MacRumors

Apple recently updated the iPad Pro, widening the gap with the iPad Air, but how different are the two product lines and which should you buy?

Earlier this year, Apple refreshed the ‌iPad Air‌ with the M3 chip—a minor update over the previous model from 2024 which added the M2 chip and Apple Pencil hover. The latest ‌iPad Pro‌ models introduced the M5 chip alongside a small number of changes after last year's major redesign, which saw the debut of a thinner design with OLED displays.

Should you consider purchasing the ‌iPad Air‌ to save money, or do you need the high-end features of the ‌iPad Pro‌? Our guide answers the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is best for you.

‌iPad Air‌ (M3, 2025)	‌iPad Pro‌ (M5, 2025)
Liquid Retina display (LED backlit display with IPS technology)	Ultra Retina XDR display (Tandem OLED)
	ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120Hz
11-inch model SDR brightness: 500 nits max 13-inch model SDR brightness: 600 nits max	SDR brightness: 1,000 nits max XDR brightness: 1,000 nits max full screen, 1,600 nits peak (HDR content only)
	Nano-texture display glass option on 1TB and 2TB models
Drive external displays at 60Hz	Drive external displays at up to 120Hz
	Adaptive Sync support
‌M3‌ chip	M5 chip
Made using TSMC's first-generation 3nm technology (N3)	Made using TSMC's third-generation ‌3nm‌ process (N3P)
Based on A17 Pro chip from iPhone 15 Pro (2023)	Based on A19 Pro chip from iPhone 17 Pro (2025)
8-core CPU (4 performance + 4 efficiency cores)	Up to 10 CPU cores (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores)
9-core GPU	10-core GPU
	Integrated Neural Accelerator in every GPU core
Metal 4 developer APIs	Metal 4 developer APIs with Tensor APIs to program GPU Neural Accelerators
LPDDR5 memory	LPDDR5X memory
8GB of memory	256GB and 512GB models: 12GB memory 1TB and 2TB models: 16GB memory
100 GB/s memory bandwidth	153 GB/s unified memory bandwidth
	Dedicated display engine
First-generation ray tracing engine	Third-generation ray tracing engine
First-generation dynamic caching	Second-generation dynamic caching
Shader cores	Enhanced shader cores
GPU with standard power efficiency	More power-efficient GPU: Maintains performance with significantly less power
	Improved thermal design with graphite sheets and copper
Broadcom Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip	N1 chip
Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 6
Wi-Fi 6E connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 connectivity
Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G modem (cellular models only)	C1X chip (cellular models only)
Touch ID in top button	TrueDepth camera system for Face ID
	Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
	Portrait Lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High-Key Mono)
	Animoji and Memoji
	LiDAR scanner
	Adaptive True Tone flash
	Rear ambient light sensor
	ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 256GB capacity)
	ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording
Two microphones	Four studio-quality microphones
	Audio zoom
	Stereo recording
Landscape stereo speakers	Four speaker audio
Weight: 462 grams or 617 grams	Weight 444 grams or 579 grams
Depth: 6.1 mm	Depth: 5.3 mm or 5.1 mm
	Fast-charge capable (Up to 50% charge using a 60W adapter or higher in 30 minutes with the 11-inch model or 35 minutes with the 13-inch model)
USB‑C connector	USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt/USB 4
Supports Magic Keyboard for ‌iPad Air‌	Supports Magic Keyboard for ‌iPad Pro‌
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage
	Up to 2× faster SSD read and write speeds
Available in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue	Available in Space Black and Silver
Price starting at $599	Price starting at $999

Overall, the ‌iPad Air‌ is the better option for the majority of users, simply on the basis of value for money. For most people, the additional $400+ needed to buy the ‌iPad Pro‌ is not justified to get the likes of ‌Face ID‌, a thinner design, four-speaker audio, and a ProMotion OLED display with refresh rates up to 120Hz.

Some ‌iPad Pro‌ features, such as LiDAR, up to 16GB of memory, and Thunderbolt connectivity are only practically useful to a small niche of users and most will never use some of these high-end capabilities. Many features, such as Adaptive Sync and Audio zoom, will not be meaningfully utilized by many users.

Professionals who have a clear use case for needing larger amounts of RAM and storage, a matte display, Thunderbolt connectivity, and OLED for HDR content will clearly benefit from buying the ‌iPad Pro‌. That being said, "prosumer"-style customers who simply want the best iPad will enjoy features such as 120Hz ProMotion for smoother scrolling and gaming, a thinner design, deeper blacks and more vivid colors with the OLED display, and the Adaptive True Tone flash for document scanning, even if they are not necessary.

Beyond these individual circumstances, the ‌iPad Air‌ is the best value for money and will be more than ample for most users' needs. With the ‌iPad Air‌, users can get a modern all-screen design, the M3 chip, practical features like USB-C and 5G connectivity, and compatibility with the core Apple accessories for a price well below that of the ‌iPad Pro‌.

A new ‌iPad Air‌ with the M4 chip is in development and will likely launch in the first half of 2026, which may be worth bearing in mind if you aren't in a hurry to make a purchase. The new chip is expected to be the main upgrade, with few other new features or enhancements expected.

Satechi and MacRumors have partnered up this week to offer our readers an exclusive 40 percent discount on select products for a limited time. This sale is available only on Satechi's website, and it will run through this Sunday, November 16.

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

To get the discount, add anything from the lists below to your cart and head to checkout. Once at checkout, you can enter the code MR40 to get 40 percent off your order for this week only. This discount code takes 40 percent off each item in your cart, so you can purchase multiple accessories at once.

Products in this sale include Satechi's newest Qi2 charging stations and travel chargers, including the 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station for $78.00, down from $129.99. You can also get both of Satechi's On The Go chargers on sale for 40 percent off with our exclusive code, priced at $48.00 for the 2-in-1 model and $60.00 for the 3-in-1 model.

The code also covers 40 percent off Satechi's range of FindAll Bluetooth trackers, including the FindAll Keychain, FindAll Card, FindAll Luggage Tag, FindAll Glasses Case, and FindAll Passport Cover. We've listed every product that works with our exclusive MR40 discount code below, so be sure to shop the sale before it ends this upcoming Sunday, November 16.

Dock

• Dual Dock Stand with NVMe SSD Enclosure - $102.00, down from $169.99

Wireless Chargers

• 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Charging Stand - $48.00, down from $79.99
• On The Go 2-in-1 Charger - $48.00, down from $79.99
• On The Go 3-in-1 Charger - $60.00, down from $99.99
• 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Charging Stand - $78.00, down from $129.99

Bluetooth Trackers

• FindAll Keychain - $18.00, down from $29.99
• FindAll Card - $21.00, down from $34.99
• FindAll Luggage Tag - $27.00, down from $44.99
• FindAll Glasses Case - $30.00, down from $49.99
• FindAll Passport Cover - $36.00, down from $59.99

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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Apple is still planning to introduce a new AI-powered "Health+" service in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman revisited the rumor about a revamped Health app in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. Apple is apparently planning to overhaul the Health app next year with a new Health+ service, featuring an AI assistant. Gurman said that it "could make Apple one of the first major tech companies to gain steam in the health AI chatbot space."

Earlier this year, Gurman said the AI-powered health coaching feature will offer personalized health recommendations accompanied by videos from health experts that inform users about various health conditions and ways to make lifestyle improvements. Nutrition tracking is also expected to be another big part of the revamped Health app.

Gurman also mentioned Apple's plans to introduce a revamped version of Siri with iOS 26.4, an AI-powered web search tool, and a redesigned version of ‌Siri‌ in iOS 27.

Over the weekend we began tracking a deal on the base model of Apple's AirPods 4, and today Amazon has discounted the wireless earbuds to an even lower price of $84.99, down from $129.00. With this increased discount, Amazon's price is now the lowest we've ever tracked on the AirPods 4.

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.

Free delivery options place the AirPods 4 at a November 15 delivery date, but Prime members should see same-day delivery dates in some locations. You can also get the AirPods 4 with ANC on sale for $149.99, down from $179.00, but we recommend waiting for a steeper discount on this model considering this isn't an all-time low price.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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Apple TV has "no plans" to launch an ad-supported streaming tier for the platform, according to Apple's head of services Eddy Cue, speaking in interview with Screen International.

Asked if there were plans for a tier with ads, Cue said: "Nothing at this time. Again, I don't want to say no forever, but there are no plans."

Cue added that if Apple TV can stay aggressive with its pricing, then it's better for consumers not to have their viewing experience interrupted by ads.

Apple TV cost just $4.99 per month in the U.S. when it launched in 2019, but the price has since increased three times. The price went up to $6.99 per month in 2022, and then to $9.99 per month in 2023, and now the service costs $12.99 per month.

Many other streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix have raised prices in recent years, but both rivals have also launched ad-supported plans as lower-priced tiers that have proven popular with customers.

Apple rolled out a rebrand of Apple TV+ earlier this month, dropping the "+" from the name to read just "Apple TV."

Apple will initially reserve its MacBook Pro OLED display upgrade to the high-end 14-inch and 16-inch models with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, while the base 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro will continue to feature a mini-LED based screen, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple is working on a "revamped M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro with an OLED display, thinner chassis and touch support," but he made no mention of the lower-priced 14-inch MacBook Pro with base M6 chip that Apple will presumably launch next year or in early 2027.

In Apple's three-pronged MacBook Pro lineup, the lower-priced model uses the standard M-series chip, while the other two use the Pro and Max variants. The base chip has fewer CPU/GPU cores, lower memory bandwidth, smaller maximum unified memory, and reduced external display support, whereas the Pro and Max versions scale up core counts, throughput, and RAM ceilings, making them better for resource-heavy creative workloads like video and 3D.

• M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Apple's decision to reserve OLED for its higher-end MacBook Pro models makes sense given the hardware differentiation, but there's still a good chance that the lower-priced model will eventually get OLED at a later date, since Apple is also expected to bring the technology to the MacBook Air – but that model isn't expected to see a launch until 2028 at the earliest.

Gurman has said the redesigned OLED machines will have touch screen support and are being readied for late 2026 or early 2027.

Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display.

Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will reportedly debut under-screen Face ID technology on iPhone 18 Pro models.

Several Android phones already feature under-display selfie cameras, but image quality typically suffers due to the lens being behind display layers. Apple has likely resisted adoption for this reason, but the company has reportedly been working on its own solution for some time, and we could see it debut as soon as next year in Apple's first foldable iPhone.

According to an April 2024 report, LG Innotek – one of Apple's Korean suppliers – has been developing under-display cameras that leave no visible hole when inactive. These systems use a "freeform optic" multiple lens array designed to reduce image distortion and improve brightness, compensating for the light loss that typically occurs when a camera sits behind a display.

Whether technology related to LG Innotek's work will be used in the foldable iPhone is unclear. Regardless, JP Morgan recently reported that Apple's first foldable will have an industry-first 24-megapixel camera under the inner display. Under-screen cameras typically use 4 or 8 megapixels, suggesting Apple has achieved a breakthrough in greatly improving light transmittance and image quality compared to previous designs.

Apple is reportedly working on a radical redesign for the 20th anniversary iPhone that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device. There is a strong expectation that Apple will skip "‌iPhone‌ 19" nomenclature. For the 10th anniversary of the ‌iPhone‌ in 2017, Apple skipped the "‌iPhone‌ 9" and simply launched the ‌iPhone‌ X (roman numeral for 10) alongside the ‌iPhone‌ 8 and ‌iPhone‌ 8 Plus.

Apple's AirPods 4 have dropped to $84.99 on Amazon this week, down from $129.00. This is a match of the lowest price we've ever tracked on the AirPods 4 on Amazon, and it's for the base model without Active Noise Cancellation.

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.

Free delivery options place the AirPods 4 at a November 14 delivery date, but Prime members should see same-day delivery dates in some locations. You can also get the AirPods 4 with ANC on sale for $149.99, down from $179.00, but we recommend waiting for a steeper discount on this model considering this isn't an all-time low price.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

Update: This post has been updated to reflect a new price drop on the AirPods 4.

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We've partnered with Nomad this week to get you an extra 15 percent off in stock gear with the code MR2025 at checkout, allowing our readers a chance to save on iPhone 17 cases, Apple Watch bands, MagSafe-compatible products, and more. Additionally, Nomad is currently running an overstock sale with discounts across various accessories like AirPods cases, iPhone 16 cases, Apple Watch bands, and Lightning cables.

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

To see the discount on your order, all you have to do is add an accessory to your cart, proceed to checkout, then enter the promo code MR2025 on the payment step and you'll get an extra 15 percent off your cart. Our code excludes items that are already on sale, recently launched products, and 3rd party gear. This sale ends later tonight, so be sure to shop soon if you're interested.

Our exclusive discount knocks the price of Nomad's Modern Case for iPhone 17 and Rugged Case down to $41.00, from $49.00. You can also get the Modern Leather Case for iPhone 17 for $63.00 with our code, down from $75.00.

If you're shopping for Apple Watch Bands, Nomad's Rocky Point Band for Apple Watch Ultra is on sale for $67.00, down from $79.00. The Titanium Band for Apple Watch Ultra is down to $169.00, from $199.00, while the athletic Sport Band is down to $58.00, from $69.00.

In addition to these discounts on newer products, Nomad's overstock sale has big markdowns on older gear like iPhone 16 cases, Apple Watch Bands, wireless chargers, and more. Our exclusive code does not stack with these discounts, but there are still many steep discounts in this sale that are worth taking a look at before it ends.

You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

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Apple is working on a series of new satellite connectivity features for the iPhone, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

In this week's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that the new features in development include:

• Apple Maps via satellite: Navigation in Apple Maps without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity.
• Photos in Messages via satellite: Support for sending photos in the Messages app using satellite connectivity.
• Natural Usage: Satellite connectivity from indoors environments, without the need to physically point the device toward clear sky.
• Satellite over 5G: Support for 5G NTN, allowing cell towers to use satellites for increased coverage.
• Satellite API framework for third-party apps: An API that will allow developers to voluntarily integrate satellite connectivity into their apps. Not all features and services will be compatible.

There apparently no plans to enable phone calls, video calls, or web browsing via satellite at present.

Today, Apple's satellite connectivity features are available for free. For more advanced capabilities in the future, Apple reportedly plans to let customers pay satellite carriers for features directly.

Apple could also create a paid option for extended connectivity with a company like SpaceX. Gurman added that there have been discussions in the company about offering its own satellite service, but concerns that Apple shouldn't act like a carrier have stifled that possibility.

Many of the new satellite features in development will apparently require upgrades to Globalstar's infrastructure, which Apple helped to finance. Gurman said that if SpaceX acquires Globalstar, the necessary enhancements could roll out faster.

The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue.

Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that makes it difficult for Apple to shut it down "without a backlash." The service is sufficiently inexpensive to operate that negative headlines would not be worth the saving.

Nevertheless, Gurman says the "future of Fitness+ is under review." He revealed that the service is to receive new management, with Apple health vice president Sumbul Desai taking control of the service. The health division, now including Apple Fitness+, will report directly to services chief Eddy Cue. The reorganization is likely to lead to added pressure to improve results.

Apple Fitness+ launched in 2020 as an ad-free video on demand guided workout streaming service. It costs $9.99 per month and is available as part of the Apple One Premier bundle.

We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.

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

Specifically, we're sharing all of the Apple products that currently have all-time low prices, or discounts that are at least very close to their record-low prices. Of course, these are early Black Friday deals, so even better discounts could emerge later in the month, but if you're shopping right now these are all the best prices around.

Our Top Picks

• AirTag 4-Pack for $64.99 ($34 off)
• Apple Watch SE 3 for $199.99 ($50 off)
• Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $699.99 ($99 off)
• 13-Inch MacBook Air for $749.99 ($249 off)
• 14-Inch M5 MacBook Pro for $1,487.07 ($113 off)

Best Early Black Friday Deals

• The Best Early Black Friday AirTag Deals
• The Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals
• Get Your Holiday Shopping Started With Our Exclusive 15% Off Sale at Nomad
• Best Buy Reveals Black Friday Plans With Sitewide Sales Available Now
• Target Kicks Off Early Black Friday Sale With Sitewide Savings on Apple Accessories and More
• Samsung's Early Black Friday Sale Features Big Savings on Monitors, TVs, Appliances, and More

M5 MacBook Pro

Note: We're currently seeing an issue where clicking on the links in this article may not show the discounted pricing. Opening the links in a new tab/window or manually copying and pasting them into your browser should, however, work. The issue seems to only affect Safari, with Chrome, Firefox, and several other browsers working fine in our testing.

MacRumors readers can save on Apple's brand new 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro at Expercom right now. Discounts reach up to $234 off original prices, and across the board these are the lowest prices we've tracked to date on the M5 MacBook Pro.

These discounts have been automatically applied on Expercom's website when visited through the links below. Discounts include the 512GB 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro for $1,487.07, down from $1,599.00, plus a few models with increased RAM.

Our exclusive discount is available in both Space Black and Silver color options for each computer. We've listed a few of the base models of the M5 MacBook Pro below, but Expercom is offering a wide range of custom configurations on sale as well. This includes models with as much as 32GB RAM, up to 4TB of storage, and Nano-Texture display options as well.

• 10-Core M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB - $1,487.07, down from $1,599.00
• 10-Core M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB - $1,673.07, down from $1,799.00
• 10-Core M5, 24GB RAM, 512GB - $1,812.57, down from $1,949.00
• 10-Core M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB - $1,859.07, down from $1,999.00

AirPods

The best early Black Friday AirPods discount is on the AirPods 4, available for $84.99 right now on Amazon, down from $129.00. This is a match of the best price we've ever seen on this model on Amazon.

Apple Watch

Ultra 3

One of the best all-around early Black Friday discounts is on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at $99 off select models.

SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 received its first major discount on Amazon this week, with $49 off the 44mm GPS model.

SE 2

Prices start at just $159.99 for the 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE, then increase to $189.99 for the 44mm GPS model. Both of these are $89 discounts on the wearables, and all-time low prices on each device. You can find Midnight, Silver, and Starlight case color options at these prices for both sizes.

Series 10

Amazon also has a few discounts on the Apple Watch Series 10, with $119 off these models. You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $279.99, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $309.99, down from $429.00. The 42mm GPS model is only available in Jet Black Aluminum, but the 46mm GPS model has Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver Aluminum options available at this low price.

iPad

Amazon this week is taking $50 off Wi-Fi models of Apple's 11th generation iPad. Prices start at $299.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00, a second-best price on this model.

Additionally, Amazon has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $399.00 ($50 off) and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad for $599.00 ($50 off).

M5 iPad Pro

Amazon has the first notable discounts on Apple's brand new M5 iPad Pro, with the entry-level 11-inch model available for $940.00, down from $999.00.

In terms of the 11-inch M5 iPad Pro, this is still one of the only steeper discounts, with others sitting around $25 off. If you're shopping for the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro, you'll find the 256GB Wi-Fi model for $1,246.00 ($54 off), the 512GB Wi-Fi model for $1,440.00 ($50 off), and the 2TB Wi-Fi Nano-Texture Glass model for $2,298.00 ($101 off).

M4 MacBook Air

You can get the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (256GB) for $749.99, down from $999.00, a new all-time low price on the computer that beats the previous low by about $50. You'll also find many of the 512GB models of the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air on sale this week.

Apple Pencil

You can get the Apple Pencil Pro available for $99.00, down from $129.00.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2025.

AirTag

Amazon has Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $64.99, down from $99.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on the accessory.

If you're shopping for just one AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $24.00, which doesn't match the all-time low of $19.99 that we've seen recently, so you might want to hold off for now or consider stepping up to the 4-Pack deal.

iPhone 17 Cases

Amazon this week brought back big discounts across Apple's Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air lineup. Items on sale include Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. We're also tracking a few discounts on other accessories like the FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe.

iPhone Air

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00

iPhone 17

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $37.00, down from $49.00

iPhone 17 Pro

• Clear Case - $37.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $37.99, down from $49.00
• TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00

iPhone 17 Pro Max

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $37.99, down from $49.00
• TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00

Mac Mini

Amazon is taking $100 off the 256GB model of the M4 Mac mini in early Black Friday deals, as well as over $100 off 512GB models.

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Things were busy in Apple software land this week, with the public release of iOS 26.1 and updates for Apple's other platforms being quickly followed by the round of 26.2 betas with plenty more changes in store.

On the hardware side, we're still wondering whether we'll see anything more released before the end of the year, but either way, 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for Apple with updates across almost the entire lineup and likely some new entrants as well.

Top Stories

Everything New in iOS 26.1

Some six weeks after the initial release of iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and other major operating system updates, Apple this week released the first significant follow-on updates with the 26.1 versions.

iOS 26.1 adds a new toggle to adjust the transparency of Liquid Glass, an option to turn off the Lock Screen swipe gesture to access the Camera, a new "slide to stop" button on the Lock Screen for alarms and timers to reduce accidental dismissals, new Apple Intelligence language support, and more.

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 1

As is frequently the case, the public release of iOS 26.1 was almost immediately followed by the first developer beta of iOS 26.2 as Apple begins testing the next update ahead of an expected December release.

Changes discovered in the first beta so far include a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen clock, updates to the Sleep Score feature, the ability to set alarms for reminders, and more. EU users will get access to Live Translation on AirPods with the update, though they will lose automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch.

Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Apple is gearing up to release at least 15 new products in 2026, according to a new recap from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and it is likely to include a long-awaited revamp of the company's smart home platform.

It's possible we could even get a few more updates to products like the Apple TV and HomePod mini before the end of 2025, but if you're waiting for additional new Macs, you're almost certainly going to need to wait until next year.

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in a new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker.

The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" has claimed that next-year's ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models will be available in one of the following color options: coffee, purple, or burgundy. Despite some initial media confusion thinking Apple might release all three of the rumored colors, the leaker later clarified that Apple is currently still in the decision phase will only move forward with production on one of them.

New Version of Siri to 'Lean' on Google Gemini

The new, more powerful version of Siri reportedly coming around March or April of next year will apparently leverage a custom version of Google Gemini as Apple continues to try to catch up to the competition with its own AI capabilities.

Apple will reportedly pay Google in the neighborhood of $1 billion annually for a 1.2-trillion parameter AI model to power Siri.

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals

It's already November, which means the holiday shopping season is getting underway ahead of the Black Friday rush later this month.

We're keeping tabs on the best early Black Friday deals on Apple products, while retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Samsung have been sharing their early sales and plans for the rest of the month.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Apple is going to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, with the device set to be more affordable than the $999 MacBook Air. With the affordable notebook, Apple is aiming to better compete with cheap Chromebooks and Windows PCs.

If you're thinking about picking up a computer for lightweight tasks like document editing, web browsing, watching videos, and doing homework, you might want to wait to see what Apple has in store before making a purchase. Below, we highlight what we know about the new Mac so far.

Size

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 inches in size. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a 13.6-inch display, so the more affordable MacBook could be slightly smaller. It's sounding like it won't be too far off from the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, though.

There are no details on how thick it might be, but Apple probably won't prioritize a thin design for a machine optimized for a low price. Since the ‌MacBook Air‌ can run fine with an M-series chip and no fan in an enclosure that's 0.44 inches thick, there's no reason for the MacBook to be any thicker than that.

Design and Display

The low-cost MacBook will have a standard LCD display with no mini-LED technology or ProMotion refresh rate. It could come in bright colors like the iMac, with Kuo suggesting Apple will offer it in silver, blue, pink, and yellow.

A-Series Chip

Apple is planning to use its A18 Pro chip in the MacBook. We first saw the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The chip is built on Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer process, featuring 8GB RAM and support for Apple Intelligence.

It's fast and efficient, and more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the A18 Pro offers single-core CPU performance scores at the level of the M3 Ultra, and multi-core performance scores higher than the M1 chip that Apple used in the first Apple silicon ‌MacBook Air‌. Metal scores that measure GPU performance are also similar to the ‌M1‌ chip Metal scores.

The A18 Pro will be equivalent to the ‌M1‌ for some tasks, and faster for other tasks. Apple no longer sells the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ from its own store, but it has offered the machine through Walmart at a $599 price point.

Capabilities

With the A18 Pro chip, the low-cost MacBook would be able to do anything that can be done on an ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro. It would be a suitable replacement for the low-cost iPad paired with a keyboard, and it would also support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

Right now, an ‌iPad‌ is essentially the only option for a low-cost portable device that can serve as a computer, but the low-cost MacBook will add a solution that runs macOS instead of iPadOS.

Tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, creating documents, editing photos, and even light video editing would be no problem. A low-cost MacBook with A18 Pro chip could play all of Apple's ‌iPad‌ and iPhone games, including Apple Arcade titles, but it would not work well with high-end system intensive games.

It would also run apps like Final Cut Pro, but speeds for things like exporting video would not be as quick as with a more powerful Mac.

Apple probably won't go all out on ports, and the MacBook is likely to get just a single USB-C port, though two like the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also possible.

The A18 Pro chip is efficient, and there's a lot of space inside a 13-inch enclosure for a battery, so we could be looking at MacBook Air-level battery life or better. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s battery lasts for up to 18 hours when watching videos, or 15 hours when browsing the web.

Price

There are no specific details on price as of yet, but Bloomberg claims it will cost "well under $1,000." The ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced starting at $999, so it would need to come in under that.

Apple has a 13-inch iPad Air that has a display in the same range rumored for the low-cost MacBook, and it's priced at $799. The ‌iPad Air‌ has a higher-end M-series processor though, so the low-cost MacBook could be less than the ‌iPad Air‌.

The closest ‌iPad‌ approximation for the chip is the iPad mini, which has an A17 Pro. The ‌iPad mini‌ is priced starting at $499. A price somewhere between $499 and $799 could make sense looking at Apple's existing product lineup. The older ‌M1‌ MacBook that sells for $599 at Walmart also gives us a hint at what Apple might charge.

Launch Timing

Apple could launch the low-cost MacBook in the first half of 2026. Updates are planned for the ‌MacBook Air‌ in early 2026, so the low-cost model could launch sometime in that same timeframe.

Read More

For more information on Apple's budget MacBook, we have a dedicated guide.

HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time.

Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged.

Another set of iPhones underwent the same test, but with charging initiated at 30 percent and stopped at 80 percent, so the iPhones were always in that range.

Prior to the experiment, the capacity for each phone was tested, and after 500 cycles, the capacity was tested again. The results suggest there is minimal additional battery drain from fast charging, but keeping an ‌iPhone‌ between 30 and 80 percent charge could be minimally beneficial.

HTX Studio concluded that the best way to charge an ‌iPhone‌ is "however you like," without overthinking it and trading mental energy for a tiny bit of battery life. The same video also includes Android tests, and is well worth watching in full for those curious about the effects of fast charging.

With tvOS 26.2, Apple is changing the way that profiles work on the Apple TV. It's now possible to create a profile without an Apple Account, which is particularly useful for guest profiles and profiles for children.

In the ‌Apple TV‌ Settings app's profiles section, the "Add New Profile" option no longer requests that users sign in with an Apple device or manually with an Apple Account.

Alongside the Apple Account sign in, there is a "Create Profile" option that only requires a name, a profile rating, and a yes or no question about whether the new user is a child.

Selecting yes limits content to a PG rating by default, but there is a customize option for more granular control. Users can select ratings for TV shows and movies that are appropriate for the child based on their age. All of the standard TV show and movie ratings are available to select. Creating a child account and choosing a rating changes the ‌Apple TV‌ content that is available to the child. The ‌Apple TV‌ app will only show content that is appropriate for the limits that have been established for the account.

In tvOS 26.1, the latest public version of tvOS, profiles require an Apple Account. The TV app has a dedicated children's section and parents can set up parental controls to limit access, but it is not the full kids-only ‌Apple TV‌ view that's in tvOS 26.2.

The ‌Apple TV‌ app in tvOS 26.2 does not show any adult content when a child's profile is signed in, including in the Store and Library sections of the app. Only kids shows and movies are available to watch or purchase.

Years ago prior to the launch of tvOS 14, there were rumors of a dedicated kids mode for the ‌Apple TV‌, but that didn't materialize. The changes in tvOS 26.2 are the closest Apple has come to an ‌Apple TV‌ experience just for children.

When a kids profile is active, it only applies to the ‌Apple TV‌ app. All other apps are visible and accessible to the user, and any app can be downloaded from the App Store. Parental controls still need to be used to limit access to content outside of the ‌Apple TV‌ app.

Setting up an adult profile allows for unrestricted access to the content on the ‌Apple TV‌, so adults in the home that don't have an Apple Account can also now have their own profiles with their own content recommendations. Any account that is created without an Apple Account can be deleted or can be upgraded to add an Apple Account at a later time.

Profiles on tvOS 26.2 say that they may also show up on certain third-party devices, so accounts for children may also be accessible on devices with the ‌Apple TV‌ app, like smart TVs.

tvOS 26.2 is available for developers and public beta testers at the current time, and it is expected to launch sometime around the middle of December.

Apple today provided public beta testers with the first release of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.2 update for testing purposes. The public beta comes a day after Apple provided the 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.

The Reminders app includes an option to have an alarm go off when a reminder is due, the News app has some design updates, and Apple is adding new features to the Podcasts app.

The beta is limited to developers and public beta testers right now, but it won't be a long testing period. We'll likely see Apple release macOS Tahoe 26.2 right around mid-December given past launch timelines.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the AirPods Pro 3 and the future of the AirPods lineup as a whole.

Apple introduced the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ in September, featuring a more refined design, improved active noise cancelation (ANC), enhanced sound quality, foam ear tips in five sizes, and heart rate monitoring for workouts. After using the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ for two months, we talk through our experience with the noticeably different fit, improved ANC, and more.

We also discuss the reports from some users who are experiencing an ongoing static issue with the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Apple does seem to be replacing affected units for customers who are bothered by the noise, which appears to be audible when ANC is active but no sound is playing. Other users have been hearing a high-pitched whine when on airplanes, which could be related to pressure. Not all ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ units are experiencing the issue, but it sounds like Apple is investigating.

Looking to the future, another version of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are expected to launch next year featuring infrared cameras for gesture controls and improved Vision Pro integration. This model is likely to be a more premium offering available alongside the current model at a higher price point.

Apple is believed to be working on a next-generation H3 chip for future AirPods models. The AirPods 5 are in development, with two models just like the current version.

The AirPods Max 2 are also in the works, touting a lighter design and likely a newer chip with features that are now noticeably absent from the device such as adaptive transparency and Siri commands. They are reportedly due to enter mass production in 2027 at the earliest.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about diving back into the Vision Pro with Apple's new M5 model.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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