In the news: iOS 26.5 coming soon, goodbye to the Mac Mini at $599 and more

As Apple prepares to unveil iOS 27 and related updates at WWDC in just under a month, iOS 26.5 and its friends are now around the corner with a few minor tweaks before we get our first look at the next major update.

This week, Apple also made more changes to its Mac mini and Mac Studio offerings due to product shortages, as the company considers how it can meet high demand for the new MacBook Neo, so read below for all the details on these stories and more!

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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 for RCS messaging between iOS and Android devices. Apple says this security upgrade 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 provides recommendations based on your location and recent searches. It will begin running ads in the United States and Canada later this year.

Third, a new Pride Luminance wallpaper that “dynamically refracts a spectrum of colors” is available for download on iPhones and iPads running iOS 26.5 or iPadOS 26.5. Launching alongside a new Pride Edition Sport Loop and Pride Luminance watch face, 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- and 16-inch MacBook Pros 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 there’s something better in the works.

The M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models have faster chips, but the same design that Apple has been using since 2021. An updated design with new display technology and faster performance will arrive in late 2026 or early 2027. Check out our rundown of all the rumors surrounding this upcoming “MacBook Ultra.”

Apple stops selling Mac Mini with 256 GB of storage, starting price drops to $799

Apple last week stopped offering a 256GB storage option for the Mac mini worldwide. As a result, the desktop now has a higher starting price.

In the United States, for example, the Mac mini now starts at $799 with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, whereas it previously started at $599 with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.

Apple also continues to phase out other configurations of the Mac mini and Mac Studio as the company has been hit by memory shortage issues across the industry amid high demand from customers looking to use these machines for AI-related purposes.

Apple was caught off guard by the “extraordinary” demand for the MacBook Neo

Apple’s most affordable MacBook appears to be a smash hit with customers, based on comments shared by CEO Tim Cook last week.

In a conference call last Thursday, Cook said customer response to the MacBook Neo has been “off the charts” since the laptop was unveiled in March. “We couldn’t be happier with the way things are going right now,” he said.

Apple is struggling to meet customer demand for new laptops, and the company is reportedly short of the A18 Pro chips used to power them. While Apple is rumored to be considering ordering another round of chips that will increase the cost, as well as increasing memory costs, tech columnist Tim Culpan thinks Apple might consider dropping the entry-level $599 configuration of the MacBook Neo and perhaps offering it in additional colors.

iPhone 18 Pro Reportedly Keeping Aluminum Finish Despite Durability Complaints

The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly retain the same anodized aluminum finish introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, despite some users’ concerns about its durability.

According to the Weibo leaker known as “Fixed Focus Digital,” surface chipping on the iPhone 17 Pro‌ has become a common complaint, and users who have requested a remedy from Apple have been told they cannot claim it, with the company classifying the issue as an inherent characteristic of the aluminum alloy material and normal wear and tear. Importantly, they added that the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ “will continue to use this same design approach” despite its weaknesses.

Elsewhere, a new leak of a CAD render for the iPhone 18 Pro supports rumors circulating about a smaller dynamic island.

iPhone 18 could look a lot more like an ‘e’ model, claims leaker

The standard iPhone 18 and the cheaper iPhone 18e would share components, according to the leaker known as “Fixed Focus Digital,” further evidence that Apple is closing the gap between the two devices.

In recent Weibo posts, Fixed Focus Digital stated that some parts are interchangeable between the two models, adding that the information comes from a trusted manufacturing source. The leaker described the component overlap as confirmation that the specification convergence between the iPhone 18‌ and the iPhone 18e is real and measurable at the supply chain level. “Believe me: the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ model has been downgraded and its launch delayed – this decision is final and will not change,” they added.

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