2026-03-31 07:47:00
When promoting the MacBook Neo, Apple found a surprise hit with a tiny anthropomorphized version of the Mac Finder icon, which people have taken to calling Little Finder Guy. Little Finder Guy starred in some of Apple's early March TikTok videos, and Apple is now targeting Finder fans with a trio of new videos.
Three tutorials on Apple's TikTok account star Little Finder Guy. Videos feature Stacks on the Mac desktop, ring light for video apps, and dictation. The tutorials are all shown on the MacBook Neo, and each one includes Little Finder Guy.
Most of the comments on the videos are about Apple's new Finder mascot. Stephen Hackett of 512 Pixels has created a .3mf file for 3D printing a Little Finder Guy for those that have a printer available.
Android has long had a 3D mascot that's a hybrid between a bug and a droid, which Google calls The Bot, so now there is an Apple equivalent.
2026-03-31 07:22:00
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Safari Technology Preview, a version of Safari that's aimed at testing new web technologies.
Apple first announced Safari Technology Preview for Mac on March 30, 2016, and rolled it out that same day. At the time, Apple said that it wanted to get feedback from developers on browser development using a method more easily accessible than WebKit. "Get a sneak peek at upcoming web technologies in macOS and iOS with Safari Technology Preview and experiment with these technologies in your websites and extensions," reads the description on Apple's developer website.
Safari Technology Preview can be used side-by-side with the main Safari browser, and it can be set as the default if users prefer it. Though it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use. Safari Technology Preview has a purple icon to distinguish it from the standard version of Safari.
STP is compatible with macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe right now, and when macOS 27 launches, it will work with macOS 27 and macOS Tahoe.
Apple regularly releases updates for Safari Technology Preview, and over the last decade, we've had 240 versions. Apple provides detailed release notes for each update, highlighting new additions and bug fixes in STP that will later come to the primary version of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview can be downloaded from Apple's developer website.
2026-03-31 06:43:50
iOS 26.5 is now available for developers, and while it doesn't include any new Siri capabilities, there are some major changes for the European Union, and smaller tweaks for features available worldwide.
2026-03-31 05:33:02
Apple has removed a "vibe coding" app from its App Store, reports The Information. AI app building app "Anything" was pulled from the App Store, and Anything co-founder Dhruv Amin was told that his app violated Guideline 2.5.2.
"Vibe coding" is a term used for code generated using AI based on natural language with no coding experience necessary. Anything and other apps like it let users create apps, websites, and tools with text-based prompts.
Apple started removing vibe coding apps from the App Store earlier in March, and the company said that certain features in the apps that were pulled violate code execution rules. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that there are no specific rules against vibe coding, but the apps have to adhere to longstanding guidelines. Apple specifically mentioned Guideline 2.5.2, which is the rule Anything apparently violated.
Apps should be self-contained in their bundles, and may not read or write data outside the designated container area, nor may they download, install, or execute code which introduces or changes features or functionality of the app, including other apps. Educational apps designed to teach, develop, or allow students to test executable code may, in limited circumstances, download code provided that such code is not used for other purposes. Such apps must make the source code provided by the app completely viewable and editable by the user.
2026-03-31 05:05:34
Apple is planning to introduce ads to the Apple Maps app in the near future, and the iOS 26.5 beta lays the groundwork for the feature.
Code in the update says the following: "Maps may show local ads based on your approximate location, current search terms, or view of the map while you search."
Apple also says that a user's location and ads interacted with in Apple Maps are not linked to an Apple account to protect user privacy. Apple does not plan to collect or store Maps app data, or share it with third parties.
Last week, Apple said that ads are coming to the Apple Maps app for iPhone and iPad in the U.S. and Canada "this summer."
Businesses in the U.S. and Canada will be able to show ads in search results and at the top of a "Suggested Places" section in the app, which is new in iOS 26.5. Suggested Places displays recommendations for locations to visit based on trending places nearby, recent searches, and more.
Ads in the Maps app will have a clear "Ad" label, much like the ads shown in the App Store search results.
2026-03-31 04:42:10
For the last several months, Apple has been working on interoperability changes that are set to be implemented in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Apple is developing AirPods-like pairing and notification forwarding for third-party wearables.
Testing on these features started back in iOS 26.3 and continued in iOS 26.4, but the options have not yet launched. Apple is still testing them in iOS 26.5, and both notification forwarding and proximity pairing for wearables are included in the iOS 26.5 beta. Today's update also appears to include a new feature forwarding Live Activities to a third-party wearable device, so Live Activities will be included under the notification forwarding umbrella.
Third-party wearables like earbuds will be able to use proximity pairing, similar to AirPods. Bringing a set of earbuds close to an iPhone or iPad will initiate an AirPods-like one-tap pairing process, so pairing third-party earbuds and other wearables will no longer require multiple steps.
Apple is also planning to allow third-party accessories like smartwatches to receive notifications from the iPhone. Users will be able to view and react to incoming notifications, which is a capability currently limited to the Apple Watch. Notifications are only able to be forwarded to one connected device at a time, and turning on notifications for a third-party device disables notifications on an Apple Watch.
Apple has not provided details on when these features will launch in the European Union, but the European Commission said that Apple will roll them out in Europe in 2026. Developers can test third-party TVs, smartwatches, and headphones with the new options.
The notification forwarding and proximity pairing features are only going to be available to device makers and users in the EU.
