Related coverage
Apple's first OLED MacBook Pro models have cleared a major manufacturing hurdle, with panel supplier Samsung Display having reportedly achieved yields above 90 percent on its Gen 8.6 OLED production line. According to Korean publication The Elec , some individual process stages are now reaching yields as high as 95 percent, a level that the display industry considers "golden yield" territory for stable mass production. The report says Samsung could begin shipping OLED laptop panels through the supply chain as early as June. The panels are expected to be used in future 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, with estimated supply volumes of around 2 million units this year. The rapid yield improvement is notable because OLED laptop panels are a lot harder to manufacture than smartphone displays due to their larger size and stricter brightness and lifespan requirements. For example, MacBook Pro panels are expected to use brighter tandem two-stack OLED technology like Apple's OLED iPad Pro models, oxide TFT backplanes for improved battery life, and an anti-moisture sealing protection method called hybrid encapsulation. Samsung began its Gen 8.6 IT OLED investment in 2023 and is currently operating one of two planned production lines. Depending on demand for the OLED MacBook Pro models, which will reportedly have touchscreen capability for the first time , Samsung could activate the second line and expand capacity further. Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman has repeatedly stated that 14-inch and 16-inch OLED MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in late 2026 to early 2027, but the latter time frame is now said to be more likely due to the industry-wide chip shortage. Related Roundup: MacBook Pro Tags: OLED , The Elec Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now) Related Forum: MacBook Pro This article, " MacBook Pro OLED Display Production Clears Key Hurdle " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has published this year’s Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study. Here’s how the iPhone and the Apple Watch did. more…
Every May, Apple previews new accessibility features coming to devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The announcement typically occurs a few days before Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and it offers a glimpse into what will be included in the next major releases of Apple's software platforms, such as iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. This year, one of the new capabilities shown off by Apple is natural language support for the Voice Control feature on the iPhone and iPad. Voice Control is receiving an Apple Intelligence upgrade that will make the feature "more intuitive than ever," according to Apple. Specifically, iPhone and iPad users will be able to describe on-screen buttons and controls with natural language, instead of having to remember exact labels, numbers, or descriptions like before. For example, users will be able to say things like "tap the guide about best restaurants" in Apple Maps or "tap the purple folder" in the Files app. Voice Control powered by Apple Intelligence will initially be available in English in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia, according to Apple. AI-powered Voice Control hints at the more personalized version of Siri that Apple first announced all the way back at WWDC 2024. At the time, Apple said Siri would gain on-screen awareness, which would essentially turn the assistant into an AI agent that is capable of understanding natural language and taking action for you. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sure looks like Apple just casually dropped agentic AI being built into iPhone Yes, in this video it's being used for Voice Control, but if a person can control their iPhone with natural language so can an AI agent! pic.twitter.com/S6DQOiQGsO — Dylan (@DylanMcD8) May 19, 2026 Apple's own example was an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps, and it was later reported that Siri will be able to do things such as comment on an Instagram post, or scroll through a shopping app and add something to your cart. Overall, the revamped Siri is expected to have a better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. In March 2025, Apple announced that these capabilities were delayed until later this year. The new-and-improved Siri is expected to be a tentpole feature of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 , which will be unveiled on June 8 and should be released to the public in September. The more personalized Siri will likely require an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, a Mac with an M1 chip or newer, or an iPad with an A17 Pro or M1 chip or newer. Related Roundup: iOS 27 Tags: Accessibility , Apple Intelligence , Siri This article, " iOS 27's New AI Voice Control Feature Hints at Major Siri Upgrade Coming Soon " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Samsung has edged past Apple for the top spot in customer satisfaction for cell phones, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's 2026 Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study , published this week. Samsung scores 81 in the ACSI's cell phone rankings while Apple posts 80, breaking last year's tie between the two companies for satisfaction leadership. The overall cell phone industry score rose 1% to 79 this year, recovering from a sharp 4% decline in 2025 that had pushed it to its lowest point in a decade. The ACSI says satisfaction improves most when new features translate into everyday value without introducing new pain points, citing battery life tradeoffs as an example. AI integration, measured by the ACSI for the first time, scores 85 overall, signaling that customers are not only aware of AI features but find them useful, while improvements in battery life, up 5% to 81. For the cell phone industry, the highest-rated customer experience metrics are the fundamental functions of making phone calls and sending text messages, both scoring 86. AI feature performance debuts at 85, nearly matching those top table-stakes interactions, suggesting that AI is moving from novelty to practical utility for many customers. Among new flagship owners, Samsung's latest Galaxy S-series leads at 84, followed by new iPhone owners at 82, with Google's flagship models scoring 80. Satisfaction with flagship models overall scores 82, far outpacing legacy phones at 76 and foldables at 72. In the foldable segment, Samsung holds a clear lead with an ACSI score of 80, which is 8 points ahead of Google at 72 and 10 points ahead of Motorola at 70. The ACSI notes that foldable owners are three times as likely to complain as non-foldable owners, and says competitive dynamics in the segment may shift as Apple's rumored entry into the foldable market is anticipated for later this year. Apple is widely expected to debut a foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this fall, featuring a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover screen, priced at around $2,000. In the smartwatch category, Apple holds steady at 80, while Samsung drops 4% to create a first-place tie at the top of the leaderboard. Customer experience characteristics of smartwatches are universally rated higher this year at the industry level, with the biggest gains including ease of navigating menus and settings, up 7% to 80, and app and accessory connectivity, up 5% to 83. The ACSI study is based on 26,963 completed surveys, with customers contacted via email between April 2025 and March 2026. Tag: Samsung This article, " Samsung Overtakes Apple for Top Smartphone Customer Satisfaction " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
