Japanese blog Mac Otakara claims that the next generation iPad will have a slightly smaller bezel, a flat back and a new "wide-ranged speaker unit". The report (via AppleInsider) cites an anonymous Chinese source.
The changes would be welcome by some as it addresses a couple of criticisms of the original iPad design. The outer plastic bezel surrounding the LCD screen of the iPad was seen as excessively large by some. The new design would address this by slightly narrowing this bezel by 3x3mm. The final design is said to retain the same size LCD screen but the overall unit is claimed to measure 239 mm by 186 mm as compared to the current iPad's size of 242.8 mm x 189.7 mm. Next, the back of the iPad is reported to be "flat like an iPod Touch" which would allow the new iPad to sit flat on a desk surface. The current iPad has a rounded back.
Finally, the source adds a detail that would explain the large opening seen in some early iPad 2 case designs.
According to the Japanese blog, the new iPad has a large "wide-ranged speaker unit covered with metal mesh". A computer generated depiction is pictured above. The new iPad is said to be starting production with a ship date in mid-to-late January. Mac Octakara has no history of providing Apple rumors, but the details seem plausible and fit with the leaked iPad case designs.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
