Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from across the Apple world, including iPhone 17e upgrades, iPhone 18 specs leak, Apple challenges Adobe, hidden MacBook Pro release date, Siri turns to Gemini, cross-platform messaging improvements, and Apple adjusts trade-in prices.
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.
The iPhone 17e’s Disappointing Upgrade
Apple’s mid-range iPhone 17e is due to arrive before the end of Q1 2026. Last year’s iPhone 16e was just $100 cheaper than the regular iPhone 16, and we’re expecting a similar price difference with the 17e and the 17. That leaves the question of making the 17e value for money while also not depressing potential iPhone 17 sales. Forbes’ contributor David Phelan looks at what we can expect from the key component… the display:
“Until last year, every regular iPhone has had a 60Hz screen, but because the iPhone 17 moved up to ProMotion last September, many had hoped the lower-priced iPhone 17e would follow suit. The display news isn’t all bad, however, as the same report claims that instead of the cut-out at the top of the display, found on the current low-priced model, the iPhone 16e, the new phone will switch to the Dynamic Island, which is on all other current iPhones.”
iPhone 18’s Display Upgrade
Staying with the iPhone display, new supply chain details have revealed potential specifications for the iPhone 18 family’s display. They suggest the display sizes and 120 Hz refresh rate will remain the same. What is changing, at least for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, is the dynamic island’s camera:
“Rumors have conflicted on what this will look like. Some reporting says the new Dynamic Island will simply be reduced in size, but look similar to the current pill shape. Others have said we’ll get a simple hole-punch that’s offset to the top-left corner of the display. Additionally, it is noteworthy that this new cutout design is expected to only arrive with the 18 Pro models. The base iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 will miss out.”
Apple Challenges Adobe
Apple has announced a new subscription service, bundling several existing apps into a single offer for $12.99 per month or an annualpayment of $129. From the press release:
“…includes access to Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro on Mac and iPad; Motion, Compressor, and MainStage on Mac; and intelligent features and premium content for Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and later Freeform for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.”
Ars Technica’s Andrew Cuningham looks at the value of the subscriptions versus the standalone app purchases, which remain as an option:
“Apple’s subscription prices look reasonable based on what you would pay for an all-access subscription to Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps, though Adobe’s apps also cover web design, photo editing, and some other use cases that Apple’s subscription doesn’t—$780 a year, $105 a month, or $70 a month if you pay for one year’s subscription a month at a time. Apple also allows up to six people to share a single Creator Studio subscription via Family Sharing.”
A Hidden MacBook Pro Announcement?
There may be an interesting sleight of hand going on with the launch of the Apple Creator Studio subscription package. These apps are all well-suited to the top-end MacBook Pro models. Right now, that means the vanilla MacBook Pro M5. Where are the M5 Pro and M5 Max-equipped laptops? Roman Loyola woners if they are launching at the same time?
“Reports have said that Apple could release the new MacBook Pro models in the early part of this year. To add more to the speculation: January 28 is a Wednesday, and Apple often releases new products on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It seems to be an ideal setup. I’m no marketing expert, but anyone can put 2 and 2 together. I’ll be keeping an eye out between now and January 28 for the new laptops.”
Siri Turns To Gemini
Tim Cook has decided where Apple’s future with artificial intelligence lies. After spending years offering its own solutions to consumers, the recent surge of interest and innovation by its competitors, while it arrives late and with little to offer, Apple has confirmed to CNBC that it has signed a deal with Google to use Gemini AI as the foundation of the next generation of Siri:
“After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users,” Apple said in a statement Monday. The models will continue to run on Apple devices and the company’s private cloud compute, the companies added.”
This gives Google foundational models for its AI services on both Android and iOS, effectively providing blanket coverage across the two major smartphone ecosystems.
More E2E Coming To iPhone With RCS Update
The latest iOS 26.3 beta includes another tool to improve cross-platform compatibility between Android and iOS. Tim Hardwick reports on a potential iPhone upgrade to RCS, with new carrier bundle settings that would allow carriers to enable or disable end-to-end encryption for RCS:
“End-to-end encryption for RCS was announced in March 2025, as part of version 3.0 of the RCS Universal Profile. Apple said it planned to add support to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates, but the company has since been silent on the subject.”
And Finally…
Apple has tweaked the trade-in values of iPhones, iPads and Macs. The tweaks feel like inventory balancing, apart from the big jumps on the Macs. If Apple is planning to launch some new MacBooks at the end of the month, a MacBook for MacBook trade-in just became more attractive:
“Apple updated its US trade in values today for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. You can trade in online at Apple’s website or complete the process at an Apple Store. Most payouts dropped a little, but Mac trade in values jumped sharply on several models.”
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.
