Macworld This fall, Apple gave its new iOS 26 Live Translation feature an instant upgrade: AirPods support. Like a real-life version of the Babel fish, compatible AirPods paired with an up-to-date iPhone can now be inserted in the ear to provide instant fluency across nine languages. The earbuds listen to conversation in Spanish, for example, use AI to translate it in real time, and speak the English equivalent directly into your ear. You then reply in English, and your iPhone will translate this back to Spanish. (The translation is displayed on screen, but there’s a button to make it read it out loud.) It’s a beguiling concept. But it’s not a new one. Earbuds paired with Google Translate, such as the Pixel Buds, were capable of this function way back in 2017. They just weren’t all that great at it. As so often in the past, Apple is trying to take something that other companies have done before, and do it better. Has it succeeded? Now that Live Translation has expanded to the EU with iOS 26.2, I set up a video call with a German-speaking colleague from Macwelt and popped in my AirPods Pro 3 to test the Live Translation feature (which is still officially in beta, I should note) for myself. I was pleasantly surprised. Setup: Better in person Let’s get started. First things first. Before doing any translating, you need to download your choice of language. This takes a few minutes, so try to plan ahead rather than waiting until you’re mid-conversation with an angry French policeman. Open the Settings app on your connected iPhone and open the AirPods menu. Scroll down to the Translation (Beta) section and tap on Languages. At the top, you’ll see any you’ve already downloaded, while those that are available will be listed below. Pick one (or more) and tap to download. Once this is sorted, activating translation is relatively easy. Press and hold on both earbud stems at once, and they’ll automatically switch to Live Translation mode. The only potential hiccup is if you’ve got several languages downloaded, particularly if your last translation was to or from a different language than the one you want now. You can change these in the Translate app by going to Live and then selecting either Their Language or Your Language to switch languages. (There isn’t yet an option, as there is for the written and visual–but not conversational–functions of Google Translate, to say “Detect language” and thereby cover all bases.) David Price / Foundry So far, so good–and for face-to-face translation, activating the feature is simple and intuitive. You may, however, run into issues when trying to use the feature over an online video chat, as I did. The problem was that the AirPods were desperately keen to auto-pair with whichever device they thought I was using. I needed them connected to the iPhone for the translation. But as soon as I started up a FaceTime call on my Mac, they jumped to that. As soon as I opened Notes on my iPad to check the script, they jumped to that. So I was constantly having to apologise and fiddle with Bluetooth settings to make sure the AirPods stayed on point. It should be said, in Apple’s defence, that the company has given Live Translation direct integration with the FaceTime and Phone apps, as well as providing APIs that will let third parties do the same for Zoom, Teams and the like. So this sort of multi-device juggling shouldn’t be necessary–you can just open FaceTime on the iPhone and manage the whole thing, conversation and translation alike, from there. I simply found this integration unintuitive–and besides, wanted to recreate the experience of talking to someone on the street, which seemed best simulated by holding up my phone to words coming from a different source. Which is a long-winded way of saying that, if you really are just speaking to someone on the street, and if you’ve taken the time to set things up and test them out in advance, it should be a breeze. Just anticipate a few tech hiccups when you involve multiple devices. Understanding what was said to me With the setup finally sorted, we were able to begin our conversation. This was more exhausting than I had expected. I had prepared four scenarios: at a hotel, in a restaurant, on a plane, and in a bar, with a secret bonus round where we were going to spontaneously talk politics. But the conversations took longer than I anticipated—so long that we ran out of time and energy for the restaurant and politics chats. Why were the conversations so slow and tiring? Because of the delays. My colleague would say a sentence in German, and the AirPods would generally wait until well into the sentence, often to the end, before starting to give me the translation. In written form, we are encouraged to be punchy, but conversational sentences can have numerous subclauses, so the delay can be substantial. AirPods Pro 3’s Live translation is like having a little dictionary in your ear.Foundry I wondered if this delay might have something to do with the grammatical character of the German language and its habit of shunting crucial verbs to the end of the sentence. But a similar test with a Spanish speaker confirmed that the feature simply cannot turn around a translation in true real time, so there will be no fluency in your conversation, regardless of the language. The good news is that Live Translation’s accuracy, at least from German to English, is astonishingly good. In his role as hotelier, my colleague told me about rooms and breakfast arrangements and a special event involving 237 Christmas tree sellers, and it all came through clear and comprehensible. As a flight steward, he explained landing times and delays and a situation with a man in my seat; and, finally switching careers to bartending, he told me all the ingredients in a delicious local cocktail and named the total I would need to pay for a selection of drinks. In every scenario, I understood the overall gist with ease and virtually all the specifics. That’s not to say that the translation was flawless. The software was confused by the German term for a boarding pass, which it translated as simply a “card.” The name of a cocktail, my colleague told me, was mangled. But these were very minor quibbles that never derailed the conversation in any serious way. Apple AirPods Pro 3 Read our review Best Prices Today: $199 at Amazon Making myself understood Ideally, both you and your conversational partner would be wearing compatible AirPods so that your English is translated live by their Babel fish just as their non-English is translated by yours. For planned business meetings this may be possible. But it’s unlikely to be the case in the average tourist context, so we stuck to the asymmetric approach. Having waited for a translation of my colleague’s words, I replied in English, and a German translation appeared on my iPhone’s screen. When speaking face to face, it’s probably easiest to simply show this to the doctor/barber/policeman you’re speaking to. There’s another small delay while your words are translated, but it appears quickly enough. And again, my colleague confirmed that the accuracy was excellent. Next to each chunk of translated text you’ll see a little play button, and if you tap this it’ll be read out loud. This is a nice option, and the accent was convincing in our test, but it adds yet another delay to what is already a long-winded process. Foundry Having said his piece, my colleague had to wait for this to be translated, for me to reply, for this to be translated, for me to press the button, and for the words to be read out. Understandably, he several times began replying before my official translated response had been read out, although this should only be an issue when your partner actually does speak English, in which case you could just dispense with the AirPods altogether. Again, the translation, while sometimes slow, was very reliable. I was able to reserve rooms, request a sea view (and be denied, on the flimsy pretext that Munich isn’t anywhere near the sea), order a wide range of drinks, navigate a variety of social situations and never really have to repeat myself. My colleague was in the position to hear both English and German renditions of each comment I made, and professed himself impressed by the accuracy. Conclusion: Far better than I expected, flaws and all Okay, final quibbles. The translations are split into little chunks, and sometimes these seem quite arbitrary. I found myself tapping play on one bit, and it spat out the end of one thing and the beginning of another, rather than a coherent remark. It also annoyed me that the software deleted the chat history the second I took out my headphones. That’s particularly annoying for a journalist who would like screenshots to post in this feature, but also takes away a potentially useful note of details you may subsequently forget. (Could this be a privacy-based decision? I’m not sure.) Add in those delays, and I’m the first to concede that my tests with Live Translation weren’t painless by any means. In fact, I found the whole thing draining. But it was thoroughly impressive nonetheless. I was astounded by the software’s ability to translate with a very high degree of accuracy and comprehensibility in nearly real time. While you shouldn’t expect a fluent or socially comfortable conversation while using your AirPods, you can expect an extremely functional one. That’s a win, in
Macworld Wireless headphones or earbuds (whatever you call them) are essentially the standard now, with Bluetooth earbuds being convenient and the sound quality difference to wired not being that noticeable to typical people (we realize audiophiles ‘know’). The market is huge, but here are the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Macs. If you do want a wired connection some of these do offer it in addition to Bluetooth, but we also have a round-up of the best wired headphones and a comparison of over-ear headphones read our comparison of AirPods Max vs other over-ear headphones. We also have a comparison of all the AirPods. When testing these best earbuds we considered some of the important factors to consider when choosing headphones. Such as whether they support ANC, which is Apple’s codec, or the aptX codec that is now used with many Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, but isn’t supported by Apple (although there are some earbuds, such as the B&W Pi8 below that include a transmitter for aptX support. We explain what to look for when choosing earbuds below. Best headphones and earbuds for iPhone 2026 We’re comparing all the best earbuds with Apple’s own offerings: the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. Also included are various options from Apple-owned subsidiary Beats, which by association benefits from a lot of Apple-specific features. But just how well do they compete with headphones from the likes of Bose, Sennheiser, Bowers & Wilkins and Sony? 1. Apple AirPods Pro 3rd-generation (2025) – Best earbuds for iPhone Pros More comfortable and secure fit Heart rate sensor works well Improved battery life Better noise cancelling and transparency The price didn’t go up Cons No significant new audio features Charging case holds less charge Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The AirPods Pro 3, Apple’s newest high-end wireless earbuds, arrived in September 2025. They succeed the AirPods Pro 2 and feature enhancements in audio quality, health tracking, waterproofing, and fit, while maintaining a similar design. The 2025 AirPods Pro’s headline feature is the new heart rate sensor that uses invisible light to measure heart rate during workouts. Apple claims that the heart rate sensor provides accurate data in the Fitness app for up to 50 workout types. Side-by-side comparisons reveal differences with the AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 have new ‘foam-infused’ eartips that are better-fitting. There are now five eartips, including a new XXS option. These eartips create a tighter seal in the ear and rotate inward for a more secure fit. They also deform less than the old silicone flanges. The charging case is slightly larger and has a higher light. Internally, Apple has added ‘next-generation Ultra Wideband technology’ that increases Precision Finding distance by 1.5x. The AirPods Pro 3 have improved sound quality compared to the previous generation. Apple has enhanced Active Noise Cancellation with new ultra-low noise microphones, eartips, and computational advances, resulting in twice the ANC of the last generation and four times better than the first. They claim it’s the world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation. Adaptive EQ and a new multiport acoustic architecture allow for deeper bass and a wider soundstage for greater clarity. Apple promises “next-level Transparency,” which lets in some sound for better awareness of surroundings. New microphone arrays produce more natural-sounding voices, and Adaptive Audio adjusts noise cancellation to allow sounds to be heard. Call quality should improve with better voice and background sound clarity during Transparency mode. The AirPods Pro 3 also have improved battery life, with 8 hours of playback on active noise cancellation and 10 hours in transparency mode. Additionally, the AirPods Pro Hearing Aid feature provides an extra 4 hours of playback. After 5 minutes in the case, the AirPods Pro 2, 3, and 4 can play for about an hour. Some of the new features are available on other AirPods too. For example, Live Translation, a feature of Apple’s iOS 26 update, is also available on the AirPods Pro 2. It introduces live translation in Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps, translating spoken and written text in real-time. Pause when sleeping is another new feature that applies to AirPods Pro 2 and 3, AirPods 4, and some Beats headphones. If you fall asleep while using AirPods, they will automatically turn off playback to prevent battery drain. Similarly, Camera remote means you can press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or start and stop a video recording on iPhone or iPad. This works with AirPods Pro 2 and 3, AirPods 4, and some Beats headphones. Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review 2. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds – Best earbuds for noise cancellation Pros Excellent sound quality Impressive noise-cancellation Useful app Cons Expensive Wireless case costs extra Spatial audio could be improved Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $179 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Bose’s QuietComfort range has long been a market leader thanks to its combination of high-quality sound and impressively effective noise cancellation. It’s been a while since we looked at the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which launched with an improved design as well as a new immersive mode for spatial audio in late 2023, but we still highly rate them – with the bonus being that they are often discounted now they are more than a year from launch. This is good news, because they’re not the cheapest earbuds around. The design of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is sleek and streamlined, with a smart metallic finish that is available in black or Smoke White. Bose has modified the way that its rubber stability bands fit into each earpiece, helping them to sit inside your ear more securely. You get three sets of stability bands, and three sets of rubber eartips in different sizes, so the combination of the different bands and eartips should allow most people to get a good fit. The Bose app also includes a Seal Test option that can check the way that the earbuds are fitted and provide tips on getting a good fit. Sound quality is great, with the Ultra catching the sharp, shimmering sound of the cymbal crash that kicks off Blondie’s Rapture. The bass guitar riff bounces along like a playful puppy, and there’s a bright jangling sound to the lead rhythm guitar, but the Ultra has a keen ear and also picks out the quiet chugging guitar riff that hides further back in the mix. The immersive audio isn’t entirely convincing, but it does add a little extra reverb and spacey ambiance to more atmospheric tracks such as Cut by Low. Bose’s noise cancelation is still ahead of the pack. It stamps down on the deep rumble of aircraft engine noise so effectively that I had to check the airport noise test file was playing! Battery life is around six hours when using noise-cancellation, but spatial audio reduces that to just four hours. The charging case does provide three additional charges, though, and our only real complaint is that the standard USB-C case doesn’t provide wireless charging as well, so you’ll have to pay extra for the optional wireless case. 3. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 – Best earbuds for working out Pros Excellent sound quality Supports Bluetooth 5.4 Very good noise cancellation IP54 rating for outdoor use Cons Higher price Slightly chunky design Apple users don’t need aptX
Macworld The updates since iOS 26 arrived have brought a lot of fresh tweaks and features to our iPhones, including the ability to tone down Liquid Glass, a new way to ensure you don’t accidentally switch off an alarm, better AirDrop security, and much more. But one of my favorite adjustments has nothing to do with any of that – instead, it’s all about the Lock Screen. Originally released in iOS 26.1, you can now switch off the swipe gesture that opens the camera directly from your Lock Screen. You’re probably very familiar with this gesture – it’s a quick way to get the Camera app up and running without needing to unlock your phone and navigate to it the long way. When you need to move quickly and capture a fleeting moment, it’s a great option. But the chances are you’ve also accidentally activated it more than once. And it’s exactly this issue that makes me so glad I can finally turn it off. A persistent irritation I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve pulled my iPhone from my pocket, only to find the camera app is open without me realizing. It’s more than a nuisance—it’s entirely possible to inadvertently launch the camera and have it sitting like that in your pocket for a substantial amount of time, draining the battery without you ever knowing. That turns this gesture from a mild inconvenience into a much larger problem, especially if my iPhone hasn’t got much juice left to begin with. I’ve never had my iPhone die on me because of an unintentional camera gesture, but I’m sure there are people who have. Thanks to this new setting in iOS 26, though, I can forget about that ever happening. A quick foray into the Settings app and I can switch off the camera gesture for good, nipping this problem in the bud once and for all. iOS 26 now lets you turn off the Lock Screen swipe gesture that launches the Camera app.Foundry How to turn off the Lock Screen camera gesture Disabling the gesture that launches the camera from your Lock Screen is quick and simple. Follow the steps below and you’ll never have to put up with accidental camera-induced battery drain again. 1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone 2. Navigate to the Camera section and tap it 3. Scroll to the bottom of the list until you see Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera 4. Tap the toggle next to this text to disable the feature Now, swiping from right to left across your Lock Screen will do nothing – no more camera and no more unknowing battery drain while your phone sits idly in your pocket. Of course, you might change your mind down the line and decide you actually want this gesture back. In which case, just return to the Settings app and re-enable the toggle, undoing the change. Apple hasn’t removed the offending gesture entirely and has merely made it an optional feature that can be enabled and disabled as you like. That said, I can’t remember the last time I needed to use this gesture to open the Camera—especially now that the Camera Control is a far quicker and more reliable method. Failing that, I’ve got the Camera app icon on my Lock Screen, which is harder to accidentally activate due to it requiring a long press rather than a swipe. So I’m going to miss the gesture that has plagued my iPhone for so long. Instead, I now know that every time I pull my phone from my pocket, I’ll be greeted by a blank Lock Screen instead of a drained battery. And that’s the kind of small tweak that can make a big difference.
Macworld I’m known as the Apple guy in my social circle. Friends and family routinely ask for purchasing advice, and I often end up reviewing their iPhones to see whether they’re missing useful apps, features, or settings. In many cases, I find people misusing their devices or disabling core functions due to unfounded worries. You have probably heard at least one of these 12 misconceptions before, and if you’re new to iOS or simply unsure how the platform works, you might believe them. Let us give you a clearer understanding of how your iPhone operates. 1. App-closing assumptions I frequently hear users—particularly recent switchers accustomed to Android—complain about needing to close iPhone apps manually. Many Android phones have long offered a button to close all active apps at once, while iOS still requires you to swipe up on each app in the App Switcher individually. Apple intentionally doesn’t offer a Close All Apps button on iOS because the system automatically puts inactive apps to sleep. They’re not constantly running in the background—even when they’re listed among other open apps in the App Switcher. In fact, repeatedly force-closing and relaunching everyday apps can actually drain your battery more, as initiating a fresh session consumes more power than reviving a hibernating one. You should only kill an app if it is misbehaving and requires a reset. 2. Network-killing nonsense During the smartphone’s early days, connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS would consume significant power. For many users, the norm was disabling their respective toggles when not actively relying on apps that need them to minimize battery drain. In modern phones, the relevant networking chips really use very little power when idle. As such, iOS has removed the ability to completely disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth via the Control Center and instead disconnects accessories when toggled. You shouldn’t turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS in the Settings app, as essential features like Find My, Apple Watch sync, AirDrop, Universal Clipboard, and other Continuity features rely on them. You may want to stick to the Control Center toggles, as they disconnect your peripherals without affecting the ecosystem’s underlying foundation. Turning off Bluetooth or Wi-Fi when not in use simply won’t extend the battery life of a modern iPhone a noticeable amount—it’s just placebo effect and confirmation bias for those who think it does. 3. Eavesdropping rumors No, a certain social media app is not secretly accessing your microphone and camera to deliver targeted ads. While developers are coming up with innovative (and arguably unethical) ways to track users’ online activity, directly listening to your real-life conversations isn’t one of them. When an app accesses your microphone or camera, iOS displays a clear orange (microphone) or green (camera) indicator dot up near the front camera that developers cannot conceal. If you want to prevent an app from ever accessing these sensors, you can also deny microphone and camera permissions when prompted. It’s not possible for an app to bypass these boundaries—assuming you haven’t tampered with the operating system. You can open Control Center (swipe down from the upper-right edge of your display) and tap a little privacy indicator at the top of the Control Center screen to see which apps are currently and have recently accessed your camera, microphone, and location. Foundry 4. Charging chatter It’s widely believed that leaving your iPhone connected to a power source overnight can overcharge and damage its battery—that’s not entirely true. Your iPhone carefully manages its power draw as the battery fills up to minimize excessive wear and damage. When the battery hits 100%, it only draws a small trickle to stay full. Furthermore, features like Optimized Battery Charging and Charge Limit can optionally learn from your routines and prevent your iPhone from fully charging every day—unless you want it to. You can safely leave your iPhone on its charger all night long, especially after enabling these settings. 5. Dated OS delusions Many users intentionally avoid updating to the latest iOS version, thinking it’s going to slow down their iPhones or break features. While a major OS release may potentially run slower on a five-year-old iPhone, newer models tend to work just as fluidly after an update (and often faster). In fact, you’re advised to download the latest iOS build available, as it packs critical security patches—beyond the user-facing additions. Keeping your iPhone on a dated operating system version increases the risk of vulnerability exploitation. This myth persists because, immediately following a big new software update, your iPhone often performs a number of background tasks like indexing files and analyzing photos to recognize objects and people in them, all to make search and advanced features work properly. This can take a day or two, and much of it happens when your iPhone is plugged in and not in use, but the first few days after a big update can see slightly slower performance or shorter battery life. This will go away quickly. 6. Display disinformation The always-on display feature doesn’t just leave your screen on 24/7 and quickly drain your battery. The display drops to a dim 1Hz mode that barely consumes any power. Plus, iOS automatically shuts it down depending on certain factors, like your sleep routine and how you typically use your iPhone. While disabling it will save a bit of power, the impact is negligible—typically only a few percent per day. Foundry 7. Face ID fallacies Newcomers often worry about Face ID’s security and reliability. Contrary to common misconception, the TrueDepth camera system works in pitch-black environments, letting you securely unlock your iPhone even at night. Additionally, the biometric authentication feature doesn’t work with photos of your face or when you’re not making eye contact with it. As such, it’s very unlikely for someone holding your iPhone to bypass Face ID without your knowledge or consent. Face ID data is never sent to Apple or anyone else. It resides in a physically isolated section of your iPhone’s processor called the Secure Enclave and cannot be accessed by any application, only by the core iOS system when a legitimate Face ID request is invoked. 8. Camera confusions Customers on an annual iPhone upgrade cycle sometimes complain about the lack of camera improvements in the latest model. Apple doesn’t change every camera sensor every year. For example, the iPhone 17 Pro revamped the selfie and telephoto cameras only. The wide and ultrawide cameras, on the other hand, are pretty much identical to their predecessors. So, unless you’re taking a selfie or a zoomed-in shot, you won’t be noticing any major camera enhancements this year. Most people get a new iPhone after 2-4 years, though. Those incremental year-to-year improvements really add up, so if you’re coming from an iPhone 14, the iPhone 17’s camera will be much improved. Foundry 9. Resistance rumors iPhones are, to an extent, very resistant to water and dust—but they’re not actually waterproof. Depending on your model’s IP rating, it will likely survive being submerged in water up to a specific depth and for a limited period of time. As your iPhone ages, it may lose some of its resistance and become more susceptible to water damage, especially if it has some mild damage. It’s best not to intentionally test the limits of its water resistance, but you should be fine washing it off with soap and water, for example, or accidentally dropping it in the sink. 10. iMessage illusions Some users turn off iMessage when they lose internet access, believing it’s the only way to send SMS to their iPhone-using contacts. While iMessage is the default for conversations between iOS users, you can still bypass it whenever either party is offline or the service is down. Just tap and hold the pending text, then select Send as Text Message. This forces the message through your carrier instead of Apple’s servers. It’s pretty uncommon these days to have cellular SMS service but not cellular internet access, but it can happen, especially if you’re traveling somewhere remote or on a limited data plan. Foundry 11. App Store absurdities Many users complain about Apple randomly charging their bank cards, despite them not making any recent App Store purchases. These are typically recurring subscription fees that they’ve opted for at some point in the past. You can easily check all of your App Store spending—including subscription services, paid app downloads, and in-app purchases—using the Purchase History section of the App Store. Open the App Store, tap your initials/icon in the upper right, then tap Subscriptions or Purchase History. Any unwanted subscriptions can be canceled from the Subscriptions subsection found under your name in the Settings app. 12. iTunes inaccuracies Apple Music and Apple TV don’t require you to buy listed songs and movies individually. While you can access your separate iTunes purchases directly in the Music and TV apps, the company offers unrelated subscription services similar to Spotify and Netflix. For fixed monthly fees, you can listen to and watch any of the available content on all of your compatible devices.
Macworld Solid-state drives – aka SSD – used to be really expensive, but prices have really fallen in the past few years, and you can now pick up fast, reliable SSDs that cost only slightly more than their hard drive counterparts. Even the slowest SSDs are generally faster than mechanical hard drives. As well as being faster than conventional hard drives, SSDs are lighter and sturdier too, making them ideal for use with a laptop when you’re traveling. That’s reflected in the drives that we review here, most of which are small and light enough to slip into your pocket. However, the latest SSDs can also offer up to 8TB of storage, which makes them a good option for use with a desktop Mac in an office as well. And they can help to reduce cable clutter too, as they generally take their power from a USB port on your Mac, rather than requiring a separate external power supply. In this article we’ve included the best external SSDs for everything from blazing-fast performance, to budget options, to portability, and more. Best SSD for Mac These are our top choices of Mac SSDs we have reviewed, including a few cheaper options to match any budget. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 – Best SSD with Thunderbolt 5 Pros Supports Thunderbolt 5 Impressive performance Rugged design with IP68 Five-year warranty Cons Expensive Requires M4 Pro or Max Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $486.68 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Pro5 looks almost identical to the previous-generation Rugged SSD Pro (below), which uses Thunderbolt 3. The only visible difference between the two drives is the fact that the Pro5 is wrapped in a dark-blue rubber sleeve, rather than the somber black of its predecessor. That rubber sleeve is designed to provide extra protection for the drive, and the Pro5 is even sturdier than before, with an IP68 rating for water and dust-resistance. LaCie claims the Pro5 can survive immersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, survive being dropped from a height of 3m (10ft), and survive being run over by vehicles weighing up to two tonnes. There’s a five-year warranty too. It measures 17mm thick, 98mm wide and 65mm deep and weighs 150g, which is a little more than its 100g Rugged Pro predecessor. It comes in 2TB or 4TB capacities. It’s not cheap, starting at $399.99/£359.99 for 2TB or $599.99/£579.99 for 4TB. The Pro5 does use a standard USB-C connector, so it’s still backward-compatible with older Macs, but if you want to get the full performance of the Thunderbolt 5 interface you’ll need a MacBook Pro or Mac mini with M4 Pro or M4 Max processor as these are the only chips to support the standard. The older Rugged Pro is still on sale, so make sure you look for the Pro5 model if you want Thunderbolt 5 performance. We found that the standard USB-C cable we use for our Time Machine back-up drive didn’t provide enough power for the Pro5, so it might be worth investing in a spare Thunderbolt 5 cable. The Rugged SSD Pro5 is the fastest Thunderbolt drive we’ve tested so far, and along with its rugged, portable design it’s an excellent option for creative users who want to exploit the full speed of their new Thunderbolt 5 Macs. Read our full LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 review OWC Express 1M2 SSD – Fastest SSD with USB4 Pros 80Gbps USB4 Fantastic performance Finned, heat-shedding design Backwards compatible with USB 2 Cons Very expensive Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket We had nothing but love for the OWC’s 40Gbps 1M2, so were certainly not going to complain that it’s now been replaced by the 80Gbps 1M2 80G. It ain’t cheap, but it’s easily the fastest external SSD we’ve seen. It’s USB4 80Gbps. The huge advantage of USB4 over Thunderbolt 5 is that you can plug it into any type of USB port to access your data It’s expensive, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 is only slightly cheaper and less compatible. It’s very fast. In synthetic benchmarks, it was basically twice as fast as the older 1M2. Under our sister publication PCWorld’s test protocol, it proved the fastest external SSD we’ve tested overall. Faster than LaCie’s Rugged SSD Pro5 to varying degrees. https://www.macworld.com/article/2590233/lacie-rugged-ssd-pro5-review.html That was roughly 6GBps reading and 5.5GBps writing overall. If you want the fastest external storage on the planet, buy it–if your finances allow. On the other hand, 40Gbps SSDs or enclosures are considerably cheaper and still offer most of the real-world performance. Regardless, the 1M2 80G is a very nice–if pricey–storage technology upgrade from OWC. SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD with USB4 – Best SSD with USB4 Pros USB4 provides good performance Competitive price Rugged design Cons Lacks full Thunderbolt support Large Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $324.21 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Since parting ways with Western Digital SanDisk has launched a collection of new products. Among these were SanDisk’s Extreme Portable SSD, an affordable entry-level drive included below, and the Extreme Pro With USB4. The Extreme Pro With USB4 is available with 2TB or 4TB of storage. It resembles its predecessors, featuring rounded corners, orange trim, and a cut-out for attaching a lanyard. A USB-C cable is included. It’s a little larger than previously: 11.9mm thick, 58.7mm wide, and 140mm long. Making it almost as large as the iPhone 16e and heavier than it. The drive’s main body is made of forged aluminium, wrapped in a silicon sleeve for added protection. SanDisk claims it can survive a 2m drop and is IP65 water and dust resistant. They also provide a five-year warranty. The Extreme Pro With USB4 is larger than other SanDisk drives, measuring 11.9mm thick, 58.7mm wide, and 140mm long. It’s almost as large as the iPhone 16e and heavier than it, but still small enough to fit in a pocket or bag. Its sturdy design makes it suitable for travel and outdoor work. The main attraction is USB4 performance. SanDisk quotes a maximum write performance of up to 3700MB/s and read performance of up to 3800MB/s. We tested the drive with a MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 4, achieving strong performance of 3400MB/s for both read and write. We also tested the drive with a new Mac mini with Thunderbolt 5 and were surprised to see a significant jump in write performance to 4400MB/s, which remained consistent despite repeated tests. Read performance remained unchanged at 3400MB/s. Professional users requiring top performance with large video or graphics files may prefer a solid-state drive with full Thunderbolt support, but the Extreme Pro With USB4 offers impressive performance at an affordable price, making it suitable for most users who need a fast, sturdy portable drive for Time Machine backups. Read our full SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD with USB4 review LaCie Rugged SSD4 – Best rugged SSD for Macs
Macworld The Mac Studio was originally released in 2022 and has been updated twice since then. A report in late 2025 claimed that Apple had “largely written off” the Mac Pro and considers the Mac Studio to be its flagship desktop Mac. That means big things could be in store for the future of the Mac Studio. The current Mac Studio was released in March 2025, and reports of the next upgrade are already starting to appear. This article keeps track of those reports, so for information on what the upgrade will include and when it could be released, refer to this page. 2026 Mac Studio: Release date Possible release in March 2026 The Mac Studio comes with M-series Max and Ultra chips, and we can use the release of the base M-series chip to get an idea of when the Mac Studio will be updated. Apple releases the base M-series chip first (usually in the MacBook Pro) and then follows with the M-series Max and Ultra Mac Studio a few months later. The most recent base M-series chip is the M5, which was released in the MacBook Pro in October 2025. So that generation of chip will likely make its appearance in the new Mac Studio in the first half of 2026. According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio are on Apple’s release schedule for 2026. Two of the three Mac Studio releases since it was introduced occurred in March, with the 2023 M2 Max/Ultra Mac Studio released in June at WWDC. So look for an M5 Mac Studio release in the March to June timeframe. 2026 Mac Studio: Processor Expected to have M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips The 2025 Mac Studio was a complete surprise. It was introduced with an M4 Max chip, which was expected, but the highest-end version shipped with an M3 Ultra rather than an M4 Ultra. The M3 Ultra is technically faster than the M4 Max, but it’s an older chip. Apple has not explained the reasoning for this. Apple The next Mac Studio will not have this staggered chip configuration, according to reports. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that Apple will return to the same generation, M5 Max and M5 Ultra, for the next Mac Studio. Specifics about those chips have not been reported, however. MacRumors reported in December 2025 that references to the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio appeared in a set of leaked Apple files. 2026 Mac Studio: Specs New separate CPU and GPU blocks for customization Standard configurations of 36GB and 96GB of RAM Thunderbolt 5 The major change with the Mac Studio’s specs is going to be with the chip itself. Apple is completely redesigning how it works, according to an October 2025 report by MaxTech’s Vadim Yuryev. The M5 Pro and M5 Max will feature the CPU and GPU on separate blocks, which would allow customers more options to configure these components. For example, one could set up a base CPU configuration with a maxed-out GPU. While Yuryev did not specifically mention the M5 Ultra, it stands to reason that the Ultra chip will also feature this new block configuration. The rest of the specifications are not expected to change. It will likely start with 36GB of RAM for the M5 Max, and 96GB of RAM for the M5 Ultra, and SSDs up to 8TB or 16TB. The current Mac Studio comes with Thunderbolt 5, and this should continue with the new model. 2026 Mac Studio: Design No design changes expected The Mac Studio made its debut in 2022, so it’s only three years old. Apple is expected to stick with the same design, which is also reflected in the M4 Mac mini, as no reports have been made about the design. Foundry The port offerings are also expected to remain the same. The Mac Studio has: M-series Max model: 2 front USB-C ports (supporting USB 3 at 10Gbps) M-series Ultra model: 2 front Thunderbolt 5 ports front SDHX Card slot rear 3.5mm audio jack 4 rear Thunderbolt 5 ports 2 rear USB-A ports HDMI port 10Gb ethernet port (10Gb ethernet option available) 2026 Mac Studio: Price Here are the prices for the current standard base configurations of the 2025 Mac Studio for reference: $1,999/£2,099/CA$2,699/AU$3,499 M4 Max, 36GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD $3,999/£4,199/CA$5,499/AU$6,999 M3 Ultra, 96GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD Pricing for the new Mac Studio has not been reported, though pricing could go up because of the U.S. tariffs situation–the components are made overseas. The prices may be adapted to more recent exchange rates elsewhere.
Macworld Apple’s MacBook lineup could be in for a major shakeup. The company is reportedly planning on releasing a new laptop that can compete with Windows laptops in the budget market. Such a laptop could bring the Mac to a whole new class of users. This new, low-cost MacBook could be a very popular one, which means you’ll want to keep track of its developments. Well, look no further. This article will keep track of the rumors and reports of this upcoming product, as well as offer our perspective on the device, so keep an eye on this page for the latest. A19 Pro MacBook: Release date Rumored spring 2026 release One recurrent rumor in 2025 has predicted that Apple plans to launch a lower-cost MacBook model based around an A-class (probably A19 Pro or A18 Pro) iPhone processor. The timeframe of such a project has been relatively vague, but credible analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who began the original rumor about the low-cost MacBook, back in June 2025, has claimed that the new MacBook will enter mass production during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025. Kuo has suggested that Apple would start production of the new iPhone chip-powered MacBook Pro at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025 or in the early stage of the first quarter of 2026, if this is correct, the device could be with us as soon as spring 2026. Kuo isn’t the only one pointing to the launch. On August 11, DigiTimes reported that the new budget MacBook could ship “by the end of the third quarter of 2025.” While that didn’t happen, there could still be a new budget MacBook in the near future. It’s worth emphasising that these dates refer to the manufacturing process rather than the announcement or shipping timeframe. If that began near the start of Q4–in the middle of October, for instance–then it’s possible the product could be with us by the end of 2025, but at this point it seems more plausible that it’ll arrive in early 2026, potentially at a spring event. More evidence that such a Mac is in the pipeline: MacRumors reported that the identifier “Mac17,1” was found in the code of Apple Intelligence. This identifier does not correspond to any known Macs, nor does it follow the convention of any upcoming Macs. It’s assumed that this is referring to the A19 (or A18) Pro MacBook. On November 4, 2025, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is planning to release a “low-cost laptop to rival Chromebooks and Windows PCs” in the first half of 2026. It is currently in testing at Apple and “in early production with overseas suppliers.” What will the new MacBook be called? MacBook (probably) No reports have been made about the official name of the laptop, but you can assume it won’t be part of the MacBook Air line. It’s being referred to as the A18 or A19 Pro MacBook, based on the chip it could have. Apple could simply call it “MacBook,” reviving the name of the discontinued 12-inch MacBook that was targeted at a similar market. Apple last updated the MacBook in 2017.Foundry A19 Pro MacBook: Design 12.9-inch display rumored. We haven’t heard much about the design of the A19 Pro MacBook, but we can make some assumptions based on the discontinued 12-inch MacBook. When Apple offered the 12-inch MacBook, it had a simple design that was not unlike the current MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. So, it’s safe to assume that the design of this new laptop will follow Apple’s current MacBook form, though it might be lighter and thinner than the current Air to create some distance between the two lines. The 12-inch MacBook had only one USB-C port.Foundry Apple’s goal with this laptop is to make it affordable compared to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and one way to cut costs is to make a plastic case instead of an aluminum one. However, since Apple is working to make its products carbon-neutral, it’s doubtful that it would use plastic. So, like the 12-inch MacBook, it’s likely Apple will either use aluminum or some other recyclable or carbon-free material. Apple currently uses a Liquid Retina (LED-backlit display with IPS technology) display in the MacBook Air, an upgrade over the original Retina displays Apple last used with the 13-inch MacBook Pro in 2022. It’s possible Apple could revert to a Retina display with squared-off corners for the A19 Pro MacBook, though it’s more likely that Apple shaves cost by using a smaller display. On August 11, DigiTimes reported that the laptop will have a 12.9-inch display, slightly smaller than the 13-inch MacBook Air. As for color choices. Previously the MacBook was Silver, Space Gray and Gold. Could Apple take inspiration from the iPhone colors, such as a Deep Blue option, Light Gold or even Cosmic Orange? A19 Pro MacBook: Features Could include modem for cellular connectivity. We haven’t heard much about the features of the A19 Pro MacBook, but for now, we can make some guesses based on the target market and what Apple does and has done with the MacBook lineup. Given the seemingly lower price of this new laptop, we can assume it will lack features found in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The feature set is another area where the 12-inch MacBook can provide some insight. The 12-inch MacBook had only one USB-C port, and it’s possible Apple could go a similar route, possibly with the inclusion of a MagSafe port for charging. The A19 Pro does not support Thunderbolt, so the laptop would have USB-C only. It’s also possible that Apple opts not to include a built-in camera. Over the past several years, Apple has promoted the Mac’s Continuity Camera feature that lets you use an iPhone as a Mac webcam, as well as the upcoming macOS Tahoe Magnifier app. Apple could promote this as a webcam solution. This would be a drastic change, since it’s been a long time since Apple shipped a laptop without a camera, but it could be a possibility in order to meet the company’s price goal. A19 Pro MacBook: Processor and specs Expected to use iPhone chip: A19 Pro or A18 Pro. Another way to meet the pricing goals for this new MacBook is to use a chip that isn’t as robust as the chips used in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The initial report stated that Apple will use an A18 Pro, the same chip that was in the iPhone 16 Pro. Now that the A19 arrived with the iPhone 17 this is probably the more likely chip. Read more about what the iPhone 17 can tell us about the MacBook that could use the same chip in: Is Apple’s rumored cheap MacBook hiding in plain sight? The A-series chips are used in iPhones, while M-series chips are in Macs. Both chip families are based on the same general architecture, but the M chips generally offer more processing power. An A19 Pro (and A18 Pro) can technically do everything an M-series chip can, but it will be slower. When comparing Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offered single-core performance that’s on par with the M3. However, because the A18 Pro has only 6 CPU cores, its multi-core performance is slightly behind the M1, which has 8 CPU cores. If Apple keeps everything the same, an A18 Pro MacBook will perform like an M1 MacBook Air, which, for a lot of people, has more than enough processing power. Should Apple use an A19 Pro we can expect something even better. It will draw comparison with the iPad models that are powered by Mac chips, though. MacRumors reported in December 2025 that references to an A18 Pro MacBook appeared in a set of leaked Apple files. Apple is now using its own wireless networking chip, the N1 in the iPhone 17, bringing Bluetooth 6, Wi-Fi 7, and Thread. It’s likely the same chips will make their way into the A19 Pro MacBook. There’s also a chance this new Mac will have cellular connectivity using Apple’s C1, C1X or yet to launch C2 modem. A19 Pro MacBook: Performance Results are expressed as Geekbench scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster. We don’t yet have the benchmarks for the A19 Pro, but the A18 Pro has 8GB of RAM, which Apple has said is the bare minimum required to run Apple Intelligence features. So, this new laptop will have at least 8GB of RAM and possibly 16GB, like the other MacBook models. Since the iPhone doesn’t offer RAM upgrades, we don’t know what Apple could charge for extra memory. As for graphics performance, the A18 Pro has a 6-core GPU, and its Metal score in Geekbench 6’s Compute benchmark is similar to that of the M1 found in the MacBook Air. It’s not a cutting-edge performer, but it’ll handle everyday tasks without any issues. Since Apple’s other MacBooks all start at 256GB of storage, it’s nearly certain this model will come with 256GB of storage as well. We will update this with the A19 benchmarks. A19 Pro MacBook: Price Apple’s goal is to sell 25 million MacBook in 2025, which would be a 5 million increase from the current 20 million. A 25 percent increase is significant, so to move 5 million units, Apple will need to price the A19 Pro MacBook significantly lower than the lowest price in Apple’s current laptop lineup. The cheapest laptop Apple sells is the $999 MacBook Air. However, Walmart still sells the M1 MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD for $649 and as low as $599. The A19 Pro MacBook has been thought of as a replacement for this Walmart model, though it’s hard to believe it would be that cheap. A price that falls between $729 and $849 seems like it would fit into the MacBook lineup. @macworld.com A cheap MacBook…or something else. A rumor says that Apple is going to release a cheap laptop, but what if it’s actually the long-rumored iPad/Mac hybrid we’ve heard about? From the latest episode of the Macworld Podacst. #macbook #mac #apple ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld
Macworld TL;DR: Hestia uses your smartphone to capture sharp, magnified views of the Moon, Sun, deep-sky objects, and landscapes—now just $239.97 (MSRP $299) with free shipping. Well, smartphones can officially do it all. The Hestia is the first ever smartphone-based telescope. And now that the Ultimate Pack is just $239.97 (MSRP $299) with free shipping, stargazing just got way more accessible—and a whole lot cooler. Hestia is designed for curious beginners and seasoned sky-watchers alike. It uses your phone’s main camera along with Vaonis’ patented optical system to deliver 5x sharper images and 25x magnification. Lunar craters? Sunspots? Your first deep-sky object? Hestia says, “Let’s go.” Setup is simple: mount it on the premium tripod, open the Gravity app, align your phone, pick your cosmic destination, and boom—instant universe access. No batteries, no cables, no fiddling. Just optics, your phone, and the sky. And because it works day or night, Hestia becomes a year-round companion. Explore solar activity by day, follow the Moon’s phases at night, or switch to Scenery Mode when you want close-up terrestrial shots. This Ultimate Pack sweetens the deal with a solar observation kit, a hardshell travel case, and a visor for daytime viewing. Don’t miss grabbing the sky-gazing Hestia Unlimited Pack while it’s on sale for $239.97 (MSRP $299) with free shipping. Hestia: First Ever Smartphone-Based Telescope (Ultimate Pack)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.
Macworld TL;DR: Get a three-pack of KeySmart SmartCards — ultra-thin Bluetooth trackers that work with Apple’s Find My — for $89.99 and make your wallet, luggage, or badge instantly locatable. Misplacing your wallet is stressful enough — especially when you’re not sure where it ended up. The KeySmart® SmartCard helps you track it down fast by turning your wallet, or any small item, into something you can locate in seconds. They work just like AirTags, and right now, you can grab a three-pack for $89.99 (MSRP $119.97). The SmartCard looks like a credit card, but it’s actually a discreet Bluetooth tracker that works seamlessly with Apple’s Find My app. Once it’s connected, you can locate your wallet on a map, make it play a sound, or activate Lost Mode to share your contact info with whoever finds it. Unlike bulkier tracking devices, these cards are designed to fit where AirTags can’t. Slide one into a wallet, tuck it behind your ID badge, or drop it in your luggage tag without adding any bulk. They’re also IPX8-waterproof, so even a rainy day or spilled drink won’t get in the way of tracking down your missing items. Whether you’re traveling, commuting, or just prone to leaving things behind, the SmartCard makes it easy to keep tabs on the essentials. And with three in the pack, you can keep one for yourself and use the others for your bag, passport wallet, or even a shared item at home. During this limited-time sale, you can get a three-pack of KeySmart® SmartCards for $89.99. KeySmart® SmartCard – Works With Apple Find My | Wireless Charging (3-Pack)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.
Macworld Just when you thought we were going to get through the year without a really juicy iMac rumor, in comes a report from Korean publication The Elec. According to its report, Apple has placed “Requests for Information” with Samsung Display and LG Display regarding OLED displays that could be used for a future iMac. An RFI is basically when a company asks suppliers to provide specifications and other details about a part that the company needs for product development. According to The Elec, Apple has stated in its requests that it is looking for a 24-inch OLED display that offers 218 pixels per inch density and 600 nits of brightness. That’s the same size and density as the current LED-based iMac display, but with higher brightness. However, there’s one big caveat that The Elec points out: “RGB OLED technology capable of reliably mass-producing 20- to 30-inch displays has not yet been developed.” Mass production has been for much smaller displays, so if Apple proceeds with an OLED iMac, suppliers need to develop a manufacturing process to create the displays, which will take some time. The Elect reports that Apple could complete development of the OLED iMac by 2027 or 2028. If everything goes as scheduled, the OLED iMac would ship in 2027 at the earliest (if development finishes in the early part of the year). But more likely it would be available in 2028 or 2029. It’s also possible that Apple could decide to scrap the project during the development stage. Apple has been gradually upgrading its devices from LED displays to OLED. Apple’s current iPhone lineup uses OLEDs. The iPad Pro is the only iPad with an OLED, but reports say that Apple has plans to bring it to the iPad mini and iPad Air in the next year or two. Reports have also said that Apple plans to release an OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro in the second half of 2026. @macworld.com Mac legacy #imac ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld
Macworld If you’re still looking for the perfect gift, stop right there — we know what you need. The M4 MacBook Air is down to $749 at Amazon, a massive $250 discount for one of the best laptops out there. In fact, most configurations are $250, with many still able to arrive before December 25. View at Amazon Powered by the speedy new M4 chip, the MacBook Air features a stunning 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display that makes everything look incredible, whether you’re streaming your favorite shows or tackling work projects. While we reviewed the 15-inch version, the 13-inch model offers the same features we loved, earning it a perfect 5-star rating. The excellent performance of the M4 chip is always worth mentioning, and so is the ability to connect two external displays via the Thunderbolt 4 ports. Throw in 16GB of memory and a 256GB SSD, and you have a fantastic laptop. You’ll love using this laptop for video calls and Zoom meetings, as the 12MP Center Stage camera will capture all details in perfect detail. While we wish storage upgrades were more affordable, the Thunderbolt 4 ports are perfect for hooking up a speedy external drive. Snag the MacBook Air M4 for $749 before the deal runs out, so you can get it for an amazing price and have it delivered in time for the holiday. Buy now at Amazon @macworld.com Amazon MacBook Air deal#blackfriday #macbookair ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld
Macworld Now that the M5 MacBook Pro is here it is only a matter of time before the M5 MacBook Air arrives. A gap of a few months between the launch of the M5 MacBook Pro and M5 MacBook Air is likely, so we anticipate that we will see the M5 MacBook Air in the first half of 2026. A spring launch seems most likely: Apple’s M4 MacBook Air was released in March 2024, about a year after the M3 version was released and Apple appears to be on a yearly cycle with the MacBook Air. We expect that the next generation of MacBook Air could be released in the spring of 2026. We can get a good picture of what to expect now that the M5 chip has arrived on the scene, with Apple describing the M5 as offering a “big leap” in AI performance. The M5 offers a new 10-core GPU architecture with a Neural Accelerator in each core, which Apple says means it can provide “over 4x the peak GPU compute performance compared to M4”. How these gains will translate to the MacBook Air remains to be seen, as the MacBook Air is usually a little less powerful than the equivalent MacBook Pro due to cooling space constraints. We will soon be running tests on the M5 chip so will get more of a picture of what to expect. This article will keep track of what’s being reported and rumored about the upcoming MacBook Air, as well as offer a perspective based on Apple’s current lineup. M5 MacBook Air: Specs With the M4 MacBook Air, Apple upgraded the built-in camera to a 12MP Center Stage camera and the ports from Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 4. With all those recent changes in mind, the M5 MacBook Air doesn’t have much else that clearly needs an upgrade. So, the new MacBook Air will likely be little more than a processor refresh. We can paint a picture of what to expect based on the existing M4 MacBook Air and the new M5 MacBook Pro. As usual, the specs of the entry-level MacBook Air are likely to include a GPU with fewer cores, and the mid-range MacBook Air is likely to match the spec of the entry-level MacBook Pro, but with half the storage. That is one specification that we’d like to see change: the 256GB SSD is on the small side. However, considering how long it took for Apple to get rid of the 8GB RAM configuration, Apple may stick with the 256GB SSD base model for a couple more generations. All models will start with the 16GB RAM configuration, as has been the case since Apple introduced it mid-way through the M3 cycle (October 2024). So, expect the following: M5 with a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 256GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4 M5 with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 256GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4 M5 with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 512GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4 When we benchmark the M5 chip we will include that information here, but we expect gains on the M4 chip. There will also be build to order options for up to 32GB memory. It’s not known if the 4TB SSD option that is now available on the M5 MacBook Pro will be available, we don’t expect it to be though. In the U.K. and Europe Apple has left the power adapter out of the box, so it is likely that this will be the case for the MacBook Air when it launches. In July, AppleInsider reported that the code names for the new laptops are J813 (13-inch Air) and J815 (15-inch Air). MacRumors reported in December 2025 that references to the M5 MacBook Air appeared in a set of leaked Apple files. M5 MacBook Air: Design No changes expected The current design for the MacBook Air was introduced in 2022. Since it’s only a few years old, we don’t expect it to change with the M5 release. With the M4 MacBook Air, Apple introduced a Sky Blue color to replace Space Gray, but it is unlikely that we will see any new colors for this generation. Apple introduced Sky Blue as a color option with the M4 MacBook Air.Eugen Wegmann M5 MacBook Air: Display The rumor mill has reported on plans for the company to implement OLED displays in its MacBooks, with the MacBook Pro getting the new display first, but that probably won’t happen until 2026. The MacBook Air could follow in 2027, but it’s also possible Apple will continue to offer the standard Liquid Retina display to keep the lines separate, as with the iPhone and iPad. M5 MacBook Air: Release date Expected in the first half of 2026 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in March 2025 that Apple is working on the M5 MacBook Air, but did not mention when it would be ready. But we can guess based on the availability of the M5 series of chips, which are now available in the M5 iPad Pro and M5 MacBook Pro. A gap of a few months between the launch of the M5 MacBook Pro and M5 MacBook Air is likely, so we anticipate that we will see the M5 MacBook Air in the first half of 2026. The new MacBook Air could appear even sooner though: On September 28, 2025, Gurman reported that various M5 models were coming between “the end of the year and the first quarter of next year,” and he listed the M5 MacBook Air as well as the M5 MacBook Pro, both of which he said were “nearing mass production”. On October 16, Gurman reported that the M5 MacBook Air is scheduled for a spring 2026 release. M5 MacBook Air: Price We don’t expect the pricing to change, especially as the MacBook Pro pricing hasn’t changed. When it launched the M4 MacBook Air, Apple also cut the price of all models by $100, bringing the entry-level model down to $999. We haven’t read any reports about the pricing for the M5 MacBook Air. Apple will likely offer similar configurations to the M4, but it remains to be seen if the new lower prices will remain. The threat of tariffs by the U.S. government is a looming issue, which could affect prices. Apple could also keep the M4 around at $999 and start the M5 Airs at $1,099 like before. Here are the prices for the current standard configurations of the M4 MacBook Air. MacBook Air modelU.S.U.K.CanadaAustralia13in, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD$999£999$1,399$1,69913in, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD$1,199£1,199$1,699$1,99913in, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD$1,399£1,399$1,999$2,29915in, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD$1,199£1,199$1,699$2,09915in, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD$1,399£1,399$1,999$2,39915in, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD$1,599£1,599$2,299$2,699
Macworld 2026 Mac mini: In summary The current M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini were released in November 2024. A report states that Apple is planning an M5 update in 2026. No design changes are expected. With its November 2024 release, Apple drastically changed the Mac mini, reducing its overall size. The smallest Mac you could buy actually got even smaller. It also features new M4 and M4 Pro chips, making the Mac mini a mighty machine. In October 2025, Apple released the base M5 chip in the MacBook Pro, but it hasn’t introduced the M5 Pro chip yet. But now that the M5 chip is here, customers could be wondering if it’s going to make its way into the Mac mini soon. This article keeps track of the reports on the upcoming Mac mini. For information on what the upgrade will include and when it could be released, refer to this page. 2026 Mac mini: Release date Possible release in the first half of 2026 The Mac mini has had an erratic release history. Apple went through periods of updating the Mac mini annually and then decided to wait as long as four years. Switching from Intel to Apple Silicon didn’t create any consistency; the M1 Mac mini was around for three years before it got its M2 upgrade. The Mac mini skipped the M3 and got an M4 upgrade (and a redesign) in November 2024. Since laptops dominate Apple’s Mac sales, desktop Macs like the Mac mini won’t see consistent annual upgrades. And with recent reports of Apple doing some redesigns for its higher-end chips, it is possible that we could see the Mac mini with the Pro chip see longer upgrade cycles in the future. The M5 is out, however, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini are on Apple’s product schedule for 2026. When in 2026 remains a question, though with the M6 expected in the second half of 2026, expect the M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini to be released in early spring or, at the latest, at WWDC26 in June 2026. 2026 Mac mini: Processor Expected to have M5 and M5 Pro Apple has yet to establish a consistent upgrade cycle with the Apple Silicon Mac mini. Apple released M1 and M2 versions but skipped the M3 and went with the M4. So, Apple isn’t afraid to skip a chip cycle with the Mac mini. But it looks like Apple isn’t going to skip the M5. Mark Gurman reported that Apple has the Mac mini on the 2026 release schedule with M5 and M5 Pro chips. MacRumors reported in December 2025 that references to the M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini appeared in a set of leaked Apple files. The new M5 chip may make its way into the Mac mini. Apple 2026 Mac mini: Specs 16GB RAM (M5); 24GB RAM (M5 Pro) Thunderbolt 4 (M5); Thunderbolt 5 (M5 Pro) Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3 With the M4 Mac mini, Apple increased the base RAM from 8GB (base M chip model) and 16GB (Pro M chip model) to 16GB and 24GB, respectively. That’s the standard configuration going forward, with user options to add more memory at the time of purchase. The M4 Mac mini has Thunderbolt 4, while the M4 Pro Mac mini has Thunderbolt 5. The recently released M5 chip has Thunderbolt 4, so that’s what will be in the M5 Mac mini. While specifications on the M5 Pro have not been reported, it will have Thunderbolt 5. The current Mac mini has Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3. This didn’t change with the M5 MacBook Pro, so it looks like Apple will not upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 with the M5 Mac mini. This also means that Apple might not use its N1 wireless networking chip, which made its debut with the iPhone 17. No reports have been made about changes to the inner workings of the Mac mini. New Mac mini: Design Mac mini redesign was introduced in 2024 Apple did a major redesign of the Mac mini in 2024, making it much smaller. This design will be in place for several years to come. It can’t really make it any smaller and still have it provide the features users need. No reports have been made on whether Apple will offer new colors. Expect the ports to remain the same on the new Mac mini.Foundry The port offerings are also expected to remain the same. The M4 Mac mini has: 2 front USB-C ports (supporting USB 3 at 10Gbps) Front 3.5mm audio jack 3 rear Thunderbolt ports HDMI port gigabit ethernet port (10Gb ethernet option available) New Mac mini: Price Here are the prices for the current standard base configurations of the 2024 Mac mini for reference: $599/£599/CA$799/AU$999 M4, 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD $799/£799/CA$1,099/AU$1,299 M4, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD $999/£999/CA$1,399/AU$1,599 M4, 24GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD $1,399/£1,399/CA$1,999/AU$2,199 M4 Pro, 24GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Pricing for the new Mac mini has not been reported, though pricing could go up because of the U.S. tariffs situation–the components are made overseas. The prices may be adapted to more recent exchange rates elsewhere.
Macworld Apple launched a new series of iPhones at the end of 2025: the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max as well as a brand new iPhone Air, but there was no new iPhone 17e for those hoping for an update to the budget iPhone. This wasn’t a surprise: Apple released the iPhone 16e in February 2025 to replace the iPhone SE, so an update to the iPhone “e” series phones wasn’t expected to arrive until early 2026. If you’re considering buying an iPhone 17e, this is the place to keep up to date on its development. We’ll keep track of the latest reports and provide our analysis to help you decide if the iPhone 17e is the right phone for you. At a glance: What to expect from iPhone 17e 6.1-inch OLED display with Dynamic Island A19 chip Single 48MP back camera; 18MP front camera C1 cellular modem MagSafe support Black or white color options Like the iPhone 16e – and the iPhone Air – the iPhone 17e will likely have a single back camera.Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd iPhone 17e: Specs A19 with one fewer GPU than iPhone 17 MagSafe support C1X modem possible A December 2025 report in The Information claimed that Apple will add MagSafe support to the iPhone 17e, one of the features that is notably missing from the 16e. When we reviewed the 16e, the lack of MagSafe was one of its major shortcomings. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the iPhone 17e will have an A19 chip. If this is the case, it will be the same A19 chip as is used by the iPhone 17. There may still be a difference, though: Apple uses binned chips in the “e” series. The A18 in the iPhone 16e has one fewer GPU core than the A18 in the standard iPhone 16; the A19 in the iPhone 17e will likely have one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 17. In August 2025, a leaker named Digital Chat Station also reported that the iPhone 17e will have an A19 chip. Apple’s C1 modem first appeared in the iPhone 16e, and rumors suggest the iPhone 17e will use the same modem. However, it could take the newer C1X modem as found in the iPhone 17 series, which is apparently two times faster than the C1 while using 30% less energy. iPhone 17e: Display Might have Dynamic Island instead of notch. The iPhone 17 has a 6.3-inch screen, which is larger than that of the iPhone 16 (6.1-inch). The iPhone 17e is not expected to get a bigger screen. It will likely sport a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, the same as the iPhone 16e. This was reported by Digital Chat Station in August, who also said that the display will have a Dynamic Island, which would be a change from the notch on the iPhone 16e. In December 2025, The Elec reported that BOE will provide OLED displays to Apple for the iPhone 17e. BOE also provided OLEDs for the iPhone 16e. Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to also provide 17e displays. The display, according to The Elec, will have thinner bezels than the 16e. The Elec said the 17e will start shipping early next year. iPhone 17e: Cameras 18MP front camera Single rear camera The iPhone 17e will likely continue to have a single 48MP camera on the back and a 12MP camera on the front, just like the iPhone 16e. This was reported by Digital Chat Station in August. However, the front-facing cameras across the iPhone 17 range have all been updated to 18MP, so it is possible that the iPhone 17e will see the same update to the selfie camera. If so, it will also include a square sensor capable of taking photos in any orientation without requiring the user to rotate the phone. The notch may be replaced by the Dynamic Island in the iPhone 17e.Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd iPhone 17e: Design & Colors Likely black and white options There have been no reports relating to the iPhone 17e’s colors. The iPhone 16e is available in black or white, and we expect the same for the iPhone 17e. No changes are expected for the design, although, as mentioned above, the new iPhone 17e could have a Digital Island instead of the notch at the top of the screen. iPhone 17e: Release date Expected to arrive in spring 2026 Like the SE, Apple started shipping the iPhone 16e in early 2025, several months after the rest of the iPhone 16 line. According to reports, the iPhone 17e has entered test production runs to prepare it for a spring 2026 release. A report stated that iPhone 16e sales are not doing as well as Apple would like. It’s not clear if this will affect the release of the iPhone 17e. iPhone 17e: Price Starting at $599 The iPhone 16e starts at $599, and Apple is expected to price the iPhone 17e at $599 as well, though no reports have been made so far. Tariffs and production cost increases may affect the price, but since the “e” series is considered Apple’s lowest-priced iPhone, the price would not exceed that of the iPhone 17, which starts at $799, and the iPhone 16, whose price has been reduced to start at $699.
Macworld As 2025 comes to a close, Macworld is proud to present our Apple awards, a look back at the best and worst of everything released over the past 12 months. It was a busy year for Apple, with new products across its entire range of products, including iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Mac, and even Vision Pro. So join us as we recognize the products that made the most impact in 2025: iPhone/iOS Emma Rowley / Foundry iPhone of the Year: iPhone 17 The iPhone 17 isn’t just the best iPhone of 2025; it’s the best iPhone of the last five years. Apple finally stopped holding back features that should be table stakes for an $800 phone. You get double the storage, 120Hz ProMotion, 50 percent higher peak brightness, always-on display, better cameras, and speed and battery life that both exceed last year’s Pro model. All without raising the price. There’s never been a better year not to go Pro. — Jason Cross Apple iOS feature of the year: Tackling Spam Call Screening will silently answer unknown numbers and ask them to say why they’re calling, and you can see it all right on screen. It’s a great way to eliminate spam calls without missing legit calls from numbers that just aren’t in your contacts. Couple that with new spam filtering in Messages, as well as in the Phone app and FaceTime, and Apple is finally doing something about one of the biggest pain points of using a smartphone. There’s still a long way to go, but since upgrading to iOS 26 and enabling these features, I’ve noticed a big drop in the number of times a day I pick up my phone only to immediately hang up on a solicitation message. — Jason Cross Britta O’Boyle Color of the Year: Cosmic Orange For the company that ostracized beige as the default color in computing when it launched the out-there Bondi Blue iMac in 1998, Apple has been rather tame in terms of its recent color choices. The iPhone 17 Pro’s Cosmic Orange is therefore a refreshing shock to the system and a vibrant return to form. Orange is no longer restricted to traffic cones and dodgy Seventies furniture. The Apple Store should hand out sunglasses for the crowds picking up the vibrant new iPhone and ignoring the dark blue one. There’s even a growing range of orange accessories available for the new phone. — Simon Jary Apple Oddity of the Year: iPhone Pocket Readers of a certain vintage who still fondly remember when Apple released a pair of socks for its iPod back in 2004, were rocked once again with the unexpected—and indeed unasked-for—iPhone Pocket, which the company described as “a singular 3D-knitted construction designed to fully enclose iPhone, while expanding to fit your everyday items”. Designed in conjunction with the Issey Miyake design studio famous for Steve Jobs’ trademark turtleneck, the iPhone Pocket comes in eight crazy colors, including Peacock, Sapphire, and Cinnamon. We all laughed until it sold out in mere minutes. — Simon Jary Foundry Flop of the Year: Liquid Glass Liquid Glass was Apple’s bold new, all-encompassing design language that radically changed the look of Apple’s software across all of the OS 26 software updates. Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of Human Interface Design, tried to channel his inner Jony Ive by describing it as making “even the simplest of interactions more fun and magical.” We didn’t get that. Instead, Liquid Glass is the worst example of flamboyance over function, the opposite of Ive’s philosophy. — Simon Jary Mac/macOS Foundry Mac of the Year: M3 Ultra Mac Studio Overall, 2025 was a quiet year for Mac hardware, but one Mac made a sizable impact on Apple’s lineup. The Mac Studio was a bit of a surprise because its M3 Ultra chip was released out of sequence with Apple’s usual cadence. Still, in the Mac Studio, it’s the fastest Mac available, leaving the M2 Ultra Mac Pro behind—way behind. At thousands less, it basically renders the Mac Pro irrelevant to everyone who doesn’t really need an expansion card. With its exnihilating CPU speed, powerful GPU performance, and robust expandability, the Mac Studio became King of the Macs in 2025. — Roman Loyola Den M5 gibt es bisher nur in der Basisversion, 2026 kommen dann der M5 Pro und M5 Max. Apple Chip of the Year: M5 To say, “Apple is on a roll,” undercuts how much momentum the company has with its chips. Apple silicon is downright killing it, and the M5 chip exemplifies why. Making its debut in the MacBook Pro, the M5 provides an ideal and unprecedented combination of processing speed, graphics power, and energy efficiency in a consumer-level chip. The M5 is so good that Apple felt that it could wait until next year to release the M5 Pro and Max variants. — Roman Loyola Foundry Disappointment of the Year: Mac Pro While every other Mac has some version of the M4 and the 14-inch MacBook Pro has an M5, Apple’s most expensive Mac still has the same M2 Ultra chip it got back in June 2023. Meanwhile, the Mac Studio with a superior M3 Ultra costs a couple of thousand dollars less, and I’m left to wonder: How can Apple charge upwards of $10,000 for a Mac with a two-plus-generation-old chip? There were plenty of opportunities to update the Mac Pro in 2025, but instead, Apple let it languish another year with the same aging processor. iPad/iPadOS Foundry iPad of the Year: iPad Pro M5 Apple updated three of its four iPads in 2025 (sorry iPad mini), but the M5 iPad Pro is really the only one that could be considered for this distinction. All three updates were essentially chip refreshes (A14 to A16 (iPad); M2 to M3 (iPad Air); M4 to M5 (iPad Pro), but only the iPad Pro delivered a noticeable boost over its predecessor. Add in 50 percent more entry-level RAM, faster Wi-Fi, and fast charging, and you’ve got an upgrade worthy of a pro. — Michael Simon Apple Update of the year: iPadOS 26 This year’s WWDC keynote was jam-packed with features, from Liquid Glass to Live Translation and revamped app designs. But the star of the show was iPadOS 26, which introduced a new interface that incorporated many of the visual and productivity elements users have wanted for years, with resizable windows, macOS-like multitasking, and a new lease on life. — Michael Simon Apple Watch David Price / Foundry Watch of the year: Apple Watch SE 3 Strictly speaking, the Series 11 was the best Apple Watch to come out this year (I find the Ultra models too bulky for everyday wear), but the SE 3 was without a doubt the one I’d recommend to a friend. It’s nearly as good and far better value. As part of the 2025 refresh, the SE gained an always-on display, a bigger and longer-lasting battery, improved scratch resistance, new health features and gestures, on-device Siri, and the option of 5G. And all that for $249! Forget the Series 11; this has everything you need from a smartwatch at an excellent price. — David Price Services Apple Apple TV show of the year: ‘Pluribus’ There’s something nerve-wracking about recommending a TV show in the middle of a run–particularly one as unpredictable as *Pluribus*. Who knows where it will go from here? But just six episodes into the debut season of this frequently funny, occasionally harrowing sci-fi drama, and even against strong competition from the second season of *Severance*, I feel (reasonably) confident naming this as the Apple TV show of the year. As you’d expect from a Vince Gilligan production, *Pluribus* flips seamlessly between slow-burn beauty and sudden shocking action, between grief and humor and mystery. And Rhea Seehorn is superb as the last unhappy woman in the world. Maybe it’ll go downhill at some point, but let’s enjoy the ride while it lasts — David Price Foundry Service of the year: News + Apple TV and Music may get all the attention, but Apple News+ came into its own in 2025. Apple’s daily puzzles had long revolved around somewhat pedestrian offerings, such as crosswords and Sudoku, but a completely original concept, Emoji Game, quickly became a unique and highly entertaining option for users seeking original concepts. And for those of us who have grown sick of the fluff and intrusive ads we come across when Googling recipes, Apple News+ added a new search function that lets you find recipes and view the ingredients and directions in a clutter-free interface. Neat, right? It gets better. You can directly set timers based on the stated durations and add the listed ingredients to your Reminders app. — Mahmoud Itani
Macworld Life might not be entirely paperless yet, but the truth is that the vast majority of our important documents, photos, videos and other files are all now digital. This is good, as it saves space in our homes and the money in our pockets. But this also means we can lose everything if a drive fails, becomes corrupted, or we accidentally delete data. This is a nightmare, especially if you don’t have a solid backup solution in place. So, what can be done to recover lost or deleted files from your Mac or iPhone? Check your backups or cloud accounts With devices now being so heavily interconnected, you might find that the missing files are backed up in iCloud, Google Drive, Onedrive or any other cloud-based storage service you use. So, the first step is to look there. If that comes up empty, then checking to see if you have a Time Machine backup of your files is the next step. Should this be the case, then simply copy those files onto a new drive and you’ll be back to normal. If you can’t find the files, or your drive has crashed and taken the system with it, then it can feel a bit hopeless. That’s not where the story ends though, as professional recovery software can still provide a high probability of safely retrieving that precious data. Restoring lost or deleted date with professional recovery software You’ll find a wide range of recovery software available, but we recommend you go for one with a longstanding reputation and large user-base. Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac is an excellent option, as the company has been a specialist in the sector for 30 years, with the software downloaded over 130 million times. The simple and easy to use interface means that you don’t have to be a tech expert to find and restore your lost data. Simply tell it the type of files you’re looking for, scan the drive, preview the files to see if they’re the ones you’re after, then save them to a new location. It’s all done in a few clicks. You can even pause the process at any time, so your Mac isn’t tied up with the search for the lost data. Stellar Don’t let the simplicity fool you though, as Stellar Data Recovery is incredibly powerful and can rescue data from a wide range of problems. Whether it’s been deleted accidentally or wiped out when a drive was formatted, the software has a 98.6% recovery rate, meaning there’s an excellent chance you’ll get it back. It also works with crashed and unbootable systems, corrupted hard drives, SSDs, USB sticks, SD cards, Bootcamp partitions, Time Machine backups and encrypted drives. So, no matter the media, your data could still be found. Stellar Data Recovery can be used to find a huge selection of file types, such as documents, photos, videos, emails, ZIP files and others, plus there’s also versions for iPhone, Android and Windows if you have a cross-platform set-up. Get your data back with Stellar Data Recovery You can sign up for a free trial of Stellar Data Recovery today, which will scan your system and show you which data is recoverable. Then, if you’re able to get back the files you need, Stellar Data Recovery Professional has all the tools you need for only £89.99/$89.99. That’s a lifetime purchase too, so you won’t need to worry about a subscription. Try out Stellar Data Recovery Professional today! Data disappearing can be annoying at best, catastrophic at worst. Don’t lose heart though, with professional recovery software all is not lost.
Macworld Even the most loyal Mac users recognize that Windows still rules the roost in the world of desktop and laptop computers, and there are many important apps that only run on Windows. For example, the Windows version of Microsoft Office includes the Access database that has never been available for the Mac, and there are many professional graphics and video tools that are Windows-only. And, of course, there are all those A-List games that have never even glanced in the direction of us poor, forgotten Mac gamers. If you need to run Windows software or games on your Macs then this article will reveal the best way to do so. Read on to discover the best options for running Windows, and Windows apps, on your Mac. You may also like to read our guide to How to install Windows and run Windows apps on a Mac (M-series models). We also cover how to run Windows on an Intel Mac separately. Best Virtual Machine for Mac 2026: Best VMs to run Windows on a Mac Read on for the best virtual machines for Mac. Our top choice is Parallels, but we also consider VMware and alternative options, including emulators that let you run Windows apps on a Mac without even installing Windows to Microsoft’s Windows 365 service. At a Glance Best VM Comparison ToolBest ForPriceApple Silicon SupportParallels DesktopBest overallPaidYesVMware FusionFree personal useFreeYesCrossOverWindows apps w/o WindowsPaidYesUTMGood budget optionFree/$9.99Yes 1. Parallels Desktop: Best VM software for Mac Pros Frequent updates and new features. Good performance on multi-core Apple chips. Slick, easy-to-use interface. Ability to run x86 Windows on M-series Macs. Cons Most editions require a subscription. Virtual machines require a lot of memory and processor power. Windows On ARM is expensive. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Macworld Software Store $79.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Parallels Desktop allows you to create a virtual machine on your Mac. The software simulates the physical hardware of a Windows PC and lets you run Windows on your Mac. One of the benefits is Parallels Desktop allows you to run Mac and Windows apps side by side, without having to reboot to switch between the operating systems. With Parallels you can keep Windows and macOS completely separate or you can use Coherence mode to fully integrate your Windows apps on your Mac–you can even add them to your Dock. Parallels also offers a Rollback mode, which is useful for experimenting developers. Nothing is saved, so when you restart the computer the VM will return to it’s original state. Parallels makes installing Windows really easy. Since Parallels Desktop version 18 it has been possible to download and buy the ARM version of Windows 11 within Parallels. You do need to buy a license for the ARM version of Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise (unfortunately, the cheaper Home edition isn’t supported). If it’s the old x86 version of Windows you want then Parallels has been working to support this on M-series Macs. The 20.2.0 update in January 2025 introduced the limited ability to create virtual machines (VMs) that run certain versions of Windows that were written for Intel processors (sometimes known as ‘x86_64’, referring to 64-bit software written for Intel’s x86 processors). It’s important to note, though, that there are some major limitations such as a lack of sound and assigning a maximum of 8GB memory to each VM. It’s also slow. But that’s only going to apply to you if you are running an Intel version on an M-series Mac. Parallels Desktop has a regular update cycle that tends to coincide with Apple’s big macOS updates. Parallels Desktop was updated in September 2025, bringing support for macOS Tahoe and it’s new features. Parallels Desktop 26 includes technical updates that allow it to run smoothly with the new system for handling background processes that has been introduced with macOS 26. It’s also compatible with the latest Windows 11 25H2. A number of new AI-specific features aimed at developers were introduced with the September 2024 update (Parallels Desktop 20). A ‘Parallels AI Package’ allows developers to create a new virtual machine with a pre-installed set of AI tools and features, including the ability to control Parallels Desktop using plain language commands (more info here). Read our full Parallels Desktop for Mac review 2. VMware Fusion – Free Mac VM (for personal use) Pros Fusion allows you to use it for free if it’s for personal, home and student use. Cons VMware doesn’t update Fusion as regularly as Parallels is updated. For many years, VMware Fusion was in lock-step with Parallels Desktop, with the two rivals releasing regular updates and competing for the top spot in the Mac virtualization market. In recent years, though, VMware seems to have taken its foot off the pedal and has allowed Fusion to fall behind a bit (in fact, you actually have to dig around quite a bit simply to find Fusion on the VMware website these days). When Fusion version 13 arrived in November 2022, it brought support for ARM virtualization on Apple’s M1 and M2-series chips. As is the case with Parallels Desktop, you can only run the Arm version of Windows on M-series Macs. Unfortunately, installing the Arm version of Windows via VMware isn’t as simple as it is with Parallels, VMware told us that it’s up to the user to buy a license from Microsoft (which is a challenge due to it not being available to individual users). Version 13.5 arrived in October 2023 and with it much needed support for DirectX 11 3D graphics and an easier way to install Windows 11 on Arm via a “Get Windows” button. VMware Fusion 13.6 arrived in September 2024 and brought vmcli command line support and new guest operating system support. With the arrival of Fusion 12 in 2020, VMware started to offer a free version of the program – called Fusion Player – for personal use only, for home users and students. It’s since changed this strategy and is offering the Fusion Pro for free as long as it is for personal use. You’ll need to register for a VMware account, but Fusion Pro is free to download here. While Fusion hasn’t kept up to date with the latest developments in Mac hardware and software, the availability of the free version of Fusion Pro still makes it a great option for home users and students who occasionally need to run Windows apps or games on their Intel Macs. Read our full VMware Fusion review 3. Codeweavers CrossOver: Best for running Windows apps without Windows Pros 14-day trial Doesn’t require a full version of Windows Improved interface and ease of use Regular updates, good technical support Cons Some Windows apps aren’t compatible Can be complicated to use Requires Rosetta on Apple Silicon CrossOver is based on WINE (see below), and uses a similar compatibility layer to allow Windows apps to run on the Mac without requiring a full version of Windows to be installed as well (you need to buy a copy of Windows for use with virtualization programs such as Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion). Although WINE is a free, open-source program, it’s complicated to use. In contrast, Codeweavers have developed CrossOver as a user-friendly alternative. A copy of CrossOver with a year of technical support is $74/£60, or you can pay $494/£414 for lifetime support. There is a 14-day free trial available. With CrossOver you install Windows apps in Bottles, which are self-contained files that can be launched and run on your Mac without requiring a full copy of Windows. You can create lots of different bottles for different apps, and bottles can even be configured to provide compatibility with different versions of Windows. This is useful as it allows you to create bottles that are suitable for older games and software that might require a particular version of Windows in order to run pr
Macworld Is your Mac slowing down, frequently freezing, regularly running out of RAM or just not behaving like it used to? Are you short of space on your Mac? Have you spotted the immense amount of room taken up by System Data and are now looking for a safe way to delete some of that data? What you need is a Mac cleaner app that will delete the clutter and digital debris from your system and free your RAM from memory hogs. How to choose the best Mac Cleaner Choosing the best Mac cleaner comes down to your needs, budget, and comfort level with system tools. Some users simply want to reclaim disk space, while others are looking for deeper performance optimization, malware protection, or powerful uninstall features. If your goal is a quick, inexpensive way to free up space, perhaps to install the latest version of macOS, a simple, low-cost option may be all you need. But if you want more than just storage cleanup, including memory management, system diagnostics, and virus checks, there are several fully featured tools worth considering below. Later in this article we discuss how we test Mac cleaning software and run through a checklist of things you should do before running a Mac cleaner. We also answer various questions about using a Mac cleaner. PROMOTIONMake Your Mac Fly with CleanMyMac CleanMyMac is the ultimate solution for a faster and cleaner Mac. It smartly identifies and removes junk, deletes unnecessary files, optimizes performance, and protects your Mac machine against common threats. Unleash your Mac’s full potential and enjoy a smoother experience with CleanMyMac. Try 7 days Free Best Mac Cleaner 2025 We like MacPaw’s CleanMyMac because there is the choice of a yearly subscription or a one time purchase price if you think you might want to keep it for the long haul. It’s also one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly Mac cleaners. Since our original roundup, CleanMyMac has added new features including a redesigned UI and expanded cleanup tools for cloud storage in 2025. Another option we really like is Parallels Toolbox which offers a bundle of handy tools for just about everything. There are also some cheaper options including Cleaner One Pro and Nektony’s App Cleaner & Uninstaller and free options such as Onyx and CCleaner. Ultimately, the best cleaner is one that fits your budget and requirements. For a comprehensive, all-in-one solution, CleanMyMac is a top contender, while Cleaner One Pro offers great value. For those who want deep, technical control, MacCleaner Pro is a strong choice. Below you can read about the Mac Cleaners we have reviewed. Read on to find out why we rate these options so highly. 1. MacPaw CleanMyMac – The most comprehensive Mac cleaner Pros Improved interface and ease of use Wide range of cleaning tools Subscription or one-time purchase Cons Limited malware features Some technical knowledge still needed Best Prices Today: Retailer Price MacPaw (first year, 1 device) $47.40 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Why we like MacPaw CleanMyMac: This is consistently rated as one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly Mac cleaners. It simplifies the process of finding and removing junk files and offers a wide range of tools grouped into categories like Cleanup, Protection, Performance, Applications, and My Clutter. Few cleanup apps are as comprehensive as CleanMyMac from MacPaw, which was updated to version 5.0 (and dropped the X from its name) in 2024. Version 5.0 brought a redesigned interface that simplifies things by displaying the results of its scans as a series of tiles that give you a quick summary of each scan. 2025 updates to CleanMyMac introduced a bunch of new features and a change to the pricing structure, with a cheaper Basic version and a more expensive Plus version offered. The Basic version offers a limited set of features for less technically inclined users, while the Plus version offers the full range of features. CleanMyMac’s tools fall into five main categories that focus on different tasks: Cleanup, Protection, Performance, Applications and My Clutter. A new Smart Care feature gives your Mac a quick check-up and summarises the result of its scans for all five categories. The Cleanup tools focus on deleting junk. The Protection tools can scan for malware, detecting and quarantining threats. CleanMyMac isn’t a dedicated antivirus program like those featured in our Best Antivirus for Mac round-up, but it’s a nice addition. The Performance tools help with routine maintenance, such as clearing out DNS cache, or re-indexing Spotlight and Mail to speed up search results. Version 5.0.5 added a new option Purgeable Space, which scans your entire hard drive for old files, cache files, or temporary files and downloads that you can delete to save space. The Applications tools help you delete unwanted applications and left over installation files. My Clutter can scan either individual folders or your entire Mac drive to locate old files. Version 5 added the ability to identify duplicate files, or photos that look very similar, so that you can delete them. There are also diagnostic tools, including the ability to identify apps that are using a lot of battery power. In version 5.1 the Space Lens was revamped to provide a visual guide to the use of storage on your Mac, but this feature only comes with the Plus version of the app. A Cloud Cleanup feature arrived in version 5.2.1 (also only available with the Plus version). This allows you to use CleanMyMac to scan your cloud storage on iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. You can buy CleanMyMac from MacPaw’s own website, or from the Mac App Store, although the version sold on the Mac App Store omits a few features. You can choose from an annual subscription, or you can buy it for a one-time fee. It’s not the cheapest cleanup app, but it provides dozens of different tools for deleting old files and data. There’s a free version available to download and a free trial version available on MacPaw’s website, but it restricts the app to only remove files up to a maximum of 500MB – and in the middle of deleting files it will demand you pay the license fee for the app. You can download that limited version and scan your Mac to see just now much space you can save before committing to buying the app. MacPaw is running a 30% discount for students – submit your university email address and receive a download code here. You can get CleanMyMac here. Read our full CleanMyMac review 2. Parallels Toolbox – Everything you need in one app Pros Full suite of Mac tools including excellent cleaners Fully featured free trial Cons May be more than you require Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Parallels (1 year, 1 Mac) $24.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Why we like Parallels Toolbox: This is a great option if you need a Mac cleaner because it bundles several dedicated utilities designed to reclaim disk space, manage memory, and remove unwanted files and applications. It offers a suite of over 50 tools, with specific functions focused on system maintenance and optimization. Parallels Toolbox offers more than 50 tools and among them are some real gems like the Clipboard History and video download tools, but in this round up of Mac Cleaners, we are most interested in the tools to free memory and the drive cleaner, among other utilities. Mac cleaning tools provided in Parallels Toolbox include Clean Drive, Uninstall Apps, Find Duplicates, and Free Memory. The Clean Drive tool can locate unnecessary files that are taking up space on your Mac, and also find duplicate files that you may no longer need. It offers easy notifications and access as to what’s eating drive space (i.e., log files, cache files, trash, browser data, mail cache, mobile apps, iTunes temp files, iOS device backups, and old updates) and offers a nice level of control as to clearing them out. Clean Drive also offers quick access to the
Macworld It was a big year for Apple software and services. We talk about Liquid Glass, Apple Intelligence, Apple TV, and the other services and software that shaped the company’s year. This is episode 963 with Michael Simon, Jason Cross, and Roman Loyola. Watch episode 963 on YouTube Listen to episode 963 on Apple Podcasts Listen to episode 963 on Spotify Get info Click on the links below for more info on what was discussed on the show. Code leak reveals A19 iPad, M4 Air with Apple’s N1 chip likely coming soon Leaked code spills details of mystery Apple smart home accessory Internal Apple code hints improved Siri will land next spring with ‘HomePad’ hub Apple’s next HomePod mini and AirTag upgrades surface in leaked internal code iOS 26 superguide Can’t read notifications in iOS 26? Here’s how to reduce the Liquid Glass effect macOS 26 Tahoe superguide How to reduce the Liquid Glass transparency effect in macOS Tahoe iPadOS 26 superguide watchOS 26 superguide This Week in Apple History On December 21, 1994, Bungie Software released Marathon, a first-person shooter exclusively for the Mac. The original Marathon game trilogy is now an open-source project and is available to download for free on the Mac, as well as Windows and Linux. Check it out on the Aleph One Marathon Open Source website. iPhone versions are available in the App Store. A modern-day Marathon is in the works, but it does not include Mac development. Macworld Mailbag All we seem to hear about nowadays is AI and how it’s going to make life easy. But will it? Do we really need Al in our life? We don’t trust the experts and human skills anymore? Ozzy Ruiz via YouTube 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 Below is an AI-generated, uncorrected transcript of the podcast. The timecodes do not correspond to the published recording. Also, the text has not been edited or corrected, so it will contain improper grammar, misspellings, and other errors. Roman Loyola (00:00.316)we are recording. Michael Simon (00:12.534)Unscripted, unfiltered, unafraid, welcome to the Macworld podcast. I’m Michael Simon and I’m joined as always by Jason Cross. Jason Cross (00:20.123)Good morning. Michael Simon (00:21.484)and our producer Roman Loyola. Roman Loyola (00:23.819)Ahoy there! Michael Simon (00:25.876)Hold on. lost my tab. Okay. There we go. this is episode number 963. Do I have the right script here? look, I, so I said it’s unscripted, but I totally write a script for the beginning. Cause if I know it, I’m never going to be able to get, to get to like the part of the show, right? Mostly. so yeah, this is, we, we’ve reached nearly the end of 2025. So our last two shows are going to focus on Apple in 2025. You’re in review type stuff. Roman Loyola (00:31.819)three. Jason Cross (00:40.322)Mostly unscripted. Michael Simon (00:55.608)This one’s software and services and next week, which we’re also recording today. So we’re going to be probably a little bit tired after this one is going to be all about hardware. And, you know, we’ll go through what we got, what we didn’t get, what we liked, what we didn’t like, what it means all, you know, whatever, wherever the conversation takes us. But today is going to be software and, services, which is, you know, mainly Apple TV, but probably some, little, a few other things, maybe, then we’ll have a special year-end edition of what we’re watching on Apple TV this week in Apple history, which I’m actually somewhat excited about because I don’t even really know what Roman’s talking about and our reader mailbag Speaking of that you can contact us through. Roman Loyola (01:39.511)That’s not the first time somebody said they didn’t know what I was talking about. Michael Simon (01:44.174)I mean, it’s not you personally, it’s the thing, the thing that you’re talking about. other, not knowing what you’re talking about is a whole separate issue. If you want to talk to us, you can contact us through blue sky, Facebook threads, search for Mac world, look for the blue mouse logo, send an email to podcast.macworld.com, comment under a video, comment under a TikTok or real or wherever you find us Facebook. we, we scour all that stuff and we will talk about the most interesting and, don’t know, exciting comments in a future show. Cause it won’t be next week. All right, Roman, three minutes I got, this is actually Apple, Macworld related anyway. I just wanted to give a shout out to our contributor, Felipe Esposito last week. so he got, he, I’m, I’m kind of learning about all this stuff as well. He got access to a like an early build of iOS 26. He said it was actually, it was so early, it was actually called iOS 19. And so inside those, like, you know, we see the fancy stuff that’s all, you know, the code creates. Underneath that is a whole mess of text that to most people is, you know, just gibberish, but he knows enough about it where he can go through it and find what he calls feature flags and references to like code numbers, which pertain to product, which pertain to processors. And he’s able to kind of pour all over that. And he, you know, wrote a bunch of stories last week about products that Apple hasn’t released that are in development, AirTags, HomePod mini, Studio Display. There was some iPad stuff, some iOS 26 features that we haven’t gotten because Apple hasn’t really announced anything beyond what we have. And, I don’t know, I just found it really interesting. For one, it’s nice to break stuff, but for two, it’s just kind of fascinating how this whole thing works and how he’s able to dig up these scoops based on code. Jason Cross (03:55.717)Yeah, some of the, from, from what I have read, and I didn’t get this from Philippe, but, is that somebody got a hold of an internal development device that from, from the spring, just a month or two before WWDC, they apparently changed the name to iOS 26, really last minute. but, they got a hold of that device and then they just made the software that was on it like public. to people. They like released it. I don’t know where a torrent a dark web. I don’t know. But but then, you know, once you load that on a device, you can go through it. Like you said, there are most of the code is compiled code, but there are there are lots of sort of configuration files and reference files and scripts and stuff like that that are in plain text, but they just reference API names and stuff like that, you know, framework features. Michael Simon (04:23.363)Right. Jason Cross (04:52.803)And stuff and so you can just kind of pour like you said, you can go through that if you know what these things are and go, well, we haven’t seen that flag before. We’ve never seen the name for that API feature and all those sorts of things go through and find out what all those things are. And it was fascinating. A lot of this is stuff that had been rumored before, but there was never any evidence, right? It was just like some. Michael Simon (05:01.155)Right. Michael Simon (05:12.664)Mm-hmm. Jason Cross (05:16.687)Mark Erman or somebody else said, hey, they’re working on a new studio display. It’s nice to go through and say like, no, it’s got a reference number and it references like the resolution set of supports and the refresh rates of supports and stuff like that. It’s got the promotion flag. Now we have evidence that not only does this exist, but like what its features are. It’s really cool. Michael Simon (05:18.006)Great. Michael Simon (05:31.864)Right. Michael Simon (05:36.322)Right, yeah, it’s all fascinating stuff. Again, this was months ago, so we don’t know if it’s actually going to come out, when it’s going to come out. It’s just stuff that Apple was working on. But it’s just kind of like a peek behind the curtain of what Apple was working on. And Jason’s right. It was on a pre-production iPhone that, yes, somebody, either an employee or an ex-employee or a friend of an ex-employee, I don’t know, somehow generated on some server. Jason Cross (06:02.448)Right, yeah. Michael Simon (06:09.01)So Roman, you can put a bunch of those links in the show notes. There’s a whole bunch of stories. He wrote, I don’t know, six, seven or six or seven or something. Just kind of going through, breaking out things. And based on that, know, 2026 is some interesting stuff coming out. Most notably that new Siri, you know, since we’re talking about software today. Finally, maybe, hopefully, the Siri that was promised in 2024, June of 2024 is when we first heard about it. Jason Cross (06:30.651)You Michael Simon (06:37.223)finally maybe hopefully going to get it in like March of next year. Jason Cross (06:42.085)Yeah, we don’t want to talk too much about next year because we will have a whole entire podcast previewing 2026. but that’s, that’s a decent enough segue that the year kind of started out, but we’re talking about software and services. The year kind of started out really flat because the first, you know, a first iOS release is always in September. It’s got a couple more. Michael Simon (06:47.982)That’s right. Michael Simon (06:53.858)Right. Right. Jason Cross (07:09.893)follow on releases where they release a couple of little features and stuff. And then there’s usually a spring update that’s bigger. we, last year, last year’s WWDC, June, like you said, June, 2024, they announced all this series stuff. They said it’s coming in an up
Macworld TL;DR: A lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home is only $119.97 (MSRP $149.99) through Dec. 21, giving you powerful, modern productivity apps without a subscription. Sometimes you do need the latest and greatest—and Microsoft Office 2024 Home fits that definition perfectly. It’s built for the way we actually work today: faster pace, more collaboration, and more AI helping us along the way. And because it’s available for just $119.97 through Dec. 21, this is one of the easiest upgrades to justify before the year wraps. Office 2024 Home includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, redesigned with a cleaner interface and smarter tools. The updated Ribbon surfaces what you need when you need it, accessibility features jump in with real-time feedback, and the Quick Access Toolbar keeps your favorite commands front and center. Collaboration gets a big glow-up, too. You’ll see real-time edits, built-in commenting, chat, and version history—perfect for families, students, or projects. And then there’s the AI boost: features that help summarize content, suggest text, analyze data, and even generate design ideas. If you want to head into the new year with the freshest productivity tools—and without paying subscription-model prices—this offer is a solid win. Get lifetime access to Microsoft Office 2024 Home for PC or Mac for only $119.97 (MSRP $149.99) through Dec. 21. Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time PurchaseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.
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