Apple Unveils M6 Mac Mini, M5 Ultra Studio & Foldable iPhone Ultra
Apple’s latest hardware push adds a 12‑core M6 Mac mini, a record‑breaking M5 Ultra Mac Studio, and a first‑look at the foldable iPhone Ultra, reshaping performance and design expectations.
Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” Event: What’s on the Calendar
Apple confirmed a September 9, 2026, iPhone‑centric event at Apple Park, branding it “Surprise and Shine.” The agenda promises the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the long‑rumored foldable iPhone—potentially called the iPhone Ultra. Notably, Apple is skipping a standard iPhone 18 launch, reserving the lower‑priced line for spring 2027.
Inside the M6 Mac mini: Architecture and Benchmarks
Chip architecture
The new Mac mini can be ordered with Apple’s first‑generation M6 silicon. The M6 sports a 12‑core CPU (six performance and six efficiency cores) and a 12‑core GPU, up from the 10‑core configuration of the previous M5. A headline feature is the dual Neural Engine—two 16‑core engines that double the AI‑processing pipeline compared with earlier generations.
Performance claims
Apple benchmarks the M6‑based Mac mini as up to 40 % faster CPU performance than the prior‑generation model that used a 10‑core M4 chip. AI‑centric workloads see a 4× speedup, graphics workloads are 2× faster, and storage throughput doubles, thanks to an upgraded memory bandwidth of 170 GB/s (up from 153 GB/s on the M5).
Mac Studio Gets a Power Boost with M5 Ultra
PCIe Gen 6 SSD and Thunderbolt 5
The refreshed Mac Studio introduces the M5 Ultra, Apple’s most powerful silicon to date. It pairs a 36‑core CPU (12 super‑cores and 24 performance cores) with a 64‑core GPU, delivering a 1.25× single‑thread and 1.3× multi‑thread performance uplift over the prior M3 Ultra. Storage moves to a PCIe Gen 6 SSD architecture that Apple claims is up to twice as fast as the previous generation. Connectivity also jumps to Thunderbolt 5 (120 Gb/s), Wi‑Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6 via the new N1 chip, and the system can drive up to eight external displays with genlock support over USB‑C.
| Model | CPU Cores | GPU Cores | Memory BW | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini M6 | 12‑core (6P+6E) | 12‑core | 170 GB/s | Dual 16‑core Neural Engines |
| Mac mini M5 Pro | 10‑core (6P+4E) | 10‑core | 153 GB/s | Single Neural Engine |
| Mac Studio M5 Ultra | 36‑core (12S+24P) | 64‑core | ≈300 GB/s | PCIe Gen 6 SSD, Thunderbolt 5 |
Foldable iPhone Ultra: Early Impressions
Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter reports that early testers of the foldable iPhone Ultra are impressed by its pocket‑friendly thickness and the durability of its hinge. The device automatically switches to iPad‑style app layouts when unfolded, unlocking a larger internal display for productivity, gaming, and video editing. However, the camera suite omits a telephoto lens, a decision that could affect adoption among users who expect the full‑range optics seen in Apple’s flagship Pro models.
Apple TV Pricing: The Fourth Hike
Effective today, Apple TV’s subscription price climbs to $14.99 per month (up $2) and $119 per year (up $20). The increase also pushes the Apple One Individual bundle to $21.95 per month. The hike applies to the United States and three Latin American markets (Brazil, Chile, Mexico) but leaves other regions unchanged.
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Editorial & Intelligence DeskThe Tech Tabloid Editorial Desk delivers breaking scoops, architectural deep-dives, hardware benchmarks, and verified analysis across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and global venture capital.