OpenAI launched a native ChatGPT app for macOS earlier this year, which makes it easier for Mac users to interact with the company’s AI chatbot. Now OpenAI is releasing a huge update to ChatGPT on Mac, which adds integration with third-party apps.

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Today Apple released a new immersive music experience from The Weeknd for Vision Pro users. Alongside that release, the company announced the release date for its next immersive video, and it’s right around the corner.

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Apple Vision Pro users can now watch "The Weeknd: Open Hearts," a new immersive music experience that features Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd. Filmed in ultra-high resolution 180-degree Apple Immersive Video with Spatial Audio, the music experience is designed to put viewers in the center of the action, according to Apple.


Open Hearts invites viewers to journey alongside The Weeknd as he walks through a surreal cityscape inspired by downtown Los Angeles. Apple vice president of Marketing Communications Tor Myhren said that Open Hearts is a leap forward in the intersection between music and technology.

Apple Immersive Video brings The Weeknd's creative vision to life in an entirely new way with Open Hearts, a groundbreaking music experience available only on Apple Vision Pro. With Vision Pro, fans experience storytelling in ways that were not possible before: with immersive visuals and Spatial Audio that make them feel like they're right in the middle of the action. This is an exciting leap forward in how music and technology come together to deliver memorable experiences for fans, and we're proud to collaborate with The Weeknd to make it happen.

With Open Hearts, The Weeknd is promoting his upcoming album "Hurry Up Tomorrow." Apple customers without a Vision Pro who want to watch Open Hearts can visit an Apple retail store.

Open Hearts is available for free through the Apple TV app on Vision Pro. The music experience will be followed by Concert for One, another immersive music experience, on November 22. Concert for One will feature intimate performances with the world's biggest artists, kicking off with singer-songwriter RAYE.
This article, "The Weeknd's 'Open Hearts' Immersive Music Experience Launches on Apple Vision Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Alongside ongoing all-time low pricing across the entire Apple Watch Series 10 lineup, today we are moving back over to the new M4 iMac lineup, Apple’s M2 iPad Air at up to $200 off, and more. Amazon is now offering the best price to date on the most affordable M4 iMac at the new $1,150 all-time low ($149 off), joined by the same price drop on the 10-core model. From there, we have an early Black Friday doorbuster that drops the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM down to $749, or $550 off the original price, as well as the best deal yet on Satechi’s sweet Passport Wallet with Find My and MagSafe charging. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5toys Lunch Break. 

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Apple recently updated the MacBook Pro with the M4 series of chips and a series of other upgrades including a 12MP camera, a nano-texture display option, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. The new machines follow updated MacBook Air models with the M3 chip that were released earlier in 2024, so how do the latest models compare?


Despite now being similar in appearance, the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the ‌MacBook Pro‌ are very different devices, so should you consider purchasing the 13- or 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, which start at $999, to save money, or do you need one of the higher-end 14- or 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, which cost at least $600 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two popular laptops is best for you.

‌MacBook Air‌	‌MacBook Pro‌
M2: 13.6-inch display M3: 13.6- or 15.3-inch display	14.2- or 16.2-inch display
LCD Liquid Retina display	Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display
60hz refresh rate	ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz
Up to 500 nits brightness	Up to 1,000 nits brightness and 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness
	Nano-texture display option
1080p FaceTime HD camera	12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View
Apple M2 or M3 chip	Apple M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max chip
M2: Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) based on A15 Bionic chip from iPhone 13 (2021) M3: 3nm node (N3B) based on A17 Pro chip from iPhone 15 Pro (2023)	‌3nm‌ node (N3E) based on A18 chip from iPhone 16 (2024)
M2: 3.49 GHz CPU clock speed M3: 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed	M4: 4.4 GHz CPU clock speed M4 Pro and M4 Max: 4.5 GHz CPU clock speed
8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores	M4: 10 CPU cores with 4 performance and 6 efficiency cores M4 Pro: Up to 14 CPU cores with 10 performance and 4 efficiency cores M4 Max: Up to 16 CPU cores with 12 performance and 4 efficiency cores
Up to 10-core GPU	M4: 10-core GPU M4 Pro: Up to 20-core GPU M4 Max: Up to 40-core GPU
Updated GPU architecture	Updated GPU architecture with improved efficiency
M2: 16-core Neural Engine, 15.8 trillion operations per second M3: 16-core Neural Engine, 18 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second
16GB or 24GB unified memory	M4: 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB unified memory M4 Pro: 24GB or 48GB unified memory M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB unified memory
LPDDR5 memory	LPDDR5X memory
100GB/s memory bandwidth	M4: 120GB/s memory bandwidth M4 Pro: 273GB/s memory bandwidth M4 Max: 546GB/s memory bandwidth
Passive cooling	Active cooling
	High Power Mode on all M4 Pro and M4 Max models
M3 models only: Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Support for AV1 decode	Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Support for AV1 decode
M2: Wi-Fi 6 M3: Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 6E
Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports	M4: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports M4 Pro or M4 Max: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports
	HDMI 2.1 port with support for multichannel audio output
	SDXC card slot
13-Inch: Four-speaker sound system 15-Inch: Six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers	High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
Three-mic array with directional beamforming	Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
M2: Support for one external display M3: Support for up to two external displays when the lid is closed	M4 or M4 Pro: Support for two external displays M4 Max: Support for up to four external displays
	Dedicated display engine
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage	M4: 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage M4 Pro or M4 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage
13-Inch: 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 15-Inch: 66.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery	14-Inch: 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
18-hour battery life	M4 14-Inch or M3 Pro 16-Inch: 24-hour battery life M4 Pro 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life M4 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life M4 Max 16-Inch: 21-hour battery life
30W, 35W, or 67W USB-C Power Adapter	67W, 96W, or 140W USB-C Power Adapter
Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, or Midnight color options	Silver or Space Black color options
M2 13-Inch: Starts at $999 M3 13-Inch: Starts at $1,099 M3 15-Inch: Starts at $1,299	M4 14-Inch: Starts at $1,599 M4 Pro 14-Inch: Starts at $1,999 M4 Pro 16-Inch: Starts at $2,499

Design

Both the ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ share the same basic design with a flat top and rounded edges on the bottom, but they do have several minor details that differ. For example, while both MacBooks have displays with a "notch" at the top to facilitate the built-in webcam, the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s bezels are noticeably slimmer. The keyboard well of the high-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ is also all-black.


The ‌MacBook Air‌ is available in Silver and Space Gray, but the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also offered in Starlight and Midnight color options, so if you are looking for a particular aesthetic with one of these finishes, you will need to get the ‌MacBook Air‌. Space Black is exclusive to the ‌MacBook Pro‌.

	‌MacBook Air‌ (13-Inch)	‌MacBook Air‌ (15-Inch)	‌MacBook Pro‌ (14-Inch)	‌MacBook Pro‌ (16-Inch)
Height	0.44 inches (1.13 cm)	0.45 inch (1.15 cm)	0.61 inches (1.55 cm)	0.66 inch (1.68 cm)
Width	11.97 inches (30.41 cm)	13.40 inches (34.04 cm)	12.31 inches (31.26 cm)	14.01 inches (35.57 cm)
Depth	8.46 inches (21.5 cm)	9.35 inches (23.76 cm)	8.71 inches (22.12 cm)	9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
Weight	2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)	3.3 pounds (1.51 kg)	3.5 pounds (1.61 kg)	4.8 pounds (2.15 kg)

Dimensions are also a key area of difference between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌. The 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is considerably larger and heavier than the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, but it is important to not understate the difference between the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ and the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌. While the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ offers a larger display than the ‌MacBook Air‌, its marginally larger footprint, added thickness, and an additional 0.8 pounds of weight do make for a noticeably less portable machine if you prefer to travel light.

Even so, the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ offers a very good balance of portability and performance, so if you need its added capabilities, its size and weight should not hold you back. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ also provides a good balance of portability and display area, but users wary of its size should opt for the 13-inch model.

Ports and Connectivity

The selection of ports is an area of major difference between the two machines. The ‌MacBook Air‌ features just two Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the M4 version of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ adds an HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. When configured with the M4 Pro or M4 Max, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ has a total of three Thunderbolt 5 ports, in addition to its HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. Both machines feature a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones.


All in all, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is much more versatile in terms of physical connectivity, offering useful features for professionals who use SDXC cards from digital cameras, Thunderbolt 5 accessories, or even simply more USB peripherals.

Display Size

The smaller ‌MacBook Air‌'s display is 13.6 inches in size, which is a little smaller than the 14.2-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, and markedly smaller than the 16.2-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌. 13.6 inches is still bigger than the largest iPad Pro model, which comes in at 13 inches, and even all of the previous Intel-based ‌MacBook Air‌ and smaller ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, meaning that it should be adequate for most users. The 14.2-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ simply offers a little bit more screen real estate to those who need high-end capabilities.

The 15.3-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and 16.2-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌'s displays will be better replacements for a desktop machine and provide much more screen space to arrange multiple windows and use professional applications that benefit from additional display area.

Display Technology

The display technologies of both machines are significantly different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the ‌MacBook Air‌ has an LCD panel, but owing to its slim bezels and rounded corners, Apple calls it a Liquid Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models feature Apple's more advanced mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range, and improved color accuracy.


The XDR display can get much brighter, reaching as high as 1,600 nits of brightness at its peak when showing HDR content. The 14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models also have ProMotion displays, allowing them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The ‌MacBook Air‌ does not have a display with a variable refresh rate.

It will be worth getting the high-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-framerate video such as sports. The display of the ‌MacBook Air‌ is sufficient for most users and some may not even notice a drastic difference. The ‌MacBook Pro‌'s deeper blacks and smoother on-screen motion simply offer a slightly better experience.

The ‌MacBook Pro‌ is also available with a nano-texture display for an additional $150, which significantly cuts down on glare in bright environments. No such option is offered with the ‌MacBook Air‌.

Chips

The ‌MacBook Air‌ contains the ‌M2‌ or M3 chip, while ‌MacBook Pro‌ customers can choose between the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. The M4 Pro and M4 Max are scaled-up versions of the M4 chip that offer additional CPU and GPU cores.

For example, the M4 Max provides a CPU with up to eight additional cores and a GPU with up to 30 additional cores. The entry-level ‌MacBook Air‌'s ‌M2‌ chip is only a little less powerful than the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max in single-core tasks, but the M4 chips, and particularly the Pro and Max versions, are considerably better in multi-core and graphics tasks.

With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, the M4 Pro and M4 Max are powerful chips designed for professionals with demanding workflows. The ‌M2‌ and M3, on the other hand, are more consumer-oriented chips focused on delivering surprisingly impressive performance and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures down and prolong battery life. The M4 series of chips also brought a dramatic improvement to Neural Engine performance for machine learning and artificial intelligence tasks.

It is also worth noting that the ‌MacBook Air‌ is passively cooled and contains no fan, which can slightly constrain peak performance compared to the ‌MacBook Pro‌, since the high-end machines have large fans to actively cool the system and push the chips harder.

The ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ only supports a single external display. The limitations of the M3, M4, and M4 Pro chips also mean that ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ devices configured with these chip support up to two external displays, whereas M4 Max machines support up to four external displays.

Memory and Storage

The ‌MacBook Air‌ can be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users. For those who need even more memory and storage, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ can be configured with significantly more memory and storage than the top-spec ‌MacBook Air‌.

The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ also provide up to 273GB/s and 546GB/s memory bandwidth respectively – an enormous increase over the 100GB/s memory bandwidth with the ‌M2‌ and M3 models. All models now start with 16GB of memory as standard.

Speakers and Microphones

The 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ has a four-speaker sound system that is surprisingly full and balanced for such a small, slim device. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and all of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ models take things to the next level with a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers for dramatically bigger and deeper audio. Apple also describes the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s speaker system as "high-fidelity," which may be invaluable to users who work in professional audio production or simply listen to a lot of music out-loud.


The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a three-mic array with directional beamforming that is perfect for activities like video calls and voice notes. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ has what Apple calls a "studio-quality" three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming. While they are not as good as a dedicated microphone, the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s microphones are impressive and, at a push, are suitable for production purposes like podcasting.

Battery Life

The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M4 Max chip has the same 18-hour battery life as the ‌MacBook Air‌, but all other ‌MacBook Pro‌ models offer better battery life. The M4 14-inch and M4 Pro 16-inch models offer up to 24-hour battery life – a significant increase over the ‌MacBook Air‌.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is the best option for casual users, offering an excellent balance of features and performance in a highly portable design. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s $999 starting price is much more affordable compared to the ‌MacBook Pro‌, and with an education discount or an offer from our Apple Deals Roundup, it is possible to get that price down by at least $100. The additional $600 to get the ‌MacBook Pro‌ likely is not worth it for most ordinary users, and on the contrary, many will prefer the slimmer, lighter design of the ‌MacBook Air‌ and perhaps even its additional color options.



Professionals who require larger and more accurate displays, additional ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, and the higher price points of these machines reflects this. The high-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are not targeted at everyday consumers, being clearly tailored to creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines. As such, these high-end models should only be a go-to option if you are a power-user or professional who can make use of its advanced features. The 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, in particular, is also potentially a good desktop replacement machine due to its large display.

• M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared


• 13-Inch vs. 15-Inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide


• 14-Inch vs. 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide 2024

Alternatively, if you are considering the $1,299 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, it may be worth paying more to get the M4 MacBook Pro. For just $300 more, the ‌M4 MacBook Pro‌ offers a considerably better Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, a more powerful chip with active cooling, an extra Thunderbolt port, four extra hours of battery life, better speakers and microphones, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, and more. In fact, if you configure the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with 512GB of storage to match the ‌M4 MacBook Pro‌, there is only a $100 between the two machines, so in this instance it is almost always worth getting the more powerful machine, unless maximizing screen size is your only priority.
This article, "MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple on Wednesday released Final Cut Pro 11 for the Mac, with key new features including AI-generated captions, spatial video editing, and a Magnetic Mask tool for isolating people and objects in videos. The update also includes some smaller new features, changes, and bug fixes, as outlined in the full release notes on Apple's website.


Many of these features were already outlined in Final Cut Pro 11's release notes on the App Store, but the notes on Apple's website are a little more comprehensive, revealing some specific new keyboard shortcuts and a list of bug fixes.

Apple also highlighted some new features in the Final Cut Pro user guide.

The full release notes:

Final Cut Pro 11.0 includes the following enhancements:

• Expand your creative freedom with the revolutionary AI-powered Magnetic Mask, and isolate people, objects, and shapes in any footage without a green screen or time-consuming manual rotoscoping (a Mac with Apple silicon recommended).


• Use Transcribe to Captions to automatically create captions from spoken audio in the timeline with a powerful AI language model built for speed and accuracy (Mac with Apple silicon and macOS Sequoia or later required).


• Import and edit spatial video clips from Apple Vision Pro or iPhone 15 Pro or later; add titles, color correction, and effects; and share captivating spatial projects that can be viewed on Apple Vision Pro (Mac with Apple silicon required).


• Edit in the timeline at 90, 100, and 120 fps.


• Reduce clutter in the browser by automatically hiding original clips when creating synced clips or multicam clips.


• Speed up your creative flow with new Picture in Picture and Callout effects.


• Create interesting visual reveals with new Modular transitions.


• Use Vertical Zoom to Fit to scale clip heights to fit in the timeline.


• Change the order of vertically stacked clips with a new keyboard shortcut.


• Quickly navigate clips in list view and edit clip text with a new keyboard shortcut.


• Increase efficiency with additional new keyboard shortcuts including Rename Clip, Show/Hide Audio Lanes, Expand/Collapse Subroles, Play Half Speed Forward/Reverse, Consolidate Motion Content, Paste Timecode, and Show Horizon.


• Install third-party Media Extensions to support playback and editing of more video formats (macOS Sequoia or later required).

Additional support and bug fixes:

• Improves performance in timelines that contain a high number of markers.


• Fixes an issue that caused the alert badge on an event to not disappear after all missing media was relinked.


• Fixes an issue that caused the Clouds generator to be partially transparent.


• Fixes an issue that caused the Collapse to Connected Storyline command to trim audio if the audio was leading video.


• Adds support for exporting uncompressed or ProRes MXF video with 32 kHz audio.


• Adds support for exporting directly to the Photos library.


• Updates FCPXML to version 1.13.

Final Cut Pro 11 is available now as a free update for existing users of the app. In the U.S., the app remains priced at $299.99 on the Mac App Store for new users. Some of the new features require a Mac with an M1 chip or newer.
This article, "Final Cut Pro 11: Apple Shares List of All New Features and Bug Fixes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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After being part of the Google (Search) application since February, Gemini is now its own standalone app on the iPhone.

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Mythic Quest is one of the best and longest-running comedies Apple TV+ offers, and new episodes are coming very soon—followed by a new anthology series. Here’s when you can expect Mythic Quest season 4 and more to drop.

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Today we're tracking all-time low prices on both the 9th and 10th generation iPad, both of which are available on Amazon.

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.

You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi 9th generation iPad for $199.99 in Silver, down from $329.00. This is a match of the record low price on this version of the 2021 tablet.



Moving to the newer models, Amazon has the 64GB Wi-Fi 10th generation iPad for $299.00 in every color, down from $349.00. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $449.00, down from $499.00.



Cellular models are also seeing all-time low prices this week. The 64GB Cellular 10th generation iPad has hit $449.00 ($50 off), while the 256GB Cellular model is available for $599.00 ($50 off).

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 2024.

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This article, "Amazon Takes Up to $129 Off 9th and 10th Gen iPads for Black Friday" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It seems as though the launch and reception of the new M4 Mac mini has been a hit. The combination of sheer power, the tiny size, and, most importantly, the price point is something we really have not seen before. For under , its something that just cannot be overlooked. But the new form factor has people drooling at the idea of using the Mac mini as a portable computing solution. So the next question is, can you use your iPad as a mobile display for a Mac mini mobile setup? The answer is yes, and there are two ways to do it!

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There’s a new Apple Store opening later this month in Madrid, and Apple has shared a fun new wallpaper for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that you can download to mark the occasion.

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Back in 2020, Apple admitted that some AirPods Pro units suffered from both crackling sounds, and faults in the Active Noise Cancellation feature. The company launched a recall program which allowed customers to return their AirPods and have them replaced.

Apple said that only models made before October 2020 were affected, but a new AirPods Pro lawsuit claims this isn’t true – and says the company’s own actions confirm this …

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Apple's new Genmoji feature lets you create personalized emoji that aim to perfectly match what you want to express, going far beyond the limitations of standard Unicode emoji. Want an emoji of a break-dancing astronaut or a dog playing bagpipes? With Genmoji, you can make it happen.


Unlike standard emoji that are fixed Unicode characters, Genmoji are dynamically generated using on-device AI. They work seamlessly in text, appearing as inline emoji characters in supported apps like Messages and Notes. You can even create Genmoji based on people in your Photos app, making them more personal and expressive.

Requirements and Availability

Currently, Genmoji is only available in the iOS 18.2 beta for developers and public beta testers. The feature also requires Apple Intelligence, which is limited to iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and iPhone 16 series models. Apple Intelligence does not currently work in the EU.

Even with a compatible device in a supported region, you'll need to join a waitlist for Apple Intelligence features like image creation (Settings ➝ Apple Intelligence & Siri). Apple will notify you when access is granted. Note that Apple Intelligence is only available when your iPhone and Siri are set to the same language.


Apple Intelligence is available in English (US) in most regions around the world, while iOS 18.2 adds Apple Intelligence support for English (Australia), English (Canada), English (Ireland), English (New Zealand), English (South Africa) and English (UK).

Compatibility

While Genmoji work best between iOS 18.2 devices, they're also viewable on devices running iOS/iPadOS 18.1 and later, as well as Macs running macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later.

On older Apple devices or Android phones, Genmoji appear as regular images rather than inline emoji characters. Third-party apps need to specifically add Genmoji support to enable creation and proper display of these custom emoji.

Creating Custom Emoji in Messages

1. In Messages, start a conversation or choose an existing one.


2. Tap the emoji symbol in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard.


3. In the emoji search field, describe your desired emoji (alternatively, tap the colored smiling emoji at the far right, then enter your description).


4. Tap Create New Emoji.
   
   
5. On the New Genmoji screen, wait a moment for the amorphous blob to transform into your new emoji.


6. When the navigational symbols appear below the emoji, swipe left to preview alternative versions of your creation.


7. Tap the ellipsis button to add a caption to your emoji or save it as a sticker. You can also provide feedback to Apple using the thumbs up/down buttons.


8. Tap Add when you're happy with your selection, then tap the blue arrow button to send your new Genmoji.
   
   

With Genmoji, emoji finally become as limitless as your imagination. Having said that, Apple does maintain content restrictions similar to Image Playground to keep things appropriate. Regardless, once you start creating custom emoji, you might find standard emoji feeling a bit limited in comparison. Apple is expected to release iOS 18.2 in early December.
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Apple today announced it will be opening an all-new store at the La Vaguada shopping center in Madrid, Spain on Thursday, November 28.


To celebrate the occasion, Apple has released a special wallpaper for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac with a creative illustration of Apple's logo.

Apple La Vaguada will be the company's 12th store in Spain, and its first all-new location opened in the country in just over a decade. The official La Vaguada account today shared a short teaser video of the store's facade on Instagram Stories.

(Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!)
This article, "Apple Announces New Store in Spain, Shares iPhone and Mac Wallpaper" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Some six years after virtual private network company NordVPN started searching data breaches for the most-used passwords, things are every bit as bad as when the company started.

Each year, the company searches the dark web for passwords stolen by malware or exposed in security breaches to determine the most commonly-used passwords, and this year’s crop is as depressing as ever …

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Snapchat is rolling out a new feature which will work in a similar way to Apple’s Find My app, but will be limited to family members.

Parents will be able to request the location of the teens, and vice-versa, with some automated location reporting also available …

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TSMC’s Arizona plants will enable Apple chips for older devices to be made in the US for the first time, but things haven’t exactly been going to plan.

The latest development is that a group of the company’s US workers have filed a lawsuit accusing the Taiwanese company of ‘anti-American discrimination’ …

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Earlier this week Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that we’ll see an Apple smart home camera in 2026, with the company confident it will prove to be a popular accessory, selling in the tens of millions per year.

Given Apple’s habit of minimizing the number of products it makes, if the report is accurate the company must feel there’s good reason to enter a crowded product category, and I think an Apple camera will likely differentiate itself in two ways: privacy, and Apple Intelligence …

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Google Maps has been given a fairly substantial update in time for the holidays, with the introduction of an in-app product search function to help users find specific items at nearby stores. The new feature allows shoppers to search for electronics, home goods, grocery items, and last-minute gifts directly within the Maps interface.


The update also brings navigation enhancements, with Google Maps now displaying real-time weather disruptions such as unplowed roads, flooded areas, and zones with low visibility. Public transit users can now also access crowdsourced delay reports and improved station information, including detailed subway entrance locations and alternative route suggestions.

Elsewhere, for electric vehicle owners, Maps has gained a synced route planning feature with charging stops, allowing users to send their planned routes directly to vehicles with built-in Google Maps. Meanwhile, a new trailer-friendly routing feature, currently available for select 2024 Chevrolet and GMC models, helps drivers avoid low bridges and tunnels by considering vehicle dimensions.

In an effort to reduce holiday stress, Maps has also enhanced its Popular Times feature with detailed traffic predictions and store crowd information. Google recommends avoiding peak travel times, particularly between 1.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. in the days leading up to Christmas.


The features are rolling out globally, although some functions like trailer-friendly routing are currently limited to specific vehicle models, with broader availability planned for the future.
This article, "Google Maps Can Now Help You Find Last-Minute Holiday Gifts" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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, and they are awesome. As a pair of on-ear wireless earbuds, they are really hard to fault. I have used AirPods 2 for the past five years — skipping the third-generation model due to fit concerns — and AirPods 4 are what I have been waiting for.

The new AirPods are available in two models: $129, or . I have the ANC buds and I’m thrilled with them, but I predict even the base model is going to drive a lot of sales this holiday season.

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Capcom's Resident Evil 2 remake will launch on Apple devices on December 10, making it the fourth Resident Evil title to arrive on Apple's mobile platforms.


The game will be available as a free download with a trial version, after which players can purchase the full game. While pricing hasn't been officially announced, it's likely to cost between $19.99 and $59.99, based on other Resident Evil titles on the App Store.

A deadly virus engulfs the residents of Raccoon City in September of 1998, plunging the city into chaos as flesh eating zombies roam the streets for survivors. An unparalleled adrenaline rush, gripping storyline, and unimaginable horrors await you. Witness the return of Resident Evil 2.

Resident Evil 2 requires an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 series model to run, along with iPads and Macs equipped with M1 chips or later. The game will support cross-progression across supported Apple devices, so players can continue their progress whether playing on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Capcom says it will be a universal purchase, meaning a single purchase grants access across all compatible Apple devices.


Interested readers can pre-register for Resident Evil 2 on the App Store starting today, just note that the iPhone app will require 22.1GB of storage when it drops on December 10. [Direct Link]
This article, "Resident Evil 2 Coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac on December 10" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google has launched its dedicated Gemini artificial intelligence app for iPhone users, expanding beyond the previous limited integration within the main Google app. The standalone app offers enhanced functionality, including support for Gemini Live and iOS-specific features like Dynamic Island integration.


The new app allows iPhone users to interact with Google's AI through text or voice queries and includes support for Gemini Extensions. A key feature is Gemini Live, which wasn't available in the previous Google app implementation. When engaged in a conversation, Gemini Live appears in both the Dynamic Island and Lock Screen, letting you control your AI interactions without returning to the main app.

The app is free to download, and Google offers premium features through Gemini Advanced subscriptions available as in-app purchases. Gemini Advanced is part of a Google One AI premium plan costing $18.99 per month. Apart from Gemini in Mail, Docs, and more, it includes access to Google's next-generation model, 1.5 Pro, priority access to new features, and a one million token context window. Users need to sign in with a Google account to access the service.


The rollout follows an initial soft launch in the Philippines earlier this week, with availability now extending to additional regions including Australia, India, the US, and the UK.

Previously, iOS users could only access Gemini through a dedicated tab within the main Google app, which offered a more limited experience compared to the Android version. This standalone release, available on the App Store, brings feature parity closer between the two mobile platforms.
This article, "Google Releases Standalone Gemini AI App for iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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