O'Grady's PowerPage

  • Apple releases version 4.0 of its Sports app, adds World Cup-specific features

    Apple releases version 4.0 of its Sports app, adds World Cup-specific features

    If you’re looking forward to the upcoming World Cup tournament, you’re going to like this.

    Apple’s Sport app was just updated to version 4.0, adding the following new features and expanding to 90+ new markets:

    • Everything you need to follow World Cup 2026. When the tournament kicks off in June, see starting lineups and formations for each team, keep up with matchups and results in the tournament bracket, and follow the action in real time.
    • Now fans all over the world can use Apple Sports to get real-time updates on their favorite teams and leagues.

    If you launch Apple Sports after updating, you’ll see a banner encouraging you to keep up with the World Cup action by choosing specific teams to follow. You can also optionally just follow ‘FIFA World Cup 2026’ to get all the updates.

    Apple has stated that the app is now available in more than 170 countries and regions globally.

    Apple Sports 4.0 is available for free and requires iOS 17.2 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve tried the new version, let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via 9to5Mac and the App Store

  • Epic, Apple legal battles continue as Fortnite returns to all App Store platforms except Australia

    Epic, Apple legal battles continue as Fortnite returns to all App Store platforms except Australia

    In the latest round of legal back and forth between Apple and Epic Games, Fortnite has returned to Apple’s App Store in every country except Australia.

    In what was described as the “final battle,” Epic said the decision to push Fortnite back onto iOS globally was prompted by Apple’s own words to the U.S. Supreme Court, in which Apple acknowledged that “regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States.” Epic CEO Tim Sweeney framed the move as a strategic provocation, writing on X that the return marks “the beginning of the end of the Apple Tax worldwide.”

    Fortnite was reinstated in the U.S. App Store in May 2025 after nearly five years off the platform. The return was ordered after District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers threatened to require the Apple official overseeing app decisions to appear in court, which prompted Apple to approve the submission. Yesterday’s worldwide rollout extends the comback to almost all of the remaining markets, with Epic stating that an upcoming court-ordered transparency process will expose what the company calls Apple’s “junk fees.”

    In late April, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a stay that had allowed Apple to pause its compliance with rulings on ‌App Store‌ fees, sending the case back to Judge Gonzalez Rogers to determine what commission Apple can charge on purchases made via external links, if any.

    Epic has stated that it will “continue to challenge Apple’s anticompetitive ‌App Store‌ practices of banning alternative app stores and competition in payments,” and has pointed to regulator changes in its favor in Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. Epic has also alleged that Apple has “evaded the laws with scare screens, fees and onerous requirements” in each of those jurisdictions.

    Australia remains the one major market where Fortnite has not returned. Epic said it won its legal case there against Apple, but that Apple continues to enforce those terms regardless. Epic said it cannot return “under an illegal payment arrangement” and is waiting for a court order to compel Apple to comply.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and @TimSweeney

  • Rumor: iPhone Fold release may be delayed until 2027 due to hinge design issue

    Rumor: iPhone Fold release may be delayed until 2027 due to hinge design issue

    It all comes down to the hinge, especially on a folding smartphone model.

    Per AppleInsider and Weibo, a new rumor has indicated that the iPhone Fold’s reported testing delays are due to significant issues that could prevent it from launching this year.

    According to noted leaker Instant Digital, issues have emerged with failures after repeated opening and closing of the iPhone Fold.

    The newest report doesn’t specifically state how the hinge fails or how long it takes the issue to appear. There is a reference, in translation, to long-term and high-frequency opening and closing, but that relates to Apple’s goal. An updated post has suggested that there’s a rattling noise with the hinge, although this has yet to be confirmed. There’s no indication as to how serious the issue is or if this is something that will require a significant redesign.

    A report in April 2026 did say that Apple would be able to delay mass production of the iPhone Fold by up to two months without affecting the launch. But then at the same time, a separate Nikkei Asia report claimed that Apple has told suppliers that the iPhone Fold will be delayed until 2027.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider, Weibo, and Nikkei Asia

  • Apple distributes media invitations, begins to outline WWDC 2026 schedule

    Apple distributes media invitations, begins to outline WWDC 2026 schedule

    If you’re hankering to know the schedule of Apple’s 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins on June 8 and ends on June 12, and is now available online.

    In addition to media invitations, which were sent out to select members of the press for the in-person viewing of the keynote at Apple Park, the company confirmed that the keynote will begin at the standard time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m Eastern Time.

    Apple says the keynote event will be available to stream on Apple.com, the Apple TV app, and the Apple YouTube channel. We’ll also be providing live coverage at MacRumors.com for those who are unable to watch.

    Apple stated that it plans to host the Platforms State of the Union for developers at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and video sessions and guides will start coming out after the keynote event. The event will feature Group Labs and Q&A sessions that will be hosted by Apple engineers and designers throughout the week, providing more insight into the new software coming at WWDC 2026.

    The event will see the unveiling of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and other operating systems. Expected announcements include an updated version of Siri that’s smarter and more like a ChatGPT-style chatbot, which will be unveiled, along with multiple design changes to accommodate ‌Siri‌’s new abilities.

    Via MacRumors

  • Cats Lock app debuts, adds cat-proofing features to your Mac

    Cats Lock app debuts, adds cat-proofing features to your Mac

    Honestly, this is pretty cool.

    For Mac owners who have a cat that frequently decides to sit or walk across your keyboard, given its heat or because it wants your attention, a new Mac app called Cats Lock by Todd Alexander adds cat-proofing that keeps your cat from doing damage to whatever you’re working on when it gets on your keyboard, and it can even be set to shoo the cat off.

    The application can be activated from the menu bar or keyboard shortcut, which prevents cats from being able to activate the keys. The application also has an option to mute the sound, so there’s no more incessant beeping when your cat finds a key it likes to hold down.

    Other features include built-in sounds like a barking dog, vacuum cleaner, or hissing cat might serve as a deterrent even when you’re not around. You can also upload your own sounds. Cats Lock stays on until your Mac goes to sleep, at which point it turns off so you’re not locked out of your Mac because of the app.

    Cats Lock requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later to install and run, and retails for $2.99.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the app, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via MacRumors, catslock.app, and YouTube