The Apple world is looking forward to an eventful year, which included, among other things, the introduction of the new design language “Liquid Glass” and the presentation of what is probably the most successful iPhone generation since the product category was founded. Additionally, the M5 chip made its debut, powering not only the iPad Pro, but also the MacBook Pro 14.” Apple has delivered one stellar quarterly result after another, but is increasingly having to defend itself against anti-competitive behavior around the world.
Below we take a look at what to expect in the coming months.
software
iOS and macOS 26.3 will probably be released in February, but there are no major changes. However, the following update should be tough, because System 26.4 will most likely bring the new Siri generation that was promised a year and a half ago. According to previous reports, not only does it have the already announced contextual knowledge across apps, Apple has also set up its own LLM for better communication skills.
Hardware: Mac
The M5 is currently only available in the basic version, but the next important steps are already underway. The MacBook Pro 14″ and the 16″ variant are waiting for the Pro and Max versions, and at the same time Apple is probably even working on an M5 Ultra for the Mac Studio. The Mac mini and MacBook Air are also expected to be switched to the M5 in the spring.
Hardware: iPhone and iPad
The successor to the iPhone 16e, i.e. the iPhone 17e, will probably be released in the spring – possibly with MagSafe, but apart from that it is designed as a chip upgrade with otherwise at most minor changes. There was also repeated talk of updates to the basic iPad and the iPad Air.
Smart home
It’s now a long-running favorite in the rumor mill: Apple’s new home hardware. Either as a HomePod with a display or in the form factor of an iPad, it serves as the control center of the smart home and relies on Siri. The latter was supposedly the reason why Apple delayed the hardware until 2026 – without the new generation it wouldn’t work, as it was said several times.
Apple management
According to several reports, the last full calendar year could begin with Tim Cook as CEO, and at the same time further changes in top management are likely.