2026-10-25 12:58:09
Apple is considering changes to Safari on the iPhone Duo that would give websites access to more of the outer display, although the company has yet to settle on an approach.
The challenge is allowing pages to occupy the area beneath Safari's side-mounted controls without making parts of a website inaccessible. In an Friday, October 23 WebKit post, Apple's Jen Simmons explained that an existing web setting could enable this, but Apple's research suggests many sites would not handle it correctly.
That setting, viewport-fit="cover", allows a webpage to expand into areas that would otherwise be reserved. Website developers must then leave enough space around important content to prevent it from being covered by the interface. According to Simmons, many sites fail to make those allowances on every edge.
Apple is investigating whether another solution could offer developers more control with less risk of obscuring content. A header's background could, for example, span the screen while its navigation links remain within the unobstructed portion.
For now, Safari 27.1 restricts webpages to the area beside the controls and uses the page's background color to fill the remaining strip. This limits the width available for content on the outer display.
The arrangement stems from the screen's proportions. Apple placed controls along the side of the device because the outer display is shorter and wider than other iPhone screens, preserving more height for apps and webpages.
Separately, Safari 27.1 adds automatic two-page PDF viewing when the iPhone Duo is held partially folded like a book. Flattening or closing the device returns the document to a single-page view.
Developers can also test experimental support for detecting the screen's folding posture and positioning content around the device's middle fold. Those features are available behind Safari feature flags, while the proposed change to content beneath the controls remains under investigation.
2026-10-25 12:27:08
Instagram is now available on the Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows via the platform to Apple's streaming device for the first time.
The Instagram app for Apple TV lets users watch content from their favorite creators, discover videos, and resume watching across devices. Instagram describes the app as a way to watch together with friends and family, extending its video experience to the television.
The app appears to have launched on October 23. Apple's TV-specific release metadata dates version 66.0 to that day, while an archived App Store listing from October 19 still showed compatibility with only the iPhone and iPad.
Instagram first began testing its TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States in December 2025, before expanding to Google TV in February 2026 and Samsung smart TVs in June. The initial experience focused on Reels organized into channels based on viewers' interests, with videos playing automatically.
In June, Meta outlined plans to expand beyond short videos with longer creator content, episodic series, and live broadcasts. The Apple TV app's description lists longer videos and live shows alongside Reels.
The release follows Instagram's dedicated iPad app, which arrived in September 2025 after years of requests for an interface designed for Apple's tablets.
Instagram is now available on the Apple TV App Store. It requires tvOS 26.0 or later.
2026-10-25 12:05:09
Apple and M. Night Shyamalan have won an appeal in the copyright dispute over Apple TV series "Servant," with a federal appeals court upholding last year's jury verdict in their favor (via Reuters).
In its October 22 decision, the Ninth Circuit rejected filmmaker Francesca Gregorini's arguments that problems with the jury instructions and an unanswered question from jurors warranted overturning the result.
Gregorini sued in January 2020, alleging that the first three episodes of "Servant" copied her 2013 film "The Truth About Emanuel." Both stories involve a grieving mother who treats a doll as a living baby and a young caregiver. A jury unanimously ruled for Apple, Shyamalan, and the other defendants on January 24, 2025, according to the final judgment.
The appeal focused on whether jurors received enough guidance to assess if the show's creators could have encountered Gregorini's film. The court found that the instructions were adequate and that the judge could accept the unanimous verdict before answering the jury's request for clarification.
The lawsuit was initially dismissed in 2020, then revived on appeal in 2022 before proceeding to trial. "Servant" stars Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free, and Rupert Grint, with Shyamalan serving as an executive producer.
2026-10-25 07:48:55
An iPhone Duo owner has shared a Touch ID tip on Reddit they claim is "arguably better than Face ID." It involves registering the lowest part of your index finger instead of the pad of your fingertip. The poster says this segment rests naturally against the side button during pickup and unlocks the phone as you lift it, and it seems at least some users agree.
The tip has since been shared on the MacRumors forums, where another Duo owner reports it working for them. That said, grip styles vary, and it's not guaranteed to work for everyone, but intrigued users can test the tip themselves by registering additional bits of digits via Settings ➝ Touch ID & Passcode. After all, more is generally better.
2026-10-25 02:29:16
Verizon has apologized to customers who pre-ordered the iPhone Duo through the carrier but have since been informed that their delivery is delayed.
In an email sent to affected customers, Verizon said an "unexpected shipping delay" means that iPhone Duo deliveries to some customers will "take a little longer." To make up for the inconvenience, Verizon is offering affected customers a $100 Verizon gift card that can be used online or in-store toward bill payments or merchandise.
"We owe you an apology," said Verizon. "We appreciate your patience and the opportunity to make this right," the company added.
Verizon said customers will receive an email about the $100 gift card next week, and it assured that it is working to fulfill orders as soon as it can.
"Your order is secure, your place in line hasn't changed, and our team is actively tracking your shipment to get it to you as quickly as possible," said Verizon.
MacRumors reader Ryan showed us that he pre-ordered an iPhone Duo from Verizon when pre-orders began on Friday, October 16. Verizon initially quoted him a Friday, October 23 delivery date, meaning he would have received the device on its launch day, but his estimated delivery date has since been revised to Saturday, November 7.
There are many similar examples of Verizon customers with delayed pre-orders across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and other social media platforms, with many revised delivery dates now falling in the October 31 to November 14 window.
Some customers who pre-ordered an iPhone Duo through Verizon did receive the device on October 23, so not everyone is impacted.
Last week, Apple said pre-order demand for the iPhone Duo was "nothing short of extraordinary," with estimated delivery dates on its own online store pushing into late January for new orders. Some lucky customers managed to secure an iPhone Duo on a walk-in basis yesterday, while in-store pickup reservations resumed with little to no availability.
Leading up to the iPhone Duo launch, there were a few reports mentioning that there would be supply constraints due to alleged manufacturing challenges. In any case, getting the device early is proving to be a challenge for some.
In the meantime, Verizon said affected customers can check their iPhone Duo order status on the My Orders page via the My Verizon website or app.
2026-10-25 02:28:00
iPhone Duo uses a Touch ID sensor built into the side button for authentication. Some may feel this is a step backwards after almost a decade of Face ID on iPhones, but if you wear an Apple Watch, you can use it to unlock your iPhone Duo instead. This way, you don't need to touch the side button at all. It's the closest thing we have to a seamless Face ID experience on iPhone Duo (at least for now).
The feature is called Unlock with Apple Watch. It's not new to iPhone, but it works reliably. Note that your Apple Watch needs to be a Series 9 or later, an Ultra 2 or later, or an SE 3. Here's how to turn on the feature and start using it.
