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Apple Isn’t Done for 2026
Everyone’s still talking about the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable phone, but Apple’s fall calendar isn’t close to finished. According to a rundown compiled by MacRumors from the various rumors, leaks, and code references that have surfaced over the past several months, eight more products are still sitting on Apple’s release schedule before the year wraps up, spanning tablets, computers, TV hardware, and Apple’s long-rumored push into smart home displays.
Start with the iPad mini, since it’s arguably overdue for attention. Apple’s smallest tablet hasn’t seen a real refresh in a while, and this time around it’s expected to get either the A19 Pro or the newer A20 Pro chip, giving it enough horsepower to actually run Apple Intelligence properly rather than limping through it the way older, less capable hardware tends to. Some of the more detailed rumors floating around also point to an OLED display finally making its way to the mini, along with better speakers and improved water resistance, though Apple hasn’t confirmed any of that directly.
The iMac is next on the list, and this one’s a much quieter update. Apple isn’t expected to touch the design at all, so the 24-inch all-in-one will keep looking exactly like the version that’s been around since 2024. What’s changing is under the hood: an M6 chip swap that should bump performance without asking anyone to relearn the machine or adjust to a new look.
The MacBook Pro situation is a little more layered, because there are technically two different laptops wrapped up in that name right now. The more straightforward one is a refreshed 14-inch base model MacBook Pro, moving to the M6 chip and reportedly becoming one of the first Mac laptops built on Apple’s newer 2-nanometer manufacturing process. That’s a meaningful jump under the surface even without a visual redesign attached to it.
Then there’s the MacBook Ultra, and this is the one people are genuinely excited about. It’s shaping up to be Apple’s first touchscreen Mac laptop, built around an OLED display, a thinner chassis, and even a Dynamic Island cut into the screen, borrowing a design element that’s been living on iPhones for a few years now. Under the hood, it’s expected to run M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, and macOS 27 is reportedly getting a touch-friendly interface specifically to make finger input on a Mac actually feel natural instead of bolted on as an afterthought. Here’s where things get murky, though: multiple reports now suggest this laptop might not actually make it out the door in 2026 at all. A global memory chip shortage, driven largely by AI server demand eating up supply that would otherwise go toward consumer devices, has reportedly pushed the launch into early 2027 instead. Mark Gurman has said the software side, meaning macOS 27’s touch interface, is ready and waiting. The holdup, if it happens, is purely about getting enough physical components to actually build the thing.
Moving to TV and audio hardware, Apple TV is due for a chip bump to the A17 Pro, a fairly modest but sensible upgrade that should help it keep pace with increasingly demanding 4K and gaming-adjacent use cases without needing a hardware redesign. Alongside it, the HomePod mini is getting an internal refresh too, reportedly picking up Wi-Fi 7 support, which matters more than it sounds like since faster, more reliable home networking directly affects how well Siri and smart home commands actually respond in real time.
Speaking of Siri, that brings us to the Home Hub, probably the most genuinely new product on this entire list. Apple has been rumored to be building its own dedicated smart home display for years now, and this time it looks like it’s actually happening. Current reporting points to a 6 to 7-inch screen paired with an A18 chip, FaceTime support, and full Apple Intelligence integration, positioning it as a central controller for HomeKit-connected devices around the house rather than just another speaker with a screen bolted on. It’s Apple’s most direct answer yet to devices like Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Nest Hub, markets Apple has watched from the sidelines for a surprisingly long time given how much smart home hardware other companies have already sold.
Rounding out the list is Beats 360, a new pair of over-ear headphones sitting under Apple’s Beats brand rather than the Apple label itself. They’re reportedly taking design cues from the AirPods Max, with interchangeable ear cushions and headbands so people can actually customize fit and style rather than being stuck with one fixed look. Apple is said to be pushing noise cancellation up to 1.75 times stronger than what the current Beats Studio Pro offers, alongside IPX4 water resistance, making them a more rugged, everyday option compared to Apple’s pricier flagship headphones.
Taken together, these eight products round out what’s already been one of Apple’s busiest years in recent memory, following a spring that brought the MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e, a summer refresh of the Mac mini and Mac Studio, and a September event that delivered the iPhone 18 lineup, the foldable iPhone Duo, and new Apple Watches all at once. None of what’s left is expected to move the needle the way the foldable iPhone has, but between a genuinely new smart home category, Apple’s first touchscreen laptop, and a handful of steady internal upgrades across TV, tablet, and desktop hardware, there’s still plenty on the calendar for Apple to ship before anyone starts talking about next year’s lineup instead.
