2025-12-25 18:30:00
Apple Gift Cards are one of the most common Apple-related gifts given during the holidays, so if you've received one today, here are all of the things you can and cannot use it for.
After redeeming an Apple Gift Card, the value is added to the Apple Account balance and automatically applies at checkout when making eligible purchases. It can be spent on a wide range of Apple products, services, and digital content.
Apple Gift Cards are marketed as a single, flexible balance that works across Apple's ecosystem, but there are clear limits on what they can and cannot be used for once redeemed to an Apple Account.
2025-12-25 01:27:11
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out.
2025-12-25 00:41:25
Apple CEO Tim Cook disclosed a roughly $3 million open-market purchase of Nike shares this week (via Reuters).
According to a regulatory filing published yesterday, Cook purchased 50,000 Class B shares of Nike on December 22 at an average price of $58.97 per share, for a total investment of approximately $2.95 million. The filing shows that Cook now holds about 105,000 Nike shares, a position valued at nearly $6 million.
Nike shares rose following the disclosure, gaining between about 2% and 5% in premarket and early regular-session activity, after the stock had fallen sharply in the days following the company's most recent earnings report, which highlighted ongoing challenges in its business, particularly in China. Nike is currently in the early stages of a turnaround effort under CEO Elliott Hill, who returned to the company last year after retiring.
Cook has served on Nike's board of directors since 2005 and is its lead independent director, a role he assumed in 2016 after Nike co-founder Phil Knight stepped down as chairman. In addition to his position at Apple, Cook also chairs Nike's compensation committee, placing him in a central governance role at the apparel maker. The December 22 transaction represents Cook's largest open-market purchase of Nike shares in years and comes at a time when the company is under pressure from investors following a prolonged decline in its stock price.
2025-12-25 00:40:46
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the feature, open the Wallet app and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, select Driver's License and ID Cards and follow the steps.
2025-12-25 00:15:27
Brazilian regulators have approved a settlement that will require Apple to change how the App Store operates on iPhone in the country, including allowing alternative app stores, expanded payment options, and a defined new fee structure.
In a press release, Brazil's Administrative Council of Economic Defense (CADE), said its court has approved a Term of Commitment to Cease proposed by Apple to resolve an investigation into the company's App Store rules on iOS. The case began in 2022 and examined whether Apple's restrictions on app distribution and payments limited competition in Brazil.
CADE said the investigation focused on Apple's prohibition of third-party app stores on iOS, the requirement that developers use Apple's in-app purchase system for digital goods and subscriptions, and restrictions that prevented developers from informing users about alternative payment options.
Under the settlement, Apple will be required to allow developers in Brazil to link to external payment options and promote offers that take place outside their apps. Developers will also be permitted to offer third-party payment methods within their apps alongside Apple's own in-app purchase system, with CADE requiring that these options be presented next to Apple's payment option.
Apple will also have to allow third-party app stores in Brazil. CADE specified that Apple may still display warnings or informational messages to users, but those messages must be neutral, objective, and limited in scope, and must not introduce extra steps or barriers that make alternative options harder to use.
According to Brazilian technology site Tecnoblog, which said it obtained the details directly from CADE, purchases made through the App Store will remain subject to a 10% or 25% commission under standard terms. Developers who use Apple's payment system would also pay a 5% transaction fee.
If an app directs users to pay outside the app using only static text, with no clickable link or button, Apple will not charge a fee. If the app includes a clickable button or link that sends users to an external website for payment, Apple will charge a 15% fee. Third-party app stores will be subject to a 5% Core Technology Commission.
CADE said Apple will have up to 105 days to implement the required changes once the new rules become binding.
2025-12-24 23:25:37
Apple's next-generation iPhone Air could still launch in the fall of 2026, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital."
The leaker claims to have been told by sources that the second-generation iPhone Air will launch in the fall. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17e is said to already be in mass production ahead of unveiling at a spring product launch event.
The rumor comes in contrast to an array of corroborated reports that the second-generation iPhone Air has been delayed until March 2027, where it is expected to launch alongside the standard iPhone 18 and a lower-end iPhone 18e. The second-generation iPhone Air was originally rumored to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone in the fall of 2026, but poor sales of the debut model apparently led Apple to delay the launch.
The second-generation iPhone Air is rumored to address complaints about the device by adding a second rear camera and lowering its price. A lighter weight, vapor chamber cooling, and a larger battery capacity are also among the rumored new features.
It is still possible that a new iPhone Air could launch in the fall of next year, especially if Apple has expedited development of new features, since this was the original scheduled launch time frame. Nevertheless, it would be surprising if the multitude of rumors indicating a delayed launch were mistaken.
