Apple's rumored foldable iPhone "Ultra" is expected to begin mass production at the end of July, according to a new report by The Elec.


Although some recent reports suggested the book-style device could be delayed due to hinge-related issues, the Korean outlet's sources indicate that Apple is still targeting a September launch as planned.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in March that the new foldable iPhone won't ship to customers in the same September timeframe as the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max. A month later, Gurman said that the foldable iPhone remained on track for a September debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, and that Apple is aiming to put it on sale at roughly the same time or slightly later.

Gurman noted at the time, however, that "the release is six months away and production has yet to ramp up" and "the timing isn't final."

The foldable iPhone will use a foldable 7.8-inch OLED panel supplied by Samsung. The display uses a newer design that eliminates one of the traditional screen layers and instead builds the color-filtering layer directly into the display stack, making the screen thinner, lighter, and more power-efficient.

The hinge will reportedly be supplied by Taiwan's Shin Zu Shing and U.S.-based Amphenol. Both companies are said to be providing hinges manufactured using 3D-printing techniques.

The Elec's latest sources said Apple did encounter some challenges with the hinge during testing. After undergoing durability tests involving millions of folds, the mechanism reportedly began producing slight "noise," while wider-than-expected manufacturing tolerances in parts of the assembly process contributed to higher defect rates. However, most of these issues have since been addressed, according to one Taiwan-based industry source cited by the outlet.

In addition to the inner display, the foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 5.5-inch cover display, as well as Apple's A20 chip and C2 modem, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and two rear cameras, with pricing rumored at around $2,000. Apple's book-style foldable could launch as the "iPhone Ultra," as suggested by reports.
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Apple appears to have closed the loophole that let Mac users skip the Siri AI waitlist in the latest macOS 27 Golden Gate beta.


As we covered earlier this month, beta 1 testers can switch on the enhanced version of Siri straight away using a single Terminal command, effectively sidestepping Apple's waitlist.

However, many users who are running the second developer beta of macOS 27, which was released on Monday, are finding that the command does not work for them. Users who enabled Siri AI this way in the original beta are also reporting that they have been kicked back to the waitlist after updating.

Apple has not said anything about the reported change, but one possibility is that the entitlement check that the Terminal command taps into has been switched from a local feature flag to a server-validated state.

Apple could still be building out its server capacity for the redesigned Siri, which is why it is granting access to testers in batches as more comes online. It's likely the reason why the workaround is no longer working for some people.

In any case, if you applied the bypass trick in macOS 27 beta 1 and want to retain access, you probably won't want to update to beta 2.

Some users are suggesting alternative methods involving submitting Apple Intelligence feedback to accelerate approval, but the claims remain anecdotal, and at this point it may just be worth waiting in the queue. Apple appears to be granting access to new beta testers in a matter of days.

Siri AI is now a fully fledged chatbot, and can draw on personal context understanding to search across messages, emails, photos, and more. It can now get things done across apps thanks to even more system-wide app actions.

On Mac, ‌Siri‌ AI is also integrated into Spotlight and available via right-click context menus on any file or window.

Note that Siri AI remains unavailable in the EU on iPhone and iPad, but the limitation does not apply to the Mac.
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The latest beta of Apple's Reality Composer Pro 3, the content creation tool used to build spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro, appears to contain traces of "The Machinery," an ambitious game development project that abruptly shut down in 2022 without explanation.


Based on code discovered by Nicolás Alvarez and independently confirmed by MacRumors, binaries included with Reality Composer Pro 3 beta contain at least 40 mentions of "the machinery" or "our machinery," and match aspects of The Machinery's project structure, asset management system, and database architecture.

The findings are notable because The Machinery was developed by Our Machinery – a company made up of veterans of the Bitsquid game engine. The project earned a devoted following among engine programmers for its unconventional approach to content creation workflows. And yet it disappeared without trace.

Central to the project was a system known as "The Truth," a database-driven architecture designed to unify assets, objects, dependencies, and editor state. Many of the same concepts appear in Apple's latest Reality Composer Pro release, announced during WWDC 2026. Things like reusable prototypes, live editing, asset dependency tracking, and rapid iteration workflows all pop up – ideas that have notable technological similarities to how The Machinery worked. The direct references in the code appear to confirm the connection.

The links don't just extend to code strings, either. Tricia Gray, co-founder and CEO of Our Machinery, now works on Apple's spatial computing developer tools team, as evidenced in her LinkedIn profile.

It's not clear whether Apple licensed The Machinery or acquired the company, or in some way inherited the referenced technology, but the presence of the identifiers throughout Apple's code suggests at least some of the project's ideas have somehow found their way into Apple's spatial computing development toolset.

The discovery is particularly notable because The Machinery's development ended so suddenly, surprising many developers at the time who had followed the project's progress. We've reached out to Apple to comment on the findings and will update this story if we hear back.
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One of Apple's key manufacturing partners in India has confirmed it was recently the target of a cyberattack that has resulted in confidential Apple documents being leaked on the dark web.


Tata Electronics said on Monday it had detected a "cybersecurity incident," after security researchers told Reuters that ransom group World Leaks had shared more than 200,000 files belonging to Apple and Tesla, both of which are customers of the Indian group.

"A few weeks ago, Tata Electronics identified a cybersecurity incident on some of our systems. Our response protocols were deployed immediately, and the incident has had no impact on our operations across businesses, which remain unaffected," Tata Electronics told Reuters in a statement.

Apple has not commented on the leak, but a source familiar with the matter told the outlet that Apple was investigating the breach and ​a "full analysis was going on." Tata is believed to have received a ransom demand related to the incident, but the group declined to comment.

Many of the leaked files allegedly contain component design and specification papers. For example, one 52-page document has Apple's proprietary markings and purportedly details quality inspection standards ⁠for iPhone circuit ​board components. The files are ⁠also said to contain emails, event logs spanning several years, and passport copies of employees including foreign nationals.

Reuters wasn't able to independently verify the documents, which have been available on the dark web – which is beyond the reach of search engines – since at least June 10, according to researchers.

Tata is emerging as one of Apple's most important manufacturing ​partners outside China, and the breach is another setback for the group. It is also currently facing a health probe over alleged contamination of farmlands near one of its iPhone parts plants.
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A class action lawsuit accusing Apple of overcharging U.K. iCloud users has been certified to go ahead, putting the £3 billion ($3.9 billion) claim on track for a trial in October 2028.


According to BBC News, the Competition Appeal Tribunal cleared consumer group Which? to bring the case on behalf of an estimated 40 million U.K. iPhone and iPad owners, each of whom could receive up to £77 if the claim succeeds.

Which? alleges that Apple has locked customers into iCloud since 2015 by limiting how rival cloud services work on its devices, and then charged inflated subscription prices as a result. Apple gives users 5GB of free storage and pushes them toward paid tiers once that fills up, with U.K. pricing running from 99p a month for 50GB to £54.99 a month for 12TB.

The consumer group filed its claim against Apple at the tribunal on behalf of affected consumers in November 2024.

Anabel Hoult, Which?'s chief executive, said the group wanted to make clear that no company "no matter how powerful, can get away with abusing its position." She said the green light from the tribunal meant Which? was "one step closer to getting consumers the redress we believe they are owed from Apple."

"This should send a strong message to any other companies using anti-competitive tactics," she added.

Apple has called the claims unfounded, and argues that no customer is required to use iCloud and that alternatives exist. The company said it strongly disagrees with the tribunal's decision and plans to appeal.

Eligibility covers anyone who used iCloud on a U.K. device between November 8, 2018 and June 8, 2026. Those living in the U.K. on June 8 are included automatically unless they opt out by October 8, while non-U.K. residents from that date must opt in by the same deadline. Customers who first used iCloud after June 8, 2026 are excluded.

(Thanks, Alan!)
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Apple's first foldable iPhone remains on track for a September debut, despite rumors to the contrary, based on a new report by China Securities Journal (via DigiTimes).


According to the report, which cites a source at an Apple supplier, the company recently started delivering components in small batches for Apple's first foldable iPhone.

The supplier also reportedly received guidance indicating that the device is scheduled to be unveiled in September 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. A second supply-chain source cited in the report said it had received no indication of a delay and continues to work toward a fall 2026 release timetable.

The report backs a claim made last week by a Chinese leaker that suggestions of a delay are wide of the mark.

There have been occasional reports that Apple's first foldable device is encountering engineering hurdles as development enters its final stages. In May, leaker Instant Digital claimed the foldable iPhone was still facing durability concerns related to its hinge mechanism. While Apple is said to have largely resolved issues surrounding display creasing, the leaker suggested the hinge has yet to meet the company's long-term reliability standards.

Apple is known for imposing rigorous durability requirements on entirely new product categories, but reports of unresolved hinge concerns this late in development would be unusual given the device's expected launch timeline.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in March that Apple's foldable iPhone may not launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September. Earlier, Barclays analyst Tim Long predicted the device would not begin shipping until December, potentially creating a gap of up to three months between the foldable iPhone and Apple's flagship iPhone 18 Pro models.

Apple has taken a staggered launch approach before. In 2017, the iPhone X was unveiled alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, but it didn't reach customers until November, while the other models launched in September as usual.

If Apple ultimately decides to delay shipments of its foldable iPhone beyond September, it would likely still unveil the device alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its annual iPhone event. In that scenario, Apple would announce the entire lineup together before releasing each model according to its production schedule.

The foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover display, the A20 chip and C2 modem, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and two rear cameras, with pricing rumored at around $2,000. Apple's book-style foldable could launch as the "iPhone Ultra," as suggested by reports.

In an unusual step compared to previous fall announcements, as part of a new split-launch strategy, Apple is expected to hold over the release of the regular iPhone 18 until spring next year.
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Apple will unveil the Apple Watch Ultra 4 alongside an Apple Watch Series 12 later this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman plotted out Apple's product roadmap for the rest of the year, including the Phone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the company's first foldable iPhone. "That flurry of devices should also include an Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4," said Gurman.

Apple hasn't released a new Apple Watch Ultra model every year. The Ultra launched in 2022, followed by an Ultra 2 in 2023. In 2024, the only update was a black color option, but the underlying hardware remained unchanged. The Ultra 3 arrived in 2025, so it sounds like Apple isn't skipping a year this time around.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 could include a "full redesign," according to a May 2026 DigiTimes report, but it's not clear what that would include. The device is also rumored to be getting a "significant upgrade to sensing functions." But again, we don't know what that might refer to.

In terms of new watch features, Apple is developing noninvasive blood glucose monitoring technology, but it is still believed to be a few years away while Apple works on further miniaturization.

Leaked Apple code has suggested the company is experimenting with biometric authentication in the form of Touch ID for 2026's Apple Watch lineup, but it's not clear how this could be implemented. Touch ID could go under the display, or it could be integrated into the side button. The feature would reduce reliance on numerical passcodes for unlocking, but the Apple Watch already has a wrist authentication feature for making purchases.

Looking further ahead, Apple is considering using LG Display's high-mobility oxide (HMO) thin-film transistor technology for the next Apple Watch OLED display in 2027. Compared to the current LTPO display technology, HMO increases electron mobility for lower power consumption.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 are expected to arrive in September alongside the new iPhone models. watchOS 27 will add new watch faces to the new devices, including a variant of the Modular Ultra face.
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There is growing speculation that Apple may hike the prices of its iPhone 17 lineup as soon as this month, following CEO Tim Cook's recent comments about "unavoidable" price increases.


Last week, Cook told The Wall Street Journal that Apple is no longer able to absorb the increased cost of memory and storage chips, both of which are in high demand from AI and neocloud companies as they continue to build more data centers.

The scale of the AI infrastructure buildout has prompted debate over whether demand will ultimately justify the hundreds of billions of dollars being invested, but for now it is helping to drive supply constraints across the semiconductor industry. Cook likened the memory shortages to a hundred-year flood. "I've never seen anything like it in any area in over 40 years," he said.

Multiple companies have already raised their prices, including Samsung, Microsoft, Sony, and Dell. Apple is now expected to follow suit. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that the timing of Cook's comments likely indicates price hikes are "imminent." Gurman has also linked potential price increases to Apple's Back to School sale, which is expected to be announced imminently. His thinking is that Apple may tie the two things together as a "buffer."

Apple holds a Back to School sale each June, providing teachers and students with free accessories or gift cards when purchasing a Mac or an iPad. The added bonus is in addition to Apple's educational discount. The Back to School sale typically takes place around WWDC, and in three of the last five years, it has started 8 to 10 days after the WWDC keynote. That could mean we see the sale announced as soon as this week. Could higher device prices arrive in tandem?

Either way, Gurman believes the price hikes are "not a fall thing." In other words, they won't be held back until the launch of new iPhone 18 Pro models around mid-September. Chinese supply chain leaker Ice Universe said as much over the weekend, suggesting the price of Apple's current flagship lineup could rise before then.

Apple's existing iPhone retail prices are as follows:

• iPhone 17e: from $599


• iPhone 17: from $799


• iPhone Air: from $999


• iPhone 17 Pro: from $1,099


• iPhone 17 Pro Max: from $1,199

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal has published its own analysis estimating the iPhone 18 Pro could start as high as $1,399.

Prices on iPads and Macs could also go up in the near future.
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According to the latest rumors, Apple is close to launching its next-generation iPad mini. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over 20 months ago. Read on to find out.

Processor and Performance

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in August.

Apple's A19 Pro chip since debuted in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro models include the higher-end version of Apple's A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, while the iPhone Air uses a mid-tier A19 Pro chip with one fewer GPU core than the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

If the code leak is accurate for the iPad mini 8, Apple is likely to use the mid-tier A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone Air. This is based on the fact that the A17 Pro chip used in the iPad mini 7 has a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with a 5-core GPU, compared to the 6-core GPU found on the A17 Pro used in the iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple built the A19 Pro chip on an upgraded third-generation 3-nanometer N3P process for modest speed and efficiency improvements. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine, next-generation dynamic caching, and unified image compression.

The GPU in the A19 Pro has an upgraded architecture with a larger cache, more memory, and Neural Accelerators that are built into each core. Apple says that this change provides 3× the peak GPU compute over the prior-generation chip. There's also an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks.

There is an outside chance that Apple opts for the A20 Pro chip for the new iPad mini. The claim has been made by a MacRumors tipster who analyzed a macOS kernel debug kit containing internal Apple codenames. However, the iPad mini has not always received Apple's newest A-series chip at the time it was updated, so the A19 Pro cannot be ruled out at this time. iPhone 18 Pro models are also expected to use the A20 Pro chip, which will reportedly be fabricated with TSMC's advanced 2nm process.

Display

Apple's plan to transition the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ from an LCD to an OLED display is widely rumored. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the small form-factor tablet is likely to be the next Apple device to adopt OLED. According to a Chinese leaker with sources in Apple's supply chain, Apple has evaluated a Samsung-made OLED display for its next iPad mini model.

It remains unclear whether the iPad mini 8 will feature a higher refresh rate than the 60Hz LCD display used in the existing iPad mini 7, but since the new base iPhone 17 now uses a 120Hz ProMotion panel, it would be reasonable to expect the same on the first OLED iPad mini. A separate report has suggested the ‌‌‌iPad mini 8‌‌‌'s screen could increase in size from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches with the adoption of OLED.

OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility. All of Apple's flagship iPhones use OLED panels, and in May 2024 the company brought the display technology to the iPad Pro for the first time.

Unlike Apple's ‌iPad Pro‌ models, which feature two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panels‌, the ‌iPad mini‌ may have a single-stack low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panel, which would make it dimmer.

Chassis Design

Apple is reportedly working to give the iPad mini 8 a more water-resistant design, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The updated casing would bring protection levels closer to those of the iPhone, making the tablet safer for use in damp environments.

To achieve this, Apple is said to have designed a new vibration-based speaker system that eliminates the need for traditional speaker holes. By using sound-emitting surfaces instead of open grilles, the company can reduce potential entry points for water and dust, resulting in a more sealed, durable enclosure.

On the iPhone, Apple relies on adhesives and gaskets to shield speakers and other openings from moisture. The iPad mini's approach appears to go further, doing away with the holes altogether. Current iPad mini models lack any official IP rating, but the upcoming version could mark the first in the lineup to feature a certified level of water protection.

Apple patents could offer further clues to the new design direction. For example, a 2014 patent outlines a "mechanically actuated panel acoustic system" that vibrates flat surfaces to generate sound, effectively turning parts of a device's chassis into a speaker diaphragm. This could potentially allow Apple to produce audio without visible speaker holes. The patent suggest Apple has been building towards a sealed, vibration-based acoustic system for several years.

Release Date

According to research firm Omdia, the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ is expected to adopt an OLED display in 2027. However, Korea's ET News and ZDNET Korea have both suggested that the iPad mini will be updated with an OLED display in 2026. Bloomberg has also said the update could come as soon as this year.

The most recent word on the subject comes from Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, who claims the OLED iPad mini will be launched in the second half of 2026 at the earliest.

In May 2024, it was reported that Samsung Display had started developing sample OLED panels for a future ‌iPad mini‌, with plans to initiate mass production at its facility in Cheonan in the second half of 2025. The same report claimed that Apple will bring an OLED panel to the iPad Air alongside the ‌iPad mini‌ in 2026, though Apple only refreshed the iPad Air in March, and more recent reporting suggests an OLED iPad Air will arrive in early 2027.

The latter outlook aligns with a December report by analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) that said an 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini is planned for a 2026 launch, while 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Air models are expected to follow in 2027.

Ultimately, there are no rumors suggesting exactly when the next ‌iPad mini‌ will be released, but a launch later in 2026 has a high probability.

Pricing

The price of the current iPad mini 7 starts at $499 for the 128GB Wi-Fi-only model, going up to $799 for the 512GB model. However, there's a very good chance that the iPad mini 8 will cost more.

The main reason is rising memory and storage costs, brought about by the continuing AI data center buildout. Growing demand for memory and storage chips from AI companies has led to chip shortages and higher costs for everyone else, and Apple will need to increase device costs "substantially" to maintain its current profit margins, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Just this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook told WSJ that "price increases are unavoidable." Cook said the company was doing its best to "mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us," and that it was trying to shield customers from them, but the situation has become "unsustainable."

Cook didn't say which products will go up in price, but it's hard to imagine its iPad lineup won't be affected.

Even before Cook's price warning, there was an expectation that the ‌next iPad mini‌ would be more expensive, with Bloomberg's Gurman suggesting Apple could charge up to $100 more for the device. We could now be looking like a couple of hundred dollars or more.

Gurman has previously argued that Apple should consider a lower-end version of the mini, or at least a change to its current $499 starting price, given that it's up against rival products that cost a lot less.

However, Apple users who are looking for a more affordable option should probably consider the 10th-generation iPad instead. Starting at $329, the iPad offers many iPad mini features, such as Touch ID and Center Stage, but at a lower price that balances functionality and affordability.
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In macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple has brought some meaningful updates to iPhone Mirroring besides a new app icon. Here's what's new.


macOS 27 is currently in developer beta, with a public beta coming next month and a general release expected in the fall.

Window Resizing

In macOS Tahoe, iPhone Mirroring is constrained to the iPhone's native aspect ratio, so window resizing is limited to the device's fixed proportions. Smaller, Actual Size, and Larger are the only options. By contrast, macOS 27 introduces support for multiple aspect ratios. Depending on the chosen aspect ratio, iPhone Mirroring displays either a modified iPhone interface or an app's available iPad layout. Adjustments are limited to iOS 27-compatible apps for now, but expect this to change when developers update their own apps. The change has also stoked speculation about a rumored foldable iPhone coming in September.

Control Center Access

In macOS 27, you can now access your iPhone's Control Center directly from your Mac using the Command-4 keyboard shortcut or via the View menu in the menu bar. Previously, iPhone Mirroring didn't support Control Center access at all.

DRM Support

macOS 27 also adds support for DRM-protected video playback in iPhone Mirroring. In macOS Tahoe, attempting to watch protected content, such as videos from streaming services or rented movies, results in a black screen on your Mac. With the next major update, however, you can view DRM-enabled content directly through the mirrored iPhone window.
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Apple has agreed to work with Intel to manufacture some of its chips in the United States, U.S. president Trump said on Thursday.


Intel's stock rose 9 percent in premarket trading following Trump's comments, which appeared in a social media post. Apple was up 0.6 percent in premarket trading.

Neither Apple nor Intel have officially commented on the deal, but The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Apple and Intel had established a preliminary agreement that would see Intel manufacturing processors for Apple devices.

Intel would make chips based on Apple chip designs in the same way that TSMC currently does. Prior rumors on Intel's Apple talks have suggested Intel could make some of the lower-end processors used in Apple devices, including the lowest-end M-series chip used in select iPad and Mac models.

Before Apple adopted Apple silicon, it used Intel-designed chips for its Macs, but there were continual chip delays. Today, Apple designs its own Arm-based chips and has TSMC manufacture them, giving it the freedom to roll out updates on a more predictable schedule.

Apple hasn't looked to Intel as a supplier before, both because the chipmaker has trailed rivals like TSMC and Samsung and because of the rocky history between the two companies.

That picture may be shifting under Lip-Bu Tan, who took over as Intel CEO last year after the company ousted Pat Gelsinger, and has since pushed to turn around its struggling chip manufacturing arm. Tan's efforts appear to be having the desired impact – the company's stock has surged 464 percent in the past 12 months, with the company hitting a market cap of $608.7 billion. The U.S. government also took a 10 percent stake in Intel last year, converting $8.9 billion in unpaid Chips Act grants into equity.

Apple has been trying to broaden its supply chain, since TSMC – based in Taiwan – is its only Apple silicon manufacturer at the moment. On Apple's most recent earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said iPhone 17 supply had been constrained during the quarter because the company couldn't secure enough A19 and A19 Pro chips from TSMC.

With the AI boom driving massive demand for AI servers, TSMC has less capacity to spare for consumer-device chips. That's left Apple with a weaker hand when it comes to securing production slots.
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We're only three months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.


One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a two-phase rollout starting with the iPhone 18 series. That means the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the long-rumored foldable iPhone ("iPhone Ultra") will be released in September 2026, followed by the iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone 18e in spring 2027.


Overall Design

iPhone 17 Pro Style

Rumors suggest the iPhone 18 Pro lineup will largely retain the same design as the iPhone 17 Pro models. Most rumors suggest the rear camera system will look identical to the current generation, featuring a raised "plateau" with three lenses arranged in a triangle – although recent dummies indicate a possible thickening of the plateau and the protrusion of individual lenses. Display sizes are also expected to remain unchanged, with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max continuing to use 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch panels, respectively (the same dimensions introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro series). iPhone 18 Pro models could drop the current two-tone look of the rear casing found on the iPhone 17 Pro in favor of a more seamless aesthetic, while Apple has apparently updated the back-glass "replacement process" to minimize the color difference between the Ceramic Shield 2 glass and the aluminum frame, resulting in a more unified appearance.

Next-Level Battery Life

Thicker Chassis

The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, claims a Chinese leaker. The Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. (The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the biggest ‌iPhone‌ battery to date at 5,088 mAh. Apple says it has a battery life of up to 39 hours.) According to another rumor, the body of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be slightly thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, raising the device's weight to around 243 grams. That would make the iPhone 18 Pro Max approximately 3 grams more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is currently the heaviest model Apple has produced. A larger battery is the most likely cause.

Smaller Dynamic Island

Under-Screen Face ID?

Rumors continue to circulate about whether the iPhone 18 Pro models will introduce under-display Face ID, but reports remain divided on when the technology will actually arrive. The feature would move the TrueDepth camera system beneath the display, eliminating the need for the current Dynamic Island cutout.

According to Wayne Ma of The Information, Apple is targeting a design without a Dynamic Island, replacing it with a single pinhole camera in the upper-left corner of the screen. However, other sources dispute that claim. Display analyst Ross Young believes under-display Face ID is possible for the iPhone 18 Pro, but says a smaller Dynamic Island will still be present. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has echoed this view, reporting that the new models will feature a slimmed-down Dynamic Island rather than removing it entirely. Apple is also said to be testing new camera miniaturization technology to reduce the size of the front-facing camera currently located within the Dynamic Island.

The Weibo leaker "Ice Universe" has claimed the Dynamic Island cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro models will be approximately 35% narrower than it is on the iPhone 17 Pro models. Specifically, they said it will have a width of around 13.5mm, down from around 20.7mm.

Meanwhile, Chinese leaker Instant Digital has offered yet another version of events, saying the Dynamic Island will shrink in size, but that under-display Face ID and camera technology won't debut this year. The latest word on the subject is that Apple is weighing two options for the iPhone 18 Pro's Dynamic Island, and a final decision has yet to be made. One option apparently retains the existing screen mold from the iPhone 17 Pro, while the other introduces a significantly smaller "Mini ‌Dynamic Island‌" enabled by moving the Face ID receiver and transmitter components beneath the display.

Upgraded Display

LTPO+

The iPhone 18 Pro models will reportedly use LTPO+ display technology, which should be more power efficient than the current LTPO technology in the iPhone 17 series. Such an upgrade could also contribute to longer battery life (see above), since LPTO+ enables finer control of OLED light emission, potentially allowing the display to optimize its operation based on environmental conditions. In other words, it will know better when to up screen brightness or reduce it, depending on surrounding light sources. The panels are reportedly being supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display.

A20 Pro Chip

2nm Process

The iPhone 18 Pro models will use Apple's A20 chip, based on TSMC's 2nm process for power and efficiency improvements. A move to 2nm fabrication increases transistor density, which will enable higher performance. The A20 series is expected to deliver roughly a 15 percent speed gain and about 30 percent better efficiency compared with the A19 series used in Apple's iPhone 17 models.

Apple's A20 chip will be packaged with TSMC's Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, suggesting at least some A20 chips will have RAM integrated directly onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, rather than sitting adjacent to the chip and connected via a silicon interposer. This could contribute to faster performance for both overall tasks and Apple Intelligence, and longer battery life from improved power efficiency.

C2 Modem

Replacing Qualcomm

Apple plans to include its next-generation C2 modem in the iPhone 18 Pro models, according to supply chain analyst Jeff Pu. The chip will succeed the C1 modem, which debuted in the lower-cost iPhone 16e as Apple's first in-house cellular modem, and the C1X modem chip in the iPhone Air, which Apple says is up to 2× faster than the C1. The C2 is expected to bring faster speeds, improved power efficiency, and support for mmWave 5G in the United States – a feature missing from the C1 and C1X.

Apple's modem roadmap is part of a long-term strategy to reduce reliance on Qualcomm, which currently supplies 5G modems for the rest of the iPhone lineup. The company has been working on developing its own cellular chips for years, aiming for deeper integration and greater control over power management and performance.

New Camera Sensor

Samsung-Made

Samsung is working on a new three-layer stacked image sensor, reportedly intended for the iPhone 18. The sensor, referred to as PD-TR-Logic, integrates three layers of circuitry, which would improve camera responsiveness, reduce noise, and increase dynamic range. The leak comes from a source known as "Jukanlosreve," who claims the sensor is being developed specifically for Apple's 2026 iPhone lineup. Sony has long been Apple's sole image sensor supplier, so Samsung's entry would be a big shift in the iPhone's camera supply chain.

Variable Aperture

DSLR-Style

Apple intends to equip this year's iPhone 18 Pro models with a variable aperture lens, according to reports. Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station claims the main rear camera – what Apple calls the 48-megapixel Fusion camera – on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. A variable-aperture system physically adjusts the lens opening, letting more light in for low-light shots or narrowing the opening for brighter scenes and deeper depth of field.

The main cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro, 16 Pro, and 17 Pro all use a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture, where the lens is permanently set to its widest setting. With a variable lens, the iPhone 18 Pro would allow users to manually shift the aperture, similar to on a DSLR camera. This would mean more control over depth of field, enabling sharper focus on subjects or smoother background blur. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in November 2024 that Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models will get the feature.

5G Satellite Internet

Non-Terrestrial Data

According to a report by The Information, Apple plans to add support for 5G networks that operate via satellites rather than Earth-based towers as early as next year. This advancement would allow future iPhones to gain full internet connectivity through satellite, not just limited emergency features.

If Apple meets the 2026 target, the first devices to feature 5G satellite internet would likely be the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the long-rumored foldable iPhone. Apple partners with Globalstar for its iPhone satellite features, but there is currently no service that delivers full 5G satellite internet directly to a smartphone. That said, Amazon and Globalstar announced in April a definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire the satellite operator. Amazon's Leo satellite network will power existing iPhone features – with scope for additional feature support as part of a forthcoming infrastructure upgrade.

Simplified Camera Control

New Design

Apple is reportedly working to simplify the Camera Control button's design on iPhone 18 models in order to reduce costs. The current Camera Control button on iPhone 17 models uses both capacitive and pressure sensors beneath a sapphire crystal surface. The capacitive layer detects touch gestures, while the force sensor recognizes different pressure levels for taps, presses, and swipes.

However, according to the Weibo-based account Instant Digital, Apple will remove the capacitive sensing layer and retain only pressure sensing recognition in the second iteration to achieve all Camera Control functions on the iPhone 18. The simplified version is not about reducing functionality in the button, but about saving money. The current solution is said to be very expensive for Apple and is generating costly after-sales repairs.

We don't expect Camera Control to go away anytime soon – Apple apparently sees it as a key feature, so much so that it has reportedly made deliberate engineering compromises to ensure that the first foldable iPhone features the button.

New Colors

Three in Testing

In February 2026, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is testing a deep red finish for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Rumors of purple and brown finishes have also circulated, but Gurman believes those are just variants of the same red idea. Since then, we've seen aligned rumors that the devices will come in light blue, dark cherry, dark gray, and silver.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max were previously available in Deep Purple, and Apple has never released an iPhone in a genuinely brown color. According to a Chinese leaker, Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models won't come in black this year. If the rumor is true, it will be the second consecutive year Apple has ditched what was arguably its most classic color option for the Pro lineup.

iOS 27

Smarter Siri

The iPhone 18 Pro will ship with iOS 27, which brings the biggest Siri shake-up in the assistant's history. Apple introduced Siri AI at WWDC in June – a rebuilt, more conversational version of Siri with onscreen awareness, personal context understanding, and broad world knowledge that lets it pull up-to-date answers from the web. It also gains its own standalone app for revisiting past conversations, an expanded Visual Intelligence mode, and writing tools that work across email, messages, and documents. Like the iPhone 17 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to carry 12GB of RAM, so it should run the full range of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features.
This article, "12 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Last week, Apple introduced a new discovery feature for the App Store called Personalized Collections, or app recommendations based on individual interests and behavior. Apple pitched the announcement as another way for developers to have their app discovered, but there has already been some pushback from a privacy perspective.


The new tailored recommendations can appear on the Apps, Games, and Search tabs, and evolve over time based on a user's app usage and downloads. How Apple does this is through analytics data, but the extent of the information being captured by the company has set off warning sirens amongst some cybersecurity researchers.

Security researchers Mysk say that Apple logs "every tap" in the App Store that a user inputs in order to put together the recommendations. Quoting from a post shared on X (Twitter):

"Now Apple is putting the extensive identifiable analytics they collect in the App Store in action. They record every tap and there's no way to turn it off. They can even calculate your typing speed."

The post was accompanied by the above screenshot. "This is what the App Store sends to Apple when I searched for 'Tim cook,'" said one of the researchers. Responding to a reply, Mysk noted that the screenshot wasn't showing search results, but extensive analytics. "If you don't like Apple Music privacy options, you can stream music from Spotify, but where else can you download apps on the iPhone?" they added.

Mysk said the analytics in the screenshot were included in the personal data dump that individual users can request from Apple via privacy.apple.com.

• Get a Copy of Your Apple Account Data – Here's How

Is capturing everything you do in the App Store app an intrusion of privacy? Opinions will differ. But there's an argument to be made for Personalized Collections to be opt-in, rather than the all-in feature Apple has rolled out. Let us know your opinions in the comments.
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Apple has partnered up with Amazon to make Apple TV available at $5.99 per month for Prime members for a limited time.


Apple TV is available as an add-on subscription through Prime Video in the U.S. This promotional deal lets Prime members sign up to the streaming platform for over 50% off the usual $12.99/month price for up to two months, after which the standard price applies.

The promotion ends on June 26 though, so there are only a few days left to go before it's gone.

Subscribers will have access to Apple TV's full catalog of original content, including hit shows like "Severance," "Ted Lasso," and "The Morning Show," as well as films and live sports events.

Prime members can take advantage of the offer by following this link. Note that subscribers will need to be signed into their Amazon account for the link to work. Prime members can also find the promo deal via the Prime Video app.
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WhatsApp is working on a way to let users send text messages that can only be viewed once, similar to the feature already available for photos, videos, and voice notes.


According to WABetaInfo, after typing a message in the chat bar, users will be able to select a new "Send as view once" option by long-pressing the Send button. When the message is sent, the recipient will be able to open the message once and read it before it disappears.

This means that the recipient will not be able to copy, forward, or share the message after receiving it. WhatsApp will also block screenshots and screen recordings to prevent the content from being preserved in any form.

The feature, which is still in development, is said to be coming to individual chats and groups, but it won't be available in channels, where ephemeral messages aren't suitable. WhatsApp is also developing the feature for Android phones.

WABetaInfo notes that the new feature will be welcomed by users who currently use a workaround by adding text to an image and sending it as view-once media.

The option follows another feature that appeared in beta a few weeks ago that causes disappearing messages to vanish based on a countdown that starts only after they've been read. The feature has yet to roll out more broadly.
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Back in March with the release of macOS Tahoe 26.4, Apple introduced a new security popup that warns Mac users when they paste a command into the Terminal app that could be harmful. Apple has now published a support document explaining why the popup warning appears.


The warning says the following when it appears:

Possible malware, Paste blocked

Your Mac has not been harmed.

Scammers often encourage pasting text into Terminal to try and harm your Mac or compromise your privacy.

These instructions are commonly offered via websites, chat agents, apps, files, or a phone call.

There is a "Paste Anyway" option for users to proceed if they wish.

In a document titled "If your Mac blocks a Terminal command paste or script," spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple explains that the alert appears if you don't regularly use Terminal and you copied the command from somewhere like a website, chat agent, or messaging or email app.

"Scammers use these channels to instruct people to paste malicious commands into Terminal to harm your Mac or compromise your privacy," says Apple. "This alert helps make sure that you aren't tricked into running a command that you didn't expect."

The document also mentions two other types of Terminal-related alerts that are more proactive. If a "Malware Detected, Paste Blocked" or "Malicious Script Blocked" alert appears, macOS has detected a command or script that contains known malware and has blocked it, according to Apple. In such cases, no "Paste Anyway" option is provided.

Apple says that if you believe the command or script was mistakenly blocked, it could be because a website that it tries to access was incorrectly reported as deceptive. In that case, users can report the error.
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Italy's competition regulator said on Tuesday it had launched an investigation into Apple over its compliance with interoperability obligations as set out in the European Digital Markets Act (DMA).


Under the DMA, Apple must ensure that third-party providers of consumer cloud services can interoperate effectively and free of charge with Apple's iOS and iPadOS software platforms. The rules also mandate equal access to Apple's iCloud service.

The Italian Competition Authority said in a statement on its website that it had proof that other providers of consumer cloud services "may not be placed on an equal footing as Apple's iCloud," as they did not appear to have access to the same software features available to Apple's own service.

Specifically, the authority said that Apple does not allow alternative cloud storage services to use features in iOS and iPadOS that enable users to perform a full backup of their device's data.

The probe is the first of its kind opened ​by the Italian watchdog under ​the ⁠DMA, which allows national regulators to conduct preliminary investigations.

The authority said its findings will be shared with the European Commission "to support it in its role as sole DMA enforcer." Companies violating DMA rules can face fines up to 10% of worldwide annual revenue.
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Next year's regular iPhone 18 will come with 12GB of RAM to support Apple's most powerful on-device AI model and related Siri features, according to South Korea's KB Securities (via DigiTimes).


In its Siri AI announcement during WWDC 2026, Apple confirmed that its most powerful model enables more expressive Siri voices and major accuracy improvements for systemwide dictation. Both features require 12GB of unified memory.

Among current iPhones, that limits the more powerful model to the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone 17 misses out because it only has 8GB of RAM, but the same limitation isn't expected for the iPhone 18. Apple will boost memory for the base model to 12GB while keeping the iPhone's price unchanged, according to today's report.

It's the second time we've heard that Apple is planning to ensure memory parity across its iPhone 18 lineup. Last October, Korea's The Bell said the iPhone 18 would have 50 percent more memory than its predecessor.

Apple has apparently asked its RAM suppliers to increase its supply of LPDDR5X chips for the next iPhone lineup. KB Securities also noted that Apple will continue buying mobile DRAM from the world's three largest memory makers – Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron – at prices above market levels, and suggested the company will absorb the costs rather than pass them on to the consumer. If so, the existing $799 starting price should remain in place.

The iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone are expected to launch in the fall of 2026, with the ‌iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2,‌ and iPhone 18e following in the first half of 2027.
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Suggestions that Apple's rumored foldable iPhone will be delayed are wide of the mark, claimed a Chinese leaker today.


In a post on Weibo, the leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital said launch delay rumors are "false" and suggestions that the device's release has been pushed to next year are "far-fetched."

Multiple reports have suggested Apple's first foldable iPhone could be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this September, and the leaker believes that still stands. "The most likely scenario is that it will launch alongside the iPhone 18 series," said Fixed Focus Digital in another post earlier this month. "Even if there is a delay, it would probably only be postponed by about one month before going on sale," they added.

There have been sporadic reports that Apple's first foldable device has faced engineering challenges in late-stage development. In May, for example, Instant Digital claimed Apple's foldable iPhone continued to face durability-related issues with its hinge mechanism. Apple is believed to have largely overcome concerns surrounding display creasing, but the leaker said that long-term hinge reliability has yet to meet the company's standards.

Apple is known for imposing strict reliability standards on new product categories, but ongoing concerns about the hinge itself would be an unusual situation this close to an anticipated launch.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in March that the new foldable iPhone may not ship to customers in the same September time frame as the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max. Prior to Gurman's report, Barclays analyst Tim Long suggested that the foldable iPhone won't ship until December, opening up a roughly three-month delay between the completely new device and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models.

Apple has done a split launch before, shipping one model later than another. When the iPhone X launched in 2017, it shipped out in November, while the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus introduced alongside it came out in September as usual. Even if Apple does plan to ship the ‌iPhone Fold‌ after September, expect to see it introduced during the annual iPhone event that will feature the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. Apple will likely announce all three phones at once, and then bring them to customers when they're ready.

The foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover display, the A20 chip and C2 modem, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and two rear cameras, with pricing rumored at around $2,000. Apple's book-style foldable could launch as the "iPhone Ultra," as suggested by reports.
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Apple's standard iPhone 18 model will launch in early 2027, based on comments from a partner in the company's supply chain that appear to corroborate rumors of a delayed spring release for the base model.


Apple typically works on an annual smartphone launch cycle where it releases the entirety of its latest flagship iPhone series in the fall, usually around mid-September. That appears set to change this year, however.

Multiple reports claim the base iPhone 18 model will be held over until spring 2027, and only the iPhone 18 Pro models will debut this year alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.

Now, comments from a key Apple supplier appear to offer corroborating evidence that the company is preparing to break from its traditional launch schedule.

Speaking at Largan Precision's annual shareholders' meeting, chairman Lin En-ping said a major U.S. customer had postponed the launch of a new model to the first quarter of 2027, shifting component procurement later into the year and boosting expected factory utilization in the fourth quarter.

Lin did not identify the customer or product, but Largan is Apple's primary supplier of iPhone camera lenses, so the remarks are notable in light of reports that the standard iPhone 18 will not launch alongside Apple's higher-end models this time around.

The comments are particularly noteworthy because Apple suppliers rarely offer public details about clients' future product launches, even indirectly.

According to reports, Apple plans to split future iPhone launches across two release windows. Under the new strategy, premium models would continue to debut in September, while lower-cost models would follow the next spring. If accurate, the standard iPhone 18 will arrive in early 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2, roughly six months after the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple's much-rumored foldable "iPhone Ultra."

The staggered approach is expected to help Apple manage manufacturing resources more efficiently as its lineup grows to six devices instead of five, while helping maintain sales momentum throughout the year. If implemented, it would be the first deliberate separation of Apple's flagship iPhone releases since the company established its annual fall launch pattern with the iPhone 4S in 2011.

The standard iPhone 18 models are not expected to feature design changes, with Apple using the same 6.3-inch display size for the iPhone 18 and the 6.1-inch size for the iPhone 18e. For everything we know so far, be sure to check out our dedicated roundup.
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The British government will introduce a ban on social media access for all users under 16 years of age, set to take effect in 2027. UK prime minister Keir Starmer announced the plans on Monday, calling the move "the right step for Britain" and the best way to keep children safe online.

"This is not something I do lightly, and I will not present it as cost-free, as if social media has [brought no] benefits to young people, because clearly that is wrong," he said. "But government is always about choices, and it's clear to me that a total ban is the right choice."

The plan goes further than a similar ban introduced in Australia. It will cover major platforms Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. An exhaustive list has not yet been released, but Starmer said the rules will apply to services "whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material."

Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal are not covered by the ban, and most social media platforms already require children to be over 13 to create an account and use their services.

Platforms will also be required to stop under-16s from livestreaming, including on gaming services, and to block functions that let strangers contact children. Those restrictions will be on by default for under-17s to avoid what the government called "a cliff-edge at 16."

Meanwhile, "romantic companion" chatbots designed to simulate sexual relationships will have to enforce a minimum age of 18, and AI chatbots in general must restrict "intimate functionalities" for under-18s.

"I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children, and that is why this ban must happen, and that is why this ban will happen," Starmer said. "Yes, it's hard – hard to legislate for, hard to regulate, hard to enforce. That's why we sought a wide range of views on this. That's why we listened to people, had a conversation, we looked carefully at the evidence, learned from countries like Australia that are taking similar steps."

Starmer said he plans to pass legislation before Christmas, ahead of a spring 2027 rollout. The government said on Sunday that responses to its "Growing Up in the Online World" consultation showed that 90 percent of parents supported setting a minimum age of 16 for access to the apps.
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Apple's software updates previewed during WWDC 2026 this week have followed a distinct pattern: introduce a handful of key new features, while maintaining a focus on refining the underlying platform architecture. watchOS 27 is no different in this respect, with the majority of changes being performance improvements under the hood.


That said, one of the most obvious user-facing changes is a new dynamic app grid that surfaces and rearranges five apps based on your current context and general usage, with Siri as the centerpiece. Pressing the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch immediately invokes the grid, which appears whether you use the app grid or list view. If the dynamic grid doesn't surface the app you're looking for, a turn of the Digital Crown reveals your preferred view.

The change straddles the line between redesigned navigation and the efficiency-minded development that defines the rest of watchOS 27, since the grid aims to get you to the app you want, just faster. It's probably the most obvious change you'll actually see, but there are several others that happen out of sight. Apple says they include:

• Better battery efficiency


• Improved Wi-Fi connectivity


• More efficient water detection


• More accurate step tracking


• Faster media playback


• Faster app extension launches

As with the rest of Apple's software previews this week, though, you'll need reasonably recent hardware to see any of these enhancements.

watchOS 27 requires an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27. The new software also requires one of the following Apple Watch models: Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 9, 10, 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or 3. In other words, ‌watchOS 27‌ drops support for the Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, and Series 8, along with the original Ultra and SE 2. Apple will release the new software in the fall.
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Apple's first touchscreen MacBook is now "100% confirmed," according to the prolific Chinese leaker known as Instant Digital, who appears to have insider information from sources in the supply chain. The leaker made their definitive statement this morning in a Weibo post.


Instant Digital has a good track record for Apple rumors and has provided some strikingly accurate information in the past, so it's always worth noting what they have to say about Apple's plans. The claim is also backed by several recent reports.

Recurring rumors about Apple's touchscreen MacBook development actually go back a few years. In January 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that a MacBook Pro with an OLED display would be the first touchscreen Mac. The machine was initially slated for 2025, but that timeline never played out.

Since then, reports have become more frequent and assertive. In September 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the first touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro would enter mass production in 2026. Gurman has also repeatedly stated that the next 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will have touchscreen and are slated to launch in late 2026 to early 2027 – with the global memory chip shortage potentially making 2027 more likely.

Touchscreen support is expected to be one of several major upgrades coming to Apple's next-generation high-end MacBook Pro models. Other rumored features include M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, an OLED display, a Dynamic Island (i.e., no notch), and a thinner design. The new laptops could also adopt MacBook Ultra branding.

Notably, macOS 27 Golden Gate also introduces a more touch-friendly interface, since Apple's Sidecar feature now allows users to tap and interact with macOS interface elements using a finger on their iPad.

Apple apparently is not going to advertise the ‌new MacBook Pro‌/Ultra as a touch-first device like the ‌iPad‌ – it will be "touch-friendly, not touch-first," according to Gurman. In that sense, Apple will let customers use touch and mouse gestures interchangeably for all functions.

Apple has long rejected the idea of a touchscreen Mac, so moving ahead with one would be a major shift in the company's thinking. In 2010, Steve Jobs argued that "touch surfaces don't want to be vertical," citing the arm fatigue that comes from repeatedly reaching up to a screen.

More than a decade later, in 2021, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus – soon to be Apple CEO – said the Mac was "totally optimized for indirect input" and that Apple saw no compelling reason to change that approach.

Are you looking forward to touching a future MacBook's screen? Let us know in the comments.
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In macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple has removed many of the menu item icons that are so prevalent throughout macOS 26 Tahoe, as spotted by Nikita "Tonsky" Prokopov (via Daring Fireball). The developer shared before-and-after screenshots on Mastodon to evidence the reversal.


Tahoe was the first version of macOS to place a small icon next to nearly every entry in the menu bar across Apple's apps, but the change drew swift criticism from designers and developers. Many of the icons are inconsistent and often difficult to understand on their own, with different Apple apps showing different icons for the same menu items.

The third-party developer pushback was strong enough that some even adopted open-source code provided by NetNewsWire's Brent Simmons to switch the icons off by default.

In Golden Gate though, they're gone – or only used where genuinely useful. Apple has also revised its Human Interface Guidelines to tell developers to use menu item icons "sparingly and with purpose," reserving them for common actions, file system locations, connected devices, and similar cases.

macOS 27 is currently in developer beta, with a public beta to arrive next month, followed by a general release in the fall.
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French music platform Deezer has launched a free online tool that can detect AI-generated tracks in Apple Music playlists, as well as playlists created on other streaming platforms.

"No other company has followed our lead yet, so we decided to make it possible for everyone to check if their playlists include synthetic music, no matter which streaming platform they use," Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said in a press release. "A vast majority of people want to know if AI music is being recommended to them and our data show that nearly half of the users joining Deezer from another platform have AI tracks in their playlists. We're expecting our AI music detector to be an eye-opening experience for listeners around the world."

The tool works with 20 different platforms including Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube Music. To use it, visit Deezer's AI music detector site, select your streaming service, then grant Deezer permission to access it. The tool will import your playlists, scan them for AI content, and alert you of any suspicious-sounding tracks.

Apple in March rolled out a metadata system called Transparency Tags, which indicates when AI has been used in the creation of music hosted on the platform. The only problem is that the tags are optional, so Apple is basically asking artists and record labels to voluntarily label songs that were made using AI.

Deezer reports that it receives over 60,000 fully AI-generated tracks per day, with synthetic content now accounting for roughly 39% of all music delivered to the platform. Up to 85% of streams on AI-generated music were fraudulent in 2025, according to Deezer's data.
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Some older iPhone models will need a software update to keep running WhatsApp from the end of November 2026, after Meta confirmed it is raising the app's minimum system requirements.


From November 30, WhatsApp will require iOS 15.5 or later, up from the current requirement of iOS 15.1.

The models affected are the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus. iOS 15.8.8 is the last update these models can install, so owners just need to make sure their device is updated before the deadline.

To be clear, no iPhone is being dropped outright. Every model that can run iOS 15.1 can also be updated to 15.5, so a trip into Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update will be all it takes to stay compatible.

Happily, the new requirements aren't as harsh as last year. In June 2025, WhatsApp cut off the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus entirely, since none of the devices could be updated past iOS 15.0. Affected users were left with web.whatsapp.com as their only option.

Meta says it reviews supported operating systems each year, dropping those with the fewest users and the ones least likely to carry current security updates. Anyone on an affected version will be notified inside WhatsApp and reminded to upgrade before support ends.
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If you installed the macOS 27 Golden Gate developer beta and have signed up to the Siri AI waitlist but are still waiting to be accepted, there's a Terminal command workaround that enables the new virtual assistant on your Mac immediately.


If you're still reading, since you're on the first macOS 27 developer beta, we're assuming you are running it on a test machine, and not on your primary Mac. We're also assuming you're comfortable with using the Terminal app. MacRumors cannot take responsibility for lost data. You should always have a backup.

With that said, early reports indicate the workaround is safe, and you won't need to reverse it once officially off the waitlist. Note that while Siri AI is not available in the EU for iPhone and iPad users due to the DMA rules, it is available on Mac and Vision Pro.

Here's how it's done.

1. Open Terminal on your Mac running the macOS 27 beta.


2. Input the following command at the prompt and press Enter: sudo defaults write "/Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/GenerativeModels.plist" "EnhancedSiriWaitlist" -dict-add Enabled -bool NO


3. Restart your Mac to apply the change.

After restarting, you can try it out right away. In the dedicated Siri app, for example, you can have back-and-forth conversations with Siri in text or voice modes, and your conversation history is synced across your devices via iCloud.

Siri AI can draw on personal context understanding to search across messages, emails, photos, and more, and get things done across apps with even more system-wide app actions.

On Mac, ‌Siri‌ is now also integrated into Spotlight and available via right-click context menus on any file or window. Note that Siri AI is initially only available in English. Let us know how you get on in the comments.

Correction: Article originally stated that Siri AI is not available in the EU. However, the limitation only applies to the iPhone and iPad, not the Mac. Apologies for the error.
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Apple unveiled iOS 27 at WWDC this week, and while the headline-grabbing Siri overhaul has received the most attention, the Lock Screen has picked up several refinements that you may have missed.


Some are brand-new additions, while others are tweaks to features Apple introduced in iOS 26, but together they give you more control over how your Lock Screen looks and behaves.

Here are five to try if you plan to install the public beta next month, or when iOS 27 becomes generally available in the fall.

Extend Your Wallpaper

A new wallpaper extension feature in iOS 27 uses Apple Intelligence to automatically expand a photo beyond its original boundaries so it fills the entire Lock Screen more naturally. If a photo is cropped too tightly, doesn't match your iPhone's aspect ratio, or it leaves empty space when positioned on the Lock Screen, iOS 27 can generate additional image content around the edges with the "Extend" option. It will analyze the existing image and create matching background details that blend with the original photo, so there's no need for aggressive cropping. The Extend option can also be found in the Photos app.

Make the Clock Tiny

A new compact clock mode is available as a new Lock Screen layout option in iOS 27. Found in the top-right corner of the Font & Color panel, the option moves the time from its traditional large, centered position to a much smaller format alongside the date and widgets at the top of the screen. It's a nice option to have if you like a cleaner Lock Screen look that shows off your wallpaper more fully, and it's the complete opposite effect introduced in iOS 26 that stretches the clock down the screen.

Generate Wallpapers With AI

iOS 27 also expands Image Playground with support for AI-generated Lock Screen wallpapers. You can create custom backgrounds using text descriptions, and the app will generate entirely new images tailored to your preferred style, subject matter, or aesthetic, allowing you to set it directly as your Lock Screen wallpaper.

Change Liquid Glass Opacity

In iOS 27, Apple added a full Liquid Glass slider under Settings ➝ Appearance ➝ Liquid Glass. It changes the translucency of Liquid Glass elements, and you can choose a clear version of Liquid Glass that allows some of the background to show through, select a more opaque, tinted version that improves the legibility of text, or choose something in between. Granted, it's more of a system-wide customization feature than a Lock Screen-exclusive feature, but it directly impacts the look of your clock setup, buttons, widgets, and notifications.

New Siri Interface

To go with Apple's tentpole "Siri AI" chatbot-style overhaul, iOS 27 introduces a redesigned Siri experience. Instead of the glowing light effect that previously traced the edges of the display, a swirling Siri orb now expands and animates within the Dynamic Island. Siri requests and responses are also now presented in a more compact interface surrounding the Dynamic Island, so interactions should feel more focused rather than completely taking over your Lock Screen.
This article, "iOS 27 Brings These Five New Features to Your iPhone Lock Screen" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple at this year's WWDC emphasized that its approach to iOS 27 development was to add fewer newer features and instead make existing features better. Examples of that approach can be seen across the operating system, but it is arguably most obvious in the changes coming to Messages.


That's not to say there's nothing original coming to Messages in iOS 27. For instance, one new Apple Intelligence feature brings content-aware suggestions directly into conversations. If someone asks for photos, for example, Messages can recognize what's being discussed and suggest searching your photo library, using details like people, places, and keywords to surface relevant images.

The app can also detect when a conversation would benefit from creating a reminder or note and offer a shortcut to do so without leaving the thread. Apple is also bringing drawing tools directly into Messages, allowing users to create and share hand-drawn sketches within conversations.

Otherwise, Apple's focus has been on making the following enhancements and improvements to its broader Messages platform:

• Faster message loading: Large conversations, especially those containing years of history and thousands of attachments, should load and scroll more quickly.


• Improved syncing across devices: Apple says Messages, read states, reactions, and attachments sync more reliably and quickly between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro.


• Find offloaded media in Messages: Search can surface photos and videos that have been offloaded from local storage and stored in iCloud.


• Thumbnails for offloaded media: Offloaded photos and videos now get visible preview thumbnails instead of generic placeholders, making older media easier to identify.


• Personalized Smart Reply suggestions: Apple Intelligence-generated Smart Reply suggestions can now reflect a user's own writing style, making suggested responses feel more natural and personal.


• Consolidated notifications for multiple Tapbacks: Multiple reactions to a message are grouped into a single notification rather than generating separate alerts.


• Continuous sending of photos, videos, and text: Messages continue sending in the background and automatically resume when connectivity returns, reducing interrupted sends.


• Search conversations by phone number or nickname: Conversation search now works with saved nicknames and phone numbers, not just contact names.


• Faster access to recent camera captures: Newly captured photos and videos appear more quickly in the Messages media picker.


• Failed messages automatically retry sending: Messages that fail because of temporary network issues will automatically attempt to resend without the user's intervention.

Early adopters of iOS 27 will receive access to the public beta next month, when they can try out the new features and improvements themselves. Apple is expected to make a general release available in the fall.
This article, "14 Ways Apple Is Improving Messages in iOS 27" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With the launch of iOS 27 and HomePod Software 27, Apple is adding support for AutoMix, Apple's AI-powered Apple Music feature that blends songs using matching key and tempo.


Apple says it has improved AutoMix's underlying algorithms to generate new transition types, making for more seamless blends between tracks, so this should also benefit the newly introduced feature for HomePod.

Running Apple's current HomePod Software 26, the AutoMix feature in Apple Music is not available on HomePod. Users running the existing software only have access to the crossfade feature that improves transitions between songs.

If users AirPlay to HomePod and the device they are using to AirPlay supports AutoMix (and it is turned on), then it will play on the AirPlay stream to HomePod, but that's the only workaround.

OG HomePod Support

In case anyone was wondering, the new HomePod Software 27 beta does support the original HomePod. There was some confusion about this earlier in the week, but MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris was able to independently confirm support for Apple's first smart speaker, which launched in 2018 and was discontinued in 2021.

HomePod Software 27 will come out of beta when iOS 27 becomes generally available in the fall.
This article, "iOS 27 Brings New Functionality to HomePod" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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