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.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-15
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.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-15
Apple Music lets users set separate audio quality levels for cellular, Wi-Fi, and downloads within iPhone Settings under Apps > Music > Audio Quality. This allows listeners to save mobile data by keeping cellular playback at High Quality while reserving Lossless streaming for Wi-Fi or downloaded files. Bluetooth headphones don't support true lossless playback, and Hi-Res Lossless requires an external DAC for sample rates above 48kHz.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-14
Apple has released HomePod 27 alongside iOS 27, bringing two main upgrades: AutoMix for Apple Music, which blends songs together with beatmatching and time-stretching similar to a live DJ set, and improved AirPlay performance for quicker, more reliable connections between HomePod and other Apple devices. The update also includes general bug fixes and security patches, and is installed through the Home app's Software Update section.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-14
Apple has begun rolling out tvOS 27 to all supported Apple TV 4K models (excluding the first generation), bringing a redesigned Podcasts app with video support, Apple Music additions like AutoMix and Hi-Res Lossless Audio, and adjustable Dynamic Type text sizing. The update also lets users install tvOS updates through the iPhone's Home app without turning on the Apple TV itself.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-14
Apple has released iPadOS 27, its latest major iPad software update, headlined by a smarter, more personal Siri accessible through a dedicated app, screen swipe, or voice commands. The update also brings deeper Spotlight integration, Mac-inspired interface tweaks like a persistent menu bar, refreshed system apps, and expanded parental controls. Five older iPad models, including the iPad mini 5 and iPad Air 3, no longer support the new software.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-14
Ian Rogers, who previously built Beats Music, helped launch Apple Music, and later worked at LVMH, has taken on the role of chief human agency officer at Ledger, a crypto security startup valued at $1.5 billion. Ledger uses secure hardware chips, similar to those found in credit cards, to protect digital assets like Bitcoin from theft or loss. Rogers is now working remotely from rural Italy, shaping the company's security and AI strategy.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-10
Apple is bundling a free three-month trial of Apple One with purchases of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. Apple One combines Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, iCloud storage, Apple Fitness+, and Apple News+ into one subscription package, offered in Individual, Family, and Premier tiers. The promotion begins September 17 and reportedly extends to other eligible iPhone, iPad, and Mac purchases, though full details remain unclear.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-09
Twenty-five years after Steve Jobs unveiled iTunes, the once-dominant digital media platform no longer exists as a single app. Apple has split its functions across Music, TV, and Podcasts apps, while device syncing and backups now happen through Finder on the Mac instead of iTunes.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-05
iPhone users can check the Settings app's Battery section to see a breakdown of which apps consume the most power, including both active screen time and background activity. This feature has been built into iOS since iOS 8, so it works even on older iPhones.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-05
Apple's own guidelines reveal that lossless audio streaming through CarPlay only works over a wired USB connection, not wirelessly. This is because wired CarPlay uses the uncompressed LPCM codec, while wireless CarPlay relies on AAC-LC, a lossy codec that discards some original audio data to reduce file size.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-30
Streaming tags like 'Dolby Atmos' and 'Lossless' refer to two separate audio technologies: Atmos creates a 3D soundstage by placing sounds in space, while lossless audio preserves the full quality of a recording without the data loss found in formats like MP3 or AAC. Because Atmos typically relies on the lossy Dolby Digital Plus codec, and lossless streaming uses formats like FLAC or ALAC, most platforms can't offer both simultaneously.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-28
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