Top Stories: iOS 26.5 Coming Soon, Goodbye $599 Mac Mini, and More

Key Points:

• Apple plans to release iOS 26.5 next week, introducing three key features: end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between iOS and Android, "Suggested Places" in Apple Maps with upcoming ads in the U.S. and Canada, and a new Pride Luminance wallpaper celebrating LGBTQ+ communities.
• The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, released in March 2026, retain the same design since 2021; a redesigned "MacBook Ultra" with new display technology and faster performance is expected in late 2026 or early 2027, suggesting potential buyers might wait.
• Apple has discontinued the 256GB storage option for the Mac mini, raising the starting price from $599 to $799 in the U.S., while also cutting other Mac mini and Mac Studio configurations due to industry-wide memory shortages amid high demand for AI-related uses.
• The MacBook Neo, Apple's most affordable MacBook, has experienced "off the charts" demand, leading to supply constraints on A18 Pro chips; Apple may consider discontinuing the $599 entry-level model and offering additional color options to manage costs and supply.
• Rumors indicate the iPhone 18 Pro will retain the anodized aluminum finish from the iPhone 17 Pro despite durability complaints about surface chipping, and the standard iPhone 18 may share components with the lower-cost iPhone 18e, reflecting a narrowing gap between the models and a delayed launch for the standard iPhone 18.