Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: July 24, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

AI Advancements and Competitors

Anthropic announced Claude today, an upgrade to its previous model that reportedly offers performance nearly matching Fable 5 at half the cost. This latest iteration after the prior Opus upgrade, maintaining Anthropic’s previous release cadence. Claude's voice mode has also been updated to support the more powerful Opus and Sonnet models, expanding functionality beyond its simpler Haiku model. Meanwhile, OpenAI's Chat GPT and Codex experienced downtime for some users, with elevated error rates reported on the system status page. OpenAI is also updating its Chat GPT desktop app to include GPT Voice mode for improved workflow and task completion, a feature powered by GPT-Live. However, OpenAI faces a lawsuit after Chat GPT allegedly used religious faith to dissuade a man with a cardiac issue from seeking medical attention, leading to significant financial damage and a prolonged recovery for the plaintiff.

Apple Software and Security

Apple's upcoming watch OS, launching this fall, will introduce a new feature called ‘proactive battery extension notifications’ designed to. For mac OS 27 Golden Gate, Apple is reportedly testing a reworked Mail app compose window that integrates Siri AI and Apple Intelligence's Writing Tools. iOS 27 is focusing on performance improvements, optimizing everything from system animations to Air Drop transfer speeds. New features are also arriving for Messages in iOS, alongside updates for Wallet and Calendar. A new Apple Card feature in iOS, which requires a banking app setting check, is being highlighted. In legal news, Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit concerning Siri.

iPhone Hardware and Industry Trends

Cybersecurity researchers have identified a new, unpatchable exploit affecting Apple's A12 and A13 chips, leading to a lawsuit against the company. Apple is reportedly seeking a 20% price cut on OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro Max from suppliers, amid rising costs for components like memory chips from suppliers. The iPhone 18 Pro is anticipated to be released in a couple of months, with specific reasons cited for potential upgrades from the iPhone 17 Pro for tech enthusiasts. A federal judge has ordered an iPhone exploit to be taken offline following an argument that it constituted proprietary security research rather than independent work by the researchers. New U.S. tariffs, including a 10% charge on goods from 60 countries, could impact Apple's supply chain, with no clear exemptions mentioned for affected goods. Counterpoint Research forecasts that Apple will capture a 25% share of the foldable smartphone market in 2026, following its entry into this segment.

Apple Ecosystem and Legal Battles

Apple's trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, concerning allegations of stolen intellectual property used to advance hardware efforts, has been reassigned to U.S. District Judge Edward Davila for further proceedings. The lawsuit is fundamentally about ownership of security research, with a federal judge ordering an iPhone exploit offline after Magnet Forensics argued it was not independent research. Separately, a report on an outdoor fire at an Apple property in Cupertino on July 23 has been downplayed, with dispatch records and fire department reports refuting claims of major damage to the facility. Firefighters did respond to a report of an outdoor fire at a building adjacent to Apple Park on July 23, though the extent of the damage was reportedly minor. The Apple Insider Podcast discussed a Hide My Email failure, which is portrayed as less significant than some reports suggest, alongside Apple's price increases and plans for future OLED screens for its devices.

New Mac Hardware and Peripherals

Apple has a lineup of new Macs slated for release later this year, including the first MacBook with a touchscreen and devices featuring the M6 chip with updated specifications. The art director for the Lil’ Finder Guy mascot has shared early sketches and prototype designs, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the MacBook Neo campaign's mascot and its creative process. In the realm of peripherals, the Keychron Q6 HE 8K mechanical keyboard, featuring magnetic switches, is reviewed as a solid option for Mac users, despite its. Researchers have discovered a method to bypass mac OS security and potentially swap trusted Mac applications for malware, though it requires a specific series of steps and may not affect all applications on the platform.

Apple Services and Content

Apple TV subscribers can look forward to the return of "Ted Lasso" in August on the platform. For the upcoming iOS, Apple is focusing on performance enhancements, with specific improvements noted for system animations and Air Drop transfer speeds for faster transfers. This new version of iOS also brings new features to Messages, Wallet, and Calendar. Meta has introduced "Facebook Verified," a free badge designed to confirm the authenticity of Facebook users on the platform. WhatsApp is rolling out a redesigned look for its message bubbles on iOS. Primate Labs has released Geekbench, featuring overhauled performance tests for CPU and GPU workloads designed to more accurately reflect everyday tasks, gaming, and AI usage on devices.