Apple News 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 12, 2026, 10:40 PM ET
Apple Event & Product Launches
Apple is set to hold its "Welcome Home" event tomorrow, with three new products expected to be unveiled. A new Apple TV 4K is among the highlights, bringing five notable upgrades, while HomeView and an OLED MacBook Pro are among the hardware still due to ship this year. Pre-orders for the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 are reportedly expected to begin this week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Mac Rumors has also outlined what to expect from the launch.
iPhone Duo & iPhone Air 2
Demand signals for the iPhone Duo remain strong, with a Securities Times report claiming Apple has raised orders by 30%, though Apple Insider questioned the math behind that figure. Pre-orders can now be prepared through Apple's Get Ready service, and Apple reportedly engineered desktop-like performance into the device. Looking further ahead, a second-generation iPhone Air is in development and may address several shortcomings of the original.
Markets & Analyst Outlook
JP Morgan raised its Apple price target to $360, telling investors to dismiss reports of iPhone production cuts, even as the stock took a hit over those concerns. Separately, global smartphone shipments fell to their lowest quarterly level in 13 years, with Apple trailing Samsung, while Counterpoint Research found that iPhone captured a record Q3 share as the overall market fell roughly 20%.
Legal Battle with Epic Games
Epic Games continues to press its case against Apple, accusing Apple of delaying discovery despite Apple agreeing to the requests Epic made. In a fresh dispute over document production, Epic has accused Apple of manufacturing a pause in the proceedings.
Mac & iPad Lineup
Apple's M6 MacBook Pro is launching later this month with three upgrades, while Apple is reportedly planning a two-day showcase in Los Angeles for new Macs and the iPad mini. An OLED iPad mini could cost $200 more than the current model. On the gaming front, the M5 Max Mac Studio is handling Windows games smoothly, and No Man's Sky is coming to iPhone and iPad.
Wearables, Accessories & Deals
The Apple Watch SE 3 is available from $199.99 at Amazon, and a Watch Ultra comparison weighs whether upgrading from the Ultra 1 to the Ultra 4 is worthwhile. A MacBook Pro discount of $600 is available alongside Air Pods deals, and a limited Diwali edition of AirPods 5 has launched in India. A Pikachu-themed Beats Pill speaker was also teased in collaboration with Pokémon. Meanwhile, an aluminum MagSafe wallet ejects cards with a single click.
Software, Services & Entertainment
Apple is pushing its Switch to Safari campaign, arguing users should ditch Chrome, while iCloud+ subscribers continue to receive new benefits beyond storage. Apple TV is releasing the trailer for Being Heumann and an eight-episode true-crime podcast, Heart, on a heart transplant story. On October 16, Apple releases Remnants, an immersive horror experience on Vision Pro, and the App Store is celebrating Indie Games Week with seven new titles.
Reviews & Comparisons
The ZimaCube 2, a six-bay NAS with no software lock-in, is priced at $799 for the Standard model. In a head-to-head, the M5 Pro MacBook Pro is measured against Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra, which uses Nvidia graphics to challenge Apple's performance lead. Finally, Apple's work preserving endangered languages on the iPhone, supporting over 200 languages, highlights the platform's broader cultural reach.