Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 9, 2026, 2:49 PM ET

Apple's September Event and iPhone 18 Pro

Apple’s annual September iPhone event is expected to take place next month, likely on September 9, according to the best estimate for the iPhone 18 Pro launch. This year, Apple is moving to a split launch for the iPhone 18 lineup, so make sure to catch up on the top stories in our roundup. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to feature a 2nm A20 chip, a C2 modem, and under-display Face ID, as detailed in a comprehensive rumor roundup. Pricing is expected to increase by $250-$300, with predictions available in this price analysis. Additionally, a new rumor claims iPhone 17 prices could rise as soon as Monday, August 10, ahead of the wider increases expected with next month’s iPhone 18 launch. For those deciding whether to upgrade now, a compelling argument suggests you should buy iPhone 17 Pro now rather than waiting. Meanwhile, a poll asks readers which they plan to buy: iPhone 18 Pro or foldable iPhone Ultra. The Mac Rumors Show this week discusses the iPhone Air 2 and what changes after a difficult first year for the iPhone Air.

Foldable iPhone and iPhone Ultra

Apple is already planning a third-generation foldable iPhone, which could launch as early as 2028. The iPhone Fold has yet to ship, but Apple is already working on a third-gen model. Rumors indicate the foldable “iPhone Ultra 3” will feature larger displays, as reported by MacRumors. The first-generation foldable, likely called the “iPhone Ultra,” is rumored to come in silver and dark blue finishes, based on images of camera protector accessories for the iPhone Ultra. Similarly, the iPhone Fold's two colorways may be silver and dark blue. Apple is rumored to launch three new “Ultra” products by early next year, as per various reports detailed in this article.

Apple Watch: Ceramic, Redesign, and Health

Apple is planning to reintroduce its striking ceramic Apple Watch casing as soon as this year, with the ceramic Apple Watch possibly returning in September after a seven-year absence. This aligns with a report that the ceramic case could return with the Apple Watch Series. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is exploring a host of radical new designs, including a round Apple Watch, a screenless fitness tracker, and more, as detailed in this article. The 2026 Apple Watch upgrade will be dull, but a big redesign is in progress, according to AppleInsider. A new ceramic Apple Watch could go on sale soon, as Gurman wrote today. Apple also considers round screens and more radical designs for future revamps. On the software side, watch OS 27 could make the Apple Watch’s important new hypertension alerts even better.

Mac: Shortages, Chips, and Legacy

Apple’s Mac lineup is experiencing dwindling supply due to expensive and hard-to-get RAM, and now even the MacBook Air is seeing shortages. According to reports, Apple is skipping its M6 Pro and M6 Max chips to accelerate the M7 launch, as covered in this article. MacBook Pro users will soon have two compelling new upgrade options this fall: an M6 model and an “Ultra” model, as rumored in this story. The original Mac Pro turns 20 years old today, five months after Apple discontinued it, as noted by MacRumors. A separate piece celebrates the original Mac Pro as the best Mac ever made. Apple has added rare M5 MacBook Pro configs, the Studio Display XDR, and more to its Certified Refurbished Store. IDC’s latest data shows Mac shipments growing as the PC market declines, examined in an Apple @ Work piece on what this means for the MacBook Neo and Air. Also, the legendary text editor BBEdit is a 34-year-old Mac app that remains simple and powerful, as profiled in this article.

iPad and Accessories

iPad shipments fell 8% in Q2 2026 amid a global tablet market decline, according to a new report detailed here. Amazon is offering a deal on the 11th-generation iPad: $50 off Wi-Fi models, with prices starting at $399.00, as reported by MacRumors.

Services: TV+, Arcade, Wallet, and More

Apple TV’s fall lineup reveals every new show and movie coming soon, including the return of “Ted Lasso” season, as detailed in this roundup. Apple TV welcomed back Ted Lasso with a clever new commercial, featured in this piece. Actor James Marsden, star of “Your Friends & Neighbors,” has been confirmed for his third Apple TV project, “Bad News Dads,” as reported in this article. Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition is now available on Apple Arcade, as noted by MacRumors. Apple Wallet in iOS 27 adds a feature that’s been on my wishlist for years: the ability to import physical passes, covered in this story. The Apple Account Card has expanded to four new countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovenia, as detailed in this report.

Apps and Software: iOS, watch OS, and More

iOS 27 is now in beta, and it’s the easiest beta to forget about, according to 9to5Mac. The update includes a long-awaited fix for a common iPhone wireless issue where Wi-Fi to cellular transitions are laggy, as reported in this article. iOS 27’s new compact clock gives your wallpaper room to breathe, a feature detailed in this guide. Apple is also testing iOS 26.6.1, according to internal logs referenced by MacRumors. Meanwhile, iOS 26 has received its first jailbreak thanks to the Dopamine tool, as noted in this piece. On the fitness front, iOS 27 basically turns your iPhone and Air Pods into an Apple Watch at the gym by bringing Gym Kit to those devices, as explained in this story. Apple’s Cinematic mode appears to have been abandoned, and that’s a mistake, argues this opinion piece. For Car Play users, connection issues might be due to radio interference, as detailed in this report. WhatsApp is bringing its parental controls to iPhone, making parent-managed accounts easier to set up, as covered in this article. Apple added nearly 45 hearing devices to its Made for iPhone compatibility list, with 43 models across 22 brands, reported in this piece. Anthropic’s Claude Code now supports cross-session messaging on mac OS, as detailed by MacRumors. Starting August 14, Claude Code will enable auto mode as default, according to this PSA. OpenAI has delayed its next major AI model “Astra” over critical hacking concerns, as reported by MacRumors. A new Chat GPT version introduces a “Think” button and promises more reliable facts, as detailed in this article. OpenAI is also working on allowing users to export custom Chat GPT stickers to WhatsApp, covered in this story. A new report shares pricing and design details about OpenAI’s first device, a doughnut-shaped speaker, as reported in this article. The indie app “Pocket Jam” helps you learn and practice your favorite songs, highlighted in this spotlight.

Health, Fitness, and Accessories

Apple Health is more powerful than you think; here are top tips to maximize the app, as shared in this guide. New Air Pods with cameras could launch next month, a feature that sounds very exciting, according to this report. A hands-on review of the Ohsnap MCON modular controller shows it slides open to transform your iPhone into a mobile game console, as seen in this video review.

Legal and Security

Apple has told a federal court that it hasn’t heard from Jon Prosser’s legal team in a month, as discovery drags on in its trade secret lawsuit against him, reported by MacRumors. In a joint status report filing, Apple flagged delays in Prosser’s response to the leak lawsuit, with his counsel attributing the delay to his caring for a newborn. A crime blotter reports on thieves using stolen credit cards at a Miami Apple Store, as well as other incidents involving an Apple Watch as a clue. The Security Bite podcast explains why scammers love Face Time now, detailed in this episode. Apple reportedly dropped a plan to preload iPhone Upgrade program devices with previous data due to privacy optics, as covered in this article. Another report confirms that this scrapped Apple Upgrade feature would have made setup much more seamless.

Market, Industry, and Infrastructure

Apple captured 65% of the global premium smartphone market in the first half of 2026, according to Counterpoint data reported by MacRumors. Apple’s RAM supplier SK hynix is making a $38 billion bet on the AI boom lasting until 2029, but it won’t cut iPhone prices, as detailed in this piece. T-Mobile retired its 2G GSM network, meaning the original iPhone has lost its last cellular network, as reported by MacRumors. Three major automakers—Tesla, Rivian, and GM—still don’t support Car Play, and this article explains why they resist. X Money launched last month, and an FAQ addresses account suspensions, 6% APY, physical cards, and more, as answered in this post.

Podcasts and Additional Coverage

The Apple Insider Podcast discusses paying for AI, freezing iPhones, and avoiding scams, as well as the Apple-OpenAI lawsuit, in this episode. 9to5Mac Overtime 076 covers native retro games on iPhone, including a Pokémon 3D mod and Mario Kart 64 port, in this episode. 9to5Mac Daily for August 7 recaps the top stories, including iPhone Fold hype and mac OS updates, available in this podcast.