The iPhone 18 Pro models support Apple Reference Image, a way to verify that a photo was taken with an iPhone and hasn't been edited. Apple says it's a method to prove that something actually happened and wasn't AI-generated, likening the feature to a digital film negative.

Apple Reference Image offers a trustworthy, scalable guarantee that a reference image is what it claims to be: a real photograph, captured by a real sensor in an iPhone camera, at a specific time. It sets a new standard for verifiable digital photography.

Apple introduced Apple Reference Image when debuting the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max, and today the company shared more information on how the feature works on its Security Research blog.

Apple Reference Image boots the camera sensor into a specialized reference mode. The mode instructs the sensor to cryptographically sign pixel data immediately after capture, and the sensor firmware is prevented from modifying the data. Other authentication systems don't sign images until the end of the software processing pipeline, which Apple says leaves images vulnerable to tampering attacks.

Apple Reference Image creates a "secure digital negative" protected from software compromise alongside a standard editable photo. The negative is stored on-device and includes pixel data, sensor metadata, and cryptographic timestamps with lower and upper bounds. When a user decides to "develop" the negative for verification, it is sent unprocessed to Private Cloud Compute. Private Cloud Compute runs the steps needed to render the image in a secure, private, and verifiable environment.

Apple says the feature resists data injection attacks, compromised operating systems, hardware attacks, and cryptographic attacks. Apple believes Apple Reference Image is the only image provenance system with quantum-secure defenses. In case the system is breached, there is a revocation option. Private Cloud Compute calculates a confidence score for each image, and Apple can revoke individual photos or an entire sensor if fraud is detected.

To safeguard photographers, Apple Reference Image avoids using an explicit, public credential for photographers, and it prevents public association between different photos taken by the same sensor. The confidentiality of the image is protected, including from Apple.

Apple Reference Image is opt-in and is limited to the Main camera sensor.

More information on the ins and outs of Apple Reference Image can be found in Apple's full blog post.
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To take advantage of the iPhone Duo's dual-display design, Apple is introducing new Camera app features that are unique to the foldable iPhone.

Smart Take

Smart Take uses AI to determine when everyone (including the iPhone owner) is ready for a group shot, so no one has to use a timer or stay out of the picture to capture the image.


You can prop up the ‌iPhone Duo‌ in a half-folded orientation, get in frame, and then wait for the group shot to be taken.

Kid Cue

Kid Cue shows little Peanuts animations to children so they look at the camera when you're taking a photo.

Duo Preview

With Duo Preview, the Camera app shows a live preview of the shot on both displays, so the subject you're taking a photo of can make adjustments.

Duo FaceTime

Nearby friends can participate in a FaceTime call using the outer display while the iPhone owner uses the inner display, so nobody has to crowd around the iPhone or pass it around to get on video.


Duo ‌FaceTime‌ is not the same as Dual Capture, which records video with both the front and rear cameras. Duo ‌FaceTime‌ specifically uses the outer display to allow another person to join in on a call.

Unique Form Factor Features

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ can be used in multiple orientations, including when it's half-folded. The Duo stands up on its own, for taking ‌FaceTime‌ calls and recording video without holding it.


The folding mechanism acts like a built-in tripod and stand, so it's also useful for selfies and long exposures. You can also capture selfies with the higher-quality 48MP rear camera while using the outer display as a viewfinder, which isn't something you can do with a slab iPhone.

Camera Hardware

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ has a "Dual Fusion" two-camera setup with a 48MP Main camera. It's basically the same camera that's in the iPhone 17 (not the 17 Pro), offering 26mm 24MP images by default, along with 12MP 2x "telephoto" images at 52mm.

The camera supports sensor-shift optical image stabilization, but not the second-generation version available in the Pro models. It also does not support spatial photos or the ProRAW format.

It also includes a 48MP Ultra Wide camera with a 13mm focal length and macro capabilities. Since there's no Telephoto lens, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ is limited to 2x optical-quality zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, and digital zoom up to 10x for images.

Other Camera Capabilities

Like the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ supports the latest Photographic Styles, which adds texture and grain parameters.

Video

Smart focus tracking is a feature new to the ‌iPhone Duo‌ and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. It uses AI to keep a subject in focus at all times, and pick up subject tracking if the subject exits the frame and then reappears.

The Duo supports 4K Dolby Vision video recording at up to 120 fps, and Cinematic mode for recording videos in 4K Dolby Vision at up to 60 fps. For the first time, Cinematic mode effects can be added to a video after capture on the Duo and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. Apple also says there's improved low-light video on the Duo when recording at 1080p.

Time-lapse video recording with stabilization up to 4K Dolby Vision is a new ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone Duo‌ option. It's especially useful on the ‌iPhone Duo‌ because you can record a stable video without the need for a tripod.

Front Camera

The ‌iPhone Duo‌'s outer front-facing camera is 12MP, not 18MP like the ‌iPhone 17‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. It otherwise has the same features.

The inner display has a 1080p ‌FaceTime‌ camera that's under the display.

Missing Camera Features

Compared to the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max, the ‌iPhone Duo‌ has a more rudimentary camera system. It lacks many features available on the Pro models.

• Telephoto lens


• Pro Controls


• Apple Reference Image


• Variable aperture


• Second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization


• Adaptive True Tone flash


• Spatial photos and video recording


• ProRAW


• ProRes


• ProRes RAW


• Genlock


• Apple Log 2 video recording


• Studio-quality four-mic array

Launch Date

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ will be available for pre-order on October 16, and it will launch on October 23. Pricing starts at $1,999.
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Apple today added the 2019 4K iMac to its list of vintage products, which means repairs can only be done if Apple has the parts available.


Products are added to the vintage list five years after they were last distributed for sale, and they're moved to the obsolete list at the seven-year mark. Vintage products can be repaired at Apple Stores and by Apple Authorized Service Providers if the parts are available, but that's not guaranteed. Devices that are obsolete are not eligible for repair and Apple no longer makes repair components.

The 2019 iMac preceded the colorful, redesigned M1 ‌iMac‌ that came out in 2021. The machine featured a 21.5-inch Retina 4K display and the standard silver ‌iMac‌ design. The base model was equipped with an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 1TB hard drive. Pricing in 2019 started at $1,299.

The 2019 27-inch ‌iMac‌ that was sold alongside the 21.5-inch model was added to the vintage list in July 2025, but Apple sold the smaller model for a longer so it didn't previously qualify as vintage.
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After Apple introduced the AirPods 5 last week, we got a set to take home and review. We've been testing the AirPods 5 for the last week and have some initial thoughts.


The ‌AirPods 5‌ have the same overall design and fit as the AirPods 4, so they're just as comfortable as the prior-generation model.

Active Noise Cancellation has been improved through new internal acoustic architecture, and it's surprisingly good. The ‌AirPods 5‌ don't have silicone ear tips so you might not expect ANC to work as well as earbuds with a tighter fit, but there is a noticeable improvement over the ANC version of the AirPods 4.

Apple says the ‌AirPods 5‌ use low-noise microphones and a new compressor tuned for open-ear ANC. The compressor is tuned to a wider frequency range and can react faster than before when conditions change. Sound is measured for the left and right ears independently, correcting for fit leaks to further improve ANC.

Sound quality on the ‌AirPods 5‌ was muddier than on the AirPods Pro 3, especially in the low mids. iOS 27 has custom EQ, though, which allows for adjustments. The ‌AirPods 5‌ support Adaptive Audio and Transparency, so they have most of the same audio features as the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌.

Apple used to limit ANC to the higher-end version of the AirPods 4, but with the ‌AirPods 5‌, it's universal. You can now get AirPods with ANC for just $129. There's an upgraded model with a Wireless Charging Case, an extra hour of battery life, and swipe-based controls on the stem for $149. The base model has four hours of battery with ANC, while the upgraded version offers five hours.

Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and other features that were previously limited to the higher-end AirPods 4 model are now on all models. Dust and water resistance has improved, and the AirPods have an IP57 rating, so they'll hold up better to sweat and moisture exposure.

With the ANC upgrade and the price drop, the ‌AirPods 5‌ are an excellent value. If you've been hesitant to get AirPods because of the price, this is the version to get. People who have AirPods Pro or AirPods 4 with ANC don't need to upgrade, but it's a big improvement if you have older AirPods.

The ‌AirPods 5‌ are available for pre-order and will launch on Friday, September 18.
This article, "AirPods 5 Hands-On: Better Noise Cancellation, Lower Price" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 have new Audio Intelligence features that include Sound Recognition, Music Recognition, Live Rewind, and Siri Recap. When these features are activated, the new Apple Watches are always listening to what's going on around the wearer.


With ‌Siri‌ Recap, the Apple Watch listens to your conversations throughout the day and takes notes. It uses Apple Intelligence to continually generate summaries that Apple says are meant to "jog your memory" on events so you can stay present in the moment.

Apple anticipated negative reactions to a wearable that's always listening, so it has a detailed explainer on the privacy features that have been added.

• No speaker attribution - ‌Siri‌ Recap will not identify and attribute speakers. Names can be included if mentioned in the conversation, but nothing is directly attributed to a specific person.


• Omitted information - ‌Siri‌ Recaps will omit potentially harmful content or sensitive data, which Apple says includes language that promotes self-harm or hateful speech, financial data, government-assigned identifiers, authentication data, and certain personal identifiers.


• Caveats - Apple warns that ‌Siri‌ Recap summaries can be incomplete or inaccurate, and filtering may not remove all sensitive information.


• No transcript - Apple says ‌Siri‌ Recap doesn't produce a full transcript of a conversation. It's just a summary, comparable to notes one might jot down after a conversation.


• Condensed conversations - Encrypted, condensed text versions of a conversation are sent to Private Cloud Compute. The text is less than half the length of the original transcript, and distills the conversation to its core meaning. Conversation tone, non-essential language, filler words, and redundancies are removed.


• No audio recording - Audio is sent to the Secure Exclave on Apple Watch and iPhone for processing and analysis. It can't be accessed by the operating system, apps, the user, or Apple, and no audio is recorded or stored.


• Private Cloud Compute - ‌Siri‌ Recap uses Apple Foundation Models running on Private Cloud Compute to summarize and format the final output. Data is not accessible to Apple or anyone else.


• Opt in, not opt out - ‌Siri‌ Recap can be turned on in the Apple Watch app on iPhone, and set to listen on a schedule. You can have it on only at work, or set it to never listen at night. There will be a quick access toggle in Control Center for turning it on and off.


• Auto-delete - Summaries auto-delete after seven days if not saved to the ‌Siri‌ app.


• Siri app - Summaries are saved to the ‌Siri‌ app and can be deleted at any time from all synced devices. Saved summaries can be exported to other apps like Notes.


• Encryption - Summaries are end-to-end encrypted when synced to your other devices via iCloud so only your trusted devices can access them.

Apple suggests that Apple Watch wearers "be mindful" of the people around them. "While audio is not recorded and stored, and no speakers are attributed, consider those around you where conversations might be private or sensitive," reads Apple's document.

‌Siri‌ Recap requires one of the new Apple Watch models and an iPhone 16 or later (except the iPhone 16e). The feature is launching later this year.
This article, "Apple Explains What Happens to Conversations Siri Recap Hears" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple removed GLONASS support from the Apple Watch Ultra 4, according to technical specifications listed for the device. The Ultra 4 supports GPS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou, while the prior-generation Ultra 3 supported GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou.


GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS use CDMA-based signaling and support multiple frequencies for more accurate positioning. Consumer devices typically only receive an L1 signal from GLONASS, so it is less useful on devices with dual-frequency support. GLONASS also uses a different signal architecture, and receivers have to correct for hardware timing delays on a per-satellite basis, which can lead to positioning errors.

Apple did not say why GLONASS support was removed, but dropping it could improve accuracy, reduce processing, and possibly improve battery life.

The Apple Watch Series 12 continues to support GLONASS, likely because the L1-only limitation is less relevant on a single-frequency device.
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T-Mobile will charge customers $5 per month to use iPhone Handoff, an e-SIM feature that allows the same phone number to be used on two separate iPhones.


iPhone Handoff requires carrier support, and at launch, only T-Mobile users in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom users in Germany will be able to use it.

T-Mobile says customers can use their number across two compatible iPhone models and elect which phone is active at any given time. Features like calls, texts, data, mobile hotspot, Scam Shield, and T-Satellite will work on both devices with an eligible plan.

Apple is adding support for iPhone Handoff in iOS 27. It requires two iPhones running ‌iOS 27‌ or later that are connected to Wi-Fi and signed into the same Apple Account with FaceTime, iMessage, and Messages in iCloud turned on. It can be turned on when activating a new iPhone or in the Settings app.

When iPhone Handoff is enabled, one iPhone serves as a main iPhone and the other iPhone is the secondary device that shares the same number. Moving between the main iPhone and secondary iPhone happens automatically when you unlock one of the devices.

A phone number can only be active on one iPhone at a time when using iPhone Handoff. Payment cards in the Wallet app and car keys can work across both iPhones, but Apple warns some Wallet items like transit passes, IDs, or corporate badges might only work on one iPhone at a time. iPhone Handoff also does not transfer an Apple Watch from one iPhone to another.

iPhone Handoff works with Dual SIM as long as both eSIMs are from carriers that support iPhone Handoff. Both eSIMs will switch simultaneously when you unlock your iPhone. Each eSIM has to be set up separately.

Once set up, iPhone Handoff remains activated until you contact your carrier to turn it off. More information can be found in Apple's support document for the feature.

‌iOS 27‌ is set to launch on Monday, September 14, and the new iPhone 18 Pro models will launch on Friday, September 18.
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With the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, Apple is adding Live Rewind, which relies on an S11 processor and new continual listening features.


Live Rewind listens to what's happening around the wearer, and when activated with a double press on the Digital Crown, offers a transcript of what was said in the last 15 seconds. Apple says the feature will let users catch something they missed or are less familiar with. Snippets can be referred to Siri for further evaluation or saved to the ‌Siri‌ app.

Apple users are already expressing privacy concerns about Live Rewind, and likening it to Meta's much-maligned smart glasses, but no Apple Watch user will be able to activate it surreptitiously.

When the Digital Crown is pressed for Live Rewind, the Apple Watch will sound an audible chime from the speaker. The chime will sound even if the Apple Watch is on silent or if headphones are connected. At the same time, a full-display animation and microphone indicator will appear, with the combination meant to alert those nearby that the feature has been activated.

Apple says Live Rewind only activates with a deliberate press on the Digital Crown and all processing is done on-device. It shows the last 15 seconds of speech as a text snippet on the display, and does not continue to transcribe in the background. It can be turned on or off through the Watch app on the iPhone.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 have an S11 chip equipped with a Secure Exclave. Apple describes the Secure Exclave as a hardware-isolated compartment that processes sensor data separately from the rest of the system. Data processed and analyzed in the Secure Exclave is not accessible by the operating system, apps, the user, or Apple.

Live Rewind and other Audio Intelligence features do not generate audio recordings. Audio flows into the Secure Exclave, is processed, and then deleted.

According to Apple, Live Rewind text snippets "disappear permanently" from the Apple Watch approximately 30 seconds after the Apple Watch display dims, unless the info is saved to the ‌Siri‌ app.

Live Rewind requires an Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 paired with an iPhone 16 or later, though the iPhone 16e is not compatible. Apple Intelligence and ‌Siri‌ AI are required, and the feature is not available for users under 13. The feature will launch later this year and won't be in the initial versions of watchOS 27 and iOS 27.
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Apple reintroduced a ceramic case for the Apple Watch Series 12, but if you don't have AppleCare+, repairs are unusually expensive.


It costs $599 to fix "other damage," which covers any repair besides a battery replacement. Battery service is priced at $99.

Repairing a ceramic Series 12 is more expensive than getting an Apple Watch Ultra 4 repaired. That repair costs $549 without ‌AppleCare‌+ (up $50 from the prior model). A repair for a cellular aluminum Series 12 of the same size is $349.

Apple Watch Series 12 models in the Pearl White or Night Blue ceramic options are priced starting at $899, while the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 4‌ is priced starting at $799.

With ‌AppleCare‌+, Apple Watch users will only need to pay a $69 service fee for damage to the ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 or $79 for the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 4‌. Battery service is free if a watch's battery capacity drops below 80 percent, and theft or loss has a $119 deductible.

‌AppleCare‌+ with Theft and Loss for the Apple Watch Series 12 is $4.99 per month, and it's $5.99 per month for the Ultra 4. Customers can also opt for ‌AppleCare‌ One, Apple's $19.99 per month option that covers up to three devices. Starting on September 14, Apple is also offering ‌AppleCare‌ One Family, which is $49.99 per month for up to six family members.
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Apple's repairability scores suggest the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are slightly easier to repair than the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max. Apple released the repairability data in a product information sheet required by EU energy labeling regulations [PDF].


The EU requires smartphone makers to self-rate repairability across categories like disassembly depth, fasteners, tools, spare parts, software update duration, and repair information. Each category gets a 0–5 score, which is combined into the overall index number. Here are the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max scores compared to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and Pro Max scores.

• Overall index - 3.14, up 0.10 from 3.04


• Disassembly depth - 2.75, up 0.10 from 2.65


• Fasteners - 3.80, no change


• Tools - 2.55, up 0.50 from 2.05


• Spare parts - 4.00, no change


• Software updates - 1.00, no change (EU only awards a higher software core when manufacturers agree to support devices beyond the five-year minimum)


• Repair info - 5.00, no change

It looks like the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models have similar builds and are repaired in largely the same way, but there are small gains in tools and disassembly depth. Apple may have new tools for accessing some components, but the regulatory filings don't go into specifics. Both devices are class C on the A-E scale that appears on the iPhone's label.

We won't have to wait long to see what's changed inside the new iPhone models, because repair site iFixit is likely planning a teardown of one of the new iPhones on or shortly after the September 18 launch date.

Since the iPhone Duo isn't available for pre-order yet, Apple hasn't published similar repair data for the device.
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Some Apple Watch users who upgrade to the Series 12 or the Ultra 4 might temporarily lose access to hypertension notifications.


On the watchOS feature availability page, Apple says notifications might not be available on the Series 12 or Ultra 4 at launch because regulatory clearances are in process.

Hypertension Notifications may not be available on Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 in your region, as additional regulatory clearances for these devices are in process.

The warning applies to 33 countries and regions, including Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, South Africa, South Korea, and the UAE, with a full list on Apple's website.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 have revamped sensors and a new Health Sensing System. Apple added new optical and electrical heart sensors for more frequent and accurate tracking, and the change appears to require new regulatory approval in some locations.

What's new:

• ECG - The electrodes in the watch cover more surface area for improved skin contact during ECG readings.


• Optical sensing - Redesigned photodiodes are organized in a ring to capture light more efficiently.


• Heart rate measurement - Larger, power-efficient green LEDs in the optical heart rate sensor allow the new watches to measure heart rate every five seconds all day, offering more data on a user's fitness and physiological state. Real-time heart rate is available in the updated Heart Rate app, and Exercise and Move Activity rings are more accurate. HRV is also measured as often as every five minutes.

Apple Watch users who get these notifications today may lose the option when upgrading to the Series 12 or Ultra 4 until regulatory clearance is granted.

Countries not on Apple's list with a footnote will continue to get notifications as usual. This includes the United States, UK, and all EU countries.
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Apple is planning a major redesign of the Health app on iPhone and iPad, with a long list of new features set to be added. Apple announced the Health app changes at yesterday's iPhone event.


The Health app is getting an update because Apple overhauled the sensors in the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. There's a Health Sensing System with three main improvements: increased electrode surface area for better skin contact during ECG readings, redesigned photodiodes arranged in a ring to capture light more efficiently for optical sensing, and power-efficient green LEDs for capturing continuous heart rate data.

The new watches take heart rate readings every five seconds throughout the day, and more frequently measure heart rate variability (HRV). All of the data collected is sent to the Health app on iPhone. Apple says in a head-to-head study against other wearables using an ECG chest strap as reference, the new Apple Watch had the most accurate heart rate sensing.

Apple Intelligence Guidance

The Health app will turn the data and metrics that it collects into personalized guidance thanks to Apple Intelligence integration. There are several new sections coming to the Health app.

• Insights - The Insights tab offers an Apple Intelligence-generated summary of timely information like your latest sleep metrics or a new peak in VO2 max. There are options to get custom advice on readiness, fitness, heart health, and more in the For You section.


• Personal Guidance - Personal guidance is part of the Insights tab. It knows what's important to you, and will make relevant suggestions. Apple says if you're working on your cardio, you might see a suggestion to incorporate intervals into your morning run. Recommendations adapt to each user and their data.


• Readiness - The new Apple Watch models calculate a readiness score that takes into account recent activity, vitals, and sleep score. It gives a 0–10 score with recommendations on activity level. Readouts include Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. Info is shown on the watch, in the Fitness app, and in the Health app's Insights tab.


• Fitness - Insights incorporates your daily activity and it updates throughout the day.


• Vitals - The Vitals option in the Health app has new overnight views and daytime views. HRV is incorporated as a metric, offering a better look at your ability to recover from stress. It measures overall HRV and recovery HRV.


• Longevity - There is a new Longevity tab in the Health app. It uses metrics from your iPhone and Apple Watch to assess overall health across heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition. The section shows you how well you're doing in each category, and how each metric is classified against the latest clinical guidance.


• Health Age - Health Age is part of the Longevity tab. It uses metrics like VO2 max, resting heart rate, HRV, sleep, and biomarkers from blood work to determine how your health metrics compare to your actual age. It will help you figure out what habits make the biggest impact on your health, and how you can improve.

Lab Results

Health Age and Longevity can be more useful with lab results. Users can upload lab results manually or sync medical records.

Apple has also partnered with Quest to offer U.S. users an option to buy a full bloodwork panel that covers more than 50 biomarkers. The test is priced at $119, and users will be able to buy it right in the Health app. It'll require a visit to a Quest lab location, and results are combined with data from the Apple Watch and analyzed on iPhone. Apple says users will get videos from clinical experts related to their results.

According to Quest, the panel delivers preventive health insights and includes biomarkers for assessing cardiometabolic health and organ function. It also includes biometric readings that measure blood pressure, height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences. Since the test isn't available in the Health app yet, a full list of what's included isn't known.

Apple competitor Oura offers a similar testing option through Quest. The $99 test checks more than 50 biomarkers, and Oura runs discounts.

Quest has approximately 2,000 locations across the U.S. Results appear in the Health app shortly after testing.

Movement Evaluations

Apple is adding new at-home health assessments you can complete, such as a VO2 max test. The test uses the iPhone camera to track your movements as you follow moves and instructions from a trainer. The tests offer real-time audio and visual feedback.

There are in-depth physical assessments for measuring flexibility, strength, balance, and movement mechanics in addition to VO2 max.

Apple says the tests are useful to see how well your body is moving or to track your progress recovering from an injury. Tests run on device with no video recorded or stored, and users get an exercise plan after completing a test.

Cycle Tracking

Apple is adding perimenopause and menopause support to Cycle Tracking in the Health app.

Device Requirements

Apple Watch users with an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone will get the updated Health app when it launches, but readiness, more frequent heart rate readings, and more frequent HRV readings require a Series 12 or Ultra 4.

Launch Date

Apple says the new Health app is coming in late 2026, but the company did not give a specific launch date. It will be available in U.S. English at launch, with more languages to follow.
This article, "iOS 27 Apple Health App Redesign: Every New Feature Coming in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on "Apple Reference Image," a photo provenance system that will verify if an image was captured with an iPhone. References to the feature were found in a privacy disclosure included in iOS 27 beta 5, but it is not live yet.


According to the text, there will be a "Reference" mode option in the Camera app that users can select. Using this mode will embed provenance data in the image's metadata.

Images captured with an opt-in Reference mode can be authenticated to confirm they were taken with an iPhone. Authenticating is done by tapping the Reference badge on the image, which sends the raw image, sensor signatures, capture time frame, and the unique hardware identifiers of the sensor to Apple's Private Cloud Compute (PCC) servers. PCC uses the information to determine whether the camera captured the photo, gives it a unique ID, and then returns an authenticated version to the user's device.

When authenticating a photo, Apple receives sensor data, a hash, and the assessment results, but not the raw photo. Apple can refuse to authenticate images from a sensor that might be compromised, and it can retroactively revoke a sensor's past authentications.

Authenticated photos can be viewed on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and the Reference badge can also be clicked on a Mac. Images have to be captured in Apple's specific Reference mode to be authenticated, which suggests it's a feature aimed at pro photographers, journalists, and others who need to verify images. There may also be a video component, since Apple's disclosure mentions "photos or videos" and "uncropped footage."

Reference mode offers hardware-backed evidence that an image was captured with a physical camera sensor, which is useful at a time when AI can generate realistic-looking images. AI images are often watermarked or labeled through metadata to make sure they can be identified as fake, including images from Image Playground.

Camera manufacturers like Leica, Sony, and Nikon use C2PA Content Credentials for authentication, and Google also adopted it for the Pixel 10 lineup. Apple's authentication system sounds like it serves a similar purpose.
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We're a little over a month away from the launch of iOS 27, and Apple is continuing to make changes. The fifth beta of ‌iOS 27‌ changes the look of some app icons and adjusts Liquid Glass, plus it adds some smaller features that make the iPhone just a little nicer to use.

App Icons

There are updated Liquid Glass icons for Safari, Siri, Settings, Remote, App Store, and Preview. Some of the icons have been entirely redesigned, while others feature more detail than before.

Siri AI Voice Customization

Voice customizations for ‌Siri‌ AI have been expanded, and Pace and Expressivity can be adjusted for all seven American voices and the four British voices.


‌Siri‌ AI voice customization is done on-device, so the feature is limited the iPhone 17 Pro, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, or iPhone Air.

Contacts

If a contact you've created has a company associated with it, the company name will show in the contact list under the name and in search. It makes it easier to see more information on a contact without having to tap into the contact card.

Create a Pass

The Apple Wallet Create a Pass feature is now available outside of the U.S.

Splash Screens

Apple added splash screens for the Photos, Wallet, and Music apps, explaining what's new in ‌iOS 27‌.

Search and Ask

Apple made minor changes to the animation when bringing up Search or Ask. The suggestions interface now comes up as the search bar does rather than popping up slightly afterward.

The search interface also now has a "Search the Web" option at the bottom of results that was not there before.

Apps in Search

You can now decide whether search should show app results, and if so, how many. You can turn off app results, have it show four apps, or have it show eight apps. There's also a toggle for showing app shortcuts.

Control Center

When connected to Wi-Fi, the Control Center no longer shows information on cellular connection.

5G

5G+ is now available in Spain.

Software Updates

When you look at your software version in Settings > General > About, it now tells you when the last update was installed.

Clock

There is a thicker font for the Alarms and Timers section of the Clock app.

Liquid Glass

The clearest Liquid Glass setting is clearer than it was in the prior beta.

Mail

There's now a toggle for the Personalize Smart Replies feature in the Mail app. It's off by default and can be turned on in the Mail section of the Settings app.

Battery

The Battery section of the Settings app will now let you know if a poor cellular connection is causing battery drain.
This article, "Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 5" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In the fifth beta of iOS 27, Apple is continuing to make design tweaks. There are updated Liquid Glass icons for Safari, the Siri app, Settings, Remote, App Store, and Preview.


The Safari icon is a brighter blue with more detailed compass lines and arrows, while the ‌Siri‌ icon looks more like the actual ‌Siri‌ bubble that's displayed when ‌Siri‌ is activated. The ‌App Store‌ app icon is more translucent so you can better see each line making up the A, Settings uses more translucency, and Preview has an entirely different look with a loupe over a colorful background. The Remote icon also has more detail and it's been updated with a gray background instead of black.

Some app icons were updated with the initial ‌iOS 27‌ beta release, including Maps, Photos, and Weather, but others kept their iOS 26 look.

It's possible Apple will overhaul even more icons in upcoming betas, because the company said it was planning to give icons an updated layered look to better fit the Liquid Glass aesthetic.

‌iOS 27‌ will be released in just about a month.
This article, "iOS 27 Beta 5 Brings New Icons for Siri, Safari, Settings and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With the fifth beta of iOS 27, Apple has expanded the voice customization options for Siri AI.


Pace and Expressivity can now be adjusted for more of the available voice options instead of just the two American voices.

There are seven American voice options and four British voices to choose from, all of which can be customized with different Pace and Expressivity settings. Pace changes talking speed, while expressivity changes emphasis.

‌Siri‌ AI voice customization is done on-device, so the feature is limited to newer iPhones. You need an iPhone 17 Pro, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, or iPhone Air to use voice customization on an iPhone.

It's available on Macs with an M3 chip or newer and at least 12GB RAM, and the M4 iPad Pro and newer, also with at least 12GB RAM.
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Apple is scaling back its hardware shipment plans in 2026 due to DRAM shortages, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.


Kuo made the comment in a longer piece disputing a recent report suggesting TSMC has $1 billion of unpackaged processors waiting on memory chips that Apple has been unable to secure. Kuo said Apple plans processor production at least three months in advance based on the amount of memory expected to be available, and it does not have TSMC build large numbers of wafers ahead of time. He believes there are indeed memory shortages, but no situation where TSMC is sitting on unused inventory.

In other words, tight memory supply is real. But my understanding is that there has been no dramatic scenario in which TSMC first built up US$1 billion of WIP and then had to wait for memory to arrive before packaging could proceed. TSMC and Apple are both known for world-class execution, and such a dramatic development would be unusual given how closely the two companies coordinate their supply chains.

Memory shortages have already affected the Mac Studio, Mac mini, and MacBook Air, and it sounds like ongoing supply problems will also impact the upcoming iPhone models. Memory makers have been prioritizing supply for AI data centers because contracts for those chips are more profitable, leaving less capacity available for consumer device chips.

A lack of supply has driven prices up and led to long wait times for some products. Apple raised prices on all of its Macs and iPads in June, and iPhone prices are expected to go up in September.

The iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra could be available in limited quantities because of the memory problems, and we expect the devices will sell out during the preorder period.
This article, "Apple Cutting Back 2026 Hardware Shipments Due to Memory Shortage" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today provided developers with the fifth beta of macOS Golden Gate, with the update coming two weeks after Apple seeded the fourth beta.


Developers can download ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ by going to System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes multiple design improvements. Liquid Glass opacity has been improved to increase readability, there's a slider for controlling the level of transparency, and changes to shadowing make it easier to tell when a window is active. Apps now have uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and less rounded corners, plus there are fewer icons in menu bars.

Siri has been transformed into ‌Siri‌ AI, a chatbot-style assistant that combines general world knowledge, your personal data, and onscreen awareness to answer questions about anything and find information for you. ‌Siri‌ lives in Spotlight, and you can ask questions with the new Search or Ask interface.

There's also a ‌Siri‌ app where you can chat with ‌Siri‌ and view past conversations, and on newer Macs, you can set a custom voice for ‌Siri‌ with personalized pace and expressivity. Visual Intelligence is now on the Mac so ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about what's on your screen, and a Write with ‌Siri‌ feature lets ‌Siri‌ generate text or give feedback on your writing.

There are AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, AI tab organization in Safari, an option to use AI to automatically update weak passwords in the Passwords app, and a revamped Image Playground app that can generate photorealistic images.

More on all of the new features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.
This article, "Apple Releases macOS Golden Gate Beta 5" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released a new beta of macOS Tahoe 26.6.2, which is available to developers and public beta testers. The ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6.2 beta comes just a few days after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.6.1, a security update.


Developers and public beta testers can download the software by opening the System Settings app and then navigating to the Software Updates section.

According to Apple's release notes, ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.6.2 includes security fixes for the Mac.

The prior update, macOS 26.6.1, fixed a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to authenticate to Screen Sharing without valid credentials.

Update: This article previously said macOS 26.6.2 had been released, but it turns out the update is a beta.
This article, "Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.6.2 Beta With Security Fixes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released new betas of iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1, which are available to developers and public beta testers. The iOS and iPadOS 26.6.1 betas come two weeks after the launch of iOS 26.6, an update that added Spotlight optimizations ahead of iOS 27.


iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

According to Apple's release notes, iOS 26.6.1 includes security fixes for the iPhone and iPad. The updates are available in a beta capacity only right now.

Apple is wrapping up work on iOS 26 because ‌iOS 27‌ is launching in just about a month. ‌iOS 27‌ is available to developers and public beta testers ahead of its public debut.

Update: This article previously said iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1 had been released, but it turns out the updates are betas.
This article, "Apple Releases iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1 Betas With Security Fixes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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