MacRumors

Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, introducing useful changes to alarms, multitasking on the iPad, and more. There are also subtle tweaks to some of the Liquid Glass design elements as Apple continues to refine iOS 26.

Alarms and Timers

Alarms set using the Clock app now have a slide to stop button rather than a tap to stop button on the Lock Screen. To snooze an alarm, you can tap, but to turn it off from the Lock Screen, you need to use a slide gesture.

The change makes it much harder to dismiss an alarm when you're trying to tap on the snooze button. Slide to Stop is also used for timers.

Background Security Improvements

The Privacy and Security section of the Settings app now has a toggle to automatically download and install security improvements. It's a revamp of the prior Rapid Security Responses feature.

Fitness App

You can now create custom workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone. There are options for selecting workout type, estimated Active Calories, effort, duration, and start time.

Settings App

Apple changed the alignment of icons and text in the Settings app. All settings with headers that feature text now have that text aligned to the left instead of center aligned.

This includes General, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Cellular, Personal Hotspot, Accessibility, and more.

Display Settings

The Display section of the Settings app now has iOS 26-themed wallpaper instead of iOS 18 wallpaper.

Home Screen Folders

When you tap into a folder on the Home Screen, the name of the folder at the top is left aligned instead of center aligned.

iPadOS 26.1 Slide Over

With iPadOS 26.1 beta 2, Apple reintroduced Slide Over. Slide Over works alongside the window-based iPadOS 26 multitasking functionality, so you can have multiple windows open and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app.

You can only have one Slide Over app at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and you can use the feature by tapping on the green window resizing button and
toggling on Enter Slide Over.

External Microphones on iPad

There's now an option to adjust input gain on the ‌iPad‌ when using an external microphone.

Liquid Glass

The light refraction effect around apps is now more subtle with darker icon colors and background colors.

Wallpaper

When setting a wallpaper on the Lock Screen, instructions like Pinch to Crop show up momentarily and then disappear, rather than being shown all the time.

Display Accessibility

Under the Display and Text Size section in the Accessibility settings, there is a new "Display Borders" toggle. It adds a border to all buttons, and replaces the prior "Button Shapes" setting.

Calendar

The Calendar app change that showed events with a full color background in iOS 26.1 beta 1 has been removed.

Photos App

The interface for managing multiple photos that you've selected has been tweaked slightly. Play as Slideshow, Favorite, and Hide are now at the top of the menu.

More Features

Know of something new in iOS 26.1 that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

Supplies of the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro model appear to be constrained amid rumors that an upgraded M5 model could launch as soon as this year.

As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, custom configurations of the ‌M4 MacBook Pro‌ model have a delayed shipping date and will not be delivered to customers until October 23 to 28. The restricted supply could be an indication that Apple is planning to launch a new M5 model at some point in October.

Custom configurations of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips have more standard delivery dates ranging from October 15 to October 20 with express delivery available. Custom configurations of the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ have a notable delay in comparison, with no express shipping option.

It is possible that Apple is planning to refresh the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with an M5 chip, while waiting until early 2026 to introduce 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with higher-end M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

Last week, the FCC leaked several upcoming devices, including a single MacBook Pro model. The leak was unusual because the FCC only included a single ‌MacBook Pro‌ model number, but usually there are multiple model numbers for different size and chip options.

The single model listed in the FCC's documents makes sense if Apple is splitting up the M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ launches.

Rumors about the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ have been confusing this year, which could be explained by a staggered launch. At the beginning of 2025, Gurman said that M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models would come out before the end of the year. In July 2025, Gurman said that Apple instead planned to launch new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in early 2026, having decided to push back their debut. Just last weekend, Gurman changed his prediction and said that new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models would be released at some point between late 2025 and early 2026.

In August, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that high-end M5 chips would not be introduced in ‌MacBook Pro‌ models until 2026, but he didn't mention the base M5 chip.

If Apple introduces the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ in October and then waits until spring 2026 to introduce ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, it might not be good news for those 2026 OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ rumors. For the last couple of years, rumors have suggested that Apple will introduce an upgraded OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ in late 2026. It is unusual to have two ‌MacBook Pro‌ refreshes in a single year, but not unheard of. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ was updated with M2 Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips in January 2023, and then M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in October 2023.

An early 2026 launch for the M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models could mean that the OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ models aren't coming in 2026 after all, with Apple to hold them until 2027. Of course, it's also possible that the FCC's documents were incomplete, and Apple does have plans to introduce the M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max all at the same time. Here are the scenarios we could see:

• Apple launches the 14-inch M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ in October. M5 Pro and M5 Max models come out in the spring. No OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ launches in 2026.
• Apple launches the 14-inch M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ in October. M5 Pro and M5 Max models come out in the spring. OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ models follow in the fall, with two MacBook launches in a single year.
• Apple launches just the 14-inch M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ in October. M5 Pro and M5 Max models are held until late 2026 and are used in the OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌.
• Apple launches the M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in October. M6 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models follow in late 2026 as rumored.

It's not unusual for Mac timing to be a little harder to pin down than iPhone timing because there are fewer machines being manufactured and less interest in design details from case makers and other parties. Apple also doesn't have a set time of the year for Mac refreshes, and there is variation from year to year.

At this point, it's unclear if we're going to get an October event. We're also expecting the M5 chip to come to the iPad Pro and the Vision Pro, plus rumors suggest Apple could update the Apple TV and the HomePod mini. If the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ launches, that's five new devices in the fall 2025 timeframe, but unfortunately, it's all just spec bumps. It doesn't look like any of the devices that are going to be refreshed in the coming months will have design changes, and in that situation, Apple often does launches with press releases.

The M5 chip confuses the situation. All of the next-number M-series chip upgrades have been announced at events, not through press releases. Apple unveiled the M1, ‌M2‌, M3, and M4 at events. Some of the "upgrade" chips were introduced with a press release, like the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max, but never a main chip.

The M5 chip could be the first that Apple announces with a press release, or we could get a short October event like the 2023 "Scary Fast" Mac event. The October 2023 event included the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ and iMac, and neither Mac got design updates.

Apple today updated its TestFlight and Apple Support apps, adding Liquid Glass designs to match the rest of iOS 26.

Both apps now feature Liquid Glass interface elements, such as more rounded buttons, floating navigation bars, and translucency in some areas. They also feature Liquid Glass app icons that look like multiple layers of glass stacked on one another.

TestFlight got an icon overhaul, and the new design features simplified propellers that work better with the Liquid Glass look.

TestFlight is an app that allows iPhone users to download beta apps from developers for testing purposes. Apple says that TestFlight also includes Accessibility improvements, including VoiceOver, Voice Control, and Larger Text.

TestFlight also appears to include a new Tester Matching feature that helps users discover apps they might like to try based on their interest.

Apple Support is Apple's dedicated app for getting help with your devices.

Both apps are free to download.

With the second beta of iOS 26.1, Apple updated the design of alarms set on the iPhone, making them harder to dismiss than before.

Stopping an alarm in iOS 26.1 beta 2 requires a new Slide to Stop gesture rather than a simple tap. You can continue to tap to snooze an alarm, but if you want to turn it off entirely, you need to use a swipe.

Transitioning from a tap to a slide gesture to stop an alarm could potentially help people who sleepily dismiss an alarm without meaning to. It's easy to accidentally tap Stop instead of Snooze in the current version of iOS 26, but now if you blindly tap at your ‌iPhone‌ in the morning, you won't be able to disable your alarm entirely.

The new Slide to Stop button is still as large as the Snooze and Stop buttons, so Apple keeps its updated design, while solving the problem that it introduced. In iOS 18, the Snooze and Stop buttons were much smaller and had a significant degree of separation, so it was difficult to hit stop when you meant to hit snooze.

Slide to Stop is also used for timers in iOS 26.1 beta 2.

With the second beta of iPadOS 26.1, Apple tweaked multitasking on the iPad to reintroduce the Slide Over feature. Slide Over was removed in iPadOS 26 because Apple replaced it with a new windowed multitasking system, but some ‌iPad‌ users missed the feature.

The updated version of Slide Over works with all of the new ‌iPadOS 26‌ multitasking features. You can have multiple app windows open, and then use Slide Over to quickly get to an app that overlays your windowed apps.

To use Slide Over in iPadOS 26.1, you'll need to tap on the green icon of an app's window to open up the window sizing controls. From there, you can tap on the "Enter Slide Over" button.

When an app has been put into Slide Over mode, it transitions into a Slide Over window that stays over your other open apps. You can swipe to hide the Slide Over app from view, and then swipe to bring it back again. The Slide Over window can be resized as needed, which is new in iPadOS 26.1.

Slide Over in iPadOS 26.1 beta 2 supports a single app, so it's not quite the same as the older version of Slide Over, but it should be a welcome addition to those who were missing the option.

Apple today provided developers with the second betas of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The second betas come two weeks after Apple released the first betas.

The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

Apple Intelligence is now available in more languages in the updates, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPods Live Translation also works with Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified) in iOS 26.1.

Liquid Glass has been expanded to the Phone app's keypad, Apple Music has a new swipe gesture for changing tracks, and there are visual changes to Calendar, Safari, and Photos. Details on what we've found in iOS 26.1 so far can be found in our iOS 26.1 beta 1 feature list.

The iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1, betas will be released later in October.

Amazon this week 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, and it's one of the all-around best discounts we've seen ahead of Prime Big Deal Days.

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.

Amazon provides delivery dates as soon as today for Prime members at some residences in the United States, and you won't need to clip an on-page coupon in order to see this deal. If you're shopping for just one AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $19.99, which is another record low price.

Be sure to check out our main post for even more early Prime Day discounts.

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On the latest episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told guest host Joanna Stern why the EV maker continues to pass on Apple's CarPlay — both the standard version and the more advanced CarPlay Ultra.

Echoing his previous comments on the matter, Scaringe said Rivian is focused on offering a "seamless digital experience," where customers do not need to switch between its own software and CarPlay. Instead, he said Rivian prefers to provide an à-la-carte selection of built-in apps, such as Apple Music, Google Maps, Spotify, and YouTube.

Scaringe said he is "very confident" in Rivian's decision to skip CarPlay, especially as it plans to integrate AI into its vehicles over the next 18 months. For example, he said Rivian is planning a native AI-powered voice-to-text feature for messaging.

"We're really convicted on this," he said.

Nevertheless, Scaringe acknowledged that some customers will not purchase a Rivian given the lack of CarPlay. "We accept that," he said.

"Some of those decisions not everyone's going to agree with," he said. "That's okay."

Spam calls have become such a nuisance that many people simply don't answer their phone unless they recognize the number. In iOS 26, though, you can learn about who's calling before you respond, thanks to a clever new feature that intercepts unknown calls and asks the caller to identify themselves before your iPhone even rings.

The new "Ask Reason for Calling" feature is kind of like having your own receptionist. When someone who isn't in your Contacts calls, your iPhone automatically answers the call with a polite automated message asking for their name and reason for calling. The caller is placed on hold while their response is transcribed to text and displayed on your screen, letting you decide whether to accept, decline, or ask for more information.

It's a decent upgrade from the existing "Silence Unknown Callers" option, which simply sends all unrecognized numbers straight to voicemail. With the new approach, legitimate callers – like your doctor or a delivery service – can identify themselves, whereas robocallers and spammers are likely to hang up when greeted by the automated response.

How to Enable Ask Reason for Calling

The following steps show you how to turn on the feature:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Select Phone.
4. Under the "Screen Unknown Callers" section, tap Ask Reason for Calling.

That's all there is to it. Your iPhone will now intercept calls from numbers not saved in your Contacts and request information before alerting you.

Other Unknown Caller Screening Options

If you don't want to use the new Ask Reason for Calling feature, iOS 26 offers two alternative approaches for handling unknown numbers:

• Silence: This option automatically sends all calls from unsaved numbers to voicemail. The calls still appear in your Recents list, and you'll receive the voicemail if the caller leaves one. It's the same behavior as the "Silence Unknown Callers" toggle in iOS 18.
• Never: With this setting, calls from unknown numbers ring normally, just like calls from saved contacts. Missed calls appear in your Recents list as usual. It's your typical iPhone calling experience.

To switch between these options, go to Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Phone, and select your preferred option under "Screen Unknown Callers."

The Ask Reason for Calling feature works best when you maintain an up-to-date Contacts list. Any number saved in Contacts will ring through normally without triggering the screening process, so make sure to add the details of legitimate contacts as soon as you know them.

Amazon is hosting another Prime Day event this year, called Prime Big Deal Days and offering shoppers the first chance to save on holiday shopping from a major retailer. Similar to last year's fall Prime Day, it will last for two days (October 7-8) and you can already find a large selection of early deals across Amazon's storefront, covering savings on tech, clothing, video games, groceries, and much, much more.

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.

For our coverage, we're focusing on Apple and Apple-related discounts that can be purchased during this 48-hour event on Amazon. As of today, this includes deals on AirPods, iPad Air, iPad mini, and various accessories.

As is typical for Prime Day deals, these markdowns are very time sensitive, so sales listed below may disappear fast, and new ones may appear even faster. With this in mind, we'll keep this article updated throughout the event, and keep an eye on the MacRumors front page as we'll be posting particularly great deals in separate articles this week.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Amazon Prime Day requires you to have an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the discounts. Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139.00 per year, and it comes with a 30-day free trial for new subscribers.

Special for 2025, Amazon is also offering a free six month trial to Prime for Young Adults right now. Prime for Young Adults is a discounted Prime membership for anyone age 18-24 that offers all of the Prime benefits at $69.00 per year, half of the price of regular Prime.

AirPods

Numerous AirPods models have been discounted this weekend, with the most notable being the AirPods 4 for $89.99, down from $129.00. You'll also find a solid discount on the AirPods Pro 2 during this event.

M3 iPad Air

Amazon has Apple's M3 iPad Air starting at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, with numerous all-time low prices.

Our list below focuses on Wi-Fi models, but you'll also find many cellular models on sale at $150 off right now. The 128GB cellular 11-inch iPad Air is available for $599.00 and the 128GB cellular 13-inch iPad Air is available for $799.00, both representing record low prices.

11-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $449.00, down from $599.00
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $549.00, down from $699.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $749.00, down from $899.00
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $949.00, down from $1,099.00

13-inch M3 iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $649.00, down from $799.00
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $749.00, down from $899.00
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $949.00, down from $1,099.00
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,149.00, down from $1,299.00

iPad Mini 7

Amazon has low prices on nearly every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this early Prime Day sale.

You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.00 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00, both $100 discounts and available in all colors. In total, these sales are solid second-best prices on the iPad mini 7, coming in just about $20 higher when compared to all-time low prices.

MacBook Air

Amazon has all-time lows across every model of the M4 MacBook Air for Prime Day. In total, you'll find $200 off the M4 MacBook Air notebook right now, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.

Prices start at $799.00 for the 13-inch 256GB model, down from $999.00. If you're looking for the larger model, you can get the 15-inch 256GB computer for $999.00, down from $1,199.00.

Accessories

There are a few accessories on sale ahead of Prime Day, including a new all-time low price on the iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case, now available for $49.99, down from $59.00. You'll also find great deals on Apple Pencil Pro, MagSafe Charger, and the AirTag 4-Pack.

• MagSafe Charger (2m) - $34.90, down from $49.00
• iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case - $43.99, down from $49.00
• iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case - $49.99, down from $59.00
• iPhone 17 Pro Max Silicone Case - $43.99, down from $49.00
• iPhone 17 Pro Max TechWoven Case - $52.99, down from $59.00
• AirTag 4-Pack - $64.99, down from $99.00
• Apple Pencil Pro - $99.00, down from $129.00

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 recently announced it will share earnings results for the fourth quarter of its 2025 fiscal year on Thursday, October 30. Apple's earnings reports are typically released at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, after the stock market has closed in New York.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh should discuss the results on a live-streamed conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time that day. While the call is primarily intended for Apple shareholders and Wall Street analysts, anyone can listen live for free on Apple's Investor Relations website, with no registration required.

The call should last around one hour. Cook and Parekh will read their prepared remarks, and then they will take questions from analysts.

If you miss the call, a recording will be available for replay on the page later in the day.

Apple's fiscal fourth quarter ran from June 29 through September 27 of this year. During that period, Apple released the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, AirPods Pro 3, and new accessories like the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery and Crossbody Strap.

After launching new iPhones last month, Apple is promoting iCloud+ with a prominent banner on its home page, in a bid to boost its services revenue. In addition to more storage, all iCloud+ plans include five perks for iPhone users.

As a refresher, iCloud includes 5GB of storage for free. If you want extra storage, you need to subscribe to an iCloud+ plan. In the United States, prices range from $0.99 per month for 50GB of storage to $59.99 per month for 12TB of storage.

Here are the five perks included with all iCloud+ plans:

• Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple.
• Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed.
• HomeKit Secure Video allows you to capture and review home security footage in an end-to-end encrypted format.
• Custom Email Domain enables you to personalize your iCloud email address.
• Apple Invites app lets you create event invitations.

Some of these iCloud+ features are not available in all countries.

Apple's comparison chart for iCloud+ plans in the U.S. is shown below.

Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade as multiple senior executives prepare to depart and CEO Tim Cook begins to shape the company's next generation of leaders, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Jeff Williams, who was viewed as Cook's potential successor for several years, has already handed off his operations responsibilities and will leave the company later this year. His exit marks the first major change in Apple's senior leadership since 2019, when both Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and retail chief Angela Ahrendts departed. Gurman reports that this change is the beginning of a broader reshuffling among Apple's top executives, many of whom have been in their roles for more than a decade.

Former Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller continues to oversee the App Store and product launch events after stepping down from day-to-day operations in 2020. Former Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri, who resigned last year, still retains oversight of Apple's real estate and information systems. However, Gurman writes that the company's era of stability "cannot last forever," noting that several executives are now weighing retirement or changes to their roles.

One of the most closely watched figures is John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy. Recruited from Google in 2018, Giannandrea has led Apple's efforts in artificial intelligence, including the rollout of Apple Intelligence. Gurman states that his position "has been uncertain for years" following setbacks with Siri's redevelopment and internal struggles over Apple's AI direction. Some of Giannandrea's responsibilities have been reassigned to Mike Rockwell, who previously led the Vision Pro and is now tasked with improving ‌Siri‌.

Gurman also reports that Apple is considering external candidates to strengthen its AI leadership. Among them is a senior AI executive from Meta Platforms, where recent structural changes have included the hiring of Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang and the creation of a new Superintelligence Labs division.

The company's hardware division may also see turnover. Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies and the executive behind its custom A-series and M-series chips, is said to be "evaluating his future." Under Srouji's leadership, Apple has completed major milestones such as the transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon and the development of its first in-house cellular modem. Potential internal successors include Zongjian Chen, who leads the modem and wireless teams, and Sri Santhanam, who oversees processor design.

Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president for environment, policy, and social initiatives, is another executive reportedly considering retirement. A former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama, Jackson joined Apple in 2013 and has since expanded her responsibilities to include government affairs and accessibility. Gurman writes that her deputies now handle most of Apple's interactions with the federal government, noting that she "has kept a lower profile" in recent years.

‌Tim Cook‌ turns 65 next month and remains at the center of Apple's leadership discussions. With Williams's departure, the company no longer has a clear second-in-command. Gurman notes that "Cook may eventually move into a chairman role," similar to the transitions made by Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Larry Ellison at their respective companies.

The leading internal candidate to succeed Cook is John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering. Gurman identifies Ternus as "the most likely heir apparent," citing his growing visibility within the company and his increasing role in shaping product strategy. Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001 and became senior vice president in 2021, has overseen the design and engineering of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac in recent years.

Gurman says that Apple's public relations teams have already begun "putting the spotlight on Ternus," a signal that the company may be preparing for a gradual transition of power. He was the public face of the iPhone Air launch last month and has recently been featured prominently in Apple's marketing efforts and interviews.

Gurman writes that Ternus, now 50, "fits the mold of a long-term successor," being the same age as Cook when he became CEO in 2011. Apple's board is apparently likely to favor a technologist over an operations or sales executive for its next leader, as the company seeks to reinvigorate innovation in categories such as artificial intelligence, mixed reality, and home automation. "Those close to the company see little doubt that Ternus will eventually be CEO," Gurman added.

A new iPad mini is "absolutely" on the way, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released a year ago?

Processor and Performance

Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in August.

Apple's A19 Pro chip since debuted in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro models include the higher-end version of Apple's A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU, while the iPhone Air uses a mid-tier A19 Pro chip with one fewer GPU core than the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

For the iPad mini 8, Apple is likely to use the mid-tier A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone Air. This is based on the fact that the A17 Pro chip used in the iPad mini 7 has a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with a 5-core GPU, compared to the 6-core GPU found on the A17 Pro used in the iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple built the A19 Pro chip on an upgraded third-generation 3-nanometer N3P process for modest speed and efficiency improvements. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine, next-generation dynamic caching, and unified image compression.

The GPU in the A19 Pro has an upgraded architecture with a larger cache, more memory, and Neural Accelerators that are built into each core. Apple says that this change provides 3× the peak GPU compute over the prior-generation chip. There's also an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks.

Display

Apple's plan to transition the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ from an LCD to an OLED display is widely rumored. According to a Chinese leaker with sources in Apple's supply chain, Apple has evaluated a Samsung-made OLED display for its next iPad mini model, but it remains unclear whether it features a higher refresh rate than the 60Hz LCD display used in the existing iPad mini 7. A separate report has suggested the ‌‌‌iPad mini 8‌‌‌'s screen could increase in size from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches with the adoption of OLED.

OLED panels can individually control each pixel, resulting in more precise color reproduction and deeper blacks compared to other common display technologies. They also provide superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and greater design flexibility. All of Apple's flagship iPhones use OLED panels, and in May 2024 the company brought the display technology to the iPad Pro for the first time.

Unlike Apple's ‌iPad Pro‌ models, which feature two-stack low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panels‌, the ‌iPad mini‌ may have a single-stack low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panel, meaning that it may be dimmer and continue to lack ProMotion.

Release Timeline

According to research firm Omdia, the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ is expected to adopt an OLED display in 2027. However, Korea's ET News and ZDNET Korea have both suggested that the iPad mini and iPad Air will be updated with OLED displays simultaneously in 2026.

In May 2024, it was reported that Samsung Display had started developing sample OLED panels for a future ‌iPad mini‌, with plans to initiate mass production at its facility in Cheonan in the second half of 2025. The same report claimed that Apple will bring an OLED panel to the iPad Air alongside the ‌iPad mini‌ in 2026.

That outlook differs slightly from a December report by analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) that said an 8.5-inch OLED iPad mini is planned for a 2026 launch, while 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Air models are expected to follow in 2027.

Ultimately, there are no converging rumors suggesting exactly when the next ‌iPad mini‌ will be released, but a launch alongside new ‌iPad Air‌ models in the first half of next year is certainly a possibility.

Pricing

We don't have any information to suggest Apple will change the pricing of a new iPad mini. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple might want to consider a lower-end version of the mini, or at least a change to its current $499 starting price, given that it's up against rival products that cost a lot less.

However, Apple users who are looking for a more affordable option should probably consider the 10th-generation iPad instead. Starting at $329, the iPad offers many iPad mini features, such as Touch ID and Center Stage, but at a lower price that balances functionality and affordability.

United Airlines has become the first carrier to support Apple Wallet's enhanced boarding passes in iOS 26, reports 9to5Mac.

Apple added several new features for boarding passes in iOS 26. Previewed at WWDC in June, the features include Live Activities for tracking flights directly from the Lock Screen, airport terminal maps, and Find My integration for luggage tracking.

According to the report's tipster, users must manually enable the Live Activity through the Wallet app – it doesn't activate automatically. Also, when a user shares flight status with others, they see the Live Activity, minus boarding group and seat information.

United joins a growing list of airlines that Apple says is planning to adopt the feature. Others include Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Virgin Australia.

Today marks the 14th anniversary of Steve Jobs passing away, at the age of 56. He died just one day after Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S and Siri.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has once again paid tribute to Jobs.

"Steve saw the future as a bright and boundless place, lit the path forward, and inspired us to follow," said Cook, in a post today. "We miss you, my friend."

Cook also reflected on Jobs while opening Apple's first-ever event at Steve Jobs Theater in 2017.

"There is not a day that goes by that we don't think about him," he said then.

At that event, Apple unveiled the iPhone X, which was a major update to the smartphone that Jobs had famously unveiled in 2007.

The Steve Jobs Archive website contains a collection of quotes, photos, videos, and emails from Jobs, and offers fellowships to young creators to follow in his footsteps.

Apple still has a "Remembering Steve" page on its website.

The next iPad Pro models are rumored to feature two key upgrades, including Apple's M5 chip, and an increased minimum of 12GB of RAM.

Last week, apparent unboxing videos for the next-generation 13-inch iPad Pro were uploaded to YouTube by Russian channels Wylsacom and Romancev768.

The same YouTube channels leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so these latest leaks are likely legitimate.

The unboxing videos showed the M5 chip, and an increased minimum of 12GB of RAM.

According to Geekbench 6 benchmark results shown in one of the videos, the M5 chip offers up to 12% faster multi-core CPU performance and up to 36% faster graphics performance compared to the M4 chip in the current iPad Pro models from May 2024.

The benchmark result also showed the iPad Pro with 256GB of storage will have 12GB of RAM, just like the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. iPad Pro models with the M4 chip have only 8GB of RAM when equipped with 256GB or 512GB of storage, but models with 1TB or 2TB of storage are equipped with 16GB of RAM.

Last year, the iPad Pro was updated with an OLED display and a thinner design. No major design changes are expected this year, but the unboxing videos did reveal that "iPad Pro" will no longer be inscribed on the back of the next models.

Beyond the M5 chip and a minimum of 12GB of RAM, a third rumor is in jeopardy.

It was previously rumored that the next iPad Pro models would have two front cameras, allowing you to easily take photos and go on video calls in both portrait and landscape orientations. However, there is no evidence of a second front camera in the unboxing videos, with only an ambient light sensor visible in the top bezel in one of the videos.

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman commented on the rumor:

I can say with certainty that M5 iPad Pros within Apple have the second lens. There's a history of Apple testing features at an advanced stage before pulling them (such as certain storage capacities or features like a second dock connector on the original iPad), but this would be a strange, last-minute cut.

We shall see. Apple will likely unveil the next iPad Pro models this month, so an official announcement is likely just a few weeks away.

Woot this weekend is back with a massive sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, with as much as 70 percent off these accessories.

You can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty, and they will all be compatible with the new Apple Watch Series 11.

Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

Solo Loop

• Black/White Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00
• Blue Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00
• Green Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00
• Purple Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00
• Red/Orange/Yellow Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00

Braided Solo Loop

• Black/White Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00
• Blue Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00
• Green Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00
• Purple Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00
• Red/Orange/Yellow Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00
• Pride - $29.99, down from $99.00

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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