Top Stories: 'MacBook Ultra' and iPhone 18 Rumors, iOS 26.5.2 Security Fixes, and More
After last week's craziness around Apple's major price hikes, things returned to a bit more of a normal flow this week, with the rumor mill offering up tidbits about the long-rumored touchscreen MacBook, the iPhone 18 lineup, and more.
This week also saw minor updates for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS that included a surprising number of security fixes, while a cyberattack at an Apple manufacturing partner has the company concerned about leaked confidential information, so read on below for all the details!
Top Stories
Apple's OLED 'MacBook Ultra' Will Stick With M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips
Last week,
Bloomberg reported that Apple will be
accelerating development of its M7 family of chips to deliver greater AI-focused capabilities sooner, but it also means Apple will not be releasing M6 Pro and M6 Max chips.
That revelation left open the question of which chips Apple is planning on using in its highly anticipated touchscreen "MacBook Ultra" rumored for release late this year or early next year, and
Bloomberg now says Apple
will be using M5 Pro and M5 Max chips for that product.
The news is likely to disappoint some who have been waiting for the new high-end MacBook, considering the M5 Pro and M5 Max have been used in the current MacBook Pro models since March, so the chips could be approaching a year old by the time the MacBook Ultra debuts.
For more details on what we're expecting to see in the MacBook Ultra, be sure to
check out our guide and recent video overview.
As for the base MacBook Pro currently powered by the regular M5 chip,
Bloomberg says there is an
M6 model coming late this year, with a redesigned M7 model matching the upcoming MacBook Ultra to follow relatively soon after in the first half of 2027.
2027 iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e to Get 9GB RAM and A20 Chip
The
lower-end iPhone 18 models set to launch in spring 2027 will feature 9GB DRAM, up from 8GB, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. By lower-end iPhones, Kuo is likely referencing the iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e, both of which are rumored to be coming around March or April of 2027.
The report is a bit of a surprise given previous rumors have indicated that at least the iPhone 18 would include 12GB of RAM, and a couple of iOS 27 features unveiled at WWDC last month are
only available on iPhone and iPad devices with at least 12GB of RAM.
Apple 'Concerned' Over iPhone 18 Pro Data Leak From Supplier Tata
In late June, it was revealed that Apple manufacturing partner Tata had been the target of a cyberattack that resulted in
confidential documents from Apple and other companies being leaked on the dark web.
Apple is
unsurprisingly "concerned" about the leak from its Indian manufacturing partner, as the files include detailed information about parts and suppliers for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Some details from the files have been circulating, including a few images and videos, though it appears Apple may be trying to
crack down on distribution of the confidential content.
iPhone 18 Pro is Just a Few Months Away With These 10 New Features
Even aside from the Tata leak, a lot of information is already known about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which are expected to debut in September, so
be sure to check out our overview.
Among the most recent leaks are an
alleged SIM tray in a dark cherry color that has been rumored for the device, and an alleged diagram of the device's logic board showing a
new layout for the A20 Pro chip with the RAM sitting next to the main processor rather than on top of it.
Potential buyers should also be prepared for the possibility of a price shock, considering Apple's recent price increases across its iPad and Mac lineups. One market intelligence firm believes
Apple could raise prices by up to $200 compared to the current iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
Apple Releases iOS 26.5.2 With Security Fixes
Apple this week
released 26.5.2 updates for iOS, iPadOS, and
macOS Tahoe, delivering
fixes for more than 25 security vulnerabilities.
Apple says that it used the releases to
deliver the included security fixes sooner than originally planned, as the company seeks to speed up fixes in an age where AI has made it easier and faster to exploit disclosed vulnerabilities.
Apple Acquires Award-Winning App 'Play'
In February, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be
acquiring certain assets from and have the right to hire certain employees from Rabbit 3 Times, the company behind the award-winning app design tool Play. The notification was published on the European Commission's website this week, following a four-month waiting period.
Play was a Mac and iPhone app that allowed designers to prototype iPhone app interfaces using Apple's SwiftUI frameworks, and then send them to Xcode. In 2025, the app won an Apple Design Award for innovation, but it is no longer available in the App Store and it is unclear what Apple's plans are for the intellectual property associated with it.
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Top Stories: 'MacBook Ultra' and iPhone 18 Rumors, iOS 26.5.2 Security Fixes, and More" first appeared on
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