Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from across the Apple world, including iPhone 18 Pro’s camera update, iPhone 17 battery fix, an Apple history podcast, MacBook Neo’s upward trend, new Apple Vision plans, a European developer centre, and Apple’s Designer Awards announced.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
iPhone 18 Pro’s Expensive Update
Apple is set to introduce a new technology in the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro: a variable-aperture lens. This allows finer control and a wider scale when setting effects such as depth of field. The catch is that the new tech is going to cost 50 percent more than the iPhone 17 Pro lens. Forbes contributor David Phelan has more:
Of course, this doesn’t mean that the price of the phone will go up by half as much again, but coming at a time when memory costs and RAM components are high will make it harder for Apple to absorb the price change entirely.”
iOS Update Fixes Battery Charging Problems
Apple has released iOS 26.5.1, which will be welcomed by a small number of users. It’s an update specifically targeted to the iPhone 17 family and the problems reported by many over charging a phone when the battery is close to empty:
““This update addresses an issue for a small number of users that may prevent wired charging on iPhone Air and iPhone 17 models when the battery is nearly drained,” Apple said in its release notes. As mentioned above, this means iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air. And while it doesn’t preclude any other fixes are here, the fact that it’s just for these five handsets seems to confirm that there’s a very specific purpose here.”
The ‘Designed In California’ Podcast Plan
Long time Apple commentator Jason Snell has featured moments of Apple’s history in the SixColors podcast. Now, along with Myke Hurley, they are looking to launch a dedicated company history podcast. The funding has already met its initial target and the stretch goal will allow the podcast to be financed for its first year:
“I realized when writing about Apple’s 50th that I’ve covered the company for roughly two-thirds of its existence. I’m looking forward to digging deep into research on topics that were before my time, and getting the chance to bring my own personal experience to bear on events I witnessed personally. And I’m hoping to tap the knowledge of many of my friends and colleagues as the project rolls along.”
MacBook Neo Bucks The Pricing Trend
While the majority of the PC industry deals with rising prices and falling consumer demand due to economic conditions, a report from IDC notes that there’s one laptop moving in the other direction… the MacBook Neo:
“The competitive pressure from the Neo is providing a partial offset to broader price increases, keeping some low-cost notebook options alive. But the overall trajectory for average selling prices (ASPs) is firmly upward. IDC forecasts ASP growth of 17% in 2026, and even as memory capacity expands over the next two years, pricing is unlikely to return to 2025 levels,” [IDC Resource Manage Jitesh] Ubrani added.”
Apple Vision Pulled Back By Incoming CEO John Ternus
Although he won’t officially take on the CEO role until September 1st – just in time for the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro family- Apple’s John Ternus is reportedly steering some long-term decisions inside Cupertino, with Ming-Chi Kuo noting a shift in Apple’s approach to smart glasses:
“I think removing the Vision Pro line was the right call, as Apple shifts resources toward smart glasses with greater mass-market potential. My latest supply chain checks suggest Apple’s display-equipped AR/XR smart glasses device, powered by optical waveguides, has slipped to 2029. The display-less AI glasses, similar to Ray-Ban Meta, are still expected to ship in 2027.”
Apple’s First European Developer Centre Is Coming
Developers in Europe will soon be able to visit the first Apple Developer Centre on the continent. Berlin is set to join Bengaluru, Shanghai, Singapore, and Cupertino, with a venue for developer sessions, consultations, and code labs. Hartley Charlton reports:
“The center will host a regular cadence of events covering iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS development, aimed at teams of all sizes and at every stage of app development. Apple said the programming is intended to help developers improve the design, quality, and performance of their apps.”
And Finally…
Ahead of next week’s Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple has announced the winners of its Designer Awards across multiple categories. The full list of winners, and links to the App Store listings, are here.
“This year’s winners include development teams from around the world whose work demonstrates innovation, artistry, and technical achievement in app and game design. Winners were selected from 36 global finalists who all delivered exceptional app experiences. One app and one game were recognised across six categories, including Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, and Visuals and Graphics.”
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
