Apple

Apple

Besides the improvements to Apple's proprietary AI, Apple Intelligence, the MacBook M4 Pro and M4 Max have some hardware upgrades -- notably, the USB-C Thunderbolt 5 ports -- becoming some of the first laptops on the market to support faster than 120Gbps transfer speeds, 240W charging, and even better performance with external monitors. For professional creatives who use external GPUs and need a portable system that can move large files in a flash, this alone could make the MacBook Pro M4 a worthy upgrade.

Glossy ads roll out, tech journalists dissect every new feature, and millions of people rush to pre-order, sometimes queuing overnight or trading in perfect devices. Every YouTube video seems to carry an iPhone ad, and celebrities and influencers flock to the launch event in California, drawing audiences, followers, and fans into the hype. To outsiders, this might seem like irrational spending. But to psychologists, it is a masterclass in how consumer culture taps into deep human needs: novelty, identity, and social belonging.

One of Apple's most practical products is not a MacBook or an iPhone. It's something much smaller that addresses a headache just about everyone experiences: losing things. Apple's AirTag has become an international best-seller because it makes keeping track of your things so easy, whether that's your keys, your suitcases while traveling or even your kid's backpack at school. Right now, Amazon has an all-time-low deal with a single AirTag dropping to just $21 (down from $29) and the 4-pack decreasing to $74 (normally $99).

Apple has implemented a new kind of front-facing camera. This uses a square sensor and increases the resolution of the sensor from 12 megapixels on previous models to 24MP. However, because the sensor is square, it actually outputs 18MP images. The real trick is that it can output in either vertical or horizontal formats. In fact, you don't even have to turn the phone to switch between vertical and horizontal mode any more.

Earlier this year, Apple introduced its Foundation Models framework during WWDC 2025, which allows developers to use the company's local AI models to power features in their applications. The company touted that with this framework, developers gain access to AI models without worrying about any inference cost. Plus, these local models have capabilities such as guided generation and tool calling built in.

This week, Meta, at its annual Meta Connect, introduced several new products, including its second-generation Ray-Bans, a neural wristband, Meta Ray-Bans Display, and sports-centered glasses in collaboration with Oakley. There's one key integration that the AI-powered glasses won't be able to manage, however: sending iMessages. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth said Apple's tight controls of its API were to blame for that.

This week, Apple launched its biggest design update in years: Liquid Glass. It's a new approach to the software design behind the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Liquid Glass is making appearances on everything from Apple's marketing materials to the 24-carat trophy that Tim Cook gifted to Donald Trump. Apple is betting that it's going to redefine the visual language of its user experience as it enters the AI era.

We're happy to share with you what's arriving in Safari 26.0! It includes big exciting new features, many important improvements, and lots of attention to detail. We can't wait to see what you do with Anchor Positioning, Scroll-driven animations, High Dynamic Range images, the new HTML <model> element, the all-new Digital Credentials API, SVG icon support, WebGPU, WebKit in SwiftUI, and much, much more.