It took a minute, but Apple has at last activated its official Threads account. And thanks to its massive Instagram presence, it instantly picked up nearly 5 million followers.

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 Bitwarden: Check out Bitwarden Password Manager, featuring a new Apple Watch authenticator integration, secure autofill on Safari and iOS apps, and enterprise-grade security tools that help you manage credentials with confidence.

We’re past the halfway mark of 2025, and Apple still has a lot of big plans for the year. In addition to major software updates like iOS 26, there are 15+ new Apple products in the pipeline that are expected to launch before the year ends. Here’s everything that’s coming.

iOS 26 is a packed update for iPhone users thanks to the new Liquid Glass design and major updates for Messages, Wallet, CarPlay, and more. But another new feature was just discovered in the iOS 26 beta: FaceTime will now freeze your call’s video and audio if someone starts undressing.

North Korean hackers are behind a new and unusually sophisticated macOS malware campaign that targets the crypto industry using fake Zoom invites. Here’s how it works.

Apple has a new Liquid Glass design coming to iOS 26, macOS 26, and every other software platform. And whether you love it, hate it, or are indifferent, Apple’s new design seems like a major win in several key ways.

As part of the marketing campaign to promote its new thriller Smoke, Apple has arranged for series writer and creator Dennis Lehane to host its first AMA on Reddit and answer your… burning questions. Here’s how to join in.

The Mac is growing as a platform for AAA, big-budget games. Thanks to the advancements of Apple’s M-series chips, and new tools to make cross-platform game development easier, there’s been a positive shift of more big games coming not just to PC, but the Mac too. Here are nine forthcoming titles that Apple recently announced.

While Google released a new watchOS app today, the company also got rid of Google Keep for Apple Watch.

With watchOS 26, Apple is upgrading the battery monitoring features on the Apple Watch. The system will observe your average usage patterns, and notify you if your watch battery is draining faster than normal.

This alert gives you a quick shortcut to enable Apple Watch’s Low Power Mode to maximise battery life until you can next get to a charger.

Next year, Apple is expected to debut its first ever foldable iPhone. But while certain analysts projected an iPad ‘Fold’ to launch around the same time, a new report indicates we won’t see the product any time soon.

Adding to the ongoing list of 4th of July Apple gear deals, which now include iPad mini 7 at $100 off, Apple Watch Series 10 from $299, and much more below, we are starting off with some new current generation iPad deals. You can now score the iPad A16 down as low as $284 shipped while M4 iPad models are $200 off and the 2TB 11-inch is $299 off. We also have discounts on AirTag and Apple Pencil Pro joined by the now live Best Buy 4th of July sale. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

Believe it or not, the first Apple TV product preceded even the iPhone with its initial introduction. Yet for almost two decades, the product has remained fairly niche in Apple’s lineup. But the new Apple TV 4K launching this fall could be the best chance yet to change that.

The wait is almost over for sci-fi fans eager for the next chapter of Invasion, one of Apple’s bets in the genre. And alongside the premiere date, Apple TV+ just released the teaser for what’s to come. Here are the details.

It’s been almost two years since a brand new Apple Watch Ultra model launched, but that drought is almost over. Apple Watch Ultra 3’s release date is fast approaching, here’s when to expect the new model.

Apple is investigating new image sensor technology that promises up to 20 stops of dynamic range. That’s a level that surpasses the ARRI ALEXA 35, and gets really close to matching the dynamic range of the average human eye. Here’s what that actually means.

The iPad Mini has always had a special place in my heart. I think it’s one of Apple’s most underrated devices. Its size, form factor, raw power, and portability really make it the truest form of an iPad. Now we throw iPadOS 26 in the mix, and I think you might have the perfect portable powerhouse computer. Between the new windowing system, enhanced file management, and multitasking upgrades, I think the iPad Mini is the ideal modern-day netbook. Here’s why.

The long-rumored iPhone Fold – the colloquial term used for the company’s unannounced folding iPhone – is reported to be on schedule for a potential launch in the second half of next year.

The device is said to have reached the Prototype 1 (P1) stage last month, which is the first point at which the company creates fully-functional devices …

Only a few Google services offer Apple Watch clients, with Google Calendar unexpectedly becoming the fourth app today.

A Qantas data breach resulting from a cybersecurity attack has put up to 6M customer records at risk of exposure, with names, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth confirmed to be included. The hack was of a contact center database operated by one of the airline’s partners …

White House condemnation of a free app has drawn substantial attention to it, helping ICEBlock become the most popular social networking app in the App Store, beating out apps like X and Instagram.

ICEBlock alerts people to sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in their area, following a major immigration crackdown by the White House …

More than 300 Chinese iPhone engineers and technicians have been recalled from an Indian production plant, says a new report.

No public acknowledgement or explanation has been offered, but suspicion is falling on the Chinese government, which has previously been accused of actively hampering Apple’s attempts to move more iPhone production out of the country …

If you’ve been meaning to check out Apple’s new psychological crime drama “Smoke“, you can now sample the show’s intense opening scene, along with Thom Yorke’s moody theme song for the opening credits. Watch it below.

The is officially certified as ‘Works with Apple Home‘. It’s the company’s first Hub/bridge device to earn Apple’s smart home badge, which allows for easier control of SwitchBot devices inside the Home app and HomeKit.

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 Bitwarden: Check out Bitwarden Password Manager, featuring a new Apple Watch authenticator integration, secure autofill on Safari and iOS apps, and enterprise-grade security tools that help you manage credentials with confidence.

Apple’s UAE YouTube channel posted an iPhone 16 Pro ad today, promoting the Camera Control button as a great way to snap quick shots. Watch the video below, and answer our poll: Do you use the Camera Control button on your iPhone?

Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup will be unveiled just two months from now, and while most features of the new models have already leaked, there’s at least one big question mark that could swing a lot of upgrade decisions: ProMotion.

Spanish company TOT Power Control has been awarded $110.7 million in damages after a federal jury in Delaware found that Apple’s devices infringe on a patent related to 3G wireless communications. Here are the details.

Cloud storage is pretty much a must–have these days, but if there’s one thing none of us need in life it’s yet another monthly or annual subscription.

This 4th July you can declare your independence from ongoing cloud fees by taking advantage of a pCloud lifetime plan – with savings as high as 70% …

Apple’s well documented struggles to upgrade Siri with AI might have an unexpected fix. Per Mark Gurman, Apple is considering powering its revamped Siri with third-party AI models from Anthropic or OpenAI. Here’s why that could be the best move for Apple and users.

A climber stranded at nearly 11,000 feet in the Colorado wilderness was rescued this week thanks to Apple’s Emergency SOS satellite messaging feature. Here’s what happened.

Apple launched Apple TV+ with the flashy drama The Morning Show, starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. With the debut drama about to enter its fourth season in September, Apple is doubling down on Aniston’s star power.

The streamer announced that Aniston will headline a new ten-part dramedy, entitled ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’, by former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy, recounting her experiences growing up as a child actor and her complicated relationship with her controlling mother.

Apple’s Photos app received a major overhaul last year, and iOS 26 brings a handful of new changes. Here’s everything new coming to the Photos app in iOS 26.

Apple TV+ kicked off the year with a major win in Severance, but the streamer has another sci-fi series returning next week that’s much bigger in scope: Foundation season 3 is almost here, and reviews say the show’s better than ever.

Meta just took another step in its belated but very welcome push to detach Threads from its Instagram roots. Starting today, the app is officially rolling out its own direct messaging system and a new visual highlights feature. Here’s how they work.

Today we are starting off our collection of the best Apple deals with some accessories. Firstly, the latest Satechi M4 Mac mini Stand & Hub as well as the brand new USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure are now at the best prices to date. But we also have the first deals on the brand’s latest collection of My Find accessories – Keychain, luggage tag, wallet card, and glasses case – as as well as 40% off all leather Burton Goods iPhone 16 cases/MagSafe wallets. From there, it’s over to the at least $200 in savings cross the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro lineup and as much as $400 in savings on Amazon Renewed Premium iPhone 16 Pro models. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

Apple is rumored to be making a new ‘MacBook’ device for launch later this year or in early 2026. And based on the early details, it sounds a lot like Apple’s taking the iPad approach with its new MacBook and the Mac line as a whole.

Meta’s renewed push into AI is throwing the entire market off-balance, and Apple is particularly exposed. With morale arguably at an all-time low inside Cupertino’s AI teams, Zuckerberg’s multimillion-dollar check-cutting spree may have already pulled at least one top researcher out of Apple Park. And there may be more to come.

watchOS 26 is coming this fall as the next major Apple Watch update. It will bring a new Apple Notes app, Apple Intelligence features, Control Center upgrades, and more. One new feature is especially unique: ‘hints’ are being added to watch faces in watchOS 26 as a companion of the Smart Stack.

Apple has accused a former senior Vision Pro engineer of stealing thousands of documents containing plans for unreleased features, and taking them to his new role working on glasses–based projects for Snap.

A lawsuit alleges that Di Liu claimed he was quitting his job for health reasons, hiding from Apple that his true plan was to join Snapchat as a developer in a “substantially similar” role…