2026-01-20 02:43:13
While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are still around eight months away, multiple sources have already commented on how much RAM the devices will have.
In a blog post last year, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expected all of the new iPhone models released later this year to be equipped with 12GB of RAM. That would include the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold, and it would match the 12GB of RAM included in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
In a research note last week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu agreed that the iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Fold will have 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
It has been rumored that even the standard iPhone 18 will have 12GB of RAM, which would be an increase over the 8GB of RAM in the standard iPhone 17.
Here is how much RAM is in the latest iPhones:
2026-01-20 00:50:45
As noted by 9to5Mac over the weekend, Walmart still does not accept contactless payment options like Apple Pay at its more than 4,500 stores across the U.S., and there is no indication that will be changing any time soon.
It is not just Apple Pay that is affected. Walmart also does not allow customers to use Google Pay or Samsung Pay, and you cannot tap a credit or debit card either. In other words, the NFC functionality on the payment terminals is turned off.
It is far from the first time that we have reported on this topic, but Walmart has still not changed course, despite endless customer complaints.
Last year, a Walmart spokesperson told MacRumors that the retailer remained focused on its own payment technologies in the Walmart app, including Walmart Pay and Scan & Go, but these options are not as convenient as one-tap Apple Pay.
To use Walmart Pay, customers must add a payment card to the Walmart app, and then scan a QR code displayed at the checkout to complete payment. This system allows Walmart to track a customer's purchase history and learn their habits, which is likely the biggest underlying reason that the retailer does not accept Apple Pay.
Scan & Go allows Walmart+ members to save time by scanning barcodes on items while they shop, rather than having to scan all of the items at a self-checkout register later. This can save you time, but Apple Pay is still not accepted.
Apple Pay has a lot of privacy protections, including hiding actual credit card numbers, and this would make it harder for Walmart to track customers.
Apple Pay launched more than 10 years ago, and it was accepted at more than 90 percent of U.S. retailers as of 2022, according to Apple. Some other major Apple Pay holdouts in the U.S. have reversed course and started accepting it over the past few years, including The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kroger, and Texas grocery store chain H-E-B, leaving Walmart as one of the country's only major retailers that does not accept Apple Pay.
Interestingly enough, Walmart has accepted Apple Pay in Canada since 2020, but apparently it is not willing to offer that luxury in America for now.
2026-01-19 23:47:36
While most sources in the Apple rumor scene agree that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature under-screen Face ID, there continues to be conflicting rumors about how that change might impact the Dynamic Island.
In a post on social media platform X today, the account "ShrimpApplePro" claimed that the Dynamic Island will be "shorter" on the iPhone 18 Pro models, as a result of some Face ID components moving under the screen. Only the front camera and Face ID's infrared camera will remain visible on the devices, they said.
"ShrimpApplePro" has accurately leaked some details about devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Series 9 in the past, but they are not always correct. Early rumors should always be treated with some skepticism.
Last month, The Information said that the front camera would be moved to the top-left corner of the screen on the iPhone 18 Pro models. The report explicitly said this change would help to eliminate the pill-shaped cutout in the screen, but "ShrimpApplePro" evidently believes that the Dynamic Island will live on in a smaller way.
YouTube channel Front Page Tech mocked up an iPhone 18 Pro with both the front camera and a smaller Dynamic Island in the top-left corner of the screen, but the video might simply be combining the two rumors mentioned above.
While the exact implementation remains to be seen, the good news is that it really does sound like under-screen Face ID is finally happening this year.
South Korean publication ETNews today reported (via "Jukan") that the iPhone 18 Pro models will use under-screen infrared technology from Samsung, which would pave the way for under-screen Face ID. The report also said the devices will use so-called LTPO+ display technology, which would likely be more power efficient than the current LTPO technology in the iPhone 17 series. This upgrade should contribute to longer battery life.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September, and hopefully the Face ID and Dynamic Island rumors are more clear by then.
Update: "ShrimpApplePro" has since deleted their post.
2026-01-19 22:18:01
Apple has updated its homepage to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today. The page highlights some of King's most impactful quotes, and invites people to explore his legacy further through the Apple Books and Apple Podcasts apps.
Apple shows photos of Dr. King visiting a church in Miami, Florida, holding a news conference in Birmingham, Alabama, and speaking to a crowd in Jackson, Mississippi.
Apple has ran a full-page Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. homepage tribute for more than a decade.
"We honor Dr. King and reflect upon his life and legacy," says Apple.
Apple CEO Tim Cook also paid tribute to Dr. King.
Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service, his commitment to justice, and his belief that every one of us has the power to make a difference, because as he reminded us, “everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” pic.twitter.com/DzF70FIGg9
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 19, 2026
2026-01-19 21:51:28
Chrome for iOS will soon feature an option for iPhone users to import their Safari data into Google's mobile browser, avoiding the need to perform the transfer on desktop.
Starting in Chrome 145, currently in beta, the new feature will guide users through the process of importing bookmarks, browsing history, and passwords from Safari, since Chrome cannot transfer the data directly because of Apple's privacy rules.
The process involves manually exporting Safari browsing data to a zip file downloaded to the user's iPhone, and then selecting the file in Chrome for import using the new option.
Chrome's interface displays a breakdown of what will be imported, before doing so on the user's confirmation, then the browser offers to delete the zip file as a privacy measure.
The feature is currently appearing in the latest version of Chrome 145 in TestFlight, so it should begin to roll out with the next stable release.
(Via MacObserver.)
2026-01-19 21:33:00
Meta's Threads has now reportedly surpassed its rival X (formerly Twitter) in daily mobile usage globally.
Market intelligence firm Similarweb (via TechCrunch) reports that Threads recorded 141.5 million daily active users across iOS and Android worldwide as of January 7, 2026, compared with 125 million daily active mobile users for X.
The data indicates that Threads crossed ahead of X on mobile sometime between late October and early November 2025, following a prolonged period of steady growth rather than a sudden spike. While X continues to attract more mobile users than Threads in the United States, Similarweb estimates that X's U.S. daily active mobile user base has declined significantly, falling to roughly half of what it was a year earlier, as Threads continues to gain ground.
Despite Threads' gains on mobile, Similarweb's data shows that X maintains a decisive lead when web usage is included. As of January 13, 2026, X was attracting an estimated 145.4 million daily web visitors, compared with approximately 8.5 million daily web visitors for Threads. When mobile and web audiences are combined, X is estimated to exceed 270 million daily users, while Threads totals roughly 150 million daily users across platforms.
