iPhone Duo features a breakthrough foldable design that’s beautiful, versatile, and durable, opening up possibilities that feel entirely new yet remarkably familiar

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced iPhone Duo, the first foldable iPhone. Opened, it is the thinnest iPhone ever, with a 7.6-inch inner display that provides a large canvas for viewing content, gaming, and multitasking, and a special nano-texture finish that minimizes glare for an unparalleled viewing experience. Closed, the 5.4-inch outer display delivers 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro in a compact, pocketable design.¹ Both displays share the same aspect ratio, so content scales proportionally, ensuring visual continuity. iPhone Duo is built to last with an innovative hardware design and a precision hinge that offers a smooth, satisfying feel with every use. Powered by the new A20 Pro, iPhone Duo features an advanced thermal management system with a custom-designed vapor chamber and a dual-battery architecture, delivering pro performance and impressive all-day battery life. The advanced camera system takes stunning photos and videos, with the folding design unlocking fun new ways to use the camera that aren’t possible on any other iPhone. iOS 27 is reimagined, remaining familiar and intuitive while adapting to the versatile ways users can interact with iPhone Duo. And with Apple Intelligence² and Siri AI,³ iPhone Duo brings powerful AI capabilities together with a user’s personal context.

iPhone Duo is available in two refined colors: star white and night sky. Pre-orders begin Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.

“iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone,” said John Ternus, Apple’s CEO. “With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you’re enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming.”

Two Displays, One Breakthrough Design

iPhone Duo delivers Apple’s largest iPhone display in an entirely new design. Closed, iPhone Duo is comfortable to use one-handed and fits easily in a pocket, with a 5.4-inch outer Super Retina XDR display that provides 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro. Opened, the 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display is 50 percent larger than iPhone 18 Pro Max, offering an immersive canvas for everything users do. A premium nano-texture finish reduces glare and reflections, creating a matte surface that minimizes crease visibility and feels great to touch. Beneath the inner display, a new FaceTime camera stays hidden when not in use to keep the screen uninterrupted. Both displays share the same aspect ratio, designed for how people use their iPhone, so the experience feels continuous whether iPhone Duo is open or closed. The displays also feature ProMotion, Always On, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. Later this year, iPhone Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C, allowing users to take notes, sketch, or mark up documents on either display.

With iPhone Duo, users can multitask with two apps side by side, enabling immersive productivity on the go.

Touch ID is integrated into the side button for easy, secure, and consistent authentication whether iPhone Duo is open or closed, and users can unlock iPhone Duo using their Apple Watch. The design also features Camera Control to quickly launch the camera, including the brand-new Siri Camera mode, which lets Siri see what the user sees to answer questions and take action.

The precision hinge on iPhone Duo is designed to feel effortlessly smooth — it supports the center of the display to hold it flat when opened, and together with an integrated magnet array, delivers a satisfying and secure closure.

Designed for Durability

iPhone Duo is built to last and feels exceptionally solid with every use. It’s crafted from grade 5 titanium for incredible strength, with an enclosure that has an elegant mirror-polished finish and a 3D-printed hinge cover with a contrasting micro-blasted finish. Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone Duo, and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front has 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation. iPhone Duo is also splash-, water-, and dust-resistant with an IP68 rating.⁴ The hinge is engineered from more than 100 components to precisely control opening and closing and support the center of the display, delivering a smooth, satisfying feel. Internally, support ribs reinforce the structure for added stiffness, while antenna splits with ceramic fiber inserts enhance the frame’s rigidity.

Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone Duo, and Ceramic Shield 2 on the outer display reduces glare and provides 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation.

The inner display is designed to withstand the wear of everyday use. A scratch-resistant coating and a nano-textured cover layer — made from a custom polymer with up to 40 percent higher stiffness than other materials used in the industry — protect the surface. High-strength glass sits above and below the folding display panel, with custom adhesives that allow the layers to glide past one another like the pages of a book, relieving bend stress, and a titanium plate at the bottom further enhances durability.

The inner display on iPhone Duo features a multilayer lamination design that keeps it flat and provides durability. Custom adhesives allow these layers to glide relative to one another during folding, like pages in a book, so the panel doesn’t distort over time.

An Advanced Camera System with New Experiences

iPhone Duo delivers an advanced camera system that brings all-new experiences made possible by its breakthrough design. With the new 48MP Fusion Main camera, users can shoot sharp photos at up to 48MP resolution with zero shutter lag, capture in the 24MP default for incredible image quality at a file size perfect for sharing, and get closer to the subject with an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto. The 48MP Fusion Main camera also benefits from a new computational image pipeline for sharp details, and excels in low light thanks to a large sensor, fast aperture, and sensor-shift optical image stabilization.

The 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera — the same as on iPhone 18 Pro models — captures wider fields of view and enables macro photography, while the Center Stage front camera can automatically take photos and videos in any orientation, so users don’t have to rotate iPhone for landscape selfies. Upgraded Photographic Styles with new texture and grain controls let users further dial in their desired appearance and have more creative control over their photos.⁵ Under the inner display, a new FaceTime camera helps users connect with friends and family whether iPhone Duo is held open or propped on a surface for hands-free calls.

A new FaceTime camera beneath the inner display connects users to friends and family, whether iPhone Duo is fully open or propped up hands-free. Dual Capture in FaceTime shares front and rear camera feeds simultaneously, and Duo FaceTime lets someone join the conversation using the outer display and camera.

The foldable design with dual displays unlocks camera experiences that are not possible on any other iPhone.

• With Smart Take, users no longer miss out on being in the photo because they are behind the shutter or racing to beat a timer. On-device AI models running on A20 Pro analyze the scene in real time and automatically capture photos when subjects are posing.

• Users can take a selfie with the higher-resolution rear cameras and preview their shot on the outer display.

• Duo Preview shows the live preview on the outer display, helping subjects pose, check their framing, and guide the shot.

• Kid Cue plays animations from Peanuts on the outer display to grab the attention of children so they look at the camera.

• Duo FaceTime lets people who are with the user join a video call on the outer display, so everyone can share the moment without crowding around one screen.

The folding design and dual displays of iPhone Duo give users fun new ways to use the camera that aren’t possible on any other iPhone.

iPhone Duo supports 4K120 fps recording in Dolby Vision on the 48MP Fusion Main camera, unlocking gorgeous slow-motion effects by adjusting the playback speed. Users can now apply Cinematic effects after capture at up to 60 fps, and Audio Mix introduces new algorithms that deliver higher-quality voices and can now isolate music. Time-lapse supports 4K in Dolby Vision HDR, and users can prop iPhone Duo up without needing a tripod to easily capture longer-duration videos.

Users can capture 4K120 fps on the 48MP Fusion Main camera and adjust the playback speed after capture for slow motion.

A Reimagined Yet Familiar iOS Experience

iOS 27 is tailored for iPhone Duo, delivering a familiar and intuitive experience that introduces new ways to interact with iPhone. Lock Screen controls, the Dock on the Home Screen, and app navigation and controls now appear on the side to maximize vertical space for content. When iPhone Duo is open, the display shows two Home Screen pages with Today View — a vertically scrolling list of customizable widgets — on the left. The status bar includes a circular, flexible system that nestles into the corner of the screen, showing relevant information like Wi-Fi, cellular strength, battery, and more. The Dynamic Island is also redesigned to fit vertically on the side of the outer and inner displays, and expands to show Live Activities and alerts. iOS seamlessly adapts to the new ways to use iPhone Duo — content reacts as it folds, reorients when turned to the side, and switches to the appropriate display when flipped over.

With iOS 27 on iPhone Duo, essential controls move to the side, freeing up vertical space for content.

Apple apps are optimized for iPhone Duo, and developers can easily adapt their apps using the new and updated APIs in the latest SDKs, and upcoming support for iPhone Duo in Device Hub in Xcode. Third-party apps, including Netflix, Zoom, and Slack, are already taking advantage of the folding design to deliver immersive experiences that make the most of the larger display and new ways to use iPhone Duo.

The expansive display supercharges productivity, letting users do more at once with new multitasking capabilities. Split View allows users to open two apps side by side on iPhone for the first time. Users can also quickly swap between apps; open two windows of the same app, like Safari; easily have a conversation with Siri AI while looking at content on the other side of the screen; and save pairs of apps to come back to later.

iPhone Duo users can move an app over to one side of the inner display and launch a second app on the other for powerful Split View multitasking. Users can also launch a second window of the same app, like Safari, for comparison shopping, and swapping apps is easy.

StandBy gets a major upgrade on iPhone Duo. Set iPhone Duo down and it enters StandBy on either the outer or inner display — even when it’s not charging — turning the device into a photo frame, hub for widgets, clock, and more. New Calendar and Weather faces join existing Clock and Modular faces, while the Photos face is updated to display Shared Albums. Every face now offers deeper customization, with new colors, fonts, and complications to choose from.

Prop iPhone Duo up and it will enter StandBy, even when it’s not charging.

The Next Generation of Apple Intelligence and an All‑New Siri

iPhone Duo gives users access to Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri that is rolling out in beta with iOS 27. Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri is profoundly more personal, capable, and conversational, and becomes even more useful on the large inner display. Powerful AI capabilities paired with personal context make iPhone Duo an intelligent personal hub with privacy and security at its core.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more; use onscreen awareness to take action related to the content on a user’s screen; and answer questions about virtually any topic. Users can write with Siri by simply describing what they need. The all-new Siri app also makes it easy to revisit past conversations or kick off new ones, with conversational history synced privately across products with iCloud.

Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. Users can improve the composition of a photo after it’s been taken with Spatial Reframing, Extend, and upgraded Clean Up. Image Playground also now offers photorealistic imagery, and with upcoming support for the SynthID standard, users can identify images generated or edited with AI.⁶ In Safari, Notify Me helps users monitor web pages for changes, like product restocks or price drops, to stay on top of updates. To protect users’ privacy, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud.

Pro Performance with A20 Pro and Advanced Thermal Management

Powered by A20 Pro — the same chip in iPhone 18 Pro models — and paired with an advanced thermal management system, iPhone Duo delivers up to 35 percent better sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro. A new chip package inspired by M-series Apple silicon connects A20 Pro directly to a custom vapor chamber, dissipating heat and powering multitasking, gaming, and complex AI workloads. A new display engine drives the inner and outer displays simultaneously and enables a fluid experience as users transition between them. The 6-core CPU is up to 20 percent faster than A19 Pro, delivering the fastest CPU in a smartphone; the 7-core GPU is up to 40 percent faster and more power efficient; and the new Dual 16-core Neural Engine offers 2x the compute power to run on-device AI models. A20 Pro also delivers 50 percent more unified memory bandwidth and is built on the latest 2-nanometer process technology.

With a new chip package, A20 Pro on iPhone Duo can reach peak performance for on-device AI immediately, and the vapor chamber sustains it for high-frame-rate gaming and multitasking on the large display.

Impressive All-Day Battery Life

iPhone Duo is designed with one high-energy battery on each side to maximize capacity while efficiently using internal space. A combination of Apple silicon and energy rebalancing algorithms allows the batteries to operate seamlessly as one, so users get up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display, up to 44 hours of video playback when using the outer display, and up to 24 hours of usage per charge when both displays are used equally.⁷ Users can also enjoy fast charging — iPhone Duo can charge up to 50 percent in around 20 minutes or wirelessly charge up to 50 percent in around 30 minutes with a MagSafe or Qi2 charger.⁸

Powerful Wireless Capabilities

iPhone Duo features an eSIM-only design worldwide that saves internal space to maximize battery capacity.⁹ eSIM offers greater flexibility, better security, and seamless connectivity compared to traditional physical SIM cards, and as an industry standard, it is supported by over 500 carriers around the world, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which allows users with supported carriers to easily switch back and forth between two iPhone models with the same phone number.¹⁰

N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip, enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while C2, Apple’s next-generation cellular modem system, brings AI-powered improvements to cellular quality and reliability, and now supports mmWave in the U.S.

Beautiful New Accessories

To complement iPhone Duo, Apple is introducing beautiful new accessories. The iPhone Duo Folio — available in navy blue and taupe — features an integrated kickstand that supports a wide range of angles for reading, viewing content, or FaceTime, and folds away neatly when not in use. The iPhone Duo Case — available in sand and navy blue — is thin and light, with a protective two-part design that wraps around both sides of the device. Both cases are compatible with MagSafe, Qi2 25W, and Qi-certified chargers. With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone Duo, they offer a magical attach experience and fast wireless charging.

iPhone Duo and the Environment

iPhone Duo was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 35 percent recycled content overall,¹¹ including 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery and 100 percent recycled titanium in the 3D-printed hinge cover. iPhone Duo is manufactured with 60 percent renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain, and meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. Like all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based¹² and can be easily recycled at home.

Pricing and Availability

• iPhone Duo is available in star white and night sky, and starts at $1,999 (U.S.), or $83.29 (U.S.) per month for 24 months, in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities.¹³

• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for iPhone Duo, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $57.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.¹⁴

• Customers in more than 70 countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and Vietnam, will be able to pre-order iPhone Duo beginning at 5 a.m. PT on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23. iPhone Duo will be available in 28 other countries and regions beginning Friday, October 30.

• The iPhone Duo Case will be available for $79 (U.S.) in navy blue and sand, and the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available for $129 (U.S.) in navy blue and taupe. iPhone Duo Case and iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand will be available to order beginning Friday, October 16.

• iPhone Duo will be available with iOS 27.1. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features help iPhone Duo users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most. Apple is extending free access to satellite features for an additional year for existing iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users who have activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to midnight PT on September 9. For satellite feature availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/105097.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new iPhone, or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. In the U.S., customers can also choose AppleCare One Family, which extends that same coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• iCloud+ plans start at just $0.99 (U.S.) per month, providing additional storage to keep photos, videos, files, and more safe in the cloud and accessible across devices. iCloud+ also gives access to premium features such as event creation in the Apple Invites app, as well as Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains, and HomeKit Secure Video. With Family Sharing, users can share their subscription with five other family members at no extra cost. For more information and feature availability, visit apple.com/icloud and apple.com/ios/feature-availability.

• New and qualified returning subscribers who purchase iPhone Duo can unlock three months of Apple One for free. Apple One bundles up to six Apple services — including Apple TV, Apple Music, up to 2TB of iCloud+ storage, and more — into one convenient plan across multiple Apple devices. This offer is available in select countries and regions with an eligible new iPhone, iPad, or Mac beginning September 17. Service availability varies by region. Learn more about Apple One at apple.com/apple-one.

The post Apple unveils iPhone Duo appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

The new Pro lineup introduces variable aperture with the most advanced camera in an iPhone, incredible battery life, next‑level performance, and Siri AI, all powered by A20 Pro

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, delivering the most advanced pro camera system in an iPhone, and huge leaps in battery life and performance. The new 48MP Fusion Main camera, now with variable aperture, brings creative control that wasn’t possible before, and new Pro controls let users customize their experience in the Camera app. Both models feature a smaller and even more useful Dynamic Island, as well as A20 Pro and a next-generation vapor chamber that together deliver the highest sustained performance in iPhone history. iPhone 18 Pro Max also delivers the largest increase in battery life ever on iPhone, thanks to advancements in Apple silicon and a larger battery.¹ Featuring iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence² and Siri AI,³ iPhone 18 Pro models bring powerful AI capabilities together with personal context to become an intelligent personal hub with privacy and security at its core.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are available in four elegant finishes: black, silver, glacier, and an all-new burgundy. Pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.

“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas — we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”

An Advanced Camera System That Unlocks More Creativity Across Photo and Video

The new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture is the most advanced camera Apple has ever made, bringing aperture control to iPhone for the first time along with even more creative control. Six laser-cut blades smoothly transition between different apertures, making it incredibly easy to capture the best shot by automatically adjusting for depth of field and lighting. Combined with a new sensor that improves image quality, the result is better low-light photography, crisper detail in the back of group photos, and more unique shots. Variable aperture also provides more control for creative pros by giving them the ability to manually adjust any of the four aperture settings in the Camera app, and an API is available to developers for even more control across the aperture range in their apps.

Replay video: The Most Advanced Camera Available on iPhone

The new 48MP Fusion Main camera uses six laser-cut blades controlled by a new rotor mechanism to smoothly transition between different apertures.

With a new computational imaging pipeline, the Main camera produces sharper, more detailed shots, and upgraded Photographic Styles with new texture and grain controls let users further dial in their desired appearance and have more creative control over their photos.⁴ Industry-leading video capabilities also become more versatile, with the ability to apply Cinematic effects after capture to videos shot at up to 60 fps. In Time-lapse mode, users can now record videos in 4K and Dolby Vision HDR. Audio Mix also has new algorithms that deliver higher-quality voices and can now isolate music.

Pro controls is a new customizable experience in the Camera app for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max that makes it easier than ever for users to access their most used settings and introduces new options for manual control. Users can now adjust settings such as lens aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, or use a histogram to check exposure levels throughout a scene.

Pro controls offer broader creative range, with manual control over shutter speed, white balance, aperture, and the ability to use a histogram.

Introducing Apple Reference Image

Users can now prove the authenticity of a photo taken on iPhone 18 Pro models with Apple Reference Image, powered by the new sensor in the Main camera that can sign every pixel it sees. When a photo is taken in the new Reference mode, the camera captures signed sensor data that Private Cloud Compute develops into an unalterable reference image.⁵ Reference images can be viewed in the Photos app alongside the main image, like a digital negative, to visually compare the two assets and determine if any edits were made. APIs are available in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 27 for third-party apps to enable viewing of these reference images.

Image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID standard can also help users identify images generated or edited with AI.⁶ Together with Apple Reference Image, this set of features represents a multifaceted approach to image authenticity — vital for photojournalists, photographers, and everyday viewers.

An Even More Useful Dynamic Island

Using advanced display technology, the Dynamic Island is redesigned to create room for additional information. The upgraded Dynamic Island can now show three Live Activities at once, while continuing to enable Face ID for securely unlocking iPhone 18 Pro models, authenticating purchases, signing in to apps, and more.

Replay video: Upgrades to Dynamic Island

The upgraded Dynamic Island can show even more information at a glance, with up to three Live Activities at once.

A20 Pro: A Powerhouse for Pro Performance and AI

Built using the latest 2-nanometer process technology, A20 Pro sets a new bar for mobile computing. Featuring 50 percent more memory bandwidth than A19 Pro, the new 6-core CPU features integrated Neural Accelerators and is faster than the competition, while the new 7-core GPU design is up to 40 percent faster than A19 Pro — a significant upgrade for graphics rendering. A20 Pro also features a new Dual 16-core Neural Engine, which accelerates on-device AI models and computational photography, and includes 32 total cores for double the AI processing power of A19 Pro. With huge upgrades across the entire chip, A20 Pro is a powerhouse for everything from more advanced on-device AI workloads to demanding games, and is designed to deliver exceptional performance for years to come.

Both models feature N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. iPhone 18 Pro introduces C2, Apple’s next-generation cellular modem system, which brings AI-powered improvements to cellular quality and reliability. C2 delivers meaningfully faster uploads when compared to C1X while consuming 15 percent less energy, and now supports mmWave in the U.S.

A New Thermal Management System for Maximum Performance

A20 Pro introduces custom packaging inspired by M-series Apple silicon that places the silicon die side by side with the memory, removing the memory from the thermal path of the chip and allowing A20 Pro to attach directly to a next-generation vapor chamber. With new materials and three times more surface area than the previous generation on iPhone 17 Pro, the redesigned vapor chamber dramatically improves sustained performance and enables up to a 40 percent gain over the previous generation — the highest sustained performance yet.

The next-generation vapor chamber dissipates even more heat and enables a massive leap in sustained performance on iPhone 18 Pro.

Incredible Battery Life

Both iPhone 18 Pro models feature updated battery designs that support faster wired charging and leverage powerful silicon efficiencies to deliver incredible battery life.

Featuring iOS 27 with the Next Generation of Apple Intelligence and an All-New Siri

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max give users access to Siri AI, rolling out in beta with iOS 27. Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence that is profoundly more personal, capable, and conversational. Both models bring powerful AI capabilities together with personal context to become an intelligent personal hub with privacy and security at its core.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across messages, emails, photos, and more; use onscreen awareness to take action related to the content on a user’s screen; and answer questions about virtually any topic. Siri mode in the Camera app allows users to get information and take action on what’s in front of them, and users can write with Siri by simply describing what they need. Additionally, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more useful. Users can improve the composition of a photo after it’s been taken with Spatial Reframing, Extend, and upgraded Clean Up. And now Image Playground offers photorealistic imagery. In Safari, Notify Me helps users monitor web pages for changes, like product restocks or price drops, and stay on top of updates. To protect users’ privacy, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, which extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to help users find what they need in the moment across apps, and with Siri mode in the Camera app, they can get information on what’s in front of them.

iOS 27 delivers an expansive set of improvements that make iPhone more responsive, reliable, and easy to use, along with refinements to the software design and more ways to personalize the appearance of Liquid Glass. Additionally, powerful and simple tools, based on expert guidance, give parents more flexible ways to manage what their kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access. iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which allows users with supported carriers to easily switch back and forth between two iPhone models with the same phone number.⁹

eSIM: A Flexible, Convenient, and Secure Connection

eSIM offers greater flexibility, better security, seamless connectivity compared to traditional physical SIM cards, and more battery life on eSIM-only models.¹⁰ An industry standard, eSIM is supported by over 500 carriers worldwide, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. eSIM-only models of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the U.S., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These models feature an even larger battery, taking advantage of the space formerly occupied by the physical SIM to provide two additional hours of video playback.

Beautiful New Accessories

iPhone 18 Pro models introduce a range of new Silicone Cases, TechWoven Cases, Crossbody Straps, and FineWoven Wallets — all designed to complement the four beautiful finishes. The Clear Case features an updated design and is now compatible with the Crossbody Strap and Wrist Strap. The new Wrist Strap introduces a convenient, hands-free way to carry iPhone, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Pro 3. Woven with 100 percent recycled polyester yarns and embedded with flexible magnets that keep it neatly fitted together, the Wrist Strap will be available in six colors: black, taupe, olive, crisp blue, magenta, and burgundy.

iPhone 18 Pro and the Environment

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max were built with the environment in mind, and drive progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. Both models are made with 40 percent recycled content overall,¹¹ including 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery and 85 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure. They are manufactured with 50 percent renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain, and meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. Like all Apple products, their paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based¹² and can be easily recycled at home.

Pricing and Availability

• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities. Available in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black, iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 (U.S.) or $49.95 (U.S.) per month, and iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 (U.S.) or $54.12 (U.S.) per month for 24 months.¹³

• Apple offers great ways to save and upgrade to the latest iPhone models. With Apple Trade In, customers trading in iPhone 13 or later can get $175 to $885 (U.S.) in credit instantly.¹⁴ Apple also partners with select carriers to offer incredible deals, and customers can get up to $1,200 (U.S.) in credits when they trade in iPhone 14 or later — in any condition — to put toward iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. Customers can take advantage of carrier deals by visiting the Apple Store online or an Apple Store location. For carrier deal eligibility requirements and more details, see apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/carrier-offers. To see what their device is worth and for trade-in terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.

• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for iPhone 18 Pro, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $34.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.¹⁵

• Customers in more than 65 countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and Vietnam, will be able to pre-order iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max beginning at 5 a.m. PT this Saturday, September 12, with availability beginning Friday, September 18. iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 20 other countries and regions beginning Friday, September 25.

• A TechWoven Case with MagSafe will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, chambray blue, taupe, olive, mulberry, and burgundy. A Clear Case with MagSafe will be available for $49 (U.S.), and a Silicone Case with MagSafe will be available for $49 (U.S.) in black, navy blue, crisp blue, olive, burgundy, and magenta. A FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, navy blue, wildflower blue, olive, magenta, and burgundy.

• A Wrist Strap will be available for $29 (U.S.). A Crossbody Strap will be available for $59 (U.S.) in black, navy blue, taupe, sand, olive, crisp blue, magenta, burgundy, and light gray.

• iOS 27 will be available as a free software update on Monday, September 14. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features help iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most. Apple is extending free access to satellite features for an additional year for existing iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users. The free trial will be extended for iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 users who have activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to midnight PT on September 9. For satellite feature availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/105097.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new iPhone, or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. In the U.S., customers can also choose AppleCare One Family, which extends that same coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• iCloud+ plans start at just $0.99 (U.S.) per month, providing additional storage to keep photos, videos, files, and more safe in the cloud and accessible across devices. iCloud+ also gives access to premium features such as event creation in the Apple Invites app, as well as Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains, and HomeKit Secure Video. With Family Sharing, users can share their subscription with five other family members at no extra cost. For more information and feature availability, visit apple.com/icloud and apple.com/ios/feature-availability.

• New and qualified returning subscribers who purchase iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max can unlock three months of Apple One for free. Apple One bundles up to six Apple services — including Apple TV, Apple Music, up to 2TB of iCloud+ storage, and more — into one convenient plan across multiple Apple devices. This offer is available in select countries and regions with an eligible new iPhone, iPad, or Mac beginning September 17. Service availability varies by region. Learn more about Apple One at apple.com/apple-one.

The post Apple debuts iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

With industry-leading ANC in an open-ear design, improved sound quality, hands-free access to Siri AI, and Live Translation, AirPods 5 deliver the best audio experience Apple has ever offered in this style of AirPods, at an incredible price

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced AirPods 5, delivering the industry’s best Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in an open-ear design and even better sound quality, at an outstanding value.¹ AirPods 5 feature an all-new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ for even more immersive sound. Their breakthrough open-ear ANC removes up to 50 percent more external noise compared to AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, alongside a more natural Transparency mode. Combined with Siri AI and iPhone, AirPods enable users to draw on their personal context and get answers with broad world knowledge, entirely hands-free.² Users can also respond to Siri using head gestures, or use Live Translation to help connect across languages.

AirPods 5 offer the most affordable way to experience some of the most powerful AirPods features — along with greater durability with improved dust, sweat, and water resistance — at $129. For users who want even more, AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case add longer battery life and on-stem volume control for $149.³ Customers can pre-order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

“We’re thrilled that with AirPods 5, we’re able to bring Active Noise Cancellation — one of our most beloved features — to our most affordable AirPods,” said Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering. “Both AirPods 5 models deliver a world-class listening experience and enable features like Live Translation for even more people. Paired with Siri AI, AirPods are a game changer for unlocking powerful hands-free capabilities.”

Best-in-Class Active Noise Cancellation

Customers love to use ANC to quiet the world around them so they can rest on a noisy flight, get lost in their favorite music, or stay focused on work. AirPods 5 remove up to 50 percent more noise compared to AirPods 4 with ANC thanks to a new multiport acoustic architecture and improved computational audio algorithms. Along with the benefits of ANC, AirPods 5 feature an improved Transparency mode that more naturally represents voices and nearby sounds, helping users stay connected to their surroundings. Providing the best of both worlds, Adaptive Audio dynamically blends Transparency mode and ANC based on the conditions of a user’s environment. And Conversation Awareness lowers the user’s media volume when they start speaking, helping them more easily talk to someone nearby.

Breakthrough Active Noise Cancellation removes up to 50 percent more noise compared to the previous generation, while Transparency mode lets in voices and sounds around the user.

Re-Engineered Sound Quality

Inspired by AirPods Pro 3 and re-engineered for AirPods 5, a new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ deliver richer, more detailed sound across an even wider range of ear geometries. This makes Personalized Spatial Audio more immersive and dynamic, so the user feels like they’re surrounded by whatever they are listening to.⁴

A new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ deliver richer, more detailed sound across an even wider range of ear geometries.

Intelligent Features, Hands-Free

For users with an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone, AirPods 5 allow users to tap into helpful intelligent features hands-free and on the go. Siri AI, which is rolling out in beta in iOS 27, is a profoundly more capable and conversational assistant, offering personal context understanding across messages, emails, photos, and more, as well as app actions and broad world knowledge. For example, users can ask Siri to play the song a friend recommended in a message or navigate to a dinner reservation based on the confirmation buried in an email. Siri AI sounds more natural than ever, with expressive voices that a user can customize so it’s just right for them.⁵ And Dictation now captures what users say with greater precision.

In addition to these new capabilities, Siri already works seamlessly with apps from Apple’s vast ecosystem of developers, so users can continue to take action in the apps they already use, like texting a friend in WhatsApp or playing a book on Audible. With Siri Interactions on AirPods, users can discreetly respond to Siri AI by simply nodding their head yes or shaking their head no.

Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, breaks down barriers by letting users communicate across languages. After setting up Live Translation in the Translate app and downloading their desired languages, AirPods users can access the feature by simultaneously pressing both stems, by saying “Siri, start Live Translation,” or by using the Action button on iPhone — allowing them to hear a conversation in their preferred language. Enabled by ANC and computational audio, this capability is now available across the entire AirPods lineup.

Powered by Apple Intelligence, Live Translation on AirPods 5 breaks down barriers by letting users communicate across languages.

AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

For users who want even more, AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case deliver great improvements to the AirPods experience. Force sensor with volume swipe arrives on AirPods 5, a first for the open-ear form factor, adding the ability to quickly adjust volume by swiping up or down on the stem.

AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case feature a force sensor with volume swipe to quickly adjust volume on the stem.

Battery life is also improved, with up to five hours of playback with ANC on a single charge — one hour longer than AirPods 4 with ANC, thanks to a redesigned battery. This extends up to 22 hours with the charging case when listening with ANC. The wireless charging case supports Apple Watch chargers, Qi-compatible chargers, and USB-C.

AirPods 5 and the Environment

The new AirPods 5 were built with the environment in mind and drive progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. They are made with 40 percent recycled material overall,⁶ including 70 percent recycled plastic in the wireless charging case and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery. AirPods 5 are manufactured with 35 percent renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain, and meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. Like all Apple products, their paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based⁷ and can be easily recycled at home.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers in the U.S. and more than 65 other countries and regions can pre-order AirPods 5 today for $129 (U.S.), with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• Customers in the U.S. and more than 65 other countries and regions can pre-order AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case today for $149 (U.S.), with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• For full feature functionality, use AirPods 5 paired with an Apple device running the latest operating system software.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with iOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with iOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• Live Translation is available on compatible Apple devices with the latest operating system software when paired with compatible AirPods with the latest firmware when Apple Intelligence is turned on. This feature is not available in all languages or regions.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new AirPods 5 or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. In the U.S., customers can also choose AppleCare One Family, which extends that same coverage to every eligible device across an Apple Family Sharing group for one fixed monthly price. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

The post Apple introduces AirPods 5, featuring best-in-class open‑ear Active Noise Cancellation appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

Featuring the new Health Sensing System, which provides the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable; powerful insights including readiness; and longer battery life

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Watch Ultra 4 — the ultimate sports and adventure watch — now including new, advanced health and fitness features, and longer battery life.

Engineered with the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 delivers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable,¹ higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, and a new readiness score to support athletes of all kinds. Apple Watch Ultra 4 also offers extended battery life to track outdoor workouts for up to 45 hours and the most accurate on-device GPS in a sports watch.² A redesigned Health app on iPhone arrives later this year, including a new Longevity tab with a Health Age feature showing how metrics are tracking relative to a user’s age. In addition to powering the Health Sensing System, the S11 chip — Apple’s most powerful wearable chip — enables new Audio Intelligence features arriving later this year, to help users remember key moments from their conversations and stay alert to important sounds, built with privacy, security, and accessibility innovations at the core.³ With watchOS 27, Apple Intelligence powers Siri AI on Apple Watch, bringing personal context understanding and broad world knowledge to the wrist.

These features add to the many ways Apple Watch Ultra already supports users with advanced workout tracking across activities, sleep tracking, powerful health features like heart health notifications and the ECG app,⁴ and game-changing safety capabilities like satellite communications.⁵ Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety.⁶

Apple Watch Ultra 4 comes in sleek and durable natural and black titanium options. It is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.

“The new Health Sensing System and S11 chip take Apple Watch Ultra 4 — our most rugged and capable Apple Watch — to the next level, delivering longer battery life, faster charging, and the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Apple Watch Product Marketing. “With powerful health and fitness insights including readiness, new intelligent features, and its large, bright display, Apple Watch Ultra 4 is designed to support you wherever you go, from your workouts, to adventures, to everything you tackle in a day.”

The Most Accurate Heart Rate Sensing in a Wearable

Apple Watch Ultra 4 is re-architected to provide continuous high-fidelity health monitoring using the Health Sensing System, featuring new optical and electrical heart sensors. Using this system and the S11 chip, Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable. A scientifically rigorous study on a diverse population of over 1,000 participants compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, with Apple Watch showing the highest accuracy across devices.

With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now measures heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day on a new heart rate watch face complication.

HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured up to 24 times more often and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best for identifying daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights into a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery, while a lower variability value is an indicator of stress.

Overnight vitals now includes recovery HRV measurements analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status.⁷ A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces readiness, a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to offer insight into their capacity for the day ahead. Readiness provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their day, whether they’re headed into a workday or tackling their training plan.

Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, to reflect, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.

Longer Battery Life and Faster Charging

For everyday use, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers more than two days of battery life, up to 50 hours. In Low Power Mode, it offers up to 84 hours of battery life.⁸ Charging is now faster than ever: Just 15 minutes adds up to 18 hours of additional battery life.⁹

For outdoor workout tracking, the new Extended Workout mode delivers up to 25 hours of battery life for tracking workouts with full GPS and heart rate readings — a 25 percent increase from the previous model. For even longer workouts, the Max Extended Workout mode allows Apple Watch Ultra 4 to track outdoor runs, walks, and hikes for up to 45 hours, typically enough to finish a 100-mile race, while still taking GPS readings every second.¹⁰

The Most Accurate Step Tracking of Any Smartwatch

The pedometer model has been completely redesigned with new machine learning algorithms and the S11 chip to provide more accurate distance measurements during indoor walk or run workouts, and more accurate step counts all day. As a result, Apple Watch Ultra 4 now offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch.¹¹ The S11 chip also enables the brand-new Steps complication, so users can track their steps in real time, right from their watch face.

A Redesigned Health App Offering a Holistic View of Long‑Term Health

The Health app on iPhone serves as a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, uniquely positioning it to provide a better understanding of a user’s health. The Health app has been redesigned to dynamically respond to a user’s data using Apple Intelligence, with a new Insights tab that surfaces timely health information and a new Longevity tab that analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights. The Longevity tab includes Health Age, an Apple Watch feature that shows users how certain metrics are tracking relative to their actual age.¹²

The Health app also includes movement evaluations that measure flexibility, strength, balance, and more using vision-based AI models on iPhone and heart rate data from Apple Watch. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S. The redesigned Health app will arrive later this year, starting in U.S. English.

Audio Intelligence: A New Way to Stay More Present and Engaged Throughout the Day

Since Apple Watch is always on a user’s wrist, it is the perfect device to help users stay alert to important sounds and stay present and engaged in conversations throughout the day. With the built-in microphone, the power of the S11 chip, the latest Apple Intelligence models on iPhone, and Private Cloud Compute, Apple Watch Ultra 4 offers a brand-new class of Apple Intelligence features. Audio Intelligence helps users stay aware of the world around them, catch what they missed, and remember key moments — with user control, privacy, security, and accessibility at the center of its design.

Audio Intelligence features include:

• Sound Recognition, which comes to Apple Watch to alert users who are deaf or hard of hearing of important sounds, even when their iPhone isn’t with them. This feature listens for sounds like sirens, alarms, doorbells, or a baby crying, and uses on-device intelligence to notify users when they’re detected.

• Live Rewind, which can help users recall what was just said in conversation. A double press of the Digital Crown shows the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet, so users can catch something they may have missed or are less familiar with. Users can ask Siri about the content of the text or save it to the Siri app to revisit later.

• Siri Recap, which can create high-level summaries of conversations that users can review later to jog their memory. When Siri Recap is turned on, after a conversation, Apple Intelligence automatically generates a title and key points in the new Siri app, allowing users to be more present and engaged in the moment.

• Shazam, which instantly detects the music playing around the user and automatically displays the song title and artist’s name on the Music Recognition widget in the Smart Stack, easily glanceable on the wrist.

Privacy by Design

Audio Intelligence features are private by design, combining hardware, software, and services to protect user privacy in a way that only Apple can. These features do not create or store audio recordings, and raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible to the operating systems, apps, the user, or Apple. This is because the S11 chip on Apple Watch Ultra 4 includes Secure Exclave, a dedicated hardware-isolated compartment that processes audio in complete isolation from the rest of the system, then immediately deletes it.

Users are in control and can choose whether to opt in to each Audio Intelligence feature. They can decide exactly where and when Siri Recap takes notes, and can turn Siri Recap on or off at any time, right from Control Center.

By design, Audio Intelligence features do not identify and attribute speakers, to protect the privacy of both the user and those around them. Siri Recap produces a brief, high-level summary of conversations — not a transcript — and is designed to exclude sensitive information like financial information or government-assigned identifiers. Live Rewind plays an audible chime when it is being used, even if Apple Watch is on silent, and shows a full-display animation and microphone indicator so people nearby can hear and see that the feature has been activated.

Live Rewind text snippets and Siri Recap summaries are end-to-end encrypted in the Siri app with iCloud syncing, and are not accessible even by Apple. Read more about how Audio Intelligence protects privacy. Siri Recap and Live Rewind arrive in beta later this year.

Siri AI Brings Personal Context Understanding and Broad World Knowledge

With watchOS 27, Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. The new Siri app lets users continue conversations on the go and tap into Apple Intelligence capabilities — like personal context understanding and broad world knowledge — making Apple Watch an even more intelligent companion on the wrist. A new Siri Modular watch face makes it even easier to access Siri throughout the day.¹³

Featuring watchOS 27

watchOS 27 brings a range of additional updates to Apple Watch Ultra 4, including:

• A dynamic app grid featuring the icons for five Siri-suggested apps, which are a user’s most-used and recently used Apple Watch apps.

• A new single-handed tap gesture, which lets users conveniently open a widget in the Smart Stack by tapping their index finger and thumb. Now users can use the double tap gesture to scroll through the Smart Stack and single tap to select an individual widget — all using only one hand.¹⁴

• Smart Stack widget suggestions, which surface when they are most relevant, like a Parked Car suggestion from Maps or a Birthday Message suggestion on a close contact’s birthday.

• Support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking on Apple Watch and in the Health app on iPhone.¹⁵

• Support for Workout Buddy on Apple Watch when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. Workout Buddy also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is now available in Spanish in addition to English.¹⁶

Lineup and Bands

Apple Watch Ultra 4 is available in natural and black titanium.

This fall’s band lineup features new colors across the range. Trail Loop now comes in dark umber, sand, and burgundy, while Alpine Loop comes in desert, dark olive, and burgundy.

Ocean Bands are now made from a unique translucent silicone, which comes in three new colors: translucent gray, translucent kelp, and translucent black.

Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4

In addition to Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 available in natural titanium, the Apple Watch Hermès collection introduces a bold new Grand H titanium band featuring a built-in extension mechanism to conveniently adjust the band to fit over a wet suit. Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 also features the new Fathom and Wonder watch face, which allows users to explore an illustration of the ocean’s depths. Rotate the Digital Crown to select one of four watch face options, from the surface to the seabed. Each option features a unique shade of blue and distinct animations.

The Apple Watch Hermès collection introduces a bold new Grand H titanium band featuring a built-in extension mechanism to conveniently adjust the band to fit over a wet suit.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 and the Environment

The new Apple Watch Ultra 4 was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 45 percent recycled material overall,¹⁷ including 100 percent recycled titanium in the 3D-printed titanium case and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery. All of the electricity used to manufacture Apple Watch Ultra 4 is sourced from renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain, and Apple has also invested in enough renewable energy around the world to match the electricity customers use to charge their Apple Watch. Like all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based¹⁸ and can be easily recycled at home.

Pricing and Availability

• Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UAE, the UK, the U.S., and more than 50 other countries and regions can pre-order Apple Watch Ultra 4 today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799 (U.S.).

• New Apple Watch bands will be available to order today from apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 18.

• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later on Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• Apple Intelligence will be available with watchOS 27 on Monday, September 14, for users with an Apple Intelligence-enabled device set to a supported language. Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Siri AI is rolling out with watchOS 27 as a beta on Monday, September 14, for users with a supported device set to English, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish coming in October. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.

• New subscribers may get three months of Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music with the purchase of Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch SE 3, or Apple Watch Ultra 4. Offer and service availability varies by region. See apple.com/promo for details.¹⁹

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Apple Watch or, in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• Apple Upgrade, a leasing program provided by Klarna and available in the U.S., gives eligible customers monthly payment options for Apple Watch Ultra 4, with 12- and 24-month leasing terms starting as low as $24.99 (U.S.) per month for 24 months. For more information, visit apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.^

• For more information on Apple 2030, visit apple.com/2030.

The post Apple unveils Apple Watch Ultra 4 appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

The all-new Apple Watch Health Sensing System enables a new readiness score and higher-frequency HRV, and a redesigned Health app offers users intelligent and actionable insights

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced its most advanced health and fitness experience yet, expanding what Apple Watch and iPhone can do as intelligent, science-driven tools for users’ personal wellbeing. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce the new Health Sensing System, enabling the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, as well as a new readiness experience to give users insight into their body’s capacity to take on their day.¹ They pair with a redesigned Health app coming later this year to iPhone, which offers a holistic view of long-term health alongside new, easy-to-understand health and longevity insights powered by Apple Intelligence.² Together, these updates will give users a more complete picture of their health and fitness while keeping their personal health data private, secure, and under their control.

“At Apple, we believe technology can empower everyone with actionable, science-based insights built with privacy at the core. By combining breakthrough sensing on Apple Watch with Apple Intelligence in the Health app, we’re able to translate complex biometric data into clear guidance for users,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness. “This both helps people navigate their day-to-day routines with confidence and connects those moments with deeper context around their longevity, building a strong foundation for a healthier future.”

The New Health Sensing System on Apple Watch

The new Health Sensing System on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 features new optical and electrical heart sensors, enabling higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, a new readiness score, a more comprehensive Vitals overview with the addition of HRV, and an updated Heart Rate app.

Accuracy of health data is critical to providing meaningful insights. A scientifically rigorous study on a population of over 1,000 participants with representation across demographic groups compared the new heart rate sensing accuracy on Apple Watch against leading wearables, and resulted in Apple Watch showing the highest heart rate accuracy across devices.

With larger, power-efficient green LEDs on the optical heart sensor, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 now measure heart rate every five seconds, all day long. This continuous, passive measurement delivers deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate. Users can view their real-time heart rate at a glance throughout their day — whether they’re recovering from a workout or dashing for the train — using the updated Heart Rate app and new watch face complications.

With the new Health Sensing System, Apple Watch Series 12 features the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable.

HRV, a key indicator of stress and recovery, is now measured as often as every five minutes — 24x more frequently — and available to view in a new section of the Heart Rate app. Apple Watch provides two separate variants of HRV for better understanding of a user’s health status. Recovery HRV is best to identify daily signals of stress and recovery, while overall HRV is best for insights on a user’s broader health, including cardiovascular health. Higher variability is generally associated with better overall recovery.

Overnight vitals now includes Recovery HRV analyzed against a user’s personal baseline, providing a more complete view of their health status. A new daytime vitals view lets users toggle between overnight and daytime metrics, and can potentially spot shifts in their metrics before they show up overnight.³

Readiness: A Daily Read on the Body’s Capacity

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduce readiness — a new feature that analyzes a user’s recent activity, vitals, and sleep score, and then provides a single 0-10 score each day with a clear, actionable recommendation: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. This helps a user decide how to take on their workday or tackle their training plan.

Readiness updates throughout the day as new data comes in, reflecting, for example, an intense workout or a shift in daytime vitals. Readiness clearly highlights which factors are driving the score and allows users to tap into more details. The scoring algorithm was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, in collaboration with exercise scientists and physicians at Apple.

A Redesigned Health App with Apple Intelligence at Its Core

The Health app on iPhone is a central and secure location for a user’s health and fitness information, and can uniquely provide a better understanding of their overall health. Apple Intelligence brings powerful AI capabilities into the apps and experiences users rely on every day, making them more personal and helpful than ever, and with iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, Apple Intelligence extends to the Health app. Redesigned to dynamically adapt to a user’s personal health and fitness metrics, the Health app now offers iPhone and iPad users a view of their long-term health alongside easy-to-understand insights, providing personalized guidance that can help them live a better day and healthier life. The redesigned Health app has been built to securely and privately protect a user’s data at every step.

Insights Tab
The new Insights tab surfaces timely health information with a summary that updates throughout the day across heart, sleep, readiness, fitness, vitals, and cycle tracking data. A new For You section delivers personalized recommendations and relevant articles based on a user’s data — like a suggestion to improve a wind-down routine after a stretch of late nights.

Longevity Tab
A new Longevity tab analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights into heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition. The tab includes Health Age, a new feature that uses Apple Watch data to show users how their metrics are tracking relative to their chronological age, informed by the best available science. The algorithm can factor in metrics from Apple Watch like VO2 max, resting heart rate, sleep, and HRV, and users can also add lab data, including A1c and LDL, to enrich the analysis.

A new Longevity tab analyzes a user’s longitudinal health data for deeper insights into heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement health, metabolic health, hearing, and nutrition.

Health Age is a new feature that shows users how their metrics are tracking relative to their chronological age.

Movement Evaluations
Mobility is a critical marker of overall function and a strong predictor of independence, chronic disease risk, and quality of life. Yet routine assessment remains largely absent from proactive health management, typically requiring a visit to an exercise physiologist or physical therapist. Now, users can take in-depth physical assessments — measuring flexibility, strength, balance, movement mechanics, and VO2 max — right at home using their iPhone camera and Apple Watch. This experience runs entirely on device; no video is ever recorded, stored, or shared. Using vision-based AI models, these assessments provide real-time audio and visual feedback, and were developed using clinician input.

Users will be able to take in-depth physical assessments — measuring flexibility, strength, balance, movement mechanics, and VO2 max — right at home using their iPhone camera and Apple Watch.

Labs
Lab results from routine testing can provide important insights into a user’s overall wellbeing. Health app users can already import existing labs and see their results and trends over time. Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs that feature over 50 key biomarkers for $119 directly through the Health app at approximately 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations in the U.S.

Users will be able to schedule and purchase new labs from Quest directly through the Health app.

Tailored Health Content
Users will be able to see videos and articles across each area of health that overlays their data with insights from Apple Health clinical experts explaining why it’s important. For example, after a user receives their annual lab results, the Health app will present a video from an expert explaining their LDL levels, what the data means, and how they can take steps to improve, if needed. Or if a user learns from their movement assessment that they need to work on their balance, the Health app will present a video from an expert explaining what they can do. They will also receive an exercise plan to help them improve their balance, with moves selected for their ability and needs.

The redesigned Health app will be available later this year, starting in U.S. English, with more languages to follow.

Perimenopause and Menopause Support Arrive on Cycle Tracking

A person’s menstrual cycle is an essential indicator of overall health, and the Cycle Tracking experience is designed to support individuals across life stages, from logging their first period to receiving a retrospective ovulation estimate, and now, to supporting perimenopause and menopause. Cycle Tracking adapts as users’ health priorities change, whether that’s rooted in curiosity, daily planning, family building, or long-term wellbeing.

With iOS 27, the Health app adds support for perimenopause and menopause, as well as notifications about cycle deviations inclusive of perimenopause, to Cycle Tracking. Users will be able to log if they are in perimenopause or menopause for further customization of their Cycle Tracking experience, track their symptoms, and monitor cycles over time. Additionally, if a user logs bleeding after menopause, they will receive a notification to speak with their doctor. New educational articles are available in the Health app to help users better understand this new chapter, in addition to tips informed by clinical experts.

Additionally, many people don’t recognize they’re in perimenopause because the symptoms can start years before their last period. Now, users age 40 and over can receive a notification if a deviation in their logged cycle patterns is suggestive of perimenopause, so they can speak to their doctor about it at their next appointment.⁴

More Ways to Stay Healthy

With iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27, Apple introduces additional ways to stay healthy:

• Workout Buddy works on Apple Watch even when users don’t have their iPhone nearby. The feature also now incorporates even more fitness data when delivering motivational insights, and is available in both English and Spanish.⁵

• Expanded GymKit functionality enables users with AirPods Pro 3 to sync their heart rate data through iPhone with compatible gym equipment, including treadmills and indoor bikes.

• More accurate treadmill readings, powered by new machine learning models, improve distance calculations from the very first step of a walk or run.

Availability

• watchOS 27 will be available for Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later beginning Monday, September 14, and requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE 3 with iOS 27. Not all features are available on all devices or in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

• The redesigned Health app will be available on Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone and iPad models with the latest software, with select features available only on iPhone. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Health Age requires Apple Watch. The test to estimate VO2 max requires Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 3, or a third-party heart rate sensing device. Some features require users to be 18 or older. For information on Apple Intelligence availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/121115.

• Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

The post Apple advances health and fitness capabilities using Apple Intelligence and the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

M6, Apple’s first 2 nm chip, features a larger, more powerful 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU, and Dual 16-core Neural Engine, while M5 Ultra is Apple’s first quad-die architecture and its most powerful chip ever

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today debuted M6 in the new Mac mini and M5 Ultra in the new Mac Studio, providing an extraordinary leap in performance and AI capabilities. M6, Apple’s first state-of-the-art 2-nanometer chip, advances every compute block, delivering gains across every dimension of performance. The chip features a larger 12-core CPU complex with the world’s fastest CPU core, a larger 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, and up to 170GB/s of unified memory bandwidth.¹ M5 Ultra, the ultimate powerhouse for pro and AI workloads, uses next-generation UltraFusion technology to form a quad-die architecture for the first time in an M-series system on a chip (SoC). The chip includes an up-to-36-core CPU and up-to-80-core GPU with a massive 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth, 50 percent more than M3 Ultra. With their advanced technologies, these SoCs deliver extraordinary compute with industry-leading power efficiency, empowering users to do even more on a desktop.

“Today, we’re debuting the next giant leap in performance and AI compute for Apple silicon with the incredibly advanced M6 and the most powerful M-series chip yet, M5 Ultra,” said Sri Santhanam, Apple’s vice president of Silicon Engineering Group. “Built using the cutting-edge 2 nm process, M6 combines a new CPU complex, two additional CPU and GPU cores, a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, and more unified memory bandwidth to power through workloads with amazing energy efficiency. And for the ultimate desktop performance and the ability to run massive AI models, M5 Ultra features a massive GPU, now with Neural Accelerators, and more unified memory bandwidth, pushing the boundaries of what a desktop can do.”

M6: Optimized Design and Enhanced Performance

Designed to power the workflows of everyday users, students, developers, AI hobbyists, and enterprises, M6 offers the ideal balance of performance, power efficiency, and on-device AI to effortlessly fly through daily tasks, coding, and creative projects.

M6 is built using cutting-edge 2 nm process technology, packing greater transistor density into a smaller die for a major leap in performance and power efficiency. M6 also introduces a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, providing up to 2x the peak compute over previous generations to make on-device AI workflows run even faster. System frameworks can automatically utilize both engines simultaneously, enabling applications to see faster model execution.

M6 has a brand-new 12-core CPU complex — two more cores than M5 — that consists of 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores. It delivers the world’s fastest single-threaded performance and up to 1.2x faster multithreaded performance as compared to M5, and up to 2.4x faster than M1.² The super cores blaze through single-threaded workloads, the performance cores use less power and join the super cores to run demanding multithreaded workloads, and the efficiency cores handle everyday background tasks — all with industry-leading performance per watt. As a result, demanding CPU tasks such as editing images, compiling code, indexing new files, and running agentic AI workloads are faster than ever.

Accelerated GPU and Faster Memory Bandwidth

M6 features a 12-core GPU — two more cores than M5 — with a Neural Accelerator in each core. This design delivers a nearly 30 percent increase in peak GPU compute for AI compared to M5, and more than 8x compared to M1, enabling significantly faster prompt processing when interacting with on-device LLMs.²

In addition, M6 offers Apple’s latest advanced graphics capabilities, including updates to the shader core architecture, Dynamic Caching, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. These technologies combine to deliver stunning visual realism, faster rendering, and higher frame rates for gaming. M6 also has 50 percent increased geometry rates for complex graphics.

M6 supports up to 32GB of unified memory to multitask across demanding apps and run LLMs on device for secure and private agentic tasks. It also provides up to 170GB/s of unified memory bandwidth — a 10 percent increase over M5 and a 2.5x increase over M1.

M5 Ultra: The Ultimate Powerhouse for Pro Workflows

M5 Ultra, Apple’s most powerful chip ever, is built for pros who need to speed through workloads that demand maximum CPU and GPU performance and unified memory bandwidth, such as complex 3D rendering, visual effects, scientific analysis, and running compute-intensive frontier AI models on device.

M5 Ultra uses UltraFusion to connect two dual-die M5 Max chips to form the quad-die architecture — a first for Apple silicon. UltraFusion increases the inter-die bandwidth to over 4.4TB/s and the connection density by over 6x. Together, these ultra-low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnects allow the four dies to behave as a single unified processor. M5 Ultra also features a large up-to-36-core CPU consisting of 12 super cores and 24 performance cores, delivering up to 1.25x higher single-threaded performance and up to 1.3x higher multithreaded performance than M3 Ultra.³

Unprecedented AI and Graphics, Massive Memory Capacity

M5 Ultra features a next-generation GPU with up to 80 cores, incorporating a Neural Accelerator in each core to offer up to 4.5x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to M3 Ultra and over 6x more than M1 Ultra.³ The GPU includes Apple’s latest shader core with second-generation Dynamic Caching, as well as hardware-accelerated mesh shading and third-generation ray tracing, delivering up to 40 percent faster graphics performance than M3 Ultra.³

M5 Ultra incorporates a more capable Media Engine. Dedicated hardware-enabled H.264, HEVC, four ProRes encode and decode engines, and hardware-accelerated AV1 decode make it the ultimate solution for high-resolution video editing. M5 Ultra also includes a 32-core Neural Engine, driving complex AI tasks and Apple Intelligence features securely on device with industry-leading energy efficiency.⁴

Additionally, M5 Ultra features a massive amount of high-bandwidth unified memory, up to 512GB, and delivers a staggering 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth that is 50 percent higher than M3 Ultra. This lets users store huge datasets entirely in local memory, increase the tokens-per-second speed, and run huge LLMs with hundreds of billions of parameters entirely on device.

Unleashing Power for Developers

Apple’s developer frameworks and tools — including Core AI, Core ML, Metal, and Xcode — tap directly into the advanced hardware of both chips. Developers can leverage the Dual 16-core Neural Engine in M6, and the Neural Accelerators in the GPU with the massive 512GB unified memory pool and faster 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth in M5 Ultra, to provide incredible AI compute capabilities.

With these frameworks and new chips, developers can run and fine-tune large AI models locally on their Mac. Apple’s developer tools and frameworks automatically optimize performance across the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, and give developers the ability to use Apple Foundation Models, App Intents to tap into Apple Intelligence features, or their own proprietary AI models to build and run powerful AI workloads entirely on device.

The post Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

Apple’s most powerful Mac raises the bar for local AI with up to 4.3x faster performance, more advanced graphics, up to 512GB of unified memory, and extensive connectivity

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new Mac Studio, featuring M5 Max and the all-new M5 Ultra, delivering a monumental leap in AI performance and even faster graphics for the most demanding pro workflows, all in its signature compact design that lives right on a user’s desk. Now featuring up to 4.3x faster AI performance,¹ up to 2x faster storage,² up to 1.8x faster graphics,¹ and up to 1.3x faster CPU speed,¹ along with higher memory bandwidth, Mac Studio empowers creatives, developers, AI researchers, data scientists, and more to push the boundaries of what they can do. Mac Studio with M5 Max features an 18-core CPU, an up-to-40-core GPU with Neural Accelerators built into each core, and up to 128GB of unified memory, accelerating complex pro and AI workloads. With the powerful M5 Ultra, Mac Studio scales up to a 36-core CPU, up to an 80-core GPU, and a staggering 512GB of unified memory, enabling users to run enormous LLMs entirely on device. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 come to Mac Studio for the first time, while Thunderbolt 5 rounds out its extensive connectivity, so users can take advantage of blazing-fast external storage, PCIe expansion chassis, and powerful hub solutions for the most intense workloads. Thunderbolt 5 also enables multiple Mac Studio systems to be clustered, bringing up to 3x faster performance for distributed AI inference when compared to a single system.¹ Together with Studio Display and Studio Display XDR, it is the ultimate pro desktop. The new Mac Studio is available for pre-order starting today, with availability beginning September 22.

“Mac Studio is the ultimate desktop for on-device AI and the world’s most demanding pro workflows, relied on by users for its tremendous performance and extensive pro connectivity, all in a quiet, compact design that sits right on your desk — and today, we’re pushing the boundaries even further,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer. “With the powerful M5 Max and the incredible capabilities of M5 Ultra, Mac Studio ushers in a new era of desktop computing, delivering huge performance gains for pro workloads and AI inference with frontier-class models. By integrating Neural Accelerators directly into the GPU and offering massive amounts of high-bandwidth unified memory, the new Mac Studio is our most powerful Mac ever.”

A Monumental Step for AI

Mac Studio is at the forefront of high-performance AI computing. Now, with M5 Max and M5 Ultra — Apple’s most powerful silicon ever — it’s turbocharged, putting frontier-class AI models right on a user’s desk. Neural Accelerators in each GPU core deliver dramatically faster matrix multiplication. M5 Max features phenomenal on-device AI compute with up to 3.9x faster AI performance than the prior generation, speeding up prompt processing.¹ With M5 Ultra, Mac Studio achieves up to 4.3x the peak AI compute performance of M3 Ultra and a staggering 9.8x more than M1 Ultra.¹ Combined with up to 512GB of unified memory and 1.2TB/s of memory bandwidth, 50 percent higher than before, Mac Studio lets users run massive models entirely on device with complete privacy — without counting tokens or worrying about rising cloud costs.

AI inference scales to entirely new levels with multiple Mac Studio systems. Users and teams looking to share AI compute can cluster multiple Mac Studio systems together using the built-in support for Thunderbolt 5 and RDMA (remote direct memory access). This creates a vast shared memory pool across systems, allowing users to load the largest and most demanding frontier-class open-weight models available today. A cluster of four Mac Studio systems delivers up to a remarkable 3x faster AI inference than a single system.¹

Mac Studio is also a powerful platform for the rich ecosystem of tools AI researchers and developers rely on every day, utilizing the advanced frameworks in macOS. Core AI is a brand-new framework for building, running, and deploying AI models on Apple silicon. It provides an architecture optimized for Apple silicon, including unified memory, CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, allowing developers to deploy full-scale LLMs locally and bring their own custom models into their apps. MLX, Apple’s open-source machine learning framework optimized for Apple silicon, enables developers to run, train, and fine-tune models with exceptional efficiency on Mac. In addition to these powerful frameworks, combined with Xcode and a robust ecosystem of AI tools and solutions, Mac Studio provides a complete, end-to-end platform for AI development — from experimentation and training to deployment.

• Mac Studio is pictured with a display showing coding in Xcode.
• Mac Studio is pictured with a display showing the app Draw Things.

Mac Studio with M5 Max

Serious Speed and Power for Pro Workloads

Built for users who demand powerful performance in a compact footprint, Mac Studio with M5 Max is ideal for musicians, photographers, software engineers, and designers pushing real-time 3D and motion graphics. Mac Studio with M5 Max delivers a huge boost in performance, featuring an 18-core CPU with 6 super cores and 12 performance cores, so developers can compile code even faster. The up-to-40-core GPU with Neural Accelerators is now up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation, boosting graphics-intensive tasks like game development with higher frame rates and more complex scene geometry.¹ With up to 614GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, M5 Max delivers superfast on-device AI compute, enabling users to run LLMs, generate images and video, as well as accelerate complex workflows.

The new Mac Studio also includes third-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing, delivering faster, more realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows across professional 3D, VFX, and design workflows. Enhanced shader cores boost parallel processing, enabling smoother real-time viewport navigation and faster offline renders in creative workloads. In addition, its powerful Media Engine supports hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and AV1 decode, allowing filmmakers to color-grade uncompressed 8K footage and process multiple concurrent video streams with ease.

Mac Studio with M5 Max enables:¹

• Up to 10.7x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and 3.9x faster than M4 Max.

• Up to 7.4x faster text-to-image performance when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 3.5x faster than M4 Max.

• Up to 5.3x faster Magic Mask performance in Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 3x faster than M4 Max.

• Up to 3.5x faster basecalling for DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 1.9x faster than M4 Max.

Mac Studio with M5 Ultra

A Powerhouse for the Most Demanding Workloads

Engineered for professionals who tackle the most extreme workloads, Mac Studio is the ultimate pro desktop, taking performance to an entirely new level. There is no other chip like M5 Ultra, which delivers the highest levels of performance and massive amounts of unified memory, enabling pros to push the limits of what they can accomplish on a single machine. Filmmakers can color-grade uncompressed 8K footage in real time, VFX artists can render complex simulations, and data scientists can train local AI models on expansive datasets. The new Mac Studio with M5 Ultra features an up-to-36-core CPU with 12 super cores and 24 performance cores, delivering up to 1.3x higher multithreaded performance than M3 Ultra.¹ Its up-to-80-core GPU, the most powerful Apple silicon GPU ever, brings Neural Accelerators to the Ultra chip for the first time, enabling up to 4.3x the peak AI compute performance when compared to M3 Ultra.¹ It also features up to 1.8x faster graphics than the prior generation, providing smoother real-time 3D rendering for VFX workflows.¹

Combined with up to 512GB of unified memory and 1.2TB/s of memory bandwidth, the new Mac Studio is a game changer for AI workloads. AI coding agents process significantly faster, image generation tools can render creations in an instant, and enterprise teams can cluster multiple systems to scale performance to new heights. In addition, with twice the video encode and decode blocks as M5 Max, the Media Engine in M5 Ultra is more capable than ever, empowering pros to simultaneously play up to 33 streams of 8K ProRes 422 at 30 fps on M5 Ultra.¹

• Mac Studio with M5 Ultra shows an Adobe Premiere screen featuring an athlete running in the rain.
• Mac Studio with M5 Ultra running LM Studio Bionic.

Mac Studio with M5 Ultra enables:¹

• Up to 15.4x faster CopyCat ML training performance in Foundry Nuke when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 3.3x faster than M3 Ultra.

• Up to 9.8x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 4x faster than M3 Ultra.

• Up to 8.2x faster text-to-image performance when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 4.3x faster than M3 Ultra.

• Up to 4.7x faster scene rendering performance in Maxon Redshift when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 1.7x faster than M3 Ultra.

Blazing-Fast Storage and Pro Connectivity

The new Mac Studio also features faster storage and a comprehensive array of pro connectivity. Storage performance is up to twice as fast, with a next-generation SSD architecture, delivering industry-leading read and write speeds for rapid project loading, file transfers, and loading huge LLMs.² Thunderbolt 5 ports deliver transfer speeds up to 120Gb/s of bandwidth, so pros can connect high-performance peripherals, displays, PCIe expansion chassis, and external storage to utilize its remarkable speeds. The Apple-designed N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 to Mac Studio for the first time, delivering improved performance and reliability to wireless connections. Mac Studio now enables genlock over USB-C for precise synchronization between a display and professional camera capture like iPhone 17 Pro. It also supports up to eight displays, or up to four Studio Display XDR at full 5K resolution and 120Hz, providing an expansive screen for the most demanding projects.

macOS 27 Golden Gate: An Unrivaled Experience

The new Mac Studio comes to life with the upcoming macOS 27, which includes an expansive set of improvements that make the Mac even more responsive and reliable. Features users already rely on get even better. AirDrop transfers are quicker, network file browsing is faster, and start page content in Safari loads with greater speed. A rebuilt search foundation powers Spotlight, Photos, and Mail with a more comprehensive index of content that stays up to date throughout the day, making it easier than ever for users to find exactly what they are looking for. Refinements to Liquid Glass improve readability and add uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and more detailed app icons, enabling users to further personalize its appearance. macOS 27 also brings improvements to Maps, Notes, and Podcasts.

Mac Studio and the Environment

The new Mac Studio was built with the environment in mind and drives progress toward Apple’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030. It is made with 35 percent recycled content overall,³ including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. The new Mac Studio is manufactured with 40 percent renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain, and meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry. Like all Apple products, its paper packaging is 100 percent fiber-based and can be easily recycled at home.⁴

Pricing and Availability

• Customers can pre-order the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra starting today, August 25, on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting September 22. Mac Studio with 512GB of unified memory is coming in late October.

• Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499 (U.S.) and $2,299 (U.S.) for education. Additional configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/mac-studio.

• Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $5,499 (U.S.) and $5,099 (U.S.) for education. Additional configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/mac-studio.

• With Apple Upgrade, eligible customers in the U.S. can lease a new Mac with low monthly payments and easily upgrade at the end of their lease: apple.com/shop/apple-upgrade.⁵ Lease Mac Studio with M5 Max with Apple Upgrade from $48.99 (U.S.) per month (excluding taxes and any trade-in credit) for a 36-month lease. Lease Mac Studio with M5 Ultra with Apple Upgrade from $110.10 (U.S.) per month (excluding taxes and any trade-in credit) for a 36-month lease. Additional configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/mac-studio.^{^}

• Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and information on Studio Display, Studio Display XDR, and Magic accessories are available at apple.com/mac.

• macOS 27 is available for testing in public beta through the Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com, with availability as a free software update this fall. For more information, visit apple.com/macos. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all regions or in all languages.

• With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth. Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments,⁶ and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front.⁷ More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

• AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new Mac, or, in available markets, AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, battery replacement service, and priority support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.

• Every customer who buys directly from Apple gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup or focus on features that will help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started and going further with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.

The post Apple introduces new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra — the ultimate desktop for on‑device AI and the most extreme pro workflows appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

Apple continuously invests in new features and services to help developers succeed and users discover their next favorite app. New App Store capabilities rolling out this year will give developers more flexibility to market their apps, acquire new users, and offer brand-new business models for Apple In-App Purchase.

New Ways to Market Apps and Games

This year, developers will have more ways to showcase their apps on the App Store with Creative Assets, rich images and videos that appear in the product page header and search results. In addition to standard screenshots and previews, these assets can be used to highlight a brand, promote seasonal offerings, or showcase new content. They also work with custom product pages and product page optimization, so developers can test and learn what resonates best. App Store Connect also supports a product page preview so developers can see how their Creative Assets, descriptions, and screenshots appear on iPhone and iPad across languages, in Dark Mode, and in portrait or landscape.

The new Asset Library helps developers move faster across marketing workflows, with one place in App Store Connect to manage all Creative Assets, app preview videos, and screenshots. Developers can reuse assets across custom product pages and In-App Events, eliminating redundant uploads and streamlining their promotional campaigns across the App Store. Developers can also submit assets for App Review approval independent of an app update, ideal for rolling out seasonal imagery or coordinating with an Apple Ads campaign without delay.

Enhanced Discovery and Engagement

To complement these new marketing capabilities, the App Store is getting new ways to connect users with experiences they are looking for. To help more people find apps and games they will love, the App Store will introduce new Personalized Collections based on user interests, along with App Notes that explain why specific apps are recommended. These tailored recommendations can appear on the Apps, Games, and Search tabs, evolving over time based on a user’s app usage and downloads. Personalized Collections and App Notes start rolling out this week in English in the U.S., with additional languages and regions coming soon.

To further boost discovery and monetization, game developers will also be able to showcase special offers to attract and engage players on the Apple Games app, using Featuring Nominations to propose plans for an in-game offer or a limited-time discount to the App Store editorial team.

Scaling Businesses with New Subscription Capabilities

The App Store is a powerful engine for economic growth, and Apple is continuously investing in new ways to help developers scale their businesses and reach new audiences. This year, the App Store will enhance Apple In-App Purchase, providing developers with new ways to offer subscriptions at scale. Powered by StoreKit 2, developers will be able to enable subscriptions for groups and organizations within their app using two new configuration options to easily build multi-user in-app purchase experiences.

Volume purchasing through Apple Business and Apple School Manager allows developers to offer subscriptions to enterprise and education buyers who already procure apps at scale. Seat assignments are managed seamlessly through existing device management workflows, which means apps and subscriptions can be deployed across an organization on infrastructure IT already trusts.

Developers will be able to use group purchases to offer their subscriptions to a range of users, from independent creators working together to full production companies. Group purchases let a subscriber buy seats as a single purchase and then invite others to access the subscription. With Apple-provided invite functionality, it’s seamless for people to invite, accept, and join a subscription. Because each subscriber joins from their own account, it’s easy to see and manage who’s in their group. Developers can conveniently set up both options from one place in App Store Connect. Volume purchasing will be available this fall, with group purchases coming this winter.

To help build long-term value and increase subscriber retention, new App Store Bundles will give developers the ability to partner together and offer users more for less. By expanding beyond a single-developer catalog, these new bundles will allow users to subscribe to multiple favorite apps from different developers at a better price. Developers will also be able to create Suites, offering subscription packages that aren’t available as standalone purchases.

Retention Messaging is rolling out to all developers in App Store Connect. These new tools let developers engage subscribers by allowing them to provide additional value during the cancellation process with tailored communications or special offers.

Streamlined Submissions

App Review plays a vital role in keeping the App Store a safe and trusted place for users, and Apple continuously works to make the submission process more efficient for developers. Updates to Apple In-App Purchase submissions will further simplify app management and boost developer productivity, allowing developers to group multiple In-App Purchases and related items into a single, unified App Review submission.

To further simplify the development and submission process, apps and games on the Mac App Store no longer require Intel support. This allows developers to ship Apple silicon-only binaries, eliminating the need to maintain multiple builds.

Supporting New Time Allowance Features

Once apps and games on the App Store are downloaded to a child’s device, parents can use powerful and intuitive tools, like Screen Time, to help manage when a child can use those apps. New Time Allowances in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 give parents more flexible ways to manage the time their kids and teens spend in apps across categories, including Entertainment, Games, and Social Media. Time Allowances are developed based on expert research and tailored to a child’s age range to give parents a helpful starting point. Parents can adjust these settings based on what they determine is best for their child. And new Schedules let parents choose which apps kids and teens have access to at different times of day, making it easier to help keep them focused when it matters.

Developers will also have new ways to ensure their apps are properly categorized for these features within App Store Connect. To support Time Allowances, the age rating questionnaire will be updated in July, allowing developers to indicate if their app includes social media capabilities, such as interacting with user-generated content through a social feed. Apps will automatically be sorted into the appropriate Time Allowance category: Social Media, Entertainment, Games, or Other. This helps ensure that apps with social media features are accurately categorized and age-rated, providing parents with tools they can use to make informed decisions for their families.

The App Store continues to evolve to support a growing developer community while maintaining high standards for user safety and trust. With these updates, Apple is providing developers with the capabilities and flexibility to connect with a global audience, deliver safe experiences, and build sustainable businesses.

The post Apple expands App ‍‍‍Store capabilities to help developers grow their businesses and reach new users appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

At WWDC26, Apple unveiled the next generation of Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, powerful parental controls, and an expansive set of software improvements across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS.

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Today, during the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple previewed its upcoming software releases that will deliver the next generation of Apple Intelligence and introduce Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri that is profoundly more intelligent, knowledgeable, and capable. The releases also bring powerful and intuitive new features to help parents create safe digital experiences for kids, as well as improvements that further elevate the software design and performance of Apple products while making them more responsive, delightful, and easier to use with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27.

“Apple products are an essential part of people’s lives, and this year we’re bringing powerful new capabilities to empower our users in even more ways,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We’re delivering the next generation of Apple Intelligence across our platforms; introducing Siri AI, a profoundly more intelligent, knowledgeable, and capable Siri; expanding child safety features with intuitive new tools for families; and making our software platforms faster, more reliable, and more delightful than ever before.”

Next Generation of Apple Intelligence and an Entirely New Siri Experience

Leveraging a bold new architecture uniquely designed to protect users’ privacy, the next generation of Apple Intelligence powers Siri AI and brings helpful new features to apps users rely on every day.

• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Siri AI screen featuring a description of a cricket ball over a photo of the object.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Siri AI screen featuring a suggested itinerary for a day in New York City.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Siri AI screen featuring a search of photos from the previous weekend, with subject matter and specific people called out in the search.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Siri AI screen featuring Siri mode in the Camera app, with a description of pho and nutrition information over a photo of the dish.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Siri AI screen featuring a suggested response over a conversation in Messages.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a conversation between the user and Siri about Bosque de Chapultepec.

Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri deeply integrated into iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. It can draw on personal context understanding to search across messages, emails, photos, and more, and get things done across apps with even more systemwide app actions. Additionally, Siri AI can answer questions related to the content on a user’s screen or go out to the web to get up-to-date information using broad world knowledge and generate a helpful answer. A dedicated Siri app allows users to revisit a past conversation or kick off a new one — all in one place — and uses iCloud to privately sync conversational history across a user’s products.

The next generation of Apple Intelligence powers tremendous new features in apps across the system. In Photos, Spatial Reframing enables users to improve the composition of a photo after it’s been taken.

In addition to Siri AI, the next generation of Apple Intelligence powers tremendous new features in apps across the system to simplify the things users do every day, like editing images in Photos, browsing across multiple tabs in Safari, expressing creativity with Image Playground, communicating in Messages and Mail, and so much more.

• An Image Playground screen shows a generated image of two astronauts wearing classic spacesuits and walking across a Martian desert with the option to describe a change.
• A MacBook Pro screen shows a text conversation window as well as a Notify Me message letting the user know there’s an update about when a summer camp’s registration opens.
• iPhone 17 Pro displays a Messages conversation with one-tap suggestions to create a note or reminder about bringing a sweater.

New Parental Controls and Significant Updates to Screen Time

Powerful and intuitive new features that are easy to use help parents manage what their kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access to apps. By setting up a child account, parents can immediately enable age-appropriate protections across the system, and with Setup Assistant, parents can choose exactly which apps to make available and stay in control of what gets added over time. With communication safety features, parents can require approval for each new contact their kids connect with and enable automatic interventions if explicit or violent content is being shared.

• iPhone 17 Pro shows the setup page for a child account.
• iPad shows an Ask to Browse prompt that says “You will need a parent or guardian’s permission to browse” above a website.
• iPad shows a screen that says “Allowed Apps” and prompts the user to choose which pre-installed apps a child can use.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Communication Safety screen that says, “Are you sure you want to see this image? This image may show blood or a hurt person or a hurt animal.”

New tools aimed at building healthier screen time habits make it easy to set daily total time allowances across Entertainment, Games, and Social Media apps, with a daily time allowance recommendation based on guidance from leading clinical and child development experts that gives parents a helpful starting point. Schedules let parents manage which apps their children have access to at different points in the day, and Screen Time has been redesigned to be more intuitive for parents, offering an at-a-glance view of their kids’ average device usage and top apps.

To help parents stay informed and learn more, Apple has launched a dedicated website that features the latest tools, helpful resources, and answers to common questions — like how to get started.

• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Time Allowances screen with the prompt to set how long a child can use apps and websites within various categories, including Entertainment, Games, and Social Media.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a screen that prompts the user to set when and for how long a child can use various categories of apps and websites.
• iPhone 17 Pro shows the setup for which categories of apps and websites are allowed during a specific time window labeled “School” and noted as 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

More Responsive, Reliable, and Delightful Experiences Across Software Platforms

The 2027 releases make Apple products even more responsive, reliable, and delightful to use through design refinements, performance improvements, and enhancements to the ways users work, communicate, share memories, enjoy music with AirPods, track their health, and more.

Improvements across platforms push key system capabilities forward so everyday tasks feel faster, smoother, and more enjoyable. For example, iPhone and iPad apps launch up to 30 percent faster,¹ photos load up to 70 percent faster after being taken,² and AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent faster.³ During network transitions, moving between cellular and Wi-Fi networks is more seamless than ever, and browsing and transferring files between external drives and iPad is up to 5x faster — making it just as fast as Finder on Mac.⁴ In Spotlight, Photos, and Mail, the search experience has been rebuilt to make it more stable and efficient to help users find exactly what they are looking for. And in Mail, a completely new ranking system surfaces even more relevant results in Top Hits.

• short snippet describing panel gallery-1f098d9769b9c98352e6dde7fa26a67b
• short snippet describing panel gallery-961b17698195d50d217fa9deba0cf4ac
• short snippet describing panel gallery-768ebfd7b0185e1d420f9e5c1cf474cb

A new slider in Settings gives users the option to personalize Liquid Glass, adjusting it anywhere from ultra-clear to fully tinted to match their preference.

Refinements to the software design deliver an even more focused and approachable experience across apps and platforms. A new slider in Settings gives users the option to personalize Liquid Glass, adjusting it anywhere from ultra-clear to fully tinted to match their preference, and app icons have been updated to be sharper and more defined. On Mac, updates reincorporate cornerstones of the macOS design that users have always loved, including a more uniform toolbar across the top of apps, edge-to-edge sidebars, colored sidebar icons, and more.

Additional features coming this fall:

• iCloud Shared Albums introduce cross-platform photo sharing with full-resolution support.

• The Health app brings support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking, including notifications about cycle deviations inclusive of perimenopause.⁵

• On Apple Watch, a new dynamic app grid features the icons for five Siri-suggested apps, users can open a widget in the Smart Stack with a new tap gesture, and a new Find My app consolidates Find Devices, Find Items, and Find People.

• AirPods users can now enjoy custom EQ to further personalize how their AirPods sound. And with expanded Apple GymKit functionality, users with AirPods Pro 3 can sync their heart rate data through iPhone while enjoying incredible audio quality.

• Apple Vision Pro users can now turn panoramas into spatial scenes and use them as personal Environments, and connecting to Wi-Fi is up to 3x faster.

• Apple Maps brings an enhanced Flyover experience, which combines aerial imagery with AI, allowing users to enjoy even more detailed visuals.

• iPhone 17 Pro shows an album in Photos called “Aegean Adventure.”
• iPhone 17 Pro shows a Cycle Tracking screen with an alert for irregular periods, while a second iPhone 17 Pro shows a screen asking the user to mark any symptoms they’ve noticed, such as fatigue, hot flashes, or mood changes.
• iPhone 17 Pro is pictured next to AirPods and features an audio customization screen.
• An Apple Vision Pro screen shows a mountain panorama.
• iPad shows an aerial view of buildings in Apple Maps.

Availability

• The new features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available as a free software update this fall. For more information, visit apple.com/ios, apple.com/ipados, apple.com/macos, apple.com/watchos, apple.com/tvos, and apple.com/visionos.

• Users who enable Apple Intelligence on supported products set to a supported language will have access this fall with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27.

• Apple Intelligence is available with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see apple.com/apple-intelligence.

• Apple Intelligence and Siri AI in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 are available on iPhone 16 models or later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad models with M1 or later, MacBook Neo (A18 Pro), Mac with M1 or later, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE 3 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone nearby.

• Some Apple Intelligence features, including image generation, have daily usage limits because they rely on powerful server models. Increased access is available with most iCloud+ subscription plans, which also include Apple Intelligence support for compatible Home cameras.

• New Siri AI features are available for developer testing starting today across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and visionOS 27. Siri AI will be available for developer testing in a future watchOS 27 beta.

• Siri AI will be available as a beta later this year for users with a supported device set to English, and Apple will quickly expand support for more languages.

• Mac and Apple Vision Pro users in the EU will be able to access Siri AI when set to a supported language. Siri AI will not be available initially in the EU in iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.

• Siri AI and the other new Apple Intelligence features will not be available in China while Apple works through regulatory requirements.

• Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

The post WWDC26: Apple unveils next generation of Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, powerful parental controls, and an expansive set of software improvements appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

Apple has officially entered a new era of affordable computing with the launch of the MacBook Neo. Lightweight, efficient, and designed to make macOS more accessible than ever, the MacBook Neo positions itself as the most affordable gateway into Apple’s ecosystem.

But does cutting the price mean compromising the experience? After taking the MacBook Neo on a real-world journey from Durban to Cape Town, the answer is surprisingly positive.

What Is the MacBook Neo?

The MacBook Neo is Apple’s newest budget-friendly laptop aimed at students, first-time Mac users, casual users, and light content creators. Unlike the traditional M-series MacBooks, this device is powered by the mobile-class Apple A18 Pro chip, the same family of silicon found in modern iPhones.

That decision alone makes the MacBook Neo one of the most interesting Apple laptops in years. Apple has essentially optimized an iPhone-grade processor to run macOS efficiently while keeping costs low and battery life exceptionally high.

Specs

Performance: A18 Pro vs M1 MacBook

Specs are one thing, but real-world performance is another story entirely. The Apple A18 Pro inside the MacBook Neo actually performs a lot better than most people would expect from a mobile-class chip.

When comparing benchmarks, the A18 Pro scores around 3,400 in single-core performance and roughly 8,500 in multi-core. In comparison, the Apple M1 sits closer to 2,300 in single-core while delivering similar multi-core numbers. What that translates to in everyday use is that the MacBook Neo feels extremely quick for normal tasks like browsing, streaming, opening apps, and productivity work.

The A18 Pro also runs at around 4GHz on its performance cores, compared to the M1’s 3.2GHz, although the M1 still has more performance cores overall. The A18 Pro features a 6-core setup with two performance cores and four efficiency cores, while the M1 has an 8-core layout with four performance and four efficiency cores. Because of that, the M1 still has more muscle for sustained workloads and heavier tasks.

GPU performance is also surprisingly strong for a chip this small. In some benchmarks, the A18 Pro can actually match or even beat M1-level graphics performance. AI performance is where the gap becomes much bigger though, with the A18 Pro delivering around 35 to 38 TOPS compared to the M1’s 11 TOPS.

Still, the biggest advantage here is efficiency. Since the A18 Pro is built on a 3-nanometer process, it delivers much better power efficiency and battery life.

In single-core performance, the A18 Pro wins because it feels faster in day-to-day use. For multi-core and general workloads, it’s more or less on par with the M1. However, when it comes to sustained workloads, the M-series is still better overall. The A18 Pro does take the lead in efficiency though, making it more power efficient.

So while this is not MacBook Pro-level performance, it basically gives you iPhone-level speed and efficiency in a laptop, which is exactly what makes the MacBook Neo such an interesting entry point into the Apple ecosystem.

Who Should Buy the MacBook Neo?

The MacBook Neo is best suited for users who want the Apple experience without paying premium MacBook prices. It focuses more on portability, battery life, and everyday performance rather than professional-grade power.

You should consider the MacBook Neo if you are:

• A student looking for a lightweight laptop with excellent battery life
• A first-time Mac user wanting an affordable entry into macOS
• A casual user mainly browsing the web, streaming content, or handling productivity tasks
• A remote worker needing a portable and silent laptop for daily use
• A light content creator doing basic photo editing or simple CapCut projects
• Someone who values portability and efficiency over heavy performance workloads

For its target audience, the MacBook Neo strikes a really solid balance between price, performance, and everyday usability.

Who Should Avoid It?

You may want something more powerful if you:

• Edit professional video
• Use demanding creative software
• Need heavy multitasking
• Want upgradeable RAM
• Need extensive ports

Power users are still better served by the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro lineup.

MacBook Neo Price and Availability

The MacBook Neo starts at approximately:

• R11,999 to R13,999 in South Africa

Color options include: Silver, Space Gray, Starlight

Demand has reportedly been extremely high globally, with stock shortages already appearing in several markets. That alone says a lot about how attractive this laptop is to consumers.

Pros and Cons of the MacBook Neo

Pros

• Most affordable MacBook yet
• Excellent battery life
• Lightweight and portable
• Silent operation
• Premium build quality

Cons

• A18 limits heavy performance
• Limited to 8GB RAM
• Base storage may feel limited
• Only two USB-C ports

Final Verdict: Is the MacBook Neo Worth It?

The MacBook Neo succeeds because it understands exactly what it’s trying to be. It’s not a MacBook Pro killer nor is it designed for professionals. Instead, Apple created an affordable, efficient, and accessible MacBook for everyday users, and honestly, it works. For students, casual users, and anyone wanting to enter the Apple ecosystem without spending brand-level premium money, the MacBook Neo could become one of Apple’s smartest laptops yet. If your workload is lightweight and battery life matters more than raw power, the MacBook Neo is surprisingly good value for money.

The post MacBook Neo Review: Apple’s Cheapest MacBook Is Surprisingly Good appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.