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.
Apple Expected To Raise Prices Rises
Thanks to rising component costs, especially in storage and memory, price increases are occurring across the consumer electronics industry. Apple is no exception, and the next wave of products that will power the holiday quarter of the year will be more expensive than 2025’s models. Ryan Christoffel looks at the upcoming changes:
“iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to start in the $1,299-1,399 range, compared to $1,099 for iPhone 17 Pro. Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are also candidates for price hikes, as the current AI-fueled memory crisis will impact Watch components too. Finally, AirPods could potentially get more expensive as well. That’s less likely than iPhone and Apple Watch increases, since AirPods should be minimally impacted by rising memory and storage costs.”
Apple Looking For Staff Cover For iPhone 18 Pro Launch
Apple has yet to confirm the launch date for the iPhone 18 Pro family, but it has offered its US staff the chance to work the launch event in “the first half of September.” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has the relevant dates:
“The lottery allows retail employees to apply to work the event, where they’ll help organize lines, check in guests, greet attendees, offer directions and support the security teams, according to a memo that was seen by Bloomberg News. The launch event will take place during the first half of September, the company told staff, without providing a more specific date. Historically, Apple’s iPhone presentations have taken place on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of that month.
UK Government Attacks Apple’s Encrypted Backup System
The UK Government has issued a technical capability notice to Apple to obtain access to the encrypted backups of UK users. Crucially, this would require Apple to implement a ‘back door’ feature that would negate the encryption layer, thus introducing a potentially fatal flaw into iCloud backups. The Government recently withdrew one of these notices that asked for access to UK and US users; the latest is restricted to its own jurisdiction. The Financial Times is reporting that Apple is challenging the notice:
“The iPhone maker last month launched a legal complaint at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal over the UK government’s demand that Apple allow it access to encrypted cloud backups of data belonging to British users, according to an order issued by the court.
The MacBook Neo’s Months-Long Weakness
Stuff’s Dan Grabham has a long-term look at the MacBook Neo. Using Apple’s lowest-priced laptop over the last few months, Grabham offers a number of tips, but the biggest issue can’t be addressed with a higher-priced model or software. It’s the memory:
“This remains an issue in my book (though not for everyone) as it’s not enough for regular switching between apps. I wouldn’t say I’m a power user, but I do have quite a few things open and on my MacBook Pro I have 24GB of memory. 16GB would be a big help for the Neo, but that seems unlikely with global memory prices being so high.”
Apple’s Plasma Purchase
Apple is acquiring PlasmaSolve, a Czech software company that builds tools to aid the use of plasma-based techniques in design and manufacturing. Eric Silvka reports on the purchase, and one of the key technologies Apple now has:
“PlasmaSolve’s primary product was MatSight, a suite of apps intended to help manufacturers simulate the results of various vapor deposition processes for metals. Apple has used the technology for many years on a number of products, including on various iPhone models to create a durable thin film on the casing to minimize scratching and other damage.”
Copying To The PC, EU Style
Copying and pasting between your PC and your iPhone may become easier in the EU in the near future. Under one of the clauses of the Digital Markets Act, the Redmond-based company has requested changes to the clipboard to allow cross-platform copying. Juli Clover lays out the process used for MacRumors:
“Apple proposed a solution that would let an iPhone share and import items from the pasteboard to a paired accessory, like a Windows PC. Apple plans to use a solution similar to the Accessory Notifications option it added for third-party wearables in the EU in iOS 26.5. Users would need to give a paired device one-time permission to paste content from an iPhone.”
And Finally…
Apple is shaking up how you shop for accessories on the Apple Store website. The experience echoes the now-standard tropes of retail, with new headings, top-pick curation, and recommendations based on your buying habits and the hardware you own.
“Presumably, these categories will change throughout the year. There are also recommendations based on what’s currently in your shopping bag, as well as the ability to view accessories based on product category. You can also now chat with Apple Specialists via the accessories website.
“In addition to the new design, the revamped Apple Accessories experience also includes better filtering options and improved search. You can also still easily view accessories made by Apple and third-party companies.”
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.
