MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://www.macrumors.com Apple, iPhone, iPad, Mac News and Rumors Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:10:11 PDT en hourly 1 https://www.macrumors.com iPhone 18 Pro: Apple Secures Lower Display Prices Amid RAM Shortage https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/iphone-18-pro-lower-oled-display-cost-report/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-18-pro-apple-secures-lower-display-prices-amid-ram-shortage.2486825/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:43:14 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/iphone-18-pro-lower-oled-display-cost-report/ Joe Rossignol iPhone 18 Pro DealSite LG Samsung cited by South Korea's DealSite.


For example, the report said Apple will pay LG and Samsung around $68 per OLED display destined for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, down significantly from the $110 to $120 that it paid those suppliers for each iPhone 17 Pro Max display.

Apple is said to have made an aggressive push for lower display prices due to the ongoing memory chip shortage, resulting from companies building out powerful AI data centers. The supply-demand imbalance has led to skyrocketing prices for RAM chips used in devices like the iPhone, leading to increased production costs for Apple.

South Korea's The Elec first reported on these negotiations last month.

By securing lower costs for some non-memory iPhone components, such as displays, Apple can partially offset the rising costs of RAM. Even still, the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro models, with market research firms estimating that U.S. starting prices could rise by $200 to $300. If so, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at up to $1,399 and $1,499, respectively.

Apple already raised prices on Macs, iPads, and select other products in June, but the iPhone was spared. If Apple can secure lower prices for displays and some other components, then perhaps the price increases expected for the iPhone 18 Pro models will be closer to the $200 mark or less rather than $300, but only time will tell.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models and a foldable iPhone this September, so we are only a month away from official pricing info.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro
Tags: DealSite, LG, Samsung

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]]> Apple Patenting Way to Improve Notification Summaries and 'Reduce Interruptions' Focus https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/apple-patent-to-improve-summaries/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-patenting-way-to-improve-notification-summaries-and-reduce-interruptions-focus.2486823/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:29:09 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/apple-patent-to-improve-summaries/ Hartley Charlton Focus Mode Notifications Patent

The application was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on February 5, 2026 and published on August 6, 2026, as spotted by patent tracking site Patentlyze. The patent describes how a device can observe what someone is doing, check that behavior against rules for when an interruption is warranted, and only then decide whether to show a prompt.

For example, if someone has been scrolling in an app for a long time, staring at one app, or repeating some other pattern the rules flag, the device would step in. If nothing matches, it does nothing and allows the person to carry on uninterrupted. A second part of the same filing covers turning recent activity into a short summary, so instead of getting interrupted mid-task, someone could check in afterward and see what they had missed.

Apple already ships something conceptually close to both halves of this patent. iOS 18.1 introduced AI-powered notification summaries, which use on-device AI to condense a stack of alerts into a single line, alongside a Reduce Interruptions Focus mode that filters out notifications the system judges unimportant. If Apple built the proposed system into a shipping feature, it looks better suited to sharpening those two tools than replacing them.

Reduce Interruptions currently judges each notification individually, weighing its content and sender to decide whether it counts as important enough to break through. It does not factor in what someone is actively doing on the device at that moment. The mechanism in this patent could add that layer, checking a person's ongoing activity, such as how long they have been on a call or how many times they have reopened an app, before deciding whether an interruption is warranted at all, even for a notification that would otherwise qualify.

Notification summaries could benefit in a similar way. Rather than condensing whatever alerts happen to stack up regardless of context, the patent's summarization element describes building a digest from a person's broader activity, which could let the system hold back a stray or inaccurate summary until it has enough of a pattern to summarize accurately, the kind of context Apple's AI summaries lacked when they generated a false news headline and drew criticism in December 2024.

As with all Apple patent filings, there is no guarantee that this specific system will ship in an actual product, and its docketed but unexamined status means the invention could still be narrowed or rejected before a patent is granted. That being said, the application maps onto features already live on Apple devices, which makes it appear to be less of a shot in the dark than many other patent applications. It could easily be Apple laying the groundwork for where it wants to take Reduce Interruptions and notification summaries next.
Tags: Focus Mode, Notifications, Patent

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]]> iPhone Ultra's Two Selfie Cameras Could Sit in the Same Corner https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/iphone-ultra-selfie-cameras-same-corner/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-ultras-two-selfie-cameras-could-sit-in-the-same-corner.2486822/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:12:42 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/iphone-ultra-selfie-cameras-same-corner/ Tim Hardwick iPhone Fold iPhone Ultra

Dummy units have suggested a top-centered cut-out for the selfie camera on the outer display of Apple's foldable, while locating the selfie camera for the inner display in the outermost top-left corner. That presents an asymmetry untypical of Apple's designs.

However, screen protectors for the iPhone Ultra that surfaced online today suggest the device's selfie cameras on the inner and outer displays may be located in the same corner of the same half, with one facing out and one facing in.


The screen protectors show a selfie camera cutout on the top-right corner of the outer display when the device is closed. Taken together, the two leaks could imply one front-facing camera zone in a single corner.


Such an arrangement – two slightly offset lenses – could let Apple confine the cutouts and camera modules to a single region of a 4.5mm thick chassis, rather than having them spaced out in different places, which would fit for a device where internal space is at a premium.

Now, accessory makers typically work from leaked CAD files of sometimes dubious accuracy, so a pair of screen protectors can't be considered to provide definitive evidence of a device's design. Our reading also assumes the dummy iPhone Ultra models had one camera placement correct (the top-left inner selfie camera) and one out of whack (the centered outer camera). Even so, the side-by-side internal placement could make sense.

We'll know one way or another soon enough. The iPhone Ultra is expected to be unveiled next month, featuring a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner display, the A20 Pro chip, Touch ID integrated into the Side button in lieu of Face ID, and a 5,000mAh battery, along with a 48-megapixel dual rear camera system.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold
Tag: iPhone Ultra

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]]> Best Back to School Accessory Deals on Anker, Sony, Samsung and More This Week https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/back-to-school-accessory/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/best-back-to-school-accessory-deals-on-anker-sony-samsung-and-more-this-week.2486820/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:01:15 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/back-to-school-accessory/ Mitchel Broussard Deals Featured big accessory sale happening on Amazon this week, with the year's best prices on Anker chargers, Samsung monitors, Sonos audio products, and much more.

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

Highlights this time around include a new batch of audio devices on sale, including the Sonos Ace Headphones for $299.00, down from $399.00, and Sony's WH-1000XM5 Noise Canceling Headphones for $248.00, down from $399.00. Another notable audio discount is on the Soundcore Sleep A30 Earbuds, which are designed to be worn in bed, available for $168.99, down from $229.99.

$61 OFF
Soundcore Sleep A30 Earbuds for $168.99

$100 OFF
Sonos Ace Headphones for $299.00

$151 OFF
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Canceling Headphones for $248.00


In terms of monitor and TV deals, there are quite a few Samsung deals happening this week on Amazon. The 32-inch Smart Monitor M9 has hit its second-best price on Amazon at $1,199.99, down from $1,599.99, an all-time low price. You'll also find solid sales on The Frame TVs and Odyssey monitors right now, including a great deal on The Frame TV 55-inch model for $897.99, a solid second-best price.

$200 OFF
Samsung 55-inch The Frame TV for $897.99

$400 OFF
Samsung 32-inch Smart Monitor M9 for $1,199.99


We're also tracking big discounts from brands like LG, Hisense, iVANKY, Jackery, and more in the lists below. Accessories on sale include USB-C wall chargers, MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers, portable batteries, headphones, docks, and monitors.

$50 OFF
Anker Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station for $99.74


Audio




Monitors and TVs




Wall Chargers




Wireless Chargers




Portable Chargers




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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]]> Apple Skipping iPhone 18 Launch This Year https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/apple-skipping-iphone-18-launch-this-year/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-skipping-iphone-18-launch-this-year.2486819/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:59:37 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/apple-skipping-iphone-18-launch-this-year/ Joe Rossignol iPhone 18 iPhone 18 Pro Economic Daily News

Pegatron held an earnings call for the second quarter of 2026 today. On the call, Taiwan's Economic Daily News said Pegatron indicated that one of its customers will be changing its usual smartphone shipment schedule. As widely expected, the report said Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable "iPhone Ultra" this September, followed by the standard iPhone 18 model in the first quarter of 2027.

The standard iPhone 11 through to the iPhone 17 all launched alongside Pro and Pro Max models in September over the years, so the launch of the base model iPhone 18 being postponed until around March 2027 would be a notable change.

Apple's plans to split up the launch of the iPhone 18 series has already been widely rumored by sources such as Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, former The Information reporter Wayne Ma, and others over the past year. Apple supplier Largan Precision also hinted at the change in a similarly indirect way earlier this year.

A lower-end iPhone 18e and an iPhone Air 2 are also expected to be released around March 2027.

In total, six new iPhone models are slated to launch by the end of March:
  • iPhone 18 Pro: September 2026

  • iPhone 18 Pro Max: September 2026

  • iPhone Ultra: September 2026

  • iPhone 18: March 2027

  • iPhone 18e: March 2027

  • iPhone Air 2: March 2027
Related Roundups: iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro
Tag: Economic Daily News
Related Forum: iPhone

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]]> 'Everyone' at Apple Apparently Calls Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/everyone-at-apple-says-iphone-ultra/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/everyone-at-apple-apparently-calls-foldable-iphone-ultra.2486817/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:47:13 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/everyone-at-apple-says-iphone-ultra/ Hartley Charlton iPhone Fold Bloomberg Foldable iPhone iPhone Ultra Mark Gurman Max Weinbach Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said "everyone" inside Apple refers to the company's upcoming foldable iPhone as the "iPhone Ultra" internally, though he cautioned that doesn't necessarily confirm it as the final name.

The comments came in response to Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, who argued the "Ultra" name doesn't fit because Apple's existing Ultra products represent the most capable version of a lineup, and the foldable wouldn't clearly outclass the iPhone Pro the way that positioning implies.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold
Tags: Bloomberg, Foldable iPhone, iPhone Ultra, Mark Gurman, Max Weinbach

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]]> 'iPhone Ultra' Screen Protectors Reveal Asymmetric Corners https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/iphone-ultra-screen-protectors-reveal-asymmetry/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-ultra-screen-protectors-reveal-asymmetric-corners.2486810/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:44:10 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/iphone-ultra-screen-protectors-reveal-asymmetry/ Hartley Charlton iPhone Fold Ice Universe iPhone Ultra iPhone Ultra," and the leak appears to confirm two of the most discussed details about the foldable's front design.


The leaked accessory has square corners on the side that would sit next to the hinge, and rounded corners on the opposite edge. That asymmetry lines up with months of rumors describing a foldable device with a hinge on one side, and the leak marks one of the clearest looks yet at how the proportions and shape carry over to the cover display itself.

Ice Universe said the shape reflects the protector covering the entire glass panel rather than matching the display area exactly, and that the screen underneath is still expected to have symmetrical rounded corners and uniform bezels on all sides. As shown in multiple previous reports, the screen protectors also corroborate the foldable iPhone's shorter, wider design.



The protector also shows a single punch hole cutout for the front facing camera, positioned on the right side of the panel rather than in the center. Some earlier reports had suggested the cutout could end up centered, so the accessories offer a firmer answer on its placement. Since the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to use Touch ID rather than Face ID, it doesn't need the larger TrueDepth sensor array Face ID requires, clearing the way for a single hole punch camera, which is a first for the iPhone.



The information comes a few days after leaker Sonny Dickson shared images of protective covers for the ‌iPhone Ultra‌'s rear camera module in silver and dark blue finishes. Other rumors point to a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner display, the A20 Pro chip, and a 5,000mAh battery, as well as a 48-megapixel dual rear camera system and 18-megapixel selfie cameras on both the outer and inner displays. The device is expected to debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in mid-September, with a price of at least $2,000.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold
Tags: Ice Universe, iPhone Ultra

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]]> Microsoft Edge Browser to Get Apple Account Sign-In Support https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/microsoft-edge-browser-apple-account-sign-in/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/microsoft-edge-browser-to-get-apple-account-sign-in-support.2486809/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:27:43 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/microsoft-edge-browser-apple-account-sign-in/ Tim Hardwick Microsoft Edge Microsoft is testing support for signing into its Edge browser using your Apple Account, avoiding the need to create a Microsoft account. Two new flags related to the support were spotted by MacMagazine in the latest Edge Canary build, with the feature also rolling out to Edge Beta users.

One of the flags enables Apple Account sign-in for Edge profiles, while the other adds an Apple sign-in button to the profile menu (where a Google Account sign-in option already exists). In its release notes for Edge Beta 152, Microsoft already lists Apple Account sign-in support for Windows and macOS, but describes it as a "controlled rollout," so there may be some delay before all beta users see it.
Tag: Microsoft Edge

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]]> Leaker: All-Glass 2027 iPhone Still on Track Despite Cancellation Rumors https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/all-glass-20th-anniversary-iphone-on-track/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/leaker-all-glass-2027-iphone-still-on-track-despite-cancellation-rumors.2486805/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:43:28 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/12/all-glass-20th-anniversary-iphone-on-track/ Tim Hardwick 20th-Anniversary iPhone Digital Chat Station Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has already responded by saying the "glass-centric" redesign is still on track for 2027, and now a prominent Chinese leaker says the commemorative device indeed remains in active development.


Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station identifies the device as having two sizes in equivalent Pro/Pro Max variants, citing the internal codenames V73/V74 previously referenced by Gurman. Based on supply chain information, the leaker says the two new displays have increased in physical size while retaining the same aspect ratio. Their rationale for this is that Apple's borderless four-curved-edge design uses a flat 2D display combined with a glass cover, and takes advantage of the glass's optical refraction and shape to create the visual effect of a display lacking borders.

The description lines up with Gurman's claim that glass is used on the front and back of the phones, with the material curving into the sides, leaving only a small metal band in the middle.

Digital Chat Station's latest post also chimes with an earlier claim of theirs that Apple is testing a slightly larger 6.96-inch display for the device's Pro Max variant, suggesting the OLED panel itself is slightly bigger, but the extra area curves the display further into the device's edges while the chassis remains essentially the same size as the current iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Jefferies analyst Edison Lee caused a stir on Monday when he claimed Apple's rumored all-glass iPhone expected to mark the device's 20th anniversary has been canceled. Gurman soon refuted the claim based on his own information, though he did say that Apple had also considered a "more aspirational version" that "used even more glass" – but this was scrapped early on. It's quite possible that this more ambitious version was the device Lee was referring to in his report.

Either way, today's post from Digital Chat Station adds further weight to the possibility that Lee is off the mark, and that the radically redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone is still in the works and should arrive in the fall of 2027.
Tags: 20th-Anniversary iPhone, Digital Chat Station

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]]> Samsung is Starting to Catch Up to Apple on Hearing Health https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/samsung-galaxy-buds-hearing-aid/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/samsung-is-starting-to-catch-up-to-apple-on-hearing-health.2486788/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:01:51 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/samsung-galaxy-buds-hearing-aid/ Juli Clover Samsung today said its Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature has been cleared by the U.S. FDA, which means hearing aid capabilities will be coming to the Galaxy Buds in the fourth quarter of 2026.


Samsung will join Apple in offering over-the-counter hearing aid functionality. Apple added an FDA-cleared hearing health feature to the AirPods back in 2024, allowing them to be used as a clinical-grade hearing aid.

Like the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds can replace a hearing aid for mild to moderate hearing loss, and Samsung is introducing a Hearing Test option like Apple did. Galaxy Buds users can do a self-administered hearing test in five minutes and the resulting clinical-grade audiogram can be used to adjust the built-in Hearing Aid feature.

The Galaxy Buds will amplify the sounds users have difficulty hearing, like high frequencies or whispers, which is also how the AirPods work. Noise elimination and beamforming also help Galaxy Buds users by focusing on the sounds in front of the user and suppressing background noise.

Samsung says it worked with the National Acoustic Laboratories and Samsung Medical Center to develop the hearing aid feature set. Hearing Aid features will be available on the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds4 Pro. A newer Samsung Galaxy smartphone that supports One UI 8 or later is required.

After introducing hearing aid features in the U.S. in iOS 18.1, Apple has expanded availability to over 150 countries and regions. Apple had a two-year head start, but Samsung is now starting to catch up with a Galaxy Buds hearing health option that matches most of what the AirPods can do.
Tag: Samsung

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]]> Sonos Preparing AirPods Max Rival With Voice Assistant Support https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/sonos-ace-ultra/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/sonos-preparing-airpods-max-rival-with-voice-assistant-support.2486782/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:53:16 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/sonos-ace-ultra/ Juli Clover AirPods Max Sonos Bloomberg. The Sonos Ace Ultra showed up in an FCC filing earlier this week, with the product likely set to debut in September.


Sonos debuted the original Sonos Ace in 2024. Reviews praised the sound quality and active noise cancellation, but the headphone market is crowded, and Sonos' product launched shortly after its disastrous app redesign. The headphones also didn't fully integrate with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, making them unappealing to Sonos users. Sonos ended up selling around 200,000 units, well below the internal one-million target it set.

Bloomberg suggests the new model will kick off Sonos' push into artificial intelligence. The headphones could support voice commands based on info in the filing, allowing them to be used with AI chatbots from third-party companies. Sonos CEO Tom Conrad said last month that AI will be an area of focus, with "conversational computing and predictive intelligence moving into the home."

The headphones will come in Greige, Shadow Black, Agave, Blush, and Sand, according to the FCC filing, but little else is known about them because most of the filing was redacted.

The original Sonos Ace were priced at $449 at launch and were competitive with the AirPods Max. The headphones had an over-ear design similar to the AirPods Max, and the same general feature set. Apple does not have a new version of the AirPods Max coming anytime soon, so the second-generation Sonos Ace headphones will still be pitted against the original AirPods Max design.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2
Tag: Sonos
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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]]> Satechi Launches 240W ChargeView Desktop Charger With Six USB-C Ports https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/satechi-240w-chargeview/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/satechi-launches-240w-chargeview-desktop-charger-with-six-usb-c-ports.2486778/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:30:09 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/satechi-240w-chargeview/ Juli Clover Satechi

The ChargeView 240W has an LCD display that shows the live wattage of all ports that are in use. The C1 and C2 ports offer up to 140W each, while ports C3 and C4 can deliver up to 100W each. The final two ports offer up to 30W. These are maximum power levels, and actual wattage will vary based on how many ports are used at one time. If all six ports are in use, power would be split 70W/70W/30W/30W/20W/20W.

Satechi is offering the ChargeView in Space Black, and it has a metallic matte finish with a glossy display cover. The Space Black shade is meant to complement Apple devices like the MacBook Pro and Studio Display. There is an included stand that allows the ChargeView to be used in horizontal or vertical orientation on a desktop.

The ChargeView uses GaN technology so it is compact, and it has no fan, so it operates silently. Satechi notes that the device will redistribute power when a new device is plugged in, so there can be a momentary interruption in charging.

The ChargeView 240W can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Amazon for $149.99.
Tag: Satechi

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]]> Apple Extends 2026 Back to School Promotion Until September 24 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-extends-2026-back-to-school-promo/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-extends-2026-back-to-school-promotion-until-september-24.2486774/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:15:20 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-extends-2026-back-to-school-promo/ Juli Clover Featured Back to School Promotion 2026 Back to School Promotion until September 24, which means it will last almost a month longer than planned. The extension is applicable in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and multiple countries in Asia.


The Back to School promotion offers a free item or gift card when students or educators purchase an eligible Mac or iPad model, plus an educational discount.

In the United States, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand, Apple is offering a gift card with purchase. In the U.S., that includes a $150 gift card when purchasing a MacBook Pro or a $100 gift card when purchasing a MacBook Air, iPad Pro, or iPad Air.

In China, Singapore, and Vietnam, customers can get a pack of four AirTags with the purchase of select devices, while customers in India can get a pack of four AirTags, AirPods 4, or Apple Pencil Pro depending on the device bought.

The MacBook Neo, iPad mini, entry-level ‌iPad‌, desktop Macs, and iPhones are excluded from the promotion. UNiDAYS verification is required to make a purchase.

Apple previously planned to end its Back to School promotion on August 27.
Tag: Back to School Promotion

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]]> Grok Bot Brings Always-On AI Agents to macOS and iOS https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/grok-bot-macos-ios/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/grok-bot-brings-always-on-ai-agents-to-macos-and-ios.2486770/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:34:58 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/grok-bot-macos-ios/ Juli Clover Elon Musk Grok launch of Grok Bot, a "team of always-on agents" that can complete tasks using tools, websites, and apps. Grok Bot can work in the cloud, so jobs keep running when your laptop is closed. The feature is tied to Cursor, the AI coding company that SpaceX is acquiring for $60 billion.


Grok subscribers can send a message to a bot from their phone or desktop app using natural language. SpaceXAI says that while other tools may require building workflows and routines, Grok Bot gets a task done with a chat. It is able to sign into websites (even those with no API), but SpaceXAI hasn't given details on how authentication works.

Multiple bots can be used in parallel, with one managing others and specialists for different tasks. Bots can join a group chat where they can coordinate on their own, passing work, assigning ownership, and only drawing in the user for judgment calls.

Users can teach Grok Bot a workflow. It watches as a task is completed, saves the routine, and then can run it solo the next time by following the same steps. SpaceXAI says bots learn over time and can eventually start working "before you need to ask."

There are several Grok Bot examples on the SpaceXAI website, like a sales bot updating the CRM with call transcript notes, an ops bot onboarding new hires and processing invoices in Gmail, and an engineering bot reproducing a bug in the product UI, filing a ticket, and handing the fix task off to a debugging bot.

Grok Bot is in beta and available for SuperGrok Heavy, Cursor Ultra, and Cursor Teams Premium subscribers on macOS and iOS. Enterprise users can join a waitlist for future access.
Tags: Elon Musk, Grok

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]]> Apple Pay Chief Jennifer Bailey Retiring in October https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-pay-chief-retiring/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-pay-chief-jennifer-bailey-retiring-in-october.2486760/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:34:35 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-pay-chief-retiring/ Juli Clover Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey Apple Pay executive Jennifer Bailey is retiring and leaving Apple in October, reports Bloomberg. Bailey has been with Apple since 2003 and has long overseen ‌Apple Pay‌ and Apple Wallet.


In an employee memo announcing her departure, Apple's services chief Eddy Cue said Bailey will be available in an advisory role.
After more than 25 years at Apple, Jennifer Bailey has decided to retire in October. During her tenure, Jennifer has made extraordinary contributions from leading the Apple Store Online through a period of significant growth and global expansion to overseeing the launch of Apple Pay.

Under Jennifer's leadership, Apple Pay has changed the way hundreds of millions of our users pay, with a simpler, more secure, and private experience. She also led the development and growth of Apple Wallet, oversaw the development and launch of Apple Card, and led our work in Services fraud prevention and partner operations, Gift Cards, and Trust and Safety. And those are just a few of her achievements.

On a personal note, Jennifer has been an incredible friend and leader, and I will miss working with her.

Please join me in thanking Jennifer for her incredible contributions to Apple. Before Jennifer's transition at the end of October, we will announce our succession plan, and Jennifer will continue to be available to support the transition in an advisory role.

As we continue to work toward our vision of replacing the physical wallet, I'm more confident than ever in the work that we are all doing and look forward to an exciting future ahead.

Bloomberg says Bailey's retirement is "seen as a major loss" for the company. ‌Apple Pay‌ has expanded to more than 80 countries under Bailey's leadership, and Apple says it is accepted at more than 85 percent of retailers in the United States.

Bailey is one of several Apple leaders who have retired or are retiring in the near future. Apple general counsel Kate Adams is leaving Apple in late 2026, while environmental chief Lisa Jackson left in early 2026. AI chief John Giannandrea and COO Jeff Williams retired in 2026 and 2025, respectively, and UI design lead Alan Dye departed for Meta in late 2025. Apple CFO Luca Maestri and marketing chief Phil Schiller have taken on smaller roles, and CEO Tim Cook is set to transition to a new role on September 1. Other executives like ‌Eddy Cue‌, Craig Federighi, Deirdre O'Brien, and Greg Joswiak have all been with Apple for decades and are getting closer to retirement age.
Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Jennifer Bailey
Related Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+

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]]> Apple Can't Delay App Store Fee Fight While Waiting on Supreme Court https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/app-store-epic-games-fee-fight-proceeds/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-cant-delay-app-store-fee-fight-while-waiting-on-supreme-court.2486763/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:14:01 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/app-store-epic-games-fee-fight-proceeds/ Juli Clover App Store Epic Games Epic Games vs. Apple Epic Games. Apple's case will be heard by the Supreme Court in the term that begins in October, and Apple asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to pause proceedings until then, but the court said no [PDF].


Apple now has 24 hours to give the court an outline of the fees it wants to charge developers for using alternative payment options and linking out to purchase options on the web. ‌Epic Games‌ will then be able to give a legal analysis of Apple's fee proposal, and the court will decide what's reasonable.


Fee calculations are the result of a long, drawn-out dispute between ‌Epic Games‌ and Apple, which started when Epic sued Apple in 2020. Apple largely won the initial legal fight, but was ordered to change its anti-steering rules to let developers link to non-App Store purchase options. Apple complied, but charged a 12 to 27 percent fee that resulted in few developers choosing to use the option.

‌Epic Games‌ accused Apple of violating the court's order and U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers agreed. In April 2025, she found Apple in contempt of court for willfully violating her ruling, and stopped Apple from collecting any fees on links in the U.S. App Store.

Apple appealed, and the appeals court upheld the contempt ruling, but said Apple was entitled to reasonable fees for its intellectual property. The appeals court sent the case back to the district court to figure out what a reasonable fee might be. Apple has not been able to collect payment for link-outs since April 2025, and right now, there are no fees.

The appeals court ruling that continued to hold Apple in contempt led Apple to appeal to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. Apple sought a pause on the fee calculations because the higher court's decision could undo the contempt ruling, but the appeals court, Supreme Court, and now the district court have denied Apple's pause requests.

The court will now determine a fee, and Apple will need to change its ‌App Store‌ rules to comply. The fee that's set in this legal battle could have implications well beyond the United States because Apple told the Supreme Court that regulators around the world are watching to see the outcome.
Tags: App Store, Epic Games, Epic Games vs. Apple

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]]> Apple Releases New iOS 27 AirPods Firmware for Public Beta Testers https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-releases-airpods-firmware-public-beta/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-releases-new-ios-27-airpods-firmware-for-public-beta-testers.2486762/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:55:58 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-releases-airpods-firmware-public-beta/ Juli Clover AirPods iOS 27 AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. It is the same as the AirPods beta released for developers last week.


In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple is adding a new AirPods interface, a slider for Adaptive mode, and support for custom EQ, so the firmware lets public beta testers use those features. AirPods are also compatible with the new Siri AI.

When the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 or later, there is a beta firmware option that can be accessed in the AirPods settings interface. Toggling on beta updates allows users to install the beta firmware.

Firmware updates can be downloaded by connecting the AirPods to an Apple device and connecting them to power. It can take a few hours for new firmware to be installed because there is no software update option like there is for other Apple devices.
Related Roundups: AirPods 4, iOS 27, iPadOS 27
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

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]]> Amazon Offers AirPods Max 2 for $100 Off in All Five Colors https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/100-off-airpods-max-2/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/amazon-offers-airpods-max-2-for-100-off-in-all-five-colors.2486759/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:12:09 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/100-off-airpods-max-2/ Mitchel Broussard Deals Featured $449.00 on Amazon this week, down from $549.00. This sale is available in all five colors and it's the best price we've seen on the headphones since June.

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

Free delivery has the AirPods Max 2 arriving around August 16, but Prime members should see same-day delivery options in many locations. We haven't seen the AirPods Max 2 hit their all-time low price since June, so if you've been waiting for a solid deal, today's your chance to save on the headphones.

$100 OFF
AirPods Max 2 for $449.00


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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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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]]> Third macOS Golden Gate Public Beta Now Available https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/macos-27-public-beta-3/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/third-macos-golden-gate-public-beta-now-available.2486755/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:26:26 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/macos-27-public-beta-3/ Juli Clover Featured macOS Golden Gate macOS Golden Gate, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its fall release. 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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]]> Third iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Public Betas Now Available https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-releases-ios-27-public-beta-3/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/third-ios-27-and-ipados-27-public-betas-now-available.2486754/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:22:29 PDT https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/11/apple-releases-ios-27-public-beta-3/ Juli Clover Featured iOS 27 iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software. The third betas come two weeks after Apple seeded the second betas.


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.

‌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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