Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: July 17, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Legal Battles and Settlements

Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the antitrust lawsuit filed in 2024. This potential resolution could prevent the case from reaching a trial. The lawsuit accuses Apple of anti-competitive practices related to its iPhone ecosystem. Meanwhile, Apple has filed its own lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that former employees stole trade secrets when they moved to the AI company. Apple has reportedly to dozens of these former employees, warning them to preserve relevant data and communications. In a separate legal development, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has demanded that Apple and Google from their respective app stores, accusing them of aiding in the creation of nonconsensual nude imagery.

iPhone and Ecosystem Loyalty

New research indicates that, with 87% of surveyed U.S. iPhone owners sticking with the platform. This high retention rate suggests that Google is in convincing existing iPhone users to switch to Android. Apple's customer base continues to be substantial and is not showing signs of dwindling.

Car Keys and International Expansion

Apple's Car Keys feature, which allows users to unlock and start their vehicles using their iPhone, is reportedly. This feature is expected to be available in select vehicles from Great Wall Motor's TANK brand. This move signifies Apple's ongoing efforts to broaden the integration of its digital key technology across the global automotive industry.

Software Updates and New Features

The public beta for, bringing several new features and improvements. Notably, the update includes an entirely new app for the iPhone's Home Screen and enhances Siri with advanced AI capabilities. Users looking to revert from the beta can also find instructions on how to to iOS 26 if needed. For Mac users, the first public beta of has also been released for testing.

Apple's Market Value and Financial News

Apple has of the world's most valuable company by market capitalization, surpassing Nvidia. This surge in value comes as the company barrels toward a $5 trillion valuation. In other financial news, Apple chip supplier TSMC has pledged an additional $100 billion for U.S. chip investments, bringing its total commitment to $265 billion. However, Apple Care+ for Macs and iPads has seen a price increase, with some subscription plans becoming more expensive.

Deals and Discounts

Several Apple products are currently available at discounted prices. AirPods Pro 3 are on sale with a $50 price drop, and Air Pods 4 with ANC are at their best price in months starting from $119. Amazon is offering a $200 discount on the 512GB M4 iPad Air 13-inch model. Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 11 is available for $299, and MacBook Pro models are seeing discounts of up to $500. Apple has also updated its website with a in select U.S. states.

App Store and Content

Apple has been ordered to remove 8 "nudify" AI apps from the iPhone's App Store, following accusations of aiding in the creation of nonconsensual nude images. In content news, Apple TV has for its upcoming docuseries, "The Dynasty: UConn Huskies," which is set to debut next month.

Other Notable Updates

WhatsApp has begun rolling out its new username feature to select iPhone users, allowing them to reserve and use unique usernames. Apple's Hide My Email feature, while easy to bypass to find a real email address, is not considered a significant concern when used as intended for spam filtering. Apple is also reportedly ramping up orders for vapor chamber cooling components, speculated to be for its upcoming foldable iPhone and 20th-anniversary iPhone models. The company has also updated its Advertising Services policy, outlining ad categories that will not be allowed in the Maps app.