9 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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iOS

iOS is Apple’s operating system for the iPhone and iPad. It’s also the basis for tvOS for the Apple TV and watchOS for the Apple Watch. It’s even beginning to infiltrate the Mac in some ways. Apple has worked hard to keep iOS private and secure, and it has a huge ecosystem of apps via its official App Store. Some have argued that it is too locked down, but the trade-off is that it’s fast and stable for most users.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
iOS 18 has a tool to help configure genuine replacement parts.

The tool, “Repair Assistant,” will be able to configure things like batteries cameras, and displays, MacRumors reports.

Apple announced earlier this year that it would open the iPhone to repairs with used genuine parts.

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Here’s everything coming in iOS 18.

Apple published a giant PDF document that’s just a simple list, with brief descriptions, of all the new features coming to iOS 18 over the next several months.

As MacRumors notes, it’s more than 250 items long, so dig in, nerds — I know I will.

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
iPhones could be making custom AI-generated emoji in December.

There won’t be any Apple Intelligence image-generating features in iOS 18.1 when it releases in October, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in today’s Power On newsletter.

But Apple plans to include its Image Playground and Genmoji features in iOS 18.2, he writes. Historically, those updates have come around mid-December, so perhaps we’ll be slinging holiday-themed “emoji” at each other soon enough.

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
iOS 18’s Live Activities will be a bit less live.

The feature, which lets developers put live-updating info on iPhone lock screens (things like sports scores), is limited to refreshing “between 5–15 seconds” in a recent iOS 18 beta, according to an app developer who says their app could do it once a second before.

Apple told them the change was intentional, according to a post spotted by 9to5Mac.

How to use iOS’s Live Text featureHow to use iOS’s Live Text feature
Barbara Krasnoff and Chaim Gartenberg
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
The new iOS 18.1 beta adds more summarized notifications and the Clean Up tool for Photos.

Notification summaries powered by Apple Intelligence have expanded from Mail and Messages to all apps in iOS 18.1 developer beta 3, MacRumors reports.

If you’re on that beta, you can try Apple’s Magic Editor-like Clean Up tool, too.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
A horror-ible update.

The Resident Evil games on Apple’s App Store now require that you have an internet connection when you start them up, Capcom says. That’s a shame if you’re one of the reportedly few people who have bought Resident Evil 4, 7, or Village for your Apple device.

A screenshot of Capcom’s update notes.
Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
Ash Parrish
Ash Parrish
I love the sound of Flying Lotus in the morning.

The music producer recently confirmed that he composed two ringtones for Apple: “Daybreak” and “Chalet”. The tones were released back in 2019 putting them on iOS version 13 and later. Both tones have a relaxing vibe to them that would have fit right in with Flylo’s Adult Swim bumps that rewired an entire generation’s musical tastes...or at least just mine.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Did you know there’s a much easier way to rearrange multiple iPhone apps?

Here’s an iOS and iPadOS trick I wish I’d known years ago. Once you’re in the home screen’s wiggling edit mode hold one finger on an app and then with another finger tap the other apps you want to move with it. They’ll all be grouped together and can be collectively moved as one.

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Apple releases iOS and watchOS updates.

Apple has rolled out a new version of iOS 17.6.1 that fixes a bug that had prevented users from enabling its Advanced Data Protection feature, as spotted by MacRumors.

watchOS 10.6.1 is also out with a fix for a bug that kept users from accessing Apple Fitness Plus through the watch, the outlet separately writes.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Apple’s iOS 18 app theming just got a nice upgrade.

With iOS 18 developer beta 6 and public beta 4, the app color tints you select will now stay linked with the wallpaper you pair them with, as shown by betaprofiles.

I love this — even though I keep my iPhone pretty gray most of the time, this feature means it’s easier to switch over to something with a different pop of color.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Apple’s developer beta updates for iOS 18, iOS 18.1, AirPods Pro, and more.

As reported by AppleInsider and MacRumors, today Apple released a second developer beta for iOS / iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 updates with Apple Intelligence features.

There’s also a sixth set of developer betas for the initial updates set to hit iPhones, Macs, and other devices this fall, and an update for the AirPods Pro 2 set that’s in line for some new features.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Epic has submitted Fortnite to Apple for notarization.

It’s submitted Rocket League Sideswipe and the Epic Games Store, too, and it expects to launch the store on iOS in the EU “soon,” according to a post on X.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
The third iOS 18 public beta has arrived.

The update reportedly brings Thanos snap mode (aka Distraction Control), improvements to the Photos app redesign, and other UI tweaks. I can’t wait to snap away some Cookies!

Anyone can download and install the public betas for iPad and iPhone, but pro tip: carry a battery pack with you — betas are brutal on your percentage.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Apple’s new AI features will reportedly miss the iOS 18 launch and wait for iOS 18.1.

Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg that “Apple Intelligence” features will be available for developers to beta test this week.

However, he also says the first ones won’t be released publicly until weeks after Apple’s big September updates for iPhone / iPad / Mac, etc. Rollouts for others from its WWDC showcase, like upgraded Siri, could stretch into 2025.