Craig Federighi Explains Why Apple Pivoted to a Siri Chatbot App

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi has explained why the company launched a standalone Siri app in iOS 27, after previously characterizing a dedicated chatbot as contrary to its Apple Intelligence strategy. The new ‌Siri‌ app, announced at WWDC earlier this week, gives users a centralized place to manage and revisit their conversations with ‌Siri‌ AI. Federighi addressed the apparent about-face during a post-keynote discussion for the media at Apple Park this week, responding directly to a question about Apple's prior public stance. Following WWDC 2025, Federighi and senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak went on a media tour in which they described Apple's approach as weaving ‌Siri‌ into the user's existing workflow rather than offering "a bolt-on chatbot on the side." Federighi this week said the decision came down to a practical user need to return to and continue past ‌Siri‌ conversations. Apple determined that a home screen app was the most natural affordance on its platform for that purpose, and framed the ‌Siri‌ app as an extension of the system experience rather than a standalone product: We see Siri not as a separate chatbot, just an unintegrated place you go and chit-chat, but rather as an integral, conversational tool that you use in the moment, deeply integrated into your experience. Understanding what's on screen, able to interface, not in some separate world, but directly in the document that you're editing and that you want help proofreading, that you want tips on. And so all these experiences are conversational. They are really an extension of your system experience, deeply integrated into your flow. Now, we did go back and forth on what's the best way, if you want to get back to such a chat that you had, because you want to continue it, you want to reference it, and quite honestly, in our platform, the most natural affordance for any user to go find something like that is to have an app that they can manage on their home screen, launch, and get back to. And so we have a Siri app, and that Siri app just re-embodies those capabilities of that core system experience. The ‌iOS 27‌ developer beta is available now, though access to the new ‌Siri‌ requires joining a waitlist in Settings, with a public beta expected in July.Tags: Craig Federighi, Siri, Siri AI, Siri Chatbot, WWDC 2026This article, "Craig Federighi Explains Why Apple Pivoted to a Siri Chatbot App" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 10 June 2026 | 7:07 am

Apple Removes Walkie-Talkie From Apple Watch in watchOS 27 Beta

Apple has quietly removed the Walkie-Talkie app from Apple Watch in the first developer beta of watchOS 27, with the app vanishing from both the app list and Control Center. Walkie-Talkie launched with watchOS 5 in 2018 and allowed Apple Watch users to send push-to-talk voice messages to one another over Wi-Fi or cellular using FaceTime infrastructure. Unlike traditional walkie-talkies, it worked over any distance, making it a novel way to communicate without picking up an iPhone. Despite the promise of the feature at launch, however, Apple gave it very little attention in the years that followed, with no meaningful updates across eight major watchOS releases. Shortly after its debut, Apple was forced to temporarily disable Walkie-Talkie following the discovery of a security vulnerability that could allow a user to listen through another person's microphone without their knowledge. Apple resolved the issue with a watchOS 5.3 update, but the episode did little to build lasting enthusiasm for the feature. The app's removal has not been officially confirmed by Apple, but users running the first watchOS 27 beta observe that the app is nowhere to be found, with no option to reinstall it. watchOS 27 is still in very early beta testing and there remains a slim possibility Apple could reintroduce the app before the software reaches a public release later this year. Given how little attention the feature has received over the years, however, its removal looks more like a quiet retirement than an accidental omission. A public beta of watchOS 27 is set to arrive next month, followed by launch in the fall, likely alongside new Apple Watch models.Related Roundups: Apple Watch 11, watchOS 26Tag: Walkie-TalkieBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)Related Forum: Apple WatchThis article, "Apple Removes Walkie-Talkie From Apple Watch in watchOS 27 Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 10 June 2026 | 6:31 am

14 Ways Apple Is Improving Messages in iOS 27

Apple at this year's WWDC emphasized that its approach to iOS 27 development was to add fewer newer features and instead make existing features better. Examples of that approach can be seen across the operating system, but it is arguably most obvious in the changes coming to Messages. That's not to say there's nothing original coming to Messages in iOS 27. For instance, one new Apple Intelligence feature brings content-aware suggestions directly into conversations. If someone asks for photos, for example, Messages can recognize what's being discussed and suggest searching your photo library, using details like people, places, and keywords to surface relevant images. The app can also detect when a conversation would benefit from creating a reminder or note and offer a shortcut to do so without leaving the thread. Apple is also bringing drawing tools directly into Messages, allowing users to create and share hand-drawn sketches within conversations. Otherwise, Apple's focus has been on making the following enhancements and improvements to its broader Messages platform: Faster message loading: Large conversations, especially those containing years of history and thousands of attachments, should load and scroll more quickly. Improved syncing across devices: Apple says Messages, read states, reactions, and attachments sync more reliably and quickly between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. Find offloaded media in Messages: Search can surface photos and videos that have been offloaded from local storage and stored in iCloud. Thumbnails for offloaded media: Offloaded photos and videos now get visible preview thumbnails instead of generic placeholders, making older media easier to identify. Personalized Smart Reply suggestions: Apple Intelligence-generated Smart Reply suggestions can now reflect a user's own writing style, making suggested responses feel more natural and personal. Consolidated notifications for multiple Tapbacks: Multiple reactions to a message are grouped into a single notification rather than generating separate alerts. Continuous sending of photos, videos, and text: Messages continue sending in the background and automatically resume when connectivity returns, reducing interrupted sends. Search conversations by phone number or nickname: Conversation search now works with saved nicknames and phone numbers, not just contact names. Faster access to recent camera captures: Newly captured photos and videos appear more quickly in the Messages media picker. Failed messages automatically retry sending: Messages that fail because of temporary network issues will automatically attempt to resend without the user's intervention. Early adopters of iOS 27 will receive access to the public beta next month, when they can try out the new features and improvements themselves. Apple is expected to make a general release available in the fall.Related Roundup: iOS 27Tag: MessagesThis article, "14 Ways Apple Is Improving Messages in iOS 27" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 10 June 2026 | 6:01 am

iOS 27 Brings New Functionality to HomePod

With the launch of iOS 27 and HomePod Software 27, Apple is adding support for AutoMix, Apple's AI-powered Apple Music feature that blends songs using matching key and tempo. Apple says it has improved AutoMix's underlying algorithms to generate new transition types, making for more seamless blends between tracks, so this should also benefit the newly introduced feature for HomePod. Running Apple's current HomePod Software 26, the AutoMix feature in Apple Music is not available on HomePod. Users running the existing software only have access to the crossfade feature that improves transitions between songs. If users AirPlay to HomePod and the device they are using to AirPlay supports AutoMix (and it is turned on), then it will play on the AirPlay stream to HomePod, but that's the only workaround. OG HomePod Support In case anyone was wondering, the new HomePod Software 27 beta does support the original HomePod. There was some confusion about this earlier in the week, but MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris was able to independently confirm support for Apple's first smart speaker, which launched in 2018 and was discontinued in 2021. HomePod Software 27 will come out of beta when iOS 27 becomes generally available in the fall.Related Roundups: HomePod, HomePod mini, iOS 27Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Caution), HomePod Mini (Don't Buy)Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto TechnologyThis article, "iOS 27 Brings New Functionality to HomePod" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 10 June 2026 | 5:02 am

iPhone 17's 8GB Limit Costs It These Two Siri AI Features in iOS 27

Apple this week revealed what its most advanced on-device AI model does, and the feature list is shorter than the hardware requirements might suggest. In its Siri AI announcement during WWDC 2026, Apple confirmed that the model powers two things: more expressive Siri voices and a major accuracy gain for systemwide dictation. Both require 12GB of unified memory. Among current iPhones, that limits the more powerful AI model to the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, alongside iPad models with the M4 chip or later, Macs with M3 or later, and Apple Vision Pro with M5. That's right, the standard iPhone 17 misses out. Having only 8GB to its name – the minimum Apple Intelligence has required since launch – the base flagship model falls short of the new threshold. This is the first time Apple has raised that bar, given that Apple Intelligence has required 8GB since its introduction two years ago. So What Does 12GB Get You That 8GB Doesn't? On the voice side, users can adjust the expressiveness and pace of Siri's speech so that the assistant sounds the way they want it. However, it's the dictation feature that includes the more substantial change. Apple's most advanced on-device AI model is said to be able to turn speech into polished text on the fly, handling capitalization, punctuation, and formatting automatically, with improved speech understanding that's meant to cut down on errors. Everything else in the Siri AI rollout – personal context, onscreen awareness, web answers, the dedicated Siri app, Visual Intelligence, and Writing Tools – runs on the broader Apple Intelligence device list. That list still includes iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 16 series, and iPhone 17. The 12GB requirement, in other words, does not refer to Siri AI wholesale; it improves how Siri sounds and how well it transcribes. Base iPhone 17 owners will still get the new chatbot-style assistant with iOS 27, they'll just get the older voices and a less precise dictation engine. Whether that matters will vary from user to user, but for anyone who dictates messages and notes all day, the better transcription is the kind of thing you will likely notice immediately. For everyone else, the difference may be something they can quite happily live with. iOS 27 is currently in developer beta, with a public beta launching next month and a general release arriving in the fall. Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPhone 17Tags: Siri, Siri AIBuyer's Guide: iPhone 17 (Neutral)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "iPhone 17's 8GB Limit Costs It These Two Siri AI Features in iOS 27" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 10 June 2026 | 4:19 am

tvOS 27: Apple Music Gains Hi-Res Lossless Audio on Apple TV 4K

Apple Music is bringing Hi-Res Lossless Audio to tvOS 27, in addition to standard Lossless Audio. Apple says subscribers with compatible external speaker outputs will be able to enjoy their favorite songs in the highest audio quality and experience studio-quality sound directly through their Apple TV 4K. As of tvOS 26, Apple TV 4K supports Apple Music Lossless audio up to 24-bit/48 kHz, but does not support Hi-Res Lossless playback (above 48 kHz, or up to 24-bit/192 kHz). Lossless audio refers to a form of compression that preserves all of the original data, which can result in an improved listening experience, although to what extent is debated. The tvOS 27 developer beta is already out, and registered developers can install it through Settings ➝ System ➝ Software Update ➝ Beta Updates on a supported Apple TV. tvOS 27 will go on general release in the fall.Related Roundup: Apple TVTag: Apple MusicBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, "tvOS 27: Apple Music Gains Hi-Res Lossless Audio on Apple TV 4K" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 10 June 2026 | 3:44 am

Apple Updates App Store Guidelines With Stricter Rules for Low-Quality Apps

Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines this week, adding stricter language around low-quality apps. The 4.3 Spam rule already barred overly simple apps in saturated categories, but Apple now includes language saying low-effort apps could be pulled from the App Store. Apps in oversaturated categories that are not updated, improved, or do not attract customers may be removed, according to Apple. App Guideline 4.3(b) New Language: Don't submit apps that are indistinguishable from what's already widely available. Opportunistically creating variants of existing app categories or popular apps degrades App Store discovery, reduces overall app quality, and harms both users and developers. Certain kinds of apps, such as dating, flashlight, sound effects, wallpaper, simple timers, and fortune telling, are well established on the App Store and we will not accept new submissions unless they offer a meaningfully different or improved experience. We may remove these apps from the App Store going forward if they are not updated, improved, or do not attract customers. Other kinds of apps, such as drinking games, Kama Sutra, fart, and burp apps, are mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort and do not add value to the App Store. Repeated submissions of this kind may lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program. App Guideline 4.3(b) Old Language: Also avoid piling on to a category that is already saturated; the App Store has enough fart, burp, flashlight, fortune telling, dating, drinking games, and Kama Sutra apps, etc. already. We will reject these apps unless they provide a unique, high-quality experience. Spamming the store may lead to your removal from the Apple Developer Program. Apple says it won't approve dating, flashlight, sound effect, wallpaper, simple timer, and fortune telling apps unless they are meaningfully different from existing apps. Apple says fart, burp, Kama Sutra, and drinking game apps are "mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort" and add no value to the ‌App Store‌. Repeated app submissions of this type could lead to removal from the Developer Program. Wording on spam apps is clearer than before, and it sounds like Apple will approve fewer apps in saturated categories and may even clean up some clutter apps that get no interest. Apple also added new detail to its 1.2 rule on apps with user-generated content, which is a guideline that has seen Apple threaten to remove apps like Grok from the ‌App Store‌. Apple now makes it clear that app developers are responsible for removing content that violates ‌App Store‌ guidelines, such as pornographic content. It is your responsibility to remove content that violates this guideline, your terms of service, or your community standards. If we find such content, we will ask you to remove it, and provide a plan to improve your compliance with this guideline. Based on your response, your app may be removed from the App Store until you can demonstrate improvements that bring your app into compliance. Egregious or repeated behavior is grounds for immediate removal of your app from the App Store, and from the Apple Developer Program. Apps that do not have a compliance plan for addressing content violations could be removed from the ‌App Store‌. Apple's final guideline change (4.5.3) bars app developers from using Live Activities to spam, phish, or send unsolicited messages to customers. The full ‌App Store‌ Review Guidelines are available on Apple's website.Tags: App Store, App Store Review GuidelinesThis article, "Apple Updates App Store Guidelines With Stricter Rules for Low-Quality Apps" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 5:52 pm

Anthropic Launches Claude Fable 5, Its First Public Mythos-Class Model

Anthropic today announced the launch of Claude Fable 5, a Mythos-class model that it says is safe for general use. According to Anthropic, Fable 5's capabilities exceed those of any model it has made generally available, and Fable has demonstrated "exceptional performance" for software engineering, knowledge work, vision, scientific research, and more. It outperforms Opus models on longer, more complex tasks. Fable 5 can work autonomously for longer than any prior Claude model. Fable 5 is being released with conservative safeguards to prevent it from being misused in areas like cybersecurity. Questions about some topics will instead be answered by Opus 4.8, with safeguards expected to trigger in less than five percent of sessions on average. Most queries related to cybersecurity, chemistry, and biology will get responses from Opus 4.8 instead of Fable 5. Anthropic is also releasing Claude Mythos 5 for a small group of cyberdefenders and infrastructure providers. It uses the same underlying model as Fable 5, but with some of the safeguards lifted. Mythos 5 is being deployed through Project Glasswing as an upgrade to the Claude Mythos Preview. Anthropic says Mythos 5 has the strongest cybersecurity capabilities of any model in the world, with access set to expand through a broader trusted access program. Fable 5 and Mythos 5 are available at $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens, which is less than half the price of the Claude Mythos Preview. Mythos 5 is available to those who have access to the Mythos Preview, and that includes Apple. Apple is one of Anthropic's Project Glasswing partners. Claude Fable 5 is included in Pro, Max, Team, and seat-based Enterprise plans from today until June 22. On June 23, the model will be removed from those plans and using it will require usage credits. When Fable 5 capacity is sufficient, Anthropic plans to re-add it to subscription plans.Tag: AnthropicThis article, "Anthropic Launches Claude Fable 5, Its First Public Mythos-Class Model" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 5:08 pm

Telegram Gets Native Apple Watch App

Messaging app Telegram now has a native Apple Watch app. The app supports viewing and responding to Telegram messages from the wrist. Features like stickers, voice messages, and location information can be shared from the Apple Watch app. Telegram had an Apple Watch app back in 2015, but it was discontinued and removed from the App Store a few years back. There have been third-party Telegram apps for the Apple Watch, but now Telegram users can once again use a first-party solution.Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11Tag: TelegramBuyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)This article, "Telegram Gets Native Apple Watch App" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 4:37 pm

All the Liquid Glass Changes in macOS Golden Gate

When Liquid Glass launched in macOS Tahoe, Apple faced criticism over how the design looked on the Mac. Some people felt that Liquid Glass in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ was an afterthought with little impact from the design update, while others had issues with contrast, readability, rounded corners, and design consistency. There were long complaint threads on the MacRumors forums and on Reddit, and some people refused to update. Apple is making several changes to Liquid Glass and the overall macOS Golden Gate design, and while subtle, some of the changes could make Liquid Glass on Mac easier to digest. Transparency and Diffusion Apple added a full Liquid Glass slider under System Settings > Appearance. It changes the translucency of Liquid Glass elements, and users can choose a clear version of Liquid Glass that allows some of the background to show through, select a more opaque, tinted version that improves the legibility of text, or choose something in between. Unfortunately, there is no ultra-clear version of Liquid Glass available with the slider. Even the setting that's as clear as possible does not match the original version of Liquid Glass that Apple showed off at WWDC 2025. Apple changed the overall Liquid Glass opacity, and it now diffuses complex content more effectively. Apple says a darkened edge and brighter specular highlights establish more depth and separation for the UI. Toolbars and Window Shapes Apps have uniform toolbars to make text headings and groups of controls more legible. Windows also all have the same corner radius for more consistency between apps. ‌macOS Tahoe‌ Corners of apps are not as dramatically rounded in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌, and the difference is noticeable. ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ It's easier to tell when a window is active because of the sidebar design, the opacity update, and changes to window shadows. Sidebars Sidebars are no longer floating and are instead edge-to-edge. It's a design that's less distracting and more uniform because there's no unnecessary sidebar shadowing that just takes up space. Sidebar icons have color again, which is something Apple removed in ‌macOS Tahoe‌. Icons Apple didn't budge on requiring squircle Mac icons, but it did change icon design. Icons have more layers of Liquid Glass to improve detail and sharpness in light, dark, tinted, and clear icon modes. Apple is also using icons for some menu bar items to make it easier to find commonly used actions. HDR Apple is using HDR for depth and dimension in the ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ interface. Launch Date ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ also includes all of the new Siri AI features coming in iOS 27, along with performance improvements that make the Mac feel faster. The update is limited to developers right now, but Apple plans to release a public beta in July. ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ will launch this fall. Related Roundup: macOS Golden GateThis article, "All the Liquid Glass Changes in macOS Golden Gate" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 2:11 pm

Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware With iOS 27 Features

Apple today released new beta firmware for the AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 9A5292e. In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple is adding a new AirPods interface and support for custom EQ. AirPods are also compatible with the new Siri AI. With iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added a beta firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which facilitates beta testing. Developers can use the beta option to turn on beta downloads.Related Roundups: AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3, iOS 27Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution), AirPods Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware With iOS 27 Features" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 1:31 pm

Apple Says iOS 27 Adds These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

iOS 27's key new feature is a more intelligent and personal version of Siri, but the changes go well beyond that. In a press release today, Apple outlined additional enhancements coming across Apple Maps, Find My, Apple Wallet, Apple Music, and more. Apple Maps has gained an enhanced Flyover experience powered by AI, enabling you to view aerial imagery in "stunning detail" for select cities. In the U.S., Apple Maps has also received a new Local Lists feature, which surfaces things such as trending restaurants and kid-friendly places to visit. In the Find My app, you will have the ability to share your location with others for a custom duration, such as four days and six hours. Or, you can set a set an exact date and time for your location sharing to expire. In addition, you can now pause your location sharing with specific people until the end of the day. On iOS 26 and earlier, there are only three preset timeframes available: indefinitely, until end of day, and one hour. In the U.S., iOS 27 allows you to split bills with a new feature powered by Apple Cash and Apple Intelligence. This capability is available in the Messages and Apple Wallet apps, or by using the new Siri mode in the Camera app. "When users point their iPhone at a receipt using Siri mode, it can surface the relevant action to split a bill with Apple Cash and identify the items on the receipt," said Apple. "As users select their items, their total payment is calculated, including their share of tax and tip, so they can pay back exactly what they owe with Apple Cash." You can now create custom passes in Apple Wallet from physical cards, like loyalty or membership cards. With the Siri mode in the Camera app, you can simply point your iPhone at any physical card with a barcode and save it to Apple Wallet. Once added, passes are ready to present as a barcode or QR code right from the iPhone. iOS 27 provides an enhanced Apple Wallet key experience for participating hotels and resorts. You can view more details about your trips, receive updates about booked activities, access services available during your stay, and more. Apple Pay's checkout flow on the web and in apps is getting an updated design that allows you to swipe to switch payment cards. And if you have an eligible card in Apple Wallet, it will be accompanied by more information, including rewards balances, debit account balances, pay later options, and more. As part of the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature, new Tap to Share functionality allows you to connect to a participating small business owner's iPhone and securely share shipping information, email addresses, loyalty rewards, and more. In the Apple Podcasts app, there is a new "search within show" feature. In the Photos app, iCloud Shared Albums now support cross-platform, full-resolution sharing, more file types, and more. Even people without an Apple device can now join and contribute photos to these shared albums on the web. In the Apple Music app, Apple said the AutoMix feature has "even better transitions" that feel "more immersive and engaging for listeners." Introduced in iOS 26, AutoMix adds seamless, DJ-like transitions between songs. Apple Music's Lyrics Translation feature is expanding to seven additional language pairings: English to French, English to German, English to Italian, English to Korean, English to Spanish, French to English, and Japanese to English. A summary of the 12 new features:Apple Maps: Flyover gets AI-enhanced aerial imagery in select cities Apple Maps: Local Lists with trending restaurants and places Find My: When sharing your location, you can set a custom duration Find My: Pause your location sharing with select people until the end of the day Apple Wallet: Create custom passes from physical cards Apple Wallet: Enhanced digital keys with more info at participating hotels Apple Cash: Bill splitting feature powered by Apple Intelligence Apple Pay: A redesigned checkout flow on the web and in apps Tap to Share: Easily share your personal details with a small business owner's iPhone Apple Podcasts: Search within individual podcast episodes Photos: iCloud Shared Albums get cross-platform, full-resolution photo sharing Apple Music: AutoMix enhancements and more Lyrics Translation languagesApple's press release provides more details about these features and a few others. iOS 27 is currently available in developer beta, with a public beta to follow in July. The update is expected to be released in September.Related Roundup: iOS 27Tags: Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Wallet, Find MyThis article, "Apple Says iOS 27 Adds These 12 New Features to Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 11:47 am

macOS 27 Finally Brings Direct Touch Control to Sidecar

Apple has added direct touch input to Sidecar with macOS 27 Golden Gate and iPadOS 27, allowing users to tap and interact with macOS interface elements using a finger on their iPad for the first time. Previously, ‌Sidecar‌ was deliberately limited as a touch interface. While multi-touch gestures like two-finger scrolling, pinch-to-zoom, and three-finger editing gestures for copy, cut, paste, and undo have been supported for years, directly tapping to click links, open apps, or interact with macOS UI elements was not possible with a finger. Those interactions required either the Mac's connected mouse or trackpad, or an Apple Pencil. The new Direct Touch capability closes that gap. In macOS 27, users can can now tap, swipe, and interact with macOS apps on their ‌iPad‌ screen using a finger, bringing ‌Sidecar‌ closer to how third-party tools like Luna Display have worked for some time. ‌Apple Pencil‌ support continues alongside the new touch capabilities. ICYMI: You can now use touch controls on your Mac display with Sidecar on iPad! 👀 pic.twitter.com/KOErLtoZCA— BLCNYY (@BLCNYY) June 9, 2026 The expanded ‌Sidecar‌ functionality requires an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 27 Golden Gate and a compatible ‌iPad‌ running iPadOS 27. As with previous versions of the feature, both devices must be signed into the same Apple ID, connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and have Bluetooth enabled, with the two devices within 10 meters of each other. The feature is likely another indication of impending touch support on the Mac, along with other features like pull-to-refresh. Apple is said to be planning to launch a "MacBook Ultra" as a new top-tier laptop with a touchscreen OLED display, an M6-series chip, the Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. Reports suggest that the device is scheduled to launch in early 2027.Related Roundup: macOS Golden GateTag: SidecarThis article, "macOS 27 Finally Brings Direct Touch Control to Sidecar" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 11:17 am

Nomad's New Stellar Orange Charger and Find My Card Match the iPhone 17 Pro

Nomad today introduced two new products in its Stellar Orange colorway, expanding the number of accessories it offers in the unique shade. Stellar Orange matches the Cosmic Orange color that Apple used for the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max. The Stellar Orange Stand One is a 2-in–1 charging stand that's priced at $135. It was previously available in silver and carbide, but it now comes in bright orange. It is a Qi2 charger that charges a MagSafe iPhone at up to 25W. The upright charger supports charging an iPhone in portrait or landscape orientation for Stand By, and it has a quality glass and metal build. A second Qi charger at the bottom of the stand allows AirPods to be charged at 5W. The stand charges over USB-C, and you'll need to supply a 40W or better power adapter, but it does come with a braided nylon USB-C cable. An anti-slip base keeps it in place, as does the weight of the charger. Nomad's Stellar Orange Tracking Card Pro is $39, and it is made to slip into a wallet to add Find My tracking capabilities. It connects to the ‌Find My‌ network so it is locatable in the ‌Find My‌ app's Items tab, and it can use nearby Apple devices to report its location if lost or stolen. The Tracking Card Pro can charge using any Qi or ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and the battery lasts for up to 16 months. It is 2.5mm thin, which makes it three times thinner than an AirTag and better suited for use in a wallet. It does not support Precision Finding because Apple doesn't make the iPhone's Ultra Wideband chip available to third-party trackers. Nomad's $135 Stellar Orange Stand One and $39 Stellar Orange Tracking Card Pro are available from the Nomad website as of today. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.Related Roundup: iPhone 17 ProTags: Find My, NomadBuyer's Guide: iPhone 17 Pro (Caution)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "Nomad's New Stellar Orange Charger and Find My Card Match the iPhone 17 Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 11:00 am

visionOS 27: Siri AI, Eye-Aware Notifications, Curved Windows, and More

Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote may have seemed relatively quiet on the Vision Pro front, but the visionOS 27 beta contains a decent amount of new features and quality of life improvements that are likely to be welcomed by the headset's user base. As you'd expect, visionOS 27 is getting the new Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features that Apple has brought to iOS 27 and macOS 27, but this time they feel more seamlessly integrated into the platform compared to previous efforts. For example, Vision Pro users can ask ‌Siri‌ about anything in their surroundings, and using Visual Intelligence, the assistant will see and interpret it in real time, identifying the content, answering questions about it, and providing contextual information to boot. Interacting with Apple's ‌Siri‌ is achieved via a new 3D orb that users can place anywhere in their virtual space, and just looking at the widget is enough to start a conversation – no "Hey ‌Siri‌" needed. A new ‌Siri‌ app also makes it easier to revisit previous interactions and continue conversations. Curved windows in visionOS 27 Below is a summary of what else is new in visionOS 27: Panoramas as environments: Panorama photos can now be turned into immersive spatial environments. Rather than viewing panoramas as flat images, users can step into them and experience added depth and realism, making photos and landscapes feel more lifelike. Curved app windows: Apps such as Safari, Freeform, and Apple TV now take advantage of new curved window layouts that wrap content around a user's field of view. The feature is designed to create a more immersive workspace and make better use of Vision Pro's virtual display area. Faster Wi-Fi: Apple says visionOS 27 significantly improves wireless performance, with supported networks delivering speeds up to three times faster than before. Safari 3D environments: A new Web Environments feature means developers can now use a new immersive API to launch users into a full 360-degree environment from within Safari. Apple says these environments can completely surround a user's physical space, making browsing feel more like a native Vision Pro experience. Redesigned Control Center: Control Center has been reorganized with dedicated sections for notifications and media playback, system controls, and immersive environments. The redesign aims to make common controls easier to find and reduce the number of steps required to access frequently used settings. Smaller widgets: A new extra-small widget size allows users to place more widgets throughout their physical space without overwhelming their environment. The additional size option gives users greater flexibility when placing clocks, weather widgets, photos, and other persistent spatial content. Glance-to-expand notifications: Notifications will now automatically expand when a user looks at them, thereby reducing the need for hand gestures or manual interaction. The feature means quicker access to information, while remaining in line with visionOS's eyes-first interaction model. Spatially preview your Mac: Mac owners can now preview and edit 3D models from their laptop directly in visionOS, while Quick Look enhancements allow for annotations to be added directly to 3D models. New Environment: Apple has added a new immersive environment based on Thórsmörk, a nature reserve in Iceland known for its dramatic mountains, valleys, and glaciers. Users can select the environment as a virtual backdrop for work and entertainment, just like the existing environments. Developer enhancements: Apple is introducing new frameworks, APIs, and tools to help developers build more advanced spatial experiences. The updates include RealityKit improvements, Environment Occlusion for more realistic blending of virtual and physical objects, enhanced asset rendering technologies, updates to Reality Composer Pro 3, and improvements for popular game engines. The new Control Center design for visionOS 27 The visionOS 27 developer beta is available now, ahead of the software's full release this fall. Apple says ‌Siri‌ AI will begin rolling out later this year as a beta feature and will initially support English only. However, unlike on iPhone and iPad, where ‌Siri‌ AI will not be available at launch in the European Union, Vision Pro users in the EU will have access to the feature from day one.Related Roundup: Apple Vision ProTag: SiriBuyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, "visionOS 27: Siri AI, Eye-Aware Notifications, Curved Windows, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 10:50 am

iOS 27 Fixes Justin Bieber's Problem in Messages App

Last year, singer Justin Bieber turned to social media to complain about the placement of the dictation button in the Messages app's text field on the iPhone. Specifically, he said he kept accidentally pressing the dictation button after sending a text, given it shows up in the same spot as the send button. Apple has seemingly listened to this feedback, as iOS 27 lets you turn off the dictation button in the Settings app under Apps → Messages → Show in Text Field.Related Roundup: iOS 27This article, "iOS 27 Fixes Justin Bieber's Problem in Messages App" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 10:44 am

macOS 27 Golden Gate Adopts iPhone-Like Pull-to-Refresh Support

macOS 27 Golden Gate adds pull-to-refresh support to the Mac, adopting one of iPhone and iPad's most familiar gestures for the first time. The feature, which Apple calls "Swipe down to refresh," lets users swipe down within apps to fetch the latest content, rather than relying on a keyboard shortcut or menu item. Apple confirmed that Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar are among the apps that support the gesture at launch. Pull-to-refresh has been a staple of iOS and iPadOS for many years, offering an intuitive, gesture-driven way to update app content. Its arrival on macOS suggests Apple is continuing to blur the interaction patterns between its platforms. Apple is reportedly planning to launch a "MacBook Ultra", a new top-tier laptop expected to feature a touchscreen OLED display with an M6-series chip, the Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. Reports suggest early 2027 is the most likely launch window, following delays attributed to the global memory chip shortage. Touch-friendly interface updates to macOS are almost certainly related to that future product.Related Roundup: macOS Golden GateThis article, "macOS 27 Golden Gate Adopts iPhone-Like Pull-to-Refresh Support" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 10:36 am

Apple Shares 5-Minute WWDC Platforms State of the Union Recap Video

Apple has published a five-minute recap video summarizing the key announcements from its WWDC26 Platforms State of the Union, covering rebuilt intelligence frameworks, platform design changes, and major developer tools updates. Apple said its Foundation Models have been rebuilt from the ground up in collaboration with Google, leveraging technology from the Gemini family of models. The Foundation Models framework now supports image input and cloud model integration, allowing developers to connect to any cloud model provider for more complex tasks. New dynamic profiles are also included to simplify building AI agents and skills by swapping tools in and out and updating instructions on the fly. Core AI, an entirely new framework for running on-device models, is built into the OS and designed to take full advantage of Apple Silicon. App Intents have been updated to connect apps to Apple Intelligence, making content discoverable and actions available through Siri via natural language, with a new View Annotations API allowing users to act on what's on screen just by asking. The refined Liquid Glass design system features prominently in the recap. Apple said the design is more consistent and personalizable, with better readability. On macOS, every window now shares a tighter corner radius. App icons receive sharper rendering automatically, with new refraction effects available through Icon Composer. iOS apps are now resizable, allowing users to take advantage of larger displays when running them on iPads or Macs via iPhone mirroring, with a new resizable iOS Simulator to make testing across sizes easier. SwiftUI received a range of updates, including drag-to-reorder and swipe actions in any container, nested layouts that resize up to twice as fast, and automatic async image caching. Toolbars now offer finer control over visibility as space shrinks, and a new Spatial Preview Framework for the Apple Vision Pro lets developers stream 3D models from a Mac into physical space. In Xcode 27, projects load faster and the app is 30% smaller as it moves to Apple Silicon-only. Settings now sync via iCloud, the toolbar is fully customizable, and themes including Emerald, Neon Noir, and Coral Reef bring color throughout the app. Xcode Cloud is easier to set up with builds up to twice as fast. A new Device Hub replaces Simulator, bringing virtual and physical devices together in one place with live resizing and full hardware control from the Mac. Apple said it is working with Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google to bring their agents into Xcode. Agent conversations now behave like files and can be opened, split, and stacked in the Navigator. Agents can run tests, use Playgrounds, customize previews across light and dark mode and other configurations, and drive a running app end-to-end. Developers can extend Xcode further through plugins that bring skills, MCP tools, and agents via the agent-client protocol, with Figma and GitHub shipping their own plugins at launch. The full Platforms State of the Union video is available on the Apple Developer app, website, and YouTube.Related Roundup: WWDC 2026Tag: WWDC 2026Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech IndustryThis article, "Apple Shares 5-Minute WWDC Platforms State of the Union Recap Video" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 10:16 am

Apple Podcasts Gets Video on Mac and Apple TV, Plus New Search Feature

Apple yesterday announced several improvements to Apple Podcasts, including video podcast playback on macOS and a fully redesigned tvOS app. Mac users will gain a new, enhanced video podcast experience in ‌Apple Podcasts‌, including Picture in Picture support for watching episodes while multitasking. The update brings the full mobile ‌Apple Podcasts‌ experience to the Mac, with audio and video content alongside transcripts, timed links, and chapters. The ‌Apple Podcasts‌ app on tvOS is receiving a complete redesign with video podcast playback, a new sidebar navigation for easier browsing, and support for podcast creators' episode and show artwork. The update is aimed at making it simpler to discover and enjoy video content on the big screen. Across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro, as well as on the web at podcasts.apple.com, Apple is also adding a new search within show feature. The tool allows users to search directly within a show from its See All Episodes view, making it easier to locate a specific episode without scrolling through an entire back catalog. The updates will arrive this fall as part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, visionOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, and tvOS 27.Related Roundup: Apple TVTag: Apple PodcastsBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, "Apple Podcasts Gets Video on Mac and Apple TV, Plus New Search Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 9:40 am

Apple Reveals How Many iPhones Were Running iOS 26 Before WWDC

Apple has shared updated iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 adoption figures, revealing how many iPhones and iPads were running those software versions on the day before the start of WWDC 2026 and the release of the first iOS 27 developer beta. These adoption numbers are based on iPhones and iPads that transacted on the App Store on Sunday, June 7, according to Apple. The statistics are as follows:86% of all iPhones introduced in the last four years were running iOS 26. 79% of all iPhones were running iOS 26. 79% of all iPads introduced in the last four years were running iPadOS 26. 68% of all iPads were running iPadOS 26.Here is how that compares to the iOS 18 adoption figures that Apple shared based on iPhones and iPads that transacted on the App Store on Thursday, June 5, 2025:88% of all iPhones introduced in the last four years were running iOS 18. 82% of all iPhones were running iOS 18. 81% of all iPads introduced in the last four years were running iPadOS 18. 71% of all iPads were running iPadOS 18.iOS 27 beta testing is now underway, so this will be Apple's final update on iOS 26 adoption.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, WWDC 2026Tag: iOS AdoptionRelated Forums: iOS 26, Apple, Inc and Tech IndustryThis article, "Apple Reveals How Many iPhones Were Running iOS 26 Before WWDC" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Posted on: 9 June 2026 | 9:30 am