Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that the A20 chip in iPhone 18 models will be manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process.
Kuo said TSMC's trial production of 2nm chips has now reached yields well above the 60-70% range. The yield refers to the percentage of functional chips that can be obtained per silicon wafer, which is essentially a large, circular disc of chips.
An earlier rumor saying the A20 chip would remain 3nm was retracted.
This is ultimately good news, as the A20 chip being 2nm instead of 3nm means it will have more substantial performance and power efficiency improvements over the A19 chip for iPhone 17 models. Kuo, Pu, and others have all said that the A19 chip will be manufactured with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, called N3P.
The move from a 3nm to 2nm process allows for more transistors in each chip, which helps to boost performance. Specifically, reports indicate that A20 chips should be up to 15% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than A19 chips.
An overview of current and expected chips:
A17 Pro chip: 3nm (TSMC's first-generation 3nm process N3B)
A18 and A18 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's second-generation 3nm process N3E)
A19 and A19 Pro chips: 3nm (TSMC's third-generation 3m process N3P)
A20 and A20 Pro chips: 2nm (TSMC's first-generation 2nm process N2)
Keep in mind that these nanometer sizes are simply TSMC marketing terms, rather than actual measurements.
iPhone 18 models are still a year and a half away from launching.
Rockwell's experience with hardware also could help the company more deeply embed AI into its future devices. Already, the company is exploring the idea of AirPods with outward-facing cameras that could feed data to AI.
The cameras would technically be infrared sensors.
In a June 2024 blog post, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple planned to mass produce new AirPods with infrared cameras by 2026. He said the infrared camera component would be similar to the iPhone's Face ID receiver.
Kuo said the new AirPods with infrared cameras would provide an enhanced spatial audio experience with Apple's Vision Pro headset.
"For example, when a user is watching a video with Vision Pro and wearing this new AirPods, if users turn their heads to look in a specific direction, the sound source in that direction can be emphasized to enhance the spatial audio/computing experience," wrote Kuo.
The infrared cameras could potentially enable "in-air gesture control" as well, allowing for device interaction with hand movements.
If the alleged 2026 mass production timeframe remains on schedule, the new AirPods with infrared cameras could launch in 2026 or 2027.
Amazon has a few discounts on Apple's 11th generation iPad this weekend, including all-time low prices on each of the three Wi-Fi configurations of the tablet. Prices start at $328.86 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00.
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.
This sale is available in Silver and Blue, while Pink and Yellow are just a few cents higher. Although this is just a $20 discount, it remains the lowest price we've ever tracked for the new iPad, and right now only Amazon has these record low prices.
You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $419.80, down from $449.00, and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $601.67, down from $649.00. We're not tracking any discounts on the cellular models of the 11th generation iPad right now.
The 11th generation iPad is mainly a spec bump for the tablet line, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage, with the same design as the 10th generation iPad. The new iPad starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. The previous model was only available in 64GB and 256GB configurations.
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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With a bit of a lull in Apple product news following the launches of the latest Mac, iPad, and iPhone updates for early 2025, attention is turning back to rumors about other upcoming products with the all-new "iPhone 17 Air" for later this year and even next year's iPhone 18 Pro seeing some recent rumors.
Apple is also still getting attention for its delay announcement around the forthcoming Siri update based on Apple Intelligence, with the company seeking to generate some fresh energy for the project by bringing in new leadership, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Ultra-Thin 'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Include These 12 Features
Rumors and leaks indicate we're getting a new iPhone model this year, with an "iPhone 17 Air" replacing the Plus model that's been in the lineup for past several years and coming in at around the same $899 starting price point.
While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors suggest it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a single speaker, and an A19 chip instead of a more powerful A19 Pro chip.
The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly include a 6.6-inch display, and while Apple reportedly prototyped a larger model with a 6.9-inch screen, the company is said to have decided against it due to concerns over an ultra-thin form factor at that size being susceptible to bending.
Vision Pro Creator Taking Over Siri After Apple Intelligence Setbacks
Report: Apple TV+ Losing $1 Billion Annually as Apple Services Falter
Apple is known to have been investing large sums of money into Apple TV+ in an effort to expand its services business, but it's never been revealed how well the service is performing for Apple.
A new report from The Information claims that Apple TV+ has around 45 million subscribers worldwide, making it a small player in the streaming video market, and that the service is losing roughly $1 billion per year.
Apple has reportedly been trying to tighten up the purse strings a bit to move closer to breaking even on Apple TV+, but it's not the only Apple service that's not exactly pulling its weight in the high-margin services sector, as Apple Music interest seems to be plateauing while Apple News+, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness+ are also not seeing significant growth.
Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features
We're still nearly six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 17 lineup, but that doesn't mean the rumor mill isn't already looking beyond to the 2026 models.
For Apple's high-end iPhone 18 Pro models, rumors have suggested we could see under-display Face ID for a much smaller Dynamic Island, a variable aperture main camera, Apple's next-generation C2 cellular modem, and an A20 chip with upgrades to benefit Apple Intelligence.
Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple has been rumored to be working on several foldable devices, with a foldable iPhone potentially being the first one out the door in late 2026 or early 2027. Based on supply chain checks, Barclays analyst Tim Long believes the device could start at around $2,300, representing a huge premium over Apple's traditional flagship phones.
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
We're not getting new SiriApple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April.
Priority Notifications
If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence, iOS 18.4 adds support for Priority Notifications, one of the features that Apple announced when introducing Apple Intelligence at the June 2024 WWDC event.
Priority Notifications display your most important messages first, highlighting them in a special section on the Lock Screen. Apple uses Apple Intelligence to decide which notifications deserve priority status, and it's typically messages notifications that need to be viewed or responded to imminently.
Upcoming deliveries are highlighted, for example, as are meetings that are happening, calendar alerts for events that are coming up that day, reminders that are due, and messages that look like they need a quick response, such as a dinner invitation.
Priority Notifications can be turned on for all apps, or set up on a per-app basis in the Notifications section of the Settings app. In the beta, Priority Notifications is not on by default, and it needs to be enabled, but that could change before iOS 18.4 is released to the public.
Apple is also adding new languages to Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.4, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.
Visual Intelligence Updates
For iPhone 15 Pro users, iOS 18.4 brings Visual Intelligence, a feature that was previously limited to the iPhone 16 models. Apple initially limited Visual Intelligence to iPhones with a Camera Control button, but with the iPhone 16e, Apple added an Action Button activation option, and that's what's used for the iPhone 15 Pro, too.
Visual Intelligence can be activated by linking it to the Action Button, but there's also a new Apple Intelligence section in Control Center that includes a Visual Intelligence button as an alternative way to launch it.
The Action Button and Control Center options for Visual Intelligence can also be used on iPhone 16 models, so if you have an iPhone 16 and don't like the Camera Control long press to activate Visual Intelligence, you can now use these alternatives.
New Emoji
There are a handful of new emoji characters that are available in iOS 18.4, and that's always a big deal for emoji fans. The new emoji characters include bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.
Ambient Music
iOS 18.4 has an Ambient Music toggle that can be added to Control Center. You can choose from four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Selecting one of the Ambient Music categories plays a random selection of sounds or music from that category.
There is no dedicated Ambient Music app and you can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's playing.
App Store Downloads
In iOS 18.4, when you download an app from the App Store, you can pause the download right from the update list. It's a small change, but one that is useful if you're in a situation where you have low signal and need to do something else while an app download is in progress.
Before now, you could only stop and restart an app installation from the App Store interface.
Apple also added App Store review summaries, which makes it easier to see what people think of an app at a glance.
Bonus for Vision Pro Users: Guest Mode Controls
Apple added an iPhone app for the Apple Vision Pro in iOS 18.4, and it can be used to view info about the Vision Pro, find content to watch, and download apps to the headset. Overall, it's not super exciting.
What is useful, though, is an option to control Guest Mode from your iPhone or iPad if someone is using your Vision Pro. When someone that isn't you picks up your Vision Pro and puts it on, you'll see a pop up on your iPhone. From there, you can choose what apps and experiences the person will view, and you can use AirPlay mode to guide them through their Vision Pro experience.
We're on the fourth beta of iOS 18.4, and there are likely a couple more to go. Apple plans to release iOS 18.4 in early April alongside iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4.
A rare, operational Apple-1 Computer was recently put up for auction, and it ended up selling for $375,000. The Apple-1 was the first computer sold by Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and so few remain that they fetch high prices at auction.
The Apple-1 that sold is known as the "Bayville" Apple-1, and it is number 91 on the Apple-1 Registry. The Apple-1 Registry aggregates all known remaining Apple-1 computers, and it includes details and a history for each one. The registry has 104 Apple-1 machines listed.
The Bayville Apple-1 was part of the first batch of Apple-1 machines sold in 1976, and it has a handwritten serial number that was likely penned by Steve Jobs. It was sold with an original manual with a handwritten note by Daniel Kottke, who was Apple employee number 12.
The Apple-1 was sold alongside many other Apple-related items as part of a "Steve Jobs and the Apple Revolution" auction event. A 1976 Apple Computer check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $112,054, and a sealed, first-generation 4GB iPhone sold for $87,514.
Another check signed by Steve Jobs sold for $62,500, and an Apple Lisa Computer sold for $56,818. The auction earned a total of $1,308,251.
If you want to draw, sketch, or take notes on your iPad, the Rock Paper Pencil kit is a must have. It's the best way to match the feel of writing on paper, and it makes using an iPad as a writing surface much more pleasant.
Rock Paper Pencil is an all-in-one kit that includes a textured screen protector and a special tip that connects to the Apple Pencil. This combination turns the glossy, unnatural feel of writing on an iPad into a natural, paper-like experience. Not only does it feel like writing on paper, it sounds like writing on paper, plus you get more control over stroke output because of the friction from the added texture.
Astropad's screen protector uses NanoCling technology to adhere to the iPad with static cling, and you can put it on and take it off as needed with zero residue on the iPad's display. With the NanoCling technology, the screen protector fits right up against the display of the iPad, providing a flat surface with no ridges or gaps.
Rock Paper Pencil's tip fits on the Apple Pencil Pro and other Apple Pencil models, and it is able to hold up to heavy daily use. It has a wear-resistant copper alloy core with a palladium exterior coating, and the size is equivalent to an 0.7mm ballpoint pen for precision writing and sketching. You get two pencil tips with the kit, along with a protective storage sleeve so you can tuck away the screen protector when you're not using it.
Available for $45, the Rock Paper Pencil kit is compatible with Apple's new M3 iPad Air models, and it is also compatible with other iPad models. It works with the M2 iPad Air, both iPad Pro models, the sixth and seventh-generation iPad mini models, and the 7th-generation and later iPad.
Astropad is offering a 128GB 11-inch M3 iPad Air, Rock Paper Pencil, and Apple Pencil Pro to one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
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The contest will run from today (March 21) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 28. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after March 28 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
With the context of his insider knowledge, Mark gives us his thoughts on Apple's recent announcement that it is further delaying the major Siri Apple Intelligence features that it expected to release as part of iOS 18. He gives us a sense of the scale of the crisis and when to expect the remaining features to arrive. We also discuss his recent report about a significant internal reshuffle to move Siri from artificial intelligence chief John Giannandrea to Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell.
We delve into the complete redesign rumored for iOS 19, which is believed to be part of a wider push to bring a visionOS-style design language to all of Apple's major platforms. It is expected to be the biggest redesign of the iPhone's software since iOS 7. Mark tells us what users are likely to make of the update and why Apple is devoting so much energy to the redesign amid the problems with Apple Intelligence. He also tells us about the sort of new Apple Intelligence features to expect in iOS 19 and the plan to progressively improve Siri through to iOS 20.
We discuss why the delay in releasing the remaining Apple Intelligence features has delayed the company's long-rumored smart home hub product and the experience it is expected to offer when it launches later this year. We also touch on Apple's problems with allocating developer resources, iPhone 17-exclusive Apple Intelligence features, whether Apple is doing enough to course-correct on AI, Apple TV+ viewing habits, and more.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's recent announcement that several of its most highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features are to be delayed.
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This week saw the return of Woot's big Apple Watch band sale, and alongside that event we're tracking low prices on M3 iPad Air, iPad mini 7, and a new promotion on Disney+ and Hulu.
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.
Apple Watch Band Sale
What's the deal? Take up to 70% off Apple Watch bands
Woot brought back its popular sale on Apple Watch Solo and Braided Loops this week, providing as much as 70 percent off these bands. This time around, you'll also find some deals on accessories like the Siri Remote and USB-C power adapters.
Disney+
What's the deal? Get 72 percent off four months of Disney+ and Hulu
Disney introduced a new promotion this week, offering a bundle of Disney+ (with ads) and Hulu (with ads) for $2.99 per month for four months. You can find out more information about the deal in our original post.
Last week Apple launched the new M3 iPad Air, and Amazon has been providing solid launch window discounts on numerous models this week. You can find up to $70 off these tablets on Amazon, with prices starting at $549.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch model.
Amazon introduced $100 discounts across the iPad mini 7 lineup this week, and these deals are still live right now. Prices start at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, which is an all-time low price.
Samsung
What's the deal? Save on Samsung connected health products and more
Samsung introduced a few new deals on connected health products in its springtime sale this week, including low prices on the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring. There are also numerous discounts on monitors, storage accessories, and home appliances, all of which you can find in our original post.
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
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A few years ago, the American automaker General Motors (GM) announced that it would be phasing out support for CarPlay and Android Auto in its new electric vehicles, in favor of its own software platform. It was a controversial decision, as many drivers who are in the market for a new vehicle consider CarPlay to be a must-have feature.
Looking to capitalize on the situation, one GM dealership near Detroit, Michigan last year partnered with a third party to offer an aftermarket CarPlay installation service in GM's newer EV models. But, according to a report this week from automotive blog The Drive (via The Verge), GM recently blocked the dealership from offering that service due to safety concerns.
"We have made the difficult decision to discontinue this product," said White Automotive & Media Services, on its website that previously offered the CarPlay installation service. "This was not a decision we made lightly, but due to a variety of factors, continuing to offer this product is no longer viable in the long term," it said.
A spokesperson for GM told The Drive that unapproved aftermarket services "could affect critical safety features," and pose other issues.
"Aftermarket services that introduce features not originally designed, thoroughly tested, and approved by GM may cause unintended issues for customers," the GM spokesperson said, in response to this matter. "These issues could affect critical safety features and may also void portions of the vehicle's warranty."
It is unclear if the aftermarket CarPlay system actually poses any safety issues, or if GM is simply unhappy that one dealership decided to go against the company's decision to focus on its own software platform. It is also unclear if customers who already had the installation service completed will be affected in any way.
Update: A source connected to GM told us that the aftermarket CarPlay installation impacted critical vehicle functions and vehicle performance, and they said that future software updates might break CarPlay functionality.
Following the release of season two's finale, Apple today announced that its hit show "Severance" has been renewed for a third season.
In a press release, Apple said that severance broke records as the most watched series on Apple TV+. Severance follows employees at a mysterious corporation who undergo a procedure that surgically divides their work memories from their personal ones, creating two separate consciousnesses. The story follows them as they begin to uncover the truths behind the company and the costs of these split identities.
The show comes from director and executive producer Ben Stiller and creator, writer and executive producer Dan Erickson. Apple has not yet revealed when season three may be released. The complete first and second seasons of Severance are now streaming globally on Apple TV+.
Anthropic has finally added web search capabilities to Claude 3.7 Sonnet, allowing the AI chatbot to access up-to-date information beyond its knowledge cutoff date of October 2024.
Announced on Thursday, the new feature enables Claude to search the internet for current events and information, so its accuracy should be significantly better when answering questions about recent developments.
When Claude uses web search to inform its responses, the interface provides clickable citations that allow you to verify sources and fact-check information, meaning you won't have to conduct separate searches.
The feature is currently available only to paying subscribers in the United States. Anthropic says it plans to roll out web search to free users and additional countries "soon," but the company gave no specific timeline.
Web search functionality has become a standard feature among leading AI chatbots. OpenAI began introducing ChatGPT Search to paying subscribers last fall and eventually made the feature available to all users – including those without a ChatGPT account – early last month.
Anthropic is pitching the web search function as particularly valuable for professionals across various fields. The company suggests sales teams can use it to analyze industry trends, financial analysts can assess current market data, and researchers can build stronger literature reviews by searching across primary sources.
For everyday users, the feature also promises to simplify comparison shopping by evaluating product features, prices, and reviews from multiple sources simultaneously.
Paying Claude users in the US can access web search by enabling the feature through their profile settings menu. The functionality is currently limited to Claude 3.7 Sonnet, which is Anthropic's first "hybrid reasoning model" capable of both quick responses and step-by-step problem solving.
Threads has just introduced several new features aimed at giving users more control over their experience and enhancing content discovery on the social media platform and X rival.
The update includes the ability to add up to ten "Topics" to your bio, which can be used to showcase your interests and connect with like-minded users. When someone visits your profile, the topics will be prominently displayed and can be tapped to view related conversations. Meta says this feature is a test, so it might not be around for ever.
Meanwhile, for content creators, Threads is now suggesting trending topics when drafting posts. According to Meta's internal data, posts with tagged topics generally receive more views than those without, so this could potentially offer a boost to creator reach and engagement.
The platform is also expanding its privacy controls. Users can now restrict replies and quote posts to followers only, building on the Quote Controls feature introduced last November. Meta says the aim is to give users more granular control over who can engage with their content.
Video consumption is also getting an upgrade with a more sophisticated media player. Meta says the improved interface includes new pause, play, and skip buttons, along with a pinned progress bar that allows users to navigate more easily through video content.
And in a policy shift, Threads is beginning to reintroduce political content to the platform "in a more personalized way," following their previous announcement about changing how civic content appears in feeds.
Lastly, users will also gain the ability to customize the order of their feeds, including setting a custom feed as the default view when opening the app.
Google is rolling out an improved Gmail search function powered by AI that the company reckons will "show you the most relevant results, faster."
Search in Gmail has traditionally returned results from your inbox in chronological order based on keywords. That's not great if the email you need was sent months or years ago.
What the new method does to improve things is factor in elements like how often you contact someone, which emails you've clicked the most, and how recently the emails arrived in your inbox.
"With this update, the emails you're looking for are far more likely to be at the top of your search results — saving you valuable time and helping you find important information more easily," claims Google.
The new "most relevant" search results are rolling out globally for users with personal Google accounts, and are accessible on the web and in the official Gmail app for iOS and Android. If it's appearing for you already, you'll be able to toggle between "most relevant" and "most recent" results. Google says it will expand the new feature to business users in the future.
Apple plans to use liquid metal in the hinges of its upcoming foldable iPhone to improve durability and reduce screen creasing, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple has reportedly chosen liquid metal, which is manufactured using a die-casting process, as a key component in addressing common issues with foldable devices. The design choice aims to enhance screen flatness and minimize the crease marks that typically plague folding displays.
Kuo notes that Apple has previously used liquid metal in smaller components like SIM ejector pins, but the foldable iPhone will mark the company's first major use of the material in a critical mechanical part. Dongguan EonTec will reportedly be the exclusive supplier of liquid metal.
Previous reports suggest Apple's foldable iPhone will feature a 7.8-inch main display when unfolded and a 5.5-inch cover display. The device is expected to adopt a book-style design similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold, rather than a clamshell form factor.
According to earlier information from Kuo, the foldable iPhone may include two rear cameras, a single front-facing camera, and Touch ID integrated into the power button. The device could measure just 4.5mm thick when unfolded, and between 9mm and 9.5mm when closed.
Mass production is anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, suggesting a potential launch in late 2026 or early 2027.
Apple is putting a heavy focus on improving power efficiency while slimming down key components in its upcoming foldable iPhone, with battery capacity now a key priority for the company, according to a new report citing sources within Apple's supply chain.
According to Korean news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, which has previously offered accurate insights into Apple's component strategy, Apple is specifically refining the display driver IC (DDI) used in its first foldable iPhone, with the goal of achieving a thinner overall design.
The DDI is a key component that converts digital signals from the device's processor into the analog signals needed to control the display's pixels. Improvements to the DDI can enable thinner panel assemblies, lower heat output, and reduced power consumption – all of which are critical in compact devices like foldables with multiple displays.
Multiple sources now agree on key specifications for Apple's first foldable iPhone, including a 7.8-inch main display when unfolded and a 5.5-inch cover display. The consensus comes from analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu, as well as the Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station. The agreement on the details suggest Apple may have finalized significant aspects of the device's hardware.
According to Kuo, the foldable iPhone will adopt a book-style design, opening horizontally like a Galaxy Z Fold, rather than the vertical clamshell form factor of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip.
Jeff Pu reports that the device has recently entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn, a key stage in Apple's production timeline. Both Pu and Kuo anticipate mass production beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026, which opens the possibility of a limited launch as early as next year.
In terms of hardware, Kuo claims the foldable iPhone will feature two rear cameras, a single front-facing camera, and a Touch ID sensor integrated into the power button –suggesting Apple may skip Face ID for this model, likely to save internal space. It's expected to include a high-density battery and a titanium chassis, with the hinge constructed from a combination of titanium and stainless steel.
As for dimensions, Kuo believes the device will measure just 4.5mm thick when unfolded, and between 9mm and 9.5mm when closed, making it notably thin compared to current foldables.
Apple's efforts to optimize hardware efficiency across its product lines are already in motion, with the iPhone 16e featuring its first custom-made C1 modem. Apple said the C1 modem is the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever, and it has held up fine in both real-world and simulated 5G speed test results.
Apple is on a mission to make the thinnest possible devices in each product category, beginning with the most recent iPad Pro and continuing later this year with the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to be the second device to use the C1 modem.
Across 2024 and the early months of 2025, Apple refreshed all of its Macs with next-generation M4 chips, with the exception of the Mac Pro. The Mac Pro is still waiting for an update, but it is supposed to get an overhaul later this year.
M-Series Chip
The current version of the Mac Pro can be purchased with Apple's M2 Ultra chip, which came out in June 2023. It might seem logical for the Mac Pro to get the equivalent M4 chip, the M4 Ultra, but it turns out Apple might not have an M4 Ultra in the works.
When the Mac Studio was updated earlier this month, Apple announced a version with the M4 Max chip, and a version with an M3 Ultra chip, with no M4 Ultra unveiled. Apple told Mac Studio reviewers that not every generation of M-series chips will include a higher-end "Ultra" tier, so there may simply be no M4 Ultra that exists for the Mac Pro.
There's now a question over what chip Apple will use in the Mac Pro, and there are a few possibilities.
Apple does have an M4 Ultra chip coming, and it's not ready yet.
There's some version of a high-end M4 chip that is not technically an "Ultra" chip and is instead called something else like "M4 Extreme."
The Mac Pro will use the M3 Ultra chip.
The Mac Pro will get an M5 Ultra chip.
The M1 Ultra, M2 Ultra, and M3 Ultra chips that Apple has released have essentially been two Max chips linked together through an "UltraFusion" connector. The M4 Max does not have the UltraFusion connector available, so the first possibility seems unlikely.
Apple could be making an M4 Ultra or Extreme chip that is standalone and not a doubled up variant of the M4 Max, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurmanrecently claimed that Apple doesn't want to create an M4 Ultra chip from scratch because of costs, production challenges, and low sales of high-end and expensive machines.
Apple could refresh the Mac Pro with the same M3 Ultra chip that it put in the Mac Studio, but if that's Apple's plan, it's likely the company would have just refreshed the Mac Pro alongside the Mac Studio. The Mac Pro could be held back for other development reasons, but there aren't really rumors of notable new features coming.
We might be getting the first Macs with M5 chips later this year, but there's also a chance M5 Macs won't come until early 2026. Even if Macs with M5 chips do launch in late 2025, there's no guarantee that an Ultra version of the chip will be ready to go.
As of right now, there's no clear indication of what's in store for the 2025 Mac Pro's Apple silicon chip.
Design
There aren't rumors of design updates for the next Mac Pro, so it's not likely that Apple has anything planned.
Ports
Apple added Thunderbolt 5 to the Mac Studio and MacBook Pro, so the Mac Pro will likely get Thunderbolt 5 ports too. Thunderbolt 5 will allow for more high-resolution displays to be connected to the Mac Pro.
RAM and SSD
The M3 Ultra chip supports up to 512GB RAM, so if the Mac Pro gets the M3 Ultra or something similar, it will support a lot more RAM. The current model is limited to 192GB.
Storage maximums will also double, as the M3 Ultra supports up to a 16TB SSD, while the Mac Pro is limited to 8TB.
Launch Date
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said last year that the Mac Pro will see a refresh toward the end of 2025, but given the chip uncertainty, Apple could be planning to hold it until 2026.
Apple has been accused of false advertising and unfair competition for delaying the SiriApple Intelligence features that it promoted when launching iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 models, reports Axios.
The suit targets Apple ads that showed off Siri features that were unavailable, and claims that Apple cultivated "a clear and reasonable consumer expectation that these transformative features would be available upon the iPhone's release," while also driving "unprecedented excitement" that convinced millions consumers to upgrade their devices when the upgrades were not necessary.
After confirming that the Siri features would be delayed until the coming year, Apple removed the ads, but that was after they had been running for several months. Apple is accused of advertising functionality that did not exist, and continuing to promote the Siri capabilities well after the company was aware that they would not be available on time.
Contrary to Defendant's claims of advanced AI capabilities, the Products offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version of Apple Intelligence, misleading consumers about its actual utility and performance. Worse yet, Defendant promoted its Products based on these overstated AI capabilities, leading consumers to believe they were purchasing a device with features that did not exist or were materially misrepresented.
The lawsuit was filed in a San Jose, California court and the plaintiffs are seeking class action status along with damages for customers who purchased an Apple device that supports Apple Intelligence.
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