This week also saw word that Apple is experiencing shortages of the MacBook Air due to the ongoing memory crunch, while the software side saw a significant issue with iCloud Private Relay disclosed and progress from Apple on a cross-platform clipboard, so read on below for all of the details!
Top Stories
Everything Apple Is Expected to Announce in September
Apple is going to announce at least five new devices next month at its annual iPhone-centric event, though it’s possible we’ll also get devices that were waiting on Siri AI, so check out our overview of what we might see. There’s even a late-breaking wild card in the form of camera-equipped AirPods, which were previously thought to be a 2027 launch.
Apple is gearing up for the big iPhone event, which should take place in the first half of September with Apple currently holding a lottery for its U.S. retail employees to come to Apple Park and help staff the event.
iPhone 18 Pro Models Could Be Up to $300 More Expensive, Says Analyst
Following recent price increases across the Mac and iPad lineups, most observers are expecting the iPhone lineup to follow suit as part of next month’s launch of new models. It remains unknown just how much iPhone prices will increase compared to current models, but analyst Jeff Pu believes the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could see increases of $250–$300 due to component shortages.
Apple is reportedly still scrambling to secure sufficient memory supplies for the upcoming iPhone models, and the company reportedly has around $1 billion worth of unpackaged processors sitting idle as they wait for their accompanying memory chips. The issues could lead to shortages of the new iPhone models at launch.
MacBook Air Experiencing ‘Major’ Shortage Despite $200 Price Increase
Despite receiving a price increase in June, the MacBook Air is currently experiencing a “major” shortage, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
“Retail store sources say Apple is struggling to keep the laptop in stock and that shipments of new units are more constrained than they can ever recall,” he said.
In the U.S., the MacBook Air is facing a 2–6 week delivery estimate on Apple’s online store, with configurations with higher amounts of RAM delayed the longest.
Bigger Displays Rumored for Next Year’s iPhone Models
Apple is prototyping a second new iPhone display, this one measuring around 6.4 inches, that could be destined for the 20th anniversary iPhone, according to a Chinese leaker.
In a recent post on Weibo, the leaker known as “Digital Chat Station” said Apple is currently sampling two new display panels. One measures roughly 6.4 inches and has a chance of being used in the “iPhone 20 Pro,” while the other is the approximately 7-inch panel previously reported for the larger ”iPhone 20 Pro Max.” (Even though next year’s models should be in the iPhone 19 family, many expect Apple to jump to iPhone 20 or iPhone XX in recognition of the device’s anniversary.)
Apple is planning a significant revamp of its pro iPhone models in 2027, with more of an all-glass design that wraps the display around all four edges of the device, a smaller display cutout, and more.
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay is Leaking Users’ Real IP Addresses
Apple’s paid Safari protection feature that promises to keep your IP address masked doesn’t always work, according to security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry. It turns out iCloud Private Relay can expose your real IP to websites that use or pretend to use passkeys.
iCloud Private Relay is a service included with paid iCloud+ plans. It is supposed to hide your IP and DNS information when you browse the web using Safari, but it is not a VPN that masks all traffic from a device. Passkeys use the WebAuthn standard, which stores a private key on your device, not the Safari browser. The request the system sends to the website isn’t protected by Private Relay and can leak your IP address.
Apple Plans iPhone-to-Windows Copy and Paste in EU After Microsoft Request
Apple is working on a new feature that will support cross-device copy and paste between iOS devices and Windows PCs. Microsoft asked for the feature using Apple’s EU interoperability request system for developers, which Apple implemented to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Apple began evaluating the request in March, and on June 26, proposed a project plan.
Apple says introducing cross-device copy and paste is a significant engineering effort, with work expected to be complete by fall 2027. It will be shipped first in a developer beta for testing ahead of a public release. If the feature is added toward the end of fall 2027, it could be early 2028 before the public gets access.
It is likely that cross-device copy and paste will be limited to iPhone and Windows users in the European Union, though it is possible Apple could implement it worldwide.
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!
This article, “Top Stories: Apple’s September Announcements, MacBook Air Shortages, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums