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Apple's latest iOS 27.2 beta introduces three changes: granular settings to enable or disable specific Messages 'Suggestions' like calendar and reminder prompts, two new Home app options for smart locks covering auto-lock timing and door-left-open alerts, and a visual overhaul of the Music app that replaces its red branding with black-and-white icons and blue tab accents.
Apple has temporarily taken the Apple Store offline as it prepares to open preorders for the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, at 5 AM Eastern Time. The device launches October 23 with a 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch outer display, A20 Pro chip, Touch ID instead of Face ID, and pricing starting at $1999, alongside iOS 27.1 software built for the folding form factor.
Apple's iOS 18.2 update introduced a Categories feature in the Mail app that automatically sorts incoming messages into Primary, Transactions, Updates and Promotions tabs. The feature is enabled by default, but users can turn it off to restore the app's previous single-inbox layout, and can manually reassign emails that land in the wrong category.
Apple released version 4.5 of its Apple Sports app, adding coverage for five soccer competitions: Brazilian Serie B, English League One, English League Two, Norwegian Eliteserien, and the UEFA Nations League. The update also improves Live Activities so users can see key game statistics during breaks in play across supported leagues.
9to5Mac's daily podcast roundup for October 14, 2026 covered recent Apple news, including the Apple Home Collection and the release of the iOS 27.2 beta 4. The episode was sponsored by Backblaze and is distributed through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and an RSS feed.
Apple released version 1.12.1 of its Invites app, adding the ability for hosts to manually add guests and update their RSVP status when confirmations happen outside the app. The update also adds support for an extra-large Home Screen widget introduced with iOS 27, alongside unspecified bug fixes and performance improvements.
Bloomberg reports Apple will launch Apple Intelligence in China in December through an iOS 27.3 update, but the rollout will exclude the new Siri AI assistant and other features unveiled earlier this year. The China version relies on AI models from Alibaba, with guardrails letting regulators approve ongoing updates, while Baidu is helping with search and Siri-related features. In-house image generation tools will be absent and some text-generation features will be restricted in certain apps, though Genmoji is expected to be included.
Apple has released the HomePod mini 2, six years after the original HomePod mini launched. The new speaker introduces Siri AI capabilities—including natural conversation, broader world knowledge and personal context from apps like Messages and email—powered by a new S10 chip, along with a light-up 'Sound Glow' visual feature. The original HomePod mini, which uses an older S5 chip and four microphones versus three in the new model, will not receive Siri AI support.
Tom's Hardware has released a free mobile app for Android and iOS devices, giving readers access to its articles, breaking news alerts, and its Bench benchmark comparison tool. The app includes smart search, personalized feeds, bookmarking, and limited free access to Bench, with full access reserved for Tom's Hardware Premium subscribers.
Apple is testing a new Apple Music app icon in iOS 27.2 beta 4 that replaces the familiar red beamed-eighth-note logo with a black-and-white version, plus an inverted white-on-black variant for dark mode. The redesign also tilts the notes slightly, rounds their shape, adds a subtle drop shadow, and extends to removing red from home-screen widgets and switching the app's internal pink/red tint to blue. It follows an earlier shift to a bolder, lowercase wordmark introduced alongside Apple Music Hall in London.
Apple released developer and public firmware betas, build number 9B5043a, for several AirPods models including AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro 3. The rollout coincided with developer beta 4 of macOS 27.2, iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, and other OS updates. Apple has not disclosed what changes or fixes the new firmware contains.
Apple released iOS 27.2 beta 4 to developers, introducing a redesigned Apple Music app icon that drops color in favor of a white icon with black logo (black with white logo in dark mode). The update also changes the Music app's tab bar to blue for the active tab, switches widgets to black backgrounds, and removes color from Library section listings like Playlists and Albums.