of-house area, resulting in no visible differences to customers when business resumes.

Regent Street is a world-famous shopping street in the heart of London, making it one of the busiest locations where Apple has a retail presence. At a minimum, hopefully the store will receive a deep clean before it reopens.

Apple first opened its Regent Street store in 2004.
This article, "Apple's Regent Street Store in UK is Temporarily Closed, Here's Why" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Elon Musk today expressed concern about Apple and Google partnering on a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google's generative AI platform Gemini.


"This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that [they] also have Android and Chrome," wrote Musk, in a post on X.

Musk serves as CEO of xAI, the company behind Gemini competitor Grok.

It is unlikely that Apple or Google will publicly respond to Musk's comment, but we will update this story if the companies have anything to say.

In case you missed it, Apple and Google today jointly announced that Gemini will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized version of Siri that is set to launch this year. Apple has yet to announce exactly when the revamped Siri will launch, but it is reportedly set to arrive as part of iOS 26.4 in March or April.

xAI filed a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI last year, accusing the two companies of conspiring to "ensure their continued dominance" in the AI market.


This article, "Elon Musk Reacts to Apple and Google Teaming on Gemini-Powered Siri" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

On iOS 18.2 and later, there is 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.


The feature also works with other item trackers that support Apple's Find My network, such as those sold by Chipolo and Pebblebee.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 or later 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.

Apple today announced that the Share Item Location feature is now supported by 36 airlines around the world, and we expect more to follow in the future.

Below, we have listed all 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

This article, "These 36 Airlines Offer iPhone Feature That Helps Find Your Lost Bags" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced that 2025 was a "record-breaking year" for many of its services, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts.


"Apple services had a banner year, rolling out game-changing features for customers while shattering records," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue, in a press release. "The numbers reflect the incredible enthusiasm of our customers, whether it's downloading an exciting new app or game, watching the hottest new show with family and friends, listening to their favorite songs, or shopping with peace of mind."

Here are some of the 2025 statistics shared in Apple's announcement:

• App Store had over 850 million average weekly users across 175 countries and regions, and it set a new annual record for U.S. visitors.


• App Store had a record number of visitors between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.


• Apple TV set a new record for monthly engagement in December, with total hours of content viewed on the streaming service up 36% on a year-over-year basis. This increase was driven by hits such as F1: The Movie and Pluribus.


• Apple Music had its best year ever, breaking records for listenership and new subscribers.


• Shazam generated over 1 billion recognitions per month.


• Apple Pay is now available in 89 markets, and Apple says the payment service eliminated well over $1 billion in fraud globally.


• Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in 50 markets.


• Apple Maps expanded its Detailed City Experience with 3D landmarks to new locations, like New Orleans, Singapore, and Monaco.


• Apple's Share Item Location feature in the Find My app is now offered by 36 airlines.


• Apple Arcade added more than 50 new games.


• Apple Fitness+ expanded to 28 more countries and regions, and it is launching in Japan early this year.


• Apple Podcasts set annual records for listeners, episode plays, and new subscribers.


• Apple News is the most popular news app in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and the second most popular news app in the U.K.

For more details about new features added to Apple's services in 2025, as well as various other records set, head to the Apple Newsroom website.
This article, "Here's How 2025 Was a 'Record-Breaking Year' Across Apple's Services" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple and Google today announced that Google Gemini will help power not only a more personalized version of Siri, but a range of future Apple Intelligence features.


"Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology," the companies said, in a statement. "These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year."

Apple is "excited about the innovative new experiences" that the partnership will unlock, but the statement did not provide any details about specific features.

It is unclear if Gemini will help power any existing Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools, Image Playground, and Notification Summaries.

Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, with Apple promising industry-leading privacy standards.

The more personalized version of Siri is expected to be introduced with iOS 26.4 in March or April, following a lengthy delay. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.


This article, "Google Gemini Partnership With Apple Will Go Beyond Siri Revamp" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

iOS 26.3 will likely be released to the public later this month, but it appears that Apple is preparing to push out another software update in the interim.


Apple's software engineers have started testing iOS 26.2.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The update will likely be released at some point this week or next week.

iOS 26.2.1 should be a minor update with bug fixes and/or security patches.

iOS 26.3 is expected to follow in late January, with key new features in that update so far including a new iPhone-to-Android transfer tool, Notification Forwarding for third-party smartwatches in the EU, and more.
This article, "iOS 26.2.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today seeded the second beta of iOS 26.3, nearly a month after the first beta. So far, the update includes a couple of new features for iPhones.


iOS 15.3 through iOS 18.3 were all released in late January over the years, so it is thereby likely that iOS 26.3 will be released towards the end of this month as well. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer.

Below, we recap what is new in the iOS 26.3 beta so far.

iPhone to Android Transfer Tool

iOS 26.3 makes it easier for iPhone users to switch to an Android device. A new tool allows you to place your iPhone next to an Android device to wirelessly transfer photos, messages, notes, apps, and more. You can also transfer your phone number.

In the iOS 26.3 beta, the new tool can be found in the Settings app, under General → Transfer or Reset ‌iPhone‌ → Transfer to Android. It is available worldwide.

Notification Forwarding in EU

In the EU, iOS 26.3 introduces both a Notification Forwarding feature and AirPods-like proximity pairing for third-party accessories like earbuds and smartwatches.

Apple was required to make these changes to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act.

End-to-End Encrypted RCS Preparations

As of the second iOS 26.3 beta, Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for carriers to be able to support end-to-end encryption for RCS messages.

More

Starting with iOS 26.3, there is a dedicated section for Weather wallpapers, with three preset options available to choose from. To access them, tap and hold on the Lock Screen and tap on the plus sign in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

February is Black History Month, and iOS 26.3 will likely include the 2026 version of Apple's annual Black Unity wallpaper. Apple also typically releases a new Black Unity Sport Loop for the Apple Watch, and a matching Unity Rhythm watch face.

iOS 26.1 introduced a Background Security Improvement feature that is designed to provide security updates for Safari, WebKit, and some other system items between iOS software updates. Apple has been testing the feature with updates such as "iOS 26.3 (a)" and "iOS 26.3 (b)," but they do not actually contain any security fixes.

Additional new features and bug fixes may be added in later beta versions of iOS 26.3. Overall, though, it will likely be a relatively minor update.

Beta 2

We have not discovered any major changes in the second beta of iOS 26.3 so far.
This article, "Here's What's New in iOS 26.3 So Far" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums