Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from across the Apple world, including iPhone 18 Pro specs confirmed, iPhone Ultra delays, iPhone Air 2’s bigger battery, Apple’s Chinese memory twist, AI developers and the Mac, Apple TV at the Emmys, and a new award for the iPod.
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 Specs Confirmed
Thanks to Apple’s regulatory filings with the Chinese authorities, we have our first concrete details on the battery capacity of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The 18 Pro is slightly up on last year’s 17 Pro model, with 4,288 mAh in US models; the 18 Pro Max steps up further with 5,567 mAh. But why are the Chinese models shipping with smaller batteries?
Two capacities are listed for the iPhone 18 Pro, one for a Chinese model and one for a US-bound model. The former is rated for 4.065 mAh, and the latter 4,288 mAh. That is a rise of 77 mAh and 36 mAh from the iPhone 17 Pro’s listed specifications. The iPhone 18 Pro has a slightly higher increase. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be lifted up by 568 mAh to 5,391 mAh in China, and by 479 mAh to 5,567 mAh in the US.
Prepare For The iPhone Ultra Delays
Apple may reveal the presumptively named iPhone Ultra foldable during the September launch event, but retail sales may be a little more haphazard. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo points to factors such as increased complexity, the relative scarcity of iPhone parts, and intense consumer demand, contributing to lead times that could be much longer.a month between ordering and receiving:
“The analyst said that while it was not likely that pre-orders would be delayed until the beginning of next year, the folding phone “could sell out immediately after pre-orders open, with delivery lead times quickly stretching to 4–6 weeks or longer and remaining there through December. Scarce initial supply, a highly recognizable design, and an innovative user experience should all support a short-term resale premium; resale prices 50–100% above the official price would not be out of the question.”
A Larger Battery For The iPhone Air 2
The first fashionably thin iPhone Air launched in September 2025, and while the sophomore handset will not arrive this September, it will arrive alongside the iPhone 18 in March 2027 as part of Apple’s newly staggered iPhone calendar. Details from the supply chain suggest that the Air 2 will come with a larger battery:
“In a post on Weibo listing supply chain predictions, serial leaker Digital Chat Station said the iPhone Air 2 is expected to feature a 3,500mAh battery. That’s up from the 3,149mAh battery in the current iPhone Air, indicating around a 11% increase in raw capacity.”
Apple’s Chinese Memory Twist
Apple is not alone in having to address the supply chain constraints on memory and storage. According to the FT, Apple is testing silicon from China’s state-backed ChangXin Memory Technologies. While smaller than the three major players (Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron), it will offer Apple both leverage in the wider market and an interesting option for the Chinese market.
“The new details suggest Apple has since progressed to qualifying CXMT’s chips specifically, running the company’s memory through the kind of technical validation that typically precedes a supplier being approved for production use. Apple has apparently still not committed to using CXMT’s chips commercially, and is continuing to lead a lobbying effort among U.S. tech companies to get Washington’s blessing for broader use of the supplier’s products.”
Apple AI, The Developer’s Story
While Apple has struggled to integrate the current trends of artificial intelligence into the iPhone experience, its investments in other areas have left the Mac platform in a prime position to be the hardware of choice for AI developers. Jason Hiner speaks to Doug Brooks, senior product manager of Apple Silicon, to look at the Mac’s AI impact:
“He also explained why Macs have become a favorite platform among AI developers, why Mac minis and Mac Studios are emerging as the preferred AI agent machines, and how Apple sees the future of on-device AI across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.”
Emmy Nominations For Apple TV
Apple has picked up a total of 87 Emmy nominations for its various shows, up from last year’s 81. Ed Hardy reports on some of the big hitting shows”
“The new horror-comedy Widow’s Bay earned an impressive 19 Primetime Emmy nominations, while Vince Gilligan’s sci-fi drama Pluribus picked up 18. Those totals put both Apple TV originals among the most-nominated shows across all television, trailing only HBO Max’s The Pitt (25 nominations) and Hacks (24).”
And Finally…
As part of its annual awards, coupled with its thirtieth anniversary, UK tech magazine T3 has awarded its “Best Tech In Thirty Years” award to the iPod. Forbes David Phelan talked to T3’s editor Mat Gallagher, about why the digital audio player picked up the size:
“Technology has evolved thanks to the likes of Cook and Berners-Lee, and while some products come and go, others have a lasting effect. The iPod changed Apple from a computer company into a leader in portable devices. It was clever, easy to use but most of all it was cool,” he added. “The iPhone simply built on this success, taking it to new extremes, though without the iPod it may never have existed.”
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.
