Apple News 24 Hours

Last updated: September 19, 2026, 2:01 PM ET

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Hit Shelves

Apple's newest wearables launched this week, and the early coverage is already dense. Amazon sliced prices on the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 immediately upon release, while the Ultra 4 saw its first discount drop it to $779.99. A separate hands-on with the Series 12 landed today, and a buyer's guide compares the two models head to head. Not everything is an upgrade: a closer look found the Series 12 has larger bezels and a stuck-out Digital Crown compared with the Series. On the health front, The Quantified Scientist's Rob ter Horst tested the sensor in the new model, and one longtime Apple user argued the features might finally pull them away from WHOOP.

iPhone 18 Pro: Modems, Batteries, and a Big Duo Tease

Teardowns of the iPhone 18 Pro Max confirmed the US variant uses a Qualcomm modem rather than Apple's own C2. The phone's unusually large battery triggered a new iOS 27 feature to manage charge, and a separate report detailed a "Prepare to Ship" battery-drain step required before shipping. Apple hardware engineering VP Tom Marieb addressed the iPhone Duo crease directly, telling users to "hold us accountable." For those planning around the new hardware, a roundup of top accessories is already circulating.

iOS, mac OS Golden Gate, and Apple Intelligence

Apple's major software wave is out. iOS 27 and mac OS Golden Gate shipped alongside a Siri AI waitlist. The release brings 20+ new Apple Intelligence features, and a separate update expanded Dictionary and QuickType language support. Air Pods Pro 3 owners got a fresh batch of iOS 27 features, several of which are exclusive to the newer buds.

Silicon: M5 Ultra and M6 Benchmarks Surface

Fresh benchmark data is challenging assumptions about Apple's chip cadence. An alleged M6 Pro benchmark appeared on Geekbench, casting doubt on rumors of a shortened generation. Meanwhile, the first GPU results for the M5 Ultra and M6 revealed notable graphics performance gains.

iPhone Duo: Xcode Tools and Wallpapers

Developers can now begin preparing for Apple's foldable. The Xcode 27.1 beta shipped with iPhone Duo support, and Apple Insider noted the tools opened the gate for app adaptation. For enthusiasts, the iPhone Duo's official wallpapers can be downloaded from the beta, since Apple left them out of iOS.

Enterprise, Home, and Supply Chain

In the enterprise, Dashlane introduced Vault Enforcement to address stubborn password-management adoption gaps. On the smart-home side, Homey's new Device Updates feature is being framed as the Matter firmware experience users were promised. In storage, SK Hynix-owned Solidigm is weighing a US NAND factory that could reshape supply, though not yet for Apple. Google's Gemini app for mac OS is also adding iMessage integration for sending and reading messages.

Deals

Weekend discounts include AirPods up to $100 off, plus markdowns across Apple Watch Series, MacBook Air, and Mac mini.