Apple has two great, affordable iPads that most people consider: the base iPad, and the iPad Air. Over time, these iPads have always been relatively similar, making it a rather interesting debate. With current deals, theres only $150 between these two iPads, which really begs the question: should you pay more for the iPad Air, or save some money with the base iPad?

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The sequel to one of Apple’s most-watched comedies is now available to Apple TV subscribers.

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Holiday shopping season is here, and if you’re thinking about a great gift for someone special (or let’s be honest, yourself), Roborock’s Qrevo CurvX should be at the top of your list. Robot vacuums have always had this problem: you either get something powerful that looks like a sci-fi reject, or something sleek that can’t really clean. Qrevo CurvX doesn’t make you choose. It solves real frustrations while actually looking nice in your home. With Black Friday around the corner, it’s getting an incredible $650 discount, down to $849.99 from $1,499.99.

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macOS Tahoe 26 brought clipboard history to Spotlight, which is great. However, there’s much more that Apple can do, particularly with the help of Apple Intelligence and third-party models. Here’s how.

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Following the introduction of iPhone Pocket, Apple announced today the Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand, celebrating the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple. Here are the details.

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Apple is continuing to promote its latest Apple TV series Pluribus in creative ways. Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn is participating in an in-character "Ask Me Anything" thread on Reddit, and she'll be answering questions as Carol Sturka starting at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow.


Carol Sturka is the main character in Pluribus. She's the author of the Winds of Wycaro series, and is promoting her latest book, Bloodsong of Wycaro, when an extraterrestrial virus escapes the confines of a lab and infects almost everyone but her.

Apple is leaning into Bloodsong of Wycaro to spur interest in Pluribus, and has shared an excerpt from the fictional novel in the Apple Books app that fans of the show can read. Bloodsong of Wycaro follows the adventures of main character Lucasia as she sails on the Mercator, mourning her lost love Raban.

You can post questions for Carol to answer in the AMA thread available on /r/TVPlus, and she'll be online at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, November 21 to answer them.

The first three episodes of Pluribus are available, with the fourth set to launch on Friday. The sci-fi thriller was dreamed up by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, and it stars Seehorn, who was previously in Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul.

Pluribus can be watched on ‌Apple TV‌, Apple's streaming service. ‌Apple TV‌ pricing starts at $12.99 per month, but there is a free 7-day trial available.
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Apple TV today revealed that Pluribus has become its most successful new drama series debut ever, topping the viewership set by Severance season two earlier in the year. Via Deadline, Apple says Vince Gilligan’s mysterious new show has captivated audiences and set a new viewership record for biggest global drama series launch for the streamer.

Pluribus was most popular in US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Mexico, India and France. New episodes of the show are rolling out each Friday, with episode four dropping in a couple of hours.

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OpenAI today announced the worldwide rollout of group chats in ChatGPT, allowing multiple people to collaborate with ChatGPT in a shared conversation. OpenAI started testing group chats with a small number of people last week, but the feedback was positive so it is now expanding the feature to everyone.


With group chats, ChatGPT users can create a shared conversation space and invite friends, family, or coworkers. Group chats are separate from private conversations, and OpenAI says that the group creator's personal ChatGPT memory is never shared with anyone in the chat.

According to OpenAI, group chats can be useful for planning a weekend trip with friends, designing a backyard garden, collaborating on design ideas, finding a restaurant that suits everyone's tastes, or settling debates. Group chats can also be used for research for school or work projects, incorporating shared articles, notes, and questions.

Creating a group chat can be done by tapping on the people icon in the top right corner of any new or existing chat. People can be invited by sharing a link, and anyone with the link can invite more people, with up to 20 supported. Group chats are aggregated in a clearly-labeled section of the sidebar, separate from personal chats.

OpenAI says ChatGPT was taught new social behaviors for group chats. It follows the flow of conversation and decides when to respond and when to stay quiet based on the context of the conversation. Mentioning ChatGPT in a message will prompt it to respond, and ChatGPT can react to messages with emojis.

Group chats are available to all logged-in users on free, Go, Plus, and Pro ChatGPT plans. OpenAI says that it will continue to refine the feature as more people start using it.
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Smart cleaning pioneer Narwal is officially launching its Black Friday discounts, and 9to5Mac readers get priority access to additional saving, allowing you to save up to 49% across the company’s entire lineup. It even extends to non-robocleaners like wet/dry vacuums.

It’s unusual for a discount to apply to every single product a company offers, from its most affordable models right the way up to its latest and most sophisticated ones – but that’s exactly what you get here.

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watchOS 26 brought a variety of big and small updates to the Apple Watch, but one I’ve been increasingly loving is the new wrist flick gesture. Here’s how it works and what I’ve been using it for.

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Google today announced the launch of Nano Banana Pro, an image generation model that is a followup to the Nano Banana model that came out earlier this year. Nano Banana Pro is built on Gemini 3 Pro, Google's latest and most advanced AI model.


Google says that Nano Banana Pro is the best model for generating images with correctly rendered and legible text, from a short tagline to a long paragraph. Nano Banana Pro's text expertise allows for the creation of mockups and posters with different fonts, textures, and word style, plus it works in multiple languages.

Content is more helpful than before, with Nano Banana Pro able to create text-heavy infographics and diagrams for learning purposes. It can connect to Google Search to gather information for a graphic, and blend more elements than before. It supports uploading up to 14 images and can maintain the consistency and resemblance of up to five people.

There are image editing tools in Nano Banana Pro that can be used to select, refine, and transform parts of images with localized editing. Camera angles, focus, color, and lighting can be adjusted, and there are 2K and 4K resolution output options.

With the launch of Nano Banana Pro, Google is giving Gemini the ability to tell if an image was generated with Google AI. AI-created images feature SynthIDs and a visible watermark on images generated by free and AI Pro tier users.

Nano Banana Pro is available in the Gemini app when using the Create images feature with the Thinking model. Free users will receive limited quotas, and then will revert to the original Nano Banana model. Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers can generate more images before hitting the limit. Nano Banana Pro is also available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in AI mode in Search.

Google is making Nano Banana Pro available for companies that use Google Ads, and developers can use it through the Gemini API and Google AI Studio.
This article, "Google Launches Nano Banana Pro AI Image Generator With Improved Text Capabilities" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new post on Apple’s Machine Learning Research blog shows how much the M5 Apple silicon improved over the M4 when it comes to running a local LLM. Here are the details.

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Earlier today, Google made a surprise announcement that the Quick Share file transfer feature on Pixel 10 smartphones was able to work with AirDrop, enabling first-party file sharing between Android devices and Apple devices.


Typically, Apple and Google work together on cross-platform features, but it turns out that Apple had no involvement this time. Google created the Quick Share to AirDrop interoperability on its own, and apparently sprung it on Apple with a public announcement. From a statement Google provided to Android Authority:

We accomplished this through our own implementation. Our implementation was thoroughly vetted by our own privacy and security teams, and we also engaged a third party security firm to pentest the solution.

It's possible that Google gave Apple a heads up about its plan to devise an Android and iPhone file transfer solution, but Apple's total lack of participation in the announcement suggests that Apple wasn't interested in working with Google to develop it.

Google says that it is using its own implementation, and Apple's take on that is unclear. Apple has not historically supported third-party workarounds for interoperability between ‌iPhone‌ and Android devices, and it continually worked to put a stop to an iMessage for Android feature that Beeper attempted in 2023.

The Beeper situation does seem to have some parallels with Google's AirDrop move. Beeper reverse engineered Apple's iMessage protocols and encryption, using Apple's iMessage servers to allow Android users to send blue bubble messages to ‌iPhone‌ users. Apple was able to successfully shut down Beeper's messaging solution.

Google is a much bigger company than Beeper, and now that it has publicly announced and launched the Quick Share to AirDrop functionality, it would be harder for Apple to oppose it. Apple is also facing more intense regulatory pressure than it was even two years ago, so it might not want to kill the cross-platform file sharing feature.

File sharing was implemented with an interoperability layer between Quick Share and AirDrop that uses the Rust programming language, according to Google.

Google claims that it had a third-party pentest the security of the file sharing protocol, and that it worked to vet the solution with its own privacy and security teams. Google accompanied the announcement with a full blog post on the underlying security. Apple hasn't commented yet.

Apple and Google have previously worked together on several cross-platform features, including RCS messaging, unknown tracker identification and alerts, and SIM transfers.
This article, "Will Apple Kill Google's Surprise Android to iPhone AirDrop Interoperability?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: the possible end of the Mac Pro, iPhone Fold’s battery capacity, and more powerful iPhone cases. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.

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In an interview on CNBC’s “Money Movers” earlier today, Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang discussed what the newly announced partnership with Apple may mean for F1, as well as Apple’s possible plans for the future. Here’s what he said.

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Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by CardPointers: The best way to maximize your credit card rewards. 9to5Mac Daily listeners can exclusively save 50% and get a $100 Savings Card.  

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Benjamin and Chance discuss the week in Apple news, including the suggestion that Tim Cook’s retirement announced could come early in 2026. Also, Apple responds to user feedback on the multitasking changes with the latest iPadOS 26.2 beta 3, Tesla is rumored to be adding CarPlay to its vehicles, and MLS becomes part of the base Apple TV subscription starting next season.

And in Happy Hour Plus, they discuss the future of the Mac Pro and why Apple should stop selling it. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join. 

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iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more.


In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date.

Keep reading for eight new features coming with iOS 26.2. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer, but some features require a newer iPhone.

Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen

A new slider in the Lock Screen customization menu lets you adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass for the clock, allowing you to decide how clear or frosted it appears.

This comes after iOS 26.1 added "Clear" and "Tinted" options for Liquid Glass overall.

Offline Lyrics in Apple Music

iOS 26.2 adds offline lyric support to Apple Music, allowing you to view a song's lyrics even when you are not connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.

Sleep Score Revisions

iOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2 have revised Sleep Score ranges:

• Very Low: 0-40 (previously 0-29)


• Low: 41-60 (previously 30-49)


• OK: 61-80 (previously 50-69)


• High: 81-95 (previously 70-89)


• Very High: 96-100 (previously 90-100)

Apple says sleep scores are calculated based on how long you slept, the consistency of when you fell asleep, and the frequency and duration of waking up during the night. The feature is available in the Health app on all iPhone models compatible with iOS 26, and in the Sleep app on all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 26.

Alarms for Reminders

iOS 26.2 lets you set alarms for reminders in Apple's Reminders app.

When adding a reminder, selecting a time and then toggling on the "Urgent" option will cause an alarm to go off at the designated time.

Apple Podcasts Enhancements

Apple's Podcasts app has three new features on iOS 26.2, including automatic chapters for episodes, timed links on the screen, and the ability to view other podcasts that a podcast mentions right from the audio player and the transcript.

Apple News Revamp

In the Apple News app, there is now a dedicated "Following" tab, and buttons for quick access to topics like sports, puzzles, politics, business, and food.

iPhone Screen Flash for Notifications

Starting with iOS 26.2, your iPhone's screen can flash when you receive a notification. Previously, this setting was limited to the LED camera flash on the back of the iPhone.

In the Settings app, under Accessibility → Audio & Visual → Flash for Alerts, there are now options for LED Flash, Screen, and Both. Or, you can keep the setting turned off.

AirPods Live Translation in EU

iOS 26.2 makes Live Translation on AirPods available in the EU.

Live Translation allows you to understand someone who is speaking a different language than you. For example, if you speak English, and someone is speaking to you in French, Siri can tell you what they are saying in English through your AirPods.

The feature works best when both participants in a conversation are using Live Translation on AirPods. If you are talking with someone who is not wearing AirPods, you can display a live transcription in the other person's language on your iPhone.

Live Translation is available on the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and higher-end AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The feature launched in the U.S. and select other countries with iOS 26, but it was not available in the EU until iOS 26.2, as Apple said it needed additional time to ensure compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act.

• iOS 26: Use Live Translation With AirPods

In addition to compatible AirPods, users need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with Apple Intelligence turned on and Apple's Translate app installed.

As of iOS 26.1, Live Translation on AirPods supports the following languages:

• English (U.S.)


• English (U.K.)


• French (France)


• German (Germany)


• Portuguese (Brazil)


• Spanish (Spain)


• Chinese — Simplified (China)


• Chinese — Traditional (China)


• Japanese


• Korean


• Italian

iOS 26 also has a built-in Live Translation feature in the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps, with no AirPods required.
This article, "iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple TV premiered food-centric series this year that were both scripted (Carême) and unscripted (Knife Edge), and the streamer just announced a new food series coming: The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina.

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Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini.

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.

If you're looking for something other than Macs, be sure to visit our Black Friday Roundup for all of the best deals and discounts happening this season. For more Apple-specific devices currently on sale, our main post on the best current Apple Black Friday deals is the best place to look.

M3 iPad Air

We're tracking record low prices across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup for Black Friday, with discounts available at both Amazon and Best Buy. This sale includes savings on both Wi-Fi and cellular models of the tablet, and it's been a few weeks since we last saw these all-time low prices.

Prices start at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, and each one is a match for the best-ever price seen on these tablets.




Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $150 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $599.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $799.00, both representing record low prices.

11-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $449.00, down from $599.00


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $549.00, down from $699.00


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $749.00, down from $899.00


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $949.00, down from $1,099.00

13-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $649.00, down from $799.00


• 256GB Wi-Fi - $749.00, down from $899.00


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $949.00, down from $1,099.00


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,149.00, down from $1,299.00

M5 iPad Pro

Amazon and Best Buy recently opened up big discounts across the M5 iPad Pro lineup, offering as much as $169 off select tablets. Prices now start at $924.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M5 iPad Pro at Amazon, down from $999.00. This specific tablet has been slowly dropping in price all month, and Amazon's sale today is now the best-ever price.




For the larger models, you can save up to $169 on the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro on Amazon this week. If you're shopping for the 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi model, Amazon has this tablet for $2,230.00, down from $2,399.00, as well as a few other 13-inch models between $50 and $137 off.

11-Inch M5 iPad Pro

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $924.00 ($75 off)


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,099.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,499.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]


• 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,584.00 ($115 off)


• 2TB Wi-Fi - $1,861.00 ($138 off)


• 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,999.00 ($100 off)

13-Inch M5 iPad Pro

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $1,249.00 ($50 off) [matched at Best Buy]


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,399.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,768.00 ($131 off)


• 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,861.00 ($138 off)


• 2TB Wi-Fi - $2,160.00 ($139 off)


• 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $2,230.00 ($169 off)

11th Gen iPad

Amazon this week is taking $69 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $279.99 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.

iPad mini 7

Amazon this week has low prices on nearly every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.





You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track 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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Apple is teaming up with the iconic Spanish soccer team Real Madrid on two projects that promise to provide an ultimate viewing experience for fans.


First, Apple will be releasing a new documentary about Real Madrid on the Vision Pro next year, according to GQ España. The documentary will be in the Apple Immersive format, meaning it will be a 180-degree 8K recording with Spatial Audio.

The documentary was filmed with more than 30 specialized Blackmagic cameras designed to capture 3D depth, during the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Juventus in October. It will provide a behind-the-scenes view of the match, and it captures the atmosphere of Real Madrid's iconic Bernabéu stadium.

There is already a "Real Madrid: Until The End" documentary available on the Apple TV streaming service, but it was not shot in the Apple Immersive format.

Apple is also working on a second, bigger project that Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez refers to as "Infinite Bernabéu."

With Apple's technology, Pérez told GQ España that "it will be like opening the stadium doors to the entire planet, without limits, without barriers, and with a level of technology that will mark a turning point in the world of sports."

Perhaps this means that at least some Real Madrid matches will be live streamed in the Apple Immersive format on the Vision Pro, like select Los Angeles Lakers games will be this season. However, the specific plans remain to be seen.

In related news, Apple celebrated 40 years of operating in Spain by hosting a live performance at its Puerta del Sol store in Madrid.


The event was captured with iPhone 17 Pro cameras.

"There's no better way to celebrate Apple's 40 years in Spain than by highlighting the incredible creativity and talent that make this country so special," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.

More details about the celebration can be found in Apple's press release.

Thanks, Carlos Sevilla!
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Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the ‌iPhone‌ and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available.


The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold.

According to Google, Apple device users will need to change their AirDrop visibility to Everyone for 10 Minutes to be able to accept a file transfer from a Pixel 10 device. With that setting enabled, a file coming from an Android user looks identical to an AirDrop file from an ‌iPhone‌ user, featuring the same notification and tap to accept option.

To receive files from an Apple user, the Pixel 10 user will need to turn on the Everyone for 10 minutes setting or enter into Receive mode on the Quick Share page. Files are saved in the Files app.

Google says that the QuickShare and AirDrop interoperability was designed with a multi-layered security approach to ensure a safe sharing experience regardless of platform. There's a secure sharing channel, built-in platform protections for Android and iOS, and a consent requirement before a file is received.

Connections between devices are direct and peer-to-peer, so data is not routed through a server. For file transfers in both directions, the Apple device or the Pixel 10 device displays the other person's device name for verification purposes.

As of right now, the feature only works in the Everyone for 10 Minutes AirDrop sharing mode, but Google says that it would like to work with Apple to support "Contacts Only" mode in the future.

AirDrop and Quick Share interoperability is available now.
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Clean energy company Bluetti has expanded its popular portable power station range with a new Elite series. This includes options for both home energy resilience and on-the-go adventures. For a limited time, 9to5Mac readers can snag one of the latest models with a discount of up to 65%.

The headline news here is the Elite 10 Portable Power Station, the most portable model the company has ever made, fitting into your palm and weighing less than four pounds. At the other end of the scale is a new expansion battery for the company’s whole home backup power solutions …

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Apple Wallet recently launched a new Digital ID feature using US passports, but support for state driver’s licenses continues to grow too, and two new states have now pledged support for the feature.

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