Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: July 18, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Apple's Market Dominance and Financials

Apple regained its position as the world's most valuable company, surpassing Nvidia in market valuation. This surge follows a period of increasing prices for Macs and iPads last month, and Apple has now further raised iPhone prices in Japan. The company has also in several countries. Despite these price hikes, iPhone loyalty remains strong, with 87% of owners sticking with the platform according to a recent CIRP survey, indicating a slowdown in users switching to Android.

New Product Rumors and iOS Updates

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in two months, with reports suggesting a similar design to their predecessors but featuring 12 new functionalities. The iOS 27 public beta is now available, with discussions focusing on its new features and whether users should install it on their primary devices as detailed by 9to5Mac. Users who installed the iOS 27 Beta can to iOS 26 if they encounter stability issues. The latest iOS versions also include an improved Recovery Assistant that no longer requires a Mac or PC. Additionally, improvements for Car Play in the iOS 27 public beta are being.

Apple Services and App Store Developments

Apple's Car Keys feature is reportedly expanding to include support for future GWM Tank SUVs. In the realm of AI, password manager 1Password has, allowing the AI to access credentials without direct visibility. Meanwhile, the European Commission has ordered Google to grant third-party AI apps the same Android access as its own Gemini. Apple and Google are also facing demands to that can create nonconsensual nude images. An investigation has also on the App Store in Brazil.

Promotions, Pricing, and Legal Matters

Apple's chip supplier, TSMC, has for U.S. chip manufacturing plants, bringing its total commitment to $265 billion. In a separate legal development, Apple and the U.S. Justice Department are reportedly in early talks to potentially filed in 2024. Apple has also sued OpenAI, citing trade secret accusations, in addition to discussing public betas and the future of super apps on the Apple Insider Podcast.

Deals and Subscription Services

Current deals include significant discounts on Air Pods Pro, Magic Keyboard, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. Amazon is also offering a on the 512GB M4 iPad Air 13-inch. Following recent price increases, the value of Apple One subscriptions is being re-evaluated to determine if they remain cost-effective.

Other App and Service Updates

WhatsApp has begun rolling out its new username feature, with some users able to. The company is now for a select group of iPhone users. Apple's Journal app is being promoted as a tool to, aligning with psychological research on reflective writing. OpenAI has in its recently redesigned Chat GPT app for Mac to improve usability. Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for its upcoming docuseries, ‘The Dynasty: UConn Huskies’ ahead of its debut. It has been confirmed that while it's relatively easy to find an individual's real email address through Apple's Hide My Email feature, it when used as intended for spam filtering.