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Apple rumors - page 2

Foldable iPhone might bring back Touch ID

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Folding iPhone concept
A folding iPhone might be in short supply for a long time.
AI concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The first folding iPhone reportedly will utilize Apple’s in-house C2 modem, switch to an advanced display technology to improve touch accuracy and make the screen crease less visible, and bring back a classic feature: Touch ID.

Codenamed V68, the book-style foldable is on track to debut in 2026

Can TechWoven reverse the FineWoven curse? [The CultCast 713]

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Image showing supposed TechWoven iPhone cases, along with
The latest TechWoven leaks trigger us a little with memories of FineWoven.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: A string of leaks from Majin Bu showcase a new line of “TechWoven” iPhone cases. This looks to be Apple’s replacement for the hated FineWoven cases, with a new material that will make the whole thing less sucky.

But does the world really need a replacement for leather iPhone cases?

Also on The CultCast:

  • iPhone 17e might take a welcome trip to the Dynamic Island, and the Apple Watch might add Touch ID.
  • An eye-popping eight-display setup leaves us slightly amazed and full of questions.
  • Anker’s brand-new iPhone power bank is super-slim and super-cool.

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 version, embedded below.

Google Gemini might give Siri the AI boost it needs

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Google Gemini Siri
Google Gemini could get baked into an upcoming Siri version.
Graphic: Apple/Google/Cult of Mac

Add Google Gemini to the list of AIs that might go into the promised revamp of the Siri voice assistant if Apple can’t develop the tech itself.

Apple is working hard on its own large language models to provide Siri with a much-needed intelligence boost. But Cupertino is reportedly covering its bases by talking to other companies about using their AI instead. Google joined the list, according to an unconfirmed report published Friday.

iPhone 17e could ditch notch for Dynamic Island

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iPhone 17e ditches the notch
iPhone 16e's successor could feature Dynamic Island in place of a notch.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple’s budget iPhone might get a significant visual overhaul in 2026, with the iPhone 17e ditching the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island, according to a new leak.

That would finally bring the modern Dynamic Island experience, which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro, to price-conscious consumers. However, the leaker didn’t clarify whether we can count on Apple adding MagSafe to the new budget phone, a key feature left out of the iPhone 16e.

iPhone 17 Air rumors: Everything to expect from Apple’s ultra-thin handset

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iPhone 17 Air rumor roundup
We know a lot about the likely iPhone 17 Air features.
Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple will shake up its iPhone lineup this September with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Air, a dramatically thinner device that could replace the Plus model entirely. Based on numerous reports and leaks we’ve included in this iPhone 17 Air rumor roundup, this new phone promises to be Apple’s most significant design departure in years.

Foldable iPhone might push iPhone 18 launch to 2027

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Image of an iPhone with white screen on pink background, with the words,
Apple might shake up the traditional iPhone release schedule next year.
Image: Matteo Vella/Unsplash License/Cult of Mac

Apple might shake up the iPhone release schedule in a big way next year, delaying the iPhone 18 release date until the first quarter of 2027, according to a new report.

Why the big switch?  To make room for next year’s standout device: the first folding iPhone.

iPhone 17 Pro rumors: The complete rundown

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iPhone 17 Pro rumor roundup
Here's what the rumors say about the iPhone 17 Pro.
Photo: ChatGPT

In less than a month, the iPhone 17 Pro rumors will pay off — or not — when Apple takes the wraps off its iPhone 17 models. While the entire lineup will get a big revamp this year, the iPhone 17 Pro should still be the star of the show.

Leaks and rumors already revealed quite a lot about the iPhone 17 Pro, giving us a solid idea of what’s in store. Here’s a quick refresher of what to expect.

iPhone 17 Air, M5 MacBook Air to use Apple-made wireless chips

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iPhone 17 Air render
iPhone 17 Air will be the second iPhone to use Apple's custom modem.
Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple will reportedly expand the use of custom chips in its future devices. This will start with the upcoming iPhone 17 Air using its in-house modem.

The M5 MacBook Air will allegedly then follow, using a new in-house wireless chip, likely combining Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality into one.

Faster chip will bring Apple Intelligence to next-gen iPad

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2025 iPad 11 with Apple A16
iPad is getting a speed boost.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The 2026 version of the budget iPad will be able to use Apple Intelligence thanks to an A18 processor, according to information leaking out of Apple. And the next Apple TV 4K refresh could feature Apple’s A17 Pro chip. The company is working on an iPad mini update with an A19 Pro chip, too.

Internal code accidentally shared by Apple revealed key details about these upcoming devices and their processor upgrades.

Low-cost MacBook with A18 performance might surprise everyone

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Low-cost MacBook performance
The rumored low-cost MacBook with an A18 chip could offer performance suited to students.
Concept: Google Gemini

There’s skepticism about the low-cost MacBook that’s reportedly launching soon because it reportedly will run on an Apple A18 processor — the same one in current iPhones. But this chip is more powerful than you might realize.

I compared the performance of the A18 to Apple’s M-series Mac chips, and I think you’ll be surprised by how well the iPhone processor performed.

iPhone 17 Pro may break Apple’s long-standing $999 streak

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iPhone 17 and 17 Air may lack ProMotion display features
The debate continues over whether all four iPhone 17 models will get ProMotion display, or if two of them will just be 120Hz.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple may charge an extra $50 for the iPhone 17 Pro. But it could also finally increase the 128GB base storage in favor of a roomier option.

A $50 price bump means the iPhone 17 Pro will cost $1,050 in the U.S. before taxes.

Why we shouldn’t expect the M5 MacBook Pro until 2026

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M5 MacBook Pro rumors
The latest M5 MacBook Pro rumor says the updated macOS notebook won’t be out until next year.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Don’t set your heart on a MacBook Pro with a speedy new Apple M5 processor under the Christmas tree this year. A growing body of evidence indicates the next version of Apple’s premier laptop won’t arrive until 2026.

But the M5 processor should be available before then.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 may feature slightly larger screen

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Apple Watch Ultra 3 Rumors
Apple Watch Ultra 3 may sport thinner bezels.
Photo: Apple

An image discovered in iOS 26 beta 5 suggests the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will feature a slightly higher-resolution display. This hints at a modest screen size bump as well.

The leaked resolution of 422 × 514 is only slightly higher than the Ultra 2’s screen resolution of 410 × 502. Assuming the same pixel density, this would mean a 1.97-inch display, up from a 1.92-inch display.

The exact day Apple launches the iPhone 17 is …

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iPhone 17 launch day
iPhone 17 is barely a month away!
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Those eager to get their hands on one of the upcoming iPhone 17 models should mark their calendars. Information supposedly leaking out of a German wireless carrier indicates Apple’s next-generation smartphones will launch during a fall product-launch event on September 8.

No matter whether this leak is legitimate or not, just using Apple’s previous habits to estimate the iPhone 17 launch day turns up September 8 as a very likely possibility.

Apple begins building its ChatGPT rival

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AI safety guidelines -- Apple Intelligence
AppleGPT incoming?
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new internal team, “Answers, Knowledge and Information,” is apparently developing a ChatGPT-like search tool. It will reportedly use an “answer engine’ that will crawl the web to answer simple search querries.

The tool is still in the early stages of development, so it won’t go live anytime soon.

What I want from Apple’s first foldable iPhone

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A folding iPhone might look something like this concept.
Apple needs to ensure the folding iPhone stands out.
AI concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The folding iPhone rumored to arrive in 2026 might mark a major turning point for foldable devices. But to pull that off, Apple’s first folding phone needs to do more than just look good — it needs to nail the fundamentals.

From durability and design to software and camera performance, here’s everything I want to see in the foldable iPhone.

Masked iPhone 17 Pro prototype spotted in the wild

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iPhone 17 Pro rumors
Did someone just spot an iPhone 17 Pro test unit?
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

An alleged iPhone 17 Pro prototype may have just made its first real-world appearance. Blurry images shared online show what looks like a masked iPhone — one that closely matches the design rumors for the iPhone 17 Pro.

While the authenticity is hard to verify, the timing and details point to this possibly being a late prototype unit.