Two Apple announcement dates in October, the result of three years of the 80% iPhone charging limit, a lighter MacBook Pro with a touchscreen OLED display, a network glitch in the iPhone 18 Pro Max, iFixit disassembles the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, Siri AI delayed in Europe, a tool that deletes Apple's AI and recovers 12GB of storage, a leak reveals Apple planned 16GB of RAM for the iPhone 18 Pro, the Z Fold 8 hits its lowest price, Google reduces its free Gemini models, image ads appear in ChatGPT during image generation, and other exciting news on the sidelines…
Two dates for Apple announcements in October
According to Bloomberg, Apple will unveil three home products on Tuesday, October 13: a smart home center with a square screen that can be placed on a table or mounted on a wall, a new version of the HomePod mini with additional colors and an N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7, and an Apple 4K TV with an A19 or A19 Pro chip and 12GB of memory to support Siri AI.
MacRumors has learned from multiple sources that Apple is preparing for a second round of announcements in the last week of October, most likely focusing on Mac devices: a MacBook with an OLED screen, a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip, and an iMac with an M6 chip. Also expected this month is an iPad mini with an OLED screen and an A20 Pro chip, in addition to the launch of the iPhone Duo on October 23.
15 years since the death of Steve Jobs
October 5th marked the fifteenth anniversary of Steve Jobs' death at the age of 56. Tim Cook wrote that Steve changed the world and changed his own life forever, and John Ternos wrote that the way he taught them to pay attention to every detail and every experience still guides the company's work.
The result of three years of charging the iPhone to 80%
Julie Clover of MacRumors published her third-year results with the battery at 80%. After 12 months and 277 charge cycles, the iPhone 17 Pro Max battery capacity remained at 97%, compared to 94% for both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max after their first year. After 36 months, the iPhone 15 Pro Max dropped to 88%.
The author suggests that the vapor chamber cooling in the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the biggest factor, and believes that sacrificing a fifth of the battery daily is mostly not worth the difference, and that a 90% or 95% limit might be a better compromise.
iFixit disassembles the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
iFixit gave both watches a 4 out of 10 for repairability. In the Series 12, Apple added a rubberized adhesive tab for easier battery removal, increasing the score by one point compared to the previous generation, but screen replacement now also requires removing the battery. The Ultra 4 retained its predecessor's score because accessing the battery still requires removing the adhesive screen. For comparison, Google's Pixel Watch 5 received a 9 out of 10.
MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen
Mark Gurman stated that the first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen may be announced in October or possibly November, with 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. He added in his report that the device will be significantly lighter after Apple redesigned and miniaturized its internal components. Rumored specifications include an OLED display, a dynamic display island, dual M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a thinner design, and a possible name, MacBook Ultra, at a higher price than current models.
The third beta of macOS 27.2 supports these expectations: Dock icons enlarge with a long press, similar to iOS, and touch recognition has been added to Safari, Photos, Notes, and Quick Look. These additions may also be related to Sidecar's full touch functionality.
A serious network malfunction in the iPhone 18 Pro Max
Apple has confirmed that a number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the US AT&T network have lost all cellular service—no calls, no messages, and no data. The affected devices cannot be fixed with a software update and must be replaced, suggesting a hardware defect. Apple describes the number as small, but thousands of complaints have surfaced on support forums.
Apple released iOS 27.0.1 and a network settings update to prevent the issue from occurring on unaffected devices. Neither Apple nor AT&T has yet disclosed the cause. The US version of the phone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 modem, while international versions use Apple's C2 modem. The problem has not appeared on any other model or network.
The iPhone Duo is approaching: unlocking new apps and features
Apple has announced that developers can now submit their apps optimized for the foldable iPhone Duo to the App Store. Existing apps work automatically, but to fill the entire inner screen, the app must be built with iOS 27.1; otherwise, black bars will appear. Pre-orders begin Friday, October 16, and the phone will be available on October 23.
Two phone features were revealed that were found among the codes: Quick Look displays documents on two adjacent pages when the phone is opened like a book, and a new button on the lock screen to turn Focus mode on and off without opening the device.
John Ternos makes product design a top priority
Since taking over as Apple's CEO last month, John Ternos has been visiting the design studio several times a week, and sometimes more than once a day, according to Mark Gurman. Tim Cook, on the other hand, used to visit the studio for about an hour a month at most.
Ternos is originally an engineer, and leaves financial matters to CFO Kevan Baric and supply chains to COO Sabih Khan, to focus on engineering and design.
Siri AI may be delayed in Europe by at least five months
Mark Gurman said that a delay of around five months for Siri AI on iPhones and iPads in the European Union is the best-case scenario, and the wait could be longer as Apple negotiates compliance with EU digital regulations. He believes Apple is withholding the update to pressure the European Commission. The feature is currently only available to Europeans on Macs.
Release of the third beta version of iOS 27.2
On October 5, Apple released the third developer beta of iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, macOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, and visionOS 27.2, followed by the second public beta the next day. The update includes a redesigned Health app with Insights and Longevity tabs and a Healthy Age feature, and adds French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish to Siri AI.
This update brings back the suggested actions feature in the Messages app, along with a settings screen that allows you to disable each type individually, such as adding to calendar, reminders, or notes, and an option to hide unused suggestions after 30 days. The update is expected to be released shortly after the launch of the iPhone Duo.
The new Apple TV: Apple intelligence and surround sound with four HomePod speakers
The tvOS 27.2 code adds an option called Improve Siri & Apple Intelligence, and a frame for displaying messages via Siri, which suggests that the upcoming Apple TV will support Siri AI and smart replies to messages received on the linked iPhone.
Further evidence has emerged linking four HomePod speakers to an Apple TV 4K for surround sound: front-facing left and right speakers, and rear-facing left and right speakers. Someone found code related to this in the speaker's operating system, and Aaron Peris discovered two new code snippets in macOS 27.2 for four speakers in a room. It's unclear whether the feature requires new speakers or a new Apple TV.
Apple's bill in the Massimo case rises to approximately $818 million.
Federal Judge James Selna ordered Apple to pay $184 million in additional interest on top of the $634 million judgment awarded to Masimo Medical, bringing the total to approximately $818 million before post-judgment interest. The judge rejected Masimo's request for 7% interest, which would have increased the amount to $243 million.
The case stems from a November 2025 jury ruling that features in the Apple Watch, including heart rate notifications, infringe on a patent for pulse oximetry. The patent expired in June 2022, so the ruling pertains to past sales and does not affect current watches.
Apple's financial results on November 2nd
Apple will announce its fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 results on Monday, November 2, with new CEO John Ternos and CFO Kevan Baric discussing them in a call with investors. The quarter covers June 28 to September 26, including the week of the iPhone 18 Pro launch but excluding the iPhone Duo. Apple expects revenue growth of 9% to 11% year over year, to between $111.7 billion and $113.7 billion, compared to $102.5 billion in the same quarter last year.
Tim Cook sells Apple shares worth approximately $63.9 million
Tim Cook, the former CEO and current executive chairman, sold 191,753 shares on October 2 at prices between $330.66 and $334.50 per share. The sale came a day after 374,541 restricted stock units became eligible for his compensation, as part of a pre-existing trading plan he approved in May. Apple retained 199,038 shares for tax purposes, and Cook still owns more than 3.2 million shares.
Apple surpasses Samsung in sales to European telecom companies
According to Counterpoint Research, Apple's share of mobile phone sales through carriers in Europe rose from 33% to 37% in the second quarter of 2026, while Samsung's share fell from 39% to 34%, making Apple the leader in this channel. Carrier sales declined by only 4%, compared to 11% in the open market and 8% in the overall market. This is because the memory price crisis hit budget phones, a category with little weight in the sales of companies that focus on high-end devices and contracts.
A tool that removes Apple's smart features from Macs and recovers 12GB of data.
An open-source tool called RemoveMacAI has emerged that disables Apple's AI in macOS 27, deleting its loaded modules and preventing their re-downloading, thus recovering approximately 12 GB or more. This tool arose because Apple removed the "complete shutdown" option in macOS 27. The tool works via a settings profile without disabling System Infrastructure Protection (SIP), and it includes an undo command.
The downside is the loss of all AI features: Siri AI, writing tools, Genmoji, summaries, and photo editing. The developer also noted that some of the keys the tool relies on are no longer officially supported by Apple and may be discontinued in a future release. The tool is not recommended, and its use is at the user's own risk.
Apple tightens full disk access controls in macOS
Apple announced in a blog post for developers that it will add new controls to the Full Disk Access permission in macOS, a permission that grants an application access to files, mail, messages, and browsing history. Apple says that some developers use this permission in ways that put users at risk without their full knowledge, and that granting it will require very explicit user consent.
The announcement came days after a journalist reported that Meta's Muse app on Mac had read his private messages, which Meta denied, and after a report about a vulnerability in the ChatGPT app for Mac.
Gemini reduces the number of models available to free users
Starting October 9th, free users of the Gemini app will be limited to the 3.5 Flash-Lite model, losing access to the 3.6 Flash and 3.1 Pro models. AI Plus subscribers, at $4.99 per month, will be limited to the Flash-Lite and Flash models, without the Pro version.
In contrast, AI Pro subscribers, priced at $19.99, get the Deep Think feature previously exclusive to the Ultra plan. The app adds low, medium, and high voltage levels to each model. Google has not yet clarified where its new Gemini 4 Argon model fits into these plans.
Miscellaneous news
◉ The leaker Instant Digital on Weibo stated that Apple initially planned to equip the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo with 16GB of RAM, without specifying when. Both Pro models were released with 12GB, and the foldable phone is expected to have the same capacity. The most likely explanation is the global memory shortage and rising prices.
A new logo for Apple Music appeared in the third beta version of iOS 27.2 and macOS 27.2, the same logo Apple used last month in the Apple Music Hall announcement. The official website and web player still use the old logo, and the new one is expected to be rolled out more widely with the updates this month.
YouTube has announced changes to its Shorts recommendation system to prioritize original content and limit the reach of videos reposted from other creators without any added value. Channels that re-upload content from other creators will no longer receive the same exposure. YouTube hasn't specified a clear definition of what constitutes sufficient added value, nor has it announced a timeline for implementation, but the change appears to be already in effect.
Apple has raised the price of its Apple One Family plan in 12 European countries, including Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, and Denmark, and the price of its Premier plan in Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland only. The increase in Spain and Portugal is €2 per month for both plans. The new price is effective immediately for new subscribers and upon the next renewal for existing subscribers. The Individual plan remains unchanged. This is at least the third round of price increases this year.
Apple quietly increased the number of alternate addresses in iCloud Mail from three to nine, and for iCloud+ subscribers, it increased the number of custom domains that can be linked to their mail from three to ten. The second change is documented on the support page, while the first is visible on iCloud.com without an official announcement.
Starting November 9th, Green Dot Bank will require identity verification for any Apple Cash top-up, a requirement previously limited to totals exceeding $500. Apple hints at future support for bank transfers, as currently, top-ups are only available via debit or prepaid cards. The service is currently only available in the United States.
OpenAI will begin testing a display ad format in ChatGPT later this October, with select advertisers in the US. The company says the ads will be clearly labeled, remain separate from the generated image, not interfere with the assistant's responses, and will not appear in sensitive conversations. ChatGPT has 1.2 billion weekly users.
Anthropic has released the Cloud for Google Workspace add-on in a public beta for all paid subscribers, placing the assistant in a sidebar within Docs, Sheets, and Slides. In documents, it corrects and rephrases without disrupting formatting; in spreadsheets, it writes formulas and builds tables; and in presentations, it creates slides using existing templates. A feature also allows users to preview edits before they are applied.
◉ Nvidia is launching a 64GB version of the DGX Spark for $4,999, which is $1,000 more expensive than the 128GB version at launch, due to the memory shortage.
◉ Uber acquires business catering platform ezCater for $2.3 billion in cash.
According to a leak published by Dealabs, Google's upcoming Fitbit Edge will be priced at €179 in Europe and £159 in the UK. It features a 1.34-inch AMOLED display, a battery that lasts seven days (or two days with the screen always on), weighs 17.7 grams, and supports ECG, oxygen measurement, and the Gemini assistant. Unlike Pixel watches, it is compatible with iPhones. A release date is currently unknown.
A few months after its launch, the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 on Amazon dropped to $1,549 from $1,899 as part of Prime Big Deal Days, marking its lowest price ever. The Z Fold 8 Ultra model saw a $400 price reduction, with the option to combine the discount with up to $815 in trade-in credit.
◉ The dynamic island on the iPhone 18 Pro displays three live activities together, but the third is always a system activity such as Now Playing or Navigation, and not another application.
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