Apple has already introduced numerous products to date, including new versions of the macbook air and macbook prohe iPad airhe new MacBook Neoand more. Despite having a busy season so far, there’s still so much more to do that’s worth the wait.
iPads
There are two new iPad rumored releases for 2026: the Basic iPadand the ipad mini.
the new Basic iPad It will be a slight update, for the most part. Expect an A18 or A19 chip (some rumors differ) to provide support for Apple Intelligence. It could also sport the N1 chip to improve connectivity.
ipad miniOn the other hand, it is much more exciting. Rumors indicate that the next ipad mini It will be the first significant update since its last redesign in 2021. It should have an OLED display, water resistance, and a newer chipset. OLED would be a significant upgrade for the ipad miniand ipad mini It would be the second iPad to get this screen technology after iPad Pro in 2024.
iPad air It is new, just updated with the M4 chip. You can safely buy that model if you are thinking about an upgrade. iPad Pro M5Although it has not been updated recently, it will remain the latest model for quite some time. iPad Pro not due for M6 until sometime in 2027.
iPhones
So far, the only iPhone released this year has been the iPhone 17e. It was a minor update, although MagSafe was a lovely addition. If you want one, go ahead – you can’t go wrong with this phone, especially if you want a new one. If you’re okay with buying a used device, you could probably consider other options (link to iPhone refurbishment article).
As for the rest of the iPhone lineup: We are halfway between the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup and the launch of the iPhone 18 lineup.
If you are looking at a iPhone 17 Pro either iPhone 17 Pro MaxI’d say we’re 50/50 on this one. Sure, you can wait another 5 months for the new models to come out, but the rumored updates are pretty scarce. Smaller dynamic island, a new smaller aperture telephoto lens and a new variable aperture On the main lens are the main updates. If those things don’t excite you, maybe don’t waste your time waiting.
For iphone air either iPhone 17you can probably buy those phones safely now. Rumors indicate that they won’t see an update until spring 2027, so there’s still about a year before last year’s phones are dated. Apple is reportedly moving to a staggered release schedule with its non-flagship iPhones.
Last but not least, foldable iPhone. Obviously, there’s no predecessor to this one, so there’s less to say here. It should debut in September (in limited volumes) for around $2,000-$2,500. If you have a foldable iPhone, or let’s say – iPhone Ultra – excites you, then you can wait for this one.
apple watch
This one depends more on your purchasing behaviors. If you’re someone who upgrades frequently (say every 2 or 3 years), you can probably buy today’s one. Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3and ultra 3 very good. This statement is especially true for the Apple Watch SE 3which was only updated last year and is not usually a product that is updated annually.
As for infrequent buyers (say every 4-5 years, or more): the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are probably worth the wait. This is for one main reason: the chipset.
Apple doesn’t update the Apple Watch chipset very often. You might think so since they usually put a new number on it every year, but the truth is that CPU cores are only updated every 3 years or so. The S6, S7, and S8 chips in Apple Watch share similar CPU cores from the A13 Bionic family, and the S9 and S10 (used in both the Series 10 and Series 11, since Apple stopped increasing the number) share similar CPU cores from the A16 Bionic family.
This is important if you want to have more than 5 years of software updates reliably from the date of purchase. Sure, Apple will probably continue updating the Series 11 in the next few years, but given the fact that the Series 12 will definitely have a newer chipset, probably based on the A19 family, I’d say you should probably wait for that.
There aren’t many rumors about the Apple Watch Series 12 outside of the chipset, although there is a small chance it will have Touch ID. Apple Watch Ultra 4, on the other hand, should present design tweaks, a newer chipset and possibly Touch ID.
Mac
These are the bread and butter. Fortunately, for most Macs, it’s not very complicated.
macbook neo and macbook airobvious: buy now. Especially in the case of macbook neowhere reports indicate that inventory is decreasing as Apple runs out of supply of A18 Pro chips. MacBook Air, on the other hand, was updated just a month ago, and there won’t be a significant MacBook Air update anytime soon. he is not winning OLED until 2028according to the current report.
macbook pro It is divided into two directions. If you are looking for the 14-inch base model with the basic Apple Silicon, you can buy one now, as the redesigned MacBook Pro will probably just be available with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, not a basic M6. the new MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max They’re certainly flashy and more performant than ever, but if you want OLED, a touchscreen, and a new design, you’re better off waiting until October for the review.
mac mini, iMacand Mac Studio All should be updated in the coming months. These computers will probably see modest price increases (and storage increases to compensate), but nothing major. It will be business as usual, moving from the M4 chip family to the M5 chip family with little fanfare. These computers are incredibly low in inventory as things stand today. If you want one and can find it, go for it I guess, but most people should probably wait to upgrade.
Everything else
Let’s get the elephant out of the room: there won’t be a new Vision Pro or Vision Air in 2026. However, there could be new Apple AI smart glasses. On the topic of AI, Apple should present a new high-end version of AirPods Pro 3 with infrared cameraswhich could be used for Visual Intelligence and other Apple Intelligence integrations.
Apple also has some main home products in the works, with an Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini update planned for sometime this year. Apple should also unveil its first smart home display product, rumored to be called HomePad. It can be mounted on the wall and will have a 7-inch screen with an A18 chip.
What are you most excited about for Apple in 2026? Are any of these products high on your shopping list or will you happily wait and see? Let us know in the comments.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
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