Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.
There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.
M4 MacBook Air
Apple plans to refresh the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models, updating them with more powerful M4 chips. Design changes are not expected, with the focus being on the chip refresh. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that new MacBook Air models are "coming soon," suggesting they are likely to arrive later in the spring. However, Apple's inventory of MacBook Air models is running low at its retail stores, indicating that refreshes for the devices could be just around the corner.
iPad Air
The iPad Air is set to get updated with either an M3 or M4 chip, and it could debut alongside a new lower-cost Magic Keyboard that Apple is developing for the more affordable iPad models. Some rumors have suggested the iPad Air will have the M3 chip that's a step behind the M4 in the iPad Pro, but Gurman said in January that Apple could opt for the M4 instead. A leaker who has provided reliable information in the past also said in January that the iPad Air 7 will use the M3 chip, not the M4 chip. No other major hardware or design changes are expected. Like new MacBook Air models, the iPad Air is said to be coming soon, according to Gurman.
Low-Cost iPad
Apple is believed to be working on an 11th-generation iPad with a faster chip and support for Wi-Fi 6E. The tablet is also expected to feature Apple's custom-designed C1 modem chip that just debuted in the iPhone 16e. Gurman has said the next low-cost iPad will use the A17 Pro chip – the same one that's in the iPhone 15 Pro models and the iPad mini 7. The A17 Pro chip supports Apple Intelligence, so presumably that means the new iPad will come with at least 8GB of RAM, which is the minimum requirement for Apple's suite of AI features. Apple's supply chain began shipments of the new devices in December, according to one report.
Smart Home Command Center
Apple is working on a new Home accessory that is designed to serve as a central hub or "Command Center" for smart home management. Apple's upcoming iPad-like smart home accessory could be released as soon as early 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, he recently said that Apple might not be able to launch it until later in the year due to its reliance on features coming in iOS 18.4 and iOS 19. Kuo believes the device will not be released until the second or third quarter of 2025. In February, Gurman said that the smart home hub launch is "still months away."
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.
Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues.
The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator.
The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by Juli Clover
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+.
What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year?
Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+
The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here
2026 Plans Still Under ...
Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro.
Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
Wednesday December 31, 2025 8:39 am PST by Eric Slivka
Apple today added the final 13-inch MacBook Air powered by Intel processors, the Apple Watch Series 5, and additional products to its vintage products list. The iPhone 11 Pro was also added to the list after the iPhone 11 Pro Max was added back in September.
The full list of products added to Apple's vintage and obsolete list today:
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
iPhone 8 Plus 128GB ...
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines.
According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option.
Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch.
The key announcements include:
New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January.
"Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
All the speculation about "a new member of the family" and "what it must mean!" -- "surely it's way more than just an entry level iPhone or Tim wouldn't hype it and Elon wouldn't retweet it ... right!??"
?
yeah -- it was just an overpriced, specifically gimped, parts bin phone meant to nudge you to buy an even more expensive one once you start analyzing the purchase
I wouldn't be surprised if they bumped the base iPad 11 back up to $449 to bum us out again. Or they can outdo my low expectations and put it at $499, maybe even $529.
No M4 Mac Studio this spring? It’s funny when they say the WDC is not an event for hardware announcements… and then they use it for announcing hardware.