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Don't Want to Wait for iOS 27? Shortcuts Playground From MacStories Generates Shortcuts Using AI

Juli Clover — Thu, 21 May 2026 16:38:55 PDT

Apple is rumored to be adding an AI feature for creating shortcuts with natural language to the Shortcuts app in iOS 27, but MacStories' Federico Viticci has a clever AI tool for making shortcuts that you can use today.

Shortcuts Playground is a plugin for Claude Code and OpenAI Codex that can create shortcuts for the Apple Shortcuts app using natural language input. It's set up to let users type in a short sentence requesting a shortcut, with the final version output to Finder and ready to upload to Apple's Shortcuts app in a few minutes.

Viticci made Shortcuts Playground free and open source, and the plugin is available from GitHub. Viticci provided detailed documentation on how it works, plus anyone can inspect the code. While Claude Code or Codex can correct errors during the shortcut creation process, Viticci warns that shortcuts generated are not guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate, and users should always check the AI's work.

To get Shortcuts Playground, give Claude Code or OpenAI Codex a link to the GitHub repo, and the agent will find the plugin marketplace and install it. Viticci has several example shortcuts, including one that remembers the location of a parked car and guides the driver back to it, and another that adjusts several display settings at night while also turning on a Focus mode.

Club MacStories+ and Premier members can get Shortcuts Playground as a generative shortcut. Once the main plugin is installed on a Mac, there's an option to make more shortcuts using a shortcut and install them directly on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Viticci is also debuting a redesigned MacStories Shortcuts Archive that features over 400 pre-built shortcut options. More information on Shortcuts Playground can be found on MacStories.

Related Roundup: iOS 27

Tag: MacStories

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 244 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Juli Clover — Thu, 21 May 2026 16:08:01 PDT

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.

‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 244 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Animations, CSS, Forms, HTML, Images, JavaScript, MathML, Media, Networking, Rendering, SVG, Scrolling, Security, Storage, Web API, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, WebAssembly, WebGL, and WebGPU.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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Birdfy Review: Smart Bird Feeders and Bird Bath Put to the Test

Juli Clover — Thu, 21 May 2026 16:04:15 PDT

There are multiple companies making bird feeders with AI identification that send you pictures and info on the birds visiting your home, and Birdfy is one of the better-known brand names. I've reviewed and regularly use multiple Bird Buddy products, so when Birdfy asked if I wanted to give their bird feeders a look last winter, I said yes.

Birdfy has a lot of bird feeder options at different prices, along with camera-equipped bird baths and bird houses. I've been testing the standard Birdfy Feeder ($170 with solar panel and lifetime AI included), the Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo ($360), and the Birdfy Bath Pro (currently $280) for the past five months, so I'm very familiar with the product options and the Birdfy software, which is a major factor when choosing a smart product.

Birdfy products record bird visits, providing AI species identification and photos and videos that you can watch. You just need to put them in a spot that gets a decent Wi-Fi signal to view the birds that are coming to your area.

Birdfy Feeder

The Birdfy Feeder is a good starting point for someone new to bird feeders. There's a cheaper model that starts at $80, but the Birdfy Feeder has a 2K high-definition camera and an option to buy it with lifetime AI bird identification.

The lower-priced Birdfy options can be purchased with or without a solar panel, and I think the solar panel is worth getting. It's an extra $40, but as long as your feeder is somewhere with partial sun, the solar panel provides enough power to prevent the camera from having to be manually charged.

My Birdfy Feeder is in a spot with morning and afternoon sun, and it has never dipped below a 90 percent charge. I have the other Birdfy feeder in a wooded area, also with solar panel, and it hovers at about 50 percent battery. I had to charge it once in the winter, but I haven't needed to do so again.

The solar panel that comes with the Birdfy Feeder is not attached to the feeder itself, so it can be positioned a couple of feet away if necessary. There are pros and cons to that setup compared to the Bird Buddy, where the solar panel is on the roof of the feeder. The Bird Buddy is a more compact, all-in-one design with no extra cords, and I prefer that look. The Birdfy solar panel is larger and more versatile, but it's also more visible and there is a cable to contend with.

While the Bird Buddy hangs or can be mounted, Birdfy's feeders are all meant to be mounted to a pole, tree, wall, or post. There's no loop for hanging one up, and feeder designs don't work for hanging. Birdfy includes multiple mounting options, which is nice, but also more complicated than the Bird Buddy.

There are a lot of components in the box, and for someone that just wants to put up a bird feeder and connect to an app, Birdfy products might feel overwhelming. I've gifted a Bird Buddy to older family members and it's been a hit, but I'd be more hesitant to gift the Birdfy to those same people.

Unless you live somewhere with no tree-climbing seed-loving creatures, mounting to a tree with the included tree straps isn't ideal because it makes access too easy.

Mounting on a wall or a post can work, but my squirrels will climb the side of my house to leap over to bird feeders. I like hanging feeders like the Bird Buddy because I can put them on a pole with a baffle without a hassle and keep them away from squirrels. Birdfy also supports pole mounting, but it uses adjustable metal hose clips that take longer to install.

I can't put the Birdfy Feeder on one of the hanging branches because of its design, so it has to be on the pole itself just above the baffle that I have. It's sturdy and works fine. All of the mounting options work in the same way, in that you install a metal plate that the Birdfy Feeder then attaches to. That lets you remove it without having to unmount it for cleaning, filling, and charging.

The Birdfy Feeder has a simple design where the seed goes into a reservoir at the sides of the camera, which is in the middle of the feeder. The top pops up so you can fill it, and it holds a good amount of seed. I fill it about once a week, and I have a lot of birds visiting.

The roof keeps the seed dry for the most part, and there is an included perch for the birds to land on. The camera slots into the feeder, and then the solar panel plugs in at the back of the camera (if you have the solar panel). If you don't have a solar panel, you take the Birdfy Feeder off the mount and charge it with USB-C.

Birdfy uses white plastic for the standard Feeder I tested (with blue or yellow accents), though there are wood options for those that prefer that look. The plastic has held up well so far through rain, sun, and freezing temperatures over the winter, and Birdfy says it's IP65. Since the Feeder can be removed from the mount, it's simple to clean. Bird feeders need to be cleaned every two weeks or so, and I typically rinse them in hot water, spray them with alcohol, give them a bit of a scrub where necessary, rinse again, and let them dry. Refilling the seed is simple, and I don't even take it down for that. I just need to pop open the roof and pour the seed in. I do wish Birdfy included a seed pouring device like the Bird Buddy does, but a measuring cup or a 3D-printed solution works fine.

The camera in the Birdfy Feeder is 2K, and the image quality is on par or better than the Bird Buddy. I get clear images and videos, but the camera doesn't handle direct sun well, so when it's sunny, video quality suffers. I don't think the Birdfy Feeder has the best video I've seen from a camera, but it's similar to the Bird Buddy and my outdoor security cameras.

I don't have many night visits from birds, but there are night vision modes. There's an infrared mode for black and white recording, or a mode that uses white light to provide illumination for recording in color. Neither mode is very clear, so it's just a matter of whether you'd prefer to have more detail in infrared mode or color with less detail.

Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo

The Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo has a different design than the Birdfy Feeder, and it's expensive, so this is an upgrade version for someone who loves bird watching. The Duo has two cameras instead of one, with three lenses between them. One camera is located in the center and it has a wide-angle lens and a close-up portrait lens, while another camera captures side angles.

The portrait camera is 2K and some bird shots come out crisp and vivid, and I've also been happy with the wider-angle videos and images. Photo and video quality depend on the lighting conditions, connection, the length of time a bird stays, when the camera captures the shot, whether the lens is clean, and the weather conditions outside, so results are always variable with all of my bird feeders.

Getting multiple angles is fun, because if one camera doesn't pick up a bird, it's likely going to get captured from the other camera. It's ideal for birds that tend to stick to the sides of the feeder and just flit in to grab a quick seed. My Bird Buddy is unable to capture visits when the bird is not in the center of the feeder.

I wish that at the $360 price point, the camera quality was even better. Videos come out well and look good for the most part, but the portrait lens is not as crisp as I would have hoped.

Seed goes in a hopper that splits around the central camera. The lid flips open and the seed is poured inside, and it fills the feeder tray. The tray has bars at the bottom that can prevent larger birds from getting to the seed, and some people use those kinds of barriers on bird feeders to cut down on mess.

The Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo is made of plastic, but it is black and green, so it blends in better outside. It too has held up well through the winter, and it has IP66 water and dust resistance rating. It mounts the same way as the Birdfy Feeder, with multiple mounting options. I tried this one strapped to a tree to begin with, but it was too easy for squirrels to reach, and they ate all the seed. They also chewed through the USB-C cable that connects the cameras to the solar charger, and I had to get a replacement. I moved it to a bird feeder pole with a baffle that's a good eight feet from trees, and the squirrels can no longer reach it.

The solar panel for the Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo is a separate component, and it connects to the feeder with a USB-C cable. To power more than one camera, it uses a split USB-C cable. I have the feeder in a spot with little direct sunlight, and I have had to manually charge the cameras twice. Since they charge over USB-C, I bring a USB-C battery pack out and charge them at the feeder, but it's also easy to remove the feeder from the bracket that holds it in place for charging and cleaning.

Bird Bath Pro

I first put the Bird Bath Pro out in December, and I thought it was a failure. I had no bird visits for the first two months it was outside, but when spring came, it became a wildlife favorite.

While I do occasionally see birds taking a bath in the Bird Bath Pro, it's used more often as a drinking fountain. Even though the bird bath is next to a fountain and also close to my pond, it is the preferred drinking spot for every creature nearby.

The crows that come to my house like to take a mouthful of food, spit it into the bird bath, and eat it like bird cereal. A raccoon that comes by every night drinks from it, as does a local fox. The squirrels are especially fond of the bird bath and drink from it every day.

The Bird Bath Pro is made from plastic, and it has an optional base that you can get from Birdfy. I thought it might be a little low, but it's a height birds seem to like. It holds maybe an inch of water, or a little more if I fill it to the top. A built-in solar-powered fountain comes on when the sun is out to move the water, which prevents mosquitoes.

I don't see the fountain run when it's not in direct sunlight, so it's not on all the time. I'd like to see it run more often, but it seems to be designed to work only some of the time. The birds will use it either way. There is a filter in the fountain part of the Bird Bath Pro to keep the mechanism from getting jammed up with debris, and that should be replaced or cleaned regularly. Speaking of the fountain, there are interchangeable nozzles with different spray patterns to choose from. I use the flower that has gentle water movement.

The Bird Bath Pro tends to get dirty quickly, so I wipe it out and change the water every other day. Other than the cleaning and the filling, it doesn't take much more work, and I think I like it even more than my bird feeders.

Like the other Birdfy cameras, it struggles somewhat in direct sun and the image gets washed out. It's also not crystal clear because birds don't stay still for glamour shots, but I enjoy the photos and videos.

Setting up the Bird Bath Pro is simpler than setting up the cameras, because it's mostly all one piece. The camera fits into a slot in the bird bath, and then it's ready to go. No attaching it to a pole with clips or straps, and the filter and fountain parts are easy to figure out.

Birdfy App

All of the Birdfy products use the Birdfy iOS and Android app for bird identification and visit alerts. The Birdfy app works, but I think it's confusingly designed and not as intuitive as the Bird Buddy app. It's used for everything from setup to viewing bird images.

I did not like the Birdfy setup process. It's the standard connect, enter Wi-Fi password, and add to app system that most products use, but when you put the Birdfy cameras into pairing mode, they beep incessantly until successfully paired. It was by far the most irritating setup process I've ever gone through just because of the noise. Once connected to Wi-Fi, Birdfy's devices work fine, and I haven't had interruptions in service.

The app opens to a Home section that shows a view of each Birdfy camera, and you can tap in to see captured moments or get to a live view. Tapping into a camera provides an overview of the day with a readout of the total number of bird visits and the bird visits by species. Scrolling down lets you watch all of the videos for the day, and if you keep scrolling, you can swap to prior days. There's also a calendar icon you can use to get to previous recordings.

Birdfy's app gets a lot of birds right, but it makes errors regularly and there are some fleeting visits where it can't identify the bird type. As I'm writing this review, I've had 47 visits, some of which involved more than one bird at a time. The app correctly identified 38 birds, but marked 14 unknown. Two birds were incorrectly identified. It called a house finch a canyon towhee (despite correctly identifying finches the rest of the time), and marked a white-breasted nuthatch as a brown-headed nuthatch.

Yesterday, I had 73 visits. Of those visits, 12 were unidentified, one house finch was misidentified as a canyon towhee again, and a tufted titmouse was incorrectly named an oak titmouse. It's not able to identify crows, and it sometimes struggles with the raccoons and squirrels that visit the bird bath. I can tell when it's wrong because I know the local birds by sight, but misidentification is a bigger problem for users that aren't aware of what's around. On the plus side, it's right much more often than it's wrong, and it is able to tell male or female for some birds. Birdfy says it is able to identify over 6,000 bird species.

The camera does not use AI to decide when to record. If it detects motion, it records. It will pick up people walking by and other random movement. Unlike the Bird Buddy, it does send a notification for every bird visit, and that's a lot of notifications.

I wish there was an option for daily highlights instead of a notification for each visit. I can exclude certain types of birds in the app, but since it sometimes misidentifies birds, I don't want to do that. I mostly ignore the notifications now though, since I'm getting 50+ per day. The Bird Buddy sends occasional postcards from the best bird visits, and I think that's a much better way to do it.

Birdfy does have a useful recap feature, but it's not obvious. You need to tap on your profile and then tap on Highlight. It opens a recap on the web rather than in the app, which is a weird choice. It gives an overview of everything that visited in a day, and lets you know when you've had a certain type of bird visit for the first time. You also get overall monthly recaps.

There is no fee for the Birdfy AI if you buy it upfront with the camera. Cameras with "lifetime" AI are around $20 higher, and I think that's worthwhile not to have a subscription. You get free AI, 5GB storage, and 20-second video recordings that are kept for a month, but you can also pay for a subscription for expanded cloud storage.

The $6.99/month Plus plan keeps videos for 60 days and expands recordings to 30 seconds each, plus it provides 20GB storage and 15 percent off Birdfy products. There's also a Bird Data feature for visit statistics, activity patterns, and time-of-day analysis. Since the Plus plan only extends recordings by 10 seconds and it is limited to two Birdfy devices, it doesn't seem like a good value. It makes more sense to pay for AI access when making an initial purchase and doing without the extra features. Birdfy does have a 50 percent discount for those who bought the lifetime AI, but the device limit still doesn't feel worth it even at $3.50/month.

Local storage is not an option as an alternative to cloud storage, but video clips and images can be downloaded and shared.

Bottom Line

Smart bird feeders can feel repetitive because most people get the same birds with the exception of seasonal migration, but it's still fun to see the antics that the regulars get up to. I have bird spats, bird couples that come in pairs and check in often, little wrens that like to carry around large peanuts, and silly doves that like to just sit on the food. It's also always a treat to see colorful bluebirds and goldfinches that I don't get as often as cardinals, mourning doves, and sparrows.

Birdfy has an extensive product line with different feeder styles and multiple price points, which makes it easy to recommend. The app and the setup are not as simple as the Bird Buddy and I'd be a little hesitant to get a Birdfy Feeder as an option for someone who isn't app and iPhone savvy, but it's not impossible to figure out.

For any bird watcher that can figure out an app that's somewhat convoluted, it's a fun product for keeping tabs on what's around your home. There are lifetime AI options that don't require a subscription, and the AI had a good (but not perfect) accuracy rating in my testing. The feeders are easy to fill and clean because they all use the same easy-access mount, but there is no hanging option and that makes them a target for squirrels and other critters depending on location.

The standalone solar panels are useful for finding just the right sun spot for charging, though it does introduce extra cabling to deal with compared to an all-in-one solution.

Of the Birdfy products I tested, I liked the Bird Bath Pro best. It's been a hub of activity, and it provides a look at birds doing something other than eating. If you live somewhere that you can't have bird feeders (like somewhere with rat or mouse concerns), the Bird Bath Pro is a product that will still let you see local birds.

How to Buy

Birdfy's products can be purchased from the Birdfy website. The Birdfy Feeder is $170 for the lifetime AI and the solar panel, the Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo with three lenses is $360, and the Bird Bath Pro is priced at $280 for the version with lifetime AI and an included stand. The stand-free model is $200.

Note: Birdfy provided MacRumors with a Bird Bath Pro, Birdfy Feeder, and Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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Apple Asks Supreme Court to Review App Store Contempt Ruling

Juli Clover — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:58:21 PDT

Apple today formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the series of rulings that led to changes to App Store linking rules and fees in the United States.

In 2021, Apple largely won its legal dispute with Epic Games, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to relax its anti-steering rules and let developers link to alternate payment options in apps. Apple complied, but charged a 12 to 27 percent fee on link-outs instead of its standard 15 to 30 percent fee. When taking into account fees from payment processors, there was little to no discount to developers, and few opted in. Apple also restricted button design, limiting developers to a single plain text link.

‌Epic Games‌ went back to Gonzalez Rogers and said Apple was in violation of the court's order, and she agreed. In April 2025, she found Apple in contempt of court for willfully violating that 2021 injunction. Apple was then barred from collecting any fees on links in the U.S. ‌App Store‌, and it has collected no money for link-outs in third-party apps since then.

Apple appealed, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed Apple was in contempt of court, but said Apple should be able to charge a reasonable fee for its intellectual property. Apple does not want courts deciding the fees it is able to collect, so it is now asking the Supreme Court to hear the case.

Apple has two main issues with the appeals court ruling. First, Apple says holding it in civil contempt was not appropriate because the original injunction did not prevent it from charging developers a fee when linking to third-party payment options. The district court and the appeals court agreed that Apple violated the "spirit" of the injunction by charging a high fee. Apple argues that prior court decisions have only held a party in civil contempt when an order has been "clearly and unambiguously" violated. A contempt ruling based on "spirit" is a "recipe for abuse," Apple says.

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65 reinforces this understanding by demanding specificity in injunctions to ensure clear notice. The Ninth Circuit's spirit-based inquiry is antithetical to these requirements. Under that rule, the potent weapon of contempt turns on an amorphous, know-it-when-you-see-it inquiry that permits a court to impose contempt merely by declaring a violation of an order's "spirit."

As it has done in several other court filings, Apple also cites Trump v. CASA, a ruling that said lower courts do not have the authority to issue universal injunctions to block nationwide policies. Apple says the court ruling requiring it to drop fees for all developers goes far beyond the scope of the ‌Epic Games‌ case, and any relief ordered by the court should be limited to ‌Epic Games‌.

Yet the injunction here enjoins Apple and the commissions it can charge with respect to millions of registered worldwide developers that are not parties to this case. It does so even though Epic never brought a class action and never attempted to show that enjoining Apple's conduct against all other developers—like Microsoft or Spotify, who have nothing to do with Epic—was somehow necessary to provide relief to Epic.

According to Apple, the contempt ruling based on "spirit" and the order applicable to all developers "have combined to create an injunction that may reshape the global app marketplace."

‌Epic Games‌ and Apple agreed to an expedited schedule and Apple's petition will be considered on June 25. Apple expects a decision on whether the Supreme Court will hear the case by the time the justices recess for the summer in late June or early July.

Apple previously asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on its legal fight with ‌Epic Games‌ in January 2024, but the justices declined to hear the case. Justice Elena Kagan also recently denied Apple's request for a stay of the fee calculation mandate while Apple waits to hear from the Supreme Court.

Update: In a statement to MacRumors, ‌Epic Games‌ Director of Corporate Communications Natalie Munoz said the following:

The Supreme Court has already rejected Apple's attempt to overturn the injunction in this case. This challenge to the contempt order is one last Hail Mary to delay a conclusion to this case and avoid opening up the gates to payment competition for the benefit of consumers. The court proceedings and Apple's own documents made it clear that Apple intentionally designed its sham compliance with the District Court's order to prevent competition, clearly violating the District Court's injunction.

Tags: App Store, Epic Games, Epic Games vs. Apple

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iPhone 17 Pro Will Make Sports History This Weekend

Joe Rossignol — Thu, 21 May 2026 07:32:44 PDT

Apple today announced that this Saturday's Major League Soccer match between the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo FC will be captured entirely with the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple said this will mark the first time an iPhone will be used to capture the entirety of a major professional live sporting event broadcast, rather than studio cameras, so the iPhone 17 Pro will make sports history this weekend.

"iPhone 17 Pro will capture live footage throughout the match, including team warmups on the pitch, player introductions, in-net goal angles, and the atmosphere inside the stadium," said Apple. "With cameras positioned throughout the venue, the broadcast will deliver the pristine video quality fans expect, alongside dynamic new perspectives that bring viewers closer to the action, made possible by the small form factor of iPhone."

Apple TV subscribers will be able to stream the match live on Saturday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time. For the 2026 season, only an Apple TV subscription is required, with a separate MLS Season Pass subscription no longer necessary.

Apple already used the iPhone 17 Pro to capture select moments and cinematic Fenway Park footage during a Major League Baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers last year, but other cameras were also used. For the Major League Soccer match this weekend, the iPhone 17 Pro will exclusively capture all footage.

Earlier this year, the U.S. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum added one of the four iPhone 17 Pro devices that captured the Red Sox's thrilling walk-off win over the Tigers to its permanent collection in Cooperstown, New York, so the device already made sports history, and now it will repeat the feat in an even bigger way.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Pro

Tags: Apple TV Service, Major League Soccer

Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 Pro (Caution)

Related Forum: iPhone

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Apple's 15-Inch M5 MacBook Air Sees Biggest Price Cut Yet at $199 Off

Mitchel Broussard — Thu, 21 May 2026 06:52:20 PDT

Amazon has sweetened its deal on the 512GB 15-inch M5 MacBook Air today, dropping the price of the notebook down to $1,099.99, from $1,299.00. This is a new record low price on the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air, and it's available in three colors.

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 is providing delivery by the end of this week for many locations, and Prime members should see same-day or overnight options as well. Additionally, you'll find $150 markdowns on both 1TB models of the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air this week on Amazon, but we aren't tracking any major discounts on 13-inch models right now.

$199 OFF

15-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) for $1,099.99

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.

Deals Newsletter

Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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iPhone 19 Pro Prototype in Testing Allegedly Has Quad-Curved Display

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 21 May 2026 05:35:22 PDT

Apple is testing an iPhone 19 Pro with a display that curves around all four edges of the device, a leaker out of China has claimed.

According to Weibo-based Digital Chat Station, the 2027-generation Pro device, currently at the evaluation stage, has a hole-punch cutout in the display for the front-facing camera, but Face ID is completely hidden under the panel.

The claim is notable because multiple reports suggest Apple is aiming to launch a 20th-anniversary iPhone next year featuring a quad-curved display with no cutouts. Whether Apple plans to position the commemorative model as an ultra-premium tier above its Pro and Pro Max lineup has remained unclear, but the leaker's latest comments suggest that could be the case.

That said, if Apple is planning to use quad-curved panels across both the iPhone 19 Pro and iPhone 19 Pro Max, it would leave the company less room to differentiate them from the rumored commemorative iPhone.

One way Apple could play it is to keep the uninterrupted display exclusive to the 20th-anniversary iPhone while leaving a hole-punch cutout in the 19 Pro models – an option that the leaker's comments do seem to imply. However, Apple is said to be finding it particularly challenging to get both the Face ID system and the front-facing camera under the panel, with the selfie camera proving to be the most difficult to hide.

If existing technologies can't hide the camera under the panel without degrading quality, Apple is unlikely to go ahead with it – which would leave the 2027 iPhone series' differentiation outlined here unresolved.

Digital Chat Station has more than three million followers on Weibo, and has a track record of accurately leaking Apple-related information. For example, they accurately revealed the overall design of the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, as well as the triple 48-megapixel rear camera system of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro.‌ Recently, the leaker claimed Apple's first foldable, expected to arrive alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, will be called "iPhone Ultra."

Tags: 20th-Anniversary iPhone, Digital Chat Station

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Apple Debuts Sleep Apnea Alerts and Hearing Test Features in India

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 21 May 2026 04:54:14 PDT

Apple has announced the rollout of two new device features in India: sleep apnea notifications for Apple Watch, and Hearing Test for AirPods Pro.

Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often leading to poor rest. The Apple Watch detects signs of the disorder by using its accelerometer to track subtle wrist movements associated with irregular breathing patterns. When these disturbances occur repeatedly across several nights, the watch can flag a potential case of sleep apnea.

The feature is supported on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Ultra 3, and is available in more than 150 countries worldwide. To receive an initial reading, users need to wear the watch consistently for several nights, although nightly breathing disturbances are logged in the iPhone's Health app.

Hearing tests can be conducted by connecting AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 to an iPhone running iOS 18.1 or later or an iPad running iPadOS 18.1 or later. The hearing test mimics the hearing tests one might encounter at a doctor's office or when visiting an audiologist.

Tones at different frequencies and sound levels play in each ear, with users instructed to tap the iPhone's display whenever a sound is heard. Apple tests four frequencies, including 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, and 4kHz. Results up to 25 dBHL indicate little to no hearing loss. 26 to 40 dBHL is a sign of mild hearing loss, while results of 41 to 60 dBHL suggest moderate hearing loss. 61 to 80 dBHL is severe hearing loss, and a result above 80 dBHL is considered profound hearing loss.

The results, which include an audiogram, are stored in the Health app, and can be shared with a healthcare provider to have more informed conversations.

Apple Health features are now available in over 160 countries and regions globally, according to a post on X by Apple's Greg Joswiak. Joswiak's post also suggests that Apple recently brought its Hearing Aid feature to Italy and hypertension notifications to Taiwan.

Tag: India

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MacBook Pro OLED Display Production Clears Key Hurdle

Tim Hardwick — Thu, 21 May 2026 01:35:55 PDT

Apple's first OLED MacBook Pro models have cleared a major manufacturing hurdle, with panel supplier Samsung Display having reportedly achieved yields above 90 percent on its Gen 8.6 OLED production line.

According to Korean publication The Elec, some individual process stages are now reaching yields as high as 95 percent, a level that the display industry considers "golden yield" territory for stable mass production.

The report says Samsung could begin shipping OLED laptop panels through the supply chain as early as June. The panels are expected to be used in future 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, with estimated supply volumes of around 2 million units this year.

The rapid yield improvement is notable because OLED laptop panels are a lot harder to manufacture than smartphone displays due to their larger size and stricter brightness and lifespan requirements. For example, MacBook Pro panels are expected to use brighter tandem two-stack OLED technology like Apple's OLED iPad Pro models, oxide TFT backplanes for improved battery life, and an anti-moisture sealing protection method called hybrid encapsulation.

Samsung began its Gen 8.6 IT OLED investment in 2023 and is currently operating one of two planned production lines. Depending on demand for the OLED MacBook Pro models, which will reportedly have touchscreen capability for the first time, Samsung could activate the second line and expand capacity further.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has repeatedly stated that 14-inch and 16-inch OLED MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in late 2026 to early 2027, but the latter time frame is now said to be more likely due to the industry-wide chip shortage.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro

Tags: OLED, The Elec

Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)

Related Forum: MacBook Pro

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Google I/O 2026 Roundup: Gemini 3.5, AI Search, Android XR Glasses, and More

Juli Clover — Wed, 20 May 2026 14:33:31 PDT

Google held its annual Google I/O event today, launching new AI products and giving us a look at what's coming in the near future. Google I/O is Google's equivalent of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, and Google's announcements offer insight into what Apple is going to be competing with in the coming months.

We've rounded up everything Google announced at I/O across its product lineup.

Gemini

Gemini Omni - Gemini Omni is a new model that can create anything from any input, and that is better at simulating gravity and kinetic energy. It combines Gemini intelligence with generative models like Nano Banana and Veo. It supports conversational language video editing, and allows users to upload videos and edit any element in the video. Omni is starting with video, but Google's Demis Hassabis says it will eventually be able to create any output from any input.

Gemini Omni Flash - Gemini Omni Flash is the first Omni model that Google is releasing, and it is available starting today in the Gemini app.

Gemini 3.5 Flash - Gemini 3.5 Flash is a new model that Google's Sundar Pichai said combines frontier intelligence with action. Flash is better across almost all benchmarks compared to 3.1 Pro, and it is "comparable to the best models" but faster. Gemini 3.5 Flash is available for everyone today across Google's products and APIs.

Gemini 3.5 Pro - Google is testing Gemini 3.5 Pro internally, and it's coming next month.

Gemini App - Google redesigned the Gemini app with a new Neural Expressive design language that's rolling out today on desktop, iOS, and Android. It features fluid animations, vibrant colors, haptic feedback, and new typography. It's also getting custom regional dialects in the next few months. Gemini Omni is available for paid Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers in the Gemini app today, making it easier to create and edit videos.

AI Agents for Gemini - Gemini is getting AI agents, like a Daily Brief agent that presents users with a customized daily digest. Daily Brief is rolling out today for paid subscribers.

Gemini Mac App - Mac users will be able to select a bunch of images and documents in Finder, and then press the Function key to give Gemini a voice command on what to do with the files. Google's demo involved sending an email to a dog kennel with the dog's information and image, with info pulled from Finder to generate an email using Gmail in Chrome. Voice support and Gemini Spark are coming to the Gemini Mac app this summer.

Gemini for Science - Gemini for Science is a collection of science tools, and there's also a Co-Scientist collaborative AI research partner.

AI Content Identification

Identifying AI-generated Images - C2PA content credentials are coming to Gemini and Chrome. Google's tools can tell if an image was captured with a camera or made with AI, and can determine whether an image captured with a camera was edited with AI. Users will be able to right-click on an image in Chrome and ask Gemini whether it was generated with AI.

Antigravity

Antigravity 2.0 - Google is launching a new agent-first Antigravity 2.0 app for the desktop that uses Gemini 3.5 Flash. Antigravity is Google's coding tool, and the equivalent of Copilot, Codex, and Claude Code. Gemini 3.5 Flash is 12x faster in Antigravity, which optimizes token use. Antigravity 2.0 is available globally for everyone.

Gemini Spark

Gemini Spark - Gemini Spark is a personal AI agent that helps users navigate their digital life. Gemini Spark runs on virtual machines through Google Cloud, and it is able to operate 24/7, with no need to have a laptop open for it to run. It's accessible through the Gemini app, but there will also be options to email or message it. It uses Gemini 3.5 Flash and Antigravity to work on long-running tasks in the background. It integrates with Google tools now, and Google is debuting MCP support for third-party apps in the coming weeks. Gemini Spark can do multi-step ongoing tasks, planning out subtasks and going through the steps. Gemini Spark will be available for Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. next week, and it will work with Chrome later this summer.

Google Search

Google Search - Google Search AI Mode and AI Overviews now use Gemini 3.5 Flash. "Google Search is AI Search," was Google's messaging. There's a new Google Search box that's been reimagined with AI, and it changes based on how you're using it and goes "beyond autocomplete" to help you better ask questions. The search box supports images, files, videos, and Chrome tabs as input in addition to text. Pichai said it's the biggest upgrade to the search box in over 25 years, and it's rolling out today. Google is also combining AI Overviews and AI Mode into one interface.

Agents in Search - Search is gaining support for creating and managing multiple AI agents. It can keep users updated on what's going on in the world, like changes in the stock market, and send alerts. Search will be able to monitor changes on webpages, so users can get alerts on things like sneaker drops. Information Agents are coming to search in the summer, and Google plans to add more agents.

Coding in Search - Agentic coding capabilities are coming to Search. Search will be able to build a custom response on the fly with dynamic layouts, interactive widgets, and more for queries. It uses Antigravity and 3.5 Flash. Search can create tools, trackers, widgets, and dashboards. Generative UI in Search is rolling out this summer for everyone with no charge. Antigravity in Search for building custom experiences is coming in the summer for subscribers first.

Shopping in Search - Google has a new Universal Cart coming this summer to Search and the Gemini app. It's an intelligent shopping cart that works across merchants and services. You can add things to the cart when reading Gmail, watching YouTube, or browsing the web, then check out on Google or on third-party retailer sites. Google has a Universal Commerce Protocol and an Agents Payment Protocol for agentic shopping. The payments feature lets AI agents make payments on your behalf using parameters that you set like a brand and price. It's coming to Gemini Spark later this year.

YouTube

Ask YouTube - YouTube is getting an Ask YouTube feature, which is similar to the Ask Maps AI feature. It uses Gemini and lets users ask questions. It supports context and follow-up questions, and it's in testing now. It will roll out broadly in the United States this summer.

Google Docs

Docs Live - With AI integration in Docs Live, users can speak or write parameters of what they need, and Gemini can create a document. Google's Sundar Pichai said users could "brain dump" and then let Gemini "do the rest." The feature supports text-based commands for creating and editing content.

Hardware

Android XR Audio Glasses - The first Android XR audio glasses are coming this fall, providing all-day access to Gemini with responses privately spoken into the wearer's ear. The glasses can be used for taking photos, listening to music, making calls, and tapping into apps. Google worked with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker on the design of the glasses, and Samsung on hardware. The glasses will pair with Android and iOS devices.

Miscellaneous Announcements

Google AI Ultra Plan - Google has a new $100 Ultra plan, and it's dropping the price of its top-tier Ultra plan from $250 to $200.

Android AI Agents - Android Halo lets Android users keep an eye on AI agents, and it shows activity at the top of an Android device. It's coming to Android later this year.

Google Pics - Google Pics is Google's new image generating and editing tool in Google Workspace. It can create posters, flyers, infographics, and more, similar to Canva. Content is watermarked with SynthID. Pics is rolling out this summer.

Stitch - Stitch is Google's Figma-like tool that lets users build apps and websites. This year, Google is adding real-time collaborative design with Stitch Agent, exports to Antigravity, and publishing directly to Netlify.

Google Flow - Google Flow, Google's "AI creative studio" for creatives, is getting Gemini Omni, AI agents for executing multiple actions at once, and custom tools with Flow Tools. New Google Flow features are available today.

Many of Google's new features are rolling out today, with the rest planned for later this year. Apple is going to hold its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and that's when we'll see if Apple debuts equivalent features.

Tags: Android, Gemini, Google, Google I/O

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New iOS 27 Feature Hints at Major Siri Upgrade Coming Soon

Joe Rossignol — Wed, 20 May 2026 12:20:01 PDT

Every May, Apple previews new accessibility features coming to devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The announcement typically occurs a few days before Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and it offers a glimpse into what will be included in the next major releases of Apple's software platforms, such as iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

This year, one of the new capabilities shown off by Apple is natural language support for the Voice Control feature on the iPhone and iPad.

Voice Control is receiving an Apple Intelligence upgrade that will make the feature "more intuitive than ever," according to Apple. Specifically, iPhone and iPad users will be able to describe on-screen buttons and controls with natural language, instead of having to remember exact labels, numbers, or descriptions like before.

For example, users will be able to say things like "tap the guide about best restaurants" in Apple Maps or "tap the purple folder" in the Files app.

Voice Control powered by Apple Intelligence will initially be available in English in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia, according to Apple.

AI-powered Voice Control hints at the more personalized version of Siri that Apple first announced all the way back at WWDC 2024. At the time, Apple said Siri would gain on-screen awareness, which would essentially turn the assistant into an AI agent that is capable of understanding natural language and taking action for you.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it sure looks like Apple just casually dropped agentic AI being built into iPhone

Yes, in this video it's being used for Voice Control, but if a person can control their iPhone with natural language so can an AI agent! pic.twitter.com/S6DQOiQGsO
— Dylan (@DylanMcD8) May 19, 2026

Apple's own example was an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps, and it was later reported that Siri will be able to do things such as comment on an Instagram post, or scroll through a shopping app and add something to your cart.

Overall, the revamped Siri is expected to have a better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. In March 2025, Apple announced that these capabilities were delayed until later this year. The new-and-improved Siri is expected to be a tentpole feature of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, which will be unveiled on June 8 and should be released to the public in September.

The more personalized Siri will likely require an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, a Mac with an M1 chip or newer, or an iPad with an A17 Pro or M1 chip or newer.

Related Roundup: iOS 27

Tags: Accessibility, Apple Intelligence, Siri

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Apple Says iOS 27 Can Automatically Add Captions to Your Personal iPhone Videos

Joe Rossignol — Wed, 20 May 2026 09:40:39 PDT

Apple this week previewed new accessibility features that are coming later this year, and one is particularly notable: automatic captions for personal videos.

For videos that do not already have captions, Apple said a new on-device speech recognition model can automatically generate them for spoken audio. According to Apple, this feature will be available for videos that you record on your iPhone, videos that you receive from friends and family, and videos that are streamed online.

The automatic captions will initially be limited to English in the U.S. and Canada.

Apple ensured that the captions are generated privately, and you will be able to customize their appearance in the video playback menu or in the Settings app. The feature will be supported across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro, with the "later this year" timing pointing to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27.

Apple will unveil those software versions during its WWDC 2026 keynote, which begins on Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, so we expect to learn more about this feature and its exact implementation in a few weeks from now.

Related Roundup: iOS 27

Tag: Accessibility

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Samsung Overtakes Apple for Top Smartphone Customer Satisfaction

Hartley Charlton — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:45:02 PDT

Samsung has edged past Apple for the top spot in customer satisfaction for cell phones, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's 2026 Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study, published this week.

Samsung scores 81 in the ACSI's cell phone rankings while Apple posts 80, breaking last year's tie between the two companies for satisfaction leadership. The overall cell phone industry score rose 1% to 79 this year, recovering from a sharp 4% decline in 2025 that had pushed it to its lowest point in a decade.

The ACSI says satisfaction improves most when new features translate into everyday value without introducing new pain points, citing battery life tradeoffs as an example. AI integration, measured by the ACSI for the first time, scores 85 overall, signaling that customers are not only aware of AI features but find them useful, while improvements in battery life, up 5% to 81.

For the cell phone industry, the highest-rated customer experience metrics are the fundamental functions of making phone calls and sending text messages, both scoring 86. AI feature performance debuts at 85, nearly matching those top table-stakes interactions, suggesting that AI is moving from novelty to practical utility for many customers.

Among new flagship owners, Samsung's latest Galaxy S-series leads at 84, followed by new iPhone owners at 82, with Google's flagship models scoring 80. Satisfaction with flagship models overall scores 82, far outpacing legacy phones at 76 and foldables at 72.

In the foldable segment, Samsung holds a clear lead with an ACSI score of 80, which is 8 points ahead of Google at 72 and 10 points ahead of Motorola at 70. The ACSI notes that foldable owners are three times as likely to complain as non-foldable owners, and says competitive dynamics in the segment may shift as Apple's rumored entry into the foldable market is anticipated for later this year. Apple is widely expected to debut a foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this fall, featuring a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover screen, priced at around $2,000.

In the smartwatch category, Apple holds steady at 80, while Samsung drops 4% to create a first-place tie at the top of the leaderboard. Customer experience characteristics of smartwatches are universally rated higher this year at the industry level, with the biggest gains including ease of navigating menus and settings, up 7% to 80, and app and accessory connectivity, up 5% to 83.

The ACSI study is based on 26,963 completed surveys, with customers contacted via email between April 2025 and March 2026.

Tag: Samsung

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Apple Provides Update on App Store, Highlights Key 2025 Safety Stats

Joe Rossignol — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:12:58 PDT

Apple today shared stats that paint the App Store as a safe and trusted place for both customers and developers, even though the reality is that fraudulent or deceptive apps continue to make it past Apple's review process from time to time.

In 2025, Apple said its App Review team evaluated more than 9.1 million App Store submissions, with a mix of human review and AI. The company rejected over two million of these submissions, including over 1.2 million new apps and nearly 800,000 pending app updates, for failing to adhere to the App Store's Review Guidelines.

As bad actors continue to evolve their methods, Apple said it continuously improves its multilayered defenses, leveraging a combination of human review and advanced machine learning in an attempt to detect and prevent malicious activity.

"By utilizing AI to rapidly identify complex malicious patterns, analyze app similarity, and flag potentially problematic changes in app updates, Apple's systems help human reviewers focus their expertise where it matters most," said Apple. "This not only improves the customer experience by ensuring a high-quality, curated storefront, it also helps legitimate developers get their great apps and updates to users faster."

Apple added that it terminated 193,000 developer accounts over fraud concerns and prevented over $2.2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions in 2025.

In 2025, Apple processed over 1.3 billion App Store reviews and ratings. Using a mix of human review and AI, the company said it identified and blocked close to 195 million fraudulent reviews and ratings from ever appearing.

"Apple's Trust and Safety teams integrate AI throughout the entire moderation process to detect spam, offensive content, and inauthentic reviews at scale," the company explained. "Additionally, AI-powered dashboards and rapid data analysis tools accelerate the discovery of new fraud vectors, enabling Apple's teams to react quickly to deceptive activity and protect the integrity of the platform."

Apple's press release contains many more stats that highlight the company's efforts to ensure the App Store is secure, even if they are not perfect.

Tag: App Store

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Ugreen Debuts Pocket-Sized Chargers for Your Apple Devices

Tim Hardwick — Wed, 20 May 2026 07:03:01 PDT

Accessory maker Ugreen has expanded its Nexode and MagFlow Air lineup of chargers with a set of compact units aimed squarely at Apple users.

First up is the Nexode Air 65W charger, which Ugreen is pitching as a travel-friendly option for MacBook Air owners, but it should work just as well for iPhones, iPads, and other USB-C devices. (Its Cosmic Orange-style finish twins particularly well with the iPhone 17 Pro.) Ugreen describes the unit as pocket-sized while still delivering up to 65W of fast charging, and it features the company's Ugreen's Thermal Guard temperature control for safety.

For users who want a thinner option, Ugreen is also touting its Nexode Air 45W Charger Slim, plus there's a new MagFlow Air Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh – a Qi2-certified 15W magnetic battery with a built-in USB-C cable, a second USB-C port, and ATL battery cells inside.

The company's broader existing Air lineup includes a thicker Nexode Air 65W Charger Slim and a less bulky 5000mAh version of the MagFlow Air.

The Nexode Air 65W Charger and 45W Slim are priced at $39.99, with the 10000mAh MagFlow Air at $79.99. All the chargers are available now over on Ugreen's official site as well as Amazon.com.

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Tag: Ugreen

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Apple's Eddy Cue to Receive 'Entertainment Person of the Year' Award

Hartley Charlton — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:57:50 PDT

Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue will be honored as "Entertainment Person of the Year" at the Cannes Lions festival next month, recognizing his leadership of the company's entertainment and services business (via Variety).

Cue will deliver a keynote on the opening day of the festival, which runs from June 22 to June 26 in the south of France. He will be joined by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose film "F1: The Movie" was released by Apple last year. In a statement, Lions CEO Simon Cook said:

Eddy Cue has consistently pushed the boundaries of entertainment and storytelling, building platforms and experiences that have redefined how audiences engage with culture. Under his leadership, Apple has not only produced world-class content but has also shaped the future of entertainment through innovation, creativity and an unwavering commitment to quality. We're delighted to honor Eddy as our 2026 Entertainment Person of the Year.

Cue told Variety last year that as streaming platforms multiplied, Apple saw an opportunity to focus on quality over volume. "We saw that the world was changing, and it seemed like everybody was going after quantity. We thought there was an opening for us, if we really focused on high quality," he said.

Apple TV+ launched in November 2019 and has since compiled an impressive awards record. The streamer earned best picture at the Oscars for its 2021 drama "CODA," and "The Studio" set records at last year's Emmy Awards with 13 wins, which is the most by a comedy series in a single year and the most by a first-year series.

Tags: Apple TV Service, Eddy Cue

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Amazon Takes $150 Off Every 15-Inch M5 MacBook Air

Mitchel Broussard — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:39:03 PDT

Amazon today has every model of the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air on sale at record low prices, starting at $1,149.00 for the 512GB model, down from $1,299.00. This sale includes all three configurations of the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air on sale in most color options.

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You'll find $150 off every model on Amazon, also including both 1TB models. Best Buy is matching these deals as part of its ongoing Memorial Day sale, which we began tracking yesterday. As of writing, we aren't tracking any deals on the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air.

$150 OFF

15-inch M5 MacBook Air (512GB) for $1,149.00

$150 OFF

15-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/1TB) for $1,349.00

$150 OFF

15-inch M5 MacBook Air (24GB/1TB) for $1,549.00

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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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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WhatsApp Tests Read-Triggered Disappearing Messages

Tim Hardwick — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:15:22 PDT

WhatsApp is getting a new setting for disappearing messages that causes them to vanish based on a countdown that starts only after they've been read.

Spotted by WaBetaInfo in the latest WhatsApp TestFlight beta, the new option starts a countdown after the recipient reads the message, rather than starting the countdown when the message is sent.

The countdown options with the "After reading" setting chosen include the usual "5 minutes," "1 hour," and "12 hours." The setting appears in the "Default messsage timer" menu, so perhaps WhatsApp will find a different home for the option or (more likely) rename the settings page to something like "Message timer options."

The new feature is said to be available to "some" beta testers on iOS and Android, but WABetaInfo believes that some users on the public WhatsApp version on the App Store may have access to the option already.

Disappearing messages can be set as the default behavior for all new chats on the end-to-end encrypted messaging platform, so this new After reading option will likely be a welcome addition for particularly privacy-conscious users, and it could also be a potential storage-saver for heavy users of the app.

Tags: WABetaInfo, WhatsApp

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Discord Voice and Video Calls Now End-to-End Encrypted by Default

Tim Hardwick — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:40:55 PDT

Discord says it has switched on end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default for every voice and video call across its platforms, including desktop, mobile, web, and consoles like PlayStation and Xbox.

The rollout covers DMs, group DMs, voice channels, and Go Live streams. There's no opt-in required, or any setting to change. Stage channels are the only exception, given that they're built for broadcasting to larger audiences rather than personal chats.

The protection runs on DAVE, an open-source protocol Discord first introduced in September 2024. In a blog post, Discord's Mark Smith said building it was slow and complicated, partly because a single Discord call can mix people on phones, laptops, browsers, and game consoles in the same conversation. Announcing the change, Smith said:

"Building an E2EE protocol that works seamlessly across all of those surfaces simultaneously is, to my knowledge, unlike anything else that's been shipped. DAVE is likely one of the internet's most platform-diverse E2EE voice and video implementations."

Discord says it's now stripping out the remaining client code that allowed unencrypted fallback, so that encrypted calls will be the only option rather than a default. "We have no current plans to extend E2EE to text messages," added Smith.

The completed rollout stands in stark contrast to policy changes by Meta, which recently removed its encryption feature for Instagram DMs.

Tags: Discord, Encryption

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Plex Tripling Lifetime Plex Pass Price to $750 in July

Juli Clover — Tue, 19 May 2026 15:53:39 PDT

Media platform Plex today said that it is increasing the price of its Lifetime Plex Pass option to $750, which is a $500 increase from the current $250 price tag.

Plex said that the updated price reflects the "real, ongoing value" of the software that it plans to build and maintain. The company has considered removing the Lifetime Plex Pass because recurring subscriptions pay for long-term development, but Plex wants to continue to offer it because it's a "valuable option" for many in the Plex community.

Over the years, as our software and product has evolved, the breadth of features and benefits included with your Plex Pass has expanded. This increase ensures we can continue to invest resources into building and maintaining the Plex personal media software, while continuing to offer a Lifetime option.

For those unfamiliar with Plex, it is media server software that lets users stream their library of content from a device with the server software installed to any other connected smartphone, tablet, or TV. The Plex Pass unlocks features like server management, hardware transcoding, offline downloads, mobile syncing, remote streaming, and more.

Plex previously increased the cost of the Lifetime Plex Pass from $120 to $250 in March 2025.

Plex customers who previously bought a Lifetime Plex Pass will still be able to access the benefits and perks associated with a Plex Pass with no change. Customers can purchase a Lifetime Plex Pass for $250 prior to when the price changes.

Plex is also not increasing the price of its subscription Plex Pass, which is $7 per month or $70 per year.

In addition to announcing the upcoming price change to the Lifetime Plex Pass, Plex shared its roadmap. It is working to implement improvements to downloads like grouping by show, and updates to its mobile apps.

The Lifetime Plex Pass price increase will go into effect on July 1, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. UTC.

Tag: Plex

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