MacRumors

While the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro was updated with an M5 chip in October, we are still waiting for higher-end MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and there are some signs that might point towards a late January launch this year.

First, Apple's new Creator Studio bundle of creative apps launches on Wednesday, January 28. Given that Creator Studio includes many professional Mac apps, such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro, Macworld speculated that the week of January 28 would be a fitting time for Apple to release new MacBook Pro models too.

Second, Apple's next quarterly earnings call is scheduled for Thursday, January 29, and the company has introduced new products shortly before these calls on numerous occasions over the years and touched on them in the opening remarks.

Third, there is precedent, as Apple unveiled MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips with a press release in January 2023.

Again, all of this is speculation, so do not set your expectations too high. But, sometimes where there is smoke there is fire.

Beyond the M5 chip, the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro received only one notable change last year: PCIe 5.0 storage. Apple says this results in up to 2× faster SSD read and write speeds compared to the previous-generation model.

The higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are likewise expected to have few other changes.

Bigger changes to the MacBook Pro are expected with the two-generations-away models, in either late 2026 or at some point in 2027. Rumored upgrades include an OLED display with touchscreen capabilities, a thinner design, built-in cellular connectivity, and M6 chips manufactured with TSMC's advanced 2nm process, for even greater year-over-year performance gains. For that reason, it will probably be wise to skip the MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips unless you really need to upgrade.

Best Buy kicked off a new Winter Sale this week, with notable markdowns on Apple devices, TVs, headphones and speakers, monitors, appliances, and much more. This sale is set to last through January 19, and you don't need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to see the deals.

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.

In terms of Apple devices, you can find solid deals on MacBook Air, AirPods Max, iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Beats accessories, and more. In most cases Best Buy is offering same day pick-up on these products, and there are several free shipping options as well.

Some of the biggest discounts you'll find in Best Buy's Winter Sale are on TVs, with as much as $1,300 off select models. Best Buy has Samsung's popular line of The Frame TVs on sale, including the 65-inch 2025 model for $1,199.99 ($600 off) and the 65-inch The Frame Pro for $1,899.99 ($300 off), both of which match the low prices we tracked over the holidays at Samsung's own website.

Apple

• 20W USB-C Power Adapter - $14.99 ($4 off)
• AirPods Max - $449.99 ($100 off)
• 13-inch M4 MacBook Air - $799.00 ($200 off)
• 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro - $1,449.00 ($150 off)
• 13-inch M5 iPad Pro (1TB Nano-Texture) - $1,799.00 ($200 off)

TVs

• 55-inch Toshiba C350 4K Smart Fire TV - $199.99 ($200 off)
• 65-inch Samsung U7900 4K Smart TV - $329.99 ($140 off)
• 65-inch LG UA7050 4K Smart TV - $329.99 ($160 off)
• 75-inch LG LED 4K Smart TV - $449.99 ($240 off)
• 65-inch Samsung OLED 4K Smart TV - $899.99 ($1,100 off)
• 98-inch Hisense QLED 4K Smart Google TV - $999.99 ($1,300 off)
• 65-inch Samsung The Frame TV (2025) - $1,199.99 ($600 off)
• 65-inch LG OLED 4K Smart TV - $1,399.99 ($1,300 off)
• 65-inch Samsung The Frame Pro - $1,899.99 ($300 off)

Monitors

• 27-inch LG 120Hz Monitor - $104.99 ($145 off)
• 27-inch Samsung Curved 100Hz Monitor - $139.99 ($60 off)
• 34-inch LG UltraWide 100Hz Monitor - $199.99 ($100 off)
• 27-inch Alienware OLED Monitor - $479.99 ($70 off)
• 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED Curved Monitor - $999.99 ($700 off)

Audio

• Beats Pill - $99.99 ($50 off)
• Beats Solo 4 Headphones - $149.99 ($50 off)
• Beats Studio Pro Headphones - $249.99 ($100 off)
• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones - $279.00 ($150 off)
• Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 - $499.99 ($200 off)

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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Apple Arcade will be adding another four games on Thursday, February 5, with complete details about each game outlined in Apple's announcement.

Retrocade will allow Apple Vision Pro users to play classic arcade games like Asteroids, PAC-MAN, Breakout, Galaga, and Space Invaders in an immersive 3D environment, complete with leaderboards, daily challenges, and more.

An arcade edition of the popular PC game Sid Meier's Civilization VII is also coming to Apple Arcade next month, across the Mac, iPad, and iPhone. The award-winning strategy game tasks players with building the greatest empire in the world.

The other two games coming to Apple Arcade next month are I Love Hue Too+, in which you arrange colorful tiles, and rhythm game Felicity's Door.

Apple Arcade is a subscription service that provides access to hundreds of games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. All of the games are free of ads and in-app purchases. In the U.S., Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month, and it is also bundled with other Apple services in all Apple One plans.

Apple Arcade can be accessed through the App Store and the Apple Games app.

Apple is planning to use advanced liquid metal and improved titanium alloys for its first foldable iPhone, according to new supply-chain information.

According to the Korean Naver user known as "yeux1122," citing a material company source, the hinge used in Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ will be made from liquid metal, an "amorphous" material Apple has been exploring for over 15 years. The main body of the device will apparently use a revised titanium material that improves strength while reducing overall weight when compared with existing titanium ‌iPhone‌ frames, despite having virtually the same surface area.

Apple's relationship with liquid metal goes back years, tracing back to a 2010 deal with Liquidmetal Technologies. Apple received a "perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license" to commercialize Liquidmetal-related intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products.

Around the same time, Apple started using the material in small ‌iPhone‌ and iPad parts such as the SIM ejector tool. In subsequent years, Apple repeatedly renewed or extended aspects of its arrangement with Liquidmetal Technologies, but the material remained difficult to scale for high-volume structural components and it has never seen significant use. Liquid metal has continued to surface in Apple patent filings and rumors over the years.

Liquid metal lacks a crystalline structure, meaning that it offers high strength, resists permanent bending, and holds up well under repeated mechanical stress. Those characteristics have led Apple to repeatedly explore liquid metal in patents covering hinges and other moving parts, especially for foldable devices where the material's fatigue resistance and spring-like behavior are essential to hinge durability.

For the body of the device, titanium provides a stronger strength-to-weight ratio than aluminum or stainless steel, but foldable designs add further constraints because of their larger size and the need to manage weight around the hinge. Changes to both the titanium alloy itself and the manufacturing process to increase strength while reducing weight for a given surface area could help remedy this. The foldable ‌iPhone‌ is likely to be Apple's fourth attempt at a titanium ‌iPhone‌, so it has had several generations to iterate on the alloy's composition to optimize particular properties.

Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ is expected to debut in the fall of this year alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max. It is rumored to feature a wide, book-style folding design with a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display, a crease-free display, the A20 chip and Apple's C2 modem, two rear cameras, Touch ID, and more.

While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around nine months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices.

In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Consistent with previous rumors, the leaker claimed that both of the models will have a breakthrough new feature: under-screen Face ID.

Last month, The Information also reported that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and it said the front camera would be moved to the top-left corner of the screen on the devices. As a result, the report said the devices would no longer have a pill-shaped cutout in the screen.

If under-screen Face ID does finally materialize this year, it is unclear if the iPhone 18 Pro models would have a Dynamic Island. Even if the TrueDepth sensor cutouts for Face ID are hidden under the screen, perhaps the Dynamic Island would still pop up at least briefly for things such as low battery alerts and Live Activities.

As for the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone Air 2, the leaker expects those devices to have a Dynamic Island, and the same 6.3-inch and 6.5-inch display sizes as the equivalent previous-generation models, respectively.

All in all, here is what the leaker expects:

• iPhone 18: 6.3-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and Dynamic Island
• iPhone Air 2: 6.5-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and Dynamic Island
• iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and under-screen Face ID
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display (120Hz/LTPO) and under-screen Face ID

The display sizes above are rounded.

Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in the typical September timeframe this year, but rumors suggest the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone Air 2 will not launch until around March 2027.

Digital Chat Station has more than three million followers on Weibo, and the account has accurately leaked some Apple information in the past. Of course, rumors do not always pan out, so nothing is official at this point.

You can get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $799.00 today on Amazon, down from $999.00. You'll find similar $200 discounts across nearly the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, and all of these deals are being matched at Best Buy.

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.

If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $999.00, down from $1,199.00. You'll also find many of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week.

These prices are solid second-best prices on the M4 MacBook Air, and we haven't tracked record low prices since before Christmas. 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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Apple this week released another firmware update for the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery, but there are no specific details about what it includes.

The latest iPhone Air MagSafe Battery firmware has a version number of 8B32, up from 8B25. In the Settings app on the iPhone Air, the new firmware is listed as version 101.0, while the previous firmware was listed as version 99.0 in the app.

• New Firmware: 101.0 (Version) / 8B32 (Build)
• Previous Firmware: 99.0 (Version) / 8B25 (Build)

Apple does not share release notes for iPhone Air MagSafe Battery firmware updates, so it is unclear what is new. However, it would be reasonable to assume the update includes performance and stability improvements, and/or bug fixes.

iPhone Air MagSafe Battery firmware updates automatically install in the background over time, while the accessory is charged and actively being used.

You can check the version number of the ‌MagSafe‌ Battery's firmware by attaching it to an ‌iPhone Air‌, opening the Settings app on the device, and tapping on General → About → ‌iPhone Air‌ ‌MagSafe‌ Battery. If you see 101.0, it is up to date.

Apple is confronting a newly intensified supply-chain challenge for future chips as the AI boom has created a global shortage of a key material, Nikkei Asia reports.

Apple is said to be struggling to secure sufficient supplies of high-end glass cloth fiber, a material that plays a critical role in the printed circuit boards and chip substrates used in iPhones and other devices. The most advanced forms of this glass cloth are apparently produced almost entirely by one supplier, Nitto Boseki.

Apple began using Nittobo's premium glass cloth in chips years before AI computing drove widespread demand for similar materials. As AI workloads have expanded, however, companies such as Nvidia, Google, Amazon, AMD, and Qualcomm have moved aggressively into the same supply pool, placing unprecedented pressure on Nittobo's limited capacity.

In response, Apple has taken several unusual steps to protect its supply chain. The company reportedly sent staff to Japan last autumn and stationed them at Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, which produces substrate materials and relies on Nittobo's glass cloth. Apple is also believed to have approached Japanese government officials for assistance in securing supply.

Apple is additionally working to qualify alternative suppliers, though progress has been slow. Apple has engaged with smaller Chinese glass fiber producers, including Grace Fabric Technology, and asked Mitsubishi Gas Chemical to help oversee quality improvements. Other potential entrants from Taiwan and China are attempting to scale production, but industry sources said achieving consistent quality at the required level remains difficult.

Each glass fiber must be extremely thin, uniform, and free of defects, as the glass cloth is embedded deep inside the chip substrate and cannot be repaired or replaced after assembly. Because of this, major chipmakers have been reluctant to adopt lower-grade materials, even temporarily.

Apple has discussed using less-advanced glass cloth as a stopgap, but doing so would require extensive testing and validation and would not significantly ease supply constraints for 2026 products. Similar concerns are affecting other chipmakers.

Apple and Google this week announced that Gemini will help power a more personalized Siri, and The Information has provided more details.

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 emotional support
• Assist with more tasks, such as booking travel
• Create a document in the Notes app with information, such as a cooking recipe

The report said Apple plans to announce additional Siri capabilities at WWDC in June, including…

• Knowledge of past conversations
• Proactive suggestions based on information from apps, such as Calendar

Apple already announced that the personalized Siri would have better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls, so a lot of the specific capabilities that the report said are coming would align with that.

For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

The report said that the latest prototype of the more personalized Siri does not have any Google or Gemini branding, and Apple will be able to fine-tune Gemini's model to ensure that Siri responds to queries in a way that the iPhone maker prefers.

More details are available in The Information's paywalled report.

Apple first previewed the more personalized Siri at WWDC 2024, and the revamped assistant is finally expected to launch as part of iOS 26.4 in March or April. However, according to the report, some capabilities will not arrive until iOS 27.

Shazam has published its annual Fast Forward list, and an accompanying Apple Music playlist. The list takes a look ahead at some of the most exciting music artists who are being discovered through the song identification tool. 2026's list features more than 60 music artists who are poised to have a breakthrough year.

Here is how Apple describes this year's playlist:

Every day, Shazam gets millions of requests from users around the world who are curious about the artist behind a song. These requests come from all over-TikTok videos, car commercials, overhearing something in the wild-which makes it a powerful tool for predicting tomorrow's heavy hitters. For 2026, we've assembled a playlist featuring over 60 artists-based on Shazam data and reviewed by our editors-that are poised to have a breakthrough year. From K-pop group CORTIS to Alabama country crooner Kashus Culpepper to Irish rock band Florence Road, it's a remarkably diverse group of artists hailing from all corners of the globe. Have a listen and add the ones you love to your library before the world catches on.

Some well-known music artists, including Benson Boone, Ice Spice, and Ayra Starr, were featured in Shazam's previous Fast Forward lists.

Apple acquired Shazam in 2018, and the tool is deeply integrated across its platforms.

Alongside the news that Pixelmator Pro is coming to the iPad, Apple has confirmed that the more basic Pixelmator app for the iPhone and iPad will no longer be updated.

From the Pixelmator Pro page on Apple's website:

Pixelmator Classic for iOS, released in 2014 as a companion app to the now-discontinued Pixelmator Classic for Mac, provides basic image editing features such as cropping, color adjustments, and effects. It remains a functional app but is no longer being updated.

The classic Pixelmator app offers more basic image editing tools, whereas Pixelmator Pro for iPad will be a fully-featured, professional image editing app.

Pixelmator Pro for iPad features a new touch-optimized workspace, full Apple Pencil support for pressure-sensitive brushing, the ability to work between iPad and Mac, and all of the powerful editing tools from the Mac version of the app.

Read our earlier coverage of the Pixelmator Pro for iPad announcement to learn more.

There is also a free Photomator photo editing app for the iPhone and iPad in the App Store, and Apple did not mention updates ending for that app.

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 firmware updates, according to Apple:

• Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, and that Bluetooth is on.
• Make sure that your AirPods are connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• Connect your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Wi-Fi.
• Connect your charging case to power.
• Put your AirPods in their charging case and close the lid. Keep the lid of the charging case closed, and keep your AirPods in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• Wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update.
• Open the lid of the charging case to reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• Check the firmware version again.

AirPods Pro 3 were released in September, with key features versus the previous generation including increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, longer battery life per charge, heart rate monitoring during workouts, and more.

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 Final Cut Pro, 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 month, or $129 per year, while college students can pay a lower $2.99 per month or $29 per year.

This means that if you bought Final Cut Pro or Pixelmator Pro via one-time purchase, which will still be an option going forward, you will no longer have access to all new features. However, Apple promises the apps will continue to receive updates.

From the Final Cut Pro page on Apple's website, for instance:

A one-time purchase will still be available, but access to some of the premium content is available only to Apple Creator Studio subscribers. If you already own Final Cut Pro, it will continue to be updated.

There are some exceptions, as Apple says Logic Pro and MainStage will have all the same features whether they are subscription or one-time-purchase versions.

It looks like most if not all of the new features that will be limited to Creator Studio subscribers will be powered by AI, as Apple repeatedly describes them as "intelligent" features. The apps are continuing to receive other new features that do not require a subscription over time, so one-time purchasers are not completely left out.

As for Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform, those apps will remain free, but some new intelligent features and content will likewise require a Creator Studio subscription. This means these apps are now effectively "freemium."

Here are a few of the first new features coming to Creator Studio subscribers:

• Pixelmator Pro: A new Warp tool lets you twist and shape image layers.
• Keynote, Pages, and Numbers: A new Content Hub provides access to high-quality photos and graphics, and there are new premium templates and themes.

In summary, existing users of Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro never had to worry about paying extra to have every new feature, but that is no longer the case going forward. And while the Keynote, Numbers, Pages, and Freeform apps never cost money, some new features will now be locked behind a subscription. These changes will undoubtedly disappoint some Apple customers, while helping to boost the company's services revenue.

Samsung has introduced a new batch of discounts across its most popular monitors and TVs this week, with notable markdowns on products like The Frame and the Smart Monitor series. These deals have all been applied automatically on Samsung's website, and many match all-time low prices on these products.

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

Starting with monitors, you can get the 32-inch Smart Monitor M9 4K OLED for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.99. This version of the Smart Monitor line launched last summer, and Samsung's discount today is a match of the record low price on the display.

Other monitors on sale include the 32-inch Smart Monitor M7 4K for $229.99 ($170 off) and the 43-inch Smart Monitor M7 4K for $359.99 ($140 off). You can find even more monitor deals in the list below.

Regarding TVs, there are quite a few models of The Frame TV on sale, including all-time low prices on The Frame models from 2025. You can get the 2025 65-inch The Frame TV for $1,199.99 ($600 off), as well as The Frame Pro for $2,499.99 ($700 off).

For even more potential savings, eligible shoppers have the chance to get additional discounts through Samsung offer programs. These programs provide extra discounts for students, military, and employees of select businesses, and they provide up to 30 percent extra savings on Samsung's website, so be sure to check whether you're eligible for any of these programs.

TVs

• 55-inch QLED QEF1 Smart TV - $379.99, down from $599.99
• 55-inch QLED Q7F Smart TV - $399.99, down from $529.99
• 55-inch QLED Q8F Smart TV - $699.99, down from $749.99
• 75-inch Vision AI Smart TV - $679.99, down from $1,199.99
• 50-inch The Frame - $799.99, down from $1,099.99
• 75-inch Neo QLED QN70F Smart TV - $1,199.99, down from $1,599.99
• 65-inch The Frame - $1,199.99, down from $1,799.99
• 55-inch OLED S95F Smart TV - $1,999.99, down from $2,299.99
  

• 75-inch The Frame Pro - $2,499.99, down from $3,199.99
• 85-inch The Frame Pro - $3,499.99, down from $4,299.99
• 85-inch Neo QLED QN90F Smart TV - $2,699.99, down from $4,499.99

Monitors

• 32-inch Smart Monitor M7 4K - $229.99, down from $399.99
• 32-inch ViewFinity S70A UHD Monitor - $299.99, down from $459.99
• 34-inch ViewFinity S6 Monitor - $399.99, down from $799.99
• 43-inch Odyssey Neo G7 Smart Gaming Monitor - $599.99, down from $999.99
• 55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen - $1,299.99, down from $2,699.99
• 32-inch Smart Monitor M9 - $1,299.99, down from $1,599.99

Galaxy Products

• Galaxy XR - Save up to $1,140 with the Explorer Pack
• Galaxy S25 Ultra - Save up to $700 in instant trade-in credit
• Galaxy Ring - Get up to $150 trade-in credit
• Galaxy Watch Ultra - Save up to $250
• Galaxy Watch 8 - Save up to $200

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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Apple today shared a new "Slide" ad that highlights the Ceramic Shield 2 cover glass on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The ad shows an ongoing negotiation, during which an iPhone 17 Pro with the screen facing down is slid back and forth across a long table.

Apple says the Ceramic Shield 2 above the screen offers 3× better scratch resistance compared to the iPhone 16 lineup, and it says the material is tougher than any smartphone glass or glass-ceramic mix. "Relax, it's iPhone 17," the ad concludes.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and watchOS 26.3 updates to public beta testers, with the updates coming four weeks after Apple provided the first betas to testers.

Anyone can download and install public betas, and all that's required is to sign up on Apple's beta site. Once you've opted in, the software can be downloaded through the Software Update section in the Settings app on each device.

iOS 26.3 adds a new tool for transitioning from an iPhone to an Android device. Transfers can be initiated during the device setup process, and moving data from one device to another can now be done without having to download a specific app.

The update also includes changes to third-party wearables in the European Union, with more information available in our iOS 26.3 beta 2 feature list following yesterday's release to developers.

Apple is expected to release iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 to the public at the end of January.

Apple today provided public beta testers with the second release of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update for testing purposes. The public beta comes a day after Apple provided the second beta to developers.

After signing up for beta testing on Apple's beta site, public beta testers can download the updates using the Software Update section in the System Settings app.

We don't know about any new features in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 as of yet, but Apple might introduce new capabilities in later beta releases.

The beta is limited to developers and public beta testers at the current time, but we are expecting Apple to release the update at the end of January.

Apple is preparing to mass-produce its own AI-focused server chips in the second half of 2026 amid reliance on a short-term partnership with Google to meet immediate AI expectations, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a new post on X, Kuo said that Apple is facing mounting short-term pressure in artificial intelligence that is shaping its current strategy, even as it continues to pursue long-term control over core AI technologies.

Kuo explained that Apple has encountered two immediate challenges in its in-house AI development that have effectively pushed it toward partnering with Google. The first is the need for a credible AI showing at WWDC later this year after previously announcing Apple Intelligence and significant Siri upgrades that have yet to materialize. The second is the rapid pace of improvement in cloud-based AI systems, which has raised expectations to a level where simply delivering on earlier promises may no longer be enough.

Kuo argues that as AI capabilities have advanced, user perceptions of what constitutes a competitive assistant or system-level AI have shifted. In that context, even a fully delivered version of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ as it was originally presented could struggle to stand out, particularly without access to more powerful large-scale models. This has apparently driven an urgent need for Apple to supplement its current approach with more capable AI models from other companies.

Kuo described Apple's AI deal with Google as a way to ease short-term pressure rather than a long-term strategic shift. He said on-device AI is unlikely to drive hardware sales in the near term, but the partnership gives Apple time to manage expectations across its platforms while continuing its own AI development. Over the longer term, Kuo said AI is expected to become central to hardware differentiation, operating system design, and the overall user experience, making ownership of core AI technologies increasingly important.

He added that Apple's in-house AI server chips are expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2026, with Apple-operated data centers coming online in 2027. Kuo said this timing suggests Apple expects demand for on-device and hybrid AI workloads to grow more meaningfully from 2027, as it gains greater control over its server-side computing and infrastructure.