The iPhone 17 is the world's best-selling phone, new iPhone prices are rising, leaked images reveal Apple's AI servers, a concept video shows Apple unveiling the foldable iPhone, leaked images of the foldable iPhone's motherboard have surfaced, prices for older iPhones are dropping, Apple is preparing to launch a new iPad Mini with an OLED screen, the foldable iPhone Ultra impresses early adopters (except for the camera), the Apple event logo varies by country, Meta imposes new limits on teens' time on Facebook and Instagram, Apple is preparing to launch AirPods 5, and Apple is replacing human support with a smart assistant. And other exciting news on the sidelines…
The logo for Apple's iPhone event varies from country to country.
Apple has announced that its annual event to unveil the latest iPhones will take place on September 9th. In the United States and several other countries, the slogan "Surprises Shine" is used, but it varies depending on the language and culture of each region. Some countries have chosen phrases that suggest surprises, new beginnings, and brilliance, while China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have used the idea of "A New Chapter," possibly alluding to the foldable device. This diversity reveals that Apple's local teams don't simply translate the slogan literally, but rather adapt it to suit each country's audience, while maintaining the overall meaning of surprises and wonder. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at the event, along with its first foldable iPhone. However, some local Apple websites, including those for Japan, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam, have not yet been updated with event information.
Meta imposes new restrictions on teenagers' time
Meta announced major changes to the procedures for protecting teenagers on Facebook and Instagram, as part of a settlement agreement with most US states. Under the agreement, those under 18 will be allowed to use the two applications for a maximum of two hours a day, with the possibility of exceeding this limit through parents. Posting and browsing content will be prohibited from midnight until 6 am, notifications will be muted during school hours, and alerts will be shown after continuous periods of use.
Teenagers will also be able to use an unpersonalized timeline, turn off autoplay, hide likes by default, and block certain beauty filters. Families will gain additional tools to monitor their children's usage and be alerted to suspicious accounts or interactions, though private messages will be exempt from some of these restrictions. Meta will pay approximately $18 billion to states over 10 years to fund initiatives protecting young people online, but it is demanding that TikTok and YouTube implement similar restrictions, such as a daily usage limit and age verification measures, to prevent teenagers from migrating to other platforms. Meta will retain $5.3 billion of the payment unless the two companies join these measures. The agreement settles a lawsuit that could have sought significantly larger fines against Meta. Florida rejected the settlement and decided to pursue the case, while New Mexico had already won a separate case against the company earlier this year.
Leaked images of Apple's AI servers
Leaked images have surfaced online, purportedly revealing for the first time the servers used by Apple to power its Private Cloud Compute system. This system handles some of Apple's most complex intelligence requests across Apple's servers while keeping user data private and not storing or sharing it. The images show a large server that can be housed within custom cabinets and contains up to 32 separate circuit boards, along with cooling systems and fans designed for efficient air distribution.
One of the images also reveals a chip bearing the Apple logo, indicating the use of Apple-designed chips, along with storage chips. According to the image leaker, the server cannot operate independently; it requires a Mac Studio computer and a dedicated account for control, and can only be activated through Apple. Apple manufactures these servers in the United States at its facility in Houston, Texas, as part of its plan to invest $600 billion in the American economy.
iPhone 17, the world's best-selling phone
The iPhone 17 maintained its position as the best-selling smartphone globally during the second quarter of 2026, according to data from Counterpoint Research, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max and 17 Pro came in second and third place, respectively. The standard iPhone 17 alone accounted for approximately 6% of total global smartphone sales, with Apple achieving significant growth in India, Japan, the Middle East, and Africa, in addition to nearly doubling its sales in South Korea. Apple and Samsung occupied all ten spots in the top ten, with their devices collectively accounting for 26% of global smartphone sales.
The iPhone 17e came in seventh place after gaining MagSafe support and increased storage capacity without a price hike, while the iPhone 16 came in tenth, meaning Apple occupied five of the top ten spots. On the other hand, Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra was the best-selling phone, ranking fourth and outperforming all other Android phones. Despite the global smartphone market declining by 11% during the quarter, Apple and Samsung managed to increase their sales, at a time when rising prices are pushing companies to focus on more profitable phones.
A concept video of Apple unveiling the foldable iPhone Ultra
A fan-made video has surfaced online, imagining what Apple's first foldable iPhone might look like, weeks before its expected official unveiling. The video, created by Gunhoo Lee, offers a realistic depiction of what a phone dubbed the "iPhone Ultra" might look like, featuring a 7.8-inch internal display, Touch ID fingerprint recognition, a mechanical hinge, two separate batteries, and an A20 chip. While the video is unofficial, the specifications it presents largely align with leaks and reports that have emerged in recent months. Apple is expected to unveil the foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max at its upcoming event next month, meaning the official announcement is imminent.
Leaked images allegedly reveal the motherboard of Apple's foldable iPhone
Images and a video purportedly revealing parts of the motherboard for Apple's foldable iPhone have surfaced on the X platform and Chinese social media. These images show components such as the processor, hinge connector, and flex cable connector. Another image, reportedly from a parts retailer, shows almost identical components. While there's no way to definitively verify the authenticity of these images, they could be a further indication that the first foldable iPhone is nearing its release. Leaks suggest the phone will feature a 5.5-inch external display and a 7.8-inch internal display, along with an A20 Pro chip, a 5000mAh battery, and dual 48MP rear cameras. Both the external and internal displays will have an 18MP selfie camera. The phone's price is expected to start at at least $2000.
iPhones lose value when replaced before new models are released
A new study has revealed that the value of most iPhones drops significantly in the ten days between Apple's announcement of new devices and their official market launch. Based on the release of the iPhone 15, 16, and 17 series, the study found that the value of 117 out of 156 devices decreased during this period, representing approximately 75% of the total. The average depreciation for the iPhone 17 series was around $36 per device. The 512GB iPhone 16 Plus saw the largest drop, falling from $695 to $566, while the 128GB iPhone 15 Plus experienced the largest percentage decrease, at approximately 20%. A survey of 2000 iPhone users in the United States showed that 61.4% prefer to keep their current phone until they receive and set up the new one, rather than replacing it immediately after the announcement. This preference is primarily attributed to the need for the current phone and the transfer of data from it. Notably, Apple actually raised its official replacement price estimates for a large number of its devices last month, in preparation for the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and the foldable iPhone.
Apple is preparing to launch a new iPad Mini with four upgrades before the end of October.
Apple is preparing to launch a new generation of iPad Mini with an OLED display before the end of October 2026, according to a Bloomberg report. The OLED screen will offer superior picture quality thanks to more vibrant colors, higher contrast, and true blacks, but its use could lead to a higher price. The new iPad Mini is also expected to feature a redesigned speaker system, improved water resistance, and a more powerful chip—either the A19 Pro or A20—instead of the A17 Pro chip found in the current generation. The last iPad Mini was released in October 2024 and featured the A17 Pro chip, which enabled support for Apple Intelligence features.
Apple is preparing to launch AirPods 5 soon.
Apple plans to unveil a new generation of AirPods, the 5, on September 9th, with two versions: one featuring noise cancellation and the other without, just like the AirPods 4. The company hasn't yet revealed the major differences between the new and previous models, but these are expected to be announced during the upcoming iPhone event. Current AirPods 4 prices range from $129 to $179, giving a rough idea of the new generation's price.
A queue to use Siri AI in iOS 27
With the release of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, Apple will implement a waiting list system for the new Siri AI feature, meaning not all users will have immediate access. Users will be added to the list and shown an estimated wait time, which can be adjusted based on server load. They will then receive a notification when the service is activated. During previous testing, it took up to a week for some users to receive the feature, but the expected wait time after the official launch in September is still unknown.
Tim Cook steps down as CEO after 15 years
On this day in 2011, Tim Cook took the helm at Apple, succeeding Steve Jobs. Fifteen years later, he will officially step down on September 15st, to be replaced by John Ternos. Ternos joined Apple in 2001 and rose through the ranks to become Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, overseeing the development of devices such as the iPhone, Mac, and iPad. Cook will remain with the company as Chairman of the Board to support it in navigating policy and regulatory pressures as Apple prepares to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and its first foldable iPhone.
Apple is preparing to raise iPhone prices due to rising component costs.
Apple is preparing to raise prices on its new iPhones, following similar moves by Samsung and Google, due to rising costs for chips, memory, and manufacturing components. Apple raised prices on most Macs and iPads two months ago by an average of 23%, and it appears the iPhone may be affected by the same issue. Samsung and Google have already increased the prices of their latest phones by about $100, and if Apple follows suit, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1199 instead of the current $1099 for the iPhone 17 Pro – an increase of nearly 9%. Analysts believe this increase may be limited compared to the rising component costs, meaning Apple could absorb part of the increase rather than passing it entirely on to users. Furthermore, Apple's new subscription program for upgrading devices could make the price hike less impactful, as it allows users to pay in monthly installments instead of a full purchase price.
The foldable iPhone Ultra impresses early adopters, except for the camera.
The foldable iPhone Ultra seems to be winning over the few early adopters, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, particularly due to its pocketability, the feel and durability of its hinge, and its iPad-like app display that takes advantage of the large internal screen when the phone is unfolded. The device also offers a good experience for watching videos, playing games, and productivity tasks, and even for previewing photos before taking them. However, the camera may be a weak point. The phone is not expected to have an optical zoom lens, but rather two rear cameras: a 48-megapixel main camera and an ultra-wide lens. This could influence the purchase decision, especially given its high price.
To keep the phone's thickness at around 4.5mm when unfolded, Apple is rumored to be using Touch ID integrated into the side button instead of Face ID—a change some might see as an advantage rather than a disadvantage. The phone is expected to feature a 5.5-inch external display and a nearly 7.8-inch internal display, in a book-like design. Apple is expected to unveil it alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max at its September event, with prices potentially starting at $2000 and exceeding $2500 for the higher-capacity models.
Miscellaneous news
Calling Apple's support number in the US and Canada (1-800-APL-CARE) now often connects you to an AI-powered assistant instead of a human employee. This assistant can answer questions and resolve issues step-by-step, and can connect you to a human advisor if needed. This move reflects Apple's increasing reliance on artificial intelligence in customer service, raising concerns about potential future reductions in human staff.
Apple explained that the process of re-indexing Spotlight after installing updates like iOS 27 or macOS 27 can take hours or even days, depending on the amount of data stored on the device. This process is faster when the device is plugged into a power source and the internet and is not actively being used. The company also confirmed that the indexing is stored locally on the device and remains private, without being shared with Apple or any other devices.
Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its first smart home device with a screen before the end of 2026. The device will feature a 7-inch square screen, a front-facing camera, and facial recognition for personalized content, along with multiple profiles and sensors to detect who is standing in front of it. It is expected to run on an operating system similar to tvOS with a streamlined interface based on quick widgets and will be priced at around $350, alongside a new version of Apple TV and an updated HomePod Mini.
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