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- Tuesday December 09
- 12:15 pmCarPlay is getting even better with these new iOS 26.2 features
Macworld Earlier this year, CarPlay – Apple’s infotainment system for cars – received a major update with the first release of iOS 26. Not only did it gain the new Liquid Glass interface, but it has also received features such as widgets on the Home Screen, video streaming over AirPlay when the car is parked, Live Activities, and more customizations. With iOS 26.2 rolling out this week to iPhone users, CarPlay is also getting some nice upgrades that make the whole experience even better. More specifically, there are two new features that CarPlay users have been requesting for a long time that are finally on the way. More widgets on the CarPlay Home Screen With iOS 26.2, Apple is further refining some of CarPlay’s new features, starting with Home Screen widgets. Similar to widgets on the iPhone, CarPlay widgets let users see brief information and even access quick interactions right from the Home Screen without having to open an app. This includes options such as a calendar widget to show your upcoming appointments, the weather forecast, or even Home controls. Users can currently place up to two widgets on the CarPlay Home Screen, but that will change with iOS 26.2. The update enables support for more widgets on the CarPlay Home Screen. However, there’s a catch. The ability to add three or more widgets is limited to vehicles with larger built-in screens. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t specify which car models support more widgets in CarPlay, but if your car has a large built-in screen, you will likely be able to add more widgets to it. You’ll be able to unpin CarPlay coversations in iOS 26.2.Foundry A cleaner interface for the Messages app Also with iOS 26, CarPlay introduced a new interface for the Messages app that shows pinned chats at the top. For users who prefer a cleaner interface, there’s now an option to disable pinned conversations in CarPlay. In the Settings app, you will now find a “Pinned Conversations” toggle. Turn it off, and you’ll no longer see pinned chats in the Messages app, just the regular list of chats. For CarPlay users who didn’t like the new Messages app interface, the update will certainly come in handy. The new CarPlay features are automatically enabled after installing iOS 26.2 on your iPhone. Just go to Settings > General > Software Update and look for the latest version of the operating system.11:57 amiPhone 17 steals the show in MKBHD’s 2025 smartphone awards
MKBHD’s Smartphone Awards 2025 delivered a surprise: the iPhone 17 beat the Pro Max to win Phone of the Year. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)11:30 amDid you hear about all those Apple execs who keep leaving? Good riddance
Macworld It’s been a big week in Apple executive movements. Let’s see if the Macalope can recap for you if you were unconscious for seven days (that sounds nice, can the Macalope get some of that?). After the unsurprising news that defacto former Apple executive John Giannandrea would infacto be leaving the company, we learned that Apple’s head of user interface design Alan Dye would also be leaving for greener pastures at Meta (the green is all cash). Breaking the news on Mastodon, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said: Apple’s top design executive Alan Dye is leaving the iPhone maker to become the Chief Design Officer at Meta in a blockbuster coup for the social networking giant and big loss for Apple. Mark Gurman This is such Dye-friendly framing that one might be excused for thinking it was written by Alan Dye’s mom. It wasn’t. Or probably wasn’t, anyway. Wouldn’t that be wild if Mark Gurman’s source this whole time has been Alan Dye’s mom? That would be an unexpected turn of events. In reality, few people in the Apple community–other than Dye’s mom–think much of his work, which includes Liquid Glass and a number of horrible icons for macOS Tahoe. People not really seeing this as a “big loss” for Apple include, but are not limited to, Louie Mantia, John Gruber, Jason Snell, Nick Heer, Macworld contributor Alex Blake, and this furry observer. Apple usually has good people waiting in the wings, and, in this instance at least, we have good reason to think the replacement will not only be good but a real upgrade. …everyone I’ve spoken to is happy — if not downright giddy — at the news that Lemay is replacing Dye. Lemay is well-liked personally and deeply respected talent-wise. Said one source, in a position to know the choices, “I don’t think there was a better choice than Lemay.” John Gruber Later in the week, Apple also announced several other executives changes, including the retirements of general counsel Kate Adams and VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson. Adams will be replaced by ex-Meta chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead, and Jackson by a line on the org chart that is more often used on football locker room whiteboards to represent an end-run. If you’d like to receive regular news and updates to your inbox, sign up for our newsletters, including The Macalope and Apple Breakfast, David Price’s weekly, bite-sized roundup of all the latest Apple news and rumors.Foundry While many people were leaving Apple, at least one was trying to get back in. This news, that a man would like power and command the likes of which he has never wielded before, is huge, if true. Who, exactly, is saying this, you may wonder. …Tony Fadell, a former Apple hardware executive who co-invented the iPod, has told associates recently… Aaron Tilley and Wayne Ma, The Information Someone told The Information that Tony Fadell said he would graciously accept the position of Apple CEO. Okay. Just, for a second here, entertain the following: would it not be absolutely wild if The Information’s source here is Tony Fadell’s mom? Wilder still, Fadell and Dye were at Apple at the same time, so it’s theoretically possible the source is again Dye’s mom, but let’s not get crazy here and go with the single mother theory. The two-moms hypothesis seems more reasonable. Sadly for Fadell, no matter who the sources are and how many times he writes “Mr. Apple CEO Tony Fadell” on the cover of his Trapper Keeper, he is not going to get the gig. Even The Information says he was “a polarizing figure” when he worked at Apple, and his time at Nest doesn’t seem to have burnished his reputation much as he rubbed his co-founder and employees equally the wrong way. Well, at least we can settle down now that all the Apple executive news is- “Apple Rocked by Executive Departures, With Chip Chief at Risk of Leaving Next” Oh, come on. How is breaking news able to interrupt the Macalope mid-sentence in his own column? It makes no sense! Yes, over the weekend, Mark Gurman brought a tin of cookies over to some Apple executive’s mom’s house, where she was heard to remark, “Ooh, yah, I hear that nice Johny Srouji fella is thinkin’ of leavin’, him what made the chips and all.” The Macalope’s not sure whose mom this is, but he’s thinking upper midwestern accent. She’s serving Gurman a casserole out of a baking dish and pouring him some RC Cola out of a 2-liter bottle. Unlike Dye’s departure, Srouji’s would truly be bad for Apple. Fortunately, this breaking news was re-broken on Monday morning when Gurman reported that Srouji sent out a memo to his staff saying he didn’t know what they may have heard from any of the various chatty parents of Apple executives, but he doesn’t “plan on leaving anytime soon”. Here’s hoping all the remaining Apple executives take time off in the coming weeks to be with their families and don’t have bandwidth to think about leaving.11:00 amApple @ Work Podcast: The impact of AI on Apple IT departments
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. In this episode of Apple @ Work, Apu Pavithran from Hexnode joins the show to talk about AI’s impact on Apple IT work and much more. more…08:56 amiPhone 16 again becomes the world’s best-selling phone
Despite reports of weak demand ahead of the iPhone 17’s launch, the iPhone 16 again emerged as the world’s best-selling smartphone in Q3 2025. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)08:00 amGift your Mac Office apps for life, now $59.97 (MSRP $219)
Macworld TL;DR: Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 is on sale for $59.97 for a limited time, or until codes sell out (MSRP $219)! If your Mac has outdated Office apps or deals with nagging Microsoft 365 subscription renewals, why not treat both of you to a Microsoft Office lifetime license this holiday season? It’s currently 73% less than retail, and you’ll never have to worry about subscription fees again (well, until you upgrade your device … just don’t tell your Mac that!). The apps included in this bundle: Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook Teams (basic) OneNote (free version) That’s basically everything you need to handle work projects, personal tasks, or school assignments like a pro. It’s perfect for students, families, or small business owners who want a dependable, full-featured productivity suite without ongoing costs. Once you purchase, you’ll get instant delivery of your redemption code via email, along with instructions to activate it. The license connects to your Microsoft Account (not your device), and it works on one Mac for the lifetime of the product. It also comes with updates and free customer service. Just make sure you redeem the code within 7 days of purchase — and note that this version is not compatible with virtual machines like Parallels Pro. Download Microsoft Office for Mac at $59.97 (MSRP $219). No coupon is needed. Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.06:56 amApple Watch Ultra 2 plunges to $549 on Amazon, best price ever
Amazon is clearing out Apple Watch Ultra 2 inventory, with a new record-low price in effect thanks to a $250 markdown.Amazon's $549 Apple Watch Ultra 2 deal delivers the lowest price ever - Image credit: AppleThe $549 special at Amazon not only beats Black Friday pricing by $50, but it marks the lowest price ever on the 49mm wearable.Buy Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $549 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our ForumsMonday December 0811:16 pmiPhone owners in Japan just got Messages via Satellite
Japan is the fourth country to get Apple's satellite messaging feature, behind US, Canada, and Mexico.Image credit: AppleMessages via Satellite allows iPhone users to send texts while not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular service. If that happens, iPhone will send a lock-screen alert that prompts the user to connect to a satellite to check for and send messages.The feature was first announced at WWDC 2024. It then rolled out as part of iOS 18 for users in the United States and Canada. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums11:09 pmHallelujah! Easier switching between iPhone and Android is on the way soon
Macworld According to 9to5Google, the latest developer test built (Canary) of Android includes a new feature that should make it easier to switch between iPhone and Android devices. The corresponding feature on iPhones should roll out in a coming iOS 26 update. We first wrote about this last year, when the EU was forcing Apple to make a number of concessions around how it locks customers into its products. One was the ability to completely remove Safari from iOS and let browsers use their own rendering engine (in the EU), but another, perhaps no longer EU-specific, was a feature to make it easier for iPhone and Android users to switch devices. Google has an Android Switch app for iOS and Apple has a Move to iOS app on Android, but a clearer, easier, and more reliable method is needed. Apple and Google have been working together on a solution, and soon you’ll be presented with an option to move from your Android device or iPhone during the device setup process. We don’t yet know what the feature looks like or how it works on either the iPhone or Android side. But the idea has always been to seamlessly move across the user’s core accounts, data like photos and videos, and bookmarks. It’s unclear if it will go further than that—switching from iPhone to Android or vice versa means moving passwords and passkeys, contents of a digital wallet, and more. The new method is said to provide support for transferring more data types between devices than the current transfer apps do.11:02 pmReport: iPhone 16 tops Q3 2025 sales as Apple claims 5 of the 10 best-selling spots
A new report from Counterpoint Research shows that Apple once again dominated global smartphone sales last quarter, with the iPhone 16 leading the pack. Here’s the breakdown. more…10:37 pmRemembering David Lerner of Tekserve
David Lerner, remembered by many for his “May You have 1000 Backups and Never Need One” email signature, has died at 72. Read Sam Roberts’s obituary in the New York Times; we revisit his and Tekserve’s appearances in TidBITS.10:37 pmNetflix will continue licensing Warner Bros. hits to Apple TV
Netflix will start licensing Warner Bros. TV shows to competitors, including Apple TV, marking a pivot for the streaming giant into producing content for rival platforms.In early December, Netflix won the rights to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company behind HBO, HBO Max, and Discovery. The company was acquired for $83 billion.As a result, Netflix will take over Warner Bros. Discovery's content and operations. That puts Netflix in an interesting position in relation to its competition.Warner has produced some of Apple TV's most notable shows — including Apple TV's first breakout hit, "Ted Lasso." While Apple TV has the exclusive rights to stream these shows, it doesn't produce them; it merely holds the rights. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums10:37 pmiPhone 17 is the best phone of 2025, according to MKBHD
The winners for this year’s edition of MKBHD’s Smartphone Awards have just been revealed, and Apple scored four recognitions out of the 10 categories, one of which isn’t exactly a reason to be proud of. Here are the details. more…10:33 pmDeveloper of ICE tracking app ‘ICEBlock’ sues Trump administration after Apple’s App Store pulls it | Mac Daily NewsDeveloper of ICE tracking app ‘ICEBlock’ sues Trump administration after Apple’s App Store pulls it
On Monday, Joshua Aaron, creator of the widely used ICEBlock app — which allowed users to share real-time alerts about federal immigration… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.09:54 pmICEBlock lawsuit: Trump admin bragged about demanding App Store removal
ICEBlock creator sues to protect apps that are crowd-sourcing ICE sightings.09:38 pmiOS 26’s new AirPods setting can solve a common Bluetooth issue
iOS 26 has a bunch of new AirPods features, but one that lots of users might appreciate is flying under the radar. Thanks to a new setting added in iOS 26, you can finally stop AirPods’ audio from automatically getting hijacked by other Bluetooth speakers, including your in-car speakers. more…09:38 pmiOS 26’s new AirPods setting can solve a common Bluetooth issue
iOS 26 has a bunch of new AirPods features, but one that lots of users might appreciate is flying under the radar. Thanks to a new setting added in iOS 26, you can finally stop AirPods’ audio from automatically getting hijacked by other Bluetooth speakers, including your in-car speakers. more…09:08 pmWedbush boosts Apple price target to $350 on iPhone momentum, AI executive shakeup
Wedbush Securities has raised its price target for Apple shares to $350 from $320, maintaining an "Outperform" rating on the stock… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.08:59 pmNetflix plans to keep selling Warner shows to Apple TV, like Ted Lasso
Netflix’s massive $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery raises big questions for Apple TV, but at least one potential issue has seemingly been resolved. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos says Warner’s TV division will continue selling shows to rival streamers. more…08:53 pmApple highlights developer tools as Australia bans social media for under-16s
In preparation for a law that will prohibit Australians under 16 from having social media accounts, Apple is highlighting the App Store tools that developers can use to ensure their apps comply. Here are the details. more…