Apple has made several updates to the Apple Music app in iOS 26, and it has AutoMix, which has become one of the most popular additions. Apple Music also features the Liquid Glass redesign like the rest of Apple's apps, along with new translation features and other quality of life improvements.
AutoMix
AutoMix is an upgrade to the crossfade feature in Apple Music, and it is designed to provide more seamless song transitions. It transitions from one song to another as the song that's playing ends, using time stretching and beat matching for an undetectable shift.
Apple says that AutoMix is meant to work like a DJ, with songs transitioning at the "perfect moment" based on an on-device analysis of the key and tempo of the music.
AutoMix can be enabled when opening up the Apple Music app for the first time after installing iOS 26.
The feature isn't perfect and it works better with some genres than others, but it is a work in progress that Apple is improving over time. AutoMix is not an Apple Intelligence feature, but it does require an Apple Music subscription.
Lyric Translation
If you're listening to a song in a different language, you can now open up the lyrics and get a real-time translation so you know what it's about. The translated lyrics are displayed alongside the original lyrics.
Lyric Pronunciation
For songs in another language, you can also get a phonetic pronunciation guide for singing them aloud, which is useful when taking advantage of the Apple Music Sing karaoke feature.
Pinned Favorites
There's now an option to pin up to six playlists, albums, artists, or songs to the top of the Apple Music library.
Playlist Folders
Playlists can be organized into folders in the iOS Apple Music app, a feature that has previously been limited to the Mac.
Home Screen Widgets
There are new Home Screen widgets that show your pinned Apple Music content. There's a medium-sized widget and a larger widget for pins, along with a new large Live Radio widget.
Animated Lock Screen Artwork
The Lock Screen now features full-screen animated art for the Now Playing widget while music is playing.
Karaoke Microphone
tvOS 26 and iOS 26 turn the iPhone into a wireless microphone for karaoke on the Apple TV. When using Apple Music Sing, each participant can sing through their iPhone, queue songs up, and send emoji reactions.
Read More
More on the features that are available in iOS 26 can be found in our iOS 26 roundup. iOS 26 will launch in September.
Apple refreshed a few of its iPad models earlier this year, but we aren't done yet. There are still new iPads rumored to be coming later in 2025, plus we're already hearing details on 2026 iPad launches.
Rumors suggest that Apple will update the iPad Pro models before the end of the year, introducing the faster M5 chip in the device. No notable design changes are coming because last year's update brought an overhauled look, but there are a couple new features planned.
The iPad Pro looks like it will be the first to get the M5 chip, which is built on an updated 3-nanometer process. We can expect modest performance and efficiency improvements.
There will be 11-inch and 13-inch size options, and the 2025 models will use OLED display technology much like the M4 models. Apple is rumored to be planning for two front-facing cameras, with one located at the top of the device and one located at the side. With this change, the iPad will be in the correct orientation for video calls regardless of whether it is positioned in landscape or portrait mode.
The M5 iPad could debut in either October or November, coming about a month after Apple releases new iPhone 17 models.
iPad Air
There's a new iPad Air in the works, and it could come in 2026, but there's no guarantee. We don't know much about the next-generation iPad Air, but there's a possibility that it will feature a display with a 90Hz refresh rate, up from 60Hz.
With the 2026 refresh, the iPad Air could be updated with an OLED display, but it's not yet clear if that's something Apple plans to debut next year or if we will be waiting until 2027.
The M3 iPad Air came out in March 2025, so we are unlikely to see a new model before March 2026.
Low-Cost iPad
There's a new low-cost iPad in development, and it will have an updated A18 chip. With the A18, the iPad will support Apple Intelligence features that are not available on the current model.
Rumors suggest the low-cost iPad will debut in early 2026, perhaps at a spring event.
iPad mini
Apple is working on an iPad mini 8 that could come out as soon as 2026. Leaked Apple code suggests that it will use the same A19 Pro chip that Apple plans to use in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
The A19 Pro will be built on an updated 3-nanometer process, so it will feature performance and efficiency improvements.
Apple is developing an iPad mini that uses OLED display technology, but it is not clear if the OLED display will be in the iPad mini 8 or a future iPad mini that's not coming until 2027. When the iPad mini does get an OLED display, it could feature an upgraded 8.7 inch display size instead of an 8.3 inch display.
Apple is developing a new version of Siri that's supposed to be better than the existing Siri in every way. It will be smarter and able to do more, functioning like ChatGPT or Claude instead of a barely competent 2012-era smartphone assistant.
Upgrading Siri hasn't been without hiccups, and it's been delayed once. We've rounded up everything we know about Apple's work on a more capable Siri that uses large language models.
LLM Siri
The next-generation version of Siri will use advanced large language models, similar to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other AI chatbots.
LLM Siri would be able to hold continuous conversations and provide human-like responses to questions, plus the assistant would be capable of completing more complex tasks.
Apple Intelligence Siri Delays
In what became an infamous move, Apple went all-in showing off a smarter, Apple Intelligence-powered version of Siri when it showed off iOS 18 at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple also highlighted advanced Apple Intelligence Siri features when the iPhone 16 models launched, but after months of customers waiting for the new feature set, Apple said that it wouldn't be coming.
In March 2025, Apple said that the Apple Intelligence Siri features that it expected to introduce in iOS 18 would not be coming in iOS 18 at all. Apple said that Siri would not be ready until 2026.
The Siri Features That Got Pushed Back
The Siri functionality that was delayed wasn't even the LLM version of Siri that had been rumored. It was an in-between model that was smarter, but without full chatbot capabilities. Here's what we're waiting on:
Personal Context
With personal context, Siri will be able to keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.
Show me the files Eric sent me last week.
Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.
Find the books that Eric recommended to me.
Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?
What's my passport number?
Onscreen Awareness
Onscreen awareness will let Siri see what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, for example, you can tell Siri to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask Siri to do it for you.
Deeper App Integration
Deeper app integration means that Siri will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what Siri will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.
Moving files from one app to another.
Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.
Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.
Send the email I drafted to Eric.
Siri Redesign
We got more context on what went wrong with Siri when Apple introduced iOS 26 and Apple executives did a series of interviews to explain the situation.
Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that the first-generation architecture that Apple was developing for the personalized Siri features ended up being too limited. Siri was not able to match Apple's high standards, and by spring 2025, Apple realized that it needed to transition Siri to the second-generation architecture (aka the LLM version of Siri) that it had been planning.
With Apple abandoning the first-generation Siri architecture it had been working on, the new Siri features had to be delayed until the second-generation architecture was ready.
In an all-hands meeting in August, Federighi told employees that Apple had attempted to merge two separate systems, and it didn't work out. Apple had one system for handling current commands and another based on large language models. Federighi said Apple realized that the hybrid approach was not going to work.
Federighi said that Apple has successfully revamped Siri, and it's going to be a bigger update than expected. "The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of Siri has given us the results we needed," Federighi told employees. "This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than that we envisioned."
Internal Restructuring
The misstep with Siri's debut and the failure of the hybrid architecture led Apple to restructure its entire AI team. Apple AI chief John Giannandrea was removed from the Siri leadership team, with Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell taking over instead.
Apple CEO Tim Cook was no longer confident in Giannandrea's ability to oversee product development. Rockwell reports to Federighi, and Federighi told employees that the new leadership has "supercharged" Siri development.
Apple has also struggled with retaining AI employees amid the Siri issue and recruitment strategies from companies like Meta. Meta poached several key AI engineers from Apple, offering pay packages as high as $200 million. At Apple's August all-hands meeting, Cook and Federighi aimed to reassure employees that AI is of the utmost importance to the company. "There is no project people are taking more seriously," Federighi said of Siri.
Cook said that Apple will "make the investment" to be a leader in AI.
Apple's LLM or a Partnership?
Part of the reason that Apple is seeing low morale among its AI employees is rumors that an Apple-designed large language model that's in development might be sidelined.
Apple is rumored to be considering a partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI or Claude creator Anthropic to power the smarter version of Siri. Both companies are reportedly training versions of their models that would work with Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, and Apple is running tests with both its own models and models from outside companies. No final decision on Siri has been made as of yet.
Partnering with a company like Anthropic or OpenAI would allow Apple to deliver the exact Siri feature set that it is aiming for, while also giving it time to continue work on its own LLM behind the scenes.
Launch Date
Apple executives have confirmed that the new version of Siri will launch in 2026, and rumors suggest it will come as soon as spring 2026. If it is indeed planned for spring, Apple could roll out the features in iOS 26.4, because the .4 software updates are often reserved for significant feature improvements.
Apple today filed a lawsuit in Northern California against Chen Shi, a former employee who left Apple and took a job at Chinese smartphone maker Oppo. According to Apple, Shi stole trade secrets relating to Apple Watch development and provided the information to Oppo.
Shi was a "highly compensated Sensor System Architect" at Apple from January 2020 to June 2025, which meant he had access to "valuable trade secret information," including the Apple Watch design, development documentation, internal specifications, and product roadmap.
Apple says that Shi told the company he was returning to China to care for his elderly parents, with no mention that he had accepted a position at Oppo. While in the process of leaving Apple, Shi allegedly collected sensitive Apple Watch documents and attended "dozens" of one-on-one meetings with Apple Watch technical team members to "learn about their ongoing research and development efforts."
Three days before leaving Apple, Shi downloaded 63 files from Apple's protected Box folder and transferred them to a USB drive. After downloading the files, he searched for information on how to wipe a MacBook and whether someone could see if he'd opened a file on a shared drive. Further, Shi sent a message to his Oppo employers letting them know that he would "collect as much information as possible" to share with them, specifically sourcing data on heart rate sensing methods. At Oppo, Shi is now leading a team that is developing sensing technology.
Apple is asking for an injunction prohibiting Oppo and Shi from using or disclosing Apple's trade secrets, restitution, damages, punitive damages, and attorneys' fees.
Some of this week's best deals include our exclusive sitewide sales at Satechi and Anker, plus ongoing steep discounts on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
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.
MacRumors Exclusives
What's the deal? Find exclusive sitewide sales at Satechi and Anker
This week we partnered with Satechi and Anker to offer our readers two exclusive sitewide discounts at each retailer. At Satechi you can get 25 percent off sitewide with code MR25, and at Anker you can get 20 percent off sitewide with code Ankermacrumors2025 through the end of the month.
Amazon this week introduced a new record low price across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, and you can still get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for just $799.00, plus many other deals.
M4 MacBook Pro
What's the deal? Get up to $436 off M4 MacBook Pro
Continuing this week's theme of steep Mac-related discounts, Amazon also has great deals on the M4 MacBook Pro right now. You'll find up to $436 off these computers, starting at $1,299.00 for the entry-level 14-inch model.
Amazon is taking up to $144 off M4 Mac mini models this week, starting at $499.00 for the 256GB model.
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
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Apple is in talks with Google about using Google's Gemini AI as the backbone for the upcoming smarter version of Siri, reports Bloomberg. The discussions are in the early stages, but Apple reportedly approached Google to ask the company to create a custom AI model that would be used for Siri.
Google has started training a model that would run on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers in response. Apple previously held talks with OpenAI and Anthropic, and both of those companies have been working on versions of their models for Apple's servers.
While Apple is exploring partnerships with different AI companies to power an improved version of Siri, Apple still has not made a decision on whether it will use a third-party AI solution or go with the LLM models it has been developing in-house.
Apple is testing multiple LLMs, including its own, to determine which will provide the best results to customers. There are two versions of the new Siri in development, including one that is powered by Apple's own models and one that runs on third-party models.
Apple has been developing a more advanced version of Siri that overhauls the entire Siri architecture. Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi called this the "second-generation" Siri architecture earlier this month, and he said that the "end-to-end revamp" of Siri brought the results that Apple needed for more advanced AI features, such as the personalization that it promised as part of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.
"This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than that we envisioned," Federighi said.
Apple was leaning toward partnering with Anthropic, but Anthropic's fees prompted Apple to consider other AI companies as well. No deal has been inked with Google, OpenAI, or Anthropic as of yet. Rumors suggest that LLM Siri will launch in spring 2026.
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through what to expect from the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 11, and Ultra 3, and whether it's worth holding off on an upgrade until next year.
The third-generation Apple Watch SE is rumored to feature a larger display (perhaps like the Apple Watch Series 7), the S11 chip, and potentially a plastic casing. It could also available at a slightly lower price point.
The Apple Watch Series 11 will likely feature the S11 chip, 5G RedCap connectivity on cellular models, a "Sleep Score" feature, and potentially hypertension detection. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to also get all of these new features, as well as a slightly larger wide-angle OLED display with a faster refresh rate, and satellite connectivity.
Earlier this week, internal Apple code revealed that the 2026 Apple Watch lineup is poised to get some major enhancements. The new devices will feature Touch ID for biometric authentication, a redesigned chip based on newer CPU technology for improved performance, a revamped design with a new rear sensor array, and more.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's plan to focus on the smart home with a host of new devices and improvements to Siri.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Apple has released "F1: The Movie" for digital purchase and rental through the TV app, marking the start of the film's premium video-on-demand window while it continues to perform strongly in theaters.
The film premiered worldwide on June 27 and has now surpassed $600 million at the global box office. This makes F1 Apple's most financially successful movie to date, with the release also returning to IMAX theaters due to its popularity.
Apple has now made the film available to rent for $20 or to purchase for $25 in the Store section of the TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. It includes approximately 45 minutes of bonus features through iTunes Extras.
The same pricing and availability apply through other services such as Amazon Prime Video. It is not yet available to stream on Apple TV+.
This period is known in the film industry as the premium video-on-demand (PVOD) window, and represents a higher-priced digital release that precedes availability through subscription streaming. The pricing is in line with other major studio releases in recent years.
Apple is expected to lower the cost once the film transitions from PVOD to standard digital distribution, when it will be available to rent or buy at the usual lower tier. This will likely coincide with its debut on Apple TV+, where it will be available to stream at no additional charge to subscribers.
Based on the previous Apple theatrical-first films such as "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "Napoleon," the PVOD window typically lasts one to two months, suggesting that F1 will likely come to Apple TV+ in October or November 2025.
A first-generation iPod in a sealed, never-opened box fetched a staggering $40,264 during an auction run by RR Auction this month.
This appears to be a record-breaking sale price for an original iPod at auction, with the previous known record being $29,000 in 2023. The latest price fetched does include a 25% buyer's premium charged by RR Auction.
In the U.S., the original iPod was priced at $399 at launch.
Introduced by Steve Jobs in October 2001, the iPod helped Apple to become successful again, after it flirted with bankruptcy in the late 1990s.
Jobs famously pitched the iPod as offering "1,000 songs in your pocket," and he unveiled the device by pulling it out of his own pocket.
"With iPod, Apple has invented a whole new category of digital music player that lets you put your entire music collection in your pocket and listen to it wherever you go," he said. "With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again."
Here are the features advertised on the original iPod's box:
Holds over 1,000 songs at near-CD quality on 5GB hard drive
Up to 10 hours of continuous playback with rechargeable lithium polymer battery
Super portable at 6.5 ounces and only 0.78 inch thick, 2.43 inches wide, and 4.02 inches tall
Automatically synchronizes music and playlists with iTunes on your Mac
Unique scroll wheel for simple, one-handed navigation
Plays MP3, WAV, and AIFF formats
Skip protection of up to 20 minutes (yes, minutes)
High-resolution backlit LCD display
Includes iPod, Apple Earphones, FireWire cable, and AC adapter
In addition, a sealed-in-box original iPhone with a rare 4GB of storage (8GB is more common) fetched $81,989 at RR Auction this month.
While that is not a record price for an original iPhone, it is still a staggering amount of money for a device that cost $499 when it launched in 2007.
Apple One allows you to subscribe to a bundle of up to six of Apple's services for a discounted all-in-one monthly price, and its value just went up in an artificial way.
The reason why Apple One just became more valuable is because Apple TV+ received a price increase this week in the U.S. and select other countries. In the U.S., for example, the cost of the service increased from $9.99 per month to $12.99 per month. However, Apple One plans with Apple TV+ did not receive any corresponding price increases.
There are three Apple One tiers, all with Apple TV+ included:
Individual ($19.95/month): Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ (50GB)
Family ($25.95/month): Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ (200GB)
Premier ($37.95/month): Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and iCloud+ (2TB)
All in all, you can now potentially save even more money by switching to Apple One as opposed to paying for Apple TV+ and other services separately.
Alternatively, you can switch to the annual Apple TV+ subscription, which also avoided a price increase. In the U.S., that plan remains available for $99 per year.
Many streaming services like Disney+ and HBO Max offer annual plans at a discount compared to paying for 12 months individually, although it is worth keeping in mind that there is an opportunity cost to paying in full upfront.
This is a win-win situation for Apple, which gains an instant revenue boost from customers who stick with the monthly Apple TV+ plan, while boosting the appeal of its Apple One and annual Apple TV+ plans with a higher spend or longer commitment.
Now through August 29, Apple will donate $10 to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made in the U.S. using Apple Pay on Apple.com, in the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store, up to a maximum of $1 million.
Apple has supported the National Park Foundation with this annual charitable initiative since 2017.
The non-profit organization "generates private support and builds strategic partnerships to protect and enhance America's national parks for present and future generations."
Apple celebrates U.S. national parks every August with special content across services like the App Store, Apple Maps, Apple Fitness+, and Apple Podcasts. Apple Maps has a Discover America's National Parks guide for hikes, Apple Fitness+ is offering a selection of Time to Run episodes inspired by national parks, and Apple Podcasts is featuring "The Wild with Chris Morgan" episodes that spotlight various national parks.
Apple also promoted the National Park Service app as App of the Day in the App Store.
Additionally, on August 24, Apple Watch users can unlock a special national parks award in the Fitness app, and animated stickers for the Messages app, by recording a workout of 20 minutes or more with any app that adds workouts to the Health app.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is a national parks enthusiast. In 2022, he said the parks provide a "sense of awe, tranquility, and quiet reverence only nature can inspire," and he emphasized that they are "well worth protecting, today and for every generation to come."
All of these initiatives are timed with the National Park Service's birthday on August 25.
Apple has an upcoming promotion that gives users up to two months of free Apple Music when they add funds to their Apple Account balance, according to code found by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.
The offer will provide two months of free Apple Music for new subscribers and one month for qualified returning subscribers when adding $25 or more to an Apple Account balance. Users receive a bonus code immediately after adding the required amount.
The promotion is set to run through March 16, 2026, and is available only in the United States for users 13 and older. Gift card purchases from third-party retailers and Apple stores are excluded from the offer.
After the free period ends, Apple Music automatically renews at $10.99 per month unless canceled. Users can manage their subscription through the Apple Account section at the top of iPhone's Settings app menu (then tap Payment & Shipping ➝ Add Money to Apple Account). To avoid being charged, users must cancel at least one day before renewal.
The offer, which has yet to go live, will be limited to one per Apple Account and cannot be combined with other Apple Music promotions.
Apple is no longer signing iOS 18.6, making downgrades from iOS 18.6.2 or iOS 18.6.1 to iOS 18.6 impossible. iOS 18.6.1 was released a little over a week ago, swiftly followed by iOS 18.6.2 on Wednesday.
Apple often stops signing an older version of iOS, usually within a week or two after a new version is released. When an update is no longer signed, it can't be installed on an iPhone due to a server-side software verification check.
By no longer signing a software version, Apple ensures that customers have the latest security improvements and are not vulnerable to known attacks.
Apple's iOS 18.6.1 update re-enables blood oxygen monitoring in the United States for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 running watchOS 11.6.1, which was released concurrently. That was quickly followed by iOS 18.6.2, providing important security fixes.
An established Chinese leaker has pushed back against recent rumors suggesting Apple plans to eliminate the Camera Control button from the iPhone 18, instead claiming the company is working to simplify the component to reduce costs.
According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the Camera Control's pressure-sensitive modules for the iPhone 18 series currently remain in trial production. However, Apple is reportedly removing the capacitive sensor from the current dual-sensor design, and opting instead to rely solely on pressure sensing to achieve all button functions.
The current Camera Control button on iPhone 16 models uses both capacitive and pressure sensors beneath a sapphire crystal surface. The capacitive layer detects touch gestures, while the force sensor recognizes different pressure levels for taps, presses, and swipes.
Instant Digital says Apple's revised approach is similar to designs found in devices like the OPPO X8 Ultra and vivo X200 Ultra, where pressure sensors alone can recognize light taps, firm presses, and sliding gestures.
The leaker suggests cost concerns are driving the change, noting that the current solution is "genuinely very expensive" for Apple and is generating costly after-sales repairs. This is said to be creating "significant internal cost pressure" for Apple, especially since not all of its AI-powered Visual Intelligence features have fully rolled out yet, which is limiting the button's perceived value.
Instant Digital has a decent track record for leaks, suggesting this is a genuine debunk of the recent report from another Weibo account indicating that Apple would drop the Camera Control from the iPhone 18 lineup due to low user engagement. Its removal would have been quite the reversal – Apple only debuted the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series last year.
Apple has had yet another AI executive poached by Meta, despite reports that the social networking company is slowing hiring (via Bloomberg).
Frank Chu, one of Apple's team leaders focused on cloud infrastructure, training, and search, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs, a division tasked with building advanced AI systems capable of performing at or beyond human-level intelligence.
Chu was involved with managing Apple's cloud-based large language models (LLMs), and was also influential in developing search features for Siri and Apple's entertainment services. For Meta, Chu will work on a new team called MSL Infra, responsible for AI infrastructure development.
Meta has spent billions of dollars on recruitment for its Superintelligence group in recent months, but the company is said to be slowing down hiring over concerns of an overheated market. The pause went into effect last week amid a broader restructuring of the group.
Fears that investments in AI are moving too fast weren't helped by reports earlier this week that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told a group of journalists that he believes AI is in a bubble. There was a broader sell-off of U.S. technology stocks following the news.
Apple has hemorrhaged around a dozen artificial intelligence staff to rivals since January. The exodus of staff from Apple's AI team over the last seven months has seen senior researchers leave variously for Meta, OpenAI, xAI, Cohere, and others.
One of the most notable recent departures was Ruoming Pang, head of Apple's Foundational Models team, who joined Meta last month after being lured by CEO Mark Zuckerberg with a $200 million pay package.
The talent drain coincides with Apple's struggle to update Siri by integrating LLMs. A chatbot-like version of the virtual assistant was one of the key Apple Intelligence features that Apple promoted at last year's WWWDC, but it has yet to arrive.
Apple is said to be considering using third-party AI models for Siri rather than its in-house technology, following an executive restructuring. During Apple's recent earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is "making good progress on a more personalized Siri" that is powered by Apple Intelligence, and he reiterated that the features will be available next year.
Startup accelerator and venture capital firm Y Combinator (YC) today filed an amicus brief supporting Epic Games in Epic's continued legal fight with Apple. Y Combinator says that Apple's "anti-steering restraints" have long inhibited the growth and development of technology companies that monetize goods and services through apps.
The company calls on the court to deny Apple's appeal and uphold the order that required Apple to change its App Store linking rules in the United States.
Back in April, Apple was found to be violating a 2021 injunction that required it to let developers direct customers to third-party purchase options on the web using in-app links. Apple had implemented a system for developers to link to external websites in their apps, but it charged an up to 27 percent fee to do so.
Apple was found to be in "willful violation" of the anti-steering injunction, and it was ordered to allow developers to freely link to purchase options outside of the App Store with no fees or restrictions on link format. Apple implemented those changes, but also filed an appeal, so there is potential for the decision to be walked back. Epic Games and now Y Combinator are aiming to prevent Apple from being able to revert to its old App Store rules around linking.
Y Combinator says that it has "long been hesitant" to support app-based businesses subject to "the Apple Tax" because they were poor investments.
A 30% revenue share can easily be the difference between a company that can afford to scale, hire new employees, and reinvest in its product, and one that is perpetually struggling to stay afloat. Understood in this light, the 30% Apple Tax protected from erosion by Apple's anti-steering restraints is not merely a cost of doing business, it is a profound and often insurmountable barrier to entry that stifles competition and innovation at its source.
The enforcement order that's currently in place has already created renewed investor interest in app-based business models that were previously not feasible, according to Y Combinator. The company believes that Apple adds minimal value for the fees that it collects.
Y Combinator suggests that the court end Apple's anti-steering restraints permanently to promote innovation and to allow tech startups to freely compete.
The cases feature a muted, fabric design in colors that appear to include black, blue, green, purple, and orange. The TechWoven cases will reportedly replace the fabric-like FineWoven casesthat Apple discontinued with the iPhone 16 launch. The FineWoven cases were not popular with customers due to their penchant for staining and issues with durability. The fabric of the TechWoven case has supposedly been "redesigned for greater durability."
Majin Bu claims that the cases will include metallic buttons with "improved tactile feedback," a Camera Control button, MagSafe compatibility, and two small holes at the bottom for attaching a crossbody strap or accessories. The cases appear to be for the iPhone 17 Pro models that are rumored to have a horizontal camera bar given the size of the camera cutout, but Bu says the TechWoven cases will be available for all of the iPhone 17 models.
It is unclear as of yet if these cases are real, but we will find out in less than a month when Apple unveils the new iPhone 17 models.
Popular cartoon series South Park has been satirizing U.S. President Donald Trump, and the latest episode, titled "Sickofancy," includes Apple CEO Tim Cook.
A cartoon version of Cook is depicted visiting Trump in the White House to provide him with a gift, which is poking fun at the glass and gold Apple plaque that Cook presented to Trump earlier in August.
"Mr. President, your ideas for the tech industry are so innovative and you definitely do not have a small penis," said the fake Cook. "Please accept this gift on behalf of Apple."
Cartoon Trump proceeds to take Cook's gift into bed with him. "Another great day getting presents," said cartoon Trump while climbing into bed with Satan. "Look at what some dipshit tech CEO gave me," he adds, before suggesting the duo do something X-rated with Cook's gift. Cook was just one of several notable figures shown presenting Trump with high-value gifts in the South Park episode.
“Mr. President, your ideas for the tech industry are so innovative. And you definitely do not have a small penis.” pic.twitter.com/anVvOSIVb0
— South Park (@SouthPark) August 21, 2025
In real life, Cook gave Trump a glass plaque with an Apple logo engraved on it, which was manufactured by Apple supplier Corning in Kentucky. Beneath the glass plaque, there is a 24-karat pure gold base that Cook said was sourced from Utah.
Cook was at the White House to announce Apple's plans to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next four years, bringing Apple's total investment to $600 billion.
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Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
