Tom's Guide ran the new iPad mini through its standard battery test, which involves continuous web browsing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, and the device achieved much better battery life than Apple advertises.
According to the review, the iPad mini 8 lasted for 14 hours and 24 minutes in this test, up from 10 hours and 36 minutes for the iPad mini 7.
Tom's Guide said it typically performs the battery test three times to get an average time, but it only had time for a single run for this review. However, their review said they suspect the final results will be similar to the first run.
This is an interesting finding, as Apple does not advertise longer battery life for the new iPad mini, with its tech specs showing "up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi" for both the iPad mini 7 and iPad mini 8. The new model does have Apple's more power efficient C2 modem for cellular connectivity, but Tom's Guide's test used Wi-Fi.
We will have to see if further tests support this finding, but longer battery life may be an unadvertised benefit of the new iPad mini. The new model actually has a slightly smaller battery compared to the previous model, but power efficiency gains could come from the A20 Pro chip and the OLED display when showing darker content.
B&H Photo introduced its early Black Friday sale this week, with savings on storage accessories, home and portable audio devices, drones, cameras, Apple products, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
B&H Photo is matching a few all-time low prices on Apple's Mac mini and Mac Studio, with up to $200 off these computers. You'll find the 256GB M6 Mac mini for $779.00 ($120 off), and the 512GB M5 Max Mac Studio for $2,299.00 ($200 off), both record low prices.
In this sale, there's also great deals on portable SSDs, Bluetooth speakers, noise-cancelling headphones, monitors, and much more. You can also check out our main post to stay up-to-date with all of the best early Black Friday Apple 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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holidays? You can sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple could capture nearly 30% of the global foldable smartphone market in 2027, according to TrendForce's latest forecast.
TrendForce projects Apple's share of shipments rising from 24.8% in 2026 to 29.8% in 2027. Samsung is expected to retain first place, although its share is forecast to fall from 35.1% to 31.9%. Huawei would follow Apple in third place, with its share declining from 24.8% to 21.3%. The research firm estimates approximately five million iPhone Duo shipments in 2026, while overall foldable smartphone shipments are expected to grow just 0.5%.
TrendForce says early feedback on the device has been mixed, with users praising split-screen functionality and the viewing experience when the device is unfolded. However, some apps display black borders or fail to use the full screen, while reports of damaged displays and high repair estimates have drawn attention to ownership costs.
Nevertheless, TrendForce identifies Apple's integration of chips, the operating system, and its developer ecosystem as a significant advantage in improving the foldable experience. As app compatibility and hardware reliability improve, the firm expects the iPhone Duo to help shift competition in the foldable market toward multitasking efficiency.
Ever been in a situation where you hear a song in a cafe, a shop, or a car, and wonder what it is? On the latest Apple Watch models, your watch can work it out for you, and you don't even need to ask. The music doesn't have to be playing on the watch. It just needs to be audible around you. Apple Watch does the rest.
It's all thanks to a new automatic feature in iOS 27 called Music Recognition, which is just one of Apple's new Audio Intelligence features. It uses Shazam to identify songs around you and surfaces the answer in the Smart Stack, including the title and artist, without you tapping anything. It requires an Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 paired with an iPhone 11 or later (or iPhone SE 2nd generation or later) running iOS 27.
Using Music Recognition on Apple Watch
When you hear music nearby, just swipe up from the watch face (or turn the Digital Crown upward) to open the Smart Stack. Then check the Music Recognition widget. It should show the song title and artist as soon as it has identified the music, which shouldn't take long. The best bit is that you can save the song to your Shazam history or Apple Music library with a tap.
How to Turn On Automatic Music Recognition
Usually, you can just tap Enable Music Detection when the Music Recognition widget appears for the first time in your Smart Stack – the feature works from then on. But if for any reason you're not seeing it happen automatically after this initial step, here's how to enable it manually:
Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Tap Smart Stack.
Turn on Music Detection.
Older Apple Watch models can still identify songs manually with the Music Recognition app, but the automatic Smart Stack version is limited to Series 12 and Ultra 4.
Privacy
Apple says no audio is recorded or stored in the process of identifying songs. Instead, audio is processed in a protected buffer inside the device's Secure Exclave, and only an acoustic signature of the song – which can't be reversed into the original audio – is sent to Shazam's servers for identification.
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands on Friday, November 27 this year. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M5 MacBook Air, MacBook Neo, and the new Mac mini and Mac Studio.
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.
If you're looking for something other than Macs, be sure to visit our Black Friday Roundup for all of the best deals and discounts happening this season. For more Apple-specific devices currently on sale, our main post on the best current Apple Black Friday deals is the best place to look.
MacBook Air
Amazon is taking $199 off nearly every model of the M5 MacBook Air this week, with matches of the best post-hike prices we've ever seen on the computer. Prices now start at $1,099.99 for the 512GB 13-inch model and $1,299.99 for the 512GB 15-inch model.
For the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air models, prices start with the 16GB/512GB model for $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00. You can also get the 16GB/1TB model for $1,599.00, down from $1,799.00, all $199 off and the best prices we've seen in months.
Apple's new Mac mini has had one of the most consistent discounts over the past few weeks, and these $120-$150 markdowns have continued into Black Friday season. Prices start at $779.00 for the entry-level model, and currently include every M6 model, plus the M5 Pro model.
Additionally, one of the best early Black Friday deals is on the M5 Max Mac Studio with 36GB RAM and a 512GB SSD, on sale for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00.
Amazon has introduced a rare discount on the MacBook Neo, discounting three of the entry-level 256GB models down to $669.22, from $699.00. This sale is available in Silver, Citrus, and Blush, with an estimated delivery date of November 6 for most models.
This is nearly a $30 discount on the MacBook Neo, and it's now the best price we've seen on the computer since Apple's price increases over the summer. As of writing, we're only tracking discounts on the 256GB model, but if markdowns arrive for the 512GB model with Touch ID we'll update this article.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holidays? You can sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 will feature a larger battery and potentially a higher price, according to the leaker known as "Digital Chat Station."
In a new post on Weibo today, the leaker claimed that the standard iPhone 18 will continue to feature a high-resolution 6.3-inch OLED display with a refresh rate up to 120Hz, the Dynamic Island, and Face ID. The device is also expected to contain the A20 chip, manufactured using a 2nm process just like the A20 Pro, and a 48-megapixel dual rear camera system.
Crucially, the leaker said the iPhone 18's battery will be larger. The iPhone 17 has a 3,692 mAh battery. Apple already increased battery capacities with this year's iPhone 18 Pro models: Versions with a physical SIM card tray have 4,056 mAh and 5,391 mAh batteries, up approximately 1.7% and 11.8% over the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, respectively.
Digital Chat Station also speculated that the iPhone 18's price could increase. Apple already raised the iPhone 17's starting price in the United States from its $799 launch price to $899 in September 2026. The post does not clarify whether the anticipated increase is relative to the iPhone 17's original launch price or its current price, nor whether it will apply in the United States.
Corroborating other rumors, the leaker expects Apple to launch the iPhone 18 alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 in the first half of 2027, predicting that the standard iPhone 18 will be the best-selling model of the three.
Apple's store inside the Festival Place shopping center opened in 2011, so it had a 15-year run.
In a statement shared with The Reading Chronicle in August, Apple said all employees at the Festival Place store would have the opportunity to work at Apple The Oracle in nearby Reading, England or at other Apple Store locations in the country.
Apple also announced that it would be opening a redesigned store at The Oracle in December. The new store will feature a modern design with a more accessible Genius Bar, a dedicated Apple Pickup area for online orders, and more. Apple did not say why the Festival Place store is permanently closing, but it appears that the company is consolidating its retail presence in the area around the redesigned store at The Oracle.
Apple's research and development (R&D) spending increased by $11.22 billion in fiscal 2026, reaching $45.77 billion, according to the company's financial statements.
The figures represent a 32% increase from $34.55 billion in fiscal 2025. That works out to roughly $125 million a day spent on developing Apple's products and technologies during its financial year, which ended on September 26.
Research spending grew considerably faster than sales. Apple's annual revenue increased 15%, while its R&D expenses rose by nearly a third. The company now spends close to one dollar on research and development for every ten dollars it brings in.
Despite the annual jump, spending barely changed between the final two quarters of the year. Apple recorded $11.730 billion in R&D expenses in the September quarter, just $1 million more than the $11.729 billion reported in its June-quarter results.
Apple previously linked its growing development budget to AI. During its April earnings call, CFO Kevan Parekh said AI investment would come on top of spending already planned for Apple's product roadmap. Then-CEO Tim Cook also highlighted increased R&D spending when asked about the company's AI investments.
Over the years, Apple has repeatedly dismissed the idea of merging iPadOS and macOS into a single operating system. Will that change under John Ternus? On an earnings call yesterday, Apple's new CEO responded to a question about the topic.
In short, the answer remains no.
"We don't have any fundamentally different changes that we're planning right now, nor would we talk about it anyway," said Ternus, in response to an analyst asking about the possibility of a unified Apple operating system.
Richard Kramer, Arete Research: Your latest MacBook Pros included more iOS features like Touch and Dynamic Island as well as, obviously, Siri AI. Should we anticipate further close linking of macOS and iOS features, maybe even pointing at some point to a single unified OS, either for simplicity or to reduce costs?
Ternus: Look, we are very proud of both the Mac and the iPad, and I think what you've seen over the years is we've really enjoyed the ability to bring features and capabilities across the ecosystem and create really compelling features that span things between handoff between iPhone and Mac and iPad, and so when we design the product, we're looking at how can we make the best version of each and every product, and if you look at what we just did last week with the MacBook Pro, we took a huge leap forward. These MacBook Pros are better in every way than the ones that came before them, and we're really proud of that, and so we don't have any fundamentally different changes that we're planning right now, nor would we talk about it anyway.
In a 2025 interview about iPadOS and macOS merging, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said the company does not want to build "sporks."
"It turns out it's not a good spoon and it's not a good fork," he said.
While it appears that iPadOS and macOS will remain separate operating systems, Macs and iPads have more and more feature overlap over time. For example, the new MacBook Pro models with OLED displays have touchscreen functionality.
Amazon today introduced a rare discount on the MacBook Neo, discounting three of the entry-level 256GB models down to $669.22, from $699.00. This sale is available in Silver, Citrus, and Blush, with an estimated delivery date of November 6 for most models.
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.
This is nearly a $30 discount on the MacBook Neo, and it's now the best price we've seen on the computer since Apple's price increases over the summer. As of writing, we're only tracking discounts on the 256GB model, but if markdowns arrive for the 512GB model with Touch ID we'll update this article.
There are a few other early Black Friday deals happening on Amazon this week, including all-time low prices on a big collection of Apple Watch Ultra 4 devices. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holidays? You can sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
The OLEDiPad mini is launching this Friday, and we were able to test one out ahead of release. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using the new iPad for about a week at this point, and he shared his initial thoughts over on YouTube.
The iPad mini 8 is the biggest update the iPad mini line has gotten since the smaller tablet first came out 14 years ago. At 5.4mm, it's 0.2mm thicker than the iPhone Duo when the Duo is unfolded, and it's almost a full millimeter thinner than the iPad mini 7.
A millimeter doesn't sound like much, but the thinner design makes it much nicer to hold in the hand. Thinner also means less weight, and it's 255 grams (just over half a pound), down from 293 grams. It's the lightest iPad Apple has made. If you want a tablet that focuses on portability, the iPad mini is the way to go. Like the iPad Air and the iPhone Duo, the iPad mini sticks with Touch ID.
The iPad mini is the second iPad to get an OLED display after the iPad Pro. It's almost an iPad Pro mini, but Apple stopped short of giving it all the Pro features. The OLED iPad mini is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and didn't get ProMotion. If all your other devices have ProMotion, you're likely going to notice the lack of it on the iPad mini when scrolling through content.
Bezels are slimmer and the display is 8.5 inches instead of 8.3 inches like the prior version, but the overall size is about the same. Minus the 120Hz refresh rate, it's what you want from an OLED display. Deep blacks make colors stand out, high contrast makes HDR content look more true to life, and there's no loss of brightness. In fact, it's brighter than before. You can get nano-texture for cutting glare if you get one of the higher-end models, and this is the first time it's been offered in an iPad mini.
Apple didn't do fun colors this time around, and you're limited to midnight and starlight. Pricing starts at $699 for 128GB of storage, so it's up $100 over the A17 Pro model. It's $200 more expensive if you look at pre-June prices, but at least the price hike comes with useful upgrades. You can also get 256GB or 512GB of storage, and there are Wi-Fi + Cellular models if you need cellular connectivity.
Size isn't the only design change Apple made to the mini. It has a redesigned acoustic system that does away with traditional speakers for a sealed enclosure. It's the first iPad rated IP67 for water and dust resistance, meaning it was tested to withstand submersion in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. You're probably not going to want to use it to take underwater photos, but it will survive splashes from the pool or bathtub, or getting wet in the rain.
There are no speaker holes, and the iPad mini has an "Acoustic Display." There are tweeters under the glass display and woofers that pair through it, and the result is pretty good sound. Audio is on par with the iPad mini 7, and better in some cases with clearer highs and deeper bass. Apple upgraded the microphones too, and FaceTime calls and recordings sound clearer.
Apple used the A20 Pro for the iPad mini, so it has the same chip as the iPhone 18 Pro. The 128GB and 256GB models have a binned version with a 5-core CPU and 7-core GPU, while the 512GB model has a 6-core CPU with the 7-core GPU. If you want the fastest chip, you'll need to go with the 512GB model, but even the binned A20 Pro is overkill for most tasks on a tablet this small. You're unlikely to run into any speed limitations, and it's going to play the latest games without slowdowns. It feels super fast for everything from multitasking to photo and video editing.
The iPad mini has 12GB of RAM, which is on par with the base iPad Pro. With that RAM, the iPad mini can easily run AI tasks, and it should keep up with advances as Apple evolves Siri AI and its other Apple Intelligence features. Battery life hasn't changed, and it lasts for up to 10 hours when watching videos or web browsing. Fast charging is supported now, so you can charge to 50 percent in 30 minutes, but you'll need to buy a 35W or higher power adapter.
Apple moved the camera to the landscape edge of the iPad mini to match the other iPads, and it's a design that makes more sense for video calls. It uses a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera that's in other iPad models. A 12-megapixel Wide camera at the rear shoots video up to 4K.
There's an N1 chip in the iPad mini for Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 7, so you may notice connectivity improvements. Cellular models have the C2 chip with sub–6GHz 5G support. You can connect the iPad mini to a 4K display using the USB-C port, and it supports extended display mode in iPadOS 27. Like the prior model, the iPad mini 8 works with the USB-C Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil Pro.
We only got a week with the iPad mini, but it's clear this is a worthwhile upgrade. If you have an iPad mini 6 or older and you use it often, the thinner chassis, OLED display, slimmed-down bezels, faster chip, and water resistance are worth the cost.
The OLED iPad mini is available for pre-order, and it will launch on Friday, November 6.
Following our report that Apple is testing iOS 27.2.1 for the iPhone, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has uncovered evidence of an upcoming tvOS 27.2.1 update for the Apple TV. macOS 27.2.1 is also likely with a fix that prevents command-line tools from accepting eMudhra's compromised web certificates.
YouTuber Marques Brownlee has switched back to the iPhone 18 Pro after spending more than two weeks with the iPhone Duo. On the latest episode of the "Waveform" podcast, Brownlee said he missed the Pro's cameras and Face ID. He added that he would miss opening the iPhone Duo, using it in portrait, and reading on the larger screen.
Despite strong initial demand for Apple's first foldable iPhone, the device has several hardware compromises compared with the iPhone 18 Pro. It lacks a dedicated Telephoto camera, Face ID, and an Action button, among other features.
Apple is evaluating how to better manufacture high-mobility oxide (HMO) backplanes for future OLED panels, according to Korean publication The Elec. The technology is already used in the new touchscreen MacBook Pro, according to display analyst Ross Young, and Apple could be seeking to increase production for adoption in other products.
Both Samsung Display and LG Display are said to be developing the HMO thin-film transistor technology for OLED panels. It is reportedly being considered by Apple as a full-blown successor to low-temperature polycrystalline oxide, or LTPO – the TFT backplane technology currently used in iPhone models and the OLED iPad Pro.
HMO is designed to improve on conventional oxide TFT displays by increasing electron mobility (i.e., how easily electrons move through the transistor material when an electric field is applied). Mobility is important for driving high-resolution OLED panels while keeping power consumption low. Existing oxide TFTs have electron mobility of around 10cm²/Vs, but HMO aims to raise this to the 30–50cm²/Vs range.
Both Samsung and LG are reportedly using a "sputtering" process that could make the technology easier to integrate into existing production lines. Both suppliers are also said to be pursuing another approach that uses atomic layer deposition (ALD), which involves laying down extremely thin films one atomic layer at a time. ALD is a slower process, but Samsung and LG may be trying to create a more carefully controlled oxide transistor layer than HMO allows for.
Both companies are said to be validating the performance and stability of each deposition method, while prioritizing the "sputtering" approach.
The Elec identifies future MacBooks and iMacs as possible applications, and Apple is indeed believed to be testing OLED displays for future MacBook Air and iMac models, though both upgrades remain some way off. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman anticipates a MacBook Air refresh in early 2027, but he has offered no time frame for either model's transition to OLED.
Apple's iPhone X went on sale nine years ago today, November 3, 2017. The 10th-anniversary iPhone was the first with an all-screen OLED display and no Home button, and its gesture navigation and Face ID authentication shaped the flagship iPhone models that followed it.
Announced on September 12, 2017, the iPhone X used its TrueDepth camera to introduce Face ID, which replaced Touch ID on the device. Powered by the A11 Bionic chip, it was also Apple's first iPhone to start at $999. Apple classified the device as vintage in 2024. Recently, Touch ID made an unlikely return to iPhones with the iPhone Duo. Apple is expected to introduce a redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone in late 2027.
Starting November 16, Apple will require developers to disclose whether their apps include real-world location sharing or dating features so age ratings can be assigned appropriately.
Apple says the Dating and Relationships disclosure is required for apps that allow dating or relationship connections, regardless of whether that's with a real person or a virtual companion that engages in sexual or romantic content.
Apps that include Dating and Relationships must have a minimum age rating of 18+, but Shared Location apps may not see a change to their minimum age rating in some regions.
In Brazil, apps are required to have an A16 rating for Shared Location and A18 for Dating and Relationships. Apps that may qualify for a lower age rating, such as an app that offers location sharing for parents and children, can request a rating from Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
Apps must have Shared Location and Dating and Relationships disclosures submitted through App Store Connect by January 12, 2027.
Apple held its earnings call for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2026 today, and it was Apple CEO John Ternus' first earnings call in his new role. He had Apple CFO Kevan Parekh on hand, and he brought in Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan.
The trio covered iPhone Duo sales, Siri AI, and increasing memory costs, among other topics.
iPhone Duo
After the earnings release, Ternus told Reuters that Apple isn't able to meet demand for the iPhone Duo, and there's no word on when supply/demand balance will be reached.
Ternus also acknowledged display issues and said a "very small percentage" of units have been returned.
iCloud+
Ternus reiterated Apple's plans to add usage limits on server-side AI features like Siri AI and photo editing. Users who need more capacity will be able to purchase expanded access, but there's still no pricing information or details on the limits included with each iCloud+ plan.
When asked about token consumption, Parekh said it's still early days on how much is done on-device vs. with Private Cloud Compute.
The mix of [on-device and cloud Siri] is very early days, and so it's hard to predict exactly what the mix of those costs are going to look like. Obviously, on device, you know, it's very very efficient. No real costs associated with that. But on the server side, we have some inference costs.
I think again, we've just recently launched it and made it available to more users. And so we're in the very very early stages of understanding the kind of mix of those costs, as well as further requirements we might have on the compute side.
Siri AI
Ternus said Apple has real room to expand Siri's capabilities over time, and that Apple wants customers to be aware of what AI agents have access to.
As far as agentic capabilities, you know, we think these are promising tools for users. We just want to make sure that users are aware of what they're giving access to. We want to make sure this is done in a way that protects security and privacy. So, you know, we're pushing really hard on that with Siri AI, but we're also really encouraged by the fact that Apple devices are the best places to use all forms of AI.
He also said Apple's privacy focus differentiates it from other AI providers.
I mean, if you think about it, so much of your personal data is on your iPhone. You know, whether it's your contacts, your communications, health data, financial data, all of that, and Siri can tap into that and help you access it in a way that's very secure and private, and that nobody else has access to. Even Apple doesn't have access to it, and so we think that is a core kind of differentiator that we're excited about, and we're going to continue to push on that.
iOS and macOS Merging
With the MacBook Pro gaining a touch display, an analyst asked if we're going to see a single unified operating system in the future.
Ternus said Apple tries to make the best version of each and every product, while also adding features like Handoff that span across devices, but the company has no plans to make major changes.
If you look at what we did last week with the MacBook Pro, we took a huge leap forward. These MacBook Pros are better in every way than the ones that came before them, and we're really proud of that. And so we don't have any fundamentally different changes that we're planning right now. Nor would we talk about it anyway.
China
Revenue in Greater China was up 21 percent during the quarter, which was a quarterly record. Performance was primarily driven by the iPhone and the Mac.
Install Base
Apple has more than 2.5 billion active devices.
Memory
Ternus said the memory situation is "unprecedented," and Apple expects even higher memory costs in the December quarter. Apple's price increases in June and September offset some of the pressure, as do lower costs from some non-memory components and carry-in inventory.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac were constrained in the September quarter, which Khan said was driven by demand combined with limited availability of the advanced nodes SoCs are produced on. He said constraints on advanced nodes are easing with the transition of more of the lineup to 2nm chips.
iPhone
iPhone revenue was $57.6 billion, up 17 percent year over year and a new September quarter record.
Ternus was asked why Apple didn't release a standard iPhone 18 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Duo, but he skirted the question.
Mac
Revenue was $10.8 billion, up from $8.7 billion, despite supply constraints. Full-year Mac revenue was $37.9 billion, up from $33.7 billion in 2025. Ternus said Apple has never sold more Macs in a fiscal year than it did in 2026.
iPad
iPad revenue was down in the quarter, coming in at $6.2 billion, down from $7 billion in the year-ago quarter. Apple said revenue was down because of supply constraints and a difficult compare against the launch of the A16 iPad last year.
Services
Services revenue hit $31.6 billion, up from $28.8 billion in the year-ago quarter, and a new all-time record. In 2026, services revenue was $123.3 billion.
The App Store saw a record number of nearly a billion average weekly visitors, and Apple saw growth in the number of users who are paying for at least one service.
Wearables
Wearables, Home, and Accessories revenue was $8.3 billion, down 8 percent year over year. There was a difficult compare against the launch of the Apple Watch SE 3 and AirPods Pro 3 in 2025.
Apple expects revenue to grow 7 to 10 percent year over year, leading to the best quarter for revenue in Apple's history. Services revenue is expected to grow between 8 and 9 percent.
Gross margin is expected to be between 45 and 46 percent, impacted by higher memory costs and costs related to the ramp of Siri AI.
Apple expects constraints on the Mac and iPad in the December quarter, primarily driven by memory because demand has been higher than expected.
Apple expects memory costs to continue to increase in the December quarter and beyond, CEO John Ternus said during today's earnings call. Ternus, COO Sabih Khan, and CFO Kevan Parekh all commented on Apple's struggle with memory.
"What we're seeing with memory pricing right now is unprecedented," said Ternus. He said Apple saw higher memory costs in the September quarter, and the December quarter will be worse. "Looking beyond the December quarter, we see the pricing for memory purchases continuing to increase," he said.
Apple was able to offset September costs by using memory it stockpiled at lower prices and securing lower prices on some non-memory components. Apple expects the same factors to cover some of the December increases, along with price increases on iPads, Macs, and iPhones in June and September.
An analyst asked if prices could increase again, but Khan, who took the question, avoided offering a direct answer. Parekh said Apple's price increases were done "reluctantly" and the company is trying to balance the impact.
I think what we try to do is evaluate, and in doing that, we evaluate the unit's revenue margin, and we're really being thoughtful and deliberate at evaluating kind of the short-term and long-term considerations. And we really believe we're balancing this well.
Ternus said Apple expects a declining benefit from pre-purchasing memory over time. Apple's inventory more than doubled year over year to $14.5 billion, which suggests Apple is buying up memory before prices go up yet again. "As we work to improve supply, our manufacturing purchase obligations have increased by $33 billion from June to the September quarter, which you'll see in our annual filing when it comes out tomorrow," he said.
Apple expects gross margin to drop from 47.9 percent in the September quarter to 45 to 46 percent in the December quarter, primarily because of higher memory costs, plus some Siri AI costs. Mac and iPad supplies will be constrained in the December quarter because of memory issues.
Apple Festival Place
Following our report that 
YouTuber Marques Brownlee has switched back to the 
Apple's iPhone X went on sale nine years ago today, November 3, 2017. The 10th-anniversary iPhone was the first with an all-screen OLED display and no Home button, and its gesture navigation and Face ID authentication shaped the flagship iPhone models that followed it.
