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Deals: 1TB M4 MacBook Air, AirPods 4 now even lower, iPhone 15 Pro Max $725 off, MagSafe stands, more

Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is starting off with our growing collection of Apple gear Labor Day deals you’ll find organized for you right here. We are also highlighting a 1TB M4 MacBook Air configuration with 24GB of RAM at $200 off the list ($600 under the MSRP on the comparable MacBook Pro), price drops on all of Apple’s most affordable current-gen iPad models starting from $299, and an even lower price on AirPods 4 ANC at $139. The 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max has now dropped even lower at over $720 off, and we also spotted one of the best prices yet on Satechi’s metal 15W Trio MagSafe Wireless Charging Pad. All of that and more awaits below. 

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iOS 26 fixed the Photos app and it’s more powerful than ever

Last year, with iOS 18, Apple tried to shake up the Photos App by making it more streamlined. They put everything under one view, and for most people, it was a flop. Instead of making it simpler to navigate, it was actually even more tedious to use. It felt like nothing really had its own place, and everything was just on one never-ending page. Apple seemed to have heard us and changed up the look and feel of the Photos App with iOS 26 and I think they nailed it. They took the best parts of the old design, layered in some new looks and features of iOS 26, and now we have the best version of the Photos App that we’ve seen. Here are some of the best features you should know!

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Stats suggest Apple’s slow rollout of AI agent capabilities may be wise

Stats suggest Apple's slow rollout of AI agent capabilities may be no bad thing | Cartoon style AI bot using a laptop

One of the many delayed Apple Intelligence features is known as App Intents, and we’re starting to see evidence that taking an extremely cautious approach to the rollout may be no bad thing.

Before the comments catch fire, I should stress that I’m most assuredly not giving Apple a free pass on the slow rollout of new Siri capabilities in general. There are a great many capabilities which should very definitely have been launched years ago. Indeed, I’ve argued that the delay is now so embarrassing that Apple should probably allow us to choose our own chatbot to stand in for Siri, and the majority of you agreed with me. But when it comes to AI agents, taking things slowly may be the right approach …

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Long-running Apple TV+ comedy to be seen by a new audience on the BBC

Apple’s longest-running original comedy series is getting new life on the BBC in the United Kingdom. The Apple Original Trying, which premiered on Apple’s streaming service in May 2020, will now be available on BBC iPlayer and set for broadcast on the BBC’s linear channels.

The BBC deal was first reported by Deadline, and apparently includes the first three seasons of Trying with the first season debuting on September 8. Meanwhile, Apple TV+ is currently in development of a fifth season of the under-rated British series.

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Image: Meta

WhatsApp starts testing AI-powered writing suggestions on iOS [U: launched]

Update, Aug 27: The feature was officially launched today for English-speaking users, according to the official WhatsApp blog. Original post below.

In the latest TestFlight release for its iOS beta testers, WhatsApp rolled out a tool called “Writing Help,” which suggests replies based on the tone set by the user. Here’s how it works.

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Torrent app unavailable at AltStore PAL following apparent notarization revocation by Apple [Update: Apple statement]

Update, August 28, 11:19 a.m. PT: In a statement to 9to5Mac, an Apple spokesperson said: “Notarization for this app was removed in order to comply with government sanctions-related rules in various jurisdictions. We have communicated this to the developer.”


When Apple was compelled to allow alternative iOS app stores in the EU, it adopted the notarization model familiar to Mac developers. This means that if Apple revokes the notarization of a certain app, its distribution and use get blocked, even though it was installed from outside the App Store. That’s exactly what seems to have happened to iTorrent. Here are the details.

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IDC nearly doubles worldwide smartphone forecast for 2025, cites ‘accelerated iOS growth’

iPhone 16 touch screen issues

To say 2025 has been an unpredictable year for the smartphone market would be an understatement. Early in February, IDC had forecast a 2.6% growth, followed by a decrease to just 0.6% in May. Now, the institute has once again adjusted its forecast, thanks in part to “accelerated” iOS growth. Here are the details.

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9to5Mac Daily: August 27, 2025 – Apple’s ‘Awe dropping’ event

9to5mac daily podcast

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts appStitcherTuneInGoogle Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by BMX: Check out BMX’s SolidSafe™ power bank, built with cutting-edge solid-state battery technology that eliminates flammable liquid lithium for a safer, more durable charging experience.

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Eddy Cue wanted Apple to acquire two big companies, but Tim Cook said no

Apple MLS Eddy Cue

A report from The Information yesterday offered a variety of interesting details about Apple’s potential acquisition targets in the artificial intelligence category.

One thing I found particularly fascinating in the story was the tidbit that Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, has regularly pushed for Apple to make big acquisitions, only to be shot down by Apple CEO Tim Cook.

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