GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple has cut a small number of employees working on Fitness+ audio content, including the Time to Walk and Time to Run series, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He says new episodes will continue but less frequently, and the layoffs are seen internally as the start of larger cost-cutting changes to come rather than a one-off trim.
A Hacker News user says that after turning off Siri in System Settings, Screen Time, and applying community debloat scripts, a 'Siri AI.app' process still appears running in Activity Monitor on macOS 27. The poster compares this persistent background activity to concerns previously raised about Microsoft's Recall feature, questioning whether Siri and Apple Intelligence services can truly be disabled.
Verita Global has launched a claims website for the class action lawsuit accusing Apple of overpromising Siri and Apple Intelligence features. Eligible buyers of Apple Intelligence-capable iPhones purchased between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025 can now submit claims for a share of Apple's $250 million settlement fund, with payouts expected around $25 per device, ranging up to $95 depending on claim volume.
Apple is internally testing a smart home hub codenamed J490 that would rival Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device would feature a camera, microphones, facial recognition to personalize content per user, and an interface blending iOS, tvOS and watchOS elements, all built around the newly launched Siri AI from iOS 27. Gurman also reported Apple scrapped a special Pencil designed for the dual-screen iPhone Duo due to technical issues, opting instead to support the existing iPad Apple Pencil.
Apple has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit accusing it of overstating the AI features available on certain iPhone models sold in 2024 and 2025. Under the deal, eligible customers who purchased affected devices can claim a payment of up to $95, though there is a limited window to file a claim.
Apple has updated the Mac mini with its new M6 chip, promising a performance boost over the previous M5 model. The refresh comes with a higher starting price than its predecessor, reflecting the upgraded silicon inside the compact desktop.
An Android Authority writer tested the new Apple Health app included in the iOS 27.2 developer beta, which adds an AI-powered 'Insights' tab and reworks how the app surfaces raw health data. The rebuilt app will only run on iPhones capable of Apple Intelligence, meaning iPhone 15 Pro or newer, while Google's competing Health app supports a much wider range of older devices. The writer, who previously switched from Apple to Google's Fitbit-based Health platform, says the new design has him reconsidering that move ahead of its planned public release later this year.
Apple is distributing $250 million to settle claims that it advertised AI-enhanced Siri features that were never actually delivered. Owners of iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model purchased between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025 in the US can now file for a payout through the settlement website.
Apple has begun shipping the redesigned Mac Studio, keeping its 2022-era chassis but adding M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip options in place of last year's M4 Max and M3 Ultra. The top configuration reviewed—36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 256GB RAM, 4TB storage—runs $12,299, while entry M5 Max and M5 Ultra models start at $2,499 and $5,499 respectively.
Apple has refreshed the Mac Mini with its new M6 chip, alongside an upgraded M5 Pro tier replacing the previous M4 Pro option. The base model now starts at $899, though comparing it to the last actually-available M4 Mini (which cost $799 after Apple discontinued the cheaper $599 configuration) shows the real increase is closer to $300. Despite the higher price, reviewers still consider it the best value in Apple's current Mac lineup given broader price increases across the industry.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is testing a smart home display, internally coded J490/J491, in employee homes ahead of a possible launch as soon as next month. The device reportedly combines elements of iOS, tvOS, and watchOS, with its own home screen, widgets, and clock faces, and leans heavily on an upgraded Siri to handle tasks across apps like Notes and Reminders.
A developer has released Kev, a family of small decision-making models (0.8B, 4B, and 9B parameters) built on Qwen3.5, inspired by the architecture behind Jev. The models handle yes/no, multiple-choice, and rating questions within a single request and are compatible with TypeSafe's System One API, meaning developers can run Kev locally instead of relying on that hosted service. Full training code, evaluation data, and a web playground are included, and the models run on both CUDA and Apple Silicon hardware.