Apple’s wild last few months are finally starting to slow down with the last of the big hardware launches arriving this week.
Meanwhile, developers continue to optimize their apps for the all-new iPhone Duo form factor, and Apple looks to shake up internal iOS and macOS development to give engineers more time to explore and develop new features within existing update cycles, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Top stories
Apple takes a new approach to developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
According to Apple, Apple has made a change to the development process for iOS 28, macOS 28 and related software updates. BloombergIt’s Mark Gurman.
In his Ignition newsletter this week, said that Apple separates the development of each year’s new operating systems into three main phases. Typically, each phase consists of four weeks of coding followed by a four-week “convergence” period where new features are integrated into operating systems.
This time, Apple made a change, extending each phase’s coding period to six weeks and compressing the convergence period to two weeks, giving engineers more time to come up with and explore ideas before having to lock them down. The change could allow Apple to move more quickly on feature development, part of an overall shift toward trying to become more agile under new CEO John Ternus.
The “Apple Support Community” will permanently close on November 20th
Apple this week suddenly announced that the long-running Apple Support Community discussion forums will permanently close on Friday, November 20th. Effective immediately, the Apple Support Community forums are in a read-only state, with new posts no longer accepted.
Longtime members of the community were blindsided by the move and were unable to post farewell messages to others in the community.
Apple says more than 100,000 apps are optimized for iPhone Duo, here’s what’s still missing
Apple last week announced that more than 100,000 apps have been optimized for iPhone Duo, ensuring full compatibility with the device’s internal and external displays. Despite the volume of updated apps, numerous high-profile apps still need to be optimized, but more and more are updated every day.
The iPhone Duo’s new form factor opens up new possibilities for app functionality and layout, and we’ve shared several fun new apps, innovative games and utilities, and more.
Experience Apple’s new OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro, HomeView Smart Home Hub, and Apple TV
Apple’s long-awaited MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display is now in customers’ hands, and we’ve shared our initial impressions of Apple’s first touchscreen Mac.
The touchscreen functionality arrives as part of a new display based on OLED technology, and the machine is significantly lighter than previous models, while also offering a number of other improvements. And yes, the long-lost illuminated Apple logo on the lid is back!
In addition to the new MacBook Pro, we also tested the newly launched HomeView smart home hub and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K box.
Controversy over Apple Store membership sign-up discovered
In a series of YouTube videos shared in recent weeks, electronics technician and consumer rights advocate Louis Rossmann exposed a controversy in which some Apple Store employees allegedly signed up customers for auto-renewing subscription trials for Apple One and other services without their informed consent.
Apple has historically monitored the “service access rate” for retail employees, leading some to feel pressure to push the envelope in enrolling customers in trials without getting clear permission.
Apple recently removed the attachment rate metric for retail employees, though the company said this is because the metric is less relevant to the holiday season, when users more often buy as a gift rather than for themselves, but the timing of the change is certainly convenient given the recent publicity.
Apple releases iOS 27.2.1 with bug fixes
Apple this week released iOS 27.2.1 and related updates, providing a number of security-related updates and other unspecified bug fixes. tvOS 27.2.1 also arrived on Friday, bringing Siri AI to second- and third-generation Apple TV 4K boxes.
The releases come as the much more substantial 27.3 updates remain in the early stages of beta testing ahead of public releases next month.
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