Tag: Featured

2026 could be a bumper year for Apple’s Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.

Below is a breakdown of what we’re expecting over the next 12 months from Apple’s multi-pronged MacBook offering. Got your eye on a particular model? Let us know in the comments what you’re most looking forward to.

Low-Cost MacBook

Apple is preparing to enter the low-cost laptop market for the first time by developing a budget MacBook aimed at luring away customers from Chromebooks and entry-level Windows PCs, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. The new device is said to be designed for students, businesses, and casual users, and will target people who mainly browse the web, work on documents, or dabble in light media editing.

The new MacBook is said to have a 13-inch display, similar to but slightly smaller than the MacBook Air, and will feature an ultra-thin, lightweight design with a lower-end LCD display. According to reputable industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is said to be using its A18 Pro chip to power the machine. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year and is around 40% slower than Apple’s latest M4 chip, but its multi-core CPU performance is virtually identical to the M1 chip in the 2020 MacBook Air, and it even outperforms the M1 chip for graphics.

The A18 Pro chip lacks Thunderbolt support, so the new MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. The current 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $999 in the U.S., so the new MacBook would likely have a starting price of between $699 and $899. The more-affordable MacBook could also come in some fun new colors like Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow.

MacBook Pro With M5 Pro and M5 Max

Apple is going to refresh the rest of the MacBook Pro lineup with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in early 2026, having already updated its base 14-inch MacBook Pro with a standard M5 chip in October. The M5 series is based on TSMC’s third-generation 3-nanometer technology. Based on improvements to the base MacBook Pro with M5 chip, faster SSD performance and higher memory bandwith are also likely for the high-end models. No other major changes are expected, with Apple holding over a completely refreshed design until the M6 models.

If Apple retains current pricing levels, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip will start at $1,999, while the 16-inch model with M5 Pro chip will start at $2,399. For the M5 Max equivalents, prices could start at $3,199 for the 14-inch model, and $3,499 for the 16-inch machine.

M5 MacBook Air

While the M4 MacBook Air model isn’t exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. The M5 series is reportedly being manufactured using TSMC’s advanced 3-nanometer process technology, and we have some idea of what to expect in terms of performance, thanks to the recently released M5 iPad Pro: benchmarks show single-core scores around 4,133 and multi-core scores around 15,437. That’s roughly a 12-15% jump over the current M4 iPad Pro in both categories. As for graphics performance, the M5 chip appears to have up to a 36% faster GPU compared to the M4 chip.

The benchmark suggests Apple has focused on modest clock speed increases and core-level efficiency improvements for the M5 chip, rather than an architecture overhaul. In other words, the M5 will be similar to the step-wise performance upgrade from M3 to M4. Expect 10-15% faster CPU speeds, a slightly more powerful GPU, and better efficiency, potentially leading to even longer battery life.

Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to roll out M5 versions of the MacBook Air in the first quarter of 2026. Based on previous spring refreshes, this suggests a likely March 2026 window. As for pricing, we expect it to remain stable, with the base model sticking with the current entry-level $999 price.

OLED MacBook Pro With M6 Pro and M6 Max

Apple is reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware features. The redesigned models are expected to boast M6 chips, which could adopt a completely new packaging based on TSMC’s 2nm process that allows components such as the CPU, GPUs, DRAM, and Neural Engine to be more tightly integrated.

Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says Apple is readying OLED technology for these models. Compared to current MacBook Pro models that use mini-LED screens, the benefits of OLED technology would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio with deeper blacks, improved power efficiency for longer battery life, and more. In addition, Gurman reports that the new machines will also have “thinner and lighter frames.” Apple is apparently focusing on delivering the thinnest possible device without compromising on battery life or major new features.

The redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, rather than the notch we’ve become accustomed to. Gurman says that the design “leaves a display area around the sensor… similar in concept to the Dynamic Island on the iPhone.”

Apple’s first OLED MacBook Pro will also feature a touch screen display, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The claim has since been corroborated by Gurman, noting that the touch-screen MacBook Pro will retain a full trackpad and keyboard.

Research firm Omdia says Apple is “highly likely” to introduce new MacBook Pros featuring OLED displays next year, while Gurman has said the new OLED machines are being readied for late 2026 or early 2027. It would be unusual for Apple to introduce two ‌MacBook Pro‌ refreshes in the same year, but there is precedent for it: Apple updated the MacBook Pro lineup twice in 2023, first with M2 Pro/M2 Max chips in January and then with M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max chips in late October.

Due to the pricier components, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are expected to cost a few hundred dollars more than current versions. Today’s models with high-end chips start at $1,999 for the 14-inch version and $2,499 for the 16-inch one.

Apple’s two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we’re expecting to see before the end of the year.

Apple TV

The Apple TV hasn’t been updated since 2022, so it’s due for a refresh. It doesn’t look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip

Apple code suggests that the upcoming ‌Apple TV‌ will use the A17 Pro chip, which Apple first debuted in the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models. The A17 Pro is in the iPad mini 7, and it supports Apple Intelligence. We could see some new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features for the ‌Apple TV‌ for improving search and content recommendations.

There’s a new version of Siri that will likely be integrated into the ‌Apple TV‌ at some point, but the revamped version of ‌Siri‌ isn’t coming until spring 2026 and we’re expecting the ‌Apple TV‌ before the end of 2025.

The A17 Pro has more advanced GPU capabilities like hardware-accelerated ray tracing for console-quality games, so we could see the ‌Apple TV‌ able to support higher-quality gaming titles.

Rumors suggest the ‌Apple TV‌ will get an Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, and we now know that the chip is called the N1. It’s already in the new ‌iPhone‌ models, so it makes sense for Apple to incorporate it in other devices coming this year.

Apple could potentially lower the price of the ‌Apple TV‌ or sell an older model at a more affordable price to better compete with products like the Amazon Fire Stick that provides 4K streaming for less than $50.

M5 iPad Pro

Apple is working on an updated iPad Pro with a new M5 chip, and we already know quite a bit about it since it leaked in an unboxing video earlier this week.

We’re expecting 11-inch and 13-inch versions of the ‌iPad Pro‌, with the same design as the current M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ models. Based on benchmarks, the M5 offers up to 12 percent faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the M4 chip, and up to 36 percent faster GPU performance. Like the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro models, the next ‌iPad Pro‌ will have 12GB RAM, up from 8GB.

Rumors have suggested the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ will have a second front camera so that it can be used for video calls in portrait and landscape orientations. A second front camera is not visible in the video, but it’s not out of the question.

Updated Vision Pro

Apple is also going to use the M5 chip in an updated version of the Vision Pro, replacing the M2 chip. So far, it sounds like the Vision Pro refresh will focus solely on the chip, with no design changes planned.

While the headset isn’t being updated, Apple might introduce a more comfortable head strap to reduce neck strain and head pain.

The FCC accidentally leaked the next Vision Pro and several other devices earlier this week, so we know a new model isn’t too far off. Rumors have said that the revamped Vision Pro will launch sometime in 2025.

HomePod mini

The HomePod mini hasn’t been updated since it came out in 2020, but 2025 will supposedly be the year that it gets a refresh.

It looks like the next ‌HomePod mini‌ will get an updated S-series chip, likely the same S10 chip that’s in the Apple Watch Series 11. The original ‌HomePod mini‌ has the S5 chip that was used in the Apple Watch Series 5, but Apple did make some HomePod-specific tweaks to it, like including Ultra Wideband capabilities.

The S10 chip will provide faster performance for any underlying processing that the ‌HomePod mini‌ does. The ‌HomePod mini‌ uses computational audio for real-time tuning, so that will see an improvement, and it could support more on-device ‌Siri‌ processing.

More recent Apple Watch chips have an altimeter that could come in handy for positioning and audio orienting on a ‌HomePod mini‌, and the S9 and later chips have a four-core Neural Engine that might also add new functionality.

Like the updated ‌Apple TV‌, the new ‌HomePod mini‌ is expected to use Apple’s N1 networking chip for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, with support for connecting to 6GHz networks.

Along with these internal changes, we’re also expecting new color options for the ‌HomePod mini‌.

AirTag 2

The AirTag 2 is yet another product that’s supposed to be updated before the end of 2025, but with no major design changes. Rumors suggest the shape of the ‌AirTag‌ isn’t going to change, but Apple will make under-the-hood improvements.

It will be harder to get the speaker out of the ‌AirTag‌ 2, preventing tampering for hidden tracking without sound alerts. AirTags could also be trackable from further distances, with Apple adding a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that supports three times the range.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the AirTags are going to get a rechargeable battery or design options like a slim wallet version.

MacBook Pro

The FCC’s leak included a MacBook Pro, but there weren’t multiple variants in the database like we would expect if a refresh of the entire ‌MacBook Pro‌ line was coming soon.

It’s possible that Apple will announce a lower-cost ‌MacBook Pro‌ that has an M5 chip, saving M5 Pro and M5 Max variants for a later date. There is precedent for that kind of staggered launch, and it would make sense because other M5 devices like the ‌iPad Pro‌ and Vision Pro are rumored to be debuting in 2025.

Rumors about the launch timing of the M5/M5 Pro/M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models have changed throughout the year. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman first said the ‌MacBook Pro‌ models would be refreshed in late 2025, before saying Apple was “internally targeting” an early 2026 launch. Last weekend, Gurman claimed that the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models would come out sometime between late 2025 and early 2026, so the timeline isn’t clear.

If Apple does wait until early 2026 to unveil all or most of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, it might make for a confusing year. Apple is developing an OLED version of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ that’s supposed to come out in late 2026, so there would be an early 2026 launch and perhaps a late 2026 launch if the OLED technology isn’t later delayed until 2027.

Since there is a major 2026 refresh in play, Apple might want to get all of the M5 models out in 2025.

Will There Be an October Event?

After its September event, Apple sometimes holds a second fall event in October or November. This year, a new event is a possibility, but it’s not guaranteed.

Most of the product refreshes that are rumored for the last few months of 2025 will feature internal updates with no major flashy additions. For that reason, Apple could announce new devices through press releases. Apple’s last October event was in 2023, when it shared a short “Scary Fast” Mac-focused presentation. In 2024, Apple released new M4 Mac models with press releases, so it could go either way.

Apple does like to unveil new versions of the Apple silicon chip at events, and we haven’t seen the M5 yet. The M1 came out at an November 2020 event, the ‌M2‌ was unveiled at WWDC, the M3 came out in an October 2023 event, and the M4 was introduced at a May 2024 event.

For the last two years, Apple’s October announcements have come toward the end of the month, so if there is an event, we could hear about it in the next couple of weeks.

Apple’s online store is down ahead of iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro pre-orders, which are expected to be available at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States.

“We love that early energy,” reads the Apple Store’s message when visiting the U.S. website. “Almost ready for you. Pre-order begins at 5:00 a.m. PDT. See you soon.” Apple has been doing 5:00 a.m. pre-orders for the last several years instead of the 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time pre-orders that it used to have.

Customers in more than 40 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UAE, the U.K., and the U.S., will be able to pre-order ‌‌iPhone 17‌‌ models when the store comes back online.

The iPhone 17 will be available in Lavender, Sage, Mist Blue, White, and Black, in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities, while the iPhone Air will be available in Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White, and Space Black, in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities.

The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max come in Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue, and are available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. This year, there’s also 2TB storage tier exclusive to the Pro Max.

The ‌‌‌iPhone 17‌‌‌ is priced starting at $799, while the ‌‌‌iPhone Air is priced starting at $999. The ‌‌‌iPhone 17 Pro‌‌‌ is priced starting at $1,099, and the ‌‌‌iPhone 17 Pro‌‌‌ Max is priced starting at $1,199. After pre-orders take place, a launch will follow on Friday, September 19.