MacRumors

Apple is launching a new Apple Card promotion for ‌Apple Card‌ users, providing the option to earn up to five percent Daily Cash on purchases made from November 6, 2024 to April 30, 2025.

To unlock the Daily Cash back promotion, users will need to spend between $5,000 and $15,000. At $5,000, three percent Daily Cash is unlocked. Spending $10,000 unlocks four percent Daily Cash, and spending $15,000 unlocks five percent Daily Cash.

You will need to spend at least $5,000 to get the bonus, and it is not retroactive, so it will only apply to purchases made after you hit each spending limit.

Apple says that the offer is limited to select ‌Apple Card‌ users who receive a notification about it in the Wallet app. Those eligible who have ‌Apple Card‌ participants will see shared spending count toward the total.

For ‌Apple Card‌ partner stores that already offer three percent cash back, there will be no additional Daily Cash increase until the four percent tier is reached. The Daily Cash bonus is available on up to $50,000 in total purchases.

Apple today updated its website to indicate that the Mac Pro now ships with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable in the box, instead of a USB-C to Lightning cable, and we have learned that the high-end desktop computer now comes with the new USB-C versions of the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard accessories in the box as well.

There are no other changes to the Mac Pro today beyond the Magic accessories and charging cable switching from Lightning to USB-C.

Apple released the current Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip in June 2023, with pricing starting at $5,999 in the United States.

Apple released USB-C versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad accessories alongside the new iMac with the M4 chip earlier today. The accessories are also sold separately in white and black color options.

Update: Hours after this story was published, Apple updated the tech specs for the new iMac to indicate that configurations with the 10-core M4 chip support one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz, not 120Hz. It appears that the original 8K at 120Hz specification in Apple's tech specs was an error. Apple still mentions 8K at 120Hz on its international websites, but those will likely be corrected soon as well.

Original story follows.

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When configured with a 10-core M4 chip, the new iMac announced today supports up to an 8K external display at 120Hz, or up to two 6K displays at 60Hz each. The impressive feat was noted by Vadim Yuryev, co-host of the YouTube channel Max Tech.

This means the latest iMac is the first-ever Mac to support an 8K display at 120Hz, beating out higher-end models like the MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Apple is expected to announce new MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips as early as tomorrow, however, so support for an 8K display at 120Hz could be expanded soon.

Apple doesn't even offer an 8K display with a 120Hz refresh rate — at least not yet. Apple's higher-end Pro Display XDR monitor has a 6K resolution at 60Hz, while its lower-end Studio Display monitor has a 5K resolution at 60Hz.

Does the iMac's external display support hint at future 120Hz versions of the Pro Display XDR or Studio Display? There are no concrete rumors yet.

The previous iMac with the M3 chip supports one external display at up to 6K/60Hz, and this remains true for the latest base model with the 8-core M4 chip.

For more details about the new iMac, read our earlier coverage of Apple's announcement.

In the U.S., pricing for the iMac with a 10-core M4 chip starts at $1,499.

The iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates that Apple started testing last week are set to be released to the public this December, Apple said today in a newsroom article highlighting Apple Intelligence capabilities.

"New ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features will be available in December," reads Apple's article. The update will add the first image generation features, including Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand, plus it includes ChatGPT integration with Siri and new, more flexible Writing Tools options. For iPhone 16 users, the iOS 18.2 update adds visual intelligence, which uses Camera Control to identify and provide additional information about objects and places.

iOS 18.2 will also see ‌Apple Intelligence‌ gain support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK in addition to U.S. English.

As of right now, iOS 18.2 and its sister updates are available to developers for testing, but Apple will likely make a public beta available at some point. A December release gives Apple approximately a month and a half to test the new feature set, depending on the planned release date.

Apple's .2 updates are typically released in December during the same general timeframe, so if Apple sticks to that, we could see a launch on December 9th or 10th, well ahead of the holiday period.

• iOS 17.2: December 11
• iOS 16.2: December 13
• iOS 15.2: December 13

After iOS 18.2, Apple will start testing iOS 18.3. That update is likely to come out at some point in January or February, and it will be followed by iOS 18.4 in April.

Apple said today that it plans to bring ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to the iPhone and iPad in the European Union in April, plus we are awaiting other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features like Priority Notifications, and ‌Siri‌ features that include onscreen awareness, personal context, and the ability to take new actions in and across apps.

Customers who install iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 on a device capable of supporting ‌Apple Intelligence‌ can try out Writing Tools, Smart Replies summaries, and other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features as of today.

Apple introduced a new iMac today with the M4 chip and more, but that's not all, as it still has two more Mac announcements planned this week.

"This is a huge week for the Mac, and this morning, we begin a series of three exciting new product announcements that will take place over the coming days," said Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, in a video announcing the new iMac.

Based on rumors, those two announcements are very likely to be new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chip options, along with a redesigned, smaller Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chip options and two front-facing USB-C ports. Just like the new iMac today, press releases and YouTube videos for the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models are likely on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

Below, we reiterate what to expect from the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models.

MacBook Pro

Apple is expected to announce new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, including an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

No major external design changes have been rumored for the laptops this year, with improvements such as an OLED display and thinner design not expected until 2026 at the earliest. However, the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to gain an additional Thunderbolt port compared to the current model, based on alleged leaks earlier this month. Those same leaks revealed that the MacBook Pro lineup might finally start with 16GB of RAM, instead of 8GB, which was rumored even before the leaks happened. As another clue, the new iMac has a minimum of 16GB of RAM for all configurations.

Apple last redesigned the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2021, and the latest models with the M3 family of chips were released last October.

Mac mini

The next Mac mini is expected to be available with M4 and M4 Pro chip options. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the next Mac mini to be smaller, making it closer in size to an Apple TV, and he said that the computer will gain two front-facing USB-C ports. All in all, the Mac mini is expected to receive its biggest redesign since 2010.

Like the new iMac, the next Mac mini could also start with 16GB of RAM, instead of 8GB.

The new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models will likely be available to pre-order starting this week, and they are expected to launch in November. The new iMac became available to pre-order today, and it launches on Friday, November 8.

Apple has been gradually transitioning its products from Lightning to USB-C in recent years. This trend continued today with Apple updating the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad accessories for the Mac with USB-C charging ports. The accessories have no other changes, meaning the Magic Mouse's charging port is still on the bottom.

For the time being, Apple is continuing to sell a Lightning version of the Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad, but it lacks a Touch ID button. Apple has yet to release a USB-C version of this particular Magic Keyboard.

The list of Apple devices and accessories that are still sold with either a Lightning port or a Lightning connector is now quite small:

• iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE
• First-generation Apple Pencil
• Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad (No Touch ID)

A new iPhone SE with a USB-C port is rumored to launch next year, while the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus should be discontinued next September.

With the launch of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple is going all in on promoting Apple Intelligence. Today's iMac announcement was heavily focused on the Mac's ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features, and Apple has also shared two new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ads.

Apple's first ad shows off Writing Tools, featuring an office worker who sends an email and uses the "Professional" rewriting feature to make it sound less casual. The well-crafted email impresses his boss.

The second ad features a woman who forgot it was her husband's birthday, so she whips up a quick Memory Movie slideshow on her iPhone as a gift.

Both Writing Tools and Memory Movies in the Photos app are new features that are available on devices running iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1. The updates launched to the public today.

Apple plans to roll out Apple Intelligence features to iPhone and iPad users in the European Union starting in April 2025, according to information included in today's ‌Apple Intelligence‌ announcement in European countries.

Apple's newsroom post confirms that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features will roll out beginning in April, with users gaining access to Writing Tools, Genmoji, a redesigned version of Siri, and more.

Mac users in the EU can access Apple Intelligence in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. In April, Apple Intelligence features will start to roll out to iPhone and iPad users in the EU. This will include many of the core features of Apple Intelligence, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, a redesigned Siri with richer language understanding, ChatGPT integration, and more.

As of right now, EU Mac users can access ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features with macOS Sequoia 15.1, as long as the language on the device is set to U.S. English. Apple has restricted the launch of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities for the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ in order to work out "regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act."

Apple in June said that it would delay ‌Apple Intelligence‌, ‌iPhone‌ Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing until it was able to determine how to make the features compatible with the European Union's competition rules.

‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users in the European Union who have a U.S. App Store ID are able to use Apple Intelligence with the Language and Region on the device set to U.S. English. In a December iOS 18.2 update, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will offer localized English in Ireland, as well as in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K.

It is worth noting that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support in European countries will likely come in an update to iOS 18, and the timing is right for iOS 18.4. Rumors suggest that iOS 18.4 will be a major update that brings improvements to ‌Siri‌, including personal context and the ability for the personal assistant to do more in and across apps.

To introduce the new M4 iMac models today, Apple didn't hold a standard event, but the company did record a short keynote video to go through all of the machine's new features.

The announcement is themed just like one of Apple's full pre-recorded event videos, starting with a view of Apple Park that zooms in to Apple executives highlighting the M4 ‌iMac‌'s capabilities and once again walking through Apple Intelligence. The first four minutes of the video cover ‌Apple Intelligence‌, so skip to 4:40 if you just want to watch the bit about the ‌iMac‌.

Apple has three videos to share this week, so we can expect additional M4 Mac product announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday. We are also expecting Apple to release new M4 MacBook Pro models and M4 Mac mini models with a new design.

Pricing on the new ‌iMac‌ starts at $1,299, and pre-orders began today. A launch will follow on November 8.

Apple's third Apple silicon iMac gains the M4 chip alongside a range of other small but notable improvements, so how does the new machine compare to its two predecessors?

The 2021 ‌iMac‌ was the first of its kind to feature an Apple silicon chip, replacing previous Intel-based models with 21.5- and 27-inch displays. It offered an all-new ultra-thin design, a 24-inch Retina display, a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers, and an array of seven two-tone color options. The 2023 model was a minor update that added the M3 chip and specification updates like Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. One year later, the latest, M4 version of the device looks like a much more substantial upgrade, offering a dramatically more powerful Neural Engine, 16GB of memory as standard, a 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage, USB-C accessories, and a nano-texture display option.

The 2021 and 2023 iMacs have now been discontinued by Apple and prices at third-party resellers are falling. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to pick up a 2021 or 2023 ‌iMac‌ instead of the latest model, while some existing ‌iMac‌ users may be wondering if it's now time to upgrade to the M4 model.

The three Apple silicon ‌iMac‌ models share the overwhelming majority of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the first- or second-generation models to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the 2024 ‌iMac‌ brings to the table.

‌iMac‌ (2021)	‌iMac‌ (2023)	‌iMac‌ (2024)
M1 chip (made with TSMC's 5nm (N5) process)	M3 chip (made with TSMC's 3nm (N3) process)	M4 chip (made with TSMC's enhanced ‌3nm‌ (N3E) process)
3.20 GHz maximum CPU clock speed	4.05 GHz maximum CPU clock speed	4.30 GHz maximum CPU clock speed
16 billion transistors	25 billion transistors	28 billion transistors
8-core CPU	8- or 10-core CPU	8- or 10-core CPU
7- or 8-core GPU	8- or 10-core GPU	8- or 10-core GPU
	Updated GPU architecture	Updated GPU architecture with improved efficiency
	Dynamic Caching	Dynamic Caching
	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
	Hardware-accelerated mesh shading	Hardware-accelerated mesh shading
Video decode engine	Higher-bandwidth video decode engine	Higher-bandwidth video decode engine
Hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC	Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW	Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
	ProRes encode and decode engine	ProRes encode and decode engine
	Support for AV1 decode	Support for AV1 decode
LPDDR4X memory	LPDDR5 memory	LPDDR5X memory
68.25GB/s memory bandwidth	100GB/s memory bandwidth	120GB/s memory bandwidth
8GB or 16GB unified memory	8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory	16GB, 24GB, or 32GB unified memory
16-core Neural Engine, 11 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 18 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second
1080p FaceTime HD camera	1080p ‌FaceTime‌ HD camera	12-megapixel camera
		Center Stage with support for Desk View
Image signal processor (ISP)	"New" image signal processor (ISP)	"New" image signal processor (ISP)
		Nano-texture display option
		Dedicated display engine
Support for up to one external display	Support for up to one external display	Support for up to two external displays
3.5mm headphone jack	3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones	3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones
Up to two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and two USB 3 ports	Up to two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and two USB 3 ports	Up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports
Wi-Fi 6	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Available in Silver, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue	Available in Silver, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue	Available in Silver, as well as new shades of Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue
Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Magic Trackpad with Lightning port	Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Magic Trackpad with Lightning port	Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Magic Trackpad with USB-C port

The 2024 ‌iMac‌ with the M4 chip marks a much more substantial upgrade compared to the 2021 and 2023 models. Key improvements such as the significantly more powerful Neural Engine for AI and machine learning tasks, increased standard memory of 16GB, 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage, and support for USB-C accessories make it an appealing choice for future-proofing. Performance-wise, it delivers a meaningful boost, especially for those upgrading from the ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ or older Intel-based iMacs, where Apple claims up to 6x faster performance than the most popular Intel ‌iMac‌.

For ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ users, the M4 model could be worth considering if they require enhanced performance or a richer set of features, such as hardware-accelerated ray tracing, nano-texture display option, or simply a better webcam. However, M3 ‌iMac‌ users may find fewer incentives to upgrade, as the performance gap between M3 and M4 is good but not as significant in daily use unless the system is pushed to the limit. The M3 ‌iMac‌ is built to handle demanding tasks and will remain relevant for several more years, but ‌M1‌ ‌iMac‌ users may want to begin considering an upgrade.

Starting at $1,299, the new ‌iMac‌ remains a solid investment for those looking for a device with longevity, a robust array of features, and meaningful upgrades over the original ‌M1‌ model or older Intel machines. However, if you have basic needs and find a discounted 2023 ‌iMac‌, this could still offer good value, though the M4 will better meet the needs of those seeking higher performance, better features, and a more forward-looking setup.

Apple today updated its Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad accessories for the Mac with USB-C charging ports, but the accessories have no other external design changes. Yes, that means the Magic Mouse's charging port is still located on the bottom of the mouse, despite the switch from Lightning to USB-C.

The position of the charging port on the Magic Mouse has been the subject of a meme on social media since 2015, as it means the mouse cannot be used while it is charging in an upside-down position, but Apple is clearly unfazed.

The augmented reality view of the new iMac on Apple's website confirms the bottom position of the USB-C port on the updated Magic Mouse, as shown above.

Apple includes the updated Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard in the box with the iMac, and the Magic Trackpad is an optional upgrade. The USB-C versions of the accessories are also sold separately in white and black color options.

Apple today released new iMac models, and while there are few external changes with the exception of some color tweaks, Apple made several internal updates to the machine. The inclusion of the next-generation M4 chip is the biggest update, but the ports have also seen improvement.

For the M4 ‌iMac‌ models with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, all four of the USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 transfer speeds of up to 40Gb/s. The prior-generation M3 ‌iMac‌ with four ports had two Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-3 ports.

The 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU models only have two ports, but both of those are Thunderbolt 4. All of the USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports also support USB 4 and USB 3.1 Gen 2.

Pricing on the ‌iMac‌ starts at $1,299 for the 8-core CPU/GPU version, while the 10-core CPU/GPU models with four ports are priced starting at $1,499. Apple is accepting pre-orders for the new M4 ‌iMac‌ models as of today.

Apple's new iMac models are available with a nano-texture display option for the first time since the product line switched to Apple silicon.

First introduced with the Pro Display XDR in 2019, nano-texture glass is etched at a nanometer scale, which is meant to preserve image quality while scattering ambient light to cut down on glare. It is the most matte display type that Apple makes, and Apple claims that it is useful for high-end, color-managed workflows or demanding ambient lighting environments.

The expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display on iMac is its highest-rated feature, and for the first time, it's available with a nano-texture glass option that drastically reduces reflections and glare, while maintaining outstanding image quality. With nano-texture glass, users can place iMac in even more spaces, such as a sun-drenched living room or bright storefront.

The 2020 27-inch Intel-based iMac was available with a nano-texture display option prior to its discontinuation, so the new ‌iMac‌ marks the first time that the feature has been available with the Apple silicon version of the device. The new ‌iMac‌'s nano-texture glass is a build-to-order option that costs $200, configurable at the point of purchase. It is now available across the Pro Display XDR, Studio Display, and iPad Pro.

Apple has equipped its just-announced M4-powered iMac with 16GB of Unified Memory as standard, up from 8GB of RAM in the previous model. The new iMac starts at $1,299.

As rumored, Apple has upped the base memory configuration of at least one of its latest Macs. It is the first time that the company has offered the ultra-thin all-in-one desktop computer with a minimum of 16GB of memory.

All of Apple's upcoming new Macs this year are likely to have at least 16GB of RAM pre-installed as standard, breaking a years-long tradition of Apple offering just 8GB of RAM in most of its base Macs and forcing customers to pay out an extra $200+ for additional memory.

The new iMac is available in a range of new colors, and the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display offers a new nano-texture glass option. The iMac also features a new 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, up to 32GB of Unified Memory, and color-matched accessories that include USB-C.

The new iMac is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, November 8. Apple is expected to announce new MacBook Pro models and a new redesigned Mac mini later this week.

Apple today released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, the first major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 come six weeks after the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.

The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

Apple Intelligence is the main draw in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, and some of the first ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features are available on the iPhone 15 Pro, ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPad with an M-series or A17 Pro chip. Note that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is launching in a beta capacity, and there will be a short waitlist initially. To opt in to ‌Apple Intelligence‌, you'll need to open up the Settings app, go to ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and Siri, and toggle it on.

There are multiple ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available:

• Writing Tools - You can use Writing Tools for proofreading text, rewriting what you've written, and getting summaries.
• Siri - ‌Siri‌ has a new look, a Type to ‌Siri‌ feature, and Apple product knowledge for answering support-related questions. ‌Siri‌ can also maintain better context between requests and keep up if you stumble over your words.
• Summaries and Smart Replies - In Mail and Messages, there are summarize and Smart Reply features, and for all apps, you'll get notification summaries. In Safari, you can get summaries of webpages, and you can also get summaries of transcripts in the Notes app, including from phone calls.
• Photos - Photos has "Clean Up" for removing unwanted objects, and Memory Movie for creating slideshows from your images with just a phrase.
• Focus - There's a Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that only shows you important notifications that need your attention.

For more on all of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available today, we have a dedicated guide.

There are also other new additions in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which will be of particular interest to those who do not have an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ device.

Apple has refined Control Center so you can now split out more connectivity controls, access the Measure app, and more, plus you can record phone calls. To record a call, just tap the button in the left hand corner while the call is in progress. Everyone will be notified, and it'll be added to the Notes app, where you'll get a transcript of what was said.

NFC access is being opened up to third-party apps, allowing for all kinds of new capabilities, including contactless payments that aren't Apple Pay. Apple's full release notes for iOS 18.1 are available below.

Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)

Writing Tools
- Writing Tools are available nearly everywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in
- Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best
- Proofread lets you view suggested improvements to what you’re writing, like grammar fixes and language refinements
- Summarize allows you to select text wherever you’re writing and generate a high-quality summary

Siri
- A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while you talk to Siri
- Type to Siri when you don’t want to speak a request out loud by double tapping at the bottom of the screen
- Richer language understanding enables Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence
- Conversational context is maintained over the course of a session, so you can refer more naturally to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response
- Product knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings on your Apple products
- Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive, and clear

Photos
- Photos search lets you find photos and videos simply by describing what you’re looking for
- Clean Up removes distractions in your photos
- Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see

Notifications
- Notification summaries make it easy to catch up on your notifications with a glanceable summary of the most important information
- Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while silencing potential distractions

- Smart Reply in Mail and Messages help you quickly respond to messages with suggested responses
- Priority messages in Mail understands the content of your messages and prioritizes those that require your attention, displaying them at the top of your inbox
- Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently created summary of the transcript from your audio recording or call recording

Phone
- Call recordings and transcriptions let you record live calls and transcribe them in the Notes app, with an automatic announcement that the call is being recorded

Camera
- Camera Control can quickly switch to the front TrueDepth Camera (iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)
- Spatial photo capture, along with spatial video capture, is available in a new Spatial camera mode (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)

AirPods
- Hearing Test feature provides scientifically-validated hearing test results from the comfort of home (intended for users 18 years or older)
- Hearing Aid feature provides personalized, clinical-grade assistance that is automatically applied to sounds in your environment as well as music, videos, and calls (intended for users 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss)
- Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada)
- Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions, for more information visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Control Center has new options to add connectivity controls individually and reset your configuration
- RCS Business Messaging lets you connect with businesses over RCS (requires carrier support)
- App Store search lets you use natural language to find what you’re looking for more easily
- Game Center friend invites can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions, and receivers can see the invites in the inbox in Settings
- Fixes an issue in Podcasts where unplayed episodes are marked as played
- Fixes an issue where videos recorded at 4K 60 while the device is warm could experience stutter while scrubbing the video playback in Photos
- Fixes an issue where digital car keys may not unlock or start a vehicle with passive entry after restoring from a backup or transferring directly from another iPhone
- Fixes an issue where iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models may unexpectedly restart

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

Note that some ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features like Genmoji, Image Playground, and the much smarter ‌Siri‌ won't be coming until later.

Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.1, the first update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia comes six weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.

Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings.

macOS Sequoia 15.1 introduces the first Apple Intelligence features for Macs that are equipped with an M-series chip. Not all ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features are available, but the update includes support for Writing Tools, a new Siri design, AI-powered Focus modes, smart replies, and summaries.

Writing Tools can be used across the operating system wherever text can be selected and edited, and the feature supports spell checking, correcting grammar, rewriting your work with a new tone, and summarizing text.

‌‌Siri‌‌ has been updated with a new design that includes a subtle glow around the display, and Type to ‌‌Siri‌‌ means you don't have to speak to ‌‌Siri‌‌ to get answers. ‌‌Siri‌‌‌ can follow along if you stumble over your words, and can maintain context between requests. Safari can summarize articles, and there's a new Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that intelligently highlights only important notifications.

Smart replies are available in Messages and Mail, plus the Mail app surfaces priority time sensitive messages and puts them at the top of your inbox. Photos has a Memory Movie feature for creating slideshows based on text descriptions, and there is a Clean Up tool for unwanted objects in your photos. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.

This update introduces the first set of features powered by Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that unlocks powerful new ways to communicate, work, and express yourself, all while protecting your data with an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. This release also includes drag and drop support for iPhone Mirroring and other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.

Apple Intelligence (Mac with M1 and later)

Writing Tools
- Writing Tools are available nearly everywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you're working in
- Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best
- Proofread lets you view suggested improvements to what you're writing, like grammar fixes and language refinements
- Summarize allows you to select text wherever you're writing and generate a high-quality summary

Siri
- A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while you talk to Siri
- Type to Siri when you don't want to speak a request out loud
- Richer language understanding enables Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence
- Conversational context is maintained over the course of a session, so you can refer more naturally to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response
- Product knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings on your Apple products
- Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive, and clear

Photos
- Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see
- Photos search lets you find photos and videos simply by describing what you're looking for
- Clean Up removes distractions in your photos

Notifications
- Notification summaries make it easy to catch up on your notifications with a glanceable summary of the most important information
- Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while silencing potential distractions

Additional Features
- Smart Reply in Mail and Messages help you quickly respond to messages with suggested responses
- Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently created summary of the transcript from your audio recording

iPhone Mirroring
- Drag and drop support lets you seamlessly move files, photos, videos, and more between your Mac and iPhone

AirPods
- Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada)
- Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions, for more information visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Option to automatically download and install games and apps to an external disk drive
- Game Center friend invites can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions and receivers can see the invites in the inbox in Settings

More information on all of the new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features in macOS Sequoia 15.1 can be found in our Apple Intelligence guide.

Apple today released watchOS 11.1, the first major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.1 comes one month after Apple released watchOS 11. watchOS 11.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.

watchOS 11.1 can be downloaded on an iPhone running iOS 18.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 11.1 adds improvements and bug fixes, including a fix for an issue with writing breathing disturbances data to HealthKit for some users.

More of the features available in watchOS 11 can be found in our watchOS 11 roundup.

Apple today released tvOS 18.1, the newest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 18.1 comes over a month after Apple released tvOS 18, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD models.

tvOS 18.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 18.1 automatically.

tvOS updates are often minor in scale, and tvOS 18.1 doesn't seem to be an exception.

Apple still hasn't added the 21:9 aspect ratio for projectors or the new Snoopy screensavers that it promised at WWDC, but those features were not in tvOS 18.1 during the beta testing process, and we don't know what's new.

Apple shares release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each new version of tvOS comes out, so that should give us some insight into what's included in tvOS 18.1.