Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌‌iPhone‌‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iOS 26.2 adds an option to activate an alarm when a reminder is due, an option to change the opacity of the time on the Lock Screen, updated AirDrop functionality, and new features for the Podcasts app. It also brings Live Translation for the AirPods to the EU, and adds support for alternative app stores and other voice assistants in Japan. Apple's release notes for the update are below. For more on the new features in ‌iOS 26‌, we have a dedicated roundup.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26Related Forums: iOS 26, macOS Tahoe This article, "Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft light when you're on a video call in a room with poor lighting. The update also adds alarms for the Reminders app, new podcast features, updated AirDrop settings, and more. Apple's release notes are below.This update introduces Edge Light to illuminate your face during low-light video calls, and includes other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.More information on the features in macOS Tahoe can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.Related Roundup: macOS Tahoe 26Related Forum: macOS Tahoe This article, "Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released tvOS 26.2, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.2 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD models, and it comes a month after Apple released tvOS 26.1. tvOS 26.2 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 26.2 automatically. The tvOS 26.2 update changes the way that profiles work on the ‌Apple TV‌, adding an option to create a profile without an Apple Account. With no need for an Apple Account, profiles can be created for guests and children. For profiles made for children, there is an age-restricted mode that limits the content that kids can access in the ‌Apple TV‌ app. The ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app will only show content that is appropriate for the limits that have been established for the account, and rating options include TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, and more. Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document when new versions are released, so check that out for additional details. Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater This article, "Apple Releases tvOS 26.2 With New TV Profiles, Dedicated Kids Mode" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited. There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory corruption. Apple says that the bugs might have been exploited in an attack against targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to memory corruption. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. One of the WebKit bugs was fixed with improved memory management, while the other was addressed with improved validation. There are several other vulnerabilities that were fixed too, across apps and services. An App Store bug could allow users to access sensitive payment tokens, processing a malicious image file could lead to memory corruption, photos in the Hidden Album could be viewed without authentication, and passwords could be unintentionally removed when remotely controlling a device with FaceTime. Now that these vulnerabilities have been publicized by Apple, even those that were not exploited before might be taken advantage of now. Apple recommends all users update their devices to iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.2 as soon as possible.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26 This article, "Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Rescue operations in Wales, submerged railway lines in Cornwall – these events are ever more common. So why have we utterly failed to prepare, asks Guardian columnist John Harris

Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak today celebrated the fifth anniversary of Apple silicon. The first Macs with Apple's M1 chip were announced on November 10, 2020, and they launched on November 17, 2020, which is five years ago as of today. "Hard to believe it's been five years since Apple silicon transformed the Mac," said Joswiak, in a social media post. "The performance, battery life, new designs, amazing features, and user creativity it unlocked have been remarkable. The impact has been profound, and the Mac has never been better!" After years of rumors, Apple unveiled its plan to transition the entire Mac lineup from Intel processors to its own custom-designed chips at WWDC in June 2020. Later that year saw the release of the first three Mac models powered by Apple silicon, including a 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. Apple had plenty of experience after a decade of making custom iPhone and iPad chips. The company promised, and delivered, industry-leading performance per watt for Macs. This feat allowed it to remove the fan inside the MacBook Air, given the improved power efficiency resulted in less heat being generated in the thin laptop. Apple said macOS Tahoe is the final macOS release that will support Intel-based Macs.Tags: Apple Silicon, Greg Joswiak This article, "Apple Says 'Mac Has Never Been Better' on Fifth Anniversary of M1 Chip Launching" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.

The first preview release of the Swift SDK for Android was published this week, allowing developers to build Android apps in Swift with official tooling and making it easier to share code across iOS and Android. The SDK enables Android apps to be built in Swift using officially supported tooling rather than community workarounds. In June, it was announced that Apple's Swift programming language would be officially extended to support Android app development through the establishment of a dedicated Android Working Group within the Swift open-source project. Android interoperability is handled by swift-java, which can automatically generate bindings between Java and Swift so developers can use Swift code alongside existing Android APIs and Java code. The Swift Package Index now marks packages with Android support and says over 25% of all packages already build on Android, giving developers a base of reusable code. The Swift SDK for Android is already available in nightly preview form bundled with the Swift for Windows installer or as a separate download for Linux and macOS users. A new Getting Started guide with end-to-end setup instructions and a set of example Android projects written in Swift to illustrate complete workflows is also available. The group is preparing a vision document to set future priorities and is tracking progress on a public project board.Tags: Android, Swift This article, "Developers Can Now Make Android Apps With Apple's Swift" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Broadcaster to dedicate Wednesday night schedule to unpicking US president’s false or misleading statements

Following three months of beta testing, iOS 26 will be released today, September 15. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, and it will be available to install via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features included in iOS 26. Even more new features and changes are outlined in Apple's release notes for the update. Some of the features are only available on newer iPhone models. Liquid Glass iOS 26 introduces an all-new Liquid Glass design with translucent menus, buttons, and icons. Apple describes Liquid Glass as "a new translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, bringing greater focus to content, and delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more." Lock Screen Enhancements On iOS 26, the Lock Screen's clock automatically adapts to fill the empty space, and you can view full-screen animated album art for supported Apple Music songs. New iMessage Features Here are some of the key new features and changes in the Messages app on iOS 26: * Backgrounds: You can now add a background to any conversation, and all participants will see it. You can choose from Apple's selection of backgrounds, or you can set any of your own photos as a background. You can turn off conversation backgrounds in the Settings app if desired. * Polls: You can now create polls in group chats, allowing people to vote on topics or questions, such as which restaurant to go to. Apple Intelligence can detect when a poll might come in handy and suggest one. * Apple Cash in group chats: You can now send and receive Apple Cash in group chats. * Typing indicators in group chats: You can now see who is typing in group chats. * "Add Contact" button in group chats: This button makes it easier to add people to the Contacts app in group chats. * "Select" option: When you tap and hold on a message bubble, a new "Select" option appears. Tapping on it allows you to select a portion of text in a message, whereas you could previously only copy an entire message. * Unknown sender screening: When turned on, this setting automatically moves messages from unknown senders to the Unknown Senders folder, and hides notifications for them until you accept them. Call Screening and Hold Assist iOS 26 adds a couple of useful features to the Phone app: Call Screening and Hold Assist. Call Screening is an opt-in setting that asks unknown callers for their name, and the reason why they are calling. And with Hold Assist, your iPhone can automatically wait on hold for you during a call, and notify you when the agent on the other line is ready. Adaptive Power Mode iOS 26 introduces an Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing Low Power Mode. Apple says Adaptive Power Mode can make "performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness, allowing some activities to "take longer," and automatically turning on Low Power Mode when the iPhone's remaining battery life reaches the 20% mark. Adaptive Power Mode is only available on the iPhone 15 Pro models and newer. The setting can be turned on in the Settings app, under Battery → Power Mode. AutoMix A new AutoMix feature in the Apple Music app can seamlessly transition from one song to the next, like a DJ would. AutoMix replaces the previous Crossfade feature. Preview App iOS 26 extends a version of the Apple's Preview app from the Mac to the iPhone, providing you with a built-in app to edit and mark up PDFs and images. CarPlay Upgrades When you are using CarPlay with an iPhone running iOS 26, the new Liquid Glass design extends to the CarPlay interface. Like on the iPhone, the new look includes more shimmery app icons and translucent user interface elements. Starting with iOS 26, you can respond to messages with standard Tapbacks like a heart, thumbs up, or exclamation marks directly through CarPlay. You can now view your pinned conversations in the Messages app on CarPlay. CarPlay has a new compact view for incoming phone calls, so that you can still see other information on the screen, such as turn-by-turn directions. CarPlay's Dashboard screen can now show Live Activities, letting you keep track of things like a flight's arrival time at a glance. The regular version of CarPlay now has a widgets screen, for things like calendar appointments and HomeKit accessory controls. iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to detect when the vehicle is in motion and end playback. Automakers need to add support for this feature, so it might be limited to newer vehicles and take some time to roll out. More Read our iOS 26 roundup linked below to learn more about the update.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26 This article, "iOS 26 Available Today With These 8 New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums