The Federal Communications Commission accidentally exposed Apple’s plans for several unreleased products, including an updated Vision Pro headset, new MacBook Pro models and refreshed iPad Pro tablets, on Tuesday. The FCC leaks of Apple products mark the latest in a series of premature disclosures from the regulatory agency that have frustrated Apple’s typically secretive product launch strategy.
FCC leaks of Apple products: Vision Pro refresh spotted in testing documents
Following a recent leak of iPhone 16e schematics by the FCC, the most intriguing new and apparently accidental revelation comes in the form of a new “Head Mounted Device” carrying the model number A3416, a significant jump from the current Vision Pro’s A2117 designation.
The FCC documents — which include transmission tests, radiofrequency energy absorption reports and WLAN assessments — don’t reveal extensive specifications for the next version of Apple’s headset. But they confirm Apple’s work on a successor to its mixed reality headset, according to the leaks first spotted by MacRumors.
Next Vision Pro
Industry rumors suggest this won’t be a complete Vision Pro redesign but rather a specification upgrade focused on performance improvements. The current Vision Pro ships with Apple’s M2 chip, and the updated model is expected to feature the upcoming M5 processor. That will enhance computational power for the $3,499 device.
Notably, the testing documents indicate the headset will continue using Wi-Fi 6 rather than upgrading to Wi-Fi 7, as there’s no evidence of 6GHz Wi-Fi support in the FCC’s evaluation.
The timing of this leak suggests a potential announcement could arrive soon, possibly at an October or November event where Apple might also unveil M5-powered Macs and iPads. However, some analysts think the Vision Pro update might not surface until spring 2026.
MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models also revealed
Beyond the Vision Pro, the FCC documents reference model number A3434 for an unreleased MacBook Pro, likely featuring Apple’s M5 chip lineup. The agency also confirmed multiple iPad Pro variants. They include 11-inch and 13-inch models in Wi-Fi and cellular configurations.
Interestingly, while the M5 iPad Pro models appear to support Wi-Fi 7, the MacBook Pro listing does not. That suggests different wireless capabilities across product lines.
Coincidentally, an M5 iPad Pro unboxing video surfaced Tuesday, revealing a familiar form factor and blistering benchmarks for the M5 chip.
FCC filings typically appear just weeks before a product launch, indicating Apple may be preparing announcements for the coming months. Some sources suggest new iPad Pro models could arrive before year’s end.
FCC leaks of Apple products: Pattern of premature disclosures
This incident continues an unfortunate trend for Apple involving FCC. Earlier this week, the FCC published a 163-page document containing complete schematics of the iPhone 16e. Previous leaks exposed various other unannounced products.
Each document included confidentiality requests from Apple that the FCC apparently overlooked or disregarded. That raises questions about the agency’s handling of sensitive pre-release information from technology manufacturers.
