On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest rumors about the iPhone Air not selling as well as Apple hoped.
There have been many recent reports suggesting the iPhone Air has failed to catch on with consumers, with Apple moving to cut production due to lower-than-expected sales. The first warning sign was the ready availability of the iPhone Air at launch, suggesting lower than expected demand.
Last week, Japan's Mizuho Securities said that Apple would reduce iPhone Air production by at least one million units because of underwhelming sales performance. Nikkei then reported that Apple planned to cut production significantly almost to "end-of-production levels."
KeyBanc Capital Markets said that there is "virtually no demand" for the iPhone Air and that Apple would "drastically" cut production as a result. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo then clarified that suppliers have been asked to reduce capacity by more than 80% between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued by the end of 2025.
Samsung is apparently seeing a similar response to its super thin iPhone Air rival, the Galaxy S25 Edge. Reports indicate that Samsung canceled a next-generation model after disappointing sales.
According to Kuo, the iPhone Air's poor performance suggests that the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models already "cover the majority of high-end user demand," so there is little room for new market segments. All of the other new iPhones are all believed to be selling better than expected, with Apple increasing up production of these models.
Apple apparently planned three more iPhone Air generations, but that could now change in light of real-world sales data. We could get yet another new iPhone form factor as soon as 2026, with rumors suggesting that Apple will debut a foldable model alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.
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168: Apple’s Three New M5 Products Officially Announced!
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through Apple's all-new M5 chip and the three updated devices it announced containing it this week.
Apple this week announced the M5 chip, featuring improved performance and efficiency with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. Apple says the M5 chip offers up to 15% faster CPU performance and up to 45% faster graphics, compared to the M4 chip.
It also contains a next-generation GPU architecture optimized for AI tasks, Neural Accelerators for each core, a third-generation ray-tracing engine, enhanced shader cores, and second-generation dynamic caching. There is also a faster 16-core Neural Engine. It has memory bandwidth of 153GB/s and supports up to 32GB of unified memory.
The M5 chip comes to the entry-level MacBook Pro, delivering improved performance. It can also now be configured with up to 4TB of storage.
The iPad Pro also gains the M5 chip, along with Apple's N1 chip, a new custom-designed wireless networking chip that provides Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Cellular versions of the new iPad Pro feature Apple's C1X modem, which allows up to 50% faster cellular data performance than its predecessor, with much greater efficiency.
The new iPad Pro adds the ability to drive external displays at up to 120Hz and now supports Adaptive Sync. The 256GB and 512GB models now start with 12GB of unified memory.
The M5 chip is also a key part of a notable update to the Vision Pro. The headset now renders 10% more pixels, can ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate, and offers three hours of battery life.
A new Dual Knit Band feature two straps knitted into a single piece, providing a more comfortable fit. The lower strap has tungsten inserts that provide a counterweight. Apple is also now selling the Logitech Muse spatial stylus for the Vision Pro, and it will begin selling the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller starting next month.
Apple's new devices are now available to pre-order, with launch on Wednesday, October 22.
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167: Three New Budget Apple Devices Coming Soon
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through Apple's plan to unveil three new entry-level devices early next year.
The iPhone 17e is expected to be a minor upgrade over this year's 16e, launching in early 2026. The main upgrade is likely to be the A19 chip from the iPhone 17, with few other changes expected. It is possible that the device could get the Dynamic Island and an iPhone 15-style design, but realistically that is likely to occur on a subsequent generation.
The 12th-generation iPad is finally due to support Apple Intelligence thanks to an upgrade to the A18 chip, arriving in the Spring.
The biggest launch in terms of entry-level devices next year is an all-new low-cost MacBook. It is rumored to be the first consumer Mac to feature an A-series chip designed for the iPhone, adopting the A18 Pro from 2024's iPhone 16 Pro models. It is expected to feature a 13-inch display and come in the same silver, blue, pink, and yellow color options like the iPad.
To meet its lower price point, the device is likely to make compromises such as using an older design or display components, 8GB of memory, or even just a single USB-C port, compared to the MacBook Air. The machine is expected to launch in early 2026 with a price point somewhere below the $999 MacBook Air, but above the iPad.
We discuss the importance of each of these new devices, who they are likely to appeal to, and how they're likely to launch
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166: Huge Leaks Show What Apple Products Are Coming Next
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest leaks about the next-generation iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Studio Display, and Vision Pro.
Earlier this week, an apparent unboxing video of an updated iPad Pro with the M5 chip was shared online. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year. The new iPad Pro does not have any noticeable external design changes compared to the current models with the M4 chip, with the chip being the only difference.
Meanwhile, documents leaked from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reveal the next-generation iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro are imminent. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also recently detailed Apple's plan to release two new external monitors either later this year or in early 2026.
Gurman this week revealed that Apple has stopped work on a cheaper, lighter version of the $3,499 Vision Pro. There were rumors that Apple was developing a a much lighter, more affordable "Vision Air" for launch in 2027, but Apple is now apparently transitioning engineers from that project to its smart glasses project to compete with Meta. Last year, The Information reported that suspended its work on the true second-generation Vision Pro. This means that the only new Vision product in the pipeline is the impending refresh of the existing product to upgrade to the M5 chip.
We discuss the wave of product leaks and our expectations for the new releases, as well as the implications of Apple seemingly halting work on new Vision headsets.
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165: iPhone Air and 17 Pro First Impressions
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk over first impressions of the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro.
Apple's new iPhone lineup has been available for over a week, so we reflect on the devices now we've had some time to check them out. We discuss the radically thin and light design of the iPhone Air, and what it really feels like to use the device. We look at its surprisingly impressive durability and battery life, as well as its drawbacks in terms of speakers and rear camera versatility.
We talk through the iPhone 17 Pro's controversial design and improved thermals, and examine the all-new 48-megapixel Fusion telephoto camera. We also look at the impressive scratch-resistance of Ceramic Shield 2, as well as the brighter display panel.
In addition, we weigh up recent debates around the durability of the iPhone 17 Pro models, which have come under fire for being highly susceptible to damage compared to previous generations due to the move to an aluminum unibody design
Join MacRumors' Dan Barbera and Hartley Charlton for discussion about all of the latest news and rumors from the world of Apple. Whether you’re wondering what’s next for the iPhone, looking for insights into the rumor mill, or just have an interest in the latest gadgets, we’ll be bringing you everything you need to know about the Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and more.
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