Macworld

Macworld Apple’s built-in apps, like Pages and Numbers, are useful for everyday tasks. However, many workflows, file types, and industries still rely on Microsoft Office. Now Mac users can get the newest version of Office with a one-time license. Right now, Microsoft Office 2024 Home is available for $129.97 (MSRP $149.99). What’s included in Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac Word – Now equipped with Smart Compose and collaborative tools for faster, smarter writing Excel – Adds Dynamic Arrays and modern functions like FILTER and UNIQUE for advanced data management PowerPoint – Supports full presentation recording with voice, video, and closed captions OneNote – Syncs across devices and is now more accessible with AI-powered enhancements This edition is a one-time purchase and includes classic 2024 desktop versions of these core apps, optimized for the latest macOS (Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia). There are no monthly or annual fees, and once you redeem your license, you can install it on one computer for lifetime use. The redesigned interface offers smart Ribbon navigation that adapts to your task, while built-in AI tools help with everything from document formatting to accessibility. Co-authoring and real-time commenting make it easier for families and students to collaborate, and you can work offline with full features. Get Microsoft Office 2024 for a one-time price of $129.97 (MSRP $149.99) today. Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time PurchaseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Macworld Wired CarPlay might feel like a small annoyance until you forget your cable, it gets tangled, or someone else takes it. The PlayAIBox fixes that by turning your car’s wired Apple CarPlay into a wireless setup, so your iPhone connects automatically when you start the engine. No cords. No plugging in. Just drive. It’s not just wireless, it’s smarter This tiny adapter does more than cut the cord. It runs Android 10 and comes loaded with streaming apps like YouTube and Netflix right out of the box. Want more? The built-in Google Play Store lets you download apps like Disney+, Plex, and more directly to the device. There’s even a microSD card slot, so you can load your own content to watch on your car’s screen. Compatible with most 2016-and-newer cars that have OEM wired CarPlay and a touchscreen, the PlayAIBox also mirrors your phone screen and connects via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It won’t mess with your car’s system—it just expands it. Built for reliability, the PlayAIBox uses a quad-core Allwinner chip and 2GB of RAM to keep things smooth even when running multiple apps. It pairs once and remembers your iPhone, so every drive starts exactly how it should—your way. Get the PlayAIBox wireless CarPlay adapter for $74.97 (MSRP $129.99) and upgrade your drive. PlayAIBox Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Wireless Adapter with Streaming Service SupportSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Macworld Apple’s “Awe dropping” event is on September 9. On this episode of the Macworld Podcast, we talk about the products we expect to see: the iPhone 17 lineup, new Apple Watches, the new AirPods Pro 3, and more. This is episode 949 with Michael Simon, Jason Cross,  and Roman Loyola.  Watch episode 949 on YouTube Listen to episode 949 on Apple Podcasts Listen to episode 949 on Spotify ‘Awe dropping’ event on September 9  Catch up on the latest rumors before the event.  iPhone 17: New Air model, colors, event date, and everything else we know  New Apple Watch 2025: Everything we know about the Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3  New AirPods 2025: Here’s what’s next for AirPods Pro and Max  Get ready for a packed month of Apple releases with a new iPhone and a whole lot more  This Week in Apple History  We’ve got an iPod two-fer in this segment of This Week in Apple History. 20 years ago, on September 7, the iPod nano was released. On September 5, 2007, the iPod touch was introduced. Click the links below for more info.  First Look: iPod nano iPod touch (2007) Review Macworld Podcast Mailbag   These are your comments about recent Macworld articles and podcasts, as well as recent Apple happenings.  This comment is regarding our coverage of the Awe dropping event: How depressing that this seems important. Fill lives with friends, families, fulfilling activities.  Nicolas Martin on Facebook Subscribe to the Macworld Podcast You can subscribe to the Macworld Podcast—or leave us a review!—right here in the Podcasts app. The Macworld Podcast is also available on Spotify and on the Macworld Podcast YouTube channel.  Or you can point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader at: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/macworld To find previous episodes, visit Macworld’s podcast page or our home on MegaPhone. Apple

Macworld While we’re still waiting for the new Apple Intelligence-infused Siri to arrive on our iPhones, a new report claims Apple’s plans for its digital assistant go far beyond the scope outlined so far. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a new AI-powered web search feature for Siri to rival OpenAI and Perplexity. The tool, dubbed “World Knowledge Answers” internally, is not a large-scale LLM (Large Language Model) chatbot, but rather relies on web crawling, search, and an LLM to provide answers from the web. According to the report, the system is meant to launch in spring 2026 as part of the big Siri overhaul, and would compete with ChatGPT, Google’s AI search answers, and Perplexity when it comes to getting up-to-date information from the web. Apple may later bring the same system to Safari and Spotlight on the Mac. The report says the technology behind the new tool “could come in part” from Google. Apparently, the two companies came to a formal agreement just this week in which Apple will test a Google-developed AI model to power the future Siri upgrade. Perhaps coincidentally, a judge ruled this week that the two companies’ lucrative partnership to make Google the default search engine on iPhones is allowed. The new search experience will have an interface that “makes use of” text, images, video, and local points of interest. There will also be AI summaries for longer results. This new search capability is just one part of a planned multi-faceted overhaul of Siri to take place next year. Also planned is the ability to understand and act with knowledge of the user’s personal context, to read and understand what’s on the screen, and to take actions within apps using an extensive set of app interfaces called “intents.” All of this is currently planned for the OS update that should correspond to OS 26.4, due for release in the spring. There are other related AI features coming later, including a big visual redesign for Siri, an AI-powered health and wellness feature as part of a paid wellness subscription, and a big Siri update for home devices to make them more conversational.

Macworld We’re used to Macs going on sale, but it’s rare to see the amazing Mac Studio get any kind of a discount, let alone one this big. B&H Photo is selling the top-end M4 Max Mac Studio with 64GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $2,399, a savings of $300, the best and one of the only discounts we’ve ever seen. The Mac Studio with an M4 Max is an absolutely stunning computer for professionals and creatives. It’s such a powerhouse that we gave it a 4.5-star rating when it came out this spring, praising its tremendous speed and compact design. Plus it’s futureproofed with Thunderbolt 5, making it the perfect choice for those who want a beast of a computer. This particular Mac Studio features the high-end M4 Max with a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU, paired with 64GB of memory and a 512GB SSD. It comes with a ton of ports, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports, two USB-C 3.2 ports, a couple of USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and an Ethernet port. There’s even a handy card reader on the front. Frankly, we don’t know when we’ll ever see this computer drop this low again, so go get this powerhouse for $300 off before it’s gone forever. Get creative with this $300 off the M4 Max Mac StudioBuy now at B&H

Macworld Apple’s AirPods 2025 plans: In summary New AirPods Pro 3 expected at the September 2025 ‘Awe Dropping’ event AirPods Pro 3 and some older models may get live translation  AirPods Max with new design, H2/H3 chip, and other features not due until 2026 Apple updated its standard AirPods with a major redesign and price cut in 2024, but it’s been quite a while since the other models were last updated: The AirPods Pro 2 arrived in September 2022, and the AirPods Max debuted in December 2020. So updates are long overdue. Apple hasn’t completely ignored the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, but it hasn’t given users much of a reason to upgrade either. In September 2024, the AirPods Max got a minor update with USB-C instead of Lightning and a few new colors, while the AirPods Pro got its USB-C case a year prior. Other than some new features enabled via software, the current models are the same as the ones released years ago. In this article, the Macworld team uses its expert knowledge of Apple and AirPods history to define the AirPods rumors most likely to be true. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the soon-to-launch AirPods Pro 3, including when they will come out, the expected preorder and sale date, design and features, as well as the rumors about the next AirPods Max update. Mahmoud Itani / Foundry At a glance: What to expect from AirPods Pro 3 Similar design Heart-rate and temperature sensors Updated charging case New features including Live Translation AirPods Pro 3 design Last year’s AirPods 4 update brought a streamlined design for Apple’s low-end earbuds, so it would be logical to assume a similar design update will be coming to the AirPods Pro. However, after long-standing rumors of a flush, “stemless” design like the Beats Studio Buds, the latest rumors claim the new AirPods Pro will look very much like the existing model with some minor refinements, such as a tighter eartips seal and new stem gestures. In August, several reports claimed that the AirPods Pro 3 will be getting a charging case upgrade that brings it in line with the AirPods 4. The case will reportedly no longer have a visible pairing button but will have touch controls. It could also be slightly smaller. AirPods Pro 3 features While Apple has steadily added new features to AirPods Pro 2 over the past several years, they’re missing a few hardware features that were introduced with AirPods 4 and the Powerbeats Pro 2. Additionally, rumors suggest some new features may be coming to the 3rd-gen earbuds as well. Heart-rate sensor In February, Apple announced the Powerbeats Pro 2, which brought the H2 chip as well as an optical heart-rate sensor for continuously measuring heart rate during a workout and tracking throughout the day. The feature has been rumored for the AirPods Pro 3 as far back as December 2024, when Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on in-ear heart rate monitoring for the AirPods Pro 2. So it’s likely AirPods Pro 2 will have the same sensor as the Powerbeats Pro 2. When we reviewed the Powerbeats Pro 2, we noted that battery drain was an issue when using the sensor during workouts, the sensor only tracks workouts with specific apps, and it automatically turns off when an Apple Watch is connected. We expect Apple will fix those issues when the feature arrives on AirPods Pro 3. Temperature sensor Apple debuted a temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 8, and rumors claim Apple will be bringing it to the AirPods Pro 3 next. While the Apple Watch tracks nightly skin temperature readings to track menstrual cycles and help give users insight into overall well-being, an in-ear tympanic temperature sensor could be able to take on-demand temperature readings. H3 chip Apple introduced its H2 audio chip with the AirPods Pro 2 in 2022, and it’s likely the new model will have an H3 chip. That could enable better noise cancellation, improved audio quality, and better battery life, among other features. The Powerbeats Pro 2 have a built-in heart-rate sensor that could be coming to the AirPods Pro 3.Foundry IR cameras In July 2024, Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple was developing AirPods with IR cameras for “in-air gesture control to enhance human-device interaction.” He reiterated the claim in May 2025, but reported it wouldn’t arrive until 2026, so it’s unclear if this is a feature for AirPods Pro 3 or a later mode. Improved battery life The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 offer up to 8 hours of listening time when active noise cancellation is active, compared to 5-6 hours for the AirPods Pro 2. The new H3 chip possibly coupled with a larger battery, will reportedly bring longer battery life for the AirPods Pro 3. Live translation As part of the iOS 26 update, Apple is bringing live translation capabilities to the Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps to automatically tranlsale spoken and written text in real-time. We first heard aout the feature when it was previously rumored to be coming to AirPods, so it’s notable that Apple left its earbuds off the list of compatible devices. Persistent rumors claim that live translation will be a marquee feature of the AirPods Pro 3. However, a 9to5Mac report in September claims the feature, while still in development, might not be ready for launch. iOS 26 Several new features are coming to AirPods Pro with iOS 26 and will be present on the new model, including: Pause when sleeping: If you’re using AirPods and fall asleep, a new feature will automatically turn off playback so the battery won’t run down. Studio-quality recording: When you use your AirPods with an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you’ll be able to record in higher sound quality and enjoy clearer calls. Camera remote: Users can press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or start and stop a video recording on iPhone or iPad. AirPods Pro 3 release date Apple will be holding its annual iPhone event on September 9, dubbed Awe Dropping, at which it is expected to announce the iPhone 17 lineup and new Apple Watches. While the AirPods Pro made their debut in October 2019 via a press release, the 2nd-gen model launched in September 2022 at the iPhone event. Most rumors expect AirPods Pro to arrive at the September event, including code spotted in iOS 26 that references a new AirPods model. They’re almost certainly coming in 2025, so if they don’t arrive at the September event, they will likely make an appearance later this fall. Mahmoud Itani / Foundry AirPods Pro 3 price AirPods Pro have been priced at $249 since their 2019 debut, and we don’t expect that to change. Notably, Apple introduced AirPods 4 with ANC in 2024 with a price tag of $179/£179, so it’s unlikely Apple will cut the price of AirPods Pro 3. In the U.K., Apple lowered the price from £249 to £229 in 2023, so a bump back to the original pricing is possible. Pricing for the AirPods range starts at $129/£129 for the AirPods 4 and covers numerous price points:  Apple Earbuds: $19/£19 AirPods 4: $129/£129 AirPoids 4 with ANC: $179/£179 AirPods Pro 2: $249/£229 AirPods Max: $549/£499 We have a round-up of the Best wireless earbuds for iPhones and the best wired headphones if you’d like to consider alternatives to AirPods. Also read AirPods Pro vs AirPods to find out how the models compare. Jason Cross/IDG At a glance: What to expect from the AirPods Max 2 New lighter design Better noise cancellation H3 chip Adaptice Audio and other AirPods Pro features Not expected until late 2026 or 2027 AirPods Max 2 design There have been numerous complaints about the AirPods Max over the years, but we haven’t heard any rumors to suggest that Apple will dramatically change the design. In May 2025, Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is working on a “lighter” version for release in 2027, but offered no specifics. Many of AirPods Max’s competitors from Bose, Sony, and even Beats are significantly lighter due to a plastic design, but it’s unlikely Apple will deviate very far from its iconic aluminum construction. AirPods Max 2 features The current AirPods Max are missing numerous features that are available in the AirPods Pro 2, including Adaptive Audio, Conversion Awareness and Boost, Hearing Protection, and a high dynamic range amplifier, among other features. We expect Apple to address those shortcomings in the AirPods Max 2 with an H2 or H3 chip. Dust, sweat, and water resistance, and a U1 chip for precision location with Find My are also likely. Another point of contention is the Smart Case. As we noted in our review, the case is “Ill-conceived and poorly executed,” and it needs a total redesign for AirPods Max 2 with more protection and a sleeker design. There haven’t been any rumors about a new Smart Case, but it would be surprising if Apple didn’t listen to the criticism. AirPods Max 2 release date While the AirPods Max haven’t officially received a 2nd-gen update, in September 2024, Apple swapped the Lightning port for USB-C and launched a set of new colors. That indicates we’ll be waiting until at least 2026 for an update—and possibly as late as 2027 according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. AirPods Max 2 price At $549/£499, the AirPods Max are Apple’s most expensive AirPods, more than double the AirPods Pro. We haven’t heard any rumors about pricing for the 2nd-gen model, but we don’t expect any significant cuts. However, it’s possible Apple will raise the U.K. price to £549 to bring it in line with U.S. pricing, as it has with nearly every other product

Macworld Apple likes to advertise its smartwatch on the wrists of sporty people–admittedly, they all look good–engaged in some physical activity against a breathtaking scene somewhere in the mountains or on the beach. This easily gives the impression that the Apple Watch is intended exclusively for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The Apple Watch is not only interesting for athletes, but also for anyone who has nothing to do with sports. It collects vital data and can use this data to provide valuable insights into your own health. Some emergency notifications have already saved the lives of more than a few people. Hwre are the Apple Watch features you can make the most of every day. Heart-rate notifications Most of the life-saving stories we’ve heard from our readers and followers concern two inconspicuous controls in the Heart settings of the Watch app on the iPhone. The Apple Watch can recognize if your heart rate is too low or too high based on your normal heart rate and issue a warning. The system recommends a setting of 40 BPM (beats per minute) if your heart rate is too low and 110 BPM if it is too high. However, you can adjust them upwards in both cases. Apple How to set heart rate notifications: Go to the Watch app on the iPhone and then to the Heart setting. Scroll to approximately the center of the screen and activate three notifications: Irregular Rhythm, High Heart Rate, and Low Heart Rate. Ideally, you’ll never get a notification regarding these, but if you get one, don’t take it lightly, and if in doubt, ask your doctor what they mean. For example, the irregular rhythm notification may indicate an atrial fibrillation period; the Apple Watch can give the doctor information about your condition. ECG measurement Although the Apple Watch produces a single-lead ECG measurement, a twelve-lead ECG is standard in the medical field. But even with its limitations, the ECG of the Apple Watch is accurate; the smartwatch from Apple correctly recognizes a period of atrial fibrillation in 98.3 to 99.6 percent of cases, according to Apple. To ensure that you can access ECG measurements quickly, open the Watch app on your iPhone and switch to the Heart setting. Make sure that the ECG app is installed on the watch. If you now want to record the ECG, all you have to do is open the corresponding app from the Apple Watch home screen; it will give you instructions on how to use it. The results can be found after the measurement in the Health app on the iPhone. Monitor sleep Since watchOS 8, Apple Watch has been able to monitor sleep phases, but the “Sleep” focus means much more. I recommend everyone take a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the settings and adjust the focus to suit their own needs, as sleep monitoring on the Apple Watch offers several advantages. Even if you are not interested in your own sleep phases, the Apple Watch measures your wrist temperature, breathing rate, blood oxygen, and heart rate during the night. These measurements flow (seven days after activation) into various analyses (more on this below). The Apple Watch can even estimate an ovulation period. Since watchOS 10, the Apple Watch can warn of sleep apnea. You can also set up a relaxation period in the Sleep focus, for example, half an hour before going to bed. The Apple Watch will notify you at the appropriate time and may indicate that you need to charge the watch before going to sleep. Foundry You can also set up all kinds of automations via the Home app: Overhead light off, only a covered light source somewhere in the corner, relaxing music, muting all notifications, and possibly blocking social media apps (via Screen Time). Fall detection and accident detection If you have a serious fall or are involved in an accident, the Apple Watch can make an automatic emergency call for you. The corresponding slider is available in the Emergency call SOS settings. Make sure that the Accident detection slider is turned on. Stand ring The Stand ring on the Apple Watch is a little pesky. While calories burned and minutes of exercise are self-explanatory to most (it’s always better to burn more calories than less), many find the Stand reminders to be more of a nuisance. But behind these disturbances lie findings about the human metabolism: the longer a person is in a sedative position (lying or sitting), the less fat-processing enzymes the body produces. These are mainly produced by your muscles, and when muscles do not move, fewer of these enzymes are produced, and the fat from food is only broken down insufficiently or not at all. The Stand ring is the innermost ring, surrounded by the Exercise ring (green) and the Move ring (red).Jim Martin / Foundry The processing of glucose in the blood is also slowed down during long periods of rest. This increases the risk of diabetes, and cholesterol levels can also deteriorate with a sedentary lifestyle. When it comes to standing, the Apple Watch analyses the movement times within an hour, and if the user has not moved in the past fifty minutes, it sends a reminder. This reminder should not be seen as a reproach, but as a call for a break in your routine. Get a refreshing beverage from the kitchen, or make another trip to the toilet if you’re in the office. You can take it a step further than simply getting up: do five push-ups or three squats. This will activate your back or buttock muscles, the largest muscle groups in the human body. You will boost your fat and sugar metabolism, again and again, every hour. Your body will thank you. Hearing health The Apple Watch also warns you of noisy surroundings. Sure, you’ll notice that it’s loud yourself, but these warnings are systematized in the Health overview and in a chronological context; the system automatically evaluates whether the ambient noise is still okay for you or whether you should pay more attention to your hearing health. You don’t have to do anything to set up this evaluation. It runs automatically via microphones built into the Apple Watch. Washing your hands At WWDC 2020, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, the manufacturer unveiled a cool feature: the Apple Watch from Series 4 onwards recognizes that the user is washing their hands based on typical movement patterns and noises and starts a 20-second countdown. Proper hand hygiene can prevent respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. Foundry You can also activate a hand-washing reminder in settings: as soon as you arrive home and stay there for several minutes, the Apple Watch reminds you to wash your hands. How to set the countdown and reminders for hand washing: Open the Watch app on your iPhone and look for the Handwashing setting. There, tick the box opposite “Allow messages” and switch the two sliders “Timer for hand washing” and “Reminders for hand washing” to green. Vital signs Vital Signs is a new feature since watchOS 10 that doesn’t actually bring any new functions, but bundles the existing ones and displays the data from them in a clear form. There is not much you can set in Vital Signs, only the Sleep focus for your habits. When this focus is activated, the watch automatically measures your wrist temperature, heart rate during sleep, oxygen saturation, breathing rate, and sleep duration. You can simply activate the notifications in the Vital Signs section of the Watch app on the iPhone. Foundry To help raise your awareness, place a large widget on the home screen of your iPhone that displays your vital signs. This way, you can see at a glance whether everything is okay. To add a Vital widget, tap and hold a spot on your iPhone’s Home screen to put the screen in edit mode. Tap the Edit button at the upper left, and then tap Add Widget. In the Search bar, type “Health” and then tap the Health icon that appears. You have three widgets to choose from: Overnight Vitals, Weekly Vitals, and Cycle Tracking. You can add all three if you want.

Macworld Apple ships a simple but effective charging cable with the Apple Watch that will fast-charge an Apple Watch Series 7 or later (Watch 8/9/10, Watch Ultra 1/2). You won’t find a faster charging accessory but you can also choose from a wide range of stylish and practical charging stands, docks and power banks for your Apple Watch—including some that can also charge other Apple devices such as your iPhone and AirPods. Here, we round up the best Apple Watch chargers, docks and charging stands—some of which can charge your other Apple devices at the same time. Most should be compatible with all generations of the Watch, but be sure to check compatibility before buying. There are simple charging cables, multi-device chargers that can power up your Apple Watch plus your iPhone and AirPods, chargers that are built for portability and travel, designer models that look great at home or in the office, and handy Apple Watch power banks. We’ve tested a lot and selected our favorites here. Best simple Apple Watch chargers Best 2-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone chargers Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch/iPhone/AirPod chargers Best 3-in-1 Apple Watch travel chargers Best Apple Watch power banks Simple Apple Watch stands Best simple Apple Watch chargers Every Apple Watch comes with the company’s Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable. At $29 / £29 it’s not overly expensive to buy a spare or replacement, but there are more able multifunction Watch chargers available, as well as much cheaper simple cables that we would steer clear of but which we have investigated to see if we can find one we can recommend. First we start our best Apple Watch charger roundup with these simple models, and then we test the more functional and better-designed alternatives. Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable – Best Apple Watch charging cable Pros Fast charge Watch Simple Cons One use only Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $23.49 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: Yes Size: 1m cable Weight: 2.6oz (73g) Colors: White Requires USB-C charger: Yes (20W minimum) Apple ships its Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable with its Watch Series 7 and later models, including the Watch Series 8/9/10 and Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch SE (including the current model) and Series 6 and earlier Watch models shipped with the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable that lacks the fast-charging function. Both cables are Apple white and a meter long. The latest version features an enhanced charging puck. The 7.5W Fast Charger Cable can charge 33% faster than the older 5W cable—charging a compatible Watch battery from 0-80% in just 45 minutes. An eight-minute charge will support eight hours of sleep tracking. Without fast charge, it takes about 1.5 hours to charge an Apple Watch to 80%, and about 2.5 hours to 100%. Fast charging requires at least a 20W USB-C charger, like you’d use to charge an iPhone; find our recommended best iPhone chargers for a wider choice that the plain Apple 20W charger. While you can still buy the older Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable, there’s little benefit as the newer Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable is backwards compatible with older Watch models, looks the same, and is the same price. You can use the old cable on a later Watch but obviously without fast charging. Third-party simple Apple Watch Chargers – Beware cheap imitations Pros Affordable Cons Pot luck on quality Slow charging No name brands Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $6.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: No Size: 1m cable Colors: White, Black Requires USB-C charger: Yes (20W minimum) Apple’s official Watch Charger is fast and reliable but expensive compared to the knock-off Watch chargers you can find online. This is a shame as having a spare in your bag or lying around at home is useful given the Watch’s pretty dreadful battery life. Usually there is a trusted third-party provider with an alternative to Apple’s simple charging cable but we could find none for the Apple Watch that were cheaper than the Apple version. We are sure that the Satechi USB-C Magnetic Charging Cable for Apple Watch is trustworthy but it’s actually pricier than the Apple and doesn’t support fast charging—so why bother? There are some great third-party Apple Watch charging stands and adapters—many of which we review below. But you are taking a chance (albeit a very affordable chance) by picking a cheapo simple Watch charger from Amazon, Temu or other online retailers. We bought one from Amazon that frayed its cable sitting in a bag for a few weeks. If you must, then scan the user reviews but we can’t vouch that the good ones are genuine and others often state problems with durability and extremely slow charging. You spent a bunch on your Apple Watch so why risk it going up in flames by saving a few bucks on a spare charger? Satechi USB-C Magnetic Apple Watch Charging Dock – Portable Apple Watch charger Pros Portable Cons No Watch fast charge One use only Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $37.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Watch fast charge: No Size: 2 x 1.73 x 0.45 inches (5.1 x 4.4 x 1.1cm) Weight: 1.1oz (31g) Colors: Space Gray Requires USB-C charger: Any USB-C charging port Small enough to fit in your pocket, this little 5W Watch charger from Satechi can plug straight into a USB-C charger or a USB-C charging port—for example, the Thunderbolt on your MacBook or iPad,a USB-C car charger, or USB-C output power bank. When you get an alert telling you that your Watch battery is fading, you don’t always have your meter-long Apple charging cable with you but you are likely nearer a USB-C power point, and this little Watch charger can live at the bottom of your backpack for when you need it most. Belkin Boost Charge Pro Portable Fast Charger – Best simple Apple Watch charging stand Pros Fast charge Watch Nightstand Portable Cons Expensive for one use only Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $35.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmar

Macworld If you’re an Apple fan, the annual iPhone launch event is one of the best days of the year. It’s when we finally get to see what Apple has been working on for the previous 12 months and decide if it’s worth upgrading. From the day the invitation arrives until the keynote begins, Apple gets an enormous amount of scrutiny and over-analysis as fans eagerly investigate what clues Apple has (or, just as often, hasn’t) hidden inside its show posters. In the run-up to Apple’s iPhone 17 launch event, we’ve taken a look back at every one of the company’s past iPhone shows, casting our beady eye over the slogans, invites, and products that defined the shows. On January 1, 2007, this image appeared on the homepage of Apple.com.Apple 2007: Just the beginning (original iPhone) The Macworld San Francisco Expo took place in January 2007, and it was here that the first-ever iPhone made its appearance. After introducing the iPhone as three devices in one (a “widescreen iPod with touch controls,” a “revolutionary mobile phone,” and a “breakthrough internet communicator”), Apple went on to launch the device that would upend the entire cell phone industry. Launching what may be fairly described as the most important product in Apple’s history required a suitably momentous invite, and that’s just what we got. Depicting the sun dawning over a huge Apple logo, the invite was clear that this was the start of a new era. If that wasn’t explicit enough, the slogan truly rammed it home: “The first 30 years were just the beginning. Welcome to 2007.” The 2008 WWDC invite features twin Golden Gate Bridges. Apple 2008: A landmark event (iPhone 3G) Apple switched the iPhone stage from Macworld to WWDC with the arrival of the iPhone 3G. Apple tagged it as “A landmark event. In more ways than one,” with a photo of not one but two Golden Gate Bridges adorning the invites. This was perhaps a reference to the iPhone 3G, which brought with it much faster internet connectivity than its predecessor, and the introduction of the iPhone SDK at the show, which included the Core Location API. Or perhaps it was a signal that the iPhone was changing the way we see the world. Or maybe it was something else entirely–this is far from the only time people have scratched their heads and wondered what Apple’s invites were all about. But it was definitely a landmark event. The 2009 WWDC invite emphasized the new App Store.Apple 2009: Make your mark here (iPhone 3GS) At WWDC 2009, Apple announced the iPhone 3GS, the first in a long line of “S” devices. Its invite showed an iPhone with a four-by-four grid of squares spelling out various phrases (“Make your mark here,” “Don’t lose your spot,” “Make this your year”), with the implicit idea being that these squares represented apps. Accordingly, Apple announced the iPhone 3GS by saying it could access over 50,000 apps in the company’s App Store. While that number might seem quaint today, it was a big deal back then, prompting Apple to design its event invite around the concept. Apple 2010: Center of the app universe (iPhone 4) The next year, Apple returned to the app theme with WWDC 2010’s tagline of “The center of the app universe.” By this point, over 225,000 apps were available on the iPhone, and more than five billion of them had been downloaded by users. The iPhone 4 that launched at WWDC 2010 came with a new design, the first-ever Retina display, a 5MP camera, and more, cementing its reputation as the place to go for a top-tier smartphone experience. The 2011 iPhone event was the first for Tim Cook.Apple 2011: Let’s talk iPhone (iPhone 4s) By 2011, Apple had moved its iPhone event to September, settling into the routine that it has stuck to ever since. This time, Apple didn’t leave much to the imagination with its invite: This show was going to be all about the iPhone, without the peripheral distractions of a Macworld Expo or WWDC. The iPhone 4s that arrived at this event brought Siri, and it may have been this new feature that the event’s “Let’s talk iPhone” slogan referred to. This was also the first iPhone introduced by Tim Cook, after Steve Jobs’s resignation from the Apple leadership earlier in the year. Jobs sadly passed away just one day after the iPhone 4s was unveiled. Look closely at the shadow. Apple 2012: It’s almost here (iPhone 5) Before Apple announced the iPhone 4s in 2011, there was fevered speculation that the next iPhone would actually be called iPhone 5, leading to disappointment in some quarters that 2011’s device was only an “S” upgrade. Apple seemed to address those critics with its 2012 iPhone event invite, which teased “It’s almost here,” with a prominent number five shadow underneath the 12 that represented the event’s date. The iPhone 5 came with a thinner and lighter design and a larger display, a faster chip, and a new Lightning port that replaced the old 30-pin connector. Apple released the iPhone 5c in an array of colors.Apple 2013: Brighten everyone’s day (iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c) These days, the iPhone 5c might seem like an odd flash in the pan, and it was the only time Apple released a whole range of iPhones in bright, playful colors–we’ve had gaudy iPhones in the years since, but none quite like these. Such a radical departure from the iPhone’s past black and silver tones required an invite that was as bold as the device, and that’s just what we got. The invitation featured colorful bubbles and the tagline “This should brighten everyone’s day.” That it did. Aside from the iPhone 5c, we also got the iPhone 5s, which packed in its first 64-bit chip, an 8MP camera, and the first instance of Touch ID in an iPhone. By “more,” Apple meant the iPhone 6 Plus.Apple 2014: Wish we could say more (iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus) Apple likes to remain tight-lipped about its future products, and 2014’s iPhone event invite seemed to poke a little fun at its secrecy: “Wish we could say more,” it lamented. Except, with a bit of hindsight, you can see that it did spill some saucy secrets. That’s because that year was the first time we got a “Plus” iPhone, and it came in the form of the iPhone 6 Plus, which launched alongside the iPhone 6. With a bigger iPhone on offer, Apple really was giving us more after all. Siri took the spotlight for the 2015 iPhone event.Apple 2015: Give us a hint (iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus) The invite for the iPhone event in 2015 was pretty transparent: Siri would take center stage. And it did, with the announcement that the A9 chip inside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus allowed more features to run at lower power, including “Hey Siri” requests. As a result, you no longer needed to have your iPhone plugged in to use Siri. Apple’s original campus is at One Infinite Loop in Cupertino, Calif.Apple March 2016: Let us loop you in (iPhone SE) The first iPhone SE was put on show in 2016, with Apple asking attendees at the show to “Let us loop you in.” This was a nod towards the event’s location, which was Apple’s Infinite Loop campus. Also on display at the event was the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, a new Apple Watch, and updates to Apple’s software offerings, including tvOS, CareKit, HealthKit, and ResearchKit. The invite for the iPhone 7 event.Apple September 2016: See you on the 7th (iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus) Sometimes, Apple event invites are simple without much deeper meaning. That seems to have been the case with the 2016 iPhone show, which used the phrase “See you on the 7th.” Not only was the event held on September 7, but it also brought with it the iPhone 7 line-up. Seems straightforward, right? If you want to look for something more, Apple promoted the significantly upgraded camera system in the iPhone 7 range. The out-of-focus lights that created the top of the Apple logo was a clear reference to the introduction of portrait mode on the iPhone 7 Plus, a feature that would quickly change the way we snapped photos on our phones. The first media event at Apple Park.Apple 2017: Let’s meet at our place (iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus) By 2017, Apple had finally completed its monumental Apple Park office space, a process that had begun some 11 years earlier. It was therefore understandably eager to host an iPhone event there, and it did so in 2017 by inviting people to “meet at our place.” The first iPhone show in the Apple Park era was suitably significant, as it was where the iPhone X was revealed to the world. Apple’s all-new, all-screen iPhone has set the blueprint for almost every iPhone since, and starting this new age in a new location must have felt fitting to Tim Cook and friends. Apple Park was the focus of the 2018 invite. Apple 2018: Gather round (iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone XR) In case you were living under a rock in 2018 and didn’t realize Apple had moved to a new campus, the company drove the point home with its 2018 iPhone XS event invite, which bade people to “gather round.” The invite was decorated with an aerial representation of Apple Park. Pretty subtle, if you ask us. The Pro and Pro Max iPhones debuted at this event.Apple 2019: By innovation only (iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max) It’s an ongoing meme that Apple doesn’t innovate anymore, but Apple was keen to prove its doubters wrong at its 2019 iPhone event. Titled “By innovation only,” it saw the iPhone line divided into regular models and high-end Pro offerings for the first time, which is where Apple concentrated most of its inventive energies. You can almost hear Apple’s crack marketing team declaring, “If this doesn’t convince them that we can innovate, nothing

Macworld If you need a computer, you can’t go wrong with a MacBook Pro. The price is often a barrier, but there’s a way to cut that down. This refurbished MacBook Pro is in near-mint condition with a grade “A” rating, but the price has still dropped from $1,499, down to $324.97. This sale only lasts for a limited time. This 13-inch MacBook Pro has a 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. That combination is enough to handle everyday tasks like document editing, video calls, media playback, and multitasking with multiple browser tabs or apps open. The 13.3-inch Retina display has a 2560×1600 resolution and 500 nits of brightness, which provides clear detail and vibrant color. The keyboard has Apple’s second-generation Touch Bar, which means you can customize your controls for different apps, and it has Touch ID for quick, secure logins. With four Thunderbolt 3 ports, this model supports fast charging, external displays, and high-speed data transfers through a single USB-C connection. It weighs just over 3 pounds, and the slim profile makes it easy to carry in a backpack or work bag. Battery life is rated up to 10 hours for web browsing or video playback, and the stereo speakers, 720p FaceTime camera, and 3.5mm headphone jack make it a solid choice for remote work or school. For a limited time, you can still get a MacBook Pro for only $324.97. Apple MacBook Pro 13″ Touchbar (2017) 3.1GHz i5 8GB RAM 512GB SSD Space Gray (Refurbished)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Macworld Every year, Apple updates the Mac operating system. The current version of macOS is macOS 15.5, but development of macOS 26 (not macOS 16) is well underway. Apple runs a beta program, which means developers and registered public testers can try out new features before they are released to the general public later in the year. The beta process doesn’t stop with the full release of macOS in the fall. After macOS 15 Sequoia arrived on Macs in September 2024, development continued with new features rolled out every couple of months. The same will be true of the macOS 26 development cycle. In this article, we’ll explain what you need to do to get your hands on a copy of the new beta of macOS 26, how to install it, and what you should bear in mind if you want to avoid problems. (If you would prefer to use the latest official release of macOS, here’s how to update macOS on your Mac.) Update September 2, 2025: Apple released macOS 26 developer beta 9. macOS beta: Latest version The most recent version of the macOS 26 Tahoe developer beta is beta 9. It was released on September 2, 2025. Following WWDC 2025 on June 9, the macOS 26 developer beta is now available to download for those signed up to the program. The “macOS 26” name is part of a coherent annual naming system along with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. Foundry macOS beta: Public beta release date Apple released the macOS Tahoe public beta on July 24, 2025. Version 5 of the public beta arrived on August 25. macOS beta: Next beta update New betas tend to arrive every one to two weeks, and more frequently as the full release data approaches. The beta testing program will continue to run after the new macOS 26 software launches in September or October 2025, with Apple continuing to roll out new features. How to get the macOS beta To get the developer version of the macOS 26 beta, you need to be running macOS Sequoia and be registered for Apple’s developer program, either having paid $99/£79 to enroll in Apple’s Developer program (here) or with a free developer account (follow the instructions below for how to register for that). Alternatively, if it’s the public beta you are after, you just need to sign up for the Public Beta program on Apple’s beta webpage, sign the NDA, and enroll your Mac. Details of how to do that are below. As long as you are a registered developer or enrolled in the public beta program, when the relevant macOS Beta becomes available, it will also show up on your Mac. Before you download the beta, a few warnings: We strongly advise that if you aren’t a developer, you don’t download the developer beta. We also strongly recommend that you back up your Mac before you upgrade to the macOS beta. We recommend that you do not run the macOS beta on your primary Mac; ideally, run it in a separate volume. This should minimize any risks to you. How to get a free Apple developer account If you just want a free Apple Developer account so you can access the beta, you can get this via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app on an iPhone: Get the Apple Developer App from the App Store.  Open the app on your iPhone.  Tap on Account.  Tap on Sign In.  Sign in using your usual Apple ID.  If you wish to actually publish applications to the App Store or receive support, you’ll need to pay $99/£79 per year for a paid account. You can compare the free and paid accounts here. How to register for the macOS public beta The macOS public beta is accessible to anyone with a valid Apple ID. To register, go to the Apple Beta Software Program page. Select the “Sign Up” option. Sign in using your Apple ID. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the registration process. Enrol the Mac you wish to run the beta on via this Apple page. How to download macOS beta Open Software Updates on your Mac. (System Settings > General > Software Updates.) You should see two options: Automatic Updates and Beta Updates. Click on the (i) beside Beta Updates. You can now turn on Beta Updates (if they weren’t already on). Choose the beta you want to download: public or developer. If your account is tied to a different Apple ID than your usual one, you can change that here. Click Done. Now your Mac will check for updates and eventually show the latest macOS Beta as an upgrade. Click on Upgrade Now. Foundry Do I need the macOS Beta Access Utility? Only if you are running macOS Ventura 13.3 or earlier. Apple changed the way it delivers betas in Ventura 13.4. If you aren’t yet running that version of macOS you will need to download the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility or macOS Public Beta Access Utility in order to download betas. If you were already running an earlier macOS Public Beta you’ll find the new macOS beta as an upgrade via Software Update. Just click on Upgrade Now. You may have to update to the latest version of your current beta before you can do so, if not follow the steps below to get the beta access utility. If you are enrolled in the Developer Program, go to Apple’s beta download page. Click on Install Profile to download the new macOS Developer Beta Access Utility to your Mac. If you are enrolled as a public beta tester, download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility. Go to Downloads on your Mac and click on the macOS Beta Access Utility to open it. Double-click on the dmg file and the installer will run. Once the new macOS beta is installed Software Update will check to see if there are any updates. Click Update and the latest version will download. You’ll see a prompt to install the latest macOS beta, click on Continue. Agree to the Ts&Cs (more on them below). Click Install. Once you are running the beta, the updates will come through to your Mac automatically; you just need to click to install. You will receive a notification when the next update to the beta is available. Updates will be available via Software Update (in System Settings/System Preferences) FAQ 1. Who can run the macOS beta? Anyone can run the macOS beta, but to do so, you do need to register for either the developer beta, the pubic beta, or both. Apple offers both developer and public beta programs for macOS, enabling all interested users to test pre-release versions of the operating system. While both betas provide early access to new features, they cater to different user profiles based on technical expertise and risk tolerance. Beta software tends to be buggy so the more stable public beta version may be preferable, but even that will not be bug-free. In the past, the developer beta was only available to developers who had paid to join Apple’s Developer Program (which costs $99/£79). However, for a couple of years now, Apple has opened up the developer beta to registered developers with free developer accounts. We explain how to get a free developer account below. If you decide you no longer want to run the beta version of macOS read this: How to remove the macOS beta. 2. macOS public beta vs developer beta Since 2023, the Developer Beta has been available to anyone who registers as a developer, even if they aren’t a paid-up member of Apple’s Developer Program. As a result, people with a basic free developer account can download the new macOS developer beta (we show you how to register below). Whether you should download the developer beta if you aren’t a developer is another question. We don’t recommend you install the developer beta if you aren’t a developer. Instead, our recommendation is to use the public beta (the first version of which usually arrives in July). There are a few differences between the public and developer betas. The public beta is not the same as the beta that is released through the developer program. The public beta typically launches after the developer beta has undergone initial testing and refinement Developers get updates to their beta first, and possibly more frequently. But you should keep in mind that betas are by nature not stable, and because the public beta comes after the developer beta it could be a little safer to install. The most significant difference is probably the motive of the testers: Developers usually have the aim of ensuring their apps work when the updated macOS is released to the general public, while public beta testers are essentially helping Apple detect bugs and offering feedback on the features. Because of this, developers may get to test new features not available in the public beta.  If you want to get the public beta the first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is join Apple’s beta programs read this for more information: How to become an Apple beta tester. 3. Is the macOS beta stable? By its nature, a beta has the potential to be unstable. Therefore, it’s not advised that you install it on a Mac that you rely on. If you have a second Mac that isn’t mission-critical, then install it there. We strongly recommend that you don’t risk all by putting the macOS beta on your primary macOS, especially not in the early days of the beta development.  If you don’t have a second Mac, there are a couple of ways you could run macOS beta on your Mac without running the risk of losing data or finding your Mac stops working: We recommend installing it on a partition, which these days is really a volume (and is much easier to create than a partition was). Read about how to do that here: How to dual-boot Mac: Run two versions of macOS on a Mac. Alternatively, you could install the macOS beta on an external drive and run it on that. We discuss the safety of the macOS beta and the risks you might be taking in more detail in a separate article. If the

Macworld Like its counterparts on the other Apple devices, macOS is getting a brand new look for 2025-2026 along with a new name. Because Apple is aligning the names of all the operating systems this year, the new version of macOS be called macOS 26 rather than macOS 16. It will also take the name Tahoe, inspired by the lake, beaches, and the ski resorts of that area of California.  Along with a big redesign, macOS 26 brings new Continuity features to bring your iPad, iPhone, and Mac even closer together, a brand new Phone app, and more. Spotlight also gets its biggest ever update with the ability to action things like sending emails directly from Spotlight.  We expect that it will be possible to install these new features on your Mac before the end of September 2025, but if you would like to try them out now, you can. A developer and public beta are out now. We have more information about joining the beta and the release date of the public beta below.  You will find all the things you need to know about the new macOS Tahoe below, including which Macs are compatible with macOS 26 and the new features you can expect. So, stay tuned to this superguide for everything you need to know about macOS 26 Tahoe, the latest version of the beta, and all the new features that are coming. @macworld.com Top 3 features in macOS Tahoe from WWDC #wwdc #macostahoe #fyp ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld macOS 26 Tahoe release date Date TBD: 15 September 2025 predicted Apple’s official release of macOS 26 Tahoe will be in the fall, as is usually the case. We don’t know the release date for sure, but we can estimate that it will coincide with the release of the new iOS update, which will probably happen a few days after the iPhone event in September 2025. We anticipate the September iPhone event and the launch of the launch of the iPhone 17 will take place on September 9, so the software could be out around September 15 or 16. However, Apple has previously scheduled the update to macOS after iOS, sometimes as short as a week, sometimes as long as a month, so there could be a longer wait with an October release possible. YouTube / Apple macOS 26 Tahoe Beta release date Latest Developer beta version: Beta 9, September 2 Latest Public Beta version: Beta 5, August 25 You don’t have to wait until the full release to try the new software out. Apple runs a developer beta as well as a public beta, so if you want to try out the new features before they are released to the general public, you will be able to do so. Both betas are free, though the developer beta requires a free registration as a developer. Apple issues updates to the betas fairly regularly. For the first few months, updates were every two weeks, but as we get closer to the release date, they are now once a week. The public beta updates tend to come a day or two after the updated developer beta. If you are interested in trying out the beta, you can join Apple’s beta program. For help installing the macOS beta, see our guide to installing the macOS beta. macOS 26 Tahoe supported devices: Which Macs get macOS Tahoe Requires Apple Silicon or Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip Apple Intelligence features require M1 or later When Apple updates the operating system for its devices, it sometimes means that certain models are no longer supported. The good news is that Macs that ran macOS Sonoma will be able to run the new macOS. Apple states that the requirement is: Macs with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. Here are Macs with Apple Silicon that will be able to run macOS Tahoe: MacBook Air (M1/2020 and later) MacBook Pro (M1/2020 and later) iMac (M1/2021 and later) Mac mini (M1/2020 and later) Mac Studio (M1/2022 and later) Mac Pro (M2/2023 and later) There are the four Intel-powered Macs able to run macOS Tahoe. These models won’t support Apple Intelligence features: MacBook Pro (16‑inch, Intel/2019) MacBook Pro (13‑inch, Intel/2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) iMac (Intel/mid 2020) Mac Pro (Intel/2019) Apple has confirmed that this is the last version of macOS that will run on Intel Macs.  macOS 26 Tahoe design: Liquid Glass and other interface changes  Apple At WWDC in June, Apple showed off some enticing new features for macOS that will be coming later in 2025. A number of new features and interface enhancements were promised, but one of the biggest changes is coming to all of Apple’s products: a new design based on a graphical user interface that Apple is calling Liquid Glass. Apple showed off the brand new look for macOS in the WWDC keynote. As with Apple’s other operating systems, macOS Tahoe uses Apple’s new Liquid Glass effect to create reflective, glossy elements around the interface. The Liquid Glass elements will change color to reflect the content beneath as you scroll and will dynamically react. Buttons appear more curved and less flat. You’ll see the effect in the Dock, sidebars, toolbars and elsewhere. The menu bar is fully transparent, and you can adjust the transparency of icons in the Dock, for example. If you don’t like the new transparent look or if it affects how well you can see items, there is a way to reduce it, and in some instances, turn it in off altogether. Read: How to reduce transparency in macOS Tahoe. This is the first time in years that Apple has made significant changes to the visual style of macOS, and it certainly makes the OS appear more modern. Interface changes  Apple Apple says the design overhaul will elevate the key elements of macOS and enhance the macOS experience. The cleaner design is intended to help the user to focus on their content rather than other distractions, while elements like the translucent menu bar will make the screen feel larger.  Users will be able to choose to add third-party apps to the menu bar and even drag widgets and buttons from the Control Centre into the menu bar, thanks to a customizable layout, similar to iOS 18. Users will also be able to add controls for their favorite apps to the Control Centre. We have a guide to how to use Control Centre in macOS Tahoe where you can read about how to add controls, remove the ones you don’t want, and arrange them in a way that makes sense for you. Apple is taking advantage of the Liquid Glass introduction to bring some new icon designs to the Mac as well to help give macOS a fresh look. Some of the icons look drastically different, for others the changes are more subtle. The ‘hard drive’ icon will now be replaced with one that looks more like an SSD, for example. The new icons tend to take the form of ‘squircles’. The changes may make some third party icons less recognisable. Take a look at: 21 of the new macOS Tahoe icons with new designs for the Finder, Automator, Calendar and Contacts icons among others. The new Finder icon.Apple macOS will also gain a feature that arrived on the iPhone and iPad with iOS 18: tinted and dark app icons. Users will be able to personalize their Mac in other ways, too, such as changing the color of folders and adding emoji or symbols to help them identify folders. Users can also pick personalised wallpapers and choose theme colors.  New dynamic screensavers will be included. One, based on the default macOS Tahoe wallpaper, depicts the landscapes of South Lake Tahoe in a stylized artistic manner, is available in both light and dark versions. See how it looks in Tahoe’s gorgeous new screen saver. There are up to 15 other new screensavers with images of Tahoe at various time of the day, Himalayas, Goa, The Ganges and more. Spotlight overhaul Apple Spotlight has always been much more than a search tool built into macOS, helping users find anything on their Macs, make calculations and conversions, and more. In macOS Tahoe, Spotlight will be able to do even more. Spotlight’s design and functionality have been completely rethought for macOS 26, with changes that will help Mac users get things done faster. Rather than being a single bar, on the right-hand side of the new Spotlight search box, you will find icons for things like apps, files, Shortcuts, Actions, and clipboard. Select one of these buttons, and Spotlight’s box expands to house relevant items in an easy-to-browse view. When you search for something, you’ll see relevant filters under your search terms – click one to quickly apply it. Not only will Spotlight be the easiest way to find anything on your Mac, but in macOS 26, Spotlight will be contextually aware so it can make suggestions based on what you are doing. Search results will be listed based on their relevance to you, and it will be possible to use new filtering options for more specific search results.  Spotlight will also have the ability to perform actions that normally require you to be inside an app. For example, you will be able to create a calendar event, begin an audio recording, or play a podcast from within Spotlight. It will even let you fill out parameters for actions, such as typing out an email message and filling in the recipient and subject. You can essentially compose an email from inside Spotlight, without opening your email app. This will be simplified further with Quick Keys, with which you will be able to type a short string of letters to launch an action, such as typing “sm” to start sending a message to a friend. An App Intents API will make it possible for third-party developers to add Spotlight shortcuts for their applications. One of the most exciting new arrivals in Spotlight is Clipboard History, something we have wanted for years. Instead of being limited to pasting the last copied item, you will be able to view previous text and photos you’ve copied and re-

Macworld As is tradition, Apple released beta versions of its new operating systems to developers on the first day of WWDC on June 9. That first beta release had all the major features Apple demonstrated in its WWDC keynote: Liquid Glass, the new Phone app and features, the new Camera and Photos experience, and more. Subsequent releases have focused on refining the interface, improving performance and quality, and squashing bugs. There are still plenty of unrefined areas, as you would expect with a major iOS update still weeks from release. Not everything is working as it should, so you might think twice about running the beta on a critical device. You can read all about all the new features in our iOS 26 superguide and find out the latest information about the iOS beta including when it will launch and how to install it in a separate story. Latest developer beta release: What’s new The 9th developer beta was released on September 2, and should find its way to public beta users (as the 6th such beta release) within a day or two. Like beta 8, there really isn’t much new in this release. It looks like iOS 26 is “complete” as far as features and design goes, and Apple is just working out the last remaining bugs. We’ll update this article if significant changes are discovered. iOS 26: How to install the public beta The iOS 26 public beta was first released on July 24. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID. Log in to the Beta Software Program. Click Enroll your iOS device. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta. It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update. iOS 26: How to install the developer beta You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app: Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store. Open the app. Tap on Account. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. Find out everything you need to know about iOS 18 in our iOS 26 superguide.

Macworld There’s just one week left until the biggest event in Apple’s yearly calendar: the launch of the latest iPhone models. But some expert pundits have opined that the peripheral devices that launch alongside the iPhone 17 may actually be more exciting. The Apple Watch Series 11 and AirPods Pro 3, both of which are expected to land this month, have the potential to wow the market with upgrades and new features. Sadly, however, a last-minute report indicates that one of the more highly anticipated features won’t be ready in time for the AirPods Pro 3 launch. According to an anonymous tipster who got in touch with 9to5Mac, live translation isn’t on the cards to be available out of the box. On the plus side, it doesn’t appear that the feature has been abandoned, only that it’s been delayed. What’s more, the tipster says live translation “will likely be added in a later software update.” Apple has already announced that live translation in the Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps is a major part of the iOS 26 update, but has thus far left AirPods out of the conversation. So you’ll reportedly be able to buy the AirPods Pro 3 at launch, enjoy the other improvements, then benefit later when the feature drops as part of a free update. On the other hand, some customers may have been burned last year when they bought the iPhone 16 on the strength of Apple Intelligence features that were expected to land in an update, but were repeatedly delayed and, in some cases, still haven’t arrived. Even if live translation doesn’t make the launch slate, the AirPods Pro 3 should still have plenty to offer. Aside from a new chip, improved noise cancellation, and a stylish redesign (including a new-look charging case), the new headphones will get two new health sensors, according to the tipster: heart rate and temperature. Both of which would fit in well as Apple looks to pivot the AirPods to a more rounded and health-focused wearable. The iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11 will be announced at the “Awe Dropping” September 9, likely alongside the AirPods Pro 3, though some reports suggest they may have to wait until later in the fall. Either way, you can catch all the latest news and rumors in our regularly updated new AirPods hub article.

Macworld Apple Watch 2025: Summary The Apple Watch Series 10 is expected to keep a similar design with an updated chip and 5G cellular connectivity, with some new health features and Apple Intelligence integration. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to have a larger display, 5G and satellite connectivity, a new chip, updated health features, and Apple Intelligence integration. The Apple Watch SE will likely get a new design with a larger display, upgraded sensors, and a new processor. On September 9, Apple will unveil the latest family of smartwatches at its “Awe Dropping” event alongside the iPhone 17. For the first time since 2022, Apple is expected to refresh all three models—Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and the 3rd-gen Apple Watch SE—which could bring some long-awaited features. In this article, the Macworld team uses its expert knowledge of Apple and Apple Watch history to define the Apple Watch rumors most likely to be true. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the soon-to-launch Apple Watch Series 11 series, including when the next Apple Watch will come out, the expected preorder and sale date, design and display specs, and more. The Apple Watch Series 11 is likely to look nearly identical to the Series 10.Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry At a glance: What to expect from 2025 Apple Watch models Apple Watch Series 11 42mm and 46mm display options S11 processor 5G cellular  High blood pressure detection watchOS 26 Apple Watch Ultra 3 50mm display S11 processor 5G cellular and satellite connectivity  High blood pressure detection watchOS 26 Apple Watch SE (3rd-gen) 41mm and 45mm display options S11 processor LTE ECG sensor Always-on display watchOS 26 Apple Watch 2025 design Apple updates its mid-range Apple Watch every year, but it doesn’t always deliver major changes. Last year’s Series 10 brought a larger display and thinner design, so the Series 11 will likely stick with the same 42mm and 46mm sizes. This year, all signs point to an Apple Watch Series 11 that is identical in appearance to the Series 10. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to have a slightly larger display. A report in August revealed that code in iOS 26 indicates that the Ultra 3 will have a display resolution of 422 by 514, which is an increase from the Ultra 2’s 410 by 502. That likely means it will increase from 49mm to 50mm, though the overall size could stay the same due to shrinking bezels. The design of the Apple Watch SE is less certain. The current model is based on the Apple Watch Series 5, so there’s a high likelihood that Apple bumps the size to 41mm and 45mm to match the Series 7. There could also be a new material. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported in September 2024 that a plastic SE redesign would arrive in 2025, though in March, he claimed that the plastic Apple Watch SE had run into production issues and was in “serious jeopardy.” Apple has reportedly been working on a microLED display for the Apple Watch for several years, so it could make an appearance on this year’s models, possibly as an exclusive Apple Watch Ultra 3 feature. The Apple Watch Seiries 10 introduced a new jet black color option.Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Apple Watch 2025 colors Apple shuffles its Apple Watch colors every year with new options. The Series 10 is available in silver, rose gold, and jet black in aluminum, and natural, gold, and slate in titanium. The Apple Watch SE’s rumored redesign is reportedly aimed at being more kid-friendly, so colors more aligned with the bright yellow and pink hues of the iPad are a possibility. The current SE is available in midnight, starlight, and silver. Finally, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will likely be available in the same natural and black titanium options. Apple Watch 2025 features Health and fitness The Apple Watch gets new exclusive health features nearly every year. We haven’t heard rumors about any new health sensors, but blood-pressure monitoring, which was once rumored to arrive on the Apple Watch Series 10, is expected to debut on this year’s model. Apple is also exploring non-invasive blood-glucose monitoring, though rumors say it’s still years away from release. watchOS 26 will be pre-installed on the new watches, bringing several new health and fitness-related features, including an AI-powered Workout Buddy that analyzes your usage data and fitness metrics to create personalized insights and pep talks, and customization options that let you set up suitable playlists and podcasts to play during workouts. It will also have a new gesture to dismiss notifications and a smarter Smart Stack watch face. Petter Ahrnstedt 5G and satellite The Apple Watch has had an option for LTE cellular connectivity since the Series 3. With every other cellular-enabled device in Apple’s lineup using 5G, it’s rumored that the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 will switch to 5G. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is also rumored to support satellite messaging as an exclusive feature. Apple Intelligence While the Apple Watch doesn’t officially support Apple Intelligence, a few AI-powered features are coming to Apple’s smartwatch using a paired iPhone. Live Listen transcription and Live Translation will automatically transcribe phone calls and messages on your Apple Watch screen in real time. Workout Buddy will use Apple Intelligence from your iPhone to provide you with words of encouragement based on your workout data and fitness history.  Other AI-powered features coming in watchOS 26 include automatic volume adjustment, so that notifications are adjusted depending on your environment. And new Smart Stack hints that will make proactive, context-aware suggestions when your watch detects a specific situation like an appointment or new location. There will also likely be AI features exclusive to the new watches, though we don’t expect this year’s models to fully support Apple Intelligence yet. S11 processor The Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 are rumored to have the S11 CPU. However, reports say the chip will use the same architecture as the S10 and S9, which means it won’t have any speed or efficiency upgrades. The Apple Watch SE hasn’t been updated since 2022.Henry Burrell / Foundry Apple Watch 2025 release date Apple will unveil the new Apple Watch models at the “Awe Dropping” event on September 9. For the past several years, preorders for the watches have begun as soon as the event ends, with shipments arriving on Friday, September 19. Apple Watch 2025 price Apple hasn’t changed its pricing structure since the Apple Watch Series 3, and we haven’t heard any rumors that say otherwise. That means the Series 11 will start at $399 for the 42mm model, and $429 for the larger 46mm version, with an extra $100 for cellular, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will likely cost $799/£799 (which includes cellular connectivity). The Apple Watch SE currently starts at $249/£219, but can often be found for as low as $189 at Amazon U.S. With the rumors of a new plastic design, it’s possible the Apple Watch SE gets another price cut, as it did when the 2nd-gen model arrived in 2022.

Macworld In just about a week, Apple will unveil its new iPhone 17 lineup with some major changes to the Pro line. While the sizes will remain the same, the phones are expected to be slightly thicker with a brand-new camera bar that stretches across the top third of the phone. That means if you’re upgrading, you’re going to need a new case that fits the new design. We’ve gotten a look at some of them over the past couple of weeks, and now a pair of leaks from Majin Bu and Sonny Dickson show off the new clear case that Apple has made since MagSafe was introduced with the iPhone 12.  However, this time around it’s not so clear. Instead of a white circle surrounding the Apple logo, Apple has apparently opted to cover the entire glass bottom of the case with a white rectangle that fully obscures the colored glass with a centered Apple logo. Based on leaked images of the iPhone 17 Pro, the phone will have a very different look this year, with a rectangular piece of glass floating below the camera bar.  Some images position the Apple logo in a similar location as on the iPhone 16 Pro, while others shift the logo lower to be centered within the glass frame. It’s a small detail, but it could be the reason why Apple would opt for a white area rather than a circle. If the Apple logo is in the wrong spot, it could upset the balance of the case.  Sonny Dickson/X The current model has a MagSafe circle that encircles the Apple logo, but the iPhone 17 Pro’s larger camera bump and lower logo placement could affect that design. As seen on the inside of the leaked case above, the MagSafe circle is still centered on the back of the phone, meaning it’s near the top edge of the glass section. That’s probably why Apple opted to hide it. Still, it’s a different look and one that’s certain to be polarizing. While the phone’s natural color will still be visible in the camera bar and along the edges of the white area, it takes away much of the appeal of a clear case. It’s also strange that it’s white rather than colored to match the phone, though Bu says Apple is working on “tinted transparent variants” that could arrive as “limited seasonal editions in the future.” At any rate, we’ll know very soon what Apple has in store for both the iPhone 17 Pro and its cases. Apple’s “Awe Dropping” iPhone 17 Pro event kicks off at 10 am PT on Tuesday, September 9. 

Macworld On September 9, Apple will unveil its most anticipated product of the year at its “Awe Dropping” event. At 10 am PT, we’ll all watch as the keynote officially introduces the iPhone 17, along with new Apple Watches, maybe an AirPods Pro update, and possibly the 2nd-gen HomePod mini. However, while rumors say Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch several other products before the end of 2025, we don’t expect them to make an appearance at this particular event. So, if you’re eagerly awaiting one of the devices below, you may have to wait a little longer. A new ‘e’ iPhone Despite the “Awe Dropping” event being known as an iPhone event, not every iPhone model is being refreshed. Notably, the iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max will replace the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. But if you’ve been eyeing the budget iPhone 16e, it’s safe to buy one. The 17e is not coming until early next year. Rumors say the iPhone 17e will keep its spring slot to give Apple a chance to split up iPhone launches into biannual announcements—look for the iPhone 18 to join it in 2027. AirPods Max Beyond the iPhone 17, Apple is rumored to launch the AirPods Pro 3 at its September event. Rumors say the company reportedly plans to introduce new technology, such as a heart rate sensor, to these earbuds, but unfortunately, the other high-end AirPods models won’t catch up just yet. Reports say the 5-year-old AirPods Max will go at least another year without an update. A new AirPods Pro is likely, but don’t expect updates to AirPods Max.Foundry iPad Pro It’s been 15 months since the M4 iPad Pro arrived, so an M5 launch is seemingly imminent. But don’t expect it at this event. While Apple has used the iPhone event to launch the iPad mini before, the Pro is unlikely to arrive. In fact, it’s unlikely to get an event at all—Apple will probably announce it via a separate press release later this year. M5 Macs Like the iPad Pro, the MacBook Pro and iMac are due for their annual chip bump, as is the aging Mac Pro, which still has an M2 Ultra chip. While Apple is rumored to refresh many of its Macs before the year’s end, the announcements won’t occur at the iPhone-centric keynote. Instead, the company will either hold a dedicated Mac event in mid-October or have another multi-day web release like last year. Other models, including the MacBook Air, will follow suit next year. New Macs are coming, but not at the September event.Foundry HomePad smart home hub Apple’s so-called HomePad smart home hub has already missed several rumored release dates, but we know one thing for sure: It’s not going to make an appearance at the “Awe Dropping” event. According to credible leakers, the device will resemble a HomePod with a squarish, iPad-like display and run a dedicated operating system. Given its heavy reliance on Siri, the HomePad has reportedly been pushed back until Apple revamps its voice assistant next year. As such, the HomePad is no longer expected to debut this fall. Nevertheless, the iPhone maker still plans to introduce the HomePod mini 2 and a new Apple TV 4K 4, which will likely pop up on Apple’s website later this year, boasting faster processors and connectivity chips. It wouldn’t totally surprise us if they appeared at the iPhone event, but we expect a separate announcement at a later date. Vision Pro Apple Vision Pro 2 will likely launch this fall, featuring an M5 chip and a comfier head strap. Given the upgrade’s unexciting nature, Apple could opt for a quiet web announcement at some point later this year. Regardless, we expect it will be bundled with those of the aforementioned Macs—especially since Apple markets the headset as a spatial computer. It doesn’t really fit the iPhone event’s theme. The iPhone will have the spotlight at the ‘Awe Dropping’ event.Foundry Made for iPhone Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event will focus on the iPhone 17 lineup and the Apple Watch family, with a likely appearance by the AirPods Pro. A logical guest spot could be the AirTag 2, which aligns perfectly with the theme as one of the few iPhone accessories. And of course, we’ll get the official release date for iOS 26, likely the Monday following the keynote. Even though Apple still has several products to put out this year, none of them will overshadow the iPhone event or steal the spotlight from its most popular product. That said, there will still be plenty of time for cringey sketches and Apple TV+ promotions.

Macworld iOS 26: Summary Apple has confirmed it is switching its iOS naming convention to match the year of release. Confusingly, the next version of iOS will be known as iOS 26, despite its anticipated September 2025 release date. iOS 26 is out now in both Developer and Public Betas. The final version is widely tipped to be announced during an Apple event on September 9. Following this event, Macworld expects iOS 26 to be made available to the public on September 15. All iPhones released since 2019 will be able to install iOS 26, including iPhone 11, iPhone SE (2nd gen) and later. With its new ‘Liquid Glass’ interface, iOS 26 will see the biggest design change since iOS 7 in 2013. iOS 26 puts the ‘Phone‘ back in iPhone, with Voice Mail summaries, Call Screening, Hold Assist, and Live Translations. During its WWDC keynote on June 9, Apple confirmed that iOS 26 would be coming later this year. Since then, we’ve seen both Developer and Public Betas of the upcoming software made available for testing, giving us greater insight into what to expect from the next iPhone operating system. We’re now just weeks away from the public release of iOS 26. Apple’s big September event in which it will announce iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11 and, oh yes, iOS 26, will likely happen on September 9, and iPhone users could get their hands on iOS 26 as soon as September 15. For those of you who were expecting an iOS 19 announcement, know that there’s lots more than a new naming convention to get excited about in iOS 26: not only does it bring the biggest design change we’ve seen since 2013, when iOS 7 dropped the skeuomorphic design in favor of flat icons, it also puts the phone back in iPhone, with several call enhancements–from Voice Mail Summaries and Hold Assist to Live Translations–that will make it feel almost like you have a personal receptionist at your service. Digital security is top of mind for most of us these days–or should be. A focus for Apple is on-device spam filtering. iPhone will be able to screen calls before connecting you, while Messages will also filter out all types of scams and spam. There are dozens of tweaks and improvements throughout iOS. Efforts have been made to clean up and simplify menus, including in the Camera app and brand-new Games app, while Visual Intelligence, Genmoji and Image Playground that were all introduced in iOS 18 have new functionality that makes them simpler to use and smarter than ever. Small but significant, one of our favorite tweaks is quite simply the ability to copy just part of a message rather than the whole thing. In this article we will cover everything you need to know about iOS 26–when it’s coming, which iPhones are supported, how you can get iOS 26 now, what changes can be expected, and more. Read on to see what’s in store for iPhone (11 and later) users this September. At a glance: What to expect from iOS 26 Here are just some of the new features you will find in iOS 26, with more detailed further down this article: Liquid Glass graphical user interface: A new translucent effect that mimics glass, with elements reflecting background content, and resizing to fit around onscreen items. Apple says Liquid Glass will blur the lines between hardware and software, and feel more like interactions in the physical world, with elements dynamically reacting to your touch. Updated Phone app: New to this core iPhone app are Apple Intelligence-generated Voice Mail text summaries, Call Screening for spam calls, Hold Assist for connecting you only when you are #1 in the queue, and Live Translations for real-time audible translations in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish (also available for FaceTime with translated live captions, Messages with auto-translated texts, and Apple Music with lyrics converted to your native language). Apple Intelligence updates: Spanning Visual Intelligence, which now supports screenshots, and lets you ask ChatGPT for more information about the information and products shown in the picture, Genmoji, in which you can edit existing emoji, combine emojis and Stickers, and even change emoji expressions, and Image Playground, with support for ChatGPT styles and prompts. Camera app overhaul: As with many iOS apps, the currently cramped Camera interface is getting simplified, with many of the less frequently used shooting modes and options tucked away. Plus, you can now add 3D effects to photos. New Games app: A Home tab puts games Apple thinks you’ll like at your fingertips; a Library tab shows all games you’ve ever downloaded; and a Play Together tab shows you what your friends are playing, compare scores, and even challenge them. iOS 26 brings a standard set of touch controls for buttons, thumbsticks, dpads, throttles, and touchpads, too. Some of the more overlooked new features in iOS 26 that are set to make a big difference include the ability to (finally!) create your own ringtone, an intelligent Adaptive Power mode that makes performance adjustments based on how you actually use your phone, and the ability to use AirPods as a high-definition microphone when shooting video. Newsflash: It’s iOS 26, not iOS 19! The upcoming iOS version will be known as iOS 26, not iOS 19 as previously anticipated. In 2025, Apple is breaking with tradition and switching to a simpler naming convention that relates to the year, rather than a sequential number. It has chosen 26 rather than 25 because iOS 26 will not launch until late 2025, and will be the current iPhone operating system until late in 2026. Apple is using this new numbering system for all its 2025 operating system releases, including the next iPadOS update, macOS Tahoe, and the new watchOS. @macworld.com iOS 26 makes the iPhone a better…phone? #wwdc #iphone #fyp ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld iOS 26 design and interface changes New Liquid Glass design language. General decluttering and simplifying of the interface and app menus. Apple The biggest change in iOS 26 is a visual one: a bold new redesign known as Liquid Glass. What is Liquid Glass? The new design features a graphical user interface that Apple is calling Liquid Glass, which creates a translucent effect that mimics the qualities of glass. The new Liquid Glass design language represents the biggest change to iOS since iOS 7 was introduced in 2013. Back then, Apple dropped the skeuomorphic design in favor of flat symbolic icons. This time everything is more curved, less flat, with translucent elements reflecting or refracting the content in the background, and resizing to fit around what is onscreen. The Liquid Glass elements will also change color to reflect the content beneath as you scroll, and it will be possible to see blurred and refracted elements of the background through the top layer. Apple says that it will feel more like interacting with the physical world, with elements dynamically reacting to your touch. The company also says the changes “blur the lines between hardware and software”. This new Liquid Glass design extends to all Apple products and apps. You’ll see the translucent effect on the Dock, widgets and icons. Panes, windows, buttons and menus will be presented as translucent layers with specular highlights. Initial feedback to the new Liquid Glass design was negative with some beta testers complaining that content wasn’t visible due to the overlaying of menus over background images, later versions of the beta have dialled this back to make the menus more visible. iOS 26 interface changes  Apple Apple says iOS 26 will also see design changes that simplify app interfaces to make the controls more visible. Apple is making it easier to find the tools you usually use, without the clutter of all the other features you don’t need. Apple is adapting the interface to focus more on what is on the screen rather than cover things with tools and menu bars. Menus will shrink as you scroll to reveal the content below. Apple is also removing some of the clutter from menus to simplify things and emphasise the more frequently used options. For example, rather than occupying a rectangular bar at the bottom of the screen, groups of controls will appear on floating elements that pop out additional controls, change as you move between views, and are tucked away when you scroll. These changes to the menus are designed to make it easier to access the features you use most often, and discover others. Apple is trying to make iOS and its apps more intuitive.  A good example of how these design changes will be applied is the Lock Screen, which will be more adaptive. The image you choose as your wallpaper will be scaled to fit the height and width of the Lock Screen and positioned to fill the available space around elements like the time. Additionally, the wallpaper image will slide up as notifications come in. Apple Intelligence in iOS 26 New Siri AI features not expected until later in 2026. Improvements still expected for Visual Intelligence, Genmoji, and Image Playground at release. Apple has been having trouble with some of its AI efforts, especially the Siri features that were touted at WWDC 2024. Apple had promised that iOS 18.4 would bring a major update to Siri, where it would be better at natural conversations with the user, using personal context, awareness of what is onscreen, and the ability to perform in-app actions. Apple has since confirmed that these Siri-related features have been pushed back until 2026, which means they should come as an update to iOS 26, perhaps in March, but we could be waiting even longer. Apple still had a number of impressive Apple Intelligence powered features to show off at WWDC though. In fact, some of the new features coming to Spotlight on the Mac look like some of the features promised f

Macworld USB-C is the modern connection standard shared by most new devices today. It comes in several different formats—USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt—but they all have the same reversible connector at the end and are interchangeable and backwards compatible. All of Apple’s new devices now use USB-C or Thunderbolt for charging and data transfers. We’ve tried and tested the best USB-C and Thunderbolt cables here. If you want to jump straight to our recommendations click the one that meets your requirements: Best USB-C cable for iPhone and iPad Best USB-C and Thunderbolt cable for Mac You can find cheaper online but we recommend cables only from trusted brands, such as Anker, Cable Matters, CalDigit, Plugable, Belkin and Ugreen. When charging your precious devices, you want to be sure that you aren’t putting them at risk of overheating and potentially causing a fire in your home. Apple’s old Lightning connector was also reversible—where it doesn’t matter which side of the connector faces up or down as you plug it in—so no big change there, but USB-C is much more than just a symmetrical design. It can transfer data much faster—pushing Lightning’s 0.48Gbps to up to 120Gbps. Apple’s iPhone 15, 16 and 17 have a USB-C port, replacing the old trusty but proprietary Lightning cable that has been a part of iPhones and older iPads since 2012. Apple supplies a USB-C charging cable in the box, but if you want a single cable for fast charging and data transfers—or just a spare charging cable—we’ve rounded up some of our favorites to help you get the best one. Some are fast, some are super-powerful, some are both, a few are retractable, and some are just fun. Yes… fun! We go into more detail about everything you need to know about USB-C cables after the chart of best cables, but for now you need to know about the cable of your dreams: Which speed (measured in watts) your devices require: an iPhone needs at least 20W to fast-charge, an iPad 30W, a MacBook Air at least 45W, a MacBook Pro 100W and the 16-inch Pro 140W. Do you need it to transfer data as well as supply power? Most charging cables are limited to a rather slow 480Mbps data rate. If you want proper bandwidth as well as charging power look for at least 5Gbps or as much as 40Gbps. How long should it be: if the charger is within arms reach of your device a short cable might suffice where a long cable will just be an inconvenience, but if you want to charge your iPhone, Pad or MacBook while sat on the sofa a longer cable will make all the difference. We’ve supplied the cable data to these questions in our reviews below. The difference between USB-A, Lightning and USB-C Foundry Note that the cables reviewed here are USB-C to USB-C (or backwards-compatible Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt). Old iPhone chargers had the non-reversible rectangular USB-A connector to connect to the charger and a Lightning connector that went into the iPhone. Don’t stick with USB-A at one end as the old standard is limited in data transfer speed to 10Gbps and limited in charging speed to just a rather pathetic 15W. Foundry Using a USB-C charger will enable fast charging even for iPhones with a Lightning port. You can still charge an Apple device with a USB-A charger but not at the fastest speed. From the iPhone 15 onwards it’s USB-C into the charger and USB-C into the iPhone. See our roundup of the best USB-C chargers for iPhone. We have even more tips that show you the fastest ways to charge an iPhone. Best USB-C cables for iPhone and iPad iPhones have included either a USB-C to Lightning cable (USB-C-to-Lightning) or even older USB-A to Lightning (USB-A-to-USB-C) for years, and elsewhere we have rounded up the best Lightning cables we’ve seen for iPhones older than the iPhone 15. USB-A is the larger, non-reversible connector. USB-C is required for iPhone fast charging. From the iPhone 15 onwards also with the AirPods Pro 2, you’ll need a cable with USB-C on both ends (USB-C-to-USB-C) to charge an iPhone or iPad unless you charge wirelessly—check out the best MagSafe wireless iPhone chargers. All iPads on sale today feature a USB-C connector. But even the 10th Gen iPad’s USB-C is still limited to a 480Mbps data speed. The iPad mini has a USB-C port that supports 5Gbps; the iPad Air 10Gbps; and the iPad Pro has a USB4/Thunderbolt port that can zip data along at 40Gbps. Check your iPad’s data transfer rate before choosing a new cable. For charging only, any of the USB-C cables reviewed below will be fine as 20W should be enough to charge even an iPad. But if you are connecting to other devices or syncing via cable, we recommend cables that support faster data transfers. A 10Gbps USB-C cable, such as the Cable Matters cord below, is an excellent option if you don’t want to spend a bundle on Thunderbolt. 1. Apple 60W USB-C Charge Cable (1m) Pros Made by Apple 60W Power Delivery Robust woven design Cons Slow data-transfer speed Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Charging: 60W Cable length: 3.3ft (1m) Data transfer speed: 480Mbps Colors: White Best for: Charging iPhone 15-17, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro If you want every iPhone accessory you own to be made by Apple, go with Apple’s own USB-C Charge Cable as a spare USB-C iPhone charging cable—at 60W it’s powerful enough to charge even a MacBook Air. At $19 / £19 it’s a fine, if comparatively expensive, solution. Unlike Apple’s rather feeble plastic USB-C to Lightning cables, this 3.3ft (1m) charging cable has a robust woven design that means it is far less likely to fray or break with frequent winding and tugging. Apple also sells a $29 2m USB-C Charge Cable that is now also woven—it’s rated at up to 240W, overkill for an iPhone but top-end charging for any Apple USB-C device. Its USB 2.0 data-transfer speed is super slow compared to 5Gbps or faster USB-C cables but it’s the same as Lightning. That doesn’t make a difference when charging your iPhone but if you are syncing an iPad or Mac via cable, transfer speeds will be frustrating. As the iPhone 15/16/17 Pro models boast 10Gbps data transfer, this cable’s low bandwidth is a bit of a disappointment if you use the cable for syncing. It’s available in only white. If you fancy a color that matches your new iPhone or your soft furnishings, you need to read on for one of the third-party USB-C cables that we recommend. 2. Anker 310 USB-C to USB-C Cable – Best budget USB-C charging cable for iPhone and iPad Pros Twin pack 60W Power Delivery Robust braided design Length options Cons Slow data-transfer speed Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $7.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Charging: 60W Data transfer speed: 480Mbps Monitor support: No Cable length: 3ft (0.9m) or 6ft (1.8m) Colors: Black, Gray, Red Best for: Charging iPhone 15 and 16, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro This 60W USB-C charging cable is available three colors, which can be useful if you need to distinguish between cables—or know who in your household “borrowed” your charging cable… Available in two lengths (3ft or 6ft) the Anker 310 is top quality, with a tough braided construction that’s super affordable—especially in this twin pack. Its data-transfer speed is slow (480Mbps) but, for charging an iPhone or small MacBook, it’s just what you need at a price that significantly undercuts Apple. And, as you’ll read later in this feature, it’s perfectly good for charging iPads and mid-sized MacBooks, too. 3. Native Union Belt Cable Duo USB-C to Lightning Cable – Best hybrid charge cable for iPhone & iPad Pros Charges USB-C and Light

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