Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: August 28, 2026, 3:02 PM ET

Apple's Big Week: M6 Macs and September Event

It's been an unusually big week for Apple announcements, with the company debuting its next-generation M6 chip in a new Mac mini alongside the M5 Ultra in an updated Mac Studio. The M6 processor brings a feature previously exclusive to higher-end chips like the M5 Pro and Max down to the base model, a significant architectural upgrade for the new desktop. Amazon has already launched the first preorder discounts on the new Mac mini, with prices starting at $879.99, a $20 savings on Apple's latest desktop machine. The deals are part of the massive 2026 Amazon Labor Day sale, which also includes $50 off Air Pods Pro 3 and all-time lows on the 2026 AirTag 2. For those looking to pair a new Mac with a display, there are thousands of external monitors, but only a small fraction fit the criteria of being a Retina-class display, from smaller 4K options to Apple's high-end Studio Display. If you're considering a Mac Studio, skipping Apple's $3,800 upgrade from 512GB to 8TB storage in favor of an external 8TB SSD could save you significant money. Meanwhile, a staggering $1,400 discount is in effect on Apple's loaded 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Max 40-core GPU and 128GB of RAM, though supply is limited.

iPhone 18 Pro and September 9 Event

Apple has confirmed its annual fall event will take place on Wednesday, September 9, where it is expected to unveil new iPhone 18 Pro models, the first foldable iPhone, an Apple Watch Series, and a fourth-generation Apple TV. However, pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro may not open until Saturday, September 12, a day later than the company's usual Friday schedule, according to a new report. The unusual timing would sidestep a September 11 preorder date, burdening buyers with a less convenient start time. Rumors have already leaked a lot of what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro, including two new features that have some users excited to upgrade. For those wondering about the foldable iPhone, rumors of the device go back more than a decade, and it will finally break cover very soon; here's what the rumor mill thinks is coming. There are also things you should not expect at the event, including updates to several product lines that aren't ready for prime time. Beyond the September event, Apple has a packed lineup of products launching this fall, with more than 15 new releases rumored to arrive starting September 9. The preorder timing for both the iPhone 18 Pro and the folding iPhone remains unclear, however. A separate report also suggests pre-orders could kick off later than usual.

Apple TV and Streaming Price Hikes

Apple's latest round of price increases isn't for hardware, but for Apple TV video streaming and, correspondingly, some Apple One tiers. The company today informed Mac Rumors and others that the Apple TV streaming service is receiving a price increase in the U.S., Brazil, Chile, and Mexico starting today. As a result of the Apple TV price increase, the Apple One Individual plan has also gone up in price in the U.S. This comes just weeks after Apple announced price increases for Apple Music and Apple One subscriptions, making the latest hike part of a broader pricing strategy. The new price for Apple TV streaming is $14.99 per month, with corresponding increases to some Apple One tiers. Despite the price hike, Apple TV is also making news for its content acquisitions. In a first of its kind deal, the streaming service has bought the worldwide rights to the critically-acclaimed BBC comedy serial "Small Prophets," breaking with its normal practice of commissioning original content rather than acquiring an existing English-language hit series. The acquisition is a rare UK comedy deal for the streamer, which will now show the series worldwide. Apple TV has also picked up the new comedy series in an atypical fashion for the streamer, rather than commissioning the project from scratch, it acquired the finished show. Meanwhile, the first episode of the new season of Dark Matter is now available to Apple TV subscribers. a new Apple TV 4K is long overdue and was originally expected to launch last fall, but now that Siri AI is maturing, there are four features expected to launch with the new hardware.

Deals and Purchases

Amazon has officially launched its massive 2026 Labor Day Sale, and the deals are flying, with $50 off Air Pods Pro, the best prices ever on the 2026 Air Tag, and all-time lows on iPhones. The 44mm Apple Watch SE 3 has dropped to a record-low $199.99 at Amazon heading into the weekend. You can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE for just $199.99, a new all-time low price. The massive 2026 Amazon Labor Day sale is now live with $50 off Air Pods Pro 3 and the ongoing all-time low on Air Tag 2 from just $20 each, headlined by Amazon's biggest discounts on Apple products. Amazon today has also introduced the first cash discounts on Apple's brand new Mac mini, with preorder deals now in effect.

Apple Pay and App Store Updates

Apple Pay is a go-to feature for iPhone users when shopping in stores, online, and in apps. Apple recently announced four new features that make Apple Pay even better, including how they work, plus one more major addition: Walmart support. Apple's Developer blog today also announced tax and price updates for apps, In-App Purchases, and subscriptions in several regions, with changes taking effect in four countries.

Legal and Corporate News

In legal news, Special Master Jose Linares has rejected the DOJ's request to reconsider his decision allowing Apple to seek documents from 14 separate government agencies in the antitrust case against the company, marking the second time Apple has been cleared to pursue those documents. Meanwhile, OpenAI, along with Chang Liu, Tang Tan, and io Products, filed a new petition asking the court to dismiss Apple's trade secret misappropriation complaint with prejudice, renewing the push to get the lawsuit tossed. In what is likely the most tone-deaf response by companies that have created a massive problem, Sam Altman and other AI companies are crying out for a public effort to solve AI hacking that they all enabled, a plea that has been called tone-deaf by critics.

Apple Leadership and Events

Tim Cook's career as Apple CEO can be mapped through his best WWDC announcements, and as he puts the final touches on his tenure, here's a look at what we think are his greatest moments. In a tongue-in-cheek post on X, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared a video showing Pikachu running around Apple Park during a visit from the Pokémon team, who were on their way to the Pokemon World Championship starting August 28 in San Francisco. The Pokémon team visited Apple Park and gave Pikachu a chance to meet incoming CEO John Ternus and Tim Cook. Cook also shared an inside look at the work he is doing behind the scenes as he prepares to step down as Apple's CEO next week, including preparing incoming CEO John Ternus for the role. The visit from Pikachu was a lighthearted moment during the transition.

Apple's Charitable Efforts

Apple CEO Tim Cook today pledged that the company will make a donation toward relief and rebuilding work in Nepal and Tibet, where flash floods and mudslides have caused devastating damage. Cook announced that Apple will be donating to the relief efforts following the natural disaster, with the company stepping up to contribute to support relief efforts. The donation comes as the region deals with the overwhelming flooding that has claimed lives and displaced thousands. Apple's pledge follows its pattern of donating to disaster relief efforts around the world, with the company committing funds to relief and rebuilding work in the affected areas.

iOS 27 and Apps

Among the many Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS, the Passwords app is getting an especially powerful one: the ability to automatically change your passwords for you. The new auto-change feature can save users significant time when dealing with compromised credentials. In other app news, developer Jeff Halter has released a new Afterglow app that lets users run the original 68k After Dark screen savers on modern mac OS, bringing back the classic 1990s animations. The interesting project, noted by Daring Fireball's John Gruber, lets users relive the nostalgia of the classic flying toasters and other iconic screen savers.

Car Play and Photography

Volvo this week confirmed that Spatial Audio support in Car Play, powered by Dolby Atmos, is now rolling out to its vehicles, starting with the Volvo EX90. The feature brings an immersive audio experience to the car. For photographers, the August 27 partial lunar eclipse will place 96.3% of the moon inside Earth's shadow, and an iPhone Live Photo can give photographers several chances to capture the event. Here's how to photograph the eclipse with iPhone Live Photos.

Apple Accessories and Media

I tested out Apple's updated polishing cloth, and it still cleans fine, though there are still cheaper options available. The new cloth is cheaper than the original but almost as good, according to the review. In a unique piece of memorabilia news, someone did, in fact, buy Steve Jobs' 8th-grade science fair project for roughly the same price as a brand-new midsize sedan, with the item selling for over $34,000.

Podcasts and Media Coverage

On this week's episode of The Mac Rumors Show, the hosts discuss Apple's surprisingly big week of announcements, including the new Mac mini, Mac Studio, and M6 chip. The Apple Insider Podcast covers the iPhone launch date, the M6 processor for an updated Mac mini, and the M5 Ultra in a Mac Studio, plus AI Music. Benjamin and Chance on 9to5Mac break down an action-packed week of news, with a new lineup of Mac mini and Mac Studio announced, invites officially going out for the September iPhone event, and even more rumors on the 9to5Mac podcast. The 9to5Mac Daily podcast offers a recap of the top stories of the day, including Air Pods 5 rumors and Apple Maps ads.

WhatsApp and iPhone Features

Following the recent discovery that WhatsApp was working on new chat themes, the feature is now rolling out to iPhone users. The update includes animated wallpapers and new chat themes for iOS. A video experiment perfectly illustrates the frustration with iPhone Cinematic mode, which appears to have been abandoned by Apple, and the test shows why the feature is frustratingly close to great but falls short.