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Tech News
Apple's updated service and repair page shows out-of-warranty battery replacement for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max now costs $129, a $10 increase over the $119 charged for the previous three Pro generations. Other repair costs, like screen and back glass damage, also vary between the two new models, with the larger Pro Max costing more across nearly every category.
In the latest 9to5Mac Happy Hour episode, hosts Chance Miller and Benjamin Mayo share hands-on impressions after a week testing the iPhone 18 Pro and new Apple Watch models, alongside first reactions to Apple's newly released operating systems, including macOS Golden Gate. The episode also touches on rumors that Apple may be developing its own game controllers for iPhone.
Apple's newly released iOS 27 introduces daily usage caps on server-dependent Apple Intelligence features like image generation, but iCloud+ subscribers on most paid tiers get expanded access beyond the free limits. The update also brings AI-powered upgrades to HomeKit Secure Video, including video descriptions, clip search, and automatic highlighting of notable footage for compatible home cameras.
Readdle has updated PDF Expert to take advantage of new iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 capabilities, most notably a Handwriting Recognition feature that indexes handwritten notes as searchable text across a user's entire document library. The update, built on Apple's PKStrokeRecognizer API, supports 29 languages and also adds Apple Pencil Pro squeeze-gesture support for opening the app's tool palette, along with an expanded Liquid Glass visual redesign.
Tech writer David Pogue published a Substack post detailing 125 prompts he tried with Apple's overhauled Siri AI in iOS 27, ranging from summarizing pending tasks across Mail and Messages to deleting dozens of alarms at once. The assistant succeeded in nearly all cases, with only a handful of failures like completing a Venmo payment.
Early reviews of the Apple Watch Series 12 point to roughly two-day battery life, a notable improvement over previous generations, alongside upgraded health monitoring capabilities. The source material provided limited detail beyond these headline points, but the general reception appears positive.
Former Apple retail chief Ron Johnson appeared on 9to5Mac's Overtime podcast to discuss his new book, Shop Different, covering the creation of the Apple Store, his work with Steve Jobs, and the original iPhone launch. He also addressed his departure from Apple to lead JCPenney and shared his views on Apple's current retail strategy and the rumored iPhone Duo.
Apple TV has unveiled trailers for two upcoming titles: the second season of culinary docuseries 'Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars,' premiering September 25, and the awards-focused drama 'Tenzing,' directed by Jennifer Peedom and starring Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe. 'Tenzing' opens in select theaters October 9 before streaming on Apple TV starting October 16.
Apple has agreed to revise its App Tracking Transparency consent screens for apps distributed in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Romania, following antitrust scrutiny led by Germany's competition regulator. The changes include full-page prompts instead of pop-ups, removal of the word 'track,' relabeled buttons reading 'Allow' and 'Reject,' new colors and formatting, and an optional link to more detailed explanations from developers.
9to5Mac's daily podcast covered ongoing iOS 27.2 beta testing and other Apple news in its September 17, 2026 episode. The episode is available across major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Google Play.
A developer has released Vinix, an open-source operating system written in the V programming language, designed specifically for MacBooks as a leaner alternative to macOS. It runs in roughly 100 MB of RAM and 1 GB of storage, boots quickly, and includes no telemetry or online account requirements. The project is also working toward running Windows-only PC games on Apple Silicon hardware by combining Wine with an x86-to-ARM64 translation layer and an in-progress Apple GPU driver.
Apple has begun updating early iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max pre-orders to a 'Shipped' status in the Apple Store app and on its website, with devices set to reach customers this Friday, September 18. Buyers who opted into text alerts may also get a shipping notification directly from Apple.