Apple News 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 15, 2026, 12:42 PM ET
Anniversary & Special Events
Apple kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations macrumors.com with a surprise Alicia Keys concert at its temporarily closed Grand Central Terminal store in New York, marking the beginning of worldwide festivities planned for the milestone. The company announced it will host celebrations around the globe macrumors.com, though specific locations and events remain under wraps. Meanwhile, Apple mysteriously shut down macrumors.com its Grand Terminal store earlier this week, with photos suggesting the retail space was being transformed for a special announcement. The anniversary celebrations come as Apple prepares to release "Apple: The First 50 Years," a book by author David Pogue who recently revealed that Tim Cook declined to be interviewed for the project, highlighting the company's continued tight control over its narrative during this historic milestone.
MacBook Neo & Pricing
Apple's new MacBook Neo has created significant disruption in the product lineup, with trade-ins surging 9to5mac.com as consumers upgrade to the budget-friendly device starting at just $599. The entry-level laptop has made other non-Pro models harder to justify 9to5mac.com, particularly as third-party manufacturers like Parallels have confirmed the device can run Windows in a virtual machine. While base models come with limited storage, achieving 1TB of storage on the MacBook Neo is possible through complex micro-soldering appleinsider.com, though the process is neither easy nor affordable for average users. Apple's education pricing further enhances the value proposition, bringing the starting price down to $499, while Amazon is currently offering the MacBook Neo for as low as $569 as part of launch week deals.
iOS & Software Updates
Apple's Siri is poised for a major overhaul expected to debut at WWDC 2026, with a significant redesign of the virtual assistant appleinsider.com in the works as part of Apple's broader effort to improve software quality. The upcoming iOS 27 may not include major changes to Liquid Glass, however, as reports indicate Apple is saving its most significant UI redesign for later updates 9to5mac.com. In the meantime, iOS 26.4 is introducing three new ways to customize the iPhone 9to5mac.com, while the iOS 26 Passwords app has received a new feature that could save users from potential headaches with credential management. Additionally, iOS 26 has apparently become a full-time password manager for many users thanks to several recent improvements to the application's functionality and security features.
Apple TV & Entertainment
Apple TV has secured a significant victory in the streaming wars, having claimed its first F1 viewership win over ESPN macrumors.com during the first race of the 2026 season after securing exclusive streaming rights for the racing series. The platform is preparing for a five-week stretch of major premieres, building on a strong start to the year with popular series like Shrinking. Apple TV has also premiered a rare true crime original series called Twisted Yoga, while reviews suggest another star-packed new comedy titled "Margo's Got Money Troubles" could be another hit for the platform 9to5mac.com. The streaming service's content strategy continues to gain momentum as it approaches the 98th Academy Awards, where Apple films including F1: The Movie, The Lost Bus, and Come See Me In The Good Light have received six nominations in total.
Rumors & Future Products
Rumors about Apple's foldable iPhone have intensified recently, with Samsung Display potentially beginning production screens for the long-rumored device appleinsider.com, according to new leaks indicating a manufacturing ramp could begin soon. Reports suggest Apple is expected to launch the iPhone Fold later this year, with five key developments emerging about the device this week alone macrumors.com. Beyond fold