The Information 's Aaron Tilley today reported that Apple has been developing a larger, robotic version of the HomeView . This device has been called a "HomeView Ultra" or "HomeView Max" in rumors, but the final name might be different. Tilley said a prototype of the device is equipped with a 9-inch display on a swiveling arm, with its overall design said to look similar to Apple's old iMac G4 or Pixar's lamp mascot. Like the HomeView, the device would have standard features like FaceTime, but it would also be "fully aware of its environment and act autonomously." "The current design for the robot envisions it using a camera and sensors to be fully aware of its environment and act autonomously, allowing it to turn on the lights when someone walks into a room—or perhaps even try to tell a cat to get off a table," the report said. "It is meant to be smart enough to avoid accidentally hitting objects around it." The report said the device's hardware has largely been finalized for around two years, but there have apparently been "internal disagreements" within Apple, particularly in regards to which software features should be available on the first-generation model or postponed until a second-generation model already being discussed. The report said Apple is hoping to release the larger HomeView in 2027 for around $1,000 in the U.S., but the device might not be ready to launch until 2028. Apple has also explored other types of robots, such as one that follows a user around the home on wheels, one that flies inside the home, and one that can fold clothes, but it is unclear if any of these devices will ever be released. Most of these details were already reported by Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman , who said the 9-inch screen can swivel a full 360 degrees. Related Roundup: Apple HomeView Tag: The Information Buyer's Guide: HomeView (Buy Now) Related Forum: HomePod, HomeView, CarPlay – Home & Auto Tech This article, " Apple 'HomeView Ultra' With 9-Inch 360º Screen Detailed in New Report " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Over the weekend, the video calling app Zoom was updated with iPhone Duo optimization. On the device's large inner display, users can now see shared content such as the host's desktop and other participants on a call at the same time. In addition, four Microsoft apps were updated with iPhone Duo optimization today: Word , PowerPoint , Excel , and OneNote . Microsoft Outlook was already optimized for the device since it launched, but Microsoft Teams has yet to be. Apps built with the iOS 27.1 SDK or later are fully optimized for iPhone Duo. These apps extend to fill the entire outer and inner displays on the device, with toolbars and tab bars appearing vertically below the status bar. Apps built with the iOS 26 SDK or earlier run on iPhone Duo, but they appear in the center of the inner display, leaving lots of empty space . In the App Store, optimized apps have a "Made for iPhone Duo" label on the device. Related Roundup: iPhone Duo Tags: App Store , Microsoft , Microsoft 365 , Zoom Buyer's Guide: iPhone Duo (Buy Now) Related Forum: iPhone This article, " Zoom and These Microsoft Apps Now Optimized for iPhone Duo " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Canva today released Affinity for iPad , bringing its free all-in-one design app to Apple's tablet, along with a new Sketch Studio built for touch and Apple Pencil. The release follows last year's desktop app relaunch , which combined the previously separate Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher apps into a single app for Mac and Windows. Canva had promised an iPad version in 2026, and says the desktop app has since attracted more than seven million sign-ups. The iPad app brings sketching, vector graphics, photo editing, and page layout together in one interface. Users can switch between Sketch, Vector, Pixel, and Layout studios while working in the same .af file, which can also be opened on desktop. Sketch Studio adds freehand drawing with a customizable brush library, while Sketch to Shapes turns hand-drawn forms into editable vector shapes. Photo tools include RAW editing, non-destructive adjustments, and a Mask Tool designed to help trace difficult edges such as hair and fur with Apple Pencil. Elsewhere, layout tools support multi-page documents, master pages, and print-ready output. Canva says the interface has been designed specifically for iPad rather than scaled down from the desktop app. As for Apple Pencil Pro support, it includes barrel roll, squeeze, and hover, alongside pressure and tilt controls. The core sketching, vector, photo, and layout tools are free for individuals, but a free Canva account is required to use the app. The only paid-for features are the AI tools, which are locked behind a Canva premium plan – continuing the approach introduced with 2025's desktop relaunch. The paid features are available through Canva AI Studio and include Generative Expand, image upscaling, noise reduction, and Decompose Layer, which splits a flat image into editable layers. Despite the shared file format, some desktop features are missing from the iPad version at launch. Affinity's website lists Books, Batch, Data Merge, Quick Adjustments, Info and Scope panels, macro recording, and Astrophotography Studio among the omissions, with more features planned over time. Affinity by Canva is available on the App Store as a free download with in-app purchases and requires iPadOS 18.0 or later. This article, " Canva Brings Free All-in-One Affinity App to iPad " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
