Macworld

Macworld Just a couple days after the wide release of iOS 27, Apple has released the first beta of iOS 27.2. That’s not a typo: it’s iOS 27.2, not 27.1. We never saw a 27.1 release, but Apple is beginning beta tests for the 27.2 branch. This likely has something to do with the iPhone Duo, which is going on sale in October. We know the iPhone Duo will come with iOS 27.1, but we don’t yet know if any other devices will ever get a 27.1 update, or when all the devices will get on the same version together. ## What’s new in iOS 27.2 As beta testers report new capabilities in this version, we’ll report them here. New Health app: The 27.2 beta includes the new Health app, with a totally new redesign and AI-powered health insights. Siri AI languages: Apple said that Siri AI, which launched supporting only U.S. English, will expand to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish in October. Messages suggestions: A feature of the iOS 27 beta that was cut for the full release, the feature that suggests replies in Messages may return in 27.2. Automatically fix passwords: Another feature cut just before the final iOS 27 release is the ability to automatically fix compromised passwords. That might return in 27.2 as well. ## iOS 27.2: How to install the public beta If you want to test the iOS 27 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps: 1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID. 2. Log in to the Beta Software Program. 3. Click Enroll your iOS device. 4. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. 5. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta. It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update. ## iOS 27.2: How to install the developer beta You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app: 1. Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store. 2. Open the app. 3. Tap on Account. 4. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. Find out everything you need to know about iOS 27 in our iOS 27 superguide.

Macworld According to a report by The Information, Apple could re-enter the server hardware market. The servers would be targeted at the AI development, with availability starting in 2029. While Apple’s plans are tentative, the servers have reportedly been in the works for a year. The company has two types of servers centered around M8 Ultra chips, one with two M8 Ultra chips, while another has four M8 Ultras. The Information also reports that Apple could use Nvidia’s NVLInk Fusion technology, which is used for high-speed connections between chips. Nvidia in 2025 opened up NVLink to other companies for use in their servers. Mac hardware has become very popular with AI developers. Online processing is a vital part of AI, so Apple’s desire to get into the AI server market is a good opportunity for the company. Apple used to sell Xserve, a line of servers, but it was discontinued 15 years ago. When the company discontinued Xserve, it recommended that customers use a Mac Pro or Mac mini, which is a viable solution for a single, stand-alone server or a very small cluster. With AI, however, large server clusters are needed, and companies want the blade form factor that is the standard in the industry. The M8 Ultra is a few generations beyond the current fastest chip Apple offers, the M5 Ultra. The M5 Ultra is found only in the Mac Studio and requires a two-pound cooling system. Apple will have to create a cooling system that can fit in a 1U or 2U rack-mount design. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has previously reported on Apple plans to release an AI server, responded to the report by stating that Apple could be using the M7 Ultra in its server for 2029, but it’s also possible Apple “is doing M8 Ultra simultaneously.”

Macworld With the launch of iOS 27 this week, Apple Intelligence has reached maturity, with a real chatbot assistant in Siri AI, powerful photo editing tools, and legitimately good image generation. And it’s mostly free. Unlike ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools, which charge monthly fees for anyone who uses the service more than occasionally. For example, the free Claude plan has “session-based usage limits” that can kick in when you’re using it too much. Those limits don’t exist with Siri AI or any of the Apple Intelligence tools. Apple does charge for HomeKit Secure Video features. Apple has always tied HomeKit Secure Video to iCloud accounts for recording and viewing footage, but the Apple Intelligence features are costlier. Here’s what Apple charges now: HomeKit Secure Video recording - 50GB: 1 camera - 200GB: Up to 5 cameras - 2TB: More than 5 cameras However, that 2TB plan, which costs $9.99 a month, is the least you can spend to get Apple’s new AI Home app features, including video descriptions for recorded clips and natural-language search. And that only supports a single camera: HomeKit Secure Video recording with AI - 2TB: 1 camera - 6TB: 2 cameras - 12TB: Up to 5 cameras A setup with five cameras that costs you $2.99 a month will now cost $59.99 a month if you want to include AI summaries. That’s a steep increase just to get AI summaries, but it speaks to the overall expense of AI. Storing and analyzing 4K videos all day long isn’t cheap. And Apple cautions that “camera counts and other iCloud+ plan features may change over time,” so costs could go up. And it sounds like Apple is going to charge for other services soon. On the Apple Intelligence usage limits support page, Apple warns that limits are coming to other features, including Siri AI and Photos: > In the future, Apple will implement usage limits on these and other Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features to ensure a high-quality, reliable experience for everyone. If you reach a limit in a particular feature, that feature will become available again after a time out period. Limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Increased access to such features will be available for a fee. It’s not clear when Apple will begin charging for AI features and conversations or how much it will cost, but enjoy your free Apple Intelligence while it lasts.

Macworld Apple has announced that paying iCloud+ subscribers now have access to Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and curated Apple Music stations as well as the cloud storage they originally signed up for. But this applies in certain countries only, and the list doesn’t include the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. The upgrade covers every paid tier, all the way down to 50GB, and Apple insists there’s no extra cost for the additional services. Wherever the new offer is available, the company will stop selling standalone subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Arcade, and any existing standalone subscriptions will be cancelled and moved to iCloud+. It isn’t entirely clear how the transition will be handled but Apple says those affected “will continue to have uninterrupted access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade through their iCloud+ subscription.” The TV and Arcade elements are straightforward: paying iCloud+ subscribers gain access to these exactly as if they had a standalone subscription. But the Apple Music feature requires a little more explanation: > “With an iCloud+ subscription, [users] will also have access to Apple Music Select, a collection of ad-free stations programmed by Apple Music for lean-back listening, offering a wide range of regionally relevant music to enjoy, as well as Top Songs, 80s, 90s, and more,” says Apple. “Apple Music Select stations are available in the Home tab of the Apple Music app.” But it’s important to note that Apple Music itself is not included, although there is a discount for those who wish to add it to their portfolio. A press release for the move can be found on individual Apple country pages. There are more than 100 such countries, but (without wishing to be too Euro-centric) the list may strike Macworld readers more for what’s not on it. Aside from the names above, the larger European nations all miss out: there’s no Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Norway or Sweden. But the new offer does include the most populous country in the world, and some Indian customers have been debating its merits as compared to the larger Apple One bundle, which is being phased out in countries which get the expanded iCloud+ offering. Apple One is still officially listed on Apple’s India site at 195 rupees per month for the individual package, which includes Apple Music as well as iCloud+, TV, and Arcade. The cheapest 50GB iCloud+ subscription, by contrast, costs 75 rupees per month, so customers can add a full Music subscription for the discounted price of 115 rupees (revealed on the Indian press release) and still come out slightly ahead. iCloud+ is effectively replacing Apple One, in other words, at a fractionally better price and with the option of leaving out Apple Music (and replacing it with Apple Music Select). Of course, that doesn’t mean Apple can’t use the additional services to justify putting up the price further down the line. Apple says the upgraded offering will roll out in the 100+ included countries “through the end of September.” It isn’t clear when the offer will appear in the U.S. and other excluded countries, or if it will at all.

Macworld Apple MacBook Air M5 View Deal If you’ve been waiting for a good moment to grab a MacBook Air, this is the sale you want. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air is down to $1,449 at Amazon right now, a savings of $150 off its usual $1,599. It’s not the best price we’ve ever seen, but it’s the lowest we’ve seen since Apple raised prices in June. The best part about this laptop is that it’s fast. The M5 chip is the best you can get at this price point, and the 16GB of memory will make everything run smoothly. From launching apps in a blink to switching between them with ease, this laptop can help you handle your daily projects without issue. For anyone juggling work, school, and hobbies on a single device, the MacBook’s responsiveness will keep you going. The M5 chip is also perfectly capable of handling Apple Intelligence tasks, so you can use that to write, summarize, and generally get things done faster. Whether you want to polish up an email or some other task for work, this can do that easily. Battery life is also stellar because you get a super slim laptop that can survive for 18 hours on a single charge. It will comfortably cover a full day of work or classes without having to panic if you forgot the charger, and that’s amazing. Of course, the screen is amazing, too. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is vibrant and fast, so photos and videos look rich and lifelike, while text stays razor-sharp. For all the video calls that fill a normal week, the 12MP Center Stage camera keeps you centered in frame automatically, which is amazing if you tend to move around a lot. For $1,449, this is an easy pick if you want a fast, gorgeous, all-day laptop that plays perfectly with the rest of your Apple gear.