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The MacRumors Show: WWDC26 Promises Apple Intelligence and Siri Upgrades

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote date, the sweeping Siri redesign coming in iOS 27, Apple's latest accessibility feature previews, and the hinge troubles reportedly plaguing the foldable iPhone ahead of its expected launch in the fall.


Apple this week confirmed its ‌WWDC 2026‌ keynote for June 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the conference running through June 12. The event is expected to introduce ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27, with developer betas available immediately after the keynote and public releases following in September. The focus is expected to be on Apple Intelligence and AI advancements across its platforms. No major hardware announcements have been rumored for the keynote, but we are overdue seeing a new "homeOS" platform for a tabletop or wall-mounted smart home hub, though launch timing remains unclear.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that ‌iOS 27‌ will bring a sweeping ‌Siri‌ redesign, evolving the assistant into a full chatbot designed to compete with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. For the first time, ‌Siri‌ will apparently have a dedicated app, showing a grid or list of past conversations with support for favoriting, searching, and starting new chats, all using iMessage-style chat bubbles.

‌Siri‌ will also purportedly be integrated into the Dynamic Island, where triggering it will show a "Search or Ask" prompt with a glowing cursor; results appear as a translucent card, and pulling it down opens a full conversation mode. ‌Siri‌ is set to replace Spotlight search, though Suggestions will remain and gain access to more user data.

Users will be able to set chats to auto-delete after 30 days, one year, or never. The app could also launch labeled "beta" despite years of development, and is powered by Google Gemini, though Apple is said to be reluctant to emphasize that given Google's reputation as an advertising business.

Separately, Apple this week previewed new accessibility features coming later this year, ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, as is Apple's annual tradition. Among the highlights: VoiceOver Image Explorer uses ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to generate detailed descriptions of images, scanned bills, and personal records throughout the system; the Action button can now be used to ask questions about what the camera sees, with natural language follow-up supported; and Voice Control is getting a natural language upgrade that lets users describe on-screen elements in their own words rather than memorizing exact labels. Automatic captions for personal videos will also arrive, generated on-device for recorded videos, received from friends, or streamed online. The features are expected to launch with ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, ‌macOS 27‌, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 in September.

Finally, Apple's "iPhone Ultra" reportedly hit a new obstacle this week, after Weibo leaker "Instant Digital" posted that trial production has run into a serious hinge reliability problem. According to the leaker, the hinge is consistently failing Apple's quality control under high-frequency open and close testing, eventually producing audible rattling, and the issue "must be solved with absolute perfection, otherwise progress will remain stalled."

That broadly aligns with a DigiTimes report from April that placed production one to two months behind schedule, with mass production now pushed from June to August. Bloomberg's Gurman has pushed back on a Nikkei report suggesting the device could slip to 2027, calling it "off base", and expects the foldable iPhone to land around the same time or soon after the iPhone 18 Pro models; if it does launch in September, supply is expected to be constrained, with some reports suggesting customer availability could slip as late as December.

The foldable iPhone is rumored to be called the "iPhone Ultra" and is expected to start at over $2,000, with one report citing $2,500, which would make it the most expensive iPhone ever. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Google's latest wave of announcements for Android and Gemini, the newly announced Fitbit Air, and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: Gemini Announcements and Apple Watch Series 12 Rumors

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Google's latest wave of announcements for Android and Gemini, the newly announced Fitbit Air, and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors.


The centerpiece of Google's announcements this week was Gemini Intelligence, Google's new umbrella platform for AI across phones, watches, cars, and laptops. Its headline capability is cross-app automation: users can photograph an event flyer and ask Gemini to find tickets on Expedia, or pull up a grocery list and have it build a cart in a shopping app. A companion feature called Create My Widget lets users describe a home screen widget in natural language and have Gemini generate it, drawing from Gmail and Calendar to build a personalized dashboard.

Google also unveiled the Googlebook, a new laptop category designed from the ground up around Gemini with partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo arriving this fall. Gemini in Chrome for Android gained an agentic browsing layer rolling out end of June, and Android Auto received AI-generated contextual replies and DoorDash voice ordering. A Meta partnership brings Ultra HDR, native stabilization, and night mode to Instagram on Android flagship devices.

In January, Apple and Google announced a partnership under which Gemini would power the next generation of Apple Foundation Models, including a more personalized Siri expected this year. Apple's equivalent cross-app ‌Siri‌ actions were announced at WWDC 2024 but have not yet shipped; Gemini Intelligence is rolling out this summer using the same underlying technology.

Google also unveiled the Fitbit Air this week, a screenless fitness tracker priced at $99 that ships on May 26. The device weighs just 12 grams with the band and tracks heart rate, AFib, HRV, SpO2, and sleep stages in a small pill-shaped design with no display, no buttons, and no notifications. Battery life lasts for seven days, with a five-minute fast charge delivering a full day of use. A Stephen Curry Special Edition is priced at $129, with core tracking free and Google Health Premium adding an AI Coach for $9.99 per month after a three-month trial.

The launch accompanies a broader rebrand. The Fitbit app becomes Google Health on May 19, with Google Fit folded in, Apple Health data supported on iOS, and APIs for Garmin, Whoop, and Oura. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported earlier this year that Apple has scaled back a comparable Health+ coaching service, with the feature now unlikely to launch. The Apple Watch SE starts at $249 and requires daily charging, and the Fitbit Air's $99 price with no mandatory subscription addresses a segment Apple does not cover.

We also discuss the Apple Watch Series 12, which is shaping up to be an incremental upgrade. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in March that he does not expect any major design changes, and a significant redesign is now not expected until 2028.

The leaker known as "Instant Digital" said this week that Touch ID, which appeared in leaked Apple code last year, has been deprioritized in favor of battery life improvements. DigiTimes previously reported on an eight-sensor array on the back of at least one 2026 model, though blood pressure monitoring is said to be further out. A new chip is expected, with leaked code indicating a meaningful upgrade from the S10 used across the last three series. watchOS 27 will be previewed at WWDC on June 8.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about how the global memory shortage is forcing Apple's hand across multiple key products, killing configurations, delaying launches, and prompting spec decisions that would have seemed unlikely a year ago.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

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The MacRumors Show: Is Apple Downgrading iPhone 18 Due to Memory Shortage?

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through how the global memory shortage is forcing Apple's hand across multiple key products, killing configurations, delaying launches, and prompting spec decisions that would have seemed unlikely a year ago.


The pressure originates outside Apple's control. JPMorgan analysis cited by the Financial Times found that memory could account for as much as 45% of an iPhone's component costs by 2027, up from around 10% today. Companies like Nvidia are reportedly outbidding consumer electronics makers for limited DRAM supply from Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, while cloud firms are locking in capacity with multi-billion-dollar upfront commitments. Apple, which buys memory for roughly 250 million iPhones per year, has shifted from a position where it could dictate terms to one where it must compete for supply, and component prices are being driven up as a result.

The consequences are already visible in the Mac lineup. Apple last week removed the Mac mini's 256GB storage option, pushing its starting price from $599 to $799. Days later, it eliminated Mac mini models with 32GB and 64GB of RAM and stripped the M3 Ultra Mac Studio to a single 96GB configuration, with delivery estimates for remaining Studio models at 9 to 10 weeks. The ‌Mac Studio‌ had already lost its 512GB memory option in March, and multiple configurations became entirely unavailable in April. On Apple's April 30 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that both machines would be "hard to get for months to come" and said Apple expects "significantly higher memory costs" in the current quarter.

The MacBook Neo was sold out through April and Cook described demand on the earnings call as "off the charts." The ‌MacBook Neo‌ uses binned A18 Pro chips, adopting manufacturing rejects from the iPhone 16 lineup with one GPU core disabled, repurposed rather than discarded to keep costs low enough to hit the $599 price point.

Apple's initial production target is believed to be about five to six million units, but demand has since pushed the company to instruct suppliers to prepare for at least 10 million. TSMC's N3E production lines, where the A18 Pro was made, are now running at maximum capacity, with AI-related orders consuming much of the available output. A fresh manufacturing run for the A18 Pro would yield fully functional chips rather than defective ones, raising the per-unit cost before any expedited manufacturing premium is applied.

Apple is now said to be weighing up its options for the ‌MacBook Neo‌. The company is purportedly considering cutting the 256GB entry-level model, which would push the effective starting price up by $100 without changing any existing configuration's price, the same mechanism used with the ‌Mac mini‌. Separately, Apple may be considering new color options to soften any price increase.

Upcoming products are apparently being reshaped too. Weibo leaker "Fixed Focus Digital" has claimed in a series of posts that the standard iPhone 18 is being downgraded as a cost-cutting measure, with both display and chip specifications affected. Most recently, the leaker said certain parts are interchangeable between the ‌iPhone 18‌ and the lower-cost iPhone 18e. For context, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e differ meaningfully: the standard model has a larger ProMotion display, Dynamic Island, Ultra Wide camera, five-core GPU, and significantly better battery life, but it looks like there could be fewer differences with the next generation.

A follow-up post framed the new split launch strategy, under which the ‌iPhone 18‌ ships in spring 2027 rather than alongside the Pro models in the fall, as a deliberate commercial mechanism to smooth out demand. By extending the ‌iPhone 17‌'s flagship run, Apple is also said to be creating conditions under which a lower-specced successor will be more palatable. The split launch itself has been widely reported since last year, with Ming-Chi Kuo and Nikkei among those to have corroborated it.

The launch of the rumored all-new high-end MacBook Pro or "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display and touchscreen has also apparently slipped. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said early 2027 is now looking more likely than late 2026 due to Apple's constrained memory supply.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our answers to your listener questions about the future of Apple's product lineup, the software and services shaping the ecosystem, and our own personal histories with the company and its devices.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Related Forum: iPhone

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Apple CEO Tim Cook Stepping Down, John Ternus Taking Over

Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's chief executive officer, and hardware engineering chief John Ternus is set to take over, Apple announced today.


Cook will continue on as Apple CEO through the summer, with Ternus set to join Apple's Board of Directors and take over as CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook is going to transition to executive chairman, and he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."

In a statement, Cook said that his time as Apple's CEO has been the "greatest privilege" of his life.
It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world. John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.

Ternus said that he is optimistic about what Apple can achieve in the years to come.
I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple's mission forward. Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another. I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.

Apple says that the transition was approved by the Board of Directors and is the result of a "thoughtful, long-term succession planning process." The current board chair, Arthur Levinson, will become the lead independent director on the board.
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The MacRumors Show: Apple Announces WWDC 2026

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's announcement of its 37th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where the company is expected to unveil a major Siri overhaul alongside iOS 27, macOS 27, and other next-generation operating systems.



Like last year, WWDC 2026 will be a primarily online event open to all developers at no cost, with an in-person component at Apple Park in Cupertino reserved for developers and students selected through a random lottery. Apple will notify accepted in-person attendees on April 2. The keynote and all sessions will be available on the Apple Developer app, Apple's website, and YouTube, with over 100 video sessions and interactive labs with Apple engineers and designers planned across the week.

Apple first unveiled Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024, promising a smarter Siri with personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper app integration, features that were delayed in March 2025, delayed again at WWDC 2025, and then missed a further internal target of iOS 26.4. Apple confirmed in its announcement that the conference will "spotlight incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements and exciting new software and developer tools," which points clearly to what is shaping up to be the most consequential ‌Siri‌ update ever.

The revamped ‌Siri‌ is said to be a sweeping redesign that turns Apple's long-struggling assistant into a full AI chatbot, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reporting that Apple is testing a standalone ‌Siri‌ app displaying prior conversations in a list or grid, with pinned and searchable chats and iMessage-style chat bubbles. ‌Siri‌ is also said to be gaining Dynamic Island integration, with a glowing icon and "searching" label while processing requests, an "Ask ‌Siri‌" button in third-party app menus, and a "Write with ‌Siri‌" keyboard option, while Spotlight is expected to be replaced by ‌Siri‌ as the primary search interface on iPhone.

The technology underpinning virtually all of this comes from Apple's multi-year partnership with Google, under which next-generation Apple Foundation Models are based on Gemini, with processing continuing to run on-device and in Private Cloud Compute. Separately, Apple plans to open Siri to third-party AI chatbots in ‌iOS 27‌ via an "Extensions" system in Settings, ending OpenAI's exclusive arrangement and allowing users to direct queries to Claude, Gemini, Grok, and others.

Beyond ‌Siri‌, iOS 27 is expected to be a relatively lean update, described as a "Snow Leopard" year, focused on performance improvements, bug fixes, and code cleanup rather than major new feature additions. Notable exceptions include optimizations for Apple's first foldable iPhone, which is expected to launch in the fall, and new satellite connectivity features.

macOS 27 will apparently share the same ‌Siri‌ upgrades and "Snow Leopard" stability focus. It will drop support for Intel-based Macs entirely. Apple will also unveil iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 at the keynote. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's surprise AirPods Max 2 announcement.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2026

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Apple Confirms Mac Pro Is Dead, No Future Models Planned

Apple has discontinued the Mac Pro and has removed the machine from its website, reports 9to5Mac. Apple said it does not plan to design a new version of the ‌Mac Pro‌, and no new model will be coming in the future.


The ‌Mac Pro‌ was last updated in 2023, which was when Apple added an M2 Ultra Apple silicon chip, but the chassis has not been refreshed since 2019. Apple redesigned the ‌Mac Pro‌ to be more modular in 2019 after failing with its "innovative" trashcan Mac Pro, but the machine has never been mainstream due to its $6,999 starting price.

Apple has largely replaced the ‌Mac Pro‌ with the Mac Studio, a device that is smaller and uses newer Apple silicon chips. The ‌Mac Studio‌ is now Apple's high-end desktop machine designed for professional use.

The current ‌Mac Studio‌ features an M3 Ultra chip, though it is expected to get an M5 Ultra refresh later this year. Apple's desktop lineup also includes the Mac mini and the iMac.

The ‌Mac Pro‌'s downfall started in 2013 when Apple introduced a radical cylindrical design that turned out to be a major mistake. The ‌Mac Pro‌'s components were mounted around a central thermal dissipation core and cooled with a single fan that pulled air from under the case, through the core, and out of the top of the machine. It was quiet, but not efficient.

When Apple announced the 2013 ‌Mac Pro‌, Phil Schiller infamously said "Can't innovate anymore, my ass," in response to critics who complained about the ‌Mac Pro‌'s lack of updates and Apple's failure to create products for pro users.

Unfortunately, the 2013 ‌Mac Pro‌'s design did not include PCIe expansion slots for graphics cards and other hardware, with expansion handled through Thunderbolt 2 ports. The design also did not account for future updates in GPU technology, leaving Apple unable to add larger graphics cards and other components to the device.

Apple ended up apologizing to its pro user base and said the 2013 design was thermally constrained in a way that made upgrades impossible. It took Apple until 2019 to unveil the current ‌Mac Pro‌, which adopted a more standard tower form factor with eight PCIe slots.

After the 2019 launch, the ‌Mac Pro‌ got an Apple silicon chip in 2023, and that's it. There have been three ‌Mac Pro‌ updates in the last 13 years, so it's not surprising to see the ‌Mac Pro‌ retired. The ‌Mac Studio‌ offers almost all of the same capabilities as the ‌Mac Pro‌, with the exception of PCIe expansion slots.
Related Roundup: Mac Pro
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Related Forum: Mac Pro

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The MacRumors Show: Surprise AirPods Max 2 Announcement

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's surprise announcement of the AirPods Max 2 this week.



The ‌AirPods Max 2‌ introduce a range of improvements primarily driven by the addition of Apple's H2 chip, which replaces the H1 chip used in previous models. This new chip underpins most of the upgrades, enabling more advanced computational audio and significantly enhancing the overall listening experience.

One of the most notable improvements is Active Noise Cancellation, which Apple says is up to 1.5x more effective than before, making the headphones better suited to noisy environments such as travel. Transparency mode is also refined, with more natural-sounding ambient audio and improved clarity when hearing voices and surroundings.

The H2 chip also facilitates a suite of new adaptive listening features. Adaptive Audio dynamically adjusts the balance between noise cancellation and environmental sound depending on your surroundings, while Conversation Awareness automatically lowers playback and enhances nearby voices when you begin speaking. Personalized Volume builds on this by learning your listening preferences over time and adjusting volume levels accordingly. In addition, Voice Isolation has been improved, helping to prioritize your voice during calls and reduce background noise more effectively.

Audio quality is enhanced with a new high dynamic range amplifier and updated signal processing. These changes should result in more consistent bass, clearer midrange, more natural vocals, and improved separation of instruments. Spatial Audio has also been refined, offering more accurate sound placement and a more coherent soundstage.

Wireless performance sees an upgrade with support for Bluetooth 5.3, which reduces latency compared to the previous generation. Alongside audio improvements, several new features have been added, including Live Translation powered by Apple Intelligence, the ability to use the Digital Crown as a camera remote for taking photos or controlling video recording, and expanded Siri interactions, including hands-free activation without "Hey ‌Siri‌" and gesture-based responses.

Despite these updates, several core aspects remain unchanged. The design, materials, and overall form factor are identical to earlier versions, battery life remains at up to 20 hours with noise cancellation enabled, and the headphones continue to use the same Smart Case. Pricing is also unchanged at $549.

‌AirPods Max 2‌ will be available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 25 in the U.S. and more than 30 other countries, and they launch on an unspecified day in early April. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's concentrated week of announcements that saw the introduction of 10 new products.


Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple Announces AirPods Max 2 With H2 Chip and More

Apple today unveiled AirPods Max 2, with key upgrades including the H2 chip, increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation.


The new AirPods Max have the same overall design as the previous generation, with most of the new features coming from the upgrade to the H2 chip:
- Adaptive Audio adjusts the levels of ANC and Transparency in response to the environment automatically to optimize the audio experience.

- Conversation Awareness helps lower content volume and reduce background noise when a user starts speaking to someone nearby.

- Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, helps users communicate across languages in person.

- Voice Isolation uses advanced computational audio powered by H2 to prioritize the voice during calls, while blocking out ambient noise.
AirPods Max 2 also support Personalized Volume, which adjusts the volume based on a combination of your surroundings and your volume preferences.

With the H2 chip, Apple says the AirPods Max 2 deliver up to 1.5× more effective active noise cancellation than the previous generation, and it promised that the Transparency mode that lets in some ambient noise sounds even more natural.


AirPods Max 2 feature a new high dynamic range amplifier for "even cleaner audio," and Apple says Spatial Audio content "sounds better than ever." The headphones also have reduced wireless audio latency compared to the previous generation.

The headphones still have a USB-C port for charging and lossless audio. Apple advertises up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge with active noise cancellation enabled, which is unchanged compared to the previous generation.

Like the previous AirPods Max running iOS 18.4 or newer, the AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with the included USB-C cable, for the highest-quality wired playback. For wireless connectivity, AirPods Max 2 support Bluetooth 5.3, whereas the previous AirPods Max support Bluetooth 5.0.

Color options remain Midnight, Starlight, Orange, Purple, and Blue.


A new Camera Remote feature allows users to press the Digital Crown on the AirPods Max 2 to take a photo and start or stop video recording while using Apple's Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on an iPhone or iPad.

AirPods Max 2 will be available to order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 25 in the U.S. and more than 30 other countries, and they launch on an unspecified day in early April. In the U.S., AirPods Max 2 have the same $549 price as the previous AirPods Max, which Apple is no longer selling.

AirPods Max 2 come with a Smart Case, which has the same design as it always has. The headphones enter an ultra-low-power state when placed in this carrying case, which is fairly important, as the headphones still lack a power button.

These are technically the third AirPods Max headphones to be released. The original AirPods Max with a Lightning port launched in December 2020, and the headphones received a minor update with a USB-C port and new color options in September 2024.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More

Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, faster charging, and more.



The ‌iPhone 17e‌ contains the A19 chip introduced in iPhone 17. It features a 6-core GPU and a 4-core GPU. Apple pointed out that this makes it up to 2x faster than the iPhone 11. The new 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ also contains Apple's latest-generation C1X modem from the iPhone Air, delivering up to 2x faster cellular performance than the ‌iPhone‌ 16e.

The front of the device now features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation along with added anti-reflective properties for reduced glare.
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Addressing a noticeable omission from its predecessor, the ‌iPhone 17e‌ now features ‌MagSafe‌ connectivity, allowing it to work with snap-on magnetic accessories.

With ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone 17e‌ supports wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher. The ‌iPhone‌ 16e only supported 7.5W wireless charging. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ also supports faster wired charging, achieving up to 50% in around 30 minutes. Battery life remains at 26 hours.

The rear camera now features an improved Portrait mode image pipeline that automatically detects objects, with support for next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control.

The ‌iPhone 17e‌ starts with 256GB of storage, but with the same $599 price as the 128GB ‌iPhone‌ 16e. It is available in black, white, and soft pink. Pre-orders start on Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting a week later on Wednesday, March 11.
Related Roundup: iPhone 17e

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Apple Unveils iPad Air With M4 Chip, Increased RAM, Wi-Fi 7, and More

Apple today introduced a new iPad Air, with key upgrades including Apple's M4 chip for faster performance, an increased 12GB of RAM, Apple's N1 wireless networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple's custom C1X modem in cellular models.


The new iPad Air has the same overall design as the previous-generation model, which is equipped with the M3 chip, 8GB of RAM, and Wi-Fi 6E support.

With the M4 chip, the iPad Air now has up to 30% faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the model with the M3 chip, according to Apple. In the iPad Air, the M4 chip has an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Memory bandwidth increased from 100GB/s to 120GB/s, according to Apple's tech specs.

Apple's custom N1 chip has come to the iPad Air, enabling Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Apple says the N1 chip delivers improved wireless performance when the device is connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and it improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot. Apple introduced the N1 chip last year, across the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, and iPad Pro.

Cellular models are now equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for 5G and LTE. Apple says this chip unlocks up to 50% faster cellular performance, while using up to 30% less power compared to the previous iPad Air with a Qualcomm modem.

You can pre-order the new iPad Air on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability set to begin Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., pricing continues to start at $599 for the 11-inch model, and at $799 for the 13-inch model. Color options remain Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray.

Storage capacity options remain 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

iPad Air continues to feature an LCD screen with up to 500 nits of brightness, a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage support, a 12-megapixel rear camera, Apple Intelligence support, a Touch ID power button, a USB-C port stereo speakers, two microphones, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro support, and more.
Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

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The MacRumors Show: What's Coming at the 'Apple Experience'?

We talk through everything to expect at Apple's upcoming "Experience" on March 4, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


Earlier this week, Apple today a "special Apple Experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET. It is notable that Apple is specifically using the word "experience," rather than "event." Unlike a full live-streamed event from Apple Park, the March 4 event in other cities is likely to be smaller in scale.

The launch of several new Apple products is believed to be imminent. We're most likely to see the announcement of the iPhone 17e, a spec-bumped successor to the iPhone 16e, with rumored upgrades including an A19 chip, MagSafe, and Apple's C1X and N1 wireless chips. The device will apparently have a notch despite earlier rumors mentioning a Dynamic Island, and pricing will continue to start at $599 in the United States.

The all-new low-cost MacBook is likely to arrive, featuring the A18 Pro chip, a 12.9-inch display, and a selection of fun color options. The MacBook Pro is also expected to receive the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and PCIe 5.0 support for faster SSD speeds.

Additionally, the iPad Air is due a bump up to the M4 chip, while the entry-level iPad is expected to get the A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support.

A refreshed MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display are also possibilities, along with a new Apple TV and HomePod mini. The event could could include a demo of immersive Formula 1 content on the Apple Vision Pro, too.

We also discuss iOS 26.4, which is now available in beta. The update includes a new Playlist Playground feature that lets users create a playlist with a text-based prompt, refinements to Apple Music's design, videos in Apple Podcasts, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for ‌RCS‌ messages, and more. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ 17e and ‌iPad‌ models, as well as Apple's apparent issues finalizing the revamped version of Siri.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: Revamped Siri Delayed Again?

We discuss the upcoming iPhone 17e and iPad models, as well as Apple's apparent issues finalizing the revamped version of Siri, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


The announcement of the ‌iPhone‌ 17e is said to be "imminent," with stock of the iPhone 16e now dwindling. The new device is rumored to come with four main new features, including the A19 chip from the iPhone 17, MagSafe connectivity, the C1X cellular modem, and the N1 chip for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Thread connectivity.

New iPads are also on the horizon for the near future. The eighth-generation iPad Air is expected to move to the M4 chip, while the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌ is expected to jump a chip generation up to the A18, which will also enable Apple Intelligence support for the first time on the device.

This week's biggest story was the news that Apple has again "run into snags" testing the personalized, smarter version of ‌Siri‌ originally planned for iOS 26.4. Due to the issues, the upcoming ‌Siri‌ features will likely be partially delayed and spread across several upcoming iOS releases. Apple could postpone some or all of the new ‌Siri‌ features until iOS 26.5, an update planned for May, and iOS 27, which will launch this September.

Apple announced a significantly upgraded version of ‌Siri‌ powered by ‌Apple Intelligence‌ at its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, and it was originally supposed to be part of iOS 18. The following spring, Apple announced that the new ‌Siri‌ would take longer than expected, with the functionality delayed for a year.

Since then, Apple has ostensibly been targeting iOS 26.4, which the company will begin beta testing later this month, but there have apparently been unforeseen problems: ‌Siri‌ sometimes doesn't properly process queries and can take too long to respond to requests.

Apple engineers have been told to use iOS 26.5 for further internal testing, suggesting the new ‌Siri‌ features will be delayed until that update. Employees that are testing iOS 26.5 say the update includes all of the features Apple promised, including personalization, onscreen awareness, and the ability for ‌Siri‌ to do more in and between apps, but not all of the features are working reliably and there are problems with accuracy.

‌Siri‌ also apparently sometimes falls back on using ChatGPT for information instead of relying on the Gemini-powered technology that Apple has partnered with Google to use, even when the new version of ‌Siri‌ is capable of handling a user's request.

Apple also planned to include features that haven't yet been announced, such as options to generate images with Image Playground or search the web. Image generation and web search were tested as part of iOS 26.4, and it's possible they will still be included in the update, so Apple might still be able to release some of the new ‌Siri‌ functionality. Bloomberg says the situation is "fluid," though, so Apple's plans could change, and executives are reluctant to further delay the ‌Siri‌ functionality beyond spring 2026.

There are still major changes planned for ‌Siri‌ as part of iOS 27, with Apple aiming to add chatbot functionality to better compete with the likes of like Gemini and ChatGPT. This new version of ‌Siri‌ will also reportedly have deeper integration with apps and Apple's operating systems.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about all of the new Macs Apple is expected to release this year, starting with the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: All the New Macs Coming This Year

We discuss all of the new Macs Apple is expected to release this year, starting with the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


Following the release of the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ last year, Apple is expected to launch refreshed high-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. They are rumored to arrive alongside macOS Tahoe 26.3 in the next few weeks. Stock of the current M4 Pro and M4 Max models is dwindling, suggesting that the announcement is now impending.

After that release, we are expecting M5-series chips to come to the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and Mac Studio at the very least. Whether the iMac and the Mac Pro will get an M5 chip remains an open question.

Apple is also rumored to launch an all-new low-cost MacBook this year, featuring the A18 Pro chip for comparable performance to the M1 chip. It is expected to feature a 13-inch LCD display, USB-C connectivity only, and a price point somewhere between $699 and $899. iPad-like Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow color options are also rumored.

Toward the end of the year, Apple is expected to launch significantly upgraded ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. The new machines are rumored to feature M6-series chips, a cellular connectivity option, OLED touchscreen displays, a hole-punch in the screen for the front-facing camera, and a thinner, lighter design.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's newly launched AirTag 2 and Apple Creator Studio.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: Apple Launches AirTag 2 and Creator Studio

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's newly launched AirTag 2 and Apple Creator Studio.


Earlier this week, Apple announced the second-generation ‌AirTag‌, marking the first major update to its item tracker since the product's introduction in 2021, with improvements focused on tracking range, audio output, and device support rather than changes to its physical design.

The new ‌AirTag‌ uses a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that extends Precision Finding range by up to 50%, adds support for Precision Finding on compatible Apple Watch models for the first time, and includes an upgraded Bluetooth specification designed to improve general tracking range. Apple also says the built-in speaker is up to 50% louder, making it easier to locate items in noisy environments.



Externally, the ‌AirTag‌ remains visually similar to the original and continues to use a replaceable CR2032 coin battery with more than a year of battery life, while Apple has made a significant number of internal changes. The second-generation ‌AirTag‌ is priced the same as before at $29 for a single unit or $99 for a four-pack, is compatible with existing ‌AirTag‌ accessories, and requires devices running iOS 26.2.1 or later.

Apple also launched Creator Studio, a new all-in-one subscription aimed at content creators. For $12.99 per month, or $129 per year, Creator Studio provides access to Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage, consolidating tools for video editing, music production, image editing, and live performance. The bundle replaces Apple's long-standing one-time purchase model for these apps with a subscription approach, while keeping standalone versions available for users who do not want access to the full package.

Beyond bundling existing apps, Creator Studio introduces a set of AI-powered features that are exclusive to subscribers. These include transcript and visual search in Final Cut Pro, enhanced beat detection and new dynamic titles, AI-assisted session players and harmonic analysis in Logic Pro, and new design and warp tools in Pixelmator Pro, which is now available on iPad for the first time. The subscription also unlocks premium AI features in Apple's free productivity apps, including Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, with Freeform support coming later.

Creator Studio is available now via the App Store, with a one-month free trial for all users and a three-month trial for customers who purchase a qualifying new Mac or ‌iPad‌. The subscription supports Family Sharing for up to six people, and features discounted pricing for students and educators.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's plan to turn Siri into a chatbot with iOS 27, alongside plans for new hardware such as an AI pin.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: Apple's Upcoming Siri Chatbot and AI Pin

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's plan to turn Siri into a chatbot with iOS 27, alongside plans for new hardware such as an AI pin.



Apple reportedly plans to turn Siri into a chatbot that will rival Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini, and OpenAI's ChatGPT later this year. Apple's chatbot will apparently be able to search the web, generate content like images, help with coding, summarize information, and analyze uploaded files.

It will be able to leverage personal data on a user's device to complete tasks, and it will result in a much improved search feature. Apple is also said to be designing a feature that will let the ‌Siri‌ chatbot view open windows and on-screen content, as well as adjust device features and settings.

‌Siri‌ will integrate directly into all Apple apps, including Photos, Mail, Messages, Music, and TV, and it will be able to access and analyze content in the apps to respond to queries and requests. There will be voice and typed interface options.

Apple plans to power the chatbot with a custom model based on Google Gemini. It may even run on Google's servers. The ‌Siri‌ chatbot will purportedly be the key new feature in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.

In related news, Apple is said to be working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with standard and wide-angle cameras to capture photos and videos, a speaker, microphones, and a physical control button. The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape and an aluminum and glass design.

This week also saw rumors that Apple's smart home hub device will tout a robotic swiveling base, with a heavy emphasis on AI features. It is expected to finally be released in the spring, following a heavily delayed launch.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about CES 2026, Apple Creator Studio, and the confirmation that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of ‌Siri‌.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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Everything Apple Is Releasing in 2026: iPhone Fold, LLM Siri, Low-Cost MacBook and More

If rumors are accurate, 2026 is going to be a huge year for Apple. We're expecting the first foldable iPhone, an all-new home hub device, updated displays, and possibly, the first OLED MacBook Pro and the first AI smart glasses.


Apple will split its ‌iPhone‌ launches, introduce a low-cost MacBook, and debut a much smarter, LLM-based version of Siri. In our 2026 guide, we've outlined everything we know about the new products coming from Apple in 2026, based on current rumors.

iPhones


While we'll get a low-cost ‌iPhone‌ 17e in 2026, the iPhone 18 that's normally sold alongside the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models is supposedly being held back until 2027, which means there won't be a standard ‌iPhone 18‌ in 2026. September 2026 will see Apple launching the foldable ‌iPhone‌ and the Pro ‌iPhone‌ models, so be prepared to spend some cash if you want a brand new ‌iPhone‌ in 2026.

iPhone 17e (Early 2026)


An ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected in early 2026. It could have a refreshed design with slimmed down bezels and a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, giving it a more modern look that's more in line with the iPhone 17 lineup.


Another rumor says that it will have slimmer bezels but no ‌Dynamic Island‌, so it is not clear if it will have a notch or a ‌Dynamic Island‌.

While the iPhone 16e did not include a magnetic ring to allow it to attach to MagSafe chargers, the ‌iPhone‌ 17e could include ‌MagSafe‌ compatibility.

iPhone 18 Pro (September 2026)


The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models will look a lot like the iPhone 17 Pro models, but there could be some changes to the display thanks to new Face ID technology. We're expecting the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch size options, with the same bezel, display quality, and rear camera setup with the camera plateau that was introduced in 2025.


Apple may have finally figured out under-screen ‌Face ID‌, so 2026 could be the year that the ‌Dynamic Island‌ disappears, allowing for more screen space. Rumors suggest that the ‌Face ID‌ components will be under the display, but there will be a hole-punch camera cutout at the top left corner of the screen. It will be a noticeably different look compared to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, and if the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is indeed going away, there will be some loss of functionality. Apple uses the ‌Dynamic Island‌ to display Live Activities and other important notifications.

Rumors suggest the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max could be slightly thicker than the 17 Pro Max, and there's also a chance Apple could use a frosted glass material for the ‌MagSafe‌ charging area to reduce the two-tone appearance between the glass and the aluminum frame. Rumored color options include burgundy, brown, and purple, but Apple is expected to choose just one to go along with more traditional colors like silver.

With the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models, Apple is expected to introduce its first chip built on a new 2-nanometer node, the A20. With an updated process, the A20 chip could be up to 15 percent faster than the A19, and up to 30 percent more power efficient, perhaps leading to battery life improvements. Apple is also rumored to be implementing a new packaging technology (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module, WL-MCM).

Apple currently uses an SoC that integrates the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, Secure Enclave, and other supporting components like the Image Signal Processor onto a single die, but RAM is a separate chip that's stacked on top of the SoC during the packaging process. If the A20 is upgraded with WL-MCM technology, RAM will be added at the wafer level (before the wafer is cut into chips) instead of the packaging level (after the wafer is cut), reducing interconnect delays.

With WL-MCM, RAM is more closely integrated with the other chip components, improving memory bandwidth, reducing latency, and boosting efficiency.

The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models will continue to feature a triple-lens rear camera setup with Wide, Ultra Wide, and Telephoto lenses, but the main wide-angle lens could get an upgrade. Rumors suggest Apple will add a variable aperture, which would allow users to control the amount of light that's hitting the lens for better performance in low lighting conditions and more control over depth of field. All prior iPhones have had fixed apertures.

Apple might tweak the Camera Control button, eliminating the swipe-based touch gestures and the haptic feedback. It is easy to accidentally change image parameters when taking a photo because of the Camera Control button's swipe controls. Apple added a setting to disable the swipe functionality in iOS 26 after user complaints, but the button might be better off without it.

The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro could get Apple's C1X modem, or an upgraded C2 modem that supports mmWave 5G. Current ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models use Qualcomm modems, but Apple is ready to expand its in-house modem technology to the entire ‌iPhone‌ lineup. An N1 networking chip with combined Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread is expected.

Foldable iPhone (September 2026)


The first foldable ‌iPhone‌ is on track to launch in September 2026, coming seven years after Samsung released its first foldable smartphone. Naming hasn't been announced, but rumors have taken to calling it the "‌iPhone‌ Fold."


Apple is going with a book-style design, so the ‌iPhone‌ Fold will open and close like a book. When the display is open, it will be around 7.6 inches, and when it's closed, it will be around 5.3 inches. It's said to look similar to an iPad mini when it is unfolded, and it will use OLED display technology.

Apple is prioritizing thinness, and so the foldable ‌iPhone‌ could be just 4.5mm when it's open, making it Apple's thinnest device by far. When closed, it could be between 9mm and 9.5mm.

The foldable ‌iPhone‌ won't have a notch or a ‌Dynamic Island‌, and rumors suggest that it might not have ‌Face ID‌ at all. Apple could instead use a Touch ID side button, similar to an iPad. There will be a camera in the top-left corner of the display for taking selfies, and there will also be a pair of rear cameras.

Apple has been focused on ensuring the ‌iPhone‌ Fold doesn't have a noticeable crease when it's open, a problem that the company has reportedly solved with display improvements and a strong, durable hinge made from Liquidmetal. The crease is said to be "nearly invisible" when the ‌iPhone‌ is unfolded.

Apple will use the 2-nanometer A20 chip for its fall 2026 iPhones, including the foldable ‌iPhone‌.

The ‌iPhone‌ Fold isn't going to be cheap, and rumors suggest the price will be between $2,000 and $2,500. The most recent information is on the higher end of that range.

iPads


Several iPads are getting updates in 2026, but most will be minor refreshes. The ‌iPad mini‌ is an exception, because rumors say it could get an OLED display. There's no iPad Pro rumored for 2026, with the next update expected in 2027.

iPad (Spring 2026)


A 12th-generation ‌iPad‌ could come out in spring 2026, likely around March. There are no changes expected for the design, so it will continue to have an 11-inch edge-to-edge display, ‌Touch ID‌ Side Button, USB-C, and thicker bezels than other ‌iPad‌ options.


The next low-cost ‌iPad‌ is expected to use Apple's A19 chip, which is the chip that Apple used for the ‌iPhone 17‌. It is built on a 3-nanometer process and it will offer major speed and efficiency improvements over the A16 chip that's in the current model.

The A16 chip that Apple used in 2025 does not support Apple Intelligence, but the A19 does, so that will mark a major update for Apple's affordable tablet. The 2026 model should be able to support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that are unavailable with the 2025 model.

The A19 also offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing and similar features for improved gameplay. The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

It is unusual for Apple to use such a new chip in its most affordable device, but the company may want to ensure that the ‌iPad‌ is able to keep up with all of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features coming in 2026, such as the new version of ‌Siri‌.

iPad Air (Spring 2026)


The iPad Air will get an early 2026 update, around the March/April timeframe. No design changes are rumored for the ‌iPad Air‌, so we can expect the same 11-inch and 13-inch size options.


Apple will upgrade the ‌iPad Air‌ to the M4 chip. The M4 CPU is up to 30 percent faster than the M3 CPU, while the GPU is up to 21 percent faster.

In actual use, you may not see much of a difference between the M3 and M4 on the ‌iPad Air‌, though you might experience modest improvements with system intensive games and tasks like video editing.

The ‌iPad Pro‌ was upgraded with fast charge functionality with the update to the M5 chip, and that's something that could trickle down to the ‌iPad Air‌.

The ‌iPad Air‌ could get the N1 networking chip and the C1X modem.

iPad mini


The next-generation version of the ‌iPad mini‌ is rumored to feature a major technology upgrade, with Apple set to adopt an OLED display. The ‌iPad mini‌ will be the second tablet to adopt OLED after the ‌iPad Pro‌.


Along with an OLED display, the ‌iPad mini‌ 8 is expected to have a more water resistant design that better holds up to splashes and even submersion in water. Apple is creating a vibration-based speaker system that uses the display or chassis to produce sound, eliminating the need for a traditional speaker.

With the surface vibration speaker, Apple could remove the speaker holes in the ‌iPad mini‌, making it better able to withstand exposure to moisture.

Leaked Apple code suggests that the ‌iPad mini‌ will feature the A20 Pro chip. That's the next-generation chip that we're expecting Apple to use in the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models, so if the ‌iPad mini‌ is using the same chip, it could come out around the same time as the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro.

If Apple ends up going with the A19 Pro instead, the ‌iPad mini‌ could launch earlier in the year.

With OLED display technology and the more water resistant design, the ‌iPad mini‌ 8 could be $100 more expensive than the current model.

Macs


Apple will refresh the Mac lineup with M5 chips early in the year, plus there's a new low-cost model. Later in the year, there's a possibility we'll get an M6 OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Low-Cost MacBook (Early 2026)


Apple is going to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, with the device set to be more affordable than the $999 MacBook Air. With the affordable notebook, Apple is aiming to better compete with cheap Chromebooks and Windows PCs.


Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 inches in size. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a 13.6-inch display, so the more affordable MacBook could be slightly smaller. It's sounding like it won't be too far off from the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, though.

There are no details on how thick it might be, but Apple probably won't prioritize a thin design for a machine optimized for a low price. Since the ‌MacBook Air‌ can run fine with an M-series chip and no fan in an enclosure that's 0.44 inches thick, there's no reason for the MacBook to be any thicker than that.

The low-cost MacBook will have a standard LCD display with no mini-LED technology or ProMotion refresh rate. It could come in bright colors like the iMac, with Kuo suggesting Apple will offer it in silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

Apple is planning to use its A18 Pro chip in the MacBook. We first saw the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The chip is built on Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer process, featuring 8GB RAM and support for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

It's fast and efficient, and more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offers single-core CPU performance scores at the level of the M3 Ultra, and multi-core performance scores higher than the M1 chip that Apple used in the first Apple silicon ‌MacBook Air‌. Metal scores that measure GPU performance are also similar to the ‌M1‌ chip Metal scores.

The A18 Pro will be equivalent to the ‌M1‌ for some tasks, and faster for other tasks. Apple no longer sells the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ from its own store, but it has offered the machine through Walmart at a $599 price point.

There are no specific details on price as of yet, but Bloomberg claims it will cost "well under $1,000." The ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced starting at $999, so it would need to come in under that.

Apple could launch the low-cost MacBook in the first half of 2026. Updates are planned for the ‌MacBook Air‌ in early 2026, so the low-cost model could launch sometime in that same timeframe.

MacBook Air (Early 2026)


Apple is working on an updated ‌MacBook Air‌, and rumors suggest that it will come out in the first few months of 2026. It's going to get the M5 chip, but no other new features are rumored. The design will remain the same, and we'll get the same 13-inch and 15-inch size options.


Based on updates to the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, it could also get a faster SSD, and there might be a new color option to replace the light blue from 2025.

MacBook Pro (Early 2026)


14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to join the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ that came out in October 2025.


The M5 Pro and M5 Max will have more CPU cores and better GPUs for improved performance, with the chips available in both 14-inch and 16-inch machines. Apple is also expected to add faster SSDs to the new machines.

As with the ‌MacBook Air‌, no design changes are expected for the early 2026 refresh, with a major overhaul coming in the final months of 2026 or the early months of 2027.

Mac mini (Mid-2026)


There is a new version of the Mac mini in development, with M5 and M5 Pro chips. So far, there are no rumors of design changes or other updates, but the ‌Mac mini‌ could get the same SSD improvements as Apple's 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌.


Mac Studio (Mid-2026)


The Mac Studio could come out in the same timeframe as the ‌Mac mini‌. Apple didn't release an M4 Ultra chip, but there will be an M5 Ultra.


Sometime around the middle of 2026, the ‌Mac Studio‌ will get M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip technology. The M5 Max will offer much faster CPU and GPU performance than the M5, and the M5 Ultra will double the M5 Max.

We haven't heard rumors of design changes or any other updates for the ‌Mac Studio‌ as of yet.

Mac Displays (Early to Mid-2026)


Apple hasn't released a new display since the Studio Display launched in 2022, but there are apparently two new models that are in development and slated for release in 2026.


The next-generation version of the Studio Display could feature the same 27-inch screen size, but with mini-LED technology instead of LCD. mini-LED means better HDR, brightness, contrast, and colors. The current Studio Display has an A-series chip inside, and the next-generation version could get the A19 Pro that Apple used in the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌.

There are actually two displays in development, but it's unclear if that's the next Studio Display in two sizes, or a Studio Display and a more expensive Pro Display XDR successor.

OLED MacBook Pro (Late 2026/Early 2027)


Apple is developing a revamped touchscreen OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ that uses next-generation M6 chip technology. It's not yet clear if the machine will come out in late 2026 or early 2027, but 2026 is a possibility.


If Apple does debut the OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ in late 2026, it will be a year with two ‌MacBook Pro‌ refreshes. Apple has done that once before when the M2 Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips launched in early 2023 followed by M3 chips later in the year, but it is a rare occurrence.

Rumors suggest that the OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ will feature a hole-punch camera without a notch, maximizing the available display area. The design could be closer to the ‌iPhone‌'s ‌Dynamic Island‌, but there is no sign that Apple plans to adopt ‌Face ID‌ on the Mac. Touch integration will be added to the Mac's screen for the first time, and Apple plans to adopt a reinforced hinge that stays stationary when the display is touched, and cuts down on any vibration associated with touch-based gestures.

OLED technology offers better brightness, a higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks and whiter whites, better colors, and less power usage for battery improvements.

The design of the MacBook will also be updated, and it will have a thinner, lighter chassis. There will be a keyboard and trackpad as usual, with the touch gestures augmenting existing functionality.

The M6 could be built on TSMC's 2-nanometer process, introducing speed and efficiency improvements for impressive gains in battery life without compromising power. The OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ could also be the first MacBook to incorporate 5G connectivity, with Apple including a C2 chip in the device. The C2 chip is Apple's rumored second-generation in-house modem that will support mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G speeds.

With an OLED display and touchscreen technology, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ could see a price increase. Apple may also limit the features to higher-end, more expensive models.

M5 iMac (Timing and Status Unknown)


The ‌iMac‌ could get an M5 chip at some point in 2026, but timing isn't clear. We haven't heard anything about the ‌iMac‌ in some time, and there are no rumors of design changes or major updates on the horizon.


There have been nebulous rumors of an ‌iMac‌ with a larger display, but there's no sign that such a Mac is still in active development.

M5 Max iMac (Timing Unknown)


Leaked internal software suggests that Apple is developing a new version of the ‌iMac‌ that includes an M5 Max chip. Max chips are typically reserved for "Pro" machines, so it's entirely possible that Apple is planning to launch a new ‌iMac‌ Pro at some point in 2026.


Nothing else is known about this mysterious ‌iMac‌, and it could also be a machine that Apple uses exclusively for internal testing. If there is a larger-screened ‌iMac‌ in the works, it could feature mini-LED display technology, similar to the rumored Studio Display 2. Sizing is unclear, but it would presumably be larger than the standard 24-inch ‌iMac‌.

Mac Pro (Timing Unknown)


Apple is probably going to release a new Mac Pro at some point, but it's unclear when. Bloomberg originally said a ‌Mac Pro‌ would come before the end of 2025 with some kind of M4 chip, but that didn't happen, so now 2026 or later is the only option.


It's possible the ‌Mac Pro‌ will get a refresh with the M5 Ultra chip when the ‌Mac Studio‌ does, but we haven't heard confirmation of that and Bloomberg says it's not going to happen. The ‌Mac Pro‌ is reportedly on the back burner at Apple, so no new model could come at all.

If Apple refreshes the ‌Mac Pro‌ this year, it will get Thunderbolt 5, and it will likely support at least 512GB RAM and 16TB storage, because that's what the M3 Ultra chip supports.

Home Products


We didn't get a new HomePod mini or Apple TV in 2025, so those are expected in 2026, plus Apple is working on a new home hub device.

Home Hub (March/April 2026)


Apple is working on a home hub or "command center" that will serve as a centralized location for controlling smart home products, listening to music, making video calls, getting the weather, looking things up with ‌Siri‌, displaying photos, making notes, viewing calendar events, and more.


The device has an all-display design that resembles an ‌iPad‌, with a 7-inch display. It's said to be similar in size and shape to two iPhones placed side-by-side, but Apple is designing two variants. The first version is designed to be mounted on a wall, while the second version has a speaker base that looks similar to a ‌HomePod mini‌ and can be placed on a desktop or countertop.

The home hub will have its own operating system, and while there won't be an App Store, Apple apps will be available as widgets.

Built-in sensors will be able to determine when someone is near the home hub, and the features displayed will change based on presence. If no one is by the hub, it might show information like the time and temperature, but if someone approaches, it could shift to an interface for adjusting the temperature.

Presence detection will enable features like turning on the lights when someone enters the room, and it might also be able to tell one person from another. The home hub will play music, and it does have a camera that can be used for video calls.

Touch-based interactions will be available for widgets, but the hub will be heavily reliant on ‌Siri‌ voice commands. ‌Siri‌ could have a personified look on the hub, with one design described as a version of the Mac Finder icon.

While screen-based smart home devices like the Echo Show are available for under $200, Apple could price the home hub somewhere around $350. Price could vary for the version with the speaker base and the wall-mounted version without it.

Apple is aiming to launch the home hub sometime in the March to April 2026 timeframe.

HomePod mini (Early 2026)


A new ‌HomePod mini‌ is ready to launch, and it could launch in early 2026. The ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 will get an updated S-series chip based on the Apple Watch S10, and there will be new color options.


We haven't heard anything about other features that could come to Apple's small speaker, but no design changes are expected.

Apple TV (Early 2026)


Like the ‌HomePod mini‌, the next ‌Apple TV‌ 4K won't look any different, but it will get an updated A-series chip, like the A17 Pro or A18. The new chip will support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, so the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ could be more capable than before.


Apple is expected to add the N1 networking chip to the ‌Apple TV‌ with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ and the ‌Apple TV‌ are linked to Apple's smart home platform and serve as smart home hubs for Matter, the cross-platform protocol that opens up the number of smart home accessories that are compatible with HomeKit.

AirTag 2 (Early 2026)


The AirTag 2 supposedly isn't getting a new design, but it will have an updated Ultra Wideband chip and a speaker that's harder to remove to prevent tampering. Leaked Apple code suggests it will get improved pairing, more detailed battery level reporting, and improvements to tracking AirTags that are moving and in crowded places.


Apple Security Cameras (Late 2026)


Rumors suggest that Apple is designing its own indoor security cameras that will connect to ‌HomeKit‌ and interface with the planned home hub.


Cameras designed directly by Apple would offer unique integrations with Apple devices, and would offer greater privacy than competing devices because of Apple's dedication to privacy and security. The first cameras could come out as soon as late 2026, and we could see other accessories like doorbells follow.

Wearables


Apple could introduce AI smart glasses as soon as 2026, plus we're expecting new Apple Watch models.

Apple Watch Series 12 (September 2026)


No big design updates are expected for the 2026 Apple Watch, and another major design refresh isn't planned until 2028 at the earliest.


There are no health features that are ready to go, though Apple is working on non-invasive blood glucose monitoring.

It's been a long time since the Apple Watch got a major processor update, and with the ‌iPhone‌ shifting to a 2nm chip, 2026 could also be the year that the Apple Watch gets a speed boost. Apple could introduce a new S12 chip.

Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch SE


Apple doesn't update the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE on an annual basis, so it's not clear if we're going to get new models in 2026 yet.


AI Smart Glasses (Late 2026 Introduction)


Apple is working on smart glasses that will rival Meta's AI Ray-Bans, and we could see them as soon as 2026. Rumors suggest that Apple will show off the glasses late in the year, but a launch won't happen until 2027.


Previewing devices and features early has not worked out well for Apple with the canceled AirPower and the delayed ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ implementation, so it's still not clear if an early introduction will happen.

The smart glasses are expected to include cameras, speakers, sensors, and AI integration, but no displays will be included. The glasses will let users do things like take photos, listen to audio, make phone calls, and get answers to questions.

Processing will be done on the ‌iPhone‌, and Apple is aiming to make the glasses a fashion accessory with multiple material and frame options.

AirPods Pro (Late 2026)


Even though the AirPods Pro 3 were just released in 2025, Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ believes that another AirPods Pro update is coming in 2026.


The AirPods Pro could get an infrared camera for enhanced spatial audio with the Vision Pro and support for in-air gestures. It's possible the AirPods Pro won't be a new version, but a higher-end update to the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌.

Software


We'll get iOS 27 at WWDC as usual, but the next major update will actually happen in spring when Apple releases iOS 26.4.

iOS 26.4 with LLM Siri (March/April 2026)


Right around March or April, Apple will release iOS 26.4, an update that's expected to introduce some major changes to ‌Siri‌. The software is supposed to include the smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple debuted way back in June 2024.


Apple has held off on launching the home hub because it is waiting to debut the smarter, more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that's been in the works since ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features launched in iOS 18. The original plan was for a better version of ‌Siri‌ to come out in an iOS 18 update, but Apple decided ‌Siri‌ just wasn't good enough to do what it wanted.

‌Siri‌ was delayed so Apple could overhaul the underlying architecture that powers the personal assistant. The new ‌Siri‌ will be more similar to ChatGPT or Claude than the ‌Siri‌ of today, incorporating large language models to answer complex queries and complete more complicated tasks.

Here's what Apple originally promised ‌Siri‌ would be able to do with ‌Apple Intelligence‌:

Personal Context


With personal context, ‌Siri‌ will be able to keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.

  • Show me the files Eric sent me last week.

  • Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.

  • Find the books that Eric recommended to me.

  • Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?

  • What's my passport number?



Onscreen Awareness


Onscreen awareness will let ‌Siri‌ see what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, for example, you can tell ‌Siri‌ to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask ‌Siri‌ to do it for you.

Deeper App Integration


Deeper app integration means that ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what ‌Siri‌ will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.

  • Moving files from one app to another.

  • Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.

  • Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.

  • Send the email I drafted to Eric.


This summer, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that transitioning ‌Siri‌ to new architecture was a success, and that the personal assistant is going to be an even bigger update than expected.

"The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of ‌‌Siri‌‌ has given us the results we needed," Federighi told employees. "This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than that we envisioned."

Apple decided to use AI technology from Google, so ‌Siri‌ will in part be powered by a Google Gemini model that Google designed for Apple. ‌Siri‌ will be as capable as Gemini since it is using the same underlying technology, but Apple will run the model on its own Private Cloud Compute server with no information provided to Google.

The new version of ‌Siri‌ is expected to be ready for an iOS 26.4 update planned for the same March or April timeframe rumored for the home hub.

iOS 27, macOS 27 and More


New versions of iOS, macOS, and Apple's other software platforms will be previewed in June at WWDC before launching in September. New ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features are expected thanks to the improved ‌Siri‌ that Apple will be rolling out in the months ahead of WWDC.


‌Apple Intelligence‌ could be used for nutrition planning and medical suggestions, as part of a new paid Health+ service that's coming out next year. We don't know specifics yet, but ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features could also expand to additional apps.

With iOS 27, Apple could update Siri's design. ‌Siri‌ will get its major overhaul in iOS 26.4, but a new visual look is supposedly planned for iOS 27. There are no specifics about what the redesign might entail, but rumors linked to Apple's upcoming tabletop robot suggest that the company might introduce a version of ‌Siri‌ that's more animated, similar to the Mac Finder logo. That more animated version of ‌Siri‌ could also come to the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌.

Apple is working on several new satellite features for the ‌iPhone‌, and some of these could come in iOS 27, though timing is unclear.

  • Apple Maps via satellite

  • Photos in Messages via satellite

  • Satellite API framework for third-party apps

  • Satellite over 5G

  • Satellite connectivity without the need for a view of the sky.


Some of these features could require new hardware, but options like ‌Apple Maps‌ via satellite would not require components beyond what's available now.

There will be new iOS 27 features that are designed for the foldable ‌iPhone‌, such as interfaces and experiences made for a larger screen.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described iOS 27 as a "Snow Leopard" update, suggesting that Apple will focus on improving underlying performance and quality rather than introducing major new functionality.

Read More


Make sure to follow MacRumors.com and the MacRumors roundups and guides over the course of 2026 to keep up with all of the rumors we're hearing. Bookmark our What to Expect Guide and our Events Guide to see a continually updated overview of what's on the horizon.
This article, "Everything Apple Is Releasing in 2026: iPhone Fold, LLM Siri, Low-Cost MacBook and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The MacRumors Show: Galaxy Z TriFold vs. Apple's Foldable iPhone

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Samsung's new Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone and how it could compare to Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone.


Samsung this week introduced the Galaxy Z TriFold, its first smartphone with two folding sections instead of one. When unfolded, the device presents a 10-inch screen, while the cover display measures 6.5 inches. Samsung says it has minimized visible creasing across the panels.

The Galaxy Z TriFold uses an inward-folding design intended to protect the main display. The folding mechanism has been engineered with an alert system that notifies users if the device is being folded incorrectly. Samsung is using a titanium Armor FlexHinge with two differently sized hinges joined by a dual-rail structure. According to the company, this enables a smoother and more stable fold despite uneven panel weight distribution, and increases durability thanks to a thin metal reinforcement that protects the hinge assembly.

A third of the unfolded display measures 3.9mm thick, increasing slightly around the triple-lens camera module. The center display section is 4.2mm thick, while the segment containing the side button is 4mm. The device includes a reinforced overcoat atop a shock-absorbing display layer for impact resistance, and an aluminum frame prevents the screens from coming into contact when closed.

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Z TriFold with a 5,600 mAh three-cell battery, with one cell behind each display panel. The company says this is the largest battery it has ever used in a smartphone. The rear camera system includes a 200-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Two 10-megapixel selfie cameras are integrated into the cover display and the main display.

The Galaxy Z TriFold supports three portrait-layout apps running side-by-side, multi-window resizing, full-screen video viewing, and a vertical reading mode. Samsung has also added standalone Samsung DeX, enabling up to four workspaces with five apps active simultaneously. Samsung apps have been optimized for the triple-panel layout, and Google's Gemini Live has been optimized as well.

The Galaxy Z TriFold launches in Korea on December 12, followed by China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the UAE. It will arrive in the United States in the first quarter of 2026. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Meanwhile, recent rumors suggest that Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ will feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera for the inner display, as well as a Samsung-supplied OLED panel, virtually no crease, a hybrid titanium and aluminum frame, and a 5,400–5,800 mAh battery. Analyst estimates currently place pricing at around $2,400.

The device is only expected to include two rear cameras, unlike the TriFold and all of Samsung's book-style foldables. Apple will likely use a wide and an ultra-wide camera, similar to the iPhone 17, while reserving a telephoto camera for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Early information also suggests it will also not be as thin as Samsung's Galaxy Fold 7.

We discuss the importance of rear camera setups on foldables, the rumored price point of Apple's version, and the risk of it falling victim to some of the same pitfalls as the iPhone Air. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about we talk through the latest rumors about Apple's upcoming iPad mini 8.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: AirPods Pro 3 and What's Coming Next

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the AirPods Pro 3 and the future of the AirPods lineup as a whole.


Apple introduced the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ in September, featuring a more refined design, improved active noise cancelation (ANC), enhanced sound quality, foam ear tips in five sizes, and heart rate monitoring for workouts. After using the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ for two months, we talk through our experience with the noticeably different fit, improved ANC, and more.

We also discuss the reports from some users who are experiencing an ongoing static issue with the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Apple does seem to be replacing affected units for customers who are bothered by the noise, which appears to be audible when ANC is active but no sound is playing. Other users have been hearing a high-pitched whine when on airplanes, which could be related to pressure. Not all ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ units are experiencing the issue, but it sounds like Apple is investigating.

Looking to the future, another version of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are expected to launch next year featuring infrared cameras for gesture controls and improved Vision Pro integration. This model is likely to be a more premium offering available alongside the current model at a higher price point.

Apple is believed to be working on a next-generation H3 chip for future AirPods models. The AirPods 5 are in development, with two models just like the current version.

The AirPods Max 2 are also in the works, touting a lighter design and likely a newer chip with features that are now noticeably absent from the device such as adaptive transparency and Siri commands. They are reportedly due to enter mass production in 2027 at the earliest.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about diving back into the Vision Pro with Apple's new M5 model.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: Giving Vision Pro Another Chance

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we dive back into the Vision Pro with Apple's new M5 model.


Apple's new Vision Pro headset features the M5 chip for better performance and efficiency, 10% more rendered pixels, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, longer battery life, and an all-new counterweighted Dual Knit headband with a focus on improved comfort. Arriving 20 months after the original model, the Vision Pro now runs visionOS 26 and offers widgets, hands-free scrolling, enhanced Mac Virtual Display mode, significantly improved Personas, a broader selection of immersive content, and more.

We discuss how much better the new version really is and whether it's finally time to give Apple's spatial computing device another chance. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about the latest rumors about the iPhone Air not selling as well as Apple hoped.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
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The MacRumors Show: iPhone Air Is in Trouble

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest rumors about the iPhone Air not selling as well as Apple hoped.


There have been many recent reports suggesting the ‌iPhone Air‌ has failed to catch on with consumers, with Apple moving to cut production due to lower-than-expected sales. The first warning sign was the ready availability of the ‌iPhone Air‌ at launch, suggesting lower than expected demand.

Last week, Japan's Mizuho Securities said that Apple would reduce iPhone Air production by at least one million units because of underwhelming sales performance. Nikkei then reported that Apple planned to cut production significantly almost to "end-of-production levels."

KeyBanc Capital Markets said that there is "virtually no demand" for the ‌iPhone Air‌ and that Apple would "drastically" cut production as a result. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo then clarified that suppliers have been asked to reduce capacity by more than 80% between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued by the end of 2025.

Samsung is apparently seeing a similar response to its super thin ‌iPhone Air‌ rival, the Galaxy S25 Edge. Reports indicate that Samsung canceled a next-generation model after disappointing sales.

According to Kuo, the ‌iPhone Air‌'s poor performance suggests that the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models already "cover the majority of high-end user demand," so there is little room for new market segments. All of the other new iPhones are all believed to be selling better than expected, with Apple increasing production of these models.

Apple apparently planned three more ‌iPhone Air‌ generations, but that could now change in light of real-world sales data. We could get yet another new iPhone form factor as soon as 2026, with rumors suggesting that Apple will debut a foldable model alongside the iPhone 18 lineup. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



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This article, "The MacRumors Show: iPhone Air Is in Trouble" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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