Microsoft's Clippy has been resurrected for a cameo appearance in the company's latest Copilot update, which broadly aims to make its AI assistant more friendly, warm, and human-centered in its interactions.
Microsoft's Copilot Fall Release introduces Mico – an animated orb that serves as the voice mode's visual companion. Mico (its name a nod to Microsoft Copilot) listens, reacts, and changes colors based on the user's interactions, with the aim of giving the AI chatbot a cuter, more approachable presence.
That said, Microsoft's attempt to soften its AI offering could backfire if users tap Mico repeatedly – the action briefly turns Mico into Clippy (officially named Clippit), the animated paperclip assistant that first appeared in Office 97 and became a fixture on both Windows and Mac versions of Office throughout the late 90s and early 2000s.
As irritating as it was iconic, the polarizing helper was retired by Microsoft with Office 2007, but it clearly hasn't given up on the character-driven assistant approach, just now with better graphics and modern AI capabilities.
Note that Mico is optional, and users can interact with Copilot without the character.
Mico launches alongside several other Copilot features including Real Talk mode, which offers an AI that "challenges assumptions with care, adapts to your vibe, and helps conversations spark growth and connection." There's also a new group chat system supporting up to 30 participants and a Learn Live mode designed to guide students through concepts as a Socratic tutor. The Copilot Mode in Edge browser has also been expanded.
The new features are available now in the U.S. and "rolling out fast" across the UK and Canada, with a broader rollout happening in the next few weeks, according to the company. You can learn more about the latest Copilot announcements on Microsoft's website.
The Copilot app is available for iOS and Mac, and users also have the option of accessing the AI features by visiting copilot.microsoft.com in Edge or another browser.
Apple has begun shipping American-made artificial intelligence servers from a newly built factory in Houston, beating its 2026 target.
The servers designed for Apple's Private Cloud Compute system have started shipping from the 250,000-square-foot Houston site months earlier than planned. Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan confirmed the acceleration in a statement provided to Fox Business:
We are thrilled to be shipping American-made advanced servers from our Houston facility. As part of our $600 billion commitment to the United States, these servers will be installed in our data centers and play a key role in powering Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute. Our teams have done an incredible job accelerating work to get the new Houston factory up and running ahead of schedule, and we plan to continue expanding the facility to increase production next year.
Private Cloud Compute is the architecture Apple uses to offload certain Apple Intelligence computations from devices to the cloud, while preserving the on-device privacy model that Apple says is core to its AI system. Apple CEO Tim Cook also posted on X about the news:
Apple’s American-made advanced servers are now shipping from our new Houston facility to Apple data centers!
These servers will help power Private Cloud Compute and Apple Intelligence, as part of our $600 billion US commitment. pic.twitter.com/maOd3lCGfK
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 23, 2025
Apple is reportedly partnering with local contractors and recruiting from Houston City College to staff the facility. The Houston facility is part of a $600 billion U.S. investment commitment Apple made earlier this year, which includes capital for domestic manufacturing, silicon engineering, R&D, and workforce training initiatives.
Microsoft has launched new features for its AI "Copilot Mode" in Edge, following a raft of recent new offerings from competing browsers.
First announced in July, Copilot Mode brings a chat interface to each Edge tab where users can ask questions, search, or enter URLs directly. The mode can also analyze content across all open tabs simultaneously, meaning users are able to compare products or summarize information from multiple windows.
Two new preview features are rolling out to U.S. users. Copilot Actions adds agentic capabilities, letting the AI handle tasks like unsubscribing from emails or making reservations. Actions also includes voice capabilities, allowing users to speak to their browser to open web pages or ask Copilot to find specific topics within articles.
Meanwhile, the Journeys feature organizes browsing history by topic and suggests next steps, making it easier to resume research sessions. It can also group past browsing sessions thematically. So, for example, if a user was researching TVs the previous day, Journeys can organize that session and help pick up where they left off with suggestions for related content.
Copilot Mode can access the user's browsing history to provide better responses, but only with user permission. This is supposed to give the AI more context when answering questions or making suggestions based on past activity.
Companies are in a race to lace AI through every product, and browsers have not been spared, with similar announcements for Perplexity's Comet, Opera's Neon, Dia browser, and most recently, OpenAI's ChatGPT Atlas.
OpenAI today said that it has acquired Software Applications Incorporated and its AI app, Sky. Software Applications Incorporated and Sky were created by a team of former Apple employees known for their work on Apple's Shortcuts feature and the Workflow app that preceded it.
Ari Weinstein and Conrad Kramer, two of the founders of Software Applications Incorporated, also founded Workflow. Workflow was a popular iOS automation app before Apple acquired it in 2017. Weinstein and Kramer joined Apple when Workflow was acquired, and the app ended up serving as the backbone for the Shortcuts feature that's available across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Kramer left Apple in 2019 and Weinstein left in 2023, which is when the two teamed up to found their new company and start work on Sky. Sky didn't officially launch, but it is a Mac-based natural language AI assistant able to answer questions and complete tasks in any open Mac window.
OpenAI says that it plans to bring Sky's deep macOS integration into ChatGPT, with all members of the Sky team set to join OpenAI. That includes Weinstein, Kramer, and several other ex-Apple employees.
"We've always wanted computers to be more empowering, customizable, and intuitive. With LLMs, we can finally put the pieces together. That's why we built Sky, an AI experience that floats over your desktop to help you think and create. We're thrilled to join OpenAI to bring that vision to hundreds of millions of people." --Ari Weinstein, Co-Founder and CEO, Software Applications Incorporated
OpenAI's Sky acquisition comes just a day after OpenAI announced ChatGPT Atlas, a new browser that's designed to compete with Safari and Chrome. ChatGPT Atlas can perform tasks on the user's behalf with ChatGPT's existing AI Operator features, but Sky could further enhance that functionality in the future.
Anthropic today said it is updating the Claude chatbot with a new memory feature, which will put Claude on par with ChatGPT. With memory enabled, Claude will be able to recall past conversations.
Anthropic first added memory to Claude earlier this year, but with the initial implementation, Claude would only recall details when specifically asked. In August, Anthropic expanded the memory feature to allow Claude to automatically remember conversation details without a specific user request, and that functionality has been limited to Team and Enterprise subscribers.
Claude's memory functionality is now expanding to all paid users, so Pro and Max subscribers can use the feature. Max users can turn it on now, while Pro subscribers will get access "over the coming days."
Memory is an opt-in feature that can be turned on in Claude's settings. There are options for "search and reference chats" and "generate memory from chat history." Claude offers an editable memory summary that users can view to see what Claude remembers from conversations.
In the projects section of Claude, each project will have a separate memory. The division ensures that different discussions remain distinct, allowing for separation of work and personal chats.
Apple is one of several tech companies that will contribute to the construction of U.S. President Donald Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom, reports CNN.
Construction began on the ballroom this week, and the White House's east wing was torn down. Trump claims that the ballroom will cost $350 million, and that it will be privately funded through donations. The cost has already increased $150 million over the figures that Trump previously quoted.
Other tech companies that have donated to the ballroom construction include Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and HP.
There is no word on the specific amount that Apple donated toward the project.
Update: The total ballroom cost has been updated to $350 million, after Trump announced new pricing on Thursday evening.
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.
Earlier this month, IKEA debuted a tiny NFC-enabled bed that's meant to help smartphone users cut down on nighttime usage. The small "Phone Sleep Collection" is modeled after an actual IKEA bed, and it uses the IKEA app to monitor scroll-free sleep time.
Users who hit seven hours of scroll-free time for a week straight are eligible for an IKEA voucher.
Every phone bed comes with built-in NFC tech, making sleep effortlessly rewarding. Here's how it works: - Download the IKEA UAE app. - (For iOS users) When prompted, allow Motion & Fitness tracking. - Place your phone on its bed and tap the notification to open the app. - That's it. Your sleep time will track in the background (no counter will appear). - Complete seven nights of seven-hour sleep, and earn your voucher.
Unfortunately, the tiny bed is only available in the United Arab Emirates, and it is a promotional item that IKEA is giving out when customers spend AED 750 or more in-person in IKEA, as long as the purchase includes an item from the company's Complete Sleep Collection.
IKEA's promotion has garnered quite a bit of attention, so it's possible that the company will expand the promotion to additional countries.
AT&T today launched a new ad campaign that goes after T-Mobile, calling out the "litany of misleading and deceiving claims in T-Mobile's marketing."
AT&T's new ad features actor Luke Wilson, with Wilson calling T-Mobile the "master of breaking promises." AT&T points out that the BBB's National Advertising Review Board has recommended T-Mobile change its advertising 16 times over the past four years, though AT&T fails to mention that the NARB also found that some claims were accurate.
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile often ask the National Advertising Review Board to investigate the advertising claims that their competitors are making, and all three carriers are regularly asked to make various changes as a result.
AT&T says that it covers 300,000 more square miles than T-Mobile, and that it had the fewest dropped calls in recent tests. AT&T claims that it is the first and only network to offer a guarantee for its wireless and fiber networks, providing "transparent communication" and proactive bill credits during outages.
Apple said today that it might be "forced" to disable a key anti-ad tracking feature in the European Union, reports DPA International.
"Intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy and other countries in Europe may force us to withdraw this feature to the detriment of European consumers," Apple said in a statement to DPA.
Apple is referring to App Tracking Transparency (ATT), a feature that lets iPhone and iPad users decide whether to allow apps to track their activity across other apps and websites for advertising purposes. Users can choose to allow apps to ask for permission, or turn off tracking entirely.
The anti-tracking features were implemented in Apple's iOS 14 updates. ATT prevents apps from accessing the advertising identifier of an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV without express permission, so apps can't track what users do on their devices and then use the information gleaned for ad targeting.
ATT has been unsurprisingly unpopular with advertisers and data brokers. Facebook rallied hard against App Tracking Transparency ahead of when it rolled out, positioning Apple as an enemy of small businesses and taking out multiple full-page newspaper ads.
Germany launched a probe into App Tracking Transparency back in 2022, and in February 2025, Germany's Federal Cartel Office preliminarily ruled that Apple abused its market power with ATT, giving itself preferential treatment, even though Apple says it does not collect data from third-party apps. The cartel said that Apple's restrictions made it "far more difficult" for app publishers to access user data relevant for advertising.
In March 2025, Apple was fined 150 million euros by France's Competition Authority. French regulators said that Apple complicated the process for users to opt out of tracking and unfairly disadvantaged third-party developers and ad providers. Apple is facing a similar investigation in Italy, with a ruling expected later this year.
Apple said that it has presented solutions to regulators in Europe, but it is facing complex solutions that would undermine App Tracking Transparency. Apple also said it will work to keep the feature available to Europeans. "We will continue to urge the relevant authorities in Germany, Italy and across Europe to allow Apple to continue providing this important privacy tool to our users."
Apple engaged in anticompetitive behavior by charging App Store developers "excessive and unfair prices" for app distribution services, the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled today [PDF] (via Reuters).
The Tribunal found that Apple abused its market power by overcharging developers from October 2015 through the end of 2020. Developers were forced into using Apple's in-app purchase system and had no alternative to paying up to a 30 percent commission during that time period. The excessive fees ultimately led to higher prices for consumers.
According to the CAT, Apple had a monopoly over iOS app distribution and in-app payments. Apple's argument that Android and other platforms were viable alternatives for consumers and developers was rejected. The Tribunal also did not accept Apple's argument that its rules and fees were required for user security and privacy.
The end of 2020 in the UK's timeline corresponds with the launch of the App Store Small Business Program that saw Apple reduce App Store fees for independent developers and small business owners. The program reduced the commission that Apple collected from developers earning under $1 million per year to 15 percent, down from 30 percent. It's also when Apple began implementing other App Store changes in response to cases like Epic Games v. Apple.
The class action lawsuit was first filed in 2021 by Kings College London academic Dr. Rachael Kent, and the claim seeks up to £1.5 billion in damages. The period between 2015 and 2020 was selected in order to determine how much Apple will need to pay to UK consumers.
A damages trial is scheduled for November. Apple said it will appeal the ruling.
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.
The standard iPhone 18 will be equipped with the A20 chip, while the iPhone 18 Pro models and Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone will be equipped with an A20 Pro chip, the post said. However, the post did not mention which chip the entry-level iPhone 18e or second-generation iPhone Air would use, should there be such models.
Given there were A18 and A18 Pro chips, as well as A19 and A19 Pro chips, this rumor that Apple is allegedly planning both A20 and A20 Pro chips is not very surprising. But, it still helps to set expectations for the iPhone lineup moving forward.
A20 and A20 Pro chips are expected to be the first iPhone processors manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process, whereas the A17 Pro through A19 Pro chips were all fabricated with TSMC's series of 3nm processes. This would result in greater year-over-year performance improvements and power efficiency gains for iPhones than usual.
According to a previous rumor, at least some A20 chips will have RAM integrated directly onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, rather than being adjacent to the chip and connected via a silicon interposer. This design change may result in the chips being smaller, and it would likely contribute to improved efficiency.
The following new iPhone models are expected to be released in September 2026:
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Fold
It is not entirely clear if there will be a second-generation iPhone Air, but if there is, that device would presumably also be released in September 2026.
The following models are expected to follow around March 2027:
iPhone 18e
iPhone 18
If so, the A20 Pro chip would be announced next year, and the A20 chip would follow in 2027.
Apple returned to court this week to argue that a federal judge exceeded their authority when they held the company in contempt and barred it from collecting any commission on external in-app transactions, Bloomberg reports.
Apple told the appeals court that a U.S. District Judge went further than their 2021 order allowed when they banned Apple from taking any commission on purchases made outside apps. Apple said the order only required it to allow links to outside payments, not to stop collecting fees entirely.
Apple argued that if the judge disagreed with its approach, they should have clarified the order instead of punishing the company for contempt. It told the judges that the contempt ruling was "punitive" and that Apple is entitled to "some compensation" when developers use its platform and ecosystem.
Epic told the court that Apple knowingly violated the order instead of asking for clarification. The company said Apple only started claiming it should be paid for external purchases after it was caught violating the injunction.
The case arises from Epic's 2020 decision to add an external payment link to Fortnite, which led to its removal from the App Store. In response to the 2021 order allowing alternative payments, Apple created a new 27% fee on external transactions. Epic argued this violated the spirit of the order. A judge later agreed and held Apple in contempt, banning any commission on external payments. Apple is now asking the Ninth Circuit to overturn that contempt ruling.
Last month, Mophie announced the launch of its Max Charging Stand. Aimed squarely at those with multiple sets of Apple's headphones, it can charge AirPods Max headphones plus a pair of AirPods or AirPods Pro at the same time.
Priced at $150, it immediately garnered criticism in our forum, largely over its price point compared to its functionality. But is it actually worth it? I've spent a few weeks with it to see.
Design and Build
The charging base is aluminum lined with smooth silicone along every surface that comes into contact with your devices. The bottom also has a large rectangular pad of this same silicone so that it doesn't slide easily on your desk. The Mophie logo is subtly stamped on the top just under the square indentation that shows you where to place your AirPods (or other Qi-enabled device) for charging.
At 15.7 ounces (445 g) on my kitchen scale, it's weighty enough to hold my AirPods Max without wobbling. But more on this later...
It comes with a decently long 5-foot USB-C cable coated with the same silicone that covers the stand, a 20W wall adapter, two magnetic charging dongles, and a pass-through adapter.
To use the stand, you insert one of the magnetic dongles into the USB-C port of the AirPods Max. This dongle then connects automatically to the charging port in the stand thanks to its magnetism. The second magnetic dongle included is a spare which is a nice touch, especially at this price point.
The pass-through adapter allows you to leave a charging dongle in the Max's charging port at all times so you can still charge it with a standard USB-C cable, avoiding wear and tear on the port with frequent removals and insertions. But on the other hand, this is another adapter to carry around and avoid losing. The pro tip here is to just leave this dongle attached to a USB-C cable you use to charge the headphones when you're away from home.
Using the included pass-through adapter to a USB-C cable
The charging dongle does not pass through audio, so if you use your AirPods Max with a cable for lossless audio or to connect to a 3.5mm analog device, you'll have to remove the dongle each time.
The magnetic dongle is the key feature of the stand and it isn't a new concept—charging stands that make use of a magnetic dongle have been released by smaller companies over the years (e.g., the Max Stand a few years ago) and Mophie's is a premium entry by one of the larger Apple accessory makers.
How It Works
When you place the AirPods Max on the stand, the white LED on the front of the stand illuminates for a few seconds and then turns off. Since you can't see the status light next to the USB-C port on the headphones themselves to verify charging while it's in the stand, it's a bit frustrating to not be able to see charging status after the stand's light turns off.
Additionally, since the stand places the headphones in sleep mode using magnets built into the ear cup holders, you can't even see its charge level on another Apple device in Control Center or the Battery widget unless you remove it from the stand. I'd rather this light stay on or pulse while the headphones are charging.
Removing the AirPods Max requires two hands since the stand, while weighing in at nearly a pound, is not heavy enough to overcome the magnetic force from the charging dongle. You must also use two hands to place the headphones into the stand since the ear cup holders are placed far enough apart that you need to stretch the headband wider.
This ear cup holder placement does, however, allow the stand to accommodate AirPods or another Qi-enabled device in the center. I'd been using a simple 3D-printed AirPods Max stand with no charging capability where the ear cup holders are close enough together that it's easy to drop in and remove the AirPods Max with one hand, so this was an adjustment for me.
The center charger fits an AirPods Pro case easily and the indentation makes it easy to target where it should go. It's even large enough to accommodate the large case cover I use on mine. It also charged my iPhone 17 Pro although it takes a few seconds to line it up in the right spot.
The center charger is nice to have but seems like an addition meant to add value to the stand to justify the price. I'd like to see a version at a lower price point without this center charger that would also allow a narrower placement of the holders for the ear cups.
Next to my (non-charging) 3D-printed stand
In my charging tests, I saw no significant differences between charging my AirPods Max directly with Apple's USB-C cable to a 20W wall adapter, using the Max Stand, or using the USB-C cable with the pass-through adapter that Mophie includes. Apple states that a 5-minute charge adds 1.5 hours of listening but does not claim any fast-charging features beyond this, nor does Apple specifically recommend using a high-wattage wall adapter.
Per iFixit, the USB-C AirPods Max has the same battery cells as the original model released in 2020 with a total capacity of 664 mAh. AirPods Max automatically limits the amount of power drawn during charging and using a higher-wattage wall adapter doesn't increase charging speeds.
With this stand on my desk, I noticed that I was no longer ultra-careful about taking every opportunity to put my headphones into sleep mode to avoid draining the battery. I started leaving my AirPods Max around the house willy-nilly without a charging care in the world since I knew I could easily pop them on the stand for a quick charge anytime. Using a USB-C cable to charge them is not hard of course, but it takes more steps than just dropping the headphones into a stand.
The Big Question
Will Mophie offer a Lightning dongle that will allow the stand to work with older AirPods Max models that have Lightning ports? It seems like this would be an easy thing to do since the stand is only handling low power to the headphones and no data, and it would open up the consumer base greatly for Mophie to sell more of these. This is the most commonly-asked question on the stand's product page and there's no official answer from Mophie there at the time of this review, though there is someone who claims that Mophie responded to them directly and said no. We asked Mophie directly and they did not respond prior to publication of this review.
A closer view of the magnetic dongle
We presume that the official answer to this question is no. While disappointing, it's likely a licensing issue that's preventing a Lightning dongle. The Lightning connector is a proprietary one and Apple offers licensing of its use through its MFi program, while USB-C is not proprietary. If Mophie has done the math here, it must be that licensing a Lightning dongle is more costly than offering it, even if it means missing out on a potentially large user base of Lightning AirPods Max owners.
Who It's For
You use your AirPods Max frequently throughout the day at or near a desk and want an easy and quick way to charge them. Or you are out and about all day and want to drop your AirPods Max in a dock near the door when you get home to charge fully overnight before you grab them and go in the morning. And you have $150 to burn.
I was salty about the price when this was first announced, but I have appreciated this dock more and more and even find myself using my AirPods Max more because of it. Like much in life, making something easier has a large impact on how often it's used or done. So is it worth it? For me, the answer is yes.
Pros:
Solid, quality build
Aesthetically pleasing
Can charge two devices at once
Easy and convenient charging
Cons:
No at-a-glance charging status indicator
Need two hands to place and remove headphones
Stretches headband
Pass-through adapter is another thing to lose
Price
Note: Mophie provided MacRumors with a Max Stand for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Mophie. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
Starting today, the feature is available to residents of West Virginia. To set it up, open the Wallet app and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, select Driver's License and ID Cards and follow the on-screen steps.
Apple says the feature requires an iPhone 8 or later running iOS 16.5 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 9.5 or later.
Below, we have outlined information about the feature's availability.
Supported States
The following 12 states offer driver's licenses in the Wallet app:
Amazon this week is taking $50 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.
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Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00 ($50 off). Free delivery estimates are placed around October 28 for most of these iPad models, but Prime members should be able to get same-day delivery in many locations.
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 is interested in buying Warner Bros. Discovery's extensive back catalog of content for Apple TV, Bloomberg reports.
Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO, CNN, Warner Bros., DC Entertainment, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, and many more brands. The media company is responsible for thousands of major TV shows and movies. Now, it is reportedly interested in being acquired by another big player like Paramount Skydance, or breaking up by selling assets like its streaming business.
According to two people said to be familiar with the discussions, Apple has apparently expressed interest in acquiring the company's extensive film and TV library, as well as production assets. Other parts of the business would have to be retained or sold to other suitors. Netflix, Comcast, and Amazon have also conveyed interest in the proposition.
If they proceed, the breakup could see Apple or another streamer significantly bolstering its content catalog. To date, Apple TV has generally focused on delivering original content, rather than acquiring or licensing properties from other studios. On "The Town" podcast, Apple services chief Eddy Cue responded to speculation about Apple buying other media companies like HBO:
I never say no to anything, but we're not actively looking at buying any company of any size. We like building things ourselves.
[...]
Look, we talk to a lot of folks, we like learning and talking and listening is a good way to learn. But again, I never say no to anything in the future, but it's not our approach. We like building things, we like doing things ourselves and creating them, and we think that that's how we can really stand out and do unique things.
When asked directly if Apple would buy Warner Bros., Cue said:
I would be surprised, but again, I never say no to anything because you never know what happens in the world.
Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly expects to begin asking potential bidders to sign nondisclosure agreements as early as this week. Last week, Apple announced a $700 million five-year partnership that brings all F1 races exclusively to Apple TV in the United States beginning next year.
Apple's new iPhone lineup launched in the fall of 2027 will be called the "iPhone 20" models, rather than the "iPhone 19," according to research firm Omdia.
Speaking at a conference in Seoul (via ETNews), Omdia Chief Researcher Heo Moo-yeol corroborated rumors that Apple plans to move the launch of its standard iPhone to the first half of the year and provided some additional clarity about what to expect through to the end of 2027.
In the first half of 2027, Apple will launch the "iPhone 18e" and "iPhone 18." Then, in the second half of the year, Apple will launch a next-generation iPhone Air, "iPhone 20 Pro," "iPhone 20 Pro Max," and second-generation foldable iPhone.
The move is said to be part of a broader attempt to reset the iPhone's naming system and revitalize the product lineup around the device's 20th anniversary. There is a strong argument that Apple will skip "iPhone 19" nomenclature. For the 10th anniversary of the iPhone in 2017, Apple skipped the "iPhone 9" and simply launched the iPhone X (roman numeral for 10) alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
Apple's plan to push the release of its standard model to the first half of the year to launch alongside a new "e" model is now widely rumored. Omdia says that from next year, Apple is expecting reduced demand due to the change, with no "iPhone 18" launching in 2026, and will temporarily reduce iPhone panel orders by 20 million units as a result. In the long term, this is expected to be offset by shipments of foldable iPhones.
In August, ETNews reported that Apple had informed some of its suppliers that the iPhone 18 will not be part of the fall 2026 iPhone lineup. Instead, the company will unveil only higher-end models in the second half of next year.
Both The Information and Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in May that Apple was considering moving to a biannual schedule to help sustain sales throughout the calendar year. By staging new device launches in both halves of the year, Apple could avoid the concentrated sales pattern that typically peaks in the fourth quarter following its September events and tap into periods that historically see weaker consumer demand. The iPhone 17 lineup is believed to be the last to have followed Apple's traditional release structure.
*Omdia initially calls this early 2027 model the "iPhone 20," but this is likely a mistake and refers to the iPhone 18, as it implies later in its report. The standard iPhone 20 will probably follow in the first half of 2028.
Back in 2012, an Apple retail employee named Sam Sung went viral because his name is similar to Samsung, one of Apple's main competitors. In a recent interview with Business Insider, he detailed that period in his life, how Apple responded, and he explained why he ultimately changed his name.
Someone posted an image of Sung's Apple business card on Reddit in 2012, and it spread rapidly. Apple called him and asked him if he was aware of the post, and he became paranoid that he would lose his job.
"I was so scared, and I just wanted to keep my head down and stay employed," he said.
After a reporter approached him while he was at work, Apple pulled Sung from the store floor, and employees were told not to identify him when customers came in and asked. Apple also took away his business cards. Sung pretended to be someone else when a customer asked, and eventually, the joke died off.
Sung ended up leaving Apple in 2013 because he wanted to move on from retail, and in 2014, he ended up auctioning off his old business cards and pieces of his former uniform for charity.
Sung didn't change his name until after he left Apple, but his decision to do so was a direct result of going viral. He said he "didn't want to be known for being an internet joke."
He ultimately decided to change his last name to Struan, which he says is the name of one of his favorite places in Scotland. Though he doesn't regret his name change, he says that he wishes he could tell his younger self to "see it as a funny thing" and not stress out about his job.
Using the included pass-through adapter to a USB-C cable
Next to my (non-charging) 3D-printed stand
A closer view of the magnetic dongle
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