Top Stories: iOS 27 Beta 5, iPhone 18 Pro Rumors, and More

Apple is likely winding down work on the initial release of iOS 27 as it prepares to install the operating system on new iPhone models coming next month, but some changes are still being made as we saw with the fifth round of betas this week. Other news and rumors this week included a look at an alleged battery from the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max, third-party accessories revealing some information about the foldable "iPhone Ultra," and more, so read on below for all of the details! Top Stories Everything New in iOS 27 Beta 5 We're a little over a month away from the launch of iOS 27, and Apple is continuing to make changes. The fifth beta of ‌iOS 27‌ seeded to developers and public beta testers this week changes the look of some app icons and adjusts Liquid Glass, plus it adds some smaller features that make the iPhone just a little nicer to use. Check out our full overview of all of the changes in the latest beta. iPhone 18 Pro Max's Larger Battery Capacity Allegedly Revealed The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a nearly 12% larger battery compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to an apparent leak. An alleged photo of a battery pack for a Chinese model of the iPhone 18 Pro Max with a SIM card tray lists a capacity of 5,391 mAh, up from 4,823 mAh for the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro Max battery. The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly start with the same 256GB of storage as the iPhone 17 Pro, but one analyst firm estimates that memory price spikes and other increases will raise Apple's costs to manufacture the new models by approximately 38%. 'iPhone Ultra' Screen Protectors Reveal Asymmetric Corners The leaker known as "Ice Universe" this week shared images and a hands-on video of screen protectors for Apple's rumored "iPhone Ultra," and the leak appears to confirm a few of the most discussed details about the foldable's front design. Notably, the leaked accessory has square corners on the side that would sit next to the hinge, and rounded corners on the opposite edge. That asymmetry lines up with months of rumors describing a foldable device with a hinge on one side, and the leak marks one of the clearest looks yet at how the proportions and shape carry over to the cover display itself. Third-party camera protectors intended for the iPhone Ultra may also point to two expected color options for the device: silver and dark blue. Apple Watch Rethink Could See Debut of Round Model, Screenless Fitness Tracker, and More Apple is re-evaluating the Apple Watch lineup and considering a host of radical new designs, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In this week's edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman compared plans for the Apple Watch's evolution to the "revolutionary design change" that the foldable iPhone represents. It will be "something that transforms the product for a new era." Apple's industrial design team has reportedly been "exploring a broader rethink of its smartwatches" for some time, with several directions under evaluation including offering a round display and even some screenless fitness tracker products. In the nearer term, a ceramic case option for the Apple Watch could return either this year or next. The material has been absent from the Apple Watch lineup since the discontinuation of the Series 5. New MacBook Pro and Refreshed iMacs Likely Coming in October Apple is likely to unveil a new M6 MacBook Pro and refreshed iMacs in October, based on its typical release schedule, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reiterated his belief that Apple is readying the launch of a refreshed base-model MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display powered by an M6 chip. As for iMacs, the new version is likely to be an updated 24-inch model with an M5 chip or M6 chip, replacing the existing M4 model. No major design changes are expected. iPhone Users Who Pay for Enough iCloud Storage Get New iOS 27 Perks If you are subscribed to an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage, you will receive new perks in the Home app on iOS 27, according to Apple. Starting with iOS 27, Apple said iPhone users who are subscribed to an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage receive access to three new Apple Intelligence features in the Home app: generated video descriptions for HomeKit Secure Video cameras, the ability to search for camera clips, and automatic surfacing of noteworthy clips. According to Stephen Robles, the Home app on the fifth developer beta of iOS 27 now indicates how many HomeKit Secure Video cameras are eligible for generated video summaries. Robles told us he had a total of 8TB of iCloud+ storage (6TB plus 2TB from Apple One), and this made him eligible for video summaries for up to 15 cameras. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter! Popular StoriesTop Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Public Betas, Apple Back to School Promo, and MoreFollowing through on its promise of a July release, Apple delivered the first public betas of iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and more this week, opening up testing to a broader audience. This week also saw Apple's annual Back to School promotion go live in a number of countries, ongoing fallout from Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI alleging theft of trade secrets, rumors about Apple's iPad lineup, ...Top Stories: 'Apple Upgrade' Program, Apple Music Price Hike, and MoreIt's been another busy week in the Apple world, led by word that the company is preparing to launch a new device leasing and financing program as it has raised some more prices including on Apple Music subscriptions. This week also saw a fresh round of beta releases for iOS 27 and related updates, details on roughly a dozen new Macs under development, and more, so read on below for all of...Top Stories: 'Apple Upgrade' Launches, iOS 26.6 Released, and MoreWe're a little more than a month away from the September iPhone debut season, but there's still lots to talk about in the Apple universe, led this week by the launch of the new Apple Upgrade program in the United States. This week also saw the release of iOS 26.6 and other updates, fresh rumors about Apple's upcoming home hub and new Apple TV and HomePod mini models, and a MacRumors...