Apple tests Chinese memory for the first time, Tim Cook bids farewell to the Sun Valley conference, Samsung reveals the launch date for its foldable iPhone competitor, the iPhone Ultra enters mass production, Cloud Cowork arrives on the iPhone, Google beats Apple to the punch with the Pixel 11 launch, the iPhone 18 Pro may be thicker, the iPhone Air 2 will have a larger battery, Apple Intelligence features require a higher subscription, the iPhone 17 Pro Max enters a time capsule to the year 2276, Apple's $30 billion deal with Broadcom, Siri AI arrives on the Apple Watch, WhatsApp adds a green dot, and other exciting news on the sidelines…
Apple is testing Chinese memory chips amid political controversy.
Apple has begun testing DRAM memory chips developed by the Chinese company CXMT, a move that could pave the way for its adoption as a future supplier if it receives the necessary approvals. Apple has not yet decided to use these chips in its products but is conducting technical tests to ensure their quality, while continuing to engage with US authorities to ensure that the Chinese company is not subject to future restrictions. This move comes at a time when memory chip prices have risen globally due to the increasing demand for artificial intelligence technologies, which has driven up the cost of many devices. Apple hopes that having an additional supplier will give it greater flexibility in negotiations with its existing suppliers and mitigate the impact of rising prices, especially for devices destined for the Chinese market. However, the future of this partnership remains uncertain due to ongoing political tensions between the United States and China.
Tim Cook and John Ternos attend the Sun Valley conference ahead of Apple's leadership transition.
Apple's current CEO, Tim Cook, and incoming CEO, John Ternos, attended the annual Sun Valley conference, which brings together top leaders from the technology, media, and finance sectors to discuss the latest developments and hold closed-door meetings. This marked Cook's final appearance at the conference as Apple's CEO before Ternos officially takes over on September 1st, at which point Cook will transition to the role of executive chairman. Also attending the conference were Eddy Cue and a host of other leaders from leading technology and artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Netflix. Sun Valley is renowned as one of the most important gatherings that has paved the way for numerous major acquisitions and partnerships in the technology and media industries over the years.
Samsung sets July 22nd as the date for unveiling its new phones.
Samsung has announced that it will hold its Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22nd to unveil its latest devices, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 expected to be the highlight. This new phone is anticipated to feature a shorter and wider design, similar to the expected design of Apple's first foldable iPhone. The company hinted at this change in a teaser image with the tagline "A new form unfolds." Leaks suggest that the foldable iPhone will have a 7.8-inch internal screen and a 5.5-inch external screen, along with dual rear cameras and a power button with Touch ID fingerprint recognition instead of Face ID. Apple is expected to unveil it in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series. Samsung is also expected to announce new versions of its foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, as well as new Galaxy Watch smartwatches, during the event. Meanwhile, Google is also preparing to unveil its new Pixel phones on August 12th, about a month before Apple's expected announcement.
The foldable iPhone Ultra enters mass production
New reports from sources within Apple's supply chain indicate that the foldable iPhone Ultra has already entered mass production, following the completion of its final design, reinforcing expectations of a September launch without any delays. Despite previous rumors of manufacturing issues and problems with the screen hinge, sources confirm that these obstacles have been largely overcome. Apple has also increased its production plan for this year to approximately 10 million units, compared to previous estimates of between 7 and 8 million.
The phone is expected to feature a 7.8-inch internal display, a 5.5-inch external display, an A20 processor, and a power button with Touch ID instead of Face ID. Its price is expected to range between $2000 and $2500. While some analysts predict a delay until October, the latest reports indicate that Apple is still aiming to announce it in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro.
Claude Cowork arrives on iPhone and the web to automate tasks.
Anthropic has announced the expansion of its Cloud Cowork feature to the web and iPhone app, beginning with a gradual rollout to Max plan subscribers. This feature allows Cloud to access connected files and tools and automate tasks on behalf of the user, even if none of their devices are connected to the internet. Cloud works in the background via the cloud and sends a notification when it needs user approval to complete a specific task. While the company maintains that the best experience remains on the desktop app, as it grants Cloud access to local files and the browser, the expansion makes the feature easily usable across both the web and mobile. Anthropic has also integrated the chat interface with Cowork into a single window instead of separating it into separate tabs and extended the doubling of usage limits until August 5th for subscribers.
Google sets August 12th as the date to unveil the Pixel 11 phones, ahead of the launch of the new iPhone.
Google has announced it will hold an event on August 12 to unveil its new Pixel 11 series of phones, about a month before Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 and its first foldable iPhone. Leaks suggest the series will include four models, among them the foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold, with a thinner design, reduced bezels, and an updated camera setup.
All Pixel 11 phones are expected to start with 256GB of storage instead of 128GB, with prices likely to rise due to the significant increase in memory chip costs. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, as well as its first foldable iPhone, while Samsung is also intensifying the competition by launching its own foldable phones ahead of Apple's event.
The iPhone 18 Pro may come with a thicker design and an improved camera.
New leaks suggest that Apple is preparing to increase the thickness of the iPhone 18 Pro's body and rear camera module compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, while continuing to use an aluminum frame instead of returning to titanium. According to reports, the phone's thickness could increase by about 2mm, reaching between 9.9 and 10.9mm, due to a new camera system that, for the first time, includes a variable aperture lens, giving users greater control over lighting and image quality. This system is also said to be more expensive to manufacture, and suppliers are already ramping up production in anticipation of the phone's expected September launch, alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.
The iPhone Air 2 may get a larger battery and longer battery life.
The latest leaks suggest that Apple is developing the iPhone Air 2, expected to launch in the first half of 2027, with a focus on improving battery life. According to the information, the battery capacity may increase to 3500 mAh compared to 3149 mAh in the current generation, an increase of approximately 11%. The phone is also expected to feature two rear cameras instead of one, adding an ultra-wide lens to enhance the photography experience. It will be powered by the new A20 processor with 2nm manufacturing technology, offering greater power efficiency, along with a thinner OLED screen that may give Apple more space to install a larger battery without increasing the phone's overall size.
Apple Intelligence features in the Home app require a 2TB iCloud+ subscription.
Apple has clarified that the new Apple Intelligence features in the Home app on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will only work with an iCloud+ subscription of 2TB or more. These features include creating intelligent summaries of security camera alerts, grouping footage from multiple cameras into a single view, extracting the most important recordings, and natural language search. A 2TB iCloud+ subscription costs approximately $9.99 per month and also allows for the addition of an unlimited number of HomeKit Secure Video cameras, while keeping the full storage available for photos and other files, as camera recordings do not count towards the user's storage quota.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is being kept inside a time capsule until the year 2276.
An iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange was placed inside a time capsule that will remain sealed for 250 years as part of the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations. The capsule was buried in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, and is scheduled to be opened in 2276. The phone was chosen to represent the pinnacle of American technology and contains a collection of digital files stored within the Notes app, offering future residents a glimpse into daily life in 2026. The capsule was constructed using special materials and technologies to protect its contents for this duration and also includes other historical and scientific artifacts from various US states and territories, along with contributions from government and technological institutions.
Miscellaneous news
Apple announced a new partnership with Broadcom worth over $30 billion to design and manufacture advanced chips and wireless communication technologies in the United States. The deal will contribute to the production of more than 15 billion chips and support hundreds of American jobs, with a $1.5 billion investment to expand Broadcom's Colorado factory to produce radio frequency components and communication technologies. This move is part of Apple's program to support domestic manufacturing, as the company aims to inject $600 billion into the US economy over four years, fostering innovation and ensuring better performance for devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch.
The European Union's highest court has rejected Apple's appeal against the European Commission's decision to classify the App Store and iOS platform as a "gatekeeper" under the Digital Markets Act. This classification imposes strict obligations on Apple, such as preventing preferential treatment for its services over competitors, allowing the use of alternative app stores, and not combining user data across different services. The court also confirmed that Apple's objection to the classification of its iMessage service was inadmissible, meaning the company will remain subject to the new European rules aimed at promoting competition and protecting users.
The developer of the free and open-source Maestral application has announced that the project will be permanently shut down after seven years. The application was a favorite among Mac users because it consumed less memory and offered unlimited account and device synchronization compared to the official Dropbox application. While it will remain operational for a short period until its certificates expire, it will no longer receive updates, meaning it will eventually cease to function unless another developer takes over the project.
In the third beta of watchOS 27, Apple added support for the Siri smart app, allowing Apple Watch users to take advantage of artificial intelligence features directly from their wrist. The app appears in the middle of the app grid when the Digital Crown is pressed, providing a more intelligent version of Siri to answer questions and execute commands. This system relies on an iPhone compatible with Apple Intelligence for data processing, and conversations are synced across all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
WhatsApp has begun testing a new feature in the beta version of its iPhone app: a small green circle next to a user's profile picture to indicate their online status. The indicator disappears immediately upon leaving the app and works instantly with live updates. However, it only appears on the chat info page when tapping on a contact's name, not yet in the chat list or within the conversation itself. The feature respects privacy settings; if a user has hidden their online status, the green dot will not appear. It is expected to reach more beta testers in the coming weeks before its official release to all users.
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