Apple's services business is expected to hit $100 billion in annual revenue for the first time this year, reports the Financial Times.
Apple's services unit is expected to deliver annual revenues of $108.6 billion in the year to last month, which is up around 13 percent from the previous year. That's according to analysts' estimates at Visible Alpha.
If the estimates prove accurate when Apple reports its Q4 fiscal results this week, Apple's services division will be larger than the entire annual sales of Disney or Tesla this year. According to JPMorgan, services could make up a quarter of Apple's revenue but as much as 50 percent of its profit.
Apple's services business includes revenue generated from the App Store, iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, AppleCare, and Apple Pay. It also benefits from Apple's multibillion-dollar deal with Google to make it the default search engine on Apple devices.
The report notes that the mammoth revenues of Apple's high-margin division come despite mounting legal and regulatory pressure on its App Store, both from a looming U.S. anti-competition case from the Justice Department and new regulations in Europe that could curtail its App Store fees of up to 30 percent on digital goods purchases.
Despite ongoing legal challenges, analysts expect services to account for a growing share of Apple's business in the coming years, driven in part by the company's media expansion into live sports – including its recent $700 million deal to stream Formula 1 races in the U.S.
According to Visible Alpha estimates, services could account for over 30 percent of Apple's total revenue by the end of the decade, with sales potentially reaching $175 billion. By comparison, the iPhone is projected to account for roughly half of Apple's estimated $415 billion in total revenue for fiscal 2025, with smartphone sales expected to grow about 4 percent.
For the 20th anniversary iPhone due in 2027, Apple is developing a solid-state button system as a wholesale replacement for the device's traditional mechanical buttons. That's the latest claim from Weibo account "Instant Digital," and it's not the first of its kind from the Chinese leaker.
Back in 2022, several reports suggested Apple intended to bring solid-state buttons to the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023 as part of "Project Bongo." However, the plan was reportedly canceled at a late stage. They were then rumored to come to the iPhone 16 Pro, before being shelved indefinitely.
Subsequently in April and May this year, Instant Digital claimed that Apple was still investigating haptic buttons for a future iPhone. They even went so far as to suggest that the project is active not just for the iPhone, but for Apple's "entire product line," including iPad and Apple Watch.
Now the leaker claims that solid-state buttons will debut on the 20th anniversary iPhone or "iPhone XX," which will reportedly feature the biggest design shake-up since 2017's iPhone X. According to the leaker, Apple's solid-state button design has completed functional verification, and includes haptic feedback for the Side button, volume buttons, Action button, and Camera Control button.
Solid-state haptic buttons reduce mechanical wear, while enabling users to differentiate between a light press and a firm press to trigger different functions. The current design reportedly integrates buttons directly into the device frame with zero physical movement when pressed. But Apple wants these haptic buttons to feel like real buttons, not like pressing on a ridged piece of metal. Instant Digital speculates that Apple may adopt a vibration-based sound system that uses the back panel or frame to produce audio, combined with an AI-based sound compensation algorithm.
The rumor adds a new dimension to reports that claim Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone could look like a slab of glass with no cutouts and no bezels. Apple is reportedly working on a display that curves down around all four edges of the device for a borderless visual experience.
If Apple truly intends to release such a device, then traditional mechanical buttons – requiring physical openings in the chassis – arguably become design liabilities. Solid-state haptic buttons could elegantly resolve that tension with a visually uninterrupted design.
With a wraparound display, the edges of the screen could potentially merge into the button zones, creating interaction regions that subtly illuminate or shift depending on context – something that would be impossible with mechanical components.
It's an intriguing prospect, but one we'll have to wait for corroboration from other sources before getting too excited about. Until then, the restart of Project Bongo at Apple remains another unconfirmed rumor.
WhatsApp is developing a feature that will let users micro-manage the storage taken up by shared files in individual chat threads, greatly expanding the current storage management tools offered by the Meta-owned app.
In its existing form, WhatsApp lets you manage storage globally by going to Settings ➝ Storage and Data ➝ Manage Storage, where files and media can be browsed from every conversation.
There's also a "Media, Links, and Docs" option within each chat's info page where you can look at all of the shared files in a conversation, but it doesn't tell you how much space each file takes up.
To improve the situation, a new "Manage Storage" option has been added directly to the chat info page in the latest WhatsApp beta. As spotted by WaBetaInfo, the new section shows you how much storage each conversation takes up on your device. You can also view a grid of media shared within a chat, including photos, videos, and documents, organized by file size. There are also sorting options like "Newest," "Oldest," and "Largest" to help quickly locate specific items.
The change should make it easier to learn which files are taking up the most storage on your device within a given conversation, rather than having to trawl through a global gallery of files to find them. It's not clear when the new storage management tool will go live for users, but given its advanced development progress in the beta, we shouldn't have to wait too long.
Apple today scored a victory in a long-running antitrust lawsuit when the judge overseeing the case decertified it. The antitrust lawsuit was originally filed in 2011, accusing Apple of monopolizing the iPhone app ecosystem by refusing to allow customers to download apps outside of the App Store.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has been handling the case since 2012, but it did make its way through the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and to the Supreme Court before being remanded back to a lower court. The case has dragged on because the plaintiffs have struggled to support their claims, demonstrate classwide harm, and provide a method for calculating the number of injured parties, and that's why it's now been decertified. Decertification means the case can no longer proceed as a class action lawsuit that represents all iPhone users who bought apps through the App Store. Instead, anyone who wants to sue Apple over the issue would need to file an individual lawsuit.
In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that it was pleased with the court's decision.
We're pleased the Court recognized the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate the alleged harm to consumers and decertified the class. We continue to invest significantly to make the App Store a safe and trusted place for users to discover apps and a great business opportunity for developers.
The plaintiffs tried several times for class action certification and failed until 2023, when the court accepted expert testimony that promised a way to determine injury and damages on a classwide basis. At that time, Rogers granted the lawsuit class action status, but warned the plaintiffs that they would need to follow through with a functional model for determining who was harmed by Apple's actions and counted as a class member.
The plaintiffs needed to match Apple's payor records to consumers to calculate the number of people harmed, but the expert hired to do so made multiple serious errors and the data was not able to be used. Apple filed to have the error ridden data dismissed and for decertification, and Rogers granted both.
Rogers said the expert that the plaintiffs used was "not qualified," his methods were "not reliable," and he "did not reliably apply his methods," so his testimony was not considered relevant. The plaintiffs failed to provide a methodology to match Apple ID accounts to consumers, and are not able to prove damages on a classwide basis.
The plaintiffs plan to appeal the decertification.
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box.
We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors.
New A-Series Chip - The next-generation Apple TV is expected to get an updated A-series chip, and Apple backend code we found suggests that it'll use the A17 Pro. The A17 Pro is the chip that Apple first used in the iPhone 15 Pro models, and it would bring Apple Intelligence support to the Apple TV for the first time. The A17 Pro is built on 3-nanometer technology and it would also bring support for console-quality games thanks to much improved CPU and GPU performance. It'll be a significant improvement over the current A15 Bionic chip.
Apple-designed Wi-Fi Chip - Apple debuted its custom N1 networking chip in the iPhone 17 models, and rumors suggest that the N1 will also be used in the upcoming Apple TV. It adds support for Wi-Fi 7, which is not a current Apple TV feature. With Wi-Fi 7 support, the Apple TV will be able to connect to Wi-Fi networks that support the faster and less crowded 6GHz band. Users can expect faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency.
Better Siri - With a faster chip that supports Apple Intelligence, the next-generation Apple TV will support the LLM version of Siri that Apple plans to debut next year. Siri will be more like Claude or ChatGPT, which could lead to better Apple TV recommendations, the option to use voice commands to do more than before, better support for questions about actors and music in movies and shows, and much more. Siri improvements won't come until spring 2026.
A Camera? - This is far from guaranteed and we haven't heard anything about it for quite some time, but there have been rumors suggesting that a future version of the Apple TV could have a front-facing camera for FaceTime. Right now, the Apple TV requires a connected iPhone for FaceTime calls, but if a built-in camera is added, an iPhone wouldn't be needed. A camera could also add support for gesture-based controls.
tvOS 26 - The next-generation Apple TV will run tvOS 26, the latest version of tvOS that came out in September. tvOS 26 has the new Liquid Glass design, changes to the Apple TV app interface, easier profile selection when logging in, Live Captions for FaceTime, and new aerial screensavers. There's also an option to use an iPhone as a microphone with the Apple Music Sing karaoke feature on the Apple TV.
Pricing - There's a possibility that Apple will cut costs for the next Apple TV, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that Apple is targeting a price point around $100. With the A17 Pro chip and the N1 chip, Apple might not be able to hit that price with the flagship model, but there could be a lower-end entry-level option that's more affordable. Pricing right now starts at $129.
Apple could release the new Apple TV model before the end of the year in November or December, but at this point it's also possible we won't be seeing it until early 2026.
For more on the next Apple TV 4K, we have a dedicated rumor guide that receives regular updates.
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further.
We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded up all the rumors that we've heard about the 20th anniversary iPhone so far.
Bezel-Free Design With Curved Display
Apple's longtime goal has been an iPhone that looks like a slab of glass with no cutouts and no bezels, and that might become a reality in 2027.
Apple is supposedly working on a display that curves down around all four edges of the device for a borderless visual experience. There would be no bezels with a display that wraps around the iPhone's frame. That kind of design would be delicate and might restrict the kind of cases that could be used, but Apple has started improving the durability of the iPhone. This year's models use Ceramic Shield 2, which is more resistant to scratching and breakage.
Samsung did displays with curved edges for its Galaxy smartphones for several years, but its designs were never entirely bezel-free. Samsung ditched the curved look with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
If Apple does go with the curved display, we could get an iPhone that resembles a flat slab of glass.
Under Display Face ID and Camera
To make the all-glass design happen, Apple needs to get rid of the Dynamic Island and the cutout for the front-facing camera. Rumors are mixed on whether that's going to happen.
Display analyst Ross Young said that Apple won't have under-display Face ID ready to go for a 2027 iPhone, but other leakers think it's possible. If Apple can't get everything under the display, we may see under-display Face ID and then a small hole-punch cutout on the front for the front-facing camera.
OLED Improvements
Apple is planning to use a brighter, thinner OLED panel for the 20th anniversary iPhone. Rumors suggest that Apple will adopt Samsung OLED displays with Color Filter on Encapsulation (COE) technology. COE displays remove the polarizing film from an OLED panel, applying the color filter directly onto the encapsulation layer of the display.
The technique reduces the thickness of the overall display stack, and it lets more light through to improve brightness while reducing power draw. Reflections are harder to deal with when there's no polarizing film, but in this year's iPhones, Apple added a new anti-reflective coating that could be improved for future versions of the iPhone.
With deeply curved edges, Apple also plans to add a crater-shaped light diffusion layer that will provide uniform brightness across the display.
Camera Improvements
Apple might adopt a custom HDR sensor for better dynamic range for the Fusion camera. This would join improvements rumored for the iPhone 18 models like a variable lens aperture.
The upgraded sensor would be able to capture detail in bright highlights and dark shadows in a single frame, for up to 20 stops of dynamic range. That would be comparable to a high-end cinematic camera.
An Apple-Designed Modem Chip
So far, Apple has used its C1 and C1X modems in the iPhone 16e and the iPhone Air, but the company's plan is to bring its modem technology to the entire iPhone lineup. Apple is aiming to have modems that outperform Qualcomm modems by 2027, which is coincidentally the year we're expecting the 20th anniversary iPhone.
Apple-designed modems are much more power efficient than Qualcomm modems due to Apple's ability to better integrate the different hardware components in the iPhone. Apple expects to outperform Qualcomm in speed and AI functionality in 2027, and an Apple modem will also bring a major efficiency boost for better battery life.
A-Series Chip
Apple could transition to smaller, faster, and more efficient 2-nanometer chips with the iPhone 18 lineup, but the 20th anniversary models would likely use a second-generation 2-nanometer chip. The iPhone 18 models are expected to get A20 chips, so the iPhone 20 models could get the A21.
Apple chipmaker TSMC is already working on a 1.4-nanometer node, but it won't be ready until 2028 at the earliest.
No iPhone 19
The iPhone 17 came out in 2025 and we're expecting the iPhone 18 line in 2026. The iPhone 19 in 2027 would be the next logical step, but Apple is probably going to skip the iPhone 19.
In 2017, Apple released both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X with no iPhone 9, and in 2027, we'll probably transition from the iPhone 18 to the iPhone 20, the iPhone XX, or whatever else Apple decides to name the anniversary iPhone.
Foldable iPhone
While Apple has been targeting 2026 for the first foldable iPhone, we've recently been hearing rumors that there might be delays. A Japanese analyst firm said earlier this month that the first foldable iPhone could be delayed until 2027, which would mean a launch during Apple's 20th anniversary.
Launch Timing
The first-generation iPhone was announced in January 2007 and then launched in June 2007, so technically the iPhone's 20th anniversary will happen on June 29, 2027. Apple isn't likely to debut a new iPhone outside of the September timeframe though, so we're still expecting the 20th anniversary iPhone to be released in September 2027.
It's possible that Apple will announce the iPhone earlier in the year or hint at a 20th anniversary device, but that didn't happen with the iPhone X and it simply launched in September as normal.
Meta today announced that the Threads social network is gaining support for disappearing posts. "Ghost posts" are Threads posts that will be automatically archived after a 24-hour period.
Replies to ghost posts are sent to the user's direct message inbox, with no comments or likes shared publicly. Creating a ghost post can be done by tapping on the new ghost icon that's available when composing a post.
Ghost posts appear as a chat bubble with a gray background in the Threads feed, so they stand out compared to regular posts.
Meta says that the feature will allow Threads users to share "unfiltered thoughts and fresh takes without the pressure of permanence or polish." Ghost posts are available now.
Amazon and Best Buy are hosting big discounts across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with deals that represent all-time lows across every model of the computer. In total, you'll find $200 off the M4 MacBook Air notebook right now, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.
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Prices start at $799.00 for the 13-inch 256GB model at Best Buy, down from $999.00. If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $999.00 at both retailers, down from $1,199.00.
Of course, you'll also find all of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday.
On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year."
Apple's website previously said a software update would be required to use the feature, but it no longer mentions that. As a result, it is unclear if the feature will require an update like iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2, or if it will be enabled with a server-side update.
After creating a digital passport in the Wallet app, you will be able to present it in person at TSA checkpoints in select U.S. airports for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. However, Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing purposes.
Apple says the Digital ID feature is secure, private, and compliant with REAL ID.
It will also be possible to use the Digital ID feature for age and identity verification in apps, online, and in stores, according to Apple.
Apple says the feature will be compatible with U.S. passports only. However, perhaps it will expand to additional countries in the future.
Other details mentioned by Bailey:
Apple Pay is available in 89 countries and regions
Apple Pay is accepted by 90% of retailers in the U.S.
Apple Wallet's car key feature is available in more than 300 vehicle models across 29 brands
Apple Wallet app's hotel key card features works with more than 65,000 hotel rooms
Tap to Pay on iPhone is live in 48 countries and regions
Woot this week has introduced a big sale on Samsung monitors, offering up to 53 percent off select monitors. Every monitor in this sale is in new condition and comes with a one year Samsung limited warranty.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
There are many different monitors on sale at Woot, including cheaper entry-level models for anyone looking to add a second screen to their work station. There's also Samsung's high-end Odyssey series of gaming monitors and the iMac-like Smart Monitor series.
We've rounded up a few of the options in the list below, but be sure to check out Woot's website for the full sale. Woot says that this sale will end on October 31 or until they sell out, so if you're interested be sure to shop soon.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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Apple's upcoming iPhone 17e may feature the Dynamic Island, according to a known online leaker.
The leaker known as "Digital Chat Station" shared the information on Weibo in the comments of a post detailing that Apple's apparent plan to equip next year's iPhone 18 Pro models with a variable aperture lens.
The Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped interactive area at the top of the screen that displays ongoing activities, incorporating the camera and other front-facing sensors. It was introduced in place of the "notch" with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max and expanded to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus a year later. It has yet to be present on any entry-level iPhones.
The leaker added that despite the presence of the Dynamic Island, the iPhone 17e will retain a 60Hz OLED display. This would mean the device essentially shares the same panel as the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16, which seems believable as Apple's entry level devices largely re-use slightly older technology from other products.
The leaker corroborated reports that the device will launch in the first half of 2026, probably around a year after the launch of the iPhone 16e in February. It is likely to feature the A19 chip, with few other enhancements.
Apple might be preparing iPad apps for Pixelmator Pro, Compressor, Motion, and MainStage, according to new App Store IDs uncovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. All four of the apps are currently available on the Mac only.
Compressor: Final Cut Pro companion app for compressing audio and video files
Motion: Final Cut Pro companion app for creating 2D/3D titles, transitions, and effects
MainStage: Logic Pro companion app for live performances
There is already a less-capable Pixelmator app available for the iPad and iPhone.
Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro have been available on select iPad models since May 2023, but Apple's companion apps have remained limited to the Mac.
A subscription is required to use Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro on the iPad. In the U.S., the iPad versions of both apps cost $4.99 per month, or $49 per year.
Pixelmator Pro, Compressor, Motion, and MainStage are available for one-time purchase on the Mac, with prices ranging from $29.99 to $49.99. It is unclear if Apple would make the iPad versions of these apps require a subscription too.
It is also unclear when Apple would announce these iPad apps. The annual Final Cut Pro Creative Summit is typically held in November, and Apple occasionally times these sorts of announcements with the conference, but the next edition of the event is postponed until spring 2026. However, an announcement could still happen at any time.
Apple could debut LOFIC camera sensor technology in its 2027 iPhone lineup, according to new information coming out of Korea. The tech would allow iPhones to capture photos with far more detail in both bright and dark areas of the same shot without losing information in either.
LOFIC, or Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor, is a next-generation imaging technology that enables each pixel to store varying amounts of light based on scene brightness. This allows a sensor to capture detail in both bright highlights and dark shadows within a single frame, potentially reaching up to 20 stops of dynamic range – comparable to high-end cinema cameras and approaching the range of human vision.
According to the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, Chinese manufacturers including Honor, Xiaomi, and Huawei plan to adopt LOFIC technology in their 2026 flagship smartphones using new Sony sensors, while OPPO and Vivo are also developing LOFIC-equipped models for release next year. Apple's adoption will reportedly follow in 2027.
Apple first detailed LOFIC in an image sensor patent filed in July, describing a stacked sensor design with a dedicated light-capture layer and a processing layer that handles real-time noise reduction. Apple has reportedly already developed a working prototype and may be testing it in developmental hardware.
Apple currently uses sensors made by Sony across the iPhone lineup. Those sensors also use a two-layer design, but Apple's proposed version includes several innovative features and takes up less space. Based on the adoption roadmap in today's report, Apple could be planning to debut its custom image sensor in the 20th anniversary iPhone. Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for the anniversary model that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device.
Apple intends to equip next year's iPhone 18 Pro models with a variable aperture lens, according to a Chinese leaker with information allegedly sourced from Apple's supply chain.
According to the Weibo account Digital Chat Station, the main rear camera – what Apple calls the 48-megapixel Fusion camera – on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. The leaker also claims that the devices' main and telephoto lenses will feature a larger aperture.
A variable-aperture system physically adjusts the lens opening, letting more light in for low-light shots or narrowing the opening for brighter scenes and deeper depth of field.
The main cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro, 16 Pro, and 17 Pro all use a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture, where the lens is permanently set to its widest setting. With a variable lens, the iPhone 18 Pro would allow users to manually shift the aperture, similar to on a DSLR camera. This would mean more control over depth of field, enabling sharper focus on subjects or smoother background blur.
It isn't the first time we've heard rumors of Apple planning to bring variable aperture to the iPhone. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in November 2024 that Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models will get the feature.
Variable aperture was rumored for at least one iPhone 17 model, but it failed to materialize. iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to launch in September 2026.
Digital Chat Station has a decent track record for Apple rumors. They accurately revealed that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would feature a slightly smaller 48-megapixel sensor than the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as the display panel design of the iPhone 12 back in 2020.
This week Apple's AirTag 4-Pack hit an all-time low price at $34 off, and we're still tracking this great deal today, along with big discounts on AirPods, charging accessories on Amazon, and the 11th generation iPad.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
AirPods
What's the deal? Take up to $69 off AirPods Max and AirPods Pro 2
The AirPods Pro 2 are at a solid $79 discount this week on Amazon, available for $169.99, down from $249.00. You can also get the AirPods Max for $479.99, down from $549.00.
Amazon has the AirTag 4-Pack for the all-time low price of $64.99, down from $99.00. You can also get a 1-Pack for $24.99, which is a second-best price.
Amazon Sale
What's the deal? Save on popular brands like Anker, Jackery, and Ecovacs
Amazon this week has a few notable sales from popular brands like Satechi, Jackery, Anker, and Ecovacs. These include discounts on everything from MagSafe-compatible car chargers to portable power stations, Find My compatible wallets, and robot vacuums. You can find every deal in our original post.
Amazon this week is taking $50 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in search.
The system is said to be similar to Search Ads in the App Store, which allows developers to pay to have their software appear in a promoted slot above other results for relevant queries. Apple's approach reportedly leverages AI to deliver relevant and useful results, in a better interface than similar offerings from Google and other companies. Gurman warned that the move risks some amount of consumer backlash.
Apple is planning to bring an iPhone 17 Pro-style vapor chamber to the iPad Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that with increasingly powerful chips, Apple is planning to bring vapor chamber cooling to the iPad Pro. The new feature could arrive as soon as with the next generation, which will likely feature the "M6" chip made with TSMC's 2-nanometer process. The liquid cooling system would help mitigate throttling, especially as the iPad Pro becomes more capable at handling intense workflows.
If the move to bring a vapor chamber to the iPhone and iPad Pro prove successful, Apple could turn its attention to bringing the technology to other passively cooled devices like the MacBook Air. Apple is now seemingly operating an approximate 18-month refresh cycle for the iPad Pro, so next-generation model should arrive in the spring of 2027, according to Gurman.
Apple used the launch week of the M5 Vision Pro this week to run a two-day "Meet with Apple" program for developers, with a focus on building immersive media and interactive apps for visionOS 26.
Apple invited developers to its Developer Center in Cupertino, hosting sessions on how to create Apple Immersive Video, design spatial interactions, and use features such as SharePlay and spatial Personas.
During this Day 1 livestream, we'll show how visionOS 26 can help you tell impactful immersive and interactive stories. You'll learn how to frame your creative ideas for formats like Apple Immersive Video and explore real-world examples from past productions. You'll discover how to design for spatial interaction and tell stories that make the audience part of your experience. And you'll find out how to use SharePlay and spatial Personas to help people connect over your ideas.
On Day 2, we'll dive deep into Apple Immersive Video and Apple Spatial Audio. You'll discover how to create entirely new media experiences, get started with Apple Immersive Video, explore new production workflows, and dig into previous Apple Immersive productions.
Full recordings of both day one and day two are available for replay on the Apple Developer YouTube channel. Apple announced the M5 Vision Pro on October 15 and in-store availability began on October 22.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
