Apple News, August 2026

August is normally a quiet month for Apple, but not this year: unexpected new Macs arrived, macOS leaked dozens of unannounced products, the September event was officially announced, and the handover from Tim Cook to John Ternus as CEO reached its conclusion. Apple TV also got more expensive again, and Apple made a donation for disaster relief in Nepal and Tibet. Here’s the roundup.

iOS 26.6.1: a security update ahead of iOS 27

On August 17, Apple released iOS 26.6.1, iPadOS 26.6.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.6.2, updates that fixed nearly thirty security vulnerabilities. Among the issues resolved were an audio flaw that let an app access sensitive user information, an image-processing flaw that allowed arbitrary code execution, three kernel vulnerabilities, and several WebKit bugs that could lead to memory corruption or Safari crashes. The update followed betas that had been with developers and public testers since August 10. It’s likely the last small step before iOS 27 gets its official release in mid-September.

New Mac mini and Mac Studio: a rare August launch

On August 25, Apple surprised everyone with new Mac mini and Mac Studio models, something the company hadn’t done in August since 2020. The Mac mini now comes with an M6 or M5 Pro chip, faster storage, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and standard 2.5Gb ethernet, starting at $899. The Mac Studio gained the M5 Max or M5 Ultra, with the top configuration offering up to 512GB of memory. Both models are available to order now and arrive in stores on September 22.

macOS 26.7 reveals dozens of unannounced products

On August 17, Apple posted the release candidate of macOS Tahoe 26.7, and references to more than ten unannounced products surfaced in the code. It confirmed AirPods with infrared cameras for Visual Intelligence, the long-awaited foldable iPhone, an entirely new smart home hub with a widget gallery that also supports iPhone widgets, the first MacBook and iPad mini models with OLED screens, and a redesigned Siri Remote for a next-generation Apple TV. Apple rarely calls such code references intentional, but analysts note that these kinds of “leaks” tend to surface strikingly often right before a major Apple event.

Apple event announced for September 9: “Surprise and Shine”

On August 26, Apple officially announced its fall event: Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, at Apple Park, under the banner “Surprise and Shine.” Expected are the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the very first foldable iPhone, the Apple Watch Series 12 (with a ceramic case as an option), the Apple Watch Ultra 4, and the AirPods 5. The iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to get a smaller Dynamic Island, an improved OLED display, a variable-aperture main camera that behaves more like a DSLR, and Apple’s own C2 modem.

The foldable iPhone uses a book-style design with an outer display of 5.3 to 5.5 inches and an inner display of 7.6 to 7.8 inches, a titanium frame, and a display that’s nearly crease-free. Instead of Face ID, it gets Touch ID built into the power button, with two front-facing cameras and a dual rear camera. Supply will reportedly be very limited at launch. Apple has chosen not to launch all four new iPhones at once this year: the pricier Pro models and the foldable phone arrive in September, with the rest following in spring 2027.

End of an era: Tim Cook makes way for John Ternus

On August 24, Apple held a farewell event for Tim Cook, with tributes from Laurene Powell Jobs, former COO Jeff Williams, and services chief Eddy Cue, among others. Cook officially hands over the reins to John Ternus on September 1. Ternus has led hardware engineering since 2021 and has been designated as Cook’s successor since April of this year. Cook becomes executive chairman of the board. Over fifteen years as CEO, Cook delivered shareholders a total return of more than 2,150 percent; whether Ternus can keep up that pace remains to be seen.

Apple TV and Apple One get more expensive again

As of Friday, August 28, new subscribers pay $14.99 a month for Apple TV, two dollars more than before, and $119 a year instead of $99. Existing subscribers had already been warned about the price increase roughly a month in advance. The Apple One Individual bundle also went up, from $19.95 to $21.95 a month. It’s the fourth Apple TV price increase in as many years.

Apple donates to disaster relief after floods in Nepal and Tibet

Also on August 28, Tim Cook announced that Apple will donate toward relief and rebuilding efforts following the deadly floods and mudslides near the Nepal-Tibet border, caused by the collapse of part of a Himalayan glacier. Apple did not disclose the amount or the organizations through which the funds will be distributed. It’s the company’s fifth disaster relief donation in just over two months, following earlier support for Indonesia, Venezuela, southern Europe, and Japan.

That was the Apple news for August 2026. See you next month for another roundup, this time with a whole new iPhone era added to the mix.