Apple is likely winding down work on the initial release of iOS 27 as it prepares to install the operating system on new iPhone models coming next month, but some changes are still being made as we saw with the fifth round of betas this week. Other news and rumors this week included a look at an alleged battery from the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max, third-party accessories revealing some information about the foldable "iPhone Ultra," and more, so read on below for all of the details! Top Stories Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 5 We're a little over a month away from the launch of iOS 27, and Apple is continuing to make changes. The fifth beta of iOS 27 seeded to developers and public beta testers this week changes the look of some app icons and adjusts Liquid Glass, plus it adds some smaller features that make the iPhone just a little nicer to use. Check out our full overview of all of the changes in the latest beta. iPhone 18 Pro Max's Larger Battery Capacity Allegedly Revealed The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a nearly 12% larger battery compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to an apparent leak. An alleged photo of a battery pack for a Chinese model of the iPhone 18 Pro Max with a SIM card tray lists a capacity of 5,391 mAh, up from 4,823 mAh for the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro Max battery. The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly start with the same 256GB of storage as the iPhone 17 Pro, but one analyst firm estimates that memory price spikes and other increases will raise Apple's costs to manufacture the new models by approximately 38% . 'iPhone Ultra' Screen Protectors Reveal Asymmetric Corners The leaker known as "Ice Universe" this week shared images and a hands-on video of screen protectors for Apple's rumored "iPhone Ultra," and the leak appears to confirm a few of the most discussed details about the foldable's front design. Notably, the leaked accessory has square corners on the side that would sit next to the hinge, and rounded corners on the opposite edge. That asymmetry lines up with months of rumors describing a foldable device with a hinge on one side, and the leak marks one of the clearest looks yet at how the proportions and shape carry over to the cover display itself. Third-party camera protectors intended for the iPhone Ultra may also point to two expected color options for the device: silver and dark blue . Apple Watch Rethink Could See Debut of Round Model, Screenless Fitness Tracker, and More Apple is re-evaluating the Apple Watch lineup and considering a host of radical new designs , according to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman. In this week's edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman compared plans for the Apple Watch's evolution to the "revolutionary design change" that the foldable iPhone represents. It will be "something that transforms the product for a new era." Apple's industrial design team has reportedly been "exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches" for some time, with several directions under evaluation including offering a round display and even some screenless fitness tracker products. In the nearer term, a ceramic case option for the Apple Watch could return either this year or next. The material has been absent from the Apple Watch lineup since the discontinuation of the Series 5. New MacBook Pro and Refreshed iMacs Likely Coming in October Apple is likely to unveil a new M6 MacBook Pro and refreshed iMacs in October , based on its typical release schedule, according to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman. Writing in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reiterated his belief that Apple is readying the launch of a refreshed base-model MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display powered by an M6 chip. As for iMacs, the new version is likely to be an updated 24-inch model with an M5 chip or M6 chip, replacing the existing M4 model. No major design changes are expected. iPhone Users Who Pay for Enough iCloud Storage Get New iOS 27 Perks If you are subscribed to an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage, you will receive new perks in the Home app on iOS 27 , according to Apple. Starting with iOS 27, Apple said iPhone users who are subscribed to an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage receive access to three new Apple Intelligence features in the Home app: generated video descriptions for HomeKit Secure Video cameras, the ability to search for camera clips, and automatic surfacing of noteworthy clips. According to Stephen Robles, the Home app on the fifth developer beta of iOS 27 now indicates how many HomeKit Secure Video cameras are eligible for generated video summaries. Robles told us he had a total of 8TB of iCloud+ storage (6TB plus 2TB from Apple One), and this made him eligible for video summaries for up to 15 cameras. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter ! Tag: Top Stories This article, " Top Stories: iOS 27 Beta 5, iPhone 18 Pro Rumors, and More " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
For the first time since Apple started selling standard and "Pro" iPhones, we're not going to get an entry-level iPhone model this fall. Apple doesn't plan to release an iPhone 18 in September, and will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro , ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra . The lower-cost ‌iPhone 18‌ won't come out until spring 2027. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. With prices rumored to be going up in the fall, does it make sense to buy an iPhone 17 now, or wait for the ‌iPhone 18‌? Price Increases Apple raised the prices of Macs and iPads in June, but iPhones remain untouched so far. We're expecting the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and Pro Max to be $100 to $300 more expensive, and the ‌iPhone 18‌ could also be pricier. TrendForce suggests Apple could charge more for the ‌iPhone 17‌ when it introduces new ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models, with price increases hitting even existing iPhone models. If that's the case, there won't be a monetary benefit to waiting to buy a prior-generation iPhone like there usually is. Depending on how much prices go up, you could save some cash if you buy now, especially if you're buying outright. Pricing on the ‌iPhone 17‌ starts at $799. With a payment plan, you'll still save money, but a few dollars per month over a 12-month to 24-month period won't hit as hard. Trade-Ins If you're planning to trade in an older iPhone, it'll be worth more now than it will be when the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models come out. Trade-in prices for older iPhones drop with every new iPhone launch. Quality Might Go Down From what we've heard of ‌iPhone 18‌ rumors, Apple could be implementing cost-cutting measures that drop quality in some areas. Apple might use a cheaper screen that's not as bright, and lower-quality A20 chips with fewer GPU cores. Apple is said to be using components from the low-cost iPhone 18e for the ‌iPhone 18‌, narrowing the gap between the two devices. If that's the case, it won't be as good a value as the ‌iPhone 17‌ because it will share fewer features with Apple's more expensive iPhones. iOS 27 Features There are mixed rumors about the ‌iPhone 18‌'s RAM situation. Two rumors say it will get 12GB, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is only going to up it to 9GB. With 9GB RAM, the ‌iPhone 18‌ won't support the iOS 27 Siri voice customization and dictation features, which require 12GB RAM. The ‌iPhone 17‌ doesn't have 12GB RAM and doesn't get those features either, so there is no ‌iOS 27‌ benefit to waiting unless Apple opts for 12GB RAM. iPhone 18 Upgrades The ‌iPhone 18‌ is on hold until spring 2027, but we've still heard rumors about what to expect. Some of these features might be worth holding out for, depending on what you want in an iPhone. A20 chip - The A20 chip will be built on Apple's 2nm process, likely bringing CPU speed and efficiency improvements. RAM - The ‌iPhone 17‌ has 8GB RAM, and the ‌iPhone 18‌ is rumored to get either 9GB or 12GB. 9GB isn't much of an increase, and it won't support the ‌Siri‌ Expressive Voices or dictation improvements in ‌iOS 27‌, but 12GB would. Front camera - There could be a 24-megapixel selfie cam instead of an 18-megapixel camera, but that's still up in the air. Smaller Dynamic Island - The ‌iPhone 18‌ is rumored to be getting the same smaller Dynamic Island Apple is bringing to the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models. Modem - Apple will likely use its C2 modem in the ‌iPhone 18‌ for faster, more reliable connectivity. The iPhone 17 Is Still Good The ‌iPhone 17‌ is the iPhone that we recommend for most people in our 2026 iPhone Buyer's Guide . It has the best mix of premium features, performance, and price, with only a handful of features reserved for the iPhone 17 Pro models. It has the same 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate and Always-On display, the same Wide and Ultra Wide cameras, a chip that's not too much slower, and the same size display as the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. It lacks a Telephoto camera, has less RAM, uses a less durable chassis, and has a smaller battery, but that's about it. If you're coming from an older iPhone like the iPhone 13, iPhone 14, or iPhone 15, the ‌iPhone 17‌ is going to be a major upgrade, and there's little reason to wait if you don't care about the features rumored for the ‌iPhone 18‌. Cost and timing are the two main reasons you might want to buy now instead of waiting. We don't know what ‌iPhone 17‌ and ‌iPhone 18‌ pricing will look like in spring 2027, and roughly six months is a long additional wait if you were expecting to get a new phone in September. Related Roundups: iPhone 17 , iPhone 18 Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 (Neutral) Related Forum: iPhone This article, " Should You Buy an iPhone 17 Now or Wait for iPhone 18? " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Apple CEO Tim Cook once said that what Steve Jobs stood for, in a word, was "innovation." In a CBS News interview conducted yesterday, Cook – in his final weeks at the helm of the company – was asked what his legacy stood for, and this was his response: "In my view, your legacy is described by others, not yourself. And so, I hope that people will say that I was a good and decent man. And if they say that at the end of the day, I will feel like I have achieved something." The interview was conducted as part of CBS News ' coverage of Apple's opening of its Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) in Houston, Texas. You can watch it in full here . Tags: CBS News , Tim Cook This article, " Tim Cook Reflects on His Legacy in Final Weeks as Apple CEO " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
