The free Apple Invites app for the iPhone was updated today with two new features: hosts can now more easily manually add guests to an event and mark their RSVP status, and the app's Home Screen widget now supports the extra large size option.


Released in February 2025, the Apple Invites app makes it easy to invite people to events, such as birthday parties and baby showers. The ability to create an event in the app requires subscribing to an iCloud+ plan with at least 50GB of storage for $0.99 per month, but anyone who receives an event link can RSVP for free on any device.

Apple's full release notes for version 1.12.1 of the app:

• Hosts can now more easily manually add guests to the event and mark their RSVP status, so your guest list stays accurate even when someone confirms outside the app.

• Invites widget now supports the extra large size to give you more options to countdown on your Home Screen.

• This update contains bug fixes and performance improvements.

The update is available now in the App Store.
This article, "Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Del Amo in Torrance (Los Angeles area) has been temporarily closed for a few days, and Apple has now added the following notice to the store's page: "We'll be right back. Our store is temporarily closed due to events beyond our control."

According to Reddit comments, the store allegedly suffered extensive water damage following a roof leak in the shopping mall.
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Update – 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time: CNET has corrected its article and now says only the HomePod mini 2 will support Siri AI. Original article follows.

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Siri AI will apparently not be limited to the new HomePod mini 2, with support also coming to the first-generation HomePod mini in a software update later this year, according to a report today from CNET's Jeff Carlson.


"The HomePod Mini 2 also gets a faster S10 processor, which should help with processing Siri AI requests," he said. "However, the current S5-powered HomePod Mini will also get Siri AI compatibility later this year, along with updates to iOS 27.2."

Fine print on Apple's website does not mention this detail, at least as far as we have seen, so we have reached out to the company for comment.

For the Apple TV 4K, Apple's fine print did mention that Siri AI support will extend back to the second-generation Apple TV 4K from 2021, but we have not found any explicit fine print mention about Siri AI coming to the HomePod mini (1st generation).

Apple said setting up Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 will require a paired iPhone or iPad model with Apple Intelligence support.

A paired device iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence support is also required for any requests involving a user's personal context, according to Apple. However, once Siri AI is enabled on the HomePod mini, the company said that even users without an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad can access Siri AI's broad world knowledge, richer and more natural conversations, and improved music discovery.

HomePod mini 2 launches on Friday, October 30, with pre-orders underway. It has an S10 chip, up from the S5 chip in the previous model.
This article, "No, HomePod Mini 1 Won't Support Siri AI as CNET Reported" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's tech specs page for its all-new HomeView smart home hub contains a list of all of the built-in Apple apps available on the device.


While it has no App Store, the HomeView can also display CarPlay-enabled audio and video apps from a paired iPhone. This includes Audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, Apple News, and Apple TV, along with third-party apps such as Spotify, according to WIRED.

The full list of built-in Apple apps on the HomeView:

• Alarms


• Calendar


• FaceTime


• Find My


• Home


• Intercom


• Messages


• Music


• Podcasts


• Reminders


• Safari


• Settings


• Timers


• Weather


• World Clock

CarPlay-enabled apps from iPhone available on HomeView:

• Apple Music Classical


• Apple News


• Apple TV


• Audiobooks


• "Supported third-party audio and video apps" such as Spotify

The latest version of the Apple Developer Program agreement confirms the availability of certain CarPlay apps and widgets on the HomeView.

HomeView is available to pre-order now and launches Friday, November 13.
This article, "Apple HomeView Has These 15 Apps, Some CarPlay Apps and Widgets Also Supported" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We just published Apple's list of iPhone Duo repair fees for customers without AppleCare+ coverage, and we want to bring extra attention to two of the fees in particular: a new cover layer costs $49, and a replacement battery is $229.

Apple's vice president of hardware engineering Kate Bergeron revealed that the iPhone Duo's nano-texture cover layer above the inner display can be removed and replaced. A new one is $19 with AppleCare+ and $49 without.
This article, "iPhone Duo: Apple Charging $49 for New Cover Layer, $229 for Battery" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today listed its estimated repair fees for the iPhone Duo without AppleCare+ coverage, with the maximum fee in the U.S. for "other damage" set at $1,499.


If you only damage certain parts of the iPhone Duo, the fees are more manageable. For example, the repair fee for damaged back glass is set at $199.

If you eventually want to replace the battery in your iPhone Duo, that will cost you $229.

As we previously reported, Apple said the iPhone Duo's nano-texture cover layer above the inner display can be removed and replaced, and now we know that Apple will be charging $49 for a cover layer replacement without AppleCare+ coverage.

Here is Apple's full list of iPhone Duo repair fees without AppleCare+ coverage:

• Cover layer damage: $49


• Back glass damage: $199


• Battery service: $229


• Rear camera damage: $229


• Outer display damage: $379


• Outer display and back glass damage: $509


• Inner display damage: $999


• Other damage: $1,499

iPhone Duo repair fees with AppleCare+ coverage were already known, but the fees without AppleCare+ coverage were finally disclosed today.

Here are Apple's fees if you have AppleCare+ coverage for your iPhone Duo, which costs $19.99 per month, $199.99 per year, or $399 upfront:

• Battery service below 80% capacity: $0


• Cover layer damage: $19


• Back glass damage: $29


• Outer display damage: $29


• Inner display damage: $99


• Other accidental damage: $99


• Theft or loss: $149

iPhone Duo pre-orders begin this Friday, October 16. The device launches Friday, October 23.
This article, "iPhone Duo: Skipping AppleCare+ Could Be $1,499 Mistake" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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An addendum to our report about the HomePod mini 2 working as a default speaker on all Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E and later: Apple says this ability extends to the full-sized HomePod 2.

Apple's fine print for HomePods as default Mac speakers says "compatible with HomePod mini 2 and HomePod (2nd generation) with support on all Mac desktops and laptops with Wi-Fi 6E or later."
This article, "Apple Says HomePod 2 Also Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple this week introduced the HomePod mini 2, and we have rounded up all of the new features and changes that we have uncovered so far below.


HomePod mini 2 can be pre-ordered now and launches Friday, October 30, but Siri AI support will not be available until a future software update.

Here is what is new with the HomePod mini 2:

• Siri AI support is coming in a future software update, with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad required for requests involving your personal context.


• S10 chip, up from the S5 chip for the previous model. It is unclear if this chip upgrade enables computational audio improvements.


• Wi-Fi 6E support, up from Wi-Fi 4 for the previous model.


• Bluetooth 6 support, up from Bluetooth 5 for the previous model.


• Default audio output support on Macs with Wi-Fi 6E and later.


• Sound Glow: the top area glows and pulses in sync with the music playing.


• Four-speaker surround sound with the new Apple TV 4K: connect four HomePod mini 2 speakers in front and rear pairs.


• Three microphones for Siri, down from four in the previous model.


• Two all-new color options: green and pink.


• While it is the most minor of differences, the HomePod mini 2's listed weight is 3% lower than the previous model.


• A price increase. In the U.S., the HomePod mini 2 is priced at $149. The previous model was initially $99 and later $129.

This article, "HomePod Mini 2: All the New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today added the 12-inch MacBook (2017), iPad (6th generation), and BeatsX headphones to the obsolete products list on its website.


Apple considers a product to be obsolete once seven years have passed since it last distributed the product for sale, including to resellers.

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are instructed to discontinue hardware service for obsolete products and generally cannot order parts for these products as a result. However, Apple says MacBooks may remain eligible for battery replacements for up to 10 years after distribution ended, subject to parts availability.

Apple discontinued the Intel-based 12-inch MacBook entirely in 2019, and it has yet to offer a sub-13-inch MacBook model with Apple silicon.
This article, "Apple Says These Products Are Now Obsolete" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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If you damage Apple's new HomeView smart home hub, here is what the repair fees are set at: $39 with AppleCare+ coverage and $279 without. These fees apply to any type of damage to either the tabletop or wall-mounted HomeView models.

In the U.S., AppleCare+ coverage for the HomeView is priced at $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year until canceled, or you can opt to add the device to the AppleCare One bundle, which starts at $19.99 per month.
This article, "Apple's HomeView Repair Fees Revealed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today introduced the HomePod mini 2, but the full-sized HomePod was not updated. Nevertheless, the alt text for Apple's full-sized HomePod image shown at the bottom of the HomePod order page now mentions a "multi-colored Siri AI glow on top," suggesting that the larger HomePod might eventually gain support for Siri AI.


Of course, it is also possible that Apple simply made an error.

The new HomePod mini 2 will feature Siri AI, but not right away, with support set to arrive in a "future software update." Apple did not provide a timeframe for the update. Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 will require a paired iPhone or iPad model that supports Apple Intelligence for requests that involve a user's personal context.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple planned to update the full-sized HomePod "eventually." Siri AI support might end up being limited to a new model of the speaker, but Apple's plans are unknown at this time.
This article, "Will the Full-Sized HomePod Get Siri AI? Apple's Website Offers a Clue" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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