#Apple

Apple shared that it has shipped its 3 billionth iPhone during its 3rd fiscal quarter earnings call. It took the company only four years to reach its 3rd billion iPhones sold, compared to 5 years for the second billion. When asked whether other devices might replace the iPhone, Tim Cook said that they would be complementary rather than a replacement.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview that the company is "open" to acquire AI startups. He further mentioned that Apple is significantly growing its efforts in the AI field and looking to accelerate its roadmap. This could come as a response to the company's leading AI talents jumping over to Meta.

Apple is offering custom wallpapers to celebrate the launch of its first online store in Saudi Arabia. The wallpapers feature elegant Arabic calligraphy and colorful backgrounds. Users can also mix and match logo and background colors or pick from premade gallery. This feature is available globally, and no VPN is required to access the site itself.

Apple has dropped the first public beta for iOS 26, making the update available to more users. The update features the new Liquid Glass design language, along with several new tweaks and improvements. If you want to join the public beta then sign up at beta.apple.com and install the new build.

Apple is introducing a new AppleCare One subscription plan for $19.99/ month. This covers three devices under one plan. Customers will need to pay $5.99/ month for each additional device. It also allows customers to cover their existing devices that are up to 4 years old and in good condition.

The latest iOS 26 developer beta 4 contains a line that uses the word "show" in reference to HomePods. This is an interesting discovery given that none of the current HomePods feature a display to show anything. It could likely suggest that the next version of the HomePod may feature a display to show you weather, time and other updates.

Apple has just released the iOS 26 developer beta 4, which brings back the glassy effect that was toned down in developer beta 3. It also adds a new dynamic wallpaper, improved controls to manage unknown calls, notification summaries for news stories, and more. This is probably the last developer beta, and the next update will be the first iOS 26 public beta. 

Apple has filed a lawsuit against YouTuber and Apple leaker Jon Prosser, accusing him of misappropriating trade secrets and violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Prosser allegedly gained access to an unreleased iOS 26 build by paying off a friend of an Apple engineer. Using these details, Prosser created mockups and reported as early as January on the upcoming changes in iOS 26.

Apple has added a new Emoji Game to their News+ daily puzzles catalogue. The game requires you to fill in the blanks and guess the word using the correct emoji suggestion. It is exclusively available with the News+ subscription which costs $12.99/ per month. 

Apple could release the first iOS 26 public beta as soon as next week, likely on July 23rd. This comes unusually late, as Apple typically releases public builds just days after developer beta 3. That is why it is likely we might see developer beta 4 arrive tomorrow before the public beta drops.

The next version of the Apple Vision Pro is expected to feature the latest M4 chipset. It will not come with any design changes, but it will feature a new, and hopefully more comfortable, strap. The new Vision Pro is slated to launch later this year, but Apple has not confirmed exact dates yet. 

Several big carmakers including Audi, Mercedes, and Volvo have rejected Apple's CarPlay Ultra. The reason for this snub is carmarkers' concern over revenue streams as they can charge buyers for certain features within their own OS.. However, they will continue to use the current version of CarPlay.

Apple is rolling out the iOS 26 Beta 2 update for all devices enrolled in the Developer Beta program. The update finally fixes the lack of background blur effect when pulling down the Control Center. It also brings new Accessibility options, a new Radio widget, order tracking in Apple Wallet, and more. 

Apple might be in early talks to acquire the AI startup Perplexity. The acquisition would help bring in AI talent, which could help improve Apple's Intelligence. Other tech giants like Meta are also considering making an offer to acquire Perplexity. 

Apple has introduced a new Liquid Glass design language, which will be available across their entire lineup of devices, and will be coming this fall. The Liquid Glass design is consistent across Apple's software portfolio, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more.

The iMessage app could receive chat backgrounds and polls feature in iOS 26. Your chat backgrounds will sync with the rest of the signed-in devices and will also be visible to others. Polls might have Apple Intelligence integration, suggestion polls based on the context of conversation. 

Apple's appeal to block third-party links in the App Store has been rejected by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. The decision allows apps to include payment links without a 27% fee, lifting restrictions imposed by Apple. This ruling is a significant win for developers and users.

Apple might streamline the operating system version number across all its devices. The company might change the current naming scheme to match the subsequent year of their release. This means, we will get iOS 26 instead of iOS 19 this year and the big change could get announced at WWDC on June 9th. 

Apple is reportedly working on a new gaming hub-like app. This new app will replace Game Center and will let you launch games and track achievements. It will be coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and possibly even to Apple TV in the upcoming version of iOS and macOS. 

The iPhone 17 Air's slim design may come at a severe cost of battery capacity. According to leaked details, the phone will feature a high-density battery, which will be 2,800mAh in size. This will make it must to use an additional battery back with the device to use it for long periods between charges. 

Apple is rebuilding Siri from the ground up as a large language model (LLM)-powered assistant. This will improve its conversational abilities and data synthesis. The company is investing more in AI, and the new Siri will also be able to access the web like Perplexity.

Apple faces backlash in over warning messages on apps not using its payment system, despite recent rulings allowing third-party payments. The warnings, part of Apple’s DMA Compliance Plan since March 2024, discourage users from apps using external purchases. The controversy resurfaces due to Apple’s past practices and ongoing legal battles with Epic Games. 

Apple is testing a new feature for its Vision Pro headsets that let you scroll through the screen using just your eyes. The feature will leverage the eye tracking hardware that's already present on the Vision Pro, and it should work across all of Apple's app on visionOS. Apple is also planning to allow third party developers access to this feature, so they can add it to their own apps.

Apple has released iOS 18.5 alongside macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11.5 and more. Here is everything new in iOS 18.5.

To prepare for the iPhone's 20th anniversary, Apple has plans to release a refreshed lineup by 2027. The company is already developed a "mostly glass, curved iPhone" which is expected to be a truly edge-to-edge device with no cutouts. Additionally, Apple could also release their first foldable phone, a pair of smart glasses, a tabletop robot, and an improved Siri in two years' time.

Apple is reportedly developing a new chip that will power its new smart glasses. This chip will be based on processors used on the Apple Watch for low energy consumption and power efficiency. It'll be designed to control multiple cameras, which will be able to scan the surrounding environment and assist users using AI. With production to begin sometime by 2026 end or start of 2027, we can expect to see Apple's smart glasses in two years' time.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services, says that you might not need an iPhone in the coming 10 years.