Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: August 13, 2026, 3:08 PM ET

Manufacturing & Retail

Apple has opened its new Houston center designed to train the next generation of American manufacturing workers, part of a broader expansion of the company's U.S. footprint. The facility, dubbed the Advanced Manufacturing Center, was celebrated today by Apple in Texas — details on the center's resources and curriculum are now available. Meanwhile, Apple announced the permanent closure of its Festival Place store in Basingstoke, England, set for November 2026, while a nearby Reading location undergoes a major expansion.

Upcoming Hardware

Rumors are heating up across Apple's product lineup. The MacBook Neo 2 is expected next year with a crucial upgrade: more RAM, addressing a key limitation of the current model. Apple's foldable iPhone Ultra could face durability questions, with reports noting Samsung's foldable screen vulnerabilities; the device may launch exclusively in the U.S. at first, following a staggered rollout similar to the Vision Pro. The base iPhone 18 is tipped to get two Pro-level upgrades: 12GB of RAM and the Dynamic Island, up from 8GB and the notch. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro could see a price increase — Google's $100 Pixel price hike and trade-in push may hint at Apple's plans. The next Apple TV 4K refresh, expected in 2026, may include a much faster chip and other improvements. A new patent suggests Apple Glasses could play an audible chime when recording, but only for the wearer to hear. Additionally, a comparison of the iPhone 17 Pro vs Pixel 11 Pro shows how the two flagship lines stack up, while two affordable iPhone 17 Pro accessories are worth trying. Watch for the next Apple event, likely in September, to unveil iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra.

Software Updates & Services

iOS 27 brings two long-awaited features to Apple Photos: slideshows and shared album upgrades. watch OS 27 will add two new apps to the Apple Watch: a dedicated Siri and Find My app. Apple TV has added a collection of classic movies that subscribers can stream at no extra cost, now available in a "Great classic movies" section — another batch of famous films has been added to the streaming library. Eddy Cue hinted that Ted Lasso may return for a fifth season, while Apple TV published a trailer for Stillwater's fifth season. WhatsApp is rolling out username support when creating new contacts. Claude's Chrome side panel is now a full Cowork session, allowing browser tasks to follow users across apps. Twitch will train Amazon's AI on streams unless users opt out. Apple is also in talks to pay publishers for news content to power Siri AI.

App Store & Security

The App Store review process is broken at a time when it's needed most, with users often finding problem apps before Apple does. A developer has reported "obvious" ratings fraud going undetected by Apple. In the ongoing Epic legal battle, Apple has only 24 hours to produce its App Store commission plan detailing fees for outbound links. Meanwhile, a fake GitHub download turns Safari and Chrome into a Keychain data stealer, discovered by Jamf Threat Labs.

Deals & Pricing

Amazon is slashing prices on Beats and Nomad accessories — up to 54% off earbuds and headphones, with Nomad iPhone cases as low as $19. The 1TB M5 MacBook Air with 24GB RAM has dropped to $1,649 at Amazon and B&H, a $150 savings. Amazon is also discounting every 2026 MacBook Pro by up to $500. Apple's Back to School promotion is now live across Europe, including the UK and 18 other countries. A report shows US smartphone sales fell 5% in Q2 2026 as prices keep climbing.

Other News

An Apple billboard in Italy featuring a toddler holding an iPhone has sparked controversy, with the children's rights watchdog referring it to three regulators. A tip for users: you can set different default languages for individual Mac apps in System Settings. Finally, the 9to5Mac Daily podcast recaps top stories of the day, including Apple exec changes and back-to-school deals.