Apple's first-generation Vision Pro headset may have now ceased production, following reports of reduced demand and production cuts earlier in the year.
In October, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that Apple had abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro headset ahead of potential plans to stop making the current version of the device completely by the end of 2024. With the year now coming to an end, this means that the device may no longer be in active production.
Citing multiple people "directly involved" in making components for the headset, the report said that the scaling back of production began in the early summer. This indicated that Apple now has a sufficient number of Vision Pro units in its inventory to meet demand for the device's remaining lifespan through to 2025. Historically, it is not unusual for Apple to do this with low-demand products, such as the iPhone 12 mini.
The Vision Pro is widely reported to have seen weak demand due to insufficient content and its high price point. The Information said that Vision Pro suppliers have now produced enough components for between 500,000 to 600,000 headsets. Some factories suspended production of Vision Pro components as early as May based on Apple's weak sales forecasts, and warehouses remain filled with tens of thousands of undelivered parts.
Apple is said to have told Luxshare, a Chinese company that serves as the Vision Pro's assembler, that it would need to wind down production in November. Luxshare was making around 1,000 Vision Pro headsets per day as of October, which was half that being produced at its peak. Apple will apparently still be able to resume Vision Pro production if sales pick up since the production lines are not yet due to be dismantled.
Moreover, Apple has purportedly suspended work on the original second-generation Vision Pro for at least a year to focus on developing a lower-cost headset. Interestingly, Apple told suppliers to prepare to build four million low-cost headsets over the entire lifespan of the future product. This is half the total number of Vision Pros that Apple told suppliers to produce, suggesting that sales expectations are even lower for the cheaper headset.
Weak demand for the Vision Pro has been attributed to its high $3,499 price point and insufficient content ecosystem. Apple CEO Tim Cook described the device as an "early-adopter product," targeting users interested in cutting-edge technology rather than the broader mass market.
Although Apple's work on the second-generation Vision Pro has apparently stalled, there are some indications that the company could release "an incremental update to the product with limited changes to its physical design," such as a chip upgrade, according to The Information. Corroborating this, Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have indicated that a more iterative second-generation Vision Pro is in active development, adding the introduction of an M5 chip and Apple Intelligence. Gurman has projected the device could launch between fall 2025 and spring 2026. This updated model is expected to reuse many components from the first-generation Vision Pro to offset the surplus inventory in Apple's supply chain.
As 2024 comes to an end, Apple Intelligence's memory maker provides a new tool to revisit your highlights, milestones, and cherished moments of the year.
The memory maker tool is a powerful new feature in iOS 18's revamped Photos app, found within the Memories collection. It allows users to create personalized "Memory Movies" from their photo libraries using simple written prompts.
By leveraging advanced machine learning, the memory maker identifies relevant photos and videos, arranges them into a cohesive narrative, and pairs them with curated music and animations. One standout aspect of the new memory maker is its ability to weave together moments with a beginning, middle, and end, creating a narrative that is designed to feel intentional and cinematic.
Like other Apple Intelligence features, the memory maker is only available on iPhones and iPads with the A17 Pro or M1 chip or newer. Likewise, you need to be running iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1 or newer.
How to Use the Memory Maker
Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap on the Memories tab to view auto-generated slideshows or start creating your own.
Tap the Create button within Memories. You'll be prompted to enter a short text description of the memory you want to create, such as "My family trip to Greece," "Celebrating Mia's 18th birthday," or "Fun moments from summer 2024." Be as specific or general as you like—the more detailed your description, the more targeted the memory maker's selections will be.
Wait while the Photos app creates your memory. Once completed, watch the video. You can also scroll through the images at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the three dots at the top right of the screen to edit the movie's timeline or title, or loop it. If you're an Apple Music subscriber, you can choose a different soundtrack to accompany your movie by tapping the music icon.
When you're happy with the Memory Movie, you can tap the three dots to share, export, AirPlay, or delete it, and well as add it to Favorite Memories.
As the new year approaches, the memory maker is the perfect new tool to try out to relive your 2024 highlights. What do you think of the feature? Let us know in the comments.
Apple launched almost 30 new hardware products in 2024. Here's a look back at exactly what we got this year.
With the exception of Vision Pro, Apple's 2024 hardware releases largely marked a year of steady refinement. It wasn't a year of massive overhauls across the board, but it did feature some key themes.
The Vision Pro, released in February, stands out as Apple's biggest product launch. While its $3,499 price tag keeps it squarely in early-adopter territory, Apple's first spatial computing device provides a hint at where the company expects technology to move over the coming years. Despite both excitement and criticism surrounding its capabilities, it's clear that 2024 was about laying the foundation, with its true impact likely to unfold in the years to come.
With minor refreshes to the MacBook Air and iPad Air, and no new hardware releases at WWDC, the star of the first half of the year was undoubtedly the iPad Pro, which gained OLED displays, a thinner design, the M4 chip, an all-new Magic Keyboard, a landscape front-facing camera, and more.
MacBook Pro (M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max) (14-inch, 2024)
MacBook Pro (M4 Pro and M4 Max) (16-inch, 2024)
In the second half of the year, Apple virtually completed its transition to USB-C with the long-awaited refresh of the AirPods, AirPods Max, Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse. All that's left is the iPhone SE, which is now expected around March 2025.
The company also released new iPhone and Apple Watch models as usual in the fall, followed by a minor iPad mini refresh that added the A17 Pro chip and more memory for Apple Intelligence support. The iPhone 16 lineup focused on Apple Intelligence and the Camera Control, while the Apple Watch Series 10 saw the introduction of a more refined design and sleep apnea detection.
Closing out the year, Apple turned its attention to its Mac lineup. The M4 family of chips made its way to the iMac, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, with the latter receiving a complete redesign for the first time in well over a decade. Next up to gain M4 chips are the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro in 2025.
What do you think of Apple's 2024 product releases? Let us know in the comments.
Apple recently invited CNET's Patrick Holland to tour its specialized laboratories in Cupertino where company engineers test and calibrate the iPhone 16's audio and video capabilities.
Holland's visit centered on a long wave anechoic chamber, where walls, ceiling, and floor are covered with foam wedges to eliminate echoes. The facility is used for testing the iPhone 16's four microphones, which despite their small size, are engineered to deliver professional-grade audio quality.
"The iPhone is such a ubiquitous recording device and gets used in so many different environments that we want to make sure that we're able to capture the memory that our users are trying to capture in the truest form," explained Ruchir Dave, senior director of acoustics engineering at Apple.
"The approach we took was to go after both quality as well as utility. And as part of that, we developed a novel microphone component that allows us to deliver some of the best acoustic performance in a phone product," said Dave. "At the same time, [we] developed a feature like Audio Mix that gives users the flexibility to be able to capture different sounds and gives you that creative freedom in the edit to adjust it how you like."
The testing process Apple uses includes a sophisticated array of speakers that play chimes while the iPhone rotates, creating a spherical sound profile. This data forms the foundation for features like spatial audio and Audio Mix, which allows users to adjust recorded audio to simulate different microphone types. In separate soundproof studios, Apple conducts comparative playback tests with multiple testers to ensure consistent audio quality.
The tour's highlight was a theater-sized video verification lab, where Apple engineers calibrate display performance across various lighting conditions. The facility features a massive screen that simulates how videos appear on iPhone displays, whether viewed in dark rooms, offices, or bright sunlight. For all the details, check out the full writeup over at CNET.
An upcoming version of the Magic Mouse with voice control for AI would "make sense," Bloomberg's Mark Gurmansaid today, though he claimed that he has heard no rumors about the feature so far.
A report from Korean leaker "yeux1222" this morning suggested that Apple has created a prototype Magic Mouse that includes a mix of touch, voice controls, and hand gestures. Gurman said on social media that the functionality is logical in light of AI, but he also claimed that the rumor is "just an incorrect back-and-forth translation" of a line from a report that he shared earlier in December about a future Magic Mouse.
Voice control in the new Magic Mouse I wrote about this month makes sense in light of AI — and the fact that Apple is on a decade-plus cycle. From what I’ve heard, big focus is ergonomics and gestures (relocated USB-C too). I’d expect a new keyboard too. https://t.co/FtUcR2Yqdj
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) December 30, 2024
As @ChanceHMiller points out, the rumor making the rounds today is just an incorrect back-and-forth translation of this line from my initial report: "In a computing world now infused with touch screens, voice commands and hand gestures..."
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) December 30, 2024
It's not clear whether the rumor from yeux1222 is based on Gurman's original report, but Gurman did clarify today that Apple plans to focus on a more ergonomic design and unspecified gestures with the refreshed mouse.
If voice control is included in the next Magic Mouse, it could be used for Apple Intelligence, with users perhaps able to summon Siri or perform specific actions using voice-based commands. Gurman claims that even if there isn't a clear use case in the near future due to Macs already supporting such voice-based features, there could be one in five to 10 years.
Adding voice control to the Magic Mouse could be done for future proofing given the long update cycle. So far, Apple has not frequently updated the Magic Mouse, and it has not received notable updates since the Magic Mouse 2 was introduced in 2019. In fact, Apple has only added new colors and swapped the Lightning port for a USB-C port.
Earlier this month, Gurman said that Apple is planning a "full overhaul" of the Magic Mouse, with a more modern design. He said that Apple will finally move the charging port from the bottom of the device to an easier to access location, but he did not mention voice controls or gesture support at the time.
Both Gurman and the information shared by yeux1222 suggest that the Magic Mouse will launch in 2026, and it is possible it will come alongside an OLED MacBook Pro, which is also rumored to launch that year.
Apple is going to have a busy year in 2025, based on the rumors that we're hearing right now. All of the rest of the Mac lineup will be updated with M4 chips, plus there's a new iPhone SE coming, and a whole new iPhone 17 "Air" that's slimmer than any iPhone to date.
The iPhone 17 Pro models might also get a major design update with a new look for the camera and the chassis, plus Apple is going to debut a whole new "Command Center" device for smart homes. New AirPods Pro 3 are on the horizon, and some iPad refreshes are coming, too.
This guide outlines everything that we know about the new products coming from Apple in 2025, based on current rumors.
New Flagship iPhones
It'll come as no surprise, but this September, Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup. Apple is making some major changes to its flagship models this year, eliminating the iPhone 17 Plus and introducing a new ultra thin model.
iPhone 17 Air (September 2025)
In 2024, Apple introduced a super thin iPad Pro that's just 5.1mm thick, and it's part of a new trend toward making products thinner and lighter. Instead of an iPhone 17 Plus, this year we're getting a super thin iPhone 17 that'll be something of a hybrid between the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro in terms of price.
We don't yet know what Apple will call the new iPhone, but rumors have been referencing it as the "iPhone 17 Air," and the "Air" name fits in with the "Pro" naming that Apple already uses for the iPhone lineup.
The iPhone 17 Air will mark the biggest update to the iPhone's design we've had since the iPhone X launched in 2017. The iPhone 17 Air isn't a directly replacement for the iPhone 17 Plus, so it's not just an iPhone 17 that's thin. It's going to have a single-lens 48-megapixel camera rather than a dual-lens or even triple-lens setup, and there's a new display size.
It's supposed to have a 6.6-inch display, so larger than the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro, but smaller than the 17 Pro Max. It will be slim, but just how slim is unclear. Rumors suggest that it could be around 2mm thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro, which measures in at 8.25mm thick, so between 6 and 6.25mm is likely. That would make the iPhone 17 Air the thinnest iPhone to date, slimmer even than the 6.9mm iPhone 6 that holds the title right now.
Because the new iPhone is so thin, it can only house a single-lens rear camera, and there's only going to be one speaker at the top rather than one at the top and one at the bottom. It's possible there will be a narrower pill-shaped cutout for the front-facing camera, resulting in a narrower Dynamic Island, but whether that'll actually happen remains to be seen.
This year, all iPhone 17 models are expected to get ProMotion display technology with up to 120Hz refresh rates, so that will no longer be a feature limited to the Pro models.
The iPhone 17 Air could get a titanium-aluminum frame, which would keep it lightweight, and it will have the same next-generation chip Apple plans to use in the iPhone 17 rather than the higher-end chip Apple will use for the Pro models.
Apple plans to use its Apple-designed modem in the iPhone 17 Air to test it out. The new 5G chip will be launched in the iPhone SE, low-cost iPad, and iPhone 17 Air this year, and Apple is already working on improvements that will make it feasible to use across the iPhone lineup.
The 5G chip won't support mmWave 5G, but it does have sub-6GHz 5G, which is more commonly used in suburban and rural areas in the U.S. and in other countries.
With the iPhone 17 Air, Apple is focusing on design and form factor as the device's selling points rather than its internals, and we are expecting a price tag somewhere between the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro. It's likely to be more expensive than the iPhone 16, which is priced starting at $799, but less expensive than the 16 Pro, which starts at $999.
iPhone 17 (September 2025)
Apple still plans to offer a plain old iPhone 17, and it could have a larger 6.3-inch display, up from 6.1 inches. It's expected to be Apple's lowest-cost flagship device, but rumors suggest we can count on a dual-lens camera setup with a 48-megapixel Main camera, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, and support for ProMotion.
iPhone 17 Pro (September 2025)
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be Apple's high-end devices per usual, but this year there could be some notable design changes. Rumors suggest Apple is planning to do away with the titanium frame in favor of an aluminum frame, and there could be a half-glass half-aluminum rear casing.
Removing half of the glass in the iPhone 17 Pro models and replacing it with aluminum would make them more durable to drops and damage, while leaving support for wireless charging in place.
There have also been rumors about a new camera bump that's made from aluminum rather than glass. Some rumors say it will have an "elongated oval shape" and a horizontal layout, but it's not quite clear just what the camera setup is going to look like at this point.
The iPhone 17 Pro models could get 12GB RAM, with other models set to have 8GB RAM.
Apple is expected to upgrade the camera in the Pro models, introducing a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens. With that upgrade, the iPhone 17 Pro models will have a 48-megapixel Wide lens, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens.
At least one iPhone 17 model is expected to have a mechanical aperture that will let users adjust the size of the aperture, which changes the amount of light that reaches the lens. A variable aperture will let images be captured with a shallower depth-of-field, and it's likely that this would be an iPhone 17 Pro feature.
Features Rumored for All iPhone 17 Models
24-megapixel front-facing camera with six-element lens, a notable upgrade over the current 12-megapixel selfie camera.
ProMotion Display technology with 120Hz refresh rate, enabled by the use of LTPO panels.
Always-on display technology across all iPhone 17 models.
Tougher Ceramic Shield coating with anti-reflective layer better able to stand up to wear and tear
A19 chip, though iPhone 17 Pro models will likely get A19 Pro chips. A19 chips will be faster and more efficient.
An Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 7 chip.
iPhone SE 4 (Early 2025)
It seems like we've been hearing about a new iPhone SE for years now, and the next-generation version of Apple's low-cost iPhone will finally launch in 2025.
The iPhone SE 4 will mark the end of Touch ID in the iPhone lineup, as Apple is transitioning to Face ID for the device, and it will also spell the end of ultra small phones with no more 4.7-inch screens available.
Rumors suggest that the iPhone SE 4 will be modeled after the iPhone 14, with a 6.06-inch display, Face ID, and a notch. At that size, the iPhone SE 4 will be significantly larger than the current iPhone SE. It will use OLED display technology, which also means Apple will finally finish phasing out LCD displays from the iPhone lineup.
The device will have a single-lens 48-megapixel rear camera and a USB-C port. There is a possibility it will have the same multi-function Action Button that's available with the iPhone 16 models.
The iPhone SE will get a faster A-series chip, likely the A18, which will support Apple Intelligence. Adding Apple Intelligence support also means that it will need a minimum of 8GB RAM.
With the launch of the iPhone SE, Apple will introduce the custom modem chip that it has been designing in-house for the last several years. The Apple 5G chip won't support mmWave 5G, but it will support sub-6GHz. Apple is debuting the modem chip in the iPhone SE to make sure that it works well before it is expanded to additional devices such as the flagship iPhones.
Though the iPhone SE is getting a slew of major upgrades in 2025, we are expecting a sub-$500 price tag for the device. The iPhone SE 4 will likely launch in early 2025.
Smart Home Command Center
Apple is developing a home accessory that's meant to serve as a central hub or "Command Center" for smart home management. While the Apple TV and HomePod are already home hubs and there are multiple options for controlling a HomeKit setup, Apple is creating a more accessible all-in-one home management product that will make control easier.
The device is said to somewhat resemble an iPad, but it has a more square design with a six inch display that has thick bezels around the edges. It will be about the size of two iPhones side-by-side, making it small enough to tuck into any area of the home, and to be transported from room to room.
The hub's display will support touch input for opening apps and controlling connected devices, and while it's not getting a dedicated App Store, it will have Apple apps like Notes, Calendar, Home, Apple Music, Apple News, Photos, Safari, Reminders, and more installed.
Apple is designing a dock that can house the hub, but it will also be able to be mounted on the wall. Speakers will be built in, and there will be a camera for FaceTime calls. Built-in sensors will be able to determine how close a person is to the hub, and information displayed on the screen can shift based on that proximity. It may also support person detection that would allow it to be used in smart home automations for doing things like turning on the lights when someone enters a room.
With an A18 chip, the device will support Apple Intelligence, and speaking to Siri will be a main part of communication with the hub. Apple envisions multiple devices being in different rooms of the house, and the device will serve as a room-to-room intercom and it will be able to play music.
Competing products from companies like Amazon have hub accessories priced at around $90, so Apple may be aiming to meet that price point with its own hub. The smart home hub could be released as soon as early 2025, though there has been some disagreement on its launch timeline so it could also come later in the year.
Apple Watches
In 2024, Apple only updated the Series 10, but this year, there are updates for the standard Apple Watch, the Apple Watch SE, and the Apple Watch Ultra planned.
Apple Watch Series 11 (September 2025)
The Apple Watch gets a yearly refresh, and 2025 will be no exception. If Apple can finish the feature on time, the Apple Watch Series 11 could support blood pressure monitoring. The feature won't measure exact systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, but will instead measure trends and alert the wearer if high blood pressure has been detected.
Apple is transitioning to MediaTek cellular modems for future Apple Watch models, doing away with Intel's modems. Apple will use MediaTek's 5G chip, which supports 5G RedCap, a 5G service aimed at wearables. 5G RedCap doesn't offer standard 5G speeds, but it would likely be an improvement over the 4G LTE the current Apple Watch models are limited to.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 (September 2025)
Apple did not refresh the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024, but a new model is expected in 2025. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will get satellite connectivity, allowing for off-grid texting and communication when Wi-Fi and cellular connections are unavailable. Satellite connectivity would be an Apple Watch Ultra exclusive, distinguishing it from Apple's lower-cost models.
A blood pressure monitoring feature could be included in the Apple Watch Ultra 3 if Apple is able to complete work on it in time for a 2025 launch.
Apple Watch SE (September 2025)
Apple will refresh the Apple Watch SE in 2025, adding a new, faster processor. As a lower-cost Apple Watch option, the Apple Watch SE does not offer the same health features as the standard Apple Watch like ECG functionality, the ability to read temperature, and more, but it does have all of the standard sleep tracking and heart rate tracking features.
The next Apple Watch SE could get a notable update, with Apple transitioning from an aluminum casing to a rigid plastic material instead. Plastic would be more affordable than aluminum, and it could be made in bright colors, better appealing to children and their parents.
Apple has been focusing on Apple Watch for kids marketing, and the Apple Watch SE offers a way for parents to give their children managed devices for location tracking and communication.
New Apple Watch models often come out in September, so we are expecting to see the next Apple Watch SE debut alongside new iPhones in the fall.
AirPods Pro 3
The AirPods were refreshed in 2024, and in 2025, it's the AirPods Pro's turn. New AirPods Pro 3 are expected at some point in 2025, though the timing is not yet clear.
Apple is working on a new design for the AirPods Pro 3, but details are light as of now. Both the earbuds and the case will get a refresh, with the case perhaps getting slimmed down like the AirPods case.
Better audio quality is expected, along with improvements to Active Noise Cancellation and better integration with the Vision Pro headset.
Apple is working on a new H3 connectivity chip that powers everything from Active Noise Cancellation to Siri, and a faster H3 chip could bring multiple improvements for ANC, music quality, spatial audio, and more.
There are rumors that Apple has been testing some AirPods health features like body temperature monitoring and heart rate monitoring, and there is a possibility that we could get those features. Temperature reading specifically has the potential to be useful because temperatures taken from the ear are more accurate than the wrist temperature measurement the Apple Watch uses, and heart rate monitoring would bring the feature to iPhone users who do not have an Apple Watch.
With the AirPods 4, Apple removed the physical pairing button and replaced it with a hidden capacitive button and a hidden LED light, so we could see those same updates made to the AirPods Pro 4.
HomePod Mini
Apple will update the HomePod mini in 2025, adding a faster S-series chip and a new Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that will replace components from supplier Broadcom. Along with these internal changes, we will likely see new color options. Timing on the HomePod mini refresh is unknown.
Apple TV
Apple is expected to refresh the Apple TV 4K in 2025, adding a faster A-series chip and a new Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi combo chip. The new chip will allow Apple's smart home devices to work better together and synchronize data quicker.
No design changes are expected for the Apple TV, and it's not quite clear when in 2025 a new model might come out.
MacBook Air (Early 2025)
In early 2025, Apple plans to update the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with M4 chip technology, which will replace the model with the current M3 chip. The M4 chip will offer speed and efficiency improvements over the M3 chip, but it will be an incremental update that won't tempt those who already own an M3 MacBook Air.
The M4 chip is built on Apple's 3-nanometer process, much like the M3. There isn't as big of a performance improvement between M3 and M4 as there was between M2 and M3 because there's no change in node size, but Apple did eke out respectable GPU and CPU speed boosts.
The device will have 16GB RAM minimum, and we are not expecting any design changes. The MacBook Air will be refreshed early in the year, likely in the March timeframe.
Mac Pro (Late 2025)
Apple plans to refresh the Mac Pro in 2025, adding a higher-end M4 chip. So far, Apple has introduced M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, but the Mac Pro will likely launch with an M4 Ultra option, which offers double the performance of the M4 Max.
So far, there are no design changes coming to the Mac that we know of, but the Mac Pro could support up to 500GB Unified Memory, a major increase over the current 192GB maximum. Right now, the Mac Pro uses an M2 Ultra chip, so Apple is skipping the M3 generation and going straight to M4.
We're expecting the Mac Pro to be refreshed late in the year, perhaps around the October or November timeframe.
Mac Studio (Mid-2025)
Last time the Mac Studio was updated, it was refreshed alongside the Mac Pro, and that's likely what's going to happen in 2025, too.
Mac Studio models will be equipped with the M4 Max chips, plus the highest-end options will likely be configurable with an M4 Ultra chip that has yet to be announced. The Mac Studio could support up to 500GB Unified Memory, up from the current 192GB maximum.
As with the Mac Pro, Apple will skip the M3 chip generation for the Mac Studio, and no design changes are expected. The Mac Studio could see an update in mid to late 2025.
M5 MacBook Pro
An updated MacBook Pro with an M5 chip could launch in 2025, bringing a small performance boost. No new display technologies such as OLED are expected until 2026 or 2027. The machine could have a new camera that's more compact, potentially allowing Apple to cut down on the size of the notch.
M5 Vision Pro
Rumors about what's next for the Vision Pro have been all over the place, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will come out with a next-generation version of the Vision Pro in 2025. Kuo is not expecting major design changes, but the headset will get an M5 chip, up from the current M2 chip.
Low-Cost iPad (Early 2025)
The low-cost iPad is set to be refreshed in 2025. Apple will add a faster A-series chip, likely the A17 Pro chip that Apple added to the iPad mini in 2024.
The A17 Pro would allow the low-cost iPad to support Apple Intelligence, and it is also worth noting that Apple Intelligence requires 8GB RAM at a minimum, so that's another upgrade the low-cost iPad will probably get. An A17 Pro chip would bring a major leap in performance and battery, considering that the current 10th-generation iPad has an A14 chip.
It is possible that Apple won't bring Apple Intelligence to its most affordable iPad, and if that's the case, a less powerful chip could be included.
Along with an updated chip, the low-cost iPad will be one of the first devices to feature the 5G modem chip that Apple designed in-house. The low-cost iPad is expected to see a refresh early in the year.
iPad Air (Early 2025)
Apple will update the iPad Air with a new M-series chip. The current model has the M2, so Apple is expected to upgrade it to the M3. That's a generation behind the M4 chip in the iPad Pro, which will give the iPad Pro an edge over the lower-cost iPad Air.
Since the M3 chip is built on Apple's 3-nanometer process, it will bring a notable update over the M2. The M3's CPU performance is up to 30 percent faster than the M2 CPU performance, and GPU performance is 15 percent faster, plus it's more efficient so battery life could be improved.
Alongside the iPad Air, Apple could introduce an updated Magic Keyboard with a function row of keys.
AirTag 2
Apple is working on a new version of the AirTag that has a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for improved range. With the new chip, users will be able to locate their AirTags from further away.
Software (mid-2025)
June will see the introduction of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, tvOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3, and we're counting on new Apple Intelligence features.
Even before June, we're going to get a new update to iOS 18.4 that's supposed to make Siri much smarter. Siri will learn more about you to better help you with tasks, and Siri will be able to do more in and between apps, making the personal assistant more capable than ever.
iOS 18.4 is likely coming out in April, and then with iOS 19 in June, Apple will announce even more Siri and Apple Intelligence features.
Wrap Up
With so many changes planned for the iPhone lineup, 2025 isn't going to be a boring year for Apple, especially with new Apple Intelligence features slated to be announced in iOS 19.
We're also getting new Macs, including a refreshed Mac Pro, and we'll see Apple making a major push into smart home hardware.
Make sure to follow MacRumors.com and the MacRumors roundups and guides over the course of 2025 to keep up with all of the rumors we're hearing. Bookmark our What to Expect Guide and our Events Guide to see a continually updated overview of what's on the horizon.
Apple today updated its homepage to honor former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who passed away yesterday at the age of 100.
The longest-lived president in U.S. history, Carter served in the position from 1977 to 1981 and was known for redefining the post-presidency with his focus on human rights and diplomacy through the Carter Center, for which he won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter was also a prominent advocate for and participant in the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity.
Today, we honor President Carter’s lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cXl99kT7lr
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 29, 2024
Apple CEO Tim Cook also honored Carter in a tweet on Sunday.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
A completely redesigned version of the Magic Mouse featuring touch and voice controls is coming in 2026, a Korean leaker claims.
Expanding on a recent report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the Korean Apple news aggregator known as "yeux1122" says that Apple's next-generation Magic Mouse will feature a new, more ergonomic design that addresses long-standing complaints, including the location of the charging port.
While the Magic Mouse switched from Lightning to USB-C a few months ago, the charging port is still located on the bottom of the mouse, which prevents it from being used while charging. This is only a minor inconvenience, as charging the mouse is a quick and infrequent process, but it sounds like Apple will finally relocate the port in the accessory's next incarnation.
Apple has apparently designed a prototype of the new mouse that incorporates a mixture of touch, voice controls, and hand gestures, making it more suitable for today's computing demands. It reportedly plans to release the new Magic Mouse alongside the OLED, "M6" MacBook Pro in 2026.
The overall look of the Magic Mouse has not changed much since 2009, so a redesign seems to be long overdue. Notable changes over the years include switching from AA batteries to a built-in rechargeable battery in 2015, new color-matching options with the iMac in 2021, and the switch from Lightning to USB-C earlier this year.
Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE could see a slight price increase over the current model, according to a new report originating in Asia.
Citing a Japanese source, the aggregator known as "yeux1122" on Korean social media site Naver claims that the fourth-generation iPhone SE will be priced below 78,000 yen–about $500. However, the price of the device is likely to exceed 800,000 won in Korea—around $540. This international pricing may indicate that the new iPhone SE could come in at a slightly higher price than the current model, which starts at $429.
Previous reports have indicated that the new model may continue to be priced starting at $429, or see an increase of around 10 percent. This would place it at about $470. Apple reportedly plans to keep the pricing below $500 in the United States, even if the price does go up slightly.
While the iPhone SE is Apple's low-cost iPhone option, a small price increase would be understandable given the device's expected upgrade to Face ID, a more modern all-screen design, OLED, USB-C, and more. The fourth-generation iPhone SE could launch as soon as March 2025.
Apple TV+ is set to be available to stream for free from Friday, January 3 to Sunday, January 5, providing its full catalog with no subscription fee.
Following a series of teasers, Apple confirmed the free weekend on social media, building anticipation for new releases early in 2025 such as the second season of "Severance." Simply open the Apple TV app to watch for free.
Apple has never done a free all-you-can-watch Apple TV+ event before, but it does offer free trials for new subscribers and it provides the first episodes of some shows so that potential customers can get a preview before choosing to subscribe. The promotion will be available worldwide on all devices where Apple TV+ is available. All that's needed to watch Apple TV+ content is an Apple ID.
Apple TV+ is priced at $9.99 per month, and up to six members of a Family Sharing group are able to watch content at that price point. It is also available in the various Apple One subscription bundles, starting at $19.95 per month.
Update: Information shared on Apple TV+ social media accounts initially said that the promotion would run from January 4 to January 5, but in a press release, Apple says that the free weekend will start on Friday, January 3 and will end on Sunday, January 5.
Apple's standard iPhone 17 next year will feature a display with a higher refresh rate, potentially bringing "ProMotion" technology to the base model in Apple's flagship iPhone lineup for the first time.
Weibo-based Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station claimed over the weekend that supply chain materials corroborate rumors about a higher refresh rate display coming to the standard iPhone 17. The leaker did not mention a specific hertz (Hz) rating, but previous rumors have suggested Apple plans to use 120Hz, or the "ProMotion" rate historically limited to the Pro versions of its iPhone lineup.
Apple is expected to use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panels for all iPhone 17 models, which is what enables ProMotion due to its superior power efficiency. The current iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panels, which are capped at a maximum 60Hz refresh rate.
ProMotion enables refresh rates ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz. At the low end, ProMotion allows for always-on functionality, which means always-on time, widgets, and notifications that have been available on Pro models' Lock Screens for some time now. Meanwhile, at the high end, 120Hz enables smoother scrolling and video content.
Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants has claimed that both the standard iPhone 17 and a slimmer model that we are calling the "iPhone 17 Air" will both feature ProMotion. With all four iPhones slated to get ProMotion displays in 2025, higher refresh rates will no longer be a feature that sets the Pro iPhone models apart. Perhaps more importantly, it will also see Apple's flagship lineup finally ditch 60Hz displays – something most other premium smartphone brands left behind quite a while ago.
Digital Chat Station 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 last year, as well as the display panel design of the iPhone 12 back in 2020. Next year's iPhone 17 series is expected to launch around the usual September time frame.
Anker has kicked off its big New Year's sale, which is set to run through January 15. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
There are a few bonus offers during this event as well, including a deal where if you buy two products you can get an additional 20 percent off, or buy three for 25 percent off. Of course, if you just want to purchase one accessory, there are plenty of solo discounts you can find in the sale.
Finally, it's worth noting that MacRumors readers can still get 20 percent off Anker accessories through the end of the year. Anker's current New Year's event beats this discount most of the time, but if you find a product not on sale it will be worth entering our code at checkout.
In order to get this deal, head to Anker's website and add an accessory to your cart, then enter the code akmacrumors20ch at checkout to see the discount. Our exclusive 20 percent off code works on most accessories sitewide, including Anker's new line of MagSafe-compatible products. Our code does not stack with any existing offers, including the holiday deals.
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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It's shaping up to be a busy 2025 for Apple, with a number of rumors and articles this week highlighting some of what we can expect.
While the unveiling of iOS 19 is still over five months away, we're already hearing about which devices are likely to support it, while in the much nearer term Apple is currently preparing an iOS 18.2.1 bug fix update that should be released very shortly. This week we also took a look at the top five new Apple products we're expecting to see in 2025, plus we're hearing rumors about timing for the first 2025 product launches and beyond, so read on for all the details!
iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones
According to a report from French website iPhoneSoft.fr, all iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 18 will also support iOS 19, meaning that devices all the way back to the iPhone XS/XR and second-generation iPhone SE will be able to run the next major update of iOS coming next year, though certain features will undoubtedly be limited to more recent models.
The report also claims the vast majority of iPad models compatible with iPadOS 18 will similarly be able to run iPadOS 19, with the exception of the seventh-generation iPad that was released in September 2019 and discontinued a year later.
Top 5 Apple Products to Look Forward to in 2025
It's looking like 2025 is going to be an important year for Apple, with the company planning to revamp the iPhone, push further into smart home products, and improve Apple Intelligence. There are tons of new products rumored for 2025, including new iPhones, M4 Macs, a smart home command center, and much more.
iOS 18.2 was released to the public several weeks ago while iOS 18.3 remains in beta testing, so Apple is currently preparing an interim iOS 18.2.1 update that will be able to deliver security patches and perhaps some bug fixes before iOS 18.3 is ready for release.
We've seen signs of iOS 18.2.1 in our own web analytics, while a reliable source has even leaked the exact build number we should expect for the update.
New MacBook Air Models With M4 Chip Expected to Launch 'Earlier' Than iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11
We're expecting three significant new Apple products in the first part of 2025, but it looks like they won't all be arriving simultaneously.
Kuo expects the standard M5 chip to enter mass production in the first half of 2025, followed by the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in the second half of the year. Then, he expects the M5 Ultra chip to enter mass production in 2026.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max won't be getting any bigger, so they'll be sticking with the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays found on the current Pro models. But the regular iPhone 17 should be matching its Pro sibling, up from the current 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 16.
Meanwhile, the Plus model will reportedly be replaced by an entirely new model, informally dubbed the iPhone 17 Air. This ultra-thin model will reportedly have a display measuring around 6.6 inches.
MacRumors Newsletter
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.
Even though iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2 added multiple Apple Intelligence features like Image Playground, Genmoji, Writing Tools, and more, there are still new Apple Intelligence capabilities that we're waiting on. Apple has at least one more major Apple Intelligence update coming in 2025, and the functionality that we're expecting is outlined below.
Priority Notifications
Notification summaries are already available on devices that support Apple Intelligence, but in a future version of iOS 18, Apple Intelligence will have Priority Notifications so you can see what's important first while filtering out things that don't matter as much.
When Priority Notifications launch, incoming notifications that are marked as priority will show up on the top of the notification stack.
New Siri Features
Siri already has a new design and a better understanding of natural language on Apple Intelligence devices, but there are several Siri changes that haven't been added yet.
In the future, Siri is getting support for personal context, onscreen awareness, and deeper app integration. Personal context will allow Siri to keep track of everything on your device, like text messages, emails, files, and photos, so Siri can help you find anything you're looking for.
With onscreen awareness, Siri will know what you're looking at on your device, and will be able to complete actions. If you're viewing a photo, for example, you'll be able to ask Siri to send it to someone just by saying "Hey Siri, send this" and the person's name. Siri will understand what "this" is.
Siri is also going to be able to do a lot more in apps and between apps, which is likely going to make the biggest change in Siri's ability to get things done. You'll be able to edit a photo and send it to someone all with a single command, or move files from one app to another using Siri. The way Apple describes it, it's going to be similar to Shortcuts, but activated all via Siri with no need to set anything up.
These all sound like fairly invasive Siri features with Siri able to track everything on a device, but Apple plans on doing these things on-device to preserve privacy.
Genmoji on macOS
Apple added Genmoji to the iPhone and the iPad with the launch of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, but it wasn't added to the Mac in macOS Sequoia 15.2. We already know Genmoji is in the macOS Sequoia 15.3 update that Apple is beta testing, and that update is expected in January 2025.
Memory Movies for macOS
Macs are also missing the memory movies feature that is designed to let you create a slideshow from your photos and videos using just a text description. Right now, making a memory movie is limited to the iPhone and iPad, but Apple does plan to add it to the Mac too.
You can create a custom memory movie by going to the Memories section in the Photos app, tapping on Create, and then typing in the description of the movie that you want to see. The Photos app will pick out the most logical photos and videos that fit the theme you've specified, creating a slideshow set to music. You can edit the photos that are included, change the music, and share the result on social media.
Apple Intelligence in More Languages and Additional Countries
Apple is going to add support for languages beyond English in 2025, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
When We'll Get New Apple Intelligence Features
Beyond Genmoji for the Mac, there aren't new Apple Intelligence features in the current iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3 updates that Apple is beta testing right now, so we're not expecting new capabilities until iOS 18.4.
iOS 18.3 will likely see a launch in late January, and then we'll get the iOS 18.4 beta. iOS 18.4 and its sister updates will be beta tested for a couple months, with Apple planning for an April 2024 launch.
Christmas has come to an end, and with it many of the season's biggest discounts have expired. However, you can still find some great deals on Apple products today, including an all-time low price on the AirTag 4-Pack, as well as some solid deals on Apple Watch and MacBook Air.
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Apple's AirTag 4-Pack returned to its all-time low price of $69.99 about a week ago on Amazon, and it's still there even after the Christmas holiday has ended. If you're planning to travel a lot in 2025, this is a great accessory to pick up, especially at this price.
Although not record low prices, if you didn't get the pair of AirPods you asked for over the holidays, Amazon has some solid second-best prices on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 this week.
Amazon has quite a few Apple Watch discounts to help with your New Year's resolutions, including the Apple Watch SE for $189.99 and Series 10 models starting at $349.00.
Finally, Amazon has a few models of Apple's 13-inch M3 MacBook Air for $200 off, with prices starting at $1,099.00 for the 16GB RAM 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.
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Apple has released the first eight minutes of the highly anticipated Severance season two premiere as a special preview for Apple TV+ subscribers, following the show's nearly three-year hiatus.
The exclusive preview, now available in the Apple TV app under the Bonus Content section of the Severance page, gives fans their first look at the next chapter of the sci-fi thriller. Mark Scout, portrayed by Adam Scott, returns to work at Lumon Industries, grappling with the fallout of events that blurred the carefully maintained boundary between his work and personal identities.
Severance first debuted on Apple TV+ in February 2022 and quickly became one of the platform's standout series, earning multiple Emmy nominations. Created by Dan Erickson and produced by Ben Stiller, Severance examines a futuristic workplace where employees undergo a controversial medical procedure to split their work and personal memories, creating two distinct lives within a single individual.
Watch the season two premiere sneak peek now online or in the Apple TV app. The full second season of Severance will debut on Apple TV+ on January 17.
Starting today, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and third-generation iPhone SE have been fully removed from Apple's online store in most EU countries, due to an imminently-effective regulation that requires smartphones with wired charging capabilities that are newly placed for sale to be equipped with a USB-C port in the EU.
The trio of iPhone models are no longer listed on Apple's online store in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and most other EU countries. The devices have also been unlisted in a few other countries that participate in the EU's single market, such as Switzerland.
The regulation comes into force on December 28, and it applies to any individual iPhone unit placed for sale after that date, even if they are older models. While all iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models are equipped with USB-C ports for wired charging, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and current iPhone SE still have Lightning ports.
The UK left the EU in 2020, so it is not impacted by this regulation. Northern Ireland is affected, however, as it still participates in the EU's single market.
Apple began phasing out the trio of iPhone models in the EU market last week, and it still has to delist the devices in a few more EU countries. In-store availability at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Resellers will likely be hit or miss over the next few days, as any remaining inventory is depleted. But, by and large, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE are no longer available from Apple in the EU.
Apple is expected to announce a fourth-generation iPhone SE with a USB-C port in March, so the device should quickly return to the EU. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus likely would have been discontinued in September had the USB-C regulation not existed, so sales of those devices are ending in the EU around nine months early.
Apple is on the brink of becoming the first company in history to surpass a $4 trillion market valuation, Fortune reports.
Apple's stock (AAPL) has nearly risen 40% in 2024. Before the markets opened on December 27, Apple's market capitalization stood at $3.92 trillion, leaving the company just a modest surge in stock value away from the unprecedented milestone. The growth is said to have been fueled largely by optimism surrounding Apple Intelligence and the continued strength of its iPhone upgrade cycles.
In a research note published on December 26, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said that Apple is entering a "golden era of growth" with its AI initiatives serving as a pivotal driver. Ives increased his price target for Apple's stock to $325, citing the company's ongoing efforts to embed artificial intelligence into its products. He emphasized that Apple's current AI strategy is likely underestimated by the market, adding that the development of hundreds of applications under the Apple Intelligence platform will provide "another growth catalyst along with catalyzing iPhone upgrades across the board over the next 12 to 18 months."
We believe Apple is heading into a multi-year AI-driven iPhone upgrade cycle that is still being underestimated by the Street. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will Apple's AI strategy but the seeds of that strategy with Apple Intelligence are now forming and will transform the Apple consumer growth narrative over the coming years.
We estimate that with hundreds of apps in development around Apple Intelligence that in essence creates a new multi-billion annual Services revenue stream will be another growth catalyst along with catalyzing iPhone upgrades across the board over the next 12 to 18 months. We believe Apple is on pace to reach the $4 trillion market cap threshold and be the first member of this exclusive club.
JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee also predicts sustained growth for Apple, driven by its ability to expand its installed base of devices, which surpassed two billion active units globally in 2023. Chatterjee pointed to "the transformation of the company to services" and the continued evolution of its product lineup as key factors in its success. He also highlighted Apple's focus on capital deployment, with the company consistently returning value to shareholders through dividends and stock buybacks, which have totaled hundreds of billions of dollars in recent years.
Apple's nearest competitors in terms of market capitalization, Microsoft and Nvidia, have also benefited from advancements in AI but trail behind with valuations of $3.26 trillion and $3.43 trillion, respectively. Both companies are investing heavily in their own AI platforms, with Nvidia's GPU technology playing a central role in powering generative AI applications. However, Apple's long-term advantage seemingly lies in its ability to control both hardware and software, potentially allowing it to deliver a superior user experience across its ecosystem.
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