Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: July 18, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Apple's Latest Software and Product Updates

Apple released first of iOS 27 and mac OS Golden Gate this week, opening up testing to a wider audience. For those who have installed the iOS 27 Beta, a guide is available on back to iOS 26 should stability or usability issues arise. Additionally, a new Recovery Assistant feature in iOS 26 and later into recovery mode without needing a Mac or PC. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are also expected to launch in two months, though one report suggests consumers might not need to wait for this particular upgrade cycle.

App Store and Developer News

A San Francisco City Attorney has to Apple and Google, demanding the removal of 13 AI "face-swap" apps that can generate nonconsensual nude images. In other app-related news, WhatsApp has begun rolling out its new username feature, allowing users to. On the indie app front, "Passable" has been highlighted for its ability to through Apple Wallet. Meanwhile, the popular password management app 1Password has, enabling the AI service to access credentials without seeing them directly.

Apple's Market Position and Financials

Apple surpassed Nvidia to reclaim its position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company. This comes after Apple previously raised prices on Macs and iPads globally last month and has now also increased iPhone prices in Japan. Furthermore, iCloud+ subscription prices have been following earlier price adjustments in the US and other markets. New research indicates that iPhone loyalty is climbing to 87%, with fewer users switching to Android.

Platform Integrations and Industry Trends

Apple's Car Key feature is reportedly, based on discoveries within Apple's Wallet app. In the smart home sector, hardwired Matter lighting is becoming more prevalent with the introduction of the Switch Bot RGBICWW ceiling light, which. The European Commission has formally ordered Google to provide rival AI services with the same level of Android device feature access as its own Gemini, according to MacRumors. YouTube is also reportedly aware of an issue where its picture-in-picture mode is. On the security front, a new mac OS malware called Click Fix has emerged, potentially introducing a new backdoor for enterprise fleets, as noted in an Apple @ Work segment sponsored by Mosyle.