MacRumors

Apple has experienced a significant decline in iPhone sales in China, dropping from the leading position to third place in the country's smartphone market during the fourth quarter of 2024.

According to a new report from Counterpoint Research, iPhone shipments in China fell by 18.2% year-on-year in the final quarter of 2024. This decline resulted in a 17.1% market share for the company, placing it behind Huawei and Xiaomi, which captured 18.1% and 17.2% of the market, respectively. The fall comes just a year after Apple held the top position in the market with a 19% share. This is apparently the first time since the U.S. ban on Huawei that Apple has been displaced by its Chinese competitor.

Apple's reduced performance in China has been attributed to several factors, including heightened competition from domestic brands and its inability to bring Apple Intelligence to the region. While Apple Intelligence was introduced alongside the iPhone 16 lineup in September 2024 in the United States, it has not been made available in China due to regulatory constraints. The company is believed to be partnering with Chinese companies to deliver the features at a later date. Huawei's strong growth in the fourth quarter—up 15.5% year-on-year—has been largely credited to AI features in its flagship Mate 70 devices and the mid-range Nova 13 series.

It is also of note that China's smartphone market experienced a 3.2% year-on-year decline in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking the only quarter of the year with negative growth. Despite these obstacles, Apple maintained its position as the third-largest smartphone brand in China for the quarter, and its sales were closely matched with Xiaomi, which recorded a 17.2% market share.

A new iPhone SE is widely rumored to launch this year, and the device has potentially been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass.

In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning an iPhone SE (4th Gen), which casts doubt on the alternative "iPhone 16E" name rumored for the device. However, the name in the source code could be a placeholder, so there is no guarantee one way or the other yet.

Blass also shared a purported image of the new iPhone SE, and the device has a Dynamic Island instead of a notch. So far, the Dynamic Island is available on the iPhone 14 Pro models, all four iPhone 15 models, and all four iPhone 16 models.

There have been conflicting rumors about whether the next iPhone SE will have a Dynamic Island or a notch, so we will ultimately have to wait and see.

No further details were revealed about the next iPhone SE in this leak.

The new iPhone SE is said to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14 or iPhone 16. Rumored features for the device include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a newer A-series chip and an increased 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, and the first Apple-designed 5G modem.

According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone SE 4 will be released around the quarter mark of 2025. That means the device will likely be released this March or April, just like all three previous iPhone SE models were.

The current iPhone SE looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. Pricing starts at $429, but at least a slight price increase seems probable for the next model.

The leak from Blass also mentioned new iPad Air and entry-level iPad 11 models, which do not appear to have any obvious design changes. Those devices are also likely to be announced by March or April this year.

Amazon today has one of the first notable discounts of the year on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, available for $164.99, down from $179.00. If you're looking for the AirPods 4 without ANC, they're available for $119.00 on Amazon, down from $129.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Regarding the AirPods 4 with ANC, today's deal is the best price we've tracked so far in 2025, but it's not an all-time low price. We tracked a fairly steep discount on the AirPods 4 over the holiday season last year, but it's unlikely to reappear anytime soon, so Amazon's discount is a solid option if you're shopping for the newest AirPods right now.

In addition to Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on this model, the AirPods 4 also feature a redesigned earbud for increased comfort, the H2 chip for improved audio performance, up to 30 hours of battery life, and an IP54 rating for dust, water, and sweat resistance.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Instagram has unveiled a new video editing app called Edits, which aims to fill the void left by CapCut's removal from U.S. app stores following federal restrictions on ByteDance-owned applications.

The announcement came from head Adam Mosseri, explaining that Edits as a "full suite of creative tools" for mobile video creators. According to Mosseri, Edits is aimed at creators who produce short-form videos on mobile devices:

Edits will have a much broader range of creative tools and probably a smaller addressable audience. Think a place to track all your ideas instead of templates. Think AI video editing tools on a per clip or per video basis. Think new insights on why your videos are succeeding or struggling.

The app includes AI-powered animation for images, green screen effects, video overlays, automatic captions with customization options, and tools for reducing background noise. It also allows users to save drafts, share projects with collaborators, and leverage a dedicated tab for inspiration and trending audio. Videos created with Edits and shared on Instagram Reels will benefit from advanced performance analytics, allowing creators to monitor engagement metrics such as follower interaction, video skips, and overall reach.

The app arrives in the wake of CapCut's recent delisting from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store due to U.S. law. Mosseri said that Edits will "end up pretty different than CapCut," noting that it is designed to cater to creators who want a more comprehensive toolset rather than casual video makers or users of desktop editing software. The app also stands out by offering export options without watermarks, a feature that has recently become a limitation in CapCut's free version.

Edits launches in February on iOS, and Android at a later date. It is available to pre-order on the App Store now.

Apple's next-generation iPad Air and entry-level iPad models have seemingly been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass.

In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning unreleased 11-inch iPad Air, 13-inch iPad Air, and iPad 11 models. It is unclear where this information was obtained from, but Blass has a pretty good track record with leaks. In 2020, for example, he revealed marketing images for the iPhone 12 lineup and HomePod mini a few hours before those devices were announced.

Notably, the leak reveals the next iPad Air models will apparently be equipped with the M3 chip. There had been speculation that Apple might use the iPad Pro's M4 chip for the next iPad Air models instead, in a move away from chips manufactured with TSMC's expensive and lower-yield first-generation 3nm process, known as N3B. There was a six-month period in 2022 where both the iPad Pro and iPad Air had the M1 chip, so there is precedent for such a thing. Nonetheless, it appears the iPad Air will use the M3 chip.

The leak does not mention which chip the iPad 11 will use, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said the device will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support on the entry-level iPad.

The leak also seems to confirm the widely-rumored iPhone SE 4.

iPad 10 models have an A14 Bionic chip and 4GB of RAM.

Apple unveiled the iPad 10 in October 2022, with pricing starting at $449 at the time. Apple lowered the iPad 10's starting price to $349 in the U.S. in May 2024. It is unclear if the iPad 11 will start at $349, or if pricing will return to a higher level.

Apple last updated the iPad Air in May 2024 with the M2 chip, and it also introduced the first-ever 13-inch iPad Air model at the time.

Apple will likely announce these new iPads by March or April this year. No major design changes have been rumored for the devices.

The new iPads are expected to be accompanied by new Magic Keyboards too.

Apple has updated the home page of its website to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today. The page highlights some of King's most impactful quotes, and invites people to explore his legacy further through the Apple Books and Apple News apps.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also honored King in a social media post today.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. As a result of this federal holiday, along with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration later today, it is likely to be a slower day for Apple-related product news. Cook will reportedly be in attendance at Trump's inauguration, alongside many other high-profile CEOs.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Well, that didn't last long. Less than a day after TikTok became temporarily unavailable in the U.S., the app is now functional again. In an in-app notice, TikTok says the app has been restored "as a result of President Trump's efforts."

Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the social media platform would be banned. That law went into effect today. TikTok is still owned by ByteDance, so Apple removed the app from the App Store in the U.S., pursuant to the law.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump today said that he "will issue an executive order on Monday" that allows for more time before the U.S. law banning TikTok is enforced. Trump said the order will "also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."

Trump will be sworn in as the 47th U.S. President on Monday, and Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly plans to attend the inauguration.

Based on Trump's promise, Apple may or may not be safe to restore availability of the TikTok app on the App Store in the U.S., after pulling it on late Saturday. Apple has yet to re-list the app, and it may be waiting to see how the situation unfolds. Apple potentially faced billions of dollars in fines had it kept TikTok available in the App Store in the U.S., so it is obviously navigating this situation extremely carefully due to the risks.

In a support document published today, Apple said it is "obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates."

"Pursuant to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries — including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others — will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States starting January 19, 2025," wrote Apple.

The outgoing White House administration declined to intervene.

TikTok remains available in the App Store in other countries.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and it appears the wireless earbuds are coming very soon.

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are "due imminently." In addition to Apple filing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in regulatory databases last month, Gurman said Apple is planning to hold product briefings with the media "in a week or so" to go over the new features of the wireless earbuds.

Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks for a secure fit. Apple's teaser video last year showed MLB star Shohei Ohtani wearing the Powerbeats Pro 2, revealing a more vertical, slimmer design compared to the original Powerbeats Pro, which are now discontinued.

We previously reported that the Powerbeats Pro 2 will offer heart rate monitoring during workouts. Based on our iOS 18 code findings, you will be able to connect the Powerbeats Pro 2 to gym equipment like a treadmill to measure heart rate, and the data will be visible in the Health app and other supported apps on the iPhone.

We also confirmed that Powerbeats Pro 2 will support Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, and Adaptive Audio. The earbuds and charging case will be available in Jet Black, Quick Sand, Electric Orange, and Hyper Purple, and the case should have a USB-C port.

Based on other recent Beats headphones, other potential upgrades for the Powerbeats Pro 2 include improved sound quality, longer battery life, and improved cross-platform compatibility with Android features like Find My Device.

Both Amazon and Best Buy have nearly every model of the 10th generation iPad for $70 off this weekend. Prices start at $279.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad [Amazon/Best Buy], which is a match of the best price we've tracked so far in 2025 and an overall second-best price on the tablet.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You'll also find the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad on sale for $429.00 [Amazon/Best Buy], down from $499.00. Both Wi-Fi models are available at these $70 discounts in all four colors: Yellow, Silver, Pink, and Blue. Both the Amazon and Best Buy discounts have been automatically applied and do not require any coupons or exclusive memberships.

Stock isn't as abundant for cellular models at either Amazon or Best Buy, but you can still find a few on sale. The 64GB cellular is down to $429.00 [Amazon/Best Buy] and the 256GB cellular tablet is available for $579.00 [only at Amazon], both of which are $70 discounts as well.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

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Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action.

Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google risked enormous fines if they did not remove access to TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps.

In a support document published today, Apple said it is "obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates."

Apple removed TikTok, and other ByteDance-owned apps such as CapCut and Hypic, pursuant to the law that required them to.

"Pursuant to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries — including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others — will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States starting January 19, 2025," wrote Apple.

Apple's support document also states that foreign visitors to the U.S. may have limited access to ByteDance app functionality due to the law.

iPhone and iPad users in the U.S. who already installed TikTok can no longer use the app as of late Saturday, as TikTok has made the app "temporarily unavailable." Outside of the U.S., the app remains available on the App Store and is fully functional.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office this Monday, January 20, and he reportedly might give TikTok a 90-day reprieve on the ban. However, it is not clear if TikTok will ever be able to operate again in the U.S. under ByteDance ownership, or if it will simply be given more time to sort out American ownership.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple plans to release updated Magic Keyboards for new 11-inch iPad Air, 13-inch iPad Air, and entry-level iPad 11 models "early" this year, according to an October 2024 report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he reiterated that these accessories are coming in the "not-too-distant future."

Gurman's initial report said the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air will adopt "some" of the new features that were added to the latest Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. That means potential features for the next iPad Air version of the accessory include a thinner and lighter design with an aluminum palm rest, a larger glass trackpad, and a row of function keys with shortcuts for things like display brightness and volume.

The new iPad Air, iPad 11, and Magic Keyboard models will likely be released this March or April. Last week, Gurman said the iPad 11 will be equipped with an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, enabling support for Apple Intelligence features on the entry-level iPad.

Apple plans to expand the iPhone's redesigned Mail app to the Mac starting with macOS 15.4, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The first macOS 15.4 beta should be made available in the coming weeks, and Apple has previously suggested that the iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4 series of software updates will be released to the public in April.

The revamped Mail app debuted on all iPhones compatible with iOS 18.2 last year, but it remains curiously absent on the iPad and Mac. Apple even showed off an image of mail categorization on the Mac last year, but it has yet to arrive.

The upgraded Mail app automatically sorts emails into Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions categories, but not everyone loves this new functionality, and fortunately it can be turned off on the iPhone if desired.

Mail categorization is currently only available in English. While the feature relies on on-device artificial intelligence, the redesigned Mail app does not require a device with Apple Intelligence support. For example, mail categorization is available on all iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 18.2, going back to the iPhone XS.

The redesigned Mail app is also coming to the iPad, according to Gurman. No word on timing, but perhaps it will arrive with iPadOS 18.4.

Apple is widely rumored to be planning a new iPhone SE, and there is now a fresh hint that the device's launch is approaching.

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said iPhone SE inventory is "quickly" dwindling at a "large number" of Apple Store locations in the U.S., and he believes this is a "reliable sign" that a new model is on the horizon.

The current iPhone SE is still available to order on Apple's online store.

According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone SE 4 will be released around the quarter mark of 2025. That means the device will likely be released this March or April, just like all previous iPhone SE models were.

The new iPhone SE is said to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14. Rumored features for the device include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a newer A-series chip and an increased 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, and the first Apple-designed 5G modem.

The current iPhone SE looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. Pricing starts at $429, but at least a slight price increase seems probable for the next model.

Apple tonight updated its beta testing app TestFlight, seemingly to block U.S. users from accessing the TikTok beta on the iPhone and other devices.

The update adds this fine print to the app, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris:

Apple may use the IP address of your internet connection to approximate your location in order to determine whether certain beta apps that are subject to legal restrictions in some regions can be made available to you.

This development comes after Apple removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S. earlier tonight. In the U.S., a law banning TikTok unless Chinese company ByteDance divests ownership of the platform takes effect Sunday, January 19. The app is "temporarily unavailable" in the U.S., according to an in-app notice being shown to users tonight.

More details about the ban and what comes next are outlined in our earlier report.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple tonight removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., meaning that the app can no longer be freshly installed on iPhones and iPads there. In other countries, the app remains available on the App Store and is fully functional.

iPhone and iPad users in the U.S. who already installed TikTok can no longer use the app either as of tonight, as TikTok has made the app "temporarily unavailable."

In the U.S., a law banning TikTok unless Chinese company ByteDance divests its ownership of the social media platform takes effect this Sunday, January 19. Lawmakers expressed concern that TikTok's ties to China pose national security risks.

TikTok is now showing the following notice to users who open the app in the country:

A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now.

We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Friday said that due to the timing of the TikTok ban taking effect, actions to implement the law must fall to the next administration. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office this Monday, January 20, and he reportedly might give TikTok a 90-day reprieve on the ban.

Biden believes TikTok should remain available in the U.S. under American ownership.

In a statement on Friday, TikTok warned that the app would become unavailable due to the Biden administration's lack of intervention:

The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability to over 170 million Americans.

Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.

TikTok has followed through with making the app unavailable, and Apple has now taken action too. Apple could have faced fines amounting to billions of dollars had it still offered access to the app from January 19.

TikTok has also been removed from the Google Play store on Android.

This saga is far from over.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

The wait for a MacBook Air with an OLED display might take longer than initially expected.

Korean website The Elec yesterday cited an industry source who said the first MacBook Air with an OLED display will likely be released around 2029, instead of by 2027 as originally planned. The report said Apple made this decision as a result of lower-than-expected sales of the first iPad Pro models with OLED displays, which launched last year.

Essentially, the report claims that since OLED displays did not help to boost iPad Pro sales as much as Apple anticipated, the company has decided to delay bringing the expensive technology to the MacBook Air. However, it is unclear if there are any other reasons for the apparent delay that are not mentioned in the report.

While the MacBook Air will apparently stick with LCD technology for the next four years, the report claims that Apple plans to use "oxide TFT" technology for 2027 models. This upgrade would allow for improved color accuracy, higher contrast ratio, more uniform display brightness, and lower power consumption for longer battery life. So, while no OLED, the MacBook Air should still receive meaningful display improvements in two years from now.

MacBook Pro models with OLED displays are still expected to launch next year.

In the meantime, Apple will likely announce updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip within the next month or two.

Best Buy is hosting a new weekend sale that includes a few solid deals on iPads and MacBooks. There's also plenty of non-Apple discounts during the event, with big savings on TVs, smart home products, video games, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

iPads

The best Apple-related deals during the Best Buy sale include the 10th generation iPad at $279.00 ($70 off) and iPad mini 7 at $399.00 ($100 off). You'll find a few other configurations of each model on sale, including cellular devices.

• 10th Gen iPad (64GB Wi-Fi) - $279.00 ($70 off)
• 10th Gen iPad (256GB Wi-Fi) - $429.00 ($70 off)
• iPad mini 7 (128GB Wi-Fi) - $399.00 ($100 off)
• iPad mini 7 (256GB Wi-Fi) - $499.00 ($100 off)

MacBooks

You can also find an all-time low price on the M2 13-inch MacBook Air for $799.00 ($200 off), and the newer M3 13-inch MacBook Air for $899.00 ($200 off). For MacBook Pros, there are low prices across nearly every model of the 2024 MacBook Pro in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes at Best Buy this weekend.

MacBook Air

• M2 13-inch MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 256GB) - $799.00 ($200 off)
• M3 13-inch MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 256GB) - $899.00 ($200 off)
• M3 15-inch MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 256GB) - $1,099.00 ($200 off)

14-inch MacBook Pro

• M4 10-Core/16GB RAM/512GB - $1,449.00 ($150 off)
• M4 10-Core/16GB RAM/1TB - $1,599.00 ($200 off)
• M4 10-Core/24GB RAM/1TB - $1,799.00 ($200 off)
• M4 Pro 12-Core/24GB RAM/512GB - $1,799.00 ($200 off)
• M4 Pro 14-Core/24GB RAM/1TB - $2,179.00 ($220 off)
• M4 Max 14-Core/36GB RAM/1TB - $2,899.00 ($300 off)

16-inch MacBook Pro

• M4 Pro 14-Core/24GB RAM/512GB - $2,249.00 ($250 off)
• M4 Pro 14-Core/48GB RAM/512GB - $2,634.00 ($265 off)
• M4 Max 14-Core/36GB RAM/1TB - $3,149.00 ($350 off)
• M4 Max 16-Core/48GB RAM/1TB - $3,599.00 ($400 off)

TVs

• 50-inch Roku 4K Smart TV - $229.99 ($70 off)
• 55-inch Samsung 4K UHD Smart TV - $359.99 ($20 off)
• 75-inch LG 4K Smart TV - $599.99 ($100 off)
• 75-inch Hisense 4K UHD QLED Google TV - $799.99 ($400 off)
• 86-inch LG 4K LED Smart TV - $899.99 ($250 off)
• 65-inch LG 4K UHD Smart TV - $1,499.99 ($300 off)
• 77-inch Sony Bravia 4K OLED Google TV - $2,499.99 ($500 off)

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

iOS 19 is still around six months away from being unveiled, but rumors about the upcoming software update are already starting to stack up.

Below, we recap iOS 19 rumors so far.

Redesigned Camera App

A new leak has allegedly revealed a redesigned Camera app coming with iOS 19.

On his YouTube channel Front Page Tech this week, Jon Prosser shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to visionOS, the software platform for Apple's Vision Pro headset.

More of the camera's viewfinder is visible compared to iOS 18. The camera controls are split into Photo and Video categories at the bottom of the app.

The camera controls include options for recording spatial video, turning on a timer for a photo, and more. Additional controls for video resolution and frame rate pop over at the top of the screen as necessary, according to the video.

It is unclear if the alleged visionOS-like design changes will extend to other parts of the iOS 19 interface, or to more of Apple's built-in apps.

It was previously rumored that iOS 18 would feature visionOS-like design changes, but that never happened. Perhaps the changes were for iOS 19 all along.

More ChatGPT-Like Siri

iOS 19 will introduce a "more conversational Siri" powered by "more advanced large language models," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This will make Siri more like ChatGPT, allowing the assistant to "handle more sophisticated requests."

Apple will likely preview the revamped Siri during its iOS 19 announcement, but Gurman said it will not be available until as early as spring 2026. That suggests the feature will be released as part of iOS 19.4 in March or April next year.

In the meantime, iOS 18.2 added ChatGPT integration to Siri, and Gurman expects an integration with Google's Gemini to follow in a later update. And with iOS 18.4, Siri will gain on-screen awareness, understanding of personal context, deeper per-app controls, and other upgrades. Just don't expect Siri to become truly like ChatGPT until next year.

Staggered Features

A large number of new features coming with iOS 19 are expected to roll out in later versions, ranging from iOS 19.1 through iOS 19.4.

Compatible iPhones

According to French website iPhoneSoft.fr, iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that is capable of running iOS 18, which would mean the following models:

• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16 Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

The oldest devices in that list are the iPhone XS, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR, all of which were released in September 2018.

Of course, some iOS 19 features will be unavailable on older iPhone models.

If this report is accurate, it would be the second year in a row in which Apple did not drop support for any iPhone models with its major annual iOS release. iOS 18 is compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17 is.

iOS 17 dropped support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

Timing

The first iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 betas should be released during WWDC 2025 in June, and the updates are likely to be released in September.