Featured: “MacBook Ultra” and iPhone 18 Rumors, iOS 26.5.2 Security Patches, and More

After last week’s madness surrounding Apple’s major price hikes, things returned to a somewhat more normal pace this week, with the rumor mill offering up information on 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 on an Apple manufacturing partner has the company worried about leaking confidential information, so read on below for all the details!

Featured

Apple’s OLED “MacBook Ultra” will still feature the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips

Last week, Bloomberg reported that Apple will accelerate development of its M7 family of chips to deliver better AI-focused capabilities sooner, but that also means Apple will not release M6 Pro and M6 Max chips.

This revelation leaves open the question of which chips Apple plans to use in its highly anticipated “MacBook Ultra” touchscreen, scheduled for release late this year or early next year, and Bloomberg now says that Apple will use the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips for this product.

The news is likely to disappoint those who have been waiting for the new high-end MacBook, given that the M5 Pro and M5 Max have been used in current MacBook Pro models since March, so the chips could be almost a year old by the time the MacBook Ultra debuts.

For more details on what we expect from the MacBook Ultra, be sure to check out our guide and our recent video walkthrough.

As for the base MacBook Pro currently powered by the classic M5 chip, Bloomberg says an M6 model will arrive late this year, with a redesigned M7 model matching the upcoming MacBook Ultra following relatively soon after in the first half of 2027.

The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e 2027 will receive 9 GB of RAM and an A20 chip

Low-end iPhone 18 models expected to launch in spring 2027 will feature 9GB of DRAM, up from 8GB, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. By low-end iPhones, Kuo is likely referring to the ‌iPhone 18‌ and iPhone 18e, both of which are expected to arrive around March or April 2027.

The report is a bit surprising given that previous rumors indicated that at least the iPhone 18 would include 12GB of RAM, and a few iOS 27 features revealed at WWDC last month are only available on iPhone and iPad devices with at least 12GB of RAM.

Apple ‘concerned’ about iPhone 18 Pro data leak from supplier Tata

In late June, it was revealed that Apple’s manufacturing partner Tata had been the target of a cyberattack that resulted in confidential documents from Apple and other companies being leaked onto the dark web.

Unsurprisingly, Apple is “concerned” about the leak from its Indian manufacturing partner, as the files contain detailed information on parts and suppliers for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Some details of the files have circulated, including some images and videos, although it appears Apple is trying to crack down on the distribution of confidential content.

The iPhone 18 Pro is only a few months away with these 10 new features

Besides Tata’s 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 preview.

Among the most recent leaks are an alleged dark cherry-colored SIM tray rumored for the device, and an alleged schematic of the device’s motherboard showing a new layout for the A20 Pro chip with the RAM placed next to the main processor rather than on top.

Potential buyers should also prepare for the possibility of a price shock, given Apple’s recent price increases on its iPad and Mac lines. A market intelligence company estimates that Apple could raise prices by up to $200 over the current iPhone 17 Pro lineup.

Apple releases iOS 26.5.2 with security fixes

Apple released updates 26.5.2 for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Tahoe this week, providing fixes for more than 25 security vulnerabilities.

Apple says it used these releases to deliver the included security fixes earlier than originally planned, as the company seeks to speed up fixes in an era where AI has made it easier and faster to exploit disclosed vulnerabilities.

Apple acquires award-winning “Play” app

In February, Apple informed the European Commission that it would acquire certain assets 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 this week on the European Commission’s website, after 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.

Woozad Newsletter

Every week we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting Apple’s top stories, making it a great way to get a quick recap of the week on all the major topics we covered and link to related stories for the big picture.

So if you’d like to receive news like the roundup above delivered to your email inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter!