Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 5, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

iOS 27 and Software Updates

iOS 27 is set to bring a host of new customization options to the iPhone's Lock Screen, including four new ways to personalize its appearance. The Messages app will also receive significant enhancements in iOS, featuring a variety of new capabilities designed to save users time. Face Time is also getting a powerful new feature within iOS, promising a significant upgrade to the video calling experience. Additionally, Apple Photos app is receiving a major overhaul in iOS, with improvements to slideshows, shared albums, and the long-awaited addition of a camera roll feature.

New Apple Hardware and Rumors

Apple is reportedly preparing to launch a new Home Pod mini, which is expected to include several smart home updates. The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to feature three long-anticipated upgrades, and a separate report suggests that the iPhone 18 Pro could have a starting price of $1,399. The foldable iPhone potentially named the iPhone Ultra, is on schedule for a September release, with production challenges reportedly overcome is expected to contribute to a 20% global growth in foldable smartphone shipments for 2026 Pro, equipped with an M5 Max chip and a 40-core GPU, is available for $500 off, representing the largest discount on the 16-inch lineup up to $500 off Mac, iPad, Air Tag, and Apple Watch models, with prices starting as low as $27. The M4 iPad Air models are seeing discounts of up to $69 on Amazon. Deals are also active on the Apple Watch Ultra, with discounts of $99 and $100 available from different retailers. Furthermore, the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air with 24GB of RAM is available for $1,499 after a $200 discount. Best Buy's Back to School sale includes markdowns on MacBook Pro models, Air Pods, and other Apple devices.

Apple Services and Partnerships

Apple Pay officially launched in the Philippines, allowing users in the country to add supported cards to their iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple Card is partnering with Booking.com to expedite loyalty rewards for its users. Apple TV subscribers can now stream the premiere episode of "Ted Lasso" season four, with the show's return being a significant event for the platform 2026, an annual competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Liga MX, will be broadcast on Apple TV.

Industry News and Legal Matters

Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit in Brazil seeking approximately $59 million in damages over allegations that children can access casino-style games on the App Store without adequate age verification. The company is also involved in a lawsuit concerning its Photos app's face recognition technology, which could potentially cost the company over $30 billion if the allegations of violating Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act are proven preparing for its September iPhone event, where it is expected to unveil at least five new devices, including the iPhone 18 Pro and its variants. A theory suggesting that iCloud issues played a role in a former Apple employee accessing confidential documents after joining OpenAI has been refuted by Apple app, which offers iMessage functionality for Android users, has reappeared despite Apple's support for RCS messaging. Fitbit data now syncs to Apple Health thanks to an update in the Google Health app for iOS. WhatsApp has introduced new features for group chats, including an "@all" mention option and upgraded poll functionality. The latest beta version of WhatsApp's Mac app is testing flexible update schedules, allowing users to choose between daily and weekly checks. Wikipedia added a new app widget for the Home Screen, allowing users to access the platform more conveniently.

Apple's Future and Strategic Moves

Apple's incoming CEO John Ternus is reportedly bringing back Laura Legros, a former vice president of hardware engineering, to his team. The company is also said to be developing its future glasses and headsets to function as health and fitness devices. Apple recently agreed to acquire Plasma Solve, a move that could significantly impact its product roadmap. The company is also working on a feature for cross-device copy and paste between iOS devices and Windows PCs, a development prompted by a request from Microsoft.

Other Notable News

Ted Lasso has officially returned for its fourth season, with the premiere episode now available for Apple TV subscribers computer, despite being considered a failure, is being remembered for its influence on future products like the iPad and iPhone. The global RAM and SSD crisis is expected to worsen before improving, impacting pricing for home electronics. A malware campaign is distributing fake Zoom updates and business files to install Screen Connect, granting attackers remote control over mac OS systems. Telegram briefly was removed from the App Store due to content violating guidelines against child sexual abuse material, but was later restored. Apple achieved a record $10 billion in annual retail revenue in India, with its second major iPhone manufacturing base contributing significantly to this figure.