Safari’s privacy switch, WordPress 7.2 Secrets API and more

Google’s Gemini app is now rolling out on Apple CarPlay

Google says a dedicated Gemini app for Apple CarPlay is rolling out worldwide from 11 November, in several languages. You can talk to Gemini from your car screen. Your chats on the iPhone sync to CarPlay, so you can pick up where you left off.

To start, update the Gemini app on your iPhone and tap the Gemini icon in CarPlay. CarPlay has supported voice AI apps since iOS 26.4. ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Perplexity were already there.

Why it matters More people now ask an AI for a lunch spot or a shop while they drive. Your Google Business Profile and opening hours need to be right, because the answer comes by voice.

Read the full story on MacRumors

WordPress 7.2 adds a Secrets API for API keys and passwords

WordPress 7.2 adds a Secrets API. Plugins can store API keys and OAuth secrets encrypted, instead of as plain text in the database. It keeps one older version of each secret, so you can rotate keys without downtime.

The key detail: your site needs a new WP_SECRETS_KEY in wp-config.php. It must be a random 32-byte value in base64. Without it, every read and write of a secret fails. Site Health gets three new security checks for this. The API needs PHP 7.4 or higher.

Why it matters Plugins that store payment, email or AI keys can finally keep them locked. Plan to add the new key when you update to 7.2.

I like this one a lot. Leaked keys cause more trouble than most people think. Read my guide on sharing logins safely too.

Read the full story on Make WordPress Core

WordPress 7.2 brings text shadow presets to blocks

WordPress 7.2 adds text shadow controls to the block editor. Paragraph and Heading blocks get it by default. There are two presets to start, Light and Strong.

Themes can add their own presets in theme.json under settings.typography.textShadowPresets. Other blocks can opt in through block.json. Theme authors can also hide the presets or turn the feature off.

Why it matters You can make a heading stand out on a photo without custom CSS. Keep the contrast high so the text stays easy to read.

Read the full story on Make WordPress Core

Shopify custom apps need an IP allowlist from 20 November

Shopify now requires an IP allowlist for custom apps installed on stores outside the developer’s own organisation. New installs need one from 20 November 2026. Existing installs need one from 1 January 2027.

The allowlist limits where the app can call the Admin API from. Shopify says “leaked tokens can be used from any network location.” Developers can list fixed IPs, or their host’s network numbers (ASNs) and countries. Apps made by merchants in their own admin are not affected.

Why it matters If an agency or freelancer built a custom app for your store, ask them now. From January, one app without an allowlist can block that developer from installing any app on outside stores.

Read the full story on Shopify.dev

Shopify Tax’s free discount will stop resetting every year

From 1 January 2027, the Shopify Tax free discount is based on your store’s lifetime sales. It will no longer reset each calendar year. Fees stay fully discounted until a store reaches 100,000 in lifetime global sales.

That number is in your pricing currency, so USD for most stores outside Canada, the EU and the UK. If you are already past it, you get no new free discount on 1 January. Per-order rates and billing caps stay the same.

Why it matters Busy stores will pay Shopify Tax fees from day one of 2027. Shopify says no action is needed, but add it to next year’s budget.

Read the full story on the Shopify Changelog

Google tests moving AI Overview sources to the bottom

Google is testing a new spot for the source icons in AI Overviews. They now show at the bottom of the answer instead of the top. Brodie Clark spotted the test, and the full list of sources shows when you hover.

Barry Schwartz says he now sees only the bottom version. Google has not said how widely it is testing this.

Why it matters Sources at the bottom are easier to miss. That could mean even fewer clicks from AI Overviews to your site.

Read the full story on Search Engine Roundtable

ChatGPT Ads gets intelligent bidding and cost targets

OpenAI has updated its ChatGPT Ads tools. “Maximize Results” is now called intelligent bidding. New campaigns can set a Target CPA or a Target CPC. Max Bid and Max CPC end for existing campaigns on 1 January 2027.

Product feed campaigns can now target regions inside a country. You can also combine several conditions on one product field to pick which products show.

Why it matters ChatGPT ads now work much like Google Ads. If you test them, set a cost target you can live with.

Read the full story on Search Engine Roundtable

Vercel AI Gateway adds Gemini Decision 1, a model that only decides

Vercel AI Gateway now offers Google’s Gemini Decision 1. It reads text, images, audio, video and PDFs. It does not write text back. It returns yes or no odds, choices and scores.

Vercel suggests it for routing requests, checking policies and ranking results. You call it with the AI SDK. PDF, audio and video inputs need AI SDK 7.

Why it matters Many AI features only need a quick yes or no. Think “is this review spam?” A model that just decides can be faster and cheaper than one that writes.

Read the full story on Vercel

GitHub issue types and fields now work on personal accounts

GitHub’s issue types and issue fields are now available on repositories owned by personal accounts. Before, they were for organisations. The defaults are Bug, Task and Feature, plus Priority, Effort, Start date and Target date fields.

You can create up to 25 types and 25 fields. You can also create labels and milestones right from an issue.

Why it matters Solo developers and freelancers can now track client work with real structure, without making an organisation.

Read the full story on GitHub