Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: July 7, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Software & Services

Apple has seeded the fourth public betas for iOS 26.6, iPad OS 26.6, and mac OS Tahoe 26.6, alongside watch OS 26.6 and tv OS 26.6, offering testers the latest refinements ahead of broader release released betas. The company has also stopped signing iOS 26.5.1, preventing users from downgrading after a critical security fix was issued last week stopped signing. In the Messages app for iOS, Apple is introducing several quality-of-life improvements, making the application smarter and less intrusive Messages app smarter. Additionally, Siri in the developer beta for iOS 27 can now pull information from third-party applications, expanding its contextual awareness Siri pulls info. For Air Pods Pro 2 users, Apple released a third beta firmware update that incorporates features expected in iOS 27 AirPods Pro beta.

Hardware & Devices

The 15-inch MacBook Air with an M5 chip is currently available for $1,349, a $150 discount offered by Amazon and B&H as they compete on pricing MacBook Air dips. Further deals include a $449 reduction on the 2TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro and discounts on various Apple Watch Ultra 3 models MacBook Pro deals. Amazon is also discounting all Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 models by up to $130, with prices starting at $489.00 iPad mini 7 deals. In speculation about future devices, the iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to be noticeably thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro, with both its aluminum frame and camera housing expected to grow iPhone 18 Pro thicker. A second-generation iPhone Air is reportedly in development for a spring 2027 launch, with a focus on improving battery life by up to 11% iPhone Air 2 battery.

Media & Entertainment

The fifth season premiere of the feel-good comedy Trying is now available for streaming on Apple TV Trying season 5. Apple TV+ has also confirmed the premiere date for its upcoming drama series Nocturne, starring Liev Schreiber and Zazie Beetz Nocturne premiere date. In the realm of immersive content, Italian carmaker Lamborghini has launched an Apple Vision Pro app, providing users with an interactive, full-size look at its latest models, both inside and out Lamborghini Vision Pro.

Executive & Legal

Apple CEO Tim Cook, accompanied by Eddy Cue, attended the 2026 Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, which is scheduled to run through July 11 Sun Valley Conference. Earlier in the day, Cook and John Ternus participated in a virtual meeting with Markus Söder, the Minister-President of Bavaria Bavaria meeting. In legal matters, Apple has requested a pause in its legal proceedings with Epic Games while the Supreme Court reviews a portion of their case pause Epic Games case. A federal judge has dismissed most claims in a class-action lawsuit accusing Air Pods Max of a condensation defect, stating the headphones function as intended despite the issue AirPods Max lawsuit. Separately, Apple must continue to enforce age verification for iPhone users in Texas, following the Supreme Court's denial of a request to pause the state law's enforcement Texas age verification.

Industry & Analysis

Rising memory prices have impacted China's smartphone market, contributing to a 13% decline in sales during the annual 618 shopping festival, even as Apple offered discounts on its iPhones China smartphone market. Meanwhile, JP Morgan has raised its price target for Apple's stock to $345, asserting that increased hardware costs driven by RAM will not affect long-term revenue growth for the company's premium products JP Morgan price target. Tony Fadell, considered the "father of the iPod," has penned an essay arguing that the choice of AI assistant is significant and raises important questions for consumers Tony Fadell on AI.

App Updates & Third-Party News

The popular flight tracking application Flighty has introduced a new Connection Assistant feature to help travelers navigate connecting flights globally Flighty Connection Assistant. Pocket Casts has released an update with three new features, including Car Play chapter artwork for drivers Pocket Casts update. Microsoft has expanded its Xbox Family Settings app for iPhone and iPad, adding new parental control tools for consoles Xbox Family Settings. Notion is launching a new iPhone app called Agents, following the discontinuation of its AI-powered email client, Notion Mail Notion Agents launched. Anthropic is rolling out beta access for Claude Cowork to its Max users on mobile and the web Claude Cowork expands. The e-reader Boox Go 6 Gen II has been refreshed, but a minor specification update may not justify a purchase for existing owners Boox Go 6 review. Beats has debuted new woven charging cables in a "Power Pink" colorway, expanding its accessory offerings Beats charging cables. Proton VPN is highlighted as a strong option for online security and privacy, available for $2.99 per month Proton VPN. Maestral, a free open-source Dropbox client for Mac, has been retired after seven years of operation Maestral retired.