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Apple bundles Apple TV, Arcade, and Music Select into iCloud+ in 100+ countries

15 September 2026 at 19:30

Apple iCloud

Apple is turning paid iCloud+ storage plans into a much broader services bundle in more than 100 countries, adding Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and a new limited music offering called Apple Music Select at no extra charge. The change applies even to the cheapest 50GB tier and is rolling out through the end of September 2026.

The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western and Northern Europe — including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden — are not included. Russia is also left out.

What subscribers get

Every paid iCloud+ plan in the included markets now covers:

• Apple TV streaming, with access treated as equivalent to a standalone subscription

• Apple Arcade, including more than 200 games, with existing game saves and progress preserved

• Apple Music Select, a set of ad-free, Apple-programmed stations for lean-back listening, including regionally relevant mixes plus categories such as Top Songs, 80s, and 90s, available in the Home tab of the Music app

Full Apple Music is not included. Apple is instead offering a discounted upgrade path from iCloud+ to a complete Music subscription. In Mozambique, that discounted add-on was cited at $2.79 a month for Individual and $4.49 for Family. In India, the 50GB iCloud+ plan costs 75 rupees a month; adding discounted Music at 115 rupees can still undercut the old Apple One individual price of 195 rupees.

Family Sharing continues to work: storage, TV, and Arcade can be shared with up to five other people.

Standalone plans and Apple One are being wound downIn the affected countries, Apple will stop selling standalone Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscriptions. Existing standalone subscribers will be moved onto iCloud+ and keep uninterrupted access. Apple One is closing to new sign-ups in those markets, though current Apple One customers can keep their plans.

The strategy looks like a pivot: instead of pushing a premium multi-service bundle in price-sensitive markets, Apple is using cheap cloud storage as the hook and wrapping entertainment around it.

Apple TV’s map gets bigger

The same announcement expands Apple TV into 59 additional countries, bringing the service to 170 countries worldwide. Content and Arcade catalogs can still vary by region.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services and Health, said in a statement that the company is “excited to bring Apple TV and Apple Arcade to iCloud+ users in over 100 countries in one convenient subscription.”

There is no timeline for whether the same deal will ever arrive in the U.S. or other excluded markets.

Full list of countries and territories:

Albania; Algeria; Angola; Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bahamas; Bahrain; Barbados; Belize; Benin; Bermuda; Bhutan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; British Virgin Islands; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Cayman Islands; Chad; Côte d’Ivoire; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Dominica; Egypt; Eswatini; Fiji; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Ghana; Grenada; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; India; Iraq; Israel; Jamaica; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kosovo; Kuwait; Kyrgyz Republic; Lebanon; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; Maldives; Mali; Mauritania; Mauritius; Micronesia; Moldova; Montenegro; Montserrat; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Nauru; Nepal; Niger; Nigeria; North Macedonia; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Qatar; Republic of the Congo; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; São Tomé and Príncipe; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Türkiye; Turkmenistan; Turks and Caicos; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe.

MacDailyNews Note: Availability of specific features, shows, and games may still differ by country, region, or device. Existing iCloud+ subscribers in the listed markets should receive TV and Arcade automatically as the rollout completes this month.


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Apple preps privacy-first home security cameras and monitoring service

4 September 2026 at 18:00

Apple logo with security lock

Apple is preparing a dedicated home-security product line and a companion monitoring service, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, as the company maps a broader expansion of its smart-home business beyond next week’s iPhone event.

In a Sept. 4 report on Apple’s product pipeline under new Chief Executive Officer John Ternus, Gurman said the company is working on an in-home security sensor and system slated for 2027. The device is described as a privacy-centric camera and automation accessory that would use artificial intelligence to watch a room’s environment rather than continuously storing traditional video footage. That hardware, he wrote, is expected to tap into a new Apple home-security and monitoring service.

The framing is consistent with earlier Gurman reporting that Apple has been developing battery-powered security hardware — previously discussed as a camera and later as a small sensor, internally associated with the J450 project — that can recognize people, use infrared sensing, and trigger automations such as lights or music when a household member enters or leaves a room. Apple has also been said to be exploring a wider lineup that could eventually include additional cameras and a facial-recognition doorbell aimed at rivals such as Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest.

A service layer would be a notable shift. Apple already offers HomeKit Secure Video through iCloud, but Gurman’s latest account points to a more complete security and monitoring offering — the kind of recurring product that could sit alongside Apple’s other subscription businesses. Industry coverage of the same Bloomberg report has noted that such a service could later be bundled into Apple One, though Apple has not announced pricing, professional monitoring, or how much processing would stay on-device.

The security push is part of a larger home reset. Gurman and other reports have said Apple is first rolling out refreshed living-room hardware, including a new Apple TV 4K, an updated HomePod mini, and a screen-equipped home hub often referred to as a HomePad, before the 2027 security system arrives. The company has long lagged Amazon and Google in connected-home hardware even as it has marketed privacy as a differentiator. An AI-first sensor that avoids constant video recording would be an attempt to turn that brand position into a product category.

Apple has not publicly confirmed the devices or the service. Details on design, battery life, outdoor coverage, emergency dispatch, and whether video would still be captured after an AI alert remain unreported. What Gurman’s reporting does make clear is that Apple now sees home security as both a hardware line and a services opportunity — and that the company is targeting 2027 to bring them to market together.
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MacDailyNews Take: This will be great – as long as it works with our Eufy cameras!


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Apple’s rumored security camera: Privacy-focused HomeKit device expected as part of broader smart home push

31 July 2026 at 17:00
Apple’s rumored security camera. (Image: Grok Imagine)
(Image: Grok Imagine)

Apple has not officially announced any first-party security camera, but multiple reports from analysts and journalists indicate the company is developing one (and possibly related products like a video doorbell) to compete more directly with Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest. The effort forms part of a wider smart-home hardware expansion that also includes a home hub and updated speakers.

Core Rumors and Sources

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in late 2024 that Apple was preparing a wireless smart home IP camera for mass production in 2026, with ambitions for millions of units annually and assembly by Goertek. The device is described as designed for tight wireless integration with other Apple products and expected to leverage Siri and Apple Intelligence.

Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman has repeatedly covered Apple’s smart-home plans, stating the company is working on multiple types of cameras and home-security products. One reported design is a battery-powered camera lasting several months to a year on a charge. It would include facial recognition and infrared sensors to identify people in a room, supporting automation such as turning lights off when someone leaves or playing preferred music for a recognized family member. Users are expected to place cameras throughout the home for both security and presence-based automation.

A Face ID-equipped video doorbell has also been rumored; it could recognize residents and wirelessly unlock a compatible deadbolt. Reports suggest the doorbell may lag behind the primary security camera in development.

Internal code references to a device codenamed J229 (mentioned in late 2025 reporting) describe capabilities including image capture, alarm-sound detection, and multiple sensors (features obviously consistent with a security camera). Some coverage linked support for it to a spring 2026 software window, though timelines have since been described as more fluid.

Expected Features and Ecosystem Fit

Any Apple camera would almost certainly rely on HomeKit Secure Video, which already provides end-to-end encrypted streaming and recording to iCloud+ (with local analysis on a home hub such as a HomePod or Apple TV). Apple has recently expanded the platform: iOS 27 and related software add 4K support for compatible cameras, AI-generated text descriptions of footage, natural-language search across clips (e.g., “package delivery”), and grouping of noteworthy events across multiple cameras. These AI features reportedly require a higher-tier (2 TB) iCloud+ plan.

An official Apple camera would be expected to offer deeper, native integration than third-party options—potentially stronger on-device intelligence, seamless Siri/Apple Intelligence features, and privacy guarantees aligned with Apple’s usual approach (encrypted video that even Apple cannot access). Specifics on resolution, night vision, field of view, indoor vs. outdoor designs, or exact form factor remain unconfirmed.

Timing and Status

Early reports pointed toward 2026 availability, with some speculation around a spring window or a March 2026 “Apple Experience” event. More recent coverage (as of mid-2026) treats the latter half of 2026 or later as the more realistic window, noting that earlier expectations have slipped and that no official confirmation, pricing, detailed specs, or prototypes have been made public.

Apple already supports a limited selection of third-party HomeKit Secure Video cameras (from brands such as Eve, Aqara, Logitech, and others). A first-party device would give the company direct hardware control and a clearer path to showcase new Home app and Apple Intelligence capabilities.

MacDailyNews Take: Credible info from Kuo, Gurman, and others consistently points to Apple developing at least one battery-powered, privacy-oriented security camera with facial/presence sensing for automation, plus possible related products such as a Face ID doorbell. Everything remains unannounced and speculative on exact design, price, and launch date as of late July 2026. Further clarity will depend on official statements or stronger supply-chain evidence.


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Apple wins dismissal of major lawsuit over child sexual abuse material on iCloud

14 July 2026 at 21:30

iCloud

In a significant victory for Apple, a U.S. federal judge has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the company of failing to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through its iCloud storage service. The ruling relies heavily on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content.

U.S. District Judge Noël Wise in San Jose, California, issued the decision late Monday, agreeing with Apple’s position that it is immune from the claims. The plaintiffs alleged that Apple did not take sufficient action to stop images of their childhood sexual abuse from being stored and shared on iCloud.

Key Details from the Case

The lawsuit, filed in 2024 by two plaintiffs using the pseudonyms Amy and Jessica, represented a class of 2,680 individuals with similar claims. It sought up to $32.8 billion in compensatory damages and a court order requiring changes to iCloud.

Judge Wise ruled that the claims treated Apple as an online publisher responsible for user content, placing them squarely under Section 230 protections. She emphasized, “Nothing in federal law requires Apple to proactively utilize available technology or develop new technology to identify and report child sexual abuse material on its cloud platform.”

In a notable statement, the judge added, “Lawmakers can fix this problem that is contributing to the exploitation of children. This Court cannot.”

The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs cannot refile it.

Background and Apple’s Position

The suit claimed Apple knew about CSAM issues on iCloud, but chose not to deploy available detection tools. It referenced Apple’s 2021 announcement of the NeuralHash program for identifying such material, which was later abandoned in favor of end-to-end encryption—making detection more difficult. Apple has maintained that it has worked diligently to combat CSAM while prioritizing user privacy and security.

James Marsh, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said they are considering an appeal and exploring other legal avenues. He noted, “While the plaintiffs disagree with the judge’s conclusion on the law, we agree with her conclusion that Congress should do more to protect children online and address the skyrocketing harms from online exploitation.”

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Broader Context

This ruling highlights ongoing debates over Section 230 and tech companies’ responsibilities regarding harmful content. Apple faces a similar lawsuit from West Virginia’s attorney general, described as the first of its kind by a government agency targeting iCloud’s role in CSAM distribution.

MacDailyNews Take: For those unfamiliar with the NeuralHash debacle, over which we were vehemently opposed, more here.


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