Will Apple release anything new in May? Here's what's we expect

Summary created by Smart Answers AI

In summary:

Macworld reports that Apple will likely have a quiet May with only minor iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates expected, featuring new Maps suggestions and RCS encryption.
Major product announcements including updated Mac mini, Mac Studio, and entry-level iPad are delayed until the WWDC keynote on June 8 due to supply constraints.
Apple TV+ subscribers can expect new content like ‘Unconditional’ and ‘Star City’, while Apple Arcade adds games including ‘Good Pizza, Great Pizza+’ on May 7.

May is usually a slow month for Apple releases, and it should be no different this year. Apple’s OS 26es are still getting updates—the latest version, 26.5, will arrive this month—but they’re really minor at this point, as most of the work in Cupertino has long since shifted to the next major release.

With the WWDC keynote set for June 8, big releases or major announcements would likely wait for that event. We don’t expect much to be announced in May, leaving most of Apple’s releases to be the minor 26.5 software updates and content for Apple TV and Apple Arcade.

New hardware releases

Apple started off 2026 with a flurry of releases, including the M5 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, AirTag 2, AirPods Max 2, and the all-new MacBook Neo, but it’s been quiet for a few weeks. And it’s likely to be quiet for a few more. While we’re waiting for several new devices to launch in spring or summer, with WWDC so close, we’ll likely have to wait until June for anything new to arrive. Here’s what Apple has waiting in the wings:

M5 Mac mini: With Apple discontinuing the 256GB version of the M4 Mac mini, it’s unclear where the M5 Mac mini stands. We were expecting the new model to launch this spring, but with severe supply constraints due to the memory crunch, we might need to wait until fall.

M5 Mac Studio: The Mac Studio is in the same boat as the Mac mini, with memory issues forcing Apple to cut back on some models, including the higher-end versions with 256GB of RAM.

Apple TV 4K: Apple’s streaming box hasn’t been updated since 2022, when it got an A15 Bionic chip, USB-C Siri Remote, and a price cut. It’s been rumored to get an update to a newer chip, but Apple may have requisitioned those chips for the MacBook Neo.

iPad: Apple’s entry-level iPad is the only tablet that can’t run Apple Intelligence, and with the new Siri likely to finally arrive this year, Apple is almost certain to give it an update with an AI-ready chip.

-Apps and software updates

OS 26.5 updates: The iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates bring a few new features, including suggested places (and advertisements) in Maps, end-to-end encryption in RCS messages (in beta), and new Pride wallpapers for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. On Apple Watch, you get a new Pride watch face, too. Of course, there are bug fixes and security updates on the way, too.

While the 26.5 updates will be out by the second week of May, Apple doesn’t usually start the x.6 beta tests until after WWDC in June. And by then, all eyes will be on the first betas of iOS/macOS/watchOS 27, so this is essentially the last notable iOS 26 release, with no sign of the new Siri.

Services

Apple TV+

Here are the shows, series, and movies we expect to release on Apple TV+ in May. If you want to know what’s coming later, check our full guide to upcoming Apple TV+ content.

Unconditional: A mother-daughter vacation turns in to a nightmare when 25-year-old Gali (Talia Lynne Ronn) is arrested for drug smuggling in Moscow. May 8

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed: Newly divorced mom Paula falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder, and youth soccer. May 20

Propeller One-Way Night Coach: Set in the golden age of aviation, a young airplane enthusiast and his mother set off on a one-way cross-country odyssey to Hollywood, which transforms a simple flight into the trip of a lifetime. May 29

Star City: A spin-off of the For All Mankind universe, Star City takes explores the story from behind the Iron Curtain, showing the lives of the cosmonauts, the engineers, and the intelligence officers embedded among them in the Soviet space program. May 29

Apple Arcade

Apple releases most Apple Arcade games on the first Friday of each month. Check our Apple Arcade FAQ for a full list of Apple Arcade games and more details on the service. Occasionally, games are released with no forewarning, but you’ll usually see next month’s releases listed in the Coming Soon section.

Good Pizza, Great Pizza+: A cozy pizza business simulator. May 7

Nick Jr. Replay!: Education game for preschoolers with Nick Jr. characters. May 7

Perchang World: Glossy physics puzzle game where you use gadgets to guide marbles to a finish line. May 7

Ultimate 8-Ball Pool+: Sophisticated 3D pool/billiards simulation. May 7

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