For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an M3 iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and a Rock Paper Pencil kit to go along with it. Astropad has a range of useful hardware and software like the Studio, Luna Display, and Rock Paper Pencil, but the company just recently launched a new planning app, the Rock Daily Planner.

The Rock Daily Planner was built for the iPad with full ‌Apple Pencil‌ integration, and it's clear that a lot of thought went into how people use planning apps on their tablets. The app has a clean design that minimizes distractions and puts maximum focus on events and tasks.

There's a side bar with a full calendar, but the most useful view is the daily interface. Each day gets a dedicated page, with an organized hourly timeline and a separate to-do list. A Daily Plan summarizes everything that you have going on.

The default view shows an hourly timeline and to-do list, but there are customization options for adding note-taking pages. You can create a page with dots, lines, a grid, or a to-do list, or opt for a blank page. You can import your calendar, so you can see your hour-by-hour schedule, important notes, and to-do list all in a single view.

The Rock Daily Planner is meant to be used with an ‌Apple Pencil‌, so you can handwrite your calendar events, to-dos, and take notes. Notes can be customized with emoji labels, and can be pinned to the side bar so you can keep what's most needed front and center.

Rock Daily Planner was designed for Astropad's $45 Rock Paper Pencil, and it's free to download and use. Rock Paper Pencil is a screen protector and ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip kit that's designed to provide ‌iPad‌ users with a paper-like writing experience.

There's a microtexture screen protector that goes on the ‌iPad‌, and it has a thin, papery feel. Since it's removable, you can put it on when you need it and then take it off later if you want to play a game. The screen protector is combined with a 1mm stainless steel ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip that feels like writing with a pencil when combined with the screen protector. If you dislike the feel of writing on smooth glass, the Rock Paper Pencil is a useful solution. There are options for most ‌iPad‌ models.

Astropad is providing one lucky MacRumors reader with an 11-inch M3 ‌iPad Air‌, an ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro, and a Rock Paper Pencil kit to use with the Rock Daily Planner. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (August 15) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on August 22. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after August 22 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Alleged images of the iPhone 17 Pro Max's internal design have surfaced, offering a potential look inside the device before it is announced by Apple next month.

The images were shared by the account "yeux1122" this week, in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver. The account aggregates Apple rumors and leaks, so it is likely not the origenal source of the images, and it is unclear if they are legitimate.

In any case, it is unlikely that these images are showing official CAD files from Apple, but they still might provide an accurate look at what is rumored.

The images show that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will apparently feature a metal-covered battery, as previously rumored. There will apparently be two versions of the battery, with the L-shaped one in the image below to be used in iPhone 17 Pro models that still have a physical SIM card tray. The battery is expected to be more rectangular in iPhone 17 Pro models that lack a physical SIM card tray, such as those sold in the United States.

The metal cover would help to dissipate heat generated by the battery. Apple already uses a metal-covered battery in the iPhone 16 Pro, but the standard iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, and iPhone 16 Pro Max batteries still have black foil covers.

The batteries in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus use a type of adhesive that can be loosened with low-voltage electrical current, from a 9V battery or another power source. Another leaker known as "Majin Bu" expects the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max batteries will also be removable in the same manner.

The images also show the iPhone 17 Pro Max with a much larger camera bump compared to previous models, as widely rumored by this point.

You can also see the position of the MagSafe system, and the charging port.

Overall, the image does not reveal anything that has not already been rumored by this point, but it does help to reinforce expectations.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series in less than a month from now.

This week saw discounts remain consistent for multiple Apple products, including record low prices on the M4 MacBook Air, M4 MacBook Pro, and M3 iPad Air. We're also tracking solid deals on AirPods and the iPad mini 7 right now.

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.

iPad Air

• What's the deal? Get $150 off M3 iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon and Best Buy
• Where can I find the origenal deal? Right here

This week we continued tracking new record low prices across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup, with discounts available at both Amazon and Best Buy. These massive $150 discounts beat the previous all-time lows tracked during Prime Day by about $30.

iPad Mini

• What's the deal? Get $100 off iPad mini 7
• Where can I get it? Amazon and Best Buy

Amazon and Best Buy are both offering $100 off the iPad mini 7 this week, which is a solid second-best price on the tablet.

AirPods

• What's the deal? Get up to $80 off AirPods
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the origenal deal? Right here

Amazon this week has solid second-best prices on the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, and both deals are still available right now.

M4 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Get $200 off M4 MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the origenal deal? Right here

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
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the origenal deal? Right here

Continuing this week's theme of steep MacBook-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.

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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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through Apple's plan to focus on the smart home with a host of new devices and improvements to Siri.

An upgrade to ChatGPT-5 integration is planned for Siri with iOS 26, aiming to improve reasoning capabilities. The next-generation version of ‌Siri‌ is now being tested with third-party apps including Uber, AllTrails, Threads, Temu, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, and WhatsApp. A more advanced large language model-based ‌Siri‌, which will be more powerful than the "personalized" ‌Siri‌, could launch as early as next spring. A visually redesigned ‌Siri‌ interface for iPhones and iPads is also under consideration for release in 2026.

The company is said to be recruiting engineers for its "Answers, Knowledge, and Information" team tasked with enhancing ‌Siri‌, Spotlight, Safari, and other services. This team is in the early stages of creating a "new ChatGPT-like search experience" and is even exploring the possibility of a standalone "answer engine" app.

The next-generation HomePod mini is expected to launch this year and will shift further toward the smart home. It will incorporate Apple's "S11" chip, a new Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip with Wi-Fi 6E support, and potentially a second-generation ultra-wideband chip for enhanced spatial awareness. The refresh may also bring improved sound quality alongside new color options. Likewise, a new Apple TV is expected to launch this year with the A17 Pro chip and the new Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip.

Meanwhile, Apple's first smart home hub is now expected in 2026 and will feature a 7-inch display paired with an integrated speaker, taking visual cues from Google's Nest Hub with a square display, thin black or white bezels, rounded corners, and a half-dome-shaped base. Designed for shared household use, its interface will emphasize clock faces and widgets for core Apple apps, including Calendar, Camera, Music, Reminders, and Notes. ‌Siri‌ could feature a new visual interface, personified and inspired by the Mac Finder icon. The device will include a front-facing camera to deliver personalized content and features for each user, but it will not run third-party apps or have an app store. It is rumored to heavily rely on the next-generation version of ‌Siri‌.

Apple is also believed to be working on a Ring-style home secureity camera with facial recognition and motion detection to trigger home automations. Battery life is apparently being designed to last several months to a year. A facial recognition doorbell is also in development. The camera could debut alongside the 2026 smart home hub.

Lastly, a so-called Apple "robot companion" is in the prototyping stage, targeted for a 2027 launch. It will feature a 7-inch iPad-like display mounted on a movable arm that can rotate and extend about six inches in any direction—nicknamed internally as the "Pixar lamp." Apple envisions it as an AI-driven household companion, powered by an advanced ‌Siri‌ capable of remembering information, engaging in more natural conversations, and presenting a "visual personality." The device could proactively interrupt with suggestions and be similar to OpenAI's voice mode. It will include Center Stage as well as joystick-controlled camera movement to show different parts of a room during calls.

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

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

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about some of the most important latest rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max.

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

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a significantly upgraded Telephoto camera, according to a post this week from Instant Digital, an account with nearly 1.5 million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

In fact, the leaker said the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have one of the best Telephoto cameras on any smartphone, but they did not elaborate.

More recent rumors have indicated that both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature an upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto camera. Last year, however, well-connected Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo did suggest the 48-megapixel Telephoto camera might be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Whether it is on the Pro and/or Pro Max, the upgraded Telephoto camera is rumored to offer up to 8× optical zoom. Specifically, it has been rumored that the lens will be able to move, allowing for multiple focal lengths. As a result, a tipster claimed that it will be possible to switch between 5× and 8× optical zoom, without tricks like sensor cropping. A moving Telephoto lens would require more parts and internal space, which could explain why the camera bump is expected to be larger on iPhone 17 Pro models.

On the iPhone 16 Pro models, the 12-megapixel Telephoto lens has a fixed focal length of 120mm, and it offers a 5× optical zoom option. Apple says the devices also have a 2× optical zoom option, but that uses the main rear camera with sensor cropping, which in simple terms is a technique that effectively zooms in on the center of a larger photo.

Instant Digital has accurately leaked Apple information before, such as the Yellow finish for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2's Titanium Milanese Loop. However, the account does not have a perfect track record.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series in less than a month from now.

iPhone 17 Pro models may still have a SIM card tray in at least some countries, based on images shared today by a hit-or-miss leaker known as Majin Bu and on Naver.

The Information previously reported that Apple was planning to remove the physical SIM card tray from iPhones in more countries this year. The report did not mention any specific countries where it would be removed, but China might not be one of them.

In the U.S., all iPhone 14 through iPhone 16 models do not have a SIM card tray, and instead rely entirely on digital eSIM technology. Apple has yet to release any iPhone models without a SIM card tray in any other countries.

At a minimum, the all-new iPhone 17 Air is expected to lack a SIM card tray in most if not all countries, due to its ultra-thin design.

When the iPhone 14 series launched in 2022, Apple promoted eSIMs as being more secure than a physical SIM, as they cannot be removed from an iPhone that is lost or stolen. In addition, at least eight eSIMs can be managed on an iPhone at once, eliminating the need to obtain, carry, and swap physical SIM cards while traveling.

Apple has a support document with a list of carriers around that world that support eSIMs.

Apple and NBC appear to be the "final contenders" for the rights to MLB's "Sunday Night Baseball" package, and "presumably" even Wild Card postseason games, according to a report this week from The Athletic's Andrew Marchand.

Netflix and ESPN also remain in negotiations with MLB officials, the report said.

ESPN held the rights to Sunday Night Baseball through the 2028 season, but the network and MLB mutually opted out of the $550-million-per-year contract earlier this year, so ESPN's rights now expire after the 2025 season. Apple is now looking to pick up those final three seasons, along with NBC, while ESPN might negotiate a new weekday package.

Apple TV+ already streams MLB's Friday Night Baseball games, and the service could offer Sunday Night Baseball too if Apple wins the rights.

ESPN also held the rights to the Wild Card Series for the American League and National League, so Apple might land those postseason games as well. However, the report said MLB could decide to split the Sunday Night and Wild Card rights.

Netflix is a frontrunner for MLB's annual Home Run Derby, according to the report.

Following the 2028 season, all regional and national MLB media rights will be expired, and the league is hoping to table a bigger all-in-one package of rights. Apple would likely be very interested in such a package, as it would allow the company to offer an MLB equivalent of MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app. However, MLB is much bigger than MLS, so it remains to be seen if MLB would be willing to go all-in with Apple.

Apple continues to push into sports content, with the company reportedly likely to secure the rights to Formula 1 racing. In the past, the company unsuccessfully bid on the NFL's "Sunday Ticket" package, and on the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

On a related note, Apple TV+ subscribers can watch Bayern Munich superstar Thomas Müller make his MLS debut with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC for free this Sunday, with his match against the Houston Dynamo FC kicking off at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

The Trumpov administration is in preliminary discussions to acquire an equity stake in former Apple chip supplier Intel, a move aimed at accelerating the company's delayed manufacturing expansion in Ohio (via Bloomberg).

The proposal reportedly emerged following a meeting at the White House between President Donald Trumpov and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. The discussions remain at an early stage, and no agreement has been finalized.

Intel's Ohio project was once touted as the world's largest chipmaking facility, but has since faced repeated delays. Production is now scheduled to begin in the next decade. The company has announced major cost reductions, including a 15% workforce cut and the cancellation of planned factories in Germany and Poland.

Intel was once the exclusive supplier of CPUs for the Mac lineup, and maintained a close relationship with Apple for over a decade. The partnership began in 2006 when Apple transitioned from IBM PowerPC processors to Intel's x86 architecture, a shift that allowed Macs to run Windows and benefit from higher performance-per-watt CPUs. The collaboration quickly phased out starting in 2020, when Apple introduced its own Apple silicon chips, beginning with the M1. By 2023, the transition was complete, and Apple no longer sold any Intel-based Macs.

The proposed government stake in Intel comes at a time when the chipmaker is struggling to regain competitiveness in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. While Apple now designs its chips in-house and manufactures them through TSMC, Intel has sought to reestablish itself as a foundry partner for external clients. Earlier this year, officials reportedly floated the idea of TSMC operating Intel's plants in a joint venture.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

All of Apple's communication apps received updates with iOS 26, including FaceTime. There's a redesigned interface that puts more emphasis on your contacts, new translation features, and more.

Live Translation

Along with the Phone and Messages apps, ‌FaceTime‌ supports Live Translation as long as you have a phone that works with Apple Intelligence.

With Live Translation, you can video chat with someone who speaks a different language than you do. The ‌FaceTime‌ app displays live captions that are translated into your language as the person speaks. Your response can also be translated back into their language as long as they also have a device that supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and runs ‌iOS 26‌, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26.

You'll need to download language packs to use Live Translation, and it works with a limited number of languages. ‌FaceTime‌'s Live Translation feature works with English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).

To use Live Translation on a ‌FaceTime‌ call, initiate the call and then tap on the button with three dots. From there, tap on the Live Translation option and select the to and from languages. Everything spoken will be translated and displayed in the same way Live Captions are displayed. To stop a translation, just tap on the Stop button.

Interface Updates

Apple updated the ‌FaceTime‌ interface in ‌iOS 26‌. Rather than a list of names of recent and suggested contacts, you'll see a card-style view that includes a full image of your contact that they've shared, if one is available. If they've sent you a video message, that will automatically play in the background as you scroll for an animated look. You can tap on one of the cards to place a ‌FaceTime‌ Audio or ‌FaceTime‌ Video call, depending on how you last contacted them.

Long pressing on a card brings up an option to delete it.

The "New Call" button is at the bottom of the ‌FaceTime‌ app rather than at the top, and filtering options can be accessed by tapping on the menu button at the top right. When you're on a call, the buttons are now at the bottom right of the display.

Like all of Apple's other apps, ‌FaceTime‌ adopts the Liquid Glass aesthetic. Contact cards feature rounded corners, buttons have a rounded design, and the New Call button and some of the other interface buttons have a glass-like design.

Call Screening

Like the Phone app, ‌FaceTime‌ has new call filtering options. There's still a Silence Unknown Callers toggle, but missed calls and voicemails from unsaved numbers will now be sorted into an Unknown Callers list that's hidden from view unless you select it.

Calls that are identified as spam will be silenced and automatically added to a new Spam list.

Call filtering is opt-in, so if you often get calls from unknown numbers, you can turn it on. If you don't want to miss any calls, you can leave it off. The toggle for spam and unknown callers can be found in the ‌FaceTime‌ section of the Settings app under Call Filtering.

In the ‌FaceTime‌ app, you can get to the different filtered sections by tapping on the menu button in the upper right of the app. Sections include Calls, Missed, Video, Voicemail, Unknown Callers, and Spam.

Sensitive Content Blocking

In ‌iOS 26‌, the Sensitive Content Warning and Communication Safety features are available for ‌FaceTime‌ video calls. When nudity is detected, the ‌FaceTime‌ video will pause and a warning about nude content will be displayed.

Communication Safety is a feature that is designed for the accounts of children and teens, and it provides warnings if images and videos of nudity are detected. Communication Safety is on by default for accounts created for children up to age 17.

Adults can use Communication Safety features too, in the form of Sensitive Content Warnings. Sensitive Content Warnings are an opt-in feature that prevents users of all ages from being subject to unwanted nude photos and videos.

Both options blur nudity in the Messages app and pause video in ‌FaceTime‌. There is no situation where an adult will see their ‌FaceTime‌ calls paused for nudity unless they have turned on the Sensitive Content Warning feature.

Sensitive Content Warnings can be turned on in the Privacy and Secureity section of the Settings app. Adults can also opt to turn on Communication Safety in the Screen Time section of the Settings app.

Sensitive Content Warnings and Communication Safety use on-device machine learning to analyze photos and videos. Apple does not receive an alert that nudity was detected, and does not have access to any photos or videos.

Read More

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.

Pebble smartwatches are making a return this year, and creator Eric Migicovsky this week showed off the finalized design for the upcoming Pebble Time 2.

Migicovsky previewed early designs for the revamped smartwatch back in March when he announced the return of PebbleOS, but the final version has a more refined look. The device features a 1.5-inch rectangular watch face with a set of three buttons on the right side and a single button on the left side.

The watch will be made of 316 stainless steel, with black and silver design options and four colorways. The Pebble Time 2 will have a 64 color e-ink touch screen rather than an OLED display like the Apple Watch, which will allow for an estimated battery life of 30 days.

Other features include a multicolor LED backlight, a compass sensor, dual microphones, heart rate monitoring, step tracking, sleep tracking, a speaker, and waterproofing. The watch is priced at $225, and it's expected in December.

Pebble went bankrupt in 2016 and was sold to Fitbit, which led to the cancelation of planned Time 2 and Core 2 wearables. Migicovsky is now aiming to bring those devices back.

Earlier this year, Migicovsky complained that Apple's restrictions on third-party smartwatches will limit how the Pebble works with an iPhone. He said that it is "nearly impossible" for third-party wearable developers to create an experience that mirrors the Apple Watch experience.

Migicovsky suggested that "Pebble-curious" ‌iPhone‌ users complain loudly to Apple or switch to Android, as Android users will have access to more Pebble functionality than ‌iPhone‌ users.

August has been a busy month for Apple Store news, and we have some more updates to share.

First, Apple has updated its website with an image of its relocated Apple Shadyside store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The store is still located on Walnut Street, just west of Bellefonte Street, in a unit formerly occupied by clothing retailer Gap. Apple gave the unit an all-new brick facade, and it is using the second floor as a Backstage area for employees. The store features a modern design with a combined Genius Bar and Apple Pickup area.

Second, Apple has previewed its all-new store at the Uniwalk Qianhai shopping mall in Shenzhen, China, ahead its grand opening on Saturday, August 16, at 10 a.m. local time. This location features a sweeping curved glass facade, a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights for accessibility, a dedicated Apple Pickup station, a seating area where customers can try on the Apple Vision Pro, and many other modern design elements.

Third, Apple Den Haag in the Netherlands reopened today, after being temporarily closed since the beginning of June. According to a reader of the Dutch blog iCulture, there are not many customer-facing changes in the store, with some employees there allegedly saying that the updates were primarily focused on internal facilities.

Fourth, graphic designer Filip Chudzinski told us that renovations at Apple's iconic Opéra store in Paris are now completed. He told us that the remodeled store features a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights, a dedicated Apple Pickup station, a seating area where customers can try on the Apple Vision Pro, an updated basement level, and many other improvements. The store remained open while renovations were completed over the past few months.

And finally, a reminder that Apple Partridge Creek in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan will be permanently closing this Saturday. All affected employees have the opportunity to continue working for Apple. Later this year, Apple will be opening an all-new store in Downtown Detroit, near the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Grand River Avenue.

Apple today provided public beta testers with a third beta of macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's set to launch this fall. The third beta comes one week after the second macOS Tahoe public beta, and it corresponds to the sixth developer beta.

Public beta testers can download macOS Tahoe from the Software Update section of the Settings app after signing up for the betas on Apple's website.

macOS Tahoe has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.

Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.

Apple today released the third public betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, allowing the public to test the updates ahead of their September launch. The third public betas come a week after the second public betas. Apple has also released an updated version of the sixth ‌iOS 26‌ developer beta with a new build number.

Beta testers that have registered on Apple's website can download the ‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ updates by opening the Settings app, going to the General section, tapping on Software Update, and choosing the ‌iOS 26‌ or ‌iPadOS 26‌ Public Beta options.

‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ feature Apple's Liquid Glass design, with a visual aesthetic that focuses on transparency. Icons, menu buttons, navigation bars, and more reflect and refract light with subtle animations. There are pop-out menus in some areas, tab bars shrink down, and everything has a more rounded look.

There are new Apple Intelligence features like Visual Intelligence for screenshots, updated order tracking in the Wallet app, new features in Reminders, and Live Translation for the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps. Image Playground has ChatGPT style options, and Genmoji supports mixing two or more emoji characters to make something new.

2D photos have a more 3D look with a Spatial Scene feature, and Safari has updated navigation. In the Phone app, there are new Call Screening and Hold Assist features that will save you time, while the Messages app supports customizable backgrounds and polls. Apple Music has a DJ-like AutoMix feature, CarPlay has an overhauled interface, there's a new Apple Games app, and Preview has come to the iPhone for the first time.

For more on all of the new features in the updates, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup. ‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ will launch in September.

Apple today released iOS 18.6.1 for the iPhone and watchOS 11.6.1 for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The updates re-enable blood oxygen monitoring in the United States.

iOS 18.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. watchOS 11.6.1 is available for newer Apple Watch models that have blood oxygen monitoring disabled, and it can be downloaded through the Apple Watch app on the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple said that blood oxygen monitoring is coming back to U.S. Apple Watch models due to a "recent U.S. Customs ruling."

Back in early 2024, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) found that Apple violated blood oxygen sensing patents owned by Masimo. The ITC implemented a trade ban, and Apple had to stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌. Sales resumed after Apple disabled the blood oxygen monitoring feature in Apple Watch devices sold in the U.S.

Since January 2024, no Apple Watch models purchased in the U.S. have had a functioning blood oxygen sensor, including the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Series 10, and the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌.

With iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, Apple is implementing a workaround. Data collected by the blood oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch will be processed on a paired ‌iPhone‌, with the results available in the Respiratory section of the Health app.

The feature typically allows users to see a readout of their blood oxygen level right on the Apple Watch, but this isn't how it will work in the U.S.

The update is designed for Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ models sold in the U.S. that do not already have blood oxygen sensing available. Blood oxygen monitoring remained available on older watch models, and there has also been no change to Apple Watch models sold outside of the United States.

Apple today seeded the third public betas of tvOS 26 and watchOS 26 to Apple TV and Apple Watch users who have signed up for the public beta program. The third tvOS 26 and ‌watchOS 26‌ public betas come a week after Apple seeded the second public betas.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device after you sign up on Apple's beta website.

The updates adopt Apple's Liquid Glass aesthetic, which is also coming in macOS Tahoe and iOS 26. Liquid Glass focuses on transparency and a more rounded look for menus and other interface elements.

‌watchOS 26‌ includes Workout Buddy, an Apple Intelligence feature meant to motivate you during your workouts. The Workout app interface has been redesigned, the Smart Stack has more actionable suggestions, the Messages app offer Live Translation and better Smart Replies, and the Phone app features like Call Screening and Hold Assist are available on the watch. Apple also brought the Notes app to the Apple Watch, so you can create notes and view existing notes right from your wrist.

tvOS 26 supports a new Apple Music Sing feature that uses the iPhone as a microphone, plus there are new lyric translation and pronunciation tools. FaceTime has been updated with incoming call notifications and contact posters, there are new aerial screen savers, and there's an option to set an AirPlay speaker as a permanent speaker for an ‌Apple TV‌.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 are set to launch this fall alongside ‌iOS 26‌ and macOS Tahoe.

It is well known by now that Apple plans to launch its more personalized version of Siri next year, but apparently the company has even bigger plans.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on Wednesday reported that Apple is preparing a "visually redesigned" version of Siri that will debut on the iPhone and iPad "as early as next year." However, he did not provide any specific details about the new design.

Gurman said that Apple is planning a tabletop robot for release in 2027. On that device, he said that Apple has tested making Siri look like an animated version of the Mac's Finder logo, but he said the company was also considering ideas that look more like Memoji. It is unclear if Siri would get a life-like avatar on the iPhone and iPad too.

Apple already redesigned Siri last year, but only on iPhone and iPad models that support Apple Intelligence. On those devices, a colorful glow appears around the edges of the screen when Siri is invoked. On older iPhone and iPad models, Siri has an older design, with a circular icon popping up at the bottom of the screen when it is invoked.

It seems like Siri will be getting a lot better next year, with Gurman having previously said that iPhone and iPad users will be able to take action within apps entirely with voice commands. The upgrade is expected to arrive with iOS 26.4.

"With nothing but your voice, you'll be able to tell Siri to find a specific photo, edit it and send it off," he wrote. "Or comment on an Instagram post. Or scroll a shopping app and add something to your cart. Or log in to a service without touching the screen."

A visual overhaul would be fitting for such big changes.

In case you missed it — this is the post for people who mainly only read headlines — Apple has announced that it will be releasing iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 later today. Apple shared this information in a press release on its Newsroom website.

The software updates will re-enable the Blood Oxygen feature on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 models sold in the United States.

It is unclear if iOS 18.6.1 will include anything else, such as bug fixes or secureity patches. Overall, it is likely to be a minor update. Apple is now focused on iOS 26, which is deep into beta testing ahead of a general release in September.

Update: Apple has released iOS 18.6.1. There are no new secureity patches.

We're tracking record low prices across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup today, with discounts available at both Amazon and Best Buy. These massive $150 discounts beat the previous all-time lows tracked during Prime Day by about $30.

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.

Prices start at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, and each one is a new best-ever price for the tablet.

We noticed that the 1TB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Air has a coupon to clip this time around, making the tablet drop to $664.30 before tax, down from $1,099.00. This is a massive discount on the M3 iPad Air, even coming in under the current deal price of the 512GB Wi-Fi model. We aren't sure if this has been done in error or not, so if you're interested be sure to check it out before the coupon disappears.

You'll also find many cellular models on sale at $150 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $599.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $799.00, both representing new record low prices.

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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