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MacRumors

Samsung is Starting to Catch Up to Apple on Hearing Health‎

Samsung today said its Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature has been cleared by the U.S. FDA, which means hearing aid capabilities will be coming to the Galaxy Buds in the fourth quarter of 2026. Samsung will join Apple in offering over-the-counter hearing aid functionality. Apple added an FDA-cleared hearing health feature to the AirPods back in 2024, allowing them to be used as a clinical-grade hearing aid. Like the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds can replace a hearing aid for mild to moderate hearing loss, and Samsung is introducing a Hearing Test option like Apple did. Galaxy Buds users can do a self-administered hearing test in five minutes and the resulting clinical-grade audiogram can be used to adjust the built-in Hearing Aid feature. The Galaxy Buds will amplify the sounds users have difficulty hearing, like high frequencies or whispers, which is also how the AirPods work. Noise elimination and beamforming also help Galaxy Buds users by focusing on the sounds in front of the user and suppressing background noise. Samsung says it worked with the National Acoustic Laboratories and Samsung Medical Center to develop the hearing aid feature set. Hearing Aid features will be available on the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds4 Pro. A newer Samsung Galaxy smartphone that supports One UI 8 or later is required. After introducing hearing aid features in the U.S. in iOS 18.1, Apple has expanded availability to over 150 countries and regions. Apple had a two-year head start, but Samsung is now starting to catch up with a Galaxy Buds hearing health option that matches most of what the AirPods can do.Tag: SamsungThis article, "Samsung is Starting to Catch Up to Apple on Hearing Health" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

03:09
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Sonos Preparing AirPods Max Rival With Voice Assistant Support‎

Sonos is working on an upgraded version of its Ace headphones that will support AI, reports Bloomberg. The Sonos Ace Ultra showed up in an FCC filing earlier this week, with the product likely set to debut in September. Sonos debuted the original Sonos Ace in 2024. Reviews praised the sound quality and active noise cancellation, but the headphone market is crowded, and Sonos' product launched shortly after its disastrous app redesign. The headphones also didn't fully integrate with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, making them unappealing to Sonos users. Sonos ended up selling around 200,000 units, well below the internal one-million target it set. Bloomberg suggests the new model will kick off Sonos' push into artificial intelligence. The headphones could support voice commands based on info in the filing, allowing them to be used with AI chatbots from third-party companies. Sonos CEO Tom Conrad said last month that AI will be an area of focus, with "conversational computing and predictive intelligence moving into the home." The headphones will come in Greige, Shadow Black, Agave, Blush, and Sand, according to the FCC filing, but little else is known about them because most of the filing was redacted. The original Sonos Ace were priced at $449 at launch and were competitive with the AirPods Max. The headphones had an over-ear design similar to the AirPods Max, and the same general feature set. Apple does not have a new version of the AirPods Max coming anytime soon, so the second-generation Sonos Ace headphones will still be pitted against the original AirPods Max design.Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2Tag: SonosBuyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "Sonos Preparing AirPods Max Rival With Voice Assistant Support" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

02:04
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Satechi Launches 240W ChargeView Desktop Charger With Six USB-C Ports‎

Satechi today launched the ChargeView 240W Desktop Charger, a successor to the 140W ChargeView released last year. The ChargeView 240W can power multiple devices at one time, splitting 240W across six USB-C ports. The ChargeView 240W has an LCD display that shows the live wattage of all ports that are in use. The C1 and C2 ports offer up to 140W each, while ports C3 and C4 can deliver up to 100W each. The final two ports offer up to 30W. These are maximum power levels, and actual wattage will vary based on how many ports are used at one time. If all six ports are in use, power would be split 70W/70W/30W/30W/20W/20W. Satechi is offering the ChargeView in Space Black, and it has a metallic matte finish with a glossy display cover. The Space Black shade is meant to complement Apple devices like the MacBook Pro and Studio Display. There is an included stand that allows the ChargeView to be used in horizontal or vertical orientation on a desktop. The ChargeView uses GaN technology so it is compact, and it has no fan, so it operates silently. Satechi notes that the device will redistribute power when a new device is plugged in, so there can be a momentary interruption in charging. The ChargeView 240W can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Amazon for $149.99.Tag: SatechiThis article, "Satechi Launches 240W ChargeView Desktop Charger With Six USB-C Ports" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

01:39
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Apple Extends 2026 Back to School Promotion Until September 24‎

Apple today extended its 2026 Back to School Promotion until September 24, which means it will last almost a month longer than planned. The extension is applicable in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and multiple countries in Asia. The Back to School promotion offers a free item or gift card when students or educators purchase an eligible Mac or iPad model, plus an educational discount. In the United States, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand, Apple is offering a gift card with purchase. In the U.S., that includes a $150 gift card when purchasing a MacBook Pro or a $100 gift card when purchasing a MacBook Air, iPad Pro, or iPad Air. In China, Singapore, and Vietnam, customers can get a pack of four AirTags with the purchase of select devices, while customers in India can get a pack of four AirTags, AirPods 4, or Apple Pencil Pro depending on the device bought. The MacBook Neo, iPad mini, entry-level ‌iPad‌, desktop Macs, and iPhones are excluded from the promotion. UNiDAYS verification is required to make a purchase. Apple previously planned to end its Back to School promotion on August 27.Tag: Back to School PromotionThis article, "Apple Extends 2026 Back to School Promotion Until September 24" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

00:03
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Grok Bot Brings Always-On AI Agents to macOS and iOS‎

Elon Musk's SpaceXAI today announced the launch of Grok Bot, a "team of always-on agents" that can complete tasks using tools, websites, and apps. Grok Bot can work in the cloud, so jobs keep running when your laptop is closed. The feature is tied to Cursor, the AI coding company that SpaceX is acquiring for $60 billion. Grok subscribers can send a message to a bot from their phone or desktop app using natural language. SpaceXAI says that while other tools may require building workflows and routines, Grok Bot gets a task done with a chat. It is able to sign into websites (even those with no API), but SpaceXAI hasn't given details on how authentication works. Multiple bots can be used in parallel, with one managing others and specialists for different tasks. Bots can join a group chat where they can coordinate on their own, passing work, assigning ownership, and only drawing in the user for judgment calls. Users can teach Grok Bot a workflow. It watches as a task is completed, saves the routine, and then can run it solo the next time by following the same steps. SpaceXAI says bots learn over time and can eventually start working "before you need to ask." There are several Grok Bot examples on the SpaceXAI website, like a sales bot updating the CRM with call transcript notes, an ops bot onboarding new hires and processing invoices in Gmail, and an engineering bot reproducing a bug in the product UI, filing a ticket, and handing the fix task off to a debugging bot. Grok Bot is in beta and available for SuperGrok Heavy, Cursor Ultra, and Cursor Teams Premium subscribers on macOS and iOS. Enterprise users can join a waitlist for future access.Tags: Elon Musk, GrokThis article, "Grok Bot Brings Always-On AI Agents to macOS and iOS" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

23:41
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Apple Can't Delay App Store Fee Fight While Waiting on Supreme Court‎

Apple has again failed to earn a stay for fee calculations in its ongoing legal fight with Epic Games. Apple's case will be heard by the Supreme Court in the term that begins in October, and Apple asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to pause proceedings until then, but the court said no. Apple now has 24 hours to give the court an outline of the fees it wants to charge developers for using alternative payment options and linking out to purchase options on the web. ‌Epic Games‌ will then be able to give a legal analysis of Apple's fee proposal, and the court will decide what's reasonable. Apple's stay was denied! Now they have 24 hours to file their proposed menu of junk fees with The Court, and Epic will have 60 days to file our legal analysis in advance of a court hearing on the topic.— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 11, 2026 Fee calculations are the result of a long, drawn-out dispute between ‌Epic Games‌ and Apple, which started when Epic sued Apple in 2020. Apple largely won the initial legal fight, but was ordered to change its anti-steering rules to let developers link to non-App Store purchase options. Apple complied, but charged a 12 to 27 percent fee that resulted in few developers choosing to use the option. ‌Epic Games‌ accused Apple of violating the court's order and U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers agreed. In April 2025, she found Apple in contempt of court for willfully violating her ruling, and stopped Apple from collecting any fees on links in the U.S. App Store. Apple appealed, and the appeals court upheld the contempt ruling, but said Apple was entitled to reasonable fees for its intellectual property. The appeals court sent the case back to the district court to figure out what a reasonable fee might be. Apple has not been able to collect payment for link-outs since April 2025, and right now, there are no fees. The appeals court ruling that continued to hold Apple in contempt led Apple to appeal to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. Apple sought a pause on the fee calculations because the higher court's decision could undo the contempt ruling, but the appeals court, Supreme Court, and now the district court have denied Apple's pause requests. The court will now determine a fee, and Apple will need to change its ‌App Store‌ rules to comply. The fee that's set in this legal battle could have implications well beyond the United States because Apple told the Supreme Court that regulators around the world are watching to see the outcome.Tags: App Store, Epic Games, Epic Games vs. AppleThis article, "Apple Can't Delay App Store Fee Fight While Waiting on Supreme Court" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

22:26
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Apple Releases New iOS 27 AirPods Firmware for Public Beta Testers‎

Apple today released new AirPods beta firmware available for public testers. The firmware has a build number of 9A5336b, and it is available for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max 2. It is the same as the AirPods beta released for developers last week. In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple is adding a new AirPods interface, a slider for Adaptive mode, and support for custom EQ, so the firmware lets public beta testers use those features. AirPods are also compatible with the new Siri AI. When the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 or later, there is a beta firmware option that can be accessed in the AirPods settings interface. Toggling on beta updates allows users to install the beta firmware. Firmware updates can be downloaded by connecting the AirPods to an Apple device and connecting them to power. It can take a few hours for new firmware to be installed because there is no software update option like there is for other Apple devices.Related Roundups: AirPods 4, iOS 27, iPadOS 27Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)Related Forum: AirPodsThis article, "Apple Releases New iOS 27 AirPods Firmware for Public Beta Testers" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

21:40
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Apple Pay Chief Jennifer Bailey Retiring in October‎

Apple Pay executive Jennifer Bailey is retiring and leaving Apple in October, reports Bloomberg. Bailey has been with Apple since 2003 and has long overseen ‌Apple Pay‌ and Apple Wallet. In an employee memo announcing her departure, Apple's services chief Eddy Cue said Bailey will be available in an advisory role. After more than 25 years at Apple, Jennifer Bailey has decided to retire in October. During her tenure, Jennifer has made extraordinary contributions from leading the Apple Store Online through a period of significant growth and global expansion to overseeing the launch of Apple Pay. Under Jennifer's leadership, Apple Pay has changed the way hundreds of millions of our users pay, with a simpler, more secure, and private experience. She also led the development and growth of Apple Wallet, oversaw the development and launch of Apple Card, and led our work in Services fraud prevention and partner operations, Gift Cards, and Trust and Safety. And those are just a few of her achievements. On a personal note, Jennifer has been an incredible friend and leader, and I will miss working with her. Please join me in thanking Jennifer for her incredible contributions to Apple. Before Jennifer's transition at the end of October, we will announce our succession plan, and Jennifer will continue to be available to support the transition in an advisory role. As we continue to work toward our vision of replacing the physical wallet, I'm more confident than ever in the work that we are all doing and look forward to an exciting future ahead. Bloomberg says Bailey's retirement is "seen as a major loss" for the company. ‌Apple Pay‌ has expanded to more than 80 countries under Bailey's leadership, and Apple says it is accepted at more than 85 percent of retailers in the United States. Bailey is one of several Apple leaders who have retired or are retiring in the near future. Apple general counsel Kate Adams is leaving Apple in late 2026, while environmental chief Lisa Jackson left in early 2026. AI chief John Giannandrea and COO Jeff Williams retired in 2026 and 2025, respectively, and UI design lead Alan Dye departed for Meta in late 2025. Apple CFO Luca Maestri and marketing chief Phil Schiller have taken on smaller roles, and CEO Tim Cook is set to transition to a new role on September 1. Other executives like ‌Eddy Cue‌, Craig Federighi, Deirdre O'Brien, and Greg Joswiak have all been with Apple for decades and are getting closer to retirement age.Related Roundup: Apple PayTag: Jennifer BaileyRelated Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+This article, "Apple Pay Chief Jennifer Bailey Retiring in October" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

21:27
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Amazon Offers AirPods Max 2 for $100 Off in All Five Colors‎

Apple's AirPods Max 2 have hit $449.00 on Amazon this week, down from $549.00. This sale is available in all five colors and it's the best price we've seen on the headphones since June. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Free delivery has the AirPods Max 2 arriving around August 16, but Prime members should see same-day delivery options in many locations. We haven't seen the AirPods Max 2 hit their all-time low price since June, so if you've been waiting for a solid deal, today's your chance to save on the headphones. $100 OFFAirPods Max 2 for $449.00 If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "Amazon Offers AirPods Max 2 for $100 Off in All Five Colors" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

21:15
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Third macOS Golden Gate Public Beta Now Available‎

Apple today released the third public beta of macOS Golden Gate, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its fall release. You can sign up to test the update on Apple's beta website, and then download it by going to System Settings > General > Software Update and toggling on the macOS 27 beta. ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes the same Siri AI features as iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, but you get to ‌Siri‌ through Spotlight with a Command + Space keyboard shortcut. ‌Siri‌ can search the web to answer questions, look through your personal data like photos, emails, and messages to help you find what you're searching for, and complete actions in and between apps. There is a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app, and you can hold ongoing conversations with ‌Siri‌. Apple brought Visual Intelligence to the Mac, so ‌Siri‌ can look at what's on your screen and answer questions about it. The Liquid Glass design introduced last year has been updated, and Apple added a slider for controlling overall system transparency. Liquid Glass opacity has been changed so it better diffuses complex content, and other design changes bring more depth and separation to the UI so it's easier to tell which window is active. Apps now feature uniform toolbars with headings and controls that are easier to read, and windows no longer have such dramatically rounded corners. Sidebars are no longer floating and extend edge-to-edge, plus window positioning is more consistent across external displays. Write with ‌Siri‌ is able to generate text from scratch, correct your grammar, or give you feedback on your writing, and there are new AI editing tools in the Photos app. In Shortcuts, you can create automations with natural language requests, and search has been improved in Mail and Messages. Apple made multiple performance improvements across ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ for a faster, smoother experience even on older Macs. More on the new features in macOS 27 can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.Related Roundup: macOS Golden GateThis article, "Third macOS Golden Gate Public Beta Now Available" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

20:35
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