Forget the M5, Apple’s other rumored fall upgrades will be far more exciting

Apple product launches are no longer as exciting as they used to be. The iPhone’s evolution has slowed down, and M-powered Mac and iPad upgrades are largely limited to processor boosts. The hardware has matured across the product line, and enticing introductions only occur sporadically.

For example, the new MacBook Pro and iPad Pro are expected to arrive as early as this week with little more than a barely-noticeable chipset bump. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find Apple still has a few tricks up its sleeve, with these exciting announcements we expect before the year’s end.

AirTag: Tamper-proof speaker and U2 chip

The AirTag is one of Apple’s most popular accessories; it’s affordable, widely available, and highly effective at finding lost items. Unfortunately, it’s also the go-to tracker for many criminals seeking to conveniently stalk their victims via the extensive Find My network. While Apple has implemented stronger anti-stalking measures on iOS and Android, bad actors are coming up with creative ways to bypass them.

When AirTags are separated from their owners for prolonged periods of time, they beep to alert unsuspecting people around them. To prevent this, stalkers are buying modified AirTags that have had their speakers extracted—making it more challenging for victims to detect them.

Rumored to launch before the end of 2025, the AirTag 2 will reportedly make it harder for modders to remove the embedded speaker, with the tracker possibly ceasing to work if someone tampers with its safety features. Whether creeps will come up with new ways to modify the AirTag 2 remains to be seen, but the change will be a welcome one.

Another exciting perk coming to the AirTag 2 could be Apple’s second-generation ultra-wideband chip. While chipset upgrades tend to be boring, this one could meaningfully elevate the AirTag’s successor in two key ways.

For starters, the U2 chip is significantly more energy-efficient than the first-gen model. As such, the AirTag 2 could double the battery life from 1 year to 2 years. More importantly, the new UWB chipset considerably increases the discoverability range, helping users locate lost items from afar.

Apple TV 4K: A17 Pro processor

Apple TV 4K 3 is my all-in-one entertainment device. I use it to watch movies, YouTube videos, and occasional news, in addition to streaming Apple Music, FaceTiming my friends, and working out with Fitness+. One thing I dislike about it, however, is its limited game library. There are some excellent titles on the tvOS App Store, but newer, more demanding releases tend to be missing—primarily due to the set-top box’s constraints.

Fortunately, this year’s Apple TV 4K 4 will reportedly pack the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro brain. It’s a mighty chip that can handle some AAA games, potentially popularizing tvOS as a gaming platform for casual users. It could also unlock Apple Intelligence features, including the ChatGPT integration.

Foundry

iPad Pro: Dual selfie cams

To encourage landscape use with a Magic Keyboard, Apple moved the latest iPads’ front cameras to the longer landscape edge like a MacBook. However, this makes video calls awkward for users who prefer portrait orientation, not to mention left-handed people who could inadvertently cover the lens with their palms.

To remedy the situation without backtracking, the iPad Pro M5 will reportedly feature two selfie cameras—one on each of the two edges. If the rumor materializes, iPadOS 26 would automatically utilize the correct lens based on the iPad Pro’s orientation. This move turns it into an even more versatile device that caters to everyone’s needs.

Vision Pro: New head strap

Vision Pro isn’t selling well for a number of reasons—a steep price, limited functionality, short battery life, etc. Reviewers also unanimously agree that it’s too heavy and that wearing it for extended durations can cause discomfort.

Over the next few years, Apple will work to perfect its spatial computing headset and bring it to the masses. Starting with this year’s Vision Pro 2, the company will reportedly offer a more comfortable head strap, which could lift some of the pressure and minimize neck pain.

Dall-E/Petter Ahrnstedt

The other notable Vision Pro 2 upgrade will likely be a three-generation chip bump from the M2 to M5. While the short-term impact of this change may not be visible, the boost could power advanced spatial computing features debuting with future visionOS updates that the M2 SoC can’t handle.

The current Vision Pro is essentially a 3D iPad that can mirror a nearby Mac. With enough processing power, visionOS could eventually transition into a more comprehensive operating system that offers macOS-like workflows natively. Given the intensive nature of spatial computing and its immature present state, spec bumps will make a real difference down the road.