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Planning holiday travel or a winter getaway? Your iPhone already has everything you need for reliable, flexible, instant, and global connectivity wherever you travel. You just need the right travel companion to unlock it.

Nomad eSIM is your best travel companion for seamless connectivity in over 190 countries. 9to5Mac readers can save 30% with promo code MAC30. The offer is valid only until December 16, so be sure to act quick!

iOS 26.1 recently introduced a big change for how you turn off alarms and timers, replacing the ‘Stop’ button with a new ‘Slide to stop’ action. Here’s how to get the button back.

VSCO is rolling out an AI-powered upscaling tool as part of its recently announced AI Lab set of features. Here’s how to try it for free.

Benjamin and Chance talk about two more Apple executive departures since last week’s episode, and a rumored third that appears to be staying for now. There’s also exciting details about the next Apple Studio Display, Apple might be able to enlist Intel to manufacture Apple Silicon chips, Fitness+ is using AI for language dubbing, and more. 

And in Happy Hour Plus, the duo talk about Netflix’s attempt to acquire Warner Bros, and why Apple would never interested in a deal like this. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join. 

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Apple has defeated the total ban on charging a commission on web-based purchases that originate from links inside iOS apps. However, a fair rate will need to be established or agreed upon before Apple can resume charging a commission on linked-out purchases.

This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: iPhone 18’s Face ID upgrade, AirTag 2 rumors, the latest on Apple’s new Studio Display, and more. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.

Apple has just released brand new firmware updates for AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2. Here are the details.

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

Sponsored by Backblaze: Give yourself the gift of peace of mind. Till the end of the month, 9to5Mac listeners get 30% off with code 9to5Xmas. 

OpenAI has officially announced its GPT-5.2 upgrade to ChatGPT. This is the so-called “code red” reaction to Google Gemini that OpenAI calls its “most capable model series yet for professional knowledge work.”

A new AirTag was long rumored to launch in 2025, but that hasn’t happened yet. When the upgraded AirTag 2 product does arrive though, a new leak has revealed five improved features it could bring.

Apple’s Always On Display has been fairly consistent since it debuted on iPhone 14 Pro. With iOS 26, Apple quietly changed how it works in a way that may not be obvious.

Smart scales that sync with iPhone and iPad offer a convenient way to monitor personal health metrics. Prices span from under $40 for basic features to around $500 for models with clinical grade body scans and easy-to-recommend solutions in between. For anyone who wants weight and related data to appear in the Health app, the key requirement is choosing a scale that supports HealthKit and Apple Health.

Whether you’re a music creator or simply a fan, you might be interested to learn which moments in a song grab the most user attention. That’s exactly what Shazam’s newly launched ‘Popular Segments’ feature reveals.

Apple is likely done launching new products this year, but the company has plenty in the works for 2026, including four new iPhone models—one of which is expected to arrive very soon.

App age verification isn’t just a theoretical concept being debated in Congress. A number of laws have already passed that require platforms to verify age for users in select states.

For example, the Twitter/X alternative Bluesky went offline for me in August rather than comply with an age verification law where I live. This week, I can use the app again — as long as I share a bit of personal information with a third-party service I’ve never heard of.

This is likely a preview of what to expect for more apps in more places going forward.

There are plenty of holiday deals for AirPods shoppers this year, but the standout offer by far right now is on AirPods Pro 3.

Amazon has now dropped the price on AirPods Pro down to their lowest ever at $199, a whopping $50 off the regular price of $249. That’s an incredible, unprecedented savings on Apple’s latest-generation headphones.

Plus, we’re tracking deals on AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Max, and various Beats products. Head below for all the details.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was yesterday spotted in Washington, D.C. during a visit to lobby against a proposed App Store age verification policy.

But the very argument the company uses to oppose the proposal is in fact the strongest argument in favour of it …

One of Apple TV’s best thriller series, Hijack, is coming back for a highly anticipated season 2 next month, and the newly released trailer reveals what to expect.

Disney characters are coming to OpenAI’s Sora video generation app — this time, with permission. OpenAI and Disney just announced a “landmark agreement” that will see some Sora content appear on Disney+.