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While Apple held out as many other smartphone and computer manufacturers raised prices in the face of massive increases in memory and storage costs, CEO Tim Cook has signaled that Apple will soon have to follow suit as the “situation has become unsustainable.”
In other news this week, rumors covered not just the iPhone 18 but also the 20th anniversary iPhone that’s still over a year away, while Apple customers can some receive new perks with Chase credit cards and we went hands on with macOS Golden Gate to see what’s new, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Top Stories
Tim Cook Says Apple Price Increases Are ‘Unavoidable’ Due to Memory Costs
Hang onto your hats! Apple will be raising prices on at least some products to offset the high cost of memory and storage, CEO Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal this week. Apple is no longer able to absorb the increased prices and will need to pass some of the cost on to consumers.
“Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable,” said Cook. “We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable.”
Cook did not say which products will get price increases or how much pricing will go up. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max coming in September could be more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, while prices on iPads and Macs could also go up in the near future.
Apple’s 20th Anniversary iPhones to Come in Two Sizes, Will Launch Alongside Gen 2 Foldable iPhone
Apple is “ramping up” work on the 20th anniversary iPhone that it plans to launch next year, reports Bloomberg. Multiple rumors have suggested the device will have an edge-to-edge display with curved glass at all sides for a nearly borderless visual effect.
There will be two anniversary models similar in size to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max that are launching this September. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to be the same size as current iPhone 17 Pro models, which suggests the anniversary iPhone could be available in 6.3- and 6.9-inch sizes.
iPhone 18 to Pack 12GB of RAM for Smarter Siri Features, No Price Bump
Cook’s comments about raising prices in response to increased memory and storage costs come just after one analyst firm claimed that Apple does not intend to raise the price of its standard flagship model when the iPhone 18 debuts. The iPhone 18 will, however, see an upgrade to 12GB of memory to enable it to support the most powerful on-device AI models unveiled at WWDC last week.
Breaking from long-standing tradition, the iPhone 18 will apparently not be introduced in September alongside the Pro models, with Apple pushing back the standard model to a launch in the spring of 2027. That rumor has been circulating for quite some time, but the chairman of Apple supplier Largan Precision took the unusual step of essentially confirming the change without specifically naming Apple.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers
Chase this week announced new perks for its Sapphire Preferred credit card, and one of them is a complimentary one-year Apple TV streaming subscription.
To get the free year of Apple TV, which typically costs $12.99 per month in the U.S., you must activate the card by December 31, 2026. Apple One subscribers can receive a $7.50 discount per month instead.
The Apple One discount extends to Chase’s premium Sapphire Reserve credit card as well. The Sapphire Reserve has offered free subscriptions to both Apple TV and Apple Music since last year, but now cardholders can receive a combined $15/month discount on an Apple One subscription instead.
macOS 27 Golden Gate Hands-On: Every Major New Feature
macOS 27 Golden Gate is in beta ahead of a fall release, and we thought we’d go over what’s new for those who don’t want to risk beta software on their Mac. macOS Golden Gate adds Siri AI, Liquid Glass updates, and multiple new Apple Intelligence features.
Check out our hands-on video for a summary of what’s new in the release!
iOS 27 Adds Landscape Mode to More Apple Apps Ahead of ‘iPhone Ultra’
iOS 27 enables landscape mode in more of Apple’s built-in iPhone apps, including Apple Music, Podcasts, Fitness, Health, Reminders, Home, Shortcuts, Apple Watch, Find My, Weather, Voice Memos, Apple TV Remote, and others.
Many of the apps feature a left-aligned sidebar in landscape mode. In the Messages app, which already supported landscape orientation on iOS 26 and earlier, you can now collapse the sidebar to show only names and profile pictures.
Landscape mode was already available on iOS 26 or earlier in Apple Maps, Calendar, Files, Notes, Mail, and some other Apple apps too, but iOS 27 expands support to many more apps. This change could be laying the groundwork for the “iPhone Ultra,” as landscape-friendly apps would be well suited for the rumored foldable device.
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This article, “Top Stories: Apple Price Hikes Coming, 20th Anniversary iPhone Rumors, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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