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Apple is going to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, with the device set to be more affordable than the $999 MacBook Air. With the affordable notebook, Apple is aiming to better compete with cheap Chromebooks and Windows PCs. If you're thinking about picking up a computer for lightweight tasks like document editing, web browsing, watching videos, and doing homework, you might want to wait to see what Apple has in store before making a purchase. Below, we highlight what we know about the new Mac so far. Size Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 inches in size. The MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display, so the more affordable MacBook could be slightly smaller. It's sounding like it won't be too far off from the 13-inch MacBook Air, though. There are no details on how thick it might be, but Apple probably won't prioritize a thin design for a machine optimized for a low price. Since the MacBook Air can run fine with an M-series chip and no fan in an enclosure that's 0.44 inches thick, there's no reason for the MacBook to be any thicker than that. Design and Display The low-cost MacBook will have a standard LCD display with no mini-LED technology or ProMotion refresh rate. It could come in bright colors like the iMac, with Kuo suggesting Apple will offer it in silver, blue, pink, and yellow. A-Series Chip Apple is planning to use its A18 Pro chip in the MacBook. We first saw the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The chip is built on Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer process, featuring 8GB RAM and support for Apple Intelligence. It's fast and efficient, and more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offers single-core CPU performance scores at the level of the M3 Ultra, and multi-core performance scores higher than the M1 chip that Apple used in the first Apple silicon MacBook Air. Metal scores that measure GPU performance are also similar to the M1 chip Metal scores. The A18 Pro will be equivalent to the M1 for some tasks, and faster for other tasks. Apple no longer sells the M1 MacBook Air from its own store, but it has offered the machine through Walmart at a $599 price point. Capabilities With the A18 Pro chip, the low-cost MacBook would be able to do anything that can be done on an iPhone 16 Pro. It would be a suitable replacement for the low-cost iPad paired with a keyboard, and it would also support Apple Intelligence features. Right now, an iPad is essentially the only option for a low-cost portable device that can serve as a computer, but the low-cost MacBook will add a solution that runs macOS instead of iPadOS. Tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, creating documents, editing photos, and even light video editing would be no problem. A low-cost MacBook with A18 Pro chip could play all of Apple's iPad and iPhone games, including Apple Arcade titles, but it would not work well with high-end system intensive games. It would also run apps like Final Cut Pro, but speeds for things like exporting video would not be as quick as with a more powerful Mac. Apple probably won't go all out on ports, and the MacBook is likely to get just a single USB-C port, though two like the MacBook Air is also possible. The A18 Pro chip is efficient, and there's a lot of space inside a 13-inch enclosure for a battery, so we could be looking at MacBook Air-level battery life or better. The MacBook Air's battery lasts for up to 18 hours when watching videos, or 15 hours when browsing the web. Price There are no specific details on price as of yet, but Bloomberg claims it will cost "well under $1,000." The MacBook Air is priced starting at $999, so it would need to come in under that. Apple has a 13-inch iPad Air that has a display in the same range rumored for the low-cost MacBook, and it's priced at $799. The iPad Air has a higher-end M-series processor though, so the low-cost MacBook could be less than the iPad Air. The closest iPad approximation for the chip is the iPad mini, which has an A17 Pro. The iPad mini is priced starting at $499. A price somewhere between $499 and $799 could make sense looking at Apple's existing product lineup. The older M1 MacBook that sells for $599 at Walmart also gives us a hint at what Apple might charge. Launch Timing Apple could launch the low-cost MacBook in the first half of 2026. Updates are planned for the MacBook Air in early 2026, so the low-cost model could launch sometime in that same timeframe. Read More For more information on Apple's budget MacBook, we have a dedicated guide. This article, "Apple's Cheap MacBook: What to Expect in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/07/low-cost-macbook-rumors-2026/
iOS 18.1 Features: Everything New in iOS 18.1
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iOS 18.1 is the first major update to iOS 18, and it brings a slew of new features including Apple Intelligence, phone call recording, and more, plus bug fixes. This guide highlights everything that's new in iOS 18.1. Apple Intelligence iOS 18.1 includes the first Apple Intelligence features for the iPhone 15 Pro models and the iPhone 16 lineup. It will take some time for Apple to roll out all of the Apple Intelligence capabilities, but a handful are available now. Writing Tools - Writing Tools lets you proofread, summarize, and rewrite text throughout the operating system. Siri - Siri has a new look, offers Apple device product knowledge, there's a Type to Siri feature, and Siri is able to maintain contexts between requests and understand when you stumble over your words. Smart Replies - In Mail and Messages, Apple can suggest replies to incoming messages. Summaries - Apple Intelligence can summarize email messages and notifications so you can see what's important at a glance. You can also get summaries of transcriptions in the Notes app, and websites in Safari. Photos - Memory Maker lets you create custom slideshows with just a description, natural language search is supported, and there's a Clean Up feature for removing unwanted objects from images. Focus - A Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode only shows you important notifications while filtering out everything else. Phone App iOS 18.1 supports recording your phone calls and getting transcriptions from the calls. Tapping on the upper left hand record button after placing a call initiates a recording, and all participants are notified that the call is being recorded. Calls are saved to the Notes app, and the Notes app is able to generate a transcription. Camera Spatial photo capture has been added to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and it joins the existing spatial video capture feature in a new Spatial camera mode. Spatial photo capture has been an iPhone 16 feature since launch. For iPhone 16 models, Camera Control now has an option to swap over to the front-facing TrueDepth camera with press and swipe gestures. If you hold down the Camera Control button with a light press, you will also now see a bar underneath the adjustment options. AirPods Pro 2 If you have AirPods Pro 2, iOS 18.1 adds a new set of Hearing Health features. You can do a built-in hearing test, identifying tones to check for hearing loss. Should hearing loss be detected, there is an option to use the AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid to boost conversations and other sounds around you. Apple also has an option to tweak music, videos, and calls based on your hearing test (if loss is detected), and there is a hearing protection feature for all users that minimizes exposure to loud environmental noises across all listening modes. Control Center There are new connectivity controls in Control Center for Satellite and AirDrop, allowing these buttons to be added to Control Center individually. Previously, the toggles were only available in the all-in-one connectivity control. Apple has also added new Measure and Level controls to the Control Center. Measure opens up the Measure app, while Level opens up the Measure app to the included Level feature. Apple Music Apple Music now has an option to share Apple Music songs directly on TikTok. To do so, tap on Share Song and then choose TikTok from the list of apps. RCS Business Messaging You can text with businesses that use Apple's Business Messaging feature over RCS. Wallet App In the Wallet app, if you have an Apple Card and your Daily Cash goes to a savings account, you'll no longer see the savings account balance on the main Apple Card screen. Instead, you can tap on the savings button to get your current account balance. App Store App Store search now supports natural language to make it easier to find exactly what you're looking for. Game Center You can send Game Center friend invites directly from the Contacts app and Friends Suggestions, with receivers able to see the invites in their inbox in Settings. Bug Fixes There are several bug fixes in iOS 18.1. Unplayed Podcasts episodes will no longer be marked as played. Videos recorded at 4K 60 fps and viewed in the Photos app will no longer stutter when scrubbing through the video. A bug that could cause digital car keys not to start or unlock a vehicle with passive unlocking after restoring from a backup or transferring from another iPhone has been fixed. iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 models should no longer unexpectedly restart. Security Updates iOS 18.1 addresses over 20 security vulnerabilities, which means it's a good idea to update as soon as you can. A full list of the vulnerabilities fixed can be found on Apple's website, but it includes updates for image processing, Safari downloads, Safari private browsing, Shortcuts, Siri and Spotlight. Read More For more detail on the Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1, we have a dedicated guide. Our iOS 18 roundup has a list of all of the features in the iOS 18 update.Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18This article, "iOS 18.1 Features: Everything New in iOS 18.1" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
iOS 18.1: How to Record and Transcribe Phone Calls
From business meetings to family memories, there are countless reasons to record a phone call, but until now, iPhone users have had to rely on third-party apps or complex workarounds. That changes on October 28 with the release of iOS 18.1, which introduces native call recording and transcription powered by Apple Intelligence. Apple's new Phone app feature not only records conversations but automatically creates searchable transcripts and AI-generated summaries, all while maintaining Apple's commitment to privacy and transparency. When you start recording, all participants automatically hear an announcement, ensuring everyone knows they're being recorded. A visible indicator also remains on screen throughout the call for as long as the recording continues. To further protect user privacy, all recordings are stored locally in the Notes app with end-to-end encryption, and the new Apple Intelligence-powered transcription happens entirely on your device, meaning conversations never leave your iPhone. Here's how to make your first phone call recording. Recording a Phone Call Start or answer a phone call. Tap the record button (the waveform icon) in the top-left corner of the call screen. An automated voice will notify all participants that recording has begun. The recording will automatically save to the Notes app when the call ends or when you stop the recording. Finding and Managing Phone Call Recordings Once saved, recordings appear in the Notes app as audio files with attached transcripts. Tap any recording to access a range of options: You can play back the audio, read the full transcript, view an AI-generated summary of the conversation, or share and delete recordings as needed. Legal Considerations While iOS 18.1 makes recording calls easier than ever, it's important to understand your legal obligations. Although Apple's automated announcement helps ensure transparency, you should familiarize yourself with local recording laws. Regardless, it's always best to get explicit verbal consent before the start of any recorded conversation. Phone call recording and transcription features will be available on compatible iPhone models when iOS 18.1 is released on Monday, October 28.This article, "iOS 18.1: How to Record and Transcribe Phone Calls" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/ios-record-your-phone-calls/