MacRumors

August has been a busy month for Apple Store news, and we have some more updates to share.

First, Apple has updated its website with an image of its relocated Apple Shadyside store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The store is still located on Walnut Street, just west of Bellefonte Street, in a unit formerly occupied by clothing retailer Gap. Apple gave the unit an all-new brick facade, and it is using the second floor as a Backstage area for employees. The store features a modern design with a combined Genius Bar and Apple Pickup area.

Second, Apple has previewed its all-new store at the Uniwalk Qianhai shopping mall in Shenzhen, China, ahead its grand opening on Saturday, August 16 at 10 a.m. local time. This location features a sweeping curved glass facade, a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights for accessibility, a dedicated Apple Pickup station, a seating area where customers can try on the Apple Vision Pro, and many other modern design elements.

Third, Apple Den Haag in the Netherlands reopened today, after being temporarily closed since the beginning of June. According to a reader of the Dutch blog iCulture, there are not many customer-facing changes in the store, with some employees there allegedly saying that the updates were primarily focused on internal facilities.

Fourth, graphic designer Filip Chudzinski told us that renovations at Apple's iconic Opéra store in Paris are now completed. He told us that the remodeled store features a Genius Bar with varied table and seat heights, a dedicated Apple Pickup station, a seating area where customers can try on the Apple Vision Pro, an updated basement level, and many other updates. The store remained open while renovations were completed over the past few months.

And finally, a reminder that Apple Partridge Creek in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan will be permanently closing this Saturday. All affected employees have the opportunity to continue working for Apple. Later this year, Apple will be opening an all-new store in Downtown Detroit, near the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Grand River Avenue.

Apple today provided public beta testers with a third beta of macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's set to launch this fall. The third beta comes one week after the second macOS Tahoe public beta, and it corresponds to the sixth developer beta.

Public beta testers can download macOS Tahoe from the Software Update section of the Settings app after signing up for the betas on Apple's website.

macOS Tahoe has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.

Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.

Apple today released the third public betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, allowing the public to test the updates ahead of their September launch. The third public betas come a week after the second public betas. Apple has also released an updated version of the sixth ‌iOS 26‌ developer beta with a new build number.

Beta testers that have registered on Apple's website can download the ‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ updates by opening the Settings app, going to the General section, tapping on Software Update, and choosing the ‌iOS 26‌ or ‌iPadOS 26‌ Public Beta options.

‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ feature Apple's Liquid Glass design, with a visual aesthetic that focuses on transparency. Icons, menu buttons, navigation bars, and more reflect and refract light with subtle animations. There are pop-out menus in some areas, tab bars shrink down, and everything has a more rounded look.

There are new Apple Intelligence features like Visual Intelligence for screenshots, updated order tracking in the Wallet app, new features in Reminders, and Live Translation for the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps. Image Playground has ChatGPT style options, and Genmoji supports mixing two or more emoji characters to make something new.

2D photos have a more 3D look with a Spatial Scene feature, and Safari has updated navigation. In the Phone app, there are new Call Screening and Hold Assist features that will save you time, while the Messages app supports customizable backgrounds and polls. Apple Music has a DJ-like AutoMix feature, CarPlay has an overhauled interface, there's a new Apple Games app, and Preview has come to the iPhone for the first time.

For more on all of the new features in the updates, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup. ‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ will launch in September.

Apple today released iOS 18.6.1 for the iPhone and watchOS 11.6.1 for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The updates re-enable blood oxygen monitoring in the United States.

iOS 18.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. watchOS 11.6.1 is available for newer Apple Watch models that have blood oxygen monitoring disabled, and it can be downloaded through the Apple Watch app on the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple said that blood oxygen monitoring is coming back to U.S. Apple Watch models due to a "recent U.S. Customs ruling."

Back in early 2024, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) found that Apple violated blood oxygen sensing patents owned by Masimo. The ITC implemented a trade ban, and Apple had to stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌. Sales resumed after Apple disabled the blood oxygen monitoring feature in Apple Watch devices sold in the U.S.

Since January 2024, no Apple Watch models purchased in the U.S. have had a functioning blood oxygen sensor, including the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Series 10, and the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌.

With iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, Apple is implementing a workaround. Data collected by the blood oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch will be processed on a paired ‌iPhone‌, with the results available in the Respiratory section of the Health app.

The feature typically allows users to see a readout of their blood oxygen level right on the Apple Watch, but this isn't how it will work in the U.S.

The update is designed for Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ models sold in the U.S. that do not already have blood oxygen sensing available. Blood oxygen monitoring remained available on older watch models, and there has also been no change to Apple Watch models sold outside of the United States.

Apple today seeded the third public betas of tvOS 26 and watchOS 26 to Apple TV and Apple Watch users who have signed up for the public beta program. The third tvOS 26 and ‌watchOS 26‌ public betas come a week after Apple seeded the second public betas.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device after you sign up on Apple's beta website.

The updates adopt Apple's Liquid Glass aesthetic, which is also coming in macOS Tahoe and iOS 26. Liquid Glass focuses on transparency and a more rounded look for menus and other interface elements.

‌watchOS 26‌ includes Workout Buddy, an Apple Intelligence feature meant to motivate you during your workouts. The Workout app interface has been redesigned, the Smart Stack has more actionable suggestions, the Messages app offer Live Translation and better Smart Replies, and the Phone app features like Call Screening and Hold Assist are available on the watch. Apple also brought the Notes app to the Apple Watch, so you can create notes and view existing notes right from your wrist.

tvOS 26 supports a new Apple Music Sing feature that uses the iPhone as a microphone, plus there are new lyric translation and pronunciation tools. FaceTime has been updated with incoming call notifications and contact posters, there are new aerial screen savers, and there's an option to set an AirPlay speaker as a permanent speaker for an ‌Apple TV‌.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 are set to launch this fall alongside ‌iOS 26‌ and macOS Tahoe.

It is well known by now that Apple plans to launch its more personalized version of Siri next year, but apparently the company has even bigger plans.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on Wednesday reported that Apple is preparing a "visually redesigned" version of Siri that will debut on the iPhone and iPad "as early as next year." However, he did not provide any specific details about the new design.

Gurman said that Apple is planning a tabletop robot for release in 2027. On that device, he said that Apple has tested making Siri look like an animated version of the Mac's Finder logo, but he said the company was also considering ideas that look more like Memoji. It is unclear if Siri would get a life-like avatar on the iPhone and iPad too.

Apple already redesigned Siri last year, but only on iPhone and iPad models that support Apple Intelligence. On those devices, a colorful glow appears around the edges of the screen when Siri is invoked. On older iPhone and iPad models, Siri has an older design, with a circular icon popping up at the bottom of the screen when it is invoked.

It seems like Siri will be getting a lot better next year, with Gurman having previously said that iPhone and iPad users will be able to take action within apps entirely with voice commands. The upgrade is expected to arrive with iOS 26.4.

"With nothing but your voice, you'll be able to tell Siri to find a specific photo, edit it and send it off," he wrote. "Or comment on an Instagram post. Or scroll a shopping app and add something to your cart. Or log in to a service without touching the screen."

A visual overhaul would be fitting for such big changes.

In case you missed it — this is the post for people who mainly only read headlines — Apple has announced that it will be releasing iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 later today. Apple shared this information in a press release on its Newsroom website.

The software updates will re-enable the Blood Oxygen feature on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 models sold in the United States.

It is unclear if iOS 18.6.1 will include anything else, such as bug fixes or security patches. Overall, it is likely to be a minor update. Apple is now focused on iOS 26, which is deep into beta testing ahead of a general release in September.

Update: Apple has released iOS 18.6.1. There are no new security patches.

We're tracking record low prices across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup today, with discounts available at both Amazon and Best Buy. These massive $150 discounts beat the previous all-time lows tracked during Prime Day by about $30.

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.

Prices start at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, and each one is a new best-ever price for the tablet.

We noticed that the 1TB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Air has a coupon to clip this time around, making the tablet drop to $664.30 before tax, down from $1,099.00. This is a massive discount on the M3 iPad Air, even coming in under the current deal price of the 512GB Wi-Fi model. We aren't sure if this has been done in error or not, so if you're interested be sure to check it out before the coupon disappears.

You'll also find many cellular models on sale at $150 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $599.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $799.00, both representing new record low prices.

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 today announced that blood oxygen monitoring will return to Apple Watch models in the United States via a software update.

Apple says that its blood oxygen monitoring feature has been "redesigned" for the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States. The new solution involves measuring sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on the Apple Watch and sending it for calculation to a paired iPhone, with the results to be viewable in the Respiratory section of the Health app.

The redesigned blood oxygen monitoring feature will be available as part of iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1. The updates will roll out later today.

Apple Watch models in the United States that include the original blood oxygen monitoring feature and those purchased internationally will remain unchanged, with no need for the workaround solution.

Apple says that the update is enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling. Apple has been in a long-running patent dispute with health technology company Masimo over the Apple Watch's Blood Oxygen feature. The conflict intensified in December 2023 when an import ban took effect, which blocked U.S. sales of Apple Watch models with the feature.

Apple paused sales in the U.S. for several days before resuming on January 18, 2024, with the Series 9 and Ultra 2 being sold without blood oxygen monitoring. That arrangement has remained in place since then. The Apple Watch Series 10 launched in September 2024, still lacking the feature. Legal proceedings between Apple and Masimo continue.

Apple's next-generation Studio Display will contain an "A19 Pro" chip, according to code reviewed by MacRumors.

Yesterday, signs of the second-generation Studio Display with the codename J427 were spotted in Apple code. Now, it has emerged that the device will contain the as-yet unreleased A19 Pro chip. The A19 Pro is almost certain to debut in the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max next month.

The Studio Display's chip supports features like Center Stage, Spatial Audio, and "Hey Siri" commands. The current Studio Display launched in 2022 with the A13 Bionic, a chip that started out in the iPhone 11 lineup back in 2019.

Rumors suggest that the next-generation Studio Display will come out in early 2026, when we're also expecting new Macs. Little is known about the new Studio Display, but it could feature mini-LED backlighting for improved brightness, contrast, and color.

Apple is developing a new low-cost iPad powered by an A18 chip, according to code references accidentally disclosed by the company yesterday.

The finding builds on a previous report by Bloomberg that indicated Apple plans to launch a 12th generation entry-level iPad in the spring of 2026. The device is expected to maintain the current design while incorporating the faster processor.

The current 11-inch iPad features an A16 chip and starts at $349. The A18 chip currently powers the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus, so it will bring significant performance improvements over the A16, which debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine designed for AI workloads, which would enable Apple Intelligence features on the budget device.

Apple released the current entry-level iPad in March 2024. The company usually updates its budget tablet annually in the first half of the year, although the exact release timing has varied.

Apple made a major slip Wednesday when it accidentally included hardware identifiers in software code linking to numerous unannounced products.

The leaked information provided MacRumors with concrete evidence of Apple's hardware development across multiple product categories. Here's everything that was confirmed through the code discoveries:

• New HomePod mini with updated chip – New model with S-series processor.
• New Apple TV with A17 Pro chip – Substantial upgrade from current A15 Bionic.
• Apple Studio Display 2 – Next-gen Apple monitor with J427 codename.
• New iPad mini with A19 Pro chip – Using same processor as iPhone 17 Pro models.
• New low-cost iPad with A18 chip – expected to launch in the spring.
• Apple Vision Pro with M5 chip – Second-generation headset, settling chip confusion.
• 2025 Apple Watch chip details – Similar T8310 architecture as current models.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg separately reported Wednesday on Apple's smart home ambitions. The company is developing a Ring-like security camera, while its iPad-style smart home hub isn't coming until mid-2026. A tabletop robot companion with a movable display is also planned for 2027, featuring an enhanced Siri powered by large language models.

An alleged iPhone 17 Pro production leak may provide a first look at the device's milled all-aluminum chassis, which this year includes the camera bump – in contrast to last year's iPhone 16 Pro model that features a glass camera module attached to an all-glass back panel.

Originally shared by leaker Majin Bu, the image below could be of a moulding, but it still lines up with rumors that Apple has done away with the previous models' glass sandwich and titanium frame in favor of a more encapsulating aluminum chassis that has a rear cutout to house a glass section around the Apple logo for wireless charging.

The iPhone 17 Pro models adopt an oversized rectangular camera module that spans the width of the case. Reports suggest it will be the same color as the iPhone itself, rather than being part of a two-tone design.

The iPhone 17 Pro models will be the first high-end iPhones with aluminum frames since Apple split the lineup into Pro and non-Pro tiers. In recent years, aluminum has been reserved for lower-end models like the iPhone SE and iPhone 16. High-end models used stainless steel until the iPhone 15 Pro, which switched to titanium – a change Apple touted as a major upgrade.

Aluminum is roughly 40% lighter than titanium at similar volumes, so we could see the iPhone 17 Pro models carrying less weight. Aluminum is also a far better thermal conductor than titanium, so heat generated by the A19 Pro chip and battery may dissipate faster. Apple is also rumored to be using a new internal design that incorporates a vapor chamber heatsink to improve thermal performance.

While titanium generally offers a denser, more premium feel with subtle reflectivity, Apple's use of aluminum should allow for richer color options. This year, Black, White, and Gray are said to be accompanied by new Dark Blue and Orange colors.

• 20 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

We'll know the official look soon – Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup next month, with September 9 rumored as a potential iPhone event date. If that timing is accurate, then the most likely date for Apple to announce the event is Tuesday, August 26, since the company typically provides two weeks' notice.

Update: This article originally credited a Korean blog for the image. Apologies: the error has now been corrected.

Apple is working on a refreshed version of the HomePod mini, and it will have an updated processor that's based on the S-series chips inside the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and the upcoming Apple Watch Series 11.

A reference to a ‌HomePod mini‌ equipped with a chip that uses T8310 microarchitecture was discovered in Apple code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The device has a B525 codename, which likely corresponds to the next-generation ‌HomePod mini‌, since the current model's codename is B520.

The existing S9 and S10 chips in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Series 10 have T8310 cores, and we're expecting the S11 in the Apple Watch Series 11 to use the same technology.

The current version of the ‌HomePod mini‌ has an S5 chip that was originally developed for the Apple Watch. Since the reference in the code is to the T8310 processor and the S9, S10, and S11 all use it, we don't know if Apple will call the chip the S9, S10, or S11.

Since the ‌HomePod mini‌ is expected to launch in late 2025, it would make sense for Apple to equip it with the S11 chip that will also be in the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The chip that's expected for the ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 will be a good deal faster than the S5. It features a 64-bit dual-core processor that's based on the A16, and a 4-core Neural Engine.

We don't know much about the ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 aside from the fact that it's going to get an updated chip, but rumors have suggested that it will also feature a new Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip with Wi-Fi 6E support. New color options are also a possibility.

Apple could introduce the ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 any time from September to December.

Rumors suggest that Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple TV that's slated for launch later this year. Information about the upcoming device that was found in Apple code indicates that it will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip.

There have been multiple rumors about a new ‌Apple TV‌ coming in 2025 with a new A-series processor, but it hasn't been clear which chip Apple would use until now.

The A17 Pro was designed for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but Apple still makes it for the iPad mini 7.

The current ‌Apple TV‌ 4K has an A15 Bionic chip, so the upgrade to the A17 Pro will bring substantial performance improvements. The A17 Pro supports Apple Intelligence, plus it can run console-quality games with advanced graphics effects.

Little else is known about the upcoming ‌Apple TV‌, but it is expected to get an Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip. Apple might introduce the new ‌Apple TV‌ in September alongside new iPhone models, but it could also be held until later in 2025.

Apple is still working on a next-generation version of the Studio Display, and MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered signs of the new display in Apple code.

The upcoming Studio Display 2 has a codename of J427, and references to J427 were tucked away in software code that Apple didn't mean to publish. Rumors suggest that the next-generation Studio Display will come out in early 2026, so it makes sense that Apple is testing it now.

We don't know a lot about the next-generation Apple display, but it is possible it will use mini-LED backlighting. If the Studio Display does indeed adopt mini-LED technology, we can expect improved brightness, a higher contrast ratio, and better color quality.

References to a display with the codename J527 were also found in the code. It's not clear what J527 is. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said earlier this year that Apple was developing two versions of the Studio Display and would choose one to launch, so J527 could be a second variation of the Studio Display 2. It's also possible that it is a reference to a new version of the Pro Display XDR, but Gurman believes a second-generation Pro Display XDR is not a priority for Apple.

Apple has not launched a display product since it came out with the original Studio Display in 2022. It is not yet clear if the display will actually be named the Studio Display 2 or if Apple will give it another name.

The new model will likely come out alongside Macs with the M5 chip, with the Macs also slated for early 2026.

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features an A19 chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared.

It looks like the next-generation ‌iPad mini‌ will get the A19 Pro chip that Apple plans to use in the iPhone 17 Pro models.

Apple is developing the A19 chips for the iPhone 17 series that's set to come out this September. The Pro version of the A19 will have more GPU cores than the standard A19, and rumors suggest there will also be an in-between version that's a binned A19 Pro with one fewer GPU core. The binned chips could be used in the iPhone 17 Air.

The current ‌iPad mini‌ that came out in 2024 is equipped with the A17 Pro chip that was used in the iPhone 15 Pro models, so it makes sense for the next-generation version to adopt the A19 Pro.

There is no concrete word on when a new version of the ‌iPad mini‌ is coming out. Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on an ‌iPad mini‌ with an OLED display for launch as early as 2026, but the launch timeline is unclear and other rumors have suggested it won't come until 2027.

Apple is also working on an updated version of the low-cost iPad with an A18 chip, according to the Apple's leaked code. Codenamed J581/J582, the low-cost ‌iPad‌ could launch next spring.

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the Vision Pro with an M5 chip, according to code accidentally shared by Apple and discovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

Rumors of a Vision Pro 2 with an updated M-series chip have been circulating since last year, but there was some confusion over which chip the device would use. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the Vision Pro would have an M5 chip, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed that it would use the same M4 chip that's in the latest MacBook Air and iPad Pro models rather than the M5.

Based on Apple's code, it looks like the next-generation Vision Pro will use the M5 chip.

The refreshed Vision Pro isn't expected to feature any design changes or hardware updates aside from the new chip, but it could get a new strap that will make it more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.

The Vision Pro 2 with M5 chip could launch as soon as late 2025.