2026-01-09 07:44:28
iOS 26 is showing unusually slow adoption among iPhone users months after release, according to third-party analytics.
Usage data published by StatCounter (via Cult of Mac) for January 2026 indicates that only around 15 to 16% of active iPhones worldwide are running any version of iOS 26. The breakdown shows iOS 26.1 accounting for approximately 10.6% of devices, iOS 26.2 for about 4.6%, and the original iOS 26.0 release at roughly 1.1%. In contrast, more than 60% of iPhones tracked by StatCounter remain on iOS 18, with iOS 18.7 and iOS 18.6 alone representing a majority of active devices.
Historical comparisons highlight how atypical this adoption curve appears. StatCounter data from January 2025 shows that roughly 63% of iPhones were running some version of iOS 18 about four months after its release. In January 2024, iOS 17 had reached approximately 54% adoption over a similar timeframe, while iOS 16 surpassed 60% adoption by January 2023.
Based on those figures, iOS 26 adoption appears to be running at less than one-quarter of the rate achieved by recent predecessors during the same post-release window. StatCounter derives its estimates from web traffic analytics, tracking operating system versions via page impressions across its global network of participating websites.
In the first week of January last year, 89.3% of MacRumors visitors used a version of iOS 18. This year, during the same time period, only 25.7% of MacRumors readers are running a version of iOS 26. In the absence of official numbers from Apple, the true adoption rate remains unknown, but the data suggests a level of hesitation toward iOS 26 that has not been seen in recent years.
Unlike many previous releases, iOS 26 introduces Liquid Glass as a fundamental visual overhaul, replacing large portions of the traditional opaque interface with translucent layers, blurred backgrounds, and dynamic depth effects across system elements. Upon its announcement at WWDC last year, the redesign received mixed reviews, which could be a contributing factor to hesitation around upgrading.
Likewise, Apple now continues to support older operating systems with security updates, allowing users to remain on iOS 18 without immediate pressure to update or forfeit critical patches. This makes it much easier for users to remain on older software.
2026-01-09 06:29:08
Apple CEO Tim Cook earned $74.3 million in 2025, down slightly from $74.6 million in 2024, Apple said in its annual proxy filing released today.
Cook's earnings included a $3 million base salary that has remained the same since 2016, $57.5 million in stock awards, $12 million in performance-based cash awards, and $1.76 million in other compensation, such as 401(k) contributions, life insurance premiums, vacation cash-out, security expenses, and personal air travel expenses. For efficiency and security purposes, Cook is required by Apple to use private aircraft for both business and personal travel.
Apple set a target compensation of $59 million for Cook, the same as in 2024, but Cook earned above that level through the incentive payouts that executives receive when Apple performs well.
Other key senior Apple executives, including outgoing general counsel Kate Adams, chief operating officer Sabih Khan, and retail and people chief Deirdre O'Brien each earned total compensation packages of around $27 million in 2025. Apple saw a chief financial officer transition in 2025, with former CFO Luca Maestri earning $15.5 million in 2025 and new CFO Kevan Parekh earning $22.5 million.
2026-01-09 05:54:05
Apple's 2026 shareholders meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 24, at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, according to an SEC filing that was released today.
Apple shareholders of record as of January 2, 2026, can attend, vote, and submit questions during the meeting by logging in to Apple's virtual meeting website 15 minutes before it kicks off. A control number included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials that's provided to shareholders is required to join.
At the meeting, shareholders will vote to re-elect the company's board of directors, approve executive compensation, and ratify Ernst & Young LLP as Apple's public accounting firm. There will also be votes on shareholder proposals.
Notably, both board chairman Art Levinson (age 75) and board member Ron Sugar (age 77) are up for re-election, despite a company guideline stating that directors may generally not stand for re-election once they have reached the age of 75. Apple provided the following justification in its proxy statement:
Over the past four years, the Board has added three new members, representing over one-third of its membership, and two other, long-serving members retired. In the context of this year’s Annual Meeting nominations, the Board determined that it would be in the best interests of Apple and its shareholders to ask Art Levinson, the Chair of the Board, and Ron Sugar, the Chair of the Audit Committee, to stand for re-election, and to waive for each of them its guideline under which directors generally may not stand for re-election after attaining age 75. In making this determination, the Board considered several factors, including the significant experience and expertise that each of Dr. Levinson and Dr. Sugar brings to the Board, their deep insight into the Company’s business and operations, and their individual contributions as highly engaged members of the Board. The Board also considered the benefits of continuity among the Board’s leadership positions.Levinson's re-nomination as chairman is notable due to recent speculation around Tim Cook's potential retirement as Apple CEO, a move that would likely see him shift into the board chairman position. It is possible that Levinson's continuation in the role beyond age 75 is intended to also serve as bridge to such time that Cook is ready to assume the chairman role, rather than selecting a new chairman for only a relatively brief time until Cook steps down as CEO.
2026-01-09 03:27:22
Apple is once again testing its new Background Security Improvement feature that first rolled out in iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1. Following a previous test earlier this week, developers and public beta testers who are running iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, or macOS Tahoe 26.3 can now install a second Background Security Improvement update for testing purposes.
Apple says Background Security Improvements provide additional security protections between software updates for Safari, WebKit, and other system libraries.
Background Security Improvements can be installed by going to the Privacy and Security section of the Settings app, scrolling down to Background Security Improvements, and selecting the "Install" option. If "Automatically Install" is toggled on, Background Security Improvements will be automatically installed when they come out with no need to manually install them.
Apple says that users who opt not to install the Background Security Improvements will receive the updates in a standard software update.
Apple previously had a Rapid Security Response update feature for delivering security improvements, but it wasn't used often after it was introduced in iOS 16, and was ultimately phased out in favor of Background Security Improvements. At one point in 2023, there was a Rapid Security Response bug that prevented some websites from displaying properly.
Apple warns that Background Security Updates can result in "rare instances of compatibility issues." Should that occur, the updates may be temporarily removed and enhanced in a subsequent software update.
This article, "Apple Again Tests Background Security Updates in iOS 26.3 and macOS Tahoe 26.3" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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2026-01-09 02:50:47
Apple has lost another senior figure from its Safari team as a lead designer departs for The Browser Company, extending a pattern of high-profile exits from Apple's browser team amid intensifying competition around AI-driven browsing.
Marco Triverio was a lead designer for Safari and has now joined The Browser Company, the developer of the Arc and Dia browsers. The move was confirmed by The Browser Company chief executive Josh Miller in a post on LinkedIn, marking the latest in a series of hires from Apple's Safari design leadership.
Miller emphasized that Triverio's arrival means The Browser Company has now recruited lead designers from every Safari design era that overlapped with the development timelines of Arc and Dia, roughly spanning 2020 through 2025.
The Browser Company has positioned itself as an alternative to traditional browsers by emphasizing significant new interaction models rather than incremental updates. The apps are often compared to Apple software due to their focus on visual clarity, animation, and user experience design.
Its Arc browser introduced a nontraditional tab system, extensive customization options, and collaborative tools such as shared workspaces and a built-in whiteboard. In 2025, the company introduced Dia, a browser designed around AI-assisted workflows that integrate generative tools, collaborative features, and creative utilities directly into the browsing experience.
For Apple, Triverio's exit adds to a broader pattern of senior staff departures that became more visible throughout 2025.
2026-01-09 01:40:50
CES 2026 runs through tomorrow, but most of the media announcements and events have already taken place and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera is wrapping things up with our third video highlighting some of the neat tech innovations being demoed on the show floor.
