App age verification isn’t just a theoretical concept being debated in Congress. A number of laws have already passed that require platforms to verify age for users in select states.

For example, the Twitter/X alternative Bluesky went offline for me in August rather than comply with an age verification law where I live. This week, I can use the app again — as long as I share a bit of personal information with a third-party service I’ve never heard of.

This is likely a preview of what to expect for more apps in more places going forward.

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There are plenty of holiday deals for AirPods shoppers this year, but the standout offer by far right now is on AirPods Pro 3.

Amazon has now dropped the price on AirPods Pro down to their lowest ever at $199, a whopping $50 off the regular price of $249. That’s an incredible, unprecedented savings on Apple’s latest-generation headphones.

Plus, we’re tracking deals on AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Max, and various Beats products. Head below for all the details.

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Shazam today announced it is rolling out a new Popular Segments feature that reveals exactly which part of a song is most popular with listeners.


For example, the image above shows that the given song was most discovered around 30 to 35 seconds into the track during the preceding week. This was the moment in the song when the most people asked Shazam to identify the song.

More details about the feature:

Popular Segments spotlights the key moments within a track that drove the most Shazam activity within the past week. Available for top tracks ranking on Shazam's charts and based on Shazam tag volume, this interactive feature displays relative segment popularity throughout a song, allowing users to hover over the graph and reveal precise time markers and corresponding segments.

Shazam says Popular Segments will provide both listeners and artists with helpful insights into what makes songs resonate.

The feature will begin rolling out today on the Shazam.com website across desktop and mobile platforms, according to Apple. The announcement did not indicate if the feature will be coming to the Shazam app on the iPhone and iPad.

Shazam is a popular music identification service that Apple acquired back in 2018, and it has Apple Music integration. In addition to being available on the web and as an app, Shazam powers a Recognize Music control in Control Center on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You can also use Shazam via Siri voice commands.

Last month, the Shazam app for iPhone was updated with a Liquid Glass design.
This article, "New Shazam Feature Will Reveal the Most Popular Moment of a Song" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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DJI has made flying a drone feel a whole lot more futuristic. With a brand-new firmware update, the DJI Neo 2 now supports Apple Watch remote control, letting you steer, track, record, and manage your drone right from your wrist. And here’s the kicker: the original DJI Neo is getting the same Apple Watch compatibility soon, making this upgrade a big win for every buyer in the Neo lineup. If you’re an Apple user who’s been flirting with the idea of buying a drone, this is the moment DJI clearly wants you to jump in.

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Apple's AirPods Pro 3 have hit a new record low price of $199.00 today on Amazon, down from $249.00. This deal beats the Black Friday price we saw last month by about $20.

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.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ have 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Update: This deal has been fluctuating today, sometimes disappearing and reappearing in the span of a few minutes. If you don't see it when you visit Amazon, it may be worth trying again later in the day.

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This article, "AirPods Pro 3 Drop to New $199 Low Price on Amazon [Updated]" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon this week is discounting a collection of Beats headphones and speakers, including a low price on the Powerbeats Pro 2. You can get this new 2025 model for $199.95 in four colors, down from $249.99. This deal on the Powerbeats Pro 2 is being matched at Best Buy, along with a few other Beats deals.

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.

This sale also includes discounts on products like the Beats Pill, which has hit $109.99 on Amazon, down from $149.95. This is a second-best price on the speaker.



Additionally, Amazon has the Beats Studio Buds+ for $149.95, down from $169.95. These have up to 9 hours of playback (up to 36 hours with charging case), USB-C, active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance.

You'll also find a few steep discounts on over-ear headphones, like the Beats Studio Pro at $179.95, down from $349.99, and some markdowns on Beats iPhone 17 cases.

• Beats Studio Buds+ - $149.95, down from $169.95


• Beats Pill - $109.99, down from $149.95


• Beats Solo 4 - $149.95, down from $199.95


• Beats Studio Pro - $179.95, down from $349.99


• Powerbeats Pro 2 - $199.95, down from $249.99


• Beats USB-A to USB-C Woven Cable - $9.89, down from $18.99


• Beats iPhone 17 Case - $18.80 with on-page coupon, down from $45.00


• Beats iPhone 17 Pro Case - $22.45, down from $45.00


• Beats iPhone 17 Pro Max Case - $28.17, down from $45.00

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Powerbeats Pro 2 Available for $199.95 Low Price, Plus More Beats Deals on Headphones and Cases" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Samsung is hosting a new holiday event this week, and you can find great deals on monitors, storage accessories, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

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

A new highlight of this event is Samsung's 4TB Portable SSD T7 Shield for $349.99 ($115 off). Samsung is also discounting the 2TB model to $229.99 ($20 off), and both are great portable storage options for Mac computers, with an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance and read/write speeds of up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s.



Regarding TVs, there are quite a few models of The Frame TV on sale, including a new all-time low price on The Frame Pro models. You can get the 65-inch The Frame TV for $1,299.99 ($700 off), as well as The Frame Pro for $1,999.00 ($1,200 off).

Samsung's new Galaxy XR headset also has a few notable offers during this event, including up to $1,140 in savings with the Explorer Pack. This features various content at no extra cost with the purchase of the Galaxy XR, like one year of YouTube Premium, one year of Google AI Pro, and more.

For even more potential savings, eligible shoppers have the chance to get additional discounts through Samsung offer programs. These programs provide extra discounts for students, military, and employees of select businesses, and they provide up to 30 percent extra savings on Samsung's website, so be sure to check whether you're eligible for any of these programs.

TVs

• 55-inch Neo QLED TV - $649.99, down from $1,299.99


• 75-inch Vision AI Smart TV - $679.99, down from $1,199.99


• 65-inch The Frame - $1,299.99, down from $1,999.99 (extra $100 off available through offer programs)


• 75-inch The Frame Pro - $1,999.99, down from $3,199.99


• 85-inch The Frame Pro - $3,299.99, down from $4,299.99 (extra $660 off available through offer programs)


• 65-inch OLED S90C TV - $1,699.99, down from $2,699.99


• 65-inch Neo QLED 4K TV - $1,799.99, down from $2,699.99


• 77-inch OLED S90F TV - $1,999.99, down from $3,499.99


• 75-inch Neo QLED QN90D TV - $1,499.99, down from $3,299.99

Storage

• 2TB Portable SSD T9 - $199.99, down from $239.99


• 4TB Portable SSD T9 - $329.99, down from $439.99


• 4TB Portable SSD T7 Shield - $349.99, down from $464.99


• 8TB Portable SSD T5 EVO - $629.99, down from $689.99

Monitors

• 32-inch Smart Monitor M8 - $389.99, down from $699.99


• 40-inch Odyssey G7 G75F Curved Monitor - $749.99, down from $1,199.99


• 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor - $777.99, down from $1,299.99


• 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 Monitor - $899.99, down from $1,799.99

Appliances

• Bespoke Smart Dishwasher - $899.99, down from $1,299.00


• Large Capacity Side-by-Side Fridge - $999.00, down from $1,666.00


• 4-Door French Door Fridge - $1,799.00, down from $2,999.00


• Bespoke All-in-One Combo Washer/Dryer - $2,099.00, down from $3,299.00


• Mega Capacity 3-Door French Door Fridge - $2,499.00, down from $3,499.00


• Bespoke 4-Door Flex Fridge - $2,050.00, down from $4,099.00


• Bespoke 4-Door Flex Fridge - $3,399.99, down from $4,999.00

Galaxy Products

• Galaxy XR - Save up to $1,140 with the Explorer Pack


• Galaxy S25 Ultra - Save up to $700 in instant trade-in credit


• Galaxy Ring - Get up to $150 trade-in credit


• Galaxy Watch Ultra - Save up to $250


• Galaxy Watch 8 - Save up to $200

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Samsung's Holiday Sale Has Low Prices on The Frame TV, Portable SSDs, Monitors, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is opening a new store tomorrow at The Shops at Blackstone Valley, an open-air shopping center in Millbury, Massachusetts, near Worcester.


The store is set to open this Friday, December 12, at 12 p.m. local time. Apple is located next to fashion retailer Coach at the shopping center.

The new store is a replacement for Apple's previous location at Solomon Pond Mall, in nearby Marlborough, Massachusetts. That location permanently closed on Wednesday, after more than 10 years of operations. When it relocates a store, Apple typically gives all employees the opportunity to transfer to the new location.

Apple has yet to reveal the new store, but the photo below from local resident Steve Stearns provides a sneak peek at the facade.


Apple's newer stores typically feature a dedicated counter for customers to pick up orders they placed online, and the Genius Bar has become a prominent element again in recent years. There will also be free "Today at Apple" creative sessions.
This article, "New Apple Store Opening in Massachusetts Tomorrow" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple CEO Tim Cook was yesterday spotted in Washington, D.C. during a visit to lobby against a proposed App Store age verification policy.

But the very argument the company uses to oppose the proposal is in fact the strongest argument in favour of it …

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One of Apple TV’s best thriller series, Hijack, is coming back for a highly anticipated season 2 next month, and the newly released trailer reveals what to expect.

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Disney characters are coming to OpenAI’s Sora video generation app — this time, with permission. OpenAI and Disney just announced a “landmark agreement” that will see some Sora content appear on Disney+.

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Google is rolling out Gemini integration for its Chrome browser on iPhone and iPad, a move that brings AI feature parity with its web and desktop versions.


The company teased built-in Gemini in Chrome for iOS in September, and the feature is now rolling out gradually across the United States. For Gemini to work in Chrome, you'll need version 143. When you've updated, make sure you're signed into your account, the browser language is set to English, and the app isn't in Incognito mode.

If all the above conditions are met, the Google Lens logo on the left-hand side of the address bar will change to a Gemini icon. Tapping the icon shows options for two "Page tools" that let Gemini search your screen or for you to ask the chatbot a question.

The Gemini interface also includes shortcuts to do things like summarize the current webpage or create a FAQ about a topic. Other sample queries include asking Gemini to reframe complex topics in alternative ways, quiz you on material you're learning, adapt recipes to specific dietary requirements, or contrast options and offer tailored recommendations based on your preferences. Gemini's responses to queries appear in an overlay that floats on top of the webpage.

Chrome 143 for iOS also adds biometric checkout support, new Chrome tips on the New Tab Page, and general stability improvements.

(Via 9to5Google.)
This article, "Google Rolls Out Gemini AI for Chrome on iPhone and iPad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Porsche is preparing to bring full support for Apple's Digital Key to its new all-electric Cayenne and Macan models.


The feature enables unlocking, locking, and starting the vehicle using an iPhone or Apple Watch via NFC, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Ultra Wideband. Digital Keys stored in Apple Wallet will continue to function even when an ‌iPhone‌ has run out of charge. Owners will be able to share access with up to seven additional users.

Porsche was highlighted as an upcoming partner when Apple outlined next-generation Car Key support at WWDC. Porsche Digital Key support will be available on 2026 model year versions of the electric Cayenne and Macan as part of the Comfort Access option.

MacRumors today discovered that Apple has now enabled the required infrastructure on its backend, meaning that Porsche simply needs to roll the feature out, suggesting that this will take place relatively soon. Earlier this week, Samsung announced that its Samsung Wallet service now supports Porsche Digital Key access for select models beginning with the 2026 Macan, using similar standards.
This article, "Porsche Bringing Apple Digital Key Support to 2026 Cayenne and Macan" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Spotify has announced a new AI-powered feature, Prompted Playlists, under the heading “You’re in control: Spotify lets you steer the algorithm” …

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Opera today opened access to its agentic Neon browser, allowing anyone to subscribe to the app for AI power users. Opera Neon has been available in a closed "Founders" phase since it launched on October 2, but the waitlist has now been removed.


Costing $19.90 per month, Neon aims to go beyond traditional browsing by using AI to execute tasks directly within the browser. Neon can open and close tabs, compare information across multiple sources, and complete transactions on a user's behalf.

The service grants immediate access to top-tier models such as Gemini 3 Pro, GPT-5.1, Veo 3.1, and Nano Banana Pro. Complementing these models are the Neon Chat, Do, and Make agents, which are designed to autonomously handle complex tasks ranging from booking full travel itineraries to building websites, generating videos, and editing documents.

A new addition, the ODRA deep research agent, is designed for sustained, in-depth investigation. Its rapid "1-minute research" mode can gather and synthesize information on complex subjects while providing clear sourcing, offering a faster path to structured insight.

The browser competes with similar AI offerings from the likes of Perplexity (Comet Browser) and The Browser Company (Dia Browser). Opera Neon can be downloaded from the Opera website.
This article, "Opera Neon Browser Drops Waitlist, Adds Deep Research Agent" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Deciding to abandon one of the world’s best-known brands was one of a number of imaginative decisions made by Elon Musk when he purchased Twitter and renamed it X. Now a startup wants to revive the name, arguing that X corporation no longer has any use for the trademark.

The legal arguments could get interesting, especially given that one of those involved in the venture is Stephen Coates – Twitter’s former general counsel …

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Apple's next-generation Studio Display is expected to arrive early next year, and a new report allegedly provides a couple more details on the external monitor's capabilities.


According to internal Apple code seen by Macworld, the new external display will feature a variable refresh rate capable of up to 120Hz – aka ProMotion – as well as support for HDR content. The current Studio Display is limited to 60Hz and supports SDR, but not HDR.

Macworld's Filipe Espósito suggests new HDR support points to Apple's use of improved panel technology that can achieve higher brightness. Indeed, analyst Ross Young believes Apple's next Studio Display could use a mini-LED panel similar to the MacBook Pro, which features superior brightness, contrast, and color accuracy compared to the existing LCD panel.

Elsewhere, the code references a "J527" identifier for the monitor, and suggests the model is powered by the A19 chip – two details that have also been previously discovered in code reviewed by MacRumors. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also referenced "J527" as the internal codename for one of the displays that Apple is developing.

Apple launched the 27-inch Studio Display in March 2022 alongside the Mac Studio. It features a 5K resolution, 600 nits of brightness, built-in webcam and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. Pricing in the U.S. starts at $1,599. The new version Apple is developing could arrive as early as this spring alongside new Macs with M5 chips.
This article, "Apple Studio Display 2 Code Hints at 120Hz ProMotion, HDR, A19 Chip" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Security researchers have found that attackers are using ChatGPT to trick Mac users into pasting a command line into Terminal which installs malware. Specifically, it installs MacStealer, which allows the attacker to obtain iCloud passwords, files, and credit card details.

The attack targeted people who were searching Google for instructions on how to free up some disk space on a Mac …

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Back in September, Algoriddim's djay apps for Mac and Windows regained Spotify integration, allowing Spotify Premium subscribers to access the service's full music catalog and their own libraries and playlists, and today that support is expanding to iOS, iPadOS, and Android.


Spotify integration across desktop and mobile is available in 56 markets around the world, and it works with djay's AI-powered Automix feature to deliver DJ-quality transitions to your Spotify playlists. Intelligent beat-matching and a full set of DJ tools, loops, and effects enhance the experience.

"Integrating Spotify across djay's entire mobile and desktop lineup marks an exciting new chapter for our users and anyone aspiring to DJ," said Karim Morsy, CEO of Algoriddim. "Whether you're using your phone, tablet, or laptop, you can now tap into Spotify's massive catalog and mix the music you love across all your devices, anywhere you go.

The djay apps already support Apple Music integration, and now Spotify offers the same type of support across platforms.


Algoriddim's djay app is a free download from the App Store and Mac App Store, as well as the Google Play Store and the Microsoft Store, with an optional Pro subscription priced at $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year to unlock all features.
This article, "Spotify Integration for Algoriddim's Djay App Expands to iOS and iPadOS" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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After teasing in September, Google Chrome for iOS is now more widely rolling out a built-in Gemini experience.

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The National Association of Attorneys General has issued a letter to 13 tech companies, including Apple, calling for stronger action and safeguards against the harm AI can cause, and has caused, “especially to vulnerable populations.” Here are the details.

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YouTube TV will be updated with more than 10 genre-specific television packages in 2026, YouTube announced today. The upcoming YouTube TV Plans will be more affordable than the current version of YouTube TV, which is priced at $82.99 per month.


There will be packages for sports, news, family, entertainment, and more. A YouTube Sports Plan will include top broadcast networks along with all ESPN networks and sports networks like FS1 and NBC Sports networks.

YouTube has not provided information on the pricing for each of the YouTube TV Plans, nor what specific channels will be included. YouTube TV Plans will have most of the same features as the standard YouTube TV subscription, like unlimited DVR, key plays, fantasy view, and multiview.

YouTube TV has more than 100 channels, and YouTube subscriptions VP Christian Oestlien said that the company's goal is to provide users with more control over what they want to watch. The current plan will remain available, with the added plans included as a lower-priced option.
This article, "YouTube TV Launching Cheaper Sports, News, and Entertainment Bundles in Early 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Mophie today announced the launch of a new line of Speedport wall chargers that are powered by Gallium Nitride (GaN) for faster, more efficient power delivery.


There are several charger options with single, dual, and triple ports for powering laptops, tablets, smartphones, and more. Prices range from $15 to $100.

• Speedport 20 ($14.95) - 20W with one USB-C port.


• Speedport 35 ($24.95) - 35W with one USB-C port.


• Speedport 45 ($39.95) - 45W with two USB-C ports.


• Speedport Plus 67 ($59.95) - 67W with two USB-C ports and a built-in retractable 60W USB-C cable for charging up to three devices at once.


• Speedport 70 ($49.95) - 70W with two USB-C ports.


• Speedport 100 ($79.95) - 100W with two USB-C ports. 


• Speedport 140 ($99.95) - 140W with three USB-C ports.

All of the Speedport chargers feature a similar design, adopting plastics made from 75 percent post-consumer recycled materials and foldable prongs for travel.

With the exception of the Speedport 67 with integrated cable, all of the new chargers are available for purchase from the Mophie website as of today.
This article, "Mophie Releases New GaN-Powered Speedport USB-C Wall Chargers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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