Apple today released watchOS 11.6, the sixth update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.6 comes more than two months after Apple released watchOS 11.5. The update is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.
watchOS 11.6 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.
The watchOS 11.6 update focuses on bug fixes and security improvements, with no new features included. Apple's release notes are below.
This update provides bug fixes and important security updates for your Apple Watch.
Apple will soon replace watchOS 11 with watchOS 26, an update that is set to come out this fall.
Apple today released tvOS 18.6, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.6 comes 11 weeks after the launch of tvOS 18.5, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.6 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to the new version of tvOS automatically.
Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each new version of tvOS comes out.
Apple has also released a new version of the HomePod Software 18.6 for the HomePod and HomePod mini. HomePod software is based on tvOS. According to Apple's release notes, the HomePod software update includes performance and stability improvements.
Apple today released visionOS 2.6, the sixth update to the visionOS 2 operating system that came out in September. visionOS 2.6 comes two months after the launch of visionOS 2.5.
visionOS 2.6 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option.
According to Apple's release notes, visionOS 2.6 focuses on bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements. There are no new features in the update.
Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple TV, and rumors suggest that we could see it before the end of the year. We've rounded up all of the rumors on the features that we could see with the new model.
New A-Series Chip - The next-generation Apple TV is expected to get an updated A-series chip. The Apple TV could get the prior-generation A17 Pro, the current A18 series chips, or the A19 chips that are coming with the iPhone 17 lineup. With any of these chips, the Apple TV will support console-quality games thanks to much improved CPU and GPU performance.
Apple-designed Wi-Fi Chip - Apple is developing its own communications chip that combines Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, reducing its reliance on Broadcom. Apple's chip is expected to feature either Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, so either way it will work on the 6GHz Wi-Fi band. Users can expect faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency.
A Camera? - This is far from guaranteed and we haven't heard anything about it for quite some time, but there have been rumors suggesting that a future version of the Apple TV could have a front-facing camera for FaceTime. Right now, the Apple TV requires a connected iPhone for FaceTime calls, but if a built-in camera is added, an iPhone wouldn't be needed. A camera could also add support for gesture-based controls.
tvOS 26 - The next-generation Apple TV will run tvOS 26, the latest version of tvOS that Apple is beta testing right now. tvOS 26 has the new Liquid Glass design, changes to the Apple TV app interface, easier profile selection when logging in, Live Captions for FaceTime, and new aerial screensavers. There's also an option to use an iPhone as a microphone with the Apple Music Sing karaoke feature on the Apple TV.
Pricing - There's a possibility that Apple will cut costs for the next Apple TV, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple is targeting a price point around $100. If Apple uses the latest chips, it might not be able to hit that price with the flagship model, but there could be a lower-end entry-level option that's more affordable.
Apple could release the new Apple TV model as soon as September at its iPhone-centric event, but a new Apple TV could also be held until a second event in October or November.
For more on the next Apple TV 4K, we have a dedicated rumor guide that receives regular updates.
Specifically, it was rumored that the Telephoto lens in the iPhone 17 Pro models will be able to move, allowing for multiple focal lengths. As a result, the tipster claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro models will let you switch between 5× and 8× optical zoom, without tricks like sensor cropping. A moving Telephoto lens would require more parts and internal space, which could explain why the camera bump is expected to increase in size this year.
On the iPhone 16 Pro models, the Telephoto lens has a fixed focal length of 120mm, and it offers a single 5× optical zoom option. Apple says the devices also have a 2× optical zoom option, but that uses the main rear camera with sensor cropping, which in simple terms is a technique that effectively zooms in on the center of a larger photo.
Of the three rear camera lenses on the iPhone 16 Pro models, the Telephoto lens is the one that is furthest to the right, so the parts that would allow the lens to move on the iPhone 17 Pro models could be housed inside the middle of the camera bump, in the area between the lenses and the LED flash/rear microphone/LiDAR Scanner.
For now, this is only speculation about a rumor. We should find out what Apple has officially planned in just about six weeks from now.
Another image of the iPhone 17 Pro's rumored new MagSafe design has surfaced. Unfortunately, though, the image's quality is pretty low.
A user known as "UnclePan" on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week shared an image of third-party MagSafe cases that are apparently for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
On the iPhone 17 Pro cases, the MagSafe layout has changed slightly, with the magnets no longer forming a complete circle on those devices.
On the regular iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air, however, the MagSafe design is unchanged compared to previous iPhone models.
As always, the MagSafe outline will only be visible on cases, and not on the iPhones directly.
Years ago, "UnclePan" accurately leaked that the Apple Watch Series 7 would be available in then-new 41mm and 45mm sizes, but the account does not have a perfect track record. However, this particular rumor has been corroborated by other sources.
Apple will likely announce the iPhone 17 series in just about six weeks from now.
JPMorgan Chase is in "advanced talks" with Apple about becoming the Apple Card's new financial partner, according to The Wall Street Journal.
JPMorgan owns Chase Bank, one of the largest banking chains in the United States.
Barclays and Synchrony were also reportedly in the running to become the Apple Card's new financial partner, but it looks like JPMorgan Chase is currently the frontrunner. The report said JPMorgan Chase's talks with Apple "accelerated in recent months."
JPMorgan Chase would be taking over for Goldman Sachs.
Goldman Sachs is in the process of winding down its consumer lending business, which has lost billions of dollars in recent years. On an earnings call this year, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said the company is contracted to be the Apple Card's lender until 2030, but he said there is a "possibility" that the partnership will end earlier.
Last year, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Apple and Goldman Sachs nearly $90 million combined after finding the companies mishandled transaction disputes and misled iPhone users about interest-free payment options.
If the Apple Card does eventually get a new financial partner, it is unclear if there would be any major changes to the card's features and policies.
Apple will launch its first foldable iPhone in September 2026 as part of the iPhone 18 lineup, according to JPMorgan.
In a market research note to investors, the bank supported the increasingly corroborated rumor that Apple will launch the device next year. The iPhone 17 lineup will apparently offer few compelling upgrades, resulting in investor focus shifting to Apple's 2026 launches.
The first foldable iPhone will apparently be priced at $1,999 and create a $65 billion market opportunity for Apple, with high-single-digit earnings accretion in the medium term. JPMorgan forecasts foldable iPhone sales of around 45 million units by 2028, starting in the low-teens millions in 2027. Foldable smartphone sales in 2025 reside at around 19 million units; Apple's influence on the market is expected to be considerable.
Apple's first foldable iPhone is rumored to feature an inward-folding book-style 7.8-inch display with virtually no crease, a 5.5-inch outer display, a titanium chassis, a durable hinge with Liquid Metal, two rear cameras, and Touch ID instead of Face ID.
Today we're tracking a collection of discounts on Apple's M4 MacBook Pro at Amazon, including as much as $436 off select models of the computer. Most of these deals represent new all-time low prices on each model.
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.
Deals include both 14-inch and 16-inch models, and the most notable deals this time around are on the former group. You can get the entry-level 16GB RAM/512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro for $1,299.00, down from $1,599.00. This represents a new record low price on the model, and both M4 1TB models are also seeing new best-ever prices at $300 off during this sale.
For the 16-inch models, you'll find the steepest deals on these computers on Amazon this week. The biggest discount is on the high-end M4 Max 48GB RAM/1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro, available for $3,562.84, down from $3,999.00.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
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Apple today announced the all-new Apple Manufacturing Academy, which kicks off with a two-day event in Detroit, Michigan next month.
On August 19-20, Apple engineers and Michigan State University experts will consult with small- and medium-sized businesses on how they can implement AI and other technologies to enhance manufacturing, according to the announcement.
The sessions will focus on machine learning, automation, and more.
The two-day event is just one aspect of the Apple Manufacturing Academy. Apple engineers are also offering in-person and virtual consulting services. And later this year, the academy will offer virtual programming.
"Apple works with suppliers in all 50 states because we know advanced manufacturing is vital to American innovation and leadership," said Apple's COO Sabih Khan. "With this new programming, we're thrilled to help even more businesses implement smart manufacturing so they can unlock amazing opportunities for their companies and our country."
India has overtaken China as the leading manufacturer of smartphones shipped to the United States, a change largely driven by Apple, according to Canalys.
New data from Canalys shows that iPhone shipments to the United States fell 11% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2025, as the company accelerated a major supply chain shift to India amid persistent trade tensions with China; Apple shipped 13.3 million iPhones to the U.S. between April and June, down from 14.9 million units in the same period last year.
The decline follows a strong first quarter in which Apple saw a 25% year-over-year shipment increase, partly attributed to early consumer purchases ahead of anticipated tariffs. Canalys attributes the second-quarter decline to a combination of frontloaded demand, rising economic pressure on consumers, and increased competition in the low- and mid-range segments of the market.
Despite the drop in shipments, Apple remained the leading smartphone vendor in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2025, holding a 49% market share. This still represents a 7% decline from the 56% share recorded in the second quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, Samsung obtained 38% year-over-year growth, reaching 8.3 million units shipped and expanding its market share from 23% to 31%.
The share of U.S. smartphone shipments assembled in China dropped from 61% in the second quarter of 2024 to 25% in the second quarter of 2025. India now accounts for 44% of U.S. smartphone imports, up from just 13% a year ago. This marks the first time India has overtaken China as the leading manufacturing hub for smartphones shipped to the United States.
India became the leading manufacturing hub for smartphones sold in the U.S. for the very first time in Q2 2025, largely driven by Apple's accelerated supply chain shift to India amid an uncertain trade landscape between the U.S. and China. Apple has scaled up its production capacity in India over the last several years as a part of its 'China Plus One' strategy and has opted to dedicate most of its export capacity in India to supply the U.S. market so far in 2025.
Apple began assembling iPhone 16 Pro models in India during the quarter, marking a significant expansion of the company's operations in the country. Nevertheless, the company continues to rely on manufacturing facilities in China to meet the full scale of U.S. demand for Pro models.
The shift is part of Apple's broader effort to mitigate risk from U.S.-China trade tensions and reduce dependence on a single country for production. Apple also continued to frontload inventories in the second quarter to prepare for potential tariffs later in 2025.
Apple built up its inventories rapidly toward the end of Q1 and sought to maintain this level in Q2. Yet, the market only grew 1% despite vendors frontloading inventory, indicating tepid demand in an increasingly pressured economic environment and a widening gap between sell-in and sell-through.
The 1% overall market growth in U.S. smartphone shipments in the second quarter suggests that consumer appetite for new smartphones remains subdued. Apple is expected to report earnings on July 31.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
While the iPhone 17 Pro is not expected to launch until September, a prototype of the device has potentially been spotted in the wild. However, the mysterious device could be just about anything, so this might simply be a false alarm.
X account @Skyfops today shared two somewhat blurry photos of the mysterious device. The post was later shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"I just spotted a test development iPhone in the wild," the post said.
In one of the photos, a person wearing reflective sunglasses can be seen holding what appears to be an iPhone inside of a thick black protective case, which might be intended to disguise the design of the iPhone 17 Pro in public. They are also holding what appears to be an iPhone 16 Pro with a sticker on the back of it, which could be hiding a data matrix code that allows Apple to track internal iPhones used by employees for development purposes.
What might make the disguised device an iPhone 17 Pro? Rumors indicate that the back of the device will have a rectangular camera bump, with the LED flash, rear microphone, and LiDAR Scanner expected to be vertically aligned on the right side of the bump. And in the photo, the back of the device seems to have circular openings in the top-right corner for what could be the LED flash and LiDAR Scanner.
Gurman seems to think the photos might be the real deal. "This looks legit," he said.
Adding to the intrigue, @Skyfops alleged that "the guy on the right was security and trying to go in front of the iPhone to hide it."
The user is located in Los Angeles, according to the account's bio.
Even if this really was an iPhone 17 Pro prototype in the wild, these photos do not really show anything that is not already rumored. But who doesn't love an old-school 2010-era rumor in mid-summer, as we count down the days to Apple's announcement?
Just hours after we published a long list of Apple Stores that are opening or closing this year, Apple has announced one more.
The existing Apple Shadyside opened in 2004
Apple Shadyside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will be on the move next month, with the store set to relocate from 5508 Walnut Street to 5436 Walnut Street. The new store is in a two-floor unit that was previously occupied by clothing brand Gap. Apple has completed extensive renovations to the unit, which has an all-new facade.
The new store will be holding its grand opening on Saturday, August 9 at 10 a.m. local time, according to Apple's website. It is located just west of Bellefonte Street, just steps away from Apple's existing store on Walnut Street.
The new store is significantly larger than the original Apple Shadyside, which will be closing as part of the shuffle. It will have an updated design, which typically includes an Apple Pickup station for in-store pickup of online orders, and often a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights for improved accessibility. Apple's newer stores also use more engineered wood, whereas classic stores made extensive use of stainless steel.
Apple Shadyside first opened in September 2004, so the company has already been doing business on Walnut Street for more than 20 years.
Amazon has brought back the all-time low price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, available for $649.99, down from $799.00. We first tracked this deal during Prime Day, but it hasn't reappeared since then.
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.
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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When the iMac moved from Intel processors to Apple silicon in 2021, the desktop computer also received a new colorful, ultra-thin design. Since then, the iMac has lacked something that it had for many years: an Apple logo below the screen.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Apple did prototype a version of the current iMac with an Apple logo in the "chin" area, according to a post on X today from a user known as Kosutami. The user has occasionally shared images of alleged Apple device prototypes, but they have also shared some incorrect information in the past.
Apple evidently went with a logo-free iMac screen, but 2021-and-newer models do still have a large Apple logo on the back of the computer.
It would probably be more surprising if Apple had NOT tested both logo and logo-free designs, but if this sort of thing interests you, then now you know.
Do you think Apple made the right choice? Let us know in the comments section.
Fun fact: before the EVT Stage development of AppleSilicon iMac, they've planned to put an Apple logo under the screen. Then they removed it until today. #AppleInternalpic.twitter.com/sivIRzegNh
— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) July 28, 2025
Microsoft Threat Intelligence found a Spotlight-related vulnerability that could allow attackers to steal private file data, outlining the issue in a blog post today. Microsoft's threat team is calling the exploit "Sploitlight" because it uses Spotlight plugins.
According to Microsoft, the vulnerability is a Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) bypass that can leak sensitive info cached by Apple Intelligence. Attackers could have used it to get precise location data, photo and video metadata, face recognition data from the Photo Library, search history, AI email summaries, user preferences, and more.
TCC is designed to keep apps from accessing personal information without user consent. Spotlight plugins that allow app files to appear in search are sandboxed by Apple and heavily restricted from accessing sensitive files, but Microsoft found a way around that. Microsoft researchers tweaked the app bundles that Spotlight pulls in, leaking file contents.
Microsoft shared details of the bypass with Apple, and Apple addressed the issue in macOS 15.4 and iOS 15.4, updates that came out on March 31. The vulnerability was never actively exploited, because Apple was able to fix it before it was disclosed.
Apple's security support document for the update said that the problem was addressed through improved data redaction. Apple fixed two other vulnerabilities that were credited to Microsoft at the same time with improved validation of symlinks and improved state management.
Amazon is closing out July with new best-ever prices across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with discounts that beat Prime Day prices by about $50. In total, you'll find $200 off every M4 MacBook Air notebook right now on Amazon, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.
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.
Starting with the 13-inch models, Amazon has $200 off all three configurations of this notebook. Prices start at $799.00 for the 256GB model, then raise to $999.00 for the 16GB/512GB model and $1,199.00 for the 24GB/512GB model. Every deal represents a new all-time low price on the M4 MacBook Air.
Moving to the larger display models, Amazon has both 512GB versions of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week, as well as the 256GB model. The 16GB/512GB model is available for $1,199.00 and the 24GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,399.00. Across the board, these are all record low prices on the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air.
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 will be permanently closing a retail store in China next month, but it is also in the process of opening several new stores around the world.
As reported by the South China Morning Post today, Apple Parkland in Dalian, China will be closing on Saturday, August 9 at 8 p.m. local time, according to the store's listing on Apple's website. This is a permanent store closure, rather than a relocation.
In a statement shared with MacRumors today, Apple said that it decided to close the store because the Parkland shopping mall (recently rebranded as Intime City) has lost several retailers. Apple confirmed that all affected employees at the store will have the opportunity to continue to work for the company going forward.
Apple's full statement:
At Apple, we're always focused on providing an exceptional experience for all of our customers both online and at more than 50 Apple Store locations across Greater China. Given the departure of several retailers at the Parkland Mall, we have made the decision to close our store there on August 9, 2025. We love serving the Dalian community, and all of our valued team members will have the opportunity to continue their roles with Apple. We look forward to welcoming customers at our nearby Olympia 66 store, as well as on Apple.com and the Apple Store app.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the mall's landlord has been facing financial struggles and litigation for several years, leading to the mall's majority shareholder assuming full control of leasing and operations earlier this year.
Other retailers that have departed the mall include Coach, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, UGG, and others, the source said.
Apple has more than 50 other stores across Greater China, and its all-new Uniwalk Qianhai store in Shenzhen opens on August 16.
Apple has announced many store openings and closures this year, so we have shared a list of all of the locations below as a recap.
The 10 stores that are opening or closing later this year are bolded.
Opened/Opening
Apple MixC Hefei in Hefei, China on January 18 (New)
Apple Miami Worldcenter in Miami, Florida on January 24 (New)
Apple Trafford Centre near Manchester, England on March 1 (Updated)
Apple La Encantada in Tucson, Arizona on June 14 (Updated)
Apple Perth City in Perth, Australia on June 26 (Updated)
Apple Touchwood Centre in Solihull, England on July 26 (Updated)
Apple is in the process of renovating or relocating several other stores, such as Apple Roosevelt Field in New York, Apple Baybrook in Texas, and Apple The Galleria in Florida, but it has yet to announce grand reopening dates for those locations.
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The existing Apple Shadyside opened in 2004
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.
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.
