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Sponsored by BenQ: Check out BenQ’s smarter displays made for how Mac users actually work and sign up for the giveaway here.

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Apple reportedly has several different AI wearable products in the works, with a new AirPods Pro 3 model with IR cameras expected to be the first. Here’s why AirPods as Apple’s first AI wearable makes a lot of sense.

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Testing on the iOS 26.4 update is continuing, and Apple released the second beta today. The main new feature is an expansion of RCS encryption testing, but there are a few other small tweaks.

End-to-End Encryption RCS Testing

With the second beta of iOS 26.4, Apple is testing end-to-end encryption for text messages sent between iPhones and Android devices.



End-to-end encrypted messages can now be sent to an Android user, and if encryption is enabled, there will be a lock icon on the message. Encrypted conversations are not available for all devices or carriers during the texting period. iOS users will need to have iOS 26.4, and Android users need the latest version of Google Messages.

Apple does not plan to implement end-to-end ‌RCS‌ encryption in iOS 26.4, but it will come later this year.

Home Screen

The "Edit" menu on the Home Screen uses more transparent Liquid Glass.

Games App

In the Games app, the search bar has moved from the bottom of the display to the top of the display.

App Store and Apple Music

For the account hub options for the App Store and Apple Music, the "Apple Account" wording is now left aligned and has the same rainbow logo as the Apple Account in the Settings app

Accessibility

Under the Display and Text size section of Accessibility, there's a new "Reduce Highlighting Effects" option.

Software Build Numbers

When you're updating to a new iOS update in iOS 26.4, you can tap on the name to see the build number.

Beta Updates

Apple made a change to how betas work in iOS 26.4. If you are have betas toggled on but don't install any betas for a four month period, Apple will automatically switch you to the public release audience.

No Emoji

There are still no new emoji characters, despite signs of them found in the code in the first beta of iOS 26.4.

Playlist Playground

Playlist Playground is still limited to the U.S. and not available in Europe and other countries.

More New Features

We have a list of all the new features that were found in the first beta in our iOS 26.4 feature guide.
This article, "Everything New in iOS 26.4 Beta 2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Veteran journalist David Pogue has posted a short video offering a quick preview of his upcoming book celebrating Apple’s first 50 years. Here are the details.

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There’s a new AirTag in town, but you might not know it based on the official product name. Fortunately, there’s a way to distinguish between old and new AirTags just by looking.

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One week after the release of the first beta, iOS 26.4 beta 2 is now available. The update continues to refine new features and changes for iPhone users. There are updates to RCS encryption, the Games app, and more.

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Meta is at last bringing scheduled messages to WhatsApp, delivering on one of the app’s most-requested features. Here’s how it is going to work.

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The newly published videos from Apple’s two-day event focus on three key areas related to AI: Reasoning and Planning, Applications to Agents, and Model Development. Here are the details.

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Find My is quietly one of the best things Apple has done in the last decade. It started with tracking your iPhone, expanded to the Mac and iPad, and eventually covered physical items with AirTags. Now that third-party accessories are adopting the standard, it is becoming a true platform that I think is highly underrated. The TopMade MagSafe Wallet integrates this technology directly with Find My. It removes the need for a separate AirTag bump while keeping your wallet trackable within the native Apple ecosystem.

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iOS 26.4 beta 2 arrived today for developers, with two app changes that reverse iOS 26 search designs to be more like iOS 18.

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With the second iOS 26.4 beta, Apple and Google have started testing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users.


Apple started testing E2EE for RCS in the first beta, but the feature was limited to iPhone-to-iPhone communications with iMessage turned off. In this beta, ‌iPhone‌ users can send encrypted messages to Android users.

‌iPhone‌ users will need to install the second beta of iOS 26.4 to exchange encrypted messages with Android users, while Google users need to have the latest version of Google Messages.

According to Apple's developer release notes for beta 2, while E2EE is being tested for ‌RCS‌, it isn't going to ship in iOS 26.4 and will instead come at a later date.

In this beta, RCS end-to-end encryption will become available for testing between Apple and Android devices. This feature is not shipping in this release and will be available to customers in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS 26 releases. End-to-end encryption is in beta and is not available for all devices or carriers. Conversations labeled as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end, so messages can't be read while they're sent between devices.

Apple worked with the GSM Association to implement end-to-end encryption. iMessage, which is used for texts between iPhones, has long supported end-to-end encryption. Android's ‌RCS‌ implementation already has E2EE for Android-to-Android texts, but there is no full encryption for iPhone-to-Android and Android-to-iPhone conversations at the current time.

E2EE is not available for all devices or all carriers during the beta testing period.
This article, "iOS 26.4 Beta Adds End-to-End Encryption for iPhone-to-Android RCS Texts" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon this week has big discounts across Apple's Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air lineup. Items on sale include Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. We're also tracking a few discounts on other accessories like the FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe and Beats cases.

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.

Apple's official cases are reaching up to 30 percent off in this sale, with many priced at $39.99, down from their original $49.00 price tags. In terms of the Beats deals, you'll find steep markdowns on the Beats Woven Charging Cables during this event, as well as Beats Cases for the iPhone 17 lineup as low as $9.99.


iPhone Air

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00

iPhone 17

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00


• Silicone Case - $39.99, down from $49.00

iPhone 17 Pro

• Clear Case - $33.99, down from $49.00


• Silicone Case - $39.99, down from $49.00


• TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00

iPhone 17 Pro Max

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00


• Silicone Case - $39.99, down from $49.00


• TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00

More Sales

• FineWoven Wallet - $47.99, down from $59.00


• Beats USB-C to USB-C Woven Cable - $9.04, down from $18.99


• Beats iPhone 17 Case - $9.99, down from $45.00


• Beats iPhone 17 Pro Case - $14.99, down from $45.00


• Beats iPhone 17 Pro Max Case - $34.80, 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, "Take Up to 30% Off Apple's iPhone 17 Cases on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iOS 26.4 beta 2 is now rolling out for developers, and it expands support for testing encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone.

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New betas are now available for developers. Apple has just released beta 2 updates for tvOS 26.4, visionOS 26.4, and more.

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Apple today provided the second beta of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the first beta.


Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4 adds a new Charge Limit feature so Mac users can select a maximum charge level that ranges from 80 to 100 percent. Apple also brought back the Compact tab layout in Safari for those who missed the option in earlier versions of ‌macOS Tahoe‌.

Apple silicon Macs who are running apps that still rely on Rosetta will see warnings about the upcoming end of support for Rosetta. After ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 27, Apple will phase out Rosetta support, and all apps will need to be updated before that time.

‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.4 will be released to the public in the spring after several weeks of beta testing.
This article, "Second macOS Tahoe 26.4 Beta Now Available for Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Just a week after releasing macOS 26.4 beta 1, Apple is now rolling out beta 2 for developers. Here’s what to expect.

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Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple seeded the first betas.


Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.

iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 add multiple new features to the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌, but the first beta contained no sign of new Siri capabilities.

A Playlist Playground feature in Apple Music lets you generate songs for any idea, mood, emotion, or activity using a text-based prompt. There's also a Concerts Near You feature for finding local shows, and a redesigned look for albums and playlists with full-page artwork.

Apple Podcasts is getting native video podcasting capabilities that will make it easier to create, distribute, and monetize video podcast content through the Podcasts app. Video episodes will integrate with existing Apple podcasts features, like personalized recommendations and editorial suggestions.

Apple is testing end-to-end encryption for RCS, which will eventually bring full encryption to text conversations between Android and ‌iPhone‌ users. Right now, Apple is testing ‌RCS‌ with iPhone-to-iPhone conversations.

The first beta didn't include new emoji, but we saw signs of them in the code so we might get them in the second beta. The new update is also expected to new emoji characters will include trombone, treasure chest, orca, landslide, and Bigfoot.

Stolen Device Protection is enabled by default, there's a new ambient music widget, new average bedtime metrics in the sleep app, and plenty more. All of the features in iOS 26.4 can be found in our iOS 26.4 beta features guide.
This article, "Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 to Developers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iPadOS 26.4 beta 2 is now available, rolling out for developers via the Software Update screen in Settings.

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Apple has released the second iOS 26.4 beta version for iPhone. iOS 26.4 includes a number of exciting new features and changes, including AI-powered Apple Music updates.

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Apple today provided developers with the second betas of upcoming watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple released the first betas.


The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.

watchOS 26.4 adds a new Average Bedtime metric to the sleep features that sync to the health app, so you can better keep an eye on how bedtime impacts overall sleep quality.

tvOS 26.4 eliminates the iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps on the Apple TV. These apps haven't worked for some time and have directed users to the ‌Apple TV‌ app for purchases, but Apple is finally phasing them out entirely. Apple also added a Continuous Audio Connection option for HDMI output.

visionOS 26.4 includes support for foveated streaming for apps and games. Foveated streaming allows video to be streamed to the precise area where a user is looking, and peripheral areas are compressed. It allows for higher visual quality and lower latency.
This article, "Apple Releases Second watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 Betas" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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March will be a huge month for Apple TV. Not only will the streamer air ongoing episodes of major series like Monarch and Shrinking, but it also has the kickoff of the Formula 1 season, a highly anticipated new psychological thriller series, the return of its longest-running sci-fi show, and a lot more. Here’s everything new coming to Apple TV in March.

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How does Apple follow up on the fun of Cosmic Orange from the iPhone 17 Pro line? By bringing back the red iPhone, according to the latest iPhone 18 Pro rumor.

Despite making more than a half dozen red iPhone models before, the red iPhone 18 Pro will be a first…

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Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max are expected to resurrect a major feature Samsung's flagship Galaxy smartphones dropped years ago, according to a multitude of rumors.


The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max are now widely expected to feature a significantly upgraded main camera with a variable aperture. An aperture is the opening within a camera lens that controls the amount of light reaching the image sensor.

In December 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to say that that the main rear camera on both ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models will offer variable aperture. A more recent report from October 2025 said Apple was moving ahead with plans to bring the technology to next-generation iPhones and was discussing components with suppliers.

A variable aperture allows the camera to adjust the amount of light that reaches the sensor with tiny blades. This means that in dark environments, the aperture can be opened to receive more light, while in light environments, it can be closed to prevent over-exposure. It also should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background.

Apple has never used a variable aperture on an iPhone camera before. The main cameras on all of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this aperture.

Samsung previously brought a variable aperture camera to its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 models in 2018 and 2019. The feature has appeared on other Android smartphones in recent years, such as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Honor Magic 7 Pro, and Huawei Mate series. Due to the way that the components increased device thickness and raised its cost, Samsung dropped the feature in 2020, even though it was more advanced than the fixed-aperture cameras it moved to.

Interestingly, Samsung is reportedly planning to follow Apple in adding a variable aperture to its smartphone cameras. Samsung apparently sees adding a variable aperture as "necessary to increase camera competitiveness," replacing software correction with physical hardware. The company hopes that in investing in variable aperture camera technology, thickness can be reduced and costs will reduce over time.

Samsung has reportedly asked multiple camera module partners to develop variable apertures and provide samples in light of Apple's plans. The feature is in early development and final installation on future Galaxy devices has not yet been confirmed, but there is said to be a "strong will" to introduce it.

Beyond a variable aperture, the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models are rumored to feature a smaller Dynamic Island, the A20 chip, longer battery life, the C2 modem, a simplified Camera Control button, the N1 wireless chip, and more. They are expected to launch in the fall alongside the first foldable ‌iPhone‌.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro to Revive Feature Samsung Dropped Years Ago" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break features a new Amazon all-time low on Apple’s top-end 11-inch M5 iPad Pro at $200 off, but we also spotted a chance to land the 512GB iPhone 16 Pro at $480 off the original list price (or $200 less than the Apple refurb store). And joining the ongoing $100 price drop on the 46mm Jet Black Apple Watch Series 11, from there we move over to some notable accessory offers – the best price in months on iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven cases, the official Light Blue Alpine Loop with Black Titanium finish at 30% off. and the lowest price yet on the Apple Crossbody Strap from just over $23. Just be sure to scope out this Anker Nano Travel Adapter down at $20 and everything else down below as well. 

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