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Tech News
The Information reports Apple is working on a higher-end smart home display, codenamed J595 and possibly branded HomeView Ultra, with a 9-inch screen mounted on a robotic arm that swivels to track users during video calls. The device is said to be planned for a 2027 announcement with shipments beginning in 2028, priced around $1,000. This follows Apple's first HomeView smart display, a $299 7-inch panel launching next week.
Apple has released Siri Recap and Live Rewind for Apple Watch, two always-listening features first unveiled two months ago. Both features require users to opt in before they become active.
Retailers including Amazon and Apple's refurbished store are running discounts across several Apple and Beats products, including AirPods Pro 3 at over 20% off, Apple Watch Ultra 4 models near $100 off, M5 MacBook Air up to $200 off, and the M5 Max Mac Studio at a $200 discount. Beats 360 headphones and a Beats USB-C cable are also at their lowest prices tracked so far.
Apple's watchOS 27.3 developer beta introduces two Audio Intelligence features for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4: Live Rewind, which shows a transcript of the last 15 seconds of audio, and Siri Recap, which summarizes conversations. Both features require opting in through the iPhone's Watch app, are off by default, and Live Rewind needs an initial microphone calibration before use.
Apple's fourth-quarter results, marking the close of its fiscal 2026 year, showed record revenue and robust iPhone sales that topped Wall Street forecasts. Despite the strong performance, the company's stock fell after it issued a cautionary outlook for the coming months.
Apple's iOS 27.2 update splits the Podcasts app's Up Next queue into separate 'New Episodes' and 'Continue Playing' sections. The update also enhances Shared Albums in Photos, adding caption and comment editing, duplicate photo detection, and expiration reminders.
Bear, the notes app built by three friends in 2013 and launched on the App Store in 2016, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this November. The company highlighted milestones including Apple's Mac App of the Year award, a 2017 Apple Design Award, the Bear 2 relaunch with a rebuilt editor, and an upcoming full release of Bear Web following its public beta.
Apple told developers it will require apps offering dating, romantic relationship features, or AI companions with sexual or romantic content to carry an 18+ age rating. Starting November 16, developers must add content descriptors so app ratings reflect these features, and apps sharing users' real-world locations with others must also disclose that functionality. Apple noted Brazilian apps offering family location-sharing can seek a special rating from the government instead of the standard A16 label.
On Apple's quarterly earnings call, CEO John Ternus said the newly shipped Siri AI features are just a starting point, with 'so much more' planned. He noted Siri currently works on a 'request-based' model built on an orchestrator-driven architecture that leaves room to add agentic capabilities, provided Apple can ensure user awareness, security and privacy.
Apple has released an eighth-generation iPad mini featuring an A20 Pro chip and an OLED screen, according to a review of the device. The reviewer describes it as the smallest iPad in Apple's lineup and calls it well-suited for portable use.
Apple's updated iPad mini keeps a similar design but slims down, with an 8.5-inch screen, reduced thickness and weight, and a new OLED display offering 1,200 nits peak HDR brightness and 600 nits SDR brightness. The tablet now comes only in midnight and starlight color options, and features a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio compared to roughly 1000:1 on the prior LCD model.
Apple's redesigned iPad Mini now features an 8.5-inch Tandem OLED Super Retina XDR display, up slightly from the prior model but in similar overall dimensions. It reaches 600 nits SDR and 1,200 nits HDR brightness, lacks the 120Hz refresh rate found on the iPad Pro, and offers an optional $100 nano-texture glass finish. Apple also trimmed the color lineup to two options, Starlight and a new navy-blue Midnight.