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Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.


In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the time, it said CarPlay Ultra would begin expanding to more vehicles around the world "in the next 12 months."

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he was told that CarPlay Ultra will come to at least one major new Hyundai or Kia vehicle model "in the second half of this year." It is unclear if he is referring to Hyundai's upcoming IONIQ 3, as previously reported, or if it will be a different model.

CarPlay Ultra features deeper integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in apps for radio and climate controls, rear-view camera feed support, and more. The connected iPhone provides app-related data, while the vehicle provides information like the current speed, fuel level, tire pressure, engine temperature, and more.


The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can choose from various preset design options.

BMW, Ford, and Rivian are among the brands that have publicly downplayed CarPlay Ultra, while General Motors controversially ditched the regular version of CarPlay in its new electric vehicles, so it is likely to pass on CarPlay Ultra too. That means vehicles from brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC are likely out of the running.

It is improbable that Tesla would offer CarPlay Ultra either, but it is reportedly working on offering the regular version of CarPlay in a major pivot.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

This article, "Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is Exploring an 'iPhone Flip'

Apple is "exploring" the idea of a foldable iPhone with a "square, clamshell-style" design, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


A so-called "iPhone Flip" β€”Β unlikely to be the real name β€”Β would compete with devices such as Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the modern-day Motorola Razr.

The clamshell iPhone would be released at some point after Apple's first foldable iPhone, which is expected to launch in September this year.


The first foldable iPhone is expected to open up like a book, similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7. This design will provide users with a large 7.7-inch inner display for watching videos and gaming, and there will likely be multitasking functionality. A clamshell iPhone, on the other hand, would be more about portability and pocketability.

"Apple is betting that its first foldable iPhone will be successful enough to generate real demand for the category and that customers will want additional shapes and sizes, much as they have with traditional slab-style iPhones," said Gurman. Nevertheless, he said a clamshell iPhone is "far from guaranteed to reach the market."


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New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.

"I'm told the new models β€” code-named J714 and J716 β€” are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from February through March," he explained.

macOS 26.3 remains in beta testing, but the update should be coming soon, with a wide release expected in February. Gurman was careful to also mention March, but this seems rather unlikely, unless the macOS 26.3 beta testing cycle drags on longer than expected, or the new MacBook Pro models are tied to macOS 26.3.1 or later.

As of now, we expect the macOS 26.3 Release Candidate to be seeded in the first half of February, so a new MacBook Pro announcement could be just around the corner.

In October, AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic was first to report that MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips were "expected to ship with macOS 26.3," so this rumor has now been shared by multiple sources.

Beyond the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, no major changes are expected for these models.

In late 2026 or in 2027, the MacBook Pro is expected to receive a major redesign, with rumored features including an OLED display with touch capabilities, M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a thinner design, and built-in cellular connectivity.

Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, macOS Tahoe
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Caution)
Related Forums: MacBook Pro, macOS Tahoe

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Apple Still Preparing Two New Versions of Siri as Some Employees Leave

In a new report about Apple losing at least four more AI researchers in recent weeks, in addition to a high-ranking Siri executive, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that the company is preparing to release two new versions of Siri.


First, Apple announced that it plans to release a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google Gemini this year. It is expected to be part of iOS 26.4, which should enter beta testing in February and be released to the general public in March or April.

Back in June 2024, Apple said the revamped Siri will have understanding of personal context, on-screen awareness, deeper in-app controls, and more.

Second, Siri will reportedly get even better on iOS 27, as Apple is said to be planning to turn the assistant into a full-out chatbot, allowing users to have sustained, back-and-forth conversations with the assistant. This will essentially turn Siri into ChatGPT or Gemini, except it will be built right into the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with no app required.

Gurman said the Siri chatbot will be "competitive with Gemini 3," and "significantly more capable" than the more personalized Siri coming with iOS 26.4.

The high-ranking Siri executive who left Apple was Stuart Bowers, according to the report, which described him as "one of the company's most senior executives working on Siri." He joined Google's artificial intelligence research laboratory DeepMind.
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New Siri: Apple Almost Chose a Different Partner Before Google Gemini

In a recent interview with the tech podcast TBPN, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman revealed that Apple was initially "going to rebuild Siri around Claude," the large language model and chatbot developed by the company Anthropic. In the end, though, Apple announced that it had decided to use Google's Gemini platform instead.


According to Gurman, Apple went with Google due at least in part to money.

"Anthropic was holding them over a barrel," said Gurman, in a podcast clip shared by TBPN. "They wanted a ton of money from them, several billion dollars a year, and at a price that doubled on an annual basis for the next three years."

Nevertheless, Gurman said Apple currently "runs on Anthropic" internally.

"Anthropic is powering a lot of the stuff Apple's doing internally in terms of product development and a lot of their internal tools," he explained. "They have custom versions of Claude running on their own servers internally, too."

Apple was "not going to use Google" for the revamped Siri until "a few months ago," he said.

Apple announced that it plans to release a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google Gemini this year. It is expected to be part of iOS 26.4, which should enter beta testing in February and be released to the general public in March or April. The new-and-improved Siri likely requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.

Back in June 2024, Apple said the revamped Siri will have understanding of personal context, on-screen awareness, deeper in-app controls, and more. At the time, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps.

Bloomberg's @markgurman says that even though Apple partnered with Google Gemini for Siri, they actually run their business on Anthropic.

"Apple runs on Anthropic at this point. Anthropic is powering a lot of the stuff Apple's doing internally in terms of product development and… pic.twitter.com/NpW0Pyj03J

β€” TBPN (@tbpn) January 29, 2026

This article, "New Siri: Apple Almost Chose a Different Partner Before Google Gemini" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Reportedly Aiming to Upgrade the MacBook Pro Twice This Year

Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display models in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman added that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year.

First up will be MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which should be coming soon. Then, the MacBook Pro is expected to receive a major redesign in late 2026 (but 2027 is still not fully ruled out), with rumored features including an OLED touch screen, a Dynamic Island, M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a thinner design, and built-in cellular connectivity.

Apple updated the MacBook Pro twice in one year in the past, with the M2 Pro and M2 Max models debuting in January 2023 and the M3 Pro and M3 Max models following in October 2023, so there is precedent for such a thing.

Apple's Creator Studio bundle of apps launches on Wednesday, January 28, and it has been speculated that Apple might use the opportunity to unveil the MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips this week.

As for the MacBook Air, it is expected to get the M5 chip, while the Mac Studio should get higher-end M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips.

There have been reports about a new Studio Display being in the works, with rumored features including mini-LED backlighting, ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and either an A19 or A19 Pro chip. Last month, the next-generation Studio Display was potentially spotted in a Chinese regulatory database.

Apple also plans to release a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip and an updated Mac mini at some point this year, according to Gurman. The lower-cost MacBook is expected to be powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip.

Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Caution)
Related Forums: Mac Accessories, MacBook Pro

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When Will Tim Cook Step Down as Apple CEO? Here's What Reports Say

There has been increasing discussion about Tim Cook eventually stepping down as Apple's CEO, but reports have offered differing timelines.


A few months ago, the Financial Times reported that Apple was preparing for Cook to step down as soon as early 2026. In his Power On newsletter today, however, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that timeframe "seems unlikely."

Gurman previously said he would be "shocked" if Cook stepped down before the middle of 2026, so he might remain CEO through WWDC in June at a minimum.

There has been speculation that Cook might become the chairman of Apple's board of directors after he steps down as CEO, but it seems like that transition will not happen imminently, as Apple's current chairman Arthur D. Levinson is up for re-election at the company's annual shareholders meeting on February 24.

Apple has a guideline stating that directors generally may not stand for re-election after age 75, but the company asked shareholders to make an exemption for 75-year-old Levinson, due to his significant experience and expertise.

Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor. Earlier this week, Gurman reported that Cook gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and he said this move makes it "crystal clear" that Ternus is the leading CEO candidate.

Cook has been Apple's CEO since August 2011, and he reached the typical retirement age of 65 last year. It is sounding more and more likely that his time in charge of the company is inching towards the end, but Gurman seems confident that a passing of the baton is still many months away at least, rather than something that is imminent.


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Here's When Apple Plans to Unveil a New Siri Powered by Google Gemini

Apple plans to unveil a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google Gemini next month, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


"The company has been planning an announcement of the new Siri in the second half of February, when it will give demonstrations of the functionality," he wrote, in the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter today.

Gurman does not yet know if Apple plans to hold a full-out event to demonstrate the Siri upgrades, or if it will hold private briefings with the media.

The more personalized Siri will be part of iOS 26.4, which will be available in beta in February and released to the general public in March or early April, according to Gurman. Based on that timeframe, the new-and-improved Siri should be available to all customers with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer in just a few more months.

As previewed by Apple, the assistant "should be able to tap into personal data and on-screen content to fulfill tasks," according to Gurman.

Apple first announced the more personalized version of Siri all the way back at WWDC 2024, but it was eventually delayed. At the time, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps, as one example of a new capability.

The revamped Siri reportedly experienced issues inside Apple, leading the company to turn to Google Gemini. The revamped Siri will technically still run on a new Apple Intelligence model that has Gemini's technology baked in.

Siri will reportedly get even better on iOS 27, as Apple is said to be planning to turn the assistant into a full-out chatbot, allowing users to have sustained, back-and-forth conversations with the assistant. This will essentially turn Siri into ChatGPT or Gemini, except it will be built right into the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with no app required.

Gurman said the Siri chatbot will be "competitive with Gemini 3," and "significantly more capable" than the more personalized Siri coming with iOS 26.4.

Siri's chatbot might run directly on Google's servers.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future.


"I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:
I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and speculations about my future at Apple, and I feel that you need to hear from me directly. I am proud of the amazing Technologies we all build across Displays, Cameras, Sensors, Silicon, Batteries, and a very wide set of technologies, across all of Apple Products. Together we enable the best products in the world. I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon.
Last week, Gurman said that Srouji recently told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he was "seriously considering leaving in the near future." Srouji did not explicitly deny the report, but it appears that he has no plans to leave Apple for now.

Srouji informed colleagues that he would be interested in working for another company if he did leave Apple, rather than retiring, according to Gurman.

Srouji is Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies. He joined the company in 2008 to lead development of the iPhone 4's A4 chip, the first Apple-designed system-on-a-chip. He previously held senior positions at Intel and IBM.

Apple's chips have achieved many performance records, making Srouji one of the company's most important executives. For example, the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro models offers the world's fastest CPU in any smartphone, while Apple silicon chips in Macs continue to deliver industry-leading performance per watt.

Apple is facing turnover among its top ranks. Apple's operations chief Jeff Williams recently retired, and he will soon be followed by the company's AI research chief John Giannandrea, environmental chief Lisa Jackson, and general counsel Kate Adams. In addition, Apple's software design chief Alan Dye is joining Meta's Reality Labs later this month. Finally, Cook is reportedly planning to step down as CEO as early as next year.
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Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.


Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design and pioneered the transition to Apple silicon.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Meta had hired multiple significant Apple employees, including longtime Apple designer Alan Dye, while conducting its own recruiting blitz for AI and smart glasses development. Meanwhile, Apple announced the retirement of Senior Vice President and General Counsel Kate Adams, Lisa Jackson, Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, and AI chief John Giannandrea. Earlier this year, Apple lost Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, who is retiring, and Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri. There have also been rumors about Apple CEO β€ŒTim Cookβ€Œ retiring, with rumors suggesting he is preparing to leave his role as soon as next year.

Gurman says that the losses are partly due to veteran executives nearing retirement age, but there is still a "disconcerting brain drain" taking place in the company. Nevertheless, Gurman says the accumulative weight of the departures all adds up to "one of the most tumultuous stretches of Cooks tenure." Some of the losses are said to be a "cause for deep concern," and Cook is now looking to prevent further loss of leading talent with stronger compensation packages.

Gurman notes that "Apple hasn't launched a successful new product category in a decade," leaving it increasingly vulnerable to having its talent poached by more agile rivals who are said to be better equipped to develop the next generation of devices and AI technologies.

Cook himself is thought to be likely to join the exodus and step down in the not-too-distant future. He turned 65 last month and now exhibits a noticeable, unexplained tremor in his hands. He is likely to transition to the role of chairman, rather than vacate the company entirely.

The departure of Srouji is said to be "a more imminent risk" and Cook is purportedly working hard to retain him by offering a substantial pay package and the potential of more responsibility. Some executives have suggested elevating Srouji to the role of chief technology officer. This would move him to oversee a broad range of hardware engineering and silicon technologies, making him Apple's second-most powerful executive.

Gurman says this change would likely require John Ternus to be promoted to CEO, but Srouji apparently would prefer to not work under a different CEO, even with an expanded remit. If he does leave, Srouji would likely be replaced by Zongjian Chen or Sribalan Santhanam. Beyond Srouji and the other reported departures, Apple is believed to be contending with a significant talent drain among its key engineers.

Gurman explains that there has been "a broader collapse within Apple's artificial intelligence organization" triggered by AI models chief Ruoming Pang departing earlier this year, along with colleagues such as Tom Gunter and Frank Chu. Apple lost Siri and search overseer Robby Walker, as well as his replacement, Ke Yang, to Meta.

Apple's AI group is apparently suffering from low morale and there is growing worry over the increasing use of external AI technology such as Google Gemini. Around a dozen of Apple's leading AI researchers have also now departed.

The company's AI robotics software team has seen widespread departures, including its leader Jian Zhang, who joined Meta. The user interface team has also lost members, such as Billy Sorrentino, culminating in Dye's exit.

Apple's hardware design group "has been nearly wiped out," with many employees vacating to other companies or following former design chief Jony Ive to his studio, LoveFrom. Abidur Chowdhury, the designer behind the iPhone Air who narrated its unveiling in September, left for an AI startup.

The company has lost a key director in charge of display technologies, Cheng Chen, to OpenAI. He also oversaw the optics of the Vision Pro headset. In addition, one of Apple’s top hardware engineering executives, Tang Tan, similarly left for OpenAI.

Apple has even lost the dean of Apple University, Richard Locke. Apple University is the internal program intended to preserve the company's practices and culture following the death of Steve Jobs.

The exodus has become a major concern for Apple's leadership, which has instructed human resources to ramp up recruitment and retention efforts. See Gurman's full report for more information.
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New Version of Siri to 'Lean' on Google Gemini

In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026.


Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod mini, which are set for launch soon, will also "help showcase" next year's new β€ŒSiriβ€Œ and β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ features.

The new version of β€ŒSiriβ€Œ will apparently "lean" on Google's Gemini and include an AI-powered web search feature. Gurman warned "there's no guarantee users will embrace it, that it will work seamlessly or that it can undo years of damage to the β€ŒSiriβ€Œ brand."

Apple is said to be paying Google to create a custom Gemini-based model that can run on its Private Cloud Compute servers to power β€ŒSiriβ€Œ. Gurman clarified that this doesn't mean β€ŒSiriβ€Œ will include Google services or Gemini features. Instead, β€ŒSiriβ€Œ will simply be powered by a Gemini model in the background, enabling it to deliver the features that users expect with an Apple user interface.

Apple will preview iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and other operating systems at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The updates will apparently focus on major updates to β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ and the company's broader AI strategy.

The company is also apparently still running into problems with the launch of β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ in China. Despite partnerships with Chinese companies, β€ŒApple Intelligenceβ€Œ in China is still mired by regulatory issues and the launch is now a "rolling target."


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New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Likely Launching Soon

A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested.


In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day.

The timing of the overnight refresh could simply be related to the holiday season, but there is a possibility that it relates to the launch of new β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ and β€ŒHomePod miniβ€Œ models. Gurman notes that inventory of current models has become tight, likely signaling that new versions are on the way. He added that even if they do not launch by the end of 2025, they "shouldn't be far off."

The new β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ and β€ŒHomePod miniβ€Œ will apparently "help showcase the new Siri and Apple Intelligence features planned for next year." During its earnings call earlier this week, Apple seemingly suggested that any more new Macs are off the table for the rest of 2026, making the new β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ and β€ŒHomePod miniβ€Œ the most likely candidates for any remaining Apple product releases this year.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, HomePod mini

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Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store, and the risk of new tariffs.

The "early portion of the year" should see the release of the iPhone 17e, iPad (12th-generation) with A18 chip, iPad Air with M4 chip, MacBook Air with M5 chip, MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and new external displays. Around March to April, Apple should roll out the long-awaited revamped version of Siri alongside a new smart home display with speaker-base and wall-mount options.

In the fall, the company will release new Apple Watches and iPhones as usual. The iPhone 18 Pro models will drop Qualcommm modems for Apple's own C1 chip. The first foldable β€ŒiPhoneβ€Œ is also expected to launch.

The company is likely to debut smart home security products such as a camera in 2026. A new Mac mini with the M5 chip is also expected, along with a new Mac Studio. A new iPad mini with an OLED display should also arrive, but an update to the iPad Pro is not due until 2027.

Before the end of the year, the company could unveil redesigned β€ŒMacBook Proβ€Œ models with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, thinner chassis, touchscreens, and OLED displays. Apple could also preview its smart glasses product before the end of 2026, with suppliers already producing small quantities.


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Head of Apple's AI Search Project Leaves to Join Meta

Apple's artificial intelligence division has lost another senior executive, with Ke Yang, who was recently appointed to lead the company's AI-driven web search effort, departing for Meta, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Yang had only recently taken over Apple's newly created Answers, Knowledge, and Information group, known internally as "AKI." The team is responsible for developing technology to make Siri more ChatGPT-like, including the ability to retrieve live information from the web. The AKI project is said to be a central component of Apple's planned β€ŒSiriβ€Œ overhaul, which is currently scheduled for release in March 2026. The update is said to include features that were delayed from earlier this year, such as allowing β€ŒSiriβ€Œ to access personal data and handle more complex, multi-step requests.

Yang's promotion to head of AKI came just weeks ago following the departure of Robby Walker, another longtime Apple executive who had been leading the group. Yang had previously overseen the search-focused portion of AKI before being elevated to lead the division in full, reporting directly to John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy. With Yang's exit, the AKI team will now report to Benoit Dupin, one of Giannandrea's deputies responsible for Apple's machine learning infrastructure.

The AKI project has reportedly become a major element of Apple's efforts to close the gap with rivals such as OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google Gemini, all of which have made rapid advances in AI-powered search and conversational interfaces. Gurman describes the Answers feature as a new layer of β€ŒSiriβ€Œ designed to synthesize responses from live internet data, allowing it to deliver up-to-date answers and contextual information.

Yang's departure is the latest in a growing series of exits from Apple's artificial intelligence division, which has reportedly seen more than a dozen senior researchers and engineers leave this year alone. Many of those departures were from the company's Foundation Models team, which is tasked with developing Apple's core generative AI models. That unit was led by Ruoming Pang, who also left for Meta earlier this year to help establish a new research division known as Superintelligence Labs.


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Next iPad Pro to Have Two Key Features, But One Rumor Still Uncertain

The next iPad Pro models are rumored to feature two key upgrades, including Apple's M5 chip, and an increased minimum of 12GB of RAM.


Last week, apparent unboxing videos for the next-generation 13-inch iPad Pro were uploaded to YouTube by Russian channels Wylsacom and Romancev768.

The same YouTube channels leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so these latest leaks are likely legitimate.

The unboxing videos showed the M5 chip, and an increased minimum of 12GB of RAM.

According to Geekbench 6 benchmark results shown in one of the videos, the M5 chip offers up to 12% faster multi-core CPU performance and up to 36% faster graphics performance compared to the M4 chip in the current iPad Pro models from May 2024.

The benchmark result also showed the iPad Pro with 256GB of storage will have 12GB of RAM, just like the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. iPad Pro models with the M4 chip have only 8GB of RAM when equipped with 256GB or 512GB of storage, but models with 1TB or 2TB of storage are equipped with 16GB of RAM.

Last year, the iPad Pro was updated with an OLED display and a thinner design. No major design changes are expected this year, but the unboxing videos did reveal that "iPad Pro" will no longer be inscribed on the back of the next models.

Beyond the M5 chip and a minimum of 12GB of RAM, a third rumor is in jeopardy.

It was previously rumored that the next iPad Pro models would have two front cameras, allowing you to easily take photos and go on video calls in both portrait and landscape orientations. However, there is no evidence of a second front camera in the unboxing videos, with only an ambient light sensor visible in the top bezel in one of the videos.

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman commented on the rumor:
I can say with certainty that M5 iPad Pros within Apple have the second lens. There's a history of Apple testing features at an advanced stage before pulling them (such as certain storage capacities or features like a second dock connector on the original iPad), but this would be a strange, last-minute cut.
We shall see. Apple will likely unveil the next iPad Pro models this month, so an official announcement is likely just a few weeks away.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Don't Buy)

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Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19.


As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the "coming months."

In late 2025 to early 2026, Gurman expects Apple to release 10 products, including an iPad Pro with an M5 chip "as early as October":Gurman's list did not mention the rumored lower-priced MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, which will launch in late 2025 to early 2026, according to previous reports.

It is not yet known if Apple plans to host another special event this year, or if these products would be announced with press releases on the Apple Newsroom website only. If the M5 chip debuts in 2025, then it is likely that Apple would host an event, as the M1 chip through to the M4 chip were all unveiled during events.


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Final iPhone 17 Pro Rumors: Orange and Blue, Vapor Chamber, and More

On the eve of Apple's special event, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has listed some of the key new features he expects for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.


Gurman expects the following for the devices:All of those things have already been rumored, but extra corroboration is always nice, as we count down the final hours until Apple's official announcements.
Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

This article, "Final iPhone 17 Pro Rumors: Orange and Blue, Vapor Chamber, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Why Apple Isn't Making New AirPods Max Anytime Soon

AirPods Max fans hoping for a second-generation version of Apple's over-ear headphones shouldn't hold their breath, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman suggests Apple's wireless noise-canceling cans are stuck in commercial limbo – "too popular for Apple to stop selling them, and not popular enough for the company to invest a ton of time and money into creating a new version."

The reality check follows a report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this year indicating AirPods Max 2 could enter mass production in 2027. Gurman's assessment paints an equally bleak picture (if not more so), claiming that Apple's audio team is more focused on annual AirPods updates and supporting audio components across other products. Apple is expected to release new AirPods Pro 3 this coming fall.

Apple's minimal commitment to the AirPods Max line became apparent last year when the company only updated the headphones with USB-C charging to comply with EU regulations, as well as some new color options. No other meaningful improvements were made.

It's already been nearly five years since the original AirPods Max launched in December 2020 – "a remarkably long time for an Apple product" to go without a real upgrade, Gurman notes.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
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Two All-New iPhone 17 Colors Seemingly Confirmed

Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in a new orange color, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Gurman made the claim in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, adding that the new iPhone 17 Air – replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – will come in a new light blue color.

We've heard multiple rumors about a new iPhone 17 Pro color being a shade of orange. The color has previously been described as having a copper finish. Dummy models have appeared that supposedly feature all the shades that Apple has chosen for its high-end smartphones. The other colors these have included are black, white, and dark blue.

The new lighter blue color option for the iPhone 17 Air has also been rumored multiple times. It was first mentioned by Weibo leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," who suggests that this blue shade will be central to Apple's marketing for the new device. Described as significantly lighter than any previous blue Apple has released, the color may appear almost white in low-light conditions.


Gurman has not mentioned any other colors for Apple's new iPhone lineup, but this is the first time he has referenced orange and light blue for iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Air, respectively, suggesting he is confident the rumors are true.

Apple has stuck with muted colors for its recent iPhone "Pro" models made from titanium. For the iPhone 16 Pro, Apple offered a new Desert Titanium color. The iPhone 16 Pro also comes in Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium. Apple is expected to adopt a part-glass, part aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro models, so at least some new colors seem like a given.

The iPhone 17 series is now just weeks away. Apple's iPhone event this year is rumored to be scheduled for Tuesday, September 9. If Apple follows the traditional pattern, iPhone 17 pre-orders would begin on the Friday, September 12. The new devices would then likely reach customers and retail stores the following Friday, September 19.
Related Roundups: iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro
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Apple Has Reportedly Considered Releasing iPhone 17 Air Bumper Case

Apple has "considered" releasing a bumper case for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Similar to the bumper case that Apple introduced for the iPhone 4 in 2010, Gurman said the iPhone 17 Air version of the case would cover the edges of the device, but not the back of it. Those bumper cases were made of rubber.

Given that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have an ultra-thin design, customers who purchase the device might be reluctant to put it inside of a regular case, due to the added thickness. A bumper case would be a fitting compromise, as it would provide some level of protection against drops and scratches, without being overly thick.


Apple eventually ended up offering customers a free iPhone 4 bumper case, due to the infamous "antennagate" issue, which related to spotty cellular signal reception when the iPhone 4 was held in a way that covered the device's antenna bands.

The Information's Wayne Ma previously reported that Apple also plans to release an iPhone 17 Air battery case, for extra battery life on the go.

Apple last released battery cases for the iPhone 11 lineup, followed by the since-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12 models and newer.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series and any related accessories in September.
Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Air
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This article, "Apple Has Reportedly Considered Releasing iPhone 17 Air Bumper Case" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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