We have our first Apple product announcement of 2026, and it’s a software subscription known as Apple Creator Studio featuring Apple’s video, audio, and image editing apps, as well as some AI-powered features and premium content for iWork apps and Freeform.
In other news this week, Apple made it official that next-generation Siri will leverage Google Gemini, while we got the second round of betas for iOS 26.3 and other updates, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Top Stories
Apple Introduces New ‘Creator Studio’ Bundle of Apps for $129 Per Year
Apple this week introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
Apps in the bundle include Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro for both Mac and iPad, plus Motion, Compressor, and MainStage on Mac. It also includes some premium content and features for Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and Freeform.
As noted, Pixelmator Pro for iPad is included in Apple Creator Studio, and that’s a new app making its way from the Mac to a tablet-optimized experience. The existing basic Pixelmator app for iPhone and iPad will, however, no longer be updated.
Apple will continue to offer standalone versions of its pro apps alongside the Creator Studio subscription option, but some content and perhaps some new features may not come to the standalone versions, though they will continue to be updated and receive at least some new features.
Apple Confirms Google Gemini Will Power Next-Generation Siri This Year
Apple and Google this week confirmed that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of Siri that is slated to launch later this year. “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,” the statement said.
It appears the partnership, which is reportedly worth billions of dollars, will extend beyond next-generation Siri, with the companies noting the models will “help power future Apple Intelligence features” including Siri.
Apple Is Expected to Launch These Four MacBooks in 2026
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple’s Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Check out our overview of everything we might see in the MacBook lineup this year, with some speculating we could see the first of the releases before the end of this month.
Here’s What’s New in iOS 26.3 So Far
Following a holiday break, Apple this week seeded a second round of betas for iOS 26.3 and related operating system updates. Among the most notable changes in the latest iOS 26.3 is new references to end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages.
Support for E2EE on RCS would seemingly be part of a larger upgrade to RCS messaging on Apple platforms that would bring the texting experience closer to that of iMessage with several new features.
Beyond potential RCS changes, be sure to check out our full list of everything new in iOS 26.3 so far. We’re expecting a public release around the end of this month.
Verizon Goes Down: iPhones Show ‘SOS’ Mode Due to Network Outage
Verizon experienced a major outage across the U.S. on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of customers reporting issues with the network on the website Downdetector. There were also numerous complaints across Reddit and other social media platforms.
The outage lasted for many hours, with Verizon issuing an apology as service started to come back online. Affected customers can redeem a $20 credit as part of the apology.
New Leak Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Display Sizes, Under-Screen Face ID, and More
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices.
In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Consistent with previous rumors, the leaker claimed that both of the models will have a breakthrough new feature: under-screen Face ID.
As for the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone Air 2, the leaker expects those devices to have a Dynamic Island, and the same 6.3-inch and 6.5-inch display sizes as the equivalent previous-generation models, respectively.
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