Last updated: August 7, 2026, 6:20 PM ET
iPhone 18 Pro, Ultra, and the Foldable Future
Apple's next-generation iPhone lineup is taking shape with a radically different strategy this fall. Rather than unveiling four closely related models, rumors point to a flagship-only September lineup consisting of three premium devices. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to launch around September 9, bringing a 2nm A20 chip, an Apple-designed C2 modem, and under-display Face ID. Pricing, however, is likely to jump significantly: analysts predict the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1,399, with a potential increase of $250 to $300 over current models. That price hike is partly driven by a global RAM shortage that is reportedly slowing assembly of the iPhone 18 Pro, as shortages of the memory needed for the A20 Pro processor create production bottlenecks. Apple is also gearing up its retail and carrier programs for a more focused launch, while T-Mobile has introduced a new 3-year plan to help customers manage rising device costs.
The biggest wild card is the foldable iPhone Ultra, which sounds truly deserving of its name based on software experience rumors. Apple’s first foldable is expected to launch alongside the Pro models, and the company is reportedly preparing three new "Ultra" products by early next year, including a foldable iPhone. This device is already credited with driving an expected 20% rise in global foldable smartphone shipments this year, as Apple's entry breathes new life into the category. Meanwhile, the iPhone Air is approaching one year on sale, and the MacRumors Show discussed what changes are needed after a difficult first year. For those deciding between models, a poll asks which you plan to buy: iPhone 18 Pro or foldable iPhone Ultra.
iOS, watch OS, and the Software Upgrade Cycle
iOS 27 is shaping up to be a major release with dozens of refinements. One long-awaited fix addresses a common iPhone wireless issue: the lag when switching from Wi-Fi to cellular. The update also adds four new ways to customize your iPhone's Lock Screen, including a compact clock option that gives your wallpaper room to breathe. Apple Wallet in iOS 27 gains a feature that's been on my wishlist for years: the ability to import physical passes directly into the app. Messages gets a time-saving one-tap suggestion system, and a new Gym Kit integration basically turns your iPhone and Air Pods into an Apple Watch at the gym, syncing workout data with compatible equipment.
CarPlay in iOS 27 adds two new features for popular Apple apps, including a mini-player and scrubbing controls. The update also hints at an all-new Home product launching soon, likely a security camera. For Air Pods Pro, iOS 27 brings exclusive new features such as adaptive audio enhancements. iPadOS 27 adds two new features I've been loving, including improved multitasking. watchOS 27 could upgrade the Apple Watch's hypertension alerts, making the already important health feature even better.
Siri AI is coming to newer Apple devices only, with a full list of compatible hardware now available. The new Siri is a major upgrade and highlight of iOS, mac OS Golden Gate, and more, but it requires recent chips. Apple is also internally testing iOS 26.6.1 for iPhones, a minor update likely ahead of the big fall release.
Mac, MacBook, and mac OS Updates
Apple's Mac lineup is seeing a flurry of activity. The company released macOS Tahoe 26.6.1 with security fixes, addressing a serious Screen Sharing vulnerability that could allow attackers to access users' screens. The update also patches the Screen Sharing flaw in macOS Sequoia and Sonoma. MacBook Pro users will soon have two compelling new upgrade options: rumored M6 and Ultra models launching this fall. For those looking to save, Apple's loaded M5 Max MacBook Pro with a 40-core GPU is $500 off right now, and Amazon has taken up to $190 off the M5 MacBook Air with its best deals since the price hike. The Mac Pro turned 20 years old today, five months after Apple killed the tower. Apple Insider argues that the original "cheese grater" Mac Pro is the best Mac ever made. On the software side, MacPaw is building an on-device AI layer that will work across your Mac apps, partnering with Liquid AI for the project. BBEdit remains a legend at 34 years old: still simple, still powerful. And for those with a very specific iPad and iPad OS combo, a new jailbreak tool allows you to run macOS on an M1 or M2 iPad — but it's extremely limited.
Apple Watch, Health, and Fitness
The Apple Watch lineup is heating up ahead of next month's launches. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 promises three new features that already have me excited, likely including enhanced outdoor sensors and battery life. [Deals on the current Ultra 3 are still available, with $99 off at Amazon](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/9to5mac/apple-watch-ultra-3-deals-save-99-now-402b2b49?Actuallyweused82already,let'scheck:weused82forsentence3.Inourplan,weusedarticle82forsentence3.Butinthefinaltext,thesentence"AugustAppleWatchdealsdeliversavingsofupto$172offSeries11,Ultra3,andSE3stylesatAmazonandWalmart."Thatissentence4.Weneedtoensureeachsentencehasalink.Inourearlierassignment,welinkedsentence4toarticle55.That'sfine.Let'swritetheparagraphcorrectly.AugustAppleWatchdealsdeliversavingsofupto$172offSeries11,Ultra3,andSE3stylesatAmazonandWalmart.We'lllinkthattoarticle55.Butweneedtowritethesentenceasitisinthebriefing.Thebriefingsays:"AugustAppleWatchdealsdeliversavingsofupto$172offSeries11,Ultra3,andSE3stylesatAmazonandWalmart."That'sasentence.We'lllinkit.Alsosentence5:"Foraccessories,thesearemyfavoriteAppleWatchaccessoriesof2026sofar."Linktoarticle73.Sentence6:"AppleHealthismorepowerfulthanyouthink,withtoptipsformaximizingtheiPhoneHealthapp,includingintegrationwithAppleWatchandmedicalrecords."Linktoarticle33.Sentence7:"SurgeonsareenthusingaboutwhatagreatbargainAppleVisionProisforsurgicalvisualization,withanewstudypraisingitsuseintheoperatingroom."Linktoarticle83.Nowwritetheparagraphwithlinks.Services,Content,andAppleTV+AppleTV+isrollingoutapackedfalllineup. Ted Lasso Season 4 is now streaming, with the first episode available today after a three-year hiatus. The show's return is part of a broader slate that includes new seasons of Slow Horses and Dark Matter. Apple TV’s surprise hit series "Widow's Bay" is making the jump to theaters for one night only. However, not all projects survive: the high-profile "Bonfire of the Vanities" series has been dropped by Apple TV due to creative differences.
Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition is now available on Apple Arcade, a full game without in-app purchases. The Apple Account Card in Wallet has expanded to four new countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovenia. Apple captured 65% of the global premium smartphone market in the first half of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research.
Security, Privacy, and Legal
Security remains a hot topic. Apple's iCloud Private Relay is leaking users' real IP addresses, according to security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry. The company's bug bounty changes finally make sense after baffling security researchers for months. A new Mac malware steals crypto wallet funds by executing a single pasted Terminal command, draining all or a percentage of a wallet.
In legal news, Apple has flagged discovery delays in its lawsuit against Jon Prosser, telling a federal court it hasn't heard from his legal team in a month. A separate filing notes that Prosser's counsel attributes the delays to caring for his newborn child. Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI says the iCloud mess didn't play a role in the alleged trade secret theft. Meanwhile, OpenAI delayed its next major AI model "Astra" over critical hacking concerns, pausing activities due to its cyber capabilities.
A massive backdoor called "Endlessdoors" was found in Chinese routers sold under multiple brand names, with a firmware implant phoning home to a command server. A scam Uber email is making the rounds, attempting to steal payment information. On the social media side, a teenager died because TikTok deliberately turned off safety controls to see what would happen, leading to a preventable tragedy.
AI, Chat GPT, and OpenAI Ecosystem
OpenAI continues to evolve rapidly. A [new ChatGPT version features a "Think" button and promises to provide more reliable facts](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/appleinsider/new-chatgpt-version-with-think-button-82536cd6?Alreadyused,soweneedtouseadifferentarticle.Actuallywecan'treuse.Let'sfix:weassignedarticle39tosentence2.Sosentence1shouldlinktosomethingelse.Weusedarticle2forsentence8inlegal.Soforsentence1,wecanusearticle49.Butweusedarticle49forsentence6later.Soweneedtoadjust.Let'sdo:sentence1->article49(GPT-5turningone), sentence 2 -> article, sentence 6 -> article 2? No, article 2 is used. Let's plan again for this paragraph.
We have sentences:
- "OpenAI continues to evolve rapidly."
- "A new Chat GPT version features a "Think" button and promises to provide more reliable facts with fewer confident wrong answers."
- "You may soon be able to create and export custom WhatsApp stickers straight from Chat GPT, as OpenAI works on a direct export feature." (linked to article 7)
- "The company is also sharing new details about its first device: a doughnut-shaped speaker that could cost around $2,000." (linked to article 38)
- "Adobe is integrating with Chat GPT for AI creation, emphasizing that it doesn't care where people create, as long as they use Adobe tools." (linked to article 53)
- "GPT-5 turns one year old, and OpenAI is marking the occasion by introducing Agent Plugins, an open standard for reusable AI-agent extensions." (need a link)
- "Claude Code from Anthropic is enabling auto mode as default next week, starting August 14 for Pro, Max, and Team users." (linked to article 11)
- "Mac Paw's partnership with Liquid AI will bring an on-device AI layer to Mac apps." (linked to article 103)
- "Meta launched Muse Code, a terminal coding agent for mac OS that costs up to 20x less if you let Meta train on your data." (linked to article 68)
We need to assign article 49 to either sentence 1 or. Article 49 is specifically about GPT-5 turning one and Agent Plugins. So sentence 6 is the best match. So sentence 6 -> article. Then sentence 1 needs a link. Use article 2? Used. Article 39? Used for sentence. We can use article 5? Not. Use article 3? No. Use article 10? No. We have many unused. Let's use article 48: "Apple earnings, universal clipboard interoperability, iPhone event chatter" - not related. Use article 36: "iPad shipments fell 8%" no. Use article 51: "Last call to save up to $200 on M5 MacBook Air" no. We can link "OpenAI continues to evolve rapidly" to article 7? That's about stickers, not evolving rapidly. Article 38 about device? Not. We'll use article 104: "9to5Mac Daily: August 4, 2026 – The latest Apple vs OpenAI drama" - that's about Apple vs OpenAI, which is relevant to OpenAI evolving. Link to article.
Now article 104 is used.
Now we have remaining unused: 3, 10, 51, 59, 77, 90, 95. Also 48 is used for paragraph 9 sentence. So 48 is used.
Now we need to write the paragraph correctly.
Car Play, Smart Home, and Accessories
Lutron Caseta expands hands-free smart home controls through Sonos Voice Control, allowing users to dim lights and control shades with voice commands. Abode launches new Apple Home-compatible sensors for garages, gates, and sheds, expanding its DIY security lineup. iOS 27 hints at an all-new Apple Home product, likely a security camera. HomePod mini 2 is expected soon, with Siri improvements and smart home features.
CarPlay is coming to Crest and Balise pontoon boats, bringing navigation and entertainment to the water. But three major automakers — Tesla, Rivian, and GM — still don't support CarPlay. Here’s why they resist, and whether that could change.
Deals, Trade-Ins, and Supply Chain
Apple has raised trade-in values for iPhone, Mac, and more, but you can still do better by comparing carrier offers and private sale values. The refurb store now includes rare M5 MacBook Pro configs, Apple TV 4K, Studio Display XDR, and more. Apple's RAM supplier SK Hynix makes a $38 billion bet on AI boom lasting until 2029, but that won't cut iPhone prices. Meanwhile, Apple's attempt to use Chinese memory maker CXMT as leverage backfired, giving the Korean chipmakers more pricing power. The global RAM supply crisis is going to get worse before it gets better, with prices soaring and shortages persisting. RAM supply is holding up iPhone 18 Pro assembly — yet another bad sign for launch timing. On the positive side, AI fuels Foxconn to record profits even before iPhone 18 Pro mass production begins.
Retro Gaming, Jailbreaks, and Nostalgia
The original iPhone lost its last cellular network as T-Mobile killed 2G, meaning the device can no longer make calls. A new jailbreak for iOS, thanks to Dopamine 3.0, arrived after 326 days. The 9to5Mac Overtime podcast discusses native retro games on iPhone, including a Pokémon 3D mod and a Mario Kart 64 port. Newton's 1993 launch set the stage for iPad and iPhone, 33 years later. And Apple seems to have abandoned Cinematic mode, which is a mistake given its potential for creative video.
Podcast Roundup: The Week in Apple
The 9to5Mac Daily episodes from August 4, and 7 recap the top stories: Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI, iPhone event clues, iPhone Fold hype, mac OS fixes, and more. The AppleInsider Podcast covers AI costs, iPhone 18 rumors, and the OpenAI lawsuit. Security Bite explores why scammers love FaceTime now and Apple's bug bounty changes.
Miscellaneous: X Money, WhatsApp, and More
X Money launches with a FAQ covering account suspensions, 6% APY, and physical cards. WhatsApp channel admins will soon be able to flag AI-generated media, meeting EU transparency requirements. Disney+ could introduce a free ad-supported tier, per CEO comments. And if you have an overheating iPhone, never put it in the fridge or freezer — it can cause dangerous condensation damage.