WWDC is less than a month away, so the focus of the Apple world is turning toward what we might see in the next major operating system updates, but we're also looking ahead to the busy hardware update season in the fall.
This week also saw a significant change to Apple's education pricing program in some countries, while a new commemorative U.S. coin featuring Steve Jobs made a brief appearance, so read on below for all the details!
Top Stories
11 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro
We're only four months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Despite cost pressures from industry-wide memory shortages that are forcing some Android smartphone manufacturers to raise prices, one analyst believes Apple will be "aggressive" on pricing with the iPhone 18 Pro models.
iOS 26.5 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.5
Apple this week released iOS 26.5 and related updates to the general public, delivering several new features and dozens of fixes for security issues.
The headline features in iOS 26.5 include a beta of end-to-end encryption for RCS messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users on supported carriers, a new "Suggested Places" section in the Maps app for recommendations based on your location and recent searches, and a new Pride Luminance wallpaper option.
macOS 27: Two More Changes Leaked Ahead of WWDC Next Month
macOS 27 will have a "slight redesign" compared to macOS Tahoe, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter this week, Gurman said the design changes will help to improve the readability of macOS Tahoe's Liquid Glass interface.
In addition, Gurman said macOS 27 will have a new Safari feature that can automatically organize browser tabs into groups. This feature, previously revealed by MacRumors, is also expected to be available on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27.
macOS 27 and Apple's other major operating system updates will be revealed during the WWDC keynote on June 8.
Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year
While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features.
Apple Watch Series 12 and potentially Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we recently recapped some of the key rumored hardware and software changes. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was just updated last year and it typically goes two to three years between refreshes.
Touch ID is one interesting rumor that has been circulating based on leaked Apple code, but one leaker recently claimed it won't be coming to the next-generation Apple Watch models, so we'll have to wait and see whether it makes an appearance. Otherwise, it seems battery life improvements, new Apple Intelligence and satellite features, and a few other quality-of-life improvements are likely.
Apple Now Requires UNiDAYS Verification for Education Discounts in U.S. and Canada, Adds Apple Watch
Apple has long offered discounted pricing on an array of products to educational customers, but in the U.S. and Canada this has largely been on the honor system outside of the occasional audit.
That changed as of this week, with Apple now requiring education customers in the U.S., Canada, and several other countries to verify their eligibility via the UNiDAYS system that the company has long used in other countries around the world.
On the positive side, Apple Watch is now eligible for education pricing in a number of countries, delivering a roughly 10 percent discount compared to regular pricing.
Steve Jobs U.S. Commemorative $1 Coin Goes on Sale, Immediately Sells Out
The United States Mint this week began selling a new $1 American Innovation Coin featuring Steve Jobs, although the coins sold out within minutes.
The $1 Steve Jobs Coin features a young Steve Jobs in a turtleneck, jeans, and sneakers, sitting in front of the Northern California landscape. Jobs is said to be "captured in a moment of reflection," in which "his posture and expression reflect how this environment inspired his vision to transform complex technology into something as intuitive and organic as nature itself."
The coin is part of the American Innovation $1 Coin Program that has been graudally honoring groundbreaking innovations and innovators from every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia for nearly a decade.
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