The MacRumors Show: Ian Zelbo Talks iPhone 14 Pro and Apple Watch Series 8 Design Rumors

Apple concept graphic designer Ian Zelbo joins us on The MacRumors Show podcast this week to discuss what to expect from the design of the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple's long-rumored mixed-reality headset.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos

Ian works closely with leaker Jon Prosser and is behind many of the detailed, photo-realistic Apple renders that have captivated the rumor community in recent years. He is responsible for using leaked information to create accurate renders of the sixth-generation iPad mini, the Mac Studio and Apple Studio Display, green iPhone 13, purple fifth-generation iPad Air, and much more ahead of Apple's official announcements.

In this episode, we take a look at the creative process behind Ian's renders before taking a deeper dive into the design of the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple's long-rumored mixed-reality headset – three upcoming devices that Ian has painstakingly depicted. See some of Ian's renders below:

ipad mini 6 bottomSixth-generation iPad mini render based on leaked information, published over three months before the device's launch.

Green iPhone 13 Purple iPad AirGreen iPhone 13 and Purple fifth-generation iPad Air renders, shared the day before they were officially announced.

studio display and mac studioMac Studio and Apple Studio Display renders, shared the day before the "Peek Performance" Apple event where they were unveiled.

iPhone 14 Pro Purple Front and Back MacRumors ExclusiveiPhone 14 Pro renders based on a wide range of leaked information.

Prosser Series 8 5Redesigned Apple Watch Series 8 render based on rumors.

Listen to The MacRumors Show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on our YouTube channel. If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for an in-depth discussion about macOS Ventura and the M2 MacBook Air.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Andru Edwards, Rene Ritchie, and Jon Rettinger. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover going forward.

Popular Stories

space black mbp

Apple Potentially Facing Worst Leak Since iPhone 4 Was Left in a Bar

Monday October 7, 2024 3:03 pm PDT by
Alleged photos and videos of an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip continue to surface on social media, in what could be the worst product leak for Apple since an employee accidentally left an iPhone 4 prototype at a bar in California in 2010. The latest video of what could be a next-generation MacBook Pro was shared on YouTube Shorts today by Russian channel Romancev768, just...
Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Leak Video

Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Unboxing Video Reveals These Four Upgrades

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:10 pm PDT by
An alleged unboxing video for an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The video was later linked to on social media platform X by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It is possible that this is the same MacBook Pro box shown in photos that were shared by leaker ShrimpApplePro in late September, as he claimed that this MacBook Pro...
watchos 11 vitals

Apple Watch Users Report Vitals App Detecting Illness Before Symptoms Appear

Monday October 7, 2024 5:34 am PDT by
Apple's new Vitals app for watchOS 11 appears to be impressing some users with its ability to detect potential illness days before symptoms manifest, according to recent reports on Reddit. The Apple Watch app, which analyzes key health metrics measured during sleep over the last seven days, appears to be providing early warnings of impending sickness for at least some Apple Watch wearers...
iPad mini review thumb

iPad Mini 7 Coming Next Month: What to Expect

Tuesday October 8, 2024 6:16 am PDT by
Rumors strongly suggest Apple will release the seventh-generation iPad mini in November, nearly three years after the last refresh. Here's a roundup of what we're expecting from the next version of Apple's small form factor tablet, based on the latest rumors and reports. Design and Display The new iPad mini is likely to retain its compact 8.3-inch display and overall design introduced with...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Tuesday October 8, 2024 5:45 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 6

Monday October 7, 2024 4:27 pm PDT by
We're nearing the end of the iOS 18.1 beta testing process, but Apple is continuing to make tweaks to refine built-in features ahead of when the software launches. With testing winding down, there are fewer new additions, but Apple has made changes worth noting. The new beta is available for both developers and public beta testers. Control Center In the Control Center, Apple has added new...
M4 Real Feature Red

Gurman: Apple to Launch First M4 Macs and Potentially iPad Mini 7 on November 1

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:40 am PDT by
Apple will announce several new M4 Mac models around the end of October, with the company planning to launch at least some of them as soon as Friday, November 1, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple will launch a new M4 version of its low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, as well as higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

Waiting for a New Apple TV? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

Tuesday October 8, 2024 8:57 am PDT by
The current Apple TV was released two years ago this month, so you may be wondering when the next model will be released. Below, we recap rumors about a next-generation Apple TV. In January 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that a new Apple TV was planned for release in the first half of 2024:Beyond the future smart displays and new speaker, Apple is working on revamping its TV box....

Top Rated Comments

topdrawer Avatar
30 months ago
wow, a whole hour.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IllinoisCorn Avatar
30 months ago
The faces in the thumbnail look strange--is that smoothing from webcams?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
30 months ago
Much of the time these renders look cooler that what we actually get.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jav6454 Avatar
30 months ago

But in addition, there really have been only a few drastic new designs in Apple’s recent past.

The iPod models had changed so much over the time of their active development.

MacBooks, Mac Pro and the iMac underwent a journey from plastic to aluminum. But then all got stale.

But yes the few tiny changes we see these days are revealed and ruined by leaks.
Well, Apple is stuck to a specific design o the iPhone now. Due to wireless charging all future iPhones will be glass sandwiches. Overall, you can only do so much.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
30 months ago

I am not sure if I like the mock up render for the Apple Watch 8. I would really love to see the Apple Watch 8 have glucose monitoring. Would be really interested in a feature like that.
I actually welcome more of the flat design based off the render for the new Apple Watch, if it actually does happen. I mean, it’s not like it’s drastically different, but based off that photo, it almost gives it like a thinner profile appeal. I would welcome any physical changes for the Apple Watch, given we’ve seen the same design year after year for the most part.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBreatheApple Avatar
30 months ago

Why do so many people care about the “notch” (didn’t care about it then) or the potential “pill” shape (don’t care about it now). It impacts me in no way. Once it is gone you guys will complain about something else. Enough about this issue. It’s meaningless. Next you’ll complain why the screen doesn’t go beyond the screen. But I guess you guys need a podcast or social media account to complain

I can watch a movie. I can email. I can do anything and my eyes don’t even see it.

I’m a seed beta tester and the software that runs on these devices is 1000% more important.
The vast majority of those who complain about the notch have never owned an iPhone that had one. The few left over are a small minority group. I stopped noticing it in about 12 hours and haven’t ever thought about it again. It has never been in the way, and I am unaware of its presence while view full/maximized video. Do I PREFER it? No. But I don’t care about it in the least. Nor do most.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)