Apple’s wallet-friendly MacBook is said to be getting a sequel in the next few months. The MacBook Neo 2 release date is reportedly set for the first half of 2027, and is expected as early as spring.
That would put the successor a year after the original arrived in March. It’s drawing attention because the sophomore version will almost certainly address one of Neo’s biggest compromises: 8GB of RAM.
Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone Duo Reachability mode that shifts the outer screen’s content to the left or right.
The movie is an (overdue) response to the criticism from left-handed iPhone users levied toward Apple’s first foldable ever since its September announcement. The outer screen’s Dock and other controls sit along the right edge, and this upcoming mode will make that arrangement easier on lefties.
We’re apparently just days away from Apple launching a touchscreen-enabled MacBook Pro. And that’s not the only major change — this is the most significant revamp of the MacBook line since 2021. It’ll set the pattern for macOS models for years to come.
Here are five reasons to get excited about the touchscreen MacBook Pro expected to launch at Apple’s “Pro and Tell” event on Wednesday.
Apple is reportedly testing prototypes of a second-generation iPhone Duo with Face ID beneath the display. The upgrade would address a frequent complaint about the company’s first foldable iPhone, which relies on Touch ID instead of facial recognition.
Plus, this is apparently another sign that Apple is working to get rid of the Dynamic Island from all iPhones.
Apple is reportedly hard at work on a bigger, better version of the HomeView smart display. The follow-up version will apparently boast a larger screen that turns on its own, and could be dubbed something like HomeView Max, Ultra or 360, according to a new report.
That would help fix a clear limitation of the current version, whose screen stays put.
Apple reportedly still plans to release a smart home camera that doesn’t record video sometime in the next year. Instead, it will use AI to analyze what’s happening in your home.
The privacy-focused device is separate from the LG Electronics cameras in the new Apple Home Collection. Together, they show how Apple plans to tackle home security from two very different angles.
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s new HomeView hub is a getting a lot of criticism, especially for its lack of a built-in app store. But the absence of an app store is a feature, not a bug.
The situation is reminiscent of the charging port on the bottom of the Apple Magic Mouse, which is famously misunderstood. The placement of the port was designed to force users to use it wirelessly, just like ditching the headphone jack on iPhone forced users to adopt wireless Bluetooth headphones.
Apple is pulling the same trick with HomeView: The absence of apps forces users to use Siri AI as the primary interface, instead of tapping away on the screen as though it were a mini iPad. It’s genius!
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in Apple’s Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)
Safari is apparently learning to play nice with fingers in the latest macOS beta. The reason could be the touchscreen MacBook. The tweaks are pretty small, but they do show Apple moving away from the app’s cursor-only interface and adding touch support.
For years, Apple has resisted touch on the Mac, but its first touch-enabled laptop is reportedly on the way later this month.
Apple is reportedly sending select journalists invitations to a product launch event that will be held on October 28. The company has yet to make an official announcement of the event, though.
Still, what’s on the agenda already leaked out. The highlight will be the first touchscreen MacBook, but two M6-powered Macs are also expected, as is an OLED iPad mini.
Apple’s long-awaited HomePod mini 2 and next-generation Apple TV 4K could debut on Tuesday, with leaks and rumors pointing to significantly smarter Siri capabilities and a collection of internal hardware upgrades.
They’ll apparently be part of a renewed push by Apple into the smart home market.
Here’s what we know about these products before the announcement.
Anyone hoping for an updated entry-level iPad that can handle Apple Intelligence should prepare for a bit of a wait.
Despite a flurry of new Apple products coming this month, the updated tablets reportedly won’t arrive until next year. But when they do, they should bring support for Apple’s latest AI features.
Update: The time for leaks and rumors is over — Apple’s smart home hub is now official. Read more:
Apple wants HomeView at the heart of your smart home
Apple appears ready to make a serious push into the smart home market with a new screen-equipped hub dubbed HomeView. It’s reportedly coming at a product launch event on October 13.
The device is for those who want to put the new Siri AI at the center of their home, as well as those who are serious about Apple’s HomeKit smart home accessories. Or both.
Here’s everything we know about Apple’s smart home hub in the days before it is expected to launch.
Update: The time for leaks and rumors is over — Apple’s smart home hub is now official. Read more:
Apple wants HomeView at the heart of your smart home
Apple will reportedly call its upcoming smart home hub the HomeView. Powered by an A18 chip, the display will focus on Siri and smart home control. It will also lack an App Store.
As previously reported, the HomeView will come in two versions: a countertop model with a metal speaker base and a wall-mounted model with a flat, square base.
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s about to make a big push into the smart home arena. We already knew about the impending launch of an intriguing new smart home hub, but the revelation that Apple is working with at least two other companies to produce new devices takes things to a whole new level.
The big question remains: How will Apple differentiate its smart home platform from everything else on the market? There’s plenty to discuss.
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in Apple’s Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)
Apple reportedly has a second major product launch event planned for this month, and this time the spotlight will be on the Mac lineup. The star of the show, supposedly set for October 27, will be the first-ever MacBook Pro with a touchscreen. Plus, Macs updated with the latest Apple silicon are expected, and a significantly revamped iPad mini.
Word of this event comes just hours after Apple sent out invitations to a product launch event on October 13. The focus of that one is expected to be smart-home products.
The new smart home products produced by LG Electronics in partnership with Apple will feature a “tap to set up without power” feature, according to a leaker who spotted the reference in iOS 27.
Also, LG Electronics apparently won’t be the only second-party manufacturer Apple works with to create new smart home products. The same leaker says Schneider Electric, a French company with its North American headquarters in Boston, will produce thermostats, temperature/humidity sensors and possibly more.
The iPhone Air 2 could be thinner than the original iPhone Air, according to a new rumor. And it may even slim down to match the iPhone Duo when unfolded.
That means the Air’s already slim 5.6mm body will be down by 0.4mm. What’s more surprising is that the battery could grow instead of shrink.
Apple partnered with LG Electronics to create an array of smart home devices, including a doorbell, a thermostat, a smart lock and indoor and outdoor security cameras, according to a new report.
The devices will work with Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub, which supposedly will launch next week. Although the LG-produced gear won’t arrive for several months, it should bolster Apple’s attempt to catch up in the smart home game. And new images purport to show what three of the devices will look like and function.
Siri AI on Apple TV looks closer than ever, thanks to fresh code found in the latest tvOS 27.2 beta. The code references Apple’s foundation models and a new Siri messaging framework.
Both hint that the next Apple TV set-top box could get Apple Intelligence features, possibly as soon as October 13.
Apple’s October launch plans might extend beyond its rumored October 13 event, with the first touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro potentially debuting later in the month.
This could make its rumored October 13 smart home event just the start of a much bigger launch spree.
Apple CEO John Ternus is reportedly spending far more time in the design studio than Tim Cook ever did. He’s there several times a week, sometimes more than once a day.
It’s clearly different from the Tim Cook era. Many people think design influence at Apple slipped after Jony Ive left the company back in 2019, but Ternus seems determined to fix that.
Apple’s upcoming touchscreen MacBook Pro redesign will address one major pain point with the current models: weight.
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says the OLED MacBook Pro will be “significantly lighter” than its predecessors.
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New Apple CEO John Ternus reportedly wants to make Apple lean and agile. He wants to eliminate bloat — and push out more products at a faster tempo.
Is he tamping out his own “bozo explosion” at Apple? Or is the “hardware guy” just bringing a more engineering-focused eye to Cupertino’s top job? There’s plenty to discuss!
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in Apple’s Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)
Fall is a busy time for Apple, and we’re expecting a big harvest of products this October.
The highlight might be the first touchscreen MacBook. Also apparently coming in the next few weeks could be Apple’s first smart home hub. Plus, we’re keeping our eyes open for an updated HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K. If all that wasn’t enough, an OLED iPad mini and several other Macs are reportedly waiting in the wings.
And, of course, the month will bring the launch of the folding iPhone Duo, which Apple unveiled in September.
Some of these products supposedly will arrive on October 13. Others have less certain release dates, so there’s still plenty of room for surprises. Here are the new products we’re expecting out of Apple this month.
Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub is shaping up to be more than just a smart speaker with a screen. It could double up as a really nice digital photo frame.
Code buried in an iOS beta details a “Photo Face” step during the setup process. It’s a display that shows your photos whenever the hub isn’t busy answering your queries or running your smart home. So instead of a dark, bland screen on your counter, you could see your own memories.