Apple rumors

Get the latest rumors and leaks about upcoming Apple products and behind-the-scenes developments. Cult of Mac staffers carefully evaluate Apple rumors in an attempt to discern what you can believe and what you shouldn’t.

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Apple rumors:

Say goodbye to hopes for mini-LED iPad Air [Updated]

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12.9-inch iPad Air with mini-LED display won't happen
The upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Air will use a standard screen, not a mini-LED one.
Nope: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The analyst who predicted last week that the first 12.9-inch iPad Air would include a mini-LED display has now walked it back.

The upcoming super-size version of the tablet will instead apparently use a standard type of screen.

Calculator app for iPad might finally launch in iPadOS 18

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iPad calculator app
Finally. Finally.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

In a long overdue move, Apple will reportedly integrate a Calculator application into the iPad operating system. The change — which is somehow both minor and monumental — will supposedly come when iPadOS 18 launched this autumn.

In the mean time, there are already several calculators hidden in the iPad.

Apple FineWoven accessories: Not quite dead yet?

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FineWoven Apple Watch bands
FineWoven accessories like Apple Watch bands may not be gone yet, but it seems they will go soon.
Photo: Apple

The same leaker who pronounced Apple’s FineWoven material dead Sunday said Tuesday the leather replacement will live one more “season” in new colors. Apple uses the textile in iPhone cases and wallets, Apple Watch bands and some AirTag accessories like keychains.

Presumably, Apple will find a way to replace the heavily criticized material soon, and probably without returning to leather goods, as the leaker implied in their original post on X.

Why iPhone 16 might dump physical buttons for capacitive ones

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Closeup of iPhone 15’s new Action button.
No more traditional buttons like these. iPhone 16 could use capacitive ones instead.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The upcoming iPhone 16 series will have no traditional buttons at all, according to information leaking out of the company that will supply the capacitive buttons that will supposedly replace them.

If true, the change would make the iOS devices more durable and waterproof.

Apple might have stopped making FineWoven accessories

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The Apple FineWoven case is the best official Apple case for iPhone 15.
Time to say goodbye to Apple's FineWoven iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands?
Photo: Apple

Apple reportedly ceased the production of its FineWoven iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands. Announced alongside the iPhone 15 series in September 2023, the woven material replaced leather in Apple’s accessories lineup.

However, users criticized the FineWoven material for its poor durability and in-hand feel. Its shortcomings became especially evident after a few weeks of use.

Today in Apple history: Rumors fly that Canon might buy Apple

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Apple was up for sale in the 1990s.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

April 21: Today in Apple history: Rumors fly that Canon might buy Apple April 21, 1995: Rumors swirl that Canon (yes, the Japanese camera company!) might take over Apple in either a partial or complete acquisition.

Speculation grows about a possible deal after Apple reveals its latest earnings, which show big improvement but still fall far short of Wall Street’s expectations.

iOS 18 AI features could run entirely on-device

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iOS 18 concept video
Apple could run iOS 18's AI features on-device on the iPhone.
Concept: Kevin Kall

Apple’s large language model that will power iOS 18’s AI features could run entirely locally. This would prioritize user privacy and offer faster response times.

However, running AI features on-device will have downsides, as they might not be as powerful as on some Android phones.

Mac mini might skip Apple M3 processor

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Mac mini might skip Apple M3 processor in favor of M4
With no M3 version on the way, iMac mini M2 will stay around until the M4 chip arrives.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

There will never be a version of the Mac mini with the Apple M3 processor, according to a reliable tipster. Instead, the inexpensive desktop will wait for the next-generation chip.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that the wait supposedly won’t be terribly long.

iPhone 16 Pro camera could bring major upgrades [The CultCast]

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iPhone 16 Pro camera rumors on The CultCast episode 643
The iPhone 16 Pro camera might knock our socks off with new upgrades.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumors about the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera make it sound better than ever. That’s no surprise, considering Apple makes a big deal out of the iPhone camera every year. But we couldn’t be happier to have even finer photographic tools at our disposal.

Also on The CultCast:

  • A new retro game emulator for iPhone called Delta is a … game changer! And this is just the start of a revolution brewing in the App Store.
  • Griffin knows some Mac settings you should change for a better experience.
  • There’s lots of big Apple TV+ news, from a new show from the writer behind Slow Horses and extensions of popular series including Silo and For All Mankind.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

iPhone 17 Plus might sport a smaller display than iPhone 15 Plus

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All 2025 iPhone 17 models might have ProMotion, always-on screens
The iPhone 17 Plus could be smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The 2025 iPhone 17 Plus could sport a smaller screen than previous Plus models. This could make the phone more compact and fit better in Apple’s lineup.

Apple currently uses a 6.7-inch OLED panel on the iPhone 15 Plus. This is the same display size as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, albeit the latter uses a superior 120Hz panel.

Apple could finally fix iPhone’s longstanding camera flare problem

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iPhone 14 Pro's camera module
Could Apple finally solve the flaring issue on iPhone photos and videos?
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple could finally eliminate lens flare, a longtime problem with the iPhone camera, with a new lens coating technology on the iPhone 16 Pro.

It’s common for lens flares to show up in photos or videos taken with an iPhone’s camera, but Apple has made little improvement in this area over generations.

Apple M4 chips and the rise of AI everything [The CultCast]

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Apple M4 chips will power AI-focused Macs. The CultCast episode 642.
New Apple silicon is incoming, and that means AI-focused Macs.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: A surprise leak about Apple M4 chips says they’ll come sooner than almost anybody suspected. But nobody’s shocked to hear that they will focus on bringing AI capabilities to Macs.

Plus, there’s news of Ferret-UI, a new Apple project designed to help AI understand how humans use iPhones. Apple’s definitely tin a rush to cash in on tech’s biggest buzzword!

Also on The CultCast:

  • With Project Titan abandoned and hopes of an Apple car destroyed, Cupertino goes on a desperate search for its “next big thing” to boost revenue.
  • The new Humane Ai Pin, previously lauded as a potential iPhone killer, is DOA. The first reviews are shockingly bad.
  • And we wrap up with an all-new edition of What We’re Into! Spoiler alert: It’s all sci-fi this time around.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

iPadOS 17.5 beta confirms next-gen iPad Pro’s OLED display

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OLED iPad mockup
The OLED iPad Pro should ship with slimmer bezels.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple’s new iPad Pro could launch in early May with updated internals and a refreshed design. All rumors surrounding Apple’s next premium tablet indicate it will feature OLED displays.

The first iPadOS 17.5 beta seems to confirm this, as it contains four new display firmware for unreleased iPad models.

OLED iPad Pro and new iPad Air on track for early May launch

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Wait for OLED iPad Pro might stretch into April
New iPads could finally debut next month.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s long-rumored (and apparently delayed) OLED iPad Pro with M3 chip could launch in early May. Alongside the Pro iPads, Apple reportedly will unveil a new iPad Air, a third-gen Apple Pencil and a redesigned Magic Keyboard.

To prepare for the impending launch of the new iPads, Apple’s retail stores will receive new product marketing materials soon, according to the latest report.

Some of the best 2024 Macs are still ahead of us

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The Mac in 2024
2024 will bring lots of M3-based Mac desktops, and maybe an M4 MacBook.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

After Apple’s thunderous launch of the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips a few months ago, these chips likely will roll out as spec bumps in the MacStudio, Mac Pro and Mac mini later this year.

An M4 MacBook Pro remains a possibility for this fall. (I suspect M4 will be the first “must-have” Mac upgrade for anyone still on an M1-series chip.)

Apple licenses Shutterstock’s massive image library for AI model training

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Apple.logo.paris.store
Apple has paid Shutterstock millions of dollars for access to its copyrighted photos and videos.
Photo: Josh Davidson/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly struck a deal with Shutterstock to license its massive library of images and videos to train its AI models. The precise deal value remains unclear, but estimates suggest a range of $25 million-$50 million.

As a part of the licensing, Apple will gain access to millions of images and videos in Shutterstock’s library.

Apple robots might invade your home [The CultCast]

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A humanoid robot, plus the CultCast logo and episode 641 label.
Just how far will Apple go with robotics?
Photo: Owen Beard/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After pulling the plug on an ambitious project — creating a self-driving car — Apple sets its sights on making … home robots?!? Say it ain’t so, Tim!

Also on The CultCast:

  • New iPhone 16 dummy units bring the rumors to life. But as for those long-predicted fancy new iPads, we’re still waiting. Get used to it!
  • The next-gen Apple processor could give Macs a serious performance boost. Erfon talks specs and speculation.
  • Vision Pro’s new Spatial Personas aren’t creepy at all … 👻
  • Griffin serves up some tips on how to take a proper photo during the upcoming total solar eclipse.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

More mystery iPads outed by Indian regulators [Updated]

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iPad mystery model
Four unknown iPad models were just approved for release in India.
Photo: Cult of Mac

A day after a pair of unknown iPads were found listed on the Bureau of Indian Standards certification website, two more have now turned up. These are almost certainly tablets that have been the topic of many leaks in recent months.

The 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air might have just taken another small step toward release.

WWDC24 is the name, and Apple AI is the game! [The CultCast]

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CultCast episode 640 promo image of sci-fi brain and circuit board and caption,
We have a date for WWDC24, and we know what's on the agenda!
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Now that Apple set a date for WWDC24, it’s time for the speculation to begin. Artificial intelligence undoubtedly will be on the agenda. But what will Apple’s AI push look like?

Join us for a whirlwind discussion.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Sounds like iOS 18 will give iPhone owners even more control over their Home Screens.
  • A flaw in Apple’s M-series processors sounds downright disturbing.
  • Apple’s got a trick up its sleeve to keep you from annoying iPhone upgrades.
  • And the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple makes some truly ludicrous claims.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Apple Pencil for Vision Pro might be in development

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Apple Pencil for Vision Pro might be in development
Vision Pro users could someday grab an Apple Pencil for fine drawing.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

A version of Apple Pencil stylus that can be used with the Vision Pro AR headset is in testing, according to an unconfirmed report.

And there’s proof that Apple is at least considering the idea — it filed for a patent on methods of using a stylus to create virtual objects while wearing a headset.

Redesign could give Apple M3 Ultra processor wicked performance boost

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Apple M3 Ultra chip
The M3 Ultra could be the high-performance chip that so many professionals need.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s upcoming M3 Ultra chip won’t consist of two M3 Max processors merged together, according to information leaking out of Cupertino. The change from its predecessors would free up designers to make the next-gen Apple silicon even more powerful.

It even raises the possibility of an M3 Extreme, a workstation-level processor that would give the Mac Pro a reason to exist.

Apple Maps might gain customizable routes, topographic maps in iOS 18

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Apple Maps
Useful new features are reportedly coming to Apple Maps in iOS 18.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple Maps could receive a pair of big updates this year: “Custom routes” and topographic maps. A developer from Argentina spotted the two new features recently in Apple code, saying they could arrive in iOS 18 and macOS 15.

If true, the changes will make Apple’s navigation application more useful for both drivers and hikers.