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iOS 26.4.1 Includes These Two Changes for iPhones

2026-04-09 10:17:46

Apple today released a minor iOS 26.4.1 update for the iPhone 11 and newer. While the release notes for the update only mention unspecified "bug fixes," we have since learned about two specific changes that are included in it.


First, 9to5Mac spotted an Apple Developer Forums thread suggesting that iOS 26.4.1 fixes an iOS 26.4 bug that affected iCloud syncing in some apps.

Second, an enterprise-focused Apple support document indicates that Stolen Device Protection will be automatically enabled on iPhones that update from iOS 26.4 to iOS 26.4.1. This likely applies to devices that are managed by a workplace/organization, as iOS 26.4 already turned on the feature by default for regular users.

Introduced in iOS 17.3, Stolen Device Protection adds an additional layer of security in the event someone has stolen your iPhone and also knows the device's passcode. The feature is designed to reduce instances of thieves spying on an iPhone user's passcode before stealing the device, often in public places like bars.

When the feature is turned on, Face ID or Touch ID authentication is required for more actions than usual on an iPhone, including viewing passwords or passkeys stored in iCloud Keychain, applying for a new Apple Card, turning off Lost Mode, erasing all content and settings, using payment methods saved in Safari, and more. No passcode fallback is available in the event that the user is unable to complete Face ID or Touch ID authentication.

For especially sensitive actions, including changing the password of the Apple ID account associated with the iPhone, the feature adds a security delay on top of biometric authentication. In these cases, the user must authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait one hour, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again. However, there is no delay when the iPhone is in familiar locations, such as at home or work.

Prior to iOS 26.4, Stolen Device Protection was turned off by default on all iPhones. It can be turned on in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode.

This article, "iOS 26.4.1 Includes These Two Changes for iPhones" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Now Selling Parts for Seven New Devices Unveiled Last Month

2026-04-09 09:40:41

Launched in 2022, Apple's self-service repair program provides customers with access to genuine parts, tools, and manuals to repair select iPhones, iPads, Macs, Studio Displays, and Beats Pill speakers. Apple says the program is "intended for individuals who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices."


Apple today started selling parts and tools for seven new devices through its self-service repair store in the U.S., Canada, and many European countries.

As reported by 9to5Mac, genuine Apple parts are now available for these devices:

• iPhone 17e


• iPad Air with M4 chip


• MacBook Neo


• MacBook Air with M5 chip


• MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips


• Studio Display (2026)


• Studio Display XDR

After ordering parts and tools, you can follow the steps in Apple's repair manuals for each device.

There is a notable piece of news related to this. As we reported last month, the MacBook Neo's keyboard can be replaced individually.


For years, replacing the keyboard in other MacBooks has required replacing the entire Top Case, which refers to the top half of the aluminum shell surrounding the keyboard. For example, the latest MacBook Air has a "Top Case with Keyboard" part, and the latest MacBook Pro models have a "Top Case with Battery and Keyboard" part.

For the MacBook Neo, there are separate Keyboard, Keyboard with Touch ID, and Top Case parts, and Apple shows how to replace the keyboard individually. While there are still more than 40 screws involved to replace the keyboard on its own, the process is much easier than replacing an entire Top Case, which requires lots of disassembly.

Best of all, the MacBook Neo's individual keyboard part starts at just $140 on Apple's self-service repair store in the U.S., whereas the Top Case with Keyboard for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models costs around $400 to $600.
This article, "Apple Now Selling Parts for Seven New Devices Unveiled Last Month" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 241 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

2026-04-09 06:00:51

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016 and just marked its tenth anniversary. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 241 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Animations, CSS, Canvas, Forms, HTML, Images, JavaScript, MathML, Media, Networking, Printing, Rendering, SVG, Storage, Web API, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple's website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.

This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 241 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Two Apple Stores in U.S. and Australia Will Soon Be Temporarily Closed

2026-04-09 05:56:21

Apple Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga, California will be temporarily closed for renovations starting the evening of Saturday, April 11.

The store will reopen in the fall, according to a notice on Apple's website spotted by MacRumors reader Kate. No specific date was provided, but Apple will likely aim to resume business ahead of iPhone 18 Pro launch day in September.

In the meantime, Apple will be opening a temporary store elsewhere at Victoria Gardens, in a unit that was most recently occupied by activewear retailer Athleta. The address for the temporary store is 12501 N Mainstreet, Suite 3610.

Apple Victoria Gardens first opened in September 2004.

Apple Chermside outside of Brisbane, Australia will also be temporarily closed starting Wednesday, April 29, with Apple inviting customers to visit nearby stores in the meantime. Apple has not provided a specific reason for this store's closure, but it is likely another renovation project. The location first opened in November 2009.

In addition, Apple Trumbull in Connecticut and Apple Towson Town Center in Maryland will be opening at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time this Thursday, April 9. It is unclear exactly why these locations are opening a few hours later than usual, but it is our understanding that at least one of the stores might simply be holding an employee meeting.
This article, "Two Apple Stores in U.S. and Australia Will Soon Be Temporarily Closed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iPhone Ultra's Price Range Revealed

2026-04-09 04:35:44

Apple reportedly plans to unveil its long-awaited foldable iPhone in September, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed the device's supposed price range.

In a report this week, Gurman said the foldable iPhone is expected to "cross the $2,000 threshold" in the U.S., although it is unclear if he is referring to the starting price or if only some configurations will surpass that price point.

In any case, the foldable iPhone will undoubtedly be the most expensive iPhone ever. Currently, Apple's most expensive iPhone model is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which costs $1,999 in the U.S. when configured with a maximum 2TB of storage.

If the foldable iPhone does start at $1,999, the device might cost as much as $2,799 with 2TB of storage, based on iPhone 17 Pro Max price tiers.

It was recently rumored that the foldable iPhone will be named iPhone Ultra. Apple already uses Ultra branding for the Apple Watch Ultra, CarPlay Ultra, and the M1 Ultra, M2 Ultra, and M3 Ultra series of chips for the Mac Studio.

The foldable iPhone is expected to open up like a book, providing users with a large screen for watching videos, playing games, and multitasking. The device will reportedly have a 7.7-inch inner display and a 5.3-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID. It was initially rumored that the device would have a virtually "crease-free" inner display, but it was later reported that Apple is using technology that "reduces the crease without eliminating it entirely."

This article, "iPhone Ultra's Price Range Revealed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Anthropic's AI to Help Apple Find iOS, macOS, and Safari Vulnerabilities

2026-04-09 04:25:10

Anthropic on Tuesday announced Project Glasswing, a new initiative that will enable tech companies to use its new AI model Mythos Preview to find and fix security vulnerabilities or weaknesses across operating systems and web browsers.


Mythos Preview has already found thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities, including some in every major operating system and web browser, according to Anthropic.

"AI models have reached a level of coding capability where they can surpass all but the most skilled humans at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities," said Anthropic. "Given the rate of AI progress, it will not be long before such capabilities proliferate, potentially beyond actors who are committed to deploying them safely."

"Project Glasswing is an urgent attempt to put these capabilities to work for defensive purposes," added the company.

Mythos Preview will not be available to the public. Instead, Anthropic said use of the model will be limited to selected partners, with the initial group beyond Anthropic itself including Apple, Amazon Web Services, Broadcom, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Google, JPMorganChase, the Linux Foundation, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Palo Alto Networks.


Anthropic is committing up to $100 million in usage credits for Mythos Preview. Beyond that, partners will have to pay to use the AI model.

Launch partners like Apple will use Mythos Preview as part of their defensive security work, according to Anthropic. This means Apple may use the AI model to help find and fix security vulnerabilities across its Safari web browser and operating systems, which includes iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Apple is also rumored to be developing a homeOS operating system for a new smart home hub.

This article, "Anthropic's AI to Help Apple Find iOS, macOS, and Safari Vulnerabilities" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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