Apple

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has summarized his expectations for what Apple will reveal next week. Aside from a couple of new details and the inclusion of some more recent leaks from other sources, much of the following is a recap of Gurman’s reports over the last several months: iPhone 17: Larger 6.3-inch display with ProMotion; A19 chip. iPhone 17 Air: 5.5mm thick; A19 chip; Single camera; Reduced battery life; 6.6-inch display with ProMotion; eSIM replacing physical SIM; Apple C1 modem; Sky blue color. iPhone 17 Pro Models: New rear runway-style camera bump; 48MP telephoto lens (up from 12MP); New variable aperture system; Simultaneous front-and-back video capture; New two-thirds rear cutout for wireless charging; A19 Pro chip; Increased battery life; Aluminum frame; New orange color. Apple Watch Ultra 3: Slightly larger display (matching Series 10); S11 chip; 5G Redcap cellular; Satellite connectivity; Apple Watch Series 11: New screen with increased brightness; New color and band offerings. Apple Watch SE: New display; Faster chip; AirPods Pro 3: Heart-rate monitor; Smaller charging case matching AirPods 4; Live translation. Apple is also launching new accessories for the iPhone 17 lineup, including a revamped non-leather case replacing the company’s ill-received FineWoven cases, an iPhone 4 bumper-like case for the iPhone 17 Air, and a “pricey, high-end” cross-body strap that has apparently been a priority of the company’s design team.

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Now through September 30, get 5% Daily Cash when you use the Apple Card via Apple Pay for purchases across the Uber and Uber Eats apps and websites. 5% Daily Cash is limited to $500 in combined Uber and Uber Eats purchases, meaning that the maximum cash back that you can receive from this offer is $25. Ordinarily, the Apple Card offers 3% Daily Cash for Uber and Uber Eats purchases. In addition, Apple Card users can continue to receive a six-month free trial of Uber One, by signing up with this link using the Apple Card via Apple Pay. Uber One provides savings and other benefits for both Uber rides and Uber Eats deliveries.

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Apple’s new proprietary wireless standard, SPR AVS, is designed to optimize audio, video, and sensor data transmission across devices. SPR AVS is designed to replace or augment legacy protocols like Bluetooth and AirPlay in specific contexts. It is tightly integrated with Apple’s C1X modem and A19 Pro chip, enabling ultra-low latency and high-bandwidth communication between iPhones, AirPods, Vision Pro, and other Apple devices. Key advantages of SPR AVS include ultra-low latency, lossless audio support, multi-device sync, dynamic bandwidth allocation, secure peer-to-peer relay, and sensor fusion integration. It is a foundational protocol for Apple’s spatial computing ecosystem, particularly as Vision Pro and AirPods Pro 3 become more integrated with iPhone. It is designed for context-aware, multi-sensory experiences that require tight coordination between devices.

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New physical designs have typically helped iPhone sales in the past. But the appeal of the iPhone Air might be constrained by a shorter battery life, a single-lens camera and Apple’s limited AI offerings. But time might be on Apple’s side. Rising smartphone prices have compelled users to hold on to their devices for longer periods in general, and Apple’s well-heeled customers are no exception. About 38% of the current iPhone users in the U.S. have devices that are at least three years old, according to a June survey by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. That compares with 33% using such devices in the same period two years earlier. Older phones will make it harder for some users to wait another year, when Apple is expected to launch its first foldable phones with a more robust AI offering. And the company appears to be betting on the same. The new iPhone Air and the higher-memory configurations of other models are lifting the average selling price of this year’s new crop of iPhones by 12% over the iPhone 16 family launched a year ago. The iPhone Air is priced at a notable premium to the iPhone Plus models it replaced in the lineup, and Apple added a new 2-terabyte model to the iPhone Pro priced at $1,999—25% higher than the most expensive iPhone that Apple has sold in years past. Higher prices mean that even a small uptick in unit sales could have a magnified impact on revenue. And expectations there are currently modest; Wall Street expects iPhone revenue to rise just 4% in Apple’s fiscal year that ends next September, to be driven primarily by the new devices announced Tuesday. Separately, Apple’s wearables business—its second-largest product segment—should get a boost from the new AirPods Pro 3. The popular wireless earbuds hadn’t seen a major upgrade in three years.

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Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes that Apple will enter the market in the next 12 to 16 months, which would be in line or after the fall release schedule for 2026. Gurman adds that the smart glasses that will show up first will be a display-less version to take on Meta’s Ray-Bans. That would mean smart glasses with cameras for video recording, some form of audio system for playback and recording, and a connection to an iPhone for processing. The full smart glasses experience, which will involve seeing data through the lenses of the glasses, is expected to be a few years away from becoming a reality. A lot of this is miniaturization and reducing weight, as expectations are for Apple to get as close to a lightweight pair of spectacles as possible, not a heavy device like the Apple Vision Pro. Apple has a natural advantage in this area. Its brand means that existing iPhone users will gravitate toward its smart glasses automatically. While Meta and others have a more difficult time making their glasses work with the iPhone, Apple can do a much deeper integration, as it has done with its other products.

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Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes that Apple will enter the market in the next 12 to 16 months, which would be in line or after the fall release schedule for 2026. Gurman adds that the smart glasses that will show up first will be a display-less version to take on Meta’s Ray-Bans. That would mean smart glasses with cameras for video recording, some form of audio system for playback and recording, and a connection to an iPhone for processing. The full smart glasses experience, which will involve seeing data through the lenses of the glasses, is expected to be a few years away from becoming a reality. A lot of this is miniaturization and reducing weight, as expectations are for Apple to get as close to a lightweight pair of spectacles as possible, not a heavy device like the Apple Vision Pro. Apple has a natural advantage in this area. Its brand means that existing iPhone users will gravitate toward its smart glasses automatically. While Meta and others have a more difficult time making their glasses work with the iPhone, Apple can do a much deeper integration, as it has done with its other products.

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Apple Pay has launched in Korea, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to use the country’s transit system, Tmoney, without feeling overshadowed by Samsung’s mobile payment services. Users can purchase and recharge Tmoney cards directly within the Wallet app, and can enable “Express Mode” by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch on a Tmoney machine. The automatic recharge function can be adjusted or canceled anytime via the Wallet or Tmoney app, and remains active even when switching to a new iPhone. The service does not support postpaid payment options like traditional Tmoney cards, credit cards, or Samsung Pay. However, users can enable “Express Mode” by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch on a Tmoney machine without opening an app or waking the device. The service has built-in security functions to protect personal information and does not collect or track user data or transit history. However, restrictions apply, such as not supporting local government fare subsidy cards and balance top-ups using credit cards within the Apple Pay Wallet. Apple Pay Tmoney is available only on devices running iOS 17.2 or later

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Consumers can now access Affirm’s payment options when making in-store purchases with Apple Pay on iPhone in the United States. The move marks an expansion of a capability that was already available when checking out with Apple Pay online and in-apps, Affirm said. “This gives Apple Pay users in the U.S. added flexibility and transparency at even more checkouts,” Vishal Kapoor, senior vice president of product at Affirm, said. Affirm enables approved customers to split eligible purchases into biweekly or monthly payments, at rates ranging from 0% to 36% APR. The company said the ability to access loan offers from eligible credit or debit cards, including from pay-over-time providers like Affirm, when making an Apple Pay purchase in person with an iPhone would give users greater flexibility and choice.

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JPMorgan Chase is in advanced talks to take over Apple’s credit card program from Goldman Sachs. Talks between the largest U.S. bank and the tech giant began last year, as Goldman sought to unwind a partnership that had once been a cornerstone of its consumer banking strategy. The deal would further entrench JPMorgan in the credit card business and add to a string of victories for CEO Jamie Dimon, who has built the bank into a dominant force across retail banking and Wall Street businesses. The bank is among the top credit card issuers in the United States, and competes closely with rivals such as American Express and Capital One. Launched in 2019 with Goldman, the Apple card offered perks such as no fees and cashback, but the bank’s struggles in consumer banking prompted a rethink of the partnership. Since then, Goldman has pivoted to its traditional mainstays of investment banking and trading.

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Apple’s latest iPhone software, iOS 26, is now on general release. iOS 18.7, also just released. Apple usually runs the two versions in parallel for maximum two months, to give the cautious time to get used to what’s new. Staying off iOS 26 for now may also be appealing if you don’t care for the signature update: Liquid Glass. This has been warmly received but not universally liked. Still, be warned, you will have to update sooner or later if you want full security protections. iOS 18.7 is for all iPhones from 2018 onwards. That means the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max and iPhone XR and all iPhones since, including the iPhone SE in both its second- and third-generation models. And all members of the iPhone 16 series are included, right up to the iPhone 16e. Note that iOS 26 is available to all of these phones except the first three. It’s compatible with iOS 11 and onwards. Apple is tight-lipped about what’s in iOS 18.7, merely saying “This update provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.” It hasn’t yet updated with full details of exactly what bugs have been squished and usually releases details of security concerns later, when users have had a chance to update to protect themselves.

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