This digest compiles the latest from Apple Insider.
Today’s Apple Insider Roundup
One leaker sticks with 2026 iPhone Air update claim, the rest disagree
It’s another battle of the leakers. While most rumor mongers say the iPhone Air will see its next update in 2027, one leaker goes against the grain and is doubling-down on a fall 2026 refresh.
The iPhone Air 2 was a divisive device, with analysts questioning whether it had made sufficient sales compared to other models in the iPhone 17 generation. However, while there is a general belief that a new model will eventually arrive, the timing of when that happens is still up for debate.
According to serial Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital on Tuesday, the smartphone will be returning in the fall of 2026, not one year later in the fall of 2027. This claim is apparently based on “feedback from the production line,” without going into detail.
Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible
Apple's earnings won't be dented by RAM price rises yet, says Evercore
Investment firm Evercore is predicting better than expected results from Apple’s forthcoming earnings call, chiefly on continued iPhone demand and Apple’s ability to withstand component price rises.
Back on January 9, 2026, Evercore raised its Apple price target to $330, almost entirely on the iPhone 17 range’s success. It was the fourth time the company had raised the target since September 2025, and it continues to be positive about Apple.
In a note to investors seen by AppleInsider, Evercore has outlined what it sees as the most likely results to come from the next earnings call. Central to it is that the company believes that not only has iPhone 17 demand continued, but that it has leant heavily toward the higher-end and more profitable models.
Highly insecure AI apps in the App Store are leaking tons of user data
Extremely poorly constructed AI apps available in the App Store are leaking the data of millions of users, a repository from a security research team has revealed.
The rise of artificial intelligence and connected services has led to a surge of apps in the App Store on the topic. However, that AI gold rush can lead to some extremely poorly made apps to be made, risking user data to make a quick buck.
A new repository from security outfit CovertLabs is working to expose apps that have failed to secure user data properly. Known as Firehound, it is a public repository that catalogs the databases and files leaked out by apps, serving as a warning to developers to be more careful with user data.
Make Apple give us a better deal, bank tells Australian government
Australia’s Commonwealth Bank wants the country’s government to force better terms on Apple for letting rivals use its Apple Pay-style NFC systems on iPhone.
For years, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has pressed for third-party firms to be able to use iPhone NFC for payments — and then in 2024, it got what it wanted. At that time, Apple opened up its NFC technology to countries including Australia and the US, after having been forced to do so for the European Union.
According to Australia’s Financial Review, though, the CBA wants more. And since the Reserve Bank of America (RBA) has now been granted more powers to oversee digital wallets, the CBA says it should step in to ensure what it calls “reasonable” terms.
No top left camera for iPhone 18 Pro, but a smaller Dynamic Island
Hours after a new rumor backed up claims the iPhone 18 Pro‘s Dynamic Island would be small and moved to the left, an exasperated leaker says no.
The latest rumor about a reduced and moved Dynamic Island has cropped up before, but now leaker Instant Digital on Chinese site Weibo is wondering just which translation app people are using.
“The front camera on the left side of the iPhone 18 Pro is a complete misinformation,” writes Instant Digital (in Safari translation.) “I suspect that the English author made a translation error.”
8Bitdo Retro C64 Mechanical Keyboard review: Nostalgia and features combined
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard C64 Edition hits the nostalgic notes while still boasting most of the features modern Mac buyers look for at a reasonable price.
The days of buying a keyboard just for its functionality are long gone. They all let you type words into a computer, but there’s much more to a great keyboard than that.
The relatively newfound fondness for mechanical keyboards has seen a torrent of options reach the marketplace. But even then, somehow, some still stand out from the crowd.
End of today’s Apple Insider roundup.
