Sora, OpenAI's AI video app, will no longer allow users to create videos featuring celebrity likenesses or voices.
OpenAI, SAG-AFTRA, actor Bryan Cranston, United Talent Agency, Creative Artists Agency, and Association of Talent Agents today shared a joint statement about "productive collaboration" to ensure voice and likeness protections in content generated with Sora 2 and the Sora app.
Cranston raised concerns about Sora after users were able to create deepfakes that featured his likeness without consent or compensation. Families of Robin Williams, George Carlin, and Martin Luther King Jr. also complained to OpenAI about the Sora app.
OpenAI has an "opt-in" policy for the use of a living person's voice and likeness, but Sora users were able to create videos of Cranston even though he had not permitted his likeness to be used. To fix the issue, OpenAI has strengthened guardrails around the replication of voice and likeness without express consent.
Artists, performers, and individuals are meant to have the right to determine how and whether they can be simulated with Sora. Along with the new guardrails, OpenAI has also agreed to respond "expeditiously" to any received complaints going forward.
OpenAI first tweaked Sora late last week to respond to complaints from the family of Martin Luther King Jr., and the company said that it would strengthen guardrails for historical figures. OpenAI said there are "strong free speech interests" in depicting deceased historical and public figures, but authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used on Sora cameos.
With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like.
If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then choose "Tinted." The Tinted option increases the opacity of Liquid Glass UI elements and improves contrast, while the Clear option is the standard Liquid Glass look.
Apple's new option looks different in both light and dark mode, increasing opacity in color consistent with each option. It works for Lock Screen notifications and within apps to make menu and navigation bars less transparent, but there is little to no change with other parts of the OS like Control Center, the App Library, and app icons and widgets on the Home Screen.
iOS 26.1 beta 4 is available to developers and public beta testers at the current time. We're expecting iOS 26.1 to be released later in October, and that's when everyone will have access to the new settings.
Apple today provided public beta testers with the fourth releases of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1 and watchOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. Apple seeded the betas to developers earlier today.
After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.
iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 expand Apple Intelligence to new languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.
AirPods Live Translation is also available in Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified) in iOS 26.
Kohler is expanding its line of bathroom products with Dekoda, an iPhone-connected device that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim (via The Verge). The device's included "sensors" point into the toilet bowl, allowing it to analyze what goes on in the bathroom.
According to Kohler, Dekoda is a health tracker that can monitor gut health and hydration, as well as detect the presence of blood in the toilet.
The website for the product is careful not to say that the product is essentially a camera that's peering into the toilet, instead referencing unspecified "powerful sensors" that analyze the contents of the toilet. According to the website, the sensors "see down into your toilet and nowhere else."
Kohler says that it uses advanced optical sensors and spectroscopy to observe how light interacts with waste, then it analyzes the data using machine learning algorithms to provide health insights. Data is protected with end-to-end encryption and fingerprint authentication. There is a separate Bluetooth fingerprint scanner that can be attached to a wall near the toilet to prevent the Dekoda from scanning the waste of guests, though it is optional.
Dekoda is the first product in a new Kohler Health line, and it requires a membership to use. Kohler Health is priced at $6.99 monthly for a single person, or $12.99 monthly for up to five family members. There are also yearly memberships priced at $70 and $130, respectively.
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below.
Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle
Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness, there's a new option to switch between Clear or Tinted settings.
Clear is more transparent and is the standard version of Liquid Glass that displays the background underneath buttons, menu bars, and other interface elements, while Tinted increases the opacity of Liquid Glass and adds contrast.
Lock Screen Camera Swipe
In the Camera section of the Settings app, there's a Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera setting, and turning it off disables the feature where you can swipe left to open the camera from the Lock Screen.
The iPhone has long allowed users to open the Camera app directly from the Lock Screen with a swipe, but it can be a setting that's easy to activate, and it provides a way for someone that gets ahold of an iPhone to use it to take unwanted photos.
There was previously no way to turn off Lock Screen camera activation without disabling the camera app entirely.
Phone Haptics
In the Phone app, there's a toggle to turn off haptic feedback when a call is connected or dropped.
Apple Intelligence Settings
Apple has changed the look of the Apple Intelligence section in the Settings app, and it is now left aligned. Apple made the alignment change for other sections of the Settings app in earlier betas, but Apple Intelligence remained the same.
Apple has also removed the "Beta" label from Apple Intelligence, but it's not clear if some features are officially out of beta, or if it's an oversight. Apple has not removed the beta labeling in macOS Tahoe 26.1 beta 4.
More Features
Know of a feature that we left out? Let us know in the comments. To see what Apple has added in prior iOS 26.1 betas, check out our iOS 26.1 feature guide.
The fourth beta of iOS 26.1 includes an option to turn off the Lock Screen swipe that activates the camera, a feature that iPhone users have been wanting for years.
In the Camera section of the Settings app, there's a Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera setting, and turning it off disables the feature where you can swipe left to open the camera.
The iPhone has long allowed users to open the Camera app directly from the Lock Screen with a swipe, but it can be a setting that's easy to activate, and it provides a way for someone that gets ahold of an iPhone to use it to take unwanted photos.
There was previously no way to turn off Lock Screen camera activation without disabling the camera app entirely.
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass.
The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted increases the opacity of Liquid Glass and adds more contrast.
The new setting can be found on iOS and iPadOS by going to Settings > Display and Brightness, or System Settings > Appearance on the Mac.
Apple says that the new toggle was added because during the beta testing period over the summer, user feedback suggested that some people would prefer to have a more opaque option for Liquid Glass. The added setting provides additional customization in iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1.
Increasing opacity and adding contrast applies to Liquid Glass throughout the operating system, including in apps and Lock Screen notifications.
There are multiple other new features in iOS 26.1, including a new slide to stop feature for alarms and timers, new Apple Intelligence languages, a redesigned Apple TV app icon, changes to the Settings app, and more, with a full list of features available in our iOS 26.1 feature guide.
Apple today provided developers with the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The fourth betas come a week after Apple released the third betas.
The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.
Apple Intelligence is now available in more languages in the updates, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPods Live Translation also works with Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified) in iOS 26.1.
Liquid Glass has been expanded to the Phone app's keypad, Apple Music has a new swipe gesture for changing tracks, and there are visual changes to Calendar, Safari, and Photos. Details on what we've found in iOS 26.1 so far can be found in our iOS 26.1 feature list.
The iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1, betas will be released later in October.
Apple's stock price reached a new all-time high today, with shares in the company trading for as much as $264.38 on the intraday market, according to Yahoo Finance.
The company's previous intraday high was $260.10, set on December 26, 2024.
Keep in mind that Apple's stock has split five times since the company went public, including on a 4-for-1 basis in 2020 most recently.
Apple achieved the record high despite continuing to lag behind companies like OpenAI and Google in the generative artificial intelligence space. Over the weekend, it was reported that some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about how well the more personalized version of Siri works on an internal iOS 26.4 beta for the iPhone.
Apple's next quarterly earnings report will be released on October 30.
A law firm in China has filed a new antitrust complaint accusing Apple of abusing its control over iOS app distribution and payments, escalating a dispute that previously failed in civil court by seeking action from state regulators instead, Reuters reports.
The new complaint was submitted to the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on behalf of 55 Chinese iPhone and iPad users. The filing alleges that Apple maintains a monopoly over iOS app distribution in China via the App Store, restricts the use of third-party payment systems in apps, and charges commissions of up to 30% on digital transactions. Those claims mirror an earlier case brought in 2021 by individual plaintiff Jin Xin, represented by the same attorney, Wang Qiongfei. That lawsuit was dismissed in 2024 by a Shanghai court after demanding that Apple completely cease collecting its App Store fee and pay damages.
Wang has now re-opened the case more broadly via a different channel, telling the media that the new administrative complaint is intended to prompt regulatory enforcement rather than a civil judgment. Unlike the 2021 filing, this complaint incorporates a comparative argument based on changes made in other jurisdictions. The filing asserts that Apple is continuing to operate a closed App Store in China while permitting alternative payment methods and sideloading in the European Union following enforcement of the Digital Markets Act and a U.S. court ruling that obliges Apple to allow outside payment links.
Wang expects the regulatory complaint to proceed faster than the previous civil action. He is also appealing the 2024 dismissal to China's Supreme People's Court, which heard arguments in December. No ruling has yet been issued in that appeal.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Today we're tracking a pair of solid discounts on the AirPods Pro 2 and AirTag 4-Pack on Amazon, including an all-time low price on the Bluetooth trackers.
AirTag
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon this week has Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $64.99, down from $99.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the accessory.
Amazon also has the AirTag 1-Pack for $24.99, down from $29.00. We've seen a steeper $19.00 price tag on the 1-Pack recently, so if you're in the market for the AirTag, it's likely best to go for the 4-Pack for the best value.
AirPods Pro 2
Secondly, Amazon has Apple's AirPods Pro 2 for $169.99, down from $249.00. Delivery on this one is delayed slightly to the end of October and early November.
This is a solid second-best price on the AirPods Pro 2, coming in about $19 higher compared to the previous record low price, which we haven't seen in a couple of months.
Apple just released the AirPods Pro 3 last month, but we haven't seen particularly steep discounts on the new model yet, so anyone in the market for a Pro model should still find good value in Amazon's discount on the AirPods Pro 2.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple today shared a new "Great ideas start on Mac" ad, voiced by the late Dr. Jane Goodall, the well-known British ethologist and conservationist.
Here is what Goodall says in the ad:
Every story you love, every invention that moves you, every idea you wished was yours, all began as nothing. Just a flicker on a screen, asking a simple question: What do you see?
Apple's video description on YouTube:
From groundbreaking discoveries to award-winning films — all of it starts from nothing. Endless possibility is waiting, what will you make with it? Great ideas start on Mac.
Ad Age shared a quote from Tor Myhren, Apple's Vice President of Marketing Communications:
This campaign celebrates the hardest and most mysterious part of a great idea—its origin: how something is created out of nothing, from a blank canvas. It's remarkable how many of the world's great ideas started on a Mac. This work salutes these ideas, and everyone who tries to make more of them.
Goodall passed away earlier this month, at the age of 91.
Apple CEO Tim Cook paid tribute to her remarkable life:
Jane Goodall was a groundbreaking scientist and leader who taught us all so much about the beauty and wonder of our world. She never stopped advocating for nature, people, and the planet we share. May she rest in peace.
The iPhone 17 lineup outsold the iPhone 16 models by 14% during the first 10 days of availability in the United States and China, according to new sell-through data from Counterpoint Research.
Counterpoint said the figures represent the earliest measurable signal of demand for the new generation in Apple's two most commercially important markets. The firm said the overall uplift is being led by stronger upgrades to the standard iPhone 17, particularly in China, and by higher uptake of the iPhone 17 Pro Max among U.S. carrier customers on enhanced subsidy plans.
In China, Counterpoint said sell-through of the $799 base iPhone 17 nearly doubled compared to the iPhone 16 during the equivalent initial window. The firm attributed the shift to a changes-for-price ratio that has remained favorable year-on-year. Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang said in Counterpoint's report that the standard iPhone 17 is "very compelling to consumers, offering great value for money." He cited a new chip, improved display, increased base storage, and an upgraded front camera at an unchanged list price as key factors. Counterpoint said discounts and coupons layered on top of that positioning have amplified conversion in retail and operator channels.
In the United States, Counterpoint Research said sales of the iPhone 17 Pro Max are ramping up faster than the equivalent iPhone 16 Pro Max, with the big three carriers increasing maximum subsidies by roughly $100. Senior Analyst Maurice Klaehne said carriers are using richer headline subsidies to lock in higher lifetime value under 24- to 36-month financing. Counterpoint said this is driving a mix shift toward the top end of the lineup and reinforcing Apple's premium-tier retention in the subsidized segment of the market.
The iPhone Air is apparently performing slightly ahead of last year's iPhone 16 Plus on a comparable calendar basis. China's operator approval process delayed local availability until October 17. Senior Analyst Ivan Lam said that while the China launch is a milestone for eSIM adoption, the short pre-order window and the price-to-spec gap relative to the base iPhone 17 will likely limit near-term volume, characterizing early demand as "niche."
Counterpoint said momentum for the standard iPhone 17 in China and for the Pro Max in the U.S. continued into early October beyond the 10-day measurement window, providing the first structured indication that the iPhone 17 cycle is tracking ahead of the iPhone 16 cycle at launch in Apple's two most important iPhone markets.
All MLS playoff matches will stream at no additional charge for Apple TV subscribers, without requiring the separate MLS Season Pass add-on (via Sports Business Journal).
Apple and MLS are likely using the expanded access window to convert casual viewers into paying Season Pass customers for the 2026 regular season. Apple adjusted Season Pass pricing in September; for Apple TV subscribers, the price for a full season was cut from $79 to $25 and for non-subscribers, from $99 to $29. During the regular season and the Leagues Cup, only a subset of matches were made available to non-Season Pass viewers.
The announcement arrives days after Apple secured rights to stream Formula 1 in the United States beginning in 2026. Under that deal, Apple TV subscribers will receive F1 TV Premium content at no additional charge. F1 TV Premium has typically cost U.S. subscribers about $16.99 per month. Since 2023, U.S. viewers have been required to pay an additional fee for MLS Season Pass even if they already subscribe to Apple TV.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about the overhauled Siri's performance. However, he did not provide any specific details about the shortcomings.
iOS 26.4 will likely be released in March or April, so Apple still has around five to six months to improve any lingering issues with the voice assistant.
When it first previewed the new Siri at WWDC 2024, Apple said it would have three main capabilities: on-screen awareness, personal context, and in-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans, based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.
The new Siri was initially expected to debut with iOS 18.4 last year, but Apple delayed it. In July, Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company was making "good progress" on the more personalized Siri, and he said the features were on track to launch next year. However, if issues persist, then even an iOS 26.4 launch might not be guaranteed.
Apple may be planning to release an updated Developer Strap for the Vision Pro next week, according to a hint on its website.
On its visionOS resources page for developers, Apple says the Developer Strap will be available to order again starting Wednesday, October 22, which is the same day that the Vision Pro with the M5 chip will be released. Accordingly, it seems likely that Apple plans to release an updated version of the accessory next week.
Apple first released the Developer Strap in February 2024, when the original Vision Pro with the M2 chip launched in the United States. The optional accessory provides a USB-C connection between the Vision Pro and a Mac, for app development and diagnostic purposes. It can only be purchased by Apple Developer Program members.
It is unclear what new features or changes the updated Developer Strap would have, or if it will remain priced at $299 in the United States. It also remains to be seen if the new version of the accessory is compatible with the original Vision Pro.
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps.
More features and changes will follow in future versions, ranging from later iOS 26.1 beta versions through to iOS 26.4. These are only the features that are known so far, and there will surely be many others added over the next year or so.
Digital Passport
iOS 26 will eventually let you add a digital version of your U.S. passport to Apple's Wallet app.
After creating a Digital ID in the Wallet app, you will be able to present it in person at TSA checkpoints in select U.S. airports for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. However, Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing purposes.
Apple says the feature is secure, private, and compliant with REAL ID.
It will also be possible to use the Digital ID feature for age and identity verification in apps, online, and in stores, according to Apple.
RCS Upgrades
Earlier this year, Apple said it planned to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates, and we are still waiting for that to happen. However, the upgrade has yet to be implemented on iPhones on iOS 26, or in the iOS 26.1 beta versions released so far.
End-to-end encryption for RCS was announced in March, as part of version 3.0 of the RCS Universal Profile, a global standard for RCS features and specifications. This means that Apple has indirectly confirmed that it will support RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which includes not only end-to-end encryption for RCS, but several other iMessage-like enhancements for RCS that were originally introduced in RCS Universal Profile 2.7.
Apple has to wait on carriers to implement RCS Universal Profile 3.0 too, so it is understandable why the process is taking time.
Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, once Apple rolls out support for RCS Universal Profile 3.0:
End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices, as has always been the case with iMessage
In-line replies
Edit messages
Unsend messages
Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, with no special workarounds
RCS support as a whole was added to the iPhone with iOS 18, which supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4. It is effectively a modernized version of the SMS standard, which remains available as a fallback option for text messages over a cellular network.
RCS will be playing catch up with iMessage in many ways. iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have already supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.
It seems likely that Apple will roll out these RCS upgrades at some point during the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 software cycle.
Personalized Siri
In late July, Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company was making "good progress" on a more personalized version of Siri, and he reiterated the features were on track to launch next year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the new Siri to launch in the U.S. in spring 2026, so Apple is likely aiming for an iOS 26.4 launch.
Apple first announced the personalized Siri features during its WWDC 2024 keynote, but in March it announced that they were delayed. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.
Weather via Satellite
Earlier this year, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered references to an unreleased "Weather via satellite" feature in the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta. However, the feature has yet to be released or even announced by Apple, so it is unclear if it is still coming or if it was scrapped. It might still launch eventually.
The feature would let you view the forecast and other weather information in the Weather app, in supported areas without Wi-Fi and cellular range. Apple's other satellite features include Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite, with availability varying by country.
Apple has yet to charge a fee for any of its satellite features. Last month, the company announced it is providing existing iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users with an additional year of free access to the entire suite of satellite features on those devices.
In celebration of World Emoji Day on July 17, the Unicode Consortium previewed some of the new emoji that are part of Unicode 17.0.
Here are some of the new emoji:
Trombone
Treasure Chest
Distorted Face
Hairy Creature (Bigfoot/Sasquatch)
Fight Cloud
Apple Core
Orca
Ballet Dancers
Landslide
Notably, Distorted Face is a popular emoji in Discord servers. It is essentially a distorted version of the embarassed face emoji, also known as Flushed Face.
It typically takes Apple several months to design new emoji in its own style, so the emoji listed above will likely be added to the iPhone in iOS 26.4.
Apple most recently added new emoji to the iPhone with iOS 18.4, an update that came out in late March. iOS 17.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 15.4 also introduced new emoji over the years, so the timing has become predictable by this point if it holds up.
While the new iPad Pro's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more.
With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results. Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU, while 1TB and 2TB configurations have a full 10-core CPU.
Here are six other upgrades:
An increased 12GB of RAM for models with 256GB or 512GB of storage. 1TB and 2TB configurations still have 16GB of RAM.
Apple's custom N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. However, the chip only supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the standard's 320 MHz maximum. Apple says the chip also improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot.
Apple's custom C1X chip for cellular configurations. With this modem, Apple says the new iPad Pro achieves up to 50% faster cellular data performance than its predecessor, and power efficiency is also improved.
Apple says the new iPad Pro offers up to 2× faster SSD read and write speeds compared to the previous generation.
The new iPad Pro can drive external displays at up to a 120Hz refresh rate, and Adaptive Sync is now supported, resulting in smoother scrolling and gameplay with lower latency on the external display.
The new iPad Pro supports fast charging. Apple says up to a 50% charge can be reached in around 30 minutes for the 11-inch model, and in around 35 minutes for the 13-inch model. Apple has not shared similar figures for previous iPad Pro models, so it is unclear how much of an improvement this is.
Apple's tech specs also indicate the new iPad Pro can drop down to an ultra-low 1 nit of display brightness, which can be useful in dark environments, like a bedroom at night. Apple's tech specs did not list this ability for previous iPad Pro models.
The new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models are available to pre-order now, and the devices will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Wednesday.
