MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://www.macrumors.com Apple, iPhone, iPad, Mac News and Rumors Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:29:14 PDT en hourly 1 https://www.macrumors.com First macOS Golden Gate Public Beta Now Available https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/macos-golden-gate-public-beta/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/first-macos-golden-gate-public-beta-now-available.2485345/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:41:27 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/macos-golden-gate-public-beta/ Juli Clover Featured macOS Golden Gate macOS Golden Gate, expanding the macOS 27 beta test to non-developers. You can sign up to test the update on Apple's beta website, and then download it by going to System Settings > General > Software Update and toggling on the macOS 27 beta.


‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes the same Siri AI features as iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, but you get to ‌Siri‌ through Spotlight with a Command + Space keyboard shortcut. ‌Siri‌ can search the web to answer questions, look through your personal data like photos, emails, and messages to help you find what you're searching for, and complete actions in and between apps. There is a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app, and you can hold ongoing conversations with ‌Siri‌.

Apple brought Visual Intelligence to the Mac, so ‌Siri‌ can look at what's on your screen and answer questions about it.

The Liquid Glass design introduced last year has been updated, and Apple added a slider for controlling overall system transparency. Liquid Glass opacity has been changed so it better diffuses complex content, and other design changes bring more depth and separation to the UI so it's easier to tell which window is active.

Apps now feature uniform toolbars with headings and controls that are easier to read, and windows no longer have such dramatically rounded corners. Sidebars are no longer floating and extend edge-to-edge, plus window positioning is more consistent across external displays.

Write with ‌Siri‌ is able to generate text from scratch, correct your grammar, or give you feedback on your writing, and there are new AI editing tools in the Photos app. In Shortcuts, you can create automations with natural language requests, and search has been improved in Mail and Messages. Apple made multiple performance improvements across ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ for a faster, smoother experience even on older Macs.

More on the new features in macOS 27 can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS Golden Gate

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]]> iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Now Available to Public Beta Testers https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-ios-27-public-beta-1/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-27-and-ipados-27-now-available-to-public-beta-testers.2485344/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:39:18 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-ios-27-public-beta-1/ Juli Clover Featured iOS 27 iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software.

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You can get started by signing up on Apple's beta website and then opting in to the public beta by going to Settings > General > Software Update and choosing the ‌iOS 27‌ or ‌iPadOS 27‌ Public Beta option. Today's public beta is identical to the third developer beta, and there's also a newly revised ‌iPadOS 27‌ third beta available for developers.

‌iOS 27‌ introduces Siri AI, a more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that can search the web, access your personal information, see what's on your screen, and take actions in and across apps. ‌Siri‌ in ‌iOS 27‌ is more similar to Claude or ChatGPT than the prior version of ‌Siri‌, with a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app for back-and-forth conversations. You can use ‌Siri‌ AI if you have a device that supports Apple Intelligence.

Apple updated the Liquid Glass design that debuted last year, adding a slider to adjust the transparency level and refining its look. There are new AI features in many of Apple's apps. Visual Intelligence moved to the Camera app and supports new features like getting the nutritional information for a meal or splitting a bill, and ‌Siri‌ is able to generate text for you or help you refine your writing with Write with ‌Siri‌.

There are new AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, Safari can organize your tabs automatically, and you can create Shortcuts and Safari extensions using natural language commands. AirPods have custom EQ, the Home app supports 4K video cameras, and there are new child safety controls for parents.

Apple made dozens of improvements to device performance, and everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard loads quicker, and more.

Additional information on the new features in ‌iOS 27‌ can be found in our dedicated iOS 27 roundup, with info on ‌iPadOS 27‌ available in our separate iPadOS 27 roundup.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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]]> tvOS 27 and watchOS 27 Now Available to Public Beta Testers https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/watchos-27-public-beta/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/tvos-27-and-watchos-27-now-available-to-public-beta-testers.2485349/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:38:00 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/watchos-27-public-beta/ Juli Clover Apple TV watchOS watchOS 27, giving Apple TV and Apple Watch users a chance to try the new software ahead of its fall launch. There's also a new HomePod Software 27 beta for the ‌HomePod‌ and HomePod mini.


You can sign up for Apple's public beta testing program on the beta website, and then download the updates through the Settings app on each device. Today's public betas are the same as the third developer betas released last week.

‌watchOS 27‌ adopts Siri AI, and you can use ‌Siri‌ from your wrist as long as you have an iPhone that supports it. ‌Siri‌ AI can access your personal information, answer all kinds of questions, and complete tasks for you. There is a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app that's front and center on the watch in the new dynamic app grid that comes up when pressing the Digital Crown.

There's a new gesture for selecting a widget in the Smart Stack, plus Apple added Smart Stack suggestions for finding a parked car, accessing a transit card, and getting a birthday reminder.

Workout Buddy works without your iPhone nearby, treadmill run and walk distances are tracked more accurately, and Apple added a unified Find My app that also supports Precision Finding.

tvOS 27 has a redesigned Podcasts app, Hi-Res Lossless audio and AutoMix song transitions in Apple Music, and easier profile switching. With performance improvements, apps launch faster, animations are speedier, and devices connect more quickly when AirPlaying content.

More on what's new in the updates can be found in our watchOS 27 roundup and Apple TV roundup.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, watchOS 26, watchOS 27
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, Apple Watch

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]]> Apple Seeds Fifth iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6 Betas to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available] https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-ios-26-6-beta-5/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-seeds-fifth-ios-26-6-and-ipados-26-6-betas-to-developers-update-public-beta-available.2485338/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:28:31 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-ios-26-6-beta-5/ Juli Clover Featured iOS 26

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

With iOS 27 set to launch in September, Apple is wrapping up work on iOS 26. We are not expecting any major new features in the iOS 26.6 update, and it will primarily focus on bug fixes and performance improvements.

The update adds new wording around blocked contact limits, letting users know when they have exceeded the maximum number of blocked contacts. The update might also include a new anti-snatching feature that locks your iPhone if it's grabbed from your hand.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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]]> Fifth macOS Tahoe 26.6 Beta Now Available for Developers [Update: Public Beta Available] https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-macos-tahoe-26-6-beta-5/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/fifth-macos-tahoe-26-6-beta-now-available-for-developers-update-public-beta-available.2485337/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:28:11 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-macos-tahoe-26-6-beta-5/ Juli Clover Featured macOS Tahoe macOS Tahoe 26.6 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the fourth beta.


Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

With macOS Golden Gate launching in just a couple months, Apple is likely focusing most of its attention on the new software. We are not expecting any major new features in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6.
Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe
Related Forum: macOS Tahoe

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]]> Apple Releases Fifth watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6 and visionOS 26.6 Betas https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-watchos-26-6-beta-5/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-releases-fifth-watchos-26-6-tvos-26-6-and-visionos-26-6-betas.2485336/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:28:00 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-seeds-watchos-26-6-beta-5/ Juli Clover Apple TV Vision Pro watchOS

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

There's no word on what's in the software as of yet. watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS often get few features in each new beta, with updates primarily focusing on bug fixes and performance improvements.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, watchOS 26, watchOS 27
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy), Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch

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]]> Report: Apple's OpenAI Lawsuit Threatens iPhone Rival Plans https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/openai-lawsuit-threatens-plans/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/report-apples-openai-lawsuit-threatens-iphone-rival-plans.2485333/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:31:48 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/openai-lawsuit-threatens-plans/ Hartley Charlton Bloomberg Apple Lawsuits Mark Gurman OpenAI Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who argues the damage is showing up well before any court ruling.


Apple sued OpenAI last week, accusing the company of pushing former employees, and even people it was trying to recruit, to hand over details on unreleased products. The suit also claims OpenAI coached new hires on how to dodge Apple's exit-interview security checks using a document tied to former iPhone design chief Tang Tan. Apple is asking the court to order OpenAI to stop the alleged conduct, destroy any proprietary material it obtained, and pay damages.

A courtroom resolution could take years, Gurman says, but he argues the suit is doing damage now, squeezing OpenAI's ability to recruit and creating drag on its device work long before a judge weighs in. OpenAI has declined to discuss its hardware roadmap directly, though in response to the suit the company said it has "no interest in other companies' trade secrets" and remains focused on its own technology.

The scale of the talent drain is a major part of why this matters to Apple. More than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI, including former Apple design chief Jony Ive, and Gurman says the company poached so heavily from Apple's iPhone product design group specifically that Apple had to rebuild parts of the team. Apple has responded with bigger retention bonuses and executives personally working to keep engineers from leaving.

The trade secret situation has apparently become one of Apple's biggest internal concerns of the past several months, ranking alongside tariff exposure and the ongoing memory chip shortage. In its own court filing, Apple frames the case as narrowly about trade secrets and describes OpenAI's hardware business as still nascent, arguing that discovery is needed to expose "the pervasive theft of Apple's trade secrets."

The lawsuit is said to already be reshaping OpenAI's hiring, independent of anything a court eventually decides. Apple employees weighing a move to OpenAI may now think twice given the added scrutiny, and even interviewing there could draw attention from Apple's security team, which could keep more engineers at Apple and slow the flow of institutional knowledge to OpenAI.

Former Apple employees are likely to grow more guarded about discussing prior work, with managers avoiding technical questions that risk touching Apple's confidential information. New legal reviews, tighter internal controls, and compliance training could pull engineers away from actual development, while senior OpenAI leadership spends time on discovery and depositions.

Given Apple's leverage over Asia's consumer electronics manufacturers, suppliers may be reluctant to deepen ties with OpenAI for fear of jeopardizing bigger, longer-standing relationships with Apple or getting pulled into the litigation themselves.

Bloomberg Intelligence wrote that "Apple is likely to secure targeted preliminary relief tied to OpenAI's device effort." Any such order would likely require disputed materials to be isolated, evidence preserved, and compliance certified, which could slow OpenAI's hardware plans further. In the longer term, if Apple can prove its trade secrets made it into OpenAI's products, OpenAI could be forced to redesign them.

Regardless, a person familiar with OpenAI's plans told Gurman the company still expects to announce its first hardware product this year and release it in 2027, though that could shift as OpenAI reviews Apple's claims. That device is reportedly far along, but building out a wider family of products, the kind Bloomberg previously described as central to OpenAI's device ambitions, will likely get harder. OpenAI has reportedly explored categories including smart speakers and wearables with an iPhone-style device as the eventual goal, but a simpler, non-phone product is expected to ship first.
Tags: Bloomberg, Apple Lawsuits, Mark Gurman, OpenAI

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]]> Apple's Steady iPhone Pricing Pays Off as Rivals Scramble https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apples-steady-iphone-pricing-pays-off/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apples-steady-iphone-pricing-pays-off-as-rivals-scramble.2485328/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:44:21 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apples-steady-iphone-pricing-pays-off/ Hartley Charlton Omdia report from Omdia.


It is Apple's best second-quarter showing on record, landing in what is normally its slowest stretch of the year. Omdia credits this to a strong iPhone 17 upgrade cycle, as well as Apple keeping prices flat across the lineup while rivals were forced to raise theirs. The firm still flagged that Apple raised prices on other products late in the quarter, which raises the question of whether iPhone pricing will follow suit later this year.

The wider industry slump traces back to a memory chip shortage that has pushed component costs sharply higher, with some vendors reportedly paying several times more for memory than a year ago. Samsung was the only other major vendor to grow, holding the top overall spot at 22% share as Chinese competitors pulled back their lineups and raised prices to cope.

Omdia expects the squeeze to worsen over the next two quarters as peak shopping season collides with tight supply, pushing vendors further upmarket to protect margins. That is expected to leave fewer affordable options for budget buyers, and adds another data point to observe as Apple heads into an iPhone 18 cycle already facing rising component costs of its own.
Tag: Omdia

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]]> Apple Acquiring SigScalr https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-acquires-sigscalr-assets/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-acquiring-sigscalr.2485326/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:01:26 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-acquires-sigscalr-assets/ Joe Rossignol Apple Acquisition In March, Apple informed the EU that it had agreed to acquire certain assets and hire employees from SigScalr, according to a notice published today on the European Commission's website.

SigScalr created the open-source observability platform SigLens, which companies can use to aggregate and analyze logs, metrics, and traces at massive scales for monitoring and debugging purposes. SigLens was known for being a cost-effective and fast solution compared to many competing platforms.
Tag: Apple Acquisition

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]]> Missed the Last Apple Watch Sale? Series 11 Now $100 Off on Amazon https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-watch-11-to-299/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/missed-the-last-apple-watch-sale-series-11-now-100-off-on-amazon.2485325/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:49:19 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-watch-11-to-299/ Mitchel Broussard Deals Featured low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. This sale includes a handful of 42mm and 46mm GPS aluminum models, but cellular devices are a bit more rare this time around.

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.

You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find four of the 42mm GPS models and three of the 46mm GPS models on sale at these all-time low prices.

$100 OFF
Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00

$100 OFF
Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00


Compared to past sales, these are both solid second-best prices on the Apple Watch Series 11 and come within $20-$30 of those previous all-time low prices. Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.



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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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]]> Apple Plans AirPods-Like Pairing for Meta's Glasses and Quest https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-plans-airpods-like-pairing-for-meta/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-plans-airpods-like-pairing-for-metas-glasses-and-quest.2485324/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:45:59 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-plans-airpods-like-pairing-for-meta/ Hartley Charlton AirPods European Union Meta Meta's Ray-Ban ‌Meta‌ glasses and Quest headsets, automatically pair across a user's Apple devices the same way AirPods and the Apple Watch do today, according to Apple's EU Interoperability Request page.


The plan responds to a request ‌Meta‌ filed in October 2025 under the EU's Digital Markets Act, asking Apple to let a ‌Meta‌ device, once paired with one iPhone or iPad, automatically become available on a user's other Apple devices without extra prompts. Third-party accessories have never been able to tap into that ability, meaning owning non-Apple hardware alongside an iPhone has always involved more friction. If Apple builds this out, that gap will close, at least for whichever manufacturers get access to the new API.

Apple told ‌Meta‌ on February 4 that it plans to let third-party apps access cryptographic materials that make a pairing completed on one Apple device usable on another, secured by a session key and a one-time, per-accessory user consent. Apple expects to finish development by spring 2027 and ship it "shortly thereafter," which points toward an iOS 27.x update, possibly iOS 27.4, though Apple has not yet confirmed a version.

The feature runs on AccessorySetupKit and Proximity Pairing, infrastructure Apple built to comply with a March 2025 European Commission ruling and which only works in the EU today, the same infrastructure behind the proximity pairing feature already live for EU users. ‌Meta‌ has objected that adopting it would force the company to abandon Core Bluetooth, which it relies on for pairing everywhere outside Europe, and has asked Apple to decouple the two. Apple has declined so far, though it told ‌Meta‌ that support outside the EU "is something we are still considering."

The request remains in phase three as of Apple's most recent update. ‌Meta‌ hasn't yet invoked the DMA's formal dispute resolution process, which would trigger a review by Apple's Interoperability Request Review Board within 30 working days. Until then, Apple's plan proceeds with a spring 2027 rollout tied to AccessorySetupKit, in the EU only.
Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Tags: European Union, Meta
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

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]]> Apple Stock Hits Record Territory as Traders Sour on AI Spending https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-stock-record-territory/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-stock-hits-record-territory-as-traders-sour-on-ai-spending.2485321/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:02:04 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-stock-record-territory/ Tim Hardwick Bloomberg Bloomberg).


The rebound comes as investors grow uneasy about the mind-boggling sums of cash continually being poured into the AI data center buildout, despite there being no obvious indicator for when investors will get a return on their investment.

Apple's decision to sit out the data center spending spree and instead pay Google for access to its frontier AI models is being increasingly seen by traders as an asset rather than a liability. Apple is using Google's Gemini to underpin the revamped version of Siri and new Apple Intelligence features across its platforms.

Apple's WWDC presentation last month of upcoming AI features in iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate initially sent the stock lower, but it has since rebounded in impressive fashion.

The rally has occurred in spit of the fact that Apple is facing pressure from soaring memory chip costs, which was what prompted the company to raise prices on Macs, iPads, and its Home devices on June 25. That was the move that triggered the company's worst single-day stock drop since April 2025, with shares closing at $275.15. Apple's iPhone models were spared similar price hikes, but the company has hinted that further increases could follow.

Investors are also viewing Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone, expected in September, as a potential catalyst, according to Bloomberg. Nikkei reported earlier this month that Apple told suppliers to prepare for around 10 million units this year, up from a prior forecast of seven to eight million.

Apple shares are now up 16 percent in 2026, making it the best performer among the "Magnificent Seven" tech giants, which includes Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla. AAPL closed at $315.32 on Friday, just shy of its all-time high of $317.40 set in early June.

In the coming days, MacRumors will be speaking with a prominent technology commentator about whether Apple's decision to avoid the AI data-center arms race is actually becoming a strategic advantage. Stay tuned.
Tag: Bloomberg

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]]> Meta Pulls AI Image Feature From Instagram Days After Launch https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/meta-pulls-ai-image-feature-from-instagram/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/meta-pulls-ai-image-feature-from-instagram-days-after-launch.2485319/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:18:42 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/meta-pulls-ai-image-feature-from-instagram/ Tim Hardwick Meta Remember that new feature Meta announced last week that let people use public Instagram posts and reels to generate AI content? It didn't last long. Meta pulled the feature from Instagram late on Friday, following widespread criticism over privacy concerns.

"Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public ​content could be referenced in this way," Meta said in a statement. "We've ​heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so ⁠it's no longer available," the company added.
Tag: Meta

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]]> 5 New Waze Features Rolling Out Now: Here Are All the Details https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/five-new-waze-features-rolling-out/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/5-new-waze-features-rolling-out-now-here-are-all-the-details.2485318/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 03:32:25 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/five-new-waze-features-rolling-out/ Tim Hardwick Waze announced that Waze is getting a handful of new features, including some Gemini-powered personalization enhancements for Conversational Reporting.


Conversational Reporting already uses Gemini when users report traffic incidents like slowdowns, but now you can use it to suggest map updates like road closures or outdated addresses. Saying something like "The road is closed here" will prompt Waze to send the information to local map editors, who then verify the suggestion and update the map for everyone.

Google says reporting road updates conversationally is rolling out now globally on iOS and Android.

Elsewhere, Gemini is being recruited in Waze to help users who know what they need to get, but don't know where to get it. Before navigating somewhere, you can tap the search voice icon to ask questions like "Find me a coffee shop that's open right now," "Find me parking close to Grand Mall" or something more specific like "Find me a gas station nearby with the lowest prices." Google says Waze will respond with a list of options that you can navigate using your voice.
The feature is also rolling out worldwide now on all platforms.

In addition, Waze is getting an option to adjust to a "less chatty" mode for voice prompts, so that interacting with the app's driving directions doesn't intrude as much on a driver's music or podcast listening.

Waze is also getting a new Motorcycle Mode that includes two-wheeled shortcuts and more accurate ETAs for more optimal routing.


Lastly, Waze will now suggest routes based on your previous trips, augmenting its hyperlocal understanding of a city's traffic patterns. So if you prefer driving on highways over local streets with multiple stops, you'll see those suggested first. It's an optional setting so it can be toggled off, and it's rolling out now in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru and the Philippines on Android and iOS, with more countries coming soon.
Tag: Waze

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]]> Report: Apple Agreed to Intel Chips Amid White House Tariff Talks https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-agreed-intel-chips-trump-tariff-talks/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/report-apple-agreed-to-intel-chips-amid-white-house-tariff-talks.2485317/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 02:47:18 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-agreed-intel-chips-trump-tariff-talks/ Tim Hardwick Intel The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal ($).


In August 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Washington to lobby the Trump administration to drop its proposed 100 percent tariff on semiconductor imports – a levy that would have raised costs across Apple's product line. Apple reportedly secured an exemption after pledging to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S., although many of those investments were already planned.

During the meetings, president Trump and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick are said to have urged Cook to use Intel's fabrication plants to make some of Apple's chips. The link between the tariff talks and the Apple-Intel deal had not been previously reported.

Almost a year later, Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that Apple would begin using Intel-made chips in some products. "We need to design and build our Chips right here in America," the president posted. The news sent Intel shares to record highs.

According to a person familiar with the negotiations cited by the WSJ, Apple plans to have Intel make chips for both Mac laptops and iPhones. The report doesn't say which chips or in what volume, and Apple is expected to remain reliant on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, for the majority of its custom silicon.

Apple hasn't looked to Intel as a supplier before, both because the chipmaker has trailed rivals like TSMC and Samsung and due to the rocky history between the two companies.

The report suggests the arrangement is part of a wider administration effort to prop up Intel, especially since the U.S. government converted $9 billion in federal grants into a 10 percent equity stake last year, making it the chipmaker's largest shareholder.

Nvidia and SpaceX have also signed deals with Intel since then, reportedly with similar pressure applied by the Trump administration.

Intel's foundry business posted $10.4 billion in operating losses over its last four fiscal quarters, and outside customers have in recent years doubted its ability to reliably produce usable silicon at a high volume. The WSJ report gives no timeline for when Intel-made chips might appear in shipping Apple products, and Apple has not commented on the arrangement.
Tags: Intel, The Wall Street Journal

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]]> Apple Stores to Expand Use of 'Tap to Pay on iPhone' https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/apple-stores-to-expand-tap-to-pay-on-iphone/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-stores-to-expand-use-of-tap-to-pay-on-iphone.2485294/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:11:18 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/apple-stores-to-expand-tap-to-pay-on-iphone/ Joe Rossignol Apple Store Mark Gurman Tap to Pay on iPhone Tap to Pay on iPhone, a system that allows small business owners and other merchants to accept contactless payments on an iPhone, with no point-of-sale hardware required. The feature allows customers to pay by simply tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch, credit card or debit card, or other contactless payment option on the merchant's iPhone. Payment is securely completed using NFC, like Apple Pay.


Some of Apple's retail employees have been provided with iPhone 14 units, allowing customers to check out with Tap to Pay on iPhone at the company's stores. Apple has been gradually phasing out its previous Bluetooth credit card readers as part of this transition, and now the company apparently plans to go a step further.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said Apple will be giving more retail employees newer iPhone 16 units to expand its in-store usage of Tap to Pay on iPhone.

"The tap-to-pay system in the iPhone 14 can sometimes be finicky and not support metal cards like American Express Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve," he explained. "But Apple has found that the iPhone 16 does a better job and eliminates the need for store employees to carry around the specialized terminals."

iOS 27 builds upon Tap to Pay on iPhone with a new "Tap to Share" feature.
Tags: Apple Store, Mark Gurman, Tap to Pay on iPhone

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]]> Apple's M7 Ultra Chip Designed to Match a 2019 Mac Pro Feat https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/m7-ultra-chip-may-match-2019-mac-pro-feat/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apples-m7-ultra-chip-designed-to-match-a-2019-mac-pro-feat.2485293/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:53:10 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/m7-ultra-chip-may-match-2019-mac-pro-feat/ Joe Rossignol Apple Rumors Mac iOS iPhone iPad Apple's M7 Ultra chip coming in 2028 is designed to support up to 1.5TB of unified memory, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, whether such a configuration is offered may depend on the state of the ongoing memory chip shortage.

In 2019, Apple released an Intel-based Mac Pro with up to 1.5TB RAM.
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]]> Two New Apple Pencils Reportedly Launching Next Year https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/two-new-apple-pencils-next-year-report/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/two-new-apple-pencils-reportedly-launching-next-year.2485291/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:45:40 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/two-new-apple-pencils-next-year-report/ Joe Rossignol Featured iPad Pro Apple Pencil Mark Gurman next-generation iPad Pro models next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Specifically, he said new versions of the lower-end Apple Pencil with a USB-C port and the higher-end Apple Pencil Pro are in the works.

Apple is working to satisfy upcoming EU requirements related to making batteries more replaceable, leading Gurman to believe that the new Apple Pencil models could be equipped with "new battery systems." While that wording is vague, it seems to suggest that the next Apple Pencil models could have replaceable batteries.

No other details were provided, so we do not know of any potential design changes or other new features that are planned at this time.

The current Apple Pencil with a USB-C port was released in November 2023, while the Apple Pencil Pro followed in May 2024.
Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: Apple Pencil, Mark Gurman
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad Accessories

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]]> iOS 27 Public Beta Reportedly Coming This Week https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/ios-27-public-beta-release-date-timing/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-27-public-beta-reportedly-coming-this-week.2485287/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:22:30 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/ios-27-public-beta-release-date-timing/ Joe Rossignol iOS 27 The first public betas of iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and more will be released this week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This aligns with Apple's promised July timeframe.

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, the key new feature is Siri AI, but there is a waitlist if you want to try it.
Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27

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]]> Here's Why Apple is Reportedly Skipping M6 Pro and M6 Max Chips https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/why-apple-is-skipping-m6-pro-m6-max-chips/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/heres-why-apple-is-reportedly-skipping-m6-pro-and-m6-max-chips.2485286/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:12:08 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/12/why-apple-is-skipping-m6-pro-m6-max-chips/ Joe Rossignol Mac Studio MacBook Pro Apple Silicon Mark Gurman Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will be releasing a regular M6 chip, but it has no plans to offer higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. In his Power On newsletter today, he said the reason for this break in tradition is AI.


"Apple had been planning major neural-processing upgrades for the M7 family and ultimately decided those improvements were important enough to justify accelerating the next generation rather than completing the M6 lineup," he explained.

There won't be an M6 Ultra chip either, he said.

A new 14-inch MacBook Pro with a base M6 chip will be released later this year, and then Apple plans to move on to releasing the base M7 chip in the first half of 2027, M7 Pro and M7 Max chips in late 2027, and an M7 Ultra chip in 2028.

He said the M7 Ultra chip in particular "dramatically upgrades AI performance," and that it may power Apple Intelligence servers starting in 2029.

"AI is no longer just another feature Apple's chips need to support," said Gurman. "It is now shaping how those products are designed and when they are shipped."

The current M5 Pro and M5 Max chips launched in March, and Gurman still expects an M5 Ultra chip to debut in the Mac Studio as early as this year.

A summary:
  • M5 chip: October 2025

  • M5 Pro and M5 Max chips: March 2026

  • M5 Ultra chip: Late 2026

  • M6 chip: Late 2026

  • M7 chip: First half of 2027

  • M7 Pro and M7 Max chips: Second half of 2027

  • M7 Ultra chip: 2028
Related Roundups: Mac Studio, MacBook Pro
Tags: Apple Silicon, Mark Gurman
Buyer's Guide: Mac Studio (Don't Buy), MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forums: Mac Studio, MacBook Pro

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