Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 5:54 PM ET

Software Updates

The fifth developer betas of iOS 27, iPad OS, tv OS, watch OS, vision OS, and mac OS 27 have all been seeded to developers, bringing a host of refinements. iOS 27 beta 5 introduces redesigned app icons for Siri, Safari, Settings, and more, along with expanded Siri AI voice customization options for pace and expressiveness. Users can now make the Liquid Glass effect more transparent than ever. The beta also includes new Before Searching settings and an updated look for the Calendar app. Apple has also released the third public betas for iOS, iPad OS, watch OS, tv OS, and mac OS Golden Gate, allowing non-developers to test Siri AI and speed improvements. For Apple Watch, watchOS 27 beta 5 and the third public beta are out, and a leak reveals the Modular watch face will gain new color customization in the final release. Additionally, Apple released iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1 betas with security fixes, along with a macOS Tahoe 26.6.2 beta and preps for beta security updates for iOS 18 and mac OS.

iPhone 18 Series & iPhone Ultra

The iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to start with 256GB of storage, and a leaked photo suggests the iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a massive 5,391mAh battery — nearly 12% larger than its predecessor. Three new camera upgrades are expected for the iPhone 18 Pro, while the base iPhone 18 has been delayed until early 2027 but may bring two Pro-level upgrades like 12GB RAM and a new Dynamic Island. The Dark Cherry color for the iPhone 18 Pro Max has been weighed in on by a leaker. Apple's foldable device is internally called the iPhone Ultra, and leaked screen protectors show asymmetric corners. The iPhone Ultra will reportedly feature two selfie cameras in the same corner and include two features that Pro users will love. Meanwhile, the iPhone 20 Pro is expected to be bigger and bezel-free with a familiar aspect ratio. Conflicting reports surround the 20th anniversary all-glass iPhone: one analyst claims it's canceled, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and a leaker say it's still on track. An iOS 27 beta references six unreleased iPhone models, confirming the roadmap.

Upcoming Hardware & Displays

Apple is likely to unveil new M6 MacBook Pro and refreshed iMacs in October. LG Display is developing a five-layer OLED panel for future iMacs to fight burn-in and increase brightness. For iPad, OLED panel orders for the next iPad Air could be split with BOE in 2027. Apple has secured lower display prices for iPhone 18 Pro OLEDs amid a RAM shortage. The company is also stockpiling OLED panels in response to rising component prices.

Apple Watch & Fitness

The Bow Flex T6 treadmill brings Apple GymKit home at a normal price of $999. The Apple Watch sleep score can be made more useful with custom settings in watch OS. A round Apple Watch is possible, but an Apple Ring is considered more likely. With watch OS, two new apps — Siri and Find My — will be added to the Apple Watch.

Services & Apple Pay

Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is retiring in October. Apple Pay is set to launch in India by October. iCloud+ subscribers with at least 2TB of storage will get new iOS 27 Home app perks. Apple Wallet may soon let users save trade-in quotes for 90 days. The Folksonomy revenue shift shows Foxconn’s Apple revenue dropped below 29% as AI surpasses iPhone.

Apple TV & Content

Apple TV+ continues to expand its lineup. Eddy Cue hinted at a bright future for Ted Lasso beyond season. The second season of Women in Blue (Las Azules) is now streaming. Creator Vince Gilligan revealed Pluribus season 2 has hit a major milestone with filming likely starting late 2027. A new crime thriller Last Seen will kick off Apple TV's fall lineup. Apple TV has also teamed up with Alfonso Cuarón for a second time on the series Ascension. Apple is reportedly in talks to acquire streaming rights for golf’s Open Championship. Additionally, Apple and MLB announced 3D MLB games coming to Vision Pro.

Legal & Privacy

Apple has again failed to delay filing App Store fees in its Epic Games battle; it now has 24 hours to file. The company is facing a class action lawsuit over iCloud Private Relay fraud allegations. Apple settled a religious discrimination lawsuit for $150,000. A billboard in Italy showing a toddler with an iPhone has caused controversy and been referred to regulators. A new patent describes a system to improve notification summaries and the “Reduce Interruptions” focus mode. Apple is working on authenticating iPhone photos with references in iOS 27 beta.

Business & Industry

Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is cutting back 2026 hardware shipments due to DRAM shortages. Apple is testing memory chips from China's CXMT across iPhones and Mac Books, but China is now even less likely to solve the memory crunch. Kuo also poured water on the rumor of a $1B Apple chip stockpile at TSMC. Apple has hired former American Airlines executive Nick Gatten as its new VP of government affairs. The company considered a "white-glove" leased iPhone program but dropped the plan.

Deals & Accessories

Amazon has a slew of deals: AirPods Max 2 at $449 ($100 off), Apple Watch SE 3 for $219, and M4 Mac mini models with delivery dates. The 9to5Toys Lunch Break highlights M5 Pro MacBook Pro up to $540 off and Air Pods Pro 3 at 25% off. B&H is blowing out the M4 15-inch MacBook Air at $1,279. LG’s Back to School sale offers up to $5,000 off OLED TVs and monitors, and the 32-inch Ultra Fine 6K monitor is at $1,099. The Satechi ChargeView 240W Desktop Charger with six USB-C ports has launched. Apple’s 2026 Back to School promotion has been extended to September 24. The official Apple Certified Refurbished Store has top picks of the week with savings.

Miscellaneous

The MLB app for iPhone now supports Car Play and Live Activities. Claude’s Chrome side panel becomes a full Cowork session. Raycast’s Screen Awareness lets users bring context from their screen into AI Chat. Sonos is preparing AirPods Max rival with voice assistant support. Meta released a new Facebook Creator Studio app for iPhone. Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from specific users. ChatGPT users can book tables through Yelp. WhatsApp’s latest beta adds an in-chat search tool. The popular game Dave the Diver is coming to Apple platforms on September 17. Two new puzzle games are coming to Apple Arcade. Microsoft Edge will support Apple Account sign-in. The TESSAN AERO 5000 MagSafe battery has a titanium finish and ultra-thin design. AirTag 2 battery life can reach 10 years with an add-on case. Parents are urged to revisit screen time limits as kids head back to school. Grok Bot brings always-on AI agents to mac OS and iOS. Non-gaming apps drove mobile spending growth in Q2 2026 as gaming fell 4.5%. Apple revealed how Siri AI in China uses Alibaba’s Qwen models, briefly posting a support guide. The 9to5Mac Daily podcast covers iOS 27 beta 5 and glass iPhone rumors. The Smart Home Insider podcast reviews the Schlage Sense Pro and flight tracking. A feature request suggests a shortcut for iPhone app settings. An opinion piece argues that generative AI needs ethical leaders controlled like nuclear power.