Apple products we’re expecting in 2026

Samuel Buchmann

16/1/2026

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

What features will the next iPhone have? Will we soon get a cheap MacBook? And is Apple entering the smart home business? A look into the rumour mill.

If you believe the leaks and predictions, there’ll be a veritable flood of new Apple gadgets this year. Many of them will be simple upgrades with new chips. However, some completely new devices are also expected – including a foldable iPhone and a smart home hub. Here’s an overview of the current rumours for 2026. Remember, none of this has been confirmed by Apple. (The podcast below is only available in German.)

iPhone: new product cycle and a fold phone

If the rumours are true, Apple will be changing the product cycle of its smartphones. Going forward, only the pricier models will be released in the autumn. The standard iPhone and the E-line will only follow in the spring. Because of this change, we might not see a regular iPhone 18 in 2026, since it’ll only drop later in spring 2027. The iPhone Air is also unlikely to get a successor this year. Whether there’ll be a comeback later is questionable in view of the poor sales figures.

However, the iPhone 17e seems to be set for spring 2026. Apple’s entry-level smartphone will probably get MagSafe and the same C1X modem as the iPhone Air. Here’s hoping Apple finally buries the outdated design with its wide display edges and the notch. Instead, a housing in the style of the iPhone 15 including Dynamic Island is expected – and, of course, a chip upgrade. However, there will only be one camera on the back.

Moving on, the iPhone 18 Pro will be released in September as usual. According to leaks, the casing shouldn’t change compared to its predecessor. The camera setup will also stay the same, but the biggest innovation should be a Face ID sensor under the display, making the Dynamic Island superfluous. Accordingly, the screen would only be broken up by a punch-hole camera at the top left. Not everyone will like this, as Dynamic Island has established itself as a useful control element over the last few years.

There’s also a welcome rumour about the Camera Control button: Apple could be doing away with the touch functionality. Almost no one uses the swipe gestures since they often accidentally move things. So, ever since iOS 26, the iPhone explicitly asks whether you want to activate touch operation at all when you set up the system. A simple mechanical button with a good pressure point would be the better solution for most users.

The first 2-nanometre chip is expected under the hood. The A20 is expected to be around 15 per cent faster and 30 per cent more efficient than the A19, which would be beneficial to the battery life. These advances will apparently stem from new chip architecture with RAM integrated onto the same board as the rest of the System on a Chip (SoC). Until now, RAM has been located on a separate level above the SoC.

Apart from the SoC, the iPhone 18 Pro is likely to receive an in-house modem – either a C2 or the C1X. The latter is already in the iPhone Air, where it’s proven its worth so far – the iPhone 17 Pro still uses a modem from Qualcomm. Unlike the C1X, it supports mmWave 5G, which is already widespread in some major US cities.

The biggest sensation of the year will probably be a completely new iPhone: the iPhone Fold. Apple is late to enter this segment. On the other hand, the device will apparently be more sophisticated than the competition. According to leaks, Apple has apparently managed to make the fold almost invisible. The hinge mechanism will also be particularly well thought-out and stable.

The outer display of the iPhone Fold apparently has a diagonal of 5.3 inches. When unfolded, it’ll grow to 7.6 inches. At 4.5 millimetres, the casing could be even thinner than the iPhone Air (5.6 mm). When folded, this would result in a thickness of 9 millimetres – about the same as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7. Just like the iPhone 18 Pro, Dynamic Island will probably be omitted and only two cameras are expected on the back. The price will likely be over 2,000 US dollars.

Mac: chip upgrades and a new monitor

Most likely, 2026 will mainly be a year of chip upgrades. The M5 presented in the autumn will find its way into the MacBook Air in the spring. An M5 Mac Mini and an M5 iMac are expected to follow later in the year. The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max is expected as early as January or February. A Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra will probably follow at WWDC in the summer.

Redesigns and major new features apart from the chip aren’t likely for any of these devices. However, rumours are circulating that Apple’s planning a completely redesigned MacBook Pro with M6 chips, a thinner casing and an OLED display as early as winter 2026. However, it may not come out until the beginning of 2027. Either way, it might be worth your patience if you want a new Pro laptop.

At the lower end of the price spectrum, Apple will soon be expanding its range with a budget MacBook for well under 1,000 US dollars, according to leaks. The chip used appears to be the A18 Pro (from the iPhone 16 Pro ). It offers similar performance to the M1, and would be powerful enough for office applications as a result.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo assumes it has a standard LCD display without ProMotion or local dimming. It’s expected to be 13 inches across, slightly less than the 13.3-inch MacBook Air. Similar to the iMac, a low-cost MacBook might be available in bright colours such as blue, pink and yellow.

Next to the Mac Studio, a new Studio Display should finally be announced at WWDC this summer. The current version is almost four years old and already relied on outdated technology when it was launched. Its successor might use a new display from LG, which the manufacturer is showing off at CES in its own monitor (the 27GM950B). It uses mini LED lighting and a panel design intended to reduce blooming to a minimum. The maximum brightness is an impressive 1,250 nits.

It remains to be seen whether there’ll be a larger version of the Studio Display in addition to the 27-inch version. According to analysts, two monitors are currently in development. The larger one could be either a 32-inch Studio Display or a new Pro Display XDR. There are no rumours about a launch in 2026 for the latter yet.

The new LG panel might also be used in a 27-inch iMac Pro. Any information available on this is still very sparse. If it’s released in 2026, it’ll presumably feature the M5 Pro or M5 Max and better cooling than the standard iMac.

Home: hub and security camera

There were already rumours about a Smarthome Hub from Apple a year ago. However, the product apparently wasn’t ready for 2025 yet – presumably because the new Siri will be a key feature and has been a long time coming. 2026 should be the right time: the Home Hub will be a command centre for all kinds of smart home products that can already be integrated into Apple’s Home app. For example, lights, roller shutters, temperature sensors or security cameras.

According to leaks, the hub resembles a 7-inch iPad. It’ll probably be available in two versions: one for wall mounting and one with a speaker as a stand. A sensor detects when someone is approaching, whereupon the information on the display will change. The hub will allegedly run on its own operating system called HomeOS. It should be priced at around 350 US dollars. The Amazon Echo Show 11 with a similar concept costs 200 dollars.

Later in the year, Apple will reportedly dive even deeper into the smart home business, planning its own indoor security camera. Smart door locks and doorbells are also possible. Apple would be well positioned for such products. The company’s earned a lot of trust over the years with its focus on data security and privacy.

According to leaks, the HomePod mini will receive an upgrade in spring with a new chip and new colour options in the same design as before. Same for the Apple TV. Thanks to a new chip, it’ll support Apple Intelligence and also act as a smart home hub for the cross-platform Matter standard. Last but not least, the AirTag 2 could be released in 2026 – with a new chip, more accurate battery display and better motion tracking.

iPad: OLED for the Mini

The iPad is one of those products where improvements are becoming increasingly tricky. Although new chips offer better performance, the majority of users only use tablets to consume media anyway. Most of the rumours about these 2026 upgrades seem relatively unspectacular.

The regular iPad will probably get the A19 chip and 8 GB of RAM (instead of 6 GB as before) for Apple Intelligence support in spring. A redesign seems unlikely. This also applies to the iPad Air, which will receive the M4 and possibly the C1X modem. Both could improve the battery life.

The most progress is expected for the iPad Mini. It’ll be the second iPad with a tandem OLED display after the iPad Pro. There are also leaks swirling about a waterproof design without holes for the speakers. Instead, Apple is said to be working on a vibration-based sound system under the display. Either the A19 Pro or the upcoming A20 Pro will serve as the chip. If it’s the latter, the iPad Mini probably won’t see the light of day until autumn.

Watch: little news for our wrists

No revolutions are expected for the Apple Watch either. The Series 12 may get blood glucose level measurement and a new chip, but not a new design. There are no rumours for the Ultra and the SE yet. It’s quite possible that Apple won’t upgrade either model again until 2027.

Which Apple product are you most looking forward to in 2026? What riles you up, and what would you like to see? Let us know in the comments.

Samuel Buchmann

Senior Editor

Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.ch

My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.

---

Background information

Interesting facts about products, behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturers and deep-dives on interesting people.

Show all

These articles might also interest you