MacTech

The second season of the sci-fi series “Dark Matter” debuts today on Apple TV. Based on the book by New York Times bestselling author Blake Crouch and starring an ensemble cast led by Golden Globe nominee Joel Edgerton alongside Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, Oakes Fegley and Amanda Brugel, the 10-episode season premieres with the first episode, followed by one new episode every Friday through October 30, 2026.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will aid the victims of the devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragic flash floods and mudslides in Nepal and Tibet,” he says in an X post. “Apple is making a donation to support relief and rebuilding efforts on the ground.” According to The New York Times, the floods and mudslide have killed over 500 people with more than 1,000 still missing.

Here are some of the latest hardware and accessory announcements: ° WaterField Designs has introduced the $229 Traverse Sling, a compact 2.5-liter crossbody built around a three-quarter diagonal zipper that opens the main compartment wide for a clear view inside, while a top hood helps shield contents from onlookers. The zipper also creates structure around the bag, helping it retain its shape while flexible sides allow it to flatten for packing.

Well, this comes as no surprise: Apple TV is the latest streaming service to hike its prices, reports Deadline. The monthly subscription price for the service will increase in the U.S. for new and existing subscribers starting today. The new monthly price is now $14.99 (up from $12.99) and the annual price is now $119 (up from $99). The Individual tier of Apple One — all of Apple’s subscription services in one plan — is now $21.95 (up from $19.95).

Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced John Ternus, his replacement to Pikachu yesterday at the Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California. Pikachu is a famous yellow, mouse-like Electric-type creature that serves as the official mascot of Nintendo and Game Freak’s massive Pokemon media franchise In an August 28 X post, Cook said, “Today’s agenda at Apple Park: Introduce the @Pokemon team to John, talk gaming, and politely ask Pikachu to stay out of the pond.

Apple TV has acquired worldwide rights to Mackenzie Crook‘s “Small Prophets,” reports Deadline. The series will debut on the streaming service on October 7, excluding UK, where it will be made available next year. The show debuted on the BBC iPlayer and BBC television earlier this year to acclaim and the best 28-day launch ratings for a comedy on BBC Two since 2022, according to Deadline.

Apple TV has seen a price hike, but that may not be a big problem. Within a month of canceling their pay TV subscriptions, around 31% of traditional cord-cutters signed up for a new streaming service during the first quarter — five times higher than the normal sign-up rate, according to new data from Antenna. Per the firm’s estimates, six of the top 10 plans subscribed to within the first month were ad-free, notes The Wrap.

Resolution Games has announced that Qix, the iconic arcade classic from Taito, has joined the growing lineup of retro games available in Retrocade at Apple Arcade. Originally released in arcades in 1981, Qix challenges players to claim territory across the playfield while dodging the unpredictable Qix and Sparx. Its arrival brings Retrocade’s lineup to 14 classic arcade titles, giving players yet another reason to chase high scores and relive the golden age of the arcade.

The new Mac mini and Mac Studio models announced by Apple this week will come with macOS 27 Golden Gate, according to Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber. “All are slated to ship with MacOS 27 Golden Gate. On a background briefing for these new desktops yesterday, I asked if that implied that MacOS 27 would be released to the public on or before September 22, and the folks from Apple just sort of smiled and said they had no comment on anything other than the new hardware,” he said.

Special Master Jose Linares has rejected the Department of Justice’s request to reconsider his decision allowing Apple to seek documents from 14 separate government agencies in the antitrust case against the company, reports 9to5Mac. In July the US Department of Justice (DoJ) asked a federal court to reconsider a recent ruling that would allow the tech giant to do just that in its antitrust case.