Apple rumors - page 7

Apple might allow users to replace Siri with another virtual assistant on iPhone, iPad and Mac, according to a new report.

While Apple’s smarter Siri will not arrive until at least next year, Apple users in the European Union might get something even better in the near future.

The wait for Apple’s next-gen AirPods Pro might stretch out longer than anticipated. According to a respected supply chain analyst, Apple won’t refresh its flagship earbuds until 2026.

Apple reportedly plans to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the iPhone with a new model that introduces some of the most significant design changes to the handset since the iPhone X. That includes saying goodbye to the Dynamic Island.

The upcoming model should break the iPhone design out of the rut it’s been in for too many years.

Rather than building a bigger battery into the iPhone 17 to extend battery life, Apple reportedly plans to use a smarter power source to achieve the desired result. The company reported is creating an AI system for iOS 19 to “analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy,” according to a report published Monday.

It could be one of many AI-powered features in the version of the iPhone’s operating system expected to launch this autumn.

Tariffs might force Apple to increase the prices of the iPhone 17 lineup. The company reportedly will highlight the new designs and features of this year’s models to justify the price increase.

Without raising prices, Apple can’t offset the increased tariffs on Chinese-imported products sold in the United States.

A new feature in iOS 19 reportedly will sync public Wi-Fi login and captive portal details across your Apple devices.

iPhones already sync Wi-Fi network details across all devices connected to the same Apple ID. However, with public networks, a captive portal introduces additional steps. While small, the feature should make logging into hotel Wi-Fi networks more convenient.

Apple could get into a new product category: smart glasses. A report surfaced on Thursday indicating that Apple is working on a chip to power glasses with built-in AI and cameras that could launch in the next couple of years.

With the company’s Visual Intelligence AI tool, a pair of smart glasses could identify objects for the wearer, get info on businesses, and explain to the user what it is they’re looking at.

Among various chips Apple currently develops for products like smart glasses and Macs, new AI server chips will help power the Apple Intelligence platform, according to a report Thursday. And the new, immensely powerful AI server chips will be the first of their kind for Apple.

Apple seems set to give the iPhone lineup its biggest refresh in years with a new, slender model. Possibly called the iPhone 17 Air, the rumored model reportedly will focus on slimness, like other “Air” devices in Apple’s lineup.

In my opinion, a thinner body alone won’t be enough to make it a hit. If Apple truly wants the iPhone 17 Air to stand out, it needs more than just sleek looks. Here’s what I hope to see.

Apple supposedly will switch to a two-pronged iPhone release strategy due to intense competition, especially in China. The move will give more media attention to newer models, like the upcoming iPhone Air and foldable iPhone.

In a note Monday, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted Apple will launch its second-gen foldable and the “iPhone 19 Slim” with a bigger display in H2 2027.

Apple might rejig its iPhone release cycle in a big way in 2026, releasing high-end models in the fall and less-expensive models in the spring. If the rumor proves true, Apple would change things up to make room in its lineup for the first foldable iPhone.

Apple might rely on one of its old accessories to compensate for the iPhone 17 Air’s short battery life. The company reportedly will launch an iPhone 17 Air Smart Battery Case to extend the device’s runtime.

In Apple’s internal testing, the iPhone 17 Air reportedly does not last as long as other members of the iPhone 17 family. Given its focus on an ultra-slim design, this comes as no surprise.

Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, hopes to strike a deal with Apple to bring Gemini to iPhones by the middle of this year. The CEO revealed this during his testimony in an antitrust trial against Google.

Pichai discussed the possibility of bringing Gemini to iPhones with Apple CEO Tim Cook last year.

The iPhone 17 Pro will reportedly miss out on a key display upgrade. Apple seems set to skip the planned anti-reflective coating on its next Pro iPhones.

Apple offers a similar nano-texture coating as an optional upgrade on the MacBook Pro lineup.

An iPhone running iOS 19 will be able to display applications running in windows on an external screen, according to a Thursday report from a noted tipster.

If true, it’ll enable iOS to act much more Mac-like than ever before. If Apple continues developing in this direction, an iPhone could eventually be someone’s only computer .

iPadOS 19 will include a menu bar at the top of the screen like the one in macOS, according to a noted tipster on Thursday. If true, it’ll be a major step toward making iPads act more like Macs.

In addition, the system for managing floating application windows is supposedly in for an upgrade in iPadOS 19.

April 21, 1995: Rumors swirl that Japanese camera company Canon 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.

Apple may soon release a lighter, thinner version of its Vision Pro headset that may go by the name of “Vision Air,” according to multiple leaks Wednesday and Thursday from a semi-reliable source. The new device would represent a significant redesign focused on weight reduction while potentially offering a more affordable alternative to the $3,500 Vision Pro. And it might come in a bluish-black color rather than Vision Pro’s silver.

Apple chose Samsung Display as the exclusive supplier of OLED panels for its first foldable iPhone, expected to launch in 2026, according to a new report. The decision marks a departure from Apple’s typical multi-supplier strategy. It could help ensure high quality and reinvigorate the foldable OLED market.

The Vision Pro 2 might pack more upgrades than previously rumored. Instead of a minor spec bump, Apple could make the headset lighter and cheaper.

This would address two of the biggest complaints with Apple’s first mixed-reality headset.

The next big iPadOS overhaul will make the OS more like macOS. That’s what a new report claims, indicating Apple will focus on “productivity, multitasking and app window management.”

All these changes will make iPadOS behave closer to macOS than iOS.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest video from Front Page Tech leaker in chief Jon Prosser gives us a closer look at what iOS 19 might look like. Its glossy UI elements and rounder “squircles” for app icons get us pondering the future. And the feud between Prosser and Bloomberg scoop machine Mark Gurman gets us laughing!

Also on The CultCast:

• The iPhone 17 Pro might not look as different as previous rumors indicated.
• The threat of rising prices due to tariffs propels some shoppers to Apple stores for a little (probably unnecessary 😬) panic buying.
• On a related topic, if you thought Apple might move its manufacturing to the United States to avoid import tariffs, don’t hold your breath.
• And finally, Griffin explains how you can do almost anything on your iPhone using voice commands.

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’s release date for a much smarter version of Siri will reportedly come in the fall, according to sources inside the company. While that’s many months later than Apple originally hoped, it’s still far sooner than some people feared.

Perhaps a recent shakeup of the Siri management team is bearing fruit.

A new YouTube video offers a glimpse at major design changes reportedly coming to iOS 19, with visionOS-inspired user interface elements and rounder “squircle” app icons.

Released Monday by Front Page Tech, the video shows re-created renders of the iPhone operating system based on information provided by an unnamed source within Apple.

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup might not ship with as many design changes as rumors initially suggested. Instead, a new report says the iPhone 17 Pro could look much like the iPhone 16 Pro.

Despite this, Apple reportedly will introduce the biggest design changes to the iPhone lineup this year since the iPhone 12 in 2020.