Apple News 3 Days

Last updated: August 13, 2026, 8:57 PM ET

Hardware and Design

Apple's September event is imminent, with expectations for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and more. The base iPhone 18 will jump to 12GB RAM and gain Dynamic Island, according to a leak. The iPhone 18 Pro is tipped for three camera upgrades, and it will reportedly start with 256GB of storage. Meanwhile, Apple has secured lower display prices for the Pro models amid a RAM shortage. A staggered rollout of the foldable "iPhone Ultra" may begin with US-only availability, and screen protectors reveal asymmetric corners. The iPhone Ultra's two selfie cameras could sit in the same corner, and it's internally called "iPhone Ultra" by everyone at Apple. Two features for Pro users should appeal on the Ultra. An all-glass 2027 iPhone remains on track despite cancellation rumors. The iPhone 20 Pro will be bigger but maintain familiar aspect ratios and be bezel-free. iOS 27 beta 5 references six unreleased iPhone models, confirming the roadmap. Apple is skipping the standard iPhone 18 this year, delaying it to 2027. The iPhone X and 2018 MacBook Pro are now on Apple's obsolete list, which means iPhone X owners can no longer get hardware service. The 2018 MacBook Pro is also obsolete. A MacBook Neo 2 will get the big RAM upgrade it needs. An iPhone 17 Pro one-year review tests durability and battery. Two affordable iPhone 17 Pro accessories are worth trying. A new Apple TV 4K hardware refresh is expected this fall with a faster chip. The MacBook Air shortages are getting worse, and here's where to buy one. MacBook Air shortages were also discussed on a podcast. Apple's 1TB M5 MacBook Air with 24GB RAM drops to $1,649. The M4 Mac mini is back at Amazon with deals on the M4 Pro model. Apple opened an Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston ahead of Mac mini production, as Apple's new center celebrates its opening. A future Apple wearables podcast discusses fitness wearables and iPhone 20 details. An iFixit Galaxy Z Fold8 teardown previews Apple's foldable challenges. The iPhone Ultra may avoid Samsung's foldable screen issues. Apple Glasses could chime when recording, but only for the wearer, per a patent. The BowFlex T6 review brings Apple Gym Kit home at a normal treadmill price.

Software and Betas

The third macOS Golden Gate public beta is now available for testers. Public beta 3 for iPad OS 27 and others is out. iOS 27 public beta 3 brings Siri AI and speed upgrades. tvOS 27 and watchOS 27 third public betas are live. iOS 27 beta 5 lets you make Liquid Glass more transparent. iOS 27 gives Apple Calendar a new extra-large Home Screen widget. Apple Photos in iOS 27 gets long-awaited slideshow and shared album upgrades. iOS 27 celebrates friends' birthdays with fireworks during calls. iCloud+ users with 2TB+ storage get new Home app perks. watchOS 27 adds Siri and Find My apps to Apple Watch. A leak says watch OS 27 upgrades the Modular watch face with new colors. Apple Wallet in iOS 27 adds a clever Discover section. Apple Wallet could soon save trade-in quotes for 90 days. Apple authenticating iPhone photos is just the start. A patent improves notification summaries and Reduce Interruptions focus. AirPods beta firmware for iOS 27 is available for public testers. Apple Watch sleep score became more useful with custom settings. Users can set different default languages for individual Mac apps.

Services and Content

"Ted Lasso" season 4 scored Apple TV's biggest launch yet with nearly 300 million US viewing minutes. Ted Lasso had the biggest Apple TV premiere ever. Eddy Cue hints at more 'Ted Lasso' seasons to come. Pluribus season 2 just hit a major milestone, according to creator Vince Gilligan. Apple TV unveiled a new crime thriller, Last Seen, to kick off its fall lineup. Women in Blue's second season premieres on Apple TV. Stillwater's fifth season gets a trailer. Apple TV gains a classic movies collection, which subscribers can watch for free with a subscription. Apple TV added a bunch of classic movies to stream for free. Apple is in talks to acquire streaming rights for golf's Open Championship. Apple Pay will launch in India by October. Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is retiring in October. Chase recently added free Apple TV and Apple One perks to its Sapphire Preferred card. Apple is in talks to pay publishers for news content to power Siri AI. Dave the Diver splashes onto iPhone, iPad, and Mac in September. Block Blast!+ and Art of Fauna+ join Apple Arcade. Apple TV exec changes and back-to-school deals were covered on a podcast. The MLB iPhone app got better Car Play and Live Activity features.

Legal and Regulatory

Apple's latest proposal in the Epic trial suggests it should charge between 5% and 15% on external purchases. Apple wants to charge developers up to 15% for linking outside the App Store. The Supreme Court denied yet another stay in Apple vs Epic as deadlines loom. Apple proposes commissions of up to 15% for off-App Store purchases in the US. Apple cannot delay the App Store fee fight while waiting on the Supreme Court. Apple lost its stay bid in the Epic fee fight. A final countdown for Apple to produce its App Store commission plan has begun. App Store review is broken in a time it is needed most. 'Obvious' App Store ratings fraud is going undetected, says a developer. Apple faces a class action lawsuit over iCloud Private Relay fraud allegations. An Apple billboard featuring a toddler with an iPhone sparks controversy in Italy.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Foxconn used to make half its revenue from Apple; now it's below 29% as AI surpasses iPhone. China is even less likely to solve Apple's memory crunch. Apple is stockpiling more components amid rising prices. iPad Air OLED panel orders could be split with BOE in 2027. US smartphone sales fell 5% in Q2 2026 as prices climbed. Non-gaming apps drove mobile spending growth in Q2 while games fell 4.5%. Google's $100 Pixel price hike hints at Apple's iPhone 18 Pro plans. Google announced Pixel, Pixel Tag, and Pixel Watch. The iPhone 17 Pro vs Pixel 11 Pro comparison pits tech titans. Apple hired an airline exec as VP of government affairs. Apple is closing its Basingstoke store as the Reading location expands.

Deals and Accessories

Amazon discounts every 2026 MacBook Pro with up to $500 off. Amazon slashes up to $190 off Beats and Nomad iPhone cases. Satechi launches a 240W Charge View Desktop Charger with six USB-C ports. Sonos is preparing Air Pods Max rival headphones with voice assistant support. Amazon offers AirPods Max 2 for $100 off in all colors. M5 Pro MacBook Pro up to $540 off, plus Air Pods Pro 3 deals. Best Back to School accessory deals on Anker, Sony, Samsung. LG Launches Back to School Sale with major discounts on OLED TVs and monitors. Save up to $5,000 on LG OLED TVs and a 32" Ultra Fine 6K monitor at $1,099. Apple extends its 2026 Back to School promotion until September 24. The Back to School offer is now live across Europe.

Miscellaneous

WhatsApp is working on chat themes with animated wallpapers. WhatsApp starts rolling out username support when creating contacts. Claude's Chrome side panel is now a full Cowork session. Grok Bot brings always-on AI agents to mac OS and iOS. ChatGPT for Mac adds an opt-in Computer History feature. Microsoft Edge will support Apple Account sign-in. Raycast adds a Screen Awareness AI feature. Twitch will train Amazon's AI on your streams unless you opt out. Bluesky now lets you hide reposts from specific users. Matic Cues lets you talk to your robot vacuum or point at a mess. Parents are urged to revisit screen time limits as kids head back to school. Your iPhone can capture the Perseids meteor shower with the right tools. A fake GitHub download turns Safari and Chrome into a Keychain data stealer. Apple @ Work podcast: 300 devices later – thoughts on Chrome OS vs mac OS.