Apple’s goal for its Apple Intelligence-based Siri is to give it the ability to control apps through voice commands, but will be limited at launch, and may never control banking apps. It’s claimed that Apple is already testing this functionality across a series of popular third-party apps, such as Uber, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook and others. Apple is also building this into its own apps, plus some selected games. Reportedly, the feature will either exclude or at least limit the control of banking, financial and other sensitive apps, perhaps including health. That’s because the feature has to be entirely and constantly reliable, and Apple will not be rolling it out to all apps at once. The report claims that this use of Siri is enormously significant, and specifically that it is vastly more important than the promised ability to ask Siri the name of someone a user has forgotten. But that promise was a rare demonstration of AI being used for something people would actually do. It would turn the iPhone and Siri into a “Star Trek”-like device, and it could be an impressively fast way of using devices. But Apple needs to show us a reason to want Apple Intelligence, and “what’s the name of the guy I met that time” is what would persuade more people than a quicker way to leave a sarky comment on Facebook. Perhaps an improved search facility would help, too. The latest reports are that Siri may gain ChatGPT-like search powers in the first half of 2026.
Apple is reportedly testing a revamped version of Siri with select third-party apps that uses the App Intents system to let users take action in-app entirely with Siri voice commands
Apple is testing a revamped version of Siri with select third-party apps, including Uber, AllTrails, Threads, Temu, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, and a few games, according to the latest word from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Apple also continues to test the new Siri with its own apps, he said. When it first announced the new-and-improved Siri at WWDC 2024, Apple said it would have better understanding of a user’s personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls, with these features to be powered by Apple Intelligence and an upgraded App Intents system. The features will be available across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and Apple Intelligence has expanded to the Apple Vision Pro too. Gurman said the new App Intents system will let you take action within apps entirely with Siri voice commands: Here’s what the new App Intents will mean: With nothing but your voice, you’ll be able to tell Siri to find a specific photo, edit it and send it off. Or comment on an Instagram post. Or scroll a shopping app and add something to your cart. Or log in to a service without touching the screen. Essentially, Siri could operate your apps like you would — with precision, inside their own interfaces. Gurman said the new Siri is on track to launch in the U.S. in spring 2026. If so, it will likely be released as part of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 next March or April. Apple is considering limiting or disabling some new Siri abilities in banking and health apps, to ensure that Siri does not make the type of critical mistakes that have sometimes occurred during internal testing, according to Gurman.
Apple Card Apple Card slips in satisfaction rankings—outpaced by Hilton AmEx and Costco Visa—as users prioritize high-value rewards and preferences shift beyond no-fee simplicity
The Apple Card isn’t the customer service standout it once was, with new data showing satisfaction slipping as consumers chase richer perks elsewhere. The 2025 study gave Apple Card a satisfaction score of 624 out of 1,000. This was down from 654 in 2024. The drop pushed it behind Hilton Honors American Express, which scored 641. It also fell behind Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi, which scored 629 in the best co-branded credit cards category. Apple Card, issued by Goldman Sachs, had topped the J.D. Power credit card rankings for this segment every year since 2020. J.D. Power’s research evaluates seven factors like account management, customer service, rewards earning and redemption, and terms. The decline suggests Apple Card lost ground in some categories, though the study doesn’t specify which ones. Hilton Honors AmEx and Costco Anywhere Visa are linked to loyalty programs offering travel perks and store benefits to high spenders. The trend shows more consumers are willing to pay fees or change spending habits for better rewards. Searches like “Apple Card vs Hilton Honors AmEx” or “Apple Card vs Costco Anywhere Visa” are now more competitive for potential cardholders comparing benefits. Apple Card is known for its no-fee structure and simplicity, making it a top no-annual-fee credit card in 2025. However, that isn’t good enough in a rewards-focused market. A J.D. Power report highlights a growing divide between financially healthy customers and those under strain. Cardholders without revolving debt reported higher satisfaction, especially with annual-fee rewards cards. Financially challenged customers, who make up over half of U.S. cardholders, rated lower on credit limits, account management, and balance transfers. Apple Card lost its top spot as Goldman Sachs reportedly considered exiting the partnership. Although J.D. Power’s survey doesn’t link issuer stability to satisfaction, uncertainty about the card’s future could affect customer perceptions.
Apple Pay in Korea offers alternative to Samsung- users can purchase and recharge rechargeable smart cards directly within the Wallet app, and can enable “Express Mode” by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch on a Tmoney machine
Apple Pay has launched in Korea, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to use the country’s transit system, Tmoney, without feeling overshadowed by Samsung’s mobile payment services. Users can purchase and recharge Tmoney cards directly within the Wallet app, and can enable “Express Mode” by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch on a Tmoney machine. The automatic recharge function can be adjusted or canceled anytime via the Wallet or Tmoney app, and remains active even when switching to a new iPhone. The service does not support postpaid payment options like traditional Tmoney cards, credit cards, or Samsung Pay. However, users can enable “Express Mode” by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch on a Tmoney machine without opening an app or waking the device. The service has built-in security functions to protect personal information and does not collect or track user data or transit history. However, restrictions apply, such as not supporting local government fare subsidy cards and balance top-ups using credit cards within the Apple Pay Wallet. Apple Pay Tmoney is available only on devices running iOS 17.2 or later
WSJ reports JPMorgan Chase in advanced talks to take over Apple’s credit card program from Goldman Sachs; the deal to entrench its position in retail banking
JPMorgan Chase is in advanced talks to take over Apple’s credit card program from Goldman Sachs. Talks between the largest U.S. bank and the tech giant began last year, as Goldman sought to unwind a partnership that had once been a cornerstone of its consumer banking strategy. The deal would further entrench JPMorgan in the credit card business and add to a string of victories for CEO Jamie Dimon, who has built the bank into a dominant force across retail banking and Wall Street businesses. The bank is among the top credit card issuers in the United States, and competes closely with rivals such as American Express and Capital One. Launched in 2019 with Goldman, the Apple card offered perks such as no fees and cashback, but the bank’s struggles in consumer banking prompted a rethink of the partnership. Since then, Goldman has pivoted to its traditional mainstays of investment banking and trading.
Apple might be building its own AI ‘answer engine’ that can respond to questions using information from across the web either as could standalone app or providing search capabilities in Siri
Apple has formed a new team to build a ChatGPT-like app, according to according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This team — reportedly called Answers, Knowledge, and Information — is working to build an “answer engine” that can respond to questions using information from across the web. This could be a standalone app or provide search capabilities in Siri, Safari, and other Apple products. Gurman also notes that Apple is advertising for jobs with this team, specifically looking for applicants who have experience with search algorithms and engine development. While Apple has already integrated ChatGPT into Siri, a more personalized, AI-powered update to the voice assistant has been repeatedly delayed. Apple might also have to alter its search deal with Google as a result of the latter company’s antitrust defeat.
Apple’s iPad lineup scored record growth in Q2 with 12.7 million units shipped
Apple’s iPad lineup recorded notable growth in the second fiscal quarter of 2025. Data shared by IDC Research shows that Apple shipped 12.7 million units in the second fiscal quarter, a 2.4% year-over-year growth for Apple’s tablet business. The recent update to the 10.9-inch iPad, the first in three years, is said to have helped boost sales to price-conscious buyers. Most notable is Amazon’s tablet sales growth of an incredible 205%. Despite that, it still only accounts for 8% of the market share, whereas Apple holds over 33%. Vendors increased their tablet stocks ahead of the imposition of tariffs, and buyers anticipating price hikes pushed sales growth further than might otherwise have been expected. Additional features, improved performance, and new AI capabilities are also thought to have driven buyers to upgrade. While it hasn’t announced sales volumes by unit in years, for the quarter ending June 28, 2025, Apple sold $6.6 billion worth of tablets compared to $6.4 billion the quarter before. However, the figure represented a fall in sales of 8% year over year. That suggests that buyers are choosing cheaper, more entry-level iPads. Apple CEO Tim Cook posited a potential reason for an uptick in the number of iPads sold during the quarter: that people chose to buy in April specifically because of the threat of price increases brought about by new import tariffs.
New AI model uses behavior data from Apple Watch for better health predictions, outperforming traditional detection methods that rely on data streams from sensors
Apple-sponsored research paper, which relies on data from the Heart and Movement Study, explains how behavior data can often serve as a more significant health indicator relative to conventional biometric data obtained through hardware sensors. The study says that physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and mobility metrics are especially useful for detecting transient and static health states. With that information in mind, the researchers created what they call a WBM, or wearable health behavior foundation model. It was trained on “behavioral data from wearables, using 162K participants with over 15 billion hourly measurements from the Apple Heart and Movement Study.” In short, the WBM uses patterns derived from raw sensor data to predict a person’s health state, and the study suggests this outperforms traditional detection methods that rely on data streams from sensors. The research paper also says the WBM was tested on 57 health-related tasks, and that it outperformed a traditional PPG (photoplethysmograph) model in most situations. Specifically, WBM outperforms PPG in predicting static health states such as beta blocker use, as it more reliably detects heart rate reductions during the day. It also outperformed PPG in predicting transient health states such as pregnancy, though it was unable to predict diabetes better than PPG. “Low-level sensor data outperforms behavioral data in tasks where physiological information is sufficient,” the study says. As for what all of this means in practice, Apple could adopt this type of hybrid approach as a way of building upon its existing health-related technology. In other words, using a WBM-like model alongside the existing Apple Watch PPG or ECG (electrocardiogram) sensors.
Apple dials back Liquid Glass look and feel following user complaints of the glassy look making the UI more difficult to read, switching back to less translucent and more solid white background in the Notifications and navigation within first-party apps
The iPhone’s new glassy look has been toned down with the release of the third developer beta of iOS 26. This follows user complaints that the update made parts of the user interface more difficult to read. The update sees Apple taking yet another step to dial things back from an overly glassy look in a number of key areas. While beta 2 addressed problems with the Control Center, beta 3 shifts its focus to other areas of the mobile operating system, like Notifications and navigation within Apple’s first-party apps, like Apple Music. For instance, the navigation bar in Apple’s streaming music app no longer sees the background shining through a bit, opting for a more solid white. Notifications are also less translucent, as the background behind the text is darkened, increasing contrast. While the changes arguably make features easier to read, some users now complain that Apple has gone too far in the other direction with a return to more of a “frosted glass” aesthetic. The point of beta software is to allow Apple to collect feedback, find bugs, and address issues before the software rolls out more broadly. That means Apple could continue to tweak the Liquid Glass look and feel over the coming releases to find the sweet spot for the new glassy look within every app and screen.
Coinbase integrates Apple Pay into Crypto Onboarding Solution- apps already using Coinbase Onramp will automatically see Apple Pay as an option when users make an eligible purchase
Coinbase has integrated Apple Pay as a payment method for Coinbase Onramp, its tool for building onramps into existing apps for fiat-to-crypto purchases. This will make it easier for 60 million U.S. users of Apple Pay to onramp and access popular payment methods. Coinbase Onramp provides a solution for onboarding to crypto, which can take a long time and require users to go through a lengthy know-your-customer (KYC) process. With Apple Pay, getting onchain takes only seconds. Apps already using Coinbase Onramp will automatically see Apple Pay as an option when users make an eligible purchase. This is the latest addition to Coinbase’s offerings, following the acquisition of the Utopia Labs team to accelerate its onchain payments roadmap within Coinbase Wallet. In October, Coinbase announced a money movement partnership with Visa, connecting Coinbase to the Visa Direct network and allowing customers to deposit funds into their accounts via eligible Visa debit cards.