If you thought Apple had blown its entire budget in September and was done with new product launches until next year, think again. We have already seen a new Mac mini, updated iPhone Pros and Apple Watch models, and, not to mention, the company’s first foldable iPhone, all in the past month. But while most companies would call that a successful year (let alone month) and head to the pub, rumour has it Apple is far from done.
The company has a history of following up its September launch with a few October announcements, usually for Mac, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says 13 October is the date to put in your diary for a major smart home launch. There’s also talk of a few other devices before the year is out, so if you haven’t sent your Christmas list to the big guy in the North Pole yet, you might want to hold off for a few more weeks. Here’s what is still expected to launch before the year is out.
Apple Home Hub
Apple’s smart display has been rumoured for so long that we’d almost filed it alongside the Apple Car. It seems the hold-up was Siri AI, which the hub apparently depends on and which took its sweet time to arrive. It’s now here though, having arrived with iOS 27, and Gurman now says the hub will finally appear on 13 October.
According to MacRumors’ summary of his report, it features a square 6-inch screen on a tilting metal arm above a domed speaker base and will need to be plugged in. If that sounds like a 2002 iMac G4 that’s been on Mounjaro, the report suggests you’re on the right track. Apparently, there will also be a wall-mounted version for those who like their tech sitting with the family portraits.
The hub will run your smart home, take FaceTime and intercom calls, show off your holiday photos, and do things like find you a recipe. It’s said it will also be able to tell who’s standing in front of it by your face or voice – like Google’s Nest Hub Max – and tailor what’s on screen to whoever’s using it. Meanwhile, there is a rumoured guest mode that keeps your private stuff away from nosy visitors, so your mother-in-law won’t be scrolling through your reminders.
Apple HomePod mini 2
Next up is an updated HomePod mini, expected to retain the same tennis-ball design, aside from a few new colours, including pink and green. Rumours suggest internal upgrades, including a faster S-series chip for Siri AI, Apple’s N1 networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.
Apple TV 4K
The current Apple TV launched in 2022, so it’s been a minute since we’ve had a refresh of the company’s streaming hardware. Its replacement, though, is also expected on 13 October, with an A19-class chip for Apple Intelligence and more serious gaming, plus the N1 wireless chip.
MacRumors found an official Apple image of an “Apple TV 4K (4th generation)”, and the outside looks exactly the same as before, so it seems we can forget a design update, though there has been talk of a new Siri Remote. Fingers crossed it’s harder to lose down the back of the sofa and comes with a speaker so we can ping it from our iPhone, or at least has Find My support. You can have that idea for free, Apple.
Apple iPad mini 8
The smallest iPad is expected to receive the biggest upgrade of the lot when it comes to Apple’s tablet lineup this year. Rumours point to an OLED screen, thinner bezels and a front camera that finally sits on the long edge – something the iPad (10th generation) arrived with a couple of years ago, enabling more natural video calls.
A recent leak supports the idea that the iPhone 18 Pro will have an A20 Pro chip under the hood, and there is also said to be 12GB of RAM. Apple may also swap the speaker grilles for vibrating panels to enable water resistance, meaning Netflix in the bath might finally be on the cards for the iPadOS crew. If true, it would be a first for Apple’s slabs, despite Samsung tablets offering IP68 ratings for years.
OLED MacBook Pro
Apple has stuck to its guns on non-touch displays for MacBooks, refusing to follow the PC crowd. Rumour has it that things might be about to change for the top-end MacBook Pro, though.
Reports suggest the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are tipped to receive touch-friendly OLED panels, a Dynamic Island and a full redesign, powered by M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Gurman claims they’re being tested with macOS 27.1, and the latest rumours point to October or November. However, it could still slip into early 2027, so don’t put your old MacBook on Vinted just yet.
MacBook Pro 14in (M6)
The cheaper 14-inch MacBook Pro is also expected to get a refresh, though not to a touch display and instead just to the M6 chip that first appeared in the new Mac mini announced in September.
It’s a little odd that Apple didn’t announce this model at the same time as the Mac mini if that’s all that’s changing, but the mini’s launch timing was also a little strange, so who knows what’s going on in Cupertino’s calendar. This one doesn’t sound like it will be all that glamorous, but your spreadsheets won’t be complaining.
Apple iMac (M6)
Last but not least for what’s expected this year, is the 24-inch iMac. This too is tipped for an M6 upgrade, but don’t expect a new design or display changes, as the 2024 look appears to be here to stay. There may be some new colours, though, so don’t start that office renovation just yet, or your Farrow & Ball pick might clash.
Any more?
The pace doesn’t look like it will let up next year either. With no regular iPhone 18 announced in September, it appears Apple is now splitting its iPhone launches, with a standard model and a cheaper iPhone 18e pencilled in for spring announcements. The iPhone Air 2 may also join them, possibly with a second camera this time.
For Macs, we would expect M6 MacBook Airs and a second MacBook Neo with an A19 Pro chip and 12GB of RAM. An A19-powered regular iPad is also due, so it sounds as though we’re looking at a busy six months.
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