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iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features.


In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features.

Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects there to be new AI features. He said that iOS 27 will extend artificial intelligence to additional Apple apps, and he reiterated that there will be an Apple Health+ subscription service that offers personalized health recommendations and more.

He said this focus on improved quality over new features also applies to macOS 27.

The first betas of iOS 27, macOS 27, and other corresponding updates should be released shortly after Apple's annual developers conference WWDC next June.


This article, "iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Gurman: Tim Cook Likely to Remain Apple CEO Until at Least Mid-2026

Earlier this month, the Financial Times reported that Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year."


While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to explain that an announcement early in the year would allow for a smooth leadership transition, ahead of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June and iPhone event in September.

However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he would be "shocked" if Cook steps down between late January and June next year.

"Based on everything I've learned in recent weeks, I don't believe a departure by the middle of next year is likely," said Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "In fact, I would be shocked if Cook steps down in the time frame outlined by the FT."

There have been "few signs internally" that Cook is about to step down, he added.

Gurman described the Financial Times report as "premature" and "simply false."

Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor whenever the time comes.

Cook, who turned 65 this year, has been Apple's CEO since August 2011.


This article, "Gurman: Tim Cook Likely to Remain Apple CEO Until at Least Mid-2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's 11th Gen iPad Drops to $279 for Black Friday

Amazon this week is taking $70 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $279.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, matching the all-time low price on this model.

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.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $379.00 ($70 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $579.00 ($70 off). Free delivery estimates are placed around November 29 for most of these iPad models, but Prime members should be able to get same-day delivery in many locations.





You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundups: Apple Black Friday, Apple Deals
Related Forum: Community Discussion

This article, "Apple's 11th Gen iPad Drops to $279 for Black Friday" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More

Black Friday deals have begun, and Amazon is one of the best places you can find steep discounts on numerous products this week. We've already collected all of the best Apple-related deals you'll find at Amazon (and other retailers) in our Apple Black Friday Deals post, so below you'll find other discounts on devices like Anker accessories, Beats headphones, video games, TVs, and more.

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.

Anker




Highlights of Anker's Black Friday sale on Amazon include the 10,000 mAh Magnetic Power Bank for $29.99 ($19 off) and the popular 60,000mAh Power Station with Smart Digital Display and Retractable Light for $79.98, down from $149.99.





Beats




Amazon this week is discounting a collection of Beats headphones and speakers, including a low price on the Powerbeats Pro 2. You can get this new 2025 model for $199.95 in four colors, down from $249.99. This deal on the Powerbeats Pro 2 is being matched at Best Buy, along with a few other Beats deals.



This sale also includes major discounts on products like the Beats Pill, which has hit $99.95 on Amazon, down from $149.95. This discount is available in five colors of the Bluetooth speaker.

Additionally, Amazon has the Beats Studio Buds+ for $149.95, down from $169.95. These have up to 9 hours of playback (up to 36 hours with charging case), USB-C, active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance.

You'll also find a few steep discounts on over-ear headphones, like the Beats Studio Pro at $169.95, down from $349.99. This is another all-time low price on this pair of Beats headphones.



TVs




Amazon's Black Friday TV deals are abundant, with most sales focusing on Smart Fire TV models with big discounts. You'll find brands like Insignia, Hisense, and Panasonic at solid low prices this season.



Jackery



Ecovacs




Video Games




You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Gurman: ‘Few signs internally’ point to Tim Cook stepping down as CEO early next year

Recently, the Financial Times reported that efforts to set up a succession plan for Apple CEO Tim Cook have ‘recently intensified’, and that the transition could happen as ‘early as next year,’ potentially even happening sometime in the spring.

Today, in his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed this story to likely be “simply false,” and that the moment is “not at hand.”

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Apple to focus on ‘quality and underlying performance’ with iOS 27 next year: report

This past year, Apple overhauled its design language across all of its major software platforms with the introduction of Liquid Glass. That dramatic redesign, coupled with a number of jam-packed released over the past couple years, has resulted in many Apple users complaining about the overall quality of Apple software.

According to today’s Power On newsletter, Apple might finally be stepping back from new features, and instead focusing on underlying performance improvements. Let’s discuss.

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Indie App Spotlight: ‘Mint’ is an all-in-one collection tracker for Pokémon enthusiasts

Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.


If you’re a massive Pokémon trading card came enthusiast, you might found yourself with thousands of cards in your collection. Mint aims to make things easier for collectors, by giving yourself an easy way to track your whole collection, its value, and more. It’s also designed for iOS 26 and Liquid Glass, and will look right at home on your iPhone.

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Apple TV takes over Las Vegas Sphere for F1 weekend to promote movie and 50% off Black Friday offer

Apple TV is ramping up its promotion for the upcoming streaming launch of F1: The Movie on Apple TV, timed for the Las Vegas F1 weekend and the launch of a new 50% off for 6 months deal for Black Friday.

The Sphere dominates the Vegas strip, and Apple TV took advantage of the unique shape of the structure to show a depiction of Brad Pitt’s Sonny Hayes inside his APX GP racing helmet.

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Security Bite: Why I stopped using camera covers and you should too

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.


Plastic webcam covers—especially of the sliding kind—boomed in popularity sometime in the 2010s as a low-tech way to keep hackers from eavesdropping on compromised machines. The concern felt justified at the time. But by 2020, Apple was beginning to issue warnings that those covers aren’t actually needed and can even damage a MacBook’s display.

For this Security Bite, let’s set the tin-foil hats aside and talk about why webcam covers don’t meaningfully improve privacy, can cause features like True Tone to not work properly, and are far more likely to damage your screen than stop someone from spying on you.

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Smarter security made easy: Hands-on with Avia’s new Smart Lock lineup

I have tested many smart locks over the years. They all promise convenience but always fall short, with apps that look like they are stuck in 2013, poor battery life, and compatibility headaches. Avia has taken a different approach. Their award-winning lineup focuses purely on Apple compatibility and integration, as well as battery efficiency and ease of use. Here is what you should know about their three new products!

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Top Stories: Tim Cook's 2026 Exit?, Mac Pro on Hold, and More

2025 is rapidly drawing to a close, but this week still saw some interesting news in the world of Apple, led by a report claiming that Tim Cook's retirement as Apple CEO might not be too far away.


This week also saw word that the future of the Mac Pro appears to be in question, while Apple continues to work on the upcoming iOS 26.2 update and related releases. Black Friday is also right around the corner now with lots of deals already available, so read on below for details on these stories and more!

Top Stories


Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'


Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said, with Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, viewed as Cook's most likely successor.


Cook will likely transition to a chairman role with Apple, but his level of influence in a post-CEO role remains to be seen. Arthur Levinson, the current chairman of Apple's board of directors, is 75 years old and prohibited from being re-elected under Apple's corporate governance policy unless an exception is made.

Word of Cook's impending retirement comes as former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams officially retired last week after spending the past few months winding down his responsibilities and handing them off other executives.

Mac Pro Reportedly on 'Back Burner' and 'Largely Written Off' at Apple


Apple's high-end Mac Pro desktop computer is currently "on the back burner," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In his Power On newsletter this week, Gurman said he heard that Apple has "largely written off" the Mac Pro, with the sentiment inside the company being that the Mac Studio represents the present and future of Apple's pro desktop computing.

Apple is working on a high-end M5 Ultra chip, but Gurman said the company is currently "only" focused on a new Mac Studio with that chip, which leads him to believe that the Mac Pro "won't be updated in 2026 in a significant way."

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More


Holiday shopping deals continue to ramp up ahead of Black Friday, with great prices available now on AirPods, AirTag, Apple Watch, Macs, iPads, and more.


Apple has announced details on its own Black Friday event with bonus gift cards available with the purchase of many Apple products, but better straight-cash discounts are typically available from other retailers.

In addition to Apple's own products, we're seeing great early Black Friday deals from Samsung, Sony, Walmart, Adobe, Nomad, Sonos, and more.

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3


Apple is continuing to work on iOS 26.2 and related updates, with public releases likely coming in mid-December.


With the third developer beta of iOS 26.2 seeded this week, we saw a number of changes and improvements, including new AirDrop functionality, a new API to allow third-party apps to tap into Hypertension Notifications, and the ability for users in Japan to set an alternative voice assistant app to be activated using the iPhone's side button traditionally used for Siri.

Apple is also continuing to work on iPad multitasking, with a new tweak to add drag-and-drop functionality to the revived Slide Over feature.

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Rapidly Selling Out


Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone.


The accessory became available to order on Apple's online store last week Friday in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, but it sold out within hours in the United States, and supplies quickly began running short in other countries as well.

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16 Wi-Fi Speeds: New Study Reveals the Winner


A new study has revealed that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air achieve significantly faster average Wi-Fi speeds compared to the iPhone 16 series, thanks to Apple's custom-designed N1 chip.


The study by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app, found the N1 chip to be a "substantial upgrade," with up to 40% faster average download and upload speeds compared to Broadcom's Wi-Fi chip in the iPhone 16 series.

Ookla found that the N1 chip "lifts the floor" for Wi-Fi performance, more than "raising the ceiling." Based on the results, Ookla said the N1 chip often delivers more consistent performance in challenging Wi-Fi conditions.

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: Tim Cook's 2026 Exit?, Mac Pro on Hold, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple @ Work: Even in enterprise competition, the smartest companies know when to partner


Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.


I believe Apple’s rise as the preferred device for IT teams comes from its focused approach to solving real problems first, then building the tools that make it easy for companies to connect their entire stack and have everything just work. While some companies in years past built their ecosystems around lock in and doing everything, Apple built its enterprise strategy around integration. The new collaboration between JumpCloud and Google Workspace is the latest reminder that the future of enterprise IT is not about competition. It is about cooperation for the customer, even when you compete at the same time.

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iOS 26.2 Will Bring 10+ New Features to Your iPhone

Apple is testing iOS 26.2, a new version of iOS 26 that’s going to come out right around mid-December. iOS 26.2 is going to bring big changes to iPhone users in Japan, but there are also quite a few feature tweaks available for everyone. We’ve rounded up all of the new features your ‌iPhone‌ will get in iOS 26.2.


Reminders


In the Reminders app, there’s a new option to have an alarm go off when a reminder is due. Setting up an alarm can be done by toggling on the “Urgent” option when creating a reminder.



When a Reminder alarm activates, it displays a snooze option or a slide to stop option. If you snooze it, it will show a countdown on the Lock Screen that includes an option to complete the reminder or reschedule it. Apple distinguishes Reminders alarms from standard alarms with a new blue color.

Apple provides a splash screen letting users know about the feature, plus a small banner that shows up when you go to add a new entry in the Reminders app after updating to iOS 26.2.



Lock Screen


There is a Liquid Glass slider on the Lock Screen that lets you customize the appearance of the clock. When using the “Glass” option, you can use the slider to make the time look almost entirely clear, or give it a more frosted look.


There continues to be a separate Solid toggle that turns off the Liquid Glass appearance for the clock entirely if you want to opt for a much more opaque design, and you can also still use the color options for the clock.



Liquid Glass Settings


When using the new Liquid Glass “Tinted” option that reduces transparency, there’s a warning that the Tinted option cannot be used in tandem with the Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast Accessibility settings.


Turning on Tinted mode is able to turn off Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast automatically. In the prior betas, there was no option to turn on Tinted mode without turning off these features manually.

AirDrop


Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts.


iOS 26.2 includes an option to generate a one-time AirDrop code, which can then be shared with someone who is not in your contacts list. The code allows file exchanges over AirDrop for a 30-day period.

People you have shared a one-time code with can be managed by opening up the Settings app, selecting the General section, choosing AirDrop, and tapping on “Manage Known AirDrop Contacts.”

Apple Music


Apple Music now supports offline lyrics, so you can see a song’s lyrics when not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.

Sleep Score


With iOS 26.2 and watchOS 26.2, Apple has adjusted the ranges for the Sleep Score feature that it introduced earlier this year. The new Sleep Score numbers better match how people might be feeling after a night of sleep.


These are the new scores:

  • Very Low - 0–40 (previously 0–29)

  • Low - 41–60 (previously 30–49)

  • OK - 61–80 (previously 50–69)

  • High - 81–95 (previously 70–89)

  • Very High - 96–100 (previously 90–100)


The “Very High” rank used to be “Excellent,” but Apple changed the name to be more in line with the other labels.

Sleep Scores are available on all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 26.2 and can be found in the Health app on the ‌iPhone‌. Apple designed Sleep Score to provide an overall sense of sleep patterns, so users can identify habits that might impact their sleep.

Sleep Score takes into account sleep duration, bedtime, and interruptions to assign a nightly score that represents sleep quality. Duration is worth 50 points, bedtime is worth 30, and interruptions (times woken up in the night) are worth 20, for a total of 100 possible points each night.

Podcasts


The Podcasts app adds support for three new features, including automatically created chapters, options to see mentions of other podcasts from the transcript and the player, and access to links mentioned in a podcast on the episode page.


Passwords


In the Settings section of the Passwords app, there’s an option to manage websites where passwords are not saved when signing in.



AirPods Live Translation for EU


iOS 26.2 expands AirPods Live Translation to the European Union. Apple had to delay the feature in the EU to complete the engineering work needed to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act.


AirPods Live Translation works with the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional Mandarin), Japanese, and Korean at the current time.

Freeform


The Freeform app now supports Tables.



Weather


There is code suggesting that the Weather app now supports relative time for alerts like “next Friday,” or “next Tuesday” in reference to upcoming rain or weather conditions.

Apple News


Apple updated the design of Apple News, adding quick access top buttons for categories like sports, puzzles, politics, business, and food.


There’s also a dedicated tab for Following, which has been decoupled from the search interface.

Flash for Alerts


The Flash for Alerts option in the Accessibility section of the Settings app now allows users to have the screen flash. Previously, this setting was limited to the LED on the back of the ‌iPhone‌.


Users can swap to the screen flash or have both flash at the same time when notifications come in.

Enhanced Safety Alerts


In the Notifications section of the Settings app, there’s an Enhanced Safety Alerts section for managing earthquake alerts, imminent threat alerts, and activating improved alert delivery, a feature that uses location to improve the reliability of alerts.



Measure App


Apple’s Measure app now features a Liquid Glass design for the level, with two Liquid Glass bubbles instead of white circles.



Games App


There’s now an option to sort games in the Games app Library by size, in addition to Name and Recent.


The Games app also supports navigation with a controller and real-time updates to challenge scores during gameplay.



CarPlay


The CarPlay now app supports disabling pinned messages in the Messages app for drivers who prefer the classic Messages view that was available before iOS 26.2.



Menu Animations


For pop-out menus that expand from a corner button, there’s a quicker, bouncier animation that looks like the animation that Apple showed off at WWDC.

The Liquid Glass animation in iOS 26.2 beta 2 is amazing, feels like what was shown off at WWDC pic.twitter.com/J6YruZz4cR

— Aaron (@aaronp613) November 12, 2025


Privacy


When you access your Apple Account for the first time after installing iOS 26.2, you’ll see an alert letting you know that Apple’s privacy information for Apple Accounts has been updated to better explain how personal information is collected and used by Apple.



iPhone Changes in Japan


Siri Replacement


Apple is laying the groundwork for a new option that will let ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan choose a different default voice assistant. A press and hold gesture on the Side Button only activates ‌Siri‌ in the current version of ‌iOS 26‌, but there are multiple references to new Side Button behavior in the beta.

‌iPhone‌ users in Japan will be able to select a new voice-based conversation app to activate with the Side Button, allowing alternative assistants like Gemini or Alexa to be used on the ‌iPhone‌. Developer documentation confirms that it will only be available for Japanese Apple Accounts owned by people living in Japan.

Search Engine Choice


After installing iOS 26.2, ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan will be prompted to select a preferred search engine. Options include Bing, Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo Japan, or Ecosia, the same options available globally in the Safari settings. In most other countries, Google is the default search engine and there is no prompt to choose a different option when the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ first starts up.


While ‌‌iPhone‌‌ users outside of Japan can choose one of the other options, doing so requires going into the Safari section of the Settings app to make a change.

Third Party App Stores


iOS 26.2 will allow ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan to install alternative app marketplaces, similar to the European Union.

Texas App Store Changes


With iOS 26.2, Apple is adding tools for developers that will help them comply with the App Store Accountability Act that goes into effect in Texas in 2026. Apple users in Texas will need to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple Account, and parents will need to provide consent for their children’s ‌App Store‌ downloads and in-app transactions.

Apple will share user age range information with developers, and developers will need to implement systems for notifying parents about significant app changes and allowing parents to revoke a child’s access to an app at any time.

Bonus: iPadOS 26.2 Multitasking


In the iPadOS 26.2, Apple is expanding on the updated multitasking that it introduced in iPadOS 26.1. There’s now a option to drag and drop apps from the App Library, Dock, and Spotlight into Slide Over and tiled views, restoring some functionality that was removed in the iPadOS 18 to iPadOS 26 transition.



Compatibility


iOS 26.2 is available on all iPhones that support ‌iOS 26‌.

Release Date


We’re expecting Apple to release iOS 26.2 in December, sometime between December 9 and December 16.
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

This article, "iOS 26.2 Will Bring 10+ New Features to Your iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Get Apple TV for $5.99 Per Month in Black Friday Deal

Just ahead of Black Friday, Apple is offering an Apple TV promotion for new and returning subscribers. Eligible customers can get six months of Apple TV for just $5.99 per month.


After the six-month period, the subscription price will increase to $12.99, which is the regular price for the Apple TV service.

At $5.99 per month, Apple is discounting Apple TV by over 50 percent. The deal will be available from November 21 to December 21 on the Apple TV website.

Existing subscribers are not eligible for the discount, nor are customers who have subscriptions billed through a third-party service.
Related Roundups: Apple Black Friday, Apple Deals
Related Forum: Community Discussion

This article, "Get Apple TV for $5.99 Per Month in Black Friday Deal" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iPad Air 2026: All the Rumors

Several iPads are slated to get updates in 2026, including the iPad Air, low-cost iPad, and iPad mini. The ‌iPad Air‌ could be updated early in the year, sometime around the March or April timeframe.


We've heard a limited amount about the new tablet, but it sounds like there won't be a major overhaul, with Apple primarily focusing on internals.

Design and Display


No design changes are rumored for the ‌iPad Air‌, so we can expect the same 11-inch and 13-inch size options.

The ‌iPad Air‌ is thicker and heavier than the iPad Pro, and it uses a standard LED display instead of OLED technology. The ‌iPad Air‌ will eventually be upgraded to OLED, but for now, the higher-end display technology will remain limited to the ‌iPad Pro‌. The ‌iPad Air‌ also doesn't support ProMotion, and there's no sign that Apple is planning to update its middle-tier tablet with the functionality.

The ‌iPad Air‌ will continue to feature USB-C, a Touch ID top button, and the same front and rear camera options.

It's possible there will be a new color option, but it's not guaranteed with a minor refresh. No new accessories are rumored, and it will continue to work with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil Pro.

M4 Chip


Apple has been updating the ‌iPad Air‌ with an M-series chip that's a generation behind the chip in the ‌iPad Pro‌. Since the ‌iPad Pro‌ was updated in October 2025 with the M5, the ‌iPad Air‌ is set to get the M4 chip.

The M3 in the current ‌iPad Air‌ and the M4 chip are both built on a 3-nanometer process, but the M4 has an updated process that brings speed and efficiency improvements.

There are up to 10 CPU cores instead of 8, the Neural Engine is faster, and there's more memory bandwidth. The GPU is also more power efficient for potential battery gains. The M4 CPU is up to 30 percent faster than the M3 CPU, while the GPU is up to 21 percent faster.

In actual use, you may not see much of a difference between the M3 and M4 on the ‌iPad Air‌, though you might experience modest improvements with system intensive games and tasks like video editing.

The ‌iPad Air‌ already supports Apple Intelligence, and the next-generation model will continue to do so. Apple upped the RAM in some ‌iPad Pro‌ models, but there's no word on whether that same change will come to the ‌iPad Air‌. Current models feature 8GB RAM, the minimum for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Charging


The ‌iPad Pro‌ was upgraded with fast charge functionality with the update to the M5 chip, and that's something that could trickle down to the ‌iPad Air‌.

N1 Networking Chip


The ‌iPad Air‌ and other tablets released in 2026 will probably adopt the N1 networking chip that Apple first introduced in the iPhone 17 models.

The N1 chip is an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that offers connectivity and efficiency improvements compared to the third-party chips that Apple has used in previous devices. The N1 supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 technology.

The current ‌iPad Air‌ offers Wi-Fi 6E support, so the next-generation model could see faster Wi-Fi speeds on compatible networks with Wi-Fi 7.

Apple Modem


Apple used the C1X in the M5 ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's likely the cellular versions of the ‌iPad Air‌ will get that same modem chip. The C1X is an upgraded variant of the C1, Apple's first in-house modem chip.

It offers performance on par with Qualcomm chips, though 5G connectivity is limited to sub-6GHz with no support for mmWave 5G. That's not an issue on the ‌iPad‌, because the current version of the ‌iPad Air‌ doesn't support mmWave.

Apple's modem chips are much more power efficient than Qualcomm modem chips, and are able to better integrate with other ‌iPad‌ components.

Pricing


There are no rumors of a price increase, so the 11-inch model is expected to continue to start at $599, while the 13-inch model will start at $799.

Launch Date


We're expecting the ‌iPad Air‌ to come out sometime around March or April 2026. Apple could be planning to hold a spring event, since there are several products that are rumored to be launching in that timeframe.
This article, "iPad Air 2026: All the Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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AirPods 4 With ANC Hit $99.99 Low Price

Apple's AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation just hit a new record low price on Amazon, now available for $99.99, down from $179.00. With this steep $79 discount, Amazon's sale is now one of the all-around best Black Friday deals we've seen so far this season.

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.

You can also still get the AirPods 4 without ANC for $79.99 on Amazon, down from $129.00. Both models provide an estimated delivery date of November 26 for free shipping options, while Prime members in select locations should see same-day options.



You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find this holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundups: Apple Black Friday, Apple Deals
Related Forum: Community Discussion

This article, "AirPods 4 With ANC Hit $99.99 Low Price" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google Promotes Apple TV Series Pluribus With Secret Search Message

Apple has enlisted Google to promote new Apple TV series Pluribus, with a hidden message appearing when looking up the show's name with Google search.


At the top of the search interface after typing in "pluribus," you'll see a Pluribus-themed scrolling message: "What are you searching for, Carol?"

In the series, Carol is one of the only people on earth not infected with a mind-melding virus, and humanity as a collective is determined to make her happy. Part of that effort includes constant messaging.

The first four episodes of Pluribus are available now, with the fifth episode set to be released on Tuesday, November 25, likely due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday in the United States.

Pluribus requires an ‌Apple TV‌ subscription to watch, with the service priced at $12.99 per month.
This article, "Google Promotes Apple TV Series Pluribus With Secret Search Message" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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