Apple's iOS 27 update adds CarPlay support for video apps, letting drivers watch content on their vehicle's screen once parked; playback switches to audio-only automatically when the car starts moving. The update also redesigns the Now Playing screen with album art, controls and a progress bar, and Apple says it improves wireless connection stability and GPS accuracy. New wallpapers and the ability for apps to share route data, including EV charging stops, are also included.
Verizon announced it will support Apple's iOS 27 Handoff feature, which lets a single eSIM number be shared across two iPhones, for $10 monthly. The company also confirmed it will carry the iPhone Duo, with Handoff listed as 'coming soon' to its network. T-Mobile already offers the same feature in the US for $5 a month, as does Deutsche Telekom in Germany.
Verizon has confirmed it will charge customers $10 per month to use Apple's iPhone Handoff feature, which lets a single phone number be shared across two compatible iPhones running iOS 27. That's double the $5 monthly fee T-Mobile announced for the same feature, while Deutsche Telekom bundles it into its existing €6.95 MultiSIM service.
Apple has launched its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a nano-texture finish and minimal crease. The device drops Face ID in favor of Touch ID on the power button, includes dual rear cameras, and runs a redesigned version of iOS 27 built around the folding form factor. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the base 256GB model.
Apple's latest iOS 27.2 beta introduces three changes: granular settings to enable or disable specific Messages 'Suggestions' like calendar and reminder prompts, two new Home app options for smart locks covering auto-lock timing and door-left-open alerts, and a visual overhaul of the Music app that replaces its red branding with black-and-white icons and blue tab accents.
Apple has temporarily taken the Apple Store offline as it prepares to open preorders for the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, at 5 AM Eastern Time. The device launches October 23 with a 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch outer display, A20 Pro chip, Touch ID instead of Face ID, and pricing starting at $1999, alongside iOS 27.1 software built for the folding form factor.
9to5Mac's daily podcast roundup for October 14, 2026 covered recent Apple news, including the Apple Home Collection and the release of the iOS 27.2 beta 4. The episode was sponsored by Backblaze and is distributed through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and an RSS feed.
Apple released version 1.12.1 of its Invites app, adding the ability for hosts to manually add guests and update their RSVP status when confirmations happen outside the app. The update also adds support for an extra-large Home Screen widget introduced with iOS 27, alongside unspecified bug fixes and performance improvements.
Bloomberg reports Apple will launch Apple Intelligence in China in December through an iOS 27.3 update, but the rollout will exclude the new Siri AI assistant and other features unveiled earlier this year. The China version relies on AI models from Alibaba, with guardrails letting regulators approve ongoing updates, while Baidu is helping with search and Siri-related features. In-house image generation tools will be absent and some text-generation features will be restricted in certain apps, though Genmoji is expected to be included.
Apple has released the HomePod mini 2, six years after the original HomePod mini launched. The new speaker introduces Siri AI capabilities—including natural conversation, broader world knowledge and personal context from apps like Messages and email—powered by a new S10 chip, along with a light-up 'Sound Glow' visual feature. The original HomePod mini, which uses an older S5 chip and four microphones versus three in the new model, will not receive Siri AI support.
Apple is testing a new Apple Music app icon in iOS 27.2 beta 4 that replaces the familiar red beamed-eighth-note logo with a black-and-white version, plus an inverted white-on-black variant for dark mode. The redesign also tilts the notes slightly, rounds their shape, adds a subtle drop shadow, and extends to removing red from home-screen widgets and switching the app's internal pink/red tint to blue. It follows an earlier shift to a bolder, lowercase wordmark introduced alongside Apple Music Hall in London.
Apple released developer and public firmware betas, build number 9B5043a, for several AirPods models including AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3. The rollout coincided with developer beta 4 of macOS 27.2, iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, and other OS updates. Apple has not disclosed what changes or fixes the new firmware contains.