Apple is likely winding down work on the initial release of iOS 27 as it prepares to install the operating system on new iPhone models coming next month, but some changes are still being made as we saw with the fifth round of betas this week.


Other news and rumors this week included a look at an alleged battery from the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max, third-party accessories revealing some information about the foldable "iPhone Ultra," and more, so read on below for all of the details!

Top Stories

Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 5

We're a little over a month away from the launch of iOS 27, and Apple is continuing to make changes. The fifth beta of ‌iOS 27‌ seeded to developers and public beta testers this week changes the look of some app icons and adjusts Liquid Glass, plus it adds some smaller features that make the iPhone just a little nicer to use.


Check out our full overview of all of the changes in the latest beta.

iPhone 18 Pro Max's Larger Battery Capacity Allegedly Revealed

The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a nearly 12% larger battery compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to an apparent leak.


An alleged photo of a battery pack for a Chinese model of the iPhone 18 Pro Max with a SIM card tray lists a capacity of 5,391 mAh, up from 4,823 mAh for the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro Max battery.

The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly start with the same 256GB of storage as the iPhone 17 Pro, but one analyst firm estimates that memory price spikes and other increases will raise Apple's costs to manufacture the new models by approximately 38%.

'iPhone Ultra' Screen Protectors Reveal Asymmetric Corners

The leaker known as "Ice Universe" this week shared images and a hands-on video of screen protectors for Apple's rumored "iPhone Ultra," and the leak appears to confirm a few of the most discussed details about the foldable's front design.


Notably, the leaked accessory has square corners on the side that would sit next to the hinge, and rounded corners on the opposite edge. That asymmetry lines up with months of rumors describing a foldable device with a hinge on one side, and the leak marks one of the clearest looks yet at how the proportions and shape carry over to the cover display itself.

Third-party camera protectors intended for the iPhone Ultra may also point to two expected color options for the device: silver and dark blue.

Apple Watch Rethink Could See Debut of Round Model, Screenless Fitness Tracker, and More

Apple is re-evaluating the Apple Watch lineup and considering a host of radical new designs, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In this week's edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman compared plans for the Apple Watch's evolution to the "revolutionary design change" that the foldable iPhone represents. It will be "something that transforms the product for a new era."

Apple's industrial design team has reportedly been "exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches" for some time, with several directions under evaluation including offering a round display and even some screenless fitness tracker products.

In the nearer term, a ceramic case option for the Apple Watch could return either this year or next. The material has been absent from the Apple Watch lineup since the discontinuation of the Series 5.

New MacBook Pro and Refreshed iMacs Likely Coming in October

Apple is likely to unveil a new M6 MacBook Pro and refreshed iMacs in October, based on its typical release schedule, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Writing in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reiterated his belief that Apple is readying the launch of a refreshed base-model MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display powered by an M6 chip.

As for iMacs, the new version is likely to be an updated 24-inch model with an M5 chip or M6 chip, replacing the existing M4 model. No major design changes are expected.

iPhone Users Who Pay for Enough iCloud Storage Get New iOS 27 Perks

If you are subscribed to an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage, you will receive new perks in the Home app on iOS 27, according to Apple.


Starting with iOS 27, Apple said iPhone users who are subscribed to an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage receive access to three new Apple Intelligence features in the Home app: generated video descriptions for HomeKit Secure Video cameras, the ability to search for camera clips, and automatic surfacing of noteworthy clips.

According to Stephen Robles, the Home app on the fifth developer beta of iOS 27 now indicates how many HomeKit Secure Video cameras are eligible for generated video summaries. Robles told us he had a total of 8TB of iCloud+ storage (6TB plus 2TB from Apple One), and this made him eligible for video summaries for up to 15 cameras.

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This article, "Top Stories: iOS 27 Beta 5, iPhone 18 Pro Rumors, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on a high-end MacBook Pro that could be called the "MacBook Ultra." The device will have several firsts in a Mac, including an OLED display and a touchscreen.


The "Ultra" name isn't a sure thing, because Apple could also continue to call the device the ‌MacBook Pro‌ and make it a high-end model in the Pro lineup. There are rumors of other "Ultra" devices in the works like AirPods and the foldable iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Ultra.

Design

Apple hasn't redesigned the ‌MacBook Pro‌ since the launch of the M1 Pro and M1 Max models in 2021, so the device is due for a new look. The MacBook Ultra could feature some design changes, including a thinner chassis.

Apple could get rid of the notch on the MacBook Ultra, replacing it with an iPhone-style Dynamic Island. A ‌Dynamic Island‌ could better unify the way Siri AI behaves across the iPhone and the Mac with iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate.

Size Options

The MacBook Ultra will be available in both 14-inch and 16-inch size options.

Display

Apple's upcoming MacBook will be the first with an OLED display. OLED display technology is already used for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad Pro, but it has taken time for larger-sized OLED screens to come down in price.

OLED will be an upgrade over the current mini-LED display technology in most cases, bringing deeper colors and a higher contrast ratio with true blacks. In an OLED display, individual pixels turn off instead of dimming when not activated, so there's less light leakage. OLED displays tend to have better HDR than mini-LED, but sometimes don't match the mini-LED brightness levels.

Along with OLED technology, the MacBook Ultra is expected to have the first touchscreen display on a Mac. Users will be able to use their fingers to interact with the Mac's display, similar to an iPad.

Touchscreen capabilities will be used alongside the trackpad and keyboard, suggesting Apple sees touch as supplementary rather than a primary control method. Apple is rumored to be adapting ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ for touch input.

Apple plans to add a reinforced hinge to the MacBook Ultra's display so that it doesn't wobble when it's tapped.

MacBook Ultra Hints

There are features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ that hint at a future touchscreen Mac. Apple added direct touch input to Sidecar so users can tap and interact with macOS elements when using the ‌iPad‌ as a Mac display.

‌macOS Golden Gate‌ supports an iPhone-style pull-to-refresh option, and it can be used across apps like Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar. A pull-to-refresh option makes the most sense on a touch display.

Chips

The current ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are equipped with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and Apple plans to use the same chips for the rumored MacBook Ultra.

Apple is planning to introduce the M6 chip as soon as late 2026, but Bloomberg says Apple isn't going to release any other chips in the M6 series. Apple's chip plans have changed in recent months, and the company is now accelerating the launch of the M7 series. The M7 chips feature major neural processing improvements that will meet increasing demand for machines better able to handle AI tasks.

With no M6 Pro or M6 Max planned, Apple will need to use the M5 Pro and M5 Max so it doesn't have to wait for the M7 series before debuting the MacBook Ultra. A second-generation MacBook Ultra will use the M7 Pro and M7 Max chips, with that machine planned for late 2027 or early 2028.

Pricing

Apple's OLED MacBook is expected to be a premium product, with a price tag higher than current ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Apple raised the prices of all Macs in June 2026, and so the MacBook Ultra will likely be even more expensive than expected. ‌MacBook Pro‌ pricing went up $300.

The higher-end 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M5 Pro chip starts at $2,499 after the price increase, while the 16-inch M5 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $2,999. The OLED MacBook will be priced even higher.

Launch Date

Rumors suggest the MacBook Ultra will launch in late 2026 or early 2027, with mass production to start in late 2026. If the MacBook Ultra comes in 2026, it could be released sometime between October and December, but it won't be introduced at Apple's September iPhone event. If the new MacBook launches in 2027, it could come early in the year at Apple's first 2027 event.

Timing is uncertain because of ongoing memory shortages. Apple will need to be able to secure enough memory chips, and that could affect the company's launch plans.
This article, "MacBook Ultra: Everything We Know About Apple's OLED Touchscreen Mac" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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