15 upcoming Apple products packed with AI and ‘Apple Intelligence’ features

Apple is lining up one of its most ambitious hardware years yet. Between WWDC and the end of the year, we’re expecting up to 15 new products—many of them built around on-device AI and the company’s broader “Apple Intelligence” strategy. From faster chips and smarter home devices to foldable iPhones and camera-powered wearables, here’s a clear breakdown of what’s rumored and why it matters.

1. Budget iPad 12: entry-level tablet gets Apple Intelligence

The next budget iPad is expected to land as the iPad 12, and it’s shaping up to be a surprisingly capable AI-ready device.

Under the hood, it’s rumored to move from the A16 to an A18 chip, a big leap in performance and efficiency. RAM is also expected to jump from 6 GB to 8 GB, which should make multitasking smoother and give Apple Intelligence features more breathing room.

Despite the upgrades, pricing is expected to stay the same, making this one of the most affordable ways to access Apple’s new AI features once they roll out in iPadOS.

2. M5 Mac mini: compact desktop, serious AI power

The Mac mini is set for a major internal refresh with the M5 chip family. The standard M5 should bring big gains in single-core, multi-core, and GPU performance, with upgraded AI accelerators for on-device machine learning and generative workloads.

An M5 Pro option is also expected, with up to 18 CPU cores—potentially making it one of the fastest consumer desktop CPUs on the market. GPU performance, especially for ray tracing and 3D rendering, should see a big jump, making this tiny desktop a serious option for creators and AI developers.

3. Apple TV 4K: faster chip, better gaming, smarter home

The next Apple TV 4K is rumored to adopt the A17 Pro chip, the same class of silicon used in recent iPhones. That means faster app launches, smoother UI, and much stronger graphics performance.

RAM is expected to double from 4 GB to 8 GB, which should help with heavier apps and future Apple Intelligence features. On the connectivity side, an N1 wireless chip is rumored, bringing Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for more stable connections and lower latency—especially useful for cloud and local game streaming.

With ray tracing support, Apple TV could become a more serious casual gaming device, not just a streaming box.

4. HomePod mini 2: subtle refresh for Apple’s smallest speaker

The HomePod mini 2 is expected to keep the same basic look but refine the internals. Rumors point to improved speakers and drivers for better audio quality, plus new color options.

Inside, Apple is likely to swap the older S5 chip for a much faster S9 or S10, improving responsiveness for Siri and any AI-enhanced audio features. A U2 ultra wideband chip should enable more reliable handoff from iPhone and better spatial awareness in your home.

It’s still expected to rely on a Broadcom wireless chip rather than the newer N1, but pricing should remain unchanged.

5. New smart home hub: Apple’s wall-mounted command center

Apple is reportedly working on a dedicated smart home hub—a kind of fixed iPad for your wall or countertop. It’s expected to feature a 7‑inch display, with options to wall‑mount it or dock it into a speaker base.

Face ID support would allow it to recognize different household members and personalize controls, while a front camera with Center Stage could make it a natural device for FaceTime calls. A new “home OS” interface is rumored, focused on controlling smart devices, viewing security cameras, and likely streaming apps like YouTube and Netflix.

For users who’ve already leaned into Apple’s ecosystem for home control—sometimes even replacing Alexa with HomePods—this hub could be the missing central screen, similar in spirit to the setups described in one smart home’s switch from Alexa to Apple HomePods.

6. iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: 2 nm power and 5G over satellite

The iPhone 18 Pro lineup is expected to look similar to the current generation, but with a smaller Dynamic Island on the front and big changes inside.

The star of the show is the A20 Pro chip, built on TSMC’s 2‑nanometer process. That should bring a major jump in performance and efficiency, ideal for on-device AI processing. Battery life is rumored to improve as well.

Camera upgrades include a new main sensor with variable aperture for better low‑light and depth control, plus a 24‑megapixel selfie camera. On the connectivity side, Apple is expected to move away from Qualcomm modems to its own C2 or C2X modem, with support for 5G millimeter wave and a huge new feature: 5G over satellite. That would turn satellite from an emergency-only backup into a more general connectivity option in remote areas.

Despite all this, pricing is rumored to stay in line with the current Pro models.

7. iPhone Ultra Foldable: Apple’s first crease-free foldable

Apple is also expected to introduce a brand-new category: the iPhone Ultra Foldable. Closed, it’s designed to be shorter and easier to use one-handed than a Pro Max, while still packing a very thick camera bump that hints at top-tier camera hardware and variable aperture—though without a dedicated telephoto lens.

Open it up, and you get a display approaching iPad mini size. The big claim: a crease-free foldable screen, enabled by a new liquid metal hinge design. Inside, it should run the full A20 Pro chip with a large 5,400–5,800 mAh battery, making it a powerhouse for multitasking and media.

One notable change: Face ID is rumored to be replaced with Touch ID, likely integrated into the side button. Speaker quality is expected to be the best of any iPhone so far. The trade-off is price—rumors point to a starting price around $2,000.

8. iPad mini 8: OLED, thinner bezels, and AI-ready specs

The iPad mini 8 is expected to get its biggest update in years. The headline feature is an OLED display, which should deliver deeper blacks, better contrast, and richer colors, potentially with higher brightness.

Apple may slim down the bezels slightly, bumping the screen size to around 8.5–8.7 inches. There’s also a chance of a higher refresh rate (possibly around 90 Hz) for smoother scrolling and gaming.

Inside, rumors point to an A19 Pro chip and a huge 12 GB of RAM—overkill for today’s apps, but ideal for Apple Intelligence and heavier multitasking. An N1 wireless chip should bring modern Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth standards, making the mini a compact but powerful AI tablet.

9. Apple Watch Series 12: efficiency and sensor refinements

The Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to keep the same overall design but refine what’s inside. A new S12 chip built on a 3 nm process should improve efficiency and battery life, while updated sensors could bring more accurate health and fitness tracking.

Wireless connectivity may move to a W4 or even N1 chip, improving reliability and potentially setting the stage for more AI‑driven health insights processed directly on the watch.

10. Apple Watch Ultra 4: thinner, smarter, and blood pressure tracking

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is rumored to get a noticeable redesign: thinner overall, but with a new eight-sensor array for more advanced health tracking.

One of the standout features is expected to be full blood pressure monitoring, going beyond today’s simple hypertension alerts. Combined with the S12 chip and a new wireless chip, battery life should improve, even as features expand.

There’s also speculation about 5G over satellite support, which would make the Ultra even more independent for outdoor and adventure use, though details there are still early.

11. AirPods Ultra: AI wearables with cameras in the stems

AirPods Ultra may be Apple’s first true AI wearable. Each earbud stem is rumored to include a tiny camera—not for casual photo taking, but as a constant visual input for Siri and Apple Intelligence.

Instead of manually snapping photos or videos, the cameras would silently feed context to AI models so you can ask questions like “What does this label say?” or “What color is this shirt?” and get instant, environment-aware answers. Apple has already shown a glimpse of this kind of capability in its VoiceOver demo for visually impaired users, where Siri helps describe the world through the camera.

With AirPods Ultra, that experience could become hands-free and phone-free: the cameras are always available, and Siri can respond in your ear. Pricing is expected to land around or slightly above $300.

12. M5 Mac Studio: an AI workstation in a small box

The Mac Studio is due for a major internal refresh with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. The exterior design and ports are expected to stay the same, but the inside will be all about speed and AI.

Faster PCIe 5 SSDs should significantly improve storage performance, and an N1 wireless chip would add Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The M5 Ultra is rumored to offer a 36‑core CPU and 80‑core GPU, turning the Mac Studio into a serious local AI machine.

With potential configurations up to 256 GB of unified memory, it could become a go‑to box for developers running large language models and other heavy AI workloads locally—similar to how many power users are already experimenting with the latest GPT and Claude models described in recent AI model roundups. Pricing should be similar to the current lineup, though Apple may quietly drop the lowest storage tiers.

13. M5 iMac: same design, smarter internals

The next iMac is expected to be a straightforward spec bump. The design, colors, and even wallpapers may stay the same, but the chip will move up to M5.

That means faster CPU and GPU performance, better AI acceleration, and quicker SSDs. Like the Mac Studio, Apple may remove the smallest storage option, nudging the entry price higher even if the official starting price band doesn’t change much.

14. 14‑inch M6 MacBook Pro: first 2 nm GAAFET Mac

Apple is also preparing a base 14‑inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip, and this one is notable because it’s expected to be Apple’s first 2‑nanometer GAAFET (gate-all-around) Mac processor.

Performance targets are aggressive: around 4,600 points in single‑core and 20,000 in multi‑core benchmarks are rumored for the base chip, which would be a huge jump for everyday tasks and pro workflows alike. GPU cores may increase from 10 to 12, further boosting graphics and AI workloads.

The design and feature set should remain the same as the current 14‑inch Pro, with pricing staying at around $1,699. If you’re waiting for the big OLED MacBook redesign, though, that’s reportedly pushed out to early 2027 due to chip and panel constraints.

15. Apple smart glasses: camera-powered AI in everyday eyewear

Rounding out the list are Apple’s long-rumored smart glasses. They’re expected to be revealed late this year but won’t ship until 2027, serving as a stepping stone toward full AR display glasses.

The first version is likely to look like a stylish, relatively thin pair of regular glasses, with one or two small cameras built into the frame. Like AirPods Ultra, the cameras would feed visual context to Apple Intelligence, letting you ask questions about what you’re seeing or doing.

Unlike AirPods Ultra, these glasses are also expected to let you actively capture photos and short videos at the press of a button, similar to Meta’s Ray‑Ban smart glasses. Bone conduction speakers will likely be used so you can hear Siri’s responses without blasting audio to people around you.

These smart glasses won’t be full AR displays yet, but they’ll introduce the everyday, camera-plus-AI wearable concept that Apple seems to be building toward.

The bigger picture: Apple’s quiet AI hardware strategy

Across all 15 products, a clear pattern emerges: Apple is quietly turning almost every device into an AI-first product. Faster chips with dedicated AI accelerators, more RAM, better connectivity, and new sensor types (especially cameras and health sensors) all point in the same direction.

Instead of launching one “AI device,” Apple is baking Apple Intelligence into everything—from budget iPads and tiny speakers to foldable phones and smart glasses. For users, that means the next few years of Apple hardware won’t just be about speed or screens, but about how naturally your devices can see, hear, and understand the world around you.