According to The Next Web, Apple board member Al Gore today claimed that Apple will be releasing "new iPhones" next month, making the first such public comment on Apple's next-generation iPhone release plans from anyone closely connected to the company.
Gore's use of the plural "iPhones" is naturally sparking speculation that Apple may indeed be planning to launch both a redesigned iPhone 5 and a more modest "iPhone 4S" based on the current iPhone 4 design.
We’ve been informed by Toby Shapshak, the editor of Stuff Magazine in South Africa that is attending the conference, that his quote was specifically: “Not to mention the new iPhones coming out next month. That was a plug.”
Shapshak says that the statement was definitely plural, although it wasn’t clear whether that meant two different models, as the statement was not clarified in any way by Gore.
It's not entirely clear just how familiar Gore would be with exact details of the next iPhone, as most boards of directors are more concerned with broader issues such as establishing corporate policy frameworks and objectives, monitoring financial performance, and representing shareholder interests. But Gore certainly could have knowledge of Apple's general timeframe for such a major product launch.
Meanwhile, Electronista and Reuters report that Sprint CEO Dan Hesse danced around the topic of the iPhone at a Goldman Sachs investor conference today, noting that the company's financial guidance does not take the device into account and would have to be adjusted if the carrier were to begin offering the iPhone.
Hesse also cited the iPhone as the number one reason customers have left Sprint, noting that the carrier has added subscribers over the past two quarters in spite of its disadvantage against iPhone-offering rivals AT&T and Verizon.
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...