Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: May 17, 2026, 2:40 AM ET

Market & Earnings

Apple shares closed above $300 for the first time in the company's history, reaching a new record high as investors rewarded stronger-than-expected earnings, surging Services revenue, and a massive $100 billion buyback program despite continued concerns about AI. Investment firm Evercore raised its price target to $365, telling clients that Apple Intelligence will serve as a long-term growth catalyst for the tech giant.

Hardware Roadmap

Apple is preparing to launch more than 15 new products this fall as part of its busiest hardware cycle in years, with the iPhone 18 Pro expected to feature three major new upgrade drivers including camera improvements according to recent supply chain reports. The company also slashed iPhone 17 Pro prices in China by 1,000 yuan (approximately $138) ahead of the annual 618 shopping festival, one of the country's largest mid-year retail events. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro was named the fastest-charging smartphone in CNET lab testing, earning recognition for its charging performance among flagship devices.

In the MacBook Pro lineup, Amazon is discounting 2026 16-inch models by $249 across all configurations, while the most affordable M5 MacBook Pro is available from $1,499 and the 2TB M5 Pro has dropped to an all-time low. Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to debut in September carrying the same design language as recent models, while a major MacBook Pro redesign with OLED displays is slated for later this year — the first since 2021.

Software & Services

Apple released iOS 26.5 this week, bringing incremental updates without the improved Apple Intelligence features that industry observers expect to see at WWDC next month. Car Play in iOS 26 adds five new customization options for the in-car experience, while iPad OS 26 makes the tablet feel meaningfully closer to a primary computer according to Apple Insider's review — the first iPad update in years to deliver such a meaningful leap in functionality.

Apple TV continues its content momentum with what the company calls its best summer lineup ever, featuring Ryan Reynolds' upcoming spy thriller among other high-profile releases. The streaming service added six popular apps to Car Play recently including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and WhatsApp, expanding the in-car ecosystem significantly.

Enterprise & Security

Apple published enterprise release notes for mac OS 26.5 detailing several fixes for managed Macs, addressing issues affecting business deployments. In the cybersecurity space, Apple's treatment of AI coding apps appears to be shifting following a dispute with Replit, which released its first iPhone app update in four months after resolving an App Store review dispute over how AI-generated apps can be previewed and developed on iOS. Meanwhile, AI is transforming cybersecurity training for Mac administrators, with new tools emerging to help IT teams defend against increasingly sophisticated threats.

Legal Battles

In the ongoing Epic Games antitrust case, Apple and Epic have agreed on a pre-court schedule to discuss potential changes to App Store fee structures ahead of the next phase of appeals. Separately, a court granted Elon Musk's request to add Craig Federighi — Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering — as a document custodian in xAI's antitrust lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI. Meanwhile, OpenAI is exploring possible legal action after users did not sign up for enough paid accounts through Apple's Chat GPT integrations, with CEO Sam Altman reportedly expecting different user behavior than what actually occurred.

Accessories & Ecosystem

The Apple Card is undergoing a major transition with Goldman Sachs handing the partnership to Chase, though many core features will remain unchanged for consumers. A new Apple Card promotion could effectively give new customers free AirPods Pro 3 as part of an aggressive signup push. In the smart home space, Switch Bot announced new Lock Vision devices with Matter over Wi-Fi support for Apple Home users, while Ikea's Matter-over-Thread devices are now compatible with Apple Home after months of testing.