Apple increases trade-in prices for many of its products
One of the criticisms levelled at Apple products is that they are expensive when compared to those from rival companies. The flip side of this is that Apple products retain value meaning that when the time comes to upgrade, resale value is extremely helpful in reducing on-going costs.
Now Apple has just increased the amount of money it is willing to pay out to anyone who opts to trade in an older device. The increases are not huge, but they are increases nonetheless.
Spotify teams up with Apple to broaden its video podcast library
Video podcasts are a booming business. Creators are throwing out more content than can be consumed, but the appetite for it continues to grow. Embracing this, Spotify is expanding its video ecosystem with new partnerships – including with Apple.
In teaming up with Apple, Spotify will support Apple Podcasts’ HLS video technology. This means that Spotify-hosted creators will be able to distribute their video podcast content across Spotify and Apple Podcasts without changing their existing setup.
Apple reveals its latest Pride collection
Every year Apple releases various products to celebrate Pride, and 2026 is no different. As in previous years, there is not only a new strap, but also a new watch face for Apple Watch owners.
On top of this, there are iPhone and iPad wallpapers – but, strangely, Mac users are once again left ignored. Apple says that its releases are part of its aim to “celebrate LGBTQ+ communities worldwide during Pride Month and beyond”.
Apple loses court battle to delay App Store fee rules — again
A federal appellate court on April 28, 2026, undid its own earlier decision, removing a procedural pause it had placed on the Epic Games v. Apple litigation and allowing the dispute to move forward to the district court level in Oakland, California.
The order came from a three-judge panel comprising Circuit Judges S.R. Thomas and M. Smith, alongside Chief District Judge Michael J. McShane of the District of Oregon, who participated by designation. The panel acted on case number 25-2935, tied to D.C. No. 4:20-cv-05640-YGR out of the Northern District of California, granting Epic Games, Inc.'s motion for reconsideration and directing the mandate to issue in the normal course.
Apple's Srouji unites hardware teams, maps out five-division structure
Apple has merged its hardware engineering and hardware technologies divisions into a single organization under a newly created Chief Hardware Officer role, with Johny Srouji tapped to lead the combined group. The announcement came Monday alongside the news that John Ternus will succeed Tim Cook as chief executive officer in September, with Cook moving into an executive chairman position.
Srouji sent a memo to employees the same day, outlining his plan to organize the unified group into five areas: hardware engineering, silicon, advanced technologies, platform architecture, and program management. The restructuring will bring thousands of additional employees under his oversight, along with engineering responsibility for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and other Apple products.
Apple prepares leadership handover as John Ternus set to replace Tim Cook
Apple is preparing for a major leadership transition that will see Tim Cook step aside as chief executive and longtime hardware leader John Ternus take over the role. The move follows a succession process approved by Apple’s board and signals one of the most significant changes at the company since Cook first became CEO.
Tim Cook will become executive chairman of its board, while John Ternus, currently senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will take over as chief executive. Cook will remain CEO through the summer to support the transition before moving into his new position, where he will continue working with policymakers and advising on company strategy.
Apple’s foldable iPhone could shake up a market Samsung helped build
Apple is expected to launch a foldable iPhone as early as the second half of this year, according to new industry research that points to growing competition and new approaches to reducing display creases. New data from TrendForce suggests Apple could capture nearly 20 percent of the foldable smartphone market during its first year, placing pressure on existing leaders such as Samsung and Huawei.
Those two companies are expected to hold shares of around 30 percent each if Apple enters the segment, significantly increasing competition in a category that is still finding its feet.
Apple confirms WWDC26 June 8–12 with major AI announcements expected
Apple has announced that its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC26) will return with a weeklong online format alongside a limited in-person gathering at Apple Park. The event will preview upcoming software updates and developer tools, with artificial intelligence widely expected to play a big role in what gets announced.
Each year, the Worldwide Developers Conference serves as Apple’s main stage for showing what comes next across its software platforms. The event will run from June 8 through June 12, with most sessions delivered online so developers around the world can take part. A smaller in-person gathering at Apple Park will also take place on June 8.
Apple may bring AI assistants into iMessage with iOS 27 update
Apple is preparing iOS 27, the next version of its mobile operating system expected to arrive in 2026, with new artificial intelligence features, system performance improvements, and support for the company’s first foldable iPhone. Among the developments surrounding the update is the possibility that Apple’s Messages app could serve as a platform for conversational AI.
When Apple first introduced Apple Intelligence, the company took a negative stance toward building a chatbot-style Siri. That position has changed as development continues on the next generation of Apple’s AI systems. Apple is now expected to introduce a dedicated Siri chatbot application powered by the next generation of Apple Foundation Models. The chatbot version of Siri is intended to compete with conversational AI tools from Claude, OpenAI, and Gemini.
Apple acquires Polish video editing firm to boost Final Cut Pro
Apple has acquired MotionVFX, a Polish firm that creates a range of plugins and effects for videos editing software. News of the acquisition came from MotionVFX rather than Apple, and details of the deal are still not known.
What the acquisition indicates, however, is that Apple is clearly looking to boost the capabilities of its own Final Cut Pro software and wants to do so by bringing external talent into its fold.
Apple introduces AirPods Max 2 headphones with active noise cancellation, lossless audio, and live translation
Apple has announced AirPods Max 2, an updated version of its over-ear headphones with improved Active Noise Cancellation, enhanced sound quality, and a number of new software features. Powered by Apple's H2 chip, the headphones also bring capabilities such as Adaptive Audio, Live Translation, and studio-quality recording to the lineup.
Apple says the H2 chip plays a central role in the latest update, offering stronger computational audio processing across several listening modes.
Apple Music is adding new metadata to increase transparency about AI usage
With many people loving the use of AI in creative endeavors and many hating it, the way forward would seem to be about transparency. Embracing this idea, Apple Music is set to start using new tags that will make it clear when artificial intelligence has been used in the creation of tracks.
Apple has not made a public statement or announcement about its plans in this area, but the company has written to its partners in the music industry to share details of what it has in mind.
Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo takes aim at budget Windows laptops
Apple has announced the MacBook Neo, a new 13-inch laptop powered by Apple silicon that starts at just $599. It is the company’s lowest-priced MacBook to date, offering an aluminum design, Liquid Retina display, and up to 16 hours of battery life at a price that competes with many budget Windows laptops and Chromebooks.
It's been a big week for Apple, which has launched the iPhone 17e, iPad Air with M4, and new Macs, including the MacBook Air with M5.
Apple updates MacBook Air with M5 chip and greater storage
Apple has introduced a new MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip, adding faster performance, updated wireless connectivity, and more base storage to its laptop lineup. The announcement follows yesterday’s launch of the iPhone 17e and a new iPad Air with an M4 chip, marking a wide refresh across the tech giant's range of devices.
The MacBook Air with M5 is available in 13-inch and 15-inch models and now starts with 512GB of storage as standard.
Apple announces iPhone 17e with 256GB base storage and $599 starting price
Apple has announced the iPhone 17e, a lower priced addition to its iPhone 17 lineup that starts at $599 with 256GB of storage. The device includes the A19 chip, a 48MP camera system, MagSafe support, and satellite connectivity features for use outside traditional network coverage.
At the heart of the new phone is Apple's A19 silicon, built on a 3nm process. The 6-core CPU handles everyday tasks and more demanding features in iOS 26, while the 4-core GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing for games that use it.
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