As Apple prepares to unveil iOS 27 and related updates at WWDC in just under a month, iOS 26.5 and friends are now just around the corner and some fixes before we start looking for the next big update.
This week also saw Apple make further changes to its Mac mini and Mac Studio offerings amid product shortages, while the company gauges how to meet strong demand for the new MacBook Neo, so read on below for all the details on this news and more!
Top Stories
Apple Says iOS 26.5 Adds Three New Features to Your iPhone
iOS 26.5 includes three new features for iPhones, according to Apple’s release notes for the update, which is expected to be released next week.
As discovered during beta testing, iOS 26.5 enables end-to-end encryption of RCS messages between iOS and Android devices. Apple says this security update is limited to supported carriers worldwide and will continue to roll out.
The second new feature added in iOS 26.5 is “Suggested Places” in Apple Maps. This section of the app offers recommendations based on your location and recent searches, and will begin showing ads in the US and Canada later this year.
Third, the new Pride Luminance “multicolor contrast” wallpaper is available for download on iPhones and iPads running iOS 26.5 or iPadOS 26.5. Released alongside the new Pride Edition Sport Loop and Pride Luminance watches, Apple says the wallpaper celebrates LGBTQ+ communities around the world.
Why You Might Want to Wait to Buy a MacBook Pro
Apple refreshed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro and M5 Max models in March 2026, but depending on your needs and interests, you may want to skip this generation because something better is in the works.
The M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models have faster chips, but the same design that Apple has used since 2021. An updated design with new display technology and faster performance is coming in late 2026 or early 2027. Check out our overview of everything rumored for the upcoming “MacBook Ultra”.
Apple Stops Selling Mac Mini With 256GB of Storage, Starting Price Rises to $799
Apple last week stopped offering the 256GB storage option for the Mac mini worldwide. As a result, the desktop computer now has a higher starting price.
In the US, for example, the Mac mini now starts at $799 for the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, while previously it started at $599 for the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.
Apple continues to cut some settings for the Mac mini and Mac Studio as the company has been plagued by problems related to an industry-wide memory shortage amid strong demand from customers who want to use these machines for AI-related purposes.
Apple Caught Off-guard by MacBook Neo’s ‘Off the Charts’ Demand
Apple’s most affordable MacBook has proven to be a big hit with customers, based on comments shared by CEO Tim Cook last week.
On an earnings call last Thursday, Cook said customer response to the MacBook Neo has been “off the charts” since the laptop’s launch in March. “We cannot be happy with the way things are going right now,” he said.
Apple has been struggling to meet customer demand for new laptops, and the company is said to be running out of A18 Pro chips used to power them. With Apple rumored to be considering ordering more chips to add to the cost, as well as rising memory costs, tech writer Tim Culpan believes that Apple may consider lowering the price of the $599 entry-level MacBook Neo and possibly offering it in more colors.
iPhone 18 Pro Rumored To Be Aluminum Finish Amid Complaints Of Staying Solid
The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly carry the anodized aluminum finish introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, despite concerns from some users about its durability.
According to a Weibo leaker known as “Fixed Focus Digital,” grounding in the iPhone 17 Pro has become a common complaint, and users who seek help from Apple have been told that they will not need it, as the company puts this issue as a natural feature of the aluminum alloy material and normal wear and tear. Worse, they added that the iPhone 18 Pro “will continue to use this design approach” despite its weaknesses.
Separately, a new leak of the CAD rendering of the iPhone 18 Pro provides support for spreading rumors of a small Dynamic island.
iPhone 18 May Look Much Like ‘e’ Model, Leak Claims
The standard iPhone 18 and the cheaper iPhone 18e are said to share parts, according to a publisher known as “Fixed Focus Digital,” as further evidence that Apple is closing the gap between the two devices.
In a recent post on Weibo, Fixed Focus Digital said that some parts are interchangeable between the two models, adding that the information comes from a reliable manufacturing source. The publisher described the component overlap as confirmation that the convergence of specifications between the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e is real and measurable at the supply chain level. “Take it from me: The standard model of the iPhone 18 was reduced and the launch was delayed – this decision is final and will not change,” they added.
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