Featured: Apple Upgrade, Apple Music price hikes and more

It’s been another busy week in the Apple world, marked by the announcement that the company is preparing to launch a new device leasing and financing program, as it has raised prices further, including on Apple Music subscriptions.

This week also saw a new round of beta releases for iOS 27 and related updates, details on a dozen new Macs in development, and more, so read on below for all the details!

Featured

The “Apple Upgrade” program would be launched next week

Apple and Klarna are partnering on a new “Apple Upgrade” rental program set to launch in the United States on Tuesday, July 28, according to BloombergIt’s Mark Gurman.

The program will allow you to finance most iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch models, with a duration of 24 months for iPhones and Apple Watches and 36 months for iPads and Macs. Customers will be able to pay off the device sooner during the term, upgrade to a newer device sooner, or keep or return the existing device after the term.

As part of the transition, Apple will end the existing iPhone Upgrade Program.

Apple Music now costs $11.99 as Apple raises subscription prices

Following last month’s decision to increase the prices of its Mac and iPad lines, Apple increased its price increases again last week.

Apple Music has seen its prices increase across the board, with the change also leading to an increase in Apple One plans. Apple also increased iPhone prices in Japan by up to 11%, perhaps foreshadowing price hikes in other countries with the iPhone 18 line, or even sooner. And finally, Apple increased iCloud+ prices in eight countries.

Apple will revise its Mac range with 11 new models

Apple is preparing to refresh every Mac it sells over the next two years, according to BloombergIt’s Mark Gurman.

The plans come amid a Mac resurgence, with sales expected to rise for the third year in a row, thanks in part to a growing number of users relying on the machines for demanding, agent-based AI workloads.

The wave of new Macs will begin this fall with a refreshed entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and the first new iMacs in two years. See the full list of new Macs in development in our coverage.

Everything new in iOS 27 beta 4

Apple continues to tweak iOS 27 ahead of its September launch, with the fourth developer beta and second public beta released this week.

Check out our full list of tweaks and changes in the latest beta, including new settings, visual tweaks, and more.

Interestingly, new code in this beta release makes several references to an iPhone with multiple internal batteries, hinting at the upcoming foldable “iPhone Ultra” which will have a battery in each half of the device.

iOS 27: Access the new iPhone recovery screen

Since iOS 26, a broken iPhone can boot itself into Recovery Assistant, no Mac or PC required. However, you will only be able to do this if your device does not boot and goes into recovery mode on its own.

In iOS 27, currently still in beta, Apple removed this limitation and you can now manually boot into a Mac-style recovery screen at any time.

The new recovery mode allows you to troubleshoot, update or erase your device without necessarily plugging it into anything. It can automatically connect to a known Wi-Fi network and displays your battery percentage in the corner of the screen. Check out our guide to see how to get into Recovery Mode and what the different options it offers can do.

Getting started with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, the closest thing to a foldable iPhone

While we are still waiting for Apple’s first foldable iPhone due in a few months, Samsung this week introduced the Galaxy Z Fold8, which adopts a form factor very similar to the one we expect for Apple’s device.

Samsung’s Z Fold8 has a 7.6-inch screen when open and a 5.5-inch screen when closed, and it has a passport-style form factor, so it’s wider and squarer than previous Samsung foldables.

The aspect ratio of the unfolded Z Fold8 makes it feel like you’re using an iPad mini, which feels more natural than using larger foldables. It’s a perfect size for watching videos or running two apps side by side. The Z Fold8 gives us a pretty clear look at what Apple’s foldable will look like and what it will feel like to use.

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