2026-05-21 05:33:31
Google held its annual Google I/O event today, launching new AI products and giving us a look at what's coming in the near future. Google I/O is Google's equivalent of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, and Google's announcements offer insight into what Apple is going to be competing with in the coming months.
We've rounded up everything Google announced at I/O across its product lineup.
2026-05-21 03:20:01
Every May, Apple previews new accessibility features coming to devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The announcement typically occurs a few days before Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and it offers a glimpse into what will be included in the next major releases of Apple's software platforms, such as iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
This year, one of the new capabilities shown off by Apple is natural language support for the Voice Control feature on the iPhone and iPad.
Voice Control is receiving an Apple Intelligence upgrade that will make the feature "more intuitive than ever," according to Apple. Specifically, iPhone and iPad users will be able to describe on-screen buttons and controls with natural language, instead of having to remember exact labels, numbers, or descriptions like before.
For example, users will be able to say things like "tap the guide about best restaurants" in Apple Maps or "tap the purple folder" in the Files app.
Voice Control powered by Apple Intelligence will initially be available in English in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia, according to Apple.
AI-powered Voice Control hints at the more personalized version of Siri that Apple first announced all the way back at WWDC 2024. At the time, Apple said Siri would gain on-screen awareness, which would essentially turn the assistant into an AI agent that is capable of understanding natural language and taking action for you.
Correct me if I'm wrong but it sure looks like Apple just casually dropped agentic AI being built into iPhone
— Dylan (@DylanMcD8) May 19, 2026
Yes, in this video it's being used for Voice Control, but if a person can control their iPhone with natural language so can an AI agent! pic.twitter.com/S6DQOiQGsO
2026-05-21 00:40:39
Apple this week previewed new accessibility features that are coming later this year, and one is particularly notable: automatic captions for personal videos.
For videos that do not already have captions, Apple said a new on-device speech recognition model can automatically generate them for spoken audio. According to Apple, this feature will be available for videos that you record on your iPhone, videos that you receive from friends and family, and videos that are streamed online.
The automatic captions will initially be limited to English in the U.S. and Canada.
Apple ensured that the captions are generated privately, and you will be able to customize their appearance in the video playback menu or in the Settings app. The feature will be supported across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro, with the "later this year" timing pointing to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27.
Apple will unveil those software versions during its WWDC 2026 keynote, which begins on Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, so we expect to learn more about this feature and its exact implementation in a few weeks from now.
2026-05-20 23:45:02
Samsung has edged past Apple for the top spot in customer satisfaction for cell phones, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's 2026 Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study, published this week.
Samsung scores 81 in the ACSI's cell phone rankings while Apple posts 80, breaking last year's tie between the two companies for satisfaction leadership. The overall cell phone industry score rose 1% to 79 this year, recovering from a sharp 4% decline in 2025 that had pushed it to its lowest point in a decade.
The ACSI says satisfaction improves most when new features translate into everyday value without introducing new pain points, citing battery life tradeoffs as an example. AI integration, measured by the ACSI for the first time, scores 85 overall, signaling that customers are not only aware of AI features but find them useful, while improvements in battery life, up 5% to 81.
For the cell phone industry, the highest-rated customer experience metrics are the fundamental functions of making phone calls and sending text messages, both scoring 86. AI feature performance debuts at 85, nearly matching those top table-stakes interactions, suggesting that AI is moving from novelty to practical utility for many customers.
Among new flagship owners, Samsung's latest Galaxy S-series leads at 84, followed by new iPhone owners at 82, with Google's flagship models scoring 80. Satisfaction with flagship models overall scores 82, far outpacing legacy phones at 76 and foldables at 72.
In the foldable segment, Samsung holds a clear lead with an ACSI score of 80, which is 8 points ahead of Google at 72 and 10 points ahead of Motorola at 70. The ACSI notes that foldable owners are three times as likely to complain as non-foldable owners, and says competitive dynamics in the segment may shift as Apple's rumored entry into the foldable market is anticipated for later this year. Apple is widely expected to debut a foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this fall, featuring a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover screen, priced at around $2,000.
In the smartwatch category, Apple holds steady at 80, while Samsung drops 4% to create a first-place tie at the top of the leaderboard. Customer experience characteristics of smartwatches are universally rated higher this year at the industry level, with the biggest gains including ease of navigating menus and settings, up 7% to 80, and app and accessory connectivity, up 5% to 83.
The ACSI study is based on 26,963 completed surveys, with customers contacted via email between April 2025 and March 2026.
2026-05-20 23:12:58
Apple today shared stats that paint the App Store as a safe and trusted place for both customers and developers, even though the reality is that fraudulent or deceptive apps continue to make it past Apple's review process from time to time.
In 2025, Apple said its App Review team evaluated more than 9.1 million App Store submissions, with a mix of human review and AI. The company rejected over two million of these submissions, including over 1.2 million new apps and nearly 800,000 pending app updates, for failing to adhere to the App Store's Review Guidelines.
As bad actors continue to evolve their methods, Apple said it continuously improves its multilayered defenses, leveraging a combination of human review and advanced machine learning in an attempt to detect and prevent malicious activity.
"By utilizing AI to rapidly identify complex malicious patterns, analyze app similarity, and flag potentially problematic changes in app updates, Apple's systems help human reviewers focus their expertise where it matters most," said Apple. "This not only improves the customer experience by ensuring a high-quality, curated storefront, it also helps legitimate developers get their great apps and updates to users faster."
Apple added that it terminated 193,000 developer accounts over fraud concerns and prevented over $2.2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions in 2025.
In 2025, Apple processed over 1.3 billion App Store reviews and ratings. Using a mix of human review and AI, the company said it identified and blocked close to 195 million fraudulent reviews and ratings from ever appearing.
"Apple's Trust and Safety teams integrate AI throughout the entire moderation process to detect spam, offensive content, and inauthentic reviews at scale," the company explained. "Additionally, AI-powered dashboards and rapid data analysis tools accelerate the discovery of new fraud vectors, enabling Apple's teams to react quickly to deceptive activity and protect the integrity of the platform."
Apple's press release contains many more stats that highlight the company's efforts to ensure the App Store is secure, even if they are not perfect.
2026-05-20 22:03:01
Accessory maker Ugreen has expanded its Nexode and MagFlow Air lineup of chargers with a set of compact units aimed squarely at Apple users.
First up is the Nexode Air 65W charger, which Ugreen is pitching as a travel-friendly option for MacBook Air owners, but it should work just as well for iPhones, iPads, and other USB-C devices. (Its Cosmic Orange-style finish twins particularly well with the iPhone 17 Pro.) Ugreen describes the unit as pocket-sized while still delivering up to 65W of fast charging, and it features the company's Ugreen's Thermal Guard temperature control for safety.
For users who want a thinner option, Ugreen is also touting its Nexode Air 45W Charger Slim, plus there's a new MagFlow Air Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh – a Qi2-certified 15W magnetic battery with a built-in USB-C cable, a second USB-C port, and ATL battery cells inside.
The company's broader existing Air lineup includes a thicker Nexode Air 65W Charger Slim and a less bulky 5000mAh version of the MagFlow Air.
The Nexode Air 65W Charger and 45W Slim are priced at $39.99, with the 10000mAh MagFlow Air at $79.99. All the chargers are available now over on Ugreen's official site as well as Amazon.com.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
