Even traditional video-on-demand services are no longer safe, it seems: Netflix vertical video is coming later this year.

The company started testing the idea more than six months ago, and one of its co-CEOs has now confirmed that the move is going ahead …

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OpenAI is "on track" to unveil its first AI device in the second half of this year, Axios reported this week.


The comment was given to the publication by OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane, who listed "devices" as one of the big coming attractions for the company in 2026.

Lehane didn't go into specifics about the upcoming product, which is being designed by former Apple design chief Jony Ive's oi Products team. Ive's startup officially merged with OpenAI last year after it was acquired for $6.5 billion.

Previous leaks have suggested that the company's first ChatGPT-powered gadget will be pocket-sized, contextually aware of your surroundings and life, and completely screen-free. Details that emerged in court filings last year suggested it would not be a wearable, but an alleged supply chain leak this week points to OpenAI's development of two pill-shaped gadgets that rest behind the ear and go by the codename "Sweetpea."

According to the leaker known as Smart Pikachu, the devices will be metallic and feature a custom 2nm chip to "replace iPhone actions by commanding Siri," suggesting some functional overlap with AirPods. The back-of-the-ear modules are also believed to feature sensors for environmental or contextual awareness, and are stored inside an egg-shaped case.

OpenAI is said to be considering launching several AI products over the next few years, potentially including a pen and a "home-style device." The leak could therefore relate to a different product to the one that OpenAI launches first. That said, Smart Pikachu claims Ive's team is prioritizing the behind-the-ear wearable, which is reportedly being manufactured by Foxconn and could launch as soon as September, so we'll have to wait and see.

Speaking to Axios, Lehane didn't commit to OpenAI's first device actually going on sale this year, but said the company was "looking at something in the latter part [of 2026]."
This article, "OpenAI on Track to Unveil First AI Device This Year, Could Rival AirPods" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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There’s been considerable confusion about the fate of the iPhone 18 Pro Dynamic Island, with conflicting claims about the position of the selfie camera, the visibility of the Face ID components, and the size and location of the Dynamic Island.

One recent report seemed to leave open the possibility that the upcoming device wouldn’t even need a Dynamic Island, but a reliable source has now stepped in to clarify the position …

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A Californian court has awarded Apple a partial victory in a class action lawsuit alleging that the company violated the privacy of some iPhone owners.

The case followed a security researcher discovering data collection practices by Apple which he described at the time as “shocking” …

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Apple Pay is set to go live in the Indian market by the end of 2026, according to a new report by Business Standard.


The service still requires regulatory approvals before it can go live in the country, but Apple is reportedly working with banks, regulators, and card networks to bring the payment service to India within the year, claims the publication's sources.

Once launched, Apple Pay is also expected to offer its Tap to Pay on iPhone feature, allowing users in India to make contactless payments at point-of-sale terminals via NFC. But before that can happen, Apple will have to negotiate fees with major card issuers for use of the payment gateway.

UPI dominates digital payments in India, but the report's sources say Apple is unlikely to pursue third-party application provider approval for that system in the near term. Last year, Cashfree Payments and Razorpay integrated Apple Pay to support international payments for Indian merchants.

Apple Pay launched more than 10 years ago, and is already available across 89 markets globally.

The timing comes at a good moment for Apple in India. The company recorded its highest quarterly shipments in the country during Q3 2025, reaching 5 million units and securing fourth place in the market for the first time, according to IDC data.
This article, "Apple Pay Likely to Launch in India This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Chinese supplier BOE is struggling with iPhone OLED production again, causing millions of panel orders to be shifted to Samsung Display, reports The Elec.


Multiple industry sources told the publication that BOE still hasn't resolved manufacturing issues that emerged in November and December of last year. Problems in a specific production process have reportedly forced the company to halt production on some models entirely.

In the second half of 2025, BOE was supplying OLED panels for the iPhone 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, as well as the more affordable iPhone 16e and its successor, the upcoming 17e. The quality issues are said to be affecting panels for the iPhone 15, 16, and 17 specifically.

This isn't the first time BOE has had a hard time meeting Apple's panel quality requirements, but what's strange in this case is that BOE had been reliably supplying LTPS OLED panels for the iPhone 15 and 16 for some time. The iPhone 17's LTPO panels are more technically demanding, but the older models shouldn't have posed the same challenges.

"BOE had been stably supplying OLED for the iPhone 15 and 16, so the industry finds this puzzling," one source told The Elec.

BOE is now focused on ensuring stable supply for the iPhone 17e, which is expected to launch in the spring. The company holds the largest panel allocation among suppliers for that model.

• Apple's Next iPhone: What to Expect From the 2026 iPhone 17e

Meanwhile, Samsung Display has picked up millions of redirected orders over the past two months. BOE shipped around 40 million iPhone OLED panels in 2024, but that figure likely fell short last year due to the reported production setbacks.

The production issues come after a tumultuous year for BOE's relationship with Samsung Display. Samsung had accused BOE of stealing trade secrets and infringing AMOLED patents, leading to an International Trade Commission (ITC) investigation and preliminary import bans against BOE in the U.S.

The ITC initially found trade secret misappropriation and recommended nearly 15 years of import restrictions, but the companies settled in late 2025, and BOE reportedly paid royalties to Samsung to end the dispute.
This article, "Apple Shifts iPhone OLED Orders to Samsung Amid BOE Troubles" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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One of Apple TV’s best-reviewed shows is back, with new episodes premiering every Wednesday through March 11. Here’s what to expect from this season.

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Following a seemingly endless stream of legal challenges and setbacks in multiple European countries over the legality of the App Tracking Transparency feature, Apple won a key court ruling in France today. Here are the details.

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Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year.

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Update, 9:22 p.m. ET: The outage is now even more widespread, affecting a total of 29 systems and services for end-users and developers. See new details below.

Update, 11:57 p.m. ET: All issues have been resolved.

Apple’s System Status page confirms the ongoing outage, although the issue might not be affecting all users and developers worldwide. Here are the details.

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Following last month’s announcement that Apple Fitness+ would launch in Japan “early next year”, the service is now available. Here are the details.

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Apple's App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV service are experiencing an outage at the current time, according to Apple's System Status page.


Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with the ‌App Store‌ and iTunes Store. Apple also says some users may be seeing intermittent issues with ‌Apple TV‌. The ‌Apple TV‌ Channels feature is down too, and users may be unable to access some services or make purchases.

The services have been having issues since 6:48 p.m. Eastern Time. We'll update this article when the outage resolves.

Update 8:15 p.m. ET: iWork for iCloud, Xcode Cloud, and Apple Maps Traffic are also experiencing issues.
This article, "App Store and Apple TV Experiencing Outage" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A judge in Paris today decided not to suspend Apple's App Tracking Transparency privacy feature in France, according to the French newspaper La Tribune.


In a statement shared with the publication, Apple said it welcomed the court's decision and will continue to support strong privacy protections for users.

Last year, Apple was fined €150 million by France's competition regulator, after it determined that the company's decision to implement App Tracking Transparency was an abuse of market dominance. Specifically, the regulator said the feature unfairly disadvantaged both third-party app developers and advertisers.

Since the release of iOS 14.5 in April 2021, Apple has required apps to ask for permission before tracking a user's activity across other apps and websites for personalized advertising. If a user selects the "Ask App Not to Track" option, the app is unable to access the device's advertising identifier. The feature enhances user privacy, but some advertisers have complained that it has significantly impacted revenue.

Last year, Apple warned that it may be forced to stop offering App Tracking Transparency in the EU due to regulatory pressures in countries such as France, Italy, Germany, and Poland, and from the overarching European Commission. But, it appears that the feature will live on in France for now following Apple's victory today.
This article, "Apple Can Still Offer a Key iPhone Privacy Feature in France, Says Judge" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Fitness+ is now available in Japan, according to Japanese site Mac Otakara. Apple users who open the Fitness app on the iPhone will see the Apple Fitness+ tab available starting today.


Apple is providing users with a 1-month free trial, and after that, the service is priced at 980 yen per month or 7,800 yen per year. Japanese users do not have access to an Apple One plan that includes Apple Fitness+, as Apple does not provide a Premier plan in the country.

Apple said back in December that Apple Fitness+ would expand to Japan in early 2026. The service also recently became available in 28 new markets, including Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Fitness+ workouts and meditations are digitally dubbed with a generated voice in Japanese, with more dubbed episodes added on a weekly basis. Apple also provides workouts in English or with Spanish and German dubbing. Digital dubbing requires iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and tvOS 26.1.

With the addition of Japan, users in 49 countries and regions around the world are able to access the Apple Fitness+ service. There are 12 different workout types available, such as strength, yoga, HIIT, pilates, dance, cycling, kickboxing, and meditation.

Workouts can be done using the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Apple TV. When Fitness+ is used with an Apple Watch or AirPods Pro 3, personalized metrics like heart rate, calories burned, and activity progress are displayed on the ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or ‌Apple TV‌ screen.
This article, "Apple Fitness+ Expands to Japan" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We're likely just weeks away from Apple's next iPhone launch, with the company set to introduce the ‌iPhone‌ 17e. The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is a follow-up to the iPhone 16e that came out in February 2025, and rumors suggest that it could have some welcome improvements.

Design

The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is supposedly going to look a lot like the ‌iPhone 16e‌, featuring the same 6.1-inch display size, single-lens rear camera, and black and white color options.

While the display isn't changing much, the device could have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, which would be a marked visual difference.

Display

The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected to feature the same display panel as the ‌iPhone 16e‌, which means it will be limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. Apple brought 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates to the standard iPhone 17 in 2025, but the same technology is not expected for the more affordable ‌iPhone‌ 17e.

120Hz refresh rates provide video improvements and smoother scrolling when viewing webpages.

The ‌iPhone 16e‌ does not have always-on display technology, and that's not likely to change with the ‌iPhone‌ 17e. To support always-on, the ‌iPhone‌ 17e would need an OLED display with 1-nit minimum brightness, which is limited to Apple's more expensive iPhones. HDR and brightness are also lacking compared to Apple's flagship lineup.

Though the display isn't changing, there have been rumors suggesting Apple could shrink the bezel size somewhat, allowing for more visible display area.

Dynamic Island

The ‌iPhone 16e‌ continues to feature the notch that Apple has eliminated in its newer flagship iPhones, but the ‌iPhone‌ 17e might do away with it. Rumors suggest that the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will have a ‌Dynamic Island‌ instead of a notch, giving it a more modern look.


The ‌Dynamic Island‌ is a pill-shaped cutout on the ‌iPhone‌'s display that houses the TrueDepth camera system and the front-facing camera. It takes up less display area than the notch, and it is better integrated into the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple uses software to change the size and shape of the ‌Dynamic Island‌ to accommodate alerts, notifications, and Live Activities. The ‌Dynamic Island‌ can show everything from Apple Maps turn-by-turn directions to active timers, incoming phone calls, and Face ID activations. It also displays privacy indicators for the microphone or camera, alerts when accessories connect, and indicators for the flashlight, screen recording, incoming AirDrop files, and more.

The ‌Dynamic Island‌ is much more interactive and useful than the notch, because there is an option to tap into the ‌Dynamic Island‌ to access different app features.

One rumor suggests the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will continue to use a notch, so the ‌Dynamic Island‌ upgrade isn't a guarantee.

A19 Chip

The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected to use Apple's A19 chip, which was first introduced in the ‌iPhone 17‌. The A19 chip is built using Apple's upgraded N3P 3-nanometer process, offering a 5 to 10 percent performance improvement over the A18 chip.

Apple could be planning to use a downclocked version of the A19 chip in the ‌iPhone‌ 17e, and if that's the case, its performance won't quite match the ‌iPhone 17‌'s performance.

The A18 chip that Apple used in the ‌iPhone 16e‌ had a 4-core GPU instead of a 5-core GPU like the version from the iPhone 16, so the ‌iPhone‌ 17e could get a similar GPU downgrade.

Aside from the improved CPU and GPU, the A19 has an updated display engine, image signal processor, and Neural Engine for improved AI performance. Every GPU core features a Neural Accelerator to boost the performance of local AI models.

We are expecting the ‌iPhone‌ 17e to continue to include 8GB RAM like the ‌iPhone 16e‌. Apple's other models have 12GB.

MagSafe Compatibility

The ‌iPhone 16e‌ does not have a magnetic ring for MagSafe charging, but the ‌iPhone‌ 17e could feature ‌MagSafe‌ compatibility. Rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will support magnetic wireless charging, which would be a major upgrade over the ‌iPhone 16e‌.

Apple's iPhones have used ‌MagSafe‌ since the ‌iPhone‌ 12, so there are a wide array of ‌MagSafe‌ cases and accessories. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is not compatible with these accessories, which is a major limitation.

Since it doesn't have ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ is limited to 7.5W wireless charging speeds. ‌MagSafe‌ would upgrade that to at least 15W. The current ‌iPhone 17‌ models can charge at 25W over ‌MagSafe‌, though the iPhone Air is limited to 20W.

Camera

The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected to have a single 48-megapixel Wide Angle camera at the back, with no upgrade rumored. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ doesn't have a Camera Control button, and there's no word on whether Apple will bring it to the ‌iPhone‌ 17e.

The ‌iPhone 17‌ models got an upgraded 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera, but rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will continue to use the same 12-megapixel front-facing camera as the ‌iPhone 16e‌.

Modem

The ‌iPhone‌ 17e will adopt Apple's C1X modem, the modem chip that Apple first debuted in the ‌iPhone Air‌. The C1X modem is faster and more efficient than the C1 modem that Apple used in the ‌iPhone 16e‌.

Apple says the C1X modem is up to 2x faster than the C1, and it is far more energy efficient than Qualcomm modems.

No N1 Chip

While the ‌iPhone 17‌ models received Apple's new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth "N1" networking chip, leaked Apple code suggests the chip will not be included in the ‌iPhone‌ 17e in order to keep costs down.

Pricing

The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is priced starting at $599, and no price changes are expected for the ‌iPhone‌ 17e.

Launch Date

Rumors suggest that the ‌iPhone‌ 17e is going to come in the first half of 2026, and Apple could stick to the February release timing. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ was introduced via press release on February 19, 2025, so we're probably not waiting on an event for the 17e.

For that reason, it could come anytime in February, though there's also a possibility that Apple will hold it until the March or April timeframe. In late March or early April, Apple plans to release iOS 26.4 with a new version of Siri, along with several updated home products.
This article, "Apple's Next iPhone: What to Expect From the 2026 iPhone 17e" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Investigation stems from a complaint filed by Texas-based company UnaliWear, and targets several other wearables. Here are the details.

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The newest Powerbeats Fit ad leans into New Year’s resolutions, built around Godso’s training philosophy of putting in the work. Watch it below.

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At WWDC 2021, Apple announced support for adding driver’s licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet. Since then, over a dozen states in the United States have rolled out support for the platform.

As that number continues to grow, here’s where driver’s licenses and state IDs could come next …

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A new report from Counterpoint Research shows Apple offsetting China’s smartphone slowdown thanks to the iPhone 17 line, and topping the market in the last quarter of 2025. Here are the details.

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Apple is rolling out new firmware updates for four Magic Keyboard models for the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. Here are the details.

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If you aren’t using an AirTag to track your luggage when you travel, you’re seriously missing out. New data shows that Apple’s Find My system dramatically reduces the chance of an airline losing your luggage.

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Apple today released new firmware for the Magic Keyboards designed for the iPad Pro and iPad Air. The firmware for the M4/M5 ‌iPad Pro‌ model has a version number of 0750.0220.0304, up from the prior 0680.0220.0301 firmware, while the firmware for the M3 ‌iPad Air‌ model has a version number of 0400.0140.0303, up from 0350.0135.0303.


The new firmware is available for both the 11-inch and 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ Magic Keyboard options that Apple sells for the M4 and M5 ‌iPad Pro‌ models, as well as the version that Apple sells for the M3 ‌iPad Air‌.

Apple overhauled the Magic Keyboard in May 2024 alongside the launch of the M4 ‌iPad Pro‌. The updated keyboard has the same floating cantilevered design as the prior version, but it includes a dedicated row of function keys, along with a larger glass trackpad.

Magic Keyboard firmware updates are infrequent, and there is no method for manually refreshing the software. New firmware is installed automatically when the keyboard is attached to an ‌iPad Pro‌ that is connected to the internet.

You can check the firmware version of your Magic Keyboard by opening up the Settings app and going to General > About > Magic Keyboard.
This article, "Apple Releases New Firmware for iPad Pro and iPad Air Magic Keyboards" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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After confirming that The Last Thing He Told Me would return on February 20 for an eight-episode run, Apple TV revealed the official season 2 trailer today. Watch it below.

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The current MagSafe battery pack market is pretty insane right now. There are literally thousands of magnetic power banks all over Amazon. Most of them are the same: they attach to the back of your phone, trickle-charge your iPhone, and get warm the longer they charge. When you look for one on Amazon, they all look like slightly modified versions of the previous one. But every once in a while, you see one that actually looks, feels, and functions differently. That is exactly what the new Sharge IceMag 3 has. It’s fast, has a very unique look, and can do more than just charge your phone. Let’s take a look.

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