Apple Hiring for 'Answers' Team Working on 'ChatGPT-Like Search'

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 07:36:11 PDT

Apple is hiring engineers for an "Answers, Knowledge, and Information" team that is working on improving Siri, Spotlight, Safari, and more.


As of writing, Apple's careers website has more than a dozen job listings for the team across the U.S. and China. For example, Apple is looking to hire a Staff Machine Learning Engineer to help with "improving Siri's ability to answer personal domain questions." The job listing says the team develops large language models that are "responsible for answering users' questions using their personal documents with privacy at the forefront."

That sounds a lot like Apple's personalized Siri features, which were delayed until 2026. However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says there is more at play here.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he was told that the team is in the early stages of developing a "new ChatGPT-like search experience," and it is apparently even exploring a "standalone app" for such functionality.

"While still in early stages, the team is building what it calls an 'answer engine' — a system capable of crawling the web to respond to general-knowledge questions," wrote Gurman. "A standalone app is currently under exploration, alongside new back-end infrastructure meant to power search capabilities in future versions of Siri, Spotlight and Safari."

Gurman previously reported that Apple was developing a more conversational version of Siri, but he said that it was delayed until at least iOS 27. This would be a more ChatGPT-like version of Siri that is powered by a large language model.

For now, the only thing that Apple has announced is the more personalized version of Siri, which will have better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps. Evidently, though, it looks like Apple has even bigger ChatGPT-like ambitions.


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Apple Sues Movie Theater Chain With Similar 'Apple Cinemas' Name

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 07:37:00 PDT

In a federal court in Massachusetts on Friday, Apple sued a small movie theater chain named Apple Cinemas over alleged trademark infringement.


"Apple Cinemas is knowingly and intentionally using the name Apple to sow confusion for its own benefit," alleged attorneys for Apple, in a complaint filed against all Apple Cinemas locations, and a Sand Media Corp Inc. company connected to the chain.

Established in 2013, Apple Cinemas maintained a limited presence in the Northeastern U.S. until last month, when it opened a theater in San Francisco. The complaint alleges that Apple Cinemas is pursuing a nationwide expansion across the U.S., including in areas near Apple's headquarters and retail stores, leading Apple to take action.

"Faced with Defendants' plan to expand to 100 theaters nationwide, as well as widespread public confusion about Apple's involvement in the theaters, Apple has no alternative but to file this lawsuit to protect its brand and customers from deception," the complaint states.

Apple Cinemas currently has 14 locations, according to its website.

Apple's "repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably" were unsuccessful. The lawsuit alleges that the companies behind Apple Cinemas have received multiple warnings that the name would cause confusion among consumers, but carried on. The complaint includes examples of some people who believed that Apple Cinemas was owned by Apple, in the comment sections of various online news articles and social media posts.

The first warning came from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which in October 2024 denied Sand Media Corp Inc.'s trademark applications for the "Apple Cinemas" and "ACX — Apple Cinematic Experience" marks, given they were likely to cause confusion with Apple's prior trademark rights, according to the complaint.

Apple has very strong trademark rights in connection with a wide range of goods and services, including movie distribution, its attorneys said.

The second warning came in December 2024, when Apple sent Sand Media Corps Inc. a cease and desist letter directly, according to the complaint. Apple's attorneys also communicated with the company by phone and in writing several times, but it knowingly pushed forward with its Apple Cinemas expansion plans, the complaint adds.

As for how the Apple Cinemas name came to be? According to the complaint, the founders of the chain claim they adopted the name due to a planned first location at the Apple Valley Mall in Rhode Island, but they never opened a location there.

Apple is seeking both an injunction and monetary damages.
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iPhone 17 Pro's Metal Battery Allegedly Revealed [Updated]

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 07:30:00 PDT

Update — August 2: Majin Bu now says that this battery is actually for the iPhone 17 Pro, instead of the iPhone 17 Air as they originally claimed. There will apparently be two variants, for models with and without a physical SIM card tray.


"Due to a miscommunication with my source, the information I reported yesterday is incorrect," said Majin Bu.

Original story follows.

---

A leaker known as Majin Bu today shared images of an alleged battery pack for Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air model, which is expected to launch in September.

The battery apparently has a metal cover, just like the iPhone 16 Pro's battery. This cover would help to dissipate heat generated by the battery inside the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point.

A source told Majin Bu that the L-shaped battery pack will have a capacity of around 2,900 mAh. That tracks with previous rumors indicating that the iPhone 17 Air's battery capacity will be in the 2,800 mAh to 3,000 mAh range.

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. Majin Bu expects the iPhone 17 Air's battery will also be removable in this way.


Majin Bu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors. They were most recently accurate about iPadOS 26 adding a Mac-like menu bar to iPads.

If the 2,900 mAh figure is accurate, the iPhone 17 Air could have the shortest battery life of any iPhone model since the iPhone 13 series, but the lower capacity could be offset by the A19 chip's improved power efficiency. In addition, iOS 26's new Adaptive Power Mode would help the iPhone 17 Air to achieve at least slightly longer battery life.

Earlier this year, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that the iPhone 17 Air would have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, due to the device's rumored ultra-thin design limiting internal space for a battery.

In internal testing, Apple determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to that report. For other iPhone models, the report said that metric is apparently between 80% and 90%.

To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.

Apple last released battery cases for the iPhone 11 lineup, followed by the since-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12 models and newer.
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Best Apple Deals of the Week: M4 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Hit New Record Low Prices

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 07:00:00 PDT

The highlight of this week's best Apple deals is a sale on the M4 MacBook Air at Amazon, with $200 off nearly every model of the computer. You'll also find great discounts on the MacBook Pro, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and AirPods Max this week.

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.

M4 MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Get $200 off M4 MacBook Air


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original 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 original 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.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

• What's the deal? Get $150 off Apple Watch Ultra 2


• Where can I get it? Best Buy and Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Both Amazon and Best Buy brought back the all-time low price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 this week in multiple colors and band styles.

AirPods Max

• What's the deal? Get $99 off AirPods Max


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

You can get the AirPods Max for $449.99 in all colors except Purple this week on Amazon, which is a $99 discount and second-best price.

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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Top Stories: iOS 18.6 Released, iPhone 17 Leaks, and More

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 06:00:00 PDT

With the calendar flipping over to August, we're just about a month away from the introduction of the iPhone 17 lineup and we're continuing to hear more about what to expect for this year's flagship phones.


Testing on iOS 26 and related updates is also in full swing, even as this week saw the release of iOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, and more to provide bug fixes and security updates for users. Rumors about Apple's foldable iPhone also continue to surface, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 With Photos Bug Fix

While iOS 26 and related major updates are now in public beta testing ahead of their official releases later this year, Apple is continuing to tweak the current versions with bug fixes and security updates. This week saw the release of iOS 18.6 with a fix for a bug in the Photos app that could prevent memory movies from being shared. The update also includes over 20 security fixes, so it's important to update your devices as soon as possible.


In addition to iOS 18.6, Apple also released macOS Sequoia 15.6, watchOS 11.6, tvOS 18.6, and more, to ensure that all of the company's platforms receive the important fixes.

iPhone 17 Pro Could Come in Surprising Orange Color, Dummy Models Suggest

We've been hearing more and more about the expected color options for the iPhone 17 lineup coming later this year, and a fresh crop of dummy units reportedly intended to showcase the actual shades Apple is planning on launching reveal a surprisingly bright orange color for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.


In other iPhone rumors, a tipster claims that the Pro models will include up to 8× optical zoom for the Telephoto lens, an additional Camera Control button, and a new pro camera app. The larger camera bumps on the Pro models will also necessitate a change to the MagSafe design, though backward compatibility will be included.

iPhone 17 Pro Spotted in the Wild?

While the iPhone 17 Pro is not expected to launch until September, a prototype of the device was potentially spotted in the wild this week.


It could certainly be a hoax, but the details shown in the photos are consistent with the rumored design of the phone and with how Apple is known to conceal unreleased hardware that has to be tested in the real world.

JPMorgan: Foldable iPhone to Launch in September 2026

Rumors are continuing to line up behind the idea of Apple releasing its first foldable phone in September 2026, alongside several iPhone 18 models.


The latest research note from JPMorgan suggests that the foldable is likely to start at around $1,999, creating a roughly $65 billion market opportunity for Apple. The firm forecasts foldable iPhone sales to be in the low-teens of million in 2027, reaching 45 million units by 2028.

These 10 Apple Stores Are Opening or Closing Later This Year

There has been a flurry of Apple retail news over the past few weeks, with the company announcing the opening of several new or renovated locations while closing a few others. Beyond our initial list of stores from earlier this week, Tim Cook also announced on Thursday's earnings conference call that several more openings are coming to India and the United Arab Emirates later this year.


The closings, which include a rare closure of a Chinese store in Dalian, typically occur in shopping malls that have been in decline and losing other major tenants. In some cases Apple has been replacing the stores in other nearby locations where they are expected to perform better, while in other cases customers are directed to alternative existing Apple retail stores in their areas.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
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iOS 26: 10+ Features Coming to the Phone App

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 16:46:03 PDT

The Phone app doesn't often get a lot of attention with iOS updates, but that's changing in iOS 26. There are multiple new features to prevent unwanted calls and to save you time.

Unified Design

The Phone app has a new unified design, but there is an option to use the original iOS 18 layout as well. The unified design puts recent calls, missed calls, and voicemails on a single screen.


Favorite contacts remain at the top of the interface, and there's still a tab for swapping over to contacts and the keypad. You can turn the unified view on or off by tapping on the icon with three lines in the upper right corner of the display.

Call Screening

Apple has expanded call screening functionality in ‌iOS 26‌. There is an option to ask unknown callers (aka people who you don't have saved in your Contacts list) for their name and reason for calling. When enabled, this is an automated process.


The iPhone intercepts an incoming call, and requests the person's name and a short reason for calling. The information is transcribed to text and relayed to you, and you can decide whether to ask for more information, accept the call, or decline the call.

The person on the other end of the call receives an automated response similar to a voicemail asking for more information, and they are placed on hold while you make a decision on accepting or declining the call.

To use this feature, toggle on "Ask Reason for Calling" in the Phone section of the Settings app.

Silence Unknown Callers

Rather than asking for more information from unknown callers, there is still a silence unknown caller option that can be turned on instead. As in ‌iOS 18‌, toggling this on silences calls from unsaved numbers, sending them to voicemail automatically. Calls that are silenced will show up on the Recents list, and you will also see the voicemail for information about why someone was calling.

If you don't want to use silence unknown callers or the ask reason for calling feature, you can set the Screen Unknown Callers option to "Never." With this setting, calls from unsaved numbers ring as normal, and missed calls are shown on the Recents list.

Call Filtering

In addition to improved call screening, ‌iOS 26‌ has new call filtering features. There is an option to move missed calls and voicemails from unsaved numbers to a dedicated Unknown Callers list, hiding them from the main view.


There's also a toggle to automatically silence calls that are marked as spam by a carrier. If you have Verizon, for example, Verizon automatically marks some numbers as spam, and the ‌iPhone‌ can automatically send those calls to voicemail and move the calls to the Spam list. This setting will vary by carrier.

With these options turned on, you can tap on the icon in the upper right of the phone app to see calls that have been moved to the Unknown Caller section or marked as spam.

Spam Voicemails

When you tap into a voicemail from an unknown number, there's now a "Report Spam" button. Tapping on it sends the voicemail to Apple, and you can either report the message as spam and keep it, or report it and delete it. Deleting a voicemail from an unknown number also brings up the option to report it as spam, and there is an option to report spam right when listening to an incoming voicemail as well.


Reporting a voicemail as spam does not block the caller, and that needs to be done with a separate step. Tap on the "i" button, scroll down on the contact card, and tap on Block Contact to block a spammer.

Hold Assist

If you make a call and are placed on hold, there's a feature in ‌iOS 26‌ that will wait for you so you can do other things. It listens for hold music playing, and then alerts you when a person comes on the line so you can pick up the call.


You can turn on Hold Assist on any call by placing the call, then tapping on the "..." button once the call has connected. Your phone will ring and you will be alerted to pick up when a person is on the line. If the ‌iPhone‌ detects hold music, it may also automatically prompt you to turn on Hold Assist.

Since the feature works by detecting hold music, it can be imperfect when a number has a voice-based automation reminding you to stay on the line, or if there's music with distinct lyrics. You will see a transcript of any spoken words, so you can determine when a person is actually on the line.

Live Translation

Live Translation is a feature that can translate incoming phone calls from one language to another. When a call is in progress, tap on the "..." button and then tap on Live Translation to use the feature.


You can then select the language that you want to translate from (the language spoken by the person you're talking to) and the language that you want to translate to (your language). As of now, Live Translation for the Phone app supports English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

When a translation is in progress, you'll see a small notice at the bottom of the phone app that says "Translating [Language]" and there will be a live transcript of the call. An AI voiceover will audibly translate what's said from one language to another, with a slight delay while this is happening.

Live Translation works on the ‌iPhone‌ to translate what you're hearing and what you're saying, so the person on the other end does not need to have an ‌iPhone‌ or even a smartphone at all.

Call History

There is an extended call history available for each of your contacts in ‌iOS 26‌. In the Phone app, tap on the "i" next to any name or number, and then tap on the "Call History" option. From there, you can see every time you've spoken with that person, dating years back.

Type to Siri

While on a phone call, you can now use the Type to Siri feature to ask ‌Siri‌ questions or to complete a task.

Screen Sharing and SharePlay

Apple added SharePlay and screen sharing support to the Phone app in ‌iOS 26‌. When on a call with a person that has a compatible device, tap on the "..." button and then choose either SharePlay or Screen Sharing to access the features.

When using SharePlay, you're able to select an app to use with the feature, such as Apple TV or Apple Music.

With screen sharing, you can ask for remote access to a device, which is useful for helping troubleshoot tech problems.

Both participants need to be using a device with ‌iOS 26‌, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe to use screen sharing and SharePlay with the Phone app.

eSIM Improvements

If you need to transfer an eSIM to Android or an Android eSIM to an ‌iPhone‌, the process has been streamlined in ‌iOS 26‌. In the ‌iPhone‌'s cellular settings, there is a "Transfer to Android" option for an existing SIM, as well as an option to "Transfer From Android" when adding a new SIM to an ‌iPhone‌.

Phone App for iPad and Mac

The Phone app has expanded to the iPad in ‌iPadOS 26‌ and the Mac in macOS Tahoe. All of the features like Call Screening, Hold Assist, and Live Translation also work on the ‌iPad‌ and the Mac.


To use the Phone app on ‌iPad‌ or Mac, you do need an ‌iPhone‌ on the same Apple Account, and you need to activate Wi-Fi Calling so that calls can be accepted on other devices.

Read More

More on the features that are available in ‌iOS 26‌ can be found in our iOS 26 roundup.
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macOS Tahoe Review: Spotlight Shines, Liquid Glass Disappoints

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 16:16:32 PDT

We're on the fourth developer beta and first public beta of macOS Tahoe, which means we're getting closer to the launch version that's set to come out in September. With macOS Tahoe now available to the public, we thought it would be a good time to share an initial review of the update.


Like iOS 26, macOS Tahoe adopts the Liquid Glass design. It's used for the Dock, widgets, Control Center, menu bars, navigation bars in apps, app icons, and a few other places, but its implementation is less widespread than it is in iOS and iPadOS. It's clear that Liquid Glass was not a Mac-first design, and the glass parts of the interface feel cobbled together with the previous design language.

The floating element of Liquid Glass looks natural on the iPhone and the iPad, where glassy buttons hover over the app's content to provide a sense of depth, but macOS Tahoe doesn't have enough of the glass-like transparency to make that work in the same way on the Mac. There are not-so-transparent gray-shaded buttons and navigation bars that have a dated-looking shadowing behind them, and the rounded look doesn't help make things appear modern either. Liquid Glass looks better on darker backgrounds, but it very much feels like a work in progress. This is a beta, of course, so we could see further updates to Liquid Glass on the Mac before Tahoe launches.

Apple has been updating the macOS Tahoe design from beta to beta. Up until beta 4, Safari had a design where non-active tabs were denoted as such with an underline, while the active tab had none. That's typically not how underlining works, so determining which tab was in use was confusing. Apple thankfully adopted a color-based design in beta 4, so it's now clear which tab is at the forefront.

Though Liquid Glass doesn't feel fully developed in macOS Tahoe, there are other new features that make a positive change to customization and function.

The Control Center and Menu Bar can be customized with the apps and features that you need most, and other less useful options can be tucked away or removed. The Control Center is more like the iOS Control Center, and you can create multiple pages with options organized in a way that works for you. Third-party app functions will be able to be added to the Menu Bar and Control Center too.

macOS adopts the tinted icon option from iOS, so you can tint your icons all the same color, or choose the Liquid Glass-style clear option (though be warned, it's more gray than clear on macOS). Folder colors can be customized too, and you can add an emoji to a folder to make it stand out.

One of the biggest changes in macOS Tahoe is to Spotlight, which is now a one-stop spot for everything that you might need to do on a Mac. You can use it to open apps, find anything on your Mac, see your clipboard history, and complete actions. Spotlight replaces Launchpad, so when you want to open an app, you'll now use Spotlight.

Search is more comprehensive and you're more likely to find what you're looking for using the file searching feature, plus you can keep tabs on what you've copied and pasted with the new clipboard history option. It stores a log of what you've copied for 24 hours.

Actions is an all-new Spotlight function. You can do all kinds of things without ever opening an app, like sending an email or message, starting a timer, creating a note, placing a call, creating a reminder or calendar event, and much more. Apple added quick access buttons that are easy to learn, so you can use Command 1, 2, 3, and 4 to get to the different Spotlight functions. For things you use most often, you can set up your own quick keys.

The Phone app is now on the Mac, which could be useful depending on your daily habits. There was already an option to answer a call on the Mac or make a FaceTime audio or video call, but now you have access to the full suite of phone functions for placing calls from the Mac. You'll need a connected ‌iPhone‌ with Wi-Fi Calling, of course. The Phone app on Mac includes the new features like Hold Assist, Call Screening, and Live Translation that you'll also find on the ‌iPhone‌.

There's a new Games app that basically includes what's in the Games section of the Mac App Store and Apple Arcade. There's a "Play Together" option for challenging friends to beat you at a specific goal in a single-player game, and there's a multiplayer section for finding games to play with friends. The Games app doesn't seem all that useful as of right now, but maybe it will get additional features to make it more appealing in the future.

The Journal app is also now available for Mac, which will be a welcome change for those who want to write journal entries using a Mac's keyboard.

Many of the most useful ‌iOS 26‌ features and changes are also available on the Mac, like personalized Messages backgrounds, Apple Intelligence support for organizing Reminders, new ChatGPT styles for Image Playground, and support for the updated Genmoji.

Have you tried macOS Tahoe yet? Let us know what you think of the update in the comments.

Read More About macOS Tahoe

We have a macOS Tahoe roundup that walks through all of the different features in the update.
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CalDigit TS5 Plus Dock Review: Maximum Ports, Maximum Power

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:40:23 PDT

CalDigit recently came out with the TS5 Plus, which is designed to work with Apple's Thunderbolt 5 Macs.


The TS5 Plus looks like CalDigit's prior docks, featuring a simple rectangular shape and an aluminum build with some ridging at the top, bottom, and sides for visual interest and heat dissipation.

It's a black aluminum color that matches the Space Black of the M4 MacBook Pro models, and it comes with a hefty 330W power brick. In fact, the power brick is longer than the dock itself, but it's flat and tucks away under a desk fairly well. The TS5 Plus is six inches long, five inches wide, and 1.8 inches thick, while the power brick is seven inches long, 3.5 inches wide, and a little under an inch thick.


After using Anker's Thunderbolt 5 dock with a built-in power supply, I am disappointed with the large size of the CalDigit power brick. There's a power supply cable that attaches to the power brick, and then the power brick has a cable that plugs into the dock. CalDigit includes a high-quality 3.3ft Thunderbolt 5 cable with a braided design, and a set of rubber feet.


Though I am complaining about the power brick compared to the Anker Prime's more compact design with included power supply, the CalDigit TS5 Plus has six more available ports, faster Ethernet, and more charging power for accessory devices.


At the front of the dock, there's a 10Gb/s USB-A port that can provide 7.5W to charge AirPods or an Apple Watch, along with two 10Gb/s USB-C ports, one that supplies 7.5W and a second that supplies 36W, which is enough to fast charge an iPhone or iPad, and even enough power for a MacBook Air. The front also has an SD card slot and a microSD card reader, plus there's an audio combo jack and a small LED that lets you know when the dock has power. The card slots support UHS-II transfer speeds at up to 312MB/s.


The rest of the ports are on the back, and include the following:

• 3 10Gb/s USB-C data ports that can provide 7.5W


• 4 10Gb/s USB-A ports that can provide 7.5W


• 10GbE Ethernet port


• Audio in


• Audio out


• DisplayPort 2.1


• Two downstream 80Gb/s Thunderbolt 5 ports that supply 36W


• One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port that supplies 140W to the host machine (with the included TB5 cable)


• One security slot


• DC in

There are enough ports to connect a ton of peripherals and multiple displays, but this isn't a dock that has an HDMI port. If you need HDMI, you can get an appropriate DisplayPort to HDMI adapter or just use the Mac's HDMI port.

I like the port arrangement. It's been useful having a 36W USB-C port front and center, and the SD card slot on the front is convenient for transferring photos from my camera. The USB-C ports charge my devices even when I don't have my MacBook connected, so the TS5 Plus also works as a charging station.


It's useful to have three 36W USB-C ports available on the TS5 Plus because I can charge an ‌iPhone‌, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, AirPods, and ‌MacBook Air‌ all at the same time while still charging my MacBook Pro and powering multiple displays. I did get the full fast charging for the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, and plugging in more devices didn't drop the power levels.

The TS5 Plus has dual USB controllers inside (one for the front and one for the back), and there's no throttling with multiple devices plugged in and transferring data at the same time. I tested with the Thunderbolt 5 SSD and two additional USB-C SSDs, and I didn't see any drop off in transfer speeds.


Since there is no fan inside, the TS5 Plus can get warm to the touch. It's not hot enough to burn, but it would warm your hands in the winter, and I wouldn't want to put a chocolate bar on top. The aluminum ridges do dissipate heat, but it won't run as cool as the Anker Prime. On the plus side, operation is silent because it doesn't have a fan.

Thunderbolt 5 supports 80Gb/s speeds with a bandwidth boost of up to 120Gb/s for displays, so it's twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4, which maxes out at 40Gb/s. There's also more bandwidth available for SSDs, which allows for faster data transfers.

Using the TS5 Plus and the Thunderbolt 5 Envoy Ultra from OWC, I was able to get maximum speeds of 4,647MB/s write and 5,154MB/s read. Speeds were just a little slower than the SSD plugged in directly to my ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Thunderbolt 5 supports up to three displays on PCs, but not on Macs. On the Mac, you're still going to max out at two displays over a single Thunderbolt 5 connection (aka run through a dock) because of GPU limitations. With the TS5 Plus, you can use two 8K displays at 60Hz, two 6K displays at 60Hz, a 5K and a 6K display, two 4K displays at 240Hz, and several other display combinations depending on which Mac you have and what it supports.

With the M4 Pro or M4 Max, you can actually run up to four displays, but you'll either need two Thunderbolt 5 docks for that setup, or you'll need to use the other Thunderbolt and HDMI ports you have available on your machine.

For higher resolutions, the M4 Pro only supports a single 8K display, so that's what you're limited to with the dock. The M4 Max can support two 8K displays at 60Hz, two 6K displays at 60Hz and one 8K display at 60Hz, or four displays at 6K 60Hz. CalDigit says you can run two 8K displays through the TS5 Plus, but you might test bandwidth limits if you have other devices like SSDs connected. You'd probably get better performance plugging one 8K display into the dock and then connecting the other 8K display to a different Thunderbolt 5 port or the Mac's HDMI port

I don't have a dual 6K or 8K dual display setup available, so I wasn't able to push the TS5 Plus to its limits. I normally use my ‌MacBook Pro‌ with just a single 5K Studio Display connected over Thunderbolt, but I added a 4K 144Hz Samsung display for testing with the TS5 Plus. I didn't run into any issues with two displays, even with multiple SSDs and other peripherals connected.


If you have a similar setup with a 5K display and a 4K display, or two 6K displays, you're not going to run into any problems, plus you'll have the bandwidth for upgrading to higher resolution displays as that kind of technology comes down in price. There are some fine-print limitations on displays that any potential buyer should check out. You can't run dual LG UltraFine 5K displays, for example. Dual 5K monitors need to be Thunderbolt 4 or Apple Studio displays, and 6K monitors need to be the Pro Display XDR or Thunderbolt 4 displays.

I primarily tested the TS5 Plus with an M4 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌, but it's also compatible with Thunderbolt 4 machines. I also had no issues using it with my M1 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌, and it worked flawlessly with an M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ as well. You can also connect to iPads that support Thunderbolt, such as the M4 ‌iPad Pro‌.

For older Macs with base M1, M2, or M3 chips, you can only use one external display with CalDigit's dock. If you have a ‌M1‌/‌M2‌/M3 Max or Pro chip, you can use dual displays with no issue.

Bottom Line

If you have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac and need the fastest data transfer speeds along with the ability to drive high resolution displays, you're not going to go wrong with the TS5 Plus. This is one of the most capable Thunderbolt 5 docks on the market, and its wide selection of ports are going to work for nearly any configuration.

Thunderbolt 5 docks are backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 4 machines, so it might also be worth opting for the TS5 Plus for future-proofing purposes, to get 10GbE, or to get the multi-device charging power that it offers. With three 36W USB-C ports, you can most likely charge all of your devices with the TS5 Plus, eliminating the need for multiple cables running from your desk to a power source.

This is the dock to get if you're looking for the best Thunderbolt 5 performance, and it's the one I'd recommend for use for any professional setup that involves high resolution displays and the need for fast transfer speeds. It is more expensive than some other docks, including the $400 CalDigit TS5 and the $400 Anker Prime, but the extra money may be worth it if you need the flexibility of 20 ports.

How to Buy

The TS5 Plus can be purchased from the CalDigit website or from Amazon for $500.

Note: CalDigit provided MacRumors with a TS5 Plus for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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Tim Cook Defends Apple's AI Delay: 'We've Rarely Been First'

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:07:59 PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke to employees at an all-hands meeting today, providing some insight into Apple's work on AI. According to Bloomberg, Cook said that AI is going to be bigger than smartphones and the internet, and that it's a priority for the company.


"Apple must do this. Apple will do this. This is sort of ours to grab. We will make the investment to do it," Cook told employees.

Cook pointed out that Apple has dominated several markets even when the company wasn't first to the technology. "We've rarely been first. There was a PC before the Mac; there was a smartphone before the iPhone; there were many tablets before the iPad; there was an MP3 player before iPod," Cook said, suggesting that Apple will play a major role in transforming AI in the future.

The all-hands meeting comes a day after Apple's earnings call, where Cook made similar remarks about Apple's plan to make significant investments in AI. During the call, Cook said Apple was open to making an acquisition that would accelerate its roadmap.

Apple has held talks with Perplexity and Mistral about a potential major AI acquisition, and the company has also discussed using technology from OpenAI or Anthropic for an LLM-based version of Siri.

Apple software chief Craig Federighi was also on hand to discuss ‌Siri‌, and he said the company's efforts to overhaul the underlying ‌Siri‌ architecture are promising. Apple is getting the "needed" results from the ‌Siri‌ overhaul. "This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than we envisioned. There is no project people are taking more seriously," Federighi said.

Cook and Federighi may have been aiming to reassure employees about Apple's dedication to AI due to Meta's efforts to poach AI experts. Several Apple AI engineers have left Apple for Meta because Meta has been offering massive pay packages, and morale at Apple has been falling.
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Apple Watch Series 1 Now Obsolete

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:33:42 PDT

Apple now considers second-generation Apple Watch Series 1 models released in 2016 to be obsolete, according to the company's vintage and obsolete products list.


Apple updated the list to move the Series 1 Apple Watch models from the vintage section to the obsolete section, as it has now been more than seven years since the devices were last offered for sale. The Series 1 models were sold alongside the Apple Watch Series 2 models, and were the successor to the original Apple Watch models. The Series 1 Apple Watch was almost identical to the original Apple Watch, but it had a faster S1P processor.

Apple products are considered vintage five years after they were last distributed for sale, while a product is considered obsolete at the seven year mark. Vintage products can still be repaired at Apple retail stores and by Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) if the required parts are available, but products that are obsolete are no longer repairable and Apple does not provide parts.
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T-Mobile Completes UScellular Acquisition

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:13:57 PDT

T-Mobile has completed its acquisition of UScellular's wireless operations, T-Mobile announced today. T-Mobile paid $4.3 billion for UScellular, in a deal that included UScellular's wireless customers, stores, and 30 percent of its cellular spectrum.


T-Mobile announced the acquisition back in May 2024, but it was contingent on regulatory approval. According to Reuters, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved the merger in mid-July after T-Mobile ended its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

T-Mobile sent the FCC a letter [PDF] with a promise to end DEI on July 9, and the deal was approved two days later. T-Mobile said that it was eliminating its DEI-related policies "not just in name, but in substance."

According to T-Mobile, the UScellular acquisition is a "big win for customers." Existing UScellular customers will be incorporated into the T-Mobile network. While UScellular users can keep their plans for the time being, T-Mobile will begin allowing them to the transition to T-Mobile unlimited plans "as networks and systems are integrated."

T-Mobile previously acquired MetroPCS and Sprint. The MetroPCS acquisition was completed in 2013, and the Sprint acquisition was completed in 2020.
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Check Out This Music Video Shot With 40 iPhones

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:51:03 PDT

Japanese band Kroi's latest music video for the "Method" single was recorded using 40 iPhone 16 Pro models, according to Apple.


The iPhones were used to capture video from every angle simultaneously, with all of the shots merged into a single 3-minute music video.

Apple shared details on Instagram, and Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak also highlighted the video on social media.


The video was directed by Japanese filmmaker Taichi Kimura, who was also recently featured on Apple Music. Apple regularly highlights videos, movies, and TV shows that use the iPhone for its ongoing "Shot on ‌iPhone‌" series.
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Verizon Ending Free Apple Arcade Access and Loyalty Discounts

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:38:04 PDT

Verizon customers with select legacy plans have had free access to Apple Arcade, but Verizon is ending support for the benefit starting in September.


Customers are receiving emails letting them know that the ‌Apple Arcade‌ and Google Play Pass freebies included with some plans will be discontinued by September 22, 2025.

Verizon used to bundle its 5G plans with free access to Apple Music, ‌Apple Arcade‌, Disney+ and Hulu, and more, and customers on these prior-generation plans have continued to be able to use the included perks.

In 2023, Verizon changed its plan options, unbundling cellular service from the perks that it had used to lure subscribers in the past. Verizon now offers three base plans starting at $75 per month ($65 with auto pay enabled), and customers can pay an additional fee to get access to subscription services that used to be included.

Apple One with ‌Apple Music‌, Apple TV+, and ‌Apple Arcade‌ is $15 per month through Verizon, for example, and ‌Apple Music‌ is $10 per month. Through Apple directly, the base ‌Apple One‌ plan is $19.95 per month.

In the email announcing the change, Verizon encourages subscribers to choose a myPlan option instead of one of the legacy plans.

We are writing to let you know that a discount on your account will soon end. This discount will be removed no sooner than September 1, 2025. It is important to us to be upfront and transparent when changes are made to your account.

We want to ensure you get the best value and experience from Verizon and encourage you to check out our myPlan options for the plan that works best for you.

Verizon's new plans with add-ons are more expensive than the bundled plans that it offered in the past.

Verizon is also removing loyalty line discounts from customers starting in September. The company says that to "continue improving" its mobile network and services, legacy discounts are being removed from accounts. Line level loyalty, the $10 Verizon loyalty discount, $10 and $15 loyalty account credits, and discounts on select unlimited offers are being discontinued.
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The MacRumors Show: Latest iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumors

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:51:10 PDT

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we focus on the latest rumors about the two standard iPhone models expected to arrive this fall: the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air.


The ‌iPhone 17‌ is expected to feature the A19 chip and a larger, 6.3-inch display with slimmer bezels and ProMotion. Color options are likely to include black, white, steel gray, light blue, green, and purple.

The ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ is set to replace the "Plus" model in the lineup, debuting an all-new super-thin design. While it will not have an ultra wide camera, a SIM card tray, stereo speakers, or extended battery life, it is expected to offer a 6.6-inch display with ProMotion, the A19 Pro chip with a 5-core GPU, 12GB of memory, and a titanium frame. Color options are likely to include black, white, light gold, and light blue.

The entire ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup is rumored to feature a redesigned Dynamic Island interface, support for 25W charging with third-party accessories thanks to Qi 2.2, and perhaps a $50 price hike. The entire lineup is highly likely to be announced in the week of September 8. An ‌iPhone‌ 17e model is likely to follow in the spring of 2026.

We also discuss our latest thoughts on the iOS 26 beta, including the refinement of Liquid Glass and Apple Music's Automix feature. 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 the announcement of AppleCare One and automakers' increasingly opting out of CarPlay Ultra.

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.
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iOS 26: See How Long Your iPhone Will Take to Fully Charge

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:29:20 PDT

In iOS 26, currently in beta, your iPhone gains a handy new charging feature that takes the guesswork out of knowing when your device will be fully powered up. Instead of waiting around or checking your battery percentage every few minutes, you can now see exactly how much time remains until your device reaches 100%.


A real-time estimate appears right in your Battery settings while your iPhone is plugged in, making it ideal for planning your day around charging cycles or working out if you have enough time for a quick top-up before heading out.

How to Check Remaining Charge Time

The process is pretty straightforward once you know where to look:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.


2. Tap Battery.


3. Look for the time estimate displayed next to the charging indicator (shown as "XXm").

The estimate appears as a simple readout like "18m" or "45m," giving you an immediate answer to how long you'll need to wait for a full charge.

The feature is particularly handy if you switch between using different charging methods. For example, you can confirm if you're using a fast charger since you'll see a shorter wait time than if you were using a sub-standard adapter.

Not only that, if you check the same Battery menu after charging is finished and your device is unplugged, it will tell you how long it's been since your iPhone was charged and to what percentage.

Additional Charging Information on Lock Screen

iOS 26 also provides charging details directly on your Lock Screen. When your iPhone is charging from a low battery percentage, the Lock Screen displays how long it will take to reach at least 80% charge.

And if you're using a slower charging adapter, your Lock Screen will inform you of this as well, which should help you understand why charging might be taking longer than expected.

iOS 26 is currently in beta and is expected to see a general release in the fall.
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Apple Warns Investors About Risk of Massive Deal With Google Ending

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:05:07 PDT

On its quarterly earnings calls, Apple provides informal financial guidance that helps set expectations for investors and Wall Street analysts. On its latest earnings call yesterday, however, Apple mentioned something that it had not before.


Specifically, Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh said that the company's September quarter revenue outlook was contingent on Apple's revenue-sharing agreement with Google continuing. As noted by Jason Snell at Six Colors, this is seemingly the first time Apple has directly referred to the threat of losing this revenue within its prepared remarks.

Here is what Parekh said, with emphasis added:

As we move into the September quarter, I'd like to review our outlook, which includes the types of forward-looking information that Suhasini referred to. Importantly, the color we're providing assumes that the global tariff rates, policies, and application remain in effect as of this call, the global macroeconomic outlook does not worsen from today, and the current revenue-share agreement with Google continues.

Google reportedly pays Apple billions of dollars per year to be the default search engine in Safari across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with a court document revealing that Google paid Apple a whopping $20 billion in 2022 alone.

In August 2024, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Google's default search engine agreement with Apple violated antitrust law. However, the court has not yet issued any remedies, and Google will almost certainly appeal any unfavorable decision.

"I don't really want to speculate on the court ruling and how they would rule and what we would do as a consequence of it," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, on the earnings call.
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Here's What Tim Cook Thinks About Apple's Vision Pro After Low Sales

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 06:46:12 PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook remains bullish on the Vision Pro, despite reports of low sales since the mixed-reality headset launched nearly 18 months ago.


"I was thrilled with the release from the team on visionOS 26," said Cook, on Apple's earnings call on Thursday. "It includes many things in it, like Spatial Widgets to enable users to customize their digital space. The Personas took a huge increase, they're much more lifelike. And of course there's new enterprise APIs for companies as well."

"We continue to be very focused on it," added Cook. "I don't want to get into the roadmap on it, but this is an area that we really believe in."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has already leaked the apparent next step in that roadmap. Last month, he reported that Apple plans to update the Vision Pro as early as this year. He expects two key upgrades over the current model, including a faster M4 chip, and a new head strap that makes it easier to wear the headset for extended use.

Apple launched the Vision Pro in the U.S. in February 2024, with pricing starting at a lofty $3,499. The current model is equipped with an M2 chip.

Some of the customers that did buy the Vision Pro said they regretted spending so much money on a device that they ultimately used so little. And some users have complained about the device being too heavy to wear comfortably for long periods.

Cook previously admitted that the Vision Pro is not a mass-market product due to its high price.

"At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," he said last year. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have tomorrow's technology today—that's who it's for. Fortunately, there's enough people who are in that camp that it's exciting."

Research firm IDC estimated that Vision Pro sales would be under 500,000 units in 2024, and it is probably safe to estimate that sales remain below 1 million as of today.

Gurman said that Apple plans to release a redesigned Vision Pro that weighs significantly less — and hopefully costs significantly less — in 2027.

In addition, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple smart glasses without built-in displays to enter mass production in the second quarter of 2027. Similar to the Meta Ray-Bans, he said that Apple's glasses will allow users to take photos, record videos, and listen to music, with both touch and hands-free voice control.

Eventually, Gurman and Kuo expect Apple to release true augmented reality glasses, but such a product likely remains many years away.
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Tim Cook Has Now Been Apple's CEO for Longer Than Steve Jobs

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 05:37:59 PDT

Tim Cook has now served as Apple's chief executive officer (CEO) for longer Steve Jobs' entire tenure, including the latter's time as interim CEO.


Steve Jobs served as Apple's CEO across two distinct stretches: first as interim CEO from September 16, 1997 to January 5, 2000, a period lasting 841 days, and then as official CEO from January 5, 2000 until his resignation on August 24, 2011, a span of 4,249 days. Combined, Jobs led Apple as CEO for a total of 5,090 days.

‌Tim Cook‌, on the other hand, became CEO immediately following Jobs's resignation on August 24, 2011 and has continuously held since then, which amounts to 5,091 days. This means that, as of August 1, 2025, Cook has officially been Apple's CEO for one day longer than Steve Jobs was.

It's worth noting that from 1976 to 1985, Steve Jobs was never Apple's CEO. When Apple incorporated in 1977, venture capitalist Mike Markkula insisted on bringing in an experienced executive to run the company, which is why Michael Scott was hired as Apple's first CEO. After Scott left, Markkula himself became CEO, followed by John Sculley, whom Jobs personally recruited from Pepsi in 1983.

Jobs instead held titles such as chairman of the board and head of the Macintosh division, but he was not entrusted with the chief executive role. Ultimately, after a power struggle in 1985, Jobs was stripped of his responsibilities and left the company entirely.

In terms of hardware, as CEO Jobs oversaw the launch of major products such as the iMac, iPod, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad from 1997 to 2011. Cook, on the other hand, has overseen the debut of the Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, Apple silicon, AirTag, and Vision Pro.

Software-wise, Jobs debuted iTunes, Mac OS X, Safari, iOS, the App Store, FaceTime, and iCloud. Cook has overseen the launch of Swift, Apple Pay, Apple Intelligence, and a massive expansion of Apple services including Apple Music, ‌Apple TV‌+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+.

Jobs also stewarded the company's recovery and Microsoft's $150 million investment, the move into retail, the plan to build Apple Park, and Apple's ascension to become the most valuable American tech company. Cook has supervised record valuations (reaching $3 trillion dollars in 2022) and Apple becoming the most valuable public traded company, as well as significant acquisitions such as Beats and Shazam.

Cook seemingly has no plans to step down anytime soon; there is apparently no immediate successor ready to take the helm. In fact, he could become Apple's chairman as well as CEO in the not-too-distant future.
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How to Install macOS Tahoe Public Beta

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 05:12:14 PDT

Apple has made the macOS Tahoe public beta available for testing before the new Mac operating system's official release in the fall. Keep reading to learn whether you should install it on your Mac, and if so, how to go about it.


Getting access to the macOS Tahoe public beta is simple, and can be done by enrolling your Mac in Apple's free Apple Beta Software Program. The steps you need to complete to install the software on your Mac are provided towards the end of this article, but before you jump ahead, here are a few things worth considering.

Should I Install the macOS Tahoe Public Beta?

With macOS Tahoe, Apple introduces a major redesign for the platform with the all-new Liquid Glass interface, along with a host of new features. These include the Phone app on Mac, powerful new Spotlight actions, further Apple Intelligence integration, a dedicated Games app, and customizable backgrounds in Messages. Live Activities from iPhone also make their way to your Mac's menu bar, which now has a fully customizable Control Center. With so many additions and a striking visual update, it's no surprise that macOS Tahoe is generating a lot of interest among Mac users.

But before you commit, bear in mind that Apple does not recommend installing macOS beta updates on your main Mac. Remember, this is beta software, which means there are almost certainly bugs and issues that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems with the system. Indeed, one of the reasons that Apple releases the beta to developers early is so that they can feed back problems and help Apple debug them. If you have a spare Mac hanging around, by all means use that, otherwise consider holding off until the general release in the fall.

Is My Mac Supported?

macOS Tahoe is compatible with the following Mac models, according to Apple:

• MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)


• MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)


• MacBook Pro (16‑inch, 2019)


• MacBook Pro (13‑inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)


• iMac (2020 and later)


• Mac mini (2020 and later)


• Mac Studio (2022 and later)


• Mac Pro (2019 and later)

macOS Tahoe officially drops support for the following Macs (earlier models than those shown are also not supported):

• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)


• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)


• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)


• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)


• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)


• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)


• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)


• iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019)


• iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)


• iMac Pro (2017)


• Mac mini (2018)

Don't Forget to Back Up Your Mac

Be sure to back up your Mac using Time Machine before installing the software using the method, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to the previous version of macOS if things go wrong.

How to Install macOS Tahoe Public Beta

1. Head over to Apple's Beta Software Program website and sign up using your Apple Account credentials, then agree to the terms and conditions if required.
   
   
2. Next, open System Settings on your Mac and select General ➝ Software Update.


3. Look for "Beta Updates" and click the info (i) symbol next to it.
   
   
4. Choose macOS Tahoe 26 Public Beta from the dropdown list.
   
   
5. Click Upgrade Now to begin the update process to macOS 26.
   

That's all you need to do. The installation process will complete just like a standard macOS update, so sit back and let the installation finish, after which your Mac will boot directly into the macOS Tahoe beta.
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tvOS 26 Brings New Aerial Screen Saver Controls, India Footage

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 03:55:16 PDT

Apple's upcoming tvOS 26 update brings some neat new features to Apple TV, including a redesigned TV app, a new profile selector on wake, and a design overhaul matching Apple's new multi-platform spanning Liquid Glass aesthetic. However, another of its less talked-about enhancements has to do with Apple TV's visually impressive Aerial screen savers.


With tvOS 26, you can now manually select and deselect individual Aerial screen savers that you want to appear on the screen, bringing new levels of customization to the experience.

If you go to the Screen Saver menu in Settings, you'll find new granular controls over specific screen savers within the Cityscape, Earth, Landscape, and Underwater collections. The new "Choose Aerials" option lets you curate a personalized playlist of your favorite scenic vistas – much like Mac users have enjoyed since macOS Sonoma launched in 2023.

For lovers of Aerial screen savers, an added bonus is that Apple is also adding new aerial footage captured across India, including landscapes from Goa and Kerala, expanding the collection of high-quality screen savers that have become a signature feature of Apple TV.

If you've registered with Apple's Beta Program, you can try tvOS 26 early by going to Settings ➝ System ➝ Software Updates and selecting Get Beta Updates. The official release of tvOS 26 is coming in the fall, and we are also expecting a refreshed Apple TV 4K to launch sometime between September and December.
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