Apple is testing a 200-megapixel camera sensor, according to Digital Chat Station, a user with a large following on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has previously shared accurate information about Apple's future products.
While the account's post today does not provide any further details, this 200-megapixel camera sensor would likely be for the main rear camera on a future high-end iPhone model. Samsung introduced a 200-megapixel rear camera on its Galaxy S23 Ultra in 2023, and the follow-up S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra models also have one.
With a 200-megapixel camera, an iPhone would be able to shoot photos with greater detail. The increased megapixel count would also result in higher-resolution photos, which can be cropped further and printed at larger sizes without a loss of image quality.
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to feature entirely 48-megapixel cameras, so the 200-megapixel camera is unlikely to be available this year. In addition, a 200-megapixel camera has yet to be rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. Ultimately, the upgraded camera specification could be at least a few years away.
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of May 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a stainless steel frame. The back of the devices will supposedly have a new "part-aluminum, part-glass" design.
Larger battery: The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to have a slightly thicker design that allows for a larger battery.
A19 Pro chip: iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to use Apple's next-generation A19 Pro chip, which will reportedly be manufactured with TSMC's newer third-generation 3nm process. Like usual, expect modest year-over-year performance gains and power efficiency improvements compared to the current iPhones.
Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip: All four iPhone 17 models are rumored to get a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple rather than Broadcom.
24-megapixel front camera: All four iPhone 17 models are said to feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, whereas all iPhone 16 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera.
8K video recording: Apple allegedly tested 8K video recording on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but such functionality is still not available. With the iPhone 17 Pro models expected to have entirely 48-megapixel rear cameras, perhaps 8K video recording will debut on those devices.
12GB of RAM: iPhone 17 Pro models, and even the iPhone 17 Air, are rumored to have 12GB of RAM. This upgrade should help to improve the performance of Apple Intelligence and multitasking. All four iPhone 16 models have 8GB of RAM.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been embroiled in a battle with Apple over its satellite connectivity features, according to The Information.
The report claims when SpaceX CEO Elon Musk heard that Apple was planning to announce a satellite connectivity feature for the iPhone 14 in partnership with Globalstar, he approached the company with an offer. He proposed that SpaceX would exclusively provide satellite connectivity to iPhones for 18 months, for an upfront cost of $5 billion. After that, Apple would pay SpaceX $1 billion per year for Starlink service.
Musk threatened that if Apple did not agree to a deal with SpaceX within 72 hours, he would announce a similar satellite feature on his own that could work with iPhones. Apple rejected the proposal, and two weeks before the iPhone 14 was announced SpaceX revealed a partnership with T-Mobile that allowed smartphone users to send and receive text messages in areas with no reception using Starlink.
SpaceX has also filed legal challenges to Globalstar's use of the radio spectrum it has licensed, which could cripple the iPhone's satellite service if they succeed. As part of this litigation, SpaceX challenged Globalstar's application to launch new satellites in 2023, accusing the satellite company of underutilizing the spectrum it already possessed. SpaceX accused the company of trying to block competition by hogging spectrum for itself.
SpaceX also named Apple in the regulatory filings, which apparently irked Apple executives who wanted to keep their distance from the conflict. Moreover, Apple employees are said to believe that Musk's close relationship with the Trump administration could give him an advantage over Apple and others with the FCC.
More recently, Apple and SpaceX have clashed over how far Apple would support SpaceX's partnership with T-Mobile. Over the past year, Musk asked Apple to support the T-Mobile satellite feature across a broad range of its iPhone models, which would help maximize the potential market for the service, but Apple was reluctant to support the service on models older than the iPhone 14, which frustrated Musk.
The series of satellite connectivity spats added to animosity between Musk and Apple, who have also grappled with disagreements over App Store fees. In recent years, Musk has plotted the idea of building his own phone to get around Apple's "gatekeeper" position in the market. Musk has reportedly discussed Tesla building the phone and satellite connectivity being provided by Starlink.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Amazon is discounting numerous models of Apple's M4 iPad Pro this week, mainly focusing on 11-inch models this time around. Simultaneously, Amazon has the Apple Pencil Pro for $99.00 right now, and it's compatible with these iPad Pro models.
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.
In this sale, the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro has hit a new all-time low price of $866.03, down from $999.00. There are multiple record low prices on 11-inch iPad Pros right now on Amazon, with up to $300 off these tablets and no coupon codes required.
These iPad Pro models feature Apple's M4 chip, OLED displays, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard. Don't forget that you can get the Apple Pencil Pro for a match of its all-time low price of $99.00 today on Amazon, 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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iPad support comes more than 15 years after the messaging service launched. In September, Meta started beta testing WhatsApp for iPad via TestFlight.
WhatsApp allows users of the encrypted messaging platform to link up to four devices to their account even when their main smartphone is not connected to the internet. Each linked device connects to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted.
In addition to WhatsApp, Meta owns Facebook, Threads, and Instagram. There is an iPad app for Facebook, but the Threads app remains iPhone only. An Instagram app for the iPad is reportedly in the works.
Unlike other PopSockets, the Kick-Out model offers the long-awaited ability to prop up an iPhone in a vertical Portrait Mode position. This added functionality is useful for watching vertical videos in apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
You can twist the built-in MagSafe ring, and then pop open the hinged stand to prop up the iPhone horizontally or vertically on a table.
For those who are unfamiliar with PopSockets, they are a popular accessory that serves as both a hand grip and stand for iPhones. This latest Kick-Out model attaches magnetically to iPhone 12 models and newer with MagSafe.
In the U.S., the PopSockets Kick-Out is priced at $40.
Apple had plans to offer a Starlink-like satellite home internet service in collaboration with Boeing, The Information reports.
Starting in 2015, Apple held discussions with Boeing about "Project Eagle," a plan to launch a service to provide wireless internet services to iPhones and homes. The companies would have launched thousands of satellites into orbit around the Earth to beam internet services down to the surface. Apple intended to sell antennas that users could attach to their windows to disperse internet connectivity throughout their homes.
Apple believed the plan would help provide a more seamless experience, with mobile carriers seen as "necessary but inconvenient partners" that held back the iPhone. Similar to the transition to Apple silicon, Apple saw Project Eagle as another way to reduce its reliance other companies. Apple spent $36 million testing out a Project Eagle concept at a facility in El Segundo, California.
The service was originally scheduled to launch in 2019, but it never saw the light of day. CEO Tim Cook was concerned that Project Eagle would endanger Apple's relationship with the telecoms industry. He also expressed concerns over its significant cost with an unclear near-term business case. In 2016, Apple canceled the project and senior staff involved in it left the company.
Former hardware engineering chief Dan Riccio then formed a group looking at new wireless opportunities that would help differentiate Apple's devices. In 2018, Apple conducted talks with satellite internet providers such as OneWeb about investing in them to deploy a home internet service via satellites. OneWeb purportedly told Apple that the service would cost $30 billion and $40 billion to deliver, and similar concerns to those that killed Project Eagle put an end to the ambition.
The group then refocused around the idea of offering satellite communications to iPhones in remote areas that were not already served by conventional cellular networks. Apple launched its Emergency SOS via Satellite feature in 2022.
In 2023, Apple's satellite team proposed to use a new generation of satellites to deliver full, unrestricted internet service to iPhones in remote locations. The feature would have cost Apple significantly more than Globalstar's existing service for Apple, increasing from several dozen satellites to hundreds. Apple ultimately again declined to offer it due to concerns that it would anger mobile carriers.
Today, some Apple employees and senior executives question the long-term viability of the iPhone's satellite connectivity features. Former Apple employees who worked on the project say the Globalstar network is already outdated, slow, and limited compared to SpaceX, and will continue to be through the next decade.
Apple has not yet started charging iPhone users for satellite connectivity features, and has extended the free access period through at least September 2025. The company's reluctance to charge customers is apparently related to fear that it could trigger the U.S. government to regulate Apple like a telecommunications carrier, which could force the company to build surveillance back doors into iMessage.
The existing satellite connectivity features cost Apple hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Some top executives, including software chief Craig Federighi and head of corporate development Adrian Perica, have advocated discontinuing the features. They argue that customers are more likely to sign up for satellite features through their mobile carriers.
Apple today shared a variety of statistics that are intended to show how the App Store is a safe and trusted place for users to download apps.
This announcement comes less than a month after a U.S. judge ordered Apple to allow iPhone apps to show links or buttons that direct customers to make purchases outside of the App Store. The timing is coincidental, though, as Apple has shared an App Store fraud analysis press release in May or early June for fiveconsecutiveyearsnow.
Here are some of the key statistics shared by Apple:
Over the last five years, the App Store has prevented more than $9 billion in fraudulent transactions, including over $2 billion in 2024 alone.
In 2024, Apple terminated more than 146,000 developer accounts over fraud concerns.
In 2024, Apple rejected more than 711 million customer account creations, and it deactivated nearly 129 million customer accounts.
Over the past month, Apple stopped nearly 4.6 million attempts to install or launch apps distributed illicitly outside the App Store or approved third-party marketplaces.
Of the more than 7.7 million App Store submissions reviewed in 2024, Apple says it rejected more than 1.9 million of them for failing to meet the company's standards for security, reliability, and user experience, including for privacy violations or fraud concerns.
In 2024, Apple removed more than 37,000 apps for fraudulent activity.
In 2024, Apple removed more than 143 million fraudulent ratings and reviews from the App Store.
In 2024, Apple identified nearly 4.7 million stolen credit cards and banned over 1.6 million accounts from transacting again.
Apple is reportedly preparing to implement significant iPhone hardware redesigns each year for the next three generations.
According leaks from the Chinese supply chain disclosed by Weibo user "Digital Chat Station," Apple plans to carry out a series of phased industrial design changes affecting different parts of the iPhone across three consecutive years: 2025, 2026, and 2027. The changes are said to target the rear camera system, the front-facing components, and eventually the complete removal of visible sensors, leading to an uninterrupted full-screen experience.
The iPhone 17 is expected to launch in the fall as the first in this sequence of design shifts. Apple is widely expected to redesign the back of the device, with the most notable change being a new horizontal camera layout. The leak describes the move to a "horizontal large matrix lens decorative component." This change is set to be the first major update to the iPhone's rear camera module since the introduction of the iPhone 11 Pro.
In 2026, attention will reportedly turn to the front of the device. Apple is expected to remove the Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped cutout that houses the front camera and Face ID components introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro, and replace it with a single circular punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The hardware for Face ID will be hidden beneath the display.
By 2027, Apple is reportedly seeking a fully uninterrupted screen with no visible cutouts, holes, or notches of any kind. This will involve integrating both the Face ID system and the selfie camera beneath the display, resulting in a true so-called "full-screen" iPhone.
The post does not mention whether these design changes will be limited to the Pro models or extend to the entire iPhone lineup. Historically, Apple has introduced new display and camera technologies on its high-end models before bringing them to the standard iPhones in subsequent years. The Dynamic Island, for example, debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022 before being added to the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus in 2023.
Apple is bringing Tap to Pay on iPhone to new eight countries, providing a way for sellers to use an iPhone as a contactless payment terminal, with plans to introduce tap to provision in 10 more.
Tap to Pay on iPhone first arrived in February 2022 in the U.S., and allows iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets. All transactions are encrypted, and Apple has no information about what is purchased or the person who made the purchase.
No additional hardware or credit card machine is required to use Tap to Pay on iPhone. The feature uses NFC technology to securely authenticate the contactless payments, plus the feature also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options.
Apple today announced that Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in the following countries and payment platforms:
Cyprus: Adyen, Revolut, SumUp, Viva, and Worldline.
Denmark: Adyen, Mollie, Nexi, Revolut, Stripe, SumUp, Surfboard Payments, and Viva; with PayPal coming soon.
Greece: myPOS, Viva, and Worldline; with NBG Pay coming soon.
Iceland: Adyen, Rapyd, and Revolut; with Teya coming soon.
Luxembourg: Adyen, Mollie, Revolut, Stripe, SumUp, Viva, and Worldline.
Malta: Adyen, Global Payments, Revolut, SumUp, and Viva.
Tap to Pay on iPhone requires iPhone XS or newer models, and works for customers as any normal Apple Pay transaction would. Sellers just need to open up the app, register the sale, and present their iPhone to the buyer, who can then use an appropriate contactless payment method.
According to updates to Apple's backend, tap to provision is also coming to these 10 new countries in the near future:
Austria
Croatia
Czechia
Hungary
Italy
Netherlands
San Marino
Slovenia
Switzerland
Vatican City
Distinct from Tap to Pay on iPhone, tap to provision allows users to add a payment card to their digital wallet by simply tapping the card against their phone. This process eliminates the need for manual data entry, making it easier to add cards to digital wallets like Apple Wallet.
The price increases in Brazil were first reported by 9to5Mac, and we subsequently confirmed that Chile and Peru were also affected.
Throughout 2024, Apple raised prices for some or all iCloud+ storage plans in at least 10 other countries, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, and the Philippines.
So far, other countries like the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. have avoided iCloud+ price increases.
The popular messaging app WhatsApp has teased a long-awaited iPad app, which would be offered alongside its existing iPhone and Mac apps.
The official WhatsApp account on X today reacted with an eyes emoji to a post saying that WhatsApp should release an iPad app. This could be a hint that Meta is gearing up to release WhatsApp for iPad, which has already been available for beta testing via TestFlight for nearly two years. File this news under "finally."
With an Instagram app for the iPad also reportedly in the works, it appears that Meta is at last embracing the iPad for more of its most popular apps.
In addition to WhatsApp and Instagram, Meta owns Facebook and Threads. There is an iPad app for Facebook, but the Threads app remains iPhone only.
The ultimate app for keeping track of Apple Watch bands is now even better.
Bandbreite version 2.0 was recently released in the App Store for the iPhone and iPad. According to the app's lead creator, Filip Chudzinski, the update introduces more than 30 new features and changes, including everything from a revamped logbook and richer stats to faster iCloud sync and improved search functionality.
Launched in 2020, Bandbreite provides comprehensive information about every official Apple Watch band ever released, with more than 840 bands organized by style, color, or release date. The app also lets you keep track of bands that you already own, and there are now more filter and sort options for your personal collection.
Bandbreite was totally free to use for more than four years, with Chudzinski relying on a combination of his passion and donations to keep the project going. Starting with version 2.0, however, the app charges a one-time $7.49 fee if you want to manage a collection of more than five Apple Watch bands. Chudzinski said this decision will ensure that his team can provide the best possible experience in a financially-sustainable manner.
Existing users of the Bandbreite app who already have a collection of more than five bands can access all free and paid features in version 2.0 of the app, but they must pay the fee if they wish to add more bands to their collection.
An updated version of the Mac app is also in the works, and the Apple Watch companion app will return soon, according to Chudzinski.
Chudzinski also has a long-running MacRumors Forums thread dedicated to tracking Apple Watch band releases — it is the precursor to the app.
Amazon is hosting a big collection of discounts across multiple Apple products this week, including notable deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, Apple Pencil Pro, and MacBook Air. We're also still tracking great Memorial Day discounts across popular brands like Samsung, Logitech, Belkin, and many 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.
Memorial Day sales
Samsung - Save on monitors, storage solutions, and more. Special TV deals include the 65" S90D OLED TV for $1,299 ($1,400 off) and the 77" S95D OLED TV for $2,499 ($2,100 off)
Best Buy - Save sitewide on Apple products, appliances, headphones, and more
Logitech - Get up to $150 off with select purchase amounts
T-Mobile - Get an iPhone 16 Pro at no cost when switching
Belkin - Get up to $60 off with select purchase amounts
Amazon has the USB-C AirPods Max for $479.99 in Starlight, down from $549.00 (matched at Best Buy). This is a solid second-best price on the headphones, and it's been a few months since we last tracked an all-time low price, so if you've been waiting for a deal this is a good time to buy.
Similarly, the AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale on Amazon for $148.99, which is an all-time low price.
For Apple Watches, you can get $100 off two models of the Series 10. This sale was much more extensive earlier in the month, but there are still a few discounts remaining on both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models.
Amazon is kicking off the week with the return of record low prices on every Wi-Fi model of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00 (matched at Best Buy). You'll also find a few deals on cellular models during this sale.
There are a few big discounts across the M4 MacBook Air lineup on Amazon, including $149 off both 13-inch and 15-inch models. All of these deals will require you to clip an on-page coupon before heading to checkout.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
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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Nearly three months have passed by since Apple last released new devices, but the AirTag could be receiving an update fairly soon, according to rumors.
Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that a new AirTag would be released around the middle of 2025. In February, a leaker known as Kosutami claimed that Apple planned to release a new AirTag in May or June this year. If these timeframes remain accurate, an AirTag 2 could launch within the next month. If so, perhaps the AirTag 2 will be announced during the WWDC 2025 keynote on Monday, June 9.
Three upgrades have been rumored for the AirTag 2 so far:
A second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, for up to 3× longer range compared to the current AirTag. The chip debuted in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, there is a Precision Finding for People feature that can help you to find your friends in crowded places, and it offers a range of up to 200 feet (approximately 60 meters).
A more tamper-proof speaker, as a safety measure to reduce stalking.
During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, tvOS 19, visionOS 3, and other software updates, along with new Apple Intelligence features. In some years, there are also hardware announcements at WWDC, but there are no rumors yet about new devices being on deck for this year's conference.
Below, we recap key iOS 19 rumors to know about as the developer conference nears.
The first beta of iOS 19 should be seeded to developers immediately after the WWDC keynote, and the update is expected to be released in September.
New Design With Floating Tab Bar
iOS 19 is expected to introduce a new design that looks more like the visionOS operating system on the Apple Vision Pro headset.
According to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, iOS 19 will have a glass-like appearance, with added translucency for menus, buttons, and more. He also expects a new floating tab bar to be shown at the bottom of some of Apple's built-in apps.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also expects iOS 19 to have a visionOS-like design, and he said the design changes would be the biggest since iOS 7.
In a blog post citing sources, the leaker said that when an iPhone with a USB-C port is connected to an external display, users will be able to take advantage of a Stage Manager-like interface with multiple apps open at once on the screen. However, he said that there might be more limitations compared to Stage Manager on iPads.
iPhone models with a USB-C port include all iPhone 15 models and newer.
iPhones with both Lightning and USB-C ports can already be connected to external displays, but only for basic screen mirroring.
New Battery Mode
iOS 19 will include a new AI-powered battery management mode for all iPhone models that are compatible with the software update, according to Gurman. He said this enhancement will "analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy," paving the way for longer battery life.
End-to-End Encryption for RCS
In March, Apple said that it plans to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates. That likely means iOS 19, macOS 16, and other corresponding updates.
Apple promising end-to-end encryption for RCS messages indirectly confirms that it will be adopting the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which also includes several iMessage-like enhancements that were originally introduced in version 2.7 of the specification. iOS 18 supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4.
End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices
In-line replies
Edit messages
Unsend messages
Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, ensuring they always work
iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.
Apple has not indicated which iOS version will upgrade RCS, but iOS 19 or a follow-up update like iOS 19.1 or iOS 19.2 seems like a safe bet.
Accessibility Nutrition Labels in the App Store, which will highlight accessibility features within apps and games.
Apple is expanding its Magnifier app to the Mac, allowing users to connect an iPhone or USB camera to zoom in and read text on objects around them.
Vehicle Motion Cues are expanding to the Mac, to reduce motion sickness in a vehicle.
A new system-wide Accessibility Reader tool on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro will make text easier to read for users with low vision or dyslexia. The feature will give users new ways to customize text and focus on content they want to read, with extensive options for font, color, and spacing.
Live Captions are coming to the Apple Watch, allowing users to read a transcription of what their iPhone hears on their wrist.
An enhanced Zoom feature on the Apple Vision Pro will allow users to magnify everything in view, including their surroundings, using the device's main camera.
Braille Access will turn the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro into a full-featured braille note taker.
Personal Voice will become faster and easier to use, thanks to advancements in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence. Apple says the feature will be able to create a smoother, more natural-sounding replication of your voice in less than a minute, using only 10 recorded phrases.
CarPlay will support the Large Text option, and Sound Recognition will be able to identify a crying baby and sirens passing by.
Live Translate With AirPods
At least some AirPods models will be getting a new live translation feature with iOS 19 and an accompanying firmware update, according to Gurman.
Here is how that feature will work, according to his report:
The capability will work like this: If an English speaker is hearing someone talk in Spanish, the iPhone will translate the speech and relay it to the user's AirPods in English. The English speaker's words, meanwhile, will be translated into Spanish and played back by the iPhone.
Google already offers a similar Live Translate feature.
He also said iOS 19 will have bolstered translation capabilities, which likely means improvements are coming to the Apple Translate app.
"I'm told that Apple has pulled some bolder features from the device that could reappear in subsequent models," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter this week. However, he did not reveal any of the specific features that were pulled.
Apple made this decision in order to get the smart home hub "ready faster," according to Gurman. The device's launch was already postponed after Apple delayed its personalized Siri features, which are expected to be a core aspect of the hub, per his previous reporting. In his newsletter this week, he said that he expects the device to be released "by the end of this year at the earliest," but the exact timeframe "remains up in the air."
Apple has yet to confirm that such a device exists, of course, so this is not an official delay.
Gurman had previously said that the home hub would be "Apple's most significant release" of 2025, as it represents the company's "first step toward a bigger role in the smart home." He said the device will be like a "smaller and cheaper iPad" that lets users "control appliances, conduct FaceTime chats, and handle other tasks."
The device is expected to be similar to a HomePod with a screen, with rumored features including a 6-inch or 7-inch display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support. Gurman said it can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall.
Many of Apple's operating systems will be receiving design changes this year, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
iOS 19 design concept
Gurman previously reported that iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 will have new designs, with added translucency for a more glass-like appearance. In his Power On newsletter this week, he said that the design changes will extend to tvOS 19 for the Apple TV and watchOS 12 for the Apple Watch, but he did not provide any specific details.
The design changes will apparently be inspired by visionOS for Apple's Vision Pro headset, and visionOS 3 is expected to have some design tweaks of its own.
Overall, Gurman said Apple is aiming for a more consistent appearance across its operating systems, especially for the Mac and iPad. He previously reported that iPadOS 19 will make iPads more like Macs, with improved multitasking, productivity, and app window management. In addition, a leaker known as Majin Bu claimed that iPadOS 19 will display a macOS-like menu bar while an iPad is connected to a Magic Keyboard.
Gurman previously revealed that iOS 19's new design is codenamed "Solarium," which is a room with glass walls that allow in sunlight. The codename could hint at the more translucent menus and buttons that are expected across iOS 19 and the other upcoming software updates, which Apple will announce during WWDC 2025. The developer conference is just two weeks away, with the keynote set to be held on Monday, June 9.
Despite the buzz surrounding AI lately, Gurman believes that the redesigned software platforms will be "the highlight of the show" at WWDC this year.
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