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Tech News
Amazon is selling the 13-inch MacBook Air configured with Apple's M5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD for $1,349, a $250 reduction from its list price. The retailer says this matches the lowest price the configuration has reached since June.
Apple's iOS 27.2 update introduces invisible SynthID watermarking for images altered using Apple Intelligence tools, including Clean Up, Extend, and Spatial Reframing in Photos, as well as images created in Image Playground and Image Wand. The watermark is undetectable to the naked eye, but users can verify its presence by uploading an image to synthid.com. The feature also rolls out alongside iOS 27.2 on iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS.
Apple has released a new MacBook Pro that reviewers describe as high-quality but expensive, with fully configured models reaching prices mostly affordable to well-funded businesses. The laptop notably includes a touchscreen, a first for Apple's lineup, while remaining largely built around established computing design rather than new AI-driven paradigms.
Samsung's second-generation Galaxy Watch Ultra features a 1.52-inch display with peak brightness of 5,000 nits, up from 3,500 nits on the original model, and is described as lighter and slimmer than its predecessor and Apple's Watch Ultra 4. It retains the 47mm squircle design, proprietary Dynamic Lug System for bands, and lacks a rotating bezel, with button protrusions reduced and less orange accenting than before.
Two weeks after the iPhone Duo's launch, Apple announced that more than 100,000 App Store apps have been built or optimized for the foldable device. VP Susan Prescott said thousands of optimized apps are being added daily and praised developers' quick adoption of the new form factor.
Apple has filed final terms with the SEC for a $7.5 billion bond sale, slightly larger than the $7 billion initially reported, after investor demand reportedly topped $30 billion. The offering spans seven series maturing between 2028 and 2036, including two floating-rate tranches and five fixed-rate tranches with interest rates ranging from 4.65% to 5.35%. Apple expects roughly $7.47 billion in net proceeds after fees.
Android Authority's review of the Apple Watch Series 12 finds the device largely unchanged in size and design from the Series 10 and 11, with incremental upgrades to battery charging, sensors, and health features. The 46mm aluminum model starts at $449, with a 42mm version from $399, and the watch remains iPhone-exclusive. The reviewer concludes software, performance, and display quality remain strong, but says competing smartwatches have now matched or exceeded some of Apple's capabilities.
Researcher Derik Kauffman discovered a hidden list of over 100,000 words and phrases blocked from iOS autocomplete and swipe-typing across major languages, and published it online. The list includes slurs, sexual and drug terms, but also political phrases like 'dictator Trump,' 'sleepy Joe,' and 'covid was a hoax,' plus inconsistencies such as blocking 'bad girl' but not 'bad boy.' Kauffman extracted the list from a hash table buried in iOS using AI coding tools, and another researcher independently verified the findings; Apple told Reuters the keyboard avoids suggesting potentially offensive terms but doesn't stop users from typing them manually.
Google has begun rolling out a "Notify when left behind" feature for item trackers within its Find Hub Android app, according to 9to5Google. Users can enable the toggle per-tag in settings, and the app automatically excludes the Home address saved in a user's Google Account from triggering alerts. The feature is currently live for item trackers in the US and Europe but not yet for devices like headphones.
Apple TV has released the first two episodes of 'Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook,' an eight-episode unscripted series starring and executive-produced by Nora Lum. The show follows Awkwafina, who grew up in her family's Cantonese restaurant Lum's in Flushing, New York, as she travels the country learning to cook with help from chefs and restaurateurs. New episodes will continue through December 18.
Apple has released a support document detailing how the newly reintroduced illuminated Apple logo on the MacBook Pro's lid works, including a terminal command for users who want to switch it off entirely. The logo, powered by software with per-device calibration, automatically adjusts brightness based on screen settings and ambient light detected by the laptop's sensor.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new AI-powered image expansion feature, letting users expand photos beyond their original borders within the app's drawing editor using Meta AI. The tool is currently limited to select TestFlight beta testers and some users on the public iOS app, and also works with status updates.