GoKawiil
Tech News
iPhone owners are reporting persistent promotional banners inside the iOS Settings app pushing Apple's own paid services, including iCloud+ storage, Apple Music, Apple TV+ trials and AppleCare+. Many of these prompts lack a working dismiss option and can linger for weeks or months, leaving a notification badge on the Settings icon until users either subscribe or the offer expires on its own.
A software glitch in iOS 27 and iOS 27.2 is causing the Settings app to display an unremovable red badge urging users to 'Activate iCloud Storage,' even when they already have ample space, including those on 2TB Apple One family plans. Tapping the alert only leads to the storage purchase screen and dismissing it does not clear the badge.
Apple offers built-in tools called Sidecar and Universal Control that let Mac users extend or mirror their desktop onto an iPad, effectively turning the tablet into a second monitor. Both features require the Mac and iPad to be signed into the same iCloud account, with Universal Control also needing two-factor authentication enabled. Windows PC users cannot use these native tools and must rely on third-party alternatives instead.
Apple has released iOS 27 to all users, highlighting more than 30 specific speed improvements across the operating system. These range from photo loading and app launches up to 30% faster, to AirDrop transfers up to 80% faster, plus quicker performance in Safari, Mail, Music, Health, and HomeKit.
Apple appeared before a UK court seeking to overturn secrecy rules that bar it from confirming whether the government has ordered access to encrypted iCloud data. The case follows reports that Britain had secretly demanded a backdoor into encrypted iCloud content, a demand Apple responded to by pulling Advanced Data Protection for new UK users rather than weakening encryption globally. After the U.S. government pushed back, Britain narrowed its original worldwide request but later issued a fresh notice aimed specifically at UK-based Apple users.
Apple's newly released iOS 27 introduces daily usage caps on server-dependent Apple Intelligence features like image generation, but iCloud+ subscribers on most paid tiers get expanded access beyond the free limits. The update also brings AI-powered upgrades to HomeKit Secure Video, including video descriptions, clip search, and automatic highlighting of notable footage for compatible home cameras.
Apple has released iOS 27 for iPhone models back to the iPhone 11, and users are advised to create a local, computer-based archive before installing it. This is because iCloud backups only retain the most recent version, so restoring to a prior iOS release becomes impossible once a device has been backed up under iOS 27.
Apple is adding Apple TV and Arcade, plus some ad-free Apple Music Select radio stations, to its base-tier iCloud+ subscriptions in more than 100 countries. The entry-level iCloud+ plan, which costs roughly $1 a month, will now include these extras without requiring customers to buy the pricier Apple One bundle. The US is not part of this rollout, but markets like India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Türkiye and the UAE are included, and Apple TV itself is expanding to 59 new countries as a result.
Apple has begun bundling Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscriptions into its 50GB iCloud+ plan at no extra cost across more than 100 countries, mostly smaller and price-sensitive markets. Some regions will also gain an 'Apple Music Select' tier with ad-free radio stations, with an option to upgrade to full Apple Music at a discount. Notably, the United States is not among the eligible countries.
With iOS 27 and tvOS 27, Apple has added Apple Intelligence features to HomeKit Secure Video, including AI-generated text summaries of camera footage, video search, and the ability to merge clips from multiple cameras. These features require pricier iCloud Plus plans, starting at $9.99 a month for one camera and rising to $59.99 a month for coverage of up to five cameras.
Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Warren Davidson sent a letter to Britain's Investigatory Powers Tribunal demanding it stop concealing details of Apple's dispute with the UK government over encrypted iCloud data. The case began when the Home Office ordered Apple to build backdoor access to encrypted backups worldwide, prompting Apple to pull its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users; the tribunal later dismissed Apple's challenge after the UK narrowed its demand to British users only.
Apple published a new support document clarifying that Siri AI, Image Playground, Clean Up, Extend, Spatial Reframing, and certain Shortcuts and developer tools relying on server-side models will face usage limits. The company says limits will vary by feature, complexity, and demand, and that users who hit them will temporarily lose access before it's restored. Apple confirmed increased access can be purchased, though it hasn't disclosed exact thresholds or a rollout timeline.