Apple News
‘The Family Plan 2,’ starring Mark Wahlberg, premieres on Apple TV+ on November 21st
In “The Family Plan 2,” it’s the holiday season and Dan (Mark Wahlberg) has planned the perfect vacation for his wife Jessica (Michelle Monaghan) and their kids to celebrate overseas — until a mysterious figure from his past (Kit Harington) shows up with unfinished business.
An international game of cat-and-mouse ensues as Dan and his family battle, bicker and bond their way through a series of bank heists, holiday hijinks and car chases amid scenic European terrain.
“The Family Plan 2” premieres on Apple TV+ on November 21st.
Mark Wahlberg’s high-octane action-comedy “The Family Plan” arrived on Apple TV+ on December 15, 2023, and quickly redefined success on the streaming front, even as it stumbled with critics.
Directed by Simon Cellan Jones, the film stars Wahlberg as Dan Morgan, a suburban dad and car salesman hiding a past as a elite assassin. When old enemies resurface, Dan embarks on a chaotic cross-country road trip with his unsuspecting wife (Michelle Monaghan) and kids (Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Zoe Colletti, and Iain Armitage) to outrun danger—while bonding over greasy burgers and bad karaoke. Blending The Equalizer-style shootouts with Vacation-esque family hijinks, it’s a glossy, PG-13 romp that’s equal parts explosive and eye-rollingly predictable.
Critics weren’t kind, slamming the script’s formulaic tropes and tonal whiplash. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a dismal 27% from reviewers, who called it “rote” and “numbingly routine.” Audiences, however, were far more forgiving, delivering a solid 61% score and praising Wahlberg’s charisma and the cast’s chemistry. IMDb users echoed the sentiment, dubbing it a “fun, forgettable family flick” perfect for holiday viewing.
Where “The Family Plan” truly excelled was in the metrics that matter to streamers: eyeballs. It debuted as Apple TV+’s most-watched original movie ever, propelling the platform to a 42% year-over-year viewership surge in 2023 across 100+ countries.
By mid-2024, it was still cracking the Top 10 charts globally, topping lists in over 75 nations.
Nearly two years on — in 2025 — it’s holding steady, recently hitting No. 5 on Apple TV+’s most-viewed movies.
The proof of its staying power: Apple greenlit “The Family Plan 2” in October 2024.
In a world where critics’ darlings often flop commercially, “The Family Plan” proves audiences vote with their play buttons—making it an unqualified win for Apple TV+.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
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Apple’s Mac sales grow 4.3% YoY in Q3
The latest research from Omdia reveals that total shipments of desktops, notebooks and workstations grew 6.8% to 72 million units in Q3 2025. Apple’s Mac posted 4.3% YoY growth in the quarter, surpassing the 6-million unit shipment mark for the fifth consecutive quarter.
Notebook (including mobile workstation) shipments rose 4% to 57.2 million units, while desktop (including desktop workstation) shipments grew 17% to 15.2 million units. With the Windows 10 end-of-support deadline less than a week away, refresh demand across all end-user segments continues to be the dominant factor driving shipment and activation growth.
Lenovo enjoyed a strong quarter to extend its unit share lead in the global PC market in Q3 2025, posting 17% growth and shipments totaling 19.4 million units. HP ranked second, shipping 15.0 million units, marking an 11% year-on-year increase while Dell secured third place with 3% annual growth, supported by ongoing refresh momentum. Fourth-placed Apple posted mid-single-digit growth. Asus rounded out the top five vendor rankings with 5.8 million units shipped, a 7% increase from a year ago.
MacDailyNews Take: Here’s the breakdown of desktop and notebook shipments between Q122 and Q325, according to Omdia:
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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
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Major Apple supplier TSMC’s third-quarter revenue rose 30% YoY
Major Apple Silicon supplier TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, reported on Thursday third-quarter revenue rose 30% year-over-year, beating analysts’ consensus expectations.
Reuters:
Revenue for July-September came in at T$989.92 billion ($32.47 billion), according to Reuters calculations, compared with T$759.69 billion in the year ago period.
The latest result handily topped an LSEG SmartEstimate of T$973.26 billion drawn from 22 analysts, and was in the mid-point of guidance of $31.8 billion to $33 billion issued by TSMC in July in its last earnings call. TSMC only gives guidance in U.S. dollars.
TSMC will report full third-quarter earnings on October 16, including an updated outlook for the current quarter and full year.
The company, whose customers include Nvidia and Apple, has been a major beneficiary of advances in AI, which has more than offset the tapering off of pandemic-led demand for chips used in consumer electronics like tablets.
MacDailyNews Take: Good news from major Apple suppliers is good news for Apple which, by most accounts, is in the midst of strong demand for its newest lineup of iPhones.
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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
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Apple TV+ celebrates the premiere of upcoming thriller ‘The Last Frontier’
On Tuesday evening, at Regal Union Square, Apple TV+ celebrated the world premiere of its highly anticipated action thriller “The Last Frontier,” starring and executive produced by Jason Clarke, and co-created, written and executive produced by Jon Bokenkamp and Richard D’Ovidio. The 10-episode series will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, October 10, followed by a new episode every Friday through December 5, 2025.
Attendees at the red carpet premiere included Clarke, Bokenkamp, D’Ovidio, series episodic director and executive producer Sam Hargrave, and series stars Dominic Cooper, Haley Bennett, Simone Kessell, Dallas Goldtooth, Tait Blum, and Alfre Woodard.
Additional series talent in attendance included series guest stars Clifton Collins Jr., Anthony Skordi, Kya Rose, Josh Cruddas, Theresa Cutknife, Luca Carl Thunberg, Marisa McIntyre and Paulino Nunes, and executive producers Glenn Kessler, Albert Kim, and Laura Benson.
“The Last Frontier” follows Frank Remnick (Clarke), the lone U.S. marshal in charge of the quiet, rugged barrens of Alaska. Remnick’s jurisdiction is turned upside down when a prison transport plane crashes in the remote wilderness, setting free dozens of violent inmates. Tasked with protecting the town he’s vowed to keep safe, he begins to suspect the crash wasn’t an accident, but the first step of a well-crafted plan with far-reaching and devastating implications.
Hailing from Apple Studios, “The Last Frontier” is executive produced by Bokenkamp and D’Ovidio, who also serve as writers, alongside Clarke, Laura Benson, Glenn Kessler, Albert Kim and series episodic director Sam Hargrave.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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Apple rolls out server-side fix for Apple Intelligence bug affecting iPhone 17 and iPhone Air
Aaron Perris reports that Apple has implemented a server-side fix for iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models that couldn’t download Apple Intelligence models. This update addresses issues faced by some iPhone 17 users who were unable to access Apple Intelligence features since the devices launched nearly three weeks ago.
If you were affected by this problem, there’s nothing you need to do. The update should automatically download in the background. You can check the status of Apple Intelligence on your iPhone by going to the Settings app and navigating to the Apple Intelligence menu.
Apple hasn’t shed any additional light on what the problem here actually was. It’s certainly perplexing that iPhone 17 users couldn’t access the entire suite of Apple Intelligence features, and it took Apple so long to roll out a fix. Nonetheless, at least that fix has finally arrived.
MacDailyNews Take: Affected iPhone 17 and iPhone Air users, rejoice!
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Apple said to use a combination of titanium and aluminum in foldable iPhone
Analyst Jeff Pu’s new report reveals details about the eagerly awaited foldable iPhone, set for release next year. Per Pu, Apple plans to craft the device using a blend of titanium and aluminum.
In a new [note] to investors seen by 9to5Mac, Pu explained that iPhone 18 Fold’s metal frame will use a hybrid of titanium and aluminum. The analyst doesn’t share any additional details on the design. Ming-Chi Kuo previously reported the iPhone 18 Fold’s hinge will combine stainless steel and titanium, while the casing would exclusively use titanium.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone will reportedly pack an 5.5-inch outer display paired with a 7.8-inch inner display. That puts the outer display in the screen size realm of the iPhone mini and the inner display in the ballpark of the iPad mini. According to Kuo, the device will lack support for Face ID and instead offer Touch ID as a form of biometric authentication.
MacDailyNews Take: When it finally arrives, we bet it’ll be very difficult for most iPhone users to resist the foldable iPhone!
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Apple releases new firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4
Apple frequently releases AirPods firmware updates to address minor bugs affecting a few users or to enable new features for upcoming iOS updates. The latest update, version 8A358 (up from 8A357), applies to all H2 chip-equipped models, including the newly launched AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 (with and without ANC).
According to Apple’s AirPods firmware tracking page, this update includes standard “bug fixes and other improvements.”
Firmware updates are delivered automatically while your AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac that’s connected to Wi-Fi. You can also use your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to check that your AirPods have the latest version.
If your AirPods don’t have the latest firmware version, you can update your firmware.
MacDailyNews Note: To update your AirPods or AirPods Pro firmware:
- Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, and that Bluetooth is on.
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Make sure that your AirPods are connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
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Connect your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Wi-Fi.
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Connect your charging case to power.
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Put your AirPods in their charging case and close the lid. Keep the lid of the charging case closed, and keep your AirPods in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
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Wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update.
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Open the lid of the charging case to reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
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Check the firmware version again.
If you still can’t update your firmware, reset your AirPods, then try to update your firmware again.
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Apple nears agreement with EU over Digital Markets Act rules
Meta and Apple are nearing agreements with the European Commission to resolve two antitrust cases, aiming to avoid escalating fines from Brussels. The companies are finalizing deals to modify business practices after receiving €700mn in fines in April for violating the EU’s Digital Markets Act, according to informed officials.
Barbara Moens for Financial Times:
The potential settlement comes as the EU’s digital rules continue to be a flashpoint between Brussels and US President Donald Trump. He has threatened to retaliate against countries that “discriminate” against US companies.
Apple already announced plans in June to change its App Store policies following the EU’s investigation into whether the iPhone maker’s rules prevented app developers from sending consumers to offers outside its platform.
“We did what we had to do to avoid the threat of future significant fines”, said Kyle Andeer, Apple’s chief compliance officer, in June.
The commission is also discussing potential changes with Apple in relation to another investigation into the iPhone maker on its new contractual terms for developers.
Throughout the process, Apple has accused the commission of moving the goalposts on what the company needs to do to comply with the EU’s digital rule book.
Apple said: “While we believe we are compliant, we appealed this decision because we believe it goes far beyond what the law requires.”
MacDailyNews Take: The EU remains a bloated, sad joke.
The European Union arose because the Europeans couldn’t compete on their own with the rest of the world, so they each lined up to surrender their national sovereignty, unique cultures, and dignity for an undemocratic, opaque, wasteful, bloated, bureaucratic quasi-governmental blob – and, even with the EU’s thumbs all over the scale, they still can’t compete. — MacDailyNews, March 4, 2024
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Apple TV+ reveals first look at the second season of ‘Drops of God’
Apple TV+ on Wednesday revealed a first look at season two of the hit multilingual French-Japanese drama “Drops of God” from Legendary Entertainment, starring Fleur Geffrier and Tomohisa Yamashita. Set in the high-stakes world of gastronomy and fine wines, the International Emmy Award-winning Best Drama Series is adapted from the New York Times bestselling Japanese manga series of the same name. The eight-episode second season will premiere on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 with the first episode, followed by one episode weekly until March 11, 2026.
In season two of “Drops of God,” Camille and Issei are thrust into their most perilous challenge yet: to uncover the origin of the world’s greatest wine, a mystery so profound that even their legendary father, Alexandre Léger, could not solve it. What begins as a pursuit of legacy becomes a search for truth that spans continents and centuries, unearthing forgotten histories, hidden rivalries and secrets buried for generations. As the search pushes them to the edges of the world, and to the darkest corners of themselves, Camille and Issei must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice. The answer could shatter their bond as siblings … or destroy them both.
Since its worldwide debut, “Drops of God” has received broad acclaim from critics and fans alike, quickly achieving a perfect 100% critics’ score and Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The “unusual, stylish, hugely entertaining drama” has been hailed as a “hidden gem” and praised as a “taut, elegant, flat-out fun series” that is “shockingly mesmerizing” and a “thrill to watch.”
From Legendary Entertainment, “Drops of God” is produced by Les Productions Dynamic in association with 22H22 and Adline Entertainment. The series is produced by Klaus Zimmermann, directed by Oded Ruskin and created by Quoc Dang Tran. “Drops of God” is inspired by the New York Times bestselling Japanese manga series, created and written by award-winning Tadashi Agi, with artwork by Shu Okimoto and published by Kodansha.
Based in Tokyo, KODANSHA Ltd. is Japan’s leading publishing house, having delivered stories into ready hands across the globe with a wide variety of content from comic books to novels, fashion magazines, news journals and picture books for children, as well as video games and anime series and movies. KODANSHA Ltd. was founded in 1909 to “inspire impossible stories,” and is globally recognized as the licensor of some of the world’s most loved comic book intellectual properties (IPs), including Akira, Attack on Titan and The Ghost in the Shell.
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 625 wins and 2,817 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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Apple TV+ debuts sneak peek at final installment of animated trilogy ‘WondLa’
Apple TV+ on Wednesday announced the thrilling final chapter of the beloved animated adventure trilogy “WondLa,” set to debut globally on November 26, 2025. Hailing from Skydance Animation and based on Tony DiTerlizzi’s New York Times bestselling book series “The Search for WondLa,” the series is showrun and executive produced by Bobs Gannaway.
This groundbreaking third and final installment features a star-studded voice cast, including Jeanine Mason (“Roswell, New Mexico”) as Eva, Emmy Award winner Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) as Otto, Gary Anthony Williams (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”) as Rovender, Alan Tudyk (“Resident Alien”) as Cadmus Pryde, John Ratzenberger (“Toy Story”) as Caruncle, John Harlan Kim (“The Librarians”) as Hailey, Ana Villafañe (“Castro’s Daughter”) as Eva 8, Peter Gallagher (“The O.C”) as Antiquus, and many more. New cast members include Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (“House of Sand and Fog”) as Darius and Arius, and Maz Jobrani (“The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour”) as Zin.
The epic trilogy’s final season continues with six thrilling half-hour episodes executive produced by DiTerlizzi and Gannaway alongside Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, Julie Kane-Ritsch and Skydance Animation’s John Lasseter, David Ellison and Dana Goldberg. The series is also produced by Tony Cosanella.
The epic trilogy’s final season continues with six thrilling half-hour episodes executive produced by DiTerlizzi and Gannaway alongside Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, Julie Kane-Ritsch, and Skydance Animation’s John Lasseter, David Ellison and Dana Goldberg. The series is also produced by Tony Cosanella.
Apple TV+ and Skydance Animation previously partnered to release the Apple Original Films animated feature film “Luck.” The award-winning slate of original series and films for kids and families on Apple TV+ also includes the Emmy Award winning live-action animated hybrid special, “The Velveteen Rabbit”; the Academy Award and BAFTA Award-winning animated short film “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”; and BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated animated film “Wolfwalkers.”
The exciting slate of recent offerings for kids and families on Apple TV+ features recently released “The Sisters Grimm,” based on the New York Times bestselling book series by Michael Buckley; the music-driven animated comedy series “BE@RBRICK” from DreamWorks Animation; “Goldie,” inspired by Emily Brundige’s award-winning 2019 short film of the same name; Peanuts series “Camp Snoopy”; the second season of beloved animated series “Frog and Toad,” based on the Caldecott and Newbery Honor-winning books; celebrated kids and family series “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!” inspired by the hit, Emmy Award-nominated cultural phenomenon “Yo Gabba Gabba!”; “Me,” an elevated cinematic coming-of-age story from Barry L. Levy; and “Wonder Pets: In the City,” from Jennifer Oxley.
Award-winning all-ages offerings now streaming globally on Apple TV+ also include the BAFTA Award and Humanitas Prize-winning “El Deafo,” BAFTA Award-winning “Lovely Little Farm,” “Duck & Goose,” “Get Rolling With Otis,” Spin Master Entertainment’s “Sago Mini Friends,” GLAAD Media Award-nominated “Pinecone & Pony,” The Jim Henson Company’s Emmy Award-winning “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” “Harriet the Spy” and “Slumberkins,” Sesame Workshop’s “Helpsters,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HITRECORD and Bento Box Entertainment’s “Wolfboy and the Everything Factory,” Jack McBrayer and Angela C. Santomero’s Emmy Award-nominated “Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show,” Peanuts and WildBrain’s Emmy Award-nominated “Snoopy in Space,” “The Snoopy Show,” and Peabody and Emmy Award-winning series “Stillwater.” Live-action offerings include Bonnie Hunt’s DGA and WGA Award-nominated “Amber Brown,” DGA Award-winning “Best Foot Forward,” “Surfside Girls,” WGA Award-winning “Life By Ella,” Sesame Workshop and Sinking Ship’s Emmy Award-winning “Ghostwriter,” Emmy Award and Environmental Media Association Award winning “Jane,” and Scholastic’s “Puppy Place.”
Also featured are “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times bestselling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers, and specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including Emmy Award-nominated “Snoopy Presents: It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown,” “Snoopy Presents: Lucy’s School,” Humanitas and Emmy Award-nominated “Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love,” “Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie,” “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin,” Emmy Award-winning “Snoopy Presents: Who Are You, Charlie Brown?” and “Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne.”
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 625 wins and 2,817 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning, history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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Apple TV+ announces season three for ‘The Buccaneers’ drama series
Apple TV+ on Wednesday announced a season three renewal for “The Buccaneers,” the acclaimed drama from The Forge, inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton’s unfinished final novel of the same name. Since its global premiere, “The Buccaneers” has been hailed as a “lavish period drama that feels fresh and modern, with a fast-paced, twisting narrative,” and a “frothy, feminist romp” that is “an unexpected delight,” featuring a “powerful ensemble cast.”
“We couldn’t be more delighted to be lacing up our corsets, slipping on our ball gowns and running breathless across the cliffs of Tintagel for the third time to see what passionate adventures our beloved Buccaneers get up to next,” said series creator Katherine Jakeways in a statement. “Huge thanks to Apple TV+ and also to the devoted viewers for loving the show as much as we do.”
In the first season of “The Buccaneers,” a group of fun-loving young American girls exploded into the tightly corseted London of the 1870s, setting hearts racing and kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash. Season two saw these American whirlwinds battling love, heartbreak, motherhood, jealousy and the full force of the English legal system. In season three, the Buccaneers are fighting back. And they’re doing it together. When they arrived in England, they were all navigating their first loves. Now, they’re looking for the loves of their lives. And with a new and enigmatic Duke at the helm, Tintagel is also facing an uncertain future. If polite English society thought these American girls rocked the boat, this new bad-boy Duke is about to sink the ship.
“The Buccaneers” season two starred Kristine Frøseth, Alisha Boe, Aubri Ibrag, Josie Totah, Imogen Waterhouse, Mia Threapleton, Emmy Award nominee Christina Hendricks, Leighton Meester, Grace Ambrose, Maria Almeida, Amelia Bullmore, Fenella Woolgar, Guy Remmers, Matthew Broome, Josh Dylan, Barney Fishwick, Greg Wise and Jacob Ifan.
Written by series creator Jakeways, season two was directed by BAFTA Award winner William McGregor, DGA Award winner Rachel Leiterman, John Hardwick and Charlie Manton. Jakeways and Emmy Award winner Beth Willis serve as executive producers, with Joe Innes joining as an executive producer on season three. “The Buccaneers” is produced for Apple TV+ by The Forge Entertainment, a Banijay UK company.
The complete first two seasons of “The Buccaneers” are now streaming on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 628 wins and 2,819 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning, history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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JPMorgan stays bullish on Apple as iPhone 17 demand signals stronger sales momentum
JPMorgan remains steadfast in its bullish outlook for Apple, reaffirming its “Overweight,” or “Buy,” rating as iPhone 17 demand shows continued stability. Channel checks reveal consistent lead times post-launch, signaling robust consumer interest and potential for stronger sales growth. With Apple’s innovation engine firing on all cylinders, the tech giant is well-positioned to capitalize on its market dominance, according to the firm’s latest analysis.
Ghazal Ahmed for Insider Monkey:
On October 6, JPMorgan reiterated the stock as “Overweight” stating that its channel checks show lead times are moderating for Apple’s iPhone.
“In Week 4 of our Apple Product Availability Tracker, lead times moderated in what is typical for iPhones a month post launch, even though lead times are still tracking to elevated levels compared to lead times evidenced last year with iPhone 16 series, and pointing to higher demand y/y.”
MacDailyNews Take: Promising – even without knowing Apple’s iPhone supply levels.
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xAI’s $20 billion mega-raise: Nvidia chips fuel Elon Musk’s AI Colossus expansion
Elon Musk’s xAI is set to secure a $20 billion funding round, surpassing initial plans, with investments from Nvidia and other backers. The financing, a mix of equity and debt, will fund a special purpose vehicle to acquire Nvidia processors for xAI’s Colossus 2 project. Nvidia’s contribution includes up to $2 billion in equity, boosting its clients’ AI development efforts.
Carmen Arroyo and Edward Ludlow for Bloomberg News:
xAI’s fundraising effort, previously reported by Bloomberg at half the amount, may continue to grow.
xAI’s financing would be split between about $7.5 billion of equity and as much as $12.5 billion of debt in the SPV, the people said. The vehicle will be used to buy Nvidia processors, and Musk’s artificial intelligence startup would then rent the chips out for five years, allowing Wall Street financiers to recoup their investment. The unique deal structure, backed by the GPUs as opposed to the company, could provide a playbook for tech firms looking to decrease debt exposure.
Nvidia’s leaders have said they will use the company’s growing financial strength to speed up the deployment of artificial intelligence across the industry. In September, Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress told the audience at a Goldman Sachs conference that Nvidia will repurchase stock and do strategic acquisitions where possible, but the priority is on using cash to help other companies use AI more quickly.
Musk has also tapped his empire of companies, including SpaceX, for investment into xAI. Later this year, Tesla Inc. investors will vote on whether the electric carmaker should invest in xAI as well.
Musk has framed AI as the foundation for many of his futuristic products, including self-driving cars and fully autonomous robots.
MacDailyNews Take: xAI’s Grok, already impressive, is poised to improve even further.
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Apple close to inking deal for Formula 1 rights in America
Apple is on the verge of securing a groundbreaking deal to acquire Formula 1 broadcasting rights in the United States, potentially reshaping how American fans experience the sport.
John Ourand for Puck’s “The Varsity”:
Apple’s F1 deal has been in the works since the summer, and I’m hearing the two companies are hoping to make a formal announcement about the deal in two weeks, during the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. The number I keep hearing is $140 million per year for U.S. rights, a significant bump from the $90 million per year that ESPN currently pays.
The main holdup had been a dispute around Formula 1’s streaming service. Apple stuck to its original position that the racing circuit needed to shut down F1 TV in the U.S., and was reluctant to dole out $140 million on rights fees just to have the races carried on another streaming service. Because F1 TV is profitable in the U.S. market, Formula 1 has been hesitant to pull the plug. It’s not entirely clear where the two sides netted out on this, but it’s an area to watch when the deal finally gets announced.
Meanwhile, this will be Apple’s most significant sports rights deal since it signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with the MLS three years ago.
MacDailyNews Take: Live sports is where it’s at for added streaming service differentiation. This deal will also be nice U.S. support for the “F1: The Movie” sequel(s).
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Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Knife Edge’ on Apple TV+ spotlights culinary world’s chase for Michelin glory
Apple TV+’s new documentary series “Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars,” executive produced by Gordon Ramsay and Studio Ramsay Global, premieres globally on Friday, October 10th. The eight-part series, hosted by Jesse Burgess, food expert and co-founder of the global food and travel platform Topjaw, takes viewers inside the emotionally charged, high-stakes world of fine dining — capturing the pressure and ambition that define the road to Michelin recognition.
Marie-louise Gumuchian for Reuters:
“(It) is a sort of a real reflection on what goes on in these businesses: what’s at stake, what kind of jeopardy is up for grabs and then the emotions,” Ramsay told Reuters. “This is (an)…unscripted, real version of life in the culinary world and the extent you go to for the badge of honour … Actors want Oscars, football players want F.A. Cup winners’ medals, chefs want Michelin stars.”
Episodes show host Jesse Burgess meeting chefs as they compose menus, primp up dishes and seek to impress that lone diner who may be a secret Michelin inspector. There is also input from the anonymous Michelin inspectors, voiced by actors. “We ask them questions and they answer. In reality, it was all … very secretive so that none of the producers or nobody actually saw the real-life inspectors,” Burgess said. “They just judge the food on the plate.”
Ramsay received his first Michelin star when he was head chef at London restaurant Aubergine. His own Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has held three stars since 2001…
Asked if he still gets nervous when Michelin issues new editions of the guide, Ramsay said: “I do get nervous … no one likes losing … (going) down to even two stars is unique, but … it’s major headlines if you do. I’m often asked, ‘What would you do if you did lose a star?’ Then, I’d fight and win it back.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
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iOS 26: Apple’s new Wallet app revamps boarding passes for smoother air travel
Apple has unveiled a major update to the Wallet app in iOS 26, enhancing the boarding pass experience to simplify air travel. The upgrade introduces real-time flight tracking, integrated baggage location tools, and instant airport navigation. Boarding passes now leverage Live Activities, allowing travelers to check flight status directly from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island on newer iPhones. Additionally, users can access terminal maps and track luggage in real time using Apple’s Find My app, functionalities once exclusive to third-party apps.
Thomas Westerholm for Newsweek:
For frequent flyers, managing check-in details, gate changes and baggage claims across various platforms has long been a pain point.
Apple’s new integration promises to simplify this process, consolidating updates into a single interface while extending visibility to friends and family. When a user shares their flight, others can view the Live Activity without seeing sensitive information like seat numbers or boarding groups.
United’s adoption of the iOS 26 boarding pass update signals growing airline participation. Apple says nine other carriers—including Delta, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia—will follow suit.
Additionally, new shortcut buttons located beneath the boarding pass now link directly to Apple Maps for terminal navigation and to the Find My app for luggage tracking. The Wallet app also automatically refreshes flight data such as gate assignments and departure times.
MacDailyNews Take: To use your boarding pass in Apple Wallet, you need an iPhone or an Apple Watch with the latest version of iOS or watchOS and Face ID or Touch ID active.
Add a boarding pass to Apple Wallet
- Open the app, email, or other communication that contains your boarding pass.
- Tap Add to Apple Wallet.
- Follow the instructions on the screen.
- If necessary, tap Add in the upper right corner.
When you add a boarding pass to the Wallet app on your iPhone, you automatically add it to the Wallet app on your paired Apple Watch.
If you don’t see an option to add your boarding pass to the Wallet app, contact your airline to make sure they support boarding passes in the Wallet app.
Use a boarding pass on your iPhone
- On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
- If prompted, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Double-click the side button (iPhone with Face ID) or double-click the Home button (iPhone with Touch ID).
- Tap your boarding pass.
- Scan your boarding pass or present it to the attendant.
To use a boarding pass on your Apple Watch, open the boarding pass and scan or tap the display of your Apple Watch, or present it to the attendant. You might need to unlock your device to show your boarding pass before scanning or tapping it.
Share your boarding pass and Live Activity in Apple Wallet
With eligible boarding passes you’ve added to Apple Wallet, you can share Live Activity and your flight status with other iPhone users.
Share Live Activity from your boarding pass
- On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
- Tap the boarding pass that you want to share.
- Tap Share Flight Tracker and choose which recipient you’d like to share your boarding pass Live Activity with via Messages.
- The recipient can then tap Follow through the shared Live Activity and begin receiving real-time updates about your flight status.
To use the Live Activity feature, you and your boarding pass recipient must have an iPhone with the latest version of iOS installed.
Share a boarding pass with nearby iPhone users
- On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
- Tap the boarding pass that you want to share. Then hold your iPhone a few centimeters from the top of the other person’s iPhone. A glow will appear on both iPhones that indicates a connection is being made.
- Hold the devices near each other until the boarding pass appears, then tap Share.
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Apple improves Alarm dismissal method in iOS 26.1
In the second beta of iOS 26.1, Apple redesigned iPhone alarms, making them more difficult to dismiss compared to previous versions.
Stopping an alarm in iOS 26.1 beta 2 requires a new Slide to Stop gesture rather than a simple tap. You can continue to tap to snooze an alarm, but if you want to turn it off entirely, you need to use a swipe.
Transitioning from a tap to a slide gesture to stop an alarm could potentially help people who sleepily dismiss an alarm without meaning to. It’s easy to accidentally tap Stop instead of Snooze in the current version of iOS 26, but now if you blindly tap at your iPhone in the morning, you won’t be able to disable your alarm entirely…
Slide to Stop is also used for timers in iOS 26.1 beta 2.
MacDailyNews Take: Accidentally dismissing an alarm is something we’ve done once or twice, so this Slide to Stop gesture is an improvement.
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Football Manager 26 Touch arrives November 4th on Apple Arcade
Chase trophies, build a dynasty, and make the tough calls that define champions with Football Manager 26 Touch, returning to Apple Arcade on November 4. From Premier League glory to the debut of women’s football, this year’s edition puts players closer than ever to the drama, heartbreak, and triumph of the Beautiful Game.
Rounding out recent hits like NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition and NFL Retro Bowl ’26, Apple Arcade now gives sports fans the world’s greatest soccer management simulator. Football Manager 26 Touch by Sports Interactive and SEGA introduces an upgraded graphics engine that brings smoother player movement and incredible on-pitch detail to life, official Premier League licenses, and women’s football for the first time in series history — delivering more authenticity and options than ever before.
Manage women’s clubs with full leagues and competitions across multiple nations.
Football Manager 26 Touch is about living the life of a manager. Every transfer window is a test of nerve, every tactical tweak a shot at glory, and every match day a roller coaster of emotion. From discovering the next breakout star to celebrating a last-minute winner, this is football at its most gripping — and it’s all in players’ hands.
Elevate the experience with officially licensed English Premier League club crests, kits, and player likeness.
“We’re delighted to be bringing FM26 Touch back to Apple Arcade for the start of this new era for Football Manager,” said Miles Jacobson, Sports Interactive’s studio director, in a statement. “We think the reimagined user interface will really enhance the experience across Apple devices. In addition, the arrival of the Premier League fully licensed and the introduction of women’s football will further deepen exploration for Arcade players.”
Apple Arcade also welcomes spinoffs to Maxis Studios’ iconic The Sims franchise — MySims and MySims Kingdom — two charming tales of creativity and discovery; along with Toca Boca Jr Classics by Toca Boca and Sago Mini, featuring a collection of Toca Boca Jr’s most-loved games that open a vivid universe where imagination runs free. These three games will be available on November 6.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple Arcade is available for $6.99 (U.S.) per month with a one-month free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade for free. Apple Arcade is part of Apple One’s Individual ($19.95 U.S.), Family ($25.95 U.S.), and Premier ($37.95 U.S.) monthly plans, with a one-month free trial. Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. App Store Greats are available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. An Apple Arcade subscription gives a family of up to six unlimited access to all the games in its catalog.
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Apple mocks Windows PCs with new ‘Blue Screen of Death’ ad, spotlighting Mac security
Apple on Tuesday released a new ad titled “Blue Screen of Death,” poking fun at a significant Windows computer crash from last year caused by a flawed CrowdStrike security update.
Macs remained unaffected, largely due to Apple’s ongoing efforts to limit low-level access to the macOS operating system, making such issues highly unlikely.
The lighthearted ad features “The Underdogs,” a fictional group of employees who navigate challenges using Apple products and features. According to the video’s description, “The Underdogs are ready for their first-ever trade show until a PC outage strikes and the Blue Screen of Death threatens their beloved Container Con.” It adds, “Thanks to the security of their Apple products, the Underdogs are unaffected and experience extraordinary success.”
The video description includes a link to the security section of Apple’s enterprise page, which states, “kernel-level protection is designed to safeguard your system against breaches, outages, and unauthorized access.”The ad wraps up with the tagline, “There’s no security like Mac security.”Apple launched “The Underdogs” ad series in 2019, using humor and dramatization to highlight features like AirDrop and FaceTime over the years.
MacDailyNews Take: We pity the Windows sufferers.
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UK police break up criminal gang suspected of smuggling stolen iPhones to China
London police dismantled a criminal gang suspected of smuggling 40,000 stolen iPhones to China, marking their largest iPhone theft operation to date, with 46 arrests in the past two weeks. The gang is believed to account for roughly 40% of London’s phone thefts, fueled by a booming global market and quick escapes on e-bikes, a trend seen in other major cities.
Reuters:
Police said in a statement on Tuesday that the investigation started last year, when a box containing around a thousand iPhones was discovered at a warehouse near London’s Heathrow Airport as it was being shipped to Hong Kong.
The group specifically targeted Apple products because of their profitability overseas, police said, discovering they were paid up to 300 pounds ($403.02) per Apple phone, which could be sold for up to $5,000 in China.
“This is the largest crackdown on mobile phone theft and robbery in the UK,” police commander Andrew Featherstone said. “We’ve dismantled criminal networks at every level, from street-level thieves to international organised crime groups exporting tens of thousands of stolen devices each year.”
Of the dozens of arrests, eleven were made when officers targeted gangs robbing courier vans delivering the new iPhone 17, while two men in their 30s were arrested on suspicion of money laundering after 40,000 pounds in cash was found at a phone shop in north London.
MacDailyNews Take: Even criminal gangs don’t want pretend iPhones.
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