Apple is reportedly on the verge of launching a slew of new devices over the next week, including the M4 MacBook Air and one long-awaited iPhone update.
If you've been waiting to upgrade your MacBook, iPhone, or iPad, you'll probably want to keep your eye out for these upcoming announcements from Apple. Here's a look at what to expect and what we know so far about each rumored device.
M4 MacBook Air
The M4 MacBook Pro launched back in May 2024, so it's been over 6 months since Apple's latest processor came to its laptops. However, we're still missing the M4 MacBook Air. That might not be the case for much longer, though.
Apple's MacBook Air release dates have been pretty scattered over the past few years with the M3 releasing in March 2024, the M2 in July 2022, and the M1 in November 2020. So, it's difficult to predict precisely when the M4 Air could arrive, but rumors hint that Apple could launch it as soon as this month.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, stock of the M3 MacBook Air has been on the decline at Apple Stores, hinting that Apple may be gearing up for the M4 Air launch, which is expected in the first half of this year.
Apple appeared to accidentally confirm this back in December when users noticed mentions of "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)" in software files for MacOS Sequoia 15.2. So, we know we're getting 13-inch and 15-inch models again. We can also safely say the base configurations for the M4 MacBook Air will include 16GB of RAM. Last year Apple increased the base RAM on all of its MacBooks to support Apple Intelligence, although it's a welcome upgrade even if you have no interest in using Apple's new AI features.
iPhone SE 4
I've been waiting years to see Apple finally upgrade the ancient design on the iPhone SE and it looks like my long wait is finally coming to an end. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, an iPhone SE 4 announcement is imminent, possibly even by the end of this week.
It's about time.
The current iPhone SE still sports the antiquated design from the iPhone 8, complete with a home button. That's especially egregious considering it costs over $400, making it a generally lackluster deal for a "budget" phone. While rumors hint that the iPhone SE 4 could get a price bump up to $499, it is also expected to feature a complete redesign.
Leaked images appear to show the iPhone SE 4 with a design borrowed from the iPhone 14. Apple is finally ditching the home button and giving its entry-level iPhone a larger display with a notch. While it's no dynamic island, it blends in far better with the rest of the iPhone family. Plus, the SE 4 is getting a chip upgrade, most likely the A18 chip, and 8GB of RAM, meaning it will likely support Apple Intelligence.
iPad 11
Apple could be planning a sweeping update to all of its base devices with a potential iPad 11 launch. While this announcement is less likely for this month, we are expecting to see it in the first half of this year. The current 10th-generation base iPad launched in October 2022, so it's definitely due for an update, especially considering the current model lacks support for Apple Intelligence.
So, we will likely see Apple launch a refreshed base iPad by spring. While design changes probably won't happen this year, the base iPad will get a new processor at the very least. Since it's the base model, Apple might just give it the A16 chip, but it's also possible it could get the A17 or even A17 Pro to match the iPad Mini 7. Any of these would be a major upgrade over the aging A14 chip in the current model.
One thing that remains up in the air about the iPad 11th-generation is Apple Pencil support. Apple's current Pencil compatibility chart is a headache to understand, so it would be nice to see Apple streamline things so all iPads are compatible with both the Apple Pencil USB-C and the newer Apple Pencil Pro. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the base iPad doesn't get support for the more premium Pencil Pro (although I would still be disappointed).
M5 Apple Vision Pro
The final big device announcement we could see from Apple soon is also the least likely: an M5 upgrade for the Apple Vision Pro. We just passed the original Vision Pro's one-year anniversary, although it has yet to gain much traction with users. Apple also recently shuttered development of a pair of AR glasses, making the company's XR future ever more uncertain.
Even so, it's possible Apple could give the Vision Pro a refresh with a new processor and hopefully a lighter design sometime early this year. An M5 Vision Pro was initially rumored in November 2024 by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, pointing to a 2025 launch, which is getting increasingly likely now that the current Vision Pro is over a year old.
A less expensive "Apple Vision SE" has also been rumored for months now, but it seems unlikely Apple would put the M5 chip in its more affordable headset before its premium headset. So, an M5 upgrade to the Vision Pro could be a prelude to a Vision SE launch, potentially later this year or in 2026.
What's next from Apple?
The MacBook Air M4 and iPhone SE 4 are expected to launch very soon, with the iPhone SE 4 potentially launching as soon as this week. Looking toward spring, we can expect to see the base iPad get a refresh and possibly also the iPad Air. An M5 Vision Pro announcement could come any time this year, although many Apple fans may be more excited about a lighter, less expensive "Apple Vision SE" rumored to launch at the end of this year or early 2026.
This summer Apple will also hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) which is usually in June. This is when we can expect to see a slew of software upgrades and potentially some hardware announcements like a new Apple Watch. Keep an eye out for surprise "one more thing" announcements, though.
Finally, Apple could launch its M5 chip anytime between May and November depending on which device it plans to introduce the chip on. The iPad Pro got the M4 chip first in May 2024, but iPad release dates don't follow a consistent pattern and new chips usually launch on the MacBook Pro first, so it's hard to say when and how Apple will unveil the M5 chip.
We're keeping a close eye on the latest news and rumors from Apple, though, so check back for more updates.
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