While the iPhone 17 Pro is not expected to launch until September, a prototype of the device has potentially been spotted in the wild. However, the mysterious device could be just about anything, so this might simply be a false alarm.


X account @Skyfops today shared two somewhat blurry photos of the mysterious device. The post was later shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

"I just spotted a test development iPhone in the wild," the post said.


Everything that we have wrote below is purely speculation.

In one of the photos, a person wearing reflective sunglasses can be seen holding what appears to be an iPhone inside of a thick black protective case, which might be intended to disguise the design of the iPhone 17 Pro in public. They are also holding what appears to be an iPhone 16 Pro with a sticker on the back of it, which could be hiding a data matrix code that allows Apple to track internal iPhones used by employees for development purposes.

What might make the disguised device an iPhone 17 Pro? Well, rumors indicate that the back of the device will have a rectangular camera bump, with the LED flash, rear microphone, and LiDAR Scanner expected to be vertically aligned on the right side of the bump. And in the photo, the back of the device seems to have circular openings in the top-right corner for what could be the LED flash and LiDAR Scanner. Your guess is as good as ours, though.

Gurman seems to think the photos might be the real deal. "This looks legit," he said. Or maybe he's just being sarcastic. Who knows.

Adding to the intrigue, @Skyfops said "the guy on the right was security and trying to go in front of the iPhone to hide it." Allegedly!

The user is located in Los Angeles, according to the account's bio.

Even if this really was an iPhone 17 Pro prototype in the wild, these photos do not really show anything that is not already rumored. But who doesn't love an old-school 2010-era rumor in mid-summer, as we count down the days to Apple's announcement?
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Just hours after we published a long list of Apple Stores that are opening or closing this year, Apple has announced one more.


Apple Shadyside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will be on the move next month, with the store set to relocate from 5508 Walnut Street to 5436 Walnut Street. The new store is in a two-floor unit that was previously occupied by clothing brand Gap. Apple has completed extensive renovations to the unit, which has an all-new facade.

The new store will be holding its grand opening on Saturday, August 9 at 10 a.m. local time, according to Apple's website. It is located just west of Bellefonte Street, just steps away from Apple's existing store on Walnut Street.

The new store is significantly larger than the original Apple Shadyside, which will be closing as part of the shuffle. It will have an updated design, which typically includes an Apple Pickup station for in-store pickup of online orders, and often a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights for improved accessibility. Apple's newer stores also use more engineered wood, whereas classic stores made extensive use of stainless steel.

Apple Shadyside first opened in September 2004, so the company has already been doing business on Walnut Street for more than 20 years.

Thanks, Jordan Leven!
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Amazon has brought back the all-time low price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, available for $649.99, down from $799.00. We first tracked this deal during Prime Day, but it hasn't reappeared since then.

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

Models on sale at this price include the Natural Titanium Case with Orange Ocean Band, Natural Titanium Case with Indigo Alpine Loop, Natural Titanium Case with Blue Alpine Loop, and more.



Best Buy is also discounting the Apple Watch Ultra 2 this week, and it has more options for the Black Titanium models. You can get the Black Titanium Case with Black Ocean Band, Black Titanium Case with Dark Green Alpine Loop, and more on sale for $649.00.



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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When the iMac moved from Intel processors to Apple silicon in 2021, the desktop computer also received a new colorful, ultra-thin design. Since then, the iMac has lacked something that it had for many years: an Apple logo below the screen.


Perhaps unsurprisingly, Apple did prototype a version of the current iMac with an Apple logo in the "chin" area, according to a post on X today from a user known as Kosutami. The user has occasionally shared images of alleged Apple device prototypes, but they have also shared some incorrect information in the past.

Apple evidently went with a logo-free iMac screen, but 2021-and-newer models do still have a large Apple logo on the back of the computer.

It would probably be more surprising if Apple had NOT tested both logo and logo-free designs, but if this sort of thing interests you, then now you know.

Do you think Apple made the right choice? Let us know in the comments section.


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Microsoft Threat Intelligence found a Spotlight-related vulnerability that could allow attackers to steal private file data, outlining the issue in a blog post today. Microsoft's threat team is calling the exploit "Sploitlight" because it uses Spotlight plugins.


According to Microsoft, the vulnerability is a Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) bypass that can leak sensitive info cached by Apple Intelligence. Attackers could have used it to get precise location data, photo and video metadata, face recognition data from the Photo Library, search history, AI email summaries, user preferences, and more.

TCC is designed to keep apps from accessing personal information without user consent. Spotlight plugins that allow app files to appear in search are sandboxed by Apple and heavily restricted from accessing sensitive files, but Microsoft found a way around that. Microsoft researchers tweaked the app bundles that Spotlight pulls in, leaking file contents.

Microsoft shared details of the bypass with Apple, and Apple addressed the issue in macOS 15.4 and iOS 15.4, updates that came out on March 31. The vulnerability was never actively exploited, because Apple was able to fix it before it was disclosed.

Apple's security support document for the update said that the problem was addressed through improved data redaction. Apple fixed two other vulnerabilities that were credited to Microsoft at the same time with improved validation of symlinks and improved state management.

Full information on how the exploit worked can be found on Microsoft's website.
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Amazon is kicking off the week with new best-ever prices across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with discounts that beat Prime Day prices by about $50. In total, you'll find $200 off every M4 MacBook Air notebook right now on Amazon, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.

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

Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has $200 off all three configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $799.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $999.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,199.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. Every deal represents a new all-time low price on the M4 MacBook Air.





Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,199.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,399.00. Across the board, these are all record low prices on the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air.





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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Apple will be permanently closing a retail store in China next month, but it is also in the process of opening several new stores around the world.


As reported by the South China Morning Post today, Apple Parkland in Dalian, China will be closing on Saturday, August 9 at 8 p.m. local time, according to the store's listing on Apple's website. This is a permanent store closure, rather than a relocation.

In a statement shared with MacRumors today, Apple said that it decided to close the store because the Parkland shopping mall (recently rebranded as Intime City) has lost several retailers. Apple confirmed that all affected employees at the store will have the opportunity to continue to work for the company going forward.

Apple's full statement:

At Apple, we're always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers both online and at more than 50 Apple Store locations across Greater China. Given the departure of several retailers at the Parkland Mall, we have made the decision to close our store there on August 9, 2025. We love serving the Dalian community, and all of our valued team members will have the opportunity to continue their roles with Apple. We look forward to welcoming customers at our nearby Olympia 66 store, as well as on Apple.com and the Apple Store app.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the mall's landlord has been facing financial struggles and litigation for several years, leading to the mall's majority shareholder assuming full control of leasing and operations earlier this year.

Other retailers that have departed the mall include Coach, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, UGG, and others, the source said.

Apple has more than 50 other stores across Greater China, and its all-new Uniwalk Qianhai store in Shenzhen opens on August 16.

Apple has announced many store openings and closures this year, so we have shared a list of all of the locations below as a recap.

The eight stores that are opening or closing later this year are bolded.

Opened/Opening

• Apple MixC Hefei in Hefei, China on January 18 (New)


• Apple Miami Worldcenter in Miami, Florida on January 24 (New)


• Apple Trafford Centre near Manchester, England on March 1 (Updated)


• Apple La Encantada in Tucson, Arizona on June 14 (Updated)
  
• Apple Perth City in Perth, Australia on June 26 (Updated)


• Apple Touchwood Centre in Solihull, England on July 26 (Updated)


• Apple Umeda in Osaka, Japan on July 26 (New)


• Apple Den Haag in The Hague, Netherlands on August 14 (Updated)


• Apple Uniwalk Qianhai in Shenzhen, China on August 16 (New)


• Apple Chatswood Chase in Chatswood, Australia in October (Updated)


• Apple Downtown Detroit in Detroit, Michigan later this year (New)

Closed/Closing

• Apple Northbrook Court in Northbrook, Illinois on April 26


• Apple Bristol in Bristol, England on August 9


• Apple Parkland in Dalian, China on August 9


• Apple Partridge Creek in Clinton Township, Michigan on August 16


• Apple Hornsby in Hornsby, Australia in October

Apple is in the process of renovating or relocating several other stores, such as Apple Roosevelt Field in New York, Apple Baybrook in Texas, and Apple The Galleria in Florida, but it has yet to announce grand reopening dates for those locations.
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Apple's original film "F1: The Movie" has surpassed $500 million in global box office revenue, becoming the company's highest-grossing theatrical release to date and marking a significant milestone for Apple TV+.


The film reached $509 million in ticket sales as of the final weekend in July, according to Comscore data reported by CNBC. F1 eclipses the previous record held by "Napoleon," Ridley Scott's 2023 historical epic, which grossed $221 million worldwide.

The film also significantly outperformed other Apple theatrical projects including "Killers of the Flower Moon" ($158 million), "Argylle" ($96 million), and "Fly Me to the Moon" ($42 million). F1's box office performance positions Apple to recoup its full investment through theatrical receipts alone.

The film crossed the $400 million threshold in mid-July. F1 was released in over 80 countries and reportedly maintained strong attendance during weekday screenings. With $509 million in earnings, F1 surpasses "Superman" at $502 million to become one of the most popular films of the summer.

After its theatrical run, F1: The Movie is expected to come to ‌Apple TV‌+ later this year. Apple is also believed to have put in a winning bid to stream Formula 1 itself.
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Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will have several new camera-related features, according to an anonymous tipster who contacted MacRumors today.


The tipster claimed to be familiar with an iPhone 17 Pro commercial that is allegedly being produced by a film company that has publicly listed Apple as one of its clients. MacRumors has not independently confirmed any of the information shared by the tipster, so skepticism is obviously warranted for now.

The tipster revealed three alleged iPhone 17 Pro features that have not been rumored previously:

• An upgraded Telephoto lens with up to 8× optical zoom, compared to up to 5× optical zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro models. The lens can apparently move, allowing for continuous optical zoom at various focal lengths.


• An all-new pro camera app from Apple for both photos and videos. This app would compete with the likes of Halide, Kino, and Filmic Pro. It is unclear if the app would be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro models.


• An additional Camera Control button on the top edge of the devices, for quickly accessing the camera and related settings. This would complement the Camera Control button on the bottom-right edge of all iPhone 16 models.

For the pro camera app, the tipster warned there is a chance Apple is planning a major update to its existing Final Cut Camera app instead of an all-new app.

The tipster also said that rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro having a new copper-like color option and a centered Apple logo are apparently true.

iPhone 17 Pro models are widely expected to feature a redesigned rear camera system, so it would be a fitting year for Apple to have some big camera-related upgrades planned. The devices are expected to have three 48-megapixel rear cameras.

In February, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was planning to emphasize the iPhone 17 Pro's improved video recording capabilities.

Here is what he said about that:

In past years, Apple has focused more heavily on the camera's photo-taking abilities. This year it will stress improvements to video recording. One of the goals for 2025's iPhone line is to get the vlogging community and other video creators to move away from standalone cameras and use the iPhone for even more of their work. Look for Apple to more heavily than ever tout these video recording capabilities when the new iPhones debut in September.

In addition, Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser said the Camera app on the iPhone 17 Pro models will let users record video with the front and rear cameras simultaneously.

As we mentioned above, these rumors should be treated with skepticism for now, since they were shared by an anonymous tipster with no proven track record. If other sources confirm or deny these rumors, we will be sure to update this article accordingly.

Update — 11:45 a.m. Pacific Time: MacRumors has voluntarily removed the name of the film company from this article, after receiving a follow-up request from the anonymous tipster. The tipster had not requested that the company's name remain confidential at the time the information was provided.
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Earlier this month, MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to permanently close its Partridge Creek store, just outside of Detroit, Michigan, and now the company has announced a closure date for the location.


Apple Partridge Creek's final day of business will be Saturday, August 16, with the store set to close for good at 8 p.m. local time that day. All of the store's employees will have the opportunity to continue their roles with Apple, the company said.

Apple added the following notice to the store's page this week:

Thank you, Partridge Creek. Apple Partridge Creek is closing on August 16 at 8pm. We're still here for you. Please visit apple.com/retail to find your nearest store.

The store is located in Clinton Township, a northern suburb of Detroit. It opened in 2007.

The closure comes as Apple prepares to open an all-new store in Downtown Detroit on Woodward Avenue, near Grand River Avenue. In a statement shared with MacRumors earlier this month, Apple said that location will be opening at some point later this year.

Apple Somerset will become the closest store for customers north of Detroit.
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Apple pushed it almost to the end of July, but the public betas of iOS 26 and other upcoming updates are now available for wider testing ahead of their full public release this fall, giving more users a chance to experience the Liquid Glass redesigns and other improvements.


The past week has seen some other notable news and rumors including an Apple lawsuit over leaks, fresh information about future iPhone and iPad models, and a new "AppleCare One" subscription bundle, so read on below for all the details!

Apple Releases First iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 Public Betas

After four rounds of beta testing with developers, Apple this week released the first versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and more to public beta testers, providing wider access to the upcoming major updates that will be released to all users in the fall.


Apple's new Liquid Glass design is the most obvious change across the operating systems, but there are plenty of new features and tweaks throughout.

Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks

Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared some fairly accurate information and mockups about what would become iOS 26, and Apple clearly took notice.


Apple has filed a lawsuit against Prosser and Michael Ramacciotti for misappropriation of trade secrets, describing an alleged scheme in which the two conspired to obtain the passcode of an Apple employee's development iPhone and access the device to view and capture details of the upcoming operating system version.

Prosser has denied that the events played out as Apple claims, so we'll have to see what happens with this situation going forward.

Foldable iPhone's Display Sizes Leaked

Apple's first foldable iPhone will be equipped with a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. That matches previous information from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


Apple is reportedly looking to launch its first foldable iPhone in late 2026, and it sounds like Apple is emphasizing a "crease-free" inner display for an improved user experience compared to foldables on the market today.

Apple Announces 'AppleCare One' Subscription Plan for Multiple Devices

Apple this week introduced a new AppleCare subscription bundle known as AppleCare One, offering extended warranty and repair coverage for up to three products priced at $19.99 per month. Additional devices can be added for an extra fee.


As part of the AppleCare changes, Apple is now also offering Theft and Loss coverage for iPad and Apple Watch. It was previously only available for iPhone.

iPhone 17 Air's Limited Battery Capacity Leaked

The battery capacity of Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air will be below the 3,000 mAh mark, according to a recent post from Instant Digital, an account with more than 1.4 million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo.


The new Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26 should help users squeeze as much battery life out of that capacity as possible, and Apple will reportedly be launching a battery case for those who regularly need more power.

New iPad Pro Expected This Year With M5 Chip and Two Front Cameras

Following a major redesign with an ultra-thin form factor last year, we haven't been expecting much for the next M5 generation of the iPad Pro beyond the chip upgrade, but it sounds like Apple might have one nice trick up its sleeve.


Apple has been gradually transitioning the front-facing cameras on its iPads from portrait to landscape positioning, but that probably hasn't sat well with users who prefer to use their iPads in portrait orientation, especially with apps like FaceTime that are optimized for that orientation. Apple is reportedly solving that issue in the next iPad Pro by including two front-facing cameras, one centered for each orientation of the device.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: iOS 26 Public Beta, AppleCare One, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should launch in late September, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.


Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:

• Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a stainless steel frame. The back of the devices will supposedly have a new "part-aluminum, part-glass" design.


• Anti-reflective display: While it has been an on-again, off-again rumor, the latest word is that iPhone 17 Pro models will feature an anti-reflect display option with a matte finish. Perhaps this will be the same nano-texture glass option that is available for the iMac, MacBook Pro, and iPad Pro.


• Dynamic Island changes: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might also be smaller.


• Rectangular camera bump: iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to have a large rectangular camera bump with rounded corners. Apple apparently plans to stick with a triangular arrangement for the rear camera lenses.


• Orange/Copper finish: A new copper-like color option is expected for the iPhone 17 Pro models, along with Dark Blue.


• Longer battery life: The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to have a slightly thicker design that allows for a larger battery. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will apparently surpass the 5,000 mAh battery capacity mark.


• A19 Pro chip: iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to use Apple's next-generation A19 Pro chip, which will reportedly be manufactured with TSMC's newer third-generation 3nm process. Like usual, expect modest year-over-year performance gains and power efficiency improvements compared to the current iPhones.


• 12GB of RAM: iPhone 17 Pro models, and even the iPhone 17 Air, are rumored to have 12GB of RAM. This upgrade should help to improve the performance of Apple Intelligence and multitasking. All four iPhone 16 models have 8GB of RAM.


• 25W wireless charging: iPhone 17 Pro models will likely support up to 25W wireless charging speeds with a wide variety of Qi 2.2 chargers. On the iPhone 16 models, 25W can only be achieved with Apple's latest MagSafe Charger.


• Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip: All four iPhone 17 models are rumored to get a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple rather than Broadcom.


• 24-megapixel front camera: All four iPhone 17 models are said to feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, whereas all iPhone 16 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera.


• 48-megapixel rear Telephoto camera: An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto camera is rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, up from the 12-megapixel Telephoto camera on iPhone 16 Pro models.


• Dual video recording: According to Jon Prosser, of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will allow users to record video with the front and rear cameras simultaneously in the Camera app.


• 8K video recording: Apple allegedly tested 8K video recording on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but such functionality is still not available. With the iPhone 17 Pro models expected to have entirely 48-megapixel rear cameras, perhaps 8K video recording will debut on those devices.


• Vapor chamber cooling: All four iPhone 17 models are rumored to feature internal design changes that result in better heat dissipation. A vapor chamber cooling system has been rumored for the Pro models specifically.


• Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous models, and the layout of the MagSafe magnets may change as a result.

Check out our iPhone 17 Pro roundup to learn more.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Like iOS 26, iPadOS 26 adopts Apple's new Liquid Glass material, for an interface that's glossy, shiny, and more transparent than before. But Liquid Glass isn't the biggest change that Apple made to the iPad's software. Multitasking got a much needed revamp that lets you use an ‌iPad‌ like a Mac, if that's what you want to do.


In iPadOS 26, ‌iPad‌ windows work like Mac windows. You can open up multiple app windows, move them around on the display, and layer them over one another if you want. You can essentially put them anywhere you want.

Some older iPads are limited to four open app windows at a time, but if you have a newer model, you can have more apps open and running at one time, swapping between them with a tap. Every ‌iPad‌ that's able to run iPadOS 26 can use the new multitasking features in some capacity.

The updated windowing is opt-in, so when you install iPadOS 26, you can decide whether you want to use apps in full screen or use multitasking. It's great that people who want to use an ‌iPad‌ like a Mac finally have that option, and the window system is a much better solution than the Slide Over and Split View multitasking.

If you turn on windowing and then want to turn it off later, you can just swipe down into Control Center and hit the new toggle.

Speaking of Slide Over and Split View, those are gone. Stage Manager is still around, so if you use that in your ‌iPad‌ workflow for grouping up different apps and changing workspaces, it's still available to you.

Resizing windows in iPadOS 26 is simple. There's a small "handle" at the bottom right corner of every window, and if you tap it and drag, you can change the size of the open window. You can open additional apps from the dock or by tapping over to the Home Screen.

To move an open app window, drag it from the menu bar at the top. That's also new, by the way. Apps on the ‌iPad‌ have Mac-like menu bars where you'll find relevant in-app options, though keep in mind third-party developers need to update their apps to take advantage of this functionality. You can close an app, minimize an app, or make an app full screen using the "traffic light" buttons at the top left of each ‌iPad‌ window, which are borrowed directly from the Mac.

If you long press on those buttons, you'll see several options for moving, resizing, and arranging your open windows. You can move an app to the top, bottom, left, or right of the display, or choose one of the tiling options for displaying up to four apps in a neat arrangement.

The dock features an App Library to make it easy to get to all of the apps you have installed on your ‌iPad‌. If you swipe up from the bottom of the ‌iPad‌'s display, your open windows are swept to the sides in a new Exposé view so you can get a clear view of everything that's open.

To add one more Mac-like touch, Apple turned the ‌iPad‌'s cursor into an arrow. So if you're using a peripheral like the Magic Keyboard's trackpad, the cursor now looks like it does on the Mac.

If you don't want to use any of these multitasking features and prefer ‌iPad‌ apps to be full screen, you can just keep using the ‌iPad‌ in the same way you always have.

There are some other nice features that are worth mentioning in iPadOS 26 beyond the multitasking.

• Files - There's a Mac-style list view for the ‌iPad‌ files app, so you don't need to view everything in a tiled view like before. Columns are resizable, and folders can be customized with colors and emoji. It's a nice change if you use the Files app regularly, but the best part for power users may be the option to choose a default app for a particular file type.


• Background Tasks - If you download a large file, export a large video file, or do something similar that's going to take a long time, you can now run those tasks in the background. For exporting an FCP video, for example, you can start the process, open up another app, and see progress through a Live Activity interface.


• Phone app - iPadOS 26 brings the Phone app to the ‌iPad‌, and it works through Wi-Fi calling on an iPhone associated with your Apple Account. This is likely of limited use for a lot of people, but it's useful to have the option to place a call from the ‌iPad‌. Tools like Call Screening, Live Translation, and Hold Assist work on the ‌iPad‌.

There are other useful and/or fun features on the ‌iPad‌ that are new in iPadOS 26, but almost everything else is also in ‌iOS 26‌ and available on the ‌iPhone‌. We did an iOS 26 review that discusses new features in Messages, Apple Music, Photos, Camera, and more.

Availability

iPadOS 26 is available to developers, and as of this week, public beta testers. It came out on Thursday, and all you need to do to get it is sign up on Apple's beta testing website.

Should You Update?

iPadOS 26 is fairly stable, so updating should be safe. You're going to want to make a backup before you upgrade, just in case you need to go back to iOS 18.

If the ‌iPad‌ is a device that you use for work or anything else that's crucial, you might want to hold off. This is a beta, and while the software runs well, betas can have bugs that may not be addressed right away.

Read More

We have more on all of the features that are in iPadOS 26 in our dedicated iPadOS 26 roundup.
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Amazon has the iMac available at a discount, so if you're thinking about getting a new desktop machine for back to school, make sure you're not paying full price.

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

Apple's base M4 iMac with 8-core CPU is available for as low as $1,149 from Amazon, down from $1,299. That price is only for the pink version, and you'll have to pay around $1,185 for the other colors.



The higher-tier M4 iMac with 10-core CPU, 16GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD is available for as low as $1,365, down from $1,499. Some colors are a little more, but discounts on all shades except for orange and yellow are over $100.



The M4 iMac with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD is also on sale, with Amazon dropping the price as low as $1,542, down from $1,700. The version with 24GB RAM and a 512GB SSD is $1,716, down from $1,900.





Looking for more discounts? Make sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we highlight the best Apple-related deals that are currently available.

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Several U.S. states are offering sales tax holidays in the coming weeks, and some of those sales tax savings are available on Apple products.


Apple's website lists all of the states that can get Apple devices without sales tax, and the dates for the tax-free periods. Purchases with no sales tax can be made in Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia in the coming weeks and days. There was also a tax-free holiday in Alabama, but it has since ended.

The tax-free holidays in New Mexico and Tennessee start today and last through July 27. Tax holidays in other states will take place in August.

During these tax-free holidays, select Apple products purchased online or in retail stores will not be subject to sales tax. According to Apple, tax savings may not appear at checkout, but will be reflected on the final receipt.

Devices that are eligible for tax-free purchase vary by state, and some states also have price limits, so it's worth checking the specifics for your state. Apple's website has details.

In New Mexico, for example, computers that are $1,000 or less and accessories under $500 are eligible, while in Tennessee, tax breaks are available on Macs, iPads, and related accessories under $1,500.

In Arkansas, all Macs, iPads, iPhones, and the Vision Pro can be purchased tax free, and Massachusetts removes tax from purchases under $2,500. In Virginia, only cell phone chargers and batteries under $60 are eligible for tax-free purchase.

Sales tax holidays are useful for back to school shopping for students, and for Apple devices, the savings can be combined with Apple's Back to School Promotion. Students are eligible for a free or discounted accessory like the AirPods 4 with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad.
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If you want to pick up an Apple Watch, Amazon has some deals on the Apple Watch Series 10 and the Apple Watch SE that are worth checking out. Discounts are available on both the cellular and GPS models.

Apple Watch Series 10

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

Amazon has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for as low as $299.00, down from $399.00, as well as the 46mm GPS model for $359.00, down from $429.00.

Apple Watch SE

In addition to Series 10 deals, Amazon is selling the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE for $169.00 today, down from $249.00, and it's the lowest price we've seen on the Apple Watch SE.



You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE for $219.00 today on Amazon, down from $279.00.



For more discounts, take a look at Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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Apple today provided developers and public beta testers who have an iPhone 11 with a new beta of iOS 26. Apple did not seed the ‌iPhone‌ 11 version of the ‌iOS 26‌ public beta yesterday, but it's out now. The update has a build number of 23A5297n, which is different from the 23A5297m public beta that other testers received.


Public beta testers with an ‌iPhone‌ 11 can download the beta software using the Software Update section of the Settings app. Developers with an ‌iPhone‌ 11 will also see an update. Apple says that the beta fixes an issue that could cause an issue with the way that folders are displayed on the Home Screen.

Fixed: On iPhone 11, if you have organized apps into folders on your Home Screen, you might only see the leftmost column of the grid of apps when opening a folder. The other two columns in the folder do not display the app icons, preventing users from launching those apps

iOS 26 features Apple's new Liquid Glass design aesthetic, with a focus on translucency and glass-like interface elements. The design extends to the Lock Screen, ‌Home Screen‌, and Control Center, along with menus and buttons in apps.

Apple's software includes features for apps like Messages, Phone, Shortcuts, and Apple Music, along with new Apple Intelligence features, a revamp for CarPlay, and more.

For more on the features in ‌iOS 26‌, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup. Several new features were found in beta 2 and we rounded them up, plus we did the same thing for beta 3 and beta 4.

The ‌iOS 26‌ beta is limited to developers and public beta testers, with a launch set for this fall.
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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through this week's announcement of AppleCare One and automakers' opting out of CarPlay Ultra.



AppleCare One is Apple's new subscription for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan. It starts at $19.99 per month for up to three products, with the ability to add more for $5.99 per month for each additional device. The plan incudes all of the benefits that come with ‌AppleCare‌+, such as unlimited repairs for accidents, priority support, battery coverage, and more.

Subscribers can freely move their devices in and out of the plan at any time. ‌AppleCare‌ One also enables users to add products they already own that are up to four years old, providing they are in good condition, extending beyond the current 60-day window to purchase ‌AppleCare‌+. When a customer trades in a covered product with Apple, it is automatically removed from their ‌AppleCare‌ One plan and replaced with the new device.

‌AppleCare‌ One also expands theft and loss protection to the iPad and Apple Watch. Previously, it was only available for the iPhone.

‌AppleCare‌ One's pricing is the same regardless of the products that are covered. Apple says that a customer who enrolls their ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Apple Watch could save up to $11 per month versus enrolling in separate ‌AppleCare‌+ plans for each device.

Customers in the United States can now sign up for AppleCare One on their ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac, or by visiting an Apple Store.

We also discuss the news that automakers including BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, Polestar, Renault, and General Motors will not support ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra. It seems to be a major retreat from Apple's 2022 announcement, which originally named 14 automakers as future ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra partners.

‌CarPlay‌ Ultra goes far beyond traditional ‌CarPlay‌ by taking control of the entire dashboard experience. The system displays vehicle information like temperature, speed, and fuel levels alongside ‌iPhone‌ apps, creating what Apple calls "a unified and consistent experience across all the driver's screens."

Currently, only Aston Martin offers CarPlay Ultra in production vehicles. Hyundai and its Kia and Genesis cars remain committed partners, while Porsche plans future support. Other originally announced brands like Ford and Nissan have provided no updates on their ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra plans.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about all of the latest rumors about Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ amid a multitude of reports about the device and its launch firming up for next year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Apple has announced an overhaul of the App Store's age rating system across all of its platforms.


The company has added three new age rating tiers — 13+, 16+, and 18+ — to the existing 4+ and 9+ classifications. At the same time, the 12+ and 17+ categories are being removed.

The new framework is designed to give parents more control and clarity over which apps are appropriate for their children and to better align ‌App Store‌ ratings with region-specific standards. As part of the rollout, Apple has reassigned age ratings for all existing apps and games based on the responses developers previously provided in the ‌App Store‌ Connect age rating questionnaire.

Developers are now required to complete an updated version of that questionnaire, which includes several new mandatory questions covering in-app controls, app capabilities, medical or wellness content, and violent themes. These answers will be used to recalculate the app's age rating.

Apple is requiring developers to complete the updated questionnaire by January 31, 2026. After that date, developers who have not responded will be unable to submit new app updates in ‌App Store‌ Connect until they do so.

The new age ratings are now live in the beta versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26. They will become visible to the public when the updates are officially released in the fall.
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A quick addendum to the all-new AppleCare One plan that debuted this week: it is compatible with Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program in the United States.


iPhone Upgrade Program members receive AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss coverage as part of their monthly payment, but they can switch to AppleCare One if they prefer. It might be possible to save a bit of money by doing so.

Dan Moren revealed this news in a Six Colors post today:

Apple spokesperson Anna Mitchell told me that iPhone Upgrade Program subscribers can contact Apple Support and unbundle their coverage from the iPhone financing, then upgrade to AppleCare One.

Read our coverage of the AppleCare One announcement to learn more about the subscription plan, which launched Thursday.
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Apple Umeda in Osaka, Japan and the relocated Apple Touchwood Centre near Birmingham, England will each hold grand openings this Saturday, July 26.


Apple Umeda has an Apple Pickup station for in-store pickup of online orders, plus a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights for improved accessibility.

Umeda is a busy mixed-use district of Osaka, with two major train stations, shops, restaurants, and more. Apple's store is in the Grand Front shopping mall.

Apple shared more details about the Umeda store in a press release this week.

The new Apple Touchwood Centre is located directly across the hall from the original store in Touchwood Solihull, a shopping mall near Birmingham. Apple took over a unit previously occupied by Topshop, next to clothing retailer Superdry.

Finally, Apple has announced that it will be opening an all-new Uniwalk Qianhai store in Shenzhen, China on Saturday, August 16.

Thanks, Aaron Perris and Dongjun (Apollo) Zhao!
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Apple has made available the first public beta of iOS 26, bringing the new software to a wider audience following initial testing by developers. Keep reading to learn how to prepare your device for the beta software and how to install it.


Signing up to get the ‌iOS 26 or ‌iPadOS 26 public beta is simple, and can be done by enrolling an iPhone or iPad in Apple's free Apple Beta Software Program. The steps you need to complete to install the software on your device are provided towards the end of this article, but before you jump ahead, here are a few things worth considering.

Is My iPhone Compatible With iOS 26?

iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. In other words, the following models are supported:

• iPhone 16e


• iPhone 16


• iPhone 16 Plus


• iPhone 16 Pro


• iPhone 16 Pro Max


• iPhone 15


• iPhone 15 Plus


• iPhone 15 Pro


• iPhone 15 Pro Max


• iPhone 14


• iPhone 14 Plus


• iPhone 14 Pro


• iPhone 14 Pro Max


• iPhone 13


• iPhone 13 mini


• iPhone 13 Pro


• iPhone 13 Pro Max


• iPhone 12


• iPhone 12 mini


• iPhone 12 Pro


• iPhone 12 Pro Max


• iPhone 11


• iPhone 11 Pro


• iPhone 11 Pro Max


• iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

Should I Install iOS 26 Public Beta?

Great question! Before downloading the update, it's worth noting that Apple does not recommend installing iOS 26 beta updates on your main iPhone, so if you have a secondary device, use that. This is beta software, which means there are often bugs and issues that pop up that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems. Apple undoubtedly has plenty of fixes to make before the final release.

Make an Archived Backup of Your Device First

Before installing the beta, make sure to back up your iOS device before installing the software using the following method, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to iOS 18 if things go wrong.

1. Plug your iPhone into your Mac using the supplied cable.


2. Allow the accessory to connect by clicking Allow in the dialog prompt.


3. Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.


4. Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
   
   
5. If this is the first time connecting your device to your Mac, click Trust in the Finder window.
   
   
6. Tap Trust on your device when prompted, then enter your passcode to confirm.


7. In the General tab, click the circle next to where it says Back up all of the data on your iPad to this Mac.


8. If you want to encrypt the backup, check the box next to Encrypt local backup, then enter a password to protect your data.


9. If you don't want to create an encrypted backup, or you've already set up encrypted backups, click Back Up Now.
   
   

When the backup is finished, you can find the date and time of the last backup in the General tab, just above the Manage Backups button. Remember that this backup will not be overwritten when you manually or automatically back up your iPhone in the future, so you can restore it at any time by using the Restore Backup... option in the same Finder screen.

How to Download iOS 26 Public Beta

Downloading and install the iOS 26 Public Beta is very straightforward. Simply follow these steps:

1. Head over to Apple's Beta Software Program website and sign up using your Apple Account credentials.
   
   
2. Now go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update on your iPhone.


3. Tap Beta Updates. If you don't see the option, try switching off Download iOS Updates (Automatic Updates ➝ Download iOS Updates), then tap Back and it should appear.


4. Select iOS 26 Public Beta in the list, then tap Back.


5. Wait for the Software Update screen to check Apple's servers. When the iOS 26 Public Beta appears, tap Download and Install, then follow the instructions and wait for installation to complete.
   

iOS 26 Features

iOS 26 introduces a striking system-wide redesign built around Liquid Glass, a translucent material that reflects and refracts ambient content and dynamically responds to user input. The new aesthetic applies across the Lock Screen, Home Screen, toolbar controls, navigation elements, app icons, and widgets.

The update also brings new Apple Intelligence features. With Live Translation available in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, conversations across languages are now seamless and entirely on-device to ensure privacy. New Visual Intelligence capabilities mean you can ask questions about screen content. There are also smarter Shortcuts with intelligent actions to make automation easier.

Communication apps gain smart upgrades too. The revamped Phone app now combines Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails in one view, adds Call Screening, and includes a clever Hold Assist feature. Messages gains filtered inboxes for unknown senders, typing indicators in group chats, custom backgrounds and polls, and Apple Cash transfers.

CarPlay gets a visual refresh aligned with the Liquid Glass design and now includes compact call notifications, tappable Message reactions, pinned conversations, widgets, and Live Activities support.

Apple has also updated some of its key apps: Apple Music adds Lyrics Translation and Pronunciation plus AutoMix DJ-style transitions; Maps introduces privacy-protected "Visited Places" and smarter route preferences; Wallet supports installment/rewards payments, refreshed boarding passes with Live Activities, and deeper integrations with Maps and Find My. Lastly, a new Games app debuts as a central hub for mobile gaming, featuring a unified library, Apple Arcade support, event tracking, and friend status updates.

For a full breakdown of what's new, be sure to check out our dedicated iOS 26 roundup.
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With the iOS 26 public beta now out, you may have chosen to give the new software update a try ahead of its general release in the fall. If that's the case, Apple has made some changes and feature additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that you may want to check out.


To download the iOS 26 public beta to your iPhone, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update, then tap Beta Updates and choose iOS 26 Public Beta from the checklist. Tap Back, and wait for the update screen to appear, then hit Update Now.

Things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta.

Widgets Top or Bottom

In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock Screen is literally locked in place right below the clock. In iOS 26, however, Customize mode lets you drag them down to the bottom of the screen, so that they hover just above the two quick actions (assuming you have any). The new optional positioning makes tapping a widget during one-handed use a lot easier. Note: to customize your Lock Screen, long press on it, then tap Customize.

Make the Time Bigger

In iOS 26, Apple has made it so that the clock on the Lock Screen can be expanded to fill more of the display, making it easier to read. This can be done in Customize mode thanks to a new drag handle on the bottom-right corner of the selection frame around the time.

You can make the digits take up half of the screen, though if you have any widgets, they will slide down to the bottom of the display. In addition, if you have a depth effect applied to a photo and pinch to crop, the time will automatically adjust to accommodate the subject. Bear in mind that the ability to expand the time seems to depend on the selected photo – if there's no space above the photo's subject, the drag handle won't appear.

Quicker Photo Access

The Lock Screen in iOS 26 has a different Photos selection button in Customize mode that appears as a miniature version of the currently displayed photo. If you tap it, you now have an option to Show Photo in Library, making it easier to find the picture, or you can take the existing route and tap Choose Photo to pick another image.

Spatial Scenes

The iPhone 15 Pro and newer models can take Spatial Photos, and while the 3D photos have a realistic depth to them, they're best viewed on Apple's Vision Pro. In iOS 26, however, the Photos app has inherited the Vision Pro's ability to convert 2D images into a 3D Spatial Scene. Not all photos work with the spatial feature, but if you create a new Lock Screen wallpaper, iOS will automatically serve up compatible photos with the feature already applied and ready to be viewed.

The feature is hard to appreciate with a still image, but the results are impressive as the image animates when you move your device. Spatial Scenes use machine learning rather than Apple Intelligence, which means the feature is available on iPhone 12 and newer devices.

Music Album Animations

iOS 26 introduces full-screen animated album art on the iPhone Lock Screen for select Apple Music tracks. By tapping the album art in the Lock Screen music player, the artwork expands and animates, creating a more immersive listening experience. While animated album art has been available within the Apple Music app for some time, this marks its first appearance on the Lock Screen. Not all songs support it yet, but the number is steadily increasing. Apple is also opening the Animated Album Art feature to third‑party developers, so expect it to work with apps like Spotify and YouTube Music soon.
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Blender has revealed it is developing a native iPad version of its popular open source 3D creation suite, complete with a fully-featured multitouch interface tailored to artists who rely on tablets.


According to the Blender development team, the idea is to bring the full power of Blender to popular tablet devices without compromises, starting with the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro. From the blog post announcement:

This requires adapting to platform-specific paradigms, but also to offer more task-oriented user interfaces with reduced information density. This will be achieved by extending existing input methods, and improving workspaces and application templates, running on top of a regular Blender build.

The first version will reportedly focus on sculpting and basic object manipulation, with hopes of bringing tools like the Grease Pencil and storyboarding to the iPad later.

The team's current mockups show a single-window workflow that prioritizes screen real estate and quick access to tools via floating UI elements and contextual overlays. Menus are collapsed by default, and the usual Tool Settings header has been replaced with floating panels tailored to pen input.

Notably, this isn't a simplified mobile version of the app. "There is no specific intention of simplifying or tailoring Blender to appeal to an audience that might not be familiar with Blender or 3D," the team explains. Instead, the goal is to implement new core features in Blender while designing a custom application template tailored for devices like the iPad.

"The audience is 'Blender users'," the developers emphasize. "There is no distinction between desktop or tablet users, the same way mouse/keyboard and graphic tablet users are treated equally."

No release date has been announced, but Blender says a live tech demo will be shown at SIGGRAPH 2025 in Vancouver, with follow-up discussions and design workshops planned for Blender HQ and the Blender Conference later in 2025.

After iPad Pro development has reached the app release stage, Blender is expected to make an appearance on other touch-based input devices including the Microsoft Surface, Huawei MatePad, and Wacom MovinkPad. Some of the work being done for tablets will also benefit the desktop version, such as a Quick Favorites editor and a Helper overlay with curated shortcuts.

It's a bold plan for the open-source 3D software, which has previously been limited to desktop platforms. The latest Blender build can be downloaded for free from the Blender website, for both Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
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