Repair site iFixit today did one of its traditional teardowns on the iPhone Air, which is Apple's thinnest iPhone to date and the first major redesign we've seen in the ‌iPhone‌ line in several years. To fit all of the necessary components in a 5.6mm frame, Apple designed a camera "plateau." The iPhone Air's logic board is partially inside of the camera bump, providing space for a large, metal-encased battery. The position of the logic board also ensures that it's protected from bending stress if the ‌iPhone Air‌ happens to flex, though we've seen in several tests that the titanium frame of the device is almost bend-proof. iFixit tried bending the ‌iPhone Air‌ frame without any of the components inside, and it wasn't quite as durable as it is when it's fully packed. The frame easily bent, because there are weak points where Apple had to add plastic gaps to prevent cellular interference. As to whether the weak points will be an issue for ‌iPhone Air‌ owners, iFixit says "time will tell." Earlier this week, iFixit took apart MagSafe Battery that Apple designed for the ‌iPhone Air‌, and speculated that Apple was using the same battery for the accessory that it used in the ‌iPhone Air‌. That's now confirmed, and Apple did indeed include an ‌iPhone Air‌ battery inside the MagSafe Battery pack. The battery has a 12.26 watt-hour capacity, and you can take the battery out of the ‌MagSafe‌ Battery pack and put it in an ‌iPhone Air‌ with no issue. Though the ‌iPhone Air‌ has a thinner design than usual, it's easier to repair than you might think. There isn't room for layers of components, and iFixit says that the thin chassis keeps parts from getting buried. Apple is using a clipped-in display and back glass, with no adhesive in sight. Where adhesive is required, such as for the battery, Apple is using adhesive that can be loosened with low-voltage electrical current. It's a design that Apple introduced last year with the iPhone 16, and now it's expanded to other models. Apple 3D printed the USB-C port for the ‌iPhone Air‌ to get it to fit in the chassis, and iFixit found that the company is indeed using a 3D printed titanium alloy that's not as scratch resistant as the frame, but is "structurally robust." The USB-C port is glued in place, but it is modular and can be removed if needed. The ‌iPhone Air‌ logic board includes the C1X 5G modem, the N1 networking chip, and the A19 Pro, all of which Apple designed. The ‌iPhone Air‌ is the first ‌iPhone‌ to have so many custom-designed Apple chips. The other iPhone 17 models also have the A19 and the N1, but the ‌iPhone Air‌ also gets the C1X instead of a Qualcomm modem. Overall, iFixit gave the ‌iPhone Air‌ a provisional repairability score of 7 out of 10, because it's easier to get to the battery and not too difficult to replace a screen. Apple has also made efforts to release spare parts and manuals for ‌iPhone‌ repair, and has scaled down software locks and restrictions on parts pairing, improving its ‌iPhone‌ repairability scores. Make sure to watch iFixit's full video to see the ‌iPhone Air‌ disassembled piece by piece. Related Roundup: iPhone AirTag: iFixitBuyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Buy Now) This article, "iFixit Teardown Reveals How Apple Made the iPhone Air So Thin" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long list of complaints about Liquid Glass, from the impact on readability to lag caused by animations. Here are some of the main critiques: * Animations run slow, and the interface feels sluggish on older iPhones. * The constantly changing colors, shapes, and shading are distracting. * The animations make no sense. * It looks like a Barbie phone with battery wasting features. * Basic actions require too many taps. * The bubbles and floaty icons are cartoony. * The contrast is awful. * Some app icons look blurry. * The design is inconsistent, and some things are flat while some are glass. * Highlights on UI elements are inconsistent. * It's hard to read things like notifications. * The effects are too subtle for the system overhead costs. Some People Like It On the MacRumors forums, complaints about Liquid Glass are interspersed with responses from people who have been using it during beta, and the consensus is "you'll get used to it." It does always take time to get used to a new look, and Liquid Glass will become less jarring as people become accustomed to the new animations and the behavior of buttons and other interface elements. Not everyone hates Liquid Glass, and there are also many positive comments from people who prefer the new design. Some of that sentiment: * It makes the iPhone feel faster. * It feels modern and clean, and makes a boring smartphone a little more fun. * It's bright, bouncy, and just plain cool to use. * Getting notifications is satisfying, and the Lock Screen keypad is like bubbles. * It's fresh and easy to get accustomed to. * iOS 18's flat UI was depressing, so ‌iOS 26‌ is an improvement. * It's technologically impressive with the light refraction and diffusion of chromatic aberration. * The icons are slick and it harkens back to the OG Apple UI design. Media Complaints * The unbearable sameness of Liquid Glass * Liquid Glass Could Be One of Apple's Most Divisive System Designs Yet * This Liquid Glass Optical Illusion on iOS 26 Is Driving Me Insane * Apple's Liquid Glass: The liquid works, but the glass is broken iOS 7 Everyone remembers iOS 7, because it was the first big design change that Apple made to iOS. Apple did away with skeuomorphism in favor of a "flat" design, and it was not a change that people were prepared for. A lot of the comments shared when iOS 7 came out mirror the comments we're seeing now about Liquid Glass. * iOS 7 Interface Design is so UGLY! * The real problem with iOS 7 Design * Does anyone dislike IOS 7 as much as I do? * iOS 7 Bugs: Will They Ever be Fixed * The biggest complaints about iOS 7 so far * The design of iOS 7: simply confusing Despite the complaints about iOS 7, Apple stuck with it. There were ongoing refinements to fix bugs and to tweak the overall design, but Apple didn't reverse course. Design updates in iOS 8, iOS 9, and iOS 10 didn't change the fundamentals, but it got better and better, and people got used to it. Liquid Glass could follow the same path. Apple will make updates and optimizations, but it's probably going to inform the next decade of software releases. In discussion threads on Liquid Glass, you'll see a lot of comments from people recalling iOS 7 and reminding us all that we've been here before. Tone Down Liquid Glass If you're having a hard time adjusting to the Liquid Glass design, there is no opt out, but you can toggle on Reduce Transparency. * iOS 26: Reduce Transparency of Apple's Liquid Glass Design You can also increase your display contrast, and the two settings together will eliminate most of the translucency that was introduced with Liquid Glass. Chime In What do you love or hate about Liquid Glass? Let us know in the comments.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Related Forum: iOS 26 This article, "iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

OpenAI today launched ChatGPT agent, a new agentic model that is able to think proactively and complete computer-based tasks on the user's behalf. The ChatGPT agent is in the same family as o3. It combines several existing ChatGPT features, and it can do things like research and generate reports, execute code using Terminal, generate slides and spreadsheets, and connect to external data sources and applications. OpenAI gives several examples of how ChatGPT agent can be used: * Look at my calendar and brief me on upcoming client meetings based on recent news. * Plan and buy ingredients to make Japanese breakfast for four. * Analyze three competitors and create a slide deck. The ChatGPT agent uses its own virtual computer, and it will navigate websites, filter results, prompt users to log into websites when needed, and deliver summaries of its findings. It is designed to seek permission before taking any "actions of consequence," and OpenAI says that users can interrupt tasks to add extra instructions, and stop tasks at any point. ChatGPT agent is rolling out starting today for Pro, Plus, and Team users. Just select "agent mode" from the dropdown menu in the composer during a conversation. ChatGPT users are able to transition between conversations and action requests within the same chat. Pro users will get access by the end of today, while Plus and Team users will get access over the next few days. OpenAI plans to add the functionality for Enterprise and Education users in the coming weeks. Pro users have access to 400 messages per month, and other paid users will get 40 messages monthly with additional usage available through flexible credit-based options.Tag: OpenAI This article, "OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Agent That Can Complete Tasks For You" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums