Apple’s F1 announcements, more

Welcome to 9to5MacDaily for Friday, February 27th, 2026. I'm your host, Chance Miller. We are sponsored this week by BenQ. Leading off today, Apple CEO Tim Cook just confirmed that the company will announce new products starting on Monday morning. This will be the start of a release cycle that includes the press experience on Wednesday, which again, I will be attending in person in New York City. In a post on Twitter, Cook said, quote, a big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning, end quote. The attached graphic shows hands revealing an incomplete Apple logo before shaping it with a squeeze and then a flick of the finger. The gray color scheme resembles a silver aluminum Apple product. The teaser video, of course, is a bit cryptic, but the message is clear. Apple plans to announce new hardware starting Monday, March 2nd, and we should expect more than one day of announcements. Apple will host a media event on Wednesday, including in New York City, plus London and Shanghai, but it sounds like we shouldn't expect a single event keynote. Instead, it looks like we're in for a few days of press releases, likely with specific product videos, then a fun hands-on opportunity to wrap up the announcements on Wednesday. Again, we're expecting the low-cost MacBook, the iPhone 17e, updates to the iPad Air and the base model iPad, and perhaps new studio displays, plus the more powerful M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros. Next up today, Apple has announced that the iPhone and iPad have become the first consumer devices approved for use on classified NATO networks. That's the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is an intergovernmental military alliance between 32 member states 30 in Europe and two in North America This means that an off iPhone running iOS 26 can access restricted NATO data without requiring any specialized security software or custom hardware modifications In a statement to 9to5Mac, Yvonne Kristic, Apple's vice president of security engineering and architecture, said, quote, This achievement recognizes that Apple has transformed how security is traditionally delivered. Prior to iPhone, secure devices were only available to sophisticated government and enterprise organizations after a massive investment in bespoke security solutions. Instead, Apple has built the most secure devices in the world for all of its users, and those same protections are now uniquely certified under assurance requirements for NATO nations, unlike other devices in the industry. While most of us will never need to actually access NATO-restricted data, the certification still matters. It validates the security architecture of the iPhone and iPad to a newer degree. It gives customers, including its enterprise and commercial users, additional confidence that Apple is strong in its security posture. The fact that Apple has achieved this certification with its stock iPhone and iPad hardware and stock software is a testament to the work Apple has done to build a robust security program while still maintaining its excellent end-user experience. We are sponsored this week by BenQ, the makers of Mac-ready monitors designed to look just like your Mac. BenQ's Mac Colors technology makes the MA Series look identical to your Mac's built-in display, with the same vibrancy, the same color accuracy, and no fiddling required. You also get USB 1 cable connectivity so your Mac charges and connects with a single cord plus BenQ DisplayPilot 2 software for quick control of brightness volume resolution The stand is fully adjustable with height, swivel, tilt, and even a full 90-degree pivot, and the Nano Gloss panel delivers that premium glossy look that Mac users love. You can check out the full lineup, including the gorgeous MA27OUP, by hitting the link in the show notes. BenQ is also running a giveaway with no purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older and a resident of the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, or Canada, excluding Quebec. Full details are in the show notes. My thanks to BenQ for sponsoring the show. Running up today, the first 2026 F1 Grand Prix takes place next weekend, and it's Apple's first as the exclusive home to Formula One racing in the United States. As we've talked about before, Apple TV users will be able to stream all F1 races with their Apple TV subscription at no added cost. Again, this applies only in the United States, but Apple has made a handful of announcements over the last week in the lead-up to this kickoff. First, Apple has announced a partnership with IMAX. Through this, Apple TV will show select races from this season live in theaters. Apple says that by bringing F1 on Apple TV live to IMAX theaters nationwide, it's delivering the energy and excitement to even more screens in a truly immersive way. Next up, Apple has announced a partnership with Netflix in the United States. Through this deal, Apple will make the entire new season, that's Season 8, of the Formula One Drive to Survive TV show available on Apple TV for the first time. Formula One Drive to Survive is a popular documentary series produced in collaboration between Netflix and Formula One It offers a behind look at drivers and races of the Formula One World Championship In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple's services boss, Eddie Q, credited Netflix and Drive to Survive with broadening the F1 audience. Q said, quote, We're excited today to announce something I think no one was expecting, and that is that we've teamed up with Netflix, and we're going to make the entire season of F1 Drive to Survive, the new season, available to stream right within Apple TV itself. Netflix has played a pivotal role in growing F1 since the launch of Drive to Survive, and we're thrilled to make F1 content more broadly available to new and existing fans in the U.S. on both Netflix and Apple TV. End quote. In addition to that, Netflix and Apple have teamed up, so the Canadian Grand Prix, which is on May 22nd, will stream live not only on Apple TV, but also on Netflix in the United States. Finally, Apple has announced how F1 will come to all of its different services apps, including a new immersive experience in Apple Maps, integration with Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, new features in Apple News and the Sports app, and much more. You can hit the link in the show notes for our full coverage of all of Apple's F1 announcements. That wraps up another episode and another week of 9to5Mac Daily. As always, if you like the show, it's very helpful if you head to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and a review. You can find an ad-free version of the show at 9to5mac.com slash join for $5 a month or $50 a year. You can find all of the latest Apple news on 9to5mac.com. Follow along with me on threads at Chance H. Miller. And we'll be back on Monday for a new week of Apple News.