Apple’s next hardware season may be less of a product launch and more of an ecosystem reset.
A new wave of reports suggests Apple could be preparing more than 15 products across iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, iPad, and smart-home categories. The rumored lineup remains unconfirmed, but it points to a company trying to push deeper into foldables, AI-assisted devices, and connected-home hardware.
Reports also suggest Apple is preparing a larger smart-home push with products that will bring tighter integration among hardware, AI features, and connected-home systems.
A new kind of iPhone lineup
If Apple launches the iPhone Ultra, its first foldable, it will feature a new design unlike the foldables in use today. 9to5Mac says the phone is expected to unfold into a compact iPad-like screen, with its width longer than its height when unfolded.
The outlet also says Apple is working toward a less-visible screen crease and a thinner overall body — two areas that have remained major engineering bottlenecks across foldables. Leaks further point to premium materials, advanced multitasking support, limited early production volumes, and a starting price that may exceed $2,000.
The company might also drop the base iPhone model this year, while the fate of the iPhone 18 Air remains uncertain. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is said to be the heaviest iPhone Max yet, with a smaller Dynamic Island that it will share with the iPhone 18 Pro.
Apple might also add two more iPads this year — a base iPad, expected to come with an A18 chip, and an iPad mini with an OLED screen.
Apple may be planning advanced AirPods, watches, and smart glasses
Since their debut, AirPods have been auditory devices, with subsequent advancements building on that sole feature. This year, Apple may be adding a big extra to it — infrared cameras.
Several reports have consistently pointed to an AirPod fitted with infrared sensors that could allow users to get immediate feedback about their environments using Visual Intelligence. It effectively serves as an eye for Siri.
While the AirPods Ultra brings infrared cameras to AirPods, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is also hinting that Apple Vision will be unveiled this year. However, there is still uncertainty about whether it will be shipped this year or next.
Beyond the rumored AirPods Ultra and glasses, there is also the possibility of a Watch Ultra with new designs and additional sensors that could bring Touch ID to it. The Watch Series 12 is also on the list.
Macs may be getting an upgrade
Apple launched its first budget Mac this year, the MacBook Neo, alongside new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models.
However, based on the reports we’ve seen so far, the company doesn’t seem to be finished with this year’s evolution of its Macs. Just like the iPhone Ultra, AirPods Ultra, and the Watch Ultra, Apple may bring a new Mac Ultra with features we haven’t seen before on any Mac.
Permutations around the device suggest an OLED screen touch display, fitted with the M6 Max chip. The report also indicates a MacBook Pro with M6 chips, a Mac mini with M5 and M5 Pro chips, and a Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. Then, there is the iMac, which is expected to introduce color variations to its upcoming lineup.
If all of these turn out to be true, along with the ones Apple has already released, then Mac users will be spoiled for choice this year.
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Smarter homes through AI-powered appliances
Another part of Apple’s rumored fall launch involves deeper integration of its technology into home appliances. Reports point to refreshed HomePods, an upgraded Apple TV, with a possible built-in camera, Apple Security Cameras, and a doorbell that could use Face ID for verification.
The expected focus is on tighter integration through its upgraded Siri AI. Rather than simply respond to commands, Apple’s home devices may increasingly share awareness across products.
The company is also expected to launch a seven-inch HomePad device that could run on homeOS and connect with Apple’s home devices.
What to expect next
While some of these products, like the iPhone 18 Pro, are more likely to launch than others, WWDC should offer a clearer look at Apple’s software and AI direction, even if fall hardware details remain unofficial.
For now, the reported lineup should be treated as a map of Apple’s possible direction, not a confirmed launch schedule. But if even several of these products arrive, Apple’s next phase may center on a familiar bet: making each device more valuable by tying it more tightly to every other device around it.
Also read: Apple expanded Limit Precise Location in iOS 26.5, giving more users a way to restrict carrier access to precise location data.
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