Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 9:04 AM ET

Apple Hardware

The iPhone 18 Pro is just weeks away and is expected to bring three major camera upgrades, a 256GB base storage tier (likely pushing the price higher), and a new Dark Cherry color. A leaked photo allegedly reveals a massive 5,391mAh battery for the Pro Max, nearly 12% larger than last year’s model. Meanwhile, the foldable iPhone — internally referred to by everyone at Apple as the iPhone Ultra — is still on track for 2027 despite cancellation rumors, according to leakers and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The 20th anniversary all-glass iPhone was reportedly canceled by another analyst, but conflicting reports suggest Apple hasn’t abandoned its long-term vision. For the foldable lineup, a third-generation iPhone Ultra 3 is already in the works for a 2028 launch with larger displays. Reference strings in iOS 27 beta 5 confirm six unreleased iPhone models across the lineup. A separate report notes the iPhone 17 is set to break a 15-year record for a flagship, while a leaked iPhone 18 Pro battery photo backs up the capacity increase. The iPhone Ultra, if released, would offer two features that “Pro” users will love.

Apple is testing memory chips from China’s CXMT in iPhones and MacBooks, but a DRAM shortage is forcing the company to cut back 2026 hardware shipments. The memory crunch is also affecting MacBook Air availability, with dwindling stock and rising prices. Apple is stockpiling OLED panels amid rising component costs. The iPad Air could get OLED panels as early as 2027, with orders potentially split with BOE. For the Mac, an OLED iMac panel with an extra burn-in fighting layer is in development, and new M6 MacBook Pro and refreshed iMacs are likely coming in October. Price hikes may force Apple to stop dragging its feet on certain upgrades. Analyst Ming‑Chi Kuo disputed a rumor of a $1B Apple chip stockpile at TSMC.

The Air Pods lineup sees continued strong sales: Amazon is offering the AirPods Max 2 for $100 off in all five colors, and the Air Pods Pro 3 are at 25% off. Apple released new AirPods beta firmware for public testers. The second-generation Air Tag gets an add‑on case extending battery life to 10 years.

Apple Watch and Wearables

Apple is reevaluating its Watch lineup and considering a host of radical new designs, including a round model, a screenless fitness tracker, and the return of a ceramic case with the Apple Watch Series. A round Apple Watch is possible, but an Apple Ring seems more likely. Meanwhile, a leak reveals the popular Modular watch face will gain new color customization options in watch OS. Apple Watch SE 3 is now available for just $219 on Amazon. Samsung is starting to catch up on hearing health — its Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature just received FDA clearance.

Sonos is preparing a rival to Air Pods Max: the Ace Ultra headphones will feature an AI voice assistant. Satechi launched the ChargeView 240W Desktop Charger with six USB‑C ports. The TESSAN AERO 5000 brings a titanium finish to an ultra‑thin Mag Safe battery. A modular controller from Ohsnap transforms your iPhone into a mobile game console, reviewed in a hands‑on video.

Software Updates

iOS 27 beta 5 is packed with changes: redesigned app icons for Siri, Safari, and Settings; a more transparent Liquid Glass effect; expanded Siri AI voice customization for pace and expressiveness; a new birthday reminder that shows fireworks during calls; and a “Before Searching” settings panel. The third public beta is now available, giving early access to Siri AI and performance upgrades. The latest beta also adds Siri AI voice options. Public beta 3 is out for iPad OS, tv OS, and watch OS. The third macOS Golden Gate public beta is now available for non‑developers. Apple also released beta 5 for visionOS 27, tv OS, and watch OS 27 for developers. For older operating systems, Apple shipped surprise betas of iOS 26.6.1, mac OS Tahoe 26.6.2, and iPad OS 26.6.1 with security fixes. Apple is gearing up to release security updates for iOS 18, iOS, and mac OS 26 as well.

iPhone users who pay for at least 2TB of iCloud+ storage get new perks in the Home app on iOS. Apple is working on a feature to authenticate that a photo came from an iPhone camera, with references found in iOS 27 beta. A preview of Apple Maps in iOS 27 shows a wide array of new features.

Services and Apple TV+

Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is retiring in October after leading the service since its launch. Apple Pay will finally launch in India by this October, though UPI support won’t be ready yet. Apple’s Back to School promotion has been extended until September 24, but resellers offer far greater discounts. Apple’s official refurbished store has top picks with hundreds in savings.

On Apple TV+, the second season of Women in Blue premieres now. A new crime thriller Last Seen kicks off the big fall lineup. Apple TV also picked up Alfonso Cuarón’s Ascension, his second collaboration with the platform. Apple is in talks to acquire streaming rights for golf's The Open Championship. Apple and MLB announced 3D games coming to Apple Vision Pro for Friday Night Baseball. Apple Arcade is adding two new puzzle games: Block Blast!+ and Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+.

Microsoft Edge is testing Apple Account sign‑in support in Canary builds. Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from specific users in your feeds. Meta released a new Facebook Creator Studio app for iPhone. ChatGPT users can book tables and join restaurant waitlists through Yelp. WhatsApp’s latest iOS beta adds an in‑chat search tool. A discovered Zoom flaw gave attackers remote code execution on devices, including iPhone and Mac. Apple settled a religious discrimination lawsuit with the EEOC for $150,000.

Apple briefly posted a guide for connecting Siri to Alibaba’s Qwen AI in China, raising privacy questions. The feature will use Qwen models for Siri AI in China, and the guide was later pulled. Apple is facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of fraud and false advertising over an iCloud Private Relay security flaw.

Legal and Regulation

In the ongoing Epic Games battle, Apple has again failed to delay filing new App Store fees; the company has only 24 hours to detail the fees it wants to charge for outbound links. Apple’s case will be heard by the Supreme Court next year. A report confirms Apple cannot delay the fee fight while waiting on the high court.

Apple considered a “white‑glove” leasing program that would deliver pre‑set iPhones with user data loaded, but the plan was scrapped. The scrapped feature would have made setup much more seamless.

Deals and Accessories

Amazon is offering AirPods Pro 3 at 25% off, Air Pods Max 2 for $100 off, and the Apple Watch SE 3 for $219. The M5 MacBook Pro is $300 off, and Anker’s 25W Mag Safe car charger is also on sale. B&H is blowing out the M4 15‑inch MacBook Air at $1,279. LG’s Back to School sale includes up to $5,000 off OLED TVs and a 32” Ultra Fine 6K monitor for $1,099. The Eve Weather sensor is a must‑have for Home Kit automations in 2026. The Schlage Sense Pro smart lock was reviewed on the Smart Home Insider podcast.

Industry and Culture

Generative AI needs ethical leaders and to be controlled like nuclear power, argues an opinion piece. Steve Wozniak, celebrating his 76th birthday, remains the engineering soul of Apple. Parents are urged to revisit screen time limits as kids head back to school. Non‑gaming apps drove mobile spending growth in Q2 2026, while gaming revenue fell 4.5%. The 34‑year‑old Mac text editor BBEdit remains powerful and simple. The Mcon mobile gaming controller offers a compact, premium feel. Apple’s memory crunch won’t be solved by Chinese suppliers. The 9to5Mac Daily podcast recaps the top stories from August 10 and.