German site Macerkopfreports [Google translation] that Apple is working on two separate software updates for iOS 5, looking at both near-term battery fixes and longer-term improvements to Siri. Macerkopf tells us:
iOS 5.0.2 coming very soon, solving the battery bugs. Should arrive before the end of next week. Apple is working hard on the update. In addition Apple ist working on the first big iOS 5 Update (iOS 5.1), bringing some siri-extensions. Also the Siri hardware-control is in work "take a picture", "make a video", "switch on/off WiFi", "switch on/off BT" and more.
According to the report, a new update presumably coming as iOS 5.0.2 is set to be released "no later than next week" to address continued battery life issues even after last week's release of iOS 5.0.1 intended to target those problems. A release next week would be a fast turnaround given that there has not yet been any sign of developer testing for an iOS 5.0.2, although iOS 5.0.1 spent only about a week in testing as Apple rushed to release the update to the public.
Beyond the near-term battery fixes, the source also suggests that Apple is working hard on enhancements to the Siri functionality of the iPhone 4S, with the update apparently set to come early next year in a more significant software update probably dubbed iOS 5.1. The report points to Apple's Siri FAQ to note that additional language support and expansion of maps and local search to new countries will be included in the update. In addition, Apple is said to be looking at a significant expansion of Siri's capabilities for controlling iOS devices, implementing commands for such tasks as taking photos and videos, and turning connectivity such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on and off.
Macerkopf has not been a frequent source of rumors regarding Apple's plans, and thus the report should be taken with some skepticism, but the claims do seem to line up with Apple's priorities of addressing continuing battery issues and increasing the functionality of the flagship feature of the new iPhone 4S.
Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon.
Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week.
iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you.
Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports.
In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28.
The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by Juli Clover
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products.
Here's what's supposedly coming:
An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. iOS 26.2 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Thursday December 11, 2025 4:02 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple is working on a smart home hub that will rely heavily on the more capable version of Siri that's coming next year. We've heard quite a bit about the hub over the last two years, but a recent iOS 26 code leak provides additional insight into what we can expect and confirms rumored features.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Macworld claims to have access to an ...
Thursday December 11, 2025 4:19 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's next-generation Studio Display is expected to arrive early next year, and a new report allegedly provides a couple more details on the external monitor's capabilities.
According to internal Apple code seen by Macworld, the new external display will feature a variable refresh rate capable of up to 120Hz – aka ProMotion – as well as support for HDR content. The current Studio...
I haven't even updated to 5.0.1 yet, I was getting pretty bad battery but not terrible like some people. Out of nowhere in the past two days my battery has been dying close to 10% an hour on standby. This is ridiculous, and I can't fathom why this problem has just started out of nowhere if I haven't been doing anything different. To me that would seem to suggest some hardware issue?
Now I'm getting annoyed. The no audio on outgoing calls problem intermittently, and now this terrible battery.
Shouldn't you be updating to the latest version of iOS instead of complaining about your problems first? It's over the air now, what's your excuse? Afraid you won't have something to complain about? lol
they should have already thought of and added these features in the 1st release.
I think all companies should do that. Think of all the features ever needed and include them in the 1st release so no updates ever required. Also, they should fix all the bugs too - even the unforseen ones. And make the phone able to fix it's own hardware errors with, like, nano-technology. But they should definitely think of things they haven't thought of yet.
...and that is why i keep coming back to the iPhone. Updates updates updates and i get them as soon as they're released. No waiting days, months for it to be ported onto a custom UI/skin or for carrier approvals or till i buy a new phone entirely and all that nonsense.
The product/ecosystem keeps on giving and giving for the next 24 months at the very least.
