Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: May 17, 2026, 5:39 AM ET

Apple Stock Hits Record High

Apple shares closed above $300 for the first time in the company's history, reaching a new record high as investors shrugged off continued AI concerns and rewarded stronger-than-expected earnings, surging Services revenue, and a massive $100 billion buyback program. Analysts at Evercore raised their price target to $365, telling investors to stick with Apple on the belief that Apple Intelligence will prove a long-term boon for the company. Meanwhile, Apple 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 online retail events, as the company battles intensifying competition in the crucial Chinese market.

Hardware Roadmap Emerges

Apple is preparing a packed fall product lineup with more than 15 new products expected, while later this year the company will debut its first MacBook Pro redesign since 2021, bringing OLED displays and other upgrades beyond just the screen technology. The Apple Watch Series 12 will likely carry on the same design language as recent models when unveiled at September's event as is tradition. In the iPhone lineup, the iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to bring three new features that could serve as top upgrade motivators, while the broader iPhone 18 lineup will see Apple expand its in-house modem design to the entire range, ending Qualcomm dependency—a transition that carries a quiet privacy benefit as Apple gains more control over user data handling. The 20th-anniversary iPhone expected next year will feature a curved "four-edge bending" display, with Apple already planning a second version to improve upon the design a year later.

Legal Battles Continue

Ahead of the next round in District Court for the Apple-Epic legal fight, the two companies agreed on a pre-court schedule to discuss changes to App Store fee proposals. In a separate development, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi has been added as a document custodian in xAI's antitrust lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, though CEO Tim Cook was spared from the same designation. Meanwhile, OpenAI is exploring possible legal action after users didn't sign up for enough paid accounts through Apple's Chat GPT integrations, with CEO Sam Altman apparently expecting the partnership to generate more revenue than it has.

Software Updates Roll Out

Apple released iOS 26.5 this week, though there was no sign of improved Apple Intelligence—a relief for Google ahead of its Gemini Intelligence announcements. The update did include fixes for managed devices detailed in Apple's enterprise release notes for mac OS 26.5, addressing several issues affecting business deployments. iPad OS 26 is finally making the iPad feel more like a real computer, representing the first meaningful step toward the device becoming a genuine primary computer for many users. Car Play in iOS 26 adds five new ways to customize your in-car setup, while six popular apps including Chat GPT, Perplexity, Grok, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and an indie artist platform have arrived on CarPlay in recent weeks.

AI Competition Heats Up

Google's Gemini Intelligence announcement arrived just a month before Apple Intelligence's big WWDC moment, but analysts question whether it can truly challenge Apple's ecosystem integration. The Mac Rumors Show discussed Google's latest AI wave and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors on this week's episode. Meanwhile, Replit released its first iPhone app update in four months after resolving an App Store review dispute with Apple over how AI-generated apps can be previewed and developed on iOS, potentially signaling a shift in Apple's treatment of AI coding applications.

Services and Content

Apple TV is on a hot streak with new shows and has its best summer lineup ever coming, including a new spy thriller with comedy elements starring Ryan Reynolds. Apple is also preparing a major Apple Card signup push that would effectively give new customers free AirPods Pro 3—a sharp shift in the company's financing strategy. The Apple Card is officially moving to Chase as Goldman Sachs transitions out of the partnership, though some features may change while others remain the same.

Supply Chain and Manufacturing

TSMC is investing an additional $20 billion in its Arizona plants, boosting Apple's U.S. chip plan as the company seeks to re-shore more chip production. Meanwhile, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Intel is testing production of some iPhone, iPad, and Mac chips, potentially ending TSMC's decade-long streak as Apple's exclusive SoC supplier since 2016. Apple CEO Tim Cook returned to China accompanying President Trump on a visit to Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping, joined by executives from Tesla, Boeing, and other companies.

Deals and Accessories

Amazon's Memorial Day sale brought the 20-core 2TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro to an all-time low price, while the 16-inch M5 Pro saw discounts of $249 across all models. The 2026 MacBook Pro is available for up to $216 off, Apple Watch Series 11 for up to $130 off, and Air Pods Max 2 for $40 off in this week's best Apple deals. In accessories, a new magnetic headphone amp and DAC for iPhone brings wired audio quality with a built-in display, while iVANKY's Fusion Dock Ultra offers 26 ports of Thunderbolt 5 connectivity for professional Mac users.

Security and Emerging Threats

Hackers spent months hiding malware behind fake Apple-themed infrastructure to infiltrate organizations across the Asia-Pacific region without triggering security filters. Research shows thieves can earn up to $800 more by snatching unlocked iPhones compared to locked devices, fueling an epidemic of street thefts using scooters and electric bikes. OpenAI is also forcing Mac users to update ChatGPT after a supply chain attack exposed signing certificates, with Apple's security systems blocking the compromised versions.

Oddities and Culture

A new app called Cats Lock prevents your cat from causing keyboard havoc on Mac by detecting feline proximity and locking the input. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is coming to Mac this month as Apple continues its push to expand Mac gaming with high-profile titles. Apple's controversial Liquid Glass redesign just won a Gold Cube at the 2026 Art Directors Club of New York awards, among six total wins for the company. Mactracker, the app for tracking Apple hardware and software releases, turned 25 years old and received a major update to celebrate the anniversary.