Apple News
GrayKey maker claims tools can hold seized iPhones in unlockable state past Apple’s 72-hour reboot
Magnet Forensics, the company behind the GrayKey phone-unlocking tool used by law enforcement, says it can keep seized iPhones in a more accessible forensic state even after Apple’s inactivity reboot, according to a training video obtained by 404 Media.
The video, described as an educational tutorial made for law enforcement and dated early 2025, presents two products: a new device called GrayKey Preserve, and an Evidence Preservation Mode for existing GrayKey hardware. A Magnet employee in the video says both can “capture” an iPhone’s After First Unlock (AFU) state so that it survives a reboot or power loss. “Even if that device does reboot for any number of reasons, memory maintenance or the power is lost or whatever, the AFU state is not lost,” the employee says. “This is the true magic behind the GrayKey Preserve and the Evidence Preservation Mode function.” The same presentation calls the capability “an absolute game changer for iOS forensics.”
Apple added the inactivity reboot in iOS 18 and tightened it in iOS 18.1. If an iPhone is not unlocked for 72 hours, it restarts itself and returns to Before First Unlock (BFU). In BFU, class keys used to decrypt much of the user’s data stay locked inside the Secure Enclave until the passcode is entered again. Forensic tools generally extract far more from a device that is still AFU — unlocked at least once since the last boot — than from one that has rebooted into BFU. Law enforcement complained about the feature soon after it appeared, because seized phones often sit in evidence rooms or queues while agencies wait for a warrant or lab time.
Magnet’s claimed workaround is framed as preservation rather than immediate extraction. GrayKey Preserve is described as a field unit with no brute-force or full extraction capability of its own; its job is to hold the phone’s forensic state until a lab GrayKey can image it. Evidence Preservation Mode on standard GrayKey hardware is presented the same way: gain initial access, freeze the state, and wait for authorization before pulling data. The video also says the tools can stop time-based cleanup that would otherwise drop cached location data, recently deleted photos, and iMessages, and that after the initial connection they cut cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi so the phone cannot be remotely wiped or updated.
The recording does not explain the technical method. Security researcher Jiska Classen, who previously demonstrated the 72-hour reboot, has speculated that clock manipulation could be involved; that remains an outside hypothesis, not something shown in the video. Apple and Magnet Forensics did not respond to 404 Media’s requests for comment. The claims have not been independently verified in public technical analysis.
MacDailyNews Take: The report is the latest round in a long contest between Apple’s device encryption and commercial forensic tools sold mainly to police. GrayKey has for years been one of the better-known products for unlocking iPhones that are still AFU. Inactivity reboot was designed to shrink the window in which those tools work. If Magnet’s description holds, agencies that can attach a Preserve unit or enable Evidence Preservation Mode before the 72-hour timer fires could keep that window open while they wait on legal process — without the phone falling back to the harder BFU state on its own.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post GrayKey maker claims tools can hold seized iPhones in unlockable state past Apple’s 72-hour reboot appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Original Films hosts ‘Tenzing’ red carpet premiere in London
Thursday evening at the Curzon Mayfair in London, Apple Original Films celebrated the premiere of “Tenzing,” the new feature from director Jennifer Peedom, starring Genden Phuntsok, Golden Globe winner Tom Hiddleston, Academy Award, Golden Globe and Actor Award nominee Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, and Thinley Lhamo. The compelling drama will debut in select cinemas on October 9, 2026, and premiere globally on Apple TV on Friday, October 16, 2026.
Attendees of the red carpet event included stars Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, and Thinley Lhamo, alongside director and producer Jennifer Peedom, writer and producer Luke Davies, producers Liz Watts, Emile Sherman, and Iain Canning, executive producer Simon Gillis, cinematographer Stefan Duscio, composer Rebekkah Karijord, and more.
Cinematographer Stefan Duscio, producer Emile Sherman, composer Rebekka Karijord, Caitríona Balfe, Genden Phuntsok, Jennifer Peedom, Thinley Lhamo, Willem Dafoe, Tom Hiddleston, Johnny Flynn, producer Liz Watts, writer and producer Luke Davies and producer Iain Canning attend the London premiere of Apple Original Films’ “Tenzing” at the Curzon Mayfair on October 1, 2026, in London.
Based on true events, “Tenzing” chronicles the little-known story of Tenzing Norgay (Phuntsok), a gifted Himalayan climber who, alongside New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary (Hiddleston), became the first to summit Mount Everest. Encouraged by his wife, Dawa (Lhamo), Tenzing finds an ally in expedition secretary Jill Henderson (Balfe). Together, they persuade Colonel John Hunt (Dafoe) that Tenzing belongs on the British climbing team, rather than merely serving it. Where Western climbers see “Everest” as something to be conquered, Tenzing reveres “Chomolungma” as the sacred mother goddess. What follows is an ascent defined as much by the tensions between backgrounds, classes and competing ambitions as by the perils of the mountain itself. But high above the world, empire, rank and aspiration fall away, leaving two outsiders bound by mutual respect and trust — and for Tenzing, the fulfillment of both a lifelong dream and a spiritual calling. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Peedom, “Tenzing” is a story of greatness that refuses to be diminished — and the love that makes it possible.
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 your 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 919 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “Widow’s Bay,” “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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 4K, 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 $14.99 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 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple Original Films hosts ‘Tenzing’ red carpet premiere in London appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple smart home hub said to arrive in Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Rose Pink
Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub is expected to launch in four finishes — Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Rose Pink — according to details shared by X user pdfu and covered by MacRumors’ Joe Rossignol.
X user pdfu reported on Thursday that Apple’s upcoming Home device may come in those four finishes. The leaker noted that the device’s Photo Face setup screen selects its preview art based on the hardware color the unit reports, and that the housing itself may appear in setup screens once device assets are available. Pdfu added that the same finishes had previously shown up in J490 setup code in the macOS 26.7 Release Candidate, which MacRumors had earlier described as “mystery colors.”
Rossignol wrote that the hub is planned for unveiling on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, as part of a broader set of smart home products that also includes a new HomePod mini and an Apple TV with faster chips aimed at Siri AI. Rossignol described the device as having a roughly 6-inch square display, offered in both tabletop and wall-mounted versions. The tabletop model is said to use a polished metal arm attached to a round metal base with perforated speaker holes, a layout compared to the 2002 iMac G4. A single FaceTime camera sits on the front, with microphones and speakers in the base.
Rossignol also noted that users can create a “Photo Face” on the hub, with Apple’s preview art corresponding to the device’s color — consistent with the setup behavior pdfu described. The same Photo Face feature is expected to reach StandBy on iPhone Duo and requires iCloud Photos; during setup, an iPhone can send a few full-resolution photos so the face can appear immediately while the rest download from iCloud.
MacDailyNews Take: Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, cited by Rossignol, has described the hub’s iMac G4-style design and referred only to a standard gray aluminum finish, without mentioning Silver, Starlight, or Rose Pink. Rossignol pointed out that MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris had already found the same four colors in macOS 26.7 Release Candidate code in August, matching what pdfu later highlighted. The hub is expected to act as a central interface for HomeKit accessories, though Apple has not officially confirmed the colors, the October 13th timing, or final design details.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple smart home hub said to arrive in Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Rose Pink appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple ranks among Brussels’ most active corporate lobbyists, outpacing Europe’s industrial giants
Apple has built one of the largest corporate footprints in Brussels, meeting European Union policymakers more often than almost any European company and spending more on lobbying than three of the continent’s biggest industrial groups combined, according to an analysis by Financial Times.
Since the June 2024 European elections produced a new European Parliament and Commission leadership, Apple has held 257 meetings with senior Commission officials and members of the European Parliament, Financial Times found in a review of the EU transparency register and the meeting databases of both institutions. That places Cupertino second only to Google and its subsidiaries, which logged 302 meetings, and ahead of Amazon, with 239.
Google, Apple, and Amazon each recorded more meetings with officials at the European Parliament and the European Commission than any individual European company, Financial Times reported. Among European businesses, only France’s TotalEnergies, Germany’s Volkswagen, and the aerospace group Airbus appear in the top 20 organizations ranked by number of meetings.
The spending gap is just as stark. Apple spends €9 million a year on lobbying in the EU capital, FT said, while Meta spends more than €10 million. TotalEnergies, Volkswagen, and Airbus together spend up to €8.7 million. Apple’s declared budget alone exceeds the combined outlay of those three European industrials.
The access is concentrated on the digital rulebook that has defined Apple’s relationship with Brussels. FT reported that Google, Amazon, and Apple have discussed proposed cloud regulation and online safety rules for children. Google alone held 22 meetings on the EU’s so-called digital omnibus, a package that loosens parts of the AI framework, including by giving companies more leeway to train models on personal data. American companies have used their Brussels presence to push back against the bloc’s digital rules, an effort that has coincided with repeated tariff threats from American President Donald Trump over Europe’s drive for “tech sovereignty.”
Transparency groups argue the pattern raises questions about whose voice reaches policymakers. “We do need to ask hard questions of … the policymakers in charge because they seem to be giving more access to U.S. companies rather than to European ones,” Raphaël Kergueno of Transparency International told FT.
Apple and Amazon told FT that they engage with policymakers on topics that matter to their customers and their businesses. The numbers still underline how thoroughly American technology groups have embedded themselves in the EU capital: on meeting counts and declared spend, Apple now sits ahead of the European companies that once defined corporate influence in Brussels.
MacDailyNews Take: Ooh, a whole €9 million a year! How did Apple ever get that kind of cash? What a blockbuster exposé!
Seriously, you can’t blame Apple for trying some PITA mitigation, especially in the PITA capital of the world.
By the way, TotalEnergies, Volkswagen, and Airbus are large, but they aren’t platform companies whose entire European business model is being rewritten in real time by the DMA, DSA, App Store rules, cloud proposals, and child-safety bills.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple ranks among Brussels’ most active corporate lobbyists, outpacing Europe’s industrial giants appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 to gain Siri Recap and Live Rewind soon
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 will pick up two Audio Intelligence features later this year: Siri Recap and Live Rewind, according to 9to5Mac’s Ryan Christoffel.
The watches are already on sale. Both additions are tied to Siri AI in watchOS 27 and are limited to the new models.
Siri Recap is meant to keep ambient notes on conversations through the day and turn them into high-level Apple Intelligence summaries users can check later. Apple’s description, cited by Christoffel, says the point is to help people stay present and still jog their memory afterward. Summaries auto-delete after seven days unless the user saves them.
Live Rewind is narrower. A double-press of the Digital Crown surfaces a text snippet of what was said in the last 15 seconds, so a missed or unfamiliar line can be checked on the wrist. From there, the user can ask Siri about the snippet or save it in the Siri app.
Christoffel writes that Siri Recap was not an obvious request, but could be useful if those protections hold up, while Live Rewind looks more limited outside accessibility use until it ships in final form.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple has published privacy details for both features in a support document on the Watches’ Audio Intelligence tools here.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 to gain Siri Recap and Live Rewind soon appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Fake Zoom installer tries to trick Mac users into installing hidden malware
A new Mac threat is hiding inside something that looks like a normal Zoom installer, according to security researchers at Jamf Threat Labs.
The file opens as a disk named Zoom and looks like the usual Mac installer: an app icon on the left, a shortcut to the Applications folder on the right. The catch is a set of instructions printed on the background of that window. They tell the user to open System Settings, go to Privacy & Security, click Open Anyway, and enter an administrator password.
Those steps are how the attack gets past Apple’s Gatekeeper, which would otherwise block the file because it is not properly signed by a trusted developer. Once the user follows the instructions, a fake password prompt appears. The installer checks the password against the Mac account and keeps asking until it is correct. A window then says Zoom is downloading, even though researchers did not see a real Zoom install complete in the samples they tested.
The password is used on the machine to launch a hidden second program that Jamf is calling CloudSyncD. It works on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. After it starts, it sends basic details about the computer to the attacker and checks back every few seconds for new instructions. Those instructions can include more software for the attacker to run later.
Jamf first spotted an unfinished version of CloudSyncD on September 15th. Within two days, later samples were talking to live servers, a sign the operation had moved past testing. In the versions researchers examined, the malware did not set itself to restart after a reboot, and it did not appear to steal browser passwords or wallet data on its own. The immediate goal is quiet access to the Mac.
MacDailyNews Take: The safest defense is also the simplest. Download Zoom, and other apps, only from the Mac App Store or the developer’s own site. If an installer tells you to click Open Anyway and type your password, close it.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Fake Zoom installer tries to trick Mac users into installing hidden malware appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Get Ready for iPhone Duo starts October 12th, ahead of October 16th pre-orders
Apple is opening its “Get Ready” checkout path for the iPhone Duo on Monday, October 12th, giving buyers several days to lock in a configuration before pre-orders begin at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16th.
The iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, was unveiled on September 9th. Opened, it is the company’s thinnest iPhone, with a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display that has a nano-texture finish and a 5.4-inch outer display. It comes in Star White and Night Sky, uses a polished grade 5 titanium frame, and starts at $1,999 in the U.S. for 256GB, with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB options. Availability begins Friday, October 23, in more than 70 countries and regions, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Japan, India, and Germany, with a second wave of 28 additional markets on October 30.
“Get Ready,” available through the Apple Store online and in the Apple Store app, is meant to shorten the final order step when demand is expected to be high and early stock limited. On October 12th, shoppers can select color and storage, confirm carrier status, add accessories such as the $79 iPhone Duo Case or the $129 iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand, choose AppleCare+, enter a trade-in, and set payment and shipping details. When pre-orders open on October 16th, the remaining step is largely confirmation.
A few practical checks help the process:
• Confirm that the payment method is current and that the billing address matches the card.
• Make sure the shipping address is the one you actually want used.
• Generate a trade-in estimate in advance. Apple generally requires the old device to be received within 14 days of delivery of the new phone (15 days in Canada) for the quoted value to hold; that clock starts after the Duo arrives, not before.
• In the U.S., monthly options include standard installment pricing from about $83.29 over 24 months, or Apple Upgrade leasing through Klarna starting as low as $57.99 per month on a 24-month term for eligible customers.
The device is eSIM-only worldwide. Apple has said both displays support ProMotion and high outdoor brightness, with battery life rated up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner screen or 44 hours on the outer screen. Apple Pencil (USB-C) support on both displays is planned later in 2026.
Buyers who complete “Get Ready” on October 12th will still need to finish the order when pre-orders open on October 16th; the earlier step does not reserve inventory. Stores and carrier availability will vary by market once sales begin on October 23rd.
MacDailyNews Take: If ever there was a time to get ready to put in an Apple product pre-order as quickly as possible, iPhone Duo is it!
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Get Ready for iPhone Duo starts October 12th, ahead of October 16th pre-orders appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Some iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max users report earpiece crackling and pops; likely a software issue
Some owners of Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are reporting an intermittent crackling, ticking, or popping sound from the earpiece speaker, according to reporting by MacRumors’ Juli Clover.
Complaints have surfaced on the MacRumors forums and on Reddit. Users describe the noise as a crackle, a faint tick or pop, or random clicking. Many point to the earpiece rather than the bottom speaker. Both the iPhone 18 Pro and the larger Pro Max appear to be affected, though the issue does not seem to hit every unit.
The sound is not limited to one activity. Some people hear it consistently. Others notice it while using apps, scrolling websites, receiving notifications, when the keyboard appears, or during cellular calls. On affected phones, toggling Airplane Mode on and off, or changing screen brightness quickly, can also trigger it.
Apple released iOS 27.0.1 on September 28 to address a separate bug that could restart iPhone 18 Pro models when Face ID authentication fails. The release notes did not mention a speaker fix, and early feedback cited by Clover indicates the update has not resolved the crackling. Some buyers who returned an affected phone received a replacement with the same behavior.
What is causing the noise is still unclear. If it turns out to be a software issue, a later iOS update could address it. Apple has not publicly commented on the reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Likely a software issue: On October 3, 2017, Apple’s iOS 11.0.2 fixed a bug that made some iPhone 8 and 8 Plus earpieces produce a faint, high-pitched static or crackling noise during calls.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Some iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max users report earpiece crackling and pops; likely a software issue appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple TV debuts trailer for ‘Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook,’ premiering November 6th
Apple TV on Thursday released the trailer for its new culinary docuseries “Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook,” premiering globally on November 6, 2026. The eight-episode series follows Nora Lum, aka Awkwafina, on a cross-country culinary road trip as she attempts to revive her family’s beloved Chinese restaurant.
Her family ran Lum’s, the iconic Cantonese restaurant in Flushing, New York. Nora inherited the family legacy. The cooking skills? Those still need work. Nora admits, “I can’t cook. Like, at all.” With help from acclaimed chefs, celebrated restaurateurs and her family, she sets out to build her kitchen skills, explore contemporary Asian American cuisine and reimagine Lum’s legacy for a new generation.
Along the way, Nora takes a crash course at the Culinary Institute of America, hits the road for Texas barbecue with Jimmy O. Yang, and learns from culinary icons Roy Choi and Martin Yan. In Hawai‘i, she explores the tiki culture that inspired her grandma’s restaurant, before taking on the challenges of serving at a restaurant in Los Angeles’ Chinatown. It all builds toward one high-stakes opening night and the toughest VIP diner of all: her grandma.
“Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook” is produced for Apple TV by Twofour and is executive produced by Nora Lum, David Brindley, Itay Reiss and Caroline Davies. This is the second collaboration between Twofour and Apple TV, following the celebrated, Emmy Award-nominated travel series “The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy,” starring Emmy Award winner Eugene Levy.
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 919 wins and 3,827 award nominations and counting including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
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 4K, 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 $14.99 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 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple TV debuts trailer for ‘Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook,’ premiering November 6th appeared first on MacDailyNews.
After a mid-shoot showrunner swap, Apple TV’s ‘Brothers’ arrives as a charisma vehicle with mixed reviews
Apple TV’s “Brothers” is the result of a production that lost its original showrunner with most of the season already in the can. That it’s still watchable and enjoyable to watch is a testament to the charisma of its two leads Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.
McConaughey and Harrelson play fictionalized versions of themselves: longtime friends whose bond frays when Harrelson’s family camps at McConaughey’s Austin ranch and McConaughey’s mother, Ma Mac (Holland Taylor), lets slip that the two men might actually be brothers. A possible McConaughey run for governor of Texas runs alongside the family chaos. Apple’s official trailer, posted August 25, leans hard into that “based on a true rumor” pitch:
The series was announced in 2023 with David West Read (Schitt’s Creek, The Big Door Prize) as writer and showrunner. In June 2025, with eight of a then-ordered 10 episodes already shot in Austin, production paused and the cast was sent home. Deadline and Variety reported that Read had left over creative differences about how to end the season. Lee Eisenberg — an Apple regular via Lessons in Chemistry, Little America, and WeCrashed, and a co-creator of Jury Duty — was in talks to take over the final episodes and likely reshoots. No public date was given for when he formally signed or when cameras rolled again.
The version that premiered is eight episodes, not 10. Both men still share creator credit with the stars; Eisenberg is the credited showrunner. Apple’s August press release lists the series as produced by Paramount Television Studios, with Eisenberg, McConaughey, and Harrelson among the executive producers, alongside Natalie Sandy, Read, Trish Hofmann, Bill Bost, Jason Winer, David Finkel, Brett Baer, and Jeremy Plager. The ensemble includes Natalie Martinez, Brittany Ishibashi, Lisa Gilroy, and the younger regulars Nolan Almeida, Ella Grace Helton, Noah Carganilla, Highdee Kuan, and Oona Yaffe. The first two episodes dropped September 23rd, with the rest weekly through November 4th.
Critics noticed the seams. On Rotten Tomatoes, Season 1 sits around 62% from 39 reviews — mixed, and soft for a pairing last seen together leading True Detective.
Daniel Fienberg at The Hollywood Reporter called it “good for a couple of chuckles, little more,” arguing the scripts would have looked thin on mid-’90s TGIF and that the stars’ chemistry is what keeps it watchable. Alison Herman at Variety wrote that the comic chemistry never turns the premise into a real show, with side plots sagging and the season drifting into schemes of the week. Vulture’s take was similar: a pedestrian comedy, more interesting as a meta curiosity — and as a brochure for McConaughey’s charisma — than as comedy. IGN scored it 5/10, “mediocre,” and “scattershot.” The New York Post called it self-indulgent and aimless. ScreenRant went to 3/10 and ranked the collaboration closer to Surfer, Dude than True Detective.
Warmer reviews do exist. Empire called it an amiable caper propped up by overqualified leads that only needed to be a hangout show. SEAT42F gave it an 8/10. Common Sense Media went 4/5, partly because separating fact from fiction is half the fun. TV Guide scored it 5.8 and said it improves as it goes, with Gilroy’s campaign manager a scene-stealer. Several reviews explicitly tie the uneven tone to the Read-to-Eisenberg handoff.
Audience reaction has split the same way: some viewers treat the caricatures as the point, others as a waste of the cast. The season finale is still weeks out, so the score can move. For now, “Brothers” reads as what the June 2025 pause suggested it might become — a star-driven comedy finished by a second showrunner, carried by two famous friends, and only intermittently sure of what kind of show it is.
MacDailyNews Take: Hey, after just two episodes, we like it!
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 4K, 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 $14.99 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 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post After a mid-shoot showrunner swap, Apple TV’s ‘Brothers’ arrives as a charisma vehicle with mixed reviews appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple TV expands library with new batch of free classic movies
Apple TV continues to bolster its streaming catalog by expanding beyond its usual lineup of original series and films. Subscribers can now stream a fresh batch of iconic licensed Hollywood movies at no extra cost.
Apple TV opened October 2026 by dropping another monthly batch of licensed films that subscribers can stream at no extra cost. The service, long focused almost entirely on originals, has spent the past few months rotating in popular catalog titles. Today’s addition brings 13 films, joining a handful of holdovers from earlier drops.
The new titles are available free with an Apple TV subscription (listed at $14.99 per month, or included in the Apple One bundle). Rights vary by country, so the lineup is strongest in the United States; viewers elsewhere may see a different selection. Prior months suggest these additions are often temporary—many films from earlier batches have already rotated off—so titles worth watching are best queued sooner rather than later.
Everything new this month
• American Gangster (2007) — Ridley Scott’s crime drama starring Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas and Russell Crowe as the detective pursuing him.
• Good Will Hunting (1997) — Gus Van Sant’s Oscar-winning drama with Matt Damon, Robin Williams, and Ben Affleck.
• Insomnia (2002) — Christopher Nolan’s thriller set in Alaska, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams.
• 28 Days Later (2002) — Danny Boyle’s influential zombie outbreak film starring Cillian Murphy.
• Taxi Driver (1976) — Martin Scorsese’s classic starring Robert De Niro.
• Jurassic World (2015) — The reboot starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
• Black Hawk Down (2001) — Ridley Scott’s depiction of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.
• Going the Distance (2010) — Romantic comedy with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long.
• Fury (2014) — World War II tank drama starring Brad Pitt.
• Tropic Thunder (2008) — Ben Stiller’s Hollywood satire, also starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black.
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) — David Fincher’s adaptation starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig.
• Fallen (1998) — Supernatural thriller starring Denzel Washington.
• Blood Diamond (2006) — Edward Zwick’s drama set amid the Sierra Leone conflict, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou.
Still available from recent months
Holdovers noted by 9to5Mac include The Sixth Sense, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and The Rookie, along with others that have not yet rotated out. September’s larger batch of 15 titles (including Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Social Network, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Zero Dark Thirty) has largely left the free tier, consistent with the short windows seen so far.
MacDailyNews Note: All titles are accessible to active Apple TV subscribers at no additional charge. The full catalog of non-original titles is available primarily to U.S. and Canadian subscribers, with exact availability varying slightly depending on local region licensing agreements. Unlike Apple Originals, which remain on the service indefinitely, licensed studio titles are typically available for a limited time before cycling out for new releases.
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 4K, 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 $14.99 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 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple TV expands library with new batch of free classic movies appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Messages Suggestions are back in iOS 27.2, and early testing says they finally know when to stay quiet
Apple is restoring Messages Suggestions in the iOS 27.2 beta, bringing back a conversation shortcut that disappeared shortly before the public launch of iOS 27.
Suggestions are one-tap action buttons that appear under a message when the conversation points to a clear next step. Apple has described them as context-based prompts that can create a reminder or a note, add a mentioned event to the calendar, or help surface photos by recognizing keywords, locations, and people in a user’s library. The buttons sit beneath the relevant message rather than opening a separate AI panel.
The feature ran through the iOS 27 beta this summer, then was pulled before the fall release. Apple said at the time that it, along with another delayed capability, would arrive in a future software update.
Reporting from Ryan Christoffel at 9to5Mac says Suggestions are now back in the iOS 27.2 beta, with a change that may explain the delay. In his summer testing, the buttons often worked as expected, but they also showed up when a message did not clearly call for a note, reminder, or calendar entry. In the 27.2 beta, he has seen fewer suggestions, and when one appears the reason is obvious from the thread.
MacDailyNews Take: Christoffel, who called Suggestions one of his favorite AI additions in the earlier beta because it did not feel like AI, wrote that he hopes the tighter version makes the shipping release of iOS 27.2, expected in the coming weeks. Whether the reduced frequency holds for other users will only be clear once the beta is more widely tested and the update ships.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Messages Suggestions are back in iOS 27.2, and early testing says they finally know when to stay quiet appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple’s first touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro could arrive as soon as October
Apple is expected to introduce its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models in October or November, Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman said on the premiere of his new Power On podcast.
Speaking with Bloomberg News tech editor Vlad Savov on the October 1st episode, Gurman said he believes Apple will unveil long-rumored 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with touch-enabled OLED displays this fall.
“Apple, I believe, will introduce its first touchscreen MacBook Pro this fall, as early as October,” Gurman said. “It could slip to November, but as early as October.”
He added that Apple is testing the laptops with macOS 27.2, which is currently in beta. That update is expected toward the end of October, which MacRumors noted could line up with an announcement later this month.
Beyond the OLED touchscreen, other features tied to the models include Apple’s existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a thinner design, and a Dynamic Island in place of the notch. MacRumors also pointed to earlier Gurman reporting that Apple has explored cellular Macs, which has led some to hope the new machines might include a custom C1X or C2 modem. That remains speculation, not a claim from the new episode.
The touchscreen models are expected to sit above the regular 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, which are reportedly set to move to M7 Pro and M7 Max chips next year. It is not clear whether the OLED versions will keep the MacBook Pro name or get a distinct label such as MacBook Ultra.
MacDailyNews Note: The podcast’s main focus was broader than the laptop. In the 35-minute premiere, Gurman and Savov discussed Apple’s long-awaited smart-home push and whether its AI-powered devices — and a significantly more capable Siri AI — can give people a reason to leave competing platforms. They also debated whether the iPhone 18 is worth buying and whether Apple’s influencer strategy trades harder questions for friendlier coverage. Gurman fielded listener questions on the touchscreen MacBook Pro and on whether hardware chief John Ternus will eventually drop prerecorded presentations for a live keynote. Listen to the full podcast here.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple’s first touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro could arrive as soon as October appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Halide 3.2 gives iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max fully manual aperture control
Halide Mark III has been updated to version 3.2 with dedicated support for the iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture system, removing the four-stop limit in Apple’s Camera app and letting users pick any ƒ-stop across the lens’s full range.
Apple’s stock Camera app restricts iPhone 18 Pro owners to four aperture settings from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0. That system is meant to improve low-light performance by about 50 percent and give more optical control over depth of field. Halide 3.2 drops the preset restriction so any value inside that range can be selected.
The update offers two ways to use the control. In Aperture Priority, the user sets the ƒ-stop and Halide chooses shutter speed and ISO for a correct exposure. In Manual mode, all three settings can be set by hand, including ISO, which Apple’s Camera app still does not expose as a manual control. The developers have said they are considering ƒ-stop presets in a later update based on feedback.
Version 3.2 also adds two film simulations. Dawn is described as filmic warmth in the mid-tones and highlights, with rich but gentle shadows and subtle complementary cool colors. Quicksilver is a high-contrast, muted-color look meant to evoke a silver-retention process, positioned as a midpoint between color and black-and-white. The update also adds a 16:9 shooting mode.
Halide 3.2 is available on the App Store. In the U.S. it is priced at $69.99 as a one-time purchase or $19.99 a year.
MacDailyNews Note: Lux Optics, the makers of Halide, detailed the release in their announcement: Halide 3.2: The App for Aperture.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Halide 3.2 gives iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max fully manual aperture control appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Music launches in Albania, Brunei, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan
Apple Music is now available in four more countries, lifting the service to 172 countries and regions.
The additions showed up Wednesday, September 30th, when Apple updated its media-services availability list. Aaron Perris on X was first to flag the change: Albania, Brunei, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan.
Apple has launched Apple Music in:
Albania
Brunei
Burkina Faso
Pakistan pic.twitter.com/xUpju3JYxh
— Aaron (@aaronp613) September 30, 2026
Subscribers in those markets can now stream the full Apple Music catalog, which requires a paid plan — $11.99 a month after a free month, or as part of an Apple One bundle where that bundle is offered.
The timing lines up with a wider services push. Albania, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan were already on Apple’s recent list of places where iCloud+ includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade at no extra charge. Brunei is the exception: the Apple TV subscription service is still unavailable there, even as Apple Music arrives.
The same day, Apple put a major Android update into beta. Apple Music 7.0 for Android adopts the Liquid Glass look, with a floating bottom navigation bar and a new mini-player.
The expansion also follows Apple Pay’s rollout in India and sits against a softer stretch for Services growth. Hardware still drives most of Apple’s revenue, but adding countries is how the company keeps enlarging the pool of people who can pay for Music, TV, Arcade, and the bundles that sit on top of them.
MacDailyNews Take: Congrats, Albania, Brunei, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan!
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple Music launches in Albania, Brunei, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple seen selling about 6 million iPhone Duo foldables this year – Counterpoint Research
Apple is on track to sell roughly 6 million units of the iPhone Duo, its first folding-screen smartphone, in 2026, according to Counterpoint Research — a figure more typical of the still-niche foldable market than of Apple’s usual handset volumes.
Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam said the estimate depends on how quickly Apple can ramp production of the new design. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and is set for an October release, sitting at the top of the lineup. Preorders are scheduled to open October 16th, with availability on October 23rd, after the device was unveiled earlier in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro family.
The forecast is one of the first public reads on sell-through for the foldable, as opposed to earlier supply-chain talk of production targets. Separate reporting has put Apple’s hoped-for availability in 2026 in a range of about 6 million to 8 million units, which would leave little slack if manufacturing slips and demand meets Counterpoint’s outlook.
Even at that scale, the Duo would be material inside the category. Market researcher IDC estimates global foldable shipments will rise 13% to 22.9 million units this year with Apple’s help, and that the segment would have declined without the Duo. Counterpoint has previously framed a roughly 6 million-unit year as enough for about a quarter of global foldable shipments, placing Apple second behind Samsung after only a partial selling season.
The launch also sits next to a stronger-than-expected start for the iPhone 18 Pro line in China. Counterpoint said Pro-edition sales were up 12% versus the iPhone 17 Pro’s early run — the first cycle in which Apple shipped the Pro models without a matching base-model upgrade, pushing upgraders toward higher-priced phones. That helped Apple take about 33% of China’s smartphone market even as Chinese brands absorbed much of a 17% year-on-year decline over the summer.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple will sell as many million iPhone Duo units this year as they can make, box, and ship.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple seen selling about 6 million iPhone Duo foldables this year – Counterpoint Research appeared first on MacDailyNews.
iPhone 18 Pro demand jumps nearly 20% in India as Apple eyes double-digit market share
Apple’s latest flagship is finding an enthusiastic audience in India, even as prices remain high. Demand for the iPhone 18 Pro has risen by nearly 20% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro at the same point last year, according to reports, suggesting that premium pricing is not deterring buyers in one of Apple’s fastest-growing markets.
The iPhone 18 lineup went on sale on September 18 and drew long lines in major cities. Some customers traveled for hours to reach Apple Stores in places such as Mumbai, with waits stretching as long as 10 hours. Many buyers appear motivated less by specific new features and more by the desire to own Apple’s newest iPhone.
Counterpoint Research director Tarun Pathak expects Apple’s volume market share in India to reach 10% in 2026 — the company’s first full calendar year in double digits. That would represent a sharp rise from just 4% in 2022.
The base iPhone 18 Pro costs the equivalent of about $1,700 in India. Apple and partners have softened the sticker shock with zero-interest financing that lets eligible customers spread payments over a year, keeping monthly installments below 10% of the phone’s price. For some consumers, the high price itself reinforces the device’s premium status.
Apple recorded weaker Indian sales in the June quarter, but that dip was attributed to supply constraints rather than fading demand. Sales had otherwise grown for four years. Meanwhile, makers of lower-priced smartphones reportedly saw a sharper decline this year.
India is also becoming a more important manufacturing base for iPhones, and recent tax breaks could further strengthen Apple’s position. The current surge in iPhone 18 Pro demand suggests Apple’s high-end strategy is connecting with aspirational buyers, though the company will need to keep balancing premium pricing with accessible payment options if the momentum is to last.
For now, the early numbers point to another strong cycle for Apple in India.
MacDailyNews Take: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are strong!
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post iPhone 18 Pro demand jumps nearly 20% in India as Apple eyes double-digit market share appeared first on MacDailyNews.
DoorDash debuts iMessage AI agent that lets you text your usual order via Apple’s Messages
DoorDash is pushing food delivery deeper into everyday messaging with a new AI agent that takes orders inside Apple’s Messages app, according to Bloomberg News‘ Natalie Lung.
The company opened a U.S. waitlist Wednesday for the text-to-order tool, which lets customers type natural-language requests such as “order my usual protein bowl to the office” without opening the DoorDash app. The agent matches the phone number in the conversation to a DoorDash account, pulls order history and preferences, and can complete checkout with a stored payment method.
Users can ask for a specific dish, request a local recommendation, or simply say “order my usual.” DoorDash said the agent searches nearby restaurants, builds a suggested cart, and can send photos of recommended items. It is also designed to handle group orders with mixed dietary needs. In some cases it can work from a photo of a fridge to suggest recipes and missing ingredients.
The feature builds on Ask DoorDash, the in-app assistant the company launched earlier this year. DoorDash co-founder Andy Fang discussed the broader agent strategy at the company’s Dash Forward event in San Francisco. The company is also opening a waitlist for an enterprise MCP (model context protocol) aimed at corporate ordering, and Fang said DoorDash is talking with Meta and other AI players about meeting users in the apps they already use.
The consumer Messages pilot is limited to U.S. iOS users for now, with Android support planned later. DoorDash has cautioned that the AI can make mistakes and that customers should review carts before paying. Early testers have reported occasional mismatches on prices or photos compared with the main app; the company said waitlist users will get an updated version.
The move comes as delivery platforms race to embed agentic shopping so customers do not have to hunt through menus. DoorDash is positioning the iMessage agent as a way to stay ahead of Uber Eats and Grubhub while also testing delivery drones with select Northern California restaurants.
MacDailyNews Note: U.S. customers can join the waitlist at doordash.com/text.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post DoorDash debuts iMessage AI agent that lets you text your usual order via Apple’s Messages appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Why Apple will finally deliver the smart home to the world
For more than a decade, the “smart home” has been an unmitigated disaster – a fragmented, frustrating hobbyist’s maze that only a sadomasochist could love.
Five different apps. Three separate clouds. A cheap plastic smart speaker that works right up until your internet hiccups. And, worst of all, always-listening, always-watching spy cameras piping feeds from your living room straight into the server farms of advertising companies whose entire business models depend on strip-mining your personal privacy.
That’s why, despite boasting market evaluations in the $160–186 billion range, the smart home category remains massive on paper, yet completely broken in practice.
What this market has desperately lacked isn’t another cheap $15 plastic plug from Shenzhen. It’s a company that ordinary families can actually trust, that builds hardware you can set up in seconds, and then lets you get on with your life.
That company, of course, as usual, is Apple.
From half-committed to dominant
When Apple introduced HomeKit in 2014, followed by HomePod and Apple TV as home hubs, the tech press naturally yawned. When Matter and Thread arrived to bring order to the protocol wars, Cupertino still looked half-committed compared to Amazon’s bargain-bin Echos and Google’s spyware-laden Nest Hubs.
That era is officially over.
Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman reports that Apple is finally dropping the hammer on October 13th with a full-court smart-home offensive. Headlining the launch is code-name “J490” (widely dubbed “HomePad”) alongside an updated HomePod mini and a powered-up Apple TV, all driven by a vastly superior, context-aware Siri.
Described as a sleek, six-inch square display—thin as an iPhone and available in countertop and wall-mount variants—HomePad instantly recognizes individual household members and customizes its display on the fly.
This isn’t just another speaker with a cheap screen slapped on. It is the central, shared control plane for the modern home.
Mass market starts with what’s already in your pocket
Amazon and Google fanboys love to point at speaker market share and catalog listings. That’s the old, outdated scoreboard.
The mass market doesn’t start in the clearance aisle at Best Buy. It starts when a user unlocks their front door with an Apple Watch, tells Siri in the kitchen to dim the lights, and never has to touch a clunky, privacy-challenged third-party app again.
Apple already possesses the ultimate trojan horse: the global hardware distribution engine of the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and HomePod. The home doesn’t need another fragmented ecosystem; it simply needs the devices people already carry to talk to it seamlessly.
While Amazon pushed discounted Dots to pump its numbers, Apple Home has quietly become the fastest-growing platform in key global markets. Growth anchored by 1.5+ billion high-end smartphone user base is a juggernaut that bargain-bin speakers simply cannot stop.
Privacy isn’t a feature — it’s the whole ballgame
People might foolishly put a bargain-bin smart bulb in their hallway, but nobody in their right mind wants an always-listening ad engine sitting on their nightstand or monitoring their children’s rooms.
Apple sells premium hardware and services. Amazon and Google sell you.
HomeKit was built from day one around local control: automations execute directly on your HomePod or Apple TV inside your house, end-to-end encryption is mandatory, and HomeKit Secure Video keeps your security feeds off shady, insecure third-party clouds. When your broadband goes down, your lights and locks still work. That isn’t a feature for tech nerds, it’s the foundational requirement of actual household infrastructure.
With HomePad’s reported ability to recognize who is in the room and hide sensitive personal data from guests or strangers, Apple is putting privacy front and center. Families will buy it. Enterprises will mandate it. Regulators will champion it.
The end of “programmer-level” home setup
The smart home failed the mainstream because it asked normal human beings to become software engineers. If this sensor triggers, and it’s after sunset, but only if user X isn’t home, then run scene Y. Tech enthusiasts loved it; everyone else gave up after their second light bulb.
With Apple’s deep integration across iOS, the house stops being a collection of manual toggles and becomes a space that intelligently anticipates your life:
• Apple Watch feeds sleep and workout context.
• iPhone & Home Key handle arrival and secure access.
• Apple TV & HomePod handle local Thread border routing and local processing.
• On-device AI breaks down camera clips, categorizes security alerts, and handles energy orchestration natively.
A wall-mounted HomePad paired with an AI-driven Siri turns the house from a glorified remote control into a truly effortless environment.
This is how Apple takes the smart home worldwide: not by racing to the bottom, but by supplying the trust, the hardware finish, and the privacy foundation that no online shopping or ad company on Earth can replicate.
Amazon and Google spent the last decade teaching people to yell commands at cheap plastic speakers. Apple is about to teach the smart home how to actually work.
SteveJack is a long-time Macintosh user, web designer, multimedia producer, and contributor to the MacDailyNews Opinion section.
[Post updated October 1, 2026 at 9:45am EDT)
MacDailyNews Take: That is how the smart home stops being a hobby and becomes furniture. And furniture, sold at Apple’s standard of finish, is how you reach the world.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Why Apple will finally deliver the smart home to the world appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Pay launches in India
Apple Pay is now available for users in India across iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, with support for Mac coming soon. The launch brings Apple customers an easy, secure, and private way to pay in stores, in apps, and on the web at retailers of all sizes — all without the need to type in PINs or use OTPs at checkout. Customers with Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards can add their cards to Apple Pay and use them at thousands of in-store and online merchants across India, as well as anywhere that accepts NFC transactions.
“India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population that continues to embrace a cashless future while expecting the highest standards of security and privacy, and we’re so excited to bring Apple Pay to users in India today,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, in a statement. “Apple Pay makes everyday payments with a card easy, secure, and private — from simply tapping to pay in stores without an extra app, PIN, or OTP to checking out online without repeatedly entering payment information.”
“We are at a significant inflection point in payments, where technology, security and changing customer expectations are reshaping how people transact. At Axis Bank, our aspiration is to remain at the forefront of this transformation by building payment experiences that are progressive, trusted and deeply relevant to our customers,” said Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank, in a statement. “The introduction of Apple Pay advances this ambition, bringing greater choice and flexibility to our Credit Card customers, with support across the Mastercard and Visa networks. As payments become increasingly embedded in customers’ everyday digital lives, our focus is on bringing together innovation and trust, while making every interaction more intuitive and relevant. More importantly, this reflects our vision of a more connected and sophisticated payments ecosystem, where technology enables convenience and confidence in every transaction.”
“As India’s digital economy accelerates and consumers seek seamless and secure payment experiences, the introduction of Apple Pay for our Axis Bank-issued Mastercard credit card holders ushers in a new era of contactless commerce, giving Indian consumers greater confidence and peace of mind with every transaction,” said Gautam Aggarwal, Mastercard’s president of India and South Asia, in a statement. “With Mastercard’s tokenisation technology, every Apple Pay transaction is protected by a unique, cryptographically secured token, ensuring card details are never shared with merchants, safeguarding consumers against fraud.”
“The launch of Apple Pay in India marks an important milestone in the evolution of the country’s digital payments journey,” said Suresh Sethi, Visa’s group country manager of India and South Asia, in a statement. “By bringing together Apple’s intuitive consumer experience with Visa’s trusted global network and tokenisation capabilities, Apple Pay brings consumers in India a simpler, safer, and more seamless way to pay. Together, we are expanding consumer choice and helping shape the next generation of commerce in India.”
Delivering a Secure and Private Payment Experience
Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When customers use a card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device or on Apple servers, nor are they shared by Apple with the merchant. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted, and securely stored in the Secure Element, an industry-standard certified chip designed to store the payment information safely on the device.
Apple does not retain transaction information that can be tied back to the user. Their transactions stay between the user, the merchant, and their bank or card issuer. If a user’s iPhone is lost or stolen, they can use the Find My app to quickly locate, lock, or suspend payments from that device.
How to Use Apple Pay
Apple Pay is easy to set up. Customers can add a card directly to Apple Wallet via the latest version of the Axis Bank app. Alternatively, simply open the Wallet app on iPhone, tap the plus sign, and follow the steps to add an eligible card. Once a user adds a card to their Apple device, they can start using Apple Pay right away.
Using Apple Pay in stores is seamless and easy. Simply double-click the side button or Home button; authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode if prompted; and hold the top of the iPhone or display of the Apple Watch near the contactless reader to pay.
Users can also make purchases with Apple Pay on iPhone and iPad — with support for Mac coming soon — for faster and more convenient payments in apps or on the web without having to create accounts or repeatedly type in contact information, card details, or shipping and billing information.
When using Apple Pay, users will continue to earn the rewards and benefits offered by their cards.
At launch, Apple Pay will be accepted by millions of merchants across India, including at Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, Zomato, and more. Apple has worked closely with payment service providers (PSPs) — like BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay, and more — to bring Apple Pay to their merchant networks in India, with even more merchants and apps coming over time.
Today Apple Pay is available in more than 90 countries and regions, and works with more than 11,000 bank and network partners worldwide.
MacDailyNews Take: Congrats, India!
Note: Apple Pay requires iPhone XR or later with iOS 18 or later. Available on Apple Watch Series 6 or later with watchOS 11 or later. Apple Watch must be paired with iPhone XR or later. For more information, see apple.com/in/apple-pay.
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple Pay launches in India appeared first on MacDailyNews.