Apple seeded the iOS 26.6 Release Candidate to beta testers Monday, signaling that iPhone users should circle July 27 on their calendars. That’s the day beta testing is most likely to end with the full release of the operating system update.

Monday also brought the macOS Tahoe 26.6 Release Candidate, as well as equivalents for iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and more. So we also expect the release of these OS updates on July 27.

Apple is reportedly preparing a major shake-up in the way customers buy its products. The company plans to launch Apple Upgrade, a subscription-style leasing program that lets customers upgrade to newer devices more easily while lowering monthly payments, next week, according to an unconfirmed report.

It’ll apparently be similar to the long-running iPhone Upgrade Program — which is reportedly getting canceled — but with a much broader range of products covered. There’ll be other differences as well.

Your next iPhone could cost more, and it won’t be because of rising RAM costs or a fancier camera. TSMC reportedly plans to increase its processor prices by up to 10% starting in 2027, and Apple would have no option but to pay.

This could drive up the amount consumers shell out for a range of Apple devices, not just iPhones. Pricier chips for MacBooks, iPads and more would drive up production costs.

July 21, 1999: The iBook, Apple’s colorful clamshell laptop that’s a hybrid of the iMac and the PowerBook, arrives and launches a Wi-Fi revolution.

Apple’s new AirPort networking card is the key component that delivers cable-free internet access to the masses for the first time.

The highlight of the Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand is StealthCharge, Mophie’s own improvement to Qi2.2 that lets iPhone wireless chargers run more quickly because they stay cooler.

The stand can also charge an Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time. Plus, it sports an integrated, 60W retractable USB-C cable for powering other devices.

I put this multi-device charger to the test in my home office. Here’s why I’ll keep using it.

A new leak claims Apple is testing a nearly 7-inch panel that could become the iPhone 20 Pro Max display. If it makes it to production, this would become the largest screen Apple ever put on a phone.

The huge panel would arrive as part of Apple’s 20th-anniversary iPhone lineup next year. Apple hasn’t increased its flagship screen size since 2024, but this could be a real sign that the company is once again planning to do so.

The nasty new ClickLock malware won’t take no for an answer. It locks up your entire Mac screen and keeps it that way until you type in the password.

The malware already hit victims across 33 countries, and it’s not stopping. Once it gets your password, it targets your Keychain, saved logins and crypto wallets, then plants a backdoor that sticks around for good.

You can upgrade your home network with a near-mint Asus RT-BE92U Wi-Fi 7 router for just $166.99 (regularly $249.99). You’ll enjoy faster speeds, lower latency, built-in security and future-ready performance.

A new over-the-air update to compatible Volvo cars brings Apple Music integration to the car’s infotainment system. Volvo says more than 2 million cars will benefit from this integration.

As part of the update, new and returning Apple Music subscribers will get up to three months of Apple Music for free.

Sticking to its two-week beta release schedule, Apple is rolling out iOS 27 beta 4 to developers. The new build contains relatively minor changes compared to the third beta and the first public beta.

Below are all the changes we have spotted in iOS 27 beta 4 so far.

You can ping a lost Apple Watch from your iPhone, giving you an easy way to find your misplaced wearable.

If you take your Apple Watch off at the end of the day, forgetting to throw it on the charger, you might not remember where you left it the following morning. Luckily, you can find a lost Apple Watch from your iPhone. Here’s how it works.

ChatPlayground AI gives you easy access to more than 20 of the top AI models, all in one place — and all for one low price. It includes big names like ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity and Gemini, and it lets you send one prompt to multiple AIs simultaneously.

That means you can compare results to find the right AI tool for the job at hand, without jumping from one AI app to another. If you’re a heavy AI user, it will save you time as well as money. Normally $619, a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited plan is on sale now for only $57.97.

Apple’s trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI names two former employees and Jony Ive’s startup but scrupulously avoids mentioning the former Apple design chief by name.

This isn’t a legal oversight. It comes down to a complicated mix of factors, including Ive’s closeness with Laurene Powell Jobs and the lousy optics of Apple targeting its most famous designer.

Apple is testing Genius Bar Live Notes, an AI-powered tool that listens to customer conversations at the repair counter. It turns conversation into transcripts and is already running in a handful of stores.

The system is meant to save employees the hassle of scribbling notes mid-repair. But it makes some Genius Bar staff members nervous.

July 20, 2007: Just a month after the original iPhone goes on sale, a hacker compiles the first third-party app and launches it for the new platform. The Hello World app serves more as a proof of concept than a serious tool. However, it clearly demonstrates that third-party apps will become a cornerstone of the new iPhone economy.

It’s a shame Apple doesn’t get the memo.

A pair of AirPods 4 is quite a deal at $99 — that’s 23% below the regular cost. This is a great choice for people who want Apple’s latest earbuds with excellent sound quality and seamless pairing with iPhone, iPad and more, without paying for features you may never use.

There’s also a version that adds Active Noise Cancellation that is currently 19% off at $144.99 .

I have more than a dozen keyboard shortcuts set up on my MacBook. But between Slack, Zoom, Safari, Chrome and countless other apps, there’s no way I can remember them all. That’s the problem Project Mirage’s Dune aims to solve.

At first glance, Dune looks like a programmable macro pad. But it’s much smarter than that, as it adds three context-aware buttons next to your MacBook’s keyboard. It’s an interesting idea, but does it actually work in real life?

Apple reportedly planned to use “Extreme” processors in the Mac Pro to deliver unrivaled performance, beating even its “Pro” and “Ultra” chips. But eventually, pricing and demand concerns led the company to scrap the idea.

Besides M2 Extreme and M3 Extreme chips, Apple also worked on an Intel-powered upgrade for the Mac Pro, according information that leaked out on Sunday.

MacMagic is the Swiss Army knife of Mac utilities: It can perform scores of optimization tasks, from clearing gigabytes of storage to batch processing hundreds of files.

For a limited time, you can pick up a MacMagic lifetime upgrades license on sale for just $22.98 with code MACSAVE.

July 19, 2004: The fourth-generation iPod brings neat innovations to the popular audio device, including the Click Wheel interface recently introduced on the iPod mini.

“The best digital music player just got better,” says Steve Jobs in a press release on the day the product launches. And yet some people feel disappointed by the upgraded music player.

Apple TV finally gets the audience it deserves. Or the streaming service is headed in that direction, anyway. In the contest to become the top streamer, Apple TV posted the strongest year-over-year growth of any platform last quarter.

Five shows helped push the streaming service’s audience numbers upward. Anyone looking for the best that Apple TV has to offer needs to be watching these.

Not every Cult of Mac reader is all Mac, all the time. We know many of you use PCs for various reasons — and here’s the big Windows 11 sale you’ve been waiting for.

For a limited time, you can get a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 from Cult of Mac Deals.

July 18, 1994: Apple launches the Quadra, LC and Performa 630 Macintoshes, three similar computers with slight differences tailored for the professional, educational and home markets. Aimed at multimedia use, the new 630 series Macs bring innovative hardware and software at a much more affordable price than previous Apple computers.

A free Mac app called WhatCable solves the biggest problem with USB-C cables: They all look alike, but they are not all the same.

Plug a USB-C cable into your Mac, and WhatCable can tell you how much power it can deliver, how fast it can transfer data and more. And a pro version for power users serves up even more data about the cables in your collection. The app’s earning accolades online (and hit No. 4 on ProductHunt), so I decided to put it to the test.

Apple Music just became a bit pricier. Apple raised the streaming service’s monthly rate across all subscription tiers on Friday, citing the increasing cost of licensing artists’ music.

The company also jacked up the price of most Apple One bundles, which package Apple Music with subscriptions to other Apple services.