Unconfirmed photos of what is alleged to be the packaging for the iPhone 5S have been released by Chinese site C Technology [Google Translation]. The photographs depict a standard white iPhone box, similar to the boxes Apple has used as packaging for previous versions of the iPhone.
A black iPhone is printed on the top of the box and the phone's home button is surrounded by a new silver ring and pictured without the iconic square in the middle. The design is in line with rumors suggesting the iPhone 5S home button will be slightly altered in order to accommodate an expected fingerprint sensor, but there is no way to confirm the veracity of the images.
The solid black background on the phone is suspect as Apple typically uses a wallpaper for a background, but leaked images of purported iPhone 5C packaging have also shown a solid colored background.
While KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has indicated the iPhone 5S will feature a sapphire-covered convex home button to support the fingerprint sensor, other reports have disagreed with this conclusion, with 9to5Mac suggesting a non-distinct design for the home button that might possibly contain a shinier border as seen in the photo.
Apple will unveil the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C during an iPhone event next Tuesday. In addition to a fingerprint sensor, the iPhone 5S is expected to have an upgraded processor, an improved camera, and a new "champagne" color option.
Update: C Technology has now posted higher-quality versions of the original two photos, as well as two additional photos of the box.
Wednesday January 14, 2026 10:18 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Verizon is experiencing a major outage across the U.S. today, with hundreds of thousands of customers reporting issues with the network on the website Downdetector. There are also complaints across Reddit and other social media platforms.
iPhone users and others with Verizon service are generally unable to make phone calls, send text messages, or use data over 5G or LTE due to the outage....
Tuesday January 13, 2026 6:11 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
Here are the six apps included with an Apple Creator Studio subscription:Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad
Logic Pro on the Mac and iPad
Pixelmator...
Monday January 12, 2026 1:15 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today seeded the second beta of iOS 26.3, nearly a month after the first beta. So far, the update includes a couple of new features for iPhones.
iOS 15.3 through iOS 18.3 were all released in late January over the years, so it is thereby likely that iOS 26.3 will be released towards the end of this month as well. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer.
Below,...
Monday January 12, 2026 7:38 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with CNBC today, Apple confirmed that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of Siri that is slated to launch later this year.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
"After careful evaluation, we determined that Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we're excited about the innovative...
Tuesday January 13, 2026 11:29 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today released a firmware update for the AirPods Pro 3. The latest firmware has a version number of 8B34, up from the previous version 8B30.
Apple has a support document for AirPods firmware updates, and it indicates that the 8B34 update contains unspecified "bug fixes and other improvements."
No other AirPods models received firmware updates today.
How to install AirPods Pro...
Friday January 9, 2026 8:17 am PST by Tim Hardwick
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
...
Tuesday January 13, 2026 7:52 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple and Google this week announced that Gemini will help power a more personalized Siri, and The Information has provided more details.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
As soon as this spring, the report said the revamped version of Siri will be able to…
Answer more factual/world knowledge questions in a conversational manner
Tell more stories
Provide...
Tuesday January 13, 2026 10:50 am PST by Joe Rossignol
If you are not interested in subscribing to the new Apple Creator Studio bundle introduced today, you will officially start to miss out on some new features.
Apple said some "exciting new intelligent features and premium content" in Pixelmator Pro, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform will only be accessible with a Creator Studio subscription. In the U.S., a subscription costs $12.99 per...
Thursday January 8, 2026 2:56 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Monday January 12, 2026 11:38 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Elon Musk today expressed concern about Apple and Google partnering on a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google's generative AI platform Gemini.
"This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that [they] also have Android and Chrome," wrote Musk, in a post on X.
Musk serves as CEO of xAI, the company behind Gemini competitor Grok.
It is unlikely...
Are you guys joking about this being "questionable?"
The only ones that don't believe the leaks so far are the ones who still grasps onto the mere fact iOS 7 is going to change the way it looks and it's still tacky, ugly, and pathetic compared to "being innovative". These are the same folks who yap out "it's a beta!" - when we are on the final release due in a few days.
This is the real iphone 5S - there are NO MORE SURPRISES. If there were anything out of the ordinary, you would've seen it leaked by now. Let me sum it up for you again, Tim Cook Style:
(in no particular order):
- "wooo-woooo-woooooo obnoxious crowd screaming when lights dim and some cheesy U2 song is playing in background"
- tim cook appears. Slow starting speech. Announces how successful iOS is yet again for the 7th time. Praising App Store success, apps being downloaded more than McDonald's being served. Compares to competitors and how iOS still dominates everything (but in reality, it is just not true). Begins to compliment how successful iBooks is and how it enables children to learn (while not being told the truth that more and more children have worse and worse vision staring at the LCD all day long). Talks about how great apple stores are and opening another one in vietnam. Blah blah blah, more slow un-titalating speeches about how great apple is. Trying to distort reality but his abilities are really not at the jedi master level yet.
- Of course you see mr. wart himself, Phil comes on stage. Bam, talks about improving iPhone 5. How great the iPhone 5 is (and it is a nice phone). Then talks about how crappy passwords are and how millions don't lock their devices. Introduces iPHone 5S - fingerprint sensor, talks on and on about how it's so great. How others failed and how apple succeeded. Goes on to introduce iPhone 5S itself and the new processors, updated camera, and the same old shhhhh as the iPhone 5. How great 4" screen is and how the new 5S camera can shoot 60fps 1080p video. Just that the iPhone 5 LCD can't even display 720p :rolleyes:
- More features shown on iphone 5S camera, comparisons to other cameras, knocking on nokia 1020 faux 40+ MP camera. Then the biggest surprise, iPhone 5C colored iPhones. Crowd goes bezerk.
- Tons of the same old same old same old presentation with the same product but trickled improvements from previous because who will buy an iPhone when they do everything now, they will milk everything slowly so they can call it an iPhone 6 next year.
So there you have it, sums up everything - you have seen the real deal already and unless there is an AMOLED 4" screen, some kind of super processor, or a huge battery pack, it's already all seen and done before.
You people who are doubting the reality of this leak, come this tuesday, you will just clap away like a clown and smile then wait a week to order the SAME iPHONE 5 with an S at the end of the iPHone 5!
