Apple has just released iOS 18.6, the latest iPhone update for users. Though anyone hoping for big new features will have to wait for iOS 26 this fall, today’s new iOS 18.6 release does provide a host of important security fixes. Here are the full details.

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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Apple’s foundation models team has been bleeding staff, and today Bloomberg has reported on yet another departure while Apple continues weighing a major AI pivot.

Apple has just released its latest software updates for users, including watchOS 11.6, tvOS 18.6, visionOS 2.6, iOS 18.6, and more. Here’s what to expect.

After a little more than a month and a few beta and RC versions, Apple has now released macOS Sequoia 15.6 for download. Here’s what’s new.

iOS 18.6 is now available for iPhone users. While the iOS 26 beta has stolen the headlines, Apple has also quietly been testing iOS 18.6 for the last six weeks. Here’s what’s new.

Apple TV+ has a strong movie lineup coming this fall, and we just got the release date and full trailer for one of those highly anticipated films: The Lost Bus, which stars Matthew McConaughey.

After adding Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google is updating AI Mode with four big features across Search Live (video with Google Lens access), Canvas, and more.

This fall, watchOS 26 will arrive as the next major Apple Watch software update. After more than a month using the beta on my Apple Watch, here are the new watchOS 26 features that I’ve been using the most.

In today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break, the best MacBook deals of the year roll on with the 24GB M4 MacBook Air at $200 off the list prices (16GB models from $799) and the 1TB M4 MacBook Pro at $300 off to deliver a new Amazon all-time low. We also have Apple Watch Ultra 2 in both the black and natural treatments at $150 off to match the best price of 2025 alongside some discounts on new accessories from Anker and the brand new Burton Goods Leather Techfolio Cord Organizer. Everything awaits below. 

iOS 26 brings major changes to CarPlay, including a new Liquid Glass design and support for widgets.

There’s also a small change that addresses a years-long feature request for many CarPlay users: the ability to disable CarPlay screenshots.

Apple’s official iPhone 17 Pro unveiling is only about six weeks away, and leaks have ramped up this week. Today, a new video offers a great look all the rumored colors for iPhone 17 Pro using dummy models.

Apple is nearing a deal with JPMorgan Chase to take over the Apple Card deal currently backed by Goldman Sachs, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal.

The deal comes as Goldman Sachs looks to exit its agreement with Apple after mounting financial losses and a broader rethinking of its consumer finance business.

Apple has announced a new series premiering this fall that has all the makings of a hit, including its source material courtesy of Slow Horses author Mick Herron. Here are all the details on Down Cemetery Road, coming soon to Apple TV+.

Homeowners and businesses with an Alarm․com smart home system have a new way to keep tabs on things. The company has announced the launch of its first CarPlay app, unlocking easier access to smart home controls for things like garage doors, scenes, routines, and more.

A new Apple Manufacturing Academy has been announced by the company, launching in Detroit on August 19. The iPhone maker says it will offer free training in “smart manufacturing” for small and medium businesses from across the country.

The initiative is working in partnership with Michigan State University, and will include Apple engineers among the trainers …

Back-to-school time always brings some of the best deals on laptops, and this year is no exception. Amazon is offering insane deals on both the entry-level and the baseline M4 MacBook Pro ($1299). While my gut reaction is in awe at how much power and value you get from the at $799, after I stopped to think about it, the M4 MacBook Pro at $1299 could actually be the best bang for buck computer out on the market, but is it worth the $500 price difference?

That is what I wanted to break down in this post. Both are exceptional values, but what exactly are you getting from the MacBook Pro that justifies the extra $500? Let’s get into it.

With worldwide government regulations increasingly cracking down on what content is available, and various streaming services increasingly locking content behind geographic paywalls, more and more people are turning to VPNs.

Setting up a VPN used to be complicated, but in the last decade, the process has become incredibly streamlined. Here’s how to set up and use a VPN on your iPhone.

One of the most popular uses for the Cash App is collecting payments from groups of friends, whether that’s an immediate need like paying a restaurant bill or a future one, like collecting money for a shared gift.

The company has today announced a new feature which lets you ask friends to contribute to a money pool even if they don’t use the app …

With its new partnership, Germany-based Bragi will let third-party headphone and other audio product makers integrate a GPT-based assistant, accessible via a button press or wake word. Here are the details.

Spotify has posted its latest earnings report, stating that both paid and free users were up more than 10% year-on-year, but the company returned to making a loss …

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In this episode of Apple @ Work, Sergio Sousa and Alcyr Araujo join the show to discuss the challenges small businesses face with access control and management for apps and services, and why they launched AccessMule.

Two major security vulnerabilities in the Tea app – which claims to make dating safer for women – have exposed the private chats and personal data of at least tens of thousands of users.

The app, designed to allow women to share “red flags” for men they had dated, claimed four million active users after it hit the top slot in the App Store last week …

In a first in the country, Apple has confirmed that it will close its Parkland Mall store in Dalian City, Northeast China, on August 9. Here are the details.

Yesterday we learned about three new potential iPhone 17 Pro camera features. Today a test unit was possibly spotted in the wild — potentially showing us the first glimpse at one of those rumored features.

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Apple has a reputation for prioritizing the privacy of its customers, and that commitment begins right at the chip design level.

Here’s a look at the eight layers of Apple security protecting the personal data stored on both your Apple devices and in iCloud …

iOS 26 adds a new opt-in filtering system to the Messages app that tucks away messages from “Unknown Senders” into a separate tab.

Punchbowl News (via Daring Fireball and Political Wire) reports that Republicans in Washington, D.C. are already freaking out about the fundraising implications of this new feature, warning that it “could cost them $25 million in fundraising revenue.”

Today, Anker announced three new products for its Anker Nano lineup of charging gear. It announced a new power bank, a new 7-in-1 charging station, and a new MagSafe/Qi2 battery – the last of which is certainly impressive. I’ve had the products for a couple days now, and I’ll be providing some quick impressions.

EssilorLuxottica, Meta’s partner in the smart glasses market and owner of brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley, just reported stronger-than-expected quarterly revenue, driven in part by rising demand for the Ray-Ban Meta. Here’s the breakdown.

Here’s one to take with a grain of salt: earlier today, user Fox Puppy on X published a couple of photos that supposedly show someone filming an iPhone 17 Pro on the street, using an iPhone 16 Pro that, for some reason, has its Apple logo covered.

After a short beta period, Jack Dorsey’s new Bluetooth messaging app has officially launched on the App Store. Here’s how it works.

‘Pluribus’ is the newly-revealed, cryptic new series from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Here’s everything we know about Pluribus so far, including Apple TV+ release date, cast, plot summary, and more.

In an interesting report out today, Canalys says that while the US smartphone market barely moved in total shipments during Q2 2025, Samsung and India saw huge growth, while Apple saw a rare double-digit dip. Here are the details.

Recent years have brought a notable shift in Apple’s ‘Pro’-branded products, and rumors indicate the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will continue that trend in a big way by leaning more ‘Pro’ than ever.

When Apple introduced the colorful, ultra-thin M1 iMac in 2021, many were surprised by one notable omission: the lack of an Apple logo on its prominent chin. Now, a leaked prototype suggests this was indeed something Apple took into consideration during development…

iOS 26 is packed full of new features, but one that lots of users might appreciate most is flying under the radar. Thanks to a new setting added in iOS 26, you can finally stop AirPods’ audio from automatically getting hijacked by other Bluetooth speakers, including your in-car speakers.

Microsoft has detailed a serious macOS vulnerability that could allow malicious apps to bypass system privacy protections. Dubbed “SploitLight,” the flaw exploited how Spotlight indexes plugin data to access sensitive files and Apple Intelligence metadata. Apple addressed the issue in macOS in March, but users on older versions could be at risk.

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Bitwarden: Check out Bitwarden Password Manager, featuring a new Apple Watch authenticator integration, secure autofill on Safari and iOS apps, and enterprise-grade security tools that help you manage credentials with confidence.

Apple TV+ is best known for its original TV series, but the streamer has recently started finding success in movies too. And coming soon are three high-profile new movies that look set to give Apple TV+ its best fall lineup to date.

We are ready to start off another week’s worth of 9to5Toys Lunch Break deal collections, and today we have some of the best deals of the year on MacBooks. Amazon is now offering $200 off every single M4 MacBook Air configuration, including both 16GB and 24GB models, with deals starting from $799 all-time lows. We then move over to the M4 MacBook Pro – it is now at its best Amazon price ever with $300 off the list price on various configurations. These deals also join $150 price drops on Apple Watch Ultra 2 and even more down below.