MacRumors

Apple's software engineers recently began testing iOS 27.4, according to the MacRumors visitor logs.

Fun fact: Apple tests the "fall" (iOS 27.0) and "spring" (iOS 27.4) software releases concurrently.

This week's best deals include ongoing all-time low prices on AirTag 2, plus great discounts on the previous-generation M3 iPad Air, for anyone who wants to avoid price hikes on the M4 models. We're also tracking Fourth of July savings from popular accessory makers this weekend.

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.

Fourth of July Deals

It's Fourth of July weekend, and we're tracking numerous sales across popular accessory companies right now. This includes sitewide deals at Anker, B&H Photo, Best Buy, OtterBox, ZAGG, and more. Many of these savings events will end on Sunday, July 5, so be sure to shop them this weekend before they're gone.

• Anker - Get up to 40% off charging accessories
• AT&T - Get iPhone 17 Pro Max for up to $1,100 off
• B&H Photo - Save on computers, photography equipment, and more
• Best Buy - Save sitewide on Apple gear and more
• Hyper - Get up to 25% off
• JBL - Get up to 40% off speakers and headphones
• OtterBox - Get 25% off sitewide
• ZAGG - Get 25% off sitewide

AirTag 2

• What's the deal? Take up to $10 off AirTag 2
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple's AirTag 2 is still available for the all-time low price of $89.00 this week, down from $99.00. This sale is on the 4-Pack of the AirTag 2, and it's one of the very few Prime Day deals that's stuck around since the event ended last week.

M3 iPad Air

• What's the deal? Save on previous generation iPad Air tablets
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy's Fourth of July sale is currently running, and it features a big sale across Apple's previous generation M3 iPad Air tablets. You can find up to $400 off these devices during the event, and they're particularly notable when compared to the recently increased prices of the 2026 M4 iPad Air.

11-inch

• 11-inch M3 iPad Air (128GB Cell) - $499.00 ($899.00 for M4 model)
• 11-inch M3 iPad Air (256GB Cell) - $599.00 ($999.00 for M4 model)
• 11-inch M3 iPad Air (512GB Cell) - $749.00 ($1,199.00 for M4 model)
• 11-inch M3 iPad Air (1TB Cell) - $849.00 ($1,499.00 for M4 model)

13-inch

• 13-inch M3 iPad Air (512GB Cell) - $949.00 ($1,399.00 for M4 model)
• 13-inch M3 iPad Air (1TB Cell) - $1,049.00 ($1,699.00 for M4 model)

Samsung

• What's the deal? Save on Samsung's newest monitors
• Where can I get it? Samsung
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Samsung's newest monitors have been further discounted this week, with big savings on the Odyssey G8, ViewFinity S8, and Movingstyle Essential. All of these have discounts that have been applied automatically.

AirPods 4

• What's the deal? Take $30 off AirPods 4
• Where can I get it? Amazon

Amazon is offering the AirPods 4 for $99.00 this week, down from $129.00. This is another Prime Day deal that's stuck around all week, and it's an overall solid second-best price on the earbuds.

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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Development of Apple's rumored camera-equipped AirPods Pro has been halted, according to the leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami."

In a blunt post on X referencing a June post about the product "case" being "concluded," the leaker appeared to be correcting it to say that the project has been "suspended." No other details were provided.

The claim comes as quite a surprise, given that Bloomberg reported in May that the camera-equipped AirPods Pro were nearing completion and had reached an "advanced" testing stage, suggesting early mass production could be imminent.

That said, the same report also noted that Apple could also opt to wait to launch the AirPods if it was not satisfied with the quality of the ‌Visual Intelligence‌ features in development for ‌Siri‌.

The AirPods Pro's built-in cameras are said to feed visual information about the wearer's surroundings to Siri. The cameras would not be for taking photos or videos, but used solely for AI purposes. "Kosutami" claimed in February that the infrared cameras will allow for the AirPods Pro to be "connected with Apple Intelligence," and other reliable sources have since corroborated that claim. The new AirPods have been in development for around four years.

Apple reportedly wanted to start selling the camera-equipped AirPods Pro in the first half of 2026, but the product's launch was held back because the smarter, AI version of ‌Siri‌ was still being developed – it exists in the current iOS 27 beta, but it won't be widely available until the release of iOS 27 in September.

Bloomberg said Apple was expecting strong demand for the new AirPods Pro and had operations teams working to secure components for a launch in challenging circumstances, owing to the industry-wide shortage of memory chips and other silicon. It's not clear whether this is the reason behind Kosutami's claim that the project has been suspended.

Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, around 10 months before the iPhone 16 Pro launched, they correctly revealed that it would feature a metal-enclosed battery.

They also provided an early look at an Apple Watch band made from Apple's controversial FineWoven material. However, Kosutami incorrectly claimed that AirPods Pro 3 were imminent in August 2024.

Earlier this year, three YouTube channels sued Apple, alleging that the company violated the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by unlawfully accessing and scraping millions of copyrighted YouTube videos to train its AI models.

In a class action lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in April, the owners of the YouTube channels h3h3Productions, MrShortGame Golf, and Golfholics alleged that Apple "deliberately circumvented" YouTube's protections against video scraping and "profited substantially" by doing so.

Apple's actions were "not only unlawful, but an unconscionable attack on the community of content creators whose content is used to fuel the multi-trillion-dollar generative AI industry without any compensation," the complaint alleged.

h3h3Productions is a well-known YouTube channel created by Ethan Klein and Hila Klein, and they later created the H3 Podcast. Their channels have millions of followers, while MrShortGame Golf and Golfholics have hundreds of thousands of followers. The channels filed equivalent lawsuits against Meta, Nvidia, ByteDance, and Snap.

Apple Responds

Apple responded to the lawsuit this week, according to a court document viewed by MacRumors. In short, Apple said the plaintiffs made the videos publicly available on YouTube and that it was permitted to access the videos under the DMCA. Apple said YouTube's Terms of Service likewise permitted the company to access the videos.

"Plaintiffs allege that they posted audiovisual works to YouTube, and that any member of the public can see them there," reads Apple's response. "No password. No payment. No lock. No key. Allegedly, YouTube employs technological measures to prevent unauthorized downloading. But because YouTube provides public access to the videos, the alleged technological measures do not control access to the works, as § 1201(a) requires."

Apple said the plaintiffs have ultimately failed to state a claim, and it requested that the court dismiss the lawsuit as a result.

Jon Prosser today responded to Apple's lawsuit over iOS 26 leaks, with the YouTuber placing much of the blame on his acquaintance Michael Ramacciotti.

As a refresher, Apple sued Prosser and Ramacciotti in July 2025 over alleged theft of the company's trade secrets. Apple alleged that the duo coordinated to break into former Apple software engineer Ethan Lipnik's development iPhone, in order to access and profit off details about "iOS 19," which ended up being called iOS 26.

Last year, Prosser leaked several details about "iOS 19" in videos shared on his YouTube channel Front Page Tech, several months before Apple announced the update at WWDC 2025. Later, an anonymous tipster informed Apple that the information was allegedly sourced from Lipnik's iPhone, which prompted the company to investigate.

Apple ultimately fired Lipnik and sued Prosser and Ramacciotti.

In a court document obtained by MacRumors, Prosser admitted to and denied many of Apple's claims, with some of the key ones summarized below:

• Prosser denied that he planned or participated in any conspiracy or coordinated scheme with Ramacciotti for the purpose of injuring Apple.
• Prosser admitted that he participated in a FaceTime video call with Ramacciotti, wherein Prosser was shown certain "iOS 19" features and apps running on the development iPhone.
• Prosser denied that any of the information he viewed contained trade secrets.
• Prosser denied knowing that the development iPhone belonged to Lipnik.
• Prosser denied that he is in possession of any further confidential Apple information.

Prosser placed much of the blame on Ramacciotti. In the response, Prosser's attorney said that Ramacciotti's act of displaying the iOS 19 features on the FaceTime call was not induced by Prosser and, as such, Ramacciotti is "completely responsible" for the disclosure of Apple's alleged trade secrets, if any.

Prosser's attorney said Ramacciotti is responsible for all harm caused to Prosser.

Unfortunately, the attorney made several typos throughout the document, including writing that Prosser has "not knowledge" if iOS 19 was "unreleased."

Another typo made was "Prosser Michael Ramacciotti" in the paragraph below:

Prosser denies that he planned or participated in any conspiracy or coordinated scheme with Prosser Michael Ramacciotti ("Ramacciotti") for the purpose of injuring Apple. Any payments by Prosser were after the fact of the alleged theft by the former Apple employee, Michael Ramacciotti.

The case is before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Prosser has requested a jury trial on all issues so triable by a jury.

Apple previously announced that the first iOS 27 public beta would be released in July, meaning that it should be available at some point this month.

Below, we have outlined how to get ready for the iOS 27 public beta, which will likely follow the third or fourth iOS 27 developer beta.

Release Date History

The first public betas of iOS 16 through iOS 26 came out between July 11 and July 24.

• iOS 26 Public Beta: Thursday, July 24, 2025
• iOS 18 Public Beta: Monday, July 15, 2024
• iOS 17 Public Beta: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
• iOS 16 Public Beta: Monday, July 11, 2022

Get Ready

Once it is available, anyone will be able to install the iOS 27 public beta on a compatible iPhone for free by following the steps outlined below.

• Sign up at beta.apple.com for free.
• Open your iPhone's Settings app and tap General → Software Update → Beta Updates.
• Select the iOS 27 Public Beta option (restart your iPhone if you don't see it) and follow the on-screen steps.

If you are impatient, anyone can install the iOS 27 developer beta for free right now.

Warning: While the first public beta is usually more stable than the first developer beta, iOS betas often have bugs and performance issues. You may not be able to use some apps that you rely on, and issues can extend to CarPlay. Backing up your iPhone before installing beta software is highly recommended, and relying on a secondary iPhone altogether is always a good idea if possible.

iOS 27 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer, but Apple Intelligence features like Siri AI are limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer.

Keep in mind that the revamped version of Siri has a waitlist. To join the waitlist, open the Settings app on iOS 27 and tap on Siri and you will find it there. In some cases, it can take a few weeks to receive access to Siri AI and the Siri app.

Beyond the new Siri, iOS 27 features Liquid Glass design enhancements, performance improvements, expanded child safety features, and more.

Volkswagen is planning to offer Apple Wallet car keys in future vehicles, according to new server-side Apple code.

The code does not provide any more details, so we do not know which VW vehicle models will offer the feature or when.

With an Apple Wallet car key, you can use your iPhone or Apple Watch to lock, unlock, and start your vehicle. The feature is already offered by Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and select other automakers in various countries.

Stolen data from Apple manufacturing partner Tata Electronics appears to reveal that the iPhone 18 Pro will use different modem chips depending on the market it is sold in, with U.S. models retaining Qualcomm hardware while international models will feature Apple's in-house C2 modem.

The finding emerged from a wide-ranging cyberattack on Tata, which alongside Foxconn assembles the iPhone. More than 630GB of confidential data was stolen by a ransomware group calling itself "World Leaks" and has been circulating online. The material was obtained illegally and MacRumors has not seen the stolen files directly. AppleInsider conducted an analysis of the stolen files and said it could confirm the authenticity of several key documents.

Among the information that has attracted particular is a bill of materials apparently related to the U.S. variant of the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌, which lists multiple Qualcomm components rather than Apple's C2 modem, codenamed Ganymede. The Qualcomm parts referenced include the SDX80M, SDR875, QDM8771, QDM8720, PMK75, PMX75, and QET7100A, components associated with mmWave 5G support. International ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models, by contrast, are said to use the "C2," which would succeed the C1 and C1X modems currently found in the iPhone Air, iPhone 17e, and M5 iPad Pro.

The implication, as AppleInsider notes, is that the C2 still lacks mmWave capability, and that Apple is once again relying on Qualcomm to fill that gap for American carriers.

mmWave is the ultra-high-frequency band of 5G offered primarily by Verizon, delivering very fast download speeds over short distances. Apple's C1 and C1X modems are widely regarded as more power efficient than their Qualcomm counterparts, meaning U.S. ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ buyers may see somewhat worse battery life than those purchasing the same device elsewhere.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber offered analysis of the practical tradeoffs involved. While 5G outpaced LTE in his tests, Gruber argued the difference has no meaningful impact on how the phone actually feels to use:

Having a phone that can pull 320 Mbps down over cellular is like having a car that can go 320 MPH — an interesting technical feat, but of no practical value to me whatsoever. I never feel like I'm waiting for anything to load because I'm on LTE. LTE is fast enough, and regular 5G is more than fast enough. 5G mmWave is simply a waste of battery life as far as I'm concerned.

On why Apple would not simply deploy the C2 everywhere rather than retaining Qualcomm for the U.S. market, Gruber pointed the finger squarely at carrier economics:

Faster-than-you-practically-need download speeds are a carrier bragging point. Longer battery life and plenty-fast-enough download speeds are an Apple bragging point. Verizon — and to a lesser extent, AT&T — spent a fortune building out mmWave networks. They don't want to sell flagship phones that don't support them. Apple's flagship iPhones have supported those networks since 2020. If Zivkovic's analysis of this stolen data from Tata is correct, and Apple is going to use Qualcomm's modems only in iPhone 18 Pro models sold in the U.S., I think the reason why is Verizon and AT&T bragging points, not any practical user benefit. And the result may be that U.S. iPhone 18 Pro models get somewhat worse battery life than those in the rest of the world.

The C2 modem has been a rumored feature of the iPhone 18 Pro for years as part of Apple's broader effort to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm. A split deployment, with the C2 handling most of the world while Qualcomm covers the U.S., would represent a significant step in that direction even if it falls short of a complete transition.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are expected to launch in the fall alongside the first foldable iPhone.

Apple's annual WWDC developers conference is in the rearview mirror, but there is still a lot to look forward to in the second half of the year.

Now that the more intelligent and personal version of Siri has finally arrived in beta, a full two years after Apple first previewed it at WWDC 2024, we should begin to see some new devices that were reportedly postponed until the new Siri was ready.

Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches in September, Apple's all-new smart home hub is expected to debut later this year. We are also expecting a foldable iPhone Ultra and long-awaited updates to the Apple TV, HomePod, and HomePod mini. And a redesigned MacBook Ultra with an OLED display is expected by early 2027.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple has planned to update the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with an M6 chip later this year, and that means the company is now rumored to have at least 16 new products in the pipeline for the rest of 2026. Our list of rumored new products has been updated accordingly.

Here is what to expect from Apple later this year, according to rumors.

iPhones

• iPhone 18 Pro: A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, a simplified Camera Control button, a Dark Cherry color option, variable aperture for at least one rear camera, Apple's C2 modem with support for 5G web browsing via satellite, and more.
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: The same features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro, but the Pro Max model may or may not be slightly thicker.
• 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 Watches

• Apple Watch Series 12: A faster S11 chip or newer, plus design changes such as Touch ID and/or more health sensors (disputed).
• Apple Watch Ultra 4: A faster S11 chip or newer, plus design changes such as Touch ID and/or more health sensors (disputed). There may also be 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.

iPads

• iPad 12: A16 chip → A18 chip or A19 chip with Apple Intelligence support.
• iPad mini: A17 Pro chip → A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, an OLED display, a vibration-based speaker system, and a water-resistant design.

Macs

• Mac Studio: M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips → M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.
• Mac mini: M4 and M4 Pro chips → M5 and M5 Pro chips.
• iMac: M4 chip → M5 chip, plus new color options.
• 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.

Home

• Apple TV: A17 Pro chip with support for the more personalized Siri, and Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support. A built-in FaceTime camera has been rumored for a future Apple TV, but it is unclear if that will arrive with the next model.
• HomePod mini: S9 chip or newer with support for the more personalized Siri, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, improved sound quality, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, and potentially new color options like red.
• HomePod: A new full-sized HomePod that supports the revamped Siri.
• Home Hub: An all-new smart home hub featuring the more personalized version of Siri, a 6-inch to 7-inch square display, an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence, FaceTime, and more. Place it on a table or mount it on a wall.

Apple's AirTag 2 is still available for the all-time low price of $89.00 this week, down from $99.00. This sale is on the 4-Pack of the AirTag 2, and it's one of the very few Prime Day deals that's stuck around since the event ended last week.

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.

The new AirTag is equipped with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling the Precision Finding feature to work up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous-generation model. You'll also find a small discount on the 1-Pack right now on Amazon.

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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If you pay for certain iCloud+ storage plans beyond the 5GB that Apple offers for free, you will receive two more perks on iOS 27 at no additional cost.

A summary of the two new iCloud+ perks on iOS 27:

• Increased daily usage limits for some new Apple Intelligence features, including image generation in the revamped Image Playground app.
• HomeKit Secure Video cameras receive generated video descriptions, search for camera clips, and automatic surfacing of noteworthy clips.

More details about each benefit are outlined below.

First, Apple said there will be daily usage limits for some of the new and enhanced Apple Intelligence features on iOS 27, including image generation. However, the company noted that "increased access" is available with "most" iCloud+ storage plans, which presumably means every plan except the base 50GB tier for $0.99 per month.

Apple said the limits are in place because the new features rely on "powerful server models," which are undoubtedly more expensive to run.

The underlying models that power Apple Intelligence are now based on Google's Gemini models, and this has resulted in improved Apple Intelligence features. Starting with iOS 27, for example, Apple's Image Playground app can generate "photorealistic" images. Apple has not disclosed the exact daily limits for image generation.

Second, Apple said at least some iCloud+ plans will now include Apple Intelligence features for compatible smart home cameras in Apple's Home app. These new features for HomeKit Secure Video cameras include generated video descriptions, the ability to search through camera clips, and automatic surfacing of noteworthy clips.

These perks will likely require an iCloud+ plan with at least 200GB of storage for $2.99 per month. If you have an Apple One Family ($25.95 per month) or Apple One Premier ($37.95 per month) plan, you should get these benefits too.

Opera browser has announced a new security feature called Paste Protect that aims to stop clipboard-based cyberattacks before their malicious commands can be accidentally executed.

Opera says it's the first major browser to offer native protection against ClickFix attacks – a growing form of social engineering that tricks users into copying and pasting malicious commands into a computer's terminal. The new feature is built into Opera's desktop browsers and enabled by default.

ClickFix attacks typically masquerade as routine troubleshooting prompts, such as fake CAPTCHA verification or video playback fixes. Once pasted and executed, the commands can install malware, steal passwords, or give attackers remote access to a device. Opera describes the browsing risk as follows:

A ClickFix-style attack usually starts with something small and ordinary: a video that won't play, or a CAPTCHA that won't quite verify you're human. A pop-up offers a fix, telling you to copy a short command and paste it into your computer's terminal. It looks like routine troubleshooting. In reality, that command can install malware, steal saved passwords, or hand an attacker remote access to your machine, all carried out by the user's own hands, on their own device.

Opera features an existing clipboard hijack protection feature that prevents external applications from silently replacing copied content such as cryptocurrency wallet addresses. Paste Protect combines this with a new injection protection system that monitors clipboard activity for suspicious commands copied from websites and blocks potentially malicious content before it reaches the clipboard.

Users can see the first 120 characters of the blocked content, and developers working with trusted sources can override the block or mark specific sites as safe.

Opera cited research from cybersecurity firm Huntress that said ClickFix accounted for more than 53 percent of malware-loading cyberattacks last year, indicating the rapid growth of the technique.

Apple itself introduced a related safeguard for the Mac with the release of macOS Tahoe 26.4 earlier this year. Following the update, the operating system explicitly warns the user before they paste potentially dangerous commands into the Terminal app.

Opera browser is available now as a free update and can be downloaded from the company's website.

For the last 19 years, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPA) has selected the best photographs captured with an iPhone, and the 2026 award winners were announced today.

The IPPA 2026 Grand Prize image features a volcano dramatically erupting in the Cayman Islands, with the photo shot by Robyn Jensen on an iPhone 15 Pro.

The Gold Prize image by Gellért Gombai features two children napping on grass in the shadow of a badminton racket, with the photo shot in black and white using an iPhone X. There are also Silver and Bronze prize winners taken on iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, respectively.

There are other winners across a number of categories, including abstract, animals, architecture, children, cityscape, landscape, lifestyle, nature, people, portrait, series, still life, travel, and other. All of the winning images can be viewed on the IPPA website.

The contests are open to iPhone and iPad users worldwide, and images can be edited with iOS apps. It is worth noting that it costs money to send in a photo, but Apple devices are provided as prizes. The 20th annual entry deadline for submissions is March 31, 2027.

TV Time, the popular show and movie tracking app, is shutting down on July 15, with all personal user data set to be deleted after that date.

In a support page update announcing the news, the company admitted that it was "no longer sustainable to continue operating the service as a free app," and said that there was "not enough demand for a paid app."

Come the shutdown date, the TV Time app will be removed from both the App Store and Google Play, and the tvtime.com website will go offline permanently.

Users who want to preserve their viewing history and tracked data can request an export through the app's GDPR self-service tool before the July 15 cutoff. The company says all personal user data will be deleted after that date, but it may retain aggregated, non-personal data for business or legal purposes.

TV Time has operated for more than a decade, and over that period it built a dedicated community around episode tracking, watchlists, and user ratings. In the wake of the closure announcement, users on the Resetera forums have suggested alternatives like Trakt, Serializd, and Simkl – although the latter's servers have reportedly struggled under a sudden wave of new sign-ups.

Apple has told suppliers to prepare to make approximately 10 million foldable iPhones this year, up from a previous forecast of about 7-8 million units a few months ago, reports Nikkei Asia ($).

Apple has already booked parts for roughly 80 million smartphones for the second half of 2026, which includes the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the first-ever foldable iPhone. The company's full 2026 production is expected to top 220 million units, according to the publication.

Apple's purchasing power is said to have left it better positioned than rivals like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, which have each cut annual production targets below 100 million units amid an industry-wide memory shortage.

Some suppliers have reportedly been told to expect orders for as many as 85 million new iPhones in the second half of 2026, with Apple asking them to reserve iPhone 17 components for the coming iPhone 18 lineup.

Engineering problems tied to the foldable iPhone's hinge appear to have been resolved, but that has raised the odds of a small initial shipment following the device's launch. A larger production run likely won't begin until closer to the end of the year.

Apple raised prices on MacBooks and iPads last month in response to rising component costs, but the iPhone 17 lineup has so far been spared from a price hike. If that remains the case, Apple will likely use the new devices launches to introduce increased pricing across the lineup. IDC has predicted that the foldable will carry an average selling price of $2,500, with storage options potentially priced as high as $3,000.

Apple's foldable iPhone is rumored to feature a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover display, along with Touch ID instead of Face ID, an A20 chip, and Apple's C2 modem. The device is expected to be released alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September. Apple's book-style foldable could launch as the "iPhone Ultra," as suggested by reports.

The Maps app didn't get as many iOS 27 updates as some of Apple's other apps, but there are still several useful features worth knowing about.

Flyover Improvements

Apple is upgrading Flyover in ‌iOS 27‌, making it more detailed than before. It combines aerial imagery with Vision Intelligence models to add more texture and sharper visuals for trees, architecture, and more.

Apple says select cities around the world are rendered in sharper, more lifelike detail with improvements to everything from the "shapes of individual trees to the way light reflects off the glass of skyscrapers."

Flyover is an Apple Maps feature that offers detailed 3D landmarks, roads, parks, buildings, and more in more than 350 cities. The current version of Flyover uses aerial imagery captured by planes, but the new ‌iOS 27‌ version improves the quality using AI.

New Maps Icon

Apple updated several of its Liquid Glass app icons in ‌iOS 27‌ to add more glass-like layers. Icons have more depth, and the Maps app icon makes the difference especially clear.

Local Lists

Local Lists uses intelligent insights from what's trending around you for suggestions on places you should visit. Maps surfaces locally relevant collections of places to make it easier to find popular and interesting locations to visit.

Local Lists is privacy-focused and does not use information tied to individual users. It is a U.S.-only feature.

Trending Restaurants

In the Search interface, there's a Trending Restaurants section that shows you the top restaurants in the area you're in.

Natural Language Search Expansion

Natural language search in Maps now lets you ask for directions that avoid toll roads or highways.

Widgets

On the Apple Watch, there's a new Parked Car widget in the Smart Stack so you can easily see your car's last known location, with info synced from the iPhone.

Offline Maps

Apple says Offline Maps have improved in ‌iOS 27‌. More locations are shown on the map, labels are darker and clearer, and there are icons that are easier to view at a glance. When you tap on a location, like a town, it will zoom into the area automatically so you can see what's there.

Visited Places

The Visited Places feature is more accurate in ‌iOS 27‌ and less likely to miss locations. Visited Places keeps track of locations you've been to, organizing stops by category and location. It's accessible by tapping on your profile picture, choosing Places, and selecting Visited Places.

Visited Places is also expanding to more locations in ‌iOS 27‌.

Availability

‌iOS 27‌ is available to developers and public beta testers right now, and a public launch is planned for September 2026.

More iOS 27 Features

For more on what's new in ‌iOS 27‌, we have a dedicated roundup.

Anthropic's Fable 5 model is once again available for use, the company said today. Claude users are now seeing the option to use Fable 5, with Anthropic rolling out an in-app message.

Through July 7, eligible Claude subscribers can use up to 50 percent of their plan's weekly usage limit on Fable 5. After hitting that limit, Fable 5 use will require credits. After July 7, Fable will be available through usage credits.

Fable 5 is Anthropic's first Mythos-class model that's available for the public, and it first came out on June 9. Fable 5's capabilities exceed those of any model it has made generally available, and it has demonstrated "exceptional performance" for software engineering, knowledge work, vision, scientific research, and more. It outperforms Opus models on longer, more complex tasks. Fable 5 can work autonomously for longer than any prior Claude model.

Though Anthropic released Fable 5 with conservative safeguards to prevent misuse, the Trump administration applied export controls to the model, forcing Anthropic to restrict access to foreign nationals. Anthropic had no way of verifying the nationality of people using its models, so it had to suspend access to Fable 5. At the same time, Anthropic also had to restrict access to Mythos 5, the next model in its Project Glasswing initiative for major companies and federal agencies seeking help defending critical infrastructure.

The order came after Amazon researchers found a prompt able to bypass Fable's safeguards, and the model found software vulnerabilities. Anthropic investigated and discovered that older models and models from competing companies could also locate the same vulnerabilities. Anthropic ended up shipping a new classifier that blocks the technique in more than 99 percent of cases.

Fable 5 is available for Pro, Max, Team, and select Enterprise plans. Anthropic has also restored Mythos 5 access for U.S. organizations that are part of Project Glasswing.

Anthropic says that it is deepening its cooperation with the U.S. government on new pre-release testing, information sharing, and research collaboration.

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Apple is planning to release new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models in spring 2027, reports Bloomberg. No major design changes are expected, with Apple focusing on internal upgrades.

The ‌iPad Pro‌ models could use either M6 chips or M7 chips. Apple will introduce the M6 chip as soon as this year in an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro model, but it is aiming to release the M7 chip in the first half of 2027.

Bloomberg does not specify which chip Apple will put in the ‌iPad Pro‌, but if the M7 chip is ready by spring 2027, the new iPads could have the upgraded chip. If it's not ready, they'll use the M6. Both chips will be built on Apple's new 2-nanometer process, but the M7 has AI optimizations that the M6 doesn't have.

Apple has also tested a vapor chamber cooling system that could improve performance.

Little else is known about the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models, but if they come out in spring 2027, Apple could introduce them alongside the iPhone 18e, iPhone 18, and iPhone Air 2, devices that are also slated for spring 2027.