📰 A major upgrade for the iPhone Air, expected to launch next spring

👨‍🔬 According to Mark Gurman, Apple is already actively testing the next-generation ultra-thin iPhone. The update is aimed at fixing two of the biggest complaints about the current model.

What's new:
• a second ultra-wide camera will be added;
• battery life will improve thanks to the new A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process.

• The device's dimensions are expected to remain unchanged, meaning the battery capacity will stay roughly the same. Instead, the longer battery life will come from the chip's improved power efficiency.

• It's still unclear whether Apple will also add a second speaker and a full-featured USB-C port.

📆 As we informed earlier, Apple is also changing its iPhone release strategy. This fall, only the flagship lineup is expected to debut, including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the new foldable iPhone Ultra. The standard iPhone 18, second-generation iPhone Air, and iPhone 18e are now expected to arrive in spring 2027.

@iPhone

💸 Apple can’t escape the AI chip crunch

We did warn you, though.

📈 Apple has raised prices on most of its product lineup as the AI boom fuels massive demand for memory and storage chips, pushing component costs higher across the industry.

ℹ️ Tim Cook has previously warned that price hikes were becoming increasingly difficult to avoid, with AI data centers competing for the same hardware used in consumer devices. So far, iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches have avoided increases – but Apple says future pricing adjustments are still possible.

@iPhone

💻 First touchscreen MacBook Pro will run on M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips

📰 According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will release the first-ever touchscreen Mac laptops powered by the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips – skipping the next-gen M6 entirely.

📆 The new models will launch between late 2026 and early 2027, available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes (codenamed K114 and K116).

🫆 What's new:
• OLED display with touch support (a first for Mac)
• Dynamic Island, iPhone-style
• Redesigned, thinner chassis
• Pricing expected to start at ~$4,000+

🔮 What's next:
Apple is already testing a second generation of touchscreen MacBooks – powered by M7 Pro and M7 Max chips with enhanced neural engines for AI workloads. Those are expected in late 2027. Notably, Apple has decided to skip M6 Pro and M6 Max altogether.

#rumors #macbook @DailyApple

🔮 Gurman predicts the fall Apple Event's date

📰 Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is likely to hold its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

📆 The launch is usually supposed on the first Tuesday or Wednesday after Labor Day. This locks in September 8 as the most likely date, with September 9 the next likely possibility:

With that in mind, the most likely date for the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone is Sept. 8, with Sept. 9 as the runner-up.

🤓 Either way, pre-orders are expected to open September 10-11.

P.S. The estimated price of the foldable @iPhone starts at $2,000.

⌚ Apple Watch set for a major redesign in... 2027

📰 According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, Apple is preparing a serious overhaul of the Apple Watch lineup for 2027 – reviving long-standing rumors of the so-called "Apple Watch X." The key change: a new band attachment mechanism, which would break compatibility with current straps in order to free up internal space for a bigger battery.

😁 Practical advice from the leaker: hold off on buying extra bands if you're planning to upgrade in 2027.

ℹ️ Other rumored changes for the redesign include next-gen OLED display tech and a new health sensor array on the case's underside. Meanwhile, this year's flagship Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to bring only minor, incremental updates, carrying over the Series 10 design. Worth noting: similar "Apple Watch X" redesign rumors have circulated since 2023 (tied to the 10th anniversary) and never materialized – Apple shipped the Series 10 instead. So take the 2027 timeline with a grain of salt.

#rumors #AppleWatch @DailyApple

😰 iPhone 18 Pro: paying more, getting slower storage

📰 Apple is reportedly downgrading the flash storage in the high-capacity iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, according to Wccftech, citing leaker Reptalicant.

1️⃣ The 256GB and 512GB models will keep fast TLC (Triple-Level Cell) storage from SK hynix, Kioxia, and SanDisk – same tech as before, three bits per cell, quick and durable. But the 1TB model will mostly switch to a QLC (Quad-Level Cell) chip – SK hynix's BC8Q-1T – which packs four bits per cell but is slower and less durable. A Samsung TLC chip will only appear as a rare alternative.

2️⃣ The 2TB version gets it worse: it'll use SK hynix's BC8Q-2T, a QLC chip originally built for server workloads. The leaker claims this chip suffers noticeably in random 4K performance. For comparison, the 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max still uses proper TLC storage, as you'd expect from a flagship.

💸 Why the downgrade? Wccftech points to rising memory costs — earlier reports suggested a 256GB flash module now costs Apple around $51 per unit, up from $13 for the iPhone 17 Pro. Meanwhile, base prices for the 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to hit $1399 and $1499. The math doesn't add up in customers' favor – this looks less like a cost-driven necessity and more like Apple protecting its margins at the expense of top-tier buyers.

@DailyApple