On his Power On podcast today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman insisted that Apple plans to hold an "online home event" on Tuesday, October 13 to introduce an all-new smart home hub, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV 4K, all with Siri AI.

It is not clear if Gurman is referring to a feature-length, live-streamed event video, or if he considers a series of Apple Newsroom press releases and per-product YouTube videos to be an "event." Either way, selected reporters and content creators would likely receive hands-on time with the devices later on Tuesday.
This article, "Apple Still Expected to Announce Three New Products on October 13" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

On his first-ever Power On podcast today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that he believes Apple will introduce its long-rumored 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with touch-enabled OLED displays in October or November this year.


"Apple, I believe, will introduce its first touchscreen MacBook Pro this fall, as early as October," he said. "It could slip to November, but as early as October."

Apple is testing the laptops with macOS 27.2, which is currently in beta, he added. The software update is expected to be released towards the end of October, so the touch-screen MacBook Pro models might be announced later this month.

Other rumored features beyond an OLED touch screen include Apple's existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a thinner design, and a Dynamic Island instead of a notch.

A few years ago, Gurman reported that Apple was looking into the idea of cellular Macs that would be able to connect to a 5G or LTE network without relying on an iPhone's hotspot. For this reason, some Apple fans are hopeful that the touch-screen MacBook Pro models will be equipped with the company's custom-designed C1X or C2 modem.

The touch-screen models are expected to be positioned above the regular 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which will reportedly jump to the M7 Pro and M7 Max chips next year. It is unclear if the touch-screen models will still have MacBook Pro branding, or if Apple will opt for something unique like MacBook Ultra.
This article, "MacBook Pro With OLED Touch Screen Rumored to Launch in October or November" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today briefly mentioned that "Apple aims to eventually update its larger HomePod," assuring that the company remains committed to the full-sized speaker, which was discontinued in 2021 and reintroduced in 2023.


The report said a new HomePod mini, new Apple TV 4K, and an all-new Apple smart home hub will all be announced on Tuesday, October 13, but it sounds like a new version of the full-sized HomePod will not be unveiled until a later date. If and when it does finally arrive, expect support for the more intelligent Siri AI to be a key new feature.

Siri AI support would require a faster chip—the current HomePod uses the Apple Watch Series 7's S7 chip. Other likely upgrades include improved audio quality, new color options, and Apple's custom-designed N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support.

The full-sized HomePod is a relatively niche product, but it is a convenient choice for Apple fans with home theater setups. A pair of HomePods can be set as an Apple TV 4K's default audio output, allowing for stereo sound.

In June, Apple raised prices on more than a dozen products, including the full-sized HomePod. In the U.S., the current model is now priced at $349, up from $299 when it was released in 2023. The first-generation HomePod was initially $349 too when it launched in 2018, so the speaker's pricing has come full circle.
This article, "Apple Still Plans to Release a New Full-Sized HomePod" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple has been testing a new full-sized HomePod with Siri AI support, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Unfortunately, in his report outlining upcoming Apple products today, Gurman said the new full-sized HomePod "doesn't appear to be imminent," so do not expect the speaker to be updated soon. The current HomePod was unveiled in January 2023.
This article, "Apple Testing New HomePod With Siri AI" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple plans to release a special 20th-anniversary iPhone next year with the biggest design changes since the iPhone X, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Unveiled by Steve Jobs in 2007, the iPhone turns 20 next year. To mark the occasion, the report said Apple plans to release a 20th-anniversary iPhone with "curved glass around all corners and edges" and thinner bezels around the screen.

"It will be the biggest overhaul to what is now the iPhone Pro line since the iPhone X," the report said, but no further details were provided.

Released in 2017, the iPhone X was the first iPhone with Face ID. The removal of the Touch ID button allowed for the iPhone X's screen to extend more towards the edges of the device compared to previous models. It seems like the 20th-anniversary iPhone would go a step further than this by truly having the screen wrap around the corners and edges of the device, for a seemingly all-glass appearance.

Rumors about the 20th-anniversary iPhone have gone back and forth, but based on Gurman's latest reporting today, the device seems to be in the works still. However, it remains to be seen if Apple can fully achieve the ambitious design changes that are apparently in development, or if plans for the device will ultimately be scaled back.
This article, "iPhone 20 Rumored to Have Biggest Revamp Since iPhone X" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums