Apple continued to keep users waiting for new hardware this week, as we've yet to see any of the significant product launches we're expecting to see in the first few months of the year.
News on the software side was a bit of a mixed bag this week, with iOS 26.3 and other updates finally seeing their public releases, though they mainly focus on security fixes with only a few user-facing changes. And the highly anticipated iOS 26.4 coming up next might not arrive with everything many users have been hoping for, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Top Stories
iOS 26.3 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.3
After almost two months of beta testing, Apple finally released iOS 26.3 and related updates to the public this week.
As is common for x.3 updates, the changes in these are relatively modest, though there are a number of security improvements and a few new features like a tool to make it easier to transfer from an iPhone to an Android phone, some changes to Weather wallpapers, and more.
New Siri Runs Into Problems, Features Could Be Pushed to iOS 26.5 and iOS 27
With iOS 26.3 out the door, the first beta of iOS 26.4 should be arriving soon, but it might come with a catch. While we've been expecting iOS 26.4 to include significant improvements to Siri with a new, more personalized experience, it now sounds like we might not be getting that until iOS 26.5 or even iOS 27.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has "run into snags" in just the past few weeks as it has been testing the new Siri, and recent internal betas are suggesting Apple is moving many of the new capabilities from iOS 26.4 to iOS 26.5.
Apple Stores See iPhone 16e, iPad Air Shortages as New Models Near
We're expecting a few Apple hardware releases in the relatively near future, and Apple retail store shortages of iPhone 16e and iPad Air models lining up with circulating rumors may hint at those products being very close to receiving updates.
The new iPhone 17e in particular has been viewed as "imminent," and it should bring several improvements over the iPhone 16e, including support for MagSafe charging.
Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro
While the entry-level MacBook Pro was updated with the M5 chip last October, we're still waiting for higher-end machines with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.
Those new models should be arriving shortly, but if you're interested in cutting-edge technology, you might want to give those machines a skip. The M5 Pro and M5 Max models will largely just be speed-bumped versions of the current generation, but there's a major revamp coming as soon as later this year with an all-new design, OLED displays with touchscreen capabilities, and more.
Apple Expected to Launch These 10+ Products Over the Coming Months
While the iPhone 17e and updated iPad Air appear imminent with new MacBook Pro models not far behind, Apple has even more in its near-term pipeline with at least ten new products expected over the next few months.
Many of these are iterative updates to existing products, but we're expecting a few all-new ones in the mix as well. Potential delays to the revamped Siri may impact timing of some of them including the new smart home hub and ecosystem, so we'll have to wait to see how that timing plays out.
iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is already a battery life king, but the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max could take things even further if a known leaker is correct. A recent report claims Apple will be trying to cram a bit more battery capacity into this year's larger Pro model, pushing it up to 5,100 to 5,200 mAh.
Apple is reportedly also working to implement a couple of camera improvements on this year's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, including a variable aperture on the main camera and a wider fixed aperture on the telephoto camera.
These potential improvements come as Apple is reportedly seeking to hold the line on pricing despite significant cost increases for certain key components.
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