Apple occasionally makes choices that tarnish its strong privacy-forward reputation, like when it was secretly collecting users Siri interactions. Yesterday, a blog post from developer Jeff Johnson highlighted such a choice: an Enhanced Visual Search toggle for the Apple Photos app that is seemingly on by default, giving your device permission to share data from your photos with Apple.Sure enough, when I checked my iPhone 15 Pro this morning, the toggle was switched to on. You can find it for yourself by going to Settings > Photos (or System Settings > Photos on a Mac). Enhanced Visual Search lets you look up landmarks youve taken pictures of or search for those images using the names of those landmarks.To see what it enables in the Photos app, swipe up on a picture youve taken of a building and select Look up Landmark, and a card will appear that ideally identifies it. Here are a couple of examples from my phone:Thats definitely Austins Cathedral of Saint Mary, but the image on the right is not a Trappist monastery, but the Dubuque, Iowa city hall building. Screenshots: Apple PhotosOn its face, its a convenient expansion of Photos Visual Look Up feature that Apple introduced in iOS 15 that lets you identify plants or, say, find out what those symbols on a laundry tag mean. But Visual Look Up doesnt need special permission to share data with Apple, and this does.A description under the toggle says youre giving Apple permission to privately match places in your photos with a global index maintained by Apple. As for how, there are details in an Apple machine-learning research blog about Enhanced Visual Search that Johnson links to:The process starts with an on-device ML model that analyzes a given photo to determine if there is a region of interest (ROI) that may contain a landmark. If the model detects an ROI in the landmark domain, a vector embedding is calculated for that region of the image. According to the blog, that vector embedding is then encrypted and sent to Apple to compare with its database. The company offers a very technical explanation of vector embeddings in a research paper, but IBM put it more simply, writing that embeddings transform a data point, such as a word, sentence or image, into ann-dimensional array of numbers representing that data points characteristics. Like Johnson, I dont fully understand Apples research blogs and Apple didnt immediately respond to our request for comment about Johnsons concerns. It seems as though the company went to great lengths to keep the data private, in part by condensing image data into a format thats legible to an ML model. Even so, making the toggle opt-in, like those for sharing analytics data or recordings or Siri interactions, rather than something users have to discover seems like it would have been a better option.

Researchers are focusing increasingly on creating systems that can handle multi-modal data exploration, which combines structured and unstructured data. This involves analyzing text, images, videos, and databases to answer complex queries. These capabilities are crucial in healthcare, where medical professionals interact with patient records, medical imaging, and textual reports. Similarly, multi-modal exploration helps interpret databases with metadata, textual critiques, and artwork images in art curation or research. Seamlessly combining these data types offers significant potential for decision-making and insights.One of the main challenges in this field is enabling users to query multi-modal data using natural language. Traditional systems struggle to interpret complex queries that involve multiple data formats, such as asking for trends in structured tables while analyzing related image content. Moreover, the absence of tools that provide clear explanations for query outcomes makes it difficult for users to trust and validate the results. These limitations create a gap between advanced data processing capabilities and real-world usability.Current solutions attempt to address these challenges using two main approaches. The first integrates multiple modalities into unified query languages, such as NeuralSQL, which embeds vision-language functions directly into SQL commands. The second uses agentic workflows that coordinate various tools for analyzing specific modalities, exemplified by CAESURA. While these approaches have advanced the field, they fall short in optimizing task execution, ensuring explainability, and addressing complex queries efficiently. These shortcomings highlight the need for a system capable of dynamic adaptation and clear reasoning.Researchers at Zurich University of Applied Sciences have introduced XMODE, a novel system designed to address these issues. XMODE enables explainable multi-modal data exploration using a Large Language Model (LLM)-based agentic framework. The system interprets user queries and decomposes them into subtasks like SQL generation and image analysis. By creating workflows represented as Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs), XMODE optimizes the sequence and execution of tasks. This approach improves efficiency and accuracy compared to state-of-the-art systems like CAESURA and NeuralSQL. Moreover, XMODE supports task re-planning, enabling it to adapt when specific components fail.The architecture of XMODE includes five key components: planning and expert model allocation, execution and self-debugging, decision-making, expert tools, and a shared data repository. When a query is received, the system constructs a detailed workflow of tasks, assigning them to appropriate tools like SQL generation modules and image analysis models. These tasks are executed in parallel wherever possible, reducing latency and computational costs. Further, XMODEs self-debugging capabilities allow it to identify and rectify errors in task execution, ensuring reliability. This adaptability is critical for handling complex workflows that involve diverse data modalities.XMODE demonstrated superior performance during testing on two datasets. On an artwork dataset, XMODE achieved 63.33% accuracy overall, compared to CAESURAs 33.33%. It excelled in handling tasks requiring complex outputs, such as plots and combined data structures, achieving 100% accuracy in generating plot-plot and plot-data structure outputs. Also, XMODEs ability to execute tasks in parallel reduced latency to 3,040 milliseconds, compared to CAESURAs 5,821 milliseconds. These results highlight its efficiency in processing natural language queries over multi-modal datasets.On the electronic health records (EHR) dataset, XMODE achieved 51% accuracy, outperforming NeuralSQL in multi-table queries, scoring 77.50% compared to NeuralSQLs 47.50%. The system demonstrated strong performance in handling binary queries, achieving 74% accuracy, significantly higher than NeuralSQLs 48% in the same category. XMODEs capability to adapt and re-plan tasks contributed to its robust performance, making it particularly effective in scenarios requiring detailed reasoning and cross-modal integration.XMODE effectively addresses the limitations of existing multi-modal data exploration systems by combining advanced planning, parallel task execution, and dynamic re-planning. Its innovative approach allows users to query complex datasets efficiently, ensuring transparency and explainability. With demonstrated accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness improvements, XMODE represents a significant advancement in the field, offering practical applications in areas such as healthcare and art curation.Check out the Paper. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Nikhil+ postsNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

Mark Gurman from Bloomberg recently reported that Apple will be redesigning the Magic Mouse for the first time since its introduction in 2009. In the mouses fifteen-year history, the design has remained mostly the same, besides the switch from AA batteries to Lightning in 2015, and Lightning to USB-C in 2024. However, thatll soon be changing.Charge port placementOne of the biggest critiques of the Magic Mouse has been the charging port. You have to plug it in from the bottom to charge it, which also means you cant use your computer while your mouse needs to recharge.Some Magic Mouse defenders will say that this is better for your battery health, while others will say that youre realistically only recharging it every 6 weeks, so its a nonissue. They may have a concept of a point, but that doesnt change the fact that its annoying.Nonetheless, Gurman reports that this will be changing with the next-gen Magic Mouse:Apple is looking to createsomething thats more relevant, while also fixing longstanding complaints yes, including the charging port issue.So, sometime in the near future this will no longer be a concern.ErgonomicsWe dont have specifics on what the new Magic Mouse will actually look like, other than the fact that itll be completely rethought, hopefully with better ergonomics. Apple aims to make a mouse that fits in better, perhaps something similar to an MX Master:The good news is, theres a new Magic Mousein the works. Im told that Apples design team has been prototyping versions of the accessory in recent months, aiming to devise something that better fits the modern era.In a computing world now infused withtouch screens, voice commands and hand gestures, the mouse isnt as crucial as it once was.Many Mac users enjoy Logitechs MX Master mouse because of its ergonomics and additional features, though you do lose out on some of the multi-touch gestures that the Magic Mouse offers. Itd be cool to see Apple offer the best of both worlds.Release dateThe new Magic Mouse is in early development, and likely wont see a release until sometime in 2026. Gurman says he wouldnt expect anything in the next12 to 18 months. Apple is also working on a redesigned MacBook Pro with OLED in 2026 so well potentially see the two debut together.What would you like to see in a redesigned Magic Mouse? Let us know in the comments.Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Now that the iPhone 16 lineup has been released to customers, some people might be thinking about whats next for the iPhone. However, it isnt the iPhone 17, and its just a few months away.The next iPhone should actually be the iPhone SE 4, barring any delays. This iPhone should come out next spring, meaning were around three months away from seeing it. This will be the first update to the iPhone SE in three years, and itll likely be the biggest revamp to the iPhone SE since inception.Newer design, better displayApple has been sticking to the iPhone 8 design since the iPhone SE 2 back in 2020. That design still features a 4.7 LCD display, rounded edges, and a home button. However, the next iPhone SE should be moving away from thatInstead, were expecting a design similar to the iPhone 14, with a bigger 6.1 OLED display, a flat edged design, Face ID, and the smaller notch from that era. However, were still expecting it to have a single camera, rather than the dual camera of the iPhone 14.Display analyst Ross Young says that the iPhone SE 4 should share the same 6.1 OLED panel as the iPhone 14, supplied by both BOE and LG Display.USB-CUnlike the iPhone 14 and current iPhone SE, Apple is expected to transition away from the Lightning connector on the iPhone SE 4.This is mostly due to EU regulation requiring all devices with a charging port to switch to a unified connector, that being USB-C.Apple initially transitioned to USB-C back on the iPhone 15 lineup last year, and the next iPhone SE will be the last iPhone to transition. If youre an iPhone SE buyer, youll soon be able to charge your phone with the same cable as your iPad and laptop.Better camerasApples next iPhone SE will likely feature the same 48MP rear sensor as the iPhone 15, making a huge leap from the iPhone SE 3s 12MP sensor from the iPhone 8.iPhone SE 4 will also likely share the same 12MP selfie camera as the iPhone 15, another huge leap from the iPhone SE 3s 7MP selfie camera.Apple IntelligenceAccording to reports from Bloombergs Mark Gurman, the next iPhone SE should support Apple Intelligence, likely with an A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. This is a bit surprising, but it seems that Apple wants to put Apple Intelligence in as many hands as possible, even on its cheapest new iPhone.As a reminder, Apple Intelligence introduces a plethora of new features, such as Writing Tools, Photos Clean Up, Genmoji, Image Playground, Notification Summaries, and an all new Siri.Apples first modemThe fourth generation iPhone SE is expected to have Apples first ever in-house modem, which theyve been working on for many years. Apple acquired Intels old modem business back in 2019 with the intent of developing their own modems and moving away from Qualcomm.We exclusively reported at 9to5Mac that Apple will ship their first in-house 5G modem, codenamed Centauri, in the iPhone SE 4. This modem will also handle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.Qualcomms 5G modems are one of the most expensive components in the iPhone, so it makes sense that Apple is trying to move away from them. This could be one of the key factors in iPhone SE 4 having such a low starting price, despite being such a modern iPhone.iPhone SE pricingAccording to rumors, the next generation iPhone SE will be more expensive, potentially $499. However, thats still a pretty decent price, given the fact that its a very modern iPhone for under $500.Apple also sells the iPhone 14 for $599 currently, so the fact that wed be getting a modernized version of that phone for even less would be quite a steal. Apple would most likely discontinue the iPhone 14 after releasing the next iPhone SE, meaning that the iPhone lineup would potentially look like this:iPhone SE: $499iPhone 15: $699iPhone 15 Plus: $799iPhone 16: $799iPhone 16 Plus: $899iPhone 16 Pro: $999iPhone 16 Pro Max: $11996.1, USB-C, Face ID, Action Button, for $499. That would be very compelling. The single rear camera would be problematic, but it would depend on the specs. View all commentsThis would be quite a unified iPhone lineup, with all iPhones having USB-C. Itd definitely be a little weird if the cheaper iPhone SE had Apple Intelligence support while the more expensive iPhone 15 did not, so I wouldnt be surprised if Apple discontinued that phone as well.Are you excited for the next generation of iPhone SE? Let us know in the comments.My favorite iPhone accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apples had a very eventful fall, with a jam packed September event, an iPad mini 7 launch in mid October, followed up by an exciting week of announcements at the end of the month. With all of those new product announcements, there were also a number of discontinuations of older products, meaning theyre no longer available to purchase from the Apple Store. However, theres still good deals to find on last gen products from third parties.Apple introduced a new iPad mini model in October, with support for Apple Intelligence, compatibility with Apple Pencil Pro, as well as a fix for the jelly scrolling problem from the iPad mini 6. Its a relatively small upgrade, but one that was much needed after a 3 year wait.There isnt really much of a great reason to want an older generation iPad mini model, seeing as you miss out on Apple Intelligence. There also arent any good deals available on the last gen device right now, but you can pick up the iPad mini 7 for $459.#2 FineWoven iPhone casesApple debuted their highly controversialFineWovencases with the iPhone 15 last year, as an environmentally friendly replacement to leather. It was meant to be a premium feeling fabric material, but it missed the mark completely. The cases scratch far too easily, and ultimately failed to satisfy as a premium product.Apple seemed to acknowledge this, andFineWoveniPhone cases no longer exist for iPhone 16 models. They did keep aroundFineWovenMagSafe wallets and Apple Watch bands, though. If youd like to pick up a FineWoven case for your iPhone 15, theres a variety of deals on Amazon including this one for iPhone 15 Plus for around $29.#3 M3 MacBook ProApple unveiled the new MacBook Pro with M4 in late October, with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chipsets, an upgrade to Thunderbolt 5 on higher end models, much needed RAM upgrades, support for Center Stage, and an option to configure your Mac with a nano-texture display.There are a couple cool deals to find on the M3 MacBook Pros, including this one deal at Best Buy where you can pick up the base model for $1299 a nice price for a 14-inch MacBook Pro, given the display quality.#4 M2 Mac miniApple unveiled the largest redesign to Mac mini in October as well, being significantly smaller than the prior model, frontal I/O, and M4/M4 Pro chipsets. This design also bumped up on the RAM, with M4 coming with 16GB by default and M4 Pro coming with 24GB by default. Its also Apples most powerful desktop Mac.There really arent any noteworthy deals on the outgoing Mac mini model, but you shouldnt buy it anyways, given the scale of the redesign. You can pick up the M4 Mac mini for $579 on Amazon currently.#5 M3 iMaciMac also got a refresh last month, jumping from M3 to M4, support for additional Thunderbolt ports, as well as gaining the same Center Stage capability as the MacBook Pro. Plus, it now comes with 16GB of RAM by default all at the same starting price of $1299. It also got a fresh set of colors.There also arent any great deals on the outgoing M3 iMac right now, but you can save $100 on the current model after clipping the on page coupon, making it $1199 on Amazon.#6 and 7 iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro MaxAs has been tradition since 2018 with the release of the iPhone XS, Apple has once again discontinued the previous generation of flagship iPhones, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro models went away upon the unveiling of the iPhone 16 Pro models. However, theres definitely a unique reason to want to buy a 15 Pro refurbished, since theyre one of the only iPhones that support Apple Intelligence.You can pick up a renewed premium 128GB iPhone 15 Pro for $725 currently, and a renewed premium 256GB iPhone 15 Pro Max for $864 currently. Amazon Renewed Premium devices come with a 1 year return window, so youre covered in case something happens.#8 iPhone 13Apple introduced theiPhone 13in 2021, with a number of upgrades, including longer battery life, a new camera system, and a smaller notch. It started at $799, and has received a number of price cuts over the years, and reached a low of $599 prior to being discontinued.Although Amazon doesnt really sell new iPhones in the US, you can find refurbished deals, as low as $372 for an unlocked iPhone 13 in excellent condition.#9, 10, and 11 Lightning Magic AccessoriesWith the new Mac refresh this fall, Apple transitioned the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard to USB-C, discontinuing all of the Lightning versions.There are a couple deals on Lightning versions of these accessories, though Id recommend against buying a Lightning version of an accessory youll probably keep for quite a while. Nonetheless, Magic Trackpad with Lightning is around $20 off currently.#12 Apple Watch Series 9After the release of the thinner Apple Watch Series 10, Apple discontinued the older Apple Watch Series 9, likely because the Series 10 retained the same starting price, and there just isnt a ton of room in the pricing ladder for a watch between the SE and Series 10.There are some deals on Apple Watch Series 9, but Id avoid buying it given the fact that you can currently pick up a Series 10 for as little as $329.#13, 14, and 15 Remaining Lightning AirPodsWith the introduction of AirPods 4 and USB-C AirPods Max, Apple replaced all of the remaining AirPods with a Lightning port, including AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Max (Lightning). Apple introduced two variants of AirPods 4 at varying price tags, one with noise cancellation and one without.Id avoid picking up AirPods 2 or AirPods 3 personally, since AirPods 4 are such a good deal. You can pick up the basic version for $119, or the noise cancelling version for $168. Id also consider USB-C AirPods Pro 2 if youre interested in noise cancellation, which are currently available for $189.Also, there are some nice clearance deals on AirPods Max (Lightning), being available for as low as $399.While the latest tech always looks flashy and appealing, its always worth considering deals on the recently discontinued stuff, at least in my opinion.Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Dec 29, 2025Ravie LakshmananEndpoint Protection / Browser SecurityA new attack campaign has targeted known Chrome browser extensions, leading to at least 16 extensions being compromised and exposing over 600,000 users to data exposure and credential theft.The attack targeted publishers of browser extensions on the Chrome Web Store via a phishing campaign and used their access permissions to insert malicious code into legitimate extensions in order to steal cookies and user access tokens.The first company to be known to have been exposed was cybersecurity firm Cyberhaven. On December 27, Cyberhaven disclosed that a threat actor compromised its browser extension and injected malicious code to communicate with an external Command and Control (C&C) server located on the domain cyberhavenext[.]pro, download additional configuration files, and exfiltrate user data."Browser extensions are the soft underbelly of web security," says Or Eshed, CEO of LayerX Security, which specializes in browser extension security. "Although we tend to think of browser extensions as harmless, in practice, they are frequently granted extensive permissions to sensitive user information such as cookies, access tokens, identity information, and more. "Many organizations don't even know what extensions they have installed on their endpoints, and aren't aware of the extent of their exposure," says Eshed.Once news of the Cyberhaven breach broke, additional extensions that were also compromised and communicating with the same C&C server were quickly identified.Jamie Blasco, CTO of SaaS security company Nudge Security, identified additional domains resolving to the same IP address of the C&C server used for the Cyberhaven breach.Additional browser extensions currently suspected of having been compromised include:AI Assistant - ChatGPT and Gemini for ChromeBard AI Chat ExtensionGPT 4 Summary with OpenAISearch Copilot AI Assistant for ChromeTinaMInd AI AssistantWayin AIVPNCityInternxt VPNVindoz Flex Video RecorderVidHelper Video DownloaderBookmark Favicon ChangerCastorusUvoiceReader ModeParrot TalksPrimusThese additional compromised extensions indicate that Cyberhaven was not a one-off target but part of a wide-scale attack campaign targeting legitimate browser extensions.Analysis of compromised Cyberhaven indicates that the malicious code targeted identity data and access tokens of Facebook accounts, and specifically Facebook business accounts:User data collected by the compromised Cyberhaven browser extension (source: Cyberhaven)Cyberhaven says that the malicious version of the browser extension was removed about 24 hours after it went live. Some of the other exposed extensions have also already been updated or removed from the Chrome Web Store.However, the fact the extension was removed from the Chrome store doesn't mean that the exposure is over, says Or Eshed. "As long as the compromised version of the extension is still live on the endpoint, hackers can still access it and exfiltrate data," he says.Security researchers are continuing to look for additional exposed extensions, but the sophistication and scope of this attack campaign have upped the ante for many organizations of securing their browser extensions.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

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The holidays are a time of getting together with family -- and fixing their technology. As the duly-appointed nerd in my family, I find it helpful when we're together to make sureiPhoneupdates like the latestiOS 18.2are installed on on everyone's devices. Not just for security (though that is a big part), but to set them up with all the new features that have come out over the past several months, such as Apple Intelligence tools such asGenmojiandImage Wand, newtext formatting in Messages, changes to theMaps appand more.But where to start?Right here: I've put together my list of eight features and settings you should change right now, including some of the top-tier features and a few that fly under the radar. If you have an iPhone that runsApple Intelligence, be sure to check out the features you're going to use most. (Or if you have no interest in them, learn how toturn off Apple Intelligence.) For more on what's new iniOS 18, learn about improvements to theoverhauled Calculator appand theMailapp. Don't forget to consult theiOS 18 upgrade checklist, which includes making sure you have a proper backup before upgrading. 11 Essential Accessories Your iPhone Wants for the Holidays See all photos Change the default buttons on the lock screen In real estate, location is everything, and the bottom corners of the iPhone lock screen are the prime spots, each an easy thumb press away when your device is still locked. Before iOS 18, those posts were held by the flashlight and camera buttons, with no way to change them. In iOS 18, you can finally replace them with other buttons -- or remove them entirely, a balm for folks whounknowingly activate the flashlight(believe me, there's abetter way to turn it on). You can add buttons to recognize music via Shazam, enable Dark Mode, set an alarm/timer, enable Airplane Mode, open your Wallet, send money via Tap to Cash and more. Here's how: 1. On the iPhone's lock screen, touch and hold anywhere on the display until you see theCustomizebutton. You'll need to unlock the phone using Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. If it opens the home screen, swipe down from the center-top of the screen (not the right edge, which brings up Control Center.2. TapCustomizeand then chooseLock Screen.3. Remove one of the buttons by tapping the(minus) button on the icon.4. To replace the button with another function, tap its space (now with a+icon) and then choose the one you want on the next screen. (You can also opt to leave that space empty with no button.)5. Repeat those steps for the other button if you want to change it.6. TapDonewhen you're finished.7. Tap the lock screen again to exit the customize mode. Remove a lock screen button by tapping the (minus) button, and then choose a new control to replace it. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNET Watch this: 11 Hidden Features in iOS 18 06:44 Set up some of the new tasks available on the Action button The Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro,iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro replaced the dedicated mute switch found on every earlier iPhone model with a configurable control. By default it serves the same purpose -- hold it to turn Silent Mode on or off -- but you can configure it for other actions like opening the Camera app,performing multiple actions at onceor evenordering coffee. In iOS 18, the Action button gets new capabilities. You can bypass Control Center and choose a control of your choice, such as opening the Remote interface for navigating Apple TV or using Shazam to identify a song. To choose a different action for the Action button, go toSettings > Action Button. Swipe sideways to select and activate one of the available actions. For the Controls, Shortcut and Accessibility options, tap theChoosebutton to pick which specific action to run. iOS 18 now lets you program the Action Button with your favorite Control Center control. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNET Give your home screen a radical new look You wouldn't think that putting icons where you want is a radical new feature, but that's because iOS has always had a locked arrangement. Apps get added from top to bottom, left to right. You could rearrange the order in which icons appear and move them to other screens, but that was about it. In iOS 18, apps can be positioned nearly anywhere. You no longer need to deal with a wallpaper image of your kids or pets being obscured by icons. They still adhere to a grid -- Apple isn't about to sanction anarchy -- but can be placed freely. Also, Dark mode finally applies to all of the iPhone's home screen, with options for coloring icons and affecting the brightness of the wallpaper image. Here's how to customize the looks. Arrange apps:Touch and hold the home screen to enter "jiggle mode," and then drag the icons to new positions. It will still slide them around to fill spaces, but with patience, you can move them into the spots you want. Position app icons where you want so this very good girl isn't covered. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETYou can also quickly turn compatible apps into widgets that display more information. Maps, for instance, can be a map of your current location with shortcut buttons to search for places or bring up a list of nearby places (such as dinner spots). Touch and hold the app icon and look for arow of resize buttonsin the menu that appears. Once expanded beyond the standard icon size, you can drag the handle in the bottom-right corner of the new icon. To get it back to its single icon size you need to touch and hold again and choose thesingle-iconbutton Some apps can be expanded into larger icons that act like widgets. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETSet Dark mode:If you've ever subjected yourself to the retina blast of black text on a white background late at night in a darkened room, you will appreciate the new Dark mode option for the home and lock screens. iOS has previously included a Dark mode, where light backgrounds switch to black or dark gray, text switches to white or light gray and other interface elements are dimmed to coexist in a dark environment. That's never been applied to the home and lock screens in any significant way -- only the dock and some widgets -- until iOS 18. First, touch and hold the home screen to enter jiggle mode. Tap theEditbutton in the top-left corner and chooseCustomizefrom the menu. At the bottom of the screen, choose a mode for the icons and background:Automatic,DarkorLight(I'll get toTintedin a moment). In Dark mode, the icons gain black backgrounds, and folders and the Dock become dark gray. (Developers have the option of making Dark mode icons for their apps. In the meantime, apps not yet optimized get a generally darker appearance.) In the home screen's Dark mode, icons and the background are given a darker treatment. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETIn Dark mode, the background image also changes. Apple's default iOS 18 wallpaper dynamically changes from light to dark as the day progresses, or you can choose colors that offer both a light and dark option. If you use a photo, its overall exposure is reduced to dim the light output. If you want dark icons but aren't a fan of the dimmed photo treatment, tap the sun icon in the corner of the options sheet at the bottom of the screen to toggle back to Light mode just for the background. Tinted icons:A new and different option is to tint all of the app icons so they share the same color. In the Customize options at the bottom of the screen, chooseTintedas the icon style. You can then adjust theHue(the slider with the color spectrum) andLuminosity(the slider with the dark to light range) to choose the color tint you prefer. Apply a universal tint to all app icons, with controls for adjusting the hue and luminosity. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETWhat if you want to match a color from a background image? Tap the eyedropperbutton and then drag the reticle to pinpoint the color you want -- the border indicates the selected color. The tint is applied not only to icons but to widgets as well. For a widget such as Photos, the images it displays show up as duotones to match the theme. Large icons:Do the labels below each app icon seem redundant to you? Now you can remove the labels and increase the size of the icons with one setting. Open the Customize options as described above and tap theLargebutton. Make the home screen icons larger and hide the app labels. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETAfter making any of these changes, tap anywhere on the screen to apply them and exit the Customize interface. Change up how the Control Center looks Control Center was once a convenient place to quickly access controls such as playback volume and Airplane mode, but under iOS 18 it's a configurable playground. You can position controls where you want, resize many to reveal more information and add new controls on multiple screens. Swipe down from the top-right corner to reveal the Control Center (or swipe up from the bottom on the iPhone SE). To enter edit mode, touch and hold or press the+button at the top-left corner. Just as with moving apps, drag a control to another slot on the screen to reposition it. Many of the controls also include a bottom-right handle that can resize the control -- in most cases, it reveals the name of the control and its current status (such asFlashlight Off). Rearrange the controls in Control Center and, for some, expand them to reveal more information (or just make the button a larger target for pressing). Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETControl Center also now spans multiple screens. Swipe up to view controls for media currently playing, Home controls for smart lights and appliances and a page dedicated to the communication options that appear when you long-press the Connectivity block containing Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular and others. Look closely and you'll see that those screens are actually individual controls expanded to occupy the entire Control Center area. You can rearrange the order of those screens by moving their controls. Suppose you want Home controls to be the first swipe instead of Now Playing: In the editing mode, drag the large Home control up to the previous screen (Now Playing will shift to the right to make room). Some controls get their own screens, such as Home. Normally it's on the third screen, but here it's been moved to the second screen. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETTo remove controls, tap the(minus) button that appears. You can also add other controls: TapAdd a Controland scroll through the available options ranging from starting aScreen Recordingto a host of accessibility options. Read more:Best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases Lock or hide any of your sensitive apps Our phones carry some of our most sensitive data, and yet it's not uncommon to hand a phone to a friend to view photos or look up something online. That doesn't mean they're going to snoop, but it doesn'tnotmean they might be more curious than you're comfortable with. For data you want to ensure stays out of sight or to add a layer of protection in front of sensitive information, iOS 18 adds the ability to lock and hide apps. For example, let's say you keep an ongoing set of lists of gift ideas for family members in the Notes app. You can lock individual notes, but that requires a separate step. Maybe a few ideas were made as individual quick notes or drawings. Instead of micromanaging access, you can lock the entire Notes app by doing the following: Touch and hold the app icon you want to lock and chooseRequire Face IDorRequire Touch ID(orRequire Passcodeif Face ID or Touch ID are not enabled) from the menu that appears. Confirm your choice by tappingRequire Face ID(or similar) in the next dialog. Lock individual apps. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETTo remove the authentication step, touch and hold the app and chooseDon't Require Face ID(or similar). Nothing outwardly indicates that an app is locked -- you'll find out when you try to open it. There's one more level of app security available, which is to hide apps in a special locked folder. Touch and hold the app and chooseRequire Face IDand then tapHide and Require Face IDin the dialog. Confirm the action by tappingHide Appon the next screen. The app disappears from the home screen and gets slotted into a Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library (swipe left beyond your last home screen to view the App Library). To access apps there, tap theHiddenfolder and authenticate with Face ID. When you choose Hide and Require Face ID to protect an app, it gets put into the Hidden folder in App Library (top). Tap the folder and authenticate to access the app (bottom). Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETiOS 18 imposes some limitations on hidden apps. Some, such as many of the built-in ones like Notes or Reminders, can only be locked and cannot be hidden at all. Also, the Hidden folder locks itself when you launch an app or swipe away from the App Library. Turn off Loop Videos in the Photos app Many apps have implemented a small but annoying (to me) feature, and now Photos under iOS 18.2 has it too: Videos automatically replay when you watch them until you tap the Pause button. That can be fun once or twice, or when viewing short clips. I'm not a fan of having to take action to make them stop each time. Now I can take action once. Go toSettings > Photos, scroll down until you seeLoop Videosand turn the option off. A video will play on its own but then stop at the end as it should. Turn off Loop Videos to stop every video from replaying automatically. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETIf you'd rather the video didn't play at all until you tap the Play button, also turn offAuto-Play Motionin the same Settings screen. Adjust the view of your calendar Big new features like locking and hiding apps are great additions but so are the tiny changes that you encounter every day. The Calendar app includes two new ways to view your schedule. In iOS 18, when you're in theMonthview in portrait orientation, pinch with two fingers to view more or fewer details. As you "zoom in," individual events appear as colored bars and then as labeled events with times, all while keeping the monthly grid of days and weeks. In the Calendar app's Month view, pinch to zoom in and see more details. Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNETTheDayview, which breaks down your day hour by hour, now has a newMulti Dayview that shows two consecutive days to give you context for what's coming without turning the phone into landscape orientation and viewing theWeekview. Tap theViewbutton at the top of theSingle Dayview and chooseMulti Dayfrom the popup menu. The new Multi Day view in the Calendar shows two days at once (right). Screenshots by Jeff Carlson/CNET Improve movie and TV show dialogue in the TV app Trouble hearing dialogue in movies and television shows isn't a new problem -- for example, the Apple TV has had a feature for a while where you can ask Siri, "What did she say?" and it will automatically back up a few seconds, turn on subtitles and replay that section of the video. You can even buysoundbars that can overcome muffled TV speech. There area lot of reasonsit's harder to hear dialogue, but the TV app in iOS 18 includes a high-tech workaround to make dialog easier to discern. While you're watching a video in the TV app, tap theMore() button and then expand theAudioheading in the menu that appears; if the phone is in horizontal orientation, tap the Audio Adjustments button. TapEnhance Dialogueand chooseEnhanceorBoost. They each dampen background noise and raise the dialogue's audio. Turn on Enhance Dialogue in the TV app to discern characters' speech better in noisy scenes. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETThese are just a few new features and changes in iOS 18. Check out our broader coverage of Apple Intelligence, more impressions of the system after using it for months and how these all work together with theiPhone 16 models. Apple's iPhone 16, 16 Plus Show Off Bolder Colors and Buttons See all photos

Sonos Era 300 Immersive Music Set: $853 Bundle and save $45 $853 at Sonos Sonos 2 Room Set with Arc: $1,373 Save $75 $1,373 at Sonos Sonos HiFi Set: $1,048 Save $50 $1,048 at Sonos Sonos Surround Set with Beam and 2 Era 100: $947 Save $50 $947 at Sonos Sonos Five Turntable Set: $948 Save $50 $948 at Sonos Sonos Home Theater Completion set: $877 Save $50 $877 at Sonos Sonos Premium Surround Sound Set with Arc Ultra: $1,802 Save $95 $1,802 at Sonos The holiday season is coming to an end, which means the New Year will bring a new slate of offers -- and if you've been wanting to upgrade a soundbar or a new pair of speakers, 2025 is the perfect time to start. By doing so, everything receives a boost in sound quality. Your favorite movie. Binge-watching The Office for the umpteenth time. Playing through the history of PlayStation in Astro Bot. Or just relaxing with some music in the background. Sonos is one of the best brands in the business, which is why we've dedicated a page to its latest and greatest products at reduced rates.See at SonosSonos' newest operating system, S2, supports high-resolution audio standards. The Wi-Fi playback is also compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, so you should be set no matter which ecosystem you're using.Right now, we're seeing the best prices on bundles, which we've listed below. These range from two-speaker sets of the same model to indoor-outdoor bundles. If the Sonos speaker you're looking for isn't on sale, be sure to check out the Sonos Certified Refurbished products page, where you might be able to pick up one for less than full price.We'll regularly update this list to make sure you're getting the best deals on the market. Sonos When you double up on the new Sonos premium indoor smart speaker, the Era 300, you can save $45. It has six drivers and support forDolby Atmosspatial audio. It's the most advanced speaker in the Sonos lineup. $853 at Sonos Sonos/CNET This set pairs the big but portable Move speaker with the Arc soundbar and saves you $75 compared with buying separately. Together, the speakers create an excellent home theater setup via Wi-Fi. You have the flexibility to separate the pair and take the portable Move with you and listen anywhere via Bluetooth. $1,373 at Sonos Sonos/CNET Two speakers are better than one, and this bundle from Sonos gets you two Five speakers at a $50 discount. $1,048 at Sonos Sonos/CNET Bundle up the Beam soundbar with two Era 100 speakers to create a home theater-like experience. $947 at Sonos Save $50 on this Five premium speaker and Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB Turntable from Sonos to elevate your vinyl listening experience. Alternatively, you can go from spinning discs to streaming music with a tap when you connect the turntable to the Five speaker. $948 at Sonos Sonos/CNET This three-speaker set will help you elevate the sound in your home for music, movies and more while taking up very little space. The bundle includes one Sub Mini and two Era 100 speakers. $877 at Sonos Combining the Arc Ultra premium smart soundbar with two Era 300 premium smart speakers gets you a decent $75 discount with this bundle. The lateral and overhead channels that come with the Arc Ultra and Era 300 envelop listeners in an all-encompassing soundstage of crystal clear vocals and dynamic stereo separation. $1,802 at Sonos These Impulse Buys Under $25 Actually Make Great Gifts See all photos

President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on a simmering feud among MAGA allies over H-1B worker visas, telling the New York Post that he supports the program, according to the outlet.Trump told the New York Post that he has always liked the visas. The H-1B visa program allows employers to temporarily hire non-U.S. citizens for highly skilled jobs.I have many H-1B visas on my properties. Ive been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. Its a great program, he said, according to the outlets report.A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about which of Trump's properties employed workers who were on H-1B visas.During his first term, the Trump administration implemented rules that would have cut the number of H-1B visas issued each year. The rules, however, were ultimately struck down in court.In recent days, MAGA world has been embroiled in a debate over the program, with one faction defending the visas and another faction arguing that the program allows foreigners to take American jobs. Trump allies, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, argued in online posts that the visa program benefits the country.Musk said in a post this week that the number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low.Musk, who was born in South Africa and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, said that the reason he and others who built SpaceX and Tesla are in the U.S. is because of the H-1B program.Take a big step back and F--- YOURSELF in the face, he said in a post. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.Musk said in a post to X that those contemptible fools must be removed from the Republican Party, later clarifying that he was referring to those in the Republican Party who are hateful, unrepentant racists.Musks posts came in reply to a post from Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic, who said MAGA is taking a page from Democrats on how to lose elections while feeling good about themselves.Separately,partnering with Musk to lead Trumps nongovernmental Department of Government Efficiency, argued in a post to X that he hopes American culture again prioritizes hard work over laziness.Ramaswamy also said in a post to X on Friday that the H-1B visa program is badly broken & should be replaced with one that focuses on selecting the very best of the best (not a lottery), pro-competitive (no indentured service to one company), and de-bureaucratized.Republicans who criticized H-1B visas included far-right activists Laura Loomer and Steve Bannon. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley also weighed in, calling it lazy for the tech industry to automatically go to foreign workers for their needs.Invest in our American workforce, she said in a post to X on Friday. We must invest in Americans first before looking elsewhere.Musk also faced accusations of censoring critics after more than a dozen conservatives, including Loomer, said their blue badge verification on X had been revoked after they criticized Musk over his views on immigration.