Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 8:58 PM ET

Apple vs. Epic

The U.S. Supreme Court granted Apple a one-day stay in its App Store fee fight with Epic Games, temporarily delaying a lower court order. Apple was forced to detail the fees it wants to charge for outbound links, but it has again failed to earn a stay for fee calculations while its case heads to the Supreme Court in 2027.

iPhone Lineup and Roadmap

A major shakeup is coming: Apple is skipping the standard iPhone 18 this year, with the base model delayed until early 2027. When it arrives, the base model iPhone 18 could pack two Pro-level upgrades like 12GB of RAM and a new Dynamic Island. The foldable is internally called the iPhone Ultra, and screen protectors leaked by Ice Universe reveal asymmetric corners on that model. The iPhone Ultra's two selfie cameras could sit in the same corner for folded and unfolded use. An all-glass 20th anniversary iPhone may have been canceled, but a leaker claims it is still on track for next year. A separate report notes the iPhone 20 Pro will be bigger, bezel-free, and maintain familiar aspect ratios.

iPhone 18 Pro Details

The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly start with 256GB of base storage, matching the 17 Pro. Apple has secured lower display prices for the upcoming Pro models amid a RAM shortage. Three new camera upgrades are coming, and the Dark Cherry color shade has been clarified by a leaker. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will sport a nearly 12% larger battery, a rumor backed up by a photo leak showing a 5,391mAh pack.

Google Pixel Event

Google’s "Made by Google" event debuted the Pixel 11 lineup, Pixel Tag, and Pixel Watch 5. The Google Pixel price hike may hint at what Apple will do with the iPhone 18 Pro. A detailed spec comparison puts the iPhone 17 Pro vs Google Pixel 11 Pro head-to-head.

Software: iOS 27 and Betas

Apple released developer beta 5 and the public beta 3 for iOS 27 and its companions. The latest iOS 27 beta expands Siri AI voice customization and introduces new icons for Siri, Safari, and Settings. Users can now make the Liquid Glass more transparent than ever. The beta also references six unreleased iPhone models. An iOS 27 beta 5 roundup details all the changes, including Before Searching settings and updated app icons. The third public beta of mac OS Golden Gate is also available. Apple also shipped public beta 3 for iPad OS 27 and other OS 27 updates.

Apple Watch and watch OS 27

watchOS 27 will add two new apps to the Apple Watch: Siri and Find My. A leak indicates the Modular watch face will get new color options in watch OS. The third public beta of watch OS 27 is out. Apple seeded beta 5 to developers, and you can now get an Apple Watch SE 3 for $219 on Amazon. My sleep score became more useful by customizing settings. A round Apple Watch is possible, but an Apple Ring is more likely.

Other Software Updates

Apple released iOS 26.6.1 beta for iPhone and mac OS 26.6.2 betas with security fixes. The macOS Tahoe 26.6.2 beta is available, as are iOS 26.6.1 betas. Apple is prepping beta security updates for iOS, iOS, and mac OS. The fifth beta of visionOS 27 is seeded, and tvOS 27 beta 5 is out. The iPadOS 27 beta 5 was also released.

Siri AI and Services

Apple is seeking publisher deals to give Siri AI better access to current events. In China, Apple briefly posted a guide for connecting Siri to Qwen AI before pulling it, raising privacy questions. The latest iOS 27 beta references a feature to authenticate iPhone photos via Apple. The company is working on a way to authenticate that a photo came from an iPhone camera.

Apple Pay and Wallet

Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is retiring in October. Apple Pay will launch in India by October. The Wallet app could save trade-in quotes for 90 days.

Supply Chain and Manufacturing

Apple is cutting back 2026 hardware shipments due to a DRAM shortage. Foxconn now makes below 29% of its revenue from Apple, as AI surpasses iPhone. China is now less likely to solve Apple’s memory crunch. Apple is testing Chinese memory chips from CXMT in iPhones and Mac Books. Kuo disputes a rumor of a $1B Apple chip stockpile at TSMC. Apple is stockpiling more components amid rising prices.

Mac, iPad, and Displays

New M6 MacBook Pros and refreshed iMacs are likely coming in October. The M4 Mac mini is back at Amazon. MacBook Air shortages are getting worse. The OLED iMac panel could include an extra layer to fight burn-in. iPad Air OLED panel orders could be split with BOE in 2027.

Deals and Promotions

The 2026 Back to School promotion is extended to September 24. AirPods Max 2 are $100 off on Amazon. M5 Pro MacBook Pro is up to $540 off. Save up to $5,000 on LG OLED TVs and a 32" Ultra Fine 6K monitor for $1,099. LG has a Back to School sale with major discounts. The B&H blowout has the M4 15-inch MacBook Air at $1,279. Back-to-school accessory deals include Anker, Sony, and Samsung. The Apple refurb store has top picks of the week.

Apple TV+ and Media

Eddy Cue hinted at a bright future for Ted Lasso beyond season. Pluribus season 2 has hit a major milestone. Women in Blue season 2 premieres on Apple TV. Apple TV is in talks to acquire streaming rights for golf’s Open Championship. Apple TV teams with Alfonso Cuarón again for Ascension. The trailer for Last Seen kicks off the fall lineup. 3D MLB games are coming to Vision Pro.

Apps, Accessories, and More

WhatsApp starts rolling out username support for new contacts. Claude’s Chrome side panel is now a full Cowork session. Raycast adds Screen Awareness for AI context. Grok Bot brings always-on AI agents to mac OS and iOS. ChatGPT users can book tables through Yelp. Meta released a new Facebook Creator Studio app for iPhone. The MLB iPhone app got better with Car Play and Live Activities. The TESSAN AERO 5000 is an ultra-thin Mag Safe battery. Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from specific users. *

Apple Services, Monitors, and Accessories

iCloud+ users with 2TB get new iOS 27 perks in the Home app. Apple dropped a plan to ship pre-set leased iPhones. Apple settled a lawsuit over alleged discrimination for $150,000. Two new puzzle games are coming to Apple Arcade. Dave the Diver splashes onto Apple platforms in September. Sonos is preparing an AirPods Max rival with voice assistant support. Satechi launched a 240W ChargeView desktop charger with six USB-C ports. Microsoft Edge will get Apple Account sign-in support. The AirTag 2 gets an add-on to extend battery life to 10 years. Twitch will train Amazon's AI on your streams unless you opt out. A Bow Flex T6 review brings Apple GymKit home at a normal price. Apple hires an airline exec as VP of government affairs.

Apple Maps, iOS 27 Features, and More

Everything new for Apple Maps in iOS 27 includes detailed transit and park info. The iOS 27 beta 5 roundup recap is available. iOS 27 celebrates birthdays with fireworks during calls. Apple is patenting a way to improve notification summaries. The extra-large Calendar widget is a favorite Home Screen upgrade. The iOS 27 AirPods firmware is available for public testers. The WhatsApp beta for iOS adds an in-chat search tool.

Smartphone Market and Industry

US smartphone sales fell 5% in Q2 2026 as prices climb. Non-gaming apps drove mobile spending growth in Q2 while gaming fell 4.5%. The iPhone Ultra will have two features that "Pro" users should love: a third camera and a larger battery. Parents urged to revisit screen time limits as kids head back to school. Making sense of the conflicting 20th anniversary reports. The Microsoft Edge browser will support Apple Account sign-in.

Legal, Privacy, and Controversy

Apple faces a fraud lawsuit over iCloud Private Relay. An Apple billboard featuring a toddler with iPhone causes controversy in Italy. Generative AI needs ethical leaders and to be controlled like nuclear power. A feature request seeks to end the guessing game with app settings on iPhone.

Podcasts and Culture

The 9to5Mac Daily for August 12 covers exec changes. The 9to5Mac Daily for August 10 covers Apple Watch rumors. The Apple @ Work podcast discusses Chrome OS vs mac OS. The Smart Home Insider podcast covers a flight tracker and Schlage review.

Photography and Misc

Your iPhone can capture the Perseids meteor shower. The iPhone 18 Pro Max battery leak is revealed.