It turned out to be a big week for Apple news this week, as we not only got an official announcement about the upcoming iPhone event but also several hardware announcements including updated Mac mini and Mac Studio models.


Anticipation continues to build for Apple's first foldable iPhone coming at next month's event, while subscribers to the Apple TV streaming service are getting hit with another price increase, so read on below for all of the details.

Top Stories

Apple Event Announced for September 9: 'Surprise and Shine'

Apple this week announced that it plans to hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Wednesday, September 9, at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with select members of the media invited to attend.


The September 2026 iPhone event comes with the tagline "Surprise and Shine" and should see Apple announce the iPhone 18 Pro, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and the foldable iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Ultra. There won't be an iPhone 18 this year because Apple is waiting until spring 2027 to launch the more affordable models.

Apple Announces New Mac Mini With M6 and M5 Pro Chips and More

Apple this week announced the next-generation Mac mini, which can be configured with an all-new M6 chip or the M5 Pro chip released earlier this year.


The M6 chip is equipped with a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU, up from a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU in the M5 chip. In addition, the M6 chip features the first-ever dual Neural Engine with two 16-core engines, up from one in previous chips. The M6 chip has up to 170GB/s memory bandwidth, up from 153GB/s for the M5 chip.

Apple said the Mac mini with the M6 chip delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance, up to 4× faster performance for AI tasks in particular, up to 2× faster graphics performance, and up to 2× faster storage speeds compared to the previous-generation model with the 10-core M4 chip, 32GB of unified memory, and 2TB of storage.

Apple Unveils New Mac Studio With M5 Max and M5 Ultra Chips

Alongside the updated Mac mini, Apple also announced new Mac Studio models with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, the latter of which is the company's most powerful chip ever.


The new ‌Mac Studio‌ features a next-generation SSD architecture built on PCIe Gen 6 that Apple says is up to twice as fast as before. The machine also gains Thunderbolt 5 ports with up to 120Gb/s of bandwidth, along with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for the first time via Apple's N1 chip. The new ‌Mac Studio‌ also supports genlock over USB-C and can drive up to eight displays.

The M5 Ultra chip includes an up to 36-core CPU that contains 12 super cores and 24 performance cores. It delivers up to 1.25x higher single-threaded performance and up to 1.3x higher multithreaded performance than the M3 Ultra from the previous generation ‌Mac Studio‌.

Apple Releases New Polishing Cloth

Apple this week also updated one of its most meme-worthy products in recent years, with a new version of its Polishing Cloth. It might be just a hint softer and thinner, and it's priced at just $9, half the price of the original one.


Most of Apple's Magic Keyboards for Mac also got updates for the U.S. English versions this week, replacing text labels on edge keys like tab, caps lock, shift, return, and more with glyphs.

Gurman: iPhone Ultra Wows Early Testers, Except for Its Camera

Apple's upcoming foldable "iPhone Ultra" is winning over the few people who have had hands-on time with the device, though the camera setup may leave some users wanting, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman says people who have used the device – which is reportedly referred to internally as the iPhone Ultra – like how it fits in your pocket, as well as the feel and durability of its hinge mechanism. Testers have also apparently praised the new iPad-like app layouts that take advantage of the larger internal display when the phone is unfolded.

Beyond productivity, video, and gaming, Gurman says Apple's foldable device also performs well as a camera viewfinder. However, the device lacks a telephoto lens, which could cost Apple some sales given the expected price.

Apple TV Streaming Service Receives Price Increase

For the fourth time since its launch, Apple has increased the price of its Apple TV streaming service in the United States, raising monthly pricing by $2 and annual pricing by $20 starting today. As a result of the Apple TV price increase, the Apple One Individual bundle has also gone up in price.

• Apple TV (Monthly): $14.99 per month (up from $12.99 per month)


• Apple TV (Annually): $119 per year (up from $99 per year)


• Apple One (Individual): $21.95 per month (up from $19.95 per month)

Apple TV also received a price increase in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico today, according to Apple, but no other countries are affected in this round of increases.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

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Apple introduced the M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini this week, and Amazon currently has the first pre-order discounts on these models ahead of their September launch. Below, we're also tracking a new record low price on the AirTag 2 during Amazon's Labor Day event.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Mac Mini Pre-Orders

• What's the deal? Take up to $29 off Mac mini pre-orders


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week introduced the first cash discounts on Apple's brand new Mac mini, with discounts including two of the M6 models as well as the M5 Pro model. All of these deals are pre-order discounts on the 2026 Mac mini, which officially launches on September 22.

Amazon Labor Day Sale

• What's the deal? Save on popular accessories at Amazon


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

There's a big accessory sale happening on Amazon this week, with the year's best prices on Anker chargers, Samsung monitors, Sonos audio products, and much more.

AirTag 2

• What's the deal? Take up to $19 off AirTag 2


• Where can I get it? Amazon


• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's AirTag 2 is on sale for $79.99 this week on Amazon, down from $99.00. This deal is on the 4-Pack of the AirTag 2, and it's a new record low price for the accessory, beating the previous low by about $9.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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A science project that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs built for his 8th-grade science fair sold at auction for $34,375.


Jobs was attending Cupertino Jr. High when he designed the project, which is titled "What is the SCR?" The lot includes a display board built from plywood with three explanatory panels and a 10-page report with the same title.

The left panel has a wooden model of a "typical silicon-controlled rectifier with its four alternate layers of P- and N-Type semiconductor material," while the center test circuits demonstrate the basic principles and characteristics of the silicon-controlled rectifier, as well as how it is most widely used. The right panel has a diagram and description of a 25-amp silicon-controlled rectifier.

The project is labeled with Jobs' name, and the accompanying report is titled "What is the Silicon-Controlled Rectifier by Steve Jobs, Science, Mrs. Yakel, Feb. 29, 1968."

A note included on the project instructs judges to plug in Circuit II and the oscilloscope to see it operate, and it asks them to "please unplug!" the device after testing it.

Jobs' science fair project came from John Chovanec, Jobs' stepbrother. Chovanec's mother, Marilyn, married Paul Jobs in 1990 and continued to live in the Jobs family home in Los Altos. After Paul Jobs died in 1993, Steve Jobs declined to collect some of his personal belongings that remained in the home. Chovanec apparently asked Jobs to collect the items several times and at one point said he would keep the items himself instead. "Fine, but I don't want to be bothered about it again," Jobs reportedly responded.

Chovanec previously sold other items from Jobs' early years, including posters, magazines, bow ties, a desk, and more. A 1977 Apple Computer poster sold for $659,900, while an Apple–1 Byte Shop wooden case owned by Jobs sold for $254,375. The bow ties sold for $113,580.
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In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. Today, a new court document revealed when customers will likely be able to begin submitting claims.


If the dates proposed by Apple's lawyers are approved by the judge, eligible customers would begin to be notified about the settlement on Monday, September 21 this year, and claim submissions would likely begin around that date. The claims period would end on Monday, December 21, giving customers around 90 days to take action.

Earlier this month, the judge set the final approval hearing for February 24, 2027, so payments to customers are not expected to begin until next year. For now, no action is required from customers, as the settlement website with a claims form has yet to go live. We will continue to provide updates on the case as they become available.

Below, we have answered some key questions regarding the lawsuit.

Why Was Apple Sued?

In June 2024, Apple previewed new Siri capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence, including understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

Apple advertised those Siri features in product presentations, on its website, in a TV commercial starring actor Bella Ramsey, and elsewhere.


In March 2025, Apple delayed the launch of the personalized version of Siri, leading to the company being hit with a class action lawsuit alleging false advertising.

In a statement, Apple touted a range of other Apple Intelligence features it had already released. Nevertheless, Apple agreed to settle the lawsuit "to stay focused" on "delivering the most innovative products and services to our users."

Apple finally announced "Siri AI" at WWDC 2026 in June, and the revamped assistant is available to test on the iOS 27 beta ahead of a September release.

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible to submit a claim, you must reside in the U.S. and have purchased any iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025.

The full list of eligible iPhone models:

• iPhone 15 Pro


• iPhone 15 Pro Max


• iPhone 16


• iPhone 16e


• iPhone 16 Plus


• iPhone 16 Pro


• iPhone 16 Pro Max

It is unlikely that individuals who submit a claim will still need to have physical possession of an eligible iPhone model. However, there is a possibility that proof of purchase or other information will be required, such as the device's serial number. Exact requirements will be outlined on the settlement website, which is still not live.

How Much Will Apple Pay Me?

According to the terms of the settlement, each person who files an eligible claim will receive a per-device payment of $25, but this amount could increase up to $95 if the total number of claims submitted is lower than anticipated.

Where and When Can I Submit a Claim?

Later this year, a settlement website is expected to go live with an online claims form.
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Apple announced new Mac mini machines this week, and the lower-end models include the first M6 chip. The M6 era will be a little complicated, because few Macs are going to get it. We won't have M6 Pro or M6 Max chips, which shakes up the Mac lineup for the next couple of years.

Devices With M6

The ‌Mac mini‌ is the first Mac with an M6, but the chip is going to come to a couple of other products in the lineup.

• MacBook Pro - The 14-inch entry-level MacBook Pro could be updated with an M6 chip in October 2026.


• iMac - The 24-inch iMac is also expected to get the M6 chip, likely around the time the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is updated.


• MacBook Air - The MacBook Air could get the M6 chip in early 2027.


• iPad Pro - The next iPad Pro could get the M6 chip.


• iPad Air - A future version of the iPad Air is likely to adopt the M6. Apple usually keeps the ‌iPad Air‌ processor one generation behind the ‌iPad Pro‌.

M6 Pro and M6 Max

Apple isn't going to make M6 Pro or M6 Max chips, according to Bloomberg, so the M6 will be the first standalone Apple silicon chip that won't have more powerful variants.

Instead of manufacturing M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, Apple is speeding up its chip development timeline to bring the M7 Pro and M7 Max to market more quickly. The M7 Pro and M7 Max will have technologies that support on-device AI and GPU-intensive software, so they better meet growing demand for processors with those capabilities.

M5 Makes Up the Gap

Macs that would have used an M6 Pro or M6 Max chip are going to be stuck with the M5 Pro and M5 Max until the M7 family is ready. That means the high-end OLED "MacBook Ultra" we're expecting in late 2026 or early 2027 is going to use the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips that are in the current ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. It's also possible it will get the M5 Ultra.

The new ‌Mac mini‌ also got the M5 Pro instead of an M6 Pro chip. The new Mac Studio announced alongside the ‌Mac mini‌ uses M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.

Short Life Span

The M6 isn't going to be around for long, because Apple plans to launch the M7 in the first half of 2027. The M7 Pro and M7 Max will follow at the end of the year.

M6 Features

The M6 is Apple's first chip built on a new 2-nanometer process that increases transistor density on a smaller die. The process change improves performance and efficiency.

It has a 12-core CPU with what Apple says is the world's fastest CPU core, a larger 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators for each core, a new Dual 16-core Neural Engine, and up to 170GB/s memory bandwidth.

The GPU has updated shader core architecture, Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and 50 percent higher geometry rates for complex graphics.
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As noted by Daring Fireball's John Gruber, developer Jeff Halter has released a new Afterglow app that allows you to run classic After Dark screen savers on modern macOS versions.

"Afterglow is an emulator built specifically for running After Dark modules -- the original 68k module code, not a remake or port -- with no dependencies on ROMs or classic Mac OS," said Halter, who has several fun nostalgic projects, such as After Dark space shooter Lunacy and HyperCard player Stacks.
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It's been an unusually big week for Apple announcements. On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the new Mac mini and Mac Studio, the M6 and M5 Ultra chips, and invites to Apple's September event.


Apple confirmed on Wednesday that its annual iPhone event will take place on Wednesday, September 9 at Apple Park, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with select members of the media invited to attend. The event's tagline is "Surprise and Shine." Apple is expected to introduce at least six new products, including the the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, iPhone 18 Pro, ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and the first foldable iPhone. Pre-orders should follow shortly after, and along with release dates for iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate.

Apple announced the new Mac mini on Tuesday, offering M6 and M5 Pro chip options. The machine gains an N1 networking chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and moves to 2.5Gb Ethernet as standard, up from 1Gb, with a 10Gb option. Thunderbolt 5 is restricted to the M5 Pro model, which gets three Thunderbolt 5 ports while the M6 model keeps Thunderbolt 4. Genlock support over USB-C also helps to sync a display's refresh timing to a camera such as the iPhone 17 Pro. Pricing starts at $899 with 16GB and 256GB, rising to $1,699 for the M5 Pro at 24GB and 512GB. Pre-orders are now open, with launch on September 22.

The M6 is Apple's first 2nm chip. Its 12-core CPU is split into 2 super cores, 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores, making it the first Apple chip to combine all three core types in one design. Super cores are Apple's top tier, optimized for single-threaded speed. The 12-core GPU features a Neural Accelerator in each core for the first time in a ‌Mac mini‌. The GPU also adds an updated shader architecture, Dynamic Caching, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing, while an all-new Dual 16-core Neural Engine doubles peak compute over the previous generation, with system frameworks able to drive both engines at once. Memory starts at 16GB and tops out at 32GB, running at up to 170GB/s. M5 Pro scales further, to an 18-core CPU, a 20-core GPU and up to 64GB at 307GB/s.

The new Mac Studio arrived alongside the ‌Mac mini‌, with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip options. The M5 Max offers an 18-core CPU with 6 super cores and 12 performance cores, an up-to-40-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in every core, and up to 128GB of memory at 614GB/s, with the GPU running up to 50% faster than the previous generation. Both configurations move to a next-generation SSD architecture on PCIe Gen 6 for up to twice the storage performance, and gain up to six Thunderbolt 5 ports at 120Gb/s, and the same genlock support as the ‌Mac mini‌. Apple's N1 chip also brings Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 to the ‌Mac Studio‌. Pricing starts at $2,499 for the M5 Max at 36GB and 512GB, and $5,499 for the M5 Ultra at 96GB and 1TB, with the 512GB memory option not arriving until late October.

The M5 Ultra is Apple's first quad-die chip, using a next-generation version of UltraFusion to join two dual-die M5 Max chips into a single processor. The result is a CPU with up to 36 cores, 12 super and 24 performance, delivering 1.25x the single-threaded and 1.3x the multithreaded performance of the M3 Ultra. Its up-to-80-core GPU is the most powerful Apple silicon GPU ever made and the first on an Ultra chip to feature Neural Accelerators. Second-generation Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated mesh shading and third-generation ray tracing lift graphics up 40% over the M3 Ultra, and the chip features a 32-core Neural Engine. Memory reaches 512GB at 1.2TB/s, which is a 50% bandwidth increase.

Other announcements this week included a new, softer Apple Polishing Cloth at $9, down from $19, and refreshed U.S. Magic Keyboards for the Mac, now featuring glyphs instead of edge text. Apple Support's 1-800-APL-CARE line is also now answered by a generative AI assistant in the U.S. and Canada.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion with YouTuber Michael Fisher about key rumors about the "iPhone Ultra" and how the device could compare to rivals.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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Apple TV has bought the worldwide rights to "Small Prophets," breaking with how it normally operates in acquiring an existing English-language hit rather than commissioning a show of its own from the start.



‌Apple TV‌ has typically developed or, at the very least, commissioned shows in-house and given them their premiere on the service, regardless of where they may eventually end up. This was the model behind the BBC's "Trying," which ‌Apple TV‌+ produced first and later licensed to the BBC once its own run had finished.

Apple has also picked up individual foreign-language titles in the past, such as the French-Japanese drama "Drops of God." "Small Prophets" marks new ground since it is an English-language series and it had already become a broadcast hit elsewhere before Apple stepped in.

The acquisition, reported by Deadline, follows a run on BBC Two that produced the strongest 28-day launch numbers for a comedy on the channel since 2022, a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the International Panorama award at this year's Series Mania festival.

"Small Prophets" will stream on ‌Apple TV‌ worldwide starting on October 7, with the exception of the UK, where the show debuted on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two earlier this year. Viewers in the UK will be able to continue watching it on iPlayer before it eventually moves to ‌Apple TV‌.

The show is written, created, and directed by Mackenzie Crook, best known for appearing in "The Office" and "The Detectorists."

Small Prophets follows Quigley as the eccentric Michael Sleep, an ordinary man who, since his darling Clea disappeared seven years ago, has worked in a DIY store, while visiting his elderly dad Brian and hoping for Clea to return. One day, Brian shares an old recipe for a potion so a skeptical Michael can create homunculi – magical spirits that can predict the future – to learn if he will see Clea again.

Michael gets help from his young DIY store co-worker Kacey and their unlikely friendship blossoms through a dislike of store manager Gordon, while his nosy neighbors obsess about what Michael is doing in the garden shed.

The show, set in and around suburban Manchester and is seeped in Crook's trademark gentleness... includes animated elements to show the more magical elements of the story.

Deadline compared "Small Prophets" to "Ted Lasso," which recently began its fourth season as ‌Apple TV‌'s biggest premiere ever, favoring a gentler, more serialized storytelling style over a traditional sitcom.
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Pre-orders of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro may not open until Saturday, September 12, a day later than the company's usual schedule, according to a new report.


Apple is set to hold its annual iPhone event on Wednesday, September 9, where the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are all expected to be announced.

Under Apple's typical launch plan, pre-orders begin the Friday immediately following the event, with devices shipping the following Friday. This year, that would place pre-orders on Friday, September 11, but Macworld reports that its German sister publication, Macwelt, has heard from a reliable source that Apple will instead push pre-orders back to Saturday, September 12.

There is precedent for this as the shift is reportedly tied to the date itself. September 11, 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and Apple has moved pre-orders away from that date before. In 2015, when the standard pre-order Friday also landed on September 11, Apple delayed iPhone 6S and 6S Plus pre-orders to Saturday, September 12.

The timing within the day is also said to be changing. Apple's pre-orders traditionally open at 5 a.m. PT, but the source says this year's window will instead start at midnight PT on Saturday.

The delayed pre-order date is expected to apply to the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4, alongside any other hardware Apple introduces at the event. Apple's foldable iPhone could follow at a later date, with pre-orders potentially not opening until late September.

Earlier this year, Macwelt reported that Apple would announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, but that announcement didn't actually come until March 2. That being said, Saturday, September 12 looks like a solid bet for the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌'s pre-order date, though the reported midnight PT start time is worth taking with a pinch of salt for now. Apple's iPhone event takes place in just under two weeks, on September 9.
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Apple's annual fall event takes place on Wednesday, September 9, when it is expected to unveil new iPhone 18 Pro models, the first foldable iPhone, an Apple Watch Series 12, a fourth-generation Apple Watch Ultra, and potentially AirPods 5. Apple may also make some additional new products available at its "Surprise and shine" event, but there are a handful of rumored upcoming devices that we don't expect to make an appearance this month.


To help set expectations ahead of Apple's "Surprise and shine" event, here are the products that Apple is unlikely to announce in September, but rather later on in the year or in 2027.

iPhone 18

Strange as it sounds, Apple's fall event this year will be missing a new regular iPhone. The successor to the iPhone 17 isn't expected until spring next year, as part of Apple's reported split-launch strategy. Going forward, Apple will dedicate its annual September event to its more expensive Pro-model iPhones and successive generations of its upcoming foldable iPhone.

The iPhone 18 could adopt Apple's upcoming 2-nanometer A20 chip. As for memory, information is mixed. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the device to have 9GB of RAM, 1GB more than the iPhone 17, while analyst Jeff Pu believes Apple will upgrade it with 12GB. If the iPhone 18 is limited to 9GB RAM, it will not support all Apple Intelligence features.

All iPhone 18 models could include a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, up from 18 megapixels. There are reports that Apple will use an improved display, which could also feature a smaller Dynamic Island.

iPhone Air 2

The iPhone Air that came out in September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 lineup didn't sell as well as expected, and a second version is no longer believed to be coming in September 2026. Despite some debate about the future of the iPhone Air, the latest rumors suggest a new model is still in development, and will likely arrive in spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e.

Apple is said to be adding a second camera to the next iPhone Air to make it more appealing to consumers and to justify its $999 starting price. Apple also wants to improve battery life, either through an increased battery size or improvements to efficiency. Given that the design of the new model is similar to the current design, there may not be room for a larger battery. The device will use an A20 Pro chip built on Apple's new 2nm process, so it could feature better efficiency.

New Apple Watch SE 4

The current Apple Watch SE 3 is Apple's most affordable Apple Watch option. Apple updated it in September 2025, but we are not expecting a new model in 2026, and there's no word yet on when a new version is coming.

New Macs

Apple reportedly plans to release an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip in late 2026, followed by a major high-end MacBook Pro redesign in late 2026 or early 2027. Reportedly dubbed "MacBook Ultra," the new 14-inch and 16-inch models are expected to feature M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, an OLED display, a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, and a thinner design.

Apple is also said to be readying new iMac models with an upgraded chip and new color options. The new version is likely to be an updated 24-inch model with an M6 chip, replacing the existing M4 model that arrived in October 2024.

While it isn't impossible, we're unlikely to see any Macs debut on September 9. Apple typically uses its fall event to focus on new iPhone and Apple Watch models. The company usually unveils new Macs in October via press release or a separate event.

Possibly, Maybe

In addition to new iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple Watch models, and AirPods, Apple is expected to prepare other products for release this year. Still, the company is unlikely to draw too much attention away from its flagship smartphones, and may choose to save the following products for a separate event or launch them via press release in October or November:

• iPad mini


• Apple TV


• HomePod mini


• Home hub

What are you looking forward to most from Apple this year? Let us know in the comments.

This article, "What NOT to Expect at Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' September 9 Event" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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As a result of Apple TV receiving a price increase today, the Apple One Individual plan has also gone up in price.

In the U.S., for example, the Apple One Individual plan now costs $21.95 per month, up from $19.95 per month. Apple One Family and Apple One Premier are not affected, but those plans already went up in price last month alongside an Apple Music price increase.

Today's Apple TV and Apple One price increases affect the U.S., Brazil, Chile, and Mexico only.
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Apple today informed MacRumors and others that the Apple TV streaming service is receiving a price increase in the U.S. starting today.


As a result of the Apple TV price increase, the Apple One Individual bundle has also gone up in price, with all of today's changes outlined below.

• Apple TV (Monthly): $14.99 per month (up from $12.99 per month)


• Apple TV (Annually): $119 per year (up from $99 per year)


• Apple One (Individual): $21.95 per month (up from $19.95 per month)

Apple TV also received a price increase in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico today, according to Apple, but no other countries are affected.

The higher prices are effective immediately for new subscribers, while existing subscribers will be notified approximately one month prior to being charged the new price, according to Apple. Existing subscribers should look out for an email from Apple over the coming days and weeks ahead of their next subscription renewal.

Apple TV initially cost just $4.99 per month in the U.S. when it launched in 2019, but the price has increased four times. The monthly price rose to $6.99 in 2022, to $9.99 in 2023, to $12.99 in 2025, and now to $14.99.

Apple One Family and Apple One Premier did not receive price increases today, but those plans already went up in price in July alongside an Apple Music price increase. Apple One Individual had avoided a price increase at that time.

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Amazon today has introduced the first cash discounts on Apple's brand new Mac mini, with discounts including two of the M6 models as well as the M5 Pro model. All of these deals are pre-order discounts on the 2026 Mac mini, which officially launches on September 22.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the 16GB RAM/256GB SSD Mac mini for $879.99, down from $899.00, and the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD model for $1,069.99, down from $1,099.00. Both of these devices come with the new M6 chip, and Amazon also has $29 off the M5 Pro Mac mini right now.





In terms of upgrades, Apple said the Mac mini with the M6 chip delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance, up to 4× faster performance for AI tasks in particular, up to 2× faster graphics performance, and up to 2× faster storage speeds compared to the previous-generation model with the 10-core M4 chip, 32GB of unified memory, and 2TB of storage.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Apple's M6 Mac Mini Gets First Pre-Order Discounts at Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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You can get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE for just $199.99 today on Amazon, down from $279.00. This is a steep discount on the wearable that beats the previous all-time low price by about $30, and matches the record low price of the 40mm GPS model of the smartwatch.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This is the Apple Watch SE with the Midnight Aluminum Case and Midnight Sport Band in the Medium/Large size. As of writing, this is the only model we're tracking on sale, and this is a very rare deal so anyone interested should check it out before Amazon takes it away.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Apple Watch SE 3 Hits New Low Price of $199.99 on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple CEO Tim Cook today pledged that the company will make a donation toward relief and rebuilding work in Nepal and Tibet, where flash floods and mudslides have killed hundreds of people.


On Wednesday, part of a Himalayan glacier collapsed, briefly damming a river before a surge of water and mud hit communities downstream. Many people are dead or missing, and roads, bridges, and homes near the Nepal–Tibet border have been destroyed.



This marks Apple's fifth disaster relief pledge in just over two months, after the company supported Indonesia's earthquake recovery earlier this month and previously stepped in for crises in Venezuela, Southern Europe, and Japan.

Cook makes this pledge in the final days of his tenure as CEO. John Ternus takes over the role on September 1, when Cook will shift into the newly created executive chairman position, where he is expected to continue representing Apple on policy matters.
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Volvo this week confirmed that Spatial Audio support in CarPlay, powered by Dolby Atmos, is now rolling out to EX90 models via a software update.

Volvo first detailed Spatial Audio for the EX60, EX90, and ES90 in July. It requires the optional Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
This article, "Spatial Audio in CarPlay Now Rolling Out in Volvo Vehicles" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Tim Cook shared an inside look at the work he is doing behind the scenes as he prepares to step down as Apple's CEO next week. Cook has been preparing incoming CEO John Ternus for the transition over the last several months, and today he introduced Ternus to popular Pokémon character Pikachu.


Cook said he and Ternus met with the Pokémon team to talk gaming. The accompanying video features Pikachu exploring the Apple Park campus, including dancing under the rainbow arch and picking an apple from the orchard.


It's not clear why the Pokémon team was at ‌Apple Park‌, but Cook first met Pikachu in September 2025 on a trip to Japan for the reopening of Apple Ginza in Tokyo.

There are several Pokémon-themed games available on Apple's platforms, including Pokémon GO, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, Pokémon UNITE, and Pokémon Champions.
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Tim Cook will be stepping down as Apple's CEO in just five more days, with the company's hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take over.


Below, we have surfaced some of Cook's notable quotes over his 15 years leading Apple.

August 2011, in an email to Apple employees upon becoming CEO:

I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple's unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that - it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.

May 2012, on Apple's secrecy:

We're going to double down on secrecy on products. I'm serious.

September 2012, in a public apology about the botched launch of Apple Maps:

At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

December 2012, when asked if it is true that he wakes up at 3:45 a.m. every morning:

Yes, every morning.

The thing about it is, when you love what you do, you don't really think of it as work. It's what you do. And that's the good fortune of where I find myself.

October 2014, in a public essay:

I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.

March 2015, the month before the Apple Watch launched:

Apple Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology and we think our customers are going to love it. We can't wait for people to start wearing Apple Watch to easily access information that matters, to interact with the world, and to live a better day by being more aware of their daily activity than ever before.

October 2015, on privacy:

We see that privacy is a fundamental human right that people have.

June 2017, expressing his excitement about augmented reality:

I think it is profound. I am so excited about it, I just want to yell out and scream.

March 2018, on what he would do if he were Mark Zuckerberg, amid a Facebook privacy scandal:

I wouldn't be in this situation.

March 2020, in response to COVID-19:

There is no mistaking the challenge of this moment. The entire Apple family is indebted to the heroic first responders, doctors, nurses, researchers, public health experts and public servants globally who have given every ounce of their spirit to help the world meet this moment.

August 2022, on Apple's legacy:

I think that when we look back one day and ask, what's been Apple's greatest contribution, it will be in health.

September 2022, in response to a customer asking why the iPhone did not support RCS, when Android smartphones already did at the time:

Buy your mom an iPhone.

June 2023, in Apple's Vision Pro announcement:

Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing. Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing, and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing. Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before — with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations.

April 2026, upon announcing he is stepping down as CEO:

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world.

And a list of Cook quotes would not be complete without:

Good moooorning!

Cook will remain at Apple as executive chairman on the company's board of directors. In this role, Apple said he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."
This article, "Tim Cook Stepping Down as Apple CEO Next Week: 15 Years in Quotes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple this week announced a new Mac Studio with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, discontinuing the M4 Max and M3 Ultra models that had been on sale since March 2025.


The machine's design is unchanged for a fifth consecutive year, with all of the upgrades being internal. The table below details everything that changed regardless of whether you choose a Max or an Ultra chip. The two tables that follow break down the differences within each tier.

What Changed Across Both Models

Here's everything that differs between the 2025 and 2026 ‌Mac Studio‌ irrespective of configuration:

‌Mac Studio‌ (2025)	‌Mac Studio‌ (2026)
Baseline SSD read and write speeds	Next-generation SSD architecture built on PCIe Gen 6, with up to twice the read and write speeds
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) via the Apple-designed N1 chip
Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 6
	Genlock over USB-C

With the latest model, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 arrive on the ‌Mac Studio‌ for the first time, facilitated by the same N1 chip Apple introduced in the iPhone 17 lineup. Apple also says the new machine is made with 35% recycled content overall, including 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets.

Mac Studio M4 Max vs. M5 Max

Here's everything that differs between the M4 Max and M5 Max configurations:

‌Mac Studio‌ (M4 Max, 2025)	‌Mac Studio‌ (M5 Max, 2026)
M4 Max chip	M5 Max chip
14-core CPU, configurable to 16-core, with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores	18-core CPU with 6 super cores and 12 performance cores
32-core GPU, configurable to 40-core	32-core GPU, configurable to 40-core, with Neural Accelerators built into every core and enhanced shader cores
Second-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing	Third-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Up to 546GB/s memory bandwidth	Up to 614GB/s memory bandwidth
36GB unified memory with the 32-core GPU, or 64GB with the 40-core GPU (128GB option withdrawn in May 2026)	36GB unified memory with the 32-core GPU, or 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB with the 40-core GPU
Weighs 6.1 pounds (2.74 kg)	Weighs 6.0 pounds (2.7 kg)
Now discontinued	Starts at $2,499

The most immediately useful change is at the entry level. The M4 Max started with a 14-core CPU and could be configured up to 16 cores, whereas the M5 Max has an 18-core CPU as standard with no CPU upgrade to buy. Apple has also changed its core architecture, dropping the performance and efficiency split in favor of 6 super cores and 12 performance cores.

Mac Studio M3 Ultra vs. M5 Ultra

The table below outlines every difference between the two Ultra configurations:

‌Mac Studio‌ (M3 Ultra, 2025)	‌Mac Studio‌ (M5 Ultra, 2026)
M3 Ultra chip	M5 Ultra chip
28-core CPU, configurable to 32-core, with 24 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores	30-core CPU, configurable to 36-core, with 12 super cores and 24 performance cores
60-core GPU, configurable to 80-core	64-core GPU, configurable to 80-core, with Neural Accelerators built into every core and enhanced shader cores
First-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing	Third-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing
Dynamic Caching	Second-generation Dynamic Caching
819GB/s memory bandwidth	1.2TB/s memory bandwidth
96GB, 256GB, or 512GB unified memory (512GB option withdrawn in March 2026 and the 256GB option withdrawn in May 2026)	96GB or 256GB unified memory, or 512GB with the 80-core GPU
Now discontinued	Starts at $5,499

Across both generations, the maximum GPU still contains 80 cores, the Neural Engine still contains 32 cores, display support and media engine is identical, storage still maxes out at 16TB, and maximum unified memory is still 512GB. The 1.2TB/s of bandwidth feeding that memory, which is 50% higher than before, and the Neural Accelerators for each GPU core, are among the key changes.

How Big Are the Upgrades?

Apple's own comparisons against the outgoing chips are heavily weighted toward AI and graphics. For the M5 Max against the M4 Max, Apple claims:

• Up to 3.9x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio


• Up to 3.5x faster text-to-image performance


• Up to 3x faster Magic Mask performance in Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio


• Up to 1.9x faster basecalling for DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW


• Up to 50% faster graphics performance

For the M5 Ultra against the M3 Ultra, Apple claims:

• Up to 4.3x faster text-to-image performance


• Up to 4x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio


• Up to 3.3x faster CopyCat ML training performance in Foundry Nuke


• Up to 1.8x faster graphics performance


• Up to 1.7x faster scene rendering performance in Maxon Redshift


• Up to 1.3x higher multithreaded CPU performance

On either chip, tasks that use matrix multiplication can run three to four times faster thanks to new Neural Accelerators in each GPU core.

Which to Choose?

Apple no longer sells the M4 Max or M3 Ultra models, which became relatively poor value for money by the end of their run. The M4 Max cost $2,499 with a 14-core CPU and up to 64GB of memory. For the same price, the M5 Max has an 18-core CPU, 614GB/s memory bandwidth, up to 128GB of memory, twice-fast storage, and Wi‑Fi 7. The M3 Ultra ended at $5,299 with a 96GB memory limit. For $200 more, the M5 Ultra brings back 256GB and 512GB options and adds 50% more memory bandwidth.

Current M4 Max and M3 Ultra owners generally do not need to upgrade after only 17 months. Launch buyers paid $1,999 or $3,999, so replacing their machine now costs 25–38% more for the same design, ports, Ultra core limits, storage limit, and Media Engine. The main exception is AI-heavy work. Local LLMs, on-device image or video generation, and demanding machine-learning tasks in applications like DaVinci Resolve or Nuke can benefit substantially from the new Neural Accelerators. The M5 Ultra's 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth can also improve large-model token generation.

The upgrade makes more sense for M1 or M2 ‌Mac Studio‌ owners. Apple says the M5 Max can process prompts up to 10.7× faster than the M1 Max, while the M5 Ultra can train ML models up to 15.4× faster than the M1 Ultra. Older models also lack Thunderbolt 5, AV1 decoding, and the newer Media Engine. If you already skipped the 2025 refresh, this is a more meaningful step forward.

The 2025 models are mainly worth considering used or refurbished at a steep discount. Apple raised prices in June, so lightly discounted older stock is often too close in price to a new model. One notable exception is an M3 Ultra with 256GB or 512GB of memory, since those configurations were unavailable new for much of 2026 and M5 Ultra equivalents will not ship until later this year.

When configuring, buyers should remember that memory and graphics are linked. The M5 Max always has an 18-core CPU, so the key choices are GPU and memory. More than 36GB of memory requires the 40-core GPU. With the M5 Ultra, 512GB of memory requires the 80-core GPU. If memory is your limit, as it often is for local AI tasks, you may need to pay for more GPU cores too. Apple says the 512GB M5 Ultra arrives in late October, with pricing expected to start above $10,000.

The M5 Ultra is now Apple's highest-end Mac. Apple discontinued the Mac Pro in March, seemingly with no plans for a replacement. There is no higher end Mac to wait for and no internal expansion path beyond adding a second machine.

Pre-orders are now open, with all but the 512GB model arriving on September 22. All M5 Ultra configurations now show a shipping time of 10–12 weeks in the United States.
This article, "2025 vs. 2026 Mac Studio Buyer's Guide: All Upgrades Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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LG is hosting a Labor Day sale on its website this week, with deals on monitors, TVs, home appliances, and more. LG's discounts have been automatically applied and do not require any discount codes or special memberships.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with LG. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Highlights of the event include up to $700 off select LG monitors and up to $2,700 off LG's best TV sets. Regarding the TVs, discounts include big savings on the new 2026 LG OLED evo AI sets, like the 65-inch LG OLED evo AI C6 4K Smart TV for $1,799.99 ($900 off) and the 65-inch LG OLED evo AI G6 4K Smart TV for $2,999.99 ($400 off).



This sale has been running for a few days now, and we're seeing stock running low on a few of LG's TVs. You can opt in to be notified if a TV is out of stock, and LG will send you an email when they've returned and are available to purchase.

TVs

50-inch

• 50-inch LG Nano 4K UHD TV - $279.99 ($50 off)


• 55-inch LG UHD 4K Smart TV - $299.99 ($80 off)


• 55-inch LG Nano 4K AI TV - $299.99 ($50 off)


• 50-inch LG QNED mini LED 4K Smart TV - $329.99 ($20 off)


• 55-inch LG 4K Nano AI Smart TV - $329.99 ($70 off)


• 55-inch LG QNED evo AI 4K Smart TV - $749.99 ($149 off)


• 55-inch LG Gallery TV with Frame 4K Smart TV - $799.99 ($500 off)

60-inch

• 65-inch LG Nano 4K UHD TV - $379.99 ($70 off)


• 65-inch LG 4K Nano AI Smart TV - $399.99 ($80 off)


• 65-inch LG QNED mini LED 4K Smart TV - $459.99 ($20 off)


• 65-inch LG OLED AI B6 4K Smart TV - $1,399.99 ($600 off)


• 65-inch LG OLED evo AI C6 4K Smart TV - $1,799.99 ($900 off)


• 65-inch LG OLED evo AI G6 4K Smart TV - $2,999.99 ($400 off)

70-inch

• 75-inch LG 4K Nano AI Smart TV - $499.99 ($200 off)


• 75-inch LG Nano 4K UHD TV - $549.99 ($50 off)


• 75-inch LG Mini LED 4K Smart TV - $649.99 ($150 off)


• 77-inch LG evo AI 4K Smart TV - $2,199.99 ($1,500 off)


• 77-inch LG OLED evo AI C5 4K Smart TV - $2,199.99 ($1,500 off)


• 77-inch LG evo M 4K Smart TV - $2,299.99 ($2,700 off)


• 77-inch LG OLED evo AI C6H 4K Smart TV - $2,799.99 ($900 off)


• 75-inch LG Micro RGB evo AI 4K Smart TV - $3,799.99 ($1,200 off)


• 77-inch LG OLED evo AI G6 4K Smart TV - $4,299.99 ($200 off)


• 77-inch LG OLED evo AI W6 4K Smart TV - $4,499.99 ($1,000 off)

80-inch+

• 85-inch LG Nano 4K UHD TV AI Smart TV - $749.99 ($100 off)


• 86-inch LG QNED AI 4K Smart TV - $1,299.99 ($399 off)


• 98-inch LG 4K Nano UHD TV - $1,499.99 ($700 off)


• 100-inch LG QNED evo AI mini LED 4K Smart TV - $3,299.99 ($1,199 off)


• 83-inch LG OLED AI 4K Smart TV - $3,499.99 ($800 off)

Monitors

• 34-inch UltraGear Curved Monitor - $249.99 ($150 off)


• 34-inch UltraWide Curved Monitor - $299.99 ($200 off)


• 34-inch UltraGear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor - $799.99 ($500 off)


• 27-inch UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor - $599.99 ($400 off)


• 32-inch UltraFine 6K Monitor - $1,099.99 ($900 off)

Appliances

• 24-inch FlushFit Top Control Dishwasher - $777.00 ($372 off)


• 26 cu. ft. Wide Bottom Freezer Refrigerator - $1,799.00 ($400 off)


• 27 cu. ft. Side-by-Side InstaView Refrigerator - $2,088.00 ($511 off)


• Single Unit Front Load WashTower - $1,999.00 ($600 off)


• Washer/Dryer LG WashCombo All-in-One - $2,443.00 ($856 off)


• 30 cu. ft. Smart French Door Refrigerator - $2,499.00 ($1,500 off)

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "LG Labor Day Sale Brings Major Discounts on OLED TVs and Monitors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has announced that it will be holding an event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and more.


Other products expected to be announced at the event include an Apple Watch Series 12 with a ceramic case option, an Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5 with and without active noise cancellation, and potentially more.

Here are the six products most likely to be unveiled at the event.

Most Likely

• iPhone 18 Pro: A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, a simplified Camera Control button, a Dark Cherry color option, and more.


• iPhone 18 Pro Max: The same features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro, but the Pro Max model may be slightly thicker due to a larger battery and a variable aperture camera, which might be exclusive to the Pro Max model this year.


• iPhone Ultra: A foldable iPhone Ultra with a 7.7-inch inner display and 5.3-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and more. iOS 27 is expected to be tailored for the foldable iPhone, allowing for side-by-side apps and other iPad-like multitasking functionality.


• Apple Watch Series 12: A faster S11 chip or newer, longer battery life, fitness tracking improvements, and a ceramic case option.


• Apple Watch Ultra 4: A faster S11 chip or newer, fitness tracking improvements, and additional satellite features for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and newer, such as Apple Maps via satellite and the ability to send and receive photos with Messages via satellite. Touch ID was initially rumored, but seemingly ruled out.
• AirPods 5: Two new AirPods 5 models with and without active noise cancellation.

Other Possibilities

Many of the products below are more likely to be announced in October this year, but perhaps some of them will appear at the September event.

• iPad mini: A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, an OLED display, a vibration-based speaker system, and a water-resistant design.


• iMac: M6 chip and new color options.


• 14-inch MacBook Pro: A new 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with an M6 chip.


• MacBook Ultra: A major MacBook Pro redesign in late 2026 or early 2027, with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, an OLED display, a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. On this laptop, which will reportedly be named MacBook Ultra, macOS 27 is expected to offer a touch-friendly interface.


• Apple TV: At least five new features, including an A17 Pro chip or newer, an increased 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence, Siri AI support, an Apple-designed N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and an updated Siri Remote.


• HomePod mini: Newer chip with Siri AI support, improved sound quality, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, and potentially new color options like red.


• Home Hub: An all-new smart home hub featuring Siri AI, a 6-inch to 7-inch square display, an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence, FaceTime, and more. There will a tabletop version with a speaker base and a wall-mounted version.

This article, "Apple Event: Six New Products to Expect on September 9" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The new Mac mini and Mac Studio models announced by Apple this week are "slated to ship" with macOS Golden Gate, according to Daring Fireball's John Gruber.


Apple's product pages for the new Mac mini and Mac Studio models mention macOS Golden Gate features such as Siri AI, providing further evidence that the computers will ship with the latest operating system, instead of macOS Tahoe.

In addition, FCC documents and other evidence uncovered by MacRumors all point towards the new Macs coming with macOS Golden Gate preinstalled.

"The new Mac mini comes to life with the upcoming macOS 27, which includes Siri AI, a profoundly more capable and personal assistant; helpful Apple Intelligence features across everyday apps; and an expansive set of improvements that make the Mac even more responsive and reliable," said Apple, in a press release.

Apple said the new Mac mini and Mac Studio will be released on Tuesday, September 22, so macOS Golden Gate would need to be released before that date if the computers will ship with that operating system. Based on historical patterns, macOS Golden Gate will most likely be released during the week of Monday, September 14.
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Amazon and Best Buy today have big discounts on the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, with up to $500 off select models. A handful of models have better discounts when compared to the last time we tracked these deals, coming in as much as $100 off previous price points.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

We're focusing on Amazon in the links below, but you can find every deal matched at Best Buy this week during its big Labor Day sale. This event includes savings on everything from Apple products to TVs, audio accessories, video games, appliances, and more.

14-Inch MacBook Pro

Prices start at $2,299.00 for the 24GB/1TB 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro, down from $2,499.00. Amazon is also providing $300 off the 15-Core/24GB/2TB model, as well as $300 off the 18-Core/24GB/2TB model, both of which are the best prices we've seen in the wake of the summer price hikes.

16-Inch MacBook Pro

In terms of the larger display models, we're tracking discounts on all four models on Amazon. These start at $2,759.99 for the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro configuration ($239 off), and reach up to $4,499.00 for the 48GB/2TB M5 Max device ($500 off).






If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple just announced a Subway Surfers+ crossover with hit Apple Arcade game Sneaky Sasquatch, with a "birdwatching update" coming September 17 that lets players photograph more than 30 species of birds in the game.

"Sneaky Sasquatch is the most beloved game on Apple Arcade and has had one of the most passionate communities of players since day 1," said Alex Rofman, Apple's senior director of Apple Arcade. "This exclusive crossover with Subway Surfers+ and the new birdwatching update are just the latest ways players can enjoy Sneaky Sasquatch, with more awesome updates planned for the game over the coming months."

As we reported in an earlier version of this article, Apple is seeking trademarks for Sneaky Sasquatch merchandise, including clothing, costumes, watches, jewelry, books, trading cards, bags, lunchboxes, bedding, towels, and more. Apple's request was filed on March 25 and is now under examination in the EU. It follows separate U.S. applications in October 2025 covering toys, plush figures, TV series, films, music, fan clubs, and board games.

Apple acquired Sneaky Sasquatch last year. Trademark filings don't guarantee that products will be released, but Apple may be exploring a wider merchandise line for the popular Apple Arcade game. Get your Sneaky Sasquatch iMessage stickers here.
This article, "Apple Announces Sneaky Sasquatch Updates, Files New Trademarks" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's logo for its upcoming September 9 "Surprise and shine" event hints at two rumored iPhone 18 Pro features, including new color options and a new camera system.


Apple fans often like to read into Apple's event invite graphics for clues about unreleased products, and this year Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is also taking part in the fun on Twitter (X).

First, Gurman says he sees the shining light behind Apple's logo as a nod to the "mechanical aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro Max."

MacRumors has been reporting since 2024 that Apple could introduce a variable aperture camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models – a first for any iPhone. However, a recent rumor out of China suggests the feature could be exclusive to the larger Pro Max model.

With a variable lens, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could allow users to manually shift the aperture, similar to on a DSLR camera. It could mean more control over depth of field and bright light, enabling sharper focus on subjects. That all depends on how Apple implements the feature, of course. It may be more automated than that.

Second, Gurman links the sky blue color of the event invite to a "possible new iPhone 18 Pro color." According to Macworld, Apple will likely introduce the device in Light Blue, alongside Dark Cherry (the new headline color), Dark Gray, and Silver.


It's not like we have much longer to wait to find out whether these takes are correct. Apple's event is less than two weeks away. Stay tuned to MacRumors for all the last-minute details.
This article, "Apple Event Logo Hints at Two iPhone 18 Pro Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced a new Apple Education Center in Hanoi to expand training and skill development programs for employees across its supply chain in Vietnam.


The new center is the first of its kind in the country and will begin offering courses this fall, operating in partnership with Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST). Apple and its partners already run almost 20 educational programs for supplier employees in Vietnam.

Courses will combine both online and in-person learning, covering areas including manufacturing, robotics, and automation technology. The center will also offer leadership and soft skills training aimed at helping workers advance in their current roles or move into new career paths.

The new center is the latest initiative funded by Apple's $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund, a global program the company launched in 2022. Apple said more than 9 million education and training sessions have been delivered via the fund so far, and more than 108,000 supplier employees have taken part in its Swift programming courses since 2017.

The fund also supports workplace rights education and health programs covering broader topics such as health and fitness programming, mental health, and disease screening.
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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has disputed the authenticity of iPhone Ultra renders shared by the typically-reliable leaker Evan Blass on X (Twitter). The images show the unreleased foldable iPhone in not just the rumored space gray and white colors, but also in a striking red.


"Hearing these renders came from Xiaomi," wrote Gurman, commenting on Blass's post. "This isn't a legitimate look at the foldable iPhone, which also doesn't come in red or green. Just renders made by Xiaomi for some reason. Carry on."

Apple is said to be planning to "stay away from fun colors" and stick to more traditional space gray/black and silver/white finishes for the book-style foldable iPhone. One rumor has described the darker color as a shade of indigo rather than black. Another rumor suggests there might not be a black color at all.

We'll know for sure soon. Apple will hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Wednesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, where the company is expected to debut the foldable alongside new iPhone 18 Pro models. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. This year, Apple is using the tagline "Surprise and shine" for its fall event.
This article, "'Exclusive Red' iPhone Ultra Images Not What They Seem" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple this week made available the fifth public beta of iOS 27, bringing a more stable version of the software to a wider audience following lengthy testing by developers. Keep reading to learn how to prepare your device for the beta software and how to install it.


Signing up to get the ‌iOS 27 or ‌iPadOS 27 public beta is simple once you know how – it can be done by enrolling an iPhone or iPad in Apple's free Apple Beta Software Program. The steps you need to complete to install the software on your device are provided towards the end of this article, but before you jump ahead, here are a few things worth considering.

Is My iPhone Compatible With iOS 27?

iOS 27 is supported on iPhone 11 and all of the same iPhone models as iOS 26. They include the following:

Is My iPad Compatible With iOS 27?

iPadOS 27 cuts support for more iPad models than last year's iPadOS 26 did, with older iPad Pro, iPad Air, ‌iPad‌, and iPad mini models all losing compatibility. iPadOS 27 is supported on the following iPad models:

Note that this compatibility list does not mean that all iOS 27/iPadOS 27 features will work with the above models. Several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and newer models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence.

For example, iOS 27's more intelligent and personal version of Siri is available on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, while two specific features tied to it are exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air.

Should I Install iOS 27 Public Beta?

Great question! Before downloading the update, it's worth noting that Apple does not recommend installing iOS 27 beta updates on your main iPhone/iPad, so if you have a secondary device, use that. This is beta software, which means there are often bugs and issues that pop up that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems. Apple still has fixes to make before the final release in September.

Make an Archived Backup of Your Device First

Before installing the beta, make sure to back up your iOS device before installing the software using the following method, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to iOS 26 if things go wrong.

1. Plug your iPhone into your Mac using the supplied cable.


2. Allow the accessory to connect by clicking Allow in the dialog prompt.


3. Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.


4. Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
   
   
5. If this is the first time connecting your device to your Mac, click Trust in the Finder window.
   
   
6. Tap Trust on your device when prompted, then enter your passcode to confirm.


7. In the General tab, click the circle next to where it says Back up all of the data on your iPad to this Mac.


8. If you want to encrypt the backup, check the box next to Encrypt local backup, then enter a password to protect your data.


9. If you don't want to create an encrypted backup, or you've already set up encrypted backups, click Back Up Now.
   
   

When the backup is finished, you can find the date and time of the last backup in the General tab, just above the Manage Backups button. Remember that this backup will not be overwritten when you manually or automatically back up your iPhone in the future, so you can restore it at any time by using the Restore Backup... option in the same Finder screen.

How to Download iOS 27 Public Beta

Downloading and install the iOS 27 Public Beta is very straightforward. Simply follow these steps:

1. Head over to Apple's Beta Software Program website and sign up using your Apple Account credentials.
   
   
2. Now go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update on your iPhone.


3. Tap Beta Updates. If you don't see the option, try switching off Download iOS Updates (Automatic Updates ➝ Download iOS Updates), then tap Back and it should appear.


4. Select iOS 27 Public Beta in the list, then tap Back.


5. Wait for the Software Update screen to check Apple's servers. When the iOS 27 Public Beta appears, tap Download and Install, then follow the instructions and wait for installation to complete.

iOS 27 Features

iOS 27's headline change is a more intelligent and personal version of Siri, but the update also brings a wider set of improvements across Apple's core apps and services. A new Siri mode in the Camera app works with Visual Intelligence, which lets you point their iPhone at real-world items like receipts and take useful actions directly from what's on the screen.

Apple Maps gains an enhanced Flyover experience powered by AI, with sharper and more lifelike aerial imagery for select cities. In the U.S., a new Local Lists feature surfaces relevant place collections, including trending restaurants and family-friendly destinations.

Find My adds more flexible location sharing controls. You can now share your location for a custom duration, set an exact time for sharing to expire, or pause sharing with specific people until the End of the day. Reminders and Calendar now also support natural language input, and Apple Intelligence will automatically fill in details such as the date, time, and location.

Wallet, Apple Cash, and Apple Pay also get major upgrades. iOS 27 adds Apple Intelligence-powered bill splitting with Apple Cash, custom Wallet passes created from physical cards, richer hotel key experiences, and a redesigned Apple Pay checkout flow with easier card switching and more payment details. Tap to Pay on iPhone also gains Tap to Share, letting customers securely share contact, shipping, and Loyalty information with participating merchants.

Apple's media and cloud apps get updates too. Apple Podcasts adds Search within individual shows, iCloud Shared Albums support full-resolution cross-platform sharing and more file types, and Apple Music improves AutoMix while expanding Lyrics Translation to more Language pairings.

• How to Downgrade From iOS 27 Beta to iOS 26

For the full list of iOS 27 features, check out Apple's press release.
This article, "How to Install iOS 27 Public Beta 5 on Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced it will hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. In the U.S. and several other countries, Apple used "Surprise and Shine" as its tagline for the event, but in other countries, the tagline isn't a literal translation.


Here are the different taglines Apple is using on its regional websites.

• U.S., UK, NZ, Australia, Ireland, India, Canada - Surprise and Shine.


• Canada, French - Des surprises dans l'air, or surprises in the air.


• Brazil - Surpreendente e brilhante, or surprising and brilliant.


• Mexico and Latin America - Sorpresas listas para brillar, which means surprises ready to shine.


• Germany, Austria, Switzerland - Staunen und strahlen, or something like wonder/amazement and radiate/shine.


• Spain - Un rayo de wow, which means a ray of wow or a flash of wow.


• France, Belgium - Un jour nouveau. Bientôt. The French phrase is a little different, translating to a new day, soon.


• Italy - L'alba di nuove sorprese, or the dawn of new surprises.


• Denmark - Det bliver solstrålende, or something like it's going to be brilliant/sunny. Solstrålende merges two words that mean sunbeam and brilliant.


• Norway - Tid for gode overraskelser, time for good surprises.


• Sweden - Förväntan. Förundran. Anticipation and wonder.


• Finland - Uudenkoitto, which translates to a new dawn or a new beginning.


• Poland - Zdumienia i olśnienia, which is surprise and amazement, or astonishment and revelation.


• Hungary - Ragyogó meglepetés, radiant/brilliant surprise.


• Portugal - O despontar de surpresas brilhantes, which translates to the dawn of brilliant surprises. Despontar is a word used for daybreak or sunrise, though Apple's Translate app says the phrase means "the unfolding of brilliant surprises."


• Turkey - Işıltılı. Şaşırtıcı. Heyecanlı or dazzling/sparkling, surprising, exciting.


• The Netherlands - Surprise party. Apple left this one in English.


• Czechia - Čas těšení, or time of anticipation.


• UAE, Saudi Arabia - بدايات تسطع بالمفاجآت, which means beginnings that shine with surprises.


• China - 亮新篇，来耀眼, which roughly means a bright new chapter, prepare to be dazzled. The 篇 character can also mean page of a book, which is perhaps an interesting nod to a foldable device.


• Hong Kong - 耀目驚喜，亮起新一章, translates to a dazzling surprise, lighting up a new chapter. It uses a different character for chapter and more clearly says surprise.


• Taiwan - 驚喜耀現，開新篇, meaning something like a dazzling surprise opens a new chapter.


• South Korea - 깜짝 빛날 시간, which translates to something like time to shine with a surprise. 깜짝 is surprise, 빛날 is shine, and 시간 is time.

The different taglines make it clear Apple lets its regional teams write their own content instead of using the same translation worldwide. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China all use the chapter concept, which is absent from the rest of the world. Many of the European translations use a new beginning or a new dawn, along with the same shining or radiant word in the U.S. version. A new beginning is similar to a new chapter, so the Chinese taglines are probably using that context rather than a book-like chapter context, but there may also be an intentional dual meaning there.

For all of the translations to English, there are multiple interpretations because there are characters or words with multiple meanings in English, or phrases that don't translate, but most have the same general meaning as Surprise and Shine.

Some regional Apple pages haven't been updated with the event info yet, including Japan, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam.

We're expecting Apple to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and the first foldable iPhone at its September 9 event.
This article, "Apple's iPhone Event Tagline is Different in Every Country" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Astropad today launched Rock Paper Pencil 4.0, an updated version of its screen protector and Apple Pencil tip combo made for the iPad.


Rock Paper Pencil offers a paper-like writing experience on a tablet display by pairing a paper-textured screen protector with custom tips for the ‌Apple Pencil‌. The new version of the product comes with two ‌Apple Pencil‌ tips, one with a smooth ballpoint feel and one that mimics a soft graphite pencil. Two of each tip come in the kit for four total.

Astropad says the new graphite tip is meant to feel just like a 2B pencil with a "soft, toothy drag" that's ideal for sketching or shading. It even has the sound of a pencil on paper. The ballpoint tip is meant to feel like a smooth gel pen, and it's suited to writing and linework.

The reusable screen protector remains the same as before, and users can put it on when writing or drawing on the ‌iPad‌ and take it off for other activities like gaming. It uses Astropad's NanoCling technology to attach, and it leaves no residue on the ‌iPad‌'s display because it doesn't use adhesive. The paper-like feel of the screen protector comes from a microscopic texture that adds a small amount of friction to improve control. When not in use, the screen protector can be kept in an included protective storage sleeve.


Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with most iPads, with a list available on the website. The tips work with all ‌Apple Pencil‌ models, including the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro.

Rock Paper Pencil 4.0 can be purchased from the Astropad website for $49.99. Astropad is also running a "Peel It Off" promo that offers $20 to people who switch to Rock Paper Pencil and share the removal of their old screen protector on social media.
This article, "Astropad Launches Rock Paper Pencil 4.0 With New Graphite Apple Pencil Tip" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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