Apple News
Apple’s Vision Pro job cuts were broader than first reported
Apple’s recent Vision Pro layoffs reached further across the company than initially disclosed, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman.
Last month, Gurman reported that Apple cut about 100 jobs from the Vision Products Group, largely by shutting down the headset’s gaming team and shrinking the unit that produces immersive video. Combined with reductions on Siri and related software teams, the changes affected more than 200 people. Apple said it was realigning teams to focus on new devices and AI, while creating some new roles and offering affected employees a chance to apply elsewhere.
Gurman now says the cuts also hit Vision Pro-related staff in other parts of Apple, including device security, audio engineering, Siri integration, testing, and visionOS. Because visionOS is expected to underpin upcoming smart glasses as well as the headset, the broader reductions affect shared software rather than Vision Pro hardware alone.
According to Gurman, the company has told employees that Vision Pro and visionOS are not going away. A redesigned successor, internally known as N224, is still not expected before late 2028. Near-term emphasis has shifted to AI wearables, including smart glasses code-named N50 that remain on track for next year. Those glasses are not expected to support the same immersive video or advanced gaming experiences as the current headset.
The moves follow the June departure of Paul Meade, who led Vision Pro and smart glasses work before leaving for OpenAI. People inside the Vision organization have spent months urging new CEO John Ternus to keep investing in the platform even as sales lag, Gurman reports. Colleagues who have discussed the headset with Ternus say he was skeptical from the start that a bulky, expensive enclosed device could reach a mass market. He is still said to support the glasses project, but Gurman reports he would consider walking away from head-worn devices as a category if they fail to catch on.
Apple has described the changes as limited and tied to evolving product priorities. Vision Pro launched in 2024 as the company’s spatial-computing flagship but never became a high-volume product, constrained by price and form factor. In-house immersive videos can cost millions to produce and have not proven cost-effective given relatively small active use. Apple now plans fewer internal productions and more third-party content.
MacDailyNews Take: Vision Pro should never have shipped in its initial or present form and it never would have shipped under Steve Jobs or, it sounds like, under John Ternus.
[This] is exactly what you’d expect to occur when a product is released too early to average users… Apple Vision Pro is a devkit for developers, not for average users, and should have been released as a devkit for developers. – MacDailyNews, March 26, 2024
There are a lot of people inside and outside of Apple who think the company should have waited on the Vision Pro, but it’s fairly easy today to see why Tim Cook released this beta (alpha?) devkit: He likely knew last year, or had a strong inkling, that Project Titan was a goner and there wasn’t much excitement in Apple’s pipeline. He’d need something to point to as “innovation” while he continued on his seemingly unending quest to iterate and monetize products invented by Steve Jobs’ Apple (a very different place) while continuing Apple’s retail store buildout. He also needed something to energize developers and, who knows, they might come up with a killer visionOS app while Apple toils on the long road to real lightweight spatial computing glasses and beyond.
More importantly, Apple last year had already come to the sad realization that they’d missed the generative artificial intelligence revolution and would need a distraction while they feverishly scrambled to catch up (the fruits of which — alongside what sound like disappointing partnerships which hopefully, somehow, preserve user privacy — we’ll hopefully begin to see at WWDC this June).
You have to feel for Cook. After a decade plus of being able to iterate and monetize Jobs’ inspired products and services and continue adding retail stores around the world to spectacular effect, and being lauded for it, he now finds himself in a place that requires actual vision to be able to see which path to take. And he’s not the guy. Even the guy who put him in the position knew it.
Tim’s not a product person, per se. – Steve Jobs
See also:
• Contrary to popular belief, Steve Jobs knew about Apple Watch – February 13, 2023
• Work on Apple Vision Pro began under Steve Jobs – August 23, 2023
Beyond the fact that Cook can’t even execute a compelling live keynote address, his big send off, the “Apple Car,” [the idea of which was also germinated under Jobs] fizzled in ignominious failure.
See also:
• Scrapped Apple Car ‘a massive disappointment that will alter the course of the company’s history, perhaps for decades to come’ – Gurman – March 11, 2024
• Apple employees referred to doomed Apple Car project as ‘The Titanic Disaster’ – February 29, 2024
So, despite myriad misgivings and protestations inside Apple, Cook pulled the trigger early on the Vision Pro. He had to have something to point to that would buy him some time. Even Apple’s rubber-stamping board of lackeys would wake up and start asking questions otherwise.
While Cook is hemming and hawing when faced with shareholders (virtually, of course, never again in person for as long as Cook remains), Apple is currently in scramble mode trying to catch up to rivals in generative AI, a technology the company seems to have completely missed while focusing instead on the not-ready-for-primetime Apple Vision Pro, visionOS, its now-canceled decade-long multi-billion-dollar electric vehicle boondoggle, replacing leather in iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands with overpriced junk in a quest to “save the planet,” forcing employees to endure a constant barrage of time-wasting zero-productivity DEI sessions, and myriad other various and sundry “initiatives” which Cook deems of import. – MacDailyNews, February 28, 2024
When you lose your visionary CEO and replace him with a caretaker CEO, this is the type of aimless, late, bureaucratic dithering that ensues. – MacDailyNews, November 21, 2017
Thankfully, blessedly, today is finally a Brand New Day for Apple!
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Apple updates Leadership page as John Ternus becomes CEO
Apple has updated their Leadership page as John Ternus becomes the company’s eighth CEO.
The full list of Apple CEOs in chronological order is:
• Michael Scott (1977–1981)
• Mike Markkula (1981–1983)
• John Sculley (1983–1993)
• Michael Spindler (1993–1996)
• Gil Amelio (1996–1997)
• Steve Jobs (1997–2011)
• Tim Cook (2011–September 1, 2026)
• John Ternus (September 1, 2026–present)
John Ternus is the CEO of Apple and serves on its board of directors.
John joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became a vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013. He joined the executive team in 2021 as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. Throughout his tenure at Apple, John has overseen hardware engineering work on a variety of groundbreaking products and was instrumental in the introduction of multiple new product lines, including iPad and AirPods, as well as many generations of products across iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch.
John has led much of the company’s focus in areas like reliability and durability, introducing new techniques that have made Apple products remarkably resilient. He has also driven much of Apple’s innovation in materials and hardware design that have reduced the carbon footprint of its products, including the creation of a new recycled aluminum compound that has been introduced across multiple product lines, the use of 3D-printed titanium in Apple Watch Ultra, and advancements in reparability that have increased the life spans of several Apple products.
Prior to Apple, John worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
MacDailyNews Take: This is an important day for Apple, whose fifteen-year, iterative slumber may have finally ended!
Of note is the emphasis on durability and reliability in John’s bio. Apple products do last a long time and they do hold their value much better than do rival products. Expect Apple to emphasize this as the worldwide memory crunch causes higher prices.
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Apple accuses OpenAI of destroying evidence as trade-secrets fight intensifies
Apple ratcheted up its lawsuit against OpenAI on Monday, telling a federal judge that the ChatGPT maker is destroying evidence while a former iPhone engineer used a confidential Apple circuit schematic in his new job.
In a court brief filed in support of expedited discovery, Apple said OpenAI is actively destroying crucial evidence in the Northern District of California case, which accuses the AI company, hardware chief Tang Yew Tan, former Apple engineer Chang Liu, and io Products of misappropriating hardware trade secrets. Apple also alleged that Liu “not only downloaded a confidential Apple circuit schematic but also used it in his work” at OpenAI.
The filing comes as Apple presses for early document production, forensic imaging of devices and accounts, and depositions of key witnesses. OpenAI has sought to dismiss the suit and has opposed Apple’s request for a fast-track discovery schedule and a preliminary injunction that would bar defendants from using or disclosing alleged Apple secrets while the case proceeds.
Apple sued in July, claiming a pattern of theft after OpenAI hired hundreds of former Apple employees and acquired Jony Ive’s hardware startup io. The complaint centers on Liu, an eight-year Apple senior systems electrical engineer who left in January 2026, and Tan, a 24-year Apple veteran who led iPhone and Watch product design and is now OpenAI’s chief hardware officer. Apple says Liu kept an Apple-issued laptop, exploited residual network access and an authentication bug, and downloaded dozens of confidential files—engineering presentations, specs for unreleased products, and manufacturing details for main logic boards—while already working for OpenAI. Tan, Apple alleges, used internal Apple project names in interviews and encouraged recruits to bring parts, prototypes, and supplier information.
OpenAI has denied the claims, calling the lawsuit careless and “oddly personal,” and saying it has no interest in Apple’s trade secrets. It has published messages it says show Apple employees contacting Liu after he left and asking for technical help, and it argues Apple delayed raising the core allegations for months.
As Bloomberg News’ Chris Welch and other reporters covering the Silicon Valley hardware race have noted, the case sits at the collision of two of tech’s most closely watched product efforts: Apple’s next devices under new CEO John Ternus and OpenAI’s push into consumer hardware after buying io. A hearing on Apple’s expedited-discovery motion is scheduled for Oct. 1 before Judge Edward Davila, though the court could rule sooner. Both companies declined additional comment beyond prior statements.
MacDailyNews Take: If you have nothing to hide, you don’t need a shredder. If your first device depends on Apple’s trade secrets, you definitely don’t want the schematics on your laptops.
Judge Davila gets this in October. Until then, OpenAI can keep insisting it’s all a misunderstanding. Apple is simply asking the court to look before the hard drives get “accidentally” wiped.
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Apple seeds eighth betas of macOS 27, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and watchOS 27
Apple on Monday released the eighth developer betas of macOS 27, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and watchOS 27, continuing the final stretch of testing before the software is expected to ship to the public in September.
The new builds arrive one week after the seventh developer betas, which went out on August 24. At this point in the cycle, Apple is typically focused on bug fixes, performance, and stability rather than large new user-facing features. Release candidates are widely expected after Apple’s September hardware event.
Build numbers
• iOS 27 beta 8: 24A5430a (replacing 24A5424a)
• iPadOS 27 beta 8: 24A5430a (replacing 24A5424a)
• macOS 27 beta 8: 26A5425a (replacing 26A5421a)
• watchOS 27 beta 8: 24R5360a (replacing 24R5358a)
Apple also issued matching eighth betas for tvOS 27 and visionOS 27.
macOS 27 continues under the Golden Gate name. It is the first macOS release limited to Apple silicon Macs.
How to install
Registered developers can install the updates over the air:
• iPhone and iPad: Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates, then choose the iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 Developer Beta.
• Mac: System Settings → General → Software Update.
• Apple Watch: Use the Watch app on a paired iPhone. The watch should be on the charger, on Wi-Fi, and at least 50 percent charged.
Full restore images are also available from the Apple Developer site. Public beta testers usually receive corresponding public builds shortly after the developer drop.
What these releases are building toward
The “27” operating systems were first shown at WWDC 2026 on June 8, with developer beta 1 following the same day. Public betas began in mid-July. The official fall releases are expected alongside new iPhones and other hardware.
Headline features across the platforms include:
Siri AI. Apple’s rebuilt assistant is the centerpiece. It is designed as a more conversational chatbot with general world knowledge, personal context from apps such as Messages and Mail, and on-screen awareness. iOS 27 also adds a standalone Siri app for conversation history, systemwide Write with Siri, and Visual Intelligence relocated into the Camera app with a Siri mode. On Apple Watch, Siri AI requires a paired iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro and later).
Apple Intelligence elsewhere. New AI features land in Photos, Safari, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Passwords. On the Mac, Spotlight and Shortcuts pick up deeper Siri AI integration, including natural-language shortcut creation.
Liquid Glass refinements. After last year’s more aggressive glass look, Apple has improved legibility and added a transparency slider so users can dial the effect from glassy to more opaque. macOS 27 also revisits window chrome, including traffic-light controls and more consistent corner radii.
Performance. Apple has emphasized faster app launches, quicker keyboard appearance, snappier AirDrop, better Wi-Fi/cellular handoff, and improvements that are noticeable even on older supported iPhones. watchOS 27 includes battery optimizations, an updated Find My experience with Precision Finding, Workout Buddy improvements that work without a nearby iPhone, and a Dynamic app grid with Siri suggestions.
Some capabilities remain limited by region or regulation. Earlier in the cycle, Siri AI features were reported as blocked for EU developers under Digital Markets Act rules, and certain Apple Intelligence features have been unavailable in China while Apple works through local requirements.
What to expect next
Ninth-week betas this late in the summer are often the last regular developer drops before release candidates. Those RCs frequently appear after Apple’s September event, when the company also tends to reveal any remaining watch faces, health features, or hardware-tied software that was held back from earlier betas.
The finished versions of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 are still expected for the public this fall.
MacDailyNews Note: As always, beta software can be unstable. A backup is strongly recommended before installing.
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Apple veteran Phil Schiller steps down from App Store and product events
Apple’s Phil Schiller, one of the company’s most visible executives spanning the Steve Jobs and Tim Cook eras, has stepped down from running the App Store and Apple’s product events, according to Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman.
The 66-year-old, who left the senior vice president of marketing role in 2020 and became an Apple Fellow, made the change in recent days, people familiar with the matter told Gurman. Schiller will remain at Apple as a Fellow and work on unspecified initiatives. Company employees view the move as a significant step toward an eventual retirement.
Schiller first joined Apple in 1987, left in 1993, and returned in 1997 when Jobs came back. He was a central figure in launches of the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, and later oversaw App Store policy through years of regulatory pressure, including Europe’s Digital Markets Act. In 2020, Apple said he would keep leading the App Store and events after handing marketing to Greg Joswiak. As recently as 2024, he was still reported to be working nearly 80 hours a week.
Responsibility for the App Store is moving to the services organization led by Eddy Cue, who previously oversaw the store until 2015. Day-to-day operations, including app distribution, third-party marketplaces, and Apple Arcade, will be handled by Carson Oliver. Ann Thai, who has worked on distribution tools and alternative marketplaces, will report to Oliver. Leadership of product events is going to Nola Weinstein, Schiller’s deputy since 2023, who will report to communications vice president Kristin Huguet Quayle.
The shift comes on Tim Cook’s last day as CEO and as John Ternus prepares to take over, with Cook becoming executive chairman. The App Store remains a major services business, widely estimated to generate more than $30 billion a year. Weinstein’s team is preparing for Apple’s September 9th event, expected to include a foldable iPhone and updated Apple Watch models.
MacDailyNews Take: The only constant is change,
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Apple tests ceramic Watch cases, always-on heart tracking, and a foldable iPhone pencil
Apple is preparing incremental updates to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 for its September 9th event, while internally experimenting with a shorter Apple Pencil for its first foldable iPhone — an accessory that is unlikely to ship with the phone.
According to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman, neither the Series 12 nor the Ultra 4 is expected to receive a major design overhaul versus last year’s Series 11 and Ultra 3. Touch ID is not expected this cycle. What Apple has tested is a return of ceramic cases for the Series 12, in both white and dark gray finishes reminiscent of the high-end Series 3 from 2017. New band colors and configurations are also in the works.
The more meaningful work is inside the watch. After multiple years on essentially the same silicon, the new models are expected to get a faster chip — likely an S11 or similar — along with health and fitness upgrades. One feature in testing would let the heart-rate sensor collect data continuously throughout the day rather than in periodic snapshots. Apple is also reworking its Health and Fitness apps so they surface wellness metrics in a style closer to dedicated trackers such as Whoop and Oura.
A broader Apple Watch redesign is still planned, but not for this generation. This year’s watches are framed as a modest step: more speed, richer all-day health data, and a premium ceramic option, not a new silhouette.
The foldable iPhone, expected to debut at the same September event and often referred to internally as iPhone Ultra, prompted a more unusual experiment. Apple prototyped, tested, and considered selling a dedicated Apple Pencil sized for the device. The stylus was stubbier than iPad Pencils to match the shorter height of the folded phone. Like current Pencils, it was designed to snap magnetically to the side for storage and charging.
That side mount is part of why the accessory is not expected to launch next month. A Pencil parked along the tall edge gets in the way when the phone is opened — including the many times a user has no intention of drawing. The other problem is the display itself. Foldable panels use a softer top layer than conventional glass; a hard stylus tip can leave visible marks similar to a fingernail.
Steve Jobs famously dismissed phone styluses when the original iPhone launched. Apple later built a highly refined Pencil for iPad. For the first folding iPhone, the company got far enough to weigh a companion stylus, then appears to have concluded the engineering and product-fit problems outweigh the benefit — at least for day one.
MacDailyNews Take: The September 9th event is still expected to center on iPhone 18 Pro models and the foldable, with Series 12 and Ultra 4 as the wearable counterparts. Buyers looking for a ceramic Watch or continuous heart-rate logging may find those in the new hardware and software. Buyers hoping the foldable arrives with a pocket-sized Pencil should plan on fingers for now.
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How to use Grok AI on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad
Grok, the AI assistant from xAI, is still one of the most useful AI tools on Apple devices. The standalone iPhone and iPad app is mature, grok.com is the full desktop experience, and since August 2026 there is also an official Grok Bot Mac and iPhone app — a separate product for handing off real work, not a replacement for chat.
There is still no official native Grok chat app for macOS. If a site offers a “Grok for Mac” DMG that isn’t Grok Bot from x.ai/bot or Cursor’s downloads, treat it as unofficial.
On iPhone and iPad (best everyday experience)
The official app is Grok (listed as Grok – AI Assistant, “AI chat & video generation”). Developer: xAI; App Store seller: X Corp. It runs on iPhone and iPad and also supports Apple Vision.
- Open the App Store and search Grok. Confirm the listing is from xAI / X Corp. (App ID 6670324846).
- Download the free app. It requires iOS 17 or later or iPadOS 17 or later.
- Sign in with your xAI / X account, Apple Account, or email.
What the app actually does:
• Real-time answers with web and X search, plus deeper research modes
• Grok Imagine: images and short videos (including ~6-second clips with sound, and photo-to-video)
• Image 2.0 editing: background removal, targeted edits, resizing
• Voice Mode, including Live Camera so Grok can see what you see
• Photo, document, and link analysis
• Optional AI companions (Ani, Rudi, Valentine) if you want character-style chats
• Model switching inside the app as newer Grok 4.x models roll out
Older iPhones that cannot run iOS 17 cannot install this app. Use the X app (older iOS supported) or Safari at grok.com instead.
Useful iPhone extras
• Add a Home Screen or Lock Screen widget if the app offers one in the widget gallery.
• Action Button: Settings → Action Button → Shortcut, then pick a Grok shortcut if the app published one.
• Siri Shortcuts still work if you’ve added Grok actions.
Separate app: Grok Bot on iPhone (and Mac)
Do not confuse this with the main Grok app.
Grok Bot is an agent product: AI teammates that get their own cloud computer, sign into the tools you already use, and keep working after you close the laptop. The iPhone app is iPhone-only, requires iOS 18 or later, and is listed separately in the App Store. It is not an iPad app.
Access started as a tight beta (SuperGrok Heavy / high-end Cursor plans) and has been widening. Eligibility still depends on plan; check x.ai/bot or the App Store listing before you assume you can sign in. Android for Bot is not the main path yet.
On Mac
For chatting, Imagine, voice-on-web, research, and coding help: use the browser.
- RecommendedOpen Safari (or Chrome) and go to grok.com.
- Sign in.
- In Safari: File → Add to Dock to get a standalone window. That is still the cleanest official “app-like” Grok chat on a Mac.
Also useful:
• Grok inside the X.com website
• iPhone Mirroring (recent macOS + a paired iPhone) to run the full iOS Grok app on the Mac screen
• Grok Bot if you want agents, not a chatbot: official macOS app (Apple silicon and Intel builds) from x.ai/bot. Drag Grok Bot.app to Applications and sign in with an eligible account. Homebrew Cask even tracks it as grok-bot.
What is not official:
• Random “Grok Desktop” wrappers on GitHub or third-party download sites
• Mac App Store apps that merely wrap the API and use the Grok name
• “Grok Build” community GUIs — the official coding path is the Grok Build CLI / web / mobile Build features, not a consumer Mac chat app
xAI has said native Grok chat desktop apps are in development. As of August 29, 2026, they have not replaced grok.com.
@samat
Quick start tips (all devices)
• Free tier exists, with rate limits. Paid tiers unlock higher limits, newer models, and Imagine/video headroom. Names you’ll see in the app: SuperGrok Lite, SuperGrok, SuperGrok Plus, SuperGrok Heavy, plus X Premium / Premium+ bundles. List prices have been in the roughly $10 / $30 / $100 / $300 range in the U.S., but they move and are localized — confirm in the app or on xAI’s pricing page before you subscribe.
• Be specific. Grok is better when you give constraints, files, and the outcome you want.
• Switch models in the picker when you need speed versus heavier reasoning.
• Advanced Imagine canvas work is still often better on the web than on the phone.
• Same account follows you across grok.com, the Grok app, and X.
MacDailyNews Take: In a nutshel: On iPhone and iPad, install the official Grok app and you’re done. On a Mac, grok.com in a Dock web app is still the real Grok. Add Grok Bot only if you want agents that work in your tools — it is a different product, with different requirements.
Whether you’re brainstorming ideas on your Mac, analyzing a photo on your iPhone, or just having a fun conversation on your iPad, Grok brings a refreshingly honest and capable AI experience to your Apple devices.
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Apple Watch Ultra 4 rumors: sensors, silicon, and a quieter redesign
Apple’s fall event is set for September 9th, and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 is widely expected to share the stage with the Series 12, the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, and, of course, Apple first foldable iPhone. With only days to go, the rumor picture is clearer on internals than on looks.
The Ultra line does not refresh every year. When it does, buyers tend to want more than a new number on the box. This cycle, most of the credible reporting points to health hardware and a new processor, not a radical new shape.
A new chip, timed for on-wrist AI
The last meaningful Apple Watch performance jump was the S9 in 2023. Last year’s Ultra 3 and Series 11 reused the S10. This year’s models are expected to debut a new S-class chip, usually described as S11 or S12.
That timing is not accidental. watchOS 27 is expected to bring Siri AI to the wrist. A faster, more efficient system-in-package would help those features feel usable rather than sluggish, and it is also the simplest path to better battery life without a bigger cell. Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman has framed this year’s watches as getting a long-awaited bump in chips and speed.
Sensors are the main hardware story
Digitimes has said more than once that the Ultra 4 will get a “significant upgrade” to sensing, including claims that the number of sensor components could double. Some write-ups describe an eight-sensor rear array instead of the current clustered pack used for heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, and ECG.
The practical payoff, if true, would be better signal quality and less reliance on software guesswork – useful for altitude work, sleep, and long-term heart-health tracking. Gurman has separately said fitness-tracking upgrades are coming. Exact sensor names have not leaked in a way that can be treated as confirmed.
Blood pressure: more alerts, not a cuff on your wrist
Hypertension notifications already exist on compatible watches. The next step rumored for this fall is a refined high-blood-pressure feature that Digitimes said has been under FDA review. Most reporting treats this as trend detection and better alerts, not a medical-grade, cuff-style reading on demand. Glucose monitoring is not expected this generation.
That is still a meaningful Ultra-class addition: the watch that already lives on an athlete’s wrist becoming a better early-warning device for cardiovascular risk.
Design: thinner in some reports, familiar in others
This is the split in the rumor mill.
Digitimes has talked about a major or “full” redesign and a thinner titanium case—sometimes cited as roughly 10–15% slimmer while keeping the 49mm footprint, sapphire front, and rugged identity. A few outlets have also floated Touch ID in the Action button or side button.
Gurman has pushed the other way: no major design overhaul for this year’s watches. That comment also weakens Touch ID, because a new biometric control would count as a visible hardware change. Treat slimmer cases and fingerprints as possible, not locked in. Titanium should stay. A ceramic option has been mentioned as something that could return this year or next, not as a sure Ultra 4 exclusive.
Battery, software, and price
Battery talk is mostly about efficiency from the new chip rather than a giant cell. Some older speculation floated multi-day endurance in the 48–72 hour range depending on settings; that should be read as aspiration until Apple publishes numbers. Display rumors mostly keep a bright always-on OLED around the current 3,000-nit class rather than a sudden jump to microLED.
Software will matter as much as the case. watchOS 27 is expected to carry Siri AI and a Health app that surfaces longer-term trends more clearly. Rumors of a single place for health, fitness, and medical data are consistent with Apple’s direction even if the exact UI is still unknown.
Pricing is the other open question. The Ultra has sat at $799. Several reports say this could be the first Ultra that starts higher: $849 to $899 is the range that keeps circulating. That would match a richer sensor pack and new silicon, but it is still speculation.
What looks solid versus what is noise
• Most consistent: September 9th announcement, new chip, sensor/health upgrades, watchOS 27 with on-device AI, continued titanium Ultra identity.
• Contested: thinner case, Touch ID, a true full redesign, a price hike.
• Unlikely this year: cuff-accurate blood pressure, glucose sensing, a complete visual break from Ultra 3.
MacDailyNews Take: If you already own an Ultra 3, the upgrade case is “better sensors and a chip built for Siri AI,” not a new silhouette. If you have been waiting for the first Ultra that feels like a generation leap inside the same rugged brief, that’s the bet the rumor mill is making, until Apple actually reveals its flagship Apple Watch on September 9th.
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Apple’s new Mac mini hides three details the keynote skipped
Apple unveiled a new Mac mini this week with M6 and M5 Pro options, but the announcement left a few important specs offstage. According to 9to5Mac’s Ryan Christoffel, three details buried in the fine print could matter more to buyers than the headline upgrades.
First, memory bandwidth is not the same across every M6 configuration. The base model with 16GB of unified memory is listed at 153GB/s. Step up to 24GB or 32GB and that figure rises to 170GB/s. The top bandwidth of 307GB/s still requires the M5 Pro chip. Every option is faster than the previous M4 Mac mini, Christoffel notes, but the RAM choice now affects more than just capacity.
Second, the new Mac mini includes Apple’s N1 wireless chip. Apple promoted Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 during the event — clear upgrades from the M4 model’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. What it did not spotlight is Thread support, which arrives with the N1. Thread has been on iPhone since the iPhone 15 Pro and is used for smart-home accessories and automation. It is new to the Mac mini.
Third, the machine ships with macOS 27 Golden Gate already installed. That is not spelled out on Apple’s product pages, but the company confirmed it to John Gruber. The Mac mini does not ship until September 22, after macOS 27 is expected around September 14, so the preload is not a surprise. Anyone who prefers to delay major OS upgrades should plan accordingly.
Pre-orders start at $899.
MacDailyNews Take: These details do not change the overall story of a faster, better-connected mini desktop, but they do change how configurations should be compared before checkout.
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Apple TV climbs to $14.99 a month as Apple also ups Apple One Individual price
Apple is raising the price of Apple TV in the United States, lifting the standalone monthly plan from $12.99 to $14.99 and the annual plan from $99 to $119. The Individual Apple One bundle is going up as well, from $19.95 to $21.95 a month. Family and Premier Apple One plans are unchanged this time.
The new rates take effect immediately for new subscribers as of Friday, August 28, 2026. Existing customers will get about a month’s notice before they are charged the higher amount. MacRumors reports that Apple TV prices also rose today in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, with no other countries listed as affected.
This is the fourth U.S. price increase for the service since it launched in 2019 at $4.99 a month as Apple TV+. Subsequent jumps took it to $6.99 in 2022, $9.99 in 2023, and $12.99 in August 2025. The monthly price has now tripled from launch.
The move comes weeks after Apple raised Apple Music and the Family and Premier Apple One tiers in July. That earlier round left the Individual Apple One plan untouched; today’s Apple TV increase is what finally pushed that cheapest bundle higher.
Apple has spent the past year expanding what a standard Apple TV subscription includes. Formula 1 races in the U.S. are now part of the regular plan after an exclusive broadcast deal announced last October. Major League Soccer, previously sold as a separate Season Pass, was folded into the main subscription earlier this year. Live sports sit alongside a growing slate of originals, including the record-setting return of Ted Lasso Season 4, the Season 2 premiere of Dark Matter, and Slow Horses Season 6 arriving in mid-September.
Even after the hike, Apple TV remains cheaper than many ad-free rivals. Netflix’s standard ad-free plan is $19.99 a month (premium is higher), Disney+ with Hulu is around $19.99, and HBO Max’s ad-free tiers sit in the high teens to low twenties. Paramount+ is still a dollar cheaper on its comparable plan. Apple’s catalog is smaller than Netflix or Disney’s, but the company has leaned on a higher hit rate for prestige series rather than a vast library.
The timing fits a broader 2026 pattern. Netflix, YouTube Premium, Prime Video, and Peacock have all raised prices this year. Streaming services have treated annual or near-annual increases as routine while they add sports rights, returning hits, and higher production costs. Apple has not broken out Apple TV subscriber counts, but executives said in July that viewership hit an all-time high last quarter.
• New sign-ups pay $14.99 a month or $119 a year starting today.
• Current Apple TV and Apple One Individual customers should watch for an email roughly a month before renewal.
• Apple One Family and Premier customers are not affected by this specific change.
• Annual billing still works out to about $9.92 a month, versus $14.99 billed monthly.
MacDailyNews Take: Whether $14.99 is a fair price depends on how much of the lineup a household actually watches. For viewers who mainly want F1, MLS, Severance, Silo, Slow Horses, and a strong lineup of other originals, the service is still priced below lower-quality rivals. For anyone stacking multiple streamers, another $24 a year is one more increment in a year already full of them.
As always, as Apple One Premier subscribers, we recommend Apple One plans as the most cost-effective way to get Apple services like Apple TV and to make the most of your Apple devices.
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Apple expands Emergency SOS Live Video to Brazil
Apple is rolling out Emergency SOS Live Video to iPhone users in Brazil, the first time the feature has launched outside the United States. The company said the service lets people share encrypted, real-time video with emergency responders during a crisis.
The Brazil expansion puts the tool into a large market with high smartphone use and significant public-safety demand. Apple framed the feature as part of a broader set of iPhone safety tools that sit alongside hardware, software, and services.
Emergency SOS Live Video is designed for high-stakes moments when a voice call alone may not be enough. Users can stream live video so dispatchers and first responders can see the scene, while the connection remains encrypted. The rollout is tied to Brazil’s emergency network: about 190 emergency centers using RapidSOS UNITE are the near-term benchmark for how widely the feature can be used.
From an investor perspective, the story is less about a single product add-on and more about ecosystem lock-in. Safety features that work only on iPhone can make the device harder to leave. They also support Apple’s longer-running pitch that services, connectivity, and on-device intelligence — not just new hardware cycles — are what keep customers in the platform.
What matters next is adoption, not the announcement. Watch how many Brazilian emergency agencies actually activate and use the live-video workflow over the coming quarters. If usage becomes routine, the feature looks like a durable part of the iPhone experience in another major country. If it stays limited to a handful of centers, it remains a headline more than a habit.
MacDailyNews Take: This is yet another example of something an iPhone can do that a non-Apple phone cannot, and one more test of whether tools like Emergency SOS Live Video travel well outside of the U.S.
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Apple TV to premiere captivating comedy series ‘Small Prophets’ on October 7th
Apple TV on Friday announced it has landed season one of “Small Prophets,” the acclaimed six-episode comedy from BAFTA Award-winning creator, writer, and director Mackenzie Crook (“Detectorists”) which premiered on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two in the U.K. earlier this year. The series will premiere on Apple TV on October 7, 2026, excluding the U.K., where it will be available to Apple TV subscribers in 2027.
The series features a host of beloved comedy stars including Mackenzie Crook, Pearce Quigley (“Detectorists”), Lauren Patel (“Waterloo Road”), BAFTA Award winner Sir Michael Palin (“Monty Python”), BAFTA Award winner Sophie Willan (“Alma’s Not Normal”), BAFTA Award nominee Jon Pointing (“Big Boys”) and SAG Award nominee Paul Kaye (“Game of Thrones”).
Hailed as a “jewel-like, unhurried masterpiece that is funny, profound and manages to break and mend your heart in equal measures,” the “truly fantastic” first season of the series, which is “full of gorgeous surprises,” holds a rare, perfect 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and won the Best Series Award, International Panorama at Series Mania in March 2026. Celebrated as “completely lovely” and “compulsory viewing,” “Small Prophets” is “richly steeped in Mackenzie Crook’s glorious brand of gentleness, his ability to imbue the ordinary with extraordinariness,” and is an “impossible marvel of TV making.”
“Small Prophets” is a comic tale of the eccentric Michael Sleep (Quigley) who, since his darling Clea disappeared seven years ago, has lived a very ordinary life. He works in a DIY store, visits his dad Brian (Palin) and hopes for Clea to return. One day Brian shares an old recipe involving rainwater, horse manure and more than a little alchemy. With recipe in hand, Michael sets out (albeit with some skepticism) to create homunculi — magical spirits that can predict the future — in the hope they have the answer to his burning question: “Will I ever see Clea again?”
Michael gets help from his young coworker Kacey (Patel), an unlikely friendship that blossoms partly, but not wholly, through their mutual dislike of store manager Gordon (Mackenzie Crook). Their friendship adds to the frustration and intrigue of his nosy neighbors (Willan, Pointing) who are obsessed with trying to find out what the hell is going on in the garden shed.
“Small Prophets” was filmed and set in and around Manchester. The series incorporates visually stunning animation elements throughout a story of friendship and hope, the magical and the mundane, and where secrets and lies lurk in a suburban cul-de-sac.
The series is produced by Treasure Trove Productions and Blue House Productions, and is created, written and directed by Mackenzie Crook. Executive producers are Mackenzie Crook and Lisa Thomas for Treasure Trove Productions, and Christine Gernon and Emma Strain for Blue House Productions. Apple TV acquired “Small Prophets” from international distributor Sphere Abacus.
Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 878 wins and 3,819 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” global cultural phenomenon “Severance,” Apple’s most-viewed drama “Pluribus,” Academy Award Best Picture winner “CODA” and Academy Award winner “F1,” the highest-grossing sports feature of all time.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
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‘Dark Matter’ season 2 returns to Apple TV, opening a new chapter beyond the novel
Apple TV’s multiverse thriller “Dark Matter” is back. Season two premieres today, Friday, August 28, more than two years after the first season wrapped — and this time the story leaves Blake Crouch’s 2016 novel behind.
The 10-episode run starts with a single episode, “A Quiet Life.” New installments arrive every Friday through October 30. Apple typically makes Friday premieres available the night before in some regions; 9to5Mac reported the opener was already live for subscribers Thursday evening Pacific time.
What season two is about
Season one adapted Crouch’s book almost to the end: Chicago physicist Jason Dessen is abducted into another version of his life, then fights his way back through the Box — a corridor that opens onto every life he might have lived.
Season two is original. Apple’s official logline:
Season two picks up with the Dessens as they settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe, until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. As Jason’s obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela’s growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, and their son Charlie starves for a sense of stability as their family is threatened. Elsewhere, Amanda and Ryan join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home. With Blair determined to stop him, Leighton relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.
Crouch is still showrunner. He co-wrote every episode with Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry. That matters for book readers: there is no published sequel. The new season is the author’s own continuation, not a studio rewrite of leftover pages.
Who’s back — and who’s new
Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly return as Jason and Daniela Dessen and again serve as executive producers. Also back: Alice Braga (Amanda), Jimmi Simpson (Ryan), Dayo Okeniyi (Leighton), Oakes Fegley (Charlie), and Amanda Brugel (Blair). Chris Diamantopoulos joins in a recurring role as Agent Mitchel MacMara. Sony Pictures Television produces the series for Apple TV.
Apple unveiled the season two trailer in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con in July. The streamer is also launching Dark Matter: The Official Podcast, hosted by Crouch and Ben-Zekry, with a season-one recap dropping ahead of the premiere.
Weekly schedule
- A Quiet Life – Aug. 28
- A Perfect World – Sept. 4
- Everything Beautiful, Everything Terrible – Sept. 11
- Stars, Hide Your Fires – Sept. 18
- Love and Be Loved – Sept. 25
- What the Universe Is Made Of – Oct. 2
- The Pyramid – Oct. 9
- The Basic Oneness of Everything – Oct. 16
- How to Build the Box – Oct. 23
- No Quiet Life – Oct. 30
MacDailyNews Note: Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
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Pikachu meets Apple’s incoming CEO John Ternus
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook used one of his final weeks in the job for a campus visit that mixed succession planning with a very yellow guest.
On Thursday, Cook hosted incoming CEO John Ternus and The Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara at Apple Park — with Pikachu in tow. Cook posted the moment on X with a short video of the mascot touring the Cupertino campus.
“Today’s agenda at Apple Park: Introduce the @Pokemon team to John, talk gaming, and politely ask Pikachu to stay out of the pond,” Cook wrote. “Two out of three were accomplished.”
The clip, posted Thursday afternoon, quickly circulated. By Friday morning it had drawn more than 2.3 million views and tens of thousands of likes.
Today’s agenda at Apple Park: Introduce the @Pokemon team to John, talk gaming, and politely ask Pikachu to stay out of the pond. Two out of three were accomplished. pic.twitter.com/KzirV3VX8U
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 27, 2026
A campus tour, then a handshake
The video is less than 30 seconds and plays like a short campus travelogue. Pikachu first appears dancing under Apple Park’s rainbow arch, then peers through glass at a row of iPhones inside the visitor center. Next comes the pond Cook warned about: the mascot stands at the water’s edge, looking ready to test the “stay out” request. After that, Pikachu heads into the orchard and reaches for fruit still on the trees.
Cook, Ternus, and Ishihara then walk into the shot. Cook is holding an apple. Ternus puts a hand on Pikachu’s back as the four of them continue down the path. In a later beat, Ishihara raises an iPhone toward the mascot — Apple Insider reported he used Pokémon GO to send out Applin on campus.
Neither company published a formal readout of the meeting. Cook’s post framed it as a gaming conversation and an introduction to Ternus, who takes over as CEO on September 1. Cook will stay on as executive chairman.
Why Pokémon was at Apple Park
The visit landed on the eve of the Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships, scheduled for August 28–30 in San Francisco. Apple Insider said the Pokémon team stopped at Apple Park on the way to that event.
The business backdrop is larger than a photo op. Pokémon titles have been fixtures on Apple platforms for a decade, including Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, and Pokémon Champions. Cook had already met Pikachu once before, during a September 2025 trip to Japan for the reopening of Apple Ginza.
MacDailyNews Take: The meeting also comes as Apple has pointed to weaker mobile gaming as a drag on App Store growth. Sensor Tower reported mobile gaming revenue down 4.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, and Apple CFO Kevan Parekh cited “headwinds in mobile gaming” on the company’s most recent earnings call. Neither Apple nor The Pokémon Company said whether those numbers were on the agenda.
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Apple adjusts App Store taxes and prices in Morocco, Congo, Tanzania, Israel, and Indonesia
Apple is updating developer proceeds and App Store pricing in several markets to reflect new tax rules and keep prices aligned across storefronts.
In a developer notice dated August 27, 2026, Apple said the App Store supports 43 currencies across 175 storefronts, and that it periodically changes prices or proceeds when tax laws or exchange rates shift. Those changes use publicly available rates from sources such as The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News.
Proceeds already changingAs of August 27, Apple has modified proceeds from eligible apps and In-App Purchases in three countries:
• Morocco: introduction of 20% value-added tax (VAT)
• Republic of the Congo: introduction of 18% VAT
• Tanzania: digital sales tax (DST) rising from 2% to 3%
Exhibit B of the Paid Applications Agreement will be updated to state that Apple collects and remits applicable taxes in Morocco and the Republic of the Congo. Translations of the updated agreement are expected on the Apple Developer website within a month.
Price changes start September 14
Beginning September 14th, Apple will update prices for apps and In-App Purchases in Israel, Indonesia, Morocco, and the Republic of the Congo — unless a developer has chosen one of those storefronts as the app or IAP’s base storefront. Those updates also account for the new VAT rates in Morocco and Congo.
If a developer has selected Israel, Indonesia, Morocco, or the Republic of the Congo as the base storefront, prices there will stay the same. Prices on other storefronts will be adjusted so they remain equalized to that base price.
Two important exceptions:
• Auto-renewable subscriptions will not change price in any region.
• Prices will not change on storefronts where a developer already manages prices manually instead of using Apple’s automated equalized pricing.
What developers should do
App Store Connect’s Pricing and Availability section already shows the upcoming changes. Developers can still change prices for apps, In-App Purchases, and auto-renewable subscriptions at any time.
Apple pointed developers to tools for viewing or editing upcoming price changes, editing an app’s base country or region, checking pricing start times by country, and setting In-App Purchase prices.
MacDailyNews Take: In a nutshell: tax collection is shifting in Morocco and Congo, Tanzania’s digital tax is going up, and equalized App Store prices will move in several markets on September 14th unless a developer has locked in a local base price or is managing prices by hand.
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Your Mac and iPhone are building a private search engine in the background. That’s why Spotlight sometimes feels broken.
Apple’s Spotlight is not just a search box. It is a local, on-device index of almost everything on your phone, iPad, Mac, or Vision Pro: documents, emails, messages, photos, notes, contacts, music, settings, and more. Siri can pull from the same index. Apple says the index stays on your device and is not shared with Apple or your other devices.
That last part is the point. Spotlight is not a cloud search product. It is a private catalog that has to be built, updated, and occasionally rebuilt on the hardware in your hand or on your desk.
The index never really finishes
Indexing starts when you first set up a device. It runs again after a software update or upgrade. It also runs whenever data changes: new apps that allow their content to be indexed, new mail, new texts.
Apple is unusually blunt about the timeline. Depending on how much data you have, the first pass can take hours or even days. Incremental updates after that are much faster. The process finishes sooner when the device is idle, plugged in, and on Wi-Fi or Ethernet so email and other data can be downloaded for indexing.
While it is working you may see:
• On Mac, an indexing progress indicator at the top of the Spotlight or Siri window (Command-Space).
• On iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro, a Settings notification that search and Siri are “optimizing.”
• A Mail notification that indexing is incomplete.
If search feels incomplete or random after an iOS, iPadOS, or macOS update, this is often why. The catalog is still catching up.
When results look wrong
Apple’s first recommendation is the obvious one: install the latest software. Then check whether the category you care about is even enabled for Spotlight.
• Mac: System Settings → Spotlight (or Siri & Spotlight).
• iPhone/iPad: Settings → Search.
• Vision Pro: Settings → Search (or Apple Intelligence & Siri / Siri & Search).
On Mac, a more stubborn fix is to force part of the index to rebuild. Add the disk or folder to Spotlight Privacy, wait a few seconds, then remove it. Spotlight will reindex that location. If you hit a permissions error, the user account may not own some of the files; Apple links to its permissions guide for that case.
Why this matters more than it used to
Spotlight has quietly become the front door to the device. People search for settings, files, messages, and apps the same way they used to hunt through folders. When the index is stale or still building, the whole machine feels dumber.
Apple’s support page, updated this week, is essentially an admission of that tradeoff: keep the index local and private, accept that it can take a long time to build, and give users a few levers when it goes sideways.
The interesting part is not that search sometimes fails. It is that Apple is still doing the hard, unglamorous work of indexing a user’s entire digital life on-device instead of shipping it to a server. The cost is patience. The benefit is that the catalog of your files never has to leave the machine.
MacDailyNews Take:
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What’s expected at Apple’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ September 9th special event
Apple has confirmed its fall hardware showcase for Wednesday, September 9th, at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park in Cupertino, California. The invite uses the tagline “Surprise and shine,” with a glowing Apple logo framed like a rising sun. The keynote will stream on apple.com, YouTube, and the Apple TV app.
This is not a routine September event. It will be the first major product launch under new CEO John Ternus, who takes over from Tim Cook on September 1st. Ternus, a longtime hardware engineering leader, is widely expected to open the show.
The bigger structural change is the lineup itself. For the first time in years, Apple appears to be splitting the iPhone cycle. September is expected to focus on premium models. The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and next-generation iPhone Air are widely reported to debut in spring 2027.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
These are the conventional headliners. Design is expected to stay close to the iPhone 17 Pro generation, with refinements rather than a full redesign. Rumors include a smaller Dynamic Island, more uniform back glass instead of last year’s two-tone look, and a new Dark Cherry color alongside silver, dark gray or black, and light blue.
Under the hood, the story is silicon and cameras. Both models are expected to use Apple’s A20 Pro chip on a 2nm process, plus Apple’s own C2 modem. Reports also mention an N2 chip for Wi-Fi and AirDrop reliability, and 12GB of RAM standardized across the Pro lineup. Battery capacity is expected to rise, with the Pro Max possibly slightly thicker to accommodate it.
The most discussed camera change is a variable-aperture main lens. Some reports say that feature may be exclusive to the Pro Max this year. A larger telephoto aperture is also in the rumor mix. Analysts have called the camera hardware one of the more significant upgrades in recent generations.
Pricing is expected to climb. Component costs, especially memory, have driven estimates of a starting price around $1,200 to $1,299 for the Pro, with the Pro Max higher still. Pre-orders are typically expected later the same week, though some reporting has floated a Saturday start this year.
iPhone Ultra: Apple’s first foldable
This is the event’s “surprise.” Apple’s first book-style foldable is widely expected to be branded iPhone Ultra, though iPhone Fold still appears in some coverage. Supply-chain and analyst reports describe a wide “passport” form factor: roughly a 5.3- to 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.6- to 7.8-inch inner OLED. Unfolded thickness is rumored around 4.5mm. Apple is said to be chasing a near crease-free panel, with a Liquidmetal hinge as a durability play.
Expected trade-offs are as important as the specs. Face ID is widely rumored to give way to a side-button Touch ID. The rear camera system is expected to be dual (main plus ultra-wide), not the triple array of current Pro models, so no dedicated telephoto. Software is the other half of the bet: iOS 27 is expected to add fold-aware layouts and more iPad-like multitasking when the device is open.
Pricing estimates cluster between about $2,000 and $2,500, which would make it Apple’s most expensive iPhone. Availability could be tighter than the Pro models at launch because of hinge and display manufacturing. Some reports still leave open the possibility of an announcement now and slightly later shipping.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple almost always pairs new iPhones with new watches. Series 12 and Ultra 4 are the expected pair. Reporting points to a faster S-class chip, longer battery life, fitness and health updates, and possible design tweaks such as a ceramic case option on Series 12. Ultra 4 rumors include extra satellite features, such as maps and photo-capable Messages over satellite. A major redesign is not the consensus this cycle.
Other possible announcements
The event could be denser than a three-phone-plus-watches show. Mark Gurman and other sources have flagged AirPods 5 (with and without ANC) as likely. A refreshed Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini successor, and a broader home-hub product have appeared in September speculation, though they are less locked in than the phones and watches. Software dates for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and the next macOS are also typically announced at this keynote.
Apple already moved some Mac announcements into late August, which several outlets read as clearing the September stage for phones, the foldable, and wearables.
How to watch
The presentation starts at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT on September 9th. Watch on Apple’s events site, Apple’s YouTube channel, or the Apple TV app. The keynote itself is expected to be a pre-recorded production, with press at Apple Park. Ternus is expected to introduce it live.
MacDailyNews Take: What to treat as firm versus fluid: the date, time, tagline, and livestream are official. The product list is rumor-driven but unusually consistent across Bloomberg News, supply-chain analysts, and Apple-focused outlets. The real variables are naming of the foldable, whether variable aperture is Pro Max-only, final pricing, and whether any home or AirPods products make the cut. If Apple follows the current script, September 9th will be less about a full iPhone family refresh and more about a premium-only fall, a first foldable, and the opening act of the Ternus era which is blessedly just days away!
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iOS 27 beta hides Apple Intelligence toggle for Apple TV and HomePod
A new setting buried in Apple’s Home app is the latest sign that Siri AI and Apple Intelligence are being prepared for the living room — even if today’s Apple TV 4K and HomePod hardware still cannot run those features themselves.
In the latest iOS 27 betas, Apple TV and HomePod accessory pages now include an Apple Intelligence Report control. The toggle does not appear just because an iPhone is running iOS 27. The attached Apple TV or HomePod also has to be on the tvOS 27 or HomePod 27 beta.
Apple Home Authority first flagged the change on X, posting screenshots of the setting on both devices and noting that current models “may not support Apple Intelligence directly.” The account offered two possibilities: Apple could route some features through Private Cloud Compute so older boxes and speakers can participate, or the menu is simply shipping early ahead of new Home hardware expected this fall.
That second explanation lines up with months of software clues and reporting from Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman.
Even though the current HomePod and Apple TV may not support Apple Intelligence directly, both now have an Apple Intelligence reporting toggle in the latest betas.
This is purely speculation, but there are a couple of possibilities. Apple could be planning to use Private Cloud… pic.twitter.com/7SMcvQqlBr
— Apple Home Authority (@helloapplehome) August 24, 2026
At WWDC, Apple sold Siri AI as a single assistant that should feel the same on a wrist, a phone, or anywhere else in the home. tvOS and HomePod software barely appeared in that pitch. The omission looked odd then. It looks less odd now.
Code hunters have already found Apple Intelligence frameworks in tvOS 27, references to Apple’s Siri AI codename during HomePod setup, and mentions of the N1 wireless chip — a part that does not exist in any shipping Apple TV or HomePod. A later leak also listed a Siri app entry tied to the “campo” identifier in tvOS 27’s Device Hub, a string associated with the new assistant. None of that is present in tvOS 26.
The Home app toggle is different because users can see it. It is not a buried framework or a simulator string. It is a customer-facing control sitting next to Intercom, Sound Recognition, and Accessibility — and it is labeled as if these devices already have something to report.
New hardware is the likeliest destination
Gurman has reported that refreshed Home products are nearly ready and that Apple held them back until the new Siri was ready to ship with iOS 27. The devices most often named:
• A new Apple TV 4K with a much faster chip (widely rumored as A17 Pro or newer), more RAM, Siri AI support, Apple’s N1 chip, and Wi-Fi 7
• A new HomePod mini, and possibly a full-size HomePod refresh
• A separate home hub / HomePad with a roughly 7-inch square display, tabletop and wall-mount versions, and Siri AI as the center of the experience
Apple Retail Stores are also preparing larger changes in the Home sections this fall, which Gurman has said look bigger than a routine Apple TV and HomePod mini refresh.
Current devices are not dead in the water. HomePod 27 still supports the original HomePod. Existing Apple TV 4K and HomePod models already pick up smaller iOS 27-era upgrades such as faster AirPlay and Apple Music AutoMix. HomeKit Secure Video also gets Apple Intelligence features — generated clip descriptions, search, and smarter notifications — but those run with help from a compatible iPhone or iPad and a home hub, not from on-device Apple Intelligence on the speaker or set-top box itself.
On-device Siri AI is a different requirement. That is why the industry consensus has been that the full assistant arrives with new silicon, not as a free gift to 2020 HomePod minis and 2022 Apple TV 4K units.
What “Apple Intelligence Report” probably is
Apple has not explained the menu. The name tracks with privacy and usage reporting elsewhere in Apple Intelligence: a place to see what the system processed, and to turn that reporting on or off.
If Private Cloud Compute is involved, older Home devices could offload some requests the way iPhones already send certain Apple Intelligence tasks to Apple’s private servers. Replies on the original post floated another idea: a newer Apple Intelligence device on the same network could handle requests for older speakers and TVs. Both remain speculation. The safer read is that Apple is wiring the software stack before the September hardware window.
MacDailyNews Take: iOS 27 is close to public release. Apple’s September event is the obvious place for the company to show whether the living-room version of Siri is real, which boxes get it, and whether existing HomePods and Apple TVs get a thinner cloud-assisted slice or nothing beyond the reporting toggle. Until then, the Home app has already given the story away in miniature: Apple is treating Apple TV and HomePod as Apple Intelligence devices in software, even while the hardware that can actually run the full stack is still waiting backstage.
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Apple Arcade subscribers get big ‘Sneaky Sasquatch’ treats
Today, the sneakiest crossover of the summer lands exclusively on Apple Arcade. Through October 7, Sneaky Sasquatch transforms the iconic world of Subway Surfers+ with the charm and aesthetic of the hit open-world Arcade game. Players can unlock four character skins and two unique hoverboards, and dash through a reimagined level inspired by Sasquatch Valley locations, with raccoon coins replacing the classic gold ones and the security guard trading his usual look for a ranger disguise. But the sneakiness doesn’t stop there — fans have plenty more to look forward to with a major update arriving September 17.
“Sneaky Sasquatch is the most beloved game on Apple Arcade and has had one of the most passionate communities of players since day 1,” said Alex Rofman, Apple’s senior director of Apple Arcade, in a statement. “This exclusive crossover with Subway Surfers+ and the new birdwatching update are just the latest ways players can enjoy Sneaky Sasquatch, with more awesome updates planned for the game over the coming months.”
Add birdwatching to the extensive list of fun and mischievous adventures players can experience in Sneaky Sasquatch, from skiing down snowy slopes to racing customized sports cars to becoming a doctor — and everything in between. On September 17, more than 30 species of birds will appear in Sneaky Sasquatch’s world, ready to be spotted, snapped, and logged. Players can snap a photo and deliver it to the birder to log in the bird database to earn rewards. Not every shot is created equal, though: Photos are graded on the quality of composition and subject, with bonuses for a bird’s rarity, a brand-new sighting, or a lucky multi-bird shot.
That’s not all — available now in celebration of Sneaky Sasquatch’s birthday are all-new Messages stickers featuring 11 festive designs full of Sasquatch-size fun. They have been added to the previously released Sneaky Sasquatch sticker pack featuring silly expressions and campground shenanigans.
Download all-new stickers in Messages in celebration of Sneaky Sasquatch’s birthday.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple Arcade is available for US$6.99 per month with a one-month free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade for free. Apple Arcade is part of Apple One’s Individual ($19.95), Family ($27.95), and Premier ($39.95) plans, with a one-month free trial. Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. App Store Greats are available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. An Apple Arcade subscription gives a family of up to six unlimited access to all the games in its catalog.
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Apple launches new Education Hub for supplier employees in Vietnam
Apple is expanding training and skills-development programs for supplier employees in Vietnam by opening a new education hub in Hanoi and expanding its development curriculum at supplier sites. The Apple Education Hub — the first of its kind in Vietnam — is operated in partnership with Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) and will begin offering courses this fall.
The Education Hub will be a dynamic space that brings together instructors and learners so they can learn directly from professional education experts. The new curriculum will help supplier employees develop a wide range of skills through online and hands-on learning opportunities. Technical programs will equip learners with in-demand skills such as foundational knowledge of smart manufacturing, robotics, and automation technology.
“At Apple, we bring a spirit of innovation to everything we do to support people across our global supply chain,” said Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Vice President of Supply Chain Innovation and Environment, in a statement. “We’re excited to expand educational training in Vietnam, giving thousands of workers the opportunity to build critical skills and explore new career opportunities.”
Founded in 1956, HUST is Vietnam’s first and largest technical university. It is globally recognized as a leading university in engineering, scientific research, and technology development. For decades, the university has driven innovation and technological progress in the region.In addition to technical training, the hub will offer comprehensive professional-development courses. Learners will have access to programs in leadership soft skills and line-leader training, helping them advance in their current roles or begin an entirely new career path.
Prof. Dr. Le Anh Tuan, President of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said in a statement, “Partnering with Apple to establish the first Apple Education Hub in Vietnam is of strategic importance. As the country’s leading technical university, Hanoi University of Science and Technology has always pioneered university–industry collaboration to enhance scientific research and train talent for key technology sectors. With the Apple Education Hub, we will work with Apple to advance training programs with the goal of building and strengthening a high-quality technology workforce for Vietnam.”
These new training programs represent the latest initiative from Apple’s $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund globally. The fund is an important part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to investing in people across its supply chain and expanding long-term education programs. Since its launch in 2022, the fund has supported more than 9 million education and training sessions. In addition, more than 108,000 supplier employees have participated in Apple’s Swift coding program since 2017.
The fund also delivers essential programs that support learners’ overall development. An internationally recognized workplace-rights training program helps people understand their rights and know how to speak up if those rights are not protected. Health education programs provide tailored learning on important topics such as mental health, disease prevention, and early screening. Since 2017, these health and wellness programs have reached more than 8 million people.
Apple and its partners currently offer nearly 20 education programs for supplier employees in Vietnam. The newly launched robotics program provides comprehensive training in robot operation, programming, and maintenance to empower supplier employees and develop a future instructor workforce. This initiative has already been rolled out at five factories and is planned for further expansion.
Apple works closely with suppliers worldwide to deliver programs that support supply-chain employees and open new opportunities for them. These programs range from rights-awareness training to technical, professional, and health education, as well as community-resilience development.
This year, Apple is also expanding its Vocational Education for People with Disabilities program in Vietnam. Since its launch in 2022, the program has reached more than 49,000 supplier employees across more than 70 supplier sites, equipping people with disabilities with skills to succeed in manufacturing environments. It also helps suppliers understand how to build more inclusive and supportive workplaces for everyone.
Highlighting the impact of the vocational education program for people with disabilities in the supply chain, Tran Quynh Trang, Inclusion Specialist at the Institute for Development and Inclusion Action (IDEA), said in a statement, “Apple’s education initiative in Vietnam clearly demonstrates the company’s commitment to fairness and expanding opportunity for everyone. Investing in local talent not only reflects Apple’s core values but also helps suppliers move toward more responsible operations that put people at the center. IDEA is proud to support this initiative.”
The expanded development curriculum from the Apple Education Hub will be delivered at more than 30 supplier sites across Vietnam, helping supplier employees build skills in Swift coding, automation technology, smart manufacturing, and other areas.
In addition to technical and management training, Apple partners with leading international organizations to strengthen rights-awareness training and help ensure that all workers are treated with respect and equality.
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, but those hats!
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