Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 13, 2026, 3:07 PM ET

Apple Manufacturing & Retail

Apple has opened its new Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston, Texas, designed to bolster U.S. manufacturing through education and resources. The Houston center marks a significant expansion of Apple’s domestic footprint. Separately, Apple confirmed that its Basingstoke store in England will permanently close in November 2026, while a nearby Reading location undergoes a major expansion.

Apple hired former American Airlines executive Nick Gatten as its new vice president of government affairs. Meanwhile, Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is retiring in October, and Apple Pay is set to launch in India by October. Apple’s Back to School promotion has been extended until September 24 across Europe and other regions, and the company’s official refurb store continues to offer significant savings on certified pre-owned devices.

iPhone & iPad Lineup

The base iPhone 18 is tipped to receive two Pro-level upgrades: 12GB of RAM and Dynamic Island, according to a new report. Apple has secured lower display prices for the iPhone 18 Pro amid a RAM shortage, and the device will reportedly start at 256GB of storage. Three new camera upgrades are also expected for the Pro model. A Google Pixel price hike may hint at Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro plans.

The foldable iPhone Ultra continues to generate buzz. Rumors suggest it could face a staggered market rollout starting in the US, and its two selfie cameras may sit in the same corner. Screen protectors reveal asymmetric corners for the device. Everyone at Apple is reportedly calling the foldable ‘iPhone Ultra’ internally, and it will have two features that Pro users should love. Concerns about durability linger, with the question of whether the iPhone Ultra will avoid Samsung foldable issues.

Apple has apparently delayed the standard iPhone, skipping a launch this year and pushing it to 2027. The iPhone 20 Pro will be bigger with familiar aspect ratios and a bezel-free glass design. Despite cancellation rumors, a leaker claims the all-glass 2027 iPhone is still on track. iOS 27 beta 5 references six unreleased iPhone models, confirming the roadmap. The next iPad Air may see its OLED panel orders split with BOE in 2027.

iOS, iPad OS, watch OS, tv OS, mac OS

The fifth developer beta of iOS 27 has arrived with numerous changes. Users can now make the Liquid Glass more transparent than ever, and there are new icons for Siri, Safari, and Settings. A comprehensive overview of everything new in iOS 27 beta 5 includes redesigned app icons and 'Before Searching' settings. The new settings and updated icons are detailed separately.

iOS 27 also brings long-awaited features to Photos: slideshow and shared album upgrades. The Calendar app gets an extra-large Home Screen widget, birthday calls now feature fireworks, and iCloud+ subscribers with at least 2TB of storage receive new Home app perks. Apple is also patenting a way to improve notification summaries and the 'Reduce Interruptions' focus mode.

watch OS 27 will add two new apps to the Apple Watch: Siri and Find My. The popular Modular watch face is getting new color options. The third public betas are now available for tvOS and watchOS 27. On the Mac side, the third macOS Golden Gate public beta is out. Public beta 3 for iPadOS 27 and more is available, and iOS 27 public beta 3 includes Siri AI and speed upgrades. Apple also released new AirPods beta firmware for public testers.

Apple Watch, Health & Fitness

The BowFlex T6 treadmill review highlights how Apple Gym Kit comes home at a $999 price point, seamlessly syncing with Apple Watch. Users can make the Apple Watch sleep score more useful with specific settings. For astrophotography, there are tips on using your iPhone to capture the Perseids meteor shower. The official MLB app now has improved Car Play and Live Activity features.

Apple TV+ & Content

Apple TV has added a classic movies collection for subscribers to stream at no extra cost, including well-known films. Another report confirms you can watch classic movies for free with an Apple TV subscription, and the Apple TV streaming library has been expanded with a bunch of classics.

Eddy Cue hints at more ‘Ted Lasso’ seasons to come, possibly a fifth. Apple TV published the trailer for Stillwater’s fifth season. Vince Gilligan reveals that Pluribus season 2 has hit a major milestone, with filming expected to start in late 2027. Women in Blue’s second season has premiered on Apple TV.

Apple TV unveiled a new crime thriller called Last Seen to kick off its fall lineup. The platform has also teamed up with Academy Award-winning director Alfonso Cuarón for the Ascension series. Apple is reportedly in talks to acquire streaming rights for golf’s Open Championship.

AI, Siri & Bots

Apple has approached publishers to pay for news content to power Siri AI. Elon Musk’s Space XAI launched Grok Bot, an always-on AI agent for mac OS and iOS. Anthropic’s Claude Chrome side panel is now a full Cowork session. Raycast adds Screen Awareness, letting users ask AI about on-screen content. ChatGPT users can now book tables and join waitlists through Yelp.

App Store, Developer & Legal

A critical look at the App Store review argues it is broken when needed most. The Stop The Madness developer says ‘obvious’ App Store ratings fraud is going undetected by Apple. In the Epic Games legal battle, Apple faces a final countdown to produce an App Store commission plan, and the company cannot delay the fee fight while waiting on the Supreme Court.

Apple is working on a way to authenticate that a photo came from an iPhone camera, as references in iOS 27 beta 5 point to this feature. Another article notes that authenticating iPhone photos is just the start.

Malware, Security & Privacy

A fake GitHub download turns Safari and Chrome into a Keychain data stealer, as discovered by Jamf Threat Labs. Apple is facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of fraud over a security flaw in iCloud Private Relay. A patent details a way for Apple Glasses to chime when recording, but only for the wearer.

Deals, Accessories & Hardware

Amazon has slashed up to $190 off Beats and Nomad accessories, with iPhone cases as low as $19. Every 2026 MacBook Pro is discounted up to $500 on Amazon. The 1TB M5 MacBook Air with 24GB RAM drops to $1,649. Amazon also has the M4 Mac mini back at $999, with the M4 Pro model on sale. Big-time deals include M5 Pro MacBook Pro up to $540 off and Air Pods Pro 3 at 25% off. AirPods Max 2 are $100 off in all colors. There’s a big back-to-school accessory sale on Anker, Sony, and Samsung products. LG is hosting a Back to School sale with major discounts on OLED TVs and monitors, and you can save up to $5,000 on LG OLEDs.

Satechi launches the 240W ChargeView Desktop Charger with six USB-C ports. The TESSAN AERO 5000 brings a titanium finish to an ultra-thin Mag Safe battery. An add-on accessory makes the AirTag 2 battery last 10 years.

Other Apple News

An Apple billboard featuring a toddler with an iPhone has caused controversy in Italy. Foxconn, once reliant on Apple for half its revenue, now sees that figure below 29% as AI surpasses iPhone. MacBook Air shortages are getting worse. Apple is stockpiling more components amid rising prices. China is even less likely to solve Apple’s memory crunch. US smartphone sales fell 5% in Q2 2026 as prices climbed. Non-gaming apps drove mobile spending growth in Q2, while gaming declined 4.5%.

Twitch will train Amazon’s AI on your streams unless you opt out. WhatsApp starts rolling out username support when creating new contacts, and its latest iOS beta adds an in-chat search tool. Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from specific users. Microsoft Edge Browser is testing Apple Account sign-in support. Sonos is preparing an AirPods Max rival with voice assistant support. ‘Dave the Diver’ splashes onto iPhone, iPad, and Mac in September. Two new puzzle games are coming to Apple Arcade. Apple settled a lawsuit over alleged discrimination against a Jewish employee for $150,000. The Apple Wallet could save trade-in quotes for 90 days. There’s a PSA: Setting different default languages in different Mac apps. The iPhone 17 Pro vs Google Pixel 11 Pro comparison is available. Two affordable iPhone 17 Pro accessories are worth trying.

Mac & MacBook Rumors

The MacBook Neo 2 is rumored to get the key upgrade it needs most: more RAM, possibly 12GB. The new Apple TV 4K expected in 2026 might come with a much faster chip. Future Apple wearables, iOS 27 beta, and iPhone 20 details were discussed in a podcast.

Podcasts & Daily Roundups

Listen to the 9to5Mac Daily: August 12, 2026 covering Apple exec changes and more. Another episode from August 11 recaps iOS 27 beta 5 and glass iPhone rumors. The August 10 episode focuses on Apple Watch rumors. The Apple @ Work Podcast offers insights on Chrome OS vs mac OS after 300 devices.

Matic & Smart Home

Matic Cues feature lets you talk to your robot vacuum or point at a mess to clean, adding voice and gesture control.

Parents & Screen Time

Parents urged to revisit screen time limits as kids head back to school.