Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 13, 2026, 5:57 AM ET

Retail Updates

Apple is set to close its Basingstoke store in November 2026, ending a 15-year run, while expanding a nearby location in Reading. The reopened Oracle store features a completely new design. Separately, Apple has hired former American Airlines executive Nick Gatten as its new vice president of government affairs. Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is retiring in October. Foxconn's revenue from Apple has fallen from 50% to below 29% as AI server demand rises. Some suppliers like Pegatron have indirectly confirmed a delay for the standard iPhone 18 to 2027.

Apple TV+ Content

Subscribers can now stream the first episode of Women in Blue season two. The platform released a trailer for Last Seen, a new crime thriller starting August 21. It also debuted a trailer for the fifth season of mindfulness series Stillwater. Creator Vince Gilligan shared that Pluribus season 2 filming will start in late 2027. Eddy Cue hinted at a bright future for Ted Lasso beyond season. Apple is in talks to acquire US streaming rights for golf's Open Championship. The platform has picked up Alfonso Cuarón's Ascension series for his second collaboration. Apple added a bunch of classic movies to its streaming library for free. It also announced that 3D MLB games are coming to Vision Pro. The official MLB iPhone app got better with new Car Play and Live Activity features.

iPhone 18 Pro and Ultra Rumors

Apple has secured lower prices for OLED displays for the iPhone 18 Pro model. The device will reportedly start with 256GB of storage and bring three new camera upgrades. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a 5,391mAh battery, which is nearly 12% larger. A leaked photo backs up the battery capacity rumor. The base model iPhone 18 may get 12GB RAM and new Dynamic Island upgrades. The rumored iPhone Ultra screen protectors reveal asymmetric corners. Everyone at Apple is internally calling the foldable iPhone Ultra. The device could feature two selfie cameras in the same corner and two features that "Pro" users should love. Google's $100 Pixel price hike may hint at iPhone 18 Pro plans. A leaker weighed in on the correct shade for Dark Cherry color.

20th Anniversary iPhone

Conflicting reports have emerged about Apple's all-glass 20th anniversary iPhone. A Jefferies analyst claimed the device has been canceled. But Bloomberg's Mark Gurman pushed back. A leaker says the all-glass 2027 iPhone is still on track. The iPhone 20 Pro will be bigger but maintain familiar aspect ratios and be bezel-free. Making sense of these conflicting reports requires caution.

AI and Software Features

Apple is in talks with publishers to pay for news content to power Siri AI. In China, Siri AI will use Alibaba's Qwen models, raising privacy questions. Apple briefly posted a China guide for connecting Siri to Qwen. The latest iOS 27 beta expands Siri AI voice customization. Apple is patenting a way to improve notification summaries and the 'Reduce Interruptions' focus mode. The latest iOS 27 beta 5 references six unreleased iPhone models. It also lets you make Liquid Glass more transparent than ever. iOS 27 introduces a variety of new Home Screen widgets, including an extra-large Apple Calendar widget. Apple is working on a feature to authenticate iPhone photos via reference images. A new iOS 27 feature shows birthday fireworks during calls. iCloud+ users with at least 2TB get new iOS 27 perks in the Home app. The Apple Wallet could soon save trade-in quotes for 90 days.

watch OS 27 and iPad OS 27 News

watch OS 27 will add two new apps, including Siri and Find My, to the Apple Watch. The update will also upgrade the Modular watch face with new color options. The Apple Watch sleep score became more useful with custom settings. A round Apple Watch is possible, but an Apple Ring is more likely. The third public betas for tvOS 27 and watchOS 27 are now available. Public beta 3 for iPadOS 27 also arrived.

Legal and Regulatory Battles

Apple faces a final countdown to produce its App Store commission plan in the Epic Games fight. The company lost a bid to delay the fee filing while waiting on the Supreme Court. An Apple billboard showing a toddler with an iPhone has caused controversy in Italy. Apple faces a proposed class action lawsuit over a security flaw in iCloud Private Relay. The company settled a lawsuit over alleged discrimination against a Jewish employee for $150,000.

Market Data and Sales

US smartphone sales fell 5% in Q2 2026 as prices kept climbing. Non-gaming apps drove mobile spending growth in Q2 2026, while gaming revenue declined 4.5%. Apple is cutting back 2026 hardware shipments due to a DRAM shortage. The company is now stockpiling more OLED panels amid rising prices. Apple is testing Chinese memory chips from CXMT in iPhones and Mac Books. China is now even less likely to solve Apple's memory crunch. Kuo poured water on the rumor of a $1B Apple chip stockpile at TSMC.

Google Pixel Competition and Comparisons

Everything Google announced includes the Pixel 11 lineup, Pixel Tag, and Pixel Watch. The iPhone 17 Pro and Google Pixel 11 Pro are compared as tech titan flagships.

App Ecosystem and Third-Party Updates

WhatsApp has started rolling out username support when creating new contacts. Its latest beta for iOS adds an in-chat search tool. Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from specific users. Meta released a new brand-new Facebook Creator Studio app for iPhone. Chat GPT users can now book restaurant tables through Yelp. The Mcon mobile gaming controller offers a compact design with a premium feel. "Dave the Diver" is splashing onto iPhone, iPad, and Mac in September. Two new puzzle games are coming to Apple Arcade. Apple releases new AirPods firmware for public beta testers. Steve Wozniak gave Apple its engineering soul before Steve Jobs made it a hit.

Betas, Deals, and Accessories

The fifth developer betas of iOS, mac OS, and more have landed. iOS 27 public beta 3 is available with Siri AI and speed upgrades. Apple also released beta 5 for iPadOS 27 and watchOS 27. The third mac OS Golden Gate public beta is now available. Apple seeds tvOS 27 beta 5 and fifth visionOS 27 beta to developers. watch OS 27 beta 5 has been seeded to developers. Apple also preps beta security updates for iOS 18 and iOS 26. The company released iOS 26.6.1 beta for iPhone and macOS 26.6.2 beta. Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.6.2 beta with security fixes. iOS 26.6.1 and iPad OS 26.6.1 betas with security fixes are out. Deals include the M5 Pro MacBook Pro up to $540 off, AirPods Max 2 at $100 off, and an Apple Watch SE 3 for just $219. B&H is blowing out the M4 15-inch MacBook Air at $1,279. Amazon offers M4 Mac mini deals. Save up to $5,000 on LG OLED TVs and monitors. LG launched a Back to School sale. The best Back to School accessory deals on Anker, Sony, Samsung are happening. Satechi launched a 240W ChargeView Desktop Charger with six USB-C ports. The TESSAN AERO 5000 brings a titanium finish to an ultra-thin battery. Apple's official refurb store has top picks with savings. The Bow Flex T6 brings Apple GymKit home at a normal treadmill price. Sonos is preparing an AirPods Max rival with voice assistant support. The Air Tag 2 gets even better with an add-on accessory that extends battery life. OLED iMac panel could include an extra layer to fight screen burn-in. iPad Air OLED panel orders could be split with BOE in 2027.

Product Availability and Shortages

MacBook Air shortages are getting worse, so here's where to buy one. The $999 M4 Mac mini is back at Amazon. Apple extends its 2026 Back to School Promotion until September 24. Back to School offers have been extended, but you can do much better. Apple's 2026 Back to School offer is now live across Europe. Apple Pay will launch in India by October. Twitch will train Amazon's AI on your streams unless you opt out. Parents urged to revisit screen time limits as kids head back to school. Your iPhone can capture the Perseids meteor shower with the right tools.