That is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac providing a fast rundown of the newest Apple product rumors, with evaluation and commentary. Immediately: last-minute iOS 26 leaks masking AirPods options, new app updates, plus iPhone 17 particulars and extra. Listed below are this week’s Apple rumors.
AirPods options in iOS 26
9to5Mac’s Marcus Mendes exclusively reported this week on 5 new AirPods options within the works for iOS 26.
New options embody:
- Auto-pausing should you go to sleep
- Capturing iPhone photographs utilizing AirPods stems
- “Studio high quality” new mic mode
- Expanded set of head gestures
- and improved shared iPad pairing
My takeaways
AirPods Professional 2 are simply amongst my absolute favourite Apple units, and one key issue is the impressive number of new features Apple has added by way of software program. Headphones was once a easy iPhone accent, however now yearly Apple upgrades its AirPods merchandise in numerous methods at no further price.
All of those reported iOS 26 options sound nice to me, and I’m desirous to see what else Apple has in retailer for AirPods this 12 months.
iOS 26 app upgrades for Messages, Music, extra
Marcus Mendes additionally broke news this week on a number of new iOS 26 options anticipated for Apple’s built-in apps. These modifications embody:
- Messages getting ballot help and automated translation
- Music bringing full-screen animated album artwork to the Lock Display screen
- Notes supporting Markdown export
Moreover, Mark Gurman reported that Apple’s engaged on a revamped Shortcuts app that gives actions for tapping into Apple Intelligence fashions.
My takeaways
The App Retailer stays a robust ecosystem of third-party app choices. However as a heavy person of Apple’s built-in apps, together with Messages, Music, and Notes, I’m all the time particularly excited by OS updates due to the brand new options they introduce.
Till this week, rumors particularly about iOS 26 app modifications were pretty scarce. I’m glad that’s lastly modified, and count on far more for Apple’s built-in apps to be revealed subsequent week.
New iPhone 17 and 17 Air rumors
This week introduced a number of updates about Apple’s iPhone 17 Air and base mannequin iPhone 17.
On the 17 Air entrance, Jeff Pu corroborated a report on the gadget getting 12GB of RAM, identical to the 17 Professional fashions will. Moreover, a Weibo leak indicated the Air would possibly get a 120Hz show however lack ProMotion’s always-on functionality.
For the bottom iPhone 17, dependable show analyst Ross Young says it’s getting a bigger display than final 12 months’s 16 mannequin. The brand new show will likely be 6.3 inches, up from 6.1. This implies the bottom 17 and 17 Professional could have the identical show dimension once more, following final 12 months’s divergence.
My takeaways
Apple’s Professional fashions all the time get loads of consideration, however this 12 months the iPhone 17 Air particularly is altering that. 12GB of RAM is a pleasant improve for a mannequin that in any other case shares so much in widespread with the bottom possibility. However I really hope the ProMotion rumor proves false, or else I could have to reconsider my purchase decision.
macOS Tahoe coming at WWDC
There’s a naming shake-up taking place with this 12 months’s software program updates, whereby iOS 19 will actually be iOS 26, and each different platform will observe the ‘26’ scheme too.
However it appears Apple isn’t abandoning its distinctive macOS branding sample.
Mark Gurman reports that macOS 26 will carry a reputation impressed by Lake Tahoe in California. He says ‘macOS Tahoe’ is the anticipated moniker.
My takeaways
There’s one thing comforting about understanding that macOS will proceed getting a particular model title every year, regardless of Apple’s efforts to unify all of its software program platforms across the year-based numbering.
Carry on the gorgeous, Lake Tahoe-inspired new Mac wallpaper.
What are your takeaways from this week’s Apple rumors? Tell us within the feedback.
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