MacRumors

Apple's upcoming HomeView smart home hub could also work as a HomeKit Secure Video camera, according to settings strings discovered in the device's software by code sleuth pdfu.

The strings were found in HomeView Software 27.2 and feature four camera modes, including Off, Detect Activity, Stream, and "Stream & Allow Recording," along with scheduling options for when users are home, away, or asleep.

Notably, pdfu says there's also a HomeView-specific configuration for 1080p/30fps video and microphone input, which the software selects for HomeKit Secure Video sessions.

Other strings suggest that only home members will be able to view streams and recordings. They also indicate that a green light appears and a sound plays when a stream is viewed or recording starts, and users will receive a notification when camera settings change.

The scheduling options include an away mode, but the strings suggest streaming and recording can only be enabled from the HomeView itself while people are home. Expect face recognition and activity zones to be configured in the Home app on iPhone.

Elsewhere, pdfu highlighted a related Home app string suggesting that when the Home app is open on a member's device, the the HomeView may take photos to refresh its camera preview, and these too will be accompanied by a green light.

Apple has not announced a camera feature for HomeView, and the presence of code strings in the device's software doesn't confirm that it will be available to users at launch. HomeView launches on Friday, November 13, starting at $299. Apple's early release of the device's software has already given us a preview of features like wallpapers, revealing other details we didn't previously know.

Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models.

The following new products will be available from Friday:

• iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip
• iMac with M6 chip
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen
• 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen

The iPad mini starts at $699, the iMac starts at $1,499, and the M6 MacBook Pro at $1,999. Pricing for the MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. All five remain available to pre-order, with shipping dates generally looking good for launch-day delivery. The only exception is the base 14-inch touchscreen MacBook Pro – Space Black, ships in 3-4 weeks, while Silber ships in 7-10 business days.

Amazon is taking $200 off nearly every model of the M5 MacBook Air this weekend, with matches of the best post-hike prices we've ever seen on the computer. Prices now start at $1,099.99 for the 512GB 13-inch model and $1,299.99 for the 512GB 15-inch model.

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.

Not only is every storage configuration on sale at these all-time low prices, but Amazon has nearly every color in stock as well. Free delivery estimates place most computers arriving around early next week, while Prime members should see it sooner.

For the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air models, prices start with the 16GB/512GB model for $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00. You can also get the 16GB/1TB model for $1,599.00, down from $1,799.00, all $200 off and the best prices we've seen in months.

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.

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It is well known that Apple's new HomeView smart home hub was significantly delayed, and there is now yet another piece of evidence: the device will initially ship with six-month-old HomeView software version 26.5, according to AppleDB. When setting up the HomeView, users will be prompted to update to HomeView software version 27.2. The device launches Friday, November 13.

After announcing a new iPad mini with an OLED display earlier this month, Apple plans to release new iPad Air, iPad Pro, and entry-level iPad models in the first half of 2027, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the next iPad Air will also feature an OLED display, while he expects the next iPad Pro to be equipped with a vapor chamber system that dissipates heat for improved sustained performance. Presumably, the next iPad Air will get an M5 chip, while the iPad Pro will move to the M6 chip.

As for the entry-level iPad 12, previously rumored features for the device include an A19 chip that enables Apple Intelligence support, an N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple's power-efficient C1X modem in cellular models.

Apple has published a support document describing what to do if your Apple Watch continues to show time that's off by one hour after daylight savings time changes. "This incorrect time appears only on the Always On display when your wrist is down," says Apple. "When you activate the display by tapping it or raising your wrist, the time changes to the correct hour."

To fix the issue, Apple says to switch to another watch face then back again, or to restart your watch. MacRumors previously reported Apple Watch users similarly affected in Europe when clocks went back there the other week. Clocks went back across most of the U.S. on Sunday, November 1.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 has dropped to $699.99 on Amazon, down from $799.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the new Ultra 4, which just launched in September.

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.

There are three Ultra 4 models that are on sale at this price, including the Black model with Burgundy Alpine Loop (Large), the Black model with Burgundy Trail Loop (M/L), and the Natural model with Desert Alpine Loop (Medium). These are the lowest prices we've ever tracked on the brand new Apple Watch Ultra 4.

If you're shopping for a Milanese Loop model, Amazon also has a $99 discount on one of these devices. You can get the Black Apple Watch Ultra 4 with Black Milanese Loop (Large) for $799.99, down from $899.00. Most of these watches have an estimated delivery date of early November, and some are offering same-day shipping for Prime members as well.

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.

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Until the end of today, Performance Knit and UltraPlush ear cushions with matching headbands for the Beats 360 are available on Apple's online store in the U.S. for $9.99 each, with customers limited to three kits per order. Lower pricing extends to other countries. Starting November 1, regular pricing of $49.99 will apply.

Broadcasts app developer Steve Troughton-Smith has shared a Halloween treat for us today: a tour of the software on Apple's upcoming HomeView smart home hub. Apple has already demoed the HomeView to selected tech reporters and content creators, but Troughton-Smith offers a closer look at several features, interfaces, and apps.

Using a virtualized HomeView created by Guilherme Rambo, Troughton-Smith provided a closer look at the home screen, Control Center, clock faces like Flow and Snoopy, and apps like Timers, Alarms, World Clock, and Settings. Note that while the virtualized HomeView shows an Ethernet menu, the device actually supports Wi-Fi only.

HomeView supports up to six users. The device has a built-in camera that can recognize people and display their personal content in apps like Messages, Calendar, Reminders, FaceTime, and Find My. Rambo and Troughton-Smith have yet to bypass this recognition requirement with the virtualized HomeView, so those apps are all locked.

Troughton-Smith revealed that the HomeView will have a Liquid Glass slider that lets you adjust how clear or tinted the interface elements look, and he also confirmed that the device's keyboard supports QuickPath swipe typing.

He also provided a closer look at the HomeView's music player, video player in both wide and square formats, and AirPlay pairing interface.

Yesterday, Rambo and our contributor Aaron Perris provided a look at the HomeView's wallpapers, "hello" setup screen, and more. All of these findings come after Apple released the HomeView's software ahead of the device's launch on Friday, November 13. Apple is currently accepting pre-orders, with U.S. pricing set at $299.

Rambo and Troughton-Smith said the HomeView's software is based on the Apple TV's tvOS.

Apple has published an EU energy label for the iPad mini 8 that reveals the device has a battery capacity of 4,900 mAh, which is slightly lower than the 5,034 mAh capacity of the previous model's battery.

Apple's website lists identical battery life estimates for both models, so it appears that the improved power efficiency of the A20 Pro chip in the new iPad mini helps to offset its slightly smaller battery. The new model is also equipped with an OLED display, which can be more power efficient than an LCD when displaying darker content, as there is no backlight and individual pixels turn off completely for the color black.

For those who prefer watt-hour figures, Apple's tech specs show the new iPad mini has an 18.9 Wh battery, down from 19.3 Wh for the previous model.

Model	Battery Capacity (mAh)	Battery Capacity (Wh)
iPad mini 8	4,900 mAh	18.9 Wh
iPad mini 7	5,034 mAh	19.3 Wh

The new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch OLED display, a new Acoustic Display audio system instead of speaker holes, Wi-Fi 7 support, a 15% thinner and lighter design compared to the previous model, and more. The device is available to pre-order now and launches on Friday, November 6, with U.S. pricing starting at $699.

One busy week after another for Apple has left our heads spinning, with this week seeing several Mac updates as well as a revamped iPad mini.

All of this week's craziness comes right on the heels of last Friday's iPhone Duo launch, not to mention all of the other products now available or still in pre-order status, so read on below for all of the details!

Top Stories

Everything Apple Announced This Week

It's been a busy October for Apple, and the company ended the month with a bang by introducing a number of new products even as some of the previously announced ones from earlier this month have yet to become available.

If you missed the news over the first three days of this week, we've rounded up all our coverage in one spot, so it's easy to take a look back. All of the new products are available for pre-order now, with a launch set for Friday, November 6.

Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display

The headliner for the week was Wednesday's introduction of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. It's a mouthful, but it's the culmination of several years of rumors about a MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, plus it includes several other upgrades such as lighter weights, a reinforced hinge to stabilize the display while it's being touched, a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, and even the return of an illuminated Apple logo on the lid.

The new machines are being sold alongside the previous MacBook Pro models with mini-LED displays, with the PROLED models carrying $400 price premiums over their counterparts even though they use the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options.

Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M6 Chip

The low end of the MacBook Pro family also got an update this week, with Apple announcing a speed-bumped M6 version of the 14-inch base model.

The M6 chip in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ features a 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 12-core GPU. This is up from the M5 chip with a 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 10-core GPU.

Alongside the M6 chip, the new 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ now features support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity via Apple's N1 wireless chip. It can also now drive dual external 4K displays at up to 165Hz, up from 144Hz.

Apple Announces New iMac With M6 Chip and More

The 24-inch iMac also got a speed bump this week, with Apple's all-in-one desktop moving from the M4 chip to the M6 for faster performance and adding an N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, faster SSD speeds, and more.

The new iMac has the same design as the previous model, and the color options remain the same: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver.

Apple Announces New iPad Mini With 8.5-Inch OLED Display, A20 Pro Chip, and More

This week wasn't all about the Mac lineup, with Apple also taking the wraps off of a redesigned iPad mini featuring a larger 8.5-inch display that uses OLED technology for the first time.

In addition, the new iPad mini features a thinner and lighter design, an A20 Pro chip, a new Acoustic Display audio system that eliminates speaker holes, IP67-rated water and dust resistance, a landscape front camera, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, and more. Altogether, Apple says this amounts to the iPad mini's "biggest update ever."

Mac Studio With M5 Ultra Now Available With 512GB RAM for $22,299

When Apple introduced the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio back in August, it said that a high-end M5 Ultra option with 512GB of memory would become available in late October, and it's finally here for an eye-popping price of $22,299.

This configuration is obviously only intended for hungriest of power users, requiring the highest-end chip with a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU. The memory upgrade alone to increase from the standard 96GB to 512GB costs $15,500.

Crackgate? iPhone Duo Owners Report Screens Breaking Along the Hinge

With all of the announcements this week, it's easy to forget that the groundbreaking iPhone Duo just launched last Friday, and while early adopters have been enjoying much of what Apple's first foldable phone has to offer, it hasn't been entirely smooth sailing.

At least a few users have experienced sudden interior screen breakage seemingly caused by something going wrong in the complex hinge of the device. Apple has said that it is aware of the issue affecting "a small number of iPhone Duo units" and that affected users should contact AppleCare to obtain replacement units.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

China is doing much of the heavy lifting for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro launch, with a 29% sales increase helping offset declines in the U.S. and Japan, according to Counterpoint Research.

Combined global sales of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max rose 3.1% during their first three weeks of availability compared with the equivalent launch period last year. U.S. sales fell 4%, while Japan recorded a 27% decline.

Counterpoint attributed China's growth to better initial supply and higher prices for competing Android flagships. In the U.S., the firm said buyers perceived insufficient changes to features and design, despite additions such as the variable aperture camera.

Apple raised starting prices by $100 in the U.S., bringing the Pro to $1,199 and the Pro Max to $1,299. Counterpoint pointed out that exchange rates compounded price increases in Japan.

The Pro Max model's share of sales slipped from 57% to 56%, with growth in India and Southeast Asia favoring the smaller model.

The tracking period predates the iPhone Duo's launch on October 23. Counterpoint is watching whether Apple's first foldable iPhone brings in additional buyers or diverts purchases from the Pro Max.

Apple today released HomeView Software 27.2, which is the software that runs on the upcoming HomeView device set to launch on November 13.

The HomeView was announced earlier in October, but the early software release gives us a look at features like wallpapers and reveals a few tidbits we didn't previously know.

Wallpapers

There are 20 default wallpapers to choose from on HomeView, with a range of colors. Users will also likely be able to set their own photo wallpaper. The HomeView uses faces, but the wallpapers may be shown on the Home Screen.

Face Editing

Guilherme Rambo shared an image of the HomeView's face editing interface, where users can choose the design they want to use on the HomeView's Lock Screen.

Hello Screen

At startup, the HomeView will show the familiar "Hello" text.

Control Center

A HomeView setup animation shows Control Center on the HomeView.

Light and Dark Mode

As with other Apple devices, the HomeView will have Light Mode and Dark Mode options, with the device able to swap between modes automatically based on time of day.

Snoopy

The HomeView has a bunch of different Snoopy animations if you pick the Snoopy face.

Launcher

Unlike iOS, HomeView doesn't use SpringBoard. It has a new launcher called BreadBoard, and the process for its Control Center UI is called CupBoard.

iOS 26

There is a hidden HomeView Software 26 graphic in the update, which adds to evidence that Apple wanted to release the HomeView earlier but had to wait on Siri AI. Apple also appears to have been testing the interface on a sixth-generation iPad mini before launch.

The HomeView is priced at $299, and it can be pre-ordered from Apple's website. It will launch alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K on November 13.

In a memo shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers this week, and later obtained by MacRumors, Apple provided technicians with guidance on how to diagnose and address the iPhone Duo's inner display cracking issue.

If a customer reports the issue, Apple advised technicians to inspect the iPhone Duo and repair or replace it in accordance with their standard procedures. While the instructions themselves are straightforward, the fact that Apple issued an internal memo suggests the issue is widespread enough to warrant official guidance.

Apple's memo said the issue affects a small number of iPhone Duo units, which is consistent with what it said in a public statement on Monday.

"We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units," said Apple, in a statement shared with MacRumors. If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement." You can get support on Apple's website or by calling 1-800-APL-CARE in the U.S. and Canada.

Apple said most iPhone Duo units are not susceptible to this issue and that impacted units appear to exhibit the defects rather quickly after usage.

Apple said there is no iPhone Duo recall, and the company has yet to launch a public-facing repair program on its website for this issue.

Almost immediately after the iPhone Duo began arriving to customers a week ago, a handful of early adopters reported that the device's inner display had cracked, resulting in lines appearing down the middle and towards the right side of the screen.

The electronics repair website iFixit completed an iPhone Duo teardown and said that the issue is likely related to a defective hinge on affected units. However, Apple has yet to comment on the underlying cause of the issue.

Apple's website in China says iOS 27.3 will enable some Apple Intelligence features in China, such as Writing Tools, Genmoji, Clean Up, Notification Summaries, Priority Notifications, Visual Intelligence, and Live Translation with AirPods. Select features will not be available, including Siri AI and Image Playground.

The features will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer until Apple receives approval to launch them on the iPad, Mac, and other devices in China. Apple said the first iOS 27.3 beta will be available next week. The update will be released in December.

Apple today announced that the first iOS 27.3 developer beta will be released next week and enable some Apple Intelligence features in China.

In a press release shared on the Apple Newsroom website in China, Apple said the beta will be released on Wednesday, November 4, but that likely means Tuesday, November 3 in the U.S. due to time zone differences. Apple said iOS 27.3 will then be released to the public in December, but it did not provide a specific date.

iOS 27.3 will enable some of the earlier Apple Intelligence features on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer in China, such as Writing Tools, Genmoji, Clean Up, Notification Summaries, Priority Notifications, Visual Intelligence, and Live Translation with AirPods.

Siri AI and other Apple Intelligence features announced at WWDC 2026 will not be available in China on iOS 27.3, according to Apple.

Image Playground will also not be available in China.

Apple also said it has partnered with Alibaba to add support for its AI assistant Qwen within Siri, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence.

Both the iPhone and Siri language will need to be set to English and Chinese (Simplified).

Apple Intelligence features will not be available on the Mac, iPad, or other devices in China until Apple receives the necessary approvals, it said.

The Wall Street Journal's Rolfe Winkler this week reported that flash storage suppliers once "bullied" by Apple have been "getting their revenge" on the company over the past year due to a severe memory chip shortage, which stems from AI companies building out massive data centers that utilize significant amounts of flash storage and RAM.

As the iPhone took off, Apple became the world's largest buyer of flash storage, and naturally that gave the company a lot of leverage in negotiations.

The report goes into detail about some of the hardball tactics that were employed by Apple and its former head of procurement, Tony Blevins.

"After ordering flash at rock-bottom prices, Apple would refuse delivery at times if flash prices were falling," the report said. "That left suppliers holding piles of unsold chips, including ones custom-made for Apple. Kioxia executives joked they felt like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football—with Lucy always pulling it away."

Based in Japan, Kioxia was previously known as the Toshiba Memory Corporation.

Apple is also said to have "bullied flash makers into opening their books so it could monitor sales, making sure no one else got a better deal."

The report shared another example involving flash storage supplier Sandisk. Apple's other suppliers, such as SK Hynix and Samsung, were not mentioned.

"Around the end of 2015, Sandisk refused Apple's requests to send additional supply because it already had customers willing to pay more," the report said. "Blevins threatened a Sandisk salesman with retaliation, saying he would have Sandisk's chief executive, Sanjay Mehrotra, 'crawl on his knees' back to Apple, according to a person familiar with the call."

Things changed when the AI era arrived.

"Two years ago, Apple bought nearly twice the flash storage of Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and Google combined, according to TechInsights estimates," the report said, citing a research firm. "Hyperscalers are now buying double Apple's share."

Much of the "revenge" has been passed on to customers, as Apple has raised prices on more than a dozen products this year, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, HomePods, the Apple TV, and more, with the company attributing these increases to the memory chip shortage. Apple's former CEO Tim Cook said price increases were "unavoidable."

Apple is not completely immune, though. Higher prices could result in lower demand, and the report said its profit margins on storage upgrades have been impacted. For example, TechInsights estimated that Apple makes a gross profit of $134 when a customer spends $200 to upgrade an iPhone 18 Pro from 256GB to 512GB of storage, down from $185 when a customer opted for the equivalent upgrade for the iPhone 17 Pro last year.

"We've worked with many of our suppliers for decades, and we deeply value their partnership over the years," an Apple spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal. "We look forward to continuing our important work together."

On an earnings call this week, SK Hynix forecasted that the memory chip shortage will persist through 2030, so the pendulum may not swing back in Apple's direction for at least four more years. Eventually, though, it probably will.