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Woot's Apple Watch Band Sale Has Solo/Braided Loops at Massive Discounts

Woot this week has a massive sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, with as much as 70 percent off these accessories.



You can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty, and they will all be compatible with the new Apple Watch Series 11.



Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

Solo Loop



Braided Solo Loop




If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.



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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Two New Accessories for Vision Pro Now Available, With More Coming

Apple today started selling new accessories for its Vision Pro headset, including the Logitech Muse and Dual Knit Band, with more on the way.


The Logitech Muse is a spatially-tracked stylus developed for use with the ‌Vision Pro‌. It was announced at WWDC earlier this year. The Muse is intended to support the next generation of spatial computing workflows enabled by visionOS 26. The device incorporates six degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking, pressure-sensitive tips, and real-time haptic feedback to allow users to interact with digital environments through precise input and tactile realism.

Logitech Muse is a spatial accessory designed to enhance the way you work, create, and collaborate with Apple Vision Pro. Muse combines a familiar form factor with advanced technology, offering a precise, immersive workflow in both productivity and creativity apps.

Seamless motion tracking in six degrees of freedom with intuitive controls allows you to draw, annotate, and interact naturally in space. Real-time haptic responses add textural realism to create a truly engaging experience. A pressure-sensitive tip and force-sensing button allow you to vary line thickness whether drawing on a surface or in the air.


According to Logitech, Muse is intended for use across a wide range of spatial computing applications, including 3D design, collaborative workspaces, and immersive visualization tools. The device features both physical buttons and gesture controls. The Logitech Muse costs $129.95 and is now available from Apple.


Apple's new Dual Knit Band for the Vision Pro is also now available for $99. It comes with the new Vision Pro with the M5 chip, but is available separately and compatible with the M2 Vision Pro.

Designed for Apple Vision Pro, the Dual Knit Band provides lasting comfort and stability — with soft, breathable upper and lower straps and a counterbalanced design. Its dual-function Fit Dial makes it easy to adjust each strap independently for a personalized fit. The Dual Knit Band attaches to the Audio Straps with a simple and secure mechanism, and release tabs allow you to quickly detach it when needed.


In addition, Apple today confirmed that the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller and Controller Charging Station will be available for $249.95 from the Apple Store online in the U.S. beginning Tuesday, November 11.
Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
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Apple Releases Black Version of Magic Keyboard for iPad Air

Apple today released a new version of the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air in black.


Previously, the Magic Keyboard for ‌iPad Air‌ was only available in white. It is based on the older Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro and ‌iPad Air‌, which was available in both black and white, and was replaced by a redesigned version with a aluminum top case, backlighting, and a trackpad with haptic feedback last year.

The Magic Keyboard for ‌iPad Air‌ continues to be priced at $269 for the 11-inch version and $319 for the 13-inch version.
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Apple Debuts New iPad Pro With M5 Chip, Faster Charging, and More

Apple today announced the next-generation iPad Pro, featuring the custom-designed M5, C1X, and N1 chips.


The M5 chip has up to a 10-core CPU, with four performance cores and six efficiency cores. It features a next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerator in each core, allowing the new ‌iPad Pro‌ to deliver up to 3.5x the AI performance than the previous model, and a third-generation ray-tracing engine. A faster 16-core Neural Engine also delivers more energy-efficient performance. Apple says that performance gains and breakthrough improvements over iPads with the M1 chip are "staggering".

In addition to the M5 chip, the cellular versions of the new ‌iPad Pro‌ feature Apple's custom-designed C1X modem, which allows up to 50% faster cellular data performance than its predecessor, with much greater efficiency.


It also features the N1 chip, a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Apple says the N1 brings better performance when connected to 5GHz networks, and improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

The new ‌iPad Pro‌ features over 150GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, which is almost a 30% increase compared to the previous generation. It also offers up to 2x faster storage read and write speeds, and the 256GB and 512GB models start with 12GB of unified memory.

The new ‌iPad Pro‌ adds the ability to drive external displays at up to 120Hz and now supports Adaptive Sync, which provides the lowest possible latency in external display performance.

Fast charging is now supported, allowing the new ‌iPad Pro‌ to charge up to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 40W adapter or higher.

The new ‌iPad Pro‌ is available to pre-order starting today, and will be available in stores on Wednesday, October 22.
Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: C1, M5, N1 Chip
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

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Apple Updates Vision Pro With M5 Chip, Dual Knit Band, and 120Hz Support

Apple today updated the Vision Pro headset with its next-generation M5 chip for faster performance, and a more comfortable Dual Knit Band.


The M5 chip has a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, and a 16-core Neural Engine, and we have confirmed the Vision Pro still has 16GB of RAM.

With the M5 chip, the Vision Pro offers faster performance and longer battery life compared to the previous model with the M2 chip. Apple has not provided any overall performance figures, but its website says the Vision Pro now offers up to three hours of video playback per charge, compared to up to 2.5 hours for the previous model.

Apple says the M5 chip enables the rendering of 10% more pixels on the displays compared to the previous model, resulting in sharper images and crisper text. And the Vision Pro can now ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate, up from the previous limit of 100Hz. Apple says 120Hz support reduces motion blur and provides a smoother experience when using Mac Virtual Display.

With the M5 chip, the Vision Pro gains hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, for improved graphics rendering. These capabilities were first introduced with the M3 chip, but the previous Vision Pro only had an M2 chip.

Apple says the M5 chip's faster 16-core Neural Engine, and a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core, make AI features run up to 50% faster than on the previous model.

The updated Vision Pro still has an R1 chip for input processing. The headset continues to support Wi-Fi 6, rather than Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.3.

There are no design changes or new color options, such as the rumored Space Black. There is still a tethered battery pack, rather than a built-in battery.


The updated Vision Pro comes with the Dual Knit Band, a Light Seal, two Light Seal Cushions, a cover for the front of the device, a polishing cloth, a battery, a USB-C charging cable, and Apple's new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max.

The previous Vision Pro came with Apple's discontinued 30W USB-C Power Adapter.

The new Dual Knit Band comes in small, medium, and large sizes. It is available to purchase separately for $99, and it is compatible with the previous-generation Vision Pro. You can find your preferred size by using the Apple Store app on the iPhone.


Apple says the Dual Knit Band features two straps knitted into a single piece. The upper strap goes across the top of the head, and the lower strap goes across the back of the head. The lower strap has tungsten inserts that provide a counterweight for additional comfort, balance, and stability. You can adjust the fit of both of the straps with the Fit Dial.

Another new accessory is the Logitech Muse spatial stylus, and Apple will begin selling the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller starting Tuesday, November 11.

The updated Vision Pro is available to pre-order starting today, and it will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Wednesday, October 22.

In the U.S., the Vision Pro continues to start at $3,499, and it can be configured with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. The new model is also available in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the U.K., and the United Arab Emirates. Availability in South Korea and Taiwan will begin at a later date, according to Apple.

You can demo the new Vision Pro at an Apple Store starting October 22.

With the iPadOS 26.1 update, set to be released later this year, Apple says the Vision Pro app is expanding to iPad. It was previously on the iPhone only.
Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

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Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M5 Chip

Apple today updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, which is also available in updated iPad Pro and Vision Pro models.


In addition, the base 14-inch MacBook Pro can now be configured with up to 4TB of storage on Apple's online store, whereas the previous model maxed out at 2TB. However, the maximum amount of unified RAM available for this model remains 32GB.

Like the M4 chip, Apple's next-generation M5 chip has a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, but it is faster. Apple says the M5 chip offers up to 15% faster CPU performance, and up to 45% faster graphics, compared to the M4 chip.

An enhanced 10-core GPU has a Neural Accelerator in each core, enabling more than 4× the peak GPU compute performance compared to the M4 chip, according to Apple.

Memory bandwidth has increased from 120GB/s to 153GB/s.

There are no major design changes, with the base 14-inch MacBook Pro still having a Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1,000 nits (SDR) and up to 1,600 nits (HDR) of brightness, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, an SD card slot, a headphone jack, a MagSafe 3 magnetic charging port, and a backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID.


The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip is available to pre-order starting today, and it will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Wednesday, October 22. In the U.S., pricing starts at $1,599, for a configuration with 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. Available finishes include Silver and Space Black.

Apple says the 14-inch MacBook Pro continues to offer up to 24 hours of battery life, and it remains limited to Wi-Fi 6E, rather than Wi-Fi 7.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 70W USB-C Power Adapter, except in Europe.

Today's announcement does not include higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which are expected to launch in early 2026.
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Apple Unveils M5 Chip With Next-Generation GPU

Apple today announced the M5 chip, its next-generation chip for the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro.


From Apple's press release:

Built using third-generation 3-nanometer technology, M5 introduces a next-generation 10-core GPU architecture with a Neural Accelerator in each core, enabling GPU-based AI workloads to run dramatically faster. The GPU also offers enhanced graphics capabilities and third-generation ray tracing that combined deliver a graphics performance that is up to 45 percent higher than M4. M5 features the world's fastest performance core, with up to a 10-core CPU made up of six efficiency cores and up to four performance cores. Together, they deliver up to 15 percent faster multithreaded performance over M4. M5 also features an improved 16-core Neural Engine, a powerful media engine, and a nearly 30 percent increase in unified memory bandwidth to 153GB/s.


The M5's next-generation GPU architecture is optimized for AI tasks. Each of its 10 cores features a dedicated Neural Accelerator, delivering over 4x peak GPU compute compared to the M4. The M5 also includes a third-generation ray-tracing engine, providing up to a 45% graphics uplift in apps using ray tracing.

Apple says the next-generation GPU, enhanced shader cores, second-generation dynamic caching, and third-generation ray-tracing engine on the M5 bring more realistic visuals, faster rendering times, and smoother performance. The faster 16-core Neural Engine also delivers more powerful AI performance with greater energy efficiency.

The M5 chip unified memory bandwidth of 153GB/s, providing a nearly 30% increase over the M4, offering higher multithreaded performance in apps, faster graphics performance, and faster AI performance running models on the Neural Accelerators in the GPU or the Neural Engine. It supports up to 32GB of unified memory.

The new ‌MacBook Pro‌, ‌iPad Pro‌, and Vision Pro with the M5 chip are available to pre-order today.
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iPhone 18 Pro's Major Camera Upgrade to Be Variable Aperture

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a significantly upgraded rear camera with a variable aperture, ETNews reports.


The Korean-language report claims that only the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max will feature the camera, which will replace the main wide-angle camera on the rear, sitting alongside the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras.

A variable aperture allows the camera to adjust the amount of light that reaches the sensor. This means that in dark environments, the aperture can be opened to receive more light, while in light environments, it can be closed to prevent over-exposure. It also should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background.

Apple is now moving ahead with plans to bring the technology to next-generation iPhones and is now discussing components with suppliers. The variable camera is reportedly set to be made by LG Innotech and Foxconn, while the actuator is to be manufactured by Chinese companies Luxshare ICT and Sunny Optical.

Apple has never used a variable aperture on an iPhone camera before. The main cameras on all of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this aperture. Samsung Electronics previously brought a variable aperture camera to its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 models in 2018 and 2019, but due to increased thickness and high price, it dropped the feature in 2020.

The report corroborates a rumor from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared in December last year. The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max are expected to be announced alongside the iPhone Air 2 and Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ in the fall of 2026.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Tag: ETNews
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Apple's 2026 Home Hub Could Cost $350

Apple is aiming to launch a new home hub and indoor security camera in 2026, with a tabletop robot coming in 2027, reports Bloomberg.


The home hub has an iPad-like 7-inch display, and it will be able to run apps and control smart home devices. There are apparently two versions in the works, one that is designed to be mounted on the wall, and a second tabletop model. The tabletop home hub has a speaker base that "resembles a screen-equipped version of the HomePod mini."

Both versions of the home hub will include a FaceTime camera for video calls, and sensors to recognize the person that's using it. It will be able to differentiate between different members of the household, adjusting available apps and features for each person.

Apple could charge around $350 for the home hub, which would make it much more expensive than competing products like the Amazon Echo Show, and it would be $50 more than the full-sized HomePod. Apple's operations teams are said to be looking at ways to cut the cost, so it's possible the device could be more affordable at launch. If not, costs may come down for future versions.

Apple's home hub has been finished since last year. Apple wanted to launch it in March 2025, but ended up pushing it back because the more advanced version of Siri wasn't ready to go. An updated ‌Siri‌ built using next-generation architecture will be ready to go in March 2026, and after that, Apple will be free to launch the home hub.

An Apple-designed security camera that integrates with the home hub could be released as soon as late 2026, and a full tabletop robot is slated for 2027. The robot is similar in design to the home hub, but it includes a 9-inch display and a motorized arm that can move the screen around on a user's workspace. The robot will cost several hundred dollars because of the included components.

Apple is planning to manufacture its upcoming smart home devices in Vietnam in a continuing effort to reduce its reliance on manufacturing in China. According to Bloomberg, Apple normally manufactures devices in a new product category in China to start with, but this time around, it will work with BYD in Vietnam. BYD is a Chinese company that makes electric vehicles, and Apple reportedly worked with BYD on battery technology before the Apple Car was scrapped.

BYD will be in charge of final assembly, testing, and packaging for the home hub and the tabletop robot. Apple has been expanding manufacturing in Vietnam for the last several years, and some iPads, AirPods, Apple Watches, and Macs are assembled there.
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Apple's M5 MacBook Pro Imminent: What to Expect

Apple is going to launch a new version of the MacBook Pro as soon as tomorrow, so we thought we'd go over what to expect from Apple's upcoming Mac.


M5 Chip


The ‌MacBook Pro‌ will be one of the first new devices to use the next-generation M5 chip, which will replace the M4 chip.

The M5 is built on TSMC's more advanced 3-nanometer process, and it will bring speed and efficiency improvements. A leaked iPad Pro with an M5 chip was benchmarked two weeks ago, and it featured 12 percent faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the M4 chip, and a 36 percent faster GPU.

The M5 chip in the ‌iPad Pro‌ had a 9-core CPU, but the M5 in the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ could have a 10-core CPU like the 10-core M4 chip in the current version of the ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Design


There are no rumors of design changes, and we are expecting the upcoming M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ to look just like the M4 version. There is a possibility that Apple will add a new color, because a teaser for the ‌MacBook Pro‌ seems to feature a ‌MacBook Pro‌ with a blue tint.

It's possible we'll get a dark blue version of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ that matches the iPhone 17 Pro.

Other Possible Updates


Aside from an M5 chip, we haven't heard of any new features that will be available in the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌.

While not rumored, Apple could perhaps add the upgraded 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera that's in the iPhone 17, or introduce the N1 networking chip with Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 7 support. The current version of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is limited to Wi-Fi 6E, even though the iPhone has supported Wi-Fi 7 for the last two years.

Apple may not be planning for significant hardware changes other than the chip, because swapping the camera or the networking chip would require more significant internal updates compared to just an M4 to M5 chip swap.

Just One Model?


It's looking like we're only going to get a single updated MacBook, with Apple adding the M5 to the base 14-inch model.

The ‌MacBook Pro‌ line typically features Pro and Max chips in higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch machines as well, but those chips are apparently not ready yet and won't be coming until 2026.

The M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are expected in early 2026.

Why You Shouldn't Buy One


If you're not in serious need of a new ‌MacBook Pro‌, 2025 is a bad time to upgrade. The next-generation ‌MacBook Pro‌ after the late 2025/early 2026 models is expected to feature an OLED display, which will mark a major upgrade in display quality.

Of course, it's possible that the base 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ isn't going to get an OLED display and will stick with mini-LED, but it's not clear at this point.

The transition to OLED will also likely bring a design update along with M6 chip technology, which is another reason to wait.

Launch Date


Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak teased the M5 MacBook Pro earlier today, so it's likely going to launch imminently, perhaps as soon as tomorrow morning.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
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Apple Teases Upcoming M5 MacBook Pro Launch: 'Something Powerful is Coming'

Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak today teased the launch of an upcoming product, saying "something powerful is coming" on social media.


A short animation accompanying Joswiak's teaser reveals a brief glimpse of a MacBook Pro along with the words "coming soon." The shape of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is a V, which is the Roman numeral for 5. Joswiak also used "Mmmmm" in his caption, which is 5 Ms.


Rumors suggest that Apple is preparing to introduce its next-generation M5 chip this week, and it is set to debut in the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Mmmmm… something powerful is coming. pic.twitter.com/hHDYwuisJC

— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) October 14, 2025

Aside from an M5 chip, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is not expected to get any other major design changes. So far, it looks like Apple might introduce just the 14-inch M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌, holding higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips until 2026.

Apple is also expected to introduce a new iPad Pro and Vision Pro with an M5 chip this week, and we could also potentially see new Apple TV and HomePod mini models.

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Take $200 Off Every M4 MacBook Air on Amazon

Amazon is hosting big discounts across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with deals that represent all-time lows across every model of the computer. In total, you'll find $200 off the M4 MacBook Air notebook right now, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Prices start at $799.00 for the 13-inch 256GB model, down from $999.00. If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $999.00, down from $1,199.00.




Of course, you'll also find all of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy, the retailer is matching these deals as well, and you won't need any membership to see the final deal prices.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.




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When Will Apple's Macs Get M5 Chips? 2025-2026 Launch Timeline

We're just about due for the next-generation Apple silicon chip, which will kick off a new wave of Mac refreshes. The M5 chip is expected to make an appearance in some new products before the end of the year, but most Mac refreshes will happen in 2026.


We've rounded up current rumors on when we might see updates for Apple's notebook and desktop machines.

MacBook Pro


The MacBook Pro could be the first Mac to get an M5 chip, and an unannounced ‌MacBook Pro‌ has already shown up in an accidental FCC leak. Supplies of the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro are also dwindling.


Since there was just one Mac model in the FCC leak, it's possible that Apple will update the 14-inch ‌M4 MacBook Pro‌ with an M5 chip this year, introducing M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in early 2026.

It's also entirely possible new M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will all come out at the same time, either in 2025 around the late October timeframe, or in early 2026.

MacBook Air


New 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with M5 chips are expected in early 2026, right around the March or April timeframe. The M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ models came out in March 2025.



iMac


Apple added an M4 chip to the iMac in October 2024, so it could be updated alongside the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models or alongside the M5 ‌MacBook Air‌ models. There haven't been rumors about specific timing, but it's one of the Macs that will be in the late 2025 to early 2026 timeframe.


Custom configurations of the ‌iMac‌ are delayed and won't ship to customers until later in October, much like the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, which could be a sign of an imminent update.

Mac mini


The Mac mini could get a refresh as soon as early 2026. An alleged identifier for a ‌Mac mini‌ with an M5 chip was discovered in August, so it sounds like an upgrade is in the works.


Apple has not always refreshed the ‌Mac mini‌ with new chips, and it didn't end up getting the M3 and M3 Pro.

Timing isn't clear, but with no word about an update, it probably won't happen this year. Last year, the ‌Mac mini‌ got an M4 and M4 Pro update in October.

Mac Studio


Apple updated the Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips in March 2025, so an update isn't expected in the near future.


The ‌Mac Studio‌ isn't likely to get another refresh until M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips are ready, and there's no word on when that might be. We could be waiting until late 2026.

Mac Pro


The Mac Pro is still using the M2 Ultra chip from 2023, so it is due for an update.


Back in November 2024, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the ‌Mac Pro‌ would get an M4 Ultra chip with a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU. He claimed that the ‌Mac Pro‌ would get the new chip sometime in mid-to-late 2025. We're past mid 2025 at this point, but we haven't heard much about the ‌Mac Pro‌ in recent weeks.

Earlier this year, Gurman backtracked on the M4 Ultra chip and said that Apple wasn't developing one. The M4 Max chip architecture does not have the UltraFusion functionality that allowed for prior-generation Ultra-series chips, so it's not likely that there's going to be an M4 Ultra at all.

Apple could either update the ‌Mac Pro‌ with the M3 Ultra that it added to the ‌Mac Studio‌ this year, or use an M5 Ultra chip. If Apple was going to update the ‌Mac Pro‌ with the M3 Ultra, it would have made sense to do so earlier this year with the ‌Mac Studio‌ refresh. Since that didn't happen, it looks like Apple is waiting for the M5 chips.

It often takes Apple more time to develop the Ultra versions of its M-series chips, so if the plan is an M5 Ultra chip, it's not likely going to be ready this year. Mid to late 2026 timing would make more sense for an M5 Ultra chip.

An October Event?


While most of the M5 Mac refreshes are going to happen in 2026, there are other M5 devices slated for launch in 2025. A new iPad Pro and a refreshed version of the Vision Pro are expected to have the M5 chip, and rumors suggest they're coming soon.

Apple could hold an event to unveil the M5 Apple silicon chip and the new products, or it could announce them with press releases.

Other products that we're expecting before the end of the year include a new HomePod mini, AirTag 2, and an updated Apple TV.
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Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Rumored to Use Titanium and Aluminum Frame

Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will have a frame that's made from a mix of titanium and aluminum, analyst Jeff Pu said today in a note shared with investors.


Pu suggested that Apple will expand its use of titanium, with the material set to be used in both the 2026 ‌iPhone‌ Fold and iPhone Air models. This isn't the first time a mixed metal chassis has been rumored for the foldable ‌iPhone‌, because Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that Apple will use multiple materials.

While Pu says Apple is going to use titanium and aluminum, Kuo said that Apple will use titanium and stainless steel. He suggested that the foldable ‌iPhone‌'s hinge will be made from stainless steel and titanium, with the device's frame set to be made from titanium. Kuo also believes some hinge components will be made from Liquidmetal for further durability.

The foldable ‌iPhone‌ is rumored to be as thin as 4.5mm when opened up, which would make it even thinner than the ‌iPhone Air‌. It would need the strength of a titanium frame to prevent bending issues. Apple gave the ‌iPhone Air‌ a titanium frame, and that proved to be a good decision because multiple bend tests show that the titanium Apple used for the ‌iPhone Air‌ is resistant to bending.

Kuo did not mention aluminum as a potential material for the foldable ‌iPhone‌. Pu's wording isn't entirely clear on how Apple will use the two materials, but he's either suggesting that Apple plans to use a titanium and aluminum hybrid compound for the device's frame, or saying Apple will use titanium in some areas and aluminum in other areas.
Additionally, the metal frame will turn favorable on increasing usage of titanium, which will likely be adopted by iPhone 18 Fold (titanium + aluminum) and iPhone 18 Air.

Small amounts of aluminum are often used in titanium alloys, and the two metals can be combined in higher proportions as well. Since titanium is heavier than aluminum, Apple might also be planning to use titanium for the stress bearing parts of the frame and aluminum elsewhere to cut weight.

Apple's foldable ‌iPhone‌ is expected to be part of the iPhone 18 lineup, launching in September 2026. Rumors suggest that the display will be around 5.5 inches in size when closed, unfolding to approximately 7.8 inches when opened up.

More information about the foldable ‌iPhone‌ can be found in our guide.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Related Forum: iPhone

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The Best Prime Day Deals on iPhone Accessories, Headphones, and More

Yesterday we highlighted some of the best Apple-related product discounts that you can find on Amazon during Prime Big Deal Days, and now we're focusing on third-party accessory markdowns during the event. In this article you'll find all the best accessories for charging, smart homes, smartphones, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Shoppers should remember that Prime Day sales are typically time sensitive, so purchase quickly if you're interested. Remember that you'll need an Amazon Prime membership to get Prime Day deals. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Prime on Amazon if you're a new customer; afterwards the service runs for $14.99/month or $139/year.

Special for 2025, Amazon is also offering a free six month trial to Prime for Young Adults right now. Prime for Young Adults is a discounted Prime membership for anyone age 18-24 that offers all of the Prime benefits at $69.00 per year, half of the price of regular Prime.

Anker




Prime Day deals have hit Anker's most popular portable batteries, Bluetooth speakers, wall chargers, USB-C hubs, and portable power stations. We've collected some of the best Anker discounts in the list below, but be sure to browse Amazon for even more sales.

Audio



Portable Batteries



Wireless Chargers



Power Stations



Wall Chargers



Hubs




Jackery




Jackery's Prime Day deals include a large selection of portable power stations at big discounts.



Ecovacs





Sonos





Beats




Amazon this week is discounting a collection of Beats headphones and speakers, including low prices on Beats Pill and more.



Monitors




Amazon has a wide array of monitors and PCs on sale from HP, Acer, Samsung, and more for Prime Day.



TVs





Amazon Devices




Of course, some of the best discounts can be found on Amazon's own line of products. This includes Kindle e-readers, Blink security cameras, Fire tablets, and more.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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5+ New Features Your iPhone Will Get in iOS 26.1

Apple is currently beta testing iOS 26.1, which will be the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system. It's not going to bring the new version of Siri that we've been waiting for, but it does include useful new features and interface changes.


We've rounded up all of the features that have been in iOS 26.1 so far.

Alarms and Timers


Alarms and timers that you set up in the Clock app now have a slide to stop button rather than a tap to stop button on the Lock Screen. You can snooze an alarm with a tap, but to turn it off entirely, you need to use a slide gesture.


The change makes it much harder to dismiss an alarm when you're trying to tap on the snooze button.

New Apple Intelligence Languages


Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.

AirPods Live Translation Languages


AirPods Live Translation works with additional languages in iOS 26.1, including Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified).

Apple Music


You can swipe on the music player in Apple Music to switch songs. Just slide a finger over where the song title is listed, and it'll go to the next song or back to the previous song.



Fitness App


You can create custom workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone. There are options for selecting workout type, estimated Active Calories, effort, duration, and start time.



There were workout creation options before, but they were more structured than the open, custom creation options that are in iOS 26.1.

Settings App


Apple changed the alignment of icons and text in the Settings app. All settings with headers that feature text now have that text aligned to the left instead of center aligned. It's a small change that makes a big visual difference.


This includes General, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Cellular, Personal Hotspot, Accessibility, and more.

Home Screen Folders


When you tap into a folder on the Home Screen, the name of the folder at the top is left aligned instead of center aligned, matching the changes made in the Settings app.


Phone


The Phone keypad now uses Liquid Glass for the numbers.


Photos


The slider for scrubbing through videos in the Photos app has been updated.


The navigation bar also has a slightly more frosted look that makes it easier to see on light backgrounds.


The interface for managing multiple photos that you've selected has been tweaked slightly. Play as Slideshow, Favorite, and Hide are now at the top of the menu.



Safari


The Tab Bar (Bottom) in Safari is wider with less padding around the edges. In Reduce Transparency mode, there's more padding, so it no longer looks odd.



Background Security Improvements


The Privacy and Security section of the Settings app now has a toggle to automatically download and install security improvements. It's a revamp of the prior Rapid Security Responses feature.


Display Settings


The Display section of the Settings app now has iOS 26-themed wallpaper instead of iOS 18 wallpaper.



Liquid Glass


The light refraction effect around apps is now more subtle with darker icon colors and background colors.

Wallpaper


When setting a wallpaper on the Lock Screen, instructions like Pinch to Crop show up momentarily and then disappear, rather than being shown all the time.



Display Accessibility


Under the Display and Text Size section in the Accessibility settings, there is a new "Display Borders" toggle. It adds a border to all buttons, and replaces the prior "Button Shapes" setting.

Bonus: iPadOS 26.1


Many of the changes above are in iPadOS 26.1 too, and iPadOS 26.1 also makes some changes to multitasking.

Slide Over


With iPadOS 26.1, Apple is reintroducing Slide Over. Slide Over works alongside the window-based iPadOS 26 multitasking functionality, so you can have multiple windows open and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app.


You can only have one Slide Over app at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and you can use the feature by tapping on the green window resizing button and toggling on Enter Slide Over.

External Microphones on iPad


There's now an option to adjust input gain on the iPad when using an external microphone.

Download iOS 26.1


iOS 26.1 is available for both developers and public beta testers, so if you want to get your hands on the new features now, you can. It's easiest to sign up for public beta testing by visiting Apple's beta website.

Compatibility


iOS 26.1 is available on all iPhones that support ‌iOS 26‌.

Release Date


It's likely that Apple will release iOS 26.1 toward the end of October or the beginning of November.

More Features


Know of something new in iOS 26.1 that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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Must-Try tvOS 26 Features

Alongside iOS 26, Apple introduced a new tvOS 26 update for the Apple TV. tvOS updates aren't as feature rich as iOS updates and often go under the radar, so we thought we'd highlight some of the useful new features that you should check out.



  • Liquid Glass - Liquid Glass has a subtle presence in tvOS 26, with Apple adding Liquid Glass buttons, interface elements, and Control Center. It's not as extensive as Liquid Glass in ‌iOS 26‌, and it blends in well with the tvOS operating system.

  • Apple TV app - The ‌Apple TV‌ app has been overhauled and it displays more TV shows and movies on the screen at one time.

  • Profiles - It's much easier to switch profiles in tvOS 26, so you can keep the content that you like separate from the content that other people in the family prefer. You can choose a profile whenever you wake your ‌Apple TV‌ up from sleep. You'll get better suggestions on a per-person basis, and it's a great way to separate kid content from adult content.

  • Karaoke - When using Apple Music Sing, you can use your iPhone as a microphone. The ‌iPhone‌ can show you real-time lyrics, lyric translations, and lyrics pronunciation.

  • AirPlay - If you use third-party speakers with the ‌Apple TV‌, you can now set them as the default AirPlay speakers. Your ‌Apple TV‌ will then automatically use those speakers and you won't have to select your speaker each time you use the device.

  • FaceTime - FaceTime has been supported on the ‌Apple TV‌ since last year with an ‌iPhone‌ as the camera, but now there's an updated, card-style interface and support for Live Translation with captions.

  • Screen Savers - You can pick your favorite screen saver categories, choosing cityscape, earth, landscapes, and more. Each person can choose their own screen savers if desired.


Have a favorite tvOS 26 feature? Let us know in the comments below, and check out our video for even more tvOS tips and tricks.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

This article, "Must-Try tvOS 26 Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Seeds Second Public Betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1 and macOS Tahoe 26.1

Apple today provided public beta testers with the second releases of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1 and watchOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. Apple seeded the betas to developers yesterday.


After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.

iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 expand Apple Intelligence to new languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.

AirPods Live Translation is also available in Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified) in iOS 26.1. The second beta adds a slide to stop feature to alarms, tweaks the design of the Settings app, and more, with details available in our features list.

There are a few other minor changes to apps like Photos, Music, and Phone, with details available in our iOS 26.1 features guide.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

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The Best Early Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, and More

Amazon is hosting another Prime Day event this year, called Prime Big Deal Days and offering shoppers the first chance to save on holiday shopping from a major retailer. Similar to last year's fall Prime Day, it will last for two days (October 7-8) and you can already find a large selection of early deals across Amazon's storefront, covering savings on tech, clothing, video games, groceries, and much, much more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

For our coverage, we're focusing on Apple and Apple-related discounts that can be purchased during this 48-hour event on Amazon. As of today, this includes deals on AirPods, iPad Air, iPad mini, and various accessories.



As is typical for Prime Day deals, these markdowns are very time sensitive, so sales listed below may disappear fast, and new ones may appear even faster. With this in mind, we'll keep this article updated throughout the event, and keep an eye on the MacRumors front page as we'll be posting particularly great deals in separate articles this week.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Amazon Prime Day requires you to have an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the discounts. Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139.00 per year, and it comes with a 30-day free trial for new subscribers.

Special for 2025, Amazon is also offering a free six month trial to Prime for Young Adults right now. Prime for Young Adults is a discounted Prime membership for anyone age 18-24 that offers all of the Prime benefits at $69.00 per year, half of the price of regular Prime.

AirPods




Numerous AirPods models have been discounted this weekend, with the most notable being the AirPods 4 for $89.99, down from $129.00. You'll also find a solid discount on the AirPods Pro 2 during this event.



M3 iPad Air




Amazon has Apple's M3 iPad Air starting at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, with numerous all-time low prices.




Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $150 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $599.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $799.00, both representing record low prices.

11-inch M3 iPad Air



13-inch M3 iPad Air




iPad Mini 7




Amazon has low prices on nearly every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this early Prime Day sale.





You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00, both $100 discounts and available in all colors. In total, these sales are solid second-best prices on the iPad mini 7, coming in just about $20 higher when compared to all-time low prices.

Accessories




There are a few accessories on sale ahead of Prime Day, including a new all-time low price on the iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case, now available for $49.99, down from $59.00. You'll also find great deals on Apple Pencil Pro, MagSafe Charger, and the AirTag 4-Pack.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Woot's Apple Watch Band Sale Has Solo/Braided Loops at Massive Discounts

Woot this weekend is back with a massive sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, with as much as 70 percent off these accessories.



You can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty, and they will all be compatible with the new Apple Watch Series 11.



Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

Solo Loop



Braided Solo Loop




If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.



Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!





Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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